Chapter Five; 3 Days Of Gotham
But before anything I need to buy some things. The time on the clock in the hotel lobby had said 8;02; most shops should still be open.
I pushed open the window and flew back out into the night. The cold breeze blowing fast against my body as I shot into the sky. Soon not far from the hotel, maybe a 15 minutes walk, I found a convenience store near a train station. I wasn't flying very high so I spotted it pretty quickly.
I swooped down and landed opposite the street to it then jogged over.
An elderly man was at the counter. I went past him with a nod and started browsing the store. I needed a toothbrush and toothpaste, maybe something to eat as well as I haven't eating anything since morning.
The toothpaste was easy to spot, the toothbrush however was harder because of how few there were. Next I grabbed two bags of chips and went to the counter.
"That'll be 2 dollars 99 cents."
"Oh," I handed him three dollars and he gave me a penny. I stared at it, it was the wheat penny. I chugged it in my coat pocket and looked at the man. "Do you know where I can buy cheap cloths?"
"Yeah?" He studied me. "Something for ya size? You asked the right man kid. That'll be my cousin's place, Frank. You see that bridge?" He pointed outside. "Follow it up the street, a brief walk I think? You'll find a house under the bridge where the train tracks passed. Tell him Josh sent you, he might give you a discount."
And you his gratitude I suspect. "Sure thanks,"
"It's nothing."
I left with my purchases and shot back into the air, heading towards the direction he pointed. True to his words, following the bridge I came to a point where it intersected with another train bridge.
Furthermore, under the intersection, an old two story house sat. I alighted on its front yard before knocking the door.
"Who's it at this Goddamn hour?!" A female voice said.
"Um, ma'am," I hesitated. "I came to buy some cloths. Josh said something about a Frank."
"Well Frank ain't home."
"Okay,"
"Gee, you have cash with ya?"
"Yeah,"
"Right, come round back."
I rounded the building, walking beside a low fence. The backyard was lit by a lone yellow bulb in the ceiling of the veranda. I pushed open the small gate to get inside the yard. "I'm here!" I called.
"Ha! Am coming!" The lady answered. I heard some rustling then the back door swung open.
A gaunt elderly woman in at least her mid seventies appeared. She was stooped over holding a walking cane in her hand. "Come closer," she urged. I walked over into the light. "Ah, you are black!"
"I am..."
"I don't have any cloths that might fit ya taste, I warn ya."
I frowned, a little offended. "You didn't ask my fashion taste?"
"Hu, you are right. What do you want?"
"I want a shirt, jacket and pants for humans... Do you have that?"
"Ah, I do... No need to snappy boy!"
I ignored her. "How much would that cost me?"
"Meh, you pick them first." She squinted again. "You are a big man, more tall than wide, but large. Hmm..." She went back into the house. "I think I have just the thing." I heard the rustling of plastic bags and cloths. "Ah!" Finally she reappeared. "Try these," she handed me a bundle of cloths.
I held them up one by one to the light. A white shirt, a brown jacket, and suit pants. I took off the coat I was wearing and put on the shirt and jacket. It fit. I glanced at the woman then held the pants to my waist measuring the size. It was about right. I took off the cloths. "Can I get this shirt in a different color instead?"
"Meh, I'll check." She went back inside. Later on she returned with a purple shirt and I exchanged it with the white one.
"You still haven't told me the price." I pointed.
"13 bucks."
"I'll pay 10,"
"Meh, pay up fast then."
After I paid for my purchase the old woman bagged it up for me. I thanked her out of habit and left. I wanted to fly off in front of her but I didn't want to give the old lady a heart attack. I waited till I was back on the road before flying off.
Swoo...
Of the 25 dollars I took from Degaton only around three dollars remained. The hotel will take care of my breakfast and dinner, but no lunch, and I needed to spend for daily necessities. 25 dollars had more value in the 40s but it still isn't that big an amount it seems. I needed to make money fast.
The next day I asked the morning receptionist_ A young man in his thirties_ where I could find an auto repair shop. He gave me directions of a shop called Jam mechanics and I left.
I walked in the streets, wearing the cloths I bought yesterday. I didn't like them much really, but there were clean. It was snowing lightly and Gothamites filled the street. I walked among them feeling some vague sense of surrealness.
