Chapter 6

I killed Lung! - the first thought in my head. Stop, don't rush, you never know what this girl in a tight suit says, the first rule of crisis situations is - don't panic. Verify the source of information, how can she know? Yes, my insects noticed the girl at the scene of the attack, but identified her as a non-combatant, I did not pay attention to her costume, for me she was another civilian hiding in horror, there were about fifteen of them around - smelling of fear, trying to become invisible. These include residents who woke up in the surrounding houses and homeless people who happened to be nearby. So at that moment I didn't pay any attention to her, but she – she watched. But how does she know that it is I who control the insects?!

No matter, a decision needs to be made right now. Hit or run. Simply put, eliminate the Undersiders on the spot, just like that. Then no one will be able to connect this whole mess with me, because along with Lung, members of his gang also suffered (most likely died), and there were about thirty people there in one place. When it burst into flames in all directions... hardly anyone survived. If Lung really is dead, then the responsibility for all this will be mine. The dead have no shame and are not subject to criminal liability. Whoever remains on his feet is the one to blame. And the death of thirty people at once, led by the cape... this is such a solid pass to the Cage. And a direct path to your own Murder Warrant. Just great. Just great. Had a great walk this evening, Taylor, keep it up. Who asked you to interfere?!

- How do you know? – I get up and pull the hood over my face. Now it doesn't matter if they hear my voice or see my face. The threat must be eliminated. My insects are in fighting positions, two or three seconds and the Undersiders will be buried under an avalanche of centipedes, cockroaches, ants and even woodlice. But the main blow will be dealt by the remaining "Medici doubles," the poisonous queen ants. I still have more than enough to kill four people. The fear is about monstrous dogs, how much neurotoxin is needed to knock them down and will the poison actually work on them? Considering how the abilities of the local capes defy any explanation, it may be that these creatures are not living beings at all, but golems, clones or projections. In this case, everything is sad, I can destroy the Undersiders, but they can also harm me. Although, what the hell is the harm, if even one dog runs up to me, it will simply bite me in half. As luck would have it, there is neither a tree nor a fire escape nearby, otherwise I would have climbed up and simply waited for the insects to finish with them... but now I am vulnerable.

- Listen, I have no hostile intentions. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And you... apparently you're still new. New to all this cape crap. I could help you. A few allies never hurt in this harsh world, huh? - a mocking voice sounds. I grit my teeth. This girl in a tight purple suit acts like she's immortal. Meanwhile, I am sure that my uteruses will bite through her suit in one go, and yet she still has so many open parts of her body - her hands, her face, where the half mask does not cover it, her neck. I imagine how I give the command to attack and my insects flinch.

- Hey! No need! That's it, I'm leaving already! Here, here is your money, I left a business card with a number there, call me if anything happens... - the girl immediately jumps up in place and I understand that she somehow sensed my intention. Is she a Prophet? No, Thinker. Undersiders, Tattletale. No matter how hard I try, I can't remember anything about her. Well, yes, I had no intention of participating in cape showdowns, why should I hang out on online parahuman forums?

That's all, I think, the pitcher goes often to the well but is broken at last.. And how much pathos there was "who will find me, who will prove that I am the cape who controls the insects." All it takes is one Thinker in the wrong place at the wrong time and that's it. Who said that the PRT does not have this? And if they establish my identity anyway, then what the hell difference does it make? The only chance to return everything to its place, to try to preserve a quiet life for yourself, is to destroy all the evidence. Including witnesses.

I hesitate. If she had been alone, I would have long ago given the command to attack, and then drag away and destroy the body. Millions of insects are quite capable of this, especially if their "work activity" is properly organized. But there are four of them... and dogs. Dogs especially confuse me, an unknown factor. Hm. Then - go out, put your guard down, perhaps follow them somewhere to their lair; they must have a safe house. And once there, wait for the moment and kill them all. Together with the dogs.

- Wait! - I stop the girl who is retreating: - wait.

- What? - she says and I come out from behind the container. The hood is pulled over my head, but I have no illusions; it doesn't hide my appearance very well. All I had time to do was wrap my face in a scarf and take off my glasses. The glasses are a very recognizable detail. Not that I needed all this, considering that these guys are walking corpses anyway, but if I came out with my face open they might suspect something. It's like if you were kidnapped, and the kidnappers don't hide their faces - most likely no one is going to let you go.

