TITAN
The Prom

The HotelMonaco is in downtown D.C., west of the Capitol. It stands as tall as abuilding in D.C. can stand. No building can be taller than the Capitol and withits opulent top-floor ballroom, it was popular for all kinds of events.Weddings, bar mitzvahs, business engagements, proms and even the presidentorganized events there. St. Paul’s Academy normally wouldn’t have stood achance to get a late May event scheduled there if wasn’t for Kyp Carson, one ofEric’s hockey teammates, who’s dad co-owned the place. He also got them thetop-floor ballroom suite. It would make for a memorable night.

Oh, would itever.

On the topfloor, the elevators opened onto a wide hallway stretching out to the right andleft along a scarlet carpet with gold edging. The walls were beige and ornatewith classical art and antique fixtures. Across from the elevator, two sets ofthick, oak double doors opened onto the roomy, circular ballroom. Tall,pearl-hued columns led along the round edges of the room toward the open glassview of the Washington, D.C., skyline, over to the national Capital BladesHockey Arena across the street and, ultimately, to the Washington Monument andthe Capitol both on the horizon in view. Glass doors circling the room openedonto a viewing deck for guests to take in the view with the night air.

Hardwoodflooring ran up the center of the room, leading to the glass doors, with aborder of scarlet carpeting circling the edges of the room. The ceiling was adelicate display of architectural design and function, with a buttressconnecting the columns from the opposite sides of the room. One thinks “white”and “clean”when standing at the oak doors, but that should not bemistaken for sterile or without character. No, the room just looks expensive.

A large banner,which read: “A Night to Remember – St. Paul’s Academy,” hung over the left wallalong the inside of the columns—it was the gaudiest thing in the room. Othertypical prom decorations dotted the walls: posters to sign, tables with propsfor personal photos and other knickknacks, and pictures of the graduatingseniors.

Tony Frankhad been working events like weddings and proms for the Hotel Monaco for almostten years. It wasn’t his chosen profession. No, Frank got disability retirementten years ago. He had been a detective. He wasn’t “Dirty Harry” or FrankPembleton, but he was a solid cop. He missed a step down a flight of stairsduring a foot chase and ruined his back. The bad guys were kids and he hadbecome an old man. The fact he walked with only a limp was lucky.

The eventsetup gig was nice, though. Being a cop is a lot of paperwork and organization,so arranging a room for different functions was easy. He had it down to ascience. Preparation, preparation, preparation. If you do good setup, take goodinventory, make sure you don’t run out of anything major on game night, andkeep to the schedule, the events would work themselves out. Some lousy shylockgets bar mitzvahed, a couple gets blasted at their wedding reception, or somehorny teens dance and act like idiots at their prom—as long as the food wasout, the drinks were served, the tables cleaned, etc., everybody was happy.Simple.

As a rule,Frank didn’t care what the event was. He was paid for all of them, but promswere something else. Kids these days were smart-mouthed, little bastards. Theywere rude to his staff and left messes because they were lazy shits. Geez, andtheir dancing... they might as well be fucking. These Catholic dealswere a little better since the chaperones and other school admin types kept thefloor fucking to a minimum and had a tight leash on the kids. Girls stilldressed like little sluts and the guys pawed them all night, but the messes andbacktalk—his departments of concern—were at a minimum.

Event prepfor this prom started a day early, which was unusual, with moving tables,chairs, the dance floor sections, and the tech for sound setup. Frank’s teamwas good and fast, so he didn’t understand why all of the extra time wasrequested. Probably some “richer than God,” private school prick parentcomplained that it wasn’t safe enough with only one day of setup.

Things wererolling along nicely until Phil and Tommy disappeared. They weren’t the keys tothe whole operation or anything, but they were good movers. He had to divertsome wait staff to moving shit around, which meant there was less wait staff toassist with food prep and delivery from the storage freezer. Those two, Philand Tommy, were usually pretty reliable, so Frank was steamed that they hadjust bailed on him. Whatever. Gotta get it done regardless.

A little bitlater, some new faces popped up in the kitchen and started helping out. Theytold Frank that they were from the school’s prom committee and were there toassist with setup. Clean looking, but off. Once upon a time, Frankmight’ve paid more attention to that sort of thing, but bodies were bodies.

A littlelater, a few more folks showed up in the ballroom and helped cart tables andchairs around. Strong mugs, dressed nicely, and polite enough, but... there wassomething not right about them either. Frank didn’t complain, though, becausearound seven or so, he noticed a few more of his folks were MIA—a few waitstaff and a couple setup folks. No big deal, the setup was just about done andthese school folks were supposed to help with that. Only thing was, they werewearing those annoying “tooth” phones on their ears, or whatever that shit wascalled. Frank barely tolerated the out-of-date cell phone he wore on his hip.Still, these new humps got their shit done.

Unfortunately,Frank realized something strange was going on a little too late. A few minutespast eight, a few more school folks had arrived, priests, and were askingaround to see what their staff could help with. Of course, the problem withthat was that their staff had been helping out since early in the evening. So,who were they talking about?

“Hey, Tony,can you help me figure out where this goes?” One of the older guys called outfrom the hall leading to the kitchen.

“Ah, balls.”Frank shook his head. How many times did he have to go over this shit withthese people? Can’t they read a fucking diagram? “Look, buddy, take a look atthe plan sheet…”

The olderman’s left hand wrapped around Frank’s mouth like a vice. Frank had barelybegun to struggle before the older man plunged a long, silver spike though hisheart. Frank died and slumped into the man’s hold. Good night.

The olderman—the Shadow Man—guided Frank to the trash area where giant black bags werepiled up for transport to the service elevator. He dropped Frank on the edgeand motioned to a pair of men in the kitchen area. They stomped over and rolledthe body onto the pile and covered him.

The academyprincipal, Father Cook, peered around the corner. “Excuse me?”

The Colonelwhirled around with a smile. “Ah, yes, Father. Is there a problem?”

“Oh, notreally, but we were wondering if the music setup could be moved back about tenfeet… we want to get as much dance floor space as we can. This way, too, theview out over the skyline isn’t blocked,” Father Cook motioned to the ballroomin a big wide gesture.

The Colonelslid his arm around the Father’s shoulders. “Of course, Father. Right away.Please have the DJ start getting his equipment unplugged and we’ll take care ofit.”

With a bigsmile and a wink, the Shadow Man chuckled with Father Cook. “Don’t want anyonetripping over those cords. Safety first, right?”

* * *

The day ofthe prom began like most others did.

Calvin,Eric’s cat, jumped on the bed and trotted past Eric to look out the window.Eric awoke with a start. He patted Calvin and felt his butt rise as Ericstroked his fur. Grogginess gave way to consciousness and Eric sat up, rubbinga balled fist in his right eye. He glanced at the clock on hisnightstand—8:15—and, for the briefest of instants, panicked.

School!

But then heremembered and he relaxed. His last official day of school was last Friday andthis week’s Monday through Wednesday had been scheduled for exams. At thispoint, Eric only vaguely remembered what the exams were like or how he thoughthe had done on them. For as much as he had been feeling like he was losinghimself, his mind seemed to be recovering. He probably did fine on the tests.

Everythinghad changed so much about him, but he was still floored by the idea that highschool was over. College was just a few months off, but that was too far awayto consider at the moment. It wouldn’t be real until it was here. No, for now,all that he could wrap his mind around was the end of traditional school. Hedidn’t know what the other kind of school was, exactly, but he knew it would bedifferent.

Eric smiledin the satisfaction that by this time on a normal Friday in May he’d already befighting through hallways to his locker.

Notanymore.

The thoughtmade him giddy in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time. He was fresh andrejuvenated. The scars were little more than memories on his chest and back.

Eric’sthoughts turned to the sweeping array of changes that he was undergoing. Hedidn’t subscribe to the idea that he needed anyone. He could live and survive,relying only on himself if he had to. That was something his parents had raisedhim to believe.

“Don’t counton anyone but yourself,” good ol’ Tim was known to say. And yet there wassomething fresh inside him. It was bright and it blotted out all of thenegativity. It was even strong enough to block the swirling dark around hisheart—the conduit to God or whatever it was. A thought borne on amaturity he didn’t yet have, Eric wondered if the feeling was inspired by Roseor simply by the notion that he and another person shared something deep andintimate.

For thefirst time since Jim had gone missing, Eric didn’t miss Jim’s presence simplybecause of what had been done to him or because of guilt; Eric just missed his bestfriend on the day of his senior prom. It was a day that friends, lovers, andeven parents were supposed to remember. Eric just wished his friend could bethere. He threw a glance at the strip of wall beside the door with a picture ofJim, Drew, and himself horsing around in a pool.

Ericshambled through his bedroom door and into the living room. Tim sat on the farend of the couch with The Washington Times spread open in front of him.The radio earpiece sat on the end table beside him.

“Morning,Dad,” Eric muttered.

“Hey. Bigday, huh?” Tim looked over the top of the paper.

“Yeah. Hey,why aren’t you at work?”

“Your momand I are chaperones at the prom tonight. We’re gonna be up late. Plus, I justdidn’t feel like going in,” Tim said. “Besides, I thought we could go foranother ride.”

“Not today,”Eric quipped. “Today, I’m Joe Schmoe. I’m going to my senior prom and enjoyingit. No black vision pits or hippie vampires.”

“That’sfair.”

“It’s just...” Eric sat on the footrest infront of the loveseat. “I feel like a regular person for the first time sinceall of this. Let me hold on to that for today, huh?”

Tim smiled.“Believe it or not, kid, but I understand. Regular Joe. Got it.”

Eric circledinto the kitchen where his mom was enjoying her morning ritual of smokes andchocolate milk. She, too, had the Times, but she was reading the Metrosection and shaking her head.

“Morning,Ma,” Eric moved past her to the refrigerator.

Nancy took adrag from her cigarette and didn’t look up. “This Rose must be a real sport,hmm?”

“Must be.”Eric pulled some orange juice from the top shelf of the ‘fridge. “I like her alot.”

“You’ve onlybeen out with her a few times.”

“With schooland my ‘extracurricular activities,’ we haven’t had a lot of time for dates.But we’ve talked a lot and gotten to know each other well.” Eric feltdefensive. Youth and inexperience put him in the position of explaining himselfwhen really he didn’t understand why he needed to. Besides, his mom knew allabout Melanie, so he wanted to put Rose in a better light.

“I just knowwhat happens at the prom,” she said, finally turning to face him. “You have tobe careful. You of all people.”

“No superbabies, Ma. I promise.” Eric laughed.

“It’s not ajoke. And I don’t just mean that. Do you trust this girl?” Nancy asked. “She’snot going to run out and tell the Washington Post that she’s dating asuperhero, right?”

“No,” Ericsaid. “And even if she did, who would believe her?”

“All she’dhave to say is that she knows who tore up Old Town and she’d get someone’sattention,” Nancy said.

“She’s notlike that, Mom. Were you like that? Huh? When you found out about Dad?” Eric’sirritation flashed hot.

“It’sdifferent.”

“Becauseit’s you. The fact is that Dad trusted you… I trust Rose. She l…” Ericstopped himself, but it was too late.

“Loves you?” Nancy swiveled in her seat.“Eric, you’ve known her barely two months!”

“Hey,” Tim appeared at the other entranceto the kitchen. “I thought this was ‘happy day.’”

Eric tried a smile that didn’t stick.“It’s ‘regular day’ and this is about as regular as it gets.”

Timchuckled. “Well, let’s worry about ‘superhero’ stuff tomorrow, eh, Nance?Wouldya leave him alone.”

“One, Timmy.We’ve got one. They took the other one. But you’re right, sure, let’s pretendlike nothing bad’s ever happened.” Nancy waved dismissively. Eric took hisjuice and slipped out behind Tim. He wasn’t angry, but he’d had the Sarahconversation one too many times.

“Hey. It’shis prom. Not yours or mine. We can bitch at him tomorrow, but not today,” Timsaid.

Nancy turnedback to her newspaper and snatched up her cigarette again. Before it touchedher lips, she paused and cocked a look at Tim. “You of all people know heshould be taking this seriously.”

Tim lookedat Nancy but didn’t quite see her. There was a dense fog in his mind and ithurt him to stare too deep into it. His jaw tensed. In his heart of hearts, Timknew that she was right. But the memory was uncertain. He remembered whathappened to Sarah, but he felt unsure of himself. All Tim could say was,“You’re right. I do know. That tells me he should try to be himself asmuch as he can.”

Tim returnedto the living room and picked up his newspaper. Upon sitting down, an old pang returned.Clearer. An echo of pain that he once experienced, but couldn’t quite remember.It faded away again.

He decidedthat Eric was doing the right thing. In an honesty Tim would have neveradmitted, he realized that Eric probably wouldn’t have made the mistakes thathe did. And it wasn’t any divine vision or sense that told him that.

Tim Steelejust knew his son had a good heart.

* * *

Eric lookedgreat in a tuxedo. That’s what he decided, anyway. What Rose thought mattered,too, he reminded himself quickly. He dressed in his room in front of a mirrorthat rested on the wall beside his bedroom door.

But Ericdidn’t know how to tie a bow tie and his mom probably did. Moms always knewstuff like that. Eric wondered how it was that all moms had such broad andeclectic knowledge. He found Nancy in his parents’ dressing room fixing herhair. She was in a sleeveless black and white checkered evening gown.

“You looknice, Mom,” Eric said with faux cordiality.

“Nice?”Nancy puffed. “Your father and I will be the youngest parents in the place.Let’s see how the rest of the old bags dress.”

“Hmm,” wasEric’s immediate response. He learned long ago that sometimes no response wasbest. “Anyway,” Eric held up his bow tie. “Can you do this?”

“Yeah, gimmea sec.” Nancy fingered the sides of her hair. Nothing about her hair reallychanged, but she seemed to think what she did had changed its shape.

Tim appearedin the doorway in his tuxedo. His hair was spiked with gel and his sleeves werejust barely too short for him—it was his broad shoulders, you see. His bow tiehad already been tied, but his top button was undone.

“Check youout, kid,” Tim said. “Spiffy.”

Eric neverknew how to take compliments from his dad. “Thanks, Dad. You look alright,too.”

“Wellthanks. The old man can still clean up,” Tim said. “When are you getting pickedup?”

“Drew saidthe limo will be here around eight.” Eric tapped his foot at his mom. Caughtbetween the two of them, Eric had a feeling of déjà vu. He was a young boyagain and his parents were swinging him between them. Eric remembered thatSarah had been with his grandmother at home. It was one of the few times herecalled being with just his parents by himself as a boy. Guilt stung him withremembrance of Sarah, dead on the couch.

You havethem all to yourself now.

Eric staredpast the image and found reality on the other side. Nancy put down her brushand took the tie from his hands, wrapping it around his neck. She laughed andsaid, “Heh, I could just pull and squeeze, ya know.”

Ericgrinned. He lifted his right arm and a curved blade slide from his forearm outover his balled fist. “Then what?”

Tim pushedEric’s arm down. “Enough of that.What’s your buddy Spider-Man say about‘great power?’”

Nancy weavedthe tie into a bow beneath Eric’s jaw. After about thirty seconds of egregiousstraightening, Eric pulled away. “Okay. It’s good. Thanks.”

“Come here,it’s crooked!” Nancy went after him, but Eric curled around Tim who didn’tmove.

“Can wehurry up, please?” Tim tapped his wrist with no watch. “They want us thereearly and I wanna eat something.”

“Aren’t theyfeeding us?” Nancy picked up her brush again.

“Yeah,appetizers. This thing goes till like midnight. We’re gonna be herding hornyteenagers away from the exits all night and I’m not doin’ it on an emptystomach,” Tim said.

“Right, Tim.Dinner. I got it. Always led around by your stomach,” Nancy frowned.

Timdismissed her with a wave of his hand. “Okay. I gotcha.” He stomped off back tothe living room where the TV was tuned to an NFL channel countdown.

Eric’sparents sniped at each other all the time. Within minutes they were talkinglike nothing had ever happened. He stopped feeling uncomfortable around it longago. Now it was just annoying. A part of him intuited that his parents’ way ofbitching at one another saved and nourished their marriage. Nothing was everbottled up or held back. It was always out there.

