14.11

Worm, Arc 14.11 Summary

Skitter continues her search for Jack and Bonesaw, hampered by the bug-killing smoke trails left by mechanical spiders. She faces a difficult choice: head downtown to help her teammates or pursue a hunch that the Nine are targeting Cherish, a former member. Her gut tells her Cherish is the target, but the potential consequences for her friends weigh heavily on her.

Choosing to prioritize her team, Skitter heads downtown, hoping to find Tattletale first. She assesses the miasma’s spread, noting that the Docks, unusually, seem less affected this time. Her priorities are finding Tattletale, locating Siberian, and distributing the cure.

She finds Tattletale confronting Bitch and her mutated dogs. After a tense standoff, Skitter reveals she has a cure for the miasma, which is transmitted through bodily fluids. In a risky move, she kisses Bitch to transmit the cure, a modified parasite that overrides Bonesaw’s work. The cure works, and the water around them begins to revert to its normal state, indicating the cure’s spreading effect.

Skitter reveals that Jack and Bonesaw tricked her and Coil, discovering the locations of both Cherish and Amy. Jack left before achieving more than psychological manipulation, but he learned about Dinah’s prophecy. Tattletale suggests they may have encountered Siberian downtown, possibly with a new ally, Hookwolf.

Skitter and Tattletale learn that Siberian and Hookwolf are likely heading north, towards Cherish’s location, which is also north. They realize that any further encounters with the Nine will be extremely dangerous, especially with the addition of Hookwolf. Bitch agrees to help cure the others by dosing them with the modified parasites, while Skitter and Tattletale decide to pursue the Nine.

Riding Bentley, Tattletale accompanies Skitter, who flies on Atlas. They head towards the Boat Graveyard, where Cherish is hidden. Tattletale explains that Cherish knows their location but isn’t attacking. Skitter uses her bugs to scout, finding seven people in a ship’s hold, including a child she assumes is Bonesaw.

They debate their next move, wary of a trap. Tattletale suggests waiting and striking at an opportune moment, but Skitter is concerned about Atlas’s fatigue and the time limit on Bentley’s size. They consider that Cherish might be manipulating the situation, or the Nine could be baiting them.

Skitter, driven by a gut feeling and a desire to end the conflict, decides to approach the ship despite the risks. She asks Tattletale to leave and potentially arrange a firebomb attack if she doesn’t report back. Skitter cautiously enters the ship, finding decoys instead of the Nine. They’re paralyzed and forced into compulsive movements, mimicking the Nine’s appearances.

Skitter calls Coil for medical assistance, realizing this was another of Jack’s manipulations. She finds a note from Jack, revealing that the Nine are leaving Brockton Bay as per his agreement with Panacea. Cherish has been left in the bay, her powers amplified to experience the city’s negative emotions indefinitely.

Jack’s note indicates a departure marked by psychological torment rather than a grand spectacle, fitting his manipulative nature. The chapter ends with Skitter grappling with the implications of Jack’s actions and the Nine’s departure.