Tear Jerker / The Human Target (2021)

• Issue #9 begins with Ice waking up in bed with Chance, only to realize that Chance's heart has stopped beating and begins administering CPR. Greg Smallwood's artwork really shines as we see every moment of Ice's horrified shock, desperation, and increasing heartbreak in trying to save Chance, all delivered without a single word.
• Issue #11 is a cavalcade of sadness as Chance discovers the Awful Truth: the person who was responsible for his fatal poisoning was Ice all along, who indeed conspired with Fire to murder Lex Luthor but accidentally got Chance instead. Even though Ice knew she was indirectly responsible and was trying to cover her trail, the two had sincerely grown close and fallen in love during the investigation, ensuring that it was all going to end in tears.
  • Ice asks Chance what he wants to do with his last day, and he chooses to simply spend it with her at the beach where they first met. It's understandably bittersweet as both of them are trying to rekindle the nostalgic feelings that brought them together, but with both knowing the whole truth, they know full well that whatever happens between them is ultimately doomed.
    Chance: Will you miss me?
    Ice: (resting on Chance's chest) Shut up.
    Chance: I got lucky, you know. I won't miss you. I'll just be gone.
    (tears start rolling down Ice's eyes)
  • Once the day ends, Ice finally lets loose just how furious she is over what she's done, ranting about how much of a monster she is for having led the charade get as far as it did, taking Chance's gun out and forcing him to hold it up to her head, begging him to pull the trigger.
    Ice: All this time, you've been looking for who did it, so you could punish them! Well, here it is, just for you! You got lucky? I got lucky too! I get to ##%$@%€ give it to you! And I... I'll do it... because... #%#@! Because... I love you...
• At the start of issue #12, and thus day 12, Chance is dead. No big final speech, no Dying Moment of Awesome, no last-minute discovery that helps save his life, he's just gone, and he isn't coming back. All that's left is for Ice to pick up the pieces.
  • Ice discovers him in his motel room in bed, having passed away in his sleep, and this time, there's no saving him. Cue passage of Ice discovering his final written words, "I love you too," and silently slumping to the ground in tears.
  • On day 16, Ice and Fire sit before Chance's ashes, ruminating that technically, Ice has gotten off scot-free over his death, but Ice's grief says otherwise.
    Ice: Killing and crying. What kind of superhero am I?

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