Butcher's Bill 2.2

Meanwhile, during the whole time that I had been having my conversation with Blake, my insect army had not been idle. Wasps and spiders were even now cooperating to sever the various tripwires that I had left all around the apartment complex and to repurpose them into ropes that could be used to bind people. Carpets of ants and beetles were bearing away knives and guns. Meanwhile, my flies and gnats spoke through every room in my voice.

"Unpowered members of the Teeth. Please remain face down on the floor until my allies have gotten what they came for. They are dangerous parahumans, and I will warn them if you try any surprise attacks. Once we have what we want you will be free to attempt an escape before the PRT arrives. Some of you will doubtless be arrested. I have a message for you to deliver to the Protectorate once that happens: Stay out of my way. Some of you will have contacts in other parahuman gangs. I have a message for them, too: Send your parahumans to the next Endbringer attack if you don't want to be my next victims."

For some reason, none of the normal gangsters seemed terribly inclined to argue.

With a few more thoughts, I told the mercenaries that were standing by in the white getaway vans around the corner to pull up to the building and to get ready to receive cargo; landed bees on a few eyelids that looked like they belonged to people who might be thinking about struggling, and simultaneously rounded the corner of the hallway and reached the stairs.