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To Glam's continued delight, more kissing sessions happen on the following days (when they're feeling like a boy). They haven't met her parents as her official boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever yet, and don't mind it too much.
News about Purity's escape surprises exactly no one, but the Protectorate's reputation suffers a blow because of the attack; after all, the heroes were beaten on their home turf. The PHO forums are abuzz, though rumors of Glam's death at the hands of Hookwolf (probably started by same) prove largely unfounded.
And Glam really should get to their webisodes and start building a steadier rep. And that's (one of the reasons) why they're in Lorica's workshop a few days later.
"So what should I do? I haven't posted anything since Purity, should probably make this more of a habit."
"I mean, he was okay with hearing me out, he gave me useful suggestions, he said he'd help with scripting and even offered doing web design after I asked Echo to draw it."
"It is possible he doesn't even know why the position is open."
"Even if she didn't I don't think the information comes standard in a job interview."
"The job, yes, the ways people come and go? Not necessarily."
"The reason why the previous person left, whether it was something I should be worried about myself, general PR problems and challenges of the location. I'm not sure how public the Youth Guard's thing a few months ago was, though."
"Not very. Like, you'd have heard of it if you subscribed to their newsletter, but likely not otherwise."
"Ooh, email from Piggot -" Pause. "And we're go on the Rewind thing, I've got some logistics to figure but shouldn't be too hard."
She's interrupted by Armsmaster's voice over the speaker: "All Wards are to report to the briefing room immediately."
"Later," sighs Lorica, rolling to her feet and trailing a line of robots towards the briefing room.
"We've just received a report that the Teeth are robbing the Central Bank," he says without preamble one everyone's arrived. "Butcher, Flamethrower, Boost, and Warp, with ten thugs."
Flamethrower can shoot fire from her hands, and the shorter and thinner she makes the jet, the hotter and more powerful it is. She can reduce it to a laser-like weapon that can be used to cut through diamond.
Boost chooses volumes of space inside which everything is accelerated. She can control the intensity, direction, location, and size of these areas, but they are short-lived and she can only have one up at a time. She frequently uses them to simulate flight and to throw knives and other projectiles at people at the speed of bullets.
Warp has the ability to modify and reshape any objects he can see in their entirety. He frequently uses small metal balls that he reshapes into restraints and weapons.
The Teeth are a gang operating in Brockton Bay. Known for their high turnover rate, very few of their leaders have lasted more than a year and a half. Ruthless, bloody, and casually violent, they usually attack targets from which they can draw money quickly, using the threat of violence and following through when necessary to guarantee success, holding while buildings hostage and sometimes selling their services.
Armsmaster quickly summarises all of this, and finishes with, "Now we have something that can help turn the tables." He looks at Rewind, who seems surprised, then continues: "If we can undo the damage they cause and rescue the civilians, their main strategy fails."
"Rewind, you should bring a bot along," Lorica advises. "It can keep you apprised of the situation if you have to rewind yourself. Glam's going to try to expand my flock with functional extras so I have them to spare."
Armsmaster eyes Glam for a fraction of a second before saying, "Those are both good ideas. I'll defer to your expertise about how to best use the Wards."
"Glam can make duplicates with their own powers, the extent of which isn't quite tested but they can at least be decoys for anyone who's going to be in particular physical danger. Glam themself should hang back with a bot as much as possible to monitor the action and coordinate the copies. Rewind is best as a healer but won't be able to get anyone simultaneously healed and out of danger so she'll have to be in the thick of it - where are you putting Dad?"
He outlines their strategy, not very detailed because no plan survives contact with the enemy and because they have very little time, asking Lorica some questions about how to best employ the other Wards.
Lorica recommends leaving Windflower behind - it's going to be crowded chaos, killing Butcher is an unacceptable risk, and keeping her covered will divert cape attention. She wants Echo sniping nonlethal ammo from a nearby roof with a bot, Glam ready to pop a copy to cover her if Butcher teleports up there, and Lorica herself will take a coordinator role - she thinks her bot network can control an appropriately hardwared decoy of her body, though.
While they're riding there Lorica wants to test Decoy Lorica, please, Glam.