Page 6

Zee and Kade stood beneath the truck’s awning. Kade unsuccessfully tried to blend in with a dark baseball cap even though his huge Lunk muscles bulged out of his jacket and jeans. Zee wore a long olive-green coat and their ever-present smirk.

Mark came to see what was up. “Oh, crap. I mean, hey, how’s it going?”

“We stopped by for dinner,” Zee said. “And maybe a little chat.”

“Sure thing.” Mark grinned at Kade. “Hey, big guy.”

“Hi.” Kade always seemed vaguely confused when Mark flirted with him. His not-Lunk voice was much quieter. Almost jovial.

Nodding toward the rear entry, Zee said, “Can we come in?”

“So you can inspect my goods and services?” Mark said.

Zee just looked at him.

“I don’t think I’ll fit in there,” Kade said.

Mark gave him another flirty grin. “Oh, I think you’ll fit just fine.”

Joan straightened, saying, “We’ve got nothing to hide.”

“We’ve been here most of the day,” Sadie said. “And we were at the farmers market this morning.”

“Then you won’t mind us hopping aboard,” Zee said.

“We are getting food, though, right?” Kade said as they both turned.

“Yes,” Zee sighed like this was not the first time they’d had to assure him.

Joan walked to the door, chugging in a deep breath. It’s nothing. It’s not a big deal.

The tight space further crowded with Zee’s lean frame and Kade’s giganticness. Zee had dyed the back half of their straight black hair magenta. Kade ducked to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling vent.

“We had nothing to do with what happened at Century Plaza,” Joan told them.

“We don’t know that guy,” Mark added. “Never met him.”

“I got your text,” Zee said. “I know.”

Mark planted his hands on his hips. “Then why are you here?”

“We were curious about something.”

Her brother was about to be inappropriate again, so Joan said, “Are you here on behalf of all the Supers?”

“Yes.” Zee glanced at Kade, who was attempting to make himself smaller by crossing his arms and hunching inward. “We’re here to find out if you’ve heard any rumors about Villains coming to Vector City. Anything from your prior contacts.”

“Nobody talks to us,” Mark said. “We’ve been blacklisted since we worked with you to bring down Trick.”

“So you haven’t picked up on any gossip from other Villains?”

“ No one talks to us,” Joan emphasized. “Even if we wanted to reach out—which we don’t—we’re known as the Villains who ratted out their own. That’s unforgivable.”

Zee studied the Malone twins for a long moment.

Sadie shifted her weight. “I can vouch for them because I’m with these two every day. They aren’t having clandestine meetings.”

“I said they wouldn’t know anything,” Kade stage-whispered.

“It was worth a shot,” Zee said. “Of course, if I find out you’re lying…”

“Why would we lie?” Joan said, flashing hot as her internal fire flickered.

“Why would we team up with Smash?” Mark pointed out.

“ The Smash,” Kade said.

Zee shrugged.

Joan curled her hands into loose fists. “You guys took him down in five minutes. If we were planning on reentering the Villain scene, we’d pick stronger allies.”

Sadie slid her fingers through Joan’s and squeezed. “Not that you’re planning on that, right, Joanie?”

“Of course not, but?—”

“He threw a car at my head,” Kade said, unfurling his arms and knocking over two mixing bowls. “It might’ve looked easy, but he was mean and strong.”

Mark squeezed his brawny shoulder. “And we appreciate what you did. We don’t want bad guys throwing cars around town.”

Zee picked up the bowls. “If you do hear anything, we’d appreciate it if you told us. I’m sure you can agree that protecting our city is important for all of us.”

“Important for us staying out of jail, you mean,” Joan said.

“It is in your best interests.”

Well, it was a good thing nobody talked to the former Villains anymore. They wouldn’t be put in another situation where they’d have to align with the Supers.

“Do you think this was a one-off, or the start of something?” Sadie asked.

“Hopefully a one-off,” Zee said. “We’re monitoring the situation.”

“I hope so, too.” Sadie squeezed Joan’s hand.

“Me, too.” Kade scratched at the blond curls springing from under his ballcap. “Things are a lot better now that we’re not fighting all the time.”

“I am a lover, not a fighter,” Mark said.

“You’re hard to fight against.”

“Thanks. You’re hard?—”

“Could we get some food?” Zee interrupted. A hint of irritation played across their face. Huh. Was that a touch of jealousy or just general annoyance with Mark?

