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“Harry, did you get the footage I sent you?” Lyger said into the comlink built into his mask as he crouched, perched upon the edge of a nearby building. Lyger had taken advantage of Arthur’s ego, and his willingness to show the group the ins and outs of his new high rise headquarters. Not only had he gotten video of the inside of the building, but he was also able to formulate an almost 3D rendering of the layout of the entire base thanks to the x-ray capabilities in the camera. Because of Harry’s upgrades to the mask, he was essentially able to fabricate a map of the base better than any blueprints. Not that he would ever use them, however, he felt that it was good to be prepared for anything that may happen in the future.

“I did. I’m uploading them into the computer as we speak.” Harry’s voice came back over the com. “I trust your trip was productive?” 

“Hardly.” Lyger said. “We recruited the metas that Arthur wanted, but they’re not ready for something like this. They’re just kids.” 

“Well, the same could be said of you.” Harry told him.

“That’s not what I meant. They’re innocent. They haven’t been in the grind the way that we have. Arthur is going to get them killed, and he isn’t even going to think twice about it.” Lyger explained.

“It’s funny you mention that.” Harry said, his voice growing heavier. 

“What’s wrong?” Lyger asked as he immediately knew that something was weighing on Harry’s mind.

“While you were away, there was an incident.” Harry told him.

“What kind of incident?” Lyger asked as the fear grew in his chest. While he and Radiance had been in Albany on their mission, they hadn’t seen any news broadcasts, and their media blackout continued once they returned to Lost Haven aboard Arthur’s jet.

“Nightmare attacked a stadium full of students.” Harry began. “It was bad.”

“How bad?” Lyger demanded. That monster had taken advantage of the fact that Lost Haven’s heroes were scattered trying to stop the detonation of the meta bomb that Pax Metahumana had set, and killed God knows how many students. All while Lyger was out of town on a babysitting trip. The feeling of guilt gnawed at his very soul. If he had been there, even if he had been killed, him might have been able to save just one life. He may have been able to save one family from the grief that they were feeling because that monster slaughtered their family member like cattle. 

“We’ve got more important things to worry about right now, Kyle. If Pax Metahumana succeeds, it will be the end of the world as we know it. Nightmare and his cronies will be there when this is all over.” Harry told him, and Lyger knew that he was right. As much as it pained him, Pax Metahumana was the number one priority. 

“Fine. Nightmare can wait.” Lyger said, agreeing with his mentor. 

“Good.” Harry’s reply came back.

“But Harry?” Lyger started.

“Yes?”

“My friends. Sam, are they?” Lyger asked without vocalizing his worst fears. If anything had happened to them, to [i]her[/i] while he was gone, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

“They’re fine. They weren’t at the stadium when the attack happened.” Harry told him.

“Good.” Lyger said as a wave of relief washed over him. He fired a grapnel line and swung off into the city in search of the meta bomb, now determined more than ever to find Pax Metahumana and its leaders, and make them pay, not just for the terror that they have spread not only in Lost Haven, but all over the world, but for every life that Nightmare took while the heroes were out looking for the device. As far as Lyger was concerned, the Pax Metahumana terrorists were just as responsible for the death of each of Nightmare’s victims in that stadium as Nightmare himself. 

And soon they would be held accountable.