RECAP:
After the fall of Blockbuster, Mayor Soames placed a new
official legislation into law called the Anti-Vigilante Displacement
Act, making metas and non-powered vigilantes fugitives of justice
within the city limits of Blüdhaven. With the help of
Special Agent Cisco Blaine, and the full power of the FBI; a new task
force was integrated into the Blüdhaven Police Department known as
the Crime Prevention Squad. Meanwhile, Nightwing found himself
betrayed by his information broker Oracle who agreed with Special Agent
Blaine's plans to save Blüdhaven. He also discovered Blaine
had a sample of his DNA, which would allow him to uncover his identity,
so he fled in an effort to protect his identity and find a way to
protect Blüdhaven from the new menace that threatens it.
Elizabeth:
It's been less then a week since I entered Blüdhaven, and
already I have seen crimes perpetrated by the police on the criminals
and people, which from what I've been told is far from norm. I
don't know what their agenda is. I have not been able to gather
any Intel on their plans. The past couple of nights I've stole
away at the place Dick told me would be safe. I carried light,
and I have an escape route; one that he mapped out. I also have
the supplies he provided. I lean on a ledge, but I'm careful not
to be seen. From my vantagepoint I can see a cop pistol whipping
some blonde teenager, and the kid looks like he's doped up on
something. I pull a bird-a-rang out of my glove and toss it,
knocking the baton from his hand. This proves to be a mistake, as
the teen jumps on top of the cop, and starts beating on him
mercilessly. So I swing down using my decel jump line, and kick the kid
off. The cop is unconscious, which unfortunately is a blessing
because if I get caught, the CPS will be all over me. However,
the boy won't give up; he comes at me. I kick him so hard in the
nuts that he falls limply to the side. I then tie him up to make
sure he doesn't go anywhere. But, the whole time he has this
crazy look in his eyes. I begin to wonder as I leave what kind of
city lets crazies run rampant with no one but corrupt cops to provide
the innocent civilians with safety?
I think of Gotham, but even Gotham is not as bad as what I see.
As I sprint down the street, I see an old man being harassed by some
punks. I stop, and start to head that way when he pulls a gun
out, and shoots them before my eyes. It doesn't bother him at
all; in fact he stands over them as they twitch in pain, and shoots
them dead. I run off realizing that the citizens were just as
nuts as the criminal element. By the time I get back to the safe
house it's time for me to contact Dick, so I dial the untraceable
number on the disposable cell phone I bought.
"Yes," he says.
"You didn't tell me the people here were crazy too."
"Wouldn't you be after putting up with Blockbuster for all this time?"
he says, "but, more than that they have been victims of violence more
often than not."
I mull over his words for a moment, but it doesn't excuse the actions
I've seen committed.
"Still, it isn't right."
"That's what I once thought," he says, and I hear his voice take on
that gritty edge. "Then I realized that some times you have to
get your hands dirty."
"What are you doing now?"
Dick:
I knew she was going to ask me that. Despite the anger over
finding out I was seeing someone else, she's still crazy about
me. While I watch Agent Blaine get into his car, I hear her
breathing expectantly for my answer.
"Nothing dangerous," I say. "I'll talk to you later."
She goes to say something, but I hang up. Blaine starts to pull
away, and I follow in the Nightbird. I need to rectify the
situation he has placed me in. With the blood sample he took, he
could easily figure out who I am, and probably trace my connections to
Bruce. So, there comes the question on how do I convince him
otherwise. Or, do I play to what knowledge he has
uncovered, and possibly intimidate him through force to back off.
As I tighten my fists on the steering wheel, I know that is what I
would like to do, but it probably wouldn't bring any results. I
need to think of something before I confront him, and it has to be
good. When Blaine turns down another street, I follow, but stay
behind a good enough distance that I could follow him to where he was
going. Having been taught by the best, I knew how to tail a
person real good, but some proved to be too smart to be tailed.
As I figure out when Blaine's black sedan becomes lost among four
sedans that enter the street we were on, and then they all split at the
intersection. I don't know which one to follow, and it's then I
realize I should have bugged his car.
Blockbuster:
The sound of a vertebra snapping is like music to my ears. I like
to watch the last traces of life leave their body, and then after that
the thrill is gone. I find myself back where I started a whole
lot pensive, and focused on one man -- Nightwing. I picture my
massive hands wrapping around his throat; choking the life out of
him. All for what he has done to me. Then I think about
what I will do to Soames when I get my hands on him. Breaking his
neck is too merciful. I think I will snap his spine first, and
then leave him in the deepest, darkest hole I can find. But,
first things first, after killing King Snake; I find myself saddled
with his debts. I had two of my new men set up a meeting with
these collectors, so that I can personally negotiate a truce, and
perhaps an alliance.
All things considered, if they refuse, none of them possess the forces
to stop me from exterminating them. They are just lower rung
gangs just like my new force is. But, then that's how I built my
empire...
