Being a Hero

Chapter 7

The song of the day is "Finish Line" by Skillet. (Their new album is so good!)

"Remember the darkness and remember that it is dispelled by the light." –Ted Dekker, Sinner

*Caitlyn's POV*

A few days later Aurora got another very loud chime from her "hero business" phone. An emergency summons to the conference room had the majority of those on premise assembled in minutes. One word sent a chill through the room: "Dullahan."

A few clicks on her laptop brought up the national villain database that a combination of police and heroes maintained. The notorious assassin currently topped the FBI's Most Wanted List after someone set her on a Congressman. She hadn't failed to kill a mark yet. Despite her standing, the database had no more information than the local rumor mill. She was a proven regenerator who rode a Fresian stallion everywhere she went. She was very cocky and tended to announce her presence days before a kill. If she was here, someone in our city would be murdered within the week.

As we skimmed the file, Aurora called out names, "John, Moriah, Caitlyn, Connie, and Will; you all go. I'll recharge Tabitha and Louie and send them after as soon as they can get here." As I ran from the room I heard her add in a hushed voice, "And for goodness sake, someone call Everett. We may need him."

As we moved, I used my power to direct Paisley off her cat tree to open the simple latch on Grim's kennel, then the doors to my room and outside. That accomplished, I sent her to open the eyrie next door. John and Will split off from us when we reached the locker rooms. I wrapped my hands and wrists with swift, practiced motions, and we changed into our costumes in record time. I barely paid attention to my own armored dark blue and dove grey costume, pausing only to adjust my mask when it didn't sit right. By the time I headed for the exit, Moriah and Connie were waiting for me in their skin-tight leotards. I smiled as I recalled how I'd thought the costumes ridiculous when I first came here. That was before I knew their powers.

A minute later the guys joined us in their suits—which were armored like mine...and why was John's mask covered in golden glitter? "Uh..."

Connie's uproarious laughter clued me in a little on what had happened. "Serves you right for that incident with the manure," Moriah said around a fit of giggles.

"No, not right," John protested as we rushed back down the hall towards the stairs, this time going lower. "The manure washed out. Do you have any idea what glitter is? It's craft herpes! You can't ever get rid of it! There will be glitter everywhere for the rest of this costume's life, and maybe beyond that!" John ranted. The rest of us snickered.

By now my backup was on the way. They'd meet us as soon as we went topside. I gave Paisley some well-deserved praise and affection before letting her go. She'd track down one of the others to demand attention. I didn't trust her enough to take her out in the field, but I knew she wouldn't go far when there was a human she could get pets from.

As expected, Grim and a ferruginous hawk, Tawadi, were waiting patiently when we surfaced. I slipped Grim's special collar from my costume's belt and clipped it around his neck, grinning as his coat shimmered before turning black—a clever hologram invented by Tracy.

Our communicators beeped as Aurora gave us more intel, "Latest sighting puts her at 5th and Main. She's already chasing a target and apparently has been for a while."

"Ooh, Phoenix!" I interjected, careful to use her hero name. "If we catch Dullahan, can I keep her horse?"

John and Connie—Slingshot and Guardian, rather—laughed. We were about to face a deadly foe, and here I was thinking about her steed. Phoenix gave an indulgent laugh too. "Only if the authorities can't find his original owner."