Flash Fire by T.J. Klune

10

By the time they reached the familiar neighborhood where the Gray brownstone stood, Nick was lagging, his body exhausted, and he’d never been more relieved to see a familiar place.

Seth pulled him up the stairs, looking around to make sure they weren’t being watched. Nothing. He pushed the door open, shoving Nick through before shutting the door behind them as Nick collapsed to the floor.

“Seth?” Nick heard Martha call. “That you? You’re home late. I was down in the secret lair earlier, but I didn’t pick anything up. What—oh no. Bob! Bob!”

Nick rolled over on his back and blinked slowly up at the ceiling. A worried face appeared above him. “Hi,” he said dully. “Sorry about bleeding on your floors. I know you hate that.”

“How bad is it?” Martha asked him in a no-nonsense voice. The nurse was here. “Anything broken?” She gingerly rubbed her hands along his arms and chest.

He shook his head. “Don’t think so. Just scraped up.”

Bob appeared in the foyer. “Why are you yelling? I was in the living—oh, hell. What happened?”

“Bad guys,” Nick said. “Tried to kick our asses, but we gave them the ol’ what for.”

Bob pushed by Martha as she asked Nick if he could breathe without pain. Bob helped pick Seth up off the floor and pulled his helmet off, Seth’s curls springing free and falling messily on his head.

“Who did this?” Bob muttered, running his hands over Seth. “Was it an Extraordinary?”

Seth pushed him off. “I’m fine.” He shook his head angrily. “I—” He turned around and punched the door. The wood cracked as the door rattled in its frame. “I couldn’t—”

Guilt bled through Nick’s rib cage, vast and complicated. On one hand, he was happy to be alive. On the other, a man was out there somewhere, probably on his way to the hospital, his arm broken.

“He saved me,” Nick said quietly. “He didn’t have to, but he did.”

Seth whirled around, eyes ablaze. “Of course I saved you. But I shouldn’t have had to. What the hell were you thinking, Nick? I told you to run.”

Nick flinched at the censure in Seth’s voice. Martha tried to keep him still, but he pushed her hands off, rising to his feet. He glared at Seth. “I wasn’t going to leave you.”

“You should have,” Seth snapped at him. “I can’t always be there to save you. You should have stayed away, Nick. Why were you even there? That wasn’t for you to see. That was private, and now it’s—it’s—” He sagged, shoulders hunched near his ears. “Dammit. That wasn’t supposed to happen. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.” He shrugged Bob off when he reached for his nephew. He stormed out of the foyer, heading for the basement door. Nick winced as it slammed against the wall, Seth stomping down the stairs.

“What happened?” Bob asked as the sounds of Seth’s anger faded.

Nick blinked rapidly against the sting in his eyes. “Nothing much,” he said in a cracked voice. “Attacked by two Extraordinaries made of ice and smoke. Oh, and Seth was meeting with a drag queen Extraordinary named Miss Conduct, and I have superpowers. My dad lied to me and gave me pills that messed with my head, my mom was the telekinetic Extraordinary called Guardian, and at one point, I thought she and my dad were in a polyamorous relationship with Simon Burke—which, now that I think about it, is really freaking awful. Poly people are valid, but Simon Burke sent Smoke and Ice after us.” He sighed. “It’s been a very trying Saturday.”

Bob and Martha gaped at him.

Nick shrugged awkwardly. “It is what it is. Can I stay here for a few days? I can’t go home. Not yet.”

Martha recovered first. “Of course you can. You—you take all the time you need. And let’s get those cuts cleaned up so they don’t get infected.”

“Great,” Nick said weakly. “Fantastic.”

The doorbell rang as Martha was finishing up with Nick. All in all, it looked worse than it was. He’d gotten away with minor scrapes and bruises, the worst of which were across his chest, where Smoke had held him in place. Already, the skin between his nipples was mottled blue and purple.

While she worked, he told her everything that had happened. It felt almost like betrayal, telling Martha how Dad seemed to be working with or for Burke. The only reaction he got from Martha was the slight tightening around her eyes. She went to the sink, washing up as Nick struggled to put his shirt back on.

“We have a lot to talk about,” she finally said, turning off the faucet. “You can’t avoid your father forever, Nick.”

“I know,” he muttered. “But at least for a couple of days. I need time to think.”

“He’s still your father,” Martha said. “If he wants you home, you have to go, okay?” She turned from the sink and crouched next to Nick, her knees popping. She put her hands on his thighs, squeezing gently. “You’re safe here, I promise. Whatever’s happening, whatever you’re becoming, you’re safe here.”

Nick sniffled, hanging his head. “I could really use a hug right now.”

