A Perfectly Logical Guide to a Superhuman Apocalypse: 59 (Patreon)

A Perfectly Logical Guide to a Superhuman Apocalypse: 59

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Arksoul

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“Yo, I’m back.”

“Egress.” I don’t know how, by Maelstrom managed to convey disappointment with just a look, some crossed arms, and a single word. I had a slight, sinking feeling in my stomach at her glare… no, wait, that just might be the curry. I don’t know how, but the curry remained delicious despite being freeze-dried. Parvati should really just focus on cornering the food industry. “You should’ve made it clear that you intended to speak with Qin alone.”

“None of you would’ve let me, so I didn’t bother asking. I’m not apologizing either. You all hired me for transport. I got you all to point a, point b, and did my own thing.” My actions weren’t even going against the spirit of my contract. I wasn’t their ally or someone they hired as muscle. Literally, my only job, was to get people to one place and then another place. That’s it. “Don’t pretend like you all liked her little power-play at the start. Now, she’s actually willing to listen.”

The party hadn’t been allowed onto the converted cargo ship, instead at the bottom of the ramp, the docks were converted into a pseudo camp. Tables were set up, chairs, and shade. There were even guards patrolling the perimeter in case the cartels got uppity from the rest of the city. There was clean drinking water available, but most of the food offered was seafood from the Gulf. Heavily seasoned seafood boiled in various ways.

Never thought I’d see the day mudbugs would be used as a main entrée for a diplomatic meeting, but I wasn’t going to complain.

I was about to reach for a plate when Qin decided to interject.

“Maelstrom and the others are guests. You, Egress, have yet to be extended the same hospitality.” Qin looked like she held a grudge over being taken to a deserted island and sent back after having her worldview shaken. “Maelstrom, unless he is necessary, I would like for him to leave.”

“My apologies, but he provides worthwhile advice from time to time, and he’s Parvati’s favored contact.” Parvati’s attending gynoid was with Clancy, but it nodded at Maelstrom’s words. “He’s the most well-travelled of us, too. He can provide some information in exchange for admission. Isn’t that right, Egress?”

“Don’t go to Japan, that place is crazy.”

“You went to the land of the Shogun and lived!?”

“Mhmm.”

Maelstrom sighed after she realized that I wasn’t going to elaborate, but information like the Shogun being dead wasn’t exactly something that I wanted to share freely. Now, I couldn’t stop Maelstrom from doing it… but she just glared at me after I took my seat at the round, banquet table hauled out of the ship for the meeting. I wasn’t hungry, but there was tea being served, and I hadn’t had that for a while, so I helped myself.

And, of course, Maelstrom didn’t clarify on Japan’s situation, since they were in the process of rebuilding.

It was better that both countries ravaged by infighting didn’t acknowledge one another.

“Let’s return to the matter at hand. Your daughter is within the continental United States and is searching for her father. Why? And is anyone in her path in danger?”

“The only one in danger is someone who endangers her. Bao has my speed and strength and durability added atop Clancy’s own. Not only that, but she has received the finest training my people were able to provide. I left in pursuit of her to convince her to return… not to force her to return.” Qin didn’t mince words and provided some terrifying news. It was common for kids of superhumans to have powers of their own stemming from their parents. Dad comes in with durability, mom has super strength, and the kid gets both. There wasn’t enough time to see what happens when those kids decide to be with kids like them, but we did know that superhumans having kids with regular folk resulted in kids about as strong as their parent with power. “If she refused, all we planned to do is wait until she wished to return back home, so we can return safely and with haste.”

Clancy stopped mid-bite when Qin directed a look his way.

“Be proud of your daughter, Clancy. She’s truly strong.”

“Aw shucks, you’re going to make me blush, Qin.”

The two flirted and I got a rare look at Parvati looking peeved, before the AI returned to being completely in control. Ah, who am I kidding. The AI made its body look like that on purpose to score more points with Clancy, and he was eating it up. He cleared his throat and looked a lot less pleased with Qin after Parvati made its move. No, my guy, go after the woman with regular, human motives instead of falling for the AI’s trickery.

Anyway, it was time for Anderson to chime in.

“My people are watching her, and she is making her way towards Clancy’s settlement. How did she manage discern where he resided?”

Qin looked at Clancy, and he scratched his cheek sheepishly.

“Well, I offered both Qin and Egress a spot in the bunker if things went dire. The suite I bought did have enough rooms for four people and I wasn’t with anyone. Guess Bao found the letter I sent, Qin?” Qin nodded at him, and looked pointedly away from me when I raised an eyebrow at her for keeping Clancy’s letter that long. The earlier chemistry, the letter, and how Bao went after her father… I was starting to think Qin’s move was a lot less about stealing powers for her people than I originally thought. Maybe she’s mellowed out with age? Hm. Nah, best to not let my guard around her. “It came with coordinates for the bunker and the passcode to enter. If she could get there, then we’d just… let her in after hearing the code, I suppose.”

Anderson glared at Clancy for his answer.

Why wouldn’t she?

I mean, she had a souped-up, very-well trained superhuman with powerful parentage walking around her territory.

Not exactly good.

Still, though, I’d heard just about enough to make another decision on the situation.

“Well, it sounds like things will get solved and settled if we just get your daughter over here and you all can talk it out. Anderson, do you have eyes on the lady?”  I hoped that my ex-turned-self-proclaimed-religious-leader would say yes, but she shook her head. I looked at Parvati, and it shook its head too. “Well, shit. Looks like this’ll be more complicated than I thought.”

