8.x (Bonus Interlude; Lisa)

8.x (Bonus Interlude; Lisa)

Tasha, a saleswoman, spots a suspicious girl in the store. The girl, Lisa, is dressed shabbily and pretends to browse expensive jackets. Tasha confronts her, but Lisa retorts with unsettling personal remarks, hinting at Tasha’s cheating boyfriend and eating disorder. Startled, Tasha rushes out to catch her boyfriend.

Meanwhile, a torrential downpour soaks the Undersiders as they face Leviathan. Tattletale (Lisa), Grue, and Regent confront the monstrous Endbringer. Tattletale, seeing Skitter among the crowd, feels a pang of sympathy for her former teammate. Regret also tugs at her; she could have prevented Skitter’s departure. She informs Grue that if she dies, he should give her share of their money to Skitter. As Legend rallies the heroes, Tattletale prepares for battle.

Back at the store, Lisa easily gets rid of Tasha and deduces that the cashier won’t call security right away. She focuses on a man waiting nearby, using her power to guess his phone’s PIN: 8471. As she attempts to steal his wallet, an “enforcer” enters the store, but Lisa realizes he’s not what he seems—he’s ex-military, working with the man and his girlfriend, all armed.

Lisa is caught and struck, the fake enforcer plants a knife on her, and they escort her outside. They’re not genuine enforcers; they’re killers. Cornered, Lisa tries to bargain, but the enforcer refuses. The couple arrives, and the woman takes a call, then hands the phone to Lisa. A calm voice apologizes and offers to buy Lisa’s services. She accepts, her mind racing.

Leviathan slams his tail, decimating capes. Tattletale and Regent retreat, discussing their powers’ ineffectiveness. Tattletale spots Skitter aiding the wounded. Alexandria attacks, but Leviathan retaliates, slamming her into the ground and holding her underwater. Dragon intervenes with a flame-spewing suit, but Leviathan tears into it. Dragon ejects, her suit exploding around the Endbringer. Tattletale requests a lift to a better vantage point, landing on a rooftop.

Using her power, Tattletale deduces Leviathan’s layered, organless biology, concluding he was never human. She identifies weak points at his upper arms and thighs. She tries to relay this information but is interrupted by a massive wave. The building holds, but Leviathan climbs onto the roof, causing it to crumble. He attacks, killing several heroes. A cape retaliates with rock projectiles, but Leviathan bisects him. He then sends a wave at Tattletale, who falls into the water, thinking of how Skitter faced a similar situation with Lung.

In a flashback, Lisa joins the Undersiders: Grue, Bitch, and Regent. Grue insists on a costume, but Lisa plans to be a back-end operator. Bitch demands she get her hands dirty, and Grue agrees. Lisa admits her power’s weakness in direct combat but agrees to figure it out. She analyzes her teammates: Grue, a solo operator, organized, using rules to cope with stress; Bitch, antisocial, seeks change, disconnected from human empathy; Regent, a sociopath with repressed emotions. Lisa feels reassured, knowing their flaws upfront. They plan to “do this team thing properly,” and Lisa, irritating Grue, asks, “How hard could it be?”