Karma Girl Part 31

Malefica waved her hand. One of the swords flew through the room and embedded itself in the wall. The ubervillain took hold of the other one and towered over me. Malefica lifted the sword up high above her KarmaGirl.

head. The black waves around her intensified.

My fingers fluttered.

The sword ripped out of Malefica's hand, hit the floor, and slid to a stop in front of Sam's tube.

Malefica's mouth dropped open. She stared at me. For the first time, the ubervillain realized I wasn't frozen anymore. All of the ice had melted off my body. My skin was no longer pale and blue, my hair no longer white with frost.

"Your eyes," she whispered. "They're glowing!"

Malefica took an uncertain step back.

I stared at the black waves around the ubervillain and imagined using their power to pull myself into a sitting position. Beads of sweat popped out on my face. It took so much effort to concentrate, to focus, to try to move. And yet, slowly, oh-so-slowly, my body propped itself up.

"Carmen?" Sam said. "Carmen!"

I stared at the caged superhero. Soothing sapphire waves rippled out from his body. I could feel their healing powers, their ability to continually restore. If only I could use them to heal myself . . . I reached out with my mind toward the pulsating waves . . .

"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l," Fiona said. "Look at her eyes!"

"Everyone be quiet. Stop talking to her, Sam. Carmen needs to concentrate," Chief Newman said in a low voice.

"What's happening to her?" Henry asked.

"What happened to all of us," the chief replied in a cryptic tone. "Now be quiet and watch."

I barely comprehended the superheroes' conversation. All I was aware of were the soothing, soothing waves. I reached for them, and their power trickled into my body. A warm glow enveloped me, jump-starting my heart, restoring my circulation. My breathing grew easier. p.r.i.c.ks and needles of pain ran up and down my arms and legs. I wiggled my toes. I could feel them again.

Inside the tube, Sam fell to his knees. Sweat streamed down his anguish-filled face. I frowned. I was hurting him. I let go. Sam fell back against the side of the tube. Malefica's eyes flicked back and forth between us.

I rolled over onto my knees. Water dripped down my face and plopped onto the metal floor. I pushed myself up. My knees wobbled. I lurched over to the metal railing and hung on to it for support.

Malefica took another step back. "Frost, Frost! Quit messing with that stupid computer."

"What do you want? I'm trying to work here in case you haven't noticed. Just kill her already . . ." The ubervillain caught sight of my glowing eyes. His voice trailed off.

"What's in that vat I dropped her in?" Malefica asked.

"Nothing special. Just a mixture of radioactive isotopes and chemical compounds. Your usual goo."

Frost studied me. "Although it seems as if it has quite a different effect on humans than on animals. How fascinating."

"Fascinating my a.s.s! Look at her!"

Frost waved his hand. "So her eyes are glowing. No big deal. It's probably just a temporary effect."

Malefica shook her head. "You're wrong. I can feel the power pouring off her. Quick! Hit her with the freezoray gun!"

Frost sighed. "Always so demanding."

Snow-white waves rippled out from the ubervillain. Cold waves. I stared at the gun on Frost's side and reached for the power.

KarmaGirl.

Frost went for his weapon. Too little, too late. A large block of ice encased his freezoray gun, rendering it useless.

I took a step forward.

Malefica and Frost looked at each other. Meanwhile, Scorpion appeared at the top of the stairs.

"I found several bombs. They've been shut down-"

"That doesn't matter right now. Scorpion, get her!" Malefica shrieked.

The giant, hulking ubervillain shrugged. "Okay."

He lumbered over to me, put his hand on my throat, and picked me up. "Now what?"

Malefica pointed. "Throw her back into the vat! Now!"

Scorpion raised me high into the air. I looked at Fiona and the red-hot waves that enveloped her. I put my hand on Scorpion's chest.

He dropped me like a hot potato.

At that moment, I was one. I used Fiona's power to superheat my hand. Scorpion now had a giant smoking hole on his chest. Blisters popped out on his ma.s.sive form, although they began to heal within seconds due to his regenerative abilities.

"What's the matter, Scorpion? Am I a little too hot to handle?" I said, getting to my feet.

The ubervillain growled in pain. Malefica and Frost stared at me. Fear and confusion s.h.i.+mmered in their eyes.

"What's wrong? Can't take a little taste of your own medicine?" I said.

The three ubervillains didn't reply.

"Or perhaps you're frightened of me. Imagine that. The Terrible Triad quaking in their boots because of Carmen Cole. What a strange day this is turning out to be. Wouldn't you say?" I sounded crazy and I knew it. I felt crazy. All jumbled up inside.

Scorpion charged at me. I stared at Malefica and used the ubervillain's telekinetic power waves to pick up Scorpion and fling him across the room. He crashed into the computers, shattering them with his ma.s.sive form. The blinking lights snuffed out like a candle. Scorpion groaned once and lay still.

Frost wasn't nearly so bold and daring. He ran. He clattered down the steps as fast as he could, toward the cages that held his pet projects. I grabbed Malefica's powers again. The locks on the metal cages popped off. I waved my hand, and the doors creaked open. Frost stopped. He turned to look at me.

