MIRA 

The mission started not very long after we started our first patrol. We had been dropped as a team on a random street in New Kingsbury. The steel and glass spires towered over us, still relatively shiny and new—a reminder of how the people of our city had benefitted from the relocation in 1979. 

It was late—the sun was setting in the west, casting a dusky golden glow on the city streets. We would be taking the night shift, when they needed heroes the most. Our job was to walk around, smile and wave to the people to keep up the image of the Sentinels, and be ready for a job.

The white Atomic Energy van with the logo emblazoned on the sides departed the second that we had closed the door—they would come back to get us when the shift was over. 

For a moment, we stood there, just taking in the sight of the city. We had never gotten to leave the Sentinels compound, as we were still in training. While we had seen the city and the outside world in simulations and lessons, we never got the chance to experience it for ourselves.

Until now.

"Come on." Ryder gestured for us to follow. "Let's meet our people."

While cars trudged on by through waves of traffic, there were not very many civilians walking around outside. It was understandable, of course. It was almost dinnertime for them, and we were not in the center of urban life, but rather the edge between the suburbs and downtown. This was where people came to work and not to live.

None of them really paid attention to the city's latest heroes.

Just you wait—soon you'll know our names, better than any of the others, I thought as a woman in a long black coat with headphones on scowled as she passed.

Still, I couldn't help but stare after her, even as we were walking away, and she was about to turn the street corner. 

From what Dr. Banning and the media described, it wasn't a popular opinion, to dislike Sentinels like us so.

Before I could contemplate her further, I heard it. 

The beeping signal in my earpiece.

The one from the cops.

Ryder stopped, pressing two fingers to his earpiece. "Class Act, from the Miracle Force, standing by."

I'd nearly forgotten that was supposed to be our team name, within the Sentinels. 

The Chief of Police's voice came through on all of our earpieces, loud and clear. 

"We need all Sentinels in the area at City Hall, stat," Chief Oswald said. "Tenebrous destroyed a large portion of the tram railway system, and there's been a nasty crash. Renegade and Heretic are also on the scene."

Ryder perked up at that—I knew why.

While Tenebrous was Public Enemy #1, no one was expecting us to be able to bring him in—that would likely be any other Sentinels who responded to the call. 

But Renegade and Heretic, rogue anti-heroes with crimes of their own, had been thorns in New Kingsbury's side for a long time. 

I met Ryder's eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking. If we could bring in Heretic and/or Renegade, we would show everyone that we really were capable heroes. 

"Copy that, Chief." Ryder nodded. "What's your location?"

"The intersection between Twenty-Eighth Street and Memorial Avenue."

I pictured the city's map in my mind—a critical part of our education that we had drilled into us. I glanced at one of the street signs closest to us—we were at Twenty-Fifth and Anderson Road. 

They're not too far away.

"We're on our way."

Ryder removed his fingers from his earpiece and looked straight to me. "Right—you can get there first. Go get some recon, see what you can do to help. We'll meet up with you."

"You got it." I saluted him, then sprinted down the streets, hoping that I could get there in time to make a difference.

I stopped right on Twenty-Eighth where the block opened up, leaving scorch marks in the sidewalk as I stopped to take in what was happening.

There were cops blocking off the area already, but the damage had been done. There was shrapnel and the remains of the big gap in the railway, with the tram dangling off one end. Renegade and Tenebrous were busy fighting each other in the air.

Then I saw her—-Heretic, lifting the train in her black duster and green domino mask. What was she going to do with the tram?

She had a history as both a hero and a villain—she'd saved the only survivor of the supervillain Dr. Electra's experiments, and she had burned down City Hall and all prior records of the Mutated in the city limits. 

What she would do was anyone's guess—and there was a civilian, injured and not too far away. 

I had to stop her. 

I charged in at super-speed, only to stop right in front of her with one of her ray-guns pressed against my forehead. 

"Oh, so there's a new team in town?" She was remarkably blasé, despite holding a gun to my head. "Are you a solo act, or do you belong to those frauds at Atomic Energy?"

"I'm a Sentinel—" I stepped back, doing my best to seem in control while I reassessed the situation. "I've got backup coming— we're taking you in this time."

"Look, I admire the initiative." Her green eyes twinkled amusedly. "It's nice to see one of you making decisions on your own. But you're in over your head, rookie."

