Archenemies (Renegades #2)(95)

“And?” said Nova.

“They got there in time to see the Sentinel torturing her—crushing some of her limbs.”

Nova reeled back. “What?”

Beside her, Adrian picked up a carrot stick and jabbed it hard into a bowl of dip.

“When he realized the Renegades were there, he murdered Hawthorn, right before their eyes. Then he attacked them.”

Nova peered at Adrian, in part for confirmation, but he was glowering at the counter.

“Let me guess,” she said. “He got away. Again.”

“It’s one more reminder that he is not to be underestimated,” said Simon.

Nova exhaled. “But why would he attack Hawthorn like that? Why not tie her up and leave her for the Renegades, like all those criminals he’s caught before?”

“We think it might have been a revenge killing,” said Hugh. “Because she embarrassed him on that barge.”

“Are we sure we can take Frostbite’s word for all of this?” said Adrian, snapping another carrot between his fingers. “It seems a little far-fetched if you ask me.”

“We’ve recovered Hawthorn’s body,” said Simon. “We’ve seen the destruction from the battle with the Sentinel. The story checks out.”

Adrian opened his mouth to say something more, but hesitated. Still glaring, he chomped down on the carrot.

Nova crossed her arms over her chest. The Sentinel being alive drummed up a whole parade of feelings she’d forgotten about since she’d watched him sink in the river. He had been determined to find Nightmare. More determined than anyone.

Hopefully he believed she was dead as much as the Renegades did.

They carried the food to a breakfast nook. Nova let Adrian sit down first before sliding in beside him, so she wouldn’t be trapped against the wall. But even that small bit of strategy made her feel just a little ridiculous and she was beginning to forget why she had been so concerned before.

She had slept under this roof for hours. Twenty-four hours. And nothing had happened to her. They did not know she was Nightmare. They did not know she was an Anarchist, or Ace’s niece. To them, she was a Renegade, through and through.

What was she doing here?

Ace was wasting away in his catacombs and she was having dinner with his enemies.

For a short time, she’d felt comfortable. Safe, even. She’d been swept away by a mural and a dream. She’d imagined what it might be like to touch Adrian again, maybe even to kiss him. She’d admired his glasses, for all that was trite and pathetic.

But none of that was why she was here.

She should probably congratulate herself. She had started this charade intending to spend a few weeks inside headquarters and learn what she could from her fellow drones, but instead, here she was. In the private home of her two biggest targets. They trusted her. Maybe even liked her.

She paused.

Did they like her?

She scowled at the tongs as Hugh lifted spaghetti onto her plate, forcing herself not to be curious, not to care. She could use this to her advantage. All of it. Their trust, their unguarded routine. This was her chance to needle information from them. She couldn’t waste it.

“So,” said Adrian, taking a sip of water, “did the big crime scene at the shipyard turn up new evidence about the Sentinel? Do we have any clues about his identity yet?”

“They’re still going over it,” said Hugh. “So far, I think the only solid clue we have is that he just might be the most overconfident prodigy this city has ever seen.”

Simon laughed. “The most overconfident? Surely no one can surpass you in that regard.”

Hugh grinned. To Nova’s surprise, he looked at her when he said, “They’re always giving me a tough time, but they don’t know how hard it is to be this charming. It takes real dedication.”

Not sure what to say, Nova smiled back and shoveled a forkful of pasta into her mouth.

Adrian broke into a loaf of bread, releasing a cloud of steam. His expression was distant as he said, “It seems to me like he’s been trying to help people. What about what you guys did, back in the Age of Anarchy?”

Hugh and Simon both tensed and Nova sensed this was not the first time they’d had this conversation.

“There were no rules to follow back then,” said Simon. “The code authority didn’t exist. We did what we had to do to stop the villains who were running the city. But imagine if we still operated that way. If every prodigy out there went around doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, all in the name of justice. It wouldn’t take long for everything to fall apart. Society simply doesn’t function that way, and neither can we.”

Nova bit the inside of her cheek. She agreed on some level—society did need rules and consequences.

But who had elected the Council to make those rules?

Who got to decide what punishments should be doled out for breaking them?

“We know there’s been a lot of controversy over the Sentinel’s actions,” said Hugh. “Good or bad, helpful or harmful. But the fight at the shipyard shows that he’s not … entirely stable. He needs to be found and stopped.”

“Neutralized, you mean,” Adrian said, his jaw tight.

“If it comes to that,” said Hugh. “The rise of the Sentinel is a good example of how important it is to keep the prodigy population under control. We need to ensure that the villains of this world will never be able to rise to power again. I know there’s some … uncertainty about Agent N going around the ranks, but we can’t have prodigies wielding their power without any restrictions.”