Riley Ross

No curfew. Interesting. That means I can go anywhere I want, the perfect time to... kill.

Riley and the rest of the Baby Crew were at the hotel's balcony area. They all had all sorts of plans to do come nightfall, as their field activity would continue again tomorrow, but all of them were completely knocked out and asleep on the couches. The hotel staff didn't really bother to wake them, or bother them at all in general. After all, aside from a handful of VIP guests, Mega Academy booked all the rooms in the hotel.

Even Tomoe was fast asleep, which was fully understandable considering she still hadn't slept a wink since they were kidnapped. Gracy, well, being unconscious and being asleep were two different things.

As for Hannah and the other girls, they couldn't really sleep at all since they were worrying about them.

The only one who was still awake was Riley. He was staring at the sky above him, with Hannah's arms wrapped around him and pinning him down to the sofa.

"Sister," he whispered. But aside from deep breaths, Riley didn't get a response at all. And so, he gently grabbed Hannah's arm, extremely careful not to wake her up. He slightly moved her to the side and then used his telekinesis to fling Gracey's foot away, which was pressing on his leg.

Gracey and everyone else's concerns are valid. What exactly are you planning, Father? One of the students was killed. Of course, I might have been the one to have done it, and the Dark Millennium truly might not have any intention in killing or harming any of us—but still, Father.

Could it be… the mole you are referring to is right here, in this hotel?

I suppose it does not concern me, but as long as Sister is in the Academy, we can not have someone from a villain organization close to her.

Riley slowly stood up from the couch, still very careful not to wake his sister up as he moved far away from them.

He walked toward the ledge of the balcony, his clear eyes quickly reflecting the horizon in front of him.

The horizon that my biological mother created.

He couldn't see the Phoenix Wrath from there, but what he could see was the reflection of the moon spanning across the flat field. It didn't even look like the sea at all, as the sea would at least have distortions here and there.

The land that Alice had created was… perfect.

And to think that all of this was because of…

…Me. They said that people with schizophrenia are never to blame for their condition, and that they no longer knew what they were doing—that is why, in the eyes of the law, they are separate from the criminals who are of sound mind.

It does not excuse their crime, but the nature of it becomes completely different.

Does that mean that all of this death, the millions that have died… they are all on me?

"What do you think the Dark Millennium wants, Whitey?"

Hm?

Riley's internal monologue was suddenly interrupted as he heard a familiar voice whisper right next to him. It was Hera, leaning on the ledge while drinking what seemed to be a bottle of beer.

"Oh? You want?" Hera grinned at him, looking around before she tried to hand the bottle to Riley. Riley, however, only stared at the bottle before looking away.

"I only drink water, milk, and cola, Ms. Hera."

"What did I say about calling me Ms.?"

"I apologize, Hera."

"Jesus, kid…" Hera softly chuckled at him as she pulled the bottle away, "Do you really talk like that or is it all just an act?"

"How else should I talk, Hera?" Riley blinked several times, "This way of talking would ensure that people understand me. Properly enunciating my words and vowels is the only way to talk."

"Yeah, if you're in theater. Do you know what code switching is?"

"Yes, Hera."

"...And?"

"I do not feel someone like me could properly do something like that, Hera."

"Someone like you…?" Hera slid closer to Riley, and for some reason, Riley did not have the urge to move away from her, unlike most people, "What do you mean by someone like you? Autistic?"

"Yes, Hera. I do not process emotions the same way you and the others—"

"Stop it with the bullshit, kid," Hera scoffed before sipping on her beer and laughing at Riley, "I know when someone's acting. I'm not saying you're not autistic, because you clearly are—but I've also been watching you around and you're clearly more emotionally mature than your friends."

"Being emotionally mature and emotionally developed are two different things, Hera. I may look like I show emotions, but everything that I show is not genuine."

"See what I mean?" Hera sighed while shaking her head, "You should become an actor. I think you'll be very good at it. I'm serious—I want to introduce you to some folks."

"The Dark Millennium?"

"The—what the fuck?" Hera looked at Riley in disgust, "You think I'm the mole?"

"No. The mole is probably an instructor, Hera."

"Then why even say that?" Hera's friendly tone slightly changed as she glared at Riley.

"I thought the setting fit, Hera. Next to the ledge, staring into the starless night—it is a perfect setting to approach me and recruit me to the Dark Millennium."

"You're the one who stood literally right next to me."

"Oh," Riley blinked before nodding to himself, "You're right, Hera. But you seem very disgusted at the thought of being associated with the Dark Millennium."

"...Who wouldn't?" Hera shook her head and sighed, "And I fucking hate supervillains. I wish all of them dead, especially those who hurt children."

"Is that why you want to become a superhero, Hera?"

"I already am, but no. I'm in this for the money; my sponsors are paying me top money."

"Life must be incredibly easy being so beautiful, Hera."

"Ha! Kat's right, you're a little rizzler, aren't you?"

"No, I am Riley. And I am only stating a fact, Hera. Conventionally, you are the most beautiful woman I have met—and I have met many beautiful women."

"Say that to me again in… how old are you?"

"Twelve."

"Say that to me again in six years," Hera softly chuckled before glancing back at Hannah and the others, "And you weren't kidding—why are you only hanging out with good-looking people?"

"Good-looking people attract each other, Hera."

"I kinda want to hit you now," Hera rolled her eyes at Riley before she placed the bottle back on the ledge and then jumped over it to sit down. "Let's just go back to my original question."

Hera tilted her head down, her long black hair sliding down her shoulders as she glanced at Riley. The staff of the hotel wanted to warn her, but all they could do was stare at her silhouette under the dark night.

Riley wasn't lying at all when he said that Hera was the most beautiful woman he had ever met—because the others standing there on the balcony could say the same. It wasn't even a matter of subjectivity anymore; she just had something… unexplainably beautiful.

She patted the space next to him, gesturing to Riley to sit beside her. Riley only stared at her for a moment before he started hovering in the air and moving over the ledge.

Once again, the staff wanted to warn them—but Riley only added to the ethereal silhouette now standing before them.

Wasn't Mega Academy supposed to be a school for aspiring superheroes? So, why did these two look like models instead?

And while the hotel staff was ogling and quietly gossiping about them, the two did not seem to care at all as Riley sat beside Hera.

"What do you think the Dark Millennium wants?" She repeated her very first question, "You were there with them, right? Did they say anything?"

"Nothing concrete, Hera. But I believe Whiteking already knows what they want."

"If he and the Hope Guild still haven't outright destroyed their organization, then that means this Dark Millennium is bigger than we think it is. Who… do you think the mole is?"

"The Baby Crew had many guesses, Hera."

"And what about you?"

"Chieftain Amerika, Hera." Riley answered without any hesitation, "I have been taught by Father to look at a few things if I would accuse someone of doing something: motive, opportunity, and means are the most important ones."

"Motive? Why would the Chieftain do this?"

"History and mental stability, Hera. She came from a time when supers were killed and hunted without remorse. But of course, all of this is merely speculation without evidence."

And this is why I would be very hard to catch, Hera. Motive does not exist in my crimes except for passion. It—

"Hm?" Riley's thoughts instantly stopped as he saw Hera flinch and glare at him, "Is there something wrong, Hera?"

"...For some reason, I just got chills," Hera rubbed her arms. She then once again glanced back at Hannah and the rest of the Baby Crew before smiling at him, "Wanna go somewhere else?"

I should not. Hera seems to be a very dangerous individual—but a very interesting one.

"Where?"

"Well…" Hera only smirked at Riley before leaning forward, letting herself fall before grabbing him by the arm. And once again, for some reason, Riley didn't have any aversion to her touch. Perhaps he should have, as he was now falling down with her,

"...You just have to guess."