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What You Don’t Know…
(Los Angeles, California)
Julie Power (aka Lightspeed) recounts what happened previously in a letter. She describes her parents as being so cool; how many other parents would let their seventeen year-old daughter move to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career? Ever since they were kids, she's worked hard to earn their trust. The last thing she wants to do is let her parents down ... but right now, she feels guilty; as if her parents would be disappointed with some of the decisions she made. For one, she promised them that she wouldn't use her powers down LA - one of the reasons why her parents were willing to let her join Excelsior.
 Julie explains that she left the hospital because she felt uncomfortable, and she describes how she feels on edge because of the secret deal Mickey (aka Turbo) made with Miss Fujikawa. Julie feels she needs to take some time away from Excelsior. She's got a few auditions coming up, which is good, and will help take her mind off things. She hopes her parents would be proud of her gigs. Julie ends her letter by writing about how she has to go practice her lines ... keeping up an act really is hard work.
A diner – noon:
Julie Power and Johnny Gallo (aka Ricochet) sit in a diner eating lunch. While talking, Julie notes how many secrets she holds back - the typical secrets for all super heroes; about their origins, headquarters and even who they really are. Secrets and lies. At the same time, Johnny exclaims that he never knew Julie had an affinity for burgers. Smiling, she informs him that she's Julie Power: Burger Connoisseur. She suggests he try a Japanese burger - a Mos C. Johnny's surprise grows larger; she goes to Japan just for burgers? She tells him those were one of the perks of the power of flight. He asks her how she stays so skinny, and she tells him it's her alien metabolism - then says she's kidding; she exercises a lot. But, she does add that she doesn't really know everything her alien powers do to her. Johnny adds that he knows she has super healing, especially after Hollow's attack. He apologizes again. She tells him not to worry. Sometimes she feels she’s better off not knowing a lot about her powers.
Getting ready to leave, Julie asks Johnny what he thinks about Phil (aka Green Goblin)'s new friend (aka Hollow). Johnny substitutes the word 'friend with 'freak' - Hollow practically shish-kabobbed Julie. Julie however, understands how Hollow felt ... she was scared, and she had lashed out. Johnny, however, still remains furious with Hollow's behavior. What if she does it again? Julie tells him that Phil has the situation under control, but Johnny remarks that Hollow is more on a leash. It creeps him out the way she follows him around.
The two of them walk outside to Johnny's car, where he suggests that they should call S.H.I.E.L.D. Julie is uncomfortable with the idea. Hollow was just broken out of an MGH lab, and now she'll be switched to a government one? Mattie (aka Spider-Woman) is looking into the idea, and Mickey seems to remember something about Hollow from her New Warriors days. Driving off, Johnny says that he still doesn't trust Mattie. Julie assures him that Mattie is just guarded. After what she went through ... and speaking of hidden agendas, Julie remembers something. She asks Johnny if he noticed any lovey-dovey vibe between Mickey and Chris (aka Darkhawk). They're totally doing it. Johnny laughs at the idea; Chris would never hook up with goody-goody Mickey. Julie is adamant; she tells Johnny that Chris is definitely doing it with Mickey. She says, "She's like, smoking hot! I'd totally --" A shocked Johnny interrupts and asks what she'd "totally" do. Julie abruptly changes the subject.
Julie advises that Johnny to put on his game face. She is nervous for what the two of them are about to do. Johnny tells her she's the one who wanted to do this; he's just here for support. She tells him she doesn't do well under pressure. He replies that this is coming from the girl who practically fought every bad guy on the planet. Julie, however, doesn't feel ready... battling super villains are easy. What she is about to do isn't. Johnny comforts Julie by telling her that she hasn't really kept her dreams secret ... "So let's make them come true!" he says, as he drives the two of them into the Marvel Studios district.
Phil Urich's apartment - the exact same time:
As Phil washes the dishes, he looks over at a sleeping Hollow. Speaking to her sleeping form, he remembers how the one word she ever said was 'like' after she kissed him. Phil smiles as he remembers the kiss. One simple word, one simple action ... but too many questions. Phil pauses while washing a dish. In its reflection he sees his Green Goblin spirit and a monstrous Hollow kissing. Phil panics, and smashes all the dishes to the floor, waking a shocked Hollow. She looks over at a miserable Phil, walks over to him, and comforts him with a one-armed hug.
Elsewhere, at Marvel Studios:
Julie reflects on how, even though there are times when they do tell the truth (when they open up and say what they really want), that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of other secrets kept bottled up inside. There are secrets that can hurt people if they ever come out. Sometimes, they get wrapped up in secrets that aren't their own. Sometimes, they worry about what other people may be hiding from them. They hope that by uncovering the secrets of others, they'll find out something about themselves ... even if they aren't ready to face the truth. And sometimes, the truth hurts ... Julie, having been rejected from the 'Civil War' film, storms out the studio. "Take some acting lessons?! Who does that guy think he is?" Johnny hurries after her, reminding her that he is the hottest director in Hollywood - his new flick set an opening record. Julie calls it a piece of crap - the film was 75% CGI. As Julie bursts into a rage about her rejection, she is interrupted by Mark Lowell, a hardcore action film director.
Lowell apologizes for interrupting, but tells Julie that he is impressed with her honesty. Johnny butts in, telling Lowell that he loves his films. Lowell modestly acknowledges Johnny's compliment, but tells him that he is jealous of the director that rejected Julie - the other director can use CGI green screens and expensive stuntmen. Julie becomes intrigued with Lowell's mention of stuntmen. Lowell tells her that most stuntmen come from Hong Kong, and are really expensive. Julie asks if he'd like to use people with powers. Like ex-super heroes. She turns on a light layer of her rainbow and hovers in front of a shocked Lowell. He asks if Johnny is also a super hero; Johnny nods. Lowell asks if they'd sign waivers, work for scale and start today. Julie eagerly agrees. Lowell finally asks if Julie is registered. Julie thinks about how sometimes, the lies sting more ... and she slowly tells him that she is.
A beaming Lowell hires them immediately as his two new stuntmen. Although Julie is excited, Johnny pulls her aside. He asks her if she's sure she wants to do this. As members of Excelsior, they are not supposed to use their powers. Julie tells him that if using her powers gets her a foot up in her acting career, that's a chance she is willing to take. She tells Johnny that the point of Excelsior is to not put on their costumes and fight crime; that doesn't mean she can't use her power. Johnny reminds her how the rest of the group freaked when she jumped off the Hyatt building a couple weeks back - and she wasn't in costume or fighting crime. Excelsior is trying to put their pasts behind them... and that's what Julie is doing. Shoving Johnny aside, she accepts Lowell's job offer.
The Griffith Observatory:
Standing by the James Dean memorial are Mickey and Chris. Chris begs Mickey for another chance. He knows that he screwed up when he became Darkhawk again, but they did do it for the right reason. Mickey is adamant with Chris. She is still furious for what he kept from the group. Does he think his good intentions justify his powers?
 Chris tells her they sometimes do, and maybe that's why she's pissed. After all... she was the one who suggested they put their costumes back on after chasing the Runaways. Mickey angrily replies that that was a group trip, not a date. Chris finally figures what's making Mickey so snappish; she is jealous that he busted Nekra with Mattie. Mickey admits that she is, partly. Chris reminds Mickey that Johnny was there with them. Mickey, now more sullen, tells him that she wasn't there at first. Mickey is mainly depressed about how Mattie shook her 'tight little butt' out of the meeting, and how Chris ran after her like a love-sick puppy. Now Chris is pissed.
He tells her that she should know him better than that. Mickey holds his hand and tells him she trusts him; it's just that Mattie rubs her the wrong way. She tells Chris that she's just jealous because there's another girl in the group. A confused Chris asks about Julie; how come Mattie isn't jealous when Chris hangs with her? A smiling Mickey tells him that Julie is just not into... "Not into what?" Chris asks. Mickey abruptly tells him Julie isn't into the dating scene. She's too focused on her career. Chris tells Mickey that he couldn't care less what she's into; right now, he's only focused on her. After kissing her and making up, Chris begins flirting with her, and she responds. Chris drags her away from the memorial and says he wants to see her 'tight little butt' in spandex.
Elsewhere, at Marvel Studios:
Julie and Johnny get ready for their film. Julie, dressed as Black Cat, adjusts her wig while Johnny puts on his Iron Fist mask. Mark Lowell, the director, asks if they are ready. Once Julie says ready, willing, and able, Lowell calls, "action!" Julie runs away from Johnny. Immediately, Julie does impossibly high tricks. Lowell was right to hire her as a stunt actress. Johnny himself compliments her while they pretend to fight. He apologizes for punching her so hard. Julie tells him that if he thinks that was hard, then he should tell her how his landing is. She promptly throws him into a wall. Crashing into it, he tells her, "Sure... but you first." He gives her a kick, sending Julie flying over the edge of the building. Julie falls to the very bottom, where she catches herself in her rainbow-like lights. Lowell calls cut, and most of the crew workers go to congratulate Julie's spectacular work.
Lowell himself is happy with all the money he is saving. Julie attempts to pull herself away in order to call her family and tell them her good news, but Lowell manages to pull her aside to tell her that she and Johnny are going to be stars in the town. As a giddy Julie flies off in a swirl of rainbow colors, Johnny calls the person he was suppose to meet today - Mattie. He tells her that something came up and he can't meet her. Mattie, elsewhere, tells him not to worry. She'll see him at the meeting later. As she hangs up, she looks at a news article on her laptop: "Costumed Casualty After Manhattan Massacre" - Murdered Hero Was E.S.U .student. An annoyed Mattie wonders how she'll ever get to the bottom of the story if she can't get a minute alone with Johnny...
