A million things are going through my mind as I speed up towards the Sky Fortress. Was Humanity Man protecting Susan, just in case? Did The Weapon get through him and get to her? Will Hightower be conscious enough to tell the police to clear the area like I told him? With all these deaths surrounding me, am I even going to be able to save one person in all of this?

All those thoughts washed away as I saw a huge object fall out of the clouds. It was smoking from all four sides, which came from the destroyed anti-gravity pylons. Nothing was holding the Sky Fortress in the air any longer, and very soon, it would be blowing up in the middle of St. Mignola.

Even with my new muscles, there’s no way I’ll be able to catch something this big. The Vodka Room was a complete fluke that I still can’t figure out how I managed to save it. The Sky Fortress’s at least ten times as big, not to mention made of heavy metal. There’s no way I’ll be able to catch this thing! But people are counting on me! The Armadillo and Roadblock’s deaths would be for nothing. Everyone is counting on me or hundreds of people below will be blown up for sure!

What about Susan? Was she dead? Or Humanity Man, he could be in the Fortress now, trying to avenge his wife’s death. Or the other way around, I don’t know! One or both of them could use my help right now! I can’t catch this thing and help my team mates? What do I do!? If only I had that funky telekinesis trick like Susan used, then maybe I could—

And then the Sky Fortress stops falling just before I’m about to plant my hands on it. I hover in the air with my head cocked to the side in confusion. It’s then that I notice that there’s a slight tingling in the front of my skull that I’ve never felt before. I can feel some kind of energy that’s completely surrounding the Shatterpack’s headquarters, holding it high in the air.

I just caught the Sky Fortress with my mind! My powers actually registered that I needed help and gave me a completely new power. I can’t help but shout, “Woo hoo!!” at the top of my lungs, performing a complete with a back flip in the sky.

I quickly compose myself, taking note to concentrate enough to hold up the Fortress. I’m still in shock and awe, but I fly upwards and over the Fortress. As I’m flying up, I’m still admiring my own work, but not enough that I’m giving myself a pat on the back too excessively. I don’t know if self admiration will cut out my powers or not. It’s not quite thinking about myself. Anyway, back to the job at hand.

I overlook the observation window to the conference room. It’s still intact, surprisingly. I hover closer towards it, but the elevator is not responding to my presence. Susan or Humanity Man might be in trouble. I need to get in there, I tell my powers. The tingle in my head tells me that the telekinetic energy around the Fortress is still holding it in place. Good, then I’ll just do things the old fashioned way.

I dig my gloved hands into the metal around the black tinted, bullet-proof skylight. It screeches as I dig further and finally pull it apart like tinfoil. My strength is still increased from the other night, it seems. Without even looking first, I dive down feet first into the conference room, my soles landing on a ruined floor from where the tiles used to be.

There’s one spot in the middle of the floor that there are still some tiles left; just enough room for a human being who would be sitting in a yoga or meditation position. Only I see in horror Susan is no longer sitting on the tiles.

In fact, she’s sprawled on the floor. I’m not even sure if she’s moving.

“Susan!” I cry out and dive to my knees in front of her. I lightly press two fingers on her throat and panic when I don’t feel a pulse. I cry out her name several times but to no avail.

It’s then that I notice something glittering on her chest. Around where the glitter was is a small hole in her robe around her chest area. Blood has seeped into her white robe around the hole in her robe. I whisper an apology to Susan as I run a hand along the hole, getting my glove wet with her blood. To get a better feel, I pull my glove off and run my hand along again, this time under the robe. It’s then that I feel that there is an odd wound in her chest. It’s not a bullet wound, though. The wound is circular, almost like a ring of water left from a moist glass.

Zach, a voice says in my head.

“What? Who’s there?” I panic and look around. But the voice is female, not to mention familiar.

Zach, pull out the ring, the voice tells me.

Without thinking about it, I use my new telekinetic power and mentally lift the object imbedded in Susan Gwenfair’s chest. It hovers in the air above her chest, still dripping with blood. I take it in my hand and wipe the blood off the object as best I can.

It’s a small gold ring. In fact, it’s a small, gold wedding band.

Zach, you need to get out of here, the voice in my head warns me. Have I gone crazy? No, you haven’t gone crazy, the female’s voice even chuckles, amused. It’s me, Zach. It’s Susan.

“S-Susan!?” I gasp aloud.

Shhh. Just think what you want to say. He’s probably nearby. You need to get out of here, quick. You can’t beat him, Zach! He’s gone crazy! Susan tells me in my mind.

What the hell is going on here? I’ve gone mad from Susan’s death. So this is what insanity feels like. Huh, I thought it’d feel like grief, first.

Zach McKie, would you just listen? It’s me, Susan. I managed to transfer my spirit into this ring just before I died.

Oh Susan, I’m so sorry. I tried; I really tried to help everyone.

I know you did. It’s not your fault. None of us knew what was going on. I didn’t until it was too late. He tried talking about getting back together. I could barely hear him while I was meditating, so I guess he took that as the silent treatment.

B-But, I don’t understand! What are you talking about?!

Before I can finish that thought, I’m kicked in my side with a force that feels like a Mack truck. It’s an impact that I’m all too familiar with.

I’m sent flying across the conference room and crash back first into the large desk that made up the whole circular room. I slide down onto the floor, grasping the wedding band tightly in my hand. I drop to my knees, my hands hit the destroyed floor, and I cough up blood.

Zach! Zach, get up! You need to get out of here, now!

“Get your filthy, young hands off my wife, you freak,” an angry voice demands.

I spit out some more blood, wipe it off my chin and look up.

And there standing in front of me, with blood covering his black gloves was Humanity Man. In his right hand, he was holding the black hood that I recognized from The Weapon of Masked Destruction. In his left hand was his blue cape. His shirt is torn, but his “H” symbol is still intact. I never even noticed before but the “H” is actually a slightly different form of that Leonardo Davinci painting, the Virtruvian Man. Only the human figure is posing in the form of an “H”. There are splotches of blood all over it.

I also notice that he is much larger, much more muscular than he was during the interview. It’s like he grew several sizes overnight or in a matter of minutes. But it doesn’t look as natural as the way that my powers grew my muscles. The veins in his arms are bulging just as much as his new muscles.

Just like that, most of the pieces of the puzzle come together. Not all, but most.

Would you listen to me?! You can’t handle him you can’t—

Susan’s voice pauses. I worry for a moment, thinking that the spell she cast into the ring wasn’t strong enough to hold her spirit. I’m surprised when she speaks up that it’s not only a voice of absolute shock and surprise, but one of unending hope.

Zach, do you have any idea, whatsoever, the kind of potential you have?!

It’s the first time since I got my powers that, thanks to Susan, I have the utmost confidence in them. Her ex-husband’s never going to know what hit him.