A collective sigh of relief washed over the pavilion. The adults immediately began cleaning up the mess, their sense of community stronger than ever.
James knelt down next to Marcus, who was staring at his smashed Spider-Man cake.
"I'm sorry your party got ruined, champ," James said softly.
Marcus looked from the squashed cake to the tire tracks left by the FBI vehicles, his eyes wide with awe. "Ruined? Dad, you just took down the bad guys in real life! You're way cooler than Spider-Man!"
James smiled, pulling his son into a tight hug. The cake was gone, the decorations were trashed, and his cover was permanently blown. But as he looked at his wife and the neighbors rallying together to salvage the afternoon, James knew it had been a perfect birthday after all.