With his usual flourish, Captain dropped from the ceiling and floated almost soundlessly to the floor.

Satellite grit her teeth. "What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" Captain tsked in mock disappointment. "Especially after I haven't seen you around in a while. Let me tell you that made for a nice change."

"We're not friends." Of course, he had noticed her absence too. No one had been stopping his raids after all. He must have been filthy rich by now.

"True enough," he said lightly before walking over to the stack of gold bars. He picked up one of them, incidentally the one Thorne picked up too, Satellite noticed. "But this right here is definitely a friend of mine."

"Put it back."

"Put it back," he mimicked her in a high-pitched voice. "Is that everything you can say? Put that back. Stop stealing. Give me the Lunar papers." He sighed but there was humour etched to the corner of his mouth. "Makes me almost miss your grand speeches."

Satellite was glad her mask hid most of her face as she could feel her cheeks burn in embarrassment.

When she started out as a superhero, costume ready and with ideas of justice and "with great powers come great responsibilities" filling her head, Satellite had taken to big entries and even bigger speeches.

In hindsight, she could admit they had been cheesy.

Like, a lot.

But she had been so excited to be a superhero! So she had dropped in on evil Lunars, thieves, robbers, traffic violators and had given them flowery speeches about justice and punishments and maybe two or three guidelines on how to become a lawful citizen.

Unfortunately for her, she had first faced off Captain while she had still been using those speeches. And he wasn't impressed by the "dorky superhero wannabe" that clearly stole a few lines here and there from Spiderman comics, Sailor Moon and a few Superman movies.

Compared to Red or Mechanic, or even Wolf and Android, Satellite hadn't been the coolest superhero.

There was a reason Satellite had the more ... nerdy fanbase.

"What are you doing here?" Cress asked again.

"What? Can a concerned citizen not check in on the damage those robbers have done?"

"You mean, you wanted to check what they left behind so you could take it."

He tapped his nose with a gloved finger. "You know me pretty well. Maybe I should be worried that you keep such a keen eye on me? Not that I blame you. But you always following me around and figuring out my next moves? I already told you, as flattering as it is, I'm already taken."

That thought was off-putting. "That poor girl." Either a fool who didn't know any better or someone who was just as evil and annoying as him.

"Don't be jealous. You're still my number one nemesis."

"Great."

Captain casually walked through the stacks of gold, not invisible but incorporeal before leaning casually against the wall. "So, as much as I fancy seeing you, weren't you looking for someone?"

Oh stars, she had forgotten about Thorne. She whirled around as if looking for him again, would make him suddenly reappear. "What have you done to him?"

"What me? I haven't done anything. I told you he wanted to get away from you."

"He did not. He was very grateful that I was here to protect him."

"You don't say?" She couldn't see his expression behind his mask but the mocking tone in his voice was unmistakable.

"Oh yes. We were ... hostage buddies," she said, using the term Thorne had used.

"Really? I doubt it." He pushed back against the wall, walking up to her, so close that she had to look up at him. Oh, how she hated that. "I bet you don't even know his name."

Satellite bit her lips. Of course she knew his name, but after all, Thorne hadn't told her his name and revealing that wouldn't be a smart move. Which meant Captain thought he was right, as much as it irked her.

"See? I tell you, the poor guy-"

"Wait? How do you know it was a guy?"

"Ah." The smirk he gave her was infuriating. "Busted. Alright, alright. So I went to see how everything was going, phasing nicely into the vault. Poor guy came up to me, going, "Please, Mr Captain, sir, save me' And I was like-" he puffed out his chest comically and deepened his voice- "'Of course, buddy, what do you need saving from? Omegas? Bombs? Your devilishly good looks?' But no, all he needed was saving from, and I quote-" he took a deep breath-" a pestering little superhero who is way too goodie-two-shoes, certainly doesn't deserve her set of fine, if mostly useless powers and who desperately needs to get laid. His words, words not mine," he quickly said, raising one of his hands as if swearing an oath.

"Screw you!"

