Chapter 3: Discussions, Arrangements, and Broken Time.
In the center of the bay stood the PRT ENE HQ. This building is where the Wards, future heroes are trained to use their powers and make the most it powers. It's also where the brave men and women put their lives in danger to protect the city from super-powered men and women who could kill them without much effort. Yet they fight. To keep their home safe, to keep the innocent people of this city, the few that are in the city.
Only if they weren't so damn incompetent, I might respect the PRT. But here I am sitting in a conference room with the triumvirate, my entire family, and director Piggy.
Thankfully my dear sweet cousins passed by my house and brought me some clothes, sadly it was only pants. They said it was because they were in a rush, but something told me they were upset I didn't tell them I had powers.
So I took a seat in the middle of the table, Director Piggot took a seat at the head of the table, trying, and failing to look important, Alexandria , and Legend stood in front of me, my parents sat on either side of me, and the rest of my family stood behind me.
"Mr. Pelham, I believe you know why you're here?" She looked at me with those calculating grey eyes of hers.
"… Are you serious? You could have broken the ice in a hundred different ways, and you choose to ask if I knew why I'm here? That's sad Piggy, now ask your questions, I've had a very long and embarrassing day, and it's not even the afternoon yet." I looked Piggot in the eyes I felt my parents gripping my shoulders. I looked to see them give me the Don't say anything stupid look.
"What my son means to say Director Piggot is that we had a trying day and we would like to finish this quickly so we can head home and discuss family matters." My father spoke to Piggy in a calm, no-nonsense tone with their grip tightening on my shoulders when dad brought up a family meeting.
A shiver traveled down my spine, my stomach was in knots, And I felt goosebumps along my body.
"Apologies sir, we won't waste much of your time, we mostly wanted to ask your son a few questions," Legend spoke to my father in a serious, but a compassionate voice.
"Those being. If he would be willing to join the Wards, and." "I'm sorry, but no I will not join the Wards program or the PRT." I cut Legend off just like hoe my parents were now cutting off circulation to my arms, and the shut up look intensified.
"I don't mean any disrespect, but I have no interest in the cape game."
"What do you mean by game?" Alexandria spoke, her tone and posture screaming confidence.
"Exactly what I meant Alexandria , I don't know how the PRT is like in your city, but here? It's a joke, a game.
New Wave, the PRT, or the Protectorate go around catching villains, causing thousands of dollars in damage, and innocent people who have nothing to do with this game of ego are being injured or killed. Hell, you guys let the merchants go. A gang of strung out, barely conscious, or functioning drug dealers. Or are you telling me you guys have trouble taking a gang with three, only three parahumans that aren't that powerful, or effective?"
Piggot slams her hands on the table and glares at my family with a snarl on her face and flushed cheeks.
Whether from anger, embarrassment, I couldn't tell but I was more focused on holding myself back from laughing at her expression, she does look like a pig.
"You little brat. You have no idea what I deal with daily, I only have so many Protectorate members, and I can't send any Wards out after any capes, and let's talk about New Wave."
Oh, this bitch "What has your family done, because none of the gangs have been taken in by them nor have, they managed to arrest any of the gangs in the bay you little hypocrite."
Piggot's voice rose several octaves, and her bun came undone. "So, tell me, how am I supposed to back this city when we're so heavily outnumbered!?"
Director Piggot was all but squealing at me, her face drenched with sweat and her entire face was now flushed, spit spraying the polished wooden table.
I felt anger begin to fester in my gut at her stupid attempt to blame my family for the condition of this city.
"You. Vile. Bitch. My family doesn't have a fraction of the resources you have, nor do they have any of your connections, but they still go out day after day, they have done more for this city then you've ever done for it."
I hissed at her as I felt my power quiver, wanting to come out, to destroy, annihilate. To erase al-. No! I crammed my power and held it back with everything I had.
Taking in several deep breaths, letting it soothe me before I did something stupid.
"My family doesn't go after the druggies, or the other unpowered criminals because they don't have the benefit of non-lethal containment foam, or a small army of trained personal, and thinkers."
Turning to the triumvirate, I take several deep breaths. "No, I will never join the Protectorate, I won't"
I raised my hand to stop Legend from talking.
"But that doesn't mean I won't be willing to help you during the endbringer fights, just send me a teleporter when Leviathan or Behemoth show up again, and if you can evacuate the city when I arrive I'm sure I can handle them alone, no one will have to die fighting those monsters, but In exchange, I want to be paid, three million for every endbringer I manage to kill."
I state, leaving no room to argue. "Eric! You will never, ever, go and fight those monsters/You're insane/Ok."
My parents and Piggot looked at Alexandria in disbelief. " Alexandria you have no authority to make such a decision on your own, and I refuse to consider this pompous brat proposal."
