by TJ Klune
Nick fell back, lip split, blood arcing as he collapsed backward to the floor, bright lights flashing before his eyes. He heard someone shout his name, but it was faint, negligible. He felt like he was underwater, moving slowly. His limbs were heavy. He wanted to close his eyes. Sleep, maybe. Forget about all of this. Everything hurt, but it was fading, fading. He closed his eyes.
And then a hand gripped his throat, jerking him up. He was spun around, his eyes unfocused. He coughed, blood dribbling down his chin.
“Oh,” Smoke whispered in his ear. “This is familiar, isn’t it? Yes. We’ve been here before.”
Nick’s vision began to clear. And when he saw what lay before him, his heart sank to his feet.
Pyro Storm, standing in the middle of the cafeteria, fire moving around him in hot waves.
Ice, on the other side of the cafeteria, in a similar position. Only instead of a stranger on the street, he held a girl, a kid from their school. She was crying, her makeup streaking. It took Nick a moment to place her. Megan. Megan Ross, the one in charge of the prom committee who had tried to get Nick to bring Pyro Storm.
“Let them go,” Pyro Storm commanded, though the implied threat was undermined when his voice broke. “Don’t hurt them.”
“We can,” Smoke said. Then, raising her voice, “Don’t move. You stop right there.”
Nick turned his head to see Trey and Miles holding Dad back, his face stricken as he demanded they let him go, let him go right now. Mateo stood in front of the largest group of kids, trying to herd them toward the exits. Jazz and Gibby were next to their parents. Martha was holding Bob up, wiping a trickle of blood off his forehead. Rebecca Firestone was still there, still recording, standing near the back of a smaller group of students.
His team.
They did good.
Whatever happened next, they did good.
(Except for Rebecca Firestone. She could suck it.)
“Who will you save?” Ice taunted him, shaking Megan, her head snapping back and forth.
“Oh, come on,” Nick snarled as he struggled against Smoke’s hold on him. “Are you freaking kidding me? You know what? Screw all of you. Hey, Pyro Storm!”
Seth turned toward him, tense and afraid. Nick didn’t need to see all of his face to know that. There was only one way to make this better.
Nick bared his teeth in a ferocious grin and said, “I love you.”
And oh, how Seth smiled. Not Pyro Storm. Not the Extraordinary. Seth. The boy from the swings. The boy who wore chinos and sweaters and bow ties. The boy who Nick thought hung the moon and the stars. The boy whose glasses got fogged up when it was too cold outside. The boy who Nick thought the world of, the boy who Nick would do anything for.
He said, “I love you too. Always.”
“Hell yeah, you do,” Nick said. He turned his gaze to Ice, glaring at him. “Let her go, you dumbass. She’s innocent!”
And then Megan stopped crying, as if a switch had flipped inside her. Something crossed her face, something that sent a chill down Nick’s spine. “Bullshit,” she spat. “I’m not that innocent.”
“Holy shit,” Nick breathed. “That was a catchph—”
Megan brought her leg up, her sparkly high heel catching the light. She brought it back against Ice’s shin. The Extraordinary bellowed in pain, letting Megan go. She stumbled forward as Pyro Storm shouted, “Nick! Backflip of Chaos!” He hurtled toward Ice as Megan fled.
You want to learn to fight, you’ve got to prepare for anything. Help won’t always come. How do you get free?
I don’t know.
Here, a weak point. Use enough force, and you might be able to get them to loosen their grip on you.
With a strength he didn’t know he was capable of, Nick brought his arm up and shoved it back as hard as he could, elbow smashing into Smoke’s side. Smoke exhaled explosively in his ear. Without giving her the chance to recover, Nick jerked his body forward as hard as he could, the muscles in his back protesting angrily. As he bent over, he grabbed the hand around his throat and yanked, lifting Smoke up and over Nick. It happened so quickly, she didn’t have time to react. She hit the ground hard, grunting as her breath was knocked from her chest. Nick cocked his fist back, ready to let it fly right in her stupid face. Never, ever hit a woman, unless she’s a villain controlling smoke, crashing a prom, and ruining what should have been a perfect night.
