Rehab for SuperVillains (18+)-Chapter 244: landed

The cafe hummed with the soft clatter of morning life, porcelain clinking, milk steaming behind the counter, and low conversations weaving through the air like a quiet tide.

Harris sat near the window, his gray hair sharp and combed, a fresh cup of coffee steaming before him, its bitter aroma curling in the morning light.

His eyes, sharp and unreadable, flicked up as Kael approached, sliding into the seat opposite with a casual ease, his hazel eyes tired but alert.

"Sorry," Kael said, brushing back his tousled hair, his voice low, a faint grin tugging at his lips.

"Got tied up with... this and that."

Harris didn’t blink, his smirk faint, his voice dry. "It’s fine, Drayce. You’ve got girls to manage."

Kael chuckled, the grin spreading naturally, his hazel eyes glinting with amusement. "That’s one way to put it. God, they’re a pain."

Harris’s smirk widened, his fingers resting on his coffee cup.

"Order something. It’s on me."

"Not a problem. Liss is grabbing something for me," Kael said, his hazel eyes flicking toward the counter.

Harris raised an eyebrow, his gaze scanning the cafe. "Liss? Where?"

Kael jerked his chin toward the queue, where Liss stood, barely visible in her disguise—hoodie drawn tight, cap low, sunglasses hiding most of her face.

Her posture, confident and fluid, betrayed her despite the cover, her blonde bun peeking from under the cap.

When Harris’s eyes landed on her, she raised a hand in a subtle greeting, her lips twitching into a faint smirk.

Harris blinked, nodded slowly, then turned back to Kael, his voice dropping, sharp with curiosity.

"What’s she doing here? Something wrong?"

Kael’s grin faded, his hazel eyes darkening, his expression turning serious.

"You mean... you don’t know?"

Harris leaned forward, his grip on his cup tightening, his eyes narrowing.

"Know what?"

Kael glanced around, scanning the café for prying ears, his hazel eyes cautious.

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low murmur, barely audible over the cafe’s hum.

"You hear anything about the Reaper?"

Harris’s brow furrowed, his voice low and urgent. "The Reaper? No. What about her?"

Kael glanced around, as if the walls might be listening. The quiet murmur of the café seemed suddenly distant. "The haven was hit. Looters—violent, fast. They nearly killed me. I ended up in the hospital."

Harris sat straighter, eyes locked on him. "And?"

Kael lowered his voice to a whisper.

"That same day, in the basement of the hospital, she found me. The Reaper. She tricked me—pretended to be someone else. Lured me in. I didn’t realize until it was almost too late."

Harris’s grip on his cup tightened. The faint creak of ceramic filled the space between them. "She came at you alone?"

"No," Kael said, his voice grim. "She had two of her minions with her. But they didn’t come to kill me." His hazel eyes met Harris’s. "They wanted me alive. They were trying to take me."

Harris’s gaze narrowed. His voice was low, sharp. "What happened to the Reaper after that?"

Kael shrugged, his hazel eyes flickering, his voice casual but heavy. "No idea. Probably plotting her next move. She always disappears into the shadows."

Harris stirred his coffee slowly, the metal spoon clicking against the ceramic, his eyes distant as he took a thoughtful sip. "Why’d she come for you specifically?"

Kael leaned back, exhaling, his hazel eyes shadowed. "Said something about my powers. ’Empathetic Resonance.’ Claimed I could be used to turn heroes into villains."

Harris took another sip, his silence stretching for a beat, his eyes unreadable.

"Lucky, Liss showed up when she did," he said finally, his voice low, measured. "Or you’d be out there turning heroes dark right now."

Kael gave a tired chuckle, his hazel eyes weary. "Yeah. She saved me. But if it came to that... I’d have rather died."

Harris nodded once, his voice quiet, almost reverent. "Another way to be a hero." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

They sat in silence, the conversation’s weight settling between them, the cafe’s hum a distant backdrop, the morning light casting long shadows across the table.

Liss arrived, sliding into the seat beside Kael, placing a cold lemon tea bottle in front of him and one for herself, the paper straw and biodegradable label catching the light.

Her hoodie shifted slightly, her sunglasses still low, her blonde bun peeking out, her presence a quiet anchor.

Kael smiled faintly, his hazel eyes warm. "Thanks."

She gave a small nod, uncapping her drink, her silence steady, watchful.

Harris studied them both for a moment, his eyes flicking between them, then settled on Kael, his voice low, direct.

"So. What’d you call me out here for?"

Kael’s hazel eyes stayed locked on Harris, his posture tense as he leaned forward.

His voice dropped to a low murmur, barely audible over the hiss of the milk steamer.

"She kept referring to someone else. Said she needed me for someone. Which means..." He paused, letting the implication settle, his gaze steady. "...Reaper’s not acting alone. Someone’s pulling her strings."

Harris didn’t respond immediately, his gray hair catching the morning light through the window, his fingers stirring his coffee slowly, thoughtfully, the metal spoon clicking against ceramic.

He took a sip, his eyes unreadable, then spoke, his voice low.

"That’s... strange. Far as I know, Reaper’s always worked alone. She doesn’t trust anyone. Doesn’t need to. She’s strong enough to get whatever she wants, whenever she wants it."

Kael nodded slowly, his hazel eyes narrowing, his jaw tight. "I thought that too. But I’m telling you, it was clear. She wasn’t working on her own agenda."

Harris’s gaze sharpened, his fingers pausing on his cup. "You’re sure?"

"I’m damn sure," Kael said, his voice firm, his hazel eyes burning with conviction. "I don’t like targets on my back. I need you to help me find out who she’s working for. I want to deal with them directly."

Before Harris could respond, Liss spoke, her tone even but simmering with frustration, her sunglasses low, her hoodie hiding most of her blonde bun.

"And I’d like to stop being your full-time bodyguard sometime soon," she said, her blue eyes flicking to Kael.

"I need to get back to actual hero work, Kael. I can’t shadow you forever."

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