Julie flies into the sky, calling her younger sister, Katie. Katie instantly becomes suspicious of Julie using her powers (she hears Julie flying), but Julie lies to her and tells her she is just driving with the window open. Julie lands by the Hollywood sign to continue her call. Katie believes the lie, and happily congratulates Julie on her new gig. Katie becomes gleeful over the fact that only she knows - Jack Power will be so pissed! Katie tells Julie that she'll tell mom and dad, but Julie stops her by saying that her parents don't really need to know just yet. Katie wonders why. They don't need to sign a permission slip, do they? Julie avoids the question by saying it happened so fast, they didn't get around to the paperwork. Katie tells Julie that she thinks she is letting the whole 'dumb blonde act' go to her head. Julie used to be the smart one, the responsible one. Katie ends the conversation by asking if Julie should start acting like her older sister again, but Julie wonders... it's pretty hard to keep all your secrets straight when you live in the city of lies.
Meanwhile, Johnny speaks with Lowell. He asks Johnny if Julie does this often, disappearing like that. "Not usually," he replies. He asks Johnny to ensure it only happens when he yells Action from now on. He says that he can't believe Julie. Chasing rainbows is the last thing he needs today. Johnny gets on the phone to Mattie who is on the computer. He tells her that something's come up. Mattie is fine with it, and asks rhetorically what Julie did this time. She wishes him luck and returns to the screen. On it is the headline - 'Costumed Casualty After Manhattan Massacre. Murdered hero was ESU student.' Mattie wonders how she's ever going to get to the bottom of this if she can't get a minute alone with that idiot.
Marvel Studios – later:
Julie returns to the set and is getting dressed in her trailer. As someone knocks on the door, she tells them to hold on one sec. Regardless, director Mark Lowell enters, smiling, before Julie is done dressing. He tells her that he thought he saw her arrive.
 Julie apologizes for rushing off earlier; she simply appreciated the chance. Lowell tells her not to worry; there are better ways she can show her appreciation. He pulls her hair aside and asks if he can dive into 'the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.' Julie is stricken, but Lowell tells her that she should have expected this in the film business. Julie smacks his hand away, but he advances upon her and tells her that her 'assets' caught his eye. Lowell assumes that Julie arrived in to the Studios acting all innocent, willing to do anything to get into show biz. He has the power to make it happen.
 As he wraps his arms around her waist, an enraged Julie lets out a sarcastic remark: he's got the power? In an explosion of rainbow color, Julie blasts Lowell out the trailer and remarks about how that wasn't the kind of 'thrust' she was expecting. Lowell, in a fit of anger, lands upon the ground and tells her that she can't do it - there are laws to protect them from 'powered freaks.' He's calling the cops. Julie doesn't mind. Maybe the cops can also explain the laws that protect minors like Julie from predators like him. Lowell is stunned; she is underage? Julie tells him that she is seventeen. A shocked Lowell tells her that he didn't know... he could have sworn with the way she looks, talks, and her powers... It is now that Julie realizes. Lowell had assumed that the act Julie put on was the real her. Hard to believe that it took a dirtbag director like him to finally make her realize... it is time to drop the act.
Sunset Boulevard – later:
Julie stands on the top of the Hyatt building. The last time she stood up there, she had said she was tired of living a lie. Looking over the edge, she feels like she is still tired of living lies. Putting her foot over the edge, she reflects on how she jumped off in order to be free. But, that was then and this is now. Julie steps back from the edge and realizes that it's time to take a step back, and keep her feet on the ground for a while. To see what it's like living without the lies.
Excelsior meeting – later:
In the basement of the Holy Trinity Church, Phil, Mattie, Johnny, Chris, and Mickey watch as it is Julie's turn to speak. Julie used to always joke about having powers, but she sees now that it's no laughing matter. Mutants manifest later in life, as if nature is controlling their evolution. Waiting for them to be ready, to be mature enough to handle the responsibility. However, when Julie was ten, an alien gave her those powers. It was much too young to handle the burden... but the responsibility was forced upon her. She had to deal with it. She takes out a picture of herself, Katie, Alex, and Jack all around one another. They all had to deal with it. Julie smiles as she remembers how no one would have guessed that they were already Power Pack at that age by looking. That's because it is a decision they made about their powers... they chose to keep it a secret.
Somehow, even at that age, they had the sense to know that they couldn't tell anyone about what had happened to them. They just knew it had to be a secret; their secret. Looking back, Julie is surprised that they managed to keep it under wraps for as long as they did. She could fly, and she hadn't told anyone. It was if a dream had come true; the world had to know she could fly... but they kept it a secret. Since they became good at keeping secrets, they also became good at lying... too good. when lying becomes second nature, the person it becomes easiest to lie to is yourself, and eventually you start living your own lies. Julie tells them that is what she's been doing the whole time she was here... lying to them all. She came to Los Angeles to get rid of her past; she thought it would be fun to create a new image. And just like that, Hollywood-Julie was born. That is the Julie that joined the group. Not the real Julie. Stepping back, Julie reintroduces herself to Excelsior. Not Hollywood-Julie... the real Julie Power.
Not for the first time, Julie notes how all super heroes have secrets. Even ex-super heroes. And while keeping them can get them in a lot of trouble... making them public can make matters even worse. With that, a voice from behind the door tells them it was convenient for them to list their meetings online. Not tracking them down means she has a lot more energy... to kill them! And with that, Nekra bursts into the room!


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[Assistant]
Chinks in the Armor
Los Angeles, California - Wednesday, September 12:
Mickey Musashi (aka Turbo) posts a letter on her blog. "Life is all about balance." Her parents would have been so proud, seeing her embrace her Asian roots by getting all 'Zen.' Next thing you know, she'll be spouting off about yin and yang. Ever since Mickey was a child, she always found herself flipping back and forth between the two sides of the same coin that is her; trying to respect her Japanese heritage while growing up in America, finding it hard to stay grounded after learning how to fly. She found herself trying to leave a somewhat normal life whilst accepting the responsibilities of being a hero... and dealing with the realities of being just a girl in a costume when all her friends are blessed with powers of their own.
 Now, she runs a self-help group for ex-teen heroes when she's not even sure they want help anymore. She feels that sometimes, opening themselves up like this only brought more trouble down around them then they ever bargained for. Mickey recounts how Mattie brought all her MGH issues when joining, which led to all kinds of unwanted costumed antics - exactly what they've been trying to avoid. Mickey made a deal with the MGH dealer's president, Miss Fuyumi Fujikawa, by putting those old Japanese language lessons to good use (another way to make her parents proud). Miss Fujikawa dropped Hollow on their laps, though Mickey is wary of her; she has a hunch about her.
 At the same time, Julie unloads about how she's been lying to them the whole time. Mickey has a feeling she still has a few other secrets... and that is why their balance is out of whack.
That's just the group. Mickey reflects on her tense relationship with Chris, and how she feels guilty for dating someone with powers. Mickey feels the urge to put on her old costume, take to the skies and leave all her stress behind for an afternoon in the clouds. It's tempting, but she knows that she can't give in. She is going to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground. Life is all about balance, and Mickey is the only one who has to make sure it's maintained. Otherwise, Excelsior might just spiral out of control...
Holy Trinity Church; Excelsior meeting:
Nekra bursts into the room. Johnny Gallo (aka Ricochet) leaps back, Julie Power (aka Lightspeed) hovers around the ceiling, Mattie Franklin (aka Spider-Woman) unleashes her extra legs and Chris Powell (aka Darkhawk) activates the Darkhawk amulet. Nekra immediately begins to attack the four heroes.
 All the while, Mickey stands at the back... thinking. This is what happens when trust is broken. The trust she places in strangers... in her teammates... and even in her loved ones. It always comes crashing down around her.
 Mickey yells at Darkhawk to watch out but Nekra has already grabbed Darkhawk, and she uses him as a baseball bat to shoot Lightspeed out the building. Ricochet remembers how he, Darkhawk and Spider-Woman had stopped Nekra last time. Before he and Spider-Woman attack her, Nekra bashes both of them into a wall, leaving only Mickey and Phil, who is holding a pipe. Phil tells Mickey to stand back; Nekra thinks they're helpless - but the joke's on her! Phil laughs as he attacks Nekra, who punches him into a wall. Nekra then walks towards Mickey, the only one still standing. Grabbing her by the throat, Nekra smiles as she says, "No Powers, No Problems!" Just as she squeezes Mickey's throat, Nekra freezes. She looks down to her chest, where she sees a glowing red laser-like blade jammed near her heart. Nekra immediately drops to the ground. Mickey, horrified, sees a figure standing in the distance - someone has saved her.
A girl steps into the room. Her appearance makes her look as young as Julie. Around her wrist is a metallic band, where a glowing red laser-like knife is pointed out. The knife retracts into the band and the girl helps Mickey up. Mickey thanks her and asks who she is, but the girl says that she doesn't know.
 At this point, Chris awakens and warns the girl to get away from Mickey, but Mickey defends her by pointing out that she is the one who took down Nekra. She is one of the good guys. Mattie, Julie, Johnny and Phil awaken, just in time to see Chris apologize to Mickey for changing into Darkhawk. Mickey tells him never to worry about her, and she kisses him, exposing their relationship.
