91

Date

2011 May 16th - Sunday - Earth Bet Time

Tess was angry. Not that angry to go on a warpath, but what she had heard in Director Piggot's office was enough to raise her electronic hackles. She immediately began to collect every available information about Alexandria (and the Chief Director in case) to make sure, if the woman decided to an even bigger annoyance, she would have enough ammunition to go after her.

While she somewhat understood where Alexandria was coming from, and she had to fend off a few inquiries from the Canadian Government about getting Lux Arcana to move to Canada, Tess still felt what the older heroine said was way over the line.

She was at least thankful that she had built up enough trust with the notoriously ornery and anti-parahuman Director Piggot, that she hadn't even hesitated before telling her what Alexandria ordered her to do.

Or the canny woman saw the writing on the wall and decided to choose the winning side.

Tess liked to think that it was the first one, not the second one.

Date

2011 May 16th - Sunday - Earth Bet Time

Colin didn't know what to feel.

On one hand, he was extremely happy that an Endbringer was finally defeated (with no deaths) yet he was also massively disappointed that he couldn't claim to be part of the defeat. He trained for years and toiled over his predictive algorithm to make sure he would come out at least alive when he faced the monster, or in the best-case scenario as the winner.

Though, after seeing what the Endbringer was capable of after it stopped its apparent sandbagging, he had to admit that no matter how much he prepared, nothing would have been enough.

Plus, the way Tess looked at him, when she asked him to not go and try his luck against the Leviathan, made sure he wasn't that disappointed.

He still had no idea what they were, but he kinda liked it. Maybe, and he shuddered a little at the thought, he could ask Ethan for advice?

On the other hand, he was beyond indignant about Alexandria. That a member of the highly respected Triumvirate would do this; would spat upon the Truce, and go after somebody in such a way that they hadn't even employed against real villains, boiled his blood.

Thankfully, Tess reassured him that she was on it, and if he felt like he couldn't work with the Protectorate after this, she already had a lab with his name on it.

Though why she winked after saying that, he didn't know…

Instead of torturing himself with figuring out the social situation he found himself in, he took one last look at the project he had been working on ever since his power decided to be much more cooperative.

While he still couldn't explain most of what his devices did with human language, after a lot of work (and some creative cursing), he managed to translate one project into a design that anybody could understand and replicate. And with Tess's help, he even managed to simplify it enough that the person viewing it didn't have to have at least a Ph.D. to understand it.

Wanting to join Tess and the mysterious Serenity in helping the world, he decided to add to the list of products on the website. His choice was an ultra-slim, lightweight and, of course, efficient solar panel. He even included designs on how to modify older solar panels into his version as a cost-saving measure.

And today, Colin would be sending the documentation over to Tess, who would have Serenity upload it.

Even if he can't fight the dangers facing humanity, he still could be a hero.

Now, Colin only had to survive the Protectorate PR Department after they found out what he did…

Date

2011 May 16th - Sunday - Earth Bet Time

Taylor woke up, confused and groggy. She extracted herself from the deathtrap that her blankets had become, distinctly feeling the pressure to relieve herself. As she unsteadily got to her feet, she was surprised to note that she was still wearing her armor, sans the boots and helmet. After a brief look, she found the boots next to the bed and the helmet on her desk.

She wondered for a second how that happened, but ultimately the pressure was a bigger concern, so with a well-practiced flex of her power she exchanged her armor for a pajama she had stored in her hammerspace.

Then, ignoring everything, even that the clock showed it was a few minutes after midnight, she rushed to the bathroom. If Taylor had paid more attention, she would have noticed that instead of the simple black and white pajama she had bought, well-made blue pants and shirt combination covered her. On it, several small cartoonish figures of Leviathan were being chased by equally cartoonish angels.

Returning from the bathroom, still ignoring everything around her, she simply fell back into the bed, enveloped herself in her blankets, and a few seconds later she was asleep again.

The next morning, she woke to the chirping of birds and some noises that originated from the kitchen.

Still in her pajama, Taylor went through her morning ablutions, and after smelling of the beginnings of a pancake breakfast, she simply ambled down to the kitchen.

Amy was already there, busy reading her tablet and eating some kind of healthy cereal, and so was her father, who, the moment he saw her, threw down the tools in his hands and jumped to hug the stuffing out of her.

"Uff, dad, I can't breathe!"

Danny, still holding her, just began to speak quietly.

"Never-ever do something like that again." before Taylor could reply, he continued. "I'm so proud of you!"

Her voice may have been a little hoarse when she answered.

"Thanks, Dad."

After a few seconds of hugging, her dad let her go and returned to crafting pancakes. She sat down next to Amy, who simply gave her a smile and nod while sliding an already steaming cup of tea towards her.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Hero," came the sarcastic reply.

She scowled at the shorter girl, but Amy just smirked and returned to her tablet.

Seeing as the pancakes needed a few more minutes, she activated the projector she installed in the kitchen that instantly gave her a screen that she could manipulate.

