[sup][h1][center][img]https://www.superheldenfilme.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/marvelcharakter-prowler-hobiebrown.jpg[/img][/center][b][center][color=darkmagenta] H O R N E T[/color] [color=chartreuse]H O R N E T[/color][/center] [/b][/h1][/sup] [color=slategray]Hobie pulled his truck up and carried his tools into the Mott Haven home. Two of his brothers were hunched over controllers for a console on the lounge in varied levels of concentration, thus far unaware of his presence. [color=white]“Masta Killa! Dropped another one, huh?”[/color] …or not so unaware of his presence. Most of his brothers had an affinity for the Wu-Tang Clan, and had done since they were just young boys. To the point where each had been branded with a name of one of the members of the group. If there were exceptions to the rule it was the eldest brother Abraham, and the youngest brother Hobie. But where Abe would glare and glower until they reverted back to referring to him by name, Hobie generally took the path of least resistance. All of the brothers were fans of the music, and also of the old martial arts movies the group tended to find inspiration for their references from, some took their love of the Wu to higher levels than others. But none were more gripped by it than their brother Bayard. Not that he’d ever answer to, or even acknowledge, the name… [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]Lay off, Ghost’. Like I need that right now.[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] Bayard and Roy, were practically joined at the hip. It was little surprise both simultaneously found the time to be playing video games. Roy seemed to be the one of the pair who actually possessed the understanding of social graces. [color=white]“What happened, ‘Chief?”[/color] Roy said, wincing away from something that happened on screen. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]I wasn’t wrong.[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] Came Hobie’s reply. [color=white]“You never are, Jamel…”[/color] ‘Ghost’ fired back, using an alias for the Wu-Tang member. [color=white]“Don’t come with no paycheck though…”[/color] He finished. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]They didn’t hire the people they said they were gonna, and then were gonna—[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] Hobie began to explain and then stopped, realizing that the pair probably wouldn’t care enough to follow the intricacies of the disagreement. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]They tried to run game. And were gonna use me to do it. And play me in the process.[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Then fuck those guys!”[/color] Roy spat back. Bayard didn’t join in. He knew he was only hearing one side of the story. While Raekwon (Roy) was better at dealing with people than Ghost was, he didn’t have the same kind of mind for holding people to scrutiny, and certainly not his brothers. He was always very quick to buy in if any of the Brown boys ran into trouble. Their brother had a mouth which could get him into trouble. And without knowing the full details of the situation, only what he’d heard, the previous trend of his mouth costing them money seemed the most likely outcome. He didn’t know Futura Motors. He [b]DID[/b] know Hobie. And Hobie could get himself in this kind of situation even if a client or boss [b]WASN’T[/b] doing anything wrong. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]Where’s everyone else?[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] Hobie asked. [color=white]“GZA’s workin’…”[/color] Their second oldest brother Martin – worked at a Foot Locker. Like the rest of the brothers, he had no higher education, but had worked his way up to management level, and his store sponsored a local youth ball tournament. [color=white]“I think Mal’ is too.”[/color] Roy interjected, not risking Hobie a glance from what his controller was acting upon. Their brother Malcolm worked construction. It was unsurprising. The pair of them were the most consistent breadwinners for the household, with Malcolm’s work occasionally affected by operational factors, but bringing a steady high pay when he worked. That only left— [color=white]“Iunno where Deck and U-God are at.”[/color] Philip and John. John was the second youngest after Hobie. Also the most likely to get himself into trouble. …well, Hobie had himself a supersuit. So probably the second most likely. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]So how’d you hear?[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Sixth sense, six pack, six degrees of separation, My evil third eye blinks with no hesitation.”[/color] Hobie looked at the pair deadpan. It was a lyric by Ghostface killah. The [b]ACTUAL[/b] Ghostface killah. [i]‘Six Degrees’[/i]. And he dropped it often. In this exact circumstance, usually. It was almost a hip hop dad joke at this point. Video games were his past time. Obfuscation through the abstract verses of his namesake was his passion. ‘Raekwon’ spoke up, [color=white]“They made a follow up call. Said you can pick anything you left up tomorrow, or it will be discarded.”