The world hadn’t ended.

  Despite Amy’s worst fears when Jack Slash had emerged back into the world, he had been stopped. The aftermath had kept her in New York for a week, running around the city and healing thousands of casualties. Her new name was more famous than Panacea now. Pandora was the Miracle of New York, hounded hungrily by hospitals, private clinics, hero teams, and press alike.

  Of course, Amy ignored all of it, at least when it wasn’t shoved in her face. Yes, she had done good, acted like a hero. Only because she knew it was expected of her, but dammit it was good. She just wished people wouldn’t make such a big deal out of it, let her get on with making up for everything she had and would do.

  At least she had Esther. They hadn’t officially moved in, but with how much time she spent over they may as well have. It was great, having someone around that really didn’t give a damn about cape stuff. Sure Esther talked Amy up all the time, but it wasn’t the same hero worship she got in the press. It made life bearable, hell it made it enjoyable.

  So when the Protectorate summoned Pandora out of the blue in February, while she was on vacation no less, she’d gone in with a hint of trepidation. Hopefully she wasn’t going to be ambushed for some publicity event they were holding, the last time that happened she threatened to reduce her hours. An empty threat, Amy would never let people who needed healing sit by if she could help it, but she just couldn’t stand to be a prop anymore.

  But there were no press jackals waiting for her, indeed the foyer inside was practically empty when Pandora went in. A loud whistle made her start, and she saw Triumph beckoning to her from the elevator. Muttering inventive invectives, she tugged at her mask to make sure it was in place and strode over.

  “Afternoon Pandora,” Triumph greeted her with a nervous grin. “How uh, how’s it going?”

  “Fine,” Pandora said evenly. “What’s up? Place looks like a ghost town.”

  “Closed to visitors, temporarily,” he said. “That’s uh, part of why you’re here, actually.”

  In a heartbeat, Pandora was focused on every bacterium touching her flesh, rapidly purging every last one. If it was something they needed her for...she couldn’t be too careful.

  “Walk and talk,” she snapped, turning to the elevator.

  “Sure,” Triumph said, leaning down and scanning his retina so they could enter. As they sped downward, he began explaining. “You recall after the battle in New York, we had to take a long time identifying all the Nines’ remains?”

  “If I remember right, there were a few missing,” Pandora replied. “Who is it?”

  “Well, that’s the thing.” He took a deep breath. “No, not all of them were accounted for, but one was who we...didn’t publicize.” A sinking feeling grew in Pandora’s gut like a ball of molten lead. “You see, after Jack Slash was confirmed dead, Bonesaw deactivated her creations and surrendered to the hero team besieging her.

  “She’s been isolated by the New York Protectorate until recently, making sure she wasn’t playing a longer game,” Triumph continued as Amy’s ears began ringing. “But she disarmed her own implants and allowed us to verify that, and she wants a chance to fix the people she disfigured. Of course, we couldn’t possibly allow such a thing without the best medical Thinker we have and—”

  “I’m not working with fucking Bonesaw,” Pandora spat, shrinking back against the elevator wall. “Maybe you forgot, but she attacked my family, she made me— She nominated me for the Slaughterhouse Nine, ruined my life! Why would I ever—”

  “She was six, when Jack Slash kidnapped her,” Triumph interrupted, nearly making her bite her tongue. “She’s only fourteen now, or twelve according to the doctors. She’s just a kid, Pandora, and if she really means it this could help a lot of people who she hurt.” Pandora chewed her lip silently behind her mask.

  He was right of course, kids were too dumb to know better, and if an adult told them what they were doing was good who were they to disagree? But her sudden surrender, maybe Bonesaw really did know better, or realized it at some point. Did that matter though? The things she’d done…

  But it wasn’t as though Amy had always been some paragon. She’d had to fight and claw for every scrap of dignity and goodness that existed in her black soul. More than anyone, she knew that warring against ones own evil impulses was the only battle worth fighting; and one that, by necessity, had to be won, or everyone lost.

  It wouldn’t be difficult to check if Bonesaw was telling the truth. Triumph said they’d removed all her implants, so there shouldn’t be anything to mess with Pandora’s power. Unless she was lying and the PRT had missed something. She wouldn’t put it past them, but she should be able to handle anything that came up. Right?

  “We’ll see,” Pandora muttered as the elevator came to a stop. “So, where’s the psycho now?”

  “Oh wow, you actually came!” Bonesaw exclaimed as the screen to her isolation cell flickered to life. “You remember me right? Because even if you changed your name I definitely—”

  “Bonesaw,” Triumph cut her off as Pandora’s hands began trembling.

  “Right, sorry,” she said sheepishly, rosy cheeks darkening further. “Just, I’m really happy you agreed to this. I want to help people, and you’re probably the best person I know at that. I mean look at what you did with—”

  “Bonesaw.” Triumph sighed as the girl snapped her mouth shut. “My apologies Pandora, she’s...excitable.”

  “No kidding,” Pandora muttered, glowering at the screen.

  Triumph had said she was fourteen, but Pandora was inclined to agree with the doctors; Bonesaw didn’t look a day over twelve, maybe younger even. Actually, she looked almost the exact same as when she’d invaded Amy’s home near two years ago. Her blonde ringlets were just a hint longer, and the prisoner slacks practically swallowed her meager frame. Her smile was all teeth, wide enough to narrow her heterochromic eyes. A predatory smile.

  “So, I hear you want to fix your victims,” Pandora said after a moment.

  “That’s right!” Bonesaw exclaimed, hopping excitedly in place. “Look I’ve done a lot of bad stuff, I know, but that means it’s all the more important I start fixing it right away, right? I mean in Killington alone there’s...well, I don’t know the exact numbers, but I can probably put them all back together!”

  “And how do I know you’re not lying?” she asked.

