All the Time to Lose (Wormverse)

Ch 21: Hellfire

Buck barks and starts sniffing around, eventually running off. I switch to heat vision but that doesn't help me. They both register normal levels of heat, with the standing girl having slightly higher than normal temperatures. A normal occurrence with Spitfire.

I pull Newter over to the others and tend to their injuries. Who could have done this? Examining the area, I see scorch marks all over the area and small fires on the wall near the statue. Sure Spitfire could have done that...but she wouldn't. Who else can make fire?

Labyrinth has a world that can make fire but this is one of her good days. Lung? In the Birdcage. Sundancer? Also not her M.O. Genesis? Hell if I know but probably unlikely. Othala and Fenrir's Chosen? Maybe. None of the Pure nor the Undersiders have fire.

The Merchants picking a fight? Plausible but unlikely given the beating they took. Kid Win? Potentially but hardly anything he'd do. Miss Militia? Again, unlikely. No one in New Wave has fire either.

An out of town cape maybe? I don't think any of the heroes would do this? Who else has fire? ... Oh FUCK. The Slaughterhouse Nine! Burnscar! So, I don't see Shamrock, Spitfire, or Burnscar here. Buck's finding Shamrock and Labyrinth is clearly with someone up there.

I can't risk it not being Spitfire. I teleport into the room...just in time to see who I can only guess is Burnscar leaving through the door. She glances back at me and steps away. I look at the room. It looks like a twisted solitary confinement cell. Shit, Elle went to her bad place.

I panic for a moment when I don't see Labyrinth. Then I look down and see her, curled in a ball below the window. I'd shut down Burnscar...but she's leaving and Labyrinth needs me. I hop into the room and put my hands on Elle's shoulders.

My power quickly takes hold of her and immediately, the world starts to fade away as I pull her into a hug. I turn, with her in my arms to look at where Burnscar left, keeping my eyes on Elle. I will kill her. Whatever she did to Elle to put her in this mindset...she will pay dearly for it.

The air is charged with tension as we sit in the kitchen on the upper floor of Palanquin. I'd asked Elle to make me a clear path from her room to here and from here to outside where everyone else is. I think she welcomed the distraction from her thoughts.

I lift my power's hold over her passenger and I can see the moment it does because her eyes become ever so slightly out of focus. In the next instant, the walls melt away to form one open floor but not touching our rooms.

I use this clear view to teleport us to the kitchen. I get her some water while she makes me a path to the street below. I give her shoulder a squeeze. Before teleporting to the group. I grab Newter and Faultline first, shutting off Newter's power before teleporting them up to the kitchen.

I can see that this image bothers Elle to some extent. I can see tears forming in the corners of her eyes. I grab a box of tissues from another room and put them down in front of her. I then teleport to Gregor, teleporting him to the kitchen.

Buck's still not back yet, so I grab my phone and return to the kitchen. "Elle." She looks at me. "I need you to try calling Shamrock. I'm gonna try Emily. I sent Buck out to find them but he's not back yet and I'm not leaving you alone. Can you do that for me?" She nods.

She picks up her phone and we each dial our respective teammate. I get no response from Emily, but Shamrock picks up. Elle puts her on speaker. "Is she gone?" I don't need to know the details to know who she's asking about.

"Yeah. Burnscar is gone." "Hey grandpa. I gotta say, your dog is a really good tracker." I smile. "Yes he is. Come back home. Newter, Faultline, and Gregor are all hurt. We need to leave as soon as possible." "Of course. On our way."