Chapa POV:
Elena turned and stormed out of the bar. I stood there, feeling a mix of anger and despair. Sam was rubbing his cheek, looking dazed.
"Chapa, I..."
"Get the fuck away from me," I snapped, my voice shaking with anger. I grabbed my things and hurried out, following Elena and then needing to get as far away from him as possible.
I caught up to Elena a block away, grabbing her arm.
"Elena, wait! Please listen to me," I pleaded.
She yanked her arm away, her face a mixture of hurt and anger. "I never thought you would do this, Chapa. I trusted you," she spat out.
"It wasn't what it looked like. Sam kissed me, and I didn't want it," I said, my voice breaking.
"You were sitting there alone with him, Chapa. You agreed to meet him. How am I supposed to believe you?" she retorted, her eyes flashing with betrayal.
"I thought you were coming too! He said it was a group thing," I tried to explain, but she shook her head.
"Even if that's true, you should've known better. You should've left when you realized it was just him. Instead, you stayed and let him kiss you," she said, her voice dripping with disappointment.
"I didn't let him! I pushed him away the moment he did it!" I shouted, my frustration boiling over.
Elena crossed her arms, looking away. "I don't know, Chapa. This whole thing just feels wrong. I can't believe you let this happen. You've really let me down."
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, making me feel small and guilty.
"I'm sorry, Elena. I didn't mean for any of this to happen," I said quietly.
She sighed, shaking her head. "I need some time to process this. I can't even look at you right now."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there feeling utterly defeated. I watched her go, my heart heavy with regret and sadness. I had no idea how to fix this mess, but I knew it was going to take a lot to earn her trust back.
Miles POV:
It was around 8 in the evening when I arrived at Chapa's tiny apartment. The streetlights cast a dim glow on the sidewalk as I made my way to her door. Bose told me she'd been under a lot of stress lately, and I hoped my visit would help ease her worries.
I knocked and waited. Chapa opened the door, looking tired and stressed. She seemed less than thrilled to see me.
"Hey, Chapa. How are you?" I asked, trying to sound as upbeat as possible.
"Oh hi Miles, what are you doing here?" she sounded hurt and tired.
"Well I wanted to discuss something with you." I said.
She sighed. "Miles, it's late, and I'm really not in the mood to discuss anything."
"I get it," I said gently. "But I think it's important. We've found a solution."
She looked at me skeptically but stepped aside to let me in. We sat down in her small living room, the air heavy with unspoken concerns.
"I wanted to let you know that you have nothing to worry about," I started. "We need your help to defeat this new villain." I shortly explained how, but while I did she looked at me with an uninterested and boring expression. I continued. "And before you're going to say anything, I know what happened. But ShadowWoman is locked up, and she couldn't meet up with anyone to share your identity with. Besides we have our plan in place."
Chapa's expression shifted slightly, but she still seemed tense. "Oh, so Bose told you?" she replied, almost as if she expected it.
I was taken aback. "Yeah he did. But only because he was worried about you and the safety of the citizens." I added. "And now I'm here to let you know you're safe."
Chapa sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You seriously think I haven't thought about that before Miles? There's a lot more to it than you think."
"What do you mean?" I asked, leaning in closer.
She took a deep breath. "A week later after the battle, I visited ShadowWoman as Volt. Only family and people with a warrant are allowed to see her, but us as superheroes, we're permitted. I had to see her, to try and understand what I was dealing with."
I nodded, urging her to continue.
"We had a conversation," she said. "At first, I was telling her she couldn't do anything with the information because no one is allowed to visit her. I told her I'll keep fighting crime as Volt."
"What did she say then?" I asked, sensing there was more.
"She told me I was wrong," Chapa continued, her voice shaking slightly. "She said she had a daughter who came by once a month, who she could still tell the truth to, and who'd happily follow in her footsteps. I didn't believe it at first, but it left me with an uneasy feeling."
My eyebrows furrowed in concern. "So what happened then?"
Chapa looked down at her hands, which were clenched tightly in her lap. "Later that week, I received a message. It said they were coming for me if I ever showed up we Volt again. The message included a hint that revealed she was the daughter of ShadowWoman."
My mind raced, trying to piece together the implications. "That's why you've been so distant and reluctant to transform," I said slowly, the realization dawning on me.
Chapa nodded. "I can't risk it, Miles. If I show up as Volt again or am seen with other Danger Force members, it could put everyone in danger. ShadowWoman's daughter could be anywhere, and she probably knows who I am."
I felt a surge of anger at ShadowWoman and her daughter for putting Chapa in such a difficult position. But more than that, I felt a deep sense of sympathy for my friend. "Chapa, I had no idea. We'll figure this out. You're not alone in this."
She gave me a weak smile, the weight of her burden still evident in her eyes. "Thanks, Miles. I just needed someone to understand."
"We'll make sure this threat is dealt with," I promised. "You've got all of us backing you up, no matter what."
Before Chapa could thank me, my phone rang. It was Mika. "Hold on, I need to take this," I said, stepping aside to answer.
"Hey, Mika. What's up?"
"Miles, I found out something important," Mika said urgently. "I looked into ShadowWoman for Chapa, then I found out she also used a chip. That's why she was so easily defeated when Chapa zapped her."
I felt a jolt of surprise. "Are you saying the villain we're dealing with now might be connected to ShadowWoman?"
"Exactly," Mika confirmed. "It's possible they're using similar technology. Maybe this new villain has something to do with her."
"Thanks for the info, Mika. I'll tell Chapa," I said, hanging up.
Turning back to Chapa, I relayed the news. "Mika just called. She found out that Shadowwoman also used a chip. That's why she was so easily defeated when you zapped her. This new villain might be connected to her."