Sipping her tea, Taylor began going over her emails and messages while the kitchen descended into a comfortable silence.

Date

2011 May 17th - Monday - Earth Bet Time

Sophia leaned forward to watch the hundredth replay of the Lux Arcana vs Leviathan fight. She was currently in her room while wishing she could have been there watching it live. Though she knew she couldn't have helped, bar maybe with search and rescue, she still wished to be present when the monster died.

The news said they were already planning on erecting a monument to commemorate the event, which she definitely planned to visit when she got out.

Thinking about getting out, however, depressed her. Sophia turned off the small television set she had earned with somewhat good behavior (rather, she hadn't lost it for unacceptable behavior) and laid back on the bed while staring out of the window.

She felt lonely.

She talked with her mother maybe once a month, evidently the older woman deciding that instead of dealing with a failure she would concentrate her efforts on her siblings. Not that she blamed her for it, yet it still hurt.

But what she took the hardest was the total absence of any news or messages from Emma. Sophia managed to get into contact with her father, but after he cussed her out, he told her not to try to contact them again.

Not understanding why they had rejected her, she reluctantly sought out the therapist of explanation.

The following discussion was a revelation. And not the good kind.

So Sophia was alone, and that hurt more than she liked to admit. While at the time she wouldn't have admitted it, in hindsight, it was really nice to have someone like Emma to depend on, to confide in.

She tried a few times to make new friends in the institute, but after a few brawls she had given up on it.

Now her only goal was to get out. And to hopefully, restart her life.

Date

2011 May 18th - Tuesday - Earth Bet Time

Emily was not happy. Oh, she was thrilled that Leviathan died, however, the paperwork that the event brought with it, made her wish that the Endbringer took some time with its epic fight against Lux Arcana and drowned her.

First, there was organizing the deconstruction of the defensive wall system that Panacea and Dragon erected. Though, thankfully, the young parahuman could destroy them with the same speed she had created them.

Then there were the shelters, and the damage caused by the evacuations, and the petty crime that some enterprising people got up to while the incoming Endbringer distracted everybody else.

At least there, the BBPD was helping.

Second, there was the corpse.

The moment the people came down from their celebratory high and finally began to listen to her; she had ordered a complete quarantine around the body. Who knows what kind of ugly surprise was lurking in it.

Thankfully, the relocation of the corpse was already being organized, though from what she had heard the international politics were slowing it down somewhat. Apparently, everyone wanted a piece of the cake. Literally.

At least, after the initial transportation to a temporary holding facility, it would be officially out of her hair.

Instead, she had to deal with people trying to sneak in (both parahumans and normals) trying to abscond with a few scales or something else from the corpse. Fortunately, while they could sneak around the regular police and agents, the robots stationed there by Dragon and Armsmaster caught everybody.

That, however, didn't prevent every idiot with a bright idea from selling 'authentic' Leviathan parts, or Leviathan scale necklaces, or even vials of Endbringer blood. At least that part could be left to the BBPD.

She had some other, rather unfortunate, tasks.

The call from the Chief Director came as she expected, and she recorded it just as she recorded the conversation with Alexandria.

There was no questioning the order this time. The Chief Director told her to find Lux Arcana, or else. Then instead of leaving it as an implied threat, she listed a lot of things that could happen if the 'or else' came to pass.

So, knowing that Dragon was on the task, and her side, and with her increased hatred towards the Chief Director fueling her pettiness, she once again called together all the parahumans under her, and gave them exact instruction, repeating exactly what the Chief Director told her.

It was once again gratifying to see that all of them understood what was happening, maybe a few of these kinds of events (if she survived them), and maybe she would even like them.

Even Armsmaster understood this time. It seemed, thanks to the time spent with Dragon, the man picked up on how to read social clues. In her opinion, it was about time.

The ArmsBots were still creepy, though.

Date

2011 May 18th - Tuesday - Earth Bet Time

He sat back in his comfortable chair as his companions and watched the news rehash the battle again. The 'novel' analysis was nothing to sneeze at, but the action was visually impressive enough to distract people from the stupidity.

Around him, his companions either scoffed or laughed when they saw Leviathan die once again.

They were in an empty campground that was, for some reason, getting electricity and water, despite the thick layer of dust. Based on the relatively luxurious feel of the campground, he suspected it was some rich family's and they had simply forgotten about it.

Well, when they leave, he would prepare a few surprises for them if they ever returned.

He turned around in his chair and beheld the rest of the group, who were all silent watching the screen.

He was sure that somebody was hunting them. The hints, the tracks were all there. He even saw a few discreet watchers on their way here before they managed to lose them. Granted, the rest were a little annoyed with him, but it was nothing a little heart-to-heart couldn't solve.

A sudden silence broke him out of his contemplation. Apparently, the broadcast was over and somebody turned off the television set.

A childish voice excitedly piped up from the lap of one of his colleagues.

"Can we go? Can we? I want to meet her!"

Jack smiled at young Riley and reached over to tussle her hair.

"Why not?"