She hugged him without hesitation, cupping the back of his head, pressing him against her chest. His shoulder shook, his eyes burned, and he hung on for dear life.

Until the doorbell rang again.

Martha pulled back, cocking her head. From below, Bob opened the door, and voices filled the Gray house. Nick sagged in relief when he recognized the voices. Gibby. Jazz.

“Go into Seth’s room,” Martha said, standing up quickly. “Change out of these clothes. I’ll fix you all something to eat.”

“Not hungry.”

“I don’t care,” Martha said. “You will eat, and you will say thank you.”

“Thank you,” he said.

She bent over, kissing his forehead. “You’re welcome.”

When he opened Seth’s bedroom door again, now clad in fuzzy pajama pants and an old, oversized shirt, Gibby and Jazz were waiting for him in the hall. Gibby was gnawing on her hoodie string, her wallet chain dangling against her side. Jazz was wearing the same clothes she’d been in when she’d come over to Nick’s house earlier that afternoon. Nick couldn’t believe it’d only been a few hours since he’d been staring at the TV in the attic, watching his mother move things with her mind.

“You all right?” he asked Jazz. “I shouldn’t have left you like I did.”

“Stupid boys,” she said with a sniff. “Scaring the crap out of me, like you have any right to.” And then Nick found himself with an armful of Jazz, his face in her hair. She smelled of blooming flowers, and Nick calmed a bit more. He held an arm out for Gibby, who rolled her eyes for show but came willingly. She hugged them both, and they swayed back and forth.

“So, Extraordinary, huh?” Gibby muttered against his throat, her lips on his skin. “Jazz told me.”

“Seems like,” Nick whispered back. “Though I feel really stupid now about the whole cricket-in-the-microwave thing. And the meteor thing. And the breaking into a power plant. And jumping into the river.”

“What about the Cosmo idea board? You should probably feel stupid about that too.”

Nick reared back. “That was an amazing idea board, and don’t you dare talk shit about it. I worked really freaking hard on it, and look! It worked, sort of. Hurray.”

Gibby snorted as Jazz wiped her eyes. “Jazz is right. Stupid boys.”

“Seth?” Nick asked.

Gibby and Jazz exchanged a glance. “Downstairs beating up the punching bag. We figured it was best to leave him for now.”

“He—yeah, I guess he’s pissed.”

Jazz took his hand, tugging him toward the stairs, Gibby trailing after them. “We’re gonna fix this. We’ll talk it through, and everything will be all right. You’ll see.”

“What if it’s not?” Nick asked.

To that, she had no answer.

Martha was in the kitchen, phone in her hand. She brought a finger to her lips as they peered in from the entryway. “I understand that, Aaron,” she said into the phone, and Nick closed his eyes. “But you have to see where he’s coming from. It’s just for a day or two, okay? I’ll make sure he gets to school on Monday if he’s still here.” She paused, brow furrowing. “Well, sure, if you want to drop them by, I’ll make sure he gets his medicine.” Nick’s eyes popped open, but Martha continued. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll force him to take it, especially if he’s right about where the Concentra came from and what it does. Seems to me as if you have some explaining to do. To all of us.” Dad said something else. Martha shook her head. “Regardless, if he doesn’t trust what you’re giving him—and, potentially, rightly so—why would he take it?” She flapped a dish towel at them, mouthing the word Seth.

They left the kitchen behind, heading for the basement.

Bob stood at the top of the stairs, leaning against the wall. He turned his head as they approached, nodding toward the basement. From below came the sounds of dull thuds as Seth worked out whatever was going on in his head.

“Tread lightly,” Bob said. “I’ve never seen him this keyed up. He’s angry, but I don’t think he knows at who. When we’re that upset, we lash out at whoever’s closest, even if they don’t deserve it.”

“We can handle it,” Gibby told him. “Trust me, we’re experts in the minds of idiots.”

“It comes with the territory,” Jazz agreed, and Nick couldn’t even find a reason to complain. “We won’t be weird, promise.”

“It’s only weird if you make it weird,” Nick reminded her.

“Yeah, no,” Gibby said. “It’s weird. What are the chances that three people we know personally ended up being Extraordinaries?”

“And they’re all gay,” Jazz said with a frown.

“Seth’s bisexual,” Nick said, because he’d be damned if he’d allow bi erasure, even in the face of all the ridiculousness.

“Yeah,” Bob said, patting him on the arm. “You’ll be all right. Gibby, Jazz—your parents know where you’re at?”

“They do,” Jazz said, already pulling Gibby down the stairs. “We called them on our way over. We’ll let them know if it’s going to take longer than we think.”

“Make sure you do,” Bob called after them, shaking his head. He looked at Nick. “You doing all right?”

No. Not at all.“I don’t know.”

