Danger Zone
By: Michael Lara
The Idea:
The day started out like any other. The inside of the cave was filled with the members of the team either eating breakfast, hitting the sparring area early, or watching TV. In the case of Wally, it was eating and watching TV.
The team's resident speedster and bottomless pit happily stuffed his twelfth waffle down his gullet as he watched an early showing of Top Gun. Maverick and Goose had just locked on Jester for a confirmed kill during their combat exercise and were celebrating in beating the instructor. As he watched the duo perform a flyby on the tower, he brought up the DVR menu and double checked to make sure a certain show of his was marked to record.
"Not gonna miss the new episode this week. James Bond's got nothing on Sterling 'Duchess' Archer."
Last time he had missed the new episode, he made Robin download it for him. The humor was lost on Kaldur and Conner who had never seen the show or would only watch the static channel. M'gann didn't get the jokes as most were not connected to 'Hello Megan' or were dirty. Artemis was good for a laugh when she saw it with him and would hold it over his head whenever he missed an episode. Both Raquel and Zatanna weren't interested in the series and Robin usually had his patrolling with Batman when it came on.
"Can't wait. Come Thursday, I'll be in the danger-"
He paused mid-sentence. His eyes grew wide with mischief. A grin, small at first, formed across his lips as he narrowed his eyes and looked behind him where M'gann, Conner, and Raquel were in the kitchen with what was left of their first meal of the day.
"If I were a good boy, I would not be thinking what I'm thinking. But I'm not a good boy so I guess I'm off the hook for thinking what I'm thinking. Operation 'Danger Zone' tag commencing in five, four, three, two…"
Raquel: The first victim
It was a gorgeous day outside. The sun was shining brightly overhead with the wind blowing softly and only a cloud or two riding its invisible waves. The smell of the ocean surrounded the lone dark skinned girl as she stood with her bare feet in the sand. She was out of uniform on this day as she wore a pair of cutoff denim shorts and a dark blue tank top, as always, her belt she usually wore on missions was around her waist. She wasn't taking it easy, although she did enjoy the scenery of the beach around her for she was busy practicing forming her bubble-like constructs to get faster for when she was in the field.
As she formed several of the colored spheres to entrap a group of rocks she had tossed in the air, a hidden presence spied on her from the nearby bushes, palming a small liquid filled vial in his hand. He was quiet and slow moving, completely opposite from how he usually was. As much as he wanted to rush out there, he held his position. This mission would require stealth and speed at just the right time to accomplish. A mischievous grin etched across his face as he saw his opportunity to strike.
It was all in slow motion for the attacker. Running at such a fast speed made everything seem to move at a snail's pace. Raquel wasn't paying him any attention as he moved faster than she could react. A sphere was just beginning to form in front of her and was about the size of her body when she finally noticed a high wall of sand heading towards her. Her eyes slowly grew wide at the same time she tried to say something, but she sounded too slow for her attacker to understand clearly.
"Wwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaatt ttttttttt ttttttttthhhhhhhheeeeeeeeee hhhhhhhheeeeeeeeccccccccckkk kkkkk?"
Before she could say anything else, the wall of sand sailed past her as well as a strong gust of wind that nearly knocked her off her feet. The sound of laughter was being carried on the wind as the sand settled around her. Opening her eyes, she saw a film of light purple fill her vision. She had accidently trapped herself within the confines of her own force bubble and was buried up to her chest in sand.
"Hey, Raquel!" Wally yelled as he zipped back up to the trapped girl. "You smell that?"
"Wally?!" Raquel screamed angrily. "I'm gonna…oh, what is that stink?!" A strong smell assaulted her nostrils and she soon covered her nose and mouth.
"Stink bomb," the red head said with a large smile. "And one more thing," The next two words were said in a higher pitch with a small tune accompanying them. "Danger zone."
Dropping her construct, Rocket gasped for air. "I'm gonna kill you Wally!"
He only laughed as he sped off to the mountain.
Conner: The second victim
Fresh from his victory on the beach, Wally confidently strutted into the living quarters of the cave and heard the soft sound of static coming from the TV. Sure enough, Conner was watching his static filled channel contently and was the only one in the room.
"Hmm, should I or shouldn't I?" Wally thought. "I can outrun him, no contest there. But he could crush me like a grape if he gets a hold of me. Heads I go for it, tails I let him be."
Flipping an imaginary coin in his head, Wally was pleased it landed heads up. Then again it was a double sided imaginary coin. He once again continued his confident strut up to the side of the couch Conner sat at. It was like the clone was hypnotized with a content look on his face. What he saw in that channel only he knew. He and M'gann actually since he has only told her.
"Hey, Conner?" Wally asked softly.
"Yeah?" the black haired teen answered.
"Um, you're not supposed to answer yet."
Turning to face the ginger, Conner eyed him curiously. "What?"
