They did it. My two minions were able to do it. They proved to be capable enough to be trusted to follow orders without issues. I use my free time to look through the database and learn a little bit about the movers and shakers in Quinstin: four Heroes’ Union Cape squads, a BNA facility with its own cadre of Neuvohumans. There are five major criminal organizations or gangs that have Neuvohumans, and then there are the unaffiliated Capes and Cowls. One of my goals is to usurp one of the five Cowl groups and absorb their territory and members. Quinstin is a hotbed for Neuvohumans and a buffet for me. Vivienne is on her way over to deliver me to my awaiting feast.
I feel Vivienne pull into my driveway through the connection I have with her power. Once mine, always mine. I picked out a pair of charcoal slacks and a matching dress shirt for tonight’s outing. My mask is inside my bag. There will be no combat or fighting of any kind tonight—just gifting abilities to Kai and Isaiah and then fleshing out some more plans. Once I have Kai under my thumb, we can begin to experiment and test the limits of my power. Besides my research, I made a new list of a few powers that would be synergistic with some of the current abilities I hold. As I walk out the door, I see Daniel working on something in the living room.
I look at him, and nothing stirs inside me. I’ve been wondering if I would feel anything for my father, but I don’t. He’s a genetic donor and nothing more. Two strangers tied together by blood but with no relationship between them. If I could feel sad, would I be? Maria doesn’t particularly like her parents, but she loves them regardless. Will I miss him when he passes? Daniel is a zombie with a mission. He’s lived every day since his wife died with the goal of getting me to adulthood. On March tenth, I will turn nineteen, and his white knuckle vigil will be over. He doesn’t say anything or even look up when I leave.
Vivienne’s spotless white SUV sits in my driveway. I get into the back, and she pulls away from my house silently. She’s waiting for her review. Truth be told, she did great. Both of them did. All the headlines refer to Vivienne’s outing as a bank robbery gone wrong that destroyed the entire street. There is no mention of a partner or any ideas about an ulterior motive. I don’t doubt that someone is suppressing the fact that Tramp and Callback are missing. It doesn’t even matter to me. The fewer people that look into this, the better. I should get into the habit of doing debriefs with her.
“You did amazing today, Vivienne. I couldn’t have asked for a better performance from you,” I said.
I give her a small smile, and it might be one of the first genuine ones in my entire life. There’s no need to pretend. Vivienne is the only person I even slightly care about. It isn’t romantic love; it’s affection for a friend or relative. I haven’t seen Maria yet to test if I feel anything for her. I told her that I just needed a couple of days to decompress. She took it quite well, happy that I was telling her the truth. There have been no more outbursts or threats from her since that night. My girlfriend is back to being her regular self, and she hasn’t brought up the party once. Focus on the present, Eryk.
“Thanks, Nobody. Sorry, Eryk. I’m glad you consider that a success, and I’m happy I got to fight Tramp. She was a great opener for Quinstin, and I’m looking forward to our move now,” she said.
“Good, you did well. It’s great to see you taking my words to heart, Vivienne. You are too powerful to struggle against nearly anyone. Together, we’re going to accomplish so much. And tonight begins the start of something bigger than both of us,” I said, activating my helmet. “What did you think of Isaiah’s performance?”
Vivienne goes quiet, thinking it over. I want her honest assessment, but not a knee-jerk reaction. “He’s a quick-thinking problem-solver with zero hesitation while carrying out a plan. Normally, I’d say this would be dangerous, but he’s so loyal to you that he wouldn’t do anything to mess up your plans. He’s an asset. At least, that’s what I think,” Vivienne said.
Astute and concise observations. Vivienne’s already different from when I first met her. I’ve been saving Lee Daeshim’s power to give to Vivienne if the experiments prove to be a success. I’m not particularly attached to any of the powers or personality pieces I’ve collected. Isaiah has more than earned a place at my side. He deserves a reward. Any one of Dynax, Tramp, or Callback’s powers would be lethal in his hands. Slowly but surely, I will make a Neuvohuman force devoted to me.