  “Why would I lie?” Bonesaw furrowed her brow and cocked her head. “It would be pretty stupid. I don’t have a team looking out for me anymore, one slip up and bam! One way trip to the Birdcage, or the electric chair.” She giggled. “Zap! Just like that, no more Riley.” Despite the flippant attitude, there was a hint of fear in her voice.

  “Who’s Riley?” Pandora asked. Bonesaw said it like it was her name but—

  “That’s me! Riley Grace Davis, at your service.” She extended her shackled wrists towards the screen, hand open like she wanted a shake. “So how about it? I get to right my wrongs and it’s all to help people.”

  “And me?”

  “You?” She shrugged. “My life in the palm of your hand. You have to verify every person I fix, and if you tell them I messed up, that’s it for me. Or you could even do it yourself. You’re good enough to make it look natural, or like it was self-defense. So if revenge is what you’re after, just let me fix people first. You can do whatever you want after, I’d...probably deserve it.”

  To Pandora’s shock it sounded like Bonesaw, like Riley, really meant it; and she looked like it too. The smile had shrunk to a nervous grimace, she was hunched low, making herself appear that much smaller. She glanced at Triumph, who seemed just as taken aback by Riley’s proposal.

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Pandora said at last, not totally sure if she was being truthful. “Triumph, can you open the cell?”

  “What?” Triumph rubbernecked like she’d grown a second head. “Are you crazy?”

  “If she does anything, I can counteract it,” she said. “But I can’t know she’s telling the truth without making contact. We need to verify this somehow, right?”

  “I’m going to have to talk to the director…”

  “Well hurry up,” Pandora said sharply. “While we’re at it, we can talk about how much extra this is going to cost.” Triumph sighed and led her out of the holding area. Maybe it was a little shitty to be thinking about money at a time like this, but if they wanted her to play warden, it was going to be pricey.

  Hopefully not for her soul.

  “Direct contact,” Higgins said slowly, fingers knit tightly together. “That’s a significant ask.”

  “Were you planning on having all her victims repaired in her cell?” Pandora countered. “I need to make sure you guys didn’t miss anything in your scans, and that she’s telling the truth. Only one way to do that. Send me down alone if you need to, or bring a full tactical team. It doesn’t matter, I can counteract her.”

  “God.” He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s a former Slaughterhouse Nine member, Pandora.”

  “Believe me, I’m intensely aware,” she growled. “You’re the one asking me to come here and deal with her, I’m telling you how I have to do it. If you don’t want to, find someone else; I won’t complain about that.”

  “Who else?” Triumph asked, looking down at her. “There isn’t exactly a wide roster of heroes with your abilities.”

  “Triumph is right,” Higgins sighed. “It’s too risky.”

  “It’ll have to happen sooner or later,” Pandora said flatly. “If you’re worried, really worried, she wasn’t legit then I doubt you’d have her housed here.”

  “Well you can’t go in alone,” Triumph said firmly.

  “Want to volunteer?”

  “No,” he said, shaking his head. “But if you’re dead-set on this, I’ll go to make sure she doesn’t hurt you. Director?” The man worried at his lower lip quietly.

  “Go get a Class 5 suit,” Higgins said at last. “No chances. Make sure a decon team is standing by as well, we’ll seal the whole level. Pandora, we’ll wire you with a mic and camera to observe.”

  “Sure,” Pandora said with a nod. “Let’s do it.”

  She wasn’t happy about it, but she could always do what had to be done…

  “Ready?” Pandora asked, glancing up at Triumph.

  “As I can be,” he replied, voice buzzing slightly through the filters of his protective suit. It covered him from head to toe, with a pack on his back constantly generating positive pressure to keep any kind of contaminant out. “You?”

  “Let’s just get this over with.” Before she lost her nerve.

  There was a buzz, and a loud voice ordered Bonesaw to step back from the door, giving her ten seconds to comply. Six seconds later, the door hissed and slid aside and revealed the little monster, calmly standing at the back of the room with a smile on her face. Scowling, Pandora entered the room and the door slid shut behind her. Triumph would be able to get in within a second if need be, probably too long but it was the thought that counted.

  “So, um, what do I call you?” Bonesaw asked, eyes flicking from Pandora to the ceiling, floor, walls; anywhere else really.

  “My name’s Pandora,” she said, swallowing nothing and taking a step forward. “You said you were going by Riley now?”

  “Well, I’d prefer it, you know?” Bonesaw said, fiddling with one of her fingernails that seemed a bit loose. “Trying to turn over a new leaf, and I really don’t think ‘Bonesaw’ is much of a hero name.”

  “You’re not much of a hero.”

  “No, I guess not.” She looked so crestfallen Pandora almost felt bad. Almost. “But I want to give it a try.”

  “Hand,” Pandora said, extending hers. Bonesaw eyed it for a moment, then reached out and took hold of a single finger. Well, it was enough.

  Enough to confirm that, against every expectation, Bonesaw had been telling the truth. It was terrifying, in a way. She’d taken out her implants alright, and now her organs were slowly shifting around to try and fill the voids they’d left behind.

  Well, not every implant, she still had some kind of inorganic structure bonded to her bones; but removing that would basically mean ripping out each bone and replacing them with a new ones. Impractical, to say the least and even Pandora wouldn’t subject her to it.

  “Tell me again, exactly what you want to do,” Pandora said, looking the girl in her mismatched eyes.

  “I want to fix everyone I messed up,” Bonesaw said. “I want to try and fix people, instead of taking them apart. Maybe cure a few diseases for fun. Oh, and I’d rather work with you than some other healer, if that’s okay.”

