The Markings of a Hero

by AuDC Productions

Malcolm Jackson, a father and a US Army veteran, wanted to be the hero his city of New Camford desperately needed. He would ultimately fail. His son, Elias, is now left wondering why anyone would want to become a vigilante in the first place. During Eli's search for answers, he slowly grows into the man that his father intended to be- a real hero.

20. Chapter 20

Author's Notes: This chapter is a bit on the longer side but needed to get a lot of filler out of the way. Either way, I will be focusing a lot of my attention on Eli during the summer with Sora and Jake coming in the fall. It's just better for my schedule for me to do it this way. That being said, chapters will be longer. I don't know if you guys like longer chapters or not, but it does help me considering one long chapter is worth like two or three smaller ones. But before I ramble on, let's get to the Review Corner and the story itself. For those of you who want to skip this section, pull up the find function by holding down the control or command button and tapping "F". Type in the word "Hypocrisy" and there you have it. For everyone else, let's do this.

Now, considering that the last review corner took place in 2017 *sweat drops* I'm going to simply point out the most asked questions and answer what I can without spoilers (much) while giving thanks to all that have read or favored/followed this story instead of answering individual questions to each reviewer. I doubt some of you remember that you asked me this nearly two years ago and I'ms sorry for not answering sooner but such is life, right?

Firstly, to all of you who have read and reviewed this, you are seriously awesome. Even if you think that Eli is just a "clone of every DC hero" or something unique, I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Though, from my personal perspective, believing that Eli is a cliche DC comics character makes me believe that I'm doing something right. I mean, he could be completely out of place and this story would be weird, right? But seriously, I do read your reviews more than you guys think and, for the most part, I try to rehearse the answers to your questions days before I can type them down because of time. So with all of my heart, thanks.

Oh, and don't think I don't notice when someone favored or follows this story. I do. I look at all the seemingly boring statistics and traffic whenever I can to see what's working and what's not. Heck, I smiled when he was put into a community recently- though I don't remember what it is called (sorry!). So I do notice it and I want to give you all a giant Thank You as well. It's not always about the reviews. A Favorite/Follow lets me know that you're reading or just like my other stories and want to support me. Either way, thank you very much.

Alright, now let's get some of these top questions/topics out of the way:

Black Canary Training Eli: Okay, get ready for a small spoiler here. Skip this if you don't want to see it. Seriously. Skip it if you don't want to see it. The person that Dinah "owes a favor" to and is busy "looking for her sister" is Lady Shiva. Coincidentally, Shiva's sister is the person that Jade is looking for in Gotham when she and Eli went down there. Dinah being her replacement has more to do her being someone very similar to Eli- her parents were killed by an enemy of her mother (the original Black Canary) and Dinah had turned to vengeance to track him down and kill him. Dinah, much like Ben originally, wants to divert Eli from the darker path of vengeance without making the decision for him. Yet, despite this starting out as nothing more as a favor for Shiva, Dinah grows to care for Eli like a younger brother, seeing much of herself in him. At this moment, Dinah holds the strongest connection with Eli as she is the only person he trusts as Eli and Hornet and doesn't hold a grudge against them. He still hates that Nick and Leila knew about Malcolm running around as Army Ant and not telling him, he doesn't know enough about Jade and Ben to trust them when he's Eli, his relationship with Barbara is strained with distance and secrets, Hannah, George, and Mallory have been pushed out of his life for one reason or another, and his mother is a hit-or-miss for him. Dinah will become more important to Eli as time goes on for more than one reason.

Will Eli receive more training: Yes and no. He will receive more training from Dinah, Oliver, Nick, and Ben but nothing from anyone new. There will be times when Jade will give Eli pointers on assassination, thieving, and things such as that but there will not be any more mentors for him. Eli will remain a distant fighter for the most part, using diversions and hand magic whenever it suits him. But this does not mean that he won't be a capable hand-to-hand fighter. If anything, because people are more worried about his marksmanship with guns, arrows, or darts, he will be somewhat underestimated quite frequently. His skills will be one thing that actually keeps Jade around for reasons I won't reveal just quite yet.

Will Eli forgive Leila: Eli's relationship with Leila is kind of hard to type because it's hard for me, someone who grew up with both parents, to properly grasp that kind of abandoned feeling that Eli feels when he's with Leila. In truth, as Dinah points out, Eli loves Leila dearly and secretly wishes for things to be better. Yet he can't forgive her for marrying Robert or even having Sam. It doesn't help that most of their talks come from awkward moments at night or whenever she forces him to spend time with her or their family. The reality of it is, is that Eli feels more hurt about Leila "moving on" in her life with Robert than he does about Malcolm's actual death. So there will be moments when he is genuinely happy to be with his mom and then others when he's consumed by those past feelings and just wants to get away. These moments can easily be spotted by how he refers to her: he either will say "Mama" when he's comfortable with her or "Mrs. Nolan" when he sees her as someone not the mother he loves.

Eli and his Saints Row Children Connection: I've seen a couple of reviews from the beginning of this asking about if-and-when Eli will have a run-in with his friend George as Hornet. I won't say when or if it'll even happen. I will say that Eric will run into Hornet quite often, much to Eric's dismay. This is partly due to Eli's loyalty to his city and neighborhood that will, as time goes on, shift but it's fairly strong at the moment. This would explain the would-be plot hole as to "Why doesn't Eli just interrogate/torture George for information about Whale or Holocaust?" Eli doesn't want to put a larger strain on his friendship with a life-long friend at this moment. Remember, he doesn't plan on staying a hero for long. In his head, his friendship with George will outlast his tenure as Hornet.

Sam: Sam plays a huge part in Eli's life without many of you knowing it. Sam represents everything Eli wants: A mom and dad, money, happy life, peaceful neighborhood, everything. It goes a little deeper to the racial side of this story. Sam is half-white and to Eli, who is half-black, he is the one "privileged". He gets to keep his hair longer, he's somewhat whiny, and his ignorance is always written off as innocence. Sam is from Mancastle Hills, the richer neighborhood in the city, while Eli is from the gang-ran Cheshire Square. And more importantly, Sam is who Leila cuddles while Eli gets the tough love angle from their only shared parent. Even how Leila refers to them is different as she says "Elias" and "Sam" when calling her sons, rarely saying "Eli" and "Samuel". So Eli sees Sam as more of a privileged kid always taking things from Eli. This will slowly change to Eli understanding that Sam is just a younger brother who looks up to his older brother and that many things, such as money and race, are null and voided when it comes to their relationship. Believe me when I say, Sam, and Britney for that matter, is huge for Eli's transformation.

Static and the Dakota City Heroes: Alright, so here's a fun fact about me. I loved Static the comics and cartoon growing up. Mostly because I was seen as a nerdy Black kid dubbed as an "Oreo" (which is a racists term to used to describe an African-American who is said to act "White") by, get this, other African-American kids. So reading about Virgil and seeing some of the comparisons that he and I shared was relieving to say the least. So incorporating Static into this story was more or less a necessity to me because it made the story that much more enjoyable. Now, by this point in his heroic career, Static has been discovered by three people: Frieda, Richie, and Raquel. In each scenario, Virgil tells them for one reason or another, each being revealed later in the story. In most ways, Static will be used as two people who have experienced similar things (death of a parent, a friend in an enemy gang, moving to a different neighborhood, and working with a guy named Richard) have vastly different views and ways to deal with each incident.

Nightwing and the Titans: Did I spoil the name? I think I did. Sorry. But they won't be constant in the story as they do live elsewhere. There won't be a love triangle between Wonder Girl, the Yellow Jacket, and Batgirl for multiple reasons. Though, this isn't to say that Lyta's admiration for Hornet won't evolve into something more, just that if it does, it will be with Barbara's knowledge. On to the respect that Nightwing has for the Yellow Jacket, Nightwing sees how the criminals react to the Hornet and compares it to the lower-leveled criminals in Gotham City meeting Batman. In other words, it's the fear-based respect that he, as Robin, never received and has seen how it makes getting information and scaring guys away without lifting a hand. It's what he needs for Bludhaven. In return, Eli will grow to treasure each individual for their skills as well as the people behind the masks and skills.

Will Eli actually kill the Hound: Yes. Considering this a spoiler or just a fact stated from the beginning. Eli killing Steven Kelley/the Hound is needed for character development.

Will Jade and Eli be a thing: No, or at least, nothing serious. There is physical attraction between the two but they have more of a brother-sister relationship or stepbrother/stepsister is more accurate. But she will give Eli more a meaningful relationship being the person who will push him to his darkest depths and pulls him out if she feels necessary. Once Eli gets over the whole "he was a mark" thing, Jade and Eli's relationship will grow. Plus, there is another duo mission I plan to have them do and, well, I'll let you get there when it's typed.

Finally, to Bee or not to Bee: Eli's final hero name hasn't been revealed yet. So while people debate on whether it's the Yellow Jacket or Hornet (the two most common ones) or the Killer Bee (a nod to Naruto actually), it will eventually be none of these. However, this will become a pet-peeve that Eli will overlook when younger children such as Sam or Britney say "the Yellow Jacket" instead of what he prefers, Hornet. He will also gain another nickname when working with the Black Canary and the Green Arrow, one that he will hate even more than the others. This is mostly to add humor to the story as Eli doesn't necessarily use social media despite being one of the most looked up things in his area (and the U.S in general) which contradicts Hornet's standoffish attitude.

So those are just some of the more frequent questions I can remember off the top of my head. I'm going to put the A/N at the bottom of the story and get out of here. Thanks for staying with this story this long and please enjoy.

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Chapter Warnings: The following chapter will be rated "T" with some violence, brief scenes of blood, and language.

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The Markings of a Hero

Chapter Twenty: Hypocrisy at its Best

"Do it again!"

There was no mistaken it in her voice, Britney was completely astounding by Eli making a quarter appear from her hair. The other, younger, kids around were also as shocked and entertained by the young man making small coins appear and disappear seemingly at will, but none so as much as Britney.

Standing next to the table was Pete. Eli's co-worker was not as easily intrigued as the young minds crowding Eli. Instead, he outright scowled at the sight due to how such a trivial trick could easily entertain these kids when other activities had seemingly failed. Of course, Pete, much like Eli, had admittedly been brought aboard to help the older teenagers who were gossiping or playing football a few yards away. He honestly did not and could not care less about the younger kids that whined and groveled about this or that daily.

