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“But—”

“And you have your best friend, who sounds like a really great guy. Maybe he’s busier than he’s been before, but it sounds like you really care for him. And you know him well. Why would you still be vacillating between the two? The answer is obvious.”

“Huh. I’ve never thought of it that way before.” Nick narrowed his eyes. “What’s your play here, Officer Rookie? You trying to convince me one way or the other so you can go for the one I didn’t choose? So if you’re not trying to get with a teenager, you’ve got some kind of superhero kink and you—”

A streak of light appeared from above, meteor-bright and harsh.

Nickknewthat light.

He heard shouts coming from outside the car, and he leaned his head out the open window.

There, high above the streets of Nova City, were Shadow Star and Pyro Storm.

Nick squeaked when a bright bloom of fire burst from Pyro Storm, hurtling directly toward Shadow Star. Shadow Star managed to leap off the roof of an apartment building, narrowly avoiding getting caught in the flames.

“Dammit,” Officer Rookie whispered. He picked up the receiver to the radio and barked something into it. He threw it back down, twisting to look at Nick. “Youstay here,do you get me? I swear to god, if you get out of this car, I will find you, and I will mace you.”

“That’s police intimidation—oh, you’re already gone.”

Officer Rookie slammed the door to the cruiser, shouting at people to get back into their cars. Traffic was gridlocked, so it wasn’t as if they could actually go anywhere, but Nick knew it was safer in the vehicles than out.

Officer Rookie took off down the street, leaving a mostly naked, rancid boy in the back seat of his police cruiser.

All in all, it had been a very weird day.

And, it must be said, Nick did try to listen to Officer Rookie. He really did. He heard Cap’s voice in his head, telling him Dad loved him. He remembered the exhausted look on Dad’s face at the sight of him in the interrogation room.

Theproblemwith all of that was Nicholas Bell happened tolook up in time to see Pyro Storm lay a devastating kick right to Shadow Star’s head, knocking him off the side of the building and into a darkened alley.

“No!” Nick shouted as Shadow Star fell. He couldn’t see where he’d landed, but Pyro Storm disappeared into the same alley.

Nick made a choice.

He threw off the blanket and climbed out the window of the cruiser.

He managed to land on his feet on the sidewalk. No one seemed to pay him much mind, too busy hurrying away in case the battle between the Extraordinaries escalated into something more violent. Nick was well aware he was in public in only his underwear and flip-flops, but he didn’t have time to think about how his lack of any sort of muscle definition was on complete display for any pervert who wanted to ogle him. He darted into the alley, jumping over a manhole cover spouting steam. He landed in something wet, and he made a strangled noise but refused to look down to see exactly what it was. He was better off not knowing.

The sky above was overcast, and the lack of light made the shadows in the long alley darker. Nick looked from side to side as he moved, trying to find where Shadow Star had landed. If he was injured, he’d need someone to protect him from Pyro Storm. Maybe Pyro Storm would get one whiff of Nick and run in the opposite direction. Nick never wanted his superpower to be smelling bad, but if it worked, he might have to reconsider. Stink Man, ship name ShadowStink. It needed fine-tuning.

The sounds of the street faded behind him as he made his way down the alley, the buildings looming around him, the shadows stretching farther as he passed an overflowing dumpster. Laundry hung from a line in a window above him, flapping in the breeze. A cat ran in front of Nick, disappearing into a pile of old boxes sitting against the building.

He turned his head to follow it and while distracted, bumped into something hot.

Somethingscalding.

It was about this time that Nick thought maybe he should have listened to Officer Rookie and stayed in the cruiser.

Because he’d run into Pyro Storm. His back, to be more specific. His cape, which had a stylized flame right in the center, flapped against Nick’s bare legs.

“Um,” Nick managed to say.

Pyro Storm turned slowly to look at him. His bloodred mask covered most of his face, leaving only his mouth exposed. The eyeholes of the mask were covered in a white material that kept Nick from seeing what his eyes looked like.

Pyro Storm said, “Why are you only in your underwear?” He raised his hands like he was reaching for Nick, and no, not today,asshole.

“Takethis!” Nick bellowed somewhat heroically.

Then he punched Pyro Storm in the side of the head.