Page 21 of Fanning the Flames

“It has nice views of the city.”

It really did. Tall windows brought plentiful light to the modern concept space. The sun shimmered off glassy skyscrapers and highlighted the sculpture garden below.

A handsome bearded man behind the sleek black bar smiled at Perry. “Good afternoon, Mr. Barbosa. The usual?”

“Yes, thank you,” Perry said.

Sadie gave him a look. “How often do you come here?”

“Pretty often.”

“Now I know where you disappear to.”

She ordered a flat white—coffee was complimentary. “Wonderful,” the server said. “I’ll bring your food and drinks to you in just a moment.”

“Ooh, food?”

“They have excellent tapas,” Perry said.

“I love excellent tapas.”

They settled at a small table against the windows, which made Sadie laugh. “I didn’t use to like sitting next to big windows like this. At any moment, Breeze or Flight could come crashing through.”

“Flight still could,” Perry said.

“Did you know our city has so many buildings with glass designs because replacing panes of glass is easier than repairing structural damage?”

“That was part of the building codes they enacted after… When Friendship Park was developed.”

“After Big Quake destroyed all those buildings.”

He bristled at that. Nobody talked about when Big Quake took out an entire block downtown. Maybe ’cause it had been a long time ago. Maybe ’cause the Supers never officially apprehended him. He’d gone off the radar, leading most people to believe he’d been fatally wounded in the battle between him and the Supers.

“Were you around when that happened?” Sadie asked. “As you-know-who?”

“I didn’t start until after that.”

She’d been young—maybe nine years old—but she remembered that Big Quake was so bad, even the city’s other Villains at the time had disavowed him. His ability to manipulate the earth and rocks made him incredibly dangerous. He was a truly ruthless bad guy.

“Do you want to move?” Perry said.

“Nah. Let’s live dangerously.”

“Let’s discuss your future.”

Sadie slumped in her vinyl chair. “You make it sound like homework.”

He reached into his sport coat and pulled out several folded pieces of paper. “Have you visited the neighborhoods I suggested?”

“I lived in Knollwood Village for a year in my twenties. It was too neighborhood-y for me back then, but I do know it.”

“It has a large population of young professionals who work from home. They spend an average of twelve to fifteen hours a week at local coffeehouses.”

“I don’t disagree that it could be a good spot,” Sadie said. “But I think artsy, funky people are more my crowd.”

Perry set a sheet filled with data in front of her. “Then there’s the Jewel District.”

“That’s too far from home. I wouldn’t want that commute every day.”

---