The following morning, Demetria had woken up to Riley's music blaring through her earbuds. Sitting up, the woman groggily threw her pillow at her young roommate. Riley let out a small shriek, before tossing the pillow back.
" Please don't tell me you're hungover..." Riley inquired.
In all honesty, Demetria felt like she was. Only, she barely consumed any alcohol while she had been at the club. Her whole body ached the same way she had felt on the first day of training, and all the young woman wanted to do was sleep.
As the events of last night played over in her head, a smile crept onto the brunette's face. She and the twins were Supers. Riley looked at Demetria, then scrambled to bring the trash can closer to her roommate. "Oh god, try and get it in there but please go to the bathroom if you need to throw up."
" I'm not hungover, Riley. Just… thinking about last night."
Riley held her hands up as she backed away from Demi. "Erm… okay. Do I… want to know?"
The brunette looked over at the young girl. If only she could tell her! It would be nice to be able to let loose in their dorm. At least add some color to the drab room they share… .
"I… can't exactly tell you, kiddo. Sorry." Demetria
The brunette stretched her arms out. The bruises and gash on her chin had healed already. It was a nice perk to her powers that she healed pretty quickly. Lani's wasn't wrong about sunlamps helping either, sunlight really did help speed up her healing. She also felt her powers stronger when it was clear and sunny out. Demetria was like a walking talking plant.
Riley shut her laptop, putting it away on her desk. " If you're not hungover, that means I don't have to worry about leaving you alone right?" Demetria shook her head. "I'll be fine, don't worry."
The younger girl smiled. "Good! Mirage wants me to start that 'initiate' part of our training today. Apparently the Agent who's going to watch over me wants to start teaching me early, and they believe I can handle that and the initial training at the same time."
"Oh. That's… That's great actually. But… they're starting you on the weekend? You're not upset you don't get to take the weekend to rest?"
Riley shook her head. "Nope! I'm bored out of my mind here, and I'm supposed to be learning how to make inventions and gadgets and that sounds like so much fun!" The girl looked at the clock. "Ah! I have to go or else I'll be late meeting Mirage." With that, Riley ran out the door.
Demetria shook her head with a soft smile. Riley sure was something. In the short week that they had known each other, Demi already felt as if the younger girl was the little sister she never got to have. The girl was such a giant nerd, and it was just adorable. Hopefully she enjoy that jumpstart on the initiate level she's getting.
Standing, the brunette decided it would be best to get some breakfast and regroup with the twins. They had a lot to talk about, after all.
"Do you really think we should tell Mirage we know?" Lani stirred granola into her yogurt as she spoke.
"Of course we should! " Jordan spoke up.
"Yeah, but what if that isn't the secret that you two are supposed to find out about each other?" The taller twin chewed on a bit of granola before speaking again, "Besides, it's great you two have something to bring to her, but I still don't know anything about my partner. Hell, I can't even pin her down long enough to even read her mind." The last bit was spoken in a whisper, for obvious reasons.
"Hey, I offered to help you." Jordan pointed out.
At that, Lani just let out a long sigh. "Yes, but the point is that we're supposed to figure it out on our own. You figured out Demetria's!"
"Hey, I was clueless about Jordan's until you told me," Demetria pointed an accusatory spoon at the larger of the twins. "Speaking of which, with your line of thinking… Jordan and I are the ones who get to decide whether to tell Mirage."
"I vote we do." Jordan smiled.
"I do too! Oh, would you look at that I guess we are." Demetria smiled as Lani took a much grumpier bite of granola.
"You're both terrible." Lani grumbled.
"Oh I see what this is about." Jordan placed a gentle hand on his sisters' shoulder.
Demetria didn't need to be a mind-reader to know what the male twin was getting at.
"You can always go with us, you know. You already know, and you are both twins. It might actually come as more of a shock if you didn't go with us." Demetria pointed out "Besides, then you'll get to see Mirage~" she teased.
"Fiiine, you sold me. When are we going?" Lani asked
"Let us finish breakfast then we'll go. Besides, Riley had to see Mirage too so she might be busy for a bit." Demetria spoke, before finishing the rest of her cereal.
Demetria had to admit, she was nervous. A million thoughts were flying through her head as she walked with the twins to Mirage's office. What if they ask how they figured it out? Would she get in trouble for using her powers at the club last night? It was self defense, but what if the NSA doesn't see it like that? What about the other recruits, were they Supers too?
The trio had discussed all of this during breakfast, and yet Demetria couldn't help but feel unprepared for what may happen once they talk to Mirage.
Once they arrived, the door was open, Mirage sitting at her desk combing through a file on her desk. Demi couldn't help but admire Mirage's office. It was plain, but spotless. Aside from a single framed photo on her desk, there were no signs that this was an actual office. It looked more like a photo from one of those furniture catalogues her father always had in the house.
Demetria glanced back to Mirage, who had just now noticed the trio. The woman looked up with a small smile.
"I'm assuming you three must need to discuss something important to come this early in the morning." The silver-haired woman spoke.
The trio gave each other one last glance before giving her a nod. "It's about the task you gave all of us." Jordan informed.
"Of course, close the door behind you. Though, I only see three of you here, I'm assuming you're only here for support Yolanda?"