 Mattie stares at them in disbelief. Johnny is surprised but Julie smugly tells him that she knew. Phil, however, stares in maniacal anger. His eyes clench, and fury sweeps through him. Phil storms out the room. Julie wonder's what is wrong with him, but Mattie believes that it's because he got kicked by Nekra. Johnny yelps in shock - he recognizes the girl who rescued Mickey. He saw her in the Fujikawa lab; she was one of the women in the tubes. Mickey, once again, defends the girl. She also adds that Chris should turn back into Darkhawk; Nekra is still breathing. Johnny insists that the girl was one of the women in the tubes and the girl does not deny it. In fact, she mentions that she remembers seeing Johnny and Julie there, and saw them running away after Julie was attacked. The girl must have... escaped shortly after.
Mickey is now confused. She asks the girl if she escaped or was released. The girl lowers her head and says she can't remember. Mickey asks how the girl found them, and how can she use the energy blade from her wrist. The girl's voice breaks as she reveals she doesn't know. All she did was walk in, see that Mickey was in trouble, and the blade was just there. It's as if part of her memory has been wiped clean. All she knows is her name... Namie.
 Namie raises her head and slowly starts weeping as she begs them to help her. Mattie however rolls her eyes and doesn't trust Namie, mainly because she and Nekra's "evil-sounding" names both start's with 'N'. Besides, both of them showing up is a bit too coincidental. And they both seem to connect to the Fujikawa woman that Mickey made a deal with. A deal the rest of them know nothing about.
 Mickey tells Mattie to mind her business. Mattie pressures Mickey into telling her about the deal, though Mickey tells her she has to trust her on it. At the same time, police sirens blare through the church. Mattie mentions that they couldn't destroy a church and not expect someone to notice. Darkhawk is glad; S.H.I.E.L.D. can now deal with Nekra. Julie becomes desperate to leave, but Johnny tells her not to worry; they are all registered. Julie becomes flustered... she reminds the group about how she was explaining about her lies and finally coming clean. Julie finally admits she is not registered.
Predictably, the rest of the room explodes with anger. Mickey snaps, Mattie makes a sarcastic remark, but Darkhawk is enraged. They've been harboring a fugitive, and she could have landed all of them in jail. Johnny defends Julie, and advises her to leave immediately. She should also take Namie with her, since none of them are ready to answer any of those questions. Again, Mattie tells the group she does not trust Namie. Mickey isn't sure either, but she did save her life - that counts for something. Darkhawk adds they don't have any other choice. Mickey tells Julie and Namie to leave while they get it sorted out with the cops; the two of them, however, are not of the hook. Julie picks up Namie and leaves... but not before telling Namie she is a lot heavier than she looks.
In-and-Out Burger:
Julie eats a burger while Namie asks if there was any place more private they could wait. Julie does not mean to offend her, but she doesn't know who Namie is and she doesn't exactly trust her - there is no way she is taking her to her apartment or anywhere 'private.' Plus, she was starving. That doesn't mean she can't try and be nice to her. She offers Namie her burger, and asks when the last time Namie ate was. Namie is confused; she doesn't remember ever eating.
Julie, intrigued, asks what the last thing Namie does remember is. Namie reflects on how the last thing she remembered was a woman's smile. Maybe her mother's. Her voice had said "We'll meet again soon enough." And then the lights went out. Next thing she knows, she was in the church basement with them, just in time to save Mickey's life with a power she doesn't know how to use. Julie admits it is all pretty convenient.
Namie raises her metallic wristband and says she has no idea how to turn on the energy blade. Julie advises her not to try too hard... getting stabbed by one Fujikawa escapee (Hollow) in this lifetime's enough for her. Namie breaks down into tears and wonders what the Fujikawa labs did to her. Julie comforts her and assures her they will hook up with the rest of the group and figure things out. She asks if Namie's sure she wouldn't one just one bite of her burger. Namie smiles.
The apartment of Phil Urich:
Phil, having left Excelsior's meeting after seeing Mickey and Chris kiss, is in his bathroom. Phil is breathing heavily, and is clutching the bathroom sink while in a sort of fit. His eyes are red. He tells himself he can fight it... he urges himself not to give in. Another voice, darker speaks... out of Phil's own mouth. The second voice tells him there is nothing left for him. He's lost her. Phil tells himself not to listen to the second voice; Mickey still loves him. The second voice puts Phil down by telling him he is lying to himself. It is finally time to accept the truth. Phil has to admit; he's lost Mickey... and he's losing his mind. Madness truly does come to all those who don the mantle of the Green Goblin. And with that, the second voice calls, "embrace it!" The spirit of the Green Goblin manically laughs as it rushes through Phil, cracking the bathroom mirror. Phil, officially possessed by the spirit, gives a horrific laughter that scares a spying Hollow. Hollow instantly rushes to the living room and crawls up into a ball, in the corner, truly frightened.
The apartment of Johnny Gallo:
Johnny enters his apartment after Mattie. He apologizes for the mess; he doesn't usually bring chicks back to his apartment on such short notice. Mattie, regardless, appreciates him letting her hang. She'll take looking at dirty laundry over sitting LA traffic anytime. Besides, this chick doesn't need short notice to school him on how to rock. She picks up his Guitar Hero. Johnny eagerly accepts the challenge, but tells her he needs to take a shower first - he still has Nekra stink all over him. Johnny tells her he'll be quick. The second Johnny steps into the shower, Mattie gets up to make sure he is occupied. She rushes to his bedroom and looks through all his drawers and mutters about how she knows Johnny is hiding something. It is at this point when Johnny arrives into the room wrapped in a towel. He asks Mattie what she's looking for. Mattie awkwardly searches for an excuse. She tells Johnny she was looking for... protection. She pulls Johnny to the bed, and Johnny asks no further questions
Shortly after:
Mattie sits in Johnny's bathroom, bitterly thinking about how that wasn't her smartest move. A man named Mr. St. Commons calls her phone, and she answers it. She tells him she's in Johnny's apartment, and it's clean. There is no trace of her here. Mattie is sure; she examined every angle and looked under every rock. She assures Mr. St. Commons that Johnny Gallo hasn't had any contact with and doesn't know the whereabouts of his daughter. She apologizes for not finding the answer he was looking for. She hangs up. Staring at her reflection, she wonders what she got herself into. Stepping back out into Johnny's bedroom, she stares at him sleeping and worries about how awkward their situation will be.
The apartment of Mickey Musashi:
Mickey sits on her couch... depressed. Chris, beside her, has his arm around her. Mickey whispers to him about how she almost died today. Chris reminds her that she didn't. She's still alive, here and well. Mickey tells him she is too young to die and Chris asks her why she is dwelling on it; they're super heroes - this stuff happens to them. They shake off near-death experiences and move on. "It's a part of the world we live in," says Chris. Mickey, now angry, shakes him off and repeats, "we." Exactly who are they? The cool kids who still have their powers? "Phil made it pretty clear he isn't a part of 'us,'" Mickey says. Standing up, she asks where exactly does she fit into all this; clearly, she isn't one of them.
 Chris is confused. By the time he stands up, he notices that Mickey is crying and Mickey confesses her angst. She was helpless. She stood their while Nekra was squeezing the life out of her and there was nothing she could do. No costume, no powers. End of story, and almost the end of her. Chris asks where all this is coming from; they are, after all, trying their best not to use their powers, to stay out of costume. Mickey asks if he really is trying.
Chris wraps his arms around her and tells her to stop. So she got a little shaken; she'll bounce back. But Mickey bitterly notes how they will bounce back. Fly back. And crawl back. Lucky them. Chris tells her she is the lucky one; she said it herself. Her powers came from her costume. So the costume is Turbo, not her. There were other Turbos before her, right? Mickey has the option of giving away her costume to someone else... she can walk away clean, start living a normal life again. That's a choice she can still make. A choice none of the rest of them have...
 but Mickey, disgusted, slaps Chris right across the face and calls him a hypocrite. Jabbing him in the chest, she tells him to take off the amulet. Rubbing his face, Chris is shocked. Mickey tells him to take off the Darkhawk amulet; it isn't melded to his chest. He can choose to take it off. So why doesn't he? Chris tells her she knows he can't. Mickey begins yelling at him; "can't, or won't?" Chris should practice what he preaches. Take off the amulet. Give it all up. Walk away. Fingering the amulet, Chris tells Mickey he can't do it. Darkhawk is a part of who he is. Is that what she wanted to hear? And Mickey reveals that right there is what this is all about. Before she can continue with her tirade, the doorbell rings.
As Mickey walks towards the door, she tells Chris not to think it's over just because everyone else is coming over. Chris tells her that as soon as everyone leaves, he wants to... but Mickey interrupts him, and tells him that their issue is about to become a group discussion. Opening the door, she finds Phil and Hollow. Phil is hiding his eyes, and has a hat lowered over his face. Mickey checks the halls and berates Phil for bringing Hollow in broad daylight. Phil storms into her apartment and tells her that he doesn't care. Some of them aren't afraid to hide what they truly are anymore. Grabbing him, she asks what the hell that is supposed to mean. If he has something to say, he should at least have the stones to say it to her face. Phil agrees, turns, and grabs Mickey by the throat. Phil mocks Mickey, and notes how she gets all fired up now that her boyfriend is here to protect her. His power has her blood pumping up, doesn't it? Mickey throws him off her and asks what the hell is wrong with him. Phil's glasses fall off, revealing his vivid red eyes.
Phil roars at Mickey and tells her that she is the one with the problem. They had a plan! Doesn't she remember? He got her a job at the Times and they were going to change the world. Put their pasts as teen super heroes behind them and start together. Together! They could do more good with their education than with their costumes. Isn't that what she had said? They were perfect for each other. But she couldn't keep her hand out of the cookie jar, could she? She had to go back for a little taste. Phil, breathing heavily, tells her that is why she really wanted to start the group. She needed to surround herself with people with powers to feel better about herself. And poor old normal Phil Urich just wasn't good enough for her, was he?