Here I am in the famous fictional city I'd been obsessed with back on my earth. But it just felt like any other city I know of, if you forget the Gothic architecture, the era, and the quiet gloom hanging above everyone like the sword of Damocles... Well maybe the last is because of the looming war.
War...
Christmas was around the corner, though I don't see that brightening most moods. Ah, I realized with a suddenness. Different from viewing it on paper or screen, I hated Gotham in reality. It has this dark feeling I didn't like.
The Jam mechanics was open when I arrived. They were two guys working on a 40s Dodge sedan inside the shop. One was standing behind the car, a tall muscular white man in a white tank top and scrub pants, the other I couldn't make out as he was underneath the car. "Good morning," I said.
The muscular man turned to me. "Hey," he said. "How are you? How can I help you?"
"I am James..., hu... I was wondering if if you could help me out; If I could use your tools for a sec."
"You are a mechanic?"
"Something like that,"
"Well, I am Paul Jam, you are free... but what do you want to fix?"
I opened the duffel bag I was holding and showed him the parts of the laser rifles and gun turrets, belt, and taser. The guns didn't look recognizable from their original form so they was no risk of freaking him out. He frowned in confusion. I shrugged. "I'm more of an engineer."
"And what are you going to make with that?" He asked.
"A battery."
"Well, swing right to it, but don't blow up my shop."
"Thank you,"
I walked to the work table by the far wall lined with tools_ From hammers to spanners, from screwdrivers to pliers and more_ and upended the contents of the duffel on the table.
Back in Black Tower island, all the weapons had blown up some time after the villains escaped. I discovered, the self destruct happens by a mechanism triggering the power source to explode. So the only intact power source were those from the weapons already destroyed before it triggers. Like the wall mounted gun turret Diana broke. I have two power sources because of that.
The power source is a glowing red rectangular brick the size of an average 1200mah Nokia battery. From what I deduced, the power it released will have to be enhanced before it ejects out of the nozzle. That means I have to first find the enhancer then use it for my own purpose.
I took a screwdriver from the wall and unraveled all the weapons. Hmm... I think this is it. It was a silver screen that was fitted between the chambers and nozzles of each gun. How does this even work? It wasn't transparent, it was at most translucent. Is it a special metal or an alloy or another substance all together?
I studied it in the light. I could see through it, though barely. Everything looked blurry and small.
Hu, now I'm confused.
The mechanic shop was getting busier as more technicians showed up and costumers appeared. So I didn't have the space all to my self anymore_ I needed to finish this fast.
What I wanted to make was a booster watch. Something like a web shooter. But where Spiderman's shoot webs, mine will let me gain energy at an instance. The way it'll work was, I'll press a button and an electric charge will assault me from the watch. I'll absorb the energy and get boosted.
It sounded easy in theory, however, I didn't know whether it'll work.
Fu...
And... After 15 minutes... it worked! Using a belt from a tactical suit, a gun turret chamber I fixed atop the belt head, parts of a taser to generate electric shock, and the booster screen from destroyed riffles to enhance the charge.
I buckled the belt to my wrist. The gun turret chamber holding the power source was fixed atop the belt head in such a way that I could buckle the belt underneath without any problem.
I held up my wrist to study my invention. It was red with black straps. It was also a little chunky for a watch, but well, I could modify it in the future.
It worked, now let's see if it really works. According to my calculations, it should generate up to 600 volts when I pull the trigger, doubling as a switch, at the side of the watch. Well let's find out. I pulled the switch to the side.
Vroom!
A powerful electric shock ran through my body. I absorbed it. Immediately a thin sheet of purple light covered my body like a Lantern's force field and I rose 2 feet above ground. Shit, I did it! It really worked! I basked in pride for a moment, then pulled the energy completely into my body and landed on my feet.
The whole shop was staring at me, mouth agape. I packed my things, thanked Paul, and left the auto repair shop.
The street was full when I came out, and cars needing repair had pilled up st some point. I must have inconvenienced the mechanics. I sighed.
I returned to my hotel with a bounce to my steps. Damn, this is more than just gaining energy without getting hit. No, this is like gaining super powers at the flick of a switch.
