----------------------------------------

Jordan reluctantly sat down on the ratty brown couch in Mai's apartment as she went to get dressed. Wearing only a towel was not conducive to any serious discussion.

Here and there in the apartment there were tiny differences from his own, proof a girl lived here, just small aesthetic changes, and some candles to improve the smell from the moldy apartment building, but he took note anyway, because Jana would probably want something similar.

Not that he intended to still be in this shitty apartment building by then.

The mix of two powers had really thrown him for a loop, things hadn't been quite as instinctive as they had been for Shadow Stalker and Grue's powers, likely because his powers were new, instead of an exact copy - having somehow intertwined with each other.

Because he'd killed both of them simultaneously, not thinking ahead…

He groaned silently to himself, kicking himself for wasting regeneration of all things on the old man, what better power to make sure Jana could survive anything? He thought hard on the question and got the feeling back that if the old man died, he'd be able to hand out regeneration again.

He slumped in his seat, killing someone with constant regeneration was more trouble than it was worth when you also had to take in consideration that his granddaughter was a cape now. One sworn to him for saving his life, which at least would tie them neatly into his service. Which was something at least.

Mai walked out of her bedroom in a loose white Glory Girl merch shirt and a pair of panties, using a towel to rustle her still wet hair, an annoyed expression on her face.

Jordan grimaced slightly, looking away, "Could you please get dressed like… Actually dressed?" He asked. A girl fresh out of the shower with loose skimpy clothes, did not make for a good combination. Well… It did, but exactly the wrong combination right now. This wasn't much better than her in just a towel, if anything this was more revealing.

"Grow the fuck up, this is my apartment, I'll dress however I want." Mai said bluntly, not bothering to sit yet, as she came to stand before him, expression angry as she cocked her hip, one hand resting on it. "Mind explaining what the fuck, now?"

Jordan sighed, "I'm a cape." He admitted. He'd decided she deserved that much at least.

Also I can't exactly explain away her suddenly being a mechanic any other way…

Mai snorted, flicking some wet hair out of her face, "No shit. Tell me something I didn't know, what's that got to do about today?"

Jordan lost his ability to talk for a moment, just staring at his neighbor, "What do you mean you knew?" He almost squeaked out, quickly clearing his throat after, speaking gruffly, "I mean how did you know?"

Yeah, totally saved it…

Mai cocked an eyebrow, looking mightily unimpressed, "Seriously? You change literally everything about your habits and suddenly you're flush with cash, beginning to talk about healing your sister… What else would it be?"

Well… When you say it like that…

Jordan felt a little off kilter, he hadn't even suspected Mai would know, let alone that she'd apparently cottoned on immediately. "Great." He groaned, leaning back and resting his head on the backrest of the couch, "So if you know, how many else do? How fucked am I?"

Mai grinned scarily, the scars on the side of her face pulling taut, "You're always fucked, Jordan." She said, almost commiseratingly, "But no one here knows you or gives a shit, so they don't have a fucking clue."

Jordan let out a small relieved laugh, "So you're just smarter than everyone is what you're saying?" He said teasingly, a relieved smile on his face.

He liked Mai, even as he couldn't make himself fully - one hundred percent - trust her intentions. There was always the sense she'd sell anyone out if it was beneficial enough.

Hopefully his new powerful existence would get her to realize he could actually protect her, and she'd fall in fully with him. He trusted her more than anyone else in this crapsack world.

It wasn't exactly a high bar to achieve - everyone in Worm were pretty horrible people, barring a few rare exceptions.

Mai gave him a two finger salvo as she sat down on the edge of the table facing him, legs spread apart, Jordan averted his eyes, (really did this girl have absolutely no decency!?) "Didn't have to be smart, you're just that fucking dumb, now tell me why the hell I know how to be a mechanic now, and why the fuck you'd do that shit to me without my permission…" Her eyes flashed dangerously as she cracked her knuckles.

She was like a third of his size and not a killer like he was, and Jordan still flinched back slightly at the sight, "It was an accident, it's…" He floundered, trying to figure out how to explain it without revealing exactly how his power worked.

Not until she was at least on the same page as him on what it would mean to know.

Mai raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "Well?" She asked impatiently, crossing her arms. "I don't mind signing up for protection or whatever - but I need to know for fucking what…"

That came as a surprise to him, he'd had the feeling Mai would be dead set against joining a gang or really anyone else. Maybe she trusted him more than he'd imagined…

Jordan had a decision to make, how much did he trust Mai… He looked at her seriously, gaze clinical as he studied her. Mai met his stare, refusing to back down, tilting her chin challengingly. "If I tell you… You'll have to be mine…" He said, stepping out of the little game they usually had going between them, and stepping into the shoes of a supervillain who couldn't afford to take shit from a mouthy girl.

He hated thinking about it that way, but he couldn't take any chances on this, not even with what was really his only sort of friend, in the world.

No one that knew about his power could live, unless they were his loyal minions. Not yet, not while he was still weak, compared to some of the absolute monsters out there. Not when any half decent thinker could find him if given enough incentive to look for him.

Mai eyed him, looking jaded as she cracked a somewhat fragile smile. She rose up, beginning to pull her shirt off, "Fine, whatever, not the first time I had to suck cock to get ahead in life…"

"Whoa! Stop! Seriously, whoa!" Jordan waved his arms, "Jesus Christ, Mai! Not what I meant!" He blustered, looking away, keeping her in the corner of his eye to make sure she actually listened and stopped taking her clothes off.

What the fuck, Mai?

Mai lowered her shirt, fingers twitching, her teeth grinding together as she glared at him, "You said I had to be 'yours' to be let in on everything and get your protection…" She ground out, "If you didn't mean fucking, what did you mean?"

"You'd have to join my gang, that's all!" Jordan said, still not fully looking at her. He probably should have worded that better in hindsight, but he hadn't expected… That.

How does he keep forgetting her past?

He grimaced, looking away, He knew exactly why. Because it's so horrible I'd go kill them all if I think about it too much…

"... Then why didn't you just say so!" Mai yelled, gesturing rudely at him and pacing, running her other hand through her hair, muttering in Japanese to herself angrily.