 Mickey tells Phil he's got it all wrong... they were friends, but she never felt that way about him. Phil slams his hand on a table, ordering Mickey not to lie to him. She used him, like she's using them. He loved her, but she led him on, making him believe they were alive when she really wanted to be just like the rest of them. But it's cool. Mickey wants power? Phil knows what to do to have her. He picks up a glass vase of flowers. Chris warns Phil to shut up, but Phil throws the vase at Chris' face, knocking him out.
Mickey screams while Hollow hisses, but Phil knows exactly what to do. He knows that Mickey isn't a "stop and smell the roses" kind of girl. He sees that now. She wants a guy who is willing to take matters into his own hands... and seize power for himself. With that, Phil rips the front of Chris' shirt and steals the Darkhawk amulet. Activating it, Phil stands before Mickey in the Darkhawk armor, laughing the maniacal laugh of a Green Goblin.


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Double Identities
Los Angeles, California:
In a letter written by Chris Powell aka Darkhawk, he recounts how when he was younger, people always told him he reminded them a lot of his father. But, since his family had had their share of problems while Chris was growing up, there were times when Chris disliked being compared to him. Chris' father had been a police officer, who'd always seen the worst in people and believed that the bad always maintained an upper hand over the good. He had sacrificed a lot to try and even that balance over the years, even at the expense of Chris's family's happiness. Because of this, Chris was resentful of his father. But, as Chris got older, he realized exactly why his father did what he did. He had hoped to tip the scales so that the good side would have a brighter future, and once Chris stumbled across the Darkhawk amulet, he found himself following in his father's footsteps. But, he's had to stop... for his own safety.
The Darkhawk amulet had given him all kinds of different powers and different armors over the years, but the more he's used it the greater a mystery it has become. Chris used to believe that the amulet only affected him on a physical level, but more and more these days, it's psychological. And not in a good way. The less he uses it... the better. Chris worries about all the trouble knocking at their door. Mickey (Turbo) is always stressed and seems constantly pissed at him. Julie (Lightspeed) has been lying about who and what she is. No one ever trusted Mattie (Spider-Woman III) and Johnny (Ricochet) seems like he doesn't even care anymore. Out of all of Excelsior, Chris strongly dislikes Phil (Green Goblin), because he knows Phil still carries a torch for Mickey. He's starting to become the most unhinged... but what can you expect from a former Green Goblin?
Chris has seen his real family pulled apart once before. He doesn't like seeing his 'family' here suffering through the same thing, so it's up to him to fight to keep them together... just like his father would.
The apartment of Mickey Musashi:
As Chris recovers from the blow he received with the flower vase, he remembers how he learned most of what he knows about life from his dad. He had helped open Chris's eyes to the way the world really works. As a cop with too many years under his belt, he had believed that the good guys were the underdogs. "If only our side had an edge," is what he used to say. As Chris gets up, he is stunned to see that his Darkhawk amulet is gone from his chest and horrified to see that Phil, or the Green Goblin, is under the guise of Darkhawk. Right now, Chris could sure as hell use an edge.
Hollow, frightened, attacks Phil who promptly knocks her out, laughing the maniacal laugh of a Green Goblin. The Goblin grabs Mickey before she attempts to escape using a grappling hook. Darkly, he asks Mickey if this is what she had always secretly wanted - both loves of her life (Darkhawk and "Phil") put into one being. He asks her for a kiss, but this is when Chris gets up with a baseball bat in his hands. The Green Goblin laughs again. Chris, the knight without his shining armor. The Goblin taunts Chris; a baseball bat against the Darkhawk armor? That blow must have knocked him senseless. Chris, enraged, attacks the Goblin with the bat and roars about how he knows what his amulet is capable of. Chris touches the glowing amulet on the Goblin's chest, and within seconds, he becomes Darkhawk as well.
Darkhawk immediately throws the Green Goblin out through Mickey's roof. Julie, carrying Namie, flies overhead just in time to see the Green Goblin blasted into the air. Thinking the Goblin is Darkhawk, Julie attempts to help him. The Goblin, however, snaps and rams the both of them into a nearby pool. It is at this point where the real Darkhawk flies out through Mickey's roof and mutters about how he should have known Phil was crazy. The Goblin, in a fit of rage, screams about how he's nothing like the other Goblins. Darkhawk finally realizes that it was Phil who wasn't really listening at their meetings. He shouldn't deny his problem - he should open his eyes and accept it. And with that, both Darkhawk and the Green Goblin begin battling... in a fight that takes them through the streets of Los Angeles.
Julie and Namie, sopping wet, climb out of the pool and rush up to Mickey's apartment, finding her on the floor with Hollow standing over her. As Julie helps Mickey, Namie, stunned, freezes when she recognizes Hollow. Hollow instantly rushes over to Namie and hugs her, prompting Julie to wonder why she isn't surprised that they both know each other - both Namie and Hollow were Fujikawa escapees. Namie apologizes for Hollow's behavior, but Mickey cuts her off by saying Hollow attempted to protect her from that psycho. Mickey quickly recounts the events of what happened with Darkhawk and the Green Goblin. Julie wonders how two Darkhawks is even possible, leading Mickey to wonder how Chris's amulet works. Darkhawk had a couple of different armors over the years... and they always just assumed it was Chris inside. And it hits Julie: what if it wasn't Chris inside? That could explain his freak-outs...
Before she goes on, Johnny and Mattie both arrive. Mattie instantly understands that a couple guests 'in costume' have shown up. Mickey, sour, confirms it. She walks to her bedroom, and tells Julie, Namie, Hollow, Johnny and Mattie that she is tired of sitting on the sidelines. What good has it done her? She's been lied to, betrayed, and almost killed. Enough is enough! As she takes out a box from under her bed, she realizes that maybe the Goblin was right... maybe she is scared. But, there's nothing like a little fear to remind her what her responsibilities in life are. So to hell with their rules for the time being! As of now... the gloves are back on! And with that, Mickey puts on her Turbo gloves!
Darkhawk and the Green Goblin continue their battle, but are suddenly blasted away from one another. As it turns out, the rest of Excelsior has arrived: Turbo, Spider-Woman, Namie, Hollow, Lightspeed and Ricochet rush to Darkhawk's side, with Turbo proud of her costume. She blasts the Green Goblin off his feet while battling him at the same time. The Goblin attempts to escape, but Spider-Woman uses her many legs to pin him down. Ricochet blasts several of his discs at the Goblin while Hollow claws at him. Lightspeed then rams him into the ground, the same way he rammed her into the pool. Finally, one of Ricochet's discs hits the Goblin in his armored eyes. The Goblin screams his lungs out, but Namie tells him that blindness should be the least of his worries. The red laser-like dagger appears at the band on her wrist. Using it, she picks the Darkhawk amulet off the Goblin's chest. The Darkhawk armor disappears from the Green Goblin's skin, leaving him in a fit of despair.
Hollow attacks the possessed Phil, but Darkhawk tells her to stop. Instead, he attacks the Goblin... man-to-man. Turning off the Darkhawk armor, Chris holds the Goblin around the throat. Turbo tells Chris to stop. Instead, she attacks the Goblin, woman-to-man. She punches the Goblin to the ground, where he lands right beside the Darkhawk amulet. Turbo snatches it from him and hands it to Chris, telling him that he was right. Their powers, no matter where they got them from, are part of who they all are. It's time she started accepting that. Chris, taking his amulet back, thanks her.
The Goblin, still on the ground, laughs his wild laugh. He tells Turbo that he knew she had it in her; she just needed a little help bringing her demons back out. He knew she wasn't ready to give up her costume. He tells her that there is still hope for them. Turbo, disgusted, tells him that the only hope she has is that he get help with all his romantic delusions. And, once she makes sure he's taken care of, the costume is going back into the closet. The Goblin grins, telling her that Miss Fujikawa is going to be disappointed. Turbo, confused, asks him what he means by that. The Goblin reveals that he also cut a deal with Miss Fujikawa, and Miss Fujikawa was more than happy to tell him all about their little arrangement - about how she was planning on selling out Excelsior! Turbo roars at him to shut up, but Spider-Woman, taking off her mask, urges the Goblin to continue talking. If someone is bargaining with their lives, they'd all want to know about it. "Personalizing our problem is the first step in confronting it," Mattie quotes. Turbo snarls about how it's none of Mattie's business.
Mattie tells Turbo to let her be the judge of that. The Goblin maliciously taunts Turbo, who gives him a hard, solid smack across the face. Hollow rushes in and protects the Goblin. Someone always has to get hurt when the truth comes out. Turbo, angry, asks the Goblin how Hollow can defend him even after all this. Getting up, the Goblin tells her that maybe Hollow knows who her true friends really are. Or, maybe her memories are finally coming back. Lightspeed prompts the Goblin to reveal what Miss Fujikawa had said to him. Laughing, the Goblin informs her that for now, it's his secret. She, of all people, can respect that. Ricochet is disgusted with Phil's betrayal; he's like the Goblin calling the frog green... if that makes any sense. The Green Goblin moves away from them, and tells them it's his time to make his exit. Darkhawk tells him that he isn't going anywhere after all he's done. The Goblin, laughing, tells him there is no evidence to prove he did anything. He assures Excelsior that Hollow will be going back into good hands, where she will be cared for. Finally, the Goblin tells Excelsior that to hold up her end of the deal, Miss Fujikawa is letting them keep the Red Ronin in exchange for Hollow. Turbo, confused, wonders what Miss Fujikawa expects them to do with a giant robot. The Green Goblin corrects her and reveals that he never meant that Red Ronin. It was decommissioned years ago. Miss Fujikawa had left them the new model, the UJ1-DX... Namie!
