Black Arrow #6

[Glippernip]

BLACK ARROW#6

Family Matters

By Jim Crawbuck

Written by Jim Crawbuck
Edited by Joel Sawyer


In New Bludhaven months earlier at the social service center, a young teen stands disheartened as his new family finishes up the paper work to adopt him. He stares silently at the scene thinking only of how unfair life is being to both him and his absent brother.

“Well that’s it. Let me be the first to congratulate both of you on your new family,” says the clerk as he files away the paper in front of him.

“Thank you. We are so excited to start our family,” squeals the middle-aged woman.

Turning to the boy, the middle-aged man says, “Daniel, I know you think this sucks. We just want to give you a better chance in life then your brother had. You don’t have to call us Mom and Dad. You can call us Gloria and Mike if that will make you more comfortable.”

“Fine. Mike. You don’t know my brother. What would make me more comfortable is to be with my real family,” argues Daniel.

“Oh sweetie, we wish your brother could be a part of this too. No one knows where he is and if they find him he’ll be arrested,” Gloria pouts has she strokes her new son’s hair.

Daniel turns his head away from her and gently pushes her arm away.

Mike puts his hand on his saddened wife’s back. “Its going to take awhile, darling. You mustn’t push him to hard.”

Gloria leans on his shoulder gazing sadly and lovingly at Daniel.

<I’m outside, Danny. We’ll put this family back together soon. I’ve got pretty good at this stuff>

“I know you can’t see it right now, kiddo. But you are very lucky. Getting adopted at your age is very rare. This is a blessing you should learn to count them”, adds the clerk.

“Lucky,” giggles Daniel

“Truly,” sincerely states the clerk.

“You’re right. I am starting to feel a little lucky,” says Daniel, sporting a smile for the first time today.

^

[Glippernip]

After a few more parting words the newly formed family left the building. Gloria points out the car and Mike leads the way. Daniel is inspecting the surroundings. He is sure his brother is here somewhere.

< I’ll be following you to the house on a speedercycle>

Daniel pauses and looks around.

“Something wrong? Is it hard to leave? You’ve been in an orphanage for many years. It’s understandable,” ask Gloria.

“Yeah, I’m just saying goodbye,” replies Daniel with a confident grin.

The family gets in to an expensive luxury Hover Car and begins their first ride home as a family.

Shortly after a speedercycle leaves the same lot. Daniel sees this and smiles.

After a bit of a drive they pull up to their big home and park on their Drivepad. Then they all exit the vehicle.

“Daniel, What do think,” asks Mike.

“I think you guys have a ton of Cred,” answers Daniel.

As Daniel answers a speedercycle slides in to a stop right between the couple and their son. Simultaneously the family screams.

Gloria and Mike yell “No!” The disbelief and horror is nearly tangible.

“Dennis!” Cheers a starry eyed younger brother as his hero comes to save the day.

Dennis hops off his cycle and grabs both parents by their face. His face blushes a deep red his eyes separate. The right eye to the far right and left eye to the far left. “Sleep,” He whispers. Both Mike a Gloria slump to the floor.

Daniel cheers. “Wow! How you’d do that?”

“I’m getting better with this stuff. I can induce sleep and even make some hallucinated,” Dennis brags as swagger over to his younger brother. “ Now get on the…”

A Megaphone booms, “Dennis Daniels! Get on the floor. Place your hands behind your head. Lay on your stomach. Daniel Daniels! Walk to me”.

Two plain-clothes police officers, wearing badges around their necks, reveal them selves. Dennis turns and faces them. His face once again goes flush and his eyes separate.

<Do as they say, Danny. Go to them and get their guns>

Danny, walking toward them at a snails pace, thinks to himself real hard. “How, Dennis?”

Dennis shrugs an ‘I don’t know’ gesture, palms to the air. When he lifts both arms the officers guns snap free from their holsters. They zip through the air gently landing in Dennis hands. The Megaphone gets violently smashed to the floor scattering pieces of its self at the feet of the cops. The color in Dennis face returns and his eyes snap back to normal. His surprised expression quickly turns to a triumphant smile. He releases both clips and lets them fall to the floor. Then he aims both guns to the ground.

“Telekinesis. I’m evolving,” he boasts. “ You could have hurt one of us with these”.

He fires both guns into the floor to empty the chamber.

One police officer nervously arms him self with his stun baton. The other tries to run to a near by parked car. His keys fly from his belt over some houses and the car doors lock. He stops dead in his tracks.

“Daniel, lets get out of here”, says Dennis.

The armed officer replies, “I can’t let you do that, kid”.

“I don’t want to hurt you guys I just want to leave with my brother. Turn the other cheek. You tried but you lost,” argues Dennis.

