Arrow Hawk: Birth of the Hockey Avengers

Immediately after they enter, Quick Save shoves Arrow Hawk to the floor of his evil lair, a high-rise building complex located in Chicago, Illinois. It is similar to the MetLife Building in Manhattan, New York City and the Hockey Avengers’ own headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, which is owned and constructed by Brad Hawkley, the team’s own hockey coach boss. This evil tower is powered by an Arc Reactor that makes it capable of running itself for over a year. The top ten floors are originally all devoted to research and development, while the lower level floors were used for training purposes.

Arrow Hawk pushes himself up and glares at Quick Save with all the hatred in the world. What has he done to deserve this? And where is he? And why did they kidnap him? He looks around and finds himself in some lavish cliche evil lair. This place isn’t like the tower he knows as home, this is darker and much less friendly to a hero...it’s almost scarier. But Arrow Hawk shallows his fear. He is a hero, not a scared little mortal kid, even if he is - truthfully - terrified inside.

Quick Save turns to his robotic henchmen helpers, who have arrived on the scene. “Tie him up! Make sure he cannot escape me!”

“Zvezda will find me. And the Hockey Avengers will save me,” Arrow Hawk insists, going for his bow and arrows.

“Silly Russian, you possess false hope.”

At that, two of Quick Save's minions grab Arrow Hawk, snatching the bow and the quiver of arrows from him before he can take aim at them. Another minion sticks metal cuffs on his wrists. The metal slams together like magnets. Arrow Hawk tries to pull his arms apart but finds it is difficult to do so.

“Let me go Quick Save!! What you want with me?”

But Quick Save laughs, sitting down in a throne-like chair. The chair has silver spikes and (wait for it) fit for a King. He raises a hand to his minions and then gestures for them to bring the hero up to him.

They grab the hero and shove him down at the villain’s feet.

“You no succeed, Quick Save.”

“You're a fool, Val or Arrow Hawk...and a Russian archer.”

“That no excuse to kidnap me. Why you do it?”

Quick Save strokes the stubble beard on his chin. “Why did I kidnap you Russian? Hmm, let's see here...well, for one, I despise Russians, I'm not too fond of archers...oh, and the main reason, I need you for a little experiment.”

Arrow Hawk desperately pulls at the metal clamps around his wrists. “What experiment?” he grunts.

“Wouldn’t you love to know...just know it’s a special kind of experiment. One I'd like to use on the ice, so that I can be unstoppable as a goalie. Surely you know that goalie's like me hate being scored on. Wouldn’t it be great though if I could somehow...be the perfect goalie?”

“No! I no be uh, what it call...puppet! I no be a puppet to you!”

“Such a pity you won't do it willingly...it's only gonna hurt you more.”

“No!!” He is grabbed by the minions and dragged across the evil lair to a cell-like room. They enter the white-walled room and he is hauled over to a machine that looks similar to something a dentist might use to take an x-ray of your teeth.

“Tough break, Valeri. I look forward to using it against your precious Hockey Avengers...and your girlfriend, Sparklestar too!”

“Zvezda! Eto Zvezda, vy chlen! (It's Zvezda (Star), you dick!)”

“I. Don't. Care.”

Arrow Hawk's arms are finally forced apart by some device the minions have. But they are now attached to chain ropes. The hero tries to pull at them and get free but he is zapped with some kind of electricity that is shot through the chains. He yelps in pain and then staggers on his feet.

“Keep struggling, sweetie. The fiercer you pull at the chains, the more intense the electric shock happens. Do you think me a fool? I know a hero will try to struggle and escape...but they can't if they have the proper...punishing mechanism.”

Arrow Hawk yells in frustration at his predicament.

Quick Save bends over and grabs his chin, forcing his head up. The hero's eyes shine with a fiery trepidation. “Who knows, if this works, I can capture the rest of your pathetic squad of hockey heroes and lay waste to them as well.”

“Never! Not with Zvezda as leader. What experiment?! TELL ME!!”

“I can’t do that, you know that. Zvezda will be the last of the group to fall as I would love to see the pain on her face as she sees all her friends fall to me. And when I have taken control over each and every Hockey Avenger, the world - the NHL - will be mine! Nothing can stop me! No one can stop me! MWAHAHAHAHA!!”

Arrow Hawk grunts in frustration.

Quick Save lets him go and cackles, as he stands up. He begins to turn and walk out of the room, however he stops and spins back to the stunned, hopeless hero. “Oh, and at the end of the day, you're really just plain old Valeri Nichushkin...a worthless winger from Chelyabinsk, Russia!”

Then he walks out of the room, leaving the hero alone.

Arrow Hawk hangs his head, sighing and lets out a soft whimper. He looks at his helpless, bound arms and around at the prison room. He doesn’t dare struggle...for fear of the chains becoming electrocuted and zapping him again. “Eve, pomogi mne! (Eve, help me!)” he whispers and lets his head fall.


