The list of things Ethan didn't know, which was already long and vast, had just grown by two.
Firstly, the Stillrock History Museum was being ransacked by a woman with powers that he didn't recognize. This was, at best, an oversight on the studying Alex had asked him to do on the Altered active in Ascension and, at worst, a horrible harbinger of things to come. He wasn't sure which yet, but neither were good.
Secondly, he had no idea why a different woman was crouched next to him under the window sill demanding action about said break in at the museum.
Ethan needed answers, and starting with the woman who wasn't currently trying to kill him seemed like the best option.
"Who are you?" Ethan whispered urgently.
"I'm Quinn," she said, reaching out her hand for Ethan. She had a surprisingly firm grip, and Ethan was momentarily taken back by her hazel eyes speckled with flecks of emerald catching the sunlight.
"Full disclosure, I was going to break into this museum, but whoever is in there beat me to it."
"School children on field trips do not want to come to this museum. Why on Earth did two separate people want to break in here, of all places?" Ethan demanded to know.
The museum itself was relatively bare and fully unimpressive, and Ethan distinctly remembered being bored there even on his elementary school field trip. Despite being one of the oldest towns in the state, Stillrock just wasn't known for much outside of mining. Consequently, most of the items on display were mining tools from the 1800s, and a few pieces of silver and gold ore from back when the mine was actually producing.
Unlike Ascension's museums, it shouldn't have held any objects of great value, but maybe there was more here than he knew, given the sudden interest two people displayed in getting inside before it opened.
"I can't say for certain, but I'd bet we're here for the same reason."
"Which is?"
"Did you hear about the mine that collapsed not too far from here?"
Ethan froze. "Oh," he stammered, wondering if the sweat was already visible on his forehead. "A little bit."
If Quinn noticed the color drain from his face, she didn't mention it. "I work for Apex," she explained, pulling out a yellow, pocket sized device. "Apex has been using this museum as a storage facility for radioactive material they excavated from the collapsed mine site. There's an object in there that I need. It was supposed to be transported to me, but for some reason it was held up and stored here instead."
"What is it?"
"I've been working to find objects imbued with the same radiation signature that the Surge gave off. It's not the most exciting hobby, but it could help me prove a theory at work."
"I think it's exciting," Ethan admitted, "I did something similar until recently."
"Oh," Quinn smiled, "what were you searching for?"
Ethan suddenly realized his mistake, then stammered, searching for an answer that didn't give away the secrets he specifically told Apex he wouldn't share.
A crashing sound inside mercifully drew both of their attentions back to the museum. Poking his head over the concrete window sill, Ethan noted that it was largely empty, save for one person frantically stalking through the museum, searching for something and turning over the glass display cases which shattered on the old, dark wood floors.
Immediately, having a moment to observe the person inside the museum, Ethan realized something was off about this person. Altered were largely known for two things: their penchant for taking things that weren't theirs, and their commitment to style.
The person currently smashing their way through the museum may have had the first part down, but looked less like a professional thief with a commitment to a personal brand and more like someone who had stopped at a thrift store on their way over to commit a crime. They were wearing a black motorcycle helmet, a plain, tight black turtleneck and black padded motorcycle pants. Their outfit was entirely ordinary, designed to blend in rather than stand out, and lacked the typical panache of an Altered looking to make a name for themselves.
"Listen," Quinn said quietly, "I think Apex brought something in there that holds the same radiation signature that is given off when Protectors or Altered use their powers. I have a few theories on what it could be used for, none of them good, but I can't test them unless I get my hands on it
"What would it look like?" he asked.
"More than likely it'd be a deep, intense blue stone," Quinn explained. "Unnaturally blue, like a blue-raspberry candy. You'd know it when you saw it."
When he saw it. So, she certainly expected him to go in. He checked his watch, grimacing at the time. He was supposed to meet Raz at Apex Tower in fifteen minutes for his evaluation. He wasn't sure what would happen if he was late, but he didn't think it'd bode well for his chances.
"Do you have somewhere else to be?" Quinn asked.
"I…kind of have an interview," he told her.
"Aren't you a Protector? Isn't this what you do?" She asked pointedly.
Not exactly, he thought. But maybe it should be. If I can stop this person, Amory couldn't possibly deny me a position as Protector.
"This is what I do," he told her.
She nodded, giving him a grin back. "Just yell if you need help."
He suddenly realized he was more nervous talking to her than he was about fighting the person inside the museum.
"Be right back. Oh, and I'm going to open a portal. Don't freak out."
"You're going to what?"
Turning from Quinn, he gulped, then opened a portal and stepped inside the museum, bypassing the broken glass and depositing himself right in the middle of the main hallway.
"Sorry, I'm still new to this," Ethan called out, smiling innocently. The person whipped their head around, hands balled into fists at their side. In his mind, there was still a small chance this was all a misunderstanding.
"Are you one of the good guys?"
