This time there were no dreams, only deep, cold darkness.
But there was a light, barely visible at first, like a single star in the night sky growing brighter by the second.
Lucas realized that this light … this star … pulsed with each beat of his heart. He found himself drawn to it, as if pulled by its gravity. But the closer he got to the throbbing light, the more uncomfortable he became.
He wanted to stop and retreat to the safety of the cold shadows, where the pain could not reach him, but the star had other plans, refusing to let him go.
And eventually he gave in, allowing himself to be pulled within the body of the star.
He tried to keep his eyes open, but it was just too bright. He tried to lift his hands to shield his vision but found he could not. His hands were bound—handcuffed—and it wasn’t a star that floated above his head. It was only a lamp.
He was lying on a small cot, hands and feet bound together.
“Where am I?” he croaked. He lay on his side, looking around at the cramped space.
Somebody was across from him. A teenage girl, dressed in a baggy sweatshirt and jeans. She was typing on a computer.
She looked briefly over her shoulder at him, her hornrimmed glasses slipping down her nose.
“He’s awake!” she called out, then turned back to the computer and continued her work.
Lucas tried to maneuver himself around to glimpse the person she was talking to, but couldn’t.
“Who are you?” he called out, nearly certain now he was a prisoner of the Science Club, but the girl just ignored him.
The suit’s strength enhancers were probably damaged, but this didn’t prevent him from trying to break free of the handcuffs that bound him; he did have nanites in his blood. With a grunt, he yanked on the chain. Excruciating pain shot through his body and Lucas let out a scream, falling back breathlessly on the bed.
The girl turned in her chair and watched him.
Is that a look of concern on her face? he wondered. Why would the Science Club give a rat’s behind if I hurt myself?
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps and he turned his head to see who was coming.
It was a man who walked with crutches, his legs looking almost useless as he struggled to stand before Lucas. One half of his face was badly scarred.
He simply stood over Lucas, leaning on his crutches, staring.
“What did you do to me?” Lucas asked finally.
The man smiled and shook his head. “We haven’t done anything. It’s the nanites that are causing the problem.”
Lucas was surprised. How can this guy know about the nanites?
“They’ve used up all the biological fuel in your system to heal you from your run-in with the Science Club.”
“And the van,” the girl added.
The man rolled his eyes. “And getting hit by the van,” he repeated. “So the little mechanical bugs have started to look for other food … like muscle and bone. I imagine it can get pretty painful.”
“If you’re not from the Science Club, who are you?” Lucas managed to ask. “Some other villain looking for revenge against the Raptor?”
The man laughed, looking over at the girl sitting at the computer. She was smiling as well, and Lucas noticed how cute she was.
Bad timing or what?
“No, we’re nothing like that,” the man said. “Believe it or not, we’re the good guys.”
Lucas just stared at the man, not believing a word.
The girl got up from her chair and walked out of view.
“If you’re the good guys,” he said, watching her go, “then why am I handcuffed?”
“Only as a precaution,” the crippled man said. He reached into his shirt pocket and produced a key. “We weren’t sure how you’d react once you came to.”
He leaned in, first undoing Lucas’s wrists and then his ankles.
Part of Lucas wanted to lash out and fight his way free, but another considered that maybe these guys really didn’t mean him any harm.
The girl returned with a plate of sandwiches, and Lucas felt his stomach lurch and grumble in anticipation. He sat upright on the cot, his only thought at the moment of filling his belly.
He had to feed the nanites.
“Here ya go,” the girl said, handing him the tray.
Lucas hesitated, staring at the food. His body was telling him to eat, but …
“What’s wrong?” the girl asked. “Not into PB&J?”
“No, it’s just that …”
The girl laughed. “You’re afraid we did something to them, right?” She helped herself to a random half of a sandwich from the tray and took a big bite. “Better?” she asked through a mouthful of bread, peanut butter, and jelly.
More at ease, he took the tray from her and snatched up a sandwich. In two bites it was gone and he was moving on to another, eating so fast he could barely taste them.
The handicapped man pulled the computer chair over so that he could sit down across from Lucas, while the girl leaned against the wall with a smile. “Hungry much?” she asked, wiping a stray bit of jelly from the corner of her mouth.
“It’s no joke,” the man said. “When the nanites need fuel, they can be pretty aggressive.”
Lucas slowed down just long enough to ask a question.
“How do you know so much about the nanites?”
