In the Chief's Office Carmelita was sobbing, she may have been playing it up, but Rodolfo could see her and Pachita were genuinely uneasy. Unlike Manny, the two Rivera men knew the truth about the Aves family. It was pretty obvious considering Jorge was engaged to Pachita, you don't get engaged to another supervillain without knowing the other's secret identity.
For Rodolfo, it was in high school when he found out. he was dating Carmelita at the time, they were together a couple years, but he could not stay with her once he found out the truth, that his then-girlfriend was secretly a supervillain. when he asked his father about it, Jorge said one of the biggest rules about the superhero/villain community is you don't reveal the secret identities of others and added that Rodolfo had to find out Carmelita was Voltura on his own. This was the same reason they could not tell Manny that Zoe was Black Cuervo.
On the outskirts of the city, Manny was in an old telephone booth, getting the instructions as he finally hung up, holding the briefcase which contained the million dollars. the instructions were pretty clear, telling Manny to head up the Miracle City Volcano to the sign where he would receive the next set of instructions.
Walking through the night street of Miracle City Manny looked over his back to make sure he wasn't being followed, as the kidnapper said he come alone and he did not want to put his classmate's life in jeopardy, wishing he had his belt as he looked at his pants missing the trademark artifact.
The first thing to go through Manny's head was WHO would kidnap Zoe, he knew she was important but as far as he knew she had never been in danger before. the thought of his classmate being kidnapped made him nauseous. at least with Frida, she had experience with this kind of stuff, and she was good at distracting the villains who were just using her as bait, remembering how the blue-haired girl had her own cell at the abandoned prison which doubled as Sartana's hideout.
eventually Manny trekked up the volcano, wishing he had his chain claws and super stamina, he walked up to the sign, seeing a slip of paper held down by a rock. upon lifting the rock and reading the paper Manny followed instructions. Pressing a spot in the wall as the huge I in the Miracle City sign swung open as Manny walked in.
Once inside Manny recognized the location from some of his dad's photos and home movies, but Manny wasn't here to reminisce, calling out for Zoe. Manny walked around calling out as his grip tightened on the briefcase, looking around as he heard Zoe's voice calling out in a whisper.
"Manny, over here" the voice of the Aves girl called out as all Manny could do was follow the source of the voice, seeing the girl on a wooden platform, her arms held by chains. Manny rushed to Zoe, trying to break the chains as he claws would have made short work of them.
"It's no use Manny, these things won't budge" Zoe replied as Manny looked around, for any signs of the kidnapper feeling Zoe's foot gently kicking him, saying she might have a way out. "see those nails on the floor, hand one to me... I might be able to pick the locks".
Manny did not know how Zoe would be able to pick a lock as he ran his palm along the floor, picking up one of the metal nails, putting it in Zoe's palm as she wiggled it around with her fingers, getting the point into the keyhole on her shackle.
"Manny Rivera!" a voice called out from an upper floor as the figure jumped down landing behind him. Zoe keeping the nail still as Titan threw Manny across the room, bouncing on the floor, transforming his hands to giant fists as he punched Manny, flying back into a wall. Manny struggled to get up, holding up the briefcase only for Titan to toss it aside.
"This is not about Money, This is about REVENGE!" Titan continued, punching Manny again with his titanium fist as he sprawled on the floor, Titan continuing his one-sided assault, ranting about how Manny Ruined his life and about getting revenge; Without the belt Manny stood no chance.
Zoe had to do something, moving the nail around as it slipped through her fingers, falling and clattering on the floor; Zoe cursing under her breath, making a reminder to brush up on lockpicking. All she could do was watch the two go at it, Manny no match for Titan and Zoe had to do something to turn the tide. "Excuse me, Senor Titan".
Titanium Titan took a break from wailing on Manny to look at the black-haired girl, struggling in her chains as she looked at him, mentioning that he had Manny and the Money, Zoe asked if she could go, having no reason to be there as Manny looked, he Titan.
"Titan, do whatever you want to me, but please...just let Zoe go" Manny pleaded, out of breath as Titan tapped his chin, looking at the heiress and then back to Manny, adding he could just kill Manny and NOT let her go. laughing as Zoe jangled her chains, trying to think of some way she could be useful as she watched the brutal scene playing out.
"WAIT, don't you need someone to check your money?" Zoe asked as Titan looked at Zoe, ordering her to explain. Perfect, Zoe needed to drag this out as she looked at Titan. proposing him the possibility of not all the money being there, or it being fake, or bugged with a tracker. "I doubt you have the skills for identifying these traits".
It was a gamble which Zoe hoped would pay off despite Titan not being in this for the money.
