Nighthawk: A Superhero Story (closed for Siobhancan99)

[siobhancan99]

Monica sighed "seven years. Its been seven years." Seven years since mom fucked off into space. She suspected she'd been cheating before that but who knew. She looked at the painting "you should. you know. I dunno." She leaned into her dad "I know you love her. I do too its just ... fuck her for leaving too." She wiped her eyes and texted back "I'll be fine" which wasn't exactly a yes or no but it was as close to the truth as she could summon.

She stared at the pedestrian subject of rooms by the sea, a hotel room, a door, a flat sea beyond. Still there was something of yearning in it. A desire to be somewhere else that she felt keenly at the moment. She twisted her hands a little "At least my breakup with Austin went amicably. So I guess I'm one for three this week" She smirked at her dad "gotta count our blessing where we can, right?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Her father gave her a quick hug. Though it was clearly meant to be affectionate, there was the slightest hint of the Centauri strength that coursed through him. “This is why Centauris aren’t big on art. It can bring out all of these useless emotions.” He patted her back. “Now come on. You want to go watch our football team do some quality punting?”

As they walked to the parking lot, Gabi trailed behind her parents. Seeing her approaching, James nodded to her and then walked toward his car. They were out of earshot of Orlando and Sara at the moment, though Sara was glancing back.

Gabi extended her hand to take Monica’s. “Hey, querida.” She started to move toward the cars. “It’s okay. It wouldn’t be the first time we held hands in front of them.” The wind was beginning to pick up, bringing a noticeable chill with it.

 

[siobhancan99]

Taking Gabi's hand she squeezed it "yeah but maybe no making out" she tried to make a joke of it, but she was shaken a bit by the exhibition. She resisted lacing her fingers through Gabi's, trying to keep things casual so her parents weren't alerted. "did your parents enjoy the exhibition?" she tried steering things towards pretty neutral territory, and just talking helped her calm down a bit and get control of herself "ready for some mediocre football i guess?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi nodded. “Yeah, I think they had a good time. It’s nice for them to see ‘oh, hey, there are some good sides to being in a city and away from Cottersville even if there’s some bad stuff.’ I think my mom got a coffee mug.” She smiled, at one point reaching for Monica’s hand but then pulling it away. “Do you remember how bad CH was our sophomore year?” she asked, referring to the high school football team. “I remember you having to pull my laptop out of my hands so I wouldn’t be doing homework all night.”

The football game was a disaster, if a predictable one. Still, Gabi and Monica’s parents seemed to be enjoying themselves, Sara now decked out in her “Prospect U. Mom t-shirt.”

After the game, there was a bit of downtime before the reception for families at the Chevalier Hotel. It was easily the fanciest such establishment Monica had ever been to, with plenty of hors d’oeuvres, elaborate table settings and center pieces, and parents decked out in suits or dresses that probably cost the equivalent of a few Prospect U course credits. “Wow. I feel a little underdressed,” Gabi commented.

“Or those people are overdressed,” James noted. Gabi seemed to be scanning the crowd for familiar faces. Monica spotted one first, Austin’s height and crutches making him stand out as he talked to two middle-aged people: a tall, balding, bearded man a few inches shorter than him, and a petite, simply but elegantly dressed blonde-haired woman.

Gabi waved across the room at Porter, who waved back with an awkward half-smile.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica dragged her father over to stand near Austin "you might as well take the opportunity to meet a minor celebrity, as its probably the only one i'm going to know that I can ever introduce you to openly" She smiled at Porter and waved, making a mental note to talk to him next for sure, and to drag Gabi over there. His parents needed to see he had some actual friends.

She waited till there was a good moment, then waved to try to catch Austin's attention. She didn't want to interrupt him, as she assumed he was probably super busy pressing the flesh and all that. Still, it would be nice for her dad to meet him. "He hurt himself, obviously. Of course like, right after I broke it off." She shrugged "not a good week for Austin I think. I still tutor him for physics."

