A- Villain

Chapter 14 - Not a bumblebee

I don't waste another second. As I bolt out of the Fro Zone, my mind races with possibilities of what could've already happened to Emily. Has she been interrogated? Tortured? Lord, I just hope she's still alive!

As I rush to my car, I realize I can't go save Emily. Not as Beckett Coleman, and definitely not as the guy dressed in all black that kidnapped her. That wouldn't go over well. The only way I can save Emily is by going in as her new sidekick, Switch. Ironically, she trusts that alter ego of mine. It's the only way I can rescue her logistically. The villains in The Undergrounds won't recognize me, and if I'm lucky they'll think I'm just a new villain looking for some training. I saw many unfamiliar villains loitering around, so maybe I'll blend right in.

As for Jenga, I think she'll rejoice at the sight of me. I'll be the one sidekick that will finally come to her aid. With my powers, I can make the cell's power disablers malfunction at the snap of my fingers. If all else fails, I can always create a power outage.

I'm driving back to my apartment to get my Switch suit when it occurs to me that I have no idea how to get Jenga/Emily back to her dorm without it dawning on her that I know where she lives. But would she even tell me where she lives? That would blow her cover. Then again, if she has any recollection of what day it is, she may feel like she needs to rush to get ready for Beckett's arrival to pick her up. But she doesn't know Switch is Beckett...

This just got a lot more complicated.

Dude, you need to calm down.

As if telling myself to calm down would actually help me calm down.

With a deep, dramatic sigh, I finally collect myself and try to push away the anxiety attacking my whole being right now. Yup, I'm just going to tuck it away. (It doesn't really work that way, but hey, fake it 'til you make it, right?)

Finally, I arrive at my apartment, and I realize I have yet another problem. Noah's car is still parked in the lot because he's not leaving until later tonight. I'm just going to have to act natural and shove my super suit in with a bunch of clothes to make it look like I forgot my bag.

I hasten up the steps to the apartment door, and barge in after I unlock the door. Calm, Beck, be calm.

"Don't worry, it's just Beck!" I call out to Noah, who is blasting music from his bedroom. I scurry off to my room, hoping to avoid him at all costs.

"Oh really? I thought the neighbor's cat broke in again." Noah retorts sarcastically. I begin tearing apart my room in search of my super suit.

"Nah, I finally got him a key since he likes us so much." Where did I put that freaking suit?!?

Suddenly Noah appears at my door, leaning against the door frame in his khaki shorts and t-shirt. I try not to seem frazzled by his appearance, but I don't know if that's really in my skill set. "What're you doing back? I thought you would've already been headed down the road with Emily by now."

As my mind races trying to figure out where I might've left my suit, I keep getting stuck on something Noah just said. He doesn't know about Emily being gone. Why would Jessie continue to keep that from him when I've been out frantically searching for her this whole time?

Just in case there's a good reason, I decide to keep it from him too. Besides, why would I have a justified reason to be back at the apartment, packing a bag, if I was to be out looking for Emily? I don't know what Jessie's reasoning is, but I know I can't tell him.

I finally shake my head, "I forgot my duffel bag. I can't seem to find it, either." I rub the back of my neck, and then I see it - the bright blue suit with a dazzling white lightning bolt zigzagged across the chest. It's hanging up in my closet, and I can only see it because the closet door is slightly ajar.