Yerin hovered high up near the clouds. A walled city sprawled below her, cloaked in darkness save for scattered, dimly lit patches that cast a subtle glow outward. Further ahead, a large body of water, the great lake of Michigan, made its presence felt by chilling the summer night.
[Gary, Indiana. Quarantined for over a decade due to excess villain population, designated HOSV – hive of scum and villainy. As a result, the government cut off this place from the rest of the country.] Her Presence had provided the details earlier.
High walls all around, occasional PRT squad patrols, and a single costumed cape lounging at a watch post some distance away. That's all she'd seen in the last half hour. Flickering flood lights did their best impression of surveillance but no one had been in or out of the city.
Her trips to nearby cities and meetings with Protectorate in the past week had been informative. Not only had she got a good look at capes with potential, as well as villains who needed neutralizing—if this part of the world had to be unified in the eventual efforts against the fiend—she had also laid foundations for some good relationships with those in high positions. Not counting those who still had a sword stuck up their behind and looked at her and the "Reapers" with barely hidden disdain.
The whole song and dance routine had scraped her raw but she was the only one of the trio who could teleport at will. She supposed the Moonlight Bridge eventually had to have some drawbacks.
More relevant to tonight's jaunt, anyone she talked to at all PRT offices was of the opinion that Brockton Bay housed an abnormal number of villains and gangs compared to other cities in the country. Making it one of the worst places to live for civilians.
But ever since they had found a way to bring the internet connection to their Presences, their eyes had opened for real. Lindon had built a device with the help of the cape Dragon which each of the three Presences had assimilated.
Then Ruby had found some places that were much worse than Brockton Bay for an honest civilian who didn't have any powers.
Yerin had decided on impulse to pay a visit to one such place on her way back to Brockton Bay from Chicago.
The simple folk stuck with the scum and the villains here needed rescuing; that was the objective she focused on right now. She discarded the line of thought that would lead her to hold the authorities responsible for allowing this to happen. Could be they had reasons, could be they didn't care.
It was a question for later.
"How many children?" She asked Ruby.
[Last census was a couple of decades ago,] Ruby replied. [Extrapolating from evacuation data and considering potential causes for population decline; the estimated children population in this area—below the standard eighteen years old—is between three hundred and fifteen hundred. Unfortunately, a more precise estimate is not possible.]
Yerin was quiet for a few heartbeats.
"That's a rotten deal they got," she shook her head, "None of their own choosing either. To spend all your life in a prison, with little to no hopes of getting out?"
[Over the years there have been scattered reports of civilians escaping for a better life, mostly through makeshift boats on the lake, very few have made it out.]
"How do they say it is inside?"
[the last report is from several years ago… Let's just say 'not good' is being generous.]
"About time someone does something for them then." She said softly to her Presence.
Far below, a pair of PRT guards popped out of their watch post. They scanned their unchanged surroundings for a few seconds before promptly returning indoors.
Yerin closed her eyes, tilting her head to savor the breeze caressing her face. The night ahead held no pleasantries, she knew.
[Do you have a plan?] asked her Presence.
"Depends if I'm thinking straight," she replied. "What are the odds the non-capes aren't enslaved one way or another?"
Ruby thought for a moment and replied. [This is an HOSV site, unlike other cities, it is likely to have more of a cape population—almost all villains— and no government oversight. So, odds of non-capes being enslaved are higher than usual.] she paused. [What are we doing?]
"What are we doing?" Yerin repeated with a raised eyebrow, "Get them out of here yesterday."
[And if they're happy here? There's a significant chance some resist your proposal.]
"Only if they are chipped in the head." Yerin said, a little stubbornly, but she got what Ruby meant: people got attached to all sorts of places they lived in, no matter how bad. Could be that she was wrong in this.
[Will you be fighting if you have to? Or are we coming back later for that?]
She cracked her knuckles, "Jump that river when we get there. You ready?"
[I guess so.]
"Alright, waiting won't get us any sharper." She chose a darkened alley next to what looked like one of the main squares down below and activated the moonlight bridge.
In a flash of bright light, she teleported into the city.
The first thing that hit her was the stench.
"Bleed and bury me, that's awful." She instinctively exclaimed.