Meanwhile,

Zvezda leads Scorpion and Star Vision down a street in Chicago. Zvezda is playing around with a ball of cosmic energy in her hands, depressingly. Scorpion elbows Star Vision in the arm and flicks his head toward the red-headed heroine. There is a silent communication between the two of them, with different facial expressions before Scorpion ends up losing. He sighs and skips up to Zvezda and taps her shoulder.

Zvezda stops playing with her energy ball and spins to him. The cosmic ball collapses into tiny sparkles and then nothing. “Tyler?”

“Listen Ev, sorry about Val...we'll find him and all, but we gotta...you know...get some more firepower. Quick Save's not exactly Canuck or Red Wing now…or even those pesky Blues players like you told us about. He's serious... and twice as strong!”

Zvezda nods. “I know, Tyler, that's why I sent a message to Captain Blackhawk and Showtime. We will need everyone for this.”

Star Vision darts forward, joining them. “Captain Blackhawk? As in Jonathan Toews?”

“And my boy Showtime? Er...Patrick Kane?” Scorpion adds on.

Zvezda smiles and nods her head vigorously. “Yup. Whether or not they respond to the call and join us...I don't know. If the communication that Hawkley set up works out. And given those two, I know they're probably on a date as we speak...”

****

At a restaurant in another part of Downtown Chicago,

Jonathan Toews (or Captain Blackhawk) is sitting at a table. He has his head resting on his arms and is gazing at Patrick Kane (or Showtime), who is reading the menu. Patrick spots his friend-lover looking at him and sighs with a roll of his eyes. (Patrick and Jonathan are not in their hero forms, so therefore they are not going by Captain Blackhawk and Showtime.)

Patrick sets his menu down, sighing, “Must you stare at me like a helpless romantic, Jonny?”

“Why not? You're still as gorgeous as ever, with those golden blond curls of yours. And those blue eyes...”

Patrick frowns as best as he can and blushes. “Alright, that's enough. You're gonna attract attention.”

“So?”

“So, do you want all of Chicago to see it's two superstars hanging out as best friends...or gay lovers?”

“Both.”

“Not helping, Jonny.”

“Oh come on, Kaner, lighten up.”

“I agreed to accompany you as a friend, not a love interest.”

“But Chicago and the NHL already know about us, Peeks. And besides, what's wrong with me hitting on you? I thought you didn't mind it?”

“I don't. God, I don't know. It's just, I'm still not used to us...you know...being together. In public. As a couple. A romantic couple.”

He looks to the side of him and to the ground. Jonathan stands up and walks over to him. He squats down and pats Patrick's leg. “It's okay buddy, I understand. I can tone down the "moony eyes" a little for ya.”

Patrick turns back to him and smiles. “Thanks, Jonny. I'd appreciate that.”

Jonathan smiles back and returns to his seat. He looks at the menu, just as his watch beeps at him.

Patrick looks at him. “Who's that?”

Jonathan looks at his wristwatch. “It's a message. From Evelyn.”

“She's not taking you back, is she?” Patrick folds his arms and gives his boyfriend a jealous look.

Jonathan looks at Patrick, stunned. But he shakes his head and says, “No. And trust me, I'm not leaving you Kaner.”

Patrick shrugs. Jonathan returns to looking at his watch. A hologram is displayed in a dark red blur. It seems to be the image of Zvezda and it talks to him. “What's she want then?”

“She says that Val...or Arrow Hawk has been kidnapped by some villain,” Jonathan explained, reiterating the message for the blond.

“Why?”

“I don't know. But it doesn't sound good. She needs our help.”

“Guess we'll just have to do a best friend dinner some other time, eh?”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“It's okay. I wish I had powers like you and Evelyn though.”

“Kaner, your killer stickhandling is sick...I'm jealous of your ability.”

“Aw, Jonny.”

They both stand up, putting their menus down on the table.

“So, wanna run out of here heroically or fly out?” Jonathan asks with a movie star type smile.

Patrick screws his face up in thought and then exclaims, “Let's fly out!”

Jonathan chuckles. “Okay. Grab on.”

“Yay!”

From under the table, Patrick pulls out a small stick, which actually changes into his hockey stick. It is a specialized weapon for him to use, crafted by Brad Hawkley and Sidney Crosby. He puts the small magic stick into a strap on his back, similar to something that would hold a gun. Then he wraps his arms around Jonathan's neck as he pushes a button on the side of his watch.

Instantly his black hawk wings emerge from his back and then they shoot into the air, becoming their superhero forms: Captain Blackhawk and Showtime. In the restaurant, people gasp and cheer. The two zoom out and into the evening air, heading toward their friends' location.

****

Back on the Chicago street,

Scorpion points to the air. “Looks like you were wrong, Ev.”

Captain Blackhawk lands on the ground and lets Showtime down. The captain for the Blackhawks controls his wingspan, folding them into more of an angelic look behind him.

