The worst part about the Birdcage, worse than the scarce resources and constant threat of violence, was boredom.

  Finishing her book for the fifth time in a week, Paroxysm sighed and let it fall on her face. Three years down here had found her running out of things to do in her free time. Work had been slow lately too, so she couldn’t even be distracted getting paid for bad sex. God, if Lia was still here she could at least mess around with her a little, hear some stories about the outside world, or something. Anything.

  “Paroxysm.” She bolted upright in her bunk at Lustrum’s voice. The woman was leaning against the outside of her cell, arms crossed and a look of amusement on her face. “Relax, don’t need your company. Something came for you in the drop today.”

  “For me?” Paroxysm shook her head. “Wait, what do you mean something? We only get books, food, and clothes.”

  “This.” Lustrum held up a small envelope. “Addressed to you, no sender.” Slowly, she rose from her bed and took it from Ingenue’s hand. “Let me know if it’s something important, hm? Or interesting, not much going on right now.”

  Paroxysm nodded and retreated to her bed, clutching the envelope to her chest. Lustrum left her alone pretty quick, for all her claims of not much going on there was always work for a block leader, especially on supply day. Something she didn’t need to bother with anymore, her line of work was always in demand and she hadn’t gone hungry since she’d arrived.

  But this was the first time Paroxysm ever got a letter, the first time anyone had as far as she knew. Nothing got out of the Birdcage, and only prisoners and basic supplies came in; with one exception. She found her heart beating faster as she cut the envelope open with a manicured nail. If that one exception got out, maybe she could get something in… With trembling fingers, Paroxysm opened the letter inside and began to read.

  Hey Kennedy, there was exactly one person who called her Kennedy anymore, Sorry I left so suddenly, but it was important. It’s Lia by the way, or Amaranth, or Terrier, whatever they call me down there.

  The letter fell from her fingers and Paroxysm found herself laughing. Of course, of course. Somehow the little idiot had managed to twist the arm of the warden and get this down to her. She knew about Jack Slash being stopped, but didn’t expect something like this to come of it. After a few moments, she calmed herself down, wiped her eyes, and continued reading.

  Also sorry it’s been so long since I left. March 20th, if you’re wondering, I know we never have calendars down there. No clue when Dragon will give this to you either, if she gives it to you. I hope she does because I miss you a lot.

  Anyway I’ve been doing okay. Things have been a little busy since December. They pardoned me, and I’ve been trying to behave, find a job that isn’t breaking bones and stuff. Paroxysm snickered. That would be a tough gig, even down here that was all she’d really done. Well, besides the fun they got up to in—

  “What’re you giggling about?” Paroxysm started and dropped the letter, looking up to find Titania poking her head into the cell with a bemused smirk. The tremendous woman glanced at the fallen paper and arched a brow. “What’s that?”

  “A letter,” Paroxysm replied. “From Amaranth.”

  “No shit.” Titania’s eyes widened and she strode in. “How’s the little squirt doing, drop any hints of how the hell she got sprung?”

  “Haven’t got there yet,” she said, folding the paper back up. “Anyway, what’s up, need something?” Titania gave her a familiar grin and she sighed. “You know my rates.” A packet of cigarettes landed on the bed and Paroxysm sighed again.

  At least she had work.

  “From Amaranth?” Canary asked as they sat together on the couch. Genpei turned her head, staring at them. “You’re kidding.”

  “It’s her, believe me,” Paroxysm replied, waving the letter in her feathery little face. “Unless the warden decided mind games are on the menu now and faked it, it’s her.”

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  “And what’d she say?”

  “Misses me, life on the outside sucks, normal crap,” she said, shrugging. “Apparently she joined some commune on another planet, you believe that?”

  “No,” Genpei said flatly. Both girls turned towards her and the minuscule villain shrank back somewhat. “I just mean, we don’t have the technology to explore other worlds. It wouldn’t be possible.”

  “Maybe another Professor Haywire got loose,” Canary said dryly.

  “No, it’s that portal in Brockton Bay,” Paroxysm said. “Leads to another Earth, like Aleph. Dunno who made it, but she told me when she was in here.”

  “I see.” Genpei pursed her lips. “Amaranth is a strange one.”

  “No kidding,” Canary snorted. “A commune? Doesn’t seem much like her.”

  “With the guys she was killing Nazis with,” Paroxysm explained. “I guess they left town to dodge the heat, she didn’t really say. I’m just...I still can’t get over it.”

