Nigel followed Blanka and Sally out of the hospital and onto the rooftop. April was playing with Jerry. They had started a game of hide and seek, and she was counting. The boy laughed as he disappeared into the hospital. Nigel’s heart warmed as he watched them play. Both had been robbed of their adolescence by wicked men. Nigel hoped that his actions would set right what had been taken from them and all others like them.

“Let’s go over the plan,” Nigel said.

Blanka spread a map of Boston across a makeshift table.

“Sally will fly above Doc Chop’s flying machine—near Downtown Crossing. We will rappel or zip-line down to its surface and find a way in. Once inside, I need you to hack the onboard computer. Once you have control, you will take control of the ship and direct it away from the city. I will locate my teammates and provide backup,” Blanka said.

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“Do you even know the status of Vedrana and Eva?” Nigel asked.

Blanka looked back at the map. “If they need help, I will provide it.”

“Come on, Nigel, we need to go,” Sally said.

Nigel turned to the hospital entrance where April and Jerry were playing. He longed to say goodbye to them. He had grown fond of both of them, and wasn’t sure if he would get another chance. Blanka pulled on his arm. He moved toward the helicopter. As they boarded, Nigel expected to be pumped to defeat the infamous Doc Chop and take on his Professor Paladin. Instead, he was overwhelmed with melancholy. If the world were to survive, then those men needed to be eliminated—for good. Doc Chop seemed to have infinite lives in this game, and today they were playing for keeps.