The first thing Taylor noticed was the smell.

  It wasn’t unpleasant, just the faint whiff of cinnamon and maple syrup. She took a deep breath and reached out to the bugs she could feel all around, in the dark corners of her room, in the world outside. Through them, she knew she was in Brockton Bay, that familiar sea-side scent mixed with urban decay; at least that was how she interpreted it.

  The next was that Taylor wasn’t alone. Flies alighted on two people, one sitting in a chair next to her bed, the other in a room two floors down, also sitting. Pages rustled as Taylor opened her eyes, wincing at a spike of pain from the blinding light streaming in from the window.

  “Sorry hon,” she heard Tattletale say. Fabric ruffled and the light dropped to more sane levels, and Taylor saw Lisa offering an apologetic smile. “And good morning. You sleep okay?”

  “What...what happened?” Taylor sat up slowly, swallowing against a sudden rising bile. She felt awful.

  “You don’t remember?”

  She did, once Lisa prompted her. She remembered the agony of being ripped back in time again, and again, and again; of watching the world build her a glass cage so no one could hear her screaming. Months as a public spectacle, with nobody once even trying to help after Tattletale’s first failed attempts.

  At least, until Amaranth reappeared without warning, alongside Tattletale and a cape she knew now was a Tinker. Even though Taylor’s one-time best friend had left…Amaranth stayed. Overnight they’d kicked her out, but the moment the doors were unlocked she returned to standing vigil next to Taylor. Amaranth spent most of her time reassuring Taylor they were getting her out, when she wasn’t apologizing at least. It hadn’t stopped the pain, but she couldn’t deny appreciating the company.

  Then the first device failed, hurt the Tinker, and Taylor was sure that was the end. But Amaranth remained, even resisting the PRT when they came to kick her out. Eventually they let her stay, and she kept silent, unresting watch over Taylor’s tomb. Then had come Flechette, the flash of light and explosion of sound and—

  “I do,” Taylor said flatly. She didn’t remember anything from then until now, but that wasn’t too surprising. “How long was I out?”

  “Two days.” Lisa held up a hand to stop the immediate questions that sprang to mind. “You’re fine, physically at least. Got Whatchamacalit, that’s Amaranth’s pet Tinker, to whip up something to heal what injuries you had left. But a couple months in a time loop…” She shrugged and looked aside. “You tell me.”

  Slowly, gingerly, Taylor stood from the bed. Looking down, she saw the logo of the Dockworkers Association of Unions on a faded, holey sweater. Her sweater, the one she’d left in her room in her headquarters. She tamped down the feelings that came with it, running her body through a stretching routine she had formulated with Cauldron, designed to push her body to be as limber as possible.

  Besides the hint of nausea she’d felt since sitting up, her body seemed to be perfectly fine. No lingering pain from the hits Taylor recalled taking in the running battle against Jack’s clones, nothing besides a nasty headache in fact. As she finished her routine, her eyes flicked around the room. It was almost familiar…

  “Your old lair,” Lisa answered the unasked question. “Brian’s keeping watch downstairs. I figured you’d want to wake up somewhere...like home.”

  “Mm,” Taylor grunted. “Where’s Amaranth?”

  “Ran off to play anarchist on Gimel,” she replied, waving a hand. “Passed out the second you were free, her people took her home.”

  “I see.” A slight frown touched Taylor’s lips. Was that the whole story? It didn’t seem...Amaranth hadn’t left her side before. “Any idea when she’ll be back?”

  “Nope,” Lisa said with a shrug. “While I love keeping tabs on our enemies, she didn’t exactly check in. Bitch’s people are keeping an eye out though, so we’ll know in advance.”

  “Our enemies?” Taylor cocked her head. “When did the Terriers start operations against you?”

  “They haven’t yet,” she replied. “But don’t forget what she did to you.”

  “Arrested me when I was breaking the law,” Taylor said evenly. Did she like that she’d be arrested? No, but it had ultimately led to them preventing the apocalypse so...it didn’t really matter. “But as I understand it, she’s a villain now too; and she worked with me fighting Jack, and with you getting me out. I’m not sure where ‘enemy’ fits into that description.”

  “Trust me, she’s not on our side,” Lisa said sourly. “Just a matter of time before—”

  “Lisa,” Taylor cut her off.

  “I’m not letting her take you away again,” she snapped. Lisa winced and rubbed her temple. “Sorry, it’s been a long…” She took a deep breath. “It’s been a long time.”

  “It has,” Taylor agreed, letting the outburst slide, for now anyway; she didn't have the capacity to get into it right now. “Thank you, by the way, for not giving up on me; and for getting Amaranth’s help.”

  “Sorry it took so long,” Lisa said with a sad smile. “Didn’t want to involve her at first, not her business.”

  “Lisa…” She sighed. “What happened between you two? Why do you hate her so much? Even I can tell the feeling isn’t mutual.”

  “We don’t need to talk about this,” Lisa said flatly.

  “I think—”

  “You need to eat,” she interrupted, gesturing to the bedside table. There was a steaming bowl of oatmeal sitting there, and Taylor felt her stomach groan painfully; she wasn’t nauseous, she was starving. “I’ll go let Brian know you’re awake. Couple sets of clothes in the drawers there, you should get dressed.”

  “Lisa—”

  She rose and left before Taylor could ask her what the hell was going on. With a sigh, she grabbed the bowl and dug in. She’d never been the biggest fan of oatmeal, but whatever Lisa had done made it utterly delicious. It wasn’t easy to keep herself from gorging on it, but she knew she had to go slow in case she got sick.

  Still, it barely took ten minutes to finish scraping the bowl clean. Once she was done, Taylor opened the drawers Lisa indicated so she could get dressed. She selected a pair of skinny jeans, opting to remain in her DAU sweatshirt; it was warmer and comfier than the other options Lisa had brought her.

  At the back of her mind, Taylor could ‘hear’ Brian and Lisa talking downstairs. She tried to focus on the conversation, bringing some of the bugs in the room nearer to them. Her efforts were rewarded with a sharp, blinding spike of pain in her forehead. She released the bugs a second later, sighing with relief. Fine, no eavesdropping. It would be nice to know what was going on, but she could trust that her friends weren’t going to hurt her at least.

