“Knock knock!”

My eyes burst open like eggshells, the bright light of the day embedding itself through my fractured orbs and into my brain like hot pokers as the yolks ran from the empty sockets. Disorientation and panic swirled around my mental drain as I filtered back into the real world.

Eyes slowly went down the wall to the wide beam of sunlight illuminating not only my stacked crates, but the petite figure of the technician, eyes a glowing green as she stood with hands on her hips.

[Why are you in my home?]

“This is barely a home, Mr Dubs. We’ve already established this is a terrible kill room as well, unless you intend on murdering someone here?”

Re-breather whirred as I exhaled, my blinking eyes not able to shuffle away the dry pain currently gripping at them. Instead, I stared at her.

[I’m… considering it.]

“Well, if you sit up, then I have something to wake you properly - if you trust me.”

I was secretly hoping it might be a harpoon to my temple, or some manner of drug to make me sleep an extra day or two. That said, I did trust her - she had jumped into the role of being my physician and technician with gusto, and I couldn’t let that enthusiasm go to waste.

Shuffled up to a sitting position on the edge of the floor-bound mattress, a dull pain radiating through my left arm - but it didn’t collapse under my weight. I closed my eyes as Clara stepped in front of me and started palming around my neck. Cannister popped out, and she pushed a new one in.

Almost immediately a spike of cold shot through my system, as if a dried plant was suddenly given life-saving water. My eyes opened again as she stepped back away, some of the ache in them gone already.

[What wizardry is this?]

“I took a couple of your canisters and put them in the ice-cream freezer for a bit. You’ve been giving yourself the equivalent of lukewarm water all this time, Mr Dubs. Hardly refreshing.”

With a grunt, I rubbed at my face. The edges of my waking mind were still screaming out for rest, but the bigger part had settled on being awake and functional.

[Isn’t that what you drink?]

“Your arm is mostly healed, but you shouldn’t put too much strain on it - otherwise you will fracture easily again. Once you are ready for the day, I’ll take your splints off.” She gave me a nod before turning on her heels and striding out of the open door.

I allowed myself another slow sigh - one of many for the day; I was sure. Roxy warned me to not let the techie boss me about, but I didn’t have the strength to argue right now. She was keen to get me training today, which seemed like a strain on my abilities - but as she could see my health status, I figured she wouldn’t cause me harm knowing I had to work this evening.

A thought that had me closing my eyes again. The credits for each kill were reasonably middling for a villain, probably to encourage me to kill more than one. Going against a nearly full team of super powered criminals seemed a bit of a stretch of my role.

Then why was I looking forward to it?

With a grunt, I stood to my feet and stretched out. Most of the wounds accumulated from the day prior were now healed over, aside from a weaker arm. Last time that I had overdone the stims I was near death already, so it not only hit harder but the recovery was worse. Other than the threat of a headache, I felt… alive, to some degree.

Might have to steal that freezer back from Roxy once she was done with the ice-cream. Cooled canisters were something I didn’t know I was missing from my life. Could say that about a lot of things recently, in fairness.

Stepped out into the sun and immediately regretted it. Turned my aching eyes to see the techie sitting on one of the deckchairs, chewing through part of what looked like a stack of plain bread. Now wearing a wide summer hat to shade herself and her laptop, I hadn’t realized before that she was wearing shorts and a t-shirt - quite the difference to her usual work-adjacent outfits.

“I apologize for waking you, Mr Dubs. Roxy doesn’t usually like me to stay over, as I am aggressively energetic in the morning, which most find unpalatable.”

While I nodded, I turned my head to see that the training dummies had been set up in a square, about ten feet apart.

[You moved those? They are reasonably heavy…]

“Did I mention the annoying amount of excess morning energy? Imagine if I hadn’t done that first? Here, this is for you to read, Mr Dubs.”

I took the glossy book that she handed over to me. The early morning Clara was very full-on, so I now understood why Roxy had to warn me about her bossiness. Given her slim and short frame, the show of strength was impressive. Of course, even I paled in comparison to Roxy. I brought the catalogue up and frowned at it.