Chapa looked thoughtful, processing the information. "So, what does that mean for us?"
"I have an idea," I said carefully. "Maybe you could visit the villain again as Volt. Try to talk to her and see if you can get any information out of her that might help us."
Chapa's face hardened. "I might, but probably won't. I don't want to risk it."
I understood her hesitation. "I get that you're protecting your loved ones, but if we don't catch the villain soon, they might end up destroying Swellview and everyone in it. Then you'll lose your loved ones, your hometown, and everyone. If you can't fight with us, at least help us with this."
We argued back and forth for a few minutes. I tried to make her see the bigger picture, the potential consequences of inaction. Finally, I saw a glimmer of understanding in her eyes.
"Fine," she said, her voice resigned. "I'll visit her. But this is the last time I'm putting myself at risk like this."
"Thank you," I said, relieved. "We'll make sure it's worth it."
I stayed at Chapa's place as she opened a drawer cluttered with junk, searching for her gumballs. "If you join this fight," I said, trying to keep her spirits up, "you might be able to zap this new villain in one shot, just like you did with ShadowWoman."
She glanced up briefly, still rummaging. "You think so?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "By the way, have you been using your powers all these years? Do they still work fine?"
Chapa paused, looking up at me with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I never got to use them anymore."
"Well, they might be weaker than usual if that's the case," I started, but she cut me off.
"I can't find my gumballs," she said, frustration evident in her voice. "I swear I put them in this drawer."
I saw the confusion and anxiety building in her. "Don't worry," I said, reaching into my bag. "I have backups, like we all have for each other."
I handed her the iron box, and she took one of her gumballs, still looking puzzled. She transformed by blowing the gum, and as the transformation completed, she seemed more comfortable and back to her old self.
"Okay, I'm ready," she said, her voice steady. "Can you teleport me to the asylum?"
I placed a hand on her shoulder and teleported her to the asylum's entrance.
"Should I go with you?" I offered.
She shook her head. "I have to do this on my own."
I nodded, respecting her decision. "Good luck, Chapa."
She nodded, giving me a brief but determined look before heading inside. I watched her go, feeling a mix of pride and worry. This was a huge risk, but it was the only way we could hope to get the information we needed.
Chapa POV:
Entering the asylum, I felt a familiar sense of dread. The last time I was here, I had faced down ShadowWoman, and now I was back to confront her again. I approached the reception, and the receptionist looked up, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Volt? After all these years?" she said, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"I need to visit a prisoner," I said, pulling out my Superhero ID.
She scrutinized it before nodding. "It's valid. You can visit her." She handed me a visitor pass.
A security guard walked with me towards the cell who opened every gate for me leading to the asylum. He also looked surprised. Every guard we passed by looked up with confusion and surprised faces. There were so many security gates to go through. Eventually, we came into a new part of the building.
"This area nullifies superpowers, you get maximum 10 minutes of visiting time and then I'll come back," the guard said, before leaving me alone.
I walked down the corridor, passing familiar supervillains I had faced before. Finally, I reached the cell of ShadowWoman. She was sitting on a chair, half asleep, but immediately woke up when she heard my footsteps.
"Well, well, who do we have here?" she sneered.
"I only show up like this to be able to visit you," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Why?" she asked, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
"I need to ask some questions," I said firmly.
"If you say so, go ahead," she said, leaning back and crossing her arms.
I got straight to the point. "Can you tell me about the chip you had during our fight?"
ShadowWoman's smile widened. "It was a prototype, designed to enhance my powers. Which worked pretty good until you destroyed it. Why do you care?"
"A new villain who appeared also has this same sort of chip. Does this new villain have to do something with you?" I asked, trying to keep my frustration in check.
She gave a vague shrug. "Who knows? Maybe. Maybe not."
"Stop playing games," I snapped. "I need answers."
"You should focus and think about it," she said cryptically. "And you'll realize who it is."
A horrible suspicion formed in my mind. "Is it... Is it your daughter?"
She laughed softly. "I told you you would realize it."
Her words made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. "Does your daughter know about my secret identity?" I asked slowly.
ShadowWoman's smile turned sinister. "What do you think?"
She gave me a mean and scary stare, her eyes filled with hatred. "You ruined my life by defeating me and letting the chip explode while it was still in my body."
She turned around, showing me the back of her neck. The skin was dirty, burned, and disgusting, a grotesque reminder of our last battle.
"My daughter will come after your family and loved ones if you transform and fight against her," ShadowWoman said. "But if you don't fight back, she won't come near you. Unless you come near her. That was our deal, wasn't it? And I always keep my promises."
I avoided my threatened feelings by asking her a new question. "So.. How did you get a hold of the chip, and how did you apply it?"
ShadowWoman's smile widened. "My husband worked at a company where they made all kinds of weapons. He even was the designer of the chip. But then people couldn't believe his outstanding idea. A few days later after his presentation, he got killed. I was devastated, and I assumed it was the government's doing."
"I loved him very dearly, so I had to take my revenge," she continued, her tone bitter. "The same night he got murdered, when no one knew yet, I broke into the building with my Shadow powers. My original powers were finally useful for something. Then I got a hold of the prototype, and at home, I looked at my husband's designs to see how one can apply it."
She paused, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and nostalgia. "I decided to take revenge and destroy everything this government had built. At least, I was going to until you and your Danger Force squad stopped me."
I rolled my eyes, feeling a slight pang of understanding, even though I didn't want to. "Why are you telling me all this?"
"To warn you and to tell my side of the story no one ever wanted to hear," she replied with a sinister smile.
A guard approached, signaling that my visit time was over. As I walked away, I caught a glimpse of ShadowWoman's scary, triumphant look.