The ceilingfan started to whirl up his hair in the back, so Eric dialed it down. Heslipped on his black loafers and collected his needed belongings—keys, wallet,cell phone, and that single trusty condom he’d kept hidden. Securing hisaccouterments in the pockets of his pants and jacket, Eric went to the livingroom with his dad.

“Should Itake Rose’s flowers out of the fridge now?” Eric wondered aloud.

“Yeah. Youdon’t want them to be cold when you put them on her,” Tim acknowledged. “Justleave ‘em on the dining room table. You won’t forget, right?”

“Nope.” Ericsauntered into the kitchen and produced a corsage of red roses with very fresh,green surrounding leaves. It was supposed to match Rose’s dress, which, as hewas told was green—but that’s all he could get out of her. He placed it on thetable and headed back into the living room. A balloon of anxiousness inflatedat the base of his stomach. He couldn’t tamp it down.

Nancy walkedout with her purse on her arm and a corsage of her own, white roses, to match.

“You ready?”Tim said.

“Yeah, let’shurry.” Nancy grabbed a dress sweater off the coat hooks.

“Nancy, I amnot shoveling food into my mouth so we can get there an hour early to standaround staring at the other ‘duh’ parents,” Tim snorted. “Let’s try to enjoyourselves, please.”

Nancy lookedas if she hadn’t even heard Tim, a gift wives learn fast in their marriages,and looked at Eric. “Are you sure you don’t want a picture now?”

“I want oneof me there, not standing in our foyer like a dope,” Eric said, waving her off.“Plus, I want pictures of everyone.”

“You justwant one of you and Rose,” Nancy said. “She just better not be dressed like aslut.” Nancy and Tim headed for the door.

“I hope sheis!” Eric smiled back. He grabbed the front door for them. As he did, his eyecaught a glimpse of their new carpet and his mind was assaulted with a blurryflash of chopping a man in half. It felt so long ago. He let it into his mindand allowed it to pass without dwelling on it. It was a helpful but disturbingskill he had learned of late.

Tim grabbedEric’s hand and shook it firmly. “We’ll see you there.” And with a pat on theshoulder, Tim leaned closer, “Be safe.”

Eric nodded.“Everything will be okay. I’ll see you at the hotel.”

Nancy kissedEric’s cheek and walked out ahead of Tim. Tim followed and Eric closed the doorbehind them. Eric was left alone while he waited for Drew, Constance, and Roseto arrive. Anxiousness quickly turned to anticipation, but there was anotherfeeling buried under his exuberance.

Expectation.

Not of hisride and friends, but of something else. Eric was barely aware of it until itstruck him with force as he was getting into the limo.

* * *

Ericcouldn’t bear to do anything but wait in the dining room and watch the streetleading up to his house. He knew it was irrational, but he thought that if hewatched TV or did something else, he would miss the limo. It wasn’t like theywould pull up and then leave without him. His anxiousness over prom had mixedlike acid with a bevy of other emotions that had seeped in over the last yearand, more specifically, the last two months.

He wasafraid of how much things were about to change. Even Rose played some part inhis fear. High school was ending and college was about to begin. His life as heknew it would be over.

Italready is.

Even thoughhe didn’t like some of his classmates, he knew them. He knew Antonio was anasshole of Uranus proportions and he knew that wherever she was, Melanie wouldbe staring daggers at him. Then there was Drew—kind of a flake, but he hadreally stepped up since Jim had gone away. What would happen to them when they wentto college? And Jim.

Jim...

That was thebiggest thing. Eric had been so mired in Titan and Rose and graduation that hestill hadn’t been able to process what happened to Jim. In some ways, he feltlike he had run it through his head a million times. But really, that was allhe had done—run through it in his head like a tape. It was a cerebral exercise.He hadn’t let it sink in because if he did, then he’d have to face the truth.

Jim and Iwill never be friends again.

It was thekind of thing that Eric wouldn’t express, but he was beginning to feel it.There was a big part of him that wanted to call Jim and tell him about Rose.Discuss her breast size. Try to articulate what her orgasms might sound like.Maybe debate Star Wars in the middle of it. The kinds of things thatguys do. The kinds of things that he and Jim had once done, but never wouldagain. Eric almost hopedthat Jim was dead now.

I don’twant to kill him.

That was it,plain and simple. Eric knew Jim was alive if only because the bastards usinghim would know that Eric didn’t want to kill his friend. The very human, teen,friend parts of him didn’t want to kill Jim or even fight him. He would givethose evil men his very soul if that would save his friend. For all of theterrible things Jim had done in Old Town, he wasn’t evil. There was still goodin him. Eric knew it.

But Titanknew what had to be done. Jim could not be saved. He was a monster; anabomination of science and, worse, of God. Titan was meant for who it was meantfor. Titan is not a sword or a gun—it cannot be used by just anyone. It is atool of God. A tool of good. It is bigger than Eric and Jim. Eric could notjust give it away because he didn’t want it. No matter how much he might wantto.

The knock atthe door interrupted his self-recriminations. A long, black limo was in frontof his house parked parallel to the curb. He was so deep in thought that it hadpassed before his eyes unseen.

The knockrepeated.

Eric went tothe door. Through the lacey window dressing his mom had on the front doorwindow, Eric could make out a swath of scarlet red that could only have beenRose’s beautiful hair.

The doorgave way and Eric found himself staring at the most beautiful girl he had everseen. It could have been another case of high school melodrama, but Rose lookedamazing. It was a fact. Her hair was up in a flirty bob that Eric couldn’tdescribe if he wanted to. Her skin looked like it was made of fine liquid silk.And her dress was a brilliant green. It curved with her hips up to her bosomand tied behind her neck. An ovular opening at the breakage of her breastsproduced stiffening in Eric’s formal pants, which he angled himself to hide.

“You...”That’s all Eric could say. His breath hadn’t been taken away, but it wasmisplaced. Rose’s cheeks took on the hue of their namesake and she failed totemper the size of her smile.

“You lookvery handsome.” Rose seemed to breathe the words.

“Gosh... I’msorry for using the word ‘gosh,’ but you look, ah, ‘huminah-huminah’ if youcatch my drift. I have to channel Ralph Kramden because I’m not clever enoughto describe just how great you look.” Eric rambled.

“Are youready to go?” Rose bounced a little in her heels.

Eric triedout a smarmy smile. “Can we just stay in?”

Rose rolledher eyes. “Why don’t we go to the place I bought this expensive dress for?”

“Okay, okay.Lemme get one thing.” He ducked into the dining room and snatched the corsageoff the table. When he returned, he had a bit better control of himself. “Thisis for you.”

Rose grinnedand leaned forward. “Just don’t prick me.”

Eric stifleda laugh, bringing “That’s what she said” to his lips, but he didn’t sayit. “Wow. What a setup. Do you watch The Office?”

“What?”

“Nevermind.”

Eric removedthe flowers from the tacky plastic container. He tossed it behind him,eliciting a giggle from Rose. She stuck out her chest at Eric and playfully bither lip.

“That’s notfair,” he said.

Eric slippedhis finger behind the fabric of Rose’s dress above her left breast. Rose’s skinresponded to his touch with goose bumps. Eric was very much aware of the risingand falling of her chest. He felt like it was taking forever to attach thecorsage, but it was over in a moment.

“Good job,”Rose said with a wink. “Way to get the post-prom party started.”

Eric blushedlike a fool. “Let’s go, sex maniac.” He pulled the door shut behind him andfollowed Rose down the steps. Rose smiled as Eric offered her his arm and theyheaded to the limo.

Take agood look at her, huh!

Eric openedthe door for Rose and found Drew inside the limo with his hand down Constance’stop while her hand moved lithely over his ass. Eric cleared his throat. “Um.The sex party’s not till later. Zip up.”

Eric guidedRose through the door and put his foot on the edge of the opening when the darkblast hit him. Black swam out of Eric’s periphery like surging rapids of oil.It looked and felt like a tunnel, though it was all black and dark so he wasn’tsure how he could define it with shape. Voices and sounds too numerous tocomprehend reverberated throughout his mind in a cacophony of chaos. The blackseemed to wobble and shimmer with the sounds. It was like being hit over thehead with a supernatural alarm...

Alarm. Awarning? Was this a warning?