Essentially a gun-nuts wet dream. Firearms, ammunition, and accessories - the Public Defender catalogue had it all.

“As soon as Roxy mentioned her new neighbor had a gun-arm, I went and got my license so that I can legally order from there.” Clara tapped away at her keyboard. “Find something for me to bring you tomorrow, Mr Dubs.”

[That’s… incredible foresight, Clara.]

“Often foresight is just knowing what future you want to forge, and pressing reality into the shape you require.” She looked up from her device to raise an eyebrow at me. “Only took seeing the look in her eyes when she mentioned you to know what I had to do.”

I sat down beside her, being careful not to knock into her pile of bread. Catalogue on my knees, I lifted the goggles up from my eyes, wincing slightly.

[Well, thank you.]

She paused to watch me look out toward the city for a moment, her head tilting to the side. “I’m sorry if I come on too strong sometimes, Mr Dubs. I’m also somewhat of a social misfit and have an awkward way of expressing platonic affection.”

[It’s fine, Clara. I understand the intent behind what you say. You’re not interested in me in that way, and I see you more of a… little sister?]

“It’s better that we avoid sibling comparisons, Mr Dubs. Would make the unintentional and baseless flirting rather weird, especially when I lay it on hot and heavy for Rockslide.” She gave me a wry grin as she lifted a slice of bread and took a bite. “But I’m glad you understand, Mr Dubs. Wouldn’t want to lead you into thinking you had a chance with me.” Her attention turned back to the laptop while she chewed.

I flipped through a few pages of the catalog, barely even focusing on the contents. I respected the bond the two women had. Although, it was amusing to think the super’s awkward attempts at flirting were with the full force of Clara putting her all into playing matchmaker. The techie just had to pin us down in the same place and apply enough pressure for things to come naturally to a head.

[We’ve been rather loose with comms lately. I feel we are asking for trouble.]

Clara twirled the crust of her bread around while her other hand typed away. “Want me to tell you a secret, Mr Dubs?”

[I’m all ears.]

She looked at me and tilted the brim of her hat up. “So I hear. All the better to kiss supers with. Soon after the League assigned Rockslide to monitor you, they put me on the tech side of things. I was soon replaced after the housewarming party, due to my new role as your… everything else.”

[Oh. But now they have someone else in that role, surely?]

“Naturally. But like usual, the flesh is the weak point.” She gave another coy smile and turned back to the screen. “The man in charge of listening to us is rather lazy, and currently not on shift. I left a few backdoors in their system to notify when and how they are keeping an eye on us. The additional methods yesterday were because you can never be too safe - especially when you were exposing yourself to us, Mr Dubs.”

I grunted and scowled off to the horizon, not really focused on anything in particular. There were so many layers of this that I had no idea about, nor any control over. I supposed I should be thankful that the pair were on my side, just because the super thought I was cute and Clara wanted her to be happy?

Didn’t seem enough to want to go against the League of Heroes. Fair enough if they were desperate for a way out, but it was a lot to risk everything on a loner cyborg hitman. In saying that, I realized the irony of my own desire to split from Boss and try to make something of my life with the super.

[You’ll tell me when they are spying on us, if we are talking about things we shouldn’t?]

Clara gave me a side-eye, not willing to fully address me. “You won’t like this, but I’ve interfaced with your vocalizer so that I can mute you in such circumstance.”

[You are correct, I’m not sure I like that.]

Now she turned to me, the green lights of her eyes reading my face. “Do you trust me not to take advantage of you, Mr Dubs?”

[Yes.]

“Perfect. Go strip down to your shorts so I can record you hitting the training dummies.”

[Hmm. For what purpose? Planning on sending something to Roxy?]

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“I have sensor pads that need to go on bare skin. If I can record your biomechanical data while you are in combat, I may be able to discern combat improvements and upgrades to your suit and tech.” She wrinkled up her nose. “I wasn’t planning on doing full video recording, unless you are giving consent for me to do that to share with her?”

