Taylor jerked to wakefulness as a rush of something flowed into her, like a sudden jolt of caffeine. For a just a moment, she remembered seeing horrific things playing (fighting?) in a starry sky. Her nose wrinkled as the stench of the filth surrounding her once again registered and then suddenly confused, Taylor frowned.
It didn't seem as bad as before. The sink was less, it wasn't as foul - wait, no, it was still just as horrible, but the fear, the revulsion was gone. The filth she was buried in was still disgusting, but she knew in the very core of her being it couldn't hurt her.
Half-heartedly, she pushed at the locker door, and was oddly unsurprised to see it start to give at the hinges. With a bit more determination, she hit the door, once, twice, thrice, and the hinges broke with a quiet squeak. The locker door clattered open, only held up by the lock that had been keeping it closed.
On unsteady legs, Taylor stepped out into the empty hallway, debris spilling out to the floor around her, and took a deep breath of the somewhat fresher air. She looked back at the befouled locker, and for a moment fantasized about going down to the office to report the assault. She considered trying to get to the showers.
"Why bother," she muttered, voice raw and low, almost sounding like someone else's. "Screw this place." With that decision made, she turned and with an awkward, stumbling gait headed towards the nearest exit.
It took her longer than she expected to reach the doors, the clumsiness hampering her. The energy - adrenaline, perhaps - that had driven her this far left her about the moment she left the building. And with it, the stoicism that had been supporting her all this time dropped as well.
On oddly firmer legs, Taylor began to cry as she began the long walk home. Unbeknownst to her, moments earlier a passing student, who would have normally just complained about the smell when he got to class, instead saw the horrific mess and had called 911.
***
"Velocity, this is console, what's your location?"
Robin cursed mentally and spat a bite of muffin into a napkin. He should have known Battery would call him, she had an uncanny knack for ruining his breaks every time he was on patrol. With a sigh, he tapped the button on his cowl that would allow him to respond.
"I'm at Lord's Market, on my break, like I always am at this time," he snapped.
"Sorry," she responded, her tone making it clear she wasn't sorry at all. "BBPD has requested PRT and Protectorate assistance for an incident at Winslow High."
"Let me guess, student triggered and is causing trouble?" Velocity dropped the remainder of his snack in a nearby trash can and mentally reviewed the quickest route to the school.
"No one knows. All we know is apparently someone trapped a student in a locker filled with biowaste. Murder attempt or mere assault, we don't know. The kid got out and has disappeared."
Robin winced. "Jesus. If that's not a trigger event..."
"Yeah. They want us to do a search of the area around the school, we need to find whomever the victim is just in case. Assault's on scene, Dauntless and Triumph are en route to provide aerial coverage, but we want you on the ground."
"Right. I'll start a spiral search from the school. When the guys get closer we'll coordinate searches from there."
And with that, Velocity began running.
***
Taylor leaned against a wooden telephone pole, teeth chattering. The cold January weather, which she barely noticed at first, was really starting to sink in. The tears had stopped, just leaving a bone-deep tiredness.
"Wish those bitches had at least left my coat on me," she stammered. With a grunt, she pushed off the pole, idly noting the grimy stain, and continued her miserable walk home, head low.
In her state, she only barey registered a quickly waxing tapping noise and looked up to see a red blur that snapped into solidity, revealing a lithe figure wearing a red body suit that featured ridiculous racing stripes.
Velocity. An actual Protectorate hero, right there. In her exhaustion, Taylor couldn't bring herself to actually be excited, but it still made a bit of hope bloom in her. And a bit of shame, for all the times she had thought the hero the lightweight of the local team.
He held out his hands in a 'halt' gesture. "Miss? I need you to stop. Please, I know what happened to you is horrible, and you feel very alone right now, but I'm here. I. Will. Help. You." He slowly walked forward and put his hand on her shoulder.
Taylor just started at him in disbelief. She'd heard those words before, but they had always rang false. But now, from a hero she had been taught to trust, she couldn't help but believe him. She collapsed against him and burst into deep, wrenching sobs as the hero simply held her.
***
Velocity watched the ambulance drive off, and clenched his fists tightly. With effort, he relaxed his hands, and once again activated his radio. "Velocity to console. I'm RTB for a change of uniform, and I'm requesting one of the trigger event counselors meet me at the hospital."
"Velocity, this is Armsmaster. Have you verified a trigger event?"
Robin grimaced. Great, he just knew he was going to get chewed out when this was over, he probably violated every New Trigger protocol on the books with the soft touch he used on that girl. "Negative. But I'd appreciate it as a personal favor. Taylor - that's her name, Taylor Hebert - wasn't too coherent. I couldn't get much out of her, and if we want the full story, we're going to need someone more competent than me. I'd like to be there anyway."
