Cars swerved out of the way of an unseen force. Jada whistled a happy tune, honking her horn.
Laila cracked her knuckles and rolled her shoulders.
In the trunk, Ciema inspected the bombs. She gently placed the bomb on the floor. It stuck to the smooth surface.
"Electromagnetism," Ciema muttered. "Clever and very suave."
She pried it off with a hard tug.
She grimaced, "Although, a pain to take off."
"Antiope?" Jaiden's voice softly called.
Ciema pressed her earpiece. "Jaiden?"
"Antiope," Jaiden answered, his tone relieved. "The line went dead for a minute."
"The frequency cancels out other frequencies," Ciema frowned in thought.
"Antiope?" he called, his tone worried. "Are you there?"
"I'm here, Boss," Ciema replied. "Just lost in thought."
"Are Hippolyta and Penthesilea okay?" Jaiden asked flatly.
"Yeah," Ciema smiled. "They're fine. Were you worried?"
"Not by much," he scoffed, though she could tell he was lying. "What about Bowman?"
"They're alive," Ciema answered. "As well as the other agents. They tried to arrest us however."
"Classic," Jaiden chuckled. "You save them, and they repay you with unkindness."
"Yeah," Ciema chuckled in response. "So..."
"I'm proud of you girls," he said quietly.
"Thank you," Ciema smiled. "You're not drinking are you?"
"Mr. Mace just poured me a glass of water," Jaiden replied. "Plain. Boring. Water."
"Good," Ciema nodded. "Flush that alcohol out of your system."
"Why do you care so much?" he commented.
Ciema drew her arm closer. "My dad, Harold Frederick, drank a lot. He missed out on most of my life. Every interaction I've had with him was always intoxicated."
"I'm sorry," Jaiden apologized.
"Yeah," Ciema answered. "I don't mind the bottle. Just when it starts to control you, interferes with your life."
"I understand," Jaiden cut in. "You don't need to explain."
"So what's our reward?" Ciema questioned, hoping to lighten the mood.
"When you get back," Jaiden replied.
Ciema nodded, then removed her finger.
Home.
__________
The BearCat pulled into the garage. The door lowered. The invisibility deactivated. The Amazons hopped out, shedding their gear.
"Ladies," Mr. Mace bowed.
"Hi, Mr. Mace," Jada grinned.
"You should've seen us," Laila danced, pulling off her glove.
Ciema hopped out, dragging the crate to the edge. "Help?"
Mr. Mace walked around to the back, grabbing the crate. Together, they lifted it to the ground.
"Thank you," Ciema smiled.
"You're welcome," Mr. Mace smiled. "Your reward awaits."
The girls pushed through the double doors. Spotting a card on the glass table, Jada ran towards the sunken living room.
She picked it up, gasping.
"A pass to the hot tub?" Jada squealed.
"Yes," Mr. Mace said. "Jaiden has also lifted the ban on the credit card. You will be allowed to shop again."
Jada and Laila turned to each other and hopped up and down, squealing excitedly.
"Can you thank Jaiden for us?" Laila asked.
"You can go and thank him yourself," Mr. Mace bowed. "Now enjoy your reward, Amazons."
The two girls ran towards the door, Ciema joining them.
_________
Aleen stormed towards Mr. Spencer. She yelled loudly, earning a surprised jolt by the man.
"I can't believe this!" She screamed, her voice broken. "My life is over!"
Mr. Spencer turned, head tilted to the left. "What's over?"
She sank to her knees, fighting tears. "Jaiden should've died. Then the FBI. I would've ruled them all."
"What are you talking about?" He asked, inching closer.
"All my life," she sobbed. "I've been underestimated. By my peers. My family. I was going to be great."
Mr. Spencer fished for a napkin.
"But he's not dead," she snarled. "Henry has betrayed me, and thePapadopoulos Brothers lied to me."
"That's terrible," Mr. Spencer gasped in mock concern.
Aleen lifted her head.
"It truly is," he laughed nervously.