Excelsior is shocked. The Green Goblin tells them that Namie is another lost soul who has no idea of what she truly is. Because of this, she's going to fit perfectly with Mickey's group. If they can ever pull themselves back together and get back on the wagon! And with that, laughing maniacally, the Green Goblin and Hollow leave Excelsior for good. After a short silence, Mattie admits that Phil was right. She herself is sour about how she almost bought into the whole 'doing more good by not using their powers' crock they're selling. Mattie tells Excelsior to count her out from now on. They've been trying so hard to stay out of costume and put their pasts behind them... some of them seem to have forgotten what it means to be a hero in the first place. Finally, she tells Ricochet that she can't believe she actually slept with him. And with that, Mattie also leaves the group as well, leaving a confused Excelsior behind. Namie, still shocked about what she is, sits by herself on the ground. Johnny awkwardly turns away from Julie, while Mickey desperately stares at Chris, wondering's what's next.
The apartment of Johnny Gallo - one week later:
One week later, Excelsior meets in Johnny's apartment. Namie, in different clothes, sits with her head down. Julie has her arms crossed, Mickey sits sternly, but Chris stares at two empty chairs... chairs that should have been filled with Phil Urich and Mattie Franklin. Johnny apologizes for putting the chairs there... he had hoped the other two would come. Wishful thinking, he guesses. Julie bitterly makes a dark remark about how she knows what Johnny was wishing for (Mattie). Mickey then thanks everyone for arriving, especially given what happened the week before. She does feel it's important that they talk about what they're feeling out in the open, now more than ever. Mickey asks if Julie would like to open up to anything; Julie turns her head and says she's still confused about a lot of things. She then asks Chris about the whole double-Darkhawk situation. He says that there are a few things he needs to figure out himself. She asks Namie if she's had any luck with her memories, but Namie bluntly tells her that all her circuits are still busy. Mickey finally asks Johnny, but he tells her he pleads the fifth. Mickey stands up, and tells the group she'll start, as she clearly has the most explaining... and apologizing... to do. Mickey stands up, and introduces herself as a former teenage superhero. Everyone says hi.
But Chris Powell thinks... when your eyes are opened to the way the world really works, people usually find that they don't like what they see. Especially what they see in themselves. There will always be questions they want answered (Namie), and mysteries they want solved (Phil and Mattie). They have to accept the fact that some secrets will remain hidden (Johnny) and certain truths will remain untold (Julie). But even when trust is shattered and the pain of guilt is almost too much to bear, they have to remember that there's always hope. And no matter how badly things have fallen apart around them, that hope will slowly put the pieces back together again.
The end... for now.


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A Man without a Past
The rainy landscape is red and torn by explosions – caused by the bullets of several inhuman, monstrous-looking hunters, hot on the heels of an extraordinarily handsome, fine-boned young man with a blond mullet and clad in a black leather uniform. Perhaps he is not as human as he may look on first sight either, as his left eye is aglow and his hands miss a digit each. He wouldn’t know the answer to that question himself. He only knows that he is frightened and that these troops want him bad… but he doesn’t remember why.
He feels both his hearts trying to smash out of his chest. All the colors and smells around him are wrong. But what’s strangest of all is the fact that all the hunters’ shots are missing him. Either he’s already dead, he figures, or he’s suddenly become wildly lucky.
Suddenly, he stops in a clearing. Ahead of him dozens of tiny lights – spitfires - swirl in the air. He turns to the hunters, assuring them that whatever it is, he didn’t do it. He thinks. Not that he really knows. He can’t remember. He finds they are right behind him, while in front of him the lights coalescing into one blinding glare. He figures he is dead either way and takes his chances. He jumps into the light circle, a small, furry creature doing so at the same time. The circle swallows the runner but the rest are caught… neither here nor there. The clearing is empty… nothing left.
Upstate New York. An elderly lady is about to be run down by a runaway car. The woman calls out for the saints. Her prayers are answered in an unexpected way, as the light circle opens in the air beside her and the runner is tossed through it… as well as the small furry creature. Reacting instantaneously, he pulls the woman aside and the car crashes into the corner of an old building instead. The collision causes a bag of old silver dollars hidden in a gargoyle on that building to fall from the street.
The onlookers marvel at all that luck. Their attention turns to the handsome stranger, who saved the woman. The ladies in the crowd fall head over heels for him and others curiously ask who that lucky guy is and where he comes from. For the stranger, it is entirely too much. He wants to tell them his name, but can’t, he begins a few half sentences before finally asking where he is.
The crowd’s mood shifts and they turn away disappointed, believing he’s some kind of nutcase. A cop starts to question him, believing he is on drugs. It is entirely too much and the young man runs away.
He pauses for a moment when he sees the glare of the sun, something apparently unfamiliar to him, as he wonders what that big light up there is. Colors and sounds out of sync… Where are the spitfires? He holds onto a corner, mumbling this is a godless place and wondering a moment later what ‘godless’ means. He catches sight of his face mirrored in a shop window and feels that it is not quite familiar… not quite him, but then who…?
Suddenly, he swirls around in attack modes. Somebody’s snuck up on him. The middle-aged man tells him to calm down. They are from the same side of the track. He admires the young man’s “fall-out gear.” He introduces himself as Elliot. No last name. He expects the young man to understand. Eliot believes the young man is a survivalist like him. He recalls this trick back there. He sure beat the odds. What a longshot, he marvels. The stranger better watch out they don’t make him a hero. Visibility is too high! He tells the man he can look him up, if he wants to and tells him where he lives. Survivalists have to stick together. Now they better split up. The crowd is coming.
The people ignore Eliot. They want the other man. The young stranger has no idea what Eliot was talking about, but finds outrunning the others easy. This whole sluggish place seems o run in slow motion. He stops and sinks down finally succumbing to hysterics. Looking up, he sees the mannequins of a leather goods store. Mistaking them for alive, he asks why they keep staring at him. They could at least say something or smile. Angry at their rudeness, he enters the store, demanding they talk to him. The shop assistant is instantly smitten by the handsome young eccentric and, after he complains about their behavior, she explains that they are just mannequins. Unlike her.
She takes off the mannequin’s coat and asks him to try it on. Misunderstanding it as a gift, he tells her it’ll help hide her from the troops and leaves. He owes money! she protests. Owe him what? he asks cheerfully. He doesn’t even know money! Story of her life, she thinks. If they’re handsome, they’re nuts. She turns to call the cops.
Night time. Somewhere within free nature, the young man stares at the Manhattan skyline far away. What is he missing? He can feel the answer at the edges dimly. Someone must miss him. He wonders who he was, whom he knew… loved? Or maybe he’s forgotten because he’s scared! But he must have had dreams…
‘Hold it!’ he shouts, as a twig snaps. His left eye glows and he throws a bunch of tiny knives at the source of the noise. ‘You and your lucky shots,’ the small critter moans. It is a furry small creature, the one who slipped in through the hole in reality with him. He tells the man that he is a friendly beast. The young man apologizes. He shouldn’t go attack a critter on his own turf. He does look familiar though. Apparently, this is his homeworld, after all. Changing the subject, the critter asks if he knows a way home. Isn’t this home? the young man asks. The creature thinks to himself that he is really confused.
The young man explains that he is off to see that Eliot guy. They reach a shack with several ‘no trespassing’ signs in front of it. Eliot waves to the stranger, telling him to wait until he has shut off the traps and explosives. The youngster wants to introduce his new friend but finds that the critter has left him.
Eliot leads him inside. What seems like a shack on the outside actually is a bunker. Eliot boasts about the radiation shields and his survival rations. All taste good too, except maybe the freeze-dried ice cream. The world’s going to blow and he is ready. He babbles on about the end of the Earth and the few who control the planet: the trilaterals, Bell Tel and Con Ed. He tells the man to read the papers. It’s all between the lines. The connections, the power-brokers …
The young man does indeed read the papers and finds a story that interests him: a baby was kidnapped. He’d like to get it back. Eliot is surprised. Nobody pays attention to petty crime. An intruder alert rings, alerting Eliot. People are closing in. Probably they think one of them stole the brat, he sighs before agreeing to help the stranger find the baby. He tells him to choose his weapons and adds that the mother is a town girl named Hester. Appropriate enough, as she wears the scarlet letter. Using a trap door hidden under the bed, they leave as Eliot asks for the stranger’s name.
Elsewhere, in an empty rundown room, a young woman huddles in the corner, wishing she were dead, after her baby was abducted and her dog was killed. She shouts at the two men to go away. The young stranger tries to calm her, assuring her they’ll find the baby and asks her to tell them what she remembers. Hester tells them that the kidnappers weren’t human. They screeched a garbled psychotic mess of words. She hands him a broken painted doll and explains that they left the doll in place of the child.
The young man announces that he is going to read the doll’s past and future. Hester fears that he is crazy, while Elliot decides that some pagan hippie cult has to be behind this. Or black market babysellers. The young man’s left eye starts to glow, as he receives images of inhuman creatures. This planet’s wild beasts, he figures. Preconscious, stuck between words at a winged tower. The mother’s love left a strong psychic imprint of the incident. So did something else. They needed innocence, he announces … the baby to open a doorway. He can follow their trail. Hester becomes convinced that the man is beyond crazy. He’s… right.
The man grabs an iron and a fork, asking Hester if he may use these weapons. Eliot is doubtful but tries to calm Hester, telling her it was probably wolves. They’ll get the baby back and stuff the hippies into the Smithonian, where relics belong. Outside, the cops follow, believing the mother to be in on this.