"Acknowledged, Velocity, and I agree. Did you get anything we give those to BBPD to start their investigation?"
"The girl mentioned a Sophia and an Emma," Velocity supplied, and then friend as he was met with a long silence. "Console? Are you receiving?"
"Affirmative." Velocity blinked in suprise, he could almost feel the intensity in Armsmaster voice. "Did you get any last names?"
"No, nothing." Another uncharacteristic pause was his only response. He was just about to request a connection check when the radio snapped to life.
"Acknowledged, Velocity. Please report to me once you return from the hospital. Armsmaster on console out."
***
The air was tense when Velocity got to PRT Headquarters, and started to make his way to the Director's office. Armsmaster had contacted him at the hospital and told him to reroute there for a meeting on the Window incident. He found the tension fit his mood.
Hearing Taylor's retelling of her assault was hard, to say the least. He knew that kids could be mean, heck his memories of high school were littered with similar stories. Although, he had to admit, he'd been lucky enough to be a witness rather than a victim during his time. But what Taylor had gone through, even before that locker, had been a hundred times worse. He hoped the BBPD could give that girl and her father some justice.
In truth, he wanted to punch some people, but sometimes you just had to take what you could get, and right now that was taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The exertion didn't do much for his mood, but right now small enclosed spaces felt a bit uncomfortable.
As he got out of the stairwell, Robin was surprised to see the small crowd waiting in the lobby of the Director's office: Armsmaster, looking impatient; Miss Militia, speaking in low, urgent tones to a thunderous Assault; and Deputy Director Renick sitting in one of the free chairs, going through some papers.
Yelling came from the closed office, the harried secretary - a young man who seemed to be regretting his life choices at the moment - looking towards the door nervously as the voice grew louder. Suddenly the door swung inward, and a very pale female PRT agent came rushing out of the room, followed moments later by the Director.
"Good, you're all here. Come on, let's try to mitigate this latest disaster." She turned and returned to her desk and settled he substantial bulk in her chair while they filled in, Renick and Armsmaster sitting in the available chairs while the rest stood. She tapped her computer screen with a fingernail. "I just got the preliminary report from the BBPD. According to both the girl and the witnesses at the school, Shadow Stalker was involved in the incident." She looked over at Assault. "The officers were very complimentary of your assistance in getting witnesses to come forward. Is this going to bite me in the ass too?"
Assault shook his head and chucked darkly. "You'd be amazed how helpful people are when the words 'federal charges' come up. I just had your biohazard boys mention it a lot, and that code of silence went out the window. Didn't even have to lie, according to the BBPD detective - if the girl had died the FBI would have been all over the case."
Velocity stepped forward as something Piggott had said finally registered on him. "Are you saying the Sophia that Taylor mentioned was Hess? Wasn't she on probation? What happened to the PRT agent that was supposed to be monitoring her?"
"Yes, it was Hess," Piggott growled, "and the idiot who just left here better have a good explanation for what happened by tomorrow or she'll be lucky if she's just fired."
Renick made an unhappy noise as he shuffled his papers. "Shadow Stalker was a poster girl for bringing the more troublesome vigilantes into the fold. This is going to look poorly in the public eye."
"You're not suggesting that we try to bury this?" Miss Militia demanded. "That's a betrayal of-"
"Grow up," Piggott snapped. "Losing Hess will just make the odds against us worse. She's one of our most effective Wards."
"Only because she ignores the order of engagement when she sees fit," Armsmaster countered. "We don't need Wards that endanger themselves and others, as well as being a PR disaster waiting to happen. We gave her a chance and she abused it, we should wash our hands of her."
The director's angry response was cut off by her phone ringing. At the same time, Armsmaster stiffened as an alarm came up on his helmet's display. He stood and turned to the other Protectorate heroes.
"There's been an attack at the hospital."
***
Taylor sighed as she tried to find something, anything to watch on the little television in her hotel room. Finally she settled on some weird historical drama about vikings. She wished her father would get back with here fresh clothes, she wanted to go home.
She sat up as a sharp, loud bang rang from the hallway, followed by crashes and screams. More bangs sounded, and she realized they were gunshots. In a panic, she rolled off the bed, trying to to hide behind it. Moments later, the door burst open, and Taylor peeked out to see a large man in black fatigues with a black flak jacket and some sort of bizarre rifle. A black balaclava hid his features.
Taylor screamed as he pointed the gun at her.
***
You considered the new request. The host is in immediate danger, but you are concerned. The last activation was rooted through a module you do not control, and you are uncertain what effect it has.
Nonetheless, abilities must be provided.
What do you choose?
*************
Alright, so here's the second installment. I once again want to than you guys for letting me take the story a different way than I would have!
