46

Chapter Text

FRI MAR 4

I felt... better, after sleeping on it. The actual night had gone fairly well, if it'd been a real date there might have been some problems, I might not have opted for a second date... but Eric was a good guy. I could maybe, possibly see actually dating him, once I got over myself. Then again, he'd probably have moved on from his ex and started dating again by then. I chose not to dwell on it.

Since I was up early, I took the time to get a full workout with time to cook an actual meal for breakfast. Potatoes, onion, eggs, cheese, spices... if we'd had tortillas I'd have made burritos with it. In the end I just tossed in the remains of some peppers that were starting to look iffy, and topped it off with little mushroom chunks.

Then I went up to my room to decide what to wear to school. I had actual nice clothes, now. I should use them, right? Choosing was tough, since I still wasn't adept with fashion. I'd probably just pick something arbitrarily, just to have it done. I was still determined to make today the best day possible.

Of course, that was when I felt the rumble through the floor. I dropped to my knees, slapping my hands down. Tremors from downtown?

I didn't even bother dressing before I leapt down the stairs, turning and dashing into the basement. Then I dropped prone in my underwear, pressing against the concrete as I focused on pinpointing what I was feeling from halfway across the city.

The tremors were weaker now, just little pops at the edge of my senses. If you were right next to them, though... those were explosions. Explosions near the slums.

I dashed back up the stairs for my phone, immediately calling Sue. It took a while, long enough that I was starting to worry even more, before she answered. "Little busy."

"I can imagine, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Woke us up, but our building's fine for now. We're moving to somewhere safer, trying to figure out exactly what's going on." She stopped talking, but didn't hang up. I got the feeling she was chewing on her thoughts. "The ABB... they have a new cape. Tinker. A bomb Tinker."

"You think it's them?" I tried not to contemplate exactly how horrific a bomb tinker sounded.

"Fits the powers, but not the plans. Lung just wanted her making bombs, not blowing them up. Supposed to still be stockpiling."

The only thing that wasn't in their plans... I'd sent Lung out for a long bath, and I had no idea how long it'd take him to get back. The explosions going off must have been the Tinker, so they had to have a reason they decided to start setting them off. If Lung's plan was to wait, they're acting on their own. If that Tinker of theirs wasn't there by choice, were ambitious, were just crazy... if Lung needed to be here to keep them on a leash?

"This is all my fault." I muttered.

Sue let out a long string of sounds I was pretty sure were cussing, before switching back to English. "Hindsight can suck a cactus. You do not get to fall apart over this. I don't care whose fault it is, you can't help the city if you fall apart, and you can't help anyone if you get yourself killed. You need to stop, and think, and plan. We only have one of you, don't throw her away."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Right. You're right. So, I could go after Lung, which is dangerous. I could try and stop the Tinker-"

"Bakuda."

"-Bakuda, but that's also dangerous. I could go to the PRT, see where they need me, they've got the experience."

"They don't like relying on outsiders. They might decide their plan is better without you in it."

Would they do that? I mean, if they were already out and fighting, shaking up an established engagement could throw someone off. That seemed worth risking to get someone with my powers where I'd be most effective. "Am I missing anything?"

"Empire." Sue spat. "The Truce is dead. They'll want to capitalize on the chaos. They'll either march on territory, or try to 'help' put down the ABB. Either means they win."

"Or, I could find the Empire." That seemed to have the least information I could actually plan around, but letting them get the upper hand could be worse for the city in the long run. If we only had one big gang left, they'd have to take the fight to the Protectorate, or risk being driven out of town as the last big target. Best case, a bloody gang war tearing through the city. Worst case, the Empire actually wins and... I didn't actually know what happened then. Would the city be walled off to seal the villains in? Would the Protectorate actually send in capes from other cities to restore order? Would they just... leave and let the Nazis have the city?

If the Empire took over, everyone would have to evacuate. Anyone who wasn't Empire would be driven out or made an example of, and the capes and everyone else that stayed would wind up fighting a guerrilla war against the Nazis. If I stayed, I doubt Taylor Hebert would be safe.

I took another breath and pushed the fear away. It wasn't helping. I couldn't guarantee I'd actually help against the Empire. I didn't know where their capes were, or where they were rallying. I'd just be watching to see where their capes started making themselves obvious.

