After his shift was over, Robert went down to inspect Royd’s shop where his suit had exploded. It was still in shambles, glass was strewn across the floor, and the head of his mech lay nearby looking half destroyed. Robert picked it up and ran a hand over it, causing him to cut his finger on a sharp piece of glass. When he got home, he cracked open the bourbon his team got him and he just started drinking straight from the bottle.

  “I mean… you know, it feels like, for the first time in a long time,” he told Beef as he lay on his back down on the floor, “I can see a life without Mecha Man. Which I’m sure you’d appreciate.” He rolled onto his side and petted the dog. “It’s been nice that we get to spend more time together, right?”

  Beef wagged his tail and stuck his tongue out.

  “The Z-Team might fuck up for a while,” Robert continued, “but at some point, they’re gonna get good.” He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “And when that happens, they’ll make a bigger impact than I ever could alone.”

  He took a deep breath and sighed. “But just when I feel like I got a good handle on it… got it figured out. I think about Chase… and my Dad… and Shroud…” He rolled back toward Beef and said in a mocking, excited tone, “Then I get all fucked up. Y’know what I’m saying, Beef? You know what I mean?” He scratched the dog’s belly, drawing an excited yip from him.

  Robert laughed. “Yeah, exactly. See? This is why I appreciate our talks.”

  Beef stood up and sniffed toward the door.

  Robert sat up too as he heard footsteps and saw shadows move on the other side. Then, after a moment, red light spewed out from the middle of the door. A portal opened and Malevola stepped through carrying a chandelier in one hand.

  Invisigal followed behind her with her hand over her eyes. “Are you decent?”

  “Definitely a house that needs some warmth,” Malevola noted.

  “Yeah, I tell him dat last time I come,” Royd said, emerging from the portal with a computer under one arm. “Somehow look worse.”

  “I am in my underwear,” Robert said flatly.

  “Yeah I can see you,” Visi said. “I was joking when I asked if you were decent.”

  Royd shouldered his way past Mal and Visi to set the computer on Robert’s counter.

  “I know,” Robert shrugged. “I just need you to know that I know how I look right now.”

  “Uh, that rubs out by the way,” Malevola said, looking back at the black mark on his door where the portal had just closed. She was now holding the chandelier with her tail. She scrubbed the black mark with her forearm. “You just gotta put a little muscle into it.” She turned and looked at Robert, holding the chandelier higher with her tail. “Do you know where you wanna hang this?”

  “Why are you holding a lamp?” Robert asked.

  “I think he’s only considered where he’d hang himself,” Visi joked. She thrust a thumb over and said, “That corner seems fine.” She looked back at Robert and said, “It’s a housewarming gift. For your housewarming party. I told people to bring a lamp or something.”

  Mal pulled a beer from Robert’s fridge, popped the top off on his counter, then took a long pull.

  “Wait, wait—people?” Robert asked. “More people are coming here? To my home? Look, I’m not really in a party mood right now.”

  Malevola strode up and paused next to him, then said “Not what it looks like to me wicha tighty whities,” and she lightly flicked two fingers against his groin.

  Robert flinched. “Okay, she just touched my—”

  ***

  Mal actually giggled as she walked away, saying, “Still not wearing a jock strap I see.”

  ***

  “This is your family photo area?” Invisigal asked, walking past him. “Kinda morbid. Which I’m kinda into.”

  Robert grabbed the bulletin board off his wall and set it on the floor. Then he noticed what Royd was hooking up and he asked, “Is that my work computer?”

  “We figure it out, bruddah,” Royd answered. “The man can be mecha again.” He turned on a projector attached to the computer, illuminating a city map on Robert’s wall.

  “After your little premature ejacusplosion,” Visi said, “I had this feeling like I’d seen it before.”

  “Then Visi ask me to get da energy reading we got his morning,” Royd added, “and cross reference with recent calls.”

  “Wait… wait-wait-wait,” Robert said. “It’s not destroyed?”

  “Nope,” Visi answered. “And a bunch B-grade villains have been trying to unlock its power only to end up blowin’ their asses off like you did. Then they sell it onto the next sucker and same shit.” As she spoke, a series of videos played showing various, similar explosions around the city. “It’s passed hands at least four times that we’ve tracked.”

