Pre-Planning 1.1

Taylor was sitting in front of her new computer. With the latest technology, the best graphics card and CPU, it was truly a beast. With 6 screens, it was probably the most valuable thing in the house. Of course, it was Tinker Tech, made by herself. Ever sense the Locker, she became a parahuman. She gained the ability to create random technology, with no seeming correlation. She felt like Kid Win, as it was well known he didn't know his Tinker Specialty, and was vocal about his frustration during interviews.

But unlike Kid Win, she also had another aspect of her powers. The ability to create and visualize elaborate plans. It was a surprise one morning when she woke up, and planned out the entire day. She then followed that plan to a T. And the outcome she desired happened. She evaded the Trio. She got through her classes. She held out during lunch without being cornered by a gang.

But she had bigger idea's. Plans. Huge plans. Stuck in her head sense day one, she possessed a n unexplainable addiction. To the feeling of anxiety, the rush of adrenaline in robbing.

She had an almost Tinker-Fugue as she robbed a total of 5 ATM's at various banks around Brockton Bay. The rush of making it out without any the wiser was an almost Bliss-like feeling to her. Money was her addiction. She wanted to be known throughout the world as the greatest Heister. Not as the person who carried it out, but the mastermind behind the plan.

It was nasty surprise when she found out Sophia West, one of her bullies, was a Ward. A Hero. At first she was shaking with rage. If she were who she was before, she would have screamed. Demanded the PRT to do something about it. Would cry and shout and sob. But unlike the Taylor of the past, where she saw betrayal and disappointment, the new Taylor saw 𝘖𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.

Shadow Stalker was a known violent vigilante. While the PRT tried to bury her past, if you looked hard enough, you could find the old news articles that called her a murderer and Villain.

While the PRT insisted she was now a reformed, picture perfect Ward, every once and awhile, another article was written claiming that she still went on unauthorized visits to poor-innocents gang members. They were shortly covered up and deleted, but if you were fast enough, you could find them.

Her phone suddenly beeped, signaling an alarm.

'Ah, speaking of opportunity.' she thought.

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Sophia Hess was running across a rooftop when her phone rang. She stopped, over looking an edge.

It was an unknown number. She ignored it. Then it called again. She ignored it again. Then it called again.

She finally answered it. "What." She snarled into the receiver. She had better things to do than listen to spam calls.

"Sophia Hess. Better known as Shadow Stalker." A mysterious male voice spoke over the phone. Her blood ran cold.

"How did you get this number?" She asked angerly.

"No need to get angry, Ms. Hess. I simply want to talk." It spoke again.

She quickly pulled up the number to her PRT agent, about to text them that a villain was threatening her, when her phone's screen went black. A video started to play. Of the Locker.

"This is footage saved on one of the phones that recorded the incident. Even if you were to tell the PRT about me, they wouldn't care. After all, they don't care about villains." It spoke smugly.

Sophia was now sweating. If the PRT did get that video, they would gladly throw her in jail to appease some random Hacker than chance them with releasing it, tarnishing their precious image.

"What do you want?" She asked while internally panicking.

She knew what Villains did to Hero's. Maybe they wanted herself in. Or post degrading things about the PRT that would dig her a deeper hole to die in.

"Ms. Hess, I don't want to be enemies with you. In fact, I think we could become best friends." She answered the voice.

"Like hell, you bastard." She snarled.

"What would it take, to be friends with you?" it aked.

"The Fuck?"

"What would it take, to be friends with you?" It asked again. "Actually, lets take a different approach. I hear that you think yourself a predator, Correct?"

"I am THE Preditor, and Fuck you." She answered angerly.

"Well, all I see, is a chained dog." It taunted her.

"The Fuck you call me?" She asked.

"A dog, chained a leashed by its owner, to scared to do anything, because its owner will smack it with a rolled-up newspaper. That's all I see. I am offering you a different approach, one that will net great reward." It explained.

"And why should I do anything you say?" she asked.

"I want to help you, Ms. Hess. I can help you more than you think. That video? I stopped it from being uploaded to PHO. I'll ask again, what can I give you to be friends?" It asked.

"What the Fuck do you mean?" She was thinking. What did this villain want? Her to be a double agent?

"I simply want you to run some errands for me every once and awhile. Maybe answer some questions or inform me of what's going on inside the PRT. In exchange, I can give you whatever you want." it explained.

"How about this, we come to a deal."

"What kind of deal?" She asked suspiciously.

"I can get rid of that video. Permanently. A simple heart drive fail on the the person-in-questions phone should do the trick. And I'll destroy thee evidence of several murder's the PRT was building against you in case you went rouge, so they had justification to label you a villain, and I'll even sweeten the deal. 1 thousand dollars, transferred to you bank account. Then you'll never hear from me again." it offerd.

Sophia knew that this was to good to be true. But she knew she had no choice.

"What's the catch?" She asked anxiously.

"Nothing illegal, I assure you. Head east, to the old dock near the boardwalk." It commanded.

She followed. As she did so, several thoughts ran through her head. A thousand dollars? What was it that they wanted her to do? Was she going to half to kill someone.

She neared the boardwalk, and the voice led her to a back alley.

"Behind the trash bin, will be a bag, pick it up." It commanded.

Sophia grumbled as she did so. As she looked it, she was confused at what it was.

"Put that in your ear." It commanded, before her phone mysteriously died, as she held up an ear piece.

"Okay, inside is a suit and mask. I want you to change into it." the voice commanded.

