Rehab for SuperVillains (18+)

Freya nodded, her blue eyes sharp, her posture attentive.

"Understood. We infiltrate the safehouse, take out the gunmen and superhuman bodyguards—kill or knock them out—and capture Vulpes, alive or dead." Her summary was crisp, her voice steady.

"Exactly," Kael said, a satisfied grin tugging at his lips, impressed by Freya’s clarity.

"Let’s go, then. Why’re we waiting?" Rhea said, springing off the bed, her suit’s orange accents flaring briefly as her excitement sparked.

Kael switched off the projector, the room flooding with light from a single bulb overhead. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention something," he said.

"What?" Freya asked, her blue eyes narrowing slightly, sensing a twist.

Kael continued, his hazel eyes glinting. "It’s just you two today. I’m not coming."

"What?" Freya’s voice rose, her composure cracking, her blue eyes wide with surprise.

She’d assumed Kael would join them, if not at the safehouse maybe waiting in the Zephyr X-9 as they handled the action.

"But aren’t you the team leader?" Freya asked, her brow furrowing, her cape shifting as she leaned forward.

Rhea snorted, her amber eyes rolling as she crossed her arms. "Nah, Freya, Kael’s not the leader. He’s the supervisor—handler, whatever. Big difference."

Freya’s confusion deepened, her blue eyes darting to Rhea, then back to Kael.

Rhea had worked with Harris long enough to know how superhero teams operated, but Kael’s absence on their first official mission caught Freya off guard.

"Handler?" she repeated, her voice low.

"Yup, Rhea’s right," Kael said, his tone matter-of-fact. "I, the supervisor, manage the team, train them, and pick missions. I may or may not join you on the ground. This one’s easy—nowhere near as tough as the rat mission. You don’t need me. Even if i came along, I’d just be sitting in a corner playing Brandy Brush on my phone while you two do all the work."

Freya’s lips parted, her voice soft, almost hesitant. "But... it’s our first mission."

Kael’s expression softened, his hazel eyes catching the flicker of disappointment in hers.

He hadn’t considered how much his presence might mean to her, his focus elsewhere—on Tila, the Haven, the bigger picture.

"This isn’t the first mission, Freya," he said, his voice gentle but firm.

She looked up, her blue eyes confused, her frost-patterned suit shimmering as she shifted. "What?"

"The rat mission," Kael said, leaning against the wall, his tone convincing. "That was our first official mission, plus the entry test. Why do you think I got such a hefty bonus?"

Freya’s brow furrowed, her blue eyes searching his.

She knew he was stretching the truth—but she let it slide.

Maybe he was right; they’d fought together, laughed together, survived together.

It had felt real.

She couldn’t force him to join them, and part of her trusted him, lie or not.

The rat mission was the first mission.

"I guess," she said, her voice quieter, her gaze dropping to the floor.

Rhea, oblivious to the subtext, jumped in, her amber eyes blazing.

"Yeah, that’s why that Lightning Ass was there, spying on us, mocking us to keep us from aiming for her rank. That bitch!" Her fists clenched, her suit’s orange glow flaring, clearly buying Kael’s story hook, line, and sinker.

Kael suppressed a chuckle, his hazel eyes glinting.

"Oh and one more thing, i forgot to you you this sooner," he said, holding up a finger.

"Give me a sec." He stepped out, leaving Freya and Rhea exchanging puzzled glances.

He returned moments later.

Lila trailing behind him, her loose black gown swishing, her glasses catching the light, the power-suppressing collar gleaming around her neck.

"Lila will be joining you on this mission today," Kael said, his tone casual but his hazel eyes sharp, watching their reactions.

Freya and Rhea’s mouths dropped open, their eyes wide with shock as Kael unlocked her collar

"Why her?" Rhea demanded, her amber eyes flashing, her annoyance unfiltered. "She’s not even part of the team!"

"She’s a temporary member," Kael said, his voice calm but firm.

