Pacific Station Vigilante (Book 2): The Negative Man [Stormfall] by Jeremy Croston Page A

shoulder and yanked it out.  I bit down on the pain and in one swift move, I plunged his own spike into his forehead.  Both of us collapsed to the office floor, him dead and me hanging on for all I had.
    His hood covered up his face; a shame I wouldn’t get to see his last look, never knowing death was so close.  Unfortunately, the energy needed to overcome all the damage and toxic waste in me was too much for my body.  I couldn’t even register a spark if I wanted.  It would only be mere moments before the police came in and took me away.  The humiliation of being captured by normal humans left a bitter taste in my mouth.
    The door to this level opened quickly and I heard footsteps running over to the final spot of our fight.  It was just a single set, so I was really confused.  Would they send in a guinea pig on the chance he got killed?  Well my question was answered just a few seconds later.  “Oh my God, Jericho!”
    “Heather?”
    She reached down and picked me up.  “What the hell happened to you?”
    “His spikes, they’re toxic.  I don’t know how much of that venom I have running through me.”
    I heard the door open again.  “Hammerspace, he’s over here.  Hurry up!”
    Shawn Jordan joined the party and put me around his shoulder.  “I got him.  Let’s scram before the police show up.  I have a warrant out for my arrest here too.”
    The two of them led me back out and we were heading up the stairs.  “Guys, how did you get here?  And the roof’s gone.  Why are we going upstairs?”
    Heather was agitated by the questions, but she answered them.  You’re not going to like this, but Hammerspace stole a police helicopter.”
    “He what?”

Chapter 14 –
    Saturday Night; Pier District
     
    The SVIS team was in front of us with three of the local gang leaders.  Heather was itching for a fight; I was more interested in hearing what was going on.  I sent Hammerspace closer to plant a cellphone for Heather to tap into.  He rolled back like some weirdo ninja.  “All set boss.  No one saw me.”
    Words failed me with this guy.  “Heather, you’re up.”
    Her phone lit up, bringing us their conversation loud and clear.  The beauty was the other phone sat there, looking dormant.  No one would be the wiser.  “We have a proposition for all of you.”  I believed this to be Elephant talking.  “The Negative Man is killing your minions and you haven’t done anything about it.”
    “So you want us to work with the coppers?  We’ll handle our business our way.”
    “We know that you could take a hit on the streets, but the three of you are the smartest of the bunch.”  I wish I could see who Elephant was talking to, get a face to match later.  “Think of what we’re offering as a chance for some sanctioned mayhem.”
    The three gentlemen just out of view moved in closer and started speaking low.  The phone was just a bit too far away to hear what they were saying.  The front guy broke away first.  “So you’re telling me if we put a hit out on The Negative Man, we can use whatever means we want to?”
    I heard a few grumbles from the three behind Elephant.  I don’t think this was a majority decision.  “Obviously there are a few rules, mostly no civilian casualties.  What I urge you to do is use your underground resources and get this guy.  All of us will be happy once he’s dead.”
    That statement was met with approval from all seven people.  Heather was pissed, eager to blow them up.  “Can I detonate the phone?”
    “Sure.”
    With joy filling her eyes, she snapped her fingers and the disposal cell we’d been using went off.  None of them were prepared for that, engulfing the group in debris.  As the dust settled from Heather’s attack, figures were on the ground, not dead, just not moving much.
    I did a quick count and saw four bodies – Crocodile and Antelope from the SVIS and two of the gang leaders.  “Where’s everyone else?  Get