"Oh that's what it's about? He was right about you needing to get laid then. Sorry but you can have this"- he gestured to his body in a cocky fashion-" only in your dreams." When she didn't reply, Captain shrugged. "Maybe I took a few liberties with his words after all. But the point is, I obviously took pity on him and rescued him."

Satellite stayed silent.

"Oh come on, he's safe. That's good right? See, I did the whole hero-schtick. Which should be your job, come to think of it." He circled her, his whole posture smug. "Now, why didn't you save him? Or yourself, for that matter?"

She would bite off her tongue before she told him that her powers didn't work. "I was on it."

"Really?"

"Yes." Satellite was close to reveal her newfound teleporting abilities but that would give him an advantage. This way she could use her powers strategically against him if needed.

He obviously didn't believe her. "Sure thing. Now, do you want me to rescue you?"

Satellite grit her teeth. If she didn't want him to know about her being able to teleport, she probably had to ask for his help.

In all fairness, it wouldn't be the first time. Her set of powers was different than his and while he didn't have any combative powers either, he could get out of risky situations easily. It had happened before that she had been cornered or surrounded and Captain had swooped in to get her out of danger.

But that didn't mean she had to like it. "I guess."

"What was that?" He leaned towards her, overdramatically putting a hand to his ear. "I couldn't hear the magic word."

"I hate you."

"Nah, that's not it. You know for a superhero you're not very polite." He leaned in so close that she could smell his almost-familiar scent. "Come on, it's not that hard."

"Yes, help me ... please," she pressed out between her teeth.

"Now, there's a good girl," he preened. Then he held out his hand towards her. "Okay, let's get us out of here."

"Umm." Satellite stared at his outstretched hand. It was silly but the thought of holding Captain's hand ... it felt almost too intimate without her being able to pin-point why.

It was silly of course. They were both wearing gloves. But still, the gesture itself felt strange.

Captain faltered for a second. "I need you to hold onto me, otherwise I can't phase us both out of here."

"I know." And with a sigh, Satellite took the offered hand. Then Captain pulled her closer so that she was almost squashed to his chest. "Hey!" She shoved him away.

"Sorry, can't help it if you don't want to be carried around like a dead weight. No worries, it will be over soon."

As if this day couldn't get any worse.

Knowing that arguing was futile, she stepped back closer to him.

Satisfied once she was secured in his arms, Captain floated up towards the ceiling.

Wiggling with her feet, once they lost connection to the ground, she threw him a little off balance. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. He didn't have the tightest grip on her, as if he didn't want to get closer than necessary and for a second she worried he would just drop her but then -

- she lost her body.

There was no other way to describe it.

She lost every nerve pathway and every cell in her body, while her consciousness remained as sharp as ever, rebelling against the unnatural sensation.

Even teleporting hadn't been like that. There she had to follow in the structured paths of the digital world.

This was chaos.

And she wondered how Captain could handle it or if that came with his powers.

There was the faintest feel of them pushing through the ceiling and the warmth coming off Captain's body, that alone anchored her a little.

And finally, they were through and in one of the hallways. When Captain let go of her, Satellite fell to her knees, still dizzy.

"Hey." She felt a hand slightly squeezing her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

She didn't trust herself to speak yet so she just nodded.

The hand rubbed a steady rhythm on her back, surprisingly comforting. "It's harder because the walls of the vault are so thick and the materials they used are harder and denser than in your typical buildings. If you're not used to it ..."

"It's okay." Satellite took a few steadying breaths and gingerly stood up. Checking of her powers were finally working again (they did), she quickly formulated a few messages to the police waring them of the bombs before turning around to Captain. "Thanks." She said it begrudgingly but nevertheless, she was grateful for his help.

He struck a funny pose. "Always here to save damsels in distress."

Satellite ignored that. "The hostage, you promise me he is safe?"

He turned serious again. "I promise. He's fine."

Satellite nodded. "Good." So Thorne was safe and maybe he was already on his way home. But as much as she wanted to meet him there - as Cress, not as Satellite - she had something else to do first.

Superhero duties.

