???????????
Location: Continental United States
Date: ??-??-201?
Whenever he imagined getting powers he always thought life would suddenly turn for the better. He knew now that was but a fantasy.
He still got evicted, afterall having powers didn't suddenly lead to immense wealth.
He needed money if he wanted to survive, not just for food and shelter but also to even make progress towards his creations.
His beautiful creations, he'd sketched on every page of every notebook he owned before he was finally evicted from his apartment. If he could just get the material, the funding. He'd change the world, and get rich doing it.
If only his creations weren't so… large, so complex. Even just a small proof of concept would be costly in both material and time. And he didn't even have money to feed himself, not unless he figured something out, and soon.
He didn't want to join the Protectorate, he had no desire to become some government pawn, but at this point did he have much of a choice? Otherwise he'd have to turn to villainy… but all he wanted to do was build his creations.
Yet, without the support of someone like the Protectorate… would he ever have the chance to see his creations in their full glor-
He froze, before turning swiftly as he heard something hit the ground in the alley behind him.
No one was there, but something else was.
He stared.
A briefcase?
That wasn't there before…
Approaching it cautiously he found a note resting on the handle.
He picked it up.
'A gift, use it well.'
"What the hell?"
Gingerly, he opened the case and his eyes widened.
It was full of money.
Maybe twenty grand in total? But why, who?
Fuck it, he knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth, and he needed the money desperately. It might come back to bite his ass later, but he'd accept this gift from whoever this mysterious benefactor was and worry about how they knew of him or even where to find him later.
For now, he was starving.
Blockade
Boston Wards HQ - One day after the patrol with Novax
The doors to the Wards common room slid open with a hiss.
School was over, and a few members of the team had already arrived and were lounging around the room while waiting for a meeting they had later today.
Blockade walked into the common room with a sigh.
"What are you sighing about today? Dad piss in your cornflakes again?" Roulette called out teasingly, setting down a book she was reading.
Blockade snorted. "Fuck off, I'm just tired. Had a late night."
"So I hear, snagged the Mullen Brothers right?"
"Yeah, it took way too long to process the bastards. Then I couldn't get to sleep after." Blockade responded, exhaustion present in her voice.
Auroch, Reynard and Hunch sat on the couch playing some game on the game console they had plugged into the television. There were a few Wards missing. Weld was probably getting ready for the meeting, Gallop, Safespace and Quickbolt on the other hand she had no idea where they were.
Auroach turned away from their game to speak. "You were patrolling with that new independent hero-"
"Vigilante." Reynard interrupted, not looking away from the TV.
"-righ-, Vigilante, whatever. You were with Novax right? How were they? Think Armstrong has a chance of getting them signed on?" Auroach asked.
"Not sure what the chances of them joining are, right this minute I'd say next to zero, but they apparently want to work with us so that's something at least." Blockade walked over and plopped down on the couch. "I think my dad might have been partially right about what I heard him saying about her though."
Blockade turned as she heard Roulette gasp behind her. "Blockade?! Agreeing with her dad? Who are you and what have you done with my friend? I better not have to go into master stranger protocols from this."
Blockade grabbed a couch pillow and threw it at her head with a snort. "Shut up."
"What was Bastion saying about Novax?" Hunch asked, as he and the other two paused their game to give her their full attention.
"He thinks she's probably, quote 'Fucked up in the head.', he was complaining, or more like ranting about it when he came home a couple nights ago while we were eating dinner. Him and Armstrong got heated over it apparently."
"Your dad actually went home for a family dinner? What?" Roulette balked.
"Don't even get me started, fucker actually made me sit there and join him. God was it painful to sit through. I bet my mom was balking in her grave at the sight."
"Fucked up in the head?" Reynard spoke up, pulling the conversation away from the familial tangent. "Where did that come from? Is it over that villain she killed back up in Brockton?"
"Yes and no. According to him when Aerobat and Dovetail brought her in to talk with him and Armstrong she gave a run down of what happened back up north. They didn't question her much beyond asking her for a summary on it but apparently it was something to do with the way she explained it."
"The way she explained it? What, like her tone of voice or something?" Reynard asked.
"Something like that, apparently when she was describing killing that villain she was, quote 'too relaxed and comfortable', talking about it. Dad said she sounded more like a person talking about the weather than talking about the time she blew someone's head off. He couldn't really describe it but apparently there was just something about the way she spoke that made him uncomfortable. So now he's convinced she's unstable and is just waiting to blow her top. Armstrong on the other hand is… well you know Armstrong."
"More reasonable, potentially too much so?" Reynard said.
"Yeah."
"Well, did you get unstable murdery vibes from her?" Roulette asked, leaning in over the back of the couch, having moved from her previous spot.
"I mean… " Blockade let out a sigh. "I don't know, she was weird for sure. She'd answer our questions and was nice enough but… she was just… weird? Like she was just full business non-stop, even when we were just talking before we got the call about the Mullens. That and when she met up with us after brawling with one of them inside the burning building she was acting like she just got back from a midday stroll, like she hadn't just gone hand to hand with a brute that can turn metal to slag with a touch. And she was in a metal suit crying out loud! Yet she sounded like it was just any other day, way too calm about the whole thing. Hell I don't think the tone of her voice changed once the entire time we talked to her, before or after the fight. Just a flat serious tone the entire time. Also don't get me started on her body language, or should I say lack thereof. I watched her when she was giving some Trooper her statement for the report, she didn't move once. Not a twitch, jolt or sway, just perfectly still. It was creepy as hell. After some of what Armstrong told us about, it's on a need to know basis so don't ask, we honestly thought she might have been a little suicidal near the end."
All four Wards flinched.
"Is she?" Auroach asked.
"I don't think so? Looking back, and after talking everything that happened through with Challenger and Dad, everything she did was tactically sound. Really efficient too which was weird since she's supposed to be new, I know Challenger and Dad got talking about it after I left. Either way I now have to write a report to send to Yamada on her behaviour. I guess they want her opinion on everything to better figure out how to get her to join."
"Well… that's something." Reynard said. "I'm assuming Armstrong is going to want us to do another patrol with her isn't he."
"Probably. I think Weld said something about some of the Protectorate patrolling with her in a week or so if they can get her to agree to it again." Blockade responded.
"So not our problem for a bit then." Roulette said.
"Yep." Blockade said, popping the 'p'.
Midr
One Day After the Moot
Midr walked into the backdoor of the bar, annoyed that he'd been requested into yet another meeting the day after the Moot. The literal one stop shop for business, sure some stuff was better done in private, but the Moot was where you set the details for that up. That was not the case this time.
He would have refused if it wasn't Compulsion, not that he liked the bastard. Quite the opposite, the freaky fuck could take a hike as far as he was concerned. But Compulsion and by extension Dark Society secretly requesting an urgent meeting after how this last Moot went? He didn't think he could afford to ignore it.
