No," says Thomas Calvert, shaking his head. "Absolutely not. No and no. At least not yet."
"But why? I'll put her into a deep sleep and..."
"Her ability works even when she's asleep. Noelle has very limited control over her power in general. She's not just three tons of aggressive protoplasm and malicious tentacles. She captures capes and puts them into something like a lethargic sleep. At the same time, she releases a bunch of clones with the same powers as the original. Almost the same. Can you imagine what would happen if she got to you? No? Well, I can. Half the city would be in ruins, the base destroyed, the Triumvirate would fly in to deal with this mess."
"Seriously?" I look at him. He holds my gaze.
"Very seriously. I tried once already. I reminded you about Noelle, you went to her and... well, I decided not to tell you about that time. In the end, we managed to subdue her, but we lost the Travelers. Trickster in particular."
"Lost Trickster? Wait, you said 'managed to subdue'?" We could only lose Trickster if he had tried to protect Noelle, and he would have.
"Well..." Thomas winced. "Noelle had to be eliminated."
"Oh... I see." I nod. Everything's clear. Noelle turned out to be a tough nut. Damn... despite this, I still owe the Travelers. And if everything goes like this, we'll lose Trickster soon anyway, because he's been on edge lately.
"How exactly does Noelle capture capes? Physically, or does she... teleport? Is there any way not to be caught by her?" I ask.
"There is," he nods. "Don't get close to her. But she's damn fast and strong. Breaks through armored doors and all that. Most importantly, when she gets scared, she goes into hysterics and then you're screwed - all her characteristics seem to triple. I'm telling you - she causes almost as much destruction as an Endbringer."
"Hmm." I ponder. Now I understand why he pulled me aside to talk privately. It's better if Trickster doesn't know about this - he'll throw a fit. However...
"But I have you, Thomas," I say. "We'll conduct thought experiments. Get ready, let's go."
"Thought experiments? Maybe we should wait for Tattletale? For all her... dislike of me - she could help analyze methods and approaches. We need the Travelers, they're quite a strong group, and the only one who can help them now is you."
"Yes. You're right. Good. Then we schedule the start of experiments with Noelle for tomorrow at noon. I'll talk to Trickster and..."
"Don't worry. I'll tell him everything myself," Calvert says dryly. "You allow him too much, that's why he's started showing off. You'd better take care of your own business - I don't think we have too much time."
"Try not to push too hard. Trickster is in a mild panic right now and about to snap. Right on the edge," I warn him, and Coil, Thomas Calvert, smirks. Perhaps this is the first time I've seen him smile.
"Don't forget who you're dealing with," he says. "Leave that hysterical brat to me. I know how to talk to him."
"Okay... you probably know better indeed," I agree. Really, in short-distance dialogues, there's no one better than Coil.
At the same time, I'm in my "main" body, Amy-Panacea's body, making rounds of the tent camps accompanied by Victoria Dallon. Amy's body is no longer what it used to be - I've improved it. It turns out the limitation of her ability to change and heal herself is easily overcome if you have two bodies at once. Although... even the bio-medkits worked. So all Amy needed back then was to allow herself to go beyond the limits, stop being afraid, and start thinking broader.
Externally, nothing is visible - I still decided to give the legend "Amy hasn't changed at all" a chance, but now she has all of Butcher's powers, meaning super-strong, fast, tough, and all that. However, that's not enough - throughout Amy's body I have implanted capsules with "liquid Panacea." Now even if she's torn in half, she'll recover. The only problem is delivering biological mass to the injury site. From a purely practical standpoint, it would make sense to grow fat reserves, about three hundred kilograms or so, become a Baroness of House Harkonnen. Why not? Reserves always at hand, you can heal anything at any moment, and if you spread the organs out in space, you won't even hit them. The simplest and most obvious solution - make Amy fat.
But... first, you can't change Panacea so obviously and radically. And most importantly - I'm not going to be fat! No way. Taylor's body is already ready for the runway or magazine cover, in a bikini or even without - no flaws, smooth skin, curves and bulges where needed. It was very hard to restrain myself from growing my chest to a C-cup, but... too good is also bad. Turning into a sexual grotesque with deliberately puffy lips, protruding butt, and huge breasts... and then I'd have to walk around in this body in front of Dad!
Same with Amy's body - I'm not going to disfigure it. I don't have that many bodies. And the lack of biological mass during severe injury can always be compensated with insect mass - pure protein, essential amino acids, eco-friendly, tasty, and healthy. And chitin, yes. Lots of calcium.
Given all the changes, Victoria's slap to the back of my head didn't cause any damage to this body, but it was quite offensive. Generally, as far as I remember, Victoria never laid a hand on Amy... but here - there you go. Probably because she knows for certain that I'm not her.
I raise my hand and rub the back of my head. Not painful, but offensive.
"You deserved it," Victoria grumbles behind me. "You're acting like... like... like that one of yours!"
"Her name is Lisa. In costume, she's Tattletale. And yes, she died during Leviathan's attack, eternal memory, nothing bad out loud."
"Don't bullshit me, Taylor." Victoria emphasizes my name, highlighting it. "I saw her. She was driving and..."