Eliot and Hester follow the stranger to an Indian burial ground and Eliot relates that some nut built a windmill here, to capture the winds of ill repute. Down through the years, there’s been all kinds of metaphysical quacks to find the secret of the place. Usually they end up dead. They finally notice the cops on their trail. Complaining about the social contract, Eliot uses his survival gear and a net to trap them.
Later, they’ve finally arrived at the windmill. He should never have followed a longshot Eliot thinks by now, but the stranger assures them the air is sick with their stink – just around the corner. The windmill is lit and on its roof stand creatures unlike anything on Earth. The stranger recognizes this as some kind of ritual to rip open space, although he himself does not know why he is aware of this. Several monsters, which are still below, notice him and have murder on their mind. There’s still time enough to slay him, they decide.
The stranger assures Hester he will get her child and, over Eliot’s protests, jumps amongst the monsters. He moves fast but he cannot touch them as they fade out. Who cares, he thinks. All he wants is the baby. Calling him ‘lucky one’ one of the creatures accuses him of having stuck them here. He tore them from their world. They hate him.
Realizing that the creatures know him, the stranger asks them who he is. The creature snarls that he knows… and he will be left behind. So focused on the demons and the questions in his mind he is now, he has forgotten about the baby - while above, the demons are amused about the revelation that the Spineless Ones have scraped the ‘Lucky One’s’ mind. The six-armed woman called Spiral wants to taunt him, but the demon tells her to continue her dance. They are close. It’ll be vengeance enough to leave him behind with his wiped mind.
The Lucky One is still trying to fight phased demons, until one of the creatures unphases and releases energy that hits him away as well as ignites the wooden tower. Eliot drags the young man up, telling him he’s a show-off. He forgot he was fighting for the baby. But he wanted to know who he was, the stranger defends himself, before admitting that Eliot is right. He got selfish. Something was wrong… or missing. He’s got to keep his motives pure, Eliot chides him. He can’t expect luck to pull punches for him. The young man’s eye begins to glow. He has  understood something. Soon as he forgot the baby… he felt something slip away. He wasn’t on anymore. He’d lost his way. They’ll go right for the baby now.
He tells them to follow him and climb up one side of the valley. Eliot mumbles that all his mechanical tools have glitches. Something about this whole valley is out of sync. Two creatures with animal heads see them. One wants to strike, but the other one, with a one-eyed ram-head orders him to stay away. The lucky one belongs to him.
The trio has finished their climb. Eliot announces that those wolves weren’t ordinary. They must be mutants caused by radiation. As soon as they’re done there, they’d better go to his shelter. Hester disagrees. These aren’t mutants. They’re myths come alive. The stranger tells them that they are too slow. He’ll meet them at the top. When he gets there, he’ll swing his rope out to the tower, and walk over it to the baby. Eliot protests. These stakes are impossible. They can’t trust him and his longshots. There’s a child’s life at stake. They need a plan, not dumb luck. Hester begs him to have faith in miracles.
The young man now stands opposite the burning tower and senses the air warping. At least the fire and the now-arrived search party will keep the demons busy. He attaches the rope to the fork and swings it. He reminds himself that he’s got to keep his motives pure. He knows the way… the miracles will follow. The fork catches onto the other side, but one of the demons, Gog, kicks it away, shouting that his luck has a flipside. He’ll leave him to his brainless destiny… the fate of never knowing. He turns away telling the others to focus on the final ritual.
With the demons’ attention elsewhere, the young man tries again, aims lower and makes a one-in-a-million shot.  Gog tells Spiral to continue the movement and wishes that his son, Magog, were with them.
In the meantime, the young man balances across the rope, hoping he won’t be seen. However, he didn’t tie the end of the rope well and it begins to slip. Suddenly, the impending fall is halted by the critter he met before. He tightens the rope, thinking to himself that he hates to do this, but he has his reasons. He silently apologizes to his father, Gog, for not killing him.
The young man smiles. Now he knows he’ll make it. He barely reaches the mill when the ceremony has reached its climax and Spiral is about to sacrifice the child. The young man swings the iron right through the creatures. Momentarily, they dissipate. Only for seconds, but it’s time enough for the young man to grab the baby and begin his way back across the rope. One of the demons notices him and curses. He has ruined them again. Now they won’t go back until he’s dead, he vows. Repeating his vow, he zaps the rope with a gun. It snaps and the young man, still holding onto the baby with one hand and the rope with the other, falls, only to be luckily pulled up onto the cliff by Eliot.
Heather thanks him profusely while down below the demons fade out in front of the hysterical cops. Eliot smirks that they’ll go to their graves wondering about this day and those critters… then again, so will he. Finally, the cops notice the young man up there and, still believing him to be the kidnapper, begin to make their way up the cliff.
Eliot observes that he is as out of sync as this alley. Who is he anyway? Heather adds that she doesn’t even know his name. Embarrassed, the young man tells them to all him whatever they like. He calls him Longshot, Eliot pipes up. Maybe, but his longshots work, Hester agrees. The newly-christened Longshot tells the two of them good-bye. Touched, Eliot advises him to get hold of some money. It’s the best unit of energy stored around. Now he’d better get out before the girl starts crying …
Longshot decides to get some money after he finds those demons. ‘Psst,’ somebody whispers to him. It’s the critter who saved his life, amused about his new name. Should he keep the name, Longshot asks. Sure, the critter agrees. That’s what he is… a miraculous Longshot. He’ll see.
Hey!, Longshot exclaims. Does he know something about him he isn’t telling? Nah, the critter claims and Longshot decides he had better watch him as the walk off together.


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“ …I’ll wave to you from the top!”
Longshot and the odd, small, monstrous creature he has named “Pup” are running to catch a train - an odd train that is full of spikes. Longshot boasts that he has already won the race. Pup won’t be able to jump aboard the train. Longshot is enjoying himself to the max, whereas Pup thinks this is ridiculous.
Neither of them is aware that they have intruded on a film set and the director, ‘Hitch,’ is getting furious. That guy has ruined his shot! He calls one of the stuntwomen, who is dressed in an odd mix of skimpy leather clothing and a valkyrie look.
Wishing Pup ‘so long,’ Longshot finally jumps right over the spikes and lands on the roof of one of the train cars. What took him so long? Pup, who is already expecting him, asks with a grin.
Hitch tells the woman, Riccochet Rita, to drop the wig, get a motorbike and get that jerk of his set. Anything to take a ride, Rita replies, and to get away from him, she thinks silently. Rita starts racing the train on her bike.
On the train’s roof, Longshot pets the purring Pup and wonders why he is so happy. He doesn’t even know who he is. He is a man in search of his past - a past that seems to be as violently in search of him. But he doesn’t care. He owns the world.
Suddenly, he notices something different about Pup. When did he grow spikes and a tail? And that ridge on his back? Pup first pretends to have no idea what he’s talking about. When Longshot insists that he’s changing, Pup angrily orders him to stop picking at him.
Rita, in the meantime, has caught up with them, and calls out to Longshot, calling him ‘hotshot.’ Longshot turns to Pup, but he has disappeared again. Rita dares him to catch her.
Longshot enjoys the game and jumps on her bike, correcting her: his name is Longshot, not Hotshot. Rita drives them back to the film crew and he asks the people to stop pointing those guns at him. Those are cameras, Rita corrects him. They only shoot pictures. Delivering one jerk just as he ordered, Rita tells Hitch. Having seen Longshot’s talent, Hitch quickly tries to ingratiate himself with him, telling him he never said ‘jerk’. There are easier ways to get a job than pulling stunts like that. He ruined Hitch’s shot. If he weren’t so good, Hitch would have to kill him. So what’s the name of his new stuntman?
Longshot introduces himself, but adds that he is no stuntman. With his dreamy face and his name, what else could he be, besides the star, Hitch’s assistant sighs, which leads to different reactions in the others. The male lead and the male stuntman feel threatened whereas the female lead grows interested. He’ll be a stuntman now, Hitch decides and explains about his movie, which is about a bunch of displaced people who form a band of futuristic pirates. They steal from the rich and give to themselves. It’s his statement on unemployment. Brilliant, eh? And he’s offering Longshot the honor of working with some great movie stars.
Movie stars, Longshot repeats, with a sorrowful look. Those poor guys. What an awful job. Doesn’t he want to make money? Hitch asks surprised and remembering Eliot’s words Longshot changes his tune. Eliot told him to make some money fast.
Hitch tells him to watch the male star, Ivan. Striking a pose, Ivan orders Longshot to study his every move, every gesture. He is so crude, but he has to elevate himself if he wants to become Ivan. Tossing him his wig and cape, Ivan informs him that he will also act as his personal valet.
Several days later in the tent of the female lead, Kimberly Price. Years ago, she was beautiful… it was all she had. She rocketed to stardom at too young an age – it’s as if the thousand flash bulbs that went off in her 16-year-old face froze her mind there. Three hours after being made up she faces the adoring journalists.
Rita and Longshot watch the spectacle causing Rita to remark that Kimberly is a pretty tragic character. Is Longshot mad for her tricking him into the job? He denies this. Stunts are a kick. And he gets to meet someone more riderocket wild than him – her. Rita takes him to the jetpacks to show him their use for the big scene the next day. She compliments him on the way he kept up the past week.
Rita shows him how to fly with the jetpacks and takes off. While somersaulting in the sky, she tells him that she was a rodeo baby. She was raised in the spotlight and needs the constant thrill of danger. She is astonished at Longshot’s quick progress and asks if he hasn’t flown before. That innocuous remark causes Longshot to recall something buried.
