Nighthawk: A Superhero Story (closed for Siobhancan99)

[Halcyon638]

“No shame in that,” Zoe said with a little smirk.

Porter blushed and chuckled. “Umm…no. On an unrelated note, I need to go clear my browser history,” he said, miming making a few taps on his phone.

Zoe looked at the flier as they walked. “Shoot. I really should go to this since I know next to nothing about this city, but I’ve got an annotated bibliography due tomorrow and I’ve still only found a few sources.”

“Our poli sci professor’s giving us extra credit if we go,” Porter said, “and um…I’m all about participating in the democratic process. That too,” he added, questionably.

As the three of them parted ways, Zoe added to Monica, “I’ve been playing around with that editing software, putting together some clips.” She’d subscribed to a service that provided video clips and raw footage for use in various projects. “Figuring things out.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica smiled "that's great. Remember I'm paying you to tinker around, so send my LLC a bill so I can pay it." Paying zoe was half the point, after all. "So i'm not sure if I should go to this thing as Monica or as the Nighthawk. If some shit goes down, its hard to react as Monica, but I don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention as the Nighthawk. What do you think?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Zoe nodded and grinned. “Oh, don’t worry. It’s headed your way. I strung together some skateboarding clips. I don’t know anything about skateboarding or, umm…superheroing, but I assume making either look good is kind of the same. I can send the rough cut over.”

She folded the flier neatly and stuffed it into her backpack. “Hmm. Yeah, I guess you can’t really wear your suit under your clothes Spider-Man style. On the one hand…I’m sure they’ll have lots of security? On the other…you did have drug-crazed monster people attack this summer.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nodded "I'm mostly worried about assassins. Which sounds dumb, as this is a mayoral race, but there's a surprising amount of assassination in this town. Like. So much. So many assassins." She hmmms "yeah i'm going to have to think about it, but I think I'm erring on the side of Nighthawking it."

 

[Halcyon638]

Zoe nodded. “Well, either way…be safe, okay? I’m going to try to stream it.” The petite blonde adjusted her backpack, waved to Monica, and headed off to her dorm.

As Monica walked, she could see cops and public safety officers already making their presence felt. She had a few hours before the debate.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica texted Knapp. If someone could get her into that debate and maybe off in the wings where she wouldn' be seen but could be in uniform... it was Knapp. If he couldn't do it, he couldn't do it. She could make the decision as to whether to go flashy or just go as Monica, but having a friend in the right place was sometimes the total difference between success and failure.

 

[Halcyon638]

Knapp texted back about a half hour later.

KNAPP: You heard something about these debates I should know about? Or just going off general Prospect City vibes? I’m not part of the security detail officially but I can show up sniffing around the place and pass it off as overprotective Dad stuff. Btw I have specifically told Hadley not to go so she’ll probably be front row and center.

KNAPP: If you’re planning to show in costume, I can find you a spot to hide out, or I can make sure there’s a side exit clear for you if you need to go change.

 

[siobhancan99]

She texted back "as soon as I go in my civvies there will be some shit. If i show up in my uniform it will be boring as the day is long. So I'll show up in Uniform. Just find a place to stow me and we can sleep through it hopefully."

 

[Halcyon638]

KNAPP: Good thinking. I’ll keep you posted.

The detective came through. As the event approached, he found a server room that sported several ventilation shafts, including one about 13 to 14 feet high that Monica could reach via an empty technology cart; the shaft gave her a clear view of the massive business school auditorium where the debate was being held, though the room itself was hot due to the tech.

Among the familiar faces, Monica spotted Porter, there with Hadley, and journalism student Morgan, who was standing near the front rows of seats, scrolling through his phone.

The incumbent, Lisa Lazzarra, a 50-something woman with every strand of dark hair perfectly in place and a crisp pant suit, was off to the side of the stage conferring with presumably some staffers, apparently feeling confident, as she and the others seemed to be at ease and chuckling at something.

There were 2 other challengers, a nervy-looking 50-something guy in glasses who represented a 3rd party and had about as much chance of winning as Monica did, and Jessica Howell, who’d been trailing Lazzarra by just a few points. She very much looked the part of “your favorite teacher” her campaign and/or the media were trying to frame her as by emphasizing her years spent as a high school math instructor: 40-something, brown hair in bangs, pretty but in a “mom next door” way, and was standing at the podium aside one of her young staff members but not speaking, looking down at the piece of furniture as if she was trying to memorize all of her talking points.

About 15 minutes before the debate kicked off, Howell was convening with her staffers, most of whom looked to be mid to late 30s at most, with one guy looking to be in his late 20s.

