Scene 25 - May 30th

Interior High Stakes Bar, Early Evening

Quinn Kaufman

“Oh good,” Holly said with a lopsided smile as we entered. “It’s the same bar you took me to for my birthday! I really liked the drinks you recommended.”

I nodded, trying not to stare too hard - I found her smile captivating, but I shouldn’t stare. We had talked about this and we still weren’t ready to begin a relationship. Soon, though, I promised myself. Soon. “It’s Abe’s favorite,” I said. “I don’t know if he ever goes anywhere else.”

“There are reasons I don’t go other places,” Abe said, winking at the bartender as we walked to the usual table. “This is one of the only places in the city that we can hang out with Essa and Maria safely.”

“And the beer being good doesn’t hurt,” Emilia noted, wrapping her arm around her boyfriends’ waist.

“It sure doesn’t,” Abe agreed as we walked to the usual table.

“Wait, what do you mean that it’s the only place you can hang with them safely?” Holly asked.

“Wait. Essa... I’ve heard that name before,” I said, my brow furrowing.

“We wanted to introduce you to them back in January,” Emilia said to me, “but they couldn’t make it, and then they had a thing that took them out of the city for a few months. This was the first outing since they got back, so it seemed like a good time - and since Holly is 21 now as well...” she shrugged. “That’s probably where you heard us mention her.”

“No, that’s not it,” Holly dismissed. “Because I’ve heard it too. Essa...” Her eyes widened after a moment. “Essa is Hertz. Miriam mentioned her during the Excalibur incident!”

“Fuck,” I swore. “I had completely forgotten about that... and that must make Maria La Borda!”

Abe raised an eyebrow. “Smart kids, aren’t you? Yes, that’s who we’re introducing you to, but keep it down, okay? This bar is a neutral zone for heroes and villain, but civilians come here too.”

“Why the hell are you introducing us to supervillains?” I gaped.

“It’s a long story,” Emilia said, “but the short version of it is that they’re old friends of Miriam’s, from before any of the three got powers. Nowadays, we have... a working relationship isn’t quite the right word...”

“An agreement, let’s just say,” Abe interjected. “Part of it on our end is that we don’t go after them in their civilian lives, even though we know their identities. Part of it on theirs is the same. And they’ve never broken that agreement, so I think it’s safe for you to meet them, although I’m not going to force you to if you don’t want to.”

“It’s a working relationship that makes things safer for all of us,” Emilia summed up. “On top of them actually being quite nice people, who’ve been good friends to us since we met them.”

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Abe glanced at his phone. “They’re supposed to get here in a few minutes, but I can ask them not to come if you don’t want to meet them.”

I glanced at Holly. “What do you think?”

She hummed thoughtfully, furrowing her brow. “I think... I’d be okay with meeting them and getting to know them, but... I don’t think I’m okay with giving them my identity.”

“You can always put your illusion on again,” Abe offered, but she shook her head.

“No, I’m done with that. I have to be.”

I wondered if discarding her illusory form was one of the things that she spoke with Dr. Wagner about, but I supposed it wasn’t my business. Instead, I suggested, “What about that statuette thing that Molly’s boyfriend brought to the beach trip?”

“What about it?”

“That was some kind of mind magic that kept anyone from paying attention to us, right? Could you do that so they won’t be able to notice our identities?” Her face went pale, and although I had no idea why, I backpedaled. “Or you could just give us illusory masks, that would work too.”

She swallowed, then shook her head. “No, no, I... I think that that’s actually the best option. I got a pretty good look at that thing, and I think I can replicate it. Just give me a few minutes.”

“I’ll ask them to wait outside until I give them the okay.” Abe said, tapping on his phone and presumably texting the supervillains.

Holly closed her eyes and steepled her fingers. She took a deep breath, then began slowly and carefully moving her fingers against, around, and through each other.

I pulled my awareness away from the sight - feeling her fingers move like that with my presence was always a little painful, and this seemed like an extended spell - as we waited for a minute, ordering drinks while she cast, then two. Then a spike of pain suddenly lanced its way through my mind.

“Shit,” Holly swore.

“Fucking hell,” Abe groaned, lifting his beer and pressing it against his forehead. I copied him, the chill causing the pain to fade a little. “You can just make masks, it’s okay.”

“No no, I’ve got this, I promise. It won’t hurt.” Holly said firmly, and the pounding in my head faded into nothing. “One more try.”

I made small talk with Emilia about my thesis - finally finished a few weeks ago, just in time for graduation - while Holly attempted the spell again. One minute, two, three, five...

Finally, Holly raised her hands, her fingers laced through each other in an intricate pattern, and turned to face me. She held her hands between us, and whispered, “Let our faces be forgotten.”

Nothing seemed to change, and I opened my mouth to ask if it worked, but before I could, Abe said, “Fuck that’s weird.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s weird?”

“I can’t make out your faces. Or... I can make them out, but I can’t remember them. My brain isn’t holding onto them for more than a moment,” he said, sounding impressed.

“I can’t remember what your voices sound like either,” Emilia commented.

Holly grinned, a light sheen of sweat covering her face. “That’s exactly what should have happened! I’m glad it worked.”

“You’re incredible, Holly,” I breathed, barely able to hold myself back from kissing her, and she blushed heavily.

“I’ll let them know that they can come in,” Abe said, slipping his phone out again, and from there it only took a minute or two for them to arrive.