Bob huffed, as if that was the answer he expected. “Can I give you some advice?”

“About how to not make Seth mad at me anymore? Yes, please.”

Bob chuckled. “He’ll come around. This has to do with you, Nick.”

Nick blinked. “What about me?”

“You serious about the whole being-an-Extraordinary thing?”

Nick raised his hands, wiggling his fingers. Nothing happened, but he didn’t expect it to. “I think so. I don’t know how to turn it on. Or off, when it gets going.”

Bob shrugged. “That’s how it was with Seth, at least at first. It took time for him to learn control. It takes patience and hard work. You’ll make mistakes, some bigger than others. If you’re able to forgive yourself, then you’ll be on the right path. Know your limitations, Nick. And never, ever use them against someone who doesn’t deserve it. I’ll help as best I can—as will Martha—but there’s someone more important than the two of us who needs to see and hear it from you.”

“Dad,” Nick said dully. “How can I trust him again?”

“Patience,” Bob said again. “And talking it through. If there’s two people who can do it, it’s the pair of you. You’re allowed to be furious. I’m a little pissed myself, and I can’t promise your dad and I won’t have words. But I don’t think for a minute that your dad was working for Simon Burke. He may have been allowing Burke to think so, but if Aaron told him who Pyro Storm really was, we would’ve known by now. Remember that, okay? It’ll all work out.”

Nick hoped so, but he couldn’t see how it was possible. Too many secrets, too many lies. Bob hugged him roughly before letting him go. Nick watched as he ambled toward the kitchen, where Martha was still having her say to Dad.

Taking a deep breath, he descended the stairs.

Jazz sat on the washing machine, Gibby leaning back between her legs. They both watched Seth as he attacked the punching bag, sweat dripping down his face in rivulets. He’d changed out of his Pyro Storm suit, wearing a pair of sweats and a white shirt, the back already soaked through. Seth didn’t look at Nick as he reached the bottom of the stairs, continuing to punch again and again, his fists a blur.

The room was muggy. Heat poured off Seth, though there was a distinct absence of fire.

He kept to the edges of the basement, working his way over to Gibby and Jazz. He nodded toward Seth. “He say anything?”

“Not yet,” Jazz said, snapping her gum. “Seems like he’s more interested in hitting than talking.”

Nick didn’t blame him. He also wanted to punch things, but figured it was better to keep that to himself. “Great. Super. Just what we need.” He leaned against the dryer. “How did you know to come here?”

“Got a news alert on my phone,” Gibby said. “Extraordinary activity.”

“Told her everything after you ditched me,” Jazz said primly.

Nick winced as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Yeah, sorry about that. I—” His phone was in one piece, somehow. The screen wasn’t even cracked. He panicked at the number of notifications he had: missed calls from Gibby and Dad, Dad, Dad, and Dad, followed by at least a dozen text messages from him, each sounding more frantic than the last, if the number of exclamation points indicated anything. Nick ignored them with a twinge of guilt, shoving his phone back in his pocket. “I had to get out of there.”

“What happened?” Gibby asked. “Jazz said you could …” She wiggled her fingers.

“Yeah,” Nick said, frowning. “Apparently I’m telekinetic. Who would have thought?” As quickly as he could, he filled them in on what he’d overheard, voice hardening. He’d gotten to the part about finding Pyro Storm in the alley with Miss Conduct when Seth stopped attacking the punching bag. He grabbed a towel hanging off the back of the chair and wiped his face. He didn’t look at them as he began to pace back and forth, towel trailing behind him.

“So, another Extraordinary,” Gibby said, clearing her throat. “Care to fill us in?”

Seth stopped moving and dropped the towel onto the ground. He rubbed his face with his hands, exhaling sharply. He gnawed his bottom lip—something he did when he was thinking hard. Finally, he said, “Look, I … know I should have told you all. But it wasn’t my place to tell. She found me a few weeks back. She saw what happened on the bridge with Owen. She sought me out because she didn’t want to be alone anymore. It took her a while to work up the courage, and then even longer to track me down.”

“Does she know who you are?” Jazz asked quietly.

Seth shook his head. “I don’t know her real name, or even her drag name. I’m sure I could find it, but I’m not going to. I have to respect her privacy, and I need you all to do the same.” His expression hardened. “But I don’t know how much longer that’s going to last after what happened. If the footage hasn’t made its way onto the news yet, it will soon. I’m sure Rebecca Firestone will get her hands on it.”

Nick sighed. “I’m so disappointed in all of you.”

“What?” Gibby asked, sounding offended. “What the hell did we do? We’re not the ones who kept this secret. Seth did!”

“Thanks,” Seth mumbled. “I’ve always wanted to be thrown under a bus.”