“Your thoughts mirror mine. He’s shown competence and loyalty. When we arrive, Isaiah will receive his reward. It’s important for our reputation and our goals that we follow a set of rules and standards. We need to show that we reward those who succeed. It sets a precedent for our organization that will remain as we grow,” I said.
“You want our company or whatever to have a good rep. I get it,” Vivienne said.
That’s one way to simplify what I said.
----------------------------------------
There’s a black pickup truck parked at the warehouse when we arrive. Vivienne tells me that Isaiah stole it to use as a getaway vehicle. There’s that resourcefulness she told me about. There’s a baby blue Porsche behind it, which Vivienne informs me must belong to Kai. Without needing to be told to, she thought ahead to what I would want. I’ll be able to check off a few tasks tonight. Tonight needs to be a spectacle. Make it clear that bestowing an ability means something and that it’s an important ceremony. Vivienne gets out first, and I follow behind her, projecting power. I channel politicians with my posture, mixed with the swagger of a dictator who knows they can’t be deposed. Kai has seen me injured, weakened, and near death. Kai sees Nobody as a man and human, but Nobody isn’t either of those. Nobody is a being of single-minded focus. Kai will see Nobody in all his detached glory tonight.
Kai and Isaiah are sitting at a fold-out table covered in bricks of cocaine and talking. Isaiah is wearing clothes, a marked improvement from the last time we were together. He puts a lot of effort into his outfits, and it’s a point of pride for him. Kai’s wearing a lab coat with the sleeves ripped off, no shirt underneath, black latex pants, and heeled boots. His hair is done up in a messy bun. I look over Vivienne and then myself. We dress for functionality, and the other two dress to make a statement. Vivienne has done well with her modifications of the building. Every opening has been covered and then reinforced with metal sheeting. These warehouses are truly humongous, and with all the crates gone, we have so much space inside. Off to the left side are five people trapped inside a tangled, sharp mass of metal. It looks like an expensive art sculpture you’d find at a museum.
The five individuals inside are all unconscious but for different reasons. The two Capes, Tramp and Callback, have severe burns all over them. Vivienne did a number on them. The Cowl couple is in better shape. Punch has a broken nose, and his wrists are limp and bent incorrectly. Diminish isn’t hurt at all, but she’s drooling over herself. The final captive isn’t involved in the business of Capes and Cowls in any capacity. It’s unfortunate for Mr. Constanos that he lives in the same region as me and is a Tinkerer. Phillip is unharmed and sleeping peacefully. Isaiah must have drugged him to get him here quickly. Where is he getting the stuff? Isaiah stands up immediately when I walk in, but Kai stays seated. Even now, he is not giving me the respect I deserve. I don’t expect a salute or anything. I’m not running an army; I’m running a business.
“Heya, Nobody. Vivienne says tonight, you’ll make all my dreams come true,” Kai said coyly.
I ignore him and ask Vivienne about the drugs.
“I figured we could use it for more seed money for you-know-what,” she responded.
She’s starting to predict what I’ll want and just do it without being told. This is why Vivienne matters. “Good thinking, V. That will certainly speed things up,” I said.
Isaiah and Kai come over to where Vivienne and I are standing in front of the prisoners. I take my right glove off and touch Phillip Costanos’ cheek. My power activates, and Kai looks confused. Isaiah and V both understand what I’m doing, but I know it looks strange to the doctor. The details of the Tinkerer’s ability fill my head, along with what else I’ve stolen from him. The drones can be made to follow vocal commands, remote controls, or some basic routines. They cannot have multiple professions; a surgical drone cannot also be a defense drone. The personality piece is an aversion to seafood. So I can even take something like this?
Moving on from the older man, I take Callback and Tramp’s powers next. I touch both of them and absorb their powers at the same time. Thanks to the database’s extensive files on the two, I know both of their abilities inside and out. The personality pieces, however, are a welcome surprise. Tramp’s gift is pride, while Callback gives me compassion. Compassion, like joy, is a flavor of emotion that I’ve read about but never understood. Neither emotion is relevant to my current situation. It remains to be seen if either will be a hindrance or a benefit. Still, I’m happy to collect more. People are people because of their faults, not in spite of them. My feast continues with Punch and Diminish’s powers becoming mine as well. Kai, Vivienne, and Isaiah quietly stand there while I make my way through all five.
