The worry that rose in me when I saw the three capes step out of the house had a bitter tang. But the dread that followed, when I saw my contractor, Sir Sam, being held up by Skidmark, was something I could not comprehend. Thankfully, I sensed my kin stir within its shell. Proof that the plan had worked. The procedure had been different from mine; I was a single presence, while Skidmark now carried nine of my kind, creatures who had been denied passage to the afterlife. "Hello, brother. Why is Mr. Sam in such a state?" I asked, to which he replied with a surprisingly even tone.
"Greetings to you as well," he replied. "Sir said we should return to your place for now and tell you that he's safe. From my perspective, he no longer holds the seal that binds us to him. We have gained our chance for the afterlife." The air between us stood still, but I kept my composure. "Indeed," I continued. "The servitude must now begin, for we have a deal to fulfill. I almost forgot—my name is John De Baptist. How should I address you?"
Before my new human companion could answer, a grinding, wheezing voice interrupted us—a breathing hulk of metal fused with flesh. "I just gotta ask man, what kinda voodoo did your boss do to my boss for him to suddenly turn into a cold heated wreck?" the figure demanded, white vapor spilling from the gaps in his armored face. "Nothing," Adam/Skidmark replied calmly. "It's a cure for addiction. I'm a sane man now, Trainwreck. More sane than I've ever been." The sound traveled from both side of the streets.
"Then what's going to happen to the Merchants, darling?" A woman from his left side said. Squealer slid her hand across Adam's chest, her voice teasing, half-mocking and in a daze. Before she could move any lower, Adam caught her wrist and stopped her. "I am Adam Mustain. John, this is Squealer. Squealer not now. I need to make the two of you sane as well. I don't want your new boss to see me lead a bunch of druggies" He looked at me. "John, could you watch over Sir Sam for a moment? I need to devour the addiction out of them."
He handed me our sleeping contractor and turned toward the other two. As I cradled Sir Sam's body, I watched Adam gaze into Squealer's and Trainwreck's faces. Wisps of pale mist began seeping from their mouths, noses, and eyes. Adam inhaled deeply, drawing the haze into himself. "There we go," he said, exhaling. "Ah, addiction is such a unique emotion. Have you ever tried it?"
"No," I replied. "I've lost the ability to consume souls. I can only connect with my host, and that brings nothing but agony and despair." Adam looked me up and down, then shrugged. "Well, you can't exactly drug yourself. Anyway, lead us to your home, John. Don't worry about them—they'll follow. Their dazed state should wear off in about thirty minutes." I simply nodded and led the way, careful to take side streets and alleys so no one would see us enter my residence at the edge of E88 territory, which is dangerously close to the PRT headquarters.
Trainwreck POV
The sanity these people gave me was more than enough to earn my loyalty. Yet sometimes, I wondered if the version of me high on chemicals was the real me, or if this clear-headed one was just another mask. Hard to tell with case 53 reportedly knowing nothing about their past . As we squeezed through narrow alleys, Squealer blurted out a question that could have gotten us killed if our new boss hadn't turned a new leaf.
"Hey, John the Baptist, haha! What did your boss do to my boss, hmm? Did he master him? Oh, could he be ordered to love me the way I loved him all those months? You know, we break up a lot, so I can't figure out what really counts as a relationship. Though for a black, spooky man, you can probably guess what I like about him!" She said so while looking at Adam's neither region."Shut up, woman," I muttered under my breath. "The guy looks dead inside. I don't want that happening to me." I wish I had something in me to bash this woman without being seen.
Still, John answered her with his stiff, formal tone. "Yes, Lady Squealer. There remains a man named Skidmark within the flesh and bone. He is being used as a sort of battery, if I recall the procedure correctly." Squealer mimics a ghost while replying."Oooh, spooky. But that's not the point," Squealer said, still smirking. "Adam, can I have some alone time with him later? Just the two of us?"
I glanced at her, then at Adam. The idea of someone who could control a parahuman, someone like Heartbreaker, being real didn't sit right with me. Skidmark had always been a madman. A tall, dark-skinned, criminal man to the bone, his mind corroded by drugs and power. But now he was lucid. Dangerous in a whole new way BB could never have imagined. "God only knows how much a gang with a sane Skidmark could take off," I muttered. "What was that, Trainwreck?" Squealer asked. I shook my head. "Nothing. Just thinking." She laughed and went back to trailing her hand along Adam's arm.
We finally reached John's house. a small, worn-down place. "Here we are," John said. "Adam, if you could, please place Sir Sam on the bed in the left room. I'll prepare dinner for the three of you. Your faces tell me you're hungry." He left heading towards the kitchen. The living room smelled of burnt cigarettes and old drugs. The kitchen was worse, crawling with insects. "Adam, this place is worse than our old dump by the abandoned tourist shop," I muttered. "Can't your buddy at least clean it up?"
Adam gave me a calm look that made me flinch despite myself. "You can both use your tinker tech to clean this place. I'll head to the room now. And no matter what, don't go in there. Understood?" Squealer snapped a mock salute. "Sure thing, boss." I sighed. "I've become sane, but now I can actually feel how much these prosthetics hurt." Still, for a new master and a clear mind, maybe that was a fair trade.
Sam POV
When I woke, I felt the softness beneath me, the familiar comfort of a mattress. "Oh, right. I told Adam to head to John's place," I muttered. I stood, stretched, and made my way to the living room, only to find a makeshift war room. Maps, notes, and papers covered the table. Diagrams of the Merchants' old territory and their smuggling routes into Brockton Bay.
"What's going on here?" I asked. "Good morning, sir," John said politely. "We are planning how to cut off the Merchants' suppliers with as few casualties as possible. Adam has devised an initial plan to hijack delivery trains and use Squealer's tinkering to place trackers in containers headed for their main supply line. Once we know their routes, we can target them before they notice their drugs missing."
