15

The Freedom Fighters met with Jade, Mayflower, and Obsidian at the LA ARGUS facility. Uncle Sam was less than sanguine about the situation, "Yore sayin' that ya'll want us to help bust a madam while everywhere else they're fightin' these thar Kryptonians."

"Please this woman has enslaved hundreds and exploited them in the vilest sexual exploitation possible," Mayflower pleaded, "And I thought you Yanks were all about personal freedom."

"That thar is a mite hypocritical comin' from a Red Coat," Uncle Sam bristled again.

"It's mere chance that the New World dominates the rest of the world with gen active personages," Mayflower commented, "Or it may simply be that identifying meta-humans isn't technologically feasible in other parts of the world. Or perhaps it's considered rude to screen for gen factors elsewhere."

"Whut even do ya have besides the word of this here terrorist?" Uncle Sam pointed out Obsidian. Jade held her brother back from responding.

"The ARGUS prisoner labeled 'Triad' is one of Vivid's victims as well have been forced to perform in pornographic materials as well later coerced into being one of Vivid's enforcers," Mayflower described Triad's plight.

"I hate this woman already," Firebrand admitted.

"But this Triad seems to be as much victim as perp," Phantom Lady added.

"What's the mind control element?" Black Condor asked.

"Vivid excretes an aerosol mist from her mouth that delivers a mind control particulate. She generally uses a kiss to enforce her control over some as it absorbs under the tongue," Obsidian explained, "ARGUS has already isolated the element and is concocting an immunization."

"Where's Vivid headquartered?" Human Bomb inquired.

"Malibu," Obsidian answered.

"Sam, Waller's afraid Luthor or someone else will recruit this Vivid and employ her to create an army," Doll Man reminded Uncle Sam, "I could help speed up the immunization efforts but she still has hundreds of people under her control according to the brief."

"Ah reckon we'll deal with this varmint lady sooner than later," Uncle Sam grumbled.


Luthor queried Brainiac as he gathered Grodd, Ultra-Humanite, Gar-Lo and Inara, "Is our location secured?"

"Affirmative," Brainiac spoke through one of many avatars, "We have returned to Louisiana without incident. Stealthing fields active and fully functional. Perimeter sensors have deployed. Yet the Kryptonian craft can't boast of any of these attributes."

"Our technology isn't inferior to yours," Gar-Lo sniffed insolently.

"Your camouflage system attracted Hawkman's attention. I'd pronounce that as being inferior," Grodd verbally jabbed. His ulterior motive to keep Luthor's loyalists sparring with the ranger scouts.

"Ret-Gel reports otherwise," Inara quoted the report submitted by the unit's engineer, "He states that the humans have technical parity, and some case superiority, amongst the Legion of Doom and this Justice League."

"How can this be?" Gar-Lo was crestfallen.

"I'm classified as a 12th Level Intelligence. The only other being so gifted as such is Metron and he's a New God. Presumably my alternates in other universes would be as well," Luthor elaborated.

"The humans say Luthor even has a form of mastery over Darkseid," Inara revealed.

"How?" Gar-Lo wanted to know.

"I know the secrets of the Anti-Life Equation which even Darkseid can't escape from," Luthor boasted.

"Our next goal should be devoted to destroying the Justice League," Grodd demanded.

"You've damaged the infrastructure to a point of toppling governments," Luthor advised the ranger scouts, "And the citizenry is in a frenzy of fear. The worldwide militaries are prepared for the nuclear option should our position be isolated. Even the UN is willing to deploy their Doombringer option."

Luthor let the others digest and to prompt the Ultra-Humanite, "Our supposed overture will be made by our scientific team at Fukashima."

"Where?" Gar-Lo frowned and the importance was explained to him, "I can't believe a species still splitting atoms boasts technology greater than ours."

"We've been motivated b invasions from White Martians, Thanagarians, New Gods, and Almeracians," Luthor drolly explained, "Next comes multiversal threats and how does one cope with a differing incarnation of themselves?"