"Hey! We agreed not to remember that. By the way, you committed a crime then! Breaking and entering, trespassing, theft of dead bodies, and desecration of heroes' corpses!"
"Desecration?!"
"Uh-huh. Didn't think you were one of those who has urges toward cousins and uncles. Dead ones at that. The thrill of the hunt. Passion. Victoria Dallon turns out to be an incest-necrophiliac. Wow, I even have to invent new words to describe such perversions... Hey! Stop hitting me!"
"You deserved it! Stop acting like her!"
"I can't help myself. She bit me and now I'm the embodiment of sarcasm and questionable sense of humor." I rub the back of my head and turn to Victoria. "And you, I see, are good at attacking from behind, huh? Where's the heroine's code? Is there even such a thing? Like bushido..."
"Oh, shut up. Are we done here? Let me carry you home."
"I don't want to go home. Take me to the base, I'll meet with myself once more. I'll fix a couple of things in myself." I survey the tent city. People crowd around the truck that brought humanitarian aid, men help unload boxes of food and crates of water. Volunteers in black and white cloaks with "Administration" written on them scurry here and there. On the truck bed, I see Jane Rodriguez in her usual combat armor, confidently directing the work. Today she's without her heavy rifle, just a pistol in a closed holster on her thigh. I restrain myself from waving at her. She turns back and says something to the truck driver. I see she has the same inscription on her back. "Administration."
"Victoria," a voice sounds. And I know who's speaking - in this half of the city, a specific mark is always felt. I knew she was coming to us long before she approached. I turn to her. She drills me with her eyes.
"Sophia." Victoria's voice is dry. She doesn't like Sophia Hess - you don't need a degree in psychology and sociology to understand that. It's just written on her face. And there's dislike in her voice too.
"Good afternoon," I say. "Sophia, you don't need to stay here. The PRT has normal rooms. Water and electricity."
"Rules, Amy." Sophia crosses her arms. "Or are you suggesting I'm a cape? That's a federal crime."
"Oh, shut up, Sophia. I wasn't even thinking about you - you can sleep in mud for all I care, that's where you belong. I'm talking about your mom. How's her health?"
"So-so," Sophia shrugs. "That's actually why I came over. Will you look at her? I know we never particularly..."
"Of course," I interrupt her. "Lead the way." And I follow her, despite Victoria's quiet grumbling behind me.
"Yesterday her stomach started hurting, so I suggested calling a doctor, but she refused. Says everyone's having a hard time now. This morning it got worse. Our car was flooded along with the house, so I came out to the camp looking for help. And here you are..." Sophia says, walking ahead. "Like that. Thanks, Amy."
"I haven't done anything yet," I say. "Keep walking, keep walking."
"We're here already. There." An ordinary tent, one of those set up by City Restoration Fund volunteers, cheap but sturdy. I pull back the flap and go inside, ducking my head. It's stuffy inside, stale air, smells of something sour. On the floor, on an air mattress, lies a woman whose cheekbones slightly remind me of Sophia.
"Good afternoon, ma'am," I say, squatting down beside her like a Japanese geisha - sitting cross-legged is uncomfortable when I still need to work.
"My name is Panacea, I'm here to help you. Do you give permission for intervention?" I say the standard phrase. Without waiting for the woman to open her eyes and at least nod, I touch her hand. Aha... that's how it is.
"What's wrong with her?" Sophia asks from behind. I shush her, and she obediently falls silent. I sit with closed eyes. Sophia's mother has a periappendicular abscess that has ruptured into the abdominal cavity and she needs urgent surgery... would have needed it. But I'm here. Panacea. For her, this isn't even a snap of the fingers. I eliminate the rupture, fix the consequences. Sophia's mother has enough subcutaneous fat to provide energy for the changes. And also - I cure the cataract in her left eye, remove excess visceral fat, strengthen bones and joints and... yes, age-related changes.
Finally, I straighten up. I brush hair from my face and turn to Sophia, who had been standing behind me, holding her breath.
"She's sleeping," I say. "When she wakes up, she'll want to drink. She'll drink a lot. I'll arrange for you to have a water supply left. And yes, she might want to move around, move around a lot, but don't let her. Let her lie down, at least for a day. The changes in her body will fully take effect over time."
"What? What changes? What did you do to my mom?!"
"Well... I removed all the age-related issues... you'll have a young and beautiful mom, Sophia. Or rather - a hot mama? At this rate, you'll soon have a stepfather."
"Amy?!"
"What Amy, I've been... Amy for a long time now. You yourself... not bad." I look Sophia over and she darkens, puts her hands on her hips, and looks at me like a bull at a matador.
"Amy!" Victoria pulls me by the sleeve. "What's wrong with you?! Let's get out of here!"
"Fine and good." I let Victoria pull me out of the tent. Outside, the bustle of distributing humanitarian aid continues. Jane has already jumped down from the truck and is saying something to a man with a notebook who's standing at the distribution point.
"Hey! Mamasita!" I shout and wave my hand. She turns to me, immediately straightens up, hands the notebook to the man. Runs over to us.
