Author's Note:

Man, my laptop was giving me such a hard time. I rewrote this chapter again, and lost half of it when my laptop froze. I stuck through it though, and this is technically the fourth rewrite, but I finally have SOME kind of chapter. Hahaha! I'm still not 100% happy with it -- in my mind that first chapter will always be the best -- but here it is, finally. Sorry it's just another single chapter. It was pretty hard trying to replicate what I had originally written with this and I went into emo mode a lot through the day over the lost chapter (which didn't help). Enjoy!

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Ch. 58

Walter was charging up the steps to the hotel when he abruptly stopped and turned. Laurie had been right behind him so she had to jump aside to avoid hitting him. Dan nearly toppled backwards as he tried to stop abruptly behind Laurie.

"Where did you hear about Agent Orange?" Walter asked Dan with some degree of suspicion.

"From Hollis actually," said Dan, breathing heavily. "He asked me to tell you. Somehow he knew you were working on the case."

Walter nodded, then swiftly turned back and ran the rest of the way to the suite. He tossed the cooler and bag he was holding aside as if they were on fire. It took him a moment to realize the room looked like it had been ransacked. Nelly stood in the living room, obviously in the middle of attempting to clean up the mess. He gaped as Walter, Dan, and Laurie burst in.

"There you are," said Nelly to Dan before he turned to the others and gestured towards Dan, "He went streaking out of here, raving about having to find you two. What happened here?"

"I told you," said Dan, sounding exasperated, "The Comedian came in here."

"Well, I wasn't able to get this straight before you took off," Nelly scratched his head. "So he just ran in and messed up the place? Is that what happened?"

"No," Dan held up his hands for emphasis, "He appeared. That's just it. One moment he wasn't here, next moment he was. Everything was strewn about; he started swearing about something, then he walked out."

"Now -- that just sounds too fantastical to be true," Nelly said.

"It is true -- why would I make up something like that?" Dan exclaimed.

"It sounds like a dream."

"It's not -- ask him yourself! He mentioned making some phone calls and getting a room, so I'm sure he's somewhere in the building still."

Walter turned away, no longer interested in the conversation. He thought about Agent Orange, reflecting on his current situation. He wanted to feel angry, but he wasn't necessarily too peeved about this new turn of events. In fact, if he were to decide on an emotion, he would have settled on one of elation. He was nearly giddy, in fact, enough to laugh out loud, so he did. He paced the room and laughed to himself, looked out the window and laughed again. He turned to look at Laurie, who was watching Dan and Nelly argue. She glanced at Walter, then approached him with a worried expression on her face.

"Are you all right, Walter?" she asked him before he was upon her, kissing her lips. She seemed startled, and she held onto his arms to look at him. "Walter?"

"Oh, wonderful, thank you," said Walter, with some degree of sarcasm. "Not in New York."

Laurie lowered her eyes and said nothing.

"And the cycle continues on," said Walter, grinning at her and feeling as if he was going to burst at the seams. "Next thing you know, he'll be in Omaha, or Des Moines, or France. Or outer space. How willing am I to go after him? How far am I going to reach out to catch him?"

"Well, I..." Laurie started to say, but Walter waved her words away.

"It's all just a joke to him, isn't it? You're not supposed to take a joke seriously. I know -- it's a very bad joke, but I should have known, should have guessed from the beginning. Why else would he idolize your father? It's only ironic that the Comedian appeared in California just as Agent Orange showed up in New York. Looks like Agent Orange is never going to meet his inspiration." Walter realized he must be raving by now, but he couldn't stop himself. "I'm a prop in his stand-up routine, and his punchline is the age old question: Who is more foolish, the fool or the fool that follows him? Joke's on me, I'm left holding the bag and it's full of sh--"

"Walter!" Laurie took Walter's shoulders and shook him a little. This only made him laugh harder.

"So sick of it," he managed to say, "I hate him. I wish he were dead."

