loud, angry yelling and can’t help but ask, “What’s down there?” wondering if I would find Room E33, a hidden room invented by conspiracy-loving WarNats that is theorized to contain all of Warrior Nation’s alleged secrets.
“Our holding cell,” he answers, not slowing his pace. “It’s been very full lately. We’re trying to gain intel on a new criminal element—some kind of siege—and the heroes have been rounding up some of the city’s most notorious villains for questioning.”
So that’s what Joy was asking about when we were up on the roof. Are you part of the siege?
“Don’t get any ideas,” Teddy adds. “You don’t have enough clearance to go down there.”
“Oh, no big. I was just curious.”
He looks down at me with a kind smile. “Sure. Look, I’m on your side. I love heroes too, but this is not going to be some big adventure for you. I’ve seen a lot of young kids come in here thinking they’re going to save the world. But it’s not like that. Heroes don’t pull people like us into their business. You’ll probably just be getting Millie’s dry cleaning.” When I start to frown, he adds, “People have been fired—or worse—for sticking their nose where it didn’t belong. If you want to survive, you need to stay focused.”
I nod. He’s right; I need to listen to him. While other kids at school may mouth off to teachers or think it’s cool to rebel against authority, I learned a long time ago that shutting up and following the rules would serve me better. Call me a brownnoser or teacher’s pet, but I don’t care: My dreams are coming true, and that’s all that matters. I’m not afraid to jump through hoops if they lead to my goals. I swallow down my fangirling and resolve to fill my summer with nothing but lunch orders and message taking, but that’s when I see him.
In a glass conference room, straight ahead. Signing papers and talking to a group of executives, including Millie. Dressed in street wear, but I’d know that face anywhere.
Blue Streak. He’s here. Right now. Just a few feet away, with only a pane of glass between us.
My knees go weak as I lose all rational thought, body dissolving into a puddle of emotion. A high-pitched gasp escapes my lips as I crumble, Teddy grabbing on to me before I completely fall to the ground.
“Claire!” he yelps, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Are you…?” He sees where I’m looking, and is instantly disappointed. “Really? What did I just say? You can’t geek out when you see them!”
“I’m sorry,” I croak, heart beating in my ears. “It’s just…Blue Streak saved my life.”
“Whoa. For real?”
I go into a trance, almost hypnotized by my hero’s presence. “I was ten,” I start, the scene rushing back to me. “My mom and I decided to have a mother-daughter day in the city: shopping, a fancy lunch, all that. My mom made reservations for us to have high tea, and even though I’ve never been into that super-girly stuff, I was really excited.
“We had to take the Brown Line to our tea, but about halfway there, our train stopped. We waited forever, with no movement nor conductor announcement, when suddenly we heard shouting from an adjoining car. Screaming.” I pause, remembering how loud it was, how the sounds of people in danger rattled me to the core. The memory shakes me, and Teddy looks at me with concern. “A gang burst into our train car, guns in the air, yelling at the people to hand over their wallets. Everyone had their hands up; everyone was crying. Mom was sobbing, clutching me like it might be the last thing she’d ever do.
“One of the gang members came our way. He pointed a gun at Mom’s head when she didn’t hand over her purse fast enough. She couldn’t, because she was holding on to me.” I swallow hard, her terrified face haunting me. I’d never seen her look like that, never witnessed anything but her being brave. “Just then, something flew past the window and the train doors were pried off by a man in a cape. Everything seemed to happen at once. My mom tackled me to the ground; there was shooting all around us. It was so loud, and she begged me not to look. But through my fingers, I caught glimpses of the action. This beast of a man deflected all their bullets, swiftly pulling the bad guys off the