  Pandora looked deep into Bonesaw’s biology, deeper than anyone besides Lia; and that was entirely different. The worst thing she could find was that Bonesaw just...wasn’t lying. It was impossible, she’d literally been raised by the Slaughterhouse Nine. Fuck Amy had been raised by heroes and she’d almost gone the same way, if not for…

  God dammit, she needed to do this and she hated it.

  “Are you okay?” Bonesaw no, Riley, said. “Sorry if I said something wrong, I’m pretty good at that.”

  “No, it’s nothing,” Pandora said, pulling her hand away and wiping at her eyes. “Fine, okay, so you’re telling the truth. Why me?”

  “Well...you did it, right?” she asked innocently.

  “What. Do. You. Mean?”

  “Um.” Riley flinched at the icy demand. “I mean you broke your rules but you’re still a hero, a pretty big deal too. So...so maybe I can do the same?”

  “You have a long way to go before you’re remotely close.” Pandora took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and slowly let it hiss out between her teeth. “But I’ll humour you. Don’t you dare make me regret it.”

  “I won’t!” she promised eagerly. “On Jack’s grave, no tricks!”

  “You get all that, director?” Pandora asked, pressing a finger to her earphone.

  “I did,” Higgins’ voice came back immediately as Riley gave her a confused look. “I’ll pass the word along. Thank you, Pandora.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said, then glanced at Riley and tapped a lens poking out of her breast pocket. “PRT was watching.”

  “I’m on camera?” Riley blinked once, twice, then offered a bright smile and waved her shackled hands. “Hi PRT snoops!” The door behind them slid open with a soft hiss.

  “Pandora, time to go,” Triumph said.

  “Yeah, sure.” Pandora turned and strode towards the door, then paused and glanced back at Riley. “I hope you know this isn’t going to be easy.”

  “Yeah.” The girl’s smile disappeared, and suddenly she looked far older. “I know.” With that, Pandora left the cell and let it slide shut behind her.

  Maybe...maybe this would actually work.

  “These demands are patently ridiculous,” Director Higgins protested, dropping his folder on the table.

  “I would say the same of yours,” Mom, Carol Dallon since she was in ‘lawyer mode’, retorted icily. “You’re forcing Pandora to work with Bonesaw, a villain with significant shared history. Besides, additional compensation for dangerous working conditions is an industry standard. The requested rate of pay is in-line with similar scales for healers involved with S-class threats; of which Bonesaw is one.”

  Pandora really hadn’t wanted to bring in her mom. But the PRT had turned down her request to just double her pay. It really wasn’t that much in terms of their budget, an extra seventy-five grand could go missing with no questions asked. Pandora had called Crystal to complain, and Crystal had called Mom and…

  A day later, here they were.

  “It must be acknowledged that Bonesaw surrendered with no resistance,” the PRT’s lawyer, she didn’t know his name, said. “And all of her offensive implants have been removed. For all intents and purposes, she’s twelve. And if I understand, Pandora is totally immune to any potential biological weapon. What risks do you foresee that justify S-class pay?”

  “She’s a Tinker,” Carol said flatly. “They’re more flexible than that. Bonesaw was capable of crafting machines, she could certainly make a conventional weapon.”

  “Yes, but S-class?” Higgins said.

  “You could have just given me a raise,” Pandora said, rolling her eyes. “This is like, four times what I asked for originally.”

  “But entirely reasonable,” Carol added quickly.

  “And the two months paid vacation?” Higgins said, cheeks burning red.

  “Working around a villain will no doubt be mentally taxing,” she replied easily. “Pandora will need additional time to decompress. That time, of course, would not be at the increased pay rate.” She quirked her brow in a way that said ‘I’m oh so reasonable, aren’t I’.

  “Or, again, maybe just the raise I asked for?” Pandora tried again. She tried, and failed, to talk Mom out of going for the throat; but it was hard to change her mind when she was set. “I don’t want to be rich, just...I don’t know, be able to afford a place I’m not renting.” Maybe she and Esther could finally move in officially…

  “That we could certainly discuss,” Carol’s PRT counterpart said, giving Higgins a look. “I think we can concede there certainly is risk involved.”

  “I suppose,” Higgins hissed.

  “I knew you would see reason, director,” Carol said with a cold smile. “Now, shall we discuss terms?”

  Even though she hadn’t wanted the help, Amy was glad her mom had her back.

  “Thanks for the help, Mom,” Amy said as she got in the passenger door of the car. “I uh, I’m not sure what I’d have done.”

  “I raised you well enough to have figured it out,” Mom replied, offering a smile. “But you’re welcome. It’s a good thing Crystal called me, unbelievable they weren’t planning to compensate you for the additional work.”

  “I think they just figured it was more of the same,” she said, shrugging. “Not even healing people, just making sure they were fixed.”

  “I’m sure they’re thinking differently now,” Mom said as she started the engine.

  “Yeah, I bet.”

  Triple, triple, Amy’s original salary; on top of a one-time bonus for her services rendered in New York two months ago. Enough that she’d never have to worry about money, at least until she really screwed things up. Amy had begun to protest when they started writing the contract, until Mom took her aside and let her in on all the little expenses cape life often brought with it.

  Yeah, triple would be just fine.

  “How have you been doing, Amy?” Mom asked as they drove along. “It’s...been some time since we saw you before Christmas.”

  “Sorry,” Amy said. “Just working, busy you know?”

  “I know very well,” she said with a nod. “It’s similar for us. Our involvement in the battle for New York brought us some good publicity, but of course that comes with more demand. On the bright side, we’ve also received a new application.”

  “Oh?” Things really must have been going well then. “Who this time?”

  “That’s confidential, for now,” Mom said flatly. “We’re still negotiating with them. Hopefully I’ll be able to tell you soon.” Just a reminder that Amy was on the outside, but it didn’t sting quite as much as usual.