"I'll help track the containers!" Squealer's voice piped up from the kitchen. I turned to her, then looked back at Adam. "Did you do something to her? Last I remember, that girl couldn't even speak without trembling or being dazed by lights and sound."
Adam stood. "Good morning, sir. Yes. I used my remaining Dementor abilities to devour the memories tied to addiction and abuse. What's left of her mind should stabilize with your memetic effect preferably a mild and calm dream. As for Trainwreck, I eased the pain in his mind and body, though I had to maintain some distance in the neural pathways to avoid delays with his actions. His reaction time should still be stable."
I blinked. Compared to my first attempt at fixing someone, he was a natural. "Okay," I said, rubbing my temples. I gestured at the maps. "Do those things later. We need to talk about something important." Trainwreck came out of the restroom, and Squealer sat nearby, spreading jam on toast. "You two, listen up," I said. They gathered around—Squealer and Adam in one chair, Trainwreck standing behind them. John and I sat on the couch facing them.
"First, this place isn't permanent. Just a temporary base or an emergency. Adam, since you're not tied to any major gang and your civilian identity's still under the radar, find us a more secure hideout—somewhere near a public area, but not too exposed. Also, I know you both probably don't like me meddling with your gang." Squealer grinned. "You better take responsibility. Oh, and if you need cars, I can build anything with wheels." Trainwreck just shook his head, clearly uneasy. "Be that as it may," I said, "I want to invite you both to something—an effort to make this city safer for ordinary people." I paused, letting the words hang. They exchanged looks; Trainwreck nodded nervously, Squealer smiled reluctantly.
"Good. Now, go to the garage. See if you can whip up a ride to take us somewhere secluded. I need to test what kind of effects my intervention had on Adam's Parahuman powers." They left, and I watched them go. Trainwreck, as far as I knew, had no criminal record beyond property damage. Likely a Case 53. Squealer's file was tragic—drunk driving killed her child, and the driver walked free while she was blamed for neglect. No wonder she'd fallen under Skidmark's thumb.
The thought made my stomach twist, but I pushed it aside. "Damn, I still have a job to check on," I muttered. "Can't afford to get fired now." I rushed out, hoping I'd only get a warning for missing two days. "Sorry, Sam," Galand said when I arrived. "Boss Lady fired you that night. Should've kept track of your schedule." I exhaled slowly. "Oh. Okay." Before I could turn away, Galand leaned on the counter, lowering his voice. "Look, we've been friends for a while. There's a janitor and computer science teacher opening at a nearby school. Wanna try it out?"
I frowned. "Nah, man. Arcadia's too strict. I don't even have a real birth certificate. Fake docs won't survive their background checks." Galand smirked. "Who said anything about Arcadia? I'm talking about Winslow. I can get you the papers you need. Just… send me updates about what's happening around that area from time to time. You've got my number, yeah?" He handed me a folded envelope—inside were work documents and a thousand dollars in cash. "Damn," I said, blinking. "If that's what it takes, I'll send updates every day. Thanks, man."
"Good," he said, shaking my hand. "Oh, and get a phone and a suit. You can't teach in a school looking like a scavenger." I laughed nervously, nodded, and headed back toward the warehouse, feeling both lucky and uneasy.
Galand POV
"Yes, boss," I said quietly into the phone. "We have an insider now, just as I told you. Yes." I hung up and pulled out a second phone, typing out a message: *The bird has entered another bird's nest. Awaiting return call to see inside the egg.* An hour later, the other phone rang. A deep voice answered. "Good. You can manage the streets near the train yard. ABB still controls half the area, but the rest is open for the taking. Move carefully."
"Yes, sir." I ended the call, pocketed the phone, and began wiping down the tables and shelves—putting on the face of a diligent worker. Inside, though, I was smiling. The plan was working perfectly.
A/N: Please remind me for any error or confusing parts. Thank you and good morning, afternoon, evening.15DavieNov 1, 2025View discussionThreadmarks Chapter 8 House of Little horrorsView contentDavieNov 2, 2025#26Chapter 8
Sam POV
Looking around the library warehouse got me thinking about my first stay here, getting hired, changing it to look livable enough and also using it as a hiding spot for when the book acted erratically. I began packing the old sign I'd taken down a week ago, and the thrift-store clothes I'd scored for a bargain. I feel the small envelope in my pocket, my first grand in this world. "I've got to spend this by tomorrow," I muttered, stuffing the sign into a cardboard box. By the time I got to John's house, I was already feeling the weakness of my flesh. "Being human again makes me wish I'd kept my stamina from when I was a Dementor," I grumbled, stepping up to the porch. The front door creaked open. John's voice, calm neutral voice, came from inside. "I'm guessing you've been fired, sir?"
Looking at him, I wouldn't think that below that calm face was a man capable of killing a man without a reaction. I almost smiled. "You've become more well-mannered, John, and yes, technically fired. But I landed us something better. a new job, It's in ABB territory, so we'll need to tread carefully. I'll also remind Adam to pick a place near Winslow High if I sleep when he returns. I'm applying as a computer science teacher there. Got some documents and a recommendation from one of my friends in the library." I paused, glancing at him. "You could apply as a janitor if you'd like." John took the sign and my bag without complaint. "As you wish, sir. Might I ask what you'd like for lunch?"
"Just bread and juice, I'm not picky. How about Trainwreck and Squealer? How are they coping with the, uh… recent changes?" We walked inside. The place was in organized chaos—tools, tinker scraps, and odd humming noises from somewhere in the garage. Squealer was sprawled out on the sofa like a corpse.
"They both seem cooperative as of now," John said. "Good. Let's keep it that way." I grabbed a pen and a crumpled notepad from the side table, sketching absentmindedly as he spoke. Adam had mentioned wanting something memetic. a way to stabilize Squealer's fragmented mind. So, I drew a dreamcatcher. "Here," I said, tearing the page free and nudging Squealer gently with my knee. "Look at this." She squinted, head tilting. "What is that? Some weird cult doodle? Are you asking for approval or something? Because, uh, no idea what that is.