“You didn’t ask the most important questions,” Nick said, letting his displeasure fill his voice. “When one finds out about a new Extraordinary, one must ask two questions that matter above all else.”

“Are they good or evil?” Jazz asked.

“Do they want to kill us?” Gibby asked.

“Is their costume better than mine?” Seth asked, and didn’t even have the gall to look affronted when they all stared at him.

“Oh my god,” Nick muttered. “I’m constantly surrounded by incompetence. You should all be on your knees, thanking me for holding Team Pyro Storm together.” He paused, considering. “We’ll probably have to come up with a new team name now, seeing as how I can do shit now too.”

“Only one of us is gonna get on our knees for you,” Gibby said. “And I’ll give you a single guess as to who that’ll be.” She high-fived Jazz over her shoulder without even looking at her. Nick would have been impressed if she wasn’t so annoying.

He exhaled through his nose. “No. The most important questions are as follows: What is their superhero name, and what is their power? Have some self-respect.”

They all looked at Seth expectantly, even though Nick knew the answers. It was better if it came from Seth, who hesitated only for a moment. “She can turn her body into electricity. Her entire body. If there’s an electric current around, she can conduct it. But what’s more is that she can ride it. Power lines, subway rails, all of it. She can travel from one side of the city to the other in a matter of seconds.”

And that was enough of the conversation not having Nick’s input. “And her name is Miss Conduct. Get it? Because of the electricity and the drag queen. It’s genius. God, I love double entendres.”

“Yeah,” Gibby muttered, “screw whatever Nick said before about only two questions being important. I have at least a dozen more.”

Seth shook his head. “I haven’t really asked for specifics beyond that. I don’t want specifics beyond that. I still don’t know if I trust her.”

That stopped Nick cold, all the goodwill he had toward Miss Conduct flying out the window. “You think she could be”—he swallowed thickly—“like Owen? Or Smoke and Ice?”

Seth sighed. “I don’t think so.” He looked at Nick, and for a brief and shining moment, Nick felt his heart swell uncomfortably. Here was this guy, this awesome dude, obviously scared out of his mind but pushing through it. If Seth could do it, so could Nick. “I should have told you. I’m sorry. I just—I wanted to make sure of what I was dealing with before I said anything.” He took a deep breath and let it out slow. “And she—uh. She might not be the only one? There’s another Extraordinary, too, who we’ve met up with, but only recently.”

Nick wasn’t quite sure how it happened. One moment, he was leaning against the dryer, Jazz’s hand playing with his hair, and the next, he was flat on his back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. He blinked slowly as three faces appeared above him: exasperated Gibby, laughing Jazz, and concerned Seth. “What happened?” he asked weakly as Seth pulled him up.

“Who’s this other Extraordinary?” Jazz asked.

“I don’t know,” Seth said, sounding frustrated. He hadn’t let go of Nick’s hand, for which Nick was profoundly grateful, not only because it kept him upright but because it meant Seth wasn’t too pissed off at him. “I can’t even tell you their gender, though I think they’re a man because of their lack of … you know.”

“Because they don’t have boobs?” Jazz asked, amused. “You can say that, Seth. It’s not a dirty word.”

Seth flushed, and Nick did not find it adorable because the situation was serious, and he didn’t want to derail it by telling Seth he was the most perfect being who had ever existed. “Right, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. You don’t need … boobs to be a woman. Their voice is disguised, and their costume is like mine in that it covers their entire body. I can’t see their face at all because they wear a full mask. They found me and Miss Conduct a week ago. They appeared on a rooftop above us.” He shivered. “I thought they were going to attack us.”

This morning, Nick had thought Seth was the only Extraordinary left in Nova City. Now, there were at least five more, including himself. He tried to keep his excitement in check, but it was a losing battle, especially when he had the wonderfully terrible (and not at all practical) thought that he could write them into his fanfiction. He really needed to work on his priorities.

Seth frowned. “I don’t know. They’re intimidating, I guess. They didn’t say much beyond finding me for the same reason Miss Conduct did. I don’t even know how old they are. Miss Conduct is probably mid-to-late twenties, but this other Extraordinary is … I get the feeling they’re older than us.”

“What can they do?” Gibby asked. Good question. Nick would keep her around.

Seth stared at Nick unnervingly. “Since they won’t give me a name, I’ve been calling them TK because they’re telekinetic. Like you.” He hesitated. Then, “Nick, that—that wasn’t you, right?”

Nick burst out laughing. He stopped when no one else joined in. “Oh, crap. You’re serious? Hell no. Do you really think I’d be able to keep that a secret from you? I found you in a dark alley with a stranger, and I immediately blurted that I could move things with my mind! Just because they’re telekinetic, too, doesn’t … mean … oh no.”

