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MISADVENTURES IN PARADISE
xix. VALOR'S BIGGEST FAN

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   ON THE EVENING OF April 25th, the full moon shone brightly in the night sky. Tonight was the night, the night the Avengers arrested Carson Belmont and finally put an end to his schemes.

   Roman and Peter lingered on a rooftop, dressed in their skin-tight suits as they waited for Riley, who was instructing Ned and MJ on their part of the mission in a safe location. With JOCASTA's help, they were responsible for supervising the technical aspects of the operation, such as alerting the team of reported suspicious activity and Bishop Security System malfunctions.

   Was that something Riley could do alone? Easily. But that wasn't the point of having a team, and it certainly wasn't how she intended on leading. She cared about her friends, more than she outwardly expressed. If they wanted a part in this, then so be it.

   Unfortunately, that meant Roman would have to spend more time with Peter than he usually did.

   "I'm just saying, whoever said Chicago pizza is better than New York pizza was seriously disturbed! Sure, I've never been to Chicago, but that just shows my loyalty, you know?"

   It was hard to believe that Peter Parker was an esteemed member of Roman's village. Barely. Honestly, he was more of a mascot if you wanna get technical.

   "You've been spending way too much time with Riley," said Roman.

   "Like you're any better. Didn't Riley convince you to be Morgan's object for Show and Tell?" Peter teased, and the alien just shrugged. He wasn't ashamed of his love for the Stark sisters.

   Roman was never fond of home, no matter where it was, but he'd admit that the Starks changed that over the past year. A lifetime he spent among the earliest stars in the universe, blessed by Asteria's gentle hand, and yet, he never longed to go back. He spent days and nights circling the cosmos, resting in Helicarriers, lavish cabins, and even a humble house in New Jersey. But that was all those places were to him: resting points. New York was no exception.

   New York was insufferable. There were more sewer rats than people, the neon lights sparked headaches that ordinary pharmaceuticals couldn't remedy, and the streets always smelt of radioactive piss. Traffic was a nightmare if you couldn't fly, and the people weren't exactly pleasant either. They were always so agonizingly cranky and irritating that it made Roman, of all beings, look like Steve Rogers.

   Then again, that was why he grew to like New York so much. It didn't try to be anything it wasn't. It welcomed its trash and asshole habitants with pride, and Roman appreciated that. Roman appreciated authenticity wherever he found it. So, maybe New York was a rat-infested, overrated, ridiculously expensive state, but to Roman, it was home. For now. And when he's forced to live elsewhere in the future, he'll have a complicated relationship with it, too.

   The actual "home" part didn't matter anyway. A home isn't anything special without the right people by your side, and like Riley, Roman found solace in his village (or whatever sappy bullshit he said all those years ago).

   "You know, I can't remember the last time we hung out together, just us two," Peter said, crouching by the rooftop's edge. "Riley's always with us."

   "Yeah, it's weird. I never realized how much time I spend with my boss willingly," Roman replied. "Never thought I'd say that without complaining about it."

   Legs now swinging off the edge, Peter asked, "What d'you mean?"

   "Come on, don't tell me I look like the kind of guy that follows people around."

   "Nah, you're more of a guy that struts."

   Roman hummed, gazing up at the night sky. As always, it was empty, derived of stars. Midnight and light pollution swallowed the world and any remnants of his past. How long had it been since Roman last saw the stars? Too long. Perhaps he preferred it that way.

   "Living on Asteria gave me a... warped perception of leadership." His voice was always firm and assured, never quite matching his soul as revealed by his eyes. "And because of it, I've never trusted the person in charge."

   "What about Steve? Or Nick Fury?" Peter wondered as Roman sat beside him. "You never trusted them?"

   "Never have, never will. Leaders are the ones with the biggest secrets. They're all the same, always hiding something because they have the most to lose. Even if it's for a good reason, a secret's a secret," Roman elucidated. "That's the thing about leaders. With so many people at your feet, the faces blend and you forget who you can trust. It's why guys like us have it good. It's a sweet middle-ground."

   Peter sat up. "...What about Riley?"

