4/7

4/7 Stinger gives the Alliance its most obvious ranged weapon, and its least reassuring trigger discipline. She generates electricity and fires it in bolts, keeping pressure on opponents who are trying to stay clear of Frenzy and Tower. Her chatter can make her sound casual about the work. The damage is anything but casual. During Michael Nowlan's escape, she is ready to blast the car until Timeshadow reminds her that they need him alive. Her fear of losing his power boost is already interfering with the practical reason for chasing him. That combination becomes disastrous in the fight with X-Factor. A stray electrical blast kills Suzy Nowlan, the hostage whose safety the Alliance has been using to control Michael. Her loss of control even helps bring the heroes to the Alliance's hideout. An excessive discharge tears through the roof, giving Angel something to investigate. The extra power they are demanding from Michael starts creating problems before the next fight is properly under way. It is an especially poor arrangement for someone whose attack can travel beyond the person she means to hit. The Alliance wants more electricity available while continuing to threaten the man producing the increase. They have Suzy nearby as leverage, too. Stinger's eventual mistake happens inside a situation the group has spent the story making more dangerous, and they have given its captive no safe way to defuse it. Stinger can put force across a room almost instantly. Nothing in that ability guarantees restraint, accuracy or good judgment. In this first story, the gap between what she can unleash and what she can control has consequences that neither team can undo.