Secret Super (Book 1)

23. Green Earring

The waiting was driving Kara insane.

She was so close, now, closer than she'd ever been, and all she could do was sit in this skytrain and watch the city fly by.

Kara was headed to sector J15, where, for the first time, she was going to find her family.

Her real family.

All she knew was that they lived in the under-levels, according to the address Xavier had given her. Would they even remember her? She'd been taken from her family so young, she didn't have any memories of them. Did they have any other supers in the family? Would they welcome her back? Turn her away? Did she have a sister or brother?

By the time the skytrain shuddered to a stop, her whole body was thrumming with nervous energy, sparks flying off her hands. The other passengers either gave her a wide berth or stared openly, but even that didn't bother Kara at the moment.

Xavier's instructions led her down into the sublevels, away from the upperworld Smog and into the flashing lights and grimy buildings of the underworld.

It didn't take long to locate the apartment. Heart pounding with excitement, she pushed open the heavy metal door.

The receptionist, an old woman with wispy red hair and scars webbing her pale face, frowned when Kara walked in.

"ID?" she said, looking back down at her computer.

Kara dug around in her pocket and slapped down a card that identified her as a superhero-in-training.

The woman scrutinized it. Lines creased her forehead. "We don' want any trouble, here," she said, looking up at Kara under furrowed eyebrows.

"I'm just here to see someone," Kara said.

"See who, now? I wasn't told of any visitors today." She slid the ID card back.

Kara straightened her back and leaned slightly across the desk. She hadn't meant to play this card, but . . . "It's official superhero business," she said in a low voice. "Uh, investigations, you know. You shouldn't get in my way. That would just cause trouble."

"Fine," the woman growled. "But don' make any mess and don' go drawing too much attention to yourself, hear?"

"Got it." Kara grinned and sauntered away. She couldn't believe that actually—

"And leave ya weapons here!"

She sighed.

*     *     *     *     *

When she finally found the door to her family's apartment, Kara didn't hesitate. She strode up and rang the bell before she could change her mind.

Seconds passed. Then a minute. Maybe they were out. Maybe Xavier had misled her. Maybe—

Then the door swung open.

The woman standing in the doorway had the same dark skin and ink-black hair as Kara, though hers was unevenly cropped short. Her eyes were sharp, face deeply lined and scarred. She was much shorter than Kara but stood tall and straight.