"After repelling so many threats humanity has galvanized their approach to being conquered and sterilized out of existence under oppressive slave masters," Luthor told them, "They will now fight to the last man, woman, and child rather than submit and die. This way they will die fighting."

"Then we give them what they want," Gar-Lo snarled.

"And you expend the one resource Darkseid wishes to extract from this planet," Luthor saw Gar-Lo's dumbfoundeness, "The population. You exterminate humanity and Darkseid will ensure every surviving Kryptonian and relative races will die."

"We'll go along with while it's convenient," Gar-Lo pronounced, "Then you'll have to provide proof of your claims to serve me."

"Very well then," Luthor smugly agreed.


Superman, Black Mary, Power Girl, and Wonder Woman met with Sivana, Mr. Mind, and Half-Ape at Fukashima. Superman did not appreciate their chosen location, "Why are we here?"

"A lesson in your inability to avert every crisis," Half-Ape goaded Superman.

"Sivana, you and Mr. Mind better start explaining before I start squeezing both of you like toothpaste," Black Mary threatened.

"I was told you had a new attitude now that you were the last Marvel," Mr. Mind snickered.

"We, like the Greeks, bear precious gifts. The locations where the Legion of Doom and the Kryptonians can be found," Sivana explained, "Of course, like the legend, the gift is rigged to destroy all."

"And you expect to just walk away?" Wonder Woman needed to know.

"We exchange the locations predicated on our safe passage to parts unknown and our pledge not to participate in the coming hostilities," Sivana countered.

"Deal," Superman unwittingly agreed.


The first location revealed by the Legionnaires' science and technical team was Schott's Toy World. It was an abandoned theme park built by Winslow Schott, the original Toyman. Inspectors had stumbled upon the theme park's sinister secondary purpose.

Schott had died in prison thanks to a business competitor's bribe to a pack of gang land convicts. No one person had been attributed to the death since twelve prisoners were freely stabbing away with shivs. But a like minded neurotic with an unhealthy obsession with toys and compunction to incorporate them into his crimes.

So Jack Nimbell became the second Toyman upon his release. And he discovered that he was Schott's sole heir. Whereas Schott had worn a Howdy Doody costume, the new Toyman wore a jester's suit and mask. And the new Toyman was classified as being saner than the original so he was partnered with Luthor in several enterprises through shell corporations.

The JLers were unaware of the traps and pitfalls built into a family friendly environ. Funnel openings snared every non-flier. Power Girl and Power Ring went airborne before the trapdoors sealed themselves. Ranger scouts engaged the ladies before they could intervene on behalf of the other JLers' predicament. Power Girl was met by Jag-Set and Ursula Hav-Net. Power Ring faced Ret-Gel.

Underground, Huntress noted the sounding of rolling metal and jangling bells, "Sounds like a pinball machine."

Which she'd deduced the nature of the overarching trap but the ball served a further purpose than to merely crush JLers. It also served to force them into other hidden chambers and trapdoors. In them, Legionnaires and Rogues awaited them.

Thus, Toyman chose to test his wits against the Question. Question took in the sight of Toyman with his usual dry delivery, "Let me guess now, it's marionette month at Toyland."

"No, you conspiracy theorist hack. I'm the Toyman," he replied jovially.

"So someone assumed Schott's mantle. Would that make you Jack Nimbell?" Question inquired.

"Ooh! Playing with you is going to be so much fun," Toyman gleefully assessed.

"I suppose that means Schott's untimely demise wasn't untimely after all," Question surmised.

"Let's just say it only took a few bribes for my beloved mentor to the great toy chest in the sky," Toyman cackled.

Toyman dodged into an alcove while the pinball rolled by forcing Question to make a similar move. Toyman happily announced, "Meet GI Johnny, the Real America Zero!"

As Toyman disappeared in to the labyrinth itself, walking giant green army soldiers began their attack on the Question.

Finding no evidence of a hidden door like Toyman's, Question he couldn't advance through the GI Johnnies. So he gave ground and tried to locate another door while dismantling one GI Johnny at a time.


Signalman chose Huntress as his target. As the Justice League Unlimited