Taylor Hebert
January 8, 2011
"Alright, Dad, throw it when you're ready."
"Heads up... three... two... one!"
With force, Dad tossed the bricks into the air. Without hesitation, I aimed as quickly as I could and started firing energy beams from my hands. The first, second, and third shots hit without a problem; on impact, the rays pulverized the bricks, turning them into small wisps of smoke. But my fourth and fifth shots missed. I rushed too much, and instead of hitting the bricks that were already falling near the ground, I ended up hitting the old barrels behind them.
The brick remnants fell onto the concrete.
Mr. Fluff, the dockworker's rat-eating cat, was startled. He hissed, his fur and tail bristling, and scurried away to surely continue his nap.
The dockworkers chuckled at the mess. Some even had their sandwiches and drinks half-finished, using their lunch break to watch my incredible "display of skill."
Who am I kidding? I'm terrible.
The only thing I'm good at is flying, and that's simply because I can do it just by willing it. But shooting laser beams? The mechanics are easy; the problem is my aim.
Well, compared to when I started, at least now it's something. At first, it was completely non-existent.
I shook my head and pulled down my construction helmet to hide my embarrassment. I know I no longer have skin to blush with, but damn it, it's still embarrassing to fail in front of so many people.
"Don't be like that, Taylor," smiled Kurt "You improve every day without fail, cheer up."
"At least you didn't hit anyone's car this time, hahahaha!" a worker laughed as he walked past.
That was another detail: since everyone knew my identity, there was no point in hiding. And considering that Winslow was temporarily closed (due to the police investigation), I accompanied Dad to work every day. I hope they never reopen that cursed hole they call a school, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes that.
But that wasn't the only reason I was here. I wouldn't leave Dad's side. Many people were now stopping by the house "discreetly" just to see the city's new public parahuman. At least they weren't brazen enough to try anything stupid, but I only needed to peek out my window to see one or two people snooping on the sidewalk.
That surveillance was less important than the real reason I wouldn't leave Dad's side: his safety.
Now the whole damn world knows who I am. They know the purple girl with bright pink hair is Taylor Hebert. I didn't want someone to endanger Dad. There's a reason Capes have secret identities.
Even though that possibility was denied to me.
And I hope my presence at least discourages someone from trying anything against him. In fact, my paranoia—coupled with the fact that I no longer need to sleep—has made me a little... hysterical.
There are several gangs in Brockton Bay, and I don't understand why they haven't tried anything. I'm not an expert on these matters, but it is well known that all factions are desperate for more parahumans in their ranks. The Empire 88, especially. And according to what I read online, the Merchants were just drug addicts that no one took seriously, while the ABB didn't need anyone else: Lung was a force of nature all by himself, and Oni Lee was all he needed as a right-hand man...
Still, I couldn't relax.
Yes, Dad won't leave me. And I won't leave him.
"Do you want to try again, Taylor?" Dad asked.
"No," I denied. "It's not like we have any more bricks to use."
"We're at the docks, there are bricks everywhere. Don't worry."
"It's okay, really... I think I'll go fly for a while, practice some stunts."
Without waiting for Dad's answer, I began to rise above the warehouses. The boat graveyard was quickly visible as I gained a few feet. Without stopping, I kept ascending faster and faster. I couldn't help it: flying was the best part of my powers. Shooting laser beams and the moderate super-strength I have are cool, but nothing beats flying. Absolutely nothing.
Flying was special. It was freedom.
A few seconds later, I reached cloud level. Without hesitation, I pierced through them and enjoyed the freezing water that impacted my energy body. I passed through the inside of the cloud and stopped as I observed the horizon.
All of Brockton Bay displayed itself before me. If I concentrated, I could see the cars in traffic, but seeing people escaped me. The curvature of the Earth was clearly noticeable. I had the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the city, and beyond it, on the other.
I smiled with my heart at the sight of the beauty... it was so magical.
I could almost forget that Brockton Bay was a nest filled with gangs and scum everywhere. Up here, I could imagine that my hometown was beautiful.
Too bad no matter how much perfume you use, trash will always smell like trash.
But now I have powers. Now I can not only defend myself but others as well. I can make a difference.
That is why I am practicing so intensely, with such desperation: I want to help the good side.
The Protectorate, the Wards, and New Wave are stretched thin. The smartest thing would be to join the latter. I will never be part of the Protectorate and the Wards, and I still haven't met anyone from New Wave personally.
I researched them intensely when I started planning my superhero career. Lady Photon, or Photon Mom (my favorite nickname), was a great hero who led New Wave. Her powers were very similar to mine. I was interested in talking to her; if I was lucky, she might agree to teach me how to use mine. I tried to see if I could create energy shields like her or her children, Laserdream and Shielder, but I got nothing. I guess it's not my power. The imposing Manpower was incredible, a brute with capital letters and muscles also with capital letters...
I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away. With not as much success as I would like.
Glory Girl, a.k.a. "Collateral Damage Barbie." I wanted to believe it was an unfair nickname, but sadly the videos of her on YouTube and PHO were very unflattering. She had a habit of imitating George of the Jungle, but instead of trees, she used walls to crash into.
Brandish, with her incredible swords of light. She was the main reason I wouldn't join New Wave. I was afraid of the woman who belonged to the same law firm as Emma's father. All adults protect their own interests. What told me she would be any different? It's unfair to think that of her without knowing her, but I couldn't help it. I also tried to imitate Flashbang's powers and almost succeeded; I only managed to have my sphere of energy explode in my hand, but it seems possible. I just don't know how to use it correctly.
And my favorite of New Wave, the one I admired most, Panacea.
She was a true hero. Everyone wanted to see the heroes capable of shooting energy beams and throwing cars through the air, but for me? New Wave's healer was a true hero. I'm sure she must have saved more people's lives than the whole team combined. She uses her power in the hospital for everyone. What act is more heroic than that? I want to meet her, truly.
New Wave really was my best option. They were public heroes; they didn't have secret identities to hide. It was the logical, practical, and most pragmatic choice...
But a part of me didn't want a team. Teams had rules. Norms. Restrictions.
I hated being restricted. I finally have the chance to be free, and I don't plan to lose it.
I refuse.
I blinked and shook my head, falling into that spiral again.
Now I couldn't ignore it anymore. My powers did more than transform my body; something was happening to my head. I know I should feel worried, but...
Does it matter?
I didn't see it as a bad thing. It was the right thing to do. No one has the right to prevent me from helping people, from making a difference, from doing good.
There is no one in the world I have to obey. And if they don't like it, let them try the hard way. I'll show them what I'm capable of.
Quickly, my palm met my cheek. There was no pain, but it at least snapped me out of those thoughts.
"Shit, that was close..."
I decided to go down and return to Dad. If I stayed among the clouds any longer, who knows what other nonsense would come into my mind.
Floating above the sofa with a pillow between my legs, I watched television. Lazily, I changed the channel. There was nothing interesting, and I refused to watch another boring movie I had already seen for the tenth time.
"Why is there nothing on TV?" I groaned. "It's Saturday night."
Dad was at the table looking at documents. The union was the same as always: out of work and losing members with each passing day. It's hard for Dad. He truly wanted to help people, but the laws, and especially the money, were against him.
