I had spent a few boring hours in the safehouse. After a nice shower, a nap and a decent breakfast, I pulled out my phone to check my notifications.
"Hey kid," texted an unknown number. No caller ID either, nothing. It just said, 'unknown'.
I don't really use social media or anything. How did my number reach random people, I wondered.
"Don't leave me on read here," was the next test.
"Okay, hello?" I texted them back.
"Go to the front door of the safehouse at 10:21." It was 10:20 then, so I had a minute to go. I didn't bother asking why. Instead, I went to look for a staff member to be there with me.
I hurried through the safehouse, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach. Who was this, and how did they know where I was? I found the woman from earlier, the one who'd opened the door for me. "Someone texted me," I said, showing her the phone. "They said to go to the front door at 10:21. It's almost that time."
She frowned, a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Stay here," she said, her voice firm. "I'll check it out."
"No, I'm going," I insisted, a surge of stubbornness rising within me. "I want to know who this is."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, but stay close."
We walked to the front door, the silence in the house amplifying the tension. I checked my phone: 10:21. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
A man stood on the porch, his back to us. He wore a brown wig and casual clothes, blending seamlessly into the quiet neighborhood. He turned, and my breath caught in my throat.
It was Dad. His gray eyes are a familiar sight and always will be.
"Hey kid," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"Dad?" I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
He nodded, stepping forward and pulling me into a hug. "It's me, Aura. I'm so glad you're safe."
The hug was warm and familiar, a stark contrast to the cold, sterile environment of the lab. I clung to him, tears welling up in my eyes.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, pulling back slightly. "Mom said you called her, but I didn't know you were here."
He gestured towards the house. "I've been here for a while now. 3 years, and... the occasional fight with your mom here and there. This is one of my safe houses. I knew you would be brought here." He looked at the woman who had followed me to the door. "This is Elara. She's a friend."
Elara nodded curtly. "We've been expecting you."
"But why the disguise?" I asked, looking at his wig and normal clothes.
"Old habits," he said with a wry smile. "And a necessary precaution. We can’t be too careful. Especially now. And besides, the media loves a fake death story too much."
"What's happening, Dad?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. "What's Aurelia planning?"
"She's close to activating Helios," he said, his voice grim. "There's this compound she's been working on for years, a way to amplify and control powers. If she succeeds, she'll have the ability to reshape the world according to her vision."
"And you think it's unstable?"
"More than unstable. It's a weapon. She's going to hurt people."
"What can we do?" I asked, my voice filled with determination.
"We need to stop her," he said, his eyes hardening. "But we need to be smart about it. She has eyes everywhere. We need to be careful."
"I'm ready," I said, my voice firm. "I'll do whatever it takes."
He nodded, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "Good. Because we don't have much time. Because I have one hell of a backstory for you."
I love a villain with a good story.
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