The three girls shared a knowing sigh as they entered their first class of the day. When the rest of their class arrived as the first bell began to ring, they were already sharing stories while other students only spared them a glance or ignored them. When the teacher arrived and began the lesson,
Amy felt like she maybe would have some new friends.
Thankfully they shared a lot of classes it seemed. Maybe the principal was being nice to her by assigning these two to her class schedule so she could bond with them. They were clearly new transfers since they still occasionally checked their maps, but knew enough that they probably only had been students for a few days.
Still, she was curious, "So how long have you been at Arcadia?"
Taylor tapped her chin, "Not long, maybe about...four days Noriko?"
"Five," The Japanese girl replied, fiddling with what looked like a large PDA, "Had to stay at Winslow while Taylor's mom wrangled the transfer through." She tapped her elbow against Taylor's side, "Advantages to having a university professor for a Mom, eh?"
Taylor rolled her eyes, "Right. Anyway, we've been here for only a short while, hence the maps." She waved her own for emphasis, "This place is a lot bigger than Winslow."
Amy nodded, "Yeah, ever since New Wave in Brockton Bay chose this as the school to get their kids educated the place saw a lot of private investment and publicity which meant government contracts, especially when the Altered District was started up so they could set aside scholarship places for kids from there."
She sighed, "Which means that image became a lot more important, especially as you have Altered kids here and they can't exactly disguise their powers if they're of the obvious kind." Amy indicated with her head to show a rather attractive Chinese girl flirting with her boyfriend.
She looked entirely normal if it wasn't for the mass of metallic tentacles in place of her arms holding onto her books before one of them snaked into her pocket and pulled out her mobile as the boyfriend kissed her and walked off while she checked her messages.
"Hard to believe Japan was the one that shoved so many people here," Noriko remarked, "Ever since Empress Himiko took power the whole xenophobia thing has really died down." She smirked, "Of course, being the world's most powerful Shaker who is literally all-seeing and all-knowing within her nation and can affect anything from weather to natural resources tends to help."
Amy shook her head, "That's still hard to believe. The Sun Empress as a title sounds so fantastic but there she is, speaking with dignitaries with bodies made of golden light." She glanced at Noriko, "But what I can't believe more is that Earth-Zayin's Japan was so demanding in not allowing Altered into our Japan or any other."
Noriko shrugged, "National pride I think. I've seen some of the Diet sessions from Zayin on the 'Net, and they are really xenophobic in content. Like, I could see the Empire spouting some of the stuff they were talking about when it came to Altered."
Taylor nodded, "I just feel bad that these people are being forced onto other Earth's just to relieve the fears of politicians and normal humans. Do you think that could happen here?"
"Nah." Noriko quipped, "Parahumans have been around since the Sixties, we're used to the crazy and the people who can toss buildings with their pinkies. Altered are going to be no different." She fiddled with her PDA some more, "Huh, now that ain't right."
Amy smiled, "Your tech breaking down?"
"Nah, just some conspiracy theory story on the dimensional portals," Noriko replied casually, "Something about Earth-Dalet having access to actual alien technology or some shit like that. I mean, how shit is that? The Aleph portal wasn't made by Dalet, just expanded, and it didn't take alien technology to do that."
Amy blinked, "The portals?" She didn't think Noriko would be interested in the giant rings situated on the ruins of Melbourne, Los Angeles and Okinawa where they had originally appeared after the Black Sun appeared.
"Yeah, the portals," Noriko replied as she tapped at her PDA some more before nodding in satisfaction and looking at Amy, "What I'm more interested in is the travel between here and the other Earths. Zayin's a shithole, especially for a Tinker like me-"
"Noriko." Taylor's voice held a warning note.
"But I've heard Aleph is kick-ass and actually has an extremely low Cape population, so I'd be an instant celebrity. Plus, I hear Dalet is even more ahead of the curve. It's apparently 2015 over there! Can you imagine what sort of kick-ass stuff they would have?"
Noriko continued to chatter, "Not only that, but Dayet apparently doesn't have any Capes at all, just Parahumans. It's freaky!"
Amy smirked, "Sounds like you have travel plans."
"Hell yes!" Noriko nodded eagerly, "But for right now I got all sorts of neat stuff to make. Right, my trusty assistant?"
