＊＊＊

Jordan stood at the head of the room, pacing back and forth with deliberate steps, his boots thudding softly against the hardwood floor. Behind him, a corkboard stood prominently, covered in pinned photos, newspaper clippings, and hastily scribbled notes. Strings of red yarn connected the profiles of New Wave and the Protectorate like a chaotic web of conspiracy. Each figure stared back at him from their printed images: Panacea, Glory Girl, Brandish, Lady Photon, and the rest. Their smiling faces from publicity shots only made them seem more mocking.

Cauldron had warned him off killing Panacea. The words burned in his mind like a brand, a searing reminder of his own hesitation. He'd been scared, unwilling to pull the trigger and make the decisive move that could heal his sister. It wasn't just about fear of retaliation, though that had played its part. It was fear of failure. Fear of her reaction once she woke up and saw the monster he'd become.

It was a moot point anyway, had he moved earlier, Cauldron would have moved earlier.

Alexandria's warning had ignited something in him - a fire that refused to be extinguished. If Cauldron thought they could leash him, he'd prove them wrong by baring his teeth. If they wanted him to play by their rules, he'd break their game entirely. If Panacea couldn't be killed, then he'd find another way. No more hesitation. No more fear.

He would not be held back. He would not be stopped. He would not be dictated to.

Alexandria had let out more than she probably wished, something he'd known for sure when he returned and Tattletale admitted he was harder to read now.

Cauldron couldn't fully path him, he suspected. And that meant he had leeway. A certain extent he could push the envelope and still have Cauldron remain hands off.

He stopped mid-step, turning to face the four women seated in front of him. The team he'd assembled, each one an investment in his vision. Lisa, slouched in her chair with her trademark smirk, was chewing gum and pretending to be aloof. Sun Hee, perched awkwardly on the edge of the couch, kept glancing between the others with wide, uncertain eyes. Anastasia sat with perfect poise, her back straight and her hands resting lightly on her lap, the picture of quiet intensity. Mai leaned against the far wall, her arms crossed, watching him with a calm and calculating gaze.

He'd just finished laying out what he believed should be their next step. His subordinates had all remained quiet for a few minutes so far, to let it all sink in.

Lisa broke the silence first, her tone cutting through the room like a knife. "So… am I the only one here who thinks this is completely insane?" She asked, one hand on her face, fingers splayed like a theatrical mask of disbelief.

Sun Hee hesitated, then raised her hand halfway, shrinking into the couch as she did so. "Uh, maybe not insane, but… Are you, like, really sure this is a good idea?" Her voice was timid, her words laced with doubt.

Jordan's gaze swept over them, firm and unyielding. He walked to the corkboard and placed a hand on the photo of Panacea. "I am stronger than ever," He said, his voice steady. "This can be done. Lisa is just being a scaredy cat bitch about it because she enjoys arguing for the sake of arguing. I bet her power's already drawn up three different ways this could work."

Lisa groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Boss, everything around you is just getting wonkier. I'm not even sure I can trust what my power is telling me when you're involved anymore. You're breaking the damn system." She scowled at him, "Have I ever told you you're unfair? Because it's not fair at all!"

Anastasia sniffed disdainfully, tossing her hair over one shoulder. "He is Apex," She said, her voice carrying the sharp authority of someone who fully believed what they were saying. "And we are his predators. It is time the city learned where they stand on the food chain."

Jordan gave her a brief nod, though inwardly he winced. During his absence, his little group had been busy branding themselves as 'The Predators'. Their tags had started popping up around Brockton Bay - a red circle with jagged claw marks slashed through it. It wasn't the image he'd have chosen for the gang, but he had to admit it made a statement.

He also had no idea how the hell Anastasia had suddenly grown so fervently loyal in just a few weeks. Although giving her powers might have kickstarted it.

Lisa threw her hands up dramatically, flopping back into her seat at Anastasia's comment. "Mai, talk some sense into him!" She whined, adopting the posture of a damsel in distress, complete with a hand draped dramatically across her forehead.

Sun Hee side-eyed Mai and pouted. "She's already on his side, or she would've said something," She muttered, folding her arms across her chest in frustration.

"As she should be, as the second in command. Apex chose wisely." Anastasia said primly.

Mai raised one cool eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "I fail to see what there is to worry about," She said calmly. "This is the obvious next step."

Sun Hee let out a frustrated noise, her hands balling into fists. "Kidnapping Panacea is not the obvious next step!" She protested, her voice rising an octave in disbelief.

Jordan was glad Sun Hee was comfortable enough to have her own opinion and was brave enough to speak up on it to this extent, just not at this moment when he needed full commitment.

Anastasia reached over to pat Sun Hee's thigh, her touch almost condescending. "Don't worry, compatriot," She said soothingly. "We're not kidnapping Panacea. We're kidnapping Glory Girl."

Sun Hee's jaw dropped, her frustration bubbling over into incoherent noises as Lisa snorted in amusement, even Jordan felt his lips twitch a little.

Mai cut through the noise with a sharp gesture, her tone decisive. "That's secondary," She said dismissively. "And not my point. Reputation is everything. With what Jordan has laid out, he will achieve everything in this one plan. Is it risky? Yes, but far less so than you think, considering his powers."

Lisa opened her mouth to argue, but Mai didn't give her the chance. She sliced her hand through the air again and spoke over her. "When Lung first came to Brockton Bay, he took on the entire Protectorate," She said sharply. "And since then, it is the rare fool who dares to challenge him directly. The heroes herd him and appease him, because they know the cost of a direct confrontation."

"That's Lung," Lisa stressed, sitting up and jabbing a finger in Mai's direction. "He's literally a walking nuke. You think Apex can get that kind of mileage out of this?"

Even just mentioning the ABB sent a dark shadow across Anastasia's face. Her pale features flushed red with anger, and Sun Hee immediately grabbed her hands in support, squeezing them tightly. Jordan gave Lisa a hard look, cutting her off before she could dig herself in deeper. "I am capable of handling it," He said simply, his voice firm. His eyes met hers, daring her to challenge him further.

Lisa glared at him for a long moment, then slumped back in her chair with a resigned sigh. "Oh, well," She said, waving a hand dismissively. "It's not like I'll be in the line of fire. You do you, boss."

"No," Jordan said, his tone sharp enough to make her sit up straighter. "You'll be in charge of reading Panacea to make sure she doesn't fuck with my sister. That is a far more dangerous position for you, because if anything happens…" He let the unspoken threat hang in the air, his gaze boring into her.

