Goddamn Teenagers (Worm, AU/time travel)

[dc2008]

"Hey, uh, Bro?"

Brian looked up from where he was cleaning up after dinner.

Aisha shuffled nervously. "Can you come check on Lisa with me? She missed our thing but when I went looking for her… she's being all weird?"

They found Lisa on her couch, curled up in a blanket, an empty wine bottle on the floor. Aisha sat down next to her and started awkwardly patting her.

Upon realizing they were there, she latched on to Aisha and sobbed, "I take it all back. Tell me I'm not important, that everything will work out!"

Aisha gave Brian an alarmed look, and he couldn't blame her. He had never seen Lisa like this.

Shortly thereafter

As Aisha led Lisa to bed, Brian dialed Dr. Weaver. She picked up on the second ring.

"Weaver."

"This is, uh, Brian? Lisa had a sort of breakdown? Drunk a bottle of wine and was asking us to tell her she wasn't important and everything was under control?"

"Ah. I wondered when that would happen," she replied. "It happens to many thinkers. Lisa has just realized that there is no magic point where the decision makers all know what they're doing. We all, in fact, just muddle through, top to bottom."

---

Note: Brian didn't think to ask how Aisha had a key to Lisa's apartment.

---

Note Note:
Lisa POV—
RCB: Surprise! It's me, RCB! I am one of your secret idols because I'm a super-impressive badass of intellect and will! You idolize me because I get to be super smart and know all the things and don't have to get in punching matches with kaiju!
RCB: Also, I want you to think about how bad it would be if Dr. Weaver got compromised! If you think it happened, here's my number!
RCB: oh, and there is a very real chance that you'll be one of the first to notice! So don't miss any red flags! The consequences of you fucking this up could be the utter destruction of the happiness you have been building for yourself, oh and a staggering number of human lives!
RCB: Don't fuck it up! We're counting on you!

Ed: additon
Lisa: …the other week I came into the office wearing pajamas with cartoon foxes. We're doomed

 

[dc2008]

"How do you feel today?" The white-haired counselor was, as always, kinder than she deserved.

"I'm, I'm, the PRT person says I can go back to school? But how can I, after…" Madison gestured vaguely at herself. "How can I look at any of them after what I've done, if she wasn't mastering me? How can I be sure I won't hurt someone, if she was?"

Madison wrung her hands in her lap. Her fingernails were bitten down to nibs, but at least they weren't bleeding.

"Madison, for all the talk of masters, much of what they can do has been possible for a long time. It might have taken longer, it might have been less intuitive, but it was possible. And documented."

He took a sip of water, before continuing. "A master victim's road to recovery usually is not so different from what might have been done in the past to help someone who had been in a cult, or an abusive home. For every master like Valefor, there are a dozen or more whose abilities are not so arcane."

"But what does that mean?"

"Ultimately, does it matter of you were targeted by a low-level master, or by a person who through mundane means achieved a result indistinguishable from mastering? From where I sit, the only difference is in the insurance coding."

---

Note: I wonder how many low-level master attacks get written off as just normal course people being dicks. I wonder how much ordinary course dickishness gets attributed to masters?

 

[dc2008]

Honestly, Madison might welcome getting beat up by Taylor or someone acting on her behalf. Then she could feel like she had been punished.

Right now she probably won't be prosecuted, although she will need professional help for a while and will likely need to switch schools. Her parents might even move to give her a clean break, or at least they've talked about it. Which on the one hand is a sign that they care for her but on the other it's all my fault I'm uprooting my entire family what if we lose money on the house oh god will my mom have to delay retirement?!

Part of what she is dealing with is that thing where all the adults go hey you're just a kid we can't hold you responsible. Which is not wrong. Her brain structure is such that her judgment is impaired to the point it might be considered brain damage in someone twenty years older. However, that contrasts sharply with her prior self-image as someone who knows what she is doing.

Basically, Madison is a teenager. See fic title.

