Arthur pleads the 28th when arrested by the police for Overkill's kills. Under the 28th, the police can't unmask Arthur. Detectives Green and Brown interview him, and he tells them that Overkill killed the men. Brown points out that only superheroes can plead the 28th, and Arthur insists that he is one even though he doesn't have a superhero name. He has no registration number with AEGIS, and tries to fumble through it. Det. White calls them out and shows them the surveillance footage showing Overkill killing the thugs. They realize that Overkill is back in town, and take a photo of Arthur to enter him into the database.
Once Arthur learns that he faced Overkill, he's less than thrilled. He goes home and Tick joins him. He offers him guidelines about the stabbing, assuming that Arthur did the killings. Arthur insists that he didn't do it, and explains that Overkill used to be an operative for AEGIS and worked as a government-trained assassin until he went rogue. Tick wants to go on a manhunt for Overkill but Arthur tells him that he has work in the morning and has to get some sleep. He insists that he's done with trying to convince the world that the Terror is still alive. Tick tells him that Destiny intended him to get the moth suit, but Arthur tells him to leave him alone and goes inside.
Arthur cautiously enters his apartment and confirms that no one is there trying to kill him. Ms. Lint is waiting for him and asks why he's trying to link the lab explosion to the new one in Urmania. Arthur figures that Terror is behind all of the explosions, and explains that he got the suit the same way that other experimental suits and weapons have disappeared. Ms. Lint insists that Terror is dead, and warns Arthur that she's the only one left who knows who Arthur is. She also knows that Overkill killed the men in the alley, and asks if Overkill said anything to him about her. Ms. Lint tells Arthur that he should ask Overkill what's so important about the suit and electroshocks Arthur.
A young Arthur plays with his Flag Five action figures. His dad tells him to get some sleep, and then Overkill kills him and removes his mask, revealing that he's Terror.
Arthur wakes up in the morning on the floor of his apartment without the suit. He realizes that he's late and goes to work at his accounting firm. Across the street, Overkill watches him through a sniper rifle scope. Arthur goes to the nearby bodega and buys coffee from Goat. Goat tells him that Arthur needs to do something about his friend Tick, who won't leave the store. Tick is talking with a neighbor woman, Ouma, Goat's grandmother. Arthur tells Tick that he should go after Overkill like Tick said, but Tick points out that question-asking isn't his forte. Tick wonders why Arthur is getting involved when he said that he was done, and Arthur says that he has responsibilities. Arthur insists that Tick knows nothing about him and he knows nothing about Tick, and goes to meet with Dot who is there to take him to work.
As Arthur goes out to Dot's car, Tick asks for a description of Overkill. Arthur gives him one, and Tick yells hello to Dot before running off. As they drive to work, Dot asks Arthur about Tick. Arthur says that Tick is just hanging around, and says that he doesn't have nightmares anymore. She reminds Arthur that he's heling her set up for their stepfather Walter's 60th birthday party.
In the bodega, two of Ramses' thugs come in and Goat hands over his protection money. Tick intervenes and puts his hand on the money, and asks if they know of Overkill. They try to shoot him, and the bullet bounces off of Tick and hits the other thug. Tick tells them that the block is under his protection and sends them packing, and assures Goat that they won't kill him on his watch. He then leaves to find Overkill.
At the accounting firm, Arthur's supervisor tells him that it's been a madhouse around there. He explains that Arthur got Jergen as a cubicle mate. Arthur sits down and goes to work, and Jergen asks him about the landscaper who was hit with radiation and grown to giant size. Jergen figures that it's fake news and Arthur tries to ignore him.
Ramses summons Ms. Lint and demands the suit stolen from the Urmanian shipment. She claims that the guy who took it skipped town, but Ramses knows that Tick is still in town. Ms. Lint says that she hasn't been able to identify Arthur, and Ramses complains that Overkill is cutting into his business. She points out that rumor on the street is that Overkill is looking for Terror, but Ramses insists that Terror is dead and there were teeth remains.
Arthur hallucinates Terror coming to see him. Terror tells Arthur that he's never going to leave him alone because he lives in Arthur's head, and tells Arthur that he has nothing to stop him. Arthur wakes up as Jergen drones on about government conspiracies. Tick knocks at the window and Arthur soon realizes that he's not a hallucination. He goes over and opens the window, and Tick says that he got lost in a bus terminal and didn't find Overkill. However, he figured out that he needs Arthur's brain and voice box. Arthur wonders how Tick managed as a superhero before he came along, and Tick admits that he can't remember anything before the last few days. He explains that he gets confused when Arthur isn't around, and Arthur agrees to help him figure out his past if Tick helps him find Overkill. Tick agrees and leaps off across the rooftops, while Overkill watches him and then follows.
Dot goes back to the sports center and finds Stosh taking a bullet out of the thug's shoulder. Dot tells him that he should just repair the damage and leave the bullet in. Stosh says that Tick was responsible, and Dot recognizes his description.
As Arthur gets lunch, the fire alarm goes off. He goes back to his desk and Overkill confronts him. Overkill demands the suit, and explains that he's after Terror. Tick comes in and Overkill blasts him into the ceiling with a mini-mine. He then launches a series of punches and kicks, but Tick shrugs them off and slams Overkill into the wall. Overkill comes back for more, grabbing Tick's antenna, blinding him with a flare, and pulling a fire extinguisher into his head. He then throws Tick out the window and the hero slams into the sidewalk several stories below.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 9, 2017