Hero Rising, Arc II

This is the second arc to my ongoing Hero Rising novel for submission to DC Comics. If you love superheroes, this is definitely in your interest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arc II

The not-so-fun party--

 

Intermission,

 

A lesson in friendship

 

 

 

 

 

Two years ago, Elijah was still asleep, sprawled out on his bed and snoring. He was sixteen years old with longer, blonder hair, but was still all-around the same person. In these days, he didn’t leave the house much except for the occasional jog in the yards at the Crawford estate. On some days, he didn’t even leave the bedroom, much less change out of his pajamas.

Today would be unlike any other day. He knew this because, today, his mother, Elaine Crawford, came into his room to wake him up with a tray of breakfast. She was much shorter than him, but had aged well for a woman nearing the age of fifty-five. It was around eight in the morning on this particular Monday and Elaine had already finished half of her errands for the day. Despite her husband’s successes, the mother of three never gave up her ambition to be one with the common people: To remain more “ordinary” than the typical, pompous housewife like the ones she saw on television.

She smiled as she entered the room, carefully pushing the door open as she walked barefoot across the carpeting. She placed the tray of food on his computer desk and sat at the edge of his bed and ran her fingers through her hair. “Good morning, my beautiful son,” she greeted him in a whisper.

He yawned and rolled away from her. “Go away, mom.”

She laughed and rubbed his shoulder with soft fingers. “When did you go to bed, dear?”

Groaning, he said, “Like… four?”

“Four in the morning?” He confirmed and she giggled. “Gosh, you’re ridiculous, son. Are you feeling better today?”

He didn’t reply. He never replied and she frowned, looking out his window as she rubbed his shoulder. A silver luxury car pulled in at the front gates of the estate: Business guests here to visit the Sky Fort compound across the estate, and part of the reason Elaine was here in Elijah’s room this morning.

“Elijah… I know you’re tired, sweetie, but we actually have some guests coming to visit us this morning who really want to meet you.”

Elijah rolled around to face her and asked, “Who?”

She smiled. She had a kind, sweetheart smile that was popular among the media during interviews. She leaned in and kissed his forehead and said, “It’s a surprise! Now, wake up! You’re going to want to meet them.”

Elaine rose from his bed and started for the door, but he stopped her, speaking in a low voice. “Mom?”

She stopped and turned to him. “Yes, dear?”

He was sitting up in his bed, wrapped in his blanket like a toga, staring at the floor and frowning. “Am I… Do you think I’m weird?”

“Elijah… You are perfect.”

He knew she would say that. Everyone lies to him, he knew, but he accepted her answer, nodded it off, and waited for her to leave before climbing out of bed to get ready.

 

“’Lijah!” screamed his father from the system intercom in the living room. “’Lijah! You almost down here, boya?”

Elijah was sitting in his towel on the couch, eating cereal and watching the morning news. At the sound of his father’s insistent, southern drawl, he rolled his eyes and swallowed a mouthful of food. “Yes, father!”

“GOOD! I’m here with some frenza yers ‘n they’re getting’ tireda waitin’!”

“I don’t have friends, father--”

“Just hurry up’n get down here!”

Elijah was annoyed. It was now nearly 8:30 and still nobody told him what was going on around here. He didn’t want to do anything - doing things was not what he was known for - and especially not so early and for unknown reasons. Still, he finished his cereal, dressed himself, and made his way over to the Sky Fort compound across the estate from his family’s massive fortress of a home.

 

Jud Crawford was sitting across the table from his clients, passing papers back and forth between them. Sitting across from him, from left-to-right, was Rayne Sykes, Brock Landwehr, and Tyler Stoldt, though most of the conversation was between Brock and Jud.

“Mr. Crawford, the Axis Corporation is a multi-national, mutli-trillion dollar industry leading the way toward huge medical advances, as you know all too well. Your amazing accomplishments with the Lionheart model airship has been a phenomenal improvement toward the endeavors of my company and I am forever in your debt.”

“Yeah, yeah. Look, Brock, we all know you kids ain’t here just to shoot the s**t about either of our businesses. Now, I’ve giv’n you the tour of this place, but I’m goin’ to be straightforward and hon’st witcha: I ain’t got all day to yap with you fellahs!”

