15
Disclaimer: I do not own the Justice League properties. DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Time-Warner does. I do not make any profits by writing these stories. They are intended solely to be read by the audience for entertainment purposes as allowed by Time-Warner.
Four businessmen and their security retinue fled through the alleys and back warrens of Los Angeles. Every so often a sizzling jolt of energy could be heard followed by a strangled cry. Then two more shots would follow afterwards. The security detail had already lost half its number but they'd finally reached the destination, the unknown assailant's knowledge of it be damned.
One businessman after subjected themselves to retina scans but none would unlock the hidden door. Meanwhile the last of the security detail fell. And like the others, a phantom being made of neural energy emerged from the human host. It solidified into a reptilian shape but Earth's atmosphere was caustic to its soft under skin beneath the scales and smoke began to waft in the breeze as the Daemonite burned.
Two more polaron shots killed the alien creature. Desperately the men retrieved the security detail's discarded weapons. They'd been soldiers once upon a time. They would die as such at long last.
"Ahem," a woman with a startling head of pixie cut platinum white hair approached them wearing armor and little else. She bristled with weapons including two swords crossed behind her back.
"Zealot," the leading infected businessman sneered, "Last of the Coda."
"Are you the last out of skill or cowardice?" another Daemonite infected host asked.
Polaron headshot skilled the humans and then the Daemonites that emerged from the bodies. Zealot had her weapon trained on the intruder who made the kills, "Cole Cash. I'm surprised to see you hear, Grifter."
"We're making our move, Zealot," Grifter advised her, "We're killing the entire infection."
"Interesting," Zealot allowed.
"And we're killing Lord Daemonite for sure this time," Grifter promised her.
"Very interesting," Zealot concluded, "Help me kill this voles' nest and we can discuss it afterwards."
"Any key for the lock?" Grifter asked.
Zealot wore a wolfish smile as she pulled a fluid filled vial out of a utility pouch. It contained one human eye, "This should do nicely. I have this one alive back at my current base. So they haven't bothered to pull him from the registry yet."
Grifter had seen a lot of horrific things as part of Team 7 and now with the Daemonite Hunters Underground. But Zealot's smile was among the first to ever scare him. The Kherabim truly was an alien despite her beautiful human looks she'd been born into.
In the resort town of Caracas, Carmen Curon counted the minutes as Dean Higgins used her body to sate his lusts. He ejaculated four minutes after penetration right on schedule. The blowjob lasted half as long. She inwardly smiled to herself that soon he'd be prematurely ejaculating and she wouldn't have to be violated at all.
Then she saw him. An armored avenging angel with only a left eye. Regulus paid her a king's ransom for her time and body…and her discretion…but that didn't mean she'd die for him. While Regulus lay naked, sweaty, tired, and spent…but deeply satisfied…Carmen counted dollars in her head as Deathstroke tossed Higgins's wallet at her and spoke in fluent Spanish.
"Just go," was all he said.
Regulus' eyes snapped open to see Deathstroke's pistol aimed at his forehead. Higgins tried to swat the gun out of Slade Wilson's hand but Deathstroke stood just out of reach. But still close enough to pistol whip Regulus.
He miserably spotted Carmen scooping up her clothes in one deft move and exit the hotel room still stark naked. Deathstroke chuckled, "Girl's had practice."
"Cartel bosses are her usual trade," Regulus grudgingly revealed, "If you're going to kill me, Slade, I prefer you just get it over with."
"If I was going to kill you, Dean, you'd never have known I was here," Deathstroke holstered his pistol, "I've got a team contacting Bronski. Cole's already in. I thought you might want to share in the opportunity as well."
"Opportunity for what?" Regulus was still wary.
"To kill John Lynch," Deathstroke simply stated.
Regulus was very attentive afterwards.
In an Outer Mongolian District within China, Apollo and Midnighter approached the unobtrusive yurt. Four naked women scattered out of it as Majestic emerged wearing a simple loincloth, "You two need to work on your approach."
