Published at 14th of August 2026 8:38 am

Chapter 43 Contact Pt II (V)

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Violets shoulders sink at my words. She turns to me, face shaking in embarrassment and rage. I struck a nerve. The female Cape screams as the frustration boils over. Yes, Violet, do what you always do when youre embarrassed: lash out. Phoenix realizes whats happening, but it's too late to stop it. Virtue jets forward at me, fists out, and crashes into me. It hurts like a sonovabitch, but not much worse than Sigilist. The frigid chains break, the snapped links shattering into frozen shrapnel as she bulldozes me through a bakery, a convenience store, and half a dozen abandoned vehicles before she shifts her grip to toss me away. Because shes a petty bitch, she throws me headfirst into the street.

I roll onto my feet and take note of the surrounding area. I actually know exactly where we are. I walked down this exact street during my first date with Anika. Were two streets over from Les Bean, which means we are dangerously close to Abrams Park. And since Ares murdered Bloom, that park cant be repaired if anything happens to it. My fight with Violet can't spill any further. The odds of the Union sending another squad increase the farther our fight spreads. She needs to be brought to heel like the rabid bitch she is. I take a step toward her, the pavement sizzling beneath my foot. Ive lost track of time, but Im already hot enough that it wont be long before the other Capes cant get close. Perfect.

Is that all you got? I guess Daddy and Mommys gifts only get you so far, I called out.

How? She asked through gritted teeth. She charges me, and I duck out of the way of her shoddy punch. How do you know that stuff? Who told you?

Another sloppy jab comes from her, but I smack her hand away and grab the top of her head. You cant fight for shit. My knee comes up as I yank her head down into it. She lets out a grunt, struggling to get free, but I dont let go. I bring my knee up into her chin, her cheek, her nose, repeatedly, like a drop hammer. Youre so used to being the absolute strongest, arent you? I hold her up, seeing a cut on her bottom lip. A drop of blood wells up before trailing down her chin and neck. Despite making her bleed, Im still angry. More. Youre nothing but a spoiled brat who's had everything given to her.

You dont get to judge me, Cowl, she said, glaring back at me.

I get to do whatever I want, Violet. Im stronger than you and might makes right, right? I mocked.

Shock replaces the anger as she struggles to understand how I know her name. Getting in an opponents head is part of fighting; if you cant take it, get out of the ring. I slam her head off my knee again, releasing the grip I have on her. Her head rebounds back, and I crouch to deliver an uppercut right into her gut. A painful cry escapes her lips. YOU ARE PITIFUL! You pick on people weaker than you. She stops herself from getting sent into the sky, halting her momentum with her flight. A gold and white blur is the only warning I get before she hits me in my chest. And she hits me, like really hits me. Like a perfect spiral by the greatest quarterback, I clear eighty yards in seconds and drill through everything unfortunate enough to be in my path. Vehicles sent flying into buildings, bus stops shattered, power lines annihilated.

She stops my flight herself, appearing in front of me and punching down. The street collapses inward as she launches me down into the sewers. Pipes burst, the water evaporating into mist from the heat. Sewage pours into the hole Im lying in. That punch hurt. The stone walls glow red, melting from the temperature. My chest has a chip in it. A piece of the obsidian-like material falls off me. She injured me. A four-door green sedan crashes into me, knocking me onto my butt. Shoving the burning wreckage out of the way, I look up and see Virtue is holding a car in each hand by the bumper. She chucks both of them at me, and they explode, widening the hole even more. The liquefied rock and metal mix to create a fiery swamp up to my neck. Is her plan to try and bury me? It wont work.

I jab my hand into the hot stone, creating hand and footholds to climb out of the magma. From there, a single jump gets me out of the hole and back onto the street, which looks bad. It reminds me of when I fought Tramp and Callback. The asphalt is bubbling; each step I take sinks several inches into the ground. Every plant is ash; traffic lights and street signs droop forward. Quinstin has become a hellish landscape. She tries to speed-blitz me again, but Im ready for it. Scooping up some of the burning road, I fling it into her face. The molten muck splashes onto her, the hyperweave costume holding up against the heat. It might not hurt her, but it distracts her as shes forced to wipe it off. I jump up and grab her leg, slamming her into the ground. The hot street splashes, coating the Cape in black tar.

You arent a hero, youre a bully, I shouted, pressing my foot down on her.

Each stomp pushes her further, causing her to sink deeper down. Her costume and skin might be fireproof, but there has to be a limit to both. And I dont have a limit. I look at the panic creeping in and decide to twist the knife. Youre gonna die, bitch, hopelessly out of your depth and comfort. Thats what happens to bullies; they meet someone bigger and meaner than them. I stomp again, and she grabs my foot. She twists my ankle, and I stumble. She scampers out of the burning stone and turns around to fly away to put distance between us. I grab her cape and yank her out of the air. Unh-uh; you arent getting away from this ass-beating.

I wrap her cape up in one hand, bunching it up tightly. My fist impacts her ribs. Over and over, I target the exact same spot. Five strikes, ten, fifteen, twenty strikes. Waiting for the give, waiting for the moment the damage accumulates enough to overcome her durability. The snap is so loud and clear it echoes down the empty road. Virtue screams in pain, coughing up blood. This is probably the first injury shes ever felt since awakening her abilities. I release her, and she staggers in place, reaching a hand toward her injured side. Hurts, doesnt it? Thats just a fraction of what youve done to other people. Dont worry, that was only lesson one. I lean toward her, bouncing off my left foot to flip forward into an axe kick that hits her back. My move slams both of us to the ground, and I roll over on top of her. Pinning her down with my right leg on her left shoulder and my shin on her stomach, I place my left leg to keep her right hand outstretched. A monster, pretending to be a hero. She is the problem with Capes and Cowls.

