Hawk & Dove

"...and I'm telling you that the Chinese are going to keep pushing and pushing until we don't have any choice but to kick their asses." Jake Morrison took another bite of his chicken sandwich, casting a glance at his watch. The next train around the mountain wouldn't be for another 20 minutes, giving them plenty of time to finish their meal and get in line.

Renata drank her coke through a straw and raised an eyebrow. She could see Sara gearing up for a response -- and that would elicit a return volley from Jake, which would start them down a long and slippery path. She'd seen it too many times before. "Um, guys -- We're on vacation, right? No politics."

Sara glanced at Ren with a thankful expression in her eyes. "Ren's right, Jake. Let's cool it with the China-bashing, 'kay? I don't think they were right in how they handled the spy plane business either, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. We've made great strides in our relations with China. Blasting them to smithereens, or even threatening to, isn't going to help matters. We need to try and avoid a war, not egg them into one."

"We aren't doing the egging, Sara, and you know it. They're itching for a fight. They steal our nuclear sub secrets and then throw a hissy-fit when one of our planes has to make an emergency landing on their territory? Screw 'em."

Ren sighed. It was too late. She tuned out the rest of the argument, instead thinking to herself how strange things had turned out. She'd proposed to Hank Hall right before his life had, for all intents and purposes, came to an end. The pain had been so bad, for so long, that she'd thrown herself into her studies. After graduation from Georgetown University, she'd bummed around at various magazines as a photographer before lucking into a position with Renaissance. Coming to Atlanta had led her into the clutches of Reginald Keos and, from there, into a friendship with Sara and Jake. Who just happened to have the distilled spirits of Hank Hall and Dawn Granger inside them.

My life's like a bad soap opera. But I wouldn't change it -- Jake and Sara are great, even if they can get on my nerves sometimes. It's like having a pair of old friends back, only with all the fun of discovering somebody new. The only drawback is that one of those two used to be my guy....

Ren stood up, pushing away the thoughts that had begun to intrude on her mind. No sense in worrying about her love life. Hank was gone. Some guy named Extant might think he's still Hank Hall, but he's not. All that was good about Hank was resting inside Jake now, and there wasn't any chance of a future there. "I'm heading out for a bit of fresh air, guys. Maybe get a few pics of the mountain."

"Sure then, Ren. We'll catch up to you." Sara watched her friend step out and released a sigh. "Poor Ren. I still think we ought to set her up with somebody. Maybe Gary? He's single."

"Well, he is. Ren likes macho guys. Set her up with Ralph -- he's coming down for Bike Week soon."

Jake shrugged. "Then let her find her own guy. Trust me -- Ren needs zero help in going out and snagging somebody. She's as direct as they come."

"Maybe you're right." Sara leaned across the table and kissed her husband on the forehead. "It's fun to be with you. No supervillains, no work. It's wonderful."

Jake knocked on the table's top. "Let's not jinx it. C'mon. We'll ride around the mountain, see the petting zoo, then camp out on the lawn and wait for the laser show."

In the brief months since he'd entered the horrible twilight realm of the comatose*, he'd never once opened his eyes. He'd never once graced any of his visitors with the strong, clear voice that had once commanded dozens from afar. For all intents and purposes, Reginald Keos ceased to exist.

Reginald Keos fluttered his eyes and gazed up at the ceiling of his hospital room. His vision was blurry and his tongue felt leaden, swollen to twice its normal size. In all the time since he'd fallen into the service of Chaos, he'd never felt such discomfort.

Through his pain, he sensed that he was not alone. A figure, somewhat indistinct due to his lack of clarity, moved into Reginald's line of vision. It was definitely a man, though the colorful nature of his attire made it immediately clear that this was no doctor or nurse.

"Think of me as a friend, Mr. Keos, even though this is our first meeting. It's safe to say that we have mutual associates."

Keos formed a question but never got the opportunity to voice it. A light flared around the two of them, whisking them away from the hospital. Though he did not know it yet, Reginald Keos had just embarked on a journey both harrowing and rewarding.

Ren stretched out on her blanket, arranged near the middle the of the great lawn that faced the stone carving of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis. The sun was almost gone now, but the air was warm and alive with the sounds of children playing. She could hear country music blaring over the speakers mounted closer to the base of the lawn. This is almost creepy. Why can't folks let the Confederacy go? You'd think they still thought they were right to own slaves or something.

Sara sat down heavily next to her, panting. "That husband of mine is insane! He was chasing me around the gift shop with a puppet on his hand." She wiped at her eyes. "Wow. This has been fun."

"Still?! Jesus, I scrubbed my hands. Remind me not to go to the petting zoo again."

"The bathroom. The laser show will be starting soon and he wanted to make sure he was here for the start."

Ren rolled over on her side, propping her head up on one hand. "So you guys come to terms with the whole 'we're dead' thing yet?"

Sara shrugged. "I guess. I mean... if I think about it too hard, it gives me a headache, but otherwise I'm okay with it. Being composed of a bunch of dead spirits is kinda scary."

