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“Restraint,” Seth said with a scowl. “Anytime now, Nicky.”

“You got enough juice left?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re Pyro Storm,” Nick said. “It’s time for you to live up to your name. We’re going to burn away the shadows. I need you to become the freakingsun. The cops are going to do the rest.”

Seth nodded. “Stand back. It’s time to finish this.”

“Whoa,” Nick breathed. “That gave me chills, dude. I’m going to climb you like a tree later—”

“Nick.”

“Right. Standing back.”

He moved behind Seth. He lay his forehead on the back of Seth’s neck, warmed by the unnatural heat emanating from him. Seth raised his arms.

“Do it,” Nick whispered.

The air around them lit up brightly. Fire blossomed from his hands, growing exponentially until it was a tsunami on either side of the bridge. Seth grunted as he pushed his hands forward, wave rushing along the guardrails, the top of which almost scraped the struts above.

Nick had never seen anything so beautiful before.

The sides of the bridge were blocked off by a wall of flames.

The shadows grew larger. Owen laughed. “It won’t be enough! It’s over. You’ve lost.”

“Oh my god,” Nick muttered. “He never shuts up.” Then, turning his head back toward his father, he shouted, “Now!”

Cap barked an order.

Headlights and spotlights burst into life on either side of the bridge.

They hit the shadows, destroying them instantly.

Owen cried out as the debris rained down around him.

Seth barreled forward, moving quicker than Nick could follow. He managed to avoid the metal beams falling around him as he pulled his fist back. Fire swirled around it.

Owen was distracted, bracelets lighting up, but the light mixed with the fire and the lights from the patrol cars. He shouted in frustration when he couldn’t find any shadows.

He didn’t see Seth coming.

Seth grabbed him by the wrists, fire leaking from his palms. The bracelets glowed, molten hot as Owen screamed in pain. The bracelets broke, falling to the ground where they hissed against the pavement.

“You shouldn’t have touched Nicky,” Seth growled. He punched Owen in the jaw, fire exploding in bright arcs. Owen’s mask burned away as he flew back. He smashed into a support beam embedded in the roadway, striking it headfirst.

He slid down the beam, landing on the pavement. He didn’t move.

The walls of fire died down around them, leaving the guardrails a fiery red.

Seth moved slowly until he stood in front of Owen. He crouched down in front of him. He paused for a moment, before he stood again, looking at Nick over his shoulder. “It’s done.”

Nick swallowed thickly. “Is he dead?”

Seth shook his head.

Nick ignored his dad’s shouts coming from behind him. He walked until he stood beside Seth, looking down at Owen Burke. Shadow Star’s mask was gone. He had scorch marks on his cheek. Part of his hair had been burned away. Owen took a shallow breath. And then another. And then another.