“They’ve closed off access to the sub-level where they’re holding him. We couldn’t get down there,” I say. But it’s not Dante I’m talking to, not really. It’s Draven.
He’s calm, the calmest person out here in fact. But somehow that doesn’t reassure me.
“So you just left him,” Draven accuses. “You didn’t even try to get him out.”
“We couldn’t!” Rebel tells him. “We tried but Kenna’s access route was blocked off.”
“That’s it?” Draven sneers. “The way was blocked off so you gave up? Wow, you guys really are hero material.”
“Back off,” I tell him, slapping a hand against his chest and shoving lightly. “We did the best we could with what we had.”
“Of course you did.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s awfully convenient that the three of you trapped us here in a tin can while you went off to save the world.” His face is a mask of rage and resentment. “Except you didn’t save anyone, did you? Was that the plan all along?”
I gasp. “You think we left Deacon there on purpose?”
“I don’t think you tried very hard to get him out.”
“In case you’ve forgotten, moron, they have my mother too!” I know he’s upset, but this is nuts. “You think I’d walk away without trying to find her if there was any other way?’”
He takes a step forward, so we’re standing inches from each other. His head tilts down and mine tilts up as we face off.
This is totally the wrong place and the wrong time, but I can’t stop the thrill that sparks through me at the realization that he’s treating me like an equal. He’s not pulling his punches, not treating me like some fragile little ordinary. Maybe it’s because he thinks immunity is my power, or maybe it’s because he doesn’t realize I’m not a super. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because he understands that I’m just as strong as he is.
Then he shatters the moment with more of his mistrust. “How do we even know your mother’s there? This could all be some elaborate setup—”
“Are you being serious right now?”
“Does it look like I’m being serious?”
“You’ve got some nerve—”
“Nerve? I have nerve? You locked us in a refrigerator and then screwed up. You’re either a liar or you’re incompetent, and either way I’m not impressed.”
“Dude, you need to back off.” Jeremy shoves Draven’s shoulder. “Now.”
Draven doesn’t flinch. He turns those cold, sharp eyes on Jeremy. Except they’re not cold anymore. They’re fiery, seething, spoiling for a fight.
“You going to make me, geek boy?”
“Okay, wait a minute!” I hold up both arms like a referee. The last thing I want is for Draven to kill Jeremy, and from his stance, that’s a distinct possibility.
Jeremy has no sense of self-preservation. “If I have to.”
“We did try, Draven!” Rebel says. “Even if you don’t trust Kenna and Jeremy, you trust me. You know I’d do anything to help Deacon.”
Draven looks at her, and for a moment, the rage subsides and I see the fear he’s been hiding.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him softly.
“Don’t apologize to him, Kenna!” Jeremy snaps at me.
“Don’t talk to her like that!” Draven snarls at him.
We all kind of freeze at that. Moments ago he’d been ripping me a new one, and now he’s getting mad at the way Jeremy—Jeremy—talks to me? Could this night get any more upside down?
“Look, maybe if we all calmed down,” Nitro says, “we can figure out what went wrong and try to—”
“What went wrong,” Dante growls, “is you locked us in a refrigerator. You sided with the heroes and now everything has gone to shit. What kind of villain are you?”
The whole situation is a powder keg waiting to explode. All it needs is a little spark, and the four guys are going to beat the hell out of each other—or whatever guys with powers do when they lose their tempers.
The mayhem these three villains could unleash with Dante’s wind, Nitro’s fire, and Draven’s psy abilities is catastrophic. We need to diffuse this fast. But how? A quick glance at Rebel tells me she doesn’t know what to do either.
“You think I’m on their side?” Nitro shouts incredulously.
“You chose them over us,” Dante says. “Don’t think I’m going to forget that.”
Nitro sputters. “Man, not in a million years!”
“We’re not lepers, you know,” Jeremy spits out.
“I’d like you a hell of a lot more if you were,” Dante returns. “Heroes are nothing but a bunch of two-faced hypocrites.”
“Dante!” Rebel gasps.
“I’m not talking about you, babe. These two.” He looks at Jeremy and me like we’re contagious.
“Screw you!” Jeremy seethes. “Kenna doesn’t have to help you and neither do I.”