  The rest of the neighbourhood was another matter. Taylor pushed her senses out as she visited the bathroom, seeing what had become of her old domain. The improvements were undeniable. Gone was the fetid scent of rotting trash, the sickly sweetness of bodies cooking in shallow graves. The crumbling, ruined buildings had been rebuilt into not-quite-luxury apartments and homes. Prime real estate, and it always had been.

  Not that it mattered to Taylor any longer, she’d grown out of her old illusions of villainy for the right reasons. There were bigger issues in the world than the artificial divide of heroes and villains. One of those had been taken care of, but Taylor knew her work was far from done.

  What would Cauldron do about her? It was unlikely they would just leave her alone, now that she was out of Grey Boy’s prison. She’d proven herself a valuable asset, and Taylor knew first-hand that Cauldron was loathe to give up its assets. Which meant it would just be a matter of time until they came to retrieve her.

  Taylor stood rigidly and strode over to the bedside table. She pulled open the bottom drawer, shifting the socks and underwear stored within aside. A small tab of fabric stuck up at the very back, practically invisible if one didn’t know they were looking for it. She grabbed it and pulled up the false bottom of the drawer, revealing the pistol concealed there since she’d left.

  At least Taylor could confirm no one had been in there. She quickly loaded the gun and chambered a round before slipping it into her belt and concealing it under her shirt. The spare magazines went into her pockets, and she shut the drawer before heading to the door. She trusted Lisa implicitly, of course, but she had enemies to worry about.

  “Hey, there she is,” Lisa said as Taylor made her way downstairs. “How was breakfast?”

  “Was good,” Taylor replied, offering her a nod. “Thanks for making it.”

  “Thank Brian,” she said, gesturing to him.

  He was sitting on the couch in his biker leathers, arms crossed. Brian seemed much healthier than the last time Taylor had seen him, no longer so gaunt or haunted looking. He still wore the cornrows Taylor had loved stroking as they lay together, and his eyes held that deep warmth that made her heart pound.

  “Thank you,” Taylor managed, fighting to keep her voice level. “It was great.”

  “No problem,” Brian said, offering a half-grin. “You feeling okay?”

  “Better, definitely,” she said with a nod. A brief, uncomfortable silence dragged for a few seconds before she managed to find her voice again. “How are you?”

  “Getting by,” he replied. “Making sure our business keeps running smoothly, making sure Lisa doesn’t go too power-crazy.”

  “Oh please, like I’d do that,” Lisa said lightly.

  “Mostly just consolidating,” Brian continued, ignoring her. “Keeping what we have, and keeping everyone else out of it.”

  “Don’t forget your girlfriend.” Both Brian and Taylor bristled at Lisa’s comment, and she smiled. “What, you weren’t trying to keep that a secret, were you Brian?”

  “No,” he said flatly as his cheeks darkened with a blush. “I didn’t think it was relevant.”

  “It’s not,” Taylor agreed quickly, trying to ignore how that made her heart race. “I’m...happy you found someone though.”

  “Thanks,” Brian said with a sheepish grin. “Things are...things are good.”

  It didn’t feel that way. There was a tension in the room that set Taylor on edge, filling the space that she’d made by leaving them. She had good reasons of course, she couldn’t simply let herself go to the Birdcage and sit idly like Lia had. But did they understand that, could they understand that? Lisa caught her eye, a grim look on her face.

  “I want to know what you’ve been up to,” Lisa broke the silence, leaning in. “Working with Cauldron, right? But doing what?”

  “Odd jobs,” Taylor said, tensing. Definitely couldn’t let anything slip around Tattletale. Dammit, Contessa had warned her to stay away; but she didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter. “Mostly I was preparing to face Jack, take him down.” Lisa studied her quietly for a moment.

  “Except that wasn’t the plan, was it?” she said flatly. “Because Jack isn’t the one who actually kills everyone, he was just the catalyst to set it off early.” Taylor narrowed her eyes.

  “Wait, then who was?” Brian asked, furrowing his brow.

  “I wonder,” Lisa mused, arching a brow.

  “If the goal wasn’t taking down Jack, then why did I take the hit from Grey Boy?” Taylor countered. “If I wanted something else to happen, I could have let her take it and rely on you to take Grey Boy down; I knew you were there, and you knew I knew, right?”

  “Except you knew why she couldn’t take the hit, don’t you?” Lisa retorted. Taylor bit her tongue. “Exactly. Don’t play games with me hon, you know I’ll win.”

  “I can’t talk about this,” Taylor growled. “Any of it. You think they won’t kill me, Lisa? They can go anywhere, find anyone, and I know enough that they’re probably preparing contingencies already.”

  “We’ll protect you,” Brian said firmly. “This is probably the place we got locked down best. Your people still hold three blocks around here solid. We bring Alec over and we can do rotating shifts here as long as we need.”

  “You can’t protect me against Cauldron,” she said sadly, shaking her head. She was suddenly conscious of how short her hair was, barely coming below her ears; a practical choice, both for operations and shedding the guise of Taylor Hebert, but one her friends no doubt noticed. “You know that, I know that; and if you don’t, I really don’t want you to learn the hard way.”

  “Brian could hold his own against the boogeyman,” Lisa said evenly.

  “Maybe,” Taylor conceded. Stealing and suppressing Contessa’s power, he was the only person who stood the vaguest chance, but still… “And while he is, someone else gets me. No, the only way any of us stay safe is if you know as little as possible, and if I get back to Cauldron soon.”

  “So you want to leave, just like that,” she said, gaze flickering.

  “To keep you safe,” Taylor stressed. “They’re going to know I’m out, and if I don’t go to them, they’ll come here.”

  “You can stay til they come at least, can’t you?” Brian asked. “Taylor...come on, we thought you were dead, until Lisa...” She furrowed her brow and look at Lisa.

  “You figured it out?”

  “Back at the big meeting, after Khonsu hit,” Lisa sighed. “I knew we couldn’t get you out but...I hoped we would one day. But now you are out, they could have grabbed you anytime over the last two days and haven’t; more to the point, they never even tried to get you out. You were a broken tool Taylor, no use to their greater good, so they cut you loose. You’re free now, the least you could do is act like it.”

