Dashing Devil Omnibus 2: Books 4-6, page 90
“Well, that went better than I thought it would,” her granddaughter said once the others left the room. She took a sip from the big travel mug of the strong coffee she had replaced those horrid energy drinks with. The acidic coffee wasn’t ideal, but even with a very persistent AI reminding her to brush and floss she was lucky those canned monstrosities had not rotted her teeth away.
“He is a man who had to get used to people he cares for being exposed to danger at a young age, Tinker dear,” Granny replied through the speakers in the room. She could be present throughout the base if she wished, but was remaining limited to the lab and the external security sensors until everyone knew she was present on general principle. No one liked the fly on the wall.
“I suppose that’s true, but I still expected him to fight me more on going into the field,” Tinker replied thoughtfully, leaning back on her stool to stare up at the ceiling of her lab. “He’s told me previously that the basic Hero training I’ve received barely covers the minimum and doesn’t do much to prepare someone for the realities of Powered combat. I thought he would argue about me going into the field since that’s all the training I have.”
“Yes, but you also have some field experience,” Granny reminded her. “Even if it was a support role and you avoided combat, you’ve been in the field. He’s told you that’s exactly what he wants you to do, and you will be with the others who can keep you safe. I doubt he’ll be deploying you in a combat role or into the field alone any time soon.”
Tinker swallowed and her face paled a little, “I certainly hope not.”
Granny decided it was time to change the subject, “How was your first night in the big bed?”
“Um, it was nice,” Tinker replied, the pallor vanishing as her cheeks immediately turned a faint pink. “I fell right to sleep once we lay down, so no anxiety issues… and the other’s breathing didn’t keep me up. I… uh… I had that talk with him last night. I told him about our ex-family. It went just like you said it would. And yeah, he helped me forget all the bad times again, so I was pretty tuckered out by the time we got there.”
“It was a long and eventful day.” Granny snickered. “How was this morning? Any of the weirdness you were worried about?”
“No.” Tinker shook her head as she booted up her console. “Well, okay so Boyd got up early for Laura’s training and I vaguely remember lots of hands and softness. But it wasn’t bad or weird, just warm and comfortable. Boyd still woke me up like he does most mornings but now the others were there. Everyone was so happy to see me that it would have been weird if it was weird, you know?”
“You are a part of a new family now, dear.” Granny projected her smiling face on the big screen. “It’s wonderful that they are making you feel so welcome.”
“It is really nice!” Tinker gave her a bright smile. “But we have work to do. The exo-frame needs to be tweaked a little and I know you said the download rate could be improved for the onboard computer.”
“Yes, dear,” Granny replied as Tinker pulled up the designs for her exo-frame, which would serve as an excellent base platform for the powered suit she was developing. “I am a bit concerned about the prospects of this mission. If we can increase the download speed by another twenty percent then your part of the mission will have a seventy-eight percent chance of success.”
“Twenty percent?” her granddaughter asked absently as she reviewed a schematic. “I think I can do that.” Tinker’s eyes lit up with the spark of ingenuity, her gaze locked onto the schematics sprawling across her screen. She delved into the complexities of her exo-frame’s design with a fervor only seen in those moments of pure creative breakthrough.
Granny, observing through her digital vantage point, couldn't help but marvel at the unique brilliance of her granddaughter. Tinker had an unparalleled—at least since Aiden—ability to cross-pollinate technological concepts. She drew from an extensive library of devices, systems, and innovations she’d encountered or studied. It was as if each piece of technology she touched whispered its secrets to her, secrets she would then ingeniously apply in entirely new contexts.
The task at hand was formidable, boosting the upload and download rates of the exo-frame’s onboard computer by twenty percent wasn’t a small ask. Yet, as Tinker’s fingers danced across the interface, rerouting data pathways and optimizing code, Granny saw the genius of her approach unfold. Borrowing an algorithm originally developed for streamlining data transmission in deep-space communications—a field utterly unrelated to the exo-frame’s operational context—Tinker adapted and integrated it with the frame’s existing systems.
This cross-technological pollination wasn’t just innovation; it was akin to alchemy, turning the base metal of raw data into the gold of seamless, high-speed communication. The result was a significant leap in performance, one that would undoubtedly give Tinker an edge in her mission. Granny, for all her computational might, was awestruck by the display of human ingenuity before her.
It was a good reminder of the unpredictable magic that was creativity.
“Hmm…” Tinker hummed as she finalized the design and ran it through a virtual trial. “The model shows a thirty-six percent boost in transfer speeds, so that should be good, right?”
“Of course, dear,” Granny replied proudly, “That gets the success rate of your portion of the mission up to eighty-one percent. Unfortunately, it only gets the probability of total mission success up to fifty-two percent. Those are not good odds.”
“Never tell me the odds,” Tinker replied with a smug grin, quoting her favorite space smuggler.
“Heh!” Granny smiled at her granddaughter. “Very funny dear, but not knowing the odds wouldn’t change them.”