Tattletale was unlikely to be loyal at this moment. He disliked the necessity of reminding her of the consequences, but with her bravado and smug attitude, she'd need constant reminders so she didn't go full retard.

Lisa's smile was weak, her usual bravado faltering. "Ah, don't you trust me, boss?" She asked, her voice light but tinged with nervousness.

"I trust you know what I'll do if you betray me," He said bluntly, his tone leaving no room for argument. It would always be carrot and stick with this one, he thought wearily.

"There can be no sheep amongst the predators," Anastasia growled, glaring at Lisa with a ferocity that bordered on unhinged.

Jordan sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. Okay, seriously, he thought to himself. What mental issue does this girl have?"

Jordan let out a humorless laugh, turning back to the corkboard. "Anyway," He said, his voice heavy with finality. "We do this. We take the risk. We show Brockton Bay - and the world - what happens if they try to mess with us."

Mai nodded approvingly. Anastasia looked ready to declare war on the world with relish. Sun Hee still looked unconvinced, but she didn't argue further. Lisa just groaned, leaning back and muttering under her breath.

Jordan stared at the photos on the corkboard, his jaw set in determination. He would take the risk. For his sister.

It was time to show them why he was called Apex.

＊＊＊

Two days later, Boardwalk, Brockton Bay.

Amy Dallon trudged along the boardwalk, her hands stuffed deep into the pockets of her hoodie, doing her best not to let her scowl deepen. The warm breeze off the ocean barely touched her sour mood as she followed Victoria from store to store. Her sister, in stark contrast, flitted through the crowd like a golden sunbeam, her long blonde hair catching the light with every cheerful bounce of her step. Victoria's enthusiasm was infectious, at least to the crowds around them. Amy could see people smiling as she passed, stealing glances at her like she was a celebrity, which in a way, she was.

But for Amy, this outing was a torturous exercise in self-control. She'd come under protest, dragged along by Vicky's insistent smile and pleading eyes, unable to say no to her sister despite knowing exactly what it would do to her. Shopping. For dresses. For Victoria. The person she wasn't supposed to want.

Why did she do this to herself?

"Come on, Ames!" Vicky chirped, spinning to face her while holding up a pale blue sundress to her front. "This one's cute, right? You think Dean would like it?"

Amy blinked, forcing her face into something neutral even as her stomach churned at the mention of Dean. "Uh, yeah, sure," She muttered, not really looking at the cut of the dress. Instead, she focused on the floor, the racks of clothing, anywhere but the way the fabric clung to Vicky's figure as she held it up against herself.

Victoria's lips pursed, clearly dissatisfied with the lack of enthusiasm. "You're no help at all," She teased, though her tone was light and playful. She didn't notice Amy's shoulders tense as she turned back to the rack. "I'm just gonna grab this one and, ooh, that red one too. Wait here; I'll go try them on!"

Before Amy could protest, Vicky disappeared into the fitting rooms, leaving her standing awkwardly in the middle of the store. Amy shifted her weight from foot to foot, her eyes flicking around nervously as she tried to appear inconspicuous. She hated this. Hated being here, hated how much she wanted to stay just to be near her.

Minutes dragged by like hours until Vicky emerged again, her arms loaded with the chosen dresses and her radiant smile back in full force. "You're the best, Ames," She said, giving her sister a quick hug. "Let's grab a coffee or something. I'm dying for a caramel macchiato."

Amy followed her out onto the boardwalk, the two of them eventually settling at a small café with outdoor seating. The scent of salt and fried food wafted through the air from the nearby fast food restaurant as seagulls circled lazily overhead. Amy sat stiffly across from Vicky, nursing her iced tea while her sister sipped her sugary concoction with an almost childlike delight.

For a few blissful moments, it was almost peaceful. Then Vicky spoke, and the spell broke.

"So annoying that we haven't been out in ages," She grumbled, swirling her straw. "Mom's been on my case about going out superheroing too lately. Ever since this new gang started making waves, she's been paranoid."

Amy shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "It's a flash in the pan," She said dismissively. "The ABB or the Empire will deal with them soon enough. Carol's overreacting as usual."

She didn't think it was honestly anything to worry about. The Empire was probably going to crush the new gang any day now. Criminals killing criminals, not her problem.

Vicky tilted her head thoughtfully, a lock of hair falling across her cheek. "Maybe," She said. "But if it's true that Apex is leading them, that could be scary. The Wards have been practically leashed to their desks, a PRT babysitter following them everywhere they go. The PRT's scared stiff they'll run into him." She pouted in a way that definitely didn't make Amy stare longingly, "Dean's barely had time for me chained up as he is."

Amy rolled her eyes, irritation flaring at the mention of capes. She'd come out to spend time with Vicky, not to talk about hero politics. Or Dean! "He's not even in town," She said flatly.

Vicky opened her mouth to respond but stopped abruptly, her expression going slack. Her eyes unfocused, her body stilling as if she'd been frozen mid-thought. It was such an un-Vicky like look Amy immediately focused on her.

Amy's stomach dropped as Vicky stood up mechanically. Her mind immediately leapt to the worst-case scenario - a Master effect. "Vicky!" She called, her voice sharp with panic as she began to rise from her chair, one hand going for her phone.

But before she could reach her sister, Vicky stood fully and began to walk away, her movements mechanical, her face eerily blank.

Amy's heart thundered in her chest as she scanned the crowd for threats even as she began dialing for the PRT. Her eyes darted back to Vicky, who was walking straight toward a van parked at the curb. "Vicky!" She shouted again, her voice trembling. She moved to follow to attempt to snap her out with her power, only to stop short as someone slid into Vicky's vacated seat.

Her blood ran cold.

He was clad in black, his uniform sharp and militaristic, with a dark green cape that hung heavily from his shoulders. The blood red decal of the new gang in Brockton on his chest armor gleamed faintly in the sunlight, and his face was obscured by a rebreather mask that left his eyes exposed under the hood of the cape. Those eyes, sharp and calculating, pinned her in place as surely as the gun he held leveled at her.

Amy knew immediately who he was. Apex.

She stared at him, her hands trembling, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts. "You touch one hair on her…" She began, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. But mostly fear.

Fear for Vicky. Fear for herself. Was he here to kill her? Vicky? Was he a master!?

He tilted his head slightly, the motion slow and deliberate. "Relax," He said, his voice distorted slightly by the mask, yet still carrying a cold, dangerous edge. He gestured to the side with his gun, and Amy's eyes widened as she realized there was someone else with him she hadn't noticed.

