The Protagonist System

220 Testing Out Again

I tried to not laugh as Paige kept me updated on the massive storm of posts that were online. She also looked absolutely delighted when she sent me a picture of herself posing in front of the page numbers for the Cape Life topic. It was nearing 200 pages and she gave me a thumbs-up gesture for not telling her to stop doing it.

“Is she still posting on that thing?” My mom asked me as we finished cooking.

“Of course she is.” I said and turned my phone to show her.

My mom laughed and shook her head. “She shouldn't be enjoying other people's misery so much.”

I had to laugh at it, too. “It's more her loving that she can keeping it going with almost no effort.” I said and shrugged. “I think.”

My mother patted my shoulder and put a plate of food down in front of me on the kitchen counter. “Put the phone down for a while and eat.”

“Yes, mom.” I said and set my phone down on her side of the counter.

As the two of us ate, my phone beeped over sixty times, making the both of us smile.

“All right, go ahead.” My mom said with a laugh and pushed my phone over to me.

“Thanks, mom.” I said and leaned over the counter to kiss her. “I'll meet you in the living room.”

My mother nodded and pointed to the dirty dishes before she left the kitchen. I took the blatant hint and cleaned them all and rinsed them with hot water to scald and disinfect them, dried them, and put them away.

I then spent the next twenty minutes exchanging texts with Paige, one with G-StringGirl, and another with Miss Militia. That last one had slipped into my phone without me realizing it and I responded with a positive answer, so now I had to go to the PRT building when the night shift started.

I went into the living room and told my mother about it. She pulled me down onto the couch with her and then snuggled into me like I was a huge teddy bear. I didn't mind, because we had all evening to enjoy how good it felt before I had to leave.

*

Miss Militia tried to keep her breathing even when Atlas landed on the helipad on the Rig. She wasn't sure why he looked a little more handsome and desirable, then her eyes widened slightly when she remembered his mother was a healing cape and had probably tweaked him a little.

Atlas chuckled at her reaction, clearly understanding what she was seeing. “It's my mom's fault my hair is this wavy and fluffy.”

Miss Militia smiled and nodded, then waved for him to follow her.

“Gentlemen.” Atlas said to the two guards on duty and walked by them.

The pair of capes entered the roof exit and went down the stairs to the hallway and entered the elevator. The ride down to the testing area was quick and they entered the large space. Atlas gave it a quick glance and nodded at all of the upgraded equipment and a few new apparatuses. There were also a couple more scientists and testers, including Armsmaster.

“We don't have many registered double triggers.” The armored cape said. “I've asked Dragon to assist and send over some modifications to the equipment for more accurate measurements.”

“It's not a problem.” Atlas said with a smile. “Is she here as well? I need to thank her for the influx of fees to my account from the things she borrowed from my cell phone.”

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“I'm attending remotely.” Dragon's voice said as a monitor near the closest testing equipment was stationed and it flickered to life with her face appearing on it. “I was quite surprised that little app game would become so popular.”

Atlas laughed. “It's surprisingly addictive, isn't it? I call it a tower defense game and it's so easy to modify to include new elements, levels, and enemies, it has almost unlimited potential for growth.”

“It really does.” Dragon said. “I've already done so twice and added 50 more levels each time.”

Atlas nodded and turned to look at Armsmaster. “Where should I start first with the testing?”

“With me.” Dragon said and he turned back to face her. “As I texted you before, we need to test if you really are resistant to known master effects.”

“You want to do the most intense testing first?” Atlas asked and she nodded. “All right. Is there a secluded booth or something?”

A small forcefield appeared briefly around the station her monitor was in and Atlas walked over to stand where the marking was on the floor. The forcefield appeared around him and cut off all external sound and the monitor was turned just enough that only Atlas himself could see what was displayed.

“What's first?” Atlas asked.

“We'll try simple visual hypnosis techniques and then we'll move on to sound, a combination, and then to something I vehemently argued against testing on you.” Dragon said, her voice a mix of sadness and anger. “I was overruled by the Chief Director.”

Atlas only needed a moment to get it. “You're going to play a recording the Simurgh.”

Dragon looked surprised. “How did you know that?”

“She's the most powerful telepath on the planet and her song can drive anyone insane if they listen to it for too long.” Atlas said.

“And you're okay with it, knowing you could become insane if you hear it too much?” Dragon asked.

Atlas pretended to think about it. “Actually, considering the pattern of attacks from the Endbringers, the Simurgh is going to be next. I don't mind proving I can go there to fight and not be in danger.”

Dragon was quiet for several seconds, which was a long time for a digital entity. “Atlas, I need to know how you know that.”

“Know what?” Atlas asked.

“The pattern and frequency of the Endbringers.” Dragon said, her voice guarded.

