I turned to the Emerged who were dragged from the church with me.  “Run!  Get inside, and call the police!”  As they ran in terror, I turned back to face the fiery woman who had threatened me moments ago – just in time to catch a blast of fire to the face!

 

                There wasn’t a lot of force behind the flames – but I definitely felt them, and screamed more from surprise than pain as I staggered back a step.  It really stung!  I couldn’t tell how badly I was hurt, but I ignored that for now and turned my attention to whoever this crazy bitch was.  She was floating about thirty feet off the ground, readying to throw what looked like a fireball either at me or the church.  The sunlight felt good on my skin – tingly even.  I paid the odd sensation no mind.

 

                “So what do they call you?  Sparky?”

 

                “The name is Morningstar, you tranny freak! If you want to defend freaks like them, then you can die with them!”  She said, and hurled a ball of fire at me.

 

                I dodged to one side, and the ball of fire missed, exploding on the stone wall of the church with little damage.  Apparently her flames were hot, but not hot enough to ignite stone.  That was something.  “What do you mean?  You’re just like us!”

 

                “Liar!  God gave me these powers to strike down the race traitors and libtards who are ruining this country!”

 

                OMG, the denial is strong with this one.  “You mean as opposed to the nazi fascists who are murdering innocent people?”  I knew my heat vision would probably do nothing to Morningstar, but I did have a trick in my arsenal – and a good one.  I concentrated, and breathed a cone of frosty air at her – the same trick I’d done to smother flames a dozen times the night of the Emergence.

 

                Morningstar tried to dodge, but couldn’t evade the cone of frost fast enough, and it caught her on her left leg.  The flames died momentarily – and she nearly fell from the sky – but reignited with a scream of rage from her.  “Arrgh!  How?  Why aren’t you cinders?”

 

                “It’s different, taking on someone tougher than yourself, isn’t it, Morningstar?”  I replied.  “I don’t get hurt easily.  But I’ll bet you do.”  I leapt upward and towards Morningstar, faking as if I was going to punch her, and like I hoped, she dodged – so I grabbed her leg, and flung her into the street while hovering in the air above her. 

 

She shrieked in surprise, and slammed into the ground with a heavy thump, cracking and rippling the asphalt.   “Stay down, if you know what’s good for you.”  I called out.  She looked stunned – but my X-ray vision, for lack of a better term, showed she only had a few cracked ribs.  Apparently Morningstar was tougher than she looked.

 

My answer was a blast of flame, hotter than before, and more focused.  It hit me in the stomach, and stung like hell, throwing me back a dozen feet into the air – and burning a huge hole in my outfit.  God Dammit!  I need a damn fireproof suit!  This is ridiculous!  Now, with my stomach showing, and my clothes singed, I decided to up my response a notch, since it looked like Morningstar could take it.  Somehow, I knew this battle was going to end with my new clothes burnt off – and it pissed me off to no end.

 

Enough of this!  Morningstar was still on the ground, trying to stand – so I tried frosting her again.  Again, she tried dodging, and got caught on the fringe of the cone, shrieking.  Seizing the initiative, I dove at her from the sky and hit her with a flurry of punches – but I held back, pulling in fear I’d kill her if I hit her too hard.  My fists stung over and over again as I hit her – each punch was like sticking your hand into the coals of a hot barbeque – but it seemed to have the desired effect.  The first punch knocked her prone, and stunned her again.  The second punch cracked two ribs, and knocked the wind out of her lungs, and the third punch had her roll up into a ball clutching her stomach. 

 

As she lay there gasping, I could see most of the fight had gone out of her – she was exhausted, beaten – but my infravision showed her surface temperature was rising.  Oh no!  Either she was transforming into a more powerful form, or she was going critical!  I looked around but there was nothing to shield the local homes and the church.  If she exploded, the entire street would be engulfed in a conflagration!

 

I picked her up, and heard her muttering “…Going to kill you, bitch!” but she didn’t struggle, instead concentrating on whatever she was doing to stoke her furnace.  I crouched, and gathered my will – and lifted off, flying as high as I could to get her away from the city below.

 

I was about 200 feet up when she exploded.  The blast of fire was intense, and powerful – and it had a lot of force behind it, unlike Morningstar’s fire blasts.  I let go of her – I couldn’t hold onto her as I was thrown back from the powerful blast – and felt myself being hurled down towards the ground.  The pain was intense – I felt like I was literally on fire – and I could see my skin blistering.  I caught myself from falling – flight was a wonderful power – and saw the last of Morningstar’s flames dissipating in the morning sky above the church.  I could see about two dozen people watching from the nearby city blocks – and I hoped I was far enough away to preserve my modesty.