There was always Lung. I could fight him. I might even be able to kill him. However, I couldn't simply 'beat' him. The arguments of yesterday still stood. I can't capture Lung.

Bakuda was new, which made her difficult to plan around. But if she was out and fighting, I could probably dodge or deflect whatever bombs she had. There had to be a limit to the number of bombs she had, especially if she was new to the city. That'd change if she was allowed to dig herself in.

"I have to go." I told Sue.

"Stay safe." She replied, and hung up.

I needed to call Tracy and Dinah. Tracy could call the others, and Dinah could tell me where I was needed most. I had to remember that I had a team, and that I could rely on them. I could even meet up with Vicky and Amy, and see if we could solve this crisis as a team. I set my phone to dialing while I threw on a shirt and started getting into my costume.

"Taylor?" I barely heard, snatching up the phone. "What is it? You don't usually call." Tracy continued.

"Explosions near downtown, in and around the slums. Not sure if it's the ABB or some civil war breaking out between their capes, but their new bomb tinker is going wild and needs to be shut down."

To her credit, there was barely any hitch in her voice. "What do you need me to do?"

It took a second's fiddling to set the phone to speaker so I could keep getting ready. "Can you run relay? Call Amy and Vicky, let them know what's going on. Maybe text Sally- Officer Barr- to see what the police are doing? And what New Wave's doing. Let me know what the plans are and keep everyone connected." The words streamed out in a rambled mess.

"Yeah." There was a pause, and I imagined her nodding to herself. Her voice was more firm when she continued. "Yeah, I can do that."

"I'll have Shatterpoint text or something, she's my next call."

Tracy chuckled. "Guess I don't need to bother getting ready for school..." Wasn't sure what that was about.

"Might be enough people missing we won't need to worry, yeah." I agreed. Then I paused, even my hands halting from where they were tying my domino on. "Are you okay? You sound off."

"I'm... yeah. I'll be okay, just some bad thoughts." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'll still be here when this is over. You worry about making it back, too."

"Deal." We could always talk about this later. "Stay safe, I'm going to call her now."

"You stay safe, Taylor." She insisted, then hung up.

I set my phone to dial Dinah and started sorting through my gear. Tonfa, fans, canteen... what was I forgetting? I shook my head, I didn't have time for this. I grabbed my phone and moved to the bathroom to do my hair, still waiting on the phone to connect.

"Hello?" Dinah blearily asked, finally.

"Dinah. Explosions near downtown, in the slums. I need some questions. Are you okay?" I tried not to snap, but my words were still sharp and intense.

That seemed to snap her out of her sleepy daze. "Oh, uh, yes! I'm fine! Go ahead."

First, to get a handle on the situation. "Chances Lung will be chasing, fighting, or otherwise trying to kill Bakuda one minute from now?"

"92%" Dinah shot back. "Who's Bakuda?"

Civil war it is, then. "New ABB Bomb Tinker. Apparently turning on her boss and leveling a block to do it. Just a sec..." I put my full focus into my waterbending for a couple seconds, putting my hair in Terraform's bun. "Okay, which one should I go after? I can't imagine Lee isn't backing Lung, he's probably helping chase down Bakuda. I just don't know which to prioritize. Assuming they live, what're the chances that Bakuda has a higher body count than Lung in the future, starting the count yesterday?"

"76%"

I was already moving back to my room for my masks. "Same question, but people threatened instead of killed."

"83%" That had me pause and frown.

"Same question, but damages in dollar value."

"72%" I paused and cursed under my breath.

"Looks like she's the priority, then."

"64% chance they're in the same place a minute from now." She cut in.

I sat down as that started sinking in, setting my phone on my bed. "So I might be fighting both, anyway?" I sighed and slapped both of my cheeks, then dragged my hands down my face. "You can do this, Terra."

"You'll be fine... probably." Buzzed up from my phone.

"Maybe?" I snickered.

"Definitely!" She amended.

That had me laughing for a couple seconds. "Alright, I need to go. But," I grabbed my phone and started maneuvering through to my contacts. "our... ugh. She doesn't have a name yet. Tracy is keeping everyone connected, since she doesn't want to fight. I want you to get in touch with her." I rattled off the phone number, when Dinah had something to write it down with. "They might have questions, and we have to do what we can to keep each other- and everyone else- safe. We're a team, it's time we start acting like it."

She was quiet for a few seconds. "But, you're still going alone?"