"Seriosly? What the Fuck?" she muttered.

"Do you want someone to recognize you? I mean, If you want, go ahead in your hero costume." It snarked.

She grumbled, before changing.

It was an extremely nice black suit, blue surgeon disposable gloves, dress shoes and pants. She eyes narrowed at the sight of the mask.

"Are you fucking with me!?" she spoke into the ear piece.

"Despite the imagery and obvious implications, I assure you it is completely coincidental. I mean, just imagine running into an dark alley way and seeing 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 at the end." it chuckled.

She stared at the generic clown mask, before sighing, and putting it on.

'I am sitting alone in a dark alleyway, listening to a creepy voice blackmailing me, dressing up as a Fucking clown.' she thought about her life choices.

At the bottom of the bag was a cloak, not dissimilar to the one she wore in her Shadow Stalker persona. It came with a hood to hide her hair, and reached her ankles.

"Okay, I put on the clown costume, now what?" She asked. Despite her anger, she recognized that the suit and mask, as well as the cloak, were very comfortable and well made, as well as looked nice.

"Look into the trash can on you right." It commanded.

"Dumpster Diving, really?" She asked sarcastically.

When she flipped the lid, she was surprised to see the trash can completely empty, except for a silver brief case sitting inconspicuously in a corner.

"Did you really just leave this hear, hopping no random homeless guy came by and snatched it?" She asked incredulously.

"Don't worry about that, listen, now take this brief case to this location." it listed of an address.

She made her way their, and eyed the case curiously.

"Now, this is the deal. The opposite party is going to hand you a package, and you're going to give them the case." it explained.

"Really? You blackmailed a Hero just to do a drug deal for you? How much of a lazy bastard are you?" She asked in disbelief.

"Not Drugs. Tinker-Tech." It pretended not to hear the insult.

As she was about to speak, she was interrupted.

"Here we are, it should be about time." It spoke.

She was in front of an abandoned warehouse, with no signs of life visible.

"She made her way in, walking to the center of the warehouse, before stopping.

"Okay, now what?" She asked.

"They should be here, though they might be a few minutes late." it spoke.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps sounded through the warehouse.

Two shapes were visible in the darkness, and as they became visible under the moonlight shining through the broken windows, Sophia preconized them.

"Uber and L33t?! Your buying Tinker-Tech from these fucking clowns?! You do know what happens to all of L33ts Tinker-Tech?" She whispered into the mic.

"Yes, I do. And its ironic who you are calling clowns, but keep focused." it commanded.

Her focus shifted to the Duo villains in front of her.

"So, do you have what you promised?" L33t asked.

Sophia simply titled her head, and offered out the briefcase. She ran into them a few times before , and didn't want to risk them recognizing her voice.

Uber took the case, before opening it.

"Holy Shit, you weren't kidding." Uber muttered.

"80 thousand dollars?" L33t breathed.

Sophia was also internally gaping. '80 thousand dollars for some Tinker-Tech that probably wont last a day?!' Well, it wasn't he money.

"Well, here it is." L33t motioned to a back he was carrying, and se tit down.

"Pleasure doin business with you." Uber nodded stoically.

"Can we expect more, Uh, business any time soon?" L33t asked excited.

"Just nod your head." The voice commanded, and Sophia did so. She was internally impressed by Uber's serious no-nonsense attitude.

"Very well, here's to a beneficial future." Uber said as he held out his hand. Sophia reached out, and shook it. She internally winced under his strong grip.

She picked up the bag, and was surprised by the weight.

"Don't drop that. You don't want to know what will happen if you damage that." Sophia internally agreed. Whatever Tinker-Tech Bullshit in here must be valuable for 80 thousand dollars.

She made her way out of the warehouse, before the Mysterious voice gave her new directions.

"Okay, head back to where you changed, and leave the bag in the trash bin."

She made her way back, before dropping the bag, (Carefully,) in the dumpster.

As she finally relaxed, which she realized that she made a deal with well known villains and didn't get caught, a notification pinged on her phone. She raised an eyebrow, as it was showing it had no battery a second before. Her eyes widened at the notification that 2 thousand dollars where transferred to her account.

"Think of it as a parting gift." The voice commented amused.

"So this is it?" She asked.

"Of course. If you look in your left breast pocket, you will find a card with a phone number. Call if you think you are up to the task. If you want another way forward."

Sophia remained silent.

"Keep the suit. It suits you. Heh." It chucked at his own pun.

The ear piece went silent.

Sophia stood, thinking for a while, before eventually heading home.

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'Without a hitch.' Taylor thought to herself with glee. The feeling of a plan well done was amazing. Even if she had to work with one of her tormenters. But she liked to tell herself that those days were behind her.

Uber and L33t where other potential assets, ones that she intended to acquire, but ones that were also unneeded for now.

She sighed as she looked at her bank balance. 85 of the 100 thousand dollars given to her by her mysterious backers already spent. She was still researching who they were, but all she knew was that they went by the moniker Overkill. But, she had a plan for making money. Lots of it. Massive amounts.

She only recently realized that Brockton bay was the worlds biggest supplier of Meth and Coke, only to realize that product was then usually imidetley injected into the cook's bloodstream minutes after creation.

She needed money. And she was sitting metaphorically on the mother of all drug smuggling and cooking operations. They just needed a little optimization.

And then Payday would come.

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Random novice author. Wanted to make a more maniacal mastermind ethically dubious Taylor. This is a Payday/Worm crossover if you couldn't tell. Tell me what you think of the story, it does help.