It had been two weeks since the villain known as Tox spontaneously exploded in the middle of a upper-middle class neighborhood. That was normal in a city full of so-called "superheros" and "supervillains." What wasn't normal is that Tox never regenerated. Instead, his "suicide bombing" infected dozens of regular citizens and slowly melted their skin off, resembling irradiated zombies. One of the newest resident superheros to Engine City wanted to help, but couldn't. At least, not from her Engine City University dorm room.

[b]We can't go in there. It's a quarantine zone! We have no idea if this infection is contagious.[/b] Sraif "spoke". The small iridescent alien was half of the superhero Symbiont, and the source of Symbiont's powers. Phoebe was the body of Symbiont, an average 24-year-old human. 

Phoebe pursed her lips. Sraif was currently inside her head, and undoubtedly felt the movement. [i]Exactly. It's a quarantine zone. Nobody knows anything, even the doctors who are supposed to be watching the infected. They're too scared to get close and risk infection. We need to go in there, figure out what's going on, if there are any uninfected, and hell, if this is even a disease of just little bits of Tox f***ing with people.[/i] Phoebe "said" that to Sraif, thinking fast, imagining the faraway glimpses of infected zombie-people on the news, with the melted face and shambling gait. Phoebe was too new to this job to fight Tox, but she had heard of him and did a bit of research recently to learn about his MO. Suicide-bombing a neighborhood didn't quite fit with his profile. She was very curious, and to be honest, a little selfish. If Symbiont solved this on her own, Symbiont would become famous overnight. A new favorite superhero, one that fights with her own fists like a bada**! 

Phoebe felt a wave of annoyance overcome her. Those were Sraif's feelings. The alien let her feelings show through to make them bluntly clear. [b]You know I won't stop you, but I won't actively participate in this...tomfoolery.[/b] 

Phoebe grinned and leapt off her couch. Underneath her crappy dorm room furniture was a loose floorboard where she stored her Symbiont costume. Phoebe didn't have one of those "fancy-shmancy underwear suits" as she dubbed the spandex costumes. She had a bright red turtleneck sweater, a ski mask with eye and mouth holes, thick gray sweatpants, and cheap steel-toed work boots. The costume was warm and protected her identity, so she didn't bother with a pretty one. 

Phoebe quickly put the costume on and looked out her window. No one around. She climbed out, shut it once more, and ran through the night.