“You lied,” Rocky said from behind James. He sounded as angry as James felt. “They were never after the stone, were they?”
“Oh, but they were,” Calico said, holding a finger up like a teacher correcting a student. He seemed to be enjoying himself. “My foolish brother wished to destroy the stone. He was too shortsighted to see its possibilities, too afraid of its power.” He swept his hand toward the tanks. “I had to take care of him and the others he misled.”
James’s mind cast back to when the Supers first disappeared, to the senseless violence in New York, the collapsed building. He remembered the newscast, the camera panning to five Supers standing in the square. The five who were now floating in the tanks. He’d never considered why the other Supers hadn’t been there. It all clicked now.
“You tricked them.” He could barely speak through his fury. Because of Calico, his brother had been made an outlaw, branded as a murderer. “You killed those people in New York, didn’t you? You set up this whole thing!”
“Oh yes,” Calico said, taking his eyes off Lychnus and meeting James’s gaze. “Necessary sacrifices, as much as it pains me.”
“But why?”
“The world is about to change, James Bolt. Sides will be taken. You three, it seems, unwittingly chose the wrong side. You’ve meddled in things you don’t understand. For that, I apologize.” Calico raised his hands before him. They glowed slightly. “You did not need to die.”
James braced himself. They were cornered by a Super, in a room far beneath a mountain. They couldn’t possibly fight back. This was the end for all of them. Rocky, Katie, Derek. James had failed them all. A flame appeared in Calico’s hand, bathing the room in red light, drowning out the green. It would be the last thing any of them saw unless...
“Wait!” James said without thinking, raising his hand before him as if to stop the oncoming attack. “Wait! I know where the Chintamani Stone is!”
Calico faltered and lowered the flame. It still burned in his hand, like a lantern.
“You lie,” he said, but for the first time, he looked thrown off, his calm demeanor gone.
“I’m not lying,” James said, still holding up his hands. “I know where it is, and I can lead you to it. But you have to let them go.” He nodded toward Rocky and Katie, who still stood behind him. They started to protest, but James cut them off with a sharp glare.
Calico considered this, his head cocked slightly to the side.
“Let them go,” James said again. “And I’ll lead you to the stone.”
Calico narrowed his eyes, regarding James. Then, slowly, he nodded.
“You two, go upstairs,” he said to Katie and Rocky. “Tonitrus will be waiting at the top. Mr. Bolt will tell me everything he knows. If he’s lying, I’ll kill him, then kill you two. If he’s telling the truth, you’ll be free to go. Move.”
Katie and Rocky shuffled out from behind James and walked wearily past Calico. As they reached the door to the next room, they both shot James looks that said, You better know what you’re doing. Then they disappeared.
The truth was, James had no idea what he was doing. He’d bought them all time, but how much? Should he risk lying and Calico killing them all? Or should he tell the truth and lead Calico to the stone, at which point he would most likely kill them all? It seemed the best he could do was tell the truth, so at least Rocky and Katie would be spared. At that point, he’d just have to hope he could figure out a way to escape. Or die trying.
“So, James Bolt,” Calico said, turning his back to the door. “Tell me everything you know about the stone. And trust me, I’ll know if you’re lying.”
“Well...” James said, trying to pick his words carefully. Calico’s gray gaze focused entirely on him. There was a hunger in those eyes, an obsession.
A wrench slammed into the top of his head.
Calico stumbled forward, almost falling face-first into the ground before catching himself with one hand. Rocky stood in the doorway behind him, wrench still raised above him, the triumphant look on his face melting as he realized Calico was still conscious. Conscious and very angry.
Calico turned in a flash, raising a hand. An invisible force picked up Rocky and threw him backward with a yelp. James yelled and charged, lowering his shoulder into Calico’s back. This time the man did fall, going to the ground as James barreled over him and into the other room.
Katie was helping Rocky shakily to his feet. Somehow, he still held the wrench. James yelled, “Run!”
He launched toward the staircase, hoping the others would be close behind. He was halfway there when an invisible force yanked his feet out from under him, sending him sprawling forward. His face cracked against the stone floor and he tasted blood. He turned over, ignoring the pain, as Calico strolled casually into the room.
“Admirable try,” the Super said, baring his teeth like a wolf. “But you cannot escape.”
Rocky yelled and ran at Calico, wrench raised above his head. He got only a few feet before he was stopped in his tracks, his yell dying in his throat. He stood there, one foot off the ground, wrench in the air, as still as a statue. Calico flicked his wrist lazily and Rocky was thrown off his feet. He flew into one of the tables, smashing bottles and machines, and landed in a heap on the ground.
“Rocky!” Katie yelled. She ran to where Rocky lay and bent over him. He blinked rapidly, completely dazed.
Calico pointed at Katie. She was picked up and thrown against the wall. She remained there, suspended halfway up, struggling against her invisible shackles. Calico stepped toward her, hand raised.
“Do not fight back,” he said, coming to within a foot of Katie. “It is hopeless. You are weak.”
Katie turned her head away from
