"I'll spare you the details of the aftermath of his betrayal. Zundapp came for him and he disappeared. I was out cold for a while, and his jets are fast. By the time i was coherent enough to remember what they planned to do, it was already to late." He frowned, "The town was... devastated. Destroyed. They couldn't believe Lightning would do something like this..."

You nod thoughtfully, but he continues, "...And that's because he didn't. The Lightning everyone knows wouldn't do something as big as this, and he definitely wouldn't have before Zundapps... persuasions." Finn grimaced at the word.

"Hi Brainwashing?" you clarify. He nods.

"Any way, how about we jump right in to Lightnings first public attack?"

Lightning was different when Finn saw him again. The unhinged way he had spoken to him in the diner was replaced by a cold, calculated voice. His eyes that carried malice were devoid of anything by intelligence and his hand... Zundapp had improved his hand greatly. The regular prosthetic they had given him was replaced by a thick metal hand that moved and twitched like his other hand. So similar that if not for the metallic glint you would have never known it was fake. It was brilliantly crafted, without a sharp edge on it, who knew zundapp was capable of that?

But as Finn stood upon the narrow catwalk above one of the most treasured and popular theaters in the united states, he focused on more important things than the craftsmanship of a prosthetic. No, he had mush bigger problems to worry about, like the giant bomb that impeccable hand was holding out towards the audience. But Lightning wouldn't throw it, not if there was a chance he could be hurt or caught, but he was to smart to negotiate terms with a spy- especially one as good as Finn. He kept each sentence short and to the point carefully avoiding giving to much away.

"Lightning, you've got to think about all those people! What if one of them was your parents! How would you feel if-"

"I was happy when they died," Lightning cut him off, "They were nothing to me but hindrances! they wanted me to be a doctor, HA! How disappointed they were!"

"Lightning..." Finn started.

"NO! Stop saying things, Finn. I know what i'm doing is bad, I know, but you're not going to stop me. Not yet. There's a time and a place for everything, and I already have it all planned out."

Finn froze. Planned out...? Lightning had planned out his own demise? Was he that lost? was his mind that shattered to create a time and place for his own death? Oh how Finn's heart ached to help him! To fix the way he has been broken. To glue the pieces back together even if it took years to find all the pieces. He would help Lightning free from his broken identity if it was the last thing he did! He had to!

"there is a time and place for everything, Finn!" Lightning emphasized, "And it is time for a warning! For showing you and everyone else that i am serious!" He looked Finn in the eyes, a pleading look in his eyes that Finn didn't recognize.

He let the bomb drop.

Finn had thankfully had enough time to evacuate the people from the theater, and when the bomb went off it had been all clear. But Finn couldn't shake the look in Lightnings eyes. He had been begging him to... understand? no... no... he wouldn't want Finn to understand, but what did that look mean? What did any of it mean?

The second time Lightning made an appearance in public was not as nice nor as casualty-free as the first. It was the same as before. A bomb set as a warning. A hint at how destructive he could be... at how life shattering he could be. He wanted something big, and wasn't going to stop for small things. But that scariest part of it all? He didn't hide himself. He never even tried to sneak past a camera or hide in the crowds. He walked right into a full stadium with a backpack full of explosive, set it down, walked out and detonated it. the blast was small- it was just a warning after all- but it left six dead and countless wounded. He was growing bolder, but now that he was caught on tape? It was a nationwide manhunt for one man. he was well known- but the countless false alarms made them doubt the civilians credibility now. False lead after false lead was destroying Finns hope, but if they found him in time then maybe they could catch him and help him.

And when Finn met him the third time there was a sense of triumph and superiority about him. He was stronger, more sure of himself, and judging by the lemons following his every command he was more powerful, but what had happened to Zundapp? he wouldn't willingly give Lightning this much power!

And Lightning strode over smooth and easy, no bad bone in his body. He smiled at Finn warmly, "Care to talk?" He had asked simply. But they both knew the implications behind his question. Say yes and you live a little longer, say no and you'll be dead before you reach the door.

And Finn didn't exactly know how he got there in the first place. He had been following a lead through the sewers when he came upon a new steel ladder up to a manhole, and after pushing his way in he found himself in the middle of a busy factory floor. Lemons had been pushing about large mechanical machines and guns upon guns were stacked against the wall. They were planning an invasion. A massive invasion.

or maybe a massacre.

So here he was, sitting across from someone he had known so well once. Someone who had killed people and wasn't afraid to do it again, and he had the audacity to talk about the weather! Finn knew Lightning was trying to rile him up, to get his goat, to make him sloppy and unfocused and Dammit! It was working! He had to retaliate! He had to get under Lightnings skin while he could...

"Your parents were proud of you." Lightning slapped him so hard he saw stars.

"Now you listen, Finn, and you listen good." He had succeeded in infiltrating his calm demeanor, but now he wasn't so sure that it was a good idea, "I have kept you alive because you saved me once, but now i have plans set for you. For all of you. If you speak to me about my parents again i will be forced to remove you from those plans- which would take a few hours but i can do. Do not speak of them again, got it?"

Finn nodded surely, he had to let Lightning think he had the control of something disastrous might happen. He had to trick him like he was tricked. He had to do this for everyone.

"Do you remember what i told you in the hospital?" Lightning finally asked.

Finn remembered it clearly, "He's still broken, Finn. He's still comatose. Who ever that Leland is in there, he isn't who you used to know. Zundapp got through to him, Zundapp changed him. He doesn't have that sense of justice he used to have. He's dark, an honestly he might not be able to be saved, and you have to accept that Finn. You have to know that if it comes down to it, you'll have to do the right thing."

oh

He hadn't been talking about leland.

With a snapping sound Lightning set off the same bomb from Flos cafe and had his lemons take Finn off the premises. It looks like they would need to move locations...

Again.

He knew moving around was a part of keeping yourself from being caught, but it sure could be a hassle. Not to mention the nagging feeling in his head that something was missing. That something was wrong.

Oh well. Lightning had more important things to worry about than an odd feeling every once in a while. It's not like it mattered.

YEyayeyaeyeee chapter whatever this is! 10, i think? idk. two-three more chapters before it's finished! How exciting! Keep reading!