| “ | For a moment Banes stood there, unaware that his hand had dropped and that the gun was now pointing at the ground. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Hot blood flowed over his lower lip. His last thought that he had never expected to die like this, and certainly not quite so soon. Then he fell onto his knees and crashed face down into the sand. | „ |
| ~ Colton Banes last though |
Colton Banes is an antagonist in the Power of Five book three Nightrise. He is a member of the titular Nightrise Corporation which deals in business and nuclear power; but also hunts down the Five Gatekeepers. He and his partner Kyle Hovey are presumably "chasers" in the business.
Colton Banes and Kyle Hovey both turn up at the theatre Jamie and Scott work at and abduct them just at the end of a performance. However, the stage dog attacks Kyle and almost bites his hand off. Colton is more fortunate and beats the dog to death, then chases Jamie and Scott. He shoots Scott with a tranquilizer and takes him captive in his van.
He and Kyle are debriefed by their boss, Susan Mortlake, who cannot tolerate failure and orders Colton to kill off his long time friend, Kyle Hovey. Colton is afraid of Susan so he does this with no hesitation, knowing he could be dead if she isn't happy. So, Colton strangles his own friend.
Colton Banes' past is a mystery, all that is revealed is that he was a delinquent who dropped out of school for crime. He was an armed robber and finally an inmate at prison, then he was recruited by Nightrise. He was very good at his job of torture and manipulation.
He was apparently a child abuser; when Jamie Tyler reads his mind he sees a young girl with bruises on her arm in Banes' trailer. He also saw many other murders with a gun being fired at numerous people. He saw Colton Banes killing his guardians and everyone else who got in his way.
Jamie deliberately goes into the Nightrise headquarters in Los Angeles to find where Nightrise have hidden his brother Scott, and a guard stops him on Banes' floor. Jamie pretends to be delivery; but the guard follows him inside. He sees Banes pointing his gun at Jamie, but Banes shoots the guard. Later, when Jamie deliberately gets himself arrested into Nightrise prison Silent Creek to find Scott, Colton Banes is reported to by the commander about Jamie's tattoo on his shoulder which signifies him to be one of the Five. Banes is pleased - he has Scott, but soon he will have Jamie. Or so he thinks. He flies out that night but immediately the building is attacked by Native Americans, who attack the staff and break Jamie out of prison along with another inmate named Danny. As their truck goes by, Colton Banes shoots at Jamie. He is sure he has killed him, but he smiles and loads his gun again, firing, but a Native American comes past and shoots his arrow at Banes, killing him. Banes' last expression is surprise.