Unlike Sam, Thunder didn’t seem to mind exposing their relationship to the world. Well, she has proven to be more aggressive than Sam about this particular matter though.

Unsurprisingly, Sam’s face wasn’t the only one to register shock at his big reveal. Although Warden Captain Malarkey and his cohorts were quick to pick their jaws off the floor.

“You and him,” Warden Malarkey confirmed. Words his subordinate repeated in a more incredulous tone, “You and him…?”

In response to their skepticism, Thunder’s hand grasped Sam’s, with their fingers intertwining automatically.

“Me and him.” Thunder offered Sam an apologetic smile as she’d just vetoed their agreement to keep their relationship a secret for now. That smile turned frosty when Thunder turned her gaze back to the wardens. “He and I were in my apartment all night. You can check with the building’s security cameras and confirm with the concierge.”

“The evidence—”

“Could have been planted.” Dr. Hearthstone chimed in

It was a thread Farsight was more than willing to pull on when she added, “Seems pretty convenient that you received this evidence so soon after the kidnapping… Where did you say you got it from?”

Both wardens glanced cautiously at each other. Neither of them seemed eager to say how they’d retrieved the evidence tying Sam to the crime scene. This obvious hesitation allowed Raven Knight to step in, reminding the wardens that they had yet to be invited into the Flint Consolidated Tower which was a privately owned building with its private security team on hand.

Then, as if they’d been waiting for just this moment, the shadows around the room began to move. Humanoid silhouettes that hadn’t been noticed before were now apparent to everyone else. Eight of Raven Knight’s security team stepped into the light, their tactical suits and feather-themed equipment bathing in the glow of the wardens’ flashlights.

“I believe you have alibis to confirm and evidence to thoroughly vet”—Raven Knight gestured to the tablet in Warden Hajime’s hand—“before you start accusing two of the currently most high-profile heroes in the city… both of them alpha-level blessed who could, if they were so inclined, bring to heel everyone in this room.”

“And destroy the top floors of this building too,” Farsight chimed in. Then she smiled that impish smile of hers. “Wait, if you haven’t invited them in, Raven, doesn’t that mean these wardens are trespassing?”

“Indeed,” Raven Knight replied.

“Well, aren’t we lucky that the company’s legal team is only a few floors down from here?” Farsight sounded almost innocent while she taunted the wardens.

For the first time since he swaggered into Marcus Flint’s living room, Warden Captain Malarkey’s expression turned sour.

“We are here on legitimate—”

“You could charge them for an unlawful search of private property without a warrant,” Farsight interrupted, “Or actively threatening heroes with bodily harm with half-assed proof…” That impish grin on her face was only growing. “I mean, seriously, everyone knows the Trickster’s an illusionist. It would be very easy for him to change his appearance to look like Herculean.”

On that note, Warden Captain Malarkey let out a heavy sigh. He glared at his subordinate. “Didn’t you verify the evidence before coming to me?”

“There wasn’t any time, sir,” Warden Hajime whispered hurriedly. “You said to come to you the moment we found any possible intel that might prove Herculean’s…”

An icy glare from his superior forced the subordinate’s lips to shut. It was a glare Warden Captain Malarkey turned on Sam next.

“Don’t leave town… we’ll have more questions for you once we’ve verified your…” he glanced suspiciously in Thunder’s direction. “…alibi.”

With their reason for being there ruined, the team of wardens was ushered back into the elevator by Raven Knight’s security team. However, tensions were high with everyone seemingly holding their breaths until the moment those elevator doors close.

“Malarkey’s a dog with a bone to pick… Your alibi won’t keep him at bay for long,” Raven Knight stated as she turned to face the team. “I assume you have a way to track the Trickster?”

She sounded hopeful, desperate even. Sam could relate though. He’d been worried sick about Chiron after they’d left the centaur in his cabin in the woods with the Nemean Lion nearby. Now, Sam could only imagine how she was feeling knowing that Crow-Man had been kidnapped by his archnemesis.

