Arsenal #3

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Arsenal #3
Taken Out

Written by Jim Crawbuck (Royharper)
Edited by Daniel Dyer (Spider-Man Beyond)

Six-forty-eight pm Thursday. I’m following Arsenal. He’s taking his kid to a piano lesson. He brings her inside the building. I noticed him checking out the alleyway on his way in. They entered the building at 6:54. If he doesn’t come back out by 7:10 I’m going to check that alley myself.

7:03 Mr. Harper returns outside. It appears that it is he who’s checking out that alleyway. He takes some time focusing on some graffiti on the side of the wall. He walks around a bit. Then he takes a knee. I think he’s looking at something on the ground. He’s goes back inside at 7:20. I grab my camera and go check it out myself. The graffiti says “PHATZ”. Underneath it there are two letters, T period, O period. The ground is full of beer bottles. Within the mess of recyclables are some empty spray cans; some elastic bands and some used syringes. I noticed something on the ground near the graffitied wall. It’s one solid footprint. Next to it, about 4, maybe 5, inches away, is a circle print, also very solid. Laterally and nearly parallel is a thick slide mark. It looks sort of like a divot. I snap a few pictures and get back in my car.

8:13 the Harpers leave. I follow them back home.

8:52 a young woman knocks on the door. My lord. She is beautiful.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“Hello, you must be, Miri’s friend, Penelope,” says Roy trying not to acknowledge her physical charms.

“Yes, that’s me,” she answers enthusiastically.

“Well, come in,” greets Roy. “This is my little girl, Lian.”

“Hi. Lian, I’m Penelope,” says Penelope as she takes a knee to get at eye level with her.

“Hi,” says Lian, “you’re pretty like Donna.”

“Thank you,” giggles Penelope. “You’re pretty like a princess.”

“Do you want to play tea party with me?” asks Lian.

Roy interrupts, “No. Maybe next time, Kiddo. Right now you got to go to bed.” Roy turns to Penelope. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m just going to put her to bed and I’ll be right back.”

“Oh, can I put her to bed?” Penelope asks.

Roy looks down at Lian.

“Can she, Daddy?” asks Lian with her bottom lip pushed out and puppy dog eyes.

Roy shrugs, “Sure.” This is great. Maybe the Harper luck is changing.

Roy walks into his kitchen.

She’s beautiful. She reminds Lian of Donna. “Hey, you want something to drink? Maybe some wine?” Roy yells out to his guest.

Penelope shouts back, “I don’t think I should, Mr. Harper.”

“All business, huh? Interview first? And call me Roy. I am anything but professional. You’ll have to get used to that,” Roy yells back to her.

“No, that’s not it, Mr... I mean, Roy. I don’t think my parents would be happy if I came home and smelled like wine.”

Roy walks back into living room with a pitcher of water and two glasses.

He pours himself some and sits on the couch.

“Still live with the parents. That’s cool,” he says as he relaxes and goes to take a sip.

“Yep. At least until I go to college,” answers Penelope.

Roy’s eyes light up. You stupid, dirty old man. She’s just a kid. What are you thinking? Okay this is good. I don’t need that tension anyway.

She walks back into the room.

Oh, man she is gorgeous. Stop it. Interview her.

“Sit. Relax. Let’s get this going. You have Experience with kids?” Roy asks trying not to stare.

“Sure. I have two younger brothers and both my parents travel with work a lot. So I was the official sitter,” answers Penelope. She goes onto explain how her mother is just starting to work at home so they don’t need her to do that anymore.

Roy is struggling to pay attention.

Roy you can’t do this. It’s too much. You’re not mature enough to handle this. So be mature enough to not put yourself in an awkward situation. “That’s good. You know who I am, right?” asks Roy.

She quickly answers, “YES, You’re Arsenal a former founding member of the Titans,” being a little star struck.

“Do you also know what happened to my last sitter?” asks Roy in a warning tone.

“Yes, Miri filled me in. I’m really sorry. That’s awful. I know the dangers in the job and I already told my parents,” she answers very seriously.

There you go, Roy, make your out. The solution is an easy one. Don’t hire her.

“They weren’t happy at first but after Miri explained it to them they came around,” she says with confidence.

