Dinner preparation was simple.

Roast chicken with some vegetables and gravy. I wasn't trying to win a cooking competition, so I didn't feel the need to go all out with something extravagant, especially not for Wildfire of all people. The goal was to get information, and all I needed to do was be a welcoming host.

Outside of food preparation, the neighbourhood was secure. Cyberspace's agents were everywhere. 'Dog walkers', 'gardeners', and 'line workers' were scattered about, watching every angle of our house. Francis was even parked down the street with Alice and Anomaly hidden in the backseat. They were ready to go the moment things went sour.

I was confident it would be just fine. I trusted Lucy to handle her father.

"You're pacing," Mom said from the dining table. She had set everything up and plopped herself down in her seat. She was busying herself with a book to pass the time, and her eyes never left the page when she spoke. "He's going to pick up how nervous you are if you don't calm down. There's no use riling yourself up over this. It's just a dinner between friends."

"We're not friends, and this isn't just a dinner," I muttered, watching the driveway like a hawk. "I invited a zealot with the ability to create fire into our home, and for some bizarre reason, I thought it was a good idea at the time."

"No use fretting about it now," Mom replied easily. "It's best if you just learn to deal with things as they come. Was I pleased by the decision? No, but you don't see me throwing a tantrum about it. But for what it's worth, I can see what you were going for."

"I included you in this scheme. I shouldn't have, not in your condition," I turned to face her, and she slowly lowered her book with a bored look. "Don't give me that look, I've put you in unnecessary danger."

"Do you think I'm incapable of defending myself?" Mom sounded scandalized. "I'll have you know I'm quite proficient with a belt."

She was trying to lighten the mood.

I would have laughed if I wasn't about to sit down and have dinner with one of Pandora's most important members. Mom was always making light of situations. She even veiled her hatred of the ECU through humor, but that particular subject wasn't easy for her to hide.

"It's going to take more than a belt to scare Wildfire of all people."

"I've met the man before, Max. Han isn't as scary as you think he is, at least when he's not in costume," Mom giggled a little. "What does he wear again? I don't keep up with these things. It is fireproof right? He isn't running around in the nude after a big fight is he?"

I snorted at the mental image.

"No, he's got a red microfiber outfit. Has that fur around the neck, sorta like a lion," I said, recalling the time I met him at Gaea's meeting. "He likes to be a bit macho in costume, speaking to him out of costume is like talking to someone completely different."

"A tactic to draw a distinction between the two," Mom summarized. "It's pretty common for Evohumans. It helps to keep their two lives separate, things tend to get messy when there's no separation."

"Picked that up from dad did you?"

"Interviews and accounts from older heroes, the ones that actually got to retire. Catherine and Abby have said as much too," Mom said, sighing. "That, and common sense. It's not hard to deduce that many of them would want to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to tie their two lives together, especially with Mentalist capabilities," she shrugged. "That's just my two cents. Your father was a different case. He was a shut-in and never left his workshop. He didn't have a separate identity like you."

"Right," I murmured, idly chewing on a fingernail. "Anyway, you're sure you'll be fine?"

"You need to relax. I'm going to be fine, and so is Lucy. We're not infiltrating a super secret black ops base, we're having dinner."

I scowled.

"You don't seriously expect me to believe you're not unsettled by this?"

"Why should I be?" Mom retorted with a raised eyebrow. "I pretend to like people at work all the time. How is this any different from one of those? We sit down, smile, and pretend to have a nice friendly dinner between parents and children."

"We're pretending to be converts," I remarked, rubbing my face. "You're telling me you're going to be able to sit there and belt out Pandora's beliefs?" I paused, groaning. "I have no idea how Lucy's managed to do it for sixteen years."

"I imagine survival has a lot to do with it," Mom retorted wryly. "Look Max, lying is hard which is why we're not going to. Your leader's plan is for us to pretend to be converts, but the specifics are up to us. We just need to be curious, if anything acting like fanatics would make him suspicious."

"And you're confident you can do that?" I asked, skeptical.

Mom just smiled.

"I have to sit through a dozen meetings every week, all of which I have very little interest in. I'm even forced to take the lead on a few. If I am able to make myself look interested there, then I should have no problem here," Mom said confidently. "When you work in corporate, bullshitting is the first thing you pick up."