She vanished, and Nick punched the floor. He howled and jumped back, shaking his hand. “Son of a bitch. What the frick. Ow, ow, ow. Oh my god, I hate you so, so much. Why won’t you freaking die already?”
She re-formed in front of him and backhanded him across the face. Nick was thrown backwards, skidding through water until he stopped at the feet of Jazz and Gibby. They helped him up just in time for him to see Pyro Storm locked in battle with Ice, steam hissing.
And then they began to lose.
Ice grabbed Pyro Storm by the arms, spinning on his heels, flinging him away. Before Pyro Storm could course correct, Smoke was there, jumping up and bringing her elbow down on Pyro Storm’s chest, smashing him to the floor, which cracked upon impact. Nick screamed for him, struggling against the hands holding him back. Pyro Storm lifted his head, mouth bloodied, but then Smoke kicked him in the stomach. Pyro Storm curled in on himself, trying to make himself smaller, but Smoke continued to kick him over and over, Pyro Storm’s mouth leaking blood.
Nick pulled free as Ice put his hands back on Pyro Storm, one on his right thigh, the other on his left ankle. The scream Pyro Storm let out knocked Nick’s breath from his chest as ice spread along Pyro Storm’s front, freezing his body.
Nick charged, the only thought in his head was to kill, kill, kill before they killed Seth.
Someone ran next to him. He looked over.
Mateo, a furious sneer on his face, electricity crackling.
Except Ice lifted his head. He stood slowly. He smiled.
And then, almost quicker than Nick could follow, he punched the floor. The tile split apart as thick walls of ice burst up around them. The last Nick saw of Pyro Storm—Seth—was Smoke kicking him viciously. And then they were lost behind the ice.
“No!” Nick cried, smashing his hands against the ice. “No! Let him go!”
No use. The ice was too thick.
Ignoring everyone shouting around him, Nick pressed his hands flat against the ice, gritting his teeth, trying to find the spark, the pressure, the pain, something to call upon his powers. But his mind was a storm. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t focus. He had failed, and Seth was suffering because of it. Seth, who only wanted to keep people safe. Seth, who never hurt anyone.
Seth, Seth, SethSethSethSeth—
A loud crash from above.
Nick raised his head, as if in a dream.
The ceiling of the cafeteria cracked, then broke apart, the pieces floating in air as the night sky appeared above them, the stars blinking coldly. Then the stars were blotted out by a figure appearing through the hole in the ceiling.
His costume was the same as it’d been before, black and bulky, the front of his helmet opaque. The large sections of broken ceiling swirled around him as he lowered to the ground. Once his feet hit the floor, he turned his head slowly toward Nick. And though he couldn’t see his face or eyes, Nick knew he was looking right at him.
“How did you know?” Nick whispered, a tear trickling down his cheek.
TK said, “I’ve been watching. You wanted a lesson? You’ve got one.” He held out his hand toward Nick.
Without hesitating, Nick took what was offered. TK pressed Nick’s hand against the ice.
“Nicky!” he heard his father cry, but it was so far away.
“Focus,” TK whispered, hand on top of Nick’s. “Feel it. It’s there; I know it is. You know it is. Hold tight. It’ll try and break free, overtake you, but it’s part of you and you can control it. It’s yours. And remember: it’s easier to stand together than it is to struggle apart. Now push.”
The spark pulsed once. Twice.
In his mind, Nick opened his eyes, and then his hand.
The spark floated above his palm. It rose a few inches above his hand, near his face. It moved forward, brushing against the tip of his nose before it began to vibrate. It shook and trembled, and then it sank down to his hand.
Into his hand.
Warmth like Nick had never experienced barreled through him, covering every inch of him with a prickly heat. It wasn’t comfortable, but the further it spread, the more it merged with him, the easier it became. His. It was all his. He didn’t need it to be extraordinary, but there it was, all the same.
In the ruins of the cafeteria, he opened his eyes, looking at TK’s gloved hand pressed against his. The ice was cold, water sluicing against his palm.
