Super Spy (Book 2)

21. Supervillain Duel

"Hi, Kara," Jace answered. The roaring crowds egging her on, she took a cautious step forward.

She tried to ignore the billboards surrounding the two of them, showing up-close shots of both of them. Jace was used to fighting as a sidekick, or a secret agent: always in the background, never in the center of attention. It was disconcerting to see her own face reflected back at her, skin shining with sweat and unkempt orange curls swept about by the gritty wind.

Kara's features were blurred by Smog, but she could see them clearly on the billboards. The supervillain looked different than how Jace had remembered her. Months of living in the Outskirts wilderness had clearly taken their toll. Her once-glossy hair was tangled and dull, her clothes encrusted in dried mud. But she was still there: a fierce look in her dark brown eyes, a ball of purple fire burning in her hands.

The rooftop was empty except for Jace and Kara, though the surrounding rooftops were crowded with people, civs and reporters and eager superheroes and trainees, straining against the protective railing. Jace remembered the last time she and Kara had been on this rooftop. Except that time, they'd been on the same side, facing down a group of robbers, with Kara charging recklessly ahead. Jace remembered frantically calling for backup when Kara was slammed into the concrete and never got back up— except that had only made the brash then-superhero resent her more.

Kara didn't look angry now. She looked calm.

Behind her, Jace thought she saw shadows writhing in the background. She blinked and they were gone. Maybe it was just shifting winds making strange shapes out of the Smog. Still, her skin crawled.

"Long time no see," Kara said. She grinned the same arrogant, vibrant grin that she always had.

Yes, thought Jace, because Zadia told me to stay away from you and the rest of the rebels. Not by my choice. But she could hardly say that now, revealing herself as a traitor to all the people and cameras around her.

It wasn't what she truly wanted to say, anyway. She wanted to say, Kara, what's going on? What happened to you? We were supposed to be working together.

She wanted to ask about the irae. She wanted to say, Kara, it's me. I don't want to fight you.

But if the Council wanted a fight, they would get a fight, one way or another, and Grayson would be furious at her for trying to de-escalate the situation. Or, more likely, Jace would get declared a supervillain herself. And though she desperately tried to communicate with Kara with a look, silently pleading with her eyes, Kara didn't seem to notice or care, just stared right back.

So instead, Jace said the one safe thing she could think of. "I didn't think I'd see you back here ever again."

Kara's gaze flickered to one of the billboards and back. "Me and the Council have some unfinished business."

The crowd was chanting. It took Jace a moment to make out the words that pounded in her skull: Fight! Fight! Fight! The crowd was getting impatient. They'd come to see blood spilled between a supervillain and her former sidekick.

I need to stall, Jace thought frantically. Give Tristan time to evacuate as many people as he can. Give Nia time to get backup. Jace swallowed, all her muscles tensed as she stood in place, wracking her brain for something to say. Just keep stalling. Keep her talking. "I'm sure you and the Council can come to a compromise."

The crowd booed. 

Briefly, Kara's eyes flashed vivid green. Green reflected back on all the surrounding billboards. "No compromise," she said, and her voice wasn't her own. It was the hissing, rasping voice of the irae. "We have come to take back what is ours." Her eyes went back to normal, and she blinked uncertainly, as if waking up from a dream.