Fingers tapped on the page of the catalog. Perhaps I’d have a proper look later when my mind had time to settle. There were a lot of useful things in here, although it was… generic? Didn’t have any of the more exotic ammunition that I was keen to get my hand on. I stood up and plopped the glossy mag back on the deckchair.

[I consent.]

In truth, I had a little uncomfortable feeling in knowing that Clara could mute me. Not that I didn’t understand the intent of it, and I did trust her to do things with my best interest in mind… I just wanted a little more of a heads up. It was nothing but a mechanical switch, in a way. Just on and off - she wouldn’t be able to make me say anything or activate my gun-arm because they were synapse controlled. One of the benefits of cybernetics compared to robotics.

Stepped into my shack and removed the super suit. Would probably get into a new one after my training, although if I could convince the techie to allow me a bath, then I would be clean and fresh for the events of the evening. Murder.

Compression shorts and boots were quite the look. I stretched out and flexed. Would probably have clocked I was more than a baseline human if I had seen my physique on the regular. Lean muscle, although I had quite the frame. Given that this was from no training aside from combat a couple of times a week, if I put the effort in, I should bulk out a little.

Back into the sunshine and Clara had moved the deckchair closer to the grouping of dummies. Small case beside her, which she opened up as I walked over.

“Almost as pale as Rockslide, Mr Dubs. We’ll do this quick so you don’t burn up.” From the case, she withdrew a pack of small black discs, one side more metallic than the other. Shuffling her laptop off, she then stood on the deckchair and began sticking them over me. Chest, arms, stomach, back, legs.

[This sparks a familiar memory.]

“Yeah?” She gave me a pat on the back to let me know she was done. “It’s possible this isn’t your first time, Mr Dubs. This will bring up a wireframe version of yourself on my device where I can track your movement, speed, and flexibility. From there, we can analyze your fighting style, weaknesses, and key points to train.”

[And… the cameras?]

“I’ve put a small one on each of the dummies. Figured I’d spend my evening making a real cinematic compilation for Rockslide. Jump-cuts, slow motion, and I have already shortlisted several appropriate background tracks.”

I went and stood in the middle of the four dummies. Thick, rubberized things with the rough approximation of a head. Several wrapped metal poles extended from their cylindrical torso to act as weapons or arms to strike or pretend to block.

[Given the effort you put into things, I would hate to be your enemy.]

“I have no enemies, Mr Dubs.” She paused and frowned. “Other than Charles Tilley.”

[Do I need to kill him?]

Her expression softened, and she sat to place the laptop back in front of her. “Perhaps I’ll give you the exposition on a day where offering murder isn’t your primary response. I appreciate it though, Mr Dubs.”

That might be a while then. While some of my edges were softening, part of me felt that just made me more aerodynamic. A nuclear bomb. The sharp edges had been cutting away at any resistance until I could hit… hmm, I was beginning to believe there was an end target. A conclusion to my existence.

At her signal, I fought the dummies. I feigned loading shells and pushing the trigger, intertwining use of my gun-arm between striking and blocking the static arms. Twisting between each of the four, I found myself focusing more on my footwork to ensure I kept in range between each imagined kill move. Clara didn’t interject at any point, and any quick glance I gave her, she was just focused on her laptop.

Eventually, I slowed. Clicked the trigger to blow the brains of the last of my imagined opponents, and then lowered my shotgun to catch my breath back.

“Amazing, Mr Dubs. If you could just give me a heroic pose real quick?”

I straightened up and puffed out my chest while putting my hand on my hip. Hadn’t gone too hard with my healing arm - and wasn’t allowed to use the gauntlet. Somehow the weapon had gone undamaged from Roxy’s kick, but it was the metal plates absorbing the strike that had determined the points where my arm broke. Without it, I probably would have only had the one snap, although it would have been even worse than the several smaller fractures.