"How many more people are going to lose their lives, homes, or jobs because of this, if no one steps in as soon as possible? When are the other heroes going to get there? Is anyone actually faster than me at moving and tracking?" I think I was getting better at wording questions to not prompt her power. "I'm not going alone, I'm taking point. I slow them down, everyone else catches up, and we win."

"Taylor..." She mumbled sadly.

The distant rumble of another building collapsing turned my attention away. "I have to go, people need help and this fight needs to stop. Coordinate with Tracy, alright?"

"Okay. ...be careful?" I couldn't help the little smile at the pleading tone. Dinah was a good kid.

"I will. Stay safe." I hung up, and stretched. Well, I had no intention of making Dinah sad by doing anything too stupid. I spared a brief glance at Dad's room, where he was still asleep. Yeah, he'd forgive a little stupidity with lives on the line.

I opened my window, shimmied outside and shut it while still gripping the sill, then pushed off into the air to rebound off our tree and onto a neighbor's roof. From there I started south, not caring when people could see me after a couple blocks. Then I transitioned to the ground, all pretense of stealth abandoned, and began tailwind-sprinting as fast as I could down the straight road. Of course, the fight was more east than south, but hitting my top speed on straightaways was faster than fighting the city's block grid and trying to go over the buildings to head straight there. Less than a minute after I'd touched down, I was skidding to turn east.

The fighting had stalled a bit, with Lung busy trying to separate himself from where he was caught with an arm and leg stuck in some weird 'not-stuff' to my senses. He'd gotten big enough- and I presumed, his regeneration fast enough- that he was just ripping into the limbs with his free claw to free himself.

Oni Lee had continued the chase without him, having prevented her from capitalizing on his predicament, now harrowing her through the back alleys as she sprinted down them. She seemed to know how his powers worked; narrowing his teleportation routes, dodging attacks from behind, and dispersing the clones ahead of her with quick pops from the pistol in her hand. Her off-hand clutched a kludgy-looking brick of technology that had to be one of her bombs.

From what I could gather, she was running low on bullets and bombs, and exhausted from running in her bulky armored getup. She wasn't going to last much longer. I briefly considered just leaving her to Lee's utter lack of mercy. No one would blame me for not getting there in time, or rushing past to keep the now-free Lung pinned down. I could just... let her die.

She was nearly slammed into the wall by the airburst as I skidded past her, shoving my fist straight through the closest Lee's mask and skull, the arm about to stab into Bakuda from behind crumpling against me harmlessly. I transitioned into a spin, kicking out a pair of fire streams to block sight and terminate the few clones left on the ground.

I turned back to her, as she stood there panting and gawking behind her mask. I ducked in and stepped quickly into her space, ramming my left fist into her vest over her kidney, then jabbing my right up into the side of her throat. Before I could make sure she'd be staying down, I had to shift the rabbit-punch into an elbow jab to spear a stream of fire through a new Lee. Bakuda was hunched and coughing, so I brought a foot to her back to push myself into the air and drive her to the ground a couple meters away.

The pair of Lees that'd been to my left both had their skulls shattered by different boots to their heads, while my hands were busy opening my canteen and drawing the water out. A moment of concentration once my feet were back on the ground, and I thrust my hands forward, the liter and change of water exploding into a smokescreen.

Bakuda scrambled to her feet as expected, but also decided now was a perfect time to part with the bomb she'd had ready, tossing it back in my general direction before ducking down a side-alley to the right back towards the road. I wasn't about to just let myself get exploded, so I thrust a block of the ground upward to intercept the arc it should be making. The bomb was knocked high into the air with a 'ting' before it detonated with a nearly inaudible 'whump'.

Crisis averted without blowing away the cloud I'd made, I started down the alley after her. Doppelgrenades detonated behind me after I was around the corner, and chunks of the rooftops intercepted the few that'd been tossed down into the new alley once Lee caught up to the shift in the battlefield. Those exploded mostly harmlessly back on the rooftops, taking out several clones. My cloud wasn't actually that big, mostly just covering the intersection, so it only took me most of two seconds to hit the edge. Since it wouldn't help much where it was once we were both outside of it, I pulled as much as I could along with me while I jogged forward. Some of it had already burned off into the air, and other bits were condensing into thin streams as I tugged a little too hard, but I had most of it trailing around me.