Jordan had always wanted to learn Japanese, especially since meeting Mai, he was curious what she was always saying whenever he'd frustrate her. Also he admitted that it would be nice to kind of have something to share with a friend.

Suddenly he felt the odd feeling like someone cracked an egg over his head and it was just slithering into his brain. He blanched, he hadn't really noticed before, but he'd felt something similar earlier…

"...Jordan… Why can't I remember how to speak Japanese?" Mai asked slowly, turning his way, her eyes like burning embers from the fires of hell.

He knew now how Japan came up with the concept of Godzilla, they just took the idea of one of their women and said - let's make her taller and give her a tail… Everything else was a faithful reenactment.

Jordan winced, rubbing his head, feeling odd and also guilty, he certainly hadn't meant to do it - he needed to get to practicing with his new power and stop randomly pulling from people, "I don't really have a full handle of this one, yet, it's pretty new." He defended himself, concentrating on giving her the language back, seeing her scrunch her nose up, her eyes going glossy for a moment as the language suddenly slid right back in again.

Or so he assumed, because he suddenly couldn't speak fluent Japanese anymore. Although he perked up slightly as he realized he did feel like he understood some now, just by having held it for a little while.

That's… Good to know. Not as good as getting all the knowledge, but just holding it he could at least get a clue, it wasn't mastery but it was something. He was still a little annoyed at how Victor's and Othala's powers had changed on him, he definitely was never killing two capes at the same time again.

Othala's power becoming permanent - but only once for each - and Victor's only working for him temporarily as he had to give it away, was useful, but not what he'd expected, the synergy between the two managing to fuck him over just right, when it came to healing Jana.

"God that feels weird." Mai said, shuddering slightly, rubbing her arms where goosebumps had appeared. She immediately returned to glaring at him right after, pointing accusingly at him, "That's twice now! Stay out of my damn brain!" She cocked her head, looking at him suspiciously, "Hey… What did you mean with this power?"

Jordan sighed, well, he was going to explain it anyway now that Mai seemed onboard… Even if he wanted to forget exactly how willing she was to be onboard or to get the protection of a cape…

Guess it made sense… She was already doing a 'deal' for the apartment and helping him with his sister for some extra money and additional protection…

He just didn't like it. Didn't like that it was necessary for the young girl to be able to live on her own…

"It's like this…"

…

One explanation later and Mai was sitting next to him on the couch, legs pulled up to her chest, her face pensive.

"This is really dangerous." She said shortly, mulling it over, her eyes taking on a calculating glint.

Jordan grimaced, nodding slightly, keeping an eye on her out of the corner of his eyes. At least Mai would be able to offer a human perspective instead of his influenced one.

Mai ghosted her fingers across the scars on her face, looking thoughtful, "You killed two Empire capes, you killed a dozen of Lungs people in broad daylight, night, whatever…" There was a tone of vicious glee in her voice as she recounted his most recent escapades.

Jordan squirmed slightly, it sounded a lot worse when said like that.

Mai cocked her head, looking at him, still having that thoughtful look, "You need to bring that Korean girl here, you can't leave her in someone else's apartment forever." She said firmly. "If you want to ensure her loyalty sticks, you need to have her amongst us, not off on her own where she can begin to make her own opinions on things."

Jordan blinked, taken aback, "Are you sure, Mai? You're really independent, and having another girl here is going to be a big change…"

Mai gave him a dry look, "If I am to be your lieutenant, putting up one little bitch isn't that much of an imposition, Jordan." She waved a hand dismissively, "Besides, it's temporary, we'll have to find an actual secret location for all of this cape stuff."

Jordan nodded along slowly, his thoughts on the girl and her grandfather, he could probably put the grandfather in his apartment for now, he was used in taking care of a young girl, he could watch after Jana when no one else could, his regeneration meant he could take damage for her and flee with her if something happened… And with Jordan having saved his life and his granddaughter from slavery to be ABB - he was likely as loyal of a guard he could get for Jana.

He needed to find an actual lair at some point, but he'd just started out, he had some time. Mai would likely be better at that kind of thing anyway, she was resourceful and had a sharp mind, he kept forgetting she was younger than him because she certainly didn't act like it.

"Wait, who said you're my lieutenant, and not just a regular minion?" Jordan teased Mai, bumping into her shoulder lightly. Trying to show her things haven't changed too much just because of the new situation.

She scoffed, shoving him away, "You couldn't last two seconds without me, and you know it. Besides, you need a non-cape in charge of things, it's how things are done." She said matter of factly.

Jordan blinked at the surety in her words, "What do you mean?" He asked, curiously.

Mai gave him a pithy look, "You really think you capes are usually doing all the actual work? You dress up and do your circus acts and go in and out of jail, but people like me would run things for you. You'd make a decision, sure, but you're sure as hell not the one making it happen." She sounded pretty disparaging of capes, considering she had desperately clung on to him the minute he offered, "I learned things while in the ABB brothel… People liked to talk, to brag, in-between their fifteen seconds of pleasure…" She spoke of it in a detached way, like there were no emotions tied in with it.

Maybe that was just the only way she could think of it, devoid of emotion. His fists clenched as he once again pondered going after the people that had harmed her. He forced himself to think on what she'd said instead. Revenge would be Mai's choice.

He wouldn't take it from her. She'd already had too many things taken.

Jordan thought about what he'd just been told, and it made a lot of sense, normals would be less likely to be caught up in the usual PRT vs Villain conflicts, wouldn't they? The likes of Lung and Kaiser didn't exactly fight in the heart of their own operation, so their actually important minions were usually not at risk as collateral damage or at risk for arrest.

The minions actually running the normies weren't the ones running around out on the street bullying people after all - so likely not amongst those usually arrested.

It wouldn't surprise him if the people that did the deepest accounting and operational planning for different gangs - were completely divorced from gang life officially, with no obvious ties to them. Except Coil of course - who was a micromanaging douche bag.