The visionshad never been like this before. Usually it was like falling into a fast movingriver or feeling heavy with unseen dark weight. But this was quite literally aflash-bang that exploded with blackness in his brain. The river reached out andslapped him.

The darklightened and the voices lessened. Eric was now in pseudo-control again, but hewas being led. He knew he was driving. Nothing was clearly visible or lesssurreal, but he knew it. The road was beneath him and he was in a car.Turns and stops and speed—sensations flooded him as he stood, cocked to getinto the limo.

There wereother voices. Eric? Eric! They didn’t matter. No. This was gettinginteresting. An image was making itself clear in his mind’s eye. He understoodthe path, but not the destination. There was a journey, somewhere he wassupposed to go, and it led to the hangar. The hangar. Go to thehangar.

Go.

To.

The.

Hangar.

They werewords without context. Just an image of an old, rusty plane hangar. It didn’tmake sense. Why…?

“Eric.” A voice in the dark.

It was JimMcNulty. Jim was at the hangar. Eric had to go to the hangar. No, strikethat—Titan had to go to the hangar. The dark swam away from his visionas fast as it had come.

Eric gasped,not realizing that he hadn’t taken a breath in a minute and a half. Air filledhis lungs and he regained himself. His senses returned.

“Eric?” Roselooked up at him with her impossibly green, gorgeous eyes. “Are you okay?”

He didn’tanswer right away. He didn’t know what he could possibly say. Instead, he tookRose’s hand and pulled her close for a kiss. The scent of her citrus perfumetook hold. He drew back and leaned to Rose’s ear to say, “I can’t go with you,but I’ll be there.”

When Ericdrew back, Rose’s eyes held a look he couldn’t shake. But then she put onanother face for Drew and Constance. “Right. You should take care of thatfirst.”

Drew tuckedhis shirt in and glared. “Wait, dude. What?”

“He has tomeet us down there. His parents got a flat and he has the jack in his car. It’sfine. Go help them,” Rose said.

Eric met hergaze. “Right. I’ll hurry. Go on and have fun.”

Rose’ssparkling green eyes lost their luster and reflected what might have beentears. Without a word she told him: Be careful.

And maybe, Ilove you.

Eric watchedthe limo go. His normal day was gone. And he got an inkling that maybe morethan that was gone. He wasn’t sure why or how, but he felt that when he didgoto the prom, it wouldn’t be for laughs.

But firstthings first, it was time to replace Jim and whoever was behind this.

* * *

Eric drovealong the tree line that ran beside the edge of the small tarmac leading to theold airplane hangar in the distance. He didn’t know how he found the place, buthe at least remembered driving this time. He had somehow known every turn andevery highway exit from his house leading to this barren runway in the middleof nowhere even though he had never been here before. He knew it from the darkimages that stopped him from taking the limo. The Source coursed through himand he rode the current.

Eric knewthere was a reason.Something didn’t want him going to the prom. He wassure of it. A combination of regular common sense and his new preternaturalsense told him that his vision was deliberate. But it told him no more. Thatworried him. His parents were at the prom and so were Rose and Drew.

It’s atest. Am I Eric Steele orTitan?

Was it oneor the other, or could it be both? He didn’t know. Even now.

Maybe he hadalready made his choice. Maybe that’s what the test was. Choose to go to theprom with Rose and embrace humanity or go to the hangar and face evil as Titan.If he could manage it, Eric wanted to do both. To him, this seemed to suggestthat he was leaning towards humanity—or selfishness. Only an imperfect personwould try to save the world and then go to a dance. He’d see if he could fitboth in.

Any doubtsabout his destiny dissolved when a line of gunfire stitched a line up the hoodof his car and into the windshield, splintering the glass. In a moment ofinstinct born of neither human nor Titan, but survival, Eric yanked thesteering wheel to the left and his car broke from the tree line and onto theopen tarmac. Steam and smoke skewered up from the bullet holes in his hood andwrapped up and over the car. Eric smelled something like a burning tire. He flinchedwhen the hood exploded open and flew off over the back of the car.

“Enough,”Eric growled.

His handstightened on the wheel and he released the beast. Literally. He didn’t letTitan take him. He unleashed it. The tiny strands of strange,liquid metal leaped from his skin and curled down around his hands, arms, andface—everywhere—until he was Titan.

He feltthe change.

He hadsensed it during the vampire fight that he had become something new, but here,behind the wheel of his green Nissan Sentra, Eric Steele became Titan.

The gunfirefound him again. Pop! Pop! Pop! It came from so far away that it didn’t seem tobe menacing until it chewed into the hood, throwing up more smoke. The noise ofthe rattling, dying engine and the reverberating pops had deafened him tosound. He ignored it. Titan—not Eric—sighted the gunman, perched on oneknee between the main hangar doors, letting go of a torrent of fire. Anotherburst tore open something in the engine block that exploded over the surface ofthe exposed compartment in a blinding flash.

Titangritted his teeth beneath his mask as the car became harder to control.Strength wasn’t the problem; the drive control failed. He did the only thing hecould think to: he centered on the gunner, rammed the pedal down, thespeedometer needle sputtered to climb, leveling out at about sixty, and hethumbed the cruise control. Gunfire intensified as the plane hangar loomedlarger ahead. Titan knew the machine gun was firing exploding rounds becausewhen it glanced off his shoulder it stung like a bitch, ripping away his armor.He ripped the seatbelt out of its mooring and crouched in the driver’s seatuntil the hangar was only about a hundred yards away.

Titanshattered through the windshield looking like an ancient gladiator riding atopa flaming carriage from hell. He launched himself up and out, arcing up andbehind the car. Landing in a clumsy roll, Titan looked up just in time to seethe car roar into the hangar doors with a grinding crunch! A quick boom-claprattled over the tarmac and a flash of light resonated through the hangar’s newdoorway. The gunfire stopped.

Titansprinted for the hangar. He embraced the situation and burst through the gapingentrance into the flame-lit hangar bay. The tarmac gunner must have dodged tohis left when he saw the kamikaze car screaming at him because he brought hisgun on Titan from his prone position and toppled the metallic shape over with aburst of fire.

Fireworksexploded in Titan’s head as the gunner laid into him at close range with whatlooked like an M249 SAW—that knowledge courtesy of Call of Duty. Hisarmor stiffened and thickened to protect him, but he wasn’t ready for theshots, so the burst of pain igniting along his right backside drove him to theconcrete. He rolled onto his screaming back and flicked his wrist at the guard.A spinning metal “T” embedded itself in the guard’s shoulder, knocking therifle to the ground. The guard yelped and recoiled, clutching his wound.

Titan was onhim in an instant. “Shoot me, you fuck?” The voice saying the words was bothEric and something else, something deep and instinctive.

He grabbedthe guard by the neck and slammed him into the metal sheeting wall, denting itin the shape of a grown man. A whisper told him not to kill the man. Titannever quite knew if that inclination came from Eric or something higher up thefood chain. Instead of snapping his neck, Titan tossed the guard over to theright side of the hangar. He’d live. Not pain free, but he’d be fine with a fewbroken bones.

Turning backinto the hangar, Titan took notice of how small it was. The open area wasprobably fifty yards long and across. Beyond that, pre-fabricated cubicles werearranged against the back section with a large solid structure placed near theback corner. Eric’s car had torn through the hangar doors and crashed into theouter rooms.

Titan movedinto the narrow main hall. The colors were green and drab, not what he hadexpected. No skull and crossbones as the “Team Evil” logo, but it was stilldark and radiated with evil. The hangar stank of fear and darkness.

Movingthrough the hallways and plain, empty rooms, he knew that none of the men hadwanted to be there. Except for one. Titan’s body clenched against the sensationof intense hatred. Evil, yes, but evil was broad and bad—this was focused. Thiswas a specific hatred of Titan and Eric knew it with every fiber of his being.It was an old hatred, too. He thought of Arthur Steele.

Titan wasdisappointed by how ordinary the base was. He didn’t know what he had expected,but it was something more nefarious than plain camouflage walls and emptyrooms. Maybe a medieval castle on a dark mountain with storm clouds andlightning flashing above would have been better, hmm? Unless...

Unlessthey were leaving, you stupid ass.Orthey were all gone forone last mission...

