Hello guys, and welcome to the seventeenth chapter of the Wave. We might not follow the main characters right now, but this chapter will be just as important as any other chapter. But before you can enjoy that, I have to reply to the reviewers:

LabRatsWhore: Thanks for reviewing! And yeah, Oliver wanted the truth, so he used that. And we'll see what Horace and Alan will do now.

daphrose: Well, they would discover it eventually... and yes, I definitely would want to see more bonding between Alan and Horace on the show. Now you can read how Alan's doing and thanks for reviewing!

Enjoy!

-Writer207

When he woke up, he was inside.

Alan didn't even need to open his eyes to know he was home, at the Mighty Med. He had lain on a gurney so much (to take a nap) he knew he was laying on one now. Plus, the typical hospital smell was something he'd recognize anywhere, so yes, he knew without opening his eyes he had finally come home.

Someone was holding his hand.

This was a rather awkward moment because Alan had no idea who would hold his hand since everyone around hated him. When he realized this stranger was still holding him, he shot up, opening his eyes and he pulled his hand away from the stranger. As he looked up, he saw the stranger wasn't a stranger but Uncle Horace. Alan was surprised, for he hadn't thought it would be Horace standing next to him. He never cared much about Alan and even if he did, he's never shown it. And before he knew it, Horace caught him in a crushing hug.

"Alan! Thank goodness you're okay! What happened to you, boy?" Alan, hoping not to get crushed by Horace again, replied truthfully.

"I left… and I came back." Horace sighed.

"Can you be a little more specific?" He asked and Alan nodded, responding with a semi-truthful answer.

"Well…" he began, "I ran away after you told me I couldn't go to that Normo school. I was mad and I didn't know what to do! And then, I was kidnapped…" Horace frowned. His nephew had been kidnapped and escaped? Too bad he wasn't fit to be a hero, or else he would've been the one saving Alan.

"Who kidnapped you?" If Alan remembered, he would ask one of the heroes if they were able to stop by these criminals. Yet, his nephew shrugged.

"I dunno. I couldn't see their faces. But I overheard them talking about the Annihilator." The chief's heart skipped a beat and gone was the idea to send a hero to the villain's hide-out. He might not have told Oliver and Kaz or anyone else, but they just couldn't ignore the fact the Annihilator was freed by five heroes, under which his nemesis Skylar Storm and the leader of the League of Heroes Titanio. Knowing that heroes (possibly more than five) were helping the Annihilator scared him; who could be trusted and who couldn't? And who guaranteed Alan's safety if the villain wanted him?

"The Annihilator? Alan, you… I'm glad you're back, but… how did you escape?" Again, Alan shrugged.

"I have no idea. I remember running away and being kidnapped, but I can't remember anything else from it!" Horace placed his hand on the troubled boy; he was clearly wondering what happened in the time he had been away from home. Poor boy… Horace looked at the paperwork that head just arrived.

"We're going to check if anything is hurt or bones broken, etcetera. But I'll make sure we won't try to restore your memory. If you've gone through horrors, you shouldn't remember." Alan nodded, being very grateful, "I'm just glad you're alright. For now, you should stay in bed and…" When he looked at Alan, the boy was holding a bottle of water in his hand. Horace frowned. There hadn't been a bottle of water before. Oh, he probably just levitated it here. There was no other explanation to it. Alan should be very thirsty.

"This is for you," Alan said, giving the bottle of water to his uncle. Horace looked at him suspiciously.

"Why are you giving this to me? You've never given me anything." Alan nodded.

"True. But I… I just wanted to say thanks for being there for me when I woke up, I… I really appreciate it." Horace nodded and opened the bottle, taking a drink from it. Horace didn't see how Alan gulped and was hoping he would realize what was going on before it was too late. When he had taken a few sips, he looked back at Alan, who smiled to hide being nervous. Horace was about to walk away when Alan stopped him one last time.

"Uncle Horace," Alan began, "I am sorry. I'm sorry about everything I did and said to you. I hope it won't hurt you too much in the future. And I'm sorry for everything I'll do in the future, too." Horace came closer and put his hand on his nephew's shoulder again.

"Apologies accepted, although I don't know why you should apologize. You've never done anything wrong! Now, get some rest. It'll help." Alan didn't say anything as he saw Horace leave. Nobody noticed him – they probably cursed him for coming back – and thus he broke down without having anyone notice it. He was really doubting his loyalties and the plan, and he was also wondering if the others would take his responsibility if he was unable to do what he promised.

Henry Tidwell ascended in his suit down to the basement. He normally wouldn't wear his Titanio-suit anywhere in his house, but this was different. He was going to the basement and he couldn't show up as Henry Tidwell – his cover would be blown.

He was appearing as Titanio because the Annihilator had requested his presence.

