A few minutes earlier

  Mr. Gladly sighed as he watched the last students leave his classroom, shutting the door behind them. He hated having to give out detentions. At least grading assignments had kept him busy through the afternoon. He loved teaching, loved trying to spark that love of learning in young minds, but the paperwork could be a real grind sometimes.

  He gathered up his materials, stuffing them haphazardly into his briefcase, and headed for the parking lot. As he passed by the windows overlooking the rear of the school, movement outside caught his eye. A cluster of red and green bandana-clad figures stood near the corner of the building. Even from this distance, he recognized the colors of the ABB.

  A flicker of ash announced the arrival of another figure—one clad in black, a white mask covering his face. Oni Lee. Gladly's heart stuttered in his chest. What was the ABB's foremost enforcer doing at Winslow?

  The group seemed to be engaged in some kind of discussion, though Gladly couldn't make out any words through the glass. One of the students gestured sharply toward the building. Toward the back entrance, where Barnes and Hebert were likely loading up their "recycling" materials even now.

  Realization struck like a bolt of lightning. Of course—the girls had been acting strange for weeks, making cryptic comments about some kind of project. And now one of the most dangerous capes in the city was here, accompanied by members of his gang. This had to be connected somehow.

  Gladly fumbled in his pocket for his phone, hands shaking as he dialed the PRT hotline number. It picked up on the third ring.

  "PRT hotline, what's your emergency?" The crisp, professional voice on the other end helped steady his nerves.

  "This is Gerald Gladly, a teacher at Winslow High School in Brockton Bay," he said, proud of how level his tone remained. "I'm looking out a window right now at Oni Lee and what appears to be several ABB gang members gathered on school property. I'm not sure of their intent, but two of my students may be in danger."

  There was a brief pause as the operator processed this. "Understood, Mr. Gladly. We're dispatching a Protectorate hero and PRT squad to your location immediately. Can you confirm if any violence has occurred?"

  "No, no violence yet. But Oni Lee's presence alone is cause for serious concern."

  "Of course. For your own safety, please move away from the windows and secure yourself somewhere until our units arrive. They'll be there within fifteen minutes."

  "Right. Yes, of course. Thank you." Gladly ended the call, palms slick with sweat.

  Gerald Gladly burst out of his classroom, heart pounding. He'd known something was off with Taylor Hebert for weeks now, but this... this was beyond anything he'd imagined. The presence of Oni Lee and ABB members on school grounds could only mean trouble.

  As he hurried down the hallway, his mind raced. Most of the faculty had noticed the changes in Taylor, and in the school as a whole. There had been hushed conversations in the teacher's lounge, sideways glances exchanged during staff meetings. But Principal Blackwell had made it clear they were to keep their suspicions to themselves.

  "We're on the cusp of something great here," she'd told them, eyes gleaming with ambition. "Let's not jeopardize our progress with baseless speculation."

  Gladly knew Blackwell had her sights set on the School Superintendent position. With the current superintendent planning a mayoral run next year, it was the perfect opportunity for her to climb the ladder. And Winslow's sudden academic turnaround was her ticket to the top.

  He reached the computer lab, out of breath. "Taylor? Emma?" he called, pushing open the door. The room was empty, save for Mrs. Knott tidying up for the day.

  "Mr. Gladly?" she asked, surprised by his urgent tone. "Is everything alright?"

  "The girls," he panted. "Taylor Hebert and Emma Barnes. Have you seen them?"

  Mrs. Knott shook her head. "They were here earlier, but they left about twenty minutes ago. Said something about meeting Anne Barnes for a pickup."

  Gladly's stomach dropped. "They're outside," he muttered, more to himself than to Mrs. Knott. He turned on his heel, ready to sprint for the rear exit, when he remembered the operator's warning to stay put.

  Mr. Gladly's heart pounded in his chest as he hurried down the hallway, his dress shoes squeaking on the linoleum. He fumbled with his phone, quickly pulling up Emma's contact information. With trembling fingers, he tapped out a message: "Run!"

  Hitting send, he shoved the phone back into his pocket and changed course, veering toward the drama department. The theater would be empty at this hour, but there might be something, anything he could use to help Taylor and Emma.

  He burst through the doors of the prop room, eyes frantically scanning the racks of costumes and masks. A long, black robe caught his eye, hanging next to an ornate headmaster's cap. Grabbing them both, he slipped into the voluminous robes, tying the sash tight around his waist. The mask went on next, the classic face depicting tragedy. He hoped that wasn't an omen.

