celestial g

Yes, Jason decides in the end. Of course it's worth it. The benefits outweigh the costs massively. Not only has he already confirmed via his powers that most of the PRT and Protectorate aren't his enemies, but also, if they were going to turn on him and Taylor, they would have done so already. Indeed, there's been ample opportunities to betray the two of them and treat them like any other villains… hell, they're literally standing outside of the PRT's strongest prison cells, capable of holding even top tier capes like Hookwolf without issue.

Would they be able to hold him and Taylor if he didn't want them to? Jason didn't think so, especially not long term as he got more rolls and access to more potential powers. But the PRT and Protectorate didn't know that and to their credit, they still hadn't tried. Hell, they hadn't even tried to strong arm them, even this was just couched as a request to meet with their Director, nothing more, nothing less.

… And on the other hand, the small chance that he might get another Feat here and be able to buy the Chaos Magic power he had in his Banked Slot for a whopping one thousand points… well, that was too good to pass up, wasn't it? So ultimately, very little risk for a very high chance at an amazing reward meant that he had to accept. That didn't mean he was going to be over-eager about it though.

"Sure, so long as it doesn't take too long, Weaver and I would be fine with a quick conversation."

Jason makes sure to lightly emphasize 'quick' there, because he has no desire to be trapped in some hour long conversation with the PRT Director. Armsmaster, for his part, just nods stoically and begins leading them out of the cell block and up into the higher parts of the PRT Headquarters. Jason can't help the smile on his face as Hookwolf's snarling and ranting slowly fades into the distance.

Of course, even now Jason doesn't intend to let his guard down. As they all get into an elevator to climb the rest of the way up to the Director's Office, Jason takes the moment to close his eyes and let Focus come up again. The amount of red in the building signifying his and Taylor's enemies (even if said enemies didn't know they were their enemies) hasn't grown at all, thankfully.

Likewise, they haven't moved from their positions either. More and more, Jason is convinced that they must be spies and plants from the major gangs in the city, as he'd initially assumed. The problem is deciding what to do with that information. He can't just give it to the PRT or the Protectorate without exposing his powers further, and if the PRT really has been infiltrated on this level, that would mean exposing his powers to the gangs as well, more than likely.

… Except, as the elevator finishes his ascent, Jason feels a chill down his spine. Because one of the people outlined in red is on the same floor they're on now. More than that… they're just down the hall.

As the elevator doors open, Jason is forced to open his eyes again, deactivating his power. But he still remembers the direction. His lips thin out as Armsmaster leads him and Weaver out of the elevator and… down the hall. Directly towards the door that, based on context clues, can only lead to the Director's Office.

There's no way, right?

"Give me a moment and then I'll call you in."

Jason nods, taking the opportunity given to him.

"Of course."

As soon as Armsmaster has stepped inside of the office and Jason and Taylor have stopped moving, Jason quickly closes his eyes again, confirming what he already suspected. The Director of the PRT… is outlined in red? What did that mean? Did the corruption go all the way to the top, or was it something else? Jason tries to peer closer, only to find that Focus gives him more than just basic information now that he's this close. Just like with Carol and the vibrating dildo, just like with Parian and the rope bondage under her costume.

Fortunately, it's nothing sexual like with them. Unfortunately, it's much worse… because what Jason uncovers truly shakes him to his core. The Director of the PRT…

"The Director will see you now."

… is a Parahuman.

Opening his eyes, Jason tries not to let his nerves show, even as he and Taylor follow Armsmaster into the Director's Office. Behind the desk, already rising to his feet, is a man with cropped, coarse hair, trimmed eyebrows, thin lips, and a cleft chin. He's dressed in a suit and tie and gives them both a nod and a smile as he pats down his tie and then steps out from behind his desk with a hand outstretched to greet them.

"Portent and Weaver, I'm told. It's a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Thomas Calvert, Director of the ENE PRT."

Knowing what he knows, Jason hesitates to take the Director's hand. Taylor notices this and refrains as well. The truth is, Jason's Focus ability, for all that its incredibly strong, is not all-encompassing. He doesn't know from a single glance what a parahuman's power does… in fact, if it weren't something that Director Calvert had gone to great lengths to hide, Jason is pretty sure Focus wouldn't have even been able to pick up on it. By making his parahuman ability a huge secret, Thomas Calvert has made it all the more visible to Jason's eye.

Still, who knew what the man was actually capable of? In the end, it wasn't worth shaking his hand and finding out after the fact that his power was something like 'whoever shakes my hand obeys my orders' or something crazy like that.

