“What are you doing?” Liam asked as a racket from the kitchen startled him awake. It was a whopping two strides from his head, so there was no muffling the sound.

Mr. Hat continued his fiddling, ignoring Liam’s question. Liam watched as the man went through each drawer, pulling out gear he’d never seen before. Was all of that hiding in here the entire time Liam wondered?

To say Mr. Hat was in a happy mood would have been the greatest of exaggerations. After their talk last night, the man had mumbled something about the end then stormed out, not giving Liam any hint of where he was going.

Almost five hours later he was back. But he wasn’t the same person who left. Liam could see it in his eyes. There was a wild air to them. Something had broken loose inside of the man. Whatever used to hold him back was gone. Liam had seen the look in criminals before, right before they did something reckless. Something that’d put innocent people in danger.

Right now, the man was only in the planning phase of his breakdown. Moving through the apartment, going from cabinet to cabinet and pulling out anything he may need. So far he’d collected a phone, gun, and a dozen other things. Leaving them all on the kitchen counter. It wasn’t until Mr. Hat opened the fake power outlet and pulled out a wad of cash that Liam realized this was his emergency stash.

What all this gear was for Liam didn’t know, but it couldn’t be anything good. The man was missing for most of the night. He could’ve been up to anything in that time. Had the reveal of his wife’s death broken something inside of him. Liam had read stories where people’s reactions to life altering events changed when they voiced them. Until they were said out loud, they could be repressed. Once spoken the truth became undeniable. Was that what was happening to Mr. Hat?

Liam wanted to think that was the case. That this wasn’t related to what he’d done at the protest. But deep down he knew that was a lie. His little stroll last night had changed the dynamics of the situation. Making Mr. Hat lash out and do something unexpected. Not that Liam thought his provoking the riot was wrong. Only that it’d caused some hiccups in their plan. Mr. Hat was just overreacting to the changes.

Liam watched as Mr. Hat pulled a cell phone from behind the stove. Popping it open he fit a new SIM card snugly in its back. He repeated the process on a few additional phones, each one hidden somewhere Liam would have never expected. It was becoming abundantly clear that Liam hadn’t explored his new home well enough. He’d been too focused on repairing his suit. If he was still in the business of being a Hero, he might have found these reveals a little embarrassing, luckily that wasn’t the case Liam thought as he bit his lower lip.

Mr. Hat continued the process with the phones until he had five of the newly turned on devices. Burner phones Liam noted. They were tough if not impossible to track. Why he had so many, Liam couldn’t say.

With his gear gathered on the kitchen counter Mr. Hat started to sort through it. Pocketing the pistol, not the safest way to carry a weapon, the analytical part of Liam’s mind noted. Holsters were a thing for a reason. Next was the cash, which went into a different pocket. When he’d slipped all five phones into his coat Liam knew it was time to step in. If this continued who knew where it would go.

Liam asked again, “What are you doing?”

Mr. Hat continued to fidget with the last phone, evidently his coat pockets weren’t made to hold five of the things and he was having trouble finding space for it.

“The plan’s toast. So I’m doing the next best thing,” Mr. Hat said.

“We can still pull everything together. We just have to be smart about it. Stay one step ahead of them.”

Liam moved to his suit. Making the walk casually. Once there, he grabbed a few of the devices from it. If Mr. Hat was going full on crazy man, Liam needed to be prepared. More so since Mr. Hat was carrying a gun.

“Sorry, but that’s not possible. This is all I can do,” Mr. Hat said. Turning to look at Liam for the first time since he’d started gathering equipment. Liam was captivated by the man’s eyes once again. The picture of something missing was even easier to see.

“And what is it you plan to do?”

“Create a situation where Ullr can’t run. Then show the world what type of man he really is,” Mr. Hat said as he turned back to his gear. By this point he was almost done pocketing the entire pile.

“We never planned for something like that. Are you sure you can make it happen at the last moment?”

“Who said this wasn’t planned from the start?”

Liam’s mind shuffled through what he knew of the plan. Looking for any hints that this was what Mr. Hat had in store all along. Sure, he knew they would go after Ullr at some point, but he assumed it would be after the rest of the team was taken care of. And even then it wasn’t going to be anything like what Mr. Hat was suggesting now.