It didn't matter if Lee knew we were here, the point was to keep him from switching to knives and teleporting in. Bakuda was already turning back onto the main street, though. Looking one way, cussing up a storm, and running the other.

I'd be running if I saw Lung hobbling furiously after me on his stump of an ankle faster than most normal people could sprint, too. She dug a flare gun out of one of her cargo pants' pouches and popped it off in his direction, and it popped into a torrent of viscous semi-fluid which lit itself on fire. The heat didn't bother Lung at all, but the goop seemed to be both sticky and slick somehow, which was slowing him down.

Apparently that wasn't what she was after, by the volume and proliferation of her expletives. Was she scatterbrained and didn't remember which was which, or did something about her power not tell her exactly what each of the explosives did?

Either way, Lung quickly grew too frustrated with his predicament to care about collateral damage, roaring and unleashing a torrent of flame down the street towards Bakuda. She'd never make it to the next alley, let alone the intersection proper. I let my smokescreen lag behind as I sped out onto the street, slamming my foot into the ground to crack the asphalt and concrete I needed to move, and returned a roar of my own as I settled into a solid stance and pulled my fists up from beside my hips.

Thirty tons of dirt and street ripped themselves up to form a wall between us and the oncoming torrent. The flames impacted, tearing into the dirt on the other side and knocking some of the dust and grime away from the asphalt facing me, but it easily held. The fire parted along the obtuse wedge and into the buildings to the sides, so my next few moments were spent pulling in a deep breath and exhaling it slowly as I lowered my open palms and focused on dousing any and all flames in the street beyond the barrier. I couldn't be sure of its effectiveness, but I felt I had to try.

Of course, that's when a pair of Lees popped up to my side, followed by the original appearing on a rooftop nearby. They had knives drawn and were already moving to attack, so I sent a spear of fire through one with a punch, and out-reached the other with a kick of my long leg to his stomach, rupturing organs through his vest and causing him to fall to ash. Another trio appeared in quick succession about ten feet off, turning from where they'd been facing to chain-clone and lunged for me.

I pulled the tonfa from my belt, blocking the first knife with the wood of my left. It bit in, which let me pull it along into blocking the third in the middle, while my other hand raised up to smash down and shatter the arm of the second to my right as it got nearly close enough to pierce into my ribs. I punched forward with it, spearing the dull wood through the middle clone's windpipe. Then pulling it out and leaning into the elbow-strike to my right, lancing out with a fireball to eliminate that threat and make it easier to lift my leg into a rib-shattering kick on the last unbalanced clone.

My left was busy already punching out a fireball into the middle clone of the next trio that'd formed. He was swarming me. Stalling me. I could feel Lung, nearly to the end of the weird napalm-slick, and it wouldn't take him long to make it to my wall once he was out. The clone to my right drew a second knife in an icepick grip, while the one to my left took his in two hands. I ducked low, blocking the left and sweeping my right arm up to knock the right knife upward and catch the left wrist on my forearm. Then I used the motion of rearing my head back to shift my mask up and out of the way with earthbending, and spat a frozen glob of spit through his eyesocket, allowing me to focus on the clone to my left and jab a fireball through him with my now-free hand.

I took a deep breath while I had the free second. The next two trios were circled around me, the first advancing while the second were bombadiers, pulling the pins from grenades with a finger peeled away from their knives. I needed to end this, and it was quickly becoming apparent this was a fight where collateral damage wasn't worth minimizing. I flipped the tonfa around in my grip, the rods now extending more than a foot out from my hands, and slashed them ahead of me. The blade of air from my right bit deep into the street, bisected all of the clones, and tore a swath out of the storefronts to my left. The left swing cut two of the grenades out of the air, and a quick second slash downward with my right took out the last one, all of them turning to ash.

Now that I had the room, I dove forward as Lung burst through the wall behind me. I landed on my knuckles and spun as I flipped forward, stashing the tonfa back in my belt and landing on my feet facing him. My momentum carried me through another flip- this time a full backflip- while he reared back to unleash another torrential gout of fire. I palmed my fans in midair, landing back on my feet and leaping back. When the flames had almost engulfed me, I swung the fans across my chest, using a combination of fire and air to split the blaze. The force of it launched me backward, where I skidded to a halt on my feet nearly at the intersection.