Diminish and Punch both represent the type of wasteful Neuvohuman I keep running into. The two Capes were pushing their powers to the limit of what was possible with them. In contrast, the two Cowls aren’t using their gifts efficiently. Diminish has no limit or range on the objects she shrinks. Once she’s shrunk an object, it stays that way until she undoes it. She could’ve used that to keep a getaway vehicle on her at all times. The database had incomplete information on the male Cowl. It’s no surprise, considering his lack of motivation or ambition. Punch only fires his kinetic projections in straight blasts and from his palms. He can curve the blasts, and they can come from any extremity. He could fire ten smaller blasts from each of his fingers or elongate kicks with the power. Instead, the two worthless junkies use their abilities to steal and rob in order to buy drugs. I will accomplish so much more with both powers than they could have ever hoped.
The personality pieces the two Cowls gave me aren’t good. Punch’s aggressive temper and Diminish’s anhedonia now fill me. This is going to be like Davis’ rage all over again. Except instead of random outbursts, it’ll be beneath the surface at all times. That bitch’s fucking disease is now infecting me as well. I’m poisoning anyone I give this to. Joy, curiosity, and affection are all basically nullified by her—all the work I’ve done to fix my own condition, destroyed by a sad little druggie. My hand’s already moving before I realize it. A right hook crunches her cheek, and she wakes up screaming. Even after Kai’s surgery, I’m still a large man, and she is a frail, tiny thing. Kai, V, and Isaiah are shocked by the sudden attack on the captive woman. The screaming wakes up everyone else, and they all start struggling against the metal holding them—all except Phillip, who seems lost and frightened. Gradually, the prisoners realize their powers aren’t working, and that causes even more yelling.
“Isaiah, give me one of your guns,” I said, forcing myself to speak calmly. I refuse to be controlled by the impulses of two unstable people. That outburst has already soured the image I’m calibrating. I need to push past this. He hands me one of his pistols without hesitating and then backs up.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Callback and Tramp’s pained groaning, Diminish’s whimpering, Phillip’s sobbing, and Punch’s threats form a cacophony of noise that grates my brain. My temper is like a pot threatening to boil over. The safety is already off, and I don’t bother with a speech or a threat. I place the gun against Punch’s chest, around where his heart is, and pull the trigger. My arm is braced for the recoil so my hand doesn’t buckle from the kick. Diminish’s life ends the same as her partner's. Tramp and Callback are so fucked up by Vivienne that they don’t even react to the gunshots. The civilian toymaker is muttering a prayer under his breath as tears roll down his wrinkled face. He doesn’t beg, plead, or argue. The first Neuvohuman I’ve met who wasn’t involved in the grand game of Capes and Cowls is handling his end far better than anyone else I’ve killed.
“Please, all I ask is that you don’t hurt my family,” Phillip said, looking directly at my helmet.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said quietly.
Phillip twitches at the sound of the voices from my helmet, and I shoot him in the head when his eyes are closed. This is the only mercy I can offer him—a quick death and letting him pass without fear for his family. A bullet between the eyes is as much compassion as I can give. I hand the gun back to Isaiah and address my audience. My hand drips with the blood of the five people I just assassinated. This is only the beginning. So many more people will die before my aspirations are realized.
“Now that that’s taken care of, we can move on to celebrations. Isaiah, you exceeded expectations and have proven to be both committed and resourceful. You have more than earned your place here. Take my hand, Isaiah. It’s time for your reward,” I said.
I used the trip over to decide on what ability to give Isaiah. This will be the second ever power I give to someone. I don’t count Vivienne; it was only returning what was originally hers. The perfect power to give him is one that will mesh well with any future powers. One that’s tied to a personality piece I won’t mind losing. He clasps my hand, and I start the transfer. Vivienne knows what I’m doing, but nobody else does. When the timer ends, Isaiah’s eyes roll back into his head, and he drops to his knees. Unlike Aubrey, he doesn’t pass out, and he puts his hand out to stop from falling over. Kai looks at him, then at me, and fear flashes across his face. He just watched me kill five people and then bring a man the size of Isaiah to his knees with a touch. Good, understand that I am someone to be feared and respected.
