CHAPTER 5: WORM

I woke up, feeling that I was flying to somewhere. Before I had time to open my eyes, my body fell into ice water and began to sink. This is the beginning. I tried to use magic or chakra, but naturally I discovered that both types of energy do not obey me. Water flooded my throat, and lungs twisted with pain. I was drowning in the icy darkness, panting and losing consciousness. And then ... time seemed to stop.

I felt some kind of infinitely powerful Entity extending a tentacle of friendly help to me. It attached a part of herself to me and began to broadcast incomprehensible signals in the mental range. If I were not a specialist in telepathic communication, I would take only vague images from this message. But I was an expert, and therefore I could understand what this little animal is talking to me about in its Swahili.

I was offered to take patronage over the shard allocated to me and teach him some way of interacting with the material world. The main principle of influence was set at the very beginning at initiation. And the maximum impact force was limited only by my ability to control multidimensional phenomena.

Well, the control I have even with ass to eat. I also ruled with magic and chakra, and tied my soul with a knot, and Bahion drove through myself. So, as they say, give two. And better give ten at once.

The Entity blinked and increased the size of the sacrificed piece tenfold. I extended my mental tentacles to it and severely raped it, penetrating all the holes. So, what we got here? Yeah, initiation. Well, it's simple. I need to immediately escape from under the water. And it is also desirable to then receive at least some benefit from this force. So I take telekinesis and do not steam. The limits of maximum and minimum scale of exposure are limited by the level of control. The distance, by the level of total force of the shard. I think to name as “symbiont” is more suitable instead of “shard”.  And now we will try to figure out how much I can control this rubbish, not too much bothering myself with the process.

Grabbing control over the symbiote, I demanded more. And further. AND FURTHER! In general, at the end I reminded myself of a ghoul that attacked an elephant. Blood still gulp and gulp, but another sip - and I just tear to pieces. That's what greed brings. I swallowed and broke away from the free source of power. While the symbiont was just beginning to be developed with its separate existence, therefore, the strength and accuracy of the impact left much to be desired. But now I could use my new abilities to survive.

Time has returned its run, and I rushed up. The water above me was boiling and burst out in a high fountain. Following her, I flew. Turning upside down, I got rid of water in my lungs, cleared my throat, and gasped. After a minute, I realized that I was almost alive, and therefore I could look around.

I hung in the air next to the bridge crossing the river. The height here was not so big - five meters. The bridge itself had a steel truss structure and was painted red. The latter, however, was almost imperceptible, because it was night outside. It was also cold, wet and dirty. If the donor of my body thought to drown here, then he chose an extremely vile place to die.

I scanned through the memory for new memories, but I couldn't catch too much. Okay, then I'll figure it out. I leaked to the bridge and stood on the sidewalk. There were no cars visible, from the lighting there was only one lantern on the left side of the bridge. So where to go? I had to force a merger with the identity of the former carrier.

I was in the city of Brockton Bay, in its southern part. They called me ... uck! Being! My name was Bivitz Swine. Name to get nut. Not surprisingly, the boy decided to commit suicide. I was 15 years old. I lived alone in a one-room kennel near the docks. Mother was a prostitute, and therefore preferred to live at the place of work, in a brothel. Well, there were more cleaner, and do not need to make cook. I studied at the school of Winslow. I was a typical sucker and scapegoat. I was not addicted to drugs, because all my pocket money was taken away by my classmates, drug addicts. Perfect, even though I was lucky. In general, the life of this body was still shit.

Okay, with the past figured out. Now it's time to think about the future. Firstly should start by changing the name. I think Bon Jovi will be just right. Or not, better than Quentin Tarantino. But no, something Italian is better - Eros Ramazotti. For sure! My face looks like him. Resolved!

My further thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of a police car, which stopped right in front of me.

“Boy, what are you doing here?” A patrolman, looking out of the window, suspiciously asked me. “Decided to drown?”  He suggested, looking at my pitiful wet look.

“No ... this ... help.”

“What?” The policeman who has already opened a car door and is going to get out was guarded.

“This is Cape.” I thought hoarse.

In this world it was full of all sorts of freaks with supernormal abilities, which during the day pretended to be human, and at night they put on pants on their heads and worked all kinds of lewdness in the name of the moon. Or is it not from here? The memory of Bivitz mingled with my earthly memories, creating a temporary chaos in my brain.

“What are the Cape?”  In the voice of a policeman flashed notes of fright, and his foot went back to the car.

Instead of answering, I with telekinesis scooped up water from the river, lifted it from the back of the bridge behind the backs of the officers who had hatched me, and then poured unexpectedly dirty liquid directly onto the car.

“Get out of here!” shouted a cop. The tires of the car shrieked, and the car fell off, gathering a hundred in three seconds.

“Save! Help! Killing me!” I shouted followed, holding back laughing out loud.

The valiant guardians of the law last flashed the parking lights and disappeared around the corner. Yeah, servants of the law.

I looked at the memories, took to the air and flew home, looking for such unlikely reference points. Fifteen minutes later I got to my huts, undressed and got into the shower, warming myself up under hot jets of water. Relaxing in a familiar and unfamiliar setting, I was able to put my memories in order.

This world was familiar to me. On Earth, I read something about him. The problem was that it was not an original story, but some excerpts and retellings. In general, I knew about the whole story less than Bivits. He lives here since birth. So from the point of view of knowing the canon, I did not have any advantage.

Now for the game itself. From the description of the Being it becomes clear that I need to grow from my symbiont the most powerful and versatile creature. What's next is not entirely clear, but for now this is not critical. So it is worth doing my own efforts and developing them as much as I can. And in order not to be bored, I can become one of the caps.

By the way, the word cape itself had an interesting meaning. Initially, when people with supernatural abilities only appeared, they preferred to hide their identity behind long hooded cloaks. Hence the name "cape" - a cloak. But besides this, the given word was consonant with the word "cap", abbreviated from "captain" - the captain or, according to local classification, a hero. Heroes, of course, quickly divided into heroes and villains.

With my Russian origins, it was easier for me to call the caps as masks, especially since there was such a definition. When a whole crowd of people dissecting cloaks, the unique mask becomes the easiest way to show off and make a name for yourself.

As for my personal goals, there everything was difficult. I needed to regain control of magic and chakra. Also, it would be nice to return to life in the form of vritras. Here are just a couple of simple experiments showed that magic in this world does not work. More precisely, magic works as expected, but any way to organize its interaction with reality one way or another rests on an obstacle of an incomprehensible nature. However, I have a suspect - the very Entity that gave me a symbiote. Already its strength is enough to neutralize all attempts at magic emanating from aphids like me. A short contact of the consciousnesses made it clear that this animal is comparable in size to the planet. In general, while it is worth slowly dealing with the situation and planning next steps.

I got out of the bathroom and found that wet clothes, lying in the hallway, made a decent size there puddle. Consciousness was twitching behind a rag and a mop, but the body stubbornly stated that he was too lazy. It was necessary to turn on the brains, and after a couple of seconds, clothing and water were picked up by telekinesis. The water went into the toilet, and lightly pressed clothes into the washing machine. I went to sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening.

In the morning I was awakened by the sound of an alarm clock indicating that it was time for me to go to school. I had decided to score, but after ten minutes my mother called and in the ultimatum form reminded that without visiting the school pocket money is not necessary for me. In order not to arouse suspicion, I had to go to this abode of knowledge. Moreover, the lessons did not prevent me from thinking about my own problems, and besides, the school had free Internet, in which someone was wrong, that urgently needed to be fixed. In other words, I was going to hang up on the masks forums.

I did not consider myself Bivits, and therefore I forget the rules of behavior and movement in school that he had adopted. This is not slow to affect. At recess after the third lesson, when I was returning from a hike to the cafeteria, I was suddenly grabbed by a throat and dragged into a small nook, for some unknown reason, the builders had planned. This place was considered as "bandit corner", and therefore the people tried not to walk here. Some, so as not to fall under the distribution, and the second, so as not to interfere with distributing to others. In addition, the school management completely ignored the fact that the surveillance camera in this corridor was not working for the third year. So the events in this corner were forever a dirty secret of those who managed to get here.

“Bivits, you are bitch spend my money in a cafe? ..”

The unexpected racketeer could not continue, because with telekinesis I accelerated my fist and slammed him into the relaxed drug addict stomach. The body of the unlucky extortionist twisted like a shrimp, and I stepped over it and went on. The memory told me that this is Kevin - one of the instigators of the local gangsters. It was he, who delivered the most problems to the previous owner of my body.

The lesson went as usual, and then the school crept rumors.

“Did you hear that? Someone killed Kevin.” Stephen whispered to me. He could not be called my friend, but at least he did not refuse to communicate on different topics.

“Kevin? That freak from eighth B?” I clarified, remembering, whether I have got somewhere on a camera.

“Exactly. Someone overheard a doctor talking about his body being examined. He was hit in the stomach with such force that he broke his spine.”

Hease! Am I that strong? However, at that time I was least thinking about limiting the force of impact. On the contrary, I wanted to punch so that it came once and for all. I guess I did. As they say, there is no man - no problem. And my conscience does not rot, because to call this geek a man is to flatter him very much.

“Yes, he was a drug addict.” I waved away. “Surely the dose with someone not shared. And relative to the spine. If he had been hit with such force, then the whole corridor would have been splashed with guts. By the way, did you go see what happened there?”

“Not yet. Let's go see?”

“Come on.”

I returned to the crime scene and looked at him from behind the curious schoolchildren. The corpse was already covered with a sheet, the passage to the crime scene was blocked with yellow tape. Nearby stood a pair of policemen, driving away annoying schoolchildren.

“There is no blood.” I issued my expert opinion. “So all this is bullshit. I bet for ten bucks that he died from an overdose.”

“He was a drug addict?” Suddenly asked a man in uniform who was behind my shoulder. Judging by his appearance and the suitcase in his hands, it was the investigator.

“This is Winslow.” I replied, passing forward. “Here one half of the students are heroin addicts, and the second is just smoke drug that as necessary from time to time. Only I am normal here.”

A joking blow from Stephen flew to my side.

"Hey, I'm normal too."

“It is still necessary to prove. Go here. There is nothing interesting here. I can look at the blind man's buffs on TV. Or find pictures in the internet. Saw what a hangman looks like?”

So quarreling, we returned to the classroom. The bell rang, and the curious began to disperse, allowing the investigator to do his job. To my surprise, no one conducted a special investigation into the death. At least I have not heard a single word about someone being interrogated in connection with this event.

After serving the eighth lesson, I walked home with a cautious look. And again ignored the Bivitz ritual for the safe evacuation of the school. Moreover, I brazenly pushed the crowd of schoolchildren standing in my way. A heavy hand immediately fell on my shoulders, and someone's smelly mouth began to whisper in my ear with the voice of a professional pedophile.

“It's Swine. Well, say: oink oink.”

“Looking for relatives?” I clarified, trying to throw off his hand. “No, I'm not one of them.”

“What did you say? Come on. Guys, we need to teach this nerd good manners.”

I was literally picked up by the arms and dragged to the nearest alley, carefully covering from all sides from the cameras and bystanders. I did not resist, because the quiet, deserted place was exactly what I needed. A couple of dozen guys formed a good crowd. I was surrounded by the tallest of them, so I only saw their sweaty backs and the sky overhead.

Ten minutes later, we finally stopped, and the crowd dispersed, giving me the opportunity to look around. It was a narrow alley between two brick walls without windows. On the one hand, a dusty road was visible, covered with scraps of grass, and on the other hand, it was either a dead end, or a turn, littered with garbage. Nearby was the drainage grate, in which water was clearly murmuring. The ideal place to waste someone, and then hide the ends in the water.

I did not become like a heroes of third-rate fighters, and therefore I missed the stages of intimidation and showdown, immediately turning to the bloody orgy. With telekinesis, I grabbed all those present and squeezed them so that there was no opportunity to shout. After all, in order to shout, you must first get air into the lungs. The gangsters were wheezing and rolling their eyes in horror, and I was wondering what I should do with them.

The example of King Vandal, who established a golden age in his kingdom, inspired me to follow in his footsteps. I live in this city. Therefore, it is worth clearing it from any marginalized, proletarians, lumpen and illuminati. And it is worth starting from the school of Winslow - a hotbed of drug addiction and racism. The individuals gathered in front of me were the "best" representatives of these social groups. More specifically, it was a gang of nationalists under the patronage of the Empire of Eighty Eight.

The fate of these scums of human society was decided at the moment when they attacked me. Bivits saw more than once how this gang snapped of individual "lucky ones", and then those at best remained disabled. And often completely disappeared into nowhere. Now these animals were waiting for righteous reward.

After a couple of seconds, I figured out how to crank up this operation. Having seized one of the bodies with telekinesis more feasibly, I began to crush and rotate him from feet, turning him into stuffing and right there sending waste to the sewer. The victim tried to scream, but quickly gave up on these attempts, because the area of fragmentation reached the lungs. After five seconds, no trace of the person was left. Only a few bills, taken out of pockets, hung in the air. They no longer need money, but I need compensation for the moral trauma that I am getting right now by killing people. The work of the nightman is vital for any society. If you do not remove the shit, then in the end it will cover you up your head.

The execution ended in five minutes. Not a drop of blood fell on the ground, and I covered the traces in the dust with telekinesis. As a reward for my work, I received almost a thousand dollars. As they say, ten old women - the ruble.

Whistling happily, I reached the far end of the alley and made sure that it was not completely a dead end. A passage on the side was blocked by a fence with barbed wire over the top. Having flown through it, I found myself in another abandoned alley with boarded up windows. Carefully looking around, I flew over the roof of the building, being on another deserted street. Then I went down to the ground and calmly went forward. There were no cameras in the area, so I didn't worry about my alibi. This place was familiar to me, and several times Bivits made his way here when he was hiding from gangsters on the way home. So my excuse is iron.

Wandering through the streets of the city, I think how I should live on. Obviously, the roof was torn off completely and definitively. I have just literally killed more than twenty people with my own hands, and I don't worry about it at all. And what are twenty imbeciles compared to the whole planet?

In general, I had a direct path to the masks to do good and cause justice, without worrying about the consequences. The local people thought it out well - you took off the suit, and you are a different person. And if someone tries to tie two of your personalities into one, then aa-ya-ya for him and a-ta-ta. True, there are rumors that a particularly bloody butchers are being hunted without restrictions, only the same Slaughterhouse travels around America for years. And something no one not willing to kill Crawler or Siberia. That is, in the end, everything comes down to personal strength. And I have a huge potential for the development of symbiont. It seems to me that at the peak of power this animal can completely destroy the whole Earth in one blow.

Reflecting on such matters, I noticed a store selling matter of another kind — ordinary fabrics. Since I decided to become a mask, I need a costume. And for its manufacture materials are needed. You can go in and see what's what, for the good of money I now have enough.

In the store, I liked the roll of coal-black fabric. She was thin, strong and with a very low albedo. Ideal to hide in the dark. Or to terrify mystical views. I bought eight square meters of fabric, explaining to the seller the desire to make curtains against the sunlight.

After returning home, I began to sew myself a suit, but rather quickly found out that the tailor was none from me. Even telekinesis did not help. In the end, after getting busy until midnight, I spat on everything and went to sleep.

The next day was Saturday, so I decided to take a rest on my legal day off. To begin with, I slept until lunchtime, then I went to the slot machine hall, where I divided a dozen crabs in Mortal Kombat, and in the late afternoon I went shopping. In one of the institutions I managed to buy a long dark cloak with a hood. It seemed to be specially made for beginners who appreciate the classics. I even checked his telekinesis on bugs, but did not notice anything suspicious.

At home I was overwhelmed with laziness, so I left the tailoring on Sunday. The next day, I spent eight hours stitching a set of long triangular pieces of fabric hanging loosely at one end to the cloak. The result was a black "mysterious cloak" that could mysteriously fly in the air, controlled by my mysterious telekinesis. Twisting "rags" were supposed to hide the figure and add mystery. I could also figure out a black mask on my face. Alas, it was not very comfortable, so I had to hold it telekinesis in order not to slip when moving my head.

Having dressed in all this rags, I stood in front of the mirror, and saw not the mysterious hero, but the garden scarecrow, who had escaped from the nearest madhouse. Something is missing here. I made several "heroic" movements and came to an unequivocal conclusion - I need a secret. People love everything mysterious, so that the cover of secrecy will be able to hide all the minor flaws of a suit from the eyes of the spectators. And the best secret cover is the cover of darkness.

When I spoke with the Being, I realized that the ability of the symbiont can be developed. Especially at the very beginning, when they have not yet been completely formed. So I still had a good chance to get exactly what I needed. For a spectacular appearance and disappearance, I need some kind of cover of darkness. And in this city there is already a mask with similar abilities - Grue. If I find him and watch how he does it, I can repeat the same thing with my symbiote. After it my symbiote will learn to repeat the desired trick.

I looked out the window and made sure that the night would soon come into its own. The chances are small, of course, but do you need to start somewhere? It is worth running through the city and look for this gloom. According to rumors from the forum, he is the leader of a gang at the docks. So it is worth starting from there, especially since the docks started two blocks from my house.

Close to midnight, pulling on a suit, I switch off the light in the apartment and slipped out through the window. There was such a deaf area so that it was possible not to fear casual witnesses. Almost a third of the apartments were inhabited, and most of the locals were drinking in a black way and could hardly see anything further than their nose. Moreover, I "felt" the surroundings with telekinesis and did not notice a single suspicious witness.

Flying over the roofs of abandoned houses, I tried to understand how you can I find a black cat in a dark room. The darkness was such that I could easily have pierced my forehead into some building without simply noticing it. I had an alternative way of perceiving the world - through telekinesis. Any thing trying to move it offers resistance. This return can be used to detect matter. The problem was that this way of perceiving information was extremely unusual, and therefore the brain could hardly figure out what it feels. At a distance of five meters of problems did not arise. But when trying to "feel" the space at a greater distance, there were all sorts of failures and glitches.

I don't know what I wanted to find at all, but my attention was attracted by the red flashes of fire a few blocks away. I climbed higher and flew in that direction, scanning the surroundings for surprises in one. When I reached the place where the fireworks were held, I found a two-meter-high man covered in flames, who diligently fought off the invisible green devils, who gazed at him during the delirium tremens. At least I did not notice any other opponents in the district. Do not take for them some narrow-eyed, at full speed escape from the scene.

A potential second participant of this circus number showed up on the roof of a nearby building. It was a figure in a black tight-fitting suit, lying on the parapet. Only she moved, apparently intending to slip away quietly, like a fiery man heard a noise upstairs and made a couple of unrealistic jumps on the wall of the house on the opposite side of the street, and then on the roof, in a matter of seconds being near the diversionist.

I flew even closer and hid behind the edge of the building, hanging a meter from the place where the wall ended. From a close distance, I was able to determine that the man was clearly Asian and partly covered with scales. And the figure in the suit was an ungainly girl, who was now frantically trying to get some kind of spray from the back pocket.

After spending a second to think, I identified Lung in the man - the head of the ABB - the local mafia group. He looked at his enemy, in a panic crawling backwards, and angrily grinned.

“My your chop-chop head. In ass fuck so cook you get out from your mouth.” - Issued this animal in broken English. I think he want to say ‘I will cut your head and fuck you in ass that my cock will stick out from your mouth’

Suddenly, a silhouette flashed on the next roof, and I found there four observers accompanied by three huge animals. Judging by the information from the forum, these creatures are the pets of Bitch. So, I stumbled upon those whom I was looking for - a gang of Undersiders, including the Grue. And since the viewers appeared here, why not portray a small performance. As they say, our whole life is a circus, and the people in it are clowns. I concentrated on controlling telekinesis, trying to merge with the wall myself.

The girl was finally able to stand up on her feet, and it was precisely this moment that Lung chose to jerk forward and strike her fist in the head. I tried to stop this blow by telekinesis, but was surprised to find that an alien body was actively resisting my intervention. There was little time to think about this fact, and therefore I "grabbed" the heroine’s costume and pulled it so that it might seem from the side that she had gracefully dodged it. At first, the puppet control was ragged, but soon I got the hang of properly "pulling the strings" without risking to break my toy.

I took the next few blows on the block, and then grabbed Lung by the neck and hypochondrium and threw him on the roof with a sweep. The pebble covering it shattered shrapnel, and Lung growled in annoyance. While he was getting to his feet, shaking his head, I got a few seconds to deal with my symbiote. I was absolutely not satisfied with his refusal to influence living beings.

It was a failure, not an impossibility. I climbed into symbiont’s mind and found there a kind of installation, affirming the right of every living creature to personal space. Having mentally swearing, I telepathized to my source of supernormal abilities.

“Listen here, stupid thing. In this world, the most important law sounds like this: devour another, or they will devour you. Regarding those whom I define as an enemy, no rules or restrictions should apply. So tie with your philosophy of universal love and do what I say.”

The symbiote did not have own will to resist my suggestion. So he dutifully carried out my order, giving full control over the force.

The figure in the suit swayed her right hand, and Lung flew into the air, suddenly losing support under her feet. He puffed, kicked, but could not move a millimeter. The second hand of my puppet stretched forward, stretched out her index finger, and then turned the fist. At the same moment Lung's right hand broke in the shoulder, crunching distinctly. A fierce scream swept through the neighborhood, and the flames around the Lung flared with new force. His body began to grow right before my eyes, overgrown with large scales.

Another gesture, and the other hand broke, this time in two places at once. The cry turned into a roar, and the speed of Lung's transformation increased. Then my toy waved her hands theatrically for several minutes, and with each of her movements, something very bad happened to Lung. By the end of the performance, he looked like a piece of screaming meat bleeding with fire and blood.

And then, when I already wanted to make the final touch, tearing Lung in half along the spine, a human figure in mechanical armor landed noisily on the roof. By suit and halberd, I identified this hero of the Armsmaster. He put forward his weapon and loudly demanded:

“Let him go!”

I stopped the execution and gave a little more freedom to the girl's body.

“I can’t. It's stronger than me!’