Piggy squealed unknowingly at her boss. You could almost see her lips twitch upward at the woman's declaration.
"Something tells me the other directors would disagree with your director."
Alexandria turned to my parents. "I understand not wanting your son anywhere near the endbringers it makes you better parents than most of our ward's parents," she frowned "some of who are probably happy because of the bonuses they get for having their children participating in a fight, I worry that some of them look forward to the attacks just so the can make a quick buck off their children going out to die."
For an instant, Alexandria 's cold expression shifted to anger only for her cold expression to shift back.
Looking at my parents I could see the horror, and disgust on there faces at the thought as they scooted closer to me, and a pair of arms wrapped around my neck. It was Crystal.
"… Nobody will die to those animals again." I swore "The next time Leviathan or Behemoth attack I will erase them from the world. I will find a way to get past the Simurgh's clairvoyance and it will die too. They will be but a memory." I swore to everyone in the room, but it was aimed at my family, I will end the endbringers.
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TIMELINE A
As we walked out the meeting room, we all walked in silence, Vicky had a smile on her face while she typed away at her phone probably texting Dean about getting a picture with Alexandria , Amy looked relieved that this long day.
Carol and Mark just wanted to hold their kids and never let go.
My parents haven't let me out of arm's length, while Crystal was still hugging me, her head on my shoulder.
As we left the passed the automatic doors the sun shined over the city. No one died, My family was safe.
The city wasn't in ruins. I can do this, I can save the worlds, kill Zion.
I couldn't stop the tears from escaping. Hope began filling me, my family would be happy, healthy, we will all get to live long happy lives.
No one will threaten my family and live.
"Let's go home, I'll explain everything about my powers," I spoke, my voice cracking with emotion.
My sister tightened her arms around me and kissed my shoulder.
"Let's just ge-."
*BAM*
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TIMELINE B
As we walked out the meeting room, we all walked in silence, Vicky had a smile on her face while she typed away at her phone probably texting Dean about getting a picture with Alexandria , Amy looked relieved that this long day.
Carol and Mark just wanted to hold their kids and never let go.
My parents haven't let me out of arm's length, while Crystal was still hugging me, her head on my shoulder.
As we left the passed the automatic doors the sun shined over the city. No one died, My family was safe.
The city wasn't in ruins. I can do this, I can save the worlds, kill Zion.
I couldn't stop the tears from escaping. Hope began filling me, my family would be happy, healthy, we will all get to live long happy lives.
No one will threaten my family and live.
"Let's go home, I'll explain everything about my powers," I spoke, my voice cracking with emotion.
My sister tightened her arms around me and kissed my shoulder.
"Let's just ge-."
*BOOM*
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TIMELINE C
As we walked out the meeting room, we all walked in silence, Vicky had a smile on her face while she typed away at her phone probably texting Dean about getting a picture with Alexandria , Amy looked relieved that this long day.
Carol and Mark just wanted to hold their kids and never let go.
My parents haven't let me out of arm's length, while Crystal was still hugging me, her head on my shoulder.
As we left the passed the automatic doors the sun shined over the city. No one died, My family was safe.
The city wasn't in ruins. I can do this, I can save the worlds, kill Zion.
I couldn't stop the tears from escaping. Hope began filling me, my family would be happy, healthy, we will all get to live long happy lives.
No one will threaten my family and live.
"Let's go home, I'll explain everything about my powers," I spoke, my voice cracking with emotion.
My sister tightened her arms around me and kissed my shoulder.
"Let's just ge-."
*TIC-TOC*
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TIMELINE D
As we walked out the meeting room, we all walked in silence, Vicky had a smile on her face while she typed away at her phone probably texting Dean about getting a picture with Alexandria , Amy looked relieved that this long day.
Carol and Mark just wanted to hold their kids and never let go.
My parents haven't let me out of arm's length, while Crystal was still hugging me, her head on my shoulder.
As we left the passed the automatic doors the sun shined over the city. No one died, My family was safe.
The city wasn't in ruins. I can do this, I can save the worlds, kill Zion.
I couldn't stop the tears from escaping. Hope began filling me, my family would be happy, healthy, we will all get to live long happy lives.
No one will threaten my family and live.
"Let's go home, I'll explain everything about my powers," I spoke, my voice cracking with emotion.
My sister tightened her arms around me and kissed my shoulder.
"Let's just get home we can talk about it tomorrow." Crystal whispered into my ear, and both my parents nodding at the idea.
"We'll talk about it tomorrow; we all had a long day/ Let's deal with it tomorrow. My parents spoke as they wrapped us in a group hug that soon had the whole family joining in.
"I love you guys"
"We love you too Eric."
A/N: Wow writing for Piggot was by far the hardest thing to do when trying to stick to her personality, but without bashing.
Chapter 4 comes out tomorrow.
