Summary: Someone is going around masquerading as LoveHacker, committing acts of injustice (and craziness). Can they find the guilty party and clear her name?
Ben Park, a California-based comic book artist, hunches over the desk in his studio, muttering to himself as he quickly sketches out the first few panels of his new comic: LoveHacker. “Six friends endowed with super abilities face love, laughter, and wild shenanigans all while fighting the good fight and trying to keep the city of San Francisco safe from dangers seen and unseen.”
Police sirens blare, their red and blue lights illuminating the weak dawn light. They’re right on LoveHacker’s tail, who tears down the street, barely keeping distance between her and the cars. She looks back as they gain on her, and shooting both palms out, sends a huge force field that topples over the three cars closest to her. A domino affect is created, each car taking out the car behind it. LoveHacker disappears around a corner, leaving the wreckage behind…
“Local crime-fighter turned instigator continues on a rampage of destruction. Around two this morning, LoveHacker was last seen in a police car chase, ultimately causing the destruction you see behind me.” The reporter on TV gestures behind him, mangled cars and left over residue in the air from the exhaustion smoke. The front of a small cafe is damaged as well, the owner sobbing into her hands, as her son hugs her, glaring at the mess. “Law enforcement has-”
The TV clicks off, and Devi whips her head back to find Mark and Cole giving her sympathetic glances. “Devi, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be watching the news right now,” Mark begins gently, but Devi bristles, pushing past her two friends. “But that’s not me! I’m the good guy! Who do they think I am?”
“A power-crazed, dangerous criminal who has no respect for the law or the public at large, oof,” Cole grunts as Mark cuts him off with a elbow to the stomach. Devi sighs, sinking into their couch and rubbing her temple. After the emergence of the “fake” LoveHacker, Devi had taken a break from superhero duties, leaving the heavy lifting to her team, and the leader responsibilities to Mark. But she hadn’t liked it, and the further tarnishing of her reputation as a beacon of hope was steadily tanking. After going after the Fake-Hacker without backup, the city had deemed both deadly and untrustworthy, with threats to the League and plans to arrest them both.
“Whoever’s impersonating you, must really have it out for ya,” Cole shakes his head, generously spraying himself with his strong cologne. Devi coughs, waving the fumes away from her. “Cole, you’re gonna kill poor Amir before your date begins,” she grimaces, but Cole shrugs her comment off, straightening his tie just so, in a happy mood. “Don’t worry Devi, I’ll be out of your hair soon, and you and Mark will have the whole place to yourself. Just remember, we do have neighbors, and the walls are pretty thin.”
Devi groans, slinging a pillow cushion his way, missing his face by mere inches.
“Cole, you’re a-”
‘Genius! That’s it!” Mark exclaims suddenly. Devi and Cole turn to him, confusion replacing Devi’s temper. “Mark, what are you talking about?” He sits down beside her, and she can’t ignore the way her heart beats slightly faster. Mark notices how close he is too, a blush creeping across his cheeks. He scratches the back of his neck. Cole shakes his head at the two. “Hopeless,” he mutters.
“Out of the whole team, you’re the only one with a stolen identity, so to speak.” Mark continues as Devi listens in interest. “Which leads me to believe it’s someone we know. Someone you know, trying to return the favor.” Cole crosses his arms. “That’s nice, Mark, but that doesn’t explain how they have Devi’s powers. Who else can generate force fields?”
Mark shrugs. “If I engineered my suit, I could too. But Devi doesn’t need the suit.” Devi’s face lights up in realization.
“Because I can generate them myself!:
“Exactly!”
“And I know exactly how we’re gonna take this faker down.” Devi’s eyes are steel. Cole looks down at his watch, then the door.
“Well. While you guys are busy clearing Devi’s name, I’ve got a hot date I can’t keep waiting.”
“Oh no you don’t,” Devi smiles sweetly. “For this to work, we’re gonna need you to bring your hustle game.” Cole rolls his eyes at the awful pun. “I should leave now just for that.”
