Maxima!!

TRACK 25: BROKEN GIRL

Santa Infierno's streets accommodated, and welcomed, an amusement park. Roller coaster tracks that threaded between palm trees real and man-made; carnival games tucked into long booths, bright enough to blind fat-pocketed suckers; food stands flanked by parasols, and gushing fountains dyed pink by the bulbs buried underwater; a Ferris wheel that, if only for a little longer, stood at a third of Rosie's height.

With so much space around her, Rosie walked without fear -- still at a crawl, relative to her size and injuries, but fast enough. Her eyes glided to the left. The city's gangs -- a coalition of them, at least -- waited on the perimeter with jeeps, bikes, tanks, and armored mechs at the ready. Her eyes glided to the right. More of the same. She almost ignored them from then on; not a single one breached the Ferris wheel's height. Instead, she focused back on the center. Only two people waited for her there: a child who barely clung to consciousness, and a beefy man who looked much, much worse.

Rosie slowed to a stop. If she crouched down, that would have put the pair within arm's reach -- however deadly the prospect. But she didn't crouch. Not immediately. She wanted that man, and everyone there, to get a good look at her colossal form.

"Remember me?" No matter how much he trembled and how close he came to buckling, Gustav patted a fist against his heart. "I'm the leader of the Bulls. One of the baddest gangs --"

"Did you hurt him?"

Gustav's moxie vanished. "Yeah."

A blaze danced in Rosie's eyes -- and she shot up to twelve fifty.

"What, wanted me to lie?" Gustav spread his arms wide. "The kid was sneaking around. I caught him. He played me and my boys for fools. I let him have it. Big mistake on my part? Yeah. But you know what? This was gonna happen sooner or later. Better for us to get it over with."

Rosie didn't move from that spot.

"Oh, what? You're mad? Don't go acting all noble when you're a thousand times worse than we'll ever be! Hell, at least me and the boys can admit it!"

Rosie still didn't move.

"Christ. Knew it was a waste of time trying to --"

"I'm here for him."

Gustav clicked his tongue. "Mama bear's gotta look after her kid."

Rosie went back to silence. With only the slightest breath, she started to tuck into a kneel. Story by story she went down, while her hand slowly extended.

Gustav pulled back, but not without flashing a sneer. "Don't even know how you'll save him. One twitch, and he's a bloodstain."

Rosie didn't deny it. She knew if she went for a direct touch, she would have crushed him. If she used her hand like an excavator, he had a better shot at surviving. As it turned out, she didn't have to try either. One last helicopter -- a police helicopter, for once -- drew near. She barely needed a glance to spot the pilot or its passenger.

"Rosie!" Ed shouted into her megaphone. "Leave the rescue op to us!" She signaled for Wallace to bring it down; the cop nodded and gave Rosie a subtle salute, then did exactly that. In the midst, Rosie scanned the park to make sure none of the thugs went on the attack. They didn't; even if her presence didn't keep them at bay, Gustav raised a hand to belay any shots.

The rescue op went unimpeded. Ed carried Chase into the helicopter, while Wallace started up the flying toy. Before they could finish the takeoff, Ed gazed deep into Rosie's eyes. "It's over," she said wearily. "Let's call it a night."

Rosie glared at Ed.

"Please."

No answer.