Black Lightning and Static #4 (of 5)

Alva Industries Laboratory


“Why does Alva have us working nights?” Robert Hawkins questioned, taking a sip out of his styrofoam cup filled with steaming coffee. He dropped his briefcase onto a table next to one of the many computers.

“Please don't set that there, this equipment is very delicate.” Dr. Emerson, the man leading the project for Edwin Alva, replied. “And don't ask questions. I don't know what Alva sees in you, I could do this research myself. But since you're here, you can make yourself useful by not getting in the way and doing what you are told.”

“I can already tell we're going to get along great Neal.” Robert took another sip as the two stood there in awkward silence. He remembers hearing about an accident that occurred last year involving a Doctor Emerson at the Star Labs in Coast City. He just couldn't recall at the moment what it was that happened exactly and he sure as hell wasn't going to ask. It was best to focus on the work because what ever it was it couldn't have been that important. “I still don't understand what I'm doing here.”

“We are researching the chemical involved in the Big Bang to help see how we could...mend the damages done to these teenagers.”

“You sure do have a lot of information on this chemical.” Robert flipped through some papers. “How did you get all of this?”

“Like I said Mr. Hawkins, don't ask questions.”

Fine. If he still wants to live in the dark, that's just fine. Virgil thought, looking down from a rooftop onto the Star City police station. He turned to talk to the young boy with him.

“I'm gonna go get your dad now, alright? I want you to stay in this spot. The only reason you should move is if I'm in there for way too long. If that's the case, I want you to use those stairs over there, knock on someone's door, and tell them to bring you to Social Services. You got all that?” The boy nodded his head in agreement and watched as Static flew over to the station's rooftop on the cover of a trash can.

He dropped into an air duct and silently made his way through. As he passed by various vents, he heard conversations of the police passing by.

“...so then I beat his black ass for talking back to me and told him the next time he gets smart I'll make some charge up for him.”

“--ing my wife last night and she say’s, get this, 'stop'. Like she has any say in the matter. I had half a mind not smack her right there. I'm a damn cop, after all the work I do it's the least she could do for me...”

“...glad he ran, that scum gave me an excuse to fire some bullets off.”

“Don't worry, I looked him up and got his address. He says he won't talk in court, but maybe we could sway his decision after…”

“Alva offered me a job as a security guard after I was in the newspaper for breakin' that guy's jaw in public.”

Racism, Womanizing, and Extreme violence whatever the hell Edwin Alva is up to these days. This is what the people are paying taxes for. And people wonder why I spoke out against those officers on the news.

After almost five minutes of crawling, Static heard yelling coming from the room coming up.
“Please! I didn't mean anything by it!” He recognized the voice as the boy's father. Static reached the interrogation room that the man was in and witnessed a cop punch him in the stomach.

“Impulsive...plan it out. Impulsive....plan it out. Ah what the heck.” Static zapped the metal and made the bottom of the duct fall down to the floor below. “Albuquerque?” He said shrugging and proceeded to punch one of the officers. “I guess I'm just a silly rabbit. Now that I'm here though, might as well make this a party.” The other un-holstered his weapon and fired off a shot that ricocheted off of a shield. Immediately after, a stampede of police officers could be heard running downstairs.

Static ran over to the cop and slapped the gun out of his hand.

“I thought up a name for this.” He shot electricity into the cop and slammed him against the door. “I call it 'Static cling'. Catchy, huh?” Static looked over at the man in handcuffs, who was very confused.

“Oh yeah, I'm here to save you. Long story short, your son's out waiting for us. Now, just stay behind me and we'll get through this.” Static took apart the handcuffs. “You ready?”

The man looked down at the police officer and kicked him in the stomach.
“Yes.”

On the other side of the door, over twenty police tried to figure out a way into the room. Just as an officer was getting ready to kick the door, Static charged through it and pushed the door along with the officer attached to it into the crowd. He quickly spread both arms out and shot waves of electricity down each side of the corridor, knocking the officers down.
“Follow me!” He yelled to the man and they ran down one end. One officer grabbed at his leg and Static slammed into the ground. He shot a jolt through his leg and the cop released. By then, others had gotten back up. Before Static could get to his feet, five officers dog piled onto him.

Static could barely breathe. Five out of shape, sweaty, police officers smothered all of the air from getting to him. Without oxygen, he couldn't focus on his powers. The fact that his body was still bruised didn't make it any easier on him. Maybe his powers were like muscles, overexertion resulted in strain.

“That's right freak, we finally got you. We're gonna show you what happens to people who think they can uphold the law better than us.” An officer said.

Racism, womanizing, and extreme violence these are some things that can push muscles past expectations. Emotions. Adrenaline. He had those in spades now. Static let out a yell and sprayed out electricity in every direction.

“I don't think I can uphold the law better than you sorry excuses for the law...” He ran over to the father and grabbed him. The two hugged the wall. “I KNOW I CAN!” He screamed as his electricity grabbed and slammed the air duct onto the floor, collapsing it onto the majority of the officers. While most of them were disoriented, he took off a long panel off the top of the duct and jumped onto it with the man. He then used his powers to fly out of the station.

Static and the father arrived on the rooftop across from the station to see the child with Batman. The child ran over to his father and the two spoke to each other in Spanish.

“I don't agree with how you're doing this.” Batman said.

“Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot lately. If you're here to take them away...”

“You misunderstood me. I don't like the methods, but I understand what you're doing. Right now, I'm in no position to criticize going against the law for something you believe in. I actually came for two things. One, I'd like to offer help to them. I rented a room to a hotel in the city. I also gave them a card to Wayne industries, I know a man with a high position there. He can provide them with jobs and help them sort their situation out.” They looked over to see the boy with the card and key explaining it to his father.