  “You’re wrong,” Taylor said. But at the back of her mind… “You’ll see.”

  “Maybe I will,” she said with a shrug. “Maybe not. In the mean time...how about we show you around, then maybe get some lunch.” Though she’d just eaten, Taylor’s stomach growled treacherously. “My treat, of course.”

  “I guess it can’t hurt,” Taylor said with a small grin. Yeah, just a little break, she’d definitely earned it.

  “Then it’s a date,” Lisa said, smacking her thighs. “Brian, want to warm up the car?”

  “Sure,” Brian said, rising and offering Taylor a smile. “Good to have you back Taylor, seriously.”

  “Thanks,” Taylor said, throat tightening. “It’s...I’m glad to be here.”

  Hopefully, she wouldn’t be leaving too soon…

  “So this is the center of everything?” Taylor asked as Brian pulled up across from a squat, brightly decorated building. It proclaimed itself as a center for everything a tourist could need, from maps, to guided tours, to refreshments that would be overpriced even on the Boardwalk.

  “At least around here,” Lisa said. “Mostly it’s exactly what it says, an info center; except we get a little more than the tourists. Good way to gather intel without attracting hero attention too.”

  “They’re not happy about you guys still holding ground, huh?” Taylor snorted.

  “When are they ever happy?” Brian scoffed.

  “Come on, I’ll show you inside,” Lisa said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

  “Are you sure that’s safe?” Taylor asked, reaching out to her bugs. There were only a dozen or so people in the building, and she couldn’t see any cops. Still, it was a big risk to just walk around in public.

  “Trust me,” she said, fixing Taylor with a gaze she couldn’t ignore.

  “Alright,” Taylor sighed, unbuckling and opening the door. “Lead on.”

  They were greeted by a warm breeze coming in off the bay, heralding a spring coming early. The sun shone down, barely masked by the few clouds dotting an otherwise clear sky. She took a deep breath as they crossed the street, filling her lungs with the air of home. A beautiful day.

  How long had it been since Taylor had been able to enjoy a beautiful day? How long since she’d really enjoyed anything? Cauldron may have had her doing important work, but that didn’t make the conditions more than tolerable at best. Whenever she left the base, her mind was on whatever mission assigned Scenery wasn’t even a tertiary concern.

  Even now, Taylor was more focused on her bugs, making sure there wasn’t an ambush lurking in the alleys behind them or racing up the street. She felt Lisa loop her arm around her elbow and spared a glance, getting an impish grin in reply. That was just Lisa, like old times, like always. Taylor relaxed, just slightly. She was armed, she had backup, and she was on friendly ground. It had been a long, long time since that was true, and Taylor swore to herself she’d try and enjoy it.

  Inside the tourist center was a wide open space, with maps and merchandise lining the walls and a central kiosk with a number of smiling, bright-eyed employees ready to help; though no tourists, surprisingly. One girl looked familiar, and as Lisa dragged her over a chill ran up her spine. The girl looked up and caught Lisa’s eye first, arching a brow, then looked up at Taylor. Her eyes briefly narrowed, then widened as a look of shock touched her face.

  “Hey Charlotte,” Lisa greeted her as they approached the kiosk. “How’s business.”

  “F-fine, it’s...fine,” Charlotte stammered, eyes locked on Taylor. “You look...familiar, miss.”

  “It’s been a little while,” Taylor said quietly. “How are the kids, Charlotte?”

  “Good, they’re good,” she said, drawing herself up and stiffening. “Aiden’s had some trouble adjusting to school again, but everyone’s okay. Still working on finding more permanent places for them.”

  “Relax, she’s not here for a performance review,” Lisa said, smirking. “Just visiting, for old times’ sake.”

  “I see.” Charlotte didn’t sound any less nervous.

  “It’s okay, really,” Taylor reassured her. “How are you doing Charlotte? Staying safe?”

  “Safe as I can,” she said, shoulders relaxing fractionally. “How about you? What...what happened?”

  “Not something we should talk about here,” Lisa said. “Come on, close your desk and we’ll chat in the back.”

  Charlotte nodded and turned to her computer while Lisa led Taylor to a door at the back of the building. They passed into a short, narrow hallway ending in another door, through which they entered a small break room. Lisa sat on a small couch and patted the cushion next to her, and Taylor joined her with a smile. Charlotte came soon after, pulling a folding chair over from the table and sitting in front of them.

  “So, um,” Charlotte began hesitantly, shifting slightly in the chair. “You’re...not dead.” Lisa snorted.

  “No, I’m not,” Taylor said, ignoring Lisa. “I was pulled out of the truck by Cauldron, they wanted my help in stopping Jack Slash. They trained me, equipped me, and when it came down to it we accomplished the mission.”

  “Except you got caught by Grey Boy,” Lisa reminded her.

  “Yes, except that,” she said, wincing. “But I got out, with some help from Lisa, Flechette, and a Tinker named Whatchamacalit; Amaranth’s friend, actually. Anyway, what have you been doing since I...left?”

  “Oh, just maintaining things, mostly,” Charlotte said with a shrug. “I wound up getting my GED instead of finishing school, just couldn’t keep the schedule. Now I’m managing this place for Tattletale, keeping an ear to the ground mostly. Things have been quiet, since Werwolf went down.”

  “You guys weren’t affected, were you?” Taylor asked.

  “No, no we were fine,” she replied. “The kids were a little scared with all the police checkpoints, and we had to use some alternate routes for supply, but no one got hurt.”

  “Amaranth threatened us enough though,” Lisa growled. “And our business suffered plenty.”

  “But we bounced back,” Charlotte said with a small smile. “With Werwolf gone it was easy enough to slip in, invest in the reconstruction, make ourselves indispensable. Basically a repeat of your playbook down here.”

  “I see.” Taylor’s playbook huh? How would Charlotte react to knowing none of it had been planned? “I have no doubt you’ve done a good job of it, if Tattletale trusts you with all this.”

  “Oh, this isn’t all that—”

  “She’s pretty reliable,” Lisa interjected with a grin. “All your people are. Sierra’s really come through on the property angle around the portal, hell of a firebrand. Forrest is at work in the South End, handling things well. You built an organization for us Taylor, one we’re still relying on.”

