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To call the fallout catastrophic was, perhaps, a bit of an overstatement, regardless of how it felt in the days that followed. While the news spread like wildfire throughout Nova City—local reporters breathlessly recounting the confrontation at five, six, and eleven o’clock, and then again the next day and the next—it barely made a blip on the national level. If it was mentioned, it was mostly as an afterthought, and always with shots of the aftermath of the Attack on Centennial High, Pyro Storm rising above the crowd, fire leaking from him as he removed his helmet and revealed himself to be Seth Gray.

That being said, of course, it set the internet on fire. One video racked up six million views within forty-eight hours, complete with comical sound effects of the orange hitting Guardian in the chest. It was on Reddit. Tumblr. TikTok. It trended on Twitter for almost ten hours (#VitaminC4UandMe) before a dog was found barking at a small sewer pipe, scratching frantically on the ground. It turned out she was trying to rescue her puppy who’d gotten stuck. Most everyone agreed it was touching to witness (#SewerPupIsAllOfUs).

A spokesperson for the protestors—a Black woman named Tasha—was interviewed by Steve Davis of Action News that night. She looked poised, in control, calmly responding to Steve Davis when he asked what she thought of Guardian, and Extraordinaries as a whole. “Why does it matter?” she asked. “I can’t speak to the motivations of the Extraordinaries. Frankly, that’s not up to me. We were there because Simon Burke isa fascist, and his policies show that clearly. Anything else is a distraction. He has aligned himself with the NCPD, an organization that has proven itself to be woefully unfit and unprepared to deal with the problems that face Nova City. Hesayshe wants to rid this city of Extraordinaries. What if he does that? What if it’s not enough? Who does he go after next? People who look like you, or people who look like me? I’ll give you three guesses, and the first two don’t count.”

Steve Davis smiled blandly. “Surely you don’t think he’d—”

“Ido,” Tasha said. “Men in power like Burke, men with unlimited resources and a desire to control everything, are not only a detriment to society, but a danger to us all.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Steve Davis said. “That was certainly illuminating. When we return from the break, we’ll confront an important issue that everyone is talking about. When will this heat wave end? Meteorologist Chuck Hendrix has your extended forecast. We’ll be right back.”

Dad was, in a word, furious at what had transpired, but not at Nick. He might not have been exactly pleased that Nick had suited up when he did, but he said he understood. Dad wrapped Nick in a hug in their living room when he came home, holding him tightly, rocking him back and forth on the couch, his face in his son’s hair. “Screw them,” he said fiercely. “Screw them all. I’ve got you, kid.”

If a tear or two fell from Nick’s eyes… well. No one blamed him for that.

The interior of the house was quiet.

“Where is she?” Nick asked, trying to keep his voice even.

“I don’t know,” Dad said quietly. “I haven’t heard from her yet.”

“She told us Owen was there,” Nick said, standing up from the couch. “She said she saw him. She’s the reason we were there in the first place.”

Dad stared up at him for a long moment. “What are you saying, kid?”

Frustrated, Nick fisted his hair and began to pace. “I don’t know. But Jazz said Mom turned off her tracker. She wasn’t on comms. She wasn’tthere.Why would she do that to us? Tome?”

“I’m sure there’s an explanation,” Dad said, though he didn’t seem as if he believed his own words. He looked off into nothing, obviously struggling with what to say next. “She… she didn’t call me.” He frowned.

“Because I couldn’t,” she said, causing them both to jump and whirl around.

Mom stood in the entryway of the kitchen wearing jeans and one of Dad’s shirts, the sleeves rolled up, the hem hanging down around her thighs. She looked tired, dark circles under her dull eyes. Taking a step toward them, she said, “I’m sorry, Nicky. I should’ve been there.”

Before Nick could snap at her, Dad spoke. “Where were you, Jen?”

She sighed, shaking her head, the floor creaking with every step she took. “Following Owen. Hewasthere. I saw him. But he must have known we were on to him because he left before you arrived. I went after him, but I lost him in the city.”

No one spoke. The only sound came from the clock above the fireplace,tick, tick, ticking.

Mom tried again. “I know that’s not an excuse, but I had to make a split-second decision. Aaron, you’ve had to do the same. Nick, you, too. I know you’re angry with me, but I did what I thought was right.”

Dad nodded slowly. “You should’ve told them. You should’ve toldme.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “I wasn’t thinking. All I could focus on was stopping him from hurting anyone.”

Dad relaxed slightly, but that only made Nick angrier. “Why did you turn off your tracker? Why didn’t you tell anyone where you were going before we walked into that mess?”

She sighed, shaking her head. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me to be. But I promise I’m here for you, same as your father. You don’t have to go through this alone. It’s easierto stand together than it is to struggle apart.” She came around the couch and held her arms open in invitation.

Nick took a step toward her, wanting nothing more than to feel her arms around him. Already, he felt calmer than he had just a moment before, almost intrusively so. Like he wasn’t in control. His legs moved of their own volition, and his arms raised, ready to hug his mother, just like she wanted.

The bank,he thought deliriously.Oh my god, Nicky. She’s—

He stopped a foot away from her.

She watched him, wiggling her fingers.