Booker, shoulder down, rammed into the scientist. The clamps released as the scientist slid along the floor. Instead of jumping to his feet, the synthetic arms stopped his slide, forcing him upright. Okay, prototype-whatever meant robotic arms. Got it. We had a super-level threat and asuperhero unable to do superhero things. I didn’t like those odds. The thought of Arthur angry… or worse, disappointed. I held still.
“We might have made a tactical error,” Booker said.
Supported by two arms, Paul rose into the air. The ends of the remaining tendrils were like claws, snapping away like hungry critters. For a moment, he eyed the door. He could escape, and we’d be powerless to stop him. When his attention returned to us, the snarl returned. I knew that face all too well. Paul didn’t want to get away—he wanted to cause mayhem.
“Get behind me.”
Booker had his fist raised, as if he spent his days battling six-armed supervillains. I’m not sure his training as an interrogator would do us much good. Despite the danger, he turned into a human shield. I didn’t know if I should be moved or insulted. With him, I’d pick the former.
“We need to run,” I said.
“You’re under arrest,” Booker shouted. He might have handcuffs on him, but enough for six limbs? “You’re not getting out?—”
“Who’s going to stop me?” Paul laughed. “You?”
Booker didn’t flinch. The first arm sped forward. Booker threw his hand back, knocking me out of the way before he dove out of the way. As I dropped to a knee, none of the onlookers ran away. Spectators took out their phones. Thelack of survival skills had become the bane of every superhero. Somebody was going to get hurt.
An arm tried batting Booker to the side. He ducked, trying to advance before Paul dropped to his feet. All four metal arms raised overhead, ready to strike.
With a blink, I could blind him. If there weren’t onlookers, I’d have already pivoted and spun my way through those arms. My knuckles would already have connected with flesh. Every fiber of my being wanted to unleash Hellion. I fought my instincts, remaining the always helpless Drew.
“Think you’re a hero?”
Booker didn’t have time to respond. Screams filled the lobby as two arms shot outward, claws grabbing bystanders by the throat. Dammit. I got off my knees, fingers wrapping into fists. Arthur would have to understand.
“Hey!” I shouted. “Pick on somebody your own size.”
He scoffed. “Oh, two of you?”
I recognized one of his hostages as the barista who made my coffee every morning. After Arthur fired me, I’d need free coffee. I stood next to Booker. Instead of stepping in front of me, he raised his hands into fists. When I did the same, I caught a quick side-eye. He hadn’t anticipated me willing to?—
Glass shattered. “Booyah!”
I recognized the booming catchphrase. I spun, grabbed Booker, and jumped away from Paul and his hostages. Mr.Supreme landed with a thud. I’d need to thank Connor for sending backup. The scientist didn’t stand a chance against Wyatt’s might. Not even cybernetic arms would dent our favorite strongman’s hide.
“Bad man!” We needed to work on his dialogue. While he talked, I stayed put, half-draped over Booker. “Put down the squishy humans.”
“Any closer and I kill them.”
Arthur wasn’t going to be amused. Despite Janet urging us to always charge into a fight with a battle cry, we taught him to wait when humans were in jeopardy. Wyatt glanced over his shoulder, looking for directions while Paul continued waving his victims around like puppets.
Paul tried stepping forward, but the two lower arms slammed into the lobby floor. He squirmed, held in place by his own tech. Wyatt hadn’t come to fight. He had been the decoy to slow down our insidious bad guy while the rest of the team did their job.
“What are you doing?” Paul shouted.
“Him?” Wyatt pointed up. I glanced at the skylights to see Orion hovering in midair. “I brought a friend.” Wyatt gave me an exaggerated wink. Add it to the list of things we’d have to talk about.
“Paul Redford.” Orion dropped his voice an octave. He’d never admit it, but he liked playing the hero. “It appears you possess something that doesn’t belong to you.”He waved his hand in the air, tapping on his invisible computer screens.
“You can’t do this!” The mechanical arms set the hostages down and even straightened their shirts before retracting. “I didn’t sign up for this.”
Paul slammed a hand to his chest. Something hissed, and the backpack with the arms released. He bolted, leaving the mechanical arms as a lobby statue. “You’ll never catch me!”
Wyatt could have moved and superspeed and stopped him without effort. Orion had enough gadgets on his suit that he could have restrained every person in the lobby. Neither moved. Paul picked up his pace, getting close to the?—
“Booyah!” An arm shot out from the crowd, catching the man by the throat. He backflipped before his cheek smacked against the tile. Janet stood over him, unleashing a roar that made the employees take a step back. “That’s how you do it!”
“Your secretary is terrifying,” Booker muttered.
