Dart spoke up from a corner, tilting her pointy chin at the new-comer, her long blond hair cascading down her back. “Thanks for joining us, Harkness.” Her tone dripped sarcasm.

Harkness didn’t seem to catch the vile tone and responded in a friendly manner, clearly grinning under his mask. “No problem, Dart. I live to serve, which is why I’ve been watching Firebird for the past six or so weeks.” He mock bowed, the flourish of his arm almost hitting Dart.

Before Harkness could provoke Dart into anything more of a verbal fight, though, Sunflower stepped forward as the unexpected voice of reason. “And I’m sure we’re all very glad for the service. Now, what’s going on with her? That is the reason we’re here, after all.”

Shadowgirl nodded, crossing her arms over her chest expectantly.

“Well, not too much. She’s still fighting evil, capturing criminals, ignoring me when I follow her on patrol--”

The Rabid Ransom said, “You’re following her on patrol? Does she know that? Did you know that, Shadowgirl? That seems feckless and reckless.”

Harkness shrugged. “I’ve only confronted her once or twice, but unless other business calls me away,” he explained, walking his fingers in the air in front of the Rabid Ransom’s handsome face. “I’m there! Following her, watching, taking notes. She’s really quite good, and more powerful than even she realizes, I think, as dastardly cliché as that sounds.” He laced his fingers together, stretching his arms out in front of him.

Shadowgirl didn’t sound impressed. “So that’s all you’ve gotten? At least I worked with her that one time, maybe put us a notch above the Everymen in her book.”

Harkness giggled, his insanity showing its face slightly even in the midst of his peers. “No, no, we’re way more than a notch above. We haven’t attacked her, called her evil, threatened her with death.”

That caught the attention of the other six members of the Seven. Zero One One twisted to face Harkness and even Obsidian, who had been quiet up until then, now seemed alert and interested.

“What’s that?” the Rabid Ransom said, stepping forward.

“You heard me,” Harkness said, creating and then nonchalantly tossing a ball of crackling white energy between his gloved, cupped hands. “The other night, almost all of the Everymen found their way into Green Lake and located our darling firebug, going so far as to charge her with working with us, when really they were clearly just jealous of her.” Harkness shook with silent laughter, shaking his head. “‘No, no,’ she cried,” his voice going squeaky for the Firebird parts of his speech. “‘I love the city just as much as you! I’m doing the best I can! Don’t hate me, don’t despise me, don’t hurt me – love me, accept me, let me be your leader!’ Although, of course, not in those exact words.”

The Rabid Ransom chewed on his lip thoughtfully, eyeing Harkness. He smoothed down his suit jacket. “I’ve always known those idiots wanted powers. It’s almost enough to have this proof, isn’t it? I wouldn’t mind calling this meeting short right now and going to find Bulleto, rubbing it in his face that I’ve been gifted with powers he can only dream of, with his stupid sombrero and misfiring guns…” The usual calm and sense of sophistication on the Rabid Ransom’s face seemed to dissolve into a wicked grin.

Similar thoughts seemed to be dancing through the heads of the other members of the Seven, as Zero One One’s neuron connectors fired with images of showing Princessnoid, her creator, just what happened to those who manipulated their previously harmless creations, and Dart imagined mocking the Shamaness’s weak herbalism knowledge with her own innate poison powers.

Shadowgirl shook her head. “No, focus. Yes, it’s perfectly lovely to have our suspicions confirmed that the Everymen are just a bunch of egotistical, jealous bastards, but so what? Really, our tactics aren’t going to change, and instead we’ll just feel even more sure that they are ridiculously huge idiots.” Everyone nodded, grins apparent on those without hidden faces or, in the case of Zero One One, faces that could have changing expressions. “What we need to do now… Is ensure that Firebird continues to see only the evil of the Everymen, which shouldn’t be too hard.” Shadowgirl grinned behind her mask, looking up at the shadowy ceiling in the office building as her thoughts wandered and created beautiful palaces of evil schemes. “She really would be right at home here in our little group, since no one else understands what it’s like to have powers… We’ll continue to coax her, to show her that we know the best way to do things here in Seattle, and then she’ll be ours, and won’t that show the Everymen what’s what?”

Filing his nails with a jagged piece of obsidian he pulled out of his own palm, Obsidian said doubtfully, “How can we be sure she’d even be interested in joining us? Firebird seems a little too… Barbie, too goodie-goodie to me.”

Shadowgirl looked to Harkness, tilting her head expectantly.

“Once the Everymen really start in on their diatribe against her – and you know that will happen – I think our little pigeon will be all too willing to band against the non-powered idiots of the city,” Harkness mused, cracking his knuckles.

---

Excerpt from the Seattle Times editorial page.

