It was a crisp, clear night in the city of New Delphi, the kind of night that was perfect for fighting crime. Knowing this, the masked man sat atop one of the skyscrapers in the city's center. He wasn't a real super hero and he knew the people in charge of the city considered him a nuisance and a vigilante. But he didn't care. There were people in this city that the police just weren't capable of dealing with and the masked man wasn't willing to let them get away with their crimes. So here he sat, far above the city, ever vigilant in the face of the unseen menace.
Perhaps the masked man should have been more vigilant however, for unknown to him his enemies were gathering in the darkness. So wrapped up in his mission was this vigilante that he didn't sense that his enemies were on to him. And it would be this inability to see all angles that would lead to his demise, for as he sat at his post his enemies came from behind and before he had a chance to defend himself he was plunging towards the earth. And so the masked man met his end, though others would rise to take his place and the war would continue until one side claimed victory.
Investigative consultant Izzy Sharpe was in the midst of a make out session with Owen when she got the call. She was annoyed to have to cut the session short, as she and Owen hadn't made love in weeks, but duty called and she couldn't ignore it. Besides, Owen understood and he assured her that they would pick this up at a later date. And so she left, determined to solve this case quickly so she could back to Owen and the sex.
Izzy arrived downtown twenty minutes after leaving Owen. She was greeted by a scene of utter chaos, which only increased her irritation. People were milling about everywhere and it seemed something rather horrible had happened. Izzy pushed her way through the crowed until she reached the crime scene, where detectives Harris and Martin were standing with several uniformed officers and the chief medical examiner, Noah Gunderson. Martin grinned at her as she approached, but she did not return the gesture.
"Don't you even think about starting." she said through clenched teeth.
Sensing she was serious Martin quickly turned things back to the crime. "This is a strange one Izzy." he said, glancing at her sidelong as he spoke. "I don't really know where to begin."
"I'm sure I can figure it out for myself." Izzy muttered, turning her attention to the crime scene without looking at him.
Martin was correct in his assessment of the scene, as it was indeed strange, though not entirely unexpected. The body that lay before her was that of a man dressed in a black super hero costume that vaguely resembled that of Batman. The man wore a black body suit, black hood and mask, and a long black cape and was undoubtedly part of New Delphi's burgeoning population of masked vigilantes. His body was twisted at an odd angle, as though he had landed with tremendous impact, the kind of impact that could only be achieved if he had been hit by a car or pushed off a rather tall building.
"Well, it's quite obvious that he's a vigilante." Izzy said, finally glancing at the detectives. "Do we have an ID yet?"
"Only his vigilante name." Harris said. "He called himself the Justicator, whatever that means." He shook his head, as though the thought of these vigilantes was a major annoyance.
"The Justicator, huh?" Izzy said. "Pretty weak super hero name, if you ask me."
"These people are not super heroes, Miss Sharpe." Noah said. "They are vigilantes who are a threat to the security of this city and to themselves. I'm amazed it took this long for one of them to turn up dead."
"My God, you are a cold son of a bitch Noah." Izzy muttered. "This man had a family, you know. He may not have been a super hero, but he was a person and you should treat him with a bit more respect, you petty asshat."
Noah looked like he wanted shout at her, but instead he nodded in agreement. "Yes, you are right Miss Sharpe." he said. "I apologize for my behavior."
Izzy nodded to show she accepted and turned her attention back to the case. "I assume he was pushed from one of these buildings?" she asked.
"Indeed." Noah said. "Given the extent of the damage to his body I would say he was at or near the top of the building you see before us."
"That's the Capital Bank building." Izzy said. "What was he doing up there?"
"Perhaps he was an employee there." Harris suggested.
"Perhaps." Izzy agreed. "Though there are other possibilities to consider. In any case, I have some contacts I can talk to who may be able to help with this. Why don't I go consult with them while you guys do your thing?"
"Sounds good." Martin said. "We'll meet you at the precinct in a few hours."
Izzy nodded and left to consult he experts on the vigilante subculture. She wasn't sure exactly what they'd know, just that they'd be able to help her solve this case quickly.
The experts Izzy was consulting with were much like Owen, in that they were regular citizens who simply had a wealth of knowledge about particular aspects of New Delphi. The person she was most interested in meeting with in regards to this case was a man named Harold McGrady. Harold owned a comic book shop called the Ronin's Lair and was quite knowledgeable about the vigilante subculture as it existed in New Delphi. Harold's lone employee, Sierra Vasquez, could also be of aid, as could the owners of the computer repair and video game shop next door to the Ronin's Lair. Those three individuals, Cameron Wilkins, Sam Doren, and Beth Brown, were not as well versed in the vigilante subculture, but Izzy could use their help as well.
Izzy arrived at the Ronin's Lair approximately sixteen minutes after leaving the crime scene. To her relief Harold was still there, which wasn't really a surprise as he lived above the shop, but Izzy hadn't been expecting him to still be working. Still, she was glad he was, as she didn't want to wait until morning to do this.
She walked into the shop, after taking a moment to collect herself, the sound of the door opening drawing Harold's attention. "Sorry, we're closed for the day." he said, his voice a bored, nasally drawl that Izzy found slightly irritating.
"It's me Harold." she said, her gaze scanning the newest single issues.
"Oh, Izzy." Harold said, his mood brightening immediately. "What brings you to the Ronin's Lair at this late hour?"
"I need your help." Izzy said, cutting straight to the point.
"Got a new case?" Harold asked, genuinely curious.
