Water droplets obscuring my vision had me mentally revising my helmet design.

A vicious storm had arrived today, unleashing torrential rain upon Bayside. The area of the city that was flooded to disable Grim only two weeks prior had been healing, but now the damaged stormwater drains had overflowed, recreating the destruction in the streets.

The storm made navigation difficult but enabled covert movement, making conditions to execute our plan ideal.

After last night's discussion, we agreed the best course of action was to map the Walkers' patrol routes. Working around them would become all the easier once we could be sure of their locations at all times. However, the challenge now was to actually get that data, and that task was a daunting one.

The Walkers themselves didn't have the most thorough scanning equipment, which meant observing them wasn't the problem. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for the Sweepers. The information Cyberspace provided showed extensive surveillance hardware with the most mundane feature being three-sixty-degree cameras that were monitored at all angles simultaneously. The rest of the mechatech on board was far more advanced.

Our scrambler in the new hideout was enough to shield us from those systems, but we weren't going to make any progress cowering indoors. We had to get our hands dirty, which meant going out past curfew.

So, with all that information at our disposal, the question remained: How do we track these things without being discovered?

Initially, Mia had suggested this was a task she could do with her statues. Given enough time to station them around the city she could map out where they tended to patrol. Her powers allowed her to remain undetected with very little risk on our end. We were content to stick with this strategy until Cyberspace came along and burst our bubble.

Apparently, no single Walker was designated to patrol one area of the city on loop, their routes were altered several times a second to guard against mentalists, particularly precogs. They even sometimes took what appeared to be suboptimal routes, just so that there were a wider range of possible actions. At best we could get a probability space and have a rough idea on where any single Walker would be, but we wouldn't have an exact location.

That was a risk we couldn't afford to take, not with how many of these war machines there were patrolling and how fucked we were if we got caught.

We needed live updates transmitted directly with pinpoint accuracy. Mia's statues could only cover so much ground, and Bayside was a large city. She couldn't be watching every street at all times.

This required more of a technical touch.

The only member of Madhouse who could pull this off in a timely fashion with pinpoint accurate data, was me. Sam could probably predict them somewhat accurately in the short term, but Sweepers were sophisticated enough to track Pink's speed. It was too risky, so for once, Sam was forced to admit that this task wasn't something she could do better.

With the level my tech was at now, I could move without being seen. The cloaking module concealed me almost completely, and with a Jericho Core MK V installed, I would be able to stay invisible for around six hours assuming I didn't use too many of my suit's other abilities. Given how much I was about to move around, I'd likely be fine.

Then there was the scrambler hiding our base – a marvelous piece of mechatech.

Francis had informed us when it was installed that it was commonplace for Cyberspace to implement this technology in all areas of operations – hideouts, vehicles, weaponry – to maintain their anonymity across the board. This meant Cyberspace had a supply of these scramblers, and since I was working with Cyberspace, I could get my hands on one to integrate.

The only downside was that these scramblers were indiscriminate. They were powerful enough to render environments or single units completely invisible to Ajax's scanning tech, but that also meant traditional communication and data transmission would be extraordinarily difficult while it was active.

This would have been a problem…

If I wasn't already connected to Cyberspace's network.

There was a heavily suppressed means of communication buried within the hardware of the scramblers. It let Cyberspace and all those in their employ talk to each other while out in the field. However, it was a fragile connection only to be used sparingly.

It bothered me, because that wasn't how networks worked at all, but things tended to change when powers got involved.

Gold suspected that the scramblers achieved this by creating an entirely new frequency that transmitted data through a separate dimension. It was such an outlandish claim it compelled me to investigate the tech before I integrated it. My power found some kind of transmission function, but nothing about it implied it was capable of doing that.

Cyberspace found our confusion amusing.

I just found it aggravating.

"This is considerably brave. You are aware what will happen should you be discovered?" Cyberspace's hesitance rang in my ears as I wiped more water off my visor. "I find your insistence on performing these tasks puzzling. Mechakinetics tend to be adverse to field work, but I cannot deny that you are the only one suited for this job."

Their words bounced around inside my skull.

Cyberspace wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of this whole operation because they knew how much of an asset I was behind a workbench. Putting myself on the front lines was undesirable, since my unique Mechakinetic abilities were exceptionally valuable.