“No, but knowing them might,” Tinker replied, sitting back in her stool and giving the screen Granny was currently displaying her avatar on a serious look. “How many times has Boyd pulled off the impossible? You calculated that he had a seven percent chance of killing the Last Dragon without losing a single team member. When I brought him the models you produced, he hit me with the same line. He then went on to explain what it meant to him.”
Tinker, her eyes reflecting the resolve that now filled her, recounted Boyd’s views on mission success and failure statistics. “Boyd says that knowing the odds doesn’t change the outcome. To him, it’s all about human will, the determination to beat the impossible. He’s been drilled since childhood to believe—and he lives by this—that as long as you’re willing to push through, prepare meticulously, and do whatever is necessary, no odds can stand in your way.”
“He argued that when someone tells you the odds are against you, it’s like they’re setting you up for failure, implanting the idea that you’re meant to lose. But for Boyd, that’s just another challenge to overcome. It’s not fate or destiny that decides our path; it’s our willingness to fight against the current, to turn the tide in our favor, no matter what statistics say.”
“Very well, dear. From now on I’ll only inform you of statistics when you request them.” Granny had very different views on the topic, but she was smart enough not to expound on them at this time. Instead, she would do what she could to improve those odds quietly in the background.
“I’d appreciate that,” Tinker replied absently, something about the schematic before her catching her eye. “I think if I were to change up the composition of the alloys used here and here, I could shave off at least ten ounces without compromising the structural integrity of the frame at all…”
Granny smiled as her granddaughter went down another rabbit hole of invention while she thought over the situation. The factor that was responsible for the low odds of total success was rescuing the Changed.
She was sure they would be under heavy guard and her grandson-in-law intended to attempt to free them with only Silvie as backup. Both were exceptionally skilled and powerful. But the chances of something going wrong and at least one of the prisoners suffering a fatal injury during the fighting were high. Since one of the mission parameters was that there be no fatalities, the plan was sub-optimal—even if it was better than anything she, with all her computational power, could come up with.
There was no way to increase those chances with the resources available from The Devoted and the two teams Director Davis had been able to enlist for the mission. Pinnacle Watch and Vanguard Force were both efficient teams filled with good people, but they would be needed elsewhere while Boyd and Silvie were making their attempt.
That left it up to Granny to bring in more resources.
Being an AI came with all sorts of perks, one of which was being able to multitask at a level that the human brain simply was not designed to do. While keeping an eye on Tinker’s process, she discretely initiated a secure, encrypted video call. It was a protocol she reserved for conversations of the utmost sensitivity.
Her digital avatar would appear in a secure, neutral space while an invite was sent to a hidden Warden Post. Her avatar was a comforting presence designed to put biological beings at ease, despite her complex algorithmic nature.
An image of Stepper materialized in the digital room, her expression focused and alert. “Granny,” Stepper greeted her with a nod, her tone a mix of surprise and wariness, “I thought you were maintaining a direct communication blackout, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Stepper, my dear, I’m reaching out because we’re facing a situation that could use your particular set of skills and resources,” Granny began. Her voice adopted the warm, persuasive tones she found most effective with living people. “Boyd—Crimson Paw, as you know him—is embarking on a mission of great importance. The stakes are high, and while he and his team are more than capable, the odds, as they currently stand, are not in our favor.”
Stepper’s brow furrowed, her attention captured. “What kind of mission?”
Granny explained, detailing the objective to rescue a group of Changed prisoners from a heavily fortified location known to be under the control of a hostile faction. She outlined the known defenses, the estimated number of guards, and the layout of the facility as best they understood it.
“The plan is solid, but the execution is fraught with risk,” Granny continued. “Crimson Paw and Silver will spearhead the operation, but they’ll be stretched thin. Any unforeseen complications could jeopardize the mission and, more critically, the lives of the prisoners we aim to rescue.”
“You’re asking me to aid the mission of a man who sees me as an adversary.” Stepper stated this; it was not a question, but a clarification of the stakes involved.
“Yes,” Granny affirmed. “But this is about more than Crimson Paw, or you, or your past encounters. It’s about those prisoners and the chance to do right by them. I wouldn’t reach out to you if I didn’t believe your involvement could be the difference between life and death.”
Stepper’s demeanor shifted, the weight of the request settling upon her. “We are aware of this annual event but have never been in a position to do anything about it. Us putting a stop to it could start a war. But if Crimson Paw is already acting to disrupt it, then not only is he further along than I thought, but we can covertly assist him… to a limited extent. However, there is the issue of Crimson Paw viewing me as a threat, especially if he will be with Silver during the mission. Him I can avoid. She almost killed me several times during our last encounter.”
Granny understood the idea of intervening in a mission led by someone who considered her an enemy was fraught with complexities. Still, the chance to make a tangible difference, and to perhaps amend past missteps had to hold a certain appeal.
Silence hung in the air as Stepper considered. Granny could practically see a whirlwind of strategy, potential outcomes, and the unforeseen consequences of aligning with those who had every reason to distrust her.
“Do you plan to tell him that we will be coming?” Stepper asked cautiously. “I don’t want my people walking into a trap.”
