Ace Anarchy now, he would be more a liability than an asset.
Hugh’s expression eased just a fraction. “Thank you.”
“Don’t get killed,” Simon muttered.
Hugh almost smiled. “I’d like to see him try.” Then he was gone.
Only once they were alone did Simon sigh. “I wouldn’t.”
“He’ll be okay. Come on. Put your weight on me.”
Simon leaned into Adrian, and together they started for the nearest exit, a concrete tunnel leading toward the arena’s administration offices. Despite his pain and the distress of losing his powers, Simon kept looking around, squinting through the smoke and dust.
Adrian knew he was searching for him.
They were halfway to the tunnel when Simon tripped over the outstretched leg of a fallen prisoner—dead or unconscious, Adrian couldn’t tell. Simon grunted in pain as his shoulder bashed into the ground.
Adrian stooped beside him, trying to help him back up, while keeping one eye on the fight at the center of the field. The ground around Ace was littered with debris and fallen bodies. Many Renegades were seeking cover in the stands, but it was futile when Ace could so easily tear those seats apart. Captain Chromium reached his fallen pike.
Simon gripped Adrian’s forearms and pulled himself to his feet again, but they both stood, entranced and hopeful, as Captain Chromium began charging toward Ace Anarchy.
“Come on, Hugh,” Simon whispered.
Hugh picked up speed. Adrian gripped Simon’s elbow as he watched his dad close the distance to his longtime foe.
He was twenty feet away.
Ace’s back was turned. The attacks from the Renegades were less frequent as more and more were trapped beneath piles of rubble and furniture, but they hadn’t given up. Ace had pulled down so much of the arena’s roof that there was a wide hole above them, open to the cold, cloudy night sky. The edges of its domed shape were beginning to cave in without proper support, yet he continued to rip out chunks of sheet metal and I-beams, deflecting a bolt of electricity, blocking a stream of molten lava, sending a group of Renegades scattering for cover as he shot a volley of steel pipes after them.
Captain Chromium was twelve feet away. Ten. Eight—
A set of shackles reared up from the busted platform underfoot, latching on to the Captain’s ankles. He fell forward, sprawling across the ground. The pike speared into the dirt only a few feet away from where Ace stood.
“No!” Adrian and Simon yelled simultaneously. Simon made to move toward Hugh, but Adrian gripped his arm, holding him back.
As Ace Anarchy faced his archenemy, two more shackles lifted from the rubble and clamped around the Captain’s wrists, chaining them together.
“Use your impressive strength to break free of those, Captain.” Someone from the stands sent a ball of crackling energy toward Ace. He listed his head and the arena’s enormous display screen fell to the ground, absorbing the blast. “Or have you lost your edge in the ten years since we last met?”
“Go,” Adrian hissed. “I’ll help him.” He released Simon and faced Ace Anarchy, though fear was pounding inside his skull. One cannot be brave who has no fear.
His fists tightened.
“No offense,” said Simon, “but I don’t think that tin-can suit of yours is going to protect you against him.”
“Yeah, Pops, I know. But trust me. I’ve got this.”
There was a pause, before Simon asked, “What did you say?”
Exhaling, Adrian pressed a hand to his chest.
The armor began to retract.
* * *
Nova had stopped trying to revive Callum. She had known it was futile from the beginning, but she’d spent countless minutes trying to stanch the bleeding coming from his abdomen. It was hopeless. She doubted even the most talented of prodigy healers could have closed up a wound like this.
Finally, she stumbled away from his body. No tears came, but she could hardly breathe. She looked around. She’d almost forgotten where she was. The arena was barely recognizable from the place where she had once fought the Gargoyle and earned a place among her enemies.
Death and destruction.
Isn’t that what Ace was known for?
Isn’t that precisely what Callum had so desperately wished to prevent?
There were so many bodies, heroes and villains alike. She spotted a fair number of Renegades hiding behind crumbled walls and overturned chairs, occasionally daring to reveal themselves to throw another attack at Ace, but nothing was working. They were no match for him. They hadn’t been ten years ago, and it was as if no time had passed. The sick, frail uncle she and the others had cared for this