The next day greeted Lila through the siren. She groaned and covered her ears with her pillow. It lasted for another two minutes before she sat up and glared at the wall. She pulls off her blanket and walked down to the kitchen to turn off the siren. When she reached the kitchen, she noticed the somber faces of her parents.
"I- what's wrong?" Lila frowned as she looked around the place.
Catherine turned to her and sighed, "It's Apophis."
Lila flinched, "What-what happened? Where's my brothers?"
"They went off but the siren is not for them." Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose, "It's because Apophis attempted another escape."
"What is being done about it? Who's there?" Lila ranted off as she paced around the place. Apophis had been her parent's most dangerous enemy as it took them five years to take him down. It didn't help that they didn't really take him down but just imprisoned him.
"Don't worry, the holding cell stayed firm but there are noticeable cracks," Catherine explained.
"Are they fixing it?" Lila bit her lip.
"That's the problem, we feel like the cell won't hold him for long." Daniel shook his head and pushed his plate forward.
"Then what?" Lila burst out.
Catherine gave her daughter a glance before she locked eyes with Daniel, "There's nothing we can do right now. All we can hope is that the boys can handle him."
"You won't help them?" Lila backed away and looked at her parents in desperation.
"We will, we will try," Daniel assured her.
"But... but we can't really do much as our powers are slowly slipping." Catherine let out a breath.
"What do you mean slipping?"
Daniel breathed out and leaned against his chair, "Our powers are closely connected to our atmosphere. Seeing as how we've been living on Earth for quite a while, the atmosphere has affected our bodies and powers."
"What... but what can they do? They've only dealt with criminals!"
"Criminals who are working for Apophis." Catherine pointed out.
"Why are you telling me this but not them?"
"Adding pressure to them won't help anything."
"That's the same thing you said last night." Lila hissed.
"Delilah, you have to understand that I can't let you do this." Catherine sighed.
"I know!" Lila paused, "I know..."
Daniel frowned, "What are you two talking about?"
"Delilah wants to go as an undercover villain to help the boys out," Catherine smiled, "And to have more time with them in the process."
"And why not?" Daniel raised an eyebrow.
Catherine turned to her husband in shock, "What?'
"Why not? She will work as a practice for the boys without them knowing it's her meaning they would try their hardest as they think she's an actual villain."
"That's the problem, Dan! They will not hold back. They are more powerful than Delilah because their powers are more hands-on."
"Yes but Delilah is powerful if she practices. If she can use her powers more." Daniel paused and locked eyes with his daughter, "I know that she has some untouched potential in her, she just lacks practice."
"She might get hurt." Catherine sighed as she clung to the one last argument she had.
"I'm sure she will be careful." Daniel smiled.
"But, mom-"
"No-" Catherine stood up from her seat, "It's too dangerous and you are part of a superhero family."
Daniel stood up and regarded Catherine, "Yes but she won't be a real villain."
"We shouldn't encourage this kind of behavior."
"Catherine, can't you see this is a way for her to practice her powers?"
"She can do so through different means." Catherine burst out. She paused and breathed out, "I do not want Lila to be exposed to these kinds of things. Especially when it concerns her brothers."
"But why?" Lila tried once more as she stepped closer to her mom.
"You know how Leonardo gets when he is temperamental." Catherine started, "William is full of tricks, some of which many can't see immediately. Not to mention Timothy's impulses. Those three think with their fists rather than their brains."
"Yes but I've lived with them all my life. I grew up when they grew up. I know their every move."
"As civilians. As your brothers." Catherine retaliated. "But do you know them as Comet, Tempest, and Berserk?"
Lila opened her mouth but she had nothing to say. Her mom was right, she didn't know her brothers' alter ego. She looked down and pressed her lips together. It was like suicide to try and go against them one to three.
Catherine placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Do you now understand why I'm hesitant to let you do this?"
"I guess..." Lila admitted as she rubbed her arm.
Catherine turned to an expectant Daniel before she sighed, "But, if you can give me a solid plan of defense, offense and escape... I might be able to reconsider."
Lila perked up, "Really? Even if I'm... 'exposed to those kinds of things'?"
Catherine huffed as her own words were thrown back at her, "I said I will reconsider. Your father is quite adamant to let you try and I know he will try something sooner or later. So, I think it is best you try and convince me otherwise."
"You won't regret this, mom."
"I didn't make a decision yet, Delilah."
"Don't worry!" Lila laughed and raced up the stairs to change.
"Will you really?" Daniel asked as soon as Lila was out of their sight.
"I don't know, Dan. I want what's best for her but I feel like she will run off on her own if I refuse." Catherine looked out the window, "It's dangerous but more so if she did it without my knowledge."
"So, you chose the lesser evil?" Daniel's lips perked up to a smile.
"When faced with two evils, the lesser is the better choice."
"At least you can monitor her and pull her out any time."
"At least."
Catherine smiled when Lila came down the stairs to grab an apple. She waved when her daughter left the house and to school. Daniel smiled softly at her and placed a hand over hers, "I'm sure Piper would try and help her out."
"She's a smart girl, hopefully she can."
"Did you ever doubt her?"
"Not for one second."
Though, Catherine couldn't help but feel that this won't be the last time she would make a hard decision for her children. She closed her eyes and squeezed Daniel's hand for comfort. She could feel it in the air, she could feel the stirring of old rivalries ready to erupt. She opened her eyes and nodded towards Daniel, "It's time for us to check up on that prison, shall we?"
Daniel nodded and stood up, effectively shaking away the sense of foreboding, "Yes, let's go. I'm sure Alec is on his toes by now."
"He's always walking on eggshells ever since we dropped Apophis over there."
Daniel laughed as he felt the mood lighten, "Yes. Poor guy, probably felt like we dumped our problems all over him."
"Can you blame us?" Catherine smiled as she watched the white door slide open, "We had nowhere else to dump him."
"Grandfather would kill us if we left him on Earth." Daniel joked as he looked around the pure white room, "Ah, the good old times."
"I miss it."
"Perhaps... With Lila on the loose, we can have a little bit of fun?"
"Fun? With Apophis on the verge of escape?"
"Yes, Catherine. Fun, as in you don't have to be pessimistic."
"Haha, very funny Dan."
"I think you're getting it."
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