While I could understand Cyberspace's point of view, there was a spark within me I couldn't ignore. I felt it when I went out with Alice the first time, when we rescued Mia, and when we made our push against Grim.

It was thrilling, and I felt empowered.

"I like getting a chance to stretch my legs," I replied, poking my head out the alleyway I was crouched in. "What's the point in sitting in my workshop all day working on tech if I don't even get to use it? Did you think I would just lounge about in our new hideout, touch a couple of things to upgrade them, and then sit around the rest of the day?"

"I considered that a possible outcome."

"Then you don't know me as well as you think you do," I said. "I'm thankful I've had time to work on the projects I wanted, and for all the advances I've made with your support, but I can't just ignore what I've managed to accomplish by taking action with my team. It may not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but it feels like a lot to me."

"Being the architects of Grim's downfall is no small feat. Madhouse is already a name that's managed to acquire global intrigue. Despite my efforts to suppress the flow of information, I've noted whispers in the United States and China," Cyberspace's wry tone caused me to scowl. "Take care not to fly too high too fast, Upgrade. You may come to regret it if you do."

"You think I'm flying high now? I haven't even integrated that into my suit yet. Still deciding on anti-grav, or regular jets."

"Funny," Cyberspace remarked, void of amusement. "I simply wish to advise. Life tends to be cut short when ego remains unchecked. I hope your encounters with Grim, Gaea, and Mirage have been enough to curb your ego."

"Ego?"

"'Pride comes before the fall.' You may have realized the exponential potential of your power, but understand that our partnership requires you to play by my rules. I will not allow you to get yourself killed because you want an adrenaline rush."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Cyberspace was starting to sound more like a disgruntled guardian than a world spanning criminal mastermind.

"If you were really against me doing this, you would have said so from the start. We all agreed this would give us the best outcome. Pink's speed can be tracked, Anomaly doesn't know how to use my tech, and neither does Vigil. I'm the only one that can do this."

"You're misinterpreting my words. I was merely stating an observable fact. You – unlike many mechakinetics – are not afraid to walk into danger. It is a characteristic I find most… puzzling," Cyberspace explained. "I bring up ego as a possible explanation for this bravery because I think categorizing it as stupidity would do you a disservice. Should ego be the cause, I advise you to keep it in check."

"I don't have an ego."

"Many who do, claim they do not."

"I don't," I repeated. "I made this suit for a reason. Hiding isn't a reliable strategy."

"I am curious. What would you have done had your path not crossed with Alice? If The Cains had never intervened and forced your hand? Would you have continued the way you were, clawing at every opportunity to make money in the hopes your mother wouldn't ask questions? Biokinetic treatment is expensive… millions assuming you went through legal channels—"

"I've had this conversation with Alice, so forgive me if I'm not eager to repeat it," I crossed my arms, keeping my focus on the street. There would be a Walker with a pack of Sweepers entering any minute now. All I had to do was wait. "I don't know what I would've done. It was a half-baked idea I somehow managed to convince myself would work. It's a stupid conversation to have anyway, because you've known about me from the start. If I hadn't met Alice, you would have snatched me up and I'd be in the same position as I am now."

"No, the arrangements would be very different."

Their words made my skin crawl.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Exactly, so why are you asking?"

"Discerning your motivations. I know of your distaste for The ECU, but it isn't strong enough that you would have used your power to combat them. You value your friendship with Comet too much to have done that. You're relatively moral, no less than the average person in any case. You want to watch out for the average citizen when it does not inconvenience you too much, yet you have no desire to chase heroism like many the ECU manage to brainwash. On the other side of the coin, you are empathetic enough to not want to use your power to make life for those around you difficult," Cyberspace paused for a moment, letting their conclusions hang in the air. "Your sole motivation lies with your mother. You want to make her life easier, and anything beyond that sparks no passion."

It was true that my desire to help my mother started all this, but I couldn't lie and say it was my sole motivation anymore.

"That may have been the case to begin with, but things have changed. I wouldn't be out here doing this if all I wanted was to help my mom out. I would've sent a drone to do this if it wasn't for this weather."

"I suspected as much," I felt like I heard pride in Cyberspace's voice. "I would be concerned if that's all that drove you."

They probably thought they were so clever for figuring out I had more than one motive. It wasn't like I bothered to hide my desire to help Liam find his sister, or to help Sam find a place she didn't need to run from. Hell, learning about Mia's family had me wanting to help them out too. There was Lucy's situation with Pandora to consider as well, along with Abby's trauma.

