_ Hi guys. I know I missed last week's visit, but mum insisted I do the dishes. Anyway, I've made up my mind. I'll set you free._

The tourists at Hyde Park were sort of curious about that. But not much. "Poor child", thought some. "Nutso" was another common reaction. How often do you see a guy talking to those odd, almost surreal statues, right in the middle of Hyde Park? Once a week, actually. That was Tom's way. He studied intensely for two years for any way to revert what his mutant powers had done, but no such luck. It was simply impossible to do it. He had definitely made those trolls statues. They were dead. Not that he felt much guilt about it. They were, after, just about to kill his mum and turn half of the British Isles into gold. But he still felt compelled to visit those statues once a week and talk to them. One week after X-Factor left his home (he had been their last official case, he heard), he visited them the first time. He said:

_ Hi guys. I'm not sure why I'm here. But I figure I gotta tell you I got into college yesterday. I will study biochemistry and make you human... troll again. I'm not sure what mUm thinks of it. I mean, you were gonna try to kill her. Nobody's looked for me yet, you know. Dr. McCoy told me there were gonna be people wanting to use my powers, but none have showed up. Yet. Weird.I alwys thought being able to turn things into gold and stuff like that would attract lots of sleaze, but it seems to have stayed away. We'll see._

Those were rough months for Tom. His father lost his job and he more than once was tempted to make gold. But the image of those greedy monsters loomed over him. He didn't and his dad eventually got a new job. But on a rainy day of August he said:

_ You were wrong about some stuff, but right about others. Economics would probably ruin this world if used right. Wrong, if used wrong. It's ruining my world. But I learned some great stuff with my teachers. Dr. McCoy introduced me to a physics expert he trusted here in Britain, Mr. Braddock. Hank is sort of funny, but this new guy... I don't like him. he is too unstable._

Braddock was really unstable: he disappeared a week after that. But that was minor. Tom's love life was also troubling:

_ Being different is a pain in the ass, you know. Oh, yes. You are giant monstrous freaks. You ought to know. But I shouldn't have such problems. Only every time I approach someone in campus all they see is a mutant. I know I look like a nerd_ - at this point he took off his glasses and cleaned them - _but there's more to it than that. They're afraid of me. They're afraid I'll blast them to pieces or freaks will show up during a date. I know it's not impossible. Your partners... they gave me a rough time last Sunday. Unfortunately for them, it was not night, but an eclipse. It was horrible. But that was it. I just don't get it._

That's what he'd said after he finally had the guts to ask a young student of British History out. But something had changed since then. The conversations with the statues were more light-hearted, less filled with angst. A girl finally accepted an invitation, his dad got a promotion and he quit college. Not college altogether, but Biochemistry. He finally realized he was not cut out for the job. Besides, he learned enough to realize that his intent was impossible. Finally that day he did what he had to do. He said:

_Oxygen_ - and it was over.