Rehab for SuperVillains (18+)-Chapter 145: collar ready

They split up according to the plan.

Rhea slipped around the side of the house, her movements quick and quiet as she scaled the low wall, dropping into the backyard with a soft thud.

The television inside blared, so loud it carried through the walls, making Rhea wince even from outside.

Perfect cover, she thought, crouching low and creeping toward the back door, her collar ready in hand, waiting for the signal to enter.

Freya and Kael approached the front door, their footsteps light on the porch. Kael’s heart pounded, the stun baton a reassuring weight, while Freya’s calm exterior hid the adrenaline spiking through her. They exchanged a glance, and Kael rang the bell, the chime barely audible over the TV’s racket.

The door swung open, revealing a lithe girl in a flour-dusted apron over a loose t-shirt and sweatpants, her black curly hair tied back, glasses perched on her nose. Her eyes lit up with genuine joy. "Oh, Kael, you’re here! Welcome!" Lila’s voice was loud, cutting through the television’s noise, her smile warm and disarming.

The TV volume dropped suddenly, and a sharp voice called from inside, "Who is it?"

Lila turned, her tone cheerful. "It’s my friend Kael from the massage parlor! I told him to visit for lunch sometime. He’s here with his girlfriend."

Freya’s eyebrow arched, her blue eyes flicking to Kael with a playful wink at the "girlfriend" comment. Kael’s hazel eyes widened briefly, but he played along, his grin tight.

"Oh, fuck this crap!" the voice inside snapped, dripping with irritation.

Lila giggled, unfazed. "That’s my sister," she said, stepping aside. "Come in, come in."

They entered the living room, where a woman in a black hoodie and jeans lounged on a couch, her straight black hair framing a face with sharp, angular features. Tila’s eyes screamed get lost, her scowl unwavering as she glanced at them before returning to the TV, where a horror movie played, all flickering shadows and eerie music. Despite being twins, Lila’s bubbly warmth and Tila’s icy hostility made them seem worlds apart.

Kael and Freya sat on the couch adjacent to Tila, who barely acknowledged them. Lila perched on a small stool between them, her smile bright. "Tila, this is Kael and Freya. Kael left the massage parlor a while back for a better gig, and I wanted to catch up. He’s my only friend from there."

Tila’s response was a curt grunt. "Don’t need friends," she said, her voice flat, her eyes fixed on the TV, ignoring Kael sitting right in front of her.

Freya played her part flawlessly, her face a mask of casual ease, no hint of the mission’s weight. She leaned into Kael, acting the doting girlfriend, picking up a cookie from the plate Lila offered and feeding it to him with a teasing smile. Tila’s scowl deepened, her irritation palpable, but Freya didn’t flinch, her blue eyes glinting with quiet amusement.

Kael matched Lila’s energy, diving into light banter about their massage parlor days—funny clients, spilled oils, the time a customer fell asleep mid-session. Lila laughed, her glasses slipping down her nose, while Tila half-listened, her focus on the horror movie’s gruesome scenes.

Then Kael’s eyes caught movement—Rhea, crouched low, sneaking through the open dining area behind the couch. The living room connected to the entrance and dining space, which led to the back door Lila had left ajar. The TV’s blaring volume had masked Rhea’s entrance, her jump over the wall, and the faint creak of the door. She moved with predatory silence, her amber eyes locked on Tila, the collar in her hand.

Kael, Freya, and Lila kept their eyes forward, careful not to glance at Rhea, who Tila couldn’t see from her angle. The plan was simple: Rhea would creep close, snap the collar on Tila’s neck before she could react, and neutralize her shadow powers. Tila, engrossed in the movie, seemed oblivious, her sharp features softened by the TV’s glow.

Kael’s heart hammered, though his grin stayed easy, his banter with Lila unbroken. Freya nibbled a cookie, her arm draped over Kael’s shoulder, her calm facade unshakable. Lila’s laughter was natural, but her hands fidgeted slightly, betraying her nerves.

Rhea rose slowly behind the couch, inches from Tila, the collar open, ready to buckle around her neck. Tila remained glued to the TV, unaware, her body still.

Kael’s pulse roared in his ears, Lila’s smile faltering for a split second. Freya’s fingers tightened on Kael’s arm, her touch grounding him.

The TV screen went dark, the horror movie cutting to a scene where the camera spirals into an empty well.

Rhea’s sublte reflection appeared in the screen, her amber eyes wide, the collar gleaming in her hand.

Tila’s head snapped toward the screen. Her gaze locked on the strange reflection.

Reflexes kicking in, Tila yelled, "What the fuck!"

A tendril of shadow shot backward, lashing at Rhea like a whip.

Rhea dove to the side, her eyes blazing as she unleashed a burst of fire, the flames roaring toward Tila.

Tila reacted instantly, conjuring a shimmering shadow shield that absorbed the fire, the heat sizzling against the dark barrier.

The collar slipped from Rhea’s grip, clattering to the hardwood floor with a metallic clang.

Tila’s gaze darted to the collar, realization dawning. "You’re here to capture me?" she snarled, her voice a mix of shock and fury. "Who the hell are you?"

Before she could turn fully, Freya moved, her blue eyes cold and focused.

With a flick of her wrist, she encased Lila’s limbs in glistening ice, freezing her in place like a statue, her apron stiffening under the frost.

Lila’s glasses fogged slightly, her voice feeble.

"Sis, help!"

Kael stepped forward, his hazel eyes hard, stun baton in one hand. "Come with us quietly, Tila, or say goodbye to your sister," he said, his voice steady but laced with threat.

Freya stood beside Lila, a razor-sharp icicle pressed against Lila’s carotid artery, the point glinting in the dim light.