I wake up without even opening my eyes yet, and immediately connect to my Swarm's senses, receiving hundreds of thousands, millions of images, sounds, tastes and smells. My personal ThinkTank in my house's basement is working - the old one I'm attached to for sentimental reasons, and the new ThinkTank cluster is working too - based at Coil's, in an armored room with the best and most protected fiber optic connection directly from New York, with one hundred and thirteen access screens specially adapted for controlling insects - with greater touchpad sensitivity and smaller surface area. And I also immediately receive information about what's happening within my insects' perception range. About how Edward's body is ready and he himself, controlling a cockroach, is writing a letter to his daughter, suggesting they meet in the park. He's not revealing his identity, of course, though I offered to talk to his daughter for him. No, he's afraid she'll reject him, wants to meet in person. Hope the girl doesn't faint. I also know that the other Butchers spent the night as usual - in cockroaches, watching movies, downloading books and arguing with each other on forums. My father is sitting in the kitchen right now reading the newspaper, across from him sits Kurt with the even pages of "Brockton Bay Daily Mail," because dad managed to grab the odd pages and is now studying an article titled "Administrator - New Criminal Boss or Prophet of Order?" written and edited personally by Tattletale, and paid for by her too. Lacey, Kurt's wife, is making breakfast and swatting at my fly with a towel.
Coil sits in his office holding a telephone receiver to his ear. Not the usual mobile phone, but specifically a telephone receiver - with a cord, like in old movies. He's talking to someone on the phone. I figured out quite a while ago that he and some Cauldron work together, and he didn't hide it. He just said it wasn't time yet, and I didn't insist. Because Coil is currently my most protected asset. Because no one has as many foreign objects implanted that give me direct control as he does. Oh yes, and his skull has a built-in ejection-catapult mechanism, as well as a transportation system to a safe place. When Tattletale first saw this - even she freaked out and said she would never allow such a thing to be done to herself. Though in my opinion she's exaggerating. No one denies the necessity of saving the brain in a critical situation? No. So what, you've ejected the skull with the brains, and then what? Will it just lie around underfoot? What's the point in that? You need a transportation system. Yes, it would be better if wings grew there or some anti-gravity thing, but what I can't do - I can't do. But spider legs... seriously, fast and cheap, boom and the skull with valuable brains - whoosh and ran away, slipped into some hole, good luck finding it. And nothing scary about it, well yes, it looks a bit like a big spider, so what? Speaking of Tattletale... there's her beacon, right next to me...
I open my eyes and see Lisa's face right in front of me. She's lost in restless sleep, vertical wrinkles gathered on her nose bridge, she's muttering something and moaning softly.
"There, there," I say and put my hand on her cheek, stroking and calming her: "there, there. Everything's fine, I'm with you."
"Taylor?" comes a voice: "are you awake? Who are you talking to?"
"What? This is..." - at this moment me-Amy also opens her eyes and sees Victoria in front of her. I have to admit, Victoria looks charming in the morning, though slightly rumpled, with a pillow imprint on her cheek, hair disheveled and sticking out in all directions like a stack of light straw.
In an instant I realize the delicacy of the situation and freeze in place. So, what do we have in assets? What's the bottom line? What cards are in hand? And in my hand I have the following cards - on the wide, unfolded and partially broken couch lies me-Amy - against the wall. Me-Amy has thrown her leg over Victoria, Victoria has me-Taylor pressed against her back from the other side, and sleeping in my embrace is Lisa-Tattletale. And... of all of us, only Lisa is wearing a t-shirt and panties. My mouth goes dry. What's going to happen now?!
"Well, that's it." comes a voice in my head: "no, of course, last night was quite fascinating and educational, especially the 'Dallon sandwich,' but everything comes to an end. You know what? Now Glory will swing, and you deliberately put your head out for her, maybe she'll crack it. And we'll move into her body. With your abilities you'll have three bodies. Though then all this fun fooling around will turn into masturbation..."
"Number One, shut up!" I hiss at him, feverishly going through options. What to say? Make a joke! Yes! Joke, subtly and elegantly, so Victoria will find it funny and forgive me. And Lisa too! Though I'm not worried about Lisa, she somehow ended up in bed with us herself, so she wasn't that angry. If she were mad - she would have woken me up and made a scene, and if anyone can do it, Tattletale can pull all your nerves out and wrap them around her fist if she wants to. If she wanted - she would have destroyed everyone here with words, especially with such an opportunity. And even I couldn't have prevented it, because a word said at the right time - it can both kill and heal. But no, she just lay down next to me and pressed against me... atypical behavior for her. Did something happen?
