"And that is how we deal with villains in this city! Take that, Flamethrower!" Oscar stood over the unconscious bodies of the three men who'd tried to assault a young mother who'd been walking down Penwyne Avenue with her two small children. It had been a quick takedown, featuring Ruby's martial arts skills, one of the Sentinel's concussion beams, a flock of butterflies forcing one of the men to stumble into the waiting bare arms of Nightmare, and some gray, vision-obscuring smoke that provided just enough cover for Adrian to draw a hand mirror and throw it in the direction of the remaining villain, who literally screamed in terror when Narcissa popped out of it and jabbed him with one of Nova's sedative darts.
"These men will be locked securely in the holding cells at HQ until their trials," Adrian assured the young mom. Ruby's arm was around her as she clutched her children close to her chest, shaking from fear and relief. "And you have six witnesses here who will be able to testify that they definitely deserve long sentences in the penitentiary after that."
The woman nodded, a few tears leaking from her eyes. "Tha—thank you. I—I feel so silly needing Renegade help now that I'm a prodigy myself, but my powers aren't—well, they aren't really the kind that would do much good in a situation like this, so… I'm just so grateful that you guys were around to help."
One of her children, a little girl around three or four years old, shyly peeked out from her mother's embrace and pointed at Danna. "I'm gonna be just like you someday," she said. "Look." In an instant she morphed into a tiny hummingbird, wings fluttering so quickly they could hardly be seen. Just as abruptly, she turned back into a little girl.
"Wow," said Danna, whose fear of birds fortunately didn't extend to creatures tinier than the largest of her Lepidoptera. "That's really cool. You are going to be one incredible superhero."
It took Nova a moment to realize that several of her teammates had glanced in her direction. "What?" said Oscar, placing a hand over his chest in mock surprise. "You're not going to put in your usual two cents about how she doesn't have to become a superhero; she can become a doctor or a chef or a librarian if she wants to?"
"Huh?" To be honest, Nova hadn't been paying much attention to the conversation—or to the fight itself, really. She'd gone through the motions, supporting her team and making her important contributions. But her mind had been a million miles away.
The bullet had to be getting analyzed right about now, didn't it? She'd marked it as "urgent" when she'd dropped it off at the Ballistics department at seven a.m. sharp. She'd even told Cathode, the Renegade she'd handed it to, that she needed the results as soon as possible. Would she get them today? Did she want to?
She'd been disappointed, though not altogether surprised, by the lack of new information she'd found when she'd scoured the files on her family's murder earlier that morning. The locked files were still locked, and when the time came she still hadn't been able to muster up the courage to look at the pictures. She wanted to remember her father's nimble fingers, her mother's kind smile, and Evie's soft curls. She didn't want to see what they looked like with bullet holes in them and blood pouring out of them. Besides, she'd get her answer about Evie soon enough.
The thought sent a wave of nausea through her body.
"Never mind," said Oscar when she didn't respond to his comment. "It appears you've finally come to the conclusion that superheroes are the best. Which, of course they are! And now anyone can be one!"
She was saved from having to come up with a response, or even fully processing Oscar's words, by two Renegade vehicles arriving on the scene—one to transport the villains to their holding cells, and the other with a counselor in case the victims needed any further assistance. While her teammates gathered around to brief the newcomers, Nova stepped away, checking her communicator band for the umpteenth time to see if there were any new messages from Ballistics.
Still nothing.
"Nova, what's going on?" Adrian had come up beside her, and was eyeing her with a concerned expression. "You don't seem like yourself today."
Nova shook her head, unwilling to lie to him, but not wanting to divulge the truth either. It was too personal, too fragile, too… unbelievable to share. Especially when she didn't yet have a definite answer. If the results came back negative, not a match, she would've gotten all worked up for nothing.
"I don't feel like talking about it," she said. His brow creased, and she quickly added, "It has nothing to do with you, or anyone else on our team. It's… something personal I'm working through right now."
