Page 22

Hot and Cold rocked this sunny Saturday afternoon.

Friendship Park was playing host to a gathering of LARPers for a medieval fantasy card game.

A lot of them were giving their spectacular pseudonyms, which was both fun and totally relatable for Joan and Mark (though with far more elf ears than in real-life villainy).

Joan leaned out the service window and called, “Order for Sir Maximilian Congrave, Lord Chancellor of Berntable.”

“Berntableux!” several people called back.

“Apologies, my gentlefolk.” She handed the two sandwiches to a white dude with a bushy brown beard and long maroon robe trimmed in fake fur.

Sadie wished him well as she passed an order ticket through the window. “This is the greatest day ever. A November Rain and truffle fries for Squire Finster Magentus.”

“We’re inviting all these people to the grand opening of Sadie’s Café.”

A bright, beautiful smile spread across her face. “I can’t wait ’til Monday.”

Joan smiled back before adding the ticket to the end of the row of metal clips.

Sadie had an appointment to see the Knollwood Village property Monday afternoon.

Joan couldn’t wait to go with and tell her to sign on the dotted line if it really was the perfect spot.

Her investors were ready for Sadie’s Café.

“November Rain, Lord Markington,” Joan said.

“Heard, Lady Joanie of Sparkland.”

“I hope the other trucks are enjoying this.”

“I’m sure they’re getting a kick out of it. Except that artisanal wannabe with the ice cream truck.”

“The creamed dairy experience ,” Joan drawled in a poor imitation of that irritating woman’s voice.

They worked down the line of orders. She held out a cup of hot and spicy cider at the same time Mark grabbed the last order. “Squire Finster Magentus, your order doth be ready,” he said. His grin grew at the thin blond guy in a long green tunic and tights.

Sadie climbed aboard through the side entry. She set the tablet down and grabbed her water bottle. “You guys need anything?”

“We’re good,” Joan said, scraping down the flat-top.

Mark finished flirting and leaned back. “I’d Finster his Magentus,” he murmured.

After gulping down some water, Sadie said, “LARPers are the best. I love it when people are unapologetic for what they love. Like Nyah and Amit with gaming.”

Joan forced a smile, her heart giving a tight pinch. Like Greta with gaming.

Sadie picked up on that and rubbed her back. “Sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“It’s okay.”

“I think you two will work things out.”

“We usually do,” Joan said, though she honestly wasn’t sure this time.

Several people shouted outside. Man, they were really getting into it. “Must be time for another swordfight,” Joan mused.

“Sounds like someone’s been challenged,” Sadie said.

A few more people shouted. Then there was a scream. And then a real scream.

“What the hell?” Mark peered out the window.

Joan scraped the burnt bits into the trash. The truck rocked a bit. “What are they doing out there?”

“Uh, I don’t think this is part of the… Nope, that is not… Shit .”

She joined him to look out at the LARPers standing stock-still. They collectively watched someone leap onto a sturdy tree branch. Prowl.

She cackled menacingly. “Do you think you’re tough with your plastic swords? Who wants to fight me to prove it?”

Someone must’ve said something because she dove down, claws first, and landed on a guy dressed in royal finery. The people around them screamed, dropped their fake weapons, and ran like hell.

Sadie gripped Joan’s arm. Mark gripped the edge of the steel countertop. Joan searched the area for more activity.

Squawk’s piercing yowl reverberated across the park. Joan pulled Sadie and Mark down to the floor. The truck rocked again. Oh, no.

“Is the ground moving?” Mark said.

“If Quake is here…” Sadie stared at Joan, eyes wide with concern.

SuperWatch alerts went off on their phones. At least the Supers would be made aware and could do something about this.

Her fire roared to the surface. Mark made a fist, ice crystals shimmering in his eyes.

A door banged open near the truck. Wren and Beth-Ann yelled to each other about locking their doors.

Powered by Plants. And Cajun Soul was parked to the north. Their friends. Those glorious nerds out there playing hero. They were all in harm’s way. Shit.

“I can’t just sit here,” Joan said, taking her ballcap off.

Mark stood with her. “Me either.”

Sadie got up, but Joan halted her. “Stay here.”

“People need help,” she said. “I’m going with you.”

Joan started to tell her no, but Squawk screamed again. They pulled their aprons off while waiting for their ears to stop ringing.

She pushed through the back door into pure mayhem: the good gentlefolk running everywhere. A few truly brave knights trying to fight with Prowl. People lying around Squawk curled into balls, holding their heads in agony.

Quake stood in the middle of the field, palms facing the grass, making everything wobbly.

