The Man Cave is unusually quiet.
No Jasper screaming.
No Christina causing property damage.
No Henry hyperventilating.
Just the low hum of the computers…
And Ray pacing like a caged animal.
Henry leans against the console, arms crossed.
"You've been stomping in circles for ten minutes."
Ray snaps—
"I'm thinking."
Henry raises an eyebrow.
"That's new."
Ray glares.
Henry immediately adds:
"Respectfully."
Ray exhales sharply, rubbing his temples.
Schwoz hovers nearby like an anxious mother bird.
"…Perhaps pacing is not helping your blood pressure."
Ray shoots him a look.
"Nothing helps my blood pressure."
Henry sighs.
"Okay, what is going on? You've been acting weird since… spaghetti night."
Ray's jaw tightens.
Henry continues carefully—
"And you've been watching her train. Like a creep."
Ray's head whips around.
"I am NOT a creep."
Henry shrugs.
"You're lurking in doorways. That's creep-adjacent."
Ray opens his mouth—
Closes it.
Then finally…
He mutters—
"…Hart."
Henry straightens.
"Yeah?"
Ray's voice is rough.
"…You know she's not just some random chaos demon."
Henry scoffs.
"She kind of is."
Ray's eyes flash.
"She's not."
The air shifts.
Henry frowns.
"Ray…"
Ray swallows hard.
Schwoz goes very still.
Ray's voice drops into something almost broken.
"…That's my daughter."
Silence.
Henry blinks.
Once.
Twice.
"…What."
Ray's jaw clenches.
"She's my kid."
Henry stares like his brain stopped working.
"No."
Ray snaps—
"Yes."
Henry laughs once, incredulous.
"Captain Man doesn't have a kid."
Ray's glare is lethal.
"Captain Man didn't plan on it!"
Henry's voice rises.
"Christina is YOUR DAUGHTER?!"
Ray points aggressively.
"Lower your voice!"
Henry whisper-yells.
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LOWER MY VOICE WHEN YOU DROP THAT ON ME?!"
Ray's breathing is sharp.
"She was taken away when she was five."
Henry's face twists.
"…Spaghetti night."
Ray's voice cracks.
"She looked at me like I was a stranger."
Henry whispers—
"Because you were."
Ray flinches like he deserved that.
Schwoz finally speaks softly.
"He didn't know how to tell her."
Henry looks between them.
"So she doesn't know?"
Ray's expression darkens.
"No."
Henry exhales shakily.
"…Holy crap."
Ray's voice is deadly serious.
"And you are not telling anyone."
Henry nods immediately.
"Yeah. Yeah, okay."
Then, quieter—
"…That's why you've been losing your mind."
Ray laughs bitterly.
"I've been losing my mind for years, Hart. This is just new seasoning."
Henry's stomach twists.
"…What are you gonna do?"
Ray stares at the elevator.
"…I don't know."
Swellview High — Later
Christina is in the hallway again.
Like a curse.
Henry spots her instantly and panics internally.
She's leaning against the lockers, sunglasses on, sipping a juice box like she's in a movie.
Henry approaches cautiously.
"…Do you ever go home?"
Christina smiles.
"Do you ever stop being ugly when you're stressed?"
Henry splutters.
"I'm not ugly!"
Christina tilts her head.
"Debatable."
Henry groans.
"Why are you here?"
Christina shrugs.
"School is fun when you're terrorizing people."
As if summoned…
Piper Hart appears down the hallway.
Arms full of books.
Face full of attitude.
She stops dead when she sees Christina.
"…Who is THAT."
Henry freezes.
Oh no.
Christina turns slowly, sunglasses sliding down her nose.
"…You're tiny."
Piper's eyes narrow.
"I'm average height."
Christina hums.
"You look like you'd bite."
Piper's mouth twitches.
"…I do bite."
Christina smiles brightly.
"I love her."
Henry panics.
"Piper, don't—"
Piper cuts him off.
"Henry, why is a random girl dressed like she's about to rob a bank standing at your locker?"
Christina steps forward.
"I'm Christina."
Piper stares.
"…Okay. I'm Piper."
Christina nods.
"Henry talks about you."
Henry shrieks.
"I DO NOT!"
Piper's eyes widen.
"…He talks about me?"
Christina leans in, conspiratorial.
"He says you're annoying."
Henry yelps.
"WHAT—"
Piper's face darkens.
"…Henry."
Henry points wildly.
"SHE'S LYING!"
Christina grins.
"I never lie."
Piper squints.
"You look like you lie professionally."
Christina gasps.
"Wow. I REALLY love her."
Piper steps closer.
"So what are you? His girlfriend?"
Henry chokes.
