Page 43 of Secret Spark

“Exactly. That’s why I told you I…” Sadie raised her eyebrows. “Know.I get it.”

Joan lightly nudged her with an elbow. “It’d have to be something very important to keep me from you.”

How sweet and considerate. Sadie nudged her back. “As long as you text me or whatever, it’s fine.”

Joan’s phone buzzed in her front pocket. “Speaking of.” She checked the screen, pulled an irritated face, then said, “I should get going.”

“Enjoy your work thing,” Sadie said.

“It’s just a meeting.”

“You have meetings?”

Joan laughed to herself. “Weekly meetings with agendas. I did tell you my job can be pretty boring.”

Was that true? Being a Superhero meant meetings and agendas? With who? “What’s usually on your agenda?”

“Last week’s incident at the gym will be on it. Perry’s not thrilled with how it went down.”

“Perry?”

Joan’s lips parted in a way that conveyed she’d said something she shouldn’t have. “He runs the meetings,” she said.

“Is he the guy in charge?”

“No, he’s the one who likes meetings. Nobody’s really in charge.”

Hmm. Could Perry be Flight? He was the most senior of the current Supers, and it seemed like he was the number-one guy. Or maybe they had a coordinator. A sidekick who functioned as their manager.

Nyah was not so subtly lurking nearby wiping down tables, so it wasn’t the right place or time to get into it.

Joan slid her sunglasses back on. Amit loomed over Sadie, saying, “What’s with the hat and glasses? Are you an undercover FBI agent?”

“Yes,” Joan deadpanned. “Don’t blow my cover.”

Nyah chuckled loudly.

“Seriously, Amit, knock it off.” Sadie stepped away from him.

“I’m just making sure,” he said.

“Shocking fashion news: People wear ballcaps and sunglasses when it’s bright and sunny.”

“Or when they’re trying to disguise themselves.”

Sadie ignored him, even though he was right. Joan took a long drink from her cup. Damn, her lightly tanned arms were sculpted works of art.

“Let me walk you out,” Sadie said. “Ny, I’ll do the garbages.”

Her coworker thanked her, then saluted Joan with the cleaning rag. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice meeting you,” Joan said. She pointed at the octopus covered in armor tattooed on Nyah’s forearm. “Is that OchoStrike?”

“Oh no,” Sadie muttered.

Ny’s face lit up. “Yeah. You knowSea Voyage Five?”

“I’ve played it a little. I have friends who are really into it.”

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