"You mean Lab Rat, right? And I'm not testing another hair-style treatment again." Taylor replied with a straight face, "Last time you made me grow blue hair. I was nearly recruited by the Ice King!."
Noriko smiled toothily, "One hell of a fight though."
Taylor shrugged, "Okay you got me there, but still!"
Noriko sighed, "Fine." She turned to Amy, "Listen, you're pretty cool, so I guess you can hang out with us if you want to. But you out us, I'm gonna give you the runs that will put you on the world record lists. Oh, here's our stop. Come on Taylor!"
"Right." Taylor turned to Amy, "Sorry about that, she's forceful, but she's a good person. Anyway, see you at lunch?"
"Uh yeah, sure." Amy replied and watched Taylor depart before heading to her own class. As she walked down the hallway, she sneezed
Amy placed her hand in her jacket pocket to grab a handkerchief and blow her nose, when she felt something that definitely had not been there before.
Pulling out a folded slip of paper, Amy read it. Then she read it again, before doing it a third time.
Putting it back in her pocket, Amelia Claire Dallon considered the words on the note that either Taylor or Noriko had slipped into her pocket. And whether she should accept their invitation.
She was so lost in thought, Amy didn't notice the floating blonde watching her secretly from the ceiling with narrowed eyes.
For her part, Victoria Dallon decided to do some secret investigations to make sure her sister wasn't being jerked around by the new girls.
* * *
Chapter 3: Armsmaster's Suspicions
Colin Wallis, Armsmaster, regarded the information displayed on his monitors with a grim crease to his mouth before leaning back in his chair, "It doesn't make sense." He tapped at the keyboard on his chair and the monitors changed their contents to display what looked like DNA strands, "What kind of chemical material is he using?"
His terminal beeped, prompting Armsmaster to tap a button, "Dragon?"
One of the screens shifted to reveal a pretty, dark-haired, female face smiling at him, "Colin, glad I reached you, I have the results of my own analysis of the DNA samples you sent me." Her expression shifted, "It's not good."
Armsmaster shifted, "How bad are we talking here?"
Dragon's expression darkened, "Worse than you predicted. It's human DNA, but whatever tinker-chemical was used to make these changes...it's almost beautiful as much as it's sickening in how little the creator must think of human life. Colin, this is one of the most complex and vile kind of chemical-based Tinker enhancements I've ever seen; every test shows that the effect on human DNA is to induce massive and violent physical mutations along with what could be severe neurological changes. If the witness reports are true-"
"They are, I confirmed them myself." Armsmaster interrupted.
"Then in that case, we could be looking at a potential A-Class threat here. You have your reports up?" At his nod, Dragon brought up on screen her own results, "It was a miracle, but I managed to recreate enough of a genotype that I can put it through national and international genetic databases to find out the person who was more than likely bathed in this substance."
"Bathed?" Armsmaster questioned as he correlated and fine-tuned his own data, "You're suggesting our mysterious Tinker had enough of this to just kidnap someone off the street, douse them in his substance, and then turn them loose on the Empire and ABB as a field test? How could they have gotten enough of these chemicals? There's only one company in Brockton Bay that manufactures them."
Dragon nodded, "The Ida Heavy Industries Conglomerate. The owning family has a home in Brockton Bay, a rather large property according to my files, could this mystery Tinker have access to their delivery systems?"
Armsmaster nodded, "It would make sense. As an insider, perhaps one with supervisory or higher access, this Tinker would have full access to Ida's extensive chemical operations across the world and with the right paperwork could get some of the rarer chemicals shipped in from overseas." He sighed, "But what I want to know is why we haven't found the victim. With the extensive mutations shown from the witness video, there should be no way for what could either be a gender-changed male or a heavily mutated female to hide."
Dragon nodded, "That level of mutation is unheard of, even among the Altered, so there could be a chance they're hiding in the Underground."
Armsmaster grimaced, "Exactly why did the US government allowed Dungeon Master to be responsible for redesigning America's sewer systems?"
"Because it was an excellent usage of her powers. Besides, I certainly didn't hear you complaining about our little roleplay session last month." Dragon's eyes took on a perverted gleam, "In fact, I wouldn't mind having you raid my horde again sometime soon." She giggled when Armsmaster shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "Was it really that uncomfortable for you?"
