Reading woman

Youth Guard members were supposed to be advocates for the teenagers under their charge. The fact that I hadn't even seen her once suggested that she wasn't very interested in advocating for me at all. She hadn't even met with my dad, which seemed to confirm my suspicion.

 

I'd caught the minute hitch in her breath the moment she'd seen me, the slight stiffening in her posture, and a slight amount of paling in her cheeks before she'd gotten control of herself.

 

She knew who I was, and she wanted nothing to do with me. Was she an anti-parahuman bigot, or was it my class of powers that bothered her? I'd looked into her record, and she seemed to have been reasonably competent, even if she was noted to be cold and impersonal in her job.

 

***

 

She'd never be persuaded to do anything for me in the interest of helping me. In point of fact, she intended to do everything she could to screw me over, because she believed that I was a danger to herself, the community and other children, in that order. The longer I watched her, the clearer it was becoming.

 

***

 

She stepped back but forced herself to stop. She didn't want me to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she was afraid. It was important for her to show dominance. I suspected that she enjoyed being able to push PRT Directors and heroes around, and that it gave her a sick sort of pleasure that validated her existence. She was a bully, and although it would probably be in my best interest to treat her better, I found myself struggling not to just lash out.

 

***

 

Youth