“Go ahead and finish your steak,” Aurora told Sarah as she stood, staring at Bgel. Sarah checked back over her shoulder to see what had caught Aurora’s i so ily, tilting her head.

  “Oh, uh, thank you, but why are you spag out?” Sarah asked.

  “It’s nothing. I’ll just be in the dies' room for a few,” Aurora replied calmly, tossing in a disarming wink even as she steeled herself against the possibility of having to fight Bgel.

  She moved quickly into the bathroom, ready for a, but didn’t see anything right away. It was a sioilet bathroom, some privacy, so she locked the door. After a moment, she turowards the mirror—and she was there.

  Aurora spun to front Bgel, but the viliness wasn’t behind her.

  “You have no idea the trouble it’s been to even try to make tact with you,” Bgel spoke, her voiing evenly from every dire. Aurora turo face her in the mirror, log eyes with the dark figure as she went on. “Well, I’m sure you remember it fondly. I want to say that you ’t get rid of me so easily, though as you see, there’s not much I do.”

  As she spoke, the ne'er-do-well walked towards Aurora in the refle, reag out from the mirror to touch Aurora’s face. The moment her fingers made tact, she yanked back as though scalded, her expression twisting in irritation.

  Bgel shook her head. “How truly vexing. There’s nothing I do to you,” she said, frustration leaking into her voice. “You have no idea how difficult it has been just te this little versation with you. But I suppose that’s all spilt milk uhe bridge now, ha. I wanted us to start fresh since our first enter left plenty to be desired.” She put on a megawatt smile, the kind reserved for reuniting with an old friend. “Let’s be friends from now on, hm?”

  Bgel started to pace bad forth around the room in the mirror even as Aurred daggers at the viliness, trying to figure out how to react to the situation. “I know something’s been troubling you, and I think I know just the way to help. I feel it… something offends you, something hurts you… so let me out for, let’s say… an hour. I’ll happily help fix all those pesky s right up!” She pressed her thumb to her index finger, as if bartering. “Just for an hour. A pittao solve your problems. What do you say to that?” She beamed brightly, narrowing her eyes to flutter her shes at Aurora.

  “I kind of sensed you were still skulking about in my head but isn’t the market for deals like that already ered by devils? I’m disappointed you’ve sunk to such cliches. And for the record, I deal with my own problems, thanks,” Aurora sighed. “I wouldn’t be much of a person if I couldn’t hahis muo one said life was going to be easy. Being a good person sometimes means not doing things the way that would only best serve yourself.”

  Aurora kept her eyes firmly fixed orickster oher side of the gss. “Yeah, I will admit that I’m extremely annoyed, frustrated… I feel powerless. Sarah is staying itted even if the camp is mistreating her, and I suspect it’s worse than she says. You see that thousand-mile stare whealks about certain things.” Taking a breath to rein in her emotions, Aurora had to sciously unch her fists before her nails dug too deeply into her palms.

  “The fact is I’m seriously refleg on my feelings at the moment. It’s looking hopeless, and some things aren’t meant to be,” she admitted. “Bottom line: ‘what will be, will be.’ I don’t wao get hurt, but I have to be patient and help her as a friend.”

  “You know, I have some experieh cults,” Bgel shrugged, her entire demeanor unnervingly casual, like this was a simple chat between old chums. “I started a few ba my day, mostly for experimentation. If you fear brainwashing, the simplest thing to do is to elimihe cult iion. I wouldn’t mind sparing an hour—and dismantling their little camp for you.”

  Bgel’s gleeful expression took a darker turn, her smile twisting into something sharper. “Wrathful and direct, yes… and I won’t even injure anyone you would want to spare. What do you say to that?”

  Aurred at Bgel again. “No. I won’t give you a toehold. Under no circumstances. I khat if I accepted this power, I’d always face the possibility of ending up like you did, but I won’t let that happen. In terms you might uand, denying your corruption is for my own sake above anyone else’s.

  Sarah do what she wants and live how she wishes. It’s not my busio force my beliefs on others. The w protects them because they have a right to do what they do as long as foolish parents like hers give them that power.

  I will not, however, take those responsibilities and choices into my own hands. I won’t be like you.”

  Aurora sighed heavily as Bgel began to fade, her form dissolving into the shadows of the mirror.