“We do now,” Farsight piped up.

“We do?” Sam asked, confused.

Farsight led the way back to the edge of what remained of the penthouse’s balcony, which was when she pulled out a gadget from her belt that Sam thought was familiar.

“Is that a Geiger counter?” Thunder asked.

“Yep,” Farsight confirmed.

Sam quickly realized why he thought this Geiger counter was so familiar. It had been hanging on a panel above the Argo VII’s communication station.

“What’s that suppose to—”

“A Geiger counter’s used to measure various types of radiation,” Farsight cut Sam off.

“Including solar radiation,” Dr. Hearthstone guessed.

Farsight nodded absentmindedly because she was focused on waving her gadget around in the air as if she were trying to catch a whiff of something that no one else could see.

“Why is solar radiation…” A lightbulb lit up in Sam’s brain about the same time as the Geiger counter made a ping.

This pinging sound increased in volume as Farsight trained it in a westerly direction.

“Yes, I’ve got its signature now,” Farsight announced. “We’ve got a trail.”

“Good.” Raven Knight began turning back toward the elevators. “I’m coming with you.”

“You are?” Sam asked.

It wasn’t like he was against her joining the team, if only temporarily, but Sam remembered that Crow-Man insisted she stay in New York while he joined the crew of the Argo VII on their journey into Hades. It was only because he knew she’d be in town that he was confident in leaving his city in her capable hands.

“I know I’m asking a lot since you don’t know me very well… but I can’t just sit still and wait for news.” Raven Knight glanced over her shoulder, and despite her mask, Sam could see the worried expression clear on her face. “I have to find him myself… can you understand?”

Thunder walked over to her and offered Raven Knight her hand.

“Welcome to the team,” she said warmly.

The heroes didn’t bother exiting through Flint Consolidated’s main doors because a large crowd of onlookers had already gathered on the street. Officer Nolan promised he’d keep the fact that they were leaving the city a secret for now while also promising to inform Sergeant Graham of what transpired inside Marcus Flint’s penthouse.

“Sarge will take care of the wardens in the street.” Officer Nolan offered them a salute before he parted from them. “You guys take care. You’re going to need it where you’re going.”

Raven Knight wasn’t surprised by the Argo VII when she boarded it. As if to say she’d been around a lot of hi-tech doohickeys before.

“Okay, Ash, you said we can track the solar dragon now… But, since we couldn’t do it before, I assume this possibility exists because of the Argo VII’s retrofit?” Thunder confirmed as she sat in the communications station as Farsight asked.

“As amazing as the vanilla version was, the old Argo VII didn’t have a powerful enough system to detect and track radiation signatures.” Farsight returned the Geiger counter to its panel above Thunder’s head, causing the monitors around Thunder to flash to life. “This baby can do that easily now that we’ve captured the specific radiation signature that Medea’s solar dragon lets out.”

“Holy Zeus…” Sam breathed. “I think we’ve got it…”

They could all see the glowing dot on the radar monitor to Thunder’s left. It was moving in a western trajectory very quickly.

“Looks like we won’t have time to shop for more supplies…” Thunder turned her head to the four people looking over her shoulder. “We need to go right now.”

“Doc, call the rest of the team… Tell them to head to the meetup spot ASAP,” Farsight instructed. “We’re going—”

“—On an adventure!” Sam cut in, grinning sheepishly at Farsight.

“Wow… stealing a line I stole from you… so mature, Sam.” Farsight rolled her eyes at him. “I have no idea what you see in him, Sarah.”

“He’s got his good qualities,” Thunder answered.

She squeezed Sam’s arm affectionately.

“Are you ready to save Crow-Man and meet Pandora again?” she asked.

“Yeah, let’s go save the world again…” Sam replied. “Ash… follow—”

“—That dragon!” Farsight was already running toward the cockpit, but she did manage to turn her head around and gloat. “See, I can do it too!”