More of Nailbiter’s claws shielded Love Lost, keeping me from getting to her and pulling her free. Not directly. I saw Love Lost lower her head and raise her more intact clawed foot. She was using it as another hand.

Flying higher, I looked to Sveta. I reached out my hand, and she sent hers to me.

She pulled herself to me, then reached down, grabbing Love Lost from above.

To hold the windowsill and avoid being pulled down was one thing, but being pulled up was another.

Love Lost slashed, raking at Sveta’s arm and tendrils. Sveta let go, and let Love Lost drop.

It was Snag who leaped out, flying in a straight line to catch the woman in one mechanical arm, before she could crash into the midst of the crowd of villains.

Sveta pulled herself back down to ground level. Meanwhile, I flew over the enemy group, putting myself behind the herd of enemies, while they scrambled to do something or get clear of the incoming Mayday projectile.

It was intimidating, being on the ground, while a ball of abstract energy the size of a one-car garage hurtled toward us. I was pretty sure it was very selective about who it affected, catching people up and depositing them in a way Mayday thought appropriate, but even with that, I found it distracting.

I’d put myself close to Bitter Pill and her group. The thinkers, the clever ones. I used my aura, to pressure them, to catch their focus while the projectile sailed toward us.

It was Crested, folding fan in hand, who turned my way as I walked in their direction. All of the darkness of the hospital was in my eyes. My anger at everyone I couldn’t change or fix was in my body language. The aura was one thing, but I could be the focus of those feelings of fear and awe that my power stirred in them.

Crested swung the fan. I knew what to expect, and I wasn’t surprised when the fan spun, the folded metal slats multiplying, as the fan became a circle that became a spiral, each multiplied slat larger than the last. The effect was reminiscent of an ammonite fossil. A shield of interconnected metal slats that bit into the road and formed a wall between me and them.

“Crested!” Bluestocking called out. “We need a barrier against—”

Crested started to fold it up, but it was too slow. I flew forward, forcefield up, and hit the barrier, just to add to the intimidation and shake the other guys.

I hit the barrier again.

It kept them from erecting a defense. Prancer grabbed Velvet and leaped up to higher ground. Others ran for cover in the last seconds. Some tried to approach me, to use the other side of Crest’s barrier to defend themselves. I pushed out with my aura to discourage them in the last moment.