A lithe figure stepped forward, dressed in a white bodysuit with red accents and a wing motif along the arms and legs. Armor plates adorned her chest and shoulders, and a bird-like helmet obscured her face. Long cascading hair spilled over her front, completing the avian aesthetic.

"Move along with my associate here," Apex commanded, his tone brooking no argument. "If you disobey, Vicky gets hurt. If you use your power, Vicky gets hurt. If one of my people gets hurt…" His voice dropped, chillingly calm. "Little Miss Vicky dies."

Amy's hands clenched into fists under the table, her nails biting into her palms. She wanted nothing more than to lash out, to grab Apex and show him exactly what her power could do. But she couldn't. She didn't doubt for a second that he'd follow through on his threats. Even if she stopped Apex right now, it wouldn't help Vicky.

With a glare full of hate, she stood, her heart pounding as she followed the white-clad villainess as she'd been told.

At least these games made it unlikely Apex was just killing them.

She hoped.

Outside, Amy caught a glimpse of the van as it pulled away with Vicky inside. Her stomach twisted violently, and she had to fight the urge to scream. The villainess turned to her, and before Amy could protest, she was lifted off the ground. The sensation was sickeningly familiar, a mockery of how Vicky would carry her when they flew together.

Her anger burned hotter with every passing second, but she clung to one small shred of hope. Apex hadn't killed them for their powers. Not yet. He wanted something.

And whatever it was, she'd figure it out. Then she'd help Vicky and New Wave bring this bastard down.

For the first time she imagined letting her power loose on someone, and she didn't feel crippling guilt at the thought.

＊＊＊

With Apex, Boardwalk.

Apex sat calmly at the small café table, one leg crossed over the other, his dark green cape draped over the back of the chair. His sharp, predatory gaze drifted over the plaza. People had fled the area long before, literally immediately after he showed up, their hurried, panicked footsteps fading into the distance.

By now, the news should have spread.

Two of New Wave's most prominent members - Glory Girl and Panacea - were in his custody. The heroes would know. It would be impossible not to with so many people witnessing it.

Kidnapping Glory Girl, and then blackmailing Panacea with her safety… New Wave at least should be raging.

The minutes ticked by with excruciating slowness. He glanced at his watch, a faint sneer tugging at his lips. Terrible response time, he thought with disgust. New Wave had fliers, and the Protectorate had Velocity, the fastest cape in the city. Yet they hadn't arrived yet. The heroes, it seemed, had prioritized meeting up and strategizing over speed.

All according to Tattletales projection, but still annoying.

At least it would allow this part of the boardwalk to clear so there wouldn't be any… Accidents.

He sighed audibly, leaning back in his chair as the sound of approaching capes finally reached his ears. The faint whish of Photon Mom and her brood's flight combined with the mechanical whir of Armsmaster's motorcycle confirmed they were assembling. He stood slowly, brushing off the creases in his uniform. His cape billowed slightly in the wind as he stepped out into the street, the shadow of his tall, imposing figure cutting an ominous silhouette against the afternoon sun.

As expected, they'd all come together - New Wave and Brockton Bay's Protectorate. Lady Photon, Brandish, Shielder, Laserdream, Manpower and Flashbang, stood or floated at the ready next to the entire Protectorate contingent. Their expressions ranged from focused determination to barely contained rage.

Apex spread his arms in mock welcome, his voice smooth and cold as he addressed them. "So nice to see Brockton Bay's heroes all lined up like this. It's almost like another of your photoshoots." His tone carried a hint of mockery, his words designed by Tattletale to provoke.

He really wasn't much of a quipper, he thought, but the plan called for him to make this look as easy as possible. And the commentary would help sell how easily he handled this.

There was no response at first, but he saw a flicker of anger cross Armsmaster's face in the tightening of his jaw. Apex cocked his head, his gaze shifting to the Protectorate leader to poke a little harder. "No replacement for Miss Militia yet? That's really going to throw off the next calendar you put out," He added with feigned disappointment.

Armsmaster bristled, stepping forward and pointing his halberd directly at Apex. "Apex, this is your one chance to come in quietly," He said, his voice firm and commanding. "Release Panacea and Glory Girl, and put your hands on your head. We won't ask again."

Apex chuckled, a low, mocking sound that echoed across the street. "Out of curiosity, has that ever worked?" He asked, his tone light, almost amused.

As he spoke, he casually summoned a gun into his hand, its sleek design a manifestation of Miss Militia's power. He played with it idly, letting the weight shift between his fingers, enjoying the way the Protectorate capes visibly tensed. He cycled through a few different weapons - rifles, pistols, a grenade launcher - before settling on his trusty lasgun.

"Release my daugh- " Brandish began, her voice sharp with fury, unable to hold back any longer.

Before she could finish her diatribe, Apex aimed and fired. The beam of light sliced through the air, blindingly bright as it hurtled toward her. Shielder acted immediately in protecting his aunt, his forcefield shimmering to life just in time to absorb the blast. The sound drowned out whatever tirade Brandish had been about to launch into, and Apex smirked, tilting his head slightly as if to say, your welcome.

Honestly, who wanted to hear Carol Dallon make a speech?

He was doing them a favor, really.

"Shush," He said, his voice dripping with mockery. He brought a finger to his lips in an exaggerated gesture. "The important people are talking, B-team." His eyes met Brandish'.

Brandish's face contorted with rage, but somehow, no one moved. The tension hung thick in the air, the heroes watching him with a mix of anger and wariness, or was that fear? Apex chuckled, twirling his lasgun with an almost lazy grace.

"What's wrong?" He taunted, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "Don't tell me you're… Afraid?"

It was Lady Photon who broke the silence, her voice sharp and urgent. "Carol, wait!" She called, her eyes darting to her sister, obviously knowing exactly what would happen.

But it was too late.

With a roar, Brandish had shot forward, her body transforming into a blinding sphere of light. She moved with incredible speed, a streak of pure energy that tore across the street toward Apex.

Apex's lips curled into a sneer. He'd been waiting for this. He hadn't needed Tattletales projection on likely reactions to know this would happen.

He transformed the lasgun in his hand into a long spear, it's dark metal glinting ominously in the sunlight. As Brandish hurtled toward him, he shifted into his shadow state, the Brandish Ball going through the tip of his spear, before he returned to his regular form, Brandish impaled on the spear as she screamed, grasping it with both hands. Her eyes were filled with both agony and hate as she glared at him, back into her meat form.

