Kyle was running blindly. He had no idea where the hitman had gone. If he had stopped to think he would have realised that this was probably the most stupid thing he had ever done in his life. But he wasn't thinking. It was pure dumb luck that nobody saw him dive out of the broken window. Outside was a different story. The camera crews that had stuck around later gave their networks incredible footage of an emerald green comet that burst from the courthouse like a bullet and transformed itself into Green Lantern before flying away. By the time the Police arrived at the crime scene Kyle Rayner was long gone.
-
The film crews didn't stick around long after that. They were all in a hurry to get their footage to the stations. If they had stayed a few minutes later they would have had the chance to film a scarlet clad vigilante with devil horns leap from the broken window and perch soundlessly on a ledge. He waited their for a few moments, as still as the statues that decorated the building, then he fired a grappling line which snagged onto the corner of the building and swung out in the direction that Green Lantern had gone.
-
Bullseye reached a quiet back alley, cursing that idiot Gerrins under his breath and swearing that only morons ever worked with others. He paused for a moment to get his bearings. That was when he caught sight of the man wearing form fitting purple and orange. He made a 'follow me' gesture, then soundlessly slipped into a building. Furious that someone could act that way towards him, Bullseye chased after him, stopping by a pot plant to pick something up.
-
Back at the courthouse Foggy was getting very worried. First the Judge had been murdered, and then both Kyle and Matt disappeared. Everyone had been moved out into the waiting area until they could be interviewed by the police, who had just arrived and had begun asking around to find out who the people who had left had been. How long would it take for them to realise that the defendant and his lawyer were missing? It didn't look good. Foggy watched as Green Lantern handed the gunman over to the police.
"In all likelihood there was an accomplice involved. This guy had a hostage in one hand and a gun in the other. How could he have thrown the glass like that?" he heard the costumed superhero saying to an officer. Foggy sat back in his chair and wished that he had a cup of coffee or something. He was shaking when an officer came over to see him.
"Mr. Nelson? I'm Detective Valdez. I need to ask you a few questions" said a Hispanic man with a small beard who flashed a badge. Foggy felt his throat dry up. He was going to ask about Matt and Kyle. He stood up to shake his hand, trying to act as natural as possible.
"We haven't been able to find your partner or your client. Any thoughts about that?" Valdez asked in a friendly manner.
"Uh, yeah, when the attack happened Mr. Murdock assumed that it was an attack on our client. As you know Mr. Barret was a well loved member of the community and some people took the news of his death very badly. Matt thought it would be for the best to get Mr. Rayner out of harms way" Foggy was a lawyer, and he had lost track of the number of times he had covered for Matt failing to show up. The words came naturally to him.
"Mr. Murdock? I thought he was blind?" said Valdez
"I don't mean to sound rude detective, but do you actually know any blind people?"
"Point taken. I'm going to need you to get in touch with Mr. Murdock. My people will want to talk to him and Mr. Rayner"
"Err, that may take a while. Matt thinks its best that when he does move a client like this that as few people know where they have gone as possible. For the client's protection, you understand" Foggy hoped he would buy it. Valdez looked like the type who, as a child, would only believe in Santa Claus after finding an old man in the house on Christmas Eve and had thoroughly yanked at the beard to make sure it stayed on. The detective gave him a suspect look
"I can assure you that no matter what, Kyle Rayner will be under the supervision of Matthew Murdock at all times. You have my word on that" Foggy pressed on. Valdez was blank. Foggy couldn't tell if he believed him or was about to arrest him.
"Try to contact your partner, Mr. Nelson, but don't go too far. I still have some questions for you" said Valdez. Foggy waited until he was deep into another conversation before collapsing heavily into his chair
-
Major Force led Bullseye to the roof of the building. Once there he stood with his hands behind his back and waited for the assassin to make the first move. Bullseye stood and glared at the back of his head until impatience got the better of him.
"What is this all about?" he demanded
"Your 'perfect' plan. Not quite what I was expecting" said Major Force calmly
"Don't blame me because your man screwed up. I assumed you had hiring standards." Bullseye spat at the larger man. Force smirked slightly but kept his back to Bullseye
"And here I thought you were doing such a good job of weeding out the unworthy. Don't tell me you missed one" he mocked, still refusing to face the hitman. Bullseye snarled like a caged animal.
"Can it be the great Bullseye made a mistake?" Force taunted as he finally turned to face the other man. "You were hired to kill one man and you failed. It was a mistake to let you walk out of my office the first time we met. I should have killed you then and there and saved myself all this trouble"
"As I remember it, it was your idea to work together. All I did was the job I was hired to do. I was paid for Barret. I was told to see you. Don't you dare act like this is my fault!" Bullseye screamed in rage
"I know all about your deal with Healy. The old fool couldn't take the fact that he had lost so he got involved with the likes of you. Well, I'm sure that he will be interested to know that I prepared a file on him, just in case anything went wrong" Force smiled his deadly smile. Bullseye's eye narrowed
-
Daredevil knew he didn't have a hope of catching up with Kyle while he was using his Green Lantern powers. He could tell exactly where he was from the distinctive anti-sound that the emerald energy made, visible only to his hyper senses. Matt had paused on a rooftop to judge the distance between himself and Green Lantern in case he could find another way around or cut the distance between them when he heard Bullseye's voice shouting at another who he did not recognize. He heard the other man talk about files connecting Bullseye to Barret's murder and to Governor Healy. If they matched Foggy's paper trail then that would be all the evidence he would need to clear Kyle. The man without fear decided that while he couldn't catch up to Green Lantern, this could be just the break he had been looking for. He followed the voices to their source.
