(The Push Chronicles (Book 2): Indefatigable Read Online Free PDF Page B

dripping down, not to mention the funny way I was holding my forearm.  "We're getting you back to the Foundation, double-time."
    "Why the concern, my good man?" Argent asked.  He sounded genuinely puzzled.  "Is this not the woman who faced down not only my Lord Epic but the most foul, odious, and powerful villain on the planet?  In comparison, these must simply be flea bites -"  The interruption came from a hard shove on one shoulder as Extinguisher obviously lost his cool.  Unfazed by the shove, the Crusader puffed up from what must have been an insult to his sensibilities.
    "Look, Mr. Hood," Ex said, "you have no idea what you're talking about.  You weren't there in Washington and you haven't been here.  She's hurt so we're going, pronto."
    "Sir, if not for the lady being present, I would -"
    "Would what?  I'm real damn curious to find -"
    "Can it!"  The two men ceased their arguing and looked at me.
    "Can we go?  Seriously?"  Injured or not, I was at the end of my patience with both of them.  "Archer, get the evidence.  Extinguisher is going to be sliding us so he needs both hands and I'll be busy holding on."  The shout followed by the clear and concise orders seemed to snap them both back into reality, such as it was.  As the Crusader gathered what small amount of evidence we had, I put my good arm around Ex's waist, trying not to enjoy the strange icy tingle that permeated even my Push resistance.  I was quite fortunate that the ice he created was actual real ice; his Push powers created the cold and condensed the moisture in the atmosphere, but the ice itself was blessedly real.  "Okay, I'm ready when you are."
    "Okay, Robin."  The frozen fireman glanced behind him.  "I hope that tin suit of yours can keep up."
    "Undoubtedly, my frost-laden friend," Archer replied.  "Undoubtedly."  Flaunting itself in the face of conventional physics, what I assumed had just been an ammo and power pack for the crossbow unfolded itself into some kind of jet-propulsion system.
    "Alright, let's go!"  Ex gestured in front of him, creating a solid ice platform along the ground.  We picked up speed rapidly, Archer keeping up along side suspended by his jet thrusters.  As we began to be impossibly pulled along the uphill path, I had a pang of remorse.  Our final fight had started when I remarked just how insane it was that he slid on ice all around town in complete defiance of physics and without causing one iota of property damage.  Was it my fault our two month, well, fling had ended so venomously?  We burst out into Underground, causing heads to turn and people to point and gape.  I couldn't help myself as I began to think about how exactly I wound up at this point in our relationship.
     
    "Are you sure about this?" Ex asked, obviously nervous.  "I mean, not that I don't find you beautiful and ... intense, but ..."  He was obviously torn, so I let him spell out his confusion.  It was only fair, really, considering we were both slightly tipsy.  Hell, maybe I was moving a bit fast.  What was the harm in it though?  We were sitting on a perch near Centennial Olympic Park, watching the Fourth of July fireworks from a place no ordinary person could go.  The team party over at Foundation headquarters had broken up so people could be with their families.  Family was something Ex and I didn't seem to have, so we wound up sitting on that perch, together.
    "Look, Ex, take your time and, you know, talk it out."  I smiled broadly.  Maybe I had a bit more to drink than I thought I had, but, at that moment, I was sure of what I was doing.  We both had needs, after all, and we got along great.  Maybe I wasn't angling towards something as committed as my time with Eric had been, but who would have expected that considering how it ended?  Surely Ex would realize that without me spelling it out.
    "Well, okay," he said, returning my smile.  "Look, I've just seen this thing go bad, real bad, at the station.  You