Page 21 of Supernova

So instead he paced. Back and forth. Past the fake potted plants. The tables full of fashion and celebrity magazines—one, he noticed,had his dads’ faces in a small box on the cover, but Adrian didn’t read the headline. Nothing mattered right now except Max.

Sweet rot, why wasn’t he back there with him?

It felt like hours before finally,finally,Hugh emerged through the swinging double doors, a smile plastered across his face. Hope surged through Adrian’s veins. Simon launched to his feet.

“He’s going to be okay,” said Hugh.

It was all he managed to say before they were embracing one another. Hugh pulled Adrian against him, squeezing tight around his shoulders, and then Simon had his arms around them both. Adrian fought to hold back the tears of relief that threatened to spill over. He ducked away, letting his dads hold each other a moment longer while he gathered himself.

“The doctor says he’s been through the worst now,” Hugh continued, his voice rough with emotion. “They expect a full recovery, though there will be a scar that I’m sure he’ll be proud to show off for the rest of his life. And Max is… He’s good. Weak still, but good. He’s in high spirits. If things weren’t in such disarray at headquarters, we could probably take him back by the end of the month.”

“Headquarters?” said Adrian, spinning to face them. “He can’t go back to headquarters.”

“Not anytime soon, obviously,” said Hugh, running a hand through his blond hair. “It will take a while to rebuild the quarantine. He’ll just have to stay put until then, but I know the staff here is going to keep him comfortable. They say he’ll be able to move to a new room in a few days, one that’s intended for longer-care patients.”

“Hold on,” said Adrian. “The quarantine? You’re going to rebuild the quarantine?”

Hugh and Simon stared at him, baffled. “Well… of course we are,” said Simon. “He can’t stay at the hospital forever.”

Adrian shook his head. “No. You can’t!”

“What are you talking about?” said Hugh. “What did you think would happen?”

Adrian stepped back. “I just thought…”

Whathadhe thought would happen once Max was able to leave the hospital? That he could come home to the mansion? That he could share the basement with Adrian, be brothers for real?

That wasn’t possible. Not with Simon living under the same roof.

But to go back to the quarantine?

“This can’t be the only option. He hates the quarantine. And now that we don’t need him for Agent N—”

“We still need to protect him,” said Simon. “He’s a threat to prodigies everywhere, which means he can be targeted anytime.”

“Or weaponized against us,” added Hugh. “And it’s dangerous for him to be out in the world. You’ve seen the trouble we’ve had to go through just to make sure no prodigy healers accidentally wander past his room while he’s here. No. It’s safer for him at headquarters, where we can keep an eye on him.”

Adrian’s heart thumped, as if reminding him of the immunity tattoo inked onto his chest. He swallowed hard. His dads still didn’t know about the tattoos. They would ask questions, demand to know more—and all those questions and demands could tread too closely to the truth of his alter ego.

But an idea had been brewing in his thoughts for months now and was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. What if he could tattoo other prodigies? What if he could give Simon immunity against Max? Not just Simon, but his friends. Nova, Ruby, Oscar, Danna…

He didn’t know if it would work, but there was a chance.Didn’t he owe it to Max to find out?

Just considering it made his pulse drum faster. Because what if his dads discovered his secret? What would they do if they knew he was the Sentinel?

He felt sick to his stomach at his own selfishness, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to tell them.

I will,he thought.If there’s no other way to keep Max out of that quarantine, then I’ll tell them.

“It might be safer at headquarters,” Adrian admitted, “but it’s not better. He’s a ten-year-old kid. He deserves to have a life.”

Simon sighed, while Hugh started to rub his temple. “I’m sorry this is so upsetting to you, but I don’t know what else you expect us to do. And honestly, Adrian, we’ve already made our decision.”

“He’s my brother! I deserve to be a part of this conversation. Hell,hedeserves to be a part of this conversation.”

“You’re both too young to understand everything at stake here,” said Hugh.

“But we’re not too young to risk our lives fighting crime every day? Max wasn’t too young to be taken into battle against Ace Anarchy when he wasa year old? You’ve been controlling him for his entire life, and this is… You can’t do this to him again.”

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