  Bgel scowled, her voice dripping with pt. “Then you’re a fool. A ‘hero’ is supposed to save people, no? You’d stand by ahose hapless idiots burn alive or choke on poison just because their so-called leaders dema—because they were stupid enough to follow? That’s pathetic.” She snarled.

  Aurora turned her ba Bgel and unlocked the bathroom door. Bgel yelled after Aurora, “You know I’m right! You know it! ...Very well, farewell for now, but thank you for ohing at least,” she said, her voice ging to a less strident tone as it faded.

  “I got to know a little more about my new best friend.”

  And she was gone again.

  Aurora had no doubt they’d be having another ‘chat’ soon. The viliness wasirely wrong—but this was the age-old debate about a hero’s code: If you had the power to prevent harm, how far should you go to protect people from themselves? Ask ten people, and you’d get twelve different answers.

  After tless discussions on message boards and heroes across the world, Aurora had already made her choice. She followed the gold standard—Vanguard’s example. He believed that privad personal freedom mattered more than absolute security, and she shared that view. There were always exceptions, of course, but those would have to be judgment calls—just like every hero faced in the chaos of the real world.

  Stepping out of the bathroom, Aurora looked directly at the table only to find the police were there with Sarah. She reized one of the officers from when she and Quinn had been arrested outside the Camp a few days back.

  They were speaking with Sarah, but their backs were currently turned away from the restrooms. She’d somehow mao position them so they wouldn’t see Aurora when she came out. Aurora turned away and listened.

  “...I have no idea,” Sarah said, “she left a while ago. And for the millionth time, I’ve never met her before today and have no idea if she knows me from anywhere. Does this have anything to do with the rumors at camp?”

  “These are just regur questions,” that same reizable officer spoke, “the director is very worried about you, let’s get you back.”

  “Do you think she might e back?” Sarah asked.

  “We don’t know, Miss Namias. Let’s go, e on.” He pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Aurora’s eyes widehe trast between the words and the officer’s as were at odds. They were going to arrest a child? For what? She wasn’t resisting!

  “Wait a minute, I’m not resisting you, I’m just saying maybe if you think there’s something going on… maybe you should call my parents a me go home?” Sarah asked, half-pleading. She DID want out from the camp!

  The officer ignored Sarah and handcuffed her. “Ow! That’s too tight!” Sarah pined.

  “A lot of kids try to run off early from the camp. I’m not taking any ces,” the officer said. “Now let’s go before you cause any more of a se.”

  “Ow… stop pulling so hard,” Sarah protested as they almost lifted her right from the chair and marched her away. Aurora ged her hair color and clothes to a business suit, her eyes narrowing. She snarled angrily.

  Sarah looked like a frightened little helpless animal, trapped. Looking over her shoulder, she spotted Aurora and seemed as though she was going to say something, but she bit her lip, blushed, and looked down. Her face softened as if to say, ‘Thanks f anyway.’

  Aurora pulled out her wallet and dropped fifty dolrs oable. She didn’t know how much the bill would be, and they didn’t deserve it if they sold them out to the police, but right was right.

  She stepped out after the polid, as they started loading Sarah up into the back of their squad car, Aurora transformed. She couldn’t let what was happening go without speaking her piece.

  There was an explosion of light, and she spread her wings wide after the door behind her closed. “A moment of your time, officers. I uand what you’re doing here and what your s are. However, I must expin why I asked for Ms. Sarah’s cooperation. My name is Aurora. I’m a new superhero in the area. I’m here to iigate the camp. I’m certain you’re aware of their practices.”

  The officers turned quickly in arm, putting their hands to their sidearms. Hearing that her voice was full of reason, they didn’t draw but remai the ready. The officer she was familiar with gestured for his parto tio the car. “I’ve heard about you. Weren’t you out bsting that stru site in Seaside City? What brought you there from this ‘case’ of yours? Maybe you’d better e back to the station and expin about what you’re looking for up in the camp.”

  He adjusted his shoulders while maintaining his semi-aggressive stance. “If you’re looking for a cult, you’re in the wrong pce. The Padua Realig Camp in Junker is a legitimate enterprise,” he said, gesturing for her to follow him to the car.

