The empty vault loomed before us, dark and fetid.

Its that bad? I asked. Do we need to contact the PRT and Protectorate? Get the heroes on board?

No, Dinah said, quiet. Not immediately.

The others looked at her. I couldnt see her, but I had a pretty distinct mental picture. A pre-adolescent girl, thin, with straight brown hair. Cursory inspection with my swarm suggested her hair was tied into a braid, but many strands were coming loose. Unless a lot had changed since Id last seen her, Dinah would be pale. My mental picture of her was of a girl that was almost ghostly. It said something that she was still able to command our attention with a few quiet words.

One point seven percent chance she does any serious damage before dawn. We have time.

Thank you, I said.

Useful to know, Tattletale said, But this is bad enough that we may have to go running to the heroes, eat crow and ask for their assistance, get it sooner than later.

Regent had followed Grue, Dinah and I down the stairs. He peered into the darkness, then said, I dont think well have much pull with the white hats. Among other things, weve conquered the city, gave their heroes a series of spankings, gave the world-reknowned tinker a very expensive spanking, kidnapped one of their Directors and if I just heard you right, you just offed the replacement director.

He stepped back, moved his mask and whistled. I had to step back to see Rachel on her way from the entrance, her dogs following behind.

I couldnt help but cough at the rancid smell from the vault, which made me cough more.

Hospital, Grue said, for the umpteenth time.

Soon, I said.

The heroes dont know we offed Calvert, Tattletale said.

Yet, Regent added.

My question stands. Do we need to contact them? I said.

Maybe. I dont know, Tattletale shook her head a little.

What do you know? I asked. Because as far as the rest of us are aware, theres a teenage girl thats capable of tearing through two vault doors like theyre nothing, and shes free, and shes pissed at us. Quite possibly at me, depending on how much she heard.

Coil sent the Travelers to me for help. Shes had some physical changes, Tattletale said. She traced one of the creases in the crumpled vault door with her gloved fingers. They wanted to get a better idea of what was going on, so they could maybe change her back.

And when I asked about her before, you brushed me off.

Dont like admitting I dont know something, she said. And I dont know the full story. They were working on the assumption that shes turning into an Endbringer.

That gave us all a moments pause. Rachel had just descended from the walkway in time to catch the last part. She grabbed Bastards chain to keep him from venturing into the vault, but her attention was on Tattletale.

Seriously? Regent asked.

No. Well, its what they were thinking. Its not what I think.

Elaborate, Grue said.

When I saw Leviathan, I got the distinct impression that the Endbringers arent human and never were. Noelle? Shes human. So Ive got two running theories. Theory one is that she is turning into an Endbringer, with her body serving as the host to a growth thats eventually going to shed off the Noelle bits and go full-monster.

And theory two? Grue asked.

Someones doing their level best to make their own Endbringer.

Who? I asked.

Tattletale shrugged, No clue. Could be any of the major players. To figure out which one, Im going to need time with the database on capes we downloaded from the PRT. Even then, Im not sure it covers the high-clearance stuff we need.

Off the top of your head? I asked.

Who could it be? The Protectorate might have been aiming to make an Endbringer with the idea that it could fight the other Endbringers, only for things to go sour. Theres the group that made people like Gregor the Snail and Newter, Tattletale looked at me, You remember that paperwork we found when we infiltrated the Merchants party.

Cauldron.

Yes. Theres also any number of megalomaniac tinkers out there who might have tried something. Bonesaw, Rattenfnger, Jamestowner, Blasto, Mosaic, Monstrum, some non-tinkers like Chrysalis and Nilbog, bunch of others.

Too many, Grue said.

But their powers dont fit this scenario that well, so it would have to be some alliance between two of them, or one would need to get ahold of the tools and blueprints from one of the others and reverse engineer it, or one had a second trigger event and their powers expanded.

A lot of ors, Grue said.

Too many possibilities, Tattletale said. We could beon the complete wrong tack, where Im overthinking it, or Im overlooking the most obvious possiblity, that shes just unlucky.

