Aaron Bell watched the footage for the eighth time. Even though it never changed, he had to see it again.
It was shaky, and slightly blurry, shot from overhead. He’d muted it, because he didn’t want to hear the shouts coming from inside the helicopter.
The camera focused on his son.
He knew how it ended, but his heart still leapt to his throat as the platform collapsed underneath Nick’s feet, metal crumpling around him.
Nick started to fall twenty-six stories toward the ground below.
Aaron remembered standing helpless on the bridge, screaming his son’s name, sure he was about to witness Nick’s death right before his very eyes.
He should have.
Nick should have died.
Except—
About twenty feet above the ground, he just stopped.
Everything did.
The struts.
The large beams.
Nick.
They hung suspended for one second, two seconds, three—
And then he lowered slowly to the ground.
Cap said it was either Shadow Star or Pyro Storm. They had to have done something to save him. “Does it even matter?” Cap had asked him. “Nick’s fine, Aaron. He’s fine. And he’s a hero.”
That was what scared Aaron Bell more than anything in the world.
Because he knew what happened to heroes, in the end.
He’d seen it before.
It’s easier to stand together than it is to struggle apart, his wife whispered in his head.
The footage ended.
He reached for the mouse to replay it again. One more time.
But before he could, someone knocked on the door to his tiny corner office. He quickly closed the video player. “Yeah,” he said roughly.
Officer Rookie stuck his head in. “Sir, I wanted to remind you we have a meeting in ten minutes. You know Cap hates it when we’re late. Need to talk budget for the Extraordinary Division.”
They really needed to talk about that name. The ED, which Nick had immediately latched onto as Erectile Dysfunction and laughed himself hoarse. “I told you not to call me sir.”
“Um. Okay. Detective Bell.”
Aaron sighed. “Thanks, Rook. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Officer Rookie nodded and closed the door. He was a good kid. Overeager, but Aaron could deal with that. His own kid was the same way. He was used to it by now.
He looked down at a framed photograph on his desk. Jennifer Bell grinned up at him, a tiny Nicky slung on her hip. Beautiful, forever beautiful. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing,” he whispered to her. “What if Nick—”
The phone on his desk rang. It startled him, but he recovered quickly. “Bell,” he grunted into the receiver as he put it against his ear.
“Mr. Bell?” a woman said. “Hold for Mr. Burke.”
Aaron closed his eyes.
“Mr. Bell,” a smooth voice said a moment later.
“Burke,” Aaron said through gritted teeth. “I’m about to head into a meeting. I don’t have time to—”
“Oh, I think you’ll want to make time for me, Mr. Bell.” The warning was clear.
“What do you want?”
“My security team was going over footage of the break-in at Burke Tower. I was made aware of a curious thing. Would you like to know what that is?”
Aaron didn’t take the bait.
“It appears Owen wasn’t alone when he broke into the tower that night. Someone was with him. Someone who seems to bear a remarkable resemblance to your son. It’s not clear, and whoever it was wore a hood over his head, but there’s a moment when he looks at the camera. I suppose an argument could be made that it’s Nick. Strange, don’t you think?”
“Why don’t you ask Owen who he was with?”
“Oh, I have,” Burke said. “But he’s not speaking to me much these days. He finds the private rehabilitation center he’s in rather confining. He’s having trouble sleeping, given the lights are always on. Can’t be too careful in case he … manifests. Tell me, Aaron. If it was Nick, and I’m certainly not saying it was, why do you think he’d be breaking into my building?”
“It sounds like you’re making an accusation. And if you were, I’d like to do the same. Care to explain about these pills—”
Burke chuckled. “You would know if I were accusing someone of anything, Aaron. We were friends, once. When you and Jenny—”
“Don’t you dare say her name.”
“When you both came to me, telling me you thought your wife’s telekinesis had passed on to your son, did I not do everything I could to help you both? To keep him safe? To suppress it? It took many trials to find the right combination before we figured out the correct dosage. After all, given his ADHD in conjunction with his abilities, that could lead to disaster, couldn’t it? I know it wasn’t enough to keep her from eventually being targeted, but Nick … he has no idea just how extraordinary he is, does he?”
He could barely breathe. “I don’t—”
“Speaking of pills, how is the supply of Concentra, Aaron? Still have enough for your son? Do let me know when you need a refill, won’t you?”
Aaron thought the handset was going to shatter with how hard he was gripping it. “What do you want?”
“A favor from an old friend. I heard about your promotion. Congratulations. Now, let me tell you what you can do for me.”
Aaron Bell thought, Jen, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
And then he listened.