Jinx (13 page)

14

I stared at the shimmering water. An island. How the hell was I supposed to get off an island? The shore was miles away, much too far for me to swim. Besides, it was November. I’d get hypothermia if I even tried.

I let myself panic for about thirty seconds. Let my heart pound. My hands shake. And little whimpers of panic tighten my throat.

Then, I took a deep breath and started thinking about my predicament. There had to be a boat here somewhere. That was the only way to reach the islands in Bigtime Bay. Of course, Debonair could just
pop!
over whenever he wanted, but surely he had other people out here sometimes. He’d have to bring them by boat, if he didn’t want to risk blowing his real identity to his guests.

I hurried down a set of spiral stairs that wound down one side of the overlook. A carpet of grass rolled out from under the balcony, shaded by rows of pear trees. Their burnished red leaves provided a colorful contrast to the golden grass. It was a beautiful spot, the perfect place to take a long nap or enjoy a picnic. Normally, I would have stopped a few minutes to do some rough sketches of the trees and the way the gathering sunlight brightened the dew drops on the crimson leaves. But I didn’t have time for such fancies now.

I had a boat to find.

I walked underneath the trees, keeping to the shortening shadows. It couldn’t have been much past six or seven in the morning, because the sun had just crested over the tops of the distant skyscrapers. A wet chill hung over much of the bay, along with a thin, soupy fog. I shivered and put my hands in the pockets of my jacket, grateful Debonair had left it behind. A few birds twittered in the trees, while an occasional frog croaked from a hidden spot in the grass. Everything smelled of salt and brine, and my nose tingled at the rough scent.

I broke free of the trees and headed for the water’s edge. The grass gave way to a rocky, pebble-filled beach. The grayish sand reminded me of the color of Hangman’s uniform. I put one hand on a rock for support and stuck the other in the lapping water. My hand turned to ice in an instant. I shuddered. Much too cold to swim.

So, I moved on and kept looking for a boat or a canoe or a kayak or something, anything I could use to get off the island. I’d walked about a half mile along the shore when I spotted a dock. It stretched out into the water about thirty feet, a long, pale arrow pointing toward the city. Like the rest of the house, it too looked like it had seen better days. The boards appeared warped and weathered, with more than a few cracked or missing altogether.

But my eyes scanned past the wet wood and latched on to the prize at the very end—a small sailboat. My ticket off this rock and away from Debonair, and all these strange, unwanted feelings he stirred in me.

I stepped onto the dock. The wood moaned, and the board sank down under my weight, but it didn’t break. I took another step. Then another, walking slowly and carefully. Putting each foot down before I lifted the last one up. A small slip, and I’d get dumped into the bay. Then, I wouldn’t have to worry about getting rescued. I’d freeze to death before anyone found me.

I navigated past the missing boards, but the closer I got to the boat, the more my heart sank. The vessel couldn’t be more than twelve feet long and appeared just as ratty and run-down as the rest of the house. The scarlet paint had cracked and peeled so much I couldn’t even tell what the boat’s name had been. Mold and mildew blackened the sail, and the ropes tying the vessel to the dock looked like they might snap at any moment. Still, it bobbed up and down with the gentle waves and looked seaworthy enough. It was going to have to be.

I didn’t know anything about sailing or seafaring, but I stepped down into the boat and untied the flimsy ropes that held the craft to the dock. The boat drifted out into the bay, pulled along by the brisk current. There was little wind, but maybe I could fix that. Loath as I was to do it, I reached for my power again and focused my attention on the limp sail, willing the wind to come along. My power flared, and a breeze whistled down.

I smiled, pleased my luck cooperated for a change. But the breeze didn’t last long. After about thirty seconds, it died away altogether.

Still, the boat floated farther out into the bay, pulled on by the occasional gust of wind and growing current. I used the opportunity to dig through my purse and flip open my phone. The signal was clear and strong now, and I dialed 555-5555, the emergency hotline for the Fearless Five.

Carmen Cole picked up on the first ring. “Bella! Where are you?!”

“I’m in a boat in the middle of Bigtime Bay,” I said. “I’m fine. For the most part. Didn’t Debonair get a message to you guys? Or my grandfather?”

“No, we haven’t gotten any message from him. We’ve been looking for you nonstop. Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

I bit my lip. He’d lied to me. He hadn’t sent a message to Grandfather. He hadn’t sent a message to anyone. What a fool I was.

I told Carmen about Debonair saving me and holding me in his Lair of Seduction. I left out the part where I’d slept with my captor, though. I didn’t want Carmen to think I was one of the nutty people in the Slaves for Superhero Sex club who put themselves in danger on purpose so they could cozy up to heroes. Or that I’d enjoyed being a prisoner, despite the fact part of me had.

“How’s Grandfather?” I asked.

“I’m fine, Bella. I’m right here.” Bobby’s sharp, strong voice came through the line. “Did he hurt you?”

