The Midnight Avenger put his hands onto Aurora’s shoulders.  Despite his nearly featureless mask, Aurora got a sense of his intentions when he touched her. He spoke quietly, “Don’t worry, Aurora. I’m on your side in this and so long as she behaves, I’ll make sure she’s treated right back at the headquarters, assuming things came to that. Got it?”

 

With blushed cheeks, Aurora nodded and Dynamech made things worse when he reappeared and quipped, “Hey. When you’re done with making out with the new girl, can you tell me if you know what a Krillin Aura is? Wait… Kirilian… I think… Aura.  Yeah, definitely Kirilian Aura. You know what it means?”

 

Aurora blinked and pouted at Dynamech’s suggestion. Damn it! “It’s not…!”

 

M.A. let go and faced Dynamech, shaking his head. “It’s a supernatural aura given off by all living beings.”

 

“How’d I know you would know that?” Dynamech stood and paced. “Well, anyway, my scans are picking up an electromagnetic variance that falls under that definition, so no matter what else, she might have one of those Auras.”

 

“Too bad that’s not any kind of admissible evidence in a court of law,” Avenger replied coolly.

 

“Hey, it’s something…” Dynamech waved his gauntleted hands. “Maybe that means it’s something Dragon could lock onto and maybe give some kind of expert testimony or something?”

 

Avenger sighed and suppressed an obvious impulse to facepalm.  Aurora practically saw a sweatdrop hanging above his head.  “No one will accept Dragonmage’s opinion on a strict scientific definition of life,” he said, his tone expressing frustration. “Even so, do you remember the last time Dragonmage was called to testify in court?”

 

“Ah… D-Dragonmage, is it? Do you swear to speak the truth? The whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you, God?”

 

“My vows ensure that I will speak only truth no matter the situation. I have no need to recognize your temporal authority, your book of stories, nor your religious shams.”

Redline whistled. “Oh yeah… that didn’t go over too well,” she remarked as Aurora also recalled the episode that the Midnight Avenger mentioned.  The clips flew all over the internet the day he pissed off the presiding justice with his too frank and honest response on the stand.

 

“At any rate,” the Midnight Avenger resumed his point, but seemed to be distracted, “I have to go. Please tell Vanguard that I’ll be back as soon as I’m able.” He turned and strode to the entrance of the secret tunnel leading into this Clubhouse-to-be.

 

“And then there were two.” Dynamech siddled next to Aurora. “Well, three if you count motormouth here.” He jerked a thumb at Redline Racer who shot him a scowl in reply.

 

“So, Aurora. Tell me.  What’s the deal with you and the Avenger? He actually seems to like you, which let me assure you is highly unusual unless you’re like, actually justice incarnate… whom I assume he has the most raging of boners for.”

 

Aurora blushed at the comment, unable to hold back a barking of laughter.  Jeez. He was every bit a jughead the Midnight Avenger had practically labeled him.  When she managed to get herself under control, she looked up at Dynamech, shaking her head.

 

“Wow… just wow.  I don’t know.  I know his reputation and I have suspicions about… well… never mind that... ahaha…” Aurora grinned and shrugged. “I guess I just really don’t know about him.  He’s great, but I model myself after Vanguard and Mistral.  I want to be a paragon.” Aurora sighed and smiled. Changing the subject was probably for the best. She didn’t know what to do about M.A. if he suddenly developed a thing for her. “Speaking of justice, I know it’s ironic considering what I ended up doing today in the name of justice. I didn’t like doing it, but it was necessary.  I’ve investigated Extensive Enterprises and I don’t trust them as far as I could throw them.  I know for a fact that I couldn’t throw their building with my abilities.” She laughed. “So that’s not far at all, unless it was done one by one.” 

 

“Hoo... I don’t suggest chucking their CEOs into the bay even though it’s an interesting suggestion.” Redline Racer laughed with Aurora.

 

“As is, Seaside’s up in arms about this.” Dynamech noted. “I gather you didn’t have the best relationship with them.”

 

Aurora nodded. “Yeah. I have like the worst relationship with Ruffino over there. She’s like… literally anti-hero which includes all you too.  Bottom line, I don’t trust her. I think her bias blinds her.  This wasn’t done to tweak her nose, even though I personally can’t stand her.  It was the right thing to do.”

 

Mocha watched thoughtfully, observing their interactions without commenting even though the conversation had started to gravitate back towards her again.

