Freya's POV:

As I walked closer to the small two-story house, I noticed William Zarick and another man already sitting on the front porch. Once I reached the two, my eyes widen in recognition at the man.

Jordan Mahkent.

"I'm sure you're both aware," Jordan cleared his throat as he adjusted his sunglasses that rested on his nose. "Brainwave is in a coma."

"He came to see me." William places his briefcase near his feet. "His son was attacked by someone using Starman's staff. He told me he called you."

"He did." Jordan nods. "Why didn't you?"

"I-I didn't see the need."

Jordan turned his head to me. "You were there that night. What did this Starman look like?

"It was a girl. I didn't recognize her since she had the mask." I spoke up. "Brainwave tried to lure her to us if he had me as a hostage and indicated he'd take care of her. We...underestimated her strength. He said he told Zarick his plans but he didn't want to help." I emphasize as I look to William.

Jordan looks back at him as well. "You were the one who was supposed to handle things in my absence."

"Well, he was insistent." William muttered in annoyance.

"And you were hesitant. You always have been."

William shook his head with annoyance. "Brainwave has never been a team player like me. I was the one who cleaned everything up." He sternly spoke. "Got him to the hospital, took care of the costume, came up with a story."

"William," Jordan took off his sunglasses. "you stumbled into your powers, you killed your master before his lessons were complete, and it shows. That wand of yours, it's capable of so much more but instead of thinking big, you just continue to think small. Even now you're still performing the same old tired show. You've just changed one stage for another. You spend your days making promises to people, but much like every politician, you don't keep them, in the same way you didn't keep your promise to me." His voice slightly rose.

"Jordan, that is--"

"You seem to think that power comes from other people's perception of you. From recognition or applause, but...that's not true power. Now, William, true power doesn't need to be seen." He gestured to me. "Freya proved it last night. She was there with him."

I scratch the back of my neck nervously. "Brainwave being put into a coma wasn't the plan."

"But you proved why you play an important part for the ISA." He looked back to William. "I've traveled across this country. I've hunted everybody who played a part in Christine's death. Everybody who exposed her to the toxin that led her to get sick. I did this because I, too, made a promise, William, to my wife as she lay dying in my bed that I would combat injustice for our son, for everyone's children."

"There's nothing more important to me than mine." William spoke up which caused Jordan to take a step closer to him, practically towering over the wizard.

"Good." He whispered before he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good. It's the way it should be. Project: New America is my destiny. I want it to be yours, too. But I'm back in charge now."

He starts to walk away from the house but I quickly follow after him, leaving William behind.

"What do we do about Stargirl?" I hesitantly speak up since I was practically terrified that he wasn't pissed off at me.

"I killed one Starman." Jordan put his sunglasses back on. "I can kill another. If you tell me the identity, I'll change my mind about sparing you."

Okay so maybe he was slightly pissed. I can't show that I'm afraid.

I scoff. "It was pointless to say it in front of the Wizard since he shows that he doesn't want to be on the team anymore. It's—" I start to explain but then an idea popped in my head which caused me to smirk. "Actually...why should I tell you? Once I say who it is, you're just gonna send me to the sidelines anyway. I think I'll withhold the information for now."

"If you won't say it, I'll—"

"Beat it out of me? Kill me? Threaten to torture me for the rest of my life?" I list off as I crossed my arms. "I've been trained by my parents long enough who were, just to remind you, trained by you to deal with torture so whatever you would do, it wouldn't hurt. You can't kill me because two people only know about Stargirl's identity and one of them is at the hospital. Admit it, you need me."

His glare never leaves my eyes. "What do you want?"

Perfect. "A seat in the ISA table once we have that assurance that Project: New America is en route to success." I say with a grin. "Give me that then I'll keep my word to you that I'll report back about Stargirl's plans if I feel if it's a threat to the project."

He begrudgingly lets out a sigh. "Deal."

.·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。. *✭˚·ﾟ✧*·ﾟ*✭˚·ﾟ✧*·

"You seriously brought the suit to school?" I whisper to Courtney as we entered the school parking lot. "Why?"

"For emergencies, duh." She whispered back, quickly zipping up her backpack. "It's the classic hero move. Some wear it underneath or some have their suit stored away in a hidden compartment."

"But to school?" I emphasize. "No offense, but you've got to be the biggest idiot I've ever met."

"First of all, ouch. Second, We have to find the rest of the Injustice Society. They've probably assumed new identities in Blue Valley as Brainwave did." She explained as she worriedly looked around the nearby students that were walking as well. "I already told Pat to pull me out of school just in case he finds one of them."

Great, now how am I supposed to lead her in the wrong direction? She's already set on that all of the members are here.

"Weren't you a little bit scared of Brainwave? I mean, the three of us could have been killed."