"It's Mercury."

"Wow, are they using online generators now?" She stepped forward, toward me, and tilted her head to the side. A strange expression came over her face—a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. 

"I feel sorry for you," she murmured. "You don't really know, do you?"

I wanted to ask— but I knew better. We were told never to ask the questions a villain taunted us with. Instead I dropped into the fighting stance. I would have to be careful how I used my powers, if I wanted to last the whole night. 

"I'm giving you one last chance to come quietly." I tried to sound loud and confident. Even though silently, I was hoping and praying that my team wouldn't be too far behind. 

"You're cute, Mercury, but—"

She was cut off by a horrible scream and the terrible hum of electricity. We both looked up to see a power line descend on the tram, electrocuting both any civilians still trapped inside and Renegade, all while a flock of vicious birds circled.

Great, Kade and Birdie are here.

The power lines righted themselves, and I looked to see the rest of the Miracle Force had finally caught up, along with the Elemental Defenders. 

"There were civilians on the tram, Powerline!" Verity shouted as she entered the scene.

She must've put the power lines back, I realized as I looked back to Heretic, who shot her hand out. I looked behind me to see Verity approach, throwing a police car at Heretic—only for her to set it down gently. 

"I'm impressed." Heretic looked from Verity to me, and then back again. "Not bad, kid. You're more than they usually produce at the Atomic Baby Factory. Do they know what true power they have?"

Verity shook her head.

"Don't listen to her!" I reminded her. "We have a duty to the city!"

Verity hesitated, then nodded, holding her hands up and lifting the police car again—but Heretic had gotten her telekinetic grip on it, too. The car was at a standstill, hovering in the air.

"It's a pity." Heretic made a clicking sound with her tongue. "I would have loved to fight by your side, years ago. It's too bad, what will happen to you both."

I was ready to deck her, to do anything to stop her from getting in Verity's head when a guy in a blue and gold obviously homemade costume set down in front of us. I couldn't help but grimace. We'd been briefed on the villains and amateurs who called themselves heroes throughout the years, and I knew exactly who this was.

"Warlock." Heretic's lips curled into a smile. "How nice of you, to join the party."

He looked from her to us, then back again. 

"I'm guessing you didn't start the fire this time?" 

""Haven't burned anything down since 2012." She spun the ray gun around in her hand, like she was in an old western movie. "But that doesn't matter—I'm afraid mass-casualties aren't my thing, Warlock."

He nodded—he was far too gullible for this line of work, I'd decided.

"Get out of the way," I snarled. "She's on our most wanted list—we're bringing her in, one way or another."

"We've got bigger problems than an anti-hero," Warlock said, pointing up at the sky. 

That was our only warning as to the flock of murder-birds oncoming. I tackled Verity to the ground as the birds went soaring over our heads, right for Warlock and Heretic.

But when we were able to get to our feet again, neither Warlock nor Verity were lying in critical condition on the ground.

Rather, a few feet away, Renegade and Heretic were standing right next to each other, with Renegade holding the injured civilian I'd seen close to Heretic earlier, and Heretic holding her ray gun to the poor girl's head.

We Senitnels moved slowly, non-threateningly. We had to assess the situation, be careful once there was a hostage involved. We had to keep the girl safe and alive and get the villain. Any other way, and the media would decry us as reckless, as being the ones at fault for what happened.

Warlock, however, sauntered forwards because I guess he didn't have enough of playing the hero.

"Don't do this," he warned. "You're both better than this."

"Don't step any closer," Heretic shot back. "Or else the girl gets it."

The girl started to struggle in Renegade's arms. We had to end this, and soon. But I couldn't go charging in. Heretic was watching me like a hawk—she seemed to know that I was coming when I first got on the scene. 

""Look, I don't know why you keep focusing on me, but the bad guy got away," Renegade said. "I wouldn't have to do this if you didn't keep trying to kill me while I do your job for you!"

Fury boiled beneath my skin—how dare he?

"Surrender, Renegade." Powerline held up his hand, lightning crackling around his gloved fingertips. "You can either come quietly or we will take you in."

"As fun as this has been, I've gotta go." With that, he pushed the girl to the pavement, took Heretic's arm, and they disappeared in one of his portals in a flash. By the time even I realized what had happened, it was too late. 

I caught Verity's eye and internally groaned. We were gonna be in so much trouble.