Walking through the hallways, Capillary and Coruela at his sides, he opened the door and walked into the backroom.
"Oh Midr! I'm so glad you could come! We have much to discuss." Compulsion greeted him, in that energetic singsong voice that Midr detested. Wildly gesturing about with dramatic flair like the bastard thought he was some theater kid putting on a play. He had no idea if it was all an act or if the man was really like that on the regular, but coupled with the man's maroon suit and that creepy ass smiley face painted onto his bandaged face it made him unsettling on appearance alone.
Two of his counterpart's capes were behind him. Who they were, he had no idea, damn Dark Society and their inconvenient attire.
Compulsion reached out with his hand, gesturing for a handshake. "Come sit with me, and let us be merry!"
"Standing's fine." Midr responded, not moving an inch towards him.
There was no way in hell he was shaking that fuckers hand, he knew what he could do. He had paid an information broker handsomely a long time ago once he learned Compulsion was a master. Specifically the kind whose power affects other people. He wanted to know exactly what he could do, whether he was technically an ally or not for his own sake of mind.
A single touch, that was all it took and for an hour the bastard could force you to seek to fulfill a single urge or compulsion you've had within the last twenty-four hours. No matter how small or brief it may have been.
Thought briefly about killing your wife after she pissed you off? Making moves on some girl you saw at the bar? Betraying your only friend? Or worst of all, a random call of the void, the urge to just swerve into oncoming traffic, jump out the window, kill yourself? A single touch, skin on skin and for the next hour anything you'd thought about, consciously or subconsciously was within his grasp and he could force you to seek to fulfill that urge or desire for an hour before his effect would wear off.
Shaking his hand was idiotic.
"Of course, whatever makes you most comfortable." Compulsion responded, withdrawing his hand. "However, surely you'd prefer the soft cushions of these lovely-"
"What the fuck do you want Compulsion, cut the shit I'm not in the mood." Midr cut him off.
Compulsion paused, looking at Midr in silence before straightening his posture and folding his hands behind his back. "I want to discuss the future of Boston. I find myself… discontented with how last night's Moot ended." His singsong voice still cheerful.
"How, you barely even spoke when we were discussing the Tinker."
"Yes, the Tinker. The moment she suggested she sought to feed the entire world we should have killed that bitch where she stood."
Midr stared at him for several moments.
"Explain."
"Oh Midr, Midr, Midr… do you not remember what happened to the last tinker to try and change the world for the better on such a scale?"
Midr froze, the realization hitting him immediately before Compulsion continued.
"Do you really think the Simurgh is going to just allow Novax to solve world hunger? That feathery chicken shattered Sphere's mind when he tried to change the world. If Novax wasn't overestimating herself she is next, should she continue to live, it's merely a matter of time. Sure, she'll be safe for now, the Simurgh won't be descending on Boston anytime soon, let alone the next attack. After all, she already hit Canberra last month, and the same Endbringer never attacks twice in a row. But, she's not the only problem. Do you really think Mannequin will simply turn a blind eye once he catches wind of what she plans to do here? Novax will be a magnet for trouble. Whether it be the Nine or the Hope Killer her mere presence here won't help maintain order like Accord thinks, it will bring death and destruction. The moment she declared her ambition to solve hunger on the scale she believes she is capable of, we should have killed her on the spot or run her out of town. Instead, Accord is getting all buddy buddy with her. The man's desperation for one of his extravagant plans to actually accomplish something of the magnitude he dreams of will be to our detriment. He's blinded by his own ambition, which in my opinion is way too large for a man of his stature." The man giggled. "If Accord, our oh so esteemed alliance leader won't do anything about the very clear threat to our city we simply must do something ourselves."
Midr stood silent, lost in thought before he finally looked up and responded. "What are you proposing?"
Compulsion swung his arms out in dramatic fashion. "A new order! Novax must be disposed of before she can grow into a threat we can't uproot. You saw the monstrosity of a vehicle she brought last night. It's only a matter of time before she builds something worse and our task becomes more difficult."
"It's not just Novax, you want to oust Accord, don't you. Otherwise you'd be talking to him about this, not me. You're just using Novax as an excuse to stir the pot. Why not talk to him? Convince him of just how much bigger of a threat she is to us than we originally anticipated."
"Do you really think Accord will change his mind? Did you not see him last night when Novax asked him what it would take for him to create a plan to help her end hunger worldwide? When was the last time you saw that angry midget smile? No, every king has his end. Every empire rises and falls. It's time for Accord's hold on this city to end."
"And you want to end it in war. After we just had an entire discussion last night about not wanting exactly that in this city."
"An unfortunate circumstance, but sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette don't you know?"
Midr paused, thinking it over.
"You talked to Heaven's Light or Spill about this."
"Please, the choir boy fanatics won't budge. If anything they'll say Novax is doing the Lord's work and vote against us, regardless of the dangers. And Spill and his deviants don't give a shit so long as they can peel the skin off their toes or whatever it is they do for fun without being harassed."
"So you're trying to get me to sign in to walk into a three on two? Pass. That's not even including Novax potentially getting involved or the Protectorate and all the other heroes in this city trying to intervene to stop the fighting. Do you think I'm stupid enough to even consider that?"
"Who said anything about three on two? You forget Midr, there are more hands in the pot of Boston than those in our little alliance."
Midr paused, who was he talking about? Then it hit him. "Digger, that's why he's in Boston. The person he has business with… It's you, him attending the Moot was just him checking for new players on the board since his last visit wasn't it."
Compulsion clapped. "Oh bravo! You figured it out! Yes, Digger will join us if it means he gets to watch Accord kick the bucket, oh how he hates that man." Compulsion giggled. "Better yet, should things go well Digger may even manage to convince Blasto to unleash some of his creations to aid us! That makes it four on three in our favor! Won't that just be grand!"
"That's not including independents or mercenaries Accord might hire to bolster his ranks… Not that we couldn't do the same… Why me though, why are you approaching me."
"You've answered my question right there by asking why instead of calling me a traitor and running straight off to Accord. It's because I knew you'd consider it, you're not an idiot Midr you can see the dangers involved with keeping Novax around in light of yesterday's Moot. You want what's best for your people, and what's best for them is for Novax to be removed from the board. Something Accord now won't allow now that she's enticed him with illusions of grandeur."
"We don't know that, he could be convinced . We could avoid the additional bloodshed."
Compulsion paused, before leaning in and with a sickly sweet tone spoke. "And if he can't be?"
Midr stood, lost in thought. He was never a fan of Accord, despite the advantages working with the man brought it also had its own challenges. He finally sighed and looked Compulsion dead in the eye. "Then we're in. Next Moot we broach the topic. If Accord won't budge we will join you, but not before. I'm not going to put my people through the ringer without at least trying the diplomatic route."
