Arsenal #4

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Arsenal #4
O’Leary’s Law

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

A few months later, at night, outside an old motel there are men dressed in military like gear designed for black ops. There are two on the roof signaling two hiding by the entrance. That set off the two by the entrance signaling the two on the fire escape.

Over this scene there is a conversation going on, somewhere, sometime else.

“Ever since the warehouse bust, Arsenal has been meeting with this man biweekly.”

“Really. And who is this man?”

“Det. Shawn O’Leary. He heads up the local police narcotics division. He sought out and found Arsenal. He takes his crusade on drugs very personal. When he was 15 he lost his brother to heroin. He doesn’t mind helping a vigilante if it means stopping the drug traffic.”

As we listen to this conversation the men in black are commencing their operation. The Black Ops group blows open the roof, the front door and the window on the fire escape simultaneously. They bust in, taking out the armed guards, inside by the respective posts, before anyone of them draw their weapon. The motel was like one big party for most of the occupants but now everyone is rushing to get out. After hearing the hysteria, a man in an office upstairs orders his two armed guards to check the door.

Over this the conversation ensues.

“O’Leary gets his information from a snitch. A well organized free-lancer. Almost anyone into anything around here has work with him. He’s got connections on both sides of the law, his own men and some capital. He’s sort of a modern day Huggie Bear.”

“Name?”

“I don’t have a name but I believe you worked with him before. Howz that saying go; a picture has a multi word value; or something like that.”

“Good job, Teddy. You are doing some impressive work.”

As those armed guards go to check the door it busts open. The two men from the roof waste the guards. In the hallway there are bodies everywhere. The man at the desk tries to run for a window. He is tackled and thrown on the desk. The stealth agent has his arm bent behind his back.

“We have some information for you to pass along. We just want you to make a phone call,” says the stealth agent.

“Who are you?” asks the man.

“Make the phone call to O’Leary, now,” says the stealth agent as he grabs the phone.

The conversation over these events comes to its conclusion.

“I don’t know how this helps, Vin. It’s not like you’d want to screw with the local law enforcement. I mean hurting a cop is going to bring on some heavy heat.”

“Dear Teddy. I’m not an idiot. I would never go after a police officer.”

The conversation ends.

The man is on the phone, reading off some information. He hangs up. The agent throws him down on the desk again. He still has his arm locked up. He puts his gun to the back of his head. Blood splatters on his black mask and night vision goggles. He removes the mask.

“You can call me, Mr. Mosley,” says Mosley staring down at the body of his victim.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The next day at a coffee shop Roy is standing behind his contact.

“Get up slowly and turn around, Slade,” he says.

“What are you talking about, Harper?” answers O’Leary.

“Sorry, Shawn. I can’t be too careful,” Roy accuses jestfully, “right, Batman.”

“Stop it. You starting to make me nervous,” Shawn says.

Roy laughs and sits down. “So whatcha got for me?” asks Roy.

“Vladimir Hikov is the man we want. He heads the Russian mafia around these parts. He’s the biggest arms and drug supplier in this city. He ships the stuff out from this port,” says Shawn while putting a file on the table. “His big clients are out of Bludhaven and Star City. Today he, himself, is going to be at the port to meet with his Star City client,” continues Shawn.

“Where you get this info from?” Roy inquires.

“Same source. He’s reliable,” says Shawn.

“Alright looks like I got plans tonight,” says Roy as he gets to his feet. He shakes Shawn’s hand and they leave.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Later that night at the Harper house Roy is tidying up a little.

“Lian. Baby, get your pjs on. Penelope will be here soon,” Roy says as he is looking out the window.

Penelope pulls up to the house.

Roy turns to his daughter and says, “She’s here. Go put on your jammees.”

He looks back out the window.

Penelope is still in her car.

What’s going on?

Then he notices that she’s changing. Be a good boy. He quickly looks away and goes to check on Lian.

Penelope knocks on the door and Lian runs to answer it.

“Hi,” says Lian sporting a big smile.

“Hey, rug rat,” says Penelope poking Lian on the nose.

“You know you don’t have to wait in your car to exactly 8:00. If you’re early you can come in,” Roy explains. And I rather not have a beautiful minor changing outside my house. It can’t be a safe thing in this city nor good for my rep.

“I wasn’t waiting, Mr. Roy. I was at the gym before I came here. I needed to change,” she answers.

Shocker. She’s a gym rat. I think Ray Charles could see that. And that “Mr. Roy” stuff is adorable.

“I’m just saying you can come in and change in the house, even shower. It has to be safer,” explains Roy. Are you drooling? Check for drool and get your head out of the gutter, man.

“Thank you, Mr. Roy. That is so sweet,” she says perking up with all the pep of a cheerleader.

Is that really a good idea Roy or are we just asking for trouble. Please behalf naked in my house. If you like you can walk around in your towel. Do we even think before we speak? “We don’t want anyone watching while you change outside from their window,” Roy says. Okay, shut up now, Roy. Why don’t you just say I was watching you change outside? Or better yet, offer her some sweets so she’ll get in your car. Just leave and go do your thing. “Well, I gotta go. I don’t know when I’ll be back but you know the drill,” he quickly lets fly as he turns to Lian. “Bye, baby bear. Give some love to your Pops.”