  “How does Shroud not know this?” Robert asked.

  “Eh, probably think like us,” Royd shrugged. “Think it was destroyed. But he’s a smart fuckah. He gon figure it out soon enough.”

  “That’s why we get to it first,” Visi said.

  “Which is why we’re having a party?” Robert asked.

  “The Z-Teamers know every low level supervillain in three counties,” Visi said, stepping in front of him. “We track its location, they’ll know who has it. Then we kick in some doors, knock some heads, snatch that shit back and you’ll be pulsin’ or whatever in no time.”

  “Regardless of how this plays out,” Robert said, “thank you.” He looked back at Royd and Malevola. “All of you. I’m… just, you know, I can’t remember the last time someone did something like—”

  Visi punched him in the gut then stood straight and crossed her arms.

  Robert groaned. “What is wrong with you?”

  “Just,” she shrugged, “get gushy after we find the shit.”

  “So,” Royd said. “One of the last pings that we got was from a boat over here in Marina Del Rey. Which is—”

  “Oh, Yachtie territory,” Malevola cut in just as she got the chandelier hung up and lit.

  “Why she’s here first,” Royd said. “You know much about these guys?”

  Malevola made her way back over to Robert and Visi. “Uh, old money crew of ascot wearin’ cokeheads. Skyler Arcadi runs it now. Three generations of that family’s been trying to finger me.”

  “What’re they accusing you of?” Robert asked.

  Malevola smirked, threw her arm around his shoulders, and pulled his head against her chest. “You’re cute.”

  “We gonna ask you some questions about a piece a tech dey moved,” Royd said. “But first Rob gotta put on pants.”

  ***

  “Aww, what?” Malevola groaned. “But then I can’t do this—”

  Her hand lunged toward him again but he just stood his ground. Her palm covered his groin, fingers curling between his legs, and she held it there as they locked eyes.

  “Weerre you expecting me to flinch again?” Robert asked.

  One of her eyebrows twitched up and a faint smirk appeared. “Yeah but I’m finding myself glad you didn’t.”

  Invisigal’s eyes darted between them as a charged silence built in the room.

  Royd coughed loudly. “Uh, Visi. Come help me grab da rest from da truck.”

  “The rest of what?” She asked, furrowing her brow. He quickly made his way over and grabbed her shoulder, steering her toward the door.

  “Since when do you need help carrying things?” Visi asked as they went out the door.

  Once they were alone, he expected her to move her hand, but she just stayed there, staring like a challenge.

  “Hey,” Robert said quietly.

  “Hey, yourself,” Malevola answered.

  He finally broke eye contact, but his eyes darted to her lips, then back up. “I heard what you did. Thank you.”

  “You're welcome,” she said softly.

  “Did it hurt?”

  “When I fell from heaven?”

  Robert laughed, shaking his head. His hand came up and rested on her arm. “Chase said you screamed.”

  “Yeah,” she admitted. “Worse than the first time.”

  Robert recoiled a little. “First time?”

  Finally, Malevola looked away. She pulled her hand back but he caught it.

  “What do you mean?” Robert pressed.

  Malevola’s eyes slid back to him, but she seemed more fragile now, if only for a moment. “You um… you landed. Damn near right on top of me. Mecha Man did.”

  “When…” his eyes narrowed, then went wide. “After the bomb?!”

  Her eyes dropped again. “Yeah.”

  Robert’s head was reeling. “Why wait this long to tell me?”

  “I didn’t know how you’d feel about it,” she shrugged. “And no one else knows. I wasn’t even in the Phoenix Program yet, I was still a villain. But I saw you lying there and… help was on the way, I could hear them. But they weren’t coming fast enough.”

  “So you healed me,” Robert said.

  Her head wiggled up and down in the tiniest little nods.

  He took a breath and said, “Mal, I don’t know what drove you to save me that first night, but I do know I’m grateful. I also know you said that you may not be everyone’s taste, but I find myself drawn to you. And… I know that…” The words caught in his throat.

  “Yes?” She asked in a surprisingly innocent tone.