  “It really wasn’t all that,” Taylor said, shaking her head. “You know that better than anyone.”

  “And yet, here we are.” She smiled and rose from the couch. “Just wanted to check in, Charlotte. Anything new to report?”

  “No, nothing,” Charlotte replied, tone changing; this was business now. “Been a quiet week, won’t expect much until March when the tourists start coming back.”

  “Keep an ear out.” Lisa glanced at Taylor. “Anything else?”

  “It’s good to see you Charlotte,” Taylor said, rising from her seat. “I’m glad you’re doing well.”

  “Thanks to you,” Charlotte said, smiling. “I’ll pay you back one day.”

  “You really don’t—”

  “Maybe with lunch sometime,” she cut Taylor off, smile widening. “If you’re sticking around for a while.” Despite herself, Taylor found a smile on her face.

  “Maybe,” Taylor agreed.

  “We’ll catch up,” Lisa said, grabbing Taylor’s hand and leading her out.

  It felt like old times. No, not really in retrospect. Things had never been sedate like this. Even when celebrating the success of her team, or her territory, there was always the precarious feeling of teetering on the edge of a steep cliff. And then she’d fallen, lost everything, her life. For a good cause, but that was what she’d always told herself.

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  No, it didn’t feel like old times, and Taylor was happy for that.

  After a long day of touring the Undersiders’ widespread operations, Lisa had brought them back to her apartment. The three of them shared a comfortable, nostalgic dinner of takeout, watching crappy TV and chatting about nothing in particular. After a while, Brian wished them a good night and headed home, leaving Taylor and Lisa alone in her quiet home.

  The silence was comfortable, warm, safe. Lisa leaned against her, shoulder to shoulder; not unlike when Taylor had been injured by Bakuda’s bomb and had to take it easy with a concussion after. She felt bad it couldn’t last. Sooner or later, Cauldron would come calling and take her away, whether she wanted to go back or not.

  “You’re tense,” Lisa said, reaching down and taking Taylor’s hand. “Still worried about the boogeyman attacking, right?”

  “Sorry,” Taylor whispered. “Just...we have to be realistic, they’ve invested enough in me that they can’t afford to let me go.”

  “Maybe,” she sighed. “Can we just...forget all that for a bit? I’ve got a headache already.”

  “Sorry,” Taylor apologized again, wracking her brain for some change of subject that wouldn’t be too depressing. “So...what was all that about today? The tour and stuff?”

  “I wanted you to see what you helped build,” Lisa said, shrugging. “We couldn’t have done this without you, Taylor.”

  “But you did,” she countered. “It’s almost been two years, Lisa; a long time since I’ve helped you guys with anything.”

  “You think we could have got through half the stuff we did without you?” Lisa retorted. “Face it hon, without you most of us would have been dead a long time ago.” A dark look crossed her face, and she lowered her voice to a scant murmur. “And we need you again.” So there was an angle to it, of course.

  “No, I’m not trying to manipulate you Taylor, I mean it,” Lisa countered her unvoiced thought. “I’m spinning a dozen plates while juggling burning chainsaws, between Brockton and Gimel and everything else I’ve been neglecting in the mean time. We need you back because next to me, you’re the best organizer we’ve got; and hell, I’ll even say you’re better than me if that organizing needs a face. Cauldron doesn’t need you, but we do, I do.”

  Looking in her eyes, Taylor saw she meant it too. During the desperate battle against Echidna, Lisa had told her about Rex, about what Lisa saw in her. She’d lost her brother once, then not long after that talk had seemingly lost Taylor as well. It was selfish, her request, but not for the reasons Taylor had thought.

  “I don’t know,” Taylor said, shaking her head. She wanted to be here but...she knew it just wasn’t possible. “Let me sleep on it, okay? It’s...been a long day, and it was a lot longer before that.”

  “Yeah, no problem,” Lisa said, pulling away. “There’s a guest bedroom across from mine. Bed’s already made.”

  “Cool.” Taylor rose from the couch, a little reluctantly, and stretched her sore muscles. She hadn’t used them at all, technically, for months; even if that had just been ten seconds stretched to forever. She suppressed a shiver and offered Lisa a smile. “And Lisa? Thanks, for everything.”

  “Everything?” she said with a teasing note.

  “Too much to list,” Taylor said, her smile growing. “Seriously. Good night Lisa.”

  “Night sweetheart,” Lisa said, waving. “Sleep tight.”

  Unfortunately, Taylor had a feeling she wouldn’t.

  In the dead of night, that gut feeling was proven right.

  It was the sudden drop in air pressure, knocking a few of the lighter bugs from their perches, that woke her up. In a heartbeat, Taylor had retrieved the pistol from under her pillow, begun forming two swarm clones as she rolled off the mattress, and was already tracking the familiar figure emerging from the portal. Useless resistance, but it was more reflexive than purposeful. Contessa arched a brow at her, then sat on the bed and patted the mattress. A tense moment passed, then she sighed when Taylor didn’t obey.

  “Hello Weaver,” Contessa said. “How is your recovery progressing?”

  “I’m fine,” Taylor said flatly, bugs alighting on Lisa in the other room. Sleeping soundly, unaware of what was going on. She almost roused her but...no. “So, you’re here to take me back.”

  “Why would I?” The statement struck Taylor like a slap. “Your original mission was to return to Brockton Bay, join the Protectorate, and be our liaison. Despite your unfortunate failure with Jack Slash, we still need you to fill that role. Indeed, we need you there more perhaps because of that failure.” She gestured to Taylor’s pistol, still aimed at her forehead. “Unless you’ve changed your mind regarding our agreement.” Slowly, carefully, she lowered the gun.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “Remain in Brockton Bay, act as a go-between, a proponent of our interests.” Contessa crossed her arms. “We would prefer you join the Protectorate, their status will allow you to reach the ears of many more organizations. Although, remaining with the Undersiders would be acceptable, provided you work to mollify Tattletale’s opinion of us.” Taylor narrowed her eyes, grip tightening on her pistol.

  “Really?” She couldn’t believe it.

