Read Powerless for Free Online Page B

“And you? Having to face down villains, um, face-to-face. That must have been awful.”
    And without a single power to help you. He doesn’t have to say the words out loud for me to hear them. They’re written all over his face. As if he could outfly one of Nitro’s fireballs.
    I’ve always felt like a powerless little goldfish in the big superpowers pond when I’m around him. He watches me. Studies me. I can tell he doesn’t understand how Rebel and I are friends.
    Then again, Rebel is pretty much beyond everyone’s understanding most of the time.
    “Not an experience I want to repeat, no.” I cover my mouth to hide a yawn.
    Riley doesn’t take the hint.
    “Well, it won’t happen again. The new security measures will be unparalleled,” he explains. “Retinal scans on the elevators. Freeze rays aimed at every entrance ready to stop any intruders in their tracks. An electromagnetic shield around the entire campus, configured to allow only authorized personnel signatures. It should all be up and operational within a week.”
    I nod absently, wondering how long I have to stand here listening to him. Riley has a tendency to ramble. If he goes on much longer, I might pass out right here.
    “The IT crew will also be installing security cameras in every hallway this afternoon,” he continues magnanimously. “Dad can ask them to add a camera in the lab too, if you’d like.”
    “No,” I blurt out. “ That won’t be necessary.”
    Mom and Mr. Malone have had this argument before. Mr. Malone thinks we need cameras—for security and so we have a record of the research in case of an accident or another problem. Mom doesn’t want to feel like she’s being watched.
    “It’s no problem,” Riley insists. “If it will make you feel safer—”
    Something connects with my head. Hard. “Ouch.”
    I rub at the sore spot and move out of the way of the guy hovering five and a half feet off the ground as he works on a sprinkler head in the ceiling above me.
    Only I could get kicked in the head by a flying superhero. I don’t actually have the power of invisibility, but some days it’s hard to remember that. Especially around here. To the superheroes of the League, an ordinary like me might as well be nonexistent. The powerless are pretty much beneath their notice, unless they have a useful skill like Mom’s super brain.
    When my research is complete, I’ll be invaluable to the heroes. They’ll have to notice me.
    The collision draws Mr. Malone’s attention. “Kenna, sweetheart, I thought you were heading home.”
    “I am, Mr. Malone.” I gesture at the flurry of activity around us. “Just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help.”
    “Our team has the cleanup under control,” he says with his standard patronizing smile. He exchanges a look with Riley, who resumes typing on his smartphone. “You go on home. Everything will be good as new by morning.”
    Before I can respond, he wraps an arm around Riley’s shoulder and guides him away. And just like that, I’m dismissed. I get it. I’m not a super, so there’s nothing I can do to help. I’m in the way.
    That’s the problem with being an ordinary in the world of heroes—it’s impossible not to feel less all of the time.
    It won’t always be like this , I promise myself. Mom might be working on a way to neutralize villain powers and amplify hero ones, but I’m working on a way to create them.
    If my research is successful, if I can get the chemical sequencing right, then I won’t be ordinary forever. I’ll be powerful, and more important, I’ll matter.
    To everyone.

Chapter 4
    The elevator doors glide open and I step inside, away from the chaos of the heroes and the Cleaners and the aftermath of the security breach on sub-level one. Walking away from the lab feels strange. Everything is different now, and not because of the break-in or the explosion. It’s because of him. Draven .
    For a second the image of his face pops into my