“Perfect. Even has your sweat glistening in the sunshine. Rockslide is woefully unprepared for this masterpiece, Mr Dubs.”

[You got some good data, too?]

She gestured me over with her finger, and I went to sit beside her. Clara turned the laptop screen toward me and hit a key.

A green wireframe version of myself went through the motions. Text and numbers ran up and down the side of the screen, occasional blocks of it turning yellow or flashing red before returning to green. She pressed a key and the four stationary targets were replaced by eight, and the text turned light blue as the stick-Dubs then went to fight the additional dummies as well.

[You can simulate my fighting capabilities now, against any number of dummies?]

“Not just against dummies, Mr Dubs.” She pressed a sequence of keys on the laptop and the eight stationary targets vanished to be replaced by another wireframe figure. The fact that this one was colored orange instead of green made it clear who it was meant to represent.

I watched as the orange one struck the green one, who subsequently exploded.

[Statistical chance of me beating Roxy next time?]

“Depends on how serious she fights, Mr Dubs. I have calculated your chances as 20% success if she still has reservations… if she goes all out, then we’re talking low single digits. However, the chance of your accidental death goes up dramatically in that instance.”

[How annoyed will she be if I win again?]

Clara closed down the simulation and took her laptop back, folding the screen down. “As much as I like to wind her up, I will be coaching her to ensure she wins. This is the only circumstance where I could accept you losing, Mr Dubs.”

I nodded, but wasn’t too sure how viable such a thing could be. Not the duel with Roxy - but just in general. I was bound to get injured tonight, and my contracts were only getting more dangerous. A soft kill-switch as Boss tried to retire me into the ground, I was sure. Would only take a misstep for a wound to become something more fatal, and super soldier or not - I was still human. Needed to tilt the scales in my favor more, now that I had been graced with allies.

[Are you able to… get information on the League’s villain database?]

The techie stood and started to pluck the sensors from my body, putting them back in the small case. “Any search on said database is logged, if certain villains were to turn up as bloody piles straight after being looked into…”

[Understood.]

“However…” She gave me a wry grin as she double-checked me for any missing pads. “The database has both a local and remote backup daily and weekly. If I syphoned off a copy of the weekly distribution, then I could self-host an air-gapped version that would be untracked - at the cost of being slightly out of date.”

[That sounds risky.]

“Are you the only one allowed to take risks, Mr Dubs? My primary interview with Mr Jarl is in three days. My heart is already on the line - what else could I lose?” She clipped the case closed and put her laptop on top of it. “Go get your clothes back on, and we’ll head into the city.”

I nodded, and we briefly parted ways. Some irony in me getting the gang-affiliation scrubbed from my motorbike right before going and killing off some of said gang. Wasn’t much I knew about the rest of the Five Eyes other than… oh, now it came back to me.

The reason the wizard had shown up here was because Roxy had jailed one of their other villains… a cyclops if memory served me right. The other three I hadn’t heard of, but going against multiple supers was a force multiplier. I’d have to hope I could pick one or two off on their own, otherwise I’d find myself hard pressed. Probably into a shallow grave.

Another cog clicked into place as I remembered Roxy saying there had been a jail break yesterday. Seemed too convenient to not be the Five Eyes gang member, so I should prepare to face four tonight - plus any henchmen.

Fully suited up, I brought the bike back into life and rolled it out in front, to the road leading to the city. Clara pulled up next to me in her van and chucked me something from the open window. Another chilled canister.

Had only known this woman for a couple of days, but was pretty certain I would kill or die for her.

Perhaps not such a strong statement given my usual disregard for my own safety and the laws against vigilante work.

I led the way into the city, Clara following behind. Something about the super suit made me feel… more authentic. Technically, I was close to being an official sidekick - so I had every right being out and overtly in public during the daytime. Still got looks for my cybernetic modifications, but that was only natural. Turns out that lurking away in the miserable shadows had been pretty dismal for my self-confidence. Now I felt… real.