"Yes." Izzy replied. "And it's one I think your particular skills could be quite helpful in solving." She glanced at him and smiled, glad to see the mention of his skills had intrigued him.
"Oh really?" Harold asked. "And why is that, exactly?"
"Because it involves the murder of a vigilante." Izzy replied.
Harold looked stunned, as though he had never thought it possible that this could happen, and for a moment he didn't speak. When he finally found his voice again he asked, "Who was it?"
"The Justicator." Izzy replied, not meeting his shocked gaze.
"No." Harold breathed, horrified. "Not him. Anyone but him."
Before Izzy could confirm her statement was true, Sierra emerged from the back room carrying a stack of boxes. "Where do you want these boss?" she asked, directing her question at Harold. When Harold didn't answer she set the boxes on the counter and asked, "What's up? Did something happen?"
"The Justicator has been killed." Harold answered, his voice hollow.
"Oh God." Sierra said, clapping a hand over her mouth in surprise. "How? When?"
"Only a little while ago." Izzy said. "He was pushed off the roof of the Capital Bank building." Her tone was sympathetic and she hoped that would make them more willing to talk.
"When did you get here Izzy?" Sierra asked, putting aside her shock for a moment.
"A few minutes ago." Izzy replied. "I came to see if Harold had any information about the Justicator that could help me catch his killer."
"He does." Sierra said. "As do I. How can we help?"
"Knowing his true identity would be a good start." Izzy said, her tone serious.
Harold and Sierra exchanged a look at this request, as though they were unsure if they should tell her anything. "Hold on." Harold said. "We need to discuss something first." He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number. After a couple of rings someone answered and Harold said, "Hey, can you guys come over real quick and bring Beth with you." He then hung up and turned his attention back to Izzy.
"What was that all about?" she asked, confused.
"We can't tell you until the others arrive." Harold said, not meeting her gaze.
Izzy rolled her eyes, annoyed by this turn of events, but made no comment, sensing that doing so would jeopardize her chances of getting any information from them.
Moments later Cameron, Sam, and Beth arrived from next door, all three of them looking throughly confused. "What's up Harold?" Sam asked. "Why are you calling us over here at this hour? If it's the cash register again, it can wait until morning."
"It's something much more dire, actually." Harold said, ignoring Sam's quip about the cash register. "The Justicator has been killed."
Sam gaped at him like a halfwit, while Cameron and Beth both gasped in horror. "My God Harold, why didn't you call us sooner?" Cameron asked.
"I just learned it myself." Harold said. "Izzy told me."
The three tech geeks glanced at Izzy and smiled, Beth apologizing for not noticing her sooner, while Sam suddenly realized why Harold had called them.
"She wants to know the Justicator's true identity, doesn't she?" he asked, glancing first at Harold and then at Izzy.
"I do." Izzy replied, beating Harold to the punch.
"I'm sorry, but that's not information we can give you." Sam said, his tone grave.
"Why not?" Izzy demanded, her level of irritation starting to rise.
"We can't tell you that either." Sam said, not meeting her gaze.
"Sam, maybe we should." Beth said. "It could help."
"Yeah." Cameron agreed. "Besides, the Justicator did give us permission to share his identity with the police in the event of his death."
"She's not the police though." Sam said, jerking his head in Izzy's direction.
"She's close enough." Cameron argued. "And she can go get a warrant from the actual cops if we don't cooperate now."
"Cam is right." Sierra said. "We don't have a choice here. Besides, we can trust Izzy."
Sam looked at Harold, his expression pleading, as though her hoped Harold could somehow talk some sense into the others. But Harold only nodded to show his agreement with them, leaving Sam no other choice but to agree as well.
"Alright." he said. "But this cannot come back on us, understand?"
Izzy nodded. "I do. Now give me the name."
"The Justicator's real name is Thomas Hoyer." Harold said. "We were sworn to protect his identity, because we were people he could trust. I was in particular, as Thomas was my roommate in college. But he was friends with all of us."
"Do you know why he would have been on top of the Capital Bank building?" Izzy asked.
"That was his favorite spot to observe the city." Beth said. "He said he could see crime better from up there."
"Okay." Izzy said. "That's helpful. Now tell me, did the Justicator have any enemies I need to know about?"
The next morning Izzy arrived at the 66th Precinct to find Martin and Harris waiting for her. Her conversation with Harold and the others had gone longer than she'd expected and she had chosen not to meet up with the detectives afterward. This seemed to be an issue for them, as they both looked annoyed upon her arrival. She gave them an apologetic smile and motioned for them to follow her to the back of the precinct.
"Where were you last night?" Martin asked, once they were out of sight. "You were supposed to meet us here after you spoke with your contacts."
"I know." Izzy muttered. "But it was late and I didn't think you guys would still be here."
"Well, we were." Harris said. "So let us know next time you change your plans."
"Okay, I will." Izzy muttered. "Now, can we get down to business?"
"Yes." Martin replied. "Why are we meeting back here though?"
"Privacy." Izzy replied, her tone calm. "I can only tell you what I know if you promise to keep it a secret."
"We're cops Izzy." Harris said. "If we have to divulge this information to the captain, we will. But if you want us to keep everyone else out of the loop, that we can do."
"Fine." Izzy muttered, disliking Harris' inability to put aside the rules.
"So, what did you learn?" Martin asked. "Anything that will help solve this case?"
"I learned the Justicator's true identity." Izzy answered. "His real name is Thomas Hoyer and he's been doing this vigilante thing for quite awhile now. Apparently he was on top of the Capital Bank building because that was his favorite place to observe the city."
"Okay." Martin said. "That's all good, except Noah already determined his identity. Did you learn anything else?"
Izzy rolled her eyes, annoyed by the information Martin had just let slip. Of course Noah would beat her to the punch on the Justicator's identity. It was just like that slimy dork of a medical examiner to steal her thunder. But Noah hadn't learned everything and Izzy still had valuable information that could crack the case.
"Yeah, I do have more information." she said, after a moment of silence, her tone only slightly bitter. "I also learned why Thomas Hoyer became the Justicator and who he works with. Oh, and who may have wanted him dead."
"That's excellent." Harris said, his eyes flashing with excitement.
"Calm yourself Harris." Izzy said, doing her best to hide her amusement. "Not all of this information will be strictly helpful."
"What do you mean?" Martin asked, confused.
"Well, the Justicator's associates are very secretive, as are his enemies, so it may be rather difficult to track them down." Izzy replied.
"So, what? Are you telling us we have nothing?" Harris asked, now confused as well.
"No. I am simply pointing out that this will not be an easy murder to solve." Izzy answered. "But we can solve it, if we play our cards right."
"That's a relief." Harris said. "Cuz the captain is really riding us to solve this one."
"Why?" Izzy asked, though she could guess.
"It seems the higher ups want this wrapped up quickly." Martin answered. "I guess the mayor and the city council are concerned that the Justicator's murder could incite a full blown vigilante war or some shit like that."
Izzy did not immediately respond to that as she was too busy thinking to come up with a response. In truth she hadn't told the detectives everything she had learned. There was already a vigilante war going on and the Justicator had been on the verge of ending it. But it seemed some of his enemies weren't yet ready to see the war come to an end, or so Harold had claimed. Either way there was more to this story than anyone else realized and until Izzy was certain of who all the players were, she couldn't reveal all she knew.
The detectives seemed to notice her lack of enthusiasm about the mayor's desire for this case to be wrapped up quickly, but before they could question her Officer Cody Anderson burst into the room with an urgent message.
"There's been another one." he said, gasping for air. "Another vigilante has been killed."
Twenty minutes later Izzy, Martin, Harris, Anderson, and Wells arrived at the scene of the crime. Sure enough another vigilante had been killed, this one a woman known as Queen Crimson. She had been shot multiple times and, like the Justicator, was still in her costume when she died. Her costume consisted of red and white spandex, a red, hooded cape, and a red mask which obscured her features. Her hair was dyed red and she carried a red nightstick, which appeared to be her only weapon. Her light green eyes were still partially open and she was slumped in front of an abandoned apartment building that had once housed low income families.
"God, why is this happening?" Izzy whispered, thinking of Harold and the other nerds. She didn't know for sure, but she suspected that Queen Crimson had been one of the Justicator's allies and if that was the case, then Harold likely knew her as well.
"You think this is connected to the Justicator?" Harris asked, his tone sad.
"I'm not sure." Izzy replied. Of course it's connected. There's no way this is a coincidence.
"Well, either way, we've now got two dead vigilantes and no real leads." Martin said, shaking his head.
"There's got to be something that'll point us towards a suspect." Anderson said.
"Not here there's not." Harris said. "But you're right, there is a clue somewhere, we're just not seeing it."
"Yeah, but we're not gonna find it here." Martin said. "Let's head back to the station. Maybe the answers will come to us there."
The others nodded and followed him from the scene, but Izzy lingered. There was something familiar about Queen Crimson, though she couldn't quite tell what. And then it hit her, the horrible truth she didn't want to face.
Oh God, she thought. Queen Crimson, she...she's Sierra's cousin.
"Izzy, you coming?" Martin asked, his voice drawing her from her thoughts.
She glanced at him and nodded, not wanting to raise suspicions about what she knew. And so she returned to the precinct with the others, all the while knowing that sooner or later she would have to tell Sierra the truth.
Izzy and the detectives arrived back at the precinct to find Captain Hatchet waiting for them. The look on his face when they entered the station suggested he wasn't happy, but that wasn't really surprising. Captain Hatchet was always in a bad mood and Izzy was more interested in the woman standing beside him. She knew who the woman was, of course, but she was surprised to see the woman here.
"Councilor Santos, what are you doing here?" Izzy asked, glancing at the woman, whose first name was Courtney, though Izzy felt rather uncomfortable addressing her as such.
"The mayor sent me here to ensure that this mess you've gotten yourselves into is cleaned up quickly." Courtney answered. She was the head of the New Delphi city council and had nearly as much political clout as the mayor, so Izzy was unsurprised by her answer. Still, she didn't exactly care for the way Courtney seemed to look down upon her and the detectives.
"I'm sorry, but what mess are you referring to, exactly?" Martin asked, is tone indignant. It seemed he too was not fond of Courtney's condescension.
"Watch your tongue Martin." Captain Hatchet snapped, his withering glare passing over Geoff with great distaste.
"Calm yourself captain." Courtney said, before Martin could respond. "The detective's question is justified and I shall provide him with an answer as soon as we move this conversation to a more private location."
Captain Hatchet nodded and led them to his office, shooting Martin a half-assed look of apology as he did so. Izzy grinned, glad she wasn't the one subjected to Hatchet's wrath for once, though she quickly replaced her grin with a more serious look as soon as they were in his office.
"Okay, so, as you know, we are experiencing a rather unusual murder spree at the moment and the mayor has asked me to oversee the completion of the investigation." Courtney said, once Hatchet had closed the door.
"If you're referring to the vigilantes who were killed, there's only been two so far." Martin said, trying his best not to sound disrespectful.
"Yes, but in less than twenty four hours." Courtney said. "The mayor thinks, and I agree, that this is more than a little troubling."
"Okay, yeah, I see your point." Martin said. "But still, two murders are hardly a killing spree, even if the victims appear to be connected."
"True, but you said it yourself, there have only been two so far." Courtney said.
"Do you think there'll be more?" Harris asked.
"The mayor does." Courtney answered. "And I suppose I do as well. Though I cannot say why anyone would want to dress up in these ridiculous costumes, let alone kill someone for it."
"The motives of killers are not often easily determined." Izzy said, the sound of her voice drawing quick glances from both Courtney and Hatchet.
"Yes, well, in this case it would be to the benefit of all if one was determined sooner rather than later." Courtney said, her tone dismissive.
"Why is the mayor so keen to keep this under wraps?" Izzy asked.
"I'm not sure what you mean." Courtney replied.
"Why are we talking in private?" Izzy asked. "And why does the mayor seem to think that this is an issue which needs to be dealt with quickly?"
Sensing that Izzy wasn't going to let the issue drop unless she answered, Courtney spoke, though she seemed rather reluctant to do so. "These vigilantes are a danger to this city." she replied. "They are not trained and they get in the way of the actual police force. The mayor simply wishes to see them go away and he's hoping that this will speed the process up."
"How would solving the murders of two vigilantes convince the rest to quit?" Izzy asked.
"I really can't say." Courtney answered. "But the mayor thinks it will work."
Yeah, cuz the mayor is the pinnacle of human intelligence, Izzy thought. More likely he's just using this as some sort of shitty excuse. She did not voice her thoughts out loud however and Courtney turned her attention to other matters.
"Have you discovered the true identities of these two individuals?" she asked.
"One of them ma'am." Harris answered. "The Justicator, the guy who was killed last night, his real name is Thomas Hoyer. We haven't discovered the identity of the woman yet, however."
"Her name is Leticia Vasquez." Izzy said. "And she was known as Queen Crimson." Her tone was annoyed, as though Harris' description of Queen Crimson as 'the woman' had angered her.
"How do you know that?" Martin asked, confused.
"Because her cousin is a friend of mine." Izzy answered. "Sierra Vasquez. She works at the Ronin's Lair. It's a comic book shop downtown owned by a man named Harold McGrady. They're the ones I went to talk to last night."
"Why did you speak with these individuals?" Captain Hatchet demanded.
"Because they know stuff about New Delphi's vigilante population and the culture that spawned it." Izzy answered. "I wanted to know if they had any information that could help us solve this case, so I talked to them. That's not a crime, is it?"
"No, it's not." Hatchet said, his tone still gruff. "What did you learn from them?"
"I learned that there are more than just hero type vigilantes running around the city." Izzy answered. "Apparently there are villains as well and it would seem some of them wanted the Justicator dead. I don't know much else, unfortunately, as these people are pretty secretive. Even my friends only gave me bits of information."
"What about Queen Crimson?" Courtney asked. "Is she somehow connected to the Justicator? Are they teammates or something?"
"I'm not sure." Izzy answered. "I suspect they are, but I'm not certain. I can find out though, if you need me to."
"That would be helpful, yes." Courtney said. "Why don't you go speak with your friends again and while you're at it, see if they know anything about these so called villains."
"Will do." Izzy said, nodding. With that she left the precinct, glad to get away from Courtney and Captain Hatchet, though she was not looking forward to telling Sierra about her cousin.
On her way out she was stopped by Officer Anderson, who looked like he had been crying.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked, glancing at him sidelong.
"Nothing." Anderson said. "Hey, listen, when you tell Sierra about her cousin, do it gently. They were really close and this will break Sierra's heart."
"I know." Izzy answered. "And I will." Anderson nodded and she left, wondering why he was so worried about how Sierra would take the news.
Izzy returned to the Ronin's Lair to find Harold and Sierra organizing comics. Sierra didn't show any signs of having already heard about her cousin's death, though Izzy couldn't be sure. Sierra could be hard to read sometimes and she could simply be suppressing her emotions. Either way Izzy needed to talk to her and Harold if there was to be any hope of solving this case.
She approached them cautiously, not wanting to startle them and spoke in a casual tone. "Hey guys." she said, the sound of her voice drawing their attention.
"Ah, Izzy. What bring you back here so soon?" Harold asked. "Have you finally decided to start collecting comics?"
"Sadly no." Izzy answered. "I'm here on a much more serious matter."
"Is it about the Justicator?" Sierra asked. "Have you found his killer?"
"No." Izzy answered, fighting to keep her emotions in check. "But another vigilante has been killed." She swallowed, her stomach turning in knots.
"Oh my God, who?" Sierra asked, horrified.
"Your...your cousin." Izzy answered. "Sierra, it was Leticia. Queen Crimson is dead. I am so very, very sorry."
For a moment all Sierra could do was stare, the shock plain to see on her face. And then she broke down, the tears streaming down her cheeks in a torrent. Izzy moved to comfort her, while Harold pulled out his phone and called Sam, Cameron, and Beth.