-
Kyle had finally calmed down enough to think clearly. The first thing that he realised was just how stupid he had been. He had just taken off without even trying to come up with some idea of what he was going to do. And he had probably hurt his case in the process. He also knew practically nothing about Bullseye. It was too late to go back now; his absence would have definitely been noticed by now. Kyle didn't even know which way the hitman had gone. This was stupid. Kyle made his decision. Matt would have gone after him, so the best thing he could do now would be to find Matt and pray that they could work out something to clear up this whole mess.
-
Major Force watched as Bullseye tried to keep a hold of his rage. It was clear that he was sizing the larger man up, judging his chances. It was almost funny; the hitman actually thought he could take him on in a fight. Did he think he could win?
"You know, you're right Force, working with you was a mistake. People like you are all talk. I should've known that the Daredevil would be too much for the likes of you. What did you do? You beat up a reporter and then qualified for the award for Stupidest Supervillain Attack Ever with that little hospital stunt. At least I've got the guts to admit I screwed up, you're still acting like that were all part of a higher plan" Bullseye taunted. Major Force's smile grew somewhat fixed. Bullseye's own grin widened to the point where it threatened to split his face in two.
"Home truth time. You should've let Rayner go to prison…" Bullseye never finished that sentence. The Major had seized him by the throat and had lifted him off the ground. His smile never flickered.
"You were saying?" he asked
"About bloody time" Bullseye grunted as he threw the handful of gravel that he had been hiding since he had entered the building. Force didn't have time to blink before the tiny stones battered his eyes. He threw the smaller man away and rubbed at his eyes.
"And about those files, I'm sure I'll find 'em. Your security isn't exactly the most imaginative lot I've ever met"
Major Force rose to his feet like a behemoth. He wasn't smiling now. Bullseye's grin was insane. It was like pouring oil on a raging fire. Major Force charged at him in blind fury
"Toro, Toro!" Bullseye jeered as Force came close. He ducked out of the way of the charge but wasn't fast enough to avoid the punch Force had thrown. It caught the assassin underneath the chin and lifted him off his feet. Bullseye bit his lip hard enough to draw blood as he landed. He laughed manically.
"Oh, so now we're getting violent, are we?" he cackled. Major Force roared and pounced like a lion at the smirking hitman. Bullseye pulled a tiny knife from his belt, identical to the one he had used to kill Barret, and threw it with infallible aim at the Major's open mouth. It hit in the back of his throat. Major Force collapsed to the ground and retched.
"Now, the way I figure it, you're indestructible on the outside but what about on the inside? Well worth a try, don't you think?" Bullseye laughed as he patted the larger man on the back. Force tried to rasp a few words but the knife had stuck in too deep.
"What was that?" Bullseye teased as Force fell forward.
"Too bad. You had a sense of humor; I always appreciate that in a person". As Bullseye turned to leave an emerald green flash appeared in front of him.
"I take it you're Bullseye, not quite what I was expecting" said Green Lantern
"And you would be the retired Green Lantern. I like the black guy who took over better. I like how he doesn't bother with masks. It makes life that much easier for people like me" said Bullseye conversationally.
"I'll be sure to let him know" Green Lantern matched his conversational tone. Bullseye grinned. Here was someone new to play with.
"And if you're after the good Major I'm afraid that you are a little late" He gestured to the prone figure behind him.
"Don't be too sure, this wouldn't be the first time he's played dead"
"Hey, when I kill someone they stay dead". The Lantern's expression was unreadable. Bullseye reflected on those stupid gravity defying masks. Bizarrely enough they actually did work for some people. Probably not if you knew the person but on a complete stranger it was possible.
"It was you who murdered Barret" said the hero.
"So you're a smart one, eh? Yeah, that was me. Not my finest work but I'm always proud of a job well done"
"Why do it? Why kill him?"
"Mercenary. I'll do any job I'm paid to do" said Bullseye, pointing to his chest. His other hand reached his belt and drew another knife. He aimed for the mask, wondering if it would knock it off or not. The knife flew the air before it hit an emerald green shield and fell to the ground. A tendril of green light snaked out and snatched the blade form the ground.
"Thanks for that, I'm sure the police will be interested in it. It looks just like the one that was used to kill Mr. Barret" said Green Lantern.
"You tricked me. I didn't think you JLA types went in for that kind of thing" said Bullseye calmly as he reached into the folds of his coat. Kyle was ready for him. He reconstructed the shield as the assassin threw another three of his knives. Once they were deflected he created a straightjacket around Bullseye's arms, pinning them to his sides. As an afterthought he made a gag around the man's mouth. Green Lantern looked around for the body of Major Force, only to find that he was gone.