Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

Amelia, Ch 233


"This is getting absurd," I sighed. "I get keeping the Birdcage closed, though I want it known that I will consider certain specific members being released lawfully, now that we know we can remove them from the facility without losing everyone." Canary being one of them, I added silently. I wonder how the woman would react to learning Bonesaw is one of her biggest fans. "But that can wait. For now, if no one's willing to contribute a game winning weapon, there has to be some of you that can help us do the fighting. Pantheon's willing to foot the bill, do all the frontline work. You've seen our weapons, you know our capabilities. We just need a way to keep it from escaping to heal itself."


"We can provide that," the cloaked figure offered. "I, my sister. Others may help." His English was understandable, if a little choppy. "You got revenge on the Third for destroying our homeland. Doing so hurts us, we rely on our enemies not knowing what we can do. We must extract a payment from each of you. For you, an oath to slay the others."


"We've made that promise many times," I agreed. "We'll do everything in our power to kill all of them. Some we do not yet know how, but we will try to learn."


"We're investigating the idea that the Endbringers are made by people," Dragon informed him. "If we locate the creators, I can promise they will not survive."


"Dragon, offering to kill someone as a favor?" Saint mocked.


"You misunderstand," she responded. "I would capture them and turn them over for legal trial. However, as they already have kill orders preemptively assigned upon their discovery, the sentence will no doubt be carried out quickly. Or, depending upon which organization locates them first, possibly quite slowly."


"Acceptable," the man replied. "The Endbringers, or their makers, For the rest, we will ask other favors when the time comes. India is gravely wounded, and the jackals circle us. You will provide us aid to drive them off."


"We can agree to that," Doctor Mother replied.


The others glanced at one another. Dragon nodded after some hesitation.


"Very well," the man from the Elite replied, and others murmured their ascent. The shadow-wielder chose not to respond.


"Moord Nag?" Doctor Mother asked. "What would it cost us to bring you on board?"


The woman and her shadow looked toward the woman in sequence. <Let them all die. I am content to watch the world burn. Scavenger and I shall draw strength from the fallen.>


“Can I ask who she is?” Faultline asked.


Minerva replied, while the woman from the Birdcage translated Moord Nag's sentiments to the others. “Moord Nag. Warlord based in Namibia. She's managed to survive for eight years in a place where warlords measure their lifespan in weeks. Subjugating other warlord and establishing a level of relative peace otherwise unheard of in the region. And she was strong enough to do it alone.”


<Not alone,> the woman responded. <With my Predator.>


“She said she’d be willing to let the world burn, before,” the woman from the birdcage said. “I don’t think you have an ally there.”


“From her attitude,” Saint added. “I don’t even see why she was invited.”


“I’ll ask you the same thing I asked the others,” the Doctor said. “What would it take for you to fight, here?”


<I cannot spend my power. It must remain strong to protect my people and my neighbors.>


“She can’t spend her power, not without-”


“Without providing dead to restore the balance," Doctor Mother replied. "That is a hard pill to swallow."


“No,” Dragon spoke. "It is not acceptable in the least."


<Five thousand, it matters not if they are criminals, they may be infants or elderly or the sick and dying. Merely that they are alive when given to the Predator.>


“No,” Dragon said, before the translator could speak. "We don't need her. Our limitation is mobility. Hurting the Endbringer enough to force its withdrawal. As Pantheon has pointed out, we have the muscle needed to hurt it, if given the opportunity."


Even if she walks away, she'll still kill people to keep her Predator strong I realized. "Can we kill her?" I asked via our private com. "Not now, but later. She's the worst kind of monster."


"More harm than good," Lisa answered. "She's a celebrity in her region, viewed not unlike us. She predates on the guerillas and slavers that would harm her protected territory, and subsists upon the elderly and sickly that willingly offer themselves to her. If we take her away, then five thousand people will be murdered, or worse, in a weekend."


Fuck. Moord Nag and her Predator turned simultaneously, leaving her podium. <Wait!> I shouted. <You say you need human life. Is nothing else an option?>


<Only the death of mankind can satisfy the Predator's need,> Moord Nag answered. Hmm, minor translation bug, that.


<I might have an alternative,> I offered hesitantly. I pulled from the biomass, pushing to onto the table as I worked it and crafted it. Human DNA was easy enough for me to simulate, I didn't need a reference sample. I shaped it, building the bones and the meat and the blood. The nervous system. Everything from the neck down was indestinguishable. Above? The skull cavity was filled with a matter that could only be described as amniotic fluid. Completely human, female, but without any more of the brain than strictly necessary to keep it very much alive. <Try this,> I offered, feeling more than a little sick to my stomach.


A light gust of wind brushed across the area, and my creation, still in its Yggdrasil egg. It was set gently down in front of the African warlord. The shadow, now wearing the skull of some kind of dog, merely neared the thing. The Yggdrasil withered and died almost immediately. The contents no doubt didn't fare any better. <It works, but is not satisfactory,> was her answer. <A meager imitation of the strength the Predator draws upon.>


I cringed. <It may be meager, but I can offer them in large amounts. Grown as numerous as apples in an orchard.>


"Ames... what are you doing?" Vicky asked. "I... that... you know what those are?"


"I do," I told her. "There's no better choice. Whether she joins this battle or not, all other options are worse."


<And your price is to have us fight the Endbringer?> Moord Nag asked.


<Can you use your Predator to touch something without killing it?> I asked.


<Of course,> she answered. <It is a simple matter.>


<Then I can offer you more,> I answered. <A great deal more. A garden that grows more of them. Five hundred a day. In exchange, you must swear never allow your shadow to feed on people again.>


<Impossible,> she responded. <You would cripple my ability to defend myself from my enemies. I cannot accept such an arrangement.>


<Then only in self defense,> I amended. <You will never need to murder to remain strong. In exchange, you will join every Endbringer fight from now until we finally find a way to end them for good. Once that day comes, we will renegotiate.>


<I find this an unpleasant arrangement,> Moord Nag answered. <Still, it is acceptable. The contract is sealed.> She turned and left, the shadow with her.


"I'll discuss matters further with the Thanda," Lisa said softly. "Vicky, stay here."


Around us, discussions had broken off into smaller after arrangements. Chevalier and Doctor Mother agreeing to a followup meeting. Lisa finding out what the Thanda could do. Saint speaking to one of the Birdcage residents. I listened in on it all, but didn't really hear any of it.


"Amelia?" A voice asked. Vicky stepped between us.


"Sorry, she's not taking visitors," Vicky threatened.


"It... it's okay, Vicky, I'm fine," I was lying, of course, but right now encountering my estranged supervillain father was easier to stomach than what I'd just done. Anything to not think about how I was now selling lobotomized infants to a monster.


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A/N- I got bored with my characters (and readers) being happy. Back to mopey emo time!