Flight

Evelyn, Val, Brooke and Kelly all continued on their journey, following Vanek to the headquarters, which was in Moscow, but it was on the outskirts of Moscow in the arena. It was a good twenty miles or so from where they had been. Luckily Vanek didn’t try anything and Evelyn took turns helping her friends along by carrying them forward.

Kelly used her wand and didn’t seem bothered by the distance. In fact, it was only Brooke who moaned once, but Evelyn didn’t mind helping her out.

They arrived rather soon to the Russian Sports Arena, where Vanek disappeared inside, finally separating himself. That was fine though, because now it was on them and they didn’t mind not having him there anymore. They huddled together for a break, while Evelyn tapped into her Hawk Vision to test out the Arena. She could see Vanek walking into a conference room, where a taller man was sitting, gazing at a computer.

She switched to a different scene, finding herself looking at two men: The Brawler or John Scott and another guy, she assumed could be Eric Strum or Strum. They were both cackling and having a good time as they were tormenting the two Blackhawk forward hostages.

Evelyn immediately cut out her vision and stumbled backward, into Val, who reacted rather quickly and caught her. He was blushing a deep red color and turning his head away. She stood up straight and brushed herself off.

“Did you see ‘em?” Kelly asked, flicking her wand against the palm of her hand, like she was a teacher or about to hit someone with it.

“I did. They’re tied up and being tormented by Brawler and who I assume to be Strum.”

“You’d be entirely correct with that statement my dear heroine,” a deeply chilling voice spoke. “However, I’m afraid that you’re going to have to go through me first!”

Evelyn turned to face a taller man dressed like Sylar’s twin. He was glowering evilly like a villain and Vanek was beside him.

“Thank you so much for bringing them all here alive, but now you must fulfill my other demand, capture the Russian!” the wicked man sneered and reached his hand out.

Instantly Vanek withdrew his handy ropes from his pocket and started forward. Evelyn faced him.

“You’re not hurting Val!” she snapped.

“He IS! That Russian is the last ingredient for the plan and I’m not going to be scared by some silly girl hero!”

“Girl hero?” Evelyn questioned, folding her arms in front of her. “And just who are you?”

“Kaleta. Patrick Kaleta.”

“Kaleta, right, the “leader” of the Legend of Doom. Yes, tell me Kaleta, do you think you can defeat Black Hawk by sending a weak little fourth man rookie?” Evelyn calmly said, as she simply punched Vanek in the head, sending off his track toward Val, who was cowering in the protective arms of Brooke, behind Kelly, who had her wand out at ready.

Kaleta smirked. “Vanek’s more than a rookie. He’s a friend and he’s not actually a rookie, because in the LOD, we don’t give titles and we are strong advocates of anti-NHL and anti-hockey!”

Evelyn jammed her finger down on her wristwatch, instantly turning into Black Hawk. She flapped her wings angrily. “Well I’m pro-hockey and pro-NHL and you’ve messed with the wrong superhero, bud!”

“Oh, is that so? Vanek, get the Russian, I’ll take care of this little pest in my way… Birdgirl, Hawkgirl or whatever!”

“It’s Black Hawk you fiend!”

She flew forward and began to fight with Kaleta, who matched her, barely exhausting himself or even moving. And Vanek dodged Kelly, who attempted to hit him with her fire and magical wand dust. He grabbed her though, braving all of the elements and flung her to the side. Then he easily shoved Brooke out of the way and grabbed Val.

“No!” Val screamed, as Vanek bound his wrists together once more and dragged him off. The Russian fought with the villain though, but his efforts were futile, given he was a mortal fighting a supervillain.

Vanek slapped a hand over the Star forward’s mouth and continued heading for the Arena. Kelly recovered and charged after him with Brooke at her side. They both launched at Vanek and grabbed onto Val, instigating a tug-o-war type battle.

“You’re not taking him!” both girls shouted.

Meanwhile, Kaleta grabbed Evelyn and slammed her against the wall of the exterior of the arena building. Evelyn growled and kicked at Kaleta, missing with her talon-armored boots she wore.

“I will win, Evelyn O’Reilly, you can’t scare me and also, you can’t win.”

“I’m Jonathan’s savior and I won’t let you destroy him!”

“And yet, I’m winning against you. I’ve done my research, sweetheart and I know your weaknesses. I know what makes you tick, cry, whatever. I can play you how I want. That’s how come Brawler beat you and was able to kidnap Jonathan. It’s how I will successfully have Val kidnapped and eventually how I will win.”