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

"I'm not sure if that's going to translate well."

"It'll translate well enough. The wine will help too," Mom lifted a bottle of wine. "Come here and I'll pour you a glass."

"I don't like wine."

"You haven't even tried it!" Mom gaped at me. "At least give it a go now. We could be burning to death in an hour. You might not get another chance."

I grumbled and shuffled over, dropping down in the seat next to her. She poured me half a glass and filled most of hers. I never pictured her as much of a drinker, but I hadn't been home much recently. Maybe it was a recent habit.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't joke about that," I idly picked up the glass and sloshed the red liquid around. I took a hesitant whiff of the drink, and I could smell the fermented bitterness assault my senses.

I sipped the wine.

"Hmm," I looked down into the glass like I was trying to find some sort of hidden meaning. "Not bad. I figured it would be more bitter."

"Finish the glass and you'll feel better."

It was another thirty minutes before the doorbell rang.

Lucy and her father were standing patiently at the door, the latter dressed in a suit similar to the one I last saw him in. It was a stark contrast between the man present at Gaea's meeting. He flashed me a smile and went to shake my hand.

"Good evening, Maxis," he said evenly. His grip was firm, and there was a noticeable warmth to his skin. "It's good to be here. Some normalcy is very much welcome during these troubled times. I am thankful that you made the offer when you did."

"It's not a problem, really. It's long overdue." I said, flicking my gaze to Lucy. She was dressed in smart-casual, but the nerves on her face were crystal clear. "I didn't realize we were supposed to dress up," I looked down at my own state of dress. All I wore were some jeans and a plain black t-shirt. "I would've made more of an effort."

"Don't stress about it," Han Kim replied easily. "I expect you to wear what's comfortable, not what's presentable."

I stepped to the side as he moved forward into the house. Lucy lingered at the entrance for a moment before following behind him. I figured she was gathering her nerves, but she seemed calmer than I expected. She flashed me a weak smile before helping guide her father to our dining room.

"Eleanor," Han greeted amicably. "It's been a while, good to see you are doing well."

"As well as can be," Mom said with a smile. "You don't look too bad yourself. Are you still with the Troubled Youth Program? In such trying times, I can't imagine how much work you have."

"I am," Han nodded as he took a seat. "There's been a large influx of cases, especially in the last few weeks. With everything that has happened, we want to ensure that we can help them as best we can. The occupation has made things… difficult for a lot of people."

"Yes, well, I think we both agree that the ECU has many flaws. Ajax has only highlighted their incompetence. They would do well to take notes from people like you who are actually trying to make a difference in this city," Mom said wistfully. "Would you like a drink? I've been helping myself to some wine."

"How could I refuse such an offer?" He leaned forward and picked up the wine bottle. He filled up not only their glasses, but two more for me and Lucy. "I think we should all be able to enjoy ourselves tonight. Moments like these are a luxury, and I, for one, wish to take advantage."

Lucy sat down next to her dad and accepted the drink without complaint.

I returned to my own seat and began sipping at my third glass. Mom's advice really paid off. The two glasses I had before really took the edge off. I wasn't sure if a third one would put me over the edge, but I wasn't willing to risk it.

"I hope business for you hasn't been impacted as much as it has for me," Han said, continuing the conversation. "As I recall, you work for a software company—remote, given your condition?"

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"Indeed, it's business as usual for us. Many of us are remote. The offices were slightly damaged, but most of our staff work remotely, it hasn't impacted our ability to perform our jobs. Lucky for me," Mom sipped her drink. "Max and I are doing well, but we are both concerned about the occupation. The effect it's having on the city is troubling. I understand the necessity to repair the damage Grim has caused, but there is such a thing as overkill."

"Agreed," Han nodded. "Schools are being disrupted and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat. It's a miracle the government hasn't cut our funding yet."

"The last thing anyone needs right now are kids our age running out and trying to skirt the rules and cause trouble. Things get even worse if they happen to be supers," Lucy said. "It's a good thing the ones that Dad works with manage to moderate themselves."

"Tricky business," Han added. "But it's important to instill good morals into them early. The fewer problems we have in the future, the better."

It took everything in my power to hold myself back from snorting. Seeing Mom and Lucy keep a straight face after hearing him say that, boggled my mind. He thought we were converts, he didn't need to play the preacher to try to indoctrinate us, unless this was rhetoric he actually believed.

