First a big thank you to all that have reviewed so far and a small sorry for being late with the update, but I am in the middle of writing my final thesis for my engineering degree, so sometimes my time becomes rather limited. The reception of Bonds has been great, so I've decided to focus my effort and therefore I am taking down "Faces" the continuation of "Flashbacks" until I have the time and inclination to write on that series again. Also because of my thesis work I probably won't update for a week and a half (but I should have something like 3-4 new chapters done by then). As always I would love reviews of these new chapters, which brings us past the middle of the story and headed towards the eventual formation of the trio.
Chapter 11: SqueezedIf he headed right at the next corner, he would be coming out on 23rd, but then he would have to go a good distance along the open street. Maybe left… No, not left, left would take him towards the docks and a whole lot of other bad places. Oh, he had no idea, where to go. He had every sight, scent and sound of this city memorized. Well most of it anyway and he was not sure where he could go safely. Gibson Kafka looked around the alley nervously, but there were no changes from his mental picture except for the slight change in the wisps of smoke coming from a grate.
A red car passed the alley opening in front of him. He had seen it before but that had been with some soccer mom at the wheel. No danger. He couldn't go home. They would be waiting for him there. He spun around in place trying desperately to figure out which way to go. He came upon the idea of heading to a friend's place. Another metahuman that he had met a few months ago. Nervously Gibson cast a glance around again and headed down the alley and went to the right.
Barbara slowly rolled away from Delphi yawning. She knew that somewhere on the roofs of the city Helena was also heading home to her apartment on top of the Dark Horse. She made it all the way to the corridor leading to her room, when Delphi issued a tone, which meant it had found something of interest in its information sweeps. Barbara stared at the corridor with thoughts of her bed going through her mind. Sighing slightly she swung around, while promising herself that she would only cast a glance at the information unless of course it was about some oncoming apocalypse.
Barbara stabbed a finger down on the keyboard and glanced at the lists of names and files that appeared. She put her head down in her hands for a moment then tapped in a few commands. A small icon shifted from red to green. A map of New Gotham appeared showing the Huntress' position as a moving dot. She was close to home or already home. "Huntress, please tell me that you're not home yet," she said.
A grumpy and startled Helena replied, "Huntress is not in, she has gone to bed. Please leave a message and she will get back to you in the afternoon."
"Please it is important. I am as tired as you are and I have to sit in on several tests tomorrow, so I'd rather be fully rested than fall asleep in the presence of teens with flimsy moral values," she said.
"Alright, what is it?" Helena asked all business again even if the edge in her voice hadn't disappeared.
"Delphi just picked up a familiar face while processing the video surveillance from the airport. A guy arrived two days ago that has a significant criminal history. His name is Donovan Ellison, and until a few years ago he ran an extortion ring in Metropolis," she explained.
"Okay, before I start yelling, but why should I care?" The blip on the monitor showing Helena's position started to move towards the Dark Horse.
"Because he specializes in extorting metahumans," Barbara said.
Helena stopped moving again. "Wow there, how does he do that without getting his head shoved up his ass or getting hurt in a dozen other creative ways," Helena replied.
"According to his file he operates very carefully. He finds out everything he can about someone he suspects of being a metahuman. If he finds out that this person wants to hide this, he then extorts them by holding the evidence of their true nature over their heads," Barbara explained feeling a stab of worry about what might happen if a person like this got some kind of hold over Helena or even worse Dinah.
"Do you think he is setting up shop here?" Helena asked.
"Yeah, I am almost certain. He had to flee Metropolis, because one of the three metahumans he had a squeeze on found out who he was and blew the whistle on him. This guy slipped away before law enforcement could get him, and his entire ring of victims was freed from his control by the police. He had some cohorts though, and they have both moved here in the last two months. I think it's a safe bet that this guy is starting something again," she concluded.
"Barbara, that was the longest damn yes, I've ever heard even coming from you," Helena explained.
"Well, I also know that a simple yes would have annoyed you too. Anyway I've got Mr. Ellison's hotel and room number. He's at the Hilton, room 47. Would you mind taking a swing by his suite and see if he is up to something? But Helena I don't want you to let him know we're on to him just yet. We might be able to use it against him… so don't let him see you," she suggested. She hated the thought of having Helena exposed even if she wore a small mask covering her eyes.
"God, you're such a mother hen sometimes," Helena complained and headed across town at high speed.
"Damn it," Gibson cursed and knocked on the Frosty's door again. He felt exposed even here in a corridor of a dingy apartment building. It wasn't fair that he should get in trouble just as he was opening his shop of curiosities. His ability to remember and perfectly recall everything he ever sensed was once again proving to be more problem than blessing.
"Gibson Kafka," a deep male voice asked behind him. Gibson instantly knew that this would turn out to be a problem. The voice belonged to the big buzz cut brute that had accompanied the so-called business man he had met this afternoon. He lifted his hands in surrender and turned around. The brute was holding some kind of club in his right hand. He probably intended to hurt him.