Devi addresses HeartRate, Sergeant Techie, Captain Hustler, and Keo, who stands guard and keeps an eye on the surveillance cameras of their hideout. With the exception of a coffee maker with day old coffee, a worn, discolored sofa, and short window, it didn’t look like much design wise. Devi forgoes her iconic suit for a simple jumpsuit and red latex mask, pacing back and forth. Mark designed it to help amplify her abilities, but for what she plans to accomplish, minimalism is key.
“This Fake-Hacker has a pattern of hitting places we’ve helped before. Chinatown, the fine art museum-”
“Marple and Marple’s Coffee Shoppe! How dare they mess a sweet old lady!” Brooke growles, easily bending the metal piece in her hands. Devi shares a glance with Mark, hoping it isn’t important, before clearing her throat to continue. “I say we cut to the chase and bring the fight to us. HeartRate, Sergeant? Meet me at the place where it all began.” Her teammates nod in understanding.
“And what am I supposed to do until then?” Cole asked, the lingering smell of Obsidienne now on his Hustler suit. Devi slides up next to him, grinning. “Join me for a leisurely stroll?”
A little while later, Devi slings an arm around Captain Hustler, both perched on the Golden Gate Bridge, and both invisible to the world. She taps her mask twice to activate the tiny camera, invisible like the rest of her, and nudges for Captain Hustler to do the same. They wait for their friends.
“Why the hell are we up so high?”
“Don’t tell me the Captain is afraid of Heights?”
“I’m not afraid! I’m just well aware of the fact that it’s a long way down, only one of us can fly, and it’s not me.”
“It’s not me either.”
“Exactly.”
Their banter is cut short as the bridge shakes beneath them. Fake-Hacker tears down the bridge, chased down by Brooke who takes to the skies, dodging the force fields thrown up in her direction. Sergeant Techie does his part, emitting a barrier seal behind them to trap everyone in. “That’s our cue!” Devi takes Cole’s hand and jumps, pulling them both down as he screams in surprise. Devi aims one hand at the ground, praying her force field will be enough to break their fall. Sooner rather than later, they both hit the ground, Devi quickly jumping to her feet. “I don’t remember this being part of the plan!” Cole groans, but Devi faces away from the action, creating a bigger field, leaving only herself invisible now.
“Stop while you’re ahead, Fake-Hacker!” HeartRate yells, chasing the fake right to the edge of Devi’s field. Sure enough, Fake-Hacker hit it head-on, bouncing back from the force. “Ooh, that’s gonna leave a mark,” Cole winces. The Fake-Hacker’s body shifts quickly, like an image, before settling back to normal. Brooke swoops in and brings her knees down on the impostor’s back, delivering the final blow. “Hustler, now!” Devi shouts, becoming visible again. Captain Hustler runs up to the fallen villain, stretching his fingers out to lay on her face. Images from the past and present rush through Hustler’s mind. He sees Devi in her suit, arguing with another man, walking away. There’s another image of a purple suited man, face tilted to the sky, as people around clutch their ears. Images of the team, fighting them, shifting in and out of different forms. Cole steps back, shaking his head. “Give it up, Mad-Man, I know it’s you,” he says as Sergeant catches up to the scene. “It’s Commander!” Mad-Man snarls, the illusion finally falling away to reveal a slicked back, leather covered fiend, with thick goggles to complete his crazy ensemble. HeartRate slaps him across his cheek, leaving a red welt. “Shut up, Mad-Man,” she snarls back.
The Commander twists his head to better look at LoveHacker, the real LoveHacker “You could have joined me. We could have been marvelous!” He cackles, struggling beneath Heartbeat’s grasp. “She’s got her team. I think she’s covered.” Sergeant frowns, arms crossed defiantly. “Yeah!” HeartRate slaps him again for good measure, knocking Mad-Man unconscious. “Okay, I think we’re good,” Hustler pulls Brooke off of him before she can do more damage.
Back at the hideout, Keo punches the air excitedly, cheering in the empty space with glee as he watches it all unfold. “That’s my baby!”