PANEL 2

SFX

YANK!

PANEL 4

TEEN SPOOKY

WAIT.

(cont)

WAIT.

PANEL 5

FLYBOY

WHAT?

(cont)

IS THIS… TOO FAST? NOT WHAT YOU WANT?

PANEL 1

TEEN SPOOKY

mmmm!

PANEL 2

TEEN SPOOKY

HA! HA HA!

(cont)

OH!

PANEL 3

FLYBOY

mm!

(cont)

GOD, I LOVE HOW YOU DO THAT.

PANEL 5

TEEN SPOOKY

…!

PANEL 1

TEEN SPOOKY

YEAH. THAT’S OK.

PANEL 2

FLYBOY

AND WHAT IF I DO THIS?

PANEL 3

TEEN SPOOKY JONES

IT FEELS NICE.

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

I LIKE IT, TOO.

PANEL 5

FLYBOY

AND HOW ABOUT IF I DO THIS?

PANEL 6

TEEN SPOOKY

mmm.

PANEL 1

FLYBOY

WELL, NOW I WISH I HAD GIVEN YOU AN ANSWER. BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, I’M SURE WHATEVER FEELINGS YOU HAD-

PANEL 2

TEEN SPOOKY

MITCH, MY FEELINGS FOR YOU HAVEN’T CHANGED.

FLYBOY

THEY HAVEN’T?

PANEL 3

TEEN SPOOKY

NO.

(cont)

I STILL WANT TO BE WITH YOU. JUST AS MUCH AS BEFORE.

(cont)

IF I’VE SEEMED WHATEVER SINCE THE RIG, I WAS JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU SPACE.

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

Oh.

PANEL 6

FLYBOY

SO, IS THIS… OK?

PANEL 1

TEEN SPOOKY

EVEN IF IT MEANS YOU AREN’T PERFECT…

PANEL 2

FLYBOY

Heh. WELL, I’M DEFINITELY NOT THAT! IF IT WASN’T OBVIOUS, I’VE GOT PLENTY OF ISSUES OF MY OWN!

(cont)

ANYWAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, SPOOKY. I TOTALLY HIJACKED YOUR APOLOGY. I GUESS I JUST NEEDED TO SAY ALL THIS OUT LOUD.

PANEL 3

TEEN SPOOKY

I GET IT, MITCH. ALL OF IT. THAT “DRIVE” TO SAVE THE WORLD, TO HELP ANYONE YOU CAN. HOW IT GIVES YOU STRENGTH. A REASON TO BE ALIVE.

(cont)

BUT ALSO… KEEPS YOU SEPARATE.

PANEL 4

TEEN SPOOKY

MAYBE THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS FUTURE-ME TOOK SO MANY YEARS TO GET SERIOUS WITH ANYONE.

FLYBOY

YEAH. MAYBE.

(cont)

BUT I THINK YOU’RE MORE READY THAN I’VE EVER BEEN! YOU WERE BRAVE TO ASK ME WHAT YOU DID ON THE RIG.

PANEL 5

FLYBOY

SPOOKY, YOU REALLY ARE A GREAT GUY. YOU DESERVE TO HAVE LOVE IN YOUR LIFE.

(cont)

I HOPE HOW I HANDLED THINGS DOESN’T… SHUT THAT PART OF YOU DOWN.

PANEL 6

TEEN SPOOKY

I’M OK, MITCH. REALLY. DESPITE HOW I ACTED, I AM A BIG BOY.

(cont)

I CAN ACTUALLY TAKE “NO” FOR AN ANSWER — OR EVEN “NO COMMENT” — WITHOUT BEING SCARRED FOR LIFE.

FLYBOY

Heh. OK.

(cont)

FAIR ENOUGH.

PANEL 1

FLYBOY

YEAH. I THINK IT WOULD BE.

(cont)

FOR ME, ANYWAY.

PANEL 2

TEEN SPOOKY

EVEN THOUGH, WHEN YOU GOT BACK, IT WOULDN’T BE ANCIENT HISTORY. FOR YOU, IT WOULD’VE JUST HAPPENED.

FLYBOY

SPOOKY, LET’S FACE IT, WITH HOW SICK I’VE BEEN GETTING, ME ACTUALLY MAKING IT “BACK” IS NOW A LOT MORE OF AN “IF” THAN A “WHEN”.

(cont)

AND IF SOMEHOW I CAN, AFTER ALL I’VE CHANGED, WHATEVER I GET “BACK” TO — I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH I’LL EVEN BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE!

PANEL 3

TEEN SPOOKY

YOU THINK YOU AREN’T GOING TO MAKE IT HOME.