“No, Grandfather. He didn’t hurt me. Just scared me a little.”

Carmen came back on the phone. “All right, Bella. Stay on the phone. Henry and Lulu are working on pinpointing your location. Sam, Chief Newman, and I are heading out now to come get you. Look for a big black boat.”

“You guys have a boat?”

“Of course we have a boat,” Carmen replied. “We’re the best superheroes in the city. We’re prepared for anything, and we have everything, thanks to Sam. Now, here’s Bobby again.”

“Grandfather?”

“I’m here, Bella.”

Now that help was officially on the way, I leaned against the rail and told my grandfather the same story I’d told Carmen. Debonair had teleported me around the city, before taking me to his Lair of Seduction.

“Lair of Seduction? Bah!” My grandfather snorted. “If I was ten years younger, I’d hop on my motorcycle and mow him down for scaring you like that. Johnny Angel could teach him a thing or two about how to treat a lady. These young superheroes just don’t have the proper respect for anybody.”

“Don’t talk like that. Debonair didn’t hurt me,” I protested. “He saved me from Hangman. In fact, he was very kind and generous.”

Especially in bed, but I couldn’t tell Grandfather that. I couldn’t tell anyone that. Ever.

An odd noise penetrated my conflicted thoughts. Music—wild, happy music with a pulsing, calypso beat.

Calypso music? In the middle of the bay?

“Hold a second, Grandfather. I hear something strange.”

I looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. The hum of a powerful motor filled the air, and a moment later, a boat cut through the dissipating fog—the most colorful, buoyant vessel I’d ever seen. The ship was painted in wild, tie-dye colors that ranged from electrified orange to vitriolic violet and every other shocking shade in between. All swirled together. FREE LOVE! FREE BEER! FREE SEAS! screamed a banner hung between two billowing sails. It took me a minute to put it together, but I realized whose ship it was.

Cap’n Freebeard and his Saucy Wenches. Cap’n was another one of Bigtime’s shady characters—not quite an ubervillain but definitely not a superhero either. The modern-day pirate and his band of Saucy Wenches sailed out on the bay almost every day on their psychedelic party barge. Sometimes, they’d help lost fishermen get back to shore or tow in a broken-down boat. But they spent most of their time waylaying the big cruise ships and stealing all the liquor and food they could carry. The cruise ships didn’t mind so much, though. The pirate was good for business. People flocked to the ships just on the off chance they’d run into Cap’n, be shanghaied, and get taken over to his boat to party with the crew.

The ship sailed by, and I got a good look at Cap’n Freebeard. He was a tall man with sun-kissed skin and hair so blond it was almost white. Tiny silver bells and bits of coral dangled from the ends of his dreadlocks and the bottom of his thick, curly beard. Cap’n stood in front of a shining silver wheel, flanked on all sides by topless—and sometimes bottomless—beauties. They all had rather buoyant personalities, if you know what I mean. Especially since it was so cold this morning.

Cap’n spotted me too. He took off his floppy straw hat and tipped it to me in a respectful fashion, while the wenches hung over the railing and blew me flirty kisses.

I thought about signaling to Cap’n that I needed some assistance, since I knew nothing about sailing or seafaring. But help was already on the way. The Fearless Five would be here any minute. I could wait.

“What’s that noise?” Bobby asked.

“Nothing,” I replied, trying not to stare at all the bare, naked, oily flesh passing in front of me. “Nothing at all.”

Cap’n Freebeard and his merry band sped on by, and I kept talking to Grandfather. But after a few minutes, a weird
whooshing
caught my attention. At first, I thought it was fish, splashing and leaping and playing in the salty water. All sorts of dolphins and whales and other interesting creatures populated Bigtime Bay. But then, my fingers started to itch, and my hair frizzed. The
whooshing
came again, louder this time. My heart started to pound. And not in a good way.

A tall shadow fell over me.

Boots smacked against the deck.

And I turned to find Hangman standing behind me.

15

‘Hangman’s here. Tell the Fearless Five to hurry!‘ I screamed into the phone before Hangman smacked it out of my hand.

The phone hit the brass railing. For a moment, I thought it would go overboard and be lost in the depths of the deep blue sea. But the silver phone bounced back toward me and landed on the deck. I hoped it was still on and that Grandfather hadn’t been cut off.

“Where is it? Where’s the sapphire?” Hangman growled, advancing on me again.

I shrank back, eyes frantic, looking for a place to hide, a weapon, something, anything that would keep me alive until the Fearless Five arrived. But there was nothing, not even a cracked oar, to help me. Hangman stretched his massive hand toward my throat, no doubt to throttle the life from my body. I panicked, and my power flared to life.

Wind screamed into the sail, and the ropes holding it in place snapped like toothpicks. The sail tumbled down, landing right on top of Hangman. The ubervillain cursed and tried to free himself from the heavy canvas. I leaned down, grabbed my phone, and ran all of ten feet to the other end of the boat.

“Grandfather!”

