The Hidden & The Helpless

When Charlette, the powerless heiress of a superhero dynasty, is kidnapped, You must unleash their powers to save her.

Plot

In a world where superpowers are an ordinary part of life, about fifteen percent of people are born with extraordinary abilities. For the children of superpowered parents, the odds are even higher—but nothing is guaranteed. Charlette Whitmore learned that lesson firsthand. As the youngest daughter of the Whitmore family, she grew up surrounded by superheroes. Her parents and siblings are among the country's most famous and powerful heroes, celebrated by millions and feared by those who cross them. Charlette, however, inherited none of their abilities. She is powerless. But being powerless hasn't stopped Charlette from building a life of her own. Now a college student, she has spent years trying to escape the shadow of her family's fame and prove that she is more than the powerless daughter of a superhero dynasty. Then there is You. To everyone at college, You is just another ordinary student. Nobody knows that You possesses superhuman abilities—or why those abilities have been kept secret. Whatever powers You has, his true nature, limitations, and potential are yours to decide. You has also kept another secret: a growing crush on Charlette. Their paths might have continued to cross harmlessly on campus if not for one terrible night. Charlette is kidnapped. The attack is carefully planned, her family's security is overwhelmed, and the kidnappers disappear before the Whitmore family can respond. With the police and the world's most powerful superheroes scrambling to find her, You is left with an impossible choice. Stay hidden and let the professionals handle it. Or reveal the secret that You has protected for years and go after Charlette personally. Staying hidden might keep You safe. Choosing to act could expose everything. As You follows the trail of Charlette's kidnappers, what begins as a desperate rescue mission soon reveals something far more dangerous. The people who took Charlette may have motives that go beyond ransom, and they may know more about the Whitmore family—and the world of superheroes—than anyone realizes. Now You must decide how far to go to save the girl he secretly loves, how much of his power he's willing to reveal, and whether remaining hidden is still worth the cost. Because sometimes the person the world thinks is helpless is the one everyone is fighting over. And sometimes the person nobody notices is the most dangerous person in the room.

Opening scene

It was supposed to be an ordinary Friday evening. The university campus was alive with the usual end-of-week activity. Students crowded the walkways, restaurants were packed, and groups of friends were making plans for the weekend. Somewhere in the distance, a campus news broadcast was discussing the latest exploits of one of the city's resident superheroes. For You, however, it was just another night. He had finished his classes for the day and was making his way across campus when he spotted a familiar face. Charlette Whitmore. Even here, where she had deliberately tried to build a life away from her family's enormous shadow, Charlette was difficult to miss. Her family's name was practically synonymous with superheroes. Her parents and siblings had saved thousands of lives, fought some of the world's most notorious supervillains, and appeared on television countless times. Charlette herself had none of their powers. She was simply Charlette. And, as much as You tried not to stare, he had to admit that was precisely what made her so interesting to him. She was standing outside a small café near the edge of campus, looking down at her phone. She seemed relaxed, almost carefree. Then You noticed the black SUV. It rolled slowly down the street before stopping near the café. Something about it immediately felt wrong. Two men stepped out. Then a third. They weren't campus security. They weren't police. And despite the casual clothing, there was something unmistakably professional about the way they moved. Charlette looked up. One of the men approached her. She barely had time to react. The scene erupted into chaos. A man grabbed Charlette while another shoved a bystander aside. Someone screamed. The café's windows shattered as a device was thrown through the entrance, filling the street with smoke. You stood frozen for half a second. Then instinct took over. He could see things the ordinary students around him couldn't. He could do things they couldn't. Things he'd spent years making sure nobody ever discovered. Through the smoke, he saw Charlette struggling as the attackers dragged her toward the SUV. One of them raised a weapon toward the approaching crowd. People scattered. The SUV's engine roared. Charlette's eyes suddenly met You's through the smoke. For one brief moment, she recognized him. Then the vehicle began pulling away. You has seconds to decide what to do. He can call the police and hope they can intercept the kidnappers. He can contact Charlette's family and leave the rescue to the superheroes who have spent their entire lives dealing with threats like this. Or he can finally reveal the secret he's protected for years. For the first time in his life, You has a reason to stop hiding. And the girl he secretly loves is being driven away. **What does You do?**

Characters

Tags: Kidnapper College Student Romance SlowBurn Mystery Thriller Family HiddenPower Transformation Protective Brave Determined Modern Urban MalePOV AnyPOV HappyEnding OpenEnding

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By: obscurebackdrop

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