“Can you confirm that there’s a way to inhibit superpowers from being used?” another reporter piped up.
Several others asked variations on that question. Otis looked a bit uneasy, then masked it with a smile. “We have possession of the items these most recent Supervillains were attempting to use. We’re properly storing them to ensure they will not be of any harm.”
“How can you assure us another attack of that magnitude won’t happen again?”
“Flight,” the blonde said. “Supervillains are unable to use their powers once they are apprehended. Can this sort of, let’s call it power blocking, also be used to fend them off?”
Otis raised a hand. “I hear your concerns and want to reassure you we’re doing all we can to shore up our defenses and protect our city. Adding two Superheroes is a big step.”
Really dodging the question there, Otis.Though people sure were focused on that tech despite everything else that’d happened during the battle.
“I have a question for Mayor Thorpe,” someone Joan couldn’t see stated. “Where did you pull from the city’s coffers for these additional salaries?”
Mayor Thorpe stepped toward the podium. “Ice and Spark are on a trial basis for now. No additional tax dollars are being utilized. Everything is well within our fiscal parameters.”
“What are fiscal parameters?” Mark muttered to Joan.
“Pretty sure not a real thing,” she muttered back. Just more buzzwords. Yeah, she was not going to talk in buzzwords. New and Improved Spark was about truth and honesty.
Otis set to concluding the presser (Padma called them pressers). If they had to go back inside and shake hands and possibly kiss babies, Joan would rather just go to HQ and get started fighting crime. Or go to Perry’s and make a nice dinner for everyone.
Mark snorted as he studied her face—er, what he could see of it. “You totally want to get out of here.”
“Can we just fly off and impress the crowd?”
“That would be fun.”
“Thank you, Vector City,” Otis stated with gravitas. “Our city.”
The crowd woo-hooed. Zee and Kade nudged the twins to wave to the crowd. To be united as a team.
The woman who’d proclaimed Spark was hot and her friends cheered loudly for her. For Spark.
Joan acknowledged them with a nod, making them go all “Oh my god!” She couldn’t help adding a lazy smile—she was supposed to be a queer role model now.
Then she turned that smile toward Sadie, the woman who got to have it whenever she wanted. As much as she wanted.
Sadie blew her a kiss with both hands and said, “Ice is so hot!”
Joan burst out laughing and did her best not to convey in front of the cameras how much she loved that beautiful redhead.
Tonight, though, she’d convey it thoroughly.
CHAPTER23
Sadie wandered around the lobby inside Superhero HQ, smiling to herself. Her girlfriend was a Superhero. They both had access—though limited—to this building. To this world. It was just wild.
Ward had brought her and Perry back from the press conference while the Supers met upstairs. She wasn’t checking SuperWatch or social media. Public opinion didn’t matter because she knew Spark and Ice were going to do great things now that they’d finally been given the chance to shine.
She giggled thinking about the gaggle of young women who’d decided Spark was hot. The second Joanie opened her mouth and that sexy, husky voice came out, folks got a taste of what had first attracted Sadie outside an elevator on a warm summer night.
She flopped into an armchair with cobalt-blue upholstery and chrome legs and reached for her mineral water on the floor. Her upper arms and shoulders groaned in protest thanks to Joanie’s boxing lesson at the warehouse yesterday. She could now somewhat throw a few different kinds of punches and knew how to properly balance and be light on her feet. It was a cool, powerful feeling. She hadn’t expected to enjoy it so much.
Her phone bleeped with an incoming email. A reply from the bakery that had supplied Hot and Cold with its sourdough bread. Sad to lose that mutually beneficial partnership. Maybe she could sell their pastries at Sadie’s Café—if she ever got it off the ground.
She’d made a lot of good connections through the food truck. Friendships for sure with the four people entrusted with Joan and Mark’s secret. They’d been joking in texts about getting Spark and Ice to endorse their trucks.
Perry rejoined her after stepping away to take a phone call. He eased into the chair beside hers as Sadie read from the email. “The bakery got our final payment and wishes us the best. They said if we decide to reopen to let them know.”