Tracing the phones of the robbers was child's play. She located them driving north away from the city center.

"Let's move." Captain said beside her and pointed to one of the doors that were leading to the stairway.

Satellite was surprised. Was he going to help her catch the robbers? First saving Thorne, then herself, and now this?

She fell into step next to him and together, they ran up the stairs. Up and up they went, their Lunar powers giving them extra stamina. At least, Satellite knew she never had the same stamina as Cress before the eclipse changed her DNA.

Finally reached the top of the stairway and Captain pushed open the heavy door leading to the rooftop.

Satellite took a deep gulp of fresh air. Only now that she could see the vastness of the city, the outline of the skyline and the blue line of the oceans did she realise how claustrophobic the vault had felt.

Captain stretched his limbs with a content sigh too. "Aah, freedom. I'll never get tired of it."

Despite herself, Satellite had to smile. Who would have thought that they would ever agree on anything?

But when she turned around, Captain gave her a two-fingered salute. "So, see you around I guess?" He sauntered over to the edge of the rooftop.

"Wait?!" Captain turned to her, his head cocked in curiosity. "I thought you would come and catch the robbers with me?"

He guffawed "You thought I would-" He laughed harder and it took him a few moments to catch his breath. Satellite's cheeks turned warm in indignation. "I would catch the robbers? What has gotten into you? Me catching robbers? Have we met?"

"You saved us," Satellite argued but now she started for feeling foolish.

"I wanted to check what the robbers got out of their scheme. And what they left over for me. You and that guy were just there."

Satellite was more angry at herself than with him. She knew him, had never been fooled by who he was. So why she suddenly thought he would help her was beyond her.

He stopped laughing as if something occured to him. "Or wait. I can tag along and you do your thing - hold your speech, put them in prison, go on your merry way - and I will just take the loot."

As if. Cheeks still burning, she ran towards the edge of the rooftop and jumped onto the next one, and the next one, as quick as reckless, leaving Captain as far behind as she could.

She zig-zagged through the city, until she could be sure he wouldn't follow her.

Maybe she couldn't face Captain today. He always seemed to be one step ahead of her.

But she could make sure to catch those robbers.

With no lives on the line, the robbers were easy to catch.

One by one she got them.

First a few lackeys.

Then Jamal.

Finally, Kwende.

Jina alone was harder to track and even her Satellite had quickly cornered.

"You think you won?"

Satellite stepped closer, slowly making her way into the dark alley. "It's not about winning. It's about justice."

Jina sneered and for the first time, Satellite could see her clearly, as the robber had ditched her mask in the car, along with the weapons, money and the gold. "Justice? You're a bigger fool than I thought. It's about power, isn't it? You with your powers. You think you're invincible. Special, no?"

Satellite ignored her. "Give up now."

"Or what?" She smiled, not worried in the least. It was almost eerie. In a way, Satellite feared her more than back in the bank with her rifle ready to kill.

But then she reminded herself that there was no need.

Jina had no hostages, no leverage against her. She was cornered without a weapon and no powers.

Satellite charged.

Jina just stood there.

When Satellite reached her, she grabbed the thick vest the woman was wearing forcefully. "Do you surrender?"

"I don't think I will." But instead of attacking Satellite, Jina stayed motionless. Except for her lips that twisted even more into a smile.

There was the sound of trickling and Satellite's feet were suddenly heavy. When she looked down she saw sand pooling around her.

That hadn't been here before? It had been just an alley, full of concrete and garbage.

The vest in her hand suddenly felt limp and formless as if no shape was holding it up anymore.

And Jina ... dissolved into sand before her eyes!

"Oops," the other woman said mockingly but her neck and chin already dissolved into sand, her nose and eyes followed suit.

Too late, Satellite grabbed at Jina but it was if her body reached into a sandbox. And the sand continued trickling down, pooling around Satellite's feet and down a drain until not even a grain of sand was left of Jina.

A/N: Dun-dun-duuuun. The plot thickens. As always, thanks to kiminicricket for betareading.

Guys, I hope you and your families and friends are healthy. Please, stay safe.