"I said you're not supposed to answer me yet."
"O…kay?" Conner then turned back to his program.
After a moment, Wally spoke up again. "Hey, Con?"
"What?" there was a slight annoyance in his voice now.
"No, man, you're not supposed to answer me yet."
"Wally, what are-"
"Hey, Suppey?"
"What?" The anger was rising in Conner's voice as his eyes took on a menacing look.
"No! You're not supposed to answer me yet!" Wally halfway yelled.
"Then when am I supposed to answer you?!"
"You'll know when the time comes. Now go back watching your program before it comes back from commercial."
Giving the ginger one last glare, Conner turned back to the TV and resumed watching. Wally smirked as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. Five minutes passed without a word being said and he knew he had to put an end to it.
"Hey," Wally said. "Conner."
Conner rolled his eyes but said nothing.
"Conner," Wally said again.
The annoyed powerhouse still didn't say a word.
"Conner."
Conner let out a sigh but did not respond whatsoever.
Letting out a sigh of his own, Wally inhaled deeply before shouting at the top of his lungs. "CONNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
That did it. He had enough. Conner stood up, almost kicking the coffee table over and practically exploded in Wally's face. "WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU WANT, WALLY?! WHAT?!"
Smiling impishly, Wally repeated his words from earlier in the same pitch and tone he used on Rocket. "Danger zone."
The angered powerhouse stared at him with a confused look on his face. He raised an eyebrow when he really intended to raise a fist and knock the fleet footed young man before him into next week.
"Where's that moron?!" Raquel yelled as she marched into the cave. "Took me five minutes to dig my way out!"
Before Conner could blink, Wally had made his way past the angered woman and into the Zeta tubes with a maniacal laugh. A flash of light later and he was gone.
Kaldur: The third victim
"The mission will be simple," the Atlantean calmly said as the team headed for the destination Batman had sent them to.
They had been aboard the Bio-ship for the last half hour with Miss Martian taking the helm, Superboy to the right of her, Rocket to the left of her, and Artemis, Robin, Kid Flash, Zatanna, and himself to the front.
"We are to investigate the theft of several pieces of tech missing from an island facility owned in part by Star Labs. As soon as we arrive, switch to stealth mode and prepare to go down on the harnesses'."
"Aye eye, cap-te-yon," Kid Flash said with a salute. Aqualad glanced at him curiously as to his pronunciation of 'captain'.
As their transport slowed to a stop over a building, the team unbuckled their belts and gathered around the middle of the ship's cockpit. A hole large enough for them to leap through to the roof below formed at the command of its Martian owner. Robin was the first to go through with Zatanna and Rocket following immediately after.
"Hey, Kaldur?" Kid Flash asked their leader with a nervous look.
"Yes?" One look at the speedster told him something was up.
"Um, can I ask you something before we go down there?"
"Go ahead," Aqualad said as Superboy and Artemis leapt through the hole with Miss Martian floating after them.
"Can you tell me what we're doing exactly? I mean, what is it we're at?"
"What do you mean, my friend? I went over Batman's instructions as well as what we need to do."
"No, I mean, what is this we're heading into, because I think we're being exposed to vulnerability at a source of harm or peril at a risk of heading into an area distinguished from adjacent parts by a distinctive feature or characteristic."
Aqualad looked at him uncertainly. "Do you mean you think I'm sending you into a-"
"Danger zone," Kid Flash said with a grin before hopping out of the ship with a laugh.
Aqualad could only scratch his head in confusion.
Robin and Zatanna: The fourth and fifth victims
Down on the island on a road leading up to the building the team was supposed to investigate, they stumbled upon a group of terrorists loading several crates of heavy equipment into the back of a large trailer. They didn't waste any time in confronting them once spotted by Shimmer and Mammoth. Once the battle began, the team split up into three groups. Miss Martian and Rocket were to secure and protect the technology from the laboratory while Aqualad, Superboy, Zatanna, and Artemis contended with Mammoth and Shimmer. Robin and Kid Flash broke off to battle the various thugs attempting to escape with the equipment.
"KF," Robin said as he whipped out a pair of Bird-a-rangs, "take out the three to the left, I'll cover you and draw the other's fire before going after the ones on the right."
"Got it, but do me favor first," Kid Flash said as he pulled his goggles over his eyes. "Call my next of kin if I don't make it."
"Who, Iris? Berry?"
"No, Kenny Loggins."
"Kenny Loggins? Why would I call Kenny Loggins if you get hurt?"
Looking at his best friend, Wally grinned and gave his whimsical answer. "Cause I'm the danger zone."
Speeding away, Robin could only grin and let out his signature cackle as his friend took out the guards in the same instant several Bird-a-rangs exploded near the feet of four others. They were all surrounded with gas, allowing Robin to take them all out without them knowing.
