Free Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee Page B

Downtown?”
    â€œMmm.”
    â€œNot really a nice area. Are you driving?”
    â€œBus from school, and then walking,” Jess says. “Monroe Industries is in the industrial part. It’s not that bad, really.”
    Bells furrows his eyebrows.
    â€œDon’t worry,” Jess says. “It’ll be fine.”
    Monday after school, Jess takes the school bus to Old Andover and transfers to a city bus. Bells gives her a new canister of pepper spray, just in case. It might be overkill, especially with her dad flying around looking for any excuse to help anyone, but she takes it.
    The bus is crowded, but Jess manages to get a seat next to a window. The glass pane vibrates as she leans against it and the bus rumbles as it moves through the colorful streets of Andover. From an advertisement on a wall for Eversparkle Teeth Whitening, Captain Orion’s gleaming smile beams at the bus riders. A video projection at the front of the bus shows a news-holo from New Bright City. Apparently the Heroes’ League has had another success: They found a Villain’s Guild base and destroyed it.
    When Jess transfers to go downtown, the new bus is so crowded with people on their way home from work, she has to stand. Everyone is in business attire and looking pointedly at their DEDS or talking to each other about things like stocks and portfolios and quarterly returns. Jess is painfully aware of how young she is. Her shirtsleeves don’t quite extend to her wrists; after a growth spurt last summer, her debate clothes don’t fit as well as she thought. She feels as if she’s playing dress-up.
    Jess sways as the bus turns and almost misses her stop. She jerks to attention when she sees the Monroe building at the end of the block.
    She holds the straps of her backpack so it doesn’t bounce as she strides quickly—she’s going to need to reschedule with M in the future if taking the bus from school is going to take this long.
    A bunch of people loiter about the street; some of them look unsavory. It’s not that this area is bad, but downtown is where a lot of people end up. Even though World War III was long ago, there are always conflicts abroad that involve the Collective. Jess doesn’t know too much except that there are always veterans on the streets without many resources. There are a lot of drugs moving in this area, too, but no one ever talks about that.
    Jess is almost there when she’s taken aback by a headful of long, flowing red-gold curls next to her, almost the color of Abby’s hair, but too bright to be realistic.
    The woman walking alongside her is incredibly tall, with a long aquiline nose and wearing a sleek green dress. She smiles at Jess and slows her pace to match Jess’ own, and Jess nods, somewhat reassured by the kindness.
    â€œThere is a man following you,” the woman says, and Jess starts.
    â€œOh.”
    â€œI can walk with you. Where are you going?”
    â€œJust to the end of the block,” Jess says.
    They fall into stride. The woman is imposing, and familiar, but she can’t place how. Jess is struck by her blue, blue eyes; a crystal color that she didn’t think was possible.
    At the Monroe building, Jess nods at the woman. “Thank you.” The woman nods back, smiles, and strides down the street, her striking copper curls bouncing.
    Jess watches her and then kicks herself for not asking whether her hair was natural or dyed. That was the kind of thing Bells would appreciate.
    She shakes herself and straightens her shirt collar and turns to face the towering height of the office building. It stretches to the sky, large and imposing, shining in the afternoon sun. On the top floor, Jess can make out the huge letters spelling out MONROE. Shadows bustle about, and she can see the whizzing of elevators through the glass walls as people go about their business.
    Jess squares her shoulders and pushes open the door. The air