What if we ask the kid? Regent asked. He turned his attention to Dinah.

Only if shes up to it, I said.

Head hurts, still fixing things, putting all the worlds in the right places, Dinah said. She was clutching my wrist as though I were a life preserver and she was going to drown if she let go, but she stared at the ground as she spoke. But Ill help now. I fear I wont be useful for much longer.

I fear? Who talked like that?

Why not? Regent asked.

Ill get sick without the candy. Soon.

Withdrawal, Grue said.

Dinah nodded.

Fuck, I said. We need to get her to a hospital so they can see her through it.

I can see it, she said, and her voice was smaller. There wasnt any inflection when she spoke; the only indication that she had any emotion at all was the changing volume of her voice, more volume as she got more confident, less as she drew into herself. I see myself getting sick, and its so clear a picture, so many pictures its almost as bad as being sick right here and right now.

Theres ways they can help you through it, I said. I looked it up. The hospital can put you under, so youre not awake for the worst of it.

She squeezed my wrist a little tighter. Its okay. I can see the chances and I know Ill be okay. So long as its just once. Ask me questions.

Tattletale glanced at me.

Go ahead, I told her.

Chance shes turning into an Endbringer? Tattletale asked.

Those arent the kind of odds I can give, Dinah said It has to be something I can picture. Scenes.

I thought so. And thatd mean I cant really use it to pin down whos behind Noelles situation.

Dinah shook her head.

Chance of trouble in the next twenty four hours? I asked. Violence, she attacks us, she attacks other people

Ninety-nine point three four six three zero one percent, Dinah said.

What happens in that not-even-one-percent chance? Regent asked.

I cant go looking. I have to ask, and figure it out from there, which hurts if I do it too much, or someone else asks, which makes it hurt less, because I can focus on the numbers and just the numbers.

Okay, Tattletale said, Chance she runs?

Twenty-three point three one one percent.

That doesnt add up, Regent said. Unless Im way worse at math than I thought.

She does some damage and then flees, Grue suggested. Tattletale nodded confirmation.

Chance someone stops her? Tattletale asked. Defeats her, kills her?

Dinah shook her head.

You dont know?

I cant see it.

Okay, Tattletale said. That means we probably cant stop her with sheer firepower.

Didnt see it.

Okay. Thank you, by the way, Tattletale said. Appreciate it.

Youre quite welcome, Dinah said, dropping her eyes to the ground.

Quite welcome. Dinah kept phrasing things in a funny manner. An old fashioned or proper way. It wasnt quite like how Coil spoke, but there were similarities. Was it a side effect of spending way too much time around Coil?

I didnt like the idea of that. That either Coil had molded her, or that shed spent enough time in a pliable mental state that shed adopted his speaking patterns.

This situation is bad, Tattletale said. We cant take her on, but we dont know enough about her to plan against her. I was going to reposition everyone so our territories covered the entire city, under the assumption that the Travelers were leaving. Now Im suspicious theyll be staying, which complicates matters, and I dont want us spread too thin, either.

We could get hold of Ballistic, Grue said. Get his version of events.

He went back to his territory. Ill make calls and see if we can bring him on board, Tattletale said. I have two squads of soldiers that Im keeping on retainer. Theyll serve as my hands for right now, while I try and get myself sorted out here, establish this as my new headquarters. If you guys want to go to the hospital, maybe see about getting Skitter and Dinah looked after, Ill handle things on this end. We regroup at least an hour before dawn and we plan with whatever new information we have.

No sleep tonight? Regent asked.

No sleep, Grue confirmed.

I turned to Tattletale, We dont have access to all of Coils resources, now. Or Calverts, for that matter. Can you find us a doctor who we can trust?

Someone you can trust? No. But I can find someone not altogether untrustworthy.

We were just finishing sorting out who was going where when Tattletale called us with a name and an address.

