ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ᴡʀᴀᴛʜᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴀʀᴛᴀʜɪᴇᴍ, ᴡᴏᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ғᴜʟʟʏ ʀᴇsᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ. sɪᴋᴇ.  ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ. ᴛᴏᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ.  ᴛʜᴇ sᴇɴsɪᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ sʜɪᴘ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ, ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟ ᴀᴄʀᴏss ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛɪᴄ sᴇᴀ. ʜɪs ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴɪᴏɴs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪɴғᴏʀᴍɪɴɢ ʜɪs ᴄʀᴇᴡ ᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀs ᴏғ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇᴅᴜʀᴇs. ɪɴ ʜɪs ᴀʙsᴇɴᴄᴇ,  ʜɪs ᴛᴡɪɴ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴋʏʀɪᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴀʀᴛᴀʜɪᴇᴍ.  ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ, ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʀᴜsᴛɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏғᴇssᴇʀ ᴊᴀsᴏɴ ʟᴏʀᴅᴇ ᴡᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ɪᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴀ ᴛʀɪᴄᴋ, ʙᴜᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴋʏʀɪᴇ ᴡᴀs sɪɴᴄᴇʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ʜɪs sɪᴅᴇ.  ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴏғ,  ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴇᴇʟ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ.

ʜᴇ ᴅʀᴇssᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ᴅʀᴇss sʜɪʀᴛ, ᴀ ғᴀɴᴄʏ ᴘʟᴀɪɴ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʀᴏʙᴇ,  ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ sʟᴀᴄᴋs, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ɴɪᴄᴇsᴛ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʜɪɢʜ ᴛᴏᴘs. ʜᴇ ɢʟɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀɪʀs ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ʜᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ. ʜᴇ sᴍɪʟᴇᴅ sʜᴇᴇᴘɪsʜʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴋʏʀɪᴇ. "ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʟᴜᴄᴋ, ᴍᴀɴ. ᴄʀᴏssɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛɪᴄ sᴇᴀ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴀʏ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴋ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ." ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ʟᴀᴜɢʜᴇᴅ.  "ɴᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ɪs ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴛᴀʜɪᴇᴍ,  ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴘᴜʟʟ ɪᴛ ᴏғғ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅᴏ ғɪɴᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs, ᴍᴀɴ.  ɪᴛ's ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴏɴ ᴏᴜʀ sɪᴅᴇ." ʜᴇ ʜᴜɢɢᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғʀᴏɴᴛ ᴅᴏᴏʀs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ. ᴀ ʟᴀʀɢᴇ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ sʜɪᴘ, sʜɪɴɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏʟɪɢʜᴛ sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴛᴀʟʟ ғʟᴏᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴛᴀʜɪᴇᴍᴀɴ sᴇᴀ.

ғᴏʀɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴜᴋᴇsᴛᴇᴘ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋsᴛᴏɴᴇ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ᴇsᴄᴏʀᴛɪɴɢ ʜɪs ᴇʟɪᴛᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ. ғᴇᴀᴛᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴛɪᴛᴀɴs ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʟᴍ ᴀɴʏ ʀᴏᴜɢʜ sᴇᴀs. ᴡɪɴᴅ ᴛɪᴛᴀɴs ᴛᴏ ғʟʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴇɴᴅ ᴏғғ ᴀɴʏ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴs ᴀɴᴅ ɪғ ᴀɴʏ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ sᴇᴀ ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴀɴ ᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪɴᴅs ᴛᴏ ʟɪғᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sʜɪᴘ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴇᴛ ɪᴛ ғʟʏ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴛɪᴛᴀɴs ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙɪᴛ ᴜɴᴄᴏᴍғᴏʀᴛᴀʙʟᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪɴᴅ ᴛɪᴛᴀɴs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sʜɪᴘ ɪs ɪɴ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ,  sᴏ ɪᴛ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴏᴜᴛ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀʀ ᴛɪᴛᴀɴs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅᴇᴍᴇᴛʀɪᴜs ᴢʀɪᴛᴍᴀs ᴊᴜsᴛ ɪɴ ᴄᴀsᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ɢᴏᴛ... ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ʜᴀɴᴅ. ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛʟʏ. ᴘʟᴜs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴇɴɪx ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴏɴ sᴛᴀᴛᴜᴇs. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀғᴜʟ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏᴏᴅ ᴀʟʟɪᴇs, ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs. ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴀsᴛʟʏ, ᴍᴄᴋᴇɴᴢɪᴇ's ᴇᴅᴜᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙᴇsᴛ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴇᴍɪʟʏ,  sᴍᴀʀᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ,  ɴᴏᴛ ᴛ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ. ᴀʟsᴏ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇғɪᴇʟᴅ.  ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ʜᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ,  ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ɪs ᴏɴʟʏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴀɢᴇ,  ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴇᴇɴᴀɢᴇ ᴋɪᴅ.

ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ɢʀɪɴɴᴇᴅ ᴀs ʜɪs ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ. ʜᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜɪs ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs. "ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ sᴜʀᴇ ʏ'ᴀʟʟ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ?"
ғᴏʀɢᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ sᴀᴅʟʏ,  ᴀs ᴅɪᴅ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋsᴛᴏɴᴇ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴ ᴍᴀɢᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇs. ɪᴛ's ᴀ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ. ᴅᴜᴋᴇsᴛᴇᴘ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ. "ʏᴇᴀʜ,  ᴡᴇ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ ᴀʀᴛᴀʜɪᴇᴍ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ ᴏғ ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴏʟ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ. ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇᴢ ɪs ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ." sʜᴇ ᴏғғᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴀ sᴍɪʟᴇ. "ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘᴏʀᴛs sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛᴇxᴛʙᴏᴏᴋ? ɪᴛ's ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ sᴘᴏʀᴛ. ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴏғғᴇɴsᴇ,  ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴅᴇғᴇɴsᴇ. ɴᴏᴡ ɢᴏ ғɪɴᴅ ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇᴢ." sʜᴇ ᴋɪssᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴇᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴜɢɢᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ.

ғᴏʀɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ᴛᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ. ʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ʜɪs ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ,  ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ. ʜᴇ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋsᴛᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴜᴋᴇsᴛᴇᴘ ɪɴ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ʜᴜɢ. "ɴᴏᴡ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ,  ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ? ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɢᴜʏ,  ᴡʀᴀᴛʜᴇ. ɪ'ʟʟ ʙᴇ sᴇᴇɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ. " ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇɴ,  ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʟɪᴛᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴛᴜᴇs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sʜɪᴘ. sᴛʏᴄʟᴀᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴇɴɪx ᴀɴᴅ sɪᴍʙᴀ ᴛᴀʟᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴏɴ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ. sɪᴍʙᴀ ᴘᴜʀʀᴇᴅ, "ᴋʀʀʀɪsᴛᴏɴ, ɪᴛ sᴇᴇᴍs ɪᴛ ɪs ᴏᴜʀʀʀ ʜᴏᴜʀʀʀ ᴏғ ᴅᴇᴘᴀʀʀʀᴛᴜʀʀʀᴇ." ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ. "ᴛʜᴀɴᴋs ғᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ɢᴜʏs. ғᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀʟ." ᴋʏʀɪᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ.

"ɢᴇᴇᴢ ɢᴜʏs!  ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ɢᴏᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜsᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ sᴡᴇᴀᴛ. ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴇᴀ ɪs ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ʜɪᴍ ᴅᴏᴡɴ?  ʜᴇ ɪs ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɢᴜʏs.  ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴄᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴏᴜʀ ʟᴀsᴛ sᴛᴀɴᴅ!" ʜᴇ ɢʀɪɴɴᴇᴅ.  "sᴇᴇ ʏᴀ sᴏᴏɴ, ʙʀᴏ!" ᴋʀɪsᴛᴏɴ sᴍɪʟᴇᴅ.

ʜᴇ ғʟᴇᴡ ᴏɴ ʙᴏᴀʀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴ sᴇᴀ.

"ᴡᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴇᴍʙᴀʀᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ! ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ ᴏғ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛɪᴇs!"

ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ. "ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ ᴏғ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛɪᴇs,  ᴍʏ ᴍᴀɢᴇ?"

"ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ sᴛʏɢɪᴀɴ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇᴢ, ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴏʟ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ!"

ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏғғ.