Page 81 of Flash Fire (The Extraordinaries 2)

Nick had no argument there, so he wisely kept his mouth shut. Miss Conduct turned to face Seth, who appeared to be arguing with his helmet. “No, we’re not. It wasn’t our fault! What do you mean it’s already on the news? Itjusthappened! Who even—Rebecca Firestone?” He groaned. “Of course it was.” He looked up at Nick and Miss Conduct. “Jazz says Firestone is already interviewing the woman with the dog.”

“I hate her so damn much,” Nick muttered and looked up at Miss Conduct. “You said you’d kill people for me because I’m an adorable queer and we’re family, right? Can you start with her?”

“On it,” Miss Conduct said, electricity beginning to arc from her fingertips.

“No,” Seth said, stepping forward. “We don’t kill. Ever.”

“I never agreed to that,” Miss Conduct said. “Just because you have a righteous moral compass doesn’t mean the rest of us want one.”

“He’s right,” Nick said as he deflated. “We can’t kill her. Maybe we could only maim her or something instead.”

Seth shook his head. “No maiming.”

Miss Conduct rolled her eyes. “I’m not seriously going to murder anyone. Learn to have a little fun, yeah?” She shook her head. “Not that I don’t appreciate you reaching out, but what’s going on?”

“You saw the interview with Burke?” Seth asked.

Miss Conduct made a face. “That man. Nasty. Too bad he’s an asshole. Otherwise, I’d ride him like a bronco.”

Nick gaped at her.

She laughed at him. “What? It’s not like I’m actually going to. Trust me when I say been there, done that. I have too much respect for myself to ever go through a headache like that again.”

“I want to be you when I grow up,” Nick breathed. “Even if your taste in men is suspect.”

She patted his arm. “Not all of us like twinks. Two sticks banging together, that’s what you are. Give me a roughrider any day.”

Nick began to pull out his phone. “Oh man, you should see this video I found. It’s got an oil worker who—right,” he said quickly as Seth glared at him. “Not the time.”

Seth waited a beat, as if to make sure Nick wasn’t about to share porn with a drag queen before saying, “We need help. I don’t know if we can do this on our own.”

“Ah,” Miss Conduct said. “I see. You want us to work together.”

“Superhero team-up,” Nick whispered to no one in particular, which was good, seeing as how he was ignored.

“Iwantus to survive this,” Seth said. “Burke is much more dangerous than people think, and we have to do what we can to stop him.”

Miss Conduct snorted. “I sure as shit won’t end up on any list, you can bet on that.”

Nick looked back and forth between them before settling his gaze on Miss Conduct. “You won’t help us?”

“I didn’t say that, twinkie,” Miss Conduct said sharply. “While I don’t like the idea of going up against someone like Burke, I refuse to live in fear forever. Life’s too short to worry about the simpleminded people who hate us for who we are. I went through that the first time I put on makeup. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let people make me feel bad because of who I am. Never again. And if they want to come for me—well, I think they’re in for the shock of their life.” She raised her hand, a little ball of electricity snapping and snarling before it disappeared as she closed her fist.

“Oh my god,” Nick whispered. “That was acatchphrase. Why didn’t you tell me you have multiple catchphrases?”

“Because I just met you the once,” Miss Conduct said.

Nick nodded, puffing out his chest. “I’m going to tell you mine, Miss Conduct. Ready? It’s gonna blow your mind.” He cleared his throat, hands on his hips. “It’s time to—”

“—take out the trash,” Miss Conduct said. “Yeah, I heard it the first time.”

“Oh,” Nick said. “Right. Well, I can see you’re impressed, so you’re welcome for—”

Another figure landed in the alley.

Nick stumbled back, raising his hands to ward off whoever was attacking them now. He waited a beat, but nothing struck him. He lowered his hands.

There, standing in the alley in front of them, was another Extraordinary.