The group heading to the hospital consisted of Me, Grue, Rachel and Dinah. I had the smoke inhalation and breathing problems, as well as the pain in my chest and my eyes to look after. Grue and Rachel had been shot. As for Dinah, we needed to make sure there werent any severe problems before we sent her home. Regent headed back to his place with Imp for backup.

Dinah, Rachel and I settled in the back of one of Coils trucks with Bastard and Bentley. Grue took the wheel.

I focused on canvassing the area with my swarm as Grue drove. Dinah had assured us that things were safe for the rest of night, but I couldnt ignore the existence of a dangerous pseudo-Endbringer with a very good reason to want to hurt me.

Youre quiet, Rachel said.

I turned my attention to her, then realized she was talking to Dinah.

I considered saying something, but you would get upset, Dinah said. Again, the low volume.

Huh, Rachel said. Why?

Dinah paused for long seconds. I wondered if she was trying to work something out with her power. I was going to ask if I could pet your puppy, but its not my place. Hes not mine.

Hes not a dog. Hes a wolf. He doesnt react like a dog will. And Im trying to train him before hes old enough that he wont listen, and I dont need people mucking that up.

Okay, Dinah said. There was no fight there, no resistance, total compliance.

Rachel put one boot against the edge of the bench across from her, a foot to the right of Dinah. As far as I knew, Rachel didnt take her eyes off the girl.

Rachel, I said. Just curious, but youre hoping to eventually adopt your dogs out, right?

To good owners. So?

Just saying, but as much as the owners need to adapt to the dog and understand the dog, the opposite is true.

I couldnt read Rachels expression.

The dog has to adapt to the owner? She asked.

Right. And that means the dogs need a chance to get used to people. Dogs and humans have a partnership, right? So they need to meet halfway in that understanding. Mutual understanding.

Okay.

Enough time passed that I wasnt sure if shed picked up on my meaning.

You want to pet Bentley? Rachel offered.

Very much, Dinah replied.

Bentley, go. Up.

Bentley hopped up between Dinah and I on the bench.

Relax.

The bulldog turned around once, then flopped down on the bench so his head was pressed against my hip.

Give him a sniff of your hand before you touch him, Rachel said. Bentleys a good boy, but its a good habit to get into with dogs. You dont want to surprise him and get bitten.

I kept still while Dinah took Rachels suggestion and extended a hand. Without standing, he twisted himself around until his oversized head was in Dinahs lap.

Months since shes seen a dog, let alone touched one. How would that affect her in the long run? I hoped she wouldnt be in therapy for the rest of her life. I turned my attention to scanning the area, while Bentley reveled in the attention and affection.

It was another five minutes before Grue stopped the van and we had a chance to get out.

Chance of trouble? I asked.

Fifteen point three three percent, Dinah answered.

Can you tell me who causes the trouble?

I only know well be in there, so I have to look at each of us, one by one, and then I see the number.

Okay.

When theres trouble, she said, Its you. Eighty percent of the time.

Me? I asked.

She nodded.

Okay, I said. Ill try to be good.

With Doctor Q, the man Coil had always referred us to, it had been one man operating solo. Hed known his stuff. But hed been Coils man, and we couldnt trust him until things had time to settle down.

This doctors office had a staff, and they didnt even react as we entered.

What do you need? a woman asked. She had a musical voice that was almost irritatingly sweet. Condescending, like a kindergarten teacher or a character in a show for very young kids. Not to the point that I saw myself causing any trouble, but yeah.

Three of us took gunshots, but they didnt penetrate. Costumes stopped the hits, but I want to be sure there isnt lasting damage, Grue said. The little girl needs a full checkup and maybe a brief stay, while she suffers withdrawal from some unspecified drugs or drug cocktails. And weve got one case of smoke inhalation coupled with severe chest pain.

Understood. Your bill has been paid in advance. My mother and I will be looking after you, the young woman chirped. Please come this way.

We followed. The place was like any old doctors office, but I noted statues and innumerable picture frames, and the floor was tiled. Going by my swarm sense alone, I got the impression the place was upscale. And it was empty.