Well… Not without a fix, that is.

"I'm sorry Britney," Eli apologized gently. "But it's time for me to go."

The blonde pouted. "Aw! Please stay a little bit longer!"

"I've stayed ten minutes later than I should have. If I don't leave now, I won't be able to catch the metro back home." Eli pointed out. "I'll be back tomorrow though… I promise."

"Pinky swear." Britney practically demanded, holding an extended pinky out towards the rising Eli.

Eli leaned down and locked pinkies with her. "I swear, Britney. Now don't cause any trouble until then, alright?" The girl agreed in a low voice which gained a smile on Eli's face. "Hey, no pouting. Tomorrow will be here sooner than you think and Cedric will be here early before you even wake up. So you'll be fine."

"Okay Eli…"

It was becoming a growing pain of Eli, saying good-bye to Britney. It only hurt worse when he realized that his time as Hornet forced his attention elsewhere. Sadly, Eli theorized that if he were to tell Britney this, she would understand it better than he did. She would understand that bad guys like Tobias Whale and Holocaust took priority over a few bullies at the center. It was a sickening thought that followed Eli home and occupied whatever space his father's ghost did not but it was a fact he never dared to dispute.

"I'm out of here man," Pete voiced. "I got a party to get to."

There was no response from Eli. He and Pete had not been on talking terms since Eli's outburst days ago. Their work didn't necessarily suffer as Eli put more attention on the younger children while Pete migrated to the teens, but it was something that Miss Reynolds had questioned on a phone call. Again, Eli necessarily did not care about whatever his boss had to say unless it was about the release of whomever it was causing harm to Britney. Other than that, Eli couldn't care less.

Entering the building, Eli walked a considerable distance from Pete in front of him, checking missed messages to keep his pace at a minimal.

One from Dinah telling him that she would be out today and that the key would be in his mailbox at the apartment.

Two from Barbara, one asking to talk and the other a text wishing him a good day at work. He smiled at the text while questioning what the redhead would do if only she knew half of the shit that he went through and half of what he did.

There was a message from Leila telling Eli to get ready for school shopping- something he really was not looking forward to.

There were three messages from Nick, all Hornet-related issues.

One from Hannah to talk.

One from George to hang out.

And one from Mallory wishing to speak to her cousin.

Eli took a moment to listen to and read each message. It was odd to think but months ago he wouldn't have bothered. When his dad was alive and he would be at parties or out with friends, he would never care about missed messages- especially from Leila. Instead, now, he felt compelled to read and listen to them. Maybe it was his need to balance his life as Elias Jackson and his life as Hornet? Or maybe he was worried about losing someone else? Either way, he chose to hear them all out.

Though, it wouldn't matter what any of them said. He would dress up and go out to search for signs for either Tobias Whale or Bookworm. He would drag himself back to his apartment- no; tonight he would have to go back to his mother's. So he would go back to Jade's apartment, change, and then leave for his mom's home in Mancastle Hills. He would spend the rest of the night compiling information and trying to find new leads.

This cycle was the sad reality that was now Eli's nights. No matter who called, who texted, or who wanted to check in on him to see if he was trying to move on from his dad's death, he would still go out there. He would still go be Hornet and try to rid himself of that guilt-created ghost in his apartment.

Walking into the front office, Eli addressed Miss Reynolds. "I'm gone for the night. Pete return the clipboards?"

"Eli, hold on for a sec," Miss Reynolds stopped Eli's departure for a moment. "We need to talk about your… Attitude."

"Is there a problem, Miss Reynolds?" asked Eli.

"Yes and no. Your attitude towards the kids, great. Your attitude towards your coworkers and me, it needs improvement." Miss Reynolds responded from behind her desk. The woman adjusted her glasses with a heavy sigh. "When Ms. Stagg told me about your dilemma, I realized that she took pity in you. But your loss does not give you the right to walk around here like you own the place, Eli."

"I don't. But I don't sit around and allow the things like you do." Eli said as he removed his badge from around his neck. "These kids are here because apparently no one else wanted them. They don't deserve half the crap this world gives them but to get some here? Even you have to see that that's wrong?"

"I'm going to take moral lessons from a kid from Cheshire Square? Guys from your neighborhood would kill me for being a white woman if I wasn't your boss." Miss Reynolds shot back. "And from what I hear, you're cozy with one of them."

"What are you talking about?" questioned an annoyed Eli.

"Your Instgram shows that you have been friends with… Eric Lincoln?" Eli took in a deep breath to keep calm, unsure just where his boss was going with her accusations. "I hear things, Eli. I know things. You want to remain chummy with known thugs, so be it. But don't you dare come into my house and tell me how to run things, understood?"

Eli's eyes narrowed as he glared down at the seated woman. "You really pulling some racist crap like that?"

"Racist? No. It's the truth." Miss Reynolds said as she sat up, pointing at Eli. "Are you telling me that the thought never crossed your mind once? That if this was 'the hood' you would've attacked me or have someone else attack me for my decisions?" Eli stood silent, unable to outright deny the accusation. "See what I mean? Look, we can work against each other or work together. That's up to you."

"I'm going to do my job. Do yours." Eli seethed.

"This is my last warning: Get your attitude in check or leave. Britney will survive with or without you." There was something in Miss Reynold's voice that Eli did not like or trust. It was more so now than any other day with the teenage boy actually backing off for a moment. "Remember this, Eli. Your actions, your anger, will hurt those around you if you don't keep it in check. And all of these talks between us will ultimately be, not just your downfall, but those kids in there. It's up to you how this goes, Eli."

"…" It was the first time that Eli thought that his Hornet persona had taken over his everyday self. The first time that he, Elias Jackson, wanted to actually kill someone or, at the very least, beat them to the point where they went away. Yet, all he could do, was stand there and pray that he didn't do anything that would give him a free ride to jail.

"You can leave now." Miss Reynolds said as she reached next to her desk and retrieved a canned Diet Coke.

Eli released a frustrated breath and departed, knowing it was better to say absolutely nothing in fear of backlash. And not backlash towards him, no, but backlash towards the kids- Britney specifically. He couldn't risk any backlash hitting Britney when he was the cause of it.

Walking out of the building, Eli spotted Pete's car racing off out of the parking lot, ignoring every other road law that there was. The teen ignored it, taking his phone out while walking towards the bus station.

"Hey kid, something wrong?" Nick answered.

"No, not really. I'm just going to be running a bit late because I need to get the key at the apartment and then take a ride up to Ivy Town to get the suit." Eli answered. "I'll have the laptop with me so send me any new information on Bookworm. I'm going after him tonight."

"You don't rest, do you, huh? Fine. I can do that but you should know something." stated the military veteran. "Your friends are still in town. Nightwing and Batgirl have been spotted downtown. No signs of Wonder Girl."

Eli scoffed lightly. "I'm not worried about her. She's probably back home or Nightwing has her waiting for another mission. I need to try to wrap up Bookworm so I can focus on Whale. People are dying because of Whale. I have to take him down before things get out of control."

A heavy sigh came from the other side. "I understand what you're saying but pace yourself. You're talking like taking down Tobias Whale is the easiest thing in the world."

"I know it's not but if I can slow him down before he leaves for Dakota, I'll take it." Eli stated. "Nightwing and his friends can handle it from there while I make sure Bookworm doesn't turn New Camford into Gotham City. My dad at least deserves that."

"I understand," Nick said. "I have places up in Ivy Union that you didn't check, a library in particular. Check it out and head back home. You still need to rest."

Eli nodded his head. "You're right."

"Just remember to be careful. This is a guy that Miles couldn't even get a grasp of. He's smart kid. If you get him cornered, make sure you have him cornered and not the other way around."

"If I get him cornered, he's either going to jail or to the morgue. That decision is up to him." Eli returned.

"Sounds like you're serious."

"I am," Eli confirmed. "I'm not going to make the same mistake that those guys in Gotham did. Bookworm will not escape me like he did them."

"Just remember kid. You're not supposed to be worse than the guy you're trying to catch. I'm letting you do this so that people can get peace of mind not looking over their shoulders to see something worse than the last guy." Nick stated.

The teen looked upwards. "Do you really think I could be worse than Bookworm?"

"Honestly," said Nick. "You can be whoever you want to be, just like your father did. I can only try to help you if I think you're right or try to stop you if I think you're wrong."

Eli let the words sink in for a moment. The term "hero" was still weight on his shoulders that he refused to bear. Yet for some reason, people seemed to critique him, or rather Hornet, as if he was a hero. From Nightwing to Black Canary, even down to people like Hannah and Barbara, they have made it clear that they were all watching Hornet waiting for him to make that one move that would solidify him as a hero or threat.

Thankfully, he figured, this burden would only last for as long as Whale and Bookworm walked free. After that, he was done.

"You alright?" Nick asked.

"I'm fine," Eli replied. "I'll contact you when I get the suit."

"I'm sure you will."

Nick hung up after that, leaving a bad taste in Eli's mouth. His issue wasn't with Nick's abrupt hang-up but the conversation that was more than likely going to happen afterwards. He knew that Nick was going to point out all the things that were needed to be a hero this city could love and respect.

Eli stopped at the bus stop and placed his cell phone in his pocket. He was not a hero that this city should love or respect. Even he could admit that he was doing this for his understanding and nothing more. Everyone and everything that the Hornet saved or protected was not due to some enhanced sense of right and wrong, but a desire to get what Eli wanted.

New Camford deserved someone who actually wanted to be there protecting it. People like Nightwing or Captain Red was better suited for the city- the vigilantes that were actually marketable. They were the people that were better suited to, not only protect the city, but be placed on billboards like Metropolis did Superman; not the Yellow Jacket…

Not the Bialyan kid with American problems…

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Hornet quietly dropped down onto the carpeted floor of the one-story library in Ivy Union with his goggles toggled to see in the dim moonlight. Despite his earlier desire to grab his guns from Dinah's holdup, he had opted to use the bow like he had with the thoughts of getting better with it. Though, at the moment, the Yellow Jacket was now in search for some clue or sign that would lead him closer to Bookworm.

