Turning now, Fred faced o¤ with the massive Destroyer. As
its targeting lasers nally found him, he raised gun and sword
high, refusing to back down.
That woke Malcolm up.
Time blazed through his veins as he leapt over the rail and
ung a wave of super-slowed Time at the Destroyer. The ma-
chine slowed to a fraction of normal speed, decreased molecular
activity freezing it solid.
As Malcolm dropped, he conjured an Entropy Blade and
cleaved straight through the middle. The machine’s two halves
split apart and then shattered like frozen glass.
The pilot disappeared through a black maw ringed with
ames. A spike of agony shot through Malcolm before the por-
tal disappeared. He hit the oor and crouched, clutching his
temples until the pain faded.
The rest of the team arrived from the stairs, walking through
iced-over debris to joinMalcolm as he stood. In stunned silence,
they faced their long-lost friend.
Fred’s cheeks colored under the weight of their stares. He
scratched his ear.
“Uh, hey guys. When’d you get here?”
Malcolm had no words. None of them did.
Fred gave a nervous chuckle. “Crazy what you can pick up
playing video games, right?”
“Fred,” Valentine said.
“Yeah?”
“Explain.”
THE GENESIS FLAME
69
