Nighthawk: A Superhero Story (closed for Siobhancan99)

[siobhancan99]

Monica considered for a moment. It was possible the heiress had been experimented on by Helixcorp. Maybe at some point she'd been a victim. She couldn't exactly crawl up someone's ass for breaking the law over revenge. At the same time, they'd broken in and stolen other devices not related to Helixcorp so, probably run-of-the-mill villainy there. A tragic explanation for a life of evil. Still maybe something to look into, when there was an inevitable escape.

Texting her father back "i could use a few days out of the City, and I know you do better in your adopted environment." She grinned at that, then texted Hailey "look if you ever wanna hang at your house so you can be there for your dad, we can all come over. Might help him to be around more people."

 

[Halcyon638]

Monica’s father replied, “Sure thing. Kat and I will come pick you up on Friday or Saturday of next week. Whatever works best for you.”

Hadley texted Monica back, “Actually, that would be great one of these nights. Even if just you and Gabi wanted to hang out. I love the man but having other human beings there to act as a buffer once in a while would be HUGE. Ttyl.”

Monica met up with Hadley, Porter, and Layla, and the four of them made their way to the club together. It was what appeared to be a fairly new establishment called Cantina Rara. Despite being a Wednesday, there were a good number of college students packed inside. As the clock approached 8 when Gabi was supposed to get out, Monica received a text from Gabi.

“Lee had to leave early tonight because of an emergency with her kid and they need someone to cover the last hour. I’m sorry, baby. I should be over there by 9:30-ish.”

“Everything okay?” Layla asked as the roadies began setting up equipment for the first band and Hadley made her way over to grab a plate of nachos. Ian and Eve’s band, Bad Books, was the second band on the bill.

 

[siobhancan99]

"I can come get you so you aren't by yourself" she texted "or you can uber and I'll pay for it." She felt tense, she hated Gabi being alone at night. She knew that this was all Tom stuff, but she was anxious to the point of almost severe physical tension. She texted again 'really. just stay there i'll come get you when you're done. what time?"

She looked over to Layla "yeah. Gabi just has to work late" she shifted a little, checking her phone, then looked over at the door a few times, contemplating heading over there now just to be sure.

 

[Halcyon638]

Hadley returned with some nachos that she shared with the group. Gabi texted back, “Aww, you’re so sweet. I can take an Uber if it will make you feel better.”

The first band was made up of mostly black men in their mid-20s who played some reggae-infused rock songs. As the clock approached 9:30, the first band finished up, leaving a bit of a lull in the noise. “Anybody going anywhere for spring break?” Hadley asked.

“I’m going to visit my sister in Vermont,” Porter said. He had somehow lost a significant bit of weight over the course of the holiday break and the first half of the semester. “So…not exactly fun in the sun. It’ll be cool, though. She’s supposed to have her first kid in May.”

“Nice! Uncle Porter,” Layla said, smiling.

“I’ll be splitting the time between here and the City helping my mom prep for wedding stuff,” Hadley said, miming shooting herself in the head.

Layla laughed. “I’ll be headed back home. By the way, the offer still stands if any of you want to snag our extra bed,” the Floridian noted.

Monica spotted Gabi looking around the crowded space, attempting to spot her girlfriend and friends, just as Eve, Ian, Caleb, and an unknown bassist made their way onto the stage.

 

[siobhancan99]

By the time Gabi got there, Monica felt physically sick. She had been constantly checking her phone, constantly making herself not go run to the drug store. She inhaled, then let out a breath when she saw Gabi. There was an immediate sense of relief, but not total. That feeling like it could all be ripped out from under her was there, twisting her insides, insidious.The rational part of her knew that this was Tom stuff, that it had been pretty much exactly a year. Still, the crowd was too noisy and too closed in. Gabi was too far away. She made her way through the crowd quickly, not very gentle about shouldering a guy or two out of the way as she beelined for her girlfriend.

 

[Halcyon638]

An expression of surprise crossed Gabi’s face as Monica moved towards her and immediately wrapped her up in a tight embrace. Monica couldn’t make out what her girlfriend said, but she hugged her back and stroked her shoulder reassuringly.

“You okay, sweetie?” she asked, leaning close to Monica’s ear and raising her voice to compete with the opening notes of the band’s set. One of the men Monica had pushed back, a tall 20-something with unruly brown hair shoved under a baseball cap, seemed to glare at her momentarily.

 

[siobhancan99]

She could feel the tension in herself, still, though it was receeding "yeah. yeah im fine. Just glad to see you" she wrapped an arm around her girl and ignored the glare of the guy. She assumed he'd leave it be since she was a girl and if he didn't, well. She could cross that bridge when she came to it. She wrapped her arm around Gabi, holding her close against her "How was work?" she leaned in speaking loud as the band started up.

 

[Halcyon638]

“Kinda tough,” Gabi hollered back. Pausing for a moment, she reached down for her cell and then typed out a message. Out of the corner of her eye, Monica thought the man was still looking in their direction, but when she glanced over at him, he was making his way over to the bar.

Gabi showed Monica the screen: “There was this lady who came in for her pain med refill only apparently the doc had called in and said she had to wait another 4 days to call in the refill. Don’t know if she was an addict or not but she was clearly not in a good place and had her kid with her. Started to break down and cry and beg the pharmacist but there was nothing she could do.”

She put her phone away and gave a little cheerful wave to their friends as the band got to the chorus of their first song. “Just keep your arms around me, okay?”

Eve was a dynamic presence on stage, her vocal range going from throaty yowl to delicate and plaintive within the span of a few seconds. The songwriting was still unpolished, but there was definite promise there. At certain points during the first song or two, she looked at over the audience and seemed oddly distracted, seemingly flubbing a lyric or two occasionally.

 

[siobhancan99]

"Just try and stop me" Monica was happy to keep Gabi held close. Part of her was worried about some addict coming and shooting up the place and wanted to beg Gabi to quit her job, but she knew that was crazy. Even as much as she wanted to do it, the rational part of her knew that would fuck up her life in a thousand other ways, so she held Gabi close and moved to the music and quietly worried. Still, she picked up on Eve's weirdness, and started looking around the crowd to see what Eve might be looking at.

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi placed a hand over Monica’s, swaying to the music. Eve seemed to be glancing toward the bar, away from which the man in the blue baseball cap was walking, beer bottle in hand. He settled in at the edge of the crowd for a minute or two, his eyes on the stage.

Eve continued on for another minute or so, at which point, Monica saw the man making his way through the crowd, though not approaching the stage. Just when Monica had lost sight of him, she heard a metallic squeal.

Eve had dropped her microphone to the stage, and was placing a hand on her forehead. It took the other band members a moment to notice that it wasn’t part of her performance, and so the music continued for 10 seconds or so before stopping as she turned away from the crowd. Monica barely heard the singer say “I can’t” before striding off stage toward the green room area.

Ian and her other band members soon followed.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica squeezed Gabi "some guy in the crowd set her off. Go find out what you can, i'm gonna stay on him. When you know, text me or come out." She kissed her girl "I'm counting on you, babe." It was nice to have something to focus on, and she liked letting Gabi feel like she was part of the heroics. Moving through the crowd she kept her focus on the hat, easy enough to spot in the crowd.

 

[Halcyon638]

“Okay. Be careful,” she said, giving Monica a quick peck on the cheek as well before making her way through the confused crowd.

Monica could see the guy in the hat heading towards one of the exits. By the time she slipped out, he was standing with his back to the building, looking down at his phone and sipping his beer near a handful of other people who were vaping or smoking. Despite the fairly chilly March night air, he was just in a navy blue T-shirt that almost matched the color of his University of Michigan cap.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica kept an eye on the guy. For all she knew, it was just a bad breakup or something. no reason to go punch his face in. Still, she didn't want him to leave if it was something worse. She kept her hand on her phone, feeling to see if Gabi texted, and also texted "out back." in case her girl came looking.

 

[Halcyon638]

The tall man tapped out a text on his phone, wiped his eye, and then starting walking toward the parking lot, casually. He was walking toward a beat-up Honda Accord with Michigan plates.

Gabi texted, “I don’t know what’s going on yet. Ian’s talking to her alone in one of the backrooms. Everything okay out there?”

The man casually twirled his key ring on his meaty fingers, pulled off his hat to mash down his hair, then shoved it back on. He stuck a key into the car door.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica noted the plate. She could always find the guy later. She texted back "dude's leaving. so I guess?"