Who was I kidding? Of course he believed it.

"While we're on the subject of the future, Lucy has shared some interesting news," Han's expression turned more serious, with a flavoring of curiosity. "You've expressed interest in the Pandora Initiative, is that right?"

"It's something Max and I have discussed," Mom admitted smoothly. The words flowed so easily that she even had me believing her for a second. "We have our hang-ups with the organization, widespread rumors about how they treat the unpowered like us make the movement seem discriminatory. However, I have seen the good they have done before. They ensure the homeless always have a home, security, and stability."

"I'm curious," Han leaned forward. "What compelled you to look beneath the surface?"

"Do I need more reason than Grim and Gaea? One almost destroyed the city and the other is only a few steps away from overthrowing our government out of spite. Can you blame a disabled mother for wanting security for the little family she has?" Mom remarked with a frown. "The ECU does the bare minimum and offers no real solutions to the problems we face. While I might not have agreed with Pandora in the past, at the very least they are trying to solve the problem. I admire their sense of unity—their responsibility."

Han nodded slowly, his mood seemingly elevated with every word that left Mom's lips. He was… I felt like the only word to describe it was 'entranced,' but there was no way he bought into the yarn she was spinning. He must have heard stuff like this a lot. Pandora might be a fanatic cult, but they had influence and resources, and that attracted vultures.

"It's a troubling world we live in. Grim was a madman, and Gaea is not much better. You are right, I cannot blame you," Han said, sitting back in his chair. "Lucy has always spoken highly of you, so I believe I can safely share this. We are part of the Pandora Initiative, and I can assure you that many of the horrible rumors you hear about what we do are greatly exaggerated."

"Really?" The word just slipped from my mouth. It was a fairly innocent blunder, but Han's attention switched to me immediately. If I hadn't already been through so much, I might have lost my nerve right then and there. "Sorry, it's just… that's a lot to take in, especially since, well, you know…" I trailed off for a second, my gaze briefly settling on Lucy. "We're friends with Comet at school."

Han pursed his lips and took another sip of wine.

"Yes, I am aware of that. It… pains me that the ECU have allowed their junior heroes to propagate such horrendous lies. I do not fault her for her ignorance," Han said. "The Pandora Initiative is a global organization. We number in the millions, and as such, it is a tremendous task to ensure that our members adhere to our code. I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that there can be… bad apples from time to time. Such is the reality of every large collective."

"I figured as much," Mom said, feigning relief. "People love to exaggerate things online. I knew things couldn't be as bad as they claimed."

"I think you'll find many things about the Pandora Initiative are greatly overblown," Han replied with a smile. "If you would like, I would happily answer any of your questions."

The oven timer beeped, giving me a window to temporarily escape from this insanity. I hopped out of my chair and flashed everyone a quick smile before disappearing into the kitchen. It wasn't long before Lucy followed behind me.

"Need any help?"

"Nope," I replied easily as I moved the roast around. "Just making sure it's all good. I'll bring it out in a minute."

"I don't actually care," Lucy started to busy herself in the kitchen. "I just need a moment to breathe from all that bullshit."

"You too, huh?" I smirked, making sure to keep my voice low. "I can't believe this is even happening."

"Yeah, well, you started this."

"Don't remind me."

As we laid things out on plates to be nice and presentable, I noticed Lucy was starting to become more anxious.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. You're gonna find out soon anyway, so we don't need to get into it now," she sighed. "Dad's got a proposition. It's not going to mean anything, but it's still pretty crazy. When he told me on the way here I kinda laughed in his face. Not a great start to the evening, but he sprang it on me so suddenly."

"I can't wait," I drawled. "So, what is it?"

"Oh, you know, something about 'uniting our families in marriage'. Just insane cult things."

I almost forgot how to breathe.

"What?"

"I'll take this through," Lucy said, slipping her hands under the large plate holding the chicken. "You can handle the rest. I'll see you back on the battlefield."

She didn't even look back as she disappeared through the door frame, leaving me with plates full of roasted vegetables. It took me a moment to recover.

Why on earth would her father propose something like that?

Eventually, I finished up and returned to the dining room. Lucy was sitting quietly while Mom and her father were deep into a conversation about general politics, Pandora, and the politics within Pandora. They seemed to be getting along better than I could have dreamed of. I found myself amused by the idea that Lucy was supposed to be the one leading this conversation.

