After the arrest of Dr. Tlön, Shudder fled from her home and continued running for several blocks. However, the throbbing ache on her face seemed to sap her energy and she soon found herself exhausted. She kept walking, determined to make it to the Serpent's Lair. It was the only safe place she could think of, now.

It was winter, but instead of numbing her pain, the cold only seemed to make it worse. She tried to forget about the feelings, forget about how far she was from her goal, and just focus on putting one foot in front of the other. However, after a few blocks she realized she was on the verge of collapse. Looking for a place to rest, she spotted a bar and made her way inside.

It had to be nearing their closing time, she realized, so she wouldn’t be able to stay long, certainly not long enough to recover enough strength to reach the Serpent’s Lair. In that case, she needed to find somewhere else to go. But, where?

Too tired and heartbroken to think, she resigned herself to spending the night on the street, something she thought was long behind her. So she approached the bartender and ordered a drink. Either the bartender was indifferent towards serving teenagers or smart enough not to challenge a supervillain, because he brought her one without question. She sat down at a table and took a sip. Alcohol was supposed to numb pain, after all. Maybe it would help her face feel a little better. Maybe it would dull the sting of losing the person she cared about most.

It tasted disgusting, but she pushed through, downing it and another until she began to feel dizzy. Realizing she was getting nowhere, she stared down at the table, trying to imagine what she could do next.

“You’re a little young for that.”

Her eyes snapped up to find the Aerialist sitting across from her. She wondered if she should run or fight, but found that she couldn’t muster up enough energy to care. So she looked back down at her drink.

“This is what you do when you’ve lost everything, right?” She choked back a sob. “Isn’t it supposed to make you feel better?”

“Is it helping?” He didn’t sound like he was mocking or patronizing her. It almost seemed as if he just wondered if she felt any better.

Shudder shook her head. “It tastes bad and it’s just making me dizzy. How’d you find me?”

“Darlin’, I’m a detective,” he responded, as if that alone explained it.

Shudder was good at escapes. She took pride in the way she could use a moment out of a pursuer’s sight to completely throw them off her trail. She’d successfully evaded countless guards, police officers, and STRIX operatives, not to mention all of the times she’d fled from Whisper. Of course, the Aerialist was a step above all of them. He was the New Great Detective. He was the Science Sleuth. The man who had tracked down the Invisible Vagabond and the Timekeeper. His investigative skills and scientific knowledge were what made him one of the world’s most prominent heroes. It was only natural that tracking down a wounded and exhausted girl was a breeze.

“So what happens now?” Shudder asked. “Do you take me to the cops?”

The Aerialist shrugged. “I thought about it. Been thinkin’ about it since you and Dr. Tlön first made an appearance. It never feels good takin’ in a kid, but usually you tell yourself ‘It’s for their own good. System’s there to help ‘em as much as punish ‘em.’ Except this time my conscience wouldn’t leave me alone.” His eyes became distant. Although he was looking at Shudder it seemed as if he was somewhere else entirely. “It kept repeating a name in my head. The Rouge Renegade.”

Shudder didn’t know that name. “Who?”

The Aerialist ignored the question. “I looked into your history, you know. Found your family.”

Finally, Shudder felt a surge of energy. “You what?”

“They reported you as a runaway, but once I made the connection between their child and you, I realized the truth was likely a little more complicated.”

The fury she felt at this violation was almost enough to push her to try to fight him. She reached out mentally, hoping to find a way to make him feel the panic she felt, but of course she found nothing to grasp onto. He had nothing to fear from her.

“That is none of your business.” Her rage didn’t quite reach her voice and the words sounded weaker than she meant.

“You’re right. It isn’t.” That matter-of-fact response was like a cool breeze, blowing most of Shudder’s anger away.

“But it means I have some idea of what she gave you,” the Aerialist continued. “Heck, she told us herself back there. Your clothes. Your name.” He looked at her intensely. “Your medicine.”

Shudder glared back, conjuring terrible ideas of what he might say next. Perhaps some speech about how all of it had been a way of manipulating her. How if she returned home and started going back to school and church and if she behaved the way her parents wanted that somehow, miraculously, she would find that it would make her happy.

