can repair Coalville first. They agree to create a machine to purify the local water for drinking. Annie arrives, but is accused of being a poser by Paradigm member Qubit and Max tells her that they cannot be partners, causing her to run away. After meeting up with Armadale, Annie incapacitates him and steals the powerful gun he had previously used against Retribution. Meanwhile, Hayes reveals his plan to distract the poor and hungry from his life of wealth and luxury by creating incidents such as the Diamond gang and now he intends to use Max. Max and the Paradigm successfully create the water purification device, but Annie returns and shoots Qubit, killing him. Max tells Annie that he is taking her in for murder. Qubit's ally Kaidan summons a water deity to revive him and they finish building the water purifier. When it is activated, the water turns to blood. After tasting it, Max recognizes it as goat blood, part of a spell by Nebuchadnezzar Grass and his mother Loretta, sorcerers hired by Hayes to cause disruption. Max defeats the pair. Annie is imprisoned for murder. Volume 5 (#17–20) After their home is attacked by civilians, Alana takes Max to meet Hayes and hear his proposal. Hayes offers Max a base, weapons and funding for his cause, but Max refuses, believing the funding should be spent helping those in need. After leaving Hayes, Max is attacked by the villains Tumult, Safeword and Charlie Hustle. When Max begins to win, Safeword uses her power to force Max to stop, and they flee. When Max recovers, Bellamy agrees to fund the repair of the city if Max can bring him one honest man to run it. Alana accepts for Max. Max later wonders if Bellamy knows why the villains did not finish him while he was incapacitated. Max recruits Armadale to help him find Mike Whelan, a former federal prosecutor to become the city manager. Meanwhile, Charlie, Safeword and Tumult are revealed to be working for Hayes. They are attending a gathering of several supervillains planning to cause chaos. Alana, having discovered a secret about Hayes, is subdued with gas. Max finds Mike, but he refuses to help, revealing that Max killed his son. The supervillains begin causing death and destruction around Coalville. Max holds Mike hostage while he attempts to convince Mike to take the job. Alana is captured by