Killing Shadow Stalker continued to be the greatest move he ever made.

"Ouch, right in the womb, good thing I guess, you're not much of a mother anyway so no real loss." He said snidely, before tossing her off, with a twist of his wrist, Brandish screaming in pain even as Velocity was suddenly there, picking her up.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Apex casually leaning aside and dodging the balls of exploding energy sent his way by Flashbang for impaling his wife. "You should be thanking me, Mark, if you were doing enough impaling yourself, she wouldn't be such a bitch, and I wouldn't have to do your work for you."

Flashbang was prevented from rushing forward by Manpowers large hand on his shoulder, even as Assault called out, "Don't fall for his taunts, he's baiting you."

Apex watched them, transforming his weapon again, making sure to draw attention to it, feeling the Protectorate bristling even from where he was standing.

"Well... Are you done being bystanders, or should I just leave?" He told them, "Poor Miss Militia, her friends don't even care about avenging her…"

Tattletale had been right, throwing the hero's off their game really did make them hesitant to make the first move.

With Brandish being rushed to medical however…

The other heroes tensed, their eyes darting between Apex and Brandish being carried away. Lady Photon hovered just above the ground, her hands glowing with barely restrained energy. Armsmaster adjusted his stance, his halberd ready, while Shielder reinforced his barriers, his face pale but determined.

He was obviously intended to be the defense against his long range fire. He would have to go down first.

The others all made their own showings of getting ready to fight. And he knew it was on now. His own true introduction to Brockton's Bay's cape scene.

Unlike Lung, he didn't intend to have to retreat at the end. He was going to ensure they wouldn't dare touch him, and ensure his sister's safety through association.

Apex's smile widened at their visible hesitation which was even now captured on Uber and Leets drone out of sight. His eyes gleamed with cold amusement. He opened his arms again, his posture almost inviting. "Come on," He said, his voice soft but dripping with challenge. "Take your best shot."

For a moment, no one moved. The standoff stretched into what felt like eternity, the tension suffocating. Then, with a burst of motion, the heroes charged.

Apex welcomed them with open arms. Let the show begin, he thought.

The city square had erupted into chaos the moment Apex raised his arms and challenged the gathered heroes. The sunlight glinted off Armsmaster's halberd, as he twirled it, barking an order, his voice sharp and commanding. "New Wave, harass and box him in! Protectorate, don't give him time, Velocity, distract!"

Jordan, standing at the center of the square, didn't move. His dark green cape billowed in the wind as he watched the heroes spring into coordinated action. Not a bad plan, he thought. They were working together far better than he'd anticipated, Protectorate and New Wave moving as a single unit.

Velocity blurred toward him, running circles around him kicking up dust and generally being a nuisance just by his blur giving him less visibility of the other heroes. With brute force, Apex stomped down on the street, the area around him shattering, throwing Velocity out of his maneuver. Right after, Apex shifted into his shadow form, and just moved through the coming entrapment, just in time as Shielder placed force fields around where he'd been, and Lady Photon and Laserdream bombarded the space from up top, while Armsmaster released a gas from a nozzle on his halberd, covering the area briefly.

Too bad he'd just slipped out of the noose, huh?

"Still not quick enough," Apex taunted them all, his voice a low, mocking echo as he reformed. He raised a hand, summoning a sleek, futuristic rifle with a thought. It was a stun weapon - he didn't want to kill anyone this time. He was making a point.

Also because Cauldron would take exception if he killed anyone important so soon.

Armsmaster cut down towards him with his halberd sparking with electricity to prevent him going to his shadow form, even as Dauntless dive bombed him, his spear likewise sparking. Flashbang and Manpower covering the other two directions as they moved in, Manpower using his electromagnetism to pull his weapon out of his hands.

Pointless, it's an expression of my power, he thought, reforming it immediately, even as he felt an energy blast practically singe his hair as he ducked aside, Lady Photon having fired between her two teammates during their rush at him.

He put one hand to the side, releasing a blast from Damsel of Distress power, and he erased part of the street, as well as forcing Manpower and Flashbang to back off or get erased with it, Flashbangs balls of explosive lights erased with it, completely ending the avenue of attack from that angle for a few seconds, which gave him enough room to slam into Armsmasters halberd with his reformed rifle, keeping it at bay, before he flew into the air, giving Dauntless a nice brute powered kick to give himself some room, the hero kicked twenty feet away, while he took the chance to fire down at Armsmaster, who was forced to dodge away from the stun blast.

He also took the chance to use Victor's skill thief power. Dauntless was apparently a skilled chef. Was.

He laughed as he turned to shadow Laserdream and Lady Photon's energy blasts just flying through him, even as he formed a flamethrower with his power and spun around firing it, forcing the closing heroes back, and while covered by the flames, slipping underneath them in his shadow state, now armed with a sniper rifle, a loud bang echoing across the plaza as he took the few seconds he got and put them to good use.

The heroes stopped for a second, then Shielder fell, red blooming on his torso, his shield ineffective against a perfectly timed shot combining Miss Militias and Shadow Stalkers power. Not something he could easily do while pressured, hence why he wanted Shielder gone as soon as possible.

No more shields… He thought, even as Laserdream screamed, "Eric!" Rushing for the boy. And that's likely another one out for a few, likely to focus on getting him help over fighting more, he thought.

Triumph unleashed a concussive roar at him, backed up by Assault and Battery both trying to hem him in with confoam grenades as he kept away from Armsmaster and Dauntless, the sonic shockwave rippling through the square and shattered all the windows. Apex flinched as the sound hit him, his flight faltering for a moment before he regained his balance. That's all it did. Momentarily surprise him.

A for effort though.

The confoam grenades never got close as he flew away, playing tag with Lady Photon in the air, even as Flashbang's power fruitlessly tried to chase him. Lady Photon had to back off as he almost made her run into Flashbang's explosive balls.

"That's your play?" He called down to Triumph, mockery laced in his voice. "Scream louder, maybe that'll help!" He turned both palms his way, "This will get you screaming."

"Triumph, MOVE!" Assault yelled, even as Velocity moved to tackle the frozen cape out of the way, as he tapped Damsel's power, nice enough to go slow so the heroes could get out of the way, as their formation was thrown all out of whack again.

Apex was forced down to the ground as Assault and Battery filled the air with confoam grenades while Lady Photon fired constant energy barrages and Dauntless and Armsmaster fired electricity based attacks as well.

He could have probably have tanked it, but why risk it?