"You know you can tell me anything," said Adrian, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.
Nova gave him a tight smile. "Thanks."
The rest of patrol duty passed in a blur, as did the walk to the Chinese restaurant that Oscar insisted on going to for a "celebratory lunch." Nova was just trying to think of how she could get out of the lunch without drawing too much attention to herself when she heard a chirp from her communication band.
Her stomach swooped in on itself when she saw the message from Cathode: The analytics are in; you can come pick up the report whenever.
Nova's entire body turned to liquid. The analytics are in. In the amount of time it took her to walk to HQ and up to the Ballistics department, she could have her answer.
It all suddenly seemed very, very real.
Nova took a deep breath and willed herself to appear normal as she told her team she needed to go to HQ to meet someone. It was technically true; she would be meeting with Cathode to receive the report. But she hoped her team would assume she was going for some sort of Council consultation or legal meeting. It wasn't unusual for Nova to have additional duties that the rest of her team wasn't part of, given her role in the government.
Danna raised her eyebrows suspiciously, and Adrian continued to appear slightly concerned. But Oscar, Ruby, and Narcissa only reacted with disappointment that she wouldn't be joining them for lunch, before cheerfully bidding her goodbye as she split off from the group and headed toward Renegade Headquarters.
She could feel her heart pumping wildly as she rode the elevator to the sixteenth floor, greeted a few people in the hallway without having a clue what she was saying, and finally took the large manila envelope from Cathode. "The specimen is in there, along with the report of the findings," Cathode told her. "Because you turned it in as soon as we opened, the lab was able to process it first thing."
Nova thanked Cathode and walked back down the hallway, clutching the envelope that had the power to change everything she'd believed since she was six years old.
I don't have to open it, she told herself. I don't have to read this information. It's not like it'll change anything for me or for her, regardless of what it says. We can't go back and re-do the last thirteen years. I could just… just keep it in case I someday want to open it, but I don't have to open it right now.
Who was she kidding? She had to open it right now.
She found a small alcove on the fifty-ninth floor, a floor that was in the process of being converted into a lounge but was still lacking some of the more comfortable aspects, such as furniture and heat. She curled up on the floor in a mostly hidden corner that would make a great reading nook someday, and set the envelope on her lap.
Okay. She took a deep, steadying breath. Whatever I find out in here doesn't change anything. Magpie's still Magpie, that annoying little pickpocketing brat who I can't stand. And I've still spent the last thirteen years of my life without a sister, blaming myself for something I could've prevented. Whatever this report says… it doesn't really matter.
With that, she peeled open the top of the envelope and pulled out the crisp sheet of freshly printed paper it held inside.
BALLISTICS REPORT: SPECIMEN #978424339 [CUPRONICKEL .45AUTO BULLET]
ONE MATCH FOUND: SPECIMEN #218522 [MODEL #SRA-M1911A1 HANDGUN; SERIAL NUMBER #103292816; MANUFACTURER: SUBB-ROCK ARMORY; PRODUCTION DATE: AA06] CURRENTLY IN RENEGADE POSSESSION. WEAPON WAS TAKEN FROM THE SCENE OF MULTI-VICTIM MURDER AT KINGSBOROUGH APARTMENTS, 20TH MARCH—
The report went on to list more details—the year the weapon was found, the destruction it had inflicted, and all the minute specifications that made it indisputable that the bullet being analyzed had indeed been fired from that particular gun. But Nova's eyes blurred and her chest squeezed so tightly she felt like she couldn't breathe.
Here, at last, was the undeniable proof of what she'd suspected but hadn't fully dared to believe.
Evie was alive.
Evie was alive.
Nova's cowardice hadn't resulted in her sister's death, as she'd assumed it had for all these years. Evie had survived.
But along with those joyous, incredible realizations, came the heavier, heartbreaking ones.
Evie had grown up alone.
