t across town. The clean walls of the hospital wing seemed to surround him as he floated in and out of awa

one sitting beside his bed blinking against the strong fluorescent lights. The man who had at last cut down the Phantom, Specialist Marcus Turner, watched him with a mix of interest and contempt. Turner spoke

out. "Why..." "Why are you preserved?" Turner finished for his use. "Alex, since you can rely on a man to stay silent when buried six feet underground. You also have quite a

ute". "We know you were not working alone. We know your dad's connection, regarding the dirty cops, government authorities on your finance. We do not know the

Turner laughed bitterly. "You're not in a position to set standards, Harding. But I'm listening. Alex then said, "security." "For my family. include Sarah and the kids. safety for my fat

the ward. Turner drew his weapon, then positioned himself between Alex and the door. Dressed as a nurse, someone dashed in when the door opened. Before Turner could react, the "nurse" disarmed him with a sequ

said. Still, it also suggested he had a choice to make - and fast. "Come on," Elena said, running to turn Alex off the several equipment monitoring his vitals. "We are not

ou have become delirous from the painkillers. You speak without understanding. "I know exactly perfect thing I'm saying," Alex insisted. "Elena, I'm dead." Burned on the lies, the viciousness, every last piece of it. I

with me, or I'll leave you to rot." Alex looked at her straight forward. "Please find my apologies, Elena. Thank you for everything; except, I'm still waiting." For a while, he believed she might shoot him herself. She

ing." "You could have been most of the way to opportunity at this point." Alex only gave a weak smile. Possibly. Still, I couldn't have been free-not really." As Alex healed ove

ect her to, he thought of Sarah as representing the trust he had sold. Turner entered Alex's room with terrible articulation on the fourth day of his admission. "We have a problem," he noted, not specifying. "Your father is no longer here."

lightly. "That is our theory. Though it looks she had a backup plan, your little flight effort may have failed." "I want to talk to Sarah," Alex urged. "She coul

eover, far out in the distance Elena Vasquez was acting, building something maybe even more dangerous out of the upheaval he had caused. Alex watched the city lights sparkle some distance aw

is reflected her own. "Dear Mr. Harding," she muttered quietly. " Time for your evening meds." Alex glanced at a small tattoo on her wrist as she dipped in to fix his IV; it

arkness enveloped him, the nurse's face changed to become a shockingly identifiable countenance. "Sweet dreams, love," his fading awareness heard Sarah's voice repeating. "We have work to do at the time you wake." The parts of ano