The second he was on the ground, Velocity had run by him, as small metal pieces scattered around him, Armsmaster and Dauntless both slamming their weapons into the ground, the metal pieces chirping electronically, even as he naturally went into shadow state as a self defense mechanism, even as he realized what a bad idea that was.

A cage of electricity shot up around him, bathing him in it, yet… To his surprise, and the heroes dismay, he wasn't writhing in pain.

This wouldn't have completely defeated him, but it would have hurt like hell and somewhat tarnished what he was doing here. He supposed his new brute rating had managed to combine with and limit Shadow Stalkers weakness. A nice bonus.

He still felt a tingle, so a focused enough effort with a higher voltage would probably still hurt enough, but they'd come prepared for Shadow Stalkers rating. Lucky him.

He took the opportunity to down both Manpower and Flashbang as he exploded away from his position, using his brute force to kick off and gain extra speed, boosted by his flight to get close, his shadow state allowing him to ignore their immediate reactions to punch him, as he got in close, reached inside them with his power, and then reformed.

"NO!" Lady Photon shouted as she swooped down as an avenging angel as Apex stepped back, both hands dripping with blood, Manpower and Flashbang both having gaping holes in their torsos, slowly falling back as viscera and blood exploded out of their backs.

No important organs were damaged too badly, they'd live if taken to a hospital immediately. They'd be managed to keep stable until Panacea could see them.

And now, neatly. New Wave wasn't a problem anymore.

He waved cheerily to Lady Photon who kept sending energy beams after him, screaming at him, before she focused back on the injured when she realized she couldn't hit him, Velocity already there helping stem the bleeding.

Now that he had a moment to breathe, and was looking at his surroundings, he could already spot several traps on the nearby walls and street. No wonder Assault and Battery had been pretty useless, he thought. They've been setting other things up for Armsie.

He used Miss Militias power to pop in an assault rifle and showered the nearby walls and Assault and Battery in a spray of bullets. Not an issue for Assault and Battery of course, who easily dodged.

But the wall exploding in confoam, the ground shooting up a cloud of metal needles - no doubt with some sort of tranquilizer effect - ensured the bullets were well spent. He could hear Armsmasters teeth grinding as trap after trap was set off.

Dauntless was on his ass again right after. But he was slower then Apex in flight, and now they didn't have the manpower to push him constantly either, making it easy to avoid the man, Armsmaster looking frustrated as she kept firing from long distance, trying to hem him in close to the ground pounders.

Without New Wave as flight back up, the Protectorate was at a heavy disadvantage. Well… More than they had been to begin with anyway.

Apex didn't give him the chance to come up with something else. Diving toward the regathering group, he unleashed Grue's darkness, blanketing the square in an impenetrable black fog. The heroes hesitated, their vision and hearing completely cut off. Apex moved silently within the shadows, smirking, seeking out his next target.

He could have done this from the beginning, but the point had been to put on a show. To show how easily he could handle the heroes without a sweat. Hiding the entire fight in shadow wouldn't have achieved that.

Armsmaster activated a beacon on his halberd, dispersing the darkness in a small radius around him somehow. "Don't panic!" He barked. "Stay together! Assault, return to formation!"

The light began spreading, somehow able to at least somewhat affect his darkness, Armsmaster no doubt having been working on a Grue counter obsessively since MM died. Armsmaster is really scary when he gets down to it. He thought, wondering when he'd successfully made up that counter agent.

Assault turned to join the others, but too late. Apex materialized directly behind him, his weapon already reformed into a sleek, sci-fi-inspired phaser. The hum of the weapon filled the air as Apex fired a concentrated stun beam into the back of Assault's head, dispersing his darkness at the same time for effect.

Assault crumpled to the ground, visible to the heroes, who had no idea he'd only used a stun setting, only seeing the man fall.

As the darkness completely cleared, Apex stood over his fallen opponent, his mask's rebreather hissing slightly. He tilted his head mockingly at Armsmaster. "Miss Militia was either very unimaginative with her power, or I'm just that much better," He quipped, waving his phaser, his voice carrying effortlessly across the battlefield.

A cry of rage cut through the air. Battery rushed him, her body crackling with energy as she charged at full speed. Apex turned toward her lazily, adjusting the phaser's setting to maximum stun, as she closed the distance.

Battery's fist surged toward his face, but Apex simply went shadow, allowing her to pass through before reforming and placing the phaser to the back of her head, firing a stun shot. The burst of energy sent her sprawling to the ground, her momentum dissipating in a cascade of sparks as she lost consciousness and lost hold of her power. Apex rolled his eyes as he looked down at her.

"HR always said this was a no-no," He mused aloud. "And that's why you don't screw your coworkers," He continued dryly, stepping over her prone form. "Makes you do stupid shit like that."

"ENOUGH!" Armsmaster roared, his halberd sparking to life with a crackling surge of electricity. The leader of the Protectorate charged forward, his weapon arcing toward Apex with deadly precision, Dauntless following from the air, more hesitant, and unsure.

Apex went into a deadly dance with Armsmaster, flitting in and out of shadow state, dodging strikes from the Halberd, reforming to strike back, only to go shadow to avoid another hit, usually from his halberd popping another toy to fire at him. Meanwhile Dauntless hovered uselessly, waiting for an opportunity but seemed too unsure to pull the trigger.

It all really was unfair to them. Apex had several powers that made him almost impossible to injure and gave him amazing mobility. They just weren't equipped for him. They'd need a Triumvirate level or someone with a power specifically made to combat his advantages to stand a chance.

Any one power he had would falter against what he faced. But the crazy versatility he had, made it so the heroes couldn't even do anything. And he hadn't even gotten into all the crazy shit he could use MM's power for! It was really just cheating that his brute power transformed into his shadow state to remove his weakness there. Pure cheating.

But he was okay with that.

Yoink! He felt kind of bad using Victor's power again, but Armsmaster didn't really need to remember how to drive a motorcycle, right?

The more the fight ground on, the wider Apex smirked behind his rebreather. I've got this, he thought with exhilaration.

Velocity, Laserdream and Lady Photon returning from dropping people off at the hospital didn't really change anything. All three of them were too wary of him to get in close. And the women's energy beams couldn't do anything unless they caught him off guard in his real form.

"Is this the best Brockton Bay has to offer?" Apex called out, his voice carrying over the cacophony, still dodging an increasingly angry Armsmaster. "No wonder this city's such a mess."

He blinked as Armsmaster and Dauntless booked it, looking around and raising an eyebrow in surprise at the amount of confoam cannons facing his way. Someone - New Wave - had even managed to lift a truck with a confoam cannon onto a nearby roof.

