Super Sales on Super Heroes 5 -Ch11- (Patreon)

Chapter 11 - Trash Disposal -

Sighing, feeling drained, and not wanting to do anything more, Felix was wiped out.

Kit and Lily had agreed to everything, which left him about twenty-four hours to get everything finished. To fix Lucian, get Legion rings made, alter Kit’s power, make her an Augur helmet, and wipe both their memories.

There’d been no time to sleep and he’d spent more of that time rushing from location to location. Scraping up any and every point he could while running through endless hypotheticals on how to get to his goal as cheaply as possible.

“Legate, the government handlers are on their way. They’ve just past my furthest sensor at the entrance to the parking lot,” Tribune reported.

“Right,” Felix said, leaning his head forward. He’d only been sitting in his desk for a few minutes. His mind felt like it was swimming. “Tribune, I don’t want to be surprised by this again.

“Put together a report of everything you’d need to be upgraded so that people couldn’t be planning something from the parking lot again.

“Then a second plan beyond that so you could monitor all the approaches. You’d still need to be hard-locked here though. Away from the rest of the world. I don’t think they’re ready to discover a true Virtual-Intelligence.”

“Yes, Legate,” answered Tribune.

“I could kill them for you, m-my love,” whispered Miu, appearing at the edge of his desk. She was crouched low over it and quite close to him. One of her hands crept over and then gently laid down on his armored knee.

“Thanks, Miu. I actually considered taking you up on that, but it’s not a great solution. They’d just send more people,” Felix confessed and looked from her, to the other Miu.

She was standing only a few feet away and was staring at him in a flat way.

“So… Miu,” Felix murmured, reaching up to lay a gauntleted hand on the top of his Miu’s head.

“Call me Mikki,” said Miu, now Mikki. “I never liked my name to begin with. She can have the name since she rescued me.”

“Mikki, then… what’re your plans? I’d be happy to make room in my organization for you if only because you’re this worlds Miu,” Felix said as Miu crept ever closer to him. Until she was pushed up against his side. It didn’t seem to bother her at all that other than his head, he was still in his Legate armor.

“I’m not sure. Part of me wants to remain here and… learn more about you,” Mikki murmured, then shook her head. “Though I don’t think it would be wise. If I remained here I could very easily end up no different than Miu.

“Then she and I would have to likely kill one another. If it were me… the idea of sharing my partner with anyone would likely make me a bit violent.”

“I’m not allowed to kill his other women,” Miu interjected, her head now resting against his chestplate. “I can kill Andie if she lets me. That helps a little but not much.

“That and I don’t… want… to kill her anymore. Not unless she does something that deserves punishment, at least.”

Mikki grunted at that, her eyes moving from Miu back to Felix.

“Join the Guild of Heroes with Kit and Lily. I left open a back-channel in Kit’s powers so that I could wipe people’s memories, then wipe her own,” Felix offered. “It’d give you a chance to peel out the bits you don’t want and maybe move toward your own life.

“I don’t think Miu here wanted you to be locked up. Beyond that I doubt she considered it at all.”

“I didn’t,” admitted Miu quietly. She’d crawled into his lap by this point and was plastered to him completely. “Just didn’t want to leave myself where I’d been.”

“Thank you, Miu. I wouldn’t have been able to escape without your help,” Mikki confessed. She shivered once and her eyes started to wander off to the side.

“Miu, take a breath,” Felix commanded. There was a slight hesitation as Mikki’s eyes locked to Felix’s. Then she took in a slow breath. “Let it out. Focus. Take control and then fix it in place.

“Do an especially good job today and I’ll take all your control away and take responsibility for you.”

“W-wrong, Miu, Felix,” whispered Miu who was still in his lap. She didn’t sound upset, thankfully. If anything she almost seemed

Felix had completely spaced out and had forgotten that Mikki wasn’t his Miu. She was this universe’s Miu even if she looked just like his.

Mikki’s eyes had snapped open wide and she was looking at him now in a way that reminded him of how Miu used to react.