"You're coming with me," the brute said in a tone that brooked no witty retort.
Gibson realized that the corridor was getting colder and compared it with his memory of the warm late spring evening temperature that he should have been sweating in. Frosty had arrived. "I'm afraid that I don't know any good cold jokes, so I'll just suggest freeze."
And Frosty stepped into view behind the confused and irritated brute stretching out his hand. The brute felt his touch and swiveled, but he dropped prone, teeth chattering and skin turning pale before he made it half way around. "Thank you, man, but I'm afraid that I might have pulled you into big trouble," Gibson said to the blonde man looking curiously at the fallen criminal.
"What do you mean?" Frosty asked.
"Not here, we need to go somewhere safe to talk… Do you know somewhere safe to talk?" Gibson looked down at the goon then back up at Frosty.
"Sure I have an idea," Frosty suggested.
Helena gracefully landed on the ledge and calmly walked along the wall, slipping past the windows of the Hotel, while the voice in her ear gave her directions to the correct room. "It should be the balcony next to you," Barbara concluded.
Helena carefully jumped down on the balcony and edged closer to the closed glass doors. The room was clearly lit; she leaned closer to listen as the curtains were closed. "You idiots, I gave you directions to this guy, I told you what he was capable of, how weak he is and you couldn't even bring him to me. I can't use that kind of incompetence… I… Well alright I am giving you a second chance. Find him, no matter who he pulls in to help him. I want that metahuman. He knows everything that we need to start again. This town is riddled with these freaks. With his help it would only be a matter of time and finding the right type of people and bang we're a force to be reckoned with… Alright I understand that, send him to a doctor. Okay, then continue looking for him tomorrow, I am going to bed," the guys said obviously speaking on the phone to someone whose side of the conversation she couldn't hear.
"Oracle, it seems this guy is already up to no good. He has someone out looking for someone, whose abilities will help him find many metahumans. They've stopped for the night, but I think we shouldn't let him get too close. How about I head in there and rough him up a little," Helena reached for the door handle as the light inside winked out.
"No, Huntress this isn't how we're gonna do this. I want you to back off. The hotel has a digital phone system; I am going to hack it and insert a tap. If we want this guy thrown in jail there needs to be solid proof of his crimes. In the mean time I want you to go home and catch up on your sleep… As am I," Helena's hand hovered over the handle for a little longer then turned and ran for the edge. She jumped into the air and sailed towards the next building when Barbara asked, "Oh Helena I forgot. I am going to get home late, I have a meeting. Would you mind picking up Dinah at school and bring her to her music school tomorrow?"
Helena landed at a run, while she thought about it. She hadn't seen much of Dinah since her birthday a few weeks back and the now fourteen year old was heading to high school after the summer vacation. She felt a bit like spending time with the girl in a non-driver kind of way. "Sure," she promised, while she tried to remember if the balance on her spending account was high enough for a little adventuring with her surrogate little sister tomorrow. This extortion case would probably wait until the evening.
"And then Mrs. Hawker said that I had to do the entire thing again," one of Joy's friend blathered, while Dinah alternated between pretending to listen intently and looking out for Helena. Her mom had told her this morning that Helena would be picking her up, because she had another big meeting that would last until after six. She cast a glance over at Joy, who stood amidst the cluster of teenagers that Joy considered her friends.
Dinah and Joy were friends outside of school because of their music, but she often found that when they were here, she might as well be air to the popular girl and her friends. She wondered if it was normal for friends to only be friends, when it was convenient for the other. But she couldn't fault Joy for her feeling excluded. It wasn't as if she could include the girl in anything she did outside of school or music. "Dinah, I'm not coming to practice today, would you mind telling Mr. Teague?" Joy said. She shook her head, she wasn't surprised though. All day she had been catching vibes and notions, that neither she nor Joy would be at practice today.
"Hey, kid," Helena said. Dinah hated the nickname, but Helena often said when she called her on it, that she wasn't old enough to have earned any other nickname.
"Hi, Helena," she said and smiled slightly, when she noticed the entire prissy princess club to which Joy belonged, startle and grow pale at the sight of the as always street clad Helena. "See you tomorrow," she said and walked away with Helena without turning around and for a rare moment felt a lot cooler than them.
"So did you remember to pick up my cello," Dinah asked feeling absolutely certain that she would get a negative as a response.
"Nope, you and I are going to have some fun of our own today," Helena said. She loved spending time with Helena and so didn't hold back her whoop of joy. Helena unlocked the car and she tossed her bag onto the backseat of the Hummer.
"So where are we headed?" She asked. Helena gave her a wicked smile, but didn't answer her. Instead she guided the car out on to the freeway headed out of town.
Helena smiled slightly as they crossed the city limits. "Alright, is this a kidnapping, because if it is I want to chuck my homework for tomorrow out the window," she said.
