Freezing Shadows, Chapter 89 (Patreon)

Chapter 89: Problem Solving

The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Not literally, of course. But we all knew that this would not be as simple as that. Not just because it sounded as though this hive was larger than the one we dealt with, but because the hive was so prominently located. You didn’t just assault the tallest building in Olassalen without drawing attention to yourself, after all.

Felicity was the first to speak. “Shadowkeeper, dear, I know you don’t always have a mortal’s eye view of things, but something like this is not a ‘subtle’ kind of task. There are going to be a great many questions.”

“I know, Fel, but it must be done. If we delay too long, the hive will only grow stronger and more entrenched. The invae will spread, consuming more and more until nothing is left.”

Ayda nodded slowly. “None of us are arguing that we shouldn’t take this hive out, Shadowkeeper. However, even though some of us are technically exiles, there is a difference between that and hunted fugitives wanted by the state for mass murder and terrorism, which is what it will be portrayed as, if we let ourselves get caught destroying a retirement home.”

I considered things. “We’ll need to plan it out. A lot of things we need to plan.” I looked over to Shadowkeeper, “I assume that these Wasp spirits, at least the True Forms, can fly while manifesting?”

“Yes, that is so. Though they can also walk up the side of buildings, as insects in this world can, and can move as they please through the astral.”

I took a breath, and said, “Then we are going to need to work on ensuring that they remain contained, instead of trying to flee. Unfortunately, with the group we have now, that is a task that is probably best left to however many true form mantis spirits the Devastation Angels bring to the party. We’ll need to work with them to plan that out.”

Twilight chimed in, her eyes half-focused as she always was when she was looking in the Matrix and the real world at the same time. “More importantly, we’re going to need supplies. The public Matrix site for Ya-Po-Ha Terrace boasts that there are over two hundred units in the building. Add in building managers, caretakers, and so forth? If the retirement community has been completely taken over, then we’re looking at a significant spirit population. A couple hundred, at least. Maybe as much as three hundred. Even if we assume that most are on the weaker end of spirits, that’s still a significant weight of numbers.”

Rhys nodded slowly. “We’ll all want to arm up on those capsule rounds with the KE IV that you were talking about, Mirikon. Maybe even get some splash grenades with the stuff. Though we’ll need to ensure the mantis spirits are not in the way, if we do that.”

“What about outsiders and bystanders?” Tinkerbell asked. “I mean, this isn’t in the middle of a Barrens area, where we can roll up, start blasting, and trust in people just minding their own business so long as things don’t spill over into their property. Even if no one calls the cops, someone’s going to pull out a commlink and start filming, if we start having explosions going off all over the place, and there’s a running firefight with giant bugs.”

Syndra frowned, but nodded all the same. “Yes, and there’s every chance that someone will call the Peace Forces on us, if we’re making noise downtown. If the spirits look to be losing, they may even intentionally cause trouble, to give others a chance to escape. Especially if there is one of these queens, or a shaman. If the leaders escape, then the hive can rebuild, right?”

“That is correct,” Shadowkeeper nodded. “Though the individual spirits would still be a threat if they escape, killing the shaman or queen will keep the hive from growing further. I do not know if the remnants of a fallen hive can join another, if they find one. My information suggests no, but those same sources say that the invae are acting unusually, compared to the last age of magic. Though they will not give details.”

“I think we can figure it out on our own, though,” Babydoll said. “From what you described, these invae are dog-eat-dog kind of beings. However, the Brotherhood of Unity is worldwide, and there’s reports in the shadows of multiple kinds of insects under that banner. From the looks of things, the only group that isn’t working together with the other types are the mantids, and that’s because they eat other bugs to breed.

“Think about it,” she continued. “If the last ‘age of magic’ was far enough back in time, then we’re looking at no Matrix, no global power structures, no getting from one side of the globe in hours by plane, instead of crossing a continent being the work of months. Everything was more isolated, before technology advanced.

“And advanced technology also means that the spirits would be more vulnerable. There’s no way someone with a nonmagical bow and arrow would do more than injure one of the mid-range spirits, and certainly couldn’t kill more than the weakest ones. They could ignore weak enemies without consequence, and focus on killing mages. But even without taking into account capsule rounds or the stick-n-shock ammo, there’s high-tech ammunition like the APDS which can cut through a spirit’s defenses, especially when used in a high-power rifle or machine gun. And that’s not even talking about assault cannons or laser weapons.”

Syndra nodded slowly, before tossing a grin my way. “Well, I’m glad you picked your team for more than their pretty looks, big brother.” Looking back at Babydoll, she nodded. “What you say makes sense. There probably was no need for the insects to work together, in the last age. But, just as these Devastation Angels are willing to work with us against a common foe, they clearly have decided that working together with fellow predators is the best means to the end of ensuring that they cannot be thrown out of this plane. It is only because metahumans and our technology have grown to the point that we have that they are forced to unite.”

