Super?

I'm In Over My Head

How exactly do I expect to kidnap a six year-old from his kidnappers- who happen to be part of the villain syndicate I work for- in broad daylight? ...I have to get back to you on that. All I know is that Reggie's going to film that video soon, and after that he's going to kill Dominic. I can't let that happen because it's my fault that stupid kid's in here in the first place. Yes, I'm a villain. And villains aren't really the I'll-take-pity-and-save-you types. But I cross a line at letting a kid die because of something his fricking mother did. (*crickets*) Okay, so maybe it's personal. So what?
This is why I'll never have kids, I think to myself. One more twerp to be responsible for. Kids are always getting themselves into trouble. How can having a kid that be worth all this trouble? All this worry? All I'm saying is his mother better well appreciate it if I return him to her safe and well. If she's not happy to see him home, then that's it. I'm so done. I'll probably do something "reckless," as Sebastian would say, and try and sue her for child endangerment. Which is definitely one of the most stupid ideas I've have in a long time (even more stupid than that one night in Chicago) because the kid's mother is probably some hotshot government official. Who sleeps with super-villains. Reggie's got to be having a heyday.
Speak of the devil.
"Eris! Eris!" I hear Reggie's high-pitched shout, and his hands wave as he tries to flag me down. Crap. Crap. Okay, okay, just see what he has to say, and then you can go do some saving.
He slows down when he reaches my side, and I stop to look at him. He's wearing a crisp blue button-down and khakis, and his usually impeccable brown hair is artfully mussed up. Excitement gleams in his blue eyes.
"What's up?" I force myself to smile, feeling irritation twinge at my hands. I run my hands through my long hair to still them.
"I'd like you to meet someone," Reggie beams. Oh no. The last time he introduced me to someone, it was Sebastian. Could this one be even worse?
"Oh, joy," I mutter but stay quiet enough that Reggie can't hear me. "Great!" I smile at him politely. "Let's see him."
Reggie's lips pull into his signature sneer.
"He's a she. And she's an illusionist like you." With that, a pretty woman materializes like a ghost beside us, and I jump in shock, my heart pounding like crazy. Jesus Christ.
"Nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you, Eris," her eyes look strangely catlike as she outstretches her hand for me to shake, and I'm so rattled that for a moment I just stare at her before hesitantly taking her hand. Her grip is sharp and firm, and she pumps my hand with a little more force than is necessary. As she turns to look at Reggie, I notice a telltale shimmer to the skin on her face. She's using an illusion right now.
Ok, that's just unfair. I tell myself that maybe she's just really ugly and self-conscious and feels the need to use an illusion all of the time, but something tells me that she's one of those people who will use designer sunglasses to cover up gorgeous eyes just to prove that they're so freaking gifted by God that they can afford to trade out one beauty for another. I hate her already.
"And you are?" My smile falters into something meaner for a moment, but when Reggie turns to look my way I regain my composure.
"This is Gia O'Neil," Reggie tells me with a puppy-like smile, like that name should mean something to me.
"Um... Ok." I frown and study the mysterious woman, but of course I recognize nothing about her.
"Gia O'Neil, famous jewel thief? Oh, why do I even try?" Reggie groans and buries his own fists in his hair, looking like he's ready to strangle someone. Um. Does he have a crush on her or something? (Oh, what a freaky thought... Reggie with a crush.)
"Oh, that German woman?" I try to keep my voice flat as my curiosity piques. Of course I've heard about her. But she calls herself Diamond, like she's a stripper or something.
How was I supposed to know her name was Gia O'Neil? I guess I never received the Top Ten Supervillains of the World handbook. "What exactly is her highness doing gracing us with her presence?" I sneer a little. I can't help myself. This is just too priceless. Reggie is obviously trying to show me up with a more famous woman that has my same ability. He's trying to prove to me how inadequate I am or something.
Gia scowls, and for a moment I see a ripple of anger cut across her disguise, but it's replaced immediately by a smoldering smile. Everything about her screams plastic.
"Reggie here invited me to join your little team," when she grins, her teeth are pointy and look sharper than my nails. Which is saying a lot. What kind of psycho files their teeth? Unless that's just a lie too.
"Of course he did. He's always looking for just another pretty face," I say sweetly. Her fists clench at her sides momentarily, but in a blink of an eye it looks as if they're just like they were before. Freaky. I feel my skin prickle.
"Actually I'm here because he said he was looking for a good illusionist. You know. One who can do the job right," she says back to me, with just as much sweetness. Oh, it's on. You don't get to insult my illusions.
"Girls, girls, enough with the cat-fighting." Reggie bleats uncomfortably, and we both turn our heads to glare at him for his vaguely sexist remark. He shrinks back as Gia's eyes darken. Literally.
"Whatever. I have better things to do than argue with an incompetent little girl," she retorts, and without another word she stalks her way down the halls, leaving Reggie and I behind in stunned silence.
"Isn't she something?" He asks me in awe. I give him a strange look out of the corner of my eye.
