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Max knows something.
When we exit the communal KAPOW pod in the tunnels near my house, I open our family pod and retrieve a fleece blanket from the storage compartment. Nyx takes great care to wrap the fallen dog in the blanket, placing him in the utility closet just outside of our house. He stops me just in front of the entrance to my house.
“Maci,” he says. “I want to apologize for how I’ve treated you lately.”
I smile, letting him know it’s no big deal and raise my palm to the door. He grabs my wrist before it touches the metal. “No. I’m serious. I was a jerk and you didn’t deserve it and I’m sorry.” He lowers my hand and holds out his, palm straight. I take his hand, happy to be on handshaking terms with a fellow Hero. “Thank you.”
Dad and Nova are watching human football in the living room. Well, Dad is. Nova stares blankly at the television screen, looking like she’d rather be doing anything but watching men in spandex fight over a ball. She straightens when we walk into the room.
“You’re Nyx Nightly,” she says. “I thought it was you earlier.”
He nods, a little taken aback. “That’s me.”
Dad questions me about the Mayday call and I have difficulty answering his questions over eavesdropping on Nova’s conversation with Nyx. She gets all starry-eyed, showing more vulnerability than that night I first found her in the rundown apartment. “You saved those teenagers who had been kidnapped by the bank robbers,” she says, leaning forward on the armchair to where just the edge of her butt is on the seat. “I used to think you were the greatest Hero of all time.”
Dad lifts an eyebrow and soon we’re both watching the curious exchange.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Nyx says, rubbing his neck. “I just rescued some kids, that’s not like the greatest Hero achievement or anything.”
“No, it was amazing,” she goes on, her eyes far away even though they are pointed at Nyx’s chest. “They had a dozen men with rifles pointed directly at the hostages and you still managed to sneak in there and rescue them. I read about it for days. I watched all the news coverage.” She blinks and stares at her hands. “I used to think that maybe you’d come rescue me,” she says, her voice trailing off.
“Wow.”
The word came out of my mouth and everyone in the room seems just as surprised as I am that I said it. Nova swallows. A look of horror and embarrassment stitches across her face. I can feel the mortification rise up from her chest. She did not mean to say that last part out loud. I glance at Nyx. He doesn’t seem to mind.
“I’m glad you all made it back safely,” Dad says a few hours later, after I’ve rested and got him all caught up on what happened. Nyx went back home shortly after taking his dog back to the police station. They’re going to organize a memorial service for the German Shepherd--a full police hero style funeral. I learned more about Nyx, as well. He lives with his mom and dad, two aging Supers who adopted him after they were more than a century and a half old. Not much is known about Nyx’s biological parents, unless he just didn’t want to tell me. Nova was fascinated by all of it, despite Nyx not really giving us too much information.
Nova sits next to Dad on the couch and I’m on the floor, back resting against the coffee table. It feels good to have some down time between missions. Nova keeps watching Dad with this look that would be a little creepy if I couldn’t feel her real motivations from her power. She’s thinking that Dad is handsome and heroic and kind. She wants him to like her. She wants to believe that this is her family, not the one Aurora gave her. She wants to fit in so badly it hurts. I can feel it in my gut.
“So I know this won’t be fun to talk about,” Dad says, placing a hand on Nova’s shoulder. “But we need to figure out what we’re doing with our harbored fugitive.” He smiles at Nova like she’s just the greatest daughter in the world. Like he’s so proud he can’t help but smile at her. Or, maybe that’s just my imagination putting emotions into Dad’s expression that aren’t really there. Either way, it pisses me off.
“We need to convince the elders that Nova isn’t a villain,” I say. Even as the words come out of my mouth I’m questioning if I still believe them. God. Of course I do. What am I thinking?
“I have a meeting with the elders and Hugo in a few hours.” Dad checks the BEEPR on his wrist, furrowing his brows as he clears away a few of the notifications. “They wanted to wait longer but I convinced them that I am fully healed and capable of active duty again. Well, not as a Hero, but you know what I mean. I haven’t told them how I’m healed, and I suspect that will be the number one question they’ll have when I show up without any scarring.”
“You could tell them Evan discovered our power healing abilities in Research?” I suggest. He shakes his head. “That’s involving too many people in the lie. I’m going to say you cut yourself on a pair of scissors while changing my bandages. The power dripped from your arm and hit my skin. We figured out the rest on our own.”
I nod. Sounds like a simple enough lie. One I can keep for the rest of my life, if needed. Dad continues with what sounds like something he’s spent hours rehearsing in his mind. “I do not know if there will be a beneficial opportunity to bring up Nova’s whereabouts during my first meeting with the elders. If there is, I assure you I will act on it. But I need to feel them out before I make any assumptions. It’s safe to assume that Nova might be stuck hiding here for a while. Maybe even months.”
Nova pipes up. “That’s okay. As long as I’m not a burden.”
“Never,” Dad says so sweetly I want to punch him for being a pansy.
This time I don’t even jump when my Hero alarm goes off. I read aloud the message on my screen: HUMANS FIGHTING IN PARKING LOT. HUMAN POLICE FORCE UNABLE TO RESTRAIN.
“Must be more of these weirdly strong humans beating each other up for no reason,” I mutter. My Hero suit slides on like a glove and Dad makes a face at my missing sleeve but he doesn’t say anything. “I need to use another tactic for dealing with these guys. The last ones thought it would be fun to beat up Heroes just because they can.”
“That isn’t possible,” Dad says with a shake of his head. “Is it some kind of mind game to make you think you aren’t stronger than they are? They’re humans, Maci. There’s just no way they’re capable of beating you.”
I groan and shake my head. “I’m not an idiot, Dad. I know it sounds insane but they’re strong. It comes in spurts though. It only lasts for a short while before they’re weak again.”
“Maybe it’s a drug,” Nova says. Dad and I look over at her. “Seriously. Maybe they’re taking an upper like speed or something right before they fight each other. Or something that inhibits their brain from recognizing pain. That way they can ignore their normal human limits and fight harder.”
Dad beams. “That is an excellent idea, Nova. Maci, keep an eye on them. See if they’re using needles or pills...maybe a flask that they keep sipping from.”
They don’t see me roll my eyes as I step into my boots. That’s probably for the best. It’s not that I think Nova’s idea is stupid. It’s the total opposite. Her idea is probably right. The crazy way those men were acting-the lifeless look behind their glazed eyes-it’s all signs of someone on drugs.
So yeah, I don’t roll my eyes because her idea is stupid. I roll my eyes because I should have thought of it first.