There was a lot I needed to address.

"I'll be honest, I don't see how that's any of your business."

"An employer should be aware and supportive of their subordinates' goals. Do you think I got to where I am today by blackmailing, extorting, and abusing everyone in my service?"

The ground beneath my feet rumbled with each step of the incoming Walker. It slinked into the street, the main body hanging low as a half dozen Sweepers hovered all around it. If there was a time to activate the integrated scrambler in my suit, it was now.

"The thought had crossed my mind," I said. "Patrol is here. Switching now."

I activated the scrambler and my regular line of communication went dead. It only took me a second to switch to Cyberspace's special network.

Each thundering step brought the Walker closer. Despite the scramblers being proven to work, I felt shivers up my spine. My suit's feedback said the scrambler was operating at full capacity, yet, I still felt anxiety clutching my chest and my palms starting to sweat.

I stepped back a few paces, sinking further into the alleyway's darkness. It was the one aspect I had over Alice, Anomaly, and Vigil. Even though the latter had the ability to blend into the environment and hide in plain sight, I now had the ability to vanish entirely.

A line of symbols appeared on my display, a heavily encoded message from Cyberspace.

Slowly, each letter automatically decoded into a simple message.

"Proceed with caution. Alice and Anomaly are on standby for backup."

Activating my cloaking module, I disappeared.

I watched the first Sweeper pass.

Then a second.

A third and a fourth went by without incident, and finally the Walker crawled past.

I released a breath and moved forward, my eyes locking on the passing war machines.

Now, it was finally time to see if our hypothesis would have any merit.

I began moving through the various streets of Bayside, placing seismic recorders in various spots. They were small and inconspicuous enough that Ajax's Sweepers either wouldn't pick up on them, or deem them irrelevant. With this, we would be able to accurately track where every single Walker in the city was at all times, just as long as I tuned them properly.

Half an hour later, the digital map I had of the city was recording sizable movements in the blocks I had already been through. None of them were disappearing either, which meant the Sweepers weren't removing them. Whether or not that would last? Only time would tell.

Eighty-nine percent power remaining. I should be done before I need to switch cloaking off. Still, better than it was before.

Cloaking was by far the biggest drain on my suit's power, but as long as I kept an eye on consumption, I wouldn't run into any trouble. The darkness of night as well as torrential rain also helped conceal me, lessening my worries about being caught.

I headed to my next location, taking immense care to be aware of my surroundings. I moved through buildings to ensure I didn't draw any unwanted attention. Rooftops were faster but risker, as Overwatch was known to be able to spot even the smallest detail out of place, so I stuck to low ground. I was in and out, weaving through streets to place seismic recorders in every spot Alice tagged on my map. We needed the widest coverage possible to ensure the data we collected was accurate.

An hour passed before things took a complicated turn.

I was now approaching the Citadel, so I needed to be extra cautious.

Alice had made sure to warn me about the streets closer to the Citadel. Even though Ajax's war machines would be out, so would regular hero patrols.

I was equipped to shield myself from sophisticated machines, but not necessarily the senses of supers. If I unwittingly walked into Domination's sphere, I'd be caught in an instant with no hope of escape. Sparrow apparently would be able to discern me through my camouflage, and Lich had a minor Mentalist capability allowing him to sense any life in the area around him. Even if I didn't run into any of them, Overwatch could likely still pick me out.

The Citadel was perilous to maneuver around, but the severity was solely dependent on who was out patrolling tonight and whether or not I would run into them. Still, every Walker returned here, so recorders in this area were paramount.

My questions were answered when I quietly stepped through the fire exit of an apartment complex.

I came out onto a metal balcony and paused when I saw Dreamweaver standing in front of two Rookies down in the cover of a dark alleyway. One of them stood taller than the other two, and I recognized this one as Copycat. He had a slim athletic build, and he was decked out in a purplish black variant of Nanoforge's armor. His features were concealed by the same helmet Abby had when her armor was fully deployed, except this one had feline-like designs to match his name.

The other was Prosperity.

The first thing that came to mind was how it was a strange coincidence that she was present for the only two patrols I had come across so far.

The second was how I was going to place a seismic recorder there without them realizing. I decided to wait them out, if I moved now there was too much of a risk that they'd see my silhouette in the rain, and if they were patrolling then chances are they'd move on soon anyway. As it was, they were just standing around talking – or maybe Dreamweaver was coaching them.