  Robert swallowed the lump in his throat. “I know that you’re fun and chaotic and that I’m going to kiss you unless you stop me.”

  Her head just tilted to the side a little bit as she waited.

  Robert reached up, his hand sliding from her wrist to cup the side of her face, and he pulled her down to him. She pressed into it as soon as their lips touched. Her skin was searing hot yet incredibly soft, and though they both moved tentatively at first, the kiss soon deepened. Their mouths opened and their tongues touched—she tasted like salt and heat and smoke.

  Robert felt her sharp nails drag up his ribcage until they settled on his shoulder and pressed in—not enough to draw blood, but enough to claim him. Her tail wound tight around his leg, anchoring him in place. She made a low, vibrating sound in her throat and she pushed forward, backing him up until he hit the wall.

  For a moment, the world narrowed down to just the warmth of her skin and the pressure of her mouth. It felt dangerous—like standing on the edge of an active volcano as the call of the void dared you to jump in. They broke apart, both breathing hard, and his eyes darted up and down her face.

  “Everything alright?” She asked.

  He nodded, his hands still framing her face. “Yeah. Chaotic, but… more than alright.”

  “Good,” she smiled, and stole one more quick kiss. Then she leaned back, her eyes dropping down his body, and her tail slid higher up his leg. “Now you definitely need to put pants on.”

  “Right,” Robert said, his voice cracking slightly. “Pants. Good plan.”

  Malevola left to go grab the others and returned just as Robert was hopping on one leg to get his pants on. Royd put a sign on the outside of the door that read, ‘Robert’s House Warming Party (keep closed for beef).’

  ***

  Visi set up a speaker and queued up a playlist of energetic dance music. Robert felt Malevola’s tail slide up his arm and onto his shoulder, pushing a beer into his hand. Sonar showed up as they were discussing the plan and screeched loud enough to shatter Malevola’s beer bottle. He brought a floor lamp with him as tall as Robert.

  Punch Up kicked the door open already holding a beer and a desk lamp. Prism arrived with a much more stylish, modern lamp. Waterboy arrived soaking wet (naturally), and proudly presented Robert with a lava lamp.

  Pizza was delivered and Robert made his way over to the projected map Royd had set up, grabbing a slice on the way. The entire time he talked with Malevola, her tail moved expressively, and she had a new affectionate look in her yellow eyes.

  As Robert was talking with Waterboy, the kid choked on his drink and made a run for the bathroom. Then he heard someone throw a rock up at his window and looked out to see Golem, who had to enter the apartment via Malevola portal. He brought a salt rock lamp.

  Blonde Blazer arrived carrying a couch on her shoulder. Chase was behind her, his hands on the end of the couch like he was actually providing any sort of assistance.

  As the food warmed their bellies and the drinks loosened them up, the living room turned into a dance floor. Blazer grabbed Chase, forcing the grumpy speedster to shuffle his feet. Then Prism danced—then Visi. Before long, Sonar, Golem, and Punch Up had all joined in too.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  ***

  Robert stood by the wall, nursing a drink, watching his team actually acting like a family. And then a red tail wrapped around his waist, firm and gentle, and tugged him forward. Malevola spun him around to face her, then ran a single, sharp nail from his throat to chin, beckoning him into the middle of the dancing. She stood at least a foot taller than him, but the way she danced—dipping low as motion from her hips moved through her entire body in waves—it kept them eye-to-eye.

  His hands found her waist, her arms looped around his neck, and she pulled him close, her forehead resting against his for a fleeting second. Then her hand touched his chest, the heat from her palm soaking through his shirt, and she shoved him away with a playful laugh.

  ***

  The night went on, drinks kept flowing, and Chase got more irate as he drank. When the music had faded and the dancing died down, Visi walked over to the wall and uncapped a red marker. She drew a circle on Robert’s wall where the Pulse was located.

  “You do understand how projectors work, right?” Robert asked.

  “Felt more dramatic,” Visi said. “And bare walls are a sign of depression.”

  “Why is it always a warehouse by the docks?” Robert asked.

  “It’s where stuff comes in and stuff goes out,” Visi shrugged. “Not a rocket scientist, are ya?”