Titanstepped up the pace and surged through the airless halls and ill-lit rooms.Allowing his senses to guide him, he followed a trail that he didn’t fullyunderstand. Upon rounding the last corner—leading to a larger,more-permanent-looking structure—a rifle butt crashed across Titan’s head. Herecoiled and recovered to replace a man in a tuxedo with an M4 aimed at his chest.Titan grabbed the gun barrel and drove it to one side before the guard couldsqueeze off a shot. The weapon rattled with auto fire as the two men struggledfor the gun. Bullets ripped a line down one wall, across the floor, and upanother wall before Titan thought to just punch the guy over the top of therifle, breaking the man’s nose. The guard crumpled; problem solved. Titanripped the gun in half and let the pieces drop at his sides.

Titanarrived at a heavy metal door, which was not locked. He pushed it open slowly,not quite sure if he was ready to see inside. It was empty like all the others.But this room had more character. It had concrete walls with iron supports andlining. There was a long stretched out, distressed bed in the corner and acollapsed medical table in the middle of the room.

This wasJim’s room.

Wait, no,his sense tuned in. Not exactly. It was Bone’s room now...

There wasanother door that was ajar. Titan stepped through, unafraid of any additionalshooters. It was a hallway with an observation window. A metal stool lay on itsside under the glass, twisted and crushed like something heavy had been sittingon it. Titan looked through the window and found a child’s bedroom. The bedframe was wood and the mattress was plump with fluffy light blue covers. Therewas a nice dresser along the wall and a pink carpet. But Titan could barelycontain himself when he saw what lie on the floor beside the door.

A pink teddybear monogramed with: “Bethy Bear.”

Jimwasn’t lying. Beth isalive.

Titan wentback to the guard in the tuxedo who was crawling to his feet. Titan grabbed theman by the back of the neck and slammed his head into the wall.

“Where areJim and Beth McNulty?!” Titan couldn’t help his rage and neither couldEric—they were finally working together.

The mantrembled. “Surrey, William. Private. United States Air Force.”

“Are youfuckin’ kidding me?” Titan bashed him into the wall again. “Don’t gimme thatbullshit!” Titan spun the guard around and felt through his tux jacket. Theguard tried to run.

Titanproduced a long metal spike and stabbed him through the tender muscle betweenhis neck and left shoulder, pinning him to the wall.

“AAUUGGHH!”The man trembled.

Titanproduced another spike and held it in front of the man’s face. “OPEN YOUR EYES!I know this hurts. Look at this. If you move, I’ll put it through your balls.Why are you dressed in a tux?”

Titan knewdeep down, but it wouldn’t be true until he saw proof. Not until…

The car keysand the photograph of Rose and her beautiful green dress in the guard’s jacketpocket told Titan everything he needed to know. Titan grabbed the spike pinningthe guard to the wall and twisted it.

“AUUGHHGOD!Oh, GOD!” The guard tried to push Titan away with a flimsy arm.

Titan’s facewas an inch from the guard’s. “God can’t help you. Now. Your life depends onhow you answer the next question. Are your people already at the prom?”

“YES, GOD,YES!” the guard sobbed. “They’re the wait staff! That’s what the tux is for!PLEASE take it out! Please take it out! Take it OUT!!”

Titan rippedthe spike out of the soldier’s shoulder and reabsorbed it, blood and all. Theguard crumpled to the floor. Titan stared at him with murder in his heart.

“After allyou people have done to my family and my friends, you’re lucky I’m not likeyou.”

Titan leftthe crying man where he lay.

My cell!

Titanreceded back into Eric and he rummaged through his pocket for the phone. Heyanked it free and ran outside the hangar with his phone to his ear. Eric movedaround to the side of the hangar and found a black Crown Victoria.

“This isTim. Leave a message after the bloop sound… *BLOOP*”

Eric slammedthe phone shut. “Dammit, Dad! Pick up the damn phone!”

He didn’tbother unlocking the driver’s side door; Eric punched through the window andslid in the opening, slicing his skin and suit on the loose glass shards. Itdidn’t hurt. He jammed the keys home and spun the car engine up.

Ericratcheted the car into drive and sped off the tarmac back toward the mainhighway. Toward Washington, D.C. Toward his destiny. Whatever it might be.

* * *

Nancy Steeleloved to get dressed up and go out. It was rare that she got to do it. Timhated to dress up, so they steered clear of places that required it. He waslike a child. He bitched and moaned that he was uncomfortable in dress shoessince he had fat feet. Of course, whenever she wanted to go shopping for shoesthat would fit better, Tim balked.

Eric’s promwas good if only because it was an event that Tim couldn’t turn down. Eversince Sarah died, Nancy and Tim tried to become more active in Eric’s schooland life. Only one of them had been able to attend his school functions for solong that they felt like they owed it to him. They’d never say it that way, ofcourse.

Besides,Nancy was easily the youngest mom in the place. All of these other crows hadpopped their kids out in their late thirties or so. Some of them in theirforties even.

Geez. Howdo you keep up with an eighteen-year-old kid in your fifties and sixties?

Nancy feltexhausted doing it and she was only forty three. But as she watched some of theearly prom arrivals laugh and cavort like little monsters, she guessed thattheir parents hadn’tkept up with them. She relished reading thenewspaper stories about parents getting arrested for throwing parties for theirunderage kids and serving them alcohol—it was one thing to give your kid a sipof beer or a glass of wine at a family event, but to go out and buy the boozefor a horny, teen romp? Ha. Those were the same folks who lit up a joint withtheir kids.

Good luckworking at the kitty litter plant when you grow up, kids!

Oh, and lookat some of these old bats’ dresses, too—in their fifties and offloading atruckload of cleavage. If you got it, flaunt it, Nancy figured, but most ofthese gals probably sagged to their knees. You could measure their ages by thecraggily wrinkles between their old lady fun bags. Yeah, Nancy liked how shelooked by comparison.

Besides,seeing Eric’s classmates helped Nancy appreciate how good he had been for herand Tim. Other kids might’ve been little shits after the death of a sibling,and with good reason, but not Eric. He took it in stride. Probably too much.Eric internalized his feelings more than he should have. Nancy only hoped itdidn’t blow up in him one day.

Of course,she should judge, right?

Nancy hadbeen internalizing her feelings about Sarah for years. Crying, loneliness,depression... all leaves on a deeply-rooted tree. No one can ever understandwhat it’s like to lose a child until they do. There’s nothing like it.

Even losingyour parents isn’t as bad. It’s the natural course of life. But a child? How isfifteen years a young girl’s time? It’s not. It can’t be. She took care ofSarah and would’ve done it every day for the rest of her life.

And thatwas it, wasn’t it?

Thatcreeping voice—the nagging sensation that she had wanted Sarah to die. Torelease her. To release herself. It fueled the rage that burned her up from theinside. Sarah was sick and in pain. No one wants that for their child. Noone. If Nancy could have taken Sarah’s pain and sickness away, she wouldhave. She would have taken it unto herself if that had been possible. But itwasn’t. No one can do that, save for God. He won’t. No, Nancy wanted Sarah’spain to end but not for her to go. Never that. Never that. Never. Never.Never. Her baby—her little girl.

Her angerwas never about the fact that Sarah died. It was the lost potential. What mightSarah have been? Other than a superhero. A dancer? A musician? A doctor? A cop?Anything besides what she currently was. Dirt. Dust. Gone.

Nancyrealized that she was clenching her fists. She took a breath and threw hersmile back on. She was genuinely happy for Eric and happy about everything hehad accomplished, but still it took effort to smile. Especially when it seemedlike there was worse to come. Jim hadn’t been her child, but she watched himgrow up. It was hard to imagine those two awkward little boys that used to tripover their own feet and spill juice boxes grown up and killing each other.

“Something’swrong here,” Tim said.

“What?”

Tim held upthe radio he took off of the dead man at the hospital. “I’ve been trying tolisten in on this. It wasn’t working before. Too far out of range from thetransmitter, I think. I’m getting something now. It’s coded, so I can’t listen…but they’re close.”

“Here?”Nancy breathed.

“I don’tknow. But I feel them.” Tim gritted his teeth. It was like he was feelingsomething genuinely, physically unpleasant.

Nancy facedhim. “Like before?”

“Just likethe night Sarah was born,” Tim said. “They’re here.”

“They?”Nancy’s smile was gone.