  Aurora let her wings retract a little and looked at the officer. “Where I e from, we don’t treat children so harshly. The cuffs are out of line, officer. Do you not know how the children at that Camp are treated? They’re kept out from the sun all but for one day. The Sun is lifesblood for all, particurly my people, but without it you wouldn’t be here. We have a great affinity for the Sun, we all do. And it is very important to the growth of a child. This so-called camp does nothing but drill scriptures into the children’s heads. They’re basically brainwashing the kids into a specific product. And oher end, someone’s making money off of all this. One might say it’s a legitimate and legal enterprise, but it’s really just a legal tration camp. All that said and then you e along and nothing you’re doing makes seo me in the slightest.”

  “Well, Miss Aurora, those are some serious allegations you’ve leveled. A lot of us in town find the good people of the camp help to reinforce the positive traits of all good children that o grht. I think we may want to first address the kidnapping charge.”

  “She did NOT kidnap me!” Sarah yelled from ihe Police car, having listeo every word. “She’s new here, and, um. I came by choice! It was not against my will.”

  The officer turowards Sarah, pressed against the window. “Then you’re admitting that you did want to run from the camp?”

  “No,” Sarah responded. “I didn’t say that. I just wao help her out.”

  “So you know her personally?” the officer asked, “you already said you didn’t know her before.”

  “Well, um…” Sarah looked at Aurora.

  Aurora put on a reassuring smile. “She doesn’t know me, officers. Or rather, didn’t prior to today. I saw her in the yard pig berries and I nded beside her. I asked her if she’d mind ing for a flight for a short time and answer some questions about hoy she was, and how well she was treated.

  I’ve e to uand that the food is unpleasant there. I figured it would be more than fair to pensate her for her time and what the camp had put her through with a fine meal. And since I didn’t want aaring at her or being too nosy, I ged my appearance so we would have some peace.

  Sarah is a good girl, I’ve found. Very obedient. She’s already expined quite a bit about how the camp operates and I don’t approve of their methods.” Aurora crossed her arms beh her breasts. “It’s hard to uand why anyone would willingly subject their child to that kind of ‘treatment,’ iher sense of the word. There are parents who medicate their children for being joyful and happy. That makes the experience a bit more ve, even if it means their ans are damaged for life to give them a wink of peace.”

  “Yeah, I’m tired of oatmeal and hot dogs!” Sarah yelled with a broad smile. “I’m totally sick of it!”

  “Yeah, yeah, your file says you don’t like hot dogs,” the officer quipped. “At any rate, this sounds like it might be a misuanding all around. I'll tender your apologies to the camp on your behalf if you promise to stay out of town’s airspace for the time being,” he said, “but if they decide to press charges, we’ll need your taformation.”

  “Speak with Detective Ben Kirby of the San Isidro Police Department. He’s my case worker or whatever you’d call it.” Aurora put her hands on her hips. “And are you sure you wao stay away? ‘Misuanding’ or not, if something happehat needs a superhero’s assistance, would you NOT be grateful for help? The area isly burgeoning with superhero presences.” Aurora stated, perplexed.

  “I wouldn’t o speak with Sarah again in the erm, especially not since she answered my questions, but do Sarah a favor and at least take those cuffs off her.” Her eyes had fallen upon Sarah’s raised up wrists when she pressed up against the window.

  “We find that outsiders, especially from the big city, think they know better than us and don’t have a lot of respect for us lowly rural types. We’ve done just fine here without any super-people, especially people who engage in baded bsphemy.” This officer was clearly biased. “If we need you, we’ll call your ‘caseworker’ as you say.”

  “I’m okay! You hear me?” Sarah yelled loudly. “I’m fine!” Sarah sounded unving, but she did her best.

  “All right then, y'all have a good day,” the officer said to Aurora with a tight-lipped frown and a clear sense he was done being civil.

  Aurora shook her head and spread her wings, taking off. Nothing had gone like she’d hoped it would. She’d even thought she’d been lucky when Sarah was right there when she arrived! How ughable.

  She k couldn’t all go well and that things probably weren’t as bad as she was afraid they were, but now she knew more about Sarah’s situation and how she felt. When it came down to it, she was more hohan she could be when they were alone.

  She did her best to empty her mind as she beat wing home, tears in her eyes for her powerlessness.