Fortunately, after a brief awkward moment, Calvert pulls his hand back but doesn't drop the smile.

"Worried about my intentions… I get it, really I do. I'm told that my predecessor, Emily Piggot, was notoriously difficult to work with, especially for parahumans… and even more so for independent heroes. Her policies have put us in the situation we find ourselves in today… a situation where we're surrounded on all sides by villains and find ourselves in desperate need of allies."

Moving back behind his desk, Director Calvert sits down and steeples his fingers together in front of him. He never stops smiling, never stops trying to come across as personable and friendly. Frankly, if all Jason had to go off of was his words and actions so far, he probably would have bought it. The man talks a good game… and Jason thinks he remembers hearing something about this Director Piggot woman too and how she'd ultimately had to retire due to health difficulties. Obviously, her replacement was eager to lay the blame for the current state of Brockton Bay directly at her feet.

Whether it was true or not… well, Jason had his suspicions given what he knew about Thomas Calvert. Still, it wasn't like he could just come out and say anything, now could he? No, he needed to stop freezing up like a dumbass and rally quickly here to at least appear somewhat professional and even congenial. It wouldn't do for Calvert to think someone was on to him.

"… I suppose that's why you've been handling us with kid gloves, is that it?"

Calvert's smile sharpens just a hair at that.

"Indeed. I won't bother sugarcoating things, Portent. The projected lifespan of most Independent Heroes is measured in weeks. Months if you're exceptionally lucky or powerful. Parahuman powers don't tend to make sense. Even when you have a strong ability, there's always someone out there to counter you… and if there isn't, someone will show up sooner than you'd think. Independents don't have the sort of support structure to survive surprises like that."

Before Jason can even muster a response, the PRT Director shrugs.

"… But there's always the exception that proves the rule, isn't there? And not only have you and your colleague made it abundantly clear that you're not interested in joining the Protectorate, but you've also shown your bona fides tonight by taking down Hookwolf and stopping that fight between the Empire and the ABB. According to Fletchette, things wouldn't have been nearly so cleanly done without your leadership and your quick thinking. So thank you for keeping one of our heroines safe… and thank you for helping clean up the city a bit more for us."

Damn. If Jason didn't know what he knew, he would be dangerously close to liking Thomas Calvert… no actually, he'd probably be completely taken with the man. The Director of the ENE PRT knew exactly what to say and how to say it.

"I wanted to meet with the two of you to make it clear that so long as you continue to walk the path you've chosen for yourselves, you will have as much support as the PRT and Protectorate can give you. While it would certainly help with the greater PRT organization if we can eventually get you both to fill out the proper paperwork to become registered Independent Heroes, I'm not going to harp on about it… mostly because I don't have the time or resources to waste on such things. This city is a clusterfuck of biblical proportions, and at the end of the day… we need all the help we can get."

Shit, he was REALLY selling it. The man sitting behind the desk in front of them both was managing to perfectly straddle the line between personable and amicable, as well as stressed and overworked, and then on top of all of that, also giving off the perfect combination of determined and resolved.

Restraining the urge to sigh, Jason just nods at the Director.

"We'll keep that in mind, Director. Weaver and I have no intentions of stopping now that we've started. Brockton Bay is our home too… and we'll do whatever it takes to clean it up once and for all."

And maybe the world besides if he could use his powers to bind and seal away the Endbringers and other S-Class Threats. But obviously, Jason doesn't say any of that. Calvert is more than happy with what little he does so.

"Excellent! Then I won't keep either if you any longer. Ah, Armsmaster, could you get Fletchette to escort them out of the building though? There's something I needed to discuss with you."

"Of course."

As Jason and Taylor are brought outside the office to wait for Fletchette, Jason finds himself contemplating things. What did it mean that the Director of Brockton Bay's PRT was a parahuman marked by his powers as an enemy? What did-

Feat Achieved: Uncover your first Parahuman Conspiracy! 100 Points Earned!

Jason's mouth goes dry. In the wake of discovering Thomas Calvert's nature, he'd honestly completely forgotten that he'd only agreed to this meeting in the first place in the hopes of earning one final Feat. Well, it wasn't the type of Feat he'd expected to earn from meeting with the PRT Director… but it was a Feat all the same. With that, he now had a thousand points saved up.

As they stand there waiting for Fletchette, Jason is extremely tempted to buy Chaos Magic right then and there. But he remembers previous experiences and knows better than to purchase a power in the middle of the PRT Headquarters. That was just asking for trouble, especially a power worth a whole thousand points. Both Staff of Magnus and Focus had been insane boons for just six hundred points while Blood, Death, and Demons had paid amazing dividends given its four hundred point cost. What would Chaos Magic be like?

