Riley Ross-Chapter 190: Casual Conversation With The Megawoman

"Because Ms. Anastasia was extremely elusive, Megawoman. Did you not see how fast she was moving at her size?"

Riley didn't hesitate to answer, and he also didn't hesitate to ask a question that would subtly help him determine if she didn't see his microscopic clones fighting against Anastasia.

"So, she didn't throw the bomb here?" Megawoman squinted.

"No, Megawoman." Riley shook his head. "The bombs were her last resort. It was a suicide attack. But you did not answer my question, Megawoman—I believe that is unfair."

"Questio—Oh. No, I didn't see her." She shrugged. "I can usually see ants from a mile away, but I didn't see… nor feel her. Wait, so she was here? How small was she for me not to feel her? And… how sharp is your telekinetic ability to be able to fight against her?"

Megawoman's eyes turned wider as she looked at her palms.

"I am only answering your first question. Yes, Megawoman." Riley nodded.

"Oh…" Megawoman blinked a couple of times and then shook her hand with a subtle expression of disgust in her eyes. Riley watched her wipe her palms on her cape, tilting his head as he once again looked at her eyes.

Is she feigning ignorance? Or did she truly not see anything? Am I… safe again?

"Can we talk?" she suddenly said.

Uh oh. Is this it?

"We are already talking, Megawoman."

"Not here, somewhere where we can talk more comfortabl—"

"Die!"

Before Megawoman could finish her words, the air around her distorted, and she casually raised her palm above her head, catching a shadow that suddenly dove violently straight at her.

She and Riley slowly looked up, only to see Hannah in her pajamas, and hovering up above the clouds was her jet. Hannah also gazed down, and as soon as she saw Megawoman's masked face, the distortion around the air faded away along with the fierce expression on her face.

"M-m…Megawoman?!" she screamed, her eyes widened as she quickly raised her leg, spinning back before floating beside Riley. The flames wrapping her limbs, withering out. "W-I'm… I'm sorry! I thought you were that Russian assassin!"

"It's fine." Megawoman didn't seem to mind at all. She only waved her hand, chuckling at her before saying,

"But you really shouldn't attack your enemy… before making sure they're your enemy."

"That's—"

"Anyway, your brother and I were about to have a talk somewhere."

"A talk? Wait… can I come?" Hannah gasped, glancing at her brother before smiling at Megawoman. Megawoman, however, shook her head. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I don't want to get in trouble with your parents for taking the two of you. I promise, we won't be long."

But I did not agree with that talk yet.

"I apologize, Megawoman. But I do not—"

"What the fuck are you saying, bro? It's Megawoman," Hannah said quietly, elbowing Riley's arm to stop him from talking. She smiled again, shoving Riley toward Megawoman as she laughed.

"He'll go. You can even keep him if you want. Are you going to your secret cave?!"

"Well, no…" Megawoman awkwardly laughed back. "I don't have a secret cave. We'll just have a short conversation somewhere more comfortable. Shall we, Riley?"

No. But if I refuse here, then it would be suspicious—no one would refuse this, after all.

"Okay, Megawoman."

***

"One extra-large White Chocolate Milk, iced. And an extra-large Latte with… with twenty-five shots of espresso and fifteen cubes of sugar. W-will that be all?"

"Is that all you wanted? Don't you want a donut?"

"No, Megawoman."

"Then that'll be all. How much is it?"

"You… you don't need to pay!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! P-please, I'll… I'll bring it to your table!"

Yes.

Riley and Megawoman's supposedly private conversation… was inside a popular cafe near the destruction at Times Square—that meant there were dozens of people there, and hundreds outside who were crowding the street.

Surprisingly, though, not a single one of them was snapping photos or videos of them since Megawoman asked them not to.

If it were any other hero who asked that, they probably wouldn't even listen.

But this was Megawoman. Everyone just watched in awe and admiration as she and Riley sat at their table.

The people at the table right next to them couldn't help but hunch and rest their backs against the seat to listen in on them.