   "What about her?"

   "You don't trust her?"

   Roman watched the cars weave through the maze of streets below. "I trust her because she's my person, not because she's my boss. Those are two different things."

   "...They are?"

   "Uh-huh. I'm not telling you all of this to worry you, it's just what I've noticed in my long life," Roman added. "All leaders are the same, more or less. Riley might be better than most of 'em, but she's no exception. It's why she'll never feel satisfied. She's too hyper-focused on working and saving the day to rest."

   Peter kept his gaze trained on him, the gears in his head turning loudly. But Roman did not speak again about the matter, leaving Peter to wonder what he meant.

   Peter only knew fragments about Roman's past, mostly the big things, but he knew enough to acknowledge his trust issues and disdain toward leadership. But was it bad enough to where he loathed all of them and their secrets? Even Riley?

   No, that didn't make sense. Secrets weren't the problem, not entirely. With his Soul Searching power, Roman could uncover every secret in the universe. It was always the intention behind the secret that troubled Roman most of all. So, what did Riley have to do with that? What was her intention, her alleged secret?

   Maybe Peter was just overthinking things again.

   "Took you long enough," Roman said, causing Peter to look up.

   Glowing warmly against the moonlight abyss, Riley landed on the rooftop. "Sorry, I had to convince Ned that if he took advantage of JO, she's programmed to arrest him."

   "And that worked?" Roman wondered as they rose to greet her.

   "I think he only believed it because he doesn't know any better," Riley laughed, rubbing her hands together. "You guys get ready for this?"

   Peter, who recognized her nervous quirk, ricocheted, "Are you?"

   "I think so. Guess I'm a little jittery." Riley flashed him a reassuring smile to tame his concerns. "Ned's algorithm worked out three banks for us to patrol before the monthly outage hits, which according to JO, always happens at 9 PM. Pete, you take the one on the Upper East Side, Roman, you have the one in Newark, and I'll take the bank in Brooklyn. JO should be fine when the power goes out, and Ned and MJ are safe at the Parker residence. All that's left is to wait for Carson."

   "Sounds like we've got this completely under control," Peter said. "Is that why you're nervous? Waiting for something bad to happen? Because if you want, I can break your arm or something."

   Riley shrugged. "Might as well get it over with."

   "It won't matter if we break your leftie."

   "Good point, I'm dominant with my right," Riley giggled while Roman rolled his eyes. "On a more serious note, it's a quarter 'til 9. We should get going. Keep your earpieces on. Once one of us has eyes on Belmont, alert the others and regroup ASAP."

   "Why'd you look at me when you said the thing about the earpieces?" Roman interrogated. "Those things are uncomfortable!"

   "What are you talking about? They're great!" Riley disputed.

   "Yeah, that's the problem! They're made for human ears. It's discrimination!" Roman emphasized.

   "This again? They fit perfectly fine in Thor's ears!"

   "He's a god!"

   "So? You're both human-passing!"

   Roman gasped. "Take that back!"

   Soon, the trio split up. Blurs of red, white, and violet flashed through the state as Spider-Man swung between buildings, Roman used the stars to teleport, and Riley flew overhead on a forcefield.

   Was it silly that Riley secretly hoped she would see Steve as she flew through Brooklyn? She hoped she'd spot him in a quaint apartment, drinking tea and chatting with Natasha. They would see her through the window and wave like it was the most normal thing in the world. A life of peace suited Steve and Nat. This, Riley was certain of. But, oh, how she wished to see it with her own eyes.

   Again, Riley questioned whether she was making the right calls with this Belmont situation. Is this how Steve would've handled it? Would Natasha see a loose thread in her plan? Again and again, Riley questioned her leadership skills. It was a habit she couldn't shake.

   The bank was dark inside, vacant of life. The streets were emptying as people traveled home, sought out parties, and scavenged for late-night cafes. The invisible teenager enjoyed the quiet. She would remember this later when the streets were clotted with boisterous police cars and their flashing lights.