"But we survived!" She shook my arms. "Look, as crazy and insane as it was, it was the first time since we moved to Blue Valley that I...felt like I was in the right place. Like I finally know who I am."

I narrow my eyes. "A dumbass?"

"Stargirl." She corrected but I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Freya. I'm serious."

"We need to lay low." I mutter, noticing the group of students pointing with shocked expressions at the giant hole on our school sign. "Everyone's already talking about the school sign." I say, nudging her arm for her to look.

The janitor curiously looks away from the sign and looks at us with suspicion, causing my eyes to widen. Courtney and I quickly walk faster to the front doors but she pushes them open for us.

"I have a three-point plan. Find them, surprise them, kick their asses." She confidently stated as we continued to walk through the sea of students, some being dressed up for the talent show.

"You do realize that's not a plan, right?" I asked and she lets out a groan. "It's better to just blend in and play it safe."

Beth Chapel had a mini table with a string tied to the back of her neck which held several small glasses filled with water. "Hi, guys!" She greeted, hovering her hands over the cups which played a small tune.

"What, like join the talent show?" She awkwardly smiled at Beth as she passed us, continuing to walk to her locker.

"Be a normal teenager." I crossed my arms.

She spins the dial a few times before she tugged on the lock and opened the locker. "We can't just sit around and do nothing, you know." She takes off her backpack and puts it inside the locker. "Whatever the ISA is planning, we have to stop it."

"It's not our jobs, Courtney. This is something for the police."

"Okay, but..." She trailed off and looked to meet my eyes. "wouldn't it feel good that you did something for this city? You did say that your parents always talked about your sister's accomplishments. Maybe this can be the one thing they'd talk about forever."

My eyes soften. So she did hear me.

I scoff. "It's not worth risking my life over."

Suddenly, Courtney's locker slams shut which causes us both to turn, seeing the pale-teenaged boy who I recognized to be William Zarick's son.

He adjusted the round glasses that rested on his nose. "Hey, you're new, right?" He asked Courtney with a friendly smile. "What was your name again?"

"Uh," Courtney cleared her throat. "I'm Courtney Whitmore."

"Joey Zarick, but my stage name is Zarick The Great." He whispered before he held out his cards to her. "Go ahead and pick a card, any card."

"Okay." Courtney chuckled and grabbed one of the cards in the middle.

"All right, take a look at it. Don't let me see it. Remember it, though. Okay?" He said and made sure to look away.  I glance at her card and see she had the three of clovers. "You got it?"

Courtney nods. "Got it."

"All right, put it anywhere back in the deck." He instructed and she puts it back in the middle. "All right. Thanks for letting me practice on you, by the way. Today is the Regional Talent Competition. Thinking of entering this year, Freya?"

"Of course not." I remark and see Cindy and Jenny walk past us in their dance outfits. "Cindy and Jenny always win."

Joey scoffed. "It's Nebraska so twerking still packs a punch." He tries to joke but I stay quiet which causes him to awkwardly clear his throat. "Anyway, uh, now for the aforementioned mind-blowing. Courtney from California..." The card in his hand slowly rises but it was the seven of hearts instead of the three of clovers. He grabs it from the deck and holds it out to Courtney. "Is this your card?

"Is that it?"

"I think so."

I look around, noticing the small crowd formed around us, and see Courtney do the same.

"Joey, that su--"

"Yes!" Courtney interrupted me with a gasp, grabbing the card from his hand. "The seven of hearts! Oh my gosh, how did you do that?"

The people around us clap with a few cheers, earning a huge smile to form on Joey's face. He gives a small bow, tipping his hand to everyone before he placed it on his head.

Courtney was about to hand the card to him but he immediately shook his head. "You can keep that for good luck." He says with a grin before he walked away, along with the crowd dispersing around us.

"You lied to him." I say as she shoved the card in her pocket.

Courtney looks away from one of the other students that stood nearby and cleared her throat. "What?"

"You said that it was your card when it wasn't. Why?" I questioned but she shrugged.

"He seemed like he had been working on that trick for a while. I mean, haven't you done something that'll make your friend happy when they're having a bad day?"

I raise a brow. "No."

She was about to continue asking me until she grabs my arm for me to stop. "Well, maybe this can be your first lesson." She nodded her head forward.

I follow her line of vision and see Yolanda sadly staring at her locker which had the word 'SLUT' written across with white spray paint. She shook her head a bit and finally spun the dial to her locker until she unlocked it.

"You want me to talk to her?" I ask and she nods. "What am I supposed to say?"

"It's okay just follow me." She encourages and starts to walk ahead with me trailing behind.

"Do you have any nail polish remover?" Courtney asked as Yolanda grabbed her binder from inside. "I...I bet Freya and I could clean this right off and--"

Yolanda tearfully closes her locker and continues to walk away from us without sparing a glance at us.

"Well, that went well." Courtney muttered.

