They underestimated me, every last one of them. Just like I underestimate Floater today in the Times Square Sea.
I write him off as a minor threat and turn my back on him. Freeze-Dry's shouting something, and I focus on him instead.
Which is exactly when Floater does his deflating balloon trick and crashes into me from behind at a high rate of speed.
The impact slams me out of my supporting pillar of steam. My overheated body hisses like a hundred snakes when I hit the water face-down, casting up billowing clouds of vapor.
Before I can get my bearings, something lands on my back, knocking the breath out of me. The weight pushes me down faster than I can turn the water to steam, and my empty lungs inhale. Next thing I know, they're filling with water.
I'm drowning. Now wouldn't t
