Hero Complex Read Online Free Page A

She and Presley had their sandwiches wrapped to go. (Presley stuck with her favorite, the turkey and cranberry “for old times’ sake.”) They walked the few blocks to the beach and found a comfortable set of boulders to lean against while they ate and watched the surfers.
    “If you watch them long enough, you feel like you’re bobbing along the top of the ocean like they are,” Devon said between bites.
    “What’s up with you going all surfer-centric on me?” Presley asked. “First you’re friends with the Elliots, next you’ll be joining the morning surf van.”
    Devon finished chewing. “And you’re saying that’s a bad thing?”
    “Hey, I didn’t say it was good or bad. You’re just different. I feel like I used to be able to read your mind, but now you seem kind of lost at sea, like you’re just drifting through everything. Or maybe it’s just me.” Presley slapped Devon’s leg. “Come on, admit it. You over me? You found someone else?”
    Now Devon had to laugh. Only Presley could cut to the heart of what was happening between them. “Pres, you know you’re my first love. There’s nobody else but you. Well, you and some tastywaves,” she added in a stoner surfer voice. “Hope that’s copacetic, dude.” She wadded up her sandwich wrapper and tossed it at Presley’s head.
    “You two being Surf Betties today?”
    Devon squinted up to see Raven Elliot standing in front of them in the sand. Raven’s signature dreadlocks were wrapped into a beehive shape at the top of her head. Her wetsuit hung at her waist, a black swim shirt with a Rip Curl logo across her chest, and her wax-riddled surfboard under one arm.
    Devon really hoped Raven hadn’t overheard her “tasty waves” joke. “Hey, Raven! Yeah, we’re just here to make sure everyone’s behaving out there on the water.”
    “Yeah, ’cause if they’re not, they’re gonna have to answer to me.” Presley held up a menacing fist.
    Raven giggled. “You see Bodhi out there?”
    “Wasn’t looking. But don’t think he’s out there,” Devon replied.
    Raven looked at Presley and bit her lip. “You know, he wanted to talk to you. About the yacht crew from New Year’s. We found something. Well, Bodhi found it mostly. I just pulled some video files.”
    Devon heard an overloud sigh next to her. Suddenly Presley was standing up. “Okay, Veronica Mars. I’ll leave you to your investigations—”
    “Wait,” Devon pleaded. Presley turned, and Devon saw the look in her eyes. She didn’t want to be a part of this. There was no point in asking Presley to stay; this was the line their friendship didn’t cross. “I’m sorry, but I have to deal with this …”
    Presley nodded. “I get it. You got to scratch that itch.”
    “Pres,” Devon began, “this is real. Something happened, and I have to find out who’s behind it.”
    “I know you do. It’s just … I miss the old you. I want that girl back, ya know?”
    Devon swallowed. “I miss her, too, Presley. I’d love the old me back, but that ship has sailed. Besides, it’s not like I chose this.”
    “Didn’t you?” Presley asked as she slung her backpack over her shoulder. “I’ll see you back on campus.” She carried her shoes as she walked down the beach to the parking lot.
    Devon watched her go, stunned. How could her best friend not even care what had happened? Or worse, maybe she’d just lost interest.
    “Let her go,” Raven said. “Most people can’t process something unless it happens to them.”
    “Presley isn’t ‘most people,’ ” Devon grumbled, but there was no point in getting into that part of her Keaton life with Raven. She still had bigger problems at hand. “So what’d you find?”
    “The yacht crew. When we did the first check, the numbers added up. That’s what the cops found that night, too. But when we matched the video with the numbers, one of the crewmembers didn’t match his ID badge. It’s all on our computer next time you come