I'll give you guys some time to discuss.
Powers on cool down until I tell you otherwise:
- Adaptive pathogen immunity - current immunities remain as permanent effect
It didn't seem as bad as before. The sink was less, it wasn't as foul - wait, no, it was still just as horrible, but the fear, the revulsion was gone. The filth she was buried in was still disgusting, but she knew in the very core of her being it couldn't hurt her.
Half-heartedly, she pushed at the locker door, and was oddly unsurprised to see it start to give at the hinges. With a bit more determination, she hit the door, once, twice, thrice, and the hinges broke with a quiet squeak. The locker door clattered open, only held up by the lock that had been keeping it closed.
On unsteady legs, Taylor stepped out into the empty hallway, debris spilling out to the floor around her, and took a deep breath of the somewhat fresher air. She looked back at the befouled locker, and for a moment fantasized about going down to the office to report the assault. She considered trying to get to the showers.
"Why bother," she muttered, voice raw and low, almost sounding like someone else's. "Screw this place." With that decision made, she turned and with an awkward, stumbling gait headed towards the nearest exit.
It took her longer than she expected to reach the doors, the clumsiness hampering her. The energy - adrenaline, perhaps - that had driven her this far left her about the moment she left the building. And with it, the stoicism that had been supporting her all this time dropped as well.
On oddly firmer legs, Taylor began to cry as she began the long walk home. Unbeknownst to her, moments earlier a passing student, who would have normally just complained about the smell when he got to class, instead saw the horrific mess and had called 911.
***
"Velocity, this is console, what's your location?"
Robin cursed mentally and spat a bite of muffin into a napkin. He should have known Battery would call him, she had an uncanny knack for ruining his breaks every time he was on patrol. With a sigh, he tapped the button on his cowl that would allow him to respond.
"I'm at Lord's Market, on my break, like I always am at this time," he snapped.
"Sorry," she responded, her tone making it clear she wasn't sorry at all. "BBPD has requested PRT and Protectorate assistance for an incident at Winslow High."
"Let me guess, student triggered and is causing trouble?" Velocity dropped the remainder of his snack in a nearby trash can and mentally reviewed the quickest route to the school.
"No one knows. All we know is apparently someone trapped a student in a locker filled with biowaste. Murder attempt or mere assault, we don't know. The kid got out and has disappeared."
Robin winced. "Jesus. If that's not a trigger event..."
"Yeah. They want us to do a search of the area around the school, we need to find whomever the victim is just in case. Assault's on scene, Dauntless and Triumph are en route to provide aerial coverage, but we want you on the ground."
"Right. I'll start a spiral search from the school. When the guys get closer we'll coordinate searches from there."
And with that, Velocity began running.
***
Taylor leaned against a wooden telephone pole, teeth chattering. The cold January weather, which she barely noticed at first, was really starting to sink in. The tears had stopped, just leaving a bone-deep tiredness.
"Wish those bitches had at least left my coat on me," she stammered. With a grunt, she pushed off the pole, idly noting the grimy stain, and continued her miserable walk home, head low.
In her state, she only barey registered a quickly waxing tapping noise and looked up to see a red blur that snapped into solidity, revealing a lithe figure wearing a red body suit that featured ridiculous racing stripes.
Velocity. An actual Protectorate hero, right there. In her exhaustion, Taylor couldn't bring herself to actually be excited, but it still made a bit of hope bloom in her. And a bit of shame, for all the times she had thought the hero the lightweight of the local team.
He held out his hands in a 'halt' gesture. "Miss? I need you to stop. Please, I know what happened to you is horrible, and you feel very alone right now, but I'm here. I. Will. Help. You." He slowly walked forward and put his hand on her shoulder.
Taylor just started at him in disbelief. She'd heard those words before, but they had always rang false. But now, from a hero she had been taught to trust, she couldn't help but believe him. She collapsed against him and burst into deep, wrenching sobs as the hero simply held her.
***
Velocity watched the ambulance drive off, and clenched his fists tightly. With effort, he relaxed his hands, and once again activated his radio. "Velocity to console. I'm RTB for a change of uniform, and I'm requesting one of the trigger event counselors meet me at the hospital."
"Velocity, this is Armsmaster. Have you verified a trigger event?"
Robin grimaced. Great, he just knew he was going to get chewed out when this was over, he probably violated every New Trigger protocol on the books with the soft touch he used on that girl. "Negative. But I'd appreciate it as a personal favor. Taylor - that's her name, Taylor Hebert - wasn't too coherent. I couldn't get much out of her, and if we want the full story, we're going to need someone more competent than me. I'd like to be there anyway."
"Acknowledged, Velocity, and I agree. Did you get anything we give those to BBPD to start their investigation?"