KNAPP: Of course Hadley’s there. Do you give your Dad as much trouble as she gives me or is this just my personal special Hell?

Howell was near the wings of the stage now, and there among her staff was Melanie, smiling warmly. The two looked at one another meaningfully and Howell took both of the professor’s hands, giving them a quick squeeze before heading back onto the stage.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica hmmmed as she looked over the third party guy and considered going libertarian for a hot second then laughed and said "why not just throw your vote away Mon." She looked over at Mel and the candidate "huh. good for her." Mel deserved love, and the woman was age appropriate which was new for Mel. Personal growth. She was proud if a touch jealous. She scanned the crowd. If there was going to be some kind of shenanigans it would PROBABLY come from the crowd, but not definitely. Still, best to spot anyone that seemed squirrely. Someone wearing a coat in this hottest of Septembers. that sort of thing.

 

[Halcyon638]

Eyeing the crowd, no one immediately stood out, and she could see ample police presence monitoring the entrances. It was a mix of students, faculty and possibly some Prospect City residents, and the entourage of each candidate. Crews from the two remaining major news channels set up to record the event.

Monica’s personal phone vibrated.

MEL: Hi. I don’t know if you’re here at the debate, but if you or you and your friends would like to go to the Howell afterparty, let me know.

A few minutes later, the debate kicked off. Howell was attacked on a few fronts consistently, namely her lack of executive experience (she’d served as a school superintendent for 2 years) and her tax plan, tossing out the line, "As a math teacher, you'd think she'd know this math doesn't add up" that drew a few chuckles from the audience. When Lazzarra responded to a question about crime by pledging to hire more police officers, Howell responded, “More police? What exactly have you done to ensure our precincts haven’t been taken over by dirty cops on the Imperial’s payroll? 13 officers found to have ties to organized crime. And where is the accountability?”

Howell hit the incumbent hard on other matters, from being wined and dined by British developers and then giving her approval to the Lehman Yards project, to the clean up for the train wreck that had released chemicals into the very area of Prospect City where the project was slated for construction.

“I hear from the people of Gilliam Heights every day,” Howell noted, “and they’re struggling. Struggling to find new homes, new jobs, cope with brand new health problems. Mayor Lazzarra passes off the blame for the slow recovery on the federal and state governments, and sure, there is plenty of blame to go around. But surely there’s more that the Mayor of Prospect City could do than throw up her hands and tell them wait for the federal government, wait for the lawsuits. Try to imagine this had happened in Westbridge, in Preston Center,” she added, referring to 2 of the city’s most upscale neighborhoods. “Do you honestly think she’d be throwing up her hands and telling those neighborhoods she’s doing all she can?”

Howell strayed away from insinuating the train crash had anything to do with Lehman Yards, which had become a popular conspiracy. As Monica had predicted, sitting and watching in her uniform, no threats had unfolded by the time the incumbent gave her closing statement.

 

[siobhancan99]

She admitted to herself more than a little disappointment. She understood it was probably important for Howell to win and she actually came away liking the woman, but stealing both candidate's thunder and press. Well. She was vain enough to have had a little hope of that. She shared the normal suspicion about the train. Something was off there for sure, but she wasn't a good enough detective to put that together and that trail was cold. Maybe she could get marcus to break into the developer's building, but even there. She texted Mel "in uniform, at work. Will go home and change. Text me the address and I"ll meet you there." She texted Hads, knowing the girl would probably be all in on going to this thing "wanna maybe meet Howell? my therapist is maybe her girlfriend I think. I scored an invite to the post debate party."

She went home, changed, showered and did her makeup, light. Professional. She threw on black slacks with a low heel, and a blouse, then checked to see if she was picking up Hadley on the way to the event.

 

[Halcyon638]

HADLEY: Ooh. Rubbing shoulders with the city’s elite. They probably have free food, so I’m down.

The venue was a placed called the Trilby, a famous hotel and Prospect City landmark. Hadley, wearing a slightly formal (for her) blue dress walked alongside Monica as they made their way to the ballroom. On their way over, Hadley had laid out her current romantic dilemma, which involved whether to try continuing her 6-month old romance with her friend from NYC who was attending Providence College, or whether to break it off to make a go at it with Porter.

“So, I don’t know. I mean, not to sound completely shallow, but Porter didn’t have to complicate things by going off and getting cute over the summer. And he’s sweet and he’s here, maybe more importantly. But I’m not really into his nerdy stuff and, like, I don’t know whether he actually liked the play I brought him to or whether he’s just saying he likes it.”