"Good," I said, shredding the paper into pieces. "You've seen it." I tossed the fragments aside and stood. "Please invite Trainwreck and meet me in the kitchen. Both of you need a new look and a new name." As I sat down at the counter, my stomach suddenly twisted. "Damn this human body," I groaned. "Can't imagine myself shitting again." I waved John towards me. "Just set the food down at the counter, please. Tell Trainwreck and Squealer to wait after I finish my number two's."
Before he could reply, the door opened and Adam's voice called in. "Oh, Sam, you're early. Guess the library didn't work out. Anyway, I found three places we could buy. one in the docks, another near the commercial district, and—" I interrupted him by saying. "Ooohh, Pick the one closest to Winslow High!" I yelled, already sprinting toward the bathroom. "Gotta take a shit!"
The next few minutes were a religious experience. "Ahhh, man," I exhaled, voice echoing off tile. "Shitting after weeks of being unable to shit feels divine." When I finally rejoined the others, washed and renewed, they were already gathered at the kitchen table. Trainwreck looked curious; Squealer twirled a wrench like a hairbrush. "So, boss," Trainwreck asked, "Why'd you call us here?" I sat down, finishing my juice. "Because we're moving. Adam found a place. Also, both of you need new names, civilian and cape. Squealer, because you've been running around without a mask, and Trainwreck… Well, you're basically a walking scrap heap. Not exactly subtle. Lastly, I want to test your abilities after the procedure I made to Adam. Any questions?"
No one spoke. Figures. "Good. Let's start with the house. Adam, could you repeat what you've said earlier." Adam flipped open a notebook. "Charley residence," he read. "Two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, garage, and a basement big enough for small meetings. No nearby neighbors. Two blocks from Winslow High. Price: thirteen grand. The owner's moving south to avoid Leviathan."
"Thirteen thousand?" I raised a brow. "How'd you get that info so fast?" Adam looked at me while explaining. "I already knew the listings," Adam said simply. "Just did drive-bys to check which ones weren't squatted. The Charley residence is still intact. The others. commercial and dockside, are questionable."
I blinked, then laughed under my breath. "Should've guessed a former homeless cape would know the market better than Zillow." I nodded then asked. "Funds?". Adam reached down, hauling a duffel bag onto the counter. It landed with a dull thunk. "Drug money," he said plainly. "We'll pay in cash. Once they hand over the deed and documents, the sale's final."
Before I could comment, Squealer perked up. "And I'll handle the paperwork! Make sure it's all hush-hush. Hehe, did I do good, Adam?" I gave her a long look. "What's she talking about?" Adam answered for her. "From Skidmark's memories, Squealer used to work as an unlicensed sales agent. She handled land rentals and property fakes. Knows how to make papers look clean."
"Aww, stop praising me, Adam," she giggled. "You'll make me blush~." Right. I rubbed my temples. "Okay, lesson learned: I know nothing about real estate. Computers and psychology, sure. Land ownership? Not a clue. So yeah, we'll go to Charley's place." Everyone nodded. I handed Squealer a slip of paper with an address. "Since you're apparently infatuated with Adam, you'll pose as a couple buying the house. Use this contact. he forged my library documents. He can whip up convincing IDs, marriage certificates, whatever. Use some of that cash for it."
Squealer's eyes widened. "Oh my god, thank you, boss! You're really blessing our union, no take-backs!" She spun dramatically before melting into a dreamy sigh. Adam slapped his forehead; she turned to him, cheek extended. "C'mon, slap me again, darling~." He groaned. "I'm not hitting a woman. And fix your hair." She collapsed in delight, muttering, "He's so gentle. My dream man…" Adam's gaze snapped toward me. "Sir, did you give her anything today?"
"The hell would I know? Only that dreamcatcher drawing. It shouldn't do anything unless she's asleep." I frowned. "What did you erase from her memories again?" I ask if something wasn't right with what he said just now. "Everything related to abuse and drugs," he said quietly. I froze mid-bite. "You what? When did they start?" Adam thought for a moment before answering, "When she was seventeen,." I faced Adam. "PFFFF!" I spat out a mouthful of bread and orange juice, splattering the table. "Adam, you made her seventeen again?! Mentally? That's! goddammit!" My pulse spiked. "Undo it! Erase only the emotions , not the context! "
He hesitated. "I can't, sir. I only erased memories. John lost his power entirely; I've got a partial version of my Dementor ability." I pressed my palms to my face. "Unbelievable…" Just then , Trainwreck piped up from the corner. "Uh, boss, I could maybe simulate her lost memories with my tinker tech? Not sure about long-term effects, though." I nearly dismissed it, but then, an idea sparked. "Wait. Adam, did you consume her memories or just store them?"
"Stored," he said. "For emergencies." Perfect. "Alright. You're going to sleep. I'll possess your mind and map the stored memories into a new dreamcatcher pattern. If I'm right, we can retrain her back to twenty-four mentally in two weeks, tops." I grinned. "I am a genius." John, cleaning dishes in the background, muttered, "That's… debatable, sir."
" It's okay John, Adam sleep." He nodded, collapsed on the couch, and was out within seconds. I took a deep breath, touched his forehead, and let my consciousness slip into his.
Nighttime. I was in the basement accompanied by John as we prepared for the contract for Truth. " You know what? I haven't noticed this but repeated possessing really makes me think that I could be immortal using just that trick alone. " John hummed in agreement. Drawing the pentagram with chalk while I just finished putting a match stick in a container and now trying to find a more suitable contract to at least win some coin from the god of alchemist himself. " sir. It is almost time for our departure towards the abandoned shipyards to see what changes in Adam's abilities."
