Hunter’s finger drew a blue line across the screen, moving from the main street to one of the side streets and around in a large square. “If you can lead him into the alleys, you’ll have a better chance of boxing him in as well as limiting the amount of material he can kick up. There’s still bedrock under the few inches on the surface. If he gets hold of that, he’s going to rock your world in a bad, nasty way.”
“I’m hoping to find some way to break those damned fingers of his if I can’t get a clear shot.” I wriggled mine in the air to illustrate my point. “Painful for him, but I can live with crippling the bastard if it shuts him down.”
“I’d love to shake his hand,” Steve growled. “Take care of that right fast.”
“The surrounding terrain is pretty good if you need to go out of town.” Hunter’s finger moved around the map. “There’s a small forest to the north and a few abandoned silver mines, just so you know. But don’t let him pull you into a ground fight—that’s his strength. Keep flying as much as you can, keep him moving. Keep him from stopping and putting his hands to the ground to search out the rock flaws, pull up a hunk to toss at you. Once you get outside of the town you won’t have the sand and gravel to cushion any falls and he won’t have to work as hard to get a quake going.” Hunter drew a large orange circle around the entire town. “Steve, keep hopping from rooftop to rooftop—they should take your weight without any problem, so don’t worry about falling. Get the high ground and make Lamarr chase you around. It’ll make it hard for him to stop and concentrate on yanking something up out of the ground. Peter, consider calling in as many little friends as you can. Maybe get some beetles to nip at Lamarr’s balls or something.”
Peter let out a laugh. “It’s on my list.”
“And Hammond? Any ideas how to beat her?” Steve glanced at the image. “If she starts tossing twisters at me, I’m not going to be able to do much.”
“If she does, grab onto something and hold tight,” I answered. “Call for help, and I’ll come around and see if I can blast through to take her out.”
Hunter nodded. “You’ll have trouble if she incorporates debris into her personal windstorm. If she adds wooden beams and metal pipes she’ll have a flying fortress you may not be able to get through. Not without having the flesh stripped from your bones.”
I resisted the urge to slap him across the back of the head for being too honest. “Well, let’s not let her get that far. And don’t extrapolate too much.” I tapped the small screen. “She’s still learning how much power she has. She might not think of these things.”
“But her boss might. And Lamarr,” Peter replied.
“Then we’ll improvise. Worked for us before. We’ve saved the world once, we can do it again.” I could feel my blood pressure rising, something I didn’t need to have happen before the battle. “Now, unless anyone has any objections, I think we should grab some rest before we get there.” I nodded to Hunter. “Works for you?”
“Affirmative, great leader.” He reached over with his thumb and rubbed the left side of my mouth. It came away covered with mustard. “Let me talk to the pilots for a second and I’ll come tuck you all in.”
So much for my badass command image.
I put the seat back and closed my eyes, trying not to think about anything. Which meant, of course, that I thought about everything.
“You going to be okay with this? If you have to do it?” Hunter murmured into my ear. I didn’t have to ask what “it” was.
“Going to have to be.” I kept my eyes closed. “I don’t have a choice. He made it for himself.”
“Okay.” His hand landed atop mine. “As long as you know that he chose this.”
“That’s why I assigned Rachael to Peter and Steve,” I whispered. “No one should carry this responsibility but me. I’m the leader, it’s my decision and my job.”
“Just don’t forget about the rest of us.” He squeezed my hand. “Remember the first rule. Doesn’t just apply on the battlefield.” His tone told me there was more about Hunter Dillon than I knew, beyond the super and the Guardian.
Hopefully I’d live long enough to dig all of his secrets out.
I woke to Hunter’s hand on my cheek, his fingers stroking my skin. For a brief second I wallowed in the warmth, the gentle touch.
“We’re about ten minutes out from the airport. Jessie pulled some more strings. We’re on priority to land.”
I blinked away the sleep in my eyes and sat up. He handed me another large sandwich, the Montreal smoked meat hanging off each side.
“Don’t make me call David and tell him you left this behind.” The accusing tone brought a smile to my face, despite the circumstances.
“Thank you. Where are the others?” I bit into the rye, the thin spicy meat slices simmering on my tongue.
“Just waking up. I got them before I came here. Steve’s doing a bit of quiet time, and Peter’s chatting with his friends in the air. It’s hot, damned hot.” He pushed a bottle of water at me, the condensation on the sides of the plastic container dripping onto the floor. “Drink. And another. I don’t want you fainting because of dehydration. It’s a dry heat out there, and you’ll be parched before you know it.”
“Yes, sir.” I gulped down half the bottle with another bite. “I assume you’re doing the same with the fellows. Steve’s metabolism has got to be as bad as mine.”
“To a degree. But you’re still using up more energy with your powers.” Hunter looked towards the front of the plane. “And he’s not flying two supers into a battle zone.”
“You’re worried about them.” I drained the bottle and handed it back to him.
“I worry about all of you. It’s my job.” Hunter leaned forward and kissed the tip of my nose. “Now get your head in the game.” He shoved another water bottle into my hand as I fought to keep the sandwich together. “And keep drinking. When you finish that, get at least one bagel into you.”