The smell originated from piles of refuse and garbage that just lay there in heaps, illuminated in the hazy light of a street light. The entire hodgepodge of filth must have been marinating there for years, rotting and withering away, repeatedly topped up by more of the same.
There was something else she immediately recognized due to her innate affinity for blood; a couple of fresh dead bodies.
She eyed a towering structure away from the dumpsite and teleported there. It allowed her to take a deep breath without grimacing. She extended her senses and tried to find some inhabitants of the city.
[I don't think anyone lives in this area. Every structure is decrepit and rotting.] Ruby remarked.
Landing in the abandoned part of town with the stench and all kinds of waste had been unfortunate. Not her fault as the entire city had looked pretty much the same from above.
"Let's make sense of this wretched place why don't we." she said to Ruby.
An hour later, she had identified a row of houses that had people either sleeping or otherwise going about their normal routines. The darkness in the absence of street lights did a good job of keeping her unseen from any troublemakers.
Ruby, check if anyone here is a cape. She told the Presence internally.
Ruby began checking for active Corona Pollentias and took her time. After a minute or two, she replied, [No capes.]
Let's talk to these people later tonight, see if they're interested in moving out for good.
She kept moving, steering clear of areas with late night cape activity. A night club thumped with loud music, with faint sounds drifting out into the night as well.
Capes were everywhere; most awake, some asleep. She had no way of knowing if all of them were villains even if the majority definitely were.
A large building hosted a bunch of fighting rings with multiple matches in progress, not jam packed with cheering spectators, but enough to form a crowd. The most raucous of them was underground as far as her spiritual senses could tell.
She avoided any contact for now, wary of confrontation.
Another hour she spent searching for children and civilians and found some success.
In a block near the beach, along a comparatively well-lit street that contrasted with the dimness of the rest of the city, each house was inhabited solely by non-cape civilians. Most were going through a nightly routine, diligently bolting shut every window and door without exceptions.
Every house like that had been crammed full of people.
[Almost one thousand regular civilians in the two streets.] Ruby did the math for her.
It was well past midnight when she encountered her first foe. Next to a lakeside warehouse, a hulking man stood tall under a gloomy neon light. He wore dark clothes and had his face uncovered.
In a rumbling voice, he asked her to stop and identify herself.
"Looks like a cape. Is he?" She asked Ruby.
[Yes.] Ruby replied.
"I said who goes there, this is Morok's territory." The man roared.
Yerin debated just leaving but the man had clearly seen her, he must have sporting a good eyesight.
She sighed and rushed him, making short work of his bluster. Before he knew it, a single chop to the back of his neck cracked the metal armor growing from under his skin. A second chop to the same spot had him go limp and unconscious in no time.
Killing capes was frowned upon in this world except those truly monstrous ones with kill orders.
It would be a "diplomatic headache" as Mercy had put it if the three of them started to kill capes, villain or not. Hence, the lighter touch.
She gently lowered the man, not wanting to attract any more attention.
But her hopes were dashed as the noise did summon another cape who ran out of the building looking around wildly calling out for his mate.
When he noticed her with the downed cape, he let out an incoherent shout. Without any delay, attacked her, scooping up blocks of stone from the nearby buildings and the ground with his gestures and hurling them at her.
[A stone telekinetic and shaper. He'd be a handful in urban environments.] Ruby analyzed.
Couldn't say I care if he is. He's wasting my time.
She didn't bother with the moonlight bridge. Utilizing her speed, she exploded from her spot, cutting in half a stone block the size of a chair with a simple push of her madra, and appeared in front of him. He stumbled back at finding her so close, but she grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and heaved him away.
The villain crashed through a car into a trash container and stayed down for a couple of heartbeats before getting up again.
He hadn't looked tougher than the last one, but looks could deceive.
"Calm down, I'm not here to fight you, only passing through." She called out, knowing it to be in vain, the man had seen her with a "dead" comrade.
He snarled, face going ugly with rage. He put both his hands on the ground and it began trembling.
That was one step too far for her liking.
She did use the Moonlight Bridge this time and flashed behind the cape. The same method as the last cape—a chop to the side of the neck, but stronger this time—did the job. The man went down like a felled tree, unconscious but still alive.
