Orb Weaver Plague: Chapter 10B

“Ah, the fair maiden comes to thank the gallant clockblocking knight!” Clockblocker said as I entered the chamber. I noticed that Gallant wasn’t there.

“Clockblocker,” another said. “Hi, I’m Aegis. I have… to try and run the Wards.”

I glanced up at him. “Should I call Panacea? I know Krewe.”

“Hey!” Aisha’s voice came from the other side of the room where a shadowy figure lurked. Moments later, she was there. “I’m perfect! Follow every rule! That’s me, Krewe the rule-follower.” Next to her, Vista glanced at her and coughed something that sounded like “explosion.”

“You’re just jealous. All you did was show off how you’re more powerful than Eidolon.” Aisha said. “And then you get dragged off to Houston to see how your power synergizes. I mean, how does that compare to the glory of Krewe!”

I couldn’t help but crack a little smile at that. Miss Militia sighed. “You also tried to get your Numbers to qualify for their own paychecks.”

Okay, I had to say something about that. “My family is Union—and you’d bring a smile to my Dad’s face.” I reached up. “Does anyone…”

“Are you sure?”  Kid Win asked. “I mean, I know…”

“I think that those who do not know my identity, at least among the cape community are in the minority,” I said. “Don’t worry, I understand that not everyone is okay with that.” As I spoke, I pulled off my mask. “Taylor Hebert.”

Clockblocker stared at me. Put his hand to his chest. “My God!” he said. “We thought you were a mere parahuman but in reality… you’re the Tutor.”

I blinked. You could hear the capitals in that word.

“Yeah,” Kid Win said, pulling his mask down. “I sort of… maybe talked about you. A little?”

“A lot, you mean,” Aisha said. “Hey, not a big deal, figure someone who can make math work for you and history work for me…” She shrugged.

“I didn’t,” I quickly said. “I just helped you get around some obstacles.” From the look on the other’s face, I had a feeling that wasn’t what had been said. What had those two been—I quickly changed subjects. “But I should thank you, Clockblocker.”

“Call me Dennis,” he said, as Aegis pulled his mask off.

“Carlos.”

“Missy.” Vista nodded.

I wonder if they planned this beforehand? The fact that I probably knew Chris’ identity would certainly have been communicated to them. Maybe this was their way of holding onto control, revealing their identities at a time and place of their choosing?

Maybe they just… liked me? 

Huh.

“I have to thank you,” I told Missy. “If not for your help, that explosion would have killed far, far more people.”

She nodded. “I didn’t know if I could do it for certain, but now…” She shook her head. “I had a day with Eidolon and Alexandria.” Then she looked a little grumpy. “But I have to check in now and my house has sensors on it. Don’t know if I like that.”

I did. Vista wasn’t just a Ward now. She’d shown her power and it was good that the PRT understood that made her a target. 

“Taylor,” Brian said. He nodded at me.

“Brian. How is Krewe fitting in?”

“She’s…”

“Not yet given Armsie a heart attack,”  Dennis said. “I’m sort of surprised.”

Aisha grinned at me. “See, that’s why he’s not as great as I am.”

“Oh?”

“Too many jokes and you get used to them. I’m just lulling him into a sense of security.”

Miss Militia’s sigh was audible. “That is probably why Armsmaster has decided you all need paramedic and rescue certification.” She shrugged. “It keeps you out of trouble. I’ll have to get back to the Director, In—ah, Taylor, I’ll let you know when your father is ready to leave.”

“Thank you,” I said. Why aren’t the Wards trained in EMT procedures as a matter of course? Since they weren’t supposed to get involved in heavy duty crime fighting, it seemed natural to put them in a support role. Granted, Vista—Missy was a bit young, but still…

Then again, it’d taken a book literally landing on my head to get me to embrace the less direct methods of working, so I couldn’t exactly blame them…

Though once Miss Militia left, the conversation was nice. We were all united by the events that had granted us powers, even if you never brought that up.

“So, most embarrassing event in your career.” Chris asked. “Mine was when Mom asked me to work on the TV and… I sort of went into a tinker fugue and the next day when she walked in, there was a pile of parts and a robot that went running down the street until Velocity grabbed it.”

“Mine…” I paused. “My first case was a jewelry robbery. I had prepared myself for anyone from normal criminals to Hookwolf showing up and… Two men drove up, with a toddler in their car seat. It was the brother of the shop owner who had gotten into trouble gambling. When I revealed myself… he burst into tears.” I sighed. “Not what I had prepared for.”

“Did you arrest them?”

“No, the shop owner decided to let them work their debt off after some…” I felt a flush on my face, remembering his rant. “Very creative profanity.  Ultimately, Orb Weaver resolved the gambling gang, how I’m not certain.”

“Whoah!” Dennis said. “This is funny stories, not horror stories. Orb Weaver is banned.”

“I dunno, I sort of like him,” Aisha said. “Guy’s got your back.”

“I’m not saying he’s bad,” Dennis said. “Just that he’s…”

“The reason for one of your embarrassing event?” Carlos asked. 

“What?” Orb Weaver never interacted with Clockblocker…

Aisha started to cackle, and gestured at Dennis. “You’re gonna love this. He was on a ride along with the BBFD ambulance service...”

“Must you?” Dennis asked. Brian was shaking his head. Missy looked at Aisha and nodded.

“Yes. She Must.”

“So it was a guy who had been assaulting some girls, you know typical E88 BS and Orb Weaver dropped by.”

Ah. That  narrows it down.

“So he’s unconscious and they transport him, and in the middle of the drive, he comes to and starts freaking.”

“Screaming hysterically,” Dennis said. “And anyone could have made my mistake.”

“Which was?”

“He froze him. While the ambulance was doing sixty,” Carlos supplied.

“Wait, your objects are—“

“Yep, zip! Right out the back of the ambulance!” Aisha said.

“At least nobody was behind us,” Dennis said. “But yes, I will admit that the dashing Clockblocker may have erred in that. We stopped and they had to bring the gurney into the middle of the street until he dropped out of my power. Still, the day was saved…”

“And the ambulance?” I asked.

“Three thousand dollars damage and a five-minute Piggot-Rant.” Dennis paused. “And what was worse, extra power testing.”

I could see that. That aspect of his power could be incredibly dangerous—or incredibly useful, and if another car had been following them…

I paused. I could think about that later.

We kept talking, and everyone had little cases where things had gone off and I found myself… chuckling. It was hard to laugh anymore, but I could chuckle, and by the time Dad was ready, I was…

More relaxed than I’d been in a long time.

Secrets, especially my greatest secret, still divided us, but it had been…

Fun.