Ah ha ha ha ha! How I love these meaningful phrases. Immediately there is an impression that it is not a puppet in front of you, but a psycho following the instructions of the "inner voice".

“Stop, or I will compel to use force.”

The last time I broke a couple of bones in Lung's body and threw it on the roof. Pinching of the spine caused a painful shock, and the Lung lost consciousness, immediately ceasing to glow. Only rare sparks ran through his mutilated body.

“He forced me to do it.” Once again tried to justify the sacrifice of my black humor.

The Armsmaster again understood this phrase in the wrong way.

“Listen, you almost killed a man. I understand that you defended yourself, but this is a crime. So you have two options: either you stay here, and I arrest you, or you leave and leave Lung to me, and I will pretend that you were not here.”

The puppet tried to say something, but I took control over her. The girl nodded silently, turned and ran away. From the edge of the roof she leaped down, after which she planned a hundred meters to the side, for one she turned into the nearest alley. I left one broken toy on the roof and followed a much more amusing second. As soon as she was on the ground, I took off my control and remained to watch, hiding behind the roof of a neighboring building.

The place for the landing of figure, I chose not by chance. It was in this lane that the team of the Undersiders was now, fading from the scene when the Armsmaster approached. Now they met with the figure that interested them. The dogs took a couple of steps forward and snarled. Immediately, an angry cry was heard, and two figures emerged from the animals — a tall athletic build a man and a miniature girl — Grue and some kind of unknown to me villain.

“Hello. Cool you dealt with Lung.” The man started the conversation. His black suit and skull-shaped motorcycle helmet did not fit in a cheerful voice.

“It's not me.” Replied the puppet, covering themselves with their hands. Judging by her movements, my performance turned out to be a great stretching exercise for her.

“Her power is insect control.” In a slightly distant voice, a girl in a purple suit announced.

“Who then kneaded Lung like dough? That you waved hands there.”

“It's not me!”  Almost shouted objected puppet. “I was controlled.”

“Master?” Surprised Grue.

“Remote control. Puppet. He used her to mislead us. Strong telekinetic. Now watching us.”

After the last phrase, all those present tensed and began to look around. I, too, somewhat tensed. For about five minutes now insects, which I unknowingly push off telekinesis, were hobbling around me. And now strange attempts to touch me at the level of multidimensional space have been added to this melting. It seems that this is the power of this girl.

I tried to push off the annoying telepathic tentacles with my telekinetic tentacles. As soon as I hit the hands, the girl moaned shortly and clutched at her head. Yeah! Do not like. Do not stretch your arms, or will stretch your legs.

“I am Grue, and this is Tattletale.” Introduced the guy. “The Bitch and Regent are standing behind us. And what is your name?”

“I ... I haven't thought of it yet.” Replied the puppet. “This is my first day in a mask costume.”

“Then you should be called Bug.” Grinned Tattletale.

“No.” Rejected the offer Bug. “I do not like this name.”

“Cockroach? Ant? Queen of Hell Bees? Hive? Queen of Roy? Overmind Zerg?” Began to offer options a lover of fucking people in the brain.

“No. Enough! I will choose my own name. And who are the zerg?”

“We can discuss this in a relaxed atmosphere. Do you want to go with us? We have a great team. “ Started recruiting the villain.

“No. I ... I'm tired and want to go home.” I almost cried Queen of Roy.

“Sorry. In fact, we are looking for new people for our team. We have good conditions, excellent salary and all that. So if you decide, you can call us. Here, take a business card.”

Tattletale held out a small card. The distance between the two girls was more than three meters, so one of them had to take a step forward. Apparently, villain wanted to force the Zerg Overmind to meet her. First, literally, and then in the figurative. But Cockroach froze in a stupor, still not recovering from the dances on the roof.

I decided to force a little the course of events, and in one thing to provoke Grue into using abilities. With telekinesis picked up business card from the hands of Tattletale and brought it to the face of the Queen of Hell Bees.

“Take card, fool.” I squeaked, trying to create voice by telekinesis. This was my first attempt, so the speech was a combination of some creaking, grinding and hissing. But this effect caused exactly the same as I expected. Puppet grabbed a piece of paper, and then turned around and rushed away at full speed.

“Did you hear that?” Scaredly asked Grue.

“Yes.” Slowly answered Tattletale. Her mental tentacles again tried to grope me, but I gently pulled them aside.

At the same time, I began to make strange and frightening sounds, like laughter, gnash and howls. The wind rose in a narrow alley, which began to drive on the ground pieces of paper and all kinds of garbage. The atmosphere began to resemble a horror movie before the start of a particularly bloody scene. First, the Bitch’s nerves could not bear it.

“What the hell is going on here?” She whistled, and her three dogs snarled threateningly, looking around and sniffing around. I pulled the fire escape leading to the roof, and the disgusting screech of torn metal rang down the alley.

“Run!” Finally woke up the Grue.

The team jumped on nervous dogs and rushed away. A wild scream rang out at the far end of the alley and began to catch up with them, increasing the volume and aggressive notes. Grue could not bear it and activated his ability. Black fog flooded the whole street, splashed onto the surrounding houses and pulled its tentacles up to the sky, as if intending to devour the moon peeking out from behind the clouds.

I raced behind like Wild Hunt with an invisible shadow, accompanying it with sounds from cheap horror films and at the same time exploring the abomination's abilities. Finally, after a couple of minutes, I was able to understand the essence of this phenomenon, and at the next turn, the Undersiders could "break away" from the pursuit. I once again internally laughed maniacally, then flew home, to deal with all of today's acquisitions.

At home I was again attacked by laziness, so the debriefing was postponed until tomorrow. In the morning, I blatantly ignored the sound of the alarm and woke up a couple of hours later than usual. After that, breakfast was held, during which I began to test my new abilities. Yesterday was not lived in vain.

First, I was able to reproduce the darkness of Grue. But, on a limited scale. If the leader of the Undersiders could cover several hundred meters with his ability, then I could hardly cover myself. However, I did not need more yet. But when the symbiote grows up, my ability to cause black fog can exceed the possibilities of Grue.

My second acquisition was Pyrokinesis, which I brazenly stole from Lung. In general, this ability was a combination of the other two. The appearance of the flame was created by the usual optical illusion — something like a glowing mist. But only objects that fell into the illusion of flame began to burn. And here the "honest" Pyrokinesis was already functioning, heating the external surface of the objects, thereby emulating interaction with open fire. I could manage these abilities independently. With the power of their manifestation, too, was trouble. The most I could count on was to create a small fireball in my hand. I had only to throw him, and it immediately crumbled innocent sparks. However, there was room for experimentation and training.

The third profit was my understanding of the principles of the effect of symbionts on reality, as a result of which I could counteract a similar effect in the range of my telekinetic tentacles. Yesterday I was able to block Tattletale in this way, and she could not find out anything more about me, which she complained to the satellites during the chase. Also, I understood a little how to receive information about the object, about the same way as Tattletale herself did, but here my successes were quite modest. I could notice them, but the practical benefits of the speech have not yet come.

Having tested my new features, I could not resist and put on my coat. As soon as I surrounded him with a thin layer of darkness, I turned from a simple rag into the mystical attire of a Chaos messenger. I tried to still draw myself luminous eyes with the help of an illusion, but then a bummer came out. I could see freely through the darkness, but the illusion on my eyes gave a glare, impairing visibility. I had to abandon the demonic eyes and simply portray the "mysterious signs" on the face. Then pick up the most spectacular option.

When taking off my suit, for one thing I thought about the name for this image. In order to fail, as with this Cockroach, I need to think of it in advance. And since I am the "Messenger of Chaos", then I can call myself as Nyrlatotep. In the original source, this name was close to Egyptian. They-hotep, Ptah-hotep, Nyarlat-hotep. But then he was altered to modern pronunciation, making Nyarlatotep, and then completely lowered to the level of nyashka, removing the soft sign. Nya-nya-nyrlatotep! Bow in front of the kawai cats, nya! Hmmm, I'll need to think about my image.

Having gathered, I left the house, but went not to school, but to the city administration. Since we are talking about choosing a name, it is worth changing for one and my official name. Being a Bivitz Swine doesn't prick me. The administration first tried to kick me off, but a bribe of a hundred dollars turned the ugly bureaucrat into a complacent public servant. As a result, I became the owner of a complete list of documents that I needed to fill out and submit in order to change my name.

Since I was a underage, a notarized statement from my parents, that is, from my mother, appeared among these documents. And they also hinted to me completely free of charge that since I had only a couple of months left until the age of sixteen, for a small fee I can immediately issue a passport with my new name. I solemnly assured the corrupt official that I would have enough money for bribes, after which I left this abode of law and order.

I had nothing further to do, so I decided to visit the school. Moreover, the IT lesson was to begin soon, during which you could sit on the Internet.

For the sake of improving performance, the computer science teacher made a cunning knight's move. At the beginning of the lesson, to each was given a personal task. Those who completed it and handed it over to the teacher permitted Internet access. And for those who did not pass, only the school website was available, on which there was nothing but the rules of behavior at school and photos of teachers. As a result, despite the complete absence of any lectures and explanations from the teacher, the students diligently engaged in self-education, and even among the most stupid drug addicts, the grades did not drop below three. Yes, and attendance at his lessons was the highest in school.

When I got to Winslow, I found that the whole school was buzzing. The disappearance of two dozen students did not go unnoticed. More precisely, just a couple realized it, and when they began to search for them by acquaintances, it turned out that there were no acquaintances anywhere either. For a couple of days, the business escalated to the city level, so now there were several police officers at the school who tried to understand which student disappeared without a trace, checking the attendance of students.

The director was so frightened by the incident that my appearance only in the fourth lesson caused her only relief from reducing the firing list. I did not even scold. Only compared the face of my face with a photo from a personal matter and sent out of sight.

I stated just in time for the beginning of the computer science lesson, so by quickly completing the assignment, I was able to draw information from two "reliable" sources at once — the Internet and the rumors that my classmates were in a hurry to share. After all, I so well "knew nothing" about the mysterious disappearance, and I urgently needed to be used as a recipient for an incoherent flow of thoughts, which they could not wait to splash out.

I was interested in all these versions in terms of disclosing my involvement. But then everything went perfectly. The place of the rogues from the Empire was known to all, so that the extra people did not go there. And if someone walked, then he was not extra, and to look at him point-blank was skimpy with the consequences. Themselves gangsters in general did not consider as people pupils like me, and therefore looked like an empty place, not putting aside a single bit of memories in their brain.

The most popular version was that Lung was behind the massacre. His army narrow-eyed under the name of the ABB has always been on knives with the Nazis. So it was quite easy to assume that the gang of the Empire from Winslow gathered on the arrow with the Chinese, where they were all put. Particularly stood out the fact that Lung did not stop at this, having arranged disassembly at the docks on Sunday, where the fire from the Armsmaster was arrested.

The most notorious optimists argued that the Protectorate is now extracting out from Lung the place where he holds schoolchildren. And pessimists rightly pointed out that the Imperials had already eaten by fish in the bay for a long time ago. I slightly supported one side, then agreed with the second and finally expressed the original idea that it could be a banal drug poisoning. I argued that Kevin took the dose first and dropped the hoof at school. And the rest decided to prick in a secluded place, where they still lie.

My version found unexpectedly many supporters. Some lovers of conspiracy theories on the forum even complained that it is impossible to kill the hope of a miracle in people like this so ruthlessly. The type of death in a battle with Lung looks much more heroic than stoning with a new drug and dying in shit and vomit in a godsend-forgotten sewer. In general, it was possible to say that my visit to the school was not in vain.

In the evening I went to the gaming center with my friends, where I again put everyone in doggy style position, having approved my superiority in Mortal Kombat. The body itself remembered all the tricks and wiles through which I butchered those who dared to challenge me.

When I reached the house, I took a nap, and at eleven in the evening I put on a suit and went to work. To implement my plans, I needed money. In addition, I was going to clean up the city from all sorts of degenerates. It was quite logical to combine these two goals and start a sweep with drug dealers as the richest.

I flew over the night city and watched the people below. For one thing, I coached remote eavesdropping using telekinesis. The idea was simple. I created near the sound source an invisible "pancake" where telekinesis held air molecules. The sounds waves trying to move these molecules, which I felt as resistance to my effects. And then the symbiont was entrusted with signal processing, receiving a clear sound at the output, transmitted to me directly into consciousness.

In one of the lanes, I came across three men, clearly discussing the sale of drugs. Telekinetic feeling revealed the presence of a large bag of powder in the pocket of one of them. So either these guys are lovers of powdered sugar disguised as drug dealers, or vice versa.

Descending from heaven, I lit a drawing on my face resembling Darth Maul's tattoos, after which I walked towards my victims with a light step.

“Who the fuck are you?” They gave me the expected question as soon as one of the three noticed my approach.

“I am horror, crawling in the darkness! My name is Nyrlatotep.” I decided to start to train in a glorious appearance.

“Nya ... hrla ... hry?”  Tried to repeat one of them.

Mda ... It seems that the locals will not understand me with that name. They will distort so that then the whole world will laugh.

“I am horror, flying on the wings of the night, I am the Black Cloak!”

“Aaaa ! This is a cape!” Realized the least stoned of them. “Run.”

Violators of my laws attempted to escape, for which they were sentenced to immediate death. I picked them up telekinesis, freed from all the cash, of which it turned out a lot, and then tore into pieces and laid out in the alley, the artistic composition "Werewolf feast at full moon" After that, I again soared into the sky, thinking about the frailty of the universe.

It does not seem me to be Nyrlatotep. Local drug addicts are just not able to pronounce. But the Black Cloak, brazenly stolen by me from the cartoon of the same name, was a completely obvious name. There even the word cloak (cape) was present, so that even to the most stupid, it became clear that they were dealing with a cape, that is, with a mask. And most importantly, despite the presence of this cartoon in this world, I will not be accused of plagiarism, because in the original it is called Darkwing Duck, that is, the Black-winged Duck.

The next hour I scoured the docks, and my efforts were rewarded. This part of the city was considered the territory of Merchants, and I was lucky to find one of their refuges. Frankly speaking, it was just an abandoned workshop, where a dozen homeless people found shelter. Now they were sitting, drinking and arguing loudly how to punish one of the smaller dealers for delaying money. From these sounds, I found them.

To begin with, I carefully studied the premises, searched each of those present for weapons and found three caches of money and goods. After this, my appearance to the people took place.

"I am horror, flying on the wings of the night."  My mysterious voice, immediately interrupted the debate of the parties.  "I am a cockroach in your heroine. I am a morning hangover when you have no money even to beer. I am the Black Cloak!"

With these words, the sphere of darkness exploded over a tall machine, and from them a mysterious and terrible figure in a black cloak appeared. The alien's face was hidden by the darkness, but the glowing tattoos on him created the image of an infernal demon. In general, six out of ten eyewitnesses of my epic appearance froze with their mouth open, three began to rub their eyes, and one did not know how to appreciate high art.

"Hey, black, get out of here, nigga. This place is only for whites."

In response, I raised the insolent over the floor, and then dissolved him to bloody stripes, which formed a beautiful rosette on the floor, on which the skeleton fell without flesh.

This movement became a trigger which awakened in the people, or rather nonhumans, the instinct of self-preservation. They shouted and ran away, but after a second they found themselves hanging in the air and can only jerk with their legs and arms. Well, they can also yell at the best of their abilities..

"So, before I kill you, it's worth explaining why I'm doing this." - Four drug dealers shook their heads and began to denounce, obviously having in mind that they did not need extra knowledge. - "Starting today, this city belongs to me. Therefore, my laws are valid in it. In particular, for the drug trade relies the death penalty. So you're all going to die."

"No. No! Do not kill us, Nigga."

"It seems that someone has a hearing problem."  I thoughtfully stated. "My name is Black Cloak! And to make you hear better, I should clean your ears."

The deaf-afflicted shouted loudly, and then from his ears struck a whole fountain of blood and brains. At this moment homeless people realised it for real. I even had to telekinesis adjust the airflow, so as not to inhale the resulting amber. The almost headless corpse flew down, and I continued my lecture.

"As I have already said, a penalty is imposed for drug trafficking. But today I have an advertising campaign, so you still have a chance to stay alive."

"And what are you advertising, dear Black Cloak?"  Culturally asked one of the bums of the most swine species. Immediately visible intellectuality.

"Of course, I advertise myself, cudgel. I am the horror creeping in the darkness. I - retribution, flying on the wings of the night. I am the Black Cloak!"

"You are very good at it." Noticed the intellectual.

"Thanks. So,"  I once again looked at the attentive audience with my eyes,  "I will let live someone who can provide me with useful information. I note right away, I already know about your hidden caches in this building".  In confirmation of my words there was a crash, and money and drugs flew out of the caches. I immediately scattered the last ones, mixing them with bloody porridge on the floor.  "Who will be the first?"

"We will never tell you anything, fucking nige-ghrrr … "- The racist grunted, losing air in his strangled lungs. He flew to the center of the hall, standing right in front of me, and the rest were distributed in a round line, looking at the next victim.

"It was ... Wrong choice."

The victim jerked, and then scattered to the right bloody cubes, in which bones and guts looked through. Someone began to puke. The cubes circled in the air, then fell down.

"I will tell!" Called the intellectual looking bum. He immediately flew forward, flowing on the spot where his comrade was a couple of seconds ago. "I know where is another place for gatherings of our gang. There should be more people and drugs."

"Not bad, not bad. Speak"

"It's east of here. Large yellow warehouse building. To the north of it such large round barrels for oil, and from the east in a couple of hundred meters the railway passes.. And there is a dilapidated red brick building nearby. In the warehouse will be more than thirty people and a cache of goods."

"Well, I'll check. If you lied, then I will find you, and the death of your comrades will seem to you as paradise. After all, people can die long, very long..”

I let go the intelligent bum, and he collapsed right in the bloody heap formed by the giblets of his comrades. He lay for a second, coming to himself, and then started with a sprint speed, running away with loud cries.

"Who is next?"

"I am! I will tell." Called the most courageous, immediately taking the place of the speaker. "I know where our boss's cache. You killed him first. But only I know the building. Do not kill me.”

"Good. Together we will visit said place, and if I find a cache, I will let you go."  Homeless flew off to the side, doomed sag. "So? Here you are, your turn."

"I ... I don't know. We trade in drugs. We have a couple dozen dealers. One so heavy, walks …"

"Not interested." I interrupted him. "I give five seconds."

"Well ... I ... this. No, I want to live! I am not guilty. These are all! They made me."

"Time is over." Another bloody penalty again scared the rest of the duck. I looked at the four remaining, looking at me with horror in their eyes. "It seems that you will not say anything interesting." I summarized.

"I know! I can tell you about our capes." - Decided one of them.

"I can do that too."

"Quiet. Who was the first, and the word is given." The lucky one flew forward, and his competitor's chest squeezed so that they could breathe barely. "So?"

"In our gang there is a Skidmark, Squealer and Moist. And also seems to be Trainwreck, but he is more likely on his own, although he lives on our territory. The Skidmark can disperse objects, push people away and all that. He lives somewhere in the north of the docks, but I don't know the exact place. Often sleeps on our bases. Squealer - techie. She usually makes cars, cannons and cars with guns. Lives in the same place, where the Skidmark, but gets out from there where less often. Moist that kind of generally incomprehensible type. Can manage garbage. Basically, rummaging through dumps, lives where he wish. And by the way, today he may be on the base, about which you have already been told.”

"Mmmm ... Fine. You can go.”

The homeless started running off, barely touching the ground. Yes, he even went through the air with his feet, just to be as far as possible away from me.

"And you are not lucky. You thought too much." I turned to the three remaining.

"No, stop! I have three hundred bucks …"

I did not listen to their cries, and tore them into pieces, which I scattered all over the room. Such creatures have no place on Earth. And they themselves live like animals, and they also poison people around them, eventually turning them into similar ones. Cancer of society in its purest form.

"So where do you say this cache?" - I turned to the last member of the gang, which is a nasty spectacle. He pissed, full of vomit - I didn't even want to look at him.

Then we proceeded to the said place, where I had to shake up a couple of buildings. But on the other hand, in the neighboring house, I could find a suitcase packed with money from that one. Apparently, the former boss dreamed about a pile of money, because his suitcase contained mostly one or two dollar bills. Occasionally there were fives and tens. I confiscated the proceeds, and let the homeless man go, once again reminding him that the drug trade in my city is the shortest road to Hell.

Having hidden money at home, I went to look for the second base of Merchants. Complicated the search the fact that there was night around, and even despite the narrow crescent of the moon, it was evident a little more than nothing. Finally, I discovered the desired oil storage, and to the south of it a dilapidated building. The warehouse was found by the light breaking through from the windows, judging by the trembling emanating from the fires. Approaching the window, I silently moved to side the dirty glass and looked inside.

The party here is clearly a success. There were more than a hundred people in the room. Half of them were already lying somewhere, usually in an embrace with bottles or half-empty boxes of booze. Here and there burned fires and barrels of coal. Swarming music poured from large speakers. In the center, a platform was built of building materials and garbage, and installed four pillars with naked girls attached to them. Each of them someone raped, plus a few more people stood in line. One of the girls showed no signs of life. I checked the telekinesis and made sure that she was already dead. But this did not upset the rapists. Moreover, the queue for her was the longest.

"Critters! Freaks. You are worse than demons." - I hissed, coming to a state of mad rage. - "I'll tear all nonhumans to pieces"

I darted off and quickly circled the building around the perimeter, looking for patrols. There were such here, and I tore them into small pieces, hiding the corpses in secluded places. Another observer, or a fan of fresh air, showed up on the roof. After cleaning the area, I completely filled the warehouse with my strength and ordered the symbiont to track the position of each person and prevent them from trying to get out of the building. Now I could not worry no-one of these creatures would leave here alive.

I quietly entered to the main hall through a window and hid behind a large container in the corner. Many of those present were armed, so I did not want to get into trouble, not being confident in their safety. Instead, I created a separate ball of darkness about human shape and hung it from the ceiling. Well, now it remains to start the presentation. I used telekinesis to make sounds emanating from snag. First of all, this was due to the fact that my real voice was the voice of a boy. And to maintain the image of a brutal macho trembling bass was required.