Evie walked around with a permanent scowl and a negative attitude towards everyone.
Evie had no family, no one to love her and care about her and just be there for her.
Evie hated Nova.
The wall of mixed emotions welled up inside Nova's chest and spilled out in hot, messy tears. She relived those moments again and again. Running away from the man who'd just shot both of her parents, hiding in her closet, realizing she'd left Evie out in the living room. Considering going out there and grabbing her, deciding not to, convincing herself that the Renegades would come and save the day. Evie's cries. BANG. Evie silenced.
But not killed. Almost killed. Injured within mere inches of her life, before her latent prodigious abilities had kicked in and revived her, giving her not only her life back, but also the ability to perceive valuable objects and move them telekinetically.
And dooming her to a life of solitude, of hatred toward the world and everyone in it. Nova wasn't sure she'd even once seen Magpie happy. Seen Evie happy. Nova's own life certainly hadn't been sunshine and rainbows, but she'd had some good times with the Anarchists, with the Renegades, and with her hobbies. She'd known what it was like to have a family, albeit an unconventional one. She'd made friends, friends she wouldn't hesitate to die for if it came to that. She'd fallen in love.
Had Evie ever had any of that?
She used her sleeve to wipe the tears from her eyes, but they were soon replaced by bigger, heavier ones as she thought about all Evie had missed out on. All they both had missed out on. She could've had a sister. She could've had someone to love and take care of and tease and joke around with, the way Adrian had Max and Ruby had Jade and Sterling. She could've had that with Evie all this time.
But she and Evie had grown up apart, not even aware that the other existed, for almost fourteen years. They'd missed out on nearly fourteen years of relationship with each other. And—what was she thinking, they hated each other! The closest thing to a positive interaction they'd ever had was when Magpie had been crying over Callum's death in the arena, distraught over her role in how things had played out. Nova had listened to her laments and accusations, and then, not sure how to respond but not wanting to leave the child alone in her misery, she'd gently put her to sleep. Not exactly the height of sisterly bonding.
Aside from that moment, every interaction between the two of them had consisted of them sneering at each other, of Magpie trying to steal from her, and/or an exchange of rude comments. Nova would have to be a fool to believe that they could have a sisterly relationship now, after all that. And besides, why would she even want a relationship with someone she'd always disliked so much?
Because she's my sister, a little voice said. Because she's the same baby sister I used to hold all those years ago, cuddling her close to my chest, falling asleep with her in my arms.
So? Another voice countered. Ace Anarchy was the same brother Papá grew up with his whole childhood, and that didn't stop him from murdering Papá and Mom and…
And not Evie. He'd tried to murder Evie, but he'd failed. He'd failed. The sister Nova had missed her entire life was still alive.
Despite everything, she needed to have a relationship with her.
But how could she tell Magpie of all people that they were long-lost sisters? The girl probably wouldn't even care. She'd probably respond with a surly "so what?" and go on hating Nova for the rest of her life. In fact...
Nova's tears stopped as a startling thought struck her. What if Magpie already knew? She knew the story of how she'd become a prodigy, in quite great detail. What if she also knew who she was, but hadn't bothered telling Nova because the facts didn't change her dislike? Magpie—Evie—wouldn't remember Nova from her infanthood the way Nova remembered her. There would be no reason for her to feel any kind of connection.
Wouldn't she have given something away, though, even accidentally? Magpie had told Nova her origin story on two separate occasions—last night at the Everharts' and the time nearly four years ago when Nova had first seen the bullet. It seemed unlikely that Magpie would've been able to hold that secret so securely that she wouldn't have given any indications during either of those incidents.
Unlikely, but not impossible. What did Magpie know? No, not Magpie. Evie.
Evie…
Nova hugged her knees to her chest and blinked back a new onslaught of tears, her heartbreak and confusion and elation all mixing together once more. She had this information, this valuable, priceless, astounding information. She knew the truth.
But she had no idea what to do with it.