12

Date:

? - ? - Earth Bet Time

"My father?"

"Yes, Taylor," he answered with a sigh.

"Why would I need to tell my dad?"

"Well, he is your father."

"Yeah, but he doesn't need to deal with this too." countered Taylor. "He has enough problems without this."

She watched as Admin shook his head and sighed. A small, slime-sized beach chair appeared next to hers. He tiredly plopped down and sighed again.

"Taylor," he started. Again in a voice as if he was explaining something to a particularly dumb kid, "he is your father. Do you think he would hate you if he knew you have powers?"

Taylor couldn't really answer that. The very idea that her father hated her was horrible.

Admin continued without a pause. "And I know you are thinking about the Wards. Do you really think he would sign you up for the Wards without talking to you?"

"I don't know," she murmured, ashamed.

"Well, I know," he said. "He is a good man, not the best father, but he loves you. That never changed or will change."

"But if I tell him about it, I won't be able to go patrolling!" she tried again with an argument, that even to her felt rather weak.

"That's not a problem. You don't need to go patrolling," came the unexpected response.

"What?" she asked incredulously. "How can I help people if I don't patrol?"

"Well, if you follow my plan, then you will help more people than you could ever by patrolling."

"And for that, I need to talk to Dad?"

He sighed. Again. "Yes."

Taylor spent a few minutes contemplating this 'plan'.

"Are you sure it is absolutely necessary?" she asked again.

She could feel the irritation in Admin's voice. "Yes, Taylor. It is."

"And what do I tell him?" she asked worriedly.

"I suggest the truth."

"Admin, I can't just tell him everything!" she despaired. The thought of telling her father what happened to her, what his best friend's daughter did to her. He already had so few friends, this would crush him.

"You are worried, he would choose Alan over you," he stated flatly and Taylor flinched.

"He is his best fr…" she started to explain, but Admin interrupted her.

"Don't be an idiot, Taylor. Your father would choose you every time, no matter what. To even suggest something different is preposterous."

Momentarily, she was surprised that he had such an opinion about her father. But then her thoughts returned to the problem at hand.

While she was worrying, Admin rose into the air and floated in front of her. He looked at her and said, "Taylor. Look at me." she looked into his eyes and waited for him to continue. "Your father loves you. Don't worry."

She gave a hesitant smile. "Okay," she said in a small voice.

Admin nodded at her, then floated back to his chair.

"Just start talking to him. You both need to clear the air," he said with a tone of finality.

Taylor nodded and leaned back in her chair. Trying to get a handle over herself. She couldn't even imagine what her father's reactions would be. It was so long ago that they had spent time together that she wasn't sure she knew him. He would be disappointed, or maybe angry? The uncertainty was killing her.

To distract herself, she bravely changed the subject.

"What time is it even?"

"Around four in the afternoon." came the immediate answer from next to her.

"And what day?"

"The fifth."

"I don't think we spent that much time talking."

"To be fair, you spent most of it freaking out or breaking down."

Taylor huffed in response and glared at Admin. "It's not like it was my fault."

They spent the next few minutes arguing about whose fault it really was.

By the end, Taylor was again leaning back into her very comfortable chair. Confident that she won that argument. It was nice to win sometimes.

"How long will I be sleeping?" she asked. Continuing their discussion as if the argument didn't happen.

"The doctors determined the sedatives will leave your system today. And you will wake naturally tomorrow morning," he answered her.

"And will I?" she asked, worried for some reason.

"Yes," he reassured him. "I will wait until your father arrives to wake you up."

Taylor felt the blood freeze inside her, despite knowing well that she was in a virtual space.

"What? That's not fair!" she exclaimed.

"Tough. I won't let you weasel out of it."

She huffed in exasperation and ordered him to make her the best tea he could. And a sunset. She needed to prepare herself.

Date:

2011 January 6th - Thursday - Earth Bet Time

Waking up was another weird experience because, technically, she had been awake for the last few days.

