Hero

No longer trusting himself to make responsible use of his new powers, Zach puts his patrolling on hiatus. While studying in a secluded spot in Central Park, Zach gets another visit from Mr. Herbert. The old man says he and John don’t see eye to eye, but he doesn’t hate John for it. He says Zach needs to learn to control both sides of him, the bad and the good, to successfully use his powers.

He and Zach walk around, searching for more private spots in the park. They play hide-and-seek, and Zach—imagining Kate in peril—quickly locates Mr. Herbert, over and over, almost as if he has x-ray vision.

Zach feels pleased. He really didn’t know how good he was. Mr. Herbert says, “You may just be ready, Zacman” (234).

Kerrigan will speak at a rally in Central Park in late June. Zach tells his mom that the kids in school seem drawn to Kerrigan and regard the opponent, Vice President Boras, as “Darth Vader.”

John visits for dinner; he, John, and Elizabeth debate the candidates, with John taking Boras’s side. He reminds Elizabeth that he and Tom used to have these same arguments.