Villainous

Burn

[MACK]

Vertigo is going to burn.

I'm awoken in the middle of the night as my phone buzzes with the text message. Groggily, I open my new flip phone (a loaner from Abbey) and sigh as soon as I see the message. I don't need caller ID to know it's the General. Who else would send vaguely threatening text messages in the middle of the night?

Oh yeah? Well you can burn in hell.

I send the text and collapse back into my pillow. Just because he was creepy crushing on my mom doesn't mean he can carry it over to me. I swear, the General is worse then every lovesick teenage boy who ever had a liked me. Next thing you know he'll be sticking love notes in my locker.

Just a fair warning Mackenzie. Your city is about to go up in flames.

Ugh. I hate him. I hate having to fight this war on two fronts. Hudson just needs to like get a hobby and stop making monsters. This isn't the first message he's sent but it better be the last. Vertigo is going to burn. Oh give me a break. He can stop with the ominous warnings. I get it, he's the bad guy.

My eyes shoot open again. Wait. Did he mean this literally?

I'm already scrambling into my all black super outfit and boots. I begin stuffing my backpack with copies of the Switch and my dart gun when my phone rings again. This time it's Detective White.

"Wake up call Mackenzie. Downtown Vertigo City is on fire."

I'm already running out the door, my braid swinging back and forth with every step. "I know."

"... you do? Never mind get here quick. The General has some monsters with fire powers and Levi's team has been spotted making their way downtown too."

Levi's team means Pollux and when it comes to that jerk I mean business. When I said I'm not messing around anymore, I meant it. He wants me dead? Well two can play at that game.

"You really need to work on your cardio," a voice says and I look to see Circe floating beside me as I run.

"Actually I'm in great shape. Have to be if I want to try keeping up with you Supers," I say between strides, "But a ride would be nice."

"Do I look like a taxi?" Circe says but when I stretch out my hand she grabs it and swings me into her arms bridal style, "Hold on Reyes."

Circe goes super sonic and next thing I know we're standing on a rooftop downtown. The air feels thick and I can see dark columns of smoke rising from the tallest building in town. Flames flicker out from the windows. People are screaming, sirens are blaring, and I feel nothing. I don't care. I want Pollux.

Circe sets me down on my feet as the rest of Team Hero touches down. There's Finn and Sage, Mike and some of the Detective's team, Atlas, Selene and the rest of the rescued Supers.

The Detective goes into battle mode instantly. She has her team go and start doing crowd control and help put out the flames. The rest of us have to take on apparently five fire monsters and Levi's team. Cammie and Abbey are running communications back at headquarters. I still haven't talked to Cammie since our fight.

"Come on Team Hero. Let's go extinguish these guys," Finn says as he cracks his knuckles. He stands on the edge of the building and free falls back.

"Oh gosh, he's going to be making fire puns this entire night, isn't he?" Circe groans before following his lead. The other Supers do the same and I walk up to the edge of the building.

"What are you doing?" The Detective places her hand on my shoulder.

"About to jump off a building Detective. I'm having that kind of week."