 

“Hmm…” Dynamech shook his head. “So that’s what clockface sees in you. He gets his fantasy of being with Vanguard when he looks at you. Well, I think he’s wrong for you, and I think I should take you dinner once we reach a good stopping point, Angel.  What do you think?”

 

Aurora grinned nervously, suppressing an urge to flee.  “Um… well…” She laughed and looked at Mocha almost as if to ask her to save her instead. “Oh… I’m flattered, but I think I’m going to be busy for a while with everything going on.  Once Mocha’s situation’s squared away I still have YET another case to look into. Y’know… the two issues have kind of coincidentally happened at the same time.” She laughed lamely and sighed dramatically, twiddling her fingers. “You understand, I hope?” It wasn’t a lie because there was another worry in the back of her mind, another stressor that might someday give her an ulcer. Sarah.

 

Dynamech put an arm around Aurora, not getting the idea at all.  “That’s the life of a superhero, I’ve found.” He threw his hand before him with an expansive gesture like he was showing her the bigger picture and as he spoke a hologram appeared in the air for a second.  The word ‘trouble’ was written as though it was his signature.  “Trouble’s always in the air, you see?”

 

Redline Racer rolled her eyes and the corner of one of her eyes scrunched as her lips compressed.   Dynamech touched a gauntlet with one hand and from a crease between the armor pieces a business card popped out as though it was freshly printed.  With decorum he handed it to Aurora. “Here. My personal number. You don’t have to dial through the Sentinel’s network if you don’t want to… and if you call this number, I’ll know it’s not about a case, so I’ll find some time to talk with you.” He shrugged. “I joke. I joke. I’ll help if you have a case and I have the time… but for you, I’ll MAKE the time.”

 

Whew.  “Thank you.” Aurora said simply.  Absolutely the most awkward encounter she’d ever had with one of the hard hitters of the Sentinels of Avengers. “It should be helpful having the contact information of another superhero I can count on.  Especially one of the most famous.” Ouch… stroke that ego just a tiny bit to make up for when she’d inevitably not call him unless it was an emergency situation and no one else could be raised.  

 

She couldn’t leave it with that, though, so she kept speaking, “My other case has to wait until after things are straightened out with the local Police Department.” Aurora sighed and cast for something that would further fill in some awkward silence and changing the subject again by continuing this line of conversation seemed the wisest course. Well, since Sarah was on her mind, she decided to tell them a bit about that situation to keep the conversation moving.

 

“You see, there’s a little girl who was involved in a case where a local religious camp was trafficking with companies or a company who peddles strange substances as cheap alternatives for food… You’ve heard about Xevolve, I hope.  The camp was supposedly dedicated to the ‘noble’ pursuit of ‘curing’ kids of beliefs and sexual orientations that aren’t accepted by their sect.  And under the cover, they were abusing these children while feeding them this junk and… who knows whether they knew what they were doing or not.”

 

“Because of safeguards that were set up in regards to the side effects that these children manifest from being exposed to Xevolve, those that showed new powers were taken to undisclosed locations and I’m personally invested in her wellbeing in particular, not to mention all the rest who will someday go off like time bombs.  I’m hella worried about this girl.”

 

“I could help you find some…” Mocha impulsively reached out to Aurora.  Dynamech put a hand up.

 

“Not letting you near our computer systems. Your situation isn’t resolved. Leave it to me.  Angel, if you need some help with this case of yours, maybe I can get some friends to cast out a hacknet or something.”

 

Aurora smiled warmly at Mocha, grateful for her worry and interrupted offer.  Mocha’s expression faded back into cautious neutrality while she eyed Dynamech. 

 

“That would be truly helpful,” Aurora said. “The PD weren’t able to do much for me the last time I checked with them.  The whole affair is clamped down.  The girl I’m worried about is Sarah Namias.”  Aurora had decided that she wouldn’t rely on this man unless it was an emergency, but damn it… Sarah was in an emergency situation.  And Aurora had few prospects for finding her so she could apologize before things went very wrong.  Surely she was sitting in a cell somewhere, thinking that Aurora had let her down, done it to her.  

 

Aurora swallowed saliva though her mouth was very dry. “She was taken into custody recently and it was done under far from happy circumstances. I had to let it happen because there was an attack on the bay bridge.  Wow… I… I… I’ve had a really full day…” Aurora gave a fake chuckle.

 

Dynamech alarmed Aurora when he reached out to hug her.  Oh crap...  “Here. I’ll tell you what, Angel.  Why don’t Speedy here and I do a search by ourselves while I set the hacknet to try and locate this Sarah for you.”