fact, the opposite. A massive figure enters, dressed head to toe in black, a giant helmet covering the face. Another stranger, another unknown, but from the way his body moves, it’s clear he’s beyond strong. Like a mountain towering over us, this person commands the room, and now it’s the trio of lackeys who tremble.
“We got what you asked for, boss!” one of them shrieks, gesturing to us like we’re game-show prizes.
“Yup, top-quality recruits!” another chimes in. They chatter excitedly, proud of their work, but the dark figure holds up an enormous hand, silencing them.
This person—their boss—takes another step closer to Bridgette and me, looking down on our sorry state. At least I think he’s looking down—I can’t see his eyes or face at all, covered as they are by the blacked-out motorcycle-type helmet. His head turns toward Bridgette, and after several seconds of quiet contemplation, fists clench, grabbing one of the henchmen by the throat.
“Why did you bring me these two?” he asks calmly, his voice distorted through some kind of robot mechanism.
“You told us to find Warrior Nation defectors, right?” one of them asks. “Well, I read online that Bridgette and that Vaporizer punk broke up.”
The guy next to him snorts. “You read WarNat blogs? Dude, I’m embarrassed for you.”
“It was research!” He shoves his partner. “I figured a pissed-off ex-girlfriend would be ready for vengeance.”
“You thought wrong,” Bridgette says behind me. How she’s staying so calm through this is a mystery to me, but she’s easily my new idol. “Mostly because we’re still together.”
“But the blogs—”
“Someone is always writing something like that. They just want Matt to be single.”
“Ah, man!”
The boss stares at Bridgette for a long time before turning my way. “And her?” the crackling voice asks.
The man who chased me speaks up. “I don’t know much about her but saw her brawling with a hero a while back. Girl Power was holding her over the edge of a boat. Figured they must be enemies.”
What?! That’s why I’m here? They think I’m against Warrior Nation and want to join forces? Wait…are they part of this siege against the city? Is that what this is? Are they building an army of haters?
For all my love toward Warrior Nation, there are plenty who hate them. It’s hard for me to fully understand why, but I know a lot of people who are born with powers hope to join the hero ranks but never make it. Thousands of people who can turn sound waves into light, manipulate the weather, or freeze time never get the chance to join a chapter. There are only so many slots, after all. But would getting rejected be enough to turn would-be heroes against Warrior Nation—against the whole city? I can’t imagine that mind-set, but if I get out of here alive, I’m going to search every last corner of the internet for information on this.
“Neither of them will do,” the boss says. His three henchmen hang their heads.
“So what do we do with them? Kill ’em?”
I grit my teeth so hard they could break. Boss man steps closer, deep breaths rattling through his voice modulator. What is he thinking behind that helmet? All the ways he can torture us? The most painful way to silence two young girls? Every minute he delays his decision I dread it more, praying that whatever he chooses will at the very least be quick. But shockingly, all he says is “Leave them be.”
Huh? We get to live? Seconds later, the back door breaks down, and the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen rushes in.
Warrior Nation, in the flesh. Light streaming in from behind them as if they are literally heaven-sent. Earthquake, Aqua Maiden, Vaporizer, and…Joy. I gasp at the appearance of this amazing group, but my heart swells at Girl Power, dressed in her super-suit prototype that’s so new, I can still see sewing pins clipped in the sides. Fashioned from slim-fitting baby-blue spandex, this new silhouette covers yet accentuates her toned arms and legs, with a rose-gold utility belt strapped across her waist. White combat boots give her a strong stance, with matching gloves ready to go. A cat-eyed mask hides part of her face, but the fear in her eyes is palpable.
The heroes spring into action, with Earthquake stomping his foot into the ground, shaking the foundation and making everyone stumble. The baddies pull out their power moves, throwing out lightning sparks and sonic waves in response, and Bridgette and I become an afterthought as