“What's with the formal attire? When did you have time to change?” Scorpion asks, gesturing to their clothes.

“Kaner and I were just out on a date,” Captain Blackhawk remarks, ruffling Showtime’s hair.

Zvezda smacks Scorpion in the arm and smiles at him. “Told ya, Tyler.”

Scorpion folds his arms. “Whatever.”

“Must have Precognition of something, right?” Zvezda teases.

“Or just a good hunch...or guess.” Scorpion rolls his eyes.

Zvezda suddenly frowns and becomes serious. She turns back to face the two newcomers. “Anyway...Val.”

“Yeah, you said someone kidnapped him?” Captain Blackhawk inquires.

Showtime wrinkles his nose up and cocks his head to the side. “Who'd kidnap a Russian archer? That's a little random and strange, don't ya think?”

“A villain named Quick Save!” Zvezda answers.

Captain Blackhawk and Showtime share a quick look with one another. “You mean—“

“AKA: Jonathan Quick, the goalie for the Los Angeles Kings,” Zvezda finishes with a curt nod.

“That bastard lured us here, after we arrived on the scene,” Scorpion informs them. “Hawkley made no mention of it being a trap!”

Star Vision picks up the story and continues with, “When we arrived, it was someone totally new to us. He was silver and black and had remarkable speed.”

“Livin' up to the name Quick, I assume. Classic.” Showtime folds his arms across his chest.

“Val shot an arrow at him, but his reflexes were as remarkable as his speed,” Zvezda tells.

“Chubbs and I tried to hold him off but I was surprised by one of his attacks,” Scorpion continues.

“And then we were all gathered together, trying to come up with a plan and he interrupted, grabbing me,” Star Vision says, demonstrating by wrapping an arm around Scorpion’s neck.

Zvezda nods as Scorpion pushes his friend off of him. “Yeah, for some reason he held Jamie captive for a few seconds before he let him go and then attacked Val.”

Scorpion nods. “And with his superspeed, it was impossible to catch him. He vanished somewhere. It's why we need all the Hockey Avengers here.”

Showtime looks down at his feet and shuffles them. “But what can I do? I just have the scoring ability. Not much I could do against this guy.”

“He has a point,” Scorpion states, putting his hands on his hips, where his belt of spy utilities is.

Showtime snaps his head up and glares at Scorpion. “Shut up Tyler, like your basic spy fighting skills are any better in this situation.”

Scorpion frowns.

Zvezda snaps her fingers. “Showtime! Scorpion! Stop it! That's enough.”

“Z's right. Maybe we can take to the sky and look around and see if we can spot him,” Captain Blackhawk suggests.

Zvezda nods to him. “Right! And you can also use your Hawk Vision and Hearing to see if he's around.”

“Right!” He controls his wings to come out of “sleep” mode (the angelic look) and back into “ready to fly” mode. He stands at the ready.

“And what of us three?” Scorpion asks.

Zvezda smiles. “Wait here.”

“Sounds good enough,” Star Vision says. He sits down on the hood of one of the abandoned, wrecked cars in the street. He pulls a sandwich out of nowhere.

Scorpion sighs heavily and rolls his eyes. “Chubbs, where did you get that?”

“Found it.” The captain for the Dallas Stars takes a massive bite and makes a yummy sound.

Scorpion wrinkles his nose up in disgust. “Gross.”

“Not gross. It's yummy,” Star Vision corrects.

Scorpion shakes his head. “Chubbs, put that down! It's not a time to goof off, Val's been kidnapped. That's a Dallas Star! He's our Russian teammate and we should care about him.”

Showtime nods and steps forward, joining Scorpion. “I'm with Tyler on this. You shouldn't be eating right now.”

Star Vision shrugs and takes another bite.

“STAR VISION!!” Scorpion and Showtime yell.

Zvezda and Captain Blackhawk raise off the ground, ignoring them. They know that the problem will eventually be worked out. They hover in the air and begin looking around. Captain Blackhawk lifts a finger to his forehead.

“See anything, CB?” Zvezda asks, using Captain Blackhawk’s nickname.

“Nothing yet...ooh, wait, I think I got something,” Captain Blackhawk informs. He points in the northern direction from where they are. “Look there, by the building. Is that--?”

Zvezda flies over to join him and follows his finger. She looks in the direction, squinting. She doesn’t have the same vision as him. Not anymore. Then she gasps and smiles. “Sabrebow.”

“Nikita Zadorov?” the Blackhawk questions.

Zvezda pats him on the shoulder. “His codename's Sabrebow, I told you about this, CB.”

He turns to her. “Is calling me CB necessary?”

“It's easier to say than Captain Blackhawk, eh? It's like Jonny vs Jonathan. It's just easier.”

Captain Blackhawk shrugs. “You're right. Good point. But what's Zad--he doing here?”

Notes

Next up: Why Sabrebow Here?