Your work here is done, and you don't want to get stuck talking to the media. That's how people get caught, talking to a reporter and signing autographs to fans.
Time to get out of here. And you got your exit provided for you.
You patiently wait long enough for the reporter to pull her bike to a halt and pull off her helmet. Shaking out her hair, she walks toward you, already reaching for the recorder. Only then do you reach out and grab hold of her, pulling her close.
You recognize her thoughts. She's been hounding you for months, trying to pin you down. Interested. Obsessed.
"I thought I told you to stay away," you growl, holding her tightly by the front of her leather jacket, her toes barely brushing the ground. She's not tall, but her chin has a stubborn set to it. Southeast Asian? Probably. You dig out a name, Mia Ochoa, and a newspaper, LD Confidential.
"Not before I get my interview," she says, bravely, though you can feel her fear.
"Go away," you scoff, tossing her back into the crowd. To her credit, she doesn't cry out, but several others do, pulling back in panic.
Little do they know they're perfectly safe. You have no interest in them at the moment—just her bike. You saunter over to it, giving her a mock salute as you rev the engine, speeding away down the bridge.
Luckily, Nothing Else Goes Wrong
You reach your goal without incident and drop over the edge of the bridge with the help of your grappling hook.
There's no sign of the LDPD, and you don't feel any trace of spying eyes or minds. Is Lady Argent somewhere here in the sea? You didn't wake up this morning planning to fight her, but you think you did pretty well.
Now all you have to do is wait and hope nothing else unforeseen happens.
You Hate That
"Hey boss." Rosie's voice crackles in your ear as the innocent-looking fishing boat pulls up underneath where you dangle. "Ready for pickup?"
"I'm not dangling here because it's fun." You don't put too much force into your displeasure; since Rosie started working for you, you've realized how much it helps to have a reliable henchman. It puts less pressure on cultivating one-off pawns, and while you still haven't revealed who you truly are, there is a measure of trust.
You pay her enough for that.
"Sorry, boss." The boat slows down, and you drop down onto the deck without incident. "Are we ready to get out of here now?"
"Yes." You gesture to the captain, who guns the engines with enough force to make both you and Rosie brace yourselves—time to get off the deck so you won't be spotted.
"Finally. How did it go?" Rosie follows close behind, letting her curiosity get the better of her.
Everything went according to plan," you say, flexing and unflexing your hand. Lady Argent was not a part of the plan, but you dealt with her quickly enough.
"Good news, boss." She looks happy that this is over; the relief is palpable. You make a note to avoid putting Rosie on boats in the future. Doesn't she trust your competence? Does she doubt whether you can stay on top of things? You can't be sure without digging deeper, but you're picking up hints that you're not infallible in her eyes. That might be her subconscious speaking, or your own paranoia, because she has no reason to doubt you.
Still, despite this, you don't regret hiring her.
All you need to do is to drive home who she works for.
You will make sure to keep your relationship…
Keeping people in line is easier if you are feared. Garrett Helton X has a persona; there's no need to deviate from it. That's why you have Derana, she can be the human face, and if people are afraid of you, that only means it will be easier for her to do her job.
You will have to be careful; there is a fine line between being feared or hated.
Good thing you're a telepath.
Finally, The Adrenaline Fades
The boat surrounds you with vibrations, the engine's steady beat and the waves forming a soothing symphony.
You can't wait to get out of the suit, but it will have to wait until you're back at the base.
Right now, all you can do is wait.
Closing your eyes, you allow yourself a moment of introspection. Introspection that inevitably turns to Ortega. You shouldn't be thinking about him, but even now he's at the back of your mind like an intrusive thought. You know he's back in action, finally. He should be desperate to get his hands dirty. And yet Lady Argent chose to work with the Handyman?
Where was Ricardo?
What is he up to? You know him too well, he wouldn't let Lady Argent pull something like this without getting involved. So the question is, did he know, or did Lady Argent keep it a secret? And if so, why? What are you missing?
Oh no. Are you overthinking this? So Lady Argent got involved when you weren't expecting it, but you're still here. Nothing ever goes entirely to plan. The trick is to roll with the punches and find a new angle of attack. That's what you've always done. So why can't you get it out of your mind?