23.2

Worm, Chapter 23.2 Summary:

The Las Vegas team’s reaction to Weaver’s team’s arrival is less than welcoming, arms folded, eyes averted. Satyrical, with his goat-head helmet and perpetual smile, looks deranged with the circles under his eyes. His bare, muscular chest and low-slung costume are intentionally distracting. Nix, Blowout, Leonid, and Floret join Satyrical in their displeasure, their vibrant costumes a stark contrast to their dark moods. Spur and Ravine seem more lost than angry, but they side with their team.

As they descend in the elevator, Vantage asks Weaver for her thoughts. She finds the building dull, like a giant tombstone, with no windows and minimal decoration. Vantage notes the contrast, and Rime explains that Vegas is overrun with villains, employing a unique cape dynamic. Unlike other cities where brute force reigns, in Vegas, thinkers, tinkers, and strangers rule the underworld. The heroes are flamboyant and strategists, designed to counter the villains’ schemes. Rime explains that the “game” of cops and robbers has escalated, causing catastrophic damage and the decline of the strip. The building is a fortress because that’s what the city needs.

They reach the cells, where they find Pretender, an albino cape in a velvet purple costume. Rime confronts him, accusing him of wrongdoing. Pretender claims he was forced, citing a “bogeyman” that silences those who reveal sensitive information. He believes his actions, including killing a government thinker, were the best option, as surrendering or talking would have led to his death. Arbiter senses a massive danger associated with Pretender, using her social thinker power to gauge the threat levels of those connected to him. Rime contacts Dragon, requesting immediate extraction due to the impending trouble.

They go up to the roof, where a Kulshedra model has landed. Boxes with butterflies. Dragon wants her to change her methods. It’s still stupid. She releases the butterflies, sending them to scout the city. A sniper is spotted on a nearby rooftop, and they take cover in the craft. Prefab creates barricades, and they confirm passwords with Rime’s team, who arrive with a containment box. They secure the box and take off, identifying the sniper’s location. The ship is hit by a projectile, and they identify it as a human, possibly hired by Pretender.

The ship is struck again, heavily damaged, and crash-lands between two buildings, caught by Rime’s ice. The projectile, identified as Bambina, attacks again, and they are forced to prepare for a fight. The ship’s AI is damaged, and they struggle to get information and light. Weaver uses the ship’s systems to provide some light and camera feeds, demonstrating her familiarity with Dragon’s technology. Bambina, accompanied by Starlet and August Prince, attacks, and they discover that the sniper and the child villains are not allied.

They prioritize helping civilians trapped under the crashed ship. Weaver offers to disable the shooter, but Prefab and Rime refuse, ordering her to stay. She provides Rime with butterfly decoys and helps evacuate civilians. Bambina and her team attack, and Arbiter is frozen by August Prince’s power, which prevents aggression towards him. Bambina and Starlet take out Prefab and Leister, while August Prince attacks Weaver. She is unable to fight back due to his power. Rime is taken out by the sniper, encased in ice for protection.

Vantage takes down Starlet, but August Prince continues to choke Weaver, who is unable to fight back. Usher tries to use his power to make her immune, but it fails. A woman emerges from the Kulshedra, fixing the systems and freeing Pretender. She identifies herself as working for “The Doctor,” and Pretender willingly goes with her through a portal. The Vegas team arrives, revealing they hired Bambina to break out Pretender. They announce their departure from the Protectorate, disillusioned by its decline and Pretender’s treatment.

Arbiter contacts Chevalier, informing him of the situation and the Vegas team’s defection. Chevalier orders them to let the Vegas team go, prioritizing their need for heroes, even if they aren’t Protectorate. Weaver is left with mixed emotions, realizing they’ve lost on every count except for Rime’s survival. She reflects on the difficulty of reconciling her heroic aspirations with her past as Skitter, recognizing the need for change.