The Metahuman Agency: The Superhuman War

Breaking Point

Jacqueline slept fitfully after her confrontation with Akihiro. Her dreams were unpleasant. She caught glimpses of her sister's corpse, floating in tandem with images of her father being stabbed repeatedly, staining the blackness red. Whispers filled her mind, some of which were her own voice, some of which were Akihiro's, and some of which were Amanda's. All were nonsensical.

She was awoken by a loud buzzing noise, which ripped her from her nightmares. She started awake in a cold sweat, blinking as she realized where she was. She was lying on the couch in her office, her sunglasses sliding down her nose.

The buzzing noise came again. Jacqueline groaned and slid off her desk, her mind still fuzzy, unfocused. She hit the floor, landing on her arms and knees. She groaned, her sunglasses dancing beneath her chin.

The buzzing noise came again. Jacqueline gritted her teeth, annoyed. Shut up! She thought before taking a harsh breath. Snarling, she pushed herself to her knees and crawled to her desk. She pulled herself level with it and her hand groped for a few moments blindly before she found the intercom. She pressed the button and growled, "Yes?"

"Ma'am," One of the technicians voices crackled over the line. "I apologize for disturbing you but Incisor has been stabilized. I thought you might want to speak with him."

Jacqueline narrowed her eyes. Stabilized... She nodded to herself. Yes, she should like to speak with him. In fact, it was time again to speak to all of her metahumans. She spoke to the intercom and said, "Good. I'll be right there. Send a message to all metahumans. I want them all present."

There was a brief pause. Then the voice said, "Copy, ma'am." Jacqueline switched the intercom off and got to her feet. She pushed her sunglasses back onto her face and took a long breath. Then she turned to her ICARUS Flight Suit and walked over to it, cracking her stiff shoulders.

She smiled as she gazed upon her suit. As usual, its visage of utter perfection calmed her and reminded her how better she was than the common, lowly man. She whispered its activation command. Automatically, its optics flared to life and the chest opened, expelling bursts of steam. Jacqueline clambered inside; insert her arms into the much larger ones of the ICARUS Flight Suit. She then shoved her head into the helmet, the beak snapping closed around her. The inside of the helmet turned on, as the optics displayed the outside world for her.

The internal temperature of the suit then activated, providing her with a pleasant, cooling sensation that made Jacqueline's skin ripple. The chest closed, sealing her inside. Jacqueline smiled and flexed the suit's massive arm, clenching the metallic gauntlets.

She felt so much...stronger in here. She wondered if she could theoretically remain in the suit full-time. To always have this power, to always be inside the armor, ready to crush anything in her path. People feared her more; they truly respected her inside of the suit. Here...her true power was laid bare. Through the ICARUS Flight Suit, she was at the peak of her human potential and yet...more than human, without slinking to the level of a metahuman.

She smirked. And to think, she'd be resisting going into the field again and dealing with her enemies personally. But that was before the incompetence of her subordinates was truly shown. If you wanted something done right...do it yourself. San Francisco...already she was practically giddy with anticipation. The world would finally see her, not the lowly mercenaries she had foolishly relied on till now. She was Jacqueline Prescott, commander of the Skeleton Crew. Akihiro was right. No more holding back. Soon, she would unleash everything she had at her command. The fires of her wrath would consume all her enemies, from the metahumans to the anchor of her memories.