Buckminster "Buck" Washington
Closing the door behind him, Buck left C.J. to her meditations. He knew she would come away from it with a clearer head, and most likely some clear insight into the problem. Buck roamed the hallways of his team’s complex, as he usually did when he wanted to think. For as many years as he has been doing this sort of thing, you could always find him roaming the halls during tough cases.
Back when he started, it was just him and one or two close friends. In the grand tradition of other of the so-called “pulp heroes” him and his friends would travel the globe on grand adventures righting wrongs and generally saving the world. Then the villains started getting serious. Then it became a responsibility to stop them. The stakes rose, and he lost them. One by one. Then, eventually, it was just him.
Then he met young Siege’s father, Brian. It was true he was no longer as young as he once was, but the gallant and adventurous Brian brought out the best of him. A larger surprise was Brian’s wife Marina. Just as outgoing as her husband, she only slowed down when she was pregnant. Then, he lost his family again. Siege’s parents were killed while stopping a bomb plot, and Buck kept good on his oath as her godfather.
While reluctant to let Siege into the “family business”, once she became a teenager he was hardly able to stop her. So he trained her. Her small stature belied a great strength, and thanks to his teachings, held a sharp mind and a calm demeanor. As time went on, he took in more younger people, including Hitomi, and trained them, too. He felt a great deal of pride for his new family. He still took in the wayward youngster, to the degree that Hitomi liked to say he adopted strays. It didn’t take long for everyone to start calling themselves that.
He frowned lightly, thinking of Hitomi. Highly intelligent, it worried him that she had been captured, no matter how briefly. It was unlike her to be anywhere close to careless. C.J. seemed sure it was a one time event, and he trusted her judgement. Still. He worried. Just like all the people under his care, Hitomi was like a daughter to him, and he didn’t like to see his family hurt. Of course, that hardly stopped them from getting hurt or into danger. That was their job after all. Buck himself only stopped actively going out when he noticed he was slowing them down.
It pained him, and still did, but he was still effective here, dealing with the authorities and the press. Which had a danger all its own, he admitted ruefully. That, at least, had not changed throughout the years. Turning a corner to head back to his office, he nearly ran right into one of is younger charges.
At seventeen, Jeremy King was something of a cross between MacGuyver and Rube Goldburg, with more than a little Doc Brown thrown in for good measure. This time, Jeremy was riding what looked like a small tank. That wasn’t odd. What was odd was that the tank was on rubber tipped spider-legs.
“Whoa, there! What are you up to?”
“Oh, sorry Buck! Wanted to test drive this thing! Neat, huh?”
Buck laughed, “I didn’t hear you. Was lost in my own thoughts. And yes, it’s very neat. Ah. Spider legs?”
Jeremy grinned, making himself look even younger, and laughed, “Why not?”
Buck shook his head and clapped his young friend on the shoulder, “Why not indeed, son. Be careful, you hear?”
“Of course!” He pushed the control stick, which looked like it was cobbled from an old video game system, forward and rode past Buck with a wave.
Still smiling, Buck strode back to his office. He didn’t mind getting old. Not really. He had all these youngsters around to remind him that life was still worth it, after all. And with kids like Jeremy, Siege and Hitomi around, it was still quite an adventure!
Back when he started, it was just him and one or two close friends. In the grand tradition of other of the so-called “pulp heroes” him and his friends would travel the globe on grand adventures righting wrongs and generally saving the world. Then the villains started getting serious. Then it became a responsibility to stop them. The stakes rose, and he lost them. One by one. Then, eventually, it was just him.
Then he met young Siege’s father, Brian. It was true he was no longer as young as he once was, but the gallant and adventurous Brian brought out the best of him. A larger surprise was Brian’s wife Marina. Just as outgoing as her husband, she only slowed down when she was pregnant. Then, he lost his family again. Siege’s parents were killed while stopping a bomb plot, and Buck kept good on his oath as her godfather.
While reluctant to let Siege into the “family business”, once she became a teenager he was hardly able to stop her. So he trained her. Her small stature belied a great strength, and thanks to his teachings, held a sharp mind and a calm demeanor. As time went on, he took in more younger people, including Hitomi, and trained them, too. He felt a great deal of pride for his new family. He still took in the wayward youngster, to the degree that Hitomi liked to say he adopted strays. It didn’t take long for everyone to start calling themselves that.
He frowned lightly, thinking of Hitomi. Highly intelligent, it worried him that she had been captured, no matter how briefly. It was unlike her to be anywhere close to careless. C.J. seemed sure it was a one time event, and he trusted her judgement. Still. He worried. Just like all the people under his care, Hitomi was like a daughter to him, and he didn’t like to see his family hurt. Of course, that hardly stopped them from getting hurt or into danger. That was their job after all. Buck himself only stopped actively going out when he noticed he was slowing them down.
It pained him, and still did, but he was still effective here, dealing with the authorities and the press. Which had a danger all its own, he admitted ruefully. That, at least, had not changed throughout the years. Turning a corner to head back to his office, he nearly ran right into one of is younger charges.
At seventeen, Jeremy King was something of a cross between MacGuyver and Rube Goldburg, with more than a little Doc Brown thrown in for good measure. This time, Jeremy was riding what looked like a small tank. That wasn’t odd. What was odd was that the tank was on rubber tipped spider-legs.
“Whoa, there! What are you up to?”
“Oh, sorry Buck! Wanted to test drive this thing! Neat, huh?”
Buck laughed, “I didn’t hear you. Was lost in my own thoughts. And yes, it’s very neat. Ah. Spider legs?”
Jeremy grinned, making himself look even younger, and laughed, “Why not?”
Buck shook his head and clapped his young friend on the shoulder, “Why not indeed, son. Be careful, you hear?”
“Of course!” He pushed the control stick, which looked like it was cobbled from an old video game system, forward and rode past Buck with a wave.
Still smiling, Buck strode back to his office. He didn’t mind getting old. Not really. He had all these youngsters around to remind him that life was still worth it, after all. And with kids like Jeremy, Siege and Hitomi around, it was still quite an adventure!
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