Heroes For Hire
Issue #1
"Hired Help: Part 1"
Grunts and heavy breathing could be heard emitting from the gymnasium. Someone was putting himself through a vigorous and extensive workout. Interspersed between the vocals were stifled "thuds," as the person's blows landed on their intended targets. He was one of the greatest martial artists in the world, much to the dismay of both criminals and the punching bag.
Satisfied with the hour he had spent berating the hanging sandbag with his appendages, Daniel Rand walked over to an open space in the gym, clear of everything except some floor mats. He slowed his breathing, focused his mind, and began to slowly go through the motions of a sacred kata, known only to those that had been trained in the mystical city of K'un L'un.
He quickened his pace as the kata progressed, each move swift and exact. He had been training this way for years, and he knew his strict sense of self-discipline had saved his life on more than one occasion. Even though he was in a deep form of meditation while performing the kata, he was completely aware of his surroundings, so it came as no surprise to him when an attractive black woman spoke.
"Danny, Luke's on the phone; line three" she said. She wasn't afraid of interrupting him while he honed his skills; she knew he wouldn't even be phased by her presence.
Without breaking his stride, he replied, "Okay, Misty, tell him I'll be there in a second."
Misty Knight, the private-eye with a bionic arm, and sometimes lover of Danny's, exited the gym the way she had come in. She didn't mind dropping in on Danny while he practiced. It was her gym after all. They were in the building she owned, which housed the offices of Nightwing Restorations, her agency. Her and Danny's on-again, off-again relationship was currently "on," so she didn't mind him flexing his muscles and building up a sweat in her gym. In all honestly, it put a smile on her face.
Danny finished the kata, inhaled deeply, and reached for a towel while he let the breath go. Dabbing the streaks of perspiration away, he walked over to a phone on a nearby wall, pushing the button for line three, connecting him to his longtime friend Luke Cage.
"Hey, Luke," he spoke into the speakerphone.
:Sorry to interrupt your flow, buddy, but I don't think Misty minded that much.:
Danny could almost hear the smile on his friend's face. "She just digs the dragon tattoo. What's up?"
:You'll never guess who I just got a message from, requesting a video conference call with both of us.:
"Who?"
:The message says it's from Larry Young.:
"Deathlok?"
:Yep. Last I heard, he was still working with S.H.I.E.L.D., but that was a few years ago, and who knows what the hell's going on over there now.:
There had been several cyborgs named Deathlok over the years, and Larry Young was the latest one. Jack Truman, the third Deathlok, had been an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., but had swapped minds with Larry. Jack was presumably living a regular life somewhere, while Larry's mind was trapped inside the cybernetic body of Deathlok.
"When's the conference call?"
:'Bout an hour.:
"Any idea what he wants? Is there some kind of trouble?"
:No clue. I just got the message a few minutes ago via fax. Can you swing it:
"Yeah, shouldn't be a problem. I don't know Larry as well as I did Jack, though. When's the last time you talked to Jack?"
:-phew- Not since he traded brains, man. He could be anywhere.:
"Okay. I'll hop in the shower, grab something to eat, and then call you back with Misty's video conference rig. Talk to you in a bit," Danny said as he pushed the button to hang up.
---
About an hour later, Luke Cage sat at his desk in New York, waiting for Danny to call. He had no doubt his friend would be exactly on time, as he was rarely late for anything. It was something he had grown accustomed to after the many years working with Danny. They used to be called the Heroes For Hire, and were respected by their costumed peers. In recent years, however, Danny had been doing some soul-searching and Luke ran the business by himself.
Every once in a while, one of their hero friends (usually Hawkeye) would ask them what made them heroes instead of mercenaries. They were for hire, after all. Not many of them realized that more often then not, they ended up doing what was necessary without getting paid for it. Luke didn't complain…he was from the streets, and he knew what it was like to be in need of help. He had been accused of crimes he didn't commit, and even though he had since cleared his name, he felt that second chances were something that everyone deserved. Being a hero was his way of helping out those that couldn't help themselves. The 'For Hire' part was only because heroes need to eat, too.
In all honesty, Luke had pretty much dropped the Heroes For Hire idea a while ago. It was more of a hobby now then anything else. Luke's business was never booming, but he still managed to pay the electricity bill and donate a little something to his local YMCA every month. He had spent a lot of time at a "Y" himself as a kid, and he was more then happy to try and repay back some of that "good character-building" to the community.
He heard the chirp of his video phone, and looked at the clock. Right on time. This had to be Danny.
Clicking the button to answer, Luke said, "Hello?"
:Hey, it's me: said Danny.
"Perfect timing," said Luke, admiring the crystal-clear picture on the video phone, "Wish I had discipline like that."
:Well, I have offered to show you a few things that would play to your strengths.:
"Nah, my diamond-hard skin plays to my super-strength just fine."