Really he was guessing though, based on Mai's words. For all he knew Kaiser did everything himself too, although he seriously doubted Lung and Oni Lee did.

They really didn't strike him as the type to do a lot of paperwork. Lung seemed more like the type that would order something done, and then not care how it got done or by who - just that it got done or someone was getting charbroiled.

"You don't want any powers? I can give you one, and there are other ways…" He asked, not wanting someone he called a friend to be unprotected. Her not having any could be a boon, yes… But he'd feel honestly better if she could protect herself a little.

Mai looked at him dead serious, "No, if you give me a power, I'll fucking kill you. Don't." She said sharply, looking absolutely disgusted at even the idea of being a cape.

Jordan eyed her steadily, before nodding, he wouldn't force anything on her, and she was right anyway, having a competent lieutenant for all the logistics of running a gang - was just as important as having a cape, if not more important.

That said he now wondered even more why she so easily followed him if she hated capes?

Mai folded out her legs, poking him in the arm in a sharp stabbing motion, "Now, my first order as your lieutenant is to get that girl and her grandfather here…"

"I think you got the relationship between boss and lieutenant wrong." Jordan said bemusedly, even as he rose up, getting Sun Hee to move here temporarily only made sense, so he might as well.

"Hold on, I'm not done giving orders yet." Mai said, a small quirk to her lips showing that she was messing with him. "Also take this mechanic shit from me and give it back to whoever you took it from in this building." She said, looking more serious now.

Jordan looked at her, seeing her serious expression and taking in the definite order quality of that particular request, "I can take it back, sure… But any reason you want me to be a good neighbor and give it back - instead of giving it to one of my people?" He asked, somewhat reluctant to let a skill go like that.

Disregarding the fact I can't really say I have people yet…

Mai looked at him like he was an idiot - so not much changed from her everyday look, but he still felt like he was missing something. "What?" He asked defensively.

"Jordan… You killed Victor…" Mai said slowly, enunciating each word clearly.

Jordan nodded, a flash of inspiration hitting him with that clue being smacked into his face like that. He groaned, slapping himself in the face, "Victor is dead, so what will the PRT and the Empire do when some dude in my own Apartment building reports losing a lifetime of skill all of a sudden - after Victor's death…"

Mai clapped sarcastically, a smirk on her face as she leaned back on the couch, "So you can learn, if you're led straight to the source." She taunted, before growing sober, staring at him with a pensive look, "The sooner the better… You don't want him reporting it at all, let him believe he was drunk, that he simply was getting forgetful, or whatever excuse he'll make up…"

"I could just kill him." Jordan suggested, it was definitely something he'd need to think about for the future. Stealing skills before he killed someone, as the skill stealing wouldn't be reported then, couldn't be reported.

Mai closed her eyes, putting a hand to her forehead as she mumbled something in Japanese, Jordan managed to understand one word out of that. Idiot. Well… He now realized that word came up a lot in her Japanese ramblings…

Mai was so mean to him, he wasn't that stupid… He'd managed to get away with killing three capes! Four actually, because no one was chasing him down for Shadow Stalker.

Mai opened her eyes to glare at him tiredly, "You're not killing people in the same building you live. Are we understood!?" She said tightly, looking like she wanted to pick him up and shake him.

Jordan felt like an idiot, not something he enjoyed, specifically as it proved Mai right, "Yeah… I knew that." He muttered sheepishly, telling himself he really needed to not go to murder straight away as an answer to everything.

He wasn't this murdery before he killed Shadow Stalker - fucking shard bullshitery.

Mai slid off the couch, sighing loudly, "I'll check with some of the girls I still have surreptitious contact with, see if I can't find you some place more secure then a regular apartment." She waved him away, with a stern look, "Don't get caught, and don't do anything stupid. No killing anyone randomly!" She said seriously, pinning his gaze with a serious look.

Then she sighed, letting off a small honest smile, "And thanks, for not being as shit of a cape as everyone else in this hellhole." She muttered before turning away, walking into her bedroom.

Jordan wasn't sure what her issue with capes was other than the obvious problem with Lung, but he was thankful he'd have Mai onside as he built his gang, he didn't have anyone else in this world other than her and Jana.

He quietly slipped out of the apartment, having already taken her mechanic skill while she was walking away. He would give it back to the mechanic, and pay particular attention to how, because he didn't need to keep accidentally stealing things just by thinking on it.

Especially now that he'd need to keep any skill stealing pretty quiet or he'd be tracked down from the victims, not to mention the fact how suspicious it would be if Victor was killed and someone else immediately began using his powers.

It would reveal him, Mai was right, he'd been going around like a bull in a china shop, not thinking. Blaming things on Grue was one thing, but he couldn't be too obvious with the powers separate from that.

At least he could literally feel himself grow more confident in how they worked for every time he used them, the power mix up and new iterations of them - slowing down his instinctive learning as his shard/power learnt with him, but he felt it getting better.

Mai would be a good addition for keeping him on track and hopefully not letting his shard nonsense become too bad. Just knowing about it should help too.

Cauldron had Doctor Mother so someone wouldn't be thinking completely with shard brain, he'd have Mai…

At least his normie wasn't completely a bitch.

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2 hours later,

Jordan arrived at the apartment that contained his new cape and her grandfather, having taken his time to get there, taking the pulse of the town as he walked over.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

So far, there wasn't any sign of an erupting gang war - likely meaning Kaiser was still busy figuring out what happened and what his response would be.

It was the calm before the storm, Brockton Bay unaware of just how close the city was to war.

Thankfully Lung didn't seem to be rampaging, which probably meant Oni Lee was still looking for 'Grue' and possibly for the new trigger - if anyone survived to report, or spied it from a distance.

On the walk over he'd stolen a phone and made a throwaway PHO account to send Grue's real name to three cape accounts - destroying the phone after. He made sure he was never near a CCTV camera while he did all of it, in case Dragon would look for the person breaking the rules. He didn't give a shit about the unwritten rules anyway - and it was the best way to ensure people looked for Brian Laborn - not just any big black guy.

