Author's Note: Merry Christmas everyone! Been hectic on my end between family and holiday prep, but I was able to squeeze this through as a little present the day of. So enjoy the season, enjoy family, and enjoy the read when you need a little peace on earth.
Enjoy!
Chapter 3: Hello, My Name is…
It was almost midnight by the time Mari's white rental sedan rolled up to the old chain link fence that surrounded the perimeter of what was once Blyniville Air Force. The old sign indicating the location was worn and rusted, not to mention the fact it didn't look like an airfield had ever been built here. All the remained was a single metal hangar surrounded by its own chain link fence. At least Liberty Lance had been telling the truth about where to meet but Mari still had reservations about the deserted nature of the location.
She shook her head slowly. "I've been attacked once already tonight. Might as well be prepared for a second one." Exercising caution, she parked her car and shut off the engine, stepping out to examine her surroundings. There were no signs of life save for the sounds of machinery grinding and whirring within the hangar as well as the light peeking out from the garage and mandoor. Approaching the mandoor, Mari waited until the machinery died down and stayed quiet for exactly three seconds before knocking loudly.
She stepped back and waited, idly pressing her fingers against her Tantu Totem as she pondered the possible need to use it. The door swung open, revealing a blonde-haired man sporting grease smudges across his pale cheeks and a pair of welding goggles on his forehead. He was dressed in a faded white t-shirt with many stains turning the material almost gray. His arms were smeared with a variety of grime, save for his hands which were gloved. His expression seemed innocent and Mari smiled at the sparkle in his blue eyes. "Hi. Liberty Lance?" She asked.
"Uh, yeah, yeah that's me." He replied, peeling off his gloves.
"Hmm, that's funny. You don't look like a seven-foot tall robot." Mari quipped with a grin as she looked him up and down.
"Ah, well, it's not a robot. It's a suit." He answered.
Mari quirked a brow. "Mind if I come in?" He stood back to usher her inside and Mari was immediately stuck by the vastness of the space. The initial space was 35 feet high but an elevated section that reminded her of a warehouse office occupied the top 12 feet of the hangar, leaving a roomy 23 feet where plenty of machinery, crates, equipment, and a giant scaffolding harness holding the majority of the Liberty Lance she was familiar with occupied the central space under luminous white lighting. "Nice place. A little eccentric but it's… almost cozy."
"Oh, heh, I don't live in this part. I live upstairs." The blonde told her. "Colton Lancaster. Most people just call me 'Colt'." Mari shook his outstretched hand.
"Nice to meet you, Colton. I never did thank you for helping out with Intergang."
"Well, I'm happy to help, miss-"
"McCabe. Mari McCabe. I also go by Vixen. Maybe you've heard of me?"
"You're Justice League."
"Yes. Not right now, mind you, I was a little busy running this gala. Can't seem to get away from it for too long, though." Mari turned back to the Liberty Lance suit which had been partially disassembled. Bits and pieces were being held up by chains while other parts lay scattered across the floor as Colt was working on them. Even in the middle of repairs Mari could tell it was an extensive and impressive compliation of robotics, machinery, and technology. "Seems like you're pretty engrossed in hero work, too."
Colt watched her for a moment. Mari seemed so out of place here in his little world. She was all natural, from her curves to her beauty, the pantsuit so clean and pressed the perfect shade of business white accented by a black sleeveless shirt that seemed to just barely constrain her bust... He gave his head a brief shake. "O-Only for, like, two years now. Still working out some of the kinks sometimes." Colt quickly answered. "You, uh, said you wanted to discuss things?"
"Yeah, I did. Tell me more about this suit of yours."
"Well, I'm the designer, creator, engineer, and pilot. So I pretty well know it backwards and forwards."
"And that weapon on the arm, what exactly is it?"
"Abandoned Air Force project. DARPA tech that only made concept stages."
"You… built it? I'm impressed."
"My grandfather left me a… decent inheritance. Allowed me to buy all the parts I needed."
Mari looked to him, smoky quartz eyes glittering like the gemstones in the light of his workshop area. She had a lot more questions but chose to save them for later.
"What prompted you to be a vigilante?"
"Something my grandfather said once. He told me that my intelligence should contribute to society, otherwise it would be wasted if I did nothing with it. He, uh, didn't really specify becoming a superhero or do vigilante work, I was just inspired by the tools the Air Force uses and what Green Lantern does." That piqued Mari's interest.
"You know Green Lantern?"
"Seen him on the news. Watched him take down the Tattooed Man, Sonar, the Solarites, and that helped inspire me."
"Not the first time I've heard a story like that. But in your case it seems to have worked out well." Colt set his hands on his hips and surveyed the electromechanical armor he was genuinely proud of.