Instead he looked at her sadly. “She showed you a kindness probably no one ever had. Certainly not your parents. That’s not right or fair. And you knew it wasn’t right or fair and so did she. So I imagine she told you she could make it all better. If she had absolute power, no one would ever have to go through what you went through. You felt like you owed her the world, so why not give it to her?”

Shudder’s anger was entirely quelled now and sadness had filled her to replace it. She felt a tear running down her cheek from her non-swollen eye and she stifled a whimper.

“But I want you to do me a favor. Look at a newspaper tomorrow. See what other people think of her plan.”

“Newspapers are owned by rich people who want to keep everything the same,” Shudder muttered.

“Go online, then. See what regular people think.”

“They won’t understand. They’ll just think it’s brainwashing.”

The Aerialist gave a heavy sigh. “Listen, darlin’. People can be misinformed, I won’t deny that. But you can be misinformed, too. Now, what you were plannin’ would have changed all of their lives. It would have changed their minds. They’re entitled to an opinion on that. The least you can do is listen to ‘em.”

“I guess,” Shudder said. She felt as if she was being reduced to a pouty teenager, but she was too tired and in too much pain to try to work out the flaws with what he’d said.

The Aerialist found a napkin and wrote something down, passing it to her. “If you don’t already know, there’s an underground clinic at this address. Get yourself checked for a concussion.”

Shudder examined the napkin. She didn’t recognize the address he’d written. There was also a phone number. “What’s this?” she asked.

“I can’t imagine you like me very much right now. My friends and I have caused you a great deal of pain. But if you ever need help, if you ever feel like you’re in over your head, call that number. The least I can do is make sure you’re safe, fed, and sheltered.”

Shudder almost said “Thanks,” but she stopped herself, disgusted. He’d kept her from saving the world. He didn’t deserve any thanks. Still, at least she had somewhere to go.

The Aerialist rose. “Good luck, darlin’,” he said with a nod, then turned and walked out the door.

Shudder never called that number.

 

---

 

The trainyard was full of potential hiding spots. This was a problem. A mass of catwalks, bridges, warehouses and train cars, the Outcasts could be hiding anywhere. If they had any more specific details about the location of the exchange, Synapse hadn’t shared it. So Shudder, Quetzal, and the Yamosians took up position on a hillside by the interstate, where they had a good view of most of the trainyard but remained concealed in the shadows.

Shudder had taken a moment to put on her costume and Quetzal was now wearing her armor. It was much more clunky-looking and mismatched than the sleek exosuit Repulse used, but it also clearly offered more protection. It was spray painted green, red, white, and yellow, with a circle-a symbol in black on the breastplate. The paint was marred in several places by scrapes and scorch marks. Quetzal removed the breastplate, allowing her to flip the helmet up and, twisting her body uncomfortably, free an arm so that she could check her phone.

“There’s been a few updates,” she announced. “‘So bored,’ ‘Stray is annoying Prometheus now,’ ‘Going silent. Lucas says my screen is too bright,’ ‘Seriously, where is Ifrit?’ Oh, well, there’s their problem. Ifrit’s a pal of mine. She was bragging the other day about setting up false leads.”

“Shoot, we could have called her,” Shudder replied.

After a few more minutes there was movement in the trainyard. Soon, Shudder could see the Outcasts gathering under a light near the perimeter.

“Alright, how we doing this? I grab their attention and Theras makes a cool announcement?” Quetzal asked. The others nodded in agreement.

Quickly resecuring her armor, Quetzal rocketed into the sky with surprising speed given the armor’s bulk. The others quickly made their way down the hillside, timing it so that Quetzal landed with a huge thud just before the rest emerged from the shadows, surrounding the Outcasts.

“Prince Sila Filvus,” Theras Dorne called out. “It’s time to come home.”

“Oh no.” Sila looked a little nauseous. Shudder noticed that their tight white-and-purple was an alien material quite different from the looser clothes of the Yamosians.

