Editing Cradle (section)

===Early-[[Ward]]===
Cradle was looking into his cluster's situation, reaching out to someone who "[did] interesting things with people and sleep" to begin experimenting.<ref>Someone else spoke, quiet enough he was almost inaudible.  It was how he usually talked.  “You two should know I’m looking into our situation here.  I’ll be experimenting soon, so you should know things might get weird.” [...] “I’m reaching out to someone.  They do interesting things with people and sleep.  I have no clue what’s going to happen, but it’s possible I won’t show up, or I’ll have a guest.  Tomorrow.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/02/06/shade-interlude-4a/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 4a II]]</ref>

Cradle and the others recruited a large number of mercenaries from [[Hollow Point]], with help from [[Tattletale]] and the [[Undersiders]], in order to lead an attack upon the [[Fallen]] compound and kill Rain.<ref>[[Shadow 5.5]]</ref> Their plan eventually came to fruition with the [[Mathers Compound Assault]], though not without [[Breakthrough|Rain's team]] involving other hero groups.

Along with the rest of his cluster, Cradle fainted when Snag was killed.<ref>Snag had already fallen.  Either he’d been hit, or he’d elected to try moving, because one of the silver lines had split.  His neck was gouged where it joined the shoulder, a wound deep enough it should have exposed shoulderblade and collarbone.  It didn’t, because the blood was thick, and his beard was dense.<br/><br/>Rain was on the ground.  In the distance, perched on a hill, Cradle slumped on his platform. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/04/03/shadow-5-12/ Excerpt] from [[Shadow 5.12]]</ref> He received one of Snag's tokens.<ref>Three pieces of glass, striking the pointed peak of crystal at the center of the dais, bouncing off unpredictably.<br/><br/>Two landed in the Fallen boy’s space.  One landed in Cradle’s.  Love Lost ignored them, didn’t even glance at them.  She stared across the dais at him, trying to see him in the growing darkness. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/04/10/shadow-interlude-5-y/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 5y II]]</ref>

Later on during the battle, Cradle and his hired mercenary [[Operator Red]] were eventually able to capture and torture Rain, until they were found by the heroes. He tried to have the heroes back down, but was unsuccessful.<ref name="6.5">“I’m not the bastard here,” Cradle said.  “He is.  Everyone we’ve told the story to has agreed it’s fair.  When the bad guy is shitty enough, it stops being revenge and starts being justice.”<br/><br/>[...]<br/><br/>“What do you think is going to happen, Cradle?” Capricorn asked.  He was incredulous as he asked, “You really think I’m going to walk away when you’ve done this to my friend?”<br/><br/>“What I want to happen, is for Operator Red and I to walk away.  You walk away, and leave the Fallen asshole here.  Your friend killed my friend and clustermate, the scales are even, we can resent each other and still never see each other again.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/04/28/pitch-6-5/ Excerpt] from [[Pitch 6.5]]</ref> After a fight, Cradle was captured; [[Tattletale]] attempted to negotiate for his release, but dropped her request following pressure from the other [[Undersiders]].<ref>“Amends,” she said.  “I’ll point you at the Fallen.  You don’t have to give me Cradle.  If I really need him, I’ll discuss it with you and get permission first.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/05/08/pitch-6-8/ Excerpt] from [[Pitch 6.8]]</ref>