Sophia Hess scowled as she entered the interrogation room. They may call it a meeting room, or debriefing room, but the stainless steel table and one way glass said otherwise.
Whatever. They would bitch at her for breaking patrol protocol and she'd pretend to give a shit and the world would keep turning.
She was surprised to see Armsmaster in addition to Piggy behind the table, though.
Sophia sat down and crossed her arms as they stared at her.
"Let's get this over with, then," Sophia said.
Piggot took an overly long time organizing the papers in front of her. Bitch.
"Remind me of your probationary arrangement, Shadow Stalker."
That wasn't what Sophia expected.
"I left a couple Nazis nailed to a wall, so I follow your rules if I want to stay out of juvie." Sophia ground out through clenched teeth.
"Hmmmm. Yes, I suppose that's not a terrible summary. And do you think you've made any personal improvements during your time with the Wards? Learned anything from your heroic role models?"
Shadow Stalker wasn't sure she liked where this was going.
"I won't pretend to get along with everyone, but sure. I've done my part," she said.
"In that case, perhaps you can explain why you have engaged in several long-term campaigns to terrorize unpowered teenagers in your civilian identity, up to and including the attempted murder of your classmate?" Piggot asked, as if she was asking for her opinion on the weather.
Sophia's blood ran cold.
"Look, I don't know who you've been talking to, but-"
Armsmaster slammed an armored hand down on the table.
"We already pulled your phone records, civilian and PRT issued. We located and acquired the tracking information for the multiple proxy accounts you used to send death threats to your classmates," he said in a dangerous tone.
"Why?" Sophia shouted, barely managing to resist jumping into shadow form. She knew that they would have trapped the room before tricking her in here. "What gave you the right-"
"We were originally just looking for any connection between you and the Queen Administrator, but we found some very concerning messages on your PRT issued phone that led us down the proverbial rabbit hole. As a probationary Ward, no additional warrants or approval was required," Armsmaster said.
"I'll have the Youth Guard-" Sophia started.
"You will shut your mouth and thank whatever gods are left that we aren't reassigning you to Madison and throwing away the key." Piggot drove over her.
For once, self preservation won and Sophia ground her teeth together in frustration.
"You are confined to PRT headquarters for the foreseeable future," Piggot continued. "You will be fitted with a tinkertech shock anklet and tracker. You will spend as long as I deem necessary thinking about the expectations and values of being a hero, and maybe, maybe, you will be allowed to join the Protectorate instead of being thrown in prison when you turn eighteen."
"That's-"
"That is more than generous. You locked a fifteen year old girl in a locker full of rotting garbage and left her there to die," Piggot hissed.
"It was just a prank."
Piggot took a deep breath through her nose and Sophia heard a creak in his armor as Armsmaster clenched his fist. He reached out and dropped a semi-translucent anklet on the table between them.
"Put it on. Then get out of my sight," he growled.
So she did.
…
Thomas Calvert, otherwise known as the supervillain Coil in another timeline, could barely believe what he was reading.
Queen Administrator had captured Hookwolf and his little posse, revealing some kind of unknown Brute/Changer form.
Shadow Stalker was confined to base after the discovery of a frankly delicious scandal that he could set off under Piggot's nose at his convenience.
And it wasn't even his birthday.
…
In a room with no doors, a woman who never stopped moving paused momentarily.
Several paths just adjusted themselves of their own accord.
All of the paths involving the Terminus project had simply… disappeared.
All of her other paths had restructured themselves as if Brockton Bay had stopped existing.
Interesting.
"Door."
A door opened and she stepped through.