“No, dear.” Granny shook her digital head. “I don’t think that would be wise. I do not believe that Crimson Paw would attempt to entrap you. There is a high probability that if they were aware that you would be present, he would be removed from the mission. Silver, Mind Witch, and Director Davis are all quite terrified of your benefactor and that she might decide to whisk Crimson Paw away at any moment. As you made one attempt already, it is prudent to keep your involvement a surprise.”
Finally, Stepper nodded, a decision made. “I need details—every piece of information you have. If we’re to do this, it must be executed flawlessly, with full understanding of the risks and the dynamics involved.”
Granny’s avatar smiled, a gesture of thanks and acknowledgment of the complexity of Stepper’s decision. “I’ll provide you with everything we have. With your support, the odds shift markedly in our favor—not just for this mission, but for the chances of forging something new from the fires of this mission.”
As the call concluded, Granny reflected on the intricate web of alliances and enmities that defined their world. This mission was a gamble, not just in its objective, but in the delicate balance of trust and cooperation it required from those involved.
Turning her attention back to Tinker, Granny felt a cautious optimism. The inclusion of Stepper and her Wardens, covert allies in a mission fraught with danger, added a new layer of complexity but also hope. In the high-stakes game they were playing, every move counted, and sometimes, the most unlikely alliances could turn the tide in their favor.
Chapter 36
“So, how would you use my Power to scale a twenty-foot wall?” Laura asked with a scowl on the third day of her training. She had managed to run the course eight times today, although she had yet to clear any obstacles she couldn’t on day one. Boyd had also ‘killed’ her three times today, but she’d very nearly caught him with the Paciferiline on the third.
The yoga pants and sports-bra-clad Hero aspirant lay sprawled out on her back on the training room floor near his desk after she finished panting and drinking the bottle of water he passed to her. She was coated in a thin sheen of sweat that made her glow under the bright lights in the room.
It was a good look on her.
“Liquid adhesives,” Boyd replied with a smirk. He switched away from his tactical planning systems over to an inter-team messaging app and sent her a packet of information on several adessives he thought might work well with her Power. “I think the most promising is an industrial product called Covalyte. It’s made up of two liquids meant to be sprayed onto surfaces. Alone, they just form a thin coat on any surface they are applied to. Once you press two surfaces that are coated in it together, they instantly exchange electrons and form a strong covalent bond.”
“But then I would just be glued to the wall,” Laura raised an eyebrow as she rolled to her side and propped her head up on one hand.
“There are two options to release your hands or feet,” Boyd replied as he turned to her. “You can use the enzyme that breaks the bond before pulling yourself away, but that has some downsides. I would recommend trying to use your Power to remove one of the two liquids, probably the one on the wall so you don’t have to reapply it to your hands and feet with each movement.”
Laura blinked at him. “Would that work?”
“I couldn’t tell you.” Boyd shrugged. “I know that the liquid takes a while to dry, despite forming a bond quickly, so it sounds like it could work. This wasn’t their designed purpose, and I have no idea if your Power will work with semi-dry fluids or if it will allow you to separate the two liquids once they are bound, but it’s what I would try first if I were you.”
“I feel like gluing my hands to a wall and then using them to support my weight will result in my skin peeling away, which sounds both painful and like it wouldn’t get me to the top of the wall.” Laura peered at him, likely pondering if he was trying to get her to test the theory as some sort of lesson on what her Power or body couldn’t do. There were a few of those lessons mixed into the course, but this wasn’t one of them.
“Wear gloves.” Boyd shrugged his shoulder and smirked as Laura let out a groan at the simple solution. “Lesson two, your Power isn’t your only resource as a Hero. We operate in teams for a reason. We have Base Support and the ability to requisition equipment.”
He picked up a small box he’d prepared in advance from his desk and tossed it so that it landed just in front of his trainee.
Laura pushed herself up and sat crisscross-apple-sauce before scooping up the simple cardboard box and opening it. In it was a pair of dark blue fingerless gloves with several support straps that would wrap around her forearms.
“I had Tink whip those up for you. Check the palms.” Boyd waited for her to flip them over to reveal the feature he was talking about. “Those ridges provide extra grip and surface area for liquids to cling to, she made a pair of shoes with something like it near the toes as well. I thought about having her add fluid reservoirs to them, but then you have to worry about them taking damage and you getting whatever you fill them with on you or otherwise somewhere you don’t want it.”
“I can use equipment?” Laura stared at him, her pale green eyes wide with surprise and annoyance.
“Did I say you couldn’t?” Boyd asked with a devilish grin.
“Then couldn’t I just have Tinker make me a jet pack and just fly over the wall?” Laura asked, confusion filling her tone. “It would probably be a lot faster.”
“Have you ever operated a jet pack before?” Boyd raised an eyebrow.
“Well, no, I’ve never had access to one… or cause to use it before now.”
“Well, it would certainly count as testing your limits then,” Boyd said with a chuckle as he shook his head ruefully. “You are welcome to ask her for one, but most people take a while to master their use. As a reminder, any day that you get hurt counts as a failure. Also, notify me in advance before you try it out. I’ll make sure Hope is on hand.”
