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Just As Planned (Catalog SI, Worm Start) by Throwaway1971

Books » Private Rated: M, English, Parody & Romance, Words: 154k+, Favs: 136, Follows: 153, Published: Aug 6, 2024 Updated: Dec 3, 2024

3Chapter 5: Worm 5 (Interlude: Bonesaw)

A/N: I don't know how well this works, exactly. Some feedback would be appreciated – I'm trying to find Bonesaw's voice while also finding the Nine's voices, and it isn't easy. I also don't want to invest too much in the Nine since I don't intend for them to be recurring characters.

Interlude: Bonesaw

Stitch, stitch, stitch. The thread pulled tight, and the wound was sealed. Beneath her, her project's eyes tracked her movements frantically, but the paralytic wouldn't wear off for another half an hour or so – she didn't have to worry about restraints. Besides, she was already done.

Bonesaw wiped her hands on her apron absentmindedly, avoiding the blood that was already there, and smiled at her handiwork. "There! All done. Now, remember, once the paralytic wears off – every three hours you go without killing someone, the toxins will build up in your bloodstream and it will hurt a teensy bit more! If you manage to go forty-eight hours without that happening even once, I'll give you a super secret reward, mister!" She wagged her finger at him. "But you can't stack them up! You can't just go and kill sixteen people in the next hour and forget about it. You have to take the time to savor each one, okay? Jack says that's important."

She listened to the patterns of his panicked breathing, watching the way the metal implants in his chest cavity flexed with the expansion and contraction of his lungs. She pursed her lips, considering. "Hmm. It's kind of hard to tell if you understand, actually. I should have thought ahead more...whoops!" She tilted her head to one side with a shrug. "Oh well! If you didn't understand, you should have listened more in the first place, mister! Bye bye~ Good luck!" She waved as she skipped backwards, swirling in place and swishing her skirt from side to side as she headed out into the street.

Her smile faded into a thoughtful frown. I'm still restless...why? That was an interesting experiment. I'd never done anything like it before. It's something 'Uncle' Jack would be proud of...but...

She tapped her foot petulantly. I hate feeling like this. We've been here for four gosh darn days and it's just been getting worse! It's...it's...it's so boring! It's the same thing as the last one! And the one before that! Jack's having so much fun and I don't want to disappoint him but...She pouted, absently laying a hand over her sternum where her tattoo was. Her little secret rebellion. I want something more interesting.

As she rounded the corner, she tugged her lips up in a smile that she didn't feel. The Siberian glanced at her with something that might have been concern while the others stood and watched Jack gesture with a knife.

"It isn't complicated, really. There are two of you – and I only need one." He glanced between the two PRT troopers that were bound, hands tied behind their backs to the wrists of two fresh corpses. She pouted a bit internally – she'd told him earlier that she was running low on fresh ingredients, he could have waited to kill them until she could restock. "So!" He clapped his hands together. "Convince me that you should be the one to live, and you can go deliver my message and be on your merry way! But I'd work quickly." He leaned forward, covering his mouth from one side and glancing out of the corner of his eye. "The Siberian is impatient, you see," he stage-whispered.

"She had an affair," one of the troopers spoke up instantly, ignoring the horrified look his counterpart gave him.

Jack snorted. "That's awfully mundane. Are you hoping I believe in the sanctity of marriage?"

The trooper grimaced. "...With a Ward."

Jack's eyes widened a bit, then he tossed his head back and laughed. It was mostly fake, but the troopers probably didn't notice. "Oh now that is a bit more juicy. Which one? Was it one of the ones we...well." He gestured with a knife to the bloodied windows of the building next door.

"You bastard!" The second trooper broke her silence, lunging forward and struggling against the corpse. But, naturally, it wasn't that simple.

"Language! Gosh, what's wrong with you?" Bonesaw placed her hands on her hips.

"Shut the fuck up you...you horrifying little cunt!"

Bonesaw frowned. "That's not very nice. Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"

Whatever the trooper was about to say was cut short as she glanced into the air about the same time Mannequin's blank faceplate turned to look. Bonesaw's hairs stood on end as one of her sense-enhancements felt...something, and she turned, reaching absently into a pocket in case she needed something.

From the air descended a cape – not particularly dashing or heroic. Face obscured by thick black smoke, clad in black, scarred armor with an undercurrent of...her eyes narrowed. Is that liquid rock? No, it's something else...I feel like it's organic? What kind of power isthat? The figure descended on wings of smoky, flickering fire that winked out the moment his feet touched the ground. For a moment, no one said anything.

The cape glanced around, at ease, then coughed. "I apologize, Jacob. Am I interrupting? You can finish, if you'd like."

"Well...this is unusual. Typically we're the surprise visitors -" Jack started.

"Please! You have to -" the woman interrupted him. Bonesaw tutted in her mind.

Jack's knife flicked out and the woman's throat opened up, cut to the bone. "Don't interrupt me," was all he said as her head lolled backwards. Bonesaw frowned again. More waste! Ugh, Jack... "Now. Where was I?"

"Surprise visitors," the cape said in good humor.

"Of course! I can't help but wonder what brings you to our neck of the woods. And...it's Jack, of course. I didn't think anyone could forget my name, but..."

"Of course. My mistake. Did you want to..." The cape gestured with an armored hand at the trooper, and Jack glanced at him before chuckling.

"Oh no! No, this is far more interesting." Jack's smile was all teeth. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

The cape sketched a slight bow. "Call me Majesty, if you would. I'm here in the hopes that you're a reasonable man."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Most people would call that...well, many things. None of them good."

Majesty's head tipped to one side in a shrug-like movement. "Most people don't understand you, either."