[/color] Hobie looked down at his tools in his hand. They needn’t have called. He had everything. All they did was deliver embarrassing news before he could break it gently. He felt rising heat as the anger radiated through him, over how unprofessionally Futura were handling things. Hobie looked around the living room. Nothing particularly out of the usual, but— [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]You guys couldn’t be bothered… cleanin’ up or nothin’?[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Why? You bringin’ a girl over?”[/color] The answer fired back so quickly he couldn’t be sure it had rattled against the side of his brother’s head before it came out. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]N-- Well, no. Nah.[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Wait, there is a girl?!”[/color] The hesitation was picked up immediately by the more empathetic Roy, who’s attention cost him a headshot. [color=white]“Oh, you motherfucka!”[/color] He immediately spat, before turning his attention back to Hobie for his response. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]There’s not a girl. There’s… I’m doin’ a favour. To Rand’ Robertson. He wants me to take out some girl he used to work with. Sure as Hell not bringin’ her here though…[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Rand Robertson? Daddy’s boy from the Burbs?”[/color] Ghost replied. Hobie just shrugged. Not like he could fight the description. The pair of brothers had polarised reactions. Ghost’s eyebrows barely lifted above the bridge of his nose at the revelation, whilst Roy’s interest was palpable. Now the brows suggested some deeper thought. [color=white]“Don’t want us embarrassin’ you in front of the white girl, huh?”[/color] Ghost fired, his eyes briefly turned to Hobie whilst Roy respawned. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]Who said she’s white?[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“You just did. First by sayin’ it was a hook-up from Rand… made it better than even odds, and then by your face when I said that.”[/color] What little interest or distraction Hobie had been was gone from brother Bayard’s face now. He’d amused himself to his own satisfaction, and the point of conversation had little more to offer now. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]He doesn’t only date white girls.[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Forget date. You brought man here, Jamel. I’d put money on it he mostly knows white people. Brother don’t know how to act.”[/color] [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]You talkin' that bul—[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Fine, what’s girl’s name?”[/color] [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]…[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“C’mon Hob’, what’s her—”[/color] Roy tried a gentler approach, but he needn’t have worried he just had to wait. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]…Norah.[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] [color=white]“Psssssssh.”[/color] Ghostface shook his head, a broad grin across his face. Roy started laughing. [color=white]“Shiiiiiiiit, boy. At least make it hard for me.”[/color] Ghost’ fired back. Hobie left the jocular pair to their video game. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]Wonder why I wouldn’t bring a girl here…[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] Ghost yelled back. [color=white]“I never wondered that, Masta Killa! I just said, ‘don’t want us embarrassin’ you in front of the white girl!’”[/color] The pair laughed harder. Hobie dumped his tools in his room, and returned to the common space to hit the kitchen to find his two previously lost brothers panting in the doorway. Philip and John had been running. It had Hobie’s attention. It took a lot to make any of the Brown boys run. [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]’Sup?[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] Hobie checked his brothers. It took Philip a while to answer, he was still catching his breath. But there was concern, if not fear in his eyes as the words found their way out. [color=white]“I don’t know what it is, man. But somethin’ got 'em riled. Tombstone’s. They know we’re local… Never seen them so hardcore 'bout territory and presence before. If there’s more than one of us, they’re normally smart enough to not start shit—but…”[/color] Roy got to his feet. [color=white]“Get the fuckin’ bats?”[/color] [color=white]“This—this was too many for the five of us’n bats. This was somethin’ else. Do we call in Abe?”[/color] Bigger brother would mean all hands on deck. They hadn’t pushed back with all hands in years. Hadn’t had to. Abe was the only brother who didn't live in the same house, so calling him in meant something serious. Tombstone had learned their family made no dent on his income streams, so long as they didn’t get too loud, the Brown boys weren’t worth the hassle of confronting. The bruises it would cost them. Hobie’s mind shot back to Rand’s warning from earlier. Things heating up. Ben Urich as a source. [color=white]“So, call on A—?”[/color] [color=darkmagenta]“[/color][color=chartreuse]Hold on Abe. Let me ask some questions tonight.[/color][color=darkmagenta]”[/color] Without knowing their motivation, they couldn’t know the lengths of their desperation. Starting a fight with an enemy with everything or nothing to lose, changed the odds and how hard they’d come at them. He needed to know [b]WHY[/b]? And for the former Prowler… he wouldn’t be asking his questions verbally. [/color]