The coffee shop felt particularly busy today. I felt as though I was being watched, and maybe I was. There was just something about the warm smell of espresso that brought me so much comfort on my worst days, and this was definitely one of those days. I leaned across the table and whispered to Miles, “I know I haven’t been seeing her long, but I had to tell her. I wanted her to hear it from me. It’s not like I told her I had a twin! Why do you care so much?”

Miles scoffed as he continued to lecture me. “It’s not safe, Athena. Why don’t you get that? What if she tells someone? Stop acting like a dumb teenager in love. You don’t even know this girl!”

It was true. It had only been two months with her, but already I couldn’t imagine a life without her by my side. It wasn’t fair—I never asked to be the hero of this city. I just wanted to be normal.

Miles and I were twins, part of a cloning project gone wrong. The Society was an underground research foundation hidden from the government. A group of scientists formed The Society with the goal of finding a cure for cancer. The scientists believed that the government was keeping the cure from the world in order to pocket the money donated to fund cancer research. What started as a small research project soon grew into the corrupt biohacking society it is today.

Miles and I were each gifted with powers unnatural to the general population. Miles was fast and boasted strength you couldn’t find in a gym. I had the ability to regenerate and move things with my mind. I was done being a science project. Liv made me feel a high I had been chasing my whole life—a high I wanted more of.

“I have to go, Miles. Thanks for the coffee.”