"Um...hey Virgil?" She called through the door.
"Go away." The words echoed through the thin wooden door. The ft monotone voice didn't vey a hint of emotion.
"No." She shot back without missing a beat. If he was going to be rude...she would be blunt. No more tiptoeing around the issue.
There was a thud and footsteps as Virgil opened his door a crack.
"What do you want, girl?" He snapped angrily.
"To talk. I e in?" Fii met his anger head on. She wasn't here to fight.
He paused before he sighed in frustration.
"Fihe door shut and then clicked as he unlocked and swung the door open.
Ihe room arse. Virgil's revolver sat disassembled on a cloth on his desk. ing supplies and bullet gs littered the workspace. Other than his pistol, the only other object was his bed, ly made. Fii wondered whe slept.
"Sit." Virgil jerked his head towards the chair tucked uhe desk.
Fii obliged, seating herself carefully. He closed the door behind him and sat on his bed fag her. His elbows rested on his knees as he leaned forwards, waiting for her to speak. Silence huween them.
"Look, Virgil," Fii started. "Kenzo and Kasumi...I don't trust her. But Kenzo does. And he's my friend, so I trust him. I don't know anything about her or their past retionship...or whatever the hell they're doing now...but I'll trust him until he proves me wrong."
Virgil ughed mirthlessly. "You trust too easily."
She bit her lip before answering softly, "Maybe I do...but isn't that what heroes are supposed to do?"
His eyes narrowed and he spat out sarcastically, "Heroes? You mean naive kids who think they save everyoh enough goodwill and self-sacrifice?"
"Is there something wrong with that?" Her voice rose slightly. She wao defend herself...but also keep things from esg again. If she yelled...this would just turn into anument—and she didn't want that, so she kept her tone low but firm. "Isn't that what we do anyway? Fight for people who need help?"
He scoffed at her ent. "That's different. We do what o be done because nobody else will. What Kenzo did...it wasn't heroic." Virgil stood and began pag across the length of the small room. He ran a hand through his hair tiredly as he paced. "The only reason I let it slide is because he's a valuable ally. Othwerise, I would have shot the bitch between the eyes the moment I ehe room. She deserves no mercy."
Fii frowned deeply but remained silent. There was nothing she could say that would ge Virgil's opinion. She khat much already. And holy...she didn't disagree with him. She didn't like Kasumi o—a here she was...still defending her because of Kenzo.
Why was she doing this? Because she idolized Kenzo that much? Because she had looked up to him for so long and she respected him so much that she wouldn't dare question his motives...even if they seemed questioo her...because they couldn't possibly be...right? Right? Or maybe...just maybe...she just really wao believe him.
"If you're so set on believing Kenzo is right and I'm wrong...then you're an idiot." He spoke with no traalice, only resignation. "I 't stop you...but if she does betray him or tries anything funny again...and you do nothing...that blood will be on your hands."
Virgil took a swig from his fsk and his eyes closed tightly as he swallowed hard. "Not to mention you did something more idiotic like getting your identity blown in the ic by a person who has already tried to kill you before. Do you uand how moally stupid that was?"
Fii opened her mouth to protest but closed it when Virgil's stern gaze bore holes into her. He didn't want to hear anything she had to say right now. The message was loud and clear. She sat quietly on the chair, listening attentively while fiddling idly with the edge of her tank top.
He took anulp of whiskey and smmed the metal tainer back down on his desk. "Look, kid. You 't keep doing this. First, it was with Quinn, and now you're doing this again. At least with him, he wasn't dangerous. But when a criminal knows your face, you'll never have any peace. That girl is going to rat you out the minute she gets a ce. Or worse—hunt down everyone you care about and hurt them so they get to you."
Fii shivered at the thought. He didn't have to say that st bit. She uood perfectly well what he meant.
But in the slums, that kind of threat always hung over everyone's heads. Whether someone art of a gang or not, they would have to deal with those types of dangers sooner or ter. Gangs that lost territories and power always g to their grudges. It wasn't unon faet friends or families of those who crossed them to get revenge or settle old scores.
It didn't just apply to gangs—anyone who wao hurt someone else could find ways to get the job dohat was life in the slums. No ws meant no punishment for anyone who could get away with it. So to survive, you had to be crafty, strong, or lucky. It's just how things were.
Still, there are unwritten codes of duct that were respected...most of the time. Retaliating against is is frowned upon and taboo among those who actually cared. And it wasn't just because of moral reasoher—it would also make them lose their credibility and risk isoting them even further.
No one wants that—not even gangsters. The bance was always kept precariously in check. Some were better than others but the codes were the same.
Virgil stepped close and k beside her chair so they could be face-to-face. She flinched slightly when he id a heavy hand on her shoulder and squeezed tightly. His intense hazel eyes bore into hers as he spoke clearly, "So now that you got your dumb ass exposed—there's nothing stopping her from paying you back the favor."