If Liam couldn’t remember this part of the plan, then there were two possible reasons why. The first was Mr. Hat was making everything up on the spot. It was the simpler answer, if harder to believe. Anyone who spent years working towards one goal, calculating options and choosing the best path, wasn’t likely to change anything at the last moment. Unless there was nothing else they could do.

The other possibility was Mr. Hat had been keeping things from him. Only telling Liam part of the grand scheme. Liam’s grip tightened on the cool cylinder in his hand. Two small prongs extended from the end. Knowing what he did about Mr. Hat the second option seemed more likely.

Facing this new betrayal, Liam didn’t feel the anger he was expecting. It was something different coursing through his veins. Something hard to explain.

As Liam was trying to search through himself, Mr. Hat took off his trademark hat. Running a hand over his head he sighed loudly before saying, “I’m sure you’ve figured out that I have more explosives than I was letting on.”

Liam’s entire body felt like it was sinking. After the police station he’d guessed as much, but without verification it’d stayed just that, a guess and nothing more. As such he didn’t have to worry about the implications it brought. To hear Mr. Hat confirm it, with such a calm voice, was something else entirely.

“What will you do with them?”

“Hold the city hostage,” Mr. Hat said with a shrug, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, “And all I’ll need is some young people to do it.”

It was official, the man had gone crazy Liam thought. He would put the entire city in danger for a chance at revenge. And it wasn’t even guaranteed to work.

“Are you with me?” Mr. Hat asked.

Liam froze, was he going to help with this? The look in Mr. Hat’s eyes had turned feral. Could he be like that as well? Breaking any semblance of humanity to hold the city hostage.

What had the people of Des Moines ever done for him? He’d given them his best, protecting it from every foe. Then, when he needed their help, they turned on him. He didn’t owe the people of this city anything.

Sure The Hunt had blinded them, but was that a valid excuse for turning on him? Weren’t they adults, capable of putting things together themselves? Seeing through the lies and disinformation around them.

Through his time with Mr. Hat, Liam had seen how the man saw the people of this city as nothing more than pawns. When the explosions at the police station went off he hadn’t cared about them. He’d only been worried about The Hunt being able to use any deaths to their advantage.

But now things had changed. Mr. Hat was going after the people of the city for his revenge. Liam knew he wouldn’t hesitate to kill hundreds to get what he wanted. But could Liam? Would Liam follow him down this dark path?

Thoughts of the news report with his sister flowed through Liam’s mind. The agonizing pain of realizing she’d turned on him. Believing the lies from The Hunt over her own brother. The people who caused that had to pay. Regardless of the cost to his soul he was willing to bear it.

Liam opened his mouth to speak when another memory came floating to the surface. He was a child, playing with his sister, both pretending to be Heroes. He’d already come into his ability. She was still young, having yet to hit puberty she could only wait and hope a power would come with time. Together they played in the yard, stopping imaginary bad guys from doing horrible things. Sharing a dream of saving the world from the worst of humanity.

A few years later, when Mel grew older, they were disappointed to find she wasn’t a Super. But that didn’t stop the two from dreaming of what a Hero could do. Of what they could mean to the people. Without Mel to help shoulder the dream, Liam was left to bear it alone.

On a sunny day years ago Mel spoke up and even now what she’d said was etched in Liam’s mind.

“It’s good at least one of us will become a Hero,” Mel said. Her burning passion for the career had fallen away when she learned she had no power.

“Don’t say that! I’ll make you gadgets and you can fight next to me!” Liam said.

To his young mind it made sense when he thought about it. He’d have to fight with the gadgets he made, why couldn’t she join him? Together they’d become the greatest of teams. Like they were when they played in the backyard.

“No, I don’t think I could do that.”

“Don’t give up, we can make it happen,” Liam said. Unlike his younger sister, whose voice was collected, Liam’s was shaking. He was the older brother, shouldn’t he be the calm one?

