“Keyes is at the plaza fountain,” Connor said.
I tapped my earpiece. “On it.”
“Should I even ask if you have a plan?”
“We stop the bad guy.”
Booker rolled his eyes. “Heroes are worse than government supervisors.”
I pulled a baton free. “I’m not a hero. Connor, who do you have nearby?”
No reply.
“Connor?”
“One moment, please,” he said. “It seems my ex found a new body.”
I could hear Connor shouting obscenities before the comms went silent. I knew that Connor would dismantle Apex one line of code at a time. It’d be the closure he always needed.
“We’re on our own,” I said.
I started forward in a light trot, surveying the carnage unfolding around the plaza. I couldn’t tell friend from foe as I dodged a screaming man. If her powers were anything like Booker’s, she couldn’t create emotion, only intensify it. I shouldn’t be surprised that underneath the civilized people of Vanguard there was a deep-rooted chaos. Isidestepped a woman with a golf club, hooking her foot, forcing her to the pavement with a thud.
Keyes. Our Human Resources Director had upgraded from business attire to a true supervillain costume. With her back turned, I could see the tattered imperial-purple cape and matching thigh-high boots. For a woman who perfected the art of playing the reserved victim, she had come into her own. I only needed one solid blow to the base of her skull, and we’d be back to business as normal.
I reached for my baton.
The yellow aura around Keyes had expanded, a glow bright enough that she had become her own light source. She fired more blasts of energy, the fountain crumbling, leaving pipes spraying water across the plaza. I’d ask why, but at this point I don’t think she had any real motives. Some villains wanted the city, while others wanted to watch it burn. I think she wanted to bask in the in-between.
I closed the distance between us, readying the throw. With one strike, I could end her reign of terror, and we could go back to our usual bank robbers and evil geniuses. Her body tensed, a slight stiffening in the shoulders. I couldn’t wait. With two steps, I hurled the baton, watching the crimson bar spin across the plaza. This would be the easiest victory. I gasped with only feet left before?—
She spun on her heel, snatching it out of the air.
“Dammit,” I growled.
I almost didn’t notice her bend the baton with herthumb. Keyes had gone from conservative business-casual to little more than a bra and loincloth. If I were straight and she weren’t trying to destroy my city, I’d be concerned about a tightness in my suit. She tossed aside my favorite weapon.
“Did you think it’d be that easy?”
“Do we flank her?” Booker asked over my shoulder.
“Monologue first.”
“What?” Booker really needed to read the manual. If he ever joined the hero ranks, it’d be a steep learning curve.
“What’s your angle?” I shouted. “Why are you doing this?”
“Oh, you mean an actual monologue.”
Keyes held her arms out to her sides, and we could see the clouds of energy forming. With a deep breath, she drank it in. Her stiletto boots hovered off the ground as she basked in the chaos.
“Do you feel it?” Her back arched as if she were in the throes of an orgasm. “It’s pure chaos.” Her eyes opened, and the energy leaked from the edges. I didn’t know how powerful she had become… how powerful shecouldbecome. If we didn’t stop her here, I feared she wouldn’t stop until the entire world descended into madness.
Gunshots fired. I could see a trio of officers trying to drop her. She threw up her hands, blocking their bullets with her palms. Energy fired, sending pavement flying. Theofficers flew backward. I knew what I was dealing with… sort of.
“Help them,” I barked.
Before the concrete dust settled, I charged. Her eyes widened as I emerged through the cloud. Keeping her on her toes might be my only advantage. Drawing back the baton, I spotted the shift in her hips, a slight brace of her left boot.
