Magnetic Attraction 23c (Patreon)

Magnetic Attraction
Interlude: 23c

-VB-

Change.

It happened when it happened, whether or not it was driven by someone or pure circumstance.

However, those who spoke of change as an inevitable and uncontrollable occurrence sat in the lowest rungs of society. They were those who have disillusioned themselves to their own potential and future. They were nothing but scum who would do nothing to improve themselves.

It was why leadership was important. A leader was not only someone who led but also someone who reached down and pulled out the potential in their followers. A leader could be anyone. They could be a CEO, a general, or even just a friend.

A leader, however, was something this country lacked.

‘A true leader, that is,’ Uppercrust thought within his office in his New York skyscraper. ‘It is the unfortunate side effect of power, parahuman or otherwise, that causes men and women to fall.’

“Mr. Uppercrust?”

He paused in his rumination and turned his wheelchair around. Standing by the doorway was his most trusted secretary, Nathaniel. The young man looked as worried as he usually did when doctors came by for their appointments.

“What is it, Nathaniel?” he asked.

He cherished the young man because despite being the secretary to him, one of the leaders of the Elite, he never exercised his position to cause undue damage. In fact, he generally did the opposite. He made sure that charity funds reached the right place, and saw to their usage studiously. Maybe it was because Nathaniel was a man who grew up with poor friends and family that his first instinct was to give to them what he could. It was how Uppercrust found him, after all.

“It’s a possible link to someone who might be able to help you…”

Uppercrust sighed fondly. “Nathan, Nathan, Nathan. You know that I’ve already given up.”

Oh, he put up the act of looking for a cure to his brain tumor, but the truth of the matter was that once his last hope, Panacea, had been declared insane and sent to the Birdcage two weeks ago, he’d given up.

Because no one was good as Panacea and he had been hoping that somehow she would overcome her inability to work with brains.

“B-But you have to try, right, sir?”

Ah, ever empathic Nathan. What would this young man do once he left this mortal plane?

“T-the call, actually, came from Eisenfeld.”

Uppercrust was about to dismiss Nathan when the man said that. Slowly, he turned to look at Nathaniel a bit more fully.

“Eisenfeld, did you say? He called us?”

“Yes, Mr. Uppercrust.”

Wasn’t this becoming interesting?

Eisenfeld’s earned his fame in the latest Endbringer battle, where he performed on par with the Triumvirate in causing damage to Leviathan. More than that, he made himself fierce with how he came off towards the end of the fight. A giant whose body was composed of swirling dust of black iron, pounding away at Leviathan like a vengeful man who’s lost his home. What got his more educated peers interested, however, was the magnetic imaging of the man in action.

To say that it was beautiful would underestimate the scene.

“But why would he contact me?” Uppercrust hummed to himself. “What did he exactly say?”

“That he might be able to help you with your condition himself.”

He burst out laughing. “He’s not healer remotely close to being a healer! How could he help me?” he laughed again after exclaiming.

Nathaniel looked upset as the man usually did when he, Uppercrust, didn’t try every single offer of healing. It was one of the reasons why Uppercrust was worried about him; what would this trusting and naive young man do once he was gone?

“He says that he can show you what he wants to try…”

“... Show rather than tell, hmm? He won’t be working on me?”

“Well, he said that he’ll only do anything directly once he’s received your approval.”

Perhaps Eisenfeld was a more reasonable parahuman? Uppercrust certainly felt so. Many capes were prone to violence the moment they came face to face with objection and rejection about something they felt strongly about.

Would Eisenfeld try doing something similar when - not an if but a when because no healer had succeeded before him so why would a non-healer succeed? - he got his rejection?

Could he risk it? He was Uppercrust, a cell leader of the Elite, but more importantly, he was the man who maintained phenomenal energy shields for numerous PRT and Elite bases. If there was a single error, then there would be no one else but maybe Dragon who would be able to keep up the maintenance. Could he consign

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head, much to Nathaniel’s dismay.

“As grateful as I am of his offer, I must refuse. You know how delicate my condition is, Nathan.”

“Yes, sir.” Then he hesitated before bowing and leaving.

Alone in his office, Uppercrust grimaced as the cranial pain returned. He reached under his desk and pulled out a bottle of pills. With an ease that came with familiarity and practice, he unscrewed the cap, pulled one pill out, and put it into his mouth. He reached out and poured water from a pot into a clear glass cup. He drank from the cup and let out a sigh.

Leaning back against his armchair, he waited for the pain to subside.

With him gone, his Elite cell would dissolve because there was no adequate replacement for him. Nathan was a good man but not a cape or a leader.

Change was coming not just to New York City and his Elite cell but also to all cities that depended on his service.

He lamented the fact that he would not be there to guide his people.

He closed his eyes and hummed.

“Almost heaven. West Virginia~. Blue ridge mountains, Shenandoah River~...”