I approach Kai, and he steps back slightly. Fear is an acceptable response to impending doom or pain. However, I have no use for those who recoil from the unknown. I ignore the doctor’s internal plight and hold out my hand for him to hold. Isaiah sways to my right, then his eyes shoot open, and he looks at me with a mixture of wonder and reverence. Dynax’s power is in your hands, along with the late man’s fierce loyalty. You have gone from a pawn to a knight, Isaiah.
“Nobody, thank you for this gift. Whatever you want, I promise to do everything I can to see it to fruition,” Isaiah said.
“Oh, I know you will. Now, stand up and get used to the new feelings you're experiencing. You should understand everything about what just happened, but if you need something clarified, let me know. Now you, Doctor, I made a deal with. Grasp my hand, and my promise will be fulfilled. Don’t falter, Kai; this is the finish line,” I said. My helmet’s voice changer makes the words echo out in the empty warehouse.
Kai swallows the lump forming in his throat but steps forward and grabs my outstretched limb. You and I will learn everything there is to know about my ability and the effects it has on others. Thinking of Phillip’s Tinkerer power, I channel it into Kai. He doesn’t react to it as it’s happening. When I take from a Neuvohuman, they are subconsciously aware they are losing a part of them. There doesn’t seem to be anything from the passing of a new power onto someone. After the last second ticks away, Kai screams in pain. He collapses to the floor, unconscious. Isaiah didn’t pass out, but Kai did. Just like Aubrey, it appears that Tinkerer powers require extensive changes to the brain of the receiver. We’ll have to see whether there are physical changes to the brains of Tinkerers.
“Um, what’s happening to him?” Vivienne asked.
“He’ll be fine,” I answered.
“That’s why you had us abduct these five. And the reason for the secrecy, the cloak and dagger of it all, is because you’re able to steal and redistribute abilities to other people. I understand what letting me in on the secret means. I appreciate the trust, and I won’t betray it, Nobody,” Isaiah said.
“Damn right, you won’t. Hotpants, I like you. But if you cross us, I’ll bury you.”
“I gave Kai the toymaker’s Tinkerer ability. From the limited sample size of people to whom I’ve given powers, both who received Tinkerer powers passed out. I believe it’s due to the massive influx of knowledge they receive upon becoming a Tinkerer. We have a couple of hours before he wakes up. So it’s best if we use this time to go over a few things. Let’s sit down over there,” I said, motioning toward the table.
The three of us take a seat, with Vivienne and Isaiah sitting across from me. With a table full of cocaine between us, this looks like a cartel meeting. Isaiah pulls a bank bag from under the table and lays it on top. He unzips it, and inside are stacks of banded bills. I do a quick count of the money. So Vivienne collected the remaining coke from the gang fight, and Isaiah nabbed the money from her fake robbery. Brilliant. There are twenty kilos and around one hundred thousand in cash. Adding in the ten bricks I have with the heist money brings the total to one point six million dollars. That’s an incredible amount of money to be bringing to Quinstin.
“First, I’d like to tell you about our purpose in doing all of this, Isaiah. I aim to create an organization that is too big for the Heroes’ Union or the BNA to topple. I want to leave a mark on history, unlike anyone who’s come before me. Neuvohumans spend too much time playing heroes and villains with their colorful costumes and dramatic showdowns. I’m not talking about building a gang or a crew; I’m talking about creating a company. And through this company, I want to own Quinstin. I want to have my tendrils in everything that goes on in that city and get a cut of the Cowls and the Capes business,” I said.
“I said it before, and I meant it. You are fucking crazy, Nobody, but I like crazy,” Vivienne said.
“Sounds interesting,” Isaiah said.
