Nothing beats a nice, relaxing fruit smoothie the morning after a stressful day. I pour some ingredients into my blender and rev it up.

After another peaceful ride to work (Is this a new record?) I find myself—once again—puzzling out odds and ends with Group G. Jina has some fascinating insights to add to the discussion. Yet the way she does it...

"Why do you keep doing that?" I finally text her. We have been going back and forth between texting, using the group chat, and talking face-to-face.

"Doing what?" Jina responds.

"Reminding the group of concepts and making them figure out the problem. You're not taking any credit."

"Oh. That." Dots as she's typing. "It was one of your notes. 'Stay out of the limelight but still contribute to society.' I do not need attention. I want to help."

The fact that someone who once was "Miss no rules" is now using mine makes my heart flutter. I retain that feeling for the rest of the day.

At one, we break for lunch. I go to my favorite little food store and look for something that isn't noodles or a salad (I've decided sliders are still acceptable, but I don't want them two days in a row). As I'm browsing, I hear voices shouting outside. My danger senses tingle, and I'm backing away to the farthest corner of the shop. A gun goes off, and the shouting stops.

A person bursts through the doors. "If y'all wanna live, you do as I say!" They shout. "Drop everything you're holding, put your hands in the air, and stand over here!" I act immediately: I make it a personal rule to do what the person with the gun says. I would call any other action unnecessary.

There are five people in the store besides the manager and two employees. At least, I think so. It's hard to count when a criminal is waving a gun in your general direction.

Another man (Or maybe a woman. I can't see through their masks.) enters the building. "Hey, M. Hurry up in here!"

"Yeah yeah. Just make sure none of these nobodies tries anything heroic." "M" busts open the cash register and piles the money into a bag. Then, he moves to the food aisles and starts loading the canned food inside. Criminal two keeps their gun trained on us. I try smiling at them to let them know I'm nothing if not complacent, but that earns me a scowl. I decide to look at the floor instead. 

"AY!" The door has opened again. From my little corner, I can't see the person's face, but I recognize her voice. "STOP!"

"Who the hell are you?" Asks Two. M stops what they are doing and turns their gun on the door.

"Step inside and go to the corner, or I shoot!"

"I do not want trouble." Jina comes into view as she moves towards the hostages. She has a mask on her face. Why does she have a mask on her face? I feel my heart run double time. 

"Good," replies M.

"I think this is stupid."

"You calling us stupid?" Two moves their gun to Jina.

"No. Your situation is stupid." My frantic eyes catch her attention. She smiles. I mouth, "Stop." She shrugs. I groan.

"How so?" They haven't moved their guns.

"You know how to handle a gun and—from the lack of sirens—you know how to avoid the police."

"So?"

"It is sad you make other people suffer for things you could earn."

"Ha!" M is talking again. "You think we didn't try getting a job? We've got no college cred to back us up. Stealing is easier."

"Easier?" Jina frowns. "I am new here, but this does not seem easier. You rely on someone you rob having enough money, always fear getting caught, and stress about your morals." She shrugs. "Not easy." I admire her courage even if she's soon going to die. At least she will have someone to mourn her. Assuming I also survive this. 

Two hesitates. "I respect you, kid. You've got guts. But we've dug a hole too deep to turn back now."

"I can give you a shovel." This is the most insane conversation I have ever heard. Why is this working?

Two hesitates again. "What kind o' shovel?"

"Futurescape is hiring people for security. If you can prove you shoot straight, I can get you in."

I hold my breath. Her plan is genius. Futurescape had just asked us if we knew any good people to hire for security. But there's no way they'll accept...

"Hey, M. Would it be so bad to try job hunting again?"

"People won't hire us," M grunts. "This girl's spewing lies to stay alive." M glares at Jina. I push my nails into my hand to keep from screaming.

"But... what if she ain't? I know you hate this gig as much as I do."

"We've got no experience. No way they'll hire us." M aims back at Jina. "She talks too much."

This is foolish. This is stupid. This is suicide. But this has now become a necessary action. "I've done some work for the Council!" I yelp. "You know, the heads of Futurescape? I can put in a good word for you both! I've got first-hand experience of your abilities, after all."

