Exhausted from the day's events, Valeria collapsed onto her bed, falling asleep immediately. She awoke the next morning refreshed, despite having an odd dream about an upside down world. Dark was good, Light was bad, Hospitals were evil, and Criminal Undergrounds were good. It took her a moment to remember that it wasn't a dream; it was the crazy world she actually lived in.
She took a little more time with her hair, jewelry, and makeup this morning before going downstairs. She found Jada sitting alone at the table with two bowls, a carton of milk, and a box of cereal. The woman finished a scoop of cereal from her bowl before looking Valeria up and down.
"Well look at you," she said, leaning back in her chair. "So you have a sense of style after all?"
Sighing, Valeria sat across from Jada and poured cereal into the empty bowl. "I'm glad you approve. Did Frank leave already?"
"You just missed him."
"Police business?" Valeria asked while scooping up some cereal, "Or other business?"
"Other."
The two of them ate cereal from their bowls, neither saying a word. The atmosphere was intense, and Valeria knew she owed her an apology. "Listen, Jada. About the other night..."
"Forget about it."
"I can't," she replied, leaning back in her chair. "I can't imagine what you two have been through. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. Sorry about everything."
Jada looked up and pointed at her with the spoon. "Did I ask for your sympathy?"
"No," Valeria said, her shoulders slouched forward. "But you have it anyway." She leaned closer to Jada, but her sympathetic gesture was not reciprocated.
"Sympathy won't bring my daughter back," Jada said, scooting back in her chair. "So you're wasting your time. Speaking of time, you're going to be late for school."
Sighing, Valeria could see past her tough woman persona. Her eyes looked weary, forlorn. "Jada, just talk to me..."
"Get going, girl. Don't make me say it again."
Valeria sighed, picked up her book bag, and stopped by the kitchen entrance. "Acting tough won't bring her back either."
Jada didn't respond, and Valeria didn't plan to wait around for one. She made her way outside, unlocked her bike, mounted it, and headed for school. Along the way, her mind raced with conflicting emotions. She didn't understand how a group of healers could get away with profiting off the sick. But then again, the only world she has ever known was corrupt, cold, and cruel.
Like yesterday, she found Sai waiting near the bicycle rack beside the school. "Wow, you look nice today," he said with a smile.
Ignoring him, she slammed her bicycle into the rack and started locking it.
"Umm," Sai muttered. "Not that you didn't look nice yesterday. It doesn't even matter what you look like honestly..."
Valeria groaned as she looked up. "What?"
"I'm sorry if I made you mad."
She shook her head. "I'm mad, but not at you."
Sai removed the guitar case from his back and began opening it. "I could play a song to cheer you up?"
"Not right now," she said, walking toward the school entrance. "I appreciate it though."
Replacing the guitar case around his back, Sai struggled to keep up with her. "Want to talk about it?"
"Not really," she said, stopping to take a breath. Even if she wanted to confide in him, she had no idea where to begin. She didn't understand it herself. "It's complicated."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
She turned toward him, a smile slowly tugging at her lips. There were things he could do to help, but they didn't involve words. She wanted to act on those impulses, but her past experiences left her hesitant. "No," she said, the regret detectable in her voice."I'm late for class. See you later, Sai."
Valeria rushed to her homeroom class and sat down in her seat. Sheri leaned over and whispered, "wow, you look much nicer today. We might not have to do a makeover on you after all..."
Valeria groaned and slumped back in her chair.
"Did you think about my offer?" Sheri asked.
Valeria exhaled, the deep breath preventing her from blurting out her desired reply. You mean, did I think about being your token Latina friend? She finished her deep breath and replied with, "Yeah, I'll join your gang."
"Squad," Sheri corrected.
"Whatever."
Sheri started explaining all the rules of her squad, and Valeria pretended to listen. When the teacher instructed them to open their textbooks, she removed the Dungeons and Dragons handbook from her bag, placed it on the desk, and hovered over it. The rest of the class read about history; she read about Rogues.
