Free How to Save the World by Lexie Dunne

only one. “Yeah. Maybe you should rest,” I said, craning my neck to look around. She was still swaying and I’d never even seen Vicki winded, let alone drugged. “Seriously, sit down or something.”
    â€œI’m fine , ” she said, her voice dropping into a threat.
    â€œI’m going to run back and fetch Guy,” I said. “He’ll help us get out of here.”
    â€œGail, I’m fine, there’s no need to—­”
    â€œDuck!” Kiki’s voice came out of nowhere.
    I hit the deck, shoving Vicki away so that she swooped sideways. The glob of yellow goo sailed harmlessly through the air. In an instant, I spotted what I’d missed in my worry: Toadicus hopped full speed down the line of cars, green eyes glowing with anger. I could see Kiki behind him, a frustrated look on her face. Her psychic powers weren’t going much help in a battle.
    â€œWhy won’t you just croak already?” I said, feeling for the belt at my waist. My hand closed around one of Raptor’s little throwing blades and I hurled it at his face. He ducked, like I expected, and the minute he righted himself, I slammed my fist into the side of his jaw and knocked him out in one blow. He hit the side of the train with a dull whump .
    â€œI had him,” Vicki said, coughing.
    â€œSure, but I need to pull my weight around here, too,” I said, and Kiki rushed up to us.
    Before she could open her mouth, though, a fireball exploded behind us. I grabbed Kiki and twisted in midair as the concussive force hit. It threw us into the concrete platform, but my back took most of the weight. We grunted as we landed, our heads cracking together. I groaned.
    Scorch, whose black duster had definitely seen better millennia, hovered in the air, smirking at Vicki. “You don’t see Plain Jane around Chi-­Town much these days,” he said, his voice gravelly like he’d been chain-­smoking since the third grade. “Pity. I almost missed your butt-­ugly mask.”
    I groaned and pushed Kiki off of me. Some supervillains were definitely better with the banter than the others.
    Vicki scoffed, but I could hear her voice shake. She pushed herself to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. “Still prettier than your face, charcoal-­breath.”
    â€œWe need to get out of here,” Kiki said, tugging at my shirt.
    â€œI can’t leave her, she’s hurt.”
    â€œShe looks fine. Can we—­”
    Vicki launched herself into the air and wobbled, arms and legs flailing in an uncoordinated mess as she tried to stay aloft. Kiki stared. I stared. Scorch stared.
    Vicki’s boots hit the platform. At least her flame powers seemed to be working as she shot a bright bolt of fire at Scorch, who flew easily to the side. He returned fire and Vicki dodged backward, actually tumbling off of the platform and onto the tracks. She caught herself three inches above the ground and tried to charge at Scorch.
    Her boots dragged across the tracks.
    â€œOh, that is not good,” I said.
    Kiki still had her hand fisted in my shirt. “She’s losing her power,” she breathed. “Oh my god, she’s losing her power. What happened? What’s wrong with her?”
    â€œNo time for that now!” I broke free of Kiki’s grip as Scorch sent another beam of fire at Vicki. She stumbled as she tried to evade it. When I tackled her out of the way of the next bolt, she screamed. Her suit was smoking when I jumped off of her. “Ki, get her out of here!”
    â€œI’ve got it,” Vicki said, but I shoved her toward Kiki, who grabbed her arm. I picked up another one of the throwing blades out of my belt and hurled it at Scorch. At least it made him dodge, giving Kiki enough time to bodily drag Vicki to safety.
    Scorch began to laugh, and the sound crawled up each vertebra of my spine, eerily cold. “This is a good day. Doesn’t