Let me explain.
I absorb and use energy right? Without energy I'm just a baseline puny mortal with at most better durability. But with enough energy I can hold my own against almost anyone; Literal gods, wizards, geniuses, you name it. I can unlock super abilities not open to me before that. I can fly, shoot energy, regenerate at high speed; I become stronger and faster, and nigh invulnerable.
Especially gaining flight anytime I want. I have only been flying from yesterday but was already hooked. I loved flying. The freedom, the power, the ease of moving from one place to another.
So as night came I boosted myself thrice with the booster watch and flew out into the night. Soaring in the sky I flew above the twinkling night of the 'dark metropolis' going a circuit around the city. I flew grinning like a fool, changing from one flying form to another; from a standing position I changed to a laying one, from that to an upside down, and even flipped, and did obstacle navigation.
I used the city structures as my training equipment for some time.
I passed Gotham clock tower showing 5 minutes to 9, and the Wayne tower, dark, tall and Gothic. I flew low along the finger river to the narrows. How do I know the name of the river and where I was going to? Those were one of the things I asked the receptionist this morning when asking for directions to the mechanics.
By the way, the district the hotel is located is Coventry.
Wow...
The narrows was a slum okay. Dilapidated buildings, dark alleys with cloths hanging on cloth lines above, and the bad smell brooding below like a fog. I started my patrol from here.
I glided in the air like a hungry eagle looking for prey. I stared down into the alleys as I passed. Soon I found it_ hopefuly crime_ strange movement in the alleys; I hope it was not some folks screwing though. I drew closer.
Three guys were beating up a man. Two of the thugs held the man at both sides while one practiced his boxing skills on the poor man, who's face was already bloodied.
I descended. Then grabbed the aspiring boxer by the back of his jacket's collar and flung him away. "Ha? Where did he come from?" One of the other two thugs said.
Both released the man and attempted flee, but I quickly lifted my hand and blasted one on the back with a bolt of purple light. He went flying, smacked the wall and didn't get up. The last thug realized escape is not possible and turned to me in panic, pulling out a revolver.
I was impressed.
"Don't come near me, Mystery man or no, I'd put a bullet in your fucking head!" He had a Russian accent or such.
"To me that thing is nothing but a toy." I shrugged.
"Then I'd shot him!" He pointed the gun at the man they were beating.
"Now you are talking." I swooped in a blur to stand between the thug and his target. A shot was fired in the night, with the bullet harmlessly bouncing off my forehead, then I knocked the guy out with a punch.
I turned around as the 'poor man' rose to his feet. He was a middle aged man with dark hair greying at the sides. Wait, I can see in the dark! Talk of unlocking new abilities. My powers is just amazing, I decided with satisfaction.
"Ha, thanks for saving me!" The man said pulling me out of my narcissistic thoughts.
I nodded curtly. It's better to be a little detached with people I save. "You gonna get home safe on your own?"
"I think I can manage, those morons just took me by surprise that's all. But I guess a little roughing up now and then comes with the job eh? My name's Sam Bradley, private detective, at your service."
Interesting, I thought. "Greek,"
"You a new Mystery man round here?"
"Something like that. I'm curious, don't know if its only me but this city seems a little lawless if you know what I mean. Don't you have any heroes?"
"You mean them Mystery men?" He shrugged. "Well there's the Cat and the Black Canary... I guess Green Lantern for a brief. But these days it's only the Canary that's looking out for the little guy."
So there's no Batman. I'd suspected it from Diana's explanation about the abduction of the JSA without mentioning either Batman or Superman. So this universe is probably post crisis. That means no Superman and Batman in the Golden age. Sweet, now I might have to wait for decades to meet my favorite heroes.
And if I die before that? I should aspire for immortality then_ if I am not immortal already. I mean only few things could kill me at the moment, and taking a fact from others with similar powers, I probably don't age fast, or even at all.
Moreover I'll only grow stronger.
Either way, I wished Bradley luck and flew away.
