Disclaimer: Blah blah, none of these characters belong to me (I wish, jk...) P.S. More revised chapters to follow with one new chapter completed and ready to be uploaded hopefully by tonight...
Prologue
It was happening again…
Longshadow made an unnoticeable grimace as he strode away from his mission teammates towards his private quarters at the Watchtower, his new home for the past three months.
"Hey stilts!"That was his new nickname given by the Green Arrow as he and two other League members, the Flash and John Stewart, left for the cafeteria. "Come eat with us! You did one hell of a job on that Sahara mission."
"Yeah, Giganta didn't even know what hit her." Called the Flash, nearly vibrating to get his caloric nourishment from the blessed, cafeteria food; it was Hammy Saturday for tonight's menu.
"Naw" smiled Longshadow, a prickling feeling was beginning to creep along his spine, "T-Thanks though, you know, I really appreciate it."
"You earned it kid." The Green Lantern nodded at the indigo-haired, young man, "The other rookies could learn a thing or two from you."
"Really?" asked Longshadow.
"Yeah," Green Arrow nudged Green Lantern, his next remark referring to a cousin of a certain Boy Scout, "Like how to listen."
Longshadow's grin grew even wider if that was possible, proud of his progress thus far since the incident at Keystone City over three months ago. Unfortunately, his elation was short lived as the prickling turned into the usual migraine causing him to stagger into his room; he scrambled for the black box in his medicine cabinet.
Pulling a blue-liquidated syringe, he forcefully injected the serum into his right thigh, while leaning against the nearest wall; he sighed as the pain began to ease away.
'A temporary solution', he thought bitterly, closing his eyes as the fatigue began to set in.
She had promised that they would find a cure for him that the League would do everything in their power to help him: to give him life once more and to find his Ultimen comrades if they needed help. She was Wonder Woman after all, she embodied a spirit of hope and truth; Princess Diana wouldn't break such any of her promises.
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A brown-haired, bespectacled scientist presented several X-Ray slides of selected experiments given at "Location X12."
"What I have to show you are both incredibly intriguing and disturbing for security purposes." Began professor Emil Hamilton, "This concerns specimen generation Y203, also known as the Longshadow Initiatives."
The X Ray images lit up the dark room showing different bone structures of progressing Longshadow clones.
"The first batch produced several specimen of Longshadows numbers one through 50 that were all failures, no doubt, showing signs of bone degeneration preventing its body mass expansion, similar to the meta powers found in the League's Atom Smasher. Our second batch was more successful in sustaining the bone structure of the specimen, but they carried an inability to grow expansively. They were disposed of immediately in the fire chambers. Finally, we were able to yield the specimen used for the Ultimen negotiations, which turned out to be the most successful of them all. I perceived no flaws inheriting super strength, super hearing, stamina, speed and durability; they were the perfect specimen against the League."
"Well, you were wrong, weren't you?" spoke a livid Amanda Waller, angry that the meeting was called at such an unholy, morning hour. "I reviewed the data, the experiments showed high levels of emotional, and physical instability. We needed soldiers with no signs of feelings or insubordination. Highly trained fighters that rival those in the League, that was a goal for the Cadmus project, your job, Hamilton!"
"I know ma'am, and I apologize for the setbacks." grimaced the Professor; she wasn't going to like the next piece of information, "Well, that wasn't the only problem with Generation Y203..."
Waller faltered, "What do you mean?"
Hamilton then began to display visuals of red serum within the skeletal form of a Longshadow specimen. "In order to stabilize both the bone and muscle mass to promote its meta growth, we had to insert small amounts of a substance extracted from a mix of uranium and nitro glycoside."
"Uranium?" asked Waller, "The Longshadows had uranium running through their bones, and Nitroglyceride? "
"Actually, it's nitro glycoside, Nitroglyceride is a more of a gaseous form of-"
Waller furiously tore down the slide, "So, you are trying to tell me that the Longshadows are walking weapons of mass destruction?"
The Professor nodded, delivering another slide of the final, progression stages with an Longshadow experiment showing bright, neon colored liquid running through its structure. "We were able to stabilize one deceased Longshadow to do an autopsy revealing strong amounts of liquidated, nuclear extracts that developed from both their skeletal and blood circulation systems."
