Devlin has been seen flying over New Jersey, Beth. He’s going for New York, right now.
‘Oh, crap!’
Exactly. We need to go, like right now. By the time we get there, he could be gone again. It’s now or never.
‘Damn it! His timing could not be worse.’ Beth grumbles inside my head, then growls and starts cursing him furiously.
Get everyone together, we meet at the beach. Make sure Pamela is there. I think aloud as I look around at the other kids who are looking at their papers with frowns.
I accidently-on-purpose knock a pencil off my desk.
“Oops.” I say and bend down to pick it up. As soon as I’m out of my chair, I super-speed the hell out of there. I blur through the school like a ghost. I rip the door from my locker and grab my backpack.
As soon as I’m outside I launch up without a moment’s hesitation. I see a few blurs below me as I fly towards the beach. I get changed into my costume mid-flight.
Of course, Mitchell and Pamela are already standing on the beach in their costumes. Mitchell is not wearing his helmet this time. He’s wearing a stars and stripes bandanna over his forehead with holes cut out for his eyes.
Pamela now has a costume. Dark green leather catsuit with matching gloves and boots. Her face is half covered by a black domino mask which covers her eyes, and there is black lace hanging from the bottom of it, which hides most of her face. On her flat tummy she’s sewn a large black H.
“Hi, guys.” I say as I land with a thud on the wet sand.
There’s a sound of rushing wind, then the others materialize. Paul dressed as Warlock. Stuart dressed as Volt. Beth dressed as I-Spy.
Georgia dressed as Ghost Girl, who looks very dramatic in her first costume. She’s dressed in a yellow catsuit with a yellow eye mask, and she’s wearing white lipstick. Ryan arrives dressed in an orange jumpsuit. No eye mask.
“Hustle. Get us to Central Park, New York.” I ask Pamela, and she motions for everyone to hold hands in a circle.
“Hold on tight to each other, and don’t let go.” Pamela warns us and grips my arm firmly, before grabbing Mitchell’s arm.
I hear a rather unnerving ripping sound, then everything goes black and I feel myself being sucked forward. I maintain my grip on Pamela and Beth next to me and try to remain upright. There’s a sucking noise, like water disappearing down the plug hole, then a bright flash of light. I close my eyes.
When I open them, we’re not on the beach anymore. There’s now grass underfoot, and branches are swaying in the breeze to my left. I hear some people gasp nearby, then they start hollering for people to look in our direction. I look around and see some steel skyscrapers looming above the trees to our right.
We’re here, and so is Devlin.
“Good job, Hustle.” I manage, before throwing up all over the grass.
“Nice.” Paul chuckles.
Motion sickness from teleporting. Who knew?
“Listen. Do you hear that?” Stuart asks and cocks his head to one side.
I can hear it too. Sirens, and gunshots. They sound like they’re south of our current location.
“This is it guys. Be careful. Look after each other, okay.” I say and then Mitchell takes a step forward.
“Let’s go.” Mitchell says grimly, then disappears with bang.
I launch up from the grass and fly over the trees as the others race along the footpath through Central Park. Soon I’m flying above heavy traffic down The Avenue of the Americas, with sandstone buildings on either side, making it feel like I’m flying down a pale brown corridor.
After a few seconds the buildings on either side become steel and glass, and people below are getting out of their cars.
My friends are a blur below me as we all race as quickly as we can towards the sirens, which are wailing up ahead. I climb higher and fly above the skyscrapers as I rocket toward the Hudson River.
In the distance, I hear gunshots ringing out, and oh, no, people screaming. Suddenly, a police car is hurled into the air. It’s still far away, and looks like a toy car as it flips over and over before hitting a building and falling back to earth.
I accelerate and bank to my left and make a B-Line for the ruckus. Far below, I see more people getting out of their cars and running in the opposite direction. As I clear the final building blocking my view, I see a huge bank of fog covering the entire area, at least five city blocks.
Cars below have their fog-lights on, and I can see the blue and red flashing lights of the police cars at a road block.
As I hover and take in the scene, a policeman in black uniform comes screaming up towards me. I swoop down and catch him under his arms.
“Are you hurt?” I ask as the man clings to me desperately.
“We need help. You gotta help us.” The man pleads and wipes tears from his dusty face.
“That’s why we’re here.” I tell him and descend to the fog shrouded street and lower him to the sidewalk.
“Protect yourself.” I urge him and turn around and fly slowly along the street.
I hear some big belly laughs coming from not far away. Hard to tell in this fog, but he sounds about twenty yards away. I hear a shrill scream, silence, then more laughter.
“Load the gold, you fool.” A voice sneers in the distance.
I come across a patrol car. The roof has been ripped off and the black seats are spotted with blood. I see the dim silhouette of someone to my right, then it vanishes again just as quickly. My heart is racing as I fly slowly around the area. I come across an arm holding a gun. It lies inert on the ground near a woman in a business suit. Her head lies in gory ruins.
As I hover nearer, I notice the arm ends mid-bicep.
