For the first time in her life, Joan was glad to see Darlene running toward Zee. Probably absorbing their super speed. She couldn’t make out what all was happening, but activity moved around the park. It felt abnormal not to partake in it. Almost wrong.
The rain stopped as quickly as it started. The park was empty, but the sound of continued action came from neighboring streets.
Sadie cradled the plastic tub of leftovers to her chest. “Do you think there’s more of them?”
“I don’t know,” Joan said, surveying the park. “My guess is no because they would’ve been a part of the splashy introduction.”
Steam rose off her from how hot she smoldered. She wiped her soaked hair back. Villains from other cities were working together? To take overhercity?
Her phone kept buzzing in her jacket pocket. Most likely Mark and Perry saying what was running through her mind:Fuck fuck fuck.
“Are you going after them?” Sadie said.
“Hell no. I’m not going anywhere near them. I don’t want a whiff of guilt by association.”
“Do you know them?”
“Ether and Prowl. I’ve never met that screaming asshole. I’ve heard he’s a douche.”
“Clearly.” Sadie squirmed in her wet clothes. “If this is over, can we go home?”
Joan did another visual sweep of the area. “Yeah.”
They squished down the sidewalk, listening to water running into the gutters and sirens and aboom-thwackin the near distance. She rubbed her ear, trying to rid the last of the ringing.
“I can’t believe this crap is starting up again,” a businessman in a ruined suit said into his cellphone as he rushed by.
Sadie took Joan’s hand and laced their fingers. “It is, isn’t it?” she said quietly.
“Looks that way,” Joan grunted.
“I guess it makes sense. We’re a whole big city without any Villains. It’s ripe for the taking.”
Two young women stepped out from beneath a steakhouse entrance’s awning. “I’ve barely been here a month,” one of them said.
“So much for moving to a safer city,” the other said.
A strange queasiness filled Joan’s body. She felt…bad. Like this was her fault for leaving the city vulnerable to interlopers. When she was a Villain—if she was still a Villain—this wouldn’t be happening.
Squawk released a cry that was fortunately far enough away.
“Do you think the Supers can contain them?” Sadie asked.
“No. They’re not used to fighting these Villains. These guys had a plan. They’ll scatter.”
“How do you know the Oceanview Villains? Did you hang out, or…?”
How to best phrase it? “Professional associates. Most Villains know each other, or of each other. Derek used to host these big beach bashes that were pretty off the hook.”
“And Prowl? I’ve heard about how ruthless she is.”
Sadie looked up with smudged eye makeup. Her poor hair and bangs were smashed flat, and it had to feel disgusting wearing wet tights.
She deserved honesty always, so Joan said, “Everyone calls her Ricki. We might have hooked up once.”
“Really? The ruthless one?”
“She’s very flexible.”
