Decker: Chapter 07

Hero Diary:

I should really go to the police around now.  I mean, I know where the Fun Zone is.  I could bring them there.  They could arrest X, and maybe some of the kids, and return stolen things, and, you know, do police things.

Only, I don’t have time to go to the police, because X is already scrubbing the Fun Zone.  No, Diary, I’m not one hundred on what that means, but I’m pretty certain.  And you know what would happen if I stop to talk to the police?  Yes you do.  We’ve all seen the movies.

I go and get the police, right?  But while I’m convincing them to come with me, X will completely clear  out the Fun Zone.  And I get there, and throw open the doors, again, and the place is empty.  And I’d be all like: no, there really was an underground club here.  And the police would be like: no, we believe you. 

But you’d know they didn’t believe me.  You’d tell by looking in their eyes.  And then I’d find, like, a playing card or something?  And it’d be my only clue.

I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with a playing card, unless it has an address on it.  How would you get anything from a playing card really?

Night time detective classes are sounding better by the minute.

Decker wriggled her wrists against their binds, and mentally added escape artist to her potential night courses.  She didn’t have time to stop and find something to cut her ropes.  The clock was ticking after all.  Still, she felt downright silly flying around with her hands tied.

At least I’m out of sight, right?  I mean, it’s not likely that anyone’s going to see me up here.  One of the benefits of flight, I suppose.  It’s not like someone is just going to wander by and ask why I’m flying about with my hands tied together.

Decker’s ongoing monologue was interrupted as something flew past her at incredible speed.  It moved fast enough to ruffle her skirt, and flip her scarf over her head.  She didn’t see anything more than a streak of white light, but she knew.  She’d just been passed by White Knight, paragon hero of the city.

Decker hovered in the air, mortified.  It was bad enough that White Knight had zoomed past her while she was tied up; but following his light trail, Decker could see that he was headed towards Regal Park.  There was no way it was a coincidence.  White Knight was on his way to the Fun Zone.

Decker flew as fast as she could to Regal Park.  It took some guess work, but she finally found where the Fun Zone would be located top side.  It was a half finished subway station stuffed between a set of project buildings.  White Knight had Ex by the throat.  His partner, Black Hat, was there as well.  Decker circled twice before finding the courage to land on the scene.

White Knight wore an elaborate suit of armour under a white tabard.  No helmet of course, as it would likely block his famous Knight Laser Glance.  He didn’t make any move to suggest he’d heard Decker land.  He had his eyes set firmly on his captive.

White Knight held Ex against the wall; his heavy gauntlet wrapped around her throat.  In his huge templar armour, he looked twice the size of Ex.  He dwarfed everyone in the alley in fact, including his partner.

Black Hat’s uniform was much less ornate than White Knight’s.  He wore loose black pants, and a tight black tank top.  His hands were wrapped tight in boxer’s tape, and his utility belt hung loose on his hip.  He spoke casually to Ex, like he’d known her forever.  Like she wasn’t currently being choked by his partner.  Decker couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she assumed it was about the Fun Zone.  Really, what else could it be about?

Decker landed softly in the alley.  She looked from one hero to the other, and tried to stand tall.  It was hard though.  Here beside two of the most famous supers in the world, Decker felt a lot less like a hero, and a lot more like a girl in a costume.  She tried to announce herself, but her voice jammed tight in her throat.

Decker wasn’t sure what to do next.  White Knight and Black Hat obviously had the situation under control.  They’d found the Fun Zone.  They’d captured Ex.  There wasn’t really anything left, and a big part of Decker really wanted to just go home and hide under her covers and die. 

Black Hat turned casually before Decker could take off, and tipped his famous baker-boy cap at Decker.  “Well, hello,” he said.  “You must be Decker.  Ex was just telling us about you.”

Decker opened her mouth twice, but didn’t find any words.  “I, uh, I don’t mean to sneak up on you,” Decker muttered finally.

“You didn’t,” Black Hat assured her.

“We knew you were coming,” White Knight stated gruffly, never taking his eyes off of Ex.  “I knew you’d tagged along when I passed you in the air.  I could hear your heart beat.”

“Oh,” Decker said, uncertain what else to say.  Her cheeks flushed pink, and she stared hard at the ground.  “Oh.”

“Don’t let him get to you,” Black Hat suggested.  “He gets like that when he’s on business.”  Black Hat tried to pat Decker reassuringly on the shoulder, but pulled his hand away gingerly when it was slowed by her field.  He offered her a sly smile.  “Besides, you won’t be the first young super heroine to get a bit fluttery when around us.” 

Ex scoffed at Black Hat’s comment.  He offered her a withering glare, before turning his smile back to Decker.  “Here,” Black Hat offered lightly.  He swiped his hand near Decker’s bonds, slicing them neatly.  She never even saw the blade.

Decker rubbed her wrists, and continued staring at her shoes.  She could feel the heat in her cheeks, and figured she’d gone several shades of red.  The fact only made her blush harder.  “Thank you,” she mumbled.

“You’re welcome,” Hat replied.  He hooked Decker’s chin, and gently lifted her face up.  “Don’t be embarrassed kid,” he offered with a smile.  “Everyone gets tied up once and awhile.”

“Even you?”

Black Hat chuckled.  “Alright, almost everyone.”

White Knight made an impatient noise.  “Where are Big and Fast?”

