With the rebar in tow, he flew across the river to Prescott Park, where the public’s favorite hero lay unconscious and defeated. Gawkers dispersed when they saw him approach, panicking about what he might do to them.
When he arrived, he hovered over Blue Spekter’s unmoving body for a moment. The hero had landed on his back and his arms were extended out to his sides like the crucifixion.
Dark Flame sneered.
Then, he bent two rods of rebar in half so they looked like the letter U. Maneuvering the bent rods of rebar into position, he inverted them so the two points aimed into the earth over Blue Spekter’s unsuspecting wrists. Then, he willed them into the earth and they slammed into place, the rebar breaking the radius and ulna bones of his arm as it sunk his wrists into the ground, holding him fast.
Blue Spekter awoke and screamed at the excruciating pain.
“This is the last time you’ll get in my way, Blue Spekter,” Dark Flame snarled.
With Blue Spekter in pain, Dark Flame suspected his resistance and invulnerability would be diminished, leaving him open to physical attack. Taking the third piece of rebar, he maneuvered it into position directly over Blue Spekter’s torso.
“Hey! Asshole!” a man yelled from the crowd.
Amused, Dark Flame turned to see who had the gall to speak to him.
“I don’t know what your deal is, but you’ll never be the superhero he is! You suck!” Then, the crowd nervously began to boo at him, making angry faces and giving him the thumb’s down gesture. Dark Flame grimaced, then reached out and pulled the belligerent man forward, yanking him off his feet. When the man was three inches from his face, the man’s breath hitched as he stared into Dark Flame’s orange orbs with eyes full of terror.
“What good will your superhero be to you when he’s dead?” Dark Flame asked.
Then, he looked at Blue Spekter’s helpless body and with a wave of his arm, jammed the third piece of rebar straight through the center of Blue Spekter’s torso. The impact made a disgusting sucking sound. People screamed in horror, but no one was louder than Blue Spekter, who howled with unspeakable agony when the rebar impaled him.
“See if you can heal from that one, buddy,” Dark Flame said to Blue Spekter, who coughed, spraying blood on his face and neck. He was unable to speak.
Dark Flame threw the contentious man to the ground and rolled him like a bowling ball, striking several onlookers and knocking them to the ground. Then, he yelled at the crowd. “This pathetic loser is the one you call hero? You’re all idiots who don’t deserve to live.”
“Leave him alone, you little punk!” a woman screamed as a cup of cold ice coffee struck the back of his head, spilling its icy cold contents down his back.
Again with the coffee?
Dark Flame groaned and stumbled forward at the cold sensation, but he heated his body and reduced the cold coffee to vapor. He looked at the woman who threw the cup. She took a step forward and angrily pointed at him. “You’ve been given a wonderful gift most people can only dream of, but instead of doing good like Blue Spekter, you choose to act like a spoiled brat who has everything in life! Grow a set of balls and do something meaningful with your life.”
He sneered and raised his hand toward her, igniting it with fire. The woman’s eye widened with surprise and people screamed, but before he could incinerate her, a powerful beam of white-hot energy slammed into his back. He grunted and fell forward, catching himself by dropping to his right knee. His body tensed, succumbing to the electrical current passing through him. A second, searing beam of energy connected with him as DHS agents in tactical gear pushed through the crowd and fired at him.
What the hell are those?
Barely able to move under the excruciating pain of the energy beams, but determined not to be knocked down as easily as he had been when Mother Superior’s goons attacked him with tasers, he scanned the park for something to use as a shield. The only thing he saw was the rebar sticking out of Blue Spekter’s belly. He grimaced and reached out, yanking the rebar up from the ground through Blue Spekter’s body, which made him cry out in pain again.
Dark Flame rotated the metal rod in an arc and slammed the rebar into the ground between him and the nasty stun guns. The energy beams automatically shifted to the rebar because its metal was more conductive than his body. The electrical discharges created sparks that flew into the air from the rebar.
Regaining his strength, he pushed himself to his feet and yelled at them. “This isn’t over yet!” Then, he took off and flew away from the park, crossing over into Maine.
❖
Quinn
Blue Spekter fought to remain conscious as excruciating pain seared through and overloaded his nervous system like too much candy in a hyperactive child at Halloween.
Somehow, Dark Flame had been able to overcome their shared invulnerability and impale him. He could feel his body trying to heal, but whatever had shattered his arm bones and held him down blocked the process. In addition, the tree branch or metal thing sticking out of his chest wouldn’t let his body heal itself, either.
A woman’s voice called out, but the ringing pain in his mind blocked any sense of interpretation. He coughed again, feeling the warmth of his own blood splattering on his face.
The rod in his chest wiggled, causing him more agony. Then, it ripped through him, this time in the reverse direction. He involuntarily yelled as new pain surged through his body. A moment later, it was replaced by an insatiable itchiness he understood to be his body healing the gaping wound in his torso.
How did I end up on the ground? Is someone rescuing me? All I remember is Dark Flame blasting me with…I don’t know what that was.
He could feel his healing powers pushing dirt and small rocks out of his body cavity as it mended itself.
Now, I just have to figure out how to free my arms.