Now it was time to put together all he knew about Bookworm. The guy was smart enough to last as long as he had but Eli was willing to bet that there was some sort of sick satisfaction that Bookworm had. Power? Some sense of superiority? Eli didn't know what it was; he just knew that Bookworm had something wrong with him. People just didn't kill for the hell of it, not on that level.

Plus, why risk dealing with vigilantes?

Eli asked himself that question as he slowly went down the rows and rows of books. Why would Bookworm deal with vigilantes after doing all that work to escape? The man obviously knew that the chances of being caught rose every time he killed someone. So why continue to do it? It actually made no sense for someone who was home free, someone who had done the impossible and dodged the cops and Batman, to just suddenly pop back up and do some meaningless killing. It just seemed idiotic for such an intelligent man to do so.

Unless Bookworm was crazy. The thought quickly jumped to the forefront of Hornet's mind as he gazed at the books on the shelves. Alexander Wyvern could be crazy and needed the deaths of others to fulfill some sort of quasi- sexual release like Firefly was with burns. Though, Eli argued with himself that if that was the case, then Bookworm would have been killing people all along and leaving his mark on every crime scene, not just the recent one.

Pausing at a book that was conspicuously poking out, the Yellow Jacket stopped all his mental analyzing and read the spine of the book.

"A Tale of Two Cities," Eli read quietly before he reached out. "I wonder…"

He stopped his hand from touching the book. Something seemed off. The book looked like it was put here purposely, as if someone who was really skilled at balancing things put it here to test how long it could last before falling. Even without being on the job for long, Eli knew a trap when he saw one and took a step back.

Quickly changing the vision of his goggles to get a heat signature, the teen was disturbed to find several sources of body heat beneath his feet. Eli stared at the body beneath him for a full minute, plaguing his mind with questions such as how the body got down there and how long the body had been there for. Once he realized that those were questions he more than likely would never get the answer to by just standing there, the Hornet moved into action.

He scanned the shelf thoroughly as well as the ones around it. There was no foul play that could be outright scene, something Eli expected when dealing with someone who he assumed was smarter than him, which meant that the Yellow Jacket was forced to touch the obviously booby-trapped book.

"Fuck my life."

The comment left Eli's lips before he could stop it. He had no idea what to believe but figured that the book would open a trapdoor or something to the space below and did not want to be caught off guard there. He looked around before settling with the ceiling. Raising his left hand, he fired a line from the gauntlet on his left arm to the ceiling, slightly suspending himself in the air.

"Alright," Eli motivated himself quietly. "Let's do this."

With one quick jerk, the Hornet pulled the book towards himself and, as he predicted, a trapdoor opened beneath him. Looking down into the hole, Eli found a young Caucasian male in a red shirt, baggy white shorts, and a lion mask next to him. There were other bodies visible but none seemed to move like the young man staring up at the Yellow Jacket with grateful blue eyes.

"Y-You found me!" he said excitedly, rising on starving and exhausted legs. "I… I thought I was dead for!"

"Climb out." Yellow Jacket deadpanned.

"I can't," Of course, Eli thought to himself. Why would it ever be that easy? "The door closes as soon as you let go of the book. It's like that everywhere."

Hornet grunted. "Fine. Hold on."

"Hey, wait!"

Eli released his grip of the book and, as the young unnamed man said, the door slammed shut. It happened too fast for the Yellow Jacket to even consider slipping in or out before it closed with enough force to shatter his body in half if he was foolish enough to try to stop it with his bare hands. So how could he do this?"

Lowering himself down, Hornet searched his surroundings again. He could solve this. Leila Rassan did not raise a son that would be stymied by a puzzle of all things. He just needed to think.

First, he would use what he had. Arrows. Darts. Smoke grenades. Flash grenades. A knife.

Second, what was around him? Books, shelves with books, a few tables, work stations with computers, and the front desk with whatever stored in it.

Third, how could he combine them together?

Hornet quickly dashed towards the nearest computer station. His gloved hands worked fast, unplugging the machines and grabbing the power cords. He acquired three, tying them up to form one long cable. Tying one end to an arrow, Eli went back to the aisle and withdrew his bow.

"…" Eli let out a silent breath as he fired the arrow towards the book, hitting the spine. "Good."

Taking a second arrow out, the Yellow Jacket wrapped the other end of the chord to the fletchings of the second arrow until he pulled tight and the door opened. Carefully, Eli stabbed the second arrow into the wood of the shelf, making sure it was secure enough to hold.

"Hey! Are you back? What's going on?" the young man called out.

Hornet stepped towards the edge of the opening. Now that he was peering downwards, the drop was at least ten feet- more than capable of breaking a few legs if the person was not prepared for such a fall. The brown-haired young man currently there was obviously on one good leg which made Eli groan.

He did not want to go down there.

Placing his bow and quiver on the floor, the Yellow Jacket carefully lowered himself into the hole before dropping safely onto the dirty stone floor. He could feel a small shot of pain go through his legs but not enough to stop.

"…" the hero in yellow and black looked around, taking in the appearance of the number of possibly deceased bodies. "How long have you been down here?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't know, hours maybe? What time is it?"

Eli ignored the trapped young man as he looked around. The drop was hard enough to break legs, probably caused head trauma if one fell the wrong way, but there was dried blood on the floor. And not just blood but fresh blood. Worse, all of the bodies were face down, some with trails of blood leading to their bodies.

"Do you have any ideas who they are?" Hornet questioned the injured party present as he walked to one of the counted five downed bodies, all wearing some form of homemade costume.

"Other heroes in the city. I don't really know them." the guy said while Hornet inspected one of the bodies, the young woman obviously dead and had been for some time. "I thought that one of them had some gear or something to get me out of here. No one did."

Hornet studied the bodies using his teachings from Ben, Dinah, Nick, and Oliver at the moment. The woman he was currently looking at was dead, possibly murdered. The blood beneath her stomach drew his attention but he didn't want to touch the body. Not now at least.

"So… You got the riddle too, huh?"

"Who are you?" Hornet's question was answered with silence, the teen rising and turning to see the "victim" staring at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm-"

"If I have to shoot you, I will. Who the hell are you?"

It was a bluff, a big one considering Eli didn't even have his bow or arrows, but this guy didn't know that. And if Eli was going off of the growing hunch in his stomach, then this was part of Bookworm's game and Eli was not about to be another victim. Not tonight.

"You know," the second male said, smirking a bit as he stared at Hornet. "You're the first to figure out that something was wrong but too little too late." Hornet watched the unnamed man bounce on his feet, his hands being brought up in front of him in fists. "Too bad I'm paid to make sure that you guys don't make it out of here, especially you."

Boxing, Eli told himself, remembering what Ben had taught him. This guy was a boxer who obviously was really confident in his skills. Either that or the Hornet's fear factor was a non-factor in this scenario. It didn't matter. Eli knew that he was trained for moments such as this one. Winning or losing was not a thought; only survival.

The Hornet zipped up his signature jacket and prepared to fight. "This isn't what you want. Trust me."

"No, I've been waiting for you for days. Bookworm and the boss said that you would be here. Now it's time to earn my bonus!"

It took all of Eli's patience not to charge at the arrogant bastard that was now bouncing side-to-side in front of him. Without his preferred guns or his bow, he couldn't keep his distance and, without information, he couldn't just knock the guy out with a dart either. So he would have to beat the confession out or knock the guy out one; whichever came first.

Slowly, meticulously, the man stalked closer towards the Hornet, never moving in a straight line while keeping his head bobbing off-beat to his steps. The Yellow Jacket was patient though. He would let his opponent to take the first swing and then proceed to beat the hell out of him for being here.

And then his opponent let loose. Eli admitted to himself that his opponent was at decent boxer with more experience than Eli had. Of course, Eli had not been trained strictly to boxing, it being introduced to him by Dinah and was used, mostly, as a way to vent in the gym. But as Dinah pointed out, boxing had its weak points- particularly those against pure wrestlers or other grapplers who could take it to the ground.

That and better proficient fighters.

The Yellow Jacket used his left gauntlet to absorb a punch, one that nearly cracked his foe's knuckles. Eli took advantage of the wince his opponent precariously made, using quick strong strikes to the body that pushed his foe back one step at a time. And when the unnamed employee of Bookworm began to protect his body, Eli went for his coup de grace- a strong low kick to the man's thigh, a resounding cry echoing in the cavern where they were afterwards.

But the fight was not over and Eli knew that.

The hobbling man still attacked Hornet, more reckless than before. Most of the punches were thrown out of pain and anger, sloppy and reckless in style, with Eli dodging more than trying to block. These strikes were interrupted by another sharp kick to the back of the man's thigh, Eli pleased to see his foe hop backwards.

"Fucking shit!" the brown-haired man snarled.

"Like I said," Hornet voiced. "This isn't what you want." The Yellow Jacket pointed at his injured opponent. "What is Bookworm planning? This is your last chance."

The man scoffed. "You're not smart enough to figure it out."

The man's words prompted Eli to fire the grappling line from his right gauntlet and into the man's upper thigh. His enemy howled in pain as Eli tugged at the line, the left leg of his opponent being pulled out from under him. A noticeable snap was heard before the fall, signaling to Eli that his desired results happened. The man's leg was either broken or popped completely out of joint.

"Oh God! Stop! Stop it!" the man shouted, pawing at the gash in his injured leg.

"I don't know who injured your leg and I don't really give a damn how they did it. You fucked up with you didn't take my first offer." Eli scowled as he reeled in his target, only yanking the hook out and letting it reel back into the gauntlet. "But I'm done trying to get information…"

Once more, this was a ploy but Eli knew his opponent had no idea. But the first death he had seen with Jade had shown him that self-preservation normally trumped any secret and his opponent had information that he needed. If playing the bad guy got it, so be it. Black Canary was adamant on Eli limiting his killing and he wouldn't tonight if the guy played right.

"Y-you won't! You're supposed to be a hero!" the frightened man panicked out loud as he backed away from Hornet. He was soon out of room, back against the wall as the Yellow Jacket still pressed on. "W-wait! Please just wait! I can give you information on Bookworm's next move! It's going to happen soon! A theater!"

"You think that snitching now is going to save you? You killed five people, five heroes. You've trapped us both down here. And now-"

"No! No trap! There's a switch that opens the door from down here! It's over- Aaah!" The man's words turned to scream as the Hornet's boot pressed onto his wounded leg, blood rushing out of the gash that the hook made. "Stop it! Stop it please!"

