Shadow

Nonchalant Murders

He mumbled something under his breath but I didn't bother asking what. More than likely something about how he'd beat Daniel up one of these days. But based on the security around the young Mr. Cloud, my money wasn't in my best friend's favor. Sorry, Cole.

After finishing up the living room and transporting the junk from the trash corner to the curb, I went up to my room to change. As I threw my gloves with the rest of my super suit, I stared at the cloak for a minute. My stomach wrenched all of a sudden.

I sprinted into the bathroom just in time to pray to the porcelain gods. I heaved out everything I ate that day, plus some. Spitting one last time and washing out my mouth, I took a deep breath. I'd never had a Super reaction that strong before. Something was wrong.

I suited up as fast as possible and ported to the top of the Cloud Tower.

That was before I realized the Cloud Tower was gone and I found myself in a free-fall. I gasped and targeted a new destination. My feet collided with solid concrete and I sighed with relief.

"Hello, Shadow."

I whipped out Winter and had her aimed when I froze. "Empathy."

She didn't even blink. "Sorry. That was probably super freaky of me."

"No," I replied with a sigh of relief. "No, I'm just being paranoid. That's all."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she stepped closer. "Did you feel it too?"

I nodded. "Made me puke my guts out. Do you know what it is? Or better yet, who it is?" Blaze? No. I got rid of him. He's out of the picture for good. Blaze is in a cell at the Agency and he'll never escape. We're safe. I'm safe.

Empathy shook her head. "I have no idea."

"Glad I could join the girls' night."

Internal groan. I turned around to face the girl in yellow. "If it isn't Super Stupidity."

She narrowed her eyes. "It's Solar Storm, for your information. But then again, you've been living in the dark, haven't you, Shadow?"

"Oh, that was a bad one."

"Mmm. And Empathy, nice to see you here."

Empathy nodded in acknowledgement. "And you, Storm." Empathy, as all of us other Supers know, is probably the most powerful, but she limits herself. She could literally control you and anything around you while reading your thoughts and forcing feelings of confusion on you. Sometimes, I was a little freaked out by her skills, but I was her only friend. The other Supers were too afraid of her, thinking that a young Super could be reckless and stupid. That being a young teenager would play too much into the world of superheroes. But Empathy was probably the most down-to-Earth out of us all. That's why she was my favorite.

Storm glanced at her warily before facing me. "What seems to be the problem?"

I shook my head. "No idea. Everyone seems to be feeling it, though. And if every hero is feeling it—"

"Then that's really bad news," Empathy muttered. "But where is everyone else?"

"If by everyone else you mean me, then here." Riptide grinned at me. "Hello, Shadow."

"Riptide. I don't suppose you know anything?"

He shook his head. "Had this weird muscle spasm thing. I was in the middle of a family dinner when I randomly chucked a handful of mashed potatoes at my great-grandmother's face." He puffed his cheeks up with air and breathed it out slowly. "That will be the end of my family reunion invitations. Not that it's much of a loss."