Atlas chuckled and crossed his arms across his chest. “It's basic extrapolation if you have access to the internet and the records of attacks. It started slowly, almost building up steam over the years, as if there was a guiding intelligence behind it. They also attack significant sources of either economy or capes, which explains why they hit both Brockton Bay and New York in the past.”

Dragon was quiet for another few seconds. “If the pattern is so simple to work out, where will the next attack happen?”

Atlas tapped a finger on his chin. “Well, if we take into account that large economic sources are hit to cause more capes to respond to each attack, rotating through the continents on a semi-regular basis, then... the next target has to be somewhere in Australia, since it hasn't been hit since 1998 when Leviathan destroyed Sydney.”

Dragon made a soft gasp sound and stared at him.

“It'll be either Canberra or Melbourne, since they became the largest shipping centers for that continent.” Atlas said. “After that, if the pattern isn't broken or altered, the math unfortunately points to the US, here on the eastern seaboard, so Leviathan is the most likely because of water access. As for the city targeted, it has to be either New York... or here.”

Dragon didn't say anything in response.

“The next continent after that has to be Asia, maybe in the middle east?” Atlas said, almost as if asking a question, then he snapped his fingers. “I'd bet on India, since they rebuilt the oil fields near New Delhi and it's profitable again. Since it's highly burnable there, my bet's on Behemoth attacking.” He said and nodded. “That's about all I've worked out while sitting in my calculus class.”

Dragon was quiet for a full minute before she spoke. “We need to get the first test done. Please watch the screen.”

Atlas looked surprised at the change. “Dragon, are you okay?”

“No, I've been ordered to not ask you anything else or to discuss this anymore. Please watch the screen.” Dragon answered.

Atlas sighed at her still having to listen to those orders. “All right, I'll drop this for now. Start the tests.”

The visual tests ranged from simple to complicated during the next twenty minutes, with a mix of blatant visual cues and subliminal messages and orders. Atlas didn't react to any of them or indicated he was influenced at all.

“Now we will do the sound tests.” Dragon said and played most of them without any visuals, which took up another ten minutes. “Now with visuals and sound combined.”

Atlas didn't react to anything for the next fifteen minutes.

“This is the part I highly objected to, because if it works on you even slightly, you'll kill us all with a smile.” Dragon said, her voice full of apprehension. “This is the real recording of when the Simurgh attacked London, England. Please, please, please do your best to not succumb to it. I have to set it and not listen to it myself, so it's all on you.”

Atlas nodded and Dragon's image disappeared and for the next twenty minutes, he watched and listened. He tilted his head one way about five minutes in, then tilted it the other way ten minutes in. He straightened up and squinted his eyes as the video played for the next ten minutes and then he nodded at the very second the video ended.

“Atlas?” Dragon's whispered voice came from the blank monitor.

“Yes, it is I, cape designation Atlas. What can I do for you, cape designation Dragon?” Atlas asked in a robotic voice.

“Oh, no!” Dragon exclaimed as her image appeared and an alarm sounded. “Atlas! Don't give in to...”

Atlas burst out laughing and braced his hands on the sides of the monitor. “Ha hahaha! The look on your face!”

Dragon stared at him and didn't know what to say as she cancelled the alarm.

“I'm... fine.” Atlas said between laughs. “Hooo... hooooo. That was a great laugh.”

“That wasn't funny, Atlas.” Dragon said and her eyes glanced to the side.

Atlas turned and saw both Miss Militia and Armsmaster poised to attack as soon as the forcefield dropped. “The alarm was on the outside, too?”

“Dragon dropped the sound dampener as soon as the video ended.” Armsmaster said and his arm was still ready to strike with his halberd.

“Ah, then I apologize for the false alarm. I thought it was a private joke between friends.” Atlas said.

“We're friends?” Dragon asked, sounding surprised.

“Private joke?” One of the scientists asked in a whisper and was hushed.

“Of course we're friends.” Atlas said and placed a palm on the monitor, as if touching her. He realized she might not see that, so he used a single finger to half-cover the tiny camera and smiled at it. “I don't let just anyone pilfer my tech to play with it and have fun coming up with new ways to use it.”

Dragon blushed and nodded. “Thank you, Atlas. I'll consider you a friend from now on.”

“Thank you, too.” Atlas said.

“What was the private joke?” Miss Militia asked.

“That being controlled by any means can make people act robotically, despite their normal personalities or how nice they are otherwise.” Atlas said and glanced at Dragon to see her wide eyes. “I also figured out how to counter the Simurgh's scream.”

Complete silence answered his statement and everyone there stared at him in shock.

Atlas let it go on for a few moments before he walked over to the tricked-out treadmill. “So, what's the next test? Endurance or speed?”