Apollo knew his husband was akin to Batman in his stealth capabilities so he blamed himself, "Grifter has an offer for you."
"I have an answer," Majestic snorted, "It's 'no'."
Midnighter bounced a bullet off of Majestic's head. Apollo gave him a chiding look and Midnighter shrugged, "What? You never know until you try."
"Grifter and others with him will end the Daemonite threat on Earth," Apollo declared.
"Cole can't even solve his own problems much less humanity's," Majestic thought it all sounded far too ludicrous to be real.
"And he wants you to help punch Lynch's ticket," Midnighter revealed.
"Now I'll listen," Majestic changed his mind.
Rose Wilson-Worth was in San Francisco visiting her girlfriend. And it was a glorious town for two young women in love. Rose had recently come out to her father as bisexual and that she was dating Beryl Hutchinson, who identified as genderfluid. Slade disapproved of Beryl and wasn't very welcoming of Rose's revelation but he knew his efforts to modify her identity in any way would be met with heavy resistance. And he might lose his only surviving child.
Beryl drove them back to the Teen Titans compound on her motorcycle while Rose rode bitch on the back, happily holding tight to her lover. Neither of them could imagine a better ending to the day, or at least until they reached Beryl's bedroom.
Inside Titans Compound, they ran into Red Hood fully garbed and armed, "You've got company."
Rose hated the thought of who it could be. But instead of one of her father's Titans, it was two of his longstanding associates. Angelica's facial scarring marred an otherwise model-like beauty and her dead eye had to be one of main attractions for Slade. That and she was a vicious, sadistic bitch.
Red Fury was as geared up as Red Hood. Rose knew she was secretly a woman that played a masculine role as Red Fury to throw opponents off the scent of who she really was. This was either of their first times meeting Beryl. Angelica instantly approved. Rose could tell by Red Fury's body language that she didn't.
"I'll be nearby if I'm needed," Red Hood told the couple.
"Rose, you're needed," Angelica's Russian accent thickened after Red Hood departed. It was her sign of anxiety.
"You're coming with us," Red Fury was all brazen confidence though.
"Mind giving me a reason before I tell you where to shove it?" Rose was irked.
"The Halo Corporation is funding a venture against the Daemonites as well as John Lynch who has become an associate of theirs," Angelica explained, "We've gathered Stormwatch, Grifter's Daemonite Hunters Underground, Lord Emp's WildCATS, and other operators like Red Fury and myself. Given your past with Lynch, your father thought you'd want to be a part of this."
"Just because Lynch arranged for my mother's death, Grant's death, and Jericho's death? Why would I want to be involved?" Rose was flippantly trying to mask her pain, "And it's our history at NOWHERE. I'll come if Beryl comes with me."
"Of course I'll come with you anytime," Beryl saw the two adults caught the double entendre, "In at least sixty-nine ways."
"I think we need to gear up, Red Robin," Rose smirked.
"But of course, Ravager," Beryl agreed. As they went for the staircase, Beryl softly said, "And I expect to see some serious ravaging done."
Red Hood watched them ascend the stairs before approaching Red Fury and Angelica, "I expect to see them back."
"Or what?" Red Fury coldly asked.
"There won't be a what. They will come back or it's on your head," Red Hood warned them.
"They're taking too long," Red Fury deemed, "I'll get them."
"You take another step and I'll go all League of Assassins on your ass," Red Hood warned her.
"So it's true," Angelica whispered to herself.
Ravager and Red Robin returned hand in hand. Ravager studied everyone, "What's wrong with you people?"
"Take care of everyone," Red Robin implored Red Hood.
"You know I will," Red Hood promised, "Call if you need help."
"I think we'll be a little out of touch for a while," Angelica smirked while Red Fury communicated with a third party.
"Where, precisely, are we going?" Red Robin inquired.
"The dark side of the Moon," Angelica told her as a portal opened up, "All you need to do is step through that."
