The Flow

Tenure, a young man who works for the Undergrounders, is fleeing for his life through the alleys of Los Angeles. He is being chased by a imposing Black man in dreadlocks who is armed with two very big guns. Cornering Tenure in a dead end, the man confirms that he is with the Undergrounders. When Tenure confirms this, his pursuer shoots him to death as a message to the Undergrounders: Don’t fuck with the Pipeline.[1]

With news about Tenure’s death has the Undergrounders concerned. Horizon and Legs meet up with Nomad at their usual haunt to tell him how Tenure is only the most recent victim as Pretty Boy and Rockport have also been murdered as well. The killer is part of a rival group called the Pipeline. Legs is afraid for their safety because they are just street urchins and not a real gang and therefor doesn’t have any muscle. She then pleads with Nomad to help them out.

Jack has been listening to all of this while changing Bucky and asks what they want him to do. Horizon implies that he wants Jack to make sure that the Pipeline doesn’t mess with them anymore. Monroe reminds them that he doesn’t kill anymore and suggests that instead of fighting back against their rivals, they should repay the money they took from them.[2] Realizing that Jack has seen through the truth about this conflict, the Undergrounders suddenly get quiet.

Jack decides to try and help them out anyway and learning that the Pipeline operates around Santa Monica, Jack spends the next few weeks to scope the place out. The only thing he gains from spending so much time on the beach is a really deep tan. He soon hits paydirt by befriending a woman named Jackie who is affiliated with the Pipeline. Earning her trust, she eventually invites Monroe out to one of their get togethers.

Jack attends that evening and isn’t overly impressed as the apparent leader of the Pipeline is a burnt out hippie called Throwback who rants and raves about his activism days and not a whole lot else. Among those listening is a tall Black man who then goes to the beach. Nomad decides to follow him and find out what his deal is. He explains that the point of the Pipeline is to protect what is theirs, namely the beach, as its is all they have. He explains that because they aren’t part of the system the system views them as different and tries to take what they have. This man, who calls himself Ebbtide, explains that it is his job to protect what belongs to his people by any means necessary. Hearing all this, Jack realizes that this is the man who has been murdering Undergrounders and now that he understands his motivation, he’s not entirely sure he’s wrong.

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, Giscard Epurer — the so called Favor Broker — shows up at a drug den. After beating up some men who try to mug him, he finds who he is looking for. The mother of Nomad’s “adopted” daughter, Bucky. She has spiraled even further into her addiction since Nomad took her baby away. Giscard tells her that he wants to help her get her baby back.[3]

Later, Jack returns to the Undergrounders and tells them everything he learned about the Pipeline. He also plans on going back to their next meeting, revealing that he has taken a liking to the group. Horizon and Legs are offended by this pointing out that even though they are all petty crooks the Undergrounders don’t kill. Jack explains that if he pushes forward and stops Ebbtide it’s going to make him a target for every gang in the city and he won’t be able to stay in Los Angeles anymore. Legs points out that the alternative is doing nothing and watching as the Undergrounders are wiped out. Horizon ends the conversation by telling Jack that no matter what goes down, he has a decision to make just like everyone else.

The following day, Jack shows up in his Nomad gear and tells Ebbtide that they need to talk. Ebbitde knows what is about to go down and the two head under the pier to fight to the death. The fight doesn’t last there very long as it is carried out onto the boardwalk. When Ebbtide shows that he’s not above hitting innocent bystanders to kill him, Jack decides to take him down. Ambushing Ebbtide from above, Jack disarms his opponent and puts a gun to his head. That’s when Jackie and Throwback arrive and beg him to stop. Jack threatens to shoot Ebbtide in the head unless the Pipeline lays off on the Undergrounders. Throwback refuses, saying that if they back out it’ll forever ruin their reputation, however he eventually relents when cosidering Ebbtide’s life is on the line. Ebbtide however, refuses to give up and reaches for a gun forcing Jack to shoot him dead.

With that, Jack Monroe is done with Los Angeles. He returns to his apartment just long enough to collect Bucky and his things so he can leave. Legs is sad to see them go and Horizon gives him a card with a phone number that will put him in touch with other Undergrounder groups anywhere in the country. With that, Jack Monroe and Bucky take back to the lonely streets thumbing for a ride heading east.

Recurring Characters

Nomad, Bucky, Undergrounders (Horizon, Legs, Polish), Ebbtide, Giscard Epurer, Bucky’s mother

Continuity Notes

1. Ebbtide has been murdering members of the Undergrounders since Nomad (vol. 2) #7 for reasons that’ll be explained later in this issue.

2. Jack has more or less sworn off killing unless it is absolute necessary since Nomad #4. This was after he slaughtered a whole room of people with a cybernetic gun and hated the sensation it gave him.

3. Nomad took Bucky away from her mother in Nomad #3 when he determined she was unfit to raise the child due to the fact that she was a drug addicted sex worker. Bucky’s mom goes unnamed here and as of this writing (October, 2022) she has yet to be identified.

Topical References

• The leader of the Pipeline is described as a “60s Beach Blanket Bingo acid-laced reject”. Beach Blanket Bingo was a 1965 beach party film. It was part of the “beach party” film craze. These films were made to entice teenagers to frequent drive-in theaters with the promise of movies about teenage antics, girls in bikinis, and rock ‘n’ roll. Its reference here wouldn’t necessarily be considered topical as Jack is using it to describe how dated this old fart is.

• The Pipeline leader also mentions a number of historical activist events that he claims to have been a part of. Any reference to this man being part of these protests should be considered topical. The events in question include:

  • Berkeley: There were a number of high profile protests at the University of California, Berkeley in the mid-60s due to the prominent counter-culture that surrounded them. Protests included protests against discrimination, the arrest of fellow activists, free speech, as well as protesting the Vietnam War. These protests were mostly non-violent, unlike…

  • Kent State: Where the National Gard was called in to try and tame a student protest at Kent State University in Ohio. On May 4, 1970, the National Guard opened fire on the protestors leading to 4 deaths and 9 injuries.