"Oh, she's something. That's for sure," I huff. And with that I make my own dramatic exit, stalking away and clicking my black high heels on the white tile floor with a tone of finality. She thinks she can beat me at my own game, huh? I'll show her.
I flick my perfectly styled blonde hair over my shoulder and tilt my chin up, letting my anger simmer deep down within my blackened heart. I recall the spidery man's instructions from before in my head, and wind my way through the labyrinth of halls to find my way back to Dominic. If you die, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself.
The halls are all surprisingly empty, and I can't help but feel uneasy as I approach the door that the tall suited man had directed me to. There's no guards standing outside. There's absolutely nobody around. The doorknob doesn't open, of course. It's locked. I calmly crush the doorknob into smithereens with my fist, then I slowly open the door a crack and call Dominic's name quietly. At first there's no response, but then I hear the sound of a boyish sob and I open the door fully, stepping inside and closing it behind me.
Dominic races over to me and much to my surprise he wraps his arms around me and buries his face in my blouse, crying messily. I stand frozen in shock for a moment before recovering, awkwardly patting the boy's head.
"Are you here to take me home?" He sniffs, looking up at me with those round hazel eyes.
"I hope so," I tell him softly, looking around the room. It's an old dingy room, with concrete walls and floors. Probably an old storage room. There's a cot on one side of the room, and a few chapter books that some soft-hearted coward probably gave him, along with a few empty Lunchables containers scattered on the ground. Other than that the room is empty, and I feel my blood boil. "They didn't hurt you, did they?" I kneel down so I'm at his eye level, giving him a quick once-over. He shook his head.
"I was in here alone all day after you left. I tried to get out but they locked the door," he sniffed. Then he asks me the question I've been asking myself all morning. "If you're the villain they all say you are, why are you going to save me?" His eyes reflect all of the emotions I told myself I never felt: confusion, hopelessness, and a desperation that should never belong to a boy as young as he is.
"I don't know, kiddo. But I'm going to try, ok? I'm so sorry." I feel my heart ache, and I hate myself so much for it. "I never meant for this to happen," I reach out and squeeze his little hand in mine in what I hope is a semblance of comfort.
"What are they going to do to me?" His eyes widen in horror, and he starts to tremble. I pull him in closer, wrapping my arms around his shivering body.
"I won't let them do anything bad to you, ok?" I never like making empty promises, but what am I supposed to say? They're going to film your grisly murder and send it to your mother in an email? Yeah, no.
"Promise?" He pulls back and looks up at me again in such an adoring, trusting way that I want to run away and never look back. But I stay.
"Promise," I assure him, and stand up slowly, grabbing his soft little hand in mine. Why the heck am I doing this? I am so screwed. I don't know much about what I'm doing at the moment... But I know that I'll do anything to protect this boy. And that confuses the hell out of me.
We slowly walk to the door, and I place a simple cloak over us before we step out into the hallway. To the ordinary passerby, the door looks as if it is opening by itself. Do I ever get the urge to prank people with my illusions? Um, yes. But unfortunately, my colleagues aren't exactly a friendly bunch, and instead of laughing it off they would probably dunk me in gasoline and set me on fire. (What did you expect? This is a villain syndicate.)
A man passes by us, but doesn't even give a single glance to the door swinging shut on its own. I see Dominic frown as he watches the man pass by out of sight.
"Can't he see us?" he whispers to me, still clutching my hand. I shake my head and put my finger to my lips. He nods obediently.
We make our way through the building without incident, and when we pass the heat sensors and the many many security cameras, I use an illusion to fool them. We get into the busier halls toward the entrance, and Dominic starts to get panicky, so I squeeze his hand tighter as we weave our way through the crowd. At one point a woman almost runs right into Dominic, but I drag him out of the way just in the nick of time. I see Reggie practically drooling as he talks to Gia, and my heart almost stops when Gia looks straight at where we're standing and frowns, but then she shrugs and looks back at my psychopath boss.
I can feel Dominic's pulse pick up through the skin on his wrist as I grasp his hand, and I make sure to speed up the pace before he does something stupid. We arrive at the doors, and I wisely wait for someone else to walk through them before I slip through. The door opening by itself in a busy lobby would look rather strange. We make our way to my car, and after I give him the all-clear, Dominic clambers into the backseat without a second thought. I sit for a moment in the driver's seat, then take the illusion off of myself so a ghost isn't driving the car. Can you imagine seeing a car driving down the road with nobody at the wheel? Freaky.
"You did it!" he cries with delight. The adrenaline slowly seeping back out of my body leaves me trembling, but I give him a weak smile over my shoulder anyway. Still, I can't shake the feeling that this was too easy. Maybe there was a heat sensor I missed, a camera I couldn't fool...
"Aren't you going to drive?" His little voice interrupts my thoughts, and I quickly start up the car and begin to drive. I ignore the pit of dread I feel in my stomach and try to bask in the relief of saving Dominic. I did it. I saved the day. Then why do I feel like the other shoe's waiting to drop?