Red Robin and Ravager fearlessly did so. Red Hood reminded the two guests of his warning, "Moon or no Moon. They don't come back and there isn't anywhere in the universe that will be safe for you."
"We'll see, won't we?" Red Fury sneered before vanishing.
"We'll bring them back," Angelica pledged before she stepped though the portal and Jenny Quantum collapsed it.
Red Robin was amazed by the view in the Observation Deck where Jenny Quantum deposited them. Angelica smiled at Ravager, "Some people have been waiting to see you."
Red Fury went off in a huff and Red Robin wondered if the woman, because she knew a woman impersonating a man by personal experience, had any other mode. Cinder and Tattooed Man were the first to arrive. Cinder warmly embraced Ravager.
"It's good to see you again, Chiara," Cinder promised her.
"The view is…incredible," Ravager was at a loss.
"True, Rosa, but it pales next to your love's beauty," Cinder pointedly stared at Red Robin.
"Cinder, Tattooed Man, this is Red Robin," Ravager made the obligatory introductions.
"So formal," Cinder chided her.
"Beryl to my friends," Red Robin willingly offered.
"If Rose has chosen than I accept her choice," Cinder said gallantly.
"Treat our girl right, missy. Or we'll have another kind of conversation," Tattooed Man warned her.
"I'm actually at quite a loss here," Red Robin admitted, "How do you all know about me?"
"Rosa can't stop talking about the wondrous woman she's fallen in love with," Cinder smiled while Ravager blushed.
"Actually, Rose has been smitten with you ever since you met at NOWHERE," Gunslinger said as she approached, "I'm called Gunslinger but you can just make it Pat."
"Smitten, eh?" Red Robin was enjoying this.
"We knew she carried a torch for someone after her release but it wasn't until you two were reunited against Vandal Savage that we learned just who and how hard Rose had fallen for," Gunslinger shared.
"So you told everyone except your father," Red Robin smirked.
"Would you tell him?" Ravager wondered.
"Well, you worked up the courage to eventually, love," Red Robin kissed her rather chastely on the lips. But it was a promise for more intimacy later on.
Arsenal and Cheshire slowly arrived to view the meet `n greet underway. They stayed distant, having just dropped their daughter Lian off at the facility's pre-school. That and the couple managed to avoid Rose or her father on most occasions.
Deathstroke chose that moment to enter and surge through the crowd. He stood opposite Red Robin simply studying her. After he'd reached a decision, he removed his helmet.
As Ravager had warned Beryl, Slade Wilson was no longer silver haired despite a few wisps of the color at his temples. And the goatee had been joined by a mustache. If Slade Wilson had been terrifyingly intimidating in his sixties, restored to his prime, he was like discovering a hungry wolf in bed next to you.
"Hello, Beryl," Slade offered her his hand.
Red Robin gripped it firmly and met his eye. Deathstroke wore a wintry smile, "Be good to my daughter or I'll kill you."
"You're always welcome to try," Red Robin's confidence never wavered.
Slade's smile was genuine after that, "Weatherman wants to start the briefing now that everyone has arrived."
Ravager and Red Robin were led to the largest miniature amphitheater either of them had seen. With a few of the solar system as a backdrop. Now Red Robin's knees felt a little wobbly. Ravager grinned.
"You hold up against my father but a bunch of stars makes you weak kneed?" she asked.
"I'll tell you what else makes me weak kneed," Red Robin recovered, "Being with you."
"Flatterer," Ravager laughed.
"Only the truth, m'love," Red Robin promised, "Always."
"If we can find our seats?" the imposing Weatherman took the podium.
Introductions were made so Ravager and Red Robin learned Weatherman led this installation and a group of operatives known as Stormwatch. Those operatives included Apollo, Midnighter, both of whom were obviously a couple; Jenny Quantum, Jack Hawksmoor, and the Projectionist.