“Oh, it will be. We need to find a wholesale buyer or a distributor for the cocaine. It amounts to around one and a half million dollars, and we’ll need it for Quinstin. The current plan is to purchase property in the city to use as both money laundering and a base of operations. From there, we'll branch out into legitimate businesses and create a trail of clean money from which to pay out everyone who works with or for us,” I said.
“Taking over Quinstin won’t be easy. They have a sizable population of Capes and Cowls, dangerous ones too,” Isaiah said.
“I’ll crush every single one of them beneath my boot. Titania, Apollo, and whoever the fuck else gets in our way,” Vivienne said.
“If Quinstin is what you want, you’ll have it, Nobody. Are we waiting until Kai and Rorschach have joined before we start?” Isaiah asked.
“We have several things to accomplish before we can comfortably move. We need Rorschach firmly on our side, which is why you two are going to help her get her revenge. Santiago needs to die, but not before he tells Rorschach he killed Murmur. That’s why I’ll be sending both of you with her. I don’t care what happens to his gang, but he absolutely cannot be allowed to live,” I said.
“You aren’t going with us?” Vivienne asked.
“No. He can’t. Because he’s Nobody and Nobody doesn’t exist,” Isaiah answered.
“You’re so smart, Hotpants. You instantly deduced our leader’s intentions. Why, I don’t know if I would’ve figured that out without you to explain it to this silly little lady. Do you think that maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t talking about Nobody’s desire for secrecy? That maybe I meant I’m surprised he doesn’t want to kill Santiago himself,” Vivienne said.
Isaiah flusters at her accusation. She isn’t stupid. Mistaking her for a brute is a grave miscalculation for anyone to make. You’ve been useful, Isaiah, but I’d pick her over anyone in the world. He quickly regains control of himself and puts both hands up placatingly.
“I meant no offense, Vivienne. Forgive my rudeness; I didn’t mean to insinuate anything. I was hasty in my eagerness to answer, and that’s on me. Sorry,” Isaiah apologized.
Vivienne doesn’t even say a word to acknowledge his apology. She waves as if to say all is forgiven. Vivienne started an argument and ended it just to establish dominance. She effortlessly enforced her place as second in command. She has a knack for subtle manipulation. If Isaiah is a knight, then Vivienne can be a queen.
“I’ve been forced to be active and visible in order to lay the groundwork for my goals. But I am not built for fieldwork. Once Kai wakes up, he’ll realize that joining us is the best option for him. Rorschach will soon follow. The four of you will be my eyes, ears, hands, and feet. You will know I exist, but no one else can. Kai and I are going to be experimenting and learning everything there is to know about my ability. There’s nothing wrong with ignorance by itself, but when it is willful and self-inflicted, it becomes a disease.”
“Yeah, stupidity is bad. So don’t leave a girl in suspense, Hotpants. What’d he give you?”
“I’d be classified as rank three Bruiser. My strength, speed, and regeneration are multiplied. Working out is going to be four times as effective, and my body can run on a quarter of what it normally requires. Every part of my body is enhanced, even the part that didn’t need it,” Isaiah said.
“Ew. That means you can take a punch, and that means we can spar. Get your ass up, and fight me. Tramp was the first person in a long ass time that could give me any kind of fight, and even she couldn’t hurt me. Show me what you can do now.”
Vivienne walks over to an open area of the warehouse and kicks her shoes off. She unzips her hoodie and throws it on the floor. Adopting a defensive stance, she beckons at Isaiah. Vivienne will not let him weasel out of a fight, and Isaiah isn’t the type to anyway. He takes his beanie off, unbuttons his shirt, and unlaces his boots before he removes them. He towers over her, but all three of us are aware that she is by far the most dangerous. Isaiah cautiously circles her, looking for an opening.
Isaiah explodes at her with a burst of speed like an Olympic runner. A punch so telegraphed I see it coming, which means Vivienne has no trouble avoiding it. She ducks under the attack, rotates her body a hundred and eighty degrees, and kicks straight up into his arm. He grunts in pain, but that’s the only noise. She can’t break the limb. His body is tough and resistant to blunt force damage. Bullets and knives were ineffective against Dynax. I wonder if Isaiah could somehow train his skin to be tougher. Something similar to tempering. We need to test the limits of his body’s natural healing.
