Chapter 34 Streeters.

Chapter 34: 34 Streeters.

I looked up just as the skylight shattered.

People screamed, running as a freezing wind whipped down into the room. Frost crackled across the windows and blistered upon the metal sphere as the glass fell like diamond rain.

Most people knew what to do in an event like this, and they hauled those who didn’t to the edges of the room with the sheer press of bodies.

Glacia descended through the shattered skylight, and I felt my heart swell at the sight. Damn but she looked good.

Her coat stirring around her, a freezing wind bearing her down like some Valkyrie come from the frozen north to claim her tribute from the battlefield, she looked every inch the villainess she was supposed to be.

Her head was tilted back, her eyes hard and gleaming, her hair swirling about her head as she touched down atop the clock, as delicate as a ballerina, as deadly as Russian winter.

"A fine party!" she said, her voice filling the cold air. "But it seems my invitation was lost in the mail. Fortunately," she said, gesturing towards the main doors. "I let myself in!"

Entrance—Ten. Pose—Ten. Villain Lines—Ten. I really was a great couch.

A sweep of ice rushed across the floor, the doors slamming shut and solid ice sealing it tight. Atta girl. Just like we planned it.

And right on cue, the emergency exit burst open and the Steves poured in.

They looked suitably thematic and menacing in their heavy jackets, masks and goggles.

Their hockey sticks extended with a snapping sound, the group forcing their way through the startled crowd and straight to the Ice Diamond, taking up positions around it.

"Back! Get back!"

"Get the hell back!" another Steve shouted, one of them shooting a blank over his head, the sound of the gunshot doing wonders to move the crowd.

I leaned on the rail, watching intently as the party guests shuffled away. Good.

Looked like no one other than the person who was supposed to be wanted to be a hero.

I grinned and took another drink, the champagne pleasantly chilled in the freezing air.

Glacia stepped off the orb, floating down. She drifted towards the diamond, the crowd pressing back even further as she landed before the podium.

A Steve lifted off the glass dome, and Glacia reached out, picking up the diamond, raising it into the air.

"At last," she said. "A gem suitably beautiful for the Ice Queen, wouldn’t you say?"

"Yes, ma’am!" the Steve said immediately.

I chuckled. A bit corny, but hey, that’s the name of the game. I glanced over towards Mysteria, watching for the red haired girl to spring into action.

Except the didn’t happen.

Instead, just as Mysteria took a step forward, the far wall exploded.

My and every other head whipped around as what looked like a meteor blasted through the hole in a shower of flame.

It hit the ground with a burst of sparks, and then it unrolled, revealing a man in tight blue and white spandex, the symbol of a lighting bolt streaking across his right pec, his hair—obviously dyed white with bleach—static with electricity.

"Halt, villain!" he shouted, throwing forward a hand, pointing at a dumbfounded Glacia. "Put down that gem and release your hostages! For you face the descendant of Zeus himself... Surge!"

Stupidity just seen to follow me across worlds at this point.

Stunned silence met this, so profound you could hear a pin drop.

"Oh my fucking God!" I finally hissed.

"Who?" Glacia said blankly, which was fair. This was utterly not what she expected in her big moment, but was hardly the right thing to say.

"You may not know me yet, villain!" The moron—I mean—Surge shouted, hands on his hips, head thrown back imperiously. "But you shall. And I do not come alone! For with me is the Society of Justice! Behold, the Wrecking Ball!"

"Let’s bust some heads," a massive man said as he lumbered through the hole, his face covered in a bandana mask, his denim shirt cut off to reveal corded muscles, his fists bigger than shovels as he slammed them together with a sound like a cannon shot.

"Blitz!" Surge declared with a zip of lightning, a man in skin-tight bright yellow with hermetic wings on his shoes zipped over the rubble to halt beside the flaming hero.

"That’s not my name!" the obvious speedster snapped. "I’m the Flash!"

"We couldn’t get the rights to that one, man" Surge said. "And finally!" he announced with triumph, "Marvo the Magician!"

"Hmph!" a man dressed like he raided the local production company for Pride and Prejudice said, striding inside, a top hat and domino mask marking him as a magician. "To fight a lady seems untoward, but such villainy cannot be tolerated!"

I stared in shocked horror. Fuck! I couldn’t believe this! A bunch of random fucking streeters! What the hell was Lacey’s security doing out there?

A quick scan of the group of new heroes showed me all I needed.

These morons might look like idiots, but there were too many of them for Glacia to handle alone. And I highly doubted they’d be pulling any punches.

Shit!

This was not good. I looked around impatiently, but Lacey was nowhere to be seen.

Glacia stared at the heroes in stunned confusion, and I couldn’t blame her. She wasn’t prepared for this.

Fortunately, someone remembered their role. "Get ’em!" One of the Steves roared.

Hockey sticks came up as the group of minions rushed the heroes.

"Oh yeah, time to feel the shockkk!" Surge roared and stretched out a hand as an arc of lightning shot out at A Steve.

The Steve took it head on and was blasted off his feet, stiff as he hit the ground, rolling around in agony as the steam rolled off him like barbecue.

Oh, that wasn’t good at all.

Not only for the Steve, but also for Glacia. That was the worst possible matchup for her.

The death screams of the Steve seemed to shock the stunned spectators into motion, spurring the party guests to rush towards the wings.

Fortunately, the Steve would have popped out of existence before the end of the day anyway, but the sight certainly got the message across, and having less civvies around for a super brawl was going to be very much appreciated.

I grabbed the rail and threw myself over it, magnetising the bracers around my legs and ankles just enough to cushion the landing.

I probably didn’t need to bother being subtle. Everyone was running in a panic. At least that part of the plan had survived.

But that was the only thing going right.

I shot a glance at Mysteria, but she looked as shocked as everyone else and was being carried along by the crowd, soon lost in the swarm of people. Dammit! She wasn’t going to be of any help.

Looked like it was up to us.