By the time they arrived Sierra had stopped crying, though she was still sniffling, her pain and sorrow almost tangible in the air. Sam, Cameron, and Beth each spoke words of condolence, though Izzy knew nothing would ever heal the wound on Sierra's soul. Leticia had been like a sister to Sierra, the only blood related sister she would ever have, and Izzy knew that this loss would haunt Sierra until her final day.
For a long time all they did was sit and mourn, the Ronin's Lair eerily silent in their pain. Izzy hadn't known Leticia had been Queen Crimson until that morning, but she had known Leticia for many years, nearly as long as she'd known Sierra. She understood Sierra's pain, but she also had a job to do and it was she who finally broke the silence.
"I know this is hard for all of you, but I need to ask you a few questions." she said, trying her best to sound apologetic.
"You're gonna do that now?" Sam asked, outraged. "Can't you leave the detective stuff until later?"
"No, let her ask." Sierra said. "I want Leticia's killer found and Izzy is the only person I trust to do the job."
Sam nodded and motioned for Izzy to speak, though it was quite obvious that he wasn't happy about being interrogated again.
Izzy smiled, appreciating Sierra's willingness to cooperate, and then spoke. "Did Queen Crimson have any connection to the Justicator?" she asked.
"Yes." Harold answered. "They were partners, both in costume and behind the mask."
"Okay." Izzy said. "Are there any other vigilantes that worked with them, even once?"
"There's a few." Harold answered. "The Blue Beetle, Captain Honor, Lady Light, and Sunspeed, for a start."
"Don't forget Oracle, Titanium Man, and Challenger." Cameron added.
"Yeah, them too." Harold agreed. "They all worked with Thomas and Leticia at one time or another, though I'm not sure how often. Why do you need to know?"
"Because I think someone is targeting vigilantes." Izzy answered. "Which leads me to my next question. Who are the Justicator's enemies you mentioned last night?"
Harold exchanged a nervous glance with Sam and then answered. "The Justicator's arch nemesis is a man known as the Shadow Lord." he said. "The Shadow Lord runs a villainous organization known as the Black Hand. I don't know what they do exactly, but the Justicator was determined to stop them. That's what led to the war we told you about last night. The Justicator was gathering allies to help him end the Black Hand. He must have been getting close, which is probably why the Shadow Lord had him killed."
"Why would the Shadow Lord kill Queen Crimson?" Izzy asked.
"Because she was the first hero the Justicator recruited." Sierra answered. "She would have known all about the Justicator's plan to end the Black Hand."
Izzy nodded. She had drawn the same conclusion and had simply wanted confirmation that her theory was correct. But there was still one question that was bugging her and until she knew the answer she would not be satisfied.
"Why didn't Thomas just report this to the police?" she asked, glancing around the room.
"No one knows the Shadow Lord's true identity." Beth answered. "Thomas didn't think the police would be able to find him, so he donned the cape and set out to uncover the truth. When he did, he realized it was bigger than he thought and decided to take the Shadow Lord out himself."
"I see." Izzy said. "Probably not the wisest choice on his part, but I can understand why he made it. Everyone wants to make a difference and I think Thomas Hoyer did, just not in the way he had originally planned."
"What do you mean?" Cameron asked, his tone suggesting he didn't want to know.
"It's simple really." Izzy answered. "First I'm gonna go share this information with the police and then I'm gonna finish what Thomas started. I'm gonna end the Black Hand."
"Are you nuts?" Martin asked, his tone incredulous. "Or just stupid?"
It was the day after Izzy's second meeting with Harold and the others, and she had just told Martin and Harris of her plan. Neither of them seemed overly thrilled with the idea, but Izzy didn't really care. She knew this was the best way to stop the Black Hand and nothing anyone said would convince her otherwise.
"I'm neither actually." she replied, ignoring Martin's obvious rage. "Well, maybe I'm a little nuts, but that doesn't factor into this."
"Doesn't it?" Martin asked. "Because it seems to me that's the only explanation for you making such an irresponsible choice."
"That's your opinion." Izzy replied. "And I won't dispute it, but you won't stop me."
"Come on Izzy, you can't be serious." Harris said. "This is suicide. If this Black Hand organization is as bad as your friends say it is, then what makes you think you can succeed where the Justicator failed?"
"Because I'll have the two of you." Izzy answered simply.
"Yeah right." Martin said. "I'm not putting my career, or my life, on the line for something like this. These people are vigilantes. Why don't we just let them sort it out?"
"Because this isn't about the fact that they're vigilantes." Izzy snapped. "It's about the fact that some of them are actually dangerous criminals and we have a duty to prevent them from harming anyone else."
Martin glared at her, but she could tell that he knew she was right. "The captain will never go for this." he muttered.
"No, he won't." Izzy agreed. "But we can go over his head."
"What are you suggesting?" Harris asked, suddenly concerned.
"Councilor Santos." Izzy answered. "She's the head of city council and she wants this vigilante issue taken care of. She'll help us, even if she doesn't want to."
"You think so, do you?" a stern voice said from the doorway.
Izzy, cursing silently, turned to find Councilor Santos staring at her, flanked by Captain Hatchet, Officer Wells, and Officer Anderson. All four of them wore looks similar to those Martin and Harris had given her earlier and she knew then that the plan was shot.
"Councilor." Izzy said, smiling. "Captain. Officers. How can I help you today?"
"By stopping this talk of going after these vigilantes, for a start." Hatchet said, his tone stern and gruff.
