Partners In Crime

"We work together," Double says as he passes me a Dr. Pepper. I stare at him in bewilderment.

"Like partners in crime?" He nods.

"You could say that yes." Fox takes a seat in front of the many computers and starts furiously typing.

I take a minute to process all of this. Two of the world's most famous Superheroes are working with a Supervillain. Okay, that means they are also villains too. I mean they must be evil too right? Or what if Fox and Golden tricked him into thinking that they are turning evil to see what Double wants to destroy with his powers.

"Wow this girl has running thoughts," Golden takes a seat next to me on the couch. Whoa he can read minds?

Yes I can. I can also talk to you in your head.

I let out a small scream, kicking Double in the chest.

"Stop moving princess," Comes Double's reply as he grabs a hold of my legs.

"He can read minds!" I say out loud this time.

"Yeah, I know. We never get privacy anymore," Fox pitches in. Fox goes quiet for a second while Golden's eyes glaze over.

"YOU PERVERT!" Fox roars. Her light red hair becomes a fire orange, slightly floating in air. Golden's eyes un glaze over and shrinks into the couch. SS quickly teleports over to Fox and tries to calm her down, my knee forgotten.

"'Why the hell would you try stirring up the girl who can easily beat your ass?!" Double's eyes narrow at Golden as he fights innocence.

"Language," I whisper out but it seems he heard me because he turns to look at me with that same glare. I shut up.

Golden's eyes glaze over yet again and so do Double S's eyes. Fox looks over at the boys then rolls her eyes, going back to whatever she was doing on the computer. When I hear SS groan, I know they stopped talking.

"Wait so your eyes get like frosty when he talks to you?" I ask nobody in particular.

"You catch on quick sweetheart." Fox growls at Golden.

"Okay wait," I say, catching everyone's attention. "I have so many questions."

"Fire away Hope." Double pipes in a he goes back to work on my knee.

"How did I get here exactly?" I start off.

"Easy one." Fox takes the question, "Double probably teleported you here." He grunts as yes.

"Okay next question. You mentioned Shadow. Whose Shadow? Is he a villain or a hero?" Golden snorts at this.

"He's the guy fixing your knee," I glance at Double before speaking.

"Wait your name is Shadow?" He stops what he's doing and yet again glares at Golden. "Like your actual name?" He shakes his head.

"No, it's not my actual name. Point of a Supers job is to keep their identity a secret. Double S is my villain name. On my suit there is two S's. One of the S's stand for Shadow so that's what they call me." He thinks for a second, "Oh and don't tell anyone that."

"Wait so what does the other S stand for?"

"He won't tell us," Fox joins in.

I look over to where Double- I mean Shadow is now wrapping my knee is gauze. His eyes focused on fixing my knee. Is this guy even a villain? I study his face slightly more. His hair is still hidden in his hood so I can't see the color but wow that jawline.

"Take a picture, It will last longer," Busted. I feel my face heat up as Shadow smirks while stuffing the rest of the supplies into the med kit.

I relax into the cushions of the couch yet again and think about how this was supposed to be an easy Saturday off with my friends- Oh my cheese crackers! I reach into my back pocket and pull out my phone. I unlock it to see multiple missed calls and text from Kate, Tyler, Michael, and my mom. I open up the text from my mom first.

Mama bear: OMG Sweetie are you ok?

Mama bear: Hun answer ur phone! Im getting worried

Mama bear: Kate says u are not texting her eaither

Mama bear: either*

I sigh, sending her a simple text replying that I'm fine and helping some elderly couple. I check Michael's and Tyler's text. Similar to my moms. Wondering where I am, hoping I'm safe, not dead, and so forth. I then get to Katelyn's text.

Kit Kat: we are so worried about u. everyone is saying how rash it was for u to go save that kid but im proud of u. u better be okay tho bc if not imma come over there and kill u personally. stay safe Hope. we trust u.

I smile at Kate's text. I shoot her the same text I sent my mom and the boys. I feel slightly guilty for not telling them the truth but I don't even know if I am in danger. I look back up at the people around me. Golden is distracted playing a video game, Fox is still typing away, and Shadow has well, vanished. Like a Shadow.

