Powerhouse: Legend of the Archwave

Chapter 37 (Act IV): The Graffiti Compromise

We last read Chapter 36, in which the Paragon James Markovsky a.k.a. Powerhouse holds a private funeral for his deceased companion Isabela Acosta a.k.a. Archwave about ten days after the King Street Station rescue mission. Since that time, Special Agent Warren Schaefer has died after succumbing to injuries he sustained during that mission, while his entire unit was disbanded and charged with attempted murder.

The makeshift memorial consists of a single framed picture of Isabela—which James had taken with her permission during one of their past training sessions—surrounded by a few candles, and the bottom center of the picture lie three feathers, one red and two dark blue.

James, behaving as though he's talking to Isabela personally, tells her about how even though it's been a wild past few days, they've arguably been some of the best of his entire life. He proudly commends her for her bravery and selflessness, and states that she went down like a true hero, extending grace and mercy to someone who undoubtedly did not deserve it. He also wishes for her spirit to find peace, before revealing that he's set to meet with both the Mayor of Seattle and the Spraywatch gang tomorrow to finalize peace negotiations.....which would wrap up the very mission that he and Isabela had been on from the start.

Partway through the tribute—shortly after James officially refers to Isabela as a Paragon—James's mother, Susan Markovsky, walks out to the backyard and momentarily joins her son, recognizing Isabela from the framed picture.....but still remaining unaware of everything James had gone through with her outside of the breakfast they all had together back at the beginning of the adventure. She soothingly and lovingly comforts him—stating that time is fleeting and that life is short, so it's important to live it to the fullest—before courteously inviting him to join her inside whenever she's ready.....since a Lockdown, Inc. customer is attempting to file a lawsuit for a "malfunctioning" security camera that they installed improperly.

A few minutes after Susan leaves her son's side and goes back inside the house, James extinguishes the memorial's candles with a sweep of his left organic hand and prepares to leave as well.....only to be suddenly met with a vision of Isabela's soul, who initially starts out sitting playfully on the edge of the wooden platform's railing before eventually vaulting off and landing on the ground to be on the same elevation as James.

Isabela cheerfully thanks James for a wonderful past few days, stating that he gave her a chance to be a part of a real family.....to be loved, appreciated, and supported. In other words, even though she died, James made it so that she truly did "live". She also commends him for training her how to be a good fighter.....but the highlight that sticks out the most from all of her final words is her deep appreciation for having died as a Paragon, which James confirms. She also encourages James to finish the mission with the Spraywatch gang and to keep living his life before the pair hug one last time, reciting the Paragons' signature catchphrase—"For the Paragons, now and forever"—in the process. Then, Isabela bids a final farewell to James and her spirit permanently dissipates into the afterlife; the chapter then ended with a newly revitalized and reinvigorated James going back inside the house to get a good night's sleep, wanting to be awake and alert for the Seattle-Spraywatch peace negotiations the following day.

This time, the Seattle-Spraywatch peace talks are underway, and after years of hate, division, and a gross lack of understanding, a decisive compromise is finally reached.....

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-Seattle Town Hall, Seattle, Washington-

The next day, the conference room within the Seattle Town Hall was filled to the brim with an aura of hope, anticipation, and optimistic dreams for the future. The room was roughly shaped like a rectangle with the sole entrance and exit being afforded by a set of double doors at the very righthand side of the bottom long edge of the "rectangle"; said double doors were neatly framed with fake metallic highlights and graced with tinted one-way windows enabling those inside to look out.....but disabling those outside from looking in.