Page 55 of Archenemies

“The storage room?”

Adrian pushed up his glasses. “Ifstorageis code for ‘Adrian’s random drawing stuff,’ then yes.”

“I think he means the room we planned on using for storage,” said Simon, appearing behind Adrian with a bowl of popcorn, “but we didn’t end up needing it.”

“Yep, that’s the one. So, can I paint it?”

Simon flopped onto the sofa, propping his feet on the coffee table. “Fine by me.”

“Cool. Any idea where I can find acrylic paint by the gallon?” As soon as he had asked it, he held up his hand. “You know what? Never mind. I have an old box of pastels down there. I can make my own paint.”

“Why do I get the feeling we’re not talking about a neutral beige in an eggshell finish?” said Hugh.

Adrian grinned. “Does it make a difference?”

“Well, no, not really.”

“That’s what I thought. Thanks!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” said Hugh, muting the television. “This conversation is not over.”

Adrian paused, one foot already out the door. “It’s not?”

Hugh sighed. “Fifteen minutes ago you were ready to lead a full-scale manhunt for Nightmare, and now you’re painting aroom? Why don’t you take twenty seconds and tell us what it is you’re doing?”

Adrian bristled. “Well, I’mnotgoing after Nightmare, or Hawthorn, for that matter, or even running off for patrol duty, given that my team is still waiting for our reinstatement request to be approved. So I have to keep myself busy somehow, right?”

“Adrian,” said Simon, the word a warning. Hugh appeared equally irritated, and for some reason, Adrian had a flashback to his mom, all those years ago, giving him that stern look and a pointed finger and insisting that hedrop that attitude, young man.

He deflated fast. “I’m painting a mural.”

Hugh’s eyebrows rose with interest. “A mural?”

“Yeah. It’s still a pretty new idea. So can I…?” He gestured toward the foyer.

Simon cast Hugh an exasperated glance. “When did he become such a teenager?”

“Adrian,” Hugh said, digging a handful of popcorn from Simon’s bowl, “we just want you to talk to us for a minute. You’ve seemed distant since… well, since Cosmopolis Park.”

Though it wasn’t said like an accusation, Adrian couldn’t help feeling defensive.He’dbeen distant? They were the ones always busy trying to govern the entirety of the civilized world.

But he knew better than to say that. “You guys have been busy. With the fallout from the Detonator and the big Agent N announcement and everything, I didn’t want to bother you.”

“You never bother us,” said Simon. “You’re always our top priority, no matter what else we’re dealing with. I know we haven’t been giving you much attention lately, but it doesn’t mean we haven’t noticed how you’ve changed.”

Adrian felt the prickle of tattoos imprinted on his body. “I haven’t changed,” he insisted.

The comment earned a snort frombothdads. He scowled at them.

“How are things going with you and Nova?” said Hugh.

Adrian gawked at him and, for the first time, began to regret coming up here. He should have just gone ahead and done the painting. It’s not like they ever went down there. He probably would have grown up and moved out before they discovered it. But no—he was trying to be responsible, and this is what he got. “What do you mean?”

“Are you two… dating?”

When Adrian returned his question with a somewhat horrified stare, Hugh raised his palms. “We are allowed to ask that, aren’t we?”

“Nova’s a friend,” Adrian said quickly, to get it over with. “We’re fine. I don’t want to talk about it.”

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