Chapter Four
Several gunshots echoed through the lobby of the bank. Customers screamed and fell to the floor wishing they could disappear. A redheaded woman, so gripped by fear she couldn't move, stood staring at one of the masked robbers, her mouth open in a soundless cry.
"On your knees," the man yelled at her.
The demand fell on deaf ears as the woman slipped through the veil of reality and into someplace else. Another patron tried to get her attention, but not soon enough. The robber whacked the woman on the head and she toppled to the floor, unconscious.
The chaos died down soon after and a ripple of dread spread through all the hostages as they sat on the floor unsure of their fates.
"Echo, Foxtrot, keep 'em quite," the leader, Alpha, said. "Bravo, Delta, come with me. Charlie, get the manager."
Charlie, grabbed the lanky gray haired manager and headed to the vault with the rest of them. Echo and Foxtrot stayed behind. They walked the line of cowering bank employees and customers, keeping an eye out for any suspicious behavior. Echo looked at his watch and tapped his finger impatiently against the trigger on his gun. He was ready for some action.
Three small black balls rolled across the floor and bumped into Echo's foot. He stared down at them. "What the—"
Smoke poured out from the objects and Foxtrot disappeared from view. Echo heard a commotion coming from the direction he had last seen his comrade. He waved his arms trying to clear the smoke around him. His hand ran into something solid. The skin on the back of his neck crawled.
"Is that you, Foxtrot?" he said.
A fist appeared, slamming into Echo's face. Taken by surprise, he staggered, but didn't fall despite the force behind the punch. He shook off the blow and peered into the dissipating smoke. He could just make out a figure wearing glasses with orange reflective lenses.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," the man with the glasses said.
Echo raised his gun, but an object flew into his hand before he could fire. He dropped the gun, clutching his bleeding hand where a bat shaped piece of metal embedded in his hand.
"Quit fooling around, Six," a gravely voice shouted.
"You really need to loosen up," Six replied.
Echo rushed at Six, taking an unskilled, but powerful swing at him. Six ducked and grabbed onto Echo's wrist, sending him flying over the bank counter.
"That was easy," Six said. "Need any help, Bats?"
Batman had his hands full with Foxtrot who knew how to handle himself in a fight and didn't seem to care how hard anyone or anything hit him.
"I've got this," Batman replied.
"Sure you do." Six glanced back to the bank counter as Echo pulled himself over. "Back for more?" Six asked. The four other robbers rushed out from the back room. "Incoming!"
Batman blocked a hard blow from Foxtrot as he flung a batarang toward the bad guys. It exploded in a flash of blinding light. "Get these people out of here," Batman yelled.
Six moved to help them. Several people were already crawling toward the exit, but others sat frozen along with the unconscious woman. Charlie and Delta managed to escape the blast and were dragging the bank manager down a hallway. Six hurried after them.
Batman noticed Foxtrot's attack waning. Even with his superhuman abilities it didn't appear as if he was in great shape. Batman used that to his advantage, using quick kicks and jabs to tire out his opponent. Foxtrot slipped as he blocked a blow and did a somersault to avoid being pounced on. Breathing heavily he managed to get to his feet, but not fast enough. Batman sent a powerful kick into his chest sending him flying through the front window.
With Foxtrot taken care of for the moment Batman glanced over to the remaining three robbers who pulled themselves to their feet. There was no sign of Six. The rest of the hostages who hadn't escaped hid behind various pieces of furniture. Batman took one step in their direction when a green arrow dug into the floor in front of him.
"I was wondering when he'd show up."
Oliver hadn't wanted her to come, but Laurel didn't care. People were in danger and judging by the sound of this bank robbery these enhanced humans seemed to be more violent than their predecessors.
Laurel had been about to charge into the bank right along with Oliver and Roy, but something caught her eye. Down the street, past the police set up around the bank, she saw two people with masks dragging an older man out of a building. She wasn't sure how they got there, but she was certain they must be connected to the bank robbery because one of them carried a large duffle bag. However, before she could catch up to them someone else beat her to it.
The man pulled a gun and without ceremony shot one of the robbers. The wounded robber's associate pulled a knife and with a shaky hand put it to the hostage's throat.
"I will kill him," he said.
"I know you will," the other man said. "I also know you're getting tired. Your hand is trembling."
The robber glanced at his hand briefly. "That's nothing."
"You're crashing."
"How do you know—" The robber collapsed to the ground and the hostage took that as an opportunity to run.
"You're welcome," the man called. He then stepped over the bodies and unzipped the duffel bag.
"Don't move," Laurel yelled.
The man looked up, his eyes hidden beneath the orange reflective lenses of his ballistics glasses. "And who are you supposed to be?"
Laurel pointed her staff at him. "Close that bag and leave it on the sidewalk."
He stepped toward her. "I'm not the bad guy here."
Laurel watched him look down at the bag full of money and then at her as if sizing her up. Was he thinking about grabbing the bag and running? She couldn't be sure. It appeared as if he had been trying to rescue the hostage, but now she wondered if he had only been after the money. She decided to take control of the situation before he did.
