Green Arrow - 2.2 - Hero Rising, Part Two: Preparation is Key

There's a knock at the door, which is instantly recognizable to the both of us. It's Brick... He has a specific knocking pattern, which sends a shiver up both mine and my fathers spine. Looks like he's got a new job for one of us. My father nervously gets up off the couch, putting his drink down on the coffee table. and walks towards the door, opening it seconds later.

 

"B-rick.." Is all my dad says, almost choking on his words. Oddly enough, Dregz isn't with him.

 

"Relax, I'm not here for you. " His voice booms, before continuing his train of thought. "I'm here for the kid. Got a big job that I'll need him for. All hands-on deck." With that, he hands me a card, before leaving. That's strange. Why would he show up here, by himself, just to hand me a card? All that's written on the card is an address, and a time.

 

8:30pm.. That's an hour from now. I mutter to myself, before my father speaks up once again.

 

"By the way, your friend, what was her name again?"

 

"Sin?" I assume, since I don't really have many other friends.

 

"Oh that's right! Cindy... Well, she showed up earlier looking for you, wanting to talk. Even went into your room. But I told her you weren't home." He muses, slightly slurring his words.

 

"She didn't leave anything behind? Like a note or something?"

 

"Not that I'm aware of. But I was half asleep at the time, so maybe she did."

 

"Thanks, I guess." I say with a shrug, before going into my room. Sure enough, there's a package beside my bed. Ripping it open, there's a note, and a Ziploc bag. Inside the bag, is a vial.. And inside of the vial, is a yellowish-brown liquid.

 

Haven't tried this shit myself, but I hear it's supposed to give you superpowers or something? At least, that's the rumor. Hopefully it can help you take Brick down or something? If not that, you'll give him a good ass whooping at the very least. Assuming that this even works. Anyways, catch ya next time Abercrombie. As you know, I actually have a job now, so I gotta go. Can't be late. The note reads. I can't help but smile. Sin's still looking out for me, even though she's been extremely busy this past year with her job. So proud of her, while also a little bummed, as we can't hang out as much. Also a little annoyed at myself for missing her visit here too.

 

I notice the word Tar written down the side of the vial. Opening the bag, I pull the vial out.

 

"Well, here goes nothing." I say, before popping the lid off the vial, and drinking the yellowish-brown liquid.

 

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An hour later

 

I knew I recognized this address. Can't say I'd ever forget this place. The remnants of dad's mechanic shop. Why doesn't this surprise me that Brick's retrofitted this place to act as one of his safehouses? Just the thought of him pisses me off. He'll get what's coming for him, soon enough. I take a quick look around, before entering through the front entrance.

 

Sure enough, as I enter, there's Dregz, Brick's right-hand man, and a man of few words.

 

"This way, Junior." He says, before leading me through what remains of the lobby, and into the office, which has gotten considerably bigger since I've been here last.

 

Inside the office, are four people, besides me and Dregz.

 

The first of which, is a guy dressed in grey and black tactical gear, with a black gas mask. The gas mask has red lenses. On his back, are two red air tanks, one of which is connected to the gun he holds in his left hand by a black hose. He's the first of the group to notice me walk in, as he stands in the corner, tapping the corner of his gun.

 

"Wait, this is who we've been waiting for? A kid? You're kidding me, right?" He groans.

 

"And who are you exactly?" I reply, doing my best to ignore his kid comment.

 

"You dare speak that way to Pesticyde?" He responds in a threatening tone, but it just comes out rather pathetic.

 

"You don't scare me... Wait, Pesticyde? Seriously? Of all the names you could come up with, you come up with that. Don't tell me you worked in pest control too, didn't you?" I ask, trying to contain my laughter.

 

Pesticyde just stays silent.

 

"I'll take that silence as a yes. Also, talking about yourself in the third person? It doesn't make you any cooler."

 

It's then that I hear a modulated sigh, coming from the center of the room. The one decked out in a costume ripped right out of a sci-fi movie. Bright green and pink circuitry running through the suit. A mask is covering their face, with a green visor. They are also wearing a coat overtop. And their appearance is rather ambiguous, so I can't tell whether they are a guy or a girl.

 

"You can dislike each other all you want. Just wait until after the job to go after each other, alright?" They say, trying to calm us down, before looking back at the table they're standing over. On the table are some blueprints of what I assume is our target. Cyberwear, which if memory serves me right, is one of the biggest tech companies of Star City.

 

"Sure, whatever." I grumble.

 

It's then that someone else catches my eye. A girl that looks to be around my age. She's going to be trouble. I think to myself, as I keep looking at her. Long, flowing black hair, with a green headband wrapped around her forehead. But what really captivated me was her eyes. They are this deep green color. Sort of like an emerald kind of color. Or maybe it's a jade? I'm too distracted to really remember properly. Anyways, she's wearing a green and black tunic, with black boots, and gloves. Everything she's doing, is definitely working, as I can feel my cheeks reddening. Even though she could probably kill me in a hundred different ways. She gives a quick smile, before looking towards the middle of the room.

 

Damnit Roy, focus. Tonight's the night, where Brick will finally get what's coming to him.

 

"Alright, since everyone's here now, let's go over the plan." The sci-fi person announces, snapping me back to reality. Everyone else stays silent as we are told the plan.

Done