Blinking the gunk out of her eyes, she couldn't wait until the brute power kicked in and repaired her eyes. However, Admin was very clear; they had to wait until she left the hospital.

While cursing the fact that she had to keep her powers secret, somebody placed her glasses on her face. A smiling, elderly face came into her view; a nurse. Behind her, she could see a doctor checking a clipboard. And finally, she saw her father fidgeting behind them as if he didn't know what to do.

"Good morning, Ms. Hebert," called out the nurse, smiling at her. "How are you feeling?"

She tried to call out, but all that came out was a dry cough. The nurse chuckled in response and helped her drink a glass of cold-ish water.

She cleared her throat, then answered. "Hi." She tried acting confused, hoping her meager acting skills would carry her through. "Where am I?"

This time the doctor spoke up while the nurse busied herself with routine tasks. "You are in Brockton Bay Hospital, Ms. Hebert. I'm Dr. Gazby."

"Oh." she replied, then following the script that Admin prepared for her, she began haltingly "So what happened wasn't a…"

"A nightmare?" he asked. "No. I'm afraid not."

She closed her eyes upon hearing that. Because despite everything, she still held out the hope that everything that happened was only a nightmare.

The doctor spoke up after a few seconds. "We will have to run a few tests later, but for now I will leave you with your father." He gave them a smile, motioned to the nurse, and the two of them left the room.

For a small eternity, they looked at each other, neither for knowing what to say. He looked like he was standing on springs, ready to launch himself at her. So deciding to make the first step, because she just knew Admin would annoy her until she did it. So she raised her arms invitingly.

The next second her father was there, hugging the life out of her. Murmuring into her ears. Repeating how much he loved her, and how worried he was. She hugged him back, and for a little while everything was alright in the world.

After a talk with her dad, where they both agreed that they should talk, but the hospital was not the place for it. Danny just told her to rest.

They spent an hour or so talking about nonsensical stuff, news, and such, avoiding the elephant in the room. After that, however, the doctor came back with a list of tests to do.

Her father hugged her again. Told her he had a little work to do and left her to the tender mercies of the health care professionals.

By the time they finished with her, it was clear that she had no problems. And was, according to them, extremely lucky she hasn't picked up anything in the locker. She said nothing but knew that the real reason wasn't luck, but Admin protecting her.

At least he was good for that.

After that, the only option was to watch TV or sleep, so she turned it on, not wanting to talk to Admin again. After cycling through the channels, seeing nothing worthwhile, she decided that sleep was a better option.

She was about to return to her bed after a quick toilet run when she noticed something out of the corner of her eyes. She whirled around, ready for anything.

But all she saw was Admin hovering in the air with a cheeky smile.

"Hello, Taylor."

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "What if somebody sees you?"

"Don't worry, only you can see me. Or hear me," he replied.

Hearing that, she calmed down, sighed at the absurdity, and climbed back into the bed.

"So I will only look crazy by talking to the air. Joy."

"Yes, that can happen." He smiled at her. "I promise I will only show up when you are alone."

"Thanks," she answered sarcastically. "So why are you here now?"

"Just wanted to check up on you. And to tell you that as soon as you leave the hospital, I will begin the body upgrade."

"I thought that already happened?" she asked.

"No, only the brain upgrade."

"What about the rest of the power? I couldn't do anything when I tried!" she asked accusingly.

He shrugged. "I haven't turned it on yet. I didn't want you to out yourself by being careless or too emotional."

She glared as a response. Ignoring the fact that if her power were turned on, then there would be a hole in the bathroom's wall.

"I will turn them on after you talked with your father. You can then practice over the weekend."

She huffed and angrily laid back into the bed, pulling the cover over her bed. "Fine!"

"Good night, Taylor!"

She didn't deign him with an answer.

By the time a nurse checked the room, she was fast asleep, the previous day's events overwhelming her.

Date:

2011 January 7th - Friday - Earth Bet Time

The car ride back home was silent. Taylor looking out of the window, dreading the coming discussion. Danny gripping the wheel a little harder than necessary.