"That… is more than acceptable." Compulsion replied, his voice rising to an uncomfortable pitch as excitement exuded from his voice.
"Creepy asshole." Midr thought, hoping he was making a good decision.
"He's going to stab us in the back if we go through with this, you know that right?" Capillary asked, as they got back into the car.
"Without a shadow of a doubt, but not until Novax and Accord are handled. They'll be nice until then, and so will we."
"And after?" Coruela asked.
"We beat them to the punch and stab that creepy fucker in the eye first. Digger won't have a horse in the race once Accord is out of the picture, so it'll just be us and them. We might need to reach out and hire a mercenary team to account for Dark Society's other chapters, who will probably send support if it means them getting a full grip over Boston. But our coffers can handle it, and we still have Fury. Besides as much as I hate to admit it he's right on Novax and probably Accord as well. I've never seen that man smile until last night, he probably won't be moved to change his stance." Midr sighed. "This alliance was always going to be a temporary thing, I never saw it lasting forever. It was only a matter of time before something caused it to implode one day, I just never expected it to be a single tinker through the mere fact of existing."
Midr shook his head.
"Let's go, we need to get everyone together and get us all on the same page. It seems war is coming to Boston, we best be ready."
Compulsion
Compulsion couldn't help but giggle to himself after Midr had left. The meeting had gone about as well as he could have imagined it. He knew Mourning Glory had never been that attached to the idea of the alliance or Accord's role in Boston, to them it was simply a matter of convenience, should they see Accord as suddenly becoming detrimental to them they'd always be easy to flip. Not that they were stupid by any regard, Midr certainly knew he would stab them in the back once Novax and Accord were handled and no doubt planned to do the same to him in return, but that was expected and a problem for later.
The important part was removing as much support from Accord's side as he could before the tinder match that was Boston exploded.
Bless Novax, while the nature of the tinker made everything a little inconvenient at the need to move faster than he would have liked to set things in motion, he had to admit her existence and the unintentional boast she had made last night had made things all too perfect. Digger was originally only here to iron out details while he did his best to get enough pieces on the board in order to set things in motion. Now? Well, there's no better time than the present.
Midr insisted they wait for the next Moot to try and convince Accord to change his stance before he'd commit to conflict. Something he didn't see Accord doing, neither would Mystic Mass or The Unmasked. Mystic Mass because they would go with whatever they thought was more righteous, and The Unmasked because they were more than content to just let Accord get his way so long as they got to mind their own business.
Yet Compulsion had no desire to wait two weeks, they would meet with Accord sooner. He had ensured that now, a message had been sent and now a metaphorical hand grenade may as well have been tossed into the room that was Boston. It would have happened on its own with time, but there was nothing wrong with tossing a bone for a rabid dog to follow and bite if it meant speeding things along. The added chaos would make things more difficult for everyone involved, but primarily the Protectorate. Give them something else to be forced to focus on in the coming weeks, distract them, make it more difficult for them to get in the way.
Of course it would put him at risk as well, that same dog was just as likely to bite him as anyone else, but what was life if you didn't take a risk every once in a while.
They'd be forced to convene in an emergency summit soon, as they always did when this time came around.
Compulsion couldn't help but smile, the Butcher was coming home, and for once he couldn't be happier.
April had come fast, the last four days of March had seen a flurry of activity in both of my two bases. But if I wanted to actually have the MACU finished by my own deadline I needed to get things moving faster. More power, more mass and more build power.
Engineers were hard at work getting the room excavated for the specialized fabrication unit that would bring it to life. It was not going to be a small space, while it was called a Micro Armored Command Unit that was in relation to the real deal which was forty meters tall. It still would be at least thirty feet tall, that was as big as Leviathan and micro isn't exactly a word many would use to describe the second largest Endbrigner.
Even then, I still was finishing up the design, getting the rest setup now was purely so I could start the construction right away once I was finished with the damn quantum controller. I was expecting to get it started a week into April, maybe two depending on external circumstances.
Two more reactors were underway. While the first ended up taking me ten days, though it would have been five if not for other projects, this time though it would be four days for two.
The rate I was expanding was growing. Part of me couldn't wait until a reactor could take minutes rather than days. Something to look forward to, I couldn't really complain too much with what I had right now though. After all, I had built to this point starting from nothing but some scraps mismatched together in some shitty Brockton warehouse, not immediately being on par with the rates my eventual forty meter war machine could pull off was excusable.
Over at Fort Bluff I finally got the rest of the school reinforced and expanded my fleet of units. Reaching twenty-five Enforcers and even three of my new Lobbers. Small units around the size of a large ATV, designed to serve as mobile mortars, the idea being if I was dealing with a large group I could use them to deploy tear gas from a distance.
Outside of the usual progress the Moot had been more productive than I thought. I had learned a lot, particularly that the local villains were smart and had gotten a really good grasp of what I was capable of, even if they didn't quite have the full picture. They didn't want me coming down on them hard and were willing to work together to uproot me if it seemed like that was my goal.
I'd like to see them try to be honest, but luckily for them there are much better things for me to make my goal than taking out the gangs of a single city.
Like trying to eliminate world hunger. Accord apparently was a big fan of the notion for whatever reason and was more than willingly to try and assist when the time came. The plan he had handed me just for Boston was… incredibly in depth. Enough so I'd be willing to ignore his other activities, so long as they were lowkey, if he could get me a solid plan to follow when the time came to expand outside of Boston.
That would come later though. For now I was due for another joint patrol, this time with the actual Protectorate. I made sure to actually ask ahead of time who it was with so I knew who to expect. Challenger and Chubster, I remembered Challenger from back when she was still up in Brockton Bay, and I at least knew of Chubster if for no other reason than his name.
A day time patrol would be on the menu this go around. I honestly hadn't really done many of them since moving here. My daytime was usually a mix of sleeping and work.
At the very least this time I didn't have to wait for the PRT to come pick me up. I had my own set of wheels now.
Before heading out though, I made a quick stop at the soup kitchen.
Walking out with the MKII I did the usual meet and greet before finding Markus who I knew was around thanks to the cameras I had around the place.
"Novax! The lady of the hour graces us with her presence." He said with a grin.
I chuckled. "Oh shut it. Are you alright Markus?"
"I get three square meals a day and I've only had to fight off two rats in my alley this week. I'm fantastic!" He smiled.
"You have to fight off rats?"
"Oh yeah, real big ones too, big as a pitbull the fuckers." He said, keeping a serious face before bursting into laughter after a few moments.
"Very funny, on a more serious note do you or anyone else need anything? No one has been giving anyone any trouble?" I asked, Markus was essentially my spokesperson for the homeless at this point. If I needed a message passed around I told Markus and he got things done. If anyone on the street was having any trouble they knew to tell Markus and it would get to my ears eventually. As my ears on the ground I had gone out of my way to make him a communicator he could use to contact me for emergencies as well, just in case.
