After my unusual encounter, unlike what I had told Darnell, I headed home. On the elevator ride to the penthouse I could see the barest hints of yellow caution tape covering our old HQ, and several hazmat vans and emergency vehicles parked in front of it.

I sighed, and as the elevator doors whispered open I gave it one last sad glance.

I typed in the passcode and entered my apartment.

Abandoning my shoes at the front door I plopped down on the couch face first and didn’t move for a few minutes.

I caught a whiff of lake water smell, and sighed and went to wash up. The only thing that kept me from falling asleep was my grumbling stomach. I made myself a pan of scrambled eggs, and ate them directly from the pan.

At this point my drowsiness had dissipated, and after I washed the dishes I turned on the TV and watched an episode of Sweet Springtime. The drama was notoriously popular with heroines and villainesses since it encapsulated normal life so well.

It was torturous, but wistful, to glimpse the life we might’ve had if none of our abilities manifested.

I fell asleep before I could find out how the professor’s sub plot concluded.

I came to consciousness when my phone rang.

With bleary eyes I saw the caller ID was Shelley. In the mayhem yesterday she’d gone straight home, and in my time in the cavern I’d emailed her a list to get started on first thing in the morning. My phone said it was ten thirty.

“Hi,” I rubbed my eyes, “thanks for letting me get some shut eye.”

“You’re very welcome, and good morning,” she said, and then went straight to business, “Merlina will be ready to go tonight, and the caterer just called and said their pâtissier just quit, so we won’t be having any desserts on the retreat unless we can find someone new.

"Professor Alkolade has been moving the experiments he saved into the new basement, and we have Project X restrained on the lowest level. I’ve signed up all our juniors to the classes on dealing with the Union so we don’t have a repeat of yesterday, and I’ve sent everybody else the recommended reading you suggested.

"We got the final count. Eight villains were captured, and they’ve been split up between the local prison and the suppression chambers. Everyone else is lying low at home or in their own safe havens, but they’re all supposed to come to Snowview this afternoon. Dark’s going to give a briefing in conference room A at one. And I made sure we’re having lunch catered.”

“Shelley, you are amazing,” I said.

“Well, thank you,” I could hear a hint of amusement in her voice, “ and you’re wonderful at giving clear instructions, so please take some credit yourself.”

“I’ll be in within an hour. Do you want me to pick up coffee for you too?”

“Yes, please. Extra cream.”

“Got it,” I said.

I hung up and was fresh and ready in twenty minutes, caught a tele-station to Snowview in the next ten, and grabbed coffee at the corner shop near the new HQ.

I’d designated the top floors as our admin space, (like the old HQ).

“Good morning, Shelley,” I said and handed her her drink.

“Thanks,” she said and took a sip, “this is better than what the old shop used to make.”

Shelley got up and walked me to my office.

“I thought it’d be nice to decorate...but if you don’t like it, I'll make it go away.” Shelley said.

I opened up my new office to strong floral scents of jasmine and honeysuckle. Huge yellow blooms lined the glass windows.

“This is beautiful, thank you.”

Shelley smiled, “It was fun to use my powers.”

I nodded, “Right? We don’t get many chances to use them when we’re here in the office.”

I left the door open and got to work.

First, I drafted Merlina’s instructions for the prison break. Since they were split into two locations, I decided she would take on those that were locked in the local, mundane jail. I sent Dark a text requesting if I could pick up the ones in the suppression chambers myself.

A quick call to the caterers made it very clear that either they got us a pâtissier by the end of the day or they would be out of business forever.

I dialed a number I wish I didn’t have to.

“Professor Alkolade,” I made sure my voice sounded extra cheerful, “how is the move coming along?”

“Well enough.”

“Good,” I tapped my fingers on the desk, “I’ve mentioned in the past that if we ever moved bases again, that there were to be no more vats of radioactive liquids allowed. I do hope you haven’t brought any of those here.”

“I haven’t.”

“Good,” my voice got even more sweet, “because I will be auditing you within the next two weeks, and if I find out anything is amiss, you will have a problem. I will make sure your budget gets halved. There will be no tolerance for another Project X.”

“...Understood.”

“Thank you,” I hung up.

It was time for the meeting, so I closed everything up.

“You’ve got an attendance sheet?” I asked Shelley.

“Yes.”

I stretched my shoulders out and back.

“Then let’s go.”