"I'm sorry I messed up," she admitted dejectedly. "It wasn't smart...I panicked a little."
He grunted, "Yes. It was idiotic." His tone softehough and the tension in the air dissipated some. He let go and stepped back, giving her space again. "I've taught you better. You should be able to think clearly enough under pressure. ime, don't make rash decisions. Let that thick skull of yours do its job instead."
He gave her head a hard flick. It stung, but she didn't pin. This was the most civil he'd been with her tely. Besides, she deserved it.
She nodded slowly. "Yes sir."
"Good," Virgil sighed before colpsing bato the bed. His posture sagged heavily and his eyes drooped close. "At least we agree on that."
"Uh... I ask something else though?" Fii ventured cautiously.
Virgil opened an eye and groaned in exasperation. "What now?"
"I wao talk about those Adrenomancers. I know I'll probably end up fighting them again sometime soon so... you tell me more about them?"
The other eye popped open a straight up.
"Didn't I already expin the basics to you before? How much more do you want to know?"
Fii shrugged sheepishly. "A lot more I guess. Like...how e some of them are different? One of the ones I fought was super fast. Another one was stronger and tougher than the rest, and I'm sure there are other types too."
Virgil exhaled noisily through his nostrils. "Those are the variants. As far as I know, Salvatore's drug cocktail could sometimes result in a mixture that produces something more along the lines of a Super. Different bodily systems get modified so the strength or speed es easier than for other didates. The ones with enhanced speed are called Hyperions, and the ones with higher strength and endurance are known as Titans."
"So basically...they're better versions of the regur Adrenomancers?"
"Pretty much." He paused briefly to take a swig of whiskey before tinuing in a tired voice, "But that's all they are. They still don't pare to Metahumans who have the strength to throw cars around or move faster sound. At best, they might be able to hold their own against someone who's not as experienced—like you."
"I fought ohat used electrified whips," Fii added. "And another one used holograms."
He grunted in aowledgment. "Yeah, there are plenty of different ons too. Most use firearms for quick kills. But others like to get up close and personal. Regardless of how they fight, you should be able to deal with them easily if you put your mind to it and NOT hold back." He shot her a pointed look to emphasize his point.
"Yes sir," she responded immediately. "No more holding back."
"Good...now run along...I need a nap," he mumbled drowsily while lying ba the mattress again.
She watched him close his eyes and drift off quickly into slumber. His fsk hung limply in one hand.
Time to go. She slipped out quietly a him aloo sleep.
Oside the Vigil, Fii exhaled loudly before making her way back to the Aether ic. Things weren't going to return to normal anytime soon. And there was no telling when she'd find herself tangled up in another mess again.
Edith tapped a vial into her analyzer ahe mae humming. A stream of data began popping onto her monitor s. After cheg several values, she frowned slightly but didn't seem surprised.
Helix's voice sounded from her puter speakers.
[Based on the chemical position of the Adrenomancer drug, it appears to tain a plex mixture of various syic stimunts aransmitters. These include amphetamines, ephedrine, and norepinephrine—which at for the increase iness and energy. There are also trace amounts of dopamine aoni—which likely enhahe user's sense of pleasure and reward while uhe influence.]
The information fshed across the s faster thah could absorb it all. But Helix was still reg its analysis, so she had time to catch up before asking any questions.
[In addition, there are also traces of exotic elements found in rare minerals that I believe were introduced during the refining process. However, I am uo ascertain what these substances are currently due to insuffit data.] The AI cluded before waiting patiently for her response.
Edith hummed thoughtfully as she pondered over this new discovery. While not ued given what she'd already gathered earlier from analyzing Shiver, it did firm a few things she suspected about the tw's simirities.
"I think I have a guess what those exotic elements are...or at least what their purpose may be," she mused aloud while squinting closely at the s. "Heavy isotopes that serve as catalysts and binding agents that instill rapid biological ges within the host."
Helix chimed in affirmatively,
"That'll be your job then," she stated matter-of-factly as she began typing rapidly on her keyboard. "I want you to run more tests on these pounds and pile a prehensive report for me with all possible results from different variations." She paused briefly before tinuing, "While you're at it...run another che Fii's DNA sample too. Let me know if anything unusual pops out from your analysis."
[Uood.]
With that settled, Edith sat ba her chair and began rereading everything once again from start to finish. She couldn't afford to miss anything important. This data had to be absolutely accurate. So far things seemed promising...but there remained a lingering doubt gnawing away at her gut.
This could all be for naught. Salvatore's Adrenomancer formu might very well not be the key to increasing the efficacy of her serum. There were too many variables involved and no way to tell whether or not one variable was causing the other effects. That meant they needed more information—more data.
And unfortunately...that wasn't something she could gee easily on her own anymore.