"I am horror flying on the wings of the night. I am a demon of justice devouring your souls. I am the wages of your sins. I am the Black Cloak." - There was an angry cry, drowning out all other sounds. The stain of darkness fell right into the center of the platform, smashing it almost the floor. Straightening, it took the form of a man in a raincoat, on whose face devilish signs burned. - "You are all condemned to death. You are worse than animals, and therefore not worthy even to die like men."

This was the end of my talk, and I began to save this world from the nasty form of creatures - humans. The shadow rushed around the room, leaving behind glowing lines, and each time it ran into someone, that person would scatter into pieces, filling everything around with blood.

The gangsters immediately began to shoot at the illusion with enthusiasm, but I stopped the bullets by telekinesis. A couple of times I missed the shots from the machine gun, but then I adapted myself, and I was sure that not a single bullet could harm me anymore. It was now a reflex embedded in my symbiont.

A minute later, some Merchants rushed to one of the boxes and pulled out a grenade launcher. I even specifically lingered on the spot to give him the opportunity to shoot. The rocket struck the figure, but the explosion only uselessly stirred the air. The main striking factor of the anti-tank missile is the flow of hot metal shot forward at the moment of the explosion. But even it was stopped by my power. I collected the metal in a ball and poured this "liquid" into the mouth of the nearest drug user. He huddled in convulsions, and again I began my dance of death.

In the end, I no longer killed people, but only broke all the bones, leaving them to writhe on the floor. Only five minutes had passed since my appearance here, as there was not a single person in the warehouse, except for three girls in the center. I protected them from stray bullets, but was unable to heal the already existing physical and spiritual wounds. Another fifteen minutes was taken by the slow and painful death of the nonhumans, and at the end I tore them to pieces, mixing their corpses to a homogeneous blood mass.

I found a lot of money here. According to the most modest estimates, it was about hundred thousands of dollars. I mixed all the drugs with the corpses so that they certainly could not sell them to anyone. After that, I freed the girls, who had almost recovered, and left the shelter behind the container.

"Call the police, tell them what happened. Here is your address." - I said, dragging to one of them the phone taken from the gangster and the rusted sign from the outer wall of the building, on which the address was visible.

The girl looked at me with fear, and then took the phone. The call was short, not least because the dispatcher did not want to hear the details, but promised to send a patrol car. I decided not to leave the girls alone — naked in the docks at night, but there was no desire to be near them. So I showed them where the homemade shower was, and briefly said goodbye, hiding in the dark.

Then I sat on the roof and watched the surroundings. Ten minutes later, a couple of stray drug addicts approached the warehouse. After making sure that they were coming exactly here, I slowly and with gusto tore them apart. Fifteen minutes later, a patrol car drove up to the warehouse. It turned out to be two policemen who did not bother to get out and headed towards the warehouse.

"Grevor, are you there?" - Loudly shouted out one of them.

"Something there is no one. Probably drunk to the trash state." - muttered the second.

A pair of servants of the law went forward, highlighting a flashlight, and broke into an inconspicuous side door leading to the office premises of the warehouse. There they were met by one of the girls. She was wearing only a ragged jacket.

"Wow, what a chick!" - The cop admired, distinguished from his partner with a bulging belly. - "Go find someone there, and I'll have fun."

He grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her to him. She didn't have the strength to resist, and she just wept plaintively.

"Don't rock the boat, otherwise it will be worse." - Policeman threatened her, tearing off her jacket with one hand, and unbuttoning his pants with the other.

"Jack, fuck, fucking full here!" - Shouted the second, just opened the door to the main hall. - "Jack?"

He turned his head and saw me looking at his partner dangling in the air with his pants down. Cop tried to grab the gun, but found that he could not move.

"You are sentenced to death for attempting to rape a underage." - I spoke, and the fat pig lost its layers of clothing, skin, fat, muscles and internal organs. Only a bare skeleton with a still alive brain in the head fell to the ground. - "You are sentenced to death for covering up the rape of a underage and colluding with drug dealers." - I notified the second.

"No, please do not." - He whined. - "I have a young daughter."

"I'll definitely find her and see how some drug addict will rape her." - I reassured him, after which I repeated the procedure of execution.

Turning to the girl sitting by the wall, clasping her legs with her hands, I gave her a look and did not say a word outside. I adequately evaluated my abilities. All my powers are aimed at killing, not saving. So I could only help her with words, that is, nothing.

On the street I went to the car, opened the door and studied the police radio. Having found the channel switch there, I turned the knob to the "emergency call" position, then pressed the button on the microphone and spoke telekinesis.

"Dispatch." - I was not afraid that they would recognize me, because this body spoke like Bivitz, and I now spoke as a person who lived in another world. My accent and manner of making phrases was strikingly different.

"I'm listening. What happened?" - I heard the answer in ten seconds.

"Your police officers are dead, as well as hundreds of other local residents." - I replied with a calm and tired voice.

"What? Where are you?"

"Docks, Passing Street, building forty-one, house three."

"Can you describe what happened?"

"I executed your police officers and about a hundred Merchants for the rape of underage and murder."

"What? Executed? Who are you?"

"I am horror flying on the wings of the night. I am the new God of this world. I am the Black Cloak!" - I began this phrase with a calm voice, and finished with a cry of an exalted maniac.

Throwing the microphone, I again took a place on the roof and continued to observe. This time a column of police cars, roaring with sirens and flashing flash lights, appeared five minutes later. They can, when they want. The soldiers in body armor with machine guns and shotguns scattered around the neighborhood and broke into the main gates of the warehouse, simply blowing them that, the first five rushed inside and a second later collapsed to her knees, crouching in vomiting gusts. Here, the faint of girls were discovered in another couple of minutes, immediately wrapping them in blankets and taking them to the ambulance van. After that, I considered my mission accomplished and left, never discovered by anyone. However, the police did not particularly look for anyone. Finding out that the mask was involved in the case, they called the Emergency Response Department of the Parahuman Response Team and then only wandered around the outskirts, dragging the territory with yellow ribbons prohibiting passage.

I got to the house by three in the morning. There, I added cash to a suitcase with trophies and went to sleep.

In the morning, as always, having slept the first couple, I went shopping to buy me normal clothes. Bivitz not walked completely in shreds, but it was cheap things. And I need style. Having updated my wardrobe, I visited a large notary office and "rented" a notary who able to verify the documents at clients office. Together with him I went to brothel, to my mother.

"Sarah, you have a visitor" - A local pimp shouted loudly to whole brothel, when understood who I was. Bivitz came here only couple times before.

"Oh, who wanted me? Bivitz?" - Mom surprised to see me.- "What happened"

"I need you to sign couple of documents. Can we talk in more private place?"

"Yes, of course"

The prostitute gave a rating look to the notary, and then went somewhere deep into the corridors with wagging the clothes on her, by the way, were only thongs.

"Here are the documents. Get it and sign it." - I poured a folder on the table in the room where Sarah Swine eventually led us. Now she was wearing a short robe and smoking a thin cigarette through the mouthpiece.

"Whats up?" She hostilely with one finger pulled out the paper and went deep into reading. - "Do you want to change the name? Never! What do not you like Bivitz Swine?"

"I'll pay you a thousand dollars." - I brought my killer argument.

"What? A thousand ... "- A shock appeared on the face of the woman. - "Where did you get that kind of money?"

"Oh, oh, this is our family business." - I grinned mockingly.

"What? You? ... So you …" - Suddenly, the woman burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. "But I wanted you to grow up as a normal person."

"Well, I'm sorry I became as crazy as you. The apple never falls far from the tree."

After a couple of minutes, she rested and began to re-examine the documents.

"Eros Ramazotti? Why is weird name?"

"Why? It fits my new scene image."

"This is it you ... you …" - Mommy tried again to cry, nodding at the notary.

"Not. It's just a notary who will assure your signature."

"Ok, I'll sign." - Sarah Swain agreed in an unexpectedly serious voice, in which there was no hint of emotion. - "Do you have money with you?"

"Of course. But first arrange the documents."

I took a small chunk of banknotes out of my pocket. It was exactly one thousand dollars. However, I had space for bargaining, and in the same pocket there were nine more such packs. The further process went without incident and ended with the delivery of all the necessary documents for me to change my name.

"And now what? Do you need another apartment?" - Asked mom, when the notary collected the documents and went to the exit of the room.

"About month I to live there."

"And then?"

"And then I'll be a Hollywood star, and the whole world will be under my feet." - I blindingly smiled.

"Yeah, sure." - The star of the scene, wise over the years, agreed, who also began with show business in due time.

"Well, if anything went wrong, I will get job in brothel." - I replied, also intending to exit. - "I will serve customers in the next room. And in the evenings, as mother and son, we will share the secrets of family craftsmanship."

I turned around and smiled at a relative of Bivitz with a disgusting grin. I hope I'll never see her again. Although money is worth toss. Later. If I do not forget.

Out of the brothel, without delay, I went to the administration, where I submitted all the necessary papers, filled out bribes and signed kickbacks. The rusty machine of the bureaucracy unexpectedly quickly turned around, and I was asked to come in for the documents and the ready passport tomorrow morning. It cost me, however, all this magnificence of eight thousand evergreens.

Having had a snack in a restaurant, I went to school. After yesterday's massacre at the docks, I expected the school to stand on the ears again. But instead I found a picture of universal mourning. Most of the students walked about like a bag and people were confused and were quietly discussing something in the corners.

"Hi, Stephen ." - I greeted my best source of rumors. - "And what else happened in school that everyone goes in such mourning?"

"Haven't you heard about the dock massacre?"

"No. On the radio in the morning something was broadcast about it, but I thought there was an ordinary shootout."

"So, let's go." Stephen looked around and dragged me into the far corner of the class. Clearly wanting to get rid of the competition and single-handedly throw me another sensation. - "In general, a new villain appeared in the city. He called himself Black."

"Niger or what?" - I could not resist.

"Yes, to hell of these niggers tell. But there is another version that his name is Black Cloak. He really walks in a black cloak and wears a demon mask on his face."

"Somehow unoriginal."

"Apparently, seems lack of fantasy . Or he is a fan of the classics. So, don't knock me down. In general, there was a new villain who declared war against drugs."

"You wanted to say a hero?" - Again, I corrected.

"Not. If he was a hero, he would walk like as idiot through the streets and tell everyone that drugs are evil. But he said that from now on he is the God of Brockton Bay, and for the sale of drugs he would kill on the spot. And as the seriousness of his intentions decided to kill two gangs of Merchants. One was only a dozen, and the second was throwing some kind of party, and there they were feasting more than a hundred people. This Black has killed all of them there. He literally tore into pieces and covered the whole warehouse with giblets right up to the ceiling.

Rush drives. I already get scared myself.

"So what was next?" - I pushed.

"And then, The Empire and the APP, as they learned about this scenario, immediately raised the price of drugs five times. And now the whole school goes and trying to figure out how to live."

"Hmm ... did you buy the bandages already?"

"Bandages? What for?"

"To do the dressing. You will not be released from school now. Every drug addict will beat money from you for a dose."

"Heck! It is necessary to run away."

Stephen looked around again, and then rushed to the window, clearly appreciating the possibility of sigling there, so as not to go through the main exit.

"Well, happy for you. But I, perhaps, will study a little in classroom". - I admonished him.

"And you are not afraid to stay here?"

"No. I have a secret route of retreat"

"Show?"

"It'll be cheaper for you to pay off to drug addicts. Stuck bucks, and no one will touch you."

"Eh, you, and also the friend, is called."

"Friendship is friendship, but money apart."

At the big break, I went to the school administration, but not to the director, but to John Torstein - the head teacher in administrative work, as the sign on door of his office said. It was a man with sly eyes, who always stole something, but so skillfully that all the bumps fell on innocent people. I negotiated with him about the change of my name and the issuance of reissued documents about my studying here to me. I did not see the point of continuing to attend Winslow, and instead I set my sights on Arcadia, the best school in the city.

In principle, the local education was lost nothing on me. But on the other hand, it was known to all that underage masks were studying in Arcadia, members of the Wards team under the auspices of the Protectorate. So I will get access to the body of several capes and I can copy to myself those abilities that I like best. If I could get the skill of manipulating the darkness in just a few minutes, then, with unlimited daily access, I can achieve much more impressive results.

I was most attracted by the talent of Panacea. This girl could heal wounds and diseases of almost any severity. Now Vritras is not available to me, and therefore it is worthwhile to find a replacement for it. Telekinesis will easily replace defensive and offensive magic, and healing will cover up in case if I injured. Still, the human body is too vulnerable. Poke a knife in the liver - and any doctor can save you.

After completing school works, I went to the city, along the way knocked out a couple of teeth that thought they were cool racketeers. In the city center, I went to an Internet cafe, where I began to wool forums in search of information about myself. It is necessary to know what impression I made and how to promote my image further.

Forum: Masks Brockton Bay.

Post: Black (Black Cloak)

Snail: Time to have it! I'm first one! A new cape has appeared in the city. Black called himself. Details coming soon.

Megacock: And what? Is there a little black in the city?

Dealer: I confirm. Dad just got stuck home. All in shit and vomit. He said that the Black Cloak came to their den and tore apart seven people. At the same time, the ancestor especially insisted that he was tied up with the sale of drugs and would now boil only vodka according to the old-fashioned recipe.

Yellow popsicle: Share the recipe for vodka.

Diller: Yeah. This booze I need to myself. By the way, Cape is called Black Cloak, not Black. Tell this to him when meet, and he gently shoots you with bloody ribbons. Then a friend of my father came and showed the picture on the phone. At first I thought it was guts at a meat processing plant, but then I recognized the room. In general, the main thing when meeting him is to be respectful and not to have drugs. He particularly frightened that the death penalty was imposed for the drug trade. I will send photo in the morning.

Snail: So, the details. It seems that the new cape disliked Merchants. Now I spoke with the team that left for an urgent call. At one of the warehouses in the docks there was another gathering of the Merchants. Well, you know - drugs, booze, girls. There came a new cape and literally tore them all to pieces. The police, who first came to the warehouse, immediately began to vomit as they all saw it. No pictures and are unlikely to be. At least not with me. The case was transferred to the PRT. According to preliminary calculations, more than a hundred people were killed. Only three girls survived, whos were pumped there with drugs and pushed by circle. Another girl was found dead, but at least in one piece.

Snail: Diller, thank you. The title of the topic corrected.

Snail: And by the way, Black Cloak personally confessed to the dispatcher that he had killed a hundred merchants and two policemen. Plus, he declared himself, I quote: I am the new god of this world.

By-pass: What were the police doing there? They decided to visit friends among Merchants, and fuck someone for free?

White Niger: Definitely. I am sure that this is exactly what happened. It has long been time to press these creatures. And then all political correctness and law observance. And as our girls are raped by mobs in the doorways - I'm sorry, no corpus delicti was found. Black - keep it up. Show them that among the niggas has normal heroes.

Saber-toothed Rat: Let the earth rest in peace, White Niger. The Black Cloak will punish you for such an appeal. I am sure that he is not Niger. Blackasses always only row for themselves. Niger would say that the death penalty is for selling drugs that were not bought from him.

By-pass: +1

Snail: So, freed. Received identikit of the Black Cloak. See the picture on the link. The classification of forces is still unclear, but it is known that he owns telekinesis and levitation. Most importantly, he completely ignores the Manton Effect. That is, he can tear you apart without any effort. Plus easily holds a shot from a grenade launcher at close range. It turns out the Shaker and Mover.

[Link to picture]

Kitty: What a brutal man. I already want him.

By-pass: +1

Yellow popsicle: Weird By-pass. You are a man.

By-pass: And what? My love is as wide as the universe.

Yellow popsicle: What if he really nigga?

By-pass: T_T

Saber-toothed Rat: Yes, you look at the foto. It can be seen that this is a normal white, only in a mask.

By-pass: ^ _ ^

True Arius: And I think he is Chinese.

By-pass: O_o Why?

True Arius: Well, obviously. He specifically called himself Black, So Whites thought he nigga, and niggas thought he white. But in fact he is narrow-eyed - he is sitting now, reading our forum and laughing.

White Niger: O_O

Horcrux(PRT): I confirm the emergence of a new villain. Rating: shaker-8, mover-4. For any information about the location and abilities relies reward. Code name: Black.

True Arius: Arktic Fox! If they do not change their mind, then all in PRT is doomed. Black Cloak will punish them for such an insult.

Horcrux(PRT): There already was mask named The Black Cloak that died when he collided with Behemoth three years ago.

True Arius: Will you make excuses like this when he comes and starts tearing you to pieces?

Administrator: True Arius gets a ban for three days for violating forum rules.

Almost True Arius: Oh, I'm afraid, I'm afraid.)

Administrator: Almost True Arius gets a life ban for violating forum rules.

Completely True Arius: I have direct access to the central router of New York. Will you ban whole America?

Administrator: If required. Completely True Arius gets a life ban for violating forum rules.

I yawned and looked up from the forum. Something already some kind of flame went. In general, people pissing with boiled water. And the PRT is really worth punishing. I just need to think of how.

I scrolled a few pages of the forum and found a link to the news site, with the caption "The whole truth about Black." Clicking on it, I got on the official site of the television news channel "Central News Network". The page hosted a video report, which I immediately touched in the playback.

“Greetings, Tina Ulver is with you on the CNN channel. I have just returned from the official joint presentation of the PRT and the Protectorate and am ready to tell you what happened tonight at Brockton Bay. At the docks committed a terrible crime. More than a hundred civilians were killed by a mad cape. As you can see on the identikit, this villain wears a long black cloak and a demon mask. He called the police and reported on his crime. He named himself Black and declared himself as the new god of Brockton-Bay, demanding to worship him. Among the victims of the dangerous maniac were also two policemen and one of the masks Merchants - Moist. Miraculously, only three girls, whom the villain had raped for several hours, managed to escape. The protectorate and the PRT in a joint statement expressed a strong protest against such unlawful actions and assured us that they would do everything possible to ensure that the offender shall receive a fair punishment. With you was Tina Ulver on the CNN channel. Follow our news.’

So this is how it is. It turns out that I killed innocent civilians, and then for hours I raped girls. Yes, for sure, and all three of them at the same time. Okay, this is war! Seeing the Being, you are forced me to do this.

On the website of the channel, I found the address of the editorial staff of the CNN, where I went after taking a taxi. On the first floor of the building, there was a cafe, where I located with all the convenience. Using telekinesis, I scanned the entire building and focused on the seventh and eighth floors, where the studio was located. Focusing on the body shape, I selected girls who looked like the presenter, and then began to listen to conversations next to them. Ten minutes later one of them was called Tina, and I focused on her.

"Tina, what's up with your six-hour news report?"

"I'm working on it"

"It's already half past four, and you are still working. You must show me your live broadcast record at half past five maximum. If you do not have time, then you will go to the nine o'clock news, and for this you will have to re-shoot everything against the background of the evening city."

"I know. It remains for me only to reduce the sound of the direct inclusion of Martin. It is necessary to add interference from the wind, as if it really is on the tower of the Protectorate."

"Ask John to help you. Let him drop everything and do it first."

"Good. Coming soon."

Tina ran into the next room, and I followed her boss, who had returned to his workplace. It seems that I will need to defend the freedom of speech with an smoothing-iron and a soldering iron. I looked at the TV above the desk where the channel I wanted went on. After scanning the neighborhood, I found some more TVs showing this channel. Well, now when I have a mean objective control, I can work a little on the program schedule.

Only I was going to create a clot of shadow in the office of the chief editor, suddenly I changed my mind. First, it will be my first appearance on television. So it is necessary to make a favorable impression on the audience, and not to appear in the form of a blurred shapeless shadow. Secondly, if I speak on this channel, its ratings will increase, and they will have only benefit from it. Thirdly, I can crucify the Tina later. It is not necessary to do this in live broadcast. And fourthly, it's only six o'clock in the evening, and many people are still at work. It is better to perform in prime time at nine in the evening.

So I had a snack, and then again went to an internet cafe to find an alternative television station. In half an hour everything became more or less clear. The city had two of the largest sharks of the mass media: CNN Television, which has a branch of CNN Northeast, and ZBS Entertainment with a nameless local office. It is quite obvious that I chose the second company, because they were not so frankly slandering me.

I went home, where I changed into my work costume, then I thought about it and changed into everyday wear, putting my heroic cloak in my backpack. It's not worthy to uncover my place of residence. Especially since in the pantry I have a case with a lot of money.

On foot, I walked to the docks, where I found a inconspicuous, abandoned building and changed clothes, leaving my backpack in a hastily equipped cache. Having searched the surroundings with telekinesis, I became sure of the absence of unnecessary witnesses and, after passing through several buildings standing nearby, I got out. Here I walked a little more through the streets, and then flew off higher and moved towards the city center. I didn't meet a single hero, so I safely reached the building I needed. The television station was well located on the top floor of a twenty-story building, so all I could do was to open the door with telekinesis and walk from roof to staircase and go straight to the office of the chief editor, and for one office manager.

"Good evening. Did not interfere?"- I asked the director which enthusiastically fucking his secretary.

"What? Who? .. Black Cloak? No, of course not intervene." - Quickly realized the boss, zipping his fly.

"It's nice when you known by name. Do not introduce yourself, Mr. ...?"

"Donald McDuck."

"Huh! Do you, by chance, called your father Scrooge?"

"Grandpa."

"That's it. You immediately see a hereditary moneybags."

"Eeee ..." - Donald did not even find what to say.

"I'm on your case. Today you have a prime time interview with me on the channel."

"Yes?" - The editor was surprised. - "Oh, well, for sure. Of course it is planned, mister Black Cloak."

"Actually, I want to tell you the truth about what happened last night at the bay. I was extremely upset by the unreasonable slander from your competitors from CNN. So in the near future they will go bankrupt and sell their entire business for a peanuts to you.

"Um ... this is good news."

"Yes, let's make good news and enjoy this world, not the afterworld."