Red Robin had just met most of Deathstroke's Titans but a few others in the room hadn't. That team included Deathstroke himself, Ravager, Gunslinger, Cinder, Tattooed Man, Arsenal, and Cheshire. Red Robin took mental notes on the former Speedy.
A man named Grifter was the informal leader of a group calling itself the Daemonites Hunters Underground. He'd only brought two women with him. One called Voodoo and another named Sofia Cordon.
The strangest bunch was called the WildCATS. Made of aliens and half-aliens, they were led by a dwarf calling himself Lord Emp. Then there were Spartan, TAO, Maul, Warblade, and Void.
The longest list belonged to the unaffiliated. Zealot was hands down the most impressive woman Red Robin had ever seen outside of Rose. She herself was counted amongst this group. Angelica and Red Fury were named. An elderly man called I-Ching acknowledged his name being called. A rugged man called Deathblow looked every bit the soldier of fortune that he was. A younger woman resembling Zealot was called Kenesha the Savant. And finally Majestic and Regulus answered to no one but themselves.
Weatherman explained how the Kherabim and Daemonites first came to Earth six thousand years ago. The Daemonites came to exploit humanity and the Kherabim, who closely resembled humans, chose to defend them. But they'd become trapped on Earth and the Kherabim, who were extremely long lived, near immortal, had slowly been killed off one by one. Only Lord Emp and Zealot survived of the original landing. Kenesha was the only pure blood Kherabim born on Earth, and despite looking only ten years younger than her mother, Kenesha was thousands of years younger than Zealot.
Human/Kherabim hybrids had been born through the ages. With unearthly abilities but human lifespans, people like Maul and Warblade frequently fought on the front lines. The artificial life forms such as Spartan and TAO had been created to supplement Kherabim forces. And then there were those that had been possessed by Kherabim artifacts such as the human Void.
Red Robin learned that John Lynch had once experimented on the soldiers of an elite unit known as Team 7. Deathstroke, Grifter, Majestic, Regulus, and Black Canary were the only survivors from having their gen factor activated. And everyone except Black Canary was here to avenge themselves upon Lynch. Red Robin couldn't blame them.
Then came the announcement Lord Emp had pitted the entire economic clout of the Halo Corporation into this venture. Win or lose, his empire would be bankrupt afterwards.
Deathstroke would have participated on his own but the Titans wanted reimbursement so Lord Emp was providing it. Deathblow was another that fought only for cash. Angelica took the money like Slade, but also would have fought for free having dealt with Lynch in the past. He was the reasons for her scars and blinded eye along with the amazing recuperative powers she now possessed.
I-Ching and Red Fury had joined up solely for ideological reasons to defend the human race from an alien invader that was gaining an ever wider foothold. Stormwatch was fulfilling its sacred vow to the Shadow Cabinet to defend Earth from mystical and extraterrestrial threats. The Kherabim had forbade Stormwatch from intervening in hundreds of years past. But now the last of them saw reason.
Nyssa Raatko had assembled her Injusticer squads at a country estate in Wales. Nyssa was elated by the fact that Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, had joined Nyssa's quest. And Dinah had agreed to Nyssa's projected role for her.
But it cost the Injustice League one member. White Canary refused to serve beside Black Canary much less take orders from her. White Canary's only goal now was to kill every surviving Team 7 member. Nyssa wished her well against the likes of Deathstroke, Majestic, Regulus, or even Grifter. Nyssa simply let her go because it was easier to see the knife coming at you rather then from beside you.
Merlyn was another matter altogether. Most of the Injusticers still harbored resentment that Merlyn had betrayed them to the Legion of Super Villains as they worked with the Legion of Doom in a push to reshape the world. Only his son, Dark Archer, still gave him unquestioning loyalty. Even his frequent collaborator, Syonide, harbored doubts and refused to turn her back to him.
