The Calendar King #3

====Gotham. Warehouse District====

 

*This abandoned warehouse brings back memories. It was the first Moth-Cave, the current storage space for all his gear. It was also the first meeting place of the Misfits. Funny that we're here now. I met Drury at a parents evening. Our kids was just starting elementary, and they were good friends, that is until... When I became Kite-Man, part-time avenging angel, part-time supervillain, Drury sought me out for a job. I met Len and Gar- the three of them thick as thieves even back then, and Mortimer Drake, who's desire for riches and thrills kept him around for a while, before he was injured in a shoot-out. Drury's goal was to get the attention of a new guy- Tom Blake. Catman. Gotta say, he gave a heck of a first impression when he showed up. Fast car, great smile and the ability to sound like he knew everything when he *really* knew very little. Still doesn't. He's the guy who introduced us to Julian Day. We weren't the smartest guys out there, so we took him in no questions asked. That was our first mistake, and now we're at a crossroads. Regardless of the state of things, Jules is our friend. My other friends are a little too... bloodthirsty for my liking*

 

Len- Chuck...

 

Chuck- I'm just saying. We don't have to kill him.

 

Len- He's destroying the city, he's killed a buncha people-

 

Chancer- -And worst of all he's making us look bad!

 

Len- Said Chancer the psychopath. Glad to see you've got your priorities straight.

 

*Sharp groans, and sips his beer. It's funny. We still see him as the newbie, but he's probably the best person here who can understand Julian. Sharp once joined some bug cult to seek revenge on us Misfits. Almost succeeded too*

 

Chuck- Where's Drury? You said-

 

*Len lights a cigarette and takes in a big puff. He quit years ago*

 

Len- He'll be here. Said he was getting some extra muscle.

 

Chancer- Hnh. You've seen those things. It'd have to be extra big muscle.

 

====The Rooftops====

 

Drury- Kinda wish we met in the Cave. Is it true you have a dinosaur?

 

*Gotham is hurting. Because I wasn't doing my job. If I hadn't been so occupied with Tommy, I'd have been able to stop Day before he even started. But it's a slippery slope. Every time someone dies here, every time, I feel- and I know, that I could have done more. Across the city, my family fights these monsters, and deals with the panic unleashed by Day. It's an older version of Crane's formula, but nonetheless dangerous. It's the creatures that will do the most damage until we find out what they are. Myself and... some unexpected allies*

 

Gar- They ain't real. Some kind of projection- worked with similar shit during my days at Panessa. Combine it with Crane's gas and you've got some real nightmares.

 

Drury- What do we think? Billings?

 

Bruce- No. Spellbinder hasn't been outside his own house in weeks, nor would he align himself with Calendar Man. Not after he lost his leg.

 

Drury- Then who?

 

Bruce- Kaliban maybe. The Spook. He escaped during the Blackgate riots, and these are similar to illusions he's created in the past. And yet... it's never been on this scale before.

 

Drury- Must be drawing a lot of power. I took a few electrical classes in high school.

 

Gar- You flunked those.

 

Drury- No, those I passed, it was chemistry I failed at.

 

Gar- Explains the cocoon gun.

 

Bruce- He has to be transmitting the signal from somewhere. The GCR tower. It'll give him the chance to admire his handiwork.

 

Gar- Never liked him. He's gone off the deep end and is dragging every single C-list villain with him

 

Drury- I've got some guys at the harbour warehouses. The Misfits.

 

Bruce- I'll call the Batwing, see if anyone of my people are available to meet us there

 

Gar- Right. Er, Bats? Condolences.

 

Batman- Thank you. And... Congratulations

 

*I jump off the roof, and glide away, but not before hearing what Lynns and Walker are arguing about*

 

Drury- What was that?

 

Gar- What? Jealous Bugman?

 

====

 

*Just as we're getting on each others nerves again, the doors crash open. I almost faint, thinking it's one of those... things. It isn't*

 

Blake- Have no fear, the life of the party has arrived!

 

*Was he expecting applause? I look at Len and he's dumbfounded. Blake growls*

 

Blake- Well this is depressing.

 

Len- This is your fault Blake.

 

Chuck- Go easy on him, this is his best friend.

 

Len- His "best friend" brought pigs to my bar. Fuck 'im.

 

Blake- Urgh is this the Jules thing again?

 

Chancer- Oh, what's the Jules thing?

 

Len- Yes. It *is* the Jules thing again. See Chancer, we needed a seventh member for our gang. Back then it was me, Walker, Chuck, Blake, Lynns and Drake- The Cavalier.

 

Chancer- Oh I remember him, the-

 

Len- Neil Diamond fan, yeah. We knew that the Justice League had seven members and that'd been working well for them. We wanted to use Rigger but guess who didn't want him around?

 

Blake- He would've ruined our game.

 

Len- Yeah, because otherwise we were smoking hot

 

Chuck- Cavalier had a pencil moustache Tom!

 

Len- So, Blake went and brought his Arkham cellmate- Jules. Funny thing though- he didn't know a damn thing about him

 

Blake- I knew he liked calendars.

 

Len- Word to the wise, if he's in a lunatic asylum, he's probably not the best man for the job. Did you even know why he was in there?

 

Blake- Y'know, calendar stuff.

 

Chancer- Oh that's pretty bad.

 

Blake- Chancer don't listen to this BS

 

Chancer- Eh. It sounds like something you'd do.

 

*Blake hisses and straightens his back. I hope Chancer's luck holds, or else he might get scratched up badly*

 

Blake- I didn't have to come here! There is a very attractive new acrobat at work, and I was hoping to mark my territory. If you know what I-

 

Chuck- I think that's dogs.

 

Len- It's definitely dogs.

 

Chuck- Lion taming is my job, I think I know how they behave-

 

Len- Signing autographs is your job. You're just the hype man with a panther. You want to talk jobs- Chuck's got that office, Chancer's waiting tables-

 

Chancer- All the ribs I can eat!

 

Len- - And I've got the bar. Get a real job.

 

Blake- At least I have one- Walker's unemployed

 

Len- *Walker* was the fucking mayor. You get elected, then complain.

 

*Tempers are flying now. Blake's knives, two instead of the usual three- that's weird, emerge. Len's grip tightens on his shotgun. I really should intervene*

 

Chuck- C'mon, we can still do this peacefully

 

Len- If we're not shooting Jules, I'm shooting Blake. Your call Chuck.

 

*We can do this peacefully*

 

====GCR Tower====

 

January Thirteenth. Considered an unlucky number for some, for me it is one rife with opportunity. The vermin ransacked my home sweet home, but they were too late to stop the inevitable. Like trying to halt dawn or dusk, or the changing of the seasons. As I gaze upon this city, now glowing a brilliant amber, I am content. My dreams fulfilled. Kaliban was more than happy to play along. As for my friends, the Misfits who looked after me- I have not forgotten their generosity, or their cruelty. Their greatest dreams are just waiting to be granted. At a cost, of course.

Done