 

[dc2008]

I had a realization when writing this fic that, well, Sophia really might have a low-level master power, based on observed evidence. Everything that happened can be blamed on ordinary course stupidity and bad incentives but, well, how would anyone know? It's not like Sophia is a reliable witness. She might not have even noticed if she did have a master power.

Of course, even if it is not a master power, how the heck would anyone know? She definitely has powers. You can check that with a brain scan. But the type of powers? How do you prove a negative? Anyone complicit in the bullying wants to say "master" to reduce their culpability, as well as for insurance reasons. The school wants to say "bully", but they are currently hated by everyone and there are people who will disagree with their position out of pure spite. The PRT, well, if they say "no master" it is a risk. What if they're wrong? If they clear Sophia, and she ever again is involved in any sort of similar misconduct, someone has egg on their face. While if they say "inconclusive", they are covered. And they likely already have on record in various places that Sophia's cooperation level was not great.

Sure, Sophia is marginally useful in the abstract, but there is no world where she can be trusted absent aggressive and continual supervision by people who have better things to do. You can't send her to a containment zone, because she lies;. What if something gets in or out? Can you actually trust her to raise an alarm? Short of an A-Class or S-Class threat, what the heck can you do with her?

Oh, and there isn't really anyone within the PRT who will champion her. Piggot doesn't want her, everyone who has worked with her doesn't like her, she has no allies or political capital, and it has not escaped RCB's attention that a massive and disproportionate strike on this random Ward and her high school was on jaded!Taylor's Day 1 list, before even the S9.

 

[dc2008]

"I said we could get a cat," Carol's voice drifted up the stairs. "One."

Amy's attention, however, was focused on the calico cat which had claimed her bed.

"Look at him! His name is Chekhov Sulu Skywalker Dallon!" Vicky's, louder, voice replied. "Would you really break up his family!?"

Biological awareness flooded Amy's mind as she once again caressed the cat. Humans had become routine, but this, this was still new and interesting.

Amy lost track of time, as she idly pet her new friend. She found her gaze wandering toward her bookshelf, her mind adrift in a sea of possibilities. Glancing at titles, she had a marvelous idea.

"I have decided," she said, focusing back on the cat, "that you shall be named 'Wilhelmina'."

Later

Amy gave her sister a flat stare. "You named him CSS Dallon?

"Yep! He's a cat space ship!"

"… You know that also stands for a different type of ship, right?"

"Huh? Ohhhhhhhh. Quick, help me brainstorm a fix!"

Amy sighed. "You are incorrigible."

"Thanks!"

---

Note:
Vicky: {Is teen}
Any and Carol: {Sigh}
Mark: {Kitty!}

 

[dc2008]

Upon seeing the expression on Renick's face, Emily sighed.

"The Birons, Alcotts and Triumph have all requested security assessments for their homes," Phil said without preamble.

"Why? Why now?"

"Insight was able to bypass the existing security at each residence in ten minutes or less, without using her power."

"I seem to recall the Mayor specifically telling us that he already had a sophisticated security system."

"He does, on each door. She jimmied a window."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Well, she deserves credit for getting the Birons to actually agree on something. And it's less destructive than Vista's hobbies."

Phil snorted.

"Oh," Emily continued. "And see if Dr. Weaver would care to contribute to the assessments. I'm sure she somehow had a hand in this."

---

Note: Emily is good at pattern recognition

 

[dc2008]

Vicky swooped in toward Amy's building and, on seeing something unexpected, redirected to land on the roof instead of at the front door.

"Aisha," she asked carefully, "why are you trying to break into the roof shed?"

"Practice," Aisha replied, continuing to carefully apply torsion. "You want a go when I'm done?"

Shortly Thereafter

Vicky paused, and turned to look at Aisha quizzically. "Wait, how did you even get on the roof anyway?"

Elsewhere

"Armsmaster," Dr. Weaver interrupted in a weary tone, "I appreciate your enthusiasm to explore potential synergies between yourself, Vista, and our newest vehicle tinker. However, I highly doubt you will receive approval to conduct aerospace test flights off the rig, particularly at altitudes which have in the past attracted interest from the broken angel."