  Thus disguised, he hurried back into the hallway, his heart thundering against his ribs. He had no idea what he planned to do, only that he had to try and intervene, to stall for time until the Protectorate arrived. Taylor and Emma's lives could be at stake.

  He ducked out the nearest exit hoping to loop around to the back parking area. As he neared the corner of the school that would lead to the rear, the sound of a commotion reached his ears. Reaching the corner, he spotted a student lingering ahead, their phone held up as they peeked around the bend. Gladly slowed his steps, approaching cautiously.

  Looking around, he could see the cluster of ABB members gathered in the alleyway, Taylor and Emma stood before them, a cart of old printers next to them. Even from here, Gladly could see the concern etched on their faces as the back door failed to open. As they turned to run a new figure appeared in front of them.

  Oni Lee spoke, his tone flat and emotionless. "Your presence has been demanded by the dragon."

  Gladly's mouth went dry. This was it. Steeling himself, he swept forward, throwing open the exit door with a dramatic flourish.

  "Release my minions, fiend!" he bellowed, his voice muffled slightly by the mask. "Or face the wrath of the Headmaster!"

  A hush fell over the alleyway as all eyes turned toward the newcomer. For a long, agonizing moment, no one moved or spoke. Then, a bark of laughter erupted from one of the gang members.

  "Is this for real?" the man guffawed, nudging his neighbor. "Who's this idiot in the bathrobe?"

  Gladly faltered, his bravado deflating slightly as the men continued to jeer and mock his appearance. From the corner of his eye, he saw Taylor and Emma exchanging bewildered glances.

  Oni Lee, however, remained silent and still, regarding Gladly with an eerie, unblinking stare. The man's utter lack of reaction was far more unnerving than any taunts.

  Rallying himself, Gladly spread his arms wide, the robe billowing around him like a great set of wings. "I am the master of this domain," he proclaimed, "and I will not permit villainous scum to accost my pupils!"

  Another round of laughter met this declaration. Gladly's cheeks burned beneath the mask. The laughter was fine if somewhat humiliating. Keep laughing, you chuckleheads, keep laughing till the Protectorate arrives.

  One of the men made a dismissive gesture. "Get rid of this clown," he growled. "The boss wants those two girls, and I'm not gonna let some idiot in a Halloween costume stop us."

  As the group started forward, Gladly felt his resolve waver. What had he been thinking, confronting real, hardened criminals like this? He was a high school teacher, for God's sake, not a cape! Still, he couldn't back down now, not with Taylor and Emma's lives at risk.

  Squaring his shoulders, he lifted his chin defiantly. "You'll have to go through me first, ruffians!"

  The alleyway fell silent as Oni Lee tilted his head, considering the masked figure before him. He turned slightly, addressing one of the gang members standing nearby.

  "Who is this?" Oni Lee's voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

  Ken, a lanky teen with a bandana tied around his forehead, stepped forward nervously. "I think... I think that's Mr. Gladly, sir. He's the teacher whose class those study guides first started showing up in."

  Oni Lee nodded almost imperceptibly. "We will take him as well," he declared.

  Mr. Gladly felt a chill run down his spine at those words. This was not going according to plan at all. He had hoped to buy time, to distract these thugs until help arrived. Now it seemed he had only succeeded in making himself another target.

  With lightning speed, Oni Lee appeared between Gladly and the girls. The teacher blinked, momentarily disoriented by the villain's teleportation. In that brief instant, the gang members swarmed around Emma and Taylor, herding them toward the center of their group.

  Gladly's heart raced as he watched his students being surrounded. He had to do something, had to keep their attention focused on him. "Let them go!" he shouted, trying to infuse his voice with an authority he didn't feel. "Your quarrel is with me now!"

  The boys paid him no mind, their eyes fixed on Oni Lee as the masked villain approached Gladly with slow, deliberate steps. Each footfall seemed to echo in the alley, a countdown to some terrible fate.

  "You will be coming with us, Headmaster," Oni Lee stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

  Gladly swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to save himself. But he couldn't abandon his students. He had started this charade, and now he had to see it through.

  Drawing himself up to his full height, Gladly raised his fists in what he hoped was a passable imitation of a boxing stance. "Make me," he growled, trying to channel every tough-guy hero he'd ever seen in the movies.

  A ripple of amusement passed through the gang members. One of them called out, "Ooh, looks like teach wants to throw down!"

  Another chimed in, "Maybe we should sell tickets!"

  Oni Lee remained unmoved by the taunts and Gladly's bravado. He simply stood there, that blank mask betraying nothing of his thoughts or intentions.