Lian runs over and kisses her father. He hugs her tight like he always does before he goes on mission.

“Bye, Daddy,” Lian screeches.

Roy puts his finger in his ear and rubs it.

Looks back over at Penelope and says, “There’s food and drink in the fridge. Help yourself.”

“Thank you,” replies Penelope as she flash a charming smile.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Arsenal gets to his destination in just a few minutes.

Arsenal is at the harbor waiting for Vladimir. He spots a ship with four guys on it loading something. After further observation he sees two have concealed pistols and it appears to be a fifth hidden with an assault rifle. A limo pulls up and two guys get out. One of them walks to the back of the limo and let’s out Vladimir. The other seems to be hiding a shotgun under his trench coat. They start scouting the area.

Dick would have quickly taken them out one by one. I’m not one for all that sneaking around stuff. He makes a quick phone call. “Shawn, be here in 10 minutes. I’ll have them gift wrapped by then,” whisper Roy and then hangs up.

He lets four arrows fly. One is a glue arrow gluing the shotgun to the man carrying it.

I like the glue arrows, too, Mia.

The other lands in the barrel of the assault rifle. Another two goes into the right shoulders of the guys with the concealed weapons. He zips lines down to the deck of the boat.

The two on the boat with out arrows in them rush him. One of them reaches for a gun.

Damn missed one. This is the kind of thing that Dick considers sloppy. I call it exercising my improvisation skills.

He shoots his wrist shock line into one.

The other man gets to Roy, hitting him in the forehead with the jammed up assault rifle.

Should’ve seen that coming. Shake it off and get the cobwebs out.

Roy is on his back with this guy standing above him. Roy lifts his heels to knee height of the guy on the deck and releases the heel poles on both boots. In stereo both of the guys knees brake. Then Roy gets up on his feet. He sees the guys from limo heading back to it. He puts an arrow into the gas tank. Then water shoots from the arrow flooding the fuel lines. He fires an arrow into a foot of each man he previously impaled in the shoulder. One of them reaches for his gun with his left hand.

Oops. He’s a lefty.

He instinctively fires another arrow into the barrel of his gun. By this time the guards from the limo made it over to him. The big muscular one punches him in the kidneys from behind.

This guy hits harder then the butt of that rifle.

Roy shoots his stun line over the guy hitting into the guy behind him.

Brace yourself, Roy. You’re about to get popped again.

The big one punches him in the face. Roy gets thrown back.

Ouch.

“Come on, hero, get up,” says the guy pounding on Roy.

Again Dick would go hand-to-hand with this steroid freak just to demoralize him. It’s part of that cowardly villain theory. I’m sure I can take him but I’m on a time limit here.

Roy pops in a fighting stance. The mobster charges him. As he gets close enough, Roy quickly draws his disrupter gun and places it on his forehead.

The guy freezes.

“Smile, buddy, and tell if this hurts,” says Roy and then pulls the trigger. When you wake up.

There’s a boat in the distance turning around. Vladimir realizes his last chance isn’t coming into port. All his men are either out cold or somehow ‘tied up’. The limo is flooded. It’s just him and a well seasoned vigilante.

“Let’s see if we can work something out here. I’m a businessman. I’ve got connections,” says Vladimir.

Roy silently guns him down while slowly shaking his head ‘no’. How cliché. They all say the same thing. If he came up with something original, I would’ve listened.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The next day back at Roy’s house. Roy is on the phone.

“That’s right we got him. Yes, it got a little out of hand. Brick’s boys! You sure. Thanks. She’s great. How’s Connor? Great. She told you, huh?” he inquires with a big grin.

Roy laughs.

“She’s a good one. I know you know. Be happy that I know, now. That’s funny because she always asks when is Uncle Ollie going to come and visit?” he grills slightly.

Roy laughs again.

“Ya, see that’s what I tell her. I say be careful when you speak of the devil because then Ollie appears. All right. I’ll keep you posted. Yep. Hope to see ya soon. Byem,” says Roy.

He hangs up and goes and plays with Lian.

^

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Meanwhile at Scotland Yard. Ted is leaving the back room.

Vin is sitting with Mosely and he makes a phone call. “I heard about your ruined deal,” says Vinny.

“What do you know about it?” answers Brick.

“This is my city. I’m happy to let your deal go down but it will have to be with me. I’ll even give you a discount for the inconvenience but for now on, you deal with me,” says Vin.

“Are you trying to take credit for stopping the exchange? Because I know it was that estranged arrow child. Arsenal,” says Brick.

“It was Arsenal. He is just a pawn on the chessboard of my city. No. Wait. I don’t mean to sell him short. He is not just a pawn. He’s more of my rook,” brags Vin.

Brick laughs, “Okay, we will see.”

“Brick, try to make other exchanges with out my okay will be a risk. I’m just offering you some insurance. So you think about it. You take all the time you need. I am not going anywhere,” Vin says as he hangs up the phone. “Mosely, I love this Harper guy.”

Continued...