The air itself felt heavy to Taylor. But not in a bad way. Her father felt determined, even she was prepared to talk. Yet she still had a small fear that everything will go wrong.

Yet nothing happened. They arrived without fuss. Her dad escorted her in, then told her to go up and take a shower, change. She readily agreed because the hospital shower was no substitute for the real thing. He would get pizza while she did that.

Walking into the house, it surprised her that nothing changed.

Then she realized what would change in a few days?

While heading towards her room, she took a quick look at her dad's room. Where she saw several boxes and an enormous pile of paper on his desk. That was weird. While he usually brought home some work, she never saw him bring home boxes from work.

She shrugged and went to take a shower.

When she came down in fresh clothes and toweling the last drop of water out of her hair, she saw her father sitting in the living room. In front of him two pizza boxes and a stack of paper. He was sipping from a teacup, looking out of the window.

When he heard her reach the bottom floor, he looked at her and smiled. "Better?"

She gave a grateful smile and answered. "So much. Thanks."

He nodded, took another sip of his drink, then put it down. "Let's eat lunch, then we can talk."

Taylor couldn't really say anything but nod, sit down across from her father and take a slice of warm pizza.

Date:

2011 January 7th - Friday - Earth Bet Time

Day 6055 - Friday - Administrator Dimension Time

Watching the father-daughter duo eat their pizza in silence, he was conflicted.

He could've approached Taylor in several ways.

He could've gone in with full control.

However, just what he knew, and could predict about Taylor and Danny, would ensure that eventually, they would figure out something was wrong. Then there goes his credibility.

Going with full truth would have just confused Taylor, or would have driven her finally fully around the bend.

At least the Simulator gave a very high percentage chance to that. He knew she was strong, or maybe will be strong. But laying that on someone after something like a locker just wouldn't sit with him.

Sadly, due to his damaged status, he couldn't reach out to the network for the required data to predict Taylor. At first, he thought that the information he gained through the ten-meter area was enough. But it turned out there were just as many external factors to consider as internal.

And he didn't even have the best prediction software. The Shards specializing in it, had over the eons, evolved to be able to create complicated plans for the Entities. Compared to them, he was a kid playing with toys.

While yes, he usurped a powerful Shard. Its strength didn't show itself in power but versatility, intelligence, and access. It was the Shard that worked behind the scenes to make the changes to other shards the Entities ordered.

He had to start from the ground up and create his own prediction software for Taylor. Luckily, now that she triggered, and had the defenses up, he could be a little looser with scanning. He didn't want to go all-in with it, not until he made sure it actually worked against a precog power. But a little increase wouldn't hurt anybody.

The entire thing worked out much better than he hoped. He didn't have to fake a personality, no matter how little he had after over a decade as a shard. Taylor was the moody, recently betrayed teenager he expected.

He hated that he had to allow it to happen. But the thought of starting earlier and invalidating everything he knew scared the shit out of him. He vowed to make it up to her somehow.

And the interaction went as well as it could. He would've never stood a chance against Taylor's ingrained paranoia if he didn't allow her to find something. It was manipulative as hell, but necessary.

Hopefully, this victory would boost her confidence in herself. And allow him to capitalize on it and use it to steer her out of depression.

Now all he had to do was prove to Taylor that he was on her side while she was looking for signs of betrayal.

It would be rough going for a while, but in the end, it would be worth it.

Now he just has to see what Danny wanted to talk about and turn on her power.

He started to apply the Brute enhancements as soon as they left the hospital. And he already turned on the optional quantum lock. It would protect Taylor if she were to suffer damage that her upgraded body and regeneration couldn't take.

He also started a bigger scanning radius around her that would hopefully improve his predictive software.

Maybe he could take over an insignificant power that he could use as a proxy to access the database?

He could ask Sophia's shard. It's not like anyone would miss it…

Of course, if the talk turned very emotional, he wouldn't turn it on. Less chance of Taylor demolishing the house that way.

And just because he felt like it, he would turn her hair bright pink the next morning.

Call him mucus, will she?