Nova stepped up onto the portico of the Mayor's Mansion, positioning herself directly in front of the security system's camera. Usually when she came over, the door was unlocked and she was able to let herself in, but the Everharts were taking every precaution now that they knew Flamethrower was after Max.

The door was opened a moment later by Adrian, who looked just as tired as he'd been every time she'd seen him since the Flamethrower attack. "Hey Nova," he said, bending down to give her a quick kiss on the lips. "Come on in."

Nova stepped into the house that had become her second home over the past four years. Adrian's family had, on more than one occasion, offered to let her move in with them, and claim one of the spacious upstairs bedrooms as her own living area/workspace. But as tempting as the offer was every single time she imagined herself living in the same house as Adrian, Nova always turned them down. The Anarchists, no matter how flawed and morally questionable they'd been, had been her family for ten years. Leroy, the only remaining Anarchist, had long ago stepped into the role of a sort of father figure, encouraging her love for science and offering her advice in his quiet, unassuming way. He was the only family she had left. And despite the truce that she'd managed to negotiate between him and the Council shortly after the Supernova, things hadn't changed enough that Captain Chromium and the Dread Warden would allow Cyanide to come live in their house.

So Nova and Leroy lived in their little apartment above Gadgety Solutions, but Nova still found her way over to Adrian's house several times a week.

She breathed in the smell of something sweet and meaty, and started walking through the foyer. "What's for dinner?"

"Simon's trying some new teriyaki recipe he found. Hopefully it tastes as good as it smells." Adrian's face grew serious as they walked toward the kitchen together. "Nova… just so you know, Maggie's here. She's joining us for dinner tonight."

Nova gaped at him. "Magpie? You guys invited her over for dinner?"

"It was my dads' idea, you know, to thank her for helping Max in the fire. But it was probably a pretty good idea anyway, since she and Max are friends." He must've caught Nova's stony look, because he reached out and cupped the side of her face with his hand. "They are friends, Nova. Whether we like that or not."

Nova sighed. "I'm just worried… what if she's just trying to take advantage of him? Max is so sweet, and she's so… not, and what if she's just trying to get him to trust her so she can, I don't know, steal from him or something?"

Adrian held her gaze. "Even if that was her original motive—which I'm not saying it was—her intentions could have changed through the time she's spent hanging out with Max. She saved him from that fire. She didn't have to do that."

He was right. Although Nova knew plenty of people who'd save anyone from a burning building without giving it a second thought—Adrian, for one, and the rest of their teammates—she knew many who wouldn't. The Anarchists wouldn't have. Icy Genissa Clark and her team of bullies wouldn't have. And up until just a few nights ago, she wouldn't have thought Magpie would.

But she had.

"You don't have to like her," said Adrian. "But just—try to be civil?"

Nova sighed. "I will. For Max. But if she makes the smallest indication that she's going to try to steal my bracelet again—forget it."

Nova spent the next half an hour or so talking with Adrian, helping to clear off half of the large cherry wood table in the dining room so they'd have enough room for everyone to sit down and eat, and assisting Simon and Hugh in the kitchen as needed. Eventually, the meal was ready, and Max and Magpie came downstairs.

Magpie's face tightened into a scowl when she saw Nova. Nova, remembering the conversation she and Adrian had had when she'd arrived, simply gave the girl a small nod, but she couldn't resist clasping her right hand firmly around the bracelet on her left wrist.

"Come on in, sit down," Hugh urged genially. "Sorry the other half of the table's such a mess; it's not often that we actually eat in here, but there should be enough room down at this half." He sat down at the head of the table, and Simon sat to his right. Adrian sat next to Simon, and Max across from them.

Very slowly, eyes never leaving each other's, Nova and Magpie lowered themselves into the seats next to Adrian and Max.

"This is a new recipe I decided to try," Simon explained. "Beef teriyaki strips with broccoli and carrots, and then we have some rice in this pot here. I hope it tastes all right."

"It smells delicious," said Hugh.