"Depends on who's asking," a woman's voice answered, fingers tapping aggressively against her palms. "Would you steal a few rocks if it meant you could save an entire town?"
Ethan grimaced. "Heavy. Maybe we should start with names?"
"Sola," she answered confidently. "And you are?"
Oh man, I really should've practiced this.
"Uh…Ethan?"
She cocked her head, Ethan's uncertain face reflected in her dark visor.
"Well, Ethan, I'll be honest: I don't really want to be here, but I have to, so just know that if you're going to try and stop me, that didn't work out so well for the last Protector who tried."
Ethan's eyes widened. So this is who put Syphon in the hospital. I need to be very careful here, Syphon has a year's more experience than me and she didn't last five minutes. Man, if I can pull this off, I'll be a Protector for sure. And impress Quinn in the process.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to just walk out of here?"
He was answered by a grunt and a blast of something superheated that crackled as it flew by his right ear, nearly clipping him. He rolled out of the way, staying low and pressing his back against the front desk for cover.
"I'll take that as a no," he whispered, touching his ear gently to make sure it was still there. His thoughts were interrupted by another blast shot just above his head that splattered against the wall in front of him, sending droplets of boiling, jelly-like material everywhere.
Whoever this is, they're much more powerful than I thought, Ethan realized, his heart racing. He took short, deliberate breaths, just like Alex taught him, trying to calm himself. I need to figure out how to stop her.
"I don't want to hurt you," Sola called out."Could've fooled me," Ethan muttered to himself. "I'm not much of a fighter," he shouted back from behind the desk, "and I kind of have somewhere to be, so why don't we both walk away and pretend you never broke in here and tried to kill me, okay?"
"Or," Sola called out, her speech still difficult to make out through the motorcycle helmet muffling her voice, "you could just let me take what I need, and I'll leave without putting a hole in your chest."
Ethan furrowed his brow. She needs this stone badly, that much is obvious, but why?
"Alright," Ethan sighed, "you're going to make me call for backup. I have friends that are much scarier than me!"
"I don't have time for these games," Ethan heard an explosion to his right as another window shattered. "The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can go home where I'm actually needed."
More explosions of power to his left and right forced Ethan to cower further, grimacing. Man, he thought, I really hope Quinn isn't watching this. None of this has been heroic so far at all.
Carefully, he poked his head out behind the left side of the desk. Quinn gave him a shaky thumbs up. He returned the gesture, slinking back to cover.
So much for that thought.
Ethan needed a way to stop Sola fast, without getting close enough to get hit by her powers. He poked his head gingerly over the desk, noticing a skeleton of a large, flying dinosaur overhead. A lightbulb practically went off above his head. That could work.
Alex had taught Ethan that powers were not limitless sources of energy and needed time to recharge, if overused. Ethan, for example, had to give his forearms time to rest after opening too many consecutive portals.
Judging by the amount of destroyed displays and shattered glass surrounding him, Ethan figured Sola would need a break any minute before she could try to put that aforementioned hole in his chest, giving him an opening.
He listened intently, waiting for the Sola to momentarily pause her attacks and catch their breath, then rolled out to his left. Spying the fake dinosaur bones displaying a Pterosaur skeleton almost directly overhead of where she was standing. Acting quickly before she had the chance to go on the attack, he opened a portal in front of him, then another around the wire holding the body of the skeleton up, then shut both quickly, severing the rope keeping the skeleton suspended.
As he hoped, the bones came tumbling down on top of Sola, knocking her to the ground. He pumped a fist, then awkwardly put it down.
Wow, he thought, admiring his work as Sola groaned and tried in vain to push the dense fiberglass and metal structures that comprised the bones off of them. Maybe all that training I did with Alex paid off after all.
"Looks like you're caught," he said, smiling wider than he meant to. He cleared his throat, dropping the smile. "Would you believe I've never gotten this far? I'll have to consult my handbook, but I think I'm supposed to call Apex for Altered Transport."
Ethan was close enough now to take in a few more details, and realized, on Sola's exposed forearm, she had a tattoo: an outline of a cow with a bell around its neck. He narrowed his eyes, trying to remember where he had seen that logo before Sola caught him off guard, laughing more maliciously than Ethan would've expected for someone he thought was trapped.
"You're nowhere," she spat. Lifting a hand, she blasted a stream of purple energy at the ceiling behind Ethan. Suddenly, he was knocked to the ground as a model of a second pterosaur collapsed on top of him, trapping him.
"Why were there so many dinosaurs in Stillrock?" Ethan groaned, unable to muster the energy to push them off. "And why did they all have to die right here?"
Sola burned through the pile of bones on top of her, reducing them to sizzling puddles on the marble floor. With Ethan subdued, she took stock, searching the museum until a door in the back caught her eye. She tilted her head, then melted the maglock, the door swinging wide open, revealing a glass case with an almost blindingly blue stone inside.
Ethan's heart jumped at the sight of it. That must be what Quinn was talking about, he thought, and Sola's going to take it right in front of me. This is not going to make the impression I hoped for.