"Do you want me to isolate the sound of our voices, Megawoman?" Riley asked as he looked at all the people staring at them.

"There's no need for that." Megawoman shook her head. She placed her hand on the table, tapping her fingers on it as she looked around the cafe.

"You said you wanted to talk, Megawoman."

"Well, yes. I didn't say I wanted to talk privately," Megawoman said with a smile on her face. "And I needed the coffee. Do you know what time it is?"

"Four o'clock in the morning, Megawoman." Riley placed his hand on his chin. "...What do you need the coffee for, Megawoman? I was under the belief that you did not need sleep."

"What? What do you think I am?"

"An alien."

"Oh." Megawoman blinked a couple of times. She looked at her hands, and a sigh silently escaped her lips. "Right. Huh. I've been here for so long that I forgot. And where did you even get the notion that I didn't need to sleep?"

"I read it from somewhere, Megawoman."

"Stop believing everything you read on the internet."

"I read it from Father's profile of you, Megawoman."

"...I think your father and I need to talk, too." She sighed again, shaking her head before looking outside. "And no, I do need sleep. I just… need it differently."

"Interesting." Riley placed his hand on his chin. "What else is different about you compared to humans, Megawoman?"

"Our biology is surprisingly similar. But you're too young to talk about that," Megawoman said, chuckling as she slightly leaned over the table.

"And what did you want to talk about, Megawoman?"

"I just wanted to ask how you are. The last time we met, you accidentally took a life. And now, recently, you just took another one, and the people know about it. So, how are you?"

"I am as I have always been, Megawoman." Riley shrugged.

"And that being?"

"On the spectrum."

"You—"

"H-here's your order!"

A server arrived at their table, interrupting their conversation.

"Iced White chocolate milk for Riley Ross," the server nervously said as she placed the drinks on the table, her hand trembling uncontrollably. "And… Cafe Latte for Megawoman."

"Thank you, Ms. Joanna," Riley said, nodding at the server. Megawoman also nodded and smiled at her.

The server froze there and then and had to be pulled away by her co-workers.

Both Megawoman and Riley watched as this happened, and then stared at each other for a good five seconds before Megawoman laughed.

Riley tilted his head at this and then blinked several times.

"You are more normal than I thought you would be, Megawoman," he said. "You are even more of a human than I am. I am quite envious of that."

"Stop it." Megawoman pinched the bridge of her nose. "Seriously, why are you kids so—what's the word your generation likes using? Edgy?"

"I believe so, Megawoman. One of my classmates, Gray, likes using those types of words."

"I'd imagine."

"Since you have already answered your question, Megawoman. Is our talk over?"

"I don't think you've answered it just yet."

"I believe I have, Megawoman. As you may already be aware, I am different from other people—I respond to trauma differently, no. I do not respond to it at all."

"What's happening with this world, huh?" Megawoman sighed. "All these strong supers targeting a child like you."

"I am used to being targeted by people, Megawoman. It comes with my condition and Father's wealth."

"It comes from your strength, Riley Ross." Megawoman lightly jabbed her finger on the table. "Do you know an interesting fact about power?"

"That it shows people who they really are, Megawoman," Riley answered, looking at his hands and thinking about all the blood he had washed away ever since he gained his telekinetic ability.

"That's true—and power attracts power." Megawoman nodded. "Your father knows that. That is why he has contingencies about everything. Your father is always in danger."

"Hm."

"And now, so are you." Megawoman trailed her finger across the table and pointed it at Riley. "What do you feel now that you've taken two lives, Riley Ross?"

Happy, but not yet satisfied. And I have taken more than two lives, Megawoman.

"I feel nothing, Megawoman."

"But do you know what it means to take a life?"

"Yes, Megawoman."

Perhaps more so than most people.

"Because you will take more in the future. You will take so much more…

…because power also attracts death."

Megawoman's voice became quiet, and she gently held her drink and took a sip. She looked at Riley, forcing out a smile before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Can you…" she asked.

"...isolate our voices now?"