Evelyn pushed at Kaleta, who grabbed her wrist and yanked her off the wall, at the same time deactivating her heroine-look. Then he grabbed the wrist with the watch on it, so she couldn’t get to the button and put his other arm around her neck, holding her in his command.

“No!” Evelyn screamed. “VAL!!”

Kaleta was helping Vanek out with some kind of Sylar-like powers. He didn’t slice anyone’s foreheads open or anything, but he was using his mind to overpower Kelly and Brooke and send them flying backward into the wall, where they were knocked unconscious. It was telekinesis, but it was strong. He was also using his telepathy against them, which was stronger and more powerful than Kelly’s.

Kaleta cackled, as Evelyn fought to get free, while Val was helplessly dragged into the arena by Vanek. He was screaming in a mixture of Russian and English. But either way it horrified Evelyn and made her fight harder, but she was mere mortal now and had no way to activate her hero form. She was stuck and frustrated and it made her let out a sorrowful hawk cry, after the two vanished inside out of her sights.

After a few minutes, Evelyn hung her head in defeat. “Why? Why do you want them? Why do you want to defeat the NHL and kill players? Kaleta, you were in the NHL.”

“I was never IN the NHL. I was always a dirty goon.”

“Yeah, well that’s your problem. No one made you play like a--”

“Shh, woman, please, you’re not talking me out of my plan.”

She stomped on Kaleta’s foot, but he barely flinched. “Dammit!” The man shoved her to the ground, but somehow kept her at bay, so she couldn’t transform. She remained lying on the ground, while Kaleta squatted down over her and eyed her up and down.

“I can’t let you save Jonathan, Patrick or Val...and since you won’t be able to, I might as well reveal my plan to you.”

“Good, do it. Kaleta you rat-faced doofus!”

Kaleta smirked. “Really? The once great and powerful savior of the Blackhawks is reduced to mere insults? How pathetic.”

“Shut up Kaleta!”

“I’d say make me, but I don’t think you can!”

“Just tell me about your plan and the reasons why!”

Kaleta stood back up, grabbing her in the process and forcefully leading her inside the arena, which was similar to any Olympic-sized place. The thing was huge, but he led her through the Zamboni entrance and then sat her in one of the arena chairs that was facing the ice rink. He seemed to know where he was going, which was rather shocking.

In the center of the rink, precariously placed under the JumboTron, she immediately saw Jonathan and Patrick bound to the chairs. They didn’t look good with bruises and a paleness to their exposed skin and their clothes were a bit tattered on them...oh, and naturally (knowing me) they were also gagged with cloths, which were wrapped around their heads to stifle their cries and any noises they tried to make.

“Jonny!” Evelyn gasped at once, leaping to her feet. She pressed up against the glass boards like any fan would do during a game.

Kaleta sat her back down in the chair though. “Yes, it’s the wonderfully talented pain-in-my-side Blackhawk Captain (and his obnoxious little sidekick)...but as you can see, I have rendered him absolutely helpless. Now, enough of me bragging to you and making you feel totally worthless, let’s give you - and everyone - the story of the LOD, shall we?”

“You’re a despicable man, Kaleta!” Evelyn snapped, folding her arms, as the lights lowered down and the JumboTron sprang to life. She felt one of the villain’s hands wrap around her shoulders and she frowned and rolled her eyes, but let it happen.

****

April 2014, immediately after the Sabres are knocked out of the Stanley Cup race during the regular season…

Patrick Kaleta stomped down the tunnel, heading toward the locker room, he’d actually been kicked out of the game in the latter part of the second period. He’d fought an opponent and also received a game misconduct. He was so angry, he’d slashed his stick over the railing as he exited to boos. The pieces shattered everywhere and flew all around.

Though he was fired up, he stomped into the locker room and sat down in his stall.

“Four game misconducts! What the hell? If I’d done this same crap years ago, I wouldn’t be getting in trouble like this. But the league HAS to watch out and baby their beloved superstars like that Seguin kid or Kane or anyone! I hate it!” He dropped his head into his hands, not bothering to wipe the sweat or blood leaking from him.

He knew he had to do something about this. He loved the old NHL, not the new one. If it got anymore feminine, then the goons would be out of luck, but fighing and being tough and checking other players hard into the boards was a part of hockey. Without it, it was just simply figure skating. But with these offensive-minded players, who only scored and were protected by others, the NHL was changing.

Kaleta calmed down and remained in the locker room, going through his post-game routine, since he wasn’t going to return anyway. As he got ready, taking his Buffalo Sabres’ uniform off, he thought about his two suspensions he had on his record already. He was certain he’d get a third, but what then? Would the league kick him out? Would he even want to stick around?

