3.04 (tofix)

The chapter opens with the protagonist, a teenage girl, abruptly ending a phone call as her dad arrives home. She hides the disposable cell phone Brian gave her, aware of her dad’s negative feelings towards cell phones since her mom’s death. She’d skipped school to join Brian, Alec, and Lisa (Rachel was out) at their loft, finalizing plans for a bank robbery scheduled for Thursday. She selected a combat knife and a telescoping baton as her weapons.

They avoided discussing the robbery further, instead clearing out a storage closet to make space for her. Lisa suggested ways to personalize the room, but the protagonist felt content with the spartan setup, appreciating the acceptance it represented while acknowledging her temporary status. They then watched movies from Earth-Aleph, an alternate Earth accessible through a portal created by Professor Haywire.

The protagonist cooks dinner for her dad, mentioning she has plans with friends. Her dad expresses mild disappointment but agrees. She fabricates details about her new friends, using their real names (Brian, Lisa, Alec, Rachel) to avoid potential complications. She explains she met them downtown while taking a break from school. She describes Brian as “cool,” Lisa as “smart” (avoiding the fact that she’s a villain), Alec as a disengaged artist, and Rachel as someone she dislikes for her demanding and mean nature.

The protagonist confides in her dad about being bullied at school, mentioning a recent incident where her tormentors ganged up on her, taking turns insulting her. She reassures him it wasn’t as severe as the January incident, avoiding specifics about the emotional manipulation involving her mom’s death. Her dad respects her boundaries, offering her space and understanding.

Feeling guilty for her lies, she accepts ten dollars from her dad for coffee with Lisa, then heads out, carrying a gym bag with her costume. She jogs towards the Bay, intending to meet Armsmaster at the disused ferry station.

The ferry station, a symbol of the city’s past prosperity, is now a relic, maintained cosmetically but functionally abandoned. The protagonist changes into her costume in a restroom, then heads to an outdoor patio with a view of the Protectorate Headquarters (PHQ), a magnificent structure built on a retrofitted oil rig, protected by a forcefield.

Armsmaster arrives, his demeanor stern and imposing. He’s holding his halberd, his posture suggesting a shift from their previous encounter. The protagonist apologizes for abruptly ending the call with his receptionist, then states, “I need to call in a favor.”