-----Taylor Hebert-----

Dad pauses for a moment, before conceding the point. Then he goes to the phone book to look up Carol Dallon's number.

-----Carol Dallon-----

Hearing my work phone ring is nothing unusual. Being both a super hero and a lawyer keeps me quite busy, though I'm typically more focused on the lawyering these days to make ends meet.

New Wave's just not really getting the sponsorships and donations needed to support our day-to-day's anymore. Checking the Caller ID, it's not a number I recognize.

"Hello? This is Carol Dallon, attorney at law. To whom am I speaking?"

"Hello Mrs. Dallon. My name is Daniel Hebert, Head of Hiring for the Brockton Bay Dockworker's Association. I'm calling to discuss the possibility of filing a case on behalf of my daughter, who's been a victim of Cape-related illegal activities."

"Well, bringing up legal charges against Villainous Capes is quite difficult, even if the New Wave movement was founded on the principle of 'Cape Accountability'. There are a number of issues regarding making a case stick due to 'separation of Cape identity and Civilian identity'." Unfortunately.

"I understand that Mrs. Dallon, but I think you'll be interested to hear me out. The Cape in question isn't a member of the gangs, so I'd imagine it would be easier to make something happen. But I'm uncomfortable discussing such things over the phone and would like to present the evidence my daughter's compiled."

Okay, that's just weird. "Your daughter compiled this information?"

"It's a long story, it would be easier to explain in person."

"Alright then. I'll see what you've got. Would you be able to come to my office?"

"Um, that could be a problem. Would it be possible to meet you at my office at the DWA? The Cape in question isn't a gang member, but they have connections that could end up tipping them off if I came to you at your office."

Okay, now I'm getting concerned. Still... I can't just ignore this.

"That's fine. When would be a good time for you?"

"I'm good to go whenever works for you, Mrs. Dallon."

"How about tomorrow at 3:30?"

"That would be perfect."

Hanging up the phone, I can't help but feel that something's terribly wrong about all of this. But it doesn't feel like I'm walking into a trap, rather it feels like I'm about to find something extremely unpleasant.

-----Daniel Hebert-----

"It's done. Now Taylor, about your new 'friend' here?"

"Hi, I'm Morgan! I guess I'm Taylor's new best, and only current, friend? Nice to meet you Mr. Hebert." The black haired, black-eyed girl reaches her hand out for me to shake.

"You're her, aren't you? Typhon Prime? The newest mass-murdering bio-Tinker?" I feel a surge of targeted anger reaching out from me, almost designating her as a target for all manner of vermin to try and ruthlessly destroy, but then I notice Taylor's distress at having her swarm being steadily filled with my rage.

Then all of a sudden, a pulse of bluish-purple light pulses out from Morgan and disrupts my Power, along with Taylor's. "Sorry about that Taylor, but your dad was being rude and I figured you didn't want me to accidentally melt his brain."

"What- what was that?"

"The convenient thing about gaining a full scan/consumption of Technopaths is the ability to flawlessly integrate basically any technology I have access to into my very being. In this particular case, a heavily toned down Nullwave Grenade. Basically it shuts down the ability to use psychic powers temporarily, but it also seems to work for temporarily disrupting Parahuman Powers as well."

A Power Nullifier? I'm pretty sure that's one of the more coveted Powers that Parahuman groups look for, and with good reason. Wait, was that about melting my brain?

"What do you mean by 'accidentally melt his brain'?!" Taylor all but screams at Morgan.

"Well, it was either Nullwave pulse or Psychoshock. Psychoshock only affects one person at a time, but it also deals massive physical and mental damage, so there was the possibility that it might fry his brain if I went with that." Morgan replies. Oh joy, that sounds fun.

"Taylor, while I'm glad that you have a potential friend after, everything, I'm not entirely sure about her."

"Well, it was either me or The Undersiders, and that way lay Taylor becoming a major crime lord who all but runs the Bay with an iron fist." Morgan says.

"What?! How?!" Taylor exclaims.

"It's a long, long story that you don't need to worry about. The short version though? You make questionable decisions to get people to back the fuck off, they don't take the hint, so you escalate, they push harder, you escalate even more, and it basically results in an endless escalation doom spiral to you becoming one of the most feared and reviled Capes in the multiverse."

What the fuck?

"What the fuck?" Taylor voices the exact same question plaguing me.