The square was filled completely with foam.

＊＊＊

"Did that work?" Dauntless asked, hovering above him, and Colin refrained from irritably pointing out that the other hero could see just as much as him, making it a pointless question to ask.

Colin and Dragon had worked together to tweak the formula to hopefully affect even esoteric powers. This was the first real test, they hadn't had much time to prepare before Apex had returned to Brockton Bay suddenly.

He twitched, annoyed that the weakness that Shadow Stalker had possessed apparently did not apply to Apex. It would have made things remarkably simpler.

He'd have to schedule more teamwork exercises too, his teeth grinding together as he realized he could no longer dump that on Hannah. That he didn't have a second in command he could instrinctically trust anymore.

He took a deep breath, putting the anger and resentment in a box and locking it away. If he allowed himself to think too deeply on Hannah again he'd just lose his cool, and this wasn't an opponent he could afford to do that with.

As much as he wanted to disregard orders and just end this threat… But escalating things too much could also lead to Apex escalating, and they couldn't afford that. Not with what he could truly do with Hannah's power if he decided to not care about the consequences.

"I don't see movement." Dauntless said hopefully.

Colin scoffed, but said nothing. He was not impressed with the other man's efforts today, even Triumph, newly promoted from the Wards, had acquitted himself better. Dauntless had constantly hesitated, apparently fearful of Apex retaliation.

And this is the man who will eclipse me? He thought bitterly. The unfairness of life rankled him still.

"Think Triumph is okay?" Dauntless once again asked a pointless question, his nerves on full display.

Colin knew the young man had been caught within the field, his constant attempts to use his powers unable to achieve much, or even gain Apex notice after the first attack, it had not stopped the man from continuing to try. And he'd been too close to escape, but Dauntless already knew confoam didn't harm those captured by it, so he couldn't understand why he was asking about it.

"Something is happening!" Dauntless exclaimed, hefting his spear.

Colin ignored his new number two, feeling the ache of the hole Hannah left behind. "Strike immediately, no hesitation." He ordered, readying his experimental halberd. His Nanothorn halberd was barely operational yet, but extreme situations sometimes called for extreme measures.

If Dauntless was capable of giving him an opening…

Apex didn't need all his limbs to be taken alive, and it would make keeping him down much easier…

＊＊＊

Apex was a little bit annoyed. The confoam variant actually stuck to him even in shadow form, it didn't really stop him in place… But it stuck to him, dragging him down as it clumped up.

It was annoying as fuck.

He needed to finish this on a high note, or this whole show he was putting up, would end with people only remembering him getting stuck in a bunch of fucking gunk.

Huffing in frustration he put both arms out, and activated damsels powers. The good thing with being encased like this, the heroes would have gotten out of the way.

He bent at the knees, to get the bottom of this gunk as much as possible, and then he spun slowly, the whole square lit up as he erased most of the confoam from existence, taking care not to push too far and get anyone waiting outside of it.

As his sight cleared as most of the gunk went away, he tensed at an agonized scream, a hint of power behind it, a sonic boom erupting nearby.

Shit! Triumph was in here too!?

He looked around, and inwardly winced at Triumph, on the ground, desperately crawling forward, everything below the waste not existing anymore.

He'll live… He isn't leaking, he thought. Even as he automatically jumped back twenty feet avoiding Armsmasters strike as the man cut through the street and by look of it, cut so sharply and deeply he cut through the sewers too.

Time to end this.

"You have a choice now…" He said with faux casualness. His weapon transformed into a shoulder mounted missile launcher. "Take your much shorter friend to the hospital, and give this pointless endeavor up, or I blow up this entire block and wander off."

There was no choice here for the heroes, and they knew it. Armsmaster already waving Dauntless towards the still screaming Triumph.

"I'm not leaving without the girls!" Lady Photon yelled, even as she looked pale and worried.

He smiled, "They'll be released any moment, after all, I only needed them for a few minutes."

"What?" She said, her mind looking like it couldn't comprehend that he'd kickstarted all of this for a few minutes of work.

"Well… I hope you've all learned your lesson, you're not a match, stay out of my way." He said casually, before flying into the sky, leaving them behind. Lady Photon did not try to follow him.

He could have curb stomped them more, but at this point, after Triumph, it would have only seemed petty.

The message had been delivered either way.

＊＊＊

With Amy,

Amy's heart pounded against her ribs as the white clad villainess carried her into the warehouse. She squirmed against the villainess's grip, hating how easily the woman handled her, as if she weighed nothing at all. She glared up at the white-and-red suit, her irritation mounting.

The warehouse was every bit as dilapidated as any random dock warehouse in Brockton: rusted beams overhead, faint light spilling through broken windows, and the faint, acrid scent of mildew and oil. The space was large but cluttered with abandoned machinery, crates, and tools long since forgotten. It screamed temporary, a place chosen for this occasion and unlikely to be used again.

Which meant she wasn't getting any information from this to pass along to the Protectorate afterwards, to her aggravation.

They passed through a maze of narrow walkways and broken-down equipment before arriving at a more open area that had clearly been prepared in advance. A single bed sat under a cluster of overhead lights, illuminating the space in harsh clarity. Two women stood waiting.

The first, wearing a skintight purple bodysuit that left little to the imagination, leaned against a rusted pillar with a smug grin on her face. Her blonde hair was styled perfectly, and her domino mask did little to hide the malice dancing in her eyes. The second woman was in casual clothes - jeans and a fitted leather jacket - her face completely hidden by a motorcycle helmet. She stood with her arms crossed, her posture rigid, exuding an aura of cold authority. Amy's sharp eye caught her stance and the hints of skin beneath the jacket. Asian, she guessed, based on her tiny lithe build and skin tone.

"You can put her down now, Tsarina," the Asian woman said. Her voice was even, calm, but carried the weight of an unspoken threat.

Amy exhaled sharply as her feet hit the ground, brushing at her sleeves as though clearing away dirt. "Tsarina, huh? Someone thinks highly of herself," She muttered venomously at her captor.

Tsarina cocked her hip, placing a hand on it with exaggerated elegance. "Unlike you, trash, some women demand their right to be treated like queens." The tone was snobby, biting.

"Tsarina," The helmeted woman repeated, her voice cutting through the space like a blade. "Enough. Go watch the perimeter."

Tsarina gave a lazy salute, Amy could feel the smirk as she shot Amy a mocking bow. Then, with a burst of power, she rose into the air and disappeared through an opening in the roof.

