Page 69 of No Capes

“Drink up,” she says. “Get the smoke out of your throat.” She pivots to Fox. “Drive to the fourth nearest dealership. We need to switch cars, and Phil might think to search the car places closest to here. Your vehicle’s too recognizable now.”

“Will do.” He gives a sad sigh.

Ten minutes later, Fox pulls into Mickey’s Dealership. A place that’s open at midnight on Halloween is likely sketchy enough to allow Arielle to ditch the vehicle and pay in cash for another, no questions asked, all while she wears soot-covered couture.

Fox and I wait outside while Arielle speaks with who’s in charge. Fox pats his car. “I’ll come back for you, baby,” he promises.

Next, he turns to me. “You alright?”

“Yes,” I say. “I guess so.” When I find him still looking at me, the truth escapes. “I think I need sleep and time to let this sink in.”

“You and me both,” Fox agrees. “In case you care, I figured it out.”

“Figured what out?”

He gives a dismissive wave. “About Bridges being evil and Arielle protecting you. She set you up to find her, right? Here we are, arsonists and abettors. Regular outlaws. Fascinating stuff to be caught up in.”

“Totally,” I say when I can manage to. What would Fox say if he knew Phil has powers? Would he still think it’sfascinating?

“I won’t ask how your house blew up,” Fox adds, stretching his arms behind him. “Plausible deniability and all.”

“Right.” My stamina still hasn’t recovered from the explosion, and I lean against the car for support.

Fox gives me a nudge. “Chill. It was a joke. Looks likesomeoneneeds to sleep.” When I don’t respond, Fox replies, “Brynn will be happy to see you both. And Jamie never shuts up about you.” He smirks. “This will be fun.”

“Your little brother doesnothave a crush on me.”

“You’re mad because he’s the first person who ever did.” Fox reaches for my elbow and puts his other arm around my waist to support me. We hobble to where Arielle negotiates with a yawning woman.

“Just when I was warming up to you, Fox.”

“Get real, Madeline. You’ve been warming up to me all night.”

His statement makes my heart drop as I remember the reason I’m even with Fox: Dark Static wouldn’t have me, in more ways than one. I suppose this officially rules out Fox as a candidate for Dark Static. Which leaves Aaron as my single remaining guess, unless I can find more options. “I wouldn’t be sure that you know my real identity. I can’t say if you’ve ever met him”Dark Static once said, and perhaps he was telling the truth.

Fox halts when Arielle tosses him a set of keys. He hands me over and ventures into the parking lot to find his new toy. “NO FREAKING WAY,” he shouts when he finds it. Guess he likes it.

“How come you’ve never bought me a car?” I ask Arielle while we wait for him to pick us up.

“If buying you things would make up for the last three years, I would buy you a million cars.”

“Couldn’t hurt…”

Arielle laughs brightly, “Alright. I’ll get on it.”

An engine hums as Fox speeds his new and improved car up to us. Arielle had bought him a completely different vehicle than the one he was driving before. This one is navy blue, slicker and faster looking, and is likely electric. Also, it doesn’t stick out like his former SUV had, which is probably what Arielle aimed for the most.

Fox jumps out and holds the door for me, barely containing his excitement.

“I doubt the cops will try to follow us anymore,” he says, sliding back into his driver’s seat. I settle into the seat behind him and Arielle stares out the passenger side window. Arielle knows things, and if I had to guess, I’d say Arielle knows more about Capital City’s conspiracies than D.S. does, like about Phil’s powers. I wonder if she’ll share some extra information with me.

“The only issue is that the police saw you,” adds Arielle. “The ones who might still be alive.”

“Did they?” Fox asks. “Or did they see an SUV with no driver and a license plate covered up with a t-shirt?

“Nice.” Arielle nods. “Good thinking.”

Fox sniffs. “I’m going to miss her so much.”