Page 129 of Supernova

But then there were times when he seemed almost hopeful.

Always so unnervingly optimistic.

Being in Adrian’s presence had left her feeling about as strong as a slug in a salt bath. Now, with some distance, she tried to focus on the sounds of war outside their protective shell, and the prodigies who were gathered at her side, preparing to win the battle that would give them all a chance at a better life.

She was here, with Ace, and she was ready to fight, as she’d always intended to do. Soon this would be over and she could be at ease again. She could be herself. She could be the Nightmare the world feared.

“I will not wax poetic about our chances for victory,” said Ace, once everyone was present. “I know we will succeed. The Renegades will fall.” He spent some time questioning everyone on their respective roles. Had Cyanide prepared the necessary chemical reactions? Had Locksmith secured the eastern entrances? And on and on until he met Nova’s eyes. At that moment, there was no familial gentleness in his expression, only an intensity that stopped Nova’s heart.

“I will commence negotiations once the Council have revealed themselves. Is our leverage ready?”

She gulped. The leverage was Adrian. He was an asset now, a bargaining chip. Just as Ace had always known he would be. Formonths he had encouraged Nova to get close to Adrian, knowing he could be used against his fathers.

Somehow, she’d never pictured it coming to this, though she probably should have.

The words caught in her throat, and it was Honey who answered for her. “He’ll be ready.”

Ace held Nova’s gaze another moment, before nodding. “Take your positions and await my signal.”

They dispersed. Nova dreaded going back to Adrian, to again be accosted by those looks of hope sprinkled with loathing. She was relieved when Narcissa jogged up to her in the cloister, clutching a stack of familiar comics.

Relieved for half a second, before Honey called back to her, “I’ll go ahead and check on the prisoner. You take your time, sweetness.”

Bile rose up in Nova’s mouth, thinking of Honey and that stiletto knife. But it wasn’t her concern, she told herself, fighting every instinct to chase after her.

Adrian was no longer her concern.

Burying her apprehension, she turned back to Narcissa. “Glad to see you stayed.”

“Yeah, well…” Narcissa kicked at the stone floor. “I promised the Rejects I’d help them secure a better future for themselves. We haven’t accomplished that yet.”

“You’re right,” said Nova, a little darkly. She wondered if any of them, when they’d been plotting their revolution, had foreseenthis.

“You know now, don’t you? About the Sentinel?”

Nova tensed. “Yes,” she said slowly. “You knew already?”

“That’s what I wanted to show you the other day.”

Narcissa started to flip through one of the comics, but a particularly loud explosion above the barrier made her jump and she droppedthe stapled pages. They fell at Nova’s feet. When she stooped to pick up the comic, the air caught in her lungs. The pages had opened to the final spread. It showed the main character, the young boy known as Rebel Z, as he transformed into a superhero. The superhero he needed to become in order to seek vengeance on the mad scientist.

In the image, he was donning an armored suit, one that was remarkably like the Sentinel’s.

Nova examined the picture, wondering if this would have changed anything if she’d seen it before the attack on the arena. She wondered if it changed anything now.

“The comics are actually pretty good,” said Narcissa. “It’s a shame he never finished the story.”

Nova swallowed, wondering if it was okay for her to hope that maybe someday he’d get a chance to. “Thanks for showing me this,” she said. “But you were right before. It doesn’t change much at this point.”

Nova started to head back to the chapel where Adrian—kind, righteous Adrian—was shackled to a cold altar, but as she rounded the nearest corner, she crashed into Honey Harper. Without pretense, Honey plucked the comic book out of Nova’s hand.

“Hey!” said Nova, too late to grab it back as Honey spun out of reach and started making her way down the corridor, flipping through the pages.

“So this is what’s caused so much interest between you and the mirror girl?” said Honey, turning the pages this way and that, inspecting the drawings with an air of derision. “What is it, exactly?”

“It’s… nothing,” stammered Nova. “Give it back, Honey.”

“I take it our young artist drew it,” she continued, ignoring Nova. “Must have been a while ago. He’s certainly improved, hasn’t he?” She chuckled. “Not that I can do any better.”

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