Laurie threw her arms around him. Walter buried his face in her shoulder and stayed there for a long while, breathing in her scent and trying to calm himself in her embrace. Humor of the moment gone and dead now, it was naturally replaced by seething anger. Walter hated Agent Orange. He hated how he got away with murder. He hated the complacency of the police force, and how they let him off with a flick on the wrist when Walter had captured him, fair and square. He hated Ozymandias for giving up on the case, and he hated his mother especially. Why the hell was he thinking about his mother now? Walter tried not to clench his hands too forcefully, as they were still resting against the small of Laurie's back. He could only imagine Detective Narlow's face when he told him Agent Orange was in New York now. Cowardly bastard -- Agent Orange, that is, not Narlow. If Agent Orange could face Walter like a man, this wouldn't be happening. Walter wished the recreant would call him at least. He would certainly give him an earful. If the man had any decent set of emotions on him he would be ashamed; Walter was certain he must be capable of feeling that at least.

Walter waited for that mocking voice to appear in his head again, the one that would make Walter fall into despair, one that would make him lose control of his anger and act out. Nothing. No voice interrupted his own dark thoughts tonight.

"Laurie," said Walter, in an almost pleading voice. He was frightened of his decision. Maybe he had finally lost it.

"Walter?"

"I don't want to go after Agent Orange," Walter admitted.

"You mean at all?"

"No, I mean right now," he said. "I want to follow him at my own pace. Is that bad?"

Laurie paused for a moment.

"I don't think so," she said. "After all, doesn't Agent Orange want you to chase him?"

"Yes," Walter nodded. "And I can't stand things being on his terms."

"What do you want to do then? Wait it out? Wait for him here? Go to the conference? Get more information?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Go to the beach."

Laurie laughed. Walter smiled politely.

"Let's not make any hasty decisions," he said, letting out a breath as if he had been holding it this entire time. Maybe he had. "Let's go to bed -- sleep on it."

"Yes," said Laurie, "Too bad we're in separate rooms."

"Oh, damn."

Laurie gave him a look that told him that she still remembered that it was he that had insisted on this arrangement. Walter frowned and regretted his decision. It wasn't as if this had prevented them from getting into great amounts of trouble, in the end. Well, the degree of trouble depended on the outcome, Walter supposed. He looked at Laurie's stomach for a moment and let out a frustrated sound. He didn't need any of this. Suddenly the beach really didn't seem like such a bad idea after all. Walter closed his eyes and laughed again, then opened them to realize that Laurie was studying him with concern. Walter tried to smile at her in an reassuring manner.

"Your father?" he asked her.

Laurie put a hand to her mouth.

"Oh," she said, looking surprised. "I forgot..."

"I hope he doesn't hear that," said Walter, taking her hand and grasping for any sort of distraction. "Let's look for him."

Walter and Laurie went downstairs to the lobby, where Laurie asked the concierge if a Edward Blake had checked in. The concierge looked a little nervous, but he informed them that he had in fact gotten a room at the hotel, and he was also in the hotel restaurant at this very moment. Laurie gave Walter an excited look and practically ran to the restaurant. Blake was easy to spot, even though traffic was heavy at this hour. Blake was facing away from the entrance, so Walter only had a view of his back. His table was empty, and he appeared to be reading the newspaper. Figured.

"Dad," said Laurie.

Blake turned immediately, smile lighting up his features. He stood up and held out his arms as Laurie ran into them. Walter followed her and hovered as Laurie hugged her father. Blake gave her a squeeze and when he let go, he surprisingly gave Walter a hug too.

"Come here," said Blake, grabbing them by their shoulders and turning them this way and that. "Let me see you. Ah, you look good. Been out in the sun, have you?"

"You too," said Walter, dryly. Blake laughed.

"You kidding me? It's boiling over there," he said. He gestured towards the chairs at his table as he sat down. "You wouldn't believe how much I'm willing to eat right now. The food there blows."

"Dad, how did you get here?" Laurie asked, as she sat down and moved to the far end by the wall so that Walter could join her.