  Gladly's arms were already beginning to tremble from the effort of holding his stance. Sweat beaded on his forehead beneath the mask, and he silently cursed himself for not staying in better shape. If only he'd taken those self-defense classes the school had offered last year...

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  Oni Lee cocked his head to the side, regarding Gladly with that unnerving, emotionless stare. The tension in the alley ratcheted up another notch as everyone waited to see how the villain would respond to this challenge.

  Gladly felt a presence materialize behind him. Instinct took over and he ducked forward, narrowly avoiding a strike from the Oni Lee at his back. But as he stumbled forward, the Oni Lee in front of him lashed out with a vicious kick. The blow connected solidly with Gladly's midsection, driving the air from his lungs. He gasped and wheezed as the villain before him crumbled into ash.

  Panic threatened to overwhelm him as Gladly realized the true extent of Oni Lee's power. The villain could be anywhere, attacking from any angle. Fighting to regain his breath, Gladly scrambled backwards until his back pressed against the cold brick of the school building. At least now he couldn't be ambushed from behind.

  Oni Lee appeared again, this time to Gladly's left. The teacher raised his arms just in time to block a slashing knife strike. Pain lanced through his forearm as the blade bit into flesh. Gladly yelped and swung wildly with his other hand, but his fist passed harmlessly through another disintegrating clone.

  "Is that all you've got?" Gladly taunted, trying to mask the tremor in his voice. "I've had worse paper cuts from grading essays!"

  Another Oni Lee materialized directly in front of him. Gladly lashed out with a clumsy right hook, but the villain easily sidestepped the attack. A quick series of jabs left more shallow cuts along Gladly's arms before that clone, too, vanished into ash.

  Despite the fear coursing through him, a small part of Gladly felt a surge of satisfaction. He was standing his ground, protecting his students. Isn't that what being a man was about. Protecting those in your care?

  The battle continued in this vein for what felt like an eternity to Gladly. Oni Lee would appear, land a quick strike or two, then vanish before Gladly could mount any real offense. The teacher's arms were soon crisscrossed with dozens of cuts, none life-threatening on their own, but the cumulative blood loss was beginning to take its toll. His reactions were slowing, his vision starting to blur at the edges.

  As another Oni Lee materialized, Gladly noticed something. The villain always appeared within his own line of sight. He would make quick glances to the side to set up his next teleport.

  Gladly also realized that despite the relentless assault, Oni Lee wasn't going for killing blows. The villain was trying to wear him down, to capture him alive. That knowledge gave Gladly a small measure of hope. As long as he was still breathing, he could keep fighting.

  Gritting his teeth against the pain, Gladly focused on predicting where Oni Lee might appear next. He watched the villain's movements carefully, noting the subtle shifts in posture that preceded each teleport.

  When Oni Lee next materialized, Gladly was ready. As the villain's arm came up for another slash, Gladly stepped into the attack. He pivoted his body, putting all his remaining strength behind a desperate right cross. To his shock and elation, he felt his fist connect solidly with the side of Oni Lee's mask.

  The villain staggered back, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected counterattack. For a brief moment, Gladly allowed himself to feel a glimmer of triumph. He had landed a solid hit on one of the most feared villains in Brockton Bay.

  But even as that thought crossed his mind, Oni Lee recovered his balance. The emotionless mask tilted slightly, regarding Gladly with what the teacher could only imagine was a mixture of annoyance and grudging respect.

  Gladly's eyes darted behind Oni Lee, desperate to check on Taylor and Emma. What he saw made his jaw drop. The gang members who had surrounded the girls now lay scattered on the ground, moaning and clutching their heads. Taylor and Emma stood in the center, each gripping some kind of strange device in their hands.

  Oni Lee noticed Gladly's shocked expression and whirled around to assess the situation. In an instant, he vanished, reappearing next to the girls. But as soon as he materialized, the villain staggered and collapsed to the ground. He teleported away, only to reappear several yards back, shaking his head as if to clear it.

  Oni Lee made several more attempts to approach, but each time he got within about 15 feet of Taylor and Emma, he seemed overwhelmed by some invisible force. Finally, he growled in frustration.

  "Disable the tinkertech and come with me," Oni Lee demanded, his voice cold and threatening.

  Emma's response was immediate and defiant. "Fat chance of that!"

  For a moment, Oni Lee stood motionless, considering his options. Then, in a blur of motion, he reappeared next to the exhausted Mr. Gladly. Before the teacher could react, he felt the cold steel of a knife pressed against his throat.