"—but!"

"Test range. If you have worries about transport logistics, ask Dragon or even hire Strider, you have the budget for it."

"Hmmm, well I suppose we could explore Vista's ability to facilitate bulk transportation—"

Dr. Weaver sighed.

Elsewhere

"Grue?"

Brian looked up from his surprisingly good cafeteria food, surprised to see Dauntless in front of him.

"Yes, sir?"

Dauntless waved dismissively and sat down opposite Brian. "None of that," he replied. "A little bird mentioned you might be interested in advice on juggling this job with caretaking responsibilities."

 

[dc2008]

Taylor!" Taylor looked up from her book to see Vicky pushing her way across the cafeteria, towing her boyfriend.

"Hi?" Taylor replied.

"Amy said you knew about M/S protection for kitties!"

"Some? I mean, just some basic stuff I learned from, ah, Dr. Weaver?" Taylor ignored the boy's resigned expression.

"You have to teach me! Amy and I are public figures and we don't want crazies coming after the kitties! Kitties are important!" She paused. "Wait! I need to get Amy for this!" The older teen hurried off, leaving her boyfriend to shuffle awkwardly.

Taylor took pity on him, and gestured for him to join her at the lunch table.

Later

After dinner, Taylor approached Dr. Weaver. "Looking back," she asked her counterpart, "when you had powers, was there anything you figured out eventually that you wished you had figured out earlier?"

"Braille. Seeing, hearing, sensing through my bugs in general. And of course, leveraging synergies with other capabilities. I remember when…"

Taylor had learned. This time she came prepared with her own pad and pen.

---

Note: Vicky likes life at a high level of enthusiasm! The Taylors are bonding! Young!Taylor is (not) being subtle.

 

[dc2008]

Alec: yo
Amy: yo?
Alec: you got armed guard driver thing right? 2mrrow can you give me ride to near but totally not chez prt?
Alec: I has free candy!
Amy: …
Amy: fuck it, sure
Alec: awesome cabs smell like ass and jacking car too much work

The Following Day

"What the…?" Amy mumbled. "How do you do that?"

"I'm just naturally pretty," replied the boy in a domino mask who totally was not Alec.

Amy rolled her eyes.

"Now," said the uncomfortably interested man with a lab coat and clipboard, "we will progress to subject 5." He placed on the table a cage containing a feral-looking bunny.

"Where do you even get these guys?" Not!Alec asked. "And do they have more?"

Amy gave him a look, as the scientist droned on about proper disposal and biohazards and blah blah blah.

"Why would you want one?" Amy asked, incredulously.

The bunny twitched ominously at not!Alec's intense interest. "If the fuckers forget my birthday, they get satan bunny for theirs."

"I seriously doubt you actually give birthday gifts," Amy replied dryly.

"I've never before had satan bunny to give!"

Elsewhere

"Aisha, have you seen my GED packet?"

"I have conquered it for the glory of Aishastan," his sister's voice responded from the other room.

Entering, Brian stared dumbfounded at his sister studying for school.

Aisha looked up, a determined look on her face. "If Lisa can pass this test then so can I! And then Mr. Powertrip McHomeroomTeacher can fuck right off!"

---

Note: Writing Alec is a blast

Also, ENE has a lot of Wards now. Who if anyone should get transferred in to help manage them?

 

[dc2008]

"Good morning!" Lisa exuded totally genuine not forced cheer as she bustled into Dr. Weaver's office.

"Good morning," Dr. Weaver replied. "Incidentally, if you would ever like help brainstorming appropriately interestinggifts for Aisha, do let me know."

Lisa did not stumble and anyone who said she did is a liar.

"I have decided," Lisa said magnanimously, "to call your bluff. I shall be the great and feared Lilac, and those who I permit to know my name shall fear it."

Dr. Weaver nodded, keeping a straight face. "And it means you get to watch Costa-Brown and other very serious people very seriously address you as Lilac."

"I mean," Lisa said with a grin that was not at all brittle, "that is a factor, true. However, the merchandising possibilities are also quite interesting."