The other cop says to his partner, “He’s right man. You think this is worth it. I don’t want to ended up toe tagged over this.”

Then Dennis mounts his cycle. “Danny, get on.”

Daniel gets on and grabs his brother waist tightly. The cops just watch. It might be a New Bludhaven but it seems to be the same old police force. The Daniels Brothers zoom off.

^

[Glippernip]

“How did you do that,” shouts Daniel fighting the wind whistling in their ears.

“The gun trick,” asks Dennis.

“Yes,” cries Daniel.

“Instinct. I guess. That was a first for me too,” loudly replies Dennis.

“It was amazing,” Daniel once again cheers his older brother.

“It sure was,” agrees Dennis. “Listen up, Buddy. We’re getting out of here so we can start all over. I don’t want this life for you. We’re going to live the right way when we get to our new home.”

“Where we going,” asks Daniel.

“This guy I worked with when he used to run with the Jokerz. He fell out of favor and ran away to Star City. He says he needs a roommate. Now he’s going to have two.”

“Did you fall out of favor?”

“Let’s just say I got more enemies than friends in New Bludhaven”.

^

[Glippernip]

Present Time: Little John is taking a stroll. He’s dressed in a gray suit with a green shirt and a gray tie. His almost yellow hair is meticulously combed. He’s scooping out small businesses looking for a possible purchase. His attention is caught by two gentlemen in a heated argument just outside a fence near a construction site.

“Its not up for discussion, boy. You are done here, period,” yells the heavy-set well dressed man.

Dennis Daniels, covered in soot and wet with sweat, is no longer controlling his anger.

“You can’t do this to me. I did everything you asked of me. I can’t lose another job. How am I supposed to support myself and my brother,” argues Dennis.

“Not my problem, kid. Life sucks. Deal with it,” barks the fat man.

“This is recyke. You have no heart. You think you can do what ever you want,” screams Dennis.

“You got enough creds and you can do what ever you want. So after I fire you, I’ll go see the wizard about purchasing a heart,” teases the owner of the land. “Now get lost!” He throws Dennis’s paycheck in a puddle.

Dennis’s face gets flush and his eyes separate. “Money isn’t the only power,” he snaps.

The man falls to his knees screaming, “What the hell are you doing to me?” He’s clutching the sides of his head desperately.

“Whatever I want, Bossman,” sadistically retorts Dennis.

Blood starts trickling out of the heavyset man’s nose.

What the? I better get over there. No time to change into my armor.

LJ rushes to the scene. He reaches and grabs Dennis by the shoulder and pulls him backward breaking his concentration. The color quickly returns to Dennis’s face and eyes return to their proper position. The man on the floor is just lying gasping and wiping the blood from his nose.

“What’s going on here,” LJ asks Dennis.

Dennis, who is of average height, must look up to Little John. Little John is taller, wider and in much better shape then Dennis.

“Back off, Goldie Locks. This man is trying to ruin my life. All I want is a fair chance,” spats Dennis.

“This isn’t the way to do it. If keep doing what ever you were doing to him you’ll ruin your life yourself”, LJ calmly replies. He’s just not calming down. I feel bad for him. Is he really the bad guy here?

The fat man quietly gets to his feet and starts slowly sneaking back into the construction site.

“All you suits think you can do whatever you want. You destroy people’s lives without any remorse. All done in the pursuit of money, I just want to live a normal life. Damn it,” Dennis shouts.

“I’m sorry. But I’m not going to let you hurt the man,” warns LJ.

Dennis laughs. “It’ll take a lot more than a gym rat like you to stop me.” He turns his attention back to his former employer just to find he is gone. “Look what you did. He’s gone.” Dennis reaches into the puddle and gets his check. He waves off as much moisture as he can and puts it in his pocket. “Maybe I should slag you, pretty boy.” He’s eyes separate and his face goes flush.

[Glippernip]

I don’t want to do this. I have try and calm this guy down. I understand. He fears for his future right now.
“That would be a big mistake,” says LJ. I heard him mention his brother. Maybe I should try that angle.

“You have no right to talk about my brother, rich boy,” Dennis cries.

LJ grabs the sides of his head. “Arrrgg!” It feels like something is squeezing my brain. The pain gets worse with every moment. I must fight through it. Clear my mind and focus. Breath deeply and evenly. There’s only one way to get out of this.

LJ never takes a knee. He snaps into a fighting stance and strikes one focus blow to Dennis’s chest. Dennis is thrown backward and to the floor. He coughs repeatedly and gasps for air.

The melee gathers the attention of the public. A small crowd gathers, and with it, two police officers.

“What’s going on here boys?” Asks one of the officers.

