Heroic Measures (continued)

November 28, 1986

Sirens sounded in the distance. Although far away, it was apparent that there were a large number of them. They were joined by the clattering echo of two helicopters passing overheard, one of them fairly large or heavily-loaded from its sound. Clara waited, but failed to hear the whining drone of the garage door opening.

Clara found Walter sitting alone in the room that served as his study. The room was illuminated only by the single small bulb of desk lamp. It gave the room a stringent, yellowish glow that would have been reminiscent of candlelight, had it flickered. She paused in the doorway, studying his gray silhouette. His gaze seemed focused on something far distant.

Walter had heard her enter, but did not stir in the chair.

“Why are you still here?”

Her tone was quiet, inquisitive, and gentle.

Walter’s head slowly turned toward her. His eyes shone darkly in the strange lighting, but she could see them come into focus.

“I can do it any more, Clara,” Walter answered quietly. His voice sounded hoarse, as if he were choking something back. “It’s not safe.” He stared hard into her eyes. “Not for you, not for him,” his eyes darted in the direction of the hallway before turning to the slight curve of her stomach. “Not for anyone.”

Clara stepped into the room, but left the remaining lights off. She paused beside him, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. They remained like that in silence for a long moment.

“It never has been, love,” she stated softly. “Not since the day you first saved me from those thugs.”

Walter stared at her.

In that moment, he realized for the first time that what she had said was true. Even before he had revealed his hero identity to her, she had been at risk because of him. That he had shown even the slightest interest in her made her a possible target for his enemies, a potential hostage that could be used to control him. It had not happened, chiefly, he believed, because there were many more visible heroes who posed a far greater threat than he did to the villainous forces that stalked the city. That did not mean, however, that it never would. The working of criminal minds could not always be predicted easily.