Chapter 5

We ended up drawing straws. We didn't even bother including Oracle; the little cheat. I got one of the teens, which was fine really, except Waya got the other and used a Command on me. You can't trust anyone these days. After the meeting I booked it. I wasn't scheduled for patrol tonight and I've got homework to do. Leaving the cave I made sure no one was around before shifting. The team doesn't know my civilian form and I wanted to keep it that way. Walking back to the orphanage I took the time to look around.

The leaves were turning a hundred different shades of red, orange and yellow. I breathed deeply, taking in the smell of the coffee shop mixing with the bakery beside it. There weren't many people walking around, but every block or so I'd spot dogs playing in the leaves and their owners smiling fondly at them.

Reaching my destination, I opened the door to chaos. There's no place like home. As soon as little Mason spotted me I knew I wasn't going to get a moment of peace for the next few hours.

"Neth, Neth!" he exclaimed, a large smile overtaking his face and his arms waving around in excitement.

"Hey there little monkey," I said, reaching down to pick him up. "Were you good today for Mommy?" Mason had been at the orphanage for three years and started calling Helen, the woman who runs this place, his mom. We all decided it'd be best not to tell him that she's not his biological mother. She has raised him.

He nodded enthusiastically and launched into the thrilling tale of his day. I nodded along and laughed at his re-telling of who stole all the juice boxes at school, and carried him into the mess hall. Everyone else was there with the exception of Jason and Emmett, who were already asleep, and Helen, who was still in the kitchen. I put Mason down in his seat before heading into the kitchen. Nell and Noah were moving around the kitchen gathering plates, cutlery and cups like a well oiled machine. I grabbed the plates and the place mats before heading out to the mess hall again.

Minutes later the table was set and Helen, Nell, Noah and I were dishing out the food for all the younger kids. The conversation was dominated by the little one; who saw who at recess, who ate where at lunch, etcetera. Most of the kids go to the same elementary school, Helen drives them every morning. Nell, Noah and I all go to the same high school. When they first started I would spend as much time as possible with them until the made their own friends. Most of us have different last names, but the other kids still knew we come from the orphanage.

After dinner I was delegated to homework duty. We all sat in the living room with notebooks and folders scattered across couches and coffee tables. The little ones loved complaining about how much homework they had, until they noticed the pile of textbooks Noah carried in for us three. We all settled, surrounded by the sounds of pencil on paper, slight shifting in seats, and explanations murmured softly. In these small moments of silence, surrounded by people who knew what I had been through better than anyone else, I could almost pretend I was normal.

No superhero identity, no hidden past life. Just kids who would stand by me simply because we understand each other, I lived for these moments, and I continued with my superhero life so these moments could stay.

. . .

When the weekend came, it was time to recruit the teenagers. I grabbed my suit, the last of my mother that I owned; and like any normal teenager, jumped out of my window. Okay, less jumped and more climbed out and hoisted myself up onto the roof. Gracefully, obviously. Who can't climb out a 4th floor window and pull themselves up to the roof any other way?

Even after all these years I still couldn't quite believe it when my mom's old clothes and her favourite blanket also morphed with my body. If that lightning could give me another superpower, who says it couldn't also bind my DNA with cloth? Totally reasonable. For a minute I just paused. The sun wasn't even a quarter of the way up. The bakery was already open, but the windows in the coffee shop were dark. A few people could be seen walking energetic dogs and stifling yawns.

There was a light breeze, reminding us that winter isn't far off. Nobody had seen me yet. It was one of those rare moments where I was in my suit but I was still invisible. I closed my eyes and leaned back, drinking in the smells of fresh pastries and the clean cold smell of the air. Sometime later I pulled myself to my feet and started jumping across roofs. I tried to stay high up and out of sight until I reached the first house. Silently dropping down into an alleyway I glanced around before walking up to the house. I knocked and took a step back, running through what I was going to say for the fourth time. The door swung open to reveal a short middle aged woman.

"Hello," she said cautiously, eyeing my suit. Despite being called Chameleon, I did not blend into the background. I smiled.