   Riley chose to not warn the NYPD, Andrew Belmont, or anyone else about their plan as a precautionary measure. The last thing they needed was for Carson to learn about their plan or for the cops to get between Carson and Valor. Riley knew she was stronger than Carson, but that wasn't the point. It was about making things right between them and convincing him to stop all of this nonsense.

   11 more minutes until the power outage. Riley turned on her earpiece.

   "I hope Ross doesn't get on our case when he finds out we're here," Peter complained. "That guy scares me. I know Ri figured out all those loopholes, but I'm still confused on when we're allowed to act as Avengers."

   "Who cares about that prick? Would you rather get yelled at by him or Riley?" Roman asked. Peter was silent. "That's what I thought."

   "Shut up," Peter suddenly said.

   "Aw, got your webs in a twist, Charlotte's Web?"

   "No, you idiot. I thought I heard something moving— GAH!" Peter cried out. "Ugh, just a stupid raccoon..." Roman erupted with laughter. "Yeah, yeah, shut up."

   "Yes, dear."

   "Have you guys found a way in already, or were you too busy flirting?" Riley greeted at long last.

   "I'll have you know, I would never settle for a bug. And why would I need to break in when I can just teleport inside? C'mon, Ri, turn on that big brain of yours," Roman remarked.

   Though she rolled her eyes, his taunts sparked an idea. She approached the bank curiously. She had yet to master phasing through solid objects, but a simple wall didn't seem too complex. She took a few steps back and held her breath, then she broke out into a sprint.

   BANG!

   "Motherfucker—!"

   "Did you just try to phase through the wall?" Roman smugly asked. Riley irritably sighed, mocking his voice. "Don't worry, sweetie-pie, we'll get you those training wheels you asked for."

   "I hope Carson has a gun," Riley muttered through gritted teeth.

   "Why?"

   "No reason."

   Peter chuckled. "Well, if anyone was curious, there's a sun-roof on all the banks you could've broken into. It's pretty nice. Popped off easily, too—"

   "I hate both of you," Riley grumbled.

   Thankfully, she phased through the wall on her second attempt. Note to self: Patience is a virtue. You'd think Riley would remember that by now.

   The bank was admittedly large, with tall ceilings that brushed against the clouds, and wide counters made of quartz. Belmont Banks was famous for its distinctively archaic architecture, leaning into traditional yet timeless designs. Riley was admiring it when suddenly, absolute silence slammed the state.

   A whirring sound descended as the bank's A/C unit shut off. The security camera's blinking red light blipped off. It was so quiet that Riley could hear her steady breaths and the faint buzzing noise that always came from her earpiece, which usually went unnoticed. She glimpsed out the windows. Block by block, the lights in the buildings and large signs flickered off. New York was experiencing a statewide power outage. It was time.

   "Showtime," Riley mumbled. "Any news, JO?"

   "Mr. Leeds recites reported suspicious activity near the Upper East Side," JOCASTA bleated.

   "On it," Peter said. "I can hear this weird clicking sound coming from somewhere in the attic, but I can't figure out what it is."

   "Yeah, I hear it here, too," Roman chimed. "No sign of Belmont yet."

   "You're already in the attic, Rome?"

   "Yeah, I got impatient. Figured he wouldn't be waiting in a vault or something."

   That made sense, Riley decided. She used JOCASTA to locate the attic's entrance, nimble as a mouse, soundless as light. As she drew nearer, a prominent clicking sound purred in the quiet, just as Peter described before. Click... Click... Click...

   A robotic voice droned in their earpieces from Peter's end. Though loud and echo-y, it was impossible to understand what it said. Whatever it was, it raised alarm in Peter as he hurriedly said, "I think he's here. Do you hear that?"

   They listened carefully, but neither of them could understand it. Peter tried to repeat it back to them, but his voice kept breaking. The sound quality grew fuzzier and fuzzier...

   "Wait, I hear it, too," Roman said. Like Peter, there was a weight to his voice that only came out when something was troubling him. "It doesn't sound like a recording. Sounds like he's changing his voice to keep his identity a secret."