  “We were already prepared to lose you entirely,” Contessa replied evenly. “Amaranth was uncooperative, and Tattletale’s initial efforts to free you were failures. Your escape is a boon, and not one we’re keen to waste by overplaying our hand. Work on Tattletale or work with the Protectorate, and work in our interests, and we will leave you alone. And don’t worry about keeping the arrangement secret from her, she may consider you untrustworthy, but that will change with our lack of interference.

  “We’re facing a dire situation, Weaver,” she continued, voice grave. “As of now, we have no way of knowing when the end of the world will happen. Dinah Alcott isn’t cooperating, so we’re assuming we’ll need to hold out for up to fifteen years. If there’s any hope of doing that, we need as many parahumans cooperating as possible.”

  “I still agree with that,” Taylor said slowly. Then they weren’t angry about Jack, or at least they were willing enough to let it go for the bigger picture. “So, anything special I should do while I’m here?”

  “Like I said, work to get Tattletale to come to our side,” Contessa replied. “Keep contact with the Protectorate, if you do remain with the Undersiders; try to ease friction as best you can. And keep an eye on Amaranth. She’s the reason your mission ultimately failed, and we cannot afford her to do that when we need you, when the world needs you.”

  “Understood,” she said flatly. Lisa stirred in the other room, and Taylor cocked her head. “You should go. If Tattletale finds you here, I wouldn’t put it past her to figure out a way to kill you.”

  “Indeed,” Contessa said, rising from the bed as a portal opened. “Don’t make us remediate this decision, Weaver.” Taylor suppressed a shiver.

  “I won’t,” Taylor said firmly, and like that, she was alone.

  She fell onto her bed, counting out the seconds as she breathed slowly and tried to keep her heart from hammering out of her chest. After a minute of square breathing, Taylor had managed to bring it down to around where it was when she was out on a run. A minute after that, she flicked the safety on her pistol and put it back under her pillow. As she laid down and tried to find sleep she knew wasn’t coming, Taylor realized she was actually free.

  She wished she wasn’t afraid of what that could mean.

  “You’re up early.” Lisa entered the kitchen, yawning and stretching. “Sleep okay?”

  “A little,” Taylor said, sipping her coffee. Not after her chat, but she’d had a lot to think about anyway. “We had company last night.”

  “Oh?” She stiffened and gave Taylor a look, then paled. “Oh.”

  “It’s nothing bad,” Taylor said quickly. “Just the opposite. I’m...I’m staying.”

  “Staying in Brockton Bay? No, you don’t mean—”

  “With you, if you’ll have me.”

  Taylor had thought long and hard about what to do. Yes, the Protectorate would have been the ideal choice, giving her status and public trust as a hero. At the same time, she’d managed to get that as a villain, as a warlord. If Taylor could do the same again, and she could, working with the Undersiders would give her options that would be unthinkable for the Protectorate.

  In the end, it had been an easy choice.

  “What’s the catch?” Lisa asked, stepping away and pouring herself some coffee. “It’s Cauldron, nothing is free.”

  “They want you to be less...hostile,” Taylor hedged. “I know how you feel about them, but we have to be realistic. We’re looking at an unpredictable apocalypse, and they’re still our best bet at actually surviving.”

  “With the shit they’ve done?” Lisa scoffed. “You’re asking a hell of a lot.”

  “I know,” she gulped. “But I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t genuinely believe it, Lisa; and I wouldn’t ask if it was going to be a danger to you.” Lisa pursed her lips.

  “Are you going to be feeding them anything? Taking jobs, that thing?”

  “They asked me to liaise with the Protectorate, I assume to try and keep them and you from fighting too much.” She considered it a moment. “It might help with your operations on Gimel, and that helps everyone. It’s an ark, right?”

  “Hopefully,” Lisa said. “Not sure that’ll work hon. They barely trust me, and you? Forget about it.”

  “It’s going to take some time,” Taylor said. “But considering what I’ve already done for them, eventually they’ll have to. We all need to be working together, they’ll understand that, and you will too.”

  Mm.” Lisa took a sip of her coffee, then sighed. “Well...if you’re not going to be actually working for them, then yeah, you can stay. Lot of work to do, I’ll find somewhere for you.” She offered a half-grin. “You know I hate to say I told you so…”

  “No you don’t,” Taylor snorted. “But...you were at least half right, and I’m happy for that.”

  “Me too Taylor,” Lisa said, reaching across the table and gripping Taylor’s fingers. “Me too.”

  Spring had well and truly sprung in Brockton Bay when March rolled around. Better still, the rain had held off so far, and it was easy to enjoy the weather. At least, during the day. The nights were still chilly, and Weaver was glad the costume Cauldron made for her was insulated; and that it had survived the fight against the Nine.

  A low, rumbling engine echoed up the road, a couple blocks over. She felt it approaching, not racing as if it were an emergency, but probably over the speed limit. With a sigh, Weaver rose from her perch on the roof of a shuttered convenience store and stretched. Time to go.

  She checked her belt, ensuring all her weapons and tools were in easy reach. Weaver wasn’t expecting a confrontation, but considering her history with the Brockton Bay Protectorate it paid to be prepared. She clambered down the fire escape and strode out to the edge of the sidewalk just as the motorcycle turned up the street.

  Fortunately, they’d sent Miss Militia. She pulled to a stop half a block up the road and got off her bike, an assault rifle slung over her back. She approached Weaver cautiously, tense, ready to snatch her weapon and start shooting. Weaver slowly turned towards her, keeping her hands a few inches clear of her weapons.

  “Thank you for coming,” Weaver said, bugs under her armour buzzing. There was no point hiding her identity, but it was the principle of it. “And for not bringing reinforcements.”

  “I don’t suppose you’re here to negotiate joining the Protectorate,” Miss Militia said dryly. “Should I still call you Weaver, or are you returning to Skitter?”

  “Weaver, I’m not intending to repeat old mistakes.” She took a deep breath. “No, I’m here to try and figure out how we can work together; because the apocalypse hasn’t been stopped, only delayed.” She heard the hero’s breath catch.

  “I don’t—”

  “I wouldn’t lie about this,” Weaver snapped. “Cauldron has one interest and so do I: the survival of humanity. You may not like the way the Undersiders do things, but they’re investing in a backup plan. I’m not saying to stop doing your job, Tattletale told me about the measures you have in place already. Just turn a blind eye to Gimel when you can, let it grow as quick as possible, even if it means you’ll have a harder job in the future.