"Nuclear energy running through their veins? My god, the average human carries five liters worth, and Generation Y203's special abilities was..."
"Yes, its meta growth would increase the amount of nuclear energy within its system making the specimen even more hazardous than before. As you know, Longshadows degenerate faster every time they meta grow taking 25 days off their longevity, while affecting their behaviors, emotions, and even their actions. Besides the instability, I have also unfortunately discovered that the more they use their powers, the more unstable the nuclear energy resulting eventually in a massive combustion that could potentially take out half of the globe."
"Half the globe? My God Hamilton!" said Waller, she was this close to walking to her office and filling out his pink slip; no we need him to finish the other project, "Well, good thing we had most of that Ultimen generation disposed of, along with Generation Y203. What exactly is the problem? Besides you being a very dangerous liability to our future projects."
Professor Hamilton gulped nervously, sometimes he wondered why he even volunteered for this assignment in the first place, "Well ma'am, I woke up to the news this morning concerning the League's success stopping Giganta and the Shade in the Sahara yesterday, and I was shocked to see a very alive, healthy-looking Longshadow from the Ultimen disaster in Keystone City."
"Well, that is a problem," Waller turned on the news screen showing coverage of the amazing battle, and an interview with the new, League hero of the day: Longshadow. "I underestimated the League in keeping him alive for so long, I never expected him to live at least longer than the others..."
"Should we warn them?" asked Hamilton, "I mean, they should know about the potential danger."
Waller turned away from the screen, "I would rather see them burn, but we'll have to take the following precautions..."
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An hour later, Hamilton was heading quickly towards his medical office; he had to start working on both Waller's plan, and another plan on the way...
"Professor Hamilton" said a voice behind his back turned chair as he entered his office, "I assume all goes well with our plan?"
"Your plan, General" Hamilton turned to find his case study binders, "I never wanted to do anything that extreme, and even worse lying to Waller about using that of kind power on a specimen, and for what exactly?."
"A vendetta, and it's was more like you were bending the truth," General Wade Eiling faced the professor, "Besides you saw what the League did to our system; what they could already know? What they will do to us before we're even ready with our plans for a defense? We can't let them get that far, and its about time we put a ending to all of this."
"But you saw what they did to that Lord guy," Hamilton shuddered thinking about the tense drive of the one and only Amanda Waller, she wouldn't let anyone get in her way especially in the form of insubordination, "I can't imagine what she would do to us."
"Well, then let's make sure she doesn't find out," the General began to make his exit, "I have a meeting with the sorceress. Get the dosage ready, Hamilton, and let Waller handle the rest; everything should be fine by week's end..."
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Two Days Later...
Here is the new information found on the Top Secret area located in La Havana, Cuba...
The Dark Knight looked over information sent from Oracle on a potential location of one of the Cadmus Labs. Looking over his investigation on the financial whereabouts of Maxwell Lord, Batman was able to discover a money trail leading to a facility located south of the Florida coast.
Location: Cuba, La Havana?
Facility: Cadmus, bought a year ago
Benefactor: Numerous, non-governmental; potential underground business
Visitors: Amanda Waller visits twice every other month
Other notes: all experiments go in, and never come out; potential location for disposal of failed experiments. All scientific logs highly confidential; difficult encryption coding, but nothing I can't handle...
'A place where all experiments go in, and never come out, a perfect place where the Ultimen would have been taken', thought Batman as he removed his cowl before scanning more information.
He massaged his temple; Bruce Wayne should be investigating more important matters concerning the Cadmus Project like the appearance of a Supergirl clone, Galatea or, even better, its connection with the United States government. Why was he putting more effort in finding the whereabouts of renegade Ultimen?
For what he could recall, tt was the look in her eyes, a hopeless look, when J'onn J'onzz relayed his findings dashing more hopes of Longshadow's survival.
"...I'm guessing a year or two from now at least, but his system is too infected with a chemical I'm having trouble identifying; as soon as I can figure out the structure of his cellular matrix, then I can perform a stronger treatment enough to even cure him…"
Wonder Woman stared blankly through the east window gazing at the bright the sun as awoke the sleeping planet, that they had all sworn to protect; much like how she had sworn to protect Longshadow...
"Is there anything else that could have done? Something we might have missed…" Superman asked, he too had become fond of the newest member, and he did not want anything to happen to the young hero too.
