To Joan and Mark, Otis said, “We could have done better with you.”
Mark’s eyes crystalized in sharp shades of blue. “We came to you for help, man. You could’ve done the right thing that time.”
“By the time we tried, it was already too late.”
“Yeah, well, you created the mess. I’m glad we made you pay for it.”
Otis obviously wanted to say something that Sherrelle cut off with a loud throat clearing.
More memories flooded in. First Flight and then Race trying to talk with Joan and Mark about not having to be Villains.
The Supers really did try to get them to stop villain-ing. No—to give them thechoiceto leave. By the time Lunk and Catch hit the scene, it really was too late.
Perry may not have wanted what happened to him to happen to the Malone twins, but in the end, neither had the Supers. She’d honestly forgotten about that through the years and many battles.
Joan looked to Perry. The apology was well overdue, and he did enjoy carrying a good, long grudge. Forgiveness would come slowly, but Joan could see it for her and Mark. Hell, they’d all been working together and were still unscathed. If she wanted to join their fight for real, she had to trust them.
Kade clamped a hand on Mark’s shoulder. “I wish we could’ve been friends sooner. You guys are cool.”
“Thanks, buddy,” Mark said with a small smile.
“Mr. Flight?” Ward said, eyes wide behind his glasses.
Otis shifted his weight and said, “What you have done these past few weeks has shown you’ve reformed your ways. As long as none of you go back to a life of crime, we’ll leave you be.”
“Bring back Hot and Cold!” Kade pumped his fist.
“Yeah.” Mark sent Joan a look she couldn’t really read.
“That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” Sherrelle teased.
Ward waved his hand. “Guys?”
Joan caught movement from Darlene and stepped into a fighting stance by habit, but her hands didn’t fist. And actually, her arms dropped on their own accord.
Darlene did the exact same thing.
They didn’t want to fight anymore.
“GUYS!” Ward shouted.
“What is it?” Otis snapped.
Ward held his tablet so the screen faced out. A security camera feed showed it was eerily green outside. And standing in front of the concrete columns… “They’re here.”
CHAPTER20
SuperWatch dinged from multiple phones and a small screen mounted on the wall. All four Villains had been spotted in the vicinity.
Joan crowded with everyone else around Ward as he brought up different exterior camera feeds. Prowl gleefully clung to one of the arched pillars while the three men called out something that looked like “Bring us Amazing Woman.”
“Go to Contingency Phase Two!” Ward said.
Kade raised his thick eyebrows at Mark. “Which one is that?”
“Fuck if I know.” He hastened to his mask and gloves on a side table.
“I can’t go out there like this,” Sherrelle said, dropping her suitcase to unzip it.