“I understand, Mr. Crawford, and, believe me, your time is just as valuable to me as my own. It’s just--”

“It’s kind of hard to explain,” Tyler politely intervened, leaning forward to control the conversation. “We have a huge request to make from you and from your company, but it’s a highly classified type ordeal. Do you understand the importance of this meeting?”

“Course I understan’t! Just spit it out there, kids! This s**t ain’t leaving this here boardroom!”

Brock locked eyes with Jud Crawford, studying him for a moment before he shrugged and opened a folder on the table. It was filled with schematic drawings and he slid them across the surface to Jud, explaining. “Mr. Crawford, our airship needs a good weapons system. The more our scientists make their advancements, the more my company’s infrastructure is at risk of being breached. Now, as my colleague here so nicely put it, we’re really going out on a limb here with this work, reaching out to you for your help and your advice and, most importantly, secrecy.”

“I mean, I’m honored’n stuff, Brock, but I ain’t no weapons guy, I just build the ships"”

“We’re aware of that, Jud. You see, we have some weapons clients of our own outside of Gallegos who drew up these schematics that you see here. We don’t need you to build the weapons, we just need you to analyze the metrics here and help us build a stronger support structure inside the ship, should she not be able to hold all this extra weight on the sides,” Tyler explained, pointing at the various objects drawn into the side of the Lionheart model airship.

Jud looked over the drawings, studying each of them and thinking over the plans. The three representatives from the Axis Corporation waited patiently, especially Rayne who said nothing at all the entire meeting. As Jud looked over the documents, Rayne rolled his eyes and sighed. Tyler laughed and looked at him behind Brock’s bulky shoulders. “Yes, Rayne?”

“I’m going to go get a soda from the vending machine. Do you guys need anything?”

They all said no and thanked him for the offer. He slid back in his chair, stood up, and left.

 

@RaynieDays Hating life right now #boring #shootmenow

 

Fifteen-year-old Rayne Sykes sat back in a chair in the Sky Fort main lobby. Two chairs down, another young boy around his age was eagerly reading a magazine. Rayne studied him, looking him up and down as he cracked open a can of soda from the lobby’s vending machine.

There was an awkward silence in the air and the boy felt Rayne’s eyes staring at him. He turned the page of his magazine, glancing fluidly at Rayne to confirm that, yes, he was staring at him. He set the magazine down in his lap and turned his attention to him. “Yes?”

Rayne didn’t turn away. He looked the boy in the eyes, then at the magazine, then back again before shrugging. “I mean, don’t mind me. I was reading that before you went and closed it.”

The boy squinted at him, folded up the magazine, and handed it to him. “Here. It’s all yours. I wasn’t really reading it.”

Rayne looked at the magazine, considered it, and then shook his head. “I’m not interested.”

The boy’s squint turned into a glare. He had a proper, heightened accent; one that Rayne couldn’t quite place in terms of region. He had great posture, too, and dressed nicely. Rayne could only assume that he was a local: Everyone in Oka’pocos dressed nicely; it was home to the wealthiest populace in the world.

As he analyzed the boy, the boy was doing the same: Here sat this total stranger who was both a combination of strange and rude, sitting beside him in borderline military apparel with a can of vending machine soda, talking down to the son of the building’s owner! Surely he wasn’t from around here, as anyone would recognize a Crawford in this part of the world, but he was toonice looking - too wealthy and pronounced - to be from anywhereelse in the world that he could think of.

“You going to stare at me all day, man?” Rayne asked, further baffling the boy. He smiled and held out a hand for the boy to shake and said, “I dislike your tie. What’s your name?”

“My… My tie? What is wrong with my tie?!” The boy stood up in outrage and threw his magazine on the chair behind him. “And no! I shall not shake your hand! Have you no idea who I am?!”

“Easy, easy!” Rayne said, giggling as he stood up, hands out in case the boy threw a fist at him though, given his scrawny stature, Rayne wasn’t quite sure the boy would even know how to throw a punch, let alone win in a fight against him. “I’m just playing with you. Lighten up! Look,” he extended a hand again, “my name is Rayne Sykes. Have you heard of me?”

“What! How would I… Why would I know who you are?”