That should be the goal of heroes: to help where it really matters. Hitting and stopping criminals is fine, but the community? I couldn't help but think that heroes could clean up the boat graveyard in no time and reactivate the city's maritime trade, but the damn laws prevented parahumans from acting in cases like this.
I know because my first idea was to blow all the boats in the graveyard sky-high. But that would end badly for me and for Dad. The laws were stupid. They shouldn't tell superheroes how not to help.
They shouldn't tell me how I should help.
I growled. I knew where those thoughts would lead and decided to look at the television again, searching for something new.
The smell of pizza reached my non-existent nose. Dad hadn't finished it yet.
There really are times when I hate my body. I no longer need to eat, but I can eat. The problem is that when I do, the taste is no longer the same, and my head reminds me that I no longer need to eat. But if I don't eat, I also remember the fact that I don't need to eat, and I start falling into an endless, horrible spiral.
I know, it sucks. But I have to live with it.
Wait a minute, am I alive?
I mean, I no longer have a physical body; I have nothing biological, I think. So I can't consider myself alive, right?
I better stop there before I think of something I'll surely regret.
My body is a mystery. Mr. Gray recommended I not perform power tests with the PRT because they could use it as ammunition in the lawsuit we're pursuing (well, my dad and he are pursuing). But the point is that, depending on the results, they could demand an intervention due to my high-caliber powers.
It's incredible how convinced Mr. Gray is that I am powerful. I'm not saying he's wrong, but I can't help but notice his confidence on the subject.
As for my body, I have no idea why my power transformed my entire being. Mr. Gray's theory is that my body had to mutate and change to be able to use my new powers. After all, there are parahumans whose bodies changed after obtaining their powers. The immortal Nazi from the Empire 88 is one example.
Damn, it's horrible to be compared to an immortal Nazi zombie.
"Taylor, I'm going to bed, it's late. Please keep the volume on the TV low."
"Yes, Dad," I replied. "Goodnight, rest."
And so I was left alone, the television as my only company. I decided to put on cartoons; no matter what, cartoons will always be the best form of entertainment.
I descended until I was settled on the sofa. I meditated on my situation for a moment: I was currently not prepared to be a hero. My power control was poor, I didn't know my limits, and I could imagine a thousand ways everything could go wrong.
But damn, I can't stand the boredom anymore.
The first few days were easy. Everything was new, and I had no trouble entertaining myself... But now? Damn, shooting at bricks was so boring, whipping metal with my energy hair wasn't gratifying, and so far, nothing had hurt me. True, the most dangerous thing that happened to me was when I crashed into a container while practicing my flight, but I simply phased through it completely and felt nothing.
It was stupid, reckless, and dangerous.
But I can't stand it anymore.
Shit, I got my powers on Monday, but I can't handle another day without using them for something fun!
"To hell with it. Just a little escapade... I won't do anything dangerous, just stop some idiotic thief. Yeah, what could go wrong?" Unable to help it, I began to float toward the back door. "Getting stabbed? Shot? I'm pretty sure I don't have to worry about that."
After locking the door and sliding the key underneath it (I can always get in through my window; I found a trick to open it even when locked from the inside), I began to fly.
It was night, a little past midnight. Flying at a relative speed—it's hard to tell since I'm not a car with a speedometer, but I'm sure I fly faster than a car—I started flying without any particular direction. Well, actually, I was heading toward the most problematic neighborhoods, although that was relative in Brockton Bay. All neighborhoods were dangerous to a greater or lesser extent.
Seeing the city from above was a curious experience. The city lights were pretty; I had always seen the views from a helicopter on television, but flying by myself now was totally different. It wasn't Los Angeles or New York, but Brockton Bay had a nice nighttime light show to enjoy.
Too bad it got boring after a while.
Nothing, absolutely nothing. And I flew at the level of the building rooftops so I wouldn't miss anything, but damn it! Absolutely nothing!
"Of course, the one night I decide to go out, the city is quiet... Typical me..."
And right at that moment, I heard a very characteristic noise: breaking glass.
Without hesitation, I made a complete turn in the air and began flying directly to the location, a corner. A clearly closed gym had its windows broken, and I could see the lights inside and shadows projected on the pavement.
I descended and peered through the window. I instantly recognized the two men in the middle of the gym: Uber and Leet.
The city's third-rate supervillain duo, with their obsession with video games and bent on their campaign to advertise them in a totally nefarious way.
I couldn't believe there were people who liked these two. I watched several of their streams to learn about the local supervillains, but they only managed to disgust me. They weren't fun or funny at all; they were jerks and totally horrible. In one, they imitated Grand Theft Auto and stole cars and beat up prostitutes.
How could anyone find that entertaining?
"Quick, bro," Leet said. "Is the music almost ready?"
"It's done," Uber replied.
Leet rubbed his hands. "Time to begin."
Peering in more closely, I noticed the duo was dressed as Liu Kang (in Uber's case) and Kung Lao (in Leet's case).
And I could see what were clearly robots that looked a lot like Sub-Zero and Scorpion. The metal skin contrasted sharply with the colors of the robots' suits.
Uber approached the computer and pressed play on the music.
Test your might
Test your might
Test your might
Test your might
Mortal Kombat!
Instantly, the robots activated and adopted fighting stances. They began to gesticulate and show off their metallic muscles, exchanging rhythmic blows.
"Hello, internet people!" Uber yelled at the camera, the snitch. "Today we bring you an epic duel, the one and only: Sub-Zero and Scorpion! Place your bets on who wins!"
Leet was focused, controlling the robots with the arcade controller hanging from his neck. His fingers moved with surprising agility between the buttons and the joystick.
Unable to help it, I started watching the fight. I know I should stop them, but damn it, I'll admit I kind of like video games. Besides, the gym was empty, right?
I should have been more careful when thinking that.
"But that's not the only fun part!" Uber laughed at the snitch. "Look over there."
Turning my head in the direction Uber was pointing, I could see an older man tied up and gagged in a corner. He had a dark complexion and a visibly purple and swollen right eye.
"He is Mr. Jason Laborn, the owner of this gym who very kindly lent it to us," Uber explained. The man glared at him with anger. "Now then, depending on who wins the duel between those two gentlemen..." he pointed to the robots. "...Mr. Laborn will have to face the winner for the right to get his gym back."
Well, I saw and heard enough. Now, this was unacceptable.
"Hey, you imbeciles!" I yelled without thinking. I know, I'm stupid. "Stop right now!"
Damn it, couldn't I have thought of anything better? Moreover, why didn't I just attack them from behind? I could take out those robots with my energy beams and stun the pair of fools without much trouble.
I swear that since I got my powers, it's as if every point of intelligence and wisdom I had gained throughout my life went back to zero...
Great... now I'm talking in video game terms... What the hell is wrong with me? Did my powers make me stupider?
"Hey, I know her!" Leet pointed at me. "It's the girl from the locker video."
"She one-shotted Shadow Bitch, didn't she?" Uber smiled, his eyes shining with excitement. "Bro, change of plans, this is way better than hitting an old guy!"
