CHAPTER ONE THIRTY-SEVEN

Rising, Part 2

He could see even more news crews among the crowd of cheering civilians. BBN, NNC, CBN, the California Times, the Post, and even the Herald—the big news teams were all present. Sam was almost certain that he would be blamed for everything later on.

“Ash”—Sam tore his gaze away from the flashing lights of the news crews and sent it toward the darkening sky—“do you know where Medea’s dragon went?”

“It flew past the San Francisco skyline about half an hour ago. There are reports that it’s flying eastward,” Farsight answered.

“It’s headed out of the state?” Sam asked.

Farsight nodded. “Not even stopping for a bite to eat.”

“But where is it headed?” Sam pressed.

“Where do you think?” Farsight countered.

Seeing that knowing look on Farsight’s face, Sam was reminded of the first lines of her great prophecy.

A shadow’s curse rises from the earth

Immortal in the land of its birth

A memory flashed in Sam’s mind of a dream he’d had a few months back. It was the one where he’d first met Apollo. Right before the sun god introduced himself to Sam, he’d had a vision of a giant’s shadow rising above the Manhattan skyline.

“New York,” Sam whispered. Then, in a more confident tone, he added, “They’re taking the Golden Fleece to New York.”

“Why New York?” Thunder asked.

Sam couldn’t exactly explain that his hunch had come from a dream. Not that this was too weird. Dreams had often been the source of revelations for heroes after all. Strange, unexplained events weren’t exclusive to Sam.

“An educated guess born of experience,” Dr. Hearthstone chimed in, “or something more?”

“It’s where the giant’s shadow first rose, right?” Sam shrugged. “It’s a feeling… It’s all I’ve got right now.”

There were a few seconds of tense silence while they all contemplated the possibilities of what might happen if Medea does manage to reach New York City with the Golden Fleece in her possession. It was probably the worst-case scenario right now.

“We should chase after them and steal the fleece back from that evil witch,” Farsight insisted.

“We’ll do that,” Thunder agreed, although she also nodded toward the unconscious form of the villain lying on the sand, “but we also have to make sure Apex gets locked up.”

“Are you thinking… Crucible?” Farsight guessed.

“The Crucible…” Sam repeated.

There were very few people in the country, no, the world, who hadn’t heard of the supermax prison designed specifically to contain villains. Although no one knew where it was located.

“We’ve got enough people to split the tasks between us,” Dr. Hearthstone agreed. “So, who’s doing what?”

It was quickly decided that Farsight’s abilities made her the right choice to lead the team that would chase after Medea’s solar dragon. Dr. Hearthstone agreed to back her up. Jackboot—who at this point was slowly getting overwhelmed by the reporters—was drafted to their team too. Sam and Thunder would make sure that Apex reached the Crucible. Sam was glad to do it. He did want to meet with Serena as soon as possible, but he couldn’t pass the responsibility of his ill-fated cousin to anyone else. The only problem now was that Sam would have to deal with the Wardens who he could see in the distance were now beginning to make their way down to the beach along with other first responders.

“Styx, Malarkey’s with them…” Sam sighed.

What are you getting all worked up over? Asked a familiar snarky voice that only Sam could hear. You just took down one of the worst baddies in the biz. You can handle a bunch of uptight Wardens now, can’t you?

Ch-Chiron?

Hey, kid. Glad you survived.

Relief flooded Sam’s chest at hearing his master’s voice. Where were you? What happened?

Not much. Apex thrashed my place so I had to relocate. It took a while to move all my stuff. Sam could hear Chiron sipping on a straw. I gotta admit… I should have moved to my Malibu hideout sooner. Lol.

Sam was so happy to hear Chiron’s voice in his head again that he wasn’t even annoyed that his master was enjoying himself while Sam faced a few life-and-death struggles without him.

It’s not a perfect score because you lost the fleece and all, but you healed Thunder just like you wanted. And you beat the bad guy too. Well, one of them. Chiron actually sounded as happy to be back in Sam’s head as Sam was. Although neither of them would probably admit it to each other. You did real good, kid.

Th-thanks…

“Um, Sam?” Thunder called.

