A hardthwackhit the back of Joan’s head. She stumbled, turning to see a scraggly-bearded, beefy guy about to give her another crack. “A sledgehammer?” she said. “Against a super suit? Really?”
She flared a flame at his hand, igniting the wooden handle and his glove. He screamed and dropped both. Then she shook her head and circled herself in a protective ring of fire.
The hostile group moved past her, but one person stepped out. Prowl.
“You’re mine, Spark.”
Joan caught a glimpse of Darlene trying to fight her way through. Prowl couldn’t lead the goons if she wasn’t there, so Joan waved out her fire circle and charged.
She grabbed Prowl under one arm and blasted into the air with fire from her free hand. She only got half a block away before Prowl slipped up her back and jerked Joan into a body roll. They crashed onto the roof of a dark town car, windows shattering.
Prowl climbed on top, pinning Joan to the dented steel. “I want you to watch as we take what’s rightfully ours.”
“It’s not yours for the taking,” Joan said, wrestling to get free.
“The superpowered are entitled to better things. We’re evolved.”
“We’re genetic freaks.”
“Evolved genetic freaks.”
Joan concentrated fire into her eyes. She lasered twin beams into Prowl’s suit to heat it up. Prowl bounced off her, patting her torso and going, “Shit shit shit, that’s hot.”
Sitting up, Joan said, “This was all your plan? Quake’s not the real problem?”
“Joan.” Prowl released a mean-spirited cackle. “Do you really think any of those dipshits could pull this together? Quake has the public image I needed. People are scared of who he once was. Now he’s just some rich old dude with a vendetta I used to my advantage.”
“So this has nothing to do with Amazing Woman?”
“I don’t give a crap about some five-hundred-year-old woman.”
“She’s ninety-three,” Joan gritted out.
“Quake’s the one who wants her. He paid for Squawk’s little invention in exchange for getting to demolish the city he hates.” She tapped next to the metal patch on her chest.
Joan gestured at it. “Squawk made that?”
“He’s a tech genius.”
“No kidding,” she couldn’t help saying.
“We put up with his big brain even though he’s a dick.” Prowl curled up on her haunches. “Nice try with the fake rumor. We knew you were luring us to your HQ. Squawk’s been working on this patch to interrupt the power disruptor. I’m glad to see it works. We’ll make a fortune selling them to other Villains.”
Damn it. The former Villains had lost their edge if it’d been so easy to see through their ruse. “Then how does Ether factor in? Constant, low-grade annoyances?”
Prowl shrugged. “Just a favor to a friend. I mean, he makes it rain. Whoop-dee-doo. But I treat my friends well,Spark.”
A familiar figure in navy blue raced toward them—one that had come after Joan countless times. She kept Prowl distracted by saying, “Those kinds of friends will turn on you in a heartbeat. I should know.”
“You’re the traitor,” Prowl hissed. “Youwouldknow.”
Darlene leaped with what little of Prowl’s energy she had left and yanked her off the car. Joan hopped down just as Prowl growled and slipped from Darlene’s grasp. She was too slinky for the Super to get a good hold on her. Next best thing…
Joan grabbed Darlene’s gloved hand and sent her a burst of fire. She nodded and understood the assignment.
They shot fireballs at Prowl as she deftly sprang and flipped to avoid them. But they were pushing her back toward HQ. Back toward reinforcements.
A golden glow sparkled across the mob. A moment later, everyone stopped fighting. A moment after that, the norms turned to one another and hugged.