Captain Rohrbach:
I look through the books, the doctored books that list the crimes
prevented, and it almost makes me ashamed. I set them aside, and
run through the take my men have brought in from the businesses in the
'Haven. So far I have not heard from Mrs. Desmond, but I've gone
too far to start backtracking now. Too many corrupt cops have
been integrated into the CPS, and Agent Blaine is totally unaware of
their connection to Blockbuster's syndicate. Most of them are
officers he bought from other cities, but they do the job they're paid
to. Each day I get a report of their activities. I know too
much, and if I say anything my child and husband will be killed.
So, I have to stay silent; endure the disgusting things I am forced to
do, all for the sake of family. If there was ever a god, I would
hope that he could see why I commit these sins, and understand.
Scarlet:
Aleta's dead, and as I rise up from the dirt covered pavement spitting
up phlegm I see the big brute that did the job. It took all of
the slugs I put in the forty-four to take him down, and yet he still
managed to slap me down. I lie here looking up at the
streetlights. Blüdhaven, such a shitty port town, why did
Soames ever set himself up here? He had plenty in
Australia. He was his own man, but no; he had to come to the city
on the edge. He had to work with the feared crime lord that was
being whispered about overseas. And now, now, he's probably
dead. Just like I should be by all rights. I get up, dust off my
pants, and I bend down picking up the Magnum. The stupid gimp
broke the barrel making it useless. All I have was a little
Walther PPK, which won't do much against these lugs.
I need something with stopping power if I'm going to survive. I
walk across the pier onto the street, and hold up a driver for his
Pontiac Grand Am. Once I'm inside, I set the car into gear, and
drive off.
Something tells me I should have flown off without Dudley, but what can
a girl in love do...
Dick:
I look at the stubble that's grown on my face. I've let myself become a
bit obsessive with this, but if I don't do anything; the government
will start sniffing around my background, and perhaps Bruce's as
well. I take a sip of the coffee. It's stale, and not as warm as
the waitress claimed it was. Across from me, I see someone who
I've watched hang around Agent Blaine. The idea is to tail him,
and see if he will lead me to Blaine. As soon as he goes for the
door, I linger, then follow. He makes for a red convertible, as I
walk by I stumble and plant a tracer, then get back up. He looks
at me wondering what happened, and I smile.
"Just tripped."
He nodded, and got in his car, and I go to where I parked the
Nightbird, and follow behind thanks to the handy tracking equipment
inside.
It isn't too long before we are on the highway. After about a half-hour
he pulls into the parking lot of a condemned building. I put my
shades, and the rest of my disguise away; then open up the suitcase
with my costume inside. It's time I change the rules, the only
way I know how.
Soames:
I wake up with pain flaring up every nerve in my body. I ache all
over, and my lungs cry out for air, but all I'm breathing in is
water. I realize pretty quickly that someone has dunked me into
the water. I struggle, and fight to get my head pulled out.
Finally, the hard grip on the base of my neck lets go, and I raise my
head up. An Asian man stands beside me, and watches as I cough
up; behind me I hear a woman speak, a voice like velvet. I turn
and look at her, and as she comes toward me, I take in her scent.
She smells like raspberries, and when she touches me with her bare
hand, I notice its silky smoothness.
"What is your name, gaijin?"
"My name?" I say, "Dudley; Dudley Soames."
Her lips purse, and then a smile reveals itself. I look into her
eyes, and they are vacant. She's blind; possibly helpless.
Lots of thoughts run through my mind, but then I hear a noise.
Like metal scraping against leather. And then I feel immense pain
in my back, like some one drove a poker through my back, but I look,
and it's no poker. It's a katana. I spit up blood, and
smile at the woman, her name I don't know, and then I collapse onto the
pavement; my last thoughts a dirty one.
Elizabeth:
An hour goes by, and I hear screams and cries. No matter how hard
I try I can't go to sleep. It's still dark out, and the moon is
half lit. I think of some nights ago when my skin touched against
his, and we melded into one; so long ago it was and yet I can't stop
thinking about it. I curse myself because such thoughts condemn
me. He has a woman, and all I have been is a floozy that he had a
one-night stand with.
I close the window, and lie back in bed. I lay my head on the
pillow, and try to drown out the noise. If I could just get a few
hours sleep, I know I would be all right. I know that these
thoughts will fade, and that I can do what I asked.
And then darkness clouds my vision. I dream of him. His
naked body; tight and lean, his lips, their kisses are so sweet.
And I feel his strong arms around me. Holding me close, the smell
of his hair, the taste of his skin. The warmth of his
touch…
I wake up, and it's daylight out, and I punch the bed; toss the pillow
on the floor.
Damn you, Dick Grayson!
Why...why did you make me love you? To
be Continued... Next Issue: Hostile Takeover! NEVERMORE:
