B E Y O N D . C R I S I S

”They were thorough. Have to give them that. They made sure to take out the gene vault.” Special Agent Cody Walker maneuvers around D.E.O. forensics specialists with his hands casually in the pants pockets of his suit as he approaches Special Agent Michelle Everett, who has been coordinating all these techs. He smiles at her as he nears “You know -- the guards’re saying your friend with the bow was involved. She didn’t give you a heads up on this? I thought you two were buddies!”

“Oh, you’re still here. I forgot with how useless you are.” Everett points a pair of techs to get away from her and go pick through what’s left of the inside of the control room. “You think the Justice League suddenly became good at this sort of thing? Please.”

( Now, now. We do know it was them that did this. I wouldn’t call that good. )

Slipping free of Copperhead’s crushing grip, Redbird turns and axe-kicks his head down onto a desk. The clone’s head bounces from the devastating impact, and he flops onto the floor.

Redbird races after Jace Tresser, finding an unconscious clone of Captain Boomerang first. That at least tells her she is heading in the right direction. The next clue to his whereabouts is even clearer but less comforting.

( Redbird follows the trail of blood. )

Activity at Middleside Medical Viceroy is unremarkable for this time of year. The emergency room is busy but not to the extent the staff is overwhelmed. The surgery teams are overbooked, but that is the case on most days.

An ambulance approaches the doors slowly -- very slowly -- in reverse. It struggles to find its way into the space allocated for ambulance drop-offs, having to stop and go forward more than once to realign itself. Eventually, it gets close enough to where it wants to go and drops into park. Two paramedics -- the disguised duo of Starman and Redbird -- exit the vehicle with Redbird still giving Starman a look.

( The two enter the hospital, pushing along two occupied bodybags on maglev carts. )

Dr. Arnold Fairchild, a new member of the museum staff, walks the halls of the museum at uncommonly late hours even for the most ambitious researcher. But Arnold has taken over the studies of a recently deceased researcher who was on the verge of discovering some very interesting artifacts that may not necessarily be terrestrial in origin. A Native American tribe quite possibly worshiped a New God as a spirit, which would make any artifacts in question possible advanced technology.

This possibility is of exceptional interest to the museum's newest researcher.

Arnold moves carefully and precisely through the museum, avoiding contact with any of the guards. He honestly expected it to be more difficult than this.

( What are you doing here? )

Taking no time for pleasantries, Chinese agents relieve the D.E.O of their prisoner, who is not Ryder Evans despite wearing his shirt and hat.

Agent Michelle Everett, looking quite disheveled and annoyed, arrives on the scene to see how the Chinese are essentially trying to strongarm their way through the D.E.O. with the prisoner. She is quite ready to stir up a jurisdictional conflict, feeling in no mood to tolerate anymore of the Chinese’s bullshit, until she sees the frustratingly familiar face of the man they are marching away.

( That is all it takes for Agent Everett to realize what is really going on here, and she smiles. )

Redbird wakes up in a sleazy motel room in state of dazed confusion. A thin sheet -- and her mask -- is all that covers her naked body. Her brain struggles to process through what's happened, partly because it involves believing what happened. She had sex with DEO Agent David Lawlor. That was probably not one of her finest decisions, but damn it -- she does have pretty eyes.

No, the more troubling thing here is that she somehow fell asleep. It shouldn't have happened yet obviously did, and all the while Trickster could have come on gone. She sits up quickly to check the window, only to notice something else out of sorts. Lawlor is gone. The clothes laid about consist of only her costume. Naked, she moves to the window and depresses one of the blinds to see outside. Trickster's buggy is there -- parked just inside of an alley near the playground. She sees neither Trickster or Lawlor in the playground, though.

( Redbird dresses quickly, putting thoughts of her recent... feat of fine decision-making aside for the time being. )

"Redbird! This guy is so -- so laaaaame!"

DEO Agent David Lawlor has not been a perfect fit for Hub City's resident Birds of Prey -- Redbird and Huntress. Most of this week has been spent tracking down and pursuing the Trickster, who has come into position of stolen D.E.O. data that Lawlor desperately wants to get back. It is data he needs to personally recover and safeguard. It is that personally part that is becoming... less than welcome.

( Lawlor is proving himself again and again to so not be a field agent. )

Before this day, a small number of small memorials have been held -- opportunities for groups like Connor Hawke's students and Roy Harper's old drinking buddies to mourn without intruding on the secrecy of the true funeral service. The brothers lived as heroes when they were young, and they died as heroes when they were old. This is how they should be remembered at their funeral.

The family of Roy Harper and Connor Hawke has been joined by nearly the entire superhero community in the funeral home. Both caskets rest side by side, closed at the request of Oliver Queen. Because the ceremony is private, there are no colorful costumes. Stretching out before the caskets of the deceased is a sea of black with heads awkwardly bobbing on waves as people sit together in mourning. The word of how Roy and Connor die has already circulated, beginning when Siena Harper informed the Justice League and then members of her family in the days leading up to this. Because of this, even some who never really knew either Roy or Connor have come, feeling compelled to come honor the people who died saving their lives.

There is at least one notable absence. Cody Walker, one of Roy Harper's sons, has not come. Some in the family didn't honestly expect him to; while others are honestly surprised he wouldn't have come.

( Prior to the service, there was some question about who would be speaking. Many were uncertain whether Ollie could possibly be up to it. )

"Big plans this weekend with the wife, Carl? Don't tell me you got stuck with a shift on Valentine's Day this year too."

Dr. Phillip Stern walks through the security checkpoint, clearly surprising the guard by engaging in familiar small talk. It isn't often that the scientists pay much attention to the guards. Now, the guard feels bad for not even remembering every talking to or seeing this Dr. Stern before. The guard chuckles and covers it with small talk of his own, not wanting to seem smug and rude like he thinks most scientists are.

( All right, Carl. I'll see you later. )

Danielle Ricker lays asleep in bed with her company of the evening -- Conrad Hayes. She is awakened by an alert from her ring, notifying her of a code violation. A spacial distortion has been detected that matches the illegal activation of a star drive in a populated area. It's a code she's been waiting for, because it means G'ryl is making a move to get off-planet.

Having slipped out of bed and suited up, Green Lantern flies away to respond to the call, leaving Conrad there in her bed. Rays of her green light pass through her bedroom window as she leaves. When the last of it passes between a streeplamp and store sign and spreads across her room, her bed is empty.

------

( FRAG THE BASTICH SIDEWAYS! )

Star Sapphire has been following Conrad Hayes for two days now. This new man threatens his connection to Danielle, but unlike last time, Star Sapphire is more controlled and less unwieldy. The symbiosis between the gem and the host has taken full effect, allowing for more complex thought processes.

It also allows for patience.

After Conrad turns and enters an apartment complex, Star Sapphire waits for a moment and then follows, floating through the bushes and willows for cover. Emerging from the other side, he is startled. The man is gone. There is nowhere for him to have gone though.

( You look like a man in need of... better strategy, let's say? )