As he stood there, in his heavy blue armor, with the helmet in his hands, he was feeling like the outcast. Not only because he was the only Normo superhero who was working for the Annihilator and evil (he still was working on the last trait) but because he had made the choice himself. The others had been forced, had been taken in the hospital or ambushed outside, evil as soon as the device had contaminated their powers.

Titanio was one of the most popular superheroes, according to several lists taken by comic book fans. As a kid, he had always wanted to be a hero, despite the things his family said. And now, he was one of the few successful Normo superheroes and the leader of the League of Heroes, a title which could've been easily trusted to Tecton or Captain Atomic or any other hero. He figured out why Surge had been attacked and who did this (with a little help from the Dark Warrior). He contacted the villain with the promise to be even better than before. For what was a good hero doing when facing a very dangerous Normo villain?

When the doors slid open, NeoCortex was waiting for him, and Titanio knew why. The villain thought Normos couldn't be trusted. Too bad, but everyone had the same goals in life, even if some chose other ways. Who cares if he had a certain goal which might differ from the Annihilator's? The villain clearly could use the Normo hero to support him and Henry was planning to give Neil the support he needed as long as he'd get what he wanted in the end.

Before NeoCortex could do anything, Henry placed the helmet on his head, where it belonged. This made Michael frown.

"Why the helmet?" he asked, and Titanio shrugged.

"The Annihilator doesn't need to know what my real name is. I am Titanio or Mr. Tidwell, if he has that figured out, but he can't know I'm Henry." NeoCortex folded his arms, obviously trying to read Henry's mind. Luckily, Henry had already taken precautions. He only put on the helmet to stay incognito and to make sure NeoCortex wouldn't invade his thoughts, as he was surely ordered to do by the Annihilator. If you can't even trust your allies…

Titanio proceeded, left NeoCortex behind, and he went to the room where the Annihilator was currently residing. You should know you should take Henry's basement seriously, it's a whole floor underground, perfect to house all members of the Annihilator's evil heroes that didn't live in the manor already. Titanio passed heroes like Citadel, Blue Tornado and others. Some couldn't be there because they had a cover to maintain.

He entered the Annihilator's room in his lair (the entire basement) and Skylar Storm was standing next to her master – next to their master, excuse me. Titanio sighed. This was one of the situations he didn't like being in – standing in a room with two of the most powerful people of the evil wave, as Henry calls it, ready to kill him if he said anything wrong. Yet, he proceeded because of his goal, his intriguing plot to get what he wanted most. Just a few more days and he reached his goal. Then he wouldn't have to work with the moron anymore.

Titanio nodded and just said his codename because he didn't know how to address his 'master' properly. The Annihilator just stared at the robot suit in front of him. For a while, the villain didn't say anything, but then he started to talk.

"How is the boy?" Titanio waited a few seconds before answering.

"He's fine. I haven't heard much about him after I dropped him off, but I'm sure Skylar Storm can keep you informed with the latest news." He pointed at Skylar when he said that. The Annihilator nodded – or at least, that's what Titanio thought he did. And as Henry had guessed, now was the time for the Annihilator to hold a monologue about the plan to remind everyone he hasn't forgotten and to remind them he was the one making the plans.

"When Diaz has been caught in our web, we will bring him here. The Normos will do whatever I want when they realize we have Horace and Alan. The world will be mine."

"What about the Super-Secret Heroes in Hiding?" Titanio wanted to know, "They will learn of your plans and will try to stop you." Your. You. He knew how to play the game. Make the ally feel lie he's got it all and respect his choices, but always remind him you're involved too. The Annihilator shot up from his chair.

"You think I didn't have them I mind?" Titanio shook his head.

"I thought I'd remind you of their presence. They've been quite active lately, and there's no doubt they have noticed what was going on. Everyone knows about the short time Tecton was in the Max, including this hero group." The Annihilator sat down, convinced by his argument.

"They will be taken care of. They will show up to fight with us. I'm sure the Normos are already trying to figure out how to contact Optimo, since they already have his old Dagger. Don't worry, Titanio; we'll overpower them anyway, and when they're defeated, they will join my army." Titanio nodded, bade his master goodbye and then left the room. His gaze crossed NeoCortex' for a second, and he knew the newly recruited villain didn't trust him.

Titanio shouldn't be trusted according to NeoCortex. If he had the powers the Annihilator promised him in exchange as the prize for his support, he would kick off his new career of evil and he would surely betray his master. He would try to eliminate him and he would try to achieve his own evil goals.

You're born evil, you grow evil or you have evilness thrust upon you. That was Michael's current view of evil. The Annihilator was born evil, and evilness was thrust upon NeoCortex, though the hero-turned villain didn't mind – and Titanio had grown jealous of the powers of others and had grown to be evil, or else he would've never tried to contact the Annihilator.