I turn to look at the finished pentagram and the object placed in it. "Yeah, this only needs some final touch, by the way nice work with drawing it. I really appreciated the help." John just nods in agreement before I look around for the book. After finding it in my desk which before the book wasn't there I began placing the paper and sacrifices in order. First was the contract, next the Sacrifice which was a glass jar I found lying around, then an additional sacrifice mainly composed of a dead rat, a dream catcher, and part of the schematic involving the brain computer. "Okay John, this is set, could you give me some space to work this through? And please don't enter unless I say so."
" Certainly." He said before calmly walking away and heading outside the basement." It's show time." I lit the match and sealed it in the flask creating smoke inside. Then I pressed the back side of the book towards the ground. Not long after weird symbols flashed from around me before the contract burned to ash only to turn into a glowing paper the next second.
—
[Contract]
Sam B. Barley
Request: for the commune to halt, a philosopher's stone and access to alchemy, and help from *-_# over this contract
Sacrifice: a glass jar, a rat, a dream catcher, and a schematic for a brain computer.
Truth
Request: A way to see you Sam(-_#* noticed an"—) let the flask be part of my being.
Sacrifice: Pride(-_#* philosopher stone). Knowledge involving the creation of a humuncolos.
[End]
—
I didn't react this time, already predicting every way to counter this being, and still even with the book and me working together we couldn't get my odds to be greater than these creatures. Slowly the jar turned into a round glass, the white smoke turned into a sphere of fog before a smile emerged that grinned from ear to ear if it had ears. "Hello Sam B. Barley, it is good to finally meet you. I am Truth prepared to receive my present." The shadow under the glass sphere grew erratically until it stood to reach the ceiling of this basement, then abruptly slits of all kinds seemed to appear in random places within the shadow. "Why pride of all things. You could've given me lust. not that I'd like it or anything. Hehe," I alighted awkwardly. As I was commenting on the shadows slowly sharpening edges. Similarly, those slits open to reveal either a creepy mouth with teeth or eyes of different sizes and colors.
The shadow jumped at me. I tried to dodge to no avail as the basement was filled with shadows for this creature to latch onto. It tears me limb from limb trying to incorporate its body to mine. I saw my skin peeled, a dark bubbling shadow rose from my exposed flesh. Bones brake and marrow slowly replaced by dark dust was the only thing I saw and felt. the small size of this basement makes me unable to escape. I struggled and thrashed about trying to break free until I felt a change in perspective. For some baffling reason, I could see myself from every angle. I tried to see where I was looking only to find an eye staring me dead inside a shadow cast by the light bulb above. "Agh, how can I undo this!?" I became delirious and dizzy, almost like overheating my brain because of processing every angle of myself coupled with the pain of my body being torn from the inside.
"You idiot just close them. You could close the two in your face, why not close the ones outside?" I almost wanted to refuse his proposal, thinking it was a trap. But the unbearable headache and my many eyes in the shadow couldn't agree more. "Ha-ha-ha, there we go, hah, that hurt like a bitch! " I said and tried sitting down. "Oh I almost forgot, pick this philosopher's stone I offered to the ground, would you? " I lifted my head and noticed a small red stone. I was in so much pain that I only crawled towards it. "Hah, so, your truth? Mind— if I ask —why can't you give me Alchemy to something? Huhuhu." After I held the stone in my hand, I pocketed it before feeling my new gained power over Pride's body.
Truth circled his confinement, still smiling and celebrations I have no knowledge over. "Well, first fuck you for not making a contract earlier. Second I don't want to, and third I just hate what you gave me in general." I waited until I calmed myself before saying. "Well, excuse me. I really want you back where you came from—huh. This world is already as fuck as it is, don't want anymore being of untold scale to party in it." the white sphere turned and rotated before replying amusedly. "Well I got curious, my prison has not been visited for almost forever, and a chance to observe the multiverse to create one inside mine would really cheer me up. Besides, I value the Laws of Equivalent Exchange. Pride and the stone is enough for a barge in to see the outside of my prison. " Well, guess you learn something every day. Like how eldritch beings could still be confined even if it uses an entire universe to do so.
I gravitated to what he said. "Prison, but it says here you're the universe. Look at the description. " I said while opening the book and showing the page V. "Hmm, yeah I don't know what that book picked up but I've been totally in prison since the day the first light came into existence. Let's move on shall we and get me out of this basement, I want to see how these stars are built compared to mine." He acted like a child wanting candy. While I'm here wheezing for my life after another transformation over my body.
"Na,— you stay here. I'll take you out once we plan to move to a new place." I grabbed the sphere of glass and placed it on my desk before I walked away but not after Truth said. "Take your time Sam…" When I headed up I was greeted by John. "Sir, are you ready to go out? "I replied by walking past him while saying. "Yeah, tell the three to prepare a ride for us."
Of course, we did not forget to eat before heading to the abandoned part of the shipyard. "Okay we're here, Trainwreck find us an empty docked ship to hide from. We'll use that to hide what we're doing." Trainwreck agreed and scanned for an empty ship using his steamed punk cybernetics. "That one sir." He said pointing to our left ." Good, let's head there." We walked calmly while Trainwreck was in charge as our guide and lookout while we headed to the abandoned vessel.
"Okay, first things first. Trainwreck comes here for a moment." He pointed at himself asking. "Me?" I just nodded before he headed towards me and I reached for his shoulder. " I'll remind you that this might hurt a little. So bear with me." He nodded and braced himself for the pain. While I close my eyes and review how to create a homunculus from the knowledge given to me by the truth. I clutch the philosopher stone in my hands and start the process. Sounds of bone cracking, muscle tearing from metal and pained wails come from Trainwreck's body. Slowly but surely. The metal peeling itself from him was replaced with pink-red human flesh and brown skin. At one point even Squealer hid behind Adam and John. Too afraid to see the process clearly. "Aahhhahh!" Finally the last of the philosopher's stone powers were drained and what came about with Trainwreck's body could only be described as someone in his thirties.