  “Alright,” Amy said. “How’s um, how’s everyone doing?”

  “Quite well,” Mom replied. “Mark and Dean have been taking a leading role in the public-facing side of things, they work quite well together.” She took a deep breath. “Victoria might be reducing her duties, perhaps withdrawing entirely; she’s applying to university, so she might be...be leaving.”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Oh.”

  Victoria would be leaving. Like leaving leaving, going away, heading out into the world on her own. She had been talking about it for a while before...everything, but Amy figured it had been put on hold with her decision to remain with New Wave. Apparently, all that had been was a slight delay.

  It wouldn’t change anything of course, not between them. Victoria still didn’t talk to her much even after they’d sort-of made up the last Christmas they’d shared. But the idea still made Amy’s stomach somersault, like she was sixteen again.

  Why? Why couldn’t she just be normal? God dammit Amy had dated two people and enjoyed it, but her feelings for Victoria just wouldn’t go away. Maybe it was better if she left then, maybe that distance would finally, finally, give her a chance to forget she loved her sister. No matter how much it hurt, it would be good for her...hopefully.

  “I know how you feel,” Mom said gently. “She and I have disagreed...dramatically at times. It took some time for me to come around, but I have. I’m sincerely hoping she remains part of the team, even if only in name. Still, that will be her decision to make.”

  “I hope…” Amy took a deep breath. “I hope she makes whatever choice is best for her.” Mom smiled at her and reached over, giving her hand a squeeze.

  “Me too Amy,” she said. “Me too.”

  “Jeeez,” Esther groaned as they cuddled together in bed. “With Bonesaw?”

  “Yeah,” Amy said, shifting her weight to get comfortable. Their skin-to-skin contact would overwhelm her if she let it, but she shut out her power as much as she could. “I mean, she seems to have changed. We’ll find out in a couple days.”

  “They’d better be paying you for it,” she said darkly.

  “Oh yeah, they are,” Amy said, nodding. “Enough to make up for it, enough...well, we can talk about that later.” She pressed her lips to Esther’s chest, trailing them up until she reached her jaw, giggling at the eager whimper from her girlfriend. “Anyway um, that’s why I haven’t been able to hang out the last couple days.”

  “Oh you more than made up for it hon,” Esther giggled. “No I don’t think I have aaanything to complain about.”

  “Okay cool,” she said, smiling. “So now they’re paying me a little over two-hundred thousand a year and—”

  “Two-hundred thousand?” Esther jolted hard enough that she dislodged Amy.

  “Um, yeah,” Amy said, sitting up properly now that her lovely pillow was gone. “You know like, hazard pay and stuff. Extra vacation too, six weeks in all so...it’s an okay deal.”

  “I’ll say,” she said, wide eyes reflecting the street light coming in through the window. “How’d you manage to land that?”

  “My Mom’s a contract lawyer,” Amy explained. “When she heard they weren’t originally going to give me a raise she...kinda went on the warpath. But it turned out okay.”

  “Yeah.” They were quiet for a moment before Esther spoke again. “I hope you know like...I’m not with you for the money, right?” Amy cocked her head.

  “I didn’t think you were,” she replied. “If anything I figured it was because you just haven’t tried with other girls yet.”

  “What?”

  “I mean just.” Amy sighed. “I’m really not that much, you know? Just average, where you’re like, actually beautiful. There are plenty of girls around who put me to shame, or if you want muscles like with guys you—” Her protests were muffled as Esther’s lips pressed against hers. The kiss was long, slow, tender; and despite herself, Amy sunk down onto the bed.

  “You’re great,” Esther said as she pulled away. “Really, really great. I’m with you because I like you Amy, a lot. Sure you’re a little mopey sometimes, but it’s fun to be around you, and you treat me like a damn princess.”

  “No I—”

  “You made me a dress for Christmas,” she cut Amy off.

  “You didn’t get it til last week,” Amy countered.

  “Because nine thousand psychotic clones descended on New York and hurt or killed thousands of people.” They stared at each other quietly for a moment until Amy looked away, cheeks burning hot. Esther’s cool lips pressed against one a moment later. “And you stayed there night and day until everyone was fixed.”

  “It wasn’t nine-thousand.”

  “Huh?”

  “I mean the clones,” Amy said sheepishly. “The final count was one-hundred and eighty-eight, at least as I heard.”

  “That’s what you’re hung up on?” Esther huffed and Amy yelped as she found herself suddenly pinned to the bed. Her girlfriend stared down at her, pale cheeks darkening in the dim light. “I’m going to make you say you’re a hero.” Amy pursed her lips, a smile worming its way onto her face.

  “You can try,” she said slyly.

  As Esther’s hands wandered lower, Amy knew it wouldn’t take much at all, because Esther almost made her believe it.

  The sight of Bonesaw’s victim turned Pandora’s stomach turn as they were brought into the infirmary on a double-wide crash cart. She could barely describe it as human, let alone alive, but wheezing breaths slowly filtered in and out of their lungs. Pandora glanced at the girl who’d made this thing, wondering what was going through her head.

  The look on Riley’s face was almost wistful, though tinged with a bit of sadness. Because of what she’d done, or because she had to undo it? Unfortunately, Pandora wasn’t a mind reader so she’d just have to see what Riley did; or rather, anything she didn’t.

  “I never named her,” Riley said regretfully. “Didn’t have time to figure one out.”

  “Her name is Jennifer Anderson,” one of the attending medics growled, sounding disgusted.

  “A little common, but that works,” she said with a shrug, looking up at Pandora. “Should I start, or do you need to diagnose her first?”

  “I think the issues are pretty obvious,” Pandora replied dryly. “Go ahead and get started. I’ll assist if you need it.”

