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As it turned out, Echidna could absorb bacteria and make mutant clones of them. The plague had spread, and all over the city people were developing paranoia and fever. The disease itself wouldn't kill a healthy person, but people had already started to denounce each other as Simurgh bombs, undercover aliens, and secret Masters.
I had the cure, infecting every milliliter of my blood and saliva. I thought briefly of slitting my wrists into a reservoir, before dismissing it for the intrusive thought it was. Not fast enough as a delivery mechanism. Already, smoke and screams were rising from Brockton Bay as people turned on each other. I had to hurry. Panacea said the disease would progress, and eventually, the entire city would become psychotically violent. But who could deliver the cure to an entire city? Hopefully, Panacea was already giving the cure to other people. But it wouldn't be fast enough without a way to organize the sharing of fluids that transmitted it.
My swarm flew out, searching for anyone useful. I didn't know where the Undersiders were, or where the heroes were. I'd left to talk to Panacea after Echidna's rampage was dealt with. Everyone had scattered, hunting surviving clones or rescuing civilians from the wreckage. Where's a hero when you desperately need one? Not that that's anything new, I guess. Through my panting breaths, I almost found time to laugh.
There. On the edge of my swarm. Could it be? I knew that body. Knew it intimately, from the length of her hair after last week's cut, to the curve of her legs, toned from riding. Another two midges and I had the shape of her. Lisa! I sprinted towards her. Only three blocks, but I had no time to spare.
I saw her, around the corner, haloed by my bugs. She was pressed against the wall, eyes darting wildly around my swarm. Fuck.
"Lisa," I said. "I have the cure."
"Taylor!" she shouted, "Taylor! The Simurgh! It's not done with you! You're the Simurgh's kid, Taylor, and your powers aren't shard-based at all! They're from another franchise. A million other franchises, and the only constant is the locker! I'm so sorry." She was tearing up, flecks of foam at the corners of her mouth. I hated seeing her like this. Tattletale didn't lose control. In private, she gave it up, but it was always deliberate. Not like this. "I'm so sorry, Taylor. It's lockers all the way down!" This was really bad. One of the worst cases I'd seen so far.
"Lisa," I said. "Green, T." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Shit.
"You're using the Master/Stranger. Why? The clones have your memories. They would know." She drew her gun. "You made a mistake, impersonator. Don't move."
"Lisa," I said. "It's me. Please. I got the cure from Panacea. Let me help you."
"I'm on to you, impersonator! Where is Taylor?! The moon isn't made of cheese, it's made of gold! Gold and explosives, propping up the economy from space! Powers are from aliens, and Eidolon is an Endbringer! I know you work for them, but you can't stop me from revealing the truth!"
I don't know if you're a good person, I thought as Lisa raved. But you're my person. There are things you can't go through without being tangled up in someone, for better and for worse, and we survived Leviathan together. We killed Coil together. I'll never abandon you. Till death do us part. Her green eyes rolled, and I suppressed a shudder. It was wrong, so wrong. I knew what I had to do.
"No, no no. You're not Taylor. You're a clone. I should shoot you. Prove it. Prove you're Taylor. Don't move!" I got closer. "I'm serious, don't move! I'll shoot!"
"No," I murmured. "You won't. I'm sorry to scare you like this, Lisa. But you won't. I know you. Not when you think there's the slightest chance I'm really me. I'll fix you, I promise." She pressed back, up against the wall, and reached up to hold the gun to my temple. I met her gaze even though it hurt, and her breath fanned my face, so I leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were wet, mouth open for a threat or rejoinder. I swiped my tongue between her lips to deliver the cure before drawing back.
She stared at me like I'd rearranged the stars. I could see the gears turning in her head as the fast-acting cure purged the paranoia from her system. She lurched forward, and I caught her, holding her in my arms as she shook. It took a moment to realize she was laughing.
I held my platonic bestie at arm's length and smiled. "Lisa," I said. "You really are such a good friend." From her wince, I knew she was overusing her power. Then her face crumpled. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just, how are we going to distribute the cure?"
"Velocity?"
"It could work, but if he was as paranoid as me then he's probably ran out of the city by now." She put her face back on. I averted my eyes from something raw and vulnerable that I couldn't pinpoint. "No, I know. Panacea."
"What else could she do?"
"She can make it airborne. I'm pretty sure." Pain flickered across her face again before she suppressed it. "I'm going to be useless for a while. Go. She's afraid of her own power. She'll need convincing. Tell her..." Lisa groaned. "I'm so sorry. I can't help you with this."
"Maybe for the best. She hates you."
"Yeah, I'm kind of a bitch." Lisa sounded bitter. I pulled her into another hug.
"I'll take care of it." And you. "Stay safe, Lisa." I started running. The streets were still smoky, I saw three fights on my way back to Panacea, but there was a warm glow in my chest that even violence couldn't extinguish. Lisa cared. She cared enough about those people to torture herself to help them. I think she's a good person, underneath it all.
I have doubts, sometimes, about how much I really matter to her. But I was right.
She didn't shoot.