"You murdered people in my city. Why should I let you out of here alive?"

"Fuck you! I'm doing what I was paid to do!" the man cried out.

"I know. Now tell me who Bookworm is working with!" Eli demanded. He was spat at in return, the man clearly drawing the line about not selling out Bookworm's partner.

"Fuck! You!" the man added angrily.

The Hornet's boot made a quick trip across the man's face, kicking blood and spit onto a deceased hero lying nearby. The man turned to look back up at the intimidating figure with hardened contempt and anguish in his reddened eyes. It was a look that Eli would never forget as it was similar to George's eyes. No matter how hard Eli punched, kick, or beat the guy, he would be loyal to whoever was working with Bookworm just like George would be loyal to the Saints Row Children.

Another kick knocked the unnamed man to his side with Eli turning around afterwards.

"You'll live tonight. You can thank me later."

With those words, the Hornet walked to the center of the room. Tonight had not proven to be completely useless. He was able to get some information out of the guy, whether the guy knew it or not. Bookworm was working with someone and it was someone a bit higher up than Bookworm. This meant that his father's killer was still in the city, watching and waiting for someone to come his or her way, and knew that the Yellow Jacket was on their trail.

Eli was prepared to fire a line up into the ceiling and reel before he caught something behind him. His opponent was up and moving towards him with an object in his hand. The Yellow Jacket was not fazed, more annoyed if anything. Worst, this guy reminded Eli of his fight against the two SRC guys a month ago.

Quickly, Eli produced a smoke grenade and threw it at his feet, a flashing light erupted followed by a thick cloud of smoke. A cry came from the smoke before the Hornet bolted upwards, being pulled up with line.

The smoke cleared and revealed his opponent on the ground, pulling the switchblade he had introduced to the fight with shaking hands as the door to the cavern clapped shut above him.

The Hornet grunted as he strapped his quiver and bow onto his back. He then navigated to the front desk of the library where he found a phone and dialed 911. He didn't speak into the phone or even wait for the operator to pick up, leaving the handset off of the base as he walked out of the library irritated.

Bookworm was in the wind again. When Dinah and Oliver had pointed out that it was hard to find an established villain, Eli pointed out how quickly he had found Killer Moth, the Hound, and inadvertently Firefly when he went to Gotham City. He told them how he was able to track down the Hound through the Mozgov and Sullivan families and then let it be known that he wanted the Hound to force Killer Moth and, again unintentionally, Firefly to try to protect him. He had a plan and it had worked. But now all his leads on Bookworm came to a dead-end which meant that his new mentor and her boyfriend was right about one thing. Tracking Bookworm would not be as easy.

Now outside, Eli fired a grappling hook up to the roof and reeled himself upwards to think. Whoever that guy was had implicated, or more so didn't outright deny it, that Bookworm was working with someone. It was a thought that Eli first had at the apartment of Andrea Campbell and now he could all but confirm it. Now the problem was finding out who was working with Bookworm and why.

---

New Camford was nicer than Gotham City. Of course, Barbara realized that the word "nicer" was probably not the best way to describe it, but she found it easier to do her job in a city known to be bad for heroes. The citizens were nicer, the crimes were not as bad, and the distance from one point to another was not as brutal as it was in the larger, more crowded Gotham City.

Still, the city was not without its crime and not without its issues. Barbara understood that better when wearing her pointy-eared cowl like now. Batgirl was more aware of the balance that every city had, the good and bad, the light and darkness, it was nothing for a teenage girl to understand but Batgirl was more than that. She was a soldier in Batman's army and a vital tool to the success of the forces of good.

The redhead stood perched on a church outside the Cheshire Square neighborhood alone. On her quest to do good deeds in a city that needs it, she had split from Nightwing and Wonder Girl, claiming that she was going to call it a day, but in reality searching for another. Of course that other was the Hornet.

Batgirl bristled at that name.

There was no easy way to pin him down. Batgirl knew that Hornet was not like herself or Nightwing, he lacked the code that they had. He instead played by a different set of rules that discriminated against no one and yet judged everyone all in the same breath. His guns- or arrows as she noted them earlier- did not distinguish between "hero" or "villain". They were aimed at his goal or those foolish enough to get in-between him and said endgame.

But was that good? God, Barbara could only assume not. Yeah, he had somewhat saved her earlier and Wonder Girl was the first to reveal how the Yellow Jacket spared those guys when he had a clear shot on them. But was the Hornet good? Could he be someone that little boys and girls could look up to and get the ideal model for success? Or was he just another toxic TV persona leading more good kids down a dark path?

Beneath her on the streets, Barbara picked up three young adults, two females and one male, currently walking in her direction. She doubted that they spotted her on the rooftop of the church but they were clearly walking to the church.

"What are they up to?" Batgirl questioned.

The group of three stopped directly in front of the church, one of the girls lighting a cigarette- or at least Barbara assumed it was a cigarette. The male of the trio was obviously on lookout, searching the streets with his hands in his jean shorts pockets. The shorter of the two girls was also looking for something or someone, again Barbara was unsure what.

Then a car pulled up into the empty parking lot.

"What the fuck, Eric," Out stepped a man in a white suit, his anger being directed towards the young man already present with the two girls. "I just got a call from Mr. Whale. The damn Yellow Jacket and his friends have shut down weapons transport. He's pissed as well as Holocaust!"

"Fuck 'em both," Eric responded. "This shit with the Yellow Jacket is personal. He's put my guys either in the hospital or in a cell. That ain't sitting well with me."

"Fuck 'em both, you say? Do you know that they… Shit."

Another vehicle arrived, making Barbara a bit uncomfortable. She was used to these sorts of meetings in Gotham and something told her that the meeting was about to get worse. Judging from the bald man's- Eric was his name- reaction, the second car arriving was not planned or called. Worse, it was a police car.

"Unc," Eric said to the officer that stepped out of the cop car. The man was a dark-skinned African-American taller than Eric was. "What's going on? You don't patrol this part of town."

"I do tonight," Ray Lincoln answered his nephew with heavy annoyance in his voice. "Nightwing and Wonder Girl just caught up with a group of SRC trying to ship drugs. They're being processed as we speak."

Eric scoffed irritably. "Fuck. Can't you do anything?"

"Like what Eric? I'm a cop, not the DA. I can't make these charges magically disappear." Ray voiced. "And you gotta lay low for a while. No wild parties and definitely no shipments."

"Nigga you tripping. I got paper coming in from Dakota, all I have to do is move some green pills they selling." replied a chuckling Eric. "You really thing some weirdoes in masks enough to scare me? To stop me from making money? Nah, find them, kill them. Simple."

"You want an officer of the New Camford Police Department to go out and kill vigilantes? Do you know how much bad rep I'll get for that?"

Eric shrugged his shoulders. "Not my problem, Unc. Maybe it's time to use some of that white privilege that badge gives you?"

"Everything ain't black and white. I have a duty, Eric. Working with Whale and Holocaust? That ain't what we set out to do." Ray pointed out. "We were going to put Cheshire Square- Mil Santos Boulevard- on the map. We weren't going to ask for forty acres, we were going to take it."

"I am taking it!" Eric snapped. He then points at the man at the suit and continues, "This motherfucker used to work for Whale. Now he's with us. You know why Ray? Because I took lead! This shit is mine!"

The man in the suit, Briggs, spoke up. "Yeah, well this is all grand and dandy but we have a bigger issue. The Yellow Jacket and his friends. We need to find them and get rid of them- death or otherwise. Mr. Whale and Holocaust had to redo their meeting in Calvin City because of them."

Barbara was now in a small mental debate. She could and should stop this here and now, ridding some of the corruption in the police work while throwing a wrench in Tobias's plans at the same time. It was a tempting offer but one that she didn't necessarily want to take. Crooked or not, there was an officer down there. No matter the reason this would always be seen as a vigilante attacking an officer of the law; again.

Batgirl did have a duty to uphold and it was to protect the city, any city at that, from the wicked that lied beneath the surface. She had to do her job regardless of what people thought about her. She had to…

A begrudged groan threatened to slip from Barbara's throat. She was now thinking like the Hornet of all people.

"Alright, Briggs, listen here," Eric's voice ended Batgirl's thoughts momentarily. "I'm going to go and see what the damage is. Tell Whale that his goons fucked up in Calvin City but I can fix it. Unc, we need to get some of the evidence from Calvin City. You got connects up there, right?"

"I do, but it's going to take some time- at least a day or two." Ray admitted. "Meantime, you need to get a squeeze on your boys. Make sure that they aren't talking to the wrong people. Joe was killed before he could snitch to the Yellow Jacket. Make sure that this isn't happening all over."

Eric's brows furrowed. "And how do you think that we should start doing that?"

"By making sure that anyone who would squeal on Tobias Whale, won't squeal on the SRC." Ray's words took a dark turn as he looked at Briggs.

"W-what?" Briggs stammered as the uncle and nephew duo leered at him. "What are you talking about? I'm not… I haven't! I won't say anything, I swear!"

Ray shook his head. "I told you when you took over this job nephew, make an example and the others follow."

"Makes sense," Eric responded, nodding his head. "How should I make an example with this guy?"

Barbara didn't flinch at the words she heard, merely grabbing two batarangs from her pouch and prepare for her entrance. This sort of thing wasn't new to her. She had seen mobs and gangs turn on their own comrades every other night in Gotham. She knew how to handle this.

"Rochelle," Batgirl watched the taller girl place her cigarette between her lips and reach behind her. Seconds later, the girl handed Eric a handgun. "Now. Let's make sure that Tobias gets a message that we don't like snitches in our organization."

The redhead vigilante chose that moment to intervene. She flicked her two batarangs at the group below, one aimed at Eric's hand holding the gun and the second at Ray. She fired a line at the streetlight that they were currently hoisting their meeting under and used it to swing into the cop. Two feet knocked the officer into his car hard, with the redhead flipping after contact and landing on the ground skillfully.

Another batarang flew out and nailed Eric in the center of his forehead, bouncing off as he stumbled backwards into the cigarette-smoking girl. Batgirl's attention turned to her left as the shorter girl came at her with aggression, obviously believing she could best the bat-themed vigilante. Barbara blocked the wild shots with her forearms before knocking the girl out with one powerful counter-punch.

