From all directions, the kidnappers opened fire on Bill. Most of the shots missed. Those that didn't smashed into the ice armoring his body. None of them penetrated, but all of them hurt. It was like getting ganged up on and pummelled in elementary school. He hurled an iceball at the one with the megaphone, but a bullet smashed into his flank right when his arm was in motion, knocking his throw off target.
Then, the one with the megaphone stopped shooting at Bill, and instead pointed his gun at the kidnapping victims. Right toward Joe.
"NO!" Bill screamed. He wished he could create a wall of ice between the gunman and Joe, but he had no idea how. He launched another iceball at the kidnapper, and missed again. The kidnapper closed one eye and took aim at his unconscious target along his gunsights.
And then, the gunman got hit by a flying crate.
Bill turned, and gasped with surprise and joy. Tree had woken up and was jogging in to join him.
The gunfire stopped. The other kidnappers knew they were outmatched, and were turning tail to run.
"Don't let them get away!" Tree called out. She leapt right into the middle of their formation and grabbed one of them, then another. Bill looked at the fleeing mob, and contemplated freezing them in place or making them slip or chilling them; but then he looked back at Joe and shook his head. No. The love of his life came first. He skate-slid over to his unconscious boyfriend, scooped him up in his arms, and made for the nearest exit.
Behind him, he heard Tree bellowing. "Tell Norman Dockran," she yelled at the remaining fleeing kidnappers, "That Los Angeles is off limits!"
The city blocks whizzed by. An icy floor kept forming itself, always appearing a few meters in front of Bill and sublimating away a few meters behind. He'd have to double back for his car eventually, but getting Joe to safety was priority one.
And after about three blocks of Bill's skate-sliding along frozen pavement, Joe finally awoke. He opened his eyes and stared up into Bill's face, the sky streaming by behind him. "Wha? Who are you? How'd I get here?"
Oh crap. Joe didn't recognize him? Had the mind control ray erased his memory? Then Bill mentally kicked himself. His face was covered in ice. Of course Joe didn't recognize him. "You're out," he said, "You're safe. What's the last thing you remember?"
"I was kidnapped," Joe said. "They put me and some others in front of some machine. There was a commotion, then a bright red light, and — and then I was here, with you carrying me." Joe tried to put his arms around the man carrying him, if only to steady himself; but the hard, slick ice offered him little to grab onto. "Dang, you feel cold," he said. "What's your name?"
Bill only smirked underneath his icy mask. "Call me . . . Water-and-Ice Man."
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