Orb Weaver: Consequences, 1

The first thing I was aware of was a bit of pain. And beeping. And… I blinked. I was in a hospital room. Had I—

I tried to move up and was stopped by… straps, what the hell?

“After I worked on you, you decided you needed to check something. When a nurse tried to stop you, you smacked her,” a voice said. Panacea. “So they strapped you to the bed.” I opened my eyes, and there was Panacea. Dad, only his hand was over his mouth for some reason. Next to him was Director Piggot and Armsmaster.

Oh. They must have had Panacea wake me up. I couldn’t imagine that they were just sitting by my bed waiting for me. Everyone here was probably too busy for that.

“Strapp—ow!” I said. I managed to avoid sending that reaction into my swarm. Panacea would notice. “I’m…”

“Yeah, about that,” Now Panacea had a smirk on her face.

I didn’t like it.

“What?”

“You ever heard of superman syndrome?”

“Um…”

“It’s something that came up. Seems that PRT troopers with access to parahuman healing started needing medical care more. Do you know why?”

“Because they got used to being healed quickly?” You didn’t have to be a genius to figure that out.

“Yeah. They died more often as well, so… Per PRT and AMA policy, as someone who has needed parahuman healing more than once and in a short period of time, and who arguably sought out the situation…” She shrugged. “You’re healed. But minor aches and pains, things like needing a bit of exercise for a couple of weeks, that’s not healed. Also, sorry, but yeah, you were outed to me when I came in.”

That didn’t bother me, but the implication I’d deliberately done this—“I didn’t…”

“We had a full check out of you, including examining the fragments of the Australian hell plant you brought with you.” Director Piggot tilted her head. “It was difficult to understand how the Empire forced you to touch it, since there were no bruises consistent with someone gripping your arm on that arm. Menja said they didn’t use it. Neither did any of the other surviving E88 members, which leads me to believe…”

I guess I was still a little woozy, because it just slipped out. “I was about to pass out. I needed to improvise a stimulant.”

“You used neurotoxin as a wake me up?” Panacea said. Piggot’s eyes narrowed, as did Armsmaster’s. Dad pulled his hand away from his mouth, but one of his eyes started twitching.

“It’s not lethal,” I said. Everyone stared.

Wow. I was really off my game.

“Unless you combine it with not enough sleep, too many stimulants, a fractured pelvis…” Armsmaster said.

“I—“

“You died.”

Dad’s voice.  I’d never quite heard him like that.

“You died. Three times. Twice in the ambulance. They brought you back, then you crashed again just before they hit the hospital. Once on the table before Panacea got to you.”

“I…” I paused. “I may have overestimat—“

“Overestimated! Taylor, I—“

Director Piggot cleared her throat. “You are clearly still tired, Ms. Hebert, and I don’t think an argument would benefit us at this point.” 

Dad glanced at her, and at me, and shook his head. “How… how are you?”

“In pain, but alive. The Empire?”

“Who care—“

“The Empire is gone.” Director Piggot said. “And it is no longer your concern, especially if you consider leaving here to engage in any more…”

“Attempts at suicide?”

Director Piggot frowned. “Thank you, Panacea.”

I was reaching out but… How had they done that?  I could sense maybe a few thousand bugs, total within the PRT HQ.  There was something in the ventilation shafts that just… kept them from entering. Not a barrier like the Empire had, but something…

Right. Armsmaster.

“If you will promise to rest, we will unbuckle you.”

I nodded, and Dad, not Director Piggot, did it. I looked at his expression and…

The one time Emma and I were out three hours past our curfew when the Empire was rumbling. Dad’s expression was like this when he asked Mom to handle me, because he was afraid of what he’d say or do.

But Mom wasn’t here now and I could see how desperately Dad was trying to control himself.

It had been years since I’d seen him so angry… or frightened.

“Taylor… We’ll talk. Later,” Dad said.

“We will indeed. Ms. Hebert. When I suggested you assist us, I had assumed the kind of self-preservation instinct most people have. I was in error. Depending on what your father and I agree on, your relationship with the PRT and Protectorate may change dramatically.”

“The reasons to keep me as  a rogue still hold,” I said, perhaps more quickly than I should have, from the way Dad looked.

“Counter argument,” Armsmaster said, and an armored gauntlet creaked. “There are now reasons to change that relationship, starting with maximizing the chance for you to grow to adulthood.” He paused. “Your actions during Leviathan’s attack saved thousands. If no other argument will sway you, consider that if you had died here, you never again would be able to save so many people.” He paused. “I have set up alarms at all access points. Please do not try to leave.”

“And you need to rest. We pumped a lot of nutrients into you, but I had to use what was handy, so you lost a lot of muscle mass.” Panacea shook her head.

With that, they left. Dad didn’t say anything, but paused, and then patted me on the head before he left. Armsmaster gave me a domino mask.

I decided to try to sit up,  but…

Oh God. I’d lost the fruits of all my exercise over the last months.  Probably looked like an emaciated, upright frog now.

I fell back, trying to ignore the way that motion had tired me out.