Izzy did not respond to that, reminding herself that she still had a way out of this if she played her cards right. She noticed that Anderson seemed less supportive of stopping her, which wasn't surprising, given that he was dating Sierra. A weak link I can exploit, if I need to, she thought, her gaze never leaving Courtney and Hatchet.
"May I ask how it is you came to know of my plan?" she asked, directing her question towards Captain Hatchet.
"I believe you just did." he answered, his gaze flickering in Bridgette's direction.
Izzy wasn't surprised by this in the least. Of course it was Wells, she thought. She's never been fond of me and she could be hoping this is what finally gets me banned from the station. But from the look on Hatchet's face, Izzy could tell that wasn't going to happen. She glanced at Wells and smiled, before turning her attention back to Hatchet and Santos.
"Look, I understand your concerns, but there's no way this isn't happening." she said. "I've already made arrangements with the Justicator's allies. This plan is happening, one way or another."
"No, it isn't." Courtney said. "You are not an officer of the law, Miss Sharpe. You are simply a consultant and I can prevent you from continuing with this case, as can Captain Hatchet. I know you think this is the best way, but it is too dangerous and I won't allow you to go through with it. I'm sorry, but you're off the case."
Izzy stared at her, rage pounding in her ears, but before she could respond there was a loud crash from the lobby of the precinct, followed by shouts of protest and a grunt of pain. Captain Hatchet gave her one last glance before moving to investigate, Wells and Anderson following him. Izzy exchanged a confused glance with Martin and Harris before they followed as well, Courtney bringing up the rear. They entered the lobby seconds later to find Harold pinned to the floor by a uniformed officer, while another officer stood over him, a gun aimed at his head.
"What the hell is going on here?" Hatchet demanded.
"This man tried to force his way into the precinct sir." the officer with the gun answered.
"I'm not a threat." Harold said from the floor, before spotting Izzy. "Izzy tell them. I mean no one any harm."
Everyone glanced at Izzy and she nodded. "He's a friend." she said, doing her best to hide her amusement.
"Let him up." Hatchet said, his tone gruff. The officers did as they were told and Harold climbed to his feet, breathing heavily.
"What are you doing here?" Izzy asked, her tone confused.
"They've taken Oracle." Harold said. "The Black Hand has taken her."
Izzy stared at him in shock and for a moment there was only silence. And then she turned and glanced at Hatchet, her expression pleading.
Hatchet's gaze met hers as he spoke, his words shocking everyone back to their senses. "I guess you get your wish Sharpe." he said. "Your plan is now a go."
An hour later Izzy found herself in the back room of the 66th Precinct, surrounded by detectives, cops, vigilantes, and friends. They were all there to lend a hand to her plan, though it was obvious that many of them were still uncomfortable with it. Still, they had to try and for that Izzy was grateful. Oracle's life now hung in the balance and Izzy knew these people would do anything to make sure no one else was killed.
Her plan was rather simple, or at least it was to her. It involved her adopting a costumed alter ego and infiltrating the Black Hand with two of the Justicator's allies as immediate backup. She had chosen Captain Honor and Titanium Man for the job, deciding that they would be the most helpful if things went sideways. The Blue Beetle, Lady Light, Sunspeed, and Challenger would follow at a distance, accompanied by Martin, Harris, Wells, Anderson, and as many other officers as the NDPD could spare. The Blue Beetle had given the cops the name of one of the Black Hand's lower level members and Martin had arranged a meeting between the man and Izzy's alter ego. With any luck the meeting would lead to a face to face with the Shadow Lord and an end to the Black Hand. All that was left for Izzy to do was to adopt her alter ego.
"I'm thinking of calling myself Kaleidescope." she said as the Martin and Lady Light prepared her for the mission. "E-Scope for short."
"That's kind of a lame superhero name, don't you think?" Martin said.
"All our names are lame." Lady Light quipped. "That's part of the shtick. And we're not superheros, we're just regular people trying to make a difference."
"Okay, whatever you say." Martin muttered. It was obvious he still disliked this idea and thought the vigilantes were nothing but a bunch of whack jobs. "Anyway, we'll be monitoring you at all times." he continued. "If anything goes wrong, just call us in and we'll be there."
"I know how this works Martin." Izzy said. "But thank you for your concern."
He nodded and took his leave while Lady Light helped her into her tight, green costume, which she had purchased at Gwen's kinky little shop downtown. She donned a flowing green cape as well, along with a green mask that obscured her features, and topped it all off with a stylized letter K pinned to her chest. She had chosen a police issued nightstick as her weapon, in tribute to Queen Crimson, who had been an expert with the weapon.
When she was finished dressing for the part, she and Lady Light made their way out to the main room, where the others were waiting for them. Izzy felt a little silly wearing the costume, but a larger part of her felt excitement and she couldn't help grinning at the thought of bringing down the Black Hand.
"Well, you certainly look the part of a vigilante." Captain Honor said as Izzy entered the room. Like Martin, it was obvious Captain Honor was still uncomfortable with this plan, but he was trying his best not to show it.
"Thanks." Izzy muttered. "Is there anything else we need to go over before we head out?"
"Not really." the Blue Beetle answered. "The meeting has been arranged and we've gotten the word on you out into the vigilante community. So I think you're good to go, unless I'm forgetting something." He glanced at his compatriots, to see if they had anything else to add.
"Just act like a villain and you'll get in." Titanium Man said. "Oh and keep an eye out for the Shadow Lord's lieutenants. That'd be Killshot, Dreadnought, and Black Widow, just so you know. And finally, remember that out there you're not Izzy Sharpe, you're Kaleidescope. Never give away your real name, especially to the enemy."
