Six Superhero Stories Volume One

Heroes of Global Warming-3

There's been a lot of water under the bridge since then. After what I did to Sunblock, I'm on my own. No cavalry to charge to the rescue.

On the other hand, I've still got an advantage. Because Freeze-Dry, Floater, and Bottlenose have no idea what's really at stake.

Or what I'm willing to do to make it happen.

"One last chance to come quietly." As he says it, Freeze-Dry's already revving up his flash-freezing powers. His twelve fingers glow bright blue and crackle with energy. "As your friend, I advise you to surrender."

He doesn't wait for me to answer. Bolts of freeze-force burst from his hands and race toward me, screaming through the air.

I thrust one hand in front of me, casting a wave of focused heat at Freeze-Dry's blast. The opposing forces crash together and swirl for a moment, heat versus cold. Then, I pump out a booster surge that breaks the clinch and fries the stream of freezing power right back to Freeze-Dry's fingers, sending him spinning.

I'm expecting an attack from the other two next, and I get it. A wave of sound plows into me from behind, a deafening, modulated roar like amplified whalesong. I know it's Bottlenose's work; I twist as it flings me forward, and I see him swimming toward me, distortion ripples pulsing from his open mouth.

I fire a blast of heat at the water behind me, pulling up a funnel of steam that stops my flight. Pushing off with another jet of steam, I rush headlong toward Bottlenose, hands glowing cherry red like twin branding irons. He can't get out of my way in time, and I bash both fists straight into his snout, sending him reeling. So much for the ear-splitting whalesong.

It's then that I make a mistake. I figure Freeze-Dry's the bigger threat, so I turn when I hear his voice.

But what I should be doing is watching for Floater. Never underestimate someone just because they don't seem to contribute much.

It's the same lesson I've worked so hard to teach the Castigators about me.