Leet also smiled, his hands gripping the controls. "Get her!"
And just like that, the robots stopped fighting each other and now focused on a new target: me.
The first to move was Robo-Scorpion. With a quick arm movement, he aimed at me while spitting out a phrase in his synthetic, raspy voice: "Get over here!"
A hook, quick as lightning, cut through the air toward me and wrapped around the arm I instinctively used to protect my face. Once the hook was completely entangled, Scorpion pulled.
The problem with flying is that I had nothing to counteract the inertia, so I flew directly toward Robo-Scorpion, and he landed a powerful kick to my side that sent me flying to crash against the wall.
"Ha!" Leet cheered. "Did you see that combo?"
"I saw it, Leet. Just like all our viewers," Uber replied.
Shaking myself loose from the impact site and pushing aside bricks and debris, I levitated again. The blow didn't hurt me at all, just like the impact, but damn it, it's not pleasant to be kicked and then thrown against a wall.
But I didn't have time to fully recover, because now it was Robo-Sub-Zero's turn to make his move. Extending his arms, the robot began to shoot a large amount of ice in my direction.
Without thinking, I flew up until I nearly hit the gym ceiling. The entire area where I had been standing was completely frozen by Robo-Sub-Zero's attack.
"That was close..."
Alright, I admit it. Maybe I underestimated this pair of fools. But now I'm going to take them seriously.
Not intending to hold back anymore, I decided to take the initiative. With determination, I stretched out my hand and fired an energy beam directly at Robo-Scorpion without hesitation, but he dodged it with a quick side-step. The ray, a product of me not moderating the power, exploded with enough force to send Robo-Scorpion flying until he violently crashed into some lockers and weights.
Shit.
I need to be more careful with my attacks. If I'm not careful, I'll not only destroy the entire gym but I could also hurt the owner.
In fact, the owner himself didn't look very happy with my attack, judging by the way he was looking at me now.
Robo-Scorpion recovered quickly, but I made the mistake of paying attention to him and not to Robo-Sub-Zero. The latter jumped up and delivered a powerful kick that sent me crashing into the floor.
Again, there was no pain, but I wasn't going to let the blow go unpunished.
My hair moved almost with a life of its own, splitting and stretching until it began to surround Robo-Sub-Zero. The robot tried to resist my grip by the way it struggled, but I felt no resistance at all.
With a smile on my face, I squeezed.
My hair easily dented and crushed Robo-Sub-Zero's metal casing. I could see the internal wires and components beginning to show as the metal yielded to the pressure. Oil started dripping like blood, and with one last squeeze, I applied more force.
The robot's head shot off like a champagne cork.
Seeing that the robot was decapitated and, for all intents and purposes, dead, I released my grip, and my hair reattached itself. Now only Robo-Scorpion remained.
Knowing that my beams would do more harm than good, I flew toward the robot until I was in close-quarters combat range. I couldn't fight at all, but without hesitation, I threw a powerful punch at the robot's chest.
However, the robot deflected my punch with its palm and delivered a headbutt.
I was prepared, so it not only didn't affect me, but I didn't move at all. Mimicking the movement, I pulled my head back, and now it was my turn to deliver a headbutt.
The sensation was strange, as I could perfectly feel Robo-Scorpion's head denting from the impact. The robot was still standing, but when I looked closely, half of its metal skull was sunken.
Without hesitation, I now threw a punch.
My blow not only impacted but completely passed through the robot's chest and all the circuits inside. Without hesitation, I pulled my arm back, but I couldn't get the robot off my fist.
"Damn it, it's stuck."
I started shaking it back and forth without much success until I had no choice but to use my leg and push. Finally, my fist was freed from Robo-Scorpion's chest.
Sighing in relief, I turned around, now ready to face Uber and Leet.
"Alright, now it's your turn, you imbeciles."
But the pair of fools were nowhere to be found.
"Quick, get in the van!"
"Start the engine now!"
Quickly, I flew out of the gym and saw them in a white van. They looked at me. Leet reacted first.
"Step on the gas!"
Uber didn't hesitate and started the vehicle, attempting to run me over. Instinctively, I raised my hands and prepared for the impact.
I heard the sound of the crash, but felt absolutely nothing.
As I lifted my gaze, I could see what happened. Uber and Leet crashed, yes, but not into me.
For in front of me was a semi-transparent pink wall that stood in my way.
It took me a second to realize what it meant.
"Ah... So I can create energy shields... Awesome!"
With a triumphant smile, the pink shield disappeared. The entire front of the van was dented, but the pair of fools were fine. They didn't gain enough speed, and the airbags deployed without issue.
Now it was time to turn them over to the authorities...
Wait a moment. Unable to help it, I slapped my face.
"Great... I don't have a phone."
I was so focused on finding a solution to the problem of what to do with Uber and Leet that I had forgotten an important detail: how do you call the police?
"Hey!" a voice came from inside the gym. "I'm still tied up, damn it!"
Right, the hostage.
Quickly, I flew back inside the gym and found the owner where he was at the beginning. Embarrassed, I began to undo his bindings with my hands.
"I am so sorry, sir," the apologies spilled out without thinking. "I'm really sorry about what happened, I didn't think about the potency of my beam, and I almost forgot about you..."
"Spare me, kid," Mr. Laborn interjected, rubbing his wrists. "Did you catch those imbeciles?"
"Yes. They tried to run me over with their van... It didn't work."
"Ha!" the man laughed, now untied. "Good. Now let's wrap up this damn night, so I can go to the insurance company tomorrow morning."
We both left the gym and saw how Uber and Leet were still semi-unconscious in the dented van. I shook my head. That pair made a huge mess in very little time... A mess that, perhaps, I contributed to a little.
"Yes, they're in front of me," Mr. Laborn replied on the phone. It was clear he had already called the police or the PRT. "No, they won't go anywhere; I doubt they'll wake up before tomorrow. Yes, the girl is here with me... No, I don't know... I'll ask her. Hey, kid!"
I turned my head. "Yes?"
"They're asking what your name is."
I blanked. I hadn't thought of a Cape name until now... Damn. I couldn't say my real name—well, I could, it's not like my identity is a secret, but...
"Well?" Mr. Laborn insisted.
I guess I should give him an answer. But what? I can't think of anything...
Wait a minute...
I looked at Uber and Leet... They have a video game theme, right? In video game terms, I look like a mage, right? Energy, flight, energy shields.
I smiled.
A good name just occurred to me.
"Aether... My name is Aether." Award ReplyReport406Evan the Branded18/11/2025NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 4 - Options New View contentEvan the BrandedAward Recipient28/11/2025NewAdd bookmark#406Richard Gray
January 9, 2011
The Heberts' living room hadn't been a pleasant environment when Richard arrived, and it wasn't any more pleasant now that he was seated on the armchair. Danny was not happy with his daughter's actions, especially since they had been recorded and broadcast live by Uber and Leet.
Richard couldn't help but think: this girl is a magnet for cameras. It was a bit unfair, but he couldn't deny that Taylor had tendencies to draw attention. How much of this was due to the girl's heritage? Richard didn't know. It wasn't like he had met other Anodites before. There was a reason they were one of the most exotic and rare species to sight in the galaxy. Especially after Earth's isolation from the rest of the universe.