"Like I said, it's a long, sad story full of total bullshit that you don't need to worry about. I'm pretty confident in my ability to un-fuck the mess before it gets to that point." Morgan replies.

"Now, what you should be concerned about is Brandish's arrival at the DWA tomorrow and making sure you've got all of the evidence ready to light a fire under Piggot's ass." Morgan says.

"Yeah, clearly trying to get a straight answer out of you is pointless, so I guess that would be for the best."

"Oh good, you're learning. There may be hope for you yet." She says sweetly. That smile on her face doesn't quite reach her eyes, it's like she doesn't really understand the emotion she's trying to convey. It's a bit disconcerting actually.

-----Office of Daniel Hebert, Dockworker's Association, Brockton Bay, CT-----

-----04/16/2011-----

Sitting behind my desk with Taylor nearby, I admit that I'm feeling more than a little nervous waiting for Brandish to show up. I really hope that she's as reliable as Morgan says she is.

I still don't really know what to think about the clearly psychotic bio-Tinker, but I can't help but feel that she genuinely means well and wants to help Taylor. I've heard that all Capes are kinda nuts to varying degrees; maybe she's just a bit further over the edge than most?

Then the door opens and Mrs. Dallon walks in. "Mr. Hebert I presume? And this would be your daughter?"

I nod before extending my hand, she reciprocates and we shake. "Daniel Hebert, Head of Hiring for the DWA. It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Dallon and I apologize for the unusual circumstances, but it'll all make sense once we explain. Taylor?"

-----Taylor Hebert-----

That's my cue. "Hello Mrs. Dallon? Brandish? I'm not sure how I should address you since this is both a legal matter and a Cape matter."

"Whichever makes you comfortable Ms. Hebert." She responds.

"Okay then Mrs. Dallon. So, this is going to take a while to explain."

"I was informed as such and cleared my afternoon. Take your time and don't leave anything out."

And I don't I start with a bit of context about Emma, and her dad Alan, who works at the same law firm as her.

"So one of my coworkers is involved? I see why you were concerned about coming into the office. Please continue." She says with a slight grimace on her face.

Then I continue about how after entering High School, how Emma, Sophia, and Madison along with their flunkies basically dedicated themselves to making my life hell.

I made sure to bring my journals with my notes, along with ruined school work and other journals, pointing out dates marked with particular incidents, which she seemingly nodded in approval of my meticulous note taking.

I also presented print offs from my school email accounts, since the amount of hate mail the Trio sent me ended up filling my inboxes nearly a dozen times. Mrs. Dallon did not look happy about that either.

Finally came... The Locker Incident... I didn't want to talk about it, and Morgan told me that I didn't have to. Trigger Events were deeply personal and most Capes tended to be rather understanding when it came to not wanting to talk about them, but she also said talking about it would help endear Brandish to my plight precisely because she was a Cape and would thus empathize with me.

-----Carol Dallon/Brandish-----

Walking into the Office of Mr. Hebert, I really wasn't expecting any trouble from him. Seeing the tall girl who I assumed to be his daughter sitting beside him with a large stack of journals and paperwork had me on edge though.

Not in the sense that they were planning something nefarious, but that I was going to really fucking hate what they had to say.

Starting with the revelation that Alan Barnes was in some way involved and was likely using his wealth and status as a lawyer to possibly pressure the Hebert's into silence was already enough to make my blood boil.

It also assuaged my fears about them planning something stupid by having me come to them as opposed to coming to my office. Of course Alan would hear about it if a formerly close friend of his and his daughter came to me to complain about his daughter.

Then when the girl, Taylor, started her story about her former sister-in-all-but-name turned against her, I felt a pang of sorrow. Then as she continued to point out the extent to which they harassed her, with multiple journals of annotated notes listing dates, times, and exact incidents, I was positively impressed, and furious.

Adding on the print offs from multiple school email inboxes, that she had to have due to her inboxes being flooded with hate mail from "The Trio" and their flunkies, only furthered my rage.

Add into that the fact that not only were nearly all of the teacher's NOT taking her seriously or trying to help her, they were all but complicit in aiding and abetting a campaign of terror against this seemingly normal girl for no apparent reason.

Then hearing how Principle Blackwell's been stonewalling her attempts to transfer to Arcadia for no apparent reason and doing absolutely nothing to bring disciplinary measures down on the perpetrators had me ready to go and throttle people.