Spotting the napkin, Aleen snatched it out of his hands. "I have nothing left. I can't harm Greco. The FBI will find us, you, and I'll be in prison. It's truly over."
Mr. Spencer bent forward, hands folded. His elbows propped on his knees. "Scorched Earth."
Aleen lifted her head. "Destroy everything?"
"Yeah," Mr. Spencer nodded. "Then you'll really stick it to those who wronged you."
Aleen wiped her eyes. "I've thought of doing it but...would you help me?"
"I have nothing left for me anyway," Mr. Spencer shrugged. "If I leave, I'll be hunted by hidden enemies."
His gaze met hers.
Aleen's shivering lips twisted into a smile. Her eyes shot wide with insanity, her mascara streaks on her cheeks.
"Finally," she breathed deeply. "Someone who gets me."
__________
The girls pushed the door, filing into his study. Jaiden sipped the water, a glint of amusement in his gaze.
"Thank you, Jaiden," Jada grinned. "For the hot tub."
"And unbanning your credit card," Laila smirked.
"Oh yeah. That too," Jada added.
"Wanna join us?" Laila asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"No," Jaiden shook his head.
"Please," the girls begged.
"That'd be unprofessional," Jaiden explained. "Besides, it's your reward."
"Oh, all right," Jada sighed. Laila hooked her arm around hers and the girls exited the room.
Ciema stood there, fidgeting her fingers.
"Yes Ciema?" Jaiden asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You're better," Ciema commented.
"I am, aren't I?" he replied flatly.
"I-"
"I'll tell you everything," Jaiden cut in.
"What?" Ciema whispered.
"My deal with Aleen," he listed. "Thea's death. Who T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. is. I'll tell all."
"Are you sure?" Ciema asked. "I don't want to pressure you."
Jaiden turned from her, hiding his face. "I want you to trust me completely."
Ciema reached out to him.
"Now go enjoy your bath."
Ciema lowered her hand. She nodded and turned to leave.
Only when the door slammed did tears drop into his lap.
_________
Jada relaxed in the swirling tub, holding a glass filled with champagne. "It's so warm."
"Yep," Laila nodded. She glanced at Ciema, who remained deathly quiet.
"You okay?" Laila asked.
"Jaiden's ready?" Ciema replied.
"For what?" Jada inquired, leaning forward.
Ciema met her gaze. "To tell us everything."
Jada leaned back. She glanced at her glass and took a sip.
"For real?" Jada breathed. "Are we ready? What is gonna confess?"
Ciema continued. "He's said he'll tell us about Aleen, about Thea, about T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. and everything else."
Laila pondered for a bit. "Is he sure?"
"He said yes," Ciema nodded.
"We gotta hurry then," Jada spoke.
Mr. Mace approached, placing down covered plates. He uncovered them to reveal salmon covered in garlic sauce and decorated with parsley and sage.
"Oh," Jada cooed, swimming towards it. "Maybe later."
"You're indecisive," Laila snapped, slashing her jokingly. "Glutton ass."
Jada laughed, bracing against the aquatic assault.
Ciema sank down, her stomach flipping and turning.
She was worried, not just on what was happening. But on the revelations about to be unhidden.
________
The girls entered the study. The scent of lavender filled the air.
"Air freshener," Ciema thought.
They were dressed in T-shirts and denim shorts. Their hair still wet from the tub.
Mr. Mace joined them, closing the door behind him.
Jaiden turned to them. He took a breath.
"Aleen Leon is a Mafiosa as you know," he replied. "She's the youngest daughter of Apollo Leon and his wife, Valentina Leon, nee Esposito."
Laila's eyes widened. "You mean..."
"Yes," Jaiden gritted out. "Aleen descends from the bastards who killed my family."
He pulled his drawer open. Taking out a picture frame, he placed it on the table.
The girls squinted at it.
"You can come closer," he urged.
The girls approached the desk gingerly. The woman was blonde — she wore a yellow floral halter neck sundress. She knelt in the soil, holding a shovel.
"This is Thea Monroe," he smiled fondly. "My deceased wife."