Nyssa's contacts within the League of Assassins informed her that the newly reconstituted Task Force X had recently captured Speedy and the new Green Arrow. But, using means unknown to either the Leagues of Assassins or Shadows, Amanda Waller had determined Mia Deardon and Conner Hawke's innocence and reinstated them to the Justice League of America. But Waller had been ordered to pit the Suicide Squad up against the Injusticers. Nyssa wished them luck as long as it didn't interfere with her timetable.
Time had lost all meaning to the Black Marvels in Purgatory. Each moment in Hell was an eternity of damnation, never ending and without the slightest relief. Only the Black Marvels' sponsors kept them from the ravages of hellfire and isolation. Pandora received an equal measure of succor from the curse given her by the Lords of Order and the Council of Wizards eons ago.
In the weeks that had passed on Earth, the Black Marvels had traversed the realm known as the Labyrinth. Pandora stood at the walled gates of yet another hellish kingdom, "Now it seems we've reached Purgatory. Here is where Satanus and Blaze hold court and here is where they'll hold Shazam."
"After all of this, I am uncertain as to whether or not I still wish to liberate the meddling wizard," Black Adam grumbled.
"We need to," Isis implored her husband, "Our son, Osiris, is depending upon us to free him from his Marvel curse. Otherwise the Lords of Order are committed to killing him."
"Very well, wife. I will rescue the fiend. But he will know it was I, Black Adam, who held his life in my hand," he declared.
"If we're done posturing, can we proceed now?" Pandora dryly asked.
"You may lead us," Black Adam sniffed.
"Why should now be any different?" Pandora wondered.
Black Mary snickered. The first sign of mirth to escape her since their arrival in Hell. Black Adam, on the other hand, was tempted to test the limits of Pandora's vaunted immortality.
With the United Nations' Manhattan complex destroyed by the Burners, the administrative functions had moved to the Dome facility in Paris. It had lain dormant since the breakup of the Justice League International. It was here, in Dr. Mist's former offices, that the UN Secretary General met with Superman and Barda.
"You have to understand," the Secretary General pleaded with the JLers, "No matter what happens if you strike, the Ayatollah will blame me for it. Because I'm Pakistani, a woman, and adhere to the third school of Islam. Both Sunnis and Shiites would declare me a heretic for doing so."
"You're a Sufi," Superman realized, "A Muslim mystic."
"My own family has pledged to undertake an honor killing of me to salvage their disgrace at having a woman in authority stem from their bosom," the Secretary General explained.
"But now more than followers of the Taliban will seek your death," Barda predicted, "The zealots in Iran will want you to suffer before you die a horrible, languishing death."
"Then they shouldn't have built and used underground uranium enrichment centrifuges to create weapons grade plutonium or actually constructed portable bombs they now intend to smuggle into Israel and level every major city except Jerusalem." the Secretary General angrily retorted, "I despise nuclear weapons and would forcibly rid the planet of them if I could. But I can't and that's why we have diplomacy. But this time diplomacy failed and inspectors were lied to. They must be dealt with. Bloodlessly if possible."
"If the Justice League Unlimited undertakes the mission, it will be bloodless," Superman promised her, "And the JLU will embark on the mission."
"I hope this doesn't seem to infringe on the Justice League's autonomy within the United Nations," the Secretary General wished.
"Not at all. These types of situations are why we wanted to ally ourselves with the UN once again and act with impunity with international authority on our side," Superman proclaimed.
"Then may Allah grant you speed and secrecy," she hoped.
After Superman and Barda used a boom tube to return to JLU headquarters, the Secretary General threw back her head and enjoyed a triumphant laugh, "Those witless fools."
Amanda Waller had brought Sue and Ralph Dibney into the Task Force X loop after Plastic Man exited the Justice League of America, taking Penny and Hula Hula with him to the JLU. The JLA was down an agent, a pilot, and a Deputy Chief of Operations. This was on top of Power Girl's disappearance, Black Canary's defection to the Injusticers, and Katana demanding to be reassigned to the Suicide Squad as Colonel Rick Flagg's personal bodyguard.
