They both looked over the edge of the parapet to check that Alison was safely on the ground.

Crackkkk! A sound like a rifle shot had both of them jumping back.

“What the hell was that?” cried John.

“I think it’s the fire,” said Guy, moving back to the front of the building and peering down. “The heat is causing the building windows to explode.”

The roar from the fire was now deafening, and John could feel the heat coming through the roof, penetrating the soles of his shoes. They were seriously running out of time.

Even as that thought crossed his mind, the roof behind them collapsed inward, sending a rush of flame and smoke into the night sky. Unaware of moving, John found himself balancing on the parapet next to Guy. Unfortunately, they were now on the side of the building with the bursting windows.

“So have you really got superpowers or not?” asked John, rather breathlessly. “Now would be a really good time to use them.”

To his dismay, Guy was frowning and biting his lip.

John looked down. “Well, on the plus side, I can see the airbag. At least we’re on the right side for that. I guess we’ll have to risk it.” He summoned up a smile.

“I can’t move anything alive without killing it,” blurted Guy. “Except myself, of course.” He grimaced, remembering several unfortunate early experiments with small creatures. “My power only works safely on inanimate objects.”

“Ah. Well. That’s that then. Ready to jump?”

Guy stared down at the flames billowing from the windows beneath them and swallowed. He would be fine, but John... Then Guy had an idea.

“Let’s go, but fall, don’t jump with your feet first. Try and spread yourself out like a starfish. Trust me.”

There was no more time.

John fell forward off the parapet, trying to spread himself as Guy had instructed. He was only just aware of Guy following, a foot or so above him. He knew in his mind that he would be falling for only two seconds, but they were the longest two seconds of his life. He clenched his eyes shut as his body plummeted through the flames down to the airbag. He didn’t feel any pain but he knew that would come later. Then he landed, abruptly, except—he didn’t. Half-strangled by his clothes, he fell the last two inches gently onto the airbag.

Guy followed a second later. The bounce sent the two of them rolling into the middle of the airbag, ending up face to face.

“Lucky I thought of controlling your clothes instead of you,” beamed Guy, staring into John’s bright adrenaline-fuelled eyes. “It’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the impact on landing.”

John moved even closer. It looked for all the world as if he was about to kiss him. Much as his heart was thumping, longing to feel John’s hard lips on his, Guy couldn’t let him do it. He smiled mistily.

“Now if only we were alone... instead of about to star on a million screens across the country!”