"Boss? What are you doing here? You were at the base?"
"I'm like Figaro now - Figaro here, Figaro there." I wave my hand. "Listen, Mamasita, that tent needs a couple of big ten-liter water canisters. And a box of army rations."
"Will be done," Jane nods. This is what I love about military people - no stupid questions or clarifications, no one will ask "why," "what for," "what happened." If an order is given, it must be executed. Need additional information? The commander will provide it. Didn't provide it - means it's not needed.
"Cooper! Lee!" Jane calls out briefly, and two more operators appear beside her, both a head taller than her, broad shoulders, confident movements, serious faces. She gives the command, the operators nod and rush to execute.
"Interesting," I say. "They don't salute. I mean - they just nodded and that's it."
"We only salute at base. And only if headgear is worn," she replies and squints. "I thought you knew that, boss. Last time you chewed me out good. Was your father a mercenary?"
"No. Just somehow learned on my own," I reply.
"Uh-huh." It's clear Jane doesn't believe me. "Well, anyway. Everything's fine with us, this is the fifth camp today. No incidents, except in the camp in the Docks territory, right by the beach - two more fights. The crowd gathered there... half are former ABB, several groups from the Merchants. Constant clashes. Really need to separate them, but no resources yet. No problems with water and supplies so far - our people opened the shelter warehouses, everything's expired there, but edible, they're canned goods after all. Cereals, pasta, and such - that's from stores."
"Stores? You robbed stores?"
"I prefer to call it expropriation. Necessary measures. Store owners were given receipts, goods obtained through invoices and bills, Miss Wilbourn and the colonel confirmed the order," Jane shrugs. "Supply trucks can't get through quarantine yet, checkpoints are set up on roads leading into the city. And if we had left goods in stores, owners would have raised prices five to ten times. In response, they would have been robbed, all this anarchy would have started. But this way... in our area of responsibility, all supplies are under our protection, distributed centrally, by ration per person per day, plus five liters of water."
"I can make a seawater filtration system," I say. "Damn, why didn't I think of this before. Water takes up half the space in your trucks. At least I can provide water to the coastal camps, it'll make your work easier. Hmm... I can also extract water from wells, filter it..."
"You don't need to get distracted, boss," Jane shakes her head. "We'll manage. You should handle your business in the big leagues. We'll somehow manage with water and supplies. Especially since yesterday they gave us network, and in the camps they ran wiring from generators. Now all these teenagers with phones sit along the line like birds on wires."
"Well... okay. But I'll still make the seawater filtration system. It won't take me long, and it's significant help for you." Only now do I notice that Victoria is standing nearby and not interfering in the conversation, hands behind her back, trying hard to pretend she's admiring the scenery.
"What's wrong?" I ask her. "Did something happen?"
"You!" Sophia Hess, who had been following us all this time, puts her hands on her hips. "You! I knew it! You!"
"God, Sophia, don't yell like that, you'll give me a headache."
"I knew it! You... only you fix your hair like that! And... that smirk! Your smirk! Panacea never smiled like that! You!"
"Yes, it's me. And you are you. Now they'll bring supplies to your tent, make sure your mom drinks more. And yes, they'll also run a wire for you, charge your phone. When your mom comes to her senses, you might be needed for patrols. My people aren't made of rubber or iron either, they can't keep track of everything, and they get very tired - third day on their feet. Look, what dark circles Mamasita has under her eyes, she looks ready for the grave."
"Everything's fine, boss," Jane waves it off. "I'm on energy drinks. There'll be a crash later, of course, but..."
"Oh! Right. Stop, don't move." I put my hand in my pocket, take out a green bio-medkit ball and throw it right at her face with full force! She tries to dodge, and I give credit to her reaction, but... I have Butcher's strength, I never miss. The green ball flies exactly to where she dodges, and... splat! Breaks against her forehead. She grabs her face and freezes in place. An uncertain smile appears on her face.
"Boss?"
"That's it, no more fatigue. But don't abuse this! Today you work eight hours and then to bed. That's an order! Clear?"
"Yes, sir." Jane nods, looking at her hands in amazement. "It's like I got a full night's sleep... like I rested for a week. Amazing..."
"Medkits are being produced by the hundreds, we'll distribute them to the troops tomorrow," I promise. "But still don't abuse them. They're for emergencies, if someone shoots your leg off or something..."
"Of course!" she beams. "Thanks, boss! Great gadget! This is... a revolution in assault unit operations!"
"Now, now... you watch yourself..." I immediately warn her. "If you have these, it doesn't mean you can go charging into danger."
"What are you saying, boss?!" Jane immediately takes offense. "When have I ever charged into danger?"
"Always," I cut her off. "Remember our first meeting?"
"Shit," Jane deflates. "True enough."
"Taylor! It is you, isn't it?" Sophia won't calm down. "It's you! You're just oozing from every cell! As if I wouldn't recognize you!"
"Oh," I sigh. "And another candidate for signing non-disclosure documents. Jane, call the PRT, tell Piggot that Sophia Hess knows about me. Have them prepare their lawyers and a stack of documents."
"So I was right! You!"
"Sophia, you're repeating yourself..."