Now I stand in front of them and see them with my own eyes, but still I receive most of the information through my insects; numerous fruit flies planted on them let me know how and who moves, breathes and in what condition they are. I continue to observe this scene from all sides and in several spectra at the same time - both in normal and infrared, there is even a semblance of an echolocator, nothing can hide from my abilities.

I know that the girl in the white half-mask standing behind her is about to start her period, that the thin guy with the scepter has problems with his teeth, that the muscular guy is sweating intensely right now, although he looks calm. The girl in purple, Tattletale, flinches when her gaze meets mine.

- Please don't…- she says: - please. I... we can be of help to you.

- What? - I ask again to gain time, at the same time realizing that I screwed up again. Going out to them and trying to deceive Thinker - what stupidity. This girl found out where I was hiding and even determined my gender without seeing me. How much information can she get by seeing my face, even if hidden by a scarf!

- No! – the girl kneels down: - I'm not lying! I'm not a fool and I understand what you're capable of! I sincerely want to be useful! We all!

- You're a Thinker, aren't you? – I ask, looking at the girl. She's blonde, has an amazing figure, and from the looks of it, she's quite attractive under that mask. Taylor is allergic to pretty blondes, but I'm not. She is smart and... quite dangerous. Her words and her posture... that was the only thing that stopped me. Literally within a hair's breadth of the order to attack.

- Y-yes. I'm Tattletale. – the girl bowed her head and this was already a bit too much. I immediately began to seem to myself like just some kind of tyrant from Disney films.

- What are you doing, Tattletale? Really? – a thin guy with a scepter speaks up.

- Alec! Do not even think about it! – she says sharply and he freezes in place. I understand why - she uses his real name. Local Capes take the discovery of the Cape's civic identity very seriously.

- Do not even think about it! - she hisses: - this girl is very dangerous. She has already killed Lung and thirty-seven people from the APP, and right now our lives hang in the balance! She seriously wanted to order all these insects to devour us here and now.

- Wow, - a thin guy named "Alec" turned pale. Muscular - tense.

- So what are we going to do? – he said carefully: - Let me remind you, Tattletale, that we ended up here on your initiative.

- Lady Bug. – she turns to me, still kneeling: - let us take you to our shelter. And once there, if you think it necessary, you can kill us all. It will be more convenient this way, we have a very isolated headquarters, no one will hear anything. And it will be easier to clean us up there; you don't even need to worry.

- I won't let anyone kill my dogs! – the girl growled behind her and the monstrous dogs growled in unison with her.

- Okay, I already realized that you read me like an open book, - I say, not paying attention to the girl with the dogs: - get up from your knees, stop acting like a fool.

- Hooray! - exclaims Gossip Girl, jumping up like a spring-loaded children's toy: - she changed her mind about killing us! Isn't that great?

- Don't relax too much...- I grumble and bend over for the bag of money: - Where did you get this from?

- Well... to be honest, we robbed a casino that belonged to Lung and... he was very upset. I took it as something very personal. Although we left a note there - "nothing personal, just business." Unfortunately, not everyone can read that well. - Tattlttale jabbers, taking a step back: - so he got angry. I told you that we are allies. We are on your side, Ladybug. Today we brought you money, tomorrow something else. We will help, advise, and guide you. Just don't kill us, please. The Regent doesn't smell so good even when he's alive, and when he's dead, he'll add disrepute to this city.

- Money... and your mobile number? – I open the package and see a white rectangle of a business card.

- Yep. You don't have a phone, so I thought... why not? Tragic event in the past? Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to remind you. Uh... I can give you one of mine. - says Gossip Girl: - it's okay, I still have it.

I raise my hand and the queen ants nearby immediately flocked to it, forming a kind of living glove. After thinking a little, I sent them all on my head, burying myself in this gorgeous, long hair, in the end, I would give it volume and hide the insects. It's ticklish.

- Lord, I'm going to throw up, - says the Regent and turns away: - I just can't look at this...

- You're strange, - the girl in a white half-mask, who controls the dogs, tells me directly.

- Tattletale. – the muscular man doesn't take his eyes off me, turning to the girl in purple: - Are you sure this is a good idea?

- I'm not at all sure! - she shakes her head and flashes a snow-white smile in the light of the nearest street light: - but all the others are much worse, believe me.