"I've certainly put a lot of work into it. Nice to know it's paying off." A sudden thought occurred to him and he face-palmed. "Ugh! I'm sorry! Can I get you a drink or something? I-If you wanna have a seat, you can use my desk chair-"
"Thank you. I'm good for now. I'd like to get some sleep, actually, but I wanted to talk about Intergang while it was fresh in my mind." Mari replied. "I want your help with safeguarding the gala." Colt blinked. There it was. The request he had been pondering ever since she raised the idea.
"I, uh… I've never actually done anything like that before. You know, work with an actual hero, someone who has a legacy and a reputation… I just, deal with robbers and carjackers." He said. Mari smiled; a soft, warming thing that was so genuine in its simplicity that Colt felt butterflies in his stomach.
"An actual hero." She repeated. "I'm flattered, but I think you're underestimating yourself. What I saw tonight? That was genuine hero material. And I could use the help of a genuine hero." Sashaying past him, Mari moved to his desk with Colt watching and took a seat on the edge. "I don't know what Intergang wants the rare mineral pendants. Sure, when used right, they could fetch good money on the black market. But the display samples we have are uncut and raw, only the pendants are cut and polished but they're not big enough to fetch any money. But they don't accept failure."
"Have you… dealt with them before?" Colt asked, drawing closer.
"A few times. They've sparked a few international conflicts that got the Justice League involved."
"So you know their habits."
"To a degree. I know they'll try again. Like cockroaches, they just don't stay down and keep coming back. Which is why I want your help. You'd help beef up security in a big way. What do you say?"
Colt crossed his arms and appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Well… I admit, I was working in fine-tuning my armor in case I had to deal with Blackrock again." He confessed. "He's the toughest customer I've had to handle so far." Mari grinned.
"That's a promising answer. What have you been working on?"
"Why don't I show you?" Colt strode over to the assembly stage he was working on, nudging the new chest chassis with his foot. "Twelve-hundred pound reinforced titanium armor to withstand his energy blasts. This stuff is basically bulletproof on its own." He rounded the back of the suit where he used the chain crane to swing out the old four-afterburner pack and reveal his new addition. "More powerful pulsejets… and a Bushmaster chain gun to cramp his style." Mari could tell just how enthusiastic he was about all this. Despite trying to keep his expression neutral, Colt's giddiness shone through his eyes. "Thirty-millimeter ammo should do the trick to ruin his day. I'll have to be conservative with it but I think it'll help me out against him."
"Maybe if he's standing still, but if he's on the move you're gonna have a harder time tracking him." Mari proposed.
"Yeah, I thought about that, so I decided to pull out something else," Colt trailed off as he approached an open crate and reached within. With no small amount of effort and some grunting, he lifted a sizeable fist out and set it on the floor within her range of sight. It was shaped just like the oversized fist on his LANCE arm, only it sported attachments the other did not possess. "I modified a pair of MASS shotguns, with two appropriate assault rifles, to whip this up." He explained.
The M26-MASS (or Modular Accessory Shotgun System) was purpose-built ancillary weapon attachement for rifles, capable of firing shotgun rounds from a weapon the size of a pistol. When attached to assault rifles or carbines, it made for a deadly packaged deal.
Mari rose and strode closer to examine the twin barrel arrangement, one underslung one overslung. "Nice work." She complimented. Colt held up a finger and grinned before kneeling beside the gauntlet and triggering a manual release toggle.
"Took some inspiration from the old Voodoo back in the fifties," the silver casing of the gauntlet flipped over soundlessly to suddenly reveal a rack of three air-to-surface missiles. Colt looked up with a grin, "coolest engineering he'll ever see before I clean his clock." Mari was still smiling. Not so much because of his armament but more because of Colt's thoroughness and just how enamoured he was with the fruits of his labor.
"You don't do anything half-measure do you?" She asked and he shrugged.
"Not really. When I worked at Ferris Air I learned to adopt a, well, completionist attitude. They don't accept half-finished designs or half-baked ideas. You need a complete picture to submit. Guess it bled over to my lifestyle, too."
There was a twinkle in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. "I can get behind a man who believes in commitment." She mused. "So… does this mean you agree to help me?" Colt stood and straightened up, unable to tear his gaze away from her alluring eyes.
"I guess it does, Miss McCabe."
"Good. And call me Mari. All my friends do."
"Okay… Mari. I can help with security while you're in Coast City, but, uh, afterwards you'll have to find some other help."
Mari quirked a brow. "Oh? Don't like travelling?"
"W-Well, it's just… I don't wanna leave Coast City. I-I mean, what if I'm needed?"