The man looked to the girl, and she nodded.
“Now’s as good a time as any, I guess,” he said. “Does the name Nicolas Putnam mean anything to you?” He stared intently at Lucas, waiting for his response.
Lucas was eating another half of sandwich as he shook his head. “Is that you?” he asked through a mouthful.
The man nodded. “I can’t believe he didn’t mention me,” he muttered.
“Who?”
“Hartwell,” Putnam snarled. “The Raptor.”
Lucas decided to play dumb. “I don’t have any idea what—”
“Cut the crap. I know all about Clayton Hartwell and his other identity. I used to be his sidekick,” Putnam said with pride. “I used to be Talon.”
Lucas’s eyes widened in surprise. “Talon? You were actually Talon?”
Putnam nodded. “I certainly was.”
“But I thought you were dead.” Lucas vaguely remembered the stories about the Raptor and Talon and how something really bad had happened to the team, leaving only the Raptor alive.
Putnam snarled. “He probably wishes I was, but no such luck.”
“And I’m Katie,” the girl said with a quick wave.
“Hi,” Lucas said, returning the wave before turning back to Putnam. “I don’t get it. Why would he want you dead?”
The man’s eyes became very dark. “Isn’t that what a murderer does?” he asked. “Wish people dead?”
“What are you talking about?” Lucas asked, starting to feel uncomfortable. “Are you talking about my … about Hartwell?” He caught himself.
“Don’t worry, I know all about him being your father,” Putnam said. “And yeah, that’s exactly who I’m talking about.”
Lucas set the half-empty tray of sandwiches down on the cot beside him. “I don’t like where this is going. If I were you, I’d explain myself really quick.”
“He killed my father,” Katie blurted out.
Lucas felt as though he’d been doused with freezing water. He could see the emotion in her eyes, the hurt on her face, but before he had a chance to question her more, a series of alarms began to blare.
“It’s too late for this now,” Putnam said, glancing over at the computer.
Katie went to the screen, leaning in to the keyboard. “It’s him,” she said, looking back to them.
“I figured we’d have only so much time,” Putnam said. “The whole business with him sending you into the Science Club’s hideout provided us with the perfect opportunity to meet you. I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“You knew I was going to be there?” Lucas asked. “What, did you follow me or something?”
“Or something,” Putnam said, straining to lift himself out of the chair. “We keep an eye on whatever Hartwell is doing.”
Katie was still at the computer, her fingers flying over the keys. “He’s homing in on a signal still coming from the costume,” she said. “I think we’ve got to drop our guest right here, now, before it’s too late.”
Putnam grabbed Lucas by the arm and hauled him to his feet.
“If you value your life, I don’t recommend you mention this little meeting,” he said.
“Are you threatening me?” Lucas asked, feeling a spark of anger.
Putnam shook his head. “Not at all,” he said, escorting Lucas down the cramped hall until they reached a door.
Up until this point, Lucas had believed he was inside a building of some kind, but he suddenly realized he was actually inside an RV.
“I just think you’d be smart to keep your mouth shut until you’ve heard all the facts,” the man said. He leaned over and pulled on the latch, and the door swung open.
“And what if I don’t?” Lucas asked, stepping outside.
The RV was parked on the side of a dirt road, not too far from the waterfront. Lucas could smell the ocean in the air.
“Then I can’t be held responsible for what he does,”
Putnam said, ready to slam the door on the buslike vehicle. “Just give me a little time, and I’ll find a chance for us to talk again.”
“And when will that be?” Lucas asked.
“I’ll be in touch,” the man said.
Katie suddenly appeared in the doorway, holding his damaged mask in her hands. She bounded down the steps to hand it to him.
“Don’t forget this. And don’t let him see this,” she added, handing him a folded piece of paper.
“I don’t—” Lucas began.
“We gotta go, girl,” Putnam said, and she turned away and jumped into the RV. Lucas could still hear the sound of the alarms blaring inside.
“All I’m asking is for you to trust us,” Putnam said before he closed the door.
A moment later, the tires spun out in the dirt as the RV drove quickly away, heading back toward the city.
Lucas watched the vehicle until it was out of sight; then he turned his attention to the folded piece of paper in his hand. He unfolded it, his curiosity getting the better of him.
On the paper were nine names.
He wasn’t familiar with any of them.
Lucas flinched, suddenly bathed in a blinding light from above. Shielding his eyes against the glare, he looked to the sky to see his father’s stealth copter silently hovering over his head.