"No, it isn't. We just need to go to a place a bit out of town. But I was thinking I know Barbara has been in a lot of late meetings lately. Do you know what it is all about?" Helena replied.
Dinah couldn't help smiling wickedly. "Well, you haven't gotten it from me, but I did a little reading on mom a few weeks back and well she has been seeing a guy, but she is not sure about it all yet, so she hasn't told us," she said.
"Really, Barbara dating what a thought," Helena replied with a grin and drove on to a smaller road leading up into a very steep and hilly area.
"Seriously, where are we going?" Dinah couldn't help feeling a bit weird suddenly getting dragged an hour's drive away from New Gotham without explanation.
"I've gotten a friend of mine to set something up… and here we are," Helena drove onto a big bridge suspended over a ravine. On the middle of the bridge a brightly green colored van was parked next to a platform and some other equipment. A black bearded guy, who Dinah didn't recognize, was checking some stuff, while a younger black man was waving energetically as Helena slowed down to a stop.
"How do you feel about jumping off a bridge?" Helena said. Dinah looked at her in disbelief. Her surrogate big sister was offering her the chance to go bungee jumping all without any chance of interference from her mother. Of course it probably wasn't legal, but she wouldn't be protesting.
"I would love to try," Dinah answered. Helena smiled mischievously and gestured for her to follow.
"Hi, Helena, so is this the birthday girl," the black guy said as Helena and Dinah approached the van.
"Yeah, this is Dinah. Dinah, this is Rick, a friend," Helena walked over and looked over the edge.
"So Dinah, it is really very simple, we're gonna strap you in and then you're gonna jump off the edge," Rick explained and indicated that she should dress in some clothing that they had brought along. She took it and did so in the back of Helena's car. After her return Rick explained a few things to her, while the older guy took a practice jump and ended up with, "Remember if you don't want to jump at any time before you take the final step over the edge just say so." Helena and the older nodded encouragingly at this.
Dinah stepped up to the edge and cast a glance over. It was a very long way down, but as she reminded herself, Helena took jumps over chasms although urban ones every day. Her dream of doing the same demanded that she at least tried how it felt to take such a chance. She looked over at Helena, who held her gaze then took a long gaze down into the chasm and made an expression like it should be scary. She could be such a punk at times.
Dinah looked straight ahead. Rick counted down. He reached zero and Dinah jumped away from the edge without hesitation. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The air rushed around her. For a moment it felt like she was weightless, the world seemed to rush past her, the ground suddenly seemed to get alarmingly close. She felt an increasing pull at her legs. She came so far down she was no more than a body length away from the ground. Fear welled up into her, and then suddenly the cord pulled her back. She bounced up and down feeling an enormous sense of relief, almost a rush as she hung head down below the bridge laughing heartily, while she waited for them to bring her back up.
"Helena, thank you so much," she gushed and gave Helena a hug after they had said goodbye to the two guys.
"I'm glad you liked it. Now I've planned a little picnic before we head back home and tell your mom that you were great at practice today," Helena said as they headed back to the car.
However they barely got inside before a voice came over Helena's earrings. "Huntress, what are you doing out of town. Nevermind, switch your necklace on. I need you to head back here. I just got a Delphi alert on the phone tap I set up this morning. Mr. Ellison has gotten a lead to this metahuman he is looking for. We've got a name too," Barbara said.
"Damn it, your mom is calling me back. Okay Dinah, this is how we're doing it. I'm gonna switch my com on, and to talk to your mom. When I have the necklace on, you stay quiet and we still might make it," she nodded as Helena reached up and activated the necklace.
"Oracle I read you. What is the name of the metahuman Ellison is looking to put the squeeze on?" Helena asked.
"Gibson Kafka," Helena turned pale.
"Gibson? But he's an old high school buddy. I didn't know he was metahuman. Man, just goes to show that you never know. The biggest nerd in school and he is like me. Alright Oracle, we need to find him before Ellison does," Helena explained.
"I've checked around and from a police report about a break-in I am guessing that he is not at home anymore. You went to school with him. Do you have any idea, where he might hide?" Her mom asked.
"Oracle, I didn't run in the same circles as he did. He was a very strange kid. And I am pretty sure he had a major crush on me, although I barely ever exchanged two sentences with the guy," Helena explained.
"We need to find him fast Huntress, whatever his power might be; Ellison thinks it will secure him control or information about several metahumans. We don't want that. No matter I will try to think of something," her mom sounded frustrated.
"Going offline for a bit… you wouldn't like my road music anyway," Helena said.
"I am sure I wouldn't," her mom acknowledged. Helena reached up and switched off the com.
"I am going to drop you off somewhere close to the Clocktower, when we get into town. You just walk home and tell your mom that you had fun at practice or whatever," Helena explained. She nodded, even if she felt that it would've been great fun to see first hand how Helena dealt with a couple of criminals.