Lee was duplicating himself to catch up to me, when a beam of light ripped through one of his legs, curved before it could hit the street, and froze Lung's lower half to the road. I recognized that power. I don't think there was anyone in the Americas who wouldn't. I turned to where it'd originated from, my keen eyes picking the blue and white clad man out against the sky, down to the lightning motif on his spandex.

"Are you alright?" Legend called down from on high.

It took a moment for my brain to process the fact that Legend was talking to me. My mind swiftly roiled through fangirling at the Legend himself, sheer horrified terror at looking stupid in front of him, shame that this was where my brain leapt first in a fairly dire combat situation, then focusing on what he'd actually said. "I'm fine!" I called back up to him, then turned to assess the situation. Lung seemed to be assessing his options now that Legend was here, Lee was recovering from the shock of having one and a half legs, Bakuda was hidden in a car halfway down the street and trying to hotwire it, and most of the buildings I could see and the street they're on were still on fire.

Lung appeared to make up his mind, launching a wave of fire up at Legend and pooling a blaze around himself to thaw his legs. Legend dodged of course, right into where Lee popped into the air trying to grab onto him. Legend seemed to flicker, a stream of bright light briefly connecting two points, and an instant later he was in the air across the street.

I had to do what I could to help, then focus back on Bakuda. I dropped low, slowly pulling my shaking arms closer as I pulled and pooled everything I could nearby, thrusting my fists up with a shout. Rainwater from the storm drain and sludge from the sewers exploded out of the street, the wave curling over and crashing upon Lung, where I froze it solid. I twirled, pulling air along with the fans still in my hands, unleashing a sudden burst of hurricane force winds down the street, pulling the heat and flame with it away and into the air. The few cinders left guttered and died as I willed it so.

With that done, I turned back to Legend. "I need to get Bakuda!" I called up to him.

Dauntless sped to a stop across the street from him like a lightning bolt, and I could see the motorcycles bearing Armsmaster and Miss Militia turning the corner four blocks down the street. Legend gave me a beaming smile. "Go on, we've got this!"

The ice around Lung cracked, steam and the smell of burning sewage spewing forth from it. Lee tried an aerial grab again, this time deflected by Dauntless' shield. It seemed he was mostly fine, with his wound frozen shut by Legend's choice of beams from before. "Go for the eyes! Lee's teleporting is line of sight!" I shouted, one last bit of help before I turned to pursue my target.

The buildings ahead of me flashed, the reflected radiance of what I can only assume was a laser-based flashbang type effect. Legend's lasers were complete bullshit. Luckily for me, it seemed Bakuda wasn't an old hand at carjacking, and her power didn't look like it was helping with something not intended to self-destruct. I took the time while I was jogging over to check my phone.

A couple texts from Tracy earlier, 'NW tk p t hptl' followed a minute later by 'then helping perimeter'. Which I took to mean that New Wave as a unit were escorting Amy to the hospital, then they were going to go from there and help hem in the chaos. I could probably expect them any minute now. Lung exploded out of his sewage shell in a biblical pillar of fire, but Legend tagged him with one of his spray of beams, ripping one of his arms off.

I had to trust the Protectorate to take care of it. If ever they'd manage it, it'd be with Legend here.

Twenty seconds of light jog complete and phone safely back in my pocket, I popped the door of the SUV open. "Bakuda, get ou-"

She ducked down, hand slapping for the pistol on the floorboard and bringing it to bear against me. I slammed the door shut and ducked to the side before she got her first shot off. If that's how she wanted to play this, I was already up to my eyeballs in collateral damage. I dropped down, popping the asphalt up under the vehicle and tossing it up into the air, where it slowly spun until it landed on its roof. I put my hand through the shattered passenger window and grabbed her foot, dragging her out and kicking the pistol away from her as she skidded out onto the sidewalk.

Bakuda reached into a pocket and pulled a bomb, which I also kicked away down the street. It exploded, and everything within three meters of it started to shred or wither; the weeds browning and dying, the one car in range rusting and falling apart, while the asphalt and concrete cracked and flaked until they became like sand.

Her other hand had also gone into a pocket, but this time she didn't pull it out. "Stop!" She yelled, glaring up at me. "Get off, or else."

I sneered down at her from behind my own mask. She was hurt, and angry, but more than anything... she was scared. Still, I backed away as I started talking. "You won't do it. You wouldn't kill yourself like that."