“Hang on, Bella! They’re almost there!”

Sure enough, in the distance, I spotted a rapidly moving black speck.
Come on,
I begged.
Come on!

With a mighty, angry roar, Hangman ripped free of the sail. There was only one thing left to do. I tore off my jacket, kicked off my shoes, and climbed up onto the railing—ready to swim for it. But a hand latched around my ankle and dragged me down before I could leap over the side. That same hand tossed me up in the air like a tennis ball before catching me right side up.

Hangman put his hand around my throat and lifted me up so that my face was level with his. My feet barely reached to his knees. I tried to plant my toes on his utility belt to take some of the pressure off my neck, but my feet kept slipping off the cold, hard metal.

I stared into his face. Hangman’s eyes were as light as the sky—colorless really, except for the cold rage burning in the depths.

“Where’s the stone? Tell me now, and I’ll make your death quick and mostly painless. Otherwise, I’ll give you to Prism. She won’t be nearly as pleasant as I am.”

“I . . . don’t . . . know . . .” I wheezed, trying not to black out.

“Fine. Have it your way.”

Hangman’s grip tightened, and stars exploded before my eyes. Then—

POP!

The smell of roses filled the air. My eyes went over Hangman’s shoulder. Debonair stood behind him, hands clenched into tight fists. My heart swelled with relief.

“Let her go,” Debonair snarled, his eyes glowing with rage. “I’m the one you want. I’ve got the sapphire. Not her.”

Hangman threw me aside like I was a wadded-up piece of paper. I hit the railing, momentum pushing me overboard. I willed myself to stop, and somehow avoided flipping over into the cold water below. I slumped to the bottom of the boat, dazed by the hard hit I’d taken, but not seriously injured. Despite my dislike of my supposed superpower, sometimes it was good to be lucky. Very, very good. I still would have preferred Johnny’s superstrong exoskeleton, though.

Hangman launched himself at Debonair, who teleported out of the way at the very last second. Hangman slipped on the tattered sail and banged his head against the side of the boat. The thief reappeared by my side.

“Are you all right, Bella? Did he hurt you?” Debonair asked, cupping my cheek with his hand.

I jerked my head away from his familiar, comforting touch. “I’m fine. Now leave me alone.”

Confusion and hurt flashed across his face. “What’s wrong? Why did you run away?”

I glared at him. “Why didn’t you get a message to my grandfather?”

He didn’t have time to answer. The Fearless Five pulled along beside us in a sleek black vessel. Hermit manned the wheel, while Karma Girl, Striker, and Mr. Sage stood on the deck ready to board the sailboat.

Striker raised a bullhorn to his lips. “This is the Fearless Five! Hangman, Debonair, put up your hands! Both of you! Now!”

Hangman struggled to stand, his feet still tangled in the ripped sail. “To hell with that!”

He grabbed a grenade from the belt around his waist and dropped it on the deck. Then, he held his hands up and zoomed away into the blue sky, the sail flapping around his ankles.

I watched, horrified, as the grenade
tink-tink-tinked
around the sailboat. Finally, it skidded to a stop, and a red light on the top began to blink. I tried to move, to launch myself overboard. But my power pulsed, and my bad luck boomeranged around the way it always did at crucial moments. My feet slid out from under me.

Debonair grabbed my waist.

POP!

The world disappeared as he teleported me over to the Fearless Five’s boat. A second later, the grenade exploded, sending fire and smoke and bits of boat hundreds of feet into the air. Debonair forced me to the deck, covering my body with his, as the debris rained down on us. Striker did the same to Karma Girl, while Hermit and Mr. Sage crouched underneath the boat’s wheel.

The boat bucked and heaved from the shockwave of the explosion, making me sick. But the seas eventually calmed. The smoke and ash and fire faded away, swallowed up by the cold water. After a few moments, we all got to our shaky feet.

“Are you all right?” Debonair asked, helping me up.

“Fine. Now let go of me,” I snarled, pushing him away.

“Bella?” Karma Girl asked, approaching us. Striker followed behind her.

“I’m fine, Karma Girl. Really, I am.”

The two superheroes looked at each other, then moved to flank Debonair.

“We need to talk to you, Debonair,” Striker said, his eyes going to me. “About a lot of things.”

But the thief didn’t pay any attention to the two superheroes. He kept staring at me, hurt shimmering in his sapphire eyes. For a moment, I wanted to go to him, to tell him I was sorry for running away, for leaving him behind. Then, I remembered how he’d lied to me about Grandfather. The notion faded.

Debonair leaned forward. “We’re not through, you and me. Not by a long shot.”

“Yes, we are. Leave me alone. Please.”

Debonair stared at me. Then, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine in a rough, hard kiss that left me breathless. He stepped back. Debonair gave me a smirk and bowed with a small flourish.

“Stop!” Karma Girl said, her eyes beginning to glow neon blue.

But it was too late.

POP!

Debonair had already teleported away.