Sweat pours from her face, her tan skin starting to show signs of reddening. Finally. I shift my weight around, placing pressure on her ribs, and she cries out in pain. Tears have started to fall, mixing with the sweat to soak her mask. Every movement she makes just makes her broken ribs hurt more. Right hook, left hook, build up a rhythm as I alternate between them. Each hit jerks her head left or right. She sputters, trying to say something as my fist crashes into her cheek. She bites her tongue and whimpers. Focus on the pain; itll help keep you conscious. Virtue closes her eyes as I beat her, so I switch to a hammerfist into her forehead. She opens her eyes, and I see the fear in them. A downward elbow hits her nose, then another, then another, and by the tenth one I hear a crunch. I ignore everything around us, barely aware that the two of us are sinking into the earth. My onslaught continues, hit after hit, until I feel my fist chipping and cracking. Her costume is incinerated, her skin is crisping and crackling like chicken in the fryer. The oxygen in her lungs is burning, and the blood around her eyes is charred black, all the liquid evaporated from it. I hate you.

Shes not dead. Naked, beaten, and broken; this isnt something shell ever forget. Istand up, getting off her. Were deep beneath the city, maybe a mile or two down, and it looks like were inside a volcano. I look at her, see the defeat in her eyes, and smile. You arent dead, Virtue. But youve pissed off people you cant afford to. Youre lucky it was me you ran into. I need to find Goblin and Casper. But first, I need to discharge the heat inside of me. Focusing on the blazing inferno inside my core, I move all of it to my head and get the feeling I have to burp mixed with heartburn. The only safe way to shoot it is up, so I tilt my head up and open my mouth. A flash of white so bright I can see it even with my eyes shut tight emerges from me. The laser of pure heat burns up the tunnel, consuming all the oxygen, and explodes as the backdraft sends a fireball down into the cave and up out of the hole. Virtue and I are blown back from the wave of pressure, banging against the stone. I glance over at the Cape and see shes struggling to breathe. Shed probably survive, but just in case, I grab her by the neck.

With all my heat discharged, Im not hurting her by being near her, so I put her under my armpit and start leaping up. I jump off the sides of the hole to get up much quicker than if I climbed out. When we get out, it is so much worse than I thought it would be. Theres nothing but burning wreckage around us. The block is in ruins. I have to hope that the other four were able to get everyone out. I can see the coffee shop Anika and I went to from here; every building in the way is gone. Theres a line in the area around us where winter stops. The temperature of this block is so hot its cut off from the rest of the citys weather. Shit. I toss Virtue onto one of the less molten-looking areas, and start making my way toward the hole into the sewers. The Capes can worry about the cleanup; I have minions to find.

Okay, this should be the right street. One last small discharge into the river of sewage to dissipate the heat, and Im ready to go topside. The relatively weak laser doesnt even fully penetrate the putrid waters, merely creating a foul-smelling mist. Im going to be sick. I climb up the metal ladder, pushing the manhole cover up and over. Hell yeah. My sense of direction is perfect; this is the cover thats behind the club. Theres no one around, so I pull myself out. There are several cars parked, more than there should be. Is someone else here? I transform back into a human, sprinting barefoot across the parking lot to the back door. Its so damn freaking cold. I test the door, and its unlocked, but not broken into.

Slipping inside, I strain my ears for any noises, anything out of the ordinary. I hear voices coming from behind the double doors, muffled but loud. Multiple people inside the club; is it my people or enemies? Calm down, Vivienne. I push open the doors, stepping through while trying to project complete confidence despite only wearing gym shorts and a sports bra. There are over twenty people standing around a table thats been moved. On top of it is Goblin, who is chalk white and stripped down to his boxers. Black veins are visible beneath his skin, and I can see them pumping blood through his system. Hes not dead. A sense of relief washes over me, but then I see his right leg shin split open, two snapped pieces poking out. He needs surgery. Casper is next to him, talking to him softly. Her hands and wrists are burned badly, and so is part of her face. Theyre both in very rough shape. Im going to have to ask Kai.

Casper, I said, pulling her attention toward me.

Miss V, she exclaimed.

I need to borrow someones cell phone, and I need someone to go pick up the clothes I left, I said calmly.

Here, she replied, tossing me her phone. About what happened.

It can wait, I interrupted.

I type in Kais burner number. He better pick up. It rings once, twice, three times. Damnit. Of course hes not going to answer a random number. Then the rings stop, and he picks up.

Kai, its Vivienne, I said quickly.

I know, he responded.

What?

Youre calling because your gangbangers need treatment, he continued.

How did-.

Do you want to waste precious time asking me how I know, or do you want my assistance? He asked.

Fine; youre right. I need your help, I admitted.

Ill be there soon. But youre going to owe me one, V, Kai said gleefully.

I know. Just get here soon, please, I said, hanging up.

Casper is staring at me, clearly wanting to ask about who I just called. Delete the number. Dont ask. I toss her back her phone. I take stock of everyone now that the immediate danger is gone. Sitting on a bench are the two Cloaks who escaped; ones clutching a bloody towel to his bicep and the other has some minimal burns. Then I look at everyone else and nearly scream. There are Triad members and members of my gang mixed together, but they all share a few things in common. None of them are blinking or moving at all; they are all pale, with visible black veins, and they have pieces of condensed sickly lime energy replacing parts of them. Missing fingers are replaced by the green energy, holes plugged with it, chunks of missing flesh substituted, and wounds filled in like plaster. I look at Casper, and her eyes arent glowing like before, then look back at Goblin. Did both of them trigger?

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