Aiden
“Are you sure Valentino will be here, man?” Billy asks as we enter the student center. The steel doors close with a clang behind us, and the smells of bacon and maple syrup wafting from the cafeteria welcome us. “She normally doesn’t have office hours on the weekend.”
We head toward the staircase near the back of the building that leads to the floors with the offices, away from the other students entering the cafeteria. “I’m not sure, but it doesn’t hurt to check. I lost track of time at the library yesterday, trying to catch up on schoolwork, and she was already gone by the time I got here.”
“She had to leave early to help with a robbery downtown.” Billy glances at me. “I heard about it last night during dinner.”
“That makes sense. It must be hard for her to teach here and balance that with Guardian duties.”
The memorial portrait of Ember’s parents passes in my peripheral vision. I do my best not to focus on it. I don’t need to bring up any more anxiety-riddled thoughts today.
“Are you planning on telling Valentino about the secretary?” Billy asks quietly. “And her husband?”
“Yeah. She needs to know. Even if it’s only been three days since you and Ember learned about Susan’s ties to Twisted Bill, that’s three days too long.” I stay quiet about the other thing I want to talk to Valentino about. I’m not sure what to say to Billy yet about wanting to train with someone else, and I don’t want him to feel like anything is his fault. “I really should’ve told her sooner, but the last few days have just gotten away from me.”
Billy wiggles his eyebrows with a knowing smile. “I hope whatever you and Ember were up to the other night was worth it.”
The memory of my intimate time with Ember causes electricity to scurry up my arms. “It definitely was.” My smile spreads across my face.
“I’m happy for you, man.” Billy nudges my shoulder with his fist. “That things are going well for you two.” His skin shifts between different warm hues of brown, but traces of blue swirl throughout. “At least one of us knows what we’re doing when it comes to relationships.”
I frown, feeling sympathetic. “I take it you’ve talked with Carly, then?”
“Yeah. Yesterday.” He exhales loudly, raking his fingers through his shaggy brown hair. “She called me quite a few names that would’ve made my mom cry.”
“I’m sorry, man. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Billy snorts. “Turns out, she wasn’t even upset about me breaking up with her but that she would have to find another date for the ball. I think that’s what stung me the most.” His voice gets quieter. “It really does seem like she never had any real feelings for me.”
I despise Carly even more for hurting Billy like this. “I’m so sorry, Billy. I know that couldn’t have been easy to hear, but don’t let her get you down.” I bump his shoulder with a playful punch. “You’ll find someone who will appreciate the great guy you are. Someone who won’t drag you into their drama.” My brow furrows with confusion. “Wait a second; what ball?”
“Oh, man!” Billy’s brown eyes shoot open excitedly. “That’s right. You probably haven’t heard about it, since you have your separate training, but there’s a Defender Ball coming up soon.”
“Maybe Valentino doesn’t think I should be there.” My head falls. “Because of the serum. That may be why she hasn’t said anything to me.”
Billy’s brow furrows. “It’s just a dance. There’d be no reason for you to get triggered.”
“I guess.” My shoulders reflect my uncertainty. “I better get going and check if Valentino is here. I need to get to the training field soon to meet Stella, but let’s talk more later?”
“Sure. I could use a good vent session.” Billy points his thumb over his shoulder. “I need to get going too. I’m meeting Summer for training, but first, I’m going to eat. I heard there’s this new tater tot egg casserole that’s the bomb!”
I chuckle, trying to ignore the rumble in my stomach. “Enjoy.”
“See yah later, tater!” Billy turns toward the food line. “Good luck!” he shouts over his shoulder.
Nervousness grips my throat, but I head up the stairs, hoping Valentino is here. I pass multiple professors’ offices in the corridor on my way to Valentino’s, but one grabs my attention more than the others. I stop and swallow loudly in front of the black plaque on the door, reading ERIK VAST in gold letters. Notes of remembrance and admiration from students cover his door.
A door creaks, cutting the silence. Voices come from the direction of Valentino’s office.
I continue my trek, eavesdropping on the conversation, and am curious when I hear Shapeshifter’s voice say, “He’s overwhelmed, Biv. The years have taken their toll on him.”
“He needs to remember what’s at stake here,” Valentino snaps. “You know as well as I do that the Guardians need to instill confidence in the public. There’s no denying that the people’s opinion of us was shaken after the attack.”
Is this true? It’s not like I care to read the newspapers, especially after the press conference. But are the people of Stalwarth losing their faith in the Guardians?
Shapeshifter unexpectedly peers around Valentino’s doorway, looking dumbfounded. Using one finger, he pushes gold-rimmed glasses up his nose. “Mr. Stiles. What brings you here this Saturday morning?”
My feet lock in place. “I needed to talk with Valentino.” My voice squeaks, and I clear my throat. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting. I can come back later.”
Valentino steps in front of Shapeshifter into the hallway. She’s dressed in jeans and a simple ivy-green tee. There are faint circles under her sharp, red eyes. “That’s fine, Aiden. We were just finishing.”