I check the time on my phone to see its still only 3:23. I'm astonished that all of this happened in four hours. It feels like days ago. I try and move my knee when an acute pain responds to me.

Golden sniffs the air. "Oooo whatcha making Shadow?" then disappears down the hall. I decide to follow.

I attempt to stand again and a sharp pain halts me for a second. I put light pressure on my leg as I follow down the hall. It opens up to a pretty big kitchen. The cabinets are white with grey back splash. A small wooden island sits in the middle, where Golden takes a seat on one of the blue stools. Shadow is busy making something, I can't see what it is but it smells delightful. I think it's pizza.

Fox soon joins us, hoping into the barstool next to Golden without looking up from her Ipad. Golden motions me to sit in the one next to him, which I do. I start fiddling with my hair as I wait for a conversation to start.

I'm taking it your bored?

Golden says to me in my head. I jump slightly, making him loose focus on me before he does it again.

Relax, it doesn't hurt you.

So I just think in my head and you hear me?

Yep, that's how this thing works. I'm usually the spy because I can get into peoples heads and grab the information they are absorbing.

Wow, okay then.

I shake my head slightly and look up at the mention of my name being called. I glance back at Fox who has a small glass of water and two pills in her hands. She motions for me to take them.

"The pills are for your pain in your knee," She says this while pointing daggers with her eyes at Shadow, to which I think he felt because he slightly tensed.

"Thanks," I take the two pills and place my glass down.

Shadow slides me two slices of pepperoni pizza. My favorite! I don't hesitate to take a bite, letting the cheesy goodness fill my tastebuds. I let out a small moan of delight at my favorite food.

"This is really good," I attempt to say with pizza stuffed in my face.

"I agree. Shadow are you secretly a baker as a human?" Fox says in agreement with me.

"No I'm/He's not," Shadow and Golden say at the same time. Fox spits out her water and slaps both boys upside the head.

"You guys know each other?! You know how deadly that could be?"

"How do you think this plan came into action Fox?" Golden quietly announces.

"I don't know! I thought you tracked him down!"

"I caught the dude transforming into GW. You really need to check if a room is empty before you shift." Shadow throws out.

"Great!" Fox throws her hands up in the air as her glass is thrown into a wall, shattering into little shards.

"That's the third one this week," Golden points out. "I can't keep buying cups. My father is going to get suspicious." I laugh at that.

I pick up my plate and get up to head to the sink except I forgot a key detail. My knee. When I stood, pain hit me in a wave, making me drop the plate. Shadow teleported fast enough to catch it before it hit the ground and joined the shattered cup. He grabs me by the arm and helps me sit back down on the stool. Fox calms down at this point to assist me.

She offers her arm as aid and I slip mine through hers as if she was taking me to prom. We head back into what I think is the living room and she places me down on the couch. I can hear Golden complaining about how he has to pick up the glass as Shadow laughs in amusement. Glancing at the t.v with the news, I notice the bombing incident. I shuffle to the other side of the couch, trying to get as close as I can to the rolly chair that's by the couch. I pull the chair to me and place myself in it. My focus now on the news.

"~~~Breaking News~~~ There has been a Supervillain on the loose for a good month now. Reports have been spilling in. Multiple explosions have been set off right past Columbus Park, on Worth st. There has been no deaths but one critically injured. Most people came out unscathed. Now to John who is at the scene."

"Thank you Betty. Here on Worth St. we can see the devastating aftermath of a wild Supervillain act caused by the evil man himself, Double S. Due to their request, we will keep their identity a secret but an old man caught a recording of the villain taking hostage of a teenage girl."

I feel the presence of the Supers behind me, watching with their own eyes as the clip of myself in Shadow's arms and them yelling at him to let me go. You can't make out what they are saying but you can almost hear the whole conversation play out. I watch as Golden makes a dash for us but is too late. Shadow already disappeared with me, bringing me here. I watch as Fox and Golden conversate then run over to the police. That's where the video ends.