The time went by rather quickly and soon he left the Arena and headed home. He walked into his house and turned on the television, instantly. As soon as he kicked his shoes off and sat down on the couch, leaning back into it, tired from the day, his phone rang. He groaned, but answered it.

It was the person in change of player safety...the one who dished out suspensions. And as it turned out, his dirty head-butt to Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche was too much and had been deemed illegal and worthy of the fifth suspension of his season. He was handed ten days and listed as a repeat offender.

As he half listened to the man on the phone and half to the TV, which was calling for his head, he couldn’t help but smirk. He hung up deliberately, with a “Yeah, alright, thanks. Whatever.” And then he beamed, as he heard the announcers and Colorado players talking about how dirty and awful he was.

He soon heard that Landeskog had a concussion and was going to be out for sometime. It was great news...for him. If players were too weak to take a simple hit, too bad for them. That’s how he viewed it.

The television cut to a story out of Russia and the KHL, who talked about a player named Eric Strum. Eric had been kicked out of the league for being apart of the Mafia and he was also a dirty goon. But the KHL was a tougher place and it looked like the old NHL more. Kaleta was intrigued. He could go to the KHL and get away from the NHL.

He had only one friend in the NHL anyway, and his name was John Scott, but he’d been traded away. So it was the best idea and worth a try to get out of the NHL and join the KHL. He dialed up the commissioner for the KHL in Russia, who shockingly agreed to complete a trade and bring him over to Russia.

Kaleta packed his bags and left his house. He made it to the airport and within the next month he was happily situated in Russia, a part of the Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. He picked up the Russian language fairly easily and he tore it up on the team, landing a key role on the fourth line. And he wasn’t questioned about his motives or game, he was freer.

As he settled in more and forgot about the NHL, two other NHL players came to Russia and joined him, Thomas Vanek and John Scott. Both were recently suspended for targeting players. And not just any players, the player’s who’d been viciously targeted were budding superstars. Vanek had gone after Corey Perry and Nathan MacKinnon, while John had elbowed Tyler Seguin.

Kaleta befriended them and welcomed them, aiding them in the language and new life. He made the transition much easier. And before long they, too found the KHL more suited to them. And after the next season began, Kaleta met the man named Strum.

It was a normal day, when Strum bumped into Kaleta in the parking lot. Strum was dressed in a typical Mafia hit-man look. He was on a mission, which interested Kaleta.

“Strum right?”

“Who wants to know?”

“Kaleta.”

“Kaleta?”

“Patrick Kaleta, I’m in the KHL, ex-NHL player.”

“Uh, you were in the NHL?”

“I was.” Kaleta smirked. “Those doofuses in charge of that stupid league didn’t like my game or style of play, they suspended me and suspended me and threatened me and so I came here.”

“So you’re a goon?”

“More or less.”

“And you know me how?”

Kaleta snorted and spat on the ground. “You were in the KHL.”

“Yeah, but all professional hockey leagues frown upon the mafia. Luckily it was an easy choice for me to decide on where to go. I chose the Mafia obviously, because I love being a hitman more than a hockey goon.”

“Who are you hitting?”

“Whacking? Ever heard of an NHL player named Evgeni Malkin?”

“Malkin? Yeah! He’s a Russian Penguin player. Why are you hitting him?”

“You mean whacking? But it’s because he is in debt to the Mafia. He’s gotta be taken out!”

****

Present Day

“Wait, you were apart of the Russian Mafia?” Evelyn gasped, shoving Kaleta’s hand away from her shoulder. “And Malkin was in debt to the Mafia?”

“Not I. Strum. Strum was apart of the Mafia.”

“And he was out to kill Malkin?”

“Yeah, but as you can see his attitude changed. The target changed. Sure Malkin was in “debt” to the Mafia, but he was just a little speed bump in the path. Turns out we couldn’t actually kill him. It was a little more difficult.”

“But why did you decide to go after Kaner and Tazer?”

“Well, let’s answer that, shall we.” He put his arm back in place, around her shoulder, much to her disgust.

Before the JumboTron continued with the retelling of the story, controlled by the powerful mind of Kaleta, Evelyn looked toward center ice, where Patrick and Jonathan were. Jonathan had his head tilted up and was actually peering across the ice at her. He had a heart-breaking look on his face.

His eyes locked with his heroine’s. There was zero hope in the brown depths and it stung Evelyn deeply. She hated to see him looking so hopeless and depressed. She was failing at her job and...it was...weakening her.

Notes

So Strum is apart of the Mafia and he befriended Vanek, Kaleta and Brawler!
Oh and Kaleta does have a ton of suspensions...I don't like Kaleta.


Next up: Jonny and Patrick's Big Secret!!