I close my eyes. I feel bile rising up, burning my throat.
Then I hear a sniffing sound. No, not sniffing, snorting. One long inhalation.
Where is it coming from?
“Hello, Forty-Two.” I hear a smooth voice say behind me.
Twenty
I try to turn around, but something hard slams into my back, and I find myself hurtling through the dense fog sideways. I hit something hard which crunches upon impact. I press down with my left hand, and feel metal. I get up and search the fog for Devlin, but all I see is dull grey everywhere I look.
“I should thank you, really.” I hear Devlin call out from the fog. It sounds like he’s to my right, so I take off and hover to my left. “You set me free.” His voice is closer now, on my right. I fly further away and turn to face him.
“That’s funny. My intention was the opposite.” I fire back as I try to gauge his location.
I hear him laugh, then something large crashes to my right. I hear glass breaking and the sound of someone running away behind me.
“If you hadn’t shown such potential, I might have abandoned my little game.” He sounds like he’s behind me now. So I turn in the air and face him. Still just fog, though.
“Oh, that’s nice. So this is all my fault, is it?” I call out, then hover to my left.
A yellow cab flies through the air where I had just been. It vanishes into the fog, then I hear a metallic crunch and glass shattering as it hits something.
“I never wanted these powers. You forced them on me, you freak.” I spit into the murky fog.
“Ah, not just you.” Devlin smirks nearby.
I feel arms around me suddenly. I try to twist, but I can’t move. The arms are like steel, and I feel the breath being squeezed from me.
“I got her!” A man’s guttural voice calls out by my left ear.
A dark silhouette forms in the fog in front of me, and then Devlin emerges.
He’s dressed in red as usual. Long red leather overcoat, which is splashed with dark blood, red waistcoat, white silk shirt, unbuttoned, of course, and red silk pants and brown snakeskin boots.
I notice some white powder around his nose this time, though. His tanned face is flecked with spots of blood, and his hands are bloody.
He
grins, before blurring. I feel something hard slam into my face, and my head is rocked to the side.
Holy crap! That hurt.
I feel blood in my mouth, and spit it out. My vision is a little blurry now, and I see three Devlins standing in front of me. But I only hear one voice.
“I’m going to enjoy killing you, darling.”
“You hit like a girl.” I spit back, then slam my head back as hard as I can.
I connect with something hard, and I hear a satisfying crunch. The arms release their grip and I hear the guy behind me curse. I bring my left elbow back hard, then launch myself at a very angry Devlin.
Before he can move, my left shin connects with his groin, then as he doubles over, I bring my right fist up into his surprised face. My knuckles connect with his jaw, then he vanishes into the fog as I send him flying back. I turn around as I hear the other goon breathing hard as he runs at me. I wait until he gets closer, then sidestep at super-speed, and clothesline him with my right forearm. He goes down on his back and I kick him in the head.
Lights out.
As soon as he goes under, the fog begins to lift. The fog rises up, revealing some serious destruction, and bodies.
Oh, my god. Lots of bodies. The fog evaporates, then I hear the sound of rushing wind.
I spin around and see a red blur hurtling towards me. I go into super-speed and race to my right. Devlin flies by me and slams into a station wagon.
“Here,” Devlin screams, and grabs the station wagon, spins around and throws it at me.
I get the pain in my head, and I hear the ringing in my ears. But I know what’s coming. But why didn’t it warn me before?
I duck and let the car pass overhead, then look up, just-in-time to see Devlin right fist nail me in the face.
I feel my teeth rattle as I’m flung backwards. My back hits something hard, but I keep on going.
I’m covered with brick dust and masonry as I pass through a building. I emerge out the other side and fall on to my back.
“Ouch.” I complain as I rub my left cheek. It feels swollen and hurts like hell.
As I lie on the sidewalk staring up at the building as it sways above me, I see four Devlins fly over the building. They have something in their hands. They drop from the sky right on top of me. I roll over to one side before flying up towards a nearby building.
Where I had just been, a street light now lies embedded in the sidewalk.
“Oops, missed.” I sneer at him.
“Hobbits are harder to hit.” Devlin fires back as he flies up towards me. “Now, stay still, you annoying little insect.”
“Not likely.” I say, just as his eyes turn red.
What the hell?
“Aaargghhh!” Devlin growls as beams of red fire shoot from his eyes.
Holy shit!
I fly to the side, but one swift move of his head and it singes my left arm. I cry out in pain and accelerate away. I rub my shoulder and look down between my legs. He’s following, and gaining on me. His eyes flare red, and I arch my back and aim for the clouds. I accelerate until I hear the sonic boom, but I feel something burn my right foot.
“Damn you.” I call out as I look down. Devlin is only a hundred yards away. His eyes are blazing red, and he’s grinning like a maniac.
“Time to die.” I hear him call out mockingly, right before I feel blazing heat on my back.
I don’t usually feel the heat anymore, but damn, I’m feeling this alright. The straps on my backpack come loose and it falls from my shoulders.
No!
