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 a m 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.
“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 a m 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.
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