  “No, that was my dad,” Robert answered. “What kinda security are we dealing with?”

  “That’s where it gets tricky,” Royd said.

  The display lit up with an overlay of the warehouse’s security. It was wired to the teeth—cameras and sensors everywhere.

  “Shit,” Robert breathed.

  “That’s more than shit,” Chase said. “You need a fuckin’ army.”

  “I’ll go,” Visi volunteered. She looked at Robert and added, “Can’t shoot what you can’t see.”

  “Look, this is really great work,” Blazer stepped forward, “but doing this tonight is out of the question. Hitting a secure location like this is something they would handle downtown.”

  “Are you kidding?” Visi asked. “There’s enough firepower in this room to take down a fuckin’ kaiju.”

  “Buncha drunk ass Z-Teamers?” Chase spat. “Please. Y’all wouldn’t make it past the front door.”

  “No one’s asking you to do a goddamn thing, okay?” Visi shot back.

  “Hey, no need for that,” Blazer tried to mediate. “We take the day to plan it with downtown and hit the warehouse tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow night?” Visi exclaimed. “This thing’s not gonna sit still for that long. If we don’t grab it, someone else will.”

  ***

  “She has a point,” Malevola said. Her tail was absent-mindedly moving on Robert’s back.

  Robert crossed his arms, thinking for a moment. Then he looked up and said, “This is incredible, Vis, but I think Blazer’s right. A plan is the smart move, rushing it is too risky.”

  “There’s no guarantee it’ll be there tomorrow,” Visi protested. “We need to go now.”

  “She said no,” Chase slammed his beer onto the counter, cutting through everyone’s chatter. “You understand that word? Or has it got too many fuckin’ syllables for you?”

  The room went quiet and Robert felt Mal’s hand squeeze his shoulder.

  ***

  “Why don’t you go walk your ass around a mall, Grandpa.” Visi stepped toward Chase defiantly. “Heroes are talking—”

  “YOU ARE NO FUCKING HERO!” Chase yelled, jabbing a finger at her face.

  “Woah—hey!” Blazer raised a placating hand.

  But Chase kept going. “She named you Invisigal! You named yourself Invisibitch and you had it fuckin’ right.” His finger jabbed her in the shoulder.

  “Chase!” Blazer pressed a hand to his chest, pushing him away from Visi. “You’re drunk. You need to stop talking.”

  “You wanna get people hurt?” Chase pressed. “Get people fuckin’ killed? Then you need to go back to the team where you belong!”

  “Hey!” Robert yelled. “Everybody just calm down!”

  “This is crazy…” Prism muttered, pulling out her phone to record.

  “She thinks she’s like you but she’s not,” Chase spat. “Robert doesn’t need to keep going out there with no powers putting his life on the line to make up for assholes like you. He doesn’t need to be Mecha Man to be a hero. You’re playin’ them, you’re playin’ yourself. You think you’re invisible but I fuckin’ see you.”

  Invisigal was shaking, and she said in a low voice, “You don’t know anything about me.”

  “I know you’re a liar,” Chase said, almost slurring. “A criminal. I know you’re fuckin’ dangerous, what else do I need to know?”

  Visi disappeared.

  Chase stood straight and crossed his arms. “There. Now I know you’re a cowar—”

  An invisible punch slammed into Chase’s face, staggering him backwards so hard his back hit the counter.

  “Oh shit!” Blazer yelled.

  Robert saw the door fly open and he yelled, “Visi! Wait!”

  The door slammed shut.

  Blazer was helping Chase steady himself.

  “That was a nice uppercut,” Punch Up said appreciatively.

  “That bitch sent his ass airborne,” Prism added. “How are you not dead?”

  “Chase?” Robert approached. “Are you alright?”

  “That’s enough for tonight,” Blazer grabbed Chase’s shoulders defensively and moved him toward the door. She paused by Robert. “I’m sorry this turned ino… whatever just happened.” She looked back at the rest of the group. “Anyone who utters one word about what happened tonight fucking answers to me. Got it?”

  Prism put her phone down.