A burly security guard met them, then let them in once Monica gave her name. Despite the candidate’s image, it was the easily the fanciest party Monica had ever attended, with hor d’oeuvres that looked vaguely like modernist sculptures, copious bottles of alcohol set out, and people decked out in daring dresses and perfectly tailored clothes.

The candidate, Mel by her side, chatted amiably with a circle of mostly 30 and 40-somethings. Many of the younger staffers that had been flanking off-stage partook of some drinks and bantered about what had unfolded in the auditorium earlier.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica steered Hadley through the crowd. She hmmmed internally a moment, since Mateo had kidnapped Hadley and killed Mel's wife. She wasn't sure if this was a great idea after all, but she'd invited the girl. She nodded along, commiserating "here's the thing. Porter really fucking is working on himself. A lot. And that should be appreciated, but it doesn't mean you have to appreciate him in that way. At the same time, you've already uh. Well i'm pretty sure you were his first. So. " She laughs and shrugs "Look. If you guys don't have a connection beyond the physical, it isn't going to work long term. That doesn't mean it can't work short term. Like, you could just be fuck buddies. Get his confidence up, let him have some wins and teach him what to do with himself. He's got a big dick right? so you know. If you're up front and honest with him about what you want, maybe he will want that too. I don't think it's even crossed his mind a woman might want to objectify him. He might be fucking flattered.Or you know, if you think there's a there there, then go for it. Just be honest with yourself first, then with him. Pretending to be okay with shit you're not good with is a recipe for disaster." That might have been about Gabi pretending to be ok with her being the nighthawk. maybe. definitely. "I mean, he is sweet and he's not some tool from the theater department that thinks he's the next John Barrymore. So there's that."

Moving over towards the older group she flags down Melanie "Doctor" she smiles and moves over towards her, not sure if Mel's ever mentioned her to the girlfriend she definitely didn't mention to Monica and so she tried to be a little formal to let Mel set the tone for the conversation. She could always laugh the doctor comment off, if she wanted. Or could maintain some semblance of formality.

 

[Halcyon638]

Hadley nodded, accepting an hor d’ouevre and chomping it down with little hesitation. “Honest to god, talking to you for 10 minutes is a million times more helpful than talking to my therapist for an hour. Do you take insurance?”

The circle of partygoers parted slightly as Monica approached, Hadley trailing behind slightly as a server asked for ID (the junior producing an actual state-issued document before grabbing a champagne flute). “Monica,” Mel said, a pleased smile on her face. “Jess. Everyone. This is Monica.”

The candidate smiled warmly. “Hi. Nice to meet you.”

Turning toward the rest of the group, the professor explained, “Monica was one of my most promising students last year. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t get her to trade Electrical Engineering for Psychology.”

Hadley approached with drink in hand. “Who’s this?” Mel asked.

 

[siobhancan99]

"Mel will be so glad I learned something from her." Monica chuckled.

When they approached the group, she took the cue from Mel and played it cool on their friendship "Hey, I did give absolutely stellar relationship advice just now, so maybe not all is lost on that front." She grinned and sipped at her coke, as she wasn't about to risk trying to get served. "This is Hadley" She stressed the name a little, knowing she and Mel had discussed Hadley's time with Mateo. "My friend. She is an avid supporter of the campaign and I thought this was a good opportunity for her to meet some people and see about getting involved. Also if I met you and didn't bring her along she'd have murdered me I think."

 

[Halcyon638]

Howell, Mel, and some of those nearby chuckled at Monica’s remark. “I definitely could have used that around your age,” the candidate responded.

Hadley gave a little wave as she made her way into the circle. Howell nodded and flashed her maternal smile. “That sounds like a good call. My campaign platform is definitely anti-murder. I’m just going to come out and say it.”

“Hey. Let’s not to commit to anything until we run some internal polls,” an affably nerdy-looking 30-something staffer noted.

Howell extended a hand to Hadley. “So nice to meet you, and thank you for your support.”

“You’re welcome. Just so you know, I’m pretty sure I’ve got my dad down for Undecided right now, and he used to be a big Lazzarra head. He’s a cop.”

Howell chuckled. “Wow. Thank you. I really appreciate you both coming out tonight. Seeing young people interested in the political process is always so inspiring. Have you met Davis?” She motioned toward the side of the crowded ballroom. “Davis is our Community Engagement Coordinator. Davis, come here.”

