The city was quiet, for now. But Nate couldn't shake the unease that had settled in his chest. The Specter's escape had been only the beginning. Every fiber of his being told him that the next move was coming. He could feel it in the air—the calm before the storm.
Nate was pacing through the hideout, going over every possible strategy in his mind, trying to prepare for whatever the Specter had planned next. Henry was in another room, still gathering intel, but Nate couldn't focus on anything but the nagging feeling that something was off. That's when the phone rang.
The sudden noise broke through his thoughts, making him freeze. His heart rate increased as he rushed to grab the phone, not knowing who would be on the other end, but a feeling deep inside told him that this wouldn't be a call he would want to answer.
He picked it up, his fingers trembling slightly as he brought it to his ear.
"Huh, miss me?" The voice was smooth, almost mocking, and the familiarity of it sent chills down Nate's spine.
"Specter!" Nate snapped, his heart pounding. "Where are you? What do you want?"
The Specter's laugh echoed through the phone, low and dark. "Who's asking? The Host? Or Nathaniel Bowen?"
The words hung in the air for a split second, and Nate felt like the ground had been ripped out from beneath him. His entire body went cold, his throat constricting as he gripped the phone tighter, his mind racing. "What... What did you say?"
"You heard me," the Specter continued, his voice dripping with venom. "I know your name, boy. Nathaniel Bowen. Not the masked hero everyone thinks you are. Not The Host. Just Nathaniel Bowen, the boy who thinks he's playing at being a superhero."
Nate stood frozen, unable to speak for a moment. His breath hitched as the realization sank in. How had he figured it out? His heart hammered in his chest, his mind trying to process everything. The Specter had uncovered his secret. He knew who Nate really was.
The Specter's laughter died down, and in its place came a cold, calculated tone. "You think you can really imprison me? Keep me locked away? You're a fool, boy. My real goal was never to destroy the city or the world—no, no. It was always you. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew there was something more to you than just some masked hero. I wanted to know your secret. I wanted to know what made you tick. And now I have it."
Nate's grip tightened on the phone, his knuckles white. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"
The Specter's voice lowered to a menacing whisper, each word dripping with malice. "Your DNA. Your true identity. Once I had it, I could find you, uncover everything you are, everything you've hidden. And from there, I can destroy everything you have, everything you love."
Nate's breath caught in his throat. He could hear his pulse pounding in his ears as the Specter's words hit him like a punch to the gut. His secret—the one thing he'd worked so hard to protect—was no longer safe. The Specter knew who he really was, and now Nate was the target. Not just as The Host, but as Nathaniel Bowen, the person behind the mask.
"You think you've won?" Nate spat, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear. "You think you can break me? I'll stop you, Specter. No matter what you do, I will stop you."
The Specter chuckled darkly, the sound sending a shiver down Nate's spine. "You don't even know the half of it, boy. You may be strong, but you're nothing compared to me. And now that I have what I need, you'll learn exactly what it means to be hunted. You'll see how it feels to be the prey for a change."
Nate stood still, the weight of the Specter's words settling over him like a shadow. He knew, deep down, that the battle ahead would be unlike any other. The Specter had his DNA, his identity. The Specter could now find him whenever he wanted—and with that, he could destroy everything Nate cared about.
"Just remember, Nathaniel," the Specter added with a sinister tone, "the next time we meet, it won't just be a game. You're not just fighting for your city anymore. You're fighting for your life—and everything that's ever mattered to you."
With that, the line went dead.
Nate stood there for a moment, his mind reeling. The Specter knew everything. His true identity. His family. His life. Everything that Nate had been trying to protect was now under threat.
He could feel the weight of the Specter's words pressing down on him. The hunter was coming, and Nate didn't know if he was ready for what would come next.
But one thing was certain.
He wasn't going to let the Specter destroy everything he loved. Not without a fight.