  A knock came at the door and Robert quickly moved to it. He opened it and said, “Invisigal—”

  Flambae was waiting with a cocked fist, and he decked Robert as soon as he saw him. Then he shook his head and said, “Yeah. So. I might need to do that once a month or so as a release of my hatred for you. But, perhaps, with some time… you’ll be less of a bitch to me. Um, yeah. We’ll see.”

  He tossed a lamp down on the floor and the bulb shattered. “Happy housewarming, bitch. Your place fucking sucks.”

  ***

  Blazer took Chase out and everyone else dispersed rather quickly. Everyone except Mal. Robert closed the door and turned around—she was just standing there watching him, her fingers idly fidgeting together.

  “You okay?” she asked softly.

  “Yeah,” he nodded, though his eyes dropped to the floor.

  She approached and wrapped her arms around him for a minute. Then, without a word, she started helping clean up—picking up the paper plates with one hand, a trash bag in the other, her tail grabbing empty beer bottles. He tried protesting but she wouldn’t hear any of it.

  When all the trash was bagged, she looked at him again and cupped his face with both hands. “Try to get some sleep, okay?”

  Robert nodded. “Thanks.”

  Malevola’s tail wrapped around his waist as she gently touched her lips to his forehead. She held it for a long moment, then broke away and stepped back. A portal opened on his wall and she stepped through it, glancing over her shoulder one last time before it closed.

  ***

  Robert carried a heavy bag of trash down to the dumpster. He paused after depositing it and noticed a familiar old man sitting on the ground under a street light. He walked over to Chase and said, “Aw, are you in time out? Cause you were bad?”

  Chase didn’t answer, just looked at him.

  Robert moved closer and sat down next to him. “Thought you went home.”

  “Came back to apologize. All these goddamn apartments look the same. That guy watchin’ us from the balcony? Walked into his house thinkin’ it was yours.” He looked over his shoulder and shouted, “Sorry about that!”

  A guy on a third floor balcony wearing at least nothing from the waist up shouted back, “Fuck you!”

  “Hey!” Robert shot back. “He said he was sorry!”

  “FUCK YOU TOO!” The guy yelled.

  “Okay,” Robert started to get up. “Let’s just head inside.”

  Beef was busy licking the salt lick lamp that Golem brought when they got back inside. Robert got some water cups and joined Chase out on the balcony.

  Chase took the cup, looked in it, then asked, “You sure this ain’t vodka?”

  Robert chuckled and said, “She told you?”

  “Made quite a first impression. Didn’t know you were into spittin’ in people’s mouths. Kinky shit. It’s that internet. Somehow made sex boring.”

  “Okay,” Robert said, “now you sound like you look.”

  “Another thing I can’t do anymore,” Chase leaned against the balcony. “Fuck. Maybe it’s why I say the word so much.”

  “Ah. I’m sorry, Chase. I hadn’t thought about that.”

  Chase looked back over the city. “I had a pretty good run.” Then he swirled his drink and asked, “You ever think about why we do what we do? Help people? Put it all on the line for someone who won’t ever know your name. Won’t send you a thank you card. Won’t be at your bedside when you get hurt.”

  “It’s just the right thing to do,” Robert shrugged.

  “Sure… and you think the Z-Team will be able to tell the difference?”

  Robert thought for a moment, then said, “That first week, Visi was gonna walk off the team. She was feeling low. Talkin’ about how she was born with powers that always meant she’d end up as a villain… like it was fated. So, obviously, I gave her the pep talk. You know, like, that’s all bullshit, you make your own fate, yada, yada—I don’t even remember what I said, but I do remember thinking, ‘oh, fuck… yeah, that must’ve been hard.’ Like, if I didn’t have you, you know, and my Dad, where would I have ended up?”

  Chase took a breath to think. “You were always good. That was always in you. It’s what makes us different from a thief like her.”

  “Oh come on,” Robert said. “You’ve stolen things too.”

  “What?” Chase rounded on him. “You racist motherfucker I’ve never stolen a fuckin’ thing in my entire fuckin’ life.”

  Robert chuckled. “Chase… you’ve literally stolen things for me.”

  “Oh yeah, but that doesn’t count. It was for somebody else.” He leaned back on the balcony railing.