 

[Halcyon638]

“Should I ask him for his autograph?” James asked in his corny dad-joke voice. Gabi was already on her way over to see Porter with her parents. Austin smiled broadly as Monica approached. He wasn’t overdressed, but it was the first time she’d seen him in a nice dress shirt, tie, and pants, all of which seemed perfectly fitted to his tall, muscular frame.

“Hey,” he said, smiling. “How are things? Mom, Dad, this is Monica. She’s in my physics class.”

“James Bergenson,” Monica’s father said, extending his hand. “I’m the dad.”

The parents exchanged greetings. “I love those earrings,” Austin’s mother said to Monica with earnest enthusiasm. “I hear you’re quite the tutor. Next time I send some homemade cookies, I’m going to tell him he needs to set aside a certain number for you. As payment. Sound fair?”

As Monica’s father spoke with the couple, she and Austin were able to get a little distance to have their own conversation. “So. How’s it going with you and Gabi?” He glanced over at her and Porter. “You should have seen your boy Porter talking shit last night.” He pulled up an image from his social media feed of him, Porter, another guy, and one of Austin’s teammates playing Magic: The Gathering. “In a very quiet way, but still. He was out of control.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"I do love cookies. I could eat about a dozen right now, I swear. And your son is a pleasure to tutor. I mean... he probably shouldn't have taken physics but he's a nice guy and its nice to spend time with him" She laughed "he's a good friend. you raised a good boy." 'For a manwhore' went unspoken.

"If I wasn't with Gabi I'd make out furiously with you over you helping Porter come out of his shell. God he's such a nice kid." She put her hand on his arm and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "but I am with Gabi and um. It's uh." she blushed "its uh. Working. Uh. Very well. We're uh. you know. Uh. Figuring some things out." She laughed and turned red "but honestly its really good. How's your knee?" She looked down at the crutches "Gabi's teaching us to play dnd. If you have a lot more time in your schedule you'd be alright to join us I'm sure." She was concerned and she did feel some serious attraction there. Still, Austin was Austin and he would probably never be faithful. Even as a used car salesman in Indiana she'd probably have to be concerned about him fucking the customers. "Is there anything you need? I can do your shopping and stuff." She did want to be his friend. Though that was dangerous as there might at some drunken point be the suggestion of a threesome that everyone would regret.

 

[Halcyon638]

“Told him to take bio since he did it in high school,” Austin’s father remarked, “but it wouldn’t be the first time he didn’t listen.” There was the hint of a smile on his face, yet his tone suggested there was an undercurrent of real tension there.

Austin blushed a little at the kiss. “I’ll definitely take the credit, but just so you know, it’s not, like, a charity case thing or anything. I just found out Darmell plays a couple of weeks ago and I’d been wanting to set up a game. I like Porter.” As Monica described her relationship with Gabi, Austin said, “That’s awesome. You look great—happy. And if you ever need some tips on how to please a woman...sorry, that’s my one obligatory pervy male comment. I’ll shut it down now.” He looked down at his cast. “The leg is okay. Still getting used to the whole cast situation and it kinda sucks that I have to study my ass of instead of just lying in bed and watching Hulu, but it’s alright.”

Gabi was talking to a tall, brown-haired guy who had wandered over to where she stood with Porter. “Honestly, I could really use another study session if you’re able to squeeze one in before Wednesday.” They currently one session arranged for Monday. “I totally understand if you can’t, though.”

James approached Austin and Monica now. The guy Gabi was talking to turned, revealing a familiar, boyish, blandly handsome face. It was Paterson Lowell.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica flinched as if she'd been struck. Paterson Lowell, the murderous little shit with two last names. Talking to Gabi and walking around a soiree without a care in the world. She was glad she didn't have a glass in her hands because she'd have shattered it. She inhaled, then slowly let out a breath to let go of her fury and tension. Well, her tension. She nodded to Austin "yeah we can squeeze in another session. Can you make it to our place? If not I can come to you." She kept her eyes on the miscreant. She felt like this was a Clark Kent meets Lex Luthor at a party moment, except Paterson Lowel wasn't really a mastermind. He was just a rich douchebag who had an aura that made her cringe. She wondered how he knew Gabi or maybe Porter, or if he just saw something he liked and went in for it. Gabi was smoking hot, after all. He was an entitled frat boy douche. So probably that. Still she couldn't just charge in there, so she hung out a moment and watched the situation unfold, as well as waiting for Austin's reply.

