Hidden behind the curtains in his high-rise, Anthony peered at the growing crowd of spectators for the superhero auditions. Early morning light bled through the cityscape, yet the zig-zagging line already spanned several blocks leading up to the local Superhero and Gifted Services - or SGS - building. The distant skyscraper covered in black glass was a fortress. He released his sweaty grip on the curtains. They fell closed. No one could see in; no one could see out.

"I'm not going back. The auditions have nothing to do with me," Anthony told himself, trying to talk away the mild anxiety gnawing at his stomach. He slumped back onto the couch where he'd spent the night.

He grabbed at the floor for his controller. His last memory before passing out gaming was it thunking against the hardwood, but it wasn't there. His gaze darted around the living room, searching for it. Pizza pocket wrappers and soda cans from last night's dinner littered the glass coffee table. Alphabetized books stocked the shelves. He eyed the black flat screen, realizing that he didn't remember turning it off last night. The remote was missing too. Strange.

He groped beneath the couch cushions. Crumbs, but nothing else. No remote. No controller. He reached into his shorts' pockets for his cellphone, but that was missing too. Hopefully, it was charging in his room. He scowled at the blank screen too far away. He wanted it on.

"Mew!"

Lemon, a tabby cat with yellow eyes, puttered into the room. Thin tail sticking up, she headed straight to Anthony before nuzzling his legs. She purred.

"Mom!" Anthony called, looking around to ensure he was truly alone. "Mom! You home?"

He waited, but there was no response. If his mother had returned home last night, she would have woken him up, scolded him for sleeping on the couch, then cleaned up the mess before sending him to bed.

Certain that he was alone and the curtains were shut, Anthony glanced down at Lemon. He reached into the animal's mind, taking control. Easy as breathing. Anthony's brown eyes and the cat's eyes turned a dull orange in unison. With a thought from Anthony, the tabby trotted to the T.V before leaping and hitting the power button. Television would do.

With each consecutive leap, the cat pawed the flat screen's buttons, flipping through channels. Mostly commercials. News hyped the superhero auditions. An overly dramatic history documentary, cooking shows, and reruns of crime and medical dramas. Boring. Same old. Leap. Switch. Nothing.

The clicking of the front door unlocking made Anthony's breath hitch. On reflex, he released his hold over the cat and the orange left their eyes. No one, not even his mother, could know about his power. Sitting up straight, he stared at the open doorway leading to the entryway.

Lemon froze before mewing and trotting back towards Anthony. Purring, she nuzzled Anthony's legs.

"Mom?" Anthony called. "That you?"

"Who else would waltz in without knocking?" his mom's voice called from the entryway.

"Don't know." Shoulders still tense, Anthony reached down and scratched Lemon's head. Her fur was warm and soft. "How'd work go?"

"Been up all night. Met with a client. It was past two in the morning before I returned to the office. Then there were mountains of paperwork." The closet opened and then closed as his mom put away her shoes. "At least I get the day off and don't need to deal with the auditions. The last one was enough for a lifetime; hard to believe it's already been five years."

His mom walked into the living room. Her SGS name tag - proof of her allegiance to the organization - was pinned to her blazer. It read, "Mrs. Kastner." A tight bun confined her curls, and despite the layers of makeup, the bags under her eyes were visible against her dark complexion. Frowning, she glanced around the room.

"You spent the night on the couch?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. The disappointment was clear in her voice.

Anthony stopped petting Lemon. "Summer vacation just started. Give me a break."

"You should start looking for a summer job."

Anthony shrugged.

His mom sighed, looking at the garbage littering the coffee table and floor. "This place is a mess." She began picking soda cans off the floor. "Help me clean this up."

"Soooo.'' Anthony ran a hand over his tight curls then stood up to help. "Do you know who the superhero apprentices are gonna be this time around? Any of them yours?"

Lemon jumped on the couch and stretched before curling up in the warm spot left by Anthony.

After a pause, his mom answered, "None of my clients were asked to audition. If they were, I'd be with them."

Pressing, Anthony asked, "I still don't get why the auditions are even a thing. Doesn't the organization already know who they want to take on? Why bother with the facade?"

"Competition is exciting. It's good for public image and brings in revenue. It also helps us find gifted that fell between the cracks." Arms full of soda cans, she walked towards the kitchen. "Besides, Anthony, the judges are always open to hiring anyone with potential."