"I know you're new, but you're not very good at this," she laughed. "I hope you don't plan on making this a career."
"It's kind of my only plan," he muttered, trying to push against the bones, only to find that they had interlocked on the way down, creating a heavy cage that he couldn't slip a portal through. Sola was moments away from taking the jewel for herself, initiating a plan Ethan knew nothing about. He felt powerless, cursing silently that he hadn't gotten strength like he wanted.
But just because he couldn't find a way to get himself out didn't mean he was totally defenseless.
When Sola was just a step away from reaching the case, Ethan summoned a portal in the doorway, a shimmering void suddenly appearing in front of her. She jumped back in surprise, tensed and waiting for something to happen, then slowly turned to put an eye on Ethan. Noticing he was the one controlling her newest obstacle, she cursed.
"I don't know, I think I've got a few tricks."
"What is that?" she yelled, pointing.
"It's kind of like a hole where space used to be. Best not to think about it," he answered honestly, "but it's unbreakable. If Titan can't break through it, I doubt you could, either."
She roared, blasting a stream of plasma at the void, only to watch as her blast dropped harmlessly to the floor and had no effect on his void.
"Drop it, now," she growled, turning her powers to Ethan.
Ethan shook his head, limited by the bones around him. He hoped the point got across. "No can do."
"I bet if I hurt you enough you'd drop it." Sola took a few steps toward Ethan. "Am I right?"
"Well," Ethan gulped, "nobody's really tried that..."
"Hey, Protector," a voice called out from behind them. Ethan used what little movement he could to spy Quinn, who had rushed inside at seeing Ethan trapped. "Out," Sola held up a hand with glowing purple energy, "or you both will leave in a tub."
Quinn stayed by the entrance, unmoved by Sola's disgusting threat.
"I called Titan, just like you asked. She's on the way now."
Oh, smart girl, Ethan thought, smiling despite his situation. I may need to keep her around, especially if Raz isn't talking to me.
Sola flinched at the mention of Apex's top Protector. Ethan silently wished he'd have that effect on people one day. Ethan kept up the charade, looking right at Sola as he spoke.
"Per Apex protocol for any new Protector, I have a direct line to Titan for emergencies, and I had my PAL call her before I came in here to tell her I was engaging with an Altered in Stillrock driving a motorcycle."
Sola grit her teeth, but said nothing. Ethan piled on.
"The way I see it, you have two options: keep trying, fruitlessly, to break through my…whatever this is until Titan shows up, or get out of here and try your luck at a different children's museum."
"You don't know what you're doing," she said, her tone suddenly urgent, her eyes locked on Ethan. "A whole town is at stake!"
"Tell me where," Ethan said, directly, his void silently floating in the doorway, "and I can help you."
"No you can't. She's too strong," Sola growled, lifting a plasma covered hand towards Ethan. For a moment he wondered if he chose wrong, only for Sola to blast the brick wall to her right with both hands, creating a jagged, creaky exit. She jumped through, leaving Ethan trapped and exhausted, but alive. He exhaled, laying under the pile of bones and feeling oddly safe.
Who the hell was that? Ethan wondered. He couldn't remember seeing anyone with powers like hers on Apex's list.
Ethan felt a deep sense of dread at the thought that he might not be the only new person with powers running around Ascension. If they really were new, could they have heard how he got his powers, and tried something similar? Was he somehow responsible for this new person and their destructive abilities?
It had to be related, he thought. There hadn't been a person with new powers cataloged since the Surge six months ago. Now, there might be two new people with powers, and who knows how many others?
Three, counting Rainey, of course.
Assuming she survived. He was relatively sure she had survived, but of course he hadn't exactly seen her yet.
Quinn rushed over to him, noting the smoking hole in his shirt and the hair missing above his ear. She grimaced.
"How are you feeling?"
"Not awesome," he groaned, feeling like a spider that had been smashed by a shoe. Quinn moved a few of the bones out of the way, enough for Ethan to shimmy through a portal and stand next to her.
"Thanks for the assist," he said, wiping the dust off his white shirt. "Apex would be scraping me off the floor if not for you."
"You're welcome," Quinn smiled, "I'm happy she bought our lie. She looked like she was beating you up pretty handily."
"I…had it under control," Ethan lied. Quinn raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"I'll call Apex for a retrieval team. I need to study this stone and figure out what it might be used for."
Ethan nodded, happy to have this situation off his hands. Then, he gasped, checking his watch.
"Looks like we're both late," she laughed. "There's no way I can get to work in time now. Amory really hates it when I'm late."
"Same with Raz," Ethan sighed.
"Is he your boss?"
Ethan laughed. "Feels like it, most days." He raised his hand to open a portal, then paused, smiling at Quinn.
"What?"
"Well, I think I might know a way I can repay you for saving my life." Ethan opened a portal in front of them. Quinn's eyes lit up in front of him.
"Are you a fan of roller coasters?"