 

[Halcyon638]

The man drove off. A minute or two later, Ian, Caleb, and their bassist made their way out, hands in their pockets. Ian talked briefly to the two men and then made his way over to Monica, a doleful look on his face. “Hey,” he said, looking up at a plane in the distance. “Eve won’t tell me what happened tonight.” Shrugging his shoulders, he added, “I kinda thought we were getting close, but…” He trailed off. “How’s things?”

Monica’s phone chimed. “Eve wants to talk but not here. There’s a diner nearby. Walk us over?”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica texted back "with Ian. Give me a few minutes and I'll wander over."

"you are, man. Look. Some things a girl can't share with a guy. Like... there's some kinds of drama you just won't get and she needs her girlfriends around her you know? When she's sorted some shit out then she will figure out a way to talk to you about it without having to also battle her own feelings about what's going on." She put her hand on his arm "I'm glad you two have each other. Just remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. It took a while before Tom and I talked about everything, and we had been friends first for a while. You'll get there. I'm gonna take her and Gabi to the diner and I'll see what's what and I'm sure after that she will talk to you."

 

[Halcyon638]

Ian listened carefully. Afterwards, he nodded, and took Monica’s hand momentarily. “Thanks, Mon.” He leaned up against the wall of the club where a dozen or so flyers for upcoming events were plastered. “You’re right. I’m not—I shouldn’t make this about me. I just want to be sure she’s okay.”

He nodded. “I’ll be around. If she needs me.”

Monica met Gabi and Eve outside the club, where the latter was buttoning up her jacket, mascara smeared from tears. “Hey,” Eve said.

The three girls took a walk about half a block to a small diner in which only one booth was occupied. Gabi ordered a decaf soda while Eve opted for a coffee. “So…where to begin?” Eve said, managing a half-smile, her face twisting with pain a second later. “So, that…piece of shit you saw…is my stepbrother. Ellis.”

She picked up a packet of raw sugar, held it by one edge, and flicked it back and forth. “I haven’t…seen him…in about two years now. On purpose. I…” She fought back tears now, looking away from the two women and out of the diner window. “Eve isn’t my real name. It’s Amanda. I changed it. Because of him.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nodded and sat with the menu. She was starving and worrying over Gabi had her wanting the comfort of a big meal. She looked up at the waitress and started off with a strawberry milkshake, knowing that would probably end a lot of the cravings. Thinking better of it she also ordered some onion rings and then turned her attention back to Eve "Well to us you're Eve so... you know. You get to be who you want." she let the other girl continue, knowing that she probably needed to tell the story at her own pace.

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi slipped her hand into Monica’s, listening. The hint of a smile appeared on Eve’s lips at Monica’s words of comfort. “Thanks. I’m also…I’m also 23. Almost 24,” the college sophomore admitted.

“That doesn’t matter,” Gabi said. “Are you…in danger?”

Eve sighed again. “Always. I guess. I thought—fuck, I thought it was over. I thought I was being so careful about things. New name, new social media, new state. None of it mattered. I should have just DM-ed my fucking address. Given him the key to my apartment.”

“Eve…,” Gabi said, struggling to find the right words. “Okay. Can you call the cops on him?”

The singer let out a short, dismissive laugh. “The temp restraining order they gave me ran out about 9 months ago. Possibly before that if he was good and went to all his court-ordered counseling sessions.”

“But if you’re in danger….”

“I get to wait until he does something,” Eve said, fixing her facial expression as the server brought their drinks.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nodded "why don't Ian and Gabe and I go have a chat with him? Could you find out through anyone where he's staying? Maybe we can convince him to go back to Michigan." She sipped at her water, waiting on her food. "is your stepdad or stepmom still in the picture? what about the parent that's you know, responsible for bringing this guy into your life?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Eve’s eyes widened slightly with fear. “You don’t understand. He’s not—he’s not someone you can reason with. He’s batshit crazy, and—and he’s dangerous.”

She looked down at her lap. “My dad and my stepmom…she pretty much blamed me for…everything that happened. My dad—he just does whatever the fuck she tells him to. Useless.”

