Page 77 of Archenemies

“It was a hunch I had. And it worked.”

Hugh rocked back on his heels and a silence filled the office.

“Immunity,” Simon finally murmured. “From Max?”

Adrian hooked his thumbs on his pockets. “And… other things too.”

“Poisons and diseases,” said Hugh, “andMax.”

Adrian scratched behind his neck. “I don’t know this for sure, but… I think it might also protect from… something like… Agent N.”

Their expressions mirrored each other. Disbelief, but also intrigue.

“How did we not know about this?” said Hugh.

Adrian shrugged. “I figured since we have so many prodigy healers, no one really worries that much about fending off poisons and diseases. The medallion had never been checked out by any Renegade, not since the database was created. It just must not have seemed important.”

“Well, it will now,” said Hugh. “Something like this… I never thought…”

For a moment, Simon looked almost proud. And… hopeful. “That was really brave, Adrian.”

“Thanks,” Adrian muttered, even as his heart swelled.

Hugh leaned against the windowsill. “We need to talk about this. About what it could mean, for Max and for Agent N. For now, don’t tell anyone else about this… Vitality Charm, okay?”

“Yeah, sure, of course,” said Adrian. “Except I already told Nova.”

Hugh rolled his eyes. “Of course you did. Well, tellhernot to tell anyone else, all right?”

Adrian nodded, even though there was a tinge of disappointmentthat came with the words. He’d been excited to tell Oscar and the others. He tucked his hands into his pockets and swayed impatiently. “So, was that all?”

His dads traded another look, and Adrian bristled on the inside. What was with all the silentlooksthese days? Didn’t they know he could see them?

Then they both sighed, practically in unison.

“Yes,” said Hugh. “That was all.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

NOVA WAS NEARLYfinished cleaning up the disaster when a chime echoed through the vault. She cocked her head, frowning. It sounded like the alert from the reception desk, but… it was far too early for someone to be there, wasn’t it?

She waited until she heard the chime a second time, then sighed and headed to the front of the warehouse.

A girl was standing at the checkout desk, drumming her fingers on the counter.

Nova’s feet stalled.

Genissa Clark’s ice-blue eyes met Nova’s, then swept down the length of the mop. Her lips curled, just a tiny bit. “First you go from patrols to administration duty, and now they’ve demoted you all the way down to janitorial? Your family must be so proud.”

Nova’s teeth ground—more at Genissa’s flippant mention of herfamilythan the pretentious attempt at an insult.

During her time masquerading as a Renegade, Nova had been forced to admit that many Renegades had good intentions, even if they were part of a harmful social hierarchy. But she had alsobecome even more aware that many Renegades craved authority over those they deemed inferior, and Frostbite was among the worst. Back when the Anarchists had lived in the subway tunnels, Frostbite’s team paid frequent visits—mocking the Anarchists, destroying their property, wasting their resources… all in the name of “keeping the peace.” Nova despised her and her team more than she despised most Renegades.

“There are no unimportant jobs,” said Nova, leaning the mop against Snapshot’s desk, “only pretentious, small-minded individuals who seek to inflate their own importance by demoralizing everyone else.” Plastering on a brilliant smile, she rounded the desk and booted up the computer. “Can I help you with something?”

Genissa picked up the clipboard with the checkout information on it and tossed it at Nova. “I need Turmoil’s Deadener.”

Nova scanned the top sheet on the clipboard and saw that Genissa had already begun to fill out the information for her request.

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