“Truth or dare?”

The question was a dare itself, punctuated by those piercing eyes, burnt honey in color, that, Good Gods, made me putty in her hands.

“Truth.” I whispered, so that she had to lean closer to hear. The truth was always a risky move. More dangerous than a sharpened weaponed, someone had once said. Nietzsche, perhaps?

Anyway, I couldn’t risk another dare. Our last round had both of us down to our skivvies after a few too many tequila shots. I wanted the next move to be genuinely hers, not down to the adrenaline rush of a children’s game.

“Mmmm, fun,” Halle purred, then paused, thinking.

I relished in that pause. Not just so I could admire the ample cleavage erupting over her sleek black push-up bra, but also because I needed the moment to steady my pulse. I was feeling woozy, and it wasn’t just the tequila shots. Halle was drop dead gorgeous, funny and wicked smart. She even shared my same ambition – to get out of this God forsaken Lone Star State and land a scholarship to a law school on the East Coast, not to become a minted power figure (though I certainly wouldn’t mind the superfluous zeros that come with such status), but to make meaningful change in the world. She wanted to right all the recent wrongs that had been executed against women after Roe vs. Wade was overturned, and I wanted to critically improve immigration policies, specifically the rampant systematic mutantism that was rife but largely ignored.

Of course I hadn’t mentioned that last detail. No one knew I was one of “them”, and my life depended on that, as well as the lives and livelihood of my family. The only way we made ends meet was by the bounties I turned in.

Halle pushed her chair back and made her way around the table.

“So, tell me the truth, Roderigo Correa.” My name escaped her lips like a song.

“Anything,” I managed.

She sauntered up and sat lightly on my lap, her freckles now in focus, her lips trembling and oh so tempting.

And then she locked eyes with mine.

But this time it was different. It was literal. I could not break free from her gaze.

I attempted to push her off my lap, but I could barely lift my own arm.

“Who are you really?” she breathed, her entire demeanor transforming from flirtatious to forceful.

There was nothing I could do. Under her gaze, I gagged on my own tongue when I tried to lie. The truth lifted off my vocal chords.

It was far too late when I finally noticed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who had appeared behind her, undoubtedly to take me where all people discovered to possess powers end up – the gallows.