  Robert smiled and asked, “You quietly contemplating?”

  “Yeah… I guess I hadn’t considered some things… but I think the answers are out there… if you just listen to the wind.” He looked out over the city.

  Robert looked too, listening, until he heard Chase let out a long fart. Robert broke out in genuine laughter. “I see why you and Beef get along.”

  “Oh, where is my guy?” Chase turned back to the sliding glass door and walked inside. “I’m sorry, my poor boy. That’s it. There’s my good boy. Who’s a good boy? Beef is.”

  Robert made is way back over to the kitchen. Royd had left his work computer plugged in and an alert was flashing on it. Robert quickly sat down and pulled up a camera feed of the boat where the Pulse was located. It was a raging battlefield.

  “Is there a mic on this?” Robert frantically started looking for one. “Hey! Hey, can you hear me? The fuck are you doing?”

  “Oh, not much,” Visi answered. “Just looking for your stupid ass pulse that’s somewhere on this big ass boat. But someone musta dropped the pin in the supervillain group chat cause this place is crawling with dipshits.” She grunted with effort as she dodged a shipping container flying through the air toward her. “Good news is they don’t know where it is either.”

  “You know who’s not good, Beefy Boy?” Chase asked, holding the dog. “You know who’s a real pain?”

  “Visi,” Robert said firmly. “Get out of there. Now.”

  “Look,” she answered. “You’re disappointed, I’m disappointed. I’m sure Chase’ll have some shit to talk but I’m here and this is our last chance of getting this thing.”

  Robert sighed. “Okay, maybe if I can hack into the system, I can trace the energy signal, check the manifest, I don’t know. Something.”

  “Something would be great,” Visi said with a strained voice. “Yeah, let’s start with something.”

  Robert hacked into the ship’s computer system and said, “Hey, I’m getting a huge energy reading coming from the captain’s quarters.”

  “Right. And I’m supposed to know where that is?”

  “See that tower?” Robert asked. “The biggest one? It’s at the top.”

  “Oh, perfect,” Visi said sarcastically. “So you want me to cross this active battlefield?”

  “Look, I didn’t want you to do any of this shit,” Robert retorted. “You’re the one—”

  “I get it. Okay. Jesus.” She ran forward, disappearing.

  Several moments later, she said, “Shit. They’re onto me.”

  Robert looked over the schematics. “Oh, hey, there’s a door to your left. Lose ‘em in there.”

  “Fuck,” she yelled. “It’s locked.”

  “On it.”

  “Feel free to take your time. Just catching up with some old friends.” Visi kicked a man in the face.

  Robert hacked the door open just as Visi finished knocking out the immediate group that was on her. “Alright Visi! Door’s open!”

  She ran through it, two more goons on her heels. They paused at the bottom of some stairs and one was hit by a large crate Visi tossed from up above. She ran out a door, emerging onto a balcony overlooking the main deck. She took a hit of her inhaler and immediately had to dodge a flying adversary that was in some sort of vulture suit.

  “This fucking guy,” Visi spat.

  “Okay, hey, Visi,” Robert said. “Lead him towards that speaker tower, I’ve got an idea.”

  She hopped over the railing, jumping over to the top of some shipping containers. The vulture-man dove at her but missed. “It better be a good one!” Visi yelled.

  Robert started hacking the speaker and heard Visi yell, “Follow me, Featherdick. I’ve got something real cool to show you!”

  Robert finished hacking in and said, “Visi, cover your ears!”

  A loud, high-pitched screech rang out from the speakers, disorienting the vulture-man and sending him crashing into a stack of containers.

  Visi hopped back down on the deck and asked, “Is that why birds fly into shit?”

  “Visi!” Robert yelled. “Look out! Behind you!”

  Gunfire pinged off the container right next to her head and she ran, dodging from a red energy blast from another enemy. His wild attack sent another stack of containers falling right in Visi’s path. “Fuck me!” She yelled, reappearing from thin air. “How am I supposed to get around that?”

  “Look, hey. Just worry about not dying. I’ll find you a way out.”

