I stood above Nightblade. Finally, after six years, I had him. There was no escape. My power formed in my hand, the power that gave me my name: Blast. The press was very creative with their names. I straightened my arm towards him, “Give up Nightblade, you have nowhere to go.”

Nightblade raised his head, “Finish it then, Kyle,” he hissed my real name.

I started, “How do you know my name?” I demanded.

A small smile played on his lips. “I followed you home after a battle 5 years ago.”

Five years! He has known who I am for five years!

“And I know you know my name,” he continued.

I lowered my hand and extinguished my blast. “Mathias,” I whispered. Mathias smile widened, then his body convulsed and he started coughing. Blood splattered on the floor. I must have punctured his lung when I hit him at some point.

With his head still lowered, Mathias hissed, “What are you waiting for? Just finish me!”

I stood over my beaten enemy, not sure what to do. “Come on,” I commanded, “you must have an escape plan. You always do!”

Mathias’s breath was labored, hissing in and out of his mouth. “Not this time Kyle. This is my last fight.”

I was numb. What do I do? Kill him? Turn him in? Let him go? In the end, I crouched beside him and rubbed his back, trying in vain to ease his pain. “I don’t understand,” I whispered, “you always had a plan! You never let me get this close? What happened?”

“I never planned on going home.”

“Why?”

He coughed, “There was... no reason.”

Nightblade’s arms gave out and he slumped completely to the ground. I finally realized the gravity of the situation. He’s going to die! I quickly turned over his body and started to examine where his injuries were. I grabbed Mathias’s shirt and started to rip it open.

Mathias grabbed my hand and stilled them. “It’s alright Kyle. I knew I was going to die.”

“But why?” I demanded, surprised at the tears that were forming in my eyes.

“Because I don’t have any fight left in me.” Mathias took a couple of labored breaths. “Nothing more can be done to avenge my little boy. All parties have paid.”

“What do you mean?” The tears were really flowing now

Mathias coughed again, “My boy, Mike, was in an accident. The company di- didn’t care about safety. They let him die with no apology. They only got a… a slap on the wrist for the death of my boy.”

“That’s why you targeted GenCom,” I realized.

All he did was nod in response. The next coughing fit brought blood spurting out from between his lips. I moved quickly and placed his head on my lap. He smiled up at me, “You pack quite a punch kid. I’m going to miss fighting you.”

“Then don’t die,” I sobbed.

“Death is a part of life, kid.” He gasped for breath. “I never tried to kill you because I couldn’t imagine putting another-... another family through what I went through.”

“Save your breath,” I commanded. I was still hoping against hope that my team got my signal and was rushing here. Wolf would know what to do. He would know how to save him.

Mathias smiled and took my hand in his. “I am proud to have lost this fight to you, Blast.” Mathias lost consciousness then. His hand went limp, but I still held on. I could still see his chest rising and falling.

Wolf dropped down beside me. He knelt by Mathias and checked his pulse. “What happened?”

“I beat him,” I responded numbly. “Can we save him?”

Wolf looked at me, understanding shining in his eyes, “No. His lung has been punctured. He has minutes left.” The tears started falling fresh from my eyes. Wolf stood up and walked away, giving me my space. He calmly led the rest of the team away.

I sat with Mathias until his last breath escaped his body. I sat with him as his body grew cold. I sat with him as vigor mortis stiffened his body. Finally, Wolf pulled me away. He didn’t speak, he didn’t gesture, he didn’t do anything but hold me. I thought I had run out of tears, but they started flowing again.

The sunrise dawned over the city, bathing it in a glow. “Do you want to turn in the body, or shall I?”

“What will they do with it?”

“Probably buried at sea, or cremated.”

I stepped back sharply, “No, I will not give them the body. He has a family that will want it more than the government will.”

Wolf smiled at me, “I knew you would say that. Better get to work at locating them.”

I nodded, my eyes ached from tears. Maybe I couldn’t save him, but I could save his family from having to wonder what happened to another family member.