“Kneel down and place your hands on your head.
Slowly.”
“Cool down, Phoenix,” the stranger said. “I see
through your display. You won’t risk leaving the path of
true justice over this. As far as you know, I haven’t done
anything wrong.” He raised his hands over his head but
did so with a distasteful, mocking, smile on his face
which revealed too many teeth.
“You broke into my house.” Phoenix added some
intimidation to his authority voice, but it was his turn to
sweat. He’s got some hidden trump card, he thought. If
only I knew what it was.
“Justice, even true justice, is a muddy concept. I
could have had any number of good reasons for breaking
in.” The stranger rested his hands on his cheeks, closed
his eyes, and tilted his head as if he were the wounded
party.
Phoenix let his flames dim so that he could
approach the stranger and apprehend him. He had to
swallow his misgivings, which had formed a lump in his
throat.
In response, the stranger opened his eyes, which
glowed with an odd golden light, and smiled his
mocking smile.
Phoenix’s heart skipped a beat, but in time with
the next heartbeat he unleashed a torrent of his hottest
scarlet fire.
56