Half an hour later I was sitting in the studio at the table, and a pretty TV presenter winking eyes next to me. The director gave the command to start shooting, and we started the conversation.

"Good evening, dear viewers." - Started leading. - "Today our guest is a special person, to whom many issues of today's news were devoted."

"First, I should introduce myself. I am the horror flying in the darkness of the night. I am the law, the judge and the executioner. I am the Black Cloak!"

"We all heard about these tragic events that occurred last night at the docks. Can you tell something about it, so to speak, from the first person.?"

"Certainly. I agree with you that those were tragic events. But let's start in order. I arrived in Brockton Bay relatively recently. Having studied the state of Affairs in your city, I have come to the conclusion that the rule of law is urgently required here. Local criminal elements actually sit on the head of honest citizens, exploiting them in all possible ways. Therefore, I decided to take responsibility for maintaining order in the city. And first of all issued a decree banning the sale of drugs."

"But their sale is already prohibited."

"Yes, but it's only on paper. And in reality, drugs are sold on every corner. So, having issued the decree, I moved forward on patrol of the city in search of drug dealers."

"But nobody knew that you took this decree."

"Any lawyer will tell you that ignorance of the law is no excuse. I found, convicted and punished two groups of drug dealers at the docks. Their guilt was proven by objective facts, with which they were no worse acquainted than I was."

"Do you think that the drug trade is supposed to be death?"

"Any violation of the law is punishable by death. Correction, for breaking my laws. You need to understand that the punishment for a crime should not in order to revenge the offender, and in order to clean the society from harmful elements. Execution is a quick, effective and cost-effective form of punishment. But back to the events of last night. Already after midnight I found a warehouse where there was a mass rape of four girls. Imagine a hundred drunk men taking turns raping underage girls. Moreover, by the time of my arrival one of the girls was already dead, but her corpse continued to rape."

"Awful!"

"I agree with you. As an honest and decent man, I immediately issued a decree banning rape and immediately condemned and punished all those responsible for this heinous crime."

"The police were one of them?"

"Not really. After releasing the girls, I asked them to call the police, and I began to monitor the neighborhood area. I couldn't leave naked girls alone on the docks at night. In half an hour, notice, half an hour, the patrol car with two police officers approached to a warehouse. And the first thing they did when they saw one of the victims was try to rape her. After that, all I had to do was condemn and execute the criminals. Real werewolves in uniform.

"That's ... I'm speechless."

"In principle, these two can be understood."

"What? How"

"As I said, they was the "werewolves in uniform", that is just animals pretending to be people. Their instincts, desires and interests they put above the interests of others. It's disgusting, but at least it can be explained logically. But what happened after that, in my opinion, is much worse.

"And what happened?"

"I found the car of police officers and on the radio reported an event to the dispatcher. Five minutes later, an entire convoy of police cars arrived. That is, when it came to the threat to the lives of decent citizens, the reaction of justice took half an hour and consisted in the arrival of animals in police uniforms. And as soon as it came to murder of police officers, they arrived to a place in five minutes the whole crowd. That says a lot. Fortunately, this time they didn't begin to rape girls, and took them to the ambulance. The worst thing happened this afternoon. The picture is from the testimony of the witnesses and my story to the Chief of the police was quite evident. But instead of give me credit, instead of though and conviction, but to tell people the truth, the PRT and the Protectorate went on a deliberate fraud. They accused me of killing 100 innocent law-abiding citizens and raping three girls. Me, saving them twice for one hour. And then the question is, why did they do it? Can you think of a reason for that? Why deceive ordinary citizens?

"Well ... I guess they wanted to make their point."

"Exactly! That is from their point of view the gang of the Merchants selling drugs to our children are - law abiding citizens. And for an attempt to save someone, it is necessary to punish, destroying reputation of the real heroes and accusing them of those crimes which are made under the direct leadership of PRT."

"You want to say that the rape took place on the orders of the PRT?"

"Certainly. Maybe not a direct order, but they clearly acted as one of organizers of this "event". According to their tacit consent, with their direct approval, drug Dealers sell drugs, the ABB rapes girls in the streets, the Empire ruins honest entrepreneurs. I say enough. We've had enough of this false propaganda. Ordinary people do not have the ability to resist this arbitrariness, but I have the opportunity. And be sure, I will use my force to punish all violators of my laws. In a couple of years, Brockton Bay will be the city with the lowest crime rate in the world.

"But it will not happen that in our city there will be no inhabitants left at that moment?"

"I don't. Decent people are not in danger. Moreover, having lost competition and pressure from criminals, people will find that maintaining a good standard of living requires much less effort. After all, they will not need to feed and serve a whole pack of criminals, corrupt officials and Illuminati.

"Well, your point is clear to me. Unfortunately, our time is coming to an end. Do you want to say something to our viewers in the end?"

"Yeah. I wish you all to live through these troubled times and remind you that drug trafficking, theft, robbery and rape are all crimes for which the death penalty is imposed. All the guilty will be punished. Retribution is inevitable, for I am retribution. I'm Black Cloak.

"Vanessa Gerhardt was with you on the ZBS channel."

This TV show ended, and I left the Studio, taking the Director's business cards and a couple of reporters. Two hours later, an extraordinary release of the program "Interview with the legend" took place, where my performance was shown almost uncut. I watched it, already sitting at home and estimating reaction on the Internet, using the freshly bought laptop.

Shit on all the forums was such that the administrators do not have time to remove posts and ban their authors. As I understand it, the villains did not risk to make such an interview on TV. Why, they preferred not to give them such an opportunity. I managed to break the screens because the local Director was not the latest bump on the channel, plus I lucidly explained to him what awaits him if he will not give my interview. Well, besides, I brought a copy of the interview, recorded on a laser disc. And there was no doubt that if anything wrong happens I will post it on the Internet, and then instead of the growth of ratings channel expects them to fall.

At ten o'clock in the evening I again put on a suit and got out on cleaning of the territory from criminal elements. This time the city was quite lively. In four hours, I saw the Battery, the Armsmaster, Lady Photon, and even the Demon Lee. But in his eyes I decided not to get caught. Today I moved mainly through the streets five meters above the ground, hiding behind darkness and buildings. Lighting in this part of the city was very few, and beyond the coastal and southern docks I have not poked.

During the patrol I found and destroyed a couple of dozen drug dealers, bandits and thieves, finding each of them at the crime scene. The reach of my telekinetic perception had already increased to a couple hundred meters in radius, so their search was quite simple. Of course, I could not immediately cover the entire sphere with a diameter of four hundred meters, but for ten minutes I could make a clear understanding of what is happening in the vicinity, and what I need to pay special attention. By two o'clock in the morning I considered my mission accomplished, so I returned home and went to bed.

In the morning, for a change I woke up on time and immediately went to the city administration. There I was waiting for ready documents. You could say I'm starting a new life today. From scratch. Life is not burdened with the fate of Bivitz Swine. I'm Eros Ramazotti now.

Then I went to school. I wanted to pick up the translation documents in my new name early, but the principal's office was closed, so I had no choice but to go to class. The first lesson today was history. I thought I would have to break into the classroom in the middle of the lesson, but opening the door, I saw that the teacher is absent, and the students are having fun as they can. Cheerfully whistling, I went to my place, where a group of my friends was already huddled together, discussing something fiercely.

"Oh, Bivitz. We need your expert opinion." - Stephen addressed me, obviously unable to defend his point of view. In such cases he was always angry and tossed his hair, becoming a sort of an angry hedgehog.

"What? Come on, burn." - I threw the briefcase on the desk and sat down on a chair, turning to the company.

"Did you see the Black Cape's interview yesterday, didn't you?" I nodded. "We have in this regard divided opinions, consider him a hero or a villain."

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious.…"

"I told you. He's evil!" Stephen interrupted me triumphantly.

"...The black Cloak is a hero." I finished calmly.

"What?"

"He saves people, fights crime, reveals to the public the insidious plans of the villains."

"Is what bad guys?' Puzzled asked Jack a fat boy with glasses and acne.

"The Protectorate, of course." I also said "It's obvious that the PRT and the Protectorate are the villains."

"Who are the heroes then?"

"Black Cloak."

"And what else?"

"Hmm," I Thought. "Something I do not remember such."

"All clear with you" - Stephen made his diagnosis. — "You are a fan of the Black Cloak. Your opinion is biased, and therefore it can be ignored."

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

"Why is it biased, Yes I am…"

My angry speech was interrupted by the appearance of the history teacher, who slammed the folder on the table and shouted:

"Silence! I stayed late at the teachers' meeting today, but that's no reason to make noise during class. Bivitz, the head teacher, is looking for you. What have you done?

"It's a secret." I replied, picking up my briefcase and rising from my chair. "Steven, if I don't come back alive from this meeting, I'll leave you my seat. Pray there for me."

With these words I left the room, ignoring the staring eyes of my classmates. I wasn't planning to come back here. The meeting with the head teacher ended with our mutual pleasure. He got a thousand dollars, and I got papers in my new name that testify to eight years of schooling.

After leaving Winslow school, I went straight to Arcadia school. There I too went not to the Director, and to his Deputy on educational work Eliza Cassan. My desire to transfer to this school was received without enthusiasm. But only until I expressed a desire to help the school financially, perhaps even directly to its best employees.

To my surprise, Eliza did not demand a bribe for herself, but went with this idea to the Director. He looked through the documents, looked at me appraising look, and asked not such a huge amount of thirty thousand dollars. I could afford that. That's about what I collected last night. These drug dealers are the real high roller.

In the end, I was puzzled by the need to pass exams in basic subjects, promising to issue textbooks and a list of topics for testing after paying the bill. After meeting with the Director, I went to the accounting Department, where I dumped in front of the shocked cashier a whole bunch of money in small bills. I have this waste paper almost the entire portfolio was packed.

Replacing enough pile of money to the solid weight of the books, I left this temple of knowledge. The exam was scheduled for tomorrow morning, so I still had time to prepare.

My next stop was the real estate Agency. There I just through half of the day the convulsive ravings workers bought a good kennel with a view to my new school. I also paid in cash, and a couple of small bribes allowed bureaucrats to close their eyes to the fact that the new owner of the property is a underage. I'm not afraid to spend money for two reasons. First, easy come-easy gone. And secondly, who knows how I do in this world will be. Maybe tomorrow I will be pulled by the Being out of the body, and my money cried.

Till the evening I was engaged in moving and improvement of the new living space. Well at least it was sold with furniture, and I had to buy only a bed and a couple of chairs. After lying for a couple of hours on the new bed, I went on a night patrol. Revenge to the PRT in my mind is not yet ripe, so I decided to continue cleanings, for one to gain reputation.

This time I decided to take a walk not in the docks, but in the southern part of the city, where the wealthiest segments of the population lived. Frolic in the centre I have not yet risked, knowing that there are a lot of observers. In addition, street lighting did not allow to hide with the same efficiency as on the outskirts. I haven't been ready to cut out dozens of masks yet. No, in General, I rated my opportunities as quite high, but it took me a while to get used to them. My symbiont need time to be able to achieve at least relative maturity.

Unlike the docks, the southern business district was extremely boring. Identical two-storey houses with several apartments. Mandatory lawn in front of each house and a few trees in the backyard. Autumn has long come into its own, and the leaves of the trees flew around, making the crown more transparent. With shelters here was a little difficult, so I preferred to sit on the roofs, moving fast jumps from one house to another.

To my surprise, I didn't see any heroes today. They probably all tried to catch me at the docks. Good luck them. The catch here was thinner, but the bigger fish themselves. Local drug dealers had enough money. Today I didn't just kill everyone, and still have previously questioned, trying to enter the warehouse more. One of the drug couriers told me about the drug warehouse behind which the Empire stood. Now I was sitting with my informant on the roof of a nearby building and scanning a suspected drug dealer base.

It looked like a normal two-storey mansion drug dealers. Half of the building was residential. There now lived a married couple. But the second half was rather a cross between the office and the warehouse. And there are three caches I found over a hundred kilos of various drugs. It was powders and pills and dried grass and other unidentifiable shit.

"So who do you say runs this warehouse?" I asked the hostage again. He did not say anything like that, but he had to know the answer to this question.

"This Is the warehouse of the Empire. Now there is running the Night and Fog. They like themselves, but the goods are taken from the Imperials and sell them. According to science, this is called a small wholesale warehouse."

"Are you an economist?" I glanced at the slender figure.

"I graduated from economic College. My mother forced me to go there. Said I'd become a banker. And as I learned, it turned out that economists are not needed, because the economy is in a coma because of the attacks of the Behemots and villains. I had to retrain as a pizza guy. And then a friend offered to work on the delivery of drugs."

"You don't have to tell me about your shitty life. Well, you held up your end of the bargain. You have a chance for a second life. And now you're quietly getting out of here and getting out of the drug business. If I catch you doing this again, I'll tear you apart as your client. And don't you dare tell anyone about me or call anyone. If the cops or the Empire arrive here, you will die long and with a lot of unforgettable sensations."

Guy doomed swallowed and nodded. I let him down and watched him run away at full speed. Well, let's see what kind of masks live here.

I darted forward and stood in front of the window of the room on the second floor. A slight telekinetic effort pushed the locks away, and the window flew open, letting in the cold autumn air. As I flew in, I closed the window and began to plan silently above the staircase leading to the first floor. The married couple somehow immediately found out about my invasion and watched the passage, which I was not slow to appear.

Black cloak, glowing scarlet light demonic mask and a light fog of darkness did not allow to doubt who visited them.

"Black Cloak." - Squeezed out a Fog with indeterminate terms of a set of of emotions in voice.

"Night and Fog." Replied "I think, you already understood, why I am here?"

I'm not a fan of all this heartwarming talk in front of the Grand battle, but I wanted to check what I stand against a prepared opponents who knows my intentions. The Moist on the base of a Merchants I have torn to shreds, not even noticing the presence of his forces. I didn't even know which of the bastards in there was Cape. I guess I killed him first, so he didn't even have time to use his power. They say he had purple skin. I just sat behind the dumpster and perceived enemies by "touch". So I just couldn't tell the difference between him and the others. And he has garbage power rating, somewhere in the area of the three. Now I was going to fight with two very dangerous masks, which were considered among the strongest in the Empire Eighty-Eight.

"Do you think that you able to kill two of us?" - Fog released forward, covering Night.

"I think the only question is can you entertain me, or you will die like miserable losers begging for mercy."

"Do you, by the way, not embarrassed by the fact that we are not masked?"

"Not at all. I don't care about all these your games of heroes and villains. In addition, I am going to kill you not for the fact that you are masks, but for the fact that you are selling drugs. How did you even think of organizing a warehouse in your home? All drug dealers have seen you by sight."

"We said that we rent half of the house from a couple. And certainly no one saw how we change clothes."

"Heh. And here you really screwed up. I was not one hundred percent sure that you are masks and are related to drugs. But your reaction betrayed you headlong."

"No, in fact, we are a peaceful married couple, not having any relation to all this paranormal nonsense." - Intervened in our conversation Night.

"Tha ha ha. And you pranksters. But you should rehearse your speech. In the next world."

I decided that I had already laughed enough, and it was time to start on the massacre. Snatching a bouquet of flowers from a vase, I tried to bring him down on the head of the Fog, but he unexpectedly deftly dodged.

"Maybe we go out into the yard? I do not want to carry our home." He offered, grabbing flowers and thrusting them back into the vase.

"I think ... no. Your money caches are perfectly protected, and bills will not be affected, even if I collapse the entire building. Better start resisting, otherwise I won't even remember when I come to lay flowers on your common grave.

"Actually, we indicated in the will that we should be buried separately." - Again made an "important" remark Night.

"I do not think that they will succeed. I will grind your bodies to a state of puree, and then pour it into that barrel. I think there is a real chance that your remains will lie in it for a long time. No one will look for a corpse in such an inappropriate place."

I specifically turned in the direction of the specified piece of furniture depicting a "pirate table." This moment Fog used to evaporate. In his form of fog from immediately tried to fill the whole room. At the same time, the Night turned into something shapeless and many-faced. But I was most interested in what happens with their symbionts.

And with them everything was very interesting. The combat form of the Night was in fact her symbiote in this reality. They literally exchanged places. While the symbiote frolicked in our world, the Night was hiding at that level of multidimensionality, where these creatures usually lived. From this followed her invulnerability of the girl in this state, and even a return to the initial state upon receiving injuries, and then wrapping back and forth.

The symbiont did not move her, "shifting" in the right direction, but every time it literally recreated her anew. The night "on the wrong side of the world" was a kind of information copy used for its subsequent materialization here. And this copy partially continued to exist, even when it was in this world. The reason why she could not turn to combat form when someone was looking at her was also interesting. Symbiont had in his mind a clear statement "not to appear to people's sight," which it literally performed.

I realized all this, feeling the Cape with my telekinetic tentacles. Despite all my experience, the manipulation of multidimensionality was still a mystery to me. So I had to set up experiments, and then observe them, "discovering" new dimensions of the surrounding world. And I must say that these measurements were slightly more than plenty of. I have already counted a half dozen.

Fog and Night rushed forward in an attempt to reach me, and I met them with the tentacles of my symbiote. The problem with the fog was solved quite simply. He tritely sprayed himself into separate cells, each of which was ruled by a separate tentacle of his symbiont. To some extent, this resembled as telekinesis, which acts only on its own body. And since my telekinesis was much stronger, the fog stopped a meter away from me.

With the Night again, surprises arose. Not that she completely ignored the effects of tentacles, but they, like all normal symbionts, were in a shift with respect to the material world. A symbiot of the Night was here and now, so that the impact on it was extremely remote.

Apparently, these creatures possessed some immunity to each other's abilities, because telekinesis could not stop the creature, but only slowed it down. However, this was enough to get out of the blow. I struck the wall with my back and was in another room. The night continued to haunt me, but got to the edge of the fog, where it stopped, not wanting to return to human form. The fog stubbornly pressed forward, apparently not understanding what it was holding him. Shreds of white haze seeped through the cracks and ventilation, but I already instructed the symbiont to automatically track the movement of the enemy and not allow it to me closer than a meter.

The night was quite an interesting experimental model, and therefore I decided to deal with the Fog first of all. My pyrokinesis could not be called strong, but it was definitely powerful. I could "set on fire" only a small amount of space, but the temperature there rose above a thousand degrees, plus the heating rate of matter was extremely high. So I created a small plasma ball, and then I began to telekinesis to drive through the trickle of fog.

After a second, Fog jerked and tried to escape, but then I grabbed him "by the scruff", holding literally every cell in his body. There was an agonizing cry, and then part of the fog was able to condense and form the head and lungs.

"Stop! Do not kill me."

"You would think about it earlier" I noticed with indifference, tracking the movements of the Night with my strength. "Or did you not know that drugs kill people, turning them into living animals?" And now I'm killing you. All honest. Eye for an eye."

At that moment, Night tried to attack me from behind, breaking through the wall of the house. That's just my telekinesis did not act only on her. The wall of the house completely obeyed me. So, when she went into the hole about half, the scattering fragments and pieces of the walls around it suddenly stuck to the body of the symbiote, depriving it of any mobility. The maximum that the Night was now capable of is to scrape her paws along the floor. Reliably having fixed it, I returned my attention to the Fog.

"Get back to your body, or I'll burn you drop by drop." - He nodded and took his normal appearance under my strict control. On his naked body were visible ulcers. Apparently, the cells I had destroyed should have been there. "Frankly, you disappointed me." I delivered my verdict. "The strongest masks of the Empire, and such a shame. You even could not touch me."

The night made another attempt to rush forward, but only achieved that her feet broke the floor, sweeping the floor into pieces.

"What do you want?"- croaked Fog.

"It seems that we have already found out? I'm going to carry out the sentence I gave you."

"And why didn't you kill me yet?"

"You are so funny. Your ability ... surprised me. Therefore, I will allow you to live until I finish experimenting with you all kinds of inhuman experiments."

The night again made an attempt to free itself, but did not succeed in this. Here, she turned into a human body and tried to slip into the holes between the rubble, but I was on the alert, and immediately grabbed her real body with telekinesis, clinging it to construction debris in one go.

"Do not rush." I scolded her, turning and looking into a distorted face of fear. "We have a whole night ahead. And then, I, as promised, will bury you together in a barrel."

Feigned fear was replaced by maniacal anger, which I completely ignored. As soon as I turned away, Night tried again to take on a fighting form, but found that she did not succeed. I tenaciously held every cell of the body, and its symbiote simply could not enter into a sufficiently tight interaction to "dematerialize" the physical body of its host. This time she felt a real fear, as I sense from her, and I quite smiled. Retribution is inevitable.

An hour before dawn, I poured the dust of two masks into a barrel, which I then carefully sealed and filled with wax. I had to burn down both capes, because otherwise the symbionts refused to admit defeat. But as soon as it became clear that the owners had died, these creatures relaxed and allowed my pet to devour themselves without a trace. Tellingly, this did not add to me either strength or new abilities. But on the other hand, the symbiote gained a little more intelligence and awareness. Now I understand why masks that kill other masks quickly go crazy. Their symbiote becomes stronger and begins to manage its owner. I guess I should become a pacifist until I study this issue more thoroughly.

The study of the two masks was entertaining, but the only benefit from this was only the new ability to "drag" my symbiont's tentacles into the material world. They looked, as normal tentacles, like black wet tentacles. These limbs could interact with objects as the most common tentacles - wrapping them around and moving in space. It is difficult to say why I needed this trick, but it didn't seem superfluous. If I suddenly encounter someone who ignores my telekinesis, I can always swaddle him with quite material tentacles. True, this prospect was not very pleased with the symbiont, because the loss of limbs was unpleasant for it.

I got out of the house accompanied by two safes, where was cash for a couple of millions. I burned the drugs, and on the wall I scribbled the inscription: "Night and Fog lived here. Here they died in wild torment. Black Cloak ".

Looking around, I rushed headlong to my home, gaining height to hide in low clouds. I needed not just to get into the apartment, but also quietly carry there two not the smallest safes. Well at least I live on the penultimate floor. So, I managed to descend from the sky with a shapeless lump of darkness and fly into the window, which, in my capacity, was not difficult to open. I hope no one noticed me.

