Archenemies (Renegades #2)(18)



Adrian started to cough sporadically. He ducked his head, burying his mouth in his elbow.

Nova pat his back and he winced. “I’m okay,” he muttered. “Just … inhaled wrong.”

“We want to see justice served,” Hugh continued, “but it is a thin line we walk between justice and revenge. The code is in place so that we can always know what side of the divide we must adhere to. It’s selfish to risk the lives of innocent people in order to serve our own agendas. It’s thoughtless to put civilians at risk so we might achieve glory. That might be the course of villains of the past, or vigilantes like the one who recently called himself the Sentinel. But that is not who we are.”

Adrian sank lower into his seat. Nova remembered him once talking about the code, and how the rules set forth by the Council could be hypocritical when, during the Age of Anarchy, they themselves had had no problem endangering innocent lives, so long as they caught their enemies in the end. Back then, the Renegades were notorious for causing catastrophic destruction or engaging in fights that led to plenty of innocent onlookers being wounded, but it hadn’t seemed to bother them at the time. They would have done anything to ensure their side was victorious.

Sometimes Nova felt like the Renegades of the past had more in common with the Anarchists than anyone dared to admit.

“But of course,” said Hugh, “there are times when a peaceful solution cannot be reached. There are times when a criminal must be stopped, as quickly and effectively as possible, to prevent them from causing even more devastation. And so long as stopping that criminal does not interfere with the safety of our citizens, then Renegades who embrace their duty must be celebrated and praised.” He took in a deep breath, and the furrow that had appeared between his eyebrows relaxed. “Which is why, today, we would like to take a moment to honor one of our own.” His eyes scanned the crowd. “Would Nova McLain, alias Insomnia, please stand?”





CHAPTER SEVEN

NOVA JOLTED IN HER SEAT, not sure she’d heard correctly.

Danna swatted her on the back, nearly pushing her out of the chair. The crowd was already applauding as Nova stood uncertainly in their midst. Even the Council was clapping. Captain Chromium was beaming at her with … pride?

Nova felt like she’d just stumbled into one of those bizarre anxiety dreams she’d heard people talk about. The ones where you were put on display in front of your worst enemies, only to discover you’d forgotten to put on pants that morning.

But she wasn’t asleep. This wasn’t a dream.

She blinked at Adrian, whose dark expression from before had disappeared. He was grinning—that open, heart-stopping smile that she absolutely loathed.

Oscar let out a whoop of pride, while Ruby wiggled both hands in the air.

Once the applause had settled, Hugh continued, “I am sure most of you have heard how Nova McLain subdued Ingrid Thompson, an Anarchist more commonly known as the Detonator, with a single, merciful shot to her head, during the altercation at Cosmopolis Park. Had she hesitated, or failed to strike her target, many more bombs would have exploded inside the carnival that day, and we estimate that hundreds of people would have been injured or killed. It is because of McLain’s bravery and quick thinking that this catastrophe wasn’t far worse. Insomnia, we are proud to have you as a Renegade.”

Nova tried to look pleased while cheers started up around her again, but she thought it might have come off as more of a grimace. The look Hugh Everhart was giving her, she couldn’t help but notice, seemed borderline … fatherly.

He had no right to be proud of Nova or any of her accomplishments, when it was because of him that she didn’t have her own father to look at her that way.

We are proud to have you as a Renegade.

Her skin prickled.

She knew she should feel elated—she had earned the trust and respect of her enemies, just like she’d wanted to. Like Ace wanted her to. But in this case, their admiration wasn’t due to her cunning and duplicity. It was actually warranted. She had been a Renegade that day, hadn’t she?

The Detonator was an Anarchist. They had been on the same side. For a long time, Nova even would have called her a friend.

But in that moment, Nova had sided with the Renegades.

She hadn’t just betrayed Ingrid. She had killed her. She could call it self-defense, but there had been more than self-preservation in her mind when she’d pulled the trigger. She’d been afraid for the children and families at the carnival. She’d been furious with Ingrid for tricking her, again.

She’d been worried for Adrian.

Nova knew that sometimes sacrifices had to be made to force society down a different path. She knew thousands of people had died when Ace started his revolution. But Ingrid’s casualties wouldn’t have been sacrifices. Those would have been murders.

Nova couldn’t have stood by and done nothing.

In the weeks since, Nova had retraced her steps from that day a thousand times in her mind, trying to determine if there was something she could have done differently.

Except … she didn’t regret killing Ingrid.

She wasn’t proud of it. Her stomach curdled each time she recalled the squeeze of the trigger and how, for the first time in her life, she hadn’t hesitated. The words had been in her head, as they had been since she was a child, staring at the unconscious body of her family’s murderer.

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