Butcher's Bill 1.3.4

"Please don't talk to me like I take orders from you." I raised a hand and gestured out the glassless window at the city. "This is the Undersiders' city, and you are a guest here, free to leave but subject to our rules for as long as you choose to stay. It got that way because we took risks, and the right risks at the right time." I took a deep breath. "If you're uncomfortable with that level of risk, then diversify."

His eyes shot open, and he stilled. Behind him the Ambassadors tensed, as if expecting the order to attack. "I beg pardon? I'm afraid I don't follow."

"You're originally from Boston. I assume you still have contacts there, a way to regain power and territory? Right now the Teeth are there, greatly weakened; Blasto has recently been killed by the Slaughterhouse Nine; the Undersiders are familiar with the Empire Eighty-Eight and you and the Ambassadors have intel on the Chain Gang." I gestured over towards the television. "In Brockton, on the other hand, the PRT is gearing up to fight the Butcher." A quote tickled my brain from a book that I had never read, and I suddenly realized that it was in part the Thinker power of Butcher X that was suggesting this course of action. "'A general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend, and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.'"

"Sun Tzu." Murmured Accord. His fingers tapped the head of his cane, as if in thought. "Do you believe that in leaving Brockton to attack the Teeth, the PRT will think that you have lost control of yourself to the Butcher?"

"I think it will keep them wondering, yes. I think that Tattletale and the other Undersiders will be able to defend themselves when I am out of town, particularly if Citrine and another Ambassador stayed with them, and I think it will put pressure on the Boston PRT to ask for help and remove resources from here. Probably Clockblocker, maybe Vista or Kid Win. It's also possible that a few of the independent villains in Boston would be open to joining the Undersiders."

Accord looked intrigued. "And in return for helping me regain lost territory and acquire more, you would claim some of the reclaimed territory yourselves, I assume?"

I shrugged. "Boston is a much bigger city than Brockton Bay. I somehow doubt that any seven parahumans, even you and your Ambassadors, could hold it entirely on their own. I think you would find the amount of territory that we took reasonable. Especially given that once we have Boston and Brockton Bay as bases of operations for Massachusetts and Connecticut, there are plenty of other places to expand to, should we feel the need."

"And if your plan for managing crime in Brockton Bay is as effective as I think it will be, eventually we won't need the full force of the Undersiders here to defend it all the time." Tattletale cut in, doing her best to sit up straight. "I haven't had the chance to turn the full force of my Thinker powers on it, make sure it's legit, but we're willing to at least consider implementing it. If you took Boston back, well, the same thing might apply there."

She looked to me for confirmation, and I nodded. "My whole reason for staying with the Undersiders was because I felt like I could make a difference, and I didn't really care if I had to break the law to make that difference. You obviously feel the same way, or you wouldn't have spent so long putting a document like that together."

"You're quite right." Accord nodded once, sharply, as if coming to an internal decision, and I could see the Ambassadors relax slightly. "So, an amendment to our agreement, then? The Undersiders assist me in retaking Boston and agree to implement some set number of my plans, and in return gain the continued support of myself and the Ambassadors, and territory in Boston, and other cities that we take jointly going forward?"

I shook my head. "We assist you in retaking Boston in exchange for territory in Boston and support in Brockton Bay, and for making sure that the Teeth and the E88 get put behind bars. Our implementations of your plans are going to be completely our decision, not part of any deals. If we do it, it'll be because we think it's a good idea, and no other reason."

"You're not really promising anything." Accord said.

"So? It's still the best chance you have of seeing any of your plans happen."

There was a long pause. "Very well then." He extended his hand towards me to shake. I took it gently, mindful of my increased strength. "In that case, I look forward to our continued partnership."

As soon as Accord left, Parian leaned against her cloth golem with a long sigh, and Tattletale collapsed back into her chair so hard that Brooks had to catch her to steady her. Tattletale turned to look at me. "Good work. I'm gonna pass out now, kay?"

"Yeah. Go ahead." With that, she put on the blindfold and earmuffs and sagged back into the chair. Brooks and Pritt started putting together what looked like a stretcher to carry her away, and I winced in sympathy.

"Sooooo... Boston? What the fuck, Skitter?" I turned. Imp was standing with her hand on her hip. "You couldn't have told us about that, like, at all?"

I sighed. "Would you believe me if I said I just came up with the idea five minutes ago? It was a Thinker power thing."