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Sure enough, the women got all screechy about Spark and yay that Catch was there. So much for keeping a low profile.

Her shoulder throbbed with a sharp ache. Joan pushed away from the machine and leapt over the cushioned bench. The women shrieked.

Darlene chased after her. Just the thing Joan wanted to do today—have it out with a Super because Melvin sucked. Perry could damn well talk to him from now on.

They burst into the alley. Catch did some fancy jump and tackled Joan to the ground. Her shoulder smacked the blacktop so hard, she saw stars.

Anger flared fast. Her hands burned to release the fire bubbling under her skin. She pressed them on Catch’s chest. It wouldn’t hurt her but was hot enough to make her loosen her hold.

Joan twisted and scampered away. “Chill out. I was trying to get him to stop.”

“Like I’d believe any of your lies,” Darlene said as she stood.

“It’s true. Now you’ve lost him. Nice work.”

“Two Villains gathered together means you’re up to no good.”

“Sometimes it just means brunch.” Joan scanned the alley. A dumpster with one side open, a pile of garbage bags down a ways, three closed second-floor windows to the right, four to the left.

Darlene did her palms out thing again. “Hit me with your best shot. You know you have no effect on me.”

“Yeah, and you know shooting fire back has no effect on me.”

“I’m not letting you escape justice.”

“I’m really not in the mood,” Joan sighed. “Rain check? How’s Thursday? Around noon?”

“Accept the consequences of your actions, Villain.”

God, she was so overdramatic and annoying. Everything was black or white, right or wrong. “How do the other Supers put up with you?” Joan said. “Nobody talks like that.”

Darlene charged ahead. Joan vaulted up to the covered side of the dumpster. “You’re picking a pointless fight,” she said.

“You’re a Supervillain scaring people and putting them in harm’s way.”

“I’m about to putyouin harm’s way.”

She jumped off the dumpster and tried to make a run for it. Darlene caught her and spun her around, holding tight to steal some fire. Joan shoved her hard. Hot flames formed between her hands. The same happened between Darlene’s palms.

“Why don’t you ever listen?” Joan snapped. “I’m not working with Trick anymore.”

“You’re bad apples who belong together.”

Her flames crackled in irritation. The staunch Superhero would never listen to a Villain. Not when she thought they were all the same. Might as well give Catch what she wanted from Spark.

“Well, I’m in the mood for a fight now,” Joan said.

CHAPTER5

Sadie set another folded towel on the pile beside her on the couch. The nightly news played on TV, a drab contrast to her cheerfully decorated apartment. They replayed the shaky amateur video of what they were calling a “Super catfight” between Catch and Spark yesterday.

The two were in a back alley beating the crap out of each other. Catch kept absorbing Spark’s blasts of fire like it was nothing. It was wild to watch. Where did Catch store all that excess energy? Their catfight was more like a firefight with them shooting flames at one another.

It was hot in more ways than one. Two agile women in form-fitting, neoprene-like outfits. Catch in blue covering everything but her eyes and mouth. Spark in a similar black number slashed with red, only with long dark hair waving about.

They finally resorted to a good old-fashioned fistfight. You couldn’t make out what they were saying, but Spark was clearly angry. Well, what did she expect, getting caught by the city’s greatest Super? She shoved Catch against a brick wall, then blasted into the air with two streams of fire.

A warm blush spread across Sadie’s cheeks. What if that awesome Super was living across the hall?