School. School never changes. The smell of a government institution in the hallways, mixed with schoolgirls' perfume and the heavy, goat-like stench from the gym locker rooms, the smell of a bunch of teenagers gathered in one place, and it also smells of cheap instant coffee from the school cafeteria. Corridors flooded with sunlight, crowds in the hallways, constant chatter, jostling in the cafeteria line, backpacks with pins on them, clumsily applied eyeliner, bright lipstick and dirty sneakers, groups sitting on the stairs, with bursts of loud laughter and crude words that make passing nerds pull their heads into their shoulders and quicken their pace.
I walk through the corridors and though the school itself hasn't changed one bit, there's a noticeable change in attitude toward one Taylor Hebert. I walk right down the middle of the corridor, and those I encounter coming toward me - make round eyes recognizing me, retreat to the walls and windows, clearing the way. Behind my back they whisper and point fingers, but to my face - they look away to the side and down and simply step back.
And only one figure doesn't move out of my way. Sophia Hess. She stands right in the middle of the corridor and looks at me with challenge.
"Hebert," she says and jerks her head, pointing somewhere to the side. "Talk?"
"Still won't give it a rest, Sophia," I say. "Wasn't last time enough? But... okay. Let's talk..." and I follow her. She goes up to the second floor, goes higher, kicks the door to the roof open with her foot (I just raise an eyebrow - destruction of school property, like she doesn't have enough legal problems).
We go out onto the roof. High overhead the sun shines, today is clear, piercing blue sky and a few small white clouds, a light breeze...
Sophia walks forward. I follow her. She stops and leans on the parapet. I stop two meters from her, putting my elbows on the same parapet and surveying the school yard from above. Late students are pulling into the yard, soon there will be the bell for first period.
"What was that?" she asks, turning her head and studying me with an attentive gaze. "Who was that?"
"What? What do you mean?" I don't understand.
"What kind of chick were you making out with in front of everyone? Who is she?" Sophia clarifies and I look at her, not believing my ears. I thought Sophia Hess would turn on Shadow Stalker and come for an additional portion of bruises and injuries, but here she is making small talk.
"Is it your business?" I answer. Yes, a bit rude, but where is she sticking her nose? My relationship with Lisa is my personal business. Awkward, of course, that the whole school saw, but to hell with it. What will they do to me? Expel me?
"I don't give a damn about you, Hebert!" Sophia immediately gets worked up. "Not a damn! Kiss whoever you want! In front of everyone, what are you, an exhibitionist?"
"Sophia Hess finally got to the dictionary and learned big words. Exhibitionism. Making progress," I fold my arms across my chest. "Growing up."
"Oh, screw you, Hebert." She tears herself away from the parapet and decisively moves toward the door. Already grasping the handle, she turns to me.
"First period we have history. Don't be late, teachers don't like that." And she disappears behind the door. I look at that door and don't understand what that was. Sophia decided to chat? Well... at least I didn't have to give her new bruises on top of the just-healed ones, and that's something.
I go down the stairs. Overhead the speaker of the school announcement system hisses and clicks.
"Taylor Hebert, please come to the principal's office. Taylor Hebert, please come to the principal's office," comes from there. A second later - the bell rings. The corridors empty. I go to the principal's reception area.
I push the door. The secretary is at her place, she fearfully rounds her eyes and stands up at my appearance.
"Miss Hebert! Please!" she hurriedly runs around the desk and opens the door for me. "Please!"
Hmm, I think, stepping over the threshold, my stock has risen noticeably here. In the office besides Principal Blackwood there's another woman. A young Asian woman in a strict business suit, with glasses and a bob haircut. The kind they usually show in movies as "the main villain's henchwoman and secretary." Specifically as "henchwoman and secretary," because she's too smart to be just a blonde for decoration.
"Miss Hebert," Principal Blackwood rises from her seat. "Come in. This is Dr. Yamada. She'll be teaching a new subject, 'Applied Psychology of Parahumans.' Attendance is not mandatory, but recommended."
"Very pleased to meet you, Dr. Yamada," I nod my head. "I'm Taylor Hebert."
"Oh, I know who you are," the Asian woman in glasses stands and extends her hand to me. "It's also a pleasure to meet you. I've heard... a lot about you. And you can call me Jessica."
"Please sit down, Miss Hebert," says the principal and I note that she remains standing until the moment I sit in the visitor's chair. I sit, noting the unusual softness of the visitor's chair - usually it's uncomfortable, low and with some bumps in the seat. Did they really change it?
"Miss Hebert," says Principal Blackwood, making sure I'm seated and comfortable. "I've been authorized to bring you apologies on behalf of the school and personally. We acknowledge our guilt in the locker incident, as well as the lack of proper response to your complaints. I have already submitted my resignation from the position of school principal to the municipal council. Until my replacement, I will temporarily perform the duties of school principal, but no longer. You... rather your father - will be paid monetary compensation from the school budget. The amount of compensation and form of official apologies will be negotiated with your lawyer, Mr. McCallister. Once again - please forgive us. We failed."
