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Duke looked down at the street, his perch on the bat burger a perfect vantage point over the whole block. His helmet-clad head rested on his hand, his other rested on his other arm’s bicep, supporting him as he crossed arms.
He half listened to the police radio and half watched. Eyes looking for any suspicious activity below. Anything to add to Bat’s ‘big important report’ and to dull that buzzing need to help.
“Back up required: suspects barricading themselves in house. Innocent locked in with them. Confirmed minor and one adult, more suspected.” Came over the com.
“ It's time to shine.” Duke muttered, Giving a small chuckle at his joke. Grappling off the roof, heading to the location the officer called from. Swinging and volting to make it faster, jumping from building to building.
Duke landed on the roof: across from where the call was given. An unsuspecting townhouse sat, police cars around the front, officers chatting and contemplating whether to barge in or not. Jumping down, Signal decided to join them. Immediately heads turned towards him.
“What’s the sitch?” He asked quickly. Still feeling weird being so close to the police, his instinct yelling at him to resolve this fast to end the interaction.
One of the officers looked at others, deciding to walk over. “The group of suspects are inside and have weapons and are threatening the civilians in there. We already tried negotiating, they won’t come out.”
Signal nodded, formulating a plan. “I’ll go in ahead, you guys get ready for when the dudes?-” A nod from the officer confirmed gender. “-dudes try and make a break for it, I’ll give a signal, then you guys can come in. Okay? Okay.”
Raising his Grappling hook to one of the upper windows he fired, pulling himself up and settling onto the fire escape. Cracking opening the window with minimal effort. He looked over his shoulders, gave the police below a quick glance and used his powers and became invisible.
Crawling in with no problem, Signal looked around. A bedroom sat, posters of different musicians all along the walls, Signal spotted a cello case in the corner. No sign of life, apart from the fish tank in the corner.
Signal made his way out of the room, utilizing all his training to not make a sound. His boots padded across the carpeted floor, inching him towards the stairs.
Voices ranged out on the lower floor.
“I’m not playing around!” Came the shout. Then the sound of furniture being pushed over and falling with a bang.
Signal stood perfectly still, calming his breath and listened. He didn't hear any loud thumbs, just fearful screams. He tightened his fist, anger filling his chest. Then Signal heard crying - the crying of a kid. Signal took a deep breath, and ventured deeper into the house.
Signal found the stairs, he slows and creeps closer. Peering around the banister and looked down the stairs, he saw the hostages. They were all sitting, tied up on the floor of the living room. There were three adults and one kid.
Scouting around Signal saw the perfect place to appear, a shadow in the corner of the room - where most of the thugs' backs were facing. Taking a calming breath, he stepped back int the dark hallway and traveled into the shadows.
The moment the warmth of natural light touched his skin he swung, his fist collided with the back of a goon's head. He threw batarangs at the others facing him and the hostages. They cried out in pain, and the hostages yelled in alarm as the goons fell over.
Signal scoped the room as fast as he could, counting the goons still standing and armed. He yelled out to the hostages to close their eyes and flashed bombed.
He took out the rest of the thugs but noticed some were missing, he ran to the front door and yelled out to the cops.
Signal took a calming breath when he saw the remaining thugs were detained, he yelled out to the cops "Come inside! it's secured!"
He went over to the hostages and used a batarang to cut the rope holding them.
When they were all outside the cops started checking the victims over, asking them questions. Signal saw that his work here was done and was about to grapple away when he noticed the kid standing by herself. She was looking down, pulling on her wild hair. A faraway look in her eyes.
Signal walked over, and stood close to her. "Hi." he said softly.
She looked up at him through her hair, she seemed to recognize him. Her eyes lighting up as they widened. "Hello." she mumbled.
Signal kneeled down to her level, putting on a kind smile. "Whatcha doing over here?"
She kicked a random pebble on the ground, as she mumbled "Waiting. Mommy is talking and she told me to wait..."
Signal nodded, "Makes sense. Hey, as we wait you wanna play a game?" He offered, remembering a game he'd love to play when he was younger. He waited until she nodded.
"Okay, how about hopscotch?" He suggested, hopeful. And he was rewarded when she immediately lit up.
"Watch this." He said, pulling on his power he illuminated the pattern of the classic game of hopscotch.
As he worked his magic making numbers and boxes out of light the only thing in his head was the sentence 'how the fuck am I doing this?' playing over and over. Signal knew it'd be pretty awkward if he failed, he didn't want this kid judging him man.
After a few seconds a complete game of hopscotch was shining on the cracked side walk. Signal looked over at the kid, to see her reaction. Her face was under-lit by the glow, her eyes sparkled as they widened. She gasped in surprise and wonder, and Signal smiled. He bent down and picked up a pebble from he ground and offered it up.
"Come on, you first." Signal motioned for her to start. She laughed, grabbing the stone and throwing it into a random square, getting a running start and started hopping while singing a little jingle.
"Fly in the buttermilk, shoo fly shoo. Fly in the buttermilk, shoo fly shoo. Skip to the loo my darling!" She sang, making her way across the board. Signal laughed and clapped as she went, not knowing that eyes were on the two.
But they weren't eyes of maliciousness. They were the eyes of police a few steps away, watching as a little girl laughed and smiled as one of the city vigilantes cheered her up. They were the eyes of passerby, the people who were walking home or to work, who her the childlike laughter and their eyes followed. It was the eyes of the people looking out their windows, wondering about the odd sound that made it bypassed the cars noise, and sounds of violence. So there were eyes on them, but it wasn't dangerous. For a second, a small moment in time, the world seemed good. No, the world was good.
But like all things, it was finite - almost inconsequential, but isn't that what makes those moments all the more cherished? Because they aren't forever.
Signal didn't know if he ever really changed the city, if what he did helped. But in moments like these, he didn't mind if he didn't change the world, he'd rather change lives in small moments. Because he'd look back on this and remember the laughter, he'd remember the moment it felt like the world was lighter.
"Your turn!"
Signal broke out of his thoughts and looked down, a tiny hand offered up a misshapen pebble - that was more likely a broken off part of sidewalk - and Signal smiled and took it. "You were good. But watch and learn." He joked and tossed the pebbled.
His laughter sounded out, filling the air. It was a small moment, but it was there. And maybe Signal needed to stop thinking so existentially. But it was fun. It was a single moment; a moment in the morning that would pass. But it was a great moment.
The sun was rising in the sky - though it didn't reach pass through the clouds and smog - it was there, maybe a certain hero was becoming one on the streets for the people who've lived without it for long enough.
It was morning and there was sunshine and hopscotch.