I continued my patrol of the city, actually stopping seven crimes that night. One a bank robbery. One thing I did after beating up the criminals was to loot their cash and leave them penniless for the cops, except the bank robbers of course. I was just flying over when I saw a car speeding ahead of the cops in pursuit. Thinking quickly, I blasted the tires of the escaping car with a bolt from above.
I was suprised at my precision.
The car crashed. But the bank robbers quickly came out with guns and sky masks so I had to swoop down and deal with them properly. Anyway, I left them for the cops feeling good about myself. That night I made up to 35 dollars.
The next night I patrolled the city again. But this time my loot was more modest. I made 45 dollars altogether for those two nights. The hero thing was proving lucrative.
So the third day in Gotham, the same day I'm to meet back with Wonder Woman, I checked out of the hotel in the morning and hailed a cab to East End.
East end is suppose to be the worst part of Gotham. Not the worst in terms of standard of living; that'd be the narrows. No it was the worst in terms of crime rate.
The cab dropped me before a pharmacy. I shouldered my bag and walked out of the main street. The area here has darker back alleys than I'm used to, deep like a maze, cloths line strewn with cloths above shaded the sun, casting more shadows than it should be.
I went past many streets as I navigated the alleys, I'm sure. Finally...
Two guys were sharing a joint by the side, I went past them into the street. Coincidentally it was a ghetto. The place was teeming with African Americans. Among others, a woman in pants and shirt was arguing with a guy, a little girl of about 5 was running around with a doll, a big guy in his thirties was sitting in the front porch of an apartment building.
A hat was beside him and a black dog lay at his feet. I walked to him. "Good morning." I said.
He looked up from rubbing his dog. "Hey bruh, how's it going?"
"Very well."
"Yeah, right?"
I looked around. "Where can I rent around here?"
"You ain't going to find anything fancy...,"
"I came here with that in mind."
The guy grinned. "I'm liking you already," he rose to his feet and offered his hand. "I'm Joe Black, you should tell a nigga your name when you meet em."
"James Greek," I grunted as I shook his hand.
"You Greek?" He asked as I predicted.
"Do I look Greek?"
"Nah, you look like a brother okay. Got a funny accent though. Come on, I might know a place to fit your fancy ass." He picked his hat and told the dog to stay before gesturing for me to follow.
We went down the street and into an alley. The smell of garbage and cigarettes filled the air. Joe was walking ahead. "You know I can mug you here bruh,"
"You can try." I said. "I'd like to knock out a few of your teeth."
"You talk fancy, you educated?"
"You are not?"
"I dropped outa high school like 6 years ago. I figured what's the point of it all when I'd end up sucking up for them whites anyway. Been regretting it for a while now."
I nodded. "Yeah, I have been regretting a lot of things too..., none of them was going to school though."
"Aw man, you making a nigga depressed." He didn't look it though.
We came out of the long alley into another street. They were few people about but none gave a second look as we walked to an old three storey apartment building looking desperately in need of renovation.
We went up to the second floor before stopping in front of a door. Joe knocked on the door. "Who's it?"
Joe pushed the door but it didn't budge. "It's me, Joe, open up man!"
Krrr...
The door swung open after a brief wait. A shirtless skinny middle aged guy appeared. He looked a little dazed with unfocused eyes like he was on weed or something. "Hey Joe what's up?" He said as he settled his eyes on us.
"Good morning to you too Calvin. This is James, wants to rent."
The pothead's eyes cleared in an instance. "Uh, be right out." He closed the door. He returned with a blue shirt on. "Come with me, its upstairs."
There were four rooms on each side of the hallway. The room Calvin led me to was at the end of the hallway. "It's a double room, the shared bathroom is just opposite too."
"You gave me a room opposite the bathroom?" I frowned.
"What's it you people with rejecting such a room?"
"Well, I am not taking this room man, change it."
"You think it's that easy? All the rooms are taking!"
I turned to Joe ignoring him. "Is they any other house to rent around here?"
"All are shitier, trust me."
"Then I just have to find some place else..." I started walking away.
"Wait college!" Calvin called. I think he and Joe might have exchanged looks, I wasn't sure. I turned. "There's a flat in the basement if you can pay."
I was intrigued. "The basement?"
"You gonna pay 40 bucks for it for a month stay."
"Let me see it."