  The PRT had offered up a full suite of conventional surgical tools for Riley’s use, under careful observation of course. It was something Pandora actually hadn’t got to see in use before. When she visited hospitals, anyone who was on the docket for surgery was near the top of her list. Having her around meant there was basically no need for an operating theater that day.

  But what Bonesaw had done would even test Pandora’s abilities. The twisted shapes of bones bent into helices, vestigial limbs grasping at the air, and god only knew what going on inside. Riley didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. Once Pandora numbed the patient, she picked up a scalpel and cut into her victim while humming a little tune.

  Riley began by trimming the excess limbs, setting them aside in a neat little row on a tray next to the cart. It helped make her victim, Jennifer, look more human at least. It was messy work, and both their scrubs were quickly stained with spatters of blood. Not the worst Pandora had dealt with, she used a relatively disposable garb as her costume for good reason; but the PRT medics looked utterly sick at the sight Riley’s scalpel unveiled.

  What had appeared to be gently twisting helices weren’t so graceful on the inside. Bonesaw had simply broken up the bones inside Jennifer’s body and put them together like a biological jigsaw. The jagged edges were bonded with some kind of dark-green adhesive, and when the arm had been nearly flayed, Riley stopped and frowned.

  “Um, hm, shoot.” She tapped her foot rapidly. I need a few things. Can you get me some acetone, calcium hydroxide, and a few pounds of lard? Oh, and an apple juice, I’m thirsty.”

  “You’re not authorized for any chemical compounds,” one of the PRT officers standing guard said. “Too dangerous.”

  “Come on, half of my stuff was chemicals!” Riley huffed and crossed her arms, stamping her foot. “I can’t just wave my hand and get rid of the glue. I mean, if you want I can try chopping away at the bones but, well, she doesn’t have a lot to spare.” She gazed hopefully at Pandora. “Maybe you could try?” Pandora took a deep breath, staring at the ugly scene.

  “Worth a shot.”

  Riley stepped aside and allowed Pandora to take the lead. She grasped Jennifer’s shoulder, shutting her eyes so she could focus on the body in front of her instead of how it really looked. Pandora could feel the whole bone structure, despite the inorganic material in the way. It must have allowed nerves to transmit through, since she couldn’t see anything growing through it.

  So...how to undo it? A few ideas cycled through her mind before Pandora settled on one that promised to be quick, if a little gross. A portion of the marrow about an inch inside the bone was made inert, and in front of it she began modifying what the marrow produced. Rather than its usual white blood cells, Pandora made most of it produce concentrated hydrochloric acid, while a small amount around the outside secreted mucous to protect the bones.

  Within three seconds, wisps of smoke began rising from the adhesive. Riley clapped her hands, excitedly hopping in place. Despite herself, Pandora found a small smile touching her lips. There weren’t many people who could really appreciate what she was capable of. She didn’t have any warm feelings for the girl, but she was using her power to help, at least in theory.

  Pandora stopped the process after just a few seconds of the first smoke as her feel for the outer portions of the limb grew tenuous, and she quickly changed the marrow to its regular production. Riley stepped in as Pandora opened her eyes to see the arm starting to fall apart. She gathered up the bones and set them on another tray, then smile at Pandora.

  “Thanks!” Riley said with a wide grin. “How’d you do it?”

  “Oh, just changed the marrow,” Pandora said with a shrug. “Put it back before things started falling apart.”

  “Fascinating,” she said, studying the ends of the bones. “Mucous...was it gastric acid, you made the marrow secrete it?”

  “That’s right.” She was impressed Riley figured it out so quickly. “Anyway, you can put them back together correctly?”

  “Well I’ll need some new adhesive…”

  Pandora sighed; this was going to be a long day.

  “Hey Gallant,” Pandora said as she entered his room in the PRT’s infirmary. He was sitting on a bed, clutching his clearly broken arm close to his body, a pained grimace on his face. “What happened?”

  “Tangled with a new villain named Jawbreaker,” Gallant replied, voice strained. “He’s in custody, but he managed to land a couple good hits.”

  “Everyone else okay?”

  “I was on patrol with Laserdream,” he said. “She was able to keep out of reach, but I can’t fly. It’s okay though, we got him.”

  “Glad she’s okay,” Pandora said, relaxing just a bit. She felt a little bad, since Gallant was pretty badly hurt, but he wasn’t exactly family. “Here, let me fix you up.”

  When she took his hand, she found it wasn’t just a broken arm. Whoever this Jawbreaker was, he’d had time to do plenty of damage. Two of Gallant’s floating ribs had been shattered, his elbow and shoulder were both dislocated, and he had a chipped tooth for good measure. This was going to take a minute…

  In all, it took two. Considering the angle of the break, it wasn’t a bad time at all. In fact, it was better than Pandora used to be able to do with similar injuries. Her not-quite-healing solutions came to mind quicker and even felt more natural to her, so much that it was almost terrifying. But Pandora had a handle on it, dismissing the every crazier suggestions that were always coming to mind.

  At least it was better than working with Riley on her victims. Sure they had healed two so far, two people pieced back together from the monstrosities Bonesaw had made. Physically, they were in alright shape. Riley had stuck to her word of fixing her wrongs, at least so far. Whether those people would ever be whole again though...

  “That feels so much better,” Gallant said with a sigh of relief, rubbing his freshly patched forearm. “Thanks Pandora, seriously.” She was happy to be distracted from thoughts of Riley.

  “No thanks necessary,” Pandora replied, tugging down her mask. “Um...how’s it going?”

  “You mean besides being used as a newbie’s punching bag?”

  “Besides that,” she winced.

  “Sorry, sorry,” he chuckled. “Guess I’m a little sore that any Brute can still take me apart if they get in range. I’m doing good Amy, settling in with New Wave, being a hero again you know?”