I look at her. The fruit flies tell me that she's shaking right now. I know that she is very afraid of me. She looks me straight in the eyes and sees that I know she is afraid. She straightens her back. Brave little girl. Fine. Indeed, it may be useful to me, but a sword will not cut off a guilty head. Killing people out of fear is not my way. But eliminating witnesses is precisely killing people out of fear. Well... I will do as I must and come what may. It has been decided – the Undersiders will live today.

- God, I adore Marcus Aurelius, - Tattletale whispers with her lips and I grin.

- I've always had a soft spot for smart girls." - I say: - especially to pretty blondes in tight suits.

- So you have a jackpot today! - says the Regent, who is unable to resist being obscene: - you can... ha-kha! Agha-kha! – he coughs, bending over double.

- Regent, choose your expressions, - Tattletale advises him: - and, yes... how do you like the taste of a fly?

- Kha! Kha! Yes, that's it, that's it! I'm silent! Who am I to interfere with two hearts and... ha! Kha! Ugh!

- Do you hear? – raises a muscular finger: - sirens!

- Yes, it's time for us to get going. Express acquaintance, you already know me, this lump of muscles, protein and testosterone is Grue, a thin lover of flies is Regent, this silent one is Bitch. No, really, she prefers to be called that way. And these are her dogs, try not to touch them, this is her sore subject.

- Nobody dares touch my dogs, - says Bitch.

- Exactly. But we can drop you off wherever you say... or will you still come and visit? It's cozy here. And the Regent will be happy to let you play his cool console. – the fruit flies tell me that she is still shaking, but noticeably less.

- Thank you. I'm better on my own. - I answer. It wasn't enough to get close to these monsters, I'm a pure crystal cannon here, I can destroy an army on the march, but "one pill is enough" and that's it. A bullet, for example, the blonde over there has an open holster with a pistol hanging on her belt. Glock-17. By the way, another argument in favor of the fact that she is a Thinker. A gun never hurts. I should get one for myself... although why do I need a gun? She needs, of course, most likely she only has the power of Thinker, and I just need to carry an extra load on my belt, although again, it's a weapon of last chance. In any case, I'll get home on my own, I didn't have enough to move around the city on these monsters, they'll throw me off and grab me. And that's it – eaten along the way. They are already on edge right now, and so am I. We've walked on the edge, so to speak.

- Well then, we're going. Be bye, Ladybug. And remember - I really want to help.

- Just so?

- Of course not. I have a selfish interest. A matter of life and death. If you were a hero, I would try to pity you. But you... you don't care, right? And how can such a young girl be so cynical? - Tattletale rolls her eyes, already perched on the monstrous dog: - however, we will still have time to talk. Whenever you feel curious, bored or just lonely, call. I will help.

- Fine. I will do so. - I say, not yet deciding whether I will dial her number or not. She smiles, and this smile is annoying, as if she already knows that I'll call.

- No, no, no, - she raises her hands up, as if giving up: -no coercion. Everything is entirely voluntary, with mutual consent, we will even discuss a safe word.

- I would say something befitting the moment of a touching parting, - the Regent grumbles, covering his mouth with his hand: - but there are so many flies around!

- That's it, let's go. The sirens are getting closer. - Grue commands and waves his hand at me: - goodbye, Ladybug.

- It's not her name, she hasn't chosen it yet, - Tattletale explains to him: - but it'll do for now. Ciao! – she waves her hand and the dogs take off. A moment and they are no longer in the alley. I exhale and lean against the wall, the beacon insects tell me that they do not stop around the corner, that on the contrary, they accelerate. I've been tracking their movements for some time. At a decent speed, they finally leave my observation zone. Before the insects on them disappear from my attention, I order several to go into suspended animation. If their lair is not far from my home or usual route, I will know.

I look around. Still the same gloomy alley, one lantern shines with a yellowish light, the second is broken. In my hand I have a bag of money. Fifty thousand dollars. Quite a large amount. Enough for a laptop, a mobile phone, for all my cravings. Yes, it would be enough for a new car, if I had a license and I could somehow justify the presence of such a large sum to Danny. Among the money is a white rectangle of a business card. There's nothing on the card but numbers. No name, no nickname, nothing. Only phone number. I carefully take the business card in my hand and look at this number, memorizing it.

And in fact, throw everything into the trash container and... but it's too late. Here or kill them right away... or even better - stay at home tonight and not go out anywhere, now I would sleep peacefully at home. Eh... and tomorrow is school, and Sophia Hess's kneecaps are still intact. Pretend to be sick, or what? At least I'll sit at home...