Page 83 of Fanning the Flames

“We’ll tell everyone that Spark and Ice saved us,” Beth-Ann said.

“Thank you,” Joan said, even though she’d rather no one say anything and let them vanish into the ether. Huh. Where was Ether? There had to be another step in their plan.

“I’m sure Joan and Mark want to see their truck,” Morris said, lightly emphasizing their names. “And Miss Sadie. We saw you getting people to safety. Are you a superpowered?”

“No, I’m a norm,” Sadie said. “That’s what they call the rest of us.”

“Nothing normal about what you did.”

Sadie gave him a tight smile.

Joan reached for her hand and clutched it tightly. “You did really great out there.”

“Me? You went toe-to-toe with Quake.”

Buttoning Morris’s jacket, Mark said, “Can we trust you not to share our little secret?”

“It’s dangerous,” Joan said. “Those Villains know who we are.”

“Absolutely. We owe you big time,” Beth-Ann said, and the others agreed.

“You’re our friends,” Wren added, which touched something deep inside Joan.

Friends.Friends who would protect them the way Spark and Ice had protected them.

Joan nodded in thanks. Sadie pulled her into another bear hug. “Your dream, honey,” she whispered through her tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“We’re all safe.” Joan rubbed her back. “That’s what matters.”

She caught Mark’s eye, silently accepting there was no going back now. They were in the fight to protect their city.

CHAPTER15

The crisp night air cooled Sadie’s cheeks after the longest day ever. Even longer than when she’d been abducted by Trick. Remnants of thick rain dripped outside the parking garage at their apartment building. The sky was still a funky green, though it was fading.

Joan met her around the back of the car. Sadie looped both arms around one of Joan’s, dropping her head on Joan’s shoulder. Joan nestled her head atop Sadie’s as they headed toward the elevator.

They’d been caught in the rain earlier at Friendship Park. Ether had made clean-up efforts more difficult and added to the destruction of the greenspace by turning the cracks and holes into muddy, mucky pools.

After unhooking all the potentially dangerous things, Hot and Cold (what was left of it) had been towed to the warehouse. Her heart lurched every time she thought about its bright-blue paint marred, the logo completely gone, all their hard work smashed to pieces. Joanie and Mark were in shock, or some kind of odd acceptance in aThis is why we can’t have nice thingsway.

Perry had arrived to help Sadie deal with Hot and Cold while the twins watched from afar, hiding beneath Cajun Soul trucker hats in the rain. They couldn’t risk being recognized so close to the scene. She and Perry had used the “too distraught to talk” line with the press to be left alone.

The whole afternoon was a mental blur replayed over and over on TV, online, on SuperWatch. They’d all convened to the warehouse to scour the footage for anything that connected Spark and Ice to Hot and Cold or its owners.

“Anything new?” Sadie asked.

After quick social media posts that they were sad but safe, she’d had to turn her phone off. It’d been blowing up with concern from her mom, her family and friends, her sister Carrie, her mom. Mostly her mom.

Joan wrestled with her phone in the front pocket on her borrowed Powered by Plants hoodie. Spark and Ice had been the focus of most media coverage. The sudden return of the former Villains to fight the current Villains. What did that mean? Were they working with the Supers? Flight had given an interview where he hemmed and hawed about “consulting with Spark and Ice in an unofficial capacity.”

Zee would’ve told the truth, but they were recovering at Superhero HQ. They had a few bruised ribs but were otherwise okay, which Sadie knew thanks to Mark.

Fortunately, Smash was in custody—again. Hopefully for good this time. The Supers had been unaware he’d escaped from his transport. Quake must’ve paid a hefty bribe.

The important thing was that Spark and Ice were being seen in a mostly favorable light. Of course there were dissenting opinions, but every single food truck owner—even the annoying ice cream lady—talked about Spark and Ice being the real heroes of the day.

The four colleagues who’d protected Joan and Mark had also done a pretty incredible thing. Sadie was proud to call them friends.

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