A moment later, he sensed Dark Flame flying away. With the pain lessened, he opened his eyes and looked around. A frightened crowd had gathered, and among them, DHS agents armed with the all-too-familiar and terrifying TaseBolts.
Crap. In my weakened condition, they could take me in without a fight. I have to get out of here before they can capture me. So much for your word, Agent Potter.
He pulled against the rebar holding his broken wrists to the ground, but the pain in his still-healing mid-section was too much to bear.
“Should we help him?” someone in the crowd asked.
“No, stand back please,” one of the agents said. Several agents aimed their TaseBolts at him. “Please don’t move,” one of them ordered.
“Hey, that guy saved us,” a bystander exclaimed.
Blue Spekter did his best to calm his mind and discreetly focused on freezing his wrists. If I can super-chill this metal, maybe it will become brittle enough for me to snap and I can get out of it. His hands, arms, and the lawn near his wrists froze, taking on the appearance of frost in the morning.
“Stand down,” a strong voice instructed.
“But, sir!” an agent argued.
“That’s an order!” Agent Eric Potter’s voice said.
Blue Spekter looked and watched Agent Potter step through the bystanders and the line of agents. “Lower your weapons; This man is not our enemy.”
Oh, thank heavens!
Blue Spekter pulled on the super-cooling rebar, but it still held fast. Agent Potter pointed at the closing hole in his chest. “Is your body healing itself?” he asked.
“Yeah, but not fast enough,” Blue Spekter wheezed.
“I thought you were bulletproof?” he asked, squatting down next to him.
“I am. But when Dark Flame and I fight, we can really hurt each other.” Blue Spekter could see the wheels spinning in Agent Potter’s mind.
“That’s useful to know. So, to stop him, you will have to hurt him to immobilize him. He’s already figured out how to do that to you.”
“Thanks for the tip,” Blue Spekter answered sarcastically. Then, fighting
to stay conscious at the pain he self-inflicted, he pulled at the super-cooled rebar at his left hand with all his strength. The metal shattered with a metallic popping sound and his wrist broke free.
Finally.
Agent Potter stood and stepped back. Then, Blue Spekter focused on his right wrist and pulled. With the same metallic popping sound, his right wrist came free from the frozen rebar restraint. His arms immediately set about popping and itching as his arms healed themselves.
He took a moment to relax, then took a deep breath. He rolled to his side and pushed himself up to his feet. He looked down at his stomach and saw a gaping hole in the middle of his new superhero suit. He assumed there was a similar hole on the backside.
Dammit, I just got this thing.
Agent Potter held out his hand. “Thank you for what you did today. I’m sure you’re about to take off, so here’s my card; if you need us, call me.”
Blue Spekter nodded and noticed a number of camera phones pointed at him.
My face. Oh wait, it’s in the cowl, but still…
He smiled and powered on his eyes and they glowed bright blue once again. The crowd began cheering and applauding for him.
With Dark Flame no longer triggering his sense of proximity, he knew he would be unable to pursue him.
The day’s battle may be over, but the war isn’t. I’m not giving up on you buddy, no matter what Victor does to you. Now that I know you’re in there somewhere, I have to free you from The Order so we can destroy it together.
Blue Spekter ascended and waved to the cheering crowd, flying inland to circle around Portsmouth in hopes of finding Ana Maria.
I need to know how to stop Blake.
He flew low circles over Portsmouth, hoping to sense Ana Maria. Unfortunately, she was either not in town or masking her location.
I really need to learn that trick, too.
As he banked to fly over Leary field, an unusual idea struck him. I’ll have to catch Ana Maria later…but maybe it’s time I test my relationship with Chief Applegate.
He swung his feet down and landed in the police headquarters parking lot. He relaxed and the blue glow surrounding him faded away. With the cowl in place over his face, he was protected from identification. Several officers and city workers were cordoning off the damaged lawn and the two cars Dark Flame had flipped over in the parking lot. He recognized Lieutenant Doral and walked toward him.
The man looked at him with curiosity and tilted his head to one side, then pointed at the hole in Blue Spekter’s shirt. “I’m gonna venture a guess you’re doing better than your outfit is?”
Blue Spekter chuckled. “Thankfully, yes, Lieutenant.” He joined the lieutenant and observed the damage.
“This is going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money.”
Blue Spekter looked at the ground. “I’m sorry.”
Lieutenant Doral poked him in the arm. “Don’t be, this wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do this.”
“Yeah, but…”
“No buts, kid. You saved a lot of honorable men and women today and you should be proud of that. Now, if you really want to help a chump out, flip those two cars back onto their tires.”
Blue Spekter suppressed a laugh. “Seriously? That’s what you want me to do?”
“Yeah, don’t you have super strength? It’s gonna cost me two tow trucks and a mini-crane to flip the cars over so they can be removed.
“All right then,” Blue Spekter replied. He walked to the first car and flipped it. With his super strength, the car was surprisingly light. Then, he did the same to the second car. When it landed right-side up, its car alarm went off, then warbled and chirped as if malfunctioning. A moment later, it stopped.
He walked back to the lieutenant. “Is the chief in?” Blue Spekter asked.
