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“You’re not going to get that thing out of you,” I say, pointing to the hook that sticks out of her stomach like she is merchandise that can be hung on a sales rack. “They’ll do it in the medical ward. I don’t even know how you’re standing right now. You’re insane.”
“What’s the medical ward going to do that I can’t do?” she says, tugging on it again. It’s a good thing her tank top is black because now it’s probably drenched in blood. “Plus I can’t exactly walk in and ask for help...I’m still a villain.”
“We could dye your hair and you could be me?” I offer. We reach another locked door and Paul unlocks it without so much as an ounce of hesitation.
Nova shrugs. “I guess. I just really want it out now. It’ll be hard getting back home undetected and I can’t run or fight with this thing in me.”
She has a point. We only saw two members of the Retriever Squad on our trip down here and I promptly told them Nova was being taken in when they asked. I also swore them to keep it quiet under President Might’s request. But making it back through the dungeon and up to our home could be a bloodbath if the wrong people were to see us.
I drop to one knee and examine the hook. Although the part we can see is made of smooth black metal shaped like a horseshoe, the inside, the two parts th
at are inside her, are shaped just like the hooks used in fishing. If you try to pull it out, the metal will rip through your flesh, causing a lot of blood and even more pain.
“We can’t do this,” I say.
“It’ll heal.” Nova walks to the wall and presses her back against it, bracing herself. “Just rip it out. Do it quickly before anything starts to heal.”
“Oh no,” Paul says. “Oh no, no, no. She can’t be serious.”
Seeing Paul squirm gives me the extra motivation I need to follow Nova’s request. “Deep breath,” I tell her. She sucks in air, bracing herself for the pain. I curl my fingers under the hook and count to three in my head.
Three, two, one. Pull.
“Ugh,” Nova grunts. Her eyes squeeze shut. I drop the hook to the floor. Blood and power coat the formerly black surface. Paul probably doesn’t want it back now. My stomach clenches in phantom pain. Nova opens her eyes a few moments later and her power levels slip into serenity.
“You’re such a badass,” I say. Her right hand presses against her ripped shirt. She holds up her left hand for a high-five which I happily give her.
“I am in so much trouble,” Paul mumbles under his breath.
An unexpected female voice speaks from further down the hall. “Looks like all of you are in trouble.”
Paul spins toward the voice. “I am Retriever Squad Director Paul McGreen. No one has permission to be in these hallways without me.” Paul, who until this moment was petrified with fear, steps forward, back straight. He’s all business. “I’m going to need to see some ID, ma’am. And a thorough explanation for how you made it past the security doors.”
The woman is thin with big hips and curly bright red hair that reeks of hair dye. She wears black leather pants, combat boots and a matching sleek leather jacket. She smiles, looking past Paul toward me. I move in front of my sister, hoping to block enough of her face so that we don’t look like twins. Or more importantly, so she doesn’t look like Nova Might: wanted villain.
“You don’t need to worry,” the woman coos. “I haven’t slipped past your security system. You’ve actually slipped past mine.”
“And how is that?” Paul snaps.
“Come on up here and I’ll show you.”
Nova’s internal emotions go into Red Alert mode. I wish there was a way I could turn off our mental connection because I don’t need a second reminder that we should be more than a little concerned right now.
Paul’s neck cranes forward but it’s obvious that with the tunnel’s roughly carved walls, he can’t see what she’s talking about without walking the fifty yards to where she stands, hands on her hips. He glances back at me, not for advice or help, but to glare at me as if he thinks I’m going to make a run for it the first chance I get.
In his defense, that’s exactly what I plan to do.
“Did she break out of a dungeon holding cell or something?” I ask. My dumb question must be all the motivation he needs because he rolls his eyes at me and walks toward the woman. I glance at Nova. Her eyes are wide and frightened.
“What is it?” I whisper.
“No talking!” Paul yells back. Ugh. If he were a human, he wouldn’t have been able to hear that. Nova grabs my arm, digging her fingernails into my skin. I mouth the word what? She shakes her head, looking from the woman to me. Her eyes go wide again. I shake my head back at her because I can’t read her mind. She closes her eyes and an explosion of power crushes into me. Bad, angry, scared.
I move my lips without talking. Do you know her?
Before she can answer, Paul’s shocked gasp catches my attention. “How did this happen? This is a secure location!” He’s staring at something in the side of the wall, past the ridged surface that can’t be seen from here. I don’t see the woman anymore. It’s like a hole appeared in the wall. Paul reaches for his MOD.
Then I do see the woman. She’s a blur, moving faster than my eyes can keep focus, shoving Paul backwards until his body cracks against the back wall. Ouch. That’s twice tonight. Her hand holds him up by the neck, closing his airways so he can barely breathe. I can hear his gasps.