"Long story really," said Blake, scratching his chin. "But to make it short, I called your mother the other day -- called home first actually and didn't get an answer so I thought maybe you'd gone there. Boy, did I get an earful."

"Oh," Laurie winced, "Didn't you get my letter?"

"Yeah, I'm getting to that," Blake waved his hand at her. "So she tells me about California and where you were staying, and all this rotten business about Walter so I told her to stuff it. Today I got your letter, and I was reading it on my spare time. Blue Dick was in there with me -- did you know he can be in several places at once? -- I told him, 'Wish I could be there with her; too bad you can't just send me there with your powers.' Wouldn't you believe it, the fucker teleports me here that instant! One moment I'm in 'Nam sweating my pants off, and the next thing I know, I'm standing in some living area that's been trashed, feeling like something's hit me in the guts and Dan Dreiberg sitting on the couch looking like he'd just walked in on his parents getting at it."

"What was she saying about me?" Walter asked.

"Eh? Who? Sally?"

"Yes."

Blake laughed.

"Priorities, eh?" he said, winking. A waitress arrived with several plates piled high with food. At first Walter thought she was going to set down one for Blake and move on to another table with the rest, but it soon became apparent that they were all meant for him.

Laurie gaped at her father as he started to devour the contents on the plate closest to him as if he had been starving for days.

"Haven't you been eating well?" Laurie asked.

"Sally?" Walter prodded Blake.

"Woah-- woah," said Blake, holding up his hands. "Woah. One at a time. Okay, okay..."

Blake finished chewing and took a sip of water from a glass, then set it down.

"All right," said Blake. "I'm going to answer one question each; then I'm going to eat and you're going to have to do my talking for me until I'm finished."

"Rotten business about Walter," said Walter.

"Oh, yeah, I dunno," Blake shook his head. "I think she's losing it -- most of it didn't make any sense. Something about accountants and sexual deviants and Jehovah's Witnesses."

"What?" Walter was bewildered.

"Oh, those were all the things she was guessing you were. That, and she was convinced that you were going to get Laurie pregnant and leave her in the street to prostitute herself."

Walter felt the blood drain away from his face as a cold chill of anger crept up from the pit of his stomach towards his throat until it left his head feeling numb. Blake patted his arm.

"Hold on there," said Blake. "I told you she wasn't making sense. Sheesh, why did I even tell you that shit?"

Walter looked at Laurie as if she could explain her mother away, somehow. Walter did not have words. Laurie gave Walter a sympathetic look as Blake used the opportunity to continue eating.

"I would never--" Walter started, but Laurie took his hand.

"I know, I know," Laurie said, giving him a pained smile. "I'm sorry my mother has to say things like that, Walter."

"She is disgusting," said Walter. "She is projecting her disgusting fantasies onto me."

"I don't know about it being a fantasy," said Blake, laughing a little. "But disgusting may be the word for it, sure."

Laurie gave her father a strange look, but Blake was not meeting her eye. He continued to eat, setting one plate aside and starting on the next.

"Dad," said Laurie, after a moment. Blake looked up. "You haven't been starving yourself, have you?"

"Heh, no," said Blake, winking. "But it's not like we've been gourmet dining out there."

"Are you home for good?" Laurie's hand was still on Walter's, and he felt it tighten.

"No," Blake sighed. "I wish, but no. I had to call them to either get Blue Guy to bring me back, or arrange for an alternate mode of transportation. I'm going to eat and sleep my fill while I'm here though. I'm sure Manhattan's out there able to hear me -- I bet he can make himself invisible or some shit like that, maybe even spying on us this very moment, who knows -- he just doesn't want to send me back right now, I guess."

"Maybe he wants you out of Vietnam for good," Walter joked.

Blake laughed.

"Hey, I've been behaving myself," said Blake. "I feel useless over there, though. I'm sure all the GI's do, too. We sort of wave our hands about with little effect while Manhattan does everything."

Walter smiled a little at the mental picture Blake had painted for him. He really wished that Blake's stay in Vietnam was over.

"So when's this crime fighter conference, anyhow?" Blake asked.

