When Lightning Strikes

Chapter 16 -- Someone has to be the renegade

Perhaps it was my new powers that sent a chill down my spine. In all honesty, who was I kidding? This news made me freeze in place.

"What do you mean?" Jonas speaks up in place of my lack of words.

Crossfire smirks, "I mean, when will Della become our hero again?"

Jonas is fuming, looking like he's ready to knock Crossfire out. He stands to his feet, and I'm suddenly very aware of the fact I would be in the middle of this fight. Crossfire stands as well, so do I, but only to back up against the wall. This could get ugly.

"Della is and always has been a hero. So she's adjusting to some changes, big whoop. She's still here for our town and more. For you to say she's not a hero is the the moment you prepare to die."

Whoa, Jonas. Calm down.

"You have nerve, kid. I could end you in a second. " He snaps his fingers for emphasis.

Jonas surprisingly does not back down. His eyes narrow towards Crossfire.

"Oh, really? Shall I exploit your real identity to Della, then?"

Why am I always the last to know things?

Crossfire glares at Jonas, his nostrils flaring and his teeth clenched. He faces me to see my reaction. I'm stunned.

"Della doesn't know me and neither do you." Crossfire doubts Jonas. Little does he know Jonas knows his whole game.

"But he does, Crossfire. He knows every move you make. So I'd be careful around him." I move over to their proximity, both of them watching me intently. I pace the floor.

Crossfire snaps, but not with anger. He begins to beg, almost. "Then why aren't you telling her who I am? Hm? Turn me in sooner?"

Jonas turns to face me, while looking back and forth at Crossfire.

"Because I'm not the one who should share your dirty little secret. You need to be the one to tell her. Also, I believe you can help us now more than ever." Jonas quirks an eyebrow at me for permission to make the deals. I'm not sure where he's going with this, but I don't know what to do with this villain gone soft. Jonas smiles, letting a slight laugh emerge from his lips. He fully faces Crossfire.

To think, Jonas was just hiding behind me 10 minutes ago.

"I'm not going to reveal your identity. As long as you help us train to defeat your so-called best friend."

"Training? How?" Crossfire stammers.

It's my turn to speak up, "Help me exploit his weak spots. I want to get around his mind control. If he doesn't want to be the bad guy, he had a weird way of showing it. He managed to put me in the hospital without laying a finger on me." I'm almost shouting at the traitor.

Crossfire draws in a deep breath, "Very well. We start tomorrow. Meet me here at 3:30 sharp." He goes to open the door when a question dawns on me.

"Why did you take us off the rooftop if you didn't know how to help us?"

Crossfire frowns with his hand on the doorknob. "Red Raven had just sent Shadow Soldier out of the building and I knew that he had been gone too long to come back empty handed. Red Raven was furious that Shadow Soldier took so long, so I went looking for him. I found you guys instead."

It was merely a coincidence that he saw us on the rooftop. He didn't seem to want anything to do with us. But here we were, safe and sound. Like I said before, there was just something about him I felt comfortable with.

Crossfire grabs onto us and flies us a couple blocks over to my house. The street lamps light the way to my home. Is it slightly creepy that all of these villains know where I live? Yes, very much so.

This time is a rough landing, and I almost fall over when he practically crashes into my front yard. Jonas helps me catch my balance and Crossfire dusts his hands off. "Well, I'm off. Someone around here has to be the renegade. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

He waves to us just as he bolts into the sky. Somehow I manage to get myself up the steps of my house. Jonas snaps out of his daze to assist me, but I'm already pulling on the doorknob. Here comes the screaming.

I swing the door open to find my parents standing in the living room. A lump forms in my throat, so I let them say what they need to first. They don't say a word, which is incredibly awkward. Jonas nudges me toward them, and they seem to snap out of their taciturn state of being.

"You left the hospital without our knowing?" Dad spits out first, completely baffled.

When I open my mouth to respond, mom beats me to it.

"Where did you go? Where have you been all this time? What did you do to your hair?!? It's one a.m. Della, you better get to explaining!" She's yelling at me. I want to close my eyes and turn invisible. I'm not a little kid anymore, though.

"Mom," I glance at Jonas, who hasn't said a word, "I think we all need to sit down and talk about something."

Dad grabs mom's hand before she screams at me any longer. She doesn't usually get a temper, but when she does, it's explosive.

Jonas sits beside me at the kitchen table, and I allow him to pat my back before we take our seats. Mom and dad sit across from us, anticipating our story.

"I'm going through a lot right now. Not, as in, my classes are hard, but personally going through something."

Mom blinks, unphased. Obviously I've been going through something. This wasn't a shock to her.

"There wasn't really any heroes in our town anymore, so I got really tired of no one being brave. I took it upon myself."

Dad looks like he's sweating profusely. Why is he so nervous?

"I'm not entirely sure how I got my powers, but I have them. That's all that matters to me. I can save people's lives. I can stop the danger Red Raven is causing."

"But at what cost?" Mom's voice is soft, but sharp.

Jonas perks up, "Didn't you hear her? She has powers!" Mom abruptly silences him.

"Jonas, I think you should head home. You've done enough for one day." She massages her temples, waiting for the sound of Jonas' chair to scrape across the floor.

He gives me a worried look just before he heads out. I wish I could leave this situation.

"Della, I want you to go to your room and get ready for bed."

"Mom, I'm not five years old-"

"Della, go to bed. It's been an exhausting day."

"Well, I agree, but I just needed-"

"Della Elaine Abram! I told you to do something! Do it!" There went the volcano.

My feet move quickly up the stairs, without using my super speed. Taking two steps at a time, I reach my room and slam the door.

I allow myself to drift off to sleep, knowing that I have to convince my parents I'm okay, that I'm going to take down Red Raven. They can't stop me. They won't.

They didn't seem startled that I was a super, however. Their calm faces when I told them I had powers disturbed me. Did they already know who I was?