The fantasy fell away as Hellcat’s warning echoed in my ear. It’d be easy to broadcast my identity. But the moment the villains discovered my mundane life, I’d put everybody I held dear in jeopardy. Did Griffin think about these thingsas he turned the pages of his comics? The burden resting on the shoulders of heroes was growing clearer the longer I played the role.
With a long sigh, the muscles along my shoulders relaxed. The fire drained away, the orange glow diminishing until it was barely visible in the night’s sky.
The whoosh of air passing by as I fell was almost deafening. I had a minute of freedom before I needed to worry about the sudden stop at the end of my descent. With my arms spread out, I slowed the fall. I probably shouldn’t press my luck, but after a day of wielding the gifts, I needed to know they were under my control.
My arms pulled in tight and I leaned forward, diving toward the city below. It started with the city being nothing more than a distant memory. For a moment, it appeared as if I’d never fall far enough to reach the tops of buildings. The streets below approached, gaining speed with every second I held my positions.
Curling my fingers into fists, the fire roared to life. Now the streets came into view, and with a tail of fire in my wake, I sped my fall. At the last moment, with only a few feet to spare, I turned up, soaring between cars, around stop lights and turning from one street to the next.
It was probably flashier than necessary, but I wanted the people of Vanguard City to see the proverbial light. While the city held its breath, hoping to survive another night, let them see even a shimmer of hope. I might not beable to stop a full-scale invasion or protect the city from the League of Evil if they mobilized, but I’d try.
The momentum carried me up the side of the old building as the flames faded. I cursed myself, realizing I was going to fall short of my graceful dismount. Reaching, my fingers barely curled over the edge of the roof. Suspended above the city below, I prayed that nobody snapped a photograph and uploaded it to the HeroApp™.
“You just had to show off.”
It wasn’t long ago I hung in the same position, worried I’d fall into a river. Before, I couldn’t pull myself to safety. Where my muscles failed me the last time, now I hardly flexed as I dragged myself onto the roof. Spinning around, I planted my butt on the ledge.
A mile above the city, it appeared peaceful. In the grand scheme, Vanguard City made up a tiny blip on the planet. But here, in the thick of it, the city had a vibrancy to it. Even with the threat of villains looming around every corner, its citizens continued as if nothing had changed. Lovers walked hand-in-hand toward the cineplex while the bar across the street boasted a lively crowd, with music flooding the streets every time the door opened.
I promised myself another ten minutes before I called it a night. Eventually, I’d need to go home and crawl into bed. The pounding from Dozer resulted in more than a few bruises, and they ached. I couldn’t fathom how heroes did this night after night. Sure, the rich ones didn’t need to goto a job, but they couldn’t all be wealthy playboy millionaires.
“Ibuprofen isn’t going to solve this.” Admitting I hurt made the pain worse. I hoped the stamina came with an uncanny healing ability, but I feared I was asking too much.
The brick struck the space between my shoulders. If it had been earlier in the day, I might not have noticed. But it made the pain worse. When I turned on my perch, I blocked the second brick.
“Can I help you?”
Hellcat. A disgruntled vigilante holding a quarterstaff replaced her normal sarcastic self. Storming closer, she let the metal rod drag against the roof, squealing with every step. “You crossed the line.”
The accusation had me rewinding the last twenty-four hours, and for the life of me, I couldn’t recall anything that’d piss her off. I had to assume somebody named Hellcat must be easy to anger.
“Is this about the fight earlier?”
“You confirmed what they already thought.”
She jerked her arm, the staff sliding forward, jabbing me in the shoulder. “We’re out there busting our asses. People without abilities are dying trying to protect the city. And you…”
The words ended in a growl.
“What is your problem?”
“How could you kill him? There’s no coming back from that.”
“Kill who?”
My confusion punched a hole in her anger. Her eyebrow lifted for a moment before her jaw tightened and the curves of her face hardened. “Are you playing dumb?”
“This isn’t me playing.”
“You didn’t fight Dozer?”
I nearly choked on my tongue. “Dozer’s dead?” The line in the sand had been drawn, and I thought I stopped short. Was it the last punch? Had that been the one that turned me from well-intentioned to evil-doer?
“I went looking for Sergeant Morales.” I tried to recall the specifics as my mind continued rushing to the conclusion that I killed the brute. I had been careful. Or had I? I swore he was breathing when I left. Did it happen after I left?
“Did you kill Dozer?”
“I—” I wanted to protest, to rally against the accusation. But I the doubts stepped in. “I don’t know.”
