Colin finished filing his report. A difficult day, to be sure, especially for the young woman that had finished Skidmark. But overall a good one. One threat--albeit a minor one--dead, a new parahuman of seemingly heroic disposition, and victims found before worse could be done. It definitely went better than his last first contact with a new parahuman.
"Phoenix?" a voice with a slight Newfoundland accent came from a nearby screen.
"Newly triggered parahuman, found her standing over Skidmark's dead body. Good riddance to him," Colin replied.
"That's a rather grandiose name for a new cape," Dragon's voice echoed from the screen.
"Temporary code name. It's just for now, I figure that we'll have a more specific name in the next day or two. We have her tentatively classified as a Brute 3, though that's highly likely to change. Regenerative ability, enhanced strength, and her blood seems to ignite when exposed to atmosphere. It seemed appropriate."
"So she's agreed to a patrol?"
"She just called, but yeah. With Robin and Shawn gone, I figure that I'll put her with Hana and maybe add Missy?"
"Your report does say she reported to be an adult, but it wouldn't be the first time a child lied. So I suppose Missy does make sense. But more importantly, Colin: what was that following Leviathan?"
Dragon's voice sounded almost accusatory to Colin's ears. It was ridiculous, of course. Dragon was a friend. She just wanted to know.
"About Skitter?"
He didn't really want to talk about it.
"Yes, about Skitter. What was that?"
But Dragon had a way of getting him to say things he needed to say.
"Just as I said. I encountered her the night Lung was taken in. She'd managed to incapacitate him, and I offered to take credit. Keep her name out of it, keep her safe, hopefully recruit her to the Wards. The next thing I know, she's trying to sell me on some infiltration of the Undersiders and then robbing a bank. Absolutely insane. I tried to talk her out of it, of course."
Left hidden is more context, he knows, more excuses for his actions, more justifications, and beneath it all, the knowledge of why he had taken the path he had. Hidden even from himself, until he had been forced to confront it.
"You're lucky you aren't suspended, you know? If it weren't for your early alarm system, and the damage you inflicted on Leviathan, you probably would be."
He knew it. The smallest thing different would have led to it. Luckily, the teenage villain had been somewhat cooperative. Still...
"We need all the capes we can get, Dragon. You know that."
A sigh comes from the monitor. The face of the woman on the other end--simulated, Colin knows--looks tired and worried. He feels a stab of guilt in that moment. He quickly suppresses it under the knowledge that he could kill the damn things. He just needed a bit more.
"You aren't wrong, Colin. But that also applies to everyone else. You don't have to do it all alone. You can take a break. If you want, you can even come up to Newfoundland. I... I would be willing to meet you, in person, I think."
Dragon's tone has a pleading element to it. So much so that he almost misses the offer. Dragon never lets people meet her in person. Her power-enforced agoraphobia is too great.
"I... I'll think about it, okay? Maybe once things settle down here. It... I would really like to meet you in person."
Dragon simply lets out a defeated sigh. Colin turns back to his project--analyzing the data from recovered portions of Leviathan, as well as how it interacted with his nanothorns.
He couldn't afford to think of anything else.
Final run-off for cape name! We had a three way tie so those are your choices.
[] Phoenix. Burn brightly, turn to ash, and then burn again. A symbol of rebirth, as Casey enters into his new life.
[] Beacon. Stand out from the crowd, shine brightly. Casey can be good at attracting attention...
[] Protean. Ever-changing, much like Casey's powerset, yet without a connection to death. A fitting name for a Trump.
[] Three people want to incorporate STRIKER into ACCELERANDO. The likely outcome would give the ability to accelerate (and decelerate) objects he has touched. A discount Blaster power. The Mover aspects will be slightly weakened. Make this change?
-[] Yes
-[] No
