R I V E R is just as smart as I thought. Almost too smart for this operation, as there are still many secrets I must keep. It can be exhausting trying to keep so many secrets from people, but I am used to it. It is all part of being able to execute perfect control over yourself.

Strangely enough, when I am around River, my sense of control seems to disappear. Habits I thought I have eradicated resurface and expressions I thought I had learned to repress flicker across my face.

Like I said, she is dangerous. Not because she has any abilities herself, but because she adapts to be able to combat people who do have them. She has already learned how to block telepaths and how to conduct tests to determine who is an innocent and who is not, all of her own accord. I found that out yesterday when she discovered my ability.

And what if she finds out I am marked as a villain? What would she do, what would she say? She is already so close to discovering my secret...after all, if you have abilities you can only be two things: a hero or a villain. It is only a matter of time before I am forced to reveal to someone what the ink on my wrist spells out. I only hope it isn't River, for her sake.

With training and homework done, I decide to head over and "visit" my mother at work, hoping to dig something up. I pull my hair back into a man bun and grab my car keys, heading out the front door and into the brisk autumn air. Though it is only the beginning of September, the temperature has already dropped enough so that it's sweater season.

I get into my car and start the ignition, peering quickly in the mirror and flashing a smile to prep for my performance at the company. My fake smile fades suddenly when I see a familiar face running up to my car from behind. She opens the door and slides in, grinning impishly.

"River? What are you doing here?" I manage to ask, blinking in surprise.

"You gave me your address to meet tomorrow, but I wanted to come with you. I didn't know if you'd left yet, and it looks like I caught you just in time," she replies breathlessly, looking down into her lap but still smiling. Her cheeks are rosy from the weather, framing her lovely face.

"Are you sure this is such a good idea?" I ask, rubbing the back of my neck. "I mean, no one knows you there. What are we gonna say?"

"Yeah," she flips down the passenger mirror and begins fixing her wind blown hair. "We can think of something. Like what's your story? I would say that we have to work together on a research project centering on her company or something."

"Oh," I shrug, about to run my hand though my hair before I realize it's up, so I let it drop onto the steering wheel and pull out of my driveway. "That's actually not a bad idea."

We are silent for a few minutes before River shuts the mirror and turns to look at me, her eyes bright. "So...man bun?"

"Yeah," I glance sideways at her, raising my eyebrows and glancing down at her shoes. "Heels?"

She blushes a bit as I mention that she is wearing pumps. "Well, that's the business casual style...right?"

I laugh and let my eyes drift back to the road, which is strangely devoid of the usual rush hour traffic. I frown as I scan the area, wondering what the matter could be.

River follows my gaze, looking thoughtful. "Where do you think everyone is? I mean this is Cross Street for crying out loud!"A few moments later she looks up from her phone, a worried expression on her face. "This road got closed a few moments after we got on...and up here there's a large mass of traffic. Something is going on, but no one seems to know what..."

My eyes widen as I see the giant traffic jam ahead and push the brakes. As we roll up to the cars the air is hazy and I squint to see. We come to a stop and and I open the car door, stepping out as River does the same on the other side.

"What in the world is going-" Rivers begins, but the smoke clears and answers her question.

Passerbys stand outside or inside their cars, staring up at the sky at two figures circling above. Although they are a bit too far away to make out completely, one of them is summoning a small cyclone and other is disappearing and reappearing every few seconds, circling the other.

By the looks of it, this is another hero versus villain battle. Just what we needed today, I sigh, rubbing my temples. Perfect.

"It's Cerulean," River says, pointing up at the air kinesis weilder. I nod. Her long, flowing blue cape should have given that away at once, but I don't usually pay attention to what people wear.

"And...Morph?" I ask, trying to peer more closely at the villain.

"I don't think so. He has invisibility and super jump abilities, so it appears to be The Flea," she replies as the figure jumps high into the air to avoid another whirlwind from Cerulean.

"Whew, that's gotta be at least eight stories," I give a low whistle as he soars into the sky again. "I wonder if that's a personal best?"

"Raven?" River yells suddenly, and I turn to watch her push through the crowd to get to the dark skinned curly haired girl I've seen at college. They hug and begin to talk, but I turn back to the fight.

The Flea doesn't have any natural tactical abilities, so all of his fighting techniques come from hours of practicing. Of course, Cerulean had learn to use her powers too, but she has an innate weapon that The Flea doesn't. Also she can fly, so there's already a disadvantage there.

The battle, if you can call it that, is over relatively quickly. Cerulean isn't a newbie, and she doesn't miss often. Of course, being invisible helps, but she is very alert. I think I read somewhere about her having a super sense ot something, but I'm not sure. River would probably know.

Soon the cars begin to move and I get back in, joined by River a few moments later. She looks very pensive and doesn't speak much as she watches Cerulean fly away after waving to the civilians. I find myself wondering if there were any other heroes in the crowd, wanting to help but maybe being afraid of compromising their secret identity.

It is my impression from certain conversations with my father that some heroes prefer to stay in the shadows, using their powers here and there to help, but never tasting the limelight like Cerulean. Some villains are like that as well, but it is unheard of to use your powers for good as a villain. I've heard from my mother that it actually physically hurts you to go against your mark, but I'm not sure that's true.

River sighs as she stares out the window. "Just think of all the good he could be doing with those powers."

"Well, there's no heroes without villains," I say quietly, echoing a saying I hear my mother repeat often to my father. River turns to look at me and I meet her eyes. "I know it's hard to understand, Riv, but there's a reason we're all not just heroes or innocents. I mean, what would heroes do all day if not bringing justice?"

"I don't know, end world hunger? Cure cancer, maybe? Is world peace too much to ask?" she frustratedly throws her hands in the air. "Sorry. It's just, they've been given incredible gifts, gifts innocents like me would appreciate greatly. But instead of using it to solve problems, they just create more."

I flick my left blinker on. "We're human, Riv. No one is perfect. Even without powers, there would still be villains and heroes. Corrupt politicians and immoral people too ambitious and hungry for power would still be a threat. Because isn't everything in the world a struggle for power? Any conflict at all is just struggle for power."

"Now you're getting all philosophical on me," a small smile plays across River's lips. "And did you just call me Riv twice, even after you defended me yesterday when Joe called me that?"

"Maybe," I chuckle. "I like it. I can just tell that Joe gets on your nerves."

"Well, I guess," she replies, shrugging. "It just kind of irks me that he thinks he call people whatever they want when he doesn't even know them that well."

We pull up to the building my mother works at and I park, then turn off the ignition. I turn to look at River for a moment, thinking hard. Her face is flushed and she has lost the rosy color in her cheeks.

"Are you alright?" I ask her. "You look a bit pale."

"It's just, Raven seemed so upset when I was talking to her. She said she hates both heroes and villains because of the potential they both have. I mean, I agree with her on the last part, but not about hating them. I'm more disappointed."

"I wonder what's made her so angry," I rub my chin thoughtfully. "But right now we have to focus on the task at hand. Are you ready?" I put out a hand.

With a determined look in her eye, she shakes my hand and nods. "I'm ready."

a u t h o r ' s n o t e

there will be two chapters released today because of the lack of an update last week. Sorry about that!
~Joybell