Roy arguing his points, “I’m sure they must be nervous. It is a pretty dangerous job.” Stay on target Roy. Don’t look at her. Stay negative. Don’t hire her.

“Yes we discussed this. I got a two way hand-held. Miri’s got the other. She won’t let anything happen to me. Besides, I really need money for college and this would be perfect for me,” she says as they make eye contact. She bats her eyes and throws him a wide-eyed innocent look. Then she bits her bottom lip.

Roy is entranced for a moment. That’s it get her out of here. Roy pops to his feet. “ Okay, you’re hired,” he states. What??? You sucker. How did that happen? What are you saying? “I could use someone tomorrow night. Is that good for you?” he says as he shames himself.

“Yes. Great.” She jumps to her feet and kisses him on the cheek “Oh, thank you, thank you. I’m going to run home and tell my parents, Roy.” Then she says bye and runs out the door.

Roy is standing in the door way as she gets in her car. “Call me, Roy,” he says to himself mockingly. Good. She drives. I’d really hate myself if she just peddled home.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

9:30 the girl leaves. Harper makes a phone call. He paces for a little while. It looks like he’s scolding himself. Then he sits down watches TV until about 1:00 in the morning. Then it’s lights out.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

That next night, Ted is in his car looking through binoculars. You can see in the distance two shadow-like figures on a rooftop.

On the rooftop are Arsenal and Speedy. Arsenal is also looking through binoculars. Just not at Ted. Speedy is lining her bow.

“I met your new babysitter before at your house. She’s hot,” says Mia.

“Really, I didn’t notice,” says Roy blowing her off. He keeps looking through the binoculars.

“HA! Roy Harper didn’t notice a hot chic. Not hot. Drop dead stunningly gorgeous and you just didn’t notice. HA!” accuses Speedy.

“She’s just a kid and quiet down,” snaps Arsenal.

Speedy smirks. “I’m just saying,” says Speedy following with a sarcastic “Pops.”

“Where’d you tell Ollie you were going?” Roy asks more to change the subject.

“I told him I was hanging with the Titans,” replies Speedy.

“What’d ya tell the Teens?” asks Roy.

“I told them Roy wine and dine and….” starts Speedy.

“Do not finish your rhyme,” demands Roy.

“…Was taking me out on the town. Uptight much,” finishes Speedy.

“Why all ‘don’t tell Ollie’ anyway?”

“Just wanted it to be us. It’s just some amateurs trying to play in the bigs. We can take ’em. It’s a get to know you better mission. That time I asked you to babysit for me. I was at the park taking out some dope dealers. I thought I sent a good enough message that I wouldn’t have to go to their clubhouse. Then yesterday I was taking Lian to her piano lesson and I saw some Gang tag. I dropped her off and checked it out. I found some heroin paraphernalia. I found a note. It had this address and today as a shipment date. It was hidden in a very basic code. Lucky for me I still have my Tony the Tiger decoder ring,” says Arsenal, catching Mia up to speed. “Plus I think one of the guys I beat up the first time was in that alley with him.”

“Why?” asks Mia.

“I found some prints that I think were made by crutches,” answers Arsenal. “Bingo the leaders here. Let’s move.”

Arsenal and Speedy come busting through a roof window.

Speedy glues a guy’s gun hand to the wall before she even hits the ground.

Arsenal puts four arrows in four gun barrels before he hits the ground.

Damn he is fast. Ollie can’t even knock a bow that fast, Mia thinks to herself as she roles to a new position on one knee. Takes out two with a double glue arrow shot.

Roy is charged by two. He jumps over them, catching their heads in between the bow and the drawstring and flips them. He lands on his feet and puts two more arrows in two more gun barrels.

Mia glues some more shooters. He’s got some sick moves.

“We gotta talk about those glue arrows,” Arsenal says while side kicking one guy and putting an arrow through another ones hand.

“I like the glue arrows,” answers Mia as she pastes another one to the wall.

Arsenal has his knee in a guy’s stomach and his elbow hitting the back of his head. His other hand shoots a stun line over Speedy’s shoulder. It hits a guy who was behind her with a lead pipe.

Speedy, while toying with a muscle man in hand to hand, says, “You know I had him right?”