Anthony grabbed the wrappers off the table and followed after. "And the last time someone not gifted and already associated with the SGS was even allowed to audition was?"

"Ten years ago: Kevin Nelson. Ex-military. Not a gifted, but his ideals aligned with the organization. He's now Sentry: Champion for the People." She placed the cans on the granite counter next to the sink and began rinsing them one at a time. "Your friend Will is a fan of his, right?"

"Right, Sentry. He's the perfect figurehead to make anyone believe they can be a licensed superhero. I'm sure he's wanted for lots of missions." Frowning, Anthony dropped the wrappers into the garbage. "Poor Will. Poor normies with no chance at superhero-dum," he deadpanned.

"Anyone can be a hero. Even Will. It just takes hard work and maturity." Her low tone indicated the discussion was over. "What are your plans for today?"

Getting the point, Anthony rolled his eyes. He walked over to the table before sitting on it, his long legs dangling over the edge. It was oak and took up half the kitchen, but only two chairs were pushed against it.

"Bum-around. You?" Anthony asked.

"Sleep. After last night I need it." She finished rinsing out the last can and tossed the lot into the recycling beneath the sink. "You know, you should cut back on the amount of soda you drink. It's not good for you."

Anthony grinned. "And yet it's in our house."

"You're the one who buys it."

With the money you give me from your job, Anthony thought. The tight feeling in his stomach returned, along with the morbid curiosity that always accompanied his thoughts of his mom's work. "So, which client did you meet with last night? Wait. Let me guess, the girl who turns invisible when she holds her breath snuck away from another babysitter in the middle of the night."

"New client, actually. I was sent out with the collection team to meet with the family on scene," his mom answered.

Collection team, not abduction team, Anthony thought. The sick feeling in his stomach stirred. "What happened?"

"This one was rough." She sighed. "First time I've had to file a gifted as an extreme public risk."

It meant the individual in question would be contained in the SGS building until it was determined they could fully control their gift and were psychologically stable. And even once released, they'd be tattooed, chipped, and tracked unless removed from the list. If they were ever removed from the list.

"What happened?" Anthony asked.

"This one was rough," his mom repeated.

"Getting things off your chest is good for you; it's like therapy," Anthony pressed, kicking his feet. It was usually easy to get her to talk. "It's what you tell me."

"We were dispatched to a maternity ward." She paused and took a breath. "A bed, a cardiac monitor, a dresser, and a doctor vanished from a newborn's room."

Anthony gulped. It was rare for gifted to show their abilities right after birth. "Where'd they go?"

"Pocket dimension? Teleported? Erased? Your guess is as good as mine. What makes any of the gifts work?" Her face hardened and her gaze fixed on the sink. "By the time we arrived on the scene, the baby's mother was gone, and hospital staff refused to enter the room."

The hairs on Anthony's arms rose. He stopped swinging his legs.

She continued, "The team didn't know how the gift was activated, so we placed the newborn in a sensory deprivation tank for transport." The color seemed to drain from her face, though it could have been Anthony's imagination. "Preliminary testing points towards the gift being activated through the auditory system, but we're still figuring out safety measures for this one."

The thought of his mother vanishing sent a shiver down his spine. He furrowed then unfurrowed his brows as something close to anger swelled in him. Nothing about the situation was fair for Anthony, the newborn, or their loved ones.

He rubbed his arms. "Do you need to take on this case?"

"It's my job. I'm responsible for my clients and their families," his mom answered without a beat. She gave a humorless grin. "Now I get the thankless job of preparing the dad for the reality that he might never see his wife or child again. This case is going nowhere good."

After a moment of silence, Anthony said, "Yeah, you're right. This one is rough." He slid off the table. "I'm glad you're safe." He meant it.

His mother smiled. "I am too." She walked over to the fridge and opened it. "Uh, Anthony, why is your phone in the fridge?"

Anthony's face scrunched as he tried to remember. "No idea."

She grabbed a soda water and offered the phone to Anthony. "Please take better care of your belongings." The last word slurred as she yawned. "I'm going to bed."

The phone was cold. Anthony clicked the power button to make sure it still worked. The screen lit up. A good sign. Still, he frowned. If his phone was in the fridge, where on earth were the TV remote and game controller?

"Yeah, sleep well," Anthony said before heading back to the living room.