“Yes,‘they.’ This feeling… it’s old,” Tim inched closer. “It’s like if you werebitten by a dog as a child, you’d always kind of have that fear. I know it…”

“Where’sEric?” Nancy scanned the room. Drew and Constance had just walked in with Rosebut not Eric.

Tim grippedNancy’s hand tight and seemed to sniff the air, sensing. “Not here.”

* * *

Rose haddreamed about riding to the prom since she was a little girl. The realitywasn’t quite like she had imagined. Her heart was with Eric. He would not haveleft her right before the prom unless it had been important. She knew that.They had only been together for about a month, but she was sure how he feltabout her. The look on his face when he told her he couldn’t go... it wassomething important, but terrible, too.

Drew andConstance didn’t make things easy either. Rose explained Eric’s absence withthe flat-tire thing, but she knew they didn’t buy it.

“Where’dthey breakdown?”

“How’d theyforget the jack?”

“Why’s Ericgotta help them on prom night?”

Eventually,they yielded. Then they started feeling each other up again. Rose stillcouldn’t believe that Constance’s dress was see-through. She was looking at herbare midriff the whole damn limo ride. That wasn’t what Drew was looking at—no,he had his eyes on the two powdered rolls squeezing out of the top ofConstance’s dress. And her damn midriff... it didn’t even pucker when she sat;it just wrinkled. Rose’s midriff was flat, but it still pooched out when shesat. How the hell did Constance do that? It wasn’t even from working out. Shewas too lazy.

God! Whatam I thinking about while Eric is in danger?

Roseoccupied herself with internal reproach the whole way to the hotel. She hopedthat Eric would be there when they arrived. It was a trick. He was going tosurprise her with a big bouquet of flowers.

But whenthey pulled in front of the hotel, there was no Eric. Nothing except for someother limos, some regular cars, and a smattering of prom attendees congregatingin the little groups for which that high schoolers and college freshman areknown.

Safety innumbers...

Rose’s lipcurled at the thought and she brushed a wisp of hair out of her eyes wishing sobadly that Eric was with her—that he was anywhere but where he was.

The hotelwas beautiful in the late-evening, May light. It wasn’t yet summer, so the sunwas all but gone when they arrived, but it had painted the horizon with streaksof fire and periwinkle. It wasn’t too warm either; a slight chill in the aircooled Rose’s bare shoulders and back. It felt good.

A girlythought entered her head as she, Drew, and Constance entered the gorgeous hotellobby: I’m attending my senior prom. A peculiar thought, given thecircumstances, but Rose thought she was entitled. She was eighteen years old.Worry and fear should have to wait until tomorrow.

Theywouldn’t, but she could wish.

There was anactual elevator attendant on the ride up to the ballroom—a guy who pushed thebuttons for them. Since it wasn’t 1939 anymore with those old manual elevatorsthat had levers, Rose supposed this was just an example of the hotel’sopulence.

The elevatordoors opened into a wide hallway across which large wooden doors were proppedopen allowing a view into the ballroom. The D.C. skyline looked bright frominside the elevator and Rose could only imagine how magnificent it would lookfrom the observation deck. A few of the waiters passed by and eyed her. Shemight have been more weirded out by it on any other day, but not on prom night.

Every feelingshe had was tempered by worry for Eric. Damn him. This was supposed to be anight to remember. She chuckled later when she saw the banner. And all at once,Rose wondered if she could live this kind of life—waiting, wondering, andworrying about where Eric was and what he was doing. The thought was premature,but she was a girl and thought ahead like that. Could she stay up late andwonder whether or not Eric was dead in some gutter somewhere? She didn’t know.But she knew that this night’s worries were taking a toll.

Eric’s parents rushed over. “Where’sEric?” Nancy demanded. Rose jumped out of her skin.

“I thoughthe was with you,” Drew shot back. Then he looked at Rose.

“With us?Why would he be with us?” Nancy asked.

“BecauseRose said that he had to help you fix a flat,” Drew turned on Rose. “Where’d hereally go?”

Rose turneda bright red and her mouth hung open for a long time. Finally, she walkedbetween Tim and Nancy and spun them around with her, taking them out of Drewand Constance’s range of hearing. “He told me he had to leave. He said it wasabout Jim.”

Nancy’s facetightened and her eyes shined with tears. Tim took a breath. “That’s it? Hedidn’t say anything else?”

“No. We weregetting in the limo when he looked like he was gonna pass out. Then he told meto go ahead. He promised to be here,” Rose said.

Confrontedwith what Eric had told her, Rose found her own eyes were wet. It occurred toher that she should have tried to stop him. Faced with his parents, who lookedterrified, Rose knew that was what she should have done. But she was tooconcerned with her perfect night.

Tim clutchedat his forehead. It looked like he had just been hit with a headache eerilysimilar to the one Eric had gotten. Rose and Nancy both reached out to steadyhim.

“Are youokay?” Rose asked.

Tim lookedat Rose with terror in his eyes. His mouth was open, but he wasn’t speaking. Hegrabbed Rose’s arm. “You have to leave, now.”He began walking her to the door.

Rose was toosurprised to struggle, but Drew crossed in front of them. “Whoa, Mr. Steele,what’s going on? Where’s Eric?”

“Not now,Drew, we have to get you all home.” Tim started hustling towards the oak doors.

Tim feltsomething hard and metal press into his back.

“Do. Not.Move. Take your hands off the girl. Slowly,” a voice whispered into Tim’s ear.

Tim cockedhis head and saw that one of the waiters had a gun pressed into Nancy’s sidetoo. Nancy looked at Tim with fear in her eyes. But he knew that it wasn’tabout him or herself. She knew, as he did, who these men were and what theywere after.

“Hey,man...” Tim began, “let these kids go, huh?”

The mansmiled—Tim heard it in his tone. “Can’t do that. We need the girl. And havin’you won’t hurt, neither. Let’s step out into the hall, sir.”

Tim grittedhis teeth. He wanted to tear this asshole in half. But he’d get himself shotdead. And then what? Would they kill everyone?

A few otherwaiters grabbed Drew and Constance and brought them along, too. The man withthe voice pushed Tim, Nancy, and Rose into the hall where a small band of otherwaiters were standing. Their guns were discreet, held low.

“Mrs.Steele... I see you recovered nicely from the circumstances of yourpregnancy...”

Thatvoice…

Tim’s eyeswent wide.

The Colonelwalked out from the group of “waiters.” Tim and Nancy were paralyzed as heapproached. They knew him from another life. Another time.

The Colonelstepped into the light, finally, illuminated all at once—almost as though itwas his will that had cloaked him in shadows all this time. He hadn’t alwayslived in the dark. He had been a doctor once. Back then, he went by the nameDr. Smithe.

Nancy triedbacking away—an instinct she couldn’t ignore—but the “waiter” held her inplace. The man who murdered Sarah over the course of sixteen painful yearsadvanced on her. His eyes were alive with elation. A lifetime of waiting, ofplanning, was finally fulfilled.

“Yousonofabitch!” Tim launched himself at the Colonel. The guard behind him barelygrabbed Tim’s tuxedo jacket in time. He rapped Tim on the back of the head withthe butt of his pistol. Tim went down in a heap, seeing stars and black handsripping at the edges of his vision.

Rose and Constance screamed. Drew made amove on Tim’s guard and was met with a similar result as Tim. Drew clutched theback of his head and dazedly pushed up from the floor. “What the fuck?”

The scuffledid not go unnoticed. Another scream echoed from inside the ballroom. Someonehad heard Rose and Constance and seen Tim and Drew go down. Most of the waitersin the hall shuffled into the ballroom with their MP5s raised. The singlescream was joined by a chorus of others and shouts of surprise.

The Colonelshook his head, faux disappointed. “Aw, you ruined the surprise, guys.”

He kneltdown in front of Tim, drawing shadows back into the creases of his face like amask. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag, Mr. Steele.” The Colonel raised hisright arm and held it out for Tim to see; then he removed his black glove. Herevealed a fake hand with a metallic finish. “Do you know how much it hurts tolose a hand, Mr. Steele?” He backhanded Tim in the side of the head, knockingback to the floor.