“Prince?” Synapse asked. Shudder was surprised at how clearly her voice could be heard through the black-and-purple mask that completely covered her face.

“Who are these guys?” Lucas asked.

“I-I think I’ve heard of them. They’re a group of Yamosian mercenaries,” Sila stammered. “My family probably sent them. They’ve found me.”

“The two that aren’t octopus people are a couple of freelancers, Quetzal and Shudder,” Stray added. He flashed a charming grin. He had a smooth demeanor that made his cheap thrift store clothes look like the finest menswear. “You’re looking well, ladies.”

“So are you, traitor,” Quetzal replied cheerfully.

Stray gave a look of mock shock. “You wound me! I’m simply protecting my dear friend, Sila. That’s far from traitorous, isn’t it?”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Shudder said. “No hard feelings, right?”

“None at all. In fact, I’m glad to see you looking less gloomy than usual. I’ll buy you all a drink after we kick your asses.”

“Can we pause so that I can set up some cameras?” Synapse asked. “I’d love to stream this fight.”

“We can skip the whole fight if you want,” Theras said, removing the rectangle from her belt. It unfolded into its gun form. “Surrender, and everything will be easier for you. We’re working for Prince Khu’zhaan, not your family. Coming with us is the best possible option for you.”

Sila shook their head. “No way. I’m never going back.”

Theras sighed, “Well, I tried,” then fired her gun. A beam of yellow slammed into Sila, who crumpled like a marionette.

Then several things happened at once. Quetzal raised an arm, palm out, and fired a beam of her own, which struck a translucent purple shield summoned by Synapse. Lucas and Stray moved closer to her to share her shield as the other two Yamosians began firing at them. 

Shudder started to run towards them, but Lucas made a gesture in her direction and the tattoos that covered his face and hands began to glow white. The ground beneath her seemed to vanish and she fell, but found herself suddenly a few meters above where she had been a moment ago. She’d seen footage of Lucas using this trick. He would trap a person so that they were endlessly falling between two portals. Luckily, in the heat of the moment, he apparently hadn’t made the portals as large as usual, and Shudder could reach the sides. On her second pass through, she hit the side of the portal with her baton to make sure it wouldn’t sever anything it touched, and on the third pass she caught the side with her arms, and pulled herself up onto the ground.

By this point, the Outcasts had regrouped and were choosing their opponents. Theras was facing off against Stray, Quetzal was launching an attack on Lucas, and the other two Yamosians were still trying to break through Synapse’s shield. Which left Shudder to fight…

Prometheus.

Great.

Shudder backed away a few steps as the huge metal man made his way toward her.

“Shudder, right?” he asked. “You’re, like, thirty-seven on STRIX’s most wanted list? Minor psychic? Look, there’s literally nothing you can do to me. Just give up.”

Despite her apprehension, Shudder knew she had to exude confidence or she wouldn’t stand a chance of creating an opportunity to manipulate his fear. “Thirty-seven? Is that world wide?”

His arm snapped out, moving much farther than it should, and attempted to grasp her. She swatted at it with her baton as she ducked, narrowly avoiding it. It was like striking a flag pole. Even just a few blows would have her hand aching, while Prometheus would remain unharmed.

“Yeah, but it’s not like it matters,” he said. “I have more stamina than you, too. If you think you’re going to tire me out, forget it.”

“What’s Quetzal’s rank?” she asked.

The other arm flew at her, this one seemed to come high before dropping at the last moment. Shudder jumped to avoid it, then continued backing away, drawing him further from the fight.

“Seventy-three, seventy-four, somewhere around there. She can’t do anything to me, either. Or those mercenaries.”

“Hey, Quetzal!” Shudder called out. “I’m higher than you on STRIX’s most wanted!”

“No shit!” Quetzal called back. “You tried to take over the world!” She pointed one of her fists at Lucas, which flew forward courtesy of some kind of booster, a chain connecting it to its empty socket. However, a portal sent the fist crashing into Quetzal instead, sending her sliding a few feet and leaving a nasty dent in her opposing shoulder.