Both LJ and Dennis are bleeding. Dennis from his mouth and LJ form his nose.

I’m not going to get this guy in trouble. I don’t think he’s evil. He’s just having a rough time at it.
“We were both running and we collided. That’s all. It must look really bad. Am I bleeding”, LJ says, wiping his nose but already knowing he is bleeding.

“Yes, superficially," answers the officer, “Everyone is okay then,” He asks Dennis.

“Yes, it was just a bad accident,” Dennis answers.

“Then move along, people. There is nothing to see here,” The policemen start dispersing the crowd.

LJ walks away.

Dennis runs over to catch up to him. “Hey. Wait.”

LJ stops and turns around. Dennis’s tone is finally relaxed. He seems to have let go of his anger.

“I’m just have a bad few months,” Dennis says as he catches up to LJ. “I lost two. No counting this one three; three jobs. I haven’t had steady employment since my little brother and I moved here. I just. I don’t know. It’s hard. Did you ever feel like everything you did was wrong? Every time you tried to be good, you just weren’t? Everything just gets so twisted. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I just wanted to say ‘sorry’, and thanks. Thanks for not getting the police involved.” Dennis starts to walk away.

LJ puts his hand on his shoulder to stop him from leaving. “My name is John.”

“Dennis.” They shake hands.

“I’m looking to start a business, Dennis. Why don’t you give me your phone number, and if you don’t have a new job by then maybe you can work for me. I just don’t know how long it’s going to be,” suggests Little John as he hands Dennis his phone so he can put his number in it.

“Thanks,” says Dennis while giving LJ his number. “I hope when you call I say I already got a job”.

“Me too,” snickers LJ. “Hey, and Dennis?”

Dennis looks at LJ attentively.

“I do feel like that, a lot,” says LJ.

Both men smile at each other as they go their separate ways.

^

[Glippernip]

Much later that evening, LJ, Ollie, Connor and Dinah are sitting with each other, eating diner.

“Have you seen the latest report on Black Arrow,” Asks Dinah.

“I did,” replies Conner, “Man or Phantom? I like the mystique Little John is creating”.

I wonder if the average family sits around the dinner table talking about the Black Arrow. We do and often. I guess that’s just like talking about ones career. I guess? “I didn’t see that. When did you hear that?” asks LJ.

“I saw it last night,” answers Connor.

“I saw it this morning,” answers Dinah. “It’s a good thing. Very Batman”.

“Yes, reputation is important in this work, right Dad,” Connor says trying to fish some input out of Ollie.

“Yeah. Important. Reputation,” Ollie mumbles as he gobbles up some steak. “Can you pass the salt?”

Conner gets frustrated with dad’s lack of involvement. I think he's just old and tired, Conner thinks. Everything to him is like a been there done that. He’s trained many a hero. He was fighting along side the greatest hero ever and he was president of the United States of America. This stuff is all old hat to him.

LJ passes salt to his father. “Nothing negative? Not even how last week I destroyed the vault in Star City Mutual with my Canary Cry?”

“Nope. I told no one was going to blame you for that,” Connor reiterates.

“Honey, it was an accident. Let it go. The Canary Cry is hard to get used to. No one was hurt”, urges Dinah.

Mom’s got a similar resume but she’s more of a nurturer than Dad. He just expresses himself very differently than mom.
“This time,” replies LJ.

“I hate seeing you so down. I have a good mind to go find that judgmental detective and shove my orthopedic shoe down her throat,” Dinah says.

Funny she should think that because I feel like I did something really good today. I hope everything works out for Dennis. He put me in pretty good mood.

“Trust me. Can’t please every body. Especially some coo-coo broad on a power trip,” adds Ollie.

“Oliver. What kind of talk is that? Are you turning into a caveman or are you bringing the rat pack back,” Sternly reprimands Dinah.

Mom and Dad always bicker, but it is so obvious they are still, after all these years, deeply in love. I think the bicker comes from how much respect they have for one another. They are both warriors by nature and see each other as equals. So showing each other that they are vulnerable to one another is like showing your weakness. Neither of them is comfortable showing weakness.

“Say what you want about old blue eyes, but don’t you rag on Dino. See kid, they’re all nuts,” Ollie says, pointing at Dinah.

“I can still dust your crazy crippled bottom, you old blow hard,” warns Dinah.

“I thought we agreed no bedroom talk in front of the kiddies,” says Ollie while he wheezes out a couple of laughs.

“You dirty old perv,” she huffs.

Ollie wheezes out couple more chuckles. “As long as you got us in your corner who cares what that piece of eye candy thinks. It’s all about family. You’ll see. We’ll keep you straight”. He gobbles up more steak. “How’s your salad, Sally?” Ollie asks Connor then laughs at his own joke.