"Fuck you." She spat. "I'm not going back. Not to him, and not to them." She slowly dragged herself to her feet. "Fuck that." Her eyes darted back to the fight when we heard another explosion. They were tearing Lung apart faster than he could put himself back together, while Armsmaster kept jabbing him with something in his halberd. I could feel Velocity dragging a foamed Lee away from the fight. It was over. They'd won, it was just a matter of time now. Legend or Velocity could probably take Bakuda out safely if I stalled her long enough.

"It doesn't seem like you were here by choice... why did Lung get you? You're the Cornell Bomber, right? He had to break you out of custody to bring you here." Keep her talking, keep her here.

Bakuda seemed to weigh her options, and I don't think she actually thought she was getting away, either. "Some bullshit about 'being the same'." She hissed. "Nothing like him."

"You're both villains. Both fearmongers." I countered, still backing slowly away. Two meters, now. "I could see it. But that's all you are. All you've done, right? Did you even kill anyone at the college?" She was glaring at me again. "Give up. A few years in prison on good behavior and you're a free woman. No killing yourself or anyone else, and-"

"You think I'm fucking retarded, or something?" By now she had a bomb in both hands, looking ready to toss either my way. "I go to prison, I get snatched up by another Lung. Fuck that, I'm no-one's bitch. No prison, no Birdcage, no fucking Protectorate. I'm the top dog, and everyone's going to see it."

I took a moment to breathe and sigh. "You know I can't just let you walk away. We both know you're not going to kill yourself, so your only way out is through me." I made a show of cracking my neck, keeping ready for any surprises. "And you're running out of bombs. Only chance you've got, is if you're quicker on the draw." I nodded back to the fight, where they were just keeping Lung knocked down until whatever was pumped into his system did its work. "Fight's almost done." The concrete behind her exploded as Vicky's three-point landing caught her in a pincer. "And the cavalry's here." She glanced between us, both fifteen feet off from her on either side. "So what's it gonna be?"

She glanced between us, me cocking my head to the side and Vicky standing imperiously with her arms crossed. I could feel her muscles tensing, so it wasn't a surprise when she started shifting her arms to throw a bomb at each of us. I was already grabbing for my fans, hopping into the air to the side, flicking them open, and drawing them underhand to the side. The strong upward gust pulled the bombs into the air, knocked Bakuda off her feet towards Vicky, and kicked the sand and rust from the earlier bomb into the air as all of it arced over the intersection. One of the bombs exploded into a sphere of ice, just missing the other, which flooded the air with something corrosive. The ice crashed down in the intersection, while the slurry of acid and sand rained down on the next street over.

Vicky grabbed her arms and forced them behind her. Bakuda started screaming, but I was more focused on the couple bombs I could still sense in her pockets. "Keep her steady, disarming her." I had to shout over her, then knock her kicking feet away, before grabbing her belt and forcing the leather to bubble away into ash in my hand. Then I hooked a hand into both her front pockets and pulled, stripping her pants and the couple bombs in the pockets away. I backed a couple feet away and left it, hopping back up to remove the vest that had another bomb-looking thing in a pouch. "Take the vest and drop it." I told Vicky once it was open, pulling Bakuda out roughly by her shoulders while she tugged the collar away from her. Once that was on the ground, I pushed Bakuda back at her. "Evac, now, now."

She flew the both of them up into the air and away from the bombs while I leapt up to scale the building next to us. When I was up, I ran across the rooftops to the street where the Lung fight happened, and sped straight off into the air. Lung was out, Lee was down, and Vicky was getting help cuffing Bakuda. Legend was using cryo-lasers to put out fires.

"Got the bomber!" I called as I fell, landing in a roll and pointing back the way I came. "Clothes had bombs, they need disposal." Then I pointed off toward the opposite street. "Acid is eating into the buildings. They might need fires, I've got the flie-fuck." I stumbled over the words, halfway to pointing down the street at the rest of the pockets of flame.

Legend chuckled and floated over, patting my shoulder. "I got it. You did good." He turned, raising his hand into the air in a circle and pointing the way I'd indicated. "Search and rescue." He commanded to Dauntless and most of the Pelhams, floating around the battlefield. They all made noises or motions of assent and got to it, Vicky speeding up to follow when Bakuda was properly trussed.