"No!"
Christina answers instantly.
"Not yet."
Henry's soul leaves his body.
Piper's eyes light up like Christmas.
"Oh my GOD."
Henry grabs Christina's arm.
"We're leaving."
Christina waves cheerfully at Piper.
"Bye, future sister-in-law!"
Henry screams internally.
Piper calls after them—
"I'M TELLING MOM!"
Henry squeaks.
"NO—"
That Night — Junk N Stuff
Christina slips inside like she owns the place.
Schwoz looks up from tinkering.
"Oh! Hello, Christina!"
Christina beams.
"Hi Schwozie."
Schwoz blushes.
Ray stomps out from the back.
Stops dead.
"…Why are you here."
Christina tilts her head.
"Aw. You missed me."
Ray's eye twitches.
"I did not."
Christina smiles like she knows he's lying.
"I wanna see the cave."
Ray immediately snaps—
"No."
Christina pouts.
Ray points at Schwoz.
"No."
Schwoz squeaks.
"I did not even do anything!"
Christina suddenly wanders toward the dinosaur.
Her fingers brush the fire-breathing gadget.
Then—
Her eyes catch something behind the counter.
A folder.
Old.
Worn.
Ray's name stamped across it.
Christina's brow furrows.
She reaches.
Ray's voice booms—
"Don't touch that."
Christina freezes.
Slowly looks up.
"…What is it."
Ray's jaw clenches.
"Nothing."
Christina's voice is sharp now.
"That's a lie."
Schwoz shifts nervously.
Ray steps forward.
"Christina—"
But she already snatches the folder.
Opens it.
Papers.
Legal documents.
A photograph slips out.
A little girl…
Curly hair…
Big eyes…
Sitting on Ray's shoulders.
Ray younger.
Smiling.
Happy.
Christina's breath stops.
Her fingers tremble.
"…That's…"
Ray goes very still.
Christina whispers—
"…That's me."
Silence.
Dead silence.
Christina looks up slowly.
Her voice is barely audible.
"…You knew."
Ray's throat works.
"…Christina…"
Her eyes shine with something furious and shattered.
"…You knew."
Ray's voice breaks.
"I didn't know how to tell you."
Christina laughs once, sharp.
"You didn't know how?"
Her hands clutch the folder.
"You let me stand in front of you like a stranger."
Ray steps closer.
"I'm sorry."
Christina's voice rises.
"You're sorry?!"
Schwoz looks like he might cry.
Ray's eyes are wet.
"I didn't want to lose you again."
Christina's expression twists.
"You already lost me."
Ray whispers—
"…No. I'm right here."
Christina's breathing shakes.
Then—
A loud crash upstairs.
Schwoz jolts.
"What was that?"
Ray's head snaps up.
Then—
An alarm blares.
Red lights flashing.
COMPUTER VOICE:
"INTRUDER ALERT. HOSTILE IDENTIFIED."
Ray's face changes instantly.
Captain Man mode.
"Get behind me."
Christina's eyes narrow.
"What."
Schwoz stammers.
"…Oh no."
The monitors flicker.
A masked figure appears on-screen.
A villain.
Watching.
Smiling.
Ray's blood runs cold.
Because the villain isn't looking at him.
They're looking at her.
VOICE, distorted:
"Captain Man's daughter…"
Christina stiffens.
Ray's voice turns lethal.
"…How do you know."
The villain laughs.
"Everyone has weaknesses."
Ray steps forward like a storm.
"You touch her…"
His voice shakes with fury.
"…and I will destroy you."
Christina stares at Ray.
At the way he stands in front of her without thinking.
Protecting.
Instinctive.
Father.
Her voice is small.
"…Dad."
Ray flinches.
But doesn't look back.
Doesn't move.
Just growls—
"Stay close to me."
Man Cave — Later
Henry bursts out of the elevator.
"Ray! We got a—"
He stops.
Because Christina is standing there.
Holding the folder.
Face pale.
Eyes burning.
Henry's stomach drops.
"…Oh."
Ray's voice is quiet.
"She knows."
Henry swallows hard.
Christina whispers—
"…He's my father."
Henry's chest tightens.
And the worst part?
The villain knows too.
Henry looks at Ray.
"…What do we do."
Ray's jaw clenches.
"We fight."
Christina's voice is sharp.
"No."
Both men turn.
Christina steps forward.
"If they want Captain Man's weakness…"
Her eyes blaze.
"…Then I'll show them I'm not one."
Henry's heart pounds.
Ray's voice cracks.
"Christina…"
She looks at him.
For the first time not chaotic.
Not joking.
Just real.
"…Teach me."
Ray swallows hard.
Then nods.
"…Okay."