You dont seem bothered to have supervillains coming through.

Weve dealt with supervillains before, she said, and the way she said it suggested she didnt plan on elaborating. Youll need to remove your costumes and masks. You can each have a separate room to disrobe, and well be seeing each of you in turn. Rest assured, your privacy and safety is our top concern.

I could feel Dinahs deathgrip on my arm.

I bent down and murmured, Do you want a separate room? She shook her head.

I straightened and told the woman, Well share a room.

Neither of you are bashful?

Im blind, I said, And no, I guess Im not bashful.

Blind? Grue said, his head snapping around as he looked at me. Rachel did as well.

Tattletale didnt mention it?

No. And you didnt either.

Im functioning. I probably wont when I cant use my power, but yeah.

Is everything all right? the young woman asked.

Its fine, Grue said, heading into one of the rooms. He stopped in the doorway, turned to me, Well talk after.

I bobbed my head in a nod, then led Dinah into an empty room. As far as I could tell, everything was as one might expect for a doctors office, down to the jar of tongue depressors and a bowl of lollipops.

Hows your head? I asked. Headaches?

Getting worse. But Ill get sick tonight, before the headache gets too bad, then it wont really matter.

Oh.

Do you have more questions?

Some, but I dont want to burden you, or make you feel like Im using you.

Go ahead.

The end of the world. Did Coil ask about it? Did he get more details on what happens?

He would ask how the number changed, some mornings when he asked the usual questions, before Crawler came and I couldnt use my power for a while. He wanted to figure out what happened, but the only way to do that was to make guesses and see the numbers with my power. Every day, hed always asked the same sorts of questions about whether one thing was safe or whether another was safe and chance of success for this plan or that. There werent many questions left for the day after he was done asking all those, so it was slow.

I worked to take off my armor, unstrapping the armor to uncover the zipper. It wasnt easy, with the pain in my chest, and when it hit me, Id have to suppress coughs to continue listening to Dinah. I guess he figured hed be around long enough to figure it out.

Dinah didnt respond.

Whats the chance the world ends, Dinah? That these billions die because of something Jack Slash does? Has the number changed?

Its changed. Ninety-seven point seven nine zero seven three percent.

Ninety-seven point eight. Its higher.

What did you and Coil figure out? In terms of twenty questions?

People are spread out. I know youre there. Youre different but youre there.

And the others?

Sometimes there.

Can you give me more details? How am I different? Which of the others are there?

I dont know. Theres too many capes and too many capes with powers that make it fuzzy, because some powers make it harder and a bunch of those powers together make it impossible. I dont know what happens to start all of it and I dont know much of what happens during, but billions are dead afterward.

Damn. Okay. You said were spread out?

Yes. Five big groups, lots and lots of capes from all around the world, and armies. Coil asked a lot about that. He wanted to know about his chances for survival or the total number of casualties if he focused on one area over another.

He wasnt interested in stopping it?

He asked about that at first. But nothing changed the numbers enough. He said it was better to accept that its going to happen and do what he could to minimize the damage.

Five major groups, I said. You dont know why?

She shook her head.

Do you know if its like, a natural disaster sort of mass-death, or death by violence, or

I trailed off. Dinah was already shaking her head.

Alright, I said. I finished pulling my costume off, grunting at the pain in my chest, then sat on the bed in my bike shorts and tank top. Dinah sat beside me.

She looked up at me, and there was a hint of surprise in her voice. Youre burned.

Yeah. Just a bit. Is it bad?

Not bad. But it looks painful.

My chest hurts more, I said. Then, as if I were reminded of it, I coughed, hoarse.

We sat. I could sense the Doctor talking to Rachel, and heard Rachels raised voice with the bugs Id placed on her. I didnt envy the doctor for having to deal with her as a patient.

Theoretically speaking, I said, Just in the interest of problem solving, or figuring out whats going to work or not, would the chance of this happening change if I just drove around America and killed everyone in my powers reach?