She looked around, nobody else seemed to be around which was fortunate. She flashed again and appeared back on the first civilian street. A series of clashes with multiple capes at this point was far from her desire, who knew what destruction they would unleash.
Her goal wasn't to flaunt her power either at this point, perhaps the time would come for that later, but right now the priority remained the civilians.
She chose a small house where more than one family lived by the looks of it. Three children and six adults in a single-story house. One of the men was awake, sitting near a window that was only slightly open to allow some airflow.
Yerin debated with herself on how to approach him. Then internally conveyed to Ruby, don't show yourself to him, but ask if he and his family are interested in taking a hike out of here. Sound good?
Ruby gave her assent.
Let me get his attention first.
She floated over to the window, not wanting to make the wooden boards creak, and kept her attention fixed on the man. A light tap on the window made him go alert. He peered out through the murky glass of the window, and his eyes went wide at seeing her. Instinctively he moved to shut the window but froze mid motion, eyes darting between her and the window latch, fear visible on his face.
She smiled and waved at him, hoping to reassure him with her best impression of Mercy. The lack of a mask should have helped too.
Ruby gave her the signal that she was ready so Yerin tapped at her temple and then pointed at the man.
[Can you hear me?] Ruby said.
The man was breathing shallowly now, but he nodded, the motion jerky. Yerin maintained eye contact with him, and kept up her smile for his benefit.
[My name is Yerin,] Ruby kept speaking, [I'm from the PRT. Say, do you want to leave this city by any chance? And rejoin the civilization outside? And your family of course?]
If the man's eyes were fully open before, now they were ready to pop out of the sockets.
[You can speak quietly, I'll hear.] Ruby told him.
The main waited, no doubt mustering his courage. "I don't know anything about smugglers." He whispered. Eyes gauging her for her reaction.
That was the last thing Yerin expected him to say.
[What?] Her and Ruby were on the same page.
The confusion on her face must have been apparent as he whispered again, his voice hopeful, "This is not a trick?"
[Yes. No trick. Why are you asking?] Ruby asked.
He looked at Yerin for a few moments with a calculating expression, then said in a low voice, "Few years ago a couple of families tried to escape, they were chefs and kitchen help for a one of the gangs. After that, for a year their goons tricked people into leaving and caught all the smugglers helping the escapees."
[What happened to them?] Ruby asked.
He looked down, not answering.
Which gang was that? which villain? Yerin said to Ruby.
[Do you know who the villain was? And the gang?]
He shook his head.
Yerin smothered her anger and tried to focus on the rescue.
Ask him if he speaks for everyone in this house and if he can get them ready to leave tonight. She told Ruby.
Ruby asked and the man nodded on both accounts.
[Make sure no one makes any noise. I'll be back soon.]
She turned away from the window after watching the man stand up and hurry inside.
They had a similar conversation at a few other houses.
[Do any villain gangs patrol here at night? Keep an eye on the people, so you don't escape somehow?] Ruby asked a youngster. She had called him to the window of his upper story bedroom, his was only face visible in the light of the candle he held. Yerin floated outside the window.
"Not usually. But sometimes," the boy murmured. "If fights break out then some spill into our area."
[Right, wake your parents. I'll talk to them, we don't have much time.] Ruby instructed him.
Before the morning, all but the residents of a single house were ready to move. There had been hushed debates in some homes but their own family members and house mates coaxed them one way or another. The source of chagrin for a few parents were their children who had been enlisted by gangs in the past few years when they triggered. The parents were worried what would happen to their young capes embedded among villains.
Yerin promised she would come back for them.
Sometimes, she interfered to show them their mode of transportation which calmed most of the fractious ones down, if only because they were confused. A few, the more stubborn types, had balked at her display, not wanting to spend even a second inside a void key.
Don't know what they're complaining about. They get to enjoy a castle and a nice view. All while someone else escapes their prison for them. Yerin complained to Ruby.
[They've been bit before Yerin; their caution is no surprise.] Ruby replied.
"How do you prefer I get you outside?" She arched an eyebrow at the old seamstress who had called her void key 'a death trap'.