"What are you talking about?" I lean forward. "I'm very sorry you're leaving, Mrs. Blackwood. It would be more convenient for me if you stayed. But if that's your decision, who am I to ask you to change it? It's very easy to resign instead of starting to fix the consequences of your actions, I understand you..."
"So you want me to stay, Miss Hebert?" Principal Blackwood's left eyelid twitches noticeably.
"I don't insist on punishing any of the girls who bullied me. I also don't insist on punishing you or the teaching staff. What's important to me is that such or similar cases don't happen again," I say. "I'd like to see that with my own eyes."
"I don't understand," Principal Blackwood licks her dry lips. "Miss Hebert, you won. All your demands... we're ready to fulfill them. But..."
"Perhaps I should step in here," Dr. Yamada interrupts her and adjusts her glasses. "Taylor... may I address you like that?"
"Of course."
"Taylor, we should probably start with the elephant in the room that we're all studiously ignoring," she says. "You're Administrator. A parahuman. In fact, you're currently one of the strongest capes in the country and the world. Of course the school administration's attitude toward you has changed. It's bitter to admit, but it's a fact - no one was interested in Taylor Hebert before she became a cape. Principal Blackwood perfectly understands the fact that you only need to think and she'll die. Most likely - painfully. I've studied the action of neurotoxin, I know how it works. Principal Blackwood would be happy to put thousands of miles of distance between you and her... and the PRT would be grateful if you allowed her to do so."
"Me? What do I have to do with it? It's her choice - to quit school or not."
"No, Taylor, that's not how it works. Principal Blackwood and Sophia Hess's handler are the main responsible parties. They made the decisions. In my opinion, Principal Blackwood is the main culprit of what happened," says Dr. Yamada and I see how the color drains from Blackwood's face, she swallows convulsively, and her hands begin to shake.
"The PRT handler is also guilty, but she's guilty more of negligence and neglect of her duties, while Principal Blackwood directly violated hers. You see, Taylor, a trigger is a complex and very traumatic event in every parahuman's life. There's even a precedent adopted by the Supreme Court that says in case of causing death to the perpetrator of trigger events by a parahuman - the victim's involvement in the trigger is considered a mitigating circumstance. In connection with this, I took it upon myself to acquaint Miss Blackwood with some circumstances that were unknown to her." She turns the laptop so that both the principal and I can see the screen. "Look, this will only take a few minutes. You can find anything online these days. Here, for example, one Butcher Fifteen dealing with ABB thugs who dared to speak against her. Pay attention to the large centipede that crawled out of the poor guy's eye socket. Watch carefully, Mrs. Blackwood..." A short video plays on the screen, filmed by Leet and Uber, filmed at the moment when I gave Butcher free rein. The plot is indeed gripping, straight out of a horror movie - some "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" nervously smokes on the sidelines. Butcher One knows how to "instill the fear of God in the hearts of poor bastards," that's for sure. The principal barely sits in her chair, pale and trembling, her face covered with beads of cold sweat.
"Please stop," I address Dr. Yamada. "Stop it. Don't you see the person feels sick?"
"What's wrong, Taylor? Didn't you yourself want to teach her a lesson? I'm helping you. Look - she's starting to understand who you are and what will happen to her if you get really angry. Moreover..." she turns to the principal and raises her voice. "Mrs. Blackwood!"
"Y-yes?" the principal blinks several times, focusing her gaze. "Yes?"
"Mrs. Blackwood, if you didn't notice, in this recording this girl is not experiencing anger. She's simply teaching a lesson. Showing that she needs to be reckoned with. What do you think she'll do to those she's really angry at?"
"Please stop!" I say firmly, feeling anger boiling in my chest. "How dare you threaten the principal in her office!"
"I repeat, Taylor - I'm doing what you yourself want deep down. To take revenge. To make everyone regret what they did. And they already regret it. Mrs. Blackwood - do you regret it?"
"Yes! Very much. Please don't kill me! I have children! And even a granddaughter! Born last year, they live in Denver..."
"Dr. Yamada!" I raise my voice. "Do you want to ruin relations with me?"
"No," she raises her hands and leans back. "Just to note one point. You really would want Principal Blackwood to stay at the school, right?"
"Yes, but..."
"And although it seems to you that you would act nobly by refusing revenge - in reality you would be taking revenge. Just in a more complex way, Taylor. You have a remarkably sophisticated mind."
"You're saying that by refusing to prosecute the perpetrators and leaving everyone in their places - I'll be taking revenge? That I'm waiting for a moment to attack them? What nonsense!"
