Free Fire Hazard: Cape High Book Eight (Cape High Series 8) by R.J. Ross

Vinny says, not even looking at the girls.
    "Is this all you can light up?"
    "I..." Vinny hesitates, looking over at Jimmi and Emily and then back to Flint, "I woke up.  Once."
    "How much?" Flint asks.
    "Full body.  The bed lit on fire, but the lack of oxygen killed it," he says almost blandly.
    "Lack of oxygen?" Jimmi repeats confusedly.  "What--"
    "I see," Flint says.  "That makes sense.  Let's start with the basics--can you shoot?"  When Vinny nods, he moves and points to a concrete wall with a target scorched into it.  "Let's see your accuracy."
    Vinny holds up one flaming hand and lets loose a fireball.  It doesn't hit.  In fact it falls to the ground several feet in front of the wall.
    "Try it again."  That's the sentence that gets repeated for almost an hour, and by the time the hour is over Jimmi and Emily are sitting on the half wall they'd been hiding behind, completely forgetting why they'd been hiding in the first place.  Flint has a dark look on his face as he moves in front of the teen.  "You're a full body fire mimic hero, Vinny."
    "I might be," Vinny says.
    "You already said it happened once."
    "Yeah, but it might have been a fluke--"
    "You are.  Your hands are on fire, your hair is on fire, yet your head is completely not in the game.  Emily!  Does he do this back home, too?" he calls over to the redhead.
    "Um... yeah," Emily says, looking guilty for some reason.  She hugs her knees to her chest.  "Everyone notices--even Taurus."  Vinny looks at her.  "Why do you think he's always shaking his head?" she asks him.
    "I'm just a slow learner," Vinny says a bit too calmly.
    "You're just--never mind.  It's been long enough and you've got w--stuff to do tonight, right?" Flint says, glancing at Jimmi for some reason.
    "Yeah, a party."
    "It's a school night!" Jimmi bursts out.  "He should go to bed!  Are you seriously going to let him go party?"
    "Why not?  Your dad lets you," Flint says coldly as Vinny lets his flames go out.
    "I sneak out!"
    "With a super for a father, do you really think he doesn't notice?" Flint asks.  "Girl, your papa--"  He stops as Vinny places a hand on his arm and looks down at the teen.  "What?"
    "Thanks--for the help," he clarifies.
    Flint gives him a dirty look.  "Not much help," he says.  "Until you decide to put your heart into this you'll never become the cape you're meant to be.  Understand?"
    "Yeah," Vinny says, but Jimmi's almost positive he's lying.  "I gotta go take a shower," he says, grabbing his shirt and slipping it on before walking past them.  "Em, is Firefly coming to pick you up?"
    "Yeah."
    "Might as well have her come now, I don't need backup for this," he says.
    "Yeah," Emily says.  Jimmi wants to protest, but he's walking away before she can.  Instead she looks at Emily.
    "Why would the oxygen run out?" she asks, dying of curiosity.
    "He didn't tell you?" Emily asks.  "Vinny's one of the zoo kids."  Then she pulls out her cellphone to make a call, leaving Jimmi even more confused than before.  She hesitates for a moment before leaving.  She needs to find somewhere private and look it up online.
    Something tells her she's not going to like what she finds out.
     
    ***
     
    Seven thirty.  I look up from the homework I'm fighting with.  "Time to go," I say as I stand.
    "You're taking this school cover pretty seriously," Flint says, looking at the books.
    "I can't stand out," I say.  "We shouldn't have shown her that," I add quietly.  "She's going to start figuring things out."
    "Don't you want her to?" Flint asks.  "I figured the reason your school was willing to send you is to get Voltdrain's daughter--and everyone else's."
    "Nico wants her," I admit, grabbing my keys, "but Century doesn't trust us.  If she figures it out and Century says no, she probably won't be coming.  Sometimes false hope is cruel, Flint--if she even wants to come, that is."
    "So you don't hope for anything, do you," he says, watching me closely.
    "I hope to