Five-thirty, first alarm of the third day.

Like every time before, I dutifully rose and got dressed; this time for the fight. I did my stretches, skipped my usual cup of coffee, and paused as I passed Mom's door. My eyes flicked to the ground and I kept walking. The sirens would wake her up and...well, the shelter wasn't going to do her much good unfortunately. Worse, I didn't know where to send her to keep her safe...

I muttered a quiet 'I'm sorry' as I left and started jogging towards the beach. Leviathan's distant storm slowly drew nearer as I ran. This time I was lucky, managing to skip all but a few stragglers rather than being hounded by the crush of people evacuating. I was early enough that the PRT vans just started pulling into the parking lot of the blocky building, where everything started, as I crossed it.

I picked up the pace and leaned against the wall, staring out at the sea as troopers brought equipment inside. A hero landed nearby and gave me a nod before heading inside. I didn't recognize him but...well, I'd never actually seen most of these costumes. Artist impressions were one thing, but so many details were just subtly different that it made it hard to identify the ones I didn't really care about.

I went in as more capes arrived, again taking a little space at the back of the room. This time I was keeping a lookout though. Despite my visit two days ago, or maybe because if it, I wanted to talk to Skitter. I knew it was unlikely but...shit, who else was I going to work with? If she listened to me maybe we could rig something up quickly.

I saw Clockblocker, coming in along with the other Brockton Bay Wards. Shadow Stalker leaned against a pillar just a few feet from me, Gallant joined New Wave when they trickled in, and the others sort of...stuck together. That was fine, I didn't need to talk to Dennis until I had to a certain bug controller.

Hookwolf passed by, huffing at me. I just glared, not saying a word. If I made it through this, maybe a wolf hunt was in order... First I actually had to make it through though. I stared out the windows as the storm drew nearer, the black cloud darkening the sky overhead. I shivered. Round four.

Finally, Skitter arrived. I saw her hesitate as Tattletale joined the remaining Undersiders, then sit in the same chair as last time. Looked like everything else had gone along as usual, despite my intervention. Sucked for her, but for my part I didn't have to deal with a certain, smug blonde with a penchant for shooting me. The bitch. I walked over and sat next to Skitter, waiting until her head turned towards me.

“Hey,” I said, offering a wave. “Uhh, sorry again about the other day. Did you make the ropes?” She stared at me, silent, her posture stiff. I forced myself to stay relaxed...or at least not bouncing around with nerves.

“Your idea was...interesting,” she said at last. Skitter reached into a pouch on her belt and took out a long, lumpy looking string. My eyes widened. “Not perfect, won't be useful.” I swallowed.

“W-well,” I stammered, taking a deep breath. “If you don't need it maybe...I could...you know?" I swallowed again and forced myself to meet the yellow lenses covering her eyes. “Let me have it. I have an idea.” I reached out, but she pulled it back.

“An idea?” Skitter asked and I nodded.

“See, Clock--”

Legend's booming voice from the front of the room interrupted me. I ignored him and tried to explain the plan to Skitter, but she seemed taken by the man onstage. Well, he was handsome, but not really my type. I guess to her, he was Legend, the great leader of the Triumvirate. Of course she'd listen to him over some scrawny kid who'd been almost a home intruder the other day. I saw Tattletale grinning as she stared at me and glared back. I flipped her off before turning to the front of the room. If Skitter wasn't going to listen right now, I guess I'd have to wait until he was done talking. Finally, Legend began dividing the capes based on powers. I hesitated. I knew I was in the 'can take a hit' category but...oh fuck it.

“Skitter,” I said sharply, drawing her attention. “When we get out there, find Clockblocker. If you can get him to freeze your silk and have Leviathan run into it, he'll get fucked.” She cocked her head.

“And how do you--”

“No questions,” I snapped, shaking my head. “Do or die.” I left her with that, joining a group of capes near the front of the room.

“Name?” A big guy in black and bronze armour asked.

“Inominate,” I replied, shrugging. “Sorry, I'm kinda bad with 'em.” His exposed mouth turned down in a frown.

“Power?”

“Personal force-field,” I replied quickly. Come on dude, there was an Endbringer outside. “It can stop...well, a few hits at least. No strength though.” He nodded, but didn't say anything else. “Umm, what's the idea he--”

I heard a series of shocked shouts, and force-fields popped into existence just as the first wave crashed over the building. I flinched as it struck, bracing myself for the sudden teleport that was coming. There was a crackle, then a blinding flash of light, and like that I was knee-deep in water and staring out at Leviathan while he approached.

Alexandria herself marched to the head of our group. Well, I guess the namesake of the 'Alexandria package' would be here with us. She started marshaling everyone into some semblance of a formation. I was placed in the second line and told to step up if capes in front of me went down. I nodded and fell in line as others stepped forward. Leviathan approached, slow and inexorable as a natural disaster.

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Then he pounced.

The man in black armour died first. I saw his breastplate crack under Leviathan's claws and blood pour into the black water below. Three more went down, dead or injured I couldn't tell. My knees shook as more heroes and villains filled the empty spaces. Brutes hammered the Endbringer with blows that could shatter steel and absorbed damage that could kill a hundred ordinary people.

I had to move up, I had to get in there. I could do something, I could take a hit for someone, or something. All I had to do was step up, to take on the monster that had killed me three times before. A spray of gore splashed over me, staining my clothes and pattering against my projection. I forced myself to breathe, then take one, slow step forward. Another. Then another.