Lani's face turned red as she gave a nod. The female twin suddenly became very interested in making sure the door was closed.
"Well then, take a seat please, make yourselves comfortable."
Demetria and Jordan sat in the two chairs in front of Mirage's desk, both trying to find the right words. Mirage had her hands folded in her lap, sitting prim and proper as she waited. An uncomfortable silence fell. Finally, Demetria decided to speak up.
"We know that the task was for us to figure out we were Supers."
A devilish smile crept onto Mirage's normally poised and elegant visage. "Ah, so you've figured it out."
The trio released a collective breath they had been holding. So that was what the assignment was about.
"You're the first one's to figure it out. Or at least the first who have come to me about it." Mirage admitted. " Now, all I ask is that you three keep it amongst yourselves for now. The others still need to figure it out on their own. " Mirage scribbled something in a notepad before looking in Lani's direction. " And Yolanda? Unfortunately this means you must let your partner come to you about her suspicions. If she figures it out you are free to inform her, but you must make me aware that she knows." Lani gave a small nod in response.
"Now" Mirage's devilish grin came back, "I'm sure you two are itching to know why the agency has decided to bring your group together. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you why currently, but when the time is right, I will. Are there any questions aside from that?"
The trio exchanged glances before saying no.
"Alright, you three are dismissed then. Remember, don't-" Mirage was interrupted by her phone ringing. The woman seemed surprised, quickly picking it up. Her eyes widened at whatever words were spoken to her. She picked up a remote and a screen opened showing a news broadcast.
"Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible are in custody-" A click to another broadcast.
"Millions were stolen by an assailant calling himself the 'Underminer'. "
Demetria stared hard at the tv, as images of her Aunt and her family trying to stop a giant drill appeared. 'They can't catch a break, can they? I hope they're alright…'
"I'll inform the recruits, sir." Mirage's tone was solemn before she hung up the phone. She took a deep breath, massaging her temples before addressing the trio.
"Change of plans. I need you to gather the other recruits. I'll explain what's going on to all of you then." Standing, the woman led them out of her office. As she hastily headed down another hallway, The trio shared concerned glances with each other.
Mirage stepped into the recruit's common room with Riley, who rushed to Demetria's side. The younger girl looked visibly upset, but before Demi could ask Mirage had quieted the room to speak.
"It is with my deepest regrets to inform you all that the program is being shut down."
A few 'what's?! And 'why's?!' erupted from the group before she continued.
"Due to an...incident earlier today, the government feels it is no longer necessary to keep the NSA running." Mirage seemed to be debating something before she kept going. " Until we hear otherwise, you all will have to start preparing to head home. Arrangements are being made as I speak to provide transportation for all of you." She paused, before standing straighter. " It was an honor meeting all of you. I only wish that the laws keeping Superhero work illegal did not exist. You all could have done so much good as Supers."
With that, Mirage hurriedly left. A dead silence had fallen on the recruits as her words registered.
'No more NSA… Any chance of Super work is gone now. And now everyone knows why all of us were brought together.' Demetria looked to Riley, who looked ready to break down any second. She placed a reassuring hand on the girls shoulder. "Hey, it's going to be all just have to figure something else now." Riley threw Dem's hand off of her. "No, it's not! I'll be going back to foster care! I don't-I can't go back. "
'Foster care..?!' Demetria didn't hesitate with her next words. "You won't have to. I- Maybe I can take you with me. I won't let you go back, okay?" She was holding Riley's hand . The younger girl was fighting back tears as she looked up to Demi with teary baby blue eyes. It made Demetria realize just how young Riley really was. It reminded her of how Violet used to cry when she scraped a knee. The two were probably the same age. "You won't?"
Lani and Jordan had come over, both placing a reassuring hand on her shoulders. "We won't either. I'll harbor you as a stowaway if I have to." Lani assured.
"See? We'll probably be fighting over you if anything." Demi wiped a stray tear that rolled down her freckled cheeks.
Riley took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself. "Okay. I guess...we all need to start packing then."
From his office, Rick Dicker watched as the solemn recruits packed. He switched screens to another room, where Mirage was informing their repentant ex-villain.
"I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true. Fixing everything I've done… all the pain and tragedy…. It was never going to happen!" Pine banged his fist on the table. "What's going to happen to me now? Am I going to prison?"
"Technically… you were pronounced dead after the jet explosion. You don't even exist anymore." Mirage was kept a fair amount of distance from the man, keeping a serious, yet saddened face.
"I guess that's a small price to pay. How many Super's don't exist anymore because of me? " Pine's voice was quieter now.
"Don't start thinking like that again! You've made such great progress so far. You seemed so proud when you were mentoring Riley earlier."
Pine closed his eyes at Mirage's words. There was a long pause before he spoke again. "What's going to happen to that girl now? We both know how the foster care system is. I'm amazed Riley hasn't become bitter considering how long she's been there."
"I… don't know, Buddy. "
Dicker muted the audio. He searched through his desk, eventually pulling a card out. He stared hard at it before dialing the number.
"Winston? Yeah, I know it's been a while. I have a proposition. Thought you might be interested. It involves Supers.