Chapter 13: The brewing storm (part 1)

Shaking with nerves and the cold night breeze whipping her jacket around, Rhea clung tightly to her boyfriend’s puffer coat as they both crouched outside the steel gates surrounding a lone two story house in what looked like the backyard of a country club. Arlo’s green thick plants continued to slither around the area, finding the roaming security cameras and was smart enough to check for guards.

“You can never be too thorough.” He always asked when Rhea checked her watch.

“I know…” she whispered, doing her job by listening to the police scanner connected to an earpiece in her ear. The scanner was strapped to her bookbag with a pistol buried into the pocket of her jacket. This was it…their big score.

“Don’t worry baby. I promise,” leaning down to kiss Rhea’s dark lips and to make her worried eyes pulse green he’d grin and pull back, “this is the last one. Cross my heart.” The handsome grin from his strong jawline and bad boy attitude was aided by a controlling venom seeping into the girls mind to make her calmer. More liking to him. One of his girls.

“Yes sir.” As Rhea became an easier partner the thick vines would crunch and destroy all the cameras at once, erasing any chance of their faces being seen as a leaf sent them over the gate to let them run towards one of the side doors. Making a gross tendril grow from his fingernail he’d pick the lock and open it…they were in.

\*\*\*

"So… what's it like having metal balls?" Lena asks the metal man sitting in the driver's seat of the blacked out super-car.

Cole ignores her as he keeps his eyes on the house in the country club yard. The Hero and Villain pair had been watching this house for hours now, waiting for the raid the Cobra Gang member tipped them off to. *I hope this Arlo guy actually shows up,* Cole thinks to himself as he continues to ignore his prisoner-turned-partner's annoyed look.

*He's ignoring me again?* Lena's annoyance grows as she realizes Cole isn't going to respond. "Hey, I asked you a question, Steel," she says, her voice laced with teasing. "You're not going to pretend like you didn't hear me, are you?" She leans forward, her face inches from his ear. "Or are you just too scared to talk about your metal balls?"

"Why would I be scared to talk about them? If you remember, these metal balls are responsible for that ankle monitor you're wearing," Cole replies with a hint of a smile on his equally metal lips.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lena rolls her eyes, "you're the big hero who caught me. But let's be real here, if you had regular balls, I'd have crushed them the second you tried to grab me." She smirks, "You're lucky you're made of steel, or else I'd have scrambled your eggs by now." *I still can't believe I got caught by a hero with actual balls of steel. It's just so unfair,* she thinks to herself, trying to hide her frustration.

*She's not wrong,* he admits to himself, feeling very glad that his steel extended to his internal organs and the two external ones between his legs. "Did I scramble anything when I punched your puss?" Cole replies tauntingly, finding himself enjoying the banter. *It really does help pass the time.* "I remember the way you cried after your clit kissed my knuckle," he adds, glancing over to try to catch the irritated expression he loves seeing on her face.

Lena's eyes narrow at Cole's words, her face reddening in a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Shut up, you metal prick!" she spits out, her sharp tongue lashing out. "You think you're so funny, don't you?" *How dare he bring that up again!* she fumes internally. "Just remember, I'm only here because of that stupid monitor," she warns, "if it wasn't for that, you'd be the one crying, not me." *And I'd make sure he's crying for a very different reason.*

Steel laughs as a rare grin overtakes his rather handsome face. He spends a moment tracing his gaze across the two story house and it's surroundings, confirming the lack of action, before responding to the angry supervillain. "Oh yeah? How are you gunna make me cry?" he replies playfully, his brow raised in challenge. "You must've kicked me in the nuts a hundred times during our last fight and I still kicked your ass. Got a better plan for next time?"

*That smug bastard thinks he's invincible just because he's made of metal,* Lena seethes, her anger boiling over at his taunting words. "You know, Steel, you're right. Kicking your metal nuts didn't do much, did it?" she says, a sly grin spreading across her face. "But next time, I won't just kick them. Next time, I'll grab those metal balls of yours and vibrate my hand at just the right frequency," she explains, her voice dripping with malice. "I'll shatter them right inside your steel sack, and then we'll see who's crying." *Let's see how cocky he is then,* she thinks, satisfied with the mental image of his metal balls disintegrating.

For perhaps the first time since he gained his metal body, Cole feels his balls of steel retract tightly against his pelvis fearfully. "C-can you really do that?" he stutters, eyes wide from shock. *No way could she match the resonant frequency right?* He tries to reassure himself.*Oh, he's actually worried! This is priceless!* Lena's grin widens at the sight of Steel's fear. "You bet your metal balls I can, Steel," she replies confidently, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "What do you think I was doing all that time I was locked up in that little room? The Hero Association library, which I had full access to, had many books on the subject. I've been practicing my vibrational frequency manipulation, and trust me, I can make your steel nuts sing a tune they'll never forget," she warns, her voice dripping with menace. *He's not so tough now, is he?* she thinks to herself, relishing in his fear. "So, are you going to behave, or do I need to give you a demonstration?"

