Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

Amelia, Ch 195- Missy


"Nervous?" I asked Theo.


"A little," he admitted. "Mostly I'm just sorry I won't get to see Aster. I mean, I'm grateful they even worked out this loophole in the first place so I could see K-Purity, I just..." he trailed off, shrugging.


I nodded, understanding. I knew how hard it could be to not be able to see your family. "I'm sure they feel just as strongly," I assured him, leaning my head against his shoulder. I smiled up at him, only slightly annoyed by the fact that I couldn't even put my head on his shoulder when we were both standing, I had to lean against it. "It's a shame you're not dating someone who can literally force space to bend over backwards for you. You'd probably be able to talk her into taking you to visit every weekend with nothin more than a smile."


"Really?" he sounded relieved, though I couldn't really see him through the armor. Riley's right, I decided, he is cute. Even if he is a derp sometimes. "That would be awesome."


"Still gotta get through the mission, first," I pointed out, accepting his arm as it wrapped around my side. He's really bulked up, I realized. Not quite as big as Zach, but then Zach's power had advantages.


"We're just backup," Zach complained. "Shoulda sent us in against Baal. Use the same tactic that took down Hookwolf, and walk away with a smile."


"Dinah gave that one a ninety nine and eighty two," Emma pointed out. To my surprise, Zach didn't immediately react with disgust at her. The numbers were, in order, the odds of us walking away with no serious harm to the group, and the odds of us winning the fight decisively. None of that stupid getting away shit like always happened when I was a Ward. "And another forty three on the unacceptable consequences list."


That last number was always the big killer in our strategies. Very few enemies had much chance of winning against us. Thus far, the Ash Beast was the only threat we asked about that was likely to actually walk away from any serious attempt by us at a takedown. Dragon, in hypotheticals where we had to fight, actually came to an almost fifty percent chance of winning against us, making the two of them the only that went beyond twenty percent. With all the other big missions, it was always things like 'plague released, kills Pennsylvania' and 'sure, if you don't mind Moscow being depopulated'.


Likely had a lot to do with the fact that Pantheon only ever seemed to move on A and S class threats, plus or minus lesser threats that were just too fucked up to ignore, like most of the Fallen.


"Based on what we know, it's probably Lilith's precognition. If we move against Baal, she'll know and they'll have enough warning to prep a defense. Baal's compound is crawling with soldiers, and potential hostages." Trevor supplied. "Scouting mission only. We'll hit him if he leaves his compound to protect any of the Fallen's holdings. We just can't afford to go after him at home."


Zach sighed. "I know, I'm just f-bored is all," he glanced over at Riley, who was currently piloting her Aceso doll somewhere near Memphis. She seemed to ignore his near slip into profanity to this time. Must be busy, I decided.


"We're the emergency team," I reminded him. Technically, Theo was in charge of this particular team, but he either didn't like to confront people, or he didn't see the complaining as needing to be curbed in situations like this. That was a concern I'd bring up by proxy, let the bosses handle it if they felt it needed handled at all. Like a professional. "We'll bail anyone who needs it out. Between the five of us and Khepri's monsters, we cover just about every possible scenario. We're the ones being trusted to be able to handle it if the other teams can't."


Theo squeezed me a bit tighter. Probably not professional to cuddle in the middle of a mission, either, I reminded myself. But Zach's not wrong, it's boring here. And we had to keep our face masks on. The planet might be safe, long as you stayed out of the ocean, but the air was not fun to breath. Survivable, sure, but uncomfortable.


"Those sick fucks," Emma growled. She looked toward us. "Promise me that, if you deploy, you hurt them extra bad for me."


"Why?" Theo asked. At least he knew not to take people at face value.


"Forced breeding," she hissed through her teeth.


Theo's metal started forming around him, and his grip might have been painful if not for the suits between us. "Understood," he answered darkly. He didn't add any more words, but his battlestaff formed a nasty looking serrated blade at the top.


Zach swapped over to his acid burst weapon. Not even close to his most deadly option, but probably the least pleasant to be on the receiving end. I simply flicked my blaster up a notch. Less visible than the boys' toys. "Brute protocol approved," I spoke solely to my suit.


It was another minute before Emma made another announcement. "Houston mission is on. T-Khepri is calling you to her location. All of you. She's approved Vicky to fight Baal."
"One half digested rapist, coming right up," Zach's tone was, perhaps, even darker than Theo's.


