Arc two comes to a close with a monster issue. All of Geoffrey’s lies, secrets, and rationalizations have led to this. Plus, Radia’s public stand against C.O.W.L.—will she win the independence she wants? And does Arclight have a future with C.O.W.L.? Or at all?
Final issue. Eclipse and Grant drop off Grant's kid at school. Early in the series, the kid was insolent to his dad because he thought he wasn't a "real" hero. Now he's proud, because of how Grant defeated one of Stone's men.
Eclipse is less sanguine about the results of that fight, having put himself in danger to get revenge. Tension starts to rise between the two old partners.
Mayor Daley tells Blaze and Geoffrey Warner that he'll give C.O.W.L. what they want and signs off on a new contract.
Evelyn, having finally got a witness that Arclight murdered John Pierce, can't get the D.A. to prosecute, because he thinks the evidence is too flimsy. Her investigation is seemingly a failure.
When some C.O.W.L. members celebrate the contract in the locker room, Grant finds out that he's been fired for using "unnecessary force" against the criminal he defeated. He goes from being on top of the world to to the bottom. Eclipse charges down to see Blaze; he thinks this is revenge for Eclipse not signing off on a false statement against Frank last issue. Eclipse quits.
Warner convinces Arclight that he has to leave town; even though Evelyn's evidence isn't strong enough right now, Warner thinks they'll get Arclight eventually. Arclight says it was all Warner's fault for egging him on, and asks whether all the tragedy was worth it for a new contract--whether they can really call themselves heroes any more.
Grant bumps into Radia on the way out. She has happily quit too. He apologizes for not standing up for her before; he has been the only person who treats her with respect.
Alderman Lowe, who was involved in selling the C.O.W.L. secrets to the Chicago Six in the beginning of the series, is arrested. Frank is also arrested for being the guy who started the fire at City Hall.
Radia and Eclipse drop their superhero names and start a detective agency as civilians.
Evelyn meets with Sparrow about Arclight; it turns out they've been working together all along.
Grant is anonymously mailed a box with a gas mask in it and a note suggesting that he "get them back" for what they did to him, possibly setting up a new identity as a super-villain bent on revenge against C.O.W.L.
Arclight takes a bus out of town, unhappily leaving his fame as a hero behind.
Warner visits Stone, who says the villains who killed the cops last issue weren't his; costumed villains are starting to propogate on their own again. Warner kills Stone anyway.
Warner and Blaze, who also knew about the deal with Stone, philosophize about whether all the violence was worth it for the new contract. Blaze thinks so, and Warner says he agrees, but he seems to be much more ambivalent in his heart.
This is the third and final issue to not feature a bio.
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