Canary uncaged.

We exited the portal onto a bridge in New England, and posted against the highway waiting.

I on my earpiece and my disguise chip projected a glitched face onto my own, as Brian began to make idle conversation.

"So, who are we breaking out?"

"Depends. Right now? One Canary. Paige Mcabee. Later? We'll see." I replied, as I pulled out a bag of chocolate almonds from my pocket popping one in my mouth, before offering a handful to Brian.

"Oh, yeah. My sister listens to that stuff. Vulgarishious, I think was her favorite. One time she played it on loop for two weeks. Almost made me pull off my head!

What's she in for?" He asked.

"Sexual assault and attempted murder." I replied, smiling,

"Akhu akhu!" Brian choked on an almond as he spat it out.

"What?"

"Yes. Canary is a rogue, you know?

Her power makes her really good at singing, like addictively good. But it also makes anyone who hears her song susceptible to suggestions.

This can range from small requests to full on brainwashing. The worst part of it? She can't control when that happens."

"That's dangerous." Brian replied.

"It is. That's why she has a rating of Master 8."

"So what, she brainwashed a dude into loving her?" He asked.

"Nah. She told her ex to go fuck himself." I smiled, holding back laughter.

"No way." Brian gasped, his habds instinctively going to his crotch as he imagined it.

"Yes way. He stalked her after a show and asked for half her earnings. Something about how he encouraged her to start singing so she owed him everything. Things got heated and she told him to go fuck himself. And he tried.

He really tried. But when he couldn't do it.....well you can guess what he did.

And the thing about her powers is that she doesn't know when someone is being mastered by her, so when he left to go home, she didn't think anything of it.

Then next morning, she wakes up, the PRT is knocking down her door and before she can say anything she's neck deep in containment foam and gagged to her throat.

Pitiful really. Didn't even get to give her testimony in court. And her lawyer was probably paid off too. Lots of anti cape lobby groups do that. Honestly, it was a sham trial in kangaroo court."

"Is that why we're breaking her out? For justice?" Brian said, sarcastically.

"Nah. I want her power for the heist. But it doesn't mean I don't sympathize. What happened to her wasn't right. And it doesn't really cost me anything extra to show her some human decency." I replied, shrugging, eyes on the road.

In the distance, I could see the convoy approaching us, and tapped Brian on the shoulder.

"It's here." I said, as he followed my gaze, spotting a row of armored trucks coming up the road.

"Where are the guards?" Brian asked, confused.

"The trucks are the guards. They probably have antigrav drones on them. Canary is a master. Her containment procedures specify that all humans keep a 300 feet distance from her at all points. There's no way they would risk putting human guards on this convoy. If there are any, they'll be trailing far behind, though I doubt it.

Besides, Dragon is supervising this transport personally, so they won't need any guards. If anyone tries something, she'll be here within minutes."

"Isn't that bad for us?"

"Not with me here. Tinker 40, remember." I assured, taking out a set of flat disks as they neared us.

"Aren't they going to stop? I thought they were supposed to target anyone they see?" Brian asked.

"Usually, yes. But in this case, there are no human eyes here, and all the cameras are already under my control. I have been playing a looped feed of the bridge since before we arrived. No one's coming for us. Even Dragon won't find out until we want her to. Now, spread out you darkness over the bridge. I'll deal with the trucks." I explained, jumping over the banister.

The trucks, using the camera only saw an empty road, and barreled forwards without regard for me, as I threw the disks onto the road, right below the passing trucks.

A pulse of electricity spat out, forming an EMP bubble, bringing the trucks to a screeching halt, simultaneously disabling the antigrav drones on the roof.

"Form a bubble of darkness around this one. I need to see what I'm doing." I ordered.

The darkness parted, raising up in the air, creating a concave dome over the truck.

I walked around the truck to the back, and pulled up my sleeve, pressing on my watch, laser cutting the door off with a blue particle beam.

My nano swarm gathered around my arm forming myomer muscles, and I grabbed the cut doors.