  "I will kill him if you do not comply," Oni Lee stated matter-of-factly. "It is obvious he is not the Tinker."

  Gladly's eyes widened in terror as the realization hit him. One of the girls was a Tinker? That would explain things. His mind reeled, trying to process this new information even as he felt the blade dig slightly into his skin.

  Suddenly, a shadow fell across them. Gladly barely had time to register the new presence before two curved blades sliced through the air. Oni Lee's head went flying, separated cleanly from his body. But even as Gladly's brain struggled to catch up with what he was seeing, the headless body crumbled into ash, revealing that the villain had managed another teleport in the nick of time.

  In Oni Lee's place stood a figure Gladly recognized from his current events lessons: Cricket, a member of the Empire Eighty-Eight. Her cage-like mask turned towards him, and he got the distinct impression she was giving him an appraising look.

  "Impressive," Cricket's synthesized voice crackled. "But you should let a professional finish this."

  Gladly sagged against the wall, the adrenaline that had been keeping him going finally starting to ebb. He looked down at his arms, covered in cuts and dried blood, and wondered distantly if he might be going into shock.

  "Mr. Gladly!" Taylor called out, her voice filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

  He managed a weak nod, then turned his attention back to Cricket. The Empire cape stood ready, her kama held loosely at her sides as she scanned the area for any sign of Oni Lee's return.

  Oni Lee materialized once more, this time atop a nearby dumpster. His mask betrayed no emotion, but his stance radiated menace.

  "Empire dog," he spat, his voice cold and contemptuous. "Do not interfere with the Dragon's business."

  Cricket's synthesized laugh crackled through her mask. "When does the dragon pick on children and schoolteachers? Lung must be getting desperate."

  In response, Oni Lee exploded into action. He teleported rapidly, creating a dizzying array of clones that surrounded Cricket. Each clone lunged forward with a knife, forcing the Empire cape to defend from multiple angles simultaneously.

  Cricket's kama whirled in a deadly dance, slicing through clone after clone. Her movements were fluid and precise, each strike calculated to intercept an incoming attack while simultaneously setting up her next move. But for every clone she dispatched, two more seemed to take its place.

  Suddenly, Cricket dropped into a crouch. A high-pitched whine emanated from her mask, causing several nearby clones to stumble. She capitalized on their disorientation, her blades flashing out to bisect three clones in rapid succession.

  Oni Lee changed tactics. His next wave of clones appeared with grenades in hand, pins already pulled. Cricket's eyes widened behind her mask as she realized the danger. She leapt backwards, using her enhanced agility to put distance between herself and the impending explosions.

  The grenades detonated in a cacophony of noise and shrapnel. Cricket emerged from the smoke, her costume torn in several places but otherwise unharmed. She had managed to avoid the worst of the blast, but the fight was taking its toll.

  "Is that all you've got?" Cricket taunted, her synthesized voice betraying no hint of fatigue. "I thought the ABB was supposed to be dangerous."

  Oni Lee's response was swift and brutal. He appeared directly behind Cricket, knife already in motion. Only her enhanced reflexes saved her from a potentially fatal blow. As it was, the blade carved a deep gash across her back.

  Cricket hissed in pain but didn't falter. She spun, her kama slicing through the air where Oni Lee's head had been a moment before. But he was already gone, leaving only ash in his wake.

  The battle continued in this vein, neither combatant able to gain a decisive advantage. Oni Lee's teleportation made him nearly impossible to pin down, while Cricket's enhanced senses and reflexes allowed her to avoid or counter most of his attacks.

  As the fight dragged on, Taylor and Emma watched in horrified fascination. They had seen cape fights on the news before, but witnessing one up close was an entirely different experience. The speed and brutality of the combat were breathtaking and terrifying in equal measure.

  Finally, Cricket managed to turn the tide. As Oni Lee appeared for another attack, she feinted with one kama while bringing the other around in a vicious backhand slash. The blade caught Oni Lee's leg, biting deep into his thigh.

  The villain let out a pained grunt – the first sound he had made during the entire fight. He teleported away, reappearing at the edge of the parking lot. For a moment, he stood there, his posture tense as he assessed the situation. Then, with a final glare towards Cricket, he vanished in a burst of ash.

  As the adrenaline of the moment began to fade, Taylor and Emma rushed to Mr. Gladly's side. The teacher was slumped against the wall, his arms covered in cuts and his breathing labored.

  "Mr. Gladly!" Taylor exclaimed, kneeling beside him. "Are you okay?"