"I don't understand, Taylor," Danny sighed. The man looked exhausted. "Why? Why go out at night and look for a fight?"
"What was I supposed to do?" Taylor asked. Richard noted the teenager's haughty, disdainful tone. "Ignore it? Pretend those bastards Uber and Leet wouldn't leave Mr. Laborn as pulp?"
Danny's response didn't surprise Richard. "I didn't say that, Taylor. You know that." It was incredible how the girl was capable of rolling her eyes even though they were already completely white. "I'm proud that you helped that man; you saved him from ending up in the hospital or even dying. But I don't understand why you decided to go without telling me. Don't you trust me, Taylor? I just want to know the reason behind everything you did last night."
It was incredibly easy to read Taylor's expression, and combined with Richard's knowledge of Anodites, it was possible for him to fill in the blanks: Boredom. Anodites are free spirits, entities that do what they want, when they want, and how they want. The reason Richard recommended Danny let Taylor use her powers at the docks was precisely to prevent Taylor from setting out to pick fights.
Richard wasn't naive. He knew Taylor wouldn't tolerate not using her powers for something more "fun" for long. But he didn't expect it to be so soon. He underestimated the Anodites' need for stimulation. The girl wasn't even a week into her transformation.
"I don't see what the problem is, Dad," Taylor replied, floating slightly. "That's what we're practicing at the docks for, that's why I shoot at bricks and practice my stunts in the air, and I discovered a new power when I beat those scoundrels! Everything went well, you don't have to be like this."
It was clear that Taylor didn't want to confess the real reason behind her actions; Richard himself did the same at her age. He wasn't sure if this was a good or bad sign. Richard only knew Taylor's personality before she awakened her powers from his investigation, and he was sure that the teenager she was before would not have been so... enthusiastic in her attempts at rebellion.
Taylor was changing, and fast. It wouldn't be long before she wouldn't even bother to pretend to listen to her father.
This was bad. An unleashed adolescent Anodite is a very disastrous scenario. The lack of control over her own powers only aggravated it.
Richard intervened just as Danny was about to respond. "May I offer a suggestion?" Both turned their heads toward him. Richard took it as an invitation. "We were able to prevent the PRT from taking more aggressive measures against Taylor because, all in all, she was a 'Rogue'—an independent, civilian Cape. But now that Taylor's heroic inclinations have been exposed, the PRT will press even harder for you to at least affiliate with them. And that's not all; you will also attract the attention of the city's villains."
Danny looked quite worried. Taylor, not so much, much to Richard's concern.
"What do you mean, Richard?"
"Why do you think Parian isn't bothered?" Richard asked. "She's neither a hero nor a villain; she has her shop; she lives her life. She is easily ignorable in Brockton Bay's power struggle. But Taylor? The PRT is hysterical with her because of the lawsuit we are pursuing against them, but now that Taylor has engaged in vigilantism, they can push for an attempt to dismiss the lawsuit if we are not careful. Parahuman vigilantism is not illegal as such, but it does put a great deal of scrutiny on Taylor, and no offense, but your performance last night was not the best debut."
Danny's face looked quite distressed upon hearing Richard's analysis, but Taylor didn't seem worried in the slightest.
"Yeah, well, but you're a good lawyer, win the lawsuit, easy."
"Taylor!" Danny scolded.
Richard shook his head. He had only met the girl a few days ago, and she already seemed like a different person. It was more serious than he thought. "In any case, let's move on to the next point: The villains. What do you think is the reason they haven't bothered you?" He didn't give them a chance to answer. "Because if they were lucky, they win without doing anything. The ABB is basically untouchable because of Lung, and he doesn't care about Taylor because she isn't Asian and because she didn't interfere with his business. The Merchants are drug addicts, and their Capes are laughable; it's true they operate near the docks, but I wouldn't be surprised if Taylor scared them off with her display these past few days. Now, the Empire 88? They are the only ones who have a chance and a reason to be interested in Taylor, especially now that Purity has distanced herself from them... Why haven't they made any moves?"
Taylor shrugged, her gaze lost on the ceiling. "Maybe they're busy with something else."
Richard knew Taylor was smarter than that, but the teenager was too self-absorbed right now to bother giving a better answer. "Because Kaiser is not stupid. Think about it: a young girl of color causes a trigger event on video, and not only that, she was a Ward. Kaiser has been busy in an advertising campaign promoting his talk of the 'moral superiority of the Aryan race' whenever he can. He knows we are taking legal action against the PRT. He doesn't have to do anything to win; he just has to wait."
There was something Richard didn't tell them. Sophia Hess herself. Richard tried to sue her and her parents, but he hit the wall of the teenager and her family being missing. Of course, this information wasn't public, but he was an Agent and had his ways of getting information.
The worrying part was the circumstances. It happened the same day Taylor got her powers. He failed to track down all the clues, but he pieced together a very alarming scenario: Sophia disappears from right under the PRT's nose. Her family too, at the same time. Professional. Perfect.
He didn't make much progress in his deductions until someone let slip a key clue: Gunshots throughout the house.
There is only one organization in Brockton Bay that uses conventional weaponry and can operate with such effectiveness and stealth, that is to say; qualified mercenaries: Coil's gang.
There was no doubt that if Richard was able to deduce that with the poor clues he obtained, it was clear that the PRT also knew or had even verified it.
Now then. Why hadn't the Protectorate and the Triumvirate personally come and turned the whole city upside down to catch Coil? This was clearly a violation of the unwritten rules, and a serious one.
It lacked all sense, unless they knew about it and deliberately ignored it. But why?
There were one or two explanations, but they didn't entirely convince Richard.
What did Coil do with Sophia? Kill her? He didn't think so. She represented nothing to him; he was sure of that. Furthermore, the family's disappearance also didn't fit a murder; it was more characteristic of kidnapping and extortion. Did Coil recruit Sophia? Possible, but very risky and stupid.
Richard's investigation into the Brockton Bay gangs was exhaustive, and he was sure of one thing: This was not Coil's usual modus operandi.
All this theater was too... crude, unproactive, and very attention-grabbing.
What could he gain by being so noisy?
He didn't even try to deflect attention onto anyone else; he could have easily diverted attention to the Empire 88, but he didn't bother to even try.
"What should we do now, Richard?"
Richard took a moment to reflect—or at least pretend to—giving weight to his words. "I will give you three options. First option: Taylor officially affiliates with the Protectorate. It's not being part of them, but it will at least calm the waters, force them to provide you support and vice versa, but we lose leverage in the lawsuit. Second option: Taylor joins New Wave. Let me speak," Richard interjected before Taylor could interrupt. "They are, for all intents and purposes, the most comfortable and practical option. They are independent heroes, and they will be delighted to add another Cape to their movement. They will provide Taylor with a safety net and count as employment. Third option: Taylor moves out of the city."
"NO!"
The outburst was loud, very loud. One moment, Taylor was floating silently, and the next, she was in front of Richard, her face clearly annoyed and angry. Her energy hair whipped in the air like tentacles ready to attack and destroy the target of her anger.
