Supervillain Idol System: My Sidekick Is A Yandere-Chapter 543: A New - (Part 5)

A few days later, on a slow night, Don drove toward the Deadly Damsels.

The Mustang rolled low and steady through the street, engine rumbling beneath him. His left arm rested out the open window, air pushing past his fingers as the city slid by in broken light and shadow.

He wore a plain white shirt, sleeves loose at the forearms, a thin silver chain resting against his collarbone. Blue jeans. Brown boots. Aviators sat on his face, reflecting passing streetlamps in brief flashes.

The infotainment display glowed faintly on the dashboard.

Conference call — in progress.

Gary's voice came through the speakers, clean and firm, cutting through the engine noise.

"As it stands, sir, I believe all listed locations require internal sweeps. At the very least, we should deploy miniature droids." A brief pause. "We've maintained exterior monitoring across all sites. Nothing of note has been uncovered."

Don kept his eyes on the road.

Elle's voice followed, lighter but certain. "It's worth investigating. But I doubt it's urgent. Aside from the incident with Gerald Richmond, we haven't made any major moves."

She continued, "According to his sources, Barclay is too preoccupied with his legal issues to even consider Don right now."

Gary hummed softly. "On that note, I'd also recommend we make a move on Barclay."

Don's fingers shifted slightly on the wheel.

"With his attention divided," Gary added, "and the information we've gathered, there are several viable approaches. Many of them quite profitable."

Don chuckled. "Sounds like a plan."

Then his smile faded.

The Mustang slowed.

He adjusted his grip, eyes narrowing behind the aviators as something came into view ahead. He guided the car toward the curb, pulling alongside the Deadly Damsels and bringing it to a stop.

"I'll get back to you on that," he said. "Forward the details to Winter. Let me deal with this first."

Elle's voice sharpened. "Is something wrong?"

Don didn't answer right away.

What he saw was wrong.

The Deadly Damsels stood battered.

Construction equipment lay scattered across the frontage, barriers knocked aside, metal fencing twisted out of alignment. Deep tire marks carved erratic loops into the wide sidewalk, rubber streaks crossing and overlapping like someone had lost control.

A fire truck idled nearby, hoses stretched across the pavement as water sprayed down smoldering debris—steam rising where it hit scorched ground. A police cruiser sat farther up the street, lights still flashing red and blue against broken glass and warped signage.

Beside it stood a uniformed officer.

And Madam Lily.

She wore a long dress with high slits along the sides, dark fabric clinging where it should and flowing where it was meant to move. An overcoat hung open over it, the material shifting gently as she turned her head, irritation clear even from a distance.

"That's what I'm about to find out," Don said. "I'll talk to you later."

Elle hesitated, then her voice softened—slower, almost pleased. "Alright. Um… I'll be waiting."

"Not literally, I mean—" She corrected, then firmed up. "Okay. Bye."

The call ended.

Don sighed, pushed the door open, and stepped out.

The night air hit him immediately—cool, damp, carrying the smell of wet concrete and smoke. He closed the door behind him and walked toward the scene, his gaze taking everything in without hurry.

The officer noticed him first.

The man straightened instinctively, eyes still flicking back to Madam Lily with obvious admiration—and then annoyance at the interruption.

"Hey, sir, you can't park there," the officer started. "This is a crime—"

He stopped.

Took Don in.

The height. The build.

Don didn't break stride.

He passed the officer while the man stood there, momentarily stuck between duty and doubt.

"Hey—wait! You can't go—" the officer called after him.

Don stopped in front of Madam Lily.

She turned to face him, lips pressing together before she spoke.

"Thank you for coming," she said. Then, after a pause, "…sir."

The word still didn't sit right with her. It never had. Lily wasn't built to answer to anyone, and that hadn't changed—at least not entirely.

Don didn't greet her.

He reached up, removed his aviators, and let his eyes travel across the damage. The wrecked frontage. The responders. The mess that shouldn't have existed.

"On the phone," he said evenly, "you said there was a small problem."

He looked back at her.

"This," he added, voice flat, "isn't a small problem."

Lily's expression dropped at Don's choice.

Not dramatically. Just enough to show the hit landed.

Her mouth opened—then closed again. She shifted her weight, fingers tightening around the strap of her bag as she searched for something to say that didn't sound like defeat.

She didn't get the chance.

The officer stepped back toward her, clipboard tucked under one arm. He tilted his head up at Don, squinting slightly as if the angle or the lighting was throwing him off, that or he was just too focused on Madam Lily.

"Hey," he started, voice automatic. "Aren't you lis—"

He stopped.

Not mid-word. Mid-thought.

His eyes tracked Don's face properly this time. No aviators. No obstruction. Just recognition setting in, slow and unpleasant.

Color drained from his face.

"Oh. Uh," he said. Then again, softer, "Uh, I think I recognize you…"

He cleared his throat and straightened his back out of reflex, shoulders squaring the way training demanded.

As a police officer, he still carried authority—even in a city where superhumans bent streets and laws around themselves.

But he wasn't part of the units meant to deal with people like this.

He was a first responder with a clipboard.

Lily followed his line of sight, then rolled her eyes and cut in before the moment could spiral.

"It's fine," she said, irritation threading her voice. "This man is an investor."

The officer blinked.

"Oh. Uh. I see." He nodded a little too quickly. "Right. Then, uh… can we just finish the statement, ma'am… or?"

Don didn't look at him.

"She'll give one once we're done talking," he said instead, already turning away. "It's not mandatory, is it?"

The officer swallowed. "Uh… no, sir."

Don didn't acknowledge the answer. He was already walking toward his car, Lily trailing a step behind him whether she meant to or not.