Because that didn't exactly absolve him from suspicions considering his looks, if anything it would make people look at him if he kept using 'Grue' as a red herring. Leaking Brian's name would hopefully solve that issue, as no one would suspect a power thief - as long as he kept the powers separate.

He'd sent the details to what was pretty openly known to be Alabaster's PHO account - thankfully not banned at the moment. Racists would be racists, especially online it seems.

And because Jordan wasn't Jack Slash level evil, he'd also sent the same information to Glory Girl from New Wave and Gallant from the Wards. Adding Aisha's information and warning them the Empire already knew and would be coming for her for revenge.

Not that he'd said what they were getting revenge for, only that they were after Grue's family. As he still didn't know if Kaiser would hide Victor and Othala's deaths as 'moving' to the old country or some bullshit to not appear weak - or if he would go on a crusade for their murdered comrades, blaring out to everyone that the Empire lost their healer.

Letting Aisha be kidnapped by the Empire to get 'Grue' back, without warning anyone at least, was a step above how much of a monster he was comfortable being. The teen capes were the kind who'd check PHO often and have notifications on - hopefully they'd take it seriously enough to get Aisha in protective custody in their own attempt to get 'Grue' to come in.

If they failed… Well Jordan had tried, and he wasn't going to lose too much sleep over the failures of the PRT in protecting Aisha. Everyday girls like her died in Brockton Bay, or worse.

If he was going to cry about it he'd never get anything else done. His goal was to protect Jana, not every kid in town. He made an effort to inform the heroes, it was up to them now.

Surely they'd rush over before the gangs did… Especially with how badly run the gangs were.

Honestly… He'd run a gang that wasn't nearly as criminally stupid as these ones anyway if given half a chance. Sex slavery, forced addiction, trafficking, basing yourself on racism and limiting your reach - all of it stupid.

Without a single sex slave, prostitution would still happen from women perfectly willing to do it, drug addicts would always be around looking for a fix, no need to forcibly grab people off the street and shoot them up and grab headlines. Not to mention killing off the people buying the drugs with shit products… Stupid and short-sighted. Trafficking, why? Again, easier and less attention grabbing to use people willing to do the job in the first place…

Besides… He could probably get a tinker power or something, or just Panacea's power - to make safer drugs that would still bring in money but not be harmful to its users. He needed more powers, more money, more influence - so he could eventually get powerful enough to leave this reality.

He knocked on the door to the apartment Sun Hee and her grandfather were squatting in, waiting several minutes before Sun Hee opened the door, his lips twitching at the petulant look on her face. Someone's been getting an earful it seems…

He noticed the grandfather immediately as he entered, nodding at the man who was standing by the kitchen nook. "We'll just have a small talk and then I have a safer space to take you both to, with a friend of mine who can look after Sun Hee."

"I can take care of myself, you know!" Sun Hee argued, somehow wearing some sort of metal band t-shirt in her size, as well as ripped jeans. He really doubted the man living here had clothes for a girl her size…

In the background a loud snort said exactly what her grandfather thought of her statement and she stomped a foot hard, glaring at him, to no effect.

Jordan had other priorities right now then their familial routine. "Where and how did you get those clothes?" He asked suspiciously, eyes sliding over towards the grandfather. Surely he didn't return home…

"I used my power to get some clothes, the ones I had were icky and I can't get home and get my own." Sun Hee admitted, looking guilty and stubborn at the same time.

"What is your power anyway?" Jordan asked, needing to figure out how useful she would be to him. "You didn't seem to have any issues taking down the guy that rented this apartment - despite the size difference…" Let's leave the - how did you get clothes aside for now, giving her crap right now, is not going to avail me anything.

Sun Hee frowned up at him, "Are you calling me short?" She asked, raising a tiny fist and shaking it at him threateningly.

"You're short, deal with it, what's your power?" Jordan asked bluntly, bulldozing over her attempt at deflecting, he knew newly triggered capes were sensitive about it, but the situation in Brockton Bay was only going to get more dangerous and he needed to know now, what her capabilities were.

Sun Hee looked at her grandfather, worrying her lip slightly, before she visibly deflated, looking away from him as she began to talk, "I was surprised and scared when that guy entered, I didn't even realize what I was doing… I… Disappeared into his shadow and I could control him, I… Made him disable himself as much as I could."

Master? That's useful… And fucking dangerous… "So you can control people…" He mused out loud, eyes intent on the tiny girl, "How difficult did it feel? How did the victim react?"

Sun Hee flinched slightly at the word victim, rubbing her arms self consciously. "When I left his shadow he was really confused and it was easy for me to finish taping him up, he didn't even remember anything, short term memory loss gramps called it after…"

This might be really stupid of me to ask, but I need to know… And she probably doesn't have the ruthlessness to take advantage… "Can you take control of my shadow right now?" Jordan asked her seriously, raising a comforting hand as Sun Hee shook her head wildly, eyes wide as her head snapped around to him. "Don't worry, I won't be mad either way, it's just a test, I trust you, Sun." No I don't, but it's a cheap thing to say, doesn't cost me anything…

Sun Hee looked at her grandfather who still stood practically motionless, arms crossed, by the entrance to the kitchen nook, face like it was carved out of granite. Seeing no help there, Sun Hee took a deep shaky breath, and then disappeared, her body dissolving into oily black shadows.

…

Jordan's mind snapped to attention as he suddenly tried to step forward, the motion failing as he was suddenly sitting at the edge of the bed in the bedroom, his half aborted motion was almost enough to send him stumbling forward. "Fucking hell? What happened?"

He glanced around, confused, why was he in the bedroom… He'd been talking to Sun Hee…

Motherfucker! He thought, not sure how he felt about this… She can master capes… Guess that's confirmed now.

He had no memory of what he'd been doing under her control, he didn't even remember being taken over, only their discussion beforehand giving him the idea that's what happened. Stranger/Master? That's a dangerous combo, shadow based because of my presence? Or… Fuck I wish I knew more about shard fuckery.