“Wow. That's...thanks. That must mean a lot to them, considering all they've been through.”

“I don't want you to keep doing this. I'm doing this because I'm sure you don't know where to go from here with them. That doesn't give you a pass to go against the law like this.”

“I'll do my best, uh, sir.” Batman gave Static an approving head nod and he walked over to the man and his boy.

“Thank you so much.” The man said, almost in tears.

“Don't mention it. If you guys can get out of that life of crime and into a normal life I'll be happy. Now you guys should probably get out of here before the police search up here.” The two ran down the stairs.
“I know you guys didn't do it.” Static said, turning to Batman.

“Why?” Batman questioned.

“You're the Justice League.” Batman let out a rarely seen smile.

“You're definitely Gears son.”

“Who?”

“Nothing. Your father raised you right. You just have some learning to do. I see potential in you.”

“Does everyone but me know my dad's secret? Seriously.” Static threw his hands in the air and walked towards the edge of the roof. “Batman, I think you should look at this.” Batman joined him and looked down towards the police station. The soldiers were marching down the street by the police station.

“I knew we'd find both of you here. You've recruited kids before, why not this one?” Black Lightning said. Batman and Static turned around to see him with Pamela Isley.

“Ivy.” Batman said in a grim voice. “So you're a part of this too.”

“Ivy?” Black Lightning said, confused.

“Don't worry about honey. We have bigger problems now.” She said raising her hand up. All of a sudden a large plant grew from the ground below and through the building.

“Static, you need to get out of here. We'll meet at the place where I first spoke with you once this is over.” Batman yelled out. Static flew over rooftops and Black Lightning looked over at Ivy for approval.

“Go ahead, I'll handle the bat.”

Static reached a rooftop far away, but eventually Black Lightning caught up. He knew in such a weak state he couldn't run any longer, but he couldn't fight him either. He turned around with a determined look on his face.

“You're still bruised, Virgil.” Black Lightning said, approaching Static. Right away, Static recognized an alteration in his voice. He wasn't himself. “Your body, and more importantly your ego wouldn’t allow you to take down the Heat by yourself, I had to save you.” Black Lightning shot out electricity and Static absorbed it. “But you obviously passed out once I found you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Black Lightning punched Static in the face. Hard. He wasn't holding back.

“I defeated three of them! What makes you think you can even test me!?” He grabbed Static by his jacket and threw him across the roof top.

“I'm not even trying to fight you.” Static said, painfully picking himself up from the gravelly surface. “Just look around. People are scared to death of these soldier boys.”

“It's necessary to strike fear. It will weaken the League.”

“They're your friends! Why don’t you try talking to them then?”

Black Lightning punched Static in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

“My friends wouldn't run from the law without an explanation. I could have helped Batman. Instead, he chose the hard way.”

“Did you stop and think...” Static still gasped for air. “That Pamela Isley struck a striking resemblance to Poison Ivy the super villain?” Black Lightning was taken back by the statement, but shook the feeling off and grabbed Static by the throat.

“This still hurts, doesn't it? The burn you got from Hot Streak. I bet you'll get a scar from that.”

“Shut up. You're a coward. Going with what the media and government tells you, taking it at face value without thinking. What are you scared of Jeff?”

Black Lightning gripped tighter.

“I'm scared I'll be wrong. That I'll go by my own rules and I'll end up killing someone under the influence of mind control again.”

“And how's that different from what's happening now?”

Black Lightning's eyes widened. For a second he gripped even tighter on Static's throat. Static took off his mask and looked at him. Black Lightning dropped him to the ground and took off his own mask.

“You're right Virgil. I can't keep hiding from my emotions and thoughts.”

“Thanks...for taking...your time...to realize that.” Static said trying desperately to get air into his lungs.

“Got me talkin' like...Stevie from Malcolm.”

“Who.”

“Malcolm in the...jeez, why'd I get my butt kicked by such an old man?”

“Alright, alright. I deserve that. We can do this later though, I need to help Batman.”

“No. We need to go to the Wal-Mart.”

“But--”

“I know you want to help, but there's not much more we could do against a small army.”

“I suppose. But how can we be sure that he'll make it?”

“What are you dense? He's the goddamn Batman.”


“It took the two of you long enough.” Batman said as the two arrived at the Wal-Mart.

“For the love-a...” Static jumped. “Cut that out man.”

“What happened with Ivy?” Black Lightning asked.

“I had to run. She had an army on her side; it's not the time to fight. Not yet.”

The three stood in silence for a solid minute.

“Oh, before I forget, what was the other thing you came by the rooftop for? You helped those two, but you never told me the other thing.” Static questioned.

“He wanted to know if you wanted to help the League. The answer is no.” Black Lightning replied for Batman.

“What?” Static shouted.

“Let the boy speak for himself Pierce.”

“He has the heart, but he's not ready.”

“I'm ready for anything!” Static said anxiously.

“This is what I'm talking about. Virgil, I have complete faith in you. I know that you are a hero, but this beyond you. Someone with more experience and less to lose needs to be out there fighting.”

“Who did you have in mind?” Batman asked.

“Me. As much as I wanted to tell myself I shouldn't, sometimes you just have to go with your gut feeling. My gut tells me the League needs my help. You need to stay behind and protect the city.”

“Wow.” Static said.

“Welcome back Jeff.” Batman put his hand on Black Lightning's shoulder.