"What are you looking at?" Sheri whispered.
"We have a biology quiz later today," Valeria whispered back. "I need to study."
"My friend, Erin, can help you with that. She's a wiz with that stuff."
Valeria mostly ignored her and tried to learn as much as possible about Rogue characters. The summary didn't reveal much, so she focused on the skills section. Her efforts were futile; the skill descriptions were like math textbooks with statistics, values, and equations.
Frustrated, she gave up on the Rogue chapter and started reading about different types of healing characters. Clerics, Priests, Paladins, and Monks. They were all righteous characters that used the power of light to heal the wounded. Priests and Clerics were mostly pacifists; Paladins and Monks combined healing with fighting skills. The book lavished extra praise on Paladins, who used their light to vanquish evil, shadowy forces.
They sound like a bunch of self-righteous assholes.
Her frustration mounted as the book offered nothing but praise for the "good guy" characters. In a perfect world, she could see how everything would fit into neat little categories like that. All the great mythical stories fit that mold; light pitted against dark, and good triumphing over evil repeatedly. Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and even our D&D campaign: The Kidnapping of Princess Arelina.
She wondered what a handbook would say about the world she'd been thrust into. If this world had a story, would the Rogue Faction be the villains? Probably. No righteous hero faction would ever take her in; people like her were never the hero of the story. Screw them, and the high horse they rode in on.
When it came time for lunch, Valeria sat with Sheri at the Elites table. She squirmed in her seat when a familiar blond haired boy sat next to her.
"We meet again, mamacita. Don't worry about yesterday – I like a girl who plays hard to get."
Valeria tried to remain calm as he kept invading her space, but felt increasingly uncomfortable. She was tempted to strike him again, but refrained.
"Leave her alone, Devon," Sheri said. "If you don't leave our new friend alone, I'll make sure everyone knows your little secret. Emphasis on little."
Everyone laughed as Devon Wormer stormed off. Most of the teenagers at the Elite table were simple-minded jocks and cheerleaders, but one girl was not like that at all. Valeria scooted over to a seat across from her and smiled. "We meet again, stalker."
"I wasn't stalking you," she said. "I'd just never seen you before. Your name is Valeria? I'm Erin. Erin Tyrell."
She offered to shake hands, but Valeria refused and crossed her arms. "So which are you, Erin. Cheerleader? Jock?"
"Neither."
"Then why are you sitting here?"
"Because her dad is rich," Sheri said from across the table. "Isn't that right, Erin?"
Erin broke eye contact with Valeria and sighed. "I guess so."
"I should've kept the money then," Valeria said, her tone light and sarcastic.
"But you didn't," Erin said, turning back to her. "I never really thanked you for that. It meant a lot to me. I can repay you – Sheri said you need help with biology?"
"I already have help," Valeria said, motioning to the nerd table. She took a sip from her soda can as she waited for Erin's reply.
"Oh please. You can do better. I'm smarter than all of them combined."
Valeria snorted, spraying her drink everywhere. She found Erin's sudden bravado amusing and comical. "Oh yeah?" she asked, removing her biology homework. "Prove it."
They sat together the rest of the lunch period. Erin backed up her claim – she was clearly brilliant, and proved to be a much better tutor than any of the so called nerds. But she was more than that. Erin was humble and supportive, but when she really opened up, the girl released her sarcastic sense of humor – one that rivaled her own. They shared many of the same afternoon classes, and when the day ended, they exited the school together.
"Thanks for all your help today," Valeria said, her tone sincere. "I told Sai and his friends we'd hang out after school. Wanna come with?"
Erin stopped by the sidewalk, clutching her books against her chest. "You wanna hang out...with me?"
"Not really," Valeria replied, her tone smug. "You're kind of a weirdo. You're probably not tough enough."
Erin's serious expression cracked. "For those nerds?" she asked with a laugh. "Please. I'm more kickass than you realize."
"I'm going to require proof. C'mon, hang out with us."