The woman stuttered, "anything but that…" she pointed at the open void key, admitting people inside.
"I'll fly you out, how about that? Carry you like a bride and soar through the air, you'd just have to hold on to me tight?" Yerin asked sweetly. "You stone certain you'll take that over sitting comfy beside a nice pond?"
The woman wavered, visibly afraid of the void key but also clearly wanting to escape this hellhole.
Yerin reached out and took her hand within both of hers. "Nothing will happen," she cajoled the woman, "you'll be in and out, half hour max."
She breathed a sigh a relief when the woman and the rest of the residents of the house went inside the 'castle'.
By the time the sun was peeking over the horizon, over fifty families had left their homes and had sheltered in her void key.
[It's amazing how they banded together for a generation in the face of adversity.] Ruby said.
They had been told how large parts of the city, especially in the outskirts had been abandoned for years. And non-capes, who couldn't be evacuated and rescued back when the city was first quarantined, had made themselves useful by keeping the city running. Farmers, workers, drivers, cooks, cleaners, doctors, teachers; all had to be useful in more ways than one to stay safe from wild and warring villain gangs. Living in small communities like this in several parts of the city also protected them from wanton evil but made their system oppression easier.
Gradually their lives had become safer as they had demonstrated their usefulness but it was all predicated on two conditions: one, they couldn't leave, and wouldn't even think about leaving; and two, anyone who triggered would join one of the gangs, the one controlling their territory.
It was a horrible situation and from where she stood, only further proved that this world needed some saving.
[Yerin, we need to get those people out of the city and out of the void key in the next twenty minutes or the oxygen will start to get dangerously low.] Ruby told her.
Yerin nodded. The void key, as high quality as it was, wasn't meant to hold hundreds of people inside at the same time.
"The spiritual weight of the key is also pushing me down, I'll tell you true." She slightly exaggerated, but living beings inside her void key meant no more teleportation. She would have to traverse the length of the city under the rising sun.
She bullied the family in the last remaining house to leave. They weren't ready to trust her so she had to verbally berate them, "Sun's moving. Get inside or I'll throw you out of the city myself."
She physically pushed one of the men inside the void key, the rest followed him cursing her and causing plenty of noise. Although they quieted down a little after seeing their neighbors already inside.
All members of this community were now inside the extradimensional space.
In the light of day, speed was more important than stealth if she wanted to avoid a fight, so she took off, jumping from building to building and flying in between.
Still, she was accosted a couple of times, the first encounter lasted five seconds with Yerin knocking the flier out of the air, catching his leg and dropping him on a rooftop, dazed and confused.
The last cape who challenged her was a young girl, half a head shorter than her, with hair and skin color like that of Eithan. She wore plain trousers and a half-sleeved T-shirt with no mask obscuring her face.
Yerin was running on flat ground by then but the cape kept up with her for a few seconds by constant bursts of short-range teleportation and changed directions just as Yerin did, showing she could anticipate her movements.
How much time and oxygen left. Yerin asked Ruby.
[If you're thinking what I'm guessing, then the evacuees have enough time. They're probably starting to feel uncomfortable, with heavy breaths and all, but they'll be fine for a few more minutes. Convince her quickly.] Her Presence replied.
Yerin halted. The girl had a 'thinker' ability to anticipate Yerin's movements and a 'mover' ability to teleport short distances along the ground if Yerin had learned anything about powers in this iteration. This young cape had potential and she didn't deserve to keep living in this place, even if she was a member of some villain gang. No youngster deserved to come of age under the tutelage of villains.
"Hey kid, you can teleport. Why haven't you left this city?" She asked, pitching her voice to carry.
The girl didn't reply, she brought a device out of her pocket and spoke into it.
[That's a radio. She is calling for reinforcements.] Ruby informed her.
I figured. Yerin replied.
She spread her spiritual senses as wide as she could; a handful of people milled about in her range, but nobody was coming their way in haste. Any help would arrive too late for this girl.
She charged towards the cape, showcasing something closer to her true speed this time. The girl jumped back in surprise but dodged Yerin's outstretched hand that aimed to grab her.
[Good reflexes, with training she'd be even better.] Ruby commentated on the "fight".