Rayne sighed and dropped his hand. “It’s ok - I didn’t expect you would. I mean, yeah, I do a little bit of modeling and stuff, and I’ve been on the news once or twice"”

“Why on earth would they put someone like you on the news?”

“Ok. See? Now you’re just being condescending. I work directly under Tyler Stoldt, you coy little flounder, and I KNOW you know who that is! And I no longer need your introduction - I’m almost positive just by looking at you that you’re some sort of spoiled rich kid living under mommy’s protection with no real friends; they all probably hang out with you so that you buy them s**t. Do you even have any business here, or do you just hang out in office lobbies in your adorable outfit because it’s what all the cool kids are doing in this lame a*s city?”

Rayne had been on a tirade for so long that he didn’t even notice when tears started welling in the boy’s eyes. When he saw them, he took a quick breath and dropped his shoulders. “Are you serious?” he asked. The boy started to walk away and Rayne caught him by the wrist. “Come on, man! You can’t do this to me!”

“Stop! Let me go! ‘Rayne Sykes,’ you say? Well, you are very hurtful. You want to know my name? It’s Eli. Eli Crawford. I have had a bad week, sir, and I am sorry if I offended you. I have not had much sleep, I have not had any coffee, my parents woke me up this morning for… I do not even know why, my best friend shot himself last weekend on my birthday and, starting next week, I have to start seeing a therapist because my parents do not think I am coping well. As I said, I have had a bad week and I apologize for any inconvenience. Are you satisfied? Good day to you, Rayne Sykes!”

The boy stormed off, slamming the door behind him. Rayne stood at his lonesome, baffled by his own arrogance.

 

“So, you’ll be able to do it?” Tyler asked. The gentlemen had gone about their conference for some time now, but it was finally starting to come to a close. “Is that what I understand, Jud?”

“Yeah, I’ll be able to. It ain’t going to be cheap though, boys!”

“The expenses aren’t really a problem, Jud,” said Brock, “and you and your crew will be tipped handsomely if you can finish the installations sooner rather than later.”

“I c’n put the other projects on hold for you, gen’lemen. That’s no problem.”

Brock was pleased. “This is wonderful to hear! So, do we have your business, Jud?”

Judiah Crawford agreed. They all shook hands on it and started packing their things. “Oh! Jud! About your boy?”

“Ah, yes Tyler! My boy ‘Lijah should be ‘round here some’re! Let me go get him from the lobby’n I’ll meet you guys out in the hangar, yeah?”

Jud Crawford was a strong man who valued every part of his business, with little care put toward his demeanor or the way he looked. He was sharp, dirty, and charming and didn’t allow his success to get to his head: He still worked hands-on in the hangar with his crew when he wasn’t discussing business like this particular morning with the Axis Corporation representatives. He wore a pair of coveralls, even during meetings, because they were comfortable. He had a shoehorn bald head the faded down to his neatly trimmed beard and a strong, farmer’s build like the men of olden times before the innovative turn of the century.

As he walked across the hangar to the office lobby, his booted feet clopped heavily on the glossy floor like a giant. He entered the office as Rayne exited, nodding to each other as they crossed paths. Rayne hurried over to Tyler and Brock as they walked in the other direction toward the hangar gates. All around them, there were large bodies of metal being worked on by Jud’s impressive crew of machinists. Sparks and saws and metal alloys filled the room with ambiance like that of a factory. It was a different world to Rayne.

“Took you long enough,” Tyler greeted him as they fell into step beside one another.

“Did he agree to do it?”

“He did!” Brock said cheerfully. He clapped a heavy hand against Rayne’s back and pulled him in closer like a father would his son. “Rayne, my boy, you’ve just successfully witnessed your first of many great achievements in your time here with the company! Why, some day you might just have to take my job!”

“Not if I can help it!” Tyler said and they laughed, but Rayne was still a bit uneasy from his run-in with the Jud Crawford’s son. “You ready to meet my future assistant, Rayne?”

“Eh… Uh… I think I already did.”

“Well, what did you think? You two going to be best pals, or what?”

“Ah! Here he is!”

Jud met them in the hangar roundabout, holding his son Elijah up against him the way Brock held on to Rayne. “Elijah? I want you to meet some friends of mine and some of the biggest clients under Sky Fort’s belt! This here is Mr. Brock Landwehr, Mr. Tyler Stoldt, and… uh…?”