Erin's smile faded as an unmarked black car pulled up to the curb. The driver, who looked like a secret service agent, exited the car and opened the passenger door for her. Her confident posture faded, her shoulders slouched, and she broke eye contact. "I can't. I've got to go. See you tomorrow."
Valeria didn't get a chance to say goodbye as the driver shut the door. The unmarked car zoomed off, leaving her in the dust.
#
After Erin's abrupt departure, Valeria met up with Sai and his friends. They ended up taking her to one of their favorite hangouts; a local video arcade. They hung out for a couple of hours before she left and headed home. She found Jada and Frank making dinner, and helped them with the preparation. They sat, ate, talked, and once finished, she went upstairs and started working on her homework.
Sitting at her desk, Valeria leaned back for a moment and took a deep breath. It suddenly hit her; this is what a normal kid's life is supposed to be like. Sure - school and homework were boring, and balancing that load with two social groups felt a little overwhelming, but she knew these stresses paled in comparison to her previous life.
It took a couple of hours, but she completed her assignments without any help. She looked over at the clock, which read nine pm. She had two hours until curfew, and didn't need to think twice about her next plan of action. She had been good, playing the teenage student all day long. Now it was night time.
It was time to be a Rogue.
Valeria slipped into her black hoodie and pants. Downstairs, she found Jada grading tests in the living room. She tried to sneak by her...unsuccessfully.
"Where do you think you're going?" Jada asked without looking up.
"Going to practice my pick-pocketing again."
"If you need money for something," Jada asked, her voice reflecting irritation, "you can just ask me."
"It's not for me."
Jada's frown faded as she looked up and met her eyes. "I see. Let me guess - the homeless girl you met on the street a few days ago?"
Valeria nodded.
"I thought you didn't care about balancing the scales of financial opportunity?" Jada asked, leaning back in her chair with a smirk across her face.
"I was wrong. I do care, and I'm going to help. So can I go or not?"
Jada removed her glasses and massaged her eyes. "Not by yourself. Give me a moment, and I'll go with you." She disappeared into the bedroom and returned a few minutes later in similar dark colored attire. "Alright, girl," she said, "Let's see what you can do."
A half hour later, Valeria and Jada approached the same bar she had seen last night - The Crazy Mare.
"Go on," Jada said with her arms crossed. "I'm watching."
Fifteen minutes later, she had stolen five wallets from various sketchy looking individuals. She returned to Jada, who simply shrugged. "Not bad. Now what?"
Valeria noticed a small souvenir shop nearby, and suddenly had an idea. "I'll be right back." She went inside, found what she was looking for, paid for it with cash, and returned outside. She found Jada standing at the corner, checking her phone.
"I hope you didn't steal that."
"No. I bought a gift for my friend," Valeria said. "We're going to pay her a visit."
"Alright," Jada said, putting her phone away. "Lead the way."
Valeria returned to the familiar homeless corner, and sure enough, she found Alejandra selling Salvadoran quesadillas at the same spot. This time the girl was alone, and when Valeria approached, she erupted into a large toothy grin.
"Valeria!" Alejandra cheered. "Me diste un regalo anoche, no lo hiciste?" You gave me a present the other night didn't you?
Grinning, Valeria replied with, ."Si, Alejandra, tengo mas. Donde esta tu mama?" Yeah, and I have more. Where is your mom?
Alejandra sighed. "Esta enferma." She's sick.
"Lo siento," Valeria replied, her smile gone. "Y segues haciendo quesadillas?" I'm sorry. You still made quesadillas?
"Si, me encanta hornearlos." Yeah, I love baking them.
"Eres muy bueno, deberias conseguir un camion de comida." Valeria said, her grin returning as she handed over the money she stole tonight – two hundred dollars total.
"You really think my food's good enough for a food truck?" the girl replied in English – much to Valeria's surprise.
"Yeah," she replied. "Would you like that?"
"I would," Alejandra replied, her voice uneven. "I love baking, but I feel bad taking your money. You give so much, and I have nothing to offer in return."