Sun Hee stuck her head through the doorway, a guilty expression on her face, "Hey… Uh, you all there? All good, nothing scrambled?" She asked, looking uncomfortable.

Jordan wanted to say something disparaging, not at all enjoying the idea of being close to a Master, even if one that was employed by him, but that was just the thing - employed by him. His. So he pasted a smile on his face, trying for the gentle expression he usually saved for his sister, "Hey, no need to feel bad, I asked you to do it, and you did well. You're a really powerful cape, Sun Hee."

Sun Hee squirmed slightly, her cheeks tinged pink, "Ah, thanks?" She questioned, before escaping back into the living area.

Jordan took a slow deep breath to help center himself, and then followed her out, the grandfather busy rooting through the cupboards for something, as Sun Hee nervously stood in the middle of the room.

"So it worked then? Any difficulties? Could you use my powers?" Jordan asked softly, trying to not make it too clear just how uncomfortable he was.

Sun Hee shook her head, looking dejected, "It was way harder, I could only hold you for a few minutes when with the other guy it felt like no problem at all." She admitted, "I freaked out a little at first and turned to shadow… So I think I can use your power if that's it, but since I don't know what they are, I had to guess how to use them."

So she doesn't get instinctive knowledge of how to use someone else's power…

Jordan took that information in, it was still a very useful power, even if any mastering of a cape seemed temporary and only really useful to stop a cape in its tracks - unless she was already intimately aware of what their power was and could turn them against their allies.

His lips twitched slightly at the idea of Miss Militia suddenly turning her gun on the other Protectorate heroes if they came after them - it wasn't a bad thought at all.

Sun Hee played with her hair, in what appeared to be a nervous tick, she's really not comfortable with powers is she? Or is it just too fresh, too close to her trigger event? Jordan wondered, his eyes narrowing slightly as her grandfather gave her a gesture like - get on with it - having found some coffee and in the middle of the process of brewing it.

"Well, is there something you want to tell me?" He asked, with a small smile on his face, "You don't have to worry Sun, no matter what I'll still take care of you guys, you're safe now."

Sun Hee seemed a little more at ease after that promise, some of the nervousness bleeding out of her posture, "Maybe it's easier if I show you…" She said, glancing to a corner, then she was gone.

Jordan blinked, eyeing the old man making coffee in the small kitchen nook, "What's going on?" He asked suspiciously.

Why was I here again? I already healed the old man… Why did I do that again?

As he looked around the apartment, keeping an eye on the expressionless old man as he poured himself a coffee, he reared back in shock, automatically going into his breaker state as the shadow under the table stretched out, materializing into…

Sun Hee!

Suddenly everything came back to him. This was… Like Imp, in a way. She moved into one of the shadows in the room instead of a person - and disappeared from all senses, even memory. Was this really a coincidence? He had shadow powers and darkness powers when he ran into them… Grue… Was Imp's big brother, the one she likely budded from. But he hadn't been around Sun Hee enough for that to happen.

Hell, he'd only had Grue's power for an incredibly short time when Sun Hee triggered thinking she'd seen her grandfather murdered in front of her and that she was about to be dragged off as a sex slave.

Was his presence enough to affect her power that much? He knew, or at least thought he knew, that powers took some insight from those around during a trigger event, but he wasn't sure.

"That's… Incredibly versatile…" Jordan said, some small part of him telling him to kill both of them right now. He'd get his regeneration back for his sister and more ambush powers from Sun Hee, added to her master powers as well - her power was just dangerous.

"I feel like I can move to any shadow I can see, and hide within it, I did it automatically after I was dumped out of your shadow earlier, because I just felt so bad and wanted to hide." She muttered, with a grim countenance, looking at her grandfather. "Gramps told me he couldn't even remember me while I was gone…" She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself, "I really don't like that."

The old man grunted, and spoke up for the first time since Jordan entered the apartment. "Little Sun, too much of girl, need to be happy, it's good power, stay safe." He said, nodding stiffly at Jordan, "You'll keep Sun safe." He demanded stiffly.

Sun Hee looked mortally offended to be called too much of a girl - but kept her mouth shut even as she glared at her grandfather.

Jordan nodded thoughtfully, pushing down the urge to kill them and harvest their powers. "Yes I will. She'll need my help, that's a very dangerous combo that would have lots of people looking to harm her or recruit her to unsavory ends." He thought over what she could do so far, and almost couldn't believe it, because she'd be so very dangerous, albeit not a full frontal kind of cape - she was the more dangerous type, one perfectly suited for Jordan's purposes in crafting a gang.

"So… Is my power really good?" Sun Hee asked, seemingly taking some comfort in at least having a good power, visibly perking up. She looked a lot more like the girl he'd met before, then the nervous one she'd been so far today.

"You're a Master/Stranger… With a little bit of Mover in there as well because of your line of sight teleportation to shadows…" Jordan explained slowly, "Yes you're very good, and very dangerous. Don't let anyone know what you can do."

Sun Hee saluted him smartly, a big smile on her face. "Yes boss!" The hesitant look in her eyes betrayed her; however - she was definitely still uncomfortable. "Umm, I don't know what any of that means exactly…"

Understandable, her whole life had been turned upside down, she'd triggered, the ABB would be looking for her, and she had to count on an absolute stranger. Honestly this could be going a lot worse right now… Like me being murdered by a Stranger worse. So all in all, Jordan had to take all of this as pretty much as big of a win as he was going to get. "I'll tell you later." He promised, absentmindedly, lost in his thoughts.

A from the looks of it - sane and obedient, Master/Stranger/Mover under his control. It was just beyond anything he could have hoped for, he'd honestly expected a tinker from how she helped maintain her grandfather's shop.

Shardfuckery or shardscience or whatever, he didn't care, not really. It happened, how it happened didn't matter now, he'd just have to go with it.

And he'd definitely need to keep them loyal, because the only way to stop her would be to be in an area completely devoid of any darkness or shadows… Possible, yes, but not easy, and certainly not something he'd want to keep up constantly.