"Yeah actually." He said, getting serious. "There's this older lady, Marge, she had a tent in some wooded area behind a store not far from here. Guess the store owner noticed and got pissed off she was living behind his store, she walked away for a bit and when she came back her tent and all her stuff trashed. She's lost most of what little bit she had."
"Damn." I said, contemplating what to do. "Get me a list of everything she lost, I'll replace everything best I can. Also, tell her and anyone else if they need a place to hang out they can set up shop here in the park next to the school. If anyone tries giving you shit here they'll have to deal with me."
I paused, letting out a sigh. "I've got some stuff in the works right now, but sometime soon I'd like to try and get you guys a place you can stay, maybe turn part of the school into some apartments or something temporary. Try and get some of you off the streets."
Markus blinked. "Novax you already do more than enough running all this." He gestured to the soup kitchen. "You don't have to stretch yourself thin trying to handle every part of homelessness for us."
"Please, trust me, doing more won't stretch me thin. I'm more than capable of doing a lot more than this, just give me time. Besides, you and everyone else here, you're my people. You're under my protection, and that's not just from people but the elements and hunger as well. Let me worry about the logistics of it all alright?"
The more I provided for the homeless like Markus the more protective I found myself feeling over them. To the point that I was beginning to question if my powers meddling with my head were somewhat involved.
Markus shook his head before responding. "Supposed to be us adults that tell you kids to let us worry… not the other way around." He sighed. "Though I guess most kids can't do what you do… strange times… I'll find Marge and get you that list." He finally said.
"Good man, I've got to get going. The Protectorate wants a joint patrol, if anything happens let me know, I'll still have extra Enforcers at the school if need be."
With a nod of confirmation Markus turns and continues on with his day as I return the MKII and load it and four Enforcers into the back of the APC.
Time to meet some heroes.
Despite the usual city traffic during the day it was rather surprising just how easy people were willing to give the right of way to my APC.
Pulling up to the location downtown I was asked to meet the two heroes, I dismounted the MKII and the four Enforcers I brought with me.
Challenger was the first of the two I noticed, wearing a red bodysuit with various decorations and a large axe and gun on her back. The most noticeable part of her getup was the diagonal blindfold that covered one of her eyes. Yet beyond that she didn't make any attempts to cover up her face. She was one of the few capes I knew of who focused on hiding their identity when not in costume rather than the other way around.
Chubster was at her side, wearing white armor and a navy blue bodysuit.
As I dismounted I heard both of the heroes begin to speak.
"Novax, glad you could make it." Chubster began, before looking at my APC. "Uhm… what exactly is-"
"Did you drive here in a fucking tank?" Challenger cut him off, sounding incredulous.
"It's an APC." I corrected her. "Not a tank."
Challenger gave me a look of disbelief. "Are you serious?" She asked. "This." She began, pointing at the APC. "Is a fucking tank."
"I can assure you, this is an APC." I corrected her once more.
"Yeah, don't believe it." Challenger said. "This is a tank, you can't change my mind."
"Trust me, if I built a tank you would know. This isn't one."
Challenger and Chubster looked at one another.
"Right." They said in unison.
"If you're driving a tinkertech vehicle on the streets it needs to be registered with the PRT." Chubster began.
"Bah!" Challenger interrupted him. "Save the lecturing for the suits to do Chub, I want to get a move on."
"Bu-"
"Nuh uh uh! Not. Our. Problem. Leave it for Armstrong to talk to her about, besides, this is going to be a foot patrol anyways. Come, let's go you two, I'm tired of waiting!" Challenger said as she began walking.
Chubster stared at her back as she walked before motioning while sighing. "Let's get moving…"
Me and the two Protectorate heroes began our patrol. Chubster and Challenger on either side of the MKII while the Enforcers followed up the rear.
"So, Novax, anything noteworthy happens up in your neck of the woods lately?" Chubster asked once we had settled into a pace.
"Mmm… not really. Business as usual." I responded.
"Building tanks is business as usual for you?" Challenger cut in, amusement in her tone.
"It's-"
"An APC, or so you claim." She cut me off. "I'm just messing with you. Nothing going on up in Arlington then? That's good. Quiet is-"
"Don't!" Chubster all but yelled. "Don't say the Q word damn it."
"Oh please, that's just superstition. Me saying it's quiet won't do anything. If something is going to pop off its going to pop off regardless of what words I use. It's all in your head, same as the full moon nonsense."
"It's not superstition, it's fact, and the full moon thing is very real, it makes people ten times crazier." Chubster huffed back.
"Yeah it's been quiet up there." Chubster groaned as I jumped back into the conversation. "Which is nice, most people aren't too keen to do much around there at the moment."
"It's never been too crime heavy up that way regardless, minus some low level unpowered stuff. You and these guys are making an impact though, I've seen the statistics since you've moved in." Challenger said, pointing back at the Enforcers.
"We got company." Chubster nodded forward with a smile. "Hope you're ready for some meet and greet."
Some teenagers walking towards us, guess school was out.
"Yo, it's Challenger!" One called out.
Before I knew it we were surrounded by kids my age. Most asking for autographs or pictures with the two Protectorate heroes. A couple asked for pictures with me or the Enforcers and asked questions about my bots. The entire interaction felt… odd. It's not what I was expecting to go through today, I had been hoping for another productive patrol not autograph signing.
Most of the patrol was just that though, downtown was dense with foot traffic and being on foot led to us constantly interacting with people wanting to say hi or get a photo or autograph. Primarily with the two Protectorate heroes.
The entire thing was lackluster, Challenger and Chubster, well mainly Chubster, were very clearly trying to butter me up the entire time. Asking me questions in roundabout ways to get me to talk more about my tech.
Before I knew it the patrol was over though, and with a comment about not driving my APC again once I got back until someone reached out to me about the legal specifics I headed back home. The entire thing honestly felt a little bit like a waste, even with the benefit of sitting at my console back in Bunker Hill I couldn't truly focus on something else the entire time just in case I needed to interact with someone the entire time.
Getting everything back inside Fort Bluff I spent the rest of the day working on designs, mainly the MACU. I was so close, I could practically taste it.
I leaned back and yawned, I had been working for a whil-
I froze as I looked at the time and realized it was already the next morning, the breakfast rush would be coming soon at the soup kitchen. How the hell had I lost track of time that bad?
My stomach grumbled. Not just sleep that I've overlooked it seems. Checking the construction queues, after making sure both reactors finished without issue I made my way to my living quarters, throwing together a quick meal before I got ready to sleep.