"Who's that with you? Ah... of course..." Victoria stretches and yawns. The sheet falls from her shoulder. I again lose control over Amy, who's covered in feverish red spots. She seems to absorb her sister's beauty, staring at her with wide eyes.
"Why are you yelling in the morning..." Lisa grumbles, tossing and pressing against me: "let me sleep. I have moral trauma."
"If you wandered less into other people's beds - you wouldn't have moral trauma. Or maybe I should add some physical trauma too?" Victoria squints, propping herself on her elbow and looking at Tattletale, who stretches and opens one eye.
"Are you even capable, after such a wild night, and with your own sister too?" Tattletale smirks: "and, by the way, this is my apartment. And my couch, which you broke. And my Taylor, whom you used all night."
"Stop!" I raise my voice: "cut it out! Lisa - I love you, but right now you're really asking for it. Vicky, sorry about her. She's having a nervous breakdown."
"I told you - I have trauma." Lisa complains: "calm down, Glory, I'm not interested in you right now. Your sexual dramas don't interest me, I never would have come here if not for... her. Grrr!" - she pulls the sheet over her head: "Taylor! Tell me everything will be okay, please."
"I don't understand anything." Victoria rises into the air, as she is - completely naked, and Amy follows her with an admiring gaze. Right now her body is controlled by herself, and I push into her consciousness.
"Amy?" I send her an image-word: "can you hear me?" - in response, mixed feelings of gratitude and guilt, fear and more fear. I calm her. Finally I have contact with Amy. However, I feel that if I wanted - I could crush her and drive her into any cockroach or woodlouse. I'm in charge here. But... I'm not planning to yet. I send her a feeling of approval and gently push her forward, pointing to Victoria, who flew over us and Tattletale and is now collecting her things from the floor, like Tinkerbell - not touching the floor with her feet. At the Dallon house she was forbidden to fly indoors, so she's letting loose.
Amy resists and disappears inside again, into the darkness. I sigh.
"Vicky!" I say: "if you don't mind living at my base for a while, temporarily - then I invite you. Or I can rent a hotel room. Or an apartment... yesterday there just wasn't time."
"Whatever." she says: "base it is then. I just have a headache from Chatterbox."
"Your head hurts because you overdid it with alcohol yesterday." Tattletale says without opening her eyes: "and I'm not Chatterbox."
"Now then." I cover Lisa's mouth with my finger. I know her, she doesn't even want to, but she'll definitely say nasty things. That's just how she is... always picking fights... what if she lacks attention? And...
"You know what?" I say and Victoria turns around, pulling on her t-shirt.
"What?"
"I don't know if I told you or not, but Sophia Hess and I had constant conflicts at school. Couldn't stand her." I say: "and then it turned out she was... kind of interested in me. Well and..."
"Wait? You and Shadow Stalker?!"
"You see, every person has a conformist and nonconformist living inside them..."
"Of course." Victoria throws up her hands: "and I'm such a fool for falling for it. You really do drag everyone into bed, don't you?"
"You don't understand Taylor at all." Lisa opens one eye and finds Victoria with her gaze: "fine, I usually don't interfere, but wake up already. Don't you see how she feels about you? She practically worships you... there's a damn poster on the wall in her bedroom. And if only you deserved it... honestly, Glory, what's so special about you? You're just a girl for an advertising poster and that's it. Your world is black and white, not even shades. You pushed away your own sister all the time, Tay-Tay too. Yesterday you finally gathered the courage to admit your feelings, and today you'll blame alcohol, me and of course Taylor. Today you're ashamed. And why does Taylor love you? Childhood trauma probably... anyway, you know, when things were bad for her at school - she always dreamed that you would fly in and save her. And that you would be friends." Tattletale rises on her elbow and looks directly at Glory. Under her intense gaze, Victoria steps back.
"But you never flew in." Lisa smirks crookedly: "good old Lisa had to comfort her. And as soon as Tay Tay became Administrator, fifth in the country's cape rankings - suddenly so many people appeared around her... and you too."
"Lisa!"
"No, wait Taylor, don't shut me up. I'll speak my mind, since there's such a convenient opportunity." Lisa sits on the couch and fixes her hair: "Glory, Glorious Girl - do you even know what's happening?! No? Of course not, how could you... the world is going to hell... yesterday I talked to Prophet Twelve, a little girl with an amazing gift, so her forecast is - five years, Glory. Exactly five years and this world won't exist. Humanity will disappear as a species. Completely. Billions will die, and those few who survive - will never be able to revive the species and create civilization. Do you know that hundreds of worlds exist in parallel universes and that all of them are doomed just like ours? You're all playing cops and robbers here... catching criminals in your tight outfits... that's how you'll all die."
"What? Tattletale..."