And not only that. Several objects in the room began to float: cans, cushions, the sofa, the television. All suspended with a pulsating pink aura around them.
Richard knew it wasn't smart to corner a teenager with limited options, especially an Anodite, but he couldn't afford to be passive in this. He needed Taylor in a position where he could watch over her, protect her, and be sure that sooner or later she would meet her grandfather.
"Be angry at me, Taylor, but you know you have no reason to be," he replied calmly, observing the teenager's clenched fists. "You want to be a hero, to help people, but your situation is precarious. You are a public personality, people know who you are, the PRT is not happy with you, Brockton Bay is a nest of parahuman scum, and your actions not only endanger yourself but also your father."
He challenged her. It was a calculated gamble. Richard had an idea of Taylor's personality: volatile, fickle, and ruled by her emotions, but also extremely intelligent and pragmatic. But he also knew teenagers; they don't tolerate boundaries, much less an Anodite. If he could earn her respect, only then would she be willing to listen to him.
He might well earn her respect with this challenge or her animosity, but he had to try.
He hoped she would choose the second option, which is why he made it the most attractive, although he knew New Wave would also impose rules on her. He trusted that Taylor's desire to be a hero would lead her to tolerate them... for a while, at least.
And if by some chance she chose the third option... Well, Bellwood is Plumbers' territory. More importantly, it's where Taylor's grandfather lived.
"Which option do you take, Taylor?"
Colin Wallis
January 9, 2011
"The final analysis on the energy structure of Taylor Hebert, now known as Aether, is complete. It has not yielded conclusive evidence... Again."
Colin Wallis, a.k.a. Armsmaster, was frustrated, more than usual. The bureaucracy within the Protectorate was more terrible than ever; his request for a budget increase now had even greater hurdles than before.
But it was a situation he was accustomed to. His new project? It was both exciting and exasperating.
Since he met Taylor—Aether—in person, he hasn't been able to get her out of his head. Not only what she signified (his failure as a leader), but because the girl drove his sensors crazy.
She was either invisible to them or such a brilliant beacon that it was like trying to look directly at the sun.
It made no sense. Aether did not emit any known energy source: it was not electrical, luminous, electromagnetic, nuclear, or any of the others his database contained.
But still, the simulations yielded contradictory data. The "exotic energy" Aether was made of could interact with all of them, or well, sometimes it did, other times it didn't. No iteration yielded concrete, repeatable data.
Aether was living energy, there was no doubt about that, but it was a new type of energy.
And it drove Colin insane.
It had been a long time since inspiration had struck him in such a way. It was as if seeing Aether had opened up a world of new possibilities: designs, ideas, blueprints, and a thousand more things flashed through his mind.
Colin's power as a Tinker was miniaturization, efficiency, and hybridization, and like every Tinker, his thoughts were in an almost fugue state. New ways to power his halberd, motorcycle, armor, and equipment with energy passed through his mind.
But not the type of energy Aether was made of.
"Co... Col... Colin!"
Colin jumped, blinked, and looked at the source of the voice. On the screen was an avatar he knew perfectly well and a voice with a Newfoundland accent that he would never mistake.
"Dragon," Colin greeted. The avatar on the screen did not look impressed. "I... I thought we would talk later."
"Colin... Our meeting was over an hour ago."
"That can't be, I set an alarm."
"It's been ringing ever since; don't you hear it?"
In fact, he did. Colin reached out and pressed the device, ending the sharp beeping. It was curious how the lack of the annoying sound gave him a headache. Or did he already have it before? Suppressing a groan, Colin massaged his forehead.
"Are you still trying to decipher Aether's energy type?" Dragon asked.
"Yes," he didn't like his own answer, but he wouldn't lie to Dragon. "What about you? I know you run your own experiments too."
"Nothing conclusive," Dragon replied. "I'm as fascinated as you are by Aether's energy physiology, but it's not something that surprises me. Powers are strange; it's not the first time we've encountered something of this nature. It is fascinating."
"You say that, but you don't look as euphoric as you claim to be."
"Because I'm worried about how you look, Colin. You should sleep. Your monitors indicate that cutting short your next sleep session will only worsen your efficiency, and you know it."
Colin sighed, rubbed his eyes, but refused to concede, or at least not entirely.
"How are the Endbringer simulations going?" he asked. "The next one to attack is the Simurgh."
Dragon clearly deciphered his intentions. She took a tense second to respond. "Yes, the predictive algorithm is still very new, but it is safe to assume the next one will strike within its attack window. February will mark the three-month deadline. Where will it attack? The algorithm can't say for sure yet."
"Let me take a look; maybe I'll see something we overlooked."
"Colin, no," the denial was blunt. "You will not do anything."
Colin's tongue flickered across his lips, but he was interrupted before he could speak. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Pressing the button that unlocked the door, Colin let Miss Militia into his lab.
"Hello, Colin," Hannah greeted. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have something for you."
"Good morning, Miss Militia," a voice greeted from the computer.
"Hello, Dragon. Sorry, I didn't know you were here. Am I interrupting?"
Colin shook his head. "No, no. We were just discussing a project. What is it?"
Miss Militia extended her hand and handed him a USB stick. Strange, they could have sent it directly.
"What does it contain?"
Miss Militia looked at the computer. Colin hesitated whether he should share the information; after all, even though Dragon was trustworthy, she belonged to the Guild. In the end, he decided to share it because of what she said: "It's from Boston. Apparently, they are having problems. It contains encrypted files. You are the closest one to decipher it."
"Computer science is not my specialty," Colin replied.
"But mine is," Dragon interjected. "May I?"
Hannah agreed. Colin connected the USB to a secure computer and gave Dragon remote access.
"That's not the only reason I'm here," Miss Militia added. "There's a new organization in Boston, apparently."
That caught Colin's attention. "Villains, I imagine."
Hannah nodded, her expression tense. "They call themselves the Forever Knights."
"Please tell me they aren't another Nazi group. We have enough with ours."
"No," Hannah replied. "The Boston team didn't arrest anyone, but they didn't commit any hate crimes against any ethnic group."
"What were they doing in Boston?" Dragon asked.
"They wanted to buy Tinkertech weaponry from a teenager."
Colin frowned. "Does Boston have a new Tinker? No, if he were, he wouldn't have found buyers so easily. He must have a history if they sought him out for sales. What's his name?"
"No idea, first time they saw him. He wasn't even wearing a mask. He didn't bother to hide his identity."
"How is it that they don't know who he is then?"
"There are no records of him. His face is not in any database. And that's not all. He also has a power that allows him to absorb matter and assimilate it into his body. He touched concrete and his skin turned to concrete. The same when he touched metal or any other material during the fight."
"Is he a Tinker with a Changer power?"
"It seems so," Hannah replied. "The other theory is that the teenager was selling the technology, instead of being the Tinker he collaborates with. That's the one I personally believe is the correct conclusion."
"I assume this teenager also escaped, right?" Dragon asked.
"Yes. They lost sight of him during the fight. He threw an entire train car without any problem and took advantage of the commotion to flee."
"The weapons?"
"The Knights took them. By the way, when I say Knights, I mean they were actually dressed as such. Medieval armor, swords... A show."