I focused first on putting out the rest of the fires, jogging along the path of destruction and stopping whenever I found something still burning, to will it to die out with a motion and a breathing exercise. It only took three blocks before I caught up to where the fire department was chasing the path of destruction from the other end, half a dozen firetrucks mostly spraying down waterlogged husks to make sure they were out when I got there.

After a couple minutes informing them that I'd taken care of the rest of the fire, I quickly returned to the scene of the fight. It looked like Bakuda and Lee had been picked up already, but Armsmaster was still monitoring Lung. I was a little surprised, since I'd been gone about twenty minutes, but... I could always just ask.

Making my way past Manpower and Miss Militia, I stopped next to the kneeling Tinker. "Armsmaster?"

"Terraform." He returned with a brief glance and small nod.

I took a steadying breath, trying not to feel stupid asking a stupid question. "Why hasn't Lung been picked up yet?"

He turned a considering eye my way, then resumed his monitoring. "We don't believe there's a serious risk of losing him to a follow-up attack, especially given the amount of force we have present to project." His head tilted back to the fliers, including Legend. "However, there's a very real risk of escape if I've miscalculated the effect or potency of my tranquilizers, or if there's an interruption in his sedation. As a result, we're taking more time prepping the transport, and outfitting a dedicated holding cell."

"Better to have him wake up out here than under the PRT building?" I hedged.

"Essentially." He allowed, then stood. "Transport incoming, then I'll be moving to bomb containment."

I hummed, trying to make sense of what I could feel of his tells. "You don't sound happy about it."

He snorted. "Anyone happy to look down the barrel of an unknown tinker weapon is insane."

The humor caught me off guard, and I failed to stifle a quick laugh. "Very fair. So what's going to happen with them?"

His lips pursed, and from the way he was weighing whether to tell me, I figured it probably involved procedure they didn't let out to the public. "I'm not risking destructive tampering. I'll be looking for triggers so they can be moved safely, then they will be. Likely to a secure bunker, for the foreseeable future."

You'd think if they were worried about the danger, they'd blow them up with some conventional explosives in a testing range, or something. "In case they're useful?"

He turned back to me, and the thin set of his lips quirked up slightly. "No comment."

I chuckled at the joke and nodded, heading past to see what I could do to help with the rescuing.

When I got to the intersection, I spared a second to look back over the bombs. The cargo pants and tactical vest were still where we left them, now sectioned off by warning tape. It spanned the street, blocking the entire thing about thirty feet off from the clothes, with a handful of troopers on the other side of the tape, a healthy distance back even from that. Brandish caught sight of me from where she was watching the street like a hawk from the sidewalk opposite the bombs. Her eyes narrowed behind the goggle-like visor in what looked like a modified flight helmet. I returned her scrutiny with a shy little wave. Her eyes shut and she heaved a small sigh with a shake of her head, then she proceeded to ignore me to scan the other end of the street again.

Well, she didn't seem angry, at least. More... embarrassed? I guess that made sense for her daughter's friend tiptoeing around social niceties from a safe distance, but I still felt like I was missing something.

Most of the fliers were darting in and out of buildings, evacuating them one person at a time. Legend was doing something with his lasers, running them slowly over a surface until the acid stopped eating away at whatever it was on. Have I mentioned that his powers were bullshit? Because his powers were bullshit. I rolled up to the patches where the damage started, and stripped away the top layers of concrete, gravel, asphalt, whatever the acid was eating into on the street. I tore it up and pushed it back into a pile, then repeated the process a few times, collecting all of the corrosive agent on the street. When I was done, I called up that the street was clear and piled it all up in one place. I couldn't do the same for the buildings without risking too much damage, especially since it wasn't all brick or concrete that was being eaten away at.

At least the fliers didn't need to tow people nearly as far to set them down somewhere safe, and emergency services could pull up closer to the crisis. After a few moments' thought, I decided this was about all I could actually do safely to help.

So with that in mind, I wandered over to an alley on the other street for a bit more privacy, so I could check my phones. My cape phone had no new messages, so I gave Tracy a quick call to let her know the fight was over, everyone was fine, and that it was just cleanup now. A similar text to Dinah, and I put my cape phone away. I knew Tracy would pass it along, but I felt like making sure I kept her in the loop.

My personal phone had a few texts, but I prioritized opening the one from Cassie first. My smile dropped as I took in the message from half an hour ago, ice creeping up my spine as the four simple words sunk in.

'Don't look for me'