Villains Rise

Chapter 20 -- Of course she's a villain

But he didn't look anything like me. He had Mason's dark hair, but that doesn't mean anything. Mom doesn't have dark hair.

This is nonsense. I'm not supposed to be solving a mystery about a 15 year old boy in prison. My mission is to find out what the Red Ravens are up to and who's following me.

But if I know anything about Mickey's smirk, it's that he's planning something, or he knows something I don't. That smirk appeared when Roush walked in the room. Maybe it's a coincidence. Drake did say that all villains smirk to look minicing. But I'd rather not take any chances.

Tomorrow, I have to sneak home and dig through my mom's photo albums.

Tomorrow.

Even heroes have to sleep.

***

I groan as I roll off the couch and hit the floor with a thud. Well, that's one way to get a good wake up. I'm definitely alert now.

I survey my surroundings. No one is here, so I'm in the clear. After I put my mask back on, I scurry out of the cabin. There's no time to waste today.

The first stop is going home while my parents are at work. I look up at the sun hanging low in the sky. They should be leaving soon. While I wait, I'll just run to-

No, Della, you aren't working with Owen anymore.

I roll my eyes at myself. I've really burned all of my bridges.

Well I can't eat anything at my house, they'll see something's missing. Won't they? Maybe if I just pour a bowl of cereal, no one will know. I'll clean out the bowl and put it back in the cupboard. They won't think anything of it.

I run my fingers through my hair. My oily, greasy hair. Okay, so I'll be taking a quick shower and a bag of clothes as well.

Good Lord, I'm never going to make it on my own. Look at you, Della. You're hiding out in your brother's secret cabin. You're still depending on friends and family even when you said you needed them to back off.

I'm still going to go to my house to get a few things, including the photo albums. But after that, I'm done leaning on people. I have to support myself. I suppose that means I need to find somewhere else to sleep tonight. I'll grab my wallet while I'm home.

Once I speed home, I realize I can't just waltz through the door. I hesitantly peek through the window to make sure no one is in the living room or kitchen. Clear. Cracking open the door, I turn invisible and run up the stairs. My stomach growls, but I know there's not enough time for me to eat here. I grab several items of clothes and some of my basic necessities. I turn around from my closet to see my super suit from when I was Rapid Glare.

It seems like that was an eternity ago.

I grab it and shove it in my forest green duffel bag without a second thought. Maybe it will come in handy. A double identity seems like fun. Complicated, but fun.

Before I grab anything else that might weigh me down, I hear Mason's voice carry from his room. I don't know why his presence startles me. Perhaps it's because I just spent the night at his cabin. What if he knows, somehow?

I press my ear against the wall to hear what he's ranting on about at six in the morning. He's probably been up all night playing video games. Classic Mason.

"Are you serious? You've been talking to Sophia about this?"

Sophia?

"I don't care! We can't trust a word she says! I'm sure Della's still in The Undergrounds, doing who knows what. She's fine."

I would love to know who he's talking to. How does Sophia know I was in The Undergrounds?

I close my eyes, realizing how stupid I am. Of course she's a villain in The Undergrounds.

"Believe me, if she wasn't in The Undergrounds anymore, she'd come back home in the blink of an eye."

My eyes grow wide at his accusation. I grab my bag and run out of my room. Where does mom keep the photo albums? I use my super speed to dash around the house in search of the photos and I finally find them in the hall closet near the kitchen. I shove them in my bag and I'm about to leave the house when I hear Mason running down the steps. I double check to make sure I'm still invisible.

He opens the front door and looks surprised by what's on the other side. Who's here this early in the morning? I peer around the corner of the kitchen wall to get a better look.

Mason's face contorts in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

A/N
Hmmm... Who's at the door I wonder?
&
Who's that Roush kid?

There's a lot of questions to be answered in the coming chapters! Do you think Della is making it on her own pretty well?

Please comment any questions or theories and press that little star button at the bottom of this chapter!

Thanks for reading!
Always, Sunny