  “That’s good.” Amy swallowed. “You um, heard about Victoria?”

  “About her potentially going to school?” Gallant sighed and nodded. “Won’t talk to me unless we’re on patrol, but yeah I have. I think...I think it’s the right decision for her.”

  “Really?” She hadn’t expected that from him.

  “She’s always loved the academic side of this stuff,” he said, smiling. “That’s where her passion is. Maybe she’ll come back after, maybe she won’t, but she’s not going to leave forever. Brockton Bay’s still home, none of us can go away for too long.”

  “Not sure how much I buy that.”

  “I’m here, aren’t I?”

  “Maybe.” Amy rubbed the back of her neck. “I should talk to her, before she goes.”

  “Might not be a bad idea,” Gallant said. “At least to give her your support. She may not want to talk about it, but she’s nervous.”

  “I thought you couldn’t read her,” she said, furrowing her brow.

  “I can’t use my power, but I know her,” he said, a sad smile on his face. “Leaving home isn’t easy for anyone.”

  “Yeah, you’re not wrong.” Amy had only managed because she had somewhere to go, and someone to take her there; and she’d never actually left the city itself. “Anyway, glad you’re doing okay. You need anything else?”

  “No, I’m okay, thanks. You take care okay?”

  “As best I can.”

  Unfortunately, that was all she could promise.

  Standing outside her childhood home, Amy desperately wished she had Esther here for backup.

  Unfortunately, she was working an evening shift in the copy-room of a little literary agency. It was an odd job, but apparently her uncle knew the owner; and with the economy being what it was, Esther really hadn’t been able to turn down the work.

  But Amy was a grown woman god dammit! She could do something as easy as having a family dinner without her girlfriend around. She’d even dressed up a little, nothing particularly formal but a nice skirt she’d just finished the other day. It came just above her knees, and she wore a pair of cross-hatched stockings with it that warded off the early spring chill.

  It took a minute to work up the courage to approach, but Amy managed. Maybe it was just because it had been a while, but it was harder than the brief visit on Christmas Eve; just before the Slaughterhouse Nine’s attack. God, was something going to happen again to ruin her time with her family? That would be just perfect, something else going—

  “Amy, what’re you standing around outside for?”

  She started and looked up, finding Victoria standing in the door and staring at her with a look of frustrated confusion that she wore so well when Amy was doing something dumb. Her cheeks warmed and she was fifteen again, getting caught while sneaking home from the hospital.

  “Sorry just...a lot on my mind,” Amy replied with a timid grin. “Um, how’s it going?” The look on Vicky’s face tightened briefly, but quickly vanished behind a neutral mask.

  “Things are alright,” she said, glancing over Amy’s outfit. “That skirt is...nice.”

  “Thanks,” Amy said, her cheeks burning hotter. “I...made it myself.” That cracked Vicky’s mask a little, a smile touching her lips.

  “Still doing that huh? That’s good. Was Esther not able to make it?”

  “No, she had work,” Amy said with a sigh.

  “Too bad, she’s fun.” Victoria turned around and beckoned. “Come on, Dad’s just serving things. It’s curry chicken.”

  “Oh we haven’t had that in forever,” she said, quickly slipping in after Vicky and kicking her shoes off.

  “I know, Dad said he was feeling ‘exotic’.” They shared a giggle, something they hadn’t done since… “Hey, you okay?”

  “Fine,” Amy said, quickly wiping her eyes. “It’s nothing, really.”

  “Alright.” Vicky said, nodding. “Come on.”

  Couldn’t have any happy moments without a reminder of what they’d lost, of course. Still, at least they could have a conversation at all. Despite everything that had happened, the revelation of Amy’s real, sick nature, her gravest mistake, and the fallout of that...they’d found some way to mend a little bit of the rift that had come of it all.

  Not much, but Vicky tolerated Amy, maybe even more than that. Hell, she’d even allowed Pandora to heal her once when there was no other option available; with supervision of course, but that was a given. They weren’t sisters, they never would be again. But friends? That almost seemed like a tantalizing possibility.

  “Hey sweetheart,” Dad greeted her as they entered the dining room. He and Mom were already seated, smiling at them. “Esther couldn’t make it?”

  “No sorry, work,” Amy said, shaking her head.

  “Ah, a shame.” He shrugged. “Well I’ll box up her portion once we’re done. Come and join us, you’ll have to tell me what you think about this new spice blend.”

  “Sure,” she agreed, eagerly taking her seat. Amy’s trepidation fell away with the first bite of her Dad’s delicious cooking.

  It tasted like home.

  “This is probably the only thing I don’t like about this meal,” Amy muttered as she and Vicky began cleaning the dishes; Amy, of course, on dishwashing duty.

  “Yeah, it’s a little gross,” Victoria agreed. “But the food’s more than worth it.”

  “Not wrong,” she said, smiling. It quickly vanished and she scrubbed viciously at a stain, remembering Vicky wouldn’t be here much longer. “So...how’s it going, looking for schools I mean?”

  “Who told you?” Victoria asked, a note of suspicion in her voice. “Was it Dean? God, of course he—”

  “It was Mom,” Amy said quickly, lowering her voice. “Look, it’s fine, okay? I just...I want to know how you’re doing. Leaving home isn’t easy.”

  “I guess you’d know.” Amy winced and Victoria let out a sigh. “Sorry, Mom hasn’t exactly been...supportive.”

  “Oh believe me, I know the feeling,” she said dryly. “Something something ‘you’re our family’, something something ‘we can’t do without you’?”

  “Huh, she said the same things to you?”

  “Yeah, and I wasn’t even the poster girl.” They shared a low chuckle and Amy shook her head. “If it’s what you want, do it. You deserve to live your life your way. If that means you leave Brockton Bay behind…” She shrugged.