Colin pondered it for a moment. Boston was very close to Brockton Bay, and while the criminal ecosystem of the cities wasn't very cooperative, they weren't isolated from each other either. It was very likely that these Forever Knights and the Unmasked Kid would also become a problem for Brockton Bay.
He sighed. It would be just his luck for these new problems to arrive on his doorstep.
He was about to ask more questions when the computer to which he had connected the USB stick began to flash frantically.
"What's happening?" he asked, suppressing the urgency. He didn't intervene; Dragon was working, and he didn't want to make the situation worse.
"I'm trying to decrypt the information on the drive. But it's not made for any known operating system, nor is it binary code. No!" Dragon shouted. Colin was alarmed. "It has an anti-forensic wipe!"
Colin not only saw but heard the computer's processor fan work at full power only to suddenly shut down and restart the machine. The monitor flickered, and Dragon reappeared.
"I managed to prevent it," Dragon replied, her robotic voice sounding strained. "But I won't try again. Whoever encrypted this drive knew what they were doing. I will need time to try again."
"Were you able to decipher anything?" Colin asked.
"The only important thing is that this is not something I have seen before. The language they used is completely new, unique. Just deciphering it will take a long time. I'm not even able to understand how they managed to put this information on the USB stick unless it is also Tinkertech made."
"That can't be," Hannah replied, immediately. "They ran all the tests on it; it's not Tinkertech. I would never risk giving you something that dangerous, Colin."
He believed her. Hannah was not negligent.
"But if it's not Tinkertech, how? Unless the software is, but... Dragon, is the software Tinkertech?"
There was a silence that could have been short or long. Dragon was processing the question. "It's too soon to tell, but... I'm not sure."Last edited: 29/11/2025 Award ReplyReport334Evan the Branded28/11/2025NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 5 - Revelations - Part 1 New View contentEvan the BrandedAward Recipient14/12/2025NewAdd bookmark#483Taylor Hebert
January 10, 2011
From a crane, I observed the activity on the docks. It wasn't much, really; the longshoremen were still working, but employment as such was not abundant. Many people faced the dilemma of maintaining an honest but unstable and poorly paid job, or joining a gang or working as a henchman for some supervillain.
Well, Uber and Leet wouldn't be a problem for a while. Dad wouldn't have to worry about more longshoremen becoming their henchmen, at least.
I turned my head and looked at the window of Dad's office. I could see him in profile making calls and reading documents. Judging by his expression, the conversation must not be going well.
I sighed and looked at the horizon. The sun was setting early; it's winter, after all. I didn't want to go home. More importantly, I didn't want it to be tomorrow.
It's true that Winslow was closed, but Dad wanted to enroll me in a new school. Arcadia was the most attractive and the best option. Everyone knew the Wards studied there, and I was a public Cape. My grades weren't necessary for a transfer, but Dad was in talks with the administration, and there was nothing better for Arcadia than adding a new Cape to the student body. School prestige and that crap.
No... Just... No.
Go back to a madhouse of teenage drama? Fake, superficial people waiting for the slightest sign of weakness to swarm like vultures? No, to hell with that. Screw them, screw Arcadia, screw teenagers, screw everyone.
Crack.
I blinked, turned my head, and watched as several stacked containers behind me had been crushed from the outside in. A pale pink glow surrounded them, giving me away as the culprit.
"What is wrong with me? I... I'm not like this... What the hell...?"
Since I got my powers, I've been unstable. I'm socially awkward, but not stupid. I endured months of torture the trio subjected me to, but now anything is capable of making me lash out... like the conversation I had this morning with Mr. Gray.
Was I always like this?
My imagination led me to a somber idea: I got powers, and that made me reach a breaking point... But... What would have happened if I didn't get them? For a long time, I had dark thoughts about Carrie... Right now, I'm more than capable of doing that and more...
If I hadn't gotten my powers... What would I have done? This is Brockton Bay... Guns always end up in the hands of teenagers...
Would I have been capable?
I don't like it. I don't like the direction my thoughts are taking at all. But it's necessary to confront it.
Whether it was Carrie or a firearm... the truth is that now I have powers at my disposal, and they are very dangerous. Uber and Leet are losers, but those robots I destroyed could have done a lot of damage. Powers can always do a lot of damage.
It's like giving a knife to a child, except the knife is very harmless compared to what Parahumans can do.
For a long time, I was proud of my intelligence and pragmatic view of things. I always believed that if I got powers, I would be careful and meticulous, completely focused and critical. Mind over strength.
But what have I been doing? I acted like a spoiled, capricious child, that's what I did. Now all the progress Mr. Gray and my father made with the lawsuit hangs by a thread... What the hell is wrong with me?
"This isn't me... It can't be..."
Was I always this impulsive? This stupid? I already had these thoughts during my fight against Uber and Leet, but they didn't lead anywhere... As soon as I argued with Mr. Gray, it's as if all my previous introspection had flown out the window.
I have to put a stop to it, seriously... I can't continue like this.
"Damn it!" I heard a voice. "Those assholes damaged the paint! It had four coats!"
Near the shore, where the boat graveyard beach began, a car was parked. It was a bright green muscle car with two black racing stripes and a hood scoop. I could see two legs sticking out from beneath the car.
The car owner slid out and stood up. He was tall and burly, with well-defined musculature beneath his clothes: a black short-sleeved shirt over a gray long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, and work boots stained with oil and grease. He held a large wrench in his hand. It was clear he was trying to fix his car.
My curiosity and the desire to distance myself from my thoughts prompted me to snoop. I detached myself from the crane and began to descend.
"Hey," I shouted. "Need help?"
The guy, clearly a teenager, lifted his head to see me, using a greasy rag to wipe his hands. He didn't look surprised to see me; he simply raised an eyebrow. A glowing floater at a dock full of scum didn't seem unusual to him.
"Do you know how to tune an Infinitum alloy Tetramand engine?"
I blinked. "Uh..."
"Yeah, I thought so," the guy replied, jumping up to sit on the hood of his car. "Look, babe, I appreciate it, but this baby"—he patted the hood—"is one of a kind and needs a lot of care when repairing it. Sure, it's almost indestructible, but with so many parahumans running around, I have to be careful."
I didn't understand a word he was saying. Cars were never something I was interested in. Tetramand? Infinitum? What did that mean? Some luxury brand I didn't know about?
Most importantly: the guy was clearly totally uninterested in me. I was a parahuman and a very notorious one. Everyone stared when they saw me. But he didn't seem to care at all.
Besides, he was sweaty and his muscles were almost visible under his shirts... I had to say something before he realized I was ogling him.
"Did your engine break down?" So smart, Taylor. They should give you an award for your communication skills.
The guy shook his head. "No, but I have to give it constant maintenance. If the engine breaks down, there's no way I can get another one."
"Are they very expensive?"
The grimace he made was a very convincing answer. "They definitely are... At least I avoided having to pay for it. That crazy bitch and her dad will never be able to find me, and if they do, they'll never catch up to me. Not if they want to tangle with the crazy singer."
What the hell is he talking about? Crazy singer? Is he talking about Canary?