Steel hesitates for a moment, trying to think of a good reply to hide his fear, before a flash of movement suddenly saves him from his current predicament. "I see movement," he quickly tells his partner seriously, all hint of playfulness gone from his expression. He pulls out a pair of high-tech binoculars and focuses on the pair of moving figures, as well as what looks like a several thick vines crawling up the house and crushing cameras. "Two intruders. One male, one female. Looks like your intel was right. I see moving plants, so the man must be Arlo."

*Damn it, just when I was about to make him sweat even more,* Lena curses silently, her fun interrupted by the sudden appearance of their targets. She watches intently as Steel focuses the binoculars on the figures, her sharp eyes picking up the details he mentions. "Alright, let's get moving then," she says, her voice now serious and focused.

"Together this time, please," Steel pleads with a pointed look at the speedster. "We have no idea what's waiting for us in there, so it's better to stick together," he continues as he steps out of the car and begins moving towards the fence surrounding the house, glancing behind him to make sure Lena is following.

*He wants to stick together? How cute,* Lena thinks, a small smirk on her face as she follows Steel towards the fence. "Fine, fine. I'll play nice… for now," she says, her voice laced with amusement. As they approach the fence, she quickly scales it, landing gracefully on the other side. "You coming, slowpoke?" she teases, looking back at Steel with a playful glint in her eye. *Let's see how well he can keep up with me this time.*

Cole puts his hand on the fence, considering climbing for a moment, before he thinks better of it and instead uses both hands to bend the fence, creating a hole large enough for him to climb through. He wordlessly steps in front of Lena and continues to stride carefully towards the house, staying low to prevent being seen by any guards, although he knew it wouldn't help much considering he stood out considerably with his metallic skin glinting in the moonlight. *Should've packed more stealth gear,* he laments, feeling exposed despite his black coat, hood, boots, and gloves covering up the majority of his steel skin.

Lena watches as Steel creates a hole in the fence, shaking her head at his clumsy attempt at stealth. "You're really not built for sneaking around, are you?" she says, her voice barely above a whisper as she follows closely behind him. *And with that shiny metal skin, he sticks out like a sore thumb.* She keeps a sharp eye out for any signs of detection as they move towards the house, her super speed ready to kick in at a moment's notice. *I hope he doesn't get us caught because of his lack of subtlety.*

\*\*\*

Rhea steps into the building after her boyfriend, glancing around the dark room cautiously. She notices a plush chair, a bookshelf, a small table, and a couch. *I sure hope everyone is gone or asleep,* she thinks to herself as she continues to listen for police movement with the earpiece connected to her scanner. She's unaware of it, but whenever Arlo gives her a command she feels a strong tug at her consciousness to listen to whatever he tells her.

"I'm not sure exactly where the super-pill stash is hidden. Stay quiet and keep your eyes peeled for a safe or something," Arlo whispers as he stealthily moves through the silent house. He shines a dim flashlight around the room, peeking under the couch and chair and briefly scanning the bookshelf before walking into the connected room.

*I hope he doesn't find anything too soon. I want to explore a bit more first.* Rhea follows Arlo, her eyes darting around the room, taking in the details of the space. She notices a faint scent of lavender in the air and a soft hum of a refrigerator coming from the kitchen. *This place is so much nicer than my apartment. I bet the owners are rich.* She lingers near the bookshelf, running her fingers along the spines of the books, feeling a sense of longing wash over her. *I wish I could afford to buy books like these. Maybe one day, when Grandma is better and I've finished school…* She trails off, her thoughts interrupted by the creak of a floorboard beneath Arlo's foot. She quickly moves to catch up with him, her heart pounding in her chest. *What if someone hears us? What if we get caught?* She swallows hard, trying to push the thoughts away, focusing instead on the thrill of the moment.

Midway through searching the next room, Arlo holds up a hand with a serious expression on his face. "Guard outside the door," he whispers before moving against the wall beside the door and gesturing for Rhea to do the same.

*Shit, what do we do now?* Rhea's heart races as she presses her back against the wall, her eyes fixed on Arlo. She reaches into her backpack, her fingers closing around the cold metal of the . 357 Smith & Wesson Magnum. *I hope I don't have to use this. I've never actually shot anyone before.* She holds the gun tightly, trying to still her shaking hands. *Just stay calm, Rhea. We'll figure something out.* She looks at Arlo, trying to read his expression, hoping for some sign of what to do next. *He's the one who's done this before, right? He'll know what to do.* She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself, her ears straining to hear any sound from the guard. *Please don't let him come in here. Please don't let him see us.*

Starkly contrasting Rhea's nervousness, Arlo grins at the potential for battle as he confidently retrieves a small, thorny plant from his pocket. The door opens and the guard yawns as he steps inside, his flashlight pointing across the room. As soon as he steps foot into the room, Arlo focuses his powers on the plant. Suddenly, one of it's thorns fires at high speed and pierces the guard's neck, lodging itself there. Instantly, the guard collapses to the floor soundlessly besides a small thump as his body hits the carpet. Arlo approaches the body and grabs the communication device on his hip as well as the earpiece in the man's ear.