 

[Halcyon638]

“Sure, I can make it over,” Austin said. “Tomorrow night work? I’m ordering us some Grubhub. Gabi, too.” Monica’s father had wandered over. “Nice meeting you,” Austin said.

“You, too.” Monica saw that Lowell seemed to be talking to Gabi, Porter, and Porter’s parents, a self-satisfied smile on his face. The bio major had the pinched smile of someone secretly hoping to be rescued from a bad conversation. As Monica and James approached, Lowell started to walk away.

“Super-cool to meet you,” he said to Gabi. He said the same to Porter’s parents, then added, “Porter, DM me, okay?” As he passed Monica, Lowell gave her a smarmy smile and quickly looked her up and down before making his way across the room.

“Hey,” Porter said to Monica. Porter’s parents greeted her and her father. “So…um…you ready for the psych mid-term?” Gabi’s parents were talking to Porters’ about the best places to eat in the city, though Orlando looked like he might fall asleep at any second. Porter’s mother seemed to be wearing an even larger crucifix on her necklace this time.

“It wasn’t an easy choice to move to the city,” Monica overheard Porter’s mom say to Sara, “With all the crime and filth and ‘alternative lifestyles’ or whatever the ‘politically correct’ term is. It’s not easy to be a person of faith in the city especially if you want to raise a child. You must feel the same way.”

Sara’s back was to Monica, but she heard Gabi’s mom utter a non-committal, “Mm-hm.” Across the room, Monica spotted Hadley and Brendan Knapp beside Layla and presumably her father.

 

[siobhancan99]

Porter's mother's religious fervor explained a lot. He'd probably been swallowing his sexual urges since he was 12, explaining why he was portly and shy and awkward around women. Something they'd have to work on. She put her hand on Gabi's back, perilously close to her round ass "Hey chica" she slid her hand away "who was your friend?" She asked Porter, thumbing a finger at Paterson "I don't think I've seen him around or heard you mention him." She looked around, then pretended she just saw Hadley "we should all go check on Hads. See how she's holding up you know?" It seemed like the excuse to tear everyone away from Porter's parents, or if they came along perhaps take some of the focus off of them.

 

[Halcyon638]

Porter looked slightly stricken. “He’s not really my friend. We went to the same high school,” he said, looking down at his hands. “He’s…actually kind of a dick.”

Porter’s parents wandered off, talking to one of the overdressed couples. “Please take me with you,” Porter said to Gabi and Monica. Gabi smiled. “Of course.” Her parents hovered just behind, talking with James.

Layla and Hadley waved, and when they made their way over, introduced their respective dads to the others. Layla’s mother soon joined them along with an elementary-school-aged girl who resembled Layla and was clinging shyly to her mother’s side holding a stuffed walrus. Gabi beamed at the child, who Layla introduced as Kendra. “Hi there,” Gabi said. “Does your walrus have a name?”

“Benny.”

“That’s a good name,” Gabi said. “Did you see there were cookies over there?” The girl’s eyes widened. “Is it okay if she has one before dinner?” she inquired with Layla’s dad.

“I think one couldn’t hurt,” he said. Gabi, Layla, and Kendra made their way over.

“You look familiar,” James Bergenson said to Hadley’s father.

“I guess I’ve just got one of those faces,” Knapp replied.

“Hey—you’re that detective!” Sara noted. “The guy who works with the, uh, Nighthawk. Right?” James glanced in Monica’s direction, an inquiring expression on his face.

“ ‘Worked with’ is a little strong,” Brendan said. “She basically tells me where to pick up the guys she beats up.”

“Still, you know her? What is she like?” Sara asked.

“I don’t—it’s not like we hang out or anything,” the detective said, turning red.