Just like the whole conversation he’d just had with Nicolas Putnam and Katie, he hadn’t seen it coming.
The ride back to Hartwell Manor was filled with questions: the ones from his father and the ones bouncing around inside his own head.
Is it possible? Lucas asked himself as the craft made its descent toward their sprawling home. Is Clayton Hartwell a murderer?
He chanced a look at the man as Hartwell dropped the chopper to the landing square at the back of the manor. He had to admit, he’d been a little surprised to see his father in full costume.
“Something wrong?” Hartwell asked as they touched down with a gentle bump.
“No,” Lucas responded. “Just surprised to see you all dressed up is all.”
“Didn’t know what I might be up against,” the older man said, climbing from the craft. “Let’s get down to the nest and check you out.”
Lucas climbed stiffly from the passenger’s side. He was amazed at how much his body still ached, even after the sandwiches. The Science Club must’ve really done a job on him.
“I told you I was fine,” he said. “I just need a hot shower and a good night’s sleep.”
“That will come later,” Hartwell said, stepping into the elevator. “I’m going to run a complete diagnostic on you, as well as on the costume, and then you’re going to tell me exactly what happened, beat by beat.”
Lucas leaned against the elevator wall with a sigh. “It wasn’t embarrassing enough, now you want me to relive it?”
“That’s how we learn,” Hartwell said, pulling his own mask off as the doors to the elevator opened onto his elaborate workstation.
Lucas followed. He was finding it difficult to put one foot in front of the other.
“Take the costume off and get up on the examination table,” Hartwell ordered. He went to one of the control panels and flicked a few switches, activating the tools he would use on Lucas.
Lucas did as he was told, but waited until his father wasn’t looking to remove the folded piece of paper Katie had given him from inside his boot. There was a bathrobe hanging from a hook nearby and he put it on, sliding the paper into the pocket.
Hartwell turned from the instrument panel. “So, shall we begin?”
The tests went on for hours. Lucas swore there wasn’t a part of him that didn’t get scanned or poked. He lay on the table, having great difficulty keeping his eyes open as his father went over screen after screen of data.
“From the looks of this,” Hartwell said, startling him awake, “you’re lucky to be alive right now.”
I don’t know if I’d call it lucky, the way I feel, Lucas thought.
“Your nanites were seriously damaged in the attack. They actually had to repair themselves before they could repair you,” Hartwell explained gravely.
“That’s probably why I feel like I got hit by a bus,” Lucas said, remembering that, in fact, he had been hit by a van.
“I’m surprised you’re not feeling worse,” Hartwell said, wheeling his chair over from the computer screens to sit beside the examination table. “Where did you go after getting out of the Kessler Building?”
Lucas shrugged. “I just ran,” he lied. “I wasn’t sure I could survive another blast from one of their guns.”
“So you just ran until I found you?” Hartwell asked.
“I think I might’ve passed out for a few seconds here and there, but yeah.”
Hartwell nodded and stood, placing a strong hand on Lucas’s shoulder. “You did well tonight,” he said.
Lucas smiled. “How come I get the idea you’re lying through your teeth?”
His father laughed. “Not at all,” he said. “I’m just glad to see you in one piece. For a while there, I thought you were dead.”
He went back to the computer to check the diagnostics on the costume, which had been hooked up to a series of sensors.
Lucas wanted to tell him who he had met, but Nicolas Putnam’s words echoed through his mind, rendering him mute.
All I’m asking is for you to trust us.
“I’m probably going to be pulling an all-nighter down here,” Hartwell said, turning from his work. “Why don’t you go get something to eat and hit the sack? We’ll see how you’re doing in the morning.”
Much relieved, Lucas jumped down from the table and padded across the cold floor of the underground lab to the elevator. He pushed the button, and as the door slid open, he stuck his hands into the pocket of his robe. The folded paper from Katie was still there.
“Clayton,” he called out.
His father turned toward him. “Yes, Lucas?”
Lucas closed his hand around the mysterious list.
He killed my father, he heard the cute girl say again, each word dipped in pain.
“Thanks for coming for me tonight,” he said.
“You’re welcome.” Hartwell turned back to his work. “Good night.”
“Good night,” Lucas responded as the elevator door closed and the car began its ascent back up to the manor house.
Good night, Lucas thought wryly. With all he had to think about, he wondered if he would ever have one of those again.