#1: Introducing Bluebird

[Drake]

Ultimate Outsiders #1
Introducing Bluebird
By Drake

Tires screeched over concrete as a large van sped around a corner in Detroit’s district six. The men inside the van cursed as they hit a pothole, flattening one of their tires with an astounding burst. The van flipped over onto its side, causing all of the thugs inside to roll over each other. Finally, the vehicle came to a stop. The thugs that remained conscious took in their surroundings; one kicked the left—now top—door open.

“Get the hell out of my way!” the only brightly colored criminal shouted in a subtle Scouse accent. The twenty-something, baby blue-suited man was known as William Chillwell, or The Chill.

Chill pulled himself out of the van, accidentally freezing two of his lackeys who got in his way. He was followed shortly after by the last two grunts, both armed with assault rifles.

“She’s ‘ere,” Chill muttered, “Eyes open.”

“Sonuva--!” one of the thugs cried out in pain as a black and blue sharpened escrima stick stuck into his gun hand. Before he could finish cursing, a plastic ball hit his chest, erupting in a burst of electricity, knocking him out.

“Hehehehe!” the almost creepy laughter echoed over the street, causing Chill to shiver.

“Come on out, you—“ the other thug was silenced with another taser shot to the chest. Chill silently cursed at his hired thugs’ incompetence.

Where was she…? Where the hell was…

A tap on the shoulder caused Chill to flip around in fear, sending a wide arc of frost energy out, exploding and freezing over a square foot of a building. Just below the blast, ducking, stood a teenage girl dressed in a black and blue Kevlar suit, a leather jacket and mask completing her superhero get up.

“Bluebird,” Chill growled, clenching his hands into fists.

“Chill,” Bluebird greeted, “Can’t keep a bad villain down.”

Chill shot forth a burst of cold energy. Bluebird ducked again, and kicked out with her leg. Chill jumped over the attack and sent a wave of frost over the ground towards the vigilante. Bluebird rolled to the side, narrowly dodging an eruption of icicles.

“You’re stronger now, Chill,” it wasn’t a question, “Why?”

Chill fired another ice blast. Bluebird succeeded in dodging most of the blast, but got a little scraped up by the explosion of icicles.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Chill retorted. Bluebird fired a taser shot. The plastic pellet hit Chill in the chest and exploded with electricity, but the villain seemed barely phased by the attack.

“Can’t argue with that,” Bluebird admitted, dodging another ice blast, “I guess I’ll just have to force it out of you then.”

Detroit’s hero threw three balls around Chill. The villain laughed, “You missed.”

“You really think after all the times I’ve kicked your ass, I would just miss?” Bluebird retorted, flipping a switch inside her jacket. The balls exploded into foam that instantly solidified around The Chill, leaving him incapable of moving.

“Game, set, match.” Bluebird walked towards the now-struggling villain, “Tell me who your supplier is. What’re you on, anyway? Venom? What?”

“If I told you anything…” Chill couldn’t even bring himself to finish the sentence, fear nearly leaking from his eyes.

“Tell me, Chill!” Bluebird grabbed the villain by the throat, “Who the hell amplified your powers?!”

“I can’t…I won’t—”

“—Breathe if you don’t tell me! NOW!” Bluebird growled.

Chill shuddered, and coughed, “Ok! OK! Just don’t kill me!”

Bluebird lifted up her taser gun, aiming down the sights, “A few shots of this and it’ll all be over.”

“I know…okay…” Chill took a deep breath. He looked Bluebird in the eyes and whispered…

“Checkmate.”

“What?” Bluebird wondered aloud, but Chill couldn’t give her an answer. Blood leaked out of his eyes as he cried out in pain. It lasted only a moment. Chill quieted down. The bleeding stopped. Bluebird didn’t have to check. The villain was dead.

The Nest; Bluebird’s HQ
Later

Bluebird sighed as she pulled out the metal slot in the elevator that hid the button and keyboard for The Nest, her hidden headquarters. The Nest was situated on top an abandoned apartment complex on a cloaked top floor with a perfect view over Detroit’s dirtiest ghettos.

The teen vigilante typed in the 10-digit code and pressed the button, heading to the twentieth floor. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Bluebird entered The Nest.

Over the past year, Bluebird had managed to gather a decent ‘trophy’ collection that was scattered around The Nest, decorating it alongside the high-tech gadgets, vehicles, computers, and workbenches. Well, truth be told, she hadn’t gathered all of those little souvenirs alone. Her partner had helped a lot, until he’d been crippled.

