“Icy Swallow remains in critical condition, doctors continue working to save her life.”

“We have confirmation the location was a supervillain hideout, but questions still remain on the fateful showdown.”

“Icy Falcon has not been seen since. Director Green has not confirmed if the ILS has been able to contact him.”

“All Mexico holds its breath as we ask, how did it come to this?”

“What was Icy Swallow doing? That was a supervillain base for crying out loud! No one good works there. Just naive to stick her neck out for someone like that.”

“No matter what, Swallow is just a kid, and Falcon was her mentor. He should not have let her get hurt, least of all by his own hand.”

“Did you hear what’s been happening? Super-drugs in the streets, super-powered cartels? I don’t care what happened, Icy Falcon needed to stop them. No matter what.”

“I feel for Icy Falcon, I really do. But he stooped down to the cartel’s level. What makes him any different from them? It’s not the drugs that ruin things, it’s the violence in the streets. And that’s exactly what happened here.”

“Why didn’t someone do something? Anything? About Falcon, about the cartels, about all of this? Shouldn’t the government have stopped them? Where was the ILS? Shouldn’t someone have stepped in sooner?”

“Should any of us be surprised? Icy Falcon has been killing his way through this country for months. He killed a mayor for goodness sake! Oh they say he was dirty but where was the proof? Are we really shocked now that someone like Swallow got caught in the crossfire?”

“Just…what is happening to this country? If this is our hero, then…just…where do we find our hope?”

“The Mexican authorities have reluctantly put out a call for Icy Falcon’s arrest. No matter what happened, it seems there is a consensus that things have gone too far and the Falcon must give an account for his actions. Director Green has signaled that the ILS will cooperate in the investigation and, if necessary, the arrest.”

Agent Wilson sat down at the table in a library, sweat dripping down his brow. Nothing but fans to ward off the heat in a building of this size and age. But he supposed he was lucky a town like this even had a library.

He dropped a stack of old newspapers in front of his comrade. The brown skin man rolled his eyes.

“Look, señor, do you even know what you’re looking for? Nothing here you can’t find in the city.”

Wilson sighed and pulled out a wad of cash.

“Why don’t you get us both something to drink?”

The man looked at him for a moment, then shrugged and took the cash, standing up and exiting the building.

What was he looking for indeed.

Falcon was a ghost. No one had seen heads or tails of him since that night. If they were even looking. Jury was still out on that. Oh, ILS was on it, but DEA didn’t like changing focus. They just kept to the cartels with the excuse that Falcon would hit them again soon. The federales, well, even now they still weren’t sure which side they fell on.

Wilson let out a sigh. Couldn’t help but wonder if this had any meaning. Clearly he was late, very very late. He could only hope that it was not too late.

Wilson began pursuing the newspapers, just glancing at the photos since he couldn’t read the words without his oh so trusty assistant. It might be meaningless. It might be a waste of time. But if nothing else, it wouldn’t be because he didn’t try.

And then he saw it.

The edge of his mouth curled up as he exhaled his breath.

“Looks like I found you.”

There in the side of one of the pictures, was a little boy. Looked just like any other boy from a poor town in Mexico.

Except for his white hair.

Captain Hot Devil walked into the top office as the elevator doors opened up. Director Green finished up a call as he entered.

“Hello, Director.”

“Hello, Captain.”

“What’s the job this time?”

Director Green let out a sigh.

“...I need you to bring him in.”

Captain Hot Devil raised an eyebrow.

“That’s a tough ask. It’s his home turf and I don’t even speak Spanish. I won’t be of much help.”

Director Green shook her head.

“Local assets are already working to find him. I just need you there when he’s found.”

Captain Hot Devil heaved a sigh.

“...are you sure about this?”

“...I’m not sure about any of this. But he’s gone too far, we can’t let it go on any longer. And there’s the question of the kid too…”

She sighed again.

“Look, try to talk to him. If anyone can reach him, it’ll be you.”

“...I’ll try. But if I can't?”

She looked him in the eye.

“Then you’re the best one to have there. He has to come in. No matter what.”

Captain Hot Devil closed his eyes, sighing one more time.

“...all right. I’ll leave immediately.”

Director Green gave him a nod.

“I’m counting on you.”

Captain Hot Devil arrived at the local ILS branch. Every which way ILS agents and employees ran about, searching papers, typing on computers, and answering phones. The Captain weaved around the bunch, careful not to get in anyone’s way as he walked towards the branch leader.

“Ah, Captain Hot Devil, I’m Branch Director Chavez, glad you could make it. How was your trip?”

