Published at 20th of February 2026 7:25 am

Chapter 10 Hail Mary

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

What do you mean you can't fix him? I asked.

It's not that I can't fix him, I'm a scientific surgical genius, of course I can fix him. But I can't approach him when he's leaking radiation everywhere. My drones can't get anywhere near him, either. They start breaking down when they get within fifteen feet of him. As long as he has it all inside of him, I can't operate, Kai responded curtly.

Okay, then what if it wasn't inside of him anymore? What if he turned it into a sphere or a cylinder or something?

Then we'd be in an even worse scenario. This lab isn't built to contain a fucking human nuclear reactor. It's only the combination of abilities you gave him and his willpower that is keeping us from all getting fried. By all accounts, his constructs are condensed versions of the energy, compressed into solidity. The level of heat that it will make is going to feel like youre standing on the sun. Not to mention that youre focusing the material decay and cell degradation in one spot. ITs going to make the effects stronger and far more pronounced, he answered.

Instead of telling me all the flaws in my ideas, start producing some fucking solutions. What needs to be done to salvage this? I shouted at him.

I'm not losing those powers. I refuse to lose a minion like Miles until he completes what I need him to. Miles' heroic idea has opened my eyes to the potential of what having a solid sphere of nuclear energy could allow us to do. His body is filled with so much energy that could be used to power the entire city for years if we can harness it correctly. You can't die, Miles. I won't allow it. But reality doesn't bend to my will, and he doesn't look like he has much time. Watching him from a safe room through the use of cameras lets me monitor how hes doing, but its made continuing our other experiment too dangerous. It isnt just Miles whose life is in peril; the Subjects are all being exposed to low-level amounts of the radiation. Their cages are meant to keep them in, not keep things out.

He looks like he's in so much pain. I have no idea what it feels like to contain a nuclear bomb inside of yourself, but it must be agony. Sweat pours from every part of his body, his eyes are clamped close, and hes gritting his teeth so hard he's snarling. Miles' abilities cause physical changes when he reaches a certain amount of stored energy. Radiation is no exception to that trend; his skin is dried out, flaking apart like buttery croissants, and green cracks are spreading all over his body, with his chest as the epicenter. The glow coming from the cracks is a sickly seafoam, like a twisted version of neon green. Watching one of my minions struggling so hard to survive, unfortunately, doesn't arouse any emotions within me.

We need a vessel to contain the construct he makes. It needs to be one hundred percent leak-proof regarding the radiation. Im not getting cancer just because you want to test the energy-producing power of a solid block of radiation, Kai said pointedly.

Why, I dont think I like what youre insinuating. You think I would risk either of your lives in the pursuit of power? I asked.

Obviously, Kai answered, turning to face me. Only lesser idiots would clutch at compassion when there are tantalizing scientific discoveries to be made. Dont pretend you arent, Nobody. It was one of the first things I thought of, and that means it was the first thing you thought of. The others arent around, its just us two. You dont have to pretend with me.

Oh, we are nothing alike, Kai. Surgeons with a god complex are a dime a dozen, but there is no one like Nobody, like me.

I assure you, my concern for you all isnt just pretend. Back to your suggestion, what kind of vessel would work? Can you make it, or would we have to steal one?

Kai looks like hes about to be a snippy bitch again, but holds back. Metallic fingers run through his hair, scratching some itch as he shakes his ponytail loose. He gets out of his chair, grabs his tablet off the table, and starts to pace around the room in a circle. Around and around he goes, chewing his bottom lip and tapping away on the tablet. Hes locked in, focused on the problem in front of him. Look how far youve come under my leadership, Doctor. Your talent has only blossomed because of me.

At the twenty-five-minute mark, I have to start considering what I'll have to do if Kai can't find a solution. In terms of importance to me, saving Miles loses to retrieving the powers and the nuclear cores creation. I don't think I'd be sad if he died. Vivienne is the only one who I've shared a bond with. It's gone, but I still remember what it felt like. It's been too long since I gained a new emotion. Kai suddenly stops pacing, his face split into a satisfied smile.

I've found a possible solution. I assume you don't care about the difficulty of retrieving the vessel if it means we can save Miles and the radiation. I nod my assent, and he continues. Excellent. I was stuck, thinking of an answer to our problem, when I remembered a paper I read six or seven years ago written by Dr. Springfield, a well known Nuclear Physicist. She had quite a few interesting theories on radiation containment and how we might expand our nuclear power plants to help power cities. I thought I might get a few ideas from her paper, so I went to try to find it. In the process, I discovered that five years ago she was brought on to work on a project for StarGaze Dynamics called the Atlas Initiative.

Kai. Get to the point, I interrupted.

For a Cowl obsessed with staying hidden within the shadows, you have no appreciation for a good monologue, Kai countered.

Monologuing is something megalomaniacs and cartoon villains do. Continue, I ordered.