Mari crossed her arms. "Superman lives in Metropolis but he helps out all over the world. Batman hates to be pulled away from Gotham City but he will if it's desperate. You wouldn't be the first time a hero left their stomping grounds to help out." She stated. Analyzing his apparent naïveté, she realized that he had yet to leave his comfort zone and do anything beyond a little justice-intervention in his home city. "Sounds like I need to help pop your cherry." She mused.
Colt turned beet red. "W-Wha-? I-I don't… I mean, I, you-" He spluttered, interrupted only by Mari's chuckling.
"I just meant I could help you expand your experience in being a hero, Colton." She clarified meaning every word. His color deepened, shifting from abject shock to minor embarrassment. He rubbed the back of his head, shying away from her gaze.
"O-Oh! Right, of course, heh, I knew that." He murmured quietly. Mari offered a silent grin.
He was cute when he was flustered.
Her expression turned serious and she drew closer to him. "If you're going to commit, I need you to do so entirely. Intergang won't let up until they're stopped. If we deny them again here, they'll just follow my gala to Starling, Central City, Keystone, Fawcett City, and endanger countless people in the process. Think about all the innocent people you saved tonight. I don't just need you part of the time, I'll need you for the full time… got it?" Colt had to admit she had him there, using his own approach to life against him. Despite his reservations to branching out and doing more, Mari was absolutely right: this required total commitment and not a half-hearted gesture of goodwill. Her gaze softened and the corners of her mouth turned up in a gentle smile. "Besides, I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."
Colt cocked his head. "You wanna be friends with me?"
"Yes. I would like to get familiar with the man who helped rescue my expensive gala. Got a problem with that?"
"Well, uh, no, it's just that… you're all about animals, I think, so it's hard to believe you wanna do anything around me and my… technology." He replied, gesturing to all his machinery and his suit of armor. "That is what your powers do, right? From that… necklace-thingy?" He pried, gaze on the Tantu Totem around her neck.
Mari smirked. "I know they're nice, but my eyes are up here."
Colt went wide eyed. "S-Sorry! I was just referring to-"
"My totem." Mari snickered, knowing his intentions full well. "Yes, it gives me the powers of the animal kingdom. My grandmother passed it down to my mother who handed it down to me."
"R-Right."
"You're right, I would be more at home on grassy ground. But as you saw, Intergang likes their advanced technology. So I need to fight fire with fire." Mari continued. "I can't bank on Stripe or Cyborg or Mister Terrific to help me out with this. I have a life to live outside of being Vixen, you know."
"I know. I do, too." Colt exhaled and shrugged. "Alright, I'm in. What do you want to do?"
"First I'd like to sleep this off. I've cancelled the gala for tomorrow night and I'm going to look into location and security. Here," Mari reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a business card, "my number. Just in case." Colt accepted it and slipped it into his own pocket.
"Oh! Hang on," he reached his desk and ripped off a piece of notepaper, grabbing a pen and scribbling his own number down, "in case you need to reach me. I'm going to stay up and finish piecing the suit together. I'll run diagnostics and get it running in the morning." Mari accepted it with a smile.
"Thank you. I'll let you know what I find out and we can go from there." Colt nodded in agreement. "Well, it's late and I don't know about you but I'm tired."
"Yeah, sure."
Mari started walking back towards the man door only to stop halfway and looked back of her shoulder with a smoldering look. "Aren't you gonna invite me to stay the night?"
Colt blanked, his cheeks turning red again. "Uh… oh! Er, well, I, uh… I think I can get the spare bedroom up to snuff if you'll give me an hour-" He stammered, rubbing the back of his head. Mari giggled, a sweet melodic sound.
"I'm kidding. I don't go further than first base on the first date."
"Oh, heh…" Colt sheepishly chuckled, realizing she'd got him again. Then he blanked. "Wait, date? What date?"
A smiling Mari said nothing as she opened the door, "Good-night, Colton. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She promised.
"Uh, yeah. Sure thing." Colt replied, feeling a little tongue-tied. "Bye, Mari…" He proffered quietly as the door shut. Only when he was alone did he exhale and curse himself of his inexperience with women. The digital clock on his desk indicated quarter to one in the morning.
Mari returned to her car and sat down, taking a moment to process her encounter with the man whose intervention had helped salvage her gala. He was a bit eccentric, certainly nervous but maybe just around women, and that was coupled with his naivety and innocence. He was certainly a rookie up-and-coming hero who could use a guiding hand and maybe that was becoming the core of her extended offer. Colt seemed like a good man, certainly a self-made one, one who just needed someone to join him in his seemingly lonely existence. Probably wasn't good for him to be all alone… besides, her cheeks hurt a little from smiling so much.
