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“Come on,” Nick muttered. “Come on, come on, comeon.”

Pyro Storm peered over the edge of the building.

The camera shook harshly when Rebecca Firestone shouted and Shadow Star launched himself up and over the edge of the roof, feet going into Pyro Storm’s face. Pyro Storm was knocked off his feet and Nick screamed, raising his hands above his head in triumph. Shadow Star landed on the roof, crouched, one hand flat on the ground, the other raised behind him.

Pyro Storm tried to get up, but Shadow Star was already moving, shadows crawling along the roof, wrapping themselves around Pyro Storm’s legs and arms, holding him down. Shadow Star stood above him as Pyro Storm snarled at him. Shadow Star squatted next to him, and though it couldn’t be heard what they were saying, Nick knew Shadow Star was most likely lecturing Pyro Storm on turning away from evil and using his powers for good. Pyro Storm was telling him that he would never do such a thing, that he was avillain,and would dovillain things.

(Nick knew this because he’d written a similar scene in chapter 34 ofThis Is Where We Scorch the Earth.Fiction often imitated real life, after all.)

Then Shadow Star stood, waving his hand. The shadows holding Pyro Storm down dissipated. He held his hand out to help Pyro Storm to his feet, but the villain knocked it away. Shadow Star shook his head and took a step back as Pyro Storm pushed himself up.

They stood facing each other for a moment, before Pyro Storm rocketed away, cape trailing behind him, the air burning.

Shadow Star stared after him for a moment before he shook his head. He glanced back at the chopper, saluted the camera, then leapt from the roof and disappeared from sight.

Nick watched the screen, slack-jawed, even as Rebecca Firestonebreathlessly said that she’d never seen such a fight, and though damage to property was minimal, it appeared that things were escalating. “I’ll have to see if Shadow Star is willing to talk about this latest attack by Pyro Storm. If he is, you’ll hear it here first. This is Rebecca Firestone, Action News.”