B22C3 - He's Back

I gradually took on my normal, human shape again. It was so bizarre, standing there in the mall. I was barefoot. Wearing just my morphing outfit, a leotard. I knew exactly where I was, exactly what stores were around me. After all, I spent a good part of my life in that mall.

But this wasn't the mall as I knew it. This was a place of dim lights and deep shadows. Of threat. Of danger.

A sound!

I looked at Ax. We both strained, listening. A ringing sound. Coming from . . . coming from a jewelry store about ten storefronts away.

Staring hard, I could see the broken glass on the floor. Someone had knocked out the window to the jewelry store.

David! Of course. He was probably stuffing a sack full of diamonds right now.

"Go!" I hissed to Ax. "I'll be right there!"

I finished demorphing and actually noticed, despite myself, that Foot Locker was having a big sale. I began to morph again and -

I never heard him. There was no roar. No warning.

I just caught a glimpse of tan reflected in the glass of the Foot Locker store. A low, tan rocket, skimming along the floor.

I spun!

Lion!