There was little time, so I immediately fell asleep. The exam was supposed to start at ten in the morning. It takes about ten minutes to go to school for. I set the alarm at half past nine and literally passed out right away. And characteristically, nightmares did not torment me.

I slept a little less than four hours, but I felt pretty decent. Quickly rinsed under a shower and brushing my teeth, I rushed to school. On the street there was a little nasty rain. The temperature was about eight degrees, so there was no desire to linger in the open air. After running the distance in five minutes, I entered the school a minute before the official start of the exam. Fortunately, the teachers were just getting ready.

I sat at the central desk, putting the briefcase with textbooks on the next table across the aisle. It was obvious to every person that I would not be able to use the contents of the backpack imperceptibly. There were textbooks issued to me yesterday, so that the teacher stuck her nose in there and put it off without giving it a bluff.

Just yesterday, while realtors were busy with making a flat deal, I trained to read books using telekinesis. Remembering my first training with the chakra, I made the symbiont learn to distinguish between different chemicals by touch. And then I had to train him to perceive each sheet of the book separately, on another from both sides. So, after three hours, I could surely read a closed book, lying a couple of meters away from me. To search for information, I used the table of contents at the beginning and the index at the end of the book.

During the exam, I used my cheat sheets to the full. Fortunately, there was no literature in the list of exams. To pass it, I would actually have to read a bunch of books. And the questions on all the other exact sciences, I cracked like nuts. Moreover, my stock of knowledge from the first life allowed me to navigate well in the school curriculum of this world.

In an hour and a half, I finished filling out all the tests, for which three hours were initially allocated. Ten minutes later I was told that I scored 412 points out of 500, which is enough to get me enrolled in the elite class, where the Wards studied. I was told to come tomorrow at the beginning of the first lesson, after which I was kicked out of the classroom.

I did not get upset by such boorish attitude, but went home. Along the way, my eyes caught on the sign of the bank, and I decided to visit it to find out the conditions for opening an account. Keeping all the money in the safe was somewhat imprudent. Still, I am at home quite rarely, and they can rob me corny. In this case, even a couple of thousand in the bank will help stretch until the moment I again knock out a money from someone. The only problem was that I was a minor, and therefore opening an account should be in the name of the mother, who would automatically get full access to him, which I absolutely did not like.

When I entered the bank, I was surprised by the spacious hall and a large number of people. On the overall, there were about thirty to forty of them. They stood in line to different windows, filling most of the room.

- How can I help you? - Appealed to me pretty girl in the form of a bank employee.

- I would like to open a personal account.

- Do you already have a passport?

- Yes.

- Then we can offer you a child account opening. It can store no more than a thousand dollars, and there are restrictions on operations, but you can open it without the participation of parents. If you are interested, you can contact window number eleven for more information.

I looked at the indicated window and saw that there was a queue of all of a couple of people standing towards him.

- Yes thank you.

I, having seen all this crowd, was already going to come in another time, but taking into account the size of the queue, it was possible to wait a bit. Squeezing to the window, I began to look around the room. Nearby there was a reception desk with bright advertisements advertising various types of investment of money and loans. It was just boring to stand, and I had already decided to go up and take a couple of leaves of waste paper, as a loud sound distracted me.

The doors leading to the bank's interior opened wide and three huge creatures the size of a horse jumped out. If someone has not seen horses, then I explain - this is such a healthy fool more than two meters high. And these animals were much more muscular, plus had a hefty toothed mouth. A second later, streams of darkness poured through the doors into the room, and I switched to perception through telekinesis.

Of course, this was the team of the Undersiders. I neutralized all the tendencies of foreign tentacles in my direction, sat down on a high stool and tuned in to watch what was happening. My trip to the bank had covered me, so I could afford to have some fun.

After a few seconds of darkness, which did not bother me at all, a huge number of insects flew into the hall. I casually pushed them away with telekinesis, while interrupting the contact of nearby insects at the same time the tentacles that controlled them. I did not want to disclose my presence. Therefore I decided to display the superpower of neutralizing other people's superpowers, effective only in close proximity to my body.

After another five seconds, when the crowd had already begun to panic, pushing and shoving each other, there was a loud female voice.

"Fifteen minutes, and then we leave. Stay still, keep quiet, and we will leave even before time runs out." Darkness of Grue subsided, left hanging on the windows, and people stopped for a moment to pay attention to the millions of insects that filled the entire hall. - "You can write a claim to the police and then continue your regular day. This is not a movie, this is not a TV show. If you are thinking of becoming a hero, don't be silly. You will either suffer, or someone else will suffer because of you."

The crowd was ready to burst into mournful lamentations and cries for help when I decided to intervene.

"Well, who robs the way you do?" - I exclaimed loudly, attracting surprised looks of robbers and hostages. - "You had to break in through the main entrance, take out the brains of a pair of hostages with a shotgun, and then start beating the manager's head to the table, in an attempt to extract codes and passwords from it. And what are you doing instead? Ugh, amateurs."

Surprisingly, my speech made everyone present calm down. Bank visitors thought about how lucky they were that this bank wasn't robbed by me? The Undersiders, on the other hand, were frozen in shock, trying to figure out who I was, or at least what I was.

"Who the fuck are you?" hissed the Bitch? But I knew her name from official documents was "Hell Hound".

"Just a hostage." I waved, smiling widely. "Don't pay attention to me. It is interesting to me too how this will end."

The girl with the dog mask who had seen my smile moved forward called her back.

"Bitch, follow me. Regent, take care of them."

Hell Hound reluctantly obeyed, heading to one of the doors next to Grue.

"Hmm... My power does not work on him…." exclaimed the surprised Regent.

"Same thing here..." - added Tattletale. "I can't read any information from him."

A swarm of insects rushed toward me, like before. When they flew too close, they fell out of her control and flew away in fear. I just had to help them a little with telekinesis.

"My ability is the neutralization of abilities acting against me. It's amazing when no-one can do anything to stop you, and opposite I can't do nothing too"

A short chuckle from one of the hostages caught my attention. It came from a freckled girl with curly brown hair. Just by looking at her, I immediately recognized Panacea - the very purpose of my visit to the Arkady school. I looked away, for I didn't want to reveal my intentions. Instead I glanced at the dark Grue, whose emotions were conveyed by the form of the black fog emanating from him. I swear, I got the impression that I was watching anime, where such techniques were widespread.

There was an awkward pause that I felt compelled to interrupt, with a question:

"So are you gonna rob yourselves a bank? Or am I so handsome that you forgot about it? Fine, let me introduce myself. Eros Ramazotti, wandering comedian."

"You look like it. The guy has a point though, get busy." - Commanded the Grue.

Bitch, Bug and Tattletale were snatched into one of the rooms where the entrance to the secure vault was located. In my opinion, there was not enough money. Thousand fifty small bills. Grue and Regent remained to control the situation in the hall.

After a couple of minutes, Grue was called, and he disappeared through the same door. Tattletale managed to open the vault, and now the three of them have gutted its contents. The bitch stood keeping eye out, gazing gloomily at the hall.

Five minutes later, most of the contents of the repository migrated into three bags attached to one of the dogs. The robbers climbed into the common room, looking anxiously into the cracks in the darkened windows. They had something to worry about. On the street there were six heroes in shining armor, while another was hiding on the roof. Apparently, there were the Wards - a gathering of juvenile criminals under the patronage of the Protectorate. In the future, they had to assume the responsibility of concealing the truth, letting dust in people's eyes and depicting active heroic activities that no real obstruct to the villains.

Undersiders began to whisper about something among themselves. I was too far away to hear them, and I was too lazy to use force to eavesdrop. And so it was clear that now they are shifting the blame on each other and trying to figure out what to do next.

"We have hostages." - said Bitch. - "If you come in here, my dogs will eat one of them right before your eyes. So back the off!"

This warning made the captives freeze in fear,. Anxious, they devoured with their eyes the three monstrous canines. The ones Bitch controlled and could enhance any way she wanted. They wondered which of them would devour them in the truest sense of the word.

The Undersiders weren't joking around anymore. They gathered about a dozen hostages and kicked out them out of the bank onto the street. After a few seconds, Bitch, Grue, and Regent, along with the dogs, jumped out after him, engaging in battle with the Wards. The Cockroach and Tattletale remained inside, watching what was happening outside through the thinning darkness on the windows.

"I see you have a newcomer." - I turned to the Tattletale, who was actively mucking on a computer. - "What is the name of this girl with all the bugs?"

"I am the Queen of the Zerg." - Replied the aforementioned figure in black, surrounded by buzzing creatures. - "What is your name?" - She turned to me for a moment to look at the unreadable look behind the mask, and then turned back to the window.

"I already said - Eros Ramazotti."

"Sure, sure. I meant what's your name when you're in a mask? The cooler name."

"I don't have a mask." I answered carelessly, swinging my legs. "My abilities aren't very useful, and I have no desire to put on these stupid costumes. Jumping over the roofs at night... bringing retribution in the name of the Moon... That's not my sort of thing. And so everything's good to me as it is."

This time I won the doubting views of all those present. Apparently, the idea that the owner of even the most insignificant superpowers does not want to become a hero or a villain, pretty much broke their worldview pattern. In that regard, the hostages did not differ from the robbers.

The next five minutes in the bank, nothing happened. From the street came the sounds of battle: shouts, growls, shots, blows of massive objects on the walls, in general, people continue had fun as they can. Tattletale, stopped raping the computer and rushed towards the interior of the bank.

"It remains to do something else. I'll be back soon. Look after here for everyone." - She threw the bewildered Queen Zerg.

"What? No ... Tattletale! Hell!" - It seemed to me that in the voice of the robber flashed notes of despair. She again rushed to the window, and then, the chaos of the battle reached us.

Something echoed loudly, and one of the windows shattered to smithereens. Fortunately, the fragments flew close, just falling asleep a couple of meters of floor. The darkness covering the doorway dissipated, and flashes of light appeared.

To my surprise, the Zerg Queen paused and almost stretched out on the floor, clutching her head. I did not see any external damage to her. But using the force, I noticed how several threads connecting the Queen Zerg's symbiote with Panacea are pulsating. Apparently, she did something with the insects planted on her. Overpowering herself, the robber rushed to another part of the hall, peering through the windows.

I continued to monitor the situation in the district, and therefore I managed to notice how Aegis used something like a light-noise grenade. I immediately closed my eyes, and created darkness under my eyelids, and cover myself up with telekinesis, in order not to go blind or deaf.

As if taking the blast as a signal, Panacea abruptly pulled away from the spot and rushed behind the bar. The emboldened hostages, too, rushed to somewhere, trying to escape from the hall. The Zerg Queen was too busy trying to cope with the effects of the explosion to notice this. At that moment, the Grue and the Regent finally dealt with Kid Win. The Queen of the Zergs giggled disgustingly, watching this, and completely ignoring what was happening behind her back.

"What's so funny, psycho?" - Asked Panacea, waving a fire extinguisher. It turns out that she was looking for it behind the bar.

The blow threw the robber to the side. But she managed to dodge slightly, and therefore remained with a whole skull. A small cat fight ensued, in which the victims were a fire extinguisher and a telephone, for some unknown reason, pulled out by a Panacea.

"What have you done to me?" I heard the cry of the Queen Zerg.

I decided to intervene and save Panacea when another character appeared on the scene. Having broken a window, a girl flew into the hall. As soon as she appeared, her symbiont's tentacles literally dug into the heads of others. I almost effortlessly repelled the encroachments in my address and jumped off the stool, going to walk to this strange company.

Apparently, having recognised the newcomer, the Queen of the Zerg whipped out a knife and put it to Panacea's throat, going behind her back.

"It looks like we're at a dead end." Powerlessly noticed the heroine, not taking off her eyes from sparkling blade, which was in dangerous proximity to the carotid artery.

"Right." Queen Zerg answered, clutching the hostage to herself, as if she wished to mate with her ... or lay eggs in her.

"Why don't you relax?" I intervened in the confrontation of intense views. "Why are you risking your life here at all? For the money that Bitch's dogs has already dragged to the docks? Or maybe for the sake of fame and honor?

"Do not come!" - Queen Zerg once again squeezed Panacea by her breast, and I took it as a challenge - she attacked my prey.

"What are you afraid of? Your abilities already not working. I can hardly make it worse."

"So that's the matter" I heard the voice of Tattletale behind my back. "Panacea ... how could I miss her?"

"Do not come close." This time the heroine threatened, clearly taking Tattletale as the enemy. At my relation, she has not yet decided, embarrassed by the reaction of the Queen Zerg.

"I forgot to ask you, Glory Hole."

"So is that her name?" - I was delighted. - "She obviously did not read comics. After the epic appearance, the mask should loudly and clearly introduce herself so that everyone present knows how to ask for help or beg for mercy. Admit it, it's not very convenient to shout something like: Hey you, help me."

"Shut up!" This time the expression in the voice of the heroine just went through the roof. - "My name is Glory Girl." In a fit of feelings, she struck the table next to her, smashing the marble countertop into the rubble.

"Huh! And I am Eros Ramazzotti, a wandering comedian."

"And why does it seems to me that 'wandering comedian' is your name as a mask?" - muttered the Queen of the Zerg. I just laughed at such a statement.

"So what are we going to do?" - Intervened in the conversation Tattletale. "We have a hostage, and if you attack us, then Panacea will die with a slit on throat."

"If she suffers, then you all will die with a far more painful and prolonged death. So I suggest you all lie down on the floor, put your hands behind your head and not resist while I kick you."

"Wow! This lady has all the qualities of BDSM Mistress." I said, once again settling on the table. In such situation, it is better to sit higher to have time to react. For Panacea, I was not afraid, because by telekinesis I controlled the position of the blade.

"Shut up, it relates to you too." Glory Girl snapped.

"Why should I be beaten? I am one of the hostages."

"Then why didn't you run away with everyone?"

I looked around the hall and made sure that there was no one left in the bank except for us.

"Well ... I'm too responsible for that. Without me, you would have killed each other long ago."

Heroes and villains exchanged glances, silently acknowledging that I was right.

"But I still think that the two of you are in the greatest danger here." - Again took up Tattletale. "I am a mastermind and can read your minds. If you do not give up, then I will tell everyone about your dirtiest secrets."

"Ha! Whatever you say here will only increase my fame." Glory Girl replied haughtily.

"Actually, I meant your sister. After that, she will have to commit suicide."

Panacea twitched, but the Zerg Queen was alert and prevented her from escaping. A drop of blood appeared on the skin of Panacea.

"Do not move."

"Oh, you evil creature!" Glory has turned out. But apart from being able to clench and unclench her fists, she was not capable of anything. However, after a moment, grim determination flashed through her gaze. "There is another solution. I can just kill you all, and then this information will not get anywhere."

At Panacea, such a proposal did not have a calming effect. She continued trying to break free, but the villain kept her as in a steel grip. Apparently this was her reaction to a worsening headache.

"Panacea is a lesbian." Began speech Tattletale. "She wants to have sex with Glory Hole, and therefore hates her boyfriend. Therefore, she started healing only because she wants to impress her sister."

Panacea went limp, and her limp look buried in the ground.

"Lesbian? Fu-fu." Gave Glory girl. "This is, of course, disgusting, but somehow I will survive. Is that all you wanted to say?" She turned to Tattletale. "I think now is the time to knock out all your brains."

Glory Girl has already taken a step forward, when I decided to intervene in this pick.

"What is the funny thing, Glory Girl made her a pervert. She had so long and stubbornly raped her step-sister into her brain with her abilities, that Panacea now, figuratively speaking, had a half-skull hole in her head. Yes, her brain has emerged long ago, and instead of it there are worms of admiration for perfect and ideal Glory are crawling around. And even funnier is that she did it consciously, just trying to find out what would happen."

My impromptu is clearly a success. The eyes of Panacea and Glory simultaneously widened. I didn't know if my assumption was true or not, but it didn't matter. The main thing is what impression these words made on Panacea.

"I'll kill you!"

With a loud cry, Glory rushed toward me, raising her fist and aiming at her head. I elegantly deviated and with swift blow to the jaw sent this fool into a knockout. I was a little cautious, so I didn't hit very hard. But at the same time I squeezed both carotid arteries to her, so Glory girl crashed to the floor and lost consciousness.

"I defended myself." I raised both hands up. "And she was going to kill me."

"Did you knock out Glory with one blow?" Asked the Queen Zerg with shocked expression.

"I told you that I can neutralize any abilities. So when I hit her, I turned off the shield with a simple touch. In the end, without her superpowers, this is just a spoiled, quarrelsome juvenile bitch.

"Do not dare to talk about Glory!" Panacea cried out. Tears streamed down her face. Queen Zerg released hug, and the girl collapsed to the floor.

"It is necessary to kill the insects sitting on her body." Said jumped Tattletale. Panacea did not resist, while the two villains committed on her some kind of manipulation.

I looked at the drooping Panacea and noticed that even now a thick tentacle comes from the Glory symbiote inside her head. I think it can be used. Now while her world has collapsed, I can take center stage in it.

"The fact that you are a lesbian, there is nothing irreparable." I said, kneeling before Panacea and touching her face with my hand. A pair of tear-stained eyes stared at me. "You just need to find a normal guy and have sex with him. A couple of weeks of daily fucking, and you will forget that you once dreamed of lesbian games." - From the side of Tattletale there was a laugh. "I can help you with this" - This time there was a laugh from both villains.

"No" Panacea recoiled.

"I understand you're still obsessed with your sister. Let me show you what her power does to you. I can block any ability. Now I will turn off her effects on you."

I got up, walked around Panacea, and pressed my chest against her back. After that, with a quick movement of the tentacles, I cut the tentacle entering her head and gave the order to the symbiont to add the unattended stump to myself. After a few seconds, the transplant operation was completed, and I gained control of Amy Dallon's feelings. A few more moments later, the adoration of Glory in her head was replaced by the adoration of me. True, in order not to reveal myself, I set it at the very minimum.

"Look at her." I pointed to the Glory sprawled on the floor. "What is she?"

Panacea stared in amazement at her step-sister, seeing her for the first time as she really was.

"She's ... ordinary."

"Exactly. Just a whimsical bitch who likes to rape people's brains. Her power reflects the fact that she wished worship herself, but at the same time she never had enough qualities to earn that respect." Panacea turned and stared in amazement in my face. "Now you know what she really is, so you can resist her effects. And if you want, I can clear your brain for you."

Now, watching the face of Panacea straight in front of me, I noticed that in fact she was very cute. Simply, she always hid it behind her aura of loneliness, fatigue and unwillingness to use cosmetics. At the same time with all the pink nonsense that I threw at her, I scanned the symbiont, trying to figure out how she can heal someone at all. Okay, this can then be dealt later. It will be enough to tear off a couple of limbs from someone, and then suggest to Panacea to sew them back.

I got up and went to Tattletale. She and the Zerg Queen stood at the exit watching us.

"You are funny." I smiled to them. "If there is a desire to meet, you can call me."

I offered Tattletale a gilded business card with my name and phone. Yesterday, while I was suffering from boredom at a real estate agency, I ordered a couple of dozen of these. Tattletale looked at me in surprise.

"What are you trying to flirt with me?" - She asked. The tentacles of her symbiont flickered around, trying to count at least a bit of information from me.

"Take the card, fool." I whispered in her ear.

Tattletale bounced back a little, looking at me with round eyes with horror. Her eyes darted from side to side, while her consciousness tried to lay down two plus two on her own, without using superpower. Finally, her eyes settled on the business card, and she grabbed it like a lifeline, after which she quickly hid it in her pocket. I smiled at her with my trademark smile of a crazy maniac, and she startled again.

"Tattletale , are you coming?" Shouted the Queen of the Zerg, who retreated to exchange a few words with her comrades.

"Yes ... yes, let's go."

The Undersiders gathered in a heap, each of them looked at me suspiciously, and then they jumped on the dogs and hid in the nearest alley, after which the darkness released by Grue flooded the whole neighborhood area.

I laughed softly and went back to Panacea. My phrase, which caused Tattletale to panic, was said with the same accent and emotions that sounded in her when Tattletale gave her business card to the Queen of Zergs four days ago. I thought about creating my own team, and the Undersiders looked like suitable candidates. Grue was a weak leader, so I chose Tattletale as an agent of influence. Her position is to think a lot and make the right decisions.

Returning to Panacea, I helped her to move to the couch. The darkness still shrouded us, so that on her own she would not have gotten to it.

"Don't you want to help Glory? She is still unconscious." I came on a petition callus, consolidating the conclusions made by my victim.

"No! I do not want to see her. I ... I ... she thought ... and this creature …" Panacea buried in my shoulder and sobbed. In response, I sat her down on my lap and hugged her tight. Well, the control shot in the head was successful.

Alas, they did not give me success. Literally ten minutes later, the darkness disappeared, and the police, the PRT and the heroes of the Protectorate descended into the building.

Panacea was asked to heal the heroes, starting with Glory, but in response, she freaked out and refused to treat at least someone. Five minutes later, Mom Photon flew in and took away her two daughters, not even letting me say goodbye to Amy.

PRT pushed me, trying to figure out who I was, but I introduced myself as a classmate of Panacea, with whom we had to go on a date. As a confirmation of my words, I presented a school certificate, which I was discharged yesterday. The investigators did not pay attention to the date the document was issued, so they immediately reclassified me from suspects as hostages.

During the interrogation, I told everything as it was, except that I blamed Undersiders on the state of Glory. I hope this fool is smart enough to keep her mouth shut. Still, she attacked me completely without restraint, and if were an ordinary person in my place, this blow would have spread my brains all over the hall.

With all this canary, I was released only after six in the evening. Moreover, I was in a state of unsteady so much that I fell asleep, barely getting to the apartment..

I woke up at one a.m. in the morning, full of strength and desire to break someone into hundreds of small bloody pieces. Anxiety symptom. Therefore, I decided to take a break in the patrol, turned over on the other side and continued to sleep.