“I left them at the docks,” Decker replied.  Somehow she felt it was the wrong answer.  “I was in a hurry.  They were talking to someone named Mr. Task; and he said that X was going to scrub the Fun Zone.  I didn’t have time to, uh, arrest them or anything.”

“They’re gone then,” White Knight said.

Decker bit her lower lip.  “But X was going to…I mean…I didn’t know you two were going to…”

“Hey, it’s ok kid,” Black Hat assured her.  “You did alright for a first time out.”  He looked over at his partner.  “She did alright for a first time, right White?”

“Sure, fine,” White Knight relented.  He never looked away from Ex.  “We got this now.  Why don’t you go see if Big and Fast are where you left them?”

Black Hat gave Decker a sympathetic ‘what are you going to do’ sort of smile.  “Why don’t you see if you can track them down,” he suggested with a shrug.  “You did good here, but we’ve got this now.”

Decker looked from White Knight, to Black Hat, and back again.  Black smiled friendly at her; White didn’t acknowledge her at all.  “Uh, ok,” Decker relented.  She wasn’t sure what else to do.  She hesitated for a moment more, then flew back towards the docks.

Black Hat watched Decker fly over the buildings.  He waited until she was out of sight before he let his smile slide off his face.  “Is she actually gone?”

White Knight didn’t take his eyes off of Ex.  He didn’t have to.  “She’s gone,”  White verified.  He chuckled low.  “Lord save us from rookies, eh?”

“I don’t know,” Black Hat commented.  “She did alright here.  I bet I could find some use for her.”

Ex choked against White Knight’s grasp.  “Not likely,” she forced.  “That girl’s too goody-good for you boys.”

Black Hat smirked at Ex.  “Really?  I remember a time when we would have said the same about you.”  He gave her a critical once over.  “And now look at you.  All dressed up in super villain black.”  Black Hat clicked his tongue.  “Sad you’re working for three time loser like Task though.  I would have expected you to cling on to something at least B class.”

“Girl needs to make a living,” Ex replied casually.  “Besides, I was just happy to have an employer that was a little less ‘hands on’.”

“You’re joking, right?”  White Knight looked at his partner in disgust.  “Tell me she’s joking, Black.”

“Damn it White!  Don’t take your eyes off of her!”

The warning came too late.  Ex clipped open a concealed pocket on her wrist while White was distracted, and filled her palm with a glittery powder.  She blew it in White’s face when he looked back at her. 

White looked annoyed at first, but that quickly gave way to confusion and pain as he tried to blink away the powder.  Ex smiled wickedly as the big man squinted and shook his head.  $100 dollars of high grade diamond dust; worth every penny.

White let go his grip on Ex, and rubbed at his eyes furiously.  It only made it worse.  Ex took some petty pleasure in White Knights discomfort before she ran towards the nearby sewer grate.

“Damn it,” Black Hat cursed.  He immediately gave chase.  Black Hat flicked his hand, bringing his concealed blade to his palm.  He threw it at Ex, driving it into her calf. 

Ex grunted at the pain, and tumbled forward.  She tucked into a practiced roll, and pulled the blade free in one swift movement.  Ex tossed the blade back at Hat before returning to a run.  Black Hat paused momentarily to bat the knife out of the air, before returning to the chase.

Ex fired her grapple gun, and hooked the manhole.  She gave a yank, and spun the cover shot-put style before letting it loose behind her.  Black Hat flipped effortlessly over manhole cover.  It didn’t even come close to hitting him; partially because he was never the target.

White Knight pulled his hands down from his blurry red eyes, just in time to take a flying manhole cover to the face.  He reeled back a few steps, and swore loudly.  “OK.  That is it!” he declared.  White Knight stared fury at the fleeing Ex.

Black Hat skidded to a stop.  He could recognize White Knight’s intent from the tone.  “No, White!  Don’t!” 

White Knight’s lasers disco balled from his diamond littered eyes; spraying thin beams of white heat in all directions.  Black swore, and grappled to the roofs to escape the path of destruction.  Ex laughed, and dived into the open manhole, escaping to the tunnels below.

White took a moment to rein his powers back in.  He blinked a moment at the squiggly lines burnt into the walls around him.  It was downright embarrassing.  “God d****t,” he cursed loudly.  “You god damned total…”  White Knight stormed towards the open manhole.

Black Hat dropped down behind White Knight.  “Don’t bother,” he suggested.  “She’s gone.”

White Knight bit back several choice words.  “I can’t believe I just got owned by your sidekick,” he complained.

“Ex-sidekick,” Black corrected.  “You got to admit I did a pretty good job training her.”

“Not all you did with her evidently,” White stated with disdain.

“Yeah, yeah.”  Black Hat clapped White Knight on the back.  “C’mon, chum, lets go find you an eyewash station.”

“Chum.”  White Knight let Black Hat lead him away from the alley.  “I hate when you call me that.”

“Yeah, I know.  That’s why I do it.”

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[Paul Mundane]

Just want to take a moment to mention that Decker is purposely mispronouncing Ex's name. Ex, and those who know it mean it in all the negative connotations found in that spelling. Ex-lover, Ex-girlfriend, Ex-partner

Ex-sidekick.

Decker pronounces it X, like an anime character that's super cool. Maybe it's just because Ex K.O.ed her in one hit, or maybe because Ex was the first super villain Decker ever met, but there it is. She secretly thinks Ex is super cool.

She just would never admit it.