Shapeshifter glances at her, and she meets his stare. A silent message passes between them. “Very well, then.” He smiles widely at me, showing off his perfect white teeth. “Valentino can tell you the good news!”
I peak an eyebrow. “Good news?”
He enters the hallway, and his strong form and presence dominate the area. He’s dressed in his Guardian outfit: a black-and-white-striped leather vest and matching pants—a reminder that he can shapeshift into his favorite animal at any time. “Your dedication to the Defender program is paying off, Aiden,” he says with strong authority like the regal Guardian he is. “But I’ll get going so you can talk with Valentino.” He passes me without a backward glance.
Before I have a chance to say bye, Valentino says, “Okay, Aiden.” She motions toward her office. “Come in.”
I enter her office. Everything looks the same as last time, from the glass bookshelves and desk to the portrait of her receiving the key to the city some years ago. I sit in one of the blue velvet chairs, appreciating the comfort of the plush, soft fabric.
“I’m glad you stopped by, Aiden.” Valentino closes her door and sits at her desk across from me. She yawns and quickly tries to cover it with her hand. “Excuse me. It was a long night. But tell me, how did your training go with Billy this week?”
“It was fine.” I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look tired. “Are you okay?”
She nods and wipes her eyes. “The League was busy assisting the police with some low-level crimes yesterday. There seems to be a spike recently. I think people are a little desperate because of how long it has taken the city to find its normal pace again. All should be copasetic soon though. Construction is almost finished, and there should be more jobs as more businesses reopen.” Her smile is understanding. “But I don’t think you’re here to just check up on me, are you?”
“Well, no.” I guess I might as well talk to her about Billy first, since she brought him up. “I wanted to see if I could be paired with someone else for my special training. Maybe Stella, since I’m mentoring her. I know that may be out of the norm, since she’s not actually in the Defender class yet and Billy is, but Billy and I know each other’s fighting style pretty well, and we’re not able to push each other anymore.”
Valentino frowns. “You’re not able to push each other? You’ve both grown exceptionally with your abilities since starting at this university.”
My Adam apple bobs. “Billy doesn’t handle my abilities too well. We can only really do combat practice and—”
“Which is important to know.” Valentino sits back in her office chair. “Correct?”
“It is, but—”
“Aiden,” Valentino’s face hardens. “We made this arrangement so you could stay in the Defender program. Miss Morris has her own classes to worry about during that time. That’s why you’re supposed to train with her during your free time. The one-on-one training you are doing with Billy is taking the place of your normal class training.”
“I know.” I try not to picture Billy’s arms twitching and smoke rising from them. “But I can still hurt Billy, and Stella’s golems could—”
“Do you feel that you are more in control of yourself around Billy than you would be around someone like Jomo?”
“Yes.” I remember that even when I was upset at Billy, I didn’t shock him to my full potential. “I have better control.”
“Then I recommend training with him—at least until we can get a handle on what’s happening with you.”
I sigh. “About that…” I shift gears, since I’m not making any headway on the training stuff. “I recently learned that Susan, the dean’s secretary, is married to Twisted Bill. Do you think that could help you with your investigation? Maybe you could look into his background and find something that could tie him to Susan? And possibly the dean?”
Valentino’s eyebrows bend together. “How do you know that?”
Anxiety rushes through me. I don’t think she’d be pleased to hear about Ember and Billy’s little break-in. “You’ve asked me to trust you, and now I’m asking you to trust me. I can’t tell you how I found this out, but you told me to keep my ears open, didn’t you?”
Valentino becomes as still as stone, and her red eyes are intimidating, reflecting her inner debate about how to answer. And I get it. She’s a professor. A Guardian. She can’t encourage a student of hers to do this type of investigating, especially a first-year Defender student. “Whatever you are doing, Aiden…” she finally says, “promise me that you are being safe. Do not go out looking for trouble. This is the responsibility of the Guardians and the police to handle. Not you.”
“I know.” I remember the mistake I made before when I stepped into a situation I wasn’t equipped to handle. “I’ll keep my distance.” Even though it wasn’t me who broke into the dean’s office.
I lean forward, desiring to talk a little softer. “Other than this, I am curious. Have you found out anything to build your case against the dean?”
Valentino inclines her chin, looking at me down her nose. “I’ll tell you that we’ve questioned Warwick to find out if he is aware of any link between villains and the curse. He claimed he never had heard of ‘the curse’ until we brought it to his attention. We also did a background check on Susan—which was free of any villain associations.”
Stress builds in me, causing my heartbeat to spike. “Of course, he’ll deny anything, and it’s so easy for records to be manipulated. That’s why I think you need to investigate Twisted Bill.”
“And I promise you, I will.” Valentino sighs. “But these things take time. That’s why we have to be careful with Warwick. If we say the wrong thing, he may destroy any possible evidence.”
“If he hasn’t already,” I mutter, sinking into my chair.
“Let’s discuss something a little more positive, shall we?” Valentino clasps her hands together on her desk. The glass surface reflects her smiling face. “I’m pleased to tell you that Storm League has chosen your application to enter the interview phase for this summer’s internship.”