Okay, he said, sighing. The Atlas Initiative is StarGaze Dynamics think-tank/research and development project focused on the cutting-edge betterment of mankind, and how they can monetize it. If they brought her on, it's gotta be related to her paper. If anywhere has a vessel capable of containing the amount of radiation inside of Miles, it'll be there.

Where are they located?

Princeton, New Jersey, he answered.

Anywhere in New Jersey is at least five hours away from us. That's ten hours of travel without even considering how long it takes to locate a suitable vessel. Is this impossible? Am I going to have to give up? The idea of giving up any of the three, Miles, the radiation, or the powers, is unacceptable, nauseating even. No, I deserve to have it all. And I will. I don't care what it takes; I'm done picking between the best options.

Then I'll have to send a few of you to retrieve what we need. You'll go because you'll be able to know what we need, I said.

I can't go. I have to be here to monitor our patient. If I'm not here and he goes critical, we're looking at a repeat of what happened earlier. That means all the work I put into building this place is gone, vaporized in an instant. Not happening, Nobody, Kai refused. I'll send a few drones so that I can keep in touch with whoever goes and identify what we need, but I'm staying here. I know you expect all of us to have our debut, but this won't be mine.

If I still had those problematic personality pieces, this might've set me off. This could've turned ugly while I reacted poorly. Kai, you have no idea how lucky you are.

Point taken, I'll go talk to the others and figure out who's going, I said, heading for the exit. But Kai, do not ever forget who gives the orders here.

So thats what were dealing with. I'll be frank, it's a bit of a Hail Mary, but it's our onl option. Miles is in so much pain that he can't move. If StarGaze Dynamics doesn't have what we need, we'll have to start thinking about the worst-case scenario, I said to everyone.

What is the worst-case scenario? Vivienne asked.

Boy scout goes kaboom, we all die, and Quinstin claims the title of being the only city to get nuked twice, Tuesday answered.

What the fuck is wrong with you? Have some class, you unsightly ghoul, Rorschach exclaimed.

I'm not saying I hope he croaks, that's my bowling buddy and he owes me five dollars. So if anyone has a reason to want to pull through, it's me, Tuesday responded.

Stop fucking around, Isaiah barked at her. Ill go, Nobody. I can get in and out quickly.

Same. Can't let twin get got, Tuesday said, her voice gruff and manly now.

With Miles out of action and Isaiah going, I think it's best if I stay just in case something happens, Vivienne said hesitantly.

It's obvious that she didn't come to this decision lightly, torn between protecting what's here and doing right by a comrade. I've been grooming her to be my replacement eventually, and being a leader means making hard decisions. She chose correctly. You can't let emotions or connections affect your reasoning. Besides, Isaiah and Tuesday work well as a duo and will be efficient. The mission only really needs two of them.

I'll go too, Rorschach said, her face firm and serious.

The room is dead silent, even Tuesday is quiet. Everyone has a look of shock on their face, one that I'm sure that my helmet is reflecting. I am just as surprised as everyone else is. I never would have expected her to say that in a million years. Is there an ulterior motive to her volunteering? Why would she offer to go into the field? Are her and Miles an item?

Why the hell would an ice-cold bitch like you volunteer? You two fuckin? Isaiah asked, shattering the serious serenity suffocating the room.

Vivienne tries and fails to suppress a giggle, and Tuesday just makes dolphin calls while clutching her sides. Rorschachs serious face shifts to a sneer as Tuesday continues making stupid noises. Isaiah and I are the only ones who dont laugh.

He rents an apartment; he could never fuck me. This body is reserved for those with class and wealth, the kind who own property not pay a lease, Rorschach replied frigidly. I want to do this because I dont believe you two chucklefucks wont fuck everything up. Too much is riding on the success of this mission to leave it to Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber. If Vivienne cannot go, then the only levelheaded person left is myself. I have benefited from this groups actions without having to contribute much to its success.

I am not attempting to dissuade you or attempt to question your resolve, but are you sure, Rorschach? I asked. This is very different from what youve done before. There is a level of clinical precision that I require on this. You dont need to kill anyone, but you cant be pulling your punches out there in the field.

Im absolutely sure, Nobody. Im not agreeing to this half-heartedly; Ill do what needs to be done. Dr. Frankenstein can tell me what to look for, and I can search the entire place faster than it would take the two of them. Ive also been experimenting with the new power, and I think itll make the mission go even faster. Let me do this, Rorschach said.

If I hadnt spent years learning to manipulate my facial muscles, I would be in trouble. The joy inside me at her volunteering is bordering on what would be called glee. Oh, Ive spent hours trying to figure out a way to trick Rorschach into becoming more involved in the operations of our group. Her ink power is one of the strongest offensive abilities Ive found, but its being wielded by someone who has no desire to fight. All my scheming and plotting meant nothing. If this mission goes well, she might be inclined to keep doing it. That would grant me an additional fighter, one able to take on teams. The chess-themed ability I stole from Eleven is formidable, and I cant imagine what combinations the two Ruler abilities will create. She might never like me enough to wield violence in my name, but she might just care about the others to go to war.

Share