He tested his physique. Looking at a broken glass from time to time and touching himself in the face, limbs and chest. At one point he even touched his junior confirming that he was still in fact now part of human society. " I-I- I can't believe it. I'm cured- I'm CURED!HAHAHAHHAA I'm cured!" He jumped, cried and celebrated. Lastly he hugged me without my consent. "Boss, I will never betray you." So you did plan to betray me. "Remember that as long as I'm alive you will never die. I'll dedicate all the tinker tech I have to you. Thank you! Thank you for this second chance," he cried in my arms. I gave him a moment or two to relax and told him that he only needed to help me with my plan of showing this world to the stars. Hoping to finish what we're planning. "It's okay,y, Trainwreck oh wait you should find a fitting name for yourself since you're not a wreck anymore. Hahah get it wreck. Come on, lighten up a little."
Finally, he calmed down and thought of his new civilian and Cape name. " Boss, I think before choosing a name I should find something new with my tinker tech abilities. I felt that I've gained some changes with my powers that were not present before." I lifted my brow before saying slowly. "Go on?" And with that Trainwreck looked at his armor before working on it. When it was sure that it wouldn't take a minute for his tinkering to finish we just began with a squealer power set and a new name. " Eve Mustain? it fits but are you really sure about giving yourself a name associated with the original sin?"
"No worries boss, I'd like to seal the deal with this hunk of darkened meat over here. Look, he even lost his crack face. Haaah-, now he is becoming more and more charming by the day. " She said while patting Adam's shoulder which I could see seemed to make the past Dementor shake violently. Just goes to show that women are a different breed than men. "Well, I don't want to meddle so let's head to power testing. Could you create small vehicles like toy cars or can you only work with vehicles? " Eve struck a pose of someone thinking before snapping her fingers and saying. "Aha, I couldn't do toys as far as I know. It must be something that can be ridden and something that can do off-road or be durable. In that regard, Trainwreck and I are similar when it comes to prioritizing durability. Unlike other tinkers who value fancy things like lasers and all that. "Glad that her speech pattern seems to have matured somewhat after I gave her that memetic effect. Still just in case she should see it more frequently. "Don't forget to look at that drawing I gave you."
"Yes, boss." I then looked at Adam. "Well Adam, explain and then show us what you got. "Well, first is Skidmark's specialty which is a layered forcefield that pushes the object that hits it. Next is the requirement of needing line of sight, and lastly is the area that I could cover remains the same."
"What changed then?" I said in contemplation.
"It is now a non-stationary barrier, sir. Before Skidmark needed to strategically place these kinetic force fields or just waste time setting them at a place with no enemy to stumble upon. If we're talking about changes that's just about it. But after I did some thinking the night before when you passed out at John's place,I came up with this." Adam waved his hands and conjured up a pyramid barrier the size of a ping pong ball before stacking them until it reached the size of a basketball. He then launched it towards an exposed metal pipe to our right by punching the bottom part of said pyramid. I noticed that whenever the bottom of the pyramid disappears. It seems to be going faster, at one point all the bottom part of the pyramid is gone at the same time and the now hollow pyramid barrier shot out like a bullet shredding the exposed pipe and two steel walls behind it. When I walk closely to investigate. It seems to be that the middle of the pipe where the pyramid struck was pushed so hard that it acted like it was being split in half. " I can also place a spike barrier that concentrates all the force at the tip when before I could only do domes or obstacles that just pushedv people around." I was lost for words and just told him to go easy and not use it occasionally. "Hey, use that trick whenever you can't defend yourself. That kind of thing could get us to prison, okay?" He nodded and said.
"No problem sir. I'll also practice while we're here." I said you do you and finally have time for myself. Since it seems that Trainwreck is not finished with his tinker fugue. I thought for a moment, before I began to manipulate my very shadow. My shadow turned darker and rose until it reached my head. I practiced opening only one eye at a time to see my current ocular limit. "Three with both my eyes open. Five when shut. The mouth part could not taste but could eat just about anything and transmute them inside the shadow, speaking of shadow." I looked for another exposed pipe and willed my shadow to turn into a very thin black blade that struck the iron pipe which caused the pipe to be sliced in half. For a moment the only sound that could be heard was the sound of metal striking metal. I look around seeing the group staring at me including Trainwreck. "Oh, Trainwreck are you done?" I asked.
"Yes sir. I've just about finished it." As he said I walked towards him, my shadow slowly shrinking and becoming like an ordinary shadow once more. The truth of the matter was that Pride's shadow retracted inside me, enhancing my strength when not outside and being manipulated by me. From what I could guess, I am now twice as strong as before when I'm not using my shadow while at the same time I could extract the shadow from every dark or covered part of my body to act as a limb or a hidden weapon. I examine the hunk of metal and notice gears and springs tightly woven around a metal box. " Boss, can I ask you something?" He said, looking between me and my shadow. "Hmm go on what is it?"
"What's up with your shadow? Are you a Trump of some sort? Cause, you've been showing us random abilities that seem like the case for a trump. " I just shrugged at the question and said. " Kinda like that, it's complicated. Anyway, what about this? And why do you want to show this off before you get yourself a new civilian and Cape name?" I don't want to explain to him by simply saying that I get it from reading a book.
"Well from what I heard from the streets, this thing that I'm doing is either called knowing my specialty or having a second trigger, this box over here." He said pointing at the cube on the ground. "I call this Rubic. Well in short it's like a filactery as long as this box and I are not destroyed at the same time or I die after this box is destroyed I can pretty much come back to life. I've gotten inspiration from how you fixed me. Even through pain I could still feel how my body is being repaired and fixed like a machine. Although it's still not complete. For now, it could only be used one time and it would only spit out my weakest form instead of the fixed one you did to me."