Not really, Dinah said.

Damn, I replied. If shed said yes, I could have narrowed it down to maybe the eastern United States or the west, then cut it in half again with north versus south, or narrowed it down to certain states. Home in on the person or people that the problem centered around, dealt with them one way or another

Except that wouldnt work.

Would you?

What?

Kill all those people, if you had to?

No, I assured her. Im not that kind of villain.

You killed Coil, didnt you? I saw. Thirty-two percent chance it was you who did it. Five percent chance you couldnt and asked someone else to. Sixty percent chance you were dead.

I killed him, I admitted. But that was a special case.

Okay, she said.

What I wouldnt have given to be able to read her expression.

Does that bother you? I asked.

She shook her head, but she said, It did at first, when I first saw that possibility. But I had a lot of time to wait, and eventually the idea of being rescued mattered more than his life did.

Thats pretty grim, I said. I didnt get a chance to say more. The female doctor was leaving Rachels room, and Rachel was storming out.

Both Dinah and I turned toward the door before the doctor had even touched the handle.

The woman entered and hesitated a fraction when she saw us staring. Her voice was just as cheery as her daughters. Hello! Im Dr. Brimher.

Hello, I said. Have trouble with my teammate?

She was uncooperative. I suppose well have to refund the amount that was already paid for her care. I hope thats alright. Everything indicated she was fine, healthwise.

So long as she was fine.

She perked up a little at that, Well then! Whos first?

Her, Dinah said, before I had a chance to speak.

The overall checkup went much as Id expected. I was diagnosed with a fractured rib, the smoke inhalation was apparently something that should have been treated earlier, but I wasnt showing any lingering signs of mental or personality changes, and I wasnt dizzy, so she let me off with instructions to breathe deep. I got a cream for my burn and three bottles of eye drops for my eyes.

Once every two hours, she said. And as for you, little miss, you seem undernourished.

I havent had much of an appetite for a while.

Infection?

Involuntary incarceration, I said.

Ah. Well, the womans voice jumped up a notch on the cheeriness scale, None of my business.

It wasnt me, I said. We werent keeping her prisoner.

Of course. I wouldnt act any differently if you had been.

Really? I asked.

Dinah grabbed my hand. I forced myself to shut up.

Well. What drugs were you taking, sweetie?

I dont know.

Can you describe what you felt when you took them?

Felt good. Calm. Relaxed. Very sleepy, thinking through a thick soup.

The woman was scribbling with a pen. She shook it to banish the fly that Id landed on the end.

And now? Youre a little flushed.

Was Dinah showing symptoms that I couldnt see?

Im hot, and my legs ache. Im sweating, but that might be because Im hot. Thats all for now. Later, Ill be throwing up, and crying. Ill be very tired but I wont be able to sleep.

Youve been through this before?

No. Not much past this. This will be the first time. Hopefully the last.

I see. The time of your last dose?

I dont know. I couldnt see a clock. But things start getting bad in one and a half hours, Dinah said. They get to the very worst in one day.

Can you put her in a coma? I asked. I read about it.

No. I wouldnt feel confident in doing that without knowing the substances in her system.

Then do a blood screen first, I said. If its a question of money-

No, Dinah was the one who spoke. Has to be the hard way.

Why? I asked.

Because theres a seventy point one five nine percent chance that I relapse if I dont. The cravings get too bad and I can see more cravings in the future and it gets to be too much and I go looking for some eventually, there was a hint of hysteria in her voice.

I sighed. Okay. No induced coma.

One bad week, Dinah said. Six days.

Okay then, the doctor said. Still chipper, strangely sounding pleased at this situation. Ill go prepare a room so you have a place to rest. Ill grab some things to help quiet your tummy, too.

A moment later, she was gone.

I can stay with you, I said. At least tonight.

You need to go and help the others with Noelle.

I will. But first Ill see you through tonight, okay?

She nodded.