"Thank you very much for approaching this with appropriate gravity," Dr. Weaver said seriously. "Incidentally, did you know your power will reward you for learning and experiencing new things that align with its interests?"

This is true good advice and following it is an excellent idea and smart. Dr. Weaver is very intelligent and insightful.

---

Notes:

L: Are you… are you trying to use Pavlov conditioning in my power?
W: Is it working?

 

[dc2008]

Director Tagg leaned back in his chair, uniform jacket unbuttoned. A half-eaten sandwich was set aside, and a cup of his disgustingly strong coffee sat in front of him. "Looking at this shit, Armstrong, it makes you think."

Kamil looked up, and gestured at him to continue.

"I look at all this, and I understand, I really do. There has never been a better reason, but still what's the price? For all the talk of thinkers and M/S protocols, purely mundane manipulation, even self-induced, can be just as insidious." He gestured to the papers surrounding them. "After all this, what lesser horrors will we let slide, deprioritize, for the 'greater good'?"

"Shit, James, why do you say stuff like that."

"You ever look at the self-defeating underhanded shit the US did during the Cold War and wonder, 'did we set the stage for this with Operation Paperclip?' You cross a few lines for the best reasons, but that shit gets habit forming. How many people were influenced, ever so slightly, by co-workers we pulled out of some black site and put to work instead of putting down? How many people looked at some dirty op and said 'well after all that other shit, this ain't so bad'? And how different is it, really, from what a master can do? Except we did it to ourselves."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Nothing, for now. Just making sure I'm not the only one. You sure as shit won't forget this now, even if I do. If any of us make it through this, we're going to have a hell of a job to do making sure that nothing like this happens, ever again."

 

[dc2008]

Rachel carefully checked the dogs at the end of the day. They were fed, they had water, and they were healthy.

Her students of course had already seen to the dogs, but still she checked. Always.

Rachel went back into the house. She carefully wiped her shoes on the mat, and then took them off. It was nice having clean floors.

She went into the kitchen, where Dr. Weaver and Wafa were. She smiled at them, and nodded in greeting. They smiled back, without teeth. A few words were exchanged, and they started preparing dinner.

They then worked together. Dr. Weaver took the lead today. She carefully showed Rachel what they were doing they started the rice, prepared the ingredients, and then made the stir-fry. They used the new special pot that Wafa had helped her order.

Dr. Weaver was a good teacher. She didn't shout, she didn't hit. She showed Rachel again when asked, and didn't when she wasn't. When she thought Rachel wasn't looking, she sometimes looked at Rachel in a certain way. Like she thought Rachel was pack.

After dinner, they cleaned up. Then they checked on the dogs again, before Dr. Weaver insisted on talking to her and Wafa. Wanted to make sure the dogs were healthy, that she and Wafa were healthy. That they had enough food, enough things, that there were no problems with the men and women who dressed like cops but came to learn, not shout.

After Dr. Weaver left, and Wafa went to call her son, Rachel walked around the house again. It was nice. Clean. There were pictures of the dogs, and other things.

It felt like it was hers.

Before bed, she checked her packed bag. She had learned, long ago, to be ready. If she needed to, she could take her pack and run.

 

[dc2008]

"Vicky, I need you to answer me honestly. Did you send to my classmates workout pics of your friend's jailbait brother?"

Vicky ignored Eric's laughing, and gave Crystal her patented innocent dumb blonde face. "He's my friend too, after the Endbringer sleepover party! And, well, I messaged some of my classmates from my college class that I take at college. Do you know them too, that's so cool! We should all hang out!"

"Vicky—"

"And besides I checked, everyone I messaged is young enough to be within the close in age exception, so it's not jailbait!"

"That's not—"

"He can cook too! He made us scrambled eggs and waffles!"