As it turns out, however, Zach didn't get to cover Baal in acid. He had to rescue a hostage. I was the one who got to do some real damage. Two shots, the first he ignored. It was enough to kill a normal person, but Baal's power made him really tough. So I set it to a level that was ordinarily reserved for bringing down small houses. Or, in his case, turning his lower half into paste.


The child was crying as I pulled her out into the hall. I half expected her to vomit on seeing the damage Taylor had done to the guards. I knew she held back, given than when she went all out, there wouldn't be bodies left to identify. But looking at the shredded forms of these men had sustained, you'd think they met a pissed off Hookwolf.


"You'll be okay," I tried to tell the girl. She didn't seem to listen, too busy caught up in her borderline hysterics. She's younger than I am, I was disgusted to realize. I extended my power bubble around us, locating an area with a lot of people clustered together. Other captives, I realized quickly. I warped us nearby, used a dialed back shot from around the corner to drop both of them with what was probably nonlethal amounts of internal bruising. I kicked in the door without ever stepping away from the girl clinging to me.


"We're here to rescue you," I told them, activating the armor's voice amplifiers. "Stay here for right now while we clear out the rest of the Fallen. Look after her," I pushed the child toward them. It may have been harsh, but I had other things to worry about right now.


The rest of the mission would have made Sophia proud of me. Probably would have made Gallant cry. I didn't kill anyone, but only because I only aimed for arms and legs. Each shot did damage like a hit from a sledgehammer. By the time the PRT managed to get their men into the compound, I had managed to cripple thirty one Fallen. Sadly, it didn't make me feel any better, but at least I knew they'd never truly recover from those injuries.


.....


"Horus," Purity spoke hesitantly. Her costume had changed, to match her new identity. I had to wonder if the red hair was a wig or a dye job, but either way it looked absolutely natural and matched her new mostly orange costume design. I stood back a bit, this wasn't really my place get too involved. Around us, the PRT was going about the business of collecting criminals and reuniting families. Rather the opposite of what was going on in front of me.


"Ma'am," Theo responded. "Good to meet you."


"You've grown," she volunteered. "I bet the girls are all over you, now."


He looked down. "Not really," he was adorable when he was embarrassed. "I do have a girlfriend."


"Rune's gonna be disappointed," Crusader chuckled.


"I wouldn't know," Theo replied. He didn't sound happy about that conversation topic.


"So, who's the lucky lady?" Purity changed the subject. She obviously saw the same discomfort I did. "Anyone we know?"


I moved the several feet of distance with a single step. "You could say that," I gave a small wave.


"Can't say I expected that," Crusader joked. "So, you and Vista, huh? Max would have a cow."


"My father's opinion means nothing to me," Theo stood straight, this time. "Assuming he even notices me from whatever pit in hell he got dumped into, he should be grateful I didn't decide to get a boyfriend simply to spite him."


Crusader paused. "Uh... fair enough..."


I resisted the urge to laugh. Although, actually, now that I think about it, that's something I wouldn't mind seeing once or twice.


Purity, on the other hand, smiled. "I'm glad to see you've finally started standing up for yourself," she beamed. "I really mean that. I always knew you'd grow up to be a fine man."


"Thank you, ma'am," he went back to being shy. "How's Aster doing?"


"She said her first words a couple weeks ago," Purity responded with a level of pride that I pretended I wasn't jealous of. "And now that she's discovered words, she's a nonstop chatterbox."


"That's wonderful," Theo said excitedly, though I could hear a hint of sadness in his voice. I briefly wondered what Bobby was up to. "I, um, gathered a lot of her things together. And a some other stuff. They're at the farmhouse, in case..." he trailed off.


"Always the thoughtful one," Purity said approvingly. "We'll figure something out."


"Don't mean to cut this short," Crusader spoke up. "But we should probably get to work. You can only pretend to debrief for so long before it looks suspicious."


Theo's shoulder's slumped a little. "You're right," he admitted.


"I'll find a way to make contact, probation be damned," Purity insisted, then she looked over to me. "You keep him from getting too full of himself," she instructed. "Don't be afraid to put him in his place."


I smiled. "Don't worry," I replied. "I can handle that."


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A/N- Missy hasn't had a chapter in a while. Also, were I a better planner, this might have been written before the last chapter. It doesn't detract from the story to be second, but still, I think it would have flowed a bit better.