The T.V ran commercials. Lemon slept curled up on the couch and the room was clean. Nothing was out of the ordinary. He turned off the TV before dropping onto the couch.

He scrolled through his phone notifications and texts. One was from Will:

(Will) I scored last minute tickets for the superhero auditions.

(Anthony) How? Didn't the tickets sell out months ago?

Will texted back instantly.

(Will) tell you in line. One ticket has your name on it.

(Will) five years from now I'll be on the stage auditioning too

The dude never shut up about wanting to be a hero. Anthony shook his head. Poor Will didn't have a chance.

(Anthony) this is last minute. superheroes aren't my thing.

(Will) Too late. Lily's coming. She wants to see you.

Anthony's face broke into a smile and his cheeks burned at the thought of Will's cousin. They had met once at Will's seventeenth birthday party last month. The memory of her, shiny black hair and dark doe eyes beckoning him from across the crowded room, flashed across his mind. It had taken all evening for him to muster up the courage to introduce himself.

Still grinning, he ran a hand through his hair. Did Lily really want to see him again? Regardless, the promise of spending time with Lily wasn't enough to pull him to the auditions. He'd swore to never return to the SGS.

(Anthony) I'm busy

(Will) then change your plans

(Will) I'm already at the SGS, but Lily's on her way to get you. I gave her your number and address

Anthony's breath caught in his throat. Sweet, smart, sexy Lily was heading to his house expecting to drag him to the SGS. "Darn it, Will," he muttered.

(Will) you're welcome btw

(Anthony) how do you know I won't run off with Lily?

(Will) Ha! like you have the guts

Anthony groaned. Clenching his jaw, he walked to the window and lifted the curtain to peer down at the crowd again. There were thousands of people marching around like ants. None of them had reason to suspect him as a gifted.

Maybe it would be fun to watch people show off their physics-breaking powers. He - like Will - had once been excited by superheroes as a child. Then, he'd learned of his gift and been dumb enough to use it on a human inside the SGS. That girl's piercing scream when she'd started that fire -

No!

That memory made his existence ache. He swallowed it down. And his mistake had nothing to do with his ability to grasp the bureaucratic hell and invasions of privacy that accompanied being caught as a gifted, much less one with a potentially dangerous power.

Anthony couldn't go back.

(Will) see ya

Anthony would tell Lily that he was sick. She would pout but understand. He hoped. Shoulders slumped, he dropped the curtain and headed to the bathroom. He would at least look presentable for Lily when he turned her down.

He examined himself in the mirror. The freckles and acne dotting his face were barely visible against his deep complexion. There wasn't time for a shower, so he wet his hair in the sink and threw in some moisturizer. He was halfway through brushing his teeth when his phone buzzed.

(Unknown number) This is Lily. I'm walking up to your apartment now. Will gave me your info. I'm not a stalker. Lol XD

(Anthony) hey

(Lily) You coming down?

Despite his racing heart, Anthony found himself grinning as he saved her number. His thumbs flew across the phone's screen - writing, erasing, and rewriting - before sending back:

(Anthony) Coming

He grabbed his key and rushed out of his apartment. Tapping his foot impatiently, he waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor.

The doors opened with a ding to reveal Lily, sundress hugging her thin frame, looking at her phone as she waited outside the building's glass entryway. She was a statue glowing in the waves of people passing behind her on the sidewalk. Her once black hair was dyed lavender, but Anthony recognized her soft face. The pull was magnetic. He sprinted through the lobby towards her.

When Lily looked up from her cell and saw Anthony, she smiled and waved.

"Hey," Anthony said, hopefully sounding suave, as he pushed open the door and was hit by the summer heat.

"Hey yourself," Lily greeted. She opened her arms for a hug. "Long time no see."

Anthony's heart leaped as he accepted the hug. The top of her head came to his chin. Her hair smelled sweet. Too soon, she pulled away, and Anthony was forced to let go.

She giggled. "Why is your hair wet?"

Anthony blinked. "What?"

"Your hair; it's wet." Her brown eyes slid up and down his body. "You just get out of the shower?"

Anthony's cheeks heated. "Will didn't give me much of a warning."

"He's an impulsive one; always on the move. We shouldn't keep him waiting."

Without waiting for Anthony's answer, Lily twirled and headed toward the SGS building. Infatuated, Anthony followed.