When Lightning Strikes

Chapter 27 -- The Mystery Gang

"I came home early to suit up. It's been a while, I don't know if it'll still fit. But I'm not going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs anymore." Dad speaks of his superhero days as if it depresses him.

Mason and I exchange a sideways glance. "What about mom?" I ask hesitantly.

He shakes his head, "I don't know if she'll ever put that suit back on. But I think she's finally convinced that you're ready. She's just scared you'll face her own battles." He leans against my doorframe.

My gulp is most likely audible. I can't believe I'm about to ask this question. But it's something that needs to be put on the line.

"She can't go back out there because she killed Steel Hawk?"

My dad's eyes are sad and gray all of a sudden. I know I've guessed correctly.

"Yeah," he breathes, "Once you've ended someone's life and watched their loved ones around them suffer, it's hard to go on as a hero."

"But she couldn't allow Steel Hawk to keep terrorizing the city." I offer.

Dad shakes his head, "Even so, she fought an internal battle for years. She always wished there had been another way. But he was too powerful."

Dad walks back into the hall, I suppose ending his discussion with us. I felt like he was finally opening up. Then again, it wasn't his feelings to tell.

"Do you think mom knows who Steel Hawk was behind the mask?" I throw out for anyone to answer.

Mason sighs, "Probably. But she'll never tell us. That's most likely the reason she's so upset with herself. She knew him and knew that his son was growing up without a father."

A sudden idea hits me, knocking the wind out of me. How could I have let this slip my mind?

"His wife. Who is his wife? She'd have to know something about his identity. What if she would tell us the name of her son?"

"Yeah right," Mason scoffs, "You'd have a better chance of pigs flying than a villain's mother revealing her child's name. Especially knowing it's to defeat them."

My hands drop in my lap, "Well does anyone have any suggestions?"

Dad pops back into the door, "I know who his wife is. She was going to be put in jail but at last minute she went missing. Completely off the grid and no one can find her. Her children were sent to an orphanage."

Jonas lets out a low whistle. Mason and Ash shake their heads in disapproval. I, on the other hand, am triggered by one word dad mentions.

"Children?" I let the word slip from my mouth, rolling it around on my tongue. Dad's eyebrows furrow, "Well, yes. They had two sons that were put in the orphanage."

"What?!?" I exclaim, throwing my hands up while everyone else watches me have a meltdown. It happens a lot more frequently than you'd think.

I attempt to explain my breakthrough. "Two Red Ravens, two brothers." I try to connect the dots and everyone's eyes widen at the idea.

"But why would one have powers and the other not?" Mason chimes in.

"It would explain why we only knew of one of them. Only one was worth mentioning." Ash adds softly.

A moment of silence passes in recognition of the fact that all the boys knew were disappointment. Their whole childhood was filled with destruction. Why shouldn't they be villains?

Jonas folds his hands together, "So our two Red Ravens are brothers. Huh. Wait a second, Mickey is an only child."

Ash rolls her eyes, "Obviously he was adopted."

Jonas rolls his eyes right back at her, "Well then why was one adopted and not the other?" He mocks her condescending tone. Maybe one day Ash and Jonas will get along. Today is not that day.

"What if someone adopted the one with powers because they knew he had powers?" Mason throws in his idea. It's not a bad theory, actually. Before I can respond, however, dad butts in.

"As much as I enjoy listening to The Mystery Gang, there are people out in the cities suffering. So let's get our suits on," Dad starts waving his hands for us to get moving, "And get out there. Come on, let's move it." We all begin to rush around the room and grab our suits.

Jonas tosses my suit to me from my closet and begins to take off his shirt. Wait, what?

"Jonas!" I exclaim. He looks up, a puzzled look playing on his face.

"What?" He asks, his shirt already off his body. Thankfully, his suit was on underneath.

"Nevermind." I shake my head with a laugh. He shrugs and continues to slide off his normal clothes. He leaves the room in a hurry.

Mason goes to his room to change and Ash waits for us in the living room downstairs. I quickly change into my own suit and rush down the stairs. However, I was not using my super speed and I also was not watching where I was going. So, once again, I fell down an entire flight of stairs. Why am I not clumsy when I'm using my super speed? I don't know. I guess I should use it more often to prevent carpet burn.

Ash and Jonas look over the couch and laugh at the sight of me. I sigh in frustration as Jonas jumps over the couch to help me up.

"Y'all ready?" Dad appears from the kitchen. Was he grabbing a pre-fight snack?

Mason jogs down the steps, "Ready."

Ash stands up with a nod of her head.

I pick at my carpet burn, "Ready." Jonas grabs my hand, looking me dead in the eyes when he says, "Ready."

Then I think about how Steel Hawk's sons grew up in an orphanage. They watched their father die. Their mother left them to flee the scene.

Jonas squeezes my hand as we walk out the door. Everyone else pulls ahead. Mason flies through the air with Ash and dad has completely disappeared in seconds. I forgot that Vortex could teleport.

"Hey. Look at me." Jonas tilts my chin up.

"Jonas-" I begin.

"No. Hear me out. Every villain has a back story. You can't let it get to you. Especially not knowing for sure what their story is. Stay strong, Della. Remember, you're my hero."

Just like that, Jonas knows exactly what to say to get my head in the game. With interlocked fingers, we were ready to take on any battles.

A/N
Yay! An early update!
I'm getting really excited for the end of this book and the sequel! I already have a cover made and a whole whiteboard with ideas drawn together with arrows lol. It's going to be epic!
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Thanks for reading!
Always, Sunny