I bank to the right and loop back, just in time to see what’s left of my Chinese lucky cat backpack, burned, black and in tatters, falling to the ground. It leaves a trail of black smoke as it falls from the sky.
“You son of a bitch!” I scream as I propel myself at Devlin.
I hear the first sonic boom right before I reach him. I power my right palm across his smug tanned face, right across his left cheek.
There’s a satisfying thunderclap when my hand makes contact, then I’m clutching my hand as Devlin is sent spinning away.
Damn, I hope that hurt him as much as it hurt me.
I take a moment of silence for my fallen backpack, then look up as Devlin rights himself and glares at me with his burning red eyes.
Time to see how agile he is.
“Come and get me, cream puff.” I yell at him, then pitch forward and fly headfirst toward the clouds.
I can hear him behind me. The wind is whipping his long leather coat behind him, making a slapping sound.
He sounds like he’s about a hundred yards behind me, and closing. I accelerate. First sonic boom, then after a few seconds the next sonic boom. I still hear the slapping sound behind me, but farther away now. I’m through the clouds now, and the island of Manhattan is clearly visible. I can see all of the bridges that connect it to the surrounding boroughs. The Atlantic is on my right, so I twist in the air until I’m facing Liberty Island.
I’m still hurtling towards the ground like a missile, and the buildings are looking bigger and bigger.
As I make out a dented yellow cab resting on its side, and can even read the sign on the door, I make my move.
I roll forward on to my back, fly as hard as I can back up at an angle, just as Devlin streaks by right in front of me.
Before he realizes that I am no longer in front of him, I fly up behind him and slam both fists down on the back of his head, as hard as I can.
I stop and hover in the air, around a hundred feet up, and watch with glee as Devlin cries out and slams into the asphalt. His impact is greeted by a mighty boom and a shower of concrete and dirt.
I lower myself to the street and lean against a wrecked police car. My leg and arm are hurting. It feels like really bad sunburn.
I don’t even want to touch those areas just yet. I take deep breaths while I wait for my heart to come back down from my throat.
Beth? Where are you guys? I think as loudly as I can.
‘Sorry. Kind of busy right now. Where are you?’ Beth’s husky voice replies in my head quickly.
I look around me while I take deep breaths.
I’m still dizzy from my little stunt, but all I see are grey skyscrapers, some sandy colored buildings and some red bricked buildings that look vaguely familiar.
Beth, I’m in New York. I reply in my head.
‘Ouch, damn it.’
Where are you? I think loudly.
‘Near the Federal Reserve. Follow the screams.’
“Hey, are you alright?” A guy’s voice asks hesitantly behind me.
I turn and smile half-heartedly at the man. He’s standing behind the wrecked police car I’m leaning against. Must have been hiding behind it, I guess.
“I’ll live.” I say and rub my arm.
“Oh no you won’t.” I hear Devlin’s threatening voice call out from the crater in the street.
“You better hide.” I tell the guy, then turn my attention back to Devlin. I hear the guy’s quick footsteps as he runs away behind me.
Devlin rises slowly from the crater. His clothes are torn and covered in dirt, and his hair is filthy and covers his eyes. But I can already see them burning red.
I quickly turn, grab the police car by the window and rear wheel arch, raise it and hold it in front of me like a shield.
I can hear the heat blast hitting the car, making a scratching noise. The car is being pushed toward me from the blast, making my arms buckle.
The rear car door begin to glow blood red, right in front of me.
Oh, crap.
I tighten my grip on the police car, then take a deep breath. I lunge to my left, pivot on my left foot, spin and hurl the burning car directly at Devlin.
I immediately launch myself at him as fast as I can in the short distance I have, and pull my right arm back. The car gets swatted to one side, but as Devlin turns back to face me, he finds my right palm powering towards his face.
Boom!
&n
bsp; He goes hurtling backwards in a shower of dirt and dust.
I don’t mind the pain now. It’s so worth it.
He slams against a red bricked building with a thud and a crack. I grab a streetlight and rip it from the sidewalk, then take off after him. He sees me coming and takes to the skies.
“Where you going? I got something for you.” I shout after him as I raise the streetlight like a hockey stick.
Devlin keeps flying toward a very tall building, which looks like it’s mostly glass, and I start to see more people up ahead. He passes the glass skyscraper without looking back, but I do see his head tilt down every now and then.
I see him swerve to the right up ahead and disappear behind a building. I ready the streetlight and slow down as I get closer. I accelerate and zoom out past the building and hover over the street with my streetlight at the ready.
He’s not here.
I spin around in the air, searching for him. There he is. I see his dirty shoes flying away over some old looking buildings. The sunlight reflects off of the white stonework, causing glare. I take off after him, and have to squint, but I can still see Devlin’s dirty shoes up ahead. He’s at least a mile away by now, so I accelerate and try to catch up. I soon fly over the bronze charging bull, and begin to climb so I can get a better view of where he’s going. I see him bank to the left and fly toward two square pools.
Cosmic Girl: Looking For Trouble: superhero series for young adults - Book Two Page 15