I watched him head for the front of the plane and the other two supers, cradling four bottles and the computer tablet in his arms. He did have the cutest tight ass, looking even better in black leather.
Head in the game, indeed.
We landed at McCarran without incident. No reporters banging on the chain-link fence, no media trucks setting up for a satellite feed. We’d managed to make it under the radar, and I wanted to keep it that way. The last thing we needed were civilians wandering into the fight looking for a good YouTube video shot and becoming either casualties or hostages to Lamarr’s anger.
As soon as we exited the plane I held out my gloved hands. A bead of sweat ran down my back, under the leather jacket and the white T-shirt. I wasn’t sure if it was from nerves or from the heat, but it itched like crazy. The goggles’ dark lenses gave everything a subdued look, like I was riding inside someone’s black-and-white dream.
There was a light buzzing in my ears, as if a hummingbird had decided to ride on my shoulder. I put it down to a combination of nerves and the enhancements built into my jacket and pants.
I prayed I wouldn’t faint.
“No harness?” Peter grinned as he moved up beside me and took my left hand. The black goggles made him look very geeky. “There’s no sign of the terrible two yet, according to the locals. But that doesn’t mean they’re not nearby and just hidden.”
“Lamarr and company know all about us.” I squeezed his hand. “But we’re full of surprises. Don’t tell me you don’t have something up your sleeve.”
He shrugged, but there was a whisper of a smirk. “I’m working on it. Let’s just say it’s a matter of communication and coordination.”
“Just keep me and Hunter informed. Steve?” I waved my empty hand, motioning for him to join us. “Time to take it to the streets.”
Steve lined up on my right, fidgeting with the collar of his jacket. “Damn.” He fiddled with his goggles, shifting them on his face. “I hate these.” His bald head already had a light sheen of moisture on it, running over an
d under the black elastic band keeping the goggles on his head. “Never liked sunglasses in the first place.”
“You’ll hate it more if you get sand in your eyes,” Hunter countered. He stood in the narrow shadow of the plane.
“Think of it this way—maybe it’ll start a whole new fashion trend,” I quipped as I pushed the dark plastic frames farther up the bridge of my nose. A sliver of fear wedged itself in my mind—one of my many nightmares was about going blind. Given the people I was going up against could spin air and toss mountains, it was a definite possibility.
It had to be a hundred degrees, and we were wearing black leather and already sweating. A cunning plan, for sure. They don’t tell you about this in the comics. I wondered who they’d cast in the made-for-television movie if the whole story ever got out.
“Hey,” Hunter shouted. “Get your head in the game, Jo.” He could see my attention wandering off.
I gave my head a shake, feeling the elastic from the goggles rub against me, tangling in my blonde hair. “I’m there.”
It felt odd in a good way when I charged up, sucking in the electromagnetic waves from around us. I exhaled, feeling the leather armor against my chest. Damned uniform was making me feel more like a super and less like a poser.
About fricking time, I imagined Mike saying. I allowed myself a private inner smirk.
I nodded towards Hunter. He looked down at the tablet in his hands and then up at us.
“We’re good.” He gave us a thumbs-up. “I’ll be here. Call me, beep me, listen to me.”
I smiled. “We will. See you later.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. My grip tightened on the two men beside me.
“Yes.” His eyes locked with mine through the dark glass. “I will.”
I couldn’t speak anymore, so instead I rose into the air, pulling the boys with me. We shot up as high as I dared to keep clear of the incoming air traffic, and then cut to the west, heading for the training site. Within a few minutes we’d left the Strip behind, the only signs of civilization the odd dirt road running below us.
“Damned hot,” Steve growled as we flew. “I’m sweating like a pig. So much for all the scientific crap in this jacket.”
Peter squirmed a bit. “Any chance for a bathroom break before we get into the fight? I went on the plane, and, well, Hunter made me drink a lot of water too.” Out of the corner of my eye I could see his face turning scarlet.
“Sure. The town’s right there and nary a sign of Lamarr.” I nodded down and to our left where the small town sat, a blueprint of lost dreams in the middle of the desert. “Any reports from your friends?”
Peter shook his head. “I’m trying to link up with them, but they’re a bit shy. They don’t have a lot of contact with humans, other than when we race through here and make a ruckus.” He chuckled. “The ants are complaining about the earthquakes when we fight. Seems they were enjoying the peace and quiet.”
“Tell them there’s a whole lot of quaking coming up and to save their queen and we’d appreciate their help,” I responded. “Just stay frosty.”
A lump rose in my throat as we approached the town. The last time I’d been here it’d been more of a fun game of tag, Mike chasing me between buildings and through them, showing off how much control he had over his suit, spinning around on a dime while I flew right by, skidding and stuttering in midair. We’d agreed on a tie and snuck into one of the abandoned mines nearby for a quickie, flying to Vegas afterwards for a moonlit dinner. The technicians responsible for taking Mike’s suit off had complained about some of his armored panels being loose, their faces red with embarrassment as they realized what we had done.