“Absolutely,” Sadie said, untangling from Joan. “We’ve got a new sandwich. It has pesto and chickpeas, and I know you like to eat vegetarian sometimes.”

“That sounds good.”

Mark pointed his index fingers at Kade. “Turkey?”

“Turkey.” Kade bobbed his head and broke into a toothy smile.

They shuffled around one another to prep. “Sadie can ring you up,” Joan said at the fryer. Zee always wanted truffle fries.

“Are you really not gonna give us a discount?” Kade said.

Mark pulled on a disposable glove. “We need to earn money if you want us to stay out of trouble.”

“It’s fine.” Zee tugged their phone from a coat pocket. Their mobile payments were tied to an account at City Hall. If Joan were feeling villainous, that could be something fun to look into.

“Can I get three sandwiches?” asked Kade. “I’m starving after battling with The Smash.”

“You bet, handsome.” Mark raised a very suggestive eyebrow. “Gotta keep your strength up for other activities.”

“Thanks Mark, but I’m not gay.”

“Ah, well, a boy can dream, right?”

“Uhh…I guess?” Kade looked to his cohort. “Wait. We’re not supposed to talk about personal stuff with them, right? Otis said not to.”

That was unsurprising but still irritating. “Don’t get to know your prisoners,” Joan muttered.

Zee’s lips quirked. “A few months ago, you were active criminals. We have every right to be cautious.”

“So do we.”

“But I like hanging out with you guys,” Kade said. “Your food is really good.”

Mark grabbed a bunch of slices of sourdough bread from the bag on a high metal shelf. “Eh, we’re all friends here. What Otis doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“Cool. So I’m straight. Sometimes Darlene and I hook up, but that’s whenever she wants to.”

Oh god, no. Joan held her hands up. “I did not need to know that.”

“TMI, buddy,” Mark laughed. “But also, Darlene’s the boss, huh?”

“Totally,” Kade said. “She sucks up all my strength. It’s kinda weird, but not in a bad way.”

“I’m sure.”

“Otis has an on-again, off-again thing with Aura. She’s a Hero in Destine. The one who can alter your mood if you’re in her aura. Nobody’s supposed to know but every Superhero knows.”

“Kade…” Zee appeared to be at a total loss.

Kade looked at them. “You never talk about your personal life, so I have nothing to report.”

“Dude,” Mark cackled. “This is amazing.”

“Zee is pansexual and speaks Mandarin because their parents are from China.”

Sadie turned to Zee. “Hey, I’m pan, too.”

“Gender is a social construct.” Zee caught Mark’s gaze, and they both quickly looked away.

“Well, now I want to give you a discount. But we have bills to pay.”

She told Zee the total, and their smirk deepened. “I always forget how much it costs to feed you,” they said to Kade. “That’s the thing I can share about you .”

Kade grinned. “My mom, who doesn’t speak Mandarin, she’s from a small farm town. She used to say I ate a week’s worth of groceries in a day.”

Everyone laughed. Everyone but Joan. Sadie and Mark had grown accustomed to being around the Supers. Joan still couldn’t fully trust them. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

She busied herself shaking the fryer basket. It’s not a big deal. It’s nothing.

They were just here fishing for information. Information Joan and Mark didn’t have. Greta would’ve said something if she’d heard anything. They just had to keep their noses clean and this would blow over.

Wait. Greta was at her newly renovated apartment in France. She tuned out Vector City gossip while over there. But still.

Kade blocked the flat-top with his bulk. Joan gestured to it. “I can’t get to where I have to make your sandwiches,” she said.

“Let me make some room,” Sadie said. She edged around Zee to get to the rear entry.

“Where are you going?” Joan asked.

“To do my job and wrangle up customers.”

“I don’t want you out there alone tonight.”

“I do it all the time.” Sadie tucked the truck’s tablet under her arm.

“Not tonight,” Joan said.

“Why?”

“Just not tonight.”

Sadie rolled her eyes. “Then come with me.”

“Hang on. I just dropped some fries.”

Mark waved a hand. “I’ll get them. Go find us warm bodies.” The glint in his stark blue eyes said he wanted to have some fun with his crushes.

Joan followed Sadie onto the sidewalk. Foot traffic was noticeably lighter. The gay bar that let them park in front had its usual packed house. People were getting to their destinations and staying put.

“I’m not sure we should leave those three unsupervised,” Sadie said.

