Hebert Disassembly Services Chapter 12: Interview-Fox///

<<<Lisa Wilburne/Tattletale>>>

Lisa always saw herself as a free-spirited individual; she chaffed when under the control of another. That was chiefly the main reason she despised Coil as much as she did. Well, that and the recruitment at gunpoint. That was something that stuck in her craw for some unimaginable reason.

So, why was she here? In the PRT HQ instead of in Boston or, better yet, halfway out of the state? Because the goddamn Cape Boogiewoman had a job for her! This amounted to her joining the Wards to feed her information about the PRT’s latest darling, Absolute, or Taylor Hebert, whose identity was paper-thin at this point.

Normally, she’d tell the person to go fuck themselves, but the lady offered an excellent benefits package. Which included a very hefty paycheck in her Numberman managed account, along with a bonus for anything particularly interesting. And Lisa liked money, quite a bit actually, so she agreed.

Also, the implicit death threat by fucking Contessa showing up unannounced, but at least she was polite about it and not actually putting a gun in her face.

And there she was, in a room that looked like a refurbished interrogation room with a one-way mirror included. She’d been waiting for ten minutes at this point, though she wasn’t complaining. A/C, and free drinks? Who would complain?

Normally her, a lot, though she felt like living, so she certainly didn’t.

The door creaked open {Deliberate action? Not enough data} and whoever was supposed to interview her entered. She expected some stiff in a suit, maybe even Beardsmaster or Militia. She absolutely didn’t expect the PRT’s darling Absolute to step in!

{Human Not Human Void Not Void Puppet Toy-}

Lisa clamped down on her power before it could give her a migraine early.

“Sorry,” Absolute apologized, “I was caught up…” Lisa let the leash on her power slip a little.

{Genuinely Embarrassed. Socially Awkward. Recovering. Recovered from bullying. Finds you aesthetically pleasing}

If she wasn’t… her she’d have taken a double take at that. As it was, Lisa schooled her features and said, “Nah, wasn’t waiting too long. Ten minutes isn’t even enough to make my drink get warm.” Though it wasn’t the best drink for the situation.

She’d have preferred Everclear to the juice they gave her.

The robogirl just gave an awkward smile before she sat down, only for it to groan. Then she sighed before getting back up, moving the chair away, and sitting back down.

{Industrial strength hydraulics. Could rip a Killdozer apart. Is very careful with her strength. Still adjusting}

“So I guess asking for your weight is a bad idea?” Lisa snarked. It was how she dealt with stress, sue her.

Absolute just chuckled, “You can, I mean, I’m made out of metal and cybernetics.” She said dryly, “I’m pretty sure it’s over several hundred at minimum.”

{Not entirely truthful. Made partially of flesh}

“Okay, that’s eck.” That sounded like some straight-up biotinkery nightmare fuel. Of course, out loud, she said, “So I assume they told you what my powers are? I think they’re pretty cool myself, makes me psychic.”

“Why was I cursed with this? I used to think it was really useful, but oh my god, why?” Truly, being awesome was a curse. It had to be, because she didn’t think she’d done anything worth punishing her like this.

She was sure Taylor was a nice enough girl, but spying on someone who could fight an Endbringer and win was not her idea of a good time!

She just smiled, “Something like that.” {Can actively review records and files. Insane multitasking ability. Knows you’re uncomfortable and is trying to put you at ease} “But I assume it’s some sort of Thinker? Coldreading perhaps?” She asked, genuinely curious.

And now she was getting a headache, fun fun.

“My power gives me a headache if it’s used too much,” She started, “When I’m nervous, it’s harder to control. Can I get some Advil? I know I’m a villain, or whatever, but in my defense, I was forced into it at gunpoint? Does that earn a bit of… something?”

“It does,” She said with a nod as she lifted her hand, and a glyph appeared both in front of her hand as well as in her right eye (screen?). She twisted her hand slightly, and a bottle of Advil came out of a bag Lisa missed, “Here you go. I don’t really need them much.”

{Teleported it. The bag is to help you.}

“Thanks,” Lisa replied, suppressing a twinge of pain. So the teleportation involved something Taylor thought would hurt her if seen by her, something that would make her power freak out. That was valuable. The scary woman would like to know that, and Taylor wouldn’t even get mad about it if she were being so obvious about it.

Obviously, she took a pill of it with her juice, which was quickly running out, it had to be said.

“So, um… what do you want to know?” She asked, “I promise not to lie too much?”

Taylor just smiled, “Well, really, we’re just wondering what convinced you to turn over a new leaf. According to the files, you and the Undersiders are a small-time smash-and-grab gang with a very impressive escape score.” She asked curiously.

Oh, that she could answer without even a little bit of a lie. Sure, she wouldn’t say what allowed it exactly, but…

“Oh, that’s easy,” Lisa started, putting on her best smile, “My ex-boss got run out of town. Without him, I wasn’t forced at gunpoint to keep the Undersiders together as a villain group, and I could convince the others that this was better.”

Taylor tilted her head for a moment, “... That’d do it,” She said, her smile never fading.

{Only partial believes you. Doesn’t want to push. Has advanced sensory suite? Not enough data}

Lisa groaned, rubbing her face. “And I was asked to by someone who wants to remain anonymous. The same person who ran Coil out of town. I don’t trust them, I’m scared of them, but I don’t think they’re a villain either.”