And then he pushed. He felt when TK did the same, and it felt like music, harmonious and strong. A wave of energy rose through Nick, meeting one that came from TK. It was familiar, synchronous, and for a moment, Nick thought of a lighthouse, the cold, salty air.
The ice shattered. All of it shattered with a mighty crack, the ice wall turning into powder, falling like heavy snow.
And through the remains, Ice and Smoke, standing above Pyro Storm, battered and bloodied.
Still holding TK’s hand, Nick moved forward, ice particles trailing against his face. Smoke’s eyes widened as Nick pushed again. The air around them stuttered before Smoke was knocked off her feet, sliding along the ground. Ice shouted for her but was cut off when Nick stared at him. He jerked his head to the right, and Ice crashed into the ground next to his twin.
Letting go of TK, Nick rushed toward Seth, who was pushing himself up off the ground as he spat out a thick wad of blood.
“Nick,” Seth muttered as Nick helped him up. “You … thank you.”
“We’re getting out of here,” Nick told him, putting an arm around Seth’s waist. “We need to—”
“Look out!” TK shouted.
A column of smoke burst between them, knocking them away from each other. Seth crumpled to the ground, head bouncing off the floor. Nick landed on his back, blinking up at the hole in the ceiling. The stars looked brighter than he could remember. The metal struts in the ceiling hung uselessly, and as he pushed himself up, his hands slipped in the water on the floor.
Water.
Smoke.
Ice.
Metal.
Fire.
His eyes widened. “Oh my god,” he whispered. “I just had a terrible idea.”
He jumped up, rushing toward TK, who stood his ground against an onslaught of ice being flung toward him. Nick almost slid into him but managed to stop before he crashed. “I need you to trust me,” he hissed as TK broke another wave of ice.
TK didn’t hesitate. “Whatever you’re thinking, do it and do it now.”
Nick lifted his head, taking a deep breath. He turned, pressing his back against TK’s, letting the Extraordinary handle the attack so he could focus. He let his breath out slow and raised his hands toward the ceiling.
He pushed.
Nothing happened.
Again.
Nothing.
“Come on,” he muttered. “Come on.”
Nothing. It didn’t work. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t—
“Nick!”
He looked toward the sound of his name.
Dad, near a pair of doors, pushing kids out and into safety. Dad took a step toward him, chest heaving. “You’ve got this!” Dad shouted at him. “You can do it.”
Nick grinned. “Damn right I can.”
He stretched his hands higher and pushed again. This time, the metal struts above him began to move from side to side, creaking and groaning. He ground his teeth together as the pressure built in his head, but it wasn’t as big as it used to be. It didn’t hurt. It felt good, and at least a dozen struts of varying lengths broke off in a metallic shriek. They hovered near the ceiling, wobbling until they smoothed out.
Nick stepped out from behind TK, hands still raised in the air.
Smoke and Ice stood side by side.
Nick said, “I’m about to show you why you never fuck with queer people.” He dropped his hands quickly, slapping them against his legs.
The struts hurtled toward the ground, the air whistling around them. The first struck the floor in front of Smoke, breaking through the tile, standing upright and quivering. Then another. Then another. Then another, slamming into the ground again and again, surrounding Smoke and Ice, who snarled angrily. The last strut hit the floor. Smoke and Ice were surrounded by metal bars, most of which still shook from the impact.
“This will not hold us,” Smoke said.
“You have lost,” Ice said, taking a step toward them, feet sliding through the water on the floor.
Nick rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, do you ever shut up?”
Smoke began to dissipate, moving to pass through the bars.
Ice gathered the air around him, another spike forming above his head.
Nick startled when Jazz and Gibby appeared on either side of him. “Pyro Storm!” Gibby shouted. “Miss Conduct! Hit them with all you’ve got!”
“TK,” Jazz said. “Nick. Hold those struts in place. Don’t let them move.”
Without hesitation, Nick and TK raised their hands toward the struts. The symphony rose between them again, and the struts quivered before sinking further into the floor with a loud crack.
