Friday— April 22nd, 2011.
NOT A CURE-ALL.
8:33 AM
In an underground shelter somewhere in Brockton was a not-so-bad space where the members of the Travelers were resting. It was very spacious, enough to house hundreds of civilians, a gift from Coil when the Travelers first made contact with Coil.
Sitting on a comfortable sofa was a young girl roughly 17 years old. She was none other than Panacea…
Amy Dallon AKA Panacea opened her eyes, barely having any sleep. She was underground. In front of her was Trickster, the leader of the Travelers. His expression was unreadable, a mixture of concern and weariness evident in his eyes.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Trickster asked, his voice gentle as he approached her.
Panacea forced herself to sit up, ignoring the ache in her muscles from sleeping on the cold, hard ground. "I've been better," she admitted, her voice hoarse from disuse.
Trickster nodded sympathetically, crouching down beside her. "I'm sorry about all of this," he said, gesturing to their surroundings. "We're doing everything we can to keep you safe."
Panacea glanced around the dimly lit underground chamber, noting the makeshift bedding and supplies scattered haphazardly around the room. It was clear that they were in hiding, likely from the ABB who were actively hunting her down.
"How long have I been here?" she asked, her mind still fuzzy from exhaustion.
Trickster hesitated before answering. "A few days," he replied carefully. "We found you after the attack on New Wave's headquarters and the hospital. Barely managed to get you out. You were unconscious, and we couldn't risk taking you to another hospital."
“Yeah, I was,” she recalled being in the hospital the last time.
Panacea managed to survive by the skin of her teeth in an encounter with Oni Lee… and it had been an unpleasant encounter. It was disgusting, forcing her to use comatose patients and unsalvageable burnt victims to create shields for her to fight.
Inwardly, she felt her insides twist. She tried to vomit, but it was useless. Instead, she only spat acid… She promised to never touch brains with her power, but Oni Lee came at her with killing intent. The hospital staff and guards could hardly do anything against Oni Lee.
They did their best, but they died in the end with the rest of the hospital-goers being buried under the rubble. It had been a disgusting experience for Panacea, but she had to survive somehow.
Memories briefly passed her when she weaved human flesh to cocoon herself in the last second…
“I know it is a bad time to break you this, but New Wave lost Manpower, died in a confrontation against Lung…” Trickster added, lacking a sense of tact.
“Hey,” Sundancer angrily snarled Trickster. “You are an idiot, you know that?”
“I didn’t mean to…” Trickster clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Panacea's heart sank at the mention of New Wave's headquarters and then there was her Uncle Neil’s death AKA Manpower. Her sister, Vicky, would be devastated by this… not to mention her cousins. Their home had been targeted by the ABB, and she hadn't realized the extent of the damage until now. What the hell was she doing here? She had to be there, with her family.
"What about my family?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.
Trickster's expression darkened, and Panacea could see the pain in his eyes. "They are on a warpath," he said softly. "Lady Photon took it extra hard, going on raids despite Lung’s warnings he’d kill a civilian every time a base or property he owned got raided."
"What do you want?" Panacea sharply asked too aware of her situation.
Being a powerful healer came with its own problems. Villains kidnapping her had been one of the likely scenarios she had to go through at least once. With the presence of New Wave, she didn’t have to worry about this… But with the ABB going crazy?
“Can you heal our friend?” asked Sundancer.
“You are villains,” Panacea scoffed. “Why will I help you?”
Sundancer looked at her, and her expression was pained. "We need your help," she admitted easily. "We may be villains, but we have our code. We don’t kill, and we don’t…"
“You are reciting? Now of all times? Capes follow the unwritten rules because it is the code. Your words are merely sophistry. So what? I won’t help you, and it is my choice.” Panacea’s disdain was so strong that she came out more offensive than she liked.
Though Sundancer was wearing a visor and her appearance was mostly concealed, Panacea could detect through her body language that she was uncomfortable with the situation.
“Why help you? You ask? Because we are the only chance you have for surviving…” Trickster smiled pretentiously, seemingly in control of the situation.
"So you are threatening me? Kill me, I don’t care but know that if New Wave would crucify your lot. A Kill Order would be put in your heads after Lung and Oni Lee got theirs.” Panacea tried to act tough, her voice shaky with the weight of her own words. But deep down, she knew the Travelers were her only lifeline in this dire situation.
The New Wave was pressed to defend even themselves, but Panacea refused to be press-ganged. If this was the Traveler’s intention, she’d rather die.
Trickster's smile didn't waver as he regarded Panacea with a calm demeanor. "We're not threatening you," he said evenly. "We're simply stating the facts. You're in no position to refuse our help. Without us, you're a sitting duck for Lung and the ABB. And even if you managed to escape, where would you go? New Wave is crumbling, and the Protectorate can't protect everyone."