“You talk about her enough,” Hadley said, a bit of annoyance in her tone. Monica’s father’s eyes narrowed a bit.

“I don’t talk about her,” Knapp noted, looking like he was scanning for the nearest hole to crawl into and die. “I mean, not like—it’s just part of my work.”

“Probably a good idea,” James told him. “Not talking about her. She sounds pretty dangerous.”

Gabi, Kayla, and Kayla’s little sister returned. “Got you a cookie,” Gabi said, giving Monica a white chocolate and toffee cookie.

“So,” Hadley said, “you know movies, Mon. Trying to figure out some horror movies to binge this year. Any suggestions? And go light on the serial killers if you can. For some reason, not feeling it.”

“I’m going to go and save us a seat, ‘kay?” Detective Knapp asked.

"Think I'm going for a drink," James said, eyeing the cash bar.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nodded. She wished Porter would have said his name so she could out him, but as it was she really couldn't. Still, good to see Porter didn't like him. "Well. We all have people from our past like that." She put her hand on his arm "lets go see Layla."

"Gabi had a bear" She said to the little girl "His name was Thadeus T. Bear. Her mother gave him away when she was 12 to some relative." She leaned down and played with the whiskers on the walrus. When the girls headed to get cookies she smiled at Porter, she wanted to suggest he hang out with Layla, but didn't want to be heavy handed about it "I heard you were slaying it at magic the other night."

She turned to her dad "yeah, Dad, Detective, Detective, my dad and Gabi's parents." She shifted a little "You know, it was lucky the Nighthawk is close with you." She shot a look at Hadley when Hadley seemed annoyed at her relationship with Knapp, which she understood a little in a jealous-her-dad seemed so caught up in someone else way, but... you know. Some gratitude might be nice. "I think we ALL should be thankful that they are" She put her hand on Hadley's arm "to the extent that they are, you know?"

Monica bit into her cookie "The Witch is great, really atmospheric. The Apostle is amazing but Gabi and I watched it a few weeks ago. I'd be down for it again though."

She looked around "yeah dad. Uh, we will get some seats I guess?" She badly wanted to ask him for a beer, and if they'd been home she probably would have just grabbed one. He didn't have hang ups like earth parents about that sort of thing, but in front of Gabi's parents that was probably a recipe for disaster.

Returning to Hadley "So you're gonna help me and Gabi tomorrow right?"

 

[Halcyon638]

“Aww, you remembered Thadeus,” Gabi said, smiling at Monica. Her eyes lingered on her girlfriend for a moment, then she led Kendra and Layla away.

Porter grinned, a bit embarrassed, but also seeming a little proud. “Austin hadn’t played in a while,” he said. “But yeah. I was, uh…pretty dominant. I just need to go to, like…some alternate universe where being really good at collectible card games is like being really good at basketball.” He said it with a smile on his face and a tone that was mostly tongue-in-cheek, but Monica still detected a hint of melancholy there. “Um…if my mom and dad say anything super terrible about…anything, just so you know, I don’t agree with them on any of that stuff.”

A smirk crept onto Hadley’s face as Monica brought up the Nighthawk’s role in saving her. “Yeah, I know. I just like giving him shit for talking about her like she’s his work wife.”

“That is…” the detective said, starting to defend himself before slinking off.

“I gotta give The Witch another try. I watched it when I was really into my extreme blood and gore phase so I didn’t get too far into it, but now I’m smarty-pants enough to appreciate a horror movie with less viscera,” Hadley remarked. “I think The Apostle slipped totally under my radar. Noted.”

Her father started over to the cash bar while Hadley, Gabi, Porter, Layla, and their respective families made their way over to one of the tables. “Yesss, I’m definitely helping you two,” Hadley said. “If I could double major in engineering and, like, Halloween studies, I would. Porter, Layla, you coming? Halloween costumes?”

“Sounds good,” Layla noted. “Do you guys have any ideas?”

“So, Gabita,” Sara said, “What are you going as?”

“I don’t know yet,” Gabi replied.