The cape teleported ten feet away, and Yerin changed her direction to follow, maintaining the measured pace. The girl teleported again, brought out a gun and shot Yerin in the leg, expecting her to dodge. She let the bullet bounce of her knee, and reached out this time to grab the girl's hand.
To her amazement, which also caused her to laugh in joy, the girl anticipated that move as well. But in the absence of any viable option, she yelped in panic and let go of her gun before teleporting again.
Yerin caught the gun before it reached the ground. She asked again, "What's your name girl? Why are you patrolling here?" She waved all around, meaning the area between the civilian community and the wall, "Where're you from?"
[Make it quick Yerin.] Ruby said in the background.
The girl who was speaking furiously in her radio, shot her a glare. Then turned to flee.
Yerin bolted forward, upping her speed, and caught the girl by the back of her neck. She fruitlessly struggled to free herself—and possibly teleport away—but couldn't.
"Answer me! What is your name?" Yerin growled, as menacingly as possible. She partially removed the veil on her spirit to put some pressure on her quarry's emotions.
The girl, clearly fearful, kept staring at her defiantly but eventually spoke a single word, "Zip."
"Zip. Tell me, if you can teleport, you can leave. Why haven't you?"
"I'm not telling you nothing!" The young cape shouted.
"Aren't you a gem," she said, "I'll just take you outside myself."
The girl shook her head violently in alarm, "No!" She yelled again, "You don't understand."
Something was up with her stone headedness.
"Don't understand what? It's your choice, tell me now or when we are out of here. Makes no difference to me."
"No!" Zip cried, hysterical now, struggling to get free, "They'll kill my family."
Yerin had suspected as much, this was how capes were kept in line in these gangs, with their families held collateral for their loyalty. The "unwritten rules" as Miss Militia had explained to them were non-existent in an HOSV site.
Yerin didn't loosen her grip but asked in a softer voice, "And where did your family live? Not near Glen Park, did they?"
That caused the girl to go still. When she looked at Yerin, her facial features were contorted with dread.
She resumed her struggle to get free of Yerin's grip with a frenzy like that of a rapid animal, with no regards to her safety.
"Calm down," Yerin tried to say but the girl was beyond words. Not wanting to hurt her, Yerin caught the girl in a bear hug, letting go of her neck. No guarantees Zip wouldn't break it herself in the mad wrestle to break free.
"Your family is safe, they are going out of the city right now."
Her words had no effect.
[I guess you shouldn't have exposed your spirit to her. She's terrified of you now.]
"I'm helping your family girl. Ease up." Yerin shouted to break through but the girl was now screaming.
She let go.
The girl ran a few steps away in haste but then just stood there, listless.
[Woah!] Ruby almost shouted in her head.
"What?" Yerin said out loud.
[Activity in her brain has spiked—]
Yerin was beside the girl in an instant, she interrupted Ruby in dismay, "Is she dying? Don't tell me she—"
[No, no. It's the Corona Pollentia, she is having a second trigger.] Ruby cut her off in turn.
Yerin's heart had been in her mouth; she exhaled, thanking the heavens.
That about drained me dry. I would've aborted and gone back to live my life as a mortal if she'd died I swear. Can't believe I came an inch from scaring a child to death. She confided in Ruby, almost believing her own words.
Meanwhile Zip crumbled to the ground, unconscious.
[People usually go unconscious when they trigger, but I'm not sure if its normal for second triggers.] Ruby said.
"I'd bet you my good sword we have her family among the rescued."
[We were near Glen Park and they said that was the only civilian community in that area. High chance you'd win the bet.]
Yerin stepped towards Zip who was half sitting and half lying on solid ground and peered into her face. The girl was closer to unconscious than otherwise.
[Let's take her and go. We're running out of time.]
She picked the girl up and jumped up. Less than a minute later, they were flying over the walls of the city and out of it.
Outside, in a clearing adjacent to an abandoned fuel pump and surrounded on two sides by lush green trees, she pushed her madra into the void key and its rift in space opened up with a whooshing sound. A few people rushed out, all ones who were her biggest doubters, a frantic look lurked in their eyes.
"We were suffocating in there, you heartless bitch!" One of them yelled at her, followed by a couple others.
