"You think you passed the exam, girl? Think that just by killing those two - you've already become one of us? Oh, no, no-no-no..." Jack raises his finger up: "this is only the beginning, Taylor. Or whoever is controlling you now? All fourteen of your personalities must pass the exam... and no one has the right to cheat or give hints. Killing classmates - that's a task specifically for Taylor... not for another one of her personalities."
"Interesting..." Fifth responds to him, while I-Amy bite my lip. We've been figured out! I'm feverishly working on "Plan B," which includes a two-meter tungsten-titanium rod with a mounted Zero Time bomb. As well as six "Valkyries" that will lift it to a height sufficient for it to pierce the roof and floors and stick right into the room where Fifth and Jack are currently talking.
"Interesting..." Fifth continues meanwhile: "but not essential. We didn't gather here to examine me. We gathered here to establish rules, Jackie."
"Rules? I can't stand rules..." Jack bares his teeth: "there are only certain rules..."
"Which you establish yourself." Fifth interrupts him: "you're used to living and acting that way, Jack. However, you're deceiving yourself. Well, let's go point by point - what made you decide that you're the one establishing rules here? Right of might? Because you consider yourself the strongest? That's not true. You can't do anything to me... this is just a clone body. Whatever you do to it - there are hundreds of others, Jack. I won't even feel pain. I'll return here with a new body. Again. And again. And you, you - will be ridiculous. Here I am - I can kill you, Jack. But you can't kill me. But I have no desire to kill you. I have a desire - to tame you. Put a collar and leash on you. And walk you along the Boardwalk during weekends and holidays, so everyone can see what the difference is between us."
"You tame me? Even if you have fourteen psychopaths in your head, you yourself are just a schoolgirl, Taylor. Whoever advises you from within, whoever pushes your hand... you're already a psychopath and there's no way back to society for you. Join us and..."
"Of course." Fifth nods: "agreed."
"What?"
"I'm joining the Slaughterhouse. What's needed for that? Sign in blood? Sleep with Riley? However, that's not what we're talking about now, Jack. I'm the best candidate for the Slaughterhouse and you know it. But I haven't decided for myself yet that I want to join you. Yes, I'm a psychopath and I love killing people, but I can kill just fine on my own. And I do. Why do I need you? To bounce around on roads and sleep in abandoned motels? To deprive myself of comfort? Hot water, good internet, girlfriends with long legs and pleasant curves? Right now I have Tattletale, Panacea, Glory Girl and Laser Show in my bed... I'm definitely planning to screw Fenja and Menja... I've already been squeezed from both sides by the naked bodies of the Dallon sisters. Next up - Kaiser's twin nieces. Purity... why not? She looks quite decent. Miss Militia... with Alexandria I've already succeeded. And... I have many victims ahead. Why should I join you? Usually you don't ask your victims, you put them in conditions where they have no choice. In my case - you were hasty, Jack. You have no power over me. And... I have no prejudice against the Slaughterhouse. I'm ready to join it, just answer my question, Jack - why? Moreover, in this short time I've already understood that you won't honor the terms of agreements. You're not capable of negotiation. You can't negotiate with, you won't honor their conditions. And from this comes a very simple conclusion - I need to drop 'Little Boy' on this factory. The most powerful non-nuclear bomb. Level everything here and forget about you. Now if you could honor the conditions of your own agreements - that would be a step forward."
"You're a pervert, Taylor." Jack smirks.
"Oh, I thought we'd already established that. I'm a pervert and a psychopath. A sadist and mass murderer. And I've always been like this, I don't need mentors, Jackie. If it comes to that, I could teach you something new. So I'm showing you, Jack, that all your efforts are futile. You won't reach my true body, if only because it doesn't exist. My name is Legion. As long as at least one of my bodies lives, at least a dozen insects of my Swarm - I'm alive. Right now I am billions of insects and thousands of my bodies. Right now I am Brockton Bay and the surrounding area within a radius of twenty-five miles, and this territory is rapidly expanding. Soon I'll be the whole world, planet Earth. Why do I need you? If you could honor your agreements - we could cooperate and I would think about joining the Slaughterhouse. Seriously. But dealing with a partner who doesn't honor anything..." Fifth shakes her head: "what's the point in that?"
"What makes you think I don't honor agreements?" Jack says: "I only break rules established by others. My own rules and principles are unbreakable."
"Really? Just now you were daring me. Like if I'm not chicken - go ahead, kill your classmates. I killed them. On your side, you're not honoring our tacit agreement that if I prove I'm 'not chicken,' then you'll prove it to me in return. And... you jumped aside. You're trying to do with words what needs to be proven with deeds."
"The difference is that your test was easy and could be done right here. I kindly dragged your classmates here. But 'participation in Endbringer Battles' - that needs to be waited for. Possibly a couple of months. On your part, this is an obvious ploy, you're just trying to buy time. And they're clearly inadequate, these tests. What's killing a couple of schoolgirls? Nothing. Battle with an Endbringer... these are unequal conditions."
