“Cold Steel”
“Keep it close,” Sarge Steel ordered his security guards. Even walking through the streets of Washington DC made him nervous. As the head of the CBI, he was at the top of many a terrorist’s hit list. He ducked into his limo and the guard slammed the door as always. However, this time, instead of waiting for the guard to come around the other side, the locks snapped down and the driver floored it. The car tore through the streets of Washington with its unwilling passenger. Roy Harper was whistling as he stood before the mirror in the bathroom. He was so focused that he didn’t hear Lian come to the door. “You’re seeing Donna tonight, aren’t you?” she asked. “That’s right, Lian,” Roy said. “How did you know?” Lian pointed at the razor Roy was holding. “You’re shaving,” she said. Roy smiled. “So I want to look a little special for her,” he said as he swished the razor in the sink. “You’ll have fun. You get to stay with Sharon.” ”Yay, Sharon!” Lian said. “We’ll give each other makeovers, and then I can come back and give you one!” ”We’ll see,” Roy said. Inwardly he was remembering how the last “makeover” he’d gotten from Lian had consisted of a Tammy Faye Bakker makeup job, horrible clip-on earrings, and his hair pulled into pigtails. Even that wasn’t so bad. Well, it wouldn’t have been if he hadn’t answered the door without checking himself out in the mirror. Lois Lane would never forget that interview. “So what are you doing?” Lian asked. Roy toweled the last of the shaving cream off his face and knelt down beside Lian. “Well, Donna and I haven’t gotten to spend a lot of time together lately, so we’re going out for dinner at a very fancy restaurant. Like I said, Sharon’ll be keeping an eye on you and the baby.” “Can I stay up?” Lian asked hopefully. Roy thought a moment. “It’s not a school night, so I’ll tell Sharon to let you stay up a little later. But you’ll have to stay quiet so you don’t wake up the baby.” “Okay,” Lian said. Roy frowned as the phone rang. “I’ll be right back,” he said as he walked into the living room and picked up the phone. “Hello?” ”Agent Harper?” ”You’re right on the Harper, but not on the agent part.” ”We have your superior.” ”Who?” ”You know him as Sarge Steel.” ”Forget it,” Roy said. “I don’t work for the CBI anymore and couldn’t care less about Steel after he sold me out in Vietnam. You can keep him.” Roy hung up and turned to see Lian standing there. ”Who was it?” she asked. “Wrong number,” Roy said as he reached behind the phone and turned off the ringer. “Come on. Let’s go find Daddy a shirt.” Donna smiled as she opened the door. Roy and Lian stood on the other side. “Hi,” Donna said. She knelt down as Lian ran forward and gave her a hug. “Hi, Lian. Sharon’s in the other room with the baby.” Lian hurried past and could be heard greeting Sharon in the next room. “So, are you ready?” Roy asked. “Of course,” Donna said with a smile. “You’re fifteen minutes late.” ”Ah, well, about that,” Roy started. ”I’ve got to admit, you’re improving.” Donna let him off the hook with a laugh as she stepped outside. “So, where are we going?” Donna asked. “You never told me.” ”I decided to splurge,” Roy said as they neared the elevator. “I’ve got us a table at the Chez What.” ”Chez What?” Donna asked. “How can you afford it?” “Easy,” Roy answered as they stepped inside and he pushed the lobby button. “The government finally dug all the pay records out of Cadmus. I’m getting everything they owed me from my time as chief of security.” The doors slid shut and the elevator began to descend. After ordering, Donna looked around the restaurant. “I’ve got to say, I’m really impressed. I was expecting a foot-long with sauerkraut or an asbestos bowl of Queen Family Chili.” “Hey,” Roy said. “I can treat you to a good night out.” ”I know,” Donna said. She looked at him a moment. “Who tied your tie?” “Don’t you think I know how to tie one?” Roy asked. “No, daddy, like this!” A few flips and twists and Lian had the tie tied perfectly. “Where did you learn to do that?” Roy asked. “Sharon showed me how,” Lian explained. “She said it would be helpful