“Well, you make sure to send me a picture before you go out, okay? You all seem like very smart, very nice girls who know you don’t need to wear a skimpy little costume to impress the boys, right?” Monica saw Gabi stifle a smile behind her hand. More and more people began settling into their seats as there were about ten minutes before the opening remarks from one of the university’s deans. On the card laying out the evening’s speakers, Daunte Ellis, the young DA candidate running a not-too-distant third behind the incumbent Ron Delacourt and challenger Fiona Haigler, was listed as the final speaker and noted as an assistant professor in the university’s law school. From a table nearby, Austin glanced in Monica’s direction and gave her a nod and smile.

Brendan Knapp took a phone call and looked agitated. He spoke for a minute, then turned to Hadley. “Hads—”

“What?” she said, a bit coldly.

“It should—I’ll just be a minute. Be right back.” He exited the conference room. A moment later, Monica received a text.

It was from Gabi. “I kinda want to go down the hall and make out with you.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"Of course I remember Thadeus" She'd been searching for a replacement for Christmas for Gabi. It had been on the border of too romantic a gift, but now that they were a couple it was the perfect thing. Finding that bear had been hard, even with the abundance of collectibles online. She needed one still in the box so it wouldn't be worn in odd places or smell wrong or anything.

When talk switched to costumes "I'm really wanting to go victorian/edwardian vampire. Long coat, top hat, lacy top, maybe a paisley vest or something." She nodded "then some face makeup, fake teeth. that sort of thing. curl my hair. And Sara, I promise you I will keep Gabi's eyes off any boys." She nodded "She's got more important things to think about."

When Monica got the text, she felt a pang of guilt, because what SHE wanted was to slip out and ask Knapp what was up and maybe get in some superheroing. This dinner was going to be excruciating and beating some bad guys seemed a better use of her time. Besides she'd been fucking her girlfriend and snuggling instead of being the night. She felt an enormous amount of guilt about not being out there. She'd wait for Knapp to come back and she'd see if he said anything that would involve her special skills. Texting back she put in a little smiley face "we have all night, greedy"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi continued to fight a grin as Monica replied to Sara. “I seem to remember someone going as Xena Warrior Queen and showing a bunch of skin,” Orlando observed, a sly grin on his face as he checked his phone.

“Warrior Princess,” Sara corrected, “and that was different because Xena was a badass.” She kissed the side of Orlando’s face. To Monica, she said, “I know you’ll keep an eye on her, so I’m not worried.”

“Aww, the speeches are before dinner,” Hadley lamented. “Not cool.”

Gabi texted Monica back a kiss emoji. Near the cash bar, Monica’s father was talking to a smiling woman around his age. A moment later, he arrived with a drink.

The first speaker, the school’s Dean of Students, gave the opening remarks. It was brief and pleasant, welcoming the families and emphasizing how big a role they played in the students’ academic and personal success. She introduced Daunte Ellis, the keynote speaker, a bookish yet handsome Black man in his mid-thirties.

Ellis related a story about being raised in Prospect City and the role his grandmother in particular played in his upbringing and education. Speaking to the students, he said, “I’ve been fortunate enough to have that support at every stage of my educational journey, whether it was my grandma giving me that kick in the pants when I needed the motivation, or my wonderful wife, Laura, going through foot-high stacks of case law flash cards with me in law school.” He smiled at his beaming, curly-haired wife. “There will be times when you start to doubt yourself and start to question whether you belong, or whether you’re smart enough, hard-working enough, or…” Ellis faltered for a moment, looking at a spot in the middle of the room. He coughed, then looked down at his notes.

A pale, broad-shouldered man was walking toward the front of the room, approaching the table at which Laura Ellis sat. “…or whether you even made the right decision in the first place,” Ellis continued. The man began to clap. All eyes were on him now, especially the heavyset, suited man on the stage who seemed to be security personnel of some kind.

“By all means, finish your speech,” the man said loudly. He had closely-cropped auburn hair and vivid green eyes. The security guard began moving toward Ellis. “I can wait. I’ve waited 4 years.”

Another security guard near the rear of the room about forty feet away from the man now began approaching. “You don’t even recognize me, do you?” the stranger asked. “I guess it has been 4 years. And my face isn’t plastered all over TV like yours is.” Agitated murmurs began to flow through the crowd, and some people were already edging toward the exits. “You’ve done good for yourself.”

The man pulled a gun and pointed it at Laura Ellis. “I think everyone should stick around for this, don’t you?”

 

[siobhancan99]

"well shit" Monica sighed. It was hero time, but she had no mask and there were like 200 witnesses. She looked around and worried her lip. Part of her just wanted to see what was going on, part of her wanted to cause a big ruckus so she could change in the confusion. It would take a while for the sliver to get here though. Still, she thumbed the remote in her purse to summon it. Worst came to worst this went full hostage situation and she slipped out at a convenient moment. She leaned over to Gabi "get your parents the fuck out of here." She muttered "I'm gonna make like my dad and I are heading towards another exit. They can't shoot everyone so they will probably let most people leave."

Leaning over to James she tugged on his jacket "I need it to look like we're leaving. Lets head to that far exit over there then look for some stairs or something. I might need to borrow your shirt or something to tie around my head. Unless you know. you wanna put that Centauri strength to good use and join me. Little father daughter dance situation" She nudged him "At any rate, we need to be seen leaving so Gabi's parents don't freak the fuck out, and I'll need you to be my alibi later. Stop somewhere, get a few dinners on your card."

 

[Halcyon638]

“Sir, just calm down,” Daunte Ellis said, putting his hand out in front of him in a conciliatory gesture.

“Sir? You gonna sir me now? You’re acting all polite and you don’t even remember my fucking name. Mark fucking Sabyn, that’s my name. Ring any bells?” Gabi and her parents, ducking low and holding hands, streamed toward the door. Her family and Monica and her father were both relatively far from one of the exits.

“I remember you. I do. What do you want from me?” Ellis asked.

“Just the last four years of my life back,” the man sneered as James and Monica also made their way toward a near “How many of us did you lock away, Mr. Prosecutor, just so you can sound all tough on crime for your campaign run? How many lives did you destroy thinking no one would ever dare to do the same to you?” He shook the gun menacingly at Laura Ellis now.

“Put the gun down. Now,” Brendan Knapp intoned, re-entering the room, gun drawn. The presence of the detective distracted the man enough to enable the security guard behind Sabyn to act, slipping behind him and attempting to wrest the gun out of his hands. The guard succeeded, though it seemed more like the gun slid through Sabyn’s fingers than that he was overpowered by the man. More people went streaming out of the room.

Sabyn lashed out, sending both the guard and the gun Sabyn had been holding sprawling to the side of the room. The last thing Monica glimpsed as she and her father made their way out of the room was a strange transformation overtaking the intruder, as his skin began to take on a distinctly metallic sheen as Knapp shouted for him to get down on the ground.

“I don’t know what the fuck that was,” James muttered as he and his daughter made it out into the hallway. “There,” he said, pointing at a couple emerging from one of the rooms decked out in Halloween costumes, the man dressed like a helmeted medieval knight and the woman dressed like a tavern maid. As James and Monica traveled down the hallway along with a flood of other attendees, the couple appeared to be trying to determine what all the commotion was about. Her father collided with the man and used the opportunity to dislodge his helmet. At the same time, three shots rang out.

“He’s got a gun!” James shouted as the man swore at him, tossing the helmet in Monica’s direction before his sheer urgency convinced the guy to run off with his partner. Turning to his daughter, he said, “Their door is open. Go in, grab yourself a hoodie or something to throw on over your clothes. I won’t be far but I can’t risk us both being exposed.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica snagged the helmet and threw it on, then grabbed a man's hoodie from the cloak room. It was big enough it looked like a dress on her,and she had to roll up the sleeves as she charged back into the room "stay put its ok. Just. you know. Be safe" she shouted to her father. She was curious as hell about this metal guy. This was some real crazy sci fi shit. This was like the electricity guy turned up to 11. She went in, surveying the scene. First she had to ascertain how many civilians were in the room first, then she needed the positioning of Ellis, his wife, the security, Knapp. and the man who was coming for Ellis. The helmet narrowed her field of vision a bit, which sucked, but beggars couldn't be choosers. She paused a moment, getting out of her heels and stuffing them in her bag, tossing it under a chair to be retrieved later as she sized up the room and tried to come up with a game plan.

"Who are you trying to fool chica?" She laughed to herself "your game plan is always the same. Punch your way out of problems."

 

[Halcyon638]

“You, too,” her father intoned, patting her on the shoulder. When Monica reentered the conference hall, she found that nearly all of the civilians had managed to spill out. Both security guards were down, though it seemed they were both moving. Detective Knapp was racing toward the stage to pick up Ellis, who also was down, his lower leg seemingly injured by one of the tables that must have been tossed in his direction. The aspiring district attorney was grimacing and looking over at his wounded right leg as the metallic-coated man made his way over at a deliberate pace, at least 4 or 5 bullet holes in his suit but not a sign of blood.

“The only downer is that no one’s going to be around to see me crush your windpipe like a paper cup,” Sabyn intoned as he approached both Knapp and Ellis.

 

[siobhancan99]

"really, that's what you've got? paper cup?" Monica called out "I finally meet a fucking supervillain and he gets a C in banter. Two thumbs down. Would not repeat." She ran over towards the man as he made his way deliberately towards Ellis. She needed to keep his attention off the DA and Knapp. "Let me guess, Ellis sent you away and you're mad. Maybe your baby mama left you for your brother while you were inside. Maybe he should have taken into account your rough childhood before he sent you away, right? SO you what... met some sort of mad scientist? he turns you into a freak so you can get your revenge? what's your plan for after this? Did you think that bit through at all?"

 

[Halcyon638]

“You picked the wrong guy to fuck with, honey,” Sabyn said, his eyes narrowing. “A little prison experimentation,” he added, tapping his shiny finger against his chin. “I figured killing him would get me on the news but breaking you in half’s gonna make me famous.” He lunged toward Monica. Despite his exterior, he was quick enough compared to your average person, but not as fast as she was.

Knapp shoved the table aside and began to easily lift Ellis off the ground. He glanced at Monica. “Try not to destroy this asshole before I get back. I really want to see that in real time.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"will do" she nodded to Knapp. In truth, she wasn't real confident she WAS going to destroy this guy. She wasn't made of steel and he was? or something. god only knew. She picked up a chair, tossing it at him, moving around, circling. She wanted to keep out of this guy's way. She was better off getting the cops to come shoot him to death or something. Still, she expected she'd have to tangle with him at some point. For now, use the superior speed and agility, then look for an opening where she could kick him across the room.

 

[Halcyon638]

Monica unleashed a kick, feinting as if she was going to go low, then sending her foot up high, connecting with Sabyn’s face. It was like kicking a file cabinet, though fortunately, she got the sense that the metal was just coating his body rather than running all the way to his core (how someone could have metal organs and still function was something she didn’t have the time to ponder now). A human would have easily shattered every bone in her foot with the kick, but she just felt a sting, and Ellis’s would-be assassin let out a grunt of pain, stepping back a foot or two.

“Fuck,” he groaned. “You’ve got some kick in you, girl. Get out of my way and I won’t have to break those long legs of yours.” He came in close for a punch as Knapp hefted Ellis out of the room. Monica bobbed and weaved, just dodging the blow. It was evident that he was used to a good old-fashioned brawl.

 

[siobhancan99]

"Didn't anyone ever tell you you're not supposed to hit a girl?" She ducked, throwing another chair at him, not to try to hit him but to keep him focused on her. Her strategy had to be to occupy him as long as she could so Knapp could get Ellis out of there. She looked around, then found a table and moved to put it between them "I'm you're really gonna regret it if it comes out you hurt some poor woman who was just trying to save that nice Mr. Ellis." She wanted to enrage him "He's just trying to clean up the city. So what'd you do anyway? kick a nun or something?"