The sound of monitors beeped in the sterile hospital room, and a steady electronic rhythm jolted Leighton from the dark. His thermal vision flickered, the red-yellow spectrum snapped into focus. Nurses and staff hovered like shapeless phantoms as they monitored his vitals. Leighton's ribs ached from Risham's assault.

Leighton tried to move, but the pain anchored him to the bed.

"Level?" Leighton rasped, his voice dry and uneven.

A nurse stepped closer to Leighton. Her outline glowed in his near vision.

"Level?"

"You're awake already?" the nurse said.

"How long have I been here?"

"Five hours. We treated your wounds," the nurse said, checking the monitors.

Level stepped in the room. "Leighton."

"Malcolm."

"If you need anything, I will be down the hall," the nurse said as she walked out.

Level took a seat next to Leighton's bed. "How are you feeling?"

Leighton coughed. "I had better days."

Level smiled. "You always were hard to put down."

"What happened to the team?" Leighton asked.

"I don't know what became of them after the Tower raid," Level said. "The last person I spoke to before coming here was that woman on comms."

"Mira."

Level's fist balled up. "Risham is still out there. I'm sure of it."

Leighton gripped his blanket. "I need to get to the team."

Level glanced at him with serious eyes. "You need to rest, Leighton."

"I can't let Risham calm this city and destroy lives."

Leighton yanked cords off his chest, straining from the bed. The monitors beeped. A nurse rushed in as he tried to hold him down.

"Sir, you need to rest. We can't let you leave after you recover," a male nurse said.

"I can't stay here," Leighton said as he was pushed back on the bed.

Level lifted his hand and held Leighton in the bed with telekinesis, keeping the pressure on him. Leighton's breath strained, leaving him feeling helpless.

"The team needs you alive."

Leighton gritted his teeth. "You can't do this. Risham has to be stopped."

"Which is why I'm going to do it. To end this."

"He will kill you, Malcolm."

Level smirked. "Let him try."

"You don't have to take him on alone."

"I'm not doing this for you. I know I'm no hero. Risham's evil must end."

Level rose from the chair and strode out, passing other patients in the hall. The air stung with the sharp mix of ozone and bleach.

"Malcolm!"

Roleplay and Deadlock lingered in the hallway.

"What now? Boss?" Roleplay asked.

"We'll make our move on Risham tonight," Level said.

"What about Persona?" Deadlock asked.

"He's hurt and needs time to recover. C'mon let's get out of here," Level said, passing through the halls.

A grey van approached the parking lot. Robert, Mira, and West left the vehicle and headed into the hospital.

"He's gotta be here," Mira said, tracing the tracker with her cell phone.

The glass door hissed open. Level and his crew passed Mira, Robert, and West.

Level strode around the corner. A voice from the hall drew Mira's attention.

"He needs you," Level said, staring at Mira.

Robert glared at Level with a lightning-charged fist. Level smirked at Robert marching out of the hospital.

West reached for Robert's shoulder. "Not here."

Robert nodded.

Mira reached Leighton's room. West and Robert followed after.

"Hey, Leighton," Mira said, walking up to him holding his hand.

"How is everyone?" Leighton asked.

"Everyone is steady. We were worried about you," Mira said.

West looked through the window. "The Metric Gloves are still in Risham's control."

Robert crossed his arms. "It's crazy out there with the soldiers."

Leighton struggled up from the bed. "Level is going after Risham."

"Why should I care?" Robert said.

Leighton's feet touched the floor. His eyes flickered. "I need to stop Level before it's too late. My powers have to come back."

Robert frowned. "You gotta be kidding me."

Mira handed Leighton a vial of Serum 28. "Dr. Kinsinka wanted you to have this."

Leighton took the vial. "Level needs our help."

West handed Leighton his white suit in a bag. "I think you would need this."

Leighton placed his hand on West's shoulder. "Thanks."

Leighton escaped the hospital. Mira and West covered for him. Robert waited at the van. Serum 28 burned through Leighton's veins. Visions of Risham flashed in his mind. His focus locked: save Level from himself. He launched skyward, slicing Delta City's skyline.

Leighton clicked his comm. "Mira, give me feeds on Level's checkpoint."

Static hissed, Mira's voice cut through. "Image feed coming up."

Red dot blinked on his HUD-racing through Checkpoint 9. Leighton accelerated, veering into two patrol drones. He knuckled them aside, white suit streaking past wreckage.

Leighton landed behind a building. Two parked cars sat dark ahead. One was a Hummer.

"He's here," Leighton said, crossing the street.

Leighton pushed through the door. Soldiers lay dead at his feet. He rocketed up the stairs in superspeed blur and entered the room in disarray.

Leighton noticed Roleplay and Deadlock sprawled unconscious. Risham gripped Level by the throat.

"There is a use for you, Malcolm. Your neural link for the gloves is all I need," Risham said, waving his glove hand to Level's tempo.

"Let him go," Leighton said, clenching his fist.

Risham glanced at Leighton. "Persona, you are here to witness the end of your kind." His gold and black ring glowed.

Risham tossed Level to the side facing Leighton. "Shall we finish this?"

Leighton charged in the blur as they collided in thunderous clap.