29.5

In a desperate bid to escape, Weaver led her group into a narrow corridor filled with prisoners and Case 53s. Utilizing her bugs and Defiant’s specialized knife, she confronted the approaching mob. A tense standoff ensued as she held a hostage, using the disintegration effect of the knife to deter the crowd. The hostage, a powered individual, tried to dissuade the mob, claiming the cell was empty.

Imp relayed information from the ongoing riot, revealing that the mob had crucified a Case 53 and were seeking the “real monster” responsible for their plight. Weaver, realizing the danger, allowed her hostage into the cell, only to be confronted by two more. Using her bugs and knives, she engaged the third man, discovering his power to create distorting spheres of light around objects.

After a brief struggle, she subdued him with silk cords and bugs, just as the lights flickered out. Cuff helped secure the subdued man. The mob, led by a “pretty man,” had lynched the armless Case 53 and were searching for those with useful powers to aid in their escape and vengeance.

Weaver, recalling past experiences, felt a sense of preparedness she hadn’t possessed before. Lung, now partially transformed, suggested those afraid could stay behind, while Golem proposed exfiltration in disguise. Weaver, however, insisted they stop the mob from reaching the Doctor, outlining the need for a more direct confrontation.

Canary offered to use her powers to influence the three captives. After some experimentation, she managed to make them suggestible. Weaver instructed Golem to release them, and Canary’s influence allowed for specific commands. One captive, revealed to be incredibly dense, was given the disintegration knife and told to hide until the lights went out, then activate it.

The other two were instructed to pretend to be a couple, creating a distraction near Lung. As the group prepared to move, Lung, discarding his shirt, headed into the crowd, able to somewhat blend in due to his transformation. The dense man found a secluded spot and activated the knife as the lights went out.

Weaver, using her swarm, carried the knife along the ceiling, maneuvering it within Mantellum’s blind spot to take him out. Upon giving the signal, Shadow Stalker began sniping the special Case 53s, while Lung created barriers with fire. The Custodian, now free from Mantellum’s influence, attacked the crowd with a multitude of duplicates.

Weaver’s group, with the help of Lung, Golem, Cuff, and Rachel’s dogs, forced their way through the crowd towards the stairwell. Imp retrieved the sphere containing Weld’s partner. In the stairwell, the main group, led by the “pretty man,” were attempting to break through a reinforced door.

Weaver, using her bugs and the disintegration knife, attacked the group in the stairwell, causing significant damage. Cuff then shattered the reinforced door with her enhanced strength. The Custodian continued to attack the mob, inflicting non-lethal injuries.

As they descended further, Tattletale’s communication became increasingly garbled, revealing that the attack in Gimel had gone “not good, not bad.” She also mentioned that Scion was missing and they were trying to locate him. Reaching the fourth floor, they found another reinforced door, open, leading to a dead end. Satyrical, Blowout, Floret, and Leonid were waiting for them, Revel and Exalt missing. Satyrical acknowledged Weaver’s superior firepower but hinted at a larger problem: Scion. He mentioned that the one with answers was buried under a half-mile of steel, leaving them with a significant challenge.