She attacked, swinging her staff at him. He ducked then spun away and her staff sliced through the air causing her to lose her balance for a moment. She stumbled forward, but he didn't try to attack her. He appeared to be studying her.
"Your outfit's cute and all, but your fighting skills, or lack thereof, are going to get you killed," he said. She rushed forward, swinging at him again, but he easily dodged her attack. "You really have no idea what you're doing. Tell me you're just filling in for someone else."
She swung at him again.
He caught the end of her staff. "I'll take that as a 'yes' then."
She yanked the staff trying to free it from his grasp, but she couldn't.
"It's hard to carry on a conversation when I'm the only one participating," he said.
"I'm a little busy," Laurel replied through gritted teeth.
"That doesn't stop me." He shoved the staff forward and twisted it from her grasp. Then he swung, but at the last minute angled away from her, striking one of the robbers that had recovered and been trying to sneak up behind her.
"Just a little pointer," Six said. "Never become so focused on your opponent, no matter how good looking they might be, that you forget your surroundings." He tossed her the staff. "You're welcome."
"That would imply I thanked you in the first place."
He shrugged. "I'm sure deep down you wanted to."
"I'm not letting you take that money."
"I guess you'll have to try to stop me again."
Laurel grimaced, rushing forward once more. He caught her wrist and twisted it behind her. "You are determined, but I feel like you're trying to be someone you're not."
She tried to shake free from his grasp, but his grip only tightened. "Well, you're wrong," she said.
"Hmm. That's interesting because I'm never wrong."
"There's a first time for everything."
"Maybe, maybe not. I am wondering what you look like without that mask though."
Laurel slammed her foot down onto his boot and brought her elbow up into his chin. He grunted, but somehow managed to swing her around and drop her to the ground.
He stared down at her. "Sorry about that, but if you pick fights with people this is what's going to happen. You might want to find a new hobby that isn't life threatening." And with that he ran off down the sidewalk, leaving her alone with the two dazed robbers and the bag of money.
Oliver readied another arrow, taking aim at the caped figure only steps away from the terrified civilians. "Stand down," he ordered.
"I'm a little busy doing your job," the man answered.
"I'm only asking once."
The man moved toward the civilians. "I don't have time for this."
Oliver fired and the man dodged the arrow, but not fast enough to prevent it from slicing through his cape. Before Oliver could blink a small object flew toward him and dug into his upper right arm. He ripped out the piece of metal and a trickle of blood spilled out. He hated this guy.
Roy rushed in having finished securing the robber they had seen flying out the window. His eyes widened. "Look out."
Oliver glanced to his left just in time to see a masked man jump toward him. Caught off guard Oliver braced himself for impact. He hit the floor hard, losing his bow as he tried to gain control of the struggle. He realized he had never been this close to the superhumans they had encountered, at least while they were still alive. This guy was strong. Too strong. Oliver wasn't sure he could handle him alone.
The masked man managed to get his hands around Oliver's throat, his vice-like grip, crushing it slowly. Roy jumped in trying to help. He wrapped his arm around the man's neck, managing to distract him long enough so Oliver could break free and roll away. But now Roy was in danger.
The superhuman flipped Roy to the floor and was about to pounce on him. Oliver grabbed his bow, but before he could fire an object like the one that struck him moments earlier thudded into the man's back and emitted an electric shock. The man hit the floor, stunned.
Oliver looked around. The last of the hostages ran out the door while the caped figure lifted a woman into his arms and headed toward the exit. He had just disappeared outside when gunfire erupted.
Oliver and Roy dropped to the floor. "Sure, now you leave," Oliver mumbled.
"What?" Roy said.
"Forget it."
The bullets sprayed above them with no apparent target. The glass windows at the front of the building shattered, leaving behind the empty metal frame. Finally, the hollow clicking of an empty cartridge filled the room.
Oliver lifted his head. "Felicity, are the security cameras still out."
"Yup, sorry guys," she said. "I wish I could help."
"Do we have a plan here?" Roy asked.
"Don't die," Oliver answered.
He jumped up, firing an arrow at the shooter. The man caught it and snapped it in half. Oliver fired again and again with the same result before selecting a special arrow. He fired, but this time when the man caught it the arrow exploded. That seemed to do the trick.
The last robber standing tossed Roy across the room and jumped out the front window, running straight at the police blockade. The police opened fire, but the man crashed through the line of officers and cars, disappearing on the other side.
Oliver let him go, turning back to the man that had caught the exploding arrow. He only appeared to be burned, but was very much alive.
Oliver grabbed him, shoving him against the bank counter. "Who are you working for?"
The man stared back at him, unafraid.
"Who are you working for?" Oliver demanded.
Before any response helpful or otherwise could be given a bullet flew through the glassless windows and struck the man in the head. He fell backward, dead.
A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you're enjoying the story.