“I accept,” she hissed, her attention focusing on him to a hard needle like sensation. “I will stay with Legion. I am Mikki. Miu, may I lodge with you?”

“Of course. I already offered,” Miu countered. “We’ll need to figure out some way for him to own you as he does me.

“That way he can make your powers like mine. Oh, and don’t worry, he doesn’t want to change you. What’s broken with you.

“He likes what’s broken. He understands it and thinks we’re perfectly normal.”

Mikki’s mouth snapped shut and continued to stare at Felix.

“Mikki, go get a Legionnaire’s suit on. You can probably get one from an Andrea,” Felix directed. “They’ll fit reasonably enough till I can get you one personally.

“Act as the door guard and greet our guests. Determine if there’s any issues with them, then bring them to a conference room. I’m sure Tribune or Faith has already set one up.

“Miu, go with your… sister… and help her learn how to be Legion. For now. She can re-evaluate her choice in an hour or two after she cools down. Chances are she’ll decide to join the Heroe’s guild after all.”

“Of course,” Miu answered, then leaned up and kissed him quickly. Then she bit his lip rather roughly. Almost to the point of drawing blood, but not quite. “You’re taking control for both of us for doing a good job.

“You can give me the usual, and you can let Mikki run wild in a training room. Like what you used to do for me.”

“Fine,” agreed Felix. He didn’t let go of Miu, however. Instead he pulled her in close to himself and kissed her. Kissed her as a woman he loved and cherished. Taking his time he didn’t let her go until he heard Mikki’s boots shift around on the carpet.

Pulling away from Miu he saw she had a glassy eyed look. Almost like she wanted to bite a chunk out of him and eat it.

“Go,” he commanded her.

Miu hopped off his lap and scurried away. Grabbing Mikki by her wrist and leading the other woman out.

“Their heart-rates are both elevated and their systems are displaying rapid fluctuations,” reported Tribune. “Is Legionnaire Miu going to be alright given her erratic readings?”

“It’s normal for her. Did you do a medical scan on Mikki?” Felix asked.

“Not yet, Legate.”

“Make sure that’s taken care of,” Felix asked, leaning back in his seat. “If she’s planning on remaining here, we’ll need to make sure she’s at peak physical condition.”

“Yes, Legate.”

Closing his eyes, Felix just sat there and breathed slowly.

“Legate, according to the data from your armor, you’re likely about to fall asleep. Please wake up,” requested Tribune.

With a start Felix sat up in his chair. Pushing himself out of it he grabbed his helmet. Stuffing it up under his armpit he held onto it and began walking toward the door.

“I… yeah, thanks, Tribune,” rumbled Felix, feeling rather foolish. Falling asleep here and now would have been hard to explain. “Which uh… which—”

“The Aurelius conference room, Legate. It’s right next to your office. I had it put nearby,” Legate answered. “I also had coffee ordered and delivered. Legionnaire Andrea is just finishing setting it up. Legionnaire Goldie is brining bakery confections.

“You will have time to drink most of a cup of coffee leisurely and half of a pastry, Legate.”

Felix noted that Tribune was now addressing everyone as Legionnaire, but didn’t put any import into it. He knew that being able to select a form of address was one of the options that could be set for Tribune.

He imagined Faith had changed it, though he didn’t know why as of yet.

“Thanks,” he muttered instead. He didn’t honestly care why Faith changed it and it didn’t really matter.

Exiting his office he turned down the hallway he crossed over, moved to the first door, opened it, and entered. He was struck with the smell of coffee in that instant.

Thrashing him about the nose and mouth that made his mouth water and his mind to pluck itself up. Andrea was humming, swishing her hips from side to side, and shifting around several coffee travelers.

She was very intent on her setup.

Walking right up behind Second he put his hands on her hips and leaned over her shoulder. Looking to what was in front of her.

“Eee! Felix! I didn’t even notice you,” Andrea squealed, her hands clamping down atop his own. “Oooh. I was so in my own head thinking about Kit and Lily. It was so nice to see them but it wasn’t… them. They didn’t smell right but it was so close. So close.”

“I know. It’s almost worse to have seen them, then to have never met their alternate versions,” Felix wondered.