M and Two turn to look at me. I hope my face is hidden by the shadows. I've never been so glad a light was broken. "You ain't lying to us, are ya?" One is wary. But they sound hopeful.

I frantically shake my head. "I can call them right now if you want," I suggest, wishing my mouth would stop now. "I could probably arrange the interview to happen today."

Two looks ready to accept. M is still suspicious. "Alright. Try anything funny, and you die first. Keep the call on speaker." I gulp and nod my head. I fumble for my phone and turn it on. I go through my contacts and click the one for the Council. I thank every deity listening that Aaron had given me this number.

"Hello?" A gruff male voice breaks the silence of the store.

"Hi." It's so hard to keep my voice from shaking. "I work as an employee for Security Saver..."

"Yes, yes. We know. We have you listed here as a part of that group who built that ray gun. Truly fantastic work, by the way. Sherry can't get enough of it. You're helping with that new project too, right? The big one?"

I glance at the criminals, seeing if they are intrigued by such an invention. They don't seem to care. They look excited that this is real. "Yes. Though, I'm not calling about that."

"Really?" The man huffs. "Well, we're a little busy right now. Make it quick."

"We heard you were looking for new security guards, and I found some potential prospects."

"Really? Who are they?"

I hold the phone away from my mouth and whisper-shout, "What are you names?"

"I'm Kelly," replies Two. "He's Mark." Mark glowers at Kelly.

"Kelly and Mark," I reply. "They would like to apply for a full-time position. I was wondering if you could schedule an interview with them?"

"What are their qualifications?"

"They shoot well, have experience monitoring police communications, and work well together."

"Any criminal background?"

What an awkward question. Mark cocks his gun, and I gulp. "Nothing on the record."

"Wonderful! They sound like just the people we've been looking for. We don't have any time today, but we can clear a spot to meet with them at 4 PM tomorrow in our main office?"

I tilt my head at the criminals. They both nod excitedly. "That sounds great," I respond.

"Wonderful. Will that be all?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Good speaking with you. Goodbye."

"Bye." A little beep signifies the end of our conversation. Mark and Keely look too shocked to speak.

"We... we have a chance," Kelly says as Mark breathes, "You... actually got us the interview." They look at each other and smile.

After helping to restore the shop to its former glory, M and K disappear into the streets. The people in the store are so happy at being saved that they agree to keep the whole interaction a secret. The store owner thanks Jina and me (mostly Jina) for saving him. He lets us both pick out a meal for free. When he frowns as I almost pick out the most expensive meal, I decide on the ramen instead (which does not count as noodles in my book).

"Why did you do something so stupid?!" I exclaim when we leave the shop. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"You were in danger!"

"I was fine! I was only not fine when I had to risk my life to save yours!"

"I risked mine first!"

"That's the problem!" Silence. I frown at Jina. "Why did you really do that? I'm still a stranger to you."

She hangs her head. "T- those people. I was scared they would hurt someone. They shot a police officer and ran away." That explains the chaos before they entered the store. "When I got inside to confront them, I saw their clothes. It was like they picked them out of the trash can because it was the only thing they could afford." What a specific analogy. "Their eyes avoided looking closely at anyone. They were seeing the people but not really." She shrugs exasperatedly. "Does that make sense? Mark was shaking. He kept looking outside to where the officer was. I wanted to save them. I wanted to help."

"Wow." There's a surge of emotions in me. I didn't see any of that. I didn't even think of helping them. I was focused on surviving, on not doing unnecessary actions. 

I could never be so selfless.

"I was raised in a city of crime with a family that cared," Jina explains. "I notice."

"What you did for those people... It was crazy, don't get me wrong... but it was also really cool."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Definitely. I've only seen the Gladiators be that brave."

"Thanks."

"I should be thanking you. You got me a free meal."

She laughs. "Oh? Free food? That is my worth?"

"Well, someone has to lower your ego. You've been boasting about your heroic actions too much already." She laughs again, and I chuckle. I check my phone. "Shoot! I have to go. Thanks for the meal. And for being so kind to those people."

"Ha. You were lucky I was there."

"Well..." I grin. "Thanks for giving me some luck."

