"We'll have to run for it!" said Arrow.

"We can't leave this stuff down here," Manual observed. He turned to me.

"Ingenium, I'm placing you in charge until I resume contact."

"Sir?"

"I'm going to stay down here and try to use the surrounding water to contain the explosion."

"Let us help you!"

"No. You two need to get out, get to the surface, and work on tracking these villains down before they enact their plan, now move! That's an order!"

I nodded, and activated my speed; Arrow was teary eyed, but we had no choice. The countdown was running out...

"4-3-2-"

We blasted out through the hatch at top speed, the two of us, just in time to clear.

A water bubble had wrapped itself around the tanker; it had exploded inside the bubble, floatsam and jetsem being pulled in.

"We have to contain it now!" I cried.

"On my way!"

I turned around as what looked like a giant steel trap descended from up above us. And operating the controls of what looked like a submarine was none other than -

"Hatsume!" I gasped.

"Baby #14938, radiation container! Originally designed to contain potential radioactive villains-"

"Wait, Manual is -" I began, but realized - Manual must have known about this. "Never mind, hurry!"

The steel trap clamped over the debris. I tapped the intercom.

"Manual, Hatsume has contained the explosion, do you copy?"

"Yeah, where is the boss man anyway?" said Hatsume. I was silent. "Er - Blonde, girl? Legs boy? Where's the boss?"

"He stayed behind to contain the explosion," Arrow said quietly.

"Oh." And for the first time since I'd met her, Hatsume had nothing to say.

...

We hauled the debris to the surface in silence. The trip was quick, and Hatsume called in an evacuation force to take the box, hopefully to deirradiate it. I could only hope Manual had somehow gotten clear of the explosion in time.

"His suit has a tracker on it," said Hatsume, "and it's still beeping, so he wasn't blown up."

"That's something," said Arrow, as we stood together on the shore. "What next, Ingenium?"

"How come you're asking him?" said Hatsume.

"Manual put me in charge," I told her. "Until we find him, I'll assume command."

Her eyes bugged out; she wore her hair back from her face in a ponytail and her goggles on her forehead now, which made her eyes look even larger than usual.

"Boss-man putyouin charge?" I tried not to snap at that tone.

"Arrow," I turned to her. "It seems we have several tasks to perform, and the best way to tackle them will be one at a time. First, we do need to catch these villains before they can enact their plan and put more people in danger. Second, we need to send a retrieval unit down there to check on Mr. Manual. Third, a radiation squad to ensure nothing leaked and the area is safe for use." I paused, running through the options. "You should call the radiation squad; Hatsume, since you have Manual's tracker, you should lead a search party. We'll radio some of the other sidekicks to join you. Arrow and I will head out and search for the villains."

"OK," said Arrow, pulling out her cell phone to make the call. I was trying to think through where we should start looking when I noticed Hatsume was standing next to me and looking at me rather strangely.

"What is it?" I asked her.

She then said something that rather surprised me.

"You ok?"

I blinked a little in shock. Everything I had ever known about or experienced with Hatsume indicated that asking after others' wellbeing was not something she did,ever.

"Erm -" I stammered. She tilted her head. "What?"

"I've just...never heard you express concern for another before."

"Sheesh, you're sure uptight, Speedy," she smirked at me.

I sighed, thinking of Manual's advice. Was it going to be the last advice he gave me?Flexible.

I smiled at her. "I am concerned for Mr. Manual, and rather frightened about the tasks we have to do. It is a great deal of responsibility, and I won't lie, I have concerns. But I will be all right. Thank you for asking."

She nodded, and turned away. "Well, best get my baby moving! Wouldn't want to leave him at the bottom of the sea!"

"Wait, wait! What about the other sidekicks?"

"You'd best get on calling 'em then, cause I won't wait around forever!" She was tapping impatiently on the hood of her device, and I hurriedly flipped open my phone to call the office.Sometimes people can surprise you...I thought. And tried not to think too far beyond that.