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

I THINK…

(cont)

I THINK I’M SIXTEEN YEARS OLD, AND I’VE HARDLY DONE ANYTHING REAL THAT HASN’T BEEN ABOUT THE “MISSION” OR “PROTECTING” SOMEONE OR TRYING TO BE THE PERFECT SUPERHERO.

(cont)

AND I DON’T REGRET THAT. I DON’T. AT LEAST NOT THE HELPING PEOPLE PART.

PANEL 5

FLYBOY

BUT IF I’M BEING COMPLETELY HONEST WITH MYSELF, KEEPING EVERYONE AT ARM’S LENGTH — IT’S BEEN PRETTY LONELY. AND IF THIS REALLY IS IT, IF I’M REALLY NOT GOING TO MAKE IT HOME, THEN MAYBE IT IS OK TO DO ONE THING THAT’S JUST ABOUT ME.

(cont)

EVEN IF IT FEELS A LITTLE SELFISH.

PANEL 6

FLYBOY

OR A LOT SELFISH.

PANEL 1

FLYBOY

BECAUSE THEN I START THINKING, IF I CAN HAVE THAT HERE, WITH YOU, THAT MAYBE… I COULD HAVE OTHER THINGS HERE.

(cont)

EVEN THE NORMAL TEENAGE STUFF.

PANEL 2

TEEN SPOOKY

LIKE…?

FLYBOY

LIKE, I GUESS I’M READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. THE ONE YOU ASKED ME ON THE RIG.

PANEL 3

FLYBOY

YES, WHEN WE KISSED, IT MEANT SOMETHING TO ME. AND YES, I DO HAVE FEELINGS FOR YOU.

(cont)

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM! I DON’T KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO WITH THEM!

(cont)

BUT THE LONGER I’M HERE, THE MORE I WISH I COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.

PANEL 4

TEEN SPOOKY

Oh.

(cont)

BUT… YOU WON’T. DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM.

(cont)

BECAUSE IT WOULD HURT YOUR FRIEND. IF THEY FOUND OUT.

FLYBOY

I DON’T KNOW, SPOOKY! IS IT REALLY ABOUT SPARING HIS FEELINGS?

PANEL 5

FLYBOY

THE REALITY IS, AS FAR AS YOU’RE CONCERNED, ANYTHING WE DID WOULD BE ANCIENT HISTORY IN MY TIME. YEARS IN THE PAST.

(cont)

AND ADULT-YOU HAD BEEN WITH A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE BEFORE YOU AND MY FRIEND GOT TOGETHER.

(cont)

IT’S NOT LIKE HE’S THE JEALOUS TYPE. HE WOULDN’T BE WITH YOU IF HE WAS.

PANEL 6

TEEN SPOOKY

I THOUGHT YOU SAID I WASN’T WITH ANYONE BEFORE, um, THIS GUY.

(cont)

IT IS A GUY, RIGHT?

FLYBOY

YEAH. AND WHAT I MEANT WAS YOU HADN’T REALLY DATED ANYONE BEFORE.

(cont)

THOSE OTHER EXPERIENCES WERE… NOT SERIOUS.

TEEN SPOOKY

GOTCHA.

PANEL 7

TEEN SPOOKY

AND SO WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, YOU AND ME, WOULD THAT BE SERIOUS?

(cont)

IF YOU COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT… THOSE FEELINGS?

PANEL 1

TEEN SPOOKY

YOU REALLY WOULD SNEAK OFF TO FIGHT CRIME?

FLYBOY

IT’S PART OF THE REASON I WAS WITH FUTURE-YOU BEFORE I GOT SENT HERE.

(cont)

I WAS ACTUALLY CONNECTING YOU WITH A MOB INFORMANT, AND, WELL, ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER.

PANEL 2

TEEN SPOOKY

KANYA JEY. THAT’S HOW YOU KNOW HER.

(cont)

YOU HAVE ACTUAL MOB CONTACTS! HA! THAT’S PRETTY AWESOME, ACTUALLY.

(cont)

YOU TOLD ME WHEN WE MET THAT YOU “WEREN’T GOOD AT FOLLOWING RULES,” BUT THE WAY YOU ACT SOMETIMES… I’VE JUST ASSUMED YOU WERE LIKE THIS TOTAL STRAIGHT-ARROW WHO WOULD NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS, I DON’T KNOW…

FLYBOY

DO COWBOY STUFF LIKE YOU?

PANEL 3

TEEN SPOOKY

YEAH. DO COWBOY STUFF LIKE ME.