My fingers dig into the metal, scrunching it up and tore them off the truck, chucking them out to sea over the side of the bridge.

I reached into my pocket, my nano swarm retreating back, to pull out a syringe of Claire's healing blood. That's a mouthful. I need a new name for it.

Hmm...maybe Claire water?

No. Doesn't roll of the tongue.

Oh, I know.

CodeRed!

Now that's a name that sells.

As the thoughts ran through my mind, I injected the blood into Paige's neck, as Brian walked over to me.

"Please tell me you're here for me!" An asian girl in the back said, her eyes transfixed on me.

Bakuda! The bomb tinker.

"Nope." I replied, kneeling beside Paige, lifting her chin, and checking her eyes.

"Is that Lung? And Bakuda?! Don't tell me we're freeing that bitch too! You know she killed hundreds just last month!

Half my neighborhood is still frozen in her time bubble bombs.

The mayor nearly condemned the city as a quarantine zone for that." Brian fumed.

"Alright, alright. Relax. We're only here for Paige." I said, cutting off her chains while my nano swarm ate through her containment foam.

"Hey!" Bakuda wrestled against her binds, screaming obscenities at us, while I jacked into the comms on the truck, and saw that the signal was sent to Dragon already.

Good.

And Paige was waking up too, as I heard low grunts and moans beside me.

"Yeah. She's up." Brian informed me, laughing at something.

Better.

I cleared my throat, getting off the truck, straightening the creases on my lab coat, as I tried to cut an imposing figure.

Time to pull out my bullshit no jutsu.

.

"Hey! Untie me too! C'mon!" Bakuda cried out, only to be ignored. I don't have time for her.

I did want her shard for myself but I can take that when I break open the Birdcage later.

Paige on the other hand was of more immediate concern.

She looked dizzy, as she gaze out into the sky, grunting to get onto her elbows.

Her arms were probably numb.

Then I noticed that I had forgotten to take out her gag.

Silly mistake.

I reached out, gently grabbing it and slowly dragged it out as she gagged and dry heaved, spit pooling on the truck floor.

I looked down at the gag and cringed.

It was metal mesh, and deep.

Just barbaric.

Even I wouldn't put this crap down my experiment's throats if I could do without.

She looked around like a newborn babe, curiously, while she rubbed her eyes clean.

Finally, she looked up at us, squinting, and blinking, as she tried to make out our features. Her eyes even lingered on my mask, looking me up and down quizzically.

"Is this ...the afterlife? Am I in hell?" She asked, absentmindedly.

"Worse." I replied, popping a chocolate nut into my mouth, "You're in New England."

She snorted, bursting into a chuckle cupping her face.

Brian giggled conservatively, still focusing on keeping up the dome.

The atmosphere lightened for a bit before Bakuda stepped back unwelcome into the conversation.

"Release me already you fucknuggets! Or I swear I'll- bwbabaababab!"

Not willing to take her bullshit anymore, I activated my taser glove and shot her point blank.

She collapsed into a twitching pile, as

Paige looked back to see what was happening, and her eyes went wide.

"Lung!" She cried out in fear, almost leaping back, as Lung gave out a low murmur, still bruised and blind from his fight and no doubt tranqed up to ninth heaven.

Paige stumbled out of the truck, head first and I caught her before she split it open on the pavement.

"He's no threat. Pay him no mind." I assured her, bringing her to her feet.

She looked back up at the me and nodded, lost in thought.

"Why?" She asked, dizzy still.

I shrugged, gesturing at Brian to pull down the dome to help her eyes get accustomed to light again, as I eyed the horizon.

"I felt what happened to you wasn't right. It wasn't fair or just. And I figured, why not help you out?" I replied.

"And you want nothing in return?" She asked, skeptical.

"Clever girl!" I praised, patting her shoulder, "I do want something. But only if you want to."

I knew full well that pushing people into doing something by force is never as productive.

Giving people the choice of poison, cloaking my involvement, is always the better in the long run.

Because when they make the choice, and whichever they do, it will always be to my benefit.