Valeria crouched in front of her. "I'm considering it an investment. You use the money to save up for a food truck. In return, I get free quesadillas for life."
Alejandra laughed. "Of course. You really think Americans will like my food? I always feel like I don't belong here."
Valeria had anticipated this response, and removed the gift she purchased at the souvenir store. "Do you know what this is?"
Alejandra nodded. "Lady Liberty."
"She has another name," Valeria said. "Want to know what it is?"
Alejandra studied the miniature statue with wide eyes. "Yes?"
"Mother of Exiles."
"What does that mean?"
Valeria handed it to her and said, "It means this country is a home away from home. You and your food are welcome here. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Alejandra nodded, her eyes gleaming. "Okay." Her eyes shifted as she said, "Hello senora, would you like to try some?"
Jada had crouched beside Valeria. "I would. My daughter says you've got some of the best food in town."
Valeria looked over at Jada with surprise. Did she just call me her daughter?
Jada took a piece of the quesadilla and popped it into her mouth. "Damn," she whispered. "This reminds me of my grandma's cornbread. You have a gift, little one."
Grinning, Alejandra said, "Gracias, senora."
"Take this card, little one," Jada said, removing a card from her pocket. "Can you read English?"
Alejandra nodded as she inspected the card. From where Valeria stood, the symbol depicted a group of trees. "A little," Alejandra said. "I've heard of this shelter. The others say it's a safe haven for the homeless."
"It is," Jada replied. "You should go there if you need food, medicine, or shelter. It's close by, and if you ever need help finding it, you can always ask around."
Looking at Jada, Valeria asked, "How do you know about this shelter?"
Ignoring her, Jada smiled at Alejandra and said, "my daughter and I have to go. Stay safe, little one."
"Thank you! Bye senora! Bye Valeria!"
Valeria said goodbye, but repeated her question as she followed Jada down the street.
"Because we run it," Jada answered, her tone impatient. "Groves are a collection of shelters maintained by the Rogue Faction all around the world."
"How come I've never heard of it before?"
Jada sighed and said, "While the Rogue faction created shelters for the homeless over the centuries, it's never been a top priority. Not until the previous Sovereign and my reign. We made it a priority."
"Why?" Valeria asked, struggling to keep up with her quick pace.
"He and I both had our...personal reasons," Jada replied with a less harsh tone.
"Personal reasons?"
"That's a story for another time," Jada said while rounding a nearby street corner. "Hurry and keep up with me girl. I am going to show you something."
Valeria struggled to keep up with Jada for the next fifteen minutes as they navigated the different streets of downtown Brooklyn. After a short while, they reached a rundown section of town, and Jada eventually stopped in front of a boarded up derelict building. The building had no signs or identifying characteristics, except a small rotting door with a symbol depicting a green faced raccoon and a collection of trees, all inscribed within a circle.
Jada walked up to the door and knocked seven times. The door opened, and a young white woman in disheveled clothing greeted them. "Sovereign, I didn't receive word you were scheduled to visit today. Hopefully nothing's wrong?"
"Don't worry," Jada said casually. "Nothing's wrong. Jan, this is my new protégé, Valeria."
The young woman looked over at Valeria and smiled. "Of course! Everyone knows who you are. Welcome to our guild young one."
Valeria smiled awkwardly, not entirely sure how to respond.
"Jan is a member of the Thieves guild like us," Jada said, "Our guild maintains most of the Groves for the less fortunate."
"We look out for them," Jan added, "Since no one else will." She motioned for them to enter and said, "Here, come inside."
Jada turned to Valeria and said, "Stay close to me girl." She turned and bid farewell to the thief guarding the door, before entering the building.
Valeria followed Jada and suddenly noticed a sound getting louder as they progressed inside. They passed by families huddled along the hallways, young children playing tag, and eventually entered a massive room filled with crowds of people. In this room, Valeria observed some groups huddled around makeshift fireplaces, while others passed by different tables set up like food stations. "There's so many," she said while looking around.