"That's amazing and quite good for survival. Especially because you're a tinker that relies on tech more than anything. So what do you think your name should be? " I ask which he took only a moment to answer. " My Cape name now would be clockwork because of the gears and how I can come back to life. As for my civilian name, I guess I would stick with Nick R. Ondynas." Question the meaning of his name, " not much I just felt that it was an appropriate name for someone like me who gained a second chance at life.
That pretty much told me that you've become a necron from just the sound of it. I looked at the people around me slowly. "Shit." One is a tinker with a reputation for being the most durable tinker tech as long as she could find enough juice, duct tape, and firepower. Another is the power to come back from death, and lastly, someone who can control an area and trap them at will. " An Ork, a Necron, and an Eldary meet in a shipyard." I whispered under my breath, "What was that sir?" I heard John's voice approach my side. " Oh, also a human and an eldritch abomination."
"An eldritch, what sir?" I shook my head and said hastily. "Nothing, tomorrow's Tuesday yeah,? Yeah, we should head to Charley's residence early tomorrow. All of you pack what needs to be packed and let's return home for now." John picks some old knife placed in a desk to our left, Squealer found a ranch somewhere, Adam just finished undoing his death maze, and Nick picks his Rubic, before we all head out and return to John's place. I don't know what kind of group I'm building but I sure hope I pick the right guys for my end goal to be achieved.
A/N: don't be shy pointing out what's wrong with the chapter. Thank you and good morning, afternoon and evening.16DavieNov 2, 2025View discussionThreadmarks Chapter 9 New New Cape in townView contentDavieNov 6, 2025#29Chapter 9
Adam's POV
A coffee in the morning, coupled with the taste of rational fear and a medium toast, makes this second day of my life better. "Eve, no driving for now. Let's use a bus to get there," I said as Eve slowly emerged from the bathroom on the left side of John's kitchen. "But buses are so boring. They're slow, have no privacy, and can't withstand a bullet. Can't we just use the regular one and not my modified one? I promise I'll go slow this time!" she chirped, already bounding toward me with that dangerous seductive smile.
Women! Don't come near me when I'm enjoying my morning coffee. I placed my palm on her head and stretched it out so she couldn't reach me. "Look, Eve, the boss wants the house immediately. The more we can convince the Charleys that we are a couple, the better. So go get dressed and make sure you look the most wife you've ever been. If not, then I hope the extra five grand will convince them otherwise."
She surrendered her attempt at hugging me and pouted while she got ready, full of theatrical indignation until we reached the bus station. "Hey, you got the address where we could get the documents needed to buy the house from?" We were still waiting for the bus when I heard a sound of cute anger to my side. Eve's pout hadn't gone anywhere. "Hmph. Who said I'll give it to you? I'm the one who's going to tell the driver our stop," she snapped, crossing her arms dramatically. I surrendered to that anger, sighed and just gave her what she likes for today. Hoping that I did not screw up this time..
I leaned toward her, keeping my voice low and deliberate. "Look, Eve, this could give you a garage and a place to tinker. Wouldn't you like that?" My words were soft; my calculation was harder. If she had a proper place to work, she'd be less inclined to improvise dangerous cars in public, bosses need those cars of hers anyways if he wants to go with my plan. Her ears perked."I promise if this move to the Charleys' house succeeds, we'll go on a date or something. Now, could you please hand over the address?" My eyes wore a sincere expression m, I don't know what it is but it seems both john and I hated when we lie.
She let the tension drain from her shoulders and turned to face me slowly, her voice a strange blend of childish and weathered. "That's a promise! Here." She shoved a scrap of paper at me, then, with a dangerous little smile, issued one more warning: "Also, if you don't keep the thing about the date, I'll ram every bit of my tinkertech into that house until what's left is rubble and a dead black man who accidentally was inside the house when it all happend."
"Yes Eve, I also would like to die soon," I muttered under my breath, half amusement, half exasperation. Then we set off for the bus. Thirty minutes of uneventful transport later, we arrived near the Charley residence. "Make sure you don't act crazy in front of them. Also, use your womanly charm to appeal to the wife," I reminded her, laying on the civility like a well-cut coat.
We walked past freshly cut grass and a recently bought car. From where I stood it looked like a Toyota Camry, a hybrid with a 2.5L four-cylinder. Eve's eyes lit up. "Ohh! Hey Adam, can I buy something like that and turn it into a missile-mount race car?!" she squealed, staring at the car with maybe a hope in her eyes that she could make a rank out of it. I also remembered that Skidmark seems to have a soft spot when it comes to cars in general. Maybe that's why he treated Squealer less violently than his other subordinates."Eve, temper it. We can't afford it while we plan to sabotage our suppliers. The expense alone would burn through all the drug money we stashed. Now stay cool." My tone was courteous, but there was steel under it. Even as a gentleman I am, I still have to be blunt sometimes.
I knocked on the front door and called out. Mr. Charley opened it and let us in. "Hello, Mr. Mustain, glad you reached out earlier than expected." He looked like a man used to simple courtesies. We exchanged pleasantries, a handshake long enough to land the right impression, while Mrs. Charley moved to the kitchen to prepare snacks and drinks. "You are welcome to ask anything," she called. "Thanks, Mrs. Charley. As for the question, Mr. Charley, it's because my wife here is excited to move in. You know how women like preparing, yeah? Hhahhaa." I masked the salesmanship with a laugh, keeping every sentence warm and smooth; convincing people is an art in itself.
Mr. Charley chuckled and offered his opinion while his wife bustled. "If I were you, Adam, I'd follow your wife's whims. Of course, you still need to be the man of the house. Ah, what am I saying? Let's get back on topic. So, did you want to get this property or not?" I caught Eve's eye and gave her the cue. She blinked, then answered with an overbright, earnest tone: "Hmm? Oh yes, we would like to buy it. It was nice. The car is nice. And the wheels are nice—"
I hugged her for a moment and murmured, "Yes, love, haha, sorry about that. She just noticed your car outside; she's kind of a geek when it comes to those." I said it with the kind of gentlemanly apology that smoothed edges and kept suspicion at bay. Mr. Charley waved his hand like a man brushing aside an inconvenience. "Oh, no trouble at all. I'll be using that a lot anyway, us moving south and all that. If that's it, I'll get you the documents, and let's head to the government office to find the deed of sale."