Nancy criedout and the Colonel’s good hand snapped out and gripped her neck. “Don’t feelsorry for him, Nance. Because I’m just gonna put a bullet in the back ofyour heads. But not before I rip your son’s back open and suck every drop ofTitan out of him. And guess what? You’re going to watch. If I have to cut offyour eyelids, you’re going to watch.”

Nancy spitin the Colonel’s eye.

He winced.“You bitch.”

The hallwayshuddered and a presence too imposing to not be seen appeared, framed by theentrance to the kitchen:

Bone.

Rose pulledback against the guard holding her to get away from him. Drew was out of it,but he, too, tried sliding back as a reflex. Constance cried, begging to be letgo.

Tears randown Nancy’s face as she looked up at the monstrosity she used to know. “Jim...Jesus...”

“Bone, Mrs.Steele,” the beast croaked. His voice was a grumble of anger. “That’smyname now.”

The Colonelsmiled. “Oh, right. Before I rip God’s happy juice out of your boy, Bone heregets first crack at him.”

“God, Jim,why are you helping them? Eric’s your friend! We love you like you’re our ownson!” Nancy said.

Bone’stwisted snarl of a skeleton face leaned over Nancy. “DON’T SAY THAT TO ME. Helied to me. All of you did. And my family is dead.”

A fewgunshots rang out in the ballroom and Rose cried out, her bright cheeks stainedwith tears. More shouts and scuffling broke out, but the Colonel kept hisattention where it was. His men would handle the lambs in the other room. TheColonel had waited his whole life for this. It was perfect and only gettingbetter. He drank greedily of every second of every moment that transpired.

Nancy shuther eyes, wishing she could close her ears to the sounds of struggle. Tearswould have just been redundant. She stayed with Jim saying, “Eric didn’t knowuntil he changed. We didn’t even know. This monster experimented on Sarah, butTimmy stopped him. We thought it died with her! We didn’t know!”

Bone’scraggily hand reached out and clutched the top of Nancy’s head like abasketball. He applied a bit of pressure; Nancy cried and struggled to breakfree. Bone seethed. “You’re lying!”

“He killedthem, Jim! Put it where it belongs!” Nancy looked up at the eyes staring out ofthe living skull. That south-side-of-Buffalo toughness knotted up in Nancy’sgut. She stared into the eyes of the monster. They were Jim’s eyes. The onlyhuman thing left of him.

Bonehesitated and glanced at the Colonel, who couldn’t have been calmer. “Beth isall I have left, Mrs. Steele.”

The Colonellaughed. “Right! I forgot.” He motioned to someone out of sight in the serviceentryway. Beth McNulty shuffled from the door to the Colonel. She looked halfasleep.

Nancy shookloose of Bone’s grasp and he let go. “She’s just a little girl!”

Drew’s headlolled as he climbed onto all fours. “Jim? Oh my God.”

Ignoringhim, the Colonel’s eyes met Nancy’s. “You and I both know I don’t care abouttrifling matters like that.” He looked up at Bone. “And remember, Jimmy: youhelp us out and Beth is home free. Now, why don’t you go introduce yourself toyour old classmates? Have some fun. I’m sure a few of them pissed you off.”

Bone loweredhis gaze down at Drew. “You’re last. Right before Eric.” He hunchedthrough the doorway into the ballroom and was met by a joined cry of terrorfrom the assembled crowd. Nancy looked back at the Colonel, who was strokingBeth’s hair like one might stroke a pet. Nancy’s “Buffalo” roiled in the backof her throat again. “You’re gonna get yours.”

The Colonelheld up his fake hand. “I already got mine. Your animal husband just didn’tfinish the job. Now look at all these innocent people who are going to suffer.”

Nancy knewshe was looking at pure evil. There was no doubt in her mind. She didn’t needsuperpowers to know it—her regular senses were good enough. All she could dowas hope that Eric would stay away.

But she knewhe wouldn’t.

* * *

The policeblocked F Street. The Hotel Monaco was on the corner of F and 7th streets. Erichit a wall of traffic when he turned off 14th Street onto F Street. Nothingmoved. Since it was now dark, Eric could see the flickering red and blue lightsfive blocks away. He didn’t need Titan senses to tell him where those squadcars were set up.

“Shit.”

Hopefully,Titan would have something more. Eric looked around frantically. People andcars were everywhere. He wanted to become Titan and tear over the tops of thecars, but he had drawn enough attention today. The Virginia state police hadalmost arrived to the plane hangar, probably drawn by the plume of smoke, whenhe had merged back onto I-95 in his stolen Crown Vic.

Eric lookedup the street and his eyes drifted up to where the police spotlights werepointing. Up. A thought he didn’t like much occurred to him. Eric dug into hispocket and came out with his prom ticket:

“Join usfor Prom Night magic on the Hotel Monaco’s beautiful top-floor ballroomoverlooking the National Mall skyline! Your life’s hopes and dreams await you!Say ‘hello’ to your future!”

“Ugh. Anexclamation point after every line…” Eric muttered.

Topfloor... This just started.

Even if hegot out and ran up the block, the police wouldn’t let him in. And he wasn’tBatman—they weren’t going to invite Titan in. Eric looked to the top of theline of buildings leading up F Street toward the hotel—an obvious path that thepolice would not have coned off.

Obvious,right. Everybody would think to jump from rooftop to rooftop to reach thehotel.

Titanwould.

He had toget up there and this was wasting time.

Whatabout snipers set up on the next-door roof?

Eric’sTV-cop-show logic could not be denied. The police would want a view into theballroom and that would be the best way to get it. He didn’t know theywere there, but they would certainly notice the boy in the silver suit jumpingacross rooftops to the crime scene.

Oneproblem at a time.

Eric took aslow breath. “Shit. Shit. Fuck.”

Super suitor not, Eric did not want to fall ten stories. He checked his cell phone againand thumbed the “5” key to speed dial his dad. This time it didn’t even ring;it went straight to voicemail.

“Shit, Dad.”

A squawk ofworry pitched his voice. He heard it and was embarrassed by it all at once.

Man up.Enough pulling trucks and throwing bricks. No more annoying green demons andhippie vampires. It’s time.

Eric climbedout of the car and drew Titan from within. He could feel it now, simmering onhis bones. It began to move throughout his body, surging inside until itcrackled from his skin in rapid threads of metal and element—knotting,interlacing, and tightening into a second skin. Eric had breathed in and Titanbreathed out.

A group ofcollege students walking by on the sidewalk saw this happen from behind. “Oh,shit! It’s that guy from the news!” one of them pointing at Titan.

Titan gavethem a quick salute. Then he launched into the air, over his car, and onto theside of the National Theater building. Instinctively, he knew to grow claws onhis hands and feet. Titans before him must have scaled tall heights—his hands,feet, and knees were ridged with tiny burrs that grasped the concrete wall.Titan slammed into the fourth-floor layer of brick and dug his clawed fingersin. The National Theater building was built like a cake—layered brick andglass, brick and glass, all the way to the top. The brick sections protrudedlike balconies, but no regular person would go out on those narrow bastards. Itmade the climb to the top easier than Titan had hoped, but still Eric grewimpatient inside. His parents and friends were in trouble. Currents of the darksource had been surging through his heart and mind all along the drive up, butnow it was a steady stream that told him he was walking into a hornets’ nest.

About twentyyards from the top, Titan shaped a long strand of cable with a grappling hookon the end from his arm and swung it up and over the roof. When it locked in,Titan scrambled up.

Titan feltalive looking out over the city. For the first time since this whole messbegan, Titan belonged. It might not have been the kind of belonging that Ericmight have wanted, but he made his peace with it. Eric was Titan now.

The distanceto the next building, the Warner Theater, was easily thirty to fifty yardsaway. But time was running out. He ran to the opposite side of the roof andsprinted back. His metal infused legs pumped like pistons and an inherent partof his mind, the force that had been Titan for all of history, knew to coilmetal around the bones in his legs to spring the jump and soften the landing.Titan reached the end of the roof and sprang forward, into the air, over 13thStreet. The Eric part of him was scared, but the Titan in him was exhilarated.The silvery shape landed on the roof of the Warner Theater with a roll, butstill a good landing for a first try.

