Uncanny Secret Six

Chapter 1: Six Degrees- Part 1

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to DC Comics.

Somewhere in the outskirts of Gotham City-

A removal van was parked outside a spooky-looking mansion in the outskirts of Gotham City. The mansion was the home of the Secret Six, a team of former villains that did the jobs that the likes of the Justice League dared not to.

Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn were leaving the team. Ivy wanted to spend more time with her daughter/clone Audrey, and where Ivy went, Harley followed.

The remaining members of the Secret Six were standing outside the mansion bidding the pair farewell.

'Take care of yourself, Ivy.' Scandal Savage, the team's leader, smiled as she hugged Ivy close. 'Don't be a stranger, okay? I expect a call as soon as you get to Brazil.'

'I doubt they have telephones in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest.' Ivy pointed out. 'But I suppose I could send you a postcard or something.'

HONK! HONNNK!

'Yo, Red! Get your butt into gear, will ya!' Harley Quinn hollered from the passenger's seat of the car. 'Time's a wastin'!'

'Got to go.' Ivy apologised. 'I'll drop you all a line when I get to Brazil.'

Once Ivy had departed, Scandal turned back to the remaining members of her team. Counting Scandal herself, there were only three members of the Secret Six left.

'So, what do we do now?' The deadly marksman known as Deadshot asked. 'First Ragdoll quit to spend time with his monkeys, now Harley and Ivy have gone. We gonna start callin' ourselves the Secret Three?'

'Don't be foolish, Lawton.' Knockout, the former Female Fury, scoffed. 'I am sure that Scandal already has a plan to find us some new teammates.'

'Everybody get ready.' Scandal told her two remaining team members. 'We have a business meeting at the train yard. We're meeting our new employer.'

'Our new employer?' Deadshot asked. 'You're actually letting somebody else order us around?'

'Pack your things, Lawton.' Scandal told her teammate. 'Our employer won't want us to be late.'

Gotham train yard, later-

Deadshot dug his hands into the pockets of his trench coat and pulled out a cigarette lighter. He raised the lighter up to his face to light his cigarette, but Knockout snatched them both away.

'Watch what you're doing, you fool.' The former Female Fury hissed at her teammate. 'You're going to give way our position!'

'Aww, you ain't my momma.' Deadshot sniffed as he pulled out another cigarette. 'Where's Scandal gotten to, any way? I hate all this cloak and dagger crap.'

'Be patient, Scandal will be here soon.' Knockout responded. The statuesque redhead turned her head as she noticed their leader motioning them to a nearby boxcar.

'Great, an abandoned boxcar.' Deadshot grumbled as he put away his unlit cigarette. 'If there's a dead alien being experimented on in there, I'm getting the Hell out of here. I didn't sign on for any of that X-Files B.S.'

'Stop complaining and hurry up.' Knockout told him. 'Scandal is waiting for us.'

The pair walked over to the boxcar where Scandal was waiting.

'You ever gonna tell us who our new employer is?' Deadshot asked. 'Or are you gonna keep us waitin'?'

'Just get in the damn boxcar, Floyd.' Scandal glowered at the former assassin. 'Our employer's inside with the rest of our new teammates.'

Deadshot did as he was told and followed his teammates inside the boxcar. He instantly recognised the large African-American woman waiting for them inside.

'Amanda Waller…' Deadshot said. 'You get fed up of working for The Man and decide to come get your hands dirty for once?'

You Don't know the meaning of getting your hands dirty, Lawton.' Ms Waller retorted. 'I've done things that would make you curl up into a ball and cry like a little girl, but we're not here to reminisce. Sit down, and we can get started.'

Deadshot and the others sat down with two other people who were presumably their new teammates. One was a silver-haired woman dressed like somebody out for the French Revolution, the other was a blond man dressed in what seemed to be a chain mail suit of armour. The silver-haired woman stood up and embraced Scandal passionately, much to Knockout's surprise.

'Scandal, darling!' The silver-haired woman beamed. 'It has been such a long time!'

'Hello, Jeanette.' Scandal smiled slightly in response. Knockout frowned at her lover's apparent familiarity with the other woman.

'Do you know this woman, Poppet?' Knockout asked.

'Oh, Scandal and I go back quite some time.' Jeanette chuckled. 'Don't we, darling?' Then the silver-haired woman noticed Deadshot and turned her attentions to him. 'Ah, you must be the one known as Deadshot. Hmm, you reek of death. I like it.'

Deadshot shifted uncomfortably in his chair. There was something about the way Jeanette was looking at him. It was like the way a hungry shark would look at an injured seal.

'So, what's with tall, blond, and medieval?' Deadshot asked, changing the subject. 'What's your story, buddy?'

'I am Azrael!' The blond man stated rather intensely. 'I am the latest in the long line of those deemed worthy enough to be blessed by the Sacred Order of Saint Dumas!'

'Well, that's just… great.' Deadshot said. 'That's a nice sword you've got there man. Mind if I take a look?'

Deadshot instantly regretted attempting to tamper with another man's equipment as, quick as a flash, Azrael unsheathed his sword from its scabbard and shoved it at Deadshot's throat, the blade was wreathed in flames.

'None may touch the Sword of Azrael!' The mysterious sword-wielding man stated through gritted teeth. 'You are unfamiliar with my methods, so I shall not kill you this time. Try to repeat your mistake, and I will not be so merciful.'

'Well, now that everybody's been acquainted, I can begin with your mission briefing.' Waller said as she indicated a digital map on a nearby monitor screen. 'This is Santa Prisca.' Waller explained. 'For those of you that don't know, it's small island in the northern Caribbean. It's a lawless hive of scum and villainy. Drug lords rule the whole island. I had somebody visit the island to run reconnaissance, but the idiot ended up getting captured. That's why I want you to go visit this craphole. Rescue him and you've got a sixth member.'

'Any clues who this new guy is gonna be?' Deadshot piped up. 'Or is it all hush-hush?'

'You'll find the answers to all your questions once you get to Santa Prisca.' Waller explained as she threw down several manila folders in front of the group. 'Read the files and get your asses into gear, you leave on the hour.'

TBC…

Next: Six Degrees- Part 2

The Secret Six… uh, Five jet off to Santa Prisca to rescue their sixth member, but just who will it be? Tune in next time to find out!