"Something wrong?" I heard Dreamweaver ask.

Her and Copycat were staring at Prosperity, who was looking around with a frown on her face.

"I thought I heard a door open."

"We're next to an apartment," Copycat's voice came out with a drawl like he couldn't be bothered to be here. He had that same exasperated bitterness I heard in Liam sometimes, except he was clearly older. "People will be opening and closing their doors all the time."

"If you're sure," Prosperity replied, uncertain.

I couldn't exactly see Copycat from where I was standing, but I caught a glimpse of his shoulders shrugging.

"With Ajax's stuff walking around and rain this hard, I doubt anyone's going to be trying anything tonight. It's kinda pointless to bother with this, nothing is going to happen."

"It's not about whether or not something will happen. It's about setting a precedent and allowing Prosperity the chance to learn how we do things properly," Dreamweaver lectured calmly. "Given everything that's happened recently, she needs to learn how to operate as a team. Your first time out wasn't the best example of what to expect."

"Ahaha," Prosperity's laugh sounded forced. "It wasn't that bad."

"Ionizer compromised your and Comet's safety. How that route was approved is beyond me."

"Who cares, it's not like the guy is going to be leading us after that stunt, so they're going to have to find another replacement for Sparrow," Copycat sighed. "Who do you think it'll be? Will you put your name forward, maybe Lich?"

Dreamweaver laughed.

"Oh, absolutely not. I'm not much of a leader, and Lich is—"

The area was suddenly hit with a powerful gust of wind, and the door I had come through blew shut behind me. The sound boomed, cutting through the torrential downpour. Copycat and Dreamweaver didn't seem to notice, but Prosperity's ears twitched. Craning her head, she looked directly up at me.

I stared back at the rookie Morpher.

I felt like fate was mocking me.

Should I move, or stay still?

Prosperity's head tilted, and the senior hero took notice.

"Do you see something?" Dreamweaver turned and looked up, following Prosperity's gaze.

Copycat followed suit, and I did my best to mimic Vigil's power.

Soon enough, I had all three heroes staring right at me.

"I don't see anything," Copycat said. "Probably just the wind. With how much damage the city took, I'm not surprised if something came loose."

Dreamweaver didn't look convinced.

"I don't recall anything about this area taking much damage. We should investigate. There's no harm in checking."

Copycat sighed in annoyance.

"Come on, seriously?"

"I… think we should too," Prosperity said, pointing directly at me. "I don't know if it's this helmet, but I swear I can see something there. It's weird, I don't know how to explain it. The rain's all… glittery? I think my armor isn't tuned to the night vision my power gives me. I feel like I've been seeing things all night."

"Glittery?" Copycat repeated, confused. He looked up again at me, and I decided as soon as they looked away I was making a break for it. "I don't see it. They must've screwed up your tuning."

The second they weren't looking, I was ready to grapple to the next building over. I just had to wait for the right moment.

"It's right there," Prosperity said again. "Am I just seeing things? I can't be, right?"

"Where?" Dreamweaver asked, trying to line up her sight with where the junior hero was pointing. "No– wait, I think I see it too."

"That?" Copycat crossed his arms, unconvinced. "It's probably just a reflection. Look, the lights in the apartment next to it are on." He was already turning around to walk away. "Can we stop looking at things that aren't there and get on with this patrol? I don't know about you guys, but I'm not a fan of standing in the rain."

"No, the shape is all weird," Prosperity insisted. My heart stopped when she bent down and picked up a small stone. She tossed it at me, missing my head by an inch. "Hmm… maybe it's nothing."

Dreamweaver stepped forward.

"Allow me."

Strings of light suddenly streamed out of Dreamweaver's extended palm, twisting and forming into a small squirrel-like entity that looked like it was made of neon wires. It moved with blinding speed, climbing the fire escape until it perched on the railing next to me.

Then, it promptly jumped on my head.

Well, there goes my escape window. Hard way it is.

I grabbed the spectral critter tapping the top of my helmet and crushed it before fleeing back into the building.

If I was smart about this, I would be able to easily lose them. If I wasn't, well, I was sure I could deal with those three before things got spicy.

There was no need to panic.

I felt a smile form on my lips.

I had this completely under control.

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