   "Guys? Guys, you're—" Peter's voice broke again. "—can't hear you, but — Maybe he — Gonna keep looking —"

   "How can he be in two places at once? You think he's working with someone?" Riley asked, unnerved.

   "I think we're — tricked," Roman said.

   "What? You think we're being tricked?"

   "No one leave — bank under any — circumstance," Roman ordered. "I've got a weird — about this."

   "Roger that," Peter replied. "—Weird feeling, too — Can't see shit in here — What if he —?"

   Silence again.

   "Guys?" Riley beckoned, but no one responded. "JO, status update. JO?" Again, there was silence. "What the hell...?"

   Riley had been so sure that JOCASTA would be functional during the power outage. She was fine every month before now, even just a few minutes ago. What changed?

   The silence pulled her into the darkness closer... closer... closer with every haunting Click... Click... Click... Despite the heat of the night seeping through the bank, raw chills splintered her spine. she pushed against a door, revealing a short ladder that led into the attic. It was pitch-black and much larger than she anticipated. Tall shelves and other dusty objects she couldn't make out filled the room.

   At long last, a distorted voice suddenly sliced through the quiet — the very voice that seemed to worry Peter and Roman earlier. Although she could protect herself perfectly fine, Riley's stomach turned at the voice's message:

   SHE WILL PAY. TONIGHT, AT LONG LAST, SHE WILL PAY...

   VALOR... VALOR... COME OUT OF YOUR HIDING PLACE, VALOR...

   ONE WORLD, ONE PEOPLE...

   "If this is your attempt at getting a girl's attention, let me be the one to tell you that you're really bad at this!" Riley mused.

   Her voice surprised herself, for it sounded a lot stronger than she was expecting. Truthfully, she was uncomfortable. All of this couldn't be Carson's doing, not alone. That last message... What did it mean? Was she supposed to know what that was?

   Finally, the darkness responded to Riley.

   "I knew it," that distorted voice came. "I knew you would come tonight. Did you catch all of my hints?"

   "Don't you think this is a little unnecessary?" Riley went on, holding onto her invisibility. Her eyes darted from corner to corner. "Why don't you come out, and we can talk about this like big kids?"

   "I've been waiting for so long, I can't believe you really came. The others thought I was an idiot. They didn't know what I know," the voice droned on, ignoring her.

   Riley had to play her cards carefully. She didn't know what Carson was truly capable of. Did he have any weapons? Did he intend to hurt people aside from Riley?

   "Others? You know, your sister told me you didn't have any friends," Riley coolly taunted.

   The voice scoffed. "You still think...? Of course. Of course, you do. I led you so carefully," it mocked. "That's the thing about you Avengers. Once you think you have a lead, you never let it go. Always so one-track-minded. That's why you lost to Thanos the first time. You should've just accepted your loss and moved on like everyone else."

   "Hm, doesn't sound like you've moved on to me. Why don't you—?"

   "No, why don't you SHUT UP? You fucking idiot, do you realize who you're talking to?" the voice screeched. Movement came from the northwest corner, inching toward where Riley lingered. The floorboards squeaked, their hollow breathing deepened. "I'm your biggest fan!"

   Against Riley's better judgment, she turned visible again, allowing the light that naturally radiated from her body to fill the room. But instead of Carson's face, Riley was surprised to see—

   "Eden?"

   Eden Belmont stood in all her glory, a precarious gleam in her eye. Her clothes were unusual. An assortment of weapons was strapped to her chest and hips. In her hand was a gun, and on her shirt was an image of a red handprint, its palm holding the Earth. Riley recognized that logo. It belonged to the Flag Smashers.

   "Finally! Our brilliant Avengers leader figures it out! I knew you couldn't hide forever!" Eden cackled, removing the mask that distorted her voice.

   Riley kept her stance relaxed. The biggest lesson Riley learned when it came to confrontation was to never let the other guy think you're doubtful, uncomfortable, or afraid. It makes them more nervous, it makes them angrier, and that was what Riley needed. Eden would make more mistakes that way.

   "Alright, I'll admit it. You got me," Riley coolly confessed. "Is this the part where you do your monologue about how you fooled me?"