Jada followed her gaze and said, "There are. Each Grove provides shelter, food, medicine, basic medical care, education and –" She trailed off a moment, her expression suddenly sad. She choked up a little as she continued with, "– and drug rehabilitation for anyone who needs it."
"They get all that for free?" Valeria exclaimed.
"Not exactly," Jada replied, clearly trying to regain her composure. "Everyone who comes here helps maintain the Grove in their own way, whether it's cleaning, cooking, teaching, child care, or any other form of work. The Grove isn't just a shelter; it's a growing community with educational and training centers. The goal is to help the less fortunate get back on their feet, and eventually obtain skills and documents they need to enter the workforce."
Valeria whistled. "I wish there was a place like this where I grew up."
"We are slowly erecting Groves all over the country, and across the world," Jada replied confidently. "But...like all endeavors, they require time...and money."
"How much money?" Valeria asked.
"Well...this particular Grove required approximately one million dollars at startup, give or take. I should know, since I personally acquired the funds."
"Holy crap!" Valeria exclaimed. "Where did you get that kind of money?"
Jada smirked at her and said, "I didn't get it from pick-pocketing thugs every night. No...I targeted a particular wealthy businessman notorious for evading taxes, along with other misdeeds. After a carefully laid out plan, I was able to persuade him to make a generous donation."
Valeria raised an eyebrow. "How did you do that?"
"I stole a video that showed him..." she trailed off with a laugh. "Let's just say I found something that made him look bad."
"So you blackmailed him."
"Blackmail sounds so evil," Jada said with a grin. "Let's call it penitence. A man who had more than enough paid for his sins by helping pay for this place. You'd be surprised how many wealthy members of society are far from innocent."
"I see," Valeria replied. "So like Robin Hood, you steal from evil rich people and give it to the poor. Why don't you take all their money?"
"First off," Jada said with a sigh, "Not all wealthy people are evil. I make sure we find the guilty ones, and they're the ones we target. Second – believe it or not – I wish we didn't have to steal anything. In a perfect world, the politicians would tax the wealthy proportionally to aid the less fortunate – but since that's never going to happen – it leaves me no choice. Third, no matter how wicked they are – we don't ruin them. We only steal enough to help the poor survive, rise, and eventually thrive. In this way, we keep the American Dream alive."
"Sounds like a political ad," Valeria said with a sarcastic tone.
"Unlike politicians," Jada replied impatiently, "I actually deliver. When I say I want to balance the scales of financial opportunity, I don't mean everyone should have the same amount of wealth. I mean everyone should start with a good education, healthcare, food and shelter. A family shouldn't have to choose between paying for a child's books versus their medications. In other words, if we're all playing poker, everyone should start with the same number of cards."
"I see," Valeria said while massaging her chin. "So even a Latina immigrant, like me, can maybe end up in the middle or upper class someday?"
Jada shrugged. "If you work hard enough...yeah. It shouldn't matter if you're a minority, immigrant, or a white American struggling in rural America. Someday, the Rogue faction will make sure everyone has a chance to succeed in a fair economic system. That's my dream, and it all starts here," Jada said as she motioned to the large room filled with people.
"Alright," Valeria said with a hint of admiration. "How can I help?"
"You can help by learning how to become a powerful Rogue. Work hard, study hard, and learn from us. Who knows," Jada said with a wink, "Maybe if you work hard enough, you will take my place someday."
Valeria looked over at her with surprise. "Did you just give me a compliment?"
Jada smirked and said, "I said maybe. Come along girl, it's time to get back home. You have school tomorrow."
"I don't know how I'll be able to focus on school after seeing this place."
"You can," Jada replied forcefully, "And you will."
Valeria took one last look around the room before following Jada to the exit. She had never seen such a massive shelter before, and wondered how her life might have turned out differently if she had access to a place like this when she was younger. In the end, it didn't matter.
All she could do was focus on moving forward.