"Mrs. Wins, right?" I asked. She nodded. I'm guessing you know who I am, and probably why I'm here. Could I come in?" She still looked wary, but reluctantly opened the door for me to enter. I closed and locked the door behind myself while she went to get who I was here for. Three years of recruiting and I still stood awkwardly in the foyer not knowing where to go. I heard soft talking up the stairs, followed by two pairs of feet padding down the staircase. I followed Mrs. Wins and her daughter into the living room. Mr. Wins was sitting on one of the couches, staring at his hands folded on his lap.

At the sound of us entering he looked up and got to his feet. "Pleased to meet you, Chameleon." He said, firmly shaking my hand.

"Likewise, Mr. Wins," I smiled at him. "I'm sure you all would just like to cut to the chase; is it alright if we sit?" I sat on the couch opposite the Wins, while Jay sat in an armchair facing the two couches. "I would like to start off by saying thank you for letting me enter your home," I said. "I know how difficult it is for parents to let us recruit their teenager. I'd also like to say that we try very hard to not recruit teenagers, one of the rules I myself helped establish. It's unfair to put so much responsibility on them, even if they have the power to help.

That being said," I paused, looking at all of them in the eyes, "we believe Jay can rise to the occasion. We have been watching her for a little while and are very impressed." I leaned back, "Do you have any questions?"

Jay remained silent, still processing everything, but the Wins launched into parent mode. "How long is Jay expected to fight for you?" Mrs. Wins asked. Something in her tone unnerved me so I chose my words carefully.

"Should Jay decide to join, she will be given a year long contract to the date. If in a year she decides she doesn't want to stay with us, her contract won't be renewed."

"Contract?" Mr. Wins asked. "What are the details of this contract."

"Unrestricted health care for her and her family, insurance on your home and vehicles should they be damaged in an attack, and Jay will be paid $10,000 a month plus bonuses for certain assignments. We alternate first respondents and patrols, and you'd get a bonus for fighting when you weren't scheduled to." The bonuses were also my idea, if we were putting our lives on the line when we weren't on duty we deserved compensation.

At this Jay seemed to snap out of her shock. "$10,000? That seems like a lot per month."

"Others say the same when they find out but you have to understand that you are expected to walk into a potentially hostile situation with only your partner. The police are bound by laws that prevent them from just charging in but those laws don't apply to us." The three of them were silent for a while after that, fully realising the weight of the responsibility.

"You mentioned a partner," Jay started.

"There are currently two members that do not have partners, because they've been in the Agency for so long. Every new initiate gets sponsored by a senior member and they get partnered with someone who has a minimum of one year of experience." The first time we recruited we paired newbies up together; that lasted less than a month.

Jay nodded, her eyes going out of focus as if her mind was travelling a mile a minute. Mrs. Wins spoke up at this point. "Jay, I know you are almost an adult but this time I would like to have a say in this." Jay nodded and her mom continued. "What guarantee do we have that Jay will remain safe?"

"Mrs. Wins, I look after all the recruits. I make sure they know how things work, where things are, and that their sponsors are teaching them properly. I promise that if she is in mortal danger I will dissolve her contract." They all looked directly at me at hearing this.

"You can do that?" Jay asked.

"I would do anything to protect any initiate, and should you join you'll see why I can make such promises."

"When do we have to make our decision?" Mr. Wins asked.

"We will need your decision today, and I would like to stay here while you make your decision. If Jay agrees, I would be taking her with me to get her first look at the Agency. Initiation Day is next week, and we'd like to tell and show her as much as possible before then." The cave was a big place, and newbies usually got very overwhelmed on their first visit. That's why we start a week early.

"Could you wait in the kitchen while my parents and I talk?" Jay said.

"Of course, take as long as you need." I stood from the couch and headed through the doorway on the left to the kitchen to wait; the bottom of my cape snapping behind me. Was it practical having a cape? No. Did I make the decision when I was much younger and it was too late to change it? Yes. I changed the style of the cape to work better with my wings, something else I decided on when I was younger that is too late to change. At least I look cool. I pulled out my phone to text Waya, letting him know what was going on.

Me: At the Wins. They're deciding right now. What's the address for the Budan's?

Waya: 15 Poplar Road. Met's on his way back with Jacob. I'll have him wait for you before the crash course.

Me: Copy. Thanks Waya.

Thirty minutes later I was joined in the kitchen by the Wins. "Good news," Jay said smiling. "My parents think I'm old enough to become the equivalent of a soldier."