Yin and Yang [A Superhero AU] - Book Three

Chapter Eight - Capture

Phil watches the street from a rooftop, his body a healthy distance away from the building's edge. The other heroes sit and crouch around him, and Mark looks over the edge with his stomach pressed to the ground. It's his first mission since his run-in with Anti, and his excitement is obvious. Phil glances over at him every once in a while, smiling lightly at just how happy he looks.

"Are we going to have to sit here all day?" Felix asks, exhaling heavily.

"Hey, at least it's a mission!" Mark replies, looking back at the Swede momentarily. "At least you didn't have to stay in bed and miss all the action!"

Phil laughs a little. "He does have a point there."

The group falls silent and Phil wraps his arms around his legs, his mind reverting back to thoughts of Dan. They held hands yesterday. The villain has his address and can come over at any point. He wants to see him again so badly it's almost pathetic. It's gotten to a point where he looks forward to missions because it means he can see Dan again.

He didn't expect to fall for Dan as fast as he did. He's a villain, a sworn enemy of Curatrix, and yet Phil can't stop thinking about him. He reminds the hero of home, and when Dan is around he doesn't feel lonely. His hands are always warm, and Phil will shamefully admit that that's one of the many reasons he wants to hold his hand all the time. His eyes are the colour of melted chocolate, and when he laughs they twinkle. His smile reveals the dimple in his cheek, and Phil thinks it's adorable. It's only been a couple of weeks and Phil can hardly associate the piano-playing, curly-haired Brit with the villains. He associates him with bookstores and long walks and cafés and warmth. None of those are bad things in his mind.

A blur of green passes on the street below and Phil snaps out of his thoughts, rising slowly to his feet. The other heroes follow suit, and pretty soon they're creeping silently to the ground. The Brit scans the street, searching for one person in particular.

"Phil, stay back. We'll probably need a healer," Matthias says, his voice streaming into Phil's earpiece alone.

"What if Da- the fire villain shows up? You'll need water," the Brit replies.

"Normally you aren't so willing to fight... well, if he shows up, you can take him. Other than that, stay back."

Matthias opens up the communication line to all the other heroes once again and Phil rushes out, finally spotting Dan on the other side of the street. The villain grins and lights a small flame in his hand, tossing it up and down, as the hero jogs towards him. He mutes his earpiece momentarily before allowing himself to speak.

"Fake fight?"

Dan nearly laughs. "Definitely."

The villain tosses the ball of fire towards Phil and the hero forms a sphere of water in his hand, catching the flame and extinguishing it instantly. Dan's eyes glint mischievously as his hands become engulfed by flame, his eyes turning reddish orange at the exertion of his power, and Phil raises his hands in the air and allows water to swirl around them. The others fight around them, but they barely even notice. They toss water and flame back and forth, inflicting zero damage on the other.

"I want to come over tonight," Dan says, tossing a ball of fire from hand to hand. "Will you be home?"

"Most likely," Phil replies. "I'd love the company."

Their short conversation is interrupted by weapons firing. Dan dodges a strange-looking bullet and meets Phil's gaze, his own eyes rapidly filling with panic.

"What are we doing?" Mark's voice demands in Phil's ear.

"They're firing off tranquilizers," Matthias replies. "They're trying to hit the villains. Do not engage."

"What are the villains doing?" Felix chimes in.

"I think they're targeting those former villains, Matt and Ryan," Matthias replies after a moment.

"What should we do?" Ken asks.

Matthias exhales. "Get Jack. That is your mission. Capture him, put a bag over his head, and get him out of there without injury."

Phil presses a finger to his earpiece, wanting to mute it but refraining from doing so. Dan moves to his side, touching his wrist gently.

"What are they doing?" he asks, his voice panicked as his brown eyes scan the streets.

"They're firing off tranquilizers. Be careful," Phil replies. He touches the small of Dan's back and resists the urge to trace his jaw with his thumb. "I'll see you tonight."

The villain nods and races off towards his other teammates. Dan's breathing is fast as he watches several antiheroes and heroes corner Jack, and before he can get to him he's sent sprawling to the pavement by a hero with blond hair and blue eyes. He gets to his feet, but in an instant there are bars stopping him from going anywhere. A female hero stands with her hands raised, creating the cage with her pen, while her companion fights off villains and tosses them into the prison with Dan. The cage blinks out for a moment and Stephanie is tossed inside, stumbling to the ground as the bars rise again.

"Let us go!" Dan yells, banging the cage with his fists and causing them to ripple.

The female hero simply shakes her head. Stephanie approaches the bars and grabs hold, shaking them as though it will help her get free. Dan watches as Cry tries to get to Jack, but gets shoved back again and again. Even invisible, he can't get past them without brushing one of them and getting pushed away. Dan looks around the street for Phil and finds the hero standing helplessly to the side, unable to help the villain without giving himself away or betraying his team. Dan's eyes flick from Phil to Jack, panic rising in his heart. The heroes finally manage to fend off the antiheroes and the Brit calls out one last time in desperation.

"Matt! Ryan! You can still help us! We were your friends!"

The former villains glance at each other before looking to Dan, shaking their heads a bit before racing off after the other antiheroes. The Brit's face falls and he rests his forehead against the cage, banging against them with his fists once again. The heroes yell, and when he looks up his stomach sinks. They got Jack. A bag is pulled over his head and the heroes start racing off, and moments later the cage drops. Dan rushes forward, but it's too late. Jack and the other heroes are gone. Phil trails behind, and he looks back once more at Dan before following his teammates.