I'M YOUR PUPPET; invincible

chapter 5

    "I won't let you, either. I promise."

———

    "Lightwalker, Titan. Titan, Lightwalker."

    She stares up at the man before her. Dark skin, loose clothing, but something in his expression echoes empathy. A kindness that she cannot quite place.

    "Why is she here?" Titan asks, looking to where Mark stands at her side.

    "Because," he says, hands balanced on his hips, "she's going to help us."

    The man sighs. "Fine." He gestures to a building in the distance, almost standing taller than those surrounding it. "The only place we're guaranteed to find Machine Head is 60 stories up. The room is lined with windows, but they're bomb-proofed with something. There's a whole team of ex-military assholes patrolling the place; packing the latest shit, too."

    Mark looks out at the building. "Which is why you need me, hm?"

    "I'm tough," Titan says, elbows braced on his knees. "But I'm not stupid."

    Loren looks between the two. "What makes you think that Machine Head's teleportation friend won't just take him somewhere else?"

    "I took care of Isotope."

    "How?"

    "He's got a girl he sees a couple of times a week. I paid her extra to keep him there all evening."

    Loren nods. "That's one way to do it?"

    Mark frowns, looking between them. "What?" But at the look on her face, he nods. "Oh. Okay" Sighing, he sits next to Titan, signalling for Loren to do the same. "So we break into the penthouse and grab Machine Head. Then what?"

    "Don't you got friends who can keep a guy like him off the street?"

    Mark looked at Loren, waiting for her response. She shrugged. "I could take him to the Global Defense Agency. They would be more than happy to take him."

    Titan smiled, looking between the two, though his attention lingered on Mark. "See?" He said. "Doin' good already, hero."

    "That was your daughter," Mark said. "Back at Beckwell Community Center, right? What's her name?"

    "Fiona."

    Mark's brows furrowed. "You guys go there often?"

    "It's her second home," Titan told him.

    Glancing back at the city before them, Mark's decision was made. Both by the feeling in his gut, the one that told him this was the right thing, and because he knew Titan was right. This would help people. He didn't want to do it to prove his title as a hero, but because it was a good thing to do. The right thing.

    "Okay," he said with a small smile. "I'm in. But we have to make it quick. I've got plans later tonight."

    They made a quick entrance to the penthouse.

    "Machine Head!" Titan barked as they barreled through the front door.

    Mark looked across the room at the semi-mechanic man. "Get up. We're taking you in."