"What are you doing?! My work!"

"Is about to come back and bite you in the a.s.s. Just like karma."

I used Malefica's power to rattle the cages. Low snarls erupted from within. A white, furry head appeared. Then another, then another. Frost's mouth dropped open in horror. He backed up against the wall. The mutated creatures caught sight of him. They growled with one voice and advanced on him.

"No! Stop! I created you! I am your master! You have to listen to me-"

Frost went down in a heap of teeth and claws and fur.

"Behind you!" Sam shouted.

I ducked. A sword zipped by my head. Malefica stared at me, her green eyes glittering with hate and rage.

"Do you want to play too?" I asked. "There's plenty of me to go around."

"You get a little taste of power and you think you're something special," Malefica hissed. "You're nothing compared to me."

"You're the one who's nothing," I spat back.

KarmaGirl.

The ubervillain threw her arms wide. Bricks, loose wires, small pieces of metal, everything that wasn't tied down rose into the air. Malefica shoved her arms forward and threw the ma.s.s of stuff at me at warp speed.

I hit the ground, and the debris sailed over my head. Most of it clattered off the railing and disappeared into the bubbling liquid below. Pieces cut my arms and hands and shredded the back of my T-s.h.i.+rt.

I scrambled to my feet and threw myself at her. We went down in a pile on the slick, cold floor. We rolled around, each trying to get the upper hand. Malefica slapped me across the face. I sank my teeth into her forearm. Blood filled my mouth, and Malefica howled in pain. She hit me in the head. We kicked and clawed and bit and scratched like two she-cats.

"Get her, Carmen!"

"Kick her b.l.o.o.d.y a.s.s!"

"Atta girl!"

"Go Carmen!"

Cheered on by the superheroes' shouts, I positioned myself on top of Malefica, reared back my hand, and punched the ubervillain with all my might. I had never punched anyone in my entire life.

It felt good.

Really good.

Incredibly good.

So I did it again. And again. And again.

"Carmen! Carmen, stop! She's out of it!"

Sam's voice penetrated my rage. Malefica lay slack and silent underneath me. The ubervillain's beautiful face was a pulpy, b.l.o.o.d.y mess. I quit punching her and staggered to my feet. The world spun around. I lurched forward and grabbed the railing for support. My friends shouted something to me, but I couldn't quite make it out over the ringing in my head.

My inner voice screamed. I turned. Somehow, Malefica had gotten up. She ran at me, but I sidestepped out of the way. Malefica hit the railing. Her momentum carried her forward, and she flipped up and over the side. She shrieked once and splashed into the cold liquid below. And then- Silence.

I stared into the white fog. The liquid gurgled and bubbled once.

"Carmen? Carmen! Are you okay?"

I lumbered around at the sound of Sam's voice. The four superheroes stared at me, worry in their eyes.

"I . . . think so."

I felt drained and utterly exhausted. But I couldn't stop. Not yet. Not until I'd freed my friends. I staggered over to the smashed computers. Scorpion was gone. A pool of black blood glistened on the floor where he'd been. I squinted at the b.u.t.tons and switches and wires. My hands hovered over the twisted metal.

"Hit the switch on the far side of the computer. The one that isn't broken off like the others," Henry said.

I threw the switch, and the doors on the gla.s.s tubes hissed open. The superheroes tumbled out of their cages. They exchanged wary glances and slowly approached me. I looked at them. The waves of power still billowed out from them. I shook my head, and my vision cleared. The waves disappeared, and my friends came into focus.

Sam put his arms around me. I smiled at him. He had never looked more handsome.

"It's good to see you," he said.

KarmaGirl.

"You too," I replied.

Sam's face swam before my eyes. I smiled again. Then, the darkness came, and I fell into its sweet embrace.

KarmaGirl.

29.

My eyes fluttered open, and I stared at the ceiling overhead. I recognized it immediately. Back in the sick bay again. A heart monitor beeped next to me, along with all the other usual medical devices. An IV pumped fluid into my arm.

I could feel someone else in the room. I turned my head. Sam sat in a chair next to the bed.

"Hey there, handsome," I croaked. My throat had about a gallon of sand in it.

His silver eyes lit up. "Hey there, yourself. How are you feeling?"

"Better. Still kind of tired and sleepy."

He reached out and took my hand. "You gave us all quite a scare, you know."

"Did I? I'm sorry."

Sam stroked his thumb over my hand. Tingles of pleasure ran up and down my hand at his warm touch. I twitched my fingers in response.

"Why are you doing that?"

"Just making sure I can still feel them," I joked.

Sam smiled. I'd never thought I would see him smile again. The effect was even more devastating than I remembered. My eyes traced over him. No cuts, no bruises, no nicks or sc.r.a.pes could be seen on his face and arms. He looked completely healthy. Then again, he would be. He could regenerate, after all. My heart swelled with love and tenderness. Sam was safe. I'd never been happier.