Neither did her power, but since Her power seemed to be able to do anything…

“Huh, fair enough,” Taylor said, “Well, honestly, I think you’d be a welcome addition. Things have undergone a slight change, with Battery acting as something of a… Den Mother? Something along those lines.”

{Battery is like you}

Yeah, that she figured.

“Well, let me get some paperwork out and with some signatures. I can take you to the Wards and show you around,” Taylor said, “Oh, would you like some more juice or something else?”

“I wouldn’t mind some Everclear, but I don’t think I’m allowed to drink that as a Hero instead of a villain, huh?” She snarked lightly, “But, uh, have any painkillers a little stronger than Advil?”

“Nope,” Taylor snorted, “I’ll see what I can find.” She added as she reached into her bag to get the paperwork.

{Not used to telekinesis.}

A new power then, that was… mildly concerning. But she could ask her about it directly when her head wasn’t filled with pain.

As she put the paperwork down along with a pen, Taylor scooted it to her, “I think you’ll get along well enough with the Wards. And don’t worry, I keep Cyn on a short leash. If anything, she’s been introspective since Australia."

“Well, I hope I do; it’s not every day you betray your boss for another team,” Lisa noted, “If they don’t like me, it would get awkward real fast.”

“Heh, I’ll drink to that.” She said as she pulled out a canister with a warning sticker on the side before taking a sip.

{Mixture of coolant and oil? Unsure. Not enough data}

As she signed, she figured she’d just ask. “My power can’t figure out what it is you are drinking. Is it a secret?” An easy grin was on her face, and she only had to force it a little. “I promise that if you tell, it will only be between me, you, and the dozen people listening in on the other side of that mirror.”

“Only two, actually,” Taylor corrected, “Originally there were going to be more until Armsmaster reminded them what I can do.”

“Let me be overdramatic…” Lisa complained, pushing the signed papers to the side before putting her head on the nice cold metal table.

Taylor giggled at that, “You remind me of a friend…” She said nostalgically, “But my drink is… You know. I’m not entirely certain. Pretty sure it could unclog drains and act as fuel for a diesel engine though…” She added thoughtfully.

“So I should really avoid touching it then,” She noted, clamping down hard on her power. “If it can unclog drains, that means it’s an acid or something that dissolves organic stuff. Or something. Not using my power right now because owww.”

She’d been using it the entire day before the impromptu interrogation, too. The scary bitch probably planned for that, too.

Taylor just looked at Lisa, “You don’t look so good. Let’s get you down to the Wards area. I think you need to lie down in a dark room for a while,” She said.

“I wouldn’t be opposed to sleeping for a week,” Lisa replied honestly, forcing herself up, “But I’ve been worse. Early on, when I didn’t really understand my power? Yeah, that wasn’t fun. And when I was living on the streets.”

“Can’t say I understand honestly,” Taylor admitted, “But hopefully things improve for you.”

“Happy that you don’t understand it,” She replied, honestly, “It sucked. And, hey, maybe Dragon or Armsmaster can magic up some painkillers that aren’t addictive and work well enough to make me feel like a living person and not a ball of ow.”

Taylor stared off for a moment, {Reviewing files? Unsure. Not enough data) Lisa winced as her power spat that out real quick before quieting back down. Hopefully, because it realized her head was about to split, but it never stopped before… but maybe the nightmare in the form of a mechanical girl scared it?

Not likely, but the thought amused her.

“I… could make something…” She said slowly, “It’d have to be tested and examined. But I could provide you with some relief.”

“If it works,” Lisa started, “I will actually just kiss you, and I don’t care how much TMI I get.”

A pair of blush marks appeared just below her eye-emotes at her words, “Um… w-well you… might not get that much information? I guess?” She stammered.

“... This can not be happening. I refuse to believe I’m not hallucinating right now, and nothing my power says will change that.” The murder machine could not actually have a crush on her. Absolutely not. Sure, the figure it cut was nice, but she wasn’t exactly a sexual person even before her powers!

“Um, let’s get you somewhere to rest…” She said awkwardly, “And… um, I think you’re just saying that, but… thanks for the compliment?”

“... Which part of that did I say out loud?” Lisa asked after a moment. “And, uh, somewhere that’s perfectly clean would be best. My power gets harder to control if I get close to relaxation.”

“Kiss me if I make something for you?” Taylor just tilted her head, “What’d you think I heard?”

Lisa was just thankful that Taylor wasn’t adding telepathy to her bullshitness. 

“I thought you cut a nice figure.” She had promised not to lie too much, and she’d keep to that!

“... Would you believe I used to look like an upright frog before all this?” Taylor asked with a chuckle.

“I would not,” Lisa replied. {Cyn disagrees with her} “Ow.”

“I did, though, looking back, I thought that because of poor self-confidence,” Taylor admitted, “But let’s get you somewhere to rest. And don't worry, when you mentioned it being perfectly clean I sent a message to a janitor to thoroughly sanitize your room.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Lisa replied, “I’m going to stop talking now so I don’t say something I regret in the morning. Or immediately.”

Taylor just smiled and helped her up and guided her out of the room.

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