As if that was bad enough, then she told me about "The Locker". I've seen and heard some fucked up shit in my life, but stuffing a girl into a locker full of biohazardous waste, which could legally be classified as an act of bioterrorism, and causing her to fucking TRIGGER?!?!?!

Then when I thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, she hit me with the hat trick. "And I've only just recently learned from an independent Cape who took an interest in my circumstances, that the reason why Winslow's done nothing to help me, is because Sophia Hess, one of the ringleaders of this fucking cabal, is none other than Shadow Stalker of the PRT ENE Wards."

And like that, I fucking exploded. ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME?!?!?!?! HOW?!?!?! HOW THE ACTUAL FUCK-?!?!?!

Thankfully, I was able to stop myself from screaming my head off in absolute incredulous fury. According to this "independent Cape" informant, Shadow Stalker saved Emma Barnes from an ABB ambush shortly before she was caught by Armsmaster for nearly killing an E88 gangster.

Apparently, Emma and Alan decided to stick up for her as material witnesses to her character and saved her from getting sent off to juvie, so she was put on probation and forced into The Wards as part of the terms of her probation.

Then things get extra shitty. Apparently there was some sort of collusion on the part of Shadow Stalker's Case Worker and Principle Blackwell to bury any disciplinary incidents involving Sophia Hess to prevent Director Piggot from locking her up and throwing away the key.

Winslow, due to having a Ward in attendance, receives a government stipend that's meant to help improve the facilities. Apparently Blackwell decided that the stipend was better spent on her personal bullshit, so she's been embezzling the stipend for personal gain and the Case Worker's getting a cut of the action.

The only way this little scheme of their works is for Sophia Hess to remain "a good student in compliance with her probation", so naturally if she plans on trying to torture a figurative nobody like Taylor Hebert to death, that's a small price to pay.

"...I see now why you wanted to meet me here and I have a good idea of why you came to me. You can't afford to fight Mr. Barnes head-on in a legal battle and the 'proper authorities' have already hung you out to dry in the past. I applaud you for doing the responsible thing and coming to me as opposed to trying to handle this yourselves. You don't need to worry about payment, I'm taking this case Pro Bono. Shadow Stalker, no, Sophia Hess's actions are the exact sort of thing that the New Wave movement is meant to stand against. Using your status as a Cape to avoid accountability."

"There's more. The Cape who helped to fill in the blanks also seems to believe that Emma Barnes radical shift in behavior is a result of lingering trauma from the incident with the ABB that Sophia tried to 'fix' with her own brand of insanity. I know that trying to properly convict Sophia isn't going to be very viable given that she's a Cape, and I may hate Emma, but if she's really just what amounts to being a 'Master-victim', then I want her to receive the help she should've gotten in the first place." Taylor says.

"I can recommend that she see a licensed therapist to verify her mental state as an alternative to being sent to juvie, and possibly prison. Make no mistake, 'The Locker Incident' would almost certainly be classified as an act of bioterrorism, a federal crime, no matter how they try to frame it. I'll need to go over the evidence with some trusted colleagues and possibly reach out to Director Piggot. I may not like the woman much, but I know that she hates the ideas of Capes getting away with criminal activity due to being Capes nearly as much as I do."

"When you go to meet with her, could you offer some concessions that we're willing to make in exchange for keeping the Shadow Stalker debacle out of the press? If she can fast-track Taylor into transferring to Arcadia and ensure that Shadow Stalker gets what's coming to her, we're willing to let things be. More than anything, I just want Taylor to be happy and out of that shithole of a school." Mr. Hebert says.

"I'll run it by her. Taylor may need to do some placement tests to show that she's got what it takes though."

"I'm sure she can pull it off. She's a smart girl." Mr. Hebert says.

"I hope it works out. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do." A lot of work.

-----Director Piggot-----

-----PRT ENE Director's Office-----

-----04/23/2011-----

Hah. I wonder when the other shoe's going to drop? It's been just short of two weeks since Lung's defeat and capture, yet none of the gangs have made any major moves.

It's quiet. Too quiet. The phantom pain in my non-existent kidneys flares up in response to the lingering feeling of dread from Ellisburg. Something's brewing in the background, but I don't know what.