Meanwhile, Stray had dodged enough of Theras’ shots to get within arm’s length. Instead of throwing a punch, he reached out and touched her nose. 

“Boop.”

In response, several of the tentacles on her head shot out, stinging Stray’s arm. She could control those? However, whatever she was expecting to happen apparently didn’t because her eyes widened in surprise.

“What the—?”

That was when he punched her.

Prometheus’ attacks began to get more and more rapid, forcing Shudder to dodge and occasionally block, sending jolts of pain into her hand. She continued to draw him back, moving closer to her goal, a building which appeared to be an office or break room. It was apparently under repair, since scaffolding had been erected on one side. But she was quickly running out of energy. If she turned and ran now, would he follow her? Or would he return to the fight?

When a metal fist struck her shoulder, she realized she couldn’t wait any longer.

“Try to keep up,” she announced, then turned and ran, desperately hoping that Prometheus would take the bait and follow her. Thankfully, the sound of heavy steps behind her confirmed that he had. She sprinted, closing the distance between herself and the scaffolding, then smoothly leapt onto a support and used it to springboard up to the second level. She turned briefly to smirk at Prometheus, then continued to run as he made a huge leap to reach her. She dove off of the scaffolding just as he landed on the second level, causing the entire structure to collapse on top of him.

Shudder got up and dusted herself off, cackling triumphantly. She was proud of her villainous cackle. It was perfectly intimidating.

Taking another glance at the others, she saw that things had changed significantly. Synapse had apparently injured one of the Yamosians and was now crouched on one of Quetzal’s shoulders, swinging a translucent purple bat at her helmet. The other Yamosian was grappling with Stray, grunting with frustration as his tentacles lashed out and did nothing to his opponent. Theras, meanwhile, was quickly closing the distance between herself and Lucas, leaping just as he opened a portal beneath her. Sila was apparently recovering, rising up to their hands and knees.

But Shudder couldn’t stay focused on that for long, because naturally a pile of collapsed scaffolding wouldn’t be enough to stop Prometheus, and a moment later it surged upwards until he emerged unscathed.

“You get it now?” he asked. “You can’t win.”

Shudder shook her head. “I don’t win by beating you.”

“Enough!” Theras Dorne shouted.

Everyone paused to look, finding her clutching Lucas and pointing her gun at his temple.

“Give up now unless you want to see what this does at point blank range.”

“Fuck,” said Prometheus. Stray, too, looked apprehensive.

Lucas’ tattoos began to glow again. A portal opened up beneath Sila, who had finally stood, and they dropped through, vanishing. Theras shoved Lucas aside and tried to run to the portal, but it closed an instant later.

“Well, I guess that’s that,” Shudder said. Then she ran.

When she was satisfied she wasn’t being pursued, she regrouped with the others at the van. Quetzal had already stripped off her armor and was muttering about how long it would take to repair. Theras and her uninjured lieutenant were attending to the other Yamosian, checking the bruises Synapse had given him.

“That could have gone better,” Quetzal said, sounding dejected.

“Not exactly a shining victory,” Shudder agreed.

Quetzal gave her a quizzical look. “You’re an odd one, Scaregirl. Most days, you’re a mopey edgelord, but after a loss like this you’re in a good mood? You know White Tail’s going to be pissed, right?”

Shudder took a moment to consider this. They had lost the fight. Her hand and shoulder were both aching terribly and probably would be for days. So why was she happy? “It’s just a paint-by-numbers fight. I guess at this point, I don’t care much whether I win or lose because it doesn’t really matter.” She glanced between Theras and Quetzal. “But it’s nice spending some time in good company.”

Quetzal gave her a small smile. “That’s actually kind of sweet.”

Shudder turned her attention to Theras. “So you can control those tentacle things, huh?”

Theras looked up at Shudder. “Hmm? Oh, yes.” A pair of them rose on their own and waved at Shudder. “Their stings are supposed to paralyze people, but apparently humans are immune.”

Shudder briefly imagined asking Theras if she wanted to test it on her to confirm that theory, and found herself blushing furiously. Thankfully, Theras didn’t seem to know what a blush was.