“Rayne!” Brock introduced. He was always such a formal man. “I think Rayne here and your boy are actually right about the same age, aren’t they? Rayne is fifteen.”

“My boy Eli is sixteen! See, Eli? You’ve found yourself a friend already!”

Elijah’s arms were crossed and he was glaring at Rayne, who was stirring uncomfortably between Tyler and Brock. “Yeah,” said Elijah, whose eyes were still red from crying a moment ago, “looks like I do.”

“’Lijah, these gentlemen here were talkin’ to me ‘bout… Well, s**t. Brock! You wanna explain it for ‘im?”

Brock smiled and nodded. “Do you know who I am, Eli? Your father says you’re pretty perceptive and that you watch the news, so I’m assuming you know who I am.”

“I do,” he confirmed. “You’re Brock Landwehr, the founder of the Axis Corporation. You’re also the lead spokesman for the International Coalition for Peace and a major donor for the Revolution Fund, the scholarship that funded all those students in Martica last year.” He smirked. “Yes, sir, I know who you are.”

Brock agreed with a laugh. “So, I assume you know my colleague here, too? Tyler Stoldt?”

Elijah’s eyes grew wide and he stepped forward to shake hands with Tyler. “Oh yes… Yes, I know you very well, Mr. Stoldt. You are my childhood hero! The Tyler Stoldt! You came and spoke at my school once when I was twelve. We won… I don’t know. I think it was some sort of school challenge or something like that. You came and spoke to us about who you are and what you do. I believe it was in your first year at the Axis Corporation. I must say, sir; you and Pryce Edgemoor are two of my biggest heroes - it’s truly an honor to--”

“Jesus, boya! Ease off the man!”

Elijah blushed and retreated to his father’s side. Brock and Tyler chuckled and then Brock came forward. “We have heard much about you from your father, Elijah, and I’m glad you’ve heard of us and of my corporation. You see, we’re undergoing some changes in the next few weeks. I will be stepping down my position to pursue work in the political field. Tyler will be taking my position as the leader of the Axis Corporation, which means more work on his plate. Our usual assistant, Laura, has been gone on maternity leave and, while Tyler and I can manage the work together, I won’t be around much longer to help him. So, while talking to your father, I asked him how he felt about maybe allowing you to come work with us--”

“Please, father, tell me you said yes!”

“’Lijah! Will you please jess listen to the man?!”

“Your father,” Brock continued, “said he would be more than willing to allow you to remain under our care, should you choose to"”

“Of course I’ll do it! Are you kidding me?! Are you guys kidding me?!”

Rayne started laughing at Elijah’s sudden burst of excitement. Soon, everyone was grinning, but none as hard as Elijah Crawford.

“I’m glad you’re willing to, kiddo!” Tyler said. He approached him and shook hands with him, leaving an identification holo in his hands for him to keep. “It’s not a hard job and you’ll be paid as much as we pay Rayne, here. That there is your identification holo card, which allows you to come aboard our airship at any time. Take a few days to pack up your things - ake as long as you need - and, when you’re ready, just let us know and we’ll have Rayne pick you up.”

Rayne shrugged and said, “I mean, if that’s ok with you?”

Elijah looked him over, still grinning, and threw out a hand to shake with Rayne and they shook. “That would be amazing, Rayne.”

 

And that’s how it came to be between Eli and I! I taught him how to workout and get stronger; he taught me… stuff in general, making me smarter and wittier like him. Soon enough, it was exactly as Brock said: Laura was down and out, Brock ducked out within the month, and it became just me, Tyler, and our new friend Elijah.

When Eli first saw Tyler in costume as the Cloud Knight, he was nervous, to say the least. He threw up (which was hysterical) and begged me to please, please, please not go out with him to beat up on baddies for fear that I might die. He was silly and vulnerable back then: We hardened him up after a few nights of running around and coming home with bleeding wounds and broken attire. Eli made for a good PA; never quite up to speed with us, but confident enough in his abilities to catch on quickly and learn the ropes around the ship. It kept us alive, that’s for sure, and that’s all that really mattered in the end.

I’m glad I met him.

Author's Note

Make sure you've read Hero Rising's first arc, also found on my page!