Fear the Unknown
Chapter 14: Fork in the Road
"Now, let me understand this correctly, Wilson. The strike team did penetrate the base's defenses, and they did get access to the time traveler, and then he somehow just slipped away?"
The masked man's dark glare could be felt even from behind the thick lead- lined fabric of his mask. Had it been directed at anyone other than Slade Wilson, that person might have feared for their life. As it was, Wilson's impassionate voice simply responded to the question.
"He didn't simply slip away sir. I'd guess that whoever was inside that armor that I detected heading for the compound was responsible for both the team's escape and the disappearance of the time traveler."
"Yes, this 'armored man' you spoke of. It appears that another player has entered the game."
"Or has been in it for some time and is just now showing his hand."
"I needed that time traveler, Wilson. He was crucial to my plans. Now I will be forced to explore. other options."
"Should I pay a visit to Mr. Hunter?"
"Not just yet. Hunter works best when he's not disturbed. We should hear from him soon enough. He will simply have to refocus his efforts."
"And the strike team, sir?"
"They worry me."
"I understand, sir."
The masked man waved a hand and Wilson left the room. He didn't particularly enjoy being someone's lackey, but he'd play the part as long as it suited his needs. And, for now, it did. Someday soon, though, he'd find out what the face behind that mask looked like.
In the hangar bay, the strike team were dressing their wounds and trying to figure out where they went from there.
"He knew who we were. I don't know how, but he knew."
Of all of them, Barry was in the best shape. Clark was still feeling some lingering aftereffects from his exposure to the Doctor's rock and Hal was pretty well banged up himself. Still, it was Clark who lead the discussion.
"The question now is what do we do? We can't go back to our lives with the knowledge that they know exactly where to find us and can take out our friends and families at any time. We're fugitives."
"Maybe that's for the best." Hal said.
"How do you figure?"
"Let's think about this. As long as we had our "normal" lives, we could hide in them. We played our little games, helped out here and there, and then retreated back to our coffee shop. Now that we know what they know. what's to stop us from going public?"
They stopped to consider this for a moment.
"You know, Hal. you may be right. Maybe we could show the public that we aren't something to fear."
"And maybe you'll just get yourselves killed."
Wilson had approached the group and had decided to toss his two cents into their little chat.
"Have you stopped to consider that maybe the public doesn't want to know? How many like you have tried this before? How many of you freaks have been killed in plain view of men, women and children who just didn't give a damn? You're no different."
Clark stood and walked over to Wilson, getting almost nose to nose with him.
"We are different, Wilson. You know why? Because we choose to be."
The words hung there in the empty air of the hangar, echoing against the rock walls.
"Well then Kent. I'll see you in hell."
With that, Wilson turned on his heel and walked away again with Harper, Troy, and Logan following a bit behind him. Clark turned to his companions.
"I guess that's that."
"So where to?"
"I have an idea. You guys remember John Henry?"
"The folk hero guy?"
Hal smacked Barry in the back of the head.
"No, jackass. He's talking about John Henry, the guy from last year."
"Oh, him. Yeah, I remember him."
"I ran into him not too long ago. Seems he was working on some government project that he thought I might be interested in. Feel like paying him a visit?"
"Same place as last time?"
"That's my best guess."
"All right."
A small grin crossed Barry's face.
"Last one there buys dinner."
With that, the fastest man alive was gone in a blur. Hal looked to Clark with a slightly tired expression.
"Ever get tired of this?" Clark asked.
"Nah. He makes me laugh."
The two took a moment, then shot into the air through the launch bay doors. As their contrails dissipated, Dick Grayson shifted slightly on his perch, trying to decide what to make of what he'd seen. Maybe he should tell the masked man about it. If he didn't, he'd probably be asking for trouble. The Boss didn't like not knowing things. For now though, he thought, I'll see what I can find out on my own. Especially about this "John Henry".
Chapter 14: Fork in the Road
"Now, let me understand this correctly, Wilson. The strike team did penetrate the base's defenses, and they did get access to the time traveler, and then he somehow just slipped away?"
The masked man's dark glare could be felt even from behind the thick lead- lined fabric of his mask. Had it been directed at anyone other than Slade Wilson, that person might have feared for their life. As it was, Wilson's impassionate voice simply responded to the question.
"He didn't simply slip away sir. I'd guess that whoever was inside that armor that I detected heading for the compound was responsible for both the team's escape and the disappearance of the time traveler."
"Yes, this 'armored man' you spoke of. It appears that another player has entered the game."
"Or has been in it for some time and is just now showing his hand."
"I needed that time traveler, Wilson. He was crucial to my plans. Now I will be forced to explore. other options."
"Should I pay a visit to Mr. Hunter?"
"Not just yet. Hunter works best when he's not disturbed. We should hear from him soon enough. He will simply have to refocus his efforts."
"And the strike team, sir?"
"They worry me."
"I understand, sir."
The masked man waved a hand and Wilson left the room. He didn't particularly enjoy being someone's lackey, but he'd play the part as long as it suited his needs. And, for now, it did. Someday soon, though, he'd find out what the face behind that mask looked like.
In the hangar bay, the strike team were dressing their wounds and trying to figure out where they went from there.
"He knew who we were. I don't know how, but he knew."
Of all of them, Barry was in the best shape. Clark was still feeling some lingering aftereffects from his exposure to the Doctor's rock and Hal was pretty well banged up himself. Still, it was Clark who lead the discussion.
"The question now is what do we do? We can't go back to our lives with the knowledge that they know exactly where to find us and can take out our friends and families at any time. We're fugitives."
"Maybe that's for the best." Hal said.
"How do you figure?"
"Let's think about this. As long as we had our "normal" lives, we could hide in them. We played our little games, helped out here and there, and then retreated back to our coffee shop. Now that we know what they know. what's to stop us from going public?"
They stopped to consider this for a moment.
"You know, Hal. you may be right. Maybe we could show the public that we aren't something to fear."
"And maybe you'll just get yourselves killed."
Wilson had approached the group and had decided to toss his two cents into their little chat.
"Have you stopped to consider that maybe the public doesn't want to know? How many like you have tried this before? How many of you freaks have been killed in plain view of men, women and children who just didn't give a damn? You're no different."
Clark stood and walked over to Wilson, getting almost nose to nose with him.
"We are different, Wilson. You know why? Because we choose to be."
The words hung there in the empty air of the hangar, echoing against the rock walls.
"Well then Kent. I'll see you in hell."
With that, Wilson turned on his heel and walked away again with Harper, Troy, and Logan following a bit behind him. Clark turned to his companions.
"I guess that's that."
"So where to?"
"I have an idea. You guys remember John Henry?"
"The folk hero guy?"
Hal smacked Barry in the back of the head.
"No, jackass. He's talking about John Henry, the guy from last year."
"Oh, him. Yeah, I remember him."
"I ran into him not too long ago. Seems he was working on some government project that he thought I might be interested in. Feel like paying him a visit?"
"Same place as last time?"
"That's my best guess."
"All right."
A small grin crossed Barry's face.
"Last one there buys dinner."
With that, the fastest man alive was gone in a blur. Hal looked to Clark with a slightly tired expression.
"Ever get tired of this?" Clark asked.
"Nah. He makes me laugh."
The two took a moment, then shot into the air through the launch bay doors. As their contrails dissipated, Dick Grayson shifted slightly on his perch, trying to decide what to make of what he'd seen. Maybe he should tell the masked man about it. If he didn't, he'd probably be asking for trouble. The Boss didn't like not knowing things. For now though, he thought, I'll see what I can find out on my own. Especially about this "John Henry".