[The Kill List]—❈—14:: Car Rides and Conversations

Tuesday, 12, April, 2011.

Morning.

After the events of that morning, one might be under the impression that Taylor Hebert might skip school for the day to stay home and deal with the stress of The PRT practically accusing her of attacking, or at the very least, having a hand in attacking, Sophia, but that impression would be wrong.

Not that the fifteen-year-old didn’t consider it, cause she did, but she discarded the idea as soon as it presented itself, for the same reason that she’d never skipped school to avoid The Trio’s bullshit before now; that reason, of course, being that Taylor saw the avoidance of an unpleasant situation that she could do nothing about as admitting defeat.

A rather interesting perspective from someone who managed to avoid having a real relationship with her own father for the better part of two years because, you guessed it, it was unpleasant.

The matter of Taylor’s stubbornness aside, she also didn’t want to skip because not only would it mean being stuck in an empty, boring house all day long, it would also mean missing out on seeing Emma without her favourite guard dog at her side.

So, in the end, the only thing that the PRT agents’ visit changed about Taylor’s morning, was that her father ended up giving her a ride to school.

Unfortunately, in proper parent fashion, her Dad seemed to be under the impression that a car ride to school was the perfect time to ask her questions that she had no answers to.

Questions like:

“And you’re sure there isn’t a way you could contact him?” Taylor’s Dad asked, for what felt like the millionth time that morning.

Taylor sighed. Did he think there was some sort of internet message board for capes, or something?

“No, Dad,” she said in exasperation. “I mean, not unless you want me to spell out his name in the sky with a million bugs or something.”

“You can control that many bugs?” her father asked, naturally paying attention to the most unimportant part of what she said.

Taylor sighed again. “I can control all the bugs within my range, Dad. I don’t think there’s a limit.”

“Huh. And how big is your range?” he asked.

Taylor rolled her eyes. Really? He wanted to know about her powers now?

“I don’t know,” she said. “One, maybe two blocks.”

Her Dad blinked. “As in city blocks?” he asked.

Taylor shrugged, feeling awkward. She’d never discussed her powers with anybody before and it felt kinda weird doing so.

Her Dad whistled. “Damn, kiddo. That’s kinda crazy.”

“It’s not that impressive,” she said.

“Not that impressive? Are you crazy? If you were a villain you’d have half this city on lockdown.”

“Well, too bad I’m not a villain then,” Taylor said, tone snappier than intended.

Her Dad paused at the response, and Taylor scowled, annoyed at herself for how that had come out.

It wasn’t her Dad’s fault that her powers were shitty for hero work.

“I’m…” she hesitated, the word caught in her throat. “I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay,” her Dad said. It wasn’t. “I understand,” he added.

If he really did, then that just made it worse, in Taylor’s opinion.

“Although, if the plan is to look heroic, then maybe you should reconsider the costume, Tay,” her Dad said after a moment.

“Why? What’s wrong with the costume?” Taylor asked suspiciously.

Her Dad looked at her like she was joking.

“Well, it looks kind of villainous, doesn’t it?” he asked carefully.

“No, it doesn’t,” Taylor disagreed immediately.

Her Dad stared at her.

“Kiddo,” he said, “I’ve seen that mask, you look like the thing you used to ask me to check your closet for before bed.”

“It’s modeled after a bug,” Taylor said defensively. “It helps me blend in with my swarm.”

“Taylor, you’re at least five’ four, what the hell kind of bugs do you control that that getup would help you blend in?” he asked in genuine confusion.

“Well, since you know so much better than me, what kind of costume do you suggest I use that will protect me and still fit the bug theme?” she asked angrily.

“What do you need a costume for?” her Dad asked.

Taylor looked at him like he was an idiot.

The immediate reply that came to mind was ‘of course, I need a costume’, but even as she thought it, it felt too silly an argument to make.

Her Dad continued; “Taylor, you just told me your range is around one to two city blocks, that’s a lot of space to work with. Besides, cape costumes draw attention. Without it you’re just a regular girl, you can perch yourself somewhere and let your bugs get to work.”

“You want me to hide?” Taylor asked, spitting out the word like a curse.

Momentarily, taken back by the vitriol in her voice, her Dad tried to recover.

“Taylor, you’re the weak link in your power, it just makes sense to—”

“I’m the weak link? Wow!”

“You know what I meant; you’re not bulletproof, you can be—”

“Oh, I know what you meant alright. Useless, little Taylor with her weak powers. I should just hide, get myself out of the way for the real heroes to come save the day. Hell, I bet you wish I wasn’t even a cape at a—"

Someone landed right in front of their moving car, and the only thing Taylor saw before they slammed into them was an expensive suit.

The jolt of the car coming to a sudden stop was discombobulating, but not enough for Taylor to miss the SUV that crashed down from the sky ahead of them. Right where their car would have been if they’d still been driving.

“Taylor? Taylor, are you okay?” her Dad asked, and Taylor nodded, eyes never leaving Black Leg’s.

A sound like a thousand chainsaws started up outside, and Black Leg frowned, and, even as Taylor stared at him, disappeared.