Owen Burke’s voice filled his head. What had he said in Burke Tower in his attempted seduction of Nick? It’d been about the white pill, the one that—

The white one is off-limits. Even for you, Nicky. It’s the most unstable. It’s telekinesis. The power to move things with your mind. We can’t touch that one. According to my father’s tests, the last person who was given the white pill lost their mind.

“What is it?” Seth asked.

Nick shook his head. “It’s something Owen said about the pills his dad made. The telekinetic one was bad news.” A thought struck him, terrible and quick. “What if Simon Burke did this to them like he did to Owen? You heard Smoke and Ice. ‘Mr. Burke sends his regards.’”

“I thought of that too,” Seth said grimly. “But Miss Conduct and TK have never met Burke. Miss Conduct didn’t even know who he was.”

Nick scoffed. “Of course that’s what they’d say. They wouldn’t just come out and tell you they know each other. They’d be pretty shitty villains if they did.”

“I’m kind of with Nick on this one,” Gibby said, sounding apologetic. “Where have they been this whole time? Why come around now? You gotta admit, Seth, the timing is a little weird.”

“It’s not like that,” Seth said, jaw tightening. “We’re not teaming up or anything, and it’s not like I trust them completely.” He looked down at his hands. He had a scratch on the back of his right hand, red and slightly irritated. “They saw what happened on the bridge, like everyone else. Miss Conduct said it gave her the courage to try and find me. Same with TK.”

“Well, yeah,” Nick said. “They could be telling you what you want to hear.”

Seth jerked his head up. “Like Owen did to you? Because that sure worked, didn’t it?”

Nick flinched. He tried to tamp down on the quick flash of anger thrumming through his veins. When he spoke, he kept his words even. “You’re right. It did work, which is why I’m asking you to be careful.”

“Do they know about us?” Jazz asked. “About Lighthouse?”

“Well, Miss Conduct does because Nick told her. TK doesn’t. I was trying to keep everything compartmentalized until I could figure out what the plans was. If it wasn’t for tonight, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

“You wouldn’t have told us?” Nick asked incredulously.

“No,” Seth said, the line of his jaw twitching. “I wouldn’t have because they weren’t ready for me to. And I wasn’t either. Again, Nick, not everything is about you. We’re still feeling each other out—”

“You seemed to be feeling Miss Conduct just fine,” Nick muttered before he could stop himself.

Seth gaped at him.

Nick groaned. “Goddammit. That’s not what I meant. I don’t think—ugh, I suck. That was a stupid thing to say, I’m sorry. Ignore me. I’m being a dick.”

Seth deflated. “A little, but I can’t blame you for that, especially since I was about to tell you again that you don’t know what it’s like being this—this thing, but that’s not true anymore, is it? Because you’re part of this now, Nicky, more than you were before.” His expression softened. “Your mom, huh?”

Nick swallowed thickly. “Yeah.” It took him a moment to be able to get the next word out. “Guardian. She was Guardian.”

“And your dad knew?”

Nick nodded. “He did. And the Concentra … it was doing something to me.” A thought struck him, terrible and wonderful in equal measure. “What if I don’t have ADHD at all? What if it was only my powers manifesting themselves against the drugs?”

“Hey, Nicky?” Gibby asked. “Don’t take this the wrong way—”

“Because that’s not an ominous start or anything,” Nick mumbled.

“Yeah, well, I know you,” she said dryly. “You need a disclaimer.” She sobered, bumping her shoulder against his. “Even if you can do what you say you can, that doesn’t necessarily explain everything else. No one thinks like you do, and I mean that in the best way possible. You can have both, okay? Superpowers and ADHD.”

“You’re pretty great,” Jazz whispered into the top of Gibby’s head.

“She is,” Nick agreed, bumping Gibby’s shoulder back. “Thanks, Gibby. Maybe you’re right, but the only way I’ll know for sure is to—”

“—is to talk to your dad,” Seth finished for him.

Nick shook his head. “We need to figure out what Burke thinks he’s doing, sending Extraordinaries after us.” He looked down at the ground. “And if my dad is part of it, we need to be careful with what we say and who we trust.” He grimaced. “He went out with Gibby’s and Jazz’s parents this afternoon. Said it was just a meeting, but I know it’s really a type of support group for parents whose kids get involved in the mess we’re in. Do you think … do you think they’re in on it too?”

“No,” Jazz said immediately. “I would know. Daddy tells me almost everything, whether I want to hear it or not. If he thought your dad was doing something wrong, he’d say something. I don’t think they know anything other than what we’ve already told them.”