   "I told you! I'm your biggest fan, Valor!" Eden persisted, her smile widening. "All this time, you've been hounding down my brother, not realizing the mastermind that was pulling all the strings! I can't blame you. He made it SO easy! He never leaves the house, never talks to anyone. And he's filled with so much rage! He was the PERFECT person to lead you astray."

   "You set your twin brother up? That's cold," Riley mentioned, arms folded.

   "He didn't do anything. He never does. Why should HE get all the credit? All the glory? Why should a MAN be praised for everything I've done?" Eden demanded. "After you took my father away—"

   "I didn't kill your father. I never even knew him," Riley sharply interrupted. "What happened to him was natural—"

   "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT A NATURAL DEATH? What do YOU know?" Eden snarled. She held the gun in a manner that was a few steps above an amateur. She pointed it at Riley, her hand shaking with fury. "That's your problem, Val. You can't accept death. You run from it. You always run from it and let it take everyone else! You're a COWARD!"

  "And to think we were getting along so well last night," Riley smugly said. Her gaze was trained on Eden's hand, waiting for the gun to go off. "You said you accepted your father's death. Why change your narrative?"

   "I didn't change anything. Well, not all of it. I did go to therapy, Carson didn't. I should've followed in his footsteps. The therapy didn't do shit. They fed me lies. They kept saying my father's death was natural... inevitable. But it's not true! IT'S NOT! It's YOUR FAULT! HE WOULD STILL BE HERE IF YOU DIDN'T—" Eden sharply inhaled. "When Dad died, I found the Flag Smashers on an internet forum. They spoke of their mistreatment post-Blip and how their lives took a turn for the worst after the Avengers brought everyone back. They blame Valor most of all. The Flag Smashers HATE you for tempting fate."

   "I didn't 'tempt' fate. I saved my own life, and then I used my second chance to save everyone else. The Avengers had the chance to turn back the sun. You expected us to ignore that?" Riley challenged. "We have a duty to protect the world and its people."

   "The Avengers don't protect. They create problems, then avenge themselves," Eden sneered. The contempt in her voice made her unrecognizable. "And yet, I'm still your BIGGEST fan! I always have been! It's how I knew you'd come here tonight. I dropped all the treats, and you followed the trail like the obedient, predictable little fucking dog you are."

   "I'm getting a lot of mixed signals here," Riley muttered under her breath.

   "It was nice having the Flag Smashers. What happened to them totally sucks, but I'm mostly here for my vengeance. The rest of my family was too stuck in their depression to even think about revenge. But I was ready. I wanted to act," Eden went on. "So I kept up with the Flag Smashers, worked my way up the ranks, and eventually convinced them I knew how to get your attention. Then, I came up with the plan to draw you here and kill you."

   Eden continued, "I planned and planned for months. I watched your every move. You made it difficult, I'll give you that, but after Spider-Boy made it so damn obvious you're dating, all the pieces fit together perfectly. I was hoping to find out his identity during this, but you're so damn careful. Always waiting for the ball to drop. Anyway, I planned we would run into each other that night on Christmas Eve. I planned for the power to go out. I made up an excuse to run into my dad's banks at the perfect minute. I picked the one in Manhattan — an homage to the place Riley O'Dair died and Valor was born. And I waited... And waited... And waited. And you didn't come."

   "Yeah, I was sort of busy. Lost track of time, you could say," Riley excused. "But if I hadn't... I would've come running right to you. You're right about that. How'd you get the power to go out?"

   Eden withdrew an unusual, rectangular object from her pocket. The clicking sound from earlier grew louder once she withdrew it. "My dad taught me a lot about electrical engineering, and turns out, I've learned a lot from attending Midtown High. I invented it. I call it a Deluminator. One button and the charge it emits is so intense, it wipes out the power in the entire state. I've been letting it do its damage for longer periods each month. The closer you are, the more damage it does."

   That certainly explained why Riley couldn't communicate with the others anymore.

   "Not bad," Riley admitted. "You do realize the kind of damage you've done with that thing, right?"

   "Aw, thank you!"