Davis was a sharply dressed, dashing man in his mid or late twenties with dark, curly ringlets. “Davis, this is Hadley and Monica. They’re both PCU students. I don’t want to speak for Monica, but Hadley here at least is maybe interested in getting involved in the campaign?”

Walking alongside Davis was Mina. Dressed in a simple long-sleeved white top, black skirt, and stockings, she still looked as if she’d just stepped off a red carpet somewhere disgustingly glamorous. She casually held a glass of wine, an aloof expression on her face.

“Hey. So nice to meet you!” Davis said. “PCU alum here. Hadley, I’d love to have you onboard. Monica. Can I at least entice you with a bumper sticker? Water bottle?”

 

[siobhancan99]

"I'm not really an advertising for others kind of girl, Davis." She chuckles "I'm voting for Howell. Anyone with Dr. Howe's personal endorsement is good for me. Also I like what she stands for." She looks over her shoulder. She grinned at Davis, but looked at Mina out of the corner of her eye. Fuck she looked good. Amazing. the problem, as she saw it, was that Mina was into the Nighthawk and probably wouldn't give Monica the time of day. Boring electrical engineering student Monica, 20 years old with no money to be jetting off to Bali and like 50 total followers on instagram, half of which were just dudes who dmed her about how hot it she was kissing Gabi in the very innocent pictures she put up on it. She wanted to find someone who could be into the whole her, and part of that wanted it to be Mina. Mostly the part of her that was some sort of horny teenage boy inside, but still a part of her.

'You miss all the shots you don't take' she thought to herself. "Hi. I'm Monica I don't think I got your name." She smiled over at Mina, wondering if she'd catch her attention.

 

[Halcyon638]

The red-head smiled at the vote of confidence, as did Howell. “Maybe you can persuade her to do a campaign ad for me,” the politician said to Monica, reaching over and squeezing Mel’s hand.

Davis nodded. “Totally fine. Those water bottles are pretty high quality, though. Just saying.”

Mina seemed a little surprised to be addressed. “Hello. Sorry, I guess I’m introducing myself tonight,” she said, exchanging a quick, seemingly pointed glance with Davis. There was a moment of awkward silence before the elegant girl put on a grin and said, “I’m Mina.”

“Mina is, uh…,” Davis struggled, looking to her momentarily as if searching her expression for an answer, “a friend.”

“Are you also a Prospect University student?” Howell jumped in, as if trying to assuage the awkwardness.

“Oh, no,” the mid-twenty-something said, smiling, “too old. But thank you.” That drew a few chuckles.

“Mina’s an influencer,” Davis added.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica struggled to say something that wasn't cheesy but would be interesting. Fuck, how could she be sort of star struck by a girl who already sent her racy pictures on instagram. It was all she could do not to blurt out "I'm the Nighthawk and I'm recently single."

She instead tried to play it cool "oh. I think I've seen some videos of you in Bali or something." She looked over at Davis "She's a friend with a name, Davis." She laughed and moved to stand next to Mina, leaning in "I think he's afraid someone will steal you away if he properly introduces you." She laughed and straightened. "So are you working on the campaign? or are you just here as Davis' plus one?" She tried drawing the Slavic beauty out a little and to find out if there was any kind of romantic entanglement. Mina always seemed to be around some guy that could do things for her, but she knew the girl at least had a little or a lot of a gay side. Though maybe that was just for the Nighthawk. Still, it was nice to see her again. To talk to her without the weird distance she felt like she had to maintain as a superhero. To not have the responsibility to be responsible, or worry about her image or what might be said about her online. It occurred to her Mina probably understood that pressure. The need to be someone you weren't exactly. To be some squeaky clean version of yourself, or a more salacious version. To be the marketing as much as the woman.

Or she could be vain and shallow and a typical influencer. Monica didn't have that impression from the private messages they shared, but she also hadn't wanted to have that impression so. Maybe a little chance to figure that out.

 

[Halcyon638]

“Really?” Mina said, a little gleam appearing in her blue-gray eyes. “Wow. I don’t meet that many followers IRL.”

Davis grinned. “Yes, of course. Sorry, my brain is still buzzing from the debate.”

“Bali?” Mel said. “One of my graduate students was born near there. I hear it’s beautiful.”

“Yeah, it was incredible. Definitely recommended. Especially if you don’t have to pay for it.” Smiling, she added, “I went with a friend.” For a moment, Monica thought she detected a little hint of tension on Davis’s face at the comment that quickly faded.

Turning back to Monica, Mina said, “Oh, just a plus one. I don’t really do political posts. The one time I did, a bunch of angry guys call me names and tell me to shut up, so…” She shrugged, then sipped some wine, looking at Monica and Hadley. “You two are at PCU?”