The two of them continue their fight. Isaiah brings an axe kick down on her. Vivienne dodges left and starts counterattacking. She throws out alternating kicks aimed at Isaiah’s ribs: left, right, left, right, left, then left again for the mix-up. Vivienne isn’t holding back at all; she’s hitting him with her full power. They just aren’t doing anything against Isaiah’s newly empowered body.
Just as I think that she needs to transform, she does. Her skin glows bright white, and her hair sparks into flame. The glowing woman starts growing as black rock encases her body completely. Each piece of her is bigger, and she stands three feet taller than Isaiah. The two of them have exchanged dozens of attacks but not a single word since the fight truly began. Now, round two will start. Vivienne's grin glows white orange. The two continue their dance, except now V is the one leading. Isaiah gets in close and smashes an uppercut into V’s chin. His hit barely moves her head and she remains grounded. Isaiah crosses his arms to defend Vivienne’s chop. The concrete cracks beneath Isaiah, but his guard holds, and he doesn’t fall. She feints another overhead smash and kicks Isaiah in the chest. He turns the tumble into a flip, transitioning into a leg sweep that knocks Vivienne off her feet. She slams into the floor, causing further damage to it.
Vivienne springs up and jabs Isaiah in the face. They trade hits, neither bothering to block. All pretense of defense is thrown aside. She respects strength above all else. She craves an equal but is probably afraid of breaking him. Isaiah is calculating and efficient when it comes to violence. He’s more like me than he is Vivienne. Neither is going all out. Good, I’d hate to have to find replacements if one died. The punches continue to rain down, the thump of skin against rock, and vice versa. As the fight lingers in a stalemate, Vivienne’s blows begin to burn Isaiah. Isaiah jumps backward, away from Vivienne.
“I give up. These pants are expensive, and they are not flame-retardant. I don’t mind sparring, but not at the expense of my outfit. We’ll call this one your win, but I’ll be used to my body next time,” Isaiah said.
“Fine, Hotpants, but I’m gonna hold you to it,” Vivienne responded.
He trades promises for a future fight for a ceasefire now. How politically savvy of him. Vivienne ends her transformation as the two grab their discarded clothes. I hear mumbling from Kai as he stirs. It actually was faster than it was with Aubrey. While the two of them put their clothes on, Kai pushes himself off the floor onto his knees.
“You did it. You gave me my wish. Are you a god or some kind of demon? It’s in my brain, the knowledge, and so many ideas. There are endless possibilities. I need to build. I need to create. It’s amazing. You weren’t lying; you made me a Tinkerer,” Kai rambled.
“I held up my end of the bargain and made you a Tinkerer. But it almost feels like an unfair trade, don’t you agree, Kai?”
I crouch down to Kai so my helmet is directly in his face. He jolts a little when I place my hand on his shoulder.
“Some would say that what I’ve given you is worth far more than a few pieces of Tinkertech and employment. Some might even give anything for the slightest chance of gaining powers. I’d bet some people would even kill for it. I’m talking about actually trading a human life for the infinitesimal possibility of becoming a Neuvohuman. But that’s just what some people might say or do. What do you think it’s worth, Kai?”
“Uhh. Umm,” Kai mumbled.
I’ve driven a man with such a loud personality to silence. You can’t back down now, Kai. Where’d the flirty, confident doctor go? I killed a father, a husband, and a beloved toymaker for the power you wield. Are you going to invalidate that?
“You don’t seem to have any idea of the cost of what you’ve been given. Doctor, I gave you your one wish; I’d say the least you can do is help me. I’m not the type of person to keep score or lord favors over someone, so I’ll offer you the chance to change our agreement. Join me as more than just a doctor or surgeon. Join me in changing the status quo. Join me in pursuit of greatness. Decades from now, I will be spoken of in the same category as great conquerors and kings. Immortal in name and accomplishment. I will leave a mark, a scar upon this world that cannot be forgotten. You and the others that join will rise with me; my ascension mirrored within your own. I am Nobody, but I will not remain one.”