Chapter 8: 08 Learning The Ropes

After going back to the rig to change into civilian clothes, I left and met up with Amy Dallon and we hit up another hospital wearing just scrubs. Calling ourselves Healer Man and Healer Woman just made people laugh and Amy shook her head at me.

Surprisingly, rich people were really hard to argue down to paying less after you saved their lives. They claimed that they hadn't won the bids to go to Brockton Bay General to be healed by Panacea and had to settle for the second best hospital and suffer with an actual recovery time, unless Panacea managed to visit them, even if she usually only visited the terminally ill people at other hospitals.

Amy felt a little guilty about that until we took a food break and I reminded her that she was working her ass off nearly every day and it wasn't her fault that she couldn't go to each and every person in the time she allotted to heal people. Terminally ill people had to have priority when she was being run ragged.

“Thanks, Alex.” Amy said and took a bite of sandwich.

“Hey, what are friends for?” I asked her and she had an odd look on her face. “We're making each other rich, Amy. We better be friends or we're doing something wrong!”

Amy fought to smile for a moment and then smiled anyway. “I guess that does mean we're friends.”

I put a hand on hers. “I'm sorry about slapping Vicky like that a few days ago. I just reacted after she hit me and I just did the most insulting thing I could think of.”

Amy sighed and nodded. “She knows she did wrong, especially once she realized Armsmaster recorded everything.”

I pat her hand and picked up my sandwich again. “I hadn't realized you tried to shout her down at the time, so thanks for that.”

Amy smiled. “I was trying to save Vicky, not you.”

“I know.” I said and smiled back. “Did she suck up to you and cuddle you like crazy after you told her that you ranted at me for it?”

Amy's smile changed to a very happy one. “Like I was her favorite teddy bear.”

I laughed a little. “Vista gave me a hug like that after I punched Shadow Stalker. It was awesome!”

“It really was.” Amy said with a dreamy look on her face before she stiffened and gave me a shocked look.

“Have you always known you liked girls or maybe always feel disgust for boys?” I asked her and her mouth dropped open. “I didn't really have any reason to examine what I felt about others until I found Vista. She's like everything I want to be. She's strong, and confident, and she won't take guff from anyone. She's the best, you know?”

Amy didn't say anything and just nodded.

“When she agreed to be my friend, it was the best day of my life. Since then, everything's been great. I get to spend time with her, I'm learning about my powers, I'm making friends, and soon I'll be going out on patrol and I'll be making the world a better place.” I said and grinned. “If we're paired together, I'm going to have the best time ever!”

“They probably aren't going to pair you up.” Amy said and I gave her a surprised look. “You're too eager to spend time with her and it might interfere with working together.”

My surprise disappeared and I squinted my eyes. “Then they're wrong. I'll actually work twice as hard if she's there with me. No, ten times as hard! Criminals will never have a chance if we're together!”

Amy put a hand on mine and she gave me a sad smile. “You just gave the reason why they will try to keep you apart. You're too focused on Vista being a part of your cape life.”

I opened my mouth to respond and realized she was right. I let out a sigh and looked at the time. “We need to finish if I'm going to make the meeting for this week's teammate assignments.”

“I'm sorry that you showed too much eagerness to be paired with her.” Amy said and stood to toss the sandwich wrapper in the garbage.

“Yes, it's too late to cut back and not have them judge me unfairly.” I said. “Thanks for pointing it out before I embarrassed myself.”

Amy put her surgical mask back in place and took my hand. “Sometimes you act a lot more mature than a twelve year old should.”

I thought about that as I put my own surgical mask back in place. “I think it's because of my trigger event. Sometimes I just feel old and I...”

“Hey, it's okay. I get that way, too.” Amy interrupted me. “Like you said, I'm working harder and longer than most adults because of school and volunteering at the hospital.”

I nodded and led her back inside the hospital. “What did your mom say when you asked to be paid for your time?”

Amy scowled. “She ranted at me for half an hour for thinking like a villain and wanting money for healing people.”

“That figures. She's such a hypocrite.” I said and Amy gave me a curious look. “She's not doing pro-bono work for her law firm, is she? Or doing hero work for free, right? She's being paid by her clients for one thing and by the government for the other.”

Amy blinked her eyes at me for several moments. “Alex, you... you just gave me an idea.”

“If it turns out to be a great idea, I claim all the credit.” I said right away. “If it turns out horribly, I disavow any knowledge of it, whatever it is.”

Amy looked surprised for a second and then laughed. “I'm going to submit an inquiry to the PRT about capes working so many hours and not getting paid or compensated.”

I gave her a wide-eyed look. “You don't think your mom is claiming you're working and keeping the money for herself, do you?”

Amy's laugh ended quickly. “It's one logical explanation as to why she would get so angry at me for asking about the money I should be getting paid.”

I thought about asking what other reasons she could have, then decided against it. “At least we're getting great donations for now.”

Amy pulled her mask down in the elevator and smiled as we rode it up to the right floor. “Only because they don't know who I am.”