"Really? Seriously? Even if I accept your excuses... let's say. Then - maybe we change the conditions? I'll also let you fulfill your test here and now, Jack. And if you fulfill it - I'll go to your Slaughterhouse. I'll fulfill all your requirements, I'll be ready to pass the tests. And I'll pass them."
"And what will this test be?"
"Oh no. That's not how it works, Jackie. First - agree that you'll pass it. And that if you pass - then I'll join you. And if not - then you'll leave me Riley and get out of my city at escape velocity with your tail between your legs. You can take Siberian with you. And then you'll have Slaughterhouse Two. Or Slaughterhouse Couple. What do you say?"
"Agreeing to a test without knowing what it is..."
"I'm ready to agree to your tests. Besides - you're the one who dared me. And yes, your test can be done here and now and it's easy. Just as easy as killing a couple of schoolgirls."
"Fine." Jack nods: "consider we have a deal."
"Oh no. That's not how it works. I need you to say it out loud."
"You're a bore, Taylor. Fine. Give me your dare, and in case I fulfill it - you join the Slaughterhouse, first passing the tests and unconditionally obeying me during the process. Even if I order you to kill your father. Especially if I order you to kill your father or your girlfriends. How many are there? Tattletale, Glory Girl, Laser Show..."
"And in case you can't do it?"
"In case I can't do it - I'll give you Riley and leave your city empty-handed. Give me your test." Jack says and tosses his knife in the air, catches it and tosses it again.
"Good. The test is very simple. You need to kill Riley. But not just like you usually do, with a wave of your hand - but the way you know how... drawing out the pleasure. And of course - she must experience pain."
"What?!" the girl in the gothic dress jumps to her feet: "Jack! I don't want to!"
"What?!" I cry out simultaneously with her: "Fifth! I need her! This is all so that...""Good Lord, Taylor. You're like a child, honestly. He won't kill her. Calm down.""But if he doesn't kill her...""He can't give her away either. But... you'll see what happens..."
"This is an idiotic test. I'm not going to fulfill it." Jack says: "I didn't ask you to torture your classmates..."
"And I would have easily tortured them. Their screams would have been music to my ears. I think I could have even arranged for them to scream in time to Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons'..." Fifth raises her hand and conducts an invisible orchestra: "if you affect nerve nodes with needles or acid... I could have even changed the tonality of the screams. However, there's another option - give me Riley, I'll do everything myself. I'll restore her sensitivity to pain... after all, pain is the most faithful teacher, right?"
"Taylor! This is an absurd demand. If I fulfill it, I lose Riley either way!"
"Well... there are no more people here who could be killed, Jack. Except... the cape who is the Master for Siberian's projection. You can kill him too and it will count. Only one condition that applies in any case - do it painfully. A simple knife swing doesn't count. Of course, you won't do it very well, after all you're all dilettantes here, but... try." A smile spreads across Fifth's face: "you will try, won't you, Jackie?"
"What nonsense. I'm not going to obey your idiotic demands, Taylor!"
"Well then we have nothing to talk about." Fifth responds, shrugging: "after all, I was right when I said you're not capable of honoring agreements."
"Why is that?!"
"Because we already made an agreement. And if we honor this agreement - then you should now give me Riley and get out of the city." Fifth says calmly: "but you won't fulfill your own agreement, will you, Jack? Because you're a liar. You yourself said that your own rules are unbreakable for you, and look how easily you break them..."
"Taylor..." a smile suddenly returns to Jack's face: "you're not bad for a schoolgirl. Well... I'll keep my word. Yes, you gave a task and yes, I didn't handle it. I'm giving you Riley..."
"Jack!"
"Don't worry, Riley, this is temporary. After all, Taylor will join our big happy family anyway." he smirks: "don't worry. Follow Taylor and obey her. Be a good girl. Until I order you otherwise."
"But..." Riley throws a quick glance at Fifth's smug face: "but... Jack!"
"He gave her to us! And you said...""This is a trick, Taylor. Jack is too smug and considers everyone dirt under his feet. He's not going to honor the spirit of the agreement, he'll honor the letter. He'll hand over Riley and immediately take her back. He might even leave the city to show - I kept my word. And immediately return. After all, he didn't promise he wouldn't take her back. Didn't promise that Bonesaw would obey and not try to kill as many people around as possible. Didn't promise anything like that. Making a deal with Jack is like making a wish to a genie - everything will be fulfilled in the most disgusting and terrible way. Do you really think he'll so easily give us Bonesaw? Of course not...""What should we do? So... I think I understand. Thank you, Fifth, I'll handle this."
"As it should be." he says and stands up: "well... as I see, we're not welcome in Brockton Bay. And you turned out to be a tough nut, Taylor, Whore of Babylon, Scourge of Endbringers and Mistress of the city. Well... it's time for us to hit the road. I hope, in fulfillment of your agreements - we'll be allowed to leave the city unimpeded?"
