FIEB Chapter 56 (Patreon)

Carol POV

This can't be happening...

I had to swallow a lump in my throat, watching my daughter—my beautiful daughter. It was painful watching her on screen, sitting in one of the PRT's M/S protocol rooms. She looked so fragile and vulnerable, huddled on a bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. Anxiousness filled my chest, forcing me to violently control my reactions as I watched her.

How could I have let my guard down? My daughter, my family. We had been in the presence of a man who could freely control a human mind.

A Master.

The PRT categories weren't absolute; it wasn't something I completely believed in. Intellectually, I knew Dylan, or Vigil, was capable of more. A cape capable of lifting hundreds of tons with his mind, and if that wasn't enough, he seemed to have high speed, strength, durability, and some form of Thinker power.

Despite what I knew about the young man, all I could counter was Heartbreaker, The Fallen, and Canary.

God, Canary...

Professionally, I had hated that case. A young woman railroaded because the country decided it was safer to send the girl to the Birdcage. But looking at the situation now, I realized I would do the same to any Master if it meant I could protect my daughter. That was how dangerous Masters were.

There were so many problems with that case...

"Get a grip, Carol. You cannot lose control."

Sarah came up beside me and put an arm around my shoulders. I leaned into her embrace, something I hadn't done in a long time. Taking a deep breath, I assessed the situation calmly. My daughter was at least physically fine, and that was what was important.

I stepped out of the half-hug and turned, because if I stayed there, I knew I was going to crack.

Amy was huddled next to Mark, who had his head in his hands. I had to take another breath, forcing down my irritation at him simply sitting around.

'No... I can't think like that. It's not his fault.' I glanced at Amy, who stared blankly at the screen displaying a feed from Victoria's room. I felt guilty for a moment; I had been ignoring my other daughter for the past few hours, but soothed myself with the thought that I was just preoccupied.

Neil was on the other side with Sarah's kids. All of them were still in civilian clothes; none of us had had time to change into suitable clothes when we had been summoned by the PRT. We had all gone through a battery of tests to check for any signs of being mastered, but it had been Victoria who had to be screened longer, owing to her length of time and proximity to Vigil.

They had even checked her for intimate signs. We had consented, owing to how varied powers could be.

"We should get something to eat," Sarah said, huffing, trying to make light of the situation. "It's been a couple hours since the suits brought us anything. You'd think the PRT would have better room service."

I smiled dully at my sister, appreciative of her efforts to make me feel better.

'Always the positive one.'

I turned my head back to the screen as the kids muttered about food. I vaguely felt Neil get up and walk out of the room.

"It's not your fault, Carol."

"Hm."

I let out a breath.

"I actually liked him. He seemed... responsible. Like a young man who had his head on straight. How does something like this—"

Sarah frowned. "Carol. We don't know what really happened. I mean, if he even is—"

My jaw tightened. I looked at her.

"It doesn't matter. You know that."

After what Sarah, Jess, and I had gone through, she did know how dangerous the world was. I quickly pushed down the memories of Jess. She had left us too soon.

Sarah hesitated. "Are you going to talk to Vicky? About her relationship?"

"Yes."

That was final. She will get over it.

The door slid open, startling us. It was a short man who was responsible for the screening.

"Is my daughter—" I started anxiously before Amy, who had stood and walked over, cut me off. "Is Vicky okay?"

The man read off his tablet before answering

dryly, "Glory Girl is fine. We've got no data suggesting her brain activity is being influenced by any Master power other than her own."

I glared at him.

He cleared his throat. "Ah. I mean her Shaker effect."

"That's good," I whispered.

What if they're wrong? an insidious voice forced its way into my thoughts.

No. I couldn't do that.

"When can we see her?"

"You can see her now. But the Director wants New Wave to remain on site for a while. She wants to meet with you."

Sarah and I looked at each other and nodded.

Everything is going to be fine...

Dylan POV

'At least the rooms are comfortable,' I thought sarcastically.

