The Origin of the Protector
Part Two
by Keith A. Kilburn
The Protector awoke tied to a chair, still masked and surrounded by thugs, he glanced around taking note of how many there were. six, including Terry. this was a nightmare and then it got worse. Mike Crawford took a step forward and spoke.
“Ok mystery man....Im gonna sk you some questions and if I dont like the answers I get there is gonna be trouble....Trouble you wont like and likely wont survive from.” Mike said drawing his pistol from the back of his pants and cocking the hammer on it as he stood there. The ropes on the Protectors hands wernt tied all that well and he realiezed that with a little work he could get them off....And then maybe he could even up the odds a bit.
“Who are you???” Mike asked looking menacingly at the young hero, who smiled as he worked carefully on the ropes and replied. “Im the Protector.....” Thinking back on on the comics he had seen earlier Jason remembered a line from one of the Batman comics and recited it. “Im am the scourge of Scum like you, I protector the Innocent, the weak and those who cant protect themselves.” He tried to sound like he knew what he was doing, the others looked like he had made an impact on them, Mike didnt look to impressed.
“Oh really????” Mike said with a smile, The Protector stared him down with his best heartless grin, some of the others in the room shifted, Terry lloked visibly shaken and outside the room Kid Flash and Robin looked at one another before speaking. “Scourge of scum like you??? “ Kids Flash said as he smiled and then added. “Where did he get that line, a comic book?” Robin rolled his eyes as he motioned for the younger Flash to get ready to move in.
“Yes, I have been training my entire life to take down drug dealers, scum bags like you, people who hook other people on drugs...Your reign of terror ends tonight Mike....Your going down.” The Protector said as he worked his hands free from the ropes.
Growing tired of the prattle from this costumed clown Mike started to raise his pistol....And that was when the Protector moved.
Leaping up from his chair the Protector Smashed into Mike with his curled fist driving the drug pusher across the room as his buddies scrambled to play catchup. Not bothering to watch as Mike smashed into the wall, Protector spun and punched the closest drug dealer in the face as hard as he could, the resulting blow spun the young street kid around and sent him to the floor.
Something slammed into him from behind and the novice hero went to his knees as the fragments of a chair hurled by him, he could feel the bruises forming already as he lashed out blindly and tagged another of the drug dealers in the groin driving the scumbag to the hardwood floor gasping greedily for air.
It was beginning to look really bad for the Protector, he was on the floor on his knees with three assilants left to take out, one of which was his cousin.
He couldnt see the blow from the butt of the Shotgun coming from behind, the Protector didnt have eyes in the back of his head, but at the last possible second the young thug drew back to slam the butt of the gun into the novice heroes head and when he did someone snatched the shotgun from his hands.
Looking over his shoulder the young punk didnt have time to move out of the way of green clad fist that struck like thunder and sent him spiraling across the room. Terry dove for cover as Kid Flash moved his hand in such away as to blast the last thug across the room with a burst of air.
Slowly the Protector stood up and looked at his saviors, before he could thank them Robin spoke. “Your plan worked beautifully Protector, im glad you came to the Titans instead of the Justice League.” Glancing over at his cousin the Protector nodded and replied. “It was an honor to get to work with you and Kid Flash, Robin...” Stopping in mid-sentance the Protector Snatched his Cousin up by the shirt collar and spoke directly to him.
“You see how your friends ended up....” He asked, Terry afforded a quick glance before nodding yes. “Your Cousin got in touch with me and I came here to give you the chance to set your life right again....Take this chance now and you walk away with a clear conscience and if you dont...” The Protector nodded over towards Robin and Kid Flash who both looked menaceingly at the young punk. The Protector let go and Terry Ran for his car...Never bothering to look back.
“I wanted to thank you guys for saving me...” The Protector said with the full intention of unmasking and walking out of the crackhouse Jason Hart, but then Robin said something that change his mind. “You did this to save your...Friends cousin?” The Protector nodded and started to elaborate but Robin cut him off again as he spoke. “Listen, I’ve never done this before, but if you are willing...Id like to see that you get the training to actually become the Protector, to actually be the hero I know you are, just from having seen you do all of this tonight.”
The Protector looked from Kid Flash over to Robin stunned speechless, not knowing what to say and then Wally Spoke. “Aww for crying out loud say yes...You wont get a chance like this ever again.”
Smiling Jason Said “Yes”
Dick Grayson smiled at the memory as Tim sat quietly and then he spoke again. “So you trained him and he operated with you and the Titans for a while??”
“Well truth be told I was decideing on who I was gonna be when he operated with the Titans...He and Roy wandered off to Asia afterwards on some assignment from Checkmate or the C.B.I. That is where the two fo them meet Chesire....” Dick Paused briefly with a smile and then added. “But that is a story for another time.” Flipping the Batcave computer back on Dick resumed his work on the case that brought him to Gotham as TIm considered ways to find Roy Harper.
The END...For now.