“I trained her in countering powers such as yours, Egress. Since you visited Japan, I thought that you’d know that they have their own individual with abilities like yours.” Qin, I think that guy died before he even became part of the massive problem that was the three-way-battle between the Shogun, Shin, and us allied with the Japanese remnants. He’s not nearly as dangerous as you’re making him out to be, primarily because he got smoked so early I didn’t even have to fight him. “We also believe that the Shogun has a breeding program for superhumans. If nothing is done, Japan will unleash hundreds like you across the world with strike teams composed of other superhumans.”

I didn’t feel like clarifying, so I just answered how normally would.

“Well, I haven’t stopped training since I got my powers. In a one-on-one fight, I’d win just because I can do more than whoever this guy can. That’ll just be how it is if anyone else gets my power.” It was a simple statement, but I got eyebrows raised from the rest of the table. Even Parvati seemed intrigued. Anderson, however, already know what I was talking about, so she just glared at me. “It takes time, effort, and work to be able to do what I can do, and the more you train with it, the farther you can go, the more you can control it, and the more times you can do it… whoever comes after me just doesn’t have the time to catch up, unless I slack in my training.”

I didn’t plan on explaining more than that, but Anderson decided to elucidate.

“This teleporter you speak of in Japan will take years, before reaching Egress’s level of ability. None of you can see it, but Egress is constantly using his power, expanding it, and training it. He only stops when he sleeps.” Anderson explained, but I didn’t rise up to her bait. I wasn’t going to tell them everything, and she didn’t know everything. “Not only that, but initially his power required him to visit locations around the world. That’s practically impossible now.”

“So, the man with innumerable safe houses and the ability to send anyone anywhere on the planet is the only one who’ll be able to do so for the foreseeable future.” Qin dryly stated.

Anderson corrected her without a shred of hesitation.

“He could send you into space, if he wished. He simply does not.” Anderson, I know that I broke up with you. However, you need to understand… I don’t exist to perpetuate an eternal crusade on behalf of your form of Christianity. “Now, he runs free and sells his services to budding powers and nations.”

“Yeah, I’m not interested in being shackled and used by other people. Not even you, Anderson. My power is mine and I use it how I want to use it. Now that I don’t need money right away, I ship goods and people around, unless provided with a good reason.” Working with Parvati to infiltrate a secret lab, waylaying whole armies, and defeating nations and supervillains typically outliers. Most of the things I wanted, I acquired by brining people or things from point A to point B. No more and no less. “I left my bunker because I wanted a new dog, and stayed out because I wanted some variety foodwise. I’m not exactly a loose WMD that needs to be caged up.”

Anderson was ready run her mouth with a spiel about justice, the needs of the many against the needs of one, and the need for everyone to fall under her church… but her mouth closed when I made a point of looking straight at her.

I can send you back to where you live.

Wouldn’t even be difficult, in fact.

Qin watched the interplay for a moment, before making the conversation move forward.

“If I can get Bao back to this ship, then I will have no reason to stay here. Better yet, with Clancy here, she can meet with him and satisfy herself.” Qin laid the situation out plainly. It was obvious after getting a good look at how things were in the United States, she wanted to get the hell out of here. She’s always had a good head between her shoulders. If she can avoid interesting times and interesting places, she does without a hint of hesitation. And, quite frankly, America was very interesting right now. “Any assistance is appreciated.”

“I will contact my people as soon as I can to find her trail and track her down.” Anderson stated simply. She then looked at Clancy. “I believe it would be best to return Mr. Clancy to his home, so that if she arrives there, he’ll be able to meet with her.”

“Sounds like a fine idea. Let’s do that. You want to come along, Qin?” Clancy, I don’t know where you got the balls to ask that question, while having Parvati hanging off your arm. I suppose a couple of years spent surrounded by lots of attractive women willing to do things for you in exchange for protection goes a long way confidence-wise. “I’ll return your hospitality. We’ve had a bumper crop that you can trade for, too.”

“Trade and resupply would be appreciated, but I can’t leave my ship. Rulers of this city are the type to take advantage of such weakness.” Qin made a fair point, then looked at me. “Egress, what is the cost of your transportation services? How about a discount for a woman who’s saved your life more than once, while you were far weaker?”

I thought long and hard about what I could ask for the woman who sailed here the long way.

Ah, who am I kidding?

I’ve been looking at the dishes served since the start.

“Contacts for tea, soy sauce, rice wine, and spices. If you know them, I want to know where they are, and I’ll be trading with them at my leisure.”

“I don’t own the land I now inhabit, but I can give you locations and you can be your own merchant. Here, with this, you can do business so as long as you pay your fees.” Qin took something from her pocket and flicked it towards me. I let it hit a zone and fall onto the table. I haven’t gotten this far catching random things thrown my way with my hands. Anyway, it was a coin half the size of my palm with a red tassel. No, it wasn’t a coin at all. It was a medallion. “Anyone with that I sallowed to trade within our lands. We deal mostly with silver and gold now.”

“Well, I know plenty of places to get that. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure not to collapse any economies.” I got a few looks. Clancy’s wide eyes made it clear what everyone from the US was thinking. “They’re mine. I didn’t keep any money in banks. Besides, Fort Knox is empty. That place was probably one of the first to go when shit went down.”

I reached out and got an ounce of gold. American standard gold coins.

Roughly three thousand dollars each when I cashed out into them.

Have a few thousand.

“Well, what do you think? How much can I get with this?”

“You’ll have the run of the market. We deal with grams of gold embedded in the center of coins.” Qin shook her head and I noticed a few of her crew’s jaws dropping at the sight. Guess China’s still China. Money is king and everything else is just nice to have. “With that, I am sure you will assist me in my resupply… but how much will it cost for you to help get my daughter back here?”

“Oi, I might be greedy, but even that’s going to far. I’ll do that for free… if she’s willing.”

Whole different story if she resists.

I’m not a kidnapper, even at the request of the parents who just wanted their kid back..

For free, at least.