Later

Group Chat Best Bro Society
GGVictoriaGG: OMG got bites from the college girls!!!!
Aisha: awesome!!!! Come by when bro at work!!!!! You bring pics I get snacks!!!!!!!
Foxy Lisa: I repeat that this bad idea and will end badly
Foxy Lisa: still I want in I neeeed to see this clown show unfold
GGVictoriaGG: you just jelly at our genius!!!
Aisha: play nice, you both pretty ;D

---

Notes:

Vicky ABSOLUTELY practiced a dumb blonde face until she got it perfect. I mean, she is not a dumb blonde, but if it works? It goes on the shelf with the puppy eyes, poor innocent child, etc.

You will also note that there are fewer (not none, but fewer) people reminding her about the aura light? That's not me forgetting, that is Victoria and Fragile One getting better at being intentional in using it.

 

[dc2008]

"Where are we on the persons of interest?" Emily asked.

"Blackwell and Smith are still insisting they were mastered." Phil replied.

Emily looked at him skeptically.

"I know," Phil said, sighing. "Things wouldn't have gone this far if they'd just done their jobs, but as long as they are content to sit in containment we have bigger priorities."

Emily nodded.

"Hess—"

"Don't care, next."

"The Barnes girl is a goddamn mess, needs intensive treatment for at least a year."

"Christ."

"No leads on the janitor, but if he was a parahuman, his power was quite subtle. And if he was, what was he doing? He had the run of the place for months and we still haven't found evidence of him actually doing anything beyond simply being a janitor."

"What about the missing persons angle?"

"There's no affirmative evidence of his involvement, and plenty pointing to other explanations. Hell, we are pretty sure the criminal element has started tipping the BBPD on underage missing person cases."

Emily sighed. "We'll probably never know. I miss the old days when we could have just dismissed this as someone working under the table, blackballed the facilities manager, and moved on."

"Oh, and Phil? See if Dr. Weaver's pet thinker can look at those tips. Someone is trying to do something cute."

 

[dc2008]

Aisha focused intently on the social media profile in front of her. She was going to get this right! For bro!

She jotted down a few notes.

Lisa watched with a strange sort of fascination.

Later

"I'm not sure…" Aisha replied. "He's been so squirrelly about what he likes!"

"Hmmm," Vicky replied. "Maybe we could leave out some of the beach pics and see if he likes any?"

"I donno," Aisha said, making a face, "that feels kind of skeevy?"

"They're all 18–it's fine," Vicky said authoritatively.

"Holy fuck," Lisa muttered.

Later Still

"JESUS," Lisa said, lifting her head from where she'd been resting it on the table.

"Huh?" Aisha asked.

Lisa made a complicated sort of gesture. "Where do I… Look just flip the ages and genders and say that again."

"Ohhhhhhhh," Vicky said, as Aisha winced.

Yet Later Still

"As fun as this is," Lisa said, "how are you getting him to even go on this double date anyway? And if you trick him into showing up, how will you get him to stay?"

That Evening

Brian saw Lisa in the elevator, and did a double take. "Long day?"

She looked at him with a sort of vacant expression, then gave a short sardonic laugh.

---

Note: Aisha and Vicky are trying to help!

 

[dc2008]

"What, does it owe you money?" Aisha asked, watching Taylor work the punching bag.

Taylor snorted. "Guess I have a lot of aggression to work out."

"I'll say—," Aisha said, suddenly turning. "BRO! Hey, didn't know you were going to be here."

A very fit young man walked over. Taylor very consciously did not stare, she would be that girl, and instead resumed her workout. Very happy that she had taken the hint from her counterpart and cultivated her ability to keep watch from… other viewpoints.

Shortly Thereafter

"He's ~single~," Aisha said, as soon as her brother left.

Taylor gave her a look. "He seems entirely done with, well, everything."

Aisha grinned. "Just like you! You can be done with this shit together!"

Later

Taylor carefully ensured her bedroom door was closed, before retrieving her notebook and grabbing one of the new insect books her counterpart had given her. She appreciated the unspoken understanding they had, where she didn't acknowledge having powers, and her counterpart quietly fed Taylor a steady supply of highly relevant advice and information.

Fortunately, her father seemed oblivious.