"The girl who is being held hostage has been identified as 17 year old Hope Dale. If you know any information on where she could be-"

The television was turned off by Golden. I stare at the blank screen. My family probably saw the news. A hand is placed on my shoulder. I look up to meet the mask of Shadows. His grayish eyes pierce my own, telling me its time for me to leave. I nod my head and go to stand only to be pushed down by Fox.

"Wait but I thought I had to leave?" I question.

"You do but I can't let you go back in pain." Comes Shadows voice.

"I'll just take more pain killers, thats all." He shakes his head before swiping me up in his arms and placing me gently back onto the couch.

"Cover your eyes." He tells me as he unwraps my knee.

"No! You said it yourself! Healing drains your energy." I try stopping him but he pushes my hands away.

"I am not bringing you home. Don't worry. I'll be fine. I will just get Fox to fly you back, saying she saved you while Golden is fighting me or whatever. Now cover your eyes."

"No," I say stubbornly.

"Princess, please cover your eyes." I freeze at the nickname. I stare at him for a moment before placing my hands over my eyes. "No peaking alright? I know you saw it before with that shady dude but this one is aimed at you. I just don't want to panic you."

"You won't scare me by it. I saw how it works." Shadow grabs my wrist and pulls them to him.

"Then watch," He releases his hold on me and steps back. He rubs his hands together and lifts his left hand up, aiming it at my knee. I tense when I see the green beam shoot at my leg, making it tingle.

"Relax Hope. Its not going to hurt you." I try to do what he says.

I watch as the stream of light flickers. Shadows face contorts in a scowl as he continues to heal my knee. I look down to see it almost healed.

"Uhm, I think I'll be fine now Shadow." I say as I see his face.

"Shadow stop! Your going to hurt yourself," Comes Goldens response. Shadow instantly stops the green beam that emitted from his hand and stumbles to the ground.

Golden rushes over to him, grabbing him by the arm and heaving him upwards to a standing position. Shadow looks down at my knee and grumbles saying how its not all the way healed. I jump up, ignoring the tiny ounce of pain that is in my knee.

"Look I'm fine. It's good enough." I shake my leg around. He looks at me for another moment before nodding and letting Golden take him to the kitchen. Fox rounds the corner with a juice pouch in her hands. Confusion written all over her face as Golden and Shadow pass her.

"Guessing it's time for your departure?" Fox asked as she chucked the juice into a nearby trash bin. I let out a weak yes before she grabs me by my arms.

"Bye boys! Bye back in about ten minutes!" We hear Golden's shout of goodbye and nothing from Shadow.

Fox leads me to the couch and lifts one of the cushions on the couch. I gasp as I see a hidden slide. Fox nudges me forward, telling me to go. I sit down on the edge and go to protest. Before I can speak, I'm pushed from behind, sending me down the slide. A small squeal leaves my lips as I continue going down. I can hear the holler of Fox close behind.

When I reach the end, I walk into the little glass room. The sun streams into the little greenroom, illuminating the beautiful flowers. The colors range from reds, blues, purples, pinks, and oranges. The smell of saltwater fills my nostrils which makes me smile. Fox rolls into the room, getting shot out of the slide stomach first. A bright smile appears on her face as she dust herself off.

"What a way to make an entrance huh?" I laugh and nod in agreement.

"Where are we exactly?" Fox looks back up at me.

"A secret hideout wouldn't be a secret if we told you where it is now would it?"

"Wow that sounded like a tongue twister. Say that ten times fast," Her face contorts before attempting it. She doesn't get past six.

"Alright Missy. It's time to go. Let me grabs your arms. Um, your not afraid of heights are you?" I pale.

She mutters some very colorful words then her eyes glaze over. I'm guessing she's exchanging some words with Golden. A few seconds later, we can hear the cheers of a guy coming down the tube. Golden comes stumbling out with a fat grin splattered on his face. He glances at me and his smile falls.

"I promise this won't hurt you," I take a step back at his words.

"You never tell someone it won't hurt then fastly approach them." Fox squeeze's in.

Those are the last words I hear before I fall to the ground.