"This friday," said Laurie.

"Speak in terms I can understand," said Blake, grinning, "I'm all messed up when it comes to time right now."

"Just a few more days, Dad."

"Ah, well. I might be able to stay here that long, but who knows when they'll get back to me. Might even be tomorrow for all I know."

Laurie nodded. She looked sad all of a sudden. Walter looked mournfully at her, then at Blake. Blake raised his eyebrow.

"What's the matter with the pair of you?" asked Blake with a bewildered expression on his face, "You look like you went to fifty funerals since I last saw you."

"Fifty funerals would be better than this," Walter sighed.

"Ah," nodded Blake. "You've been to a hundred then."

Walter wanted to tell Blake all about Agent Orange -- their trip to California just to capture him, and his sudden arrival in New York. Walter fumbled with his own thoughts, wondering if Blake would think he was stupid for some reason or another. He finally gave up and had faith that Blake would be much more understanding than he appeared with his devil-may-care front. Walter told Blake about his run-in with Agent Orange, his failed attempt at detaining him in New York, Agent Orange's disappearance and his Hooded Justice II connection. He also mentioned Detective Narlow, and being so close to finally getting a chance of putting the man behind bars. He finished with the latest news, of Agent Orange's sudden return to New York. Blake listened without interrupting, and judging by his facial expression, Walter would have guessed he wasn't listening; however, his eyes seemed to give away great amounts of feeling Walter hadn't noticed before. Judging by how Blake's eyes shone with a grim certainty that increased with each detail from Walter, he was sure he had heard every word.

"Hm," said Blake, sitting back after Walter had finished. "I'm going to guess at how you're feeling about this whole business, but I'm going to ask you to tell me instead -- what are your plans now that Agent Orange has once more foiled the ones you had?"

Walter sighed.

"I don't know anymore," said Walter. "Agent Orange is so erratic. No wonder Ozymandias couldn't find a pattern. Or maybe he did and didn't want to tell me because it was too insane. My main concern is wasting the effort of chasing him down only to have him run someplace else."

"Ah, yes," said Blake. "You also run the risk of wasting the remains of your sanity if you get too mixed up in this mess."

"I suppose so."

"Do you know the details of his reappearance in New York?" Blake asked, tapping his chin. "Was he using fireworks to make smiley faces or something? How did they know it was him?"

"I don't know," Walter shrugged. "Dan told me, and he said he heard it from Hollis. Hollis was there when I first turned Agent Orange in, so I would imagine he is more informed than the general public about any signs that could give him away."

"Yeah," Blake shrugged too. "Well, I dunno. It just seems a bit too weird. Who goes streaking across the country like that, twice in a row? I mean, it sounds like he has some kind of man-crush on you. You would think he'd fall all over himself to get face to face with you again."

"He seems more interested in you," Walter pointed out. "I don't see him going to Vietnam."

"Oh, but you're wrong there," said Blake, laughing a little. "Well, I mean, the name Agent Orange, anyway. You hear it a lot over there. I know the guy was named after the crap but whenever I hear about it, I think of him first. Sick, I know. Bastard sure has made a name for himself."

Walter nodded. His first reaction was to excuse himself and find an empty room to sit alone as he went over all information on Agent Orange he could find. Laurie would call that brooding. He looked guiltily at Laurie and nudged her gently. Laurie smiled at him. Blake shoved his last plate aside and sat back.

"Ah yes," said Blake, patting his stomach. "Ready to go to 'Nam and finish the war if you ask me."

Blake smiled at them, and his eyes flickered back and forth between Walter and Laurie. He studied them intently for a moment, brow knit in concentration until he seemed to find what he was looking for and his face relaxed again.

"Whatever course you may take kid," said Blake, "Just tread carefully. I'm sure that's all you need for me to say on that."

Walter nodded.

"If it were up to me," added Blake, "I would give him a solid beating."

"He would like that too much," Walter said bitterly.

"Would have gotten along splendidly with Hooded Justice, then," laughed Blake.

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To be continued...