Titancontinued leaping across rooftops until he arrived on top of the building at8th and F streets, across from the hotel. The police lights shined up into thenight sky with a bleary quality that queered the night air. He heard ahelicopter in the distance and wondered if it was a police chopper on its wayor the usual military crafts that ferried back and forth over the city.

The policesnipers, as it turned out, sat on this roof shouldering rifles pointed over atthe hotel’s top floor. Eric had never been to the Hotel Monaco, so Titan was momentarilyin awe of the glassed-in rooftop ballroom. Ignoring, for the moment, how hewould deal with the police, Titan considered how to approach the hotel; it wasin the open and had a half-glassed-in observation area. The bad guys would seehim coming.

I’ll haveto come from the back of the building.

Titan dealtwith the police snipers with as little force as possible. Then he wrapped themup in heavy chains and bound them together. They threatened arrest and pledgedto replace him, but Titan ignored them. He had work to do. After circling aroundthe back of the hotel, where the occupants could not see out, Titan launchedhimself across the street and landed on his feet in a crouch. The WashingtonMonument loomed behind him lit by the moon.

Titan bellycrawled to the edge of the solid part of the roof so he could look down throughthe glass. He peered over the edge. From his vantage point, all he could seewas a podium, a DJ sound board, and part of the dance floor. Bone’s kidnapperswere smart enough to keep the students and chaperones out of sight. They werealso smart enough to stay out of sight themselves.

Titanflinched as a whip crack of darkness lashed his mind, but he had no time toreact. The roof opened all around him and a monstrous skeleton arm gropedthrough the opening and caught his leg. The arm dragged Titan down. The nextfew moments were a jumble of brief images and sounds. Brick, columns, tables,faces, screams, and an inhuman growl.

When Titanrecovered, he was lying on a collapsed dining table in the center of theballroom. Something shifted next to him and Bone roared into view. Titan triedto react, but the fall knocked the wind out of him and he was a step too slow.Bone’s craggily fist caught him square in the back and sent him spinning.

“Jim!” avoice called out. Frightened whispers and other voices hung over the room.

Titanclimbed off of his hands and knees and sized up his opponent. Bone loomed overhim by almost two feet and his broad, skeleton-armored shoulders were as wideas a refrigerator. Jim was gone. Bone remained.

Titan wasmore interested, however, in the man that called Jim’s name from the other endof the room. Channeling his connection to the Source, the man appeared in hislike a column of absolute black. Nothingness. Pure evil.

The manbehind all of this stood in the doorway of the ballroom. Tim, Nancy, Rose,Drew, and Constance were to his side with guns trained on them. Tim’s face wasbloody and Drew wobbled on his feet. The rest of Eric’s class was there, too,mouths agape at the scene unfolding in front of them—a sea of innocent faces atgunpoint.

“We’ve gothim, there’s no need for that now,” the man said.

“Who areyou?” Titan demanded.

“An oldfriend,” the man smiled casually as if they were talking over coffee. “I metyour sister a long time ago.”

A memorythat Eric never had flashed before his eyes.

A man ina lab clutching a bleeding nub of an arm. Screaming. Seething.

Titan knewthis man. The man behind all of it. Not just Jim, but Sarah, too. He knew itlike he had been there. Titan had been there, only it had been worn by hisfather then. Echoes of his grandfather reverberated in his heart as well.

“Now, ifyou’ll come with us, all of these nice folks can get on with their evening,”the Colonel said.

“You’ve madetoo big of a splash. You won’t leave anyone here alive. This was your lastshot, wasn’t it? That’s why you came in here guns blazing,” Titan said. He kepta wary eye on Bone, who was like a rabid dog, seething on a leash.

“What’s tohide from anymore? You’re done,” Titan stalled. He needed to upset the balance.He needed some kind of distraction. He was the only bulletproof person in theroom.

“If you comewith us, I promise none of these people will be hurt. And your friend gets hissister back,” the Colonel motioned to Beth standing off to the right side.

“That’s NOTwhat you promised me,” Bone rasped. “You said I got to do it.”

“Bone, thisis what we want. This way none of these nice people have to be hurt… right,Titan?” The Colonel spoke fast and gestured to the “waiters” holding Eric’sparents and Rose off to the side. He pointed to one man who knelt down andreached into a black bag that was sitting at his feet.

“He must payfor this,” Bone glared at Titan. The “waiter” to which the Colonel motionedremoved a big gun from the bag. But as any fan of Terminator 2: Judgment Daywould know, which Eric was, the gun was actually an M79 grenade launcher.The man aimed at Bone.

Titan movedfast. “Wait, don’t!”

He shovedBone out of the way. Titan’s arm came up and hurled a spinning metal “T” thatcaught the gunman in the arm, redirecting the soldier’s aim up and into theceiling. The weapon erupted and blew a hole in the ceiling about a yard across.The hazy night shone through, indifferent.

Bone backhandedTitan across the ballroom, sending him into one of the pillars and smashing thepillar in two. Titan disappeared in the burst of dust and column pieces. Notthe distraction Titan would have personally chosen, but those were the breaks.

Tim seizedhis opportunity. He slammed his head back into the nose of the guard holding agun on him. The guard clutched his face and Tim wrestled with him for the gun.The other guards took aim, but hesitated when Tim wrestled the guard into theColonel’s path. These two actions, Titan saving Bone and Tim turning on hiscaptor, set in motion a series of events that no one but God could haveforeseen.

The Sourceis not a power that only belongs to Titan. Everyone and everything is joinedwith The Source. Some call it conscience. Some call it intuition. Some evencall it the Will of God. But whatever it’s called, every human being is joinedto the unending river of The Source. Few can consciously access it like Titancan, but on those occasions when someone looks in the right place at the righttime, it is not always luck or coincidence. Sometimes you can tap into TheSource. And sometimes a greater force is at work.

WillCoulier, from Eric’s lunch table, had been covered by one of the guards nowtrying to shoot Tim Steele. He had a sense that he should turn around and whenhe did, he saw the guard distracted by the scuffle between Titan and Bone atthe head of the room. Glancing around at the rest of the room, he noticed thatall of the other guards were also looking away from the students standing onlyfeet from them. Their attention was diverted.

John Stantonwas nearby, holding his date behind him, observing the same thing. Will andJohn shared a quick look. They understood each other.

Will turnedon the guard behind him and pushed his gun so it was aimed at the other guardbehind John and his date. He fingered the trigger before the guard could reactand the gun fired, catching John’s guard in the side and neck. John’s guarddropped without a sound. Will’s opponent, now engaged, ran a stiff elbow intoWill’s temple, knocking him off balance. But Will held on to the gun with hislife. John shoved his date to the floor and charged at Will and the guard,taking both of them down in a tumble. With the guard’s arms pinned between thegun and Will, John straddled Will’s back and landed a flurry of punches to theguard’s head.

Throughoutthe room, students, parents, and teachers alike took advantage of thedistracted, outnumbered “waiters.” The Colonel’s men had lost control. Theyshould have heeded event planning coordinator Tony Frank’s motto of“preparation.”

The guardsdidn’t know where to focus. On Titan? On Tim Steele? On Bone? They looked inall directions, seeing nothing but waves of “hostages” swarming them. The finalstroke in the hostages’ favor was when Father Cook broke a plate across a“waiter’s” face and wrestled his gun away. The ballroom dissolved into chaos.Using military washouts and back-benchers had finally proved fatal for theColonel.

TheColonel’s dark eyes went wide with disbelief.

No… notlike this! It’s not over yet!

He snatchedup Beth McNulty and retreated into the hallway. Bone moved to follow him whenthe broken pillar pieces moved. Titan rose from the debris.

“Jim!” Titanroared.

Bone’s headclick-clacked in Titan’s direction. His mouth, forever smiling the cruel grinof death, opened with hot rage and shouted, “Stay dead!”

Bone stormedacross the ballroom, alive with fighting, and approached his opponent. Titandidn’t wait. He sprang off his feet and touched down on the dance floor,holding his ground. “Remember: you wanted this.”

Bone slammedseveral tables out of his way to reach Titan. The broken pieces shatteredthrough the ballroom’s glass walls and doors, hitting the Colonel’s men and party-goersalike. He knew Beth was in danger, but the white hot furnace in his heartsteered him at Titan—everything else forgotten.

They met inthe middle. Titan versus Bone.

Eric versus Jim. For the last time.