She wasn't looking forward to telling her father. She couldn't refute her counterpart's very pointed statements, clearly if she was going to go do cape things she should tell him. It wasn't that she didn't trust her counterpart. Rather, she liked this new equilibrium, and if she acknowledged having powers, things would change. She would have to make decisions, important decisions, about her career and the Wards and stuff. It was nice to wait. Just a little longer.

---

Note: I had the horrifying realization that the factors that made Brian view Taylor as a little sister are less present here. While, if anything, Brian is even more intriguing to Taylor, and in a less creepy fashion (I.e., there is not a sense of "you are literally the first not-sketchy boy to be nice to me in forever).

 

[dc2008]

"I don't want to take any chances," Brian said, stiffly. "I apologize for not flagging this earlier."

Armsmaster nodded, absently, still focused on his instruments. "These signal interference readings are highly interesting. For now we'll give you more redundant comms. Longer-term, there are a few possibilities I'd like to have investigated."

He turned to Brian. "Good work flagging this."

Brian nodded awkwardly. "I just wanted to triple check, avoid surprises in the field."

Later
"Thanks again, Shawn," Brian said to his older co-worker. "This means a lot, it's a huge load off."

"Yeah," Shawn replied with a nod. "It's never enough, but every little bit helps."

Later

"Aisha?"

"What up!"

"Did you… I went to do an inventory, and there's a whole lot of emergency stuff stashed around the apartment, like, everywhere?"

"Oh, yeah, I got Dr. Weaver to help me, right after we moved in. Went through some PRT stuff to make a list, then fixed some dumb stuff, then got her to fix more."

"I'm… just wow. Someone at work sat me down to go through this stuff, and you've done a better job than he or I had come up with."

"I did good?"

"You did really good. I wish… I wish the world was better and you didn't have to worry about this stuff."

"Don't worry," she said seriously, patting his hand. "You worry about the big showy cape stuff. Me and Dr. Weaver have your back."

---

Note: Aisha has a good thing going! She's not going to fuck this up!

 

[Teller of Tales]

missing threadmark @dc2008

 

[dc2008]

missing threadmark @dc2008

Click to shrink...

Thanks for flagging this for me!

 

[dc2008]

"Oh no!" Amy exclaimed. "Did the cream give you a tummy ache? Let's take care of that…" Mina's entire biology flooded into Amy's mind.

"You know," Vicky's voice drifted from the other room. "I read some cats are actually lactose intolerant!"

"Hmm," Amy replied, as Mina purred in appreciation at the cessation of her gastric distress. Amy leaned in close and whispered. "I bet we can fix that too. Our secret."

Break

"I have conveyed your request to Taylor III." Taylor said formally. "He has considered your request, and prefers his box."

"His what?" Amy replied.

"His box!" Taylor pulled up a dark picture, in which cat eyes could be barely perceived amid the shadows. "In the back, under my bed. He occasionally deigns to exit for food, treats, and so forth. Very occasionally he permits brushies. But guests are absolutely verboten."

"Seriously?" Vicky said, as Aisha appropriated the phone and started sending herself pictures.

"Who am I to deny him his happy place?" Taylor countered. "After Aisha pinned me sparring Tuesday I tried to join him, but I didn't fit."

Aisha cackled.

Break

"VICTORIA!"

"Yes, Mom?" Victoria replied, entering the kitchen.

"Why is your cat on top of the fridge, scared the daylights out of me…"

"Mrrrrreow!" USS Chekov Dallon replied, his head and ears just visible amidst the odds and ends atop the fridge.

Ignoring her mother, Vicky rushed over to the fridge, and started taking pictures. "Who's a clever kitty! You found the tallest tree, yes you did!"

Break

"Nah," Aisha replied, "I'll just vicariously enjoy your kitties. I spent all my life taking care of my mom and her dumbass boyfriends, I'm enjoying having the place to myself and bro." Aisha made grabby motions. "Now show me more pics!"

---

Note: Kitty!

 

[dc2008]

Congratulations, you're going back to school."

Lisa looked unimpressed. "Really?"