“So, what are we going to tell White Tail?” Shudder asked.

 

---

 

Whisper—he was more Whisper than Elise at the moment—crept up to a bunker-like cement building which sat in a partially-overgrown field far from major highways, around twenty miles north of Fairfield. This was a Dawn Industries’ research and development complex. It was also, supposedly, home to a large amount of recently-acquired cognicrystal.

His research the previous night had continued into the morning. Through a collection of leaks, reports from supposed employees, and rumors from trusted informants, he had managed to learn the locations of several of the more esoteric items used to build Orbis Tertius. There was a mnemoscope used as a neurological diagnostic tool at Clemency Hospital, a set of psionic emitters recently acquired by STRIX as part of the development of some sort of shielding system, and neural mapper purchased by some billionaire as part of an immortality project. None of it had been reported stolen. This was a good sign, but something about Dawn’s acquisition troubled him. While the other items all had clear purposes, projects they were being used for, the Dawn employee he had spoken to had no idea why the company had acquired so much cognicrystal. Whisper didn’t know what cognicrystal was, but he knew that more than two years ago Shudder had stolen a significantly smaller amount from a transport vehicle. Furthermore, Dawn Industries was a defense contractor. They built weapons. If they were developing their own mind control tech then it really could, as Shudder put it, make Orbis Tertius look like child’s play.

The part of him that was Elise had protested, insisting that a company as wealthy as Dawn wouldn’t need to steal a psionic wave detector, that Shudder despised corporations and would never willingly help one recreate Tlön’s tech, but Whisper had insisted, driving Elise mad with what-ifs until she had relented and allowed him to investigate Dawn.

Security was naturally tight at a weapon’s development facility, but none of that mattered to Whisper. He could pass through walls and doors as easily as the air, and his acute senses made it easy to avoid detection. He entered near the loading docks and made his way to a darkened office. While there were fewer people around at night, work never completely stopped here, so there was more to contend with than a few night watchmen. Dawn transports often occurred at night in an attempt to keep them secret, so Whisper was not surprised to find the dock busy and uncomfortably well-lit when he peeked through the office’s wall. He caught sight of someone who looked like the manager, guiding a pair of men who were loading a crate into an armored truck. She was holding a tablet.

They were across the dock, so Whisper had to walk through a series of walls, through several other offices and down a hallway to get to the point closest to her. Here, he peeked through the wall again and watched her, waiting.

It took the better part of an hour. Every time the manager set down her tablet, it had already locked itself, or one of the drivers was nearby, or security was patrolling the hallway and Whisper was forced to hide somewhere else. He could just run out and grab it, of course, but Dawn’s security systems would automatically lock down their network as soon as the alarm was raised, so he had to get it away from her without her immediately noticing.

Finally, the opportunity presented itself. The manager set down the pad, no one was looking, and the screen was on. Moving like a shadow, Whisper smoothly glided into the dock, grabbed the tablet, and was gone in an instant.

He wasted no time in searching for the cognicrystal in the facility’s inventory. It took only a moment to discover that it had departed a few nights previously. However, its destination was unlisted. Whisper flipped to another item, then another. Every item transported by Dawn had a destination listed, usually STRIX or a military base, but for the cognicrystal there was nothing but a blank field. Desperate for some piece of useful information, he tried to look for the record of its arrival, to see where it had come from, but suddenly the tablet stopped loading. The manager must have noticed the missing tablet and locked down the system. Whisper dropped the pad and made his way out of the facility.

Once he was well away from the building and deep in the woods, he paused to consider what he had learned. The missing destination could be an act of neglect, but he doubted it. Wherever it had gone was meant to be a particularly close secret, meaning it was still possible that it was being used for some sort of mind control research.

At the very least, the part of him that was Elise insisted, Shudder was exonerated. Even if the person who stole the psionic wave detector and the recipient of the cognicrystal were the same, her involvement was looking more and more like a strange coincidence. In fact, this situation presented an opportunity to try something Elise had wanted to try for a long time.

She could turn Shudder into an ally.