I locked my eyes on the Endbringer. Oh fuck he looked big when I was this close. Even in the shelter he'd seemed...smaller somehow. No, it didn't matter, he was the same size as before. His strikes wouldn't do more damage, and they wouldn't harm me. I took another step, then froze as Leviathan's glowing eyes locked on me. His tail whipped out and I shut my eyes, thinking about nothing but staying as still as I could. Donk. Oh thank fuck that wo--

I let out a yelp as the tail wrapped around me and threw me aside. Oh god oh god please don't fail please don't-- I flew through an empty window and crashed into a desk. It collapsed on top of me in a pile of splintered particle board as explosions echoed outside. I pushed myself to my feet just in time to see Leviathan get powerbombed by Alexandria. Nice. More capes jumped in as Leviathan tried drowning her, tearing into him, making him bleed. Oh, shit, that meant--

I scrambled forward as capes cried out a warning of the oncoming wave. I was lucky, this time, charging through the waterlogged streets and reaching Narwhal just as she threw up the last of her barriers. The tidal wave crashed down on top of us, the quaking of the ground so bad that I saw two capes fall to their knees. A ragged, cackling laugh tore itself from my throat. I got a couple weird looks but I didn't care. I'd fucking lived!

I watched the water begin to vanish, not recede like last time but turn to mist. Looking over I saw an honest to god wizard, complete with robes, staff, and hat. Next to him was a Dr. Doom looking fucker who seemed to actually be turning the water to mist while the wizard gathered it into a ball before firing it at the Endbringer as he tore into more of us.

He flew through the air and crashed into a building not far away. The heroes wasted no time, springing into action to pin him in place. The structure warped strangely as force-fields sprang up around it. I ran after the other front-liners, the knee deep water barely slowing me. My projection had some advantages.

The building collapsed before I could arrive, falling on top of the Endbringer. As the dust was cleared by the typhoon of rain, I saw a twisted structure looming over the beach. I narrowed my eyes, that hadn't been there before. That was...oh. I glanced away from the beached Protectorate headquarters and saw Alexandria clambering to her feet. Armsmaster shouted to rally everyone as Leviathan tore his way from the building.

I stood beside a hero in heavy, scrap-iron armour. The Endbringer landed just down the street from us and lashed out with his tail. The echo flew further and battered the maybe-Tinker to the ground. I knelt once it had passed to help him up, but found I only managed to lift half of him. I dropped the remainder in the water and stood, staring at the monster.

When he began running, I followed along with the others. I still wasn't totally sure what I could do, but if he hit me instead of another cape who actually had a combat power, that was good wasn't it? Of course it was, what a stupid question. The tradition of the fire ship was alive and well here. I was directed down an alley with four others and we blocked it off as the others herded Leviathan.

Laser harried him and reality-bending explosions littered the battlefield as Miss Militia unloaded Bakuda's arsenal into him. He struck her down, then turned his attention to our alley and I swear on me specifically. Leviathan skated forward across the waterlogged street, spearing the cape next to me on his claw, then sweeping it my way. The blow was stopped, but the remains of my shredded hoodie and sweats were soaked with gore. It didn't bother me more than anything else today...

He turned away and targeted the flyers harassing him. I saw Legend fall like lighting, and Shielder die in front of his sister. I joined the front as more capes fell, as Kaiser began to erect massive steel columns to slow him. Then the Endbringer just...stopped. His eyes still stared at us, burning with a venomous hatred, but nothing more.

Clockblocker.

I heard a dozen shouts, one of which I recognized as Skitter calling for a teleporter. I whipped my gaze around, finding her just as Trickster got there. I ran through the alley to her, we had a fucking chance here. A woman in a witchy, skeletal costume knelt next to the fallen Ward as I reached them, huffing.

“Skitter,” I panted, drawing her attention. Armsmaster was trying to rally everyone but I didn't care. We could win. “Silk, where is it.” She stared at me silently as the rain pounded down on us.

“Utility pouch,” she replied, finally, tapping her back. “Useless, mixed up with everything else and the water now.” I knit my brows together.

“Then make more,” I snapped. “You don't get it, we have a chance to kill him here.” That drew the attention of the bone-witch.

“Can't,” Skitter replied, her voice flat. Her gaze turned back to Leviathan. “No time.” I wanted to strangle her.

“Then fucking listen next time!” I barked, then stalked away towards the Endbringer.

I had no plan now, no way that we could actually win this, but maybe I could do it just being here. I explained my power to Armsmaster and was carried to the rear of Leviathan, along with a cape that must have been a villain between the jet-black outfit and silvery spikes jutting out everywhere. Her mouth was the only thing visible beneath a sodden, low hood and she gave me a smile.

Leviathan's tail ran almost the whole length of the alley. Our job, when he woke up, was trying to stop it from being a problem for the others that would be trying to do real damage. I just hoped I could avoid getting thrown around like a ragdoll again. Since I could be picked up, I had to be damned careful about exactly what kind of hits I was--

I flinched back as Leviathan's tail suddenly whipped into motion, catching me in the chest. My breath was forced out of my lungs and I felt, even heard over the rain, my ribs shatter like twigs. I knew I flew through the air, I knew I hit the wall, but I didn't feel it. I fell face up, staring at the black clouds overhead as the Endbringer fought free.

The cape in black ran over to me, I saw blood dripping from her mouth. I opened mine to speak, but all that came out was a burbling moan. Oh that hurt. Oh that hurt. I tried to heave in a breath, but my lungs wouldn't cooperate. I made a pathetic mewling as the villain took my hand. The day was getting darker, the storm louder. Before long there was nothing but the sound of pounding rain. Then there was just nothing.