Dread mixed with the angry fire pinging around Joan’s body.

A light blur knocked Quake over. Race stopped and said something to him. Flight divebombed Squawk but got blasted back with a shriek.

“There’s Lunk,” Sadie said, pointing to the left. He was trying to muscle his way through the horde of onlookers too stunned to move.

The crowd around the food trucks didn’t know which way to go. Morris and Tenia furiously tried to shut their metal awning.

“We have to help these people,” Joan said. Pandemonium created more potential for danger. “Sadie, get them out of the park.”

Sadie nodded and waved her arms toward the street. “Everyone get out of the park!” she shouted.

She moved to a group of frightened LARPers and guided them behind Hot and Cold to safety.

Catch ran across the grass, throwing herself on top of Squawk. Apparently using Lunk’s strength by how he dropped. Lunk tried to grab Prowl, only Prowl climbed up on his shoulders and batted at his face.

Quake moved the earth around him, making Zee tumble. No doubt he wanted to destroy the park created in the wake of his previous misdeeds.

“It’s a fucking free-for-all,” Joan seethed.

“They’re not working together.” Mark shook his head in short, jerky movements.

Her fire roiled, frustrated at not being released. “What can we do? We don’t have our bodysuits.”

“Fuck if I know.”

A huge kaboom crashed, and a compact car went flying end-over-end into the park. A big dude in orange jumped on top of it roaring, “ The Smash is back!”

“What the fuck?” Mark said. “They caught that guy.”

Flight soared over the Villain, his face saying the same thing. “How did you…?”

“I got broked out on the way to jail!” Smash bellowed with glee.

Quake laughed loudly. “For the right price, you can pay prison transporters to do just about anything.”

This was another ring of hell. Flight flew toward Smash, but he held his ground and tossed Flight aside like a ragdoll. Panic flared up as Joan searched for?—

“I’m back here!” Sadie called.

Joan turned to blessedly find Sadie in the opposite direction. She ushered a terrified mom and kids quickly down the sidewalk.

“Be careful!” Joan called back.

She wanted to go to her, but there was so much madness. And Sadie was capable and smart and this wasn’t her first rodeo.

Lunk tripped on discarded shields and swords. Prowl nimbly hopped off him as he went down hard.

Zee got up and prepared to run. Quake stomped on the ground and sent them rolling to the side.

Catch was close enough that if Joan could get to her, she could give her some firepower. Only Catch was focused on keeping Squawk from opening his mouth.

Through the chaos and the noise, a moment of stillness settled between Joan and Mark. He met her eyes, and they knew what they had to do. No hiding anymore, no pretending. This was their fight.

A glint of silver caught in the sunlight. A Viking-style helmet lying on the grass. She tugged Mark’s arm and hurried over to it, plopping it on her brother’s head. The long metal piece in the center covered a large portion of his face.

Joan scanned the discarded items and found a heavy, hooded black cape. She whipped it on and pulled the hood as low as it would go.

Mark tossed a short purple jacket on. He quirked his lips and shrugged. “Goodbye, food truck.”

They ran headfirst into the melee.

Mark threw a hunk of ice at Quake. Joan held her arm out and shot a fireball at Prowl. “Get out of here!” she shouted.

Prowl recovered quickly, realized Joan was winding up with another flame, and laughed. “Is that who I think it is?”

“I told you not to mess with my city.” Joan blasted her, making people scream.

The Villain regained her footing and hopped onto one of those catapult contraptions. “You expect me to take you seriously dressed like that?”

“Leave these people alone.”

“Or what? You’ll cast a spell on me?”

A large fissure broke through the grass, zigzagging down the length of the park. Quake was the real problem here.

Lunk grabbed Prowl from behind, who promptly slithered out of his grasp. As they tussled, Joan raced along the cracking earth, directing a steady flame at Quake’s chest. Quake stomped twice. The ground shimmied so hard, she stumbled.

Prowl yelled something, but Joan was focused on the man in brown and black. Mark jumped over a crack and used both hands to bathe Quake in sharp ice. Quake raised several large chunks of dirt to block the shards.

“Who the hell are you?” he said from behind the wall of earth. “The delinquent Villains?”

“Your worst nightmare, pal,” Mark said, spraying ice at Quake’s feet. Quake simply crumbled it with a wave of his hand. Then the chunks of dirt flew toward Joan and Mark. They sprang out of the way in the nick of time.

“I’m your nightmare, snow boy.”

Joan tugged at the hood to keep it on her head. Mark got distracted by something—Zee on all fours in obvious pain but trying to get up.