FLYBOY

SPOOKY, I’M A LOT LIKE YOU! OR, AT LEAST, HOW YOU ARE NOW.

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

IT’S ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS KEEPING THOSE OPTIONS OPEN.

(cont)

BACK HOME, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE GET ME. I’M THE NEWEST, YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM, SO I’M CONSTANTLY HAVING PROVE TO EVERYONE I’M NOT SOME CLUELESS, HOTHEAD KID.

(cont)

WHICH MEANS I HAVE TO HIDE ALL THE OTHER STUFF I DO. KEEP PEOPLE FROM GETTING TOO CLOSE, SO I DON’T ATTRACT TOO MUCH ATTENTION.

PANEL 5

TEEN SPOOKY

BUT SINCE I MET YOU, MY-AGE YOU, IT’S LIKE I CAN FINALLY JUST… BE MYSELF. MY TRUE SELF. WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT ANY OF THAT.

PANEL 6

TEEN SPOOKY

WELL, THAT’S A GOOD THING, RIGHT? YOU ARE AN AMAZING SUPERHERO! BETTER THAN ANY ADULT “HERO” I’VE MET. I’M GLAD YOU GET TO BE YOURSELF LIKE THAT HERE!

(cont)

SO, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH “KEEPING YOUR OPTIONS OPEN?”

PANEL 1

TEEN SPOOKY

YOU DIDN’T OWE ME AN ANSWER.

FLYBOY

AFTER KISSING YOU ALL NIGHT, I KINDA THINK I DID.

PANEL 2

FLYBOY

BUT I ALSO THINK I WANTED TO HAVE MY CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO. KEEP THE MORAL HIGH GROUND BUT ALSO…

(cont)

KEEP MY OPTIONS OPEN, I GUESS.

PANEL 3

TEEN SPOOKY

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

FLYBOY

I MEAN, I HAVE A LOT IN THE FUTURE.

(cont)

FRIENDS. A LOVING, ACCEPTING FAMILY. MONEY. A PURPOSE. FREAKING SUPERPOWERS.

(cont)

BUT I ALSO… WELL, I NEED TO DO A LOT ALL ON MY OWN.

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

AT LEAST, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO DO A LOT ON MY OWN.

(cont)

I HAVE THIS MASSIVE DRIVE WITHIN ME THAT KIDS OUR AGE AREN’T SUPPOSED TO HAVE.

PANEL 5

TEEN SPOOKY

THE NEED TO FIX THE WORLD.

FLYBOY

YEAH.

(cont)

SO, WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THE NORMAL TEEN STUFF, LIKE GOOFING AROUND, LIKE DATING, I PUSH THAT AWAY. I DON’T WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN IT.

(cont)

IT’S HARD ENOUGH SNEAKING OFF TO DO CRAZY THINGS LIKE FIGHT CRIME BY MYSELF. I DON’T WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO MY LIFE THAT’LL DISTRACT FROM MY… FROM MY…

PANEL 6

TEEN SPOOKY

YOUR MISSION. YOUR REASON FOR BEING ON THIS PLANET.

FLYBOY

YEAH.

TEEN SPOOKY

YEAH.

PANEL 1

FLYBOY

YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR, SPOOKY.

PANEL 2

TEEN SPOOKY

YEAH, I DO, ACTUALLY.

(cont)

I DUMPED A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF ON YOU BACK THERE, AND NONE OF IT WAS TRUE.

PANEL 3

TEEN SPOOKY

YOU’RE THE BRAVEST, MOST SELFLESS PERSON I’VE EVER MET. YOU’RE JUST DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT. AND YOU DON’T NEED A REASON TO NOT WANT TO BE WITH ME.

(cont)

I SHOULDN’T HAVE SAID ANYTHING IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND THEN I SHOULDN’T HAVE SAID ALL THE OTHER STUPID STUFF I SAID.

PANEL 4

TEEN SPOOKY

SO… I’M REALLY SORRY, MITCH. I MEAN IT. AND I WISH I COULD TAKE IT ALL BACK.

FLYBOY

WELL — THANK YOU.

PANEL 5

FLYBOY

BUT I’M NOT SO SELFLESS. I HAD MY PART IN WHAT HAPPENED, TOO.

(cont)

I’VE BEEN THINKING, AND YOU WEREN’T EXACTLY WRONG WHEN YOU SAID I AVOID RELATIONSHIPS.

PANEL 6

FLYBOY

AND, MORE THAN THAT, I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU A SIMPLE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, YES OR NO. NOT JUST PLAYED COY ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.

(cont)

THAT WAS KINDA A DICK MOVE.