A withered man crawls among the bugs in a cell muttering, don't let the demons take you. In the alley, a battle takes place within Spawn's tormented mind. Cogliostro is aware of the battle. He has was once a Hellspawn himself and he tells Spawn that he must choose which master he serves. For as long as Spawn lives a life of violence, he serves Malebolgia.

Four street punks, Petey, Bobbie, Frankie and their college-going friend Joey are out for a night on the town. But things have changed. The youths are on the verge of becoming men, and for some men, this change comes with the spilling of blood. After a hit, Joey panics and says he'll go to the cops. Now he must be killed as well, and the task is handed to Frankie, Joey's best friend. It's a test. Kill the potential squealer, become a man.

Spawn and Cogliostro attempt to intercede. Spawn wants the punks gone. Cogliostro points out that the young would-be assassin just wants to be like the Hellspawn, a killer. Petey and Bobbie think Frankie has chickened out and that means he is dead as well. Petey fires a bullet at Frankie as the air around Spawn Alley crackles. Suddenly the bullet freezes in mid-air, inches from Frankie's face. Time has stopped. Frankie is being given a choice.

A choice Spawn had when he was Al Simmons captured by the enemy. Simmons friend, Sykes is killed, murdered for information, and all Simmons thought to do once freed, was kill. Spill more blood. There was one voice of reason that pulled Simmons back from the brink. Major Fosberg. He tried to tell Simmons not to let the demons take hold. But Simmons thought only of revenge, and at that moment, Hell took notice.

The choice is made. Frankie puts the bullet through his best friend's brain. Tonight he made his bones, leaving Spawn to wonder what ever happened to Fosberg, the voice of reason from his past. The answer lies in that prison cell. Fosberg is the old mad driven mad by unseen demons, and there is somebody there to see him. The visitor is Jason Wynn. He has come for Forsberg.