(flasback)
Longshot and a similarly dressed handsome dark-haired man called Jackson are flying in a sky full of rocket fire. They use blasters to defend themselves against their foes. Longshot is cocky, believing that nobody stands a chance against the two of them. They are pretty hot, Jackson agrees and suggests that when this is over, the two of them bust out… That moment, he is hit lethally in the back.
With a snarl of rage and grief, Longshot flies downwards, towards a strange construct, announcing that he will kill them, the spineless creeps and their blasted movies. He moves towards what appears to be a camera room, still wildly shouting that they are fighting their lousy wars so that they can have their movies. He flies closer and closer shouting to turn off the cameras or he will put out its eyes.
(present)
Lost in memory, Longshot dives downwards until Rita shakes him awake. Still confused, Longshot confides that he thinks he used to be a movie star. And a warrior… and somebody’s slave... He’s nobody’s slave, Rita insists, while wondering who he is. She turns away muttering that he is so… She doesn’t finish her sentence.
Later, back on the set, Kimberly angrily accosts Longshot. He was supposed to go over a scene with her. He cannot keep a star like her waiting. Longshot is unimpressed and tells her, point-blank, that her problem is that she’s wondering why he doesn’t fawn over her. A superstar is a horror, he continues. It’s like offering your soul up to the public … it exposes all that’s private to the public; fame is a curse … it was a shameful job. Kimberly protests, only to shout in horror that she is losing her face, as her make-up suddenly melts.
Rita realizes that Longshot spoke from some strange half-forgotten memory.
From the bushes, a strange being watches them and decides it is time to test the fickleness of the “Lucky One’s” luck.
Hitch comes to meet Longshot and Rita and explains he has a deal to propose but first he has a dream to tell. The dream is of the perfect movie. It’s all in his formula. Take one he-man, lotsa girls, a dash of violence, some fancy sets… toss in some fast car chases, a touch of “current issues” up the speed a few notches, voila… the perfect junk-food movie. That’s America. It’s his genius. And the secret ingredient: real stunts. Nothing is faked. They are really in danger and he catches that vital edge on film. Now for the deal. A million dollar stunt, a final stunt so dangerous only a suicidal chick like Riccochet will do it. But he needs Longshot too. So, he is to sign this release absolving him of all responsibility for Longshot’s safety and he will be a million dollar stuntman. Is that a lot of money? Longshot asks.
Later that night in a motel, Longshot, unable to sleep, looks up Rita. She’s glad he came but points out she cannot help him… he has too many secrets. He has no secrets, Longshot protests. He’ll tell her everything. Who is he? she asks. Oh, that. He explains that he is truly amnesiac. He has no past, no real “him”. That’s ok, Rita retorts. All her life, she has been looking for a man without a past…
Outside the building, Pup realizes Longshot is inside and that he is being watched…
Inside, Rita presses on, reminding him that he referred to himself as a warrior, a star and a slave. Hollow memories, he muses like echoes, as if his mind has been gutted but some vague imprint remains. Part of him doesn’t want a clear picture of the past. Rita is fascinated. She is so much like him. It’s like looking into a mirror. She must have a narcissistic streak, she jokes, as she kisses him. She pulls back one moment later, surprised that his skin is like leather. She doesn’t think he’s human. Longshot protests but Rita runs outside.
Suddenly, he hears a noise from out back and finds that the jet-packs have been messed with. He senses that it is too quiet. A moment later, several of the demons he had fought before materialize around him. They remind him that they were almost able to return home, until he closed the door. Calling him ‘lucky one’ they threaten to make sure he stays stranded as well.
Suddenly, Longshot sees that something rips through them like a Banshee. They dissolve absorbed by Pup who seems bigger … different. ‘Different?’ Pup asks menacingly. How so? Longshot invites him in and starts babbling about having some money soon. Pup asks if he has any food and starts raiding the fridge, thinking to himself that this planet has the best eats in the galaxy. Longshot asks him when he learned to stand on two feet. He is full of surprises, Pup agrees, as he gulps down the snacks.
That moment, Rita comes back, as she felt bad about leaving before. Longshot wants to introduce his ‘puppy friend.’ Rita shouts that this cannot be a pup. It’s a midget in a fur suit, right? Rita insists that something is wrong with him and Longshot asks Pup who he really is. He’s Longshot’s pal, he replies with a winning grin. What more does he need to know? They were pals before and they’ll be …
Before what? Longshot asks. If Pup isn’t from Earth, neither is he. He must know who Longshot is. Pulling him by the tail, Longshot demands answers now.
Pup thinks to himself that Longshot is too strong and he hasn’t absorbed enough of this planet’s power yet to beat him. All, right, he slowly turns around; he’ll tell him. Suddenly, he viciously hits Longshot and shouts that he hates him. That’s all he knows. He runs away, thinking that he has become a magic magnet on this world. He has to absorb enough until he is ready. Calling Longshot, a chump he tells him so long. He’ll wave to him from the top.
Rita tells Longshot to go after him. But the dejected young man refuses. Pup was his only friend. He trusted him. Why did he turn on Longshot? He wasn’t his only friend Rita offers as she dabs away the blood from his face. She’s here. Longshot is suspicious. He couldn’t trust Pup. Can he get close to her?
Next day on the set (a dark, skull-faced, smoking sci-fi fortress) Hitch explains what Longshot and Rita have to do. They are to fly past the slavering dogs and laser defense system to the roof of the power plant. They will film their escape. He reminds them that they are suicidal maniacs about to hold the world hostage but the two of them should have no problem acting that part.
Longshot doesn’t feel ready. When Hitch gives the signal, Longshot announces that he will tell them when. Hitch decides to humor him and Longshot shouts ‘action,’ flying off with his jetpack.
Rita sees that he already seems to be a better flyer than she, though she refuses to tell him so. They make it past all the defenses on the roof. Some kick, huh? Rita exclaims. Longshot confides that something is off. He doesn’t have it. Rita doesn’t understand. He has skill… No, he replies. She has skill, he has… something else. People say… he is lucky.
The cameramen get ready for the return scene and Rita tells him they’d better go. Is money a good motive to do something? he asks out of the blue. Probably not, she replies, it’s a selfish motive. Confused, he flies off. The lasers are started again.
In the air, Longshot realizes that his motive is off and he gets hit by lasers a moment later. Half-conscious he falls, recalling something about motives.
(flashback)
Longshot is kneeling and surrounded by a circle of hooded figures, who all have a glowing left eye. He is ready, he announces fiercely. Then we begin! And by the lucky stars … and through the constellation formed … in purification of motives…luck forms… reality bends… and the miraculous must follow! the crowd chants. One of the hooded men takes a red hot branding iron in the form of a star and moves it towards Longshot’s face…
(present)
Again and again, Longshot is hit by lasers, not even sure where he is anymore. He lands in the wires, surrounding the fortress, barely conscious while below fierce dogs are howling for his blood and jumping up. Rita flies to his side. The camera people suggest Hitch call off the dogs to get Longshot out. He orders them to shut up and keep on filming.
Rita tells Longshot to start his rockets. She has juryrigged it to at least fly him over the fence He complies but flies like an amateur. His luck is gone. He crashes down hard outside the fence. Rita is horrified. She always figures it would happen to her one day. But to see it…
The production assistant informs Hitch that Longshot seems to be dead or almost and he orders her to get him his truck. He’ll drive Longshot to the hospital. But the costume has to go off first. While his people get to work Hitch thinks that the contract Longshot signed was illegal. He could sue the pants of him, and if he dies…
The workers have dressed Longshot in his original costume and put him into the back of Hitch’s truck. He orders them to get away. He’ll do this alone, making Rita wonder what he is up to.
Fearing charges of manslaughter, Hitch decides he has to get rid of the body. He parks his truck at the riverside and pulls off body and tosses it into the water. Imagining the body’s lungs filling with water, Hitch feels as though he can’t breath himself. The body comes up again, Longshot’s open, lifeless eyes looking at Hitch accusingly. Don’t… look… at… me Hitch rasps out, though nobody can hear him.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Just let me die
It is typical family scene. The father - a small, bespectacled, middle-aged man with a receding hairline – is sitting in his chair, trying to read the newspaper, the TV set is blaring, the kids are chasing the dog and are ignoring his orders to be quiet and his wife, holding the baby and polishing a pan, complains, telling him he has to pay the phone bill. What will she do without a phone? It’s her lifeline. The husband, Theo, argues, that he hates giving Con Ed money. Today, they are boasting about a million dollar diamond shipment, while they just upped his rates. He orders his daughter, Alison, to get out of the way. She and her sister ignore him while they chase the dog, making Theo miss the big play.
Theo gets up and the girls chase over his chair. Inez still complains and he thinks to himself that he is invisible. He might as well be dead. He slams the bathroom door behind him, ignoring his wife’s prattle. He takes a hard look at himself in the mirror, thinking to himself it is unfair. He is ugly and dumb and they tell you man was created equal. Ha! He starts brushing his teeth, willing himself, he has to do this every night and every morning. The rest of his life.
Suddenly he snaps. He opens the door. Inez is still standing outside complaining about all the work she does. He walks past her, strides to a drawer, takes out a gun. He sits down in his chair and his family suddenly notice him and become quiet as he point the weapon at his target… and shoots the TV set. Without another word, he leaves their ramshackle home.
Soon, he has found himself a bridge to jump off of. He wonders how to do this and whether he really should. But then he thinks about the peace. No more pissing puppies… no more bills… no more nagging… no more TV jingles. Here’s to never having to brush his teeth again Theo thinks as he holds his nose and jumps… and lands on something soft.