Nick felt a little better hearing that. But then, a little better wasn’t much in the face of betrayal. “Gibby? What about your parents?” He didn’t think for a minute Trey and Aysha would be involved in this, given how angry they were at Nick’s dad, but today had been a stupidly awful day, and he had to make sure.

Gibby didn’t answer. Nick raised his head to look at her. She was staring off into nothing, eyes slightly glazed over. Jazz rubbed the top of her smooth head. “Gibby?”

Gibby shook her head. “No, I don’t think they know anything. But—”

“But what?” Seth asked.

“We’re going to be busier than usual,” she said, as if he hadn’t spoken at all. “How long is it going to be before Nick suits up himself? And with all the new tech we have, it’s going to be more important than ever to have someone here. Multiple someones. Jazz can’t handle it on her own. Martha and Bob have done it for years. They deserve a break.”

“What are you saying?” Jazz asked.

She tilted her head back, looking up at her girlfriend. Jazz smiled down at her, confused. Gibby grinned back. “I’m saying that you all can’t do this without me. You’ll probably end up dead or captured or arrested, and I can’t have that.” She looked at Seth, then Nick. “I’m going to stay in the city next year for school. Howard is a good school. A great school. But I want to help change things here in Nova City, and I can’t do that if I’m hundreds of miles away. This isn’t just about Extraordinaries. It’s about making sure people have a voice, someone fighting for them who doesn’t have to wear a mask. And I can be that someone. I know I can.”

Guilt rolled through Nick, grating and harsh. Even as Jazz squealed and Seth squeezed Gibby’s hand, Nick said, “Gibby, you can’t make decisions about your future based on us. That’s not fair to you.”

Gibby frowned. “That was uncharacteristically mature of you, Nicky. I don’t like it.”

Jazz didn’t either, if the way she glared at Nick was any indication, but he had to get this out, even if he couldn’t believe what he was saying. “I love you. Nothing would make me happier than if you stayed in the city next year. But is this what you really want?” He shook his head. “Paths diverge. Seth, remember when you said you didn’t know if you wanted to do this forever?”

Seth nodded slowly. “I still haven’t made up my mind.”

“I know,” Nick said. “And whatever you decide, I’ll support it. But we don’t even know what I can do, and Seth doesn’t know what he will do. What if I’m just a fluke, and Seth decides to hang up his suit? What if Team Pyro Storm disbands, and Lighthouse isn’t needed anymore?” He was getting worked up again, but he couldn’t stop. “Won’t you hate us for taking this opportunity away from you?”

She didn’t say anything for a long moment, giving Nick enough time to squirm uncomfortably. He was about to push more when she lunged at him, wrapping him in a tight hug and lifting him off the ground, feet dangling. His back cracked, and he laughed as she spun him around. She set him back down, hands on his shoulders. They were almost eye-level, and Nick was hit square in the chest by how much he cared for these ridiculous people. They were his, and no one could take that away from him. Maybe things would change in the future, but here, now, they were together.

Gibby said, “I could never hate you. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, longer than any of you know. I’m doing it for me. We’re growing up. We need to start making decisions for ourselves. It’s what I want, and no matter what happens, I know I’m making the right choice. I can help. And more than that, I can be a voice for change. Besides, my parents always wanted Howard more than I ever did. I’m doing this for me.”

Jazz sniffled. “I love us. We’re the best.”

“We really are,” Seth said quietly.

And because she was Gibby, she punched Nick gently on the shoulder. “And seriously, you really think I’m gonna leave right when you’re becoming an Extraordinary? Like I would miss you doing stupid shit like exploding streetlights or getting attacked by cups.”

“It wasn’t that funny,” Nick muttered.

“It was,” Jazz said. “You and I were running screaming down the street. I’m sure it was hysterical to many, many people. Including me.” She jumped down from the washing machine and pushed her way between Gibby and Nick. She cupped Gibby’s face, thumbs brushing the skin underneath Gibby’s eyes. “You sure?”

“Completely,” Gibby said.

Jazz kissed her sweetly. Well, it started sweet, and then Gibby grunted and lifted Jazz, who wrapped her legs around her waist without breaking the kiss, and Nick groaned. He loved his girls, but he really didn’t need to hear the way Jazz gasped as Gibby mauled her face.

“What do we do now?” Seth asked him, sounding amused.

“Now?” Nick said. “Research. We need to find out everything we can about Smoke and Ice, and what Burke is up to.” He also needed to find out as much as he could about Miss Conduct and the Extraordinary only known as TK, but he kept that to himself. He couldn’t take the chance they were villains.

And then there was the matter of Guardian …

One thing at a time.

“Sounds like a plan,” Seth said as Gibby did this thing with her tongue that looked wet and disgusting, but that Jazz apparently found quite agreeable. “We also need to see what you can do.”