"Hold it right there!" The voice paralyzed Barbara for a moment. Turning around, she spotted Officer Ray Lincoln rising with his gun out of his holster and aimed at her. "You attacked an officer of the law, Batgirl. Stay put until back-up arrives or I swear I'll shoot you where you stand now!"

Barbara stared at the officer while slowly reaching for another batarang in her pouch. This was only the second time a cop had pointed a gun at her, the first time it has happened after the GCPD and Batman had formed their odd alliance. She could see Eric standing up behind his uncle with a small cut on his forehead, obviously from her earlier attack, and none too happy to see her.

"The fuck are you doing?! Off this stupid bitch!" Eric demanded before spotting something behind Barbara. "Fuck! Briggs ran!"

Ray scoffed. "Don't worry about him," The NCPD officer then reached for his radio. "This is Officer Lincoln, I have a ten-seventy-victor at the Regal Baptist Church. I have two injured females. Requesting back-up immediately!"

"You don't need back-up." Batgirl firmly stated.

"Suspect is aggressive. I'm going to take her down." Ray said before addressing Batgirl. "Put your hands in the air and get on the ground now!"

"You-" Barbara was unable to get a full sentence out before being threatened again.

"Last chance Batgirl! On your knees- Aah!"

Before Batgirl could reach a batarang and take the risk of throwing it before being shot, an arrow had sliced through Ray's hands, the man dropping the firearm seconds afterwards in a shriek of agony. The Yellow Jacket dropped down in front of the officer, delivering three solid punches to the face before an impressive knee to the gut. Ray was then tossed aside as Eric and the Yellow Jacket stood eying one another again.

"You again…? I thought I told you that if I saw you again, I'd kill you?" Eric snarled.

The Hornet merely loaded his bow. "Not tonight."

Barbara actually flinched when New Camford's Killer Bee fired, this time hitting Eric in his left leg. The bald young man spun on impact and fell onto the pavement with the once-smoking girl making a dash for it. Batgirl was going to call out to the Yellow Jacket, who had taken aim at the fleeing girl, but knew that he wouldn't listen.

She was about to witness him kill again an innocent girl…

"No!" Batgirl called as Hornet fired his arrow. The arrow stuck the girl in the back, electrocuting her, but now stabbing her as the other two. "…"

Hornet turned over his shoulder. "You're welcome."

"I'm welcome? I'm welcome?" Batgirl restated, marching up to Hornet with a batarang in hand. "I had this under control! This is the second time that you've assumed that I can't handle myself! I'm fine without you, thank you very much!"

Hornet scoffed dismissively at her statement. "This is the second time you've been held at gunpoint and I've saved you. Plus I didn't kill that chick. She's just out."

"I could've-"

"You don't get it." interrupted an annoyed Hornet. "You can do whatever you think is right. You can save as many people as you want but you are now a criminal just like me. They will hunt you down for shit you haven't done because that's how people really are." Hornet pointed his bow at Batgirl. "You might be better at me at being a 'hero' to people, but that doesn't matter in a city that doesn't need a hero. Just someone to clean up their fucking mess."

Batgirl absorbed the information. There was some truth there. There was an APB out on her and she was just trying to save a man's life. Hornet was able to see that as he was, in a sense, criticized for actions he did not do. Or rather, actions he did from time-to-time. Either way the public would always see him as a murderous vigilante whether he helped them or not. Just like now, the cops of New Camford would always see Batgirl as hostile thanks to one corrupted officer.

"You should get out of here. Tell Nightwing I'll have the information from those phones later." Hornet mentioned, turning around. "Don't be a hero in New Camford. They don't last long."

"Hey!" Barbara reached out and grabbed his coat, slipping in a tracker into his pocket as she stopped his exit. "Thanks. Not for trying to save me, but for not killing any of them."

Hornet flung a dart at the howling Eric, the young man falling back from the effects seconds afterwards.

"Don't think too much about it," Hornet replied. "They're needed."

The Yellow Jacket would exit with a grappling hook firing from his gauntlet. Batgirl waited for a moment before taking in a deep breath. She was about to break all her rules, all of her morals for this guy. Normally the redhead was respectful to the secret identity of a fellow hero or heroine but this was different. He was different.

Batgirl chased after the Yellow Jacket quietly from the rooftops. She kept a respectable distance to not be seen but his speeds were quite impressive. But she was still able to follow him to an apartment complex and, after watching him slip into a window, opted to wait. She could still trace him outside of him finding out about the bug planted on him. For the moment, all she had to do was be patient.

Minutes ticked by before Barbara made her move. She revealed a black circular device from her utility belt to find out exactly where her tracker was. Once she did, she made her move. She found a window leading into the targeted apartment.

She slipped into the kitchen quietly, mentally chastising her for becoming the next Selina Kyle. Batgirl checked her surroundings first and realized that this was a residential place. The Hornet either lived her or used it as a place to wind down. Either way, Barbara was not getting the "evil lair" vibe as she did when she first entered the Batcave.

Quietly climbing over the counter in the kitchen, Batgirl crept to what she assumed was the living room of the apartment. She was going to avoid the Hornet if she could but was not above verbal confrontation. A physical fight would not look good in this sort of situation. Then again, if she did her work right, then Hornet would never know and she would always have a proverbial leash to control Hornet's actions a bit.

The Gothamite's search for her answer ended with a loud gasp escaping her. There, on a small table, was a picture next to a table lamp. With the lamp illuminating the room, it was easy to see who was on the picture: Elias Jackson. He was younger, maybe eleven or twelve in the picture, but there was no doubt that it was him in the picture wearing a basketball jersey of some sort.

Barbara quickly closed the distance and grabbed the picture with both hands. Her eyes scanned it, trying to find just one detail that would make this not true; hair color, eye color, just anything that would make this boy not Eli… Her Eli at that…

But…

But no such luck happened. The revelation that Richard was right and that Eli had blatantly lied to her hit simultaneously. Her brilliant mind failed to come up with a logical response to recover from such news. Worse, she dated the guy. The guy that she wanted to answer for his crimes had been to where she worked, where she lived, and had shown her that-

A loud thump on the door caused Barbara to flinch, "Aah!"

"I don't know why you're jumpy," Eli, now in a t-shirt and shorts, stated. The boy had his bow in hand, prepared with another arrow, after launching a warning shot into the dart board on the back of the front door. "You're the one that broke into my apartment."

"I…" Batgirl began as she slowly turned to see him. "You…"

"You'd better have a damn good reason for sneaking in here." Eli threatened as he took aim at Barbara. "Because I promise you, I won't miss from this range."

"Eli…"

"How in the hell do you know me?" Eli hissed. "Did you look me up? Have you been following me? Answer me!"

"…"

Barbara had never known why he did it; Bruce that is. She never knew why he revealed his identity to Selina/Catwoman. It was a risk to the job and, from a future's perspective of it that had not necessarily played in the Bat's favor. Selina had never revealed Bruce's identity but it was something that Barbara felt could happen any day now.

Yet, here Barbara was, looking at her Selina Kyle- though he was more like Talia al Ghul- and having the urge to slap him, kiss him, and explain what this was. She wanted to let him know that this was somewhat of a misunderstanding and that she was only here because she thought Hornet was secretly a sociopath waiting to snap.

Or was Eli secretly a terrible person who had drawn her in?

"How do you know my name?" Eli said, this time pulling back on the loaded arrow. "I won't ask again."

"W-wait…" Barbara said. Slowly she sat the picture back on the table. "I… I came here to find out who you were."

"Why?"

"To… to use it against you. To get you to stop killing." Batgirl admitted, wincing at how she had worded it. Now that she knew who he was… "But I can't…"

Eli's eyes steeled over as he glared at her. "Ask me do I care. I asked how you knew me."

"Eli, just let me go and-"

"Answer me!"

He fired again, the airing whizzing by her and into the couch behind her. Barbara actually flinched at, not the act, but his eyes. She had seen the same fury in her eyes when she accused him of being the Hornet and he wholeheartedly denied it. His eyes were filled with rage and hatred, hatred towards her, and she could only understand it. Even as he pulled an arrow from behind him and loaded up again to harm her, she could only understand it.

"I… I knew your dad, sort of. I knew Army Ant and I knew he had a kid." Barbara began her lie. "Before he died, he talked about you a lot. I just didn't know that his son was you."

Eli's eyes narrowed. "He talked about me? Yeah right. The last few months he was too busy out with people like you. He died thinking that I hated him for that."

"No! No, he…" Barbara paused. "He knew you didn't hate vigilantes. It was just…"

"My mom gave me a similar speech recently. Have you been talking to her too?" Eli asked.

"No. I… I don't…" Barbara's lies left her as Eli stepped towards her. His eyes were scanning her as if he had somehow gained X-ray vision and was seeing through her clothing. "Um…"

Slowly Eli reached out and tugged at the end of her red hair. For a moment she was still as she studied his reaction. At first his eyes were narrow, then his brows furrowed as if he was confused about something, and then came a heavy sigh. Finally, Eli dropped the arrow and walked towards the door, his eyes never meeting Barbara's again.

"Take it off." His voice growled like Hornet's despite the voice modulator he wore not currently worn. "Now."

"You know I can't do that." Batgirl said meekly.

"You've seen me. Now let me see you." Batgirl looked up to see Eli removing the arrow out of the dart's board. "I swear if you're not who I think you are…"

Barbara bit the inside of her bottom lip. How could she be so sloppy to have been caught? Worst of all, how could she not have seen that her boyfriend of all people was the guy she seemingly possessed the most animosity towards?

Eli stroll to the couch and, with the gentlest touch, removed the second arrow without further damaging the furniture.

"You're a terrible liar. My hate for vigilantes didn't grow until after my dad died. Until then, while he was alive, I just thought of them as idiots." explained Eli. "Now take off your stupid mask or I'll take it off myself."

Maybe, Barbara revisited her earlier thought, maybe Bruce didn't have a choice? Maybe Selina put him in the same position that Eli had put her in? This position where she either did as he demanded or risked losing him altogether, was this why Batman broke code and revealed to the notorious felonious feline who he was?

Is that why she was doing it?

Slowly, Barbara removed her cowl with a heavy sigh. Her hair slightly fell into her face as she stared down, unable to look Eli in the face. They had just spent the entire day together- Batgirl and Hornet- arguing about their methods. He believed he had saved her twice and, in some respect, she acknowledged that he had helped.

