Archenemies (Renegades #2)(14)

“Every single time I see them,” he admitted. “But every time I see them, it gets a little bit harder.”

Adrian had never intended to keep this secret for so long. In the beginning, he’d been excited to tell his dads about his tattoos and how he could use them to give himself new powers. But since then, things had gotten out of control. As the Sentinel, he’d broken a lot of rules. He’d endangered civilian lives. He’d damaged public buildings and infrastructure. He’d searched private property without the “evidence” of wrongdoing that the Renegades would have required. He’d used violent force to apprehend criminals when maybe—maybe—he could have found a way to stop them without causing harm. The list went on.

But he couldn’t bring himself to regret any of it. Breaking those rules had allowed him to do a lot of good. In the past month alone he’d single-handedly captured seventeen criminals, including two prodigies. He’d stopped car thieves, house burglars, drug dealers, and more. Yes, he’d gone against the code at times, but he was still a superhero.

Somehow, though, he didn’t think his dads would see it that way. What would they do if they found out his secret identity? If they showed him leniency, when anyone else would be arrested, it would be a blatant disregard for the Council’s laws. Their laws.

And Adrian didn’t want to put them in that position. He didn’t want to make them have to choose between him and the Renegades.

To be honest, he also wasn’t sure he wanted to know what their choice would be.

“Maybe…,” Max started, though his voice was quiet. “Maybe you won’t have to tell them.” He gestured up at the television. “Given that the Sentinel is dead.”

Adrian blinked. It hadn’t occurred to him that this could be the end of his alter ego, but … Max was right. This would be an easy way out. If he never transformed again, everyone would assume that the Sentinel had drowned. No one would have to know.

But the thought of never becoming the Sentinel again made his stomach lurch.

The Renegades weren’t enough. Gatlon City needed him.

“Do you think that would be best?” he asked.

“It would be easiest,” Max said. “Also … highly disappointing.”

The corner of Adrian’s mouth twitched. “That would be the worst thing of all.”

Max sighed. “No Sentinel, no patrol … you’re going to be so bored.”

Adrian cast him a weak smile. “That’s not entirely true. I have … some idea of how to fill my time.” At Max’s curious expression, he leaned closer to the glass. “There are still three Anarchists out there, right? Queen Bee, Cyanide, and Phobia. I may not be on the official investigation team, but with all this free time, I figured maybe I could do a bit of side research.”

“Have the patrols found anything since they abandoned the subway tunnels?”

He shook his head. “No. But they’re out there somewhere.”

And with the Nightmare investigation gone cold—what with her probable death and all—he needed a new direction if he was ever going to find his mother’s killer. The Anarchists were his best hope for bringing the murderer to justice.

Adrian’s wristband chimed with an incoming message. He tapped the screen and Oscar’s text started to scrawl around his arm.

Ruby just got released from med-wing. Heading to meeting room. Any word from Nova?

“I have to get going,” said Adrian. “The Council called everyone in for a big meeting this morning. You don’t happen to know what it’s about, do you?”

Max’s expression turned strangely vacant. “I might,” he said.

“Oh?”

Max shook his head. “I might be wrong. I don’t know. Come tell me when it’s over, okay?”

“Can do.” Adrian pulled a new marker from his back pocket—a replacement for the one that had fallen into the river—and sketched an earthworm onto the glass wall. He pushed it through, sending the wriggling creature into Max’s open palm. “A snack for Turbo when he wakes up.”

*

HE FOUND OSCAR, Ruby, and Danna in the hall outside the grand meeting room. “You’re free,” he said, beaming.

“I know!” said Ruby, throwing her arms gleefully into the air. “I should have gone home yesterday, but there’s that antiquated twenty-four-hour waiting period. I don’t understand why the healers think they know how our powers work better than we do. My grandma was worried sick.”

“Well, you look good,” said Adrian, inspecting the place where Ruby’s leg had been covered in bloodstones last time he’d seen her. Though she was wearing denim shorts, there was no longer any sign of her wounds. Not even bandages, for that matter. “Being covered in vicious rock formations is cool and all, but I prefer you without.”

“Aw, you’re making me blush,” said Ruby, though one look at her freckled cheeks proved that he definitely wasn’t.

Danna, on the other hand, kept flinching when she moved, and he could detect a white bandage peeking out of her sleeve.

“I don’t want your pity,” said Danna before Adrian could say anything. “I’m actually becoming fond of the covered-in-bandages look. It’s like a fashion statement.”

“Is the statement that you’re a total badass?” asked Oscar.