At six in the morning I woke up completely. Having completed morning exercise, I began to train my abilities. I was especially interested in a piece of tentacles stolen from Glory. Although new tentacle got accustomed to the body of my symbiont, only it possessed the ability to influence people's consciousness. All the rest of my tentacles still showed only the abilities already known to them. Apparently, I will have to treat the trophy with care. The ability to shuffle in the minds of the enemy without killing them is a pretty valuable thing.

School started at eight in the morning, so I didn't have to do much experiments. Catching up with a bag of textbooks, I rushed to school. As halfway passed, I remember I don't have any notebooks or pens with me, but it was too late to rush around in their search.

At school, they brought me back to the director again, gave me a couple of papers to sign, and then took me to class.

"Children, as of today, a new student is studying in your class. Introduce yourself."

"Hello. My name is Eros Ramazzotti. Nice to meet you."

Amy Dallon, aka Panacea looked at me with bulging eyes. Victoria Dallon, aka Glory blinked, burning her eyes with hatred. I smiled smugly at both of them, after which I took a seat not far from Panacea.

Communication with the kids was fun. After the first lesson at recess, Panacea approached me, and a little shyly asked:

"Can you do it again?" She was obviously referring to the tentacle of Glory, which again brazenly poked her head.

"Of course." I smiled, then pulled Amy to me and kissed. There were enthusiastic and angry cries all around.

In the meantime, I amputated one more tentacle from Glory, to which she jerked as if from a current discharge. Surrounding blamed her on jealousy of her sister, and I just mockingly smirked, looking Victoria in the eye. Amy followed my gaze, saw a grimace on her sister's face, and instead of pushing me away or slapping me, she clung to me and kissed me. This time the enthusiastic cries were accompanied by envious. Hehe hehe.

I managed to quickly integrate into the local society, especially since I saw perfectly who is the mask, and therefore immediately adjusted to the presence of an already established company. I think it's quite natural for the Wards to stick together.

Yesterday's story of a bank robbery and my participation in it also became public. I didn't hide the presence of my superpower, but insisted that I didn't want to be either a villain or a hero. The people groaned, gasped, but did not climb into my soul.

After the end of classes, the whole company decided to celebrate my admission, visiting a cafe. Amy ignored Victoria all day, which was already the reason for the rumors, especially considering the scene of jealousy and kiss. Using telekinesis, I overheard the story that Glory was secretly in love with me, but I preferred her sister to her. And now the girls are at loggerheads, and Glory, although angry at me, has not yet left her hope of sleeping with me behind the Gallant's back. He also heard these fabrications and was not delighted with them.

But no matter how the passions raged in personal relationships, the company as a whole kept together, so we got to the party with the whole crowd. Sitting at a long table, we began to make orders. I offered to order anything with a broad gesture, promising to pay for the entire company, in which I unexpectedly competed with Din Stansfield, who until now had been the only one who could shuffle in this way. As a result, we agreed that we would pay the bill equally for two.

The conversations were on various topics, and the already famous Black Cloak soon surfaced. True, there was a specific discussion here, because the majority of those present were members of the Wards, and therefore adhered to the official position of the PRT.

"Something I do not heard any news about the Black Cloak for the second day" - Noticed Dennis, known to the public as Clockblocker.

"Actually, the night before he killed Night and Fog." - Dean noticed.

"What?" All those present except for me turned his head and stared in amazement at Dean.

"How did you know?" - Carlos's hoarse voice rang out. In it I recognized Aegis, who yesterday brought a lot of problems to the Undersiders.

"Well ... uh-uh ... these are rumors." - Dean somehow excused . It became clear that he overheard it somewhere on the base of the PRT.

"Damn! Night and Fog were very strong masks. Eight rating. And he killed them so that no one knew about it?" - Chris was surprised, he is Kid Win, who lost most of his equipment yesterday.

"I read on the Internet that an inscription appeared on one of the houses in the southern part of the city that Black Cloak killed Night and Fog there." The girl with glasses reported. She had no strength, and got into this company most likely because of the beautiful body. From time to time almost all the guys looked at her, except for Dean.

"Well, on the fence is also written." - Kid Win replied discontentedly, switching to a vase with ice cream.

"And there was a drug store in this house."

"Huh, then this is more like the truth."

The participants looked at each other, assessing the news.

"And tonight what happened?"

"Nothing. Not even a single death has been recorded." Again enlighten all Dean.

"Maybe he died? Or overstrained in a battle with masks?" I introduced my five cents.

"About the death is unlikely. But if he was wounded, then he is healing in secluded place." - Dennis supported my idea. - "Or maybe he has a day off."

"Yeah, religion forbids killing on Thursdays." My phrase caused a few dark laughs.

Then my phone rang, and with surprise I pulled it out of the case. Who could it be? I only gave my number to Tattletale. The number was naturally unfamiliar, because the notebook on the phone was empty.

"Hello, a wandering comedian on the phone."

"Eros, we need your help." A breathless voice sounded from the tube.

"To whom is it?" I clarified.

"Undersiders" Tattletale justified my worst hopes. It was her voice that came from the phone.

"Are you sure calling right address?" - I doubted.

"This is Bakuda."

"Who?"

"Bakuda. Lung's girlfriend from ABB. She took people hostage, implanting bombs at them, and is now sending them on us, undermining everything and everyone at every opportunity."

Dean, sitting on my right hand, also listened to the conversation, catching every word. Well, apparently, I will have to help. True, how can I help them in my role as Eros? I can provide only moral support. However, here I have a crowd of superheroes. So I will let them help.

"Where are you?"

"Depot, north of the docks. Here ... a lot of vaults or garages, I do not know how they are called correctly. In general, if you focus on the explosions, you will definitely find us."

"I'll think of what can I do. But honestly, my options are limited."

"Got it."

Tattletale hung up, and I looked at the audience, staring at me with open mouths.

"Who was that?" Could not resist Kid Win.

"Undersiders" I did not deny the obvious. Dean heard the whole conversation to the last word.

"Do you communicate with the Undersiders?"

"No. Yesterday I gave them my business card. I have a habit of giving business cards to those who laugh or interest me."

"And what did they need from you?"

"I did not understand. Tattletale said that someone named as Bakuda took people as hostage, put bombs in them and now sending them to enemies, using as Banelings."

"Banelings? What is it?"

"These are such units in a computer game. They explode upon contact with the enemy."

"We are not talking about games, but about living people." - Carlos was outraged.

"Well, now you know as much as I do, for the most part..." The masked ones silently exchanged glances, united by their common secret. I looked at Dean: "Do you have the phone number of one of the Guardians?" I hinted transparently.

"Well, actually, we do," he admitted.

"Then I propose to go home and call the heroes. And then let them do whatever they like."

"Why should we go?" The girl in glasses said, surprised. Sharing her confusion, the others looked at each other. They weren't sure about this. I began a new explanation:

"Those who wish can stay here himself, but I will personally go to the depot. Since I was invited to take part in this, not seeing everything with my own eyes just doesn't feel right."

"I'm with you." Panacea grabbed my arm.

"… Good," I replied after a short pause.

I got up from the table, and everyone else began to gather too.

"Tell the Wards that I will wait for them near the school in fifteen minutes."

"Good," Dean nodded with a small grin.

We quickly paid our due and fled from there. Fifteen minutes later, I and Panacea stood near the back door of the school. Aegis and Glory Girl descended from the sky. After another minute, Gallant, Clockblocker and Kid Win came out of school. Two more heroes who yesterday fought with the Undersiders were not with us.

"How will we get to the depot?" Gallant asked.

"We take a bus?" I joked.

He did not pick up on the joke. "Too long."

"You are so boring." - I sighed. - "Anyways, if the PRT does not have its own transport, then you can take a taxi. Aegis and Glory Girl can fly there themselves. Surely, by the time we get to the place, they will be knitting them all." - Glory lifted her nose. - "Or they will wander about the territory, looking for something incomprehensible."

"Maybe you know what to look for?" - Glory rebelled, for once admitting the fact of my existence next to her.

I shrugged indifferently and, accompanied by Panacea, went to the taxi stand. Yesterday I had seen at least three cars waiting for customers there. The Wards caught up with us in half a minute. As I suggested, Glory Girl and Aegis flew forward, leaving us to travel on our own.

"How did you guess that I am a mask?" - Gallant turned to me.

"I told you that I have the ability to block other people's abilities acting on me?" - Knight nodded. - "From the first second of our meeting, I felt your attempts to get into my brain."

"Sorry." - Down the Gallant. - "These abilities act on their own."

"But only you and your girlfriend strive to get into the brains of others. Nevermind. You better tell me what the PRT leadership is thinking about our outing?"

"Nothing. They do not know."

"I get what you mean. What, even Aegis decided to hide everything?"

"He said that for the time nothing is known exactly. As soon as he is convinced of the presence of danger, he will immediately contact the leader."

"Well, let's hope this helps."

Taxi drivers, who saw our company, were a little astonished. And having learned that we are talking about going to the docks to fight the villains, two of the three refused to go anywhere at all. As a result, I, Panacea, Kid Win, Clockblocker and Gallant crammed into one car, which was piloted by a courageous Indian, a former cab driver. From the way he drove I though he never even suspected that his car had brakes.

But in the end, we got to the place like a breeze. Trinity boys fit in the back seat, and I sat on the front seat with Panacea on my knees, confusing her with my erection. And what? I'm not iron. And besides, it's all part of my insidious plan.

Getting out of the car near the station, we passed through the deserted streets. The closure of the port had had a negative effect on the city's transportation system. Without the flow of goods, the channels became useless as the transport company did not want to spend money on them anymore. Without transport, the refinery was finally shut down. They say that with the last money the plant owners hired assassins to kill the entire management staff of the company managing the railways. They allegedly wanted to buy the plant for a pittance, for which purpose they specifically put the railroad in disrepair. As a result, some were blown up, others were sent to jail, others went bankrupt themselves, and a good third of the city fell into neglect.

Now we were walking along the street, the pavement on which was in an amazing state of preservation, if only we did not consider heaps of garbage inflicted by the wind and homeless. Transportation did not go here, and the roads are well preserved. In the rest of the city, they have long been broken, as there was never enough money for repairs.

Glory and Aegis descended from sky right in front of us.

"Found something?" - I asked.

"No." - Aegis shook his head.

"Okay, then I'll call our informants. And do not try to eavesdrop."

"You're hiding something?" - Astonished Gallant.

"Of course. At least the position of the informals. They hit you pretty well yesterday, and I don't want to be the reason for your attempts to take revenge. Otherwise, the next time when the villains will kill civilians, neither I nor you will know about it."

All those present frowned, and Kid Win turned away in general, portraying offended pride. I went to the next lane and called the saved number.

"Hello, Eros?"

"And who did you expect?"

"Damn, my power is not working on you, and I feel as if I'm talking to myself."

"Where are you? Or rather, where are Bakuda and the hostages?"

"We are not far from the elevator. We were surrounded on all sides, but we were able to hide. I do not know, however, how long we can hide from them."

"It's funny. Homeless people are hiding in the docks so that no police raid can find them. Lock yourself in some room, and pretend that you are dead drunk. And who the fuck will find you."

"Well, we almost did. But we can not sit here forever. We need food and water."

"So you can stay alive couple days, and where is Bakuda?"

"Yes exactly. She settled south of us in the premises of a factory where plastic objects created or something similar. There she gathered her followers from the ABB and some hostages. The rest of the hostages are sitting closer to the docks or looking for us. About once every fifteen minutes, she blows up one of them, so that the others look better."

As if in confirmation of these words, somewhere in the distance something has exploded.

"Four people per hour." I figured. "What do you think what will happen before: will you die of thirst, or she has finished off the hostages?"

"Very funny." Tattletale got angry. "Are you not sorry for the hostages?"

"To me? Let me think ... no. Generally, I do not care. But I would crush Bakuda without thinking. She doesn't know how to work with human resources, and this is a sin."

"Do your Ward friends know about your position?"

"No, but for them I give a more politically correct version. What can you say about bombs?"

"They are ... weird. Some explode like regular bombs. And some form areas of the distorted laws of physics. There can freeze matter, stop time, change a living being. In general, a lot of incomprehensible mysticism. The bombs themselves are located either in the nasopharynx or in the abdominal cavity. I do not know how to neutralize them. Power is just silent."

"I see. In general, sit and do not hang out. If I need your help, I will call."

"Good. Hang up."

I put the phone in my pocket and went to the Wards, who were staring at me in disbelief. Only Panacea looked at me with love with his eyes. Glory Girl's tentacles works good, and now I have a spare tentacle. And she will do another attempt at my prey - then a third one will appear.

"What was that explosion?" - Aegis asked when the distance between us decreased to five meters.

"One of the banelings worked. Bakuda blows up one hostage every fifteen minutes so that the rest of them will more thoroughly search for the Undersiders."

"He is the beast!"

"Run!"

"Need to save them."

The opinions of the crowd were distinguished by surprising unanimity.

"Here you are idiots." I could not resist. "As soon as she learns that we are here, she will then immediately send a group of hostages to us, pleading for salvation, and then will explode them with us."

"But we cannot stand here and wait for something that is not clear while she is killing people." - Exclaimed the Gallant.

"How can we not? That is what we are doing now." The team looked as if I knocked the air out of them, and then bashed their heads with a shovel. - "I, of course, is not an expert in these issues, but in my opinion I would now take a place higher, track down Bakuda with the help of Tattletale's abilities, and then would shoot down this idiot's head with a sniper rifle."

"We can't kill people." Glory objected. "We are heroes. What will they say about us?"

"That you saved the lives of innocent citizens? No, they will surely say that you brutally killed a law-abiding mask, and then mercilessly blew up several hundred random witnesses. Well, in the end they blame you for the destruction of real estate worth millions of dollars.

"Where did you get such nonsense in your head?" - Surprised Clockblocer. - "You talk like a villain."

"I say, as a reasonable person, sometimes watching TV and having my own head on my shoulders. But it is not about me now, but about you. You are the heroes. So save people. And I'm just a weak useless civil. I will play here the role of an impartial witness and mediator in negotiations with the Undersider. In general, now I will tell you everything I know about Bakuda, and then you yourself will make decisions."

I blatantly ignored the condemning look of those present. After that, a small meeting was held at which I set out intelligence data, and Aegis decided to move straight in the direction of Bakuda, where he could work with her jointly. I wanted to make a facepalm from such a tactical genius, but I resisted, instead I hugged Panacea.

Then we quickly rushed forward. Aegis and Glory looked out for enemies from above, and we tried to get to the future place of the battle by the shortest route. Quite naturally, after a few minutes, we stumbled upon the ABB patrol, which emerged from the alley. Well at least they were tempted by a bright target in the face of the flying Aegis, and all together they shot at him. With a torn chest, he fell down, almost straight at us. Gallant and Kid Win quickly orient, grabbed their commander and dragged him away, hiding from the bullets. I grabbed Panacea and carried her along. But even so, I had to divert a few bullets flying at me. And without me, the team would lost their only healer.

Glory Girl saved us, flying out from behind the roof and bringing down a squall of their charges on the bandits. If she had ever hit it at the same time, it would be quite good. And so, we and the bandits rushed in different directions and hid in buildings, knocking windows and doors.

While Panacea was repairing our brilliant leader, I expounded my expert assessment of the team's actions.

"As you have all seen, your plan is the shortest path to the cemetery. You have even not see Bakuda, and our commander is already dying. Glory is also good. She could kill all the attackers, but instead only scared them slightly.

"I'm not a killer!" Replied the heroine, flying into a broken window.

"Come on? Consider that with your illiterate actions you have just nearly killed Aegis. These Nazis were walking along the street that you were supposed to control."

"I was just a little distracted ..."

"That's enough." I pinned, stopping the debate.

"I'm calling in PRT" croaked Aegis.

Panacea rather quickly reanimated him, especially since his regeneration actively helped. I also watched this process, learnding the method of impact.

The leader pulled the phone out and stared at it in disbelief.

"No signal. How can it possible? You recently called the Undersiders." He looked indignantly at me, as if I was the blame.

"The signal exists" I replied, checking my device. It cost almost a thousand dollars, but it worth itself one hundred percent ... dollars. "Throw your Chinese shit in the trash. If the PRT has no money for normal phones, then ask the Gallant to buy you something in the nearest stall."

"This is a special phone designed by the best technicians of the PRT" Aegis did not give up, tormenting the apparatus. "It is protected from interference, works on military frequencies, and the battery lasts for a week."

"On military frequencies?" I grinned. "Then everything is clear. Surely Bakuda has built a noise generator that operates at the PRT frequencies. A civilian frequences was not affected."

"Take this." The knight extended his phone to the aegis. "This is my personal one."

"I told you ten times that you can't take a personal phone on an assignment." Aegis was outraged, after which he look puzzled at the device, showing three bars on the signal reception indicator.

"Then you can fly to headquarters yourself. And we'll wait here."

In the distance, there was another detonation. The guards exchanged glances, and Aegis began frantically dialing a number on the phone. After five minutes of talking, he dropped the call and gave the expected verdict:

"We have to sit here and wait until the protectorate masks arrive."

After a couple of seconds, more explosions were heard: boom, boom, boo-boom, bububum..

"It seems that Bakuda just got eight less banelings." I summarized. Watching how conscience struggles with rules and orders was very entertaining.

In the meantime, the five thugs sitting in the building on the other side of the street took courage and launched an attack. I did not forget about them and watched their actions out of the corner of my eye. However, the rest of the Wards met a grenade flying through the window, with an expression of genuine surprise.

A strange-shaped piece of iron punched through the glass, bounced off the concrete partition and fell right under the feet of the Clockblocker. He literally sat on some reflexes and covered grenade with his hand, stopping time.

"Run!" He shouted, taking off.

I glanced at the grenade and noticed a red light escaping from the thin cracks on its body. We followed the Clockblocker with the whole crowd, running into the next room. The walls here were load-bearing, so there was at least twenty centimeters of brick and concrete in them.

"You used your ability surprisingly well." I noticed.

Riser just nodded dumbfounded. His face was hidden by a mask, but under it he must have been as white as chalk. Meanwhile, the gangsters, without waiting for the explosion, ran into the building and began watering everything around with bursts of machine guns. At that moment, the time freeze effect stopped, and the grenade hooted hollowly. Shooting immediately stopped.

Looking into the doorway, I saw the bandits lying on the ground, clutching their heads and trying to get to their feet.

"Kick them!" I exclaimed, wisely moving away to the side and skipping those who want to engage in close combat. The Wards reacted to my cry as to the command "Fas" and began to kick the bedridden ones, calling them to obedience.

After a couple of minutes, the five thugs were tied up and seated in a row along the wall. The grenade was stunning and did not cause any serious harm to their health. While Aegis unsuccessfully tried to dislodge the location of Bakuda from the members of the ABB, I conducted an inspection of the captured weapons. Most of all I liked the short-barreled Steyr AUG with a silencer and a telescopic sight and a well-worn but comfortable Sig Sauer pistol with a caliber of nine millimeters. While no one was looking in my direction, I put the gun in the inner pocket of my jacket, and hooked my rifle to the belt and slung it behind my back, pretending that I always had it there. It took another couple of minutes to gather five full magazines for a rifle and a scatter of ammunition from a pistol in a small pouch. Alas, there was no spare clip from him.

"What do we do?" Aegis asked when it became clear that the bandits are not going to say anything.

"Shoot them and go on." Oddly enough, this offer came not from me, but from Glory. Today she was generally quiet all day. I, of course, had not seen her before, but for some reason it seemed to me that she usually tries her best to attract attention and prove her exclusivity.

"We are heroes" Twisted Aegis. "You said that we do not kill." He remembered her phrase, said to my proposal to shoot Bakuda.

"We can say that the Undersiders killed them." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I propose to shoot knees each of them " I made my rationalization proposal. "So they will not be able to escape or help Bakuda."

"I will sue you to tribunal." growled one of the gangsters, with hatred looking at my rifle. Apparently, before it belonged to him. "For the attack, and for theft."

Boo! This time the explosion rang far closer. Aegis looked in that direction, then grabbed one of the captured pistols and made five shots. Five knee cups scattered to smithereens.

"Heal them so they won't die from blood loss." He ordered to Panacea, overshouting swears and curses issued by gangsters."We will not wait for reinforcements. Every minute of delay is someone's life."

Two minutes later, our company rushed forward. Aegis and Glory soared again in the air, this time already observing the surroundings more closely. After ten minutes of running, when Panacea, Clockblocker and I began to choke, we reached a small square, in the center of which stood a shapeless crowd of hostages. Previously, there was a fenced storage area in the open air, but then someone rode a bulldozer, demolishing a fence that stood around the perimeter. And this area was formed, littered with rubbish and remains of a fence.

In the buildings near the square, I noticed several groups of armed men. Of course, I didn't talk about them, but after receiving a preventive bullets in the chest, Aegis became much more careful. So he came down to us and led through one of the buildings, intending to take a safe observant position.

Here from one of the rooms, by which we passed, a homeless-looking man popped out.

"Help me!" he cried, completely ignoring all our attempts to disguise. "I have a bomb in my head."

For me, this fact was not a discovery, but the reaction of others was funny. Some of the "heroes" rushed forward to silence the blunt hostage, and some rushed back to escape from a possible explosion. Naturally, I and Panacea were in the second group.

"Do not yell." Knight hissed, prescribing a preventive punch to his liver. "You will be first blown up by a ram if they find out that we are near you."

"Get out! Dump nah. I want to live." Sharply changed his desires idiot, continuing to yell at the top of his lungs. The second punch to the liver, this time stronger, turned the screams into almost safe moans.

"Calm down, you idiot. Shut up and lie down." The third punch brought the bum into the correct state of consciousness - he whined and curled up into a ball.

"We need to find out how works bomb in his head." Said Aegis, tying up a resisting hostage. The stock of plastic handcuffs so far allowed to spend them without restriction. "Kid Win, can you do this?"

"Yes. But the help of Panacea also does not hurt."

Together they began to inspect the sacrifice of Bakuda.

"The bomb is installed in the nasopharynx." explained Panacea. "It is fastened with special tendrils, and if you try to remove it, it will surely explode."