Pulled into a side alley, where a run-down repair shop looked to be on its last legs. A portly man in greased overalls turned his gaze away from the newspaper in his gloved hands to look at me. Expression soured as soon as he clocked the bike.

[Terrible day for rain, friend.]

An eyebrow raised, and he gave me a knowing nod. “Fuckin’ ‘ate rain,” he grumbled, and gestured to the open space in the garage.

I moved the bike inside and dismounted, the man over by me holding up a digital invoice. No itemization, fifteen grand. A steeper cost than expected, but scrubbing crime away out of the prying eyes of the cops and League lined the pockets of those willing to risk it rather well. I should know.

Paid and left, the shuttered door descending and closing off the shop just as soon as I was back on the sidewalk. That put a dent in today’s earnings, but at least would prevent me getting jumped by random gangs every time I graced the city. Just to be certain we hadn't caught that kind of attention already, I checked both directions on the street before getting into the passenger side of Clara’s van.

She plopped the Public Defender catalogue back on my lap. “Get me an order ready, Mr Dubs, and then you should get some more sleep before tonight. Maybe a nice bubble bath and nap in the spare room?”

[That feels like I’d be taking advantage.]

“Ask Rockslide first. I’m sure she’s been at the edge of her chair awaiting a message from you, Mr Dubs.” She gave me a soft smile and started the van up. She was back in her slate gray overalls, a slim tool belt around her waist.

//Dubs: Roxy, do you mind if I borrow your bath?

//Roxy: Go for it. How’s your arm? x

//Dubs: Weak, but functional.

//Roxy: Get enough rest for later? x

//Dubs: Barely. I’m only awake as Clara might start taking me apart if I slept any longer.

//Roxy: She been working you hard? x

//Dubs: Nothing I can’t handle… although I was also going to ask if I could nap in your spare room?

//Roxy: Of course. No need to ask - although warning me is a good idea.

//Roxy: I won’t be back until late, but make yourself at home x

Might not see her until the morning, then - assuming I survived the night. Shame. Not that I had any plans to die, but now I had the extra pressure of trying to avoid upsetting or letting down these two.

[I have been given her blessing.]

“I’m sure she’d like to give you more than that, Mr Dubs.” Clara maintained a neutral stare out the windshield as we turned a corner. “Our dutiful watcher will be on shift in a handful of minutes. You will receive a notification on your lense when it is unsafe to be loose with your tongue.”

[Just how far have you been prodding into my tech, Clara?]

“Balls deep, Mr Dubs.” She shot me a glance. “I have very few passions or desires in life, but I give my all to the things that matters. Your consent is important, so please tell me if I ever overstep a boundary. There’s just so much potential…”

[I trust you, Clara. You just want to…]

My sentence tapered off as a red dot appeared on my lense. Eyes on us. The first part of what I said was all that was important, anyway. Her upgrades would turn me into a more efficient killer. I was also confident that she wanted to make sure I came back in one piece for Roxy.

//Clara: Send me the details of your contract.

I gave her a glance before settling in to picking out things from the catalogue for my first order through her. After surviving tonight, I’d put something in with Hal too. Sharing my mission with the techie was a large step in our current relationship. Roxy kept far away from it, seeing as she was a hero with the League. Clara was willing to risk the organization hitting us with the stick to offer me the carrot of knowledge in regards to gaining some advantage over my targets.

As the city faded away, and the bloom of the wastes filled the front of the van, I found I was willing to take the risk as well. Something about the setup felt right, like…

A twinge in my head knocked that thought away. I was starting to believe a pain in my skull signaled some of my old life trying to claw back in. Didn’t make it easier to understand what it was trying to recall, and I was too exhausted to jump to conclusions. Wouldn't want to break any legs.

Roxy’s house rolled into view, and the thought of a real bed relaxed my tense muscles. But even if it was a magical experience, I still wouldn’t be top form for my contract later.

My condition didn't matter. There were no sick days in my line of work. Just the constant hunger to struggle and win out.

Tonight I would kill through a group of supervillains, and earn my fill.