  “Yes it’s a lot, no you don’t have any reason to necessarily take my word for it. But I spent two months being a public spectacle, my ‘reward’ for helping stop Jack Slash. I think that deserves at least a little consideration.”

  “So what will your role in this be?” Miss Militia asked after a moment, crossing her arms. “If you’re not joining the Protectorate, and speaking on the Undersiders’ behalf, I assume you’re with Tattletale.”

  “Again, it won’t be like before,” Weaver said flatly. “It’s going to take time to prove that, I understand, but at least give me the chance I never got to have before I was shipped off to the Birdcage.”

  The silence that followed was tense and heavy. Weaver was aware of Miss Militia’s misgivings around her arrest, not unlike Lia’s. Neither of them had agreed with the way things had happened, and after her own visit Lia probably didn’t agree with the verdict either. But would Miss Militia be willing to take this olive branch, or would things go just as bad as they had before?

  “I’ll need to speak with my peers,” Miss Militia said at last. “The...present arrangement was rather unpopular at first, even now it has detractors. The Gimel detachment isn’t technically under my command, but Adamant might be willing to listen to me. If you really are reformed, wait for my reply before making any moves. Can you promise that at least?”

  “Done.” Tattletale wasn’t bringing her in on anything big anyway, just information gathering. “Thank you, Miss Militia.”

  “Don’t thank me yet.”

  “Thank you for hearing me out,” Weaver clarified. “It’s… I’m glad you’re the one running the Protectorate here. I feel like I can actually trust what you say.” Miss Militia gave her an odd look, then nodded.

  “You’re welcome.” She cocked her head and pressed a finger to her ear. In the distance, Weaver heard a machine gun chatter. “I need to go. We’ll speak later.”

  Miss Militia raced off, motorcycle’s engine roaring and tires squealing, to stop whatever crime was taking place across the city. Weaver eased back into the darkness of the alley, her shoulders relaxing slightly. It had worked, the seed was planted.

  Only time would tell if it came to fruit.

  “Hey Charlotte,” Taylor said as she strode up to the kiosk. “You got a minute?”

  “Oh, Taylor, uh…” Charlotte glanced over her shoulder. There were a few tourists, but her colleagues had them handled. “Yeah, sure. Out here or in back?”

  “Back,” she replied.

  “Sure.”

  Charlotte closed up her desk and led Taylor into the back of the info center. It had been a couple weeks since rejoining her old team, and things still didn’t feel like they used to. Lisa didn’t have much time to hang out, and she’d been more distant than usual no doubt thanks to the new arrangement. Grue spent most of his time either managing his own territory, or helping out his girlfriend in the Red Hand. Aisha and Alec kept mostly to themselves after Heartbreaker’s visit, and Rachel was on Gimel.

  But Taylor was making the best of it, trying to keep her promise to Miss Militia while still helping Tattletale as best she could. It was a precarious balancing act, one she was happy to take as a trade for her relative freedom.

  She hadn’t gone home yet. As far as Dad knew, Taylor was dead. She wasn’t quite sure how to break the news to him, beyond just...showing up. That was certainly an option, but not one she was looking forward to. He might understand, but she wasn’t sure he’d ever forgive her. He probably hadn’t for hiding her identity. But she’d cross that bridge when she came to it, for now she was looking to see someone else.

  “So, what’s up? Any trouble?” Charlotte asked as they sat on the couch in the break room.

  “No, not at all,” Taylor said. “Actually I was hoping you could help me with something.”

  “Oh, sure.” Charlotte seemed to brighten up. “What can I do for you?”

  “I was wondering if you could get Rachel’s people to find Amaranth,” Taylor said. “I wanted to talk with her about something, but I didn’t want to bother Lisa.”

  “She didn’t tell you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Amaranth came back last week,” Charlotte explained. “Lisa said she would tell you, so I didn’t think…” She paled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

  “It’s fine,” Taylor cut her off. That would be another conversation. “You didn’t know. So where is she?”

  “Are you...planning to do something?”

  “Just talk,” she promised. “I’m hoping, maybe I can convince her to work with us.” Unlikely, but it was a good excuse.

  “You really think so?” Charlotte didn’t sound convinced, but she sighed and nodded. “Well, it’s worth a shot I guess. Not sure why Lisa didn’t tell you, maybe she just forgot.”

  “Maybe.” Neither of them believed it for a second, Taylor knew, but it was just another excuse.

  “I’ll get you her address,” she said, rising from the couch. “And um...don’t tell Lisa I told you, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Taylor would talk with Lia, then figure out what was going on with Tattletale.

  There were three people in the tired house at the end of the road, two upstairs together in bed, another sitting on a couch downstairs. The right stature to be Amaranth, and opening the eyes of a spider overhead, Taylor winced and saw the buzz cut and aggressive scar marring her jaw and neck. It was her alright.

  Taking a deep breath, Taylor began walking up the sidewalk, eyes fixed on the tattered screen door of the house. Glancing at the number, she saw it matched with the one Charlotte had given her. It belonged to one of Amaranth’s associates, Zeke Bennett, the man who’d killed Jack Slash. Presumably, he was upstairs and...involved with his girlfriend, so it ought to be clear to talk.

  With her stomach squirming, Taylor approached the door and rapped her knuckles against the chipped wood. The reaction from inside was instantaneous, at least from Amaranth. She jolted up and drew her gun, then crept to the window and peered out surreptitiously. Taylor just waited, making sure all of her bugs were out of sight, and that the ones on Amaranth were only on her clothes. A moment later, the interior door cracked open and Amaranth glared out at her.

  “Hi,” she greeted Taylor flatly. Her gun was tucked out of sight, but pressed against the door. “I can’t say I was expecting you.”

  “I would have called, but I never got your number,” Taylor said dryly. Amaranth, or Lia since she was unmasked, snorted and opened the door a little wider. When she saw Taylor’s empty hands, she tucked her pistol in her belt.

  “But you got my address from Tattletale.”

  “Someone else, actually. She doesn’t know I’m here.”