Granted, she'd probably come in later when we needed to fish for what Pandora was really doing behind the scenes. Right now, Mom was just buttering him up and making sure he was comfortable.

I never thought her capable of it.

Maybe it was the wine. She was on her sixth glass.

"Truly?!" Mom exclaimed, responding to an answer Han gave just moments before I entered the room carrying the remaining bits of food. "I had no idea powers are capable of skipping generations. That's fascinating! I'd never been much of a evohuman aficionado until I met Max's father, but it's interesting to hear that powers can be passed down even without Awakening."

"Indeed, we've done censuses on our own members and tracked bloodlines. We publish the results online publicly, so if you want to know more it's out there. Normally, we prefer if the evohumans within our ranks pair up because their offspring are capable of producing unique powers, but it is also widely encouraged that our normal followers take donations from our evohumans," Han explained. "It is important that the gifts from the heavens are shared amongst our kind."

"You know, I've never quite thought about it that way," Mom admitted, shaking her head.

Lucy was smiling, but I could tell she wanted to rip her own ears off.

"I'm glad I was able to enlighten you," Han said, finishing his glass. He didn't hesitate to pour himself another. "And to top off an already fantastic night, the food looks exquisite!" He flashed me a grateful smile. "Well done, Maxis. Lucy has spoken to the quality of your cooking before. I'm quite excited I've finally found the time to try some."

You mean, you've finally found a reason to stomach our presence.

I wasn't stupid. He never actually came to visit like this because he always thought we hated Pandora. To his credit, he wasn't wrong.

"You know," Mom said, topping her glass up and somewhat fumbling to get some food. "I don't reveal this to anyone, but if we're going to go through with this, you might as well know. Max's father was an evohuman, so…" she trailed off, giving Han a knowing smile. "That might be something to take into consideration."

"...Really?" Han's tone became notably more engaged. He looked between me and Mom before setting his drink aside. "And just where is he now?"

"Oh, he walked out on us years ago," Mom dismissed, feigning bitterness. "The man was obsessed with his work and didn't even take the time to take care of himself. One day I just woke up and he was gone. Honestly? Good riddance."

"That's very unfortunate to hear. I would like to apologize on his behalf," Han said, his expression more serious than ever. "It's… disheartening to hear of an evohuman that denies the responsibility that's been bestowed to them. I can't imagine how… how betrayed you must feel."

"It's—" Mom's acting peaked when I heard her voice crack. "Sometimes it keeps me awake at night. I try not to think about it, but I do my best to make sure Max has had as many opportunities afforded to him, as is my duty as a parent."

"Admirable," Han sympathized. "I want every opportunity for Lucy too, even if she struggles to see things that way."

The false facade Lucy had carefully put on tonight cracked ever-so-slightly. She started playing with the lobes of her ears, taking care not to rip out the nice silver earrings she put in. She gave me a look like she wanted me to pull my pistol and shoot him.

I was considering it.

The doorbell suddenly rang, and I jolted upright. Mom looked towards the door with confusion, while Han curiously observed our reactions. The only one who didn't have a reaction was Lucy. She hadn't even flinched. In fact, her eyes closed, and I watched her take a deep breath.

"I wasn't aware we were expecting anyone." Han said.

I cleared my throat, the anxiety coming back in full force.

"We weren't," I said, standing up. "I'll get it. Probably just a salesman or something."

I hurried to the door and quickly peeked through the looking glass.

My heart stopped.

Abby?

What was she doing here? Why was she here now, of all times? We couldn't even pretend not to be home; the car was in the driveway, and the lights were all on. She would expect someone to answer the door!

In a split-second decision, I opened the door.

I tried to step out and close it behind me, but Abby being… Abby stepped inside through the gap on my right.

"Bout time, it's fucking freezing out there. Why do you never pick up your damn phone, dude? You need to—"

"Abby, now is really not a good time," I said, cutting her off.

She screwed her face up.

"What's that supposed to—whoa, that smells good," her head turned toward the dining room, and before I could stop her, she was already moving. "What's the occasion, and why wasn't I inv…ited?"

Every muscle in my body tensed.

Comet locked eyes with Wildfire, and there was nothing more I could do but stand and watch.

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