“Interview?” This news isn’t what I was expecting. “There was nothing on the application about an interview stage.”
“You’re in the running with a couple other students, and the League is having a hard time choosing. They want to conduct interviews to help determine who should get the spot.”
I stare out the window. Even if it’s another clear, beautiful spring day, my stomach sinks. “I’m going to request for them to withdraw my application.”
“Why?” Valentino stills, but her face shimmers, as if a glare is coming from her floor-to-ceiling windows, but the light is her own power. “This is a great opportunity for you. Not only would you get an inside view into the inner workings of a League, but you’d get to work with Striker, who controls lightning. That was why we felt you’d be such a great fit for this internship. He could give you some pointers about your abilities.”
“It’s too much right now.” I take a deep breath. “No matter how much I want it, it’ll just be too much with everything that’s going on. I’d like to take the summer to recuperate and focus on helping Stella with her summer classes.”
“Are you sure?” Valentino’s gaze softens.
“Won’t there be other opportunities?” I ask, feeling hopeful.
“There will be, but nothing is guaranteed.”
“I understand.” No matter how much my heart wants the internship. A chance to work with Striker. My gut tells me otherwise. “But I have to get a handle on whatever is happening to me first.”
“I’m sad to hear this, but I admire your self-awareness.” Valentino glances at the picture of her and her deceased partner on her desk. Her red eyes snap back to me. “I think it’s time I told you that I’ve been working with a lab on a way to test you.”
My heart leaps. “You have?”
She nods. “At this moment they’re creating a way to test your blood. My fear is that, whatever the serum is, it’s untraceable, which is why it’s never been detected before. The lab will need advanced technology to run a test for such a thing.”
“Do you know how long it may take?”
“I’m hoping by summer we’ll have a solution.”
Hope fills my chest. Maybe they can create an antidote.
“I know things may not be as quick as you’d like, Aiden,” Valentino says quickly, like she took my silence as negative. “But I need you to trust me.”
Her doubt of my trust in her almost causes me to laugh. Of course, I trust her.
… Right?
I frown, remembering the real reason why the Guardians wanted me to stay quiet about Ember’s parents’ murders. It was for their own benefit. Not mine. Not the way everyone—including Valentino—has portrayed it.
My stomach turns, feeling both hungry and sick.
Maybe my trust in her—in Guardians—has been shaken.
Is her help with this serum situation really about me? If it got out that the villains poisoned a top Defender student while attending the University of Stalwarth, the press would run wild with that story. Would the Guardians discard me again, like they did all those years ago, just to save their reputation? Besides, I overheard the conversation between her and Shapeshifter. More things are going on. More things the Guardians are worried about. More things they want to keep quiet.
My breathing hitches, and electricity crackles around my fingers.
Have I been tricked? Am I working toward a path that’s possibly corrupted just as much as the bad guys the Guardians are supposed to fight?
I shake my head, trying to rid myself of these thoughts. I can’t start thinking like this. It’s a villainous way to think. I also don’t want to risk triggering the serum.
“Aiden?” Valentino asks, dipping her head to look into my eyes. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I stand, desiring some fresh air. “I need to get going to meet Stella. We’re practicing in the training field today.”
Valentino clears her throat. “All right, but before you go, I’d like to give you something.” She removes what looks like a watch from a side desk drawer. “Take this. It’s a basic location device. It’s not a high-grade one, since those are only available to Guardians, but this is one we give to licensed higher-year Defender students who can assist in recovery and villain fights. This is not permission for you to look for trouble, but it’d be careless of me not to acknowledge that trouble has a way of finding you and Miss Vulterra. If you ever need help, you can send me your coordinates.”
I take it from her, and my thumb rubs over the black leather strap and the face of the watch. There’s a blue map of my location with a flashing white dot. “Can you see my location any time, then?” I ask, my eyes creasing with suspicion. “Is this just a way to track me?”
She dismisses my question with one firm shake of her head. “I’ll only see your location when you push the dial on the side.”
“Okay,” I say, but I don’t believe her. I’m not stupid. Guardian technology is all linked together. I place the device in the back pocket of my jeans. “Thanks. Hopefully, I won’t need it.”
She releases her breath, like she may have been expecting me to reject the gift. “There’s one last thing. Since you haven’t been in class, I realized you may have not heard about the upcoming Defender Ball.”
“Billy actually just told me about it.”
“Oh, good.” She smiles. “Because of your position here, it’s very important that you attend. Guardians from a lot of the big Leagues in the city will be there. It’ll be a great networking opportunity, and you may have a chance to talk with Striker.”
“I see no reason why I wouldn’t go.”
“Good. That’ll be all, then.” Her smile dims, and she runs her hand over her pixie cut as she eyes the files on her desk. “Enjoy your training with Miss Morris.”
“Thanks,” I mumble and make my way back into the hallway.
I stop again in front of The Regenerator’s office, taking in the sight of all the student’s grief across this door—a door that’s become a memorial.
A memorial that’s a lie.
Betrayal, anger, and aggravation brew inside me. I curl my fingers into fists. They tingle with electricity.
Another lie Guardians are telling.