Kills The Slaughterhouse 9

I was starting with him because his power was the weakest of them all; slicing at people from a distance? As powers went it was nothing, but I'd been told that the more of them I did the easier it would be. Starting with the easier ones meant that I'd be out for shorter periods and I'd be better able to handle the stronger ones.

"I like to take things apart, but normally I try not to do things that I'd be upset about when I'm… less rational. Somehow, I don't think I'm going to be all that upset about this."

He was trying to speak, but I ignored him in favor of tracing the link from him to the parasite. When I found it, I started to apply pressure, like I was cracking an egg.

Jack started screaming, but it barely registered as I began to pull the thing apart to discover it's secrets. I felt a weird tingle of pleasure rising from my spine and spreading out to every part of me. This was much easier than the casual observation I'd done on Glory Girl's parasite.

Gabe was right.

This really was a lot better.

***

"Where have you been?" Vicky asked.

It had taken me almost sixteen hours to get through all of the shards; after dropping Ted off I'd left that body in a sewer and had been unconscious for much of that time. I'd had to call in sick back at the lab, telling them that I was having menstrual cramps and needed to sleep for a few extra hours. Armsmaster had been all for pushing forward, but I'd been almost done, and I'd wanted to finish up. Leaving any of the Slaughterhouse heads behind was a non-starter. I'd found a robot spine in several of them that looked like it could grant mobility.

"Killing the Nine," I said.

***

Better