After all the villains were subdued and the technology returned to the laboratory, the team waited for the Justice League to arrive and take the criminals into custody, which took around fifteen minutes. Back on the Bio-ship, they all took it easy as they made their way back to Mount Justice.
"Good job, everyone." Aqualad stated as he looked his squad over. "I think a celebration is in order upon our return to the cave."
"Oh, I know just what the doctor needs to order." Reaching into a pocket, kid Flash produced a small sheet of paper and held it out to Zatanna. "Here, I found a spell in one of the books you let me borrow and it should get everything set up by the time we get back to the mountain."
Taking the sliver of paper, Zatanna looked it over with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't know you speak Latin. I have a bit of difficulty in reading it myself. What does it do?"
"It's to guarantee we all have a fun time as we party it up."
"Okay, if you say so." Looking the writing on the paper over, Zatanna concentrated and cast the spell. "Ettimid em menidutilimis effictae yllaw odnauq ocid mulucirep agalp itneuqes mine saroh!"
A circle of bright yellow light circled the female magician as the spell went into effect. She was about to tell him the spell was complete but two very different words escaped her lips instead of the ones she wanted to say. "Danger zone."
In less than a second, Zatanna slapped her hands over her mouth with her eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Danger zone," she said again. She even sounded exactly like Wally and it was the only two words she could say.
Laughing his head off in his seat, Wally's face became red from the lack of air and if it hadn't been for his seat belt, he would have fallen to the floor. His friends all looked at the magician with wide eyes as she once again said 'Danger zone' in Wally's voice.
"Zee?" Robin asked as he quickly ran to her side.
"Danger zone," she replied.
"What's wrong with you?" Artemis asked as she unbuckled herself and joined Robin at her side.
"Danger zone."
"Wally, what did you do to her?" Kaldur asked from his seat.
"It…it was Latin…to make her say…say…da…danger zone like me for…for the next two hours." He continued laughing like a man possessed and stomped his feet hard on the floor.
"DANGER ZONE!" Zatanna yelled in Wally's voice angrily.
"That's not funny Wally!" Artemis shouted as she punched his arm. She couldn't exactly hold in her amusement all too well and was soon laughing alongside Raquel as well.
As Wally continued laughing maniacally, Conner turned to M'gann who was staring at the group before them with the same confused expression he had. "I think we should watch that Archer show to get what they mean."
His Martian girlfriend nodded her head. "I think that would be a good idea."
M'gann: The sixth victim
The day after their mission to the Star Lab island laboratory, the team separated for some time alone with most going home for some R&R. The only ones in the cave were of course Conner and M'gann, his next victim of the 'Danger zone'.
Arriving in the cave and finding Conner working on his motorcycle in the garage/hanger, Wally asked where M'gann was. When questioned about his motives, the speedster produced a bag full of ingredients for chocolate chip cookies and explained he was just wondering if she would make him some. Seeing there was no other intentions, like what he did to Zatanna who was still angry at him, Conner pointed him in the direction of the kitchen.
Sure enough, the green girl was busy in the kitchen working on making her and Conner a couple of root beer floats. He was happily scooping out some vanilla ice cream and dropping them into two large glasses. The Root beer was poured over the frozen treats with the whip cream coming next.
"Hey, Miss M," Wally addressed as he entered the kitchen.
"Wally," M'gann greeted rather coldly for her.
"Are you still mad about what I did to Zatanna?"
"No."
"That didn't sound like the truth."
Setting the bottle of root beer down, M'gann turned to face him with her arms crossed. "You mean like when you told Zatanna about a spell to make the party fun when it was really a lie?"
"Okay, I'm, I'm sorry. I don't know how many times I've said it but I am." Seeing the look on the Martian's face, he placed his left hand over his heart and held up his right hand. "I swear."
"I guess I have no choice but to trust you. Just stay away from the floats I'm making."
"Deal. Um, on a side note, can I ask two favors of you?"
"Depends on what they are." M'gann was now dousing her floats with the whip cream.
"I got some stuff from the store for cookies. Can you please make me some?" Wally put on his best smile as M'gann faced him.
"And the second favor?"
"Well, I was working on further pursuing my experiment to recreate the Flash's powers. I think I found my mistake and can correct it so I can run as fast as Uncle Berry. The only problem is that I forgot part of an equation that's important. Is there any way you can search my mind from the last half hour and tell me what I forgot?"
"This isn't a trick?" M'gann asked with a cautious look on her face.
"No, I just need the equation I forgot and you're the only one who can help me."
"Okay. Stand still and think back to when you were working on your experiment."
Doing as she said, Wally stood perfectly still as waited for her to establish a link between them. He smiled when he felt her enter his mind and heard her think. "Okay, link is established, now just tell me what I'm supposed to be looking for."