  Robert started hacking the crane while Visi dodged, ducked, dipped, dove, and dodged—throwing hands as she went.

  “Heads up, ride’s here.” Robert swung the crane around to her and she hopped on the steel beam it had lashed to a chain. He swung her up and she jumped straight through the window into the tower.

  “The captain’s quarters should be right in front of you!” Robert said.

  The doors in front of her glowed orange and burst off their hinges. Visi had to dodge sideways to avoid them.

  Two goons ran in and one said, “Tell us where the pulse is, Invisibitch! Before we go full Pompeii on your ass!”

  “Full Pompeii on my ass?” Visi laughed. “What kind of threat is that? You gonna gimme diarrhea?”

  “Wait don’t—”

  Visi disappeared.

  “—that was predictable,” the goon said.

  Visi ran up the stair to the captain’s quarters and barred the door with a crowbar. The doors immediately started glowing orange.

  “Where the fuck is this thing because that’s not gonna hold them for long.”

  “It’s in the safe,” Robert said.

  “The safe?” Visi asked. “I don’t know how to open a fucking safe.”

  “Fuck,” Robert breathed. “Alright, let me see what I can do.”

  He hacked it open, then said. “Alright, it’s open. Is it in there?”

  There were a few moments of silence, then she asked in a surprised tone, “I don’t know, does it look like a little glowy butt plug?”

  “Uh, you know what? I guess it does,” Robert said. “Okay, now all you gotta do is sneak past the—”

  “Why’d it stop?” Visi asked.

  She tore open the glowing orange doors to find the two goons unconscious. “Holy shit, are they—”

  The lights all went out.

  “Robert?!” Visi gasped. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m here,” he answered. “Just hang on, trying to get the camera back.” He got the feed up and said, “I see you, you’re good. Just take one step at a time.”

  She carefully felt her way through the dark, grabbing the handrail and making her way toward the stairs. But when she was halfway down, a figure moved right next to her.

  “No. Invisigal, stop. Shroud! Behind you!”

  Shroud grabbed the back of her head and threw her over the railing. She dropped the last short distance and crashed onto the deck, dropping the case with the pulse and her inhaler.

  “No,” Robert breathed. “No no no no.”

  Shroud casually tossed a canister over by Visi and it lit up with red light, spewing smoke. She started coughing violently.

  “Hey, Visi, stay calm,” Robert said. “Your inhaler is just a few feet in front of you! Okay? You gotta get to it!”

  She coughed and sputtered, then started dragging herself toward it. But Shroud walked past her and right as the inhaler was at her fingertips, he kicked it across the room.

  “No!” Robert said. “Hey, Visi, he’s just gonna keep fucking with you but you don’t give up, okay?”

  She tried crawling toward the inhaler again but didn’t even make it halfway before the lack of air caused her to collapse.

  “Visi!” Robert yelled. “Visi, you gotta fight! Please, Visi!”

  Shroud watched as she fell unconscious, then walked away.

  “Hey, listen to me,” Robert kept trying. “You get up. Get up!”

  Robert suddenly looked down when he realized Beef was sitting in his lap. Chase had been holding Beef. Robert looked over. Chase was posed, exactly the way he used to pose to activate his super speed. The same super speed that aged him into an old man before he even turned forty.

  “Keep up,” Chase said.

  “No!” Robert yelled.

  In a flash of light, Chase ran out the door.

  In mere seconds, he ran across the city. Robert returned to the computer just in time to see the camera feed where Visi lay unconscious.

  Chase appeared next to her and picked her up.

  Robert looked at her locator beacon. One second she was on the boat, the next she was across the city. He pulled up a CCTV feed near where they were, finding a park overlooking a bay. Chase appeared holding Visi and set her down, leaning her back against a tree.

  Then he stood back up, shook his head, and walked a few steps away.

  His knees gave out and he collapsed to the ground.

  Visi came to, took a hit of her inhaler, and yelled, “Chase! Hey! Wake up!” She scrambled over to him. “Wake up! Please wake up!”

  Robert was already on his feet. “Where’s my fucking keys?”

  “No! NO!” Visi cried over the feed. “No, no. Don’t fucking do this. Please. Please, please, please Chase.”