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mouth.
    A blast of yellow fire hit him directly in the chest and knocked him backward. Yellow goo geysered everywhere as he screamed.
    â€œThanks,” I shouted over my shoulder at Vicki.
    â€œI’m here for you, mentee!”
    I pointed ahead, still running. “Kidnapper!”
    â€œDammit.” Vicki launched herself into the air, streaking by with a gust of wind. I chased after her. Union Station had several tracks with narrow platforms between them, and there were plenty of escape routes into the train yard. Vicki pulled up short, hovering in the air. “Which way? What’s he look like?”
    â€œGray jacket, hood, jeans!” I whirled in place, sniffing and listening and doing anything I could to track down the man I’d been chasing. Luckily, I caught a whiff. I pointed. “That way!”
    Vicki was a fast flyer, but the Mobium made me almost as quick on two feet. We booked it across the tracks; I leapt clean over them from platform to platform. Three platforms in, at the darkest part of the enclosure, I finally spotted the man, sprinting next to one of the passenger trains. ­People pressed themselves to the windows, watching him go. “Vicki!”
    â€œGot him!” She put on a burst of speed and slammed into the man, sending him sprawling onto the concrete. As I ran to help out, the man suddenly rolled onto his back and raised his arm. From his sleeve spewed a cloud of thick blue gas that swallowed Vicki temporarily. The smell of apricots spread everywhere.
    Vicki dropped to her knees.
    And then she began to cough.

 
    CHAPTER 6
    â€œN o!” I shouted.
    Vicki’s cough rattled like she’d sucked in a truckload of toxic fumes. On her knees, she spun toward me, reaching out. “Stay back,” she said, and her voice was so urgent that I stopped without thinking about it.
    Unfortunately, this was the opening that the kidnapper needed. While Vicki coughed and I gaped in horrified silence, he scrambled to his feet and jumped onto the tracks. I hesitated, torn between running to my friend and chasing after him.
    Vicki collapsed with a dull thump .
    I sprinted forward. The blue smoke had already dissipated, but all I could see was one of the world’s strongest and best superheroes crumpled on the ground in absolute misery. I slid the last few feet on my knees like my old softball days, not caring that it ripped my pants. My brain had gone absolutely numb with shock. “Plain Jane!” I said, only just remembering not to use her real name. I shook her shoulder, and her head lolled limply to the side. “Oh, no. No, no, no, this isn’t happening. Jane, can you hear me? Are you okay?”
    There was no way I was yanking off her mask, not in such a public space, but I leaned over to listen. Was she even breathing? I needed to call 911, but the Davenport 911. God, this was the worst time to be on the outs with them—­
    Vicki surged up with a deep gasp, making me jump. “Jane?” I asked.
    â€œI’m fine, I’m fine,” she said, sitting up. But when she stumbled to her feet, my breath stuttered in my chest.
    She weaved like a drunk.
    â€œJust give me a minute,” Vicki said, holding up a hand. “I got it.”
    â€œAre you okay?” I asked, even though it was obvious that she wasn’t.
    â€œPlease.” At least her voice seemed back at its normal confidence level. She waved her hand at me. “I got hurt way worse than this fighting Near Death Man. I’m fine. Did he get away?”
    â€œYeah. I was a little more worried about you.”
    â€œThat’s sweet.” She coughed again and it was like my blood had been replaced by ice water. That cough really did not sound good.
    â€œWhat’d he hit you with?” I asked, grabbing her arm because she’d started to sway.
    â€œKnockout gas, maybe. Whoo. That was a trip . Do you smell apricots?”
    Good to know I wasn’t the