The Metahuman Agency: The Superhuman War

Breaking Point

Everything would die. And she would live, emerging from the flames like a phoenix. Reborn. And ready to show the world...something. That she hadn't thought of yet. But better to not think too far ahead. First, this mission must succeed. Then she could plan for the future. But she knew it would be a glorious one. She could feel it in her bones.

She walked from her room and stomped down to the medical bay. Brushing through the automatic sliding doors, she found several of her medics standing around Incisor, who was seated on the floor. The elephant man glanced up as she entered. His wounded eye was plastered over with bandages, stained red with blood. Other wounds across his leathery body had been stitched shut, with a doctor cleaning a currently still open one.

"Jacqueline," Incisor growled, his trunk swishing. "I wondered when you would come and see me."

"You're looking better already," Jacqueline said icily as she crossed the room, stopping before him. She turned to the nearest doctor. "Verdict on his eye?"

The medic raised a tablet in his hands, adjusting his glasses. "His eye has suffered possibly permanent damage. It suffered external damage, being slashed by-"

"By that lizard-kid!" Incisor bellowed, blowing out of his trunk. He rose off the floor, standing to his full height, casting a shadow over Jacqueline as he loomed over her. The medics quickly backed away from him, but Jacqueline folded her arms, looking up at the elephant man. "He morphed out of the blue, completely unexpected. Took me by surprise and tore through my eye. That little bastard!" His harsh words roared at the last words and he stomped the floor, shaking the entire room. A few medics lost their footing, while others hid behind various bits of equipment.

Jacqueline just smiled. She rubbed her metallic fingers together before she said, "That's a real pity. Guess he humiliated you, huh?"

Incisor's good eye squinted into a slit. His fists clenched. "I...he ripped my eye out! That goes beyond humiliation! The little shit!" He twisted around, seeming on the verge of breaking something. Jacqueline just watched him, as Incisor breathed hard, hands outstretched like he wanted to throttle someone.

"Does it hurt?" Jacqueline said, barely keeping the mocking tone from her voice. She found the situation oddly funny, ironic considering her absolute rage from earlier. To think, Incisor, who seemed the strongest of her hired metahumans, had suffered such a grievous wound. It would even funnier if his loss hadn't become her loss. Still, she had to bite her lip to keep from bursting into hysterical laughter.

Incisor turned to her. His lips curled. "I've been shot before. They stung like mosquito bites. This burns. I can still feel his claws, ripping through my eye, slicing through it like knives! Of course it hurts!" He grabbed a nearby piece of medical equipment and crushed it beneath his hands. It was squashed like paper, exploding violently into sparks. The remains of the equipment then fell from his hands, smashing hard to the floor with a resounding clang.

"Impressive," Jacqueline said, walking closer. "Pity you couldn't do that to the metahumans. It would've saved you an eye. And me a lot of trouble."

Incisor leaned over him, his muscles ripping as he growled, his voice bestial and full of rage. "Are you mocking me, commander?" The word 'commander' was spat out like a curse. "I think you should know that's unwise. My service to you only extends as far as the promise of supplies, payment, and goodwill. I can break it anytime." He kicked the broken piece of equipment for emphasis and sent it crashing hard into the wall.

Jacqueline breathed through her nose. Again, these metahumans threatened her. Again, they assumed they were better than her. She was tired of it. She really was. But she still needed them. So, she reminded herself to reign it in.