"Director? Brandish of New Wave is here. She says that she has an urgent matter to discuss with you." My secretary informs me over the intercom.

"Send her in."

Stepping through the door of my office is none other than Carol Dallon aka Brandish of New Wave. "Mrs. Dallon. Given your choice of attire, I take it this isn't a Cape thing?"

"Unfortunately it both is and isn't. One week ago yesterday, I received a call from a potential client looking to bring up charges against a non-gang affiliated Cape on behalf of his daughter. A week ago today, I went to meet the client and his daughter who presented an obscene mountain of evidence of criminal negligence bordering a conspiracy."

"I see. And you'd like us to help bring in the Cape in question due to the problems surrounding Cape prosecution due to The Unwritten Rules?"

"Actually, you already have. The Cape in question is Shadow Stalker." Oh God-fucking-damnit.

"Explain." I say with a glare. And so she did. With a mountain of accompanying evidence to boot regarding the Case Worker and Blackwell's attempts to keep me from hearing about this.

Never have I ever regretted not throwing that fucking little bitch into an electrified cage and leaving her to rot as much as I do now.

"You understand that we can't exactly afford to put her name out there. Putting aside the 'PR' fiasco that would arise, it would also endanger Hess's family."

"My client understands this and the victim is willing to make concessions. Namely, all of the non-Cape ringleaders, Blackwell, the Case Worker, and the teachers at Winslow with the exception of Mrs. Knott the computer science teacher, are to face the full extent of the law. Shadow Stalker goes far away and never sets foot within a 100 miles of the victim ever again. And Miss Barnes is to be given a psychological evaluation to assess her mental competence."

"Done, done, and done. I'll put in a call to Dr. Jessica Yamada. Ms. Barnes may not be a Cape, that we know of, but if she's truly a victim of Cape-related psychological harm, then she'd be a viable patient. Anything else?"

"The victim wants a fast-track to Arcadia. They're willing to take placement tests to prove their eligibility for an Arcadia scholarship, but they want out of Winslow."

"Done. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Their was one other thing." Then she tells me about "The Locker".

"Are you sure your client and the victim wouldn't rather I put Shadow Stalker before a firing squad? Because subjecting a teenager to an act of bioterrorism as the 'icing on the cake' of a prolonged campaign of terror sounds like sufficient grounds for having Sophia Hess executed on the spot."

"Believe me, I've been of two minds about whether or not to let Victoria know about this. I've heard her grumblings about Shadow Stalker's attitude towards the other Wards..."

"You too? Yeah, none of them have anything good to say about her. Well, Clockblocker's gone on record to comment on her having 'a nice ass', with that being her only redeeming quality. Everything else about her just ruins the one good bit of appeal she does have in his eyes. Even Gallant has nothing good to say about her and he tries to find the best in everyone."

"Figures. So we're good to go?"

"I'll need to independently verify these claims on my end, just to be absolutely certain that we're not missing anything. After that, then we're good to go. Have a good day, Mrs. Dallon."

"You too Director Piggot." Then she gets up to leave.

"Oh, one last thing Mrs. Dallon. Your client said they were approached by an independent Cape who helped provide them the 'missing pieces of the puzzle'. Did they ever mention who the independent in question was?"

"Actually, no they didn't. In fact, I never asked. Huh, that's- weird. Why didn't I ask?"

"A possible Stranger perhaps?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I was just too caught up in the revelations to bother asking about their extra source, especially given the overwhelmingly damning evidence available."

"True. Still, I'd like to know who to ultimately thank for bringing this mess to our attention, before reading them the riot act about violating The Unwritten Rules and throttling them for my imminent headache."

"Fair enough Director. I'll ask my client next time I speak with them."

And with that, she's out the door. Slumping back down into my chair, I call Armsmaster to my office. I want to make damn certain that we don't miss a damn thing that could stop us from nailing Shadow Stalker to the wall.

Sure, losing a Cape over this isn't going to be pleasant, but given Shadow Stalker's refusal to work with others and the overall drain on group morale she's proven to be, maybe this'll be a net positive in the long run. Besides, it sounds like her victim possibly Triggered in that locker, and they clearly don't hate the PRT as a whole... Maybe they'll be a decent replacement?

If they're reasonable enough to go about things through the proper channels, then they can't possibly be any worse than Shadow Stalker... Why do I suddenly feel so cold?