Enter: Connor Hawke

[newoutsiders]

Amusement Mile, 91 Sorkin Avenue. Gotham City.

Home.

You knew it was going to be hard, making a clean start for yourself far away from the Arrow Clan. You didn’t think it was going to be this hard. But with most of your boxes unpacked, and tenants displaced by a gentrified Burnside filing into this once abandoned entertainment district- thanks to your generous, rent controlled prices- you’re finally back in the landlording game.

At least this was a cheap get. Even with all the gentrification going on in this neighborhood, for some reason the buildings down this part of Sorkin Avenue were priced to move. You figure it’s just Gotham- people get scared and leave town all the time. Fortunately for your tenants, they’ve got a superhero for a landlord.

There’s still a lot to do. There’s that zen garden you want to put up on the roof, that isn’t even close to finished. The Bailey family on the second floor still isn’t getting water in their kids’ bathroom. Not to mention—

You’re interrupted from meditating in your spartan spare bedroom by the ring of a doorbell.

Comments

[not_easy_being_green]

He's silent for a moment, digesting this. He's composed when he speaks, "Then I think it matters very much who they are, doesn't it?"

[newoutsiders]

She hesitates for a moment, unsure of what she's about to tell you. She sighs, exasperated.

"Whatever. Fuck it. I'm betraying them anyway, might as well lean into it. I've been working for Checkmate, Connor. Pawn 131. And, mostly, it's been a lot of fun. Hell, even the blackmail assignment I've been on. But... then I found out why they're blackmailing you."

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor hesitates... then sits.

"What do they want with me?"

[newoutsiders]

"I... don't know, exactly. Above my pay grade. But I know it involves the crystals. They want you to get them these, I dunno, magic diamond god statues. I mean, some really bad people have them now. But if taking them away means they end up with The Wall... well, that's really not a lot better."

[not_easy_being_green]

"... I have some questions."

He folds his legs. "Who's 'the Wall'? How many of these statues are there? Who has them? And... why me?"

[newoutsiders]

She shakes her head, smiling a little.

"Heh. You've always been kind of clueless, babe. Amanda Waller? The bureaucrat who makes Batman shake in his boots? Cadmus? Checkmate? Luthor's cabinet? Suicide Squad? Ask your dad, I'm sure he'll have some even more choice words for her than I do. But I have no idea how many statues, or why you. Guess I'm clueless, too. I just have enough info to know you're in deep shit. And... I need you to do something."

[not_easy_being_green]

The name doesn't really ring a bell.

At Melanie's request, he frowns slightly. He's a little wary - he still remembers their past encounters... and what, exactly, brought him here, though that seems so... petty, now. But still. She'd clearly taken a risk by coming here. He can at least hear her out. "What do you need?"

[newoutsiders]

"I need you to take the mission," she says. "Go with it. Get those statues away from the bad guys. But. After you get them. Make sure they never get to her. I have some... other people I've been talking to. People who know how important it is to take Waller down. It's a small outfit, only about six or seven of us, but we're doing all right. And we can make sure nobody ever uses those crystals. You can give them to us- or find some other way to get rid of them. But you CAN NOT bring them back to her. And you DEFINITELY don't want to break them. That might be even worse."

[not_easy_being_green]

"... I'll take it under consideration."

That's all he can promise, for now. He wants very much to trust Melanie. But he knows her a bit too well to do so unreservedly.

[newoutsiders]

"When the day comes, the hand-off will be to someone you can trust. More than me, anyway. I can't say who, because I don't know who they are. She- or he, I guess, but I think it's a woman- calls herself 'Mockingbird.' We've never her, but she says she knows you. An ex, maybe? I wonder if I should be jealous."

[not_easy_being_green]

He ignores the gibe, though he does wonder who it is. Mockingbird... it can't be Dinah, but the bird connection makes him wonder. "Then we'll see when it happens."

"Melanie... one more question."

"Why... just... why... the CapeScape thing?"

[newoutsiders]

She packs up her picnic. It's clear that lunch isn't happening.

"Checkmate wanted me to show you they had your number. That they could get to you. The social media angle was my idea. But, don't worry. Everything I ever posted got deleted this morning, and I got banned from the site. By Danielle Garrett herself, even. The CapeScape founder. I guess she bought your video."

[not_easy_being_green]

"I guess that's some good news today."

He stands slowly. "Thank you, I suppose. For telling me about... all this. At least I can prepare for this type of mess for once."

"Sounds like I'll be seeing you soon, won't I?"

[newoutsiders]

She playfully punches you in the cheek.

"Hope so, kiddo."