"I told you, she doesn't want anyone to bother her." I explained with a small shrug. "It was a bad idea."

"It's not right, though. Nobody deserves this." She gestured to the writing. "She deserves better than this and you know it."

I nod. "You don't know anything about--"

The school bell rings before I could utter out another word and she lets out a sigh.

"Look, I know you're hesitant about being a part of this whole thing but I'll text you if Brainwave wakes up. Just keep your eyes open. Remember, they could be anywhere or anyone." She sternly stated as she forced me to look around the people that rushed to class before she split up from where I stood. "Catch you later, Freya."

As I watched her walk away, I couldn't help the weird feeling that stirred in my stomach.

"Haven't you done something that'll make your friend happy when they're having a bad day?"

"Damn you, Whitmore." I mutter under my breath.

I look around and see a girl a couple of feet away who was painting her nails at her locker. I quickly walk up to her which causes her to look up from her hand. "Where's your nail polish remover?" I immediately question before she could open her mouth to speak first.

She holds it up with confusion and I snatch it from her hand which causes her to gasp. "Hey!"

I walk away, ignoring the scolds from the girl and approached Yolanda's locker once more. I unscrew the cap but squint my eyes, seeing that it was only half of it left.

This amount alone wasn't going to be enough to get rid of the whole thing. I'd be lucky if I got a letter.

"Looks like we had the same idea." I turn to see a black-haired-teen with his hair slightly draped over his forehead. "I'm Cameron."

.·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。. *✭˚·ﾟ✧*·ﾟ*✭˚·ﾟ✧*·

"Reminder students," I hear Principal Bowin's voice through the intercom. "the bus for the talent show leaves today at 2:45."

"Looks like art class was fun." Courtney chuckles at my hands that had several lime, yellow, purple, orange, and pink smears. "What did you paint?"

"Uh," I shrug innocently as we walked into the school hallway. "Just a flower."

"With all of those colors?" She raised a brow.

"What's it to you?" I remark and she rose her hands in surrender, muttering 'just wondering' under her breath.

"Yolanda, I'm talking to you." We both turn to see Cindy leaning against the locker with Jenny behind her, practically picking on Yolanda again as she tried to dig through her backpack. "Who painted that? Was it you?"

"No," Yolanda muttered.

"Freya...you painted that?" Courtney whispered as she tugged my arm to go towards them but I held her back. "It's--" I shushed her, wanting to hear their conversation.

Cindy slams the locker shut and took a step closer to her with her hands on her hips. "You should have never dated Henry once you knew that I liked him." Yolanda crossed her arms with discomfort. "You are a nobody. I am somebody, and I'm never gonna let you forget that." She leaned closer to her face. "Even your own family knows what you really are, Slut."

I huff, yanking my arm away from Courtney. "Wait, Freya!" She frantically whispered but I ignored her.

I push Cindy away from Yolanda with a glare. "Lay off, Cindy." I retort.

"Wow, standing up for someone is a first." She scoffed and threateningly took a step towards me. "This doesn't concern you though, Crock. Mind your business or else."

"Or else what?" I push, knowing that she wouldn't do anything since it could risk her spot on the ISA table. "You're already blinding me with your disco-ball baseball hat."

"I have to say," We both turn and see Courtney shake her head with disbelief as she walked closer to us with a glare. "slut-shaming is really damaging. Not to mention, it sets women back, like, fifty years."

"Okay, well, nobody cares what you think, new girl." Cindy remarked before giving Yolanda one last look until she and Jenny walked away.

I lift my binder to throw but feel someone grab onto my wrist, preventing me from chucking it at Cindy's head. "Stop it." I turn and see it was Yolanda who wore a stern expression. Her eyes soften as they trailed to my colored-smeared hands until she awkwardly released the grip she had on my arm.

"We're just trying--"

"Don't you get it?" Yolanda snapped at Courtney. "You're only going to make things worse for the three of us."

She quickly walks away from us and I look to Courtney, seeing her give me a small smile. "What's with the goofy face?"

"Just a flower?" She mocked and I roll my sleeves to hide my hands. "You took my advice. Twice!" She playfully smacked my arm a few times.

"I didn't do it alone. Some guy named Cameron helped with detailing the leaves." I shrug.

"Well, you did something nice for her. I bet it made her day." She teasingly nudged my arm.

The bell rings, indicating that it was time for our last class. "I should get going."

"Me too. Are you coming with me after school? I'm gonna try to do some more digging about Icicle." Courtney asked with a hopeful expression but I shake my head, knowing that this wasn't something that could get in the way of the project.

"Beth is paying me to record her for the talent show since her parents can't come." I explain with a huff. "So I'm taking the bus today."

"Oh, okay. I'll text you if we find anything." She says as she backs away from me and I nod, waving goodbye as she runs off.