Hi everyone! This is the 40th fic that I've posted but the 72nd that I've written, which means I have 32 unfinished stories that I've started and then either got stuck on, or got another idea and then abandoned the story I was working on and forgot to go back to it. :/ There may be a few that are finished (or close to it), but I need a vacation from work so I can spend time focusing on the important stuff and go through them!

This story came together rather quickly and easily. Unfortunately it came from a dark place as that seems were the last two that I've started have gone. I blame work. You see the worst of humanity and then it leaks into your personal life. I guess writing through the darkness was therapeutic. This was also meant to be LouiseX's birthday present...I'm a terrible gift giver!

Disclaimer: Not mine. Not making any money from them.

Rating will change to M eventually, so it will disappear from the main page.

Stronger Than Hate

It was their toughest day on the job yet. It seems the older they get, the worse the missions get. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were supposed to make things better for the world. The things they saw today will stay with them forever. Pollution is gross and often disgusting enough to make their stomachs churn. The destruction of natural habitats is devastating to see and is upsetting to even a self proclaimed tough guy like Wheeler.

Today though, they saw the worst of what the world has to offer. Garbage can be cleaned up, trees can be re-planted, but there is no fix for evil. The Planeteers don't often see death in their line of work. Animals, sadly yes. Not humans. Not mass casualties brought on by a deranged madman. It was bad enough when the victims they saw were animals, but this time, they were humans. People with families and friends who will miss them. Productive members of society. Pillars of their communities.

Stalker Slaughter snapped after his mommy dearest was locked up and charged with crimes that were going to keep her imprisoned for the rest of her life. She refused to sell out her sons, Stalker and Clawed, and took the fall for the whole Slaughter family. Stalker was incapable of doing anything without his mother telling him how to do it and would have rather spent his life rotting in jail than live without his mom so at her arraignment, he detonated an explosive device outside the courthouse, killing and injuring media personnel, Law Enforcement Officers, the attorneys prosecuting the case, and curious civilian bystanders who had gathered to watch the press conference. By the time someone noticed the device by the podium that the District Attorney was speaking at and yelled, "BOMB," it was too late. All they could do was watch the timer count down. 3…2…1…

The Planeteers did not escape unscathed. They all sustained injuries from the blast, all except Linka. The force of the blast knocked all of them to the ground causing Gi and Ma-Ti to hit their heads on the courthouse steps. Slaughter packed the bomb with nails, screws, and ball bearings to cause the maximum amount of damage possible as the objects ripped through the air. Fortunately the Planeteers were far enough away from the device that they only sustained minor flesh wounds. Kwame and Wheeler were standing in front of the others so they took the brunt of the shrapnel from the bomb. Kwame's bare legs and arms were cut up the worst of all of them. Wheeler's jeans and jacket protected everything but his arms. All of the metal fragments hit him in the back because as soon as he heard the word "bomb" shouted, his first instinct was to turn towards Linka who was standing on the steps one level behind him. He wrapped his arms around her and tucked her closely against his chest. When they were knocked to the ground, he had shielded her body completely. He pulled back to look at her, unable to hear anything through the ringing in his ears. The scared look on his face is one Linka has never seen from him before. He was terrified, not for himself, but for her. She freed her hand from between their bodies and touched his check.

"I am ok."

Her words were muffled as his hearing slowly returned.

"Are you?" She asked him.

"Yeah…I think so."

He pushed himself off her, but still braced himself above her.

"You are bleeding," she said as she touched his arm.

"I'm fine. You sure you're ok?"

"Da…thanks to you. The others?"

Wheeler turned his head to see Gi and Ma-Ti slowly sitting up while holding their heads and Kwame laying behind him, bleeding but didn't look like his injuries were life threatening.

He turned back to Linka and reported,

"All ok. Injured, but alive."

He then looked to his right and saw the carnage on the steps below. The ringing in his ears had stopped and had been replaced by screams.

"Holy shit," he said, slowly, carefully standing up and holding out his hands to help her up. He could hear and feel small pieces of debris falling from his back.

She looks over to see what had captured his attention.

"Bozhe moy. We have to help."

"Wheeler, Linka…are you ok?" Kwame asked.

"Yeah man…you look pretty tore up. Lemme have a look. Can you stand up?"

Kwame winced as he did what Wheeler asked while Linka checked on Gi and Ma-Ti who were having trouble getting their bearings, clearly suffering the effects of a concussion.

"Dude, you're cut up pretty badly and there's some metal…it looks like screws and nails…embedded in your skin."

"It hurts when I move," Kwame said.

"Should we call Captain Planet?" Gi asked.

"I do not know that he will be able to do anything…not for something like this."

"Linka's right. The damage is done. Only the police and paramedics are going to be able to do anything about this."

"And me," Linka said. "I am the only one who is not hurt. I will help give aid to those that need it."

"Like hell!" Wheeler exclaimed.

"Excuse me?"

"We don't know who did this, where they are now, and if there are any other devices out there. I can't let you go into that chaos with all those unknowns," he explained.

"Wheeler is right," Ma-Ti said. "And maybe that is why we should call Captain Planet. He can get a bird's eye view. See if anyone suspicious is fleeing the scene or maybe he can detect any other bombs."

"Then let our powers combine," Kwame commands. "Earth!"

"Fire!"

"Wind!"

"Water!"

"Heart!"

Captain Planet made his entrance and was filled in by the Planeteers. Once he knew that his team was ok, he took off and began his scan of the scene.

"I cannot just stand here and do nothing," Linka said, running down the steps and towards the massacre.

"Babe! Wait!"

"Nyet. If I can apply pressure on just one person and save a life, that is what I must do."

"I'm coming with you," Wheeler insists.

"You cannot. You have open wounds. It is too dangerous. You do not know what you may come into contact with."

"Doesn't matter. Like you said, if I can save one person, then I have to help."

They spent the next few hours helping the paramedics triaging victims. They were giving different colored tags to attach to the victims based on the severity of their injuries. They tried to save who they could by administering aid until someone with the proper medical equipment could take over. Unfortunately there were many who did not need saved. They were already gone.

Twenty two people died. Forty others were injured. Captain Planet spotted Stalker Slaughter's jeep driving away from the scene and apprehended him. At least he would face charges for the damage he has done. At least the victims and their families can get closure.

To Be Continued...