“Fine, you find anything yet?”

Chavez shook his head.

“We’re coordinating with the DEA, got some eyes on the major known and suspected cartel bases. Next time he strikes, we’ll know.”

Captain Hot Devil grimaced. Just waiting for an attack didn’t sit right with him. But he was no detective, and what could they do? Icy Falcon had ditched his ILS phone, and with it the only way for the ILS to track him directly. The Captain always appreciated the ILS’s support for hero privacy before, but now it seemed to have backfired.

“Sir?”

Another ILS staff walked up to the pair.

“We have someone on the line. Says he’s from BSI and he has a lead.”

The Captain raised an eyebrow.

“BSI? What are they doing down here?”

Chavez shrugged.

“Guess they must’ve been sent to assist the DEA. Can’t imagine what they found that we missed.”

This time the Captain shrugged.

“Lead’s a lead.”

“That’s true, I’ll put it on speaker for you.”

"This is ILS Branch Director Chavez.”

“This is Agent Wilson, BSI.”

“Hello Agent Wilson, heard you got something for us?”

“I think I know where he could be: town of Ciérón”

Chavez nodded to another staff member. Ciérón appeared on a large monitor in the room, relevant information popping up on the side. Chavez frowned.

“I’m not sure where you’re coming from, Agent Wilson. Small town in the middle of nowhere, looks like even the cartels forgot it. Why would Icy Falcon go there?”

“He’s from there, sir.”

“You sure?”

“Positive. And I think he has people buried there too.”

Captain Hot Devil nodded.

“I’ll head over.”

Chavez put the phone on mute.

“You sure? I’m not sure he’d be there even if Agent Wilson is correct. We can send someone to check it out first.”

Captain Hot Devil shrugged.

“Just a feeling. Besides, I’ll just be getting in your way here. Might as well check it out instead of breathing down your people’s necks.”

Chavez nodded.

“Agent Wilson, ILS is en route. Thanks for the tip.”

"Happy to help, I'll meet you there."

Chavez hung up the phone and nodded to the Captain as he turned to leave.

“We’ll call you if there’s any developments.”

“Same.”

Captain Hot Devil arrived at Ciérón. Agent Wilson was waiting for him by the entrance to the town. He stepped out of the car and shook the agent’s hand.

“Is he here?”

Wilson shrugged.

“Just got here, myself. Cemetery’s that way, I’m betting that’s where he’ll be”

“I see.”

The pair began to walk in the direction Wilson had pointed. When they arrived at the cemetery, they saw him.

Icy Falcon, standing over a simple, time-worn grave.

“Nice work, Agent Wilson.”

Wilson nodded.

“I’ll call for backup, you going in right away?”

Captain Hot Devil nodded.

“He deserves a chance to talk.”

Icy Falcon stood motionless, staring down at the grave. Captain Hot Devil walked up behind him at a casual pace. Icy Falcon spoke without moving his head.

“Captain.”

“Falcon.”

The two stood in silence for a bit.

“Are you here to bring me in?”

“I am.”

“I see.”

Another moment of silence.

“So even the ILS wants to stop me now.”

“Sometimes we need someone to stop us.”

“...it’s the cartels who need to be stopped.”

“No arguments here, but there are still lines you shouldn’t cross.”

“This is war, Captain. My war, Mexico’s war. If not me, then who?”

Captain Hot Devil dropped his shoulders as he let out a sigh.

“Look Falcon, I once thought that too. These sons of guns need to be stopped. And we’re the ones to stop them, whatever it takes. And, well, you know how it ended for me. I got so focused on the fight I forgot what was around me, and a lot of people got hurt who didn’t need to. Our fight, it needs to be fought. But when we start hitting innocents in the crossfire, well, sometimes to move forward you need to take a step back.”

Icy Falcon did not respond for a moment. He then began to clench his fists.

“...I can’t stop. Not now. I need to do this. I need to win. For Mexico.”

“...I think there’s someone else who needs you right now. You come in now, you’ll at least have a chance.”

“...”

“She’s alive. It's still up in the air but we think she’s going to make it. And she’ll need to talk to you. She deserves to talk to you.”

“...she’s better off staying out of this. Everyone is.”

Captain Hot Devil sighed once more.

“You know I can’t just let you go?”

Icy Falcon turned around, looking Captain Hot Devil in the eye.

“And you’re going to stop me?”

Captain Hot Devil nodded, then glanced at the gravestone behind Icy Falcon.

“Yes, but not here.”

Icy Falcon took a deep breath and nodded once.

The two heroes walked to the outskirts of town.