:Any word from Deathlok, yet:
Just then, a light on Luke's video phone blinked, meaning that someone was calling the office on the second line. "Looks like this is him, now. I'll patch us all together."
Luke quickly punched a few buttons in a specific sequence, and then said, "Hello, this is Luke Cage."
A split second before the cyborg image of Deathlok came over the speaker, a slightly metallic sounding voice said::Hello Luke; Daniel. Thanks for taking my call.:
Deathlok's half-metal, half-preserved flesh form came into view. If the man wasn't moving, one might not be aware that he was actually alive.
"No prob. What's going on? We were surprised to get a message from you. Still with S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
The cyborg replied::No, S.H.I.E.L.D. and I officially parted ways long ago. I'm more of a freelancer these days. In fact, that's why I've contacted both of you.:
:Freelancing for who? Are you recruiting us for something: said Danny's image.
:As to your second question, yes and no. Luke, I understand that your little business isn't quite the peacekeeping organization it once was when you were affiliated with Namor's Oracle, Inc.:
"I get by," said Luke, feeling a small part of his pride being offended. He didn't think of his business as being little. It wasn't huge by any means, but it wasn't little either.
:I want to give you the opportunity and resources Namor once gave you. As to your first question, Daniel, I do mostly government work. I can do only so much by myself. It's a big world out there, and there's a lot to be done. The U.S. government, as well as various other organizations, require people like us to look into certain things for them. It's no secret how many heroes run around unaccounted for in the world, that the government has no contact with.:
"You want us to police them?" Luke asked.
:No, no. You're misunderstanding. Let me just get right to the point. I want to bring Heroes For Hire back into the public limelight. With my contacts, resources, and funding, H4H could change the way John Q. Public perceives heroes. Think of it as a high-end detective/national security agency. We would have links to the government, but we wouldn't be some wetwork outfit. We would be accessible.:
:I'm not sure what you want us for, exactly: Danny commented.
:I've been tracing what I thought to be random terrorist activities over the last few months. Apparently, they weren't random at all, they're called the Protoclan. I'm not sure what their ultimate goal is yet, but I could really use your help. Heroes For Hire would be a perfect way to gain a public image, as well as public trust while we investigate. That's only one of the things I need help with; I have plenty more.:
"I dunno," said Luke, "H4H didn't work out well the last time we had big bucks behind the it. If we go after a whole terrorist organization, we'll need more muscle. And it's not like Danny and me would bolster the public image you mentioned. We're respected in the super-suit community, but most people couldn't tell you our names."
Deathlok sat up in his chair as he replied::I've got both of those problems covered all ready. Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the person that will bring both raw power and an excellent image to H4H.:
Just then, a third window popped up on Luke's video phone. A slim, black woman in a white costume that had a black star in the center of her chest smiled at them.
"Monica?"
:Hi, Luke. Hi, Danny. Good to see both of you again.: Monica Rambeau, previously known to the super hero community at large as Captain Marvel, and currently known as Photon, had the ability to convert her body into any form of energy in the electromagnetic spectrum. Also a past Avenger, and onetime leader of the prestigious team, Monica commanded both great power and great respect.
Deathlok leaned forward as he said::Photon and I have come to an understanding about Heroes For Hire, and she's on board. We could do a lot of good here, but we need both of you. Daniel, you've proven yourself as team leader in the field. Luke, you're the backbone of Heroes For Hire. We need Iron Fist and Cage.:
Luke didn't doubt the machine-man's sincerity, but he wasn't quite convinced about what was being proposed. "Where do you want to this party to live? My little office here in New York ain't enough to accommodate the kind of headquarters I think you're implying we need."
:I own a building in Chicago that would be perfect. I have lots of equipment stored there that could be invaluable to the team. It would also cut down response time a great deal to situations on the West Coast and in Canada.:
Luke sat silent for a moment. He looked at all three images on his screen, and then said, "Let Danny and me talk about this for a second."
Once Luke secured the private line, Danny said::This is a good opportunity here, Luke. I always felt that we dropped the ball when we were with Oracle. Namor has his own agenda about things.:
"Yeah, the guy walks the line. Look, bro, I'll be honest, I'm not sure about this whole thing. Picking up and moving to Chicago…getting assignments from who knows where…but Monica's a tough cookie. I doubt she would get involved if she didn't think she could really make a difference. It would be nice to work with you and her again. I guess what I'm saying is, if you're in, then I'm in."
:I trust Monica with my life. She's smart and wouldn't do this unless she thought it was the right thing to do. I'm in.:
"Okay, then. I've just got one more question for our robo-friend."
After reconnecting everyone together again, Luke leaned toward the video phone, and asked, "Is there a YMCA anywhere in Chicago?"
---
"All clear from up here," Photon said into her tiny comlink, which fit snugly in her ear.
Photon flew high over the armored escort, carefully watching the surrounding area. She was currently transparent, so as not to attract attention to herself from anyone looking to fire a rocket propelled grenade her way.