In Waller's estimation, the only good news over the course of the last few weeks was that every Marvel had gone AWOL and the younger Flash was on Apokolips playing footsies. Waller had designated priority options for the JLA, Freedom Fighters, and the Suicide Squad. The JLA was ARGUS' public face. The American super team.
The Freedom Fighters were the covert action team that supported the JLA when needed. Task Force X got the worst assignments, the ones that would grind through a body count. But they also required agents that were willing to give as good as they got. And as a team composed of super villains, they were all expendable and plausibly deniable.
Task Force X's resurrection disturbed Sue on a fundamental level. Her rape at the hands of the original Dr. Light had only recently been revealed. That Dr. Light's current whereabouts were still unknown. Waller could care less as long as the bastard was rotting in hell on Earth or the afterlife.
The Justice League of America was the country's forefront meta-human response to a crisis. The Freedom Fighters were saved for missions requiring a touch more aggression. They'd fought a total war in World War II. The Freedom Fighters were best at being pointed and unleashed. Questions weren't their strong suit.
Waller dismissed the Dibneys after the daily briefing concluded. Gwen Cormaugh was due to present Task Force X's daily brief. Meanwhile, Sue served as the JLA's Chief of Operations and Ralph as the Chief of Investigations. Waller knew they were both too invested in this Justice League to walk away now.
The Conglomerate had become media darlings. Unlike the Justice Leagues or vigilantes like Batman who destroyed entire editing rooms and archives because intrepid reporters like Summer Gleason captured footage of him in action. The JLA had a press corps but the JLers themselves were banned from making statements. The JLU, since being reunited with the UN, relied on the United Nations to handle the press.
At first, Strange Visitor and Matrix, now rechristened Supergirl, had dominated the questions. But now the rest of the Conglomerate was being courted as well. Having six members leave for the JLU had shaken things up but the Conglomerate continued to prove itself in the field so public opinion was unaltered and they continued to love the Conglomerate.
But behind the glitz of the press conferences and public appearances, the Conglomerate was hard at work tracking down Ambush Bug and Disco Mummy. Other than a visual Red Tornado had gotten of her, Disco Mummy was a complete and utter mystery. But her latest capers had brought her in direct conflict with the Conglomerate's sponsors. The Conglomerate had thwarted most of the thefts but a few had succeeded. And Disco Mummy seemed to be growing desperate to achieve whatever goal she'd set for herself.
Above a carnival fun house in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Harley Quinn burst into Poison Ivy's apartment, "Ya gotta help me, Red. I got some real bad news a few minutes ago."
"You're pregnant," Ivy replied nonchalantly.
Harley froze, "How'd ya know? I hadda use a pee stick ta find out."
"You've been reeking of animal hormones that mammal's exude when they're pregnant," Ivy said disdainfully.
"Are ya sayin' I stink?" Harley got cross.
"Of course not. But your hormonal cues are indicative of pregnancy," Ivy's clinical manner was irritating the crap out of Harley.
"Look! We gotta do somethin'!" Harley began panicking.
"No," Ivy was still relentlessly rational, "You need to decide if you'll terminate the fetus or live birth the child. Afterwards, it comes down to do you keep her, it, or them?"
"No thems!" Harley screeched.
"Look, I'll back you all the way whatever you decide. But if you keep it it'll be pretty hilarious since neither of us has a clue on how to raise a human being much less a hamster," Ivy chuckled.
"I can't kill it," Harley had already decided that.
"Then you have seven months to figure out the rest, since you seemed to have taken two to discover this state of being. Who knows? If you keep her, maybe I'll even give a damn about her," Ivy brightened.
"What if it's a him?" Harley was crestfallen.
"Even you couldn't screw up that badly," Ivy promised her.
The Hall of Doom had relocated to the northern mountains of India. Luthor caught Grodd alone, "So, when are you inevitably betraying me to Saturn Queen?"
"Lex, you wound me?" Grodd feigned being contrite.