Conner doesn’t get involved with the bickering and Dad always tries to pull him in. Conner never gets wrapped up in it. He’s very different from them. He is also very comfortable in his own skin. I only hear him speak when training me, giving me some wisdom or to be encouraging. When Dad makes fun of him its almost a compliment coming from him. I think Connor thinks that too. I hope one day Dad is so proud of me he call me a ‘Sissy’.

“Fine, Dad,” answers Connor rolling his eyes.

“He’s right, Baby. He’s an ignorant, misogynistic, idiot but he’s right. We all believe in you. I think you are going to be the best Arrow ever,” his mother encourages.

“I think you all ready are,” adds Connor.

“I think you are better then Roy and Connor,” says Ollie.

^

[Glippernip]

Somewhere in an old dirty apartment complex in the slums of Star City, Dennis returns home, hands full of take- out. He stands in front of the door and pauses. Then all the blood rushes into his face and his eyes separate.

<Danny I’m home. My hands are full. Can…>

Before he can finish projecting the thought, the door unlocks and opens. Danny is sitting a cross the room watching a movie.

“Damn it. I got to get the telekinesis thing under control. It manifests at the strangest times,” Dennis says.

“It looked pretty cool from here,” Daniel says.

“Foods here.” Dennis puts his packages on a table and splits it up. He closes the door and sits down to eat. Daniel pauses his movie and comes to join him.

“I was thinking maybe I should get a job at a super market or something. If I don’t go to school I can work full time,” suggest Daniel while unwrapping a burger.

“No,” gasps Dennis. “We’re here to give you a better life. Dropping out of school is not the way to start it.”

“You dropped out.”

“First off: I did not drop out. I didn’t go to college. I finished high school. Not going to college is what’s making getting a job so damn hard. I wish things were different and I could have somehow went for high learning. You are not taking that path,” Dennis answers.

The door slowly creeks open just enough for Dennis' roommate Dodo to slide through it.

He never fully opens it. He closes it blocking the view into the hallway, Dennis thinks.

"Man, I got a big opportunity for you. You must have done some real damage in New Bludhaven after I left,” whispers Dodo.

“What are you talking about? Why are you whispering,” Asks Dennis.

Daniel looks on, oozing anticipation.

“Shh. There’s this French dude out front who wants to hire you. He says your abilities will be very useful. He'd like to come in and talk price,” whispers Dodo.

“No way. I don’t do that anymore,” refuses Dennis. “Send him away”.

“Come on, man. We's gots bills to pay, an' ain’t neither one of us got no job. He told me he’d give me 500 creds just if you said ‘yes’. Imagine what he’s willin’ ta pay you. Stop being so selfish. Do it for me. Do for your it, brother,” pleads Dodo.

Dennis temper flares when Dodo brings up Daniel. He paces the room. He grabs his hair tightly with both hands. He cries out in frustration. “Arge! Fine. Let him in. I’ll hear him out but I’m not promising anything.”

“That’s all I ask. That’s all I ask,” soothingly states Dodo. He opens the door fully.

A man in black and white vertical striped, long-sleeve shirt is leaning on the wall across the hall and chew on a toothpick. He’s wearing a black berét and tight black pants. “Very cliché. No? Is zis how you except to zee a French man?”

“Come in,” a disgruntled Dennis greets.

“I must say zis place is a mess. Remind me to give you my decorator's number before I leave,” says Counter Punch. He walks in and plops himself in a seat putting his feet up on the table.

Dennis glares at him. “What’s the job,” He asks impatiently.

“Right down to bizness. No, how you zay, small talk,” replies the visitor.

“No. What’s the job?”

"As you wish. I need your services for a jail break,” plainly states Counter Punch.

“What? No! That’s way to risky,” rejects Dennis.

“I’ll willing to pay you handsomely,” chimes the Frenchman.

“What’s handsomely,” Asks Dennis.

“How’z 250,000 creds zound to you,” Counter punch returns with a question.

All three young men's eyes light up. There’s a brief pause.

“Who are you,” Asks Dennis.

“I am called many thingz. You may call me De tauntair,” announces the Frenchman.

“Detourer,” asks Daniel.

“Zat is not what I said but if zat is what you wish zen zat is what I am,” replies the Detourer.

“I think he said the taunter,” adds Dodo.

“Zat is what I said,” declares the Taunter.

“It sounds like Detour-er,” insist Daniel.

“Zen call me Counterpunch,” he says.

“How about Counter Strike,” enthusiastically suggests Daniel.

“Fine. If Zat is what you like,” concedes Counter Strike. ( I think)

to be continued...