Cold Feet

Midway City, July 4, 2010

"Icicle Sr.! Surrender! I'm not afraid to hit an old man!"

A blurry figure leapt between support beams of the warehouse. "Come out and face me, you cowardly, pathetic excuse of a hero!"

"Just remember…" The figure jumped down in an arc to the ground. His knees buckled with a crack, before they shifted back into place and he stood upright. "You asked for it." The figure turned out to be an adolescent boy, with wavy brownish-blonde hair, wrapped in a suit comprised of a rich brown plastique armor wrapped in burnt orange leather coverings. Bronze cylinders were attached to the underside of his leather gauntlets, but Icicle Sr. couldn't determine their purpose.

"Just a boy? Ha! Here I thought the Hawks were playing coy."

"Okay, a) nobody in this generation knows what 'coy' means, b) Your condescending statement sounds like a nursery rhyme, and c) I'm much worse than the Hawks, Icy-Pop."

"Sure, kid." Icicle tossed a few metallic pellets at the boy. He smirked in response and flicked his wrist into a clawed hand. Billows of flame erupted from the cylinder under his wrist and contained itself in his fingers. Vapor hissed from the cryotechnic pellets, and the boy countered every one with a curvy streak of fire. "Seriously? That's the wittiest I've been in six months! To be completely honest, I.. couldn't decide which one to say." Icicle threw a punch, which the hero gripped with both hands and lifted, using Icicle's weight to break the arm. He let go and stepped back, satisfied. But Icicle was too. The boy glanced down to find two flashing blue devices on his gauntlet. They hissed and flash-froze his arm, the ice expanding up to his shoulder. Icicle stood, chuckling, but he was interrupted when the boy snap kicked him in the jaw, sending him flying backwards.

The hero slammed his frozen arm against a nearby metal shelf until the ice cracked. Glass shattered behind him, a window high on the wall. Two majestic, winged warriors dived through and swept into the warehouse like Olympian gods. Hawkman hefted two Thanagarian axes, while Hawkgirl twirled her mace. "Identify yourself," he spoke.

"Or eat my mace," Hawkgirl finished.

The boy sighed. "How come when you break public property, you're heroes, but when I do it, I'm labeled a super-criminal?"

Hawkman sighed. "Look, kid, it's been a long day. Just give up what you're stealing or whatever and surrender."

"Seriously? Known villain on the floor with broken teeth, costume-clad vigilante... How come Batman can do it?"

"You're clearly not Batman," said Hawkgirl.

"That's true. They call me Lucky Ducky." He saluted, spun around, and ran away through the warehouse. The Hawks took flight, staying close behind him. Lucky Ducky leapt into the air, spinning and spewing flame from his wrists. He landed running and continued with a screen of fire behind him. He glanced back, seeing Hawkman as he threw one of his axes. The teen turned 180 and leapt backwards, catching the axe between his palms. "Sick trophy." He returned to his run, just as Hawkgirl blitzed him through a shelf, slamming her mace into his side. He flew into another shelf, which fell as he hit it and domino'd into another, then another, then another. Ducky stood up, holding his ribs. "Gracious. Have you guys ever tried talking about your problems?"

The Hawks landed in front of him, and the boy looped the axe souvenir into his utility belt. "You choose to surrender?" Hawkman inquired.

"No. Why would you think that?"

Hawkgirl answered, "You laid down your arms."

Ducky winked. "I'm never unarmed." He raised his fists, like a boxer. Slowly, almost sickeningly, structures slid from the top of his wrist. There was one on each wrist, wickedly sharp. They were roughly eight inches long, until they angled slightly at the end, perfect for hooking and tearing, and appeared to be comprised of bone. He extended his arm and flipped his palm up, relinquishing the first move to the Hawks. They both took flight, Hawkman swinging at his feet and Hawkgirl going for his head. Ducky smiled and relaxed his body. Fire exploded into the Hawks' faces and they staggered back. Ducky leapt through the flames, expression and claws conveying ferocity. Right before colliding with Hawkman, he twisted over his head and hooked his helmet, which was tightly fixated on the hero's head. When Ducky landed, he brought Hawkman's head with him. Hawkgirl swung her mace, which crackled with electricity. The boy blocked with crossed claws, and he only gave a foot of ground at the impact. The lightning hopped off her weapon and was sucked into his claws, which held a cyan glow for a second. He rolled his shoulders.

"Thanks for the boost, Princess." She swung her mace again as Hawkman stood up with a punch. Ducky ducked her swing, turning to punch Hawkman. He sheathed that claw quickly and their knuckles cracked together. The boy pulled his mangled hand away while Hawkman stumbled from the force of the punch. Ducky then turned and stuck his knee high in the air, shifting his weight up so he could jump high and deliver a forceful crescent kick to Hawkgirl's face. His boot did connect with her helmet, and she rolled with the impact. The second he landed, she retaliated with a flying grab. She took him close to the ceiling before hurling him into the ground. She dived after him, preparing to deal a finishing blow. Ducky, however, landed on his feet, in a crouch, then sprung up to meet her. He landed a vicious uppercut, and she crashed to the ground. Hawkman beat his wings once for a mighty jump, and dealt two quick kicks, neither of which landed due to Ducky's agility. A claw found its way to the back of Hawkman's knee and ripped downward. Ducky grabbed Hawkman's other ankle and slung him into a shelf. "Even though you attacked me, I'll let you keep Al Capone on ice." Hawkman began to get up, so the boy hooked a claw into a shelf and pulled it down. It crashed onto Hawkman as he exited the building, pulling a stray feather out of his mouth with a disgusted expression.

The boy sheathed his claws and clicked a button on his belt, and his clothes shifted in appearance to an orange v-neck, a black hoodie jacket, jeans, and matching dark orange shoes. He walked down the streets of Midway City until he got to the slums. He got to his building, hopped onto the fire escape, and climbed up to his window. He entered, unhooking the axe from his belt and sinking it into the windowsill. The cluttered space is filled with various other trophies and trinkets, mostly weapons. He punched a button on his TV, and it blinked on. Pulling up a chair, he sat down and looked at the screen, where the Hall of Justice is shown, with the heroes escorting their sidekicks into the building. The boy spotted Batman sweep to the side for a second, and raise something to his mouth. At that second, a beeping sound rang out in Ducky's apartment.

He dived from his chair and followed the sound, dropping to the ground to check under the bed. He stuck his arm in, feeling for it. Finally finding his goal, he pulled it out to find a round container of Icebreakers. He sighed, checked it for mints, but found it empty, and tossed it to the side. He found the beeping device and clicked a button. "Carthage, come in."

"This is Carthage." He looked at the television. "Today's the day?"

As if he knew that Carthage was watching, Batman looked at the cameras, making eye contact. The boy heard him over the device.

"Today is the day."