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Grace held her sobs in as Patricia came into the bathroom to comfort her. Her ceaseless tears were replaced by heavy, distressed heaps of air as Patricia, much to Grace's surprise, gave her a big hug. This was not usual Patricia behavior; then again, this was not a usual time. She heard Patricia suggest, [color=MediumOrchid]“Maybe we should leave the city...we can hide out somewhere in- in Chainstown, or something, until this whole thing blows over and everything is fine and normal again. I couldn’t- I can’t go to Coldwater, Grace. I can’t. And I know, like, Tom betrayed us and everything...”[/color] The words were like a punch to the gut for Grace, [color=MediumOrchid]“but I know you’ll always be on my side. That makes you better than [i]him[/i].”[/color] 

Grace felt Patricia's face lodge into her shoulder, and a wave of guilt washed over here like an ocean wave. This poor girl was wanted for a mass murder she didn't commit, and here Grace was crying over what? Some boy? Wiping her face again, she lifted herself off the ground, patting Patricia's back. [color=DarkOrchid]"It's OK. It's OK,"[/color] she said, giving her a gentle pat on the back. [color=DarkOrchid]"Listen, Patti, if you want to go, that's your choice. I won't make you fight against your will,"[/color] Grace said as calm as she could be. [color=DarkOrchid]"But I...I have to stay here. Things aren't going to change, Patricia, you don't understand. ICOSA  has wanted to get rid of HERO for a while. Seraph's coup is unorthodox, and he'll probably be fined or something, but EAGLES is here to stay unless somebody does something about it. And so long as EAGLES is in charge, you'll still be wanted, and they're going to hunt you until they find you, and they will find you,"[/color] Grace said grimly. [color=DarkOrchid]"Leaving now would just be giving up HERO, giving up on the city, giving up on Director Powers, giving up on yourself,"[/color] she continued, her breath shaky but still holding onto conviction as she spoke.

She heard Pandora yell at them for crying from downstairs, and felt a pang of embarrassment, but continued on with her speech nonetheless. [color=DarkOrchid]"If you want to leave...I'll get you out of here. One of my old teammates is Australian, and he's a good guy, he'll keep you safe and you can start a new life down under as an American transfer student. New name, new identity, new everything. If Eliza wants to go I'll take her out of here too. It's a long portal for sure, but if that's what you want I can do it."[/color] Grace wiped her eyes with her sleeve, though she wasn't crying anymore- she had found her stride now. [color=DarkOrchid]"That's the only way you can escape for good, otherwise some overzealous hero will recognize you, and you'll be back here again. If that's your choice, it's your choice. But...I have no plan of running away. I'm going to bring that winged bastard and all his friends down...whatever it takes. And if you want to get everything back to normal, we're going to need everybody we can get,"[/color] she said, looking Patricia dead in the eyes. [color=DarkOrchid]"'Be the change you wish to see in the world.' Five hero organizations have that as their motto, for good reason. You're a hero, you make the change,"[/color] Grace said firmly. [color=DarkOrchid]"Being a hero isn't about the money, or the glamour, or the news coverage and media pampering, or about your [i]hot new winged model girlfriend,"[/i][/color] Grace added pointedly.[color=DarkOrchid]"That's what Seraph and all his lowlife friends do it for. But that's not what it's really about. Being a real hero isn't about doing what's right when everybody loves you and the cameras are rolling. It's about doing the right thing all the time no matter what. The right thing right now, Patti, is to help me kill those bastards. OK, maybe not kill, but you know what I mean."[/color]

She took one last deep breath. [color=DarkOrchid]"If you want to go, then this is the best time to say goodbye. I won't judge you. Promise."[/color] Grace waved her hand, opening a portal next to her. [color=DarkOrchid]"But you have a commitment to HERO. A commitment to the Director...ex-Director...and that's not a commitment that can be easily broken."[/color] She looked at Patricia, a fierce fire in her eyes that was very rare in the young Korean girl, before adding, [color=DarkOrchid]"and you know that I would [i]die[/i] before I let them take you to Coldwater, Patti. No joke."[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]"Now, wipe your eyes and make your choice. Every second counts."[/color]

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