Although maybe Grue's power… A thought for later, it might do the trick, or give her even more to work with.

As her loyalty began with her grandfather, the man he'd already saved and ensured wouldn't die soon, he had a good beginning… But perhaps he needed to begin making inroads there too.

Jordan turned to the old man, scratching his chin a bit self consciously, because it was a little embarrassing to have to ask at this point, "Anyway, since we're going to be a team from now on, what's your name, I kind of haven't asked before…"

It would probably be rude to say - because I thought you were going to die anyway, so what was the point?

Sun Hee gave him the - are you stupid? - look, typical of teenagers everywhere, stating authoritatively, "He's gramps!' nodding decisively twice, like that settled things.

Jordan pinched the bridge of his nose, even as the old man began chuckling quietly. "I can not call one of my minions, gramps, Sun Hee… You do know he has an actual name, right?" Jordan asked to double check, because this girl…

Sun Hee chuckled awkwardly, looking away, her cheeks reddening, "Of course I do…" She muttered, refusing to look at them.

This kid…

"What is his name?" Jordan asked dryly. Putting her on the spot. How this kid was apparently a gunsmith and helping run a business, baffled him.

Sun Hee squawked in protest, waving her hands in front of her frantically, "Hey, you're the one wanting to know, why are you asking me!? Gramps is gramps!" She floundered for a moment before triumphantly declaring, "Yoon his name is Yoon, just like me!"

"That's his last name, what's his first name, or have you just been calling him gramps since you were born?" Jordan asked, tone getting even dryer.

Sun Hee crossed her arms stubbornly, her jaw jutting out challengingly, "I already said his name."

The old man just looked at her and sighed loudly, Sun Hee attempting to whistle nonchalantly, badly, at his chiding look. "Ridiculous child." He grumbled, before turning to Jordan, bowing his head, "Han Yoon." He said stoically, introducing himself.

Jordan nodded amicably, "Welcome to the team Han," Shaking his head slowly afterwards, a miniscule smile on his face, as he didn't want to come off as too teasing since they barely knew each other. "You must have had quite the handful with this one," He said, nodding at Sun Hee who was watching them grumpily. "She's what? Fifteen?"

She reminded him a lot of Jana personality wise, and considering Jana's age… He felt he was overshooting it with fifteen, but she didn't look younger than that.

Sun Hee practically exploded at his comment, shooting forward, grasping Jordan by the shirt, crumpling up the fabric with her hands as she shouted up at him, face fully red, "I'm twenty one, you jerk!"

Jordan stared down at her, taking in the cherubic cheeks, the short stature, the (no offense) flat and boyish figure… He glanced at Han, "Seriously?" He asked, letting out a tiny oof as Sun Hee hammered his torso with tiny fists, cheeks puffed up adorably like a chipmunk as she vented her rage at him.

Not really selling the actual drinking age level adult there girl, Jordan thought exasperatedly.

Han nodded solemnly, taking in the scene with the eyes of a man who's seen it all before, "Twenty one years." He confirmed, before his lips quirked just the tiniest bit at the corner of his mouth, "Feel double that, sometimes."

Sun Hee stopped hammering away at Jordan, gaping at her grandfather, "Gramps! You can't team up against me!"

Han stared at her and in complete deadpan said, "What you say, Sun? Deafness bad lately." Even raising a hand to his ear.

"You literally can't be deaf, you regenerate now you lying liar!" Sun Hee screeched, launching herself at her grandfather.

Jordan felt like he needed an anime style sweatdrop right now.

Twenty one my ass… He thought. Birth records or I'm not buying it!

It felt like he'd just brought a circus act of some sort into his service.

He looked at Sun Hee and tried to picture her and Mai in the same room.

Oh… Boy….

This will be interesting…

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Jordan entered Mai's apartment again, Sun Hee trailing behind him, Han safely ensconced in Jordans apartment, boiling a kettle of tea to settle himself while he watched Jana.

He stopped in his tracks, Sun Hee letting out a quiet oof, as she walked into his back.

"Mai… What? How? I've only been gone for three hours!?" Jordan asked, seeing the pile of paper and files on her coffee table, the amount comparable to the size of a cooler. To add to that there were a multitude of different papers pinned to the wall, strings attached to the pins leading to each other in a convoluted mess that must mean something to Mai.

More importantly, it all spelled out how to organize and run a crime family or organization from what he could tell by a quick glance. What the hell, Mai?

Mai scoffed as she flipped through the giant pile in front of her, scribbling something on a notebook as she did. "I was inside a criminal organization with nothing to do between johns, so I put my mind to thinking how I'd run it better, so don't flatter yourself, Jordan." She eyed him seriously, pointing her pen at him, "I had this all written up before I even met you."

Someday I really need to ask more questions about your time with the ABB… Jordan thought, thinking it was becoming a little bit too convenient of an excuse.

"She's scary." Sun Hee whispered behind his back, peeking around him, just to make an eep sound, and duck back again as Mai's gaze switched to the Korean girl.

She isn't telling me anything I don't already know… Mai is definitely scary, who the hell else would think up an entire fake criminal organization as a thought project? Jordan thought, even as he had to admit she was certainly proving her chops as a lieutenant.

"Yes I am." Mai said with a proud little smirk, "So don't even think of trying to fuck us over - you're with us now girl, there's no leaving, there's no lying, there's no hiding."

Sun Hee didn't seem to enjoy that at all, Jordan could feel her tensing up behind him.

…

Jordan blinked momentarily, forgetting what they were talking about, looking over at Mai, "Uh, what we're we talking about?"

Mai looked confused for a moment as well, before she looked down at her notes, her lips thinning, "Sun Hee is a Stranger that can hide in shadows and make us forget her… I'm not sure why I wrote this down…" She grimaced, "Cape bullshit!" She said with disgust, looking around suspiciously, "Show yourself Stranger!" She ordered snappishly.

Jordan stiffened at the warning of a Stranger being in the apartment, darkness wafting of his form as he eyed his surroundings warily. "Mai… Don't panic." He warned, before flooding the apartment with darkness.