“Me, too.” I said. “Who would want the son of supposed villains healing them?”

Amy's smile turned warm. “I would.”

“Me, too.” I repeated and dropped my mask briefly to give her a similar smile back. “Now let's fleece some more poor saps of their inherited money before the hospital staff kicks us out for laughing all the way to the bank.”

Amy laughed and had to stifle it when the elevator stopped and she put her mask back as the doors opened. She looked amused for the entire time we worked after that. We did our best to not actually fleece anyone and only accepted moderate rewards for healing everyone we could.

*

I held in my sigh when Amy was proven right. Having two people with the same power set teamed up was deemed a waste by Armsmaster and cut down on the versatility of having two movers and shakers. So, he split Vista and I up to cover more ground and sent us on different patrol routes. Vista was teamed with Clockblocker and I was teamed with Aegis.

“Even though I agree with Armsmaster, I'm sorry that you can't patrol with Vista.” Aegis said as we left the PRT van and started our patrol route.

“You will be sorry if anything happens to her.” I said and he stopped floating to land beside me.

“Excuse me?” Aegis said and gave me a stern look. “What did you say to me? Was that a threat?”

“No, it's a promise.” I said and he looked surprised. “You saw how we performed together. Vista did twice as well as she did in her normal workout and she didn't even break a sweat. If she gets hurt because I wasn't there, just because the people in charge think splitting up the best team in the Wards is better than keeping them together, I'll make sure that you will regret it.”

Aegis kept the stern look on his face. “I don't like people under my command threatening me for making command decisions.” He said. “This conversation is being recorded and...”

“Yes, it is. I just hope Kid Win is actually doing his job of actually monitoring us and not fiddling around with his hoverboard.” I said and there was no response on my earpiece. “I am also going to make sure copies are sent to Armsmaster, Miss Militia, and Director Piggot, so that my protests against this decision and the consequences are fully logged and registered.”

“You are going to be charged for uttering threats against a Ward.” Aegis said.

“Ha. Like that ever happens.” I said and he looked surprised. “How many times has Shadow Stalker threatened you all and she was never reprimanded?” I asked and he didn't answer. “How many?”

“I don't know.” Aegis admitted.

“Two hundred and forty-three times. I checked. She should have been drummed out of the Wards months ago and she wasn't. Do you know why?”

Aegis didn't respond.

“They kept her on because her power was just too useful. They didn't want to alienate her by forcing her to abide by the actual rules that every other Ward has to live by.” I said and he didn't say anything. “What do you think is going to happen to me when you try to force the issue, Aegis? Go on, tell me.”

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Aegis looked angry now. “Nothing.”

“That's right. If having someone with Shadow Stalker's powers was too valuable to lose...” I said and changed my hand to smoke and back again. “...how valuable is someone that has multiple powers?” I held the hand up and stopped him from saying anything. “You don't have to answer that. You're considered the same, aren't you? Too useful to alienate.”

Aegis lost the angry look. “Myriad, you can't...”

“I'm sure that I can figure out how to disable you, even though your powers say you can't be.” I said with a smile. “I'm just glad I can't copy you, because being an undead corpse would suck.”

“Wh-what?” Aegis asked, surprised.

“Rip out your heart and you eventually grow a new one. Destroy your lungs and nothing happens, because you don't need to breathe. Cut off your head and both it and your body stay alive, completely separated, and they just sew you back together and you're okay.” I said with a chuckle. “Do you know of anything else besides a corpse that can be completely dismembered and then sewn back together like Frankenstein's monster and still be alive?”

Aegis looked completely shocked by my words.

“If Vista gets hurt because I'm not there, maybe I'll take a cue from those angry villagers.” I said and looked up at the top corner of a building. I crushed it to be six inches tall and stepped up onto it. “Fire bad!” I exclaimed with a laugh and let my power return the building's corner to full height with me on top.

Aegis stared up at me and didn't move, so I waved to him and walked along the building's edge by compressing it and stepped onto the next building. I was half a block away before he came to his senses and flew up into the air to follow me.

Not surprisingly, no crimes happened in the safe area and we returned to the PRT van. It brought us back to the Rig and we both remained silent.

*

“Is this going to be a problem?” Director of the Brockton Bay PRT Emily Piggot asked Armsmaster after she watched the video of Myriad's confrontation with Aegis. She also saw the tagged video of Kid Win actually fiddling with his hoverboard at the monitoring station while the conversation had been happening.

“Myriad did strongly state that we were making a mistake.” Armsmaster said. “However, I deemed that his feelings for Vista were clouding his judgment and split them up anyway. Having them cover two wards without those kinds of powers is more feasible than putting two people with the same powers together.”

Emily did her best to not sigh at the man's obliviousness. “Feelings in the younger generation can be more relevant in their own minds than facts.” She said, even if she actually agreed with the man. She also knew that if there was a potential future problem that could be easily solved, it should be headed off before it became an actual problem.

“Young people grow up.” Armsmaster said with a shrug. “I'll add the reprimand into his file and warn him that he shouldn't threaten his superiors unless he wants to be suspended for an indefinite period or completely removed from the Wards program.”

