“What does it mean?” Orion asked.
Arthur pushed the placard forward before resting hiselbows on the table. “When I hired all of you, I had no idea where I wanted to go with this.”
“Out of my garage,” Janet shot back.
Arthur nodded. “I needed temps. I didn’t think it would become this. I don’t say it enough, but I appreciate each of you.” He eyed his sister. “Even you. We’ve built something amazing, but Vanguard isn’t the only city that needs heroes.”
“Sin City has seen a 732% rise in villains,” Connor added.
“It’s time we took Secret Identities global,” Arthur said. He reached into his breast pocket, producing strips of metal to be mounted on wooden stands. “That means promotions for everybody.”
“I’ve never been promoted,” Wyatt said. “Earth Mom is going to squeal.”
Arthur slid the strips across the table—one for each of us.
Chief of Hero Recruitment.
Chief of Technology Development.
I stared at mine—Chief of Community Development. I’d be stepping up from acquiring corporate partnerships to building community with our brand? It’d be a step, a huge one, and I appreciated that Arthur asked us to grow with him.
“Chief Information Officer,” Connor said. “This should be interesting.”
Arthur slid the last title in front of Janet. She eyed it before sliding it back. Arthur’s jaw opened, surprised by the denial.
“It’s time for a new adventure.” She stood up, giving Arthur a punch on the shoulder. At this point, she had promoted herself to Queen of the Universe. There was nowhere for her to go, but I never imagined Janet would leave us. “You don’t need me anymore.”
“But—”
“Friend, Janet…”
She held up her hand. “I’m not going anywhere. The Janeteers still need me. But this guy—” She patted Arthur’s cheek. “—he’s finally a big boy.”
“What will you do?” Arthur asked.
She shrugged, leaning against the doorframe. “Janet doesn’t choose the adventure. The adventure chooses Janet.”
He gave her a slight nod before turning back to us. “What do you say?” Arthur asked, “Are you ready for this?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Wyatt almost vibrated.
“There’s a rumor the Illuminati has set up operations in Paris.” Orion gave a slight salute. “I’m in.”
“Statistically, this will fail without me,” Connor added. Our newest hire tapped the metal against the table while he weighed the implications. It might have been the most human thing I had seen him do. “Count me in.”
Arthur’s eyes fell on me. For the last year, I dideverything in my power to buy his friendship. I had an urge to blindly say yes in hopes he’d give me his approval. My thumb traced the etched lettering. Would accepting take me away from Booker? Even if it did, we’d make it work. If we could survive a succubus trying to destroy the city, a minor change wouldn’t get in the way of our relationship. Booker would demand that we celebrate.
This decision wasn’t for anybody in the room but me. Even as the insecurity tried to creep up, I knew this invisible thread that bound us together wouldn’t break.
What didIwant?
My smile stretched from ear to ear. I wanted to see where this adventure took me. “I’m in.”
Wyatt cheered despite the chocolate cake in his mouth.
“While I’m excited for this circle jerk?—”
“Ew.” Arthur’s nose scrunched up. “We’re related.”