God was my sleep schedule fucked… Staying up for over twenty-four hours was way too common for me as of late. I needed to fix it, but that was easier said than done. As I got to my bed I made sure my emergency stim was where it was supposed to be near my bed. I had only gotten them a couple days ago, and to be honest I wasn't sure how safe it was to use. The stimulant itself was, but typically the dosage was managed by a system onboard the ACU. The dosage I had in the syringe currently could easily be too much or too little, depending on the circumstances. I'd been meaning to test it in a controlled environment but it had fallen to the wayside. Regardless, I left one nearby my bed and the console if there was ever an emergency.
Maybe tomorrow I'll get it sorted…
I laid down and let sleep begin to take me, idly thinking about what I would get done when I awoke.
Maybe a better mass extractor design… I was nearing the limits of the current… desig… n…
My eyes closed and my thoughts slowed as sleep quickly took me.
…
…
…
"-UNDER ATTACK."
I shot up, my base alert going off as the intercom finished calling out the tail end of an alert. What the hell was goin-
"UNIT UNDER ATTACK." The intercom called out a second time.
What?
Who the fuck was attacking me?
I threw myself out of bed as my mind began running a mile a minute. Who would go out of their way to attack my base? I eyed the drawer where my stim syringe was. Fuck I was still exhausted, did I need it right no-
My train of thought shuttered to a stop, my body freezing as I was midway through reaching for my glasses sitting on the nightstand as I came to a sudden realization.
The alert, unit under attack, there should only be four units outside of Fort Bluff. Two of them would be patrolling just outside of the school, but I had things setup so that if they came under attack it would trigger the alert for a base attack instead… the base attack alert wasn't the one that played, which meant it wasn't them. The other two Enforcers…
"UNIT DESTROYED."
My blood chilled, as I began to feel myself overcome with both panic and an intense anger. I pulled out the stim and slammed the EpiPen styled syringe into my leg. I gasped for breath, falling to my knees as the syringe clattered to the ground. My veins felt like they were on fire as I began shaking with a rush of energy, my brain now wired to the high heavens. Definitely too much, or maybe just enough too fast, whatever too late to worry about it now.
"UNIT DESTROYED."
"Shit!"
I forced myself back to my feet and began to run as fast as I could. Just what the hell was going on?
My body felt like it was on fire as I rushed to the console. My heart practically beating out of my chest. Bringing up the display I pulled up the cameras of the soup kitchen and my heart dropped. It looked like something out of a post apocalyptic movie as dozens of bone garbed thugs with a mixture of different weapons moved through the eating area, turning the entire place into chaos. Surrounding the kitchen on one side and filling the street corner an entire caravan of vehicles sat.
Each vehicle modified in some way, plates of steel welded on as armor, baskets and nets strapped to the sides carrying boxes of supplies and cans of gasoline, a few even had gun turrets strapped on the top. Spikes, bones, skulls and other human remains decorated every vehicle much like the people that came with them.
The Teeth had returned to Boston.
The people, my people, that I fed day after day were scattered. Some sat in groups huddled together as the Teeth moved through the kitchen, some carrying out food from the kitchen itself where it was stored and taking it back to their caravan. Others feasted on the food already sitting out amongst the eating area, boasting shouts of their return, partying as if it was some celebration. A celebration my people weren't excluded from, whether they liked it or not.
Some of the Teeth went around between those that remained, taking whatever valuables they had if any. Others were grabbed, men and women, and were being dragged back towards the caravan. I watched as a woman I thought looked familiar screamed as she was pulled by her hair kicking and screaming. I could hear the man laugh as he dragged her along.
"Come on, quit the screaming! How am I gonna enjoy the celebration with you bursting my eardrums the entire time?" He said, as he yanked her by the hair harder as if to emphasize his question.
She kicked her assailant in the shin, causing him to lose his grip for a moment as he reached for his leg in pain, using the opportunity she tried to run away, while looking back at the man who began to give chase.
She didn't make it far, as while looking behind herself she ran directly towards a pile of scrap that I recognized as the remains of two Enforcers piled on top of one another, still somewhat intact as I had turned off the fail safes for the two at the kitchen so their detonation couldn't harm bystanders if anything ever happened.
Sitting on top of their remains sat a woman in the same bone-covered garb as the rest, a massive compound bow resting against her shoulder with giant horrific looking arrows in a quiver on her back, a massive hammer resting on the ground next to her made out of metal and concrete. There she sat and stared in the direction of the school, twirling an arrow in her hand as she eyed the school. Until she heard the woman running towards her, as she suddenly stood, turned, and grabbed the woman by the throat and hoisted her into the air.
The Butcher.
Her and the Teeth grunt shared some sort of exchange, but I didn't pay it much mind. I couldn't, I was shaking, if not because of the stims then out of anger. My powers, I had noticed its effect on my brain before. The lack of reaction to violence, killing, skills I didn't have beforehand outside of the tinkering, all static but present changes to my psyche. But as of late I noticed something new, a push, an active change. I had only barely noticed it before, something in the back of my head pushing my thoughts into a protective stance as I provided for the homeless and the poor, not necessarily for every person out there, but specifically the ones that came to my kitchen. Sure I was protective of the people that came naturally, but just in the background I could feel what almost felt like another person, a presence, a passenger in my head, gently pushing me to become more and more protective. I could push back, if I focused, it was never particularly hard to resist it before.
But I was struggling to do so now, the push much more powerful than it had ever been before. Only this time it wasn't a sense of protectiveness towards my charges.
I felt homicidal, as unbridled rage filled me. That same presence was now overbearing in the back of my head as I brought every unit in my arsenal to life and began moving them to deploy and march on the Teeth.
It was taking everything in my power to withstand it, to not lose myself as the presence screamed for blood. Monsters were harming my charges, they needed to be stopped, to be eliminated, put down like the dogs they were. If I did I knew I wouldn't feel any different about the killings themselves if the past said anything about it.
But I knew that was wrong, that gunning down every single member of the Teeth would be frowned upon, even if some, no, most of them probably deserved it.
I hadn't felt anything like this in any of my previous fights, not even when I killed Cricket. What was different this time compared to before? Why hadn't I felt this presence, this push, before? Even when I first did notice it creeping in was never this strong before. Questions for later, right now the only thing that was important was dealing with the threat and keeping this presence in check and preventing myself from potentially spiraling down a slope I might not ever be able to climb out of if I'm not carefu-
"Mom!"
A voice from the camera pulled me back from my thoughts, back to the woman being held high by her own throat. Her and the Butcher looked towards the voice and my heart broke with realization as I finally remembered why I thought this woman looked so familiar. Across the way on the ground in a small group of people huddling together for safety, Markus was doing his best to hold onto a little girl, no older than five, struggling against his grip, Anna, the one that I had met at the kitchen some time ago. The woman her mom.
"Don't hurt my mom!" She begged, tears streaming down her face.
My heart lurched from my chest as she managed to slip Markus's grip and she ran towards her mother, and the Butcher.
"D-don't!" Her mother gasped out.
Reaching her, the girl gripped her mothers legs, looking up at the Butcher. "Stop it! Please, don't hurt my mom!" She all but screamed while sobbing, tears and snot running down her face.
The Butcher looked down with what seemed to be a mixture of both disbelief and utter disdain, before lifting the girl's mother higher, as if the mom was a toy she was trying to hold out of reach.
"A-n-na… l-leav-e." Her mother choked out, pleading with her daughter to stop.
She didn't, and eventually the Butcher had enough.
One moment she was there, holding onto her mothers leg, then the hit came, as the Butcher backhanded her with a closed fist.
It would have been bad enough if any normal adult had done that to a child that young, it was even worse when that adult had super strength. The smack of flesh hitting flesh was horrific…
The sound of her skull cracking was worse.
She hit the ground, a little ways from where she once stood, blood seeping from her skull as she laid on the ground, motionless. As her mother began to wail.
I sat there for what felt like hours, when in reality it couldn't have been more than a couple of seconds, as my brain processed what just happened in disbelief.
I saw red.
The presence, passenger, whatever it was, grew stronger, but it didn't need to, I no longer had the strength nor the desire to keep it in check.
I wanted the Butcher dead… only that couldn't be, my own sense of self preservation hadn't gone anywhere and I knew what killing the Butcher meant. Insanity. In a way she was protected by the happenstance of her own powers, but her followers weren't.
All twenty-three of the remaining Enforcers finally gathered and exited across the field of the park from the southern end of the school. Spread out in a line as the MKII took up a position in the center with the Lobbers following some distance behind. They would hang back, too many innocents were spread throughout the Teeth and their ranks, even back in the chaos of their caravan as some had been taken. As satisfying as sending HE their way would be the chances of collateral damage in terms of life was too great for my liking. The APC wouldn't be able to do much either, the main coilgun was too likely to go through whatever it was aiming at and into homes in the backdrop. The same problem for the Lobbers would persist for the rest of its weapon systems. It's coaxial gun on the other hand…
Regardless, it was still exiting the garage, it would come in from the side in time.
More importantly, my response was noticed. The Butcher was watching my approach, having dropped the mom the moment my Enforcers began pouring out of the school. Members of the Teeth began shouting, stopping their plundering as they seemed to prepare for battle. Clusters of my people were still scattered throughout, but to my benefit all were down on the ground.
That just made what would come next easier. I gave one last check over my unit's protocols, making sure their failsafes were off to prevent collateral and target designation was set properly, including the exceptions for the Butcher I had made long ago knowing there was a day they may be needed. For better or worse she would require a more personal approach.
I spoke through the speakers attached to the soup kitchen that I hadn't had a reason to use till now before I gave the final order. "Lay down and stay down." Then, all twenty-three Enforcers leveled their barrels towards the Teeth and opened fire. Firing in bursts, to better control where shots were going in the off chance any of my people took off running in a panic.
Screams erupted from the kitchen as the park was filled with gunfire, in the opening volley at least just under a dozen different Teeth were struck down, whether they were unpowered grunts or capes I couldn't tell. In fact I wasn't sure where any of their capes were in the chaos beyond the Butcher.
But I learned soon after, almost as soon as the first volley struck the field filled with small translucent force fields, numbering in the hundreds, as they formed a concave in a protective posture in between me and the Teeth. Bullets began to hit the fields, they were weak on their own it seemed, but all together they were forming a formidable defense against my Enforcer's small arm fire. Every bullet that hit a field would break it, only for the following bullet to get caught by another layered behind the first, before another would appear to take the first's place.
It wasn't only the force fields that began to eat up my volleys, as the Teeth's numbers suddenly began to rapidly multiply simultaneously as hordes of clones began pouring out through gaps in the wall of force fields. Spree, his clones pouring out as Enforcers swapped to automatic fire to deal with the clones and to try and better break through the forcefields.
More importantly however, the Butcher began to move, drawing back the ridiculously sized compound bow as she knocked an equally ridiculous looking arrow and fired over the wall of force fields, over shooting my units. Or so I thought, as the arrow seemed to curve in space as it redirected and shot down towards an Enforcer in the center. The Enforcer's sensor saw it coming and tried to dodge, it would have been too slow regardless, but the arrow curved in space once more to add insult to injury. More alarmingly, the arrow pierced through the Enforcer's cyclops eye, sparking as it collapsed to the ground.
Their eyes were weakest point of their armor, but seriously what the fuck were those arrows made out of? And what the hell was the poundage on that bow's drawstring to pull that off?
Finally, the MKII, shimmering blue with its personal shield, leveled its own arm barrel and added hot plasma into the fray in an attempt to break through the defensive wall of force fields.
The exchange continued, as sections of the wall of clones and force fields occasionally faltered and and my assault pierced through, striking down any Teeth unfortunate to be on the other side as arrows continued to fly, another three Enforcers meeting the same treatment as the first. A few Teeth grunts that had guns began returning fire as well.
My APC after a few moments of the exchange finally rolled around from the side of the school and opened fire with its coaxial gun.
In reality, it wasn't adding much firepower to my attack without using the rest of its arsenal, but its appearance seemed to have enough impact to make up for it.
"They didn't say the cunt had a fucking tank!" I picked up one voice screaming through the chaos from one of the kitchen's cameras.
Immediately the mass of Teeth behind Spree and the wall of force fields began moving back to their caravan, as various members started coming to a consensus that their position was no longer an acceptable one as the vast majority began what seemed to be a fighting retreat.
Everyone except the Butcher, who in an explosion of fire appeared in the center of my line directly in front of the MKII. In a panic, I swung my suit's arm out away from the Butcher just in time to avoid firing a bolt of plasma in their direction, before the Butcher, with their massive sledgehammer now in band, swung before I could react, striking the MKII in the lower torso with an upwards swing. The personal shield taking the majority of the impact of the blow yet still sending my suit flying into the air ten feet back.
I scrambled to get the MKII back on its feet as the Butcher turned their attention to the Enforcers closest to where my suit once stood. Striking the first, she crushed the bot and its armor with brute force, before taking a swing at another, disabling both bots. Down to seventeen now, I mentally make a note.
The MKII finally gets back on its feet, nano-constructor deployed to remove the hammer from play only to find the Butcher had already moved, appearing in another ball of fire on top of the APC's turret. Raising her hammer, she swung downwards onto the barrel of the main gun, caving it inwards from the impact before reaching down and grabbing the still firing coaxial gun and bending the metal barrel sideways. Then, dropping the hammer, she lowered herself down to a crouch, grabbing both the missile tubes and the grenade launchers and began to pull. Both weapon systems, after a moment of straining were torn off and casted aside.
Standing back up, she hoisted the massive hammer back up and onto her shoulder with one arm, before looking directly at the MKII.
My APC was neutered, it wasn't worth anything beyond a pair of wheels now until it could be repaired. Despite this, the rest of the Teeth's withdrawal continued, as the first of their members began reaching their vehicles.
I sent a quick flurry of orders, hurrying before the Butcher reengaged. The three Lobbers, who had been holding off until now raised their barrels into the air and prepared to fire. If some of them were going to run and get away I was at least going to make it as painful as possible. With the knowledge that they had been kidnapping people before my response I still couldn't drop HE on their heads, but tear gas on the other hand was a different matter.
Alongside this, I quickly split the remaining Enforcers into three groups. Two groups of six, which began to take off into a sprint to try and flank around the forcefields and Spree clones and cut off the retreating Teeth, firing as they went, while the remaining five stayed with the MKII to face the Butcher. If nothing else they could serve as distraction and fodder.
I turned my attention back to the MKII just in time as the Butcher appeared in front, just off to its right side, finding her mid swing. This time I was able to react fast enough, bringing up my suits hands to catch the hammer by the head as it made impact, my shield absorbing the majority of the blow yet once more my suit was still moved. As the Butcher continued her swing, the MKII, as it dug in its heels, was pushed counter clockwise in about a quarter circle, with the Butcher at the center.
The sound of the Lobbers firing filled my ears as I had the MKII grab the handle of the hammer, just below its head as the suit finally came to a stop. Once more deploying the nano-constructor as a reclamation beam shot out and began dismantling the hammer starting at the head.
The Butcher suddenly yanked her hammer back towards her, but it was already to late for the head, but the act still pulled the MKII through the dirt closer to her as I'm forced to cancel the rest of the reclamation as she pulls me within melee range and I'm forced to duck a punch.
At the same time the five Enforcers that remained with the MKII open up with pepper balls, aiming for the eyes in the hopes of impairing the Butcher in some way. An act that seems fruitless as the Butcher seems indifferent to the pain they should be causing. Simultaneously the other two squads finally cross the distance of the remaining field, firing as they move as the clones and force fields begin to subside as the capes responsible load onto parts of the caravan. As whistling bears down from the heavens as tear gas canisters from the Lobbers begin landing amongst their fleet.
One squad begins clearing the kitchen and eating area, as the other pushes past towards the caravan, cutting down any Teeth member unlucky enough to not have force field coverage that, while still present, was increasingly sparse.
My focus remained on the fight in front of me however, as while the MKII dodged her punch the Butcher pulled the remaining handle out from its grasp before disappearing and reappearing in a ball of fire behind me.
Thrusting the handle, now makeshift spear, through the eye of one of the five Enforcers that had remained behind me, before raising it up, Enforcer still dangling on the end of her makeshift spear, and used it as a new hammer head as she slammed it into a second. Down to fifteen now.
In the time it took her to take down both I closed the distance with the MKII, sending a punch careening towards her skull. Without even looking she twisted out of the way. A sensory power perhaps?
There we finally squared up with each other and began exchanging blows. Neither of us landed anything concrete. A few punches I'm forced to block, the shield still holding for now but nearing its limit. Fuck was she strong, stronger than the Mullens, and stronger than my current suit by the looks of it.
On the other side of the field both Enforcers squads were engaging the Teeth that hadn't already begun driving away. A few unpowered grunts still remained scattered throughout the kitchen. Only to be gunned down as they are spotted by the Enforcers clearing the kitchen. I barely catch in my peripheral vision throughout the chaos across my many screens as a couple of Teeth stand up from the ground with their hands raised.
"We surrend-" They began, only to be gunned down like the rest, the Enforcers weren't designed to take prisoners with their current settings. And I have not the time to stop it from happening.
The other squad began breaching the outer part of the caravan, opening up on the few remaining cars that hadn't begun driving away. Once more I barely caught in the corner of my vision on another screen, as a Teeth member jumped off the top of one of their vehicles, claws of hardened blood surrounding their hands as they tried jumping on top of an Enforcer about to light up the driver of a vehicle about to pull away. Only for the Enforcer to switch targets and as they soared through the air, sidestepping as it fired at the new assailant. The Teeth member, a cape no doubt, was struck numerous times in the air and fell lifeless to the ground.
The Butcher, seemingly tired of trading fists, grabbed the MKII by the arm as she ducked a punch, twisted and using her new found leverage swung my suit around by the arm, throwing it like an Olympic hammer thrower.
The MKII hit the ground a ways away as the Butcher once more disappeared. Only to teleport once more as the MKII climbed back to its feet. Appearing in a ball of fire on top of the APC that had sat stagnant since losing its weapons. Her compound bow now back in her hands as she knocked an arrow. A quick glance at my shield tells me it's about to fail, I can't risk a hit from those damn arrows.
I deployed the nano-constructor once more, to try and reclaim the arrow mid flight when the Butcher went through an odd series of facial expressions.
I watched as her eyes gleamed in anticipation and glee, as if she was expecting something to happen, only to rapidly be replaced by confusion as she paused, knocking her arrow with a perplexed look on her face. Then she narrowed her eyes, squinting like she was trying to get a better look at something with bad eyesight, before a flurry of emotions played across her face. Shock, confusion, realization and then finally anger.
She returned her arrow to her quiver. Looking down at the APC below her, examining it before her head darted towards the school and she disappeared once more. Flames erupting on the roof of the building as she reappeared.
What the hell?
I watched from the cameras I had on the roof as she looked down at the floor, before teleporting to a different section of the building and repeating her actions. She repeated this in quick succession three more times, each time her head darting around the floor below her as if she was looking for something. Then finally she began teleporting back towards the MKII.
The Butcher reappeared in a flash of fire, looking irate before calmly walking over and pulling the handle of her hammer out of the disabled Enforcer she had left it in.
The sudden lack of urgency from her caught me off guard and I couldn't help but watch as she retrieved what remained of her hammer as she held her bow in her other hand.
Finally, snapping myself out of my confusion I charged the MKII forward, only for the Butcher to teleport behind me. I turned my suit around to see her giving the suit a look before she turned as if to leave.
"Where the hell do you think you are going!? We aren't finished yet!" I yelled from the MKII's speaker. Why the hell was she running now? I wasn't done with her yet, even if I didn't know if I even had a way to put her down without killing her.
The Butcher looked back over her shoulder and stared. I sat there, unmoving as I watched several moments go by, anticipation building as I used the opportunity to try and think of something I could do to take her down. Choke her out like the Mullens? No, she could just teleport away…
Then she spoke. "No, we are not." Her voice sounded dead, hollow. She turned her head back towards the soup kitchen, gazing at the carnage that scattered the eating area. Mounds of Spree corpses piled high, slowly dissolving, dead Teeth littered behind where the clone and forcefield wall once stood. The last of the caravan finally gone, only a few vehicles remained, the ones unlucky enough to get caught and gunned down by Enforcers before they could step on the gas. And amongst it all the people I had been feeding day after day, the ones that remained, still huddled together laying flat on the ground, shaking in fear as they glanced at the carnage around them.
"He lied." She suddenly spoke once more. "More bite, less bark." She said, turning her head back towards my suit. "I'll have his spine for it. As I will have yours." She glanced around at the remaining Enforcers still surrounding her, unmoving. She scoffed. "Scared? Don't want to risk joining us?" She pointed to the side of her skull. "Can't contain us, only join or die."
"I have no intention of having you and the rest of them screaming in my head for the rest of my life." I snarled.
"Then I will find you, we will fight, you will die." She said, matter of factly, before she began to turn away once more.
"We're fighting now you fucking coward!"
"Coward?" She snarled back, looking my way once more, before pointing at the MKII with the remains of her hammer's handle. "Bloodless." She pointed to the school. "Empty. The only coward is you. You wish to fight? Then fight me. Not your bloodless husk."
I froze. She knew.
"When you are ready to die, I'll answer. Should you continue to cower, I'll hunt. Either way, when I am done I will drink from your skull."
And then with a flash of fire in the distance, she was gone.
I sat still for several moments, taking in the fact that both facade's I had been putting up had been uncovered by one madwoman in a single fight, before I regained my senses. Pushing the issue in the back of my mind for later as I marched the MKII down to the kitchen as I sent orders for Engineers to come reclaim the lost Enforcers.
The people that remained, finally starting to get up and move around, clearly shaken and still terrified after the ordeal. I watched as they moved out of my suit's way as it crossed over the Spree corpses and into the eating area.
I looked over at the status reports from the Enforcers and glanced at the results. According to their combat trackers twenty-seven Teeth now laid dead, at least one of them a cape if the quick glance of the blood wielder was any indication.
"Is everyone okay? Where is Markus?" I asked the crowd around me, quiet nods of confirmation or mumbling is all I got in return. Still in shock from it all I could only guess, that or they were scared. One of the homeless I knew who was good friends with Markus eventually pointed in a direction and I followed, laying eyes on him as he stood nearby the mother, who thankfully lived, as she weeped while holding her daughter close.
I walked up, standing next to him.
"Is she?" I began, leaving the rest of the question hanging in the air.
Markus nodded.
I gripped my chair in anger as I looked down as her mother continued to weep over her dead daughter.
"Are you alright?" I asked him.
He stood in silence, tears starting to fall as he eventually answered. "I-I should have gotten a better grip on her… if I had just…"
"No." I cut him off. "This is not your fault, it's theirs. They started this." I said, the anger I still felt seeping into my voice.
Markus whipped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt before looking at me. "Are… are you okay kid?" He said, glancing around at the dead Teeth. "You…"
"I snapped." I said, matter of fact.
"Yeah…"
I sighed. I was still angry, still felt that push in the back of my skull. I wanted to finish what I started today, the feeling simply wasn't going away, even as it was becoming more passive. I looked around again at everyone still here. Some, those that weren't homeless, were calling emergency services or loved ones, fear still etched on their faces. Part of me was beginning to wonder if that fear was because of just the Teeth, or in part because of myself as well.
"You didn't answer my question kid, you okay?" He asked again.
"No." I stated, before sighing again. "If you don't want anything to do with me again after… all this I understand."
He blinked. "Kid, look, I won't act like I know your whole deal… but I know for a fact that I'm probably the person you speak to the most nowadays. Not unless you aren't alone in that school up there. After today… Whatever happens next I think the last thing you need and the last thing I want is to leave you high and dry."
"Thanks… that… that means a lot actually."
"Do… Do you need someone to talk to about it?"
"About what?"
"About… this?" He gestured around at the carnage.
"I don't know…" The killings themselves made me feel nothing. My feelings on my psyche though… I shook my head, I didn't want to contemplate this right now, so I changed the subject. "How many people were taken? Was anyone else killed that I didn't see"
"I don't know… but I can try to get a count… names as well. You're going after them aren't you?"
"Yes. Along with figuring out why they even attacked here. Let alone take people."
"They've… done it before, take people I mean. The past times they've come through. Word on the street back then was that they'd force whoever was unlucky enough to get snatched to participate in blood sports, or their own fucked up gladiator combat for entertainment… that and well, you can probably guess."
I grimaced at the thought.
"Get me a number, and names. I'm tearing down the kitchen. Rebuilding it closer to the school for better protection. Never should have put it on the opposite end of the fucking park…" I let silence linger for a moment in contemplation. "If anyone desperately needs food or anything let me know and I'll get it to you. Otherwise… I need to prepare. Still got the comm I gave you for emergencies?"
He nodded, patting his coat pocket. "Will the PRT…"
"Be okay with all this? I don't know… but I'm willing to bet I'll hear from them before the day is done." I checked the Engineers, as they finished reclaiming the last of the downed Enforcers. "I should get everything back inside regardless, make room for emergency services… there's not much more I can do for everyone right now…" I could hear sirens in the distance already.
"Alright… I'll get the information you need, and reassure everyone. You just do what you need to do okay? And Novax." He said, just before I was about to recall everything back inside. "Don't be a stranger kid."
I had the MKII nod and ordered a recall.
I slid back in my chair. My heart was still pounding, now primarily from the stims still pumping in my system. I wouldn't be able to sleep until they were gone. Besides, I had stuff I needed to handle now. I had an enemy now, enemies possibly, depending on how the PRT would react and based on that weird comment the Butcher made. Who was 'he' that she referred to?
I doubted I'd find answers to that today. Regardless, the facade of Fort Bluff was already gone, at least in regards to the Butcher. But I had a feeling the Butcher wasn't exactly the talkative type as far as my fears for that information spreading were concerned.
Whether that information did spread or not it still wouldn't remove Fort Bluff as a target, so long as it remained the only noticeable location my units deployed from. I needed to reinforce its defenses. I had avoided external defenses in order to not freak out the PRT in my early days here, I didn't think staying concerned over my image was going to do me any favors on that front now. But I had at least already put a blueprint together for the instance I ever needed to reinforce the outside of the school in a hurry.
All I had to do was wait. Not only for my Engineers to work and the stims to subside, but also an inevitable confrontation with the PRT I knew would come before the day's end. They had my number after all.
I couldn't help but look down at my own hands, as I contemplated what I had just done, everything that had just happened. The Teeth, they had it coming, I didn't feel awful about it. Yet, I couldn't help but shake the feeling that I'd just opened a box I couldn't ever shut back. Let alone what that would mean.
Whatever happened going forward, there was one thing I was certain of, my life was changing once again.
I wasn't sure if it was for the better.