Chapter 15
At first, Ollie was struck dumb with disbelief. But after a
moment, comprehension dawned on him.
The Spectre. The embodiment of the Wrath of God himself. One
of the most powerful entities in his universe, hell, any
universe. With a direct pipeline to the 'Big Boss Man'
himself. Pallid white, clad in a green cloak, boots, gloves,
and shorts. And larger than life.
But even as it registered on Ollie who he was looking at, he
realized that it wasn't the Spectre. At least, not as he had
always seen him before.
For instance, where had that green domino mask come from? And
what was with that blazing symbol on his chest? It almost
looked like... His train of thought trailed off. Could it--?
Stepping closer, not caring whether that was wise or not, he
craned his neck upwards...
"Hal...?" Ollie asked incredulously.
The Spectre smiled. Or more accurately, Hal Jordan, the mortal
soul to which the Sprit of Vengeance was bound to, smiled.
Ollie was beyond disbelief. Way beyond. "You're the Spectre?"
he asked. "But how? Why? What-" he began, before Hal, or more
appropriately the Spectre, cut him off.
"Long story. I came to bring you back Ollie. Your time's up
here. Time to go back home."
It was all too much for Ollie to handle. But never let it be
said that Oliver Queen couldn't act fast in an emergency, even
if he wasn't fully aware of what he was doing.
"Stow it ringslinger," Ollie said, falling back into the
familiar repartee, "we've got something more pressing right
now."
He filled Hal/Spectre in on the situation and how it had come
about. Through it all, Hal/Spectre's face went from a bemused
grin at seeing his friend again to a grim faced, thin lipped
scowl.
"So that's how things stand Hal," Ollie finished up.
"These two kids deserve to be together, and they don't deserve
this. And I want to know what the hell you intend to do about
it."
The human part of the Spectre, the man who was once known as
Hal Jordan, the greatest Green Lantern of them all, couldn't
help but chuckle. Oliver Queen was probably the only person
alive that would demand something of one of the most powerful
beings in all creation. And expect to get it too, by damn.
Hal had missed his friend more than he had known. Which only
made him all the sorrier for what he had to say.
"Not much I can do I'm afraid," Hal/Spectre regretfully told
his friend. "It's not my decision to make Ollie."
"Well, take it upstairs then," Ollie shot back. "Take it up
with the Big Man himself."
The man who had been Hal Jordan considered his friend.
"I'll try Ollie, but I can't guarantee you anything. I'm
sorry." And he meant it. He wanted to help his old friend,
help these people, but it wasn't his call.
"Tell him they can have my place if it'll make any difference,"
Ollie said. He wanted out of this rat hole more than words
could express, but he'd been here this long, and he could stay
here longer if it meant these two kids could be together.
After all, who was he to stand in the way of 'true love'?
"I'll try. I'm sorry Ol."
"Hey, don't sweat it. You're just the middleman. No hard
feelings."
Hal/Spectre nodded, and was about to turn away to leave when
Ollie stopped him.
"Uh, hey, Hal," Ollie started. He didn't really know how to
say this.
"Listen Hal, I'm sorry about..." He trailed off, finding it
hard to go on. "You know, I was just--"
"Doing what had to be done," Hal finished for him.
"I was out of control, had to be stopped. No hard feelings
Ollie. You did what had to be done. In fact, if you hadn't, I
wouldn't have gotten this chance to redeem myself." He smiled
at Ollie. "Take care," he said, before turning to vanish into
the mists just as suddenly as he had come.
"Yeah, take it easy Hal," Ollie said to the vanishing figure.
"Who is that?" Joxer said, finally having been able to find his
voice.
Ollie's face lit up in a smile. "That, my friend," he said,
"is our ticket outta here."
At first, Ollie was struck dumb with disbelief. But after a
moment, comprehension dawned on him.
The Spectre. The embodiment of the Wrath of God himself. One
of the most powerful entities in his universe, hell, any
universe. With a direct pipeline to the 'Big Boss Man'
himself. Pallid white, clad in a green cloak, boots, gloves,
and shorts. And larger than life.
But even as it registered on Ollie who he was looking at, he
realized that it wasn't the Spectre. At least, not as he had
always seen him before.
For instance, where had that green domino mask come from? And
what was with that blazing symbol on his chest? It almost
looked like... His train of thought trailed off. Could it--?
Stepping closer, not caring whether that was wise or not, he
craned his neck upwards...
"Hal...?" Ollie asked incredulously.
The Spectre smiled. Or more accurately, Hal Jordan, the mortal
soul to which the Sprit of Vengeance was bound to, smiled.
Ollie was beyond disbelief. Way beyond. "You're the Spectre?"
he asked. "But how? Why? What-" he began, before Hal, or more
appropriately the Spectre, cut him off.
"Long story. I came to bring you back Ollie. Your time's up
here. Time to go back home."
It was all too much for Ollie to handle. But never let it be
said that Oliver Queen couldn't act fast in an emergency, even
if he wasn't fully aware of what he was doing.
"Stow it ringslinger," Ollie said, falling back into the
familiar repartee, "we've got something more pressing right
now."
He filled Hal/Spectre in on the situation and how it had come
about. Through it all, Hal/Spectre's face went from a bemused
grin at seeing his friend again to a grim faced, thin lipped
scowl.
"So that's how things stand Hal," Ollie finished up.
"These two kids deserve to be together, and they don't deserve
this. And I want to know what the hell you intend to do about
it."
The human part of the Spectre, the man who was once known as
Hal Jordan, the greatest Green Lantern of them all, couldn't
help but chuckle. Oliver Queen was probably the only person
alive that would demand something of one of the most powerful
beings in all creation. And expect to get it too, by damn.
Hal had missed his friend more than he had known. Which only
made him all the sorrier for what he had to say.
"Not much I can do I'm afraid," Hal/Spectre regretfully told
his friend. "It's not my decision to make Ollie."
"Well, take it upstairs then," Ollie shot back. "Take it up
with the Big Man himself."
The man who had been Hal Jordan considered his friend.
"I'll try Ollie, but I can't guarantee you anything. I'm
sorry." And he meant it. He wanted to help his old friend,
help these people, but it wasn't his call.
"Tell him they can have my place if it'll make any difference,"
Ollie said. He wanted out of this rat hole more than words
could express, but he'd been here this long, and he could stay
here longer if it meant these two kids could be together.
After all, who was he to stand in the way of 'true love'?
"I'll try. I'm sorry Ol."
"Hey, don't sweat it. You're just the middleman. No hard
feelings."
Hal/Spectre nodded, and was about to turn away to leave when
Ollie stopped him.
"Uh, hey, Hal," Ollie started. He didn't really know how to
say this.
"Listen Hal, I'm sorry about..." He trailed off, finding it
hard to go on. "You know, I was just--"
"Doing what had to be done," Hal finished for him.
"I was out of control, had to be stopped. No hard feelings
Ollie. You did what had to be done. In fact, if you hadn't, I
wouldn't have gotten this chance to redeem myself." He smiled
at Ollie. "Take care," he said, before turning to vanish into
the mists just as suddenly as he had come.
"Yeah, take it easy Hal," Ollie said to the vanishing figure.
"Who is that?" Joxer said, finally having been able to find his
voice.
Ollie's face lit up in a smile. "That, my friend," he said,
"is our ticket outta here."