Hero's Call

Chapter Thirty One

It didn't take long for Milo to get home, stuff a few things into a back pack, and get down to the retirement home. Much to his surprise, he didn't have to do a lot of explaining to his parents nor did they fight him on anything. Once he told them where he was heading and what he had planned to do, they both seemed reluctant but okay with their son running to Manhattan to try and save the world. Milo thought that the death of Seven had some impact on them as well, and it was making them far more lenient than they would have been before he had died.

When he arrived at Buckland Retirement Home, Bill and Cali were already waiting for them. They both had back packs stuffed much like he did. Xander was standing a few steps away from them as if there was still an opportunity that one of them would be inclined to break him in half and he would want a bit of a head start. The young clone had nothing with him, but Milo assumed he wouldn't need much since he was going back to the place where he had come from.

"Hey, guys," Milo greeted them as he approached. "Everybody ready?"

Bill and Calliope nodded, but didn't speak.

"Why did you want to meet here?" Xander asked, eying they building suspiciously.

Milo shrugged. "I figured we should probably talk to Captain Amazing before we head out. No one knows Destructo like he does." Xander gave him a curious look. "Well, there's you, but that different. The Captain has an opposing view point on Destructo. You might be able to give us an insight to how he thinks, but my great-grandpa can give us some insight into how he acts. It can't hurt anything."

"You aren't worried I'll try to hurt him?" asked Xander.

Milo shook his head. "You'd have to be pretty stupid to try something with the three of us here."

Xander nodded silently, conceding Milo's point.

The four teenagers entered the building well after visiting hours had ended, but no one moved to stop them. Most of the staff barely even looked up. Milo got the distinct impression that they had all stopped caring very much about their jobs given how close everyone was to the deadline Destructo had given the world. In just a few short days, all the electronic medical equipment and patient records would be destroyed. Without them, most of the patients would be dead within a week, the others to follow shortly after. If Milo and his friends didn't do something to stop it, that was.

They moved quietly through the halls and up the stairs to where Captain Amazing's room was located. The door was open, and a single meager light was on. Milo knocked softly to announce his arrival before entering the room without contest. Captain Amazing was sitting on his bed staring longingly at the old uniform that was hanging framed on the wall.

"Hey, great-grandpa," Milo said quietly. He wasn't sure why he had lowered his voice but something made him.

Captain Amazing turned his head slowly to look at Milo. The old Hero barely noticed the small group of teenagers at his door.

"Oh, hi, Milo," he said, shaking off his daze. "Sorry about that. I was just...remembering some things. What brings you around here so late?"

"Destructo," answered Milo.

The single word turned Captain Amazing's peaceful façade into an angry snarl.

"That son of a bitch," he spat. "What about him?"

"We're going to New York to stop him," Milo explained. "We just wanted your input before we went. Maybe you could give us some pointers or something?"

"How do you know he's in New York?" he asked, eying them suspiciously. Milo pulled Xander from the back of the group and stood him in front of Captain Amazing. "Who's this?"