  “That so?” Lia pursed her lips. “What’s going on?”

  “I just wanted to talk,” Taylor said. “Nothing else. There’s a park a couple blocks from here. Big, empty, quiet. We can go there, if you want.”

  “Talk…” Lia chewed her lip quietly, then sighed. “Fine, not like you can kill me.”

  “I wouldn’t try,” Taylor reassured her as she stepped out onto the porch and followed.

  It was obvious Lia hadn’t been sleeping well, when Taylor finally got a good look at her face. Bloodshot, grey eyes ringed with heavy blue bags seemed to practically bulge from their sunken sockets. Her face was thin, but the shirt she was wearing revealed well-muscled arms, and she looked heavier than when she'd arrested Taylor.

  Details Taylor hadn’t taken in before, focused on the fight with the Nine. Lia wasn’t anything close to pretty, with a face scarred more by acne than her career. Her lips were fuller than Taylor’s, not saying much, but cracked and scabbed from her chewing on them. Behind her eyes was the quiet intensity she knew could explode in a moment’s notice, and destroy anything caught in the crossfire.

  Dangerous, unpredictable, unstable, words Taylor had heard used to describe both of them in turn. A couple years ago, she’d have agreed. Even when Lia had come with the promise of keeping her from being unmasked, she hadn’t trusted it; and the subsequent, painful arrest hadn’t helped with that. Now though...now she knew different.

  The park was empty, just as Taylor had promised; and she strung lines of silk through the trees behind them to make sure she would know if it changed. She led Lia off the main path, down a small dirt track and into a thicket of trees. There was a small bench nestled at the center of a small clearing in the trees, and Taylor took a seat, beckoning for Lia to join her.

  “Nice place,” Lia said dryly, searching the trees for a few seconds before sitting.

  “We’re alone,” Taylor said. “I’ve got lines set up all around us, nobody’s going to get close.”

  “Mm.”

  “How...how have you been?” she asked, suddenly fumbling for words. Dammit, she’d been prepared.

  “Surviving, like usual,” Lia said, shrugging. “I’m...trying to find a job.”

  “A job?” Taylor cocked her head. “Like...what?”

  “Dunno, I’m not really good at much,” she said. “Doesn’t help that the economy’s shit but...I’m hanging up the cape, at least for a little while.”

  “Oh.” Of all the things Taylor had considered, that wasn’t one.

  “Sorry it took so long to get you out,” Lia said, staring at the ground. “Sorry you had to get stuck there in the first place. You...you didn’t deserve that, but I hope you understand why I didn’t go back.”

  “You won,” she said simply. “Why would you have?”

  “Because I could have done it better,” Lia said with a burst of intensity, gazing into Taylor’s eyes. “Another try, that’s all it would have taken. I know it, you know it, and Tattletale knows it. Too late now, all I can do is say sorry.” Taylor studied her quietly for a minute.

  She was right of course, with her power she could try as many times as she wanted to get the optimal result. But the cost? Taylor hadn’t died before, but she’d come closer than most people. She still woke up in a cold sweat sometimes as the whipcrack of Leviathan’s tail broke her back while she slept. Lia had gone through that and worse, but she was apologizing for not going through more. For what, for Taylor?

  “Why?” The question left Taylor’s mouth before she could think better of it. “Why would you even care?” A mixture of emotions crossed Lia’s face, before settling on a sad smile.

  “Because you were right,” Lia said. “We’re not all that different. I know what it’s like to be alone, discarded by people that you thought cared; and I know what it’s like to be living your life on repeat. So yeah, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s...alright,” Taylor said after a moment. “That’s not what I meant when I said that.”

  “Maybe not, but am I wrong?”

  “No,” she sighed. “Thank you. When I took the hit I just...knowing your power, I couldn’t let Grey Boy get you. I didn’t think there was going to be a way out, especially after Tattletale and Foil failed, but then you showed up with them and you stayed. You...even when you were outside, you were just by the door, weren’t you?” Lia’s face scrunched up, but she nodded.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Taylor continued. “But knowing you were there made it easier. So thank you, not just for getting me out but...yeah.”

  “You’re welcome,” Lia replied, making a face. “Doesn’t feel right, you thanking me. I put you in that situation to begin with.”

  “I shoved you out of the way,” she countered.

  “No I mean, without me you’d never have joined Cauldron. You’d have joined...well, no, you would have gone to the Birdcage I guess but…” Lia groaned.

  “Precog stuff?”

  “Precog stuff,” she said.

  “Who would I have joined?” Taylor almost didn’t ask but…

  “Do you want the whole story? It’s...a little long,” Lia said, grimacing.

  Taylor gave her a nod and settled in to listen.

  “You’re back pretty late,” Lisa commented as Taylor came through the front door. “Go on a date and not tell me? I’m hurt.”

  “I was just meeting a friend,” Taylor said evenly. “Haven’t seen them since school, just wanted to check on them.”

  “Mmm, yes, all those friends you had in school.” Lisa turned as Taylor entered the living room, arching a brow. “Someone you don’t want to tell me about. Means either it was a date or…” Well, this conversation had to happen anyway.

  “You didn’t tell me Amaranth was back,” she said with a shrug. “I didn’t think I’d need to tell you about this either.”

  “Cauldron taught you how to be snide, huh?” Lisa sighed and rubbed her neck. “Sit down, would you? Getting a crick in my neck.”

  “She’s not as bad as you think,” Taylor said, sitting next to Lisa. “In fact, I don’t know she’s even as bad as either of us.”

  “Naive and stupid,” she barked, face flushing. “You didn’t see the bodies Taylor, dozens of people, tied up and executed because they were in the same position as any of ours; and the Protectorate stood by with their dicks in their hands. She’s dangerous, a hell of a lot more than either of us.”

  “How many people have you killed?” The question made Lisa’s furious flush vanish, but Taylor didn’t let her answer. “I’ve killed enough to know that doesn’t make her dangerous to us, necessarily. The way she tells it, it was exclusively members of Werwolf, Nazis.”

  “Do you really care about that?”

  “No, not really,” Taylor shook her head. “But you should. It was always a targeted campaign, even after you stopped selling her info, she never once tried to come after you. Believe me, we were keeping tabs on her. She’s done, Lisa, she’s not a threat.” No, if anything she might even be a friend eventually.