There was a loud yelp, and Jordans memories returned to him, he pulled back the darkness, glaring at the pouting Sun Hee, who was splayed haphazardly across the floor. "That was not a wise idea, not with allies." He said harshly.

Mai had snapped the pen she was holding in half, eyes flashing with irritation as she glared down at Sun Hee, "At least we know your power dumps her out, I'm glad you called ahead and warned me of the Stranger ability. A note or any kind of physical information does not disappear as I thought, so we now have two ways to know about her if she decides to be childish again."

Jordan crossed his arms, unimpressed with Sun Hee immediately jumping into her Stranger ability at the slightest hint of pressure. "Sun Hee I understand this is all new, but you can't do that to allies over something as minor as someone glaring at you or irritating you." At least Grues darkness power somehow interferes with hers, good to know, perhaps it will work for her master power as well - I'll test it another time, Mai will lose it if I do that here and now.

"I'm not childish!" Sun Hee declared haughtily, scrambling up from her prone position, trying to play it off like she totally meant to be on the floor, "I just… It's almost instinctual, I felt uncomfortable and I disappeared into a shadow."

Mai pursed her lips, discarding the broken pen, "That's… Plausible." She admitted, trying to soften her expression but with the scars it didn't really work that well, "You'll need to train to where it's only instinctive towards actual danger or discovery." She mused out loud, giving Sun Hee a long look that took her in from head to toe, dragging a notebook towards herself, "Come sit, we'll draw up a plan for how to test your powers, tell me everything you know." For good effort, she patted the couch cushions next to her.

Sun Hee gave Jordan a pleading look, still obviously unsure about the younger, scarred girl that was ordering her around.

Jordan eyed Mai, thinking it over. Picturing himself trying to train Sun Hee while constantly losing memory of her existing - or Mai doing it. "Sit with Mai, consider her your boss." He said, happily pushing the Korean girl towards his friend.

Mai seemed to have things well in hand, so she could explain things and draw a plan for the new girl, while he… He looked at all the papers and files with a long face... Had homework to do.

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Medhall corporation, secret basement sub-level.

Max Anders looked at the message from Alabaster, frowning. It was all a little too neatly done, for his taste.

They'd barely had time to ascertain that this independent nigger Grue, had been behind the Empire's recent loss - and they get his identity and family revealed to them?

It stank of a trap.

He'd already lost Victor and Othala, the loss heavier than any other two capes under him combined. They had versatility, not something that could be said for most of his underlings. And without Othala's regeneration, it would limit their clashes with the ABB due to recuperation times.

Could he afford to risk anyone else in this obvious trap?

His fist clenched as he crushed the phone in a gauntleted fist, he could not afford to leave it alone, even more…

"Krieg, send Hookwolf and his coterie to deal with this upstarts family." He ordered tersely. Hookwolf at least was hard to put down no matter if it was a trap or not.

"Full treatment or anything special?" Krieg responded immediately. The man undaunted with their loss, already he was pushing Gesellschaft reinforcements - like Max could not see the strings all over such an offer…

Max eyed him, thinking over what would work best to make a point to Grue, without letting the whole world know of their predicament. "Have him make an example out of the father, then… Bring the girl back, I'm sure the men can make a convincing argument for her to reveal everything she knows."

They'd let Grue know they had the girl of course… Eventually. Force the cape to meet them at their terms so they could deal with him. Perhaps seeing his broken and used sister would make easy work of him - those of his kind were weak willed anyway to begin with.

"Make sure he takes Cricket and Stormtiger. I don't want any failures in this endeavor, Krieg." He ordered clippedly, turning away from his subordinate, mind turning to ways to lure or conscript a healer to their side.

Without Gesellschaft involvement.

…

Dallon household,

"Holy shit!"

"What is it, Vicky?" Amy asked without any inflection, barely paying attention to the TV or her surroundings as she just… Sat there.

The last few days had just been a bit… Much. Carol in one of her moods.

"The Empire is breaking the unwritten rules if this tip I got is true! Going after a villain's kid sister!" Victoria Dallon, aka Glory Girl, said in astonishment and visible anger - as she floated above the couch, fingers typing frantically on her phone.

Amy frowned, wouldn't be the first time… She thought uncharitably, "So it's a villain, who cares?" She couldn't muster the emotion to worry about some villain and his family, they made their choice.

"Ames, it's his kid sister, she's like 13, and black, and it's the Empire!" Vicky admonished her, putting her phone away, a stubborn look on her face.

Amy felt kind of bad now, knowing it was just some little brat, but she also knew that look on her sister's face, "You're going, aren't you?" She sighed.

"Yeah, I have to, I already texted Dean, he got the same message too, he says they're sending Assault and Battery." Vicky said, giving Amy an apologetic look, "Sorry to cut hanging out short Ames, but I really need to make sure this kid is safe."

And punch Nazis, no doubt, Amy thought, dully. Before she could do more than open her mouth to respond, Vicky had already flown off to change into her uniform.

Amy sighed, not sure why she'd expected different. The one night she could spend time alone with her sister without Dean or heroing or her parents getting in the way - and this happens.

At least Vicky will be in a good mood when she gets back. She tried to think optimistically.

Punching Nazis always made her happy.

She sighed again, slumping into the couch, unseeing eyes barely registering the show she wasn't watching. I wish I could punch some Nazis, she thought, feeling a bit of aggravation at the fact she couldn't help Vicky.

Couldn't be by her side…

…

Coil's base,

Coil narrowed his eyes in thought, somewhat lambasting himself for not securing the girl before this.

But then in any kind of scenario he'd pictured going forward - he'd never expected Grue to go off the reservation like he had.

Had the Empire provoked him somehow? But then why hit the ABB?

Both the ABB and the Empire going from a cold war footing to a hot one was too early. He didn't have everything set up to take full advantage.

He'd still make do, but it was frustrating to have his plans disrupted to such an extent by a small time independent, especially one he'd already scouted out and had been confident on how he worked. Either his information was faulty, or something truly strange had happened to Brian Laborn.

