Chapter 43: The Mall
"What the actual hell is going on?" Snowdawn asked with wide eyes.
"You two should leave." Max Lightning's voice wasn't heroic. It was a drawl, barely any energy behind it; his shoulders slumped forward. He might have been in his costume now, which was clean and spotless, but the bags under his eyes remained, and his hair was still a mess. "The civilians will need someone to round them up and lead them out of here."
"What about you, though?" Snowdawn asked. "You think you can handle that guy?"
Max Lightning lazily shrugged. "I'm strong."
"Right."
"He'll be fine." Whisper grabbed onto Snowdawn's wrist and began to drag him away. "Trust me. My dad fought alongside the greats like Ruby Admiral and Full Monarch. He was the one who helped the Victorian get back on her feet after the death of her dad, and he has kept his city safe from any threat."
"And that man is actually your dad?" He shot a look back at the tired-looking Enforcer member.
"Trust me." Whisper frowned beneath her mask. "He hasn't been my dad in a while."
"What are you saying?" His eyes met those of the Enforcer member.
The homeless man looked back at him. "Mr. Moore." He nearly jumped when the hero used his real name. Max Lightning stared past him almost. "I don't think we'll ever talk again, so while I have you here, I just wanted to say this. In a few months, when you have to make a difficult choice, you're going to wonder if it was the right one. Trust your gut, okay?"
"What the hell does that mean!" Snowdawn asked in a panic.