Nick nodded. “I like the way you think, Gray. Especially since it’ll most likely involve a montage in which I attempt to use my powers in increasingly hysterical set pieces where I try to lift a Buick or jump from the top of a building to see if I can catch myself before I hit the ground.”

Seth sighed. “That’s not what I meant at all. I swear to god, if you try and jump from a building, I’m going to—”

The basement door opened. Gibby set Jazz on her feet as Bob called down, “We have a problem.”

Martha stood in the living room, hand pressed against her throat. She looked up at them as they filed in, crowding around her, Bob bringing up the rear.

Steve Davis of Action News smiled aggressively at them from the television. “And now, to our top story tonight. A short time ago, violence erupted in the streets of Nova City with the Extraordinary known as Pyro Storm at its center. We go to Rebecca Firestone, live at the scene. Rebecca, what can you tell us about this latest attack?”

The screen switched to Rebecca Firestone standing on a sidewalk, flurries falling around her. Behind her, police vehicles lined the street, lights flashing. Beyond them, a familiar alley. Rebecca Firestone nodded solemnly. “Thank you, Steve. Earlier tonight, Pyro Storm found himself in the middle of yet another brawl that caused thousands of dollars in property damage, as well as injuries to people in Nova City. We have exclusive footage of what took place, provided to us by a concerned citizen who wishes to remain anonymous, fearing reprisal from the superpowered denizens that stalk our streets.”

Rebecca Firestone disappeared, her high-definition evil replaced by grainy cell phone video. It’d been taken from the mouth of the alley. Bright flashes of fire and ice burst across the screen, followed by billowing smoke. Pyro Storm was clear. Smoke and Ice were clear. The fourth figure, hood raised over his head, wasn’t.

Not until he raised a trash can above his head, preparing to hurl it.

The screen froze. Though it was still a bit fuzzy, it was obviously Nick.

“Oh no,” Nick whispered.

“Look at you,” Gibby said, sounding impressed. “Your workout routine finally showing some results, huh?”

Before he could answer, Rebecca Firestone said, “While we at Action News don’t typically name minors, tonight we’re making an exception. Since I know him personally, I can say without any hesitation that one Nicholas Bell was once again involved in the fray. If you’ll recall, Mr. Bell took part in the Battle of McManus Bridge, where the Extraordinary known as Shadow Star fought valiantly against Pyro Storm last fall. Many are still convinced that Shadow Star was set up by Pyro Storm, and Owen Burke, the now-seventeen-year-old behind Shadow Star’s mask, has not been seen since, nor have any charges been filed against him or Pyro Storm relating to the deaths of two Action News team members. While Pyro Storm’s motivations remain unclear even to this day, the central figure in this ongoing mystery has always been Mr. Bell. What does he know? When did he know it? What is the purpose of his inane manifesto disguised as fanfiction?”

“Inane?” Nick growled, outraged. “I don’t even know what that means!”

The screen, still stuck on Nick, zoomed in. Nick’s face was twisted in an ugly sneer, making him look like a monster. Rebecca Firestone continued. “Our attempts to speak with him over the last few months have been repeatedly stonewalled by his father, Nova City police detective Aaron Bell. Aaron Bell, who three years ago was demoted after assaulting a witness, was recently promoted to head the Extraordinaries Division, a top-secret faction of the NCPD, whose budgetary information has not been released. A spokesperson for the NCPD told us earlier this year that the funding didn’t come from taxpayers but declined to elaborate further.”

The screen cut again to a man eating a burrito, Rebecca Firestone standing next to him, microphone at the ready. “Sir, could you tell us what you saw?”

The man had guacamole on his lip. “Oh yeah. There I was, minding my own business. Just doing my thing, you know? Got off work, thinking about what to get for dinner. I was going to get Chinese, but then I saw this new Mexican place opened, and I haven’t had a burrito in a long time. I thought, You know what, Jerry? You deserve a burrito. So then I got one.” He held it up to the camera. “But it’s cold now because of Pyro Storm.”

“Exactly,” Rebecca Firestone said, ever the despicable professional. “But not only did Pyro Storm let your dinner get cold, he also destroyed cars and hurt people.”

The man nodded, crumpling the tinfoil around his burrito. “I don’t know much about that. Jerry does what Jerry does, you know? Anyway, I was walking down the street, burrito in hand, when I heard fighting. I don’t normally get involved in such things, especially when I’m hungry, but then there was fire and ice and smoke and explosions.”

“Explosions?” Rebecca Firestone asked as a chyron appeared on-screen, proclaiming PYRO STORM RUINS MAN’S DINNER WITH EXPLOSIONS. “How big were the explosions?”

“Gigantic,” Burrito Jerry said. “It sounded like bombs were going off. Things were exploding, and I thought, Jerry, you know what? You gotta get out of here. I tried to run, but then that Pyro Storm dude started riding fire, and then the others came after him, and I hid behind a 1967 Mustang. Good car. Good year.”

“What are your thoughts on Pyro Storm?” she asked.

Burrito Jerry shrugged. “Don’t know much about him. I think he’s like me, out there trying to live his best life. I get burritos; he gets to burn things. Don’t make no difference to me.”

The screen switched again, Burrito Jerry disappearing as Rebecca Firestone appeared alone in a close-up shot, looking into the camera. “An innocent bystander named Ronald Ronaldson was injured in the attack. He was taken from the scene to Nova City Memorial, where I’m told he’s currently being treated.

“I conducted a flash poll earlier tonight, asking ten people their opinions on Pyro Storm. Seventy percent said that he’s a menace on par with a domestic terrorist. Twenty percent said that he’s doing good work, but I believe there was a chance they misunderstood what I was asking. The remaining ten percent only wanted to discuss his burrito, obviously too frightened by what he’d witnessed. Troubling times for our fair city. It appears the court of public opinion has reached a verdict on Pyro Storm and found him guilty. And with me now is someone who has firsthand experience in dealing with the Extraordinary menace.”

The camera pulled back into a wide shot. And there, standing next to Rebecca Firestone, looking dapper and severe, was Simon Burke.

“Motherfu—” Nick began to snarl, only to be silenced by a glare from Martha.

“Simon Burke,” Rebecca Firestone said, “thank you for joining us.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Burke said gravely, “though I wish it was under different circumstances.”

Rebecca Firestone nodded, eyes sparkling. “Your son, Owen, was revealed by this reporter last year to be Shadow Star. Is that correct?”

“Parenting is difficult,” Burke said, breath pouring from his mouth in a white cloud. “You try to do your best for your children, but sometimes they find themselves on a path that they can’t be diverted from.” He bowed his head, as if in grief. Quite the show. “I wish I could’ve done more. Hindsight can be a terrible thing.”

“No one blames you,” Rebecca Firestone said, reaching out and squeezing his arm.

“Thank you, Rebecca,” Burke said, smiling softly. He looked directly into the camera. “Last year, I announced a new initiative in order to better understand our Extraordinary brethren. While we haven’t yet gotten the results that we’d hoped for, we’re slowly moving forward. Tonight’s events are a clear indicator of the need to know who these people are and what they can do—which is why tonight, I’m announcing a new phase in our plan, one that I hope will help other parents who may find themselves in a position like mine. I was too late to help my son, but I need to learn from his and my mistakes in order to create a better future for us all. Burke Pharmaceuticals is launching the Save Our Children campaign. If you believe that your child is exhibiting signs of abilities beyond what humans are capable of, or if they might know someone who is, you can visit SaveOurChildren.novacity and fill out the form you’ll find there. It asks for comprehensive information, which will be kept confidential. Our goal is not to curtail the superpowered, but to help them explore options that will ensure their safety and the safety of their families. Our children are our most precious resource, and we must do all that we can to help them in this newfound existence we find ourselves in. It’s becoming abundantly clear that the NCPD won’t help us, so we must do it on our own.”

Rebecca Firestone said, “Quite the impressive announcement—one I’m sure will help parents sleep better at night, knowing someone in your position cares. And while you’re here, Mr. Burke, I do have to ask: Is there any truth to the rumor you’re considering a bid to become mayor of Nova City in the next general election?”

Burke chuckled and Nick’s skin crawled. “Ah, rumors. I have nothing to announce at this current time. But when and if I do, you’ll be the first to know. Consider it an exclusive, for all the tribulations you’ve been through.”

“Wonderful,” Rebecca Firestone gushed. “Before we let you go, is there anything else you’d like to say?”

“There is,” Burke said. “I have a message for Pyro Storm and anyone who might be helping him.” His smile widened. “You think you’re doing the right thing. You think you can turn the tide. But things are already changing. I don’t blame you for what happened with Owen and Shadow Star. If anything, I’m grateful you stopped him before he could hurt anyone else. But tonight has shown me that you’re no more in control than my son was. Meet with me before someone else gets hurt. I promise you, I’ll listen and do whatever I can to help you. Come forward before it’s too late.”

“Wise words from a wise man,” Rebecca Firestone said as the camera focused back on her. “For Action News, I’m Rebecca Firestone. Back to you, Steve.”

“A damning indictment of the current state of affairs,” Steve said in the studio. “Why do people eat pickles from a barrel? The answer may shock you. Stay tuned.”