"Think about it Titan, my abuela is the CEO of a multi-million dollar company, how do you know she did not sneak a tracker in the case and have all the officers the city coming here with soldiers and army guys with big tanks" Zoe went on, turning the scenario into a hyperbole as Titan was clearly sweating as he picked up Manny by the head, asking if there was a tracker in the money.
"I Don't know, I never opened the case" Manny wheezed, as if breathing was hurting him. Titan let out an outburst walking to Zoe, grabbing the chains, yanking them they broke with ease. upon turning his right arm to a long blade, he walked behind Zoe leading her to the case, ordering her to check it.
Zoe fumbled with the combo lock, opening it as the stacks of money were on display, her family fully intent on paying for her return as she picked up a stack of bills, running her thumb along the edge as the bills shuffled. "One Million, It's all there and it's clean".
Titan nodded, adding the Aves family clearly had brains as Zoe nodded, looking at Titan asking if he wanted know something special. "speaking of brains, do you know what I learned in school?".
Titan simply grumbled as a jolt ran through his blade arm, Zoey holding a small peice of black plastic to it as it felt like ever nerve in his body was screaming, Titan smacking Zoe aside as she got up, crackling her taser. "Metal conducts electricity, useful for a guy made of metal".
Titan shambled around recollecting himself as Manny took adavantage of the moment, picking up a piece of chain, swinging it as it cracked between his legs, causing him to shriek as he stumbled back. the former hero wailed in high pitch, as he called out in pain, backing up, feeling wobbly.
"How dare you, White Pantera was a true hero he would never strike a man in the-" as Manny ran towards the titan, shoving him as he fell back, felling off the edge of the platform, down into the lava of the volcano. "Well, I'm not my father"
Manny fell to the ground, clutching himself as Zoe ran to Manny, comforting and helping him up, the two shambled as Zoe held her chest, sore from the strike Titanium Titan gave her, unable to imagine how bad Manny must have felt as he played it off.
"Aside from my ribs being broken, a few hours with the belt's healing properties and I'll be good as new" Manny coughed clinging to Zoe in Pain as she looked at him.
"Manny, I... Thank you... for rescuing me" Zoe thanked, sincerely as Manny looked at Zoe, explaining she was the one who rescued him, as Zor realized the reality of the situation. She saved him, and not even as Black Cuervo, Zoe Aves saved Manny Rivera. This would make their dynamic strange.
Manny began dazing off asking where Zoe got that taser from as her dress did not have any pockets. Zoe simply dismissed the question.
"Do you think Titan is dead?" Zoe asked, looking at Manny as she let him hang on her shoulder as he coughed, saying he did not know, they never saw him hit lava and on top of that he is a shapeshifter. "Now can we get back to the station, I've been holding my pants up all night"
Back at the Station the kids were scooped up by the family as Carmelita and Pachita hugged Zoe tightly, weeping "Mija, you're okay. I was so worried".
Manny was being congratulated by his father for doing the right thing as Pachita dug into her coin purse handing a few bills out, suggesting the two kids get something from the station vending machine as the grown-ups talk. Zoe nodded, leaving with Manny who was now wearing his belt, his wounds healing much faster than would normally and his pants not at risk of falling down.
Once the two kids were down and the four adults were left in the room Carmelita turned to Rodolfo, letting him know this changes nothing between them, letting Pantera know that she still considered him a snake and they would make the Riveras pay for the generations of heartbreak the Aves family had sustained at their hands.
"I Get it Voltura, your vendetta against us, it's all your family ever talks about, this is why we broke up" Rodolfo replied as she sighed, admitting she was willing to break that cycle, but he could not overlook the fact she was a villain, and then rebounded with that other girl who would later separate from him. "I'm just saying, you missed out Rodolfo... but thanks, for helping Zoe, I apricate it".
"Don't thank me, Thank Manny" Rodolfo replied, not wanting to take credit for his son's deed of heroism. in the hallway, Manny's chest was already feeling better as he took a bite of his chocolate bar, surprised when Zoe wrapped her arms him, hugging Manny as he was surprised by the deed. the hug quickly broke as soon as it started.
"Zoe, how could I ever repay you?" Manny asked, feeling grateful to her for stopping Titan who probably would have killed him. she just smiled, adding that she could not let Titan kill him as she thought it over. "You, Me, lunch at a nice restaurant".
(With the exception of Manny, the rest of the Rivera and Aves Family know each other's identities, this seemed possible as Jorge and Pachita were engaged at one point and Rodolfo and Carmelita dated, in this story he dumped her because she was a villain.)