16.13

Worm, Chapter 16.13 Summary

Grue helped Skitter sit on the remains of the swarm box, her teammates, Imp and Bitch, unconvinced of her innocence after the doppelganger’s attack. Grue questioned Skitter, who explained that Calvert had likely tried to kill her, teleporting her into a burning house, shooting her, and surrounding her with soldiers. She’d barely escaped, saved by her bulletproof costume and Calvert’s lack of knowledge about her tactics.

Bitch, still angry, was given leeway to attack Skitter if she felt betrayed, but she was more frustrated by the “cloak and dagger” situation. Skitter proposed a rescue plan for Tattletale, Regent, and Dinah, who were likely hostages. An indirect attack on Calvert’s hideout was deemed unfeasible due to his anticipated countermeasures.

Skitter suggested a ruse: Grue would call Calvert, pretending Skitter had betrayed them and was killed in the ensuing fight. Calvert, not knowing the truth, would be caught off guard. They staged Skitter’s “death,” using a mannequin, raccoon entrails, and her damaged costume to create a convincing fake corpse.

Grue called Calvert, feigning anger over Skitter’s “betrayal.” Calvert, skeptical, asked for proof. They sent a picture of the fake body. Grue lied about seeing Skitter use Calvert’s teleportation tech, adding an element of confusion. Calvert, unable to reach Skitter by phone, was further thrown off balance.

Calvert hung up, a power play to regain control. Grue called back, maintaining the aggressive stance. Calvert claimed Regent had been taken into custody on suspicion of hacking, using Victor as a proxy. He offered to meet and sort things out, but Grue demanded a neutral location – the north end of the market.

Skitter chose the market for its open space, making it difficult for Calvert to set an ambush. She hid in the tall grass with a swarm of insects as Calvert arrived with a small squad. He revealed he knew about the ruse, having access to PRT resources and a cadre of supervillains and heroes. Soldiers teleported in, surrounding the Undersiders.

Calvert gloated, revealing his disappointment in the Undersiders’ betrayal, which had set his plans back. Skitter, at gunpoint, claimed to have a dead man’s switch – emails that would expose Calvert’s true nature if she didn’t send a message every twenty minutes. She negotiated for Dinah’s freedom, her father’s safety, care for Rachel’s dogs, efforts against Jack Slash, and Tattletale’s life.

Calvert agreed to her terms, except for releasing Tattletale immediately. He brought out a bound and gagged Tattletale, claiming it was a necessary precaution. Skitter demanded confirmation, suggesting a code phrase. Calvert refused, but Skitter insisted, knowing he was using his power to explore different outcomes.

Skitter revealed their code, “rose-L” for Tattletale to reply with “stringbean-A.” Calvert, aware of Skitter’s knowledge of his power, conceded. Another Tattletale appeared, confirming the code. Skitter named the contact for the dead man’s switch, “Charlotte,” a civilian staying near her father’s house.

Calvert ordered his men to fire. However, the soldiers, influenced by Tattletale’s prior offer of double pay, turned on each other. Tattletale revealed she had been skimming money from their heists, exploiting her power to know what she could get away with. She’d used this money to bribe Calvert’s mercenaries, knowing they followed the money.

The Travelers, led by Trickster, declared a stalemate, needing Calvert’s help. Tattletale exposed Calvert’s lies about helping Noelle, revealing his true motive: to control her as a weapon. Ballistic, tired of running, defected to the Undersiders. Sundancer and Genesis refused to join, loyal to Trickster.

Calvert, desperate, offered the Travelers everything in exchange for his escape. Tattletale countered, claiming she now controlled his assets. Trickster collapsed, followed by Sundancer and Genesis, poisoned by Imp. Tattletale explained that Skitter had suggested targeting Calvert when he was close to achieving his goals, knowing he’d be most vulnerable.

Tattletale detailed how she’d manipulated Calvert, using his own tactics against him, seeding doubts, and exploiting his focus on the big picture. She’d placed fire alarms with low batteries in Noelle’s vault, disrupting her sleep and, by extension, Calvert’s. His critical mistake was using his power during their conversation, leaving him no escape.

Skitter, confronting Calvert, shot him, acknowledging the indirect deaths she’d caused, rationalizing them as leading to this moment. Tattletale reassured her, and Grue offered support. They left for Calvert’s base, now Tattletale’s.

At the base, Skitter, with Grue’s help, freed Dinah. Tattletale went to retrieve Regent, leaving Skitter and Dinah. Dinah expressed her relief, having waited a long time for this moment. Skitter apologized for the delay, but Dinah blamed herself for setting up the scenario where Skitter’s friends tried to kill her.

They found Tattletale at Noelle’s ruined vault, destroyed by Noelle after hearing their conversation through the phone. Tattletale, her power thrown off by Calvert’s, hadn’t noticed. Skitter asked how bad the situation was. Tattletale, in a dark turn, suggested a chilling solution: activating the air raid sirens, a signal of impending catastrophe.