Felicity nodded. “That still does not help us with the question about what to do with the Peace Forces. There is a station less than a five minutes’ walk from the Terrace. They will respond to any large-scale conflict that close. We have to make plans, work to either keep them out of things, or ensure that they are on our side.”

Shadowkeeper nodded. “While the family has been dispersed due to the revolution, and most of their contacts have likewise either dispersed, fallen, or proven unreliable, I have kept contacts with the political establishment. Both the old ones that remain, and the new factions. If necessary, I could bring both the local commander of the Peace Forces and the city Mayor in, though I do not know what they would want in exchange for their assistance. Even if we are taking out a problem in their city, they will need to do a great deal of work to cover for what will clearly be a major event.”

“Well, what do you know about them?” Tinkerbell asked. “The first step to subverting any politician is to know their weaknesses, their vices. Same with police chiefs, in my experience. Everyone has things they want, even if they don’t admit it in public.”

“Captain Hendrix Rice is a career officer in the Peace Forces. One of the few that remained in the organization after the revolution. There were several attempts to oust him, but no one could find cause, and he’d generally been considered one of the more restrained hands, and has a history of being less corrupt than the other high-ranking officers, or at least being better at hiding things.

“I don’t have anything on him, directly. However, his younger daughter has recently been running with a new crowd. He’s had to intervene twice in the last year to keep her out of jail, and it has cost him a good deal of influence to do so. The daughter, Haylee, has been arrested four times on drug charges, and once for prostitution. Unfortunately, with everything so close to home, it has been causing him quite a bit of trouble.”

Sexkitten leaned forward. “You think dear old dad might be looking for a way to take his daughter out of the picture? Are we talking just out of town, or something more permanent?”

“No, I don’t think he wants his daughter dead. At least, not at this time. Things might change, if she ever got caught on something more serious than a couple possession or solicitation charges. But getting her out of the country, or at least relocating her, may be just what the doctor ordered, so to speak.”

“Does this Haylee have any talents, besides taking drugs and taking dick?” Shadowgirl asked.

“She is mundane, with only some basic biomods. No combat or hacking skills to speak of, so far as I know. However, she is a clever girl, from all accounts, and has good ‘social infiltration’ skills. Not the ‘sneak through the shadows’ kind of person, but the type that, if you gave her the necessary starting identity papers and some startup funds, she would be able to talk her way into pretty much any room she wanted to be in. Might make for a decent Face, once she got some seasoning, but I doubt she’d ever be much in the shadows.”

I stroked my chin as I considered that. “Instead of the shadows, she could make a name for herself as an influencer, perhaps. Especially out of the country. She would have ‘pretty privilege’ from being an elf. If she’s clever enough, she could make a go at having a career as a social media influencer. Though, she would need to find a niche to start from, first. If her father taught her anything about police procedures then a ‘copwatcher’ or ‘freelance journalist’ somewhere outside the country might be a good fit.”

Babydoll nodded slowly. “Being pretty enough to make people pay attention is a larger part of being a reporter these days than I’d care to admit. If she has a brain between her ears, and can learn how to find and develop leads? She’d have a decent chance of making enough reporting to keep herself fed, clothed, and above the poverty line. Not guaranteed, but a good chance.”

“A sensible idea, dear,” Felicity nodded. “Gets her out of her father’s hair, doing something that isn’t technically illegal, and if she has any skills at all, she’ll probably develop into a good contact to keep on hand, as she develops contacts of her own. And even just having a friendly reporter to feed a story to is a boon larger than most people acknowledge until they no longer have access to one.”

Rhys clapped his hands once to draw attention. “That gives us a potential in with the Captain. But what about the Mayor? We’ll still need them, and possibly some members of the city council, to keep things from spiraling out of control, once we make our move.”

“Well, that case is a little more straightforward,” Shadowkeeper said. “But it is a little problematic in its own way. Or, should I say, Taboo.”

“So, what kind of pervert is he, Shadowkeeper?” Ayda asked. “Please tell me he isn’t one of the ones who sees Pixies as a legal substitute for some of the other fetishes.”

“Eww,” Tinkerbell shuddered. “I’ve had to deal with one of those before on a job. He wanted me to call him Papa and dress up like an elementary school girl. I shot him in the balls with a Stick-n-Shock round the moment we were alone. Creepy bastard.”

“The truth is both better, and worse, I’m afraid. While the actual fantasy is less troublesome than dressing a pixie up as an elementary school student for adult conversations, it is far more illegal, at pretty much every level of things,” Shadowkeeper said grimly. “Mayor Skylar Wynn’s personal fantasy involves her being the chef at a barbecue where metahuman meat is put on the grill. She’s not a ghoul, or one of the other Infected. She just is enticed at the idea of watching someone’s eyes go dark as they turn over the flames.”

I nodded slowly. “I can call the contact I made up by Oralath. The ghouls might know of a similar support network down this way. We could try and make a bargain between them. Though we’d definitely want our fingerprints well and truly clear of this. Moral crusades have started over less, and a religious panic will just threaten everyone with the specter of idiots rising to power.”