House of L Vignette: Arrowhawk

[Dr Archeville]

ARROW'D!

Dirty Paul hurriedly loaded the crates into the back of the truck. His buddy, Kirk the Shirk, was standing guard with a tommy gun, aiming at the shadows.

"Hurry it up," hissed Kirk, "Arrowhawk'll be coming!" He spun around frantically, hoping to spot something in the shadows. Paul laughed, but his

attempt at sounding derisive failed, replaced with nervousness.

"Shut it, Kirk! We'll just gun down Arrowhawk!" he said brashly, trying to hide his fear. As if on cue, an arrow shot from the shadows and knocked the crate

flying from his hands. Kirk and Paul looked around. On the nearby rooftop stood a man in a blue-grey cape and hood, wearing a grey shirt emblazoned with

a silver-white hawk logo.

"Well, then," he boomed in a deep voice. "Give it a go." Instantly, Kirk and Paul jumped into the truck, shouting for the driver to move, even as Arrowhawk took aim at the truck. As the arrow flew, it left a long wire attached to his glove, stretching all the way across to where the magnetic arrowhead had fastened to the roof of the moving vehicle, held rigid with the powers of science!

Clipping the cable to his belt, Arrowhawk let himself get pulled off the roof, his cape automatically spreading as he paraglided behind his quarry.

Criminals can't fly from the wings of justice, he thought as he aimed another shot at the front of the truck. The arrow exploded against the ground in front of the vehicle, showering oil all over the road.

As the truck skidded and swerved, the hero adjusted a switch on his belt. The cable slowly retracted, bringing him in to land on the truck's roof. He swayed

and wobbled as the truck careered out of control. Ah. Thank God my legs are still strong and healthy, else I'd fall! But, even with that, it was increasingly hard to remain upright. The driver simply could not drive on the slick of slippery slime!

"No! Accidents like this, even in the pursuit of villains..." began Arrowhawk, shooting two arrows at once. "... is WRONG!" The arrows hit opposite buildings, a net spread between them as the pointed arrowheads folded out into stone-crunching claws, fastening to the fastness of the stone! The truck slammed into the net, but it held. "Aha!" proclaimed Arrowhawk leaping down to the ground with his gliding cape. He wrenched open the driver's door and pulled out the crook, smiling widely.

"Crime doesn't pay!" he said, slapping on a pair of handcuffs. "Now, where are your accomplices!" Without waiting for an answer, he turned... to see Paul and Kirk running away from him. The cowardly scum! This shall not go unopposed!

With a deft shot, an arrow exploded at the pair's feet. Soon, sticky glue has coated their legs and feet, holding them fast to the pavement. "Halt!" With

a swagger in his step, Arrowhawk strutted up and handcuffed the pair of struggling, stuck crooks. "My friends," he said solemnly. "You've been arrow'd."