He walks up to Rhea, ignoring her look of relief, and hands her the device and earpiece. "Here, use listen in on this instead of the police chatter. Tell me if anything important is said," he commands with authority.

*Oh my god, did he just…* Rhea's eyes widen in shock as the guard crumples to the ground, her mind struggling to process what just happened. *He killed him. He actually killed him.* She feels a wave of nausea wash over her, her stomach churning with unease. *But it was so quick. So quiet. Like it didn't even happen.* She looks at Arlo, her eyes searching his face for any sign of remorse, any flicker of emotion. But his expression remains calm, almost pleased. *He's not even fazed by this. How can he be so calm?* She takes the device and earpiece from him, her hands trembling slightly as she puts the earpiece in. *What have I gotten myself into?* She thinks to herself, her mind reeling. *Is this what it means to be a villain? To kill without a second thought?* She tries to shake off the thoughts, focusing instead on the task at hand. She listens intently to the comms, her heart still racing from the sudden violence. *I need to stay focused. I need to help Arlo find what we came for.* She nods to herself, trying to steel her nerves. *I can do this. I have to do this.*

Rhea doesn't hear anything through the earpiece as Arlo walks through the hallway and searches several other rooms, taking out two other guards on the way. He spends a little bit of time hiding the bodies, but anyone who was really searching would doubtlessly find them. "We're running out of time," he whispers in annoyance as he continues to go through cabinets and closets searching for the pills.

While on her knees searching under another couch, Rhea is startled by a masculine voice coming through the earpiece. "Second floor clear. Ryan, have you guys finished your third sweep of the first floor yet?" After a moment of silence, the voice speaks again. "Ryan? Are you there?"

*Oh no, oh no, oh no.* Rhea's heart skips a beat as she hears the voice through the earpiece. *They're onto us. We need to get out of here, now.* She scrambles to her feet, her eyes wide with fear. "Arlo, we have to go!" she hisses urgently, her voice barely above a whisper. *They're looking for us. They know we're here.* She grabs Arlo's arm, tugging him towards the door. *We can't find the pills now. We need to leave before they find us.* She's already moving towards the exit, her heart pounding in her chest. *We can't get caught. We can't get caught.* The words echo in her mind as she practically drags Arlo behind her, desperate to escape.

Arlo looks rather worried as well, but he quickly hides it. He wordlessly pulls Rhea into his embrace and kisses her deeply, sending another pulse of green through her irises as his poison tightens his control on her mind. "Don't worry baby, we still have a bit of time. You're better than me at finding stuff like this. Don't worry about the guards and just keep searching," he reassures her calmly. *Worst case I'll send her running at the guards and make my escape,* he plans silently while wearing a false smile.

*Wait, what's happening?* Rhea feels a strange sensation wash over her as Arlo pulls her into a kiss. *Why does this always feel so… right?* She melts into his embrace, her worries momentarily forgotten as she loses herself in the sensation. *I love the way he makes me feel.* When he pulls away, she blinks up at him, her mind foggy. *What was I worried about again?* She looks around, her gaze unfocused, before her eyes land on the room they're in. *Right, the pills. We need to find the pills.* She nods, her determination renewed. *I won't let Arlo down. I'll find those pills.* She turns back to the room, her eyes scanning the space with renewed intensity. *I can do this. I can find them.* She begins to search, her movements quick and precise, her focus solely on the task at hand. *I won't let him down. I won't let him down.* The mantra echoes in her mind as she searches, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination.

*I'll find those pills. I won't let Arlo down.* Rhea repeats the mantra to herself as she moves towards the large bookshelf, her eyes scanning the rows of books. *It has to be here somewhere.* She begins to pull the books off the shelf, one by one, her fingers trembling slightly with anticipation. *Maybe it's behind one of these books.* She works her way down the shelf, her movements becoming more frantic as the seconds tick by. *Come on, come on, where are you?* Suddenly, as she pulls a particularly thick volume off the shelf, she hears a faint click. *What was that?* She steps back, her eyes widening as a section of the wall beside the bookshelf slides open, revealing a hidden door. *Oh my god.* She stares at the door, her heart racing. *Could it be…?* She pushes the door open, her eyes adjusting to the dim light within. *Stairs. Leading to the basement.* A thrill of excitement runs through her. *This has to be it. This has to be where the pills are hidden.* She glances back at Arlo, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Arlo, I found it!" she whispers urgently, her voice trembling with excitement. *This must be where the pills are hidden. It has to be.* She steps forward, her heart pounding in her chest. *I'm going to find those pills and we'll be set. We'll have enough money to take care of Grandma and I can finish school.* The thought sends a surge of determination through her. *I won't let anything stand in my way.*

The Hispanic man glances over and grins as he sees the hidden stairs. "Good work Rhea. You go down first," he commands, moving behind her and shining his flashlight down the stairs.

"Of course, Arlo. Whatever you say." Rhea nods, her heart pounding in her chest as she begins to make her way down the stairs. *I trust him completely. He knows what's best for us.* She moves cautiously, her eyes adjusting to the dim light as she descends deeper into the basement.

Note: Rhea's intro written by u/ZookeepergameOk4522!
AI assistance for the girls