  “That’s...thanks.” Victoria pursed her lips in an adorable pout. “I’m not really going that far. MIT has a pretty incredible Parahuman Sciences department, and I’ve got the grades and AP credits to get in easy.”

  “Yeah?” That really wasn’t too far, a couple hours drive at most. “Sounds like you.”

  “What about you?” she asked. “You’re staying?”

  “Not much of a choice now,” Amy said flatly. “They’ve got me making sure Bonesaw’s going legit. Mom didn’t tell you?”

  “You’re serious?!” No, Mom hadn’t told her. “Holy shit, what...what happened?” Amy explained Bonesaw’s surrender and apparent reform, along with the new duties that came with it. “Jesus...that sucks.”

  “It’s not as bad as you’d think, honestly,” she admitted. “She’s...she actually seems to be trying. I know she’s done a lot of really awful stuff, believe me I know, but…” Amy shrugged.

  It was complicated, to say the least. The idea of villains turning coat was nearly unfathomable, especially one as bad as Bonesaw had been. It just wasn’t what people did, they stuck to their nature, good or evil. Amy and Victoria had been raised knowing that, knowing what villains did couldn’t be helped and they could only be put away to protect everyone else.

  And yet, here was Riley...and here was Amy.

  “Just be careful,” Vicky said at last. “I...I don’t want to hear you got turned into a monster because she snapped.” Vicky...didn’t think she was a monster already?

  “I will be,” Amy promised. “You took okay? I don’t want to get a call from the Boston PRT to heal up some skinhead that got out of here.” She snorted and nodded.

  They returned to doing the dishes, and it wasn’t half as bad as Amy thought it would be.

  The hospital, as always, was a madhouse.

  The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Pandora was rushed from room to room, never enough time to attend everyone. Still, she and the nurse guiding her did their best. The ER went first, cleared out inside forty minutes; a personal best given how crowded it was. No time to rest on her laurels though, there was plenty more to do.

  It passed in its usual blur of patients, problems, and quick solutions. Pandora left the spiels about her power to the attending nurse, focusing instead on double checking her solutions mentally for any possible side effects. There hadn’t been any before, but Pandora was still wary using her power like this.

  Riley’s compliments during their work together didn’t help that feeling. The Tinker was always eager to know the ins and outs of Pandora’s process, absorbing every detail like a sponge. Sure it felt nice, having someone around who knew everything her power could do and wasn’t afraid; but she was worried that might lead to her growing relaxed, complacent.

  That path only led to tears, so Pandora kept on her guard as best she could. She half-listened to the briefing of the next patient they were visiting, late-stage cancer, treatment ineffective. When they entered, Pandora found an old woman sitting upright in her bed, her breathing laboured, face drawn and wrinkled. She looked at Pandora with a glassy, but curious gaze, staring as she approached the bed.

  The nurse explained who she was and why she was here, got consent from the patient, and let Pandora get started. Cancer was easy to the point of being dull, and she almost considered taking a moment to figure out something else she could do. But when she took account of the shape the patient’s body was in, that idea went out the window. No, conventional here, even if it was a little harder. She had to concentrate and get this—

  “Hey Rose, sorry I’m late.” Pandora jolted as the door to the room squeaked open and a familiar voice called out. “I had to fight with the cooks to get your favourite and— Oh, I’m sorry I…” Pandora turned and found herself face to face with Lia.

  She looked like shit, frankly. Her grey eyes were ruddy and ringed with the deep bruising of a poor sleep schedule. A long, jagged scar ran from the collar of her scrubs, up her neck, and ended just about the middle of her cheek. Her bare arms were sinewy and strong, with a few random, flecked scars that looked like shrapnel damage. She was hunched slightly over the cart she was pushing, eyes wide and fearful.

  “There was a do not disturb sign on the door,” the nurse chided Lia. “You shouldn’t have—”

  “It wasn’t there,” Lia said. “Sorry, I’ll just leave.”

  “Oh, don’t go Amelia,” the patient croaked, making all of them whirl towards her. Her once glassy eyes has cleared, and she had a smile on her gaunt face. “Please, I believe this young woman was about to heal me. I’ll have an appetite after that, certainly.”

  “You’ll need to eat,” Pandora confirmed, her mouth cottony. Why was Lia here?

  “I’ll just leave this then,” Lia said, backing away from the cart. “Sorry again.”

  She fled the room before Pandora could ask what was going on, leaving her with an empty pit of curiosity and nerves in her belly. She turned back to the patient, Rose apparently, and took her hand again. It took a second to get back in the zone, but within five minutes she was finished and the nurse was giving her spiel.

  “I’m sorry about that,” she said as she guided Pandora back into the hallways. “I’m sure I put the sign on the door, but still, we shouldn’t have been interrupted like that. I’ll speak with a manager and—”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Pandora said, shaking her head. “She...whoever she was, the patients obviously like her. Most places don’t have staff like that.”

  “No I...suppose not.” The nurse frowned. “Well if you don’t think we need to, I suppose it’s fine.”

  “Do you know her?” she asked as innocently as she could.

  “She’s a porter,” the nurse said with a shrug. “Pretty new, I think; I’ve only seen her a couple times, but that scar sticks out, you know? Why?”

  “Oh, just wondering.”

  And now, she had a mystery to solve.

  An hour after Pandora had officially finished at the hospital, she was still wandering the halls, wondering how Lia had managed to get a goddamn Stranger rating on top of everything else. This wasn’t even a particularly large building, but somehow Pandora hadn’t seen hide nor hair of her elusive ex.

  No small part of her was wondering why the hell she was still here. Lia had walked out on her and turned into the worst villain the city had seen since Skitter. She’d gone to the Birdcage, where she deserved, so how had she managed to get a job in a hospital?

