“Dominic!” shouted an angry voice. Mr. Epitome didn’t stop toweling his hair, keeping his back to the speaker. He already knew why he was here. The incident with Hacker 9. Dominic was very confident that he could deal with CrazySugarFreakBoy!, De Brown Streak, or Trickshot, whichever of the team hotheads had shown up in a fit of righteous anger, and as such kept his back turned.

    That’s why he was unprepared for Hatman shoving him into a locker and slamming the door shut.

    “Hey!” shouted the Paragon of Power in surprise. Through the slits in the door he could make out the Pittsburgh Steelers hat on Jay Boaz’s head. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

    “Giving you a taste,” replied the grim hero. “You want to pick on somebody, pick on somebody your own size.”

    “And what of fair play? My back was turned,” replied Epitome, regaining his composure despite the rage seething inside him.

    “Zach wasn’t ready for you, so that makes it even. I understand your…displeasure, with Zach, but there are official channels and procedures for voicing it,” lectured Hatman. “You of all people should know that.”

    “Me? What about you? I hardly consider this to be official procedure. In fact, I seem to recall Sir Mumphrey remonstrating me for doing something much like this not very long ago,” pointed out Dominic. He pitted his strength against the door, but Hatman’s strength combined with the definite leverage advantage proved too much for him.

    “And he was right to do so. But I know you, Dominic. A simple lecture isn’t going to sink in with you. You’re a man of action. So I’m putting this to you in a way you’ll understand,” grunted Hatman as he kept the door shut.

    Suddenly Epitome stopped pushing against the door. He thrust his arms through the sides of the locker, then forward through the two adjoining doors. With a grunt he managed to throw Hatman away from the door. Racing out at superspeed, he ripped the door from its hinges and wrapped it around Hatman.

    “I fail to see your point,” said the smug superagent. He then did something that he never would have done before his age regression. He turned his back on his opponent.

    Hatman ripped through the door binding him and grabbed Mr. Epitome. He twisted his arm behind his back and slammed him up against the wall. Tiles fell from the roof and shattered on the floor.

    “You’ll see my point even if I have to beat it into you,” threatened Hatman. “I don’t like what Zach did, but there is no excuse, NO EXCUSE,” Hatman pulled back and shoved Epitome into the wall again, “for what YOU did! I don’t care how many years you’ve lost, you should know better! We need to set an example for the Juniors, for people everywhere, and we do NOT do that by bullying someone weaker than us!” Hatman shoved him one more time, then released him.

    Dominic brushed himself off, then grabbed his shirt and pulled it on. “You’re right, we should set an example. That’s why I’m going to let you walk out that door into the reinforced training room before I pound you into the ground, rather than wreck the locker room.”

    Hatman raised his hands in a warding-off gesture. “Honestly Dominic, I would love to beat my frustrations out of you, but I’m not going to.”

    “You come in here, ambush me, and then back away when I return the challenge? That would strike some people as cowardly,” provoked the Paragon of Power.

    “Look, I’m sorry I attacked you, but I wanted you to experience, if only for a second, what it might have felt like for Hacker 9. And quite frankly, any momentary panic you experience would be nothing compared to the complete terror you put into that kid.”

    “So I was successful.”

    “Kid, key word, Dominic. He made a mistake, but ever since he joined up with the Juniors he’s been a good kid, and I don’t think it’s an act.” Hatman pulled the Steelers cap from his head and affixed it to his Hatility Belt.

    “A child his age shouldn’t have that much power. He can’t handle the responsibility.”

    “I seem to recall a certain OPS agent reduced to Zach’s age a little while ago who spent his time terrorizing others by shoving them into lockers. We didn’t get Donar to toss bowling balls at you.”

    “That was a different situation.”

    “Every situation is different. Look, you’ve always wanted the Lair Legion to play by the rules. I suggest you do the same. Now, I’m going to walk away, report to Mumphrey that I damaged the locker room, cut him a cheque to cover the damages, and let this be done with. This was just business Dominic, it’s nothing personal. I still think you’re a valuable ally to have, and I hope that someday you’ll realize just how much good you can do as a part of this team by working with us and not against us. Like I said, I sponsored your entry into the Legion. Help me prove to Dream and the guys I was right and not them, eh?” Hatman turned and left the room.

    For a moment Dominic almost considered renewing the battle, and it was that moment that gave him reason to pause. How much had he changed since losing his memories? From what Glory had told him of his past he was a very logical man, one who would use his wits before his strength.

    With a burst of superspeed he zipped around the room, cleaning and repairing as much of the damage as possible. Some things, like the wrecked lockers and ceiling he could do nothing about without tools, but he did the best he could. As he left the room, he told himself that he was simply being the bigger man while trying to wrestle Hatman’s speech about responsibility down where he could ignore it.

    He had responsibilities, responsibilities the Legion had no business to know about. But did that entirely circumvent his responsibilities TO the Legion? Where should he draw the line?

    He pondered this as he left on his mission to find Artemis.

END