File:Rom Vol 1 12 001.jpg

Description
As the Jack of Hearts is training at “The Farm” in nearby Maryland, a distress call arrives from Project Safeguard. Rom uses his Analyzer to identify Wraiths among the security forces and banishes them as the Jack of Hearts arrives to see two disguised Wraiths fleeing. Rom banishes them and the Jack of Hearts quickly attacks him. Rom mistakenly surmises him to be a Wraith and fires his Neutralizer on him. Since he was not banished, Rom realizes his error and uses his Analyzer to reveal that the Jack of Hearts is pure energy. Rom holds back for fear of harming the human but the Jack of Hearts unleashes all his fury forcing Rom to head into space to shed the energy his armor has absorbed. The Jack of Hearts follows and Rom tries to drive him away before his armor explosively releases the energy. As he does so, the Jack of Hearts hits him with yet another blast that triggers the release. Believing Rom is dead, the Jack of Hearts returns to Project Safeguard to the adulation of those remaining. Meanwhile Rom drifts senselessly in space until he finally falls into the atmosphere and plunges unconscious into the ocean.