There was a flurry of activity and polite talk about food as plates were filled, but as soon as everyone started eating, the chatting died off. Nova didn't mind. She found it hard to focus on conversation when her thoughts were all about bracelets. Her bracelet, which she needed to constantly check to make sure it was still on her wrist, and Maggie's, the messy conglomeration of tiny rubies that poked out from under her sleeve whenever she lifted her hand to pick up her fork.

She was still wearing it. And Max was still wearing his.

It had been weeks now.

Nova stabbed a piece of beef a little harder than was necessary and tried to think about something else.

"So!" Hugh said a little too enthusiastically, breaking the silence. "Maggie, I hope you don't mind, but there were a few questions I wanted to ask you about Flamethrower, if that's okay?"

Maggie's shoulders tensed. She appeared to be trying a little too hard to act casual as she raised her head and met his gaze. "Why would I know anything about Flamethrower?"

Is she in league with him? Nova wondered, shock coursing through her. Magpie was unpleasant, but Nova had never thought of her as evil.

"Max mentioned that you recognized him. That you thought he might've once been a Renegade?"

Magpie's posture relaxed. "Oh. Yeah. I never knew his name or talked to him or anything like that, but I definitely remember seeing him around HQ."

"Do you remember anything about what he was doing when you saw him around HQ? Rooms he used to frequent, jobs he might've done?" Simon asked.

Magpie shook her head. "I just remember his face."

"Do you remember seeing him with anyone in particular? Talking, or even just standing next to them?" Hugh wanted to know.

Magpie hesitated. "No."

It was the smallest hesitation, but Nova picked up on it. Magpie knew something about Flamethrower that she didn't want to share.

"What are you hiding, Magpie?" she asked.

Magpie glared at her. "Nothing."

"Then why'd you hesitate when Hugh asked if you'd ever seen Flamethrower talking to anybody?"

Magpie gave her a haughty look. "Just because you like to side with psychotic villains who want to destroy the whole city doesn't mean everyone does."

Nova was about to argue that she would never in a million years side with Flamethrower, when she realized Magpie was talking about Ace. She narrowed her eyes. "You don't know anything about my reasons for being an Anarchist, so don't even go there."

Hugh cleared his throat. "Maggie, I don't believe I ever asked what you've been up to lately. Anything new and exciting?"

With one last glare at Nova, Magpie turned to the Captain. Nova was certain that what was about to come out of her mouth was a surly, "None of your business." Instead, she replied with a shrug, "Going to school, hanging out with friends, helping the occasional construction crew. What about you?"

Nova caught how Max's brow furrowed for the smallest instant, as if he was surprised by Maggie's response. Lies, she thought. All lies.

"Well," said Hugh, "Aside from our usual investigations and maintaining the peace, we're continuing to restore parts of the city. Tamaya—Thunderbird—has started up a new community outreach program, a sports center for kids."

Magpie nodded, but Nova didn't think she was listening to a word of what Hugh was saying. Her posture was still more rigid than was natural, her eyes periodically flicking toward the exits, her demeanor one of a person who was trying too hard to seem comfortable in her surroundings.

Nova had a brief flash of memory from her first time eating dinner here, back when her alter-ego, Nightmare, had still been one of the top criminals on the Renegades' Wanted list, back when she'd spent her first several minutes in Hugh and Simon's presence paranoid that they were going to attack her.

That's exactly what Magpie looked like right now.

What secrets are you hiding, Magpie? Nova thought. Did you come to steal something, like I did way back then? She checked for her bracelet again. It was still on her wrist. Or is this whole thing, your friendship with Max and all of it, just an elaborate façade to help you accomplish some nefarious plan?

She tried not to think of the fact that that was exactly how her friendship with Adrian had started out.

"As for Simon here, he's been doing a lot of covert detective work," Hugh continued with a grin. "Being invisible works wonders for catching people in the act."

Magpie's entire body froze, her fork halfway to her mouth, eyes widening in horror. Nova looked up to see if anybody else had caught this incriminating reaction, but Hugh and Simon were laughing, Adrian was taking a sip of water, and Max…

Max looked a little uneasy too.

