Alfred was acting strange. Everyone in the gang could feel it. While never the most stable person in the group, owing to how weirdly clumsy he can get in causing widespread panic and chaos, he has at least been relatively contained in social settings.

  This changed when he came back from patrol the day before.

  Now, the unstable Parahuman was being standoffish, pacing in the corner, and muttering to himself. When approached by anyone, he would ignore them. If someone pressed, he would glare, tell them he was fine, and ignore them.

  Naturally, this caused everyone to feel more than a little tense. So much so that they gathered on the other side of the warehouse, away from the unraveling natural disaster on legs, to discuss the matter.

  “What the fuck is going on with him?” Brian hissed, glancing in Alfred’s general direction, as if he could observe the boy through the metal sheet wall.

  “Why are you asking me?” Lisa shot back.

  “Because you talked to him last?” Alec postulated almost lazily, though, even he couldn’t completely hide the disturbed look in his eyes. It would seem that the sociopath understood how well and truly cooked everyone would be if the powerful Trump had snapped.

  “Nothing we talked about could have caused this,” she spoke nervously. “Maybe he found something after the call?”

  “He would have said something if it could derail the plan,” Taylor said confidently. “Other than Rune and Purity, did he come across other capes?”

  “It would’ve been strange if he mentioned them and not anyone else,” Lisa answered.

  “You think he’s Mastered?” Alec proposed, looking unnerved by the very idea. Everyone was.

  “Let’s not – let’s not go there,” Brian whispered anxiously.

  “Someone had to bring up the possibility,” the slender boy countered.

  “Alfred’s not Mastered,” Lisa said firmly. “He can’t be Mastered, said so himself.”

  “We’re just going to take him at his word?” Alec gave the blonde a look of extreme doubt.

  “His powers make him immune to direct and general Thinker effects. I already told you how he spoofs the hat lady and me, remember?” Lisa had gone over the details about Cauldron and its secret weapon with everyone in the room to make sure that they were all on the same page. “The way he explained it, his so-called Dragoon Spirits basically make sure that no one else will be able to mess with his head. At least, no one other than the Spirits themselves. Which is a terrifying concept, to be honest.”

  “So, are they causing him to act this way, then?” Taylor asked.

  “I don’t know,” Lisa groaned. “He won’t talk to me. My power still won’t work on him, and I can’t come up with an answer unless he voluntarily shares what’s going on in his head.”

  “Maybe you can try again, Taylor?” Brian suggested.

  “He wouldn’t even look at me, the first time,” the girl huffed in genuine offense. “Why would trying again produce a different result?”

  Stolen story; please report.

  “You could kiss him?” Alec put forward in a teasing tone.

  “What?!” Taylor squeaked.

  “That might work,” Brian said thoughtfully.

  “I am not kissing him!” she hissed.

  “Come on, Taylor. It’s for a good cause!”

  “Keep talking, and I will shove my –”

  “Gaaawd, it’s just a kiss.”

  “No one’s kissing anyone!” Lisa put an end to the burgeoning argument. “You’re lucky Danny isn’t here, Alec.”

  Unable to justify his absence any longer, the man had to return to work. The Ambassadors seemed to be lying low, and with other gangs acting up again, the situation was deemed murky enough that he could slip through unmolested. Of course, Rachel is currently nearby to get him out if needed.

  “What’s your idea, then?” he snarked.

  Lisa didn’t answer because she had no answer. The fact of the matter is that if Alfred didn’t want to talk, there was no feasible way for them to force him to. Talking clearly wasn’t getting anywhere if he wouldn’t even engage. As much as she disliked admitting it, Taylor kissing him might just snap the idiot out of whatever spiral he’s trapped in.

  “That’s what I thought,” Alec said smugly.

  “We’re not really considering this, are we?” Taylor almost pleaded.

  “Taylor,” Brian started. “Out of all of us, you’re the only one who could surprise him without risking life and limb. I would have suggested Lisa, but a kiss from her wouldn’t do any good.”

  “Excuse me?!” Lisa squawked in indignation. “I’m a perfectly good kisser, thank you very much!”

  “That’s not what –”

  “I’m certainly a much better kisser than Miss Virgin, over there!”

  “At least I’m not a slutty, blonde bimbo!”

  “What the fuck did you just call me?”

  “Girls! Girls! You’re both very pretty!”

  “You’re not helping, Alec.”

  “Wasn’t trying to, Bri.”

  “So, you think you can kiss him better than me?” Lisa challenged.

  “I know he’ll actually kiss me!” Taylor spat. “He’ll probably just mush your face with his hand if you try!”

  “And you’re basing that on your vast experience, are you?”

  “He pledged himself to me! He’ll do anything I tell him to!”

  “Look who’s acting like a slut, now!”

  While the two girls seemed to be building up to a full-blown cat fight, the boys could only spectate in wonder.

  “Is this actually happening?” was Brian’s nonplussed comment.

  “First time seeing girls get competitive over boys?” Alec asked.

  “Not really, but I never thought it would happen with these two.” Brian could only hope that he would never have to see Aisha acting like this.

  “Meh, it’s been building for a while,” Alec shrugged, causing the taller boy to snap his head toward him. Before he could ask for clarification, though, the two arguing girls stood up.

  “Fine!” Taylor yelled, striding toward the door. “We’ll just let him decide!”

  “Oh, that’s fine with me,” Lisa grinned confidently, following behind. “You’ll see how out of your depth you are, little girl.”

  Brian and Alec were then left in the room, staring after the backs of two young women who were marching as if off to fight a war. In a sense, they were.

  “You think we should go after them?” Brian asked.

  Alec took a second to think about it before sighing and getting on his feet. “Might as well. At least it’ll be entertaining.”

  When they did come upon Taylor and Lisa, though, it was without Alfred. The blonde was already holding her burner to her ear. The Master, on the other hand, had her arms crossed and was fidgeting in agitation.

  “Where is he?” Brian’s question startled the girl.

  “I don’t know,” she said after a moment. “He wasn’t here when we came out. We called his name, but no answer.”

  “Maybe you scared him off?” Alec slyly suggested.

  Both girls glared daggers at him in response. Brian, on the other hand, let out a tired breath. Dealing with teenage Parahumans was as exhausting as dealing with teenagers, in general.

  “Answer, you stupid – Alfred!” Lisa exclaimed. “Where the hell are you? At the beach? Why are you at the beach? Wait, better yet, why didn’t you tell us you were going out? Oh, you are not weaseling yourself out of this one. Just tell me the damn truth!”

  “Is it just me, or does Lisa sound like a housewife calling to interrupt her hubby’s Boys Night?” Alec whispered to Brian.

  For his part, the normally mature young man actually snorted. The image that flashed in his mind of Lisa wearing an apron and telling Alfred to come home was a bit too much to contain. The sound attracted Taylor’s curious stare, and Brian couldn’t help but superimpose her over Lisa. Except this time, she sent a swarm of mosquitoes to make Boys Night a miserable experience instead of just calling.

  The Shaker had to summon all of his considerable self-discipline to squash the laughter bubbling from his chest. Lisa actually helped to quell the involuntary reaction by replacing it with pure, unadulterated terror.

  “WHAT DO YOU MEAN LEVIATHAN’S COMING HERE?!” she shrieked.

  “Huh,” Alec hummed over the silence. “Suddenly, the whole kissing thing doesn’t seem so bad anymore, does it?”