Fire and Ice

Chapter Three

     I rush to the back room, where Linda was doing some office work.  

     "I need to leave."  I say, almost breathless.

     "Are you sick?" she says, raising her eyebrows.  

     "It's a family emergency." I'm panicking now.  "There was a shooting at the hospital.  My sister works there."  Lexi isn't technically my sister, but she was the closest thing to family that I have.  Linda looked at me, her face emotionless for a second.  I'm afraid that she would say no, and I would have to walk out, because there is no way that I would stay here while my friend was in danger.  Then, she sighs.

     "Ok." she says.  "Go make sure she's okay."

     "Thank you so much!"  Even though I'm fearing for Lexi's safety, I smile out of thankfulness.  I grab my bag, which contains my suit, and go out to my car and change.  I can't change in the diner, because I pretty sure Linda or Tony would suspect something if I went in the bathroom and Ember came out.  

     As soon as I have my suit on, I fly to the hospital across town.  Yeah, I can fly.  It's pretty convenient when you have to get somewhere quickly, like right now.  When I get to the hospital, I see police and a crowd outside.  I land next to Captain Levy, the captain of the police force.  She and I have come to an agreement in the past.  I catch criminals with information that she gets from having access to police files.  It makes my life a lot easier.  Obviously, she only knows me as Ember, not Amy.  I don't trust her with my real identity, no offense to her.

     "How many shooters?"  I ask her, getting right to the point, not bothering to say hello.

     "Three."  she answers, looking relieved that I was here.  "They were looking for somebody in the witness protection program that was there for surgery.  The witness got out safely, but there are still fifteen hostages.  Three doctors, five nurses, and seven patients.  They're in the emergency room."  Lexi worked in the emergency room.

     "They're probably planning on stealing an ambulance.  Keep your men guarding the exit.  I'm going in."  I fly above the crowd and try looking for Lexi, but I can't find her.  She must still be in there.  I know that I have to be stealthy going in there to keep them from shooting any hostages, but it's difficult because of how anxious I am for Lexi's safety.  I decide to enter the hospital through the East entrance, because it's as far away as I can get from the emergency room.  This way, I can enter undetected.  I go to the floor above the emergency room.  I know that they would be guarding all hallways that go towards where they were keeping hostages, but I don't think they'll be guarding the elevators.  They only have three men, and one of them has to watch the hostages.  I go to an elevator.  I try to pry open the doors, but unfortunately, super strength isn't one of my abilities.  This looks so much easier in movies.

     "Need some help?"  I spin around at the sound of the voice, forming fireballs in my hands and prepared for a fight.  In front of me stands an man wearing a black mask over his eyes.  He wears a bright blue long sleeved shirt and black pants and shoes.  

     "Who the hell are you?" I practically growl.  Usually, I'm not this aggressive and defensive, but Lexi's life was at stake.  I'm not in the mood for this crap.

     "I'm here to help, just like you."  He raises his hands in the air, trying to show me that he isn't going to hurt me.  I narrow my eyes.  I'm finding it hard to trust anybody with Lexi's life.  "I'm not going to hurt your friend."  My eyes widen.

     "How-"

     "I can read minds."  he says, grinning.  "Pretty cool, huh?"  I'm speechless.  I didn't know that there was anybody else out there with powers like me.