I felt like he was mocking me... No, so far he hadn't been rude. He must have read my expression because he continued talking. How do people do that? I lack a "face," yet many people can read me. Am I that transparent?
"You don't know the trouble I had to go through to travel to Khoros. Anything that leaves or enters the atmosphere is intercepted by her. The Plumbers are no longer a problem, luckily, but them being gone isn't a good thing either. That reminds me, how did you get here? If you were an acquaintance of Argit, I would have heard. That spiked rat is good, but he can't smuggle someone like you without drawing attention. How did you do it?"
I blanked. "What are you talking about? How did I get here? How did I do what? I don't understand."
Now it was his turn to look confused. "What are you saying? You know, how you got onto the planet."
I furrowed my non-existent brow. "Onto the planet? Don't talk nonsense."
What you're saying doesn't make sense.
"Look, babe, you don't have to pretend with me, I know what you are. Your species isn't exactly subtle. You're not even wearing a disguise."
Now I was getting angry. My hair flickered slightly. "My species?" I growled. "Do you have a problem with me being a parahuman, you jerk?"
He seemed genuinely perplexed. "Parahuman? No, why would you think that? ... Ah... Now I get it... You don't know... Oh... Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like I was picking on you, really. I just thought you would know."
"Know what?"
He hesitated. I noticed it. "Forget what I said, it's just nonsense. Besides, I finished fixing my car, so I'm leaving. Just pretend we never met."
He turned around, ready to get into his car, but I quickly floated up to stop right in front of him, blocking his way. Frustration and anger bubbled up.
"No. I don't know exactly what you said, but you wanted to go somewhere. Now you tell me to my face."
The guy didn't back down. He straightened up to his full height, his expression changing from confusion to cold annoyance.
"I don't like being threatened," he replied. His voice, now, was as tense and low as mine. "I'm telling you I'm leaving."
I knew it was wrong to impose myself on a person like this, but I had a feeling that what he said was important.
"First, you spill all that meaningless crap, and then you say it doesn't matter," I retorted, raising my voice. "No. Now you explain it to me to my face, I want to know, and you will tell me."
"Do you think you can force me?"
He was tense, and I could see his muscles flexing under his shirt. He was ready to act.
What am I doing? Less than ten minutes ago, I was thinking about how I need to be more conscious of my actions, and now I'm threatening a guy. Damn, I'm a danger.
I took a step back, closed my eyes, and started counting. One... two... three... With a calmer voice, I spoke again.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have talked to you that way. I apologize."
"Don't pull that on me now," his voice was a growl. "You backpedal after threatening me? I wanted to be friendly at first, but now you've made me angry."
The guy placed his hand on his car, and then I saw his entire skin turn metallic and a dark green color. It was as if the metal had been absorbed by his whole body, and he was now completely encased in a metallic green shell.
He's a parahuman...
Shit. It was already bad enough to have threatened a normal person, but he turned out to be a parahuman. I am freaking brilliant...
He raised his fist and looked angry, very angry.
"Let's settle this properly."
Shit, now I've totally messed up.
I opened my mouth to try and fix the situation again, but just then a ringtone started playing. We stared at each other for a few seconds. Finally, the guy raised a metal-gloved finger.
"One moment."
He reached into his pant pocket and answered the phone. Frowning the whole time, he kept his eyes on me.
"Argit?" he asked. "What's up? — He listened to a voice on the other side, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. — Did you find them? Fantastic! I'll make those tin-heads pay. Where are they?" — A pause. — "Brockton Bay? What a coincidence, I'm right in the city. Do you have the exact address? Perfect! Wait for me, I'll be there in twenty minutes."
He hung up. In an instant, his skin returned to normal, and he opened his car door.
"Look, babe, while I'd love to beat the crap out of you, I have urgent business. It was nice meeting you, but I gotta go."
The smart thing would be to let him go, but damn it, the whole mysterious air of the phone call caught my attention.
"Wait... What are you going to do?"
Contrary to expectation, he stopped. He looked at me for a few moments. Several thoughts seemed to cross his mind. Finally, he seemed to reach a conclusion, as if he saw me as an asset.
"Tell me, are you interested in helping me? I'll even pay you."
What was with the sudden offer? "What are you saying?"
He smiled more broadly. "Some sons of bitches not only didn't pay me but they also robbed me. I want to get my money and my stuff back. Will you help me?"
"No, I just met you."
He smiled wider. "Those guys stole weaponry from me: laser lances. Those things are very dangerous, and they won't be using them to hunt ducks, I assure you."
"Laser lances?"
"In simple terms, energy guns that explode very nastily."
I was alarmed. "We should call the PRT!"
He made a face of absolute rejection. "Don't shout or they'll hear us. And no, that's out of the question. Not only will they keep the weapons, but they'll keep my money too, and I don't plan to allow it. Look, I can go alone, but if I do, the chances of someone else getting hurt increase. With you, my chances of doing my job and everything turning out fine increase. Will you help me? We can always hand these bastards over afterward."
I wasn't sure. I had already gotten into too much trouble by not thinking things through, and this is exactly the kind of thing I shouldn't be involved in. The memory of the crushed containers pricked at me. I needed to burn off this energy on something useful.
"Did I also mention they are some kind of Nazi?"
"That doesn't help convince me," I replied. "I've been getting into trouble since I got my powers, and either I or my dad always end up getting hurt. I promised not to do any reckless stupidity, and following a stranger to fight a gang is exactly the kind of thing I shouldn't do."
The guy shook his head, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
"So you're afraid your parents will ground you?"
I felt my face tighten with irritation. I managed to contain myself.
"I'm not going with you. I'm serious, I should report you to the PRT right now."
He smiled, unconcerned. "Do it, really do it. They can't arrest me because they'll process me and then realize what I am and let me go. It's an assumption, but I bet it's the same thing they do with you: they bothered you on the first day and then they surely left you alone." He scoffed amusedly. "The Plumbers might be gone, but they're older than the PRT, and a lot of things happen under the table so that people like you and me are left alone."
Plumbers. He mentions them again. What does it mean?
This guy sounded like an aluminum-hat idiot, but he had such confidence in what he was saying that the irritation mutated into interest.
"Plumbers, you keep mentioning them. And something tells me they're not the ones who fix pipes."
"Come with me and I'll tell you everything."
"I'm not falling for that."
He was silent for a moment, looked at me with narrowed eyes, and then seemed amused.
"Let me ask you a question. When you got your powers, did someone show up who started solving all your problems? I'm sure he quickly got between you and the PRT, started saying things and acting like the first coherent, common-sense adult you met, right?"
Mr. Gray...
"That silence tells me everything," he seemed utterly satisfied.
I frowned my nonexistent brow. "How do you know that?"
"Because the exact same thing happened to me. Only I already knew the truth beforehand, I knew it would happen, and I couldn't let them do to me what they did to the ones who showed up before me. I ran away from home and now I'm a ghost. You're in the same situation I was in, but unlike me, you have no idea what's going on."
It was like a ball hit me in the stomach. It wasn't rational. What was coming out of this guy's mouth sounded like nonsense, but... Mr. Gray... Shit... I think I'm starting to take him seriously.