HAS FIREBIRD ALREADY OUTLIVED HER POTENTIAL?
Flame of Seattle’s newest hero seems to be dying.

It seems impossibly long ago that Seattle was included in the lonely group of cities without any powered heroes, powered or otherwise. Even Albuquerque has a trio of heroes decked out in cactus gear, shooting spines and somersaulting through their streets. The largest city in America without any powered heroes is still Charlotte, North Carolina, which supposedly was the hometown of quite a few heroes now calling New York home, but the twenty first largest city still has none of its own. Seattle, though, just a few spots down the list from Charlotte, is no longer in that category.

But what has this change in status done for the citizens of Seattle? Firebird’s registration and the public announcement of her existence in November excited intense fervor throughout the streets of Seattle and the rivers of the Puget Sound, leading to renewed hope that Seattle might get a spot on the map of heroes and adventures. While citizens of Seattle have always been grateful for the efforts of the city’s vigilantes and heroes, especially the beloved and continually good Everymen, it seemed like a new wind was blowing across Lake Washington when Firebird arrived.

Despite all that, there doesn’t seem to have been much of a change since Firebird started patrolling Green Lake. First off, Green Lake? Why would she choose an area like the residential based Green Lake? The police forces in this northern neighborhood have never been lacking and, in fact, the crime rates are consistently lower than other parts of the city. Some have suggested that Firebird must live in or near Green Lake and decided to focus her patrolling in the neighborhood just for her own ease. How selfish! Because she can fly and because there have been no reports of her powers faltering at any point during her service to the city so far, it is easy to presume that Firebird could easily get to any other part of the city, but she stays in the isolated Green Lake, where there is no real need for her services.

The Everymen consistently battle and tussle with the dastardly Seven, but there has not been one reported instance of a fight between any member of the Seven and Firebird since she came onto the scene. Yes, Firebird captured the Pied Piper, bringing dozens of lost children back to their families in the Puget Sound area, but even she reported this as mere chance. Firebird clearly simply doesn’t have a clear plan or agenda on how to help her city. She doesn’t know what she’s doing!

Even more importantly, why is she doing it? What motivates Firebird to go out and serve our city? Motivation and morals hold an important place for any hero, as every citizen knows. One cannot simply pick out a plastic mask and jump out into the world of vigilantism, for fear of sliding into the dark abodes and recesses of the Seven and acts of villainy. Firebird has never attested to any clear sense of moral obligation or motivation rooted in childhood horrors or recent turmoil in her life, so what trust can we put in her devotion to the cause?

In a recent interview, even the youngest member of the Everymen, Windwalker’s trusted sidekick Jade Boy commented on the newest addition to the heroes of Seattle. “I haven’t met Firebird,” he said, his cheeky and youthful voice full of sincere honesty, “so I can’t speak for her on a personal level. But despite that, she worries me. She pops out of nowhere with these powers, and she just expects us to trust her? To give her free reign of our streets? Lone vigilantism never ends well. Because I’m a member of the Everymen, I have a whole group to watch out for me and make sure I’m doing what’s best for the city, not what’s best for me. Who’s watching her?”

Well, Jade Boy, I trust that the Everymen are keeping a watchful eye on the antics of the Green Lake hero, and you can trust that this reporter is doing the same. I hope it never comes to it, but the moment Firebird slips up and considers the darker side of wearing that mask and cape, this reporter won’t shy away from saying, “I told you so.”

---

Excerpt from the sermon of Rev. James Whiddle, pastor of the Green Lake Presbyterian church.

My brothers and sisters, I would like to end my talk today with just a short note, a short notice, if you will. This may only directly apply to a small percentage of you, my congregation, only really to those who call Green Lake home, not just the area they come to for service every Sunday, but the place here in Seattle you live and work and buy your groceries.

I know there has been much talk and worry over the past week about the actions of Firebird, our resident hero. Earlier in the month, I lauded Firebird with praise and thanks for all her work, and I do not take that back now. I am not telling you how to think, but I would ask you to think. We are suddenly being told that she is wrong, she is evil, she doesn’t know how to help us. I would ask you to look back and – now, I am not putting Firebird on an equal level to our Savior – but please remember the hypocrisy present in the speech of the Pharisees at the time of Jesus’s death.

Firebird is not perfect, because she is human, but she is doing extraordinary things and we should thank her for whatever blessings she may bestow on us, even if they are not as amazing as things we may not dream up. She is not going to fix everything, but she may surprise us, if only we let her.

I’m sorry, I’ll step down my soap box now, but I’ve just been getting more than a little saddened by all the attacks thrown at our Firebird this past week, and I’d like to see it stop. She is a blessing and even if she is just a small one, let us be grateful for what we have.