She covered her eyes with her hand momentarily. “Please, don’t tell Ian about this. It’s…it’s too fucked up.”

Gabi slid her hand over the table and took Eve’s other hand. “Hey. I know it’s hard, but…we are all going to support you. And Ian should know. I mean, you don’t need to tell him every detail but…if you think this guy is dangerous, he deserves to know. And he—it won’t change the way he feels about you. We know him.” She looked to Monica for support now as the server came over with their food.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nods "yeah. You gotta tell Ian. He's gonna worry more if he doesn't know than if he knows, you know?"

She sipped at her milkshake, then took a sip "look, try to figure out where he is. Our friend's dad is like, a cop." she bit into an onion ring. "so if you tell us where to find him, maybe some uniforms or whatever can stop by. Or the Nighthawk. He knows the Nighthawk. He's like famous." She nodded, then reached for Gabi's hand to squeeze it. "you know, just let me know and we can see what we can see."

 

[Halcyon638]

Eve attempted to regain her composure as the server came over. She took another sip of coffee. “I…I can ask my dad and stepmom if they know but…I’m afraid. I’m afraid he’ll…he lost his shit when I finally went to the cops about him. He’s obsessed with me.”

She stared down into her mug. “Fuck. It’s…like, two years ago, I was just so fucking tired of being afraid. I decided…I was going to start living my life, just…not letting every little fear control my entire life. And now I see him once for one minute, and I’m back. I’m fucking back to where I was.”

“I’m so sorry you have to go through this,” Gabi said, her voice almost breaking, “but things are different now. You have people that care about you and are going to keep you safe. I mean, you picked the one city with its own masked superhero—that was a pretty good move, right? Pretty sure she has strong opinions on assholes who threaten women.”

Eve smiled a bit.

“Talk to your parents, okay? And we can talk to our friend's dad.” Squeezing Monica’s hand, she said, “Do you have, like, a counselor? There’s the counseling center on campus and—”

Eve nodded. “Yeah. I’ve gone there a few times.” Looking at Monica’s plate, she added, “Damn. Those onion rings look pretty good.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica chuckled "shouldn't you be stealing Ian's onion rings? I already have Gabi eyeing mine" she pushed them over to Eve though. "eat a few. I dont need them" She did though. She had food at home so maybe a piece of chicken later. She sipped at her shake, glad and hating that she needed so many more calories than the average human. "get an address. We will get it sorted out."

She was quiet on the way home, and after a bit curled up with Gabi, spooning her. "so. I need to say some stuff. and its bad stuff and its not bad stuff. It is internal craziness stuff.So." she shifted a little "when you were going to be late I freaked the fuck out. Badly. I badly freaked the fuck out. And I know it was totally irrational. And part of it is that we're coming up in a few weeks on a year since Tom died. Part of it is now that you're so important to me that I can't bear losing you. So there I was at the club and you were going to be late. And every movie where the girlfriend or wife or whatever is tragically murdered has her you know, staying late at work or picking up a shift so that the audience can be all outraged 'she wasn't even supposed to be there!' kind of bullshit. I just had these images of me partying while you were being brutally murdered by some sad addict over a bottle of oxycodone pills and I know. it is totally insane because I don't have those fears when you work just as late on your regular shift. There's just that whole thing though. you know? This element of change means catastrophe."

She paused a moment, then continued because she wanted to get it all out "I worry. I worry not about you but about what that might do to us, because I can see that fear manifesting as a need to control things.I mean, I already do that right? That's kind of the entire reason the Nighthawk exists. It is my effort to control things in response to my trauma or whatever. I hate this, I hate growing up to find out I'm my mother. I hate that I fucking hated her for doing exactly this. She fucked off into space because she lost everything at home that she loved and she just couldn't ... not interject herself into it and not put it back together and not control the outcome. I don't want to control you. I don't want to poison this thing by demanding you do things or change things but for a minute I was ready to go down there and sit there and make sure you were safe and I can see how that would be smothering and awful and how it would lead to me demanding further concessions or changes. I don't want that to be our life or how I am with you. So I am asking you, please, if I... If I start to be that way, don't think that indulging me is going to do us a favor or help me or whatever. I am gonna talk to Mel about it. But. I mean you're my girlfriend and we have to talk about this stuff too."