Nova's stomach clenched. It's probably because he noticed Magpie's reaction too, she told herself. That's why he looks uncomfortable. Because he's finally realizing that she's a thief, just like I've been trying to tell him.

It couldn't be for any other reason. Magpie couldn't have gotten Max involved in anything wrong or illegal. Max was sweet and kind and loyal, as committed to justice and doing the right thing as his brother was. If Magpie was up to any criminal activity, and Max became aware of it, he would turn her in right away.

Wouldn't he?

The rest of dinner passed by in a blur of stories from Simon and Hugh, who were obviously trying to dispel the ambient tension that had existed from the moment Magpie had stepped into the room. Adrian contributed to the conversation a little bit, mixing in a few stories of his own, but Nova, Max, and Magpie all remained quiet. Max's gaze kept flickering from Magpie to Nova and back again, as if expecting some sort of argument to break out. Whenever he caught Nova noticing him looking, he immediately averted eye contact.

Finally, the uncomfortable meal was over, and everyone started cleaning up, bringing the dishes and silverware from the table over to the kitchen sink so they could be washed. "Excuse me," Nova heard Magpie say politely to Simon. "Where's the bathroom?"

"You know what, you should probably use the one upstairs; the one down here's been acting up lately," he replied. "Third door to the right once you reach the top of the stairs."

Magpie thanked him politely and turned the corner into the foyer.

Nova narrowed her eyes, unable to think of one possible scenario in which it was a good idea to allow Magpie to wander unattended in one of the grandest houses in Gatlon City. She waited until enough time would have passed to allow Magpie to get up the stairs, then stealthily followed.

Maggie turned the faucet off using one of the crystal knobs, then dried her hands on a plush blue towel that was embroidered with the letter E. Even the bathroom in this place was spacious and elegant, a far cry from the stalls and counterless sinks at the theater.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, taking a moment to gather her wits before heading back downstairs to face Max's family and Nova again. Dinner had been a mix of emotions, from a stupid, pointless enjoyment of sitting around a table eating homemade food with people who liked to talk and joke and share stories, to the sudden spike of panic she'd felt when Captain Chromium had mentioned the Dread Warden walking around invisibly and catching people in the act of committing crimes. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Of course the Dread Warden could be lurking around at any moment, even if it looked like no one was nearby! Ugh. That should be illegal.

She'd found it a little hard to breathe for the rest of the meal, especially because Nova kept shooting her these looks like she knew Maggie was involved in criminal activity, and Max kept looking at both of them like he thought something was going to happen. She'd been glad when the meal had ended and she'd had an opportunity to excuse herself and get some privacy, even if only for a couple minutes.

She studied her face. Do I look normal? she wondered. Not like someone who's hiding anything, not like someone whose insides clench with panic every time someone mentions anything about catching criminals? Not like someone who knows that Flamethrower is in touch with Genissa Clark, who wants to use him to murder two of the people in this very house?

She postured her body to look more confident and comfortable, then practiced her self-assured smile. She studied herself in the mirror; her blue eyes, her small nose, her dark, shoulder-length hair. Someone at the children's home had told her that when she was a toddler, her hair had been curly, but it had straightened out over time and now just held the slightest wave.

It was also kind of messy right now, with little strands sticking up here and there. She used some water from the faucet to slick it down, embarrassed that Max had seen her looking like such a mess. She wasn't wearing particularly nice clothes either—just a random white turtleneck and a pair of jeans. If she'd known she was going to be eating dinner at Max's house tonight, she would've worn something a lot more attractive.

She saw the blush tinge her cheeks in the mirror at the same time as she felt it. No. Stop thinking that. It doesn't matter if Max thinks you're attractive or pretty or any of that garbage. He's Max Everhart. You're just a villain.

She gave herself a single firm nod in the mirror. A villain. That's what she was. She didn't have time to entertain delusions about anything else.

She opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom, intending to head right back downstairs. But she hesitated, glancing down the hall toward the room that housed Max's glass city. She was in no hurry to go back to carefully curating every word, action, and facial expression in order to avoid raising suspicion. She could stall a little, and in the meantime take another peek at Max and Sketch's beautiful masterpiece.

The door to the glass city room creaked when she opened it, and she flinched, even though there was no reason to worry. Even if someone heard the door opening and came up to see what she was doing, she wasn't doing anything wrong.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped, and looked up to see Nova standing right next to her, glaring at her. "What are you doing, Magpie?"

Maggie returned the glare. "Get your dirty hand off me."

"My dirty hand? I'm not the one sneaking around someone else's house looking for trinkets to steal."

Maggie's face grew hot at the insinuation. "That's not what I'm doing!"

"That's what it looks like you're doing."

"Well, maybe you need glasses."

Nova's glare intensified, but Maggie found her powers attuned to the beautiful, ethereal bracelet Nova always wore. This close to it for the first time in years, its signature was irresistible. Maggie… the bracelet seemed to say. Take me and combine me with the bird and the helmet, and you will be very, very powerful. You will be the most powerful prodigy the world has ever seen.

Nova was saying something, and Maggie tried hard to look like she was listening, all the while using her telekinesis to try to finagle the bracelet off Nova's wrist without Nova noticing. She slowly undid the clasp, then jerked her shoulder out of Nova's grasp at the same moment she pulled the bracelet completely away from Nova's skin. "I said get your dirty hand off me."

"And I said—" Nova cut off, suddenly glancing down at her bare left wrist, dangling at her side. The bracelet was still hovering inches away, but with a quick flex of her fingers, it shot into Maggie's waiting hand. Nova's hand clamped hard around Maggie's arm. "Give it back."

Maggie clenched the bracelet tightly in her fist. "No. If you're going to accuse me of stealing, I should at least get to actually steal something."

Keeping her right hand firmly digging into Maggie's bicep, Nova lifted her left hand. Maggie, expecting her to go for the bracelet, shoved her fisted hand firmly into her pocket. But Nova only placed a finger on Maggie's cheek. "I will put you to sleep if I have to," she hissed.

"Go for it, Nightmare," Maggie sneered. Nova had put her to sleep once before, that awful day at the arena, and Maggie hadn't suffered any adverse effects from it. The dreamless sleep had actually been a welcome escape from the reality of the terrible thing she'd just done. "It's not like it'll be the worst thing that's ever happened to me."

"Oh yeah?" Nova taunted. "What's the worst thing—being forced to give back all the treasures that were never yours in the first place?"

Maggie jerked again to get out of Nova's grip, but the older girl was stronger than she looked. "No, I was thinking more along the lines of being shot in the chest when I was eleven months old and left to die in my apartment along with my murdered parents. As Ace Anarchy's niece you might be okay with that sort of thing, but some people would probably consider it kind of terrible."

She'd said it for shock value, but she was surprised at the sheer amount of shock that appeared on Nova's face at those words. She went entirely pale, her grip slackened, her mouth fell open, and she stared at Maggie like she was looking at a ghost.

Wow. This was the girl who used to be a feared villain? Pathetic.

Maggie wriggled out of Nova's grasp and darted toward the stairs, but she'd only made it a couple steps before Nova tackled her, both of them falling to the ground. She felt Nova's hand make a grab for her pocket, and she tightened her grip on the bracelet. She tried to jab Nova in the stomach with her elbow, but Nova had her pinned to the ground in such a way that it made it hard for her to even move.

Nova's other hand reached into Maggie's other pocket, the one that held her most prized possession, the bullet that had given her her powers. No! Maggie thought, panicking. Nova must have realized that the only way to get the bracelet back would be to give her a worse alternative.

Maggie clenched her hand harder around the bracelet, and used her telekinesis to hold the bullet firmly against her body, all while continuing to struggle to get away from Nova. Should she scream? Captain Chromium and the Dread Warden probably wouldn't think too highly of Nova attacking their dinner guest.

Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit her, a powerful force that she had felt only once before. And before she had the chance to even process what was happening, the world went black.