”Says you.” he could do a lot with a knife or a sword. Even more was open to him if it could cancel out magic. Something that had been giving not only him but everyone he cared about a hard time. He’d bring it up to Becca or even Afoie. While he didn’t trust the woman she owed him.... thinking about Afoie helping him... maybe he really was concussed.

”Enough.” the icemancer said looking to it then holding up a mirror copy of it. His eye was focused on the two that weren’t up. Three. ”Three.” but that didn’t mean anything. How many times did he get rattled? Enough where they usual questions didn’t work. Hell he could probably even still fly the X-jet... wait was that destroyed?

The fire appeared and Sam took a step back cutting his thermal sensing focus from the area around it but still kept focus on everything right around him. ”I’m just gonna lay down for a minute. Not sleep... just lay down.” he stepped away from the vomit.

Finding a thick patch of grass then sat down with a loud grunt. ”I feel old.” he said finally as he laid back. ”Still, killed a demon. Still got it.” he half wondered if the head was still around. Proof. Could he mount a demon head?

Rex was feeling helpless. Immediate danger was over. They had accomplished what they'd set out to do, hadn't they? The summoning ritual had been disrupted. Although a demonic creature had still been called forth, Rex's gut instinct was that it was a last-minute swap and not the intended goal. After all, if one person could've summoned the creature on their own, why need a sacrifice in the first place?

"Thank you, Father, for allowing us to be on time," he said into the December night.

The rest of the cult had been taking out, but who knew if they were still there? Rex wasn't entirely sure what Sam had done to the ones in the other room, but Rex had heard quite a ruckus to suggest physical violence was used. They could scatter to the winds before the police were able to arrive. Even the last one chanting. What was stopping this from happening again?

Rex frowned. That was a defeatist line of thought. The answer was simple. He would be there, working on the will of God, and pulling in anyone he could. Just like tonight. He was no investigator though, so the capture of the cultists would be up to the police, but Rex could still pray.

He eyed Sam carefully for a few moments before nodding. He'd gotten the number of fingers right. It was a good sign. Not a great one, because there was still clearly damage, but Rex would just keep him under observation.

Very well," he said. "Before you rest, could you let the man out of the ice encasement? I do not want the ice to cause lingering damage."

”Sure thing.” Sam said but didn’t move for a moment. Part of him wanted the man to get frost bite. Normally his ice prisons didn’t cause immediate damage but he wasn’t exactly thinking straight. He did get hit by two explosions tonight. **** magic.

”Gimme me a second.” the man was willing to sacrifice someone to summon a demon. Another second he raised his hand and gave a slight wave. Nothing happened at first but the ice started to crack and weaken until large chunks were dropping off into the grass and pavement near him.

”Frost bite would have been a good reminder. Could have crippled him too. Give him a permanent reminder not to try and summon a demon again. Or kidnap anyone. Might give everyone else a warning not to try it.” he said thinking out loud knowing Rex would have argued.

Rex nodded as Sam acquiesced to his request, although he remained skeptical until eventually the ice started breaking apart. It was rather disconcerting to hear the groaning of the expanding and shattering ice, but it was by far not one of the worst sound she'd already heard that night.

As the ice prison began to fall apart, Rex moved forward to carefully catch the cultist and keep him from getting injured or prematurely awakened. Once the man was free, Rex slid him over to some relatively ice-free grass and laid him out, pausing only for a moment to double check his vitals. Yes, all good. Based on the headache Rex had, he estimated there were still several minutes left on the magical sleep, after which they'd have to be more careful to not awaken the person.

Sam's comment was alarming though. "I will ignore that," he said, "because you are not in your right mind, Leave punishments up to law enforcement and proper court proceedings." Rex had a feeling this guy wouldn't be doing anything like this again, if only because the actual demon-caller was left in a heap back at the house. Finding another cabal of people with magical inclinations and the desire to summon a demon would likely be scare. Rex would make sure of it.

”Suit yourself.” Sam said eyeing the man then looking to the terrified woman who was still shaking from the shock. Or the cold. Was he still cold? No, he turned it down at the request of Rex the first time. Maybe not everything right around him but they should be warming up. Sam had to make sure he was still protected.

”They blew me up... twice.” Sam said counting the last one not as much. He was at least ready for it. Sam wanted to leave the cultists a message. ‘Never do it again.’ The kidnapping or trying to blow him up. Sam practically growled at Rex voicing his frustrations he wasn’t allowed to take out on anyone else.

Technically he was law enforcement and seeing as magic was still relatively new he wasn’t sure what would stick and what wouldn’t. Kidnapping? Sure, terrorizing this woman sure. Opening a portal to hell and summoning a demon? He had the head. That should be proof enough right? ”Fine.” Sam said with another grunt glad there was someone else making sure he didn’t go too far with his... solutions to problems.

Rex was a good man, Sam needed more people like that in his life. Optimistic. Hopeful. It was becoming rarer and rarer in the icemancers life.

Rex kept staring at Sam in concern. He wasn't the greatest at picking out emotional nuances in others, but he could pick up when someone was going to be a problem. Sam was very close to that line. As a mutant with the power to bring forth creatures of elemental ice and could freeze a person or a street with a thought, Sam would be terrifying if he lost his restraint, whether by vengeance or just a concussion.

The firefighter didn't know which was worse. If Sam did lose control, could Rex do anything about it? Yes, he could bring forth fire and warmth, but was it enough? It was one thing to keep his hands warm when Sam was just making things chilly, it was entirely different if he'd have to pit his might against all of the vast powers the mutant wielded.

It brought to mind that Ice Age man who'd attacked the city with a woolly mammoth. Though the mammoth had vanished, according to reports, the caveman-like person had very similar powers to Cold Steel, but none of the heroics. It had nearly killed Rex to stop that man. It absolutely would have, too, if Cold Steel hadn't been there to extinguish the immediate flames and then rush him to the mutants' healer.

This time there would be nobody around to help him.

A cold pit formed inside Rex's stomach, and he didn't think a hand-warming spell would do anything for it.

"And you survived," he said firmly. "Twice. They will be punished. They are still entitled to their day in court, however. We must be the better men. If not, we are no different. A demon of ice is not much different than a demon of hell." He looked meaningfully at Sam, although he wasn't sure the man would catch the nuances. Rex wasn't so great at tricky wordcrafting, even to non-concussed people.

Rex was a good guy... clearly. Almost too good to be around the ice wielder. Sam let out a loud sigh again, one that revealed how much Rex was right. Sam was trying to be good. It wasn’t always cut and dry but he tried. He could have crippled the cultist with ease and dealt with the falling out between him and Rex after however he didn’t attack. It wasn’t worth the headache he was already concussed.

”It takes more than that to put me down...” Sam agreed and sighed again. He killed a demon and saved the hostage. He had worked out some of his frustrations in life... that was enough for Sam... at least for now. ”****ing boy scout.” he said out loud.

It was irritating but Sam was glad Rex was there with him. It would be easy for the icemancer to slip into older habits. Mirror was one of the people who kept him from that, they encouraged him to be good. To choose to do good. Spare lives and save the day... though lately his moral compass wasn’t pointing north. It was busy dealing with a depowered daughter and the headaches that came with the mansion blowing up... again.

Rex righted the compass. ”Don’t need a sermon every time we are together.” he said reluctantly. Part of him wanted to bring up the demon of ice Rex killed but knew it wasn’t worth it.