Kendra shrugged. “Not sure. Now with a gun inthe scenario, we don’t want to put those hostages at risk. Thiswould be a great time to bust out any ass-kicking powers you mighthave up your sleeve, you know.” Narrowing her eyes, she studied Vicclosely. “What is the power du jour, if you don’tmind my asking?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Vicmuttered. Closing his eyes, he thought about taking a step to theright and heard Kendra’s gasp when another Vic appeared beside him.From the way he stood, he knew the other officers wouldn’t see hisdouble, but it still made Vic uneasy to use his powers with so manywitnesses around. He flexed his arm and elbowed his clone, whichpopped like a balloon the moment he touched it. “Don’t really thinkI’m much help today.”
“Can you do more than one?” Kendra asked. “Anarmy of Vic Braunsons banging on the back door might scare theperps into surrendering.”
Vic started, “I don’t…know.” Her words gavehim an inkling of an idea. It was a long shot, he knew, but itmight work. If he could just sneak around the back of thestore…
Kendra gave him a suspicious look. “You havea plan,” she said. “Tell me.”
“Not a plan, an idea.”
“Tell me,” Kendra said again.
Vic shook his head, distracted. The stripmall was constructed in an L shape—the jewelry store faced BroadStreet and a short stretch of shops reached out like an arm at thefar edge of the parking lot. Where the buildings met ran a coveredcrosswalk, and Vic suspected a few additional stores were locateddown the side. He just had to count the number of stores betweenthe crosswalk and the jeweler’s, then hope a corresponding numberof back doors opened in the alley behind the building. If he couldmuscle his way inside, he could probably end this madness.
Matt spoke up inside him, interrupting histhoughts. ::Earth to Vic. You’re not bullet-proof. Pull a stuntlike that and they’ll shoot you. Leave it up to the police,please.::
He had forgotten his lover was close. Hismind was always open to Matt’s, even when he didn’t realize it. Hecould tune out the thoughts of the rest of the world easily enough,but he never stifled their connection. ::Matty, I have to try. Ithought you said you liked me rescuing you.::
::I like you alive much more,:: Mattreplied. ::Don’t, you hear me? Just don’t. I need you safe. Ilove you. Don’t play the hero this time. It’s toodangerous.::
::I love you, too,:: Vic told him. Hefelt a mental flush as Matt’s presence enveloped him for a briefmoment, the psychic equivalent of a hug. But Vic knew what he hadto do. He needed Matt safe, too.
For the first time he could remember doingso, he consciously blocked off the connection he shared with hislover. The last thing he wanted was to worry Matt. His lover’s fearfor his safety would only get in the way.
He had a store to break into.
* * * *
::Vic!:: When Matt got no responsefrom his lover, he cursed under his breath. “Goddamn it thefuck.”
He sat on the floor with the store’s othercustomers and single salesman, backed against one counter andwatched over by the gunman. The other two criminals ransacked thestore—one used the salesman’s keys to unlock the displays and scoopjewelry into a plastic shopping bag while the other could be heardtearing around in the back room. Beside Matt, Roxie stuck an elbowinto his ribs. “Matthew, hush.”
Shooting a quick glance at their captor tomake sure they weren’t overheard, Matt admitted, “Vic’soutside.”
Roxie started. “How do you know?” she asked,suspicious. When Matt pointed at his temple, she scoffed,“Bullshit.”
“He’s outside,” Matt told her, leaning closerto whisper when she turned away in disgust. “Listen to me. Kendra’sone of the officers outside. She knows about Vic—”
“What about him?” Roxie snapped. “Orwait, is she in on his ‘powers,’ too? Matt, give it up already.Superheroes don’t exist.”
Matt ignored her. “Listen. I thinkhe’s going to try something to get us out of here—”
“What? Can’t you ask him?” Roxie tapped theside of his head, the way he had before, but her pointy forefingerjabbed at him roughly. “Is this thing on?”
He swatted her away, angry. “He’s blockingme. He doesn’t want me to know what he’s going to do.”
Roxie grunted, amused. “Oh, so you won’t fuckit up? Now that I believe.”
Before Matt could respond, he heard footstepscoming their way. Suddenly a fist caught in his black curls andyanked him away from Roxie. He turned to find the gun inches fromhis face. “You want to be first, asshole?” the robber in the hoodieasked.
Matt glanced up at the kid—he was a good tenyears younger than Matt, no older than twenty-three, if that. Abadly healed scar scored one eyebrow, giving him three. His hairwas shaved close to his scalp, nothing more than a dark scruff overthe top of his head, and hollow, round holes expanded the piercingsin his ears to an exaggerated size. Then Matt focused on the gunand shook his head, clamping his mouth shut. In his hand, Vic’sring burned like a promise, and Matt didn’t dare apologize for fearof starting anything he didn’t want to finish.
Vic was on his way. Even without their mentalconnection, Matt knew it in his bones. Vic would get him out ofthis. Matt knew he would.
His thoughts seemed to spur his lover intoaction—just when Matt thought the guy before him would pull thegun’s trigger out of spite, a loud crash from the back roomdistracted him. “What the fuck?” he growled, shoving Matt againstthe counter.
Roxie clutched Matt’s arm with both hands,her nails clawing into his skin. “Oh, my God,” she gasped, close tohyperventilating. “Oh, my God, oh, my God, ohmyGod.”
Another sound came from out of sight. Mattheard the murderous squeal of metal twisted out of shape and knewhis lover’s super strength was tearing the store’s back door fromits hinges. Even though Vic wasn’t linked to him, Matt reached outwith his thoughts anyway. ::Vic, I told you, he has agun!::
A thin scream
