Regenerate

Chapter 16

We get Derek settled into his hotel room. He doesn't want to accept Mantis's gratitude, uncomfortable with the way my boss throws money around. I eventually talk him into it.

That night, we take things easy. Derek insists I've earned a break. I try to explain to him that I don't want a break. I want to be out in the streets doing something to stop our super powered serial killer.

Doing something to make him pay for trying to drown me. And for killing those other girls.

But there isn't anything we can do. So we settle for watching a movie instead. It's oddly reminiscent of our botched date. We sit on my couch, and Derek puts his arm around me. And this time I don't care so much. Maybe that's because now I don't feel like I'm trying to manipulate him. Maybe it's because he's really warm and comfortable.

I don't pay much attention to the movie. My brain is too busy going over all the details we know about the serial killer. I'm wondering what Mantis thinks we can do to catch him. Funny how when we were talking it sounded like he had the start of a plan for how to take this guy down.

And as much as I want to bring this guy down, I'm not sure that I want to be a victim again.

But I'll just wait to hear from him, same as I always do.

A few days later, a package arrives for Derek. It's some sort of suit. There's a note from Mantis attached, stating that the suit should be able to withstand Derek bursting into flames. And that it was a thank-you for helping me out.

"You don't really think it will work, do you?" Derek asks, sticking his arm through one of the sleeves. I mean, this doesn't seem particularly flame proof.

"I don't know. Mantis has a lot of resources. If anybody could come up with a suit like this, it would be him."

"I guess."

"Well," I say. "There's only one way to find out, right? We have to test it."

Derek jumps up. "I know just the place. We can go back to that abandonned factory. Give it a test run where nobody will see us."

"I was thinking I'd get a match and try lighting it on fire, but I guess that would work too." And it would be cool to see Derek use his powers again. He's told me about what there is to know about his abilities. But it still would be cool to see.

He smiles at me. "What would be the fun of that?"

"No," I say. You're right. Let's go. I want to see what you can do."

So we take the metro over to the abandonned factory. We find an old walk-in freezer. We decide this would be the best place, because there's nothing particularly flammable.

I close the door, and Derek says, "You may want to keep that open. It's going to get really hot in here. Like a furnace."

"Temperature extremes don't bother me much," I say. "Now show me what you can do."

Derek takes off the hoodie, jeans, and sneakers that he had on under his suit and we toss them outside the freezer. He starts with just his hand, a little ball of flame sparking up in his palm. And then he lets the flame spread up his arm. In just a matter of moments, he's all ablaze, his entire body covered in flames.

Suddenly it occurs to me that if Mantis's suit isn't really fire proof, Derek is going to be completely naked when he stops burning. No. Don’t think about that.

"You doing okay?" Derek asks, his eyes barely visible through the flickering flames.

"A little warm," I say. "But no, I'm not burning to death."