  Gladly managed a weak nod. "I've been better," he croaked. "But I'll live. Are you two alright?"

  Emma nodded, her face pale. "We're fine, thanks to you and... her." She glanced nervously at Cricket, who was now approaching them.

  "We need to move," Cricket said, her synthesized voice urgent. "The Protectorate will be here soon. We should get him to Othala."

  Taylor hesitated, torn between her concern for Mr. Gladly and her wariness of the Empire cape. "Who's Othala?"

  "Empire healer," Cricket replied curtly. "She can fix him up better than any hospital. But we need to go now."

  Emma and Taylor exchanged a look, silently debating their options. Finally, Taylor nodded. "Okay, we'll come with you. But first..." She hurried over to where the ABB gang members were still incapacitated by their tinkertech device. She placed another small gadget next to them, ensuring they wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.

  As they helped Mr. Gladly to his feet, distant sirens could be heard approaching. Cricket tensed, her mask turning towards the sound. "Time's up. Let's move."

  Taylor and Emma carefully helped Mr. Gladly into the backseat of Cricket's nondescript sedan. The teacher groaned softly as they settled him in, his arms covered in cuts from Oni Lee's relentless assault.

  "Easy does it," Emma murmured, sliding in next to him.

  As Taylor moved to get into the front passenger seat, she froze. Cricket had removed her mask, revealing a face that was surprisingly young and... not entirely what Taylor had expected.

  "No time to explain," Cricket said brusquely, her voice no longer filtered through her mask. "Get in."

  Taylor complied, her mind reeling as Cricket started the car and pulled away from Winslow at a surprisingly sedate pace.

  "Shouldn't we be going faster?" Taylor asked, glancing nervously over her shoulder.

  Cricket shook her head. "Calm and casual is the way to go. First aid kit's under the back seat, by the way. Bandages for your teacher's arms."

  Emma rummaged beneath the seat, pulling out a well-stocked medical kit. As she began tending to Mr. Gladly's wounds, Taylor kept her eyes on the road ahead. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Armsmaster's distinctive motorcycle zoom past them in the opposite lane, followed shortly by a PRT squad van. Neither vehicle paid them any attention.

  Taylor let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She turned to look at Cricket, really taking in the other girl's appearance for the first time. What she saw made her blink in surprise.

  "You're... part Asian?" Taylor blurted out before she could stop herself.

  Cricket's lips quirked into a small smile. "Got some questions, huh? Go ahead, ask away."

  Taylor's mind raced. There were so many things she wanted to know, but she struggled to prioritize. "Okay, first... why are you helping us? And why reveal your identity?"

  Cricket kept her eyes on the road as she answered. "Helping you because Kaiser asked me to keep an eye on Winslow. As for the mask... well, sometimes it's easier to hide in plain sight. Plus, I figured you'd be more comfortable if you could see my face."

  "But you're with the Empire," Emma chimed in from the backseat, her voice a mix of confusion and accusation. "How can you be part Asian?"

  Cricket's expression tightened slightly. "It's... complicated. Let's just say not everything about the Empire is as black and white as people think."

  Taylor frowned, processing this information. "So, what happens now? Where are we going?"

  "To see Othala," Cricket replied. "She'll be able to patch up your teacher properly. After that... well, I guess that depends on you two."

  Meanwhile, back at Winslow High School, Armsmaster surveyed the scene with a mixture of frustration and curiosity. The ABB gang members lay incapacitated on the ground, still affected by whatever device had been used on them.

  He knelt to examine the small gadget Taylor had left behind. His helmet's sensors began analyzing its composition and energy output automatically isolating its debilitating frequency from his hearing.

  "Interesting," he muttered to himself. "Definitely Tinkertech, but not like anything I've seen before."

  A PRT officer approached, her stance respectful but urgent. "Sir, we've secured the perimeter. No sign of Oni Lee or the reported Empire cape."

  Armsmaster nodded absently, still focused on the device. "What about the students who were allegedly taken?"

  "No concrete information yet," the officer replied. "We're reviewing security footage and interviewing witnesses now."

  Armsmaster stood, carefully bagging the Tinkertech device as evidence. "Keep me updated. And get these ABB members into custody. I want to know everything they can tell us about why Oni Lee was here."

  As the PRT began processing the scene, Armsmaster couldn't shake the feeling that something significant had just happened. A new Tinker in Brockton Bay could shift the balance of power dramatically. He needed to find out who they were and what their intentions might be.

  With one last look around the parking lot, Armsmaster headed back to his motorcycle. He had a report to file and a mystery to unravel.