"I'll probably miss him," says Fifth, leaning over the dead body. "How did you manage it, Taylor?"
"Tattletale said that no cape could kill Jack. You know, like in those prophecies - 'no man born of woman can kill you.' And then when the villain is finally killed, it turns out the hero wasn't born but extracted by cesarean section."
"Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth - until Great Birnam Wood to Dunsinane Hill shall come against him," says Fifth. "Yes, prophecies always have a flaw in their definition. I suppose 'cannot be killed by any cape' also means 'an ordinary person just needs to pull the trigger.'"
"A cape cannot carry out a plan that involves harming or causing death to Jack Slash," I say. "Lisa, for her part, used her charm and ability to irritate people. Sincerely, without saying a word of untruth, the way she knows how - she drove Mama to white-hot rage and threw her out of the Administration with a black mark. Choosing the moment when she was lying on the roof of a neighboring building with a rifle. And only after that - she directly ordered her not to shoot. She made every effort not to harm Jack. She warned about the consequences. She threatened. She pushed all her buttons. Sometimes she's just unbearable."
"Doesn't that count as 'intent to harm'?" Fifth wonders, then immediately interrupts himself. "Wait! Don't tell me. I understand. The concepts of 'harm' and 'good' are relative, right? Jack's ability can't determine relativity, it reacts to the direct desire to harm him. If what you planned causes harm, but you consider it beneficial... then how should Jack react? Jack's ability doesn't react to feelings, it reacts to physical concepts. That is - not to intention, but to actions. Because otherwise Jack could suffer from, say, fanatics who think that by killing him they'd do him a favor. No, his ability works more formally - there's an attack - it prevents it. Including an attack through command or order. A cape simply won't say the words 'attack him!'... but his ability won't react to the words 'leave him alone,' whatever the intentions..."
"Something like that," I nod. "With Jack's death, the field that prevented my insects from being on the Combine's territory also shut off. So everything's under control now, Fifth. Thank you."
"Come now, Taylor. I only did what was beneficial for myself. Besides... I was interested to look at Jack Slash, to learn personally how true all these rumors were. Alas, Jack was just a puppet for his abilities, he acted as his powers told him to. He didn't use the most important ability of any person. His mind. You see how dangerous this is, Taylor? The stronger you are, the stupider you become, remember that."
"Yes, daddy," I grumble in response. "What would I do without you."
"I'm serious. Lately you've relaxed too much, relying on your powers. Only because of this did you fall under Panacea's attack. And before that - you killed Butcher. For any other cape, both cases would mean final defeat. You survived only thanks to your strength. The same thing happened in the PRT when Armsmaster caught you. You think less and less, Taylor, and rely more and more on 'I'm strong, I'll manage somehow.' You enter battle without proper planning, headlong. If you start using your head - you'll win victories without all this... mess and chaos. So - will you keep your word?" he immediately switched to a new topic.
"Of course. As soon as I grow you your body..."
"This suits me," Fifth interrupts me. "I think I'll keep it for myself."
"Uh... you do understand that I can't allow that? This is my body, with my face and everything. If you do something..."
"Come on. I don't actually control it, right? You're the one who performs actions in response to my intentions. I'm always connected to it through an intermediary. You're always watching me, what can I do? Or will you break your own obligations?"
"Don't give me that, Fifth," I say. "Wait until tomorrow at least. We'll grow you a body..."
"That's not what we agreed on," he objects dryly. "Remember."
"Ah, damn you. One second..." Another Me-Taylor lands nearby, she touches the hand of the body I'm giving to Fifth. A second or two. Me-Taylor removes her hand.
"There," I say, stepping back and admiring the result. It's still the same Taylor, but she's changed. She became slightly shorter and most importantly - her skin. It's now like a negative. Not just black skin, but exactly a negative. Where it was light before, now it's dark. You couldn't mistake or forget such a girl.
"Are you so afraid that I'll tarnish your moral image?" asks Fifth, looking himself over from head to toe.
"I have concerns," I admit. "You're a monster worse than Jack."
"But I'm on your side," he says.
"That's what scares me."
"Well, fine," he shrugs. "What about Siberian? Do you need my help with her?"
"So you don't know..." I look at him and allow myself to smile. "Professor Manton's body was found in a white van that was parked in an underground garage. His heart couldn't withstand the brain overload from the O-bomb. Professor Manton was exactly the cape who controlled Siberian's projection. Amazing, isn't it?"
"Died from a wave of pleasure. Woody Allen always said he wanted to die buried under the bodies of young Italian actresses. Professor Manton, being Siberian's master - died from an orgasm in a parking lot in a van. Ironic," Fifth notes.
