Free All American Rejects (Users #3) by Stacy, Jennifer Buck Page A

said. "Running is not an option, but neither is you two turning yourselves over to that monster."
    "I see no other alternative," Ryker said.
    "I've beat him before...and I can beat him again," Carter said with grim determination. "What we need is a plan."
     
    *****
     
    Hours passed and the ticking clock finally ran out of time for Carter and his companions. Right on cue, Alaric and the All Americans arrived at the abandoned home. They circled the property, ensuring that no one could escape. The sun had already set, and the last dim bit of twilight was all the light they had as they approached the boarded up home.
    Alaric lifted a panel from one window and peered into the house, but it was as dark as the devil's asshole in there.
    "We'll go in the back door," Alaric said. "You two take the front door." Alaric instructed Stella and Bobby to cover the front of the house, while he, Luke, and Michael went in the back. The only member missing was Trisha, the team's Sniffer. She had stayed back at their base to run the drones and communications for the team. Being a Sniffer didn't make her particularly useful in a fight anyway.
    The rest of the team was a different story. Michael was a extremely talented Changer, and his talents didn't stop there. He was also an excellent martial artist, having received a black belt in jiu jitsu at the tender age of fourteen. Short and slender, he was built for speed and agility, and what he lacked in muscle, he made up for in technique.
    Luke on the other hand was more of a specialist. Being the Scorcher who replaced Carter when he was kicked off the team, Luke used a more offensive approach than Michael. He donned a long all black leather trench coat, that he could easily flip off his body when the time came for him to ignite the flames. He preferred more of a scorched earth approach to fighting. Luke routinely laid waste to entire battle fields.
    On the other side of the house Stella led Bobby, the team's Mover. Bobby was by far the most soft spoken of the All Americans. His tone, however, was not to be mistaken for a mild mannerism of any sort, and he made up for his lack of articulation in ferocity. On a number of occasions Bobby had used his Mover powers to tear joints from sockets and he even once pulled a man limb from limb. He was not the kind of person you wanted to back into a corner.
    "You guys ready?" Alaric heard Trisha ask in the ear piece he and the rest of the team were wearing.
    "We're ready," Alaric said.
    "We're in position," Stella confirmed.
    "Okay then, we're a go on three," Trisha said.
    She counted down, and on three, they burst in the doors. Alaric punched the plywood covering the door, shattering it to pieces, and continued on to blast the door behind the plywood right off its hinges. He led the way with Michael and Luke hot on his heels. They stormed through the kitchen, and into the living room, where they found Stella and Bobby already waiting for them. A big hole remained where the door used to be. Bobby had torn it clean off with his Mover powers and thrown it across the yard.
    Luke ignited a single fist, illuminating the large room in an soft, flickering orange glow.
    "Where are they?" Alaric asked as he scanned the empty space surrounding them.
    Stella shrugged and pushed one of the nude magazines with her foot, "Looks like they were having a good time."
    "Search the rest of the house," Alaric said, addressing the entire team but sending her a steel glare. "They must be hiding in one of the bedrooms or something."
    They fanned out, each User traversing the dark floor to different corners of the mostly open ground level of the house. They searched every closet and pantry space, but they each returned, one by one, a very short time later as empty handed as they left.
    "Anything?" Alaric asked.
    "Nothing," Stella said. "No sign of anyone."
    Suddenly the ground beneath their feet began to shake.
    "What the fuck is going on?" Michael asked.
    "Earthquake!" Stella yelled