The Undoing Of Villains | ✓

twenty eight

"Yeah." I grumbled, "He put in the order, and apparently my brother approved it."

"Your brother?" Xandra's eyebrows shot up, probably touching God's behind, "- he works for Python?"

"I don't know how you missed it. If you had access to all the files-" I spoke, but Xandra glared at me.

"I only browsed through the files regarding Tetra, and carefully so they wouldn't see I was snooping. Your brother. I can't believe it." She shook her head, " - he was the guy in here before?"

I nodded, and something gleamed in Xandra's eyes. She cocked her head to the side, let a smirk play along her mouth.

"He was kind of hot." I gaped, and watched as she cackled at my reaction, "Just kidding. I would never go for anyone working here. I have a penchant for female supervillains. It's a problem." She shrugged, raised her hands in a 'I can't help it' gesture.

"Back to the plan." I said, placing my cuffed hands in my lap so my wrists would stop aching, supporting the weight of the metal covering my hands. Xandra nodded, moving past the desk to a table in the corner, where a crystal decanter filled with clear liquid stood.

She poured a glass, started speaking. The details she laid out sounded alright, even if they were a bit ... extreme. I nodded, asked questions, while she responded between sips of whatever she was drinking.

"My powers, though." I said, sadness coating my tone, "- I can't ... reach them."

"It's the cuffs." Xandra said, turning around and letting her gaze sweep across the floor, "- they suppress it. Great technology. I admire it."

I stared at her.

"I'll fix it, don't worry. I swiped a remote earlier, so don't even worry about it." She reached into her back pocket, found a remote, "I had it reprogrammed, so I can access whatever cuffs it's linked to. Really great tech." She lowered her voice, almost speaking directly to the remote in fascination.

"Fix it." I said, watching Xandra as she fiddled with the remote, " - we don't know if I'm going to feel my powers return immediately after they're off."

She nodded, turning a few screws, cursing slightly, "Yeah, yeah. I'll just fixate this on your cuffs and -"

A light beep emanated from my cuffs as she pressed a button, and they loosened. Xandra swore, pressed another button - they turned heavy again, and I dropped to the floor. My knees took the strongest beating, aching at the impact on the bare flooring. This time I was the one to swear, then I directed a glare Xandra's way.

"I've got it." She clicked something, and they turned lighter again, allowing me to stand up. They were still tight, but something had changed - Xandra had fiddled with another button, and something lifted.

It was as if there had been a heavy net cast over me, choking and suppressing me. It was gone, now, and I had to gasp as the heavy pressure relented. The dreary emptiness of having my powers removed from me disappeared, and I felt them well back into me, curling inside my veins as I regained control.

"Holy shit." I said, fighting the sudden onslaught of having my powers available, " - that's .. fantastic."

Xandra was smiling, then shoved the remote back in her pocket, "I know." She drained her glass, put it back onto the table from which she'd taken it, "- now that we've got that under control, we move on to the next order of business. We've outlined it all now, so ... are you ready? To do this?"

My posture straightened up, and I lifted my chin the slightest bit. Every doubt, every inch of insecurity or negativity I'd had needed to disappear - to be vanquished by what was about to happen. I would need full control over my powers if we were to succeed.