Page 13 of Archenemies

“Don’t.” Simon held up a hand. “This is non-negotiable.”

“Are you saying that as my dad, or my boss?”

“Both, and also as someone who cares for Ruby and Danna. They need time to recover, Adrian.”

“Fine, then let me, Nova, and Oscar be a part of it.”

Simon scratched the dark whiskers on his chin. “Is this going to be Nightmare all over again?”

“We found Nightmare, didn’t we?”

“You almost got killed.”

“Yeah. I’m a superhero, Pops. How many times haveyoualmost gotten killed? And you don’t hear me complaining about it.”

Simon groaned good-naturedly. “What now? Why do you care about Hawthorn? It was just another mission, Adrian. You guys stopped six of the seven perpetrators. We got backmostof the medicine they took. You did well.”

“I like to finish what I start.”

“Is that all?”

Adrian drew back. “What do you mean?”

“I just wonder if maybe you’re trying a bit too hard to prove yourself these days, after what happened at the carnival.”

Adrian scowled. He hated being reminded of how he had failed at the carnival. True, he had found the Anarchist known as Nightmare, but he had also allowed the Detonator to play him like a pixilated character in an old video game. He had replayed those moments with the Detonator a thousand times in his mind, trying to figure out what he could have done differently to stop her. His hesitation had allowed the Detonator to set off two bombs, resulting in dozens of innocent people being hurt, and Adrian couldn’t help feeling responsible for each and every one of them.

It was Nova who had shot and killed the Detonator, putting an end to her terrorism. If Nova hadn’t been there, Adrian didn’t know what might have happened. He should have done more to stop her. He should have figured out sooner that killing the villain would deactivate the explosives.

Maybe it was because he had the Gatlon code authority echoing in his thoughts.Killing an adversary should always come as a last resort.

Nova had recognized that they were at the last resort. She did what needed to be done.

Why hadn’t he?

“I’m sorry,” said Simon, squeezing Adrian’s shoulder. “That was thoughtless of me. You and Nova both handled yourselves well, given the circumstances. I’m sorry you couldn’t save Nightmare, but no one regrets that we no longer have to worry about the Detonator.”

“SaveNightmare?”

Simon lifted an eyebrow. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Adrian’s shoulder jerked and Simon dropped his hand. “I wanted information on my mother and her murder. I thought Nightmaremight have that information. It had nothing to do withsavingher. So she’s dead—it’s not exactly a tragedy.”

“Right. That’s what I meant. And I know… regardless of who she was and the things she’d done, her death was a disappointment to you. To all of us, if she truly did have information that would have solved Georgia’s murder.”

Disappointmentdidn’t begin to describe how Adrian felt at losing that tenuous connection to his mother’s killer. He knew Nightmare wasn’t the murderer—she was far too young for that—but he was convinced that she had known who it was. Even now, months after he had fought Nightmare on the rooftop overlooking the parade, her words often echoed through his head.

One cannot be brave who has no fear.

The same words that had been found on a small white card on his mother’s body, after she fell seven stories to her death.

“Yeah, well, I’m not giving up on finding my mother’s killer. Nightmare was an Anarchist. If she knew something, then maybe another Anarchist will, too, or another villain who was around at the same time.”

“Someone like Hawthorn?”

Adrian didn’t try to disguise his bemused grin. “Was she around back then? I haven’t had time to confirm that yet.”

Simon lifted a finger, nearly jutting it against Adrian’s nose. “I’m only going to say this once, Adrian. Do not try to go after Hawthorn by yourself. Or any of the Anarchists, for that matter. You understand? It’s dangerous.”

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