Through the service window, Joan spied her brother shooing the Supers away from him. “Mark’s got this,” she said. “Did you see Zee get jealous with how much he was flirting with Lunk—er, Kade?” She looked around to make sure no one had heard that slip.

Sadie crossed her arms. “Why don’t you want me out here by myself?”

“Because there was a douchebag throwing cars around earlier. You can’t protect yourself from superpowers.”

She half-laughed at that. “You do know I sleep next to someone who generates fire. And spend a lot of time with a guy who can freeze something with the touch of his hand.”

“That’s different.”

“You have the same potential to hurt me. I’m not afraid.”

An anxious knot twisted in Joan’s gut. “But there are people who might want to hurt you.”

“I think you can trust me enough to know I’d get the hell out of there if someone was throwing cars.”

She choked back that Sadie had been walking to work alone when Hide and Volt grabbed her. That Trick had used mind control to get her to comply. She simply didn’t have the right genes to fight off a vengeful Villain.

“You know I trust you,” Joan said. “It’s the assholes throwing cars I don’t trust.”

Sadie made a face. “You sound like my mom.”

“If I put you in harm’s way again, I’d never forgive myself.”

“What are you going to do? It’s not like you can go full Whooshing Fire Lady in your civilian attire.”

“No, but I know how to fight,” Joan said. Even though she hadn’t sparred with Mark or Greta for months.

“You’re not putting me in harm’s way. It’s just how…” Sadie tilted her head. “I just realized you haven’t been on this side of Villain activity. You’ve never seen it the way the norms do. It’s part of our daily lives. I guess we’ve gotten used to it and don’t put our lives on hold.”

That made sense. “Huh. You’re right. This is new for me.”

“Welcome to being an average person,” she teased.

It felt weird, being in the dark as much as everyone else. Not knowing if and when the next bad guy would strike. It kind of sucked.

“I thought you were nervous about what happened this morning,” Joan said.

“I’m more nervous about what it means for your deal with the Supers. But I think as long as you cooperate, it’ll be okay.”

A trio of young people walked by. Sadie greeted them with: “How would you like to try the best sandwiches in Vector City?”

To which they replied, “We just ate.”

“Aw, that’s your loss. Stop by next Saturday night and your minds will be blown.”

Joan had craved normalcy her entire life. Now that she had it, well… There was something to be said for being an active participant. Even if that thing was villainy.

Yeah, that was something she needed to unpack later.

Hugging the tablet, Sadie said, “Are you okay?”

“Always.” Joan smiled.

“You look like you’re thinking hard about something.”

“Growing pains shifting from my old life to this one.”

“It’s weird, huh?”

“Very.”

“The Supers came to you for information,” Sadie said. “That has to be trippy.”

Glancing at Mark gleefully teasing Zee and Kade, Joan said, “I never pictured those two inside it when dreaming about a food truck.”

Sadie reached out and touched Joan’s apron. “Lots of changes. I’m here for you, honey. You can be sure of that.”

“You’re the only thing I am sure of.”

“Same here.”

A bark of laughter came from Hot and Cold. Mark clapped his hands while Kade looked perplexed and Zee slightly amused.

“And yeah,” Sadie said. “Zee was totally mad at Mark for flirting with Kade. And can we talk about the most interesting item of the day? Darlene and Kade hook up? What?”

Joan breathed out a little laugh. “I know, right?”

“And Otis has a thing with a Super from Destine? Also, I’m pretty sure Zee hasn’t been keeping things strictly professional with your brother.”

“Definitely not.”

“So much drama.” Sadie shook her head. “I’m glad to be the boring, settled-down couple.”

“Me, too.”

She gave Joan the smile that pinched her heart every single time. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

They leaned in and met for a soft kiss. Then grinned and kissed again.

“Yas, girls!” someone called nearby. “You get that!”

They broke apart to see a curvy Black drag queen in fuchsia sequins on the way to a gig.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Sadie said. “You want to grab something before you dazzle the crowd? Our truffle fries will change your life.”

“Will they get me a man and a million dollars?” the queen said.

“We can give you a portion big enough to share with a special someone. Who might be a millionaire.”

“Then hell yes.”

For not the first time, Joan enjoyed watching Sadie make a customer feel special. She chatted and laughed with the fabulous queen as she rang up the order.

Sadie really was the best. Nothing was going to hurt her. Not with Joan around.