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Post by mrmiracle on Jul 11, 2008 8:41:02 GMT -5
Gateway City 7:35 am
Just outside a local bank A huge Boom Tube crashed open, causing strong winds, loud crackling, and, well, loud booming. A green, yellow, and red clad man stepped out of the Boom Tube and onto a roof across the street from a bank. His long green cape billowed in the strong wind and his arms were crossed over his chest. After he stepped onto the roof, the Boom Tube sucked into itself and closed. The man on the roof was the New God, Mr. Miracle. He walked over to the edge of the roof and peered across at the early-morning city. It was clear most had just woken up and were making their daily coffee rounds. Across the street, Gateway's local bank was just opening and an elderly man was greeting the people walking by. Next to the bank was a corner-street 7-Eleven and just about everyone that walked by entered and then left with a cup of coffee. Mr. Miracle couldn't help but smrik. Was this 'coffee' that good? He'd have to try it sometimes. "Just a normal day here. Guess I have no reason to stick around." |
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Post by Rick Tyler on Jul 11, 2008 9:36:22 GMT -5
Rick patted down everywhere in his costume for exact change. He found a few extra quarters in his gauntlets. Nice, he thought. Rick handed the money to the man behind the counter and waved goodbye as he exited the 7-eleven, sipping his slurpee as he exited. Just coke flavored, nothing special, but he liked it. As he exited he saw another cape on a rooftop, he waved and slowly crossed the street.
Taking care not to drop his slurpee, he climbed to the roof by way of the fire escape. Approaching the man, he thought he recognized the other man. There were so many heroes these days, it was hard to keep track of them all.
"Hey." He said, looking across the street at the bank he said, "You expecting something? Kind of an obvious lookout position."
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Post by mrmiracle on Jul 11, 2008 11:19:33 GMT -5
Mr. Miracle picked up the Boom Tube device but stopped when the sound of a man's voice entered his ears. He turned around and noticed it was another cotumed hero, Hourman, was walking onto the roof. He was holding a Slurpee, it appeared to be Coke-flavored, and walking over towards Scott. Mr. Miracle crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at the JSA member. Scott suddenly remember Rick's father, Rex. He was the original Hourman. The thoughts of his death suddenly popped into Scott's head.
"I can't honestly say I was expecting anything. I was merely checking in on Gateway City, as I do with every other major city in the morning. I was looking at that bank but nothing appeared out of place."
Scott walked back over to the edge of the roof and pulled his cape over his shoulders so it covered his body. Nothing appeared amiss but he then figured theives and robbers would want it to appear that way. If people thought there would be a robbery, they' already be somewhat prepared. Mr. Miracle turned back towards Hourman. He breathed in slowly and figured he should stay here a bit longer. Besides, Gotham, Metropolis and all the other cities had a protector. Gateway City might be needed Mr. Miracle and Hourman very soon.
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Post by Rick Tyler on Jul 11, 2008 12:27:44 GMT -5
Rick tentatively sipped at his drink. Mr. Miracle creeped him out to be honest. Anyone who calls themselves a god deserves to be brought down a peg or two. But Rick knew that Miracle had probably earned his title hundreds of times across hundreds of planets with all the travelling he does. That also creeped Rick out a bit. Space travel. People belong on solid ground, not galavanting around the stars trying to prove something to somebody. It didn't matter though, a hero's a hero and even if something right's done for the wrong reasons, it's still right. Rick wasn't one to talk about morals anyways, his trouble with addictions in the past and everything.
"Well, Gateway's usually pretty slow. Supervillains are attracted by superheroes, and who's operating out of Gateway? Wonder Girl? That lame guy looks like the Crimson Avenger? Sonar or something. No, it's all pretty low key criminals round these parts." Considering his words carefully, Rick wondered what he was doing here anyways. He had no idea why he was still here. "I'm on loan to the Untouchables, in reserve at the moment, but they needed me for, well, you know. I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you, and I don't like my odds at that."
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Post by mrmiracle on Jul 11, 2008 18:39:29 GMT -5
Mr. Miracle continued looking at Hourman as he began talking. Scott crossed his arms over his chest and felt a grin appear on his face as Hourman continued talking about Gateway City. Suddenly the topic switched to a more uncomfortable one: the Untouchables. Mr. Miracle could sense Hourman's uneasiness when he began talking about the subject and Mr. Miracle was honestly surprised when Hourman posed the threat.
"Well, death will be unnecessary because I am the Administrator of the Untouchables. In other words, I'm the one giving them orders. There's nothing you know that I don't."
Mr. Miracle grinned when he explained his position of power. It was actually quite funny to explain something like this because no one the Untouchables, except his fellow Administrators, knew Mr. Miracle had such power over the Untouchables. He wasn't the idea behind the team, that was other heroes. Knowing Scott's Anti-Violence code, they decided he'd be perfect for the Administrator job.
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Post by Rick Tyler on Jul 11, 2008 18:55:05 GMT -5
"You'll understand if I don't divulge government secrets on your word alone." Rick smiled. "Besides, it was just a joke, perhaps a little too soon considering losses..." He let the sentence trail off. He was remembering Karen, Power Girl, his team mate and friend. The Untouchables ultimately led to her death. He stood and quietly sipped at his slurpee for a good forty-five seconds or so, the first time he had actually frowned in a while. He usually tried not to think about those lost along the way.
There was something Rick intellectually noticed. Mr. Miracle was an administrator, the mind behind the power. Now Rick knew there would always be some animosity between the two, Rick knew there was no reason for it, Miracle probably had little to do with most of the things he had been forced to do in the war; but still. Rick had to blame somebody. He had joined the Untouchables out of obligation, he was a member of the Justice Society of America after all. He shouldn't blame anyone else but himself for volunteering, but he was human, and that's how human's roll. He spoke at last.
"Well, I guess we're all trying desperately to have something to laugh at these days. There doesn't seem much to be happy about."
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Post by mrmiracle on Jul 17, 2008 14:09:39 GMT -5
Mr. Miracle shifted his weight over and leaned up against the edge of the roof as Hourman began to speak about the Untouchables. He was right, it wasn't easy to be a hero nowadays. The Untouchables left everyone confused and almost scared of some heroes. Even some heroes were grieving from loss. In fact, due to traumatic incidences, some heroes have gone insane. It was like the Vietnam War all over again and Scott couldn't help but feel a bit responsible. He was the one giving orders, after all.
"I think it's a bit to soon to be joking around about the War. Some people could take stuff like that very seriously, Hourman. I know what some people had to do ... it wasn't pretty."
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Post by Rick Tyler on Jul 17, 2008 15:49:39 GMT -5
"You don't have to remind me." Rick said, thinking back to the unpleasant days spent in that forsaken desert. "I was one of the people who 'had' to do those things." He didn't mean to snap like that, or maybe he did. He wasn't sure. He didn't really even care much except for the fact that it was concerning something he had said. "Sorry to snap at you like that Miracle, I'm just a little on edge. I'm having some troubles on the home front, you know, balancing between fighting and family. It's not so bad considering who my wife is but, we still get in disagreements. Apparently I'm avoiding talking about the war, and I'm not spending any time with my family or friends anymore. I don't know what she's talking about."
Rick was sad that things were like that. He had to remember to fix this when he got home. He had to put the spark back in the relationship before he ended up like his own father, barely knowing the rest of his family. Rick still remembered the year his dad came home with a "Happy Seventh Birthday" card. Rick turned eleven that year.
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