The question had broken the silence and all the scientists started to barrage Atlas with questions. He laughed and started up the treadmill as he ignored them and started running at a surprisingly blurry speed. Both Dragon and Miss Militia placed discreet calls while he was busy.

*

Rebecca Costa-Brown hotly debated sending the termination code to end Dragon's existence. Someone they didn't trust or control had somehow figured out that Dragon was an AI and was being controlled by the orders she was given.

Her thumb hovered over the send icon as her mind went over the equipment and supplies Dragon had recovered from Saint and the Dragonslayers hideout that Atlas had destroyed. Rebecca knew the laptop with Ascalon on it had not been recovered, so either Saint stashed it somewhere to keep it safe or Atlas had it.

Since Saint was a paranoid bastard and wouldn't let Dragon's kill switch out of his sight, that meant Atlas had found it and kept it for himself. If that was true, then he owned Dragon and could end her at any time, just like Rebecca could. Did he suspect she could activate it remotely? Could he keep it somewhere and not have the signal respond?

Rebecca sighed and moved her thumb off the send button and closed the program. There was no guarantee it would work quickly enough to stop Atlas from reacting. However, if it did work, then she would be responsible for killing his friend. If how things went with Narwhal was any indication, he would do anything for those he cared about, no matter who he faced.

It was also confirmation that Narwhal's speculation she had shared with Emily Piggot was right on the money. Atlas was responsible for all of the disappearances and deaths, no matter what circumstantial evidence had been left behind to frame other villain capes or crime organizations.

It must have taken months of surveillance, weeks of preparations, and liberal use of his teleport ability to get everything ready to take down nearly every major villain cape around the world. With what she had seen during his subversion tests, it explained why Atlas hadn't tried to go into the Simurgh quarantine zones for those villain capes. He didn't know if he could.

Rebecca switched her cell phone back to the live feed and watched as Atlas easily bench pressed twenty tons, which was the maximum the weight press could apply, then she caught her breath when he had them reset it and he laid down on his side and used just a single forearm as a brace and gripped the edge of the press with his right hand and lifted it with just his fingertips.

Atlas tried it with his other hand and couldn't lift it, so they reduced the weight by five tons and he did it. Rebecca thought it was just a fluke and an odd affectation on his part for weird exercises, then he took off his boots and laid down on his belly and used his toes to lift it, too!

The scientists were shocked when Atlas used a knee next, then an elbow, then his head using only his neck. When they asked him why he was doing such weird poses, he explained that out in the real world, the weight was not going to be perfectly set up for him to use proper lifting techniques each and every time and he had to make sure he could work in odd positions.

Rebecca was stunned to hear that and she went over her own assessment and had to reluctantly agree. All of the measurements had been from very rigid testing and she sometimes had difficulty when lifting awkward pieces of debris when working search and rescue during Endbringer fights, where her strength and fighting ability were a detriment against the foe itself, like against Behemoth.

I have to change my workout routine. Rebecca thought as the scientists also changed the requirements for different strength ratings and altered the tests to include the ones Atlas had used.

None of them would ever know it was his high school coach that had shown him those things and she would feel proud that she had changed how they handled all the future testing for actual strength and not just the maximum weight in ideal conditions.

Rebecca laid back and watched as Atlas moved on to the next test and she had to admire him as he discussed what was expected beforehand and they altered or changed the test to suit his view of the thing. Atlas was definitely proving he wasn't the dumb jock his team of New Wave was pushing and he had embraced at the school to rub Panacea's rejection in her face.

“And now he's a healer, too.” Rebecca said as he went through the infirmary setup twice as fast as his mother and he fixed everything in only seconds. It was a little shocking, especially when the patients would wince for a split second.

That was concerning, so Rebecca went to her laptop and pulled up a copy of the video stream. She edited out everything but those few seconds and made it full screen and then slowed it down to ten percent of its speed. She watched it in slow motion and her eyes widened as the stump of an arm was dissolved and then another arm reformed, sleeve and all, and it was completely intact.

“He... he's not healing people. He's destroying them and reformatting them. Why aren't they screaming in pain? They obviously feel something...” Rebecca rewound it and slowed it down to one percent, even though she had already committed it to her perfect memory. “Oh. Even painless, their nerves are being torn apart and they flinch automatically.”

She looked back at the live feed on her cell phone and watched Atlas go through the obstacle course. He then suggested changes, especially for flying capes, like hoops and dark tunnels. She nodded in approval of giving flying capes more experience with different effects in a safe environment.

“I need to set up a meeting with him about his Endbringer guesses.” Rebecca said and set up a reminder on her phone about checking her schedule and hoping to bring him to her instead of going to Brockton Bay herself. She was not going to pull a Narwhal on him, even if she was curious about what his hugs felt like and she could clearly remember the shirtless picture Bad Canary had posted.