"The girl mentioned a Sophia and an Emma," Velocity supplied, and then friend as he was met with a long silence. "Console? Are you receiving?"
"Affirmative." Velocity blinked in suprise, he could almost feel the intensity in Armsmaster voice. "Did you get any last names?"
"No, nothing." Another uncharacteristic pause was his only response. He was just about to request a connection check when the radio snapped to life.
"Acknowledged, Velocity. Please report to me once you return from the hospital. Armsmaster on console out."
***
The air was tense when Velocity got to PRT Headquarters, and started to make his way to the Director's office. Armsmaster had contacted him at the hospital and told him to reroute there for a meeting on the Window incident. He found the tension fit his mood.
Hearing Taylor's retelling of her assault was hard, to say the least. He knew that kids could be mean, heck his memories of high school were littered with similar stories. Although, he had to admit, he'd been lucky enough to be a witness rather than a victim during his time. But what Taylor had gone through, even before that locker, had been a hundred times worse. He hoped the BBPD could give that girl and her father some justice.
In truth, he wanted to punch some people, but sometimes you just had to take what you could get, and right now that was taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The exertion didn't do much for his mood, but right now small enclosed spaces felt a bit uncomfortable.
As he got out of the stairwell, Robin was surprised to see the small crowd waiting in the lobby of the Director's office: Armsmaster, looking impatient; Miss Militia, speaking in low, urgent tones to a thunderous Assault; and Deputy Director Renick sitting in one of the free chairs, going through some papers.
Yelling came from the closed office, the harried secretary - a young man who seemed to be regretting his life choices at the moment - looking towards the door nervously as the voice grew louder. Suddenly the door swung inward, and a very pale female PRT agent came rushing out of the room, followed moments later by the Director.
"Good, you're all here. Come on, let's try to mitigate this latest disaster." She turned and returned to her desk and settled he substantial bulk in her chair while they filled in, Renick and Armsmaster sitting in the available chairs while the rest stood. She tapped her computer screen with a fingernail. "I just got the preliminary report from the BBPD. According to both the girl and the witnesses at the school, Shadow Stalker was involved in the incident." She looked over at Assault. "The officers were very complimentary of your assistance in getting witnesses to come forward. Is this going to bite me in the ass too?"
Assault shook his head and chucked darkly. "You'd be amazed how helpful people are when the words 'federal charges' come up. I just had your biohazard boys mention it a lot, and that code of silence went out the window. Didn't even have to lie, according to the BBPD detective - if the girl had died the FBI would have been all over the case."
Velocity stepped forward as something Piggott had said finally registered on him. "Are you saying the Sophia that Taylor mentioned was Hess? Wasn't she on probation? What happened to the PRT agent that was supposed to be monitoring her?"
"Yes, it was Hess," Piggott growled, "and the idiot who just left here better have a good explanation for what happened by tomorrow or she'll be lucky if she's just fired."
Renick made an unhappy noise as he shuffled his papers. "Shadow Stalker was a poster girl for bringing the more troublesome vigilantes into the fold. This is going to look poorly in the public eye."
"You're not suggesting that we try to bury this?" Miss Militia demanded. "That's a betrayal of-"
"Grow up," Piggott snapped. "Losing Hess will just make the odds against us worse. She's one of our most effective Wards."
"Only because she ignores the order of engagement when she sees fit," Armsmaster countered. "We don't need Wards that endanger themselves and others, as well as being a PR disaster waiting to happen. We gave her a chance and she abused it, we should wash our hands of her."
The director's angry response was cut off by her phone ringing. At the same time, Armsmaster stiffened as an alarm came up on his helmet's display. He stood and turned to the other Protectorate heroes.
"There's been an attack at the hospital."
***
Taylor sighed as she tried to find something, anything to watch on the little television in her hotel room. Finally she settled on some weird historical drama about vikings. She wished her father would get back with here fresh clothes, she wanted to go home.
She sat up as a sharp, loud bang rang from the hallway, followed by crashes and screams. More bangs sounded, and she realized they were gunshots. In a panic, she rolled off the bed, trying to to hide behind it. Moments later, the door burst open, and Taylor peeked out to see a large man in black fatigues with a black flak jacket and some sort of bizarre rifle. A black balaclava hid his features.
Taylor screamed as he pointed the gun at her.
***
You considered the new request. The host is in immediate danger, but you are concerned. The last activation was rooted through a module you do not control, and you are uncertain what effect it has.
Nonetheless, abilities must be provided.
What do you choose?
*************
Alright, so here's the second installment. I once again want to than you guys for letting me take the story a different way than I would have!
I'll give you guys some time to discuss.
Powers on cool down until I tell you otherwise:
- Adaptive pathogen immunity - current immunities remain as permanent effect