Panacea clenched her fists in frustration, feeling trapped and powerless. She had always prided herself on being able to help others with her healing abilities, but now she found herself at the mercy of villains. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
Sundancer stepped forward, her expression softening despite the tension in the air. "Please, Panacea," she implored. "We need you. Our friend is hurt, badly. We can't just stand by and watch her suffer."
“And she had been hurting for a long time,” added Trickster with heat in his nostrils. “Do us a favor and act like a Hero.”
“I refuse,” adamantly said Panacea.
“We did it your way, Sundancer,” Trickster smiled and addressed Panacea. “Now we do it my way. Coercing you with a knife is tasteless, so how about this?”
Panacea wasn’t strapped or bound, she could run, maybe attack Trickster or Sundancer. Her power was ‘biokinetic’, and with a touch, she would be able to kill the villains before her. The thoughts of restraining them instead didn’t cross her mind.
Her shard was hungering for conflict, and it was driving her insane from the background.
Trickster continued, “We’ll let you live. To clarify, we’ll let you go.”
“Huh? What?” It stumped Panacea. Was she hearing it right? Or was there a catch to this? And she was right to be worried as Trickster proceeded to blackmail her.
“Tell me, Panacea. The people you used to cocoon themselves, did they have your permission?” Trickster had a poker face as he maliciously tore through Panacea’s mental defense. “What is the exact nature of your powers? You aren’t limited to healing, aren’t you?”
Panacea's heart raced as Trickster's words sank in. The fear of her darkest secret being exposed gnawed at her, and she could feel the sweat beading on her forehead. She had always tried to keep the extent of her powers hidden, even from her own family. The truth was too horrifying to contemplate, too monstrous to acknowledge.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, her voice trembling with uncertainty. But deep down, she knew that Trickster had struck a nerve. He had seen through her façade.
Trickster's smile widened, a predatory glint in his eyes. "Don't play dumb with me, Panacea," he said, his tone dripping with malice. "We both know what you're capable of. We both know the lengths you're willing to go to survive. Who did you think pried you from that cocoon of flesh?"
Panacea felt a chill run down her spine as Trickster's words hung in the air like a dark cloud. She knew she was trapped, caught between a rock and a hard place… If she refused to help the Travelers, they could easily ruin her life. They would release her, and then they would sell the information to the highest bidder.
Tinkers who were obsessed with the Wet Sciences, the Slaughterhouse Nine’s attention, the villainous organizations around the world, and all sorts of problematic possibilities crossed her mind in an instant. It scared her to the core. If it was this ‘dangers’, she might be able to suck it up, shore up defenses, and request protection from the Protectorate.
But the moment this ‘secret’ was revealed to the world, she would be hurt in ways that truly mattered to her. How would Vicky see her after she learned her monstrous side? How about the rest of her already fragmented family? How about the government? She would restrained, and watched over, and her freedom would be limited,
Sundancer watched the exchange with a mixture of sympathy and concern, her eyes betraying the conflict raging within her. Panacea called to her, “Don’t do this to me.”
"Please, Panacea," Sundancer pleaded, her voice soft but urgent. "We don't want to hurt you. But we can't afford to let my friend continue her suffering. You're our only hope."
Panacea closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the world bearing down on her. She knew what she had to do, even if it meant sacrificing her own moral compass in the process. With a heavy heart, she nodded silently, resigned to her fate.
Trickster's smile widened into a grin of triumph as he gestured towards the injured member of the Travelers. "Good choice," he said, his voice oozing with satisfaction. "What did you need to do to heal her?”
“I… need to touch them…” She softly muttered, while her eyes locked on the ground.
“Is there any other way you could administer your healing without touching the patient?” Sundancer inquired, and this caught Panacea’s attention.
When she looked up, she saw the conflicted expression in Trickster’s and Sundancer’s face.
“It is a risk we must take,” said Trickster with finality. “Let’s go, Panacea, we have work to do.”
Friday— April 22nd, 2011.
BRUNCH WITH THE BOYS.
11:42 AM
Peter, Alec, and Brian sat around the table, each lost in their own thoughts as they ate brunch. Alec’s brow furrowed slightly as he considered Taylor and Lisa's conversation from earlier. He could sense the weight of responsibility settling heavily on Taylor's shoulders, and he knew that they were facing an uphill battle against the ABB.
So as a responsible bro, he decided to snitch on them and told Peter everything. “So what do you think? Should we stop the girls? Personally, I don’t want to do more annoying stuff.”
Brian, on the other hand, seemed more preoccupied with his food, munching on his bacon and eggs with a nonchalant air. He would turn his head occasionally, looking out their surroundings. He was currently without his helmet and was generating darkness to cover his face.
How could Brian even see beyond the darkness? Alec wasn’t sure… Maybe, he was just moving his head around to make him and Peter know that he was listening.
The three of them: Peter, Alec, and Brian were still in costume. Peter had withdrawn his helm back to his nano-suit, allowing him to eat the piles of sandwiches on his plate. Since Peter’s face had become famous on the internet since the recent events, he had no fear of exposing his real face anymore.