But now she was here with her boyfriend. She was here with the guy who had lied to her and she had lied to him. The librarian and the house-brother were nothing but covers for their real jobs. It made her question if they were merely just a cover to feel some form of normalcy.

"Do you know Jade?" Eli suddenly asked.

"Who?" Now Barbara gave him a confused gaze.

"Ben?"

"What? No."

"Black Canary." Batgirl remained silent but she nodded her head slowly. "I got it… Fuck, I should've seen this. Like how could I… Damn it."

Barbara took an unconvinced step forward. "You don't seem angry about knowing. Not as much as I pictured."

"I'm not the one dating the murderer, am I?" His rhetoric was directed towards Batgirl and met its mark. Barbara nearly turned around and left then and there but remained still for unknown reasons. "You really think that I'm some crazy murderer, don't you? Like I can't control myself."

"Eli, that's not it. It's…" Barbara stopped. It was exactly what he had said. Even as she said it in her head she could only agree with him. "I should go."

"You used my dad? Seriously Barbara?" said a darkly chuckling Eli. "I told you that shit in private. Like everything outside of the Hornet meeting me that night happened like I said. And you just, what? Thought it'd help with your mission to blackmail me?"

"You were killing people for some twisted form of justice! What would you expect me to do?" Barbara asked with a shaken voice. "I… I just can't believe that you're actually him. I'm still… I'm praying that…"

Eli stared up at her for a moment. The redhead could feel his rage and hatred from the stare but he remained quiet. She figured that he thought that this was her fault, and it was. She shouldn't have pushed the issue and she shouldn't have tried to blackmail him. But he was the Hornet. He was wanted for murder, assault, and a few other felonious crimes in New Camford and Gotham City. He had a stash of cop-killing assault rifles stolen from crime scenes!

Yet as he stood up calmly, Barbara realized that beneath that yellow mask and those black goggles, there was Elias Jackson. It was the boy who somehow didn't find her quirks too weird or her overbearing father too annoying.

"If you can't accept it," Eli told Barbara. "Then leave."

Barbara stared into the eyes of Hornet. "Can you accept me as a vigilante?"

A stalemate. His distaste for vigilantes versus her dislike for murderers. Barbara wanted to know if Eli could see her in the same light without thinking of her wearing a mask and cape and fighting for justice. She wanted to see if Eli could bypass his hatred for vigilantes to view her as Barbara Gordon. To see the bat emblem on her chest and still picture her as the girl who spent nights talking to him about her problems in a library.

If he could…

If he did…

"Accept you? Yeah. Trust you? No." Eli answered. "You followed me home. Do you get that? You came to my apartment to blackmail me. If you were anyone else, you'd be left for dead now."

"What would you have done if you were me?" questioned Barbara. "What would you have done if you were trying to take a criminal down?"

Eli softly smiled. "Thanks… Now I know that I'm criminal. Just like my dad, huh?"

"Eli-"

"Leave Barbara," interrupted the boy. "You got your blackmail, right? You found out who I was. Your mission is over."

"It's not always about the mission, Eli! There are… Damn it, can we just talk about this? About all of it? Batgirl, Hornet, your dad, all of it? Please?" Barbara pleaded. "I just… I'm sorry but… I've never had to do this. I don't know how to do this. There isn't a book or a procedure. It's just-"

"You're rambling," Eli cut her off. "And no, we can't just start over because it makes you feel better. I want you to feel like I did after my first kill. I want you to feel like shit and unable to look at yourself. And then I want you to get up and deal with the knowledge that someone isn't around anymore and it's your fault."

"…" Barbara was unable to speak despite her mouth moving. She knew what this was. She just couldn't stop it.

"Those kids that I saved, by the way," Eli continued. "They were being raped by these men- fucking grown men. I didn't plan to kill them but…" Eli paused and took in a deep breath. "I wouldn't change what I did to save them. Not to follow some flawed code that would allow me to be seen as a true 'hero'."

It was flawed, Barbara admitted. Bruce could break any bone in any would-be criminal's body while Richard and Barbara were limited to whatever level of aggression Bruce deemed needed. Certain methods of interrogation were forbidden for the sidekicks and, of course, lethal force was always a no-go. It did make fighting those like the Joker far more difficult than it needed to be at times and, as in this case, made the "right" decision blurred with emotion and logic.

But it was that code that separated Batgirl the hero and Batgirl the next villain. It's that code that stopped Batman, a man who could go toe-to-toe with the best of them, on the side of law and order instead of creating chaos that no one man or woman could stop. It's that code that made someone as aggressive as Nightwing has been recently different from a calm Hornet.

And it was that code that kept Barbara Gordon and Elias Jackson separated for the moment.

"I'm sorry," Eli said quietly to Barbara as he disappeared towards his bedroom. He was calm and relaxed though Barbara was sure that it was just another front. He seemed good at it.

As for Barbara, she simply placed her cowl back on and exited the way she entered. She didn't cry. Bruce's training wouldn't allow her to. But she did note that leaving Eli's apartment without Eli or the Hornet meant something different for her. She would be leaving a part of herself there, a part of her that would forever shape out her career as a vigilante.

Never again could she be paired with the what-ifs or the ends justifying the means speech. Bludhaven may need an aggressive Nightwing and New Camford was in the bloodied hands of the Hornet, but Batgirl would never, ever cross that line.

Not even for Barbara's love life…

---

Eli stared at his reflection. His skin was wet from the shower he had taken after an early morning workout, a towel wrapped around his waist with nothing else on. His mind was still plagued about the events of the previous night.

Barbara Gordon was Batgirl. More importantly, Batgirl followed him home. That was a hard fact for him to deal with. His girlfriend, his works-in-a-library girlfriend, was secretly the one vigilante he wanted to avoid the most. And she obviously felt the same way about him, or Hornet rather. Barbara wanted to hold something over his head to keep him from killing and, whether she meant for it or not, she succeeded. Well… She mostly succeeded.

His anger towards Barbara had morphed into a disgust at himself. He, Elias Jackson, was now a vigilante, an idiot running from rooftop to rooftop trying to do "good" in a city like this. The hypocrisy was maddening. He had become the very thing he had damned and Barbara had pointed it out. Eli couldn't handle her being a vigilante as he couldn't accept himself doing the same thing, even if he was just doing it temporarily to figure out why his dad did it and catching Bookworm.

And the Hound… He would kill that sorry bastard one way or another…

A heavy sigh escaped Eli as he scanned the small bruises on his sides, most of it coming from his spars with Dinah, Ben, and Oliver while the blisters on his fingers were mostly Nick's doings. His body was changing with his mind, hardening every day with every second he wore Trent's unused suit. Was this change good? It had already ended his relationship with Barbara and put a strain in his connections with Mallory and Hannah, George as well. Being Hornet was effectively eradicating and rewriting everything that was Elias Jackson while the training to get into the best shape for such line of work was destroying his body.

And for what? Arguments with his ex-girlfriend? Working with a green archer and his banshee fiancée? Dealing with a crazy ninja and her even more dangerous godfather?

No, this is not the life that Eli wanted. This isn't the life that he needed. Yet somehow, as he looked into his reflection, he knew it was something he had to be. He wasn't sure what that "something" was at the moment but he knew he had to change and this was a means to do it. He had to grow up sooner than later.

Leaving the bathroom, the teen walked into his bedroom where he began to get dress. Leila had called to postpone their school shopping for a work emergency which gave him time to vent about last night's altercation. Of course, having the time to think about the incident didn't let him rest well.

His cell phone released a high-pitch ding, alerting him of a new text message. Putting on the shirt he had ironed earlier to be worn, the boy gazed down at his phone on his bed to see the text message from Barbara. It read: Please meet up. No suits. Your choice.

Shaking his head, he sent her a response: Be there soon.

Not sure if he had made the right choice or not, Eli began to scroll through his contacts until he found his desired number.

"Hey Dinah," Eli said as soon as the woman picked up. "I need to talk… I know who Barbara is and she knows who I am."

---

Richard was unsure if what he was doing was a good thing, a bad thing, a great thing, or the last mistake in his life. He had just used his friend, who was also an ex, to get her boyfriend- or ex-boyfriend- to meet up with them. Worse, the former Boy Wonder was going to do so as Richard Grayson, not Nightwing.

Standing outside of a restaurant located on a busy street in Downtown New Camford, in the Town Square neighborhood, Richard Grayson stood with Lyta Trevor and Barbara Gordon as they awaited the missing member of their foursome. This was a risky tactic that Batman had never implemented but one Richard felt was needed. If he wanted to know the Hornet, it might be best to learn the man beneath the mask, right?

Richard looked at Lyta first. The girl had spent all morning asking if her outfit made her look dorky or not, which was hilarious to witness. Lyta's need to impress the Yellow Jacket translated to the girl being excited, if that was the right word to use, to meet Eli.

Though… Richard noted that the young blonde woman stood as beautiful as her mother. Her blonde hair was pulled into a neat chignon bun with two bangs that framed her face. She wore glasses, an accessory that Wonder Woman used in her Diana Prince alter ego, a red sleeveless top and black jeans that showed her figure off quite well. Richard realized that if he had not had a certain "talk" with Wonder Woman prior coming to New Camford, he would have made a move on the Amazonian warrior.

His blue eyes then went to the redhead in casual blue jeans and blue Supergirl (yes, he saw the irony) shirt. Barbara's hair was worn loose today instead of her trademark ponytail and she constantly fixed her glasses while eyeing at every car that entered and exited the parking lot. She was nervous, something easily spotted on her face, but not in the same light as Lyta was.

In for his white polo and khaki shorts, Richard was also anxious. The last thing he wanted was to give up his identity and be stalked by someone who was good enough to catch a lackadaisical Nightwing with a well-timed bullet. After all, Hornet had admitted to taking guns created to kill heavily vested cops.

It was then that a red Mustang pulled up, Eli getting out of the car seconds later. The car drove off as soon as Eli closed the passenger door.

"I should've known that this was what it is," Eli's first words made Richard's brows rise. Despite not being as sinister as the Hornet voice, Eli's voice was still deeper than everyone present. "And Dinah says 'hi.' Apparently, she knew all along who we were."

Barbara cleared her throat quietly. "Oh. Um, are you…?"

