I'm sitting against the front door of my house, crying. I just kicked out Ash.

  “Come on, Jackie!” she says from outside. “I’ll be real helpful, promise.”

  I open my mouth to tell her to go away, but before I can, the roaring of a motor interrupts me.

  “Oh no,” Ash says. “Seriously, let me in. There’s like ten black vans coming this way.”

  That’s bad. I unlock the door. Once I open it, she runs in. I can see the vans starting to park.

  This is bad! They’ll figure out that I’m Intelegant, everything will go wrong then-

  “Jackie!” Ash says.

  I look at her.

  “Go hide your costume while I hold them off.”

  “But-”

  She cuts me off. “Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan. You just have to trust me.” She gives me a reassuring smile as she puts on her civilian clothes.

  I pause for a moment. I can hear their feet now as they march up to my door.

  “We don’t got time for this.” She pushes me. “Get going.”

  I run through the house. Where to put it? Where to put it?

  Under the computer?

  Too accessible.

  Under the floorboards?

  Maybe, but no time.

  An idea pops into my head and I start running again.

  I get to the kitchen and start scrambling. I rip out the shelf under the oven and shove it in the space above. I’ve known about this spot ever since I was a kid.

  I situate the costume as quickly as I can, and check to make sure it’s not visible.

  Good, it’s good.

  I shove the oven’s shelf back into place.

  BANG!

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud!

  I run back to the front of the house. I find a bunch of people in black riot gear, the kind so concealing you couldn’t identify them if your life depended on it. One of them has tackeled Ash.

  “What do you think you’re doing!?” I yell.

  Another one tackles me.

  “Hey!” I bark. “I’m Jackie Smalls! You have no right-”

  An older woman with dyed brown hair dressed in the same outfit but without the headpiece interrupts me. “Sorry for the intrusion,” she says in a kind tone. “We are just here to retrieve Intelegant.”

  My blood runs cold.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you!” Ash says in a pretty good impression of my villain voice.

  “What?” I say. The question was directed at Ash, but the woman is the one who answers.

  “Your girlfriend is a villain,” she nonchalantly states.

  “What!?” I’m so confused.

  “Sorry, baby,” Ash says, “I wanted to stop after I met you, but it’s my life.”

  What is she doing?

  I must be looking at her strangely because the old woman interrupts again: “We are part of the government and have been tasked with retrieving her. We’ll pay for any damages, but you can’t tell anyone about this incident. If you do, you may find yourself in a worse situation than her.”

  “What is going on?” Why is Ash going along with this? Oh, right. Her plan. This must be it. I should play along.

  “It’s nothing to worry about,” the woman says. “We’ll be out of your hair soon enough.”

  "You still haven't told me anything! I am very powerful and I don't like being threatened or restrained. If you would like to steal my girlfriend you are going to have to explain to me why you think she's a villain." I am still being held against the floor by one of the sidekicks.

  "Stephanie, please let her up." The person on top of me backs off. I get up and brush myself off. The old woman walks over to me and leads me deeper into the house.

  "Alright then." She turns back to the others and says, "You guys secure her and get ready to move. Once I finish talking with Ms. Smalls, I will join you."

  “Yes, Mother,” one of the guys says.

  Mother? That’s a strange title, but I don’t have time to think about that right now, I have to focus on playing the part of the surprised and betrayed girlfriend.

  I’ve been pretending my whole life; this is just a new bit. “What do you mean, ‘Secure her’?”

  “I know this is quite a shock to you, but your girlfriend is Intelegant.”

  I blush but continue like I’m not embarrassed. “Why are you so sure of that?”

  “In your basement is an operative that she kidnapped.”

  “What?!” I knew that Brandon kid was suspicious.

  “I’m sure you’re aware of Death Raiser?”

  “Yeah, but that has nothing to do with this.”

  “He’s in your basement.” I’ve been caught. “I presume that she brought him here because of your house’s seclusion.”

  “If he’s in my basement, how do you know that I’m not Intelegant?” Saying that is risky, but I can’t just let these random people take Ash.

  “You may have the means to be the villain, but you lack the motive or the time.”

  “And so does Ash!”

  “Incorrect.”