Elsewhere…
In a darkened building along the docks of Coast City's harbour, hidden behind doors nailed shut and boarded up windows, a meeting of a very different tone was taking place. A pair of engineers worked over the Blackrock armor standing against a wall, repairing the damage dealt by Liberty Lance and Vixen. In an office space, at a desk and sitting in a simple chair, was the armor's wearer; Bradley Glenn. On the desk was a cellphone on speaker, the caller ID simply reading 'unknown'. The caller was far from happy.
"You stupid twit! I told you to handle this and you had to go and bungle it! I knew your dumbass was the wrong man for the job!"
"How was I supposed to know there were gonna be superheroes on site, boss?" Glenn retorted defensively. "I don't even know who the armored guy was! He just came out of nowhere!" He wanted to beat this desk to pieces, to curse and swear up and down the walls for having fouled things. He knew he was in the wrong but he wasn't about to admit it out loud. He singled out the vigilante Liberty Lance and totally forgot about Vixen. Hell, he was just supposed to be backup if the men couldn't get the job done. It was supposed to be easy… now it was anything but.
"That's the point, you pathetic dolt! You should have just grabbed the stuff while they were setting up! Less security, less witnesses, and if the shit wasn't real we could've just dumped it! But oh no, instead, you had to wait for nightfall because you wanted to make sure they were real." Bradley's boss retorted derisively. "And when the going got tough, you got going. Got your ass handed to you by a nobody!"
"Hey! I would've had him if it weren't for that broad interfering!" Glenn snapped. That much was true, at least in his mind. The energy pulses of his suit were more than a match for Liberty Lance in his current form and he could withstand the vigilante's abilities with minimal issue.
"Do I sound like I care? Do you know the promises I've made, the guarantees I've made, how much we have riding on this? We're on the verge of becoming the biggest criminal organization on the planet, rich men all of us, and it's hangin' by a thread because of your incompetence! And I don't need to tell you what our benefactor will do to us if we fail to deliver…" Bradley shuddered, pinching the bridge of his nose as he attempted to plan his next move. He had to do something to make this right, get back into his bosses good graces again. "Obviously you can't be trusted to get his done right so I'm sending Arnold and James to make sure you don't screw this up again."
The dark-haired man nearly bolted upright in his chair. That would be a death knell for his standing within the organization, it proved he was untrustworthy and would never be counted upon in the same way by Intergang's leadership again. "What? No! No no no, don't send them!" Bradley protested.
"Oh yeah? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't. Because if you think I'm gonna give you another chance after this, you are dead wrong, Glenn! And I'll make sure you regret it or my name ain't Bruno Mannheim!" His boss retorted.
Bradley thought quickly, gauging his boss' furious state and knowing his wrath just enough. He had to play the appeasement strategy if he wanted to avoid getting demoted and having someone else become Blackrock. He liked the suit, he liked the power it gave him, and he loved the destruction he could cause with it. He turned to strategy and chose his words carefully, formulating an answer that Bruno would approve of.
"Look, if you are gonna send someone, just send me Arnold. The guys from tonight got hauled off by the cops and I'm pretty sure they're in the city's district police holding cells. I know they won't talk but we better tie up loose ends, eh? Make sure this is locked back down. Send James to spring 'em and Arnold and I will make off with the rocks with the rest of the guys as soon as we figure out what the gala's gonna do."
Silence followed, palpable and tense enough to actually worry Bradley. Whenever Bruno Mannheim went quiet it meant he was thinking and, right now, that meant he either was planning another bellowing tirade against him or plotting the approval of his plan and was currently calculating the benefits of his plan. Bradley checked his watch, noting the seconds tick past as one minute turned into two.
"Alright. We'll do that. But you listen to me and you listen good, Glenn, we need those stones. The jadeite and serendibite is all we're missing in order to finish this. Your future with Intergang hangs on this. So whatever you do don't let your incompetence screw this up again." With that, the phone went dead as Bruno hung up on the other end.
Bradley exhaled loudly and shoved the phone away, massaging his temples for a moment. "Call me incompetent, will you 'Ugly'? I'll show you." He muttered to himself. Rising from his seat, he left the office and approached the Intergang engineers.
"A little banged up but nothing we can't fix." One of them promised.
"Good. Shockwave is coming over to help finish things. When he gets here, make sure his suit is in top condition." Bradley replied. He moved further into the building, to the open storage area where several more armed men were prepping their weapons to be future gunmen. "Weiss! Coleman!" He barked, snapping his fingers. Two men left their seats and hurried over to him. "I want you two on surveillance. We're gonna try again, this time with Pruett. I want you to find out if that gala is gonna cancel, relocate, go ahead, whatever. We need those rocks and we're not going back to base without them." He stated. His underlings moved to obey and Bradley looked over the rest of the crew. "We're gonna lay low for a few days, but be ready to move. When the window of opportunity opens, you bet your asses we're gonna jump for it."