  “Not every day someone gets out,” Genpei said with a nod. “She say how?”

  “Deal with the heroes.” She unfolded the letter from her breast pocket and began reading. “For once, I didn’t get fucked over for helping everyone. They decided as long as I behave, I can live a regular life. For what it’s worth, I tried to get you out too, but they wouldn’t go for it.”

  “Lucky,” Canary muttered. “She actually killed people.”

  “If one gets out, many can,” Genpei said, the tiniest smile on her face. “We should speak to String Theory, she may have an idea of what happened.”

  “If there was a way out we could use, we’d have found it years ago,” Lustrum interrupted as she approached the common area. She shot Paroxysm a look. “Whatever deal the little attack dog struck, clearly none of us qualify. Don’t get your hopes up, and don’t start causing trouble that’ll come down on all of us.” Genpei stared at her, her face darkening.

  “If there’s a chance, we must take it,” she hissed.

  “She was a precog,” Paroxysm blurted, drawing every eye in an instant. She grimaced, but really there was no other way to stop this line of questioning; and it wasn’t like they could do anything about it in here. “Knew about Jack’s attack before it happened. I think that’s why they took her, so she could go and stop him.”

  “Except it was some kid named Zeke,” Canary countered.

  “And a team of parahumans they censored on our broadcast,” she retorted. “I mean, she said it: Jack’s dead, Zeke was on my team, before I was caged. Worked with the Terriers and a hero named Weaver to take him down. Unless you think she’s lying for some reason.”

  “Doesn’t say anything about precognition.” Lustrum took a deep breath, then sighed and shook her head. “But it’s as good an explanation as any. Point is, we’re not that special. Nice of her to send some mail.”

  “Oh, she said something about you.”

  “Mm?” Lustrum arched a brow as Paroxysm quickly scanned the letter.

  “Tell Lustrum to stop taking ten percent if she’s not breaking bones for you, five is plenty.” Paroxysm smiled at the brief flash of anger that came over Lustrum’s face, before the joke caught on and she rolled her eyes.

  “I’ll consider it,” Lustrum said with a grin. “It’s good to hear the kid’s doing okay, in any case. Hell of a plunger, that girl.” They all chuckled and the conversation turned away from Lia.

  Paroxysm clutched the letter to her chest, looking forward to reading it over again, to herself.

  In the end, I didn’t really help Weaver at all, I just kind of stood around while everyone else was doing stuff. But then she came and thanked me, like it was something important. I wound up telling her everything I remembered and she seemed happy, I guess. Weird right? I arrested her and stuff, but she’s happier now than she would have been.

  Now I’m looking for a job so I can get my own place. Wish you were here to give me a pep talk, there’s basically nothing for a high school dropout, nothing legal anyway. That was just adorable, and every time she read that line Paroxysm found herself smiling.

  I almost wish I went back sometimes. Maybe that’s weird to say, but I never had to worry about anything down there. If someone screwed with us, I could deal with it and not get bitched at. Now someone leers at me and I can’t go break their jaw. Lia to a ‘t’. It made her great for collecting.

  I promise I’m making the best of it though. Since they won’t give you a second chance, I’ve got to make the most of mine. Maybe one day, I can convince someone to get you out of there. Until then, I miss you. Don’t get yourself into anything I’d have to get you out of.

  Lia.

  Paroxysm had to admit, she’d misjudged how lovestruck Lia was, just a little. No, she’d understood their relationship perfectly, an exchange of favours and companionship. Although, they were certainly closer than any other partner Paroxysm had taken on before. Maybe because it wasn’t just business for her. Not love, but something resembling it, in a strange way.

  She missed Lia. That wasn’t a new feeling, but it still hurt, like when her older sister had just...vanished. So long ago, Paroxysm had nearly forgotten. It wasn’t long after that she’d ‘earned’ her powers. At least now she was far, far away from home.

  But the feeling nagged at her, the little ache that grew the more Paroxysm thought about it. She refused to say it, even to herself, but Lia’s letter had given her something she hadn’t felt in a long time: hope.

  The lights outside her cell made a loud ‘ker-thunk’ as they switched to night-mode. With a sigh, Paroxysm put the letter under her pillow and laid down, dragging the blankets over her head. Maybe one day, Lia really would come back, or find a way to get her out. What would she do, if she saw Lia again?

  Hopefully Paroxysm could finally give it up and tell her how she felt.