Page 16 of Renegades

The ropes caught fire. Flames licked along the nylon, blackening the net until whole portions of it crumbled away into ash.

When enough of the netting had been burned off, he tore a hole in it and stepped out of the bindings, leaving the rest to smolder on the concrete roof.

He walked to the edge and peered down at Nova.

She smirked, unimpressed. “Another fire elemental. How quaint. Not exactly a rare breed, but it’s hard to criticize a classic.”

He bent his knees, lowering himself into a slight crouch, then sprang upward, lobbing his body clean over her head. Nova followed his trajectory through the air, a full arc that carried him onto the rooftop behind her. Though his landing was graceful, the weight of his armor made the floor shake beneath them.

Nova’s smile faded.

A fire elemental with a fancy anti-gravity suit… or a prodigy with superior speed and strength, who just happened to also be able to burn things… or, a superhero with both powers? She’d never heard of such a combination before.

“You can’t escape me, Nightmare,” he said. “I’m taking you into custody, and you will answer for your crimes.”

“Lovely as that sounds, I actually had other plans for this afternoon.”

A shadow passed over them—monarch butterflies slowly merging into a girl’s shape.

As Monarch took form, Nova looked between her and the stranger. She was trapped between them.

She didn’t like being trapped.

Monarch frowned at the armored man. A hasty bandage had been wrapped around the wound in her thigh, cut from gray cloth. “Who are you?”

The stranger didn’t speak for a moment, and Nova was sure his voice deepened when he responded, taking on an air of righteousness. “I am the Sentinel.”

Nova laughed. “Seriously?”

The Sentinel angled his head in her direction, and she couldn’t tell whether she imagined the way his chest expanded defensively.

“Friend of yours?” Monarch said, glancing at Nova.

She tightened her hands around the strap of the duffel bag. “I’m really not that friendly. Besides, he’s wearingyourtrademark.”

Monarch’s eyes narrowed as she took in theRon the Sentinel’s chest.

Losing interest in Monarch’s confusion, Nova heaved the bag at the Sentinel’s head, then reached behind her for the red dagger. She swung the blade toward Monarch’s abdomen but hit only air as she dispersed again into the swarm. Snarling in frustration, Nova swung again and again—finally slicing a single butterfly in half.

She let out a breath and glanced down at the faint brush of wing dust on the blade.

Two arms wrapped around her, securing her elbows at her sides. If Smokescreen had been strong, this guy was iron and steel.

Or perhaps it was the suit.

Nova clenched her jaw and pushed backward. He yelped but didn’t release her as his foot hit the low rail along the building’s ledge.

With one more shove, Nova sent them both plummeting over the side. For a moment they were airborne, his arms locked around her.

They hit the next roof with a jolt that reverberated through Nova’s bones. Something beneath them crunched and shattered.

Though her body ached, she forced herself to roll off him,shoving his arms away from her as she collapsed, trembling, onto a rattan mat. Nova looked around. They were in a small rooftop garden, surrounded by wicker furniture and potted plants—one of which was now pinned beneath the Sentinel. A water fountain gurgled against the wall they had just fallen from.

She caught a glimpse of the Puppeteer’s balloon drifting along the street. There were flashes of strobing red lights brightening the sides of the buildings along the main avenue. Blacklight, perhaps, trying to distract the Puppeteer with fireworks and flashes, or maybe Thunderbird throwing one of her lightning bolts in an attempt to take down the balloon… or electrocute the villain. Maybe both.

The butterflies returned, forming a dark cloud overhead. The Sentinel had rolled onto his side and was attempting to push himself up.

“Hey, Sentinel,” Nova said, tightening her grip on the dagger.

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