"Better. Not fine, just better than I was," answered the young man before looking at Richard. "This your plan?"

"More or less," shrugged the black-haired teen. "I'm Richard by the way. Friends call me Dick."

"Then what does your enemies call you?" asked Eli.

"Normally the dick that stole their girlfriend." Richard said, disregarding Lyta and Barbara rolling their eyes at his comment.

Eli chuckled. "Wouldn't I be the one who stole your ex?"

"Nice to know you've found humor," Richard replied before nodding his head towards Lyta. "That is Lyta Trevor. Dad's a top general. Mom's you-know. Big fan of yours. And you already know Babs."

Eli looked over the two females, Lyta giving him a polite wave while Barbara offered an uneasy smile. There were voices in his head telling him to leave and go back home. Instead, he had made a promise with Dinah and he was more than willing to go through his end. In return she was going to give him some equipment that was made for her by someone she didn't reveal, but pointed out that it would aid him further.

"Come on," Eli said to the trio. "You hungry?"

"Yes!" Lyta voiced before anyone could answer, drawing three pairs of eyes onto her. "My metabolism speeds up when I'm not at my grandmother's island."

Eli's brows shot up. "Interesting…"

As Eli stepped inside the restaurant, Lyta right behind him, Richard grabbed a hold of Barbara to prevent her from following.

"Are you okay with this?" It was the third time he had asked her that question today, the seventh since she returned to the hotel room after the incident with Hornet.

Barbara fidgeted on her feet. "I'll be fine, Dick. It's just lunch, right?" Richard just gave her a look parallel to an unconvinced Batman. "Seriously; I'll be fine. Eli and I will talk when it's time. I promise."

"Uh-huh." Richard was still not convinced about Barbara's resolve yet guided her inside the establishment.

The interior of the restaurant was filled with nostalgic posters and signs on the walls, a bar obviously not for any of the teens, pitted off to the back of the place. Eli and Lyta waited for Barbara and Richard before leading them to a booth where they sat two to a side; Eli and Barbara seated next to one another and Richard and Lyta place across from them.

As Eli pointed out things that were desirable from the menus placed on the table, Richard took the time to put reality to statistics. Statistically speaking, the Yellow Jacket should be a hardened person with either a serious vendetta or a low level of regard towards human life. Statistically, the Hornet appeared to be someone who wanted to avoid all social conventions and be left to himself.

And yet in reality, he was just a normal kid. There was neither a physical feature particularly noteworthy nor an emotional defect extremely visible. Eli was every bit of the guy that Barbara said he was.

Well, Richard pondered, Eli could be just that great of a liar. They were all vigilantes hiding in plain sight after all.

"How hot is hot?" Lyta asked, eager to accept the challenge offered by Eli.

Eli shook his head. "Do you know why they're called the 'Buffalo Bills Wings'?" Lyta shook her head with eagerness to get her answer. "Because like the Buffalo Bills, you'll get close to finishing this dish before choking."

"Harsh," Richard grinned at the joke about the NFL team. "I'll get some."

Barbara released a sigh. "Of course you would…" The redhead scanned the menu on the table between herself and Eli. "Hmm… Are their wraps any good?"

"My mom gets them a lot. The chicken pecan one." Eli answered, Barbara quietly giving an "oh" as she knew his reserves about his mother. "No, don't worry about it. Not today at least."

"Okay but… Last night…" Barbara began nervously. It was one thing to argue against Eli as a fully-suited Batgirl. It was another thing to challenge a guy in a place he picked, in his home town, while he sat next to her.

"Dinah told me to let it go or she'd kick my ass." Eli announced looking at Barbara's surprised face. "Like I said, she knew all along and didn't tell either of us."

"You're not mad?" asked Barbara.

"I'm pissed. But I've learned that what can I do? I can't do anything about it. Plus you're really the only person I'm talking to at the moment. Do you really want to see what would happen if I was unchecked with no one to talk to?" He ended his statement with a one-shoulder shrug. "I meant what I said last night. The hardest thing is to look at yourself and know that someone isn't here anymore and it's your fault. But you are the person I call when I… When I feel like I can't handle it, you know?"

Before anyone could speak again, a waitress came to take their orders. The woman completes her task with the assumption that his was a double-date, takes their menus away, and leaves to retrieve their desired drinks.

"So, now that introductions are out of the way," Richard said quietly, leaning forward onto the table. "We do have something to talk about."

Eli's eyes narrowed curiously. "And that is?"

"I'm putting together a team and I want you and Lyta to be a part of that team." Richard answered calmly. "But I didn't want to make the same mistakes as other teams that I've heard of. I want us to know each other, to trust each other. No more plans and no more following each other without permission."

Barbara squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. "Dick, I don't think now is the right time."

"I know," Richard responded quickly. "Still, I know that you're all capable of doing things on your own. I've watched and worked with all three of you. You're good. But," Richard paused and allowed their waitress, who had just returned, to give them their drinks, relate the information of their meals, and then depart again before continuing. "But we can make a bigger change, a bigger difference, if we worked together."

"I have a team." Eli pointed out dryly. "And honestly, they've been doing this a lot longer than you. So why would I leave them?"

"Because you're you, not some sidekick," Eli's face changed, showing that he agreed with Richard on that sentiment. "Besides, I'm not looking for warriors or soldiers. I'm looking for friends who just so happened to be the best at what they do. And considering that there are two orphans here as well as two children living in the shadows of their heroic parents, I'd say we were all looking for a friend to be real with."

Lyta gave a nod in consent. Being the daughter of Wonder Woman did make her seem second-best at times. Her friends at school, those who didn't know she was Wonder Girl that is, obviously did not understand the weight that Lyta carried. Then again, she doubted that Richard or Barbara did despite one being adopted by Batman and the other was the adopted daughter of the GCPD commissioner.

Barbara looked over at Eli to read his body language. She didn't know what their status was at the moment, but there was still an attraction there and it was not one-way. He was obviously comfortable enough around her to sit on her side instead of sitting beside his biggest fan at the table; Lyta. If Richard's reach to create a team formed more friction between them then Barbara was sure that Eli would more than likely leave after this luncheon and never answer a call from any of them again. And truthfully, at the moment, that was the last thing she wanted.

"I'm not your yes-man. You got that, right?" Richard nodded at Eli's question. "You also know that I work differently from you two. The mission takes priority over everything but life and death."

Taking in a deep breath, Richard nodded again, "I know of your code. I'd still like to work with you." The blue-eyed teen glanced over at Lyta. "Both of you."

Lyta smiled. "I'm in."

"Just like that?" questioned Barbara.

"Yeah," Lyta said while nodding her head. "We do work well together. I say it's worth a shot. So, super friends?"

"I think that's already copyrighted… But yeah, friends." Richard returned with a grin.

Lyta gave Barbara a hopeful look. "Come on. You can't tell me that it won't be fun. Plus you'll be able to work with Eli."

"We're not… I mean, we could be but… This would just make things weirder and then there will be times when we'll-"

"Rambling again," voiced Eli in an amused tone, Richard snickering quietly afterwards.

Defeated and angry about it, Barbara all but glared at Eli. "Then what do you want to do?"

It was then that they were all staring at him, Elias Jackson. Being an adamant athlete who has played basketball every school year since the sixth grade, this sort of attention and pressure was nothing new. Hell, he got his first taste of peer pressure when he was approached by Eric to join the SRC and turned them down. Eli felt no real need to give them false hope with a "maybe" despite seriously considering the offer. Instead, he just leaned back against the booth and shook his head.

"I can't join you. Not now." Richard obviously wanted an explanation, as did Barbara. Lyta, however, looked more downhearted than anything. "I have a personal mission that I need to do first. One that I have to do alone."

Richard waved the other male off. "Come on, I've heard that like a billion times from the great bat detective. It'll be easier with us and-"

"I'm not looking for easy. I'm looking to make things right." Eli's voice took a deeper and firmer turn, one that temporarily killed all cheerfulness at the table. "This isn't up for debate. You want me on your team? Fine. But I do this on my own on my time. That's it."

"Yeah, Barbara said you were stubborn," Richard's joke caused Barbara's eyes to widen behind her glasses. Sensing her alertness, the black-haired teen shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. You'll join if and when you're ready."

"Does that mean that you aren't coming with us to Dakota?" Lyta voiced in a saddened tone.

"You're joking." Eli quietly spoke, his eyes going directly to Richard. "You're thinking about going after him now?"

Richard nodded his head slowly. "Yes. And we could use you."

"He's right," Barbara added from her spot beside Eli. "I won't ever agree with your methods, but you're smart and you probably know more about them than we do. You're a quick study."

Richard quietly held a breath knowing that this was what he had asked Barbara here for. Sure, it was disgusting to think that he was using Barbara's relationship with Eli to get Hornet to join them but it was a plan that she had signed off on. And considering the young hero residing in Bludhaven was thinking that things would get messy in Dakota City faster than they would get cleaner, he needed Hornet. The mission was basically wrapped around Hornet's call.

"You planned this, didn't you?" And unsurprisingly, the Yellow Jacket made a correct call about this situation.

"Yeah," Barbara answered. "Eli I'm sorry. We just need all the help we can."

Surprisingly, Eli just smiled and shook his head with in disbelief.

"I didn't pick this place for sentimental reasons. And I honestly couldn't give a damn about what Dinah was bringing back for me." Eli said before his eyes went to his right, towards the bar where Barbara immediately recognized the man. "His name is Ray Lincoln. He's supposed to be in the hospital but checked himself out early. Apparently the Hornet didn't hurt him as bad as the others."

Barbara shook her head. "There's… There's no way you could've predicted this."

"Ray is the uncle of a friend of mine, George. His brother Eric is the guy you were spying on last night." Quietly Eli explained this to Barbara while giving her a small smile. "Hornet might be the guy that scares people shitless but Eli is the brains behind him."

Barbara returned the smile with one of her own. "I guess he is."

Richard watched the two across from him with a heavy feel on his heart. No, it wasn't jealousy. It was protectiveness. He knew from Barbara's reaction when she returned that she would never truly be on Hornet's side. His alter ego be damned, Barbara Gordon would never allow herself to truly be with someone she thought as a cold-blooded murderer.