Andrea sniffled, shook her head, then growled. She stamped her feet and once more growled as if she could somehow scare something off.

“I can do this. We’ll be alright. Andrea is tough. Tough! Lily told us to get through it. Just like Lily would,” Andrea mewled, rapidly nodding her head. “I’m tough! Tough! I can… I can—”

Her shoulders hunched inward and she let out a soft sob.

“Hey, it’s okay. Go get some rest. I need to down a cup of coffee and get ready for the government people. Thank you for setting this up, Second,” Felix said and kissed her cheek. “Get going dear. Get a nap in, then share it with everyone else after you wake up.”

“Nn, nn. A nap sounds great. Then… then sharing it with everyone is even better.

“Maybe later you could recharge us? We’re tired. We didn’t sleep last night either,” Andrea said. She turned, kissed him briefly, than scurried off.

Felix picked up a cup, filled it with black coffee, and downed it as fast as his mouth could handle the burning liquid. Then did it for a second cup.

The taste was terrible and left him feeling like his mouth was full of acid, but he needed to be awake for this.

“Legionnaire Goldie was delayed. Legionnaire Miu and Human Mikki are guiding the guests up,” reported Tribune. “You must put your helmet on Legate.”

“What?” croaked Felix. “Delayed how?”

“The government agents came faster than expected. Legionnaire Goldie wasn’t able to get ahead of them and drop off the pastries in time. They will be placed in your office,” answered Tribune.

Felix pulled his helmet down over his head with a muttered curse. He’d actually really wanted to get a hold of a pastry. He had realized in that moment that he hadn’t eaten in a while.

Turning, Felix went and stood behind the chair he intended to sit in. It was neither at the head nor the foot. It was directly in the middle of one side of the rectangle.

He didn’t have to wait long as the door opened relatively quickly. In walked several men along with three Legionnaires.

He assumed two of them were Miu and Mikki, the third was likely Faith or Goldie. Either of those two would be able to get the ball rolling for him as far as a telepathy standpoint went.

“As always, thank you again,” said the person in the front. Felix had the impression that this group of people were in the same ‘department’ that’d come to talk to him last time. He was starting to suspect that they were deliberately rotating people through so he couldn’t get a solid read on whoever he was speaking with.

This time it was a woman in her late twenties with short brown hair and flat brown eyes. She was neither attractive, nor terrible to look upon.

“We received your report yesterday and reviewed it,” she said, taking the seat in the middle which was directly across from himself. Felix did the same and sat down. One Legionnaire sat down on his right while the other two flanked him at each shoulder. “Our analysis so far lines up with everything that you yourself have postulated.

“We’ve… we’ve also found that… all of our foreign assets were compromised. It’s very likely there’s someone who can determine who our agents are.”

Felix nodded his head slowly. That’d make sense given the situation.

Any information he turned over to the government had likely been leaked to those bad actors as well. Which meant there were a number of people at risk if they didn’t act quickly.

“I believe this would be an appropriate time to mention that you should likely begin working with the Guild of Heroes,” Felix pushed. He was thankful for the mask right now because he felt like his face was going to split into a smile if he lost control for a split second. “Or at least sanction them. Doing so would present you with a way to spin up a new faction that could assist you with your needs, but align and be part of the government.

“In fact, I even have three people I would suggest as leaders for the Guild of Heroes. One is a Telepath, another is a Sorceress, and the last would be a great asset for security and assassination.”

He didn’t need Tribune to tell him that Mikki was likely starting to spike with her heart rate, or something along those lines. He imagined the young woman was still riding the push he’d inadvertently given her.

Pushing her off onto Lily and Kit would actually do him well.

Provide her with the new version of the Legion ring and tell her to work with them. Spy for him. Report back to Miu everything she saw and believed.

“I… see,” muttered the woman with a small shake of her head. “You wouldn’t… want to leverage the Association or your Legion to fill that role?”

“Of course not. We’re not here to stand in for the government or against the government. Legion is here as a utility to operate the Association. We’re the neutral ground between it all.

