The gunfire ceased as quickly as it had started. When Barry looked up from behind the support pillar, the warehouse was silent. The operatives who had been shooting were now standing at attention, arranged in a line, facing Barry.
Thomas Chen was smiling. It was a smile of approval, as if Barry had just passed a test he didn't know he was taking.
"Congratulations," Thomas said. "You're now the leader of the global shadow organization that controls world events. Welcome to power, son."
Barry felt Isabella's hand squeeze his arm. He knew she was as confused as he was. They hadn't done anything except hide. How had that constituted passing a test?
"You're probably wondering what you did," Thomas said, as if reading Barry's mind. "What you did was survive. What you did was choose to protec