Izzy nodded and they set out, Izzy hoping against all hope that this plan would work.
A short time later Izzy, Captain Honor and Titanium Man arrived at the meeting location. They made an unusual trio, to be sure, and Izzy was certain the others were cracking jokes at their expense. Captain Honor was an average sized man who dressed all in cammo and carried a triangular shaped shield and a large, home made club. Titanium Man was a towering hulk of a man who wore long pants, a sleeveless shirt, and massive, home made steel gauntlets that he used to pummel his enemies into a bloody pulp. And then there was her, Kaleidescope, in her green costume, with only a nightstick to defend herself with.
Yeah, this was a great idea Izzy, you fucking idiot, she thought. Out loud she said, "This certainly looks like the place."
"Shut up." Captain Honor hissed through clenched teeth. "We're supposed to be your prisoners, remember?"
Izzy nodded and moved to knock on the large steel door that fronted the abandoned warehouse in which they were supposed to meet with the Black Hand. But before she could knock the door opened and she was ushered inside, Captain Honor and Titanium Man quickly following her, both of them doing excellent impressions of recently defeated captives.
The man that greeted them was a short, unremarkable looking individual, with a squashed face and an ugly scar over one eye. "So, you're the new vigilante we've been hearing about, eh?" he asked, his tone gruff.
"I am." Izzy answered. "My name is Kaleidescope, E-Scope for short."
The man looked at her for a moment before laughing. "Kind of a lame name, aint it?" he said, grinning.
"Yeah, well, it fits my personality." Izzy said, shrugging. "As you can see, I've captured two of the members of the Justicator's team and I present them to your master as a payment to enter the Black Hand."
"That you have." the man said. "Captain Honor and Titanium Man, no less. Impressive. How did you manage to defeat both of them?"
"I'm just that damn good." Izzy said casually, her gaze never leaving the man.
"It would seem you are." the man said. "Well, let us see what the Shadow Lord thinks of you and then we'll see about getting you that membership." He grinned again and shuffled off, allowing Izzy a moment to catch her breath.
A few minutes later the man returned, accompanied by a tall man in black robes, his black hair swept to one side and his eyes a piercing shade of blue. They were joined by a man with short, spiky hair who had a large rifle slung over his shoulder, a taller man dressed in black and white and wearing a mask in the shape of a skull, and a striking woman dressed in a tight black body suit.
They must be the Shadow Lord's lieutenants, Izzy thought, her gaze never leaving their leader, until another individual was brought in, this one a short woman with short dyed green hair and glasses that only enhanced her terror. Oracle, Izzy thought, before remembering that she couldn't react, lest she blow her cover.
"So, you're the Kaleidescope I've been hearing about." the Shadow Lord said, his voice deep and chilling.
"And you'd be the Shadow Lord, I assume?" Izzy said, her gaze meeting his.
"I am." the Shadow Lord replied. "It's nice to meet another villain who hates the allies of the famed Justicator as I do." He smiled, the gesture sending a shiver down Izzy's spine.
I must remain strong, she reminded herself. "Who are your associates?" she asked.
"The man with the gun is Killshot, my strong right hand." the Shadow Lord answered. "The skull faced man is Dreadnought and the striking woman in black is Black Widow, my poisonous little spider. And I see you have brought me Captain Honor and Titanium Man."
"I have." Izzy said. "I thought they would make an excellent payment for my entry into the Black Hand." She watched his reaction and for a moment she thought she had him, but his smile betrayed his thoughts.
"So it would seem." he said. "But I am afraid I cannot offer you a position in my organization at this time."
"Is something wrong?" Izzy asked. "I thought you would be pleased with my payment?"
"Oh, I am." the Shadow Lord said. "Believe me, I am. But there is one other issue that must be attended to before I can accept them."
"Yeah?" Izzy asked. "And what would that be, exactly?"
"You." the Shadow Lord answered, before pulling a gun from his robes and aiming it at her head, grinning at her look of surprise.
It took Izzy a moment to realize what was happening, but after staring in shock for a few minutes her instincts kicked in and she moved to diffuse the situation.
"Me?" she asked. "What about me? I thought you were pleased with my payment, so why are you looking like you want to kill me?"
"Because I don't believe you." the Shadow Lord answered.
"I'm afraid I don't follow." Izzy said. "What about me is so hard to believe?"
"Everything." the Shadow Lord replied. "You claim to be a vigilante and that you wish to join my organization, yet I have no knowledge of you. And I know of all the vigilantes in New Delphi. So, if you aren't lying, then where did you come from? Why are you so keen to join the Black Hand? And what makes you think I'll let you join?"
Izzy thought for a moment, unsure how she should respond. She could plainly see that the Shadow Lord knew she was lying, but there had to be a way to get out of this situation without inciting any violence or tipping her hand.
"I come from another city." Izzy said. "And I wish to join the Black Hand because I could be of use to you. I see you have no one in your employ who is good at reading other people, other than yourself, and I could help you with that."
The Shadow Lord considered that for a moment, his penetrating gaze never leaving Izzy. "You make a compelling argument Kaleidescope." he said. "There can be no denying that, but unfortunately for you I still see no reason to trust you." With that he brought the gun up again and fired, the crack of the shot echoing in the silent room.