Ice and Smoke screamed as a tornado of fire rose around them in a roar, the heat immense, causing the metal struts to flash molten hot, the spike of ice shattering and hissing as the water splashed to the floor. Lightning arced down the metal bars, striking the water. Ice began to seize as electricity coursed through him, limbs stiff, head rocked back.
The column of smoke was halfway through the metal bars when they were struck by the combined powers of Nick and TK, Pyro Storm and Miss Conduct. The smoke began to shudder as it morphed into a roiling ball of black. It tried to force itself through the struts, but Nick ground his teeth together as he forced the struts closer together. The ball of smoke pulled back abruptly before it battered against the struts, causing them to creak and groan, but it was already too late. The moment it touched the metal, the ball re-formed into a woman, and she screamed as she was electrocuted. Nick wanted to push harder, make them regret hurting his friends, his family, his people. Kill them both for—
“No,” Gibby whispered near his ear. “Let it go, Nicky. Just let it go.”
And so he did.
The fire and electricity snapped and snarled before it flickered out, leaving only dark wisps and the smell of burnt air. Smoke and Ice stood for a moment longer before they both collapsed inside the metal prison. For a moment, Nick thought he’d gone too far, that they’d killed them both, but then Ice groaned, eyes fluttering, and Smoke’s chest rose up and down, up and down.
Nick collapsed to his knees, strength draining from him as Jazz and Gibby hugged him tightly. His body hurt and his head felt like it was splitting in half. Panic was there, along the edges, reaching for him, ready to pull him under. But Jazz and Gibby were there, telling him to breathe in, breathe out. Again, Nicky. In. Out. In and out. He took their strength and held it close, the vise grip on his lungs eventually loosening as his vision cleared.
“You did good, kid,” a voice said, and Nick and Jazz and Gibby looked up.
TK stood above them, his helmet reflecting Nick’s tired face back at him. TK looked like he was going to reach for Nick but took a step back instead, hand curling into a fist. His chest heaved
.
“Yeah,” Nick said tiredly. “Thank you. For coming. For being here. For trusting me.”
TK nodded but didn’t speak.
A memory, flitting about Nick’s head like a little bird. He blinked slowly. “You said—you said that it’s easier to stand together than it is to struggle apart. Where did you hear that?”
But TK didn’t answer. Someone called Nick’s name, and he turned his head to see Dad running toward them, a terrified expression on his face. Gibby’s and Jazz’s parents were doing the same, their daughters rising to their feet and going to meet them halfway. Nick looked back to TK only to see the Extraordinary rising above him, arms spread like wings. Just as he disappeared through the hole in the ceiling, Dad lifted Nick up, holding him close, his face buried in Nick’s neck. Nick’s feet barely touched the floor, and he said, “Dad, I’m okay. I swear.”
If anything, Dad squeezed him tighter. “Let me have this.”
Beneath the tough exterior, Dad was nothing but a marshmallow, so Nick allowed it. And if he shed a tear or two of relief, well, that was just between them. Close. It’d been so close again.
But that was the life of a hero, Nick knew. Danger was always going to be part of being an Extraordinary.
Dad finally set Nick down, cupping his face, searching for what, Nick didn’t know. “Who was that?” Dad asked in a hushed voice.
“TK,” Nick said, turning his face in his father’s hands. “He’s … like me.”
Something crossed Dad’s face, something that looked like hope mixed with grief. Nick didn’t understand. “He? Who is he?”
“Don’t know. Never seen him outside of his costume. He’s—”
“Nick!”
He pulled out of his dad’s arms and turned toward his friends. They rushed toward him, Seth and Jazz and Gibby all shouting incoherently. Then Seth was in his arms, kissing his mouth and cheeks and chin and forehead. Gibby jumped on Seth’s back, legs wrapped around his waist, fists pumping in the air, Seth taking a hard step back to keep from falling. Knees weak, Nick slumped to the floor again in front of them, Jazz’s hand tugging on his hair as she smiled down at him. “You did it.”