Dragon had led us to what felt like a waiting room. After a while, Vespera and Dinah had made themselves comfortable on a nearby couch, where I sat on another. Dragon had not said anything but stood sentinel near the reinforced wall. It looked awkward; a suit of this size was not meant to be indoors, but I knew the reason for her being

here: to blow my head off in case I did something untoward, or at least try.

Her silence inferred that she wanted us to wait.

I had done what I needed to, and if Costa-Brown wanted to drag things out a little, I didn't mind it much, as long as our problems were solved. After all, things were not as bad as they could have been.

'At least we hadn't been shot on sight.'

Deciding to wait for the PRT to respond after my declaration, I used one of the couches to meditate in the Force, allowing me to center myself, going through all of my actions and decisions, letting all my worries and anxieties bleed into it.

Time passed before I felt Militia walk into the room, blank-faced in her usual camo suit.

"Miss Militia. Welcome," Dragon said.

"Dragon. Thank you for being here."

I kept my voice light. "Good to see you, Militia. Glad you could join us." I could tell Militia was trying to be unbiased, which was the best I could hope to get. Then her eyes moved to Vespera and Dinah, and she gave the girls an eye-smile.

"Director Piggot is on the line. Dragon, if you could connect Chief Director Costa-Brown."

"Of course."

Rebecca Costa-Brown's voice came through Dragon's suit a second later.

"Vigil. This is a private channel. I will ensure Dinah's safety. What do you want?"

I almost laughed.

"All I've ever wanted was to help," I said. "The PRT's been making that harder than it needs to be."

"You must understand why people are being careful," the superwoman of this world said neutrally.

I didn't answer right away. This was going in circles.

So I changed it.

"I believe Dinah is being targeted by Coil."

Piggot's voice cut in through the

comm, sharply, "Who is Contessa?"

"Director Piggot," Costa-Brown said, "I instructed that this call be taken alone. Dragon, why was I not informed there was another line?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I was not aware."

Costa-Brown exhaled. "It is not something you need to concern yourself with, Director."

Interesting...

"Director Brown, we've got enemies on all sides. I just want to help. I'd appreciate it if we could set aside our differences long enough to deal with the actual problems."

"That isn't possible," she said, "unless the PRT and the public have some kind of reassurance."

I held back a cough.

What public? Half the city didn't trust them on a good day.

"What do you suggest?"

"You and Vespera join the Brockton Bay Protectorate. We can discuss the details separately. That would be enough for me to handle the backlash."

Tch... I had to give it to her; she was experienced in this...

"Let's say hypothetically we do," I said, feeling Taylor tense up as I played along, "what would be done about all these allegations?"

"We will simply investigate."

"...Not good enough."

That was not an answer. Everyone in the room had heard my answer.

I opened my mouth to continue—before.

The air

rippled, and a short woman stepped out of it, dressed in a black dress suit and wearing a fedora. She was slim and had a pistol strapped to her side. Her doll-like face stared at me.

She felt offin the Force.

Everyone froze at the bizarre situation. Then Dragon's suit whined and the cannons came forward. Militia's weapon shifted in her hand, pistol to rifle in a blink. Vespera was already on her feet, putting herself a half-step in front of Dinah.

"Intruder!" Militia snapped.

"Hold your fire!" Costa-Brown's voice cracked through Dragon's speakers. "Contessa, what are you—"

Contessa didn't flinch. Didn't even look at the guns.

She looked at me.

"Will you be fighting alongside us," she asked, "when the time comes?"

Well, that escalated...

Still, this is what I wanted, so I carefully answered, understanding what she meant, confusing everyone who was not in the know.

"...Yes."

"Very well," she said, almost robotically, and raised a pistol in a smooth, quick motion.

"Door me," she whispered, and a small ripple opened to her side, and she shot into it.

Once...

"Thomas Calvert is dead. The rest is yours, Vigil."

Did she just kill Coil...? I thought, baffled at how everything unfolded.