And it pained Richard. Here his friend was, his best friend at that, trying to find happiness in an area she would never cross. Eli would never stop being himself and Barbara had admitted to fallen for half of him, the guy present. Not the guy he was behind the mask.

Blue eyes went over to look at Lyta. The girl was pleased to be present, more likely to do with being freed from expectations than anything else. Either way, Lyta still looked at Eli with the same look she had when Richard told her that they were to meet the Hornet in New Camford. It was slightly different now. Now she was looking at Eli, knowing who he was through and through.

All in all, it was painfully obvious what was going to happen and Richard had no idea how to keep teenage drama out of their little group, let alone how to keep his friend from being hurt more.

"Here's your food!" the waitress cheerfully announced, walking towards them with another waiter.

Richard was not going to lie; the food smelt great. Even if Eli had picked this place because it was Ray's top-choice for a drink, the food set in front of them smelt and looked amazing. Burgers, wings, fries, onion rings, and a chicken pecan wrap for Barbara. The drinks were handed out last with the waitress wishing them a joyful meal.

Richard and Eli caught Lyta hesitant to try the wings that Eli had challenged her to get, a sight neither boy was going to ignore. They waited patiently for the two workers of the restaurant to leave before they made their unplanned yet highly coordinated attack.

"Afraid Lyta?" teased Richard.

"You eat one, I'll eat one. Sound like a deal?" Eli added. He had also gotten a few wings with burger and fries.

Richard gave the blonde next to him a wry smile. "Yeah Lyta. You're supposed to be an Amazon. Far more durable than a man, right?"

Sensing the teasing, Barbara spoke up dryly. "Don't fall for that Lyta. They're just trying to strong-arm you into some childish wager."

"True," Richard responded shamelessly. "But you can't go back home and tell your mom that some guy bested you by eating one wing. And especially in front of-"

"Deal!" Lyta's quick answer was thankfully unnoticeable by the entirety of the restaurant with her quick thinking to somewhat whisper her response. But it did illicit a snicker from Richard. "But you eat one first."

Eli acceded to Lyta's addendum to his deal and grabbed a wing. "Eat. Count to twenty. Drink. Deal?" Lyta gave a small shy nod. "Watch."

Barbara and Richard watched Eli eat a small leg and then sit the bone on a napkin aside from his food. His brown eyes were locked onto Lyta as his fingers tapped the table in a nonverbal count. Once he tapped for twenty, the boy simply let out a quiet breath with a victorious smirk.

"Your turn," Eli stated.

Lyta, fueled with the company of Hornet and her Amazonian pride, took a wing from the small red checkered paper tray that held her wings. Her blue eyes burned into Eli's brown ones before taking a bite of the wing.

"Fair warning," Eli continued with a daring determination tone. "They're really hot."

Lyta continued to eat the wing without hesitance. Despite knowing that there was some heat coming, the girl admitted that the flavor of the wing was pretty good. Plus she was not about to, dare it be said, chicken out due to a little heat. Besides, she was half-Amazonian. There were not a lot of things that a regularly human being could take that she couldn't.

Of course, the blonde had ignored the rules of adaptation and her eyes widened as the receptors on her tongue clearly registered irrefutable heat. Her cheeks went flush from fever as she wrapped her fingers around the table with anxiety.

And as if he was reading her mind, Eli calmly smiled at her with a small wave. "Drink. I've been eating these since I was ten. I doubt a wing-virgin can take the heat."

She knew that now. The rules of adaptation were a watered down version of Darwin's theory of evolution- something not taught on Amazon Island- with more practical use to today's world. It was something Diana believed to be put in best use when questioning why twins had different strengths and resistances living in similar, in most cases the same, environments. People who ate spicy foods constantly like Eli were better suited for these deliciously devious fireballs while those who favored sweets above all things, like Lyta, should avoid challenges eating said Buffalo Bills Wings.

Taking a heavy drink of her lemonade, Lyta swallowed and looked at Richard. "Your turn."

"Oh no," Richard quietly refused. "I'm good."

"You're going to let a girl out-man you?" Lyta taunted with her chest out proudly. "No wonder Barbara broke things off."

The low-blow was all in good nature but sadly got Richard's pride to bite on the bait…

Hard.

"Fine," the former Boy Wonder said with a huff. "But only if she does it to."

Barbara nearly choked on her sandwich, shaking her head furiously. "Oh no. I'm not getting dragged into this."

"We do everything together Babs. That's what the deal was when started out, remember?" He knew she did. She always remembered things.

"My dad used to tell me that pain can distract you from pain. He'd take me up here after a loss." Eli recounted towards Barbara. "After last night, we both need the distraction."

There was a saddened look that glossed over Barbara before she accepted a wing from Eli's tray. She gave a small toast with the meat before taking a bite into it.

"Oh God…" Thankfully for Lyta, Barbara had a weaker resistance to spicy foods than she did.

Smiling, the blonde gave Richard a small bump with her elbow. "You're up."

Eli watched as Richard tried to argue his way out of the situation before feeling a small slap on his arm. It was Barbara unhappy by the challenge but not angry enough to put enough force behind the blow.

The scene was nostalgic to him as it reminded him of his friends.

Richard was George. He was the obnoxious skinny guy. Sure, Richard- more like Nightwing- was in better shape than George was, but the comparison was there. George was an annoyance that Eli had to put up with and Nightwing was no difference. The differences were the time Eli has had with George and the different levels of comprehension that the two had. Richard was winning in that regard against George.

But if Richard was George, then Barbara was Hannah. The feminists were somehow attracted to Eli with both being able to point out his flaws; Barbara actually pointing out Hornet's problems than Eli's. And they both had a nerdy sexiness to them that drew Eli in, a confidence in their smarts that was above the other girls their age.

Though, Hannah didn't hate the Hornet. If anything, she wanted to meet him, in suit, to interview him for her blog.

Batgirl… Batgirl was not the Yellow Jacket's biggest fan.

This meant that Lyta was Jade; or the attractive yet deadly dangerous girl that he knew very little about. They were trained fighters who could kill Eli faster than he could defend himself. Plus the two were in protection of two people Eli did not want to get on the bad side of: Ben Turner and Wonder Woman.

"Hey Eli," Richard's voice cut into Eli's thoughts. Eli gave Richard his attention as the blue-eyed boy asked the question that the others were currently discussing. "Is it ee-lie-yus or ee-lee-us?"

"I'm pretty sure he told me how to say it." Barbara argued with Richard. "It's pronounced Ee. Lee. Us. It's different than what you think Dick."

"Wait, before that," Lyta spoke before Eli could correctly pronounce his name. "Are you coming with us to Dakota?"

Eli gave Lyta an unyielding stare. "I asked you why you were here. Do you have an answer to that?"

"Yes," said a confident Lyta. She sized Eli up in her seat across the table. "I'm here because you're going to need me stopping Holocaust and Whale."

Eli smirked. "Then prove it when we go to Dakota, Lyta."

"Challenge accepted Eli," Lyta returned. "Now, how do you say your name?"

---

Meanwhile in Dakota City, Virgil Hawkins stood at the grave of Larry along with Richie and Raquel. The trio was dressed in casual civvies with Virgil standing centerfold of the trio.

"Wade, I swear that we will get the guys responsible for this." Virgil promised with his hands balled into rage-filled fists at his sides. "I won't let another person that I care about die because I… No, because of them. Holocaust, Whale, all of them. I'm going to take them down."

"No Sparky," Raquel assured with a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to take them down. For Dakota."

"For Paris Island." Virgil added.

A chime came from the pair's left where Richie was currently reading an alert on his cell phone. Richie read the news to himself before releasing a chuckle of disbelief. Looking up to read the confused faces of Virgil and Raquel, Richie quieted down and summarized what he had learned.

"We were wondering just when Tobias and Holocaust would be at the same place at the same time, right?" he said with a pleased grin. "Turns out, they'll be here in a few days."

Raquel's brows furrowed. "What? For real? Like here, in Dakota?"

"Yep. Apparently Nightwing, Batgirl, Wonder Girl, and the Yellow Jacket caused them to back out of a meet in Calvin City. A big mess, given the Yellow Jacket was involved," Richie recapped to his friends. "Meaning now is the best time to take them down once and for all."

Despite the confidence in Richie's voice, he knew that taking down Holocaust was no small task. The guy not only had Bang Babies on his payroll but cops, lawyers, and guys willing to kill for a fee. Richie didn't want to let his friends down, let alone his city. He knew that his fears would have to be casted aside in order for him to be at his best whenever they did go after Holocaust.

The thoughts of meeting Holocaust and Tobias Whale drew out old feelings from Raquel as well. The girl would be forced to revisit her past decisions. Her pregnancy had forced her to temporarily end her reign as Rocket and her friend, Darnice, momentarily took the mantle. Those two options led to Darnice being shot on a mission attempting to stop a deal going down with Holocaust's gang.

Darnice was beyond due some form of justice and Raquel had the chance to do it. Unfortunately, it meant that Raquel would have to face the one man that Icon told her to avoid while he was gone- Holocaust.

As for Virgil, this meant more to him than anything. His mom, Larry, everyone that was killed by Holocaust and Whale… He would take them all down and be the hero that they needed. Too many people were lost by these guys and Virgil was tired of it. It was time to put an end to this and keep his streets safe.

"Come on guys," said Raquel, giving Virgil's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Let's see if we can find out when this meeting's taking place. We have to be prepared and smart."

Richie grinned. "Yeah, come on V. Time to put a stop to Holocaust."

"Leave the phrase to me," Virgil replied, smirking at his longtime friend. "And it's time to put a shock to their system."

Raquel rolled her eyes as she walked by them. "New rule: No catch phrase. Just ass-kicking and crime stopping."

The two boys fell behind Raquel with cool, confident mien. It was finally time to clean the streets of Dakota City.

And, to put a shock to their systems.

---

Author's Notes: Now, it's safe to say that things are far from over between Eli and Barbara, both for better and worse. But before that, it's time for the meet between the Bat-duo, the Dakota-trio, the Yellow Jacket, and the Amazon warrior. In the next three-part, Eli runs off to Dakota City with his temporary teammates to take down Tobias Whale and Holocaust. Time to see how they all work together, right? Meantime, you know the drill. Leave a review or PM for any questions, thoughts, or comments that you have and I'll respond in the new Review Corner. And I promise it won't take two years... but maybe a few months!