 

My clothes were ashes.  I was scorched and blistered in a half-dozen places, and I hurt.  I couldn’t see Morningstar anywhere, but I suspected she was still alive.  Maybe she can explode and reform, like some of those villains in the comic books?  I wondered.  Either way, I suspected I would see her again.  I could also see police cars rushing to the scene. 

 

My skin still hurt, but the tingly feeling I had noticed earlier still was present – and slowly the hurt was going away.  I looked at myself, where I had been burned – and slowly, the blisters were receding, leaving only red, irritated skin.  I looked up at the sun, and wondered if the sunlight had anything to do with it.  The last time I was in a fight was at night.  Huh.  At least I won’t be laid up for a week with burns!

 

I flew back towards St. Matthews, mortified, and landed next to the first police car on the scene.  The astonished cop couldn’t take his eyes off me, and I blushed furiously, covering myself with my arms as best I could.  “Hey, buddy!”  I said.  “What’s your name?  I’m Karen Castle, MRT and RCMP.”

 

“Constable Fortier, Ma’am.”  He replied, a bit dazed. 

 

“Could I get a blanket, please?”

 

“Um… Yeah, of course.”  Constable Fortier got out of his cruiser, and grabbed me a blanket from the trunk of the car, which I wrapped around myself.

 

Much better.  “Thank you, Constable.”  I said.

 

“You’re welcome, ma’am.  MRT is en route, as well as paramedics.”

 

I nodded and sat down on the curb.  “These five men were trying to murder the Emerged inside the church.  There was a sixth – an Emerged with fire powers – but she got away, and burned off my clothes in the process.”

 

“I can see that, ma’am.  Are you alright?  The street looks pretty torn up.”

 

“Yeah, I think I’m okay.”  I replied, still feeling the sun healing me.  “I think the damage could have been a lot worse.  I think we got lucky today.”

 

Constable Fortier got on his radio and called in the situation, while I sat and rested for a moment.  Father Donovan came out of the church, still looking frightened and worried, and came over to me. 

 

“Karen?  Are you alright?”

 

“Huh?”  I turned to him and smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine.  A bit scorched, but fine.  One of the skinheads was Emerged and had fire powers.”

 

“How are you fine?”

 

“I’m on the MRT, Father.  I’m hard to hurt, and I recently signed up to help the police with my powers.  Did anyone inside get hurt?”

 

“No – not more than a few bruises, and a lot of panic.”  He said.  “Thank you, for what you did.”

 

“It’s fine.  It’s my job – and I like doing it.  Plus, those guys were assholes.”  I smirked.  “At least most of them are going to jail.”

 

“What happened to the fiery one?  The one with powers?”

 

“She blew up, and got away.  At least I think she survived.  I’m not sure.  After the big explosion I was dazed for a moment, and when I gathered my wits, she was long gone.  Sorry.”

 

“No need for sorry, Karen.  I’ll go tell everyone that the danger is over.  Will you be rejoining us?”

 

“Probably not, Father.  I’ll have reports to give, and I’ll need to replace my clothes.  Could you fetch something for me?  My purse and a bag of food were left on a pew inside.  Could you get someone to bring them to me?”

 

“Of course.  I’ll go look for them now.  Thank you again.” 

 

“You’re welcome, Father.”  I waved as he returned inside the church.

 

Two more police cars arrived, along with Mal and Cliff, flying along behind them.  I waved a little, keeping the blanket wrapped around me.  God this was embarrassing!

 

“Hey Mal, hey Cliff!”  I called.  “You missed the party!”

 

“I can see that.”  Mal said, looking at the damage and the unconscious skinheads.  “You took out all the Nazi’s and didn’t leave me any?”

 

I could almost hear the pout in that statement, and I couldn’t help but smile.  “Sorry, Mal.  It was over too quickly.  One got away, if that’s any help.  Some chick calling herself Morningstar, with fire powers.”

 

“What’s with the blanket?”  He asked.

 

I blushed.  “She burned off all my damn clothes.”  I blushed again when he had the temerity to smile, as if it was funny!  Cliff was grinning too!

 

“Sorry, Karen.  I guess that’s a bit embarrassing?”

 

“You might say that.”  I said through gritted teeth. 

 

“You hurt any?”  Cliff asked.

 

“I was scorched a bit, but sitting here in the sunlight seems to be helping.”