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. popped in, peering at the photo. "She's beautiful, Jaiden."
"After my parents died, Cornelia took me in," he explained. "We went to Paris. She taught me everything, became my mentor. She spread the lie that I was dead. So I grew up in peace. In 2009, when I was twenty-one, I met Thea in Paris. She was twenty at the time."
"We were engaged in the spring of 2010," Jaiden continued. "Married in the summer."
He folded his hand before adding, "I moved back to America, a mistake that would haunt me forever. I started Maximoff Inc. and I assumed the Esposito Family would never find me."
Jada blinked back tears, dreading the next sentence.
"They did."
"What happened next?" Laila pushed, her shoulders tense.
"After attending 25th Annual Hexcorp Charity Gala," he said. "We were ambushed. I fought the assassins off but Thea was shot."
Mr. Mace bowed his head.
"She was rushed to a hospital, but she died in surgery," he sniffed.
"Jaiden..." Ciema muttered.
"Two souls died that day. Thea and my daughter."
He turned to T.I.F.F.A.N.Y.
"You're named after my unborn child," he explained to the Ai, fighting tears. "Your name's an acronym for Technological, Intelligence, Face-to-Face, F-code, Advanced, Neumorphism, and Yobibyte."
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. 's eyes widened. Her white cartoon eyes filled with tears. "Jaiden...I don't know what to say."
Jaiden leaned back, sighing. "Say nothing. Those are the sins of the past. I know you must be ashamed."
Laila gritted her teeth. "She's going to die."
"An exaggeration," Jada cut in. "But yes. Aleen's gonna die."
"Is Aleen behind Thea's death?" Ciema asked.
Jaiden replied grimly, "She wanted to finish what her father started."
"Who were the assassins?" Jada questioned.
"The Papadopoulos Brothers were sent to kill me," Jaiden explained.
The girls raised eyebrows.
"Their father and his brothers," Mr. Mace cut in. "The ones you see today, they took over for their father when they were eighteen back in 2019."
Jada and Laila did quick math.
"So legacy," Ciema whispered. "Just like us."
He nodded. "I want Aleen to pay for what she's done. For her father's sins."
Jaiden clenched his fist. "The FBI did nothing when they arrested her and her father. They let them walk, having found 'no evidence'. So I recruited the first Amazons in 2010. And I have continued the Amazon Initiative ever since."
His gaze softened. "You now know why I do this. My motivation behind my actions."
"What's the gun for?" Ciema asked.
Jaiden glanced at the closed drawer. "My plans with it are mine, and mine alone."
Ciema narrowed her gaze.
"Just say the word and I'll find that bitch," Laila cracked her knuckles.
"Count me in as well," Jada said softly.
"Me too," Ciema replied softly.
"Mr. Mace," Jaiden ordered. "T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. You will both check the bombs. Scan and dissect them. Let me know what makes them tick"
Mr. Mace bowed. "Come along girls."
Jada and Laila followed him out of the room. T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. zapped away, leaving Ciema and Jaiden alone.
Ciema took a deep breath. "Are you going to..."
"I failed once," he confessed.
Ciema raised an eyebrow.
"Gen IV: Ichika Fukuda, Harper Jones, Clementine Smith," he clarified.
"T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. and Mr. Mace mentioned them," Ciema said, nodding. "Their term ended short. Only two years. Why?"
"I disbanded them," Jaiden confessed.
"Why?" Ciema asked.
"Antiope wounded me," he murmured.
"What?" Ciema spoke.
Jaiden met her gaze. "Antiope wounded me."
He added quietly, "Not with a blade."
"Harper Jones?" Ciema raised a brow. "What do you mean she wounded you?"
"I'll tell you another time," he said gently.
A smile crept across his face. It tried to be reassuring, but Ciema felt a sadness behind it.
"Go and rest," he urged.
Ciema sighed and turned to leave. She closed the door behind her.
Jaiden glanced at the photo, then opened the drawer in his desk.
"Go back to where you belong, Thea," he whispered. "In the depths of my memory."