Fiddling with his hand towel, Mark said, “I always thought Ice was a pretty good dude. He’d give money to small businesses that were affected by the Supers.”
Joan raised an eyebrow at him. “Icedid that?”
“He did.”
“I heard Spark was the most generous one,” Sadie said.
“I heard that, too,” Joan said, eyes brimming with amusement.
“It doesn’t make up for everything else,” Morris said. “There’s been so much damage to the city. To every city.”
“It’s like none of the superpowered care about the little guys,” said Beth-Ann.
“Some of them do,” Joan said.
“It’d be nice if they all did.”
Morris rolled the bottle of honey between his palms. “The Villains are villains, so I don’t expect them to care. The Supers need to get their act together.”
Nodding in agreement, Wren said, “And actually care about what happens to us when our reimbursement requests get denied by the city.”
Joan and Mark went quiet. That was something that had bothered them forever.
“We don’t even know what happened with our old Villains,” Beth-Ann said. “Are they in jail? Did they bring in these new associates?”
“I think they’re all out of the game,” Sadie said. “Trick, Hide and Volt are locked up. I’d be willing to bet that Spark, Ice and Breeze got pardoned for helping rescue the person who had been kidnapped.”
“That seems unlikely. Why would the Supers just let them go?”
“To show them kindness, or mercy?” Wren suggested.
“It was a diversion,” Morris said. “They went underground. I doubt we’ve seen the last of them.”
Pointing at him, Beth-Ann said, “It wouldn’t surprise me if they’re behind all this new activity.”
“Which sucks.” Wren rubbed at her buzzed dark hair. “Me and my wife were looking at buying a condo. Now we’re waiting to see about homeowners insurance rates.”
“Yeah, my boyfriend’s parents are trying to convince us to move back to his hometown.”
Sadie rolled her eyes. “Believe me, I understand.”
“I guess we’ll get used to these Villains, too,” Morris said. “Adjust to the new normal, like we always do.”
Sadie nodded along with Wren and Beth-Ann. Joan and Mark copied the movement.
Beth-Ann noticed a couple of potential customers reading the menu board outside Powered By Plants. “Better get back to that new normal. Good sales tonight, everyone.”
She and Wren walked back to their truck as Morris headed toward Cajun Soul. Sadie closed the Hot and Cold door, protecting them from outside opinions. She never told anyone she’d been the hostage that fateful day. It would invite too many questions. Nyah and Amit only knew because of her missing work.
“Tame,” Mark grumbled, hacking his chef’s knife into a red pepper.
“That’s your takeaway from that conversation?” Sadie asked.
“No. Well, a little. I get why our old associates said we went soft. Apparently, we always were.”
“Is it hard to stand there and listen to people talk about you?”
Both Joan and Mark shook their heads. “Nah,” Joan said. “We’re used to it.”
