Part 31 (1/2)

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.