Arsenal puts his hand over some guy’s eyes and his palms release a flash bomb. “Sure,” he says, once again blowing her off.

“I did,” she said adamantly and losing her concentration for a second.

Arsenal sees two guys charging her from behind as he’s getting tackled. “Speedy!” he screams, waking her up.

Speedy does a back flip over the two incoming goons. As she is flipping, she catches their heads between the drawstring and the bow. She flips them.

Their leader sees that they are going to lose and tries to sneak away.

“Not so fast, Bigman,” says Arsenal with his gun out. Speedy is already focused on him with her bow. He freezes in his tracks. “Speedy lock these suckers down. Me and the Bigman gots ta talk,” Arsenal orders as he thinks, This guy gives up easier then most girls on our second date.

Speedy begins cuffing all the guys who aren’t glued. “ Bigman and I,” she says as she’s cuffing some thug.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Hours later at Scotland yard.

Moriarti in a lush chair behind an expensive desk gets a look of intrigue when Ted enters the room.

“Well, this better be good. You are wasting some of my money being here,” Vin says in his very matter of fact manner.

“It’s good,” Ted says, looking at the floor.

“Then make yourself comfortable, Teddy, my man. Coffee? Tea? Booze? A shag perhaps?” inquires Vincent. “Tell me your news. Slowly and with feeling. I do love a good story.”

“The subject went into the main den of the gang TO. He brought the new Speedy with him. They took them all down. He let the leader go. Told him he didn’t want him in the local jail because he’d be too close to him. He told him to go away, far away and take his remaining goons with him.”

“Interesting. Did he leave?” asked Vincent.

“Yes, I’m positive he got out of town faster… something that’s fast,” says a disheartened Teddy.

“How very poetic,” says Vincent, rolling his eyes.

“The cops found a literal crate of heroin. The perps all claim that they never seen it before but I don’t think it’s going to help. One said if we had enough money to buy that much heroin we wouldn’t need to sell it,” continues Ted.

Vincent gives a little golf clap. “Priceless,” he says looking at Ted. “Mosley, break his arms,” says Vinny.

Ted’s face loses all color as Mosley steps towards him.

“I’m just kidding,” laughs Vin as he slaps his desk. “Go get yourself a drink, a lady and relax, you’ve earned it.”

Ted, who is no longer trying to hide the fact he feels awful about this, says, “I’ll take a bottle to go. After all, Vinny, time is money.”

“That’s the spirit. Get this man his JD,” congratulates Vincent.

Ted gets his bottle and returns to his car. He opens the bottle and takes a swig. Capt. Jack is the only way I can sleep these days.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Back at the Harper house, Roy and Mia are sitting on the couch.

“Hey, What’s wrong? And don’t give me any of that nothing crap. You’ve been moping since we left the crime scene,” asks Roy.

Mia twitches a little and replies, “It’s just you… I mean you’re so fast,” with an accusing tone.

“Thanks. I think,” he says.

“I picked Speedy because that was once Green Arrow’s sidekick. That was you and nobody is as fast as you. I’m not Speedy. I’m more like Arrowlass,” she mutters, as she grows even more depressed.

“No, don’t say that. I was so honored when I found out Speedy was going to have a legacy… Well, after I got over Ollie putting your life in danger but eventually honored. So what if you’re not the same type of Speedy as I was. You’re Speedy from a different prospective,” he explains.

Mia perks up a little and with genuine curiosity asks, “What do you mean?”

“I was the worst student. It took me until I was 12 just to learn to tie my shoe. It was a long hard road to learn the stuff I learned. But you, you’re already a crack shot. Not just good. Good enough to earn a spot on team arrow. That’s quick. I saw you mimic my move in the warehouse. I know you never saw it before and when you needed it, you did it. You did it, without thinking about it or questioning yourself. Plus you did it with a back flip making it even harder. That’s fast. Some might even say Speedy,” he says. “And further more Arrowlass might be the worst name I’ve ever heard.”

“You are a good dad,” she says and hugs him. “You think you can teach me to be faster.”

“I don’t know,” he replies scratching his chin, “but we will find out.” Then he rubs her head. “Get home before Ollie blows a fit.”

“Sure, Roy, and thanks,” says Mia as she’s leaving.

Continued...