SCAU Worm : Within the Apple Ch3A

Chapter 3A

The Rig

Emily Piggot was not a well woman and anyone could tell it with only a glance at her, but she refused to let her infirmity slow her down one iota more than it absolutely had to. Getting into her Office in the morning she went about her routine as normal, black coffee made to Navy specifications and the report from the night before was her usual wakeup.

This time she had reason to pause and glance over some information before reaching over to buzz Armsmaster.

“Yes, Director?” He asked over the line.

“What’s this about detecting a new Cape?” She asked seriously.

“Possible detection, Director,” He said. “Unusual disturbance on the gravity detection suite, high powered enough to be detectable as far away as Vancouver, but definitely originating somewhere on the East Coast and probably just outside of the city. Nothing else confirmed, however, but with readings that high we’re looking at a high level Shaker or Mover I would estimate.”

“Great. Are we sure it’s not Strider or another known cape?”

“Doesn’t match known signatures. There was also an report of a new Cape taking down an Empire member just outside of town. Robbery attempt at a 7/11.”

“Did you pull the security video?”

“Yes Ma’am, it’ll be linked in your morning report.”

Emily glanced down the file and found the link, quickly opening it and watching it while Armsmaster waited. When it was over she leaned back, “Is he the source?”

“If he is his blaster power wasn’t high strength enough to register, so we don’t have a reading.”

She snorted, “If it had been high enough to register he’d have turned the Empire goon to pink mist.”

“That… is a possibility,” Armsmaster agreed uncomfortably.

“Facial recognition?” She asked, her tone clipped.

“No match. Anywhere.”

“Changer power perhaps, Stranger?” She speculated.

“Not enough data to determine, however he does seem unconcerned about it.” Armsmaster said. “Turned up on a PHO discussion about the event just minutes later, in fact. Calls himself Alexander Magus.”

Emily grimaced, “Oh God, not one of those powers are magic people?”

“It would appear so,” Armsmaster’s tone indicated an agreement with her disdain that didn’t surprise her. “He did also express some rather pointed disdain for Empire 88 and Nazis in general as well.”

“Alright, well standard drill for the moment. Soft approach, attempt recruitment, try not to drive him off.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Thank you for your time,” She said, dismissing the Cape before getting back to the rest of her morning.

*****

The City

Xander yawned as he slipped out of the cubby hole he’d made in the wall on the roof of what seemed to be an abandoned building. The previous night had been interesting, but it was clearly time for him to get more serious about working out where the hell he was.

“Myx.”

There was a brief pause before a feeling of pressure built around them until it popped like a soap bubble and the little guy appeared.

“Damn, McGurk, you landed in a strange one.” Myx said as he pulled the bowler hat off his head and wrung it out, squeezing a small floor of sweat onto the rooftop. “I almost bust a gut getting here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, some schmo put a barrier around the whole dimensional branch,” The imp complained. “I wouldn’t have even found the joint if you hadn’t been the one to call.”

“Huh, I was wondering why you didn’t show up to annoy.. ah, offer advice… earlier,” Xander smirked at the Imp, who mimed holding his heart in pain at the accusation.

“That hurts, Mgurk.”

“I’m sure,” Xander snorted, but quickly frowned as he considered the rest of what the Imp had said, “but you say someone put up a barrier? I didn’t notice any problems getting through?”

“Mmmm… Lemme check something, boss.”

The Imp popped away, leaving Xander alone on the rooftop. He wandered over to the edge and looked over the city he was now in, seeing in daylight for the first time. Nothing he saw much changed his opinion from the night before, but then he supposed there wasn’t much to be expected from a city that was occupied by a literal Nazi criminal syndicate.

A pop behind him signified the return of the Imp, causing Xander to turn back.

“Big BIG problem, Mgurk,” Mix said, clutching now at his bowler hat, looking honestly scared.

“What?” Xander tensed up. Anything that legitimately frightened the Imp was not to be treated lightly.

“We’re stuck here. Barrier is one way permeable, whole damn place is Hotel California if you get my meaning, Boss.”

“Seriously?”

“Like a heart attack, if you know I could have one… which I damn near did,” The Imp complained. “Didn’t even think that was possible. Anyway, nothing gets out.”

“Nothing?” Xander frowned, “Ah, no, my Spell Phone reached home ok.”

Myx paused, considering that, “You used the familiarity principle to build those, right? Ok, right… that’s a hole in the net, might be able to work with that… I’ll look into it, but it’ll take time.”

“Be careful and keep me in the loop,” Xander ordered. “If something cut off this universe…”

“Not universe, Bossman,” Myx corrected quickly, “Universal Branch. They actually cut off a small infinity from the rest of the multiverse.”

“This gets better and better,” Xander mumbled, “ok. Fine then, be even more careful. Anyone who can do that is not to be messed around with, not even by you.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice. I’ll snoop around, see if I can figure out what and who. You take care yourself,” Myx countered. “Our terms may for your lifetime, but you’re way too much fun for me to want to end it just yet. See ya, Mcgurk!”

Xander rolled his eyes as the Imp popped out, leaving him alone again in the city.

Well, might be some sandbox for the local Pantheon of Gods, but if so Myx should be able to get us passage out easily enough. Hiding from the rest is suspicious… but then I’ve seen some of the assholes out there, so whoever it is might just not want busybodies poking their noses in… still…

His mind went back to what he’d read the night before.

If it is the local pantheon, why are they trying to murder everyone with those damned Endbringers? Everything I’ve seen says that those things are beyond the current human capability to fight, even with super powers. Pantheons usually have rules about not giving people more than they can handle, even if just barely. Throwing monsters at children isn’t a test, it’s murder.

His guts roiled as he considered a possibility that he really  didn’t like.

Hellgod Pantheon maybe, snuck out of the Hell controlled dimensions and sealed off a playground for themselves? Bad news if that’s the case. Shit…

He needed more information, that much was certain.

“Well, suppose I should start right here, at least until I have a better place to look,” He sighed as he opened up his jacket and reached in, pulling out a case that was clearly too big to have fit in there.

Opening the small brief case, Xander whistled and waited a moment as the sound echoed a couple times. Then a return cawing sound made it to his ears as a green parrot appeared, landing on the edge of the cage and perching easily.

“Hey Krypty,” Xander said, nuzzling the bird’s beak for a moment. “I need a second set of eyes, ok? Fly around, check things out, let me know if you find anything hinky.”

The bird cawed before hopping out of the case onto his free arm, spreading its wings, and then launching into the sky. Xander watched him go for a moment before closing up the case and returning it to its spot under his jacket.