He's missing the entire point Myriad made. Emily thought. “Will you rescind that during the next Endbringer fight?” She asked and he gave her a blank face without answering. “How eager will he be to help if you do have him suspended or removed?”

Armsmaster stayed quiet.

“Like Shadow Stalker, he's too valuable to piss off. We made a mistake with her by not keeping a closer eye on her, even though we knew she was a vigilante. Her phasing power can be very useful in the right circumstances.”

“Myriad has that power now.” Armsmaster said.

“Prosecuting Shadow Stalker didn't hurt us in the least and it got rid of a known troublemaker.” Emily said and glared at him. “Do NOT make Myriad into another troublemaker.”

Armsmaster gave her a blank face for another moment and then sighed. “I'll delete the reprimand.”

“No, if you already filed it, leave it.” Emily said and he nodded. “Just don't antagonize him. If he wants to pair up with Vista for an occasional patrol, let him.”

Armsmaster nodded again.

Emily thought about the situation for several seconds. “If we can get a strong enough cape to visit for an afternoon and arrange for Myriad to meet them, perhaps he can become even more versatile.”

“Trying to figure out what powers he can copy is quite difficult.” Armsmaster said and changed the screen from the video to his analysis. “As far as I can determine, he...”

“...can only copy physical powers that can be witnessed.” A woman's voice said and the screen changed again to show the image of the tinker known as Dragon. “I apologize for being late. I had a small situation in the Birdcage that needed to be dealt with.”

“Shadow Stalker?” Armsmaster asked.

“She didn't start the fight; but, it was about her and which faction would have her as a member.” Dragon said. “She's currently in the same cell as Canary.”

“Is that wise?” Emily asked.

“Without powers? There's no problem.” Dragon said and let out a chuckle. “You know villains, though. They are always planning for when they eventually escape.”

Emily smiled and Armsmaster nodded. They both knew that no one ever escapes the Birdcage.

“Myriad's case is a rare one.” Dragon said. “Have you tried letting him watch one of Alexandria's old fights and see if he can get anything like that?”

Armsmaster nodded. “He actually recommended something like that himself. He wanted to review old PRT encounters with villains as a learning tool during monitor duty and I approved it.”

“And he gained nothing?” Dragon asked.

“Not that he's shown or admitted.” Armsmaster said. “His behavior has changed slightly after an encounter with Shadow Stalker when she attacked him and he gained her shadow power.”

Dragon went silent for several moments and then nodded. “I just watched the video on fast forward. I assume he's been more confrontational since then?”

Armsmaster sent her the new video and Dragon watched it in a few seconds.

“That... is troubling.” Dragon said.

“How so?” Emily asked. If there was going to be a problem that she didn't know about, she wanted to know about it.

“Myriad diagnosed Aegis' condition perfectly, as if he knew exactly how his powers worked. That's not something a normal person can do.” Dragon said. “He also hasn't seen Aegis in any of those conditions before.”

“I hadn't realized that was an aspect of the conversation I missed.” Armsmaster said. “Thank you for pointing it out.”

“That's why you usually ask for my help with these things.” Dragon said with a smile. “Have you let him sit in with Kid Win or yourself while you made something?”

“Kid Win.” Armsmaster said. “No power was obtained. If my analysis is correct, I suspect that his mental block that stops anyone with a thinker power from affecting him, even precogs, stops him from acquiring any mental based powers, even when he watches it happen.”

Dragon looked at his analysis and nodded. “I concur. If he can't pick up anything from Hive Queen or Kid Win, the odds are that he won't pick up anything from Thinkers, Tinkers, or Strangers.”

Emily frowned. “I didn't want to hear that his copy power is so limited.”

“Limited?” Dragon asked and let out a laugh. “You should invite Alexandria or Legend over to inspect your new ward team and then tell me his power is limited.”

Emily was surprised by the suggestion. “That is actually a good idea.”

“I'll even add my own endorsement if you need it.” Dragon said. “Even half of Alexandria's or Legend's power is better than not having it when you need it.”

Emily nodded her thanks. “I'll send out the requests right away.”

“Good luck.” Dragon said and looked at Armsmaster. “I agree with Director Piggot, Colin. Sometimes the most efficient thing to do is to give a young man what he wants instead of doing what you believe is the best thing to do.”

Amsmaster frowned. “And what if the other side of his argument is true? What if another member of his team is hurt or killed because he wasn't there to stop it? Do the others not matter as much to him as Vista does?”

That shut Dragon up and she closed her mouth on her retort.

“How am I supposed to change that way of thinking and make the entire team important to him, if I have to bend to every whim that an inexperienced Ward has about the girl he likes?” Armsmaster asked them and they didn't respond. “I'm still going to tell him to stop threatening his teammates, because that's what Shadow Stalker did all the time. If that doesn't work, I'll have Vista tell him to stop.”

“That's fine.” Emily said and Dragon nodded. Neither of them wanted to argue after he made such a great point. “Meeting adjourned.”

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