A deep, hearty laugh filled the empty office. He clapped his hands together once, then again, then leaned back in his chair shaking his head in delight.
"Well done, Moon Outlaw. Well done!"
He pointed at the screen as if speaking directly to the young man on it.
"You did not disappoint me! Not even a little. I knew it. I knew the moment I saw you that you were the investment of the century."
He shook his head, still chuckling.
"Purple lightning. Purple. The boy evolves his element on top of everything else and casually drops it on national broadcast like it's nothing." Tom wiped a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye. "Tom, you old fox, you've still got it."
He let the clip replay. He watched it a second time. Then a third.
The grin never left his face.
♢♢♢♢
Inside the cave, Moon sat down heavily, his back against the cold stone wall. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his chest rising and falling in deep, measured breaths.