   "Not a compliment," Riley added. "Car accidents... People freezing to the point of serious sickness when it was still winter... Impairing the state's water pump and indirectly poisoning our water supply... Damaging the power lines so that no one can call for help in an actual emergency... Your thirst for revenge is hurting innocent people."

   "The Flag Smashers were innocent, too."

   "Yeah, before they started killing people and blowing shit up!"

   "And what about the Avengers? What about the Chitauri, Sokovia, Thanos? They all had it out for YOU. The Avengers have killed thousands of innocents! More than the Flag Smashers could dream of!" Eden fired back. "The Flag Smashers want to actually help people. You only care about yourself and the image people see of you."

   "You're wrong, Eden. The actual Avengers would never seek out innocent lives to harm, and we certainly don't give a damn about petty gossip. Maybe all those gossip articles are what's poisoned your mind so much," Riley accused. "Everything we do is to help. Sometimes, we screw up along the way, and I won't deny that. But not a single person has died in vain."

   Eden was visibly shaking by now. "You don't know what it was like last year. The world was celebrating, and I was mourning. While you were celebrating at Camp Mirkhaven, I was digging my father's fucking grave!"

   "I'm not the reason why he died—"

   "I've been planning this carefully for almost a year! All the clues were planted for YOU. I picked power outages because I knew it'd get your attention. I made them monthly and targeted my father's banks to make the pattern easy for you! And the reason why it happens every full moon specifically? Because the full moon can't be seen without the sun standing behind it! That was my homage to Valor! And the fact that the outages happen at 21:00, or 9 PM, every month was another homage to Valor! For the 21 years since your mother's death!"

   Eden added, "The other Flag Smashers are at the Newark and Upper East Side banks. They were sure you'd go to one of those. But I knew you'd come to Brooklyn! Home of Captain America, the man who gave you your mantle! I sent them away, Morgenthau thinks I'm with them. But I chose to come here alone because I knew... I KNEW!" She scoffed. "Don't you get it? This has all been for YOU! So I can get my vengeance and destroy the legacy you think you've created!"

   Riley's eye twitched at the mention of Athena. She thought back to Peter and Roman, who were undoubtedly fighting the Flag Smashers right now.

   Despite everything, all she could get out was, "Holy shit. You're fucking insane!"

   Eden's eyes were wild. "I'm your biggest fan! Maybe in a way, I'm following your footsteps. Killing people, making everyone know my name. The Flag Smashers will prevail, and I plan to be there when it happens. But you? You'll be lucky if I let you leave here tonight."

   A loud BANG! reverberated through the attic as Eden's gun fired.

   A forcefield shielded Riley. "Was that your best attempt at killing me? Really?" she asked.

   Eden giggled. "It was a distraction."

   BOOM!

   The floorboards collapsed as a bomb exploded. A piercing ringing sliced through Riley's ears as fire engulfed the bank. Ashes danced into the air, sucking the oxygen into its lungs. She only managed to secure herself in a forcefield out of pure instinct. Otherwise, she was physically cringing, biting the inside of her cheek so hard that it began to bleed. Did Eden know of Riley's PTSD? Her thing with explosions?

   Flames lapped at her forcefield as Riley forced herself through the suffocating heat and the falling debris. Painful memories flashed through the back of her mind, of screaming and noise and destruction.

   Her head split with an ache as she finally exited the bank, where she found Eden sitting in the streets. Though visibly wounded after getting blasted out of the bank, Eden was still alive. She stared up at the burning building with a Cheshire Cat grin. That was until she saw Riley Stark emerge from the flames.

   "I didn't like your trick!" Riley yelled, fury building within her core, ashes decorating her figure.

   Eden was gasping, holding onto her side, soot caking her face. Her hair was singed, her clothes scorched. "How...?" she panted.

   Sirens squealed in the distance. Residents from the nearby apartment complex rushed outside, bewildered and fearful. Riley dropped her forcefield and turned sideways. With one hand, she conjured a forcefield around the bank to keep the fire contained, and with the other hand, she continued to shield herself in case Eden tried to shoot again.