"I bet. I--" Ren's voice trailed off as her gaze scanned the woods in the distance. "Wow."

Renata stood up in a shot, wrestling her camera loose from its case. "Gotta go."

Sara's confused stare was totally lost on Renata, who was sprinting through the lawn, jumping over many people who had already sat down for the laser show. Their curses were ignored -- Renata Takamori was on a case and nothing could sway her from the path.

If I saw what I thought I saw... Mr. Kincaid's gonna flip. I can see it now -- a Renaissance exclusive : "Stone Mountain Getaway for one of the East Coast's Most Mysterious Heroes."

The intrepid photographer followed her quarry into the woods surrounding the base of the mountain, plunging through briars and sticks. She skidded to a sudden halt upon finding herself in a small clearing.

Before her, crouched like an acrobat atop a large stone, was a yellow-skinned man dressed in green trunks and wearing a large red boa around his neck. He wore a grin that was both comical and full of malice. "Hiya, hon. Want me to say 'cheese?'"

Ren hesitated before raising her camera. She clicked off several quick pictures, while the man known as the Creeper adopted a series of poses. In the first, he had his head tilted back, a look of mock seriousness on his features. In the next, he was poised like a monkey, hands scratching at his sides. In the final one, he was pointing a finger in her direction. His voice took on a deeper timbre. "Playtime's over, mortal. Now be off with you before I decide to summon one of my demonic friends!"

Ren put a hand on her hip. "Knock it off. I've heard you sometimes do that demonic riff to frighten people but it won't work on me. I'm experienced with you super-types."

The Creeper raised both eyebrows so suddenly that Ren couldn't help but laugh. "Ooh! An experienced girl... I like that." He stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders, bringing his face close to hers. As he whispered the next words to her, she smelled vanilla extract on his breath. "Trust me, kid. You don't wanna get involved. A dame like you... a guy like me... it'd never work. So go on, ya big galoot. Skedaddle. And don't look back neither -- 'cause I'm a travelling man, see? I got places to go, people to thrash."

The Creeper and Ren both turned to see Hawk and Dove standing nearby. Hawk was cracking his knuckles, an expression of obvious threat on his face. Dove, for her part, was wary but far more friendly in stance.

The Creeper's grin returned, stretching from ear-to-ear. "Well, well. It's little girl blue and the big red wolf. Brrr. Move into the 21st Century and update those costumes, eh?"

Dove stepped between them, seeking to avoid the conflict that was already beginning to brew. Jake had a nice sense of humor, but sometimes people pushed all the wrong buttons with him. "Can we help you out with something?"

The Creeper actually seemed to take on a measure of seriousness before he replied. "I came to Atlanta to stop a murder."

The Creeper reached inside the back of his shorts and pulled out a small newspaper clipping. Ren made a face, whispering, "Ewww. You carried that next to your butt?"

"It's clean as a whistle, toots. Besides, it's not like I have pockets in this outfit." The Creeper held the clipping out to Dove.

After a moment's hesitation, Sara took it. To her extreme horror, it felt warm. Clearing her throat, she focused on the text and nothing else. Controverial Journalist Found Murdered Near Stone Mountain, Georgia. Beneath the headline was a small photo of Jack Ryder.

Hawk, peering over Sara's shoulder, gawked. "Jack Ryder's dead ?! I love that guy's show -- Jack Ryder's Hot Seat is the best thing on tv."

The Creeper chuckled, reaching forward to point at something at the top. "Check the date, kids."

Coming Up In Hawk & Dove # 12 : What's up with the Creeper and why does it mean trouble for our heroic duo? Be here for the story we had to call "The Great Big Scary Creeper Adventure"

Wow. Our shortest issue since # 1. Is that a good thing? I dunno. This one was meant to be a little bit of a breather from the action of the "Azure Skies" storyline. Next issue should be fun, I hope. The Creeper is an odd one, but I've always liked him.

Since we're nearing the end of our first 12 issues, I hope you're ready for the Big Hawk & Dove Trivia Contest! The person getting the most correct answers will win something so cool that I'm prohibited by law from mentioning it. Trust me, though -- you'll like it! Just answer as many of the following questions as possible :

1. Jake and Sara obviously enjoy eating out -- name three issues where Jake and Sara are shown in restaurants or bars?
2. What was the real name of the 'Scream Killer?'
3. In what issue did Coral die?
4. The beings who held the essences of S'chak and Kor in our first six issues were once known by other names -- what were they?
5. In what year did Reginald Keos become a servant of the Laughing Dancers?

And now on to the letters -- this month answered by our special guest-star, the Creeper!

From Bob "Goose" Gansler :

Hawk & Dove continues to delight. It was great to see H&D working alongside the JSA. I hope we get to see more of it. Any chance of visiting a connection between the previous Hawk, Hank Hall, and Hawkman, Carter Hall?

No.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!