He shot Freya and Rhea a subtle wink, urging them to play along, his hazel eyes conveying a deeper plan. "Lila had promised to quit her job as the receptionist in the massage parlor and join REAPER if I succeed with Tila."

Lila nodded, her glasses reflecting the room’s light, her voice polite but nervous. "I’ll do my best not to get in your way, Rhea."

Freya’s blue eyes flicked to Kael, understanding dawning—she saw the strategy, keeping Lila close to monitor her loyalty and prove Tila’s rehab was possible.

She kept quiet, her lips pressing into a thin line, her frost-patterned suit still as she processed the twist.

Rhea, however, wasn’t convinced, her amber eyes narrowing, her suit’s orange accents flaring with her temper. "I don’t have rapport with her like I do with Freya. She’ll get caught in our crossfire—I’m sure of it." Her tone was a warning, her stance rigid.

Kael’s eyes were steady. "Don’t worry. Lila’s just observing. She’ll stay out of the way." He turned to Lila, his voice softening. "Right?"

Lila nodded again, her hands fidgeting, her voice small. "Yes, I promise."

Kael clapped his hands, his grin widening. "Alright, let’s get started. Meet Flame Lantern and Frost Flake," he said, gesturing to Rhea and Freya, using their superhero names. "Lila, you’re with them."

Lila’s eyes brightened slightly, her voice earnest. "Those are great names," she said, glancing at their suits.

Rhea rolled her eyes, her amber eyes flicking away, her resolve to stay cold to Lila unshaken, despite Lila’s role in saving her during the rat mission.

Freya gave a small nod, her blue eyes neutral, her cape shifting as she stood.

Freya and Rhea headed for the door, their suits gleaming under the hallway’s dim light.

Kael pulled Lila aside, his voice low, his hazel eyes reassuring. "It’ll be fine, Lila. They act tough, but they’re good people. They won’t let anything happen to you."

Lila nodded, her glasses slipping slightly, her voice soft. "Please be careful with Tila."

"I will," Kael said, his grin warm, his hand briefly squeezing her shoulder.

At the Haven’s main door, Kael handed them their masks. Rhea groaned, slipping on her black mask, its sleek design covering her heady completely, even her hair which was tucked neatly.

Freya’s mask was a reinforced cloth, icy blue to match her suit, covering everything below her eyes, her platinum-cyan hair tied into a tight ponytail, her cape flowing behind her.

Freya stepped close to Kael, her blue eyes softening, and kissed him gently, her lips warm against his.

"All the best," Kael said, his grin genuine, his hazel eyes warm. She smiled, a quiet "thank you" in her gaze, then pulled on her mask and headed to the Zephyr X-9, sliding into the driver’s seat with ease.

Rhea yanked off her mask, her amber eyes glinting with mischief.

"My turn," she said, kissing Kael fiercely, her lips pressing hard against his. "Need one more for luck," she murmured, kissing him again, deeper, as Kael’s hand playfully squeezed her hip, her suit’s fabric taut under his fingers.

She grinned, pulling her mask back on, and strutted to the passenger seat.

Lila stood awkwardly nearby, her glasses fogging slightly, her cheeks flushed.

Kael caught her gaze, his grin teasing. "You want a kiss too?"

"Eh, no!" Lila squeaked, her voice panicky, her hands flailing as she bolted to the car, scrambling into the back seat, her gown tangling briefly.

"All the best to you too!" Kael called after her, chuckling as she ducked inside.

Rhea waved enthusiastically from the passenger seat, her amber eyes bright behind her mask, as Freya revved the Zephyr X-9’s engine, its twin-turbo V6 growling.

vr vrrr vr vrrrrrrr~~

The car sped out, its obsidian body gleaming, the sound echoing through the narrow alleys as they disappeared into the city.

Kael closed the Haven’s door, locking it with a firm click, his hazel eyes narrowing.

He stretched, cracking his knuckles, the faint banging from Tila’s room growing louder in his ears.

Now it was time to deal with the real challenge: Tila.