"What is this great truth you keep trying to sell me?"
"Help me and I'll tell you everything."
"You're manipulating me."
"Correct," he admitted without any shame. "But once you help me and I tell you everything, we can part ways and never see each other again. I don't want anything bad to happen to you, but I won't lose sleep if it does. Everyone has to look out for themselves, but if you help me, we can be friends, and I look out for my friends. That's how people like you and me survive."
We stared at each other, locked in a gaze competition. I was still doubting, undecided, but I could see something in his eyes, a flicker, but I swore I saw genuine sincerity and concern.
I sighed.
"I'll go with you. But if you do something or betray me or it all turns out to be a lie, I'll kick your butt and hand you over to the PRT."
He smiled wildly.
And so I ended up in his car, in the passenger seat next to a complete stranger.
That reminds me...
"I don't even know your name... My name is Aether... Or Taylor, whatever you prefer, it's not like I have a secret identity anyway."
He buckled his seatbelt and started the engine. The power roared through the motor. He smiled, with contagious confidence.
"My name is Kevin, but my friends call me Weld."
The night finally fell, and we found ourselves on the outskirts of the city. Kevin parked his muscle car on the edge of an abandoned shopping center next to a gas station. The whole place was deteriorated and neglected. The gas station had partially wrecked pumps; it was a depressing sight that reminded me that even outside the city, misery spread like weeds.
"Argit should be dropping in soon."
"Your accomplice, I imagine."
"I remind you that you became my accomplice the moment you got into my car."
I gave him the middle finger, and he chuckled in response. Not wanting to get angry again and fall into the spiral of reminding myself that I am a stupid hypocrite, I looked out the window again.
Only to find huge yellow eyes staring back at me through the glass.
The good part was that I didn't scream, but I did give the door a hard hit from the scare he gave me. Good thing I had the car window down, or I would have destroyed it. The guy who scared me flew off and started rolling on the ground.
"Argit! Ha!"
Kevin got out of the car and quickly ran toward his friend, laughing. I had no choice but to get out too.
"Arghhhh. I feel like I got hit by a car."
"Don't be a whiner, you've survived worse."
Finally, I could see Kevin's friend, and he was not what I expected. He looked like a large, furry possum with black hair. He wore a brown coat and blue jeans. He was shorter than me.
"Is this your friend?" I asked, unable to help myself. "He's not what I expected..."
"No one expects the giant rat," Kevin laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, keep laughing at me," Argit grumbled, dusting himself off. Then he looked at me suspiciously. "Who is she?"
"A friend I made along the way."
Argit looked at Kevin inquisitively, his yellow eyes glowing. "You know her kind isn't subtle, right? Worse, she glows and everything. They'll see us coming miles away if they don't already know we're here."
"Relax, buddy, I know what I'm doing. Besides, the firepower she'll bring will always come in handy. Those Forever Knights won't know what hit them."
"Still not convinced."
"Hey, don't talk about me like I'm not here," I intervened, my pink aura pulsing slightly.
"I have a solution to your problem."
Kevin walked to the car's trunk, opened it, and rummaged for a moment before taking something out and throwing it to me. I caught it and inspected it.
"A mask?"
"Put it on. I'm sure you'll like it."
"I won't put on unknown Tinkertech. Do you think I'm stupid?"
"Tinkertech?" Argit asked, astonished. "Has she never seen one of these?"
"She thinks she's a parahuman, Argit."
Argit seemed alarmed. He practically yelled at Kevin. "You brought a complete novice into this? Damn, we're screwed. I'll end up in jail again because of you, Kevin."
"Relax, dude, I've got it under control." Kevin looked back at me. "Put the mask on. I assure you it's not that Tinkertech garbage. This is completely replicable and uses real science and technology."
I looked at the mask again. It was truly unsettling; it was a generic and totally gloomy face. I squeezed it, making sure to control my strength, and finally summoned the courage. I put it on.
I didn't feel any change, though I can confirm the mask stuck to my face. I looked at Kevin and Argit.
"Nothing happened."
Kevin smiled, and Argit shook his head in frustration.
"Look at your hands."
Frowning, I did that and froze: Skin.
Completely human and normal skin.
I quickly ran to the car's side mirror. Green eyes stared back at me. It was a girl: red hair, green eyes, fair complexion. I also noticed I had different clothes, a blue sweater and skirt, black stockings, and dress shoes. It looked like a school uniform.
"The Plasma Displacement Mask is awesome, right?" Kevin laughed. "Later we can adjust the disguise to be more to your liking, but for now it will do."
I didn't hear his words. Slowly and hesitantly, I brought my hand to my face. I could feel the texture of the skin... My skin...
"I can feel..."
"More or less," Kevin replied, standing behind me. "It's a very good and convincing disguise, but that's all. It's still a disguise; it's not real."
I turned on my heel and quickly hugged him. He was surprised and seemed to want to pull back.
All sense left my mind, and before I knew it, I was kissing him.
There was nothing else in my mind, just the moment. Happiness, euphoria, joy, hope. I gave him one last squeeze and finally released his lips.
I laughed, a laugh of genuine happiness, and buried my face in his shoulder. The smell of grease and metal didn't bother me. It was real.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I cried happily, squeezing him tightly. "I'm human again, thank you... I... I'm so happy..."
"Uhhh... You're welcome?" Kevin patted my back hesitantly. I laughed at his awkwardness.
Still hugging him, I looked at him. He was clearly nervous and uncomfortable, but that only made him look more adorable and handsome in my eyes. This time I leaned in slowly and gave him a soft, intimate kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you... You don't know what this means to me... Maybe it's not my real face or body, it's not even real... But... I'm human again thanks to you, even if it's just a disguise. I have limits."
His expression shifted from confusion to understanding. He nodded slowly, and I finally separated from him. I brushed his hand for a second before finally letting go.
"Later we'll configure the mask how you prefer," Kevin said quickly, trying to change the focus of the conversation. He seemed to realize his tone because he quickly added: "You just have to give me a photo of what you looked like before, and I'll make sure you look exactly the same."
"Thank you..."
We stared into each other's eyes. I smiled, completely overwhelmed, and he returned a look of contained awkwardness. However, a voice interrupted us. We both turned to see Argit.
"Very nice and all, but I'd like to end the night. I have people I owe money to, and I really need it. I would greatly appreciate it if you saved your smooching for when I'm gone."
I smiled, nodded, and looked directly at the shopping center.
"Alright, let's do this!"
I felt euphoric, completely unbridled. I know Kevin promised to tell me the truth after this was all over, but the mask alone was enough for me to want to help him.
"Hey, who called you the leader?" Argit said.
I was about to answer, but a new voice interrupted mine.
"Stop! Hands on your head where I can see them!"
We all turned to see the man who shouted. Tall, he was wearing what I could poorly describe as armor that mixed white and dark green pieces. He had a strange gun in one hand, and in the other, he held up a badge shaped like a green hourglass. I looked him in the eyes, and upon recognizing him, I opened mine wide.
"Mr. Gray?"
He seemed to recognize me, staring at me with the weapon pointed directly at Kevin and me.
"Taylor?"