"Spare me. You've actually displayed heartfelt loyalty far longer than I ever assumed you would. It's your nature to finally go for my throat. And Saturn Queen can provide a persuasive argument to," Luthor reasoned it out, "But I advise you to kill me outright or I will end you. I'd suggest blindsiding me but I think you haven't found the means and the mechanism yet so that's why you delay."
"You'd be surprised, Lex," Grodd chuckled knowing Luthor didn't know Saturn Queen had located Lex's sister, Lena Luthor.
"We must liberate Master Thomas," Alfred Pennyworth of Earth-3 demanded. On Earth Prime he was simply referred to as "the Other". And his audience was hardly receptive.
"Dear Alfred, Owlman can escape from any prison, or so you've boasted. You have Brother Eye and its OMACs to assist you along with the fleeting members of the Crime Syndicate that escaped incarceration. Free him yourself," Saturn Queen replied indifferently.
"But if you would but lend me Ultraman…" the Other began to argue.
"No," her icy demeanor put a chill in the room, "I'm not squandering Kal-L's strength until it's been properly fortified."
"Master Thomas will be informed of your ill advised resistance to cooperate," the Other stormed out of the room.
That room had formerly been General Sam Lane's oversight center watching the Meta-Human Response Division's command center underneath Fort Siegel. The military had returned to reclaim the base but thanks to Saturn Queen's powers of telepathy and hypnosis the entire division was blithely unaware of what was beneath them or that the Secret Society of Super Villains coexisted with them. The Society even dwelt in the newest furnished living quarters while the soldiers barracked in the oldest portions of the base.
"I'm certain Owlman will be delighted to hear what I had to say," Eve Aries gloated to herself. She mentally summoned her captain. Libra had led a dozen successful missions to loot and plunder across the globe…and shifted the blame to the slumbering Legion of Doom.
Citizens and governments worldwide were clamoring for a crackdown on the Legion. One Saturn Queen fully intended to exploit. But Libra chose that moment to report.
She handed him a collection of dossiers, "Luthor has recruited more minions."
"Nazis?" Libra was incredulous, "How desperate is he?"
"More to the point, these are real Nazis. Not the Skinhead or Neo-Nazi fantasizer versions. Many of them survived and thrived after World War II," Saturn Queen explained, "And now Luthor has snared their allegiance much the way we snared Axis America's."
"They have an Axis Amerika as well," Libra noted.
"But be mindful of the spelling alteration. That group is a far cry from our erstwhile Nazis," Saturn Queen sounded delighted.
The she handed him another thick file, "This explains Intergang's increasing strife."
Libra began leafing through it, "Boss Moxie is dead? Gun Moll Flanders did the deed and took over? Who the hell is the Gang?"
"The true masterminds behind this purging of Intergang's ranks," Saturn Queen relished the treachery.
"I'll take your word for it," Libra gathered his files to study elsewhere.
"Wise man," Saturn Queen telepathically alerted Ultraman she would see him now.
Most of the 100 had been killed by upstart members of the 1000. Intergang was shaken but seemed to thrive under the new management. Gun Moll had killed Spats Thompson and Tommy Shingles alongside Boss Moxie. Only Numbers Malone remained out of the original regenerated gang from the Twenties. And the Gang managed them.
Brains, Ms. Mesmer, Kong, and Bulldozer had turned Intergang loose on itself. And the strongest thrived. Brains had enlisted the remaining members of the Black Seven to kill Morgan Edge, Boss Moxie's hidden partner. A woman named Angelica Blaze turned out to be Edge's heir.
So Galaxy Broadcasting continued unabated with no hiccups. But Dragonfly, Silken Spider, Tiger Moth, and Black Beetle were installed as special corporate officers and security agents. And they answered only to the majority shareholder, Angelica Blaze.
Gun Moll knew she couldn't lead Intergang on her own. But propped up by the Gang, Gun Moll could follow their directions and guide the 100 and the 1000 beneath them back into an era of loyalty and devotion. And the money flowed in as never before.