Greg Vs Raid 9-24

The itch at the base of Greg’s skull flared up, Danger Sense buzzing like a cheap phone on the lowest setting as it told him what he’d already guessed.

Analyze.

The world hitched for a split-second as a translucent blue box — visible to a grand total of one person — flared into existence. It hung in the air directly over the pretty boy’s face, the system text from Ms. Game as crisp and as clear as it was confusing.

[ “Alec No-Last-Name”] [ Lvl 19 ] 

[ Trait: Neuro-Muscular Puppetry ] 

[ HP: 215/215 ] 

[ A random guy that seems to like messing with you. Has an odd habit of adding sexual jokes into conversation, usually when it would’ve been normal which is impressive in the worst way. Likes messing with people in general, not just with his power. Looks vaguely feminine. Also, he plucks his eyebrows, because of course he does. ]

Greg stared at the floating blue text. Plucks his eyebrows. His eye twitched for a second at what his brain chose to focus on before it snapped up to the new thing above that he didn’t remember from the day at the arcade. 

Neuro-Muscular Puppetry.

“Greg, honey.” His mom turned around, a smile on her face that was the closest thing to real from her he’d seen all day. “Your friend Alec was just telling me you two know each other from the arcade downtown? I didn’t realize you were still going all the way down there.”

“Right. Yeah. That.” His tongue was heavy as he nodded, the words dropping from his mouth like concrete blocks. As if he’d actually been to that arcade in months.

He kept nodding as he stepped forward, closing the distance between the hallway and the front door in three long strides. Eyes stayed firmly locked on the smiling face turned his way, aggro spiking in his brain in a way he knew was approaching the danger zone. “Alec. Buddy.”

If the guy was surprised for a second Greg knew his name, his face didn’t bother to show it. No, if anything his smile only widened as he held a hand out. “Greg. Pal.”

Greg ignored the handshake or whatever as his own palm clamped firmly down on Alec’s shoulder. Heavy fingers dug deep into jacket fabric and found flesh, grip just tight enough to broadcast the hand attached to them could curl a Ford F-150. It was a promise of immediate and final violence if the guy even twitched the wrong way.

Yet again, Alec didn’t so much as flinch.

Even with an arm this close to his neck that could send his head off his shoulders with a bad sneeze, he just looked down at Greg’s tight grip. That same smirk didn’t bother to leave his face for a second. “Careful, man. Wrinkles.”

“Mom,” Greg stretched his lips into something vaguely resembling a smile as his blue eyes never left Alec’s. “Alec and I are doing a gaming thing so we’re gonna go… go downstairs. Do teenager things. Talk about… elves.”

Alec blinked his way. “Elves.” It wasn’t a question.

“Oh, well, alright,” Susan blinked away her confusion with a practice that came from years of his antics and non-sequiturs. “There’s plenty of food down there for everyon-“

“ThanksMomyou’rethebest.”

Alec found himself dragged by a grip locked tight on the collar of his jacket all the way to the door leading down to the basement as they made their way down the hallway. A careful hand yanked the basement door open, hinges rattling, before Greg shoved Alec down the wooden stairs.

The pale boy stumbled on the third step, shoes clattering against the wood, but he caught himself with a lazy grace that was honestly just insulting. “Man, you’re really eager to get me down here. Buy me a drink first, Veder.”

“Shut up.” The words came out a snarl, almost scraping free from his throat.

The second both sets of feet hit the concrete floor of the basement, Greg spun on his heel, grip loosening for a second as he hurled Alec forward into the room. The boy hit the hard concrete of the basement wall with a thud, dust sputtering down from the exposed ceiling joists.

The tapping of Sparky’s shoe stopped instantly, leaving the basement almost completely silent with the sole exception of the fridge humming in one corner. Sparky was on his feet before the dust even settled, half-finished Mountain Dew forgotten as his body angled forward.

Theo hadn’t bothered to rise, but his head turned and that was plenty coming from him. Those silver eyes locked onto Alec, narrowing enough to tell Greg that Theo was more serious than ever.

Alec just rose to his feet slowly,  leaning back against the wall he’d just been slammed into like he didn’t notice the three staring his way with murder on at least one of their minds. Hands went up to his collar, brushing dust off it with a slow sigh that had to be exaggerated. Pale blue eyes slid over the basement with a casual stare; taking in the pizza rolls, the Faygo, and the selection of sweets, snacks and chips.

“Nice spread,” Alec drawled out, scratching at his cheek. “Very domestic. So, you guys always aggressively kidnap guests, or am I special?”

“Who the hell are you?” The words ground out between clenched teeth, Greg’s voice dropping as he took a step forward into the guy’s personal space. “And how the fuck do you know where I live?”

Alec picked a piece of imaginary lint off his sleeve, flicking it off into the distance with a slow inhale through his nose. “Well. I go by Regent. Mostly.” He clicked his tongue. When I’m working, at least.”

Regent. The name clicked as the last few months of fighting and chaos — going all the way back to the first time he’d faced Lung — slapped him in the face. 