"And you do?"

"I'd like to think so." Majesty tilted his head back slightly, as though thinking. "The world's...a bit pointless, isn't it? Like a joke, or a white lie. A great machine, filled with intricate mechanisms...that ultimately accomplishes nothing." He shrugged. "But there's something satisfying about moving the levers and watching things go." A pause. "Am I close?"

Bonesaw glanced at Jack, suddenly curious. That was...a new description of him.

"Hmm." Jack straightened his shirt slightly, his smile a bit more subdued. "I'm afraid I couldn't say...but now I truly am curious. What is it you're hoping this reasonable man will do for you?"

The empty, smoky expanse of a face turned just barely in her direction. "I want you to stop stifling Riley's potential."

How does he know that name? Her eyes flicked to Jack. 'Jacob,' he'd said earlier, and Jack had responded to it instead of lashing out.

Jack looked at her for a moment. "She doesn't seem particularly stifled to me. Bonesaw, are you feeling limited?"

"I..." She started, but hesitated. She didn't want to lie – lying was for bad girls. But...Jack's eyes glinted, and as she was about to force the words out –

"Come now. You're an intelligent man – you know that Tinkers aren't well suited to this kind of wandering life." Majesty glanced obviously in Mannequin's direction. "...Most Tinkers, at any rate."

Jack's smile was sharper, now. "She's had a number of opportunities that she wouldn't have had anywhere else. I'm afraid if you're arguing that she's 'stifled' then you're mistaken."

"Opportunities to...do what? Make transient 'art' that, while undoubtedly creative and arguably amusing, is as permanent as the wind?" Majesty scoffed. "That's a waste of her potential. You don't take one of the greatest Tinkers in the world and waste them on party tricks. Do you know how few Tinkers are capable of researching powers like she is?"

She blinked. He knows about that?

For a moment, Jack simply stared...then he chuckled lightly. "Ah! I see. A Thinker. That explains a great deal."

"Not quite. But my greatest ally is something of one, yes." There was something veiled in that statement that she couldn't quite unravel. "But we're talking about someone like they aren't here! Riley, tell me the truth. Are you satisfied here?"

"No." The words had left her mouth before she realized it, and when Jack's head turned in her direction she regretted them. "I mean..." She licked her lips. "This town's just been a bit boring." Majesty hummed quietly in response, crossing his arms.

Jack, meanwhile, tapped the knife against his shirt, eyes narrowed. "Well, I have a simple solution. If you think she's being stifled, then – Bonesaw, how would you like to study his power? I expect it would be...enlightening."

Majesty didn't respond or tense, and her eyes flicked back and forth between them. "That does sound interesting, Jack –"

She'd barely finished speaking. "Excellent. Crawler!"

The great black beast darted forward with a joyous cry.

Majesty sighed. "Oh dear."

As Crawler took a step, the asphalt around him warped and bent, crushing into itself in a cube that was just big enough to contain him...which then shot off like a bullet. Majesty remained standing, and for a moment nobody spoke.

"I'm terribly sorry, Jacob, there's something I forgot to mention. You see –"

"It's Jack." The knife flicked out.

"– I should have laid my cards on the table." Something blurred from the sky.

The Simurgh's feathers parted gently where the knife had been aimed, as though struck by a soft breeze. The wings uncoiled from around Majesty, still framing him like a shell as the Endbringer stood behind him. For a moment, Bonesaw thought it must be a projection, or a Stranger effect, or...or...

There was a rattling sound as Mannequin took a step backwards. She understood. There was a...a presence to the Endbringer. This wasn't a fake.

"As I said, I hoped you're a reasonable man. I didn't bet on it, though." He sighed. "Do you truly intend to keep her caged forever, Jacob?"

Jack's hand tightened around the knife and his body shifted. She knew that movement – he was getting them ready to move as one. The Siberian stepped towards her –

– and Majesty's head turned to stare at it, shoulders suddenly so rigid they were almost shaking. The Simurgh's head turned in unison, and a nearby van rattled threateningly.

The Siberian...stopped. Stood still. Slowly, very slowly, Majesty's head turned to look at her again, then back to Jack.

"What makes her so important, I wonder...? This isn't just about her, is it?"

Majesty shook his head. "It hurts to see something – or someone – valuable in the hands of someone who doesn't understand their value." He turned his head to her again. "Riley. I'll give you a simple offer – come with me." He held out a hand. "If nothing else – I'd love to see what you can do with a sample of an Endbringer. If you decide that you preferred it here...I can return you to the Nine just as easily. And I will, if you ask."

"If there is a vacancy, and she passes the tests," Jack said, not looking in her direction. "Bonesaw," he said, warningly.

But...he seemed smaller, in the shadow of the Simurgh.

And...her mind was already whirling with ideas. If the Endbringer's flesh could be catalyzed...she licked her lips.

If I don't go...if I stay. Can I...just keep doing this? Forever? She knew the answer before she asked the question.

She stepped forward. "Okay."

Jack frowned at her. It hurt...but...I'm sorry, Jack. I can't do it.

Majesty nodded, then spoke quietly. "We'll be taking to the air. Would you prefer a ride from the Simurgh, or myself?"

She glanced up at the Endbringer, who looked down at her impassively. She didn't hear the legendary scream.

She bit her lip. "...You, please."

"Of course." He held out a hand, and she took it – and he tugged her towards him, spinning her into his arms and dipping an arm under her legs, ignoring her eep of surprise. "Jacob – regardless of what you think, I do understand. And I wish you well, as odd as it seems." A pause as they rose into the air, and then Majesty tilted his head. "Crawler should be in that direction, I believe."

Chapter 35 - 5