When I arrive at the shop, Lucifugus is pacing outside. Great. I keep my head low as I approach. "Sam? Why are you so late? What happened?"

I look at the floor and unlock the locks by feel. "I was a little held up. You shouldn't get so worried." Really.

"We just had a conversation about how villains are targeting you! How could I not be worried?"

"You wouldn't even had known if you had been protecting the city and not watching the shop!" I remember the robbery. If Lucifugus had been watching his quadrant, Jina never would have needed to go and save anyone.

"The city is fine..."

"No! It's not!" I am surprised by the intensity of my voice. I find I am gripping the doorknob. I open the door and barely keep from raising my head and glaring at him. "The store is not yet open, so I would ask you to please stay outside. All of you." I storm into the store and go to my desk. I glance around the room for any floating eyeballs. Maybe I should make a device to detect teleporting appendages.

I quickly put on my Samantha get-up and less quickly turn the sign from "Closed" to "Open." Lucifugus follows me inside.

"It may be true I've neglected the city a little, and I'm sorry for that," he says. "But, you really are in danger, and Scriptor has enough of an influence to make me worried about the future of our city."

"Well, I'm fine, aren't I? I've been fine living in this city for five years. And I will be fine, even without your protection!" I try to collect myself. Why do my talks with Lucifugus always turn into a shouting match?

"How can you know for sure?" Lucifugus looks worried. Too worried for someone he barely knows.

"What is the reason you are protecting me?" I ask.

"To prevent you from being used as leverage against Scriptor."

"The villains could take any random person off the streets and use them as a hostage to the same level of success. What's the real reason?"

Lucifugus looks at the ground. "I think you're a nice person. You seem to want to help everyone who walks in here. And... I thought... maybe we could get to know each other better? Because, you're cute too—without the mask—and you are smart and..."

I hold out a hand to stop him. Behind my mask, I am blushing hard. From rage or discomfort, I do not know. "Listen, Lucifugus, I think you're a nice guy. Truly. You're a great hero and usually make rational decisions." Except for right now. "But you are really not my type." And you're a superhero. That's the dealbreaker.

"You're an Animus-dator fangirl, aren't you?" The bitterness in his voice surprises me.

"Yes but... That has nothing to do with... You do know Ani is gay, right?" It seems obvious. He always flirts with his fanboys and only politely converses with his fangirls. There have been some heated discussions on my blog that I've had to mediate between straight girls who think he should be with them and gay guys who know he's gay.

"Of course I know that. I just..." He looks surprised. "Most of his fangirls don't know that."

I huff. "Well, stop being jealous. Or whatever that just was. I'm not interested in forming any new relationships." Not just with him. Relationships are too risky.

"Don't you have friends?"

An image of Jina pops into my head. I tell my subconscious, no, I don't know her. To say so would be a misconception, an illusion, a fantasy. No. "A few. Not close ones."

"You should let more people in."

"You shouldn't lecture me on my life." I rub the edges of my mask's nose. "Just... please stop protecting me?"

Lucifugus looks pained. "I'm trying to help you."

"I know. Please stop." I can't look him in the eyes without looking like a hormonal teenager. When I open my eyes again, he's gone.

Villain activity like M and K has been steadily increasing (according to the news), especially in the North quadrant (what a surprise). Nothing super-y. Just a reemergence of an annoying quirk of day-to-day life.

As I exit Scriptor's, I feel chills go down my spine. In my peripheral vision, I see a humanoid shadow watching me. I slowly get on my bike and start peddling. The shadow disappears and reappears closer when I get too far away. Lucifugus.

I growl and pedal faster. Lucifugus follows.

I head to the West quadrant to lose my "guardian angel:" No way am I going to let him follow me to my house.

It turns out that a teleporting man is hard to evade. I spend half an hour dodging and weaving around until I finally feel confident enough that I lose him.

By this point, it's pitch dark outside, and I have a mini heart attack every time something moves. The dim light on my bike is hardly enough to dispel the looming darkness creeping alongside me. It's a wonder I make it home without falling.

It's with great relief that I finally find myself in the confines of my house. I eat some dinner and lock myself in my room for the night.