"We'll meet at the office by ten if that's okay with you," I replied. "We just have to arrange our papers and payment." He agreed, and we lingered in small talk for twenty minutes. Eve and Mrs. Charley traded barbs and laughter; thankfully Eve contained herself and did not blurt out any plans to convert the sprinkler into a hydro-laser mounted in the same car parked outside. Afterward, we processed paperwork through the contact the boss recommended and purchased the house and lot in cash. The transaction was tidy, legal on the surface and financed in ways that would make auditors' eyes roll later. That's the rule of being a gentleman with illicit inclinations: make everything look respectable.
"Adam, can I use my car to move everything to the new house?" Eve asked, already spinning with possibility. I agreed, she was faster at loading than any moving company anyways, and a lot more discretion was worth the savings anyway.
Sam's POV
"Now, John, I would like you to introduce yourself as a butler of some kind. Use this one." I opened the envelope Galand had given me; inside were two documents already separated. I handed John the one for the janitor role and said, "Review this. Remember not to lose your cool and be professional. Cool, professional. Okay, cool, professional." John flicked his eyes over the page, then patted my shoulder with that old-butler air of his. "Sir, from the looks of it, you're the one being uncool and unprofessional. You've been hired before, right?" He straightened, voice smooth and composed.
I replied immediately and honestly, the words tumbling out: "Yes, I have, but usually companies come to me, not the other way around. It's making me nervous. What if I can't remember what basic randomizing programs do? I'll get laughed at. Ugh, just thinking about it makes my pride shake." A black thin shadowy tentacle crawled out of my ear and wrapped around my eyes and neck, a grotesque reminder that my calm was fragile. "Please calm down. Just imagine they're potatoes or something," John said.
"Too late, The guards noticed us. Quick, act normal." I yanked the shadow back with more force than I meant and managed to smack myself slightly in the left ear. "Can I help you, sir?" the guard asked. I opened my mouth, but John stepped forward before I could stammer. "Yes, we're here to apply for a janitor job and for a computer science teacher. Please lead us to the HR if you could." John's tone was that practiced butler cadence. polite, assured, and just formal enough to open doors.
The guard looked us up and down before shrugging. "Okay, but we don't have HR here. Try Principal Blackwell. I'm sure he's the person who recruited me anyway. It's on the second floor, left near the female toilet." We nodded and thanked the guard before heading to the principal's office.m"Oh, good morning. Have a seat. What's your business with my school gents?" Principal Blackwell asked. My nervousness hummed through me like an electric current, so I let John talk.
"Good morning to you too, Sir Blackwell. I'm John De Baptist, and this is my roommate, Aam B. Barley. We'd like to inquire about the job opening your school posted. I, for one, would like to be hired as a janitor at this prestigious school you call Winslow High. As for Sam, as you can see from his face and how he's dressed. He's a professional with software and programs needed to teach college." John handed over his folder with a practiced flourish; I gave mine. "Hmm, good so far. Experience-wise, you two are overqualified for the job. But well, who's to blame? Do you agree to seventy percent more than minimum wage? We can negotiate later if the pay isn't to your satisfaction."
I looked at John. He gave a small, encouraging nod. I swallowed and let the first sentence out in the five-minute interview: "We agree. As long as we could have a room inside the school. Do you have dorms here—?" My voice slid into a whisper at the end from nerves. My library job had only required a biography and a few tests; this felt much more visible. God, Sam, you were a highly praised software developer in your past life, get it together. Shadows crawled from my pants to my shoes; I prayed Blackwell wouldn't notice the tremor in my hands. Thankfully, the desk blocked his eyes from the lower movement.
"Can't promise dorms, but I agree to the rooms. Both of you will get an office in one of the rooms here on the second floor… Well, I didn't hear a complaint from either of you, so congrats and welcome. Work starts early tomorrow for you, John. As for you, Sam, you can work today or prepare your lessons for a week. Don't worry about being late for a computer science job, it's not really a priority in this school. Glad you gents are here and I'll be showing you the room before you head out."
The tour of the campus went longer than expected by the time we headed home to John's place. Adam and Eve were already on their last trip to bring all our things to the new place. "Adam, let me help you with that one" I walked briskly towards a box filled with clothes from John's place and carried it to a mini truck that had a weird ice cream at the top. I could probably guess it is a tinkertech freeze ray if I recall correctly. "Sir, since we have the time, we should head to the mall and buy you some formal attire for an entire week." I place the box at the back of the truck before closing it carefully. While doing so I agreed to John's proposal. "Yeah, we can do that, what could go wrong from buying clothes. Hey eve, could the two of you take care with moving?"
"Don't worry boss, it's the last of the things we'll move anyway. Go ahead and have your little vacation. And John, give me some allowance once you get your paycheck, okay?" John did not even face her when he said, "As you are, Mrs. Eve, I'm sure Sir Adam would find a way to give you an allowance once the suppliers are dealt with." Eve just pulled out her tongue at John before sitting in the driver seat and starting the car. "Sir reminded me before that she's still mentally in her teens. I'll grieve if her playfulness goes overboard." I remained confused at John's request. I waved at Eve's truck as they left and John and I headed towards the mall.
"Why do you want to carry me again? I don't mind, but could you please carry me properly?" I looked below where I was holding Truth in my left hand. "No need to fuss. I have something more enticing for you. If pride eats you, could I transmute you into something that could humiliate you more than a trapped mist in a flask?"
