Without a word, Draven walks over to Jeremy and hands him the terrified child. While Jeremy struggles to hold on to both the tablet and the kid, Draven exchanges a look with Nitro. Nitro nods in return.
“I can’t let you do that, Kenna,” Draven says, turning back to me. “If they’re going to have a chance at finding Rebel and your mom, at taking down the whole corrupt system, you and your power will be way more useful than mine.”
My eyes sting, both with fear and pride. I’ve never been so important before, so valued. And I’ve never been put first. Ever.
“It’s the only thing that makes sense.” He steps close again and presses his palms to my cheeks. “There isn’t time to argue. I’m going to create the biggest distraction they’ve ever seen. And you’re going to scramble the cameras and walk this crew right out the front door.”
I shake my head, wanting to find some other way to get us all out safely. But I’ve got nothing.
His lips brush against mine for the briefest second and then he races for the hall. We crowd into the doorway, listening to the echo of his voice as he sings at the top of his lungs.
“We’ve got to go,” Jeremy says, holding the tablet up where he can see the screen. “They’re heading for Draven, but as soon as they realize he’s alone—”
“They’ll come for us,” I finish. I take the boy from Jeremy’s arms. Then I draw in a deep breath and focus a sphere of electromagnetic energy around us that will deflect the sensors but still allow Jeremy to access the plans on the tablet. It’s amazing how quickly I’m getting used to this power. How…natural it feels. “Let’s move.”
Jeremy takes the lead. I nudge Dante and Deacon out behind him, followed by the other villain prisoners. Nitro’s next and I bring up the rear. We’ve worked hard to get this far. I’m not leaving anyone behind.
Draven’s voice, still transmitting over Jeremy’s communications system, echoes in my ear. He’s singing, shouting really. Banging on walls. Anything that will draw hero attention onto him.
Then, all of a sudden, he stops.
My heart stutters.
The sounds of soldiers shouting and some kind of scuffle carries though my earpiece. Then Draven’s voice again, this time full of mockery and loathing.
“Well, well, well,” he taunts, “if it isn’t the king of the superheroes himself.”
I gasp. This won’t end well.
“Have you located the others?” Mr. Malone booms.
“No, sir,” a young man’s voice responds. “They aren’t showing up on any of our scans.”
Because of me. I’m keeping us off the radar. As much as I want to help Draven, he would never forgive me if we all ended up prisoners.
“Silly villain,” Mr. Malone says so clearly it’s almost as if he’s speaking directly into my ear. “Did you really think it would be that easy?”
“Did you really think we would just blindly walk into your trap?” Draven throws back.
I can practically see the arrogant smile on Mr. Malone’s face. “It looks like you did.”
“We’re almost there,” Jeremy says. “Just a few more turns.”
I’m not sure if he says it for us or for Draven.
“If I inherited one thing from my father,” Draven says, his voice taking on a cryptic tone, “it’s the art of misdirection. Make a big fuss over here, and no one will notice what’s going on right under their own noses.”
Mr. Malone scoffs. “Is your father a magician?”
“No,” Draven replies with such sickly sweetness that it makes my stomach lurch, “he’s the President of the Superhero League.”
I stumble and nearly face-plant into the concrete floor. Only a supreme feat of recovery keeps me from squishing the boy in my arms between me and the concrete.
Mr. Malone? Mr. Malone is Draven’s father?
My mind races as I think back over the past few days, trying to put the pieces together. They fit amazingly well. Draven’s icy-blue eyes that look so much like Rebel’s. Like Riley’s. Like Mr. Malone’s. His second power that had to come from a hero parent. His seething resentment when we were interrogating the “golden heir,” Riley.
The affection he has for Rebel. I thought it was only because she was Dante’s girlfriend, but maybe it’s more than that. Maybe it’s because she’s his half sister.
If Mr. Malone’s stuttering reaction is any indication, he is just as stunned to learn that Draven—a villain—is his son. Well, half villain.
Wow. Just wow.
Once again, Draven is right. This is pretty much the biggest distraction ever. There’s no time to process all of this as we round the corner, racing the last stretch of hall to the main door.
A line of guards is stationed at the entrance, weapons drawn and pointed at us. Before they can even take aim, Nitro sends a wall of fire at them so fast that they scramble to get out of the way.
Despite having his arms full, Dante somehow manages to whip up some wind to push the line of fire away, keeping the guards at bay while we run through.
We race past the fence and up the hill to where our stolen ride is waiting.