Then, I once again tried to feel with my insects. Outside of the building, when I gathered groups, the ones inside the building felt changes. Gadgets humming, ventilator shafts closing, in addition to what I’d already detected.

Did you think the PRT was stupid? That the Protectorate was stupid? I’d shown much of Orb Weaver’s capabilities and… the PRT was now working to counter them.

I couldn’t even be upset. Every manual I’d read reminded the reader that “you had to prepare for someone’s capabilities, not trust in their intentions.”

A nurse came in and checked me.  Blood pressure, reflex, and then she asked if I needed to use the bathroom, and if I wanted a bedpan or to go to the bathroom.

I didn’t need to think on that.

“I’ll walk.”

“We’ll get you a wheelchair.”

“I’m not that—“ then I looked at her determined gaze…and the light bruise on her cheek.  “Er, I apologize.”

“Don’t worry, I got the privilege of tying your arms down.”

“Privilege?”

“Orderly Sterns was with your feet. You have a very good kick and know exactly how to discourage a man.”

“Oh.”

“Now let’s move your legs…” This was ridiculous, I could… I almost slipped and she held me before she guided me to the wheelchair. “Panacea told you the AMA thing, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well it wasn’t just that. You were on the verge of complete kidney failure, you’d torn the heart muscle, and well, she needed to use a lot more. It’s safer, more healthy to slow up healing.”

Panacea’s never been able to generate matter. At least not according to anything I knew. So maybe this was her being cautious.

And not grumpy.

No, grumpy was what I was as I had to have a nurse help me to the toilet, who then stood by while I did my business because I was listed as a ‘noncompliant patient” in addition to a “fall risk.”

Later, Nurse Grey left, and I was left to my bed to consider my situation. I turned on the TV, and there were continual news specials playing. One girl talking about how she’d been riding with her little brother when they’d seen the monster bug thing coming from the street…

Another view showed the same street, now with PRT and what looked like a team from the university around it.

Other views. Kaiser. Now revealed as Max Anders, but the story was filled with careful announcements about how he had been attempting to take over Medhall. The intent was clear. There were connections, you couldn’t avoid finding them, but a mostly innocent company drawn into the Empire’s coils?  Especially since Kaiser’s own actions had a number of minorities and completely ignorant people working for Medhall? It could work. Oh, anyone with a brain would see through it, but legally? It could work.

Alexandria’s interactions with Hookwolf…and myself didn’t indicate that this was something they’d never done before, and seeing Medhall destroyed would certainly hurt the Bay… I wonder if they’d been preparing for this from the very start of my crusade?

Never underestimate them. I reminded myself.

Then I just enjoyed the camera shot of Krewe taking Kaiser in.

“Nice shot, isn’t it?” I glanced to my side where a Number was. There was a twisting, and then there was Aisha.

“Are you supposed to be here?”

“Hell no, but Kid Win rigged up some kind of hologadget that makes it look like I’m taking a long anti-bug shower.”

“Why the shower…”

“They only got some guys on supervision duty right now, and you think they’re gonna bust into a 13-year-old taking a long shower to poke her to see if she’s real?”

“Good.”

“Cause I need some time. We gotta problem, you and I.”

Wait. What?  “I don’t…”

“What do we say to the people at Winslow?” Aisha asked, and her look was intent. And pissed.

“I—“

“We say, we’ll be back for the ten-year reunion  with our new car and great home.”  Then she got on the bed, still looking at me. “But you can’t do that if you’re fucking dead can you?”

“Do you think the Empire would have let those kids live if I didn’t go?”

“I dunno, maybe if you’d had your friend make a few phone calls, we could have found out. Legend was on call for Orb Weaver, maybe he could have nuked Kaiser, or hell, just told Kaiser it’s quiet surrender or death?” She shook her head. “Then you go and play tag with Leviathan. Or maybe you know, almost getting killed by that Thinker.” She paused. “And you ain’t dumb. You taught me how not to be dumb, so why are you acting like nobody cares if you die!”

I opened my mouth, closed it. I had never actually heard Aisha this pissed. Upset, snarky, but pissed?

“I had to.” I finally said. “What they did to Sheila Cho, the others— what they tried to do to you—“

“No,” Aisha said, pushing me back down onto the bed with one hand. “You do not get to pull that shit with me. Yeah, it was fucked up what happened to the reporter. Yeah, I got nightmares about drowning, but you don’t get to use that as an excuse to go and get fucking killed.”  She got up and started walking around the room, her hands making agitated motions. “You told me I was fucking dumb for running into a fire for those kids without being ready! And then you go… and do this! Fuck!” The last came out as a shout.

“Aisha, I think people heard you…”

“Great, did you fucking hear me? No. You know what? I was gonna talk more. But I’m too pissed.” She turned to glare at me. “But this isn’t fucking over. You don’t just get to throw yourself away like that. Not then, not now, not ever.”

Moments later, there was a flicker, and she was gone.

“But I won…” My voice sounded weak even to me.

And the silence didn’t answer.