  Talking to the other porters hadn’t helped in finding Lia, but she’d learned there was a pool on how she got the scar. The leading bet was some kind of gang initiation, but it wasn’t like anyone knew who she was. At least they all seemed to say the same thing: she was a hard worker and took a lot of time getting to know the patients she visited.

  None of that fit Lia at all. Sure she worked hard, but only ever put her energy into being a cape. She wouldn’t get a regular job unless there was some ulterior motive lurking behind it. But nothing Lia’s colleagues said gave her any clues, and she was about done with looking.

  Frustrated, Pandora stalked to the rear stairs that would lead her to the roof. At least up there she could scream her lungs out without interruption. The nurses and doctors made way for her, obviously aware of the storm clouds dogging her heels. She took the stairs two at a time, shoving the door at the top open with an irritated grunt. Gravel crunched under her feet as she walked across the rooftop to find she wasn’t alone. In fact…

  “Oh shit, sorry, sorry!” Lia exclaimed as Pandora found her, dropping the cigarette she’d been smoking. “Fuck, let me just— Sorry, I’ll leave, I didn’t mean—”

  “What are you doing here?” Pandora cut her off, making her flinch. A pang of guilt shot through her, but she smothered it. Something was going on here, and she was going to figure it out.

  “I...I work here,” Lia said, head hanging as her shoulders slumped. “Full time, overtime even.”

  “You work here,” she repeated, not believing it. “No, you lead the Terriers. So what—”

  “The Terriers don’t exist,” Lia blurted. “We’re done, it’s over. I’m just...trying to do something else.”

  Pandora couldn’t believe it. The group Lia had left her to form, the group that had terrorized half the city for days, killed hundreds; and it was just gone? Why would she leave that behind, if it had been more important than them? And the fighting, the killing…

  Was Lia actually changing?

  “I’m really sorry about earlier,” Lia said when Amy didn’t reply. She took another cigarette from her pack, but her right hand spasmed and it fell to the ground as she cursed. When she reached down to pick it up, her sleeve rode up and revealed a bloody bandage on her right arm.

  “What happened?” Amy asked, frowning.

  “Like I said, the sign wasn’t on the door,” she said.

  “No, not that.” Amy gestured. “Your arm, what happened to you?” Lia winced and shrank back.

  “It was…” Lia chewed her lower lip, then sighed. “It was Jack Slash. He had a knife that broke my projection and cut me. It um, it hasn’t closed.”

  “Jack...wait it’s been bleeding since December?”

  “I stitch it up once a week, change the bandages twice a day,” she explained. “The knife was probably Tinker-made, I still have it so...got the better of him. It’s fine though, not infected just...hurts sometimes.”

  “An open wound on your arm will do that,” Amy said dryly, reaching out. “Hand.”

  “Wha—”

  “Give me your hand,” she said firmly. “I’m not just going to leave you injured.”

  “Am— Pandora, it’s really okay.” Lia pulled back. “I hurt...I hurt a lot of people. Don’t deserve it.” Amy frowned, took a step forward, and grabbed Lia’s hand. She tried to pull away, but Amy had a tight grip. “Please don’t—”

  “It’s okay,” she said gently. “Just let me help you.”

  Lia’s shoulders slumped and her projection yielded. She kept as far as possible from Amy while not breaking contact, never looking up from the rooftop. Inside she was in just as much turmoil, with high cortisol and adrenaline pumping in her veins, along with hints of dopamine. Amy pointedly ignored the mess in Lia’s head, it would only distract her from what she needed to do.

  The wound was narrow, but deep, nearly down to the bone. The flesh had been cut so cleanly it seemed nearly impossible, but of course it wasn’t healing either, so impossible it was; well, at least to the crappy human ability to regenerate.

  For Amy, it was simplicity itself. Whatever in the wound had inhibited nature, her power overrode in a heartbeat. Flesh, nerve, and sinew knit together rapidly, making it like new. The stitches would dissolve in time, and itch like hell until they did, but within ten seconds Amy had fixed Lia’s arm and let her go.

  “See? No problem,” Amy said as Lia pulled away the bandage, staring at her arm. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine,” Lia said shakily, glancing nervously between Amy and her arm. “I’ll just...stop bothering you now.”

  “You’re not bothering me,” she said evenly. Lia had hurt her, yes, but...it looked like she hurt herself too. “So, you stopped being a villain?”

  “Um, yes, I...kind of stopped being a cape.” Lia’s foot tapped rapidly against the gravel. “I mean, mostly. Sometimes I patrol but, but it’s not like before. I’m not, no, I’m not villain, I’m trying not to be anyway.”

  “That’s good,” Amy offered.

  “Are you...are you okay?” she asked timidly.

  “I am,” Amy said. “I...me and Esther started dating, it’s going well.”

  “Oh, that’s good,” she said, a little stilted.

  “And now I’m supervising Bonesaw.” Lia looked startled and Amy spoke quickly to cut off the obvious questions. “She’s turned around, trying to be a hero now. The PRT has her fixing her old victims, and I’m there making sure she does it right. It’s...she’s making progress.”

  “Huh.” Lia blinked, a thoughtful expression on her face. “I guess that’s good. I’m...happy you’re still a great hero.” Amy smiled as her throat tightened.

  “Well I…” She took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t be here without you.”

  “I guess.”

  They stood there, awkwardly quiet as the sun began to dip low, casting orange rays on their rooftop. Lia’s face seemed to be at war with itself, trying to figure out what kind of feeling it should be expressing. Her eyes grew watery, then tears slowly began snaking down her cheeks. Despite herself, Amy reached out and too hold of Lia’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “Sorry,” Lia choked, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry Amy, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay Lia,” Amy said. “Promise.”

  Now, she really believed it would be.