Dr. Weaver continued. "The PRT is making a push to built out its staff of non-parahuman analysts. And, of course, we can expect the villainous element to seek access to the course materials, perhaps even infiltrate sessions.

"Ohhhhhh."

"So yes, while I suppose you might learn some additional analytic techniques, I'm more interesting in your thoughts on the villain response. If they know a large number of PRT analysts will have had this training, what assumptions will they make? What blind spots or systemic errors might we be introducing? What countermeasures might they adopt? And so forth."

Lisa nodded. "Where will these sessions be?"

"Most will be remote, but we've arranged for the odd day trip to attend in-person, incognito."

"I take back those mean things I thought about you a minute ago!"

"Oh," Dr. weaver added as an after thought. "I will neither confirm or deny the presence at one or more sessions of one or more others sharing your assignment."

Lisa cackled.

---

Note: Taylor knows how to make Lisa pay attention in class.

 

[dc2008]

"Oh, couch potato," Aisha said, after handing Alec his pizza, "you're coming to dinner this weekend!"

"I'm what now?"

"Dinner. At our place. With bro and Lisa and whoever else I grab! Will text deets!"

"But…," Alec tries to rebut, but she was already gone.

I suppose if nothing else I can watch Brian squirm? And can go in pajamas…

Later

"I'm sorry but my briefing notes didn't indicate your cape name?" The metal boy said politely.

"I'm pushing for Neuromancer," Alec replied, "but I'll probably be stuck with Impulse or Rehab or something else boring…"

Shortly thereafter

"Oh, I don't go to school? Scary Suit had a chat with Youth Guard Lady and next thing YGL was crying and gave me a hug."

Shortly thereafter

"Ask," the metal man said with a grinding sigh. "I can tell you want to. I've heard them all by now."

"Do you shit?"

Shortly thereafter

"One last important thing you should know, the girls—Vicky, the purple one, the little one?"

"Yes?"

"Fucking nuts, all of them, Vicky's not too bad on her own, but the other two, you'll be talking to them normal and suddenly up is down and down is up and they're all cackling."

---

Note: Yes, that's Weld

 

[dc2008]

After the analyst left, Emily turned to Dr. Weaver. "I'm surprised you didn't have more to contribute to the security assessments for Vista, Insight and Triumph."

Dr. Weaver shrugged. "For the random criminal element, it will suffice. For anything more, it's civilian construction housing. You'd have to demolish and start from scratch, and there's no point.

She continued, "Anyone local is gone who might have been stupid enough, or desperate enough, to go after Wards, civilian identifies, dependents, or family.

"If any outside forces try to establish a foothold, we'll know. Professional infiltration or snatch teams are not inconceivable, we've concentrated several potential strategic assets in the Bay, but that's being addressed by higher and none of us are cleared. And a frontal attack, again, we would have warning and, in any event, that's better addressed by general Endbringer evacuation protocols rather than by fortifying individual residences."

There was a brief pause as Emily, Renick and Armsmaster processed… all of that.

"Which reminds me," Dr. Weaver continued. "Vista has indicated an interest in training to allow her to better contribute in evacuation or rescue scenarios."

Shortly thereafter

After Dr. Weaver left, Emily turned to Armsmaster and Renick. "Pull everyone's files again. Let's see if we can't figure out who exactly she meant by 'strategic assets'. Since evidently it's not just Missy, and I somehow doubt she'll give me a straight answer."

At Other Times and Places

"Finally," Dr. Yamada said, "I am rotating through Brockton Bay next. What can you tell me about Dr. Weaver?"

Armstrong furrowed his brow.

Dr. Yamada continued. "Her entire file is redacted. Even her CV is redacted. I got a pile of black ink, and a note to talk to you, Costa-Brown or Tagg."

"For what it's worth, there is good reason it's redacted?"

Yamada gave him a look.

Armstrong shrugged. "She is incredibly knowledgeable about parahuman powers and how they interact with people. She's the reason Rebecca took seriously the master theory for Jack Slash, and increased the therapist budget."

"I sense a 'but'."

