Living With the Enemy

Chapter 2: Burning and Entering

After the meeting, we all went home, or to our targets' houses. Since my target's house was also my house, this was really easy for me.

When I got to my house, I went around the back to the basement window. Damien had claimed the basement for himself a while ago, since his bedroom was down there, and also, presumably, where he kept his tools and such for supervillainy.

I looked through the window first, to see if he was there. Nobody, as far as I could see. So I used my power to burn a person-sized hole through it. I crawled through, then covered the window with a piece of metal that was lying around.

I had never actually been in the basement, but what I found was relatively normal stuff: A big-screen TV with a DVR (probably stolen), posters of football players, a stack of comic books,a weightlifting set. Nothing that could really be used for evil, just the normal things a preteen boy would have.

Also, strangely enough, there was a poster of me. I mean, me-as-Empyrean, not me-as-Ember, but it was pretty weird nonetheless.

But from another room, suddenly I heard Damien's voice.

"So, after that, then what? How do we leave? Through the front door?"

It was clear that he was talking on the phone with someone, or using Skype.

"I think I can be of use there. It'll be night when we do it, right?" a female voice said.

"Yes. So?"

Yeah, definitely Skype.

"I can use the darkness to cover each of us like a shield, until you're all close enough to your houses that I can retract it."

"That's a great plan, but when are we going to do it? I have too much homework this week."

I laughed at that. My suggestion was actually right! But then, Damien spoke again, and this time, he was none too pleased.

"Hold on- I think I have an intruder in my room. I'll be right back."

Then, I went to hide under one of his desks, but it was too late.

"Ember? What are you doing in here?" he asked, staring at me.

I climbed out from under the desk. "Um...I just wanted to let you know that dinner's almost ready." I said. It was a lie, of course, but it was around that time that people usually have dinner, so I knew there was at least some semblance of truth to it.

Then I added, "So, uh...why do you have a poster of Empyrean on your wall?"

He looked offended. "Isn't it obvious?" he asked. "She's perfect! She's smart, brave, strong, not to mention gorgeous-everything you're not."

I decided to ignore that last part.

He decided to go back to his room after a while, and I went upstairs, silently thanking anyone who cared that he didn't ask me how I got there, or what the piece of metal was doing in the window.

"EMBER!!"

Spoke too soon.