when I grow up.” A sly smile crossed Donna’s lips. “I’m sure you know how,” she said. “So how’s the studio coming?” Roy asked. “Great,” Donna said. “We should be ready to start setting up appointments soon. Kind of reminds me of the old days with Aurora out in New York.” “What’re you going to call the new place?” he asked. “Aurora’s still taken, as I recall.” Donna frowned. “I still haven’t decided,” she said. “I’ve been turning it over in my mind and nothing sounds right yet.” Just then Roy’s phone beeped. “I’m sorry,” he said as he pulled it out. “That’s okay,” Donna said. “It might be Sharon.” “Hello?” he asked. “Agent Harper, we have Sarge Steel and will kill him unless you comply with our demands.” ”Listen, whoever you are,” Roy said. “I figure the world’s better off if you do.” He hung the phone up and turned off the ringer. “There we go,” he said as he slipped the phone back into his pocket. “Who was that?” Donna asked. ”Wrong number.” Roy took a sip of his water. “Have you heard from Mirage?” “I got some good news on her,” Donna said. “She told me she should be getting out of the hospital by the end of the week.” ”I figured,” Roy said. “I knew she wouldn’t miss the wedding.” ”You know it,” Donna said. “You nervous?” Roy asked with a slight smile. ”A little,” Donna confessed. “I know we’ve been practicing, but to do it in front of a crowd…” Roy reached over and took Donna’s hand. “You’ll do fine,” he said. “You’ve got it nailed. Plus, there won’t be anyone shooting at you.” ”You hope,” Donna said. “Remember. Every time the Titans have a wedding, it seems like something goes horribly wrong. Remember when Dick and Kory tried to get married?” ”Yeah,” Roy said. “At least it all worked itself out. Finally.” ”That was a bad spot we went through, wasn’t it?” Donna asked. Her eyes seemed to lose their focus for a moment. “I don’t like to remember those days. I’d rather remember the old days – trouncing the Brotherhood of Evil or the Fearsome Five and then heading back to the Tower.” “I know,” Roy said. “Course, my memory goes back along the lines of the Mad Mod or Ding Dong Daddy.” Donna smiled. “That does take me back.” The two continued to reminisce about their days with the old Teen Titans as Roy’s phone patiently took voice mail after voice mail. Donna glanced up as the waiter, an older man, appeared at the table. “Excuse me,” he said as he bent down by Roy. “You have a guest out in the lobby.” ”I’m sure I do,” Roy said, fighting to keep his voice cordial. “I’ll be right back,” he told Donna as he stood and followed the waiter out. Roy stormed into the restaurant’s lobby and saw a man pacing back and forth nervously. He saw Roy and ran over. He grabbed Roy’s shirt and looked into his eyes. “Harper, you’ve got to help me!” Steel pleaded. “I just barely managed to escape, but they’re going to kill me!” Roy didn’t say a word in response. He just pulled Steel into the men’s room and locked the door behind them. “Good move,” Steel said. “This’ll buy us some time.” He looked into Roy’s face. “What?” Roy just started laughing in response. Steel’s face went red. “Listen, Harper, this is serious!” he started. “Shut up,” Roy said. “Do you have any idea how pathetic this is?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Steel said. “Don’t insult my intelligence,” Roy said. “I was an agent for a long time. I know when I’m being played.” Roy glared at Steel as he continued. “You think I didn’t know you were behind this whole thing? Trying to fake an abduction to get me back in.” Roy stuck his finger in Steel’s face. “Get this. I’m not an agent anymore. I’ve got a family and they’re my priority. Don’t bother calling again.” Roy threw the door open and turned back for a second. “By the way. I’d heard you using that voice distorter before. Gave the whole thing away.” Roy let the door close on a fuming Sarge Steel. “Anything wrong?” Donna asked as Roy sat back down. ”Nah,” Roy said. “Just some joker who thought he knew me. How’s the marinara?” Next Issue: Things get weird when Guy Gardner’s old foe Dementor shows up! 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