"It's no use, saying what we could or could not do." interrupted Batman, "We need to keep him on his current treatment, and make sure he has required physicals managed by J'onn; sustain him as long as possible until we can figure what to do."
J'onn nodded, "Yes, His system is responding to the serum, very well and it's seems be stabilizing him at quicker rate than before, preventing any further degeneration."
"If he does begin too, well degenerate, what do we do then? We don't have enough information on his structure to assure his safety and health if something should happen." Began Wonder Woman, she turned to her three fellow teammates.
"We'll there is no way predict when it will happen. We just need to make him as comfortable as possible" said Superman, "Assure, him that we will do everything we can to keep him safe."
J'onn J'onnz put a comforting hand on Diana's shoulder, "Diana, I promise you, we will help him for as long as possible, no matter what."
"Thank you J'onn" smiled Wonder Woman; Batman couldn't help but catch the forlorn look in her magnificent blue eyes; Superman gave another comforting pat on her shoulder, and left them alone.
There were moments such as this when Batman would just let himself just simply, conspicuously though, as the sun gave the woman before him an ethereal glow accentuating her raven locks and rosy complexion. I need to stop, thought Batman, becoming entranced by an enigmatic glow that seemed to emanate from her, which both thrilled and frankly scared him.
She looked up, and their eyes met (blue eyes to Cowl-covered ones), and Batman realized that Diana was posed to ask a question.
"What is it Diana?" Batman turned toward the window
Wonder Woman smiled, "You know me so well, Bruce." She approached the balcony to his right, "Longshadow has been telling me concerns over the whereabouts of his Ultimen teammates."
"I've told you all the information I was able to learn thus far-"
"I know, but lately he's been these horrible dreams" She turned away from the window, leaning against the rail; Batman moved a couple inches, her floral fragrance was distracting.
"Dreams, of what? His 'Cadmus' days?"
"No, of his friends, screaming for him; for help?" Wonder Woman felt sadness over fates of the other four teenagers, "I just don't think that Maxwell Lord kept his promise, to protect them; Longshadow feels that they could be in danger too, or worse."
"Dead" Diana agreed, Batman sighed he too had secretly presumed that Lord's promise was ill-perceived, "And you want me to investigate further, find out what happened to them."
"Or what is happening to them" She corrected; smiling he always needed to get right to the point. "I'm sure you have enough resources in that Batcave of yours for a whole library's worth of information."
Yes, but I was already investigating more important matters at hand, thought Bruce, but it was both the next flirtation and the look in her eyes that made him immediately head for Lord's abandoned apartment again after the conversation.
Sneakily, the princess had strategically placed herself in front of him, his regaining eye contact with mischievous smile, "Unless, Batman, you don't feel like you're up for it?"
My god, this woman is probably going to be the death of me, the un-Batmanly thought came into his mind upon his expressionless face, while gazing at the princesses' beautiful smile; just waiting to be kissed. He slightly leaned his head closer, if only at a different time and place of priority...Batman forced himself to only look into her eyes, and he saw what had made him completely committed to this project: a look of hopelessness that her new friend and novice would sadly be no more in the coming months or year. And he couldn't stand seeing that look upon her face; he needed ease all of worries, and find the truth…
"I'll find out some more information," Batman walked past, a successful Wonder Woman staring after his exit, "And I will contact you as soon as I find anything. But Diana, don't get your hopes up."
"That's much appreciated, Batman" Diana called after him; she had just earned herself a congratulatory Iced Mocha. I told Wally I could get him to help me...
Two days later with ten folders of hardware encryption information, Bruce realized that Diana was unfortunately right about Lord keeping his promise. Carefully following up leads and couple of forced confessions from one of the former security guards at the lab all led to his presumption that about three of the four teens had already been "disposed" of; all apparently suffering from a volatile degeneration; for precautionary measures, Bruce was so far trying to figure that out.
Volatile degeneration, Batman read over again, he hoped that did not mean what he thought it mean. Could it be that Ultimen were even more destructive during their final stages of life? Or even worse, could Longshadow also be considered under the same category, perhaps also destructive during his final hour.
If so, then the League had a lot more to worry about; Batman rubbed his temple once more; it was going to be a very long night...
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