Dedicated to @jeshcndo for being the very first reader of this story, an amazing supporter, and the coiner of 'Amru'!
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Maddy's POV
For the known criminal underworld of Phaonix, it was less dark and shady, more sunny- and a light breeze constantly whipped Bailey's long ponytail into my face.
I groaned. "This early, he's probably still having breakfast. No. One. Villains. It. At. Eleven."
Bailey didn't reply, and I took it upon myself to fill the awkward silence afterward. "If our brothers knew what we were doing, they'd be highly against this," I said. "Who sets themselves up as targets for supervillains?"
"Oh, I don't know," Bailey said. "Certain novels manage fine."
"Woman up, Bailey." I gave her a pointed look. "At worst, we'll be extra homework for our brothers."
"Exactly." Bailey glanced nervously at her watch. "Your plan to capture a super known for his agility and speed is tape."
"It's duct tape," I began. The screech of nails on metal- and a drawling voice- interrupted me.
"If it isn't another duct-tape duo," the villain said, swinging like a flag from a pole. Don't ask me why there was a pole- I would've guessed these were apartment buildings, or maybe shops. Maybe, he put it there himself in case he needed to make a dramatic entrance.
"Another duct tape duo?" I gaped at him, one shaking hand still on my roll of duct tape.
The Black Cat yawned. "Well, there's always supers with the half-baked idea that they can catch me. I'm experienced, girlie." He swung down from the pole as if he was floating. "What's your particular brand of foolery? I'm all ears."
We glanced at each other, backing away. "You activated Plan B?"
"The notification should reach them any minute," Bailey mouthed back. Then to him- "We're unarmed, see?" She held up two empty hands. "And we're not supers."
He smiled, displaying pearly white teeth. They weren't pointed, like I'd expected a cat's to be, but they seemed just as dangerous. "At least make mugging you a challenge," he purred.
That guy sorely needed his lights punched out. "Come on, little kitty," I called out.
"Happy to comply." Black Cat strode to us. "Well, since we've got time before the super force and the crime force and the rest of the yadda yadda gets here, why don't we chat?"
"Chat?" The super didn't seem chatty, or it was just my overpowering destructive tendencies.
"Yes, chat. I want to know what two little girls are doing in the Phaonix underworld-" His grey eyes swept the surroundings, "-all alone."
"Maybe we're doing something," I replied, crossing my arms. "While we're on the subject, why're you dumb enough to unmask supers? We both know if you're pickpocketing innocent girls like us, you've got it rough." Wow, Maddy, smooth. Very covert.
"Now, why would I want to unmask superheroes?" He laughed. "A waste of energy and time. Would most likely backfire into my own unmasking. And I wouldn't want that, would I?"
Why did it take a villainous monologue to figure out such a stupid thing?
The villain's unnerving grin stood out against the suit. "We can't let your little trip be for nothing, can we? Goods, please."
YOU ARE READING
The Mask Effect (EDITING)
FantasyTaking down an unmasking villain probably wasn't what most teenage siblings did in their spare time. But Noah and Madeline 'Maddy' Torrez were a super and his sister- each enthusiastic about sleuthing for their own reasons. But the clues all point...
