Secret Super (Book 1)

16. What Could Go Wrong

Turns out, there were a lot of things Kara and Zadia didn't prepare for.

Like that the inside of the power plant was pitch-black and they kept bumping into each other, despite Kara's weak blue wrist-flashlight. Kara accidentally stepped on Zadia's foot and she yelped.

"Sorry!" Kara whispered. "And shut up! We're gonna get caught!"

"I didn't mean to make that noise! It's not my fault your boots are so sharp. Why do they need to be so sharp?"

Kara could just picture the glare Zadia was probably wearing, with her eyes narrowing and the little wrinkle in between her eyebrows when she got mad. She smirked. "Why do you think? So I can bash people's heads in with my feet."

"You— what? You're messing with me," Zadia hissed. "Real classy."

They also hadn't prepared for having no idea where to go. Turns out power plants didn't have handy little tourist maps on the walls.

"Weren't you paying attention to Kian's holo?" Zadia said.

"Were you?" Kara snapped back. "And yes I was. Just . . . gimme a minute!"

Thankfully they somehow found their way to the conveyor belt. Throughout all her missions, Kara was no stranger to breaking into dark places, but she still felt a familiar thrill run through her. Force-fields were too conspicuous, so she tore up the conveyor belt with a dagger instead, Zadia standing in shadows keeping guard.

Then they started making their way back to the exit, constantly throwing looks over their shoulders and managing to dodge the night guards with their heavy metallic footsteps.

"So far, so good," Zadia muttered.

They heard a popping sound faintly from down the hall and Kara's head snapped around. "Kian?" she whispered.

"Yeah, it's me, kid." Kian's voice came through the earpiece. Then she walked closer, her eyes glowing and crazed. She ran a hand through her hair, spiking it up like she was trying to make it as messy as possible. "Have you two seen Ezra?" she said, a slight shrill edge to her voice.

"You lose him?" Kara said, biting back a snicker. "I don't really blame you."

Zadia elbowed her. "Nope, haven't seen him," she said.

"Damnit!" Kian cursed. "I told that idiot to stay near me! Skies, when will he listen to me?"

"Well, do you know where he could have gone?" Zadia asked.

"He's always disappearing somewhere." Kian's forehead knotted in a scowl. "I dealt with the generator," she said in a low voice. "Destroyed a lot of the machinery. It'll cost the factory millions to repair the damage," she added, sounding grim but satisfied. "But we need to get out now. Before anyone catches on that we're here."

Kara swallowed. Kian was right. If the superheroes got here now . . . Well, she didn't want to think about it.

"I better go check the security rooms again. Maybe he still needed to delete some footage. He always does a job thoroughly . . ." Kian said, sounding like she was trying to reassure herself. She backed up a step, and with a pop! and a flash of greenish light, she disappeared.

Kara and Zadia looked at each other. Zadia was pale under the flickering blue beam illuminating her skin, and she tugged at strands of her hair.

"She won't be gone long," Kara said, partially to convince Zadia and partially for herself.

That's when they heard the voices. Loud, angry, something about "supers" and "intruders" and a faint alarm blaring in the distance.

Kara's blood froze.