Renegades Stories

Chapter 8: Nova

Back at the apartment, Nova sat on the toilet in Danna's bathroom as the woman treated her head. She flinched as she applied pressure to the cut.

"Hold still," Danna growled. "The bleeding has stopped, but I need to clean it."

Nova's mind was still spinning after the events of the last hour. Someone was looking for her. Someone had threatened to kill her. Someone had taken the Silva-Tucker's baby.

And earlier, with the man who looked exactly like the hit-man from twenty years ago. It was all connected. Somehow.

Adrian walked into the bathroom holding a small pill and a glass of water. "Take an aspirin. It'll help with the headache."

She took the pill and glass of water, popping it in her mouth and taking a sip. "Thanks," she murmured.

Danna began to rewrap her head. "Try not to move around a lot while you sleep. I don't want to have to re-do this, and it might make things worse."

Nova blinked. Not moving would be hard. The nightmares she had often caused her to thrash around, trying to escape whatever traumatizing event she was experiencing in her sleep.

Adrian yawned widely. "I'm going to bed. You two should, too. We have to be at HQ by seven."

He turned around and left the room, leaving Nova alone with Danna.

"You can borrow something of mine to sleep in," said Danna, standing up and gesturing for Nova to follow her.

Danna's room was best described as organized chaos. It wasn't very big, with a twin bed and a small nightstand. Dirty clothes were scattered across the floor, and the dresser had random objects on the top. The walls were covered with pictures; pictures of her, Adrian, Oscar, Ruby, a woman with fiery red hair, and a bald man who must've been her father.

Nova felt jealous, looking at the pictures of friends and family. Her family was dead, and her other family turned out to be manipulators, just using her for their own gain. And friends? She'd never had any of those.

Danna pulled out an oversized t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts. "There you go. You can use my bathroom."

Nova changed quickly, and walked back into the living room. She was dreading sleep. But she had to. Sighing, she lay down and pulled the blankets over herself. Turning, so that she was on her side, she closed her eyes.

It took her hours to fall asleep, but when she did, her nightmare was one she had frequently, one that she hated reliving.

The field trip. That was what the Warden had called it. It had been looming for weeks, and now it was finally here. She didn't know what was going to happen, but a feeling of dread settled in her stomach.

The first months in Cragmoor had been rough. Adjusting to the disgusting meals, the long hours of nothing, the suspicion of both guards and inmates alike.

Because why would a teenager be here unless she had done something horrible?

The inmates were chained to each other, walking in one long line.

What kind of bullshit is this? She thought.

They were led into an arena, where hundreds of people sat in the stands. A stage stood in the middle, and reporters stood in front, holding notebooks and cameras.

On the stage stood the council, speaking quietly to each other. And standing next to Captain Chromium was Winston Pratt. The Puppeteer. He was smiling as he talked, his cheeks rosy and full of life. He had changed. What had they done to him?

She watched him as whatever-the-fuck-was-happening began. As some doctor talked about some serum. As Captain Chromium gave a speech.

She only began paying attention when she heard her own name.

"... We will be neutralizing some of Gatlon City's most feared villains, including Nova Artino. Or as the public knew her, Nightmare.

Reporters turned their cameras towards her. She hated the attention, but raised her head up high. Sure, she had been lied to and manipulated by her uncle her whole life, but she was still an Artino, and that meant something to these people. They feared her.

Winston leaned forward in his seat. She made eye contact with him, and gave a sharp nod. He looked away.

That's right, she thought. Be intimated.

Then, the Captain handed his microphone to Winston. The former Anarchist stood up and began to speak. He told his origin story. Something even she had never heard. It left her in shock.

He turned to her, surprising her with his next words. "And Nova. I am so, so, so sorry for everything I and the rest of the Anarchist's did to you. I hope one day you too can realize the relief that will come with losing your powers. It really is for the best, little nightmare."

He finished off his speech by destroying the doll, his most prized possession, Hettie. He finished it off with the words, "I am no longer a villain."

She was in too much shock over his last words to her. I hope one day you too can realize the relief that will come with losing your powers. Was that what the Captain had meant by neutralizing? They were taking away her powers? What kind of fucked up organization was this?

Her breaths started to quicken, and she failed to hear Captain Chromium give permission to Do It. She failed to notice the person coming up from behind her, who stuck a needle in her arm.

The prick came, and she felt energy drain out of her. It was like all the sleep she had missed in the last decade was coming back to hit her.

She was so exhausted. Her eyes struggled to stay open. She swayed on her feet. She collapsed.