Heroes For Hire had been reformed and open for business for three weeks now. After the initial meetings, discussions, press conferences, and security clearances, Photon was glad to be out in the field on the team's first mission.
She had been a lieutenant in the New Orleans harbor patrol, and she was always at her happiest when working in the field. She, Iron Fist, and Cage had been sent to Peru to escort a diplomat back into the U.S. Deathlok was waiting for them at LaGuardia, arranging for a secure arrival.
When Photon had originally joined, she hadn't imagined the kind of technology Deathlok was bringing to the team. He had two satellites, a modified transport jet (which put a Quinjet to shame), and an entire building full of equipment she didn't really understand.
Things seemed to be in order, and they were more then capable of handling this mission. When they were debriefed the day before, she had learned that the U.S. diplomat had made some powerful enemies during his campaign through South America, so the government decided that some super hero muscle wouldn't be a bad idea for his trip home. They were almost to the airport where their jet was waiting, and so far, everything was going smoothly.
That's when she heard Luke scream through her comlink::SWEET CHRISTMAS:
"What's going on?" she said calmly. She had seen plenty of action during her lifetime, and she knew panicking wouldn't help anyone.
She heard Iron Fist say over her comlink::Cage just got tossed into the jungle.:
"How? By who?"
:Not sure. Whoever it was, they were moving really fast.:
Photon swooped and saw that the two-car escort had stopped. Security guards from the first car stepped out, handguns drawn. Iron Fist stood on top of the second car, looking into the jungle.
"Cage, are you okay?" she said.
:Yeah, just a wounded ego is all. Some fool blindsided me. Moved fast enough that their momentum carried me way out into the brush. I'll be there in a sec.:
Photon hovered above Iron Fist, close enough that the comlink wasn't necessary. "Any idea what just happened?"
"Not really, but we're sitting ducks here. Whoever it was moved fast enough to not be seen," said Iron Fist, as his vision swept the area.
"We need to get moving again. The longer we sit here, the more time they have to attack. I'll fly a little…THERE! Eleven o'clock, high!"
Photon pointed as she floated higher into the air. Shooting out from in between the trees was a strange looking person, tearing through the lower foliage. It was a woman, whose entire body looked like it was covered in a hard, white substance. Her fingers were much longer then normal, and she was using them like claws to rip small plants out of her way.
Iron Fist leapt from the top of the second car to the top of the first one, extended his hand toward the woman, and yelled, "Hold it! We don't to hurt you!"
Just then, a blur of motion swept in front of Iron Fist, grabbing his arm, and pulling him into the jungle. The blur swirled him around, slamming him into a large, tropical tree. Iron Fist looked up to see a man standing over him, about the same height as him, with glowing blue eyes, brimming with power.
"We don't want to hurt you, either. Stay down," the man said before he zoomed off back in the direction of the road.
Photon changed into a being of solid light and dove at the woman attacker. "I'm serious…back off or you're in for a world of pain!" she yelled.
The woman looked up challengingly at Photon, ready for whatever she was going to throw at her. Photon continued her dive, energy rippling all around her, preparing to slam into the woman. In her energy form, Photon would disrupt the woman's nervous system, causing a quick convulsion and then unconsciousness.
At least, that's what was supposed to happen. Instead, Photon passed harmlessly through the woman. Surprised, Photon went through several trees before she swung back up into the air. She looked at her intended target, who was ignoring her now, again walking toward the escort, with bullets bouncing off her white skin.
"What the hell? I go through her, but bullets don't?"
Easily knocking the armed guards away, the woman reached into the first car, grabbed the diplomat, yanked him out, and dropped him on the ground. Her incredibly fast friend ran up beside her, staring at the diplomat, his bright blue eyes reverberating with dark energy.
He leaned over the diplomat crouching on the ground, and said "Remember me, you spell-slinging bastard?"
"How could I forget my favorite demon-possessed friend?" the diplomat said.
Photon watched as the diplomat stood up, and was surprised for the second time that day when the man they had been escorting unleashed a ball of fire from his hands, engulfing the two attackers.
---
Author's Note
Welcome to the new ongoing Heroes For Hire series! I'm Dave (credited as D.Golightly, since M2K has more then its fair share of Dave's), and I'll be your writer this evening. I'm really excited about this book, and I just wanted to quickly thank Cory, Jason, and Ingram for their help in getting H4H off the ground. I have the first 12 issues all plotted out and drafted, and tons of ideas for post #12. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, since this is my first attempt at fan fiction.
I also wanted to mention that this issue takes place AFTER Avengers #44. Brent is using Photon in his current arc, and I didn't want there to be any confusion.
Here's what you can expect to see in the pages of H4H: mysteries about identities, motives, and masterminds. Toss in a little good ol' manipulation and some magical ailments. Rinse, repeat…I mean, read and reread. See you for issue #2!