"Waiting? Oh no, Taylor. You're not that simple-minded. If you wanted to kill them, you would have killed them long ago. As soon as you had the opportunity. No. You say 'left everyone in their places.' The places remained the same, Taylor, but your status changed. How do you think Mrs. Blackwood would feel, remaining as principal and knowing who you are and what you're capable of? See how she feels right now? And all the time she continued to work - she would experience terror. You're like a sword of Damocles hanging over her head... not letting her sleep, not letting her forget. That's what you wanted, isn't it? Sophia Hess, Madison Clements, Emma Barnes... of them only Sophia doesn't show symptoms of panic attacks, traumatic disorder and constant anxiety. Everyone saw those footage, Taylor. That's your revenge plan... I must admit quite sophisticated and very well thought out. They won't be able to refuse your generous offer - 'stay in your places, I bear no grudge' - right? After all, you've already met them halfway, haven't you? So they will stay in their places, schoolgirls in class, principal in the chair... but they'll be afraid. When you look at them. When you don't look at them. When you pass by. When you're not around. All this time they'll experience fear. And then terror. As a psychologist, I give it from a couple of weeks to six months, plus or minus."
"You give from a couple of weeks to six months... until what?"
"Until the first suicide attempt. I think Madison Clements will be first. She's the most easily influenced. Now you're Administrator, it won't be a couple of days before you have admirers at school. Wanting to earn your favor, they'll start bullying your former tormentors. Of course, you won't let them go far, but public condemnation is sometimes enough. She's weak-willed and won't have the spirit to cut her veins, so most likely - pills. Sleeping pills. Second I think will be... Principal Blackwood. Surprisingly. Mrs. Blackwood will put a bullet in her head, she has a .32 caliber revolver in her desk drawer, she'll use that. Emma Barnes... when exactly will you consider your revenge complete, the offense atoned for, and your sense of justice satisfied, Miss Hebert?"
"I saw Sophia Hess today. Doesn't look like she's scared," I mutter under my breath. "Being rude to me..."
"It's a bluff. A desperate attempt to hide her fear. You should know better than anyone that she's replayed your fight a hundred times in her head and understood who you are and what you could have done to her. And unlike the others - she understands the reality of such an outcome," says Dr. Yamada. "So, Taylor, what will you prefer to do? Insist on your revenge or let people go their way? You have the right to revenge, at least the human right."
"I have that right. And I can make you atone for your guilt," I say, straightening my back. "Apologies aren't enough for me. I don't see repentance. Fear, yes. I see fear. But not repentance. If I can't make a person repent, at least I can make them experience fear every day. And I don't need Principal Blackwood to continue working at school for that... or anyone else. I can quite reach that person wherever they are. You, Mrs. Blackwood, the PRT handler, those three - I can make it so you'll regret staying alive, is that clear?! And you... miss doctor - you think you can read me like an open book? Read what will happen to you if you cross the line, and you've already approached it. No one here will pressure me, never again!"
"No one is pressuring you, Taylor," Dr. Yamada says softly. "It's always your choice. You choose how to act. This is your responsibility. I'm just showing you the consequences of your choice, nothing more..."
"What do you want from me?" I fold my arms across my chest, feeling irritation starting to break through. "Dr. Yamada? To give you my word that they'll all stay alive and unharmed? I give it. They won't die by my hands. But I reserve the right to act if I'm provoked and to hand out sobering slaps to everyone. I'm not going to take revenge, but I won't pretend nothing happened either. Whoever gets in my face will get a kick in the ribs. Gets in my face a second time - I'll break their legs and arms. I don't give third chances, doctor. To anyone. I believe in second chances, but not third ones. And Principal Blackwood already has one warning."
"Taylor..."
"No, wait, doctor. I'm not the most high-moral and forgiving girl in the world. I know who I am. It's probably too late for me to play saint, it won't work. I have firm and clear rules. Two warnings, no more. I can give a person a second chance. You, doctor, irritate me. I have enough of one person who drives me crazy, I didn't order anything from the PRT. Stay away from me and you'll live long and happily. This is a warning. I didn't ask you for anything, didn't insist on anything, I didn't even ask you or the school administration to do your fucking job! And I still don't ask for anything, so I don't owe you all anything! And I won't walk around here guilty or take on increased obligations for the safety of these little shits! If they deserve a kick in the ribs - they'll get it. If they deserve to have their head torn off and shoved up their ass - I'll do just that! Oh my God, they'll have moral trauma, what horror... I don't give a damn. Let them have it.
Let them, for fuck's sake, walk on tiptoes and know that they owe me every breath they take, because they're in debt to me! Every one of them! All of you!" I stand up from the visitor's chair and my hair whips upward because my Kunoichi burst out in all directions!
"Excellent." Dr. Yamada leans back in her chair and makes notes in her notepad. "Excellent reaction, thank you, Taylor."
"Didn't you hear what I said, doctor?" I lower my voice, narrowing my eyes. "Do you have hearing problems?"
"I have excellent hearing, wonderful memory, it's just my vision that's minus four diopters," she replies and adjusts her glasses. "Don't worry, Taylor, you're doing excellently. This is a completely normal reaction and many in your place would have gone much further. You're able to handle emotional impulses and that's very good. Principal Blackwood will now leave the office because she urgently needs to do something... or find something..."
"Yes. Yes! I completely forgot to turn off the kettle..." Blackwood hurriedly leaves, slamming the door behind her, and Dr. Yamada raises her notepad again.
"Tell me Taylor, how long have you been attracted to girls? I'm not judging, you don't have to answer... but if you want to talk about it, I'm always at your service..."