Amy's glare shifted back to the two remaining villains. "Where's Vicky?" She demanded, her voice sharp as her eyes darted between them.

The blonde woman pushed off the pillar with a casual grace, her smile widening. "Somewhere safe. And perfectly healthy," She drawled, her tone dripping with mockery. "How long she stays that way… well, that depends on you, doesn't it?"

Amy felt her nails dig into her palms. "What do you want?"

She hated this, the situation, her helplessness. She couldn't risk Vicky. Not her. So she was stuck having to humor this scum.

The helmeted woman gestured to the bed without answering, waiting until Amy reluctantly stepped closer. Her heart sank as she saw the small figure lying under the stark white sheets. A girl. She looked no older than nine or ten perhaps, her face pale and slack. Something about her tickled Amy's memory, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Have I healed her before?" She asked warily.

The woman's tone turned frigid. "You refused. Brain damage. You will not refuse again."

Amy froze, her breath catching. Brains. The word struck her like a blow. She couldn't… She wouldn't…

"No," She said hoarsely, shaking her head. "I can't -"

The woman cut her off with a glance toward the blonde. "Tattletale."

Tattletale raised a radio to her lips, her smile widening as she clicked it on. "Hey, Wraith? How's little Miss Goldilocks holding up?"

Amy's heart plummeted. Fear knotted her stomach as a chirpy female voice crackled through the radio.

"She's sleeping like a baby, Tats."

Amy's nails bit deeper into her palms, her breathing uneven. She'd forgotten, for a brief moment, what kind of people she was dealing with. But brains… I'll out myself… She thought desperately.

Tattletale's gaze flicked to her, glinting with pleased malice. "Panacea still says she can't do brains," She said, addressing the radio. "So… Poke a hole in Glory Girl's and see if that changes her tune."

"No!" Amy shouted, her voice cracking with desperation. I'll kill you all! She raged.

Tattletale clicked the radio again. "Hold, Wraith." Her eyes gleamed as she turned back to Amy. "Well?"

Amy trembled, hating every inch of these people and hating herself even more. "I can do it," She forced out through gritted teeth. She had half of a mind to leave something nasty behind…

The helmeted woman nodded curtly. "Good. Get to it. We'll release you both after it's done."

Amy hesitated, her feet rooted to the spot as her mind reeled. Every instinct screamed at her to refuse, to fight, to do something. But her mind kept circling back to Vicky. To that single line of connection between them that these monsters now held. Knowing that Amy could be controlled. If she let this happen, when would it end? She could just… Use the girl's body mass to create something…

Tattletale chuckled softly. "You're thinking about it, aren't you? How easy it would be to refuse if this wasn't about her." She began pacing leisurely around Amy, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "You hate this. Not just because of us, but because of yourself. You're afraid, aren't you? Afraid we'll figure out exactly what you can do, afraid someone else will. Afraid you'll lose the tiny, tattered shreds of self-control holding you together. Afraid… That you'll never stop wanting her."

Amy's breath hitched. Her eyes widened as Tattletale grinned at her, predatory. Her knowing eyes and the way she fingered her gun telling her that her idle thoughts had been somehow seen through. And so much more than just her idle thoughts!

"How - how do you…?" She choked out, horror creeping up her spine.

Tattletale tapped the side of her head with a smirk. "Psychic, sweetheart."

Amy's stomach churned, bile rising in her throat. She felt exposed, as though the worst parts of her had been dragged into the light for everyone to see.

The helmeted woman stepped forward, her voice cold as steel. "Tattletale will watch you. If she so much as thinks you're leaving a surprise or messing around in the wrong way…" She cut a hand through the air in a sharp motion. "Glory Girl dies. Immediately. No negotiation."

Amy swallowed hard, nodding jerkily. She didn't trust her voice to respond.

Tattletale leaned in, her grin widening. "I'll know, Panacea. You'd better do your best."

With trembling hands, Amy approached the bed. Her power flared to life the moment she touched the girl, feeding her an intricate web of information. She worked slowly, methodically, her concentration absolute. Each cell, each damaged pathway, required delicate adjustments, and the stakes couldn't be higher.

She hasn't practiced on brains, had avoided them on principle. To keep to her own vow - to keep her from temptation. So she wasn't as sure about this as she would have wished. Not to mention the nerve wracking experience of being watched by someone who could apparently read her mind…

The minutes dragged on, every second a battle against her own nerves. Sweat dripped from her brow, her breathing labored as she meticulously repaired the damage. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she stepped back, her hands trembling.

"I've done what I can," She said quietly, her voice hollow. "She should heal normally and wake up in a day or so. Physically, she's fine. I can't speak for mental damage from the prolonged period of degradation."

Tattletale tilted her head, her gaze narrowing. "She's telling the truth," She confirmed after a moment, sounding almost disappointed.

The helmeted woman nodded once before turning back to Amy. "We'll release you and your sister now. Remember how easy it was to get you, to get her. Move against us, and we'll return. Try any form of revenge, and we'll expose your secrets." Her voice dropped lower, colder. "All of them."

Tattletale grinned, and winked, "We have a dead man's switch too, so if we should all somehow drop dead, your secrets go everywhere. So it's in your best interest that we stay healthy."

Amy barely heard her. She stood frozen, her mind swirling with fear and self-loathing. The weight of what they'd done - and what they could still do - pressed down on her, suffocating. She had helped villains. If they asked for her again, she'd have no choice either. She was stuck. Self hatred bloomed into being with such force she almost vomited, only where she was and the company keeping it at bay.

She had no choice but to comply.

If the chance came, she would burn them to the ground.

But looking into the smug face of Tattletale, she didn't feel optimistic she'd ever have the chance.

＊＊＊

A day later, back at base, Brockton Bay.

The room was dim and quiet, the only sound the faint hum of a nearby monitor. Jordan sat in a hard, uncomfortable chair next to the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped tightly together. His dark eyes stayed fixed on his sister's face, searching for any sign of movement, any hint that she was coming back to him. For so long, he had imagined this moment, had worked himself to the bone to make it happen. Now that it was here, his stomach churned with an anxious, almost unbearable anticipation.

Would she remember him? Would everything be… Okay?

Jana lay motionless under a thin blanket, her face peaceful. Her dark hair framed her delicate features, the same hair he used to muss playfully when they teased each other. The sight of her like this - still, fragile, so unlike the bright, bubbly girl she had been - tore at his heart as it did every time.