Armstrong nodded. "She's not infallible. She has spent far too much time working with A-class and S-class threats. Brockton is her idea of a 'quiet' posting."

Break

Director Tagg laughed. "That sounds about right. Just imagine the Chief-Director, 20 years older, with less respect for proper procedure."

Break

"I mean this in the best possible way, but is she getting counseling?" Dr. Yamada asked.

"If you could get her to accept it, the Chief-Director might give you a medal."

Break

"Who? Oh, I think she did some work on the new master/stranger guidance?"

Break

"Dr. Weaver?" Renick laughed. "If something odd happens around here, ask her." He paused a moment, before continuing. "Especially with the Wards, she's one of those weird ones who finds dealing with teens relaxing."

---

Note: Not entirely happy with some of this.

 

[dc2008]

"To answer your question, Directors," Dr. Weaver said evenly, looking between Armstrong and Tagg, "the organization behind Case 53s has been identified, placed under adult supervision, and will be remediated after immediate threats are contained. Efforts are being made to assemble such records as still exist as to identities of the Case 53s, as well as those who did not survive the process."

Kamil gestured at Dr. Weaver with his cigarette. "You cannot possibly expect us to accept that." Tagg simple stared at her silently.

"I appreciate your perspective and indeed hope you will facilitate the process, when it is safe. I am open to suggestions as to how we might at present appropriately remediate the most extensive parahuman experimentation and research program in this world line without leaving us vulnerable to information leakage as per the Jack Slash problem. Oh, and at least some of the specimens they have under their control are, if agitated or excited, likely capable of influencing Endbringer behavior."

Fuming, figuratively and literally, Director Armstrong stared at Dr. Weaver angrily. "I'm up to two packs a week of this shit now. I blame you."

Dr. Weaver shrugged. "Incidentally, Bonesaw is in stasis, and left a number of projects behind. In my world line she was eventually deprogrammed, using capabilities associated with the Case 53 group, and became one of our foremost power researchers. Something else on the list for us later."

She smiled, almost sympathetically. "If it helps, in my world line we were forced to deal with these issues with much less organization and compassion?"

Later

After Director Armstrong stormed out, Director Tagg lingered. "Why did you do that to him," he asked, looking her dead in the eye.

"He was going to find out. Now he won't do something tragic on incomplete information."

After a moment, she added. "And it lets him know there is a hope of some good in all this dirty work.

Elsewhere

Furious, Kamil stormed into his office. A package was sitting on his desk chair. Upon opening it, he found a dossier with Weld's face, and a set of limited edition Aleph CDs, in original packaging. The accompanying note simply said "For your family."

---

Notes:
KA: Sometimes, I want to punch her right in the face.
RCB: Sometimes?

Ed: made clear it's Weld's dossier

 

[dc2008]

"So cool!" Vicky said, trying on her new goggles.

"Yes, thank you Armsmaster," added her aunt.

He waved off the thanks. "And congratulations to you, Miss Dallon, inadvertent aura activations are down considerably. Although there are a few interesting anomalies in the readings, perhaps relating to your force field? I'll let you know if we find anything."

Later

"Mom, Dinah! Dinah, this is Mom, aka Brandish!"

"Good evening?" Brandish replied, as she shook Dinah's hand.

"Dinah is in Dr. Weaver's seminar thing," explained Vicky. "She is going to check our locks."

"And meet Chekov and Mina!" Dinah added.

Later

"Hey," Vicky said from right next to Amy's ear.

"Gaaaah!" Amy replied, falling off her seat, as Mina mreowed unhappily at losing her perch on Amy's lap. "Don't sneak up on me!"

"The door was open," Vicky replied, still floating just off the ground. "That doesn't look like homework?"

"No," Amy said, "it's about cat anatomy. I'm trying to identify Mina's parts. It's an exercise Dr. Weaver and the power test person suggested to help me better explain what I do."

"Ohhhh, that makes sense. Also, have you seen Chekov?"

"Up," Amy replied, nodding to the top shelf of her tallest bookcase. "He got up easy enough, but hasn't yet figured out how to get down."