 

[siobhancan99]

"So many friends" Monica grinned as everyone was a friend. "Must be nice to be an influencer." She was picking up on Davis definitely thinking there was something there, but she had a good guess that there might not really be. She nodded at the question "I'm in electrical engineering and thinking about Materials Science as a double major." She felt a little nervousness. Would that bore Mina? Did that matter? if it did, as she said to Hads, some people were there for a moment in essence. There could still be a moment. not everything had to be some huge romantic build up like she'd had with Tom. She'd had that with Gabi and it went to shit anyway. "I can see how that would be hard, too. Like, having this private side of yours that wants to be able to express yourself and share your opinions, but having this public face that sort of has to be for everyone because you're dependent to some extent on goodwill for your brand. How do you navigate that?"

 

[Halcyon638]

“I guess I’m just friendly,” Mina said, smiling wryly. Howell excused herself to speak with some other supporters, and Mel did the same a moment later.

When Monica announced her major, the influencer nodded and offered a polite but muted “Wow.”

“Theatre major,” Hadley said, “formerly Engineering.”

“Oh, cool!” Mina said.

“I don’t know. Most of us are total dorks.” Mina let out a brief laugh.

Davis and Hadley started discussing ways she could get involved with the campaign while Monica posed the question to Mina. “I guess that time it was more guys saying because I post bikini pics sometimes I shouldn’t have opinions on things or that I’m dumb.” She took a sip of wine, her full lips faintly stained purple. “But it is hard sometimes. Some days I just want to stay in bed and not throw on any makeup and just lie there all day. But this is not what I’m selling. ‘I fake it so real, I am beyond fake.' So, it can be hard. Not, like…Electrical Science hard, though.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nodded "I get that. Let me be clear though, what you do is not... easier... than Electrical Engineering. What I do is apply certain scientific principles that other people discovered, actual scientists, and I use those principles or more accurately, im learning to use those principles." she chuckled "to make a product. To solve some kind of problem. I'm not discovering anything new. I'm not leaping into uncharted territory. I'm taking existing knowledge and just thinking about a way to make it perform a task. Which is not to say what I do is easy, but I'm not you know... uncovering the mysteries of the cosmos. What you do is apply knowledge about marketing to create content right? Like you have to know what your brand is. You have to know how to make content that fits in with your brand so that your viewers won't be put off by some new direction. You have to also figure out some way to make it new, so they aren't bored and asking themselves why they still watch your content. You have to have something to say, but you have to figure out how to say it in a way that makes people agree like they had already thought of it. Like how to sell them on what you're doing and saying so it feels like a reaffirmation of their own thoughts and experiences. At the same time, especially with lifestyle stuff... you have to make them feel like they're getting a glimpse into a world that is beyond theirs. What you do is engineering. It is social engineering. You're taking all this stuff that you know, and you're making a product. That product is pictures and video clips and image, but it is a product. So don't fucking tell yourself that what you do is easy."

Monica laughed "im like, at least ok looking. I have a few followers on my insta and most are friends or dudes that want to screw me. If what you did was easy, I'd have a ton of followers and I'd be jetting off to Bali, but I'm not. So QED it must not be easy. It's just different."

 

[Halcyon638]

Mina sipped her drink as Monica spoke, inscrutable. Finally, another hint of a smile appeared on the black-haired girl’s face, partially hidden behind her nearly empty wine glass. “Next time I need to update my resume, I know who to talk to.”

“That’s where I recognized you,” Hadley said, breaking away from her side conversation with Davis. “You did the whole ‘Nighthawk stories’ thing. People talking about her saving them.”

Mina’s face lit up, and the poised aloofness of her demeanor suddenly disappeared. “Yes! That was me. I mean, I started it. But obviously, so many people share their stories, and she’s…” For a split second, it looked as if she was off in her own little world, enraptured. “Incredible.”

Hadley sipped some champagne. “I wanted to, um…share my story.”

“She saved you?”

“Yeah,” Hadley said, blushing a little bit. “I wouldn’t, uh…be kicking around here today if it wasn’t for her. But I wasn’t, like…ready to share that in front of millions of strangers.”

Mina wore a sympathetic expression on her face. “Totally fine. If you are ever ready to talk it about, just one on one, I’d love to hear it.”

“Mina, Ames finally made it,” Davis said to her. “Can I introduce y—properly introduce you to him and his wife?”

She managed a smirk, glancing at both Monica and Hadley again. “He learns. Excuse me.”