"I can not do anything. If he was lying on a workbench in a lab, I could try to extract it out. But by picking in the homeless' nose, I do not understand anything.

The bum was trying to struggle, but he caught the Gallant's warning look and calmed down.

"You can cut off his nose" I made another provocative offer. At this rate, by the end of the day I will make frostbitten maniacs from the heroes. And no, I do not have time.

I looked out the window to admire the sky. Half shimmered with all shades of red, and the second was already filled with darkness. Autumn, after all, darkens early.

"No! Please do not, I want to live." The homeless man whispered, having finally understood the basic principles of disguise.

"Eros, you can turn off the bomb with your power."

"I can try, but for this I need to touch it. And for this you have to cut off his nose."

The peasant looked around in agony, correctly understood the glances directed at him, after which he jerked to the side and as a fish leaped at the window, punching it with his head. We were on the second floor, so he would have some chances to survive ... if he had not his legs and arms tied. And so he fell on the asphalt by head, after which the bomb in his head detonated.

The building was pretty shaken up, and then frost began to spread across the floor and wall. We barely managed to get out of the room when the building cracked deafeningly and began to fall apart. Fortunately, only part of the wall collapsed and the bulkheads on the ground floor closest to the explosion. The gangsters in the next building screamed and rushed in our direction, clearly intending to verify the cause of the unexpected explosion.

"I think we need a more sane patient." Philosophically I noticed.

"Doesn't his death touch you at all?" Panacea was outraged.

"You know, Friedrich Schiller in one of his plays said: The gods themselves are not able to fight against stupidity. He was right one hundred percent. Therefore, I never fight against someone else's stupidity and do not sympathize with it."

"Yes, you just scared him to death." Objected Clockblocker.

"I can't not argue with that." I agreed. "Then we will entrust to you the the honor of persuading the next test subject about the need to lose his nose and the front of his skull in order to develop a ways of fighting bombs."

"But this is not forever. We have a Panacea, which can return everything as it was."

"You can tell them about it. Let's see if you can overcome human stupidity. By the way, someone running to us.

In the surviving dusty window, it was clear that another group of bandits was running across the square to us. One of them swung and launched a grenade to the window. I had only to correct it's flight a little with telekinesis so that it hit the frame right in the middle of the window, bounced off and fell among a rushing group of bandits. Those rushed in all directions, but did not have time to take a couple of steps, as the bomb exploded, stopping time within a radius of five meters. From the ten people, only one managed to slip out of the area of eternity. The rest are frozen in a bluish haze like flies in amber.

What is most interesting, the current state of this area was not a consequence of the action of the symbiont. The multidimensional impact was felt only for a split second, and then it was the usual physics of multidimensional space. A small breakdown created by the symbiont, that turned into such a trap, just following the laws of nature. I need to beware of such things. Otherwise, I may not have time to get out of the affected area.

While the heroes were watching the fate that befell the members of the ABB, on the other side of the building another group broke right through the wall. It seems that they also used some of the creations of Bakuda. At least the wall crumbled down, and did not fly a stone crumble in our direction, as would have happened in a normal explosion.

There were shots from machine guns, and again we all rushed into the next room. There was a great view of the square, but the wall between this room and the one served as an obstacle for bullets.

I pulled the rifle off my shoulder and fired a short burst into the hole. This move was a completely surprise to the attackers, since they relied more on non-lethal superpowers. The attack choked, and we were able to safely reach the shelter. Even Glory did not want to go forward heroically and catch the bullets from the machine gun. Instead, she rushed to the collapsed wall, intending to fly out into the street and come in from the flank.

I controlled all the actions of the enemies, and noticed with irritation that they were again going to throw a bomb at us. Fortunately, the place near the door was occupied by Kid Win, who noticed the movement of the enemy and fired in their direction a whole line of his pistols - the only useful equipment he had. One of the shots accidentally hit the flying grenade, throwing it back. I didn't even have to interfere.

A moment later, there was a dull sound like from a bursting canister, and I felt the distortion of a spherical space spreading from the grenade. It reached our room and stopped only a little crossing the wall. In order not to risk, I threw everyone out of range by telekinesis. I did it in time, because all the area squeezed into the sphere with a loud bang , forming a small sphere, which in a moment fell to the ground. The effect of its collision with the earth resembled a small earthquake.

I looked around and found our current location tactically unprofitable. On the one hand, the wall collapsed because of the freezing bomb, on the other, because of the implosion. So we were left hanging around on a small stump of the building under the dangerously crackling roof, which I had to hold on to telekinesis. We were on the second floor, and there were no stairs to descend.

A strange-looking car jumped out of the nearest alley, driven by a woman in even stranger clothes. Tight blue-white suit with poisonous pink inserts, antenna on the head, ending with a large ball, hood, tight-fitting head and leaving only the face open, and in addition to this mask in the form of a respirator and ridiculous-looking glasses with darkened glasses.

"Is she Bakuda?" I asked people around doubtfully. They only looked puzzled back.

Glory and Aegis rushed forward, finally finding a worthy goal. Bakuda's car resembled an open-top monstroke. Throwing the steering wheel, she threw something like a multiply-charged drum-type grenade launcher. One charge went to Glory, and the second to Aegis. It seems that her weapon possessed the function of auto-homing, because the heroes could not evade. Glory hung in the air, surrounded by obscure force fields, making a screaming sound. I did not notice any visible damage, but now she could not leave the scene of the explosion and shook her from side to side like a rag in a washing machine. Aegis again caught the charge on his chest and fell down as frozen statue. Well at least his strength somehow resisted the freezing, and he survived.

The third shot in our direction Bakuda did not have time to do. I picked up my automatic rifle and made a short shoots. Alas, the suit turned out to be bulletproof, and I no longer had time to aim at the head. After only four shots, the rifle stopped firing. The rifle was a civilian model for ten rounds. There was no time to reload it, so I threw the rifle and grabbed the gun.

Kid Win also did not stand as pillar and began watering Bakuda with two hands. Alas, this time with accuracy he was not very. The Gallant used his ability, but Bakuda simply ignored him. The villain slid to the side, jumped out of the car and was already intending to firing at us, but by this time I had reached for a gun. This time I helped myself by telekinesis, correcting the flight of a bullet. I hit, as expected, right in the left knee. Bakuda staggered, and I cheaterly pulled her grenade launcher down and pulled the trigger.

The bomb hit the ground just five meters from the car. Surprisingly, it did not explode, but only released clouds of white smoke. I thought of a volumetric type of explosive, but then I noticed that the effect of this smoke is more like acid. It quickly clouded the whole neighborhood area and began to crawl along the asphalt. The smoke was noticeably heavier than air and did not rise above a meter above ground level.

I traced how caustic gas got to Bakuda. She initially jerked from the pain, and then applied some kind of device that neutralizes the gas next to it. With the next movement, she pulled out an object that looked like a cigarette lighter with a big red button. It must have been a remote from bombs placed in the bodies of the hostages, so I instantly grabbed it by telekinesis, and then cut it into tiny cubes, which slipped from the hands of the villain as sand.

Bakuda fumbled, examined her punched leg and quickly crawled to the sewer hatch not far from her. As soon as she leaned on the grill, the rotten bars broke, dragging the mask down. To my surprise, the sewage was clean from rubbish, as if someone had recently been cleaned there. Moreover, after a dozen meters, another similarity of transport was found, this time adapted for movement along narrow sewers. It seems that Bakuda has long been preparing for a battle in this place and has organized a means of emergency evacuation. After ten seconds, the villain successfully runned out, leaving his supporters and hostages unattended.

By this time, the bomb caught the Glory, ceased action, and she broke free. Obviously having lost orientation in space, she discharged several monograms, after which she got into the wall and fell down into the fog. But after a second, Glava flew back, already more adequately perceiving reality.

"Save the Aegis!" shouted the Gallant climbing the wall to the second floor. A second ago, he jumped down into the fog, which immediately began to erode his heroic costume, so that the hapless savior had to flee himself.

"Where is he?" Glory asked, peering into the white veil that covered the ground.

"There." Showed Clockblocker, dangerously approaching a hole in the wall. He did not notice, but I "saw" perfectly as the stone crumbles under his feet.

Glory dived into the fog, and flew out after five seconds, carrying Aegis on her shoulder. Throwing him next to us like a sack of potatoes, Glory stared in disgust at the blood covering her. Aegis looked like a victim of medieval torture. All the skin peeled off him, revealing the ulcerated meat, in some places alternating with ice crystals.

Panacea immediately rushed to save him, primarily patching the circulatory system and internal organs. While everyone was staring in horror at the Aegis, the Clockblocker, who stood "on guard", stepped on the floor a couple of times, and then almost silently fell down, breaking both his legs at the same time. His martyrdom made everyone turn around and look at the hole in the floor. Glory again dived down and delivered the following patient to her sister. Fortunately, the fog did not get inside the building, so that the Clockblocker did not dissolve in it.

I looked out, watching as the white mist spreads. The hostages, previously crowded in the center of the square, now in a panic moved away from the approaching white tentacles. No one told them that Bakuda had fled, so they were torn between the need to execute the order and the desire to escape from the approaching threat.

A few minutes later I heard the roar of jet engines, and the Armsmaster came down from the sky in his suit.

"I told you to sit and not stick out." He made almost unemotional.

"We saved the hostages. And we stopped Bakudo" Objected to him Kid Win. The Armsmaster stared at the fog, clearly scanning it with all available means.

"Where is she?"

"Must be there, next to the car. This fog covered her, and she did not show up anymore.

The gunsmith examined the surroundings for an additional threat, and then flew up to the car, dispelling the fog with the exhaust of jet engines.

"There is nobody here." He shouted, shifting attention from the car to the neighborhood area "Sit there and do not try to go down. I'll check the neighborhood and take hostages."

"They have a bomb in their heads." Knight shouted.

The Armsmaster just nodded shortly, threw a masked look at me and flew away.

As always, after five minutes of heroic struggle followed two hours of writing reports, summing up and ideological brainwashing. Having loaded all the above Wards, the Armsmaster looked at me, Panacea and Glory.

"We need you to write a report about what happened." He began to press on us.

"And we do not need." I cut off.

"Who are you?"

"A conscientious citizen who brought the heroes to the rescue of the hostages, and also neutralized Bakudo."

"I'm not sure that you do something that forced her to disappearing."

"Yes of course. Surely she just remembered that she had not turned off the iron at home, and ran to turn it off."

"... I think it's not in the iron." Replied Armsmaster after a second delay. On this statement, all those present burst out laughing. Sometimes his inability to understand humor was as good as a good joke.

"Okay, we'll go." I delivered my verdict and headed for the equipped descent. The fog has almost disappeared and is no longer a threat. Behind me I pulled Panacea, and Glory flew after her. The Armsmaster could only watch us in silence. He clearly did not want to quarrel for my sake with members of the New Wave.

The paratroopers of the PRT were already snooping around the district, so I found the terrain safe, lowering the degree of attentiveness. For this I paid. A Chinese man jumped out from around the corner of the building and rushed straight towards us. The paratroopers did not yawn and cut off him with burst from an automatic rifle. As a result, the gangster fell, slamming a grenade into the ground, which he held in his right hand. There was an explosion, and the blast wave knocked me back a few meters. Panacea, fortunately at this moment was behind the wall from the explosion site, so it just stunned.

The explosion was unexpected, so I was lifted up into the air against my will. But by the time of landing, I had already oriented and softened my contact with the ground. In general, from a loss I only had a jacket smeared with mud. And from the profit I was able to portray the mortally wounded "unconscious." Panacea immediately rushed to heal me, but naturally discovered that my power was blocking her. All that was necessary to prevent her symbiote from pushing its wet lustful tentacles into the openings of my body.

Realizing her powerlessness, Panacea immediately began to cry and hug me.

"No, don't die, Eros. Wake up, can you hear me?"

"If you kiss me ..." I whispered in the voice of a dying swan. "... then I will try to survive. My eyes rolled back, and a hand reaching for Panacea's face fell helplessly onto my chest."

"Eros! Wake up, wake up, please."

I was finally kissed, after which I began to develop my success. The kiss dragged on, then hugs began, she would have rape me right here if Glory had not interfered.

"So that's why you called yourself a wandering comedian." With a mixture of contempt and envy, she said. "The role of the dying you succeeded."

"Haha, it seems I revealed myself."

Panacea awoke from the inspired trance and blushed to the roots of the hair.

"Amy, I didn't expect such passion from you." I hugged her again, whispering in my ear. "I like you, and I would like to continue my salvation in a more secluded place." She tried to pull away, but I insidiously moved her hand to my standing member. "I'm alright. I think we can go further."

I stand myself and helped Panacea up, after which we headed off. PRT did become generous to our guards, highlighting the whole five accompanying. As we walked, I embraced Panacea, and at times I even stopped and kissed her. Finally, the nerves of Glory could not stand it, and she flew away. Her annoyance was also caused by the fact that Panacea did not even attempt to heal her sister. Apparently, the quarrel between the girls turned into a mutual hostility, and only the habit of being together kept them in direct visibility from each other.

By the time we got to the station, there we were already waiting for a recent Indian, whose business card I grabbed on the way here. He was a little upset that there were no Wards with us, but I cheered him with a piece of paper for a hundred bucks, telling him to go to my home. In the car, we also kissed, then violently hugged in the elevator, and finally, rushing into my apartment, began to tear each other's clothes off. In general, at night we had something to do.

As a rule, morning is a certain sobering moment in a relationship. Yesterday's passion no longer overshadows the mind, the rested brain begins to analyze the possible consequences, the jaded body reacts poorly to sexual stimuli. But all this had nothing to do with us. I just stuck my tentacle into the girl's brain, "turned on two hundred and twenty," and all doubts immediately left her head, replaced by a desire to continue sabantuy. And we continued it.

Today was Saturday, and therefore there was no need to go to school. We got out of bed only towards noon, having moved to the jacuzzi. Then there was cooking breakfast, and when we sat down at the table to gobble up what God sent, I turned on the TV.

A report appeared on the screen about how the city survived a night filled with explosions and what counteracts the administration was taking to cope with the consequences. As it turned out, having received from us to the nose, Bakuda did not calm down and began to blow up everything all over the city. And on the sly, while the Wards, the PRT and the Protectorate were rushing all over Brockton Bay, an attack took place on the transport that transported Lung to the Cage.

Hearing about the many victims, Panacea immediately planned to go to the hospital, and then remembered that she had switched off her phone last night. The image of an angry Mom Photon immediately surfaced in her head, from which the romantic mood immediately disappeared. I decided to take the fire to myself. After Amy was scolded for the absence of the phone at night and for turned off phone, I picked up the phone and in the ultimatum form stated that I can be able to take care of my chosen one, after which I switched off phone.

The following call and disassembly resulted in each side remaining to its own opinion, but at least accepting the existence of the opposite side. After that, we went to the hospital, where I was able to observe the healing of mere mortals, and not immortal terminators like Aegis.

The following week merged into a gray daily routine, which I loved terribly. At the beginning there was a school, during which I dealt with my abilities and idle magic. Then Panacea and I went to my house, where we gave vent to our passion. And then she went to the hospital, where I accompanied her a couple of times and supported her morally.

Well, for a snack at night, I wore a black raincoat suit and went to nightmare thieves and drug dealers. The latter have already understood what is going on, and therefore they were desperately encrypted. Some even went to work at all in the morning and afternoon so as not to appear on the street at the same time with me. In response, I had to look for caches of drugs myself and punish those who were near them.

It seems that my "heroic" activity did not go beyond the destruction of petty riffraff. With this, I reassured the major players, at the same time collecting information about the main criminal forces of Brockton Bay: the Empire, the ABB and the Merchants. These were not all teams of villains, but they were behind the large criminal organizations trying to crush the entire city.

Especially in this regard, Lung, a brutish man, who forcibly recruited a bunch of people and started something big. Every day explosions were heard, someone was abducted and "turned into true faith" by putting a bomb into his head. More people died in shootings and squabbles than I managed to kill. After all, I dismembered only those whom I caught at the scene of the crime, and the ABB destroyed everyone who they simply did not like. In addition, the city was flooded with army, police and lone heroes, attracted by the opportunity to become famous as fighters against crime. Naturally, they did not fight with any crime, but only posed in their suits in front of the cameras and demonstratively beat faces a couple of hooligans daily.

On Friday evening, a call arrived on my phone, which I, to be honest, already waited.

"Alo. Phone sex."

"Eros, we need to meet."

"Ow! Do you want to move our relationship from virtuality to reality?"

"Not funny. So what about the meeting? It is important."

" Good. Where and when?"

"Today at the docks near the beach. Bar Flying Dutchman. At nine in the evening."

"Wait for me, honey. Chao."

I hung up and thought, ‘Tattletale finally decided to take a step forward.’ And while she did not come to her senses, I should take ten steps, go behind her and put a knife to her throat.  After that it will be possible to talk.

At a quarter to nine, I sat on the docks three hundred meters from the meeting place, dressed in my signature black cloak. The sun had already set, and the darkness reliably hid me from random glances. Since then, my abilities have developed even more, and now I could work on objects at a distance of half a kilometer. As a rule, all my night “hikes” consisted  of the fact that I was sitting in a rented car, and all the atrocities were made by a “shadow projection”, successfully depicting my personal presence.

Today, I wanted to meet with Tattletale personally, but first I had to find out who else would come to the meeting, except for her. Five minutes before the appointed time, a taxi drove up to the bar, in which Tattletale stepped out in her villainous costume. And how does she have the audacity to walk within the crowd? Unlike other masks, her abilities do not contribute to survival in a collision with enraged inhabitants.

Once again, I searched the neighborhood and made sure that there were no other masks nearby. Identifying  surveillance in the face of ordinary people, or equipment, was more difficult, but it did not frighten me. First of all, I was interested in the motives of Tattletale. Rising into the air, I got to the bar in a few seconds and slipped inside through the back door.

In the bar, the girl was already sitting at the table, facing the entrance. To her left sat  a wall and a sofa, and a hall to her right . Assessing the situation, I decided on a small circus trick. One by one I dropped three glasses from the waitress’ tray. Naturally, the sound of breaking glass attracted attention, and Tattletale turned her head to the right. At that moment I quickly flew and sat down on the sofa to her left. Making sure that nothing special happened, the girl turned away and again looked at the entrance.

“Waiting for me?”  I took an interest in my "treasonally-speaking" voice.

Tattletale suddenly turned her head to me  and almost jumped. The spectacle of a figure shrouded in darkness with the mask of a demon did not contribute to calm.

“Black Cloak? Why you?”  The confusion passed after a second, after which she replied in an almost calm voice. “I invited Eros.”

“Boys at his age need to think about girls and school, and not about disassembly with masks,” I said insistently.

“I knew you were connected.”

“If you had not guessed about this, I would be very disappointed.” Tattletale shrank from the tone of my voice. “So what about did you want to talk?”

The villain looked at me attentively, after which she wrinkled a displeased face. All her attempts to read information from me were defended.

“There are two questions. First, tomorrow there will be a gathering of the majority of Brockton Bay villains. There they will discuss the situation with Lung and you.”

“Do you want me to kill them all?” The girl startled again and looked at me with fear.

“No. I want you to attend this event. And as you know, you don't need to kill anyone there. This is neutral territory.”

“Well, in general, I do not mind meeting with the rulers of this city. I have something to say to them. Are they already in a panic?”

“Not really. Your fight against drugs only increased their profits. They raised the drug price five times, and sales volumes fell by a maximum of a quarter. But they, of course, are unhappy.”

There was a pause in our conversation. Apparently, Tattletale doubted whether to tell me something else.

“What is the second question?”

The villain sighed and looked straight into my eyes.

“I want you to kill Coil.”

“Coil? I heard this name, but nothing concrete. Like this is some kind of villain, the roof of the city center.”

“Yes. And for one, our boss.”

“Undersiders?” A silent nod was her answer. “And what didn’t please you about your boss?”

“He ... makes me work with threats.”

“Loves to play domination-submission?”

“Not the way you thought.” Tattletale grinned darkly. “If I stop being useful to him, he will just kill me.”

“What is his strength?”

“I don’t know,  but this is something related to the prediction of the future.”

“The prophet? Interesting.”

“He always manages to make sure that he is not in a place where he is in danger. But that's not all,”  She paused again to delay her answer.

“Do not pull the cat by the tail.”

“Last thursday he kidnapped Dina Alcott, the city governor's niece . She is a cap and has the ability to predict the future, giving the probability of the occurrence of certain events.”

“Two prophets ... Very entertaining.”

“Coil puts her on drugs and makes her predict the future in exchange for another dose. But she is only twelve years old.”

“Interesting, and Coil knows about your meeting with me?”

“I do not think so. Otherwise, I would not be here. Instead, my corpse would have sailed in the bay.”

“Or I would kill all his people, and right now I was heading to the city center to punish him for interfering in my affairs.”

“There is evidence that only he can foresee events that could really happen. But now he has Dina, and I am afraid that opposition may not be easy.”

“Nonsense.” I waved away. “First, for  now, I'm not going to kill him. Maybe it won't even be necessary, because he will die without my help. Secondly, the strength of these two prophets most likely does not take into account my intervention. As you noticed, finding out something about me is quite difficult.” Tattletale nodded with a dull look. Apparently, her mind was tormented by hundreds of questions about me, not one of which she could find an answer. “Well, the most important thing is that knowledge of the future can not help you if the final is not dependent on your efforts. If I want, I could  kill him no matter what he does in return. It's like playing chess when you have a complete set of pieces, and your opponent only has a king.”

At the moment, I could already fairly well heal people. Of course, I was far from the Panacea level, but the daily experiments on drug dealers allowed me to get a hand on healing various injuries. In fact, the whole operation was reduced only to the implementation of the program “to make according to DNA”. Cancer cannot be cured this way, but it is easy to sew a severed arm.

The presence in the zone of the reach of two prophets made it possible to learn how to predict the future. And this is another gold coin in my piggy bank of survival. The knowledge about the Endbringers made such precautions not at all superfluous.

