Not Your Villain (Sidekick Squad #2)(74)

“Oh, hush, they were being responsible,” Collete says.

Bells laughs and hugs them again. It’s such a relief, telling them about their attempts to find the Resistance and then being attacked by robots. “It was a good thing you figured I’d come after you and you signed that independent study paperwork,” Bells says.

Nick chuckles. “Of course. And I figured just in case you had to leave in a hurry and you forgot,” he says, and pulls a small package out of his pocket.

Bells thumbs through the little case of T-patches and laughs. “Wow. You were really sure I was gonna be here, huh?”

“Absolutely, son,” Nick says, pulling him into another hug.

Across the huge cavern, Jess and Brendan are having a reunion with their parents, speaking rapidly in a mix of excited Chinese, Vietnamese, and English.

“Emma, tell us about your trip,” Nick says, drawing her into a hug. “Bells says he was out of it for most of the ride up here.”

Emma laughs and launches into the story. Bells relaxes. Everything is going to be fine. They’re here, and the adults know what they’re doing.

Genevieve returns with a tall, elegant-looking woman who introduces herself as Chloe. “Hello and welcome to our most secure facility,” she says. “Oh, I didn’t realize it was so dark in here.” She gestures, and more bioluminescence blooms on the walls.

“Chloe is an absolute joy,” Nick says. “Her powers invoke growth in plants; it’s amazing!”

“Thank you, Nick,” Chloe says with a smile. “It’s lovely to meet you, Bells. Your parents have been invaluable helping get our underground farms set up. It’s been amazing seeing the work done to produce vegetables here.”

“Do you live here?” Emma asks.

“Chloe manages headquarters,” Genevieve says. “This used to be a place where we would gather and spend time together and train, have a space away from the League, and just be ourselves. It’s only this year that more villains—and meta-humans in general—have been hiding here, out of reach of Captain Orion and her experiments.”

“We currently house seventeen adults and three minors,” Chloe says. “We’re self-sustaining and generate our own—”

“Ahah! I knew that rumor of new folks was true.”

“Christine!” Bells exclaims.

She squeals and hugs him tightly around the waist.

Everyone has dispersed to their rooms after eating a late dinner. Bells is the last in the kitchen, lingering for a hot chocolate with Christine and catching up with her while helping clean up.

“Yeah, I had my travel all booked and then I was, like, you know what? I’m not going to be next, you know? I know you said everything you guys have posted on the Net disappears, and I’ve seen blogs and social media posts and forums get deleted left and right, but it doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about it. And it wasn’t just the villains that went missing. A few people reported their family members missing as well—all meta-humans.” Christine shrugs. “Remember Steven? He wasn’t at my party, but you shifted into him as a disguise?”

“Pink spot on the wall,” Bells says.

“He’s here too! Totally asleep. He narrowly escaped capture by Orion herself.”

“Really?”

Christine shrugs, laughing. “I have no idea how much he’s exaggerating, but I’m pretty sure whoever was after Steven wasn’t her, unless Orion can shapeshift, too.”

Bells laughs. It feels good, after such a stressful few days.

Around a rounded earthen corner, they bump into Emma.

“I was just getting some water.” Emma fiddles with her fingers and then smiles at them. “I think it’s great seeing you again, Christine. You must have missed Bells; long distance relationships can be so hard.”

“Oh,” Christine says, looking at Bells. “I, er—”

“We’re actually not dating,” Bells says. “I mean, we never were. I invited her to come with us that one time because I didn’t want to be the fifth wheel.”

“Oh,” Emma says. “Oh—that’s good—I mean—”

“Lights out were an hour ago,” a voice calls out from the alcove next to him. “Everything in this place echoes. Please go to sleep.”

“Sorry!” Bells whispers. Probably a bit too loudly. “Sorry again!”

They officially meet the other members of the Villain’s Guild and the other meta-humans under their protection in the morning. Bells thought the headquarters would be an elaborate master lair with tech everywhere and dim lights and people in uniform reporting for duty like clockwork. Instead, it’s people stumbling into the main cavern in various states of sleepwear, drowsily drinking coffee, and eating breakfast.

“Hiya,” comes a voice from the ceiling.

Bells looks up; a bit of scaffolding runs across the sloped earthen “roof” of the cavern, carrying pipes and electric wires and serving as built in shelving and storage space.

A slender woman with an easy smile drops to the floor to land gracefully in front of them. “Tree Frog!” Jess shouts. “You went missing last year!”

“Yep, held in one of Orion’s facilities. Your parents busted me out last month,” she says, waving brightly at them.