Izzy rolled to her left, ducking her head to avoid the fatal wound, but she was not quite fast enough. The bullet tore into her right shoulder with tremendous force, the impact throwing her to the floor. Pain screamed down her arm and she felt the limb go limp at her side. Through the haze of pain she saw the Shadow Lord advance and for a moment fear consumed her. And then she remembered the plan and spoke a single command.
"NOW!" she screamed, as the Shadow Lord aimed his gun at her head, and before he could fire again, one of Titanium Man's giant metal fists sent him flying backwards.
And then everything exploded into chaos. The Shadow Lord's lieutenants sprang into action, each of them heading for one of Izzy's allies, while Titanium Man and Captain Honor moved to counter the attack. Titanium Man met Dreadnought in a titanic clash that shook the floor beneath them, while Killshot took aim at Captain Honor, only to have his shots deflected by Honor's shield.
Seconds later the wall behind Izzy exploded inward and she heard the sound of the others entering the fray. She caught glimpses of Lady Light, Sunspeed, and Challenger as they moved to engage members of the Black Hand, Lady Light heading straight for the Shadow Lord, while the Blue Beetle moved to free Oracle. Izzy tried to to rise and join them, but the pain was too great and she found that she did not have the strength to rise. Fear gripped her again, tearing at her insides like some sort of wild animal, and then Martin was there, kneeling beside her, his hand on he shoulder.
"Izzy, are you hurt?" he asked, his voice fuzzy as she fought to stay conscious.
"Bastard shot me." she muttered, her voice thick with pain.
"Just hang in there, we'll get you out of here soon." Martin said, his tone reassuring.
"No, have to...fight." Izzy gasped. "Promised I'd stop...the...the Black Hand."
"You have Izzy." Martin said. "You have. We've got them surrounded. Their only choice is to surrender and answer for their crimes."
Izzy glanced past him and saw that he was right. Nearly all of the members of the Black Hand had been subdued and the few who were still fighting were nearly done for. She saw Killshot throw down his rifle in frustrated defeat and finally glimpsed the Shadow Lord himself surrendering before Captain Honor, who raised his shield in triumph.
"It's done." he called. "The Black Hand is defeated and justice shall prevail."
Izzy smiled, liking the sound of that, and then darkness took her as she passed out from the pain.
Sometime later Izzy found herself sitting at a long table in her favorite bar, the Pit. Her right arm was immobilized in a sling while her injured shoulder healed, though she did not remember much of the fight with the Black Hand. It had been three days since that encounter and Izzy had spent much of that time in a haze, thanks to the pain medication she had been given at the hospital. But she was on the mend now and had been summoned to the Pit to celebrate another successful case.
She was joined as usual by Martin, Harris, and Gwen, as well as Anderson and Wells. Owen was also there, as was Duncan, though he was too busy serving drinks to talk to her. And there were some new members of the celebration, most notably Captain Hatchet and Courtney, who had come to thank Izzy for her service. Harold was also there, along with Sierra, Sam, Cameron, and Beth, who also wanted to express their thanks. And finally they were joined by the vigilantes who had been so helpful in solving this case.
The vigilantes had come without their costumes and Izzy had learned their real names, much to her surprise. The Blue Beetle was named Dan Miller and he worked as a bank teller by day. Captain Honor was Darren Peters, a former soldier who now worked as a fitness coach. Lady Light was Lauren Selwood, who also worked as a fitness coach. Sunspeed was Shawn Selwood, Lauren's sister, who coached track at one of the local high schools. Oracle was Hannah Argent, the founder of a local homeless shelter. Titanium Man was Todd Grayson, an Olympic caliber strongman and former professional wrestler. And Challenger was Henry Hamilton, the owner of a downtown shop that specialized in medieval weaponry.
"Well, that was quite an adventure." Martin said, once all the introductions had been made.
"Yeah, one I'd rather not repeat." Harris said, cringing.
"Can't argue with the results though." Captain Hatchet said. "The investigation was a success, thanks to Izzy."
"That it was." Courtney agreed. "Despite what we all thought, it was a success. And now there's no more need for vigilantes."
"There will always be a need for us." Dan said. "But I do see your point and perhaps it is time for us to hang up our costumes, at least for a little while."
The other vigilantes nodded in agreement, though Harold looked appalled by the idea. He remained silent however, sensing that now was not the time to voice his concerns.
"Well, I'm glad either way." Izzy said. "It was fun being a vigilante for a few hours, but I think I'll stick to being me from now on. I am keeping the name though."
"You do that." Dan said. "And remember, if you ever change your mind or need our help again, there is always room for you in the Brotherhood of Justice."
Izzy nodded, smiling, and turned back to her drink, though she knew some part of her would always be a vigilante, even if it was only once in a great while.
End.
A/N: And that's episode 3 of the Consultant. As always, Total Drama is not mine and I have a few things to clarify. First of all, the idea for this fic was partially inspired by Kick Ass, at least as far as the vigilantes are concerned. Second, yes, I did give Sierra a cousin. I thought it would make sense for her to have a family member who was a vigilante. Third, I changed Courtney's last name from my previous fics. I did this because the Total Drama wiki states that she is of Hispanic discent and the last name I had for her previously didn't fit with that. Fourth, Sierra is dating Cody, in case you missed that. Izzy figured it out after her second meeting with the nerds. And finally, what did you think of the way I introduced Harold, Sierra, Sam, Cameron, Beth, and Courtney into the story? Oh, and just you know, the mayor of New Delphi is a character from Total Drama. Care to guess who? Cheers, KT.