Yerin ignored them. Her senses told her nobody had died gasping for air which is what she cared about, although the elderly seamstress was unconscious.
She cursed and bundled through the crowd who seamlessly parted for her. She grabbed hold of the woman intending to bring her out quickly.
"How long has she been out?" She asked a man sharply.
"…just now." He stammered.
Outside, she carefully laid the woman on the ground and tried to feel her heartbeat. It was fine.
[Check her breathing too, it shouldn't be shallow.] Ruby advised.
Breathing was as it should be but the woman was still unconscious. Yerin kept a part of her attention on the void key so it didn't snap close and activated the Moonlight Bridge. In a flash she was outside the PRT watch post a couple of miles away.
A minute later she flashed back to where the void key was open. She wasn't proud of bullying the PRT grunts into calling in a medical helicopter for the lady who was still not awake. Nor did she hesitate in calling Myrddin directly on his phone to impress upon him the seriousness of the rescue effort.
The single cape who had been on duty last night was nowhere to be found in the morning.
Back at clearing, most who had come out of the void key had stopped in their tracks to look around, not caring about being jostled and pushed from behind. Upon realizing they were safely out of their city; a mix of expressions crossed their faces. Relief warring with anger—at her or their situation she didn't know—tears in their eyes, a few smiles of joy and hugs.
She looked at Zip at her side, lying face up on the ground some distance away from the open portal. The young cape had slowly regained most of her consciousness.
When everyone was out Yerin shut the void key and called out loudly, "Anyone recognize this girl?"
She turned to Zip and poked her with her foot, "Oi, you're stubborn as a boulder hitched to a donkey, do you know that?"
A blank look was her only answer.
Yerin shook her head, "Who are your family?"
The girl took in the scenes around her, looked back at the city wall, confusion on her face. She had probably been ready to treat Yerin as an enemy.
"Mia…" she said haltingly, "My mother is Mia."
"Mia!" Yerin bellowed, "Where is Mia?!"
A middle-aged woman holding a young child's hand hesitantly stepped forward from among the crowd, then her gaze traveled to Zip sitting on the ground and she rushed forward with a wail, "Sammyyyy!"
The girl also stood up and teleported straight to her mother for a ferocious hug.
Yerin walked on, not wanting to intrude anymore.
She floated up to be in everyone's line of sight, "Listen up, help is coming for you from Chicago," she pointed at where she thought Chicago was.
[It's more towards north…] Ruby corrected her a little too late and petered out.
"Sit down, or walk around, do what you like. Just don't leave."
She heard the aerial transport coming. It brought a smile of solace to her lips. Chicago PRT had heeded her, or they had heeded their Protectorate leader. Either way, she was happy.
"There's a helicopter on the way with a medical crew. Let them do their job and don't poke your noses in. Cars are coming for the rest of you. These two will tell you more." She pointed over her shoulder to where the two PRT members were running in with bags in their hands, presumably full of supplies. Good on them for the thought.
"That's all. Thank you for your cooperation and everything." She concluded her short speech.
When Myrddin or his team arrive, they would deal with the girl Zip.
She turned her attention to the future. More civilians were still stuck in Gary. They would need to be evacuated soon. She decided to come back with more of a plan in the next few days.
First the girl, and then the crone who resembled Fisher Gisha, twice she had almost caused an innocent death. 'Nothing will happen' her words to the old lady resonated in her mind.
Could be I was going too easy about this… She admitted to Ruby.
[They'd be alert for anything now, at least for a few days.] Ruby said.
I'd eat my sword if they don't notice the missing civilians by the evening. But before that more than one gang will be busy finding out which rival knocked their capes out.
[And solving the mystery of an absent cape.]
Yerin chuckled halfheartedly, then quieted. A gang war would mean more civilians at risk and who knows what other consequences. She would have to accelerate her timetable and come back tonight or tomorrow latest.
Perhaps it was best to bring Lindon next time. Dross' illusions would keep them hidden far easier than she could manage on her own. Lindon also had bigger void keys.
Once her evacuees were all settled in their Chicago bound transports, she headed back to Brockton Bay. It was time to see what Lindon and Mercy had been up to.