Can’t even kill himself right, he swears, until he notices that he is sitting on a person who still seems to be alive. It’s Longshot, whose left eye begins to glow. Full of doubt whether he actually should do this, Theo drags Longshot ashore. Noticing his outfit, he asks if he is a superhero, as Longshot slowly comes to. Theo marvels that his face is healing right before his eyes.
Longshot recalls being a stuntman, trying to get some money. He got hurt during a stunt. They probably left him there. He rambles on about monsters chasing him through a portal… or out of a portal? No, that was earlier… and he doesn’t know where he is.
Amnesia? He wishes he had that, Theo replies. Not even a name? People call him Longshot, he replies. Ha, they call him Jinx, Theo remarks. Longshot touches Jinx’s head and gets a psychometric death image. He wants to kill himself? he asks in surprise Who’d want to die? It’s great to live! It is? Theo asks with no conviction. He tells him what he would like on his gravestone. Longshot replies he won’t let him kill himself. He’ll show Theo how great life is. Yeah, right, Jinx replies.  Longshot doesn’t have a nag of a wife, too many kids, a lumpy sofa, a busted TV set, huge Con Ed bills…
Longshot remembers his friend, Eliot, the survivalist, talking abut Con Ed. He called them thieves who were ripping off people, right? Jinx agrees half-heartedly. So let’s get the money back, Longshot decides. And he’ll have an adventure, Longshot cheerfully adds, his back turned on Theo, who eyes the bridge.
Longshot announces that he feels great, even though he was pretty smashed up before. Yeah, he can thank his lucky stars. His back still turned on Theo, who climbs up the bridge and attaches a noose there, Longshot cheerfully announces that he may be from the stars. And they tell him he is lucky. He seems to be a lucky star. He wonders where Pup is. He misses him, nasty as he is, he can’t wait to see him again. There is so much to enjoy in life!
Yeah, he loves life, Theo thinks sarcastically, as he fastens the noose around his neck and jumps. Longshot turns around in time. With an admonishing ‘cut that out,’ he throws his knife at the rope, cutting Theo down. Sitting in the mud, he complains that he didn’t want to be saved. want an adventure. Yes, he does, Longshot replies. He’ll get the thrill back in his life. AND they’ll get people’s money back. Now, where would they keep the diamonds?
Theo recalls the paper mentioning an experimental lab. Longshot tells him to blacken his face and believe in luck. Theo doesn’t buy it. Why does Longshot think people call him Jinx? he asks. Cheerfully, Longshot replies he can do anything if he just tries. He just has to keep his motives pure and believe. Caught in the mood, Theo decides to try, as he haphazardly follows Longshot in sneaking across the grounds.
Longshot elegantly jumps over the electrified fence landing on the circuit box that powers the fence. What luck, Theo marvels Theo climbs on a tree, less elegantly and then jumps down on the other side, to be caught by Longshot. Wasn’t that fun, he asks good-naturedly. No, Theo replies. And with the alarms off they can walk right in, Longshot states.
Behind them, Longshot’s demon hunters materialize. The woman, Spiral, suggests they kill him. Gog replies that they need him. His stinking luck will find them a way back. Ignoring Sprial’s protest that she hates him, he tells her to be ready to dance.
Longshot and Theo have made it into a scientists’ office full of experimental equipment, which Theo recognizes from the newspapers. The diamonds should be right there. Longshot studies the machines. All this metal… so many wires… it seems familiar. His eye begins to glow as another memory fragment reasserts itself.
(flashback)
Obese, spineless beings sit in mobile chairs, watching in disgust and amazement the human shapes held by the machinery. Extraordinary bodies, one of them comments, trimmed down to mere skin over muscle. Repulsive. No character. Ugly, every inch. The spine is particularly distasteful.
Another hastens to add that the facial structure is so bland. More practical, the other asks what they need pretty slaves for. They function well, high quality of muscle efficiency, decent teeth… But why did Arize use such a repulsive design? the other Spineless One insists. He selected the worst nightmarish creatures from their mythology and made them come alive.
A third puts it down to Arize’s eccentricism. However, he is disturbed by the idea that the spines will make those beings able to walk. Won’t spines make them better than them? The first one explains that being spineless is better. They expend so little physical energy, leaving their minds free. Those poor creatures doing their labor won’t have a flicker of energy left over to think.
Well, the technology is magnificent, one of them states, taking a closer look at one of the specimen, a blond male. Those beings were first planned in a microscopic genetic map, morphogenetically grown in these delicate machines. He is curious to probe the new warrior specimen for a glimmer of consciousness.
He addresses the blond man, greeting him: this is his new world and he is his first owner. Sweating and glaring, the man, the later Longshot, snarls that nobody owns him. Feisty, isn’t he? the Spineless Ones ask. These days Arize is designing them with some intelligence, not to mention a dangerous element of spunk. They’ll have to remind this one of the facts. He tells the man they own him. They made him. And he is ugly. With that, he shuts off his mind.
(present)
Theo shakes Longshot out of his reverie. Puzzled, Longshot asks who created them. Who built them? No one, Theo replies nonplussed. They are born. Is he crazy? He guesses God made them, he adds as an afterthought. Is he their ruler? Longshot asks. He doesn’t know, Theo replies. To some people he is. Does he look like them? Longshot presses on. Well, they say he created man in his image, so he guesses God is like them, Theo replies. Confused as they are, probably a little psychotic.
He stumbles across the diamonds. Longshot touches them. His eye flares as he reads something special about those stones. He sees an opening of sorts. He doesn’t understand yet, but those stones are special. Sure are, Theo replies happily. They are worth millions. You can buy a lot of special with that. No, Longshot mumbles, an older use…
Suddenly, Theo hears a strange noise. Longshot believes it is nothing, though. Neither notices that the strange demon beings are following them. Moments later, Jinx falls hard and loses several teeth. Longshot examines what he fell over, the corpse of a guard. Realizing this is serious, Longshot takes some of the wire for a weapon while Theo still helplessly looks for his glasses.
Theo points at something - it is the still-larger Pup, who sarcastically observes that Longshot has found a new friend. By the way, he had better watch his back. The next moment, Longshot is surrounded by demons. Theo frets over whether he should run or take this as a good opportunity to die. He tries to hit one of the demons and hits the wall instead. Pup grabs him and pulls him upwards.
The creatures hit Longshot, still blaming him for being stuck on this horrible world. But this time all they need are those gems. Longshot shoves one of the critters into the machinery and the power plan goes nuts. The demons have a weird effect on the machinery. The lights go out… over all of Manhattan.
In the offices of the Daily Bugle, Editor-in-Chief Robbie Robertson fears that with Manhattan in the dark the crime rate will skyrocket. Freelance photographer Peter Parker inwardly urges his boss, J. Jonah Jameson to say it already… and he does: Must be Spider-Man’s fault.
Back at Con Ed, Longshot trusts in his luck and throw his knives at the demons, who dissolve. He revels in his luck, until the demon behind him takes him out.
A few dark moments later, Longshot awakes, tied to the wall. The demons surround Spiral, who is doing her dance. Soon, with the help of the diamonds, timespace will open and they are going home, and the sweetest part is leaving the Lucky One behind. Longshot demands they tell him who he is. The demons laugh and Gog tells him that is the beauty of the moment. They are leaving and taking his secret with them.
He further taunts Longshot by threatening he will drop in on everyone Longhsot loved to say hello. He looks around to find his son, who has disappeared, perhaps to stay near Longshot. They leave through the portal, one of them announcing that Quark is missing. Longshot futilely shouts after them to tell him who he is. He is nobody, are the parting words of one demon.
Longshot desperately frets until he sees Pup with Theo. Longshot thanks him, while Theo whispers that he is a bit quick-tempered. Pup just angrily looks at Longshot for a moment before shouting that he didn’t save Theo. He took him to kill him, because he hates Longshot, with his pretty face and stinking luck. But he didn’t kill him, Longshot retorts. He asks Pup to hold on to what’s good him. Pup runs away, announcing that Theo isn’t worth such a grand death.
While freeing Longshot, Theo remarks that Pup seems like a dog, who wants to be a person. Is that why he hates Longshot? Longshot looks out of the window to see the police and guards. They realize that they caused a blackout.
A little later, outside, Longshot wants to hand the gems to Theo, but he slaps them out of Longshot’s hands. He doesn’t want them. They stole them. But he thought Con Ed were the thieves, Longshot asks, uncomprehending. But it is legal for them, Theo explains. They charge for power they supply the people with. Understanding they have made mistake, Longshot suggests they return the gems. Theo shouts at him to return them to the people who suffered in the blackout Longshot caused.
And, he adds, he doesn’t want to hang out with him anymore. Around him, he feels like a chump. Longshot is special, he isn’t. He is ugly and clumsy. Longshot just stutters while Theo continues. Man isn’t created equal. Longshot is bigger than life and reminds Theo of how small he is. He couldn’t even kill himself right. Last thing he wants is to hang out with Mr. Wonderful. Longshot doesn’t know what to say. At least he s king at home, Theo reminisces, as he picks some flowers for his wife, Inez. He misses the comforts of home that drove him crazy before.
As they part ways, Theo thinks that at least he won’t have to brush his teeth anymore, while Longshot tells himself he blew that one. He wishes he knew hot to use the gems to get home, but he figures he’ll give them to the people he hurt in the… blackout. What a complicated world. Maybe he’ll like Manhattan…p>
Later that night, Ann Nocenti and Art Adams discuss the events in a diner. Perusing a Daily Bugle article, they talk about the super-thief who robbed Con Ed and shut down New York City. They wonder about the photo, though, which shows Longshot, fighting, although there is nobody there.