Page 55 of Flash Fire (The Extraordinaries 2)

Nick dropped his hands. “Well, shit. It worked earlier. I don’t know how to turn it on.”

“Turnwhaton?” Pyro Storm asked.

Nick looked back over his shoulder. “Dude. I’m an Extraordinary.”

Pyro Storm shook his head. “Nick, we’ve been through this, remember? You’re perfect the way you are. You’re already—”

“It’s notlikethat,” Nick snapped. “I swear. I—look, I found out some stuff today, things my dad kept from me.” He swallowed thickly. “My mom, she—she was—”

He never got to finish. That moment, the temperature plummeted at least thirty degrees as the air around them crystalized, small snowflakes hanging suspended around them. Miss Conduct reached out to touch the closest snowflake. It broke apart, the minute ice crystals spinning slowly. She gasped as smoke began to billow around them, thick and noxious as it rose from the concrete. Nick started to cough roughly when Pyro Storm grabbed him by the wrist, jerking Nick back behind him. Nick crowded against him, peering over his shoulder.

“Something’s coming,” Pyro Storm growled. “Stay behind me, no matter what. Miss Conduct, either get out of here or get ready.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Miss Conduct said, coming to stand next to them. Nick looked over to see lightning arcing across her fingers. He gasped when her exposed skin turned almost translucent, electricity running along the entire length of her body. Her eyes began to glow an ethereal blue, as if the electricity was coming from within.

A crackling sound from above.

Nick lifted his head to see a figureskatingdown the side of the apartment building on a sheet of ice. Ten feet above the ground, they launched themselves off the building, landing in the alley in a crouch, the ground beneath them freezing instantly, shards of ice sprouting around their legs. They were clothed in white from head to toe. The only skin exposed was around their eyes, glittering darkly.

Before the team could react, smoke rose near the ice Extraordinary, taking on a vague shape that looked like arms and legs attached to a body. As they watched, the smoke parted, and from its center stepped another person, this one dressed similarly to their ice counterpart, except their costume was entirely black.

“Please tell me they are also friends you didn’t want me to know about,” Nick muttered in Pyro Storm’s ear.

“They’re not,” Pyro Storm snarled.

The two figures looked at each other and nodded before turning toward the others. As one, they took a step forward, their movements almost choreographed.

Ice said, “Hello.” A man, his voice deep and rough.

Smoke said, “We’ve found you.” A woman, her voice light and happy, almost like she was singing.

“What do you want?” Pyro Storm asked, pushing back against Nick.

Ice cocked his head, the movement staccato like a bird. “You.”

“The spare?” Smoke singsonged.

Ice glanced at Miss Conduct. “Leave her. We’re here for the others.”

Smoke nodded. “Pyro Storm, Nicholas Bell—Mr. Burke sends his regards.”

Chaos, then, an explosion of noise and movement. Nick shouted as Pyro Storm shoved him back with one hand, the other raised in front, a wave of fire rising from the ground in front of him. The heat was immense, melting the ice that had swallowed the alley. Nick reached for Pyro Storm, but his fingers only managed to graze his cape as the Extraordinary darted forward. Ice and Smoke parted, and Pyro Storm flew right between them, slamming into the brick behind them with a terrifying crash.

Nick yelled for Pyro Storm, but even as the words echoed in the alley around them, Miss Conduct said, “You bitches picked the wrong queen to mess with.” Her entire body transformed into electricity, her costume staying perfectly in place. She moved like a current, quicker than Nick could follow. The air sizzled around her as she launched herself forward, going for Smoke. Smoke saw her coming and right before they collided, Smoke dissipated into a black cloud. Miss Conduct flewthroughthe smoke, hitting the building alongside Pyro Storm. She snarled as she turned, electricity arcing around her, even herhairturning into blue energy.

Smoke re-formed between them, facing Miss Conduct and Pyro Storm, her back to Nick. Ice stood and came to Smoke’s side. “The spare,” he said. “He doesn’t know about the spare.”

“Kill her,” Smoke said. “Kill her, and he’ll never know.”

They advanced, one step at a time.

Nick looked at his hands. “Come on,” he muttered, shaking them out. “Come on.Work.”

Pyro Storm threw a vicious punch, hand alight with fire, but his fist flew right through Smoke, sending a black cloud swirling into the air. The force of his movement caused Pyro Storm to over-correct, spinning toward Miss Conduct. He grunted when smoke curled up around his legs, almost like shadows. It crawled up his body, holding him in place. He struggled against it to no avail.

Ice advanced on Miss Conduct, the flurries around his head crashing together and solidifying, forming needle-sharp icicles. They floated above Ice’s head, growing bigger and bigger until they were the size of railroad spikes.

“Work,” Nick demanded. “Turnon. Powers activate!”

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