  “‘Done’, and you believe her?” Lisa scoffed and rolled her eyes.

  “I’m sure she’d tell you herself,” Taylor replied, shrugging. “So, why didn’t you tell me she was back? Just concerned for my safety?”

  “She’s…” Lisa chewed her lip. “What she knows, the way she talks about it, she’s a damn good manipulator; always giving you enough to wonder, never enough to figure it out.”

  “Then she’s changed, because she told me plenty.”

  “What...what did she tell you?”

  “...and that’s it, dead after everything,” Taylor sighed, staring down into the mug of tea Lisa had brewed five minutes into her story. She’d barely touched it. “And I know what you’re going to say, she’s leaving something out, or lying, but I don’t think so. Frankly...it’s hard to be angry about what happened, hearing that.”

  “Christ.” Lisa sucked a breath through her teeth. “That’s...well it’s a hell of a lot more than I ever got out of her.”

  “And?”

  “And...I still don’t like her,” Lisa said, grimacing. “She’s a rank bitch, but at least it doesn’t sound like she was holding back. Wouldn’t take it all at face value though.”

  “No, but I don’t think she’s coming after us.”

  “No, she’s not,” Lisa agreed. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to like her.”

  “Never expected you to,” Taylor said with a grin. “I’m...glad you’re not too pissed at me.”

  “What, for going around behind my back and seeing another woman?” Lisa reached up and patted Taylor’s cheek. “Nah, I’m over it. You learned from the best, after all.”

  “That I did,” she agreed, her smile growing. “You know I’m not leaving, right?”

  “I know.” Lisa’s face fell, just a little. “I’m just a worrier. Look, forget about it. You want dinner?” She pulled out her phone and began typing rapidly. “Know a great Korean place that isn’t far.”

  “Sure,” Taylor said, settling a little closer. “Hey Lisa? Thanks for not giving up.”

  Lisa smiled and took her hand, and Taylor felt like things might turn out okay.

  A month, and Taylor still hadn’t gone home to see her father.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see him, more than anything this last week she’d wanted nothing more than to run home and scream out she was alive. But Taylor knew she had to be more careful than that. There was a good chance he wouldn’t believe her at first, she’d changed an awful lot. Hopefully he could come around eventually though.

  Finally, on a sunny Saturday late in March, Taylor worked up the nerve to try. Dad ought to be home on the weekend, hopefully he wasn’t out enjoying the day right now. She’d picked a sundress Lisa suggested, a warm yellow, with a pair of white stockings coming up to her knees since it wasn’t quite summer yet. Taylor had forgone a hat, not wanting to hide her face for something so important.

  The house, her home, hadn’t fared well the past couple years. It had only decayed further since she’d last visited, and as she approached, she had a sinking feeling it would be abandoned. She didn’t want to send her bugs in though, she was almost afraid to find out. Taylor avoided the rotted step up to the porch and walked up to the door, sweat pricking at her back. Her mouth was dry, stomach pounding, heart churning; but she raised a fist and knocked three times.

  There was a shuffle from inside, and her heart leapt. It might not be him, of course. Kurt and Lacey, well they’d been over more after Taylor left. Still, when the lock clicked, she found herself afraid that it was, in fact, Dad on the other side.

  And it was.

  “Taylor.” Dad rocked back on his heels, face paling.

  “Hi Dad.” Taylor throat closed, and she barely choked out. “I’m home.”

  Their family had never been much for crying, she couldn’t help the quiet tears that trailed down her cheeks. Her dad’s shoulders shook as he wrapped her in a tight hug, his sobs choked, but broken by odd laughs. How long they stood there, Taylor didn’t know, but her attention fell away from her bugs for the first time in years, and she just reveled in the embrace.

  “God,” Dad sniffed, pulling away but keeping his hands on her shoulders. “You’ve grown.”

  “Yeah,” Taylor said lamely. “You look...tired. Let’s go inside.”

  “Oh, I’m alright,” he said, taking a step back to let her in. “Just busy is all. Please, come in. God...let me make something, tea, coffee?”

  “Tea would be great,” she said, coming in and taking her shoes off.

  Inside, the house had changed less than Taylor expected. She sat on the same, worn-out couch they’d had since she was six, the familiar dip of her usual spot welcoming her like an old friend. The few pictures of her that had been scattered through the house were gathered on the mantle. Eight years old, ten, thirteen; just before her mom died.

  Mom’s pictures were there too, right next to Taylor’s. A memorial for a daughter who’d never died. It felt almost like she was desecrating it, being here right now, but when Dad came back with two steaming mugs and a broad smile, that feeling diminished at least enough to ignore.

  “Put in some cream and sugar,” Dad said as he handed her a mug and sat next to her. “Not sure if you still like it sweet but—”

  “I’m sure it’s great,” Taylor interrupted, taking a sip and offering a smile. A little too milky, but it was the best tea she’d ever had. “Thanks Dad, seriously I… Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He stared into his own mug for a few, silent moments as Taylor continued to drink her tea. After a while, he cleared his throat and looked up at her. “What happened?”

  She’d come in with an idea of what to say, but all that went out the window with his question. Taylor didn’t break down, but the explanation was stumbling and haphazard. The rescue by Cauldron from the PRT, working with them to prevent the end of the world; avoiding the gory details of that as much as she could.

  It was probably incomprehensible, but Dad nodded along like he understood everything. Taylor found herself leaning against his shoulder when she described the desperate battle against Jack Slash. Her throat closed as she told him about being trapped in a timeloop, imprisoned but able to see the world outside. Then she told him about her rescue, the unexpected appearance Amaranth made, how she stayed. It was awful but...well, not as bad as everything before.

  “Taylor I’m...I’m so sorry,” Dad said after a minute of heavy silence.

  “It’s okay,” Taylor said hoarsely. “Really it’s….” She took a deep breath. “We saved a lot of people, Dad. I’m just...I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

  “No, none of that,” he said, pulling her into a firm embrace. “You’re here now, that’s all that matters, that’s...that’s all that ever mattered.” Taylor wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly.

  She was home, and she wasn’t leaving again.