"Most likely the first O-warheads plunged him into unconsciousness, or he was conscious but couldn't move. And after some time I covered the Combine with a second wave... and that was too much for him," I say. "So you can be free, Fifth. But I'll be watching you. And God help you if you head toward Fenja and Menja!"
"Why is that? They're already of age!"
"I see right through you, Fifth. Right through. You have a twenty-four hour leave. Tomorrow - come to the base, I'll give you a new body. And for now try not to disgrace this one."
"Sometimes your distrust of people raises questions for me," Fifth sighs and spreads the dragonfly wings behind his back. He jumps up and flies away. I watch him go and inside me grows an absolutely unambiguous premonition that I'll regret this.
Me-Amy at the base, in the control room - I lean back in my chair and stretch, working out tired muscles. Nearby, face down on the table - Tattletale sleeps, she clearly exhausted all her resources and now isn't so much sleeping as lying unconscious. I think. Right now at my base, in a Zero Time bubble, Amputation is contained. And now I face truly difficult work - convincing her to cooperate with me. And resurrect Alexandria.
Meanwhile my numerous clones are clearing the Combine, checking rooms for traps and surprises. Some are lying down in containers again for diagnostics and restoration. But some can't. For example, one of the Me-Taylors is firmly held by the hand by Glory Girl.
"Taylor! What kind of tricks are these?!" she shouts at me. "I nearly went crazy!"
"Exactly!" adds heat from the other side Laser Show. "There was just a charred body left of you! Total horror!"
"This is an autonomous model of the Taylor three hundred nineteen bis series. The operator is currently unavailable. Please release my hand. You can submit all questions in writing to the Administration office or to the email address..." I try to avoid answering, but Glory Girl grabs me by the scruff and shakes me.
"How are you still alive with such a sister?" I ask Laser Show. "Does she always resort to violence immediately?"
"I'll add some from myself too!" Laser Show threatens me. "You did this on purpose, didn't you?! Deliberately sent us to stop the cars, and decided to die here yourself?! I'll kick you now, you'll see!"
"A logical contradiction in your words I hear..." I answer in Master Yoda style. "Anger leads to the Dark Side of the Force... Ow! Vicky! Why are you fighting?!"
"Taylor! Stop fooling around! You almost died here! Again! And you already died in my arms, I don't need a second time! And... why do you have two bodies?!"
"And which one is real?" asks Laser Show. "The one lying there as a charred piece of meat, or this one that Vicky is shaking by the scruff? This is totally interesting to me!"
"Okay. Let me go, Vicky, I'll tell you everything," I say, raising my hands.
"Really?" Glory Girl squints suspiciously, still holding me by the scruff. "You won't run away? You won't put on a show here called 'Daughter of Armsmaster'?"
"Yes, really, really! Let go already, come on!" I break free from her strong hands, shake myself off and say "brute" under my breath. Laser Show grins, and Glory Girl shows her a fist. I wink at Laser Show. I like her more and more. Totally like her.
"Good," I say. "We'll have to wait here anyway until my guys come from the city with trucks to clean up all this mess." I nod toward the highway, where a huge crater gapes and green glass shards are scattered everywhere, left from Crawler and Hatchet Face's trailer. Several Me-Taylors directed road traffic on a detour, but Glory Girl and Laser Show don't need to know about that.
I raise my hands above my head, spread the dragonfly wings behind my back and fly up a few centimeters to look more impressive. The girls look up at me from below.
"Behold!" I say and fall silent because Laser Show raises her hand.
"What now?" I ask. "You wanted to know, and now you're interrupting."
"Because of your wings it's hard to hear what you're saying," she complains.
"Exactly," Glory Girl nods. "Can't hear a damn thing. Stop showing off, come down and explain like a human being what's happening here."
"Totally," Laser Show supports her.
"Well... fine." I descend and tuck my wings back.
"You fly so funny," says Glory Girl. "Like Tinkerbell."
"Totally," Laser Show supports her. "Exactly the same. Only you have a bigger butt. And chest. And you're so juicy overall. If I were a guy..."
"Chris!"
"What did I say wrong?! I'm just hypothetically!"
"If the esteemed ladies are no longer interested..."
"No, Taylor, you won't get away from me that easily! Come on, answer what happened here and what it all means!" Glory Girl bristles.
"Exactly!" Laser Show puts her hands on her hips. "Fine, you can wrap my stupid cousin around your finger, but me... hey!"
"Who's stupid here?!"
"Fine, you can wrap my smart cousin around your finger..."