Fletchette arrives within a couple of minutes and leads the two of them out of the PRT Headquarters through what's clearly meant to be a clandestine exit which opens up on a rooftop two buildings away from the official PRT HQ. Before she lets them go however, the heroine does clear her throat.

"Ahem… just wanted to thank you for teaming up with me tonight… and let you know you both did amazing as well. Not many can say they managed to bag and tag Hookwolf on their first night out."

Jason exchanges a glance with Taylor at that. He's half-tempted to say something to Fletchette like 'Talk to Parian as soon as possible' given what might come of that, but he has no clue who might still be listening in at this point so he refrains and just nods instead.

"We appreciate the praise in the spirit it was given. You were a pleasure to work with Fletchette. Perhaps we'll patrol again some time."

He can tell she's pleased with that, even though it's not like he's guaranteeing anything. Still, they leave things off at that, with Jason using Flash Air to get him and Taylor off of the roof and onto the next roof. From there, he takes her on a series of jumps randomly through the city to shake any would be followers and then brings her back to where they'd tucked away their things near the Boardwalk so they can quickly get changed out of their costumes and into civilian clothes.

Neither of them says a word as they make their way back to Jason's apartment. Fortunately, they don't run into any difficulties either, though Jason knows Taylor would have seen them coming through her bugs anyways a long time before.

Finally, once they're safely ensconced in his place, Jason turns his attention to his Banked Power.

"Give me a second Taylor. If I pass out or have a nosebleed, don't worry, I should be fine."

"… Seriously Jason?"

But he's already focusing on the thousand point power he's been holding onto for a while now.

Chaos Magic – Source – 1000 Points

You are now a natural wielder of Chaos Magic, akin to the myth of the Scarlet Witch, allowing you to warp reality. You can wield Chaos Magic subconsciously without needing constant concentration to sustain the magic, essentially able to do magic on autopilot. Your potential is limitless and you will eventually grow into one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, even without any training.

Even now, it sounded crazy. But hey… anything he could get his hands on; he needed at this point right? Especially with the forces arrayed against them.

Keep!

He feels some amount of loss as his points total drains from the highest it's ever been back down to zero. But at the same time… he also feels it as Chaos Magic properly slots into place within him. A natural wielder of Chaos Magic… the chaos part gave him pause, but the natural wielder part and the limitless potential part sounded way too good to pass up.

His years of teaching regarding Blood Magic, Necromancy, and Demonic Summoning also gave him a frame of reference for this as well. It was the difference between being a wizard and a sorcerer. Except now, Jason was both. He had the training of a wizard… and the natural potential of a sorcerer.

Though… for the time being, it's just potential. He can feel a kernel of natural magic building inside of him already and knows instinctively that he could use it to power the Staff of Magnus himself… eventually. But while he might one day be more powerful than anyone else on Earth Bet, for now… well, for a thousand points it's a little underwhelming. That's okay though, because Jason has other things to worry about.

Now that he knows he's not going to pass out from gaining Chaos Magic, Jason focuses back on the matter at hand. Taylor is still there waiting to see if anything bad happens to him. But while he COULD tell her what he knows… he feels like he should maybe get Vicky as well. Or maybe Vicky and Amy?

… Just how many people is Jason willing to trust with the true nature of Thomas Calvert?

-x-X-x-

The Vote:

[ ] Tell just Taylor for now - 9%

[ ] Call in Vicky to tell her and Taylor - 7%

[X] Call in Vicky and Amelia to tell all three of them - 84%

-x-X-x-

A/N: Please check out my newest daily updating project The Age of Chaos (Original Fantasy) if you have a moment!

-x-X-x-

A/N: Will try to keep this up to date at the end of every chapter, get on me if I forget please. Though if it gets too out of hand, might have to change it at some point.

Jason's current banked points:

0 Celestial Points

Jason's current banked power:

= N/A

Jason's current powers:

= Flash Air (Gained in Chapter 1

= Transformation Pendant (Gained in Chapter 4)

= Keen Eye (Gained in Chapter 4)

= Blood, Death, and Demons (Gained in Chapter 6)

= Alchemical Prodigy (Gained in Chapter 8)

= Staff of Magnus (Gained in Chapter 13)

= Bind and Seal (Gained in Chapter 17)

= Hero of a Hundred Faces: Everyone's Leader (Gained in Chapter 20)