“It’s why I was able to broker a deal between the supers who were fighting in front of the depository. Speaking of that, there’s something I need to make you aware of,” Felix declared and then cleared his throat. “I captured the Gold Dragon as well as its combat partner. They’re both working for Legion as prisoners under life sentences.

“I’ve taken ownership of them and their powers as they refused to accept my mediation of the situation. Their actions had put too much strain on everyone involved so it was best if I simply curtailed it outright.”

The woman began to shake her head, before she started to nod it instead. Looking very much like someone who didn’t want that bit of news.

“We’d had reports that the Gold Dragon had been seen yesterday battling for the sake of the Association,” the woman admitted. “I was going to ask you about it to determine what the situation was but it appears I needn’t have worried.

“We’ll of course leave it to your custody so long as you can vouch for their good behavior.”

“They’d be dead if I couldn’t,” Felix remarked flatly. “No, that isn’t an invitation to turn me into a prison, though I’ll happily help you design one if you ask.

“I’d also be willing to assist with building it for the right price. Though beyond that we’d only be willing to assist with its upkeep and maintenance. As well as it’s installation of equipment and proper safety features.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be responsible for jailing, guarding, prisoner intake, or monitoring. That’d all be functions outside of our purview.

“Legion and the Association is meant to be here as a gateway and neutral utility. Like a power company. Not something to be wielded by a government official, party, or body.”

“That’d be great, actually. I assume it’d be the same type of requirements for the Association building, which isn’t an issue,” said a man to the left of the woman. He’d been quiet for the most part but now seemed interested. “We’ve been having difficulties with our… super… prisoners and having a prison built would be wonderful.

“They’ve been able to escape, or nearly so, from every single prison we’ve put them in. We’re not sure how to handle this and… honestly there seems to be more of them to deal with by the day.”

Felix smirked at that with a short nod of his head.

“There’s more to it,” reported Faith through their helmet coms. “But he’s not lying. They really are having issues with super prisoners. They’d prefer that to happen before the guild of heroes.

“Especially with all the prisoners they’re loading up right now. To be fair there’s at least four supers we’re handing over to them. Ones that are from a foreign country and would likely be akin to nuclear weapons if you think about it.”

“If I were you,” Felix said aloud the second Faith finished speaking. “I’d get the Guild going as quickly as possible, then assign them to man and watch the prison. I’ll begin drawing up plans for a suitable design, blueprint, layout, and cost.

“Is there any limit to the budget on this? As well as the capacity you’d be looking for and type? As in is it a super-max, or an after-school club?”

“Super-max, maximum occupancy, no concern for their rights,” stated the third woman. Up to this point she’d been deathly quiet and still. Almost as if she weren’t completely comfortable with the situation.

“Tribune, mark that speaker. Dig up everything you can from them without alerting them to our curiosity,” requested Faith. “On top of that, see if you can’t weasel your way into their phones or laptops. Whatever they have on them.

“Don’t do anything that they’d be able to track or notice, but if you can get in, get in. No reason to not take any information we can from them.”

“Yes, Legionnaire Faith,” Tribune answered.

“Of course,” Felix said, doing his best to ignore Faith and Tribune both. “Though you didn’t specify how many prisoners to hold.”

“Modular. Make it so we can add as many as we need with a simple visit from you,” the woman in the middle decided. “We’ll move forward withe Guild as you suggested. If you could please provide us with a list of names for you think should be in it as well as to what position.

“We’ll take your recommendation seriously. Though of course we’ll conduct our own interviews to ascertain if it’s worth following through with.”

“I’d truthfully be concerned if you took my recommendation at face value,” Felix said with a chuckle. “It’d be best if you always had a healthy system of checks and balances that kept your own people at the top of their game.”

There.

League of Villains is starting with Anya

The Guild is starting with Kit.

My Association is getting to put itself in the middle without too much of a problem, and Legion gets to act like a vendor.

Everything… is finally moving in the right direction.

Finally.

Though… this is usually when something goes wrong.

Question becomes… what plates going to start wobble before I have to rush over and start spinning it again?