As Ed and Eddie arrived back at the complex, they were greeted at the door by Danny, Grissom, and Charley.
"Hey, Ed, where've you been?" Danny asked his teammate. "We're getting ready to head down to the Fish Factory for the party."
"Danny, would you fly with me for a moment?" Ed asked somberly.
"Uh, sure. . ." Hearn responded, a little confused.
"Charley, would you watch Eddie for a moment?" Edulcore asked, his eyes pleading with the woman.
"Sure, no problem." She took the youngster by hand and led him to the kitchen.
"I'll uh, I'll help her." Grissom followed Charley and Eddie, sensing the need for privacy of the man known as the Raptor.
Edulcore spread his arms and sent a mental impulse for his wings to sprout. Danny did the same, only with a vocal command to Hal, his second brain.
The two Vanguardians took flight.
"So what's going on? You've been down to Chance's marker, haven't you?" Danny asked, struggling to keep up as the former Eurostar unconsciously flew slightly faster.
"I should've been here. I should've helped him when I had the ch-opportunity." Ciccioto answered, his voice slightly cracking.
"I was. . .selfish." he glanced across the sky as the sun began to set.
"You had things to do, Ed. You had your son to think of. I've feel the same way about Chance. You know that. But sometimes other things take priority. You can't always be there when you want to be." Hearn soared closer to his longtime teammate.
"There's something else, isn't there?" he asked.
"Nowhereman, also, is dead. There was a building. In Chicago. It exploded. They matched his records." The Raptor answered.
"Nowhereman. . ." Danny said to himself. The Englishman had not been a part of their group for some time, but they both remembered the early days of the Revolutionaries and how far they'd come since then.
"How many of our friends do we have to lose, Danny? Even when they are not with us, it seems there is no escape. Naecken, Pete, Nowhereman, Chance, so many gone. . ."
"And so many still here, don't forget. I'm still trying to get used to these new guys. Friends will always come and go, Ed. The important thing is that you enjoy them while they're here. Make the most of things while you have time. You still have your son, you know. . ."
A slow smile crept across Edulcore's face. "I know. Thank you, Danny."
"You're welcome. Now let's get back so we can go party. I wanna get pissed!" They turned, arcing back towards the complex, the last rays of the sun shining on them.