“I believe you when you say that. But I can’t handle everyone looking at me. Judging everything I do,” Mel said, walking to the window. At that moment she looked older than she had any right to be. Beaten down by an uncaring world. She reached out and touched the glass, running a finger down its length. The rain outside drummed along on the other side, “I couldn’t give my book report last week in Mr. Jefferson’s class. I froze when I got to the front of the class. How could I be a Hero if I can’t stand in front of my own classmates?”

“We can work on that. I’ll build a mock classroom for you to practice in,” Liam said. He wouldn’t let her give up on their dream that easily. “Once you’ve gone through it a couple times everything will go a lot smoother.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“How do you know till you try?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Mel turned back to the room and looked up at the ceiling. Posters of the country’s greatest Heroes covered it like constellations in the night sky. The two used to stay up late recounting stories of the Hero’s great deeds. Those of Touch and the Silver Era were her favorites. While Liam enjoyed the more modern ones about The Watch.

“Can you promise me something when you become a Hero?” Mel asked, pulling Liam from his thoughts about their latest disagreement.

“Anything.”

“Be the best. If you ever freeze and can’t talk in front of people don’t let that stop you. Crawl past it like I couldn’t. Be the Hero everyone wants on their side.”

“No matter what happens, I’ll be a Hero you can be proud of,” Liam said. Knowing it to be true from the bottom of his heart.

And like that Liam was back in the small apartment with Mr. Hat. The man looking at him with a gleam in his eye as if he knew how Liam would respond. While Liam sat there, his eyes focusing in on the apartment. Now changed as a new determination swelled within him.

It’d been so long since he thought of that moment. It felt like another life, as if another person lived it. Not the hollow thing he’d become.

He’d failed to keep his sister’s promise. He’d found the moment where he couldn’t speak. Instead of facing it he’d run. What would the younger him think? Would the kid even recognize what he’d become. Liam was glad he’d never have to know.

The memory brought more than just images back to Liam. It laid out a clear path for him to take.

“I can’t join you,” Liam said. His face tight, and resolute.

Mr. Hat’s face fell. His entire body collapsing a little at that statement. That wasn’t the response he’d been expecting.

Liam couldn’t let the people of this city die. They’d betrayed him, casting him to the side, but he’d made his sister a promise, one he’d live up to. Even if he had to drag himself the entire way. It’s what the younger him would’ve wanted.

“What will you do?” Mr. Hat asked.

Liam saw Mr. Hat’s hand inching towards his pocket. The one holding the gun.

“Don’t make me do anything.”

Liam’s trusty suppression stick was still in his right hand. Ready to deploy and put an end to the situation. In his left hand was a small dart prepared to do the same.

“Don’t stop me from leaving the apartment and don’t follow me when I’m gone,” Mr. Hat said, “You could’ve been there to see him fall, but you had to play all high and mighty. What have the last few weeks of your life been for if not for this chance?”

Liam froze, his body not responding to his calls for motion. There was something he had to do. It was important. A decision that would change his life, but what was it?

With a sudden jolt Liam was back. Looking around, he found the apartment empty. Drawers were thrown open and half the kitchen’s food was sitting on the counter. What happened here he wondered. Then it came back to him. Mr. Hat was going to confront Ullr and use the city as a hostage. Looking around Liam couldn’t find the man. Was he already gone? Was it too late to stop him, Liam wondered. He had no idea how Mr. Hat planned to pull off his little stunt, let alone where it’d happen.

What did that leave him with? He had no way of tracking Mr. Hat down. Which meant there was nothing he could do to stop the coming confrontation from happening. Could he help in another way?

Liam turned to his suit. As was common of late it sat in parts. Some on the table while others in bags nearby.

“Are you ready for one last go?” Liam asked.

Liam knew the suit couldn’t understand him, but for the briefest of seconds he thought he saw a glint on its visor.

He did not understand what to do or where to go, but that didn’t matter. Liam pulled on his suit for the last time. Each piece clicking into place, snuggling against him like a long lost sweetheart. If this would be his last moment, he’d make it as a Hero. Doing something his younger self would be proud of.

Suited, Liam threw on a jacket to cover himself then raced out the door, leaving the apartment door open behind him.

As he ran a robotic voice hummed in his ear, “Suit components reporting 81% operational. We are yellow to go. Source is now online.”