Being a Hero

Chapter 35

The song for this chapter is one o my favorites: "Won't Let You Go" by Switchfoot.

"A stained-glass window is simply pieces of glass put back together. As light shines through the art is revealed. Don't give up when all you see are the pieces. Put them together and let the light reveal the masterpiece you were meant to be." –Thousand Foot Krutch

*Caitlyn's POV*

One week later, and we were hours out from our rescue operation. The base was a bustling center of activity. I helped where I could, in this instance, taking lunch to the lab where Tracy, Randal, and Auxiliary had been sequestered the last few days. They'd missed lunch entirely, and hadn't come up while I was washing dishes. So, I loaded up three plates with potato salad and turkey sandwiches and headed for the underground room below the burnt-out office. I knocked before pushing the door open.

Tracy and Randal were packing an armored briefcase with the tech Tracy needed to hack her way into any security system villainy could buy or build. I actually hadn't seen Tracy in her costume before now. Seafoam looked good on her, though the armor plates were obviously a hasty addition. Auxiliary hunched over a separate work station, soldering something on one of his drones under a large magnifying glass.

I waited for him to set his soldering tool aside to call, "Pack it in for a bit, guys. Lunch time!" I shoved a few scattered blueprints and calculations aside to make a clear space for the plates on the least cluttered bench. "Can't save the world on an empty stomach."

"You're a godsend, you know that?" Auxiliary asked, descending on a sandwich like he hadn't seen food in a week.

I laughed and pulled a roll of napkins and forks out of my pocket to hand out as Tracy and Randal joined us.

We chatted for a few minutes until Everett entered the room. "Ah! There you are! You're going to be late for your appointment if we don't leave soon."

"Sorry." I pointed at the plates and explained, "Thought these guys might want some food, even if they missed lunch."

"Yeah, well, they're lucky to have you looking out for them." Everett walked over to join us. "Everything ready?"

"Just about," Randal answered around a mouthful of sandwich, shooting me a sideways glance before looking back to Everett. "Should have the last of it in time."

Auxiliary shook his head. "I'll have to go over with the secondary team tomorrow. My drones are having some balancing issues with the new upgrades. They're useless right now."

The main group of heroes—minus Tempest and Amelia who were staying behind to keep an eye on the city and Mabel whose father was in the hospital—were flying over today with a friend of Vorto's to set up for a raid the day after tomorrow. The second group was the non-powered Interpol and military that made this trip officially sanctioned. We were supposed to all go over together originally, but there had been a delay on the bureaucratic side of things. As is, the backup would arrive after the majority of the fighting.

Everett frowned. "If you're sure..."

Auxiliary nodded.

"Alright. We'll see you then. Hopefully, we'll have everyone tied down before you arrive." A hint of a grin crept onto his bearded face when he continued, "By the way, what's with all the glowsticks? I'm not one to kink shame, but..."

I snorted a laugh before I could cover my mouth and continued laughing even then. Randal nearly choked on his potato salad, and Tracy's eyes went huge.

"Hardy har har." Auxiliary rolled his eyes and turned away with his plate.

"My work here is done! Come on, kid. Don't want to keep Mark waiting." Everett patted me on the back.