Her partner and sometimes mentor, Cameron Snow, otherwise known as the once allusive Batwing, sat at a computer console, his caramel-colored skin glistening in the neon light.

“What the hell is going on?” Bluebird demanded, throwing her utility belt and rifle onto a table. The teen walked up to Cameron, resting her arms on the back of his chair.

“I don’t know,” Cameron replied, sifting over computer file after computer file. The Chill hadn’t been the first. Bluebird was afraid he wasn’t going to be the last.

“First Dr. Burns, then Crusher, and now Chill. All of their powers were shot up, and each one said ‘checkmate’ before they died. It’s like a kill switch,” Bluebird muttered, “And it’s getting annoying.”

“Mhm,” Cameron nonchalantly replied, caught up in his work.

“So whaddya think it is? First I thought Dr. Burns and Crusher had been picked out by some Gotham or Haven-type villain as some sort of work-for-hire with super-drug benefits, but now…I mean, those two were professionals, but Chill? The guy was just some skinny dork lucky enough to have a meta gene. No one would want him, unless…”

“Unless they’re throwaways, experiments, or distractions,” Cameron spoke up, spinning his chair around to face Bluebird. The teen was forced to stand up straight. She shrugged her shoulders.

“Why? What’s going on?” Bluebird asked.

“I don’t know, and that scares me,” Cameron admitted, “But whatever it is…whatever checkmate means…we’re in over our heads here. This is big. Like ‘Valentines Day Blockbuster’ or ‘Braniac Invasion’ type big.”

“So are you going to call up your Star City friends after all?” Bluebird asked.

“I don’t know,” Cameron explained, “I only met Arrow once*. We barely know each other. The Queens may not…”

“Shit!” Bluebird interrupted, staring at the computer screen, “Sorry! I just…God, the time…I have to get home! Text me tomorrow!”

And without another word, Bluebird ran away as Cameron was left to watch her, thinking over the future and what was coming.

Harper was not ready for this. Not yet.

The Humble Home of Harper Row

Harper ran a hand through her stylized Mohawk one last time, checked over her clothing to make sure there was no sign of any of her extracurricular activities, and opened the door to her apartment.

Her brother, Cullen, a tall, raven-haired fifteen-year-old was standing in the living room waiting for her, arms crossed.

“Harp…”

“Is Dad home?” Harper interrupted, glancing away, unable to meet her brother’s gaze.

“No, he’s not. Harper…”

“You done your homework? Made dinner?” Harper asked, walking past Cullen and into the kitchen.

“Yes, no thanks to you. Harper...” The older teen continued to ignore her brother, pulling out some turkey from the fridge, “HARPER!”

Harper had no choice but to respond, “Yes?” forcing a bit of frustration into her voice. Cullen couldn’t…

“I’m done with this BS, Harp. Tell me the truth right now. Are you Bluebird?” Cullen demanded.

“What?” Harper exclaimed, “You’ve gotta…”

“Harper,” Cullen began firmly, “I know the truth. Christ, are we really gonna do this tonight too! I mean it’s like you don’t trust me! I’m you’re freaking brother!”

“Cullen, I…” Harper stopped and finally looked her brother in the eyes. What could she tell him? He did deserve to know, but all the danger, all the villains, she couldn’t risk it.

“I’m not Bluebird. That’s final,” Harper said. Cullen muttered a few choice curse words and turned away. “Go to bed.” And Cullen marched off as Harper was left to ponder her problems, and the rift that was forming between Cullen and her.

One crappy sandwich and fifty or so depressing thoughts later, Harper found herself tiredly wandering to her room. Past her father’s nearly empty room that smelled of vomit and alcohol, past her brother’s room covered in posters of Chris Evans and The Beatles, Harper walked. She walked all the way to her room. The room that should have been empty, except for a creaky bed and a near-broken IPod that played only a repeat of a Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” But it wasn’t, as Harper found out when she opened the door.

Inside, sitting on the bed, was a young man covered in bug-like blue and black armor, his head in his hands. When Harper entered, the young man looked up. Harper didn’t even have time to respond before the armored teen spoke up.

“Thank God! Harper, please…my name is Jaime Reyes and I need your help.”

* = Check out Green Arrow Vol 2 #12 for Batwing and Green Arrow’s first meeting!

NEXT TIME ON ULTIMATE OUTSIDERS: Who is Jaime Reyes and why does he need Bluebird’s help? Also, the secret of the mysterious ‘checkmate’ revealed!