well, we do know that if you put a human in a closed space, and give them the right stimuli, and leave them to rot…they can go nuts fast.
So, it isn’t a stretch for HB to go nuts…when they are locked inside someone mind, hearing everything and with no body, no control…eternal darkness…being nothing but a thought
Really, I think all of the “imposters” are Heartbreak. The difference between them being how much they were able to develop as a person while riding shotgun in Sidestep’s mind.
This is just a theory, but they likely came to inhabit the puppet, looked around at its memories and Sidestep’s temperament when using the puppet, and then patterned themselves after that. Especially if they’re a former infiltrator unit like Sidestep is. Rebirth made no mention of their skin color.
The number of “gates” Sidestep has open also probably influences how they behave.
Vera relies on Armadillo for combat.
Actually supposedly she pretty good with a sniper rifle if we are not just talking about hand to hand fights
Who would win, her or Herald…?
They don’t like each other, do they? 
Well, Vera dislikes Herald, but i don’t think he’s aware she exists.
(insert Sidestep and Vera bonding over hate for Harold meme)
I think it’s because they wanted to do things more sneakily, Sky Raider can be a good fighter but he attracts a lot of attention (and Vera has Armadillo, so it shouldn’t be a problem). But I’m counting on the fact that the good doctor knows about it, otherwise maybe Sky Raider would be a better choice for someone as unhinged as #3
Still being funny seeing Step complaining about the difference in the treatment
Herald can ask her to break you out of the hospital so I think he at least knows about her, I’m not sure of his personal views on her though
I have a nitpick and a genuine question.
Nitpick
In case a pissed off Hollow Ground hires Vera to retrieve a known telepath Sidestep why don’t they:
a) thread her
b) giver her numbers
c) provide her with Talodine
d) provide her vehicle with portable dampeners
If it was a hit job, then Sidestep’s telepathy wouldn’t matter due to the dampeners in the hospital. But between the hospital and Hollow Grounds lair, Sidestep is free to use their telepathy. Maybe they expected Vera to sedate Sidestep?
Question
In the demo, if Pelayo hires Vera, there is a reaction of a rich Sidestep to the news. I thought that Bossstep could only be wealthy in Retribution. Can we actually be rich as a boss in Retribution?
Hollow Ground can only thread a certain numbers of people and they have to be in person in order to unthread someone if I remember right
That still leaves Numbers, Talodine and dampeners.
And now, come to think about it, if the thread limit was reached or HG didn’t want to show their face to Vera, they could have sent Jake with her (along with some Talodine for good measure).
My point is that Hollow Ground left a lot of room for things to go wrong. And they were already duped once.
Numbers is a thing very few people have access to outside of the Fram (Which like Step notes makes it very interesting that Mortum has access to it) the rest you have to ask Malin about
I doubt HG would meet Dove in person to be able to use their powers on her.
If I were a telepath I wouldn’t want more people to know about numbers and even less to provide them some or for people to know I know.
With the dampeners one I agree, about Jake maybe Vera would refuse because of Armadillo and I don’t remember what talodine is.
I think talodine was something that can be used on the telepath, it muddles/weakens/suppresses (to certain extend?) telepath’s powers.
To be frank, in most cases nothing would change in the story (unless of course Vera was threaded or Jake was with her).
It just feels so antithetical to the HG meeting, where HG demanded an in person meeting in their turf without the armour and (possibly) dampeners on. They left little to chance then.
As far as I can tell, no. The only way it could be possible is if an already wealthy Sidestep tracked Umbral’s base to rob him (but if they’re a mob boss then they always track Jake)
Looks like the only ones that can be rich are the thieves and hunters
I might be crazy but sounds like that’s more on Vera. I mean, she accepted the job. Especially considering the target has two broken legs, it’s not difficult to sedate them or something similar. No need to provide anything.
Hell, maybe that WAS the plan until Vera noted the tattoos. Would explain why she’d let someone she otherwise thought was a regular (if boosted) person see Arde, another Regene.
Gonna make an exception and answer this here!
a) Threads don’t take on Vera for reasons we will get into later. HG is aware of this.
b) HG doesn’t think she needs it, since she’s immune to their manipulations, they assume the same goes for telepathy.
c) For the same reason as above. And Talodine is something HG does NOT want anybody they can’t control to have regular access to. That could be used against them, and nope, that shit doesn’t leave their trusted circle. Especially not to a mercenary who might very well work for HG’s enemies in the future.
d) Too heavy without armor. The location Vera was to bring Sidestep to has though.
And…
e) If Sidestep should somehow overpower Vera and escape, HG is not overly worried. With the damage sustained, it’s not like they will be back in action soon. The important thing is to get them away from the Rangers.
EDIT: The wealth thing is a fuckup on my part though! Should have been set to a lower level…
??? why
Oh I can’t tell you that yet!
I know the answer! @malinryden can I tell him Sensei???
Oh I can’t hold it in…Forgive me Sensei! Urusai…Senpai! 
So…don’t tell anyone else okay? whisper…see…Hollow Ground like to bet on horses but they suck at it! they are millions down the hole man! So they come up with this genius idea! Some kind of show in collaboration with some big wigs Dollywood studios! Steel will play a role to promote Nursing Homes for the disabled of Los Diablo. Argent will have a role as well, something to do with Tupperware. Ortega…well HG is familiar with her, but you won’t believe when I heard! HG girlfriend suck at cooking and that is why she want Ortega. Point blank. Oh of course, the GF doesn’t know…or HG would never get laid again. As for Harold? Mail delivery mostly. Well someone outta get the mail. Hollow Ground sure like hell not gonna pay someone when she can have a superhero fly to the mail box easy peacy.
Now you gonna ask what does that has to do with the MC right? Well DOh. She BET ON RACING HORSES! Who better than a Telepath to tell her which ones gonna win. And of course, there is also the fact the Rangers HQ are sitting on an ideal Lot to make yet another Golfin Course. She was going to make it a Casino but then she heard that Lord Ember love Golfing and its making money…something to do with him being related to this TrumpDick cousin of his twice removed…and she got angry she didn’t think of it first. So yes, the Rangers HQ will get a bulldozer…to make place for Hollow ground Golfin Club.
Now hush hush…don’t tell anyone 