He shook his head, "Just...unusual. I didn't think you'd install actual organic-simulating components in that particular Dragon suit."
Dragon's eyes were dancing, "Well, a girl should do her best for her man, shouldn't she?" She giggled again as Armsmaster shifted more visibly and decided to get back to business, her expression turning serious, "I've made inquiries with Ida representatives through Guild channels. There have been no unusual shipments from any international facilities to Brockton Bay except what has been required for finishing certain products."
"Which doesn't make sense since this formula requires a concentrated amount of DJC-9009A, a very potent and difficult to manufacture chemical used in the treatment of genetic disorders that is manufactured only in Japan." Armsmaster remarked, "Although here, it's being used as a catalyst for the extreme physical mutations you've simulated."
"You're thinking the same thing as me?" Dragon inquired.
Armsmaster nodded, "Yes. Whoever has access to these chemicals has to be siphoning them from Ida Conglomerate stocks and is able to expertly manipulate stock inventory reports to ensure the thefts are missed. This could be just skill, insider knowledge and possibly a high degree of access into their networks, but I'm thinking we could be looking at a Tinker/Thinker combination."
"This level of skill could be the result of, or in support of, a mid to high-level Thinker ability, yes. Colin, if they're siphoning chemicals, what else could they be siphoning? Ida could be potentially losing millions, billions of dollars in lost revenue thanks to this Parahuman."
Armsmaster nodded, "I'll call Mamoru Ida. He should be able to begin making his own arrangements and hopefully will be willing to allow investigation from the Protectorate and Guild." He smiled, showing teeth, "We'll catch this one."
Dragon nodded, before frowning, "What if they're under-age? With that kind of skill and powers..."
Armsmaster nodded, "Director Morgen would snap them readily. He's been focused on getting Tinkers into the Brockton Bay Wards and Protectorate in order to counter some of the more tech-focused gangs."
"It's the same here. The SERK are still rampaging across northern Canada and we need Tinkers to keep them from breaking through the containment lines." Dragon agreed morosely, before she brightened, "Oh! I almost forgot. Narwhal had her baby."
Armsmaster nodded, "I'll send her a congratulatory note then. Was it a boy?"
"Sorry, you'll have to tell Assault that he lost money. It's a girl, and according to Farsight there's a good chance she'll be even larger than her mother and possibly a Legacy Cape as well."
Armsmaster nodded, "Bigger? How much bigger? Narwhal is seven feet tall and her own Trigger circumstances are still unexplainable."
Dragon shrugged on-screen, "Farsight didn't say, just said that Narwhal's daughter would be bigger and equally if not more powerful with an identical power-set." Her expression hardened, "Needless to say; Narwhal, Queen, and Aftershock didn't take kindly to that prediction."
Armsmaster, "No-one would. Returning to the topic, will you be coming down to aid in searching the Ida facilities here in Brockton Bay?"
Dragon nodded, "I've drawn the short straw for patrolling the Altered District as well. Seems as though I'm going to be the sole Guild representative making sure the actual criminals and terrorists tossed in with political and social exiles don't cause trouble. Still, with the New Wave movement possessing the main security contract, I should have plenty of free time to help you find this Tinker and their victim."
"It could be victims, plural, as we speak. I need you to make your way down here as quickly as possible. In the meantime, I'll have to make arrangements with the BBPD to encourage any of their CI's to keep a lookout for anything strange, like a new drug on the streets, or monster attacks."
"Understood. And Colin? Stay safe."
Armsmaster nodded as Dragon signed off and he rubbed his temples. First the news that the Altered District would start receiving the biggest convoy since the formation of the district, which meant more work for various conventional and parahuman construction companies. Then the revelation that Shadow Stalker had been coerced, manipulated, blackmailed and abused into taking part in bullying two innocent girls. That meant another interminable meeting with the Youth Guard.
To make matters worse, one of the girls was the daughter of Mamoru Ida. Armsmaster considered himself lucky he only had to deal with the family retainer while Ida was on business with his wife in Dubai. Ida's money was vital to keeping Brockton Bay from sliding back into being sliced apart by the gangs.