We sat in silence for a few long moments. The doctor stopped in to say something to Grue, and there was something about her voice, the higher pitch

Hey, Dinah, since I cant see, can you do me a favor and tell me if you see anything around here that says Medhall?

Medhall? No. I dont think so. Why?

These guys are too comfortable around supervillains, and this place is too expensive. Medhall was the company that Kaiser ran, and he also ran the biggest gang of villains in town, before Leviathan came. Im just wondering if this was the place the white supremacists went to when they needed medical care.

Oh. I dont know.

If it is, Ill have to have words with Tattletale. And I guess I can see why you saw me possibly causing trouble. If they said something to Grue, thatd probably do it.

Dinah nodded.

I sighed. A week to recuperate?

Six days. Eight percent chance I need another day to rest, her voice seemed a touch tight, maybe a little anxious. I wasnt sure I could blame her.

Im not leaving you in their care, okay? Well spend enough time here for me to get the details on what to do and what to look out for, and then well find another place to rest up.

Okay, she said, and her voice was far quieter than it had been since wed rescued her.

It caught me off guard. The quiet. Id pegged the changes in volume as being tied to her confidence, but the way shed dropped her voice, it suggested she was anxious about something. Something she apparently wasnt sharing with me.

Mind if I run a few more questions by you?

I should save my strength, so only a couple more? She was still quiet as she replied.

I wasnt sure if Dinah was aware, but the bugs Id placed on her shoulders sensed the movement, the way she drew her shoulders in.

She was afraid? Was it the impending withdrawal?

Okay, I said. Chance we come out of this okay?

Sixty four point two percent chance.

And chance the rest of the city does?

Not as high. It depends how I ask the question, but if I do-

No. I get it. If you could ballpark it?

Eighteen point two two five eight percent.

Okay. Theres going to be some catastrophic damage, then?

Its very likely.

I sighed. I still had to figure out what we were doing about Noelle. There were roughly eight hours before we had to address that issue. Five or six hours before we really needed to act on the knowledge, calling in help, hiring assistance or notifying the heroes. This was a threat just one step below an Endbringer. Hopefully Ballistic would brief us on her powers, and Tattletale could get us on target as far as her location or weak points.

Tattletale might have been the ruler of Brockton Bay in a general sense, but I was still team leader of the Undersiders. I was blind, we had a pseudo-Endbringer to tackle, and the lives of everyone in the city potentially hinged on it.

Just had to consider my options.

Fifty eight point five, Dinah said, and there was a hint of emotion in her voice.

What? Whats that number?

Its my chance of getting home.

Why is it so low?

She shrugged.

Did that mean she didnt know, or she wasnt willing to use her power to find out?

Then I sensed her lean slightly away from me, and I got an inkling why.

Me.

It was so seductive, when I thought about possible risk to my dad, to the people in my territory, to my teammates and friends, and even to me, to think about drawing on Dinahs assistance. With Dinahs help, we could avoid the worst case scenarios. And maybe in some not-quite conscious way, I was thinking about how to retain her help, one way or another.

If she was sick, after all, I could look after her while dealing with the situation. Just a week of keeping Dinah close, drawing on her abilities to help everyone, and to ensure her safety. With that in mind, and the way shed clutched at me for security, Id been assuming shed stay with me for just a little while.

She knew that. She saw the numbers changing.

And just with that, there was a breach in trust. The savior wasnt quite what shed expected? Dangerous, even? It explained why she was anxious.

Dinah, listen, I said. I can guess what youre thinking. I dont want to be that person. I dont want to trick myself into believing its right or better to keep you, that it serves the greater good or whatever. Because thats a slippery, fast road to doing what Coil was doing.

She turned her head to look at me.

Well get you home as soon as possible, okay? Within twenty-four hours. And if theres more risk, if theres more danger to me, or to you, or everyone? Ill shoulder that, okay? Ill make sure we come out of this okay. You can go home. You deserve to go home.

A full minute passed before she responded with a murmured, Thank you.