"Neither I nor my people will hinder you in this. I didn't hire myself to guard you on the way out of the city." Fifth responds: "get out of here as fast as you can and as far as you can manage. If you stay in the city... it will sadden and upset me. Believe me, Jackie, you don't want to upset me."
"Threats. Funny." Jack brushes a non-existent speck of dust from his shoulder: "let's clarify, Taylor. For me not to break my word, it's enough for me to give you Riley and leave the city, right? But after that - I'll be free to do whatever I want?"
"Hold on." Fifth raises a finger: "Riley, come here. Now you'll leave the room and go with the aunt who's like me. She's standing right behind the door. Jack, until she leaves the Plant with one of us - you haven't given her to me."
"I see. Fine." Jack watches as Riley obediently goes out the door, throwing him a questioning look at the last moment, he nods approvingly at her. As soon as she closes the door to the room behind her - I-Taylor grabs her hand and teleports with her to an armored chamber on the lower floors of the base. Immediately I-Taylor who did this falls to the chamber floor, paralyzed by some special poison, with a cut throat and broken spine. Riley-Bonesaw is capable of standing up for herself, that's for sure. She's like an activated mine, like a porcupine with poisoned needles, hugging such a one to your chest is not the wisest decision. But I'll think about what to do with her later. Therefore, a Zero Time bomb immediately activates in the chamber and everything inside freezes in stasis. How glad I am that I didn't kill Tomoko back then... she's a damn genius. Leaving Bonesaw on my base conscious and with all the arsenal she's implanted inside herself would be stupid. How long would it take her to get out and arrange a mini-Apocalypse on my base? I bet twenty minutes. Maximum - an hour.
Meanwhile, in the room where Fifth and Jack still remain, my body, obedient to Fifth's will, tilts its head to the side.
"Show you where the exit is, Jackie?" the soft voice of the Senior Comrade and Friend sounds in the room.
Interlude of a dismissed girl named Jane Rodriguez
"Hello, Miss Rodriguez." Tattletale's voice sounds in the earpiece and Jane smiles. Barely, with the corner of her lips. After all, Tattletale is civilian to the bone, so conversations with her over radio are exactly that - conversations. Not short messages in military slang with maximum information and minimum water. Though... she's also not on duty now. Officially she's dismissed.
"And hello to you, Miss Wilbourn." Jane responds. She lies in the dust on a building roof, looking through the scope of the "Durandal" sniper rifle. In the chamber - a special ammunition. A bullet that when hitting the head opens like a tulip flower. One of those where the entry hole is only seven sixty-two, but you can stick a clenched fist through the exit hole.
"You're dismissed, Miss Rodriguez. How are things in retirement? Don't you miss work?" Tattletale's mocking voice rang in her ear like an annoying mosquito.
"Not at all." she responds: "I was paid a bonus for impeccable service. Besides... at work I was constantly commanded by some incompetent civilians."
"I see." Tattletale's voice changed, as if she was pleasantly surprised by something: "Miss Rodriguez, I'd like to tell you one thing. If you happen to be near the Plant... and completely accidentally take your favorite rifle in your hands... then under no circumstances shoot at one person known to you as Jack Slash. Our Boss gave him her word that neither she nor her people would hinder him in leaving the city. Neither him nor Siberian's host cape..."
"Former Boss." Jane clarifies: "I no longer work with the Administration, Miss Wilbourn. Honestly, I'm glad I can tell you everything I think about you."
"Do you have stones left in your bosom, Rodriguez? I thought everything went... mutually beneficial..."
"Well... I never particularly favored management. I don't like you, Miss Wilbourn. You're always being smart and acting like you know everything and everyone else is just a bunch of fools. I think now that I'm a free bird, I can say this."
"Well... that was unpleasant, but what can I do. You no longer belong to the city's self-defense units, you're not part of the 'Administration' group and you're not a hired employee. I'm afraid I'll have to live with it." Tattletale's voice rustles in the earpiece and Jane smiles. She notices some movement at the Plant. Lowers her head to the scope. Two people exit the doors. A tall girl in tactical armor with long black hair that fell in waves on her shoulders. Next to her - a graying middle-aged man in a leather jacket.
"Miss Wilbourn?" says Jane "Mamacita" Rodriguez, moving the safety flagto the "fire" position. The thin black lines of the variable-magnification optical scope crosshairs settle on the middle of the man's forehead and on his graying hair.
"Yes, Miss Rodriguez?"
"Remember when you said the Boss gave him her word? And you forbade me from having anything to do with Jack Slash if I saw him? And under no circumstances to shoot him in the head?"
"Yes, I remember, Miss Rodriguez."
"Go to hell." Jane pulls the trigger of her beloved sniper rifle.