Hero was in his private room. It was very small, with the space for nothing more than a bed, having been created, just like all the quarters for the members of the Strikeforce, in a small section of the old Soviet space lab.
On the bed was sitting the New Zealand hero. Standing over the small floor space left empty, was ACK. The first one sported an expression that was a mixture of anger, delusion and sadness. The other, for the first time in te day, was smiling.
"So, oh fearless superman, what do you want to do? In a minute or two, Graviton and Freak will get the answer from the computer, and they will return here expecting an answer from YOU! No one has died and made you leader. Not, definitely, Merlin, although you sound more and more like him."
The young superhero didn't raise the head from the load of papers and pictures all over his bed.
"Your stunt of a few minutes ago was not appreciated by Graviton. Keeping that papers for yourself was not a smart move. You should thanks just that piece of paper that he didn't took the flies from you by then. So, again, what do you think to do?"
The back curly haired guy shook his head for a moment. Then, he took just a few pages and three photos from the folder, raised them at eyes level, and suddenly the pieces of paper were disintegrated.
"The part about the meteor, Paris and your brother, I presume" continued ACK in his monologue.
Hero took all what was left, mostly concerning Vanguard and the Metahuman Brotherood for Liberation, folded them together and put them back in the folder.
"You know that I know what was in that paper, Brandon. And that what have you just done doesn't bode for this Strikeforce code of ethics." ACK was triumphant.
Hero stood over, looking very angry. "You know slimy maggot that I can think a thousand different way to kill you without being noticed, and that no one would ever care for a traitor like you, while you have not a single way to harm me?"
The smile died on the face of ACK.
"Back me on this and I will find a way to discharge you from the accuse of being a spy. But remember... just a word and I will kill you."
In that instant Graviton opened the door. "Hero, you have some explanation to give..." he began, but hero stopped him handling directly the folder with the secret plans of Merlin.
"It's all here. Vanguard are good guys, and Merlin was a bastard liar. I was hoping to find something about the death of my brother but there is nothing. Sorry for having been so... rough."
Graviton took the folder, and looked at the young man with a slightly tilted head. The he shook it, and said: "Nothing to worry, son, we all know how you loved your brother. We'll look at the paper later. The computer has given his response."
