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“Leave him out of this,” Pyro Storm snapped. “He’s done nothing wrong. He doesn’t deserve you messing with him.”

“Messing with him?” Owen said, laughing. “Oh, that’s rich coming from you. Why don’t you tell him so he can see who’s messing with who?”

Pyro Storm’s mouth twisted into a snarl. “I’m not—”

“Oh, Seth,” Owen said. “Aren’t you tired of lying by now?”

Nick was sure he’d misheard.Surethat Owen hadn’t said what Nick thought he had.

Because it wasn’t right. It couldn’t be right. It had to be a mistake.

“What?” he heard himself ask.

“Oops,” Owen said gleefully. “My bad. Didn’t mean for that to slip out.”

Pyro Storm hung his head.

Like he was defeated. Like he was—

No.Notlike he was defeated.

He reached up and grasped the sides of his head.

And slid the helmet off.

Nick knew that hair, didn’t he? Of course he did. He’d sometimes thought about what it’d be like running his hands through the curls.

Seth Gray looked up, looking wary, almost frightened.

“No,” Nick said, taking a step back. “That’s not—you can’t be…”

“I wanted to tell you,” Seth said, voice cracking. “So many times. And I tried. I swear I tried. I could never get it out. It’s—”

“Aw,” Owen said. “This is so sweet. Isn’t this sweet, Nicky? Our dear, lovely Seth is Pyro Storm.” His smile faded. “But that would mean—oh.That would mean he’s the villain of Nova City, wouldn’t it? That would mean he was the one who hurt yourfather.”

Seth’s eyes widened. “No! I didn’t. I swear, Nick. It was barely a spark. The smallest of flames. I could control it. I always had control. It wasn’t—and it… it…” He shook his head slowly as his face hardened. “You goddamn bastard. You were very specific, weren’t you? Getting me to that building. Normally, you’re all over the place. I wondered why you stayed in one place that whole time.I didn’t see it, then. You planned it. Like you planned all of this. Nick. Here. Knowing I would follow because I would follow him anywhere.” He squared his shoulders, and Nick felt a chill run down his spine. “I know, Owen. I know what you are. These pills. You aren’t like me. I have this… this thing inside me. It’s always been there. But you… you take these pills in order to do what you do.”

Owen’s eyes narrowed to slits. “You think you’re better than me? You think that because you’re a freak that I can’t be like you? You’re wrong. My father gave me a gift in order to protect what mattered most.”

“Heexperimentedon you,” Seth said, taking a step toward them, cautious and slow. “He changed you. He made you into what you are. It’s not fair, Owen. He should never have done what he did to you. You were just a kid. We’restillkids. But you can be better than him. You can rise above what he did to you. You can say no. You’re not some junkie. Whatever else you are, I can see the good in you.”

“Junkie,” Owen repeated slowly. “Junkie. That’s what you think I am?”

Seth shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. You—”

“I’m so sorry, Nick,” Owen said, and he sounded truly regretful, “that it came to this. I know it’s tough, finding out your best friend has been the bad guy all along. Imagine my surprise when I found out. Hell, I could barely stand it. Sitting across from him in the cafeteria every day, knowing who he was. All I ever wanted was to protect this city. Protect our friends. Protectyou.And fortunately for all of us, I found myself in a position to do just that.”

He reached into his pocket. When he pulled his hand back out, he was clutching shiny black pills, at least half a dozen. He bounced them in his hand as he grinned. “My own private stash. Dad didn’t know I’d pocketed them. Let’s see how much of a junkie I am.”

“No,” Seth whispered as Owen brought his hand toward his own mouth. He shoved the pills inside, throat working as he swallowed them dry. “Nick, you need torun.”

Before Nick could even process what was happening, Owen raised his arms, loose sleeves sliding down. On his wrists were a set of thick metal bracelets. There was a bright flash of light that made Nick cry out and cover his face. He heard Seth scream hisname as he stumbled backward, hitting the wall of glass behind him. By the time his vision began to clear as he lowered his hands, Seth was struggling in midair, his own shadow wrapped around him, holding him in place. Licks of fire burned from him, but they couldn’t dispel the shadows.

“There,” Owen breathed. “That’s better. Man, they work fast the more you take. I have to remember that. Holy shit, therush.”

“Stop,” Seth gasped as his own shadow tightened around him. “You have to stop.”

“Always remember to keep to the shadows,” Owen Burke said. “Catchy, isn’t it? Rebecca Firestone came up with it. She has her uses, inept as she is. Good for public relations, but not much else. Nick. If you’re going to take a pill, now is the time.”