Now I’d come here prepared to kill.
The lump moved south and morphed into a ball of nausea swirling in my belly, butting heads against the mountain of food fueling my system. I’d forced down two of the bagels after the rest of the sandwich, leaving the other two for the return trip. I couldn’t eat another bite, and my fuel tank was at F and then some.
We landed at the edge of the settlement. The wooden buildings leaned against each other for support against a stiff wind battering both them and us, the sand whipping around us in mini-funnels. The gravel crunched under my feet, small pebbles twisting every which way.
“Back in a second,” Peter huffed as he sprinted towards the first semi-solid structure and ducked out of sight. I couldn’t help chuckling at his plight.
“I’m cutting his feed for a few minutes,” Hunter sang into my ear. “There are some things I really don’t need to be kept aware of.”
Steve laughed. “Sounds like you’re envious.”
“Had the same thing happen to me in my first battle.” I tried to sound nonchalant as if we did this every day, chasing down rogue supers. “Almost pissed myself waiting for the live feed. Mike insisted I stay on camera, said the twitching made me look sexier.” I wrinkled my nose. “I think not.”
The sand whirled around my feet, picking up momentum with each second. My pulse hammered in my ears. This was more than just an errant breeze kicking around.
“Jo,” the panicky voice in my ear rang out. “They’re…” The words dissolved into a roaring.
“Pet…” I only got the first syllable out before Peter flew by us, his arms flailing in the air, to disappear behind another building. A resounding crash and a yelp came from his direction.
Yep. All going according to plan. Theirs, however, not ours.
“Hunter,” I screamed as I sprinted towards Peter. “Get online and get it in gear.”
Steve shouted behind me but I ignored him, half-flying, half-running out into the intersection.
Something clicked in my ear, maybe a word or a curse, but I wasn’t listening. Instead I skidded to a stop in the middle of the street, facing Brian Lamarr.
The bastard crouched down, his hands already pressed into the thin sand. He looked up at me and grinned. He wore a leather jacket, jeans and a large backpack as if he’d been on a Boy Scout camp out. Sweat rolled down his face, however, and he looked a little nauseous. His fingers twitched in the soil, scrabbling through the pebbles and sand.
“Guess you thought you’d get the jump on us.” He laughed in spite of the pained expression on his face.
“Guess I was wrong.” I pushed my feet up off the sandy soil just an inch. Not enough for him to notice, if I were lucky. “You made pretty good time.”
“Got me a good filly to ride—and we weren’t so far away.”
A woman stood nearby, behind Lamarr and off to one side, in the building’s shadow. She bit down on her lower lip as she stared at us. Her new swollen black eye told me all I needed to know about their relationship. Her jeans were torn and ripped, her red blouse almost threadbare in places, reminding me of street kids I’d seen in Toronto—hungry for everything, including love. She shivered as she looked at me. The same deep blue eyes I’d seen briefly in Vegas were now bloodshot and fearful.
She wasn’t the bad guy here. She was just another victim. Someone I had to save.
“Rachael.” I spoke directly to her, bypassing Lamarr. “Rachael—you don’t have to do anything he says. You’re free to do what you want.”
Her mouth opened, but before she could say anything the ground trembled, the pebbles and sand kicking up against the soles of my feet.
“Don’t talk to her. Talk to me,” Lamarr sneered, the sweat dripping off his face. “After all, I’m the last voice you’re going to hear, bitch.”
“I doubt that.” I flung up my left hand and fired at his head, saving my right-hand charge for a follow-up.
A jagged boulder shot up between us and absorbed the blast, sand and gravel blasting out in all directions. The sparks bouncing off the rock looked darned pretty. Would have been great for the camera. Of course, then Lamarr would fall to the ground and let me step on his chest to give out a Tarzan yell.
Didn’t think it was going to go like that today.
“Nice try,” Lamarr shouted. �
�Want to play catch?”
He let out a wheezing noise and grunted, sounding like he was constipated. A fresh chunk pried itself out of the ground and flew upwards. The effort to dig down and work the solid rock out of the messy soil was taking a lot out of him.
At least one part of my plan was working.
“Push it, Rachael,” he roared. “Crush the bitch.”
She pulled her hands up from her sides and made a gesture towards the falling rock. I could see the small air eddies shooting from her fingers, manipulating the element into a force to be reckoned with.
The rock wavered a few feet above the ground before flying towards me. I pushed myself to one side as quickly as I could, hoping to sidestep the boulder, but she was fast, too fast for me to react to.
My feet felt like I was swimming in syrup. The rock charged towards me, the jagged obelisk changing direction ever so much to follow me.
I tossed up my right hand, already grabbing waves for another shot with my left. Electromagnetic charges didn’t deflect objects well, that’s why I’d been paired with Metal Mike. If I was lucky, I’d be able to push it slightly to one side before it hit me.
“Denied.” Steve stepped in front of me with his fists out before him. The boulder slammed into his knuckles and splintered into a thousand pieces, most of which bounced off our goggles. I crouched down behind his bulk and peeked over his shoulder.
Heroes Without, Monsters Within Page 18