He blamed himself again for letting her get hurt. As a big brother, he'd failed.

He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he saw the smallest twitch of her hand. Then, her eyelids fluttered.

"Jana?" He breathed, his voice cracking on her name. He shot upright, leaning closer, his hands gripping the edge of the bed as he watched her every move. "Can you hear me?"

Her lashes fluttered again, and her lips parted in a faint, dry exhale. Slowly, so slowly it felt like an eternity, her eyes opened. Those familiar brown eyes blinked up at him, hazy and unfocused at first. Jordan's chest tightened as her gaze roamed the room, confused, before finally landing on him.

"Jordan?" She whispered, her voice hoarse, barely audible.

Jordan's breath caught, and he reached for her hand, clasping it gently between his own. "Hey, kiddo," He said softly, his lips pulling into a shaky smile. "Yeah, it's me. I'm here. You're okay, your big bro's got you."

Her brows furrowed, confusion clouding her expression. "What…Where am I?" She asked, her voice scratchy and weak. "What happened?"

Jordan swallowed hard, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "You're safe," He assured her, his voice steady despite the lump in his throat. "You've been…You've been asleep for a while, but you're okay now. I've got you."

Her hand twitched in his, her fingers curling weakly around his. "The building…" She murmured, her voice trailing off as her memories began to surface. Her eyes widened, her breath hitching. "The building - it was falling -"

Jordan nodded, his throat tightening as he remembered it all too vividly. The sound of the walls cracking, the deafening roar as the roof gave way. The suffocating weight of debris pressing down on them as he'd thrown himself over her, using his body as a shield. The sheer terror of not knowing if they'd make it out alive.

Then the worst part. Bringing her to safety, to heal, only to be told no. To have everything shut on them - any avenue of help.

"You saved me," She whispered, her voice trembling, her gaze locking onto his. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over and trailing down her cheeks. "You covered me."

Not… Exactly how it happened. They'd been separated by the rubble, he'd dug as her cries weakened, fearing what he'd find when he couldn't hear them anymore.

He was no saviour…

Jordan's grip on her hand tightened, his own tears blurring his vision. "Of course, I did," He said, his voice breaking. "You're my sister, Jana. My baby sister. I wasn't going to let anything happen to you." He hated lying, but he didn't want to tell her the truth, in case she'd remember being trapped, alone, slowly being crushed.

He'd lie happily for eternity, go through any torment, to spare her remembering that.

A choked sob escaped her, and she shook her head weakly. "I thought I was going to die," She whispered. "I thought…You were going to die."

Jordan let out a shaky laugh, his shoulders trembling as he wiped at his face with his free hand. "Not a chance," He said, his voice thick with emotion. "You think I'd leave you? After everything we've been through? No way. Big bro is strong." He flexed, getting a quick giggle, "Nothing will ever make me leave you."

Jana's lip quivered, her tears falling faster now. "You…You carried me out, didn't you?" She whispered, and his heart sank.

She remembered after all…

Jordan's gaze dropped to their clasped hands, and he nodded slowly. "Yeah," He murmured, his voice soft. "Yeah, I did. You were hurt, and I couldn't…I couldn't just leave you there. I had to get you out."

Her fingers tightened around his, her grip trembling but firm. "You saved me," She said again, her voice breaking on the words. "You really saved me, thank you Jor."

Jordan couldn't hold it back any longer at her stupid pet name for him. A sob tore from his throat, and he bent forward, resting his forehead against hers as he cried. "I thought I lost you," He choked out, his shoulders shaking. "I thought…I thought I'd never get to see you smile again. Never get to hear you laugh. I've been fighting so hard, Jana. I've done things I'm not proud of, just to get to this moment, to bring you back."

Jana's other hand moved slowly, weakly, until it rested on his head. Her fingers brushed through his hair, a gesture that was both comforting and heartbreaking. "I'm here," She whispered, her voice still trembling but filled with a quiet strength he had no idea where she got it from. "I'm here, Jor, we're a team, remember?"

Jordan lifted his head, his tear-streaked face meeting hers. Her smile, faint and fragile, was like a beacon in the darkness that had consumed him for so long. "I missed you so much," He said, his voice raw with emotion.

She smiled wider, her own tears glistening on her cheeks. "I missed you too, even if I didn't know it." She said softly. "But you're here now. We're both here." Her hand shook a little at the top of his head, but she powered through it.

Jordan nodded, his throat too tight to speak for a moment. He held her hand like a lifeline, his grip firm but gentle, as if he were afraid she might disappear if he let go. "I'll never let anything happen to you again," He vowed, his voice low but resolute. "Not ever. I promise."

Jana's smile wavered, and her eyelids began to droop as exhaustion overtook her. "You're such a sap," She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Stupid big brother…"

Jordan let out a soft, watery chuckle, shaking his head. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it," He said, his tone light despite the tears still glistening in his eyes. "I'm still the same guy who ate all the good Halloween candy and blamed it on you." He teased.

Jana's laugh was faint but genuine, her eyes fluttering closed as sleep claimed her once more. "You owe me so much candy," She whispered, her words slurring as she drifted off.

"Deal," Jordan said softly, his smile trembling as he watched her fall asleep. All the candy…

He'd set his gang on it.

Mass candy heist.

It wasn't overboard was it?

Fuck it, he didn't care.

For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight on his chest felt a little lighter. She was here. She was safe. And he would do everything in his power to make sure she stayed that way.

They'd still have to do testing to make sure everything was truly okay. But first… He laid a hand on her, tugging at Othala's power.

Invulnerability.

Jana would never be hurt again.

Ever.

＊＊＊

New York,

"Hey, hey, hey!" One of the new guys, barely blooded and only tolerated because he could actually cook for shit, ran in waving a newspaper.

"I've got a hangover, be quick or I'll rip your fucking head off." Reaver growled, holding his head and squirming at the fresh meat.

"Pussy." Hemorrhagia sniffed, smirking as Reaver turned her way with a murderous glare.

"Shut the fuck up or I'll rip all your heads off." Quarrell grumbled, the voices in her head on a particular rampage at the moment leaving her temper at an all-time low. She waved at the rookie, "Speak."

He rushed forward with the newspaper, "Found some great news from Brockton Bay, you like news from there, right, boss?" He said, squirming like a puppy, Vee snickering at him.

Quarrell read the article on Apex, and as one the voices in her head quieted down, leaving her instead with a burning need.

"We're going." She ordered, crumpling the newspaper.

Each Butcher was for once in lockstep. Apex was perfect.

＊＊＊