They led me to the basement. It was a two bedroom apartment with its own bathroom! I fell in love with it in an instance. The only downside was it wasn't furnished. "I'll take it," I said. "But for 30 bucks." It felt cheap, but then in 1940s money I might have been ripped.
"You think you are renting an alley?"
"No... Why would I rent an alley?"
"This is East End, guys rent alleys, and we don't ask em no questions. Tell you what, I have a chair and a mattress I can bring down here for ya. Ah, with the rent that'll be round 38 bucks."
"35,"
"We have a deal college." We shook hands.
After I paid for the apartment and got the keys, I cleaned up the room and arranged the chair and mattress Calvin brought down. This will be my living space and eventually my lab. My start up pack in this earth.
At night I went back to Robinson park to meet back with Diana. I had realized after we separated that we didn't really fix the time we'd meet, but judging by my understanding of her it'd be at around the same time she dropped me. Around 8pm, but I arrived early, before 7.
I found Diana immediately I arrived even though I came early, but not as I expected.
From afar I could hear the gun shots. loud insistent things. The sky flashed with yellow light. I flew faster.
Wonder Woman was taking cover behind a tree as dozens of gunmen fired at her. She was bleeding from a bullet wound on her lap making me frown. How had they hit her? More Importantly, more gun men were sneaking around the grooves, trying to surround and attack her from behind.
I turned the switch of my booster watch. I couldn't turn it again till it cools off after 5 minutes, but luckily I had boosted myself thrice already before I left home.
Then I shot towards the direction the some of the gunmen- trying to round her- were sneaking to. They saw me as I neared and started shooting up at me. I let the bullets bounce off my body then shot purple bolts back at them both with my hands and eyes sending them flying. Cool.
"It's for the fatherland men, do not retreat!" An old white haired guy ordered fiercely. I turned and blasted him away too.
More gunmen were approaching from the right side, also trying to round behind Diana, but I ignored them. I quickly turned and flew to the woman in question to ask her what was going on. But I noticed her wide panicked eyes too late. "Go back!" She shouted. "Stay away from me! Stay in the sky!"
"Wha...?" I started then I suddenly lost flight and fell to the ground, my energy exploding in a circle around me as it left my body. What? I felt feeble. There was a ringing in my head and my body felt heavy. I stood up looking around. The park had grown quiet.
Trees were downed around me.
Hu...
The energy had sent Diana flying but she wasn't getting up like I expected. I ran to her. She lay face down, her forehead bleeding. I rolled her to her back and looked down at her. "Diana!" She opened her eyes blearily. "Are you alright?!" I asked in panic.
Her eyes suddenly cleared. "No...," she groaned. "Leave Greek, you must get out of here!"
"Not if I don't know why...!"
"You fool! You'll die, you are in Parsifal's range... You can't use your powers, you must leave!"
"What?" I looked at my hands. Well that explains many things. But I don't have powers? Ah fuck! "Then we must get out of here. Together."
"You stubborn man!" Diana gritted her teeth then nodded.
The involuntary release of my energy had stunned the the gunmen but it won't be for long. Besides, more might arrive. We must make haste.
I helped Diana up then we gathered her weapons and I gave her arm my shoulder as I helped her walk. We took some distance from the place she had hid_ but we were still in the park_ before we started talking. "My healing has slowed." She complained. "But it's still faster than mortals still."
"Good to hear, how did you even get into this fix?"
"Betrayal I suspect." Her voice was small. "The Nazis were waiting for me in ambush. I am glad you are here Greek, but I have a feeling this is going to be a long night."
In that I could agree.
CHAPTER FIVE ENDS
Really I hope you enjoyed.
NOW TO BUSINESS, as always, THIS IS HOW I wish to go about this story. In the tags you could see Batman and Superman will be part of this story and now they are suddenly not in the Golden Age? That's because even though they are not presently in the 1940s they are very important to the story.
WHAT I WISH TO WRITE IS A FANFIC starting from 1940s to the 2000s when the Justice league would appear. Quite ambitious you say? That's true, but if I want to do something I always aim big.
So that's my plans.
ANYWAY ENOUGH OF THAT.
WW is in trouble again isn't she? And worse she has to drag our MC into it!