Tora woke up the next morning, still a little haggard, but she felt better now than when she went to bed the night before.

She sat on the floor of her bedroom, doing various stretches to commence her morning routine. After a few minutes of meditation, she continued with squats, lunges, planks, and push-ups, doing several sets for five minutes each.

She spent a few minutes under a long warm shower, before turning the knob to cold, letting the freezing water wash over her body, shocking her system awake. It was an exercise she had neglected since leaving the Air Force, but for the first time in a while, she felt refreshed. Her muscles flexed as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror.

She dressed in a long fauna patterned skirt that went over her bellybutton with a black high neck crop-top tucked inside the waistband. Sitting in front of her wardrobe, she applied some light makeup. She paused for a moment, staring at her silver eyes, reflecting in the mirror. They shone brilliantly, reflecting the light from the objects around her, gleaming like the rare gems they were. She loved her bright silver eyes she received from her father. Looking at them reminded her of his eyes that she had never forgotten even after 28 years.

She was not reluctant as she placed the brown contacts over them. Ever since she was young, whenever people saw her eyes, they would stop and stare. A black woman with light-colored eyes always made people curious about her lineage. Because they asked questions she did not want to answer, she decided to hide them so no one would have any questions. Even in the Air Force and every other public record, her eye color was officially registered as brown.

In the kitchen, she took some leftovers from the refrigerator for breakfast. She sat on a stool and ate in silence before turning on the television. She stopped at a news channel that was covering last night's event at the park.

"...In other news, during the battle last night between Electro and a Blodraven, a young man was struck by Electro's lightning. Although we do not know the name of this young man, we know that he was injured trying to protect a little girl who entered the danger zone. The young man went into cardiac arrest and had to be given CPR before ambulances arrived. Both parties were taken to St. Christopher Hospital for urgent medical care, but as of now, we have no update on their condition. Police are asking for information about the little girl, whose name is Abby. Police are searching for the young girl's family. They ask if anyone watching knows her, please call the number on your screen," said the female anchor.

Her male partner chimed in, "This morning, several videos of the incident were uploaded to social media and several streaming sites. Many people are calling Electro reckless for having his battle in the middle of the city, where there is a high chance of collateral damage. They also call the mystery man a hero for putting himself in harm's way to save that little girl. On the other hand, many people say the young man had a hero complex for entering the battle zone so recklessly. This morning, Electro posted a message on his Chirper account, stating: 

[The Blodraven appeared in the middle of the city, it was challenging for me to move it away. All I was thinking about was how to end the fight quickly before anyone could get hurt. In the fight, I have to have my full attention on my enemy that I sometimes don't notice what's happening around me. I did not notice the little girl that ran in the middle of the lightning field. It was an accident, and I had no intention of harming anyone. I am grateful to the young man who ran out to protect the little girl. He was the real hero last night. Although I know a simple apology will not bring relief to the families of the man and the little girl, I'd like to offer my sincerest apology for my mistake. I will personally pay for their medical bills, and I will pray for their quick recovery. Once again, my sincerest apology.]

The anchor turned to his partner. "A full apology and fully paying for the family's medical bills, Electro-"

Tora turned off the TV and threw the remote on the counter. "Flattery, money, and an apology." Well, it was unsurprising. Throwing money at a problem had a history of making the problem disappear. Tora could not help the feeling that it was not the first time something like this happened. How many apologies had Electro and the other members of the Super 7 done over the past few months?

They were becoming more and more careless with their powers, and since they were funded by the US government and a multibillion-dollar company, the public turned a blind eye to their antics.

Tora finished her meal and washed the plate immediately. She placed the plate on the rack to dry.

She poured some cat food mixed with raw fish in a small bowl. She placed a bowl of water next to the food outside the kitchen door. In a sing-songy voice, she called "Khan." A pair of furry ears perked up from the couch on the terrace. The cat walked toward her, his grumpy face staring at her with large gold eyes. Tora picked up the cat in her arms. "Here's your breakfast. I'll be back tonight. Don't get into trouble. The window is open for when you want to go out. But don't go too far, okay." The cat meowed before jumping out of her arms and walking down the stairs. "Well, alright, your highness. I'll see you tonight."

She picked up her bag and key, locking the kitchen doors before going downstairs to the living room. She closed her front door and went to her car. As she pulled out of the driveway, she saw the cat staring at her from the front door, as though guarding it for her return.