15.9

Worm, Chapter 15.9 Summary

Skitter faces two heroes: Triumph, identified by his build, and an unknown heroine, deduced to be either Prism or Ursa Aurora, each requiring different combat strategies. She focuses her swarm on the heroine, aiming to identify her and gain an advantage. Triumph, carrying Trickster, effectively uses his sonic shouts to clear bugs, while Skitter sets silk tripwires and prepares bug barriers at the exits.

The heroine, attacked by Skitter’s swarm, trips on a wire and falls. Skitter binds her with spider silk and sends bugs under her clothes, discovering a gun at her ankle. The mayor’s family retreats to a closet, blocking the entrance against Skitter’s bugs. Skitter, realizing the urgency due to an impending PRT response, decides to escalate her attack on Triumph, injecting more venom into her bugs, though hesitant about causing severe harm.

She withdraws her bugs, leaving Triumph to focus on his trapped family. The heroine, now identified as Prism, frees herself with her duplicates’ help, revealing her ability to duplicate without carrying over restraints or bugs. Skitter retreats to the roof as Prism’s duplicates free her. Triumph, distracted by the tripwire, is overwhelmed by a massive swarm of bugs dropped from above. Skitter attacks him relentlessly, using capsaicin-laced bugs on sensitive areas to prevent him from regaining his bearings, hoping to leverage his condition to influence the mayor.

Prism regroups with her duplicates, forcing Skitter to divide her swarm. Skitter, anticipating Prism’s strategy, gathers bugs for cover and a counterattack. Prism, after spreading out, consolidates and leaps towards Skitter. Skitter traps one of Prism’s duplicates with silk, causing her to fall. She then retrieves Trickster, binding him to Atlas.

The mayor emerges with a shotgun, but Skitter uses her swarm-clones to communicate, revealing Triumph’s critical condition. She explains that if she’s killed, her bugs will continue their attack, dooming Triumph. The mayor, desperate, pleads for his son’s life. Skitter, aware of Triumph’s worsening state, demands the mayor’s cooperation in exchange for saving Triumph. She uses an EpiPen to stabilize him after the mayor agrees to her terms.

Skitter instructs the mayor and his wife on administering CPR and provides a second EpiPen for later use. She ensures the mayor understands her demand for the city’s survival before departing, hidden by her swarm.