"The Slaughterhouse Nine no longer exists."
"Hey, stop fighting!"
"You deserved that!"
"...wait a minute..." Glory Girl slowly turns her head to me. "What did you say?"
"...yes. Did you say something, Taylor?"
"The Slaughterhouse Nine no longer exists," I repeat and admire the effect produced. I slowly approach them and gently, with my index finger, put Laser Show's dropped jaw back in place. I smile. I feel so good.
"Wait. Wait. You want to say that..." Glory Girl looks around at the big crater in the middle of the highway. "That they all died there? Just like that, so simply? You killed all of them?"
"Well... not exactly simply. Here - six of them. Crawler. Hatchet Face. Burnscar. Shatterbird. Cherish. Mannequin. And in the city, at the Cold Storage Combine - Jack Slash, Siberian and Amputation."
"Stop. Wait. Siberian?! But even Alexandria couldn't..." Glory Girl shakes her head, looks at me with disbelieving eyes. "Taylor, what kind of jokes are these?"
"But I believe," says Laser Show and flies up slightly in the air, looking at the picture of destruction and chaos in the middle of the federal highway. On the border of the charred earth around the crater, dry grass smolders.
"If Taylor says she killed everyone - I believe. So far she's been very good at it," continues Laser Show. "Now if she said 'I painted a picture' or 'I wrote poetry,' 'I grew strawberries' - that's where you might think, because Taylor never painted pictures or wrote poetry before. But that she killed everyone around - why not believe it? She always kills everyone. I'm personally glad that she resurrected my dad and my good-for-nothing brother. With her power she can now generally act on the principle 'kill them all, I'll recognize my own.'"
"You turn out to be quite the viper," I tell her and she smiles.
"Of course," she puffs out her chest proudly. "I even have a medal 'For driving Vicky crazy in five seconds.'"
"And a concussion for the same thing," Glory Girl clarifies and turns to me. "Is this true?! Taylor... well... I have no words. This... this... do you even understand what you've done?"
"Uh-huh. I understand all right," I say. Of course, Amputation is still alive, but I intend to continue hiding this fact. No one will ever forgive Amputation, so Amputation died today with all the rest. If she helps me resurrect Big A, then I'll negotiate with the PRT about it. But if not... then I'll have to fight the entire Protectorate anyway. As they say, one who has fallen in water doesn't fear the rain.
"My God! Taylor, I just realized how much I love you!" Laser Show suddenly exclaims and embraces me. "You know, I suddenly realized that I've been waiting for you my whole life. And that I've always liked somewhat gloomy tall brunettes with threatening looks and tactical armor! Totally like them!"
"What are you doing, Chris?!" Glory Girl pulls her away from me. "What's wrong with you?!"
"You were always a bit slow, Vicky," giggles the self-satisfied Laser Show. "Don't you remember what sums were assigned for the heads of Slaughterhouse Nine members? And that the Fund promised to double that sum if the entire Slaughterhouse could be eliminated? Hundreds of millions of dollars! I won't even count now, but very much. You still don't get it, Vicky! Taylor became a millionaire overnight! And I totally became a millionaire's girlfriend. Girlfriend and lover, right, Taylor?"
"I'm flattered, Chris," I smile in response. "But I think you're rushing. We all became millionaires. Because you helped me and without you I wouldn't have stopped those six. So I propose to divide the reward for them equally."
"Hey, that's not right," Glory Girl frowns. "We didn't do anything..."
"Vicky, be quiet," Laser Show interrupts her. "See, Taylor is giving a speech. Don't interrupt! Equal shares, so equal shares. I'll support any decision she makes."
"Really... we just transported equipment and you. Even if we count it as participation in the operation, it doesn't amount to more than five percent..."
"Vicky! Do you want me to die?! Be quiet already! I picked out such a beautiful yellow Ferrari!"
"Glory Girl, Laser Show. When and if we get paid the reward - we divide it equally," I say. "That's my decision."
"Listen to Taylor, Vicky. Besides, you're homeless now, you totally need money now. You'll buy yourself a house. And a car. And get a butler, a muscular one with long hair, the same kind of brat as your Dean," declares Laser Show, apparently deciding not to be ceremonious with Glory Girl's feelings.
"Chris!"
"What Chris? I'm telling the truth. Besides - Taylor, I still love you. You're my heroine. Or my villainess? Ah, doesn't matter. Anyway - strong and rich, totally any girl's dream. Or guy's. Shall we go to a hotel? Or where do you all usually meet? At Tattletale's apartment?"
"CHRIS!!!"