"Okay, here it goes. M'gann?"
"Yes, Wally?"
"DANGER ZONE!" he shouted in his mind.
Conner didn't need super hearing to hear what came next. The angry yell and laughter told him everything he needed to know. Dashing into the garage, Wally laughed as he came to a stop besides Wolf and Sphere. He tussled the animal's furred head and slapped a sticker on the mechanical object before speeding out of the cave. M'gann came flying out from the main section of the cave and threw the bag of ingredients in his direction as she shouted for him to come back.
As his girlfriend continued shouting at the long gone ginger, Conner looked at the sticker left behind on Sphere. He became angered as it read 'Danger Zone' and even Wolf gave the sticker a growl. He ripped it off and crumpled it up, tossing it on the floor as he headed for M'gann to try to calm her down.
Artemis: The final victim
This was the day, the day he would finish what he started. In a week's time, Wally had tagged everyone with the 'Danger Zone' and was now down to one more. He had it all planned. His girlfriend, Artemis was one to be reckoned with. She was as sharp as the arrows she used and would require all of his cunning to get her 'Danger Zoned' like all the others.
Raquel and Conner were the easiest as they were the first ones to fall to his diabolical plan. Kaldur took a little more planning as he would have caught on to what he was doing if he came out with it directly. Robin was his best friend and was always good to rib with. Zatanna's trickery was a little mean since she couldn't say anything other than 'Danger Zone' for two hours, but it was funny regardless. And fooling M'gann was a challenge as he had to be careful as to not expose the plan he had of tagging her before he got the chance.
It had taken him a day to come up with a plan but he had one. It would take place after their latest training session as Artemis finished with her shower. He had rigged her day room at the mountain with various traps such as the ceiling fan blades covered with baby powder, a very convincing counterfeit fifty dollar bill super glued to the bathroom floor, a bar of soap covered in clear nail polish, green food coloring in her shampoo, and putting petroleum jelly on the inside handle of the shower stall she normally uses. Her day room was now a real 'danger zone'. After all his traps were triggered, he would jump out and yell his choice phrase as she struggled to understand what had happened to her.
As they left the training area, he watched her make her way to her day room as she took off her quiver and mask. What happened next was something he had never planned for.
"Hey, Conner?" she called to the brooding young man. "Can you help me with my dresser? The top drawer's always sticking and I can't get it open."
"Sure," Conner said as he followed the archer into her room.
"Oh, and I'll turn on the fan since it's usually too hot to stay in there for too long."
Wally's eyes grew wide in fear at the thought of Conner being caught in one of his traps. He knew how he reacted when he annoyed Conner but this would send him over the edge. Running as fast as he could, he shot down the hall and entered his girlfriend's room.
"Supey, don't!"
The moment Wally stepped foot in the room, a bucket of ice water fell on him and sent an icy cold chill throughout his body. He was then telekinetically floated to the center of the room where Artemis activated one of her foaming trick arrows on his chest and watched as the substance expanded and held him in place.
"You really thought you could get me, Baywatch?" Artemis asked as she stood before him with a hand on her hip. "Seriously?"
"You…how did…" he stuttered.
"M'gann picked up on your grand scheme for Artemis," Kaldur said from his spot beside the closet.
"It really wasn't that hard." M'gann came out of camouflage mode from in front of the window. "It was all you could think of for the last two days and I really didn't have to read your mind."
"And we just had to get you back for being so annoying," Raquel appeared out of thin air along with Conner and Zatanna who used a spell to make them blend into the environment around them.
"Really, Wall-man? Pulling pranks on your girlfriend like this?" Robin said. His ninja skills were so good; Wally never saw where he was until he spoke right next to him.
"I say we leave him like that for the next two hours," Zatanna said as she moved towards the door.
"And yell in his ear," added Conner.
"Guys, come on. I'm sorry. I really mean it this time. I just wanted to joke around like I always do. And it wasn't all bad, I mean, there was some good laughs. Right? Robin? Supey?"
"Let's go," Artemis told the others. "I already moved the stuff I needed to another room. Let's see how long that Redbull he shotgunned before training takes to make him regret what he did to us."
"No, wait," Wally begged as he watched his teammates leave while giving him a wave and a smile. "Come on, guys. I'm sorry and I really need to pee. Robin? Kal, Kaldur, please, man, get me out of here. Zee? Raquel. Megan, please let me out."
"You brought this on yourself," Conner told him as he was the last to reach the door.
"You're right. I'm sorry." As Conner reached the door, Wally called him back one last time. "Supey."
"What?" Conner asked as he stopped in the door's frame.
A grin stretched across his face and once again used the little tune he had been using all week long. "Danger zone."
"Yeah," Conner said as he lifted his hand to a wall mounted switch that controlled the ceiling fan above the soaked Wally. "Danger zone."
He flipped the switch.