3.x (Interlude; Wards)

The Parahuman Response Team (PRT) building in Brockton Bay mirrored the overcast sky, marked by a shield logo. Inside, the lobby presented a stark contrast: serious PRT officers in tactical gear stood alongside a gift shop full of youthful merchandise, reflecting the duality of their mission. A tour guide waited, ready to educate visitors on the city’s hero management efforts, and for a price, offer a glimpse of the Wards’ headquarters.

A team of battered young heroes, the Wards, entered the lobby, led wordlessly by a stern woman to a meeting room. Aegis, their leader, was severely injured, his costume shredded and soaked in blood, with a punctured lung. Director Piggot, head of the PRT, greeted them with concern, followed by sharp criticism for the destruction caused during their recent mission, particularly by the uninvited Glory Girl. Gallant, accepting responsibility for inviting his girlfriend, offered to pay the damages from his trust fund. Piggot rejected this, stating that all Wards would share the costs by having their pay docked, emphasizing the need for real consequences.

Piggot then questioned Kid Win about his “Alternator Cannon,” an uncleared weapon he used during the mission. Kid Win admitted it wasn’t officially approved, but argued it was necessary. Piggot, prioritizing public perception and funding, ordered the cannon dismantled. Kid Win pleaded to keep it for Class A threats, leading Piggot to compromise: he could keep it, but she would hold the power source, releasing it only for dire emergencies. The cannon would also undergo a standard review, potentially leading to fines or jail time for Kid Win.

After sending Kid Win for a disciplinary review, Piggot dismissed the others, urging them to clean up for the impending tour and media. The Wards retreated to their secure, Tinker-designed headquarters, accessed via an advanced elevator and retina scan. Clockblocker, injured, expressed his unease about the fight, particularly Skitter, the bug-controlling villain. Aegis, heading to shower and tend to his wounds, assigned Gallant or Clockblocker to lead the debriefing.

Vista fetched whiteboards, while Browbeat, the newest member, voiced his confusion about the fight’s events. Gallant took charge, framing the mission as a win despite the losses, emphasizing the intelligence gathered on the Undersiders. They began brainstorming, filling the whiteboards with details about each villain: Grue’s sound-dampening darkness, Hellhound’s trained mutant dogs, and Skitter’s fine control over her insects, including sensory perception.

Carlos (Aegis) returned, patched up but still visibly wounded, adding his limited input. Armsmaster and Miss Militia arrived with Panacea, a healer, to tend to the Wards’ injuries. Miss Militia, displaying her versatile weapon-shifting ability, explained Panacea’s presence as both a thank you for rescuing her and Glory Girl and a necessity to hide their injuries from the public.

Panacea, revealing her emotional distress, confessed that Tattletale had found a way to hurt Glory Girl despite her invincibility. Armsmaster pressed for details on Tattletale, but Miss Militia intervened, suggesting Panacea focus on healing the Wards first. Gallant, feigning a more severe injury, spoke with Panacea alone, using his emotion-sensing ability to understand her turmoil.

Panacea confided in him about the overwhelming pressure of her healing powers, the impossible task of helping everyone, and the resentment she felt towards a child she saved, a moment she feared marked the beginning of her becoming like her villainous father. Gallant acknowledged the risk but urged her to take a break. She then revealed Tattletale’s psychic abilities and the threats the villain made, leveraging personal information to manipulate and potentially destroy Panacea’s relationship with her sister, Victoria (Glory Girl).

Gallant, aware of Panacea’s strong feelings towards him, offered his support, emphasizing his availability despite her likely reluctance to confide in him. Panacea healed him and, before leaving, asked him to take care of her sister. Rejoining the group, a grim-faced Panacea filled in Tattletale’s section on the whiteboard, armed with newfound knowledge of the manipulative villain.