Smith sighed and looked at Chance.

"We have a common goal. You want to stop Naecken. I need to stop to Naecken," Smith said, a hint of despair in his voice. "That is all. I... I swear."

Chance couldn't believe what he was hearing. Smith actually sounded humble. But still...

"I don't buy it," Chance said. "As soon as Naecken was stopped... as soon as you got what you needed from us... you'd turn against us again."

The serious and almost human expresion in Smith's face dissapeared and was replaced by his characteristic evil grin.

"Of course," Smith said, "of course! This truce I'm propossing is only temporary. As soon as it's over I will do anything to destroy you." Smith made a small pause to contemplate Chance's reaction. "I thought that was understood."

Chance looked at Smith for a second and then turned away. "Leave," Chance said firmly as he started walking away from Smith, "or you'll be thrown out."

Mr. Smith watched Chance approach his teammates to discuss the mission. He was speechless. Then his face turned red and his eyes filled with anger.

"THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION FOR ME," Smith yelled, calling the attention of everyone in the meeting room. "Don't expect me to let it be an easy decision for you."

Smith walked to the center of the room and continued speaking as everyone watched silently. "I hate you, boys. You know that. I want revenge on you. However, I want revenge on Naecken much more... Much more than anything in the world. I had to choose between two revenges, and I chose Naecken without hesitation.
"Now you must choose too: trust me and put your lives in danger by doing that... or put millions of lives in danger by letting your only chance to defeat Naecken go."

"'Our only chance to defeat Naecken?'" Kristogar asked. "We've managed to overcome obstacles much bigger than Naecken in the past..."

"Oh, but they weren't," Smith replied. "This is bigger than anything you've faced before. I know it, I've seen it. I was there with Naecken when this started... that's how I know what I know. And you know it too... You know Naecken. I'm certain even you've felt the darkness inside him. Now all that darkness is out in the open, and it's not a pretty sight. It's too much darkness... Even for me(*)."

(*) HR #8: Obsidian Illumination, part one

"So, what is it going to be? The demon with the empire, or the de-powered metahuman?" Smith asked, looking at the faces around him. "I've only got enough dark energy to keep myself alive, the rest has been stripped from me. Ask yourselves, kids, am I that big of a threat?
Would I even be here if I was?"

Before anyone could say anything, Tayden, who had been watching Smith closely the whole time, approached Chance and whispered something in his ear.

"What?" Chance asked. "Tayden, are you sure about this?"

Tayden looked at Smith. Then at the ceiling (more specifically, at the Big Guy way above it). Then back at Chance.

"100%," Tayden lied.

"All right..." Chance said with a sigh. "Smith, you're coming with us. Tayden will be... keeping an eye on you."

Smith couldn't help grinning once again as he looked at Tayden. Tayden just wished he didn't make the biggest mistake in his long life...