The man waved a hand dismissively at the headquarters building. “Is the Pope Catholic?”
“I think so,” Blue Spekter answered.
Lieutenant Doral raised an eyebrow at him, then nodded. “She’ll be glad you’re checking in.”
“Thanks,” Blue Spekter said. With newfound confidence, he marched into police headquarters and stopped at the reception desk. It took every ounce of strength not to feel intimidated inside the police building. No normal teenager wants to visit police headquarters, but he was a hero now and these people officially looked up to him.
The officer at the desk, safe behind thick, tempered glass, stared up at him and smiled.
“Hi. I assume you want to speak with Chief Applegate?”
“Yes, please,” he answered with automatic politeness taking over. My dads would be proud.
The officer pointed to a security door. “Third door on the left once you’re in the main hallway. I’ll buzz you in.”
“Thanks.” Blue Spekter turned and approached the door. A moment later, it buzzed, temporarily unlocking so he could enter the inner sanctum of police headquarters.
Inside, officers at desks stared at him and his torn shirt with wonder. One by one, they stood and clapped in a show of appreciation and solidarity. He politely waved and counted out three doors to the left.
Chief Applegate stuck her head out of her office to check on the commotion. When she saw him, she smiled and waved him over. Then, she frowned when she noticed the gaping hole sure. “Are you okay?”
He gave her a thumb’s up and smiled. “I’m fine. The suit, not so much.”
She turned back to her office and he followed her inside. “Have a seat,” she said, probably out of habit or politeness. She walked around the metal and press-board desk to her chair.
“I’ll stand, but thanks.”
“Suit yourself, Blue,” she replied, settling into her squeaky wood and leather chair.
He studied her face. She looked tired…no, exhausted. Her hair was slightly disheveled, probably a result of Dark Flame’s explosive fireball. Otherwise, she looked like she’d been metaphorically hit by the bus.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “I thought you might have burnt your lungs when Dark Flame exploded.”
“I passed the breathing test they made me do.” Then, she shrugged. “Smoked for almost twenty years. Guess it’s gonna take a bit more than heat and fire to put this broad down.”
“Broad?” he asked, not understanding the reference.
She rolled her eyes. “Sheesh, you’re young. So, let me guess, Dark Flame got away?”
Blue Spekter swallowed his disappointment and nodded. “Yeah, I almost had him, but he pulled some new superpower out of his bag of tricks.”
She held up a hand. “Wait, I thought you understood all of your powers?”
He shook his head. “No ma’am, he hit me with some kind of energy blast I had never seen before.” That must be what Ana Maria was talking about when she asked if I could channel my energy. I really need to find her.
“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know. He pinned me to the ground with rebar in Prescott Park, and well, in good old-fashioned comic book terms, he escaped.”
She leaned back and scratched her head. “You know, my wife told me I’d come around and we’d be having this conversation sooner than I expected. I wish I had listened to her sooner.”
Your wife? That’s awesome!
She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. Then, she looked him in the eyes. “But, the past is done and we can only move forward, right?”
“Right.”
“I’d like to think you might take my advice on something.”
“Go for it,” he replied.
“This town is now on the precipice of a meltdown when they learn about the battle you two had. Remember our conversation about the shit hitting the fan?”
He nodded.
“This is that moment. People could freak out, incite riots, or have some other bloody fracas we can’t predict. Or, they could put their trust in you and hunker down for safety. Whatever happens, the protection and safety of this city’s citizens is my…our…first priority
.”
“I understand, Chief. I’ll help you any way I can, but my first priority is to prevent Victor and The Order from making more of us. If you think you have problems now, wait until there are more versions of Dark Flame running around. That’s what this city cannot handle.”
Chief Applegate rubbed her temples. “Yup, I figured you’d say that. I just can’t be sure of how this will unfold, Blue.”
“Put me on television,” he blurted.
She looked at him with a shocked expression.
Shoot, she thinks it’s a dumb idea. “If I told the people a little bit about me, it might help them trust me. I can pledge to protect them to the best of my ability.”
Chief Applegate frowned.
He swallowed nervously and started rambling. “I could, uh, also, um…”
She raised a hand. “You don’t have to convince me, but I’ll have to convince Agent Potter that it’s good idea.”
“Ah. If it helps, he shook my hand and offered his help to me twice today. It’s time you told him everything.”
Applegate nodded. “I’m going to debrief Agent Potter when he returns. That should bring some heat down on The Order.
“Good, but be careful, Chief,” Blue Spekter said, a warning tone in his voice. “If you guys try to capture the Seavey Island facility, you should expect them to put up a considerable fight, not to mention the potential damage you’d cause to a world-famous landmark.”
“I’ll advise him of that. Unfortunately, I won’t be in charge of those operations.”
“Will they keep you in the loop?” he asked
“Do you mean, will they keep you in the loop?” she countered.
“Sure,” he replied.
“As long as they’re not battling Dark Flame, they should be able to capture the naval prison and its subordinate buildings with little effort. Don’t forget the entire island is a naval base.”
“That’s full of civilian workers,” he added, with a cautionary tone.
“Right,” she agreed, taking another deep breath.
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