   "You must be out of your goddamn mind, Belmont! Threatening the lives of these people, including your own, to settle a score that doesn't even exist? What the hell is wrong with you?" Riley snapped. "This can end here, Eden! Give me the Deluminator, turn yourself in. Is this really what your father would want?"

   "Take his name out of your mouth, you bitch!" Eden howled. Despite her exhaustion and injuries, she rose to her feet. Whether it was adrenaline or her undying thirst for revenge, Eden was ready to fight. She withdrew another gun. Panicked chatter erupted from the observing crowd. "FIGHT ME!"

   "You look stupid, Eden. You're not winning any fights against me," Riley said sternly. Like a parent scolding a child. Despite this, gunshots rang. Each bullet fell pathetically to the ground.

   "I SAID, FIGHT ME!"

   Riley sighed. With one hand still containing the fire, she fought single-handed. She figured it was better that way. The less she moved, the less Eden chased after her, the less likely the people watching would get hurt.

   Riley used her free hand to seize the gun from Eden's grasp. Before Eden could grab another, Riley flipped her onto her back. She used the moment Eden's limbs flailed to detach the weapons strapped to her person. Then, she secured Eden within a forcefield of her own, keeping her from fleeing or hurting anyone else. The so-called 2nd-degree black belt owner was overpowered in less than five moves. Even with one hand tied behind her back, Riley was undefeatable.

   Riley's voice was dry as she declared, "Maybe you're right. The Avengers aren't divine beings above life and death. For all the good we've done, an equal amount of bad follows us. We're responsible for terrible things that I wish could be reversed. No matter how many things we get right, we will always have our mistakes, and they will weigh on us for the rest of our lives. That's why our relationship with the people matters so much to us. A small handful of alleged heroes can't save every person in the universe. We have to set an example to do the right thing, otherwise, everything will burn into chaos, and we'll have more people like you in this world."

   Eden tried to argue, but Riley spoke over her, "No, this is where you zip it, Eden. The adult's talking now. I want you to know, I'm sorry. I'm sorry your father's gone, I'm sorry you and your brother don't feel that you can move on. I'm sorry to every person who feels wronged, betrayed, and frustrated because of what I or the Avengers have done. But do not blame us for everything wrong in your world just because the Avengers hold the weight of the world on our shoulders. Hold us accountable for things we can do better, but don't blame us because we're the easiest people to point fingers at. There's so much about our jobs that none of you could understand."

   Riley continued, "I know loss. I mourn them every day of my life. But my dad once told me that when you mess with time, it tends to mess back. I know that now. The clock isn't meant to be turned back. All we can do now is live on their behalf. I know it doesn't feel possible now, but I guarantee you that these feelings aren't permanent, and you will know sunshine again."

   Riley didn't know if her words resonated at all, for Eden remained silent for a long moment. But as the ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars finally arrived, Riley swore she saw apologetic tears in Eden's eyes. Tears wouldn't turn back the damage she caused, but it was better than nothing.

   It never felt good being confronted about your wrongdoings. Riley knew the Avengers weren't perfect, but she also knew they were all still learning and trying their best as the universe continued to change before them. She just wished the rest of the world knew that.

   Perhaps they did.

   As Riley stepped aside, allowing the firefighters to extinguish the flames and the officers to arrest Eden, she sat on the curb in a mixture of fatigue and relief. Fatigue from nearly getting blown up, relief from knowing it was all over. As she caught her breath, the crowd of people who had been observing erupted with applause. Riley whipped her head upward, surprised to hear the crowd fervently applauding and shouting her name.

   "WE LOVE YOU, VALOR!"

   "THANK YOU FOR SAVING US!"

   "YOU'RE OUR HERO, RILEY!"

   There would eternally be people like Eden in the world, but for every "Eden" there was, dozens more existed who somewhat understood what it meant to be an Avenger, who understood and even appreciated everything they did to protect and avenge the world. They were proof that not every fight has to end with anger and loneliness, that there is strength in unity. The people would understand and forever be thankful in place of those who weren't.

   And for that, Riley couldn't help but smile.