“I need information about Coil. Where are his bases, what does he do, where does he get money from? All that you know. And you did not tell me where and when the local bosses will meet. Will there be a Coil there?

“Yes.”

“It is a good opportunity to see him.”

Ten minutes later, our meeting ended, and we ran away satisfied with one  other. I was not deceived about Tattletale’s motives. She didn’t want to work for Coil, and would hardly agree to work for me. At least to coercion is better not to bring. The current situation is quite indicative of the consequences of such a policy.

On Saturday, at fifteen to three, I sat in ambush and watched the people gathering for a meeting. It had to take place in a bar, lost on the border of the central part of the city and the docks.

First came the Undersiders, almost immediately after me. Five minutes later, a representative car drove up, in which a man, clad in steel armor, emerged. Beside him, two muscular girls in armored jackets hobbled. These were Kaiser, Fenja and Menja — the main shock force of the Empire Eighty-Eight.

Then, another similar car rolled up in which Purity, Krieg, and Hookwolf came out. They were so  recognizable that even I could notice them from a distance. These were masks that held the position as  officers in the Kaiser organization, although there were many rumors that Purity had left them. Yether appearance in such a composition clearly indicated that it was not worth trusting these rumors.

Coil, who came out of the alley, calmly walked down the street and went into the bar. He was not accompanied by any of the ordinary bodyguards. He parked the car on the next block. That said a lot about his confidence. At least he was not afraid of getting attacked  himself.

He was followed by a group of mercenaries, led by Faultline, as they entered the bar. Some of them were people quite conditionally. An article on the Internet described them quite accurately, so there were no problems with identification.

A minute later, a car drove up, looking as if it had been made from garbage and “parked” almost in the middle of the road. Two capes, dressed in costumes of a similar garbage design, fell out of it. It was Skidmark and Squealer, whom I had been searching for the last week and a half. Immediately after the massacre at the docks, they left their shelter and did not appear in public, limiting themselves only to sending reliable couriers with drugs.

The time on the clock approached three, so I left the observation post and flew to the bar. I opened the door at exactly fifteen zero. Accuracy - the politeness of kings. The eyes of all those present converged on me, and there was silence in the bar.

“Good day,” I calmly said, heading for a free chair at the common table, where the leaders of the gangs gathered. Only the Merchants sat separately at a table in the corner.

“Black Cloak,” Kaiser squeezed out. “I have a couple of questions for you.”

“I will be happy to answer them after the main discussion.”

I sat opposite the Grue and began to look at the audience. I noticed that many looked from Grue to me. To enhance the effect, I added darkness around me and made it dissipate and squirm in the same manner as my opponent showed.

“Which of them imitating?” I heard a whisper from behind.

“I don’t know, but the Black Cloak looks cooler.”

My demon mask smiled smugly, exposing snow-white dagger teeth. Of course they looked painted, but the impression was correct.

“I think I'll take one chair.” Said the man who suddenly appeared at the door. He wore a high top hat and a classic frock coat.

It was clearly teleportation. I even noticed the elements of space effects characteristic of the Replacement Technique from the world of Naruto. The door behind him swung open, and there appeared a whole group of strange looking creatures. Or rather, there was only one creature, but this oddity was enough for everyone else. It was not even alive in the full sense of the word. I turned to see this miracle, remotely resembling a giant gorilla.

“Travelers, yes?” Pronounced Coil. “You are not local. Decisions here are made only by those who have influence in the city.”

“You can consider us as nomads. Whatever is happening here is too interesting to skip, so I decided that we look in here.” The guy with the cylinder hat made an official bow. He could certainly pass the butler exam at the court of the Queen of Great Britain. “I'm Trickster.”

“Do you know the rules?” Asked him Grue.

“We have been to such places. I can propose. Do not make fights, do not use abilities, do not provoke others, or everyone else in the room will forget about any enmity among themselves in order to put the violator in place.”

“Close to the truth. It is important to have a neutral territory where you can meet and discuss some issues in a civilized manner.”

“I will not argue with that. Please continue as if I am not here.”

The Trickster sat down at the main table as his team took their place in the far corner away from everyone. There were enough masks in the bar to make it look almost full.

Coil looked around at the table, nodded and said in an indifferent voice.

“Apparently, all gathered, it seems that Lung will not come, although I doubt that this is a surprise for those present, given the subject of our meeting today.”

“ABB and...Black Cloak.” The voice of Kaiser was heard, barely hidden by irritation. My mask blossomed with another toothy grin.

“The death of thirty-five people from the explosions was confirmed. More than a hundred in the last week were hospitalized. Also, another five dozen small dealers and criminals were dismembered to the state of bloody minced meat.” Coil turned his head to me, clearly blaming me for this. My smile became even wider, literally stretching from ear to ear. “On the streets there are armed forces. Skirmishes between members of the ABB, the combined police, and military forces continue. The people of Lung attacked our firms and caused explosions in places where, in their opinion, we could be. They captured our territories and there are no signs that they will stop in the foreseeable future.”

“The city is literally sinking in chaos,” said Kaiser. “Lung takes on too much by himself.”

“And this is a real problem. ABB will not be able to withstand. Sooner or later, they will self-destruct, and the problem will disappear. If it were not for some subtleties, then we would take it as a boon. Our problem is that the actions of the ABB attract too much attention to our honest city. National security and military forces are here to assist in maintaining order. Heroes flock to the city to morally support the Protectorate. This complicates the business.”

“Bakuda is at the center of all this.” joined the Grue to dialogue. “Lung may be a leader, but everything depends on her. She "hired" people, kidnapping them asleep, subduing and implanting bombs in their heads. Then, she threatens to blow them up, forcing them to abduct new people. The number of hostages, now, is at least three hundred. Each of her soldiers knows that if he does not fulfill the order, Bakuda can detonate the bombs. All of them are willing to risk their lives, because the alternative is certain death, or the death of their loved ones. Our main goal is to neutralize her, but she sets up her bombs so that they explode as soon as her heart stops, so it will be a bit more complicated than a simple kill.”

“What's the problem?” I asked blankly. “A total of three hundred civilians. This is less than one tenth of a percent of the city’s population. So many die of natural causes  every month.”

“It will affect our image,” explained Kaiser.

“You would think they consider you are not villains, but at least the saviors of the nation.”

“Actually, they think we are,but not all.”

“I do not think that your target audience will greatly decrease from this. Declare that most of the dead were blacks and bums, and the people would forget about them in a day.”

“How can you say that?” Grue rebelled. “These are humans.”

“So what?” I looked around the barand did not notice the agreement in their eyes. “Do you know that in Africa ten thousand children die of hunger every day? Everyday. Ten thousand. From hunger! Well, now you know. And what will you do in connection with this? You cannot answer, and so everything is clear - nothing. You cannot do anything because these negroes are away, and you do not have to have any work. You did not know about them, and you did not care for them. With me everything is the same, but only my “distance of care” is somewhat less than yours. I’m worried about what I see right in front of me, but I’m clearly aware that it’s not in my power to save more than a few people at a time. So, why create yourself extra problems trying to achieve the impossible? Save the people - great. Can’t save? Well, to hell with them - women give birth to new ones. On the contrary, the longer you stay tormented by moral doubts, the more people will capture Bakuda. She frolics in the city for a week, but one sniper's bullet would be enough to stop all this at the very beginning.”

My monologue made a definite impression, but not to all. However, I had nothing to object to. In the end, it was not for nothing, that those gathered here were called villains, and they understood this philosophy.

“So.”  Once again, Coil examined us. “We have agreed to? The ABB cannot be allowed to continue its activities.”  Most of the participants expressed their approval of this idea with nods or a consonant hum. “Then I propose a truce. Not only with everyone here, but between us and the law. I can contact the authorities and inform them that until the issue with the ABB is resolved, our groups will restrict illegal activities to the minimum, necessary level for our business, and we will ensure that those who do their own business do the same as our territories. This will allow the police and the military to concentrate all their attention on the ABB. There should be no violence or clashes between our groups due to territory. No theft nor insults. For the sake of victory, we will unite with those whom we can somehow tolerate, and we will ignore those with whom we cannot cooperate.”

“I think this is acceptable,”  Kaiser agreed.

“Our team will not subscribe to this,” objected Faultline. “We by ourselves do not do anything like this, but if we are paid, we will do anything. We can even start working for Lung if we find the fee acceptable.”

“Well, regrettably. But we can talk after this meeting ends. I prefer not to create difficulties.”  Coil said.

“I spoke with my group that we would act in approximately the same spirit as Coil proposed.”  Grue added. “Yes, we agree.”

“Black Cloak?” Coil turned to me, making sure that I was not in a hurry to agree.

“It's funny that you came to such an agreement on your own.” I answered mockingly. “I think I should explain my position, including regarding your claims to me.”

I looked around at each of the leaders and even turned to look at the Merchants table.

“From the moment I arrived at Brockton Bay, this city belonged to me.” I heard an offended sniff from Kaiser. “I do not care about your affairs, as long as you comply with my laws. You know all about them: do not sell drugs, no violence, theft, robbery, extortion, raider seizure of property and fraud. As long as you keep my laws, you are safe. If you decide to break them, then I will come and destroy you, regardless of the consequences.”

Kaiser tried to say something, but I stopped him by raising my hand.

“Those sweeps that I spend at night are just a warning. When I cut out a hundred Merchants, it was also only an indicative execution. This city has not yet seen my wrath and did not see what I can do if I act in full force. Therefore, in order not to be unfounded, I propose a small contract. You permanently stop all types of criminal activity, and by tomorrow morning I will solve the problem with ABB, Lung, Bakuda and their henchmen.

In the hall hung silence. No one risked violating it, because they were not ready to agree with, or reject, my proposal.

“You offer me to roll off my whole business?” Kaiser almost growled.

“Business? No, you can keep a clean business. The crime will have to cease. You promote the superiority of the white race,” I started the return press. “And where is it, this superiority? Your strength based on drugs, extortion, and theft. In fact, you are no better than Merchants. No better than those dirty niggas. You do exactly the same thing as they do. Do you want to show the superiority of the white man? Then take care of the legal business, adjust production, raise science, support culture. If you achieve this, having only true Aryans in your organization, then I will be the first to come and congratulate you on your success. For now, I see only a handful of pale-faced geeks who differ from blacks only by smaller penis size and lighter skin color.”

Kaiser rose, and his chair flew backward, falling to the floor. He clenched and unclenched his fists, snorting angrily and trying at least to say something in response.

“I repeat: My proposal is not a farce and not a game. I could kill all of you in a split second, but it is unsporting. I will not get any benefit from it. No moral satisfaction. My laws are only a payment to society for allowing me to quench my thirst for blood. I could kill everyone, but I prefer to do so that my actions benefit not only me but also those around me. You can agree with me, you can disagree - this is your choice. I just explain my position, and you have to make your own decision and face predictable consequences. I also do not need chaos in the city. It interferes with business.”

Kaiser stood for a few more seconds, then pulled a chair next to him and sat down on it without saying a word. A girl came out from behind the bar and lifted the fallen chair and placed it next to the next table.

“We understand your position and promise to think about it.” Coil informed me.

“For the beginning that's enough.” I agreed.

“So, we are finished with the main theme of our meeting.” Coli appealed to all. “Before our paths diverge, are there any other questions? Suggestions, announcements, complaints?”

“I have a claim,” There was a rough voice from Kaiser’s group.

The figure, naked to the waist, rose from the table and approached us. It was  Hookwolf. He wore a flat metal mask with wolf ears. Of his clothes, there were only black wide jeans. he entire upper half of the body was littered with metal spikes and hooks that grew straight from the skin. He stared at the table at which the team of the Undersiders sat.

“There is that whore, Bitch. This bitch attacked my company. Her damn dog harassed  my clients. You're lucky I wasn't there, whore.”

Grue stared at Bitch, then replied to Hookwolf.

“This is a risk to be considered when doing business in Brockton Bay. On your way, the cape can stand up, no matter whether they are heroes or villains.

Hookwolf burned his eyes.

“This is a matter of respect. We do not fight, but you want to fuck off my business? First, tell what your problem is. Let me decide for myself if I want to move my business.”

“And what kind of business?” I asked.

“... Dogfights,”  replied Hookwolf a little doubt.

“Hmm ... and you want to make a similar claim to Bitch?”  I was surprised.

“What's the problem?” Hookwolf frowned and looked at me with a challenge.

“How would I say this …” I stretched out. “All those gathered here are masks. And each mask is a psycho with one or another deviation in their behavior. You, for example, love violence, and Bitch loves dogs. This deviation determines our behavior, makes us able to use force. When they come to any mask and say that he must act in defiance of his shift in the brain, he goes into a rage and begins to destroy everything around him. For Bitch, such an irritant is when someone hurts dogs. For you, it is if someone says that you must love all the blacks on the planet. Consider me, if you would arrange fights to death not for dogs, but for kawai cats, I would kill you right here and now, regardless of any agreements and truces. As the person in a black outfit said when she was ordered to stop.” I nodded at the Zerg Queen “‘I can't. It's stronger than me’. So if you arrange dog fights, then you should immediately lay in the costs of the likelihood that the next day a psycho like a bitch will come to you and begin to destroy everything around for the sake of agreement with his own schizophrenia. Is this clear, or Bitch should start to promote sex with blacks under the windows of your apartment?”

Pent-up giggles spread across the hall. Hookwolf snuffled like Kaiser a few minutes ago, then he stared at Bitch and declared.

“Next time I'll tear you and your dogs apart.”

“We'll see.” With a call she answered.

Hookwolf glanced at me and then headed back to his desk. I looked around and found that half of those present were looking at Hookwolf or Bitch, and the second half was lost in their thoughts, trying to understand what is their personal insanity was about.

“Does anyone have any other questions?” Asked Coil. There was a serenity in his voice.

“Yes, what happened to the Fog and Night?” Asked Purity, not rising from her seat.

“It seems that I left a very specific explanatory inscription.”  I have advised. “They died.”

“We did not find their bodies.”

All those present focused their attention on me. For some, the news that I killed two strong capes was shocking.

“You know how I deal with the bodies of those executed. I tear them into small pieces. So I did with them, after which I cremated and buried in a barrel. It stood in the hall on the first floor. Have you seen this?

“I ... I ordered to take it to the garbage.”

“It is a good place for the graves of drug dealers. More questions? Do not be shy.”

What was happening was reminiscent of a cheap farce, which Coil did not like.

“No questions.”  Here he summarized. “Let's finish our meeting. Thank you for coming. Faultline, can I have a word with you before you leave?”

I got up, glanced at the pensive Kaiser, looked around at the quieter Tattletale and the Queen of Zergas burning with indignation, then enveloped myself in darkness and with a rapid jerk flew out of the bar, opening the doors in front of me.

On the street I flew off to the side and hid on the roof of the building a couple of hundred meters from the bar. Now I was going to follow the masks of the Merchants, and then finally clean up the whole gang. Most of the rank and file members were already known to me, as well as their place of residence. By and large, these people had nowhere to go. Even at the docks there were not too many places where they could get comfortable with relative comfort. Many buildings were burned out or were on the verge of collapse. And homeless people and drug addicts destroyed the infrastructure of this region more and more.

Skidmark and Squealer came out one of the first, climbed into his clunker and rushed forward at full speed. I pursued them without falling into their eyes. An hour later, they stopped almost in the suburbs in the northern part of the city. The industrial zone of the docks and depot remained to the south, and there used to be a residential quarter in which employees of the nearest enterprises were huddled together.

The car disappeared into the underground garage of one of the buildings, and I approached to scan it. Large stocks of drugs, a chemical laboratory and a warehouse of chemical reagents filled with bags up to the ceiling became a catch. Immediately acquired and several couriers who were engaged in drug trafficking in the city. One of them even saw me through the window, but I did not give him the opportunity to raise the alarm by turning his neck.

After landing on the roof, I began to watch the Skidmark, while tightly searching the building for money. Four floors of the double access house made it possible to arrange a lot of hiding places. While I was gutting the tricksters, the Skidmark and his girlfriend went into the lab and began to check the operation of the equipment. After a couple of minutes, a couple more residents of the house joined them, helping with the “bring-serve” level works.

I found money in the building just under a hundred thousand dollars. This was too little, and therefore, it was necessary to interrogate the Merchants about the location of the stash. I immobilized all the people in the building and then broke through the window into the laboratory. Such a trifle as steel bars on the windows did not delay me even for a split second.

“Well, well, well. Detained red-handed.” I turned the Skidmark and Squealer so that they could see me.

“You? Fucking cape! You followed us. This is a breach of contract.”

“What contract? I do not remember that agreed about something with worms like you.”

“Fucking fagot! Let me go. Or I'll tear you to pieces.”

I just laughed at such threat.

“Actually, I’ll tear you to pieces. You have only one chance to stay alive - to pay off. You must be fabulously rich.”

“Go fuck! You will not get a penny from me, smelly jackal …”

I fixed the pusher's vocal cords, making it impossible for him to speak.

“Then I will return to this question in about fifteen minutes.”

I took a timer standing on the table, put fifteen minutes on it, started the countdown, and then began to tear off small pieces of his body from the Skidmark and to heal them back. For one thing, I cleaned his body from drugs, which formed a cocktail in his blood, one drop of which could, perhaps, kill a horse from an overdose.

Literally at that very same moment, a field of force appeared around me, trying to push me away. That's just the impact force was small. The maximum what it was like is a change in the direction of the action of the Earth's gravity. Without interrupting torture, I once again analyzed the impact and came to an unambiguous conclusion - this is a change the vector of the action of gravity. That is, the force of influence in principle could not exceed the force of gravity. Very poor, as for me. With a light movement of the tentacles, I dispelled this field and focused on torture.

At first, Skidmark did not show any particular emotions in response to torture. But as the drugs began to leave his blood, the panic began to fill his mind more and more. I perfectly controlled it with the help of tentacles, inherited from Glory. By the time when fifteen minutes was over, he constantly watched the change of numbers on the timer, seeing off every second with tears in his eyes. As soon as I gave him the opportunity to speak, he shouted:

“Kill me! Kill me! I do not want to live. Nah-ee-ee! I want it all to stop. Life is such a crap that I want nothing to do with it.”

It seems that my torture was completely useless. But getting rid of drugs led to depression of unspeakable proportions.

“Good. But first tell me where your money lies.”

And then a stream of descriptions of various hiding places, stashes and treasures made by Skidmark literally poured on me. At the same time, the control of emotions showed that he was definitely not lying.

“Well. Be patient a little bit more.”

I give him some hope and turned to Squealer . She looked at me with a mixture of hatred, contempt and fear. An unexpected Skidmark tantrum frightened her more than all the torture before. I partially freed the techie, previously depriving her from all the technical gadgets.

“I will let you go if you kill the Skidmark .” I delighted her, hanging in front of her in the air a hefty cleaver.

I was interested in the process of absorbing one symbiote by another. And now I wanted to watch this process.

“Why should I believe you?” She asked, clutching at the weapon.

“You have no choice. Either you kill him, or I start torturing you. It's simple.”

The pusher tried to escape from my grip, and then he whined:

“Squealer dear, please kill me. I can't take this anymore. Just stick a knife in my heart. You can. I beg you !!!”

“You have always been a weakling.” Spat Squealer.

After that, she grabbed the knife more comfortably and ... rushed at me. Naturally, I grabbed her at the very beginning of the movement.

“It was the wrong decision.” I notified her, after which the pain came to her, and the blood began to be cleared of drugs. There was no such high concentration of chemistry, so it came to the human norm in a minute.

“Aaaaaa !!!” She screamed when she gained the ability to speak. “Ok, ok,  I'm going to kill him.”

“Just be so.”

This time, Squealer didn’t organize a show, but jumped to her accomplice and almost from a running start threw a knife into his heart. Then pulled out, and threw again. And further. A minute later she literally turned the chest and pulled out a shredded heart.

“Are you satisfied now?” She asked, throwing a bloody lump at me.

“Almost ... wait a minute.”

I immersed myself in observing the process of merging the symbiotes. This process did not become clearer, but at least I understood that in the symbiote it was changing after that. If earlier I could only track the effects of absorption on the symbiote's consciousness, now I was able to evaluate the quantitative side of this process. Roughly speaking, with each absorption of the symbiote, a certain part of the “fullness scale” was filled. However, the fill size was not directly related to that of the victim. That is, by killing one cape, whose symbiote was on the verge of becoming complete, you did not risk becoming the same as he.

For a more complete understanding of this process, I need to conduct a couple more experiments, but on the whole the result was clear. I could finish off at least fifty masks before I reach the limit beyond which it was unclear what awaited me. Most likely, the end of this game for me personally.

“Yes, everything is ready. And now it remains only to shake out from you the position of all your stashes.”

“You promised to let me go.” Squealer screamed in awe.

“Aaaa, I joked. Sorry, sometimes something happens to my sense of humor, and people do not understand that I am joking.”

“Bastard, cre…”

I silenced my test subject and stuck my wet, lewd tentacle right into her between ... an eye. I was going to check the work of the lie detector, based on the control of emotions. At the same time I did not even need to listen to the patient's answers. It was enough to ask questions that could be answered yes or no.

After twenty minutes of intense conversation, I looked at the written sheet, where my notes on the interrogation of Skidmark and Squealer were. In general, the amount went obscenely large. I even did not understand what these underground billionaires did in the slums. They could already live somewhere on the southern islands, surrounded by a harem. But apparently, the inertia of thinking did not allow them to abandon their “gang”. After all, it was only there that they could be appreciated “in dignity”, could they glorify their fame, wealth and beauty. Ugh, what an abomination.

I flew out of the building, and then literally razed it to the ground, mixing the stone of the walls with the bodies of the still living Merchants. After that, I had to go and see all the stashes and gut them, taking the money found and destroying the drugs. With a full bag of money, I, like Santa Claus, was still forced to come up with a plan on how to deliver all this wealth to my apartment without attracting attention. I couldn’t just fly over and throw off a heap of money in broad daylight.

In general, I was released only around six in the evening, when it was already getting dark. Tonight I had to deal with the ABB, so it was not worth wasting time.