Virgil sat back and closed his final book. 2 hours of homework done.
"Thanks," he grinned at Adam.
"You're welcome," he smiled back, "although I don't know why you needed it."
"I had to get a tutor," Virgil explained, "It's part of my parol."
"I know," Adam replied and sat forward, "but Boo said the you were going to be difficult because you dropped out so long ago."
"I...er...uh..." Virgil looked around nervously, but just then, the door opened, and a tall man in his early twenties walked in, wearing a high-necked coat, a cap sitting backwards on his head, and sunglasses. He took one look at Virgil, and froze.
"Hey, Ivin," Adam nodded at him. "This is Virgil Hawkins--"
"I know who it is," Ivin replied. Virgil smiled. That voice was definitely Ebon...or cloak.
"Hey, Ivin," Virgil rose and thrust out his hand. "Nice to meet you." Ivin however only peered down at the hand, and then looked back up at Virgil. Shaking his head, he walked out without so much as a nod acknowledging Virgil still stood there. Virgil slowly lowered his hand as Adam came and stood beside him.
"Sorry 'bout that," he said, "But my brother's got something against most bang babies. It took him forever to get used to Sharon, and I still think that she gives him the creeps."
"It's okay," Virgil said, gathering his books and shoving them into his backpack. "I'm gonna have to be going soon," he glanced at his watch. 1/2 an hour. Just enough time...he hoped.
"Okay, same time on Friday?" Adam called as Virgil walked out.
"Sure, thanks!" he said, and ran towards the stairs.
"Ivin, right?" he asked. The figure at the top of the stairs turned and looked at him.
"What do you want," He growled. Virgil winced inwardly. Some things never changed.
"I need to talk to you," he said, "It's about a local super-hero named Cloak..." He took a deep breath, and hoped that Ivin wouldn't rush down on him right then and there. He clenched his gloved fists, but slowly walked down and to the front door. Virgil followed him out.
"Okay," Ivin said finally, "What about Cloak?"
"I know it's you, Ivin," Virgil said softly.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ivin said, but Virgil could hear his voice shiver slightly.
"Look," he said, "I'm not here to cause you trouble, and I'm not here to try and blackmail you or anything," he sighed. "I need your help."
"What do you mean you need his help?" another voice from behind him roared. Virgil and Ivin both looked at the form that came towards them, dressed in bright red and orange. It took all the control Virgil had to keep from bursting out and laughing right then and there. Finally, he calmed himself down enough to talk.
"Francis?" he asked. The figure stopped.
"Or should I say Firewall?"
"What do you want,
Viper," Ivin said from behind him, dropping his glasses and the
mask he was wearing behind the bushes.
"I told you," Virgil backed against the wall, holding his hands in front of him, but making a conscious effort not to start charging up. That's the last thing the situation needed. "I need your help."
"With what? A robbery? Taking over Dakota?" Hotstreak/Firewall advanced on him as well.
"No..." he gulped. Maybe this hadn't been the best idea. "I need you to help me get back home." The two stopped and looked at each other before returning their attention to him.
"What do you mean?" Cloak asked cautiously.
"I'm not the Virgil Hawkins you know!" he explained, "Don't call me Viper, because that's not me. I'm Static." He considered using the old 'shock to your system' line, but decided against it. "And I don't belong here." The two stayed silent before Firewall spoke up.
"You belong in a mental institution," he said, shaking his head.
"Heh, funny," Virgil said. This was starting to get on his nerves. He had come to the conclusion that he needed to find the Nightbreed, and maybe this dimension's version of "Stock". Of course, he didn't know how the people in this dimension would even react to him, which is why he'd come here in the first place.
"Look, Viper--" Cloak started, but Virgil cut him off.
"Static," he growled, "I told you, call me Static...or Virgil if you prefer."
"I don't know what you're up to, but I won't let you get away with it." Virgil involuntarily started to charge up, the frustration carefully tearing down the shields he had put up against it.
"Look," he sighed, "I came here looking for help. If I can't find it, I'll look elsewhere." He pulled out his disk, and was on it before the others could move. "If you decide it isn't beneath you to help me out," he yelled at them as he flew off, "Call me. Your brother has my phone number, leave a message with my moms if I'm not there." The two super-hero's watched him fly off.
--
"I watched the videos back at the jewelry store," Ivin said, donning his mask again. It had been difficult these past few years, trying to get by like he was. Being a human shadow isn't exactly easy to hide, but he had managed, and he and Firewall had done a lot to help Dakota. "He was telling the truth, then. He took her out. I don't know why, but he didn't take anything. I was looking for it." He looked at Firewall.
"It's almost like he is a different person," Francis shook his masked head.
"I'm going to follow him," Ivin said, walking in the direction they had watched Virgil fly. "I'll give you a call if I need help. Otherwise, get back to patrol. Viper isn't the only person we need to worry about tonight." And then he was gone, disappeared into the shadows that now made him feel so at home.