Even better is to kill with kindness. Guilt can be a powerful motivator. After all, of someone pulled you up from the lowest poitn of your life, no matter how ungrateful you are, you will have a soft spot for them somewhere.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a thick brown envelope.

"This here is a new identity for you. And some funds to get you back on your feet. Free of charge, no strings attached." I said.

"Yeah right." She scoffed, pushing off my arm gently.

I sighed.

"Paige. Look around you." I said, gesturing with my arms.

"Here, now, you are standing at a crossroads in your life. Stay here and you will be captured again, bound, gagged, and shoved into the deepest pits of hell whence you shall never return. A canary caged.

On the other hand..." I continued, opening a portal before us.

"You could go through here, and start your new life. It leads to Rio de Janeiro. I'm sure you can find a job there as a singer.

And as a plus, they don't have a parahuman extradition treaty with the United States. So you'll be truly free to have a fresh start.

If you choose this path, I won't object. Once more, no strings attached. Honest. I'd rather people work for me out of respect rather than fear." I added with soncerity. I meant it.

No point in taking a hostile asset on a delicate mission.

I looked down at her, peering into her eyes trying to guilt her with goodwill.

She looked away, shaking her head, conflicted.

Good. That means it's working.

Now to push the final choice. With a sprinkle of rainbow sparkling idealism.

"Then, finally, there is the third path. You work for me. Help me with a job. And get paid, handsomely." I added, sweetening the deal, "And if you choose to stick around a bit longer, you will see me change the world into something unimaginable.

Into a better world. One where no one has to suffer like you, ever again. What do you think?"

She considered her choices. Before her was the best option for her, logically speaking.

She could just leave now.

But I knew she wouldn't.

She was too much of a straight shooter to do that. It just wasn't in her nature to spit on my kindness.

She took a step forward though, and for a moment I thought my plan wouldn't work.

But then she stopped, and let out a long breath.

She turned to me, eyes shining with resolve.

"I'll-"

Boom!

The truck ahead of us, at the head of the convoy blew up, flipping over, as a mechanical suit of armor in the likeness of a lizard fell upon the bridge, sending quakes down the length of it, shaking the ground beneath her feet.

Dragon!

"Fucking finally!" I cried out happily, as it opened it's mouth and roared, shooting put darts at us.

Brian dove into a patch of darkness, his wispy power blowing off of him like a wildfire, spreading out onto the bridge, while the darts just harmlessly bounced off my forcefield.

Then I remembered.

Paige!

She had no protection!

I whipped around to see her stumbling, a tranquilizer dart stuck into her chest popping out, the healing blood patching the wound up.

She took another step, and growled through grit teeth, her veins pulsing visibly.

She struggled a bit again, her eyes glazing over, before her knees gave out beneath her.

Something fell down beside me, catching my attention and I saw Brian spasming on the floor. Some ways from me, the dragon suit too had come to a halt, malfunctioning ever so slightly as it clicked.

Paige had bought her powers from Cauldron, which used the dead shards of Eden so I didn't think it was possible for her to second trigger, but I guess the list of miracles CodeRed, the healing blood, can perform has gained another entry.

Because Paige had just second triggered!

I looked back at her and saw cognition return to her dead eyes, and her mouth open up.

I felt a tingle of premonition up my spine and used my power to immediately turn on my forcefield's space mode and not a moment too soon, as a ring of air burst from Paige's mouth, htting the forcefield, pushing me away.

I even saw a truck flip over beside me as she screamed, her voice shaking the bridge, pushing her head up to the sky.

And then something happened I did not expect again.

The sky fucking split open!

What the fuck!?

.

[A/N : I'm going to repost the Interlude - Paige Mcabee in a couple of hours. If you could reread and tell me if this order of chapters reads better, I would appreciate that.

As compensation, I will post another chapter afterwards, completing the heist plot.

If we reach a 100 powerstones, I might even release the action packed twist ending of the heist arc later!

Sorry. And thank you for reading.]