"You don't understand what this all means, do you?" Lisa shakes her head: "you won't have children, Glory. Neither will Amy. Your mother won't have grandchildren. Vista will never go on a first date, she won't have a first kiss or graduation, none of the Wards will ever truly become adults, the heavens and oceans will turn red, and the earth will become uninhabitable, the air will become poison and acid... do you think after that I'll care about your hookups?! Taylor is one of the few who can do something about this, delay the end of the world and humanity's death, or even prevent it entirely... and she works day and night. And you..."
"What nonsense... humanity's death. That's just crazy..."
"You live in your little world, Glory. Look at the world - governments can't ensure security in their own countries' territories, more and more enclaves are emerging that live and are governed by their own laws. Nilbog, Machine Army, Heartbreaker... in Africa there are entire regions where no government agencies operate, China is practically governed by Yangban, in Russia there's constant infighting between State Security and the Army. And finally - Endbringers. Thanks to Taylor this city still stands in its place, Good Day, yes. But every three to four months Endbringers strike and you know what? Usually they destroy cities. Even if we just consider the Endbringer factor - the end of civilization as we know it will come in twenty years. Simply because all infrastructure and industry will be destroyed, Glory. Your t-shirt, your sneakers, your phone - none of this grew on trees, this requires industry. Mines, factories, warehouses, transportation... all of this will be destroyed. If we don't find a way to destroy Endbringers or neutralize their threat - all of this will end. By the way, you love eating fried chicken, don't you Glory? With the destruction of poultry farms and large agricultural enterprises, you'll have to forget about that. Oh, what am I talking about - you'll have to forget much earlier, as soon as all ports and transportation routes for mineral fertilizers and bird feed are destroyed. Just sit down and calculate, Glory. And if you don't believe me - read the article in 'Times' from last year, where the forecast was made by the world's best scientists. If nothing changes, sooner or later Endbringers will come to New York, Boston, Chicago... to all major cities. They'll destroy logistics, industry and communication hubs. Civilization will collapse much earlier than in twenty years, twenty years is an optimistic forecast, my dear. And during this time you're running around with your teenage rebellion and first sexual experience! Nobody gives a damn, you fool!"
"Lisa!"
"What Lisa?! Are you saying I'm wrong, Taylor?!" - she turns to me, her nostrils flaring, face reddened. I'm seeing her in this state for the first time, usually she's sarcastic but still calm, maintains composure.
"Lisa, calm down. You're right, it's all true. But we're working to prevent all this and..."
"We - are working." she nods, agreeing: "that's true. Little, barely, but we're working. We're late, not keeping up and most likely - we'll lose anyway, but still we're working."
"Tattletale." the pale Victoria straightens: "if this is all because I spent the night in your apartment, then don't worry. I'll fly away immediately, and I'll pay for the... couch later. As soon as I can."
"It's not about the couch!" Lisa jumps to her feet: "and not about the apartment! And not even about what you and Taylor-Amy were doing here! Understand, I..." - she suddenly sits down, and I see she's shaking.
"I..." she says and shakes her head: "it's too much, understand? For me... it's too much! You! You're with us now, understand? Major League, Glory, this is... too much. Five years, Dinah said. And this time might even be shortened. And..."
"Why are you sitting there, fool? Hug her already." comes a voice in my head: "can't you see she's just scared, I don't know of what exactly, but scared to such a degree that she was afraid to sleep alone. And now she's just lashing out at everyone around, just to avoid admitting it."
"There, there..." I say and hug Lisa's shoulders: "I'm here, Lisa. Everything will be okay."
"Nothing will be okay!" she presses into my shoulder: "nothing! Everything will only get worse! Only worse! Everyone will die, everything will fall apart in your hands, and you won't abandon anyone, that's just how you are, you'll try to hold this world together with your own sinews, Taylor... you'll break yourself, it's five years of hellish torment and for what? The world will die anyway, let's run away? Take Vicky and Amy, even that fool Sophia, but let's run away? Bitch, how I hate fate... and you! I hate you, Taylor!"
"Shhh..." I stroke her hair: "it happens. But I love you." - she freezes in my embrace. Victoria looks at us with an unreadable expression. She hesitates, holding her white sneakers. Sits on the armrest of the chair, looking at us.
"I have no strength," Lisa says in a strained voice: "all this will crush me soon. I worry about you, you're now like a beacon in the night for everyone who wants to make a name for themselves..."
"...okay, okay..." I say: "I won't let myself be killed. Right now I'm hard to kill. And whoever kills me - will get a head full of crazy Butchers."
"I never would have thought." Victoria says, looking at us: "turns out you're human too, Chatterbox."
"Fuck off, Glorious Hole."
"Oh no." Victoria shakes her head: "now I know you're a tsundere."