The Undersiders. Along with one last detail. Bitch’s crew.

Greg’s eyes slit, pupils actually shifting on his face as a low growl vibrated in his chest. “You’ve got five seconds to give me a reason not to put you through this wall and out the other side.” His hands balled into fists, knuckles popping loud in the quiet basement. “Face first.”

“I’d rather you didn’t.” It was almost impressive how this guy could keep calm like this. Almost distracting even, talking to someone who seemed completely unbothered by the fact that he was in front of someone who could easily make good on that threat. “Look, I’m not here to out you to your mom, alright? Relax, big guy. ‘Sides, If I wanted to fuck you over, I would have just mind-controlled her into dancing the Macarena naked in the street.”

Sparky took a half-step forward, skate shoe squeaking against concrete as a low hiss escaped his teeth. “I’ll cut his fucking tongue out.”

“Patience,” Theo murmured from the futon. His eyes hadn’t left Regent’s face once.

“I’ve known who you are for a while.” Light blue eyes met Greg’s again, lazy amusement flickering out for just a second as Regent seemed to get at least a little serious. “Since I used to work for Coil.”

Greg froze. Coil.

The sniper. That last sickening POP.  The pristine, power-washed floors that still smelled like industrial bleach.

“Before you killed him.”

“I didn’t kill Coil!” Greg leaned in further, the words sliding out in a hiss. Honest to God, he didn’t care that the snake bastard was dead, but he sure as shit wasn’t gonna accept credit for a kill that wasn’t his. “That was a fuckin’ car b-.”

“I don’t give a fuck.” Alec’s interruption came flat and hard before Greg could build up steam. He pushed himself off the wall, standing up straight. “Honestly? Good riddance. Guy was a creep. I’m not here for revenge or a payout or whatever.”

“Then…” Greg stared at him, heart hammering against his ribs. “Then why the hell are you in my house?”

“Because I need your help.” Even as Regent said the words, his smile faded away and Greg found himself staring at a poker face blank enough to give Theo a challenge.

“My help?” Greg let out a short bark of a laugh more manic than anything else. “My help? With what?”

Regent looked away for a second, his jaw tightening as he stood up straight and the lazy slouch vanished entirely. “My dad’s Heartbreaker.”

The name hung in the air, heavier and more toxic than a straight shot of bleach. 

Heartbreaker. Greg’s jaw hung open. Heartbreaker?

If Master capes were rated on how much they freaked people the fuck out, the Simurgh was a solid 11 on that scale and there was no arguing that. But if anyone else was close at a 10, it would have to be the Canadian fuck the whole wide world knew as the motherfucking Heartbreaker.

Sparky reared back, blinking like he’d just been slapped. “…dude, what the fuuuuck?”

“Yeah.” Alec didn’t bother looking at him.

“N-no,” Greg blinked as the single word stumbled free from his mouth. “Like, what the fuck?”

“Yeah, your friend already said that.” Alec looked over at Theo, eyebrow raised high as if expecting him to chime in. “You gonna get one in too or…?”

“No,” Theo’s voice was quiet, expression unnervingly neutral despite the news. “I’m fine.”

“Anyway…” Alec sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “My brothers and sisters are in the city and doing their thing.”

Greg blinked. Oh. That… that was… 

Pieces fell into place all of a sudden as Greg’s mouth clicked shut into a firm frown. No one really knew about Heartbreaker’s kids up in that sex slave compound he kept up north, but if their dad could control people’s emotions to the point of total mind control… fuck…

Well, what was going on in Brockton Bay suddenly made a lot of sense. Even… even… Bitch.

Bright blue eyes focused again, Greg pulling himself free from his thoughts to stare down Regent. “They’re the ones causing all the psycho shit going around.”

“Yep.” Regent nodded. “Wanna go for Double Jeopardy?”

Sparky’s head snapped over to Greg. “The cannibal crazies too?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s them.” Another nod went along with the confirmation. “A lot of this is for their own fun, but mostly they’re doing this cause they’re trying to drag me and my other sister back home. And I don’t really want that, so if you could… I dunno, uh…”

“You want me to kill them?” The words left Greg’s lips, the ask leaving him unsure about how he felt. “What? Do your dirty work for you?”

“Well, no, not kill. I wasn’t even going there, man, Jesus.” Alec waved his hands around, palms facing Greg as he snorted. “Well, if you want to, I’m not really gonna fight you on that. Not that I could, but I wouldn’t anyway. But you know, ideally, you could just kick their asses or something and send them packing?”

Greg stared.

Alec shrugged, looking as unbothered and as unapologetic as ever. “Or kill them. Again, not really fussy about the particulars.”

The world hitched again.

A ping so bright and cheerful it bothered and aggressive echoed in Greg’s skull, sounding almost exactly like a coin dropping into an arcade machine.

[ Quest Updated: Alec’s Family Values ]

Greg stared at the hovering blue text, the weight of another pile of shit settling right back onto his shoulders, crushing the fragile, pizza-roll-scented illusion of a normal Saturday afternoon into dust.

He closed his eyes and sighed.

“…shit.”