Becoming a celebrity in various sightings of his rescue attempts only helped to boost his image among the population.
Alec’s costume was more convenient, his Venetian mask not hindering his ability to eat. He chewed on his fries and waited for Peter’s response. But Peter only had this glazed look.
Brian intoned, “Is it Entomancer’s idea?”
“Yeah,” nonchalantly replied Alec.
They knew that Taylor was right—they couldn't afford to wait for the Triumvirate to swoop in and save the day. They had to take matters into their own hands, even if it meant joining forces with less-than-savory characters. Alec could intuit Brian being acceptant to this arrangement. While Alec wasn’t a Thinker, he thought of himself as a very perceptive person, and Peter was a very honest person.
The small ticks and shift in Peter suggested he was uncomfortable with the idea. If Tattletale was here, she’d add Peter was likely most uncomfortable with putting Taylor in danger.
“Taylor is her own woman, she could decide for herself,” Peter belatedly answered Alec’s question.
“But you don’t look too happy about it,” queried Brian.
For better or worse, Peter looked many times better since they apprehended Bakuda.
Currently, Bakuda was imprisoned in the Rig, guarded by Armsmaster and a rotating number of Wards. The Protectorate was suffering from the lack of human resources. The National Guard was operating in a different jurisdiction and had begun to barricade Brockton Bay with their troops. If the situation got any worse, and the Protectorate couldn’t get a handle on the situation, martial law would be imposed on the city and the army would march in.
“I’d be there,” answered Peter. “I’d do perimeter in the meeting place. Keep civilians and PRT-related personnel out of the meeting spot.”
“Play crowd control eh?” Alec chomped on his burger with gusto.
Brian sighed, “There is something going on between you and Taylor. Do something, and don’t sit on it. You’d regret it. Relationships need communication, and if the two of you continue this, it will only be a detriment to the team.
“Wow,” mocked Alec. “No longer sour with the Undersiders being usurped?”
Alec couldn’t see Brian’s face, but he could imagine him frowning.
“I want to make a deal with you, Peter… Since you made my boss run away, I am now your responsibility.” Brian’s head turned to Peter.
“Can this wait after the ABB is over?” Peter was miffed by how strongly Brian was coming at him. Alec just watched, half-amused and half-bored.
“No,” quickly responded Brian. “The deal is fairly simple, the same deal Coil offered to me. I’d do jobs for you within a set period of time if you get me custody of my sister. And no, I would rather remain a criminal than go to the PRT to request their help in exchange for them having me. I have deep distrust with authority, and I prefer you than them.”
“That’s heartfelt,” Alec sipped on his milk tea and raised an eyebrow. “What says you, Peter?”
Peter didn’t know how to answer Brian. “That’s… I’ll see what I can do…”
Friday— April 22nd, 2011.
PETER’S MUSINGS.
4:50 PM
The future was an elusive thing, but people had a vague idea of what was it like for them. Before, Peter saw himself as a scientist in the future and a side-line hero helping his neighborhood. But now? Peter wasn’t so sure.
Peter remembered last night, hearing Taylor whimpering on the couch calling for her dad. If he was her, losing his important person, he’d be angry too. If it was his Aunt May who died? He’d want to kill the person who did it. It felt contrite to him that he stopped Taylor.
But more than that, Peter felt hopeful.
If the same thing happened to him, he would want someone to stop him do the unthinkable too. Thoughts of murder was a dangerous thing, but more so if you wanted to enable it… Peter didn’t want to be that person.
Peter arrived at the Spider Lair and saw Taylor sitting on the couch, her eyes red from crying. She was spooning lasagna from a take-out container, her appetite was a stark contrast to her sorrowful demeanor. Peter hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say or do. He knew Taylor was hurting, grieving for her father, and he couldn't shake the memory of her anguish from the night before.
“It is too spicy,” she weakly cried trying her best to swallow a mouthful. “I placed too much hot sauce…”
“…”
“It is too spicy… but had to finish…” Taylor said with teary eyes too aware they were strapped short of cash lately, and it wasn’t like they could force the Undersiders to cough up money… Though they could, they wouldn’t… It would destroy the fragile trust they had forced on the Undersiders.
Peter froze in his place. “Do you want me to help finish it?” He offered.
.
.
.
[Very Short Omake again]
Tattletale walked by the duo of insect-themed capes eating the hot spicy lasagna.
Peter and Taylor were red from the spiciness.
Feeling sorry at the sight of the two, Tattletale decided to tattle, “That lasagna… It was Alec… He placed extra hot sauce under the layers. When the delivery guy arrived, Alec sneaked in and that was when he did the deed…”
“I see,” glumly remarked Taylor.
Seconds later, Alec was running around with a bee hot on his trails. “Oh, fuck! No! No! Get away from me!”