 

“Makes sense, I guess.”  Cliff said.  “What happened?”

 

“Six guys and gals – I’m calling them skinheads cause that’s how they looked – broke into church during the service, and dragged out all the emerged at gunpoint.  Including me.  They had a firing squad lined up and were going to execute them on the church lawn.”

 

“Fucking Nazi’s.” Mal growled.  “Still the same bunch of assholes and cowards.”

 

“I guess so.”  I replied, standing up.

 

Dominic arrived on the scene a moment later.  “Hey, Castle – what the fuck happened?”

 

I gave my report, telling Dom about the skinheads kidnapping people at gunpoint, and preparing to kill them.  About my defending the civilians, and fighting Morningstar.  About how my clothes got burned off.  He looked fairly pleased, but he started grinning too.  Men!

 

“Good job, Castle.  We’ve got it from here if you want to go back to base.  I can get your full report later.”

 

“I’ll meet you at base later.  I’m closer to home at the moment – I’ll stop by and get some clothes and get dressed.  I don’t want to show up on campus with just a blanket.”

 

“Whatever works.”  Dom moved to take control of the crime scene, and started giving orders to the other police, who had set up a perimeter and were trying to protect the scene. 

 

Mal came up to me after Dom moved on, and looked me up and down.  “You want an escort back to campus? Or did I hear something else?”

 

“I think I’m going to go home, get cleaned up and get dressed.  It’s only a few blocks from here.  I’ll meet you back at base later?”

 

“Sure thing.  I’m glad to see you’re alright.”  He smiled, and damn but if it didn’t seem to light up the whole area.  “Did you want some company?”

 

I stared at him a moment, and shook my head.  “I’m fine, Mal.  Just a light scorching.  Besides, you’ve probably got work to do here.”

 

“Yeah, I guess I do.”  He said bashfully.  “I’ll see you later.”

 

“Bye Mal, and thanks.”

 

“You’re welcome.  Could you save a few Nazi’s for me next time?” He asked, like an eager puppy.

 

I couldn’t help but laugh.  “Yes, Mal.  Next time I will save some for you.”

 

“Good.  See you later, Karen.”  He smiled again that melting, warm smile, and headed off to help Dom and Cliff. 

 

I went to the church door – and stood back as Father Donovan emerged, with my purse and bag of food.

 

“Oh!” he said, startled.  “I found your purse and your food.  Everyone inside is very thankful for your heroic rescue.”

 

I took the purse and food, and wrapped them under my blanket.  “Please, tell them you’re welcome, Father.  I’d come in and say something, but I need to go get dressed.  One of them burned off all my clothes.”

 

“I understand, Karen.  Will you be back next week?”

 

“I can’t see why not, Father Donovan.  I’ll be back.”

 

“I’ll see you then.”  Father Donovan went back inside, this time accompanied by three police officers, who began taking statements from the parishioners.

 

Figuring that was my cue, I lifted off slowly, and flew towards my apartment.  There was a roof top entrance I had heard was available, but I had never been up there to see.  Maybe it was time to use it?  I flew slowly – so as to not dislodge my blanket  - and as I approached, I could see there were some structures on the roof – a rooftop garden, and a number of cages holding a dozen or more pigeons.  A lady wearing ragged clothes was tending them.  She also looked like she was talking to them.

 

As I landed, I noticed she had not noticed my approach, so I called out.  “Hey!  I don’t mean to startle you, but could you show me the stairway down inside?”

 

“Sure.”  She said, turning.  “How did you get up here, if you didn’t take the stairs?”

 

“I… I uh flew.”

 

“Oh – then you must be Pepsi’s mom.  Nice to meet you!  I’m Abigail.”

 

“You… How do you know Pepsi?”

 

“It’s a long story, deary.  How about you go get some clothes on, and meet me back here an I’ll tell you all about it.”

 

“I will.  Give me a few minutes, okay?”

 

“Sure thing.  Is everything okay, since your change?”

 

“You know about that too?”  I asked a bit nervously.

 

“Pepsi told me a lot of things.  She’s a good girl.  She really loves you, too.  Go – get changed.  I promise I’ll still be here.”  Abigail pointed towards the stairs – there was a fire door with a button-lock.  “The code is 4131 to open.”

 

I nodded, and headed down to my apartment – full of questions that needed answers.  How did she know Pepsi, for one, and how did she and Pepsi talk?  She must be emerged, like me.  I headed to my apartment.  Getting dressed would help my state of mind, and maybe then I could sit down and get some answers.  I suspected this was going to get interesting.