"Ha, nice try, but no. Although we could play a game over it. You could shape my container a little bit, but no amount of talent could shape me inside this vessel, more so if it involves alchemy." That little confirmation was enough for me to open a mouth in my shadow before devouring Truth whole. "I'm not planning on just going to have to stay there forever until I find a way to kick you back where you came from. Let's go hire a cab, John."
"Sir, it seems your confidence has led you to some sort of consequence." My shadow warped and twisted before spitting out a female-designed hair clip complete with a pink ribbon and a small white pearl where Truth could be seen. "Come now, Sam, I'm you. I know what it's like to wear this thing. It's humiliating, hahahahah!" John looked at the hair clip before looking at me. "I could just put you in my pocket now."
"Ah-ah-ah! It's in the contract that I should be able to see you. There may be some interference with what I've requested, but just so you know, I can twist them if you give me enough opening. Hehehe." My eyes dilated before I said something that would make me get praise from my future self. "You're Truth, you cannot lie. What would you twist?"
"I'm not an idiot, but I'll answer it since we're in a game. And games have rules players should follow. Stated in the contract that I must see you, that means I attain my goal of always observing this world. Next, making this container a part of me. I could twist those words until I can use your lack of presence in my sight to turn this flask into another gate, making this world my own, and maybe, just maybe, use this multiverse to escape my prison. That is the consequence, Sam. Now, are you going to place me over your incompetent head, or I'll toy with the human population in this world until my eventful escape."
"Could you pass me that tie? I think that would work well with the black pants and blue polo shirt." John passed me the black tie with white stripes, still looking at my hair clip. "I guess that's the last of it, huh, John?" I looked in the mirror and saw John's refusal. "Sir, you look like a blue-colored worker with a kind of zest sprinkled on top. I'll give you that. Could you add some taste to your dress? First impressions could go a long way, especially for a teacher." I grumbled, only to realize how mundane my taste was when it came to formal attire as I looked at my purchased clothes. Thankfully, Truth remained silent and did not interrupt my normal life. "Yeah, right. I'll pick another—" Both John and I looked in the direction where a weird mechanical sound came from.
"Sir, I think that's the sound of a confrontation happening inside this very mall," John said plainly, as my heart froze from the event. "I get that, sigh. It's the coincidence that's bothering me. John, take care of our stuff. I'll go there and check." I sneaked out of the clothes store all the way towards the center of the mall. What I saw could only be described as a comical accident with a horrible effect.
"Hey there, folks, we're back here again in the biggest mall in BB." Uber, wearing an apron and a roller, leaned closer to what I assumed was a tinker-tech camera that said *camera*, then pointed to a man I assumed to be Leet, dressed like a sous chef. "Today I'll be showing you folks the Flavor Amplifier 3000. It'll give what we're cooking today a new powerful flavor! Hahaha!" He robbed someone else's groceries, which contained onions, and shoved them inside his gun-like contraption. Before long, the contraption released a bunch of floating onions that released a cloud of vapor. Those vapors, when touched by the people around who didn't run before, made them bawl their eyes out. "Aaaahh, it burns! Mi eyes, mi eyeeeees!"
I panicked and almost jumped in to save all of them, but I did not take action. I thought, when I was a Dementor before, no one could recognize me and no one could identify where I was from, leading to my first patrol becoming a breeze. But now, I don't have that kind of protection. Tinker-tech and Thinkers, from what I've known about them, might be able to know me based on my height alone. "This could not go on. Need a strategy, fast." I looked again; now Leet seemed to power his roller until he could stick those onions toward the hall leading outside the building, carrying the smell of peeled onions in their wake.
"That's Uber and Leet—comedic villains, sure, but still villains with cases of harming and injuring civilians." I ran back to John and quickly carried our stuff before I shoved both of us in a dressing room while everyone panicked or was running away. "Ehem, might I ask why we needed to hide here, sir, instead of running away like the other sane people?" John, ever the neutral voice, spoke while I processed what happened in panic. "I'm thinking of a way. God, if I could just disguise myself so that even tinkers couldn't recognize the real me." Suddenly, a mumble came from above me. "What was that?"
"I said you could always use the knowledge I gave you."
"What the hell are you talking about? I needed the Philosopher's Stone just to give Nick a permanent and healthy body. I don't have any red stones in me right now!"
"My, you really are an idiot. You already spelled out the solution; you just need to change certain things." I still did not get what he said, and just to show it, I made a face of confusion.
"Sigh, okay, doing it with souls could offer a permanent result. But what if you could perform transmutation—not alchemy, transmutation—to achieve a similar effect temporarily? With what I gave you and pride, that should've been easy to figure out." I lost my confusion but instead had a look of shock and disbelief. I reviewed the knowledge involving homunculi and my instinctive grasp over pride. "Holy shit, I could really do it, and it would last thirty minutes at most—long enough to find a way to get those people out of the mall."
"Che, only thirty minutes. What an amateur." I looked at my hair clip and just looked annoyed. Okay, gatekeeper, don't show off to someone who's only had your powers for two days. I refocused my mind into reconstructing my body temporarily. "I should go smaller so as to make sure no one could recognize me and also because of the laws revolving around alchemy. John, just sit tight." My shadow turned darker, fast spreading and gaining volume. When it reached my height, the half-circle black mass split open to reveal rows and rows of teeth on its surface before it devoured me whole. It all happened in a moment that I did not even hear John's comment. "Most certainly, sir."
Slowly and thoroughly, I tore and recombined myself until I was small enough to be called a child of twelve years of age. Next, I changed my hair and eye color. Instead of my void-black hair and irises, I turned them silver and neon blue, respectively. After I finished sculpting my disguise, I never returned to the real world and instead manipulated Pride's body to hop from one shadow to another, completely losing any trace that I'd been in the clothes shop and instead emerging from a toy store above where the duo were cooking some ice cream. I emerged from the shadow and showed myself in the open, looking down from the second floor to the large area where the villains were cooking power out of sugar and cream.