He pondered the problem, there wasn't really any way for him to get a clean victory here. He was too caught off guard by Grues uncharacteristic actions, his power not as useful after everyone has already begun moving.

Not to say he couldn't get something out of this, he always could, but he was unused to being caught off guard to this extent.

Aisha Laborn would not be taken by his mercenaries, it was too late for that - so the solution was to let the PRT have her, so he could get her in his grasp later.

He split the timeline, in one, he sent his mercenaries to intercept the Empire, creating an incident that seemingly consisted of two rivals running into each other and getting into a scuffle - nothing anyone would look twice at.

Creating a timeline where the PRT have no contestants for Aisha Laborn, seeing how they react to that, what kind of protection they put in place.

In the other timeline, he alerted one of his moles in the ABB of the situation, that the cape that humiliated them as well as his family - were being pursued by the Empire and that the ABB would lose out to their rival.

He sat back, pleasantly surprised when not only Oni Lee, but Lung himself set out to ensure they got their own pound of flesh. They were closer to the apartment building, so the Empire's lead wouldn't mean much.

Either the Empire would be slowed down by his people in one timeline - or they would be caught in a fight with Lung that might whittle down the cape population in Brockton Bay further in the other. Either way there should be no issues in acquiring Aisha Laborn for himself after the PRT sequestered her away.

Coil followed both timelines with rapt attention, while he continued on his plan to capture Grue. He'd see which timeline presented the best avenue forward for his own possession of the girl. It would also be useful to get a better picture of both Lungs and Hookwolf's capabilities, even if he'd likely not keep that timeline.

He'd have to find someone else for the Undersiders obviously, Grue was too hot for that job now.

But once he had Aisha… He could use Grue as an independent agent, one that the gangs hated, one that he could use as a simple tool, until he had no use anymore.

What would Kaiser give me? Or Lung? If I deliver them Grue, once I have finished with him? He thought, already seeing it as a foregone conclusion that he'd acquire Grue.

He'd already done his research on Brian Laborn.

He would not abandon his sister. Especially not if Coil provided incentive.

Even when he was put on the backfoot by people behaving illogically, everything would still turn out how he wanted it to, he thought smugly.

He smirked slightly under his mask, as in one timeline, Hookwolf and Lung clashed, while in the other, his men were delaying the Empire with hit and run tactics.

In either one, the PRT and Glory Girl for some reason - was spiriting the girl and her father away for him.

With my power… I always win!

----------------------------------------

3 am, Cedar Pines long term care home.

Jordan slipped through the hallways in his breaker state, having entered the building by phasing through the door, and continuing likewise for any patient rooms he'd needed to access.

Telling Mai everything might have been the best choice he ever made. After a single day of thinking on it, she'd immediately found a way for him to steal some skills surreptitiously. Even if he only had three minions right now, there were plenty of skills that could make them more effective - and he'd already shown he could keep several skills - in transit - so to speak, in his head, before he passed them on. He'd tested it out with Mai and Sun Hee before giving the stolen skills back.

He now had a slightly better idea of Japanese, and could understand a few Korean words from Sun Hee.

… Was he making an Asian gang? That… Wouldn't be taken well by Lung.

As annoyed as Mai was at him poking her brain again. She saw too many benefits in testing things out to complain too harshly. And had immediately sent him out for more skills once she'd explained what she'd found out.

So here he was, at one of the four long term care homes in Brockton Bay. He was honestly surprised there were even that amount. With 350 000 people give or take some, he'd somehow expected that people just died in Brockton - before getting old enough to end up at this kind of place. Or at least in enough numbers that they wouldn't need four homes with hundreds of people in each.

Maybe he just had unreasonable expectations, civilians died all the time in Brockton Bay canon, but that had been in the fast paced disaster that was canon - and they weren't there yet.

People still died due to the gangs, drugs, illnesses and everything, of course, but not to the extent later events would achieve.

Having mostly seen the poorer parts in Worm canon - he'd never put much thought in the richer being able to afford homes like this to store their old and comatose.

Mai had researched everything for him. There were quite a lot of coma patients spread around the long term care homes - as the hospitals did not have enough room for them. Even with Panacea working, there were too many sick and injured always taking up space in the hospitals, due to the general poverty and crime infested state of a lot of Brockton Bay.

Panacea couldn't clear out every sick person in Brockton Bay, or every injured one - not even close. And with her stance on brains, lots of comatose people got stored away.

It was like a smorgasbord for him, he had to force himself to follow Mai's instructions, only taking skills from a few of the old folks that could still move, letting their age and general forgetfulness cover for their loss of skills. There was nothing wrong with old folks losing memories after all. Now if he did the entire home that would be noticeable. Which Mai had told him numerous times, very sternly, while glaring at him.

It was like she didn't trust him to hold back. At least with the comatose people he didn't need to hold back at all, even if they woke up at some point later, it wouldn't be that much of a stretch that they'd forgotten things.

Jordan phased through another door, finding a room with another comatose patient. By now he'd done enough of this he didn't accidentally set off his power anymore, and he reached out and poked the man with Victor's power, getting a feel for the skills the man had accumulated during a lifetime.

A doctor huh? Well it wouldn't hurt to give Han some knowledge in medicine, give us all a trustworthy doctor. I'll have to track down a surgeon and pediatrician as well, Jordan thought as he stole the man's hard earned medical skills.

Disappearing into the night again without anyone aware.

He had three more homes to hit, and with any luck…

He'd even manage to convince Mai to accept some of the more useful skills.

She couldn't be entirely against cape powers, she fell in with him easily enough.

Maybe she'd just had no interest in being a mechanic?

Surely programming or martial arts or something would entice her?

Maybe he could find a psychologist and give the power to Sun Hee or Han and have them talk to Mai for him.

He imagined that briefly, and discarded it just as quickly, it just wouldn't work. Mai wouldn't talk to someone she didn't trust.

I'll find some way of ensuring Mai takes a skill or two from me…

He'd feel better about it all if she owed him one.

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