“Y-yeah?” Sam replied.

Thunder smiled like she knew what had caught his attention. He could tell that she was also happy that Chiron was okay.

“I said there was something else we needed to do first.” Thunder grabbed Sam’s shoulder and turned him around.

“Oh, no…” Sam breathed.

Jackboot had fallen on his butt, and the tide of reporters was rushing toward them now.

“Don’t worry, lame-brain. I’ll let my good image rub off on you a little. Might keep the Herald from writing anything negative about you.” Thunder elbowed Sam playfully on the shoulder. “This won’t be as hard as saving the world.”

With that ominous proclamation, Thunder shoved Sam’s back toward the reporters. Herculean was about to make his big debut.

EPILOGUE

Warden Bethany Carlyle led him past the circular landing and its tough-looking, heavily-armed squad of guards and into another set of titanium double doors that took them into a narrow corridor that seemed to be hewn out of the obsidian rock of the volcano the facility was hidden in. What lighting there was to guide their way came from the soft glow of the molten veins running along the craggy floor and walls.

“The fourth sub-level’s where we keep the criminally insane and accursed,” she explained.

“Accursed,” Crow-Man repeated.

He was frowning underneath his cowl. Although Bethany was used to it. She’d seen it enough when they worked together while she was an active hero.

“The unfortunate gifted who’ve been corrupted by primordial forces but managed not to become horrors,” Bethany answered.

“Just evil,” Crow-Man finished for her.

“It’s not like they could have helped it…” As someone who’d run away from the calling of heroism, Bethany couldn’t help but sympathize with the accursed who were unable to escape their tortured fate. “Well, most of them, at least. Your guy’s different though.”

Crow-Man grunted in agreement.

A man in a lab coat accompanied by one of the prison’s guards nodded to Bethany as she and Crow-Man passed them.

“The doctors do their best to help rehabilitate the prisoners, but…” she let out a sigh.

“You can’t,” Crow-Man finished for her.

She nodded. “Most of these people were driven mad by destiny’s hand… All we can do is keep them from hurting themselves and others.”

Crow-Man paused by a glowing door to his immediate right. It had a geometric design that was intricately woven into the obsidian wall. There was a plaque on the door that had a barely legible name on it; Mira Mosley.

“Pandora the 7th,” Bethany answered.

His cape of crow feathers billowed behind him as they moved on to the glowing door at the far end of the hall; a door whose occupant seemed to be in the middle of an argument with himself.

“He’ll be here,” said a man with a British accent. Although his voice seemed courser than Crow-Man remembered. “He always comes when we call.”

“No, he won’t,” the man responded to himself. “He won’t want to play with us now that we’re stuck—”

The voices stopped at the sound of the approaching footsteps. Silence ensued. It was a silence that made the gloomy atmosphere around them seem even more pitiful.

“Who is that?” the voice asked in a playful sing-song voice. “Which foolish hero would dare to set foot in this hellhole to see little old me?”

Crow-Man’s frown deepened.

“I only know one idiot who’d go that far to visit,” the man behind the door cackled. “Well, maybe it’s two people now… but the little healer must be busy. No time for me. No time to ask about the long shadows snaking up to crush his neck from beyond the veil.”

Bethany slammed the back of her fist against the door, making the villain inside of it cackle with glee.

“Don’t let him get a rise out of you,” she insisted.

Bethany placed a hesitant palm on the door, causing the obsidian door to slide open and reveal the small square room beyond. Sitting at the other end of that barely lit space, with his body wrapped in a straight jacket, was a villain who’d once nearly unleashed an elder giant on New York City. Yes, it was the Trickster.

“Hello, Crow, Crow, Crow, Crow,” the Trickster said delightedly. “I’ve been dying to see you again!”

***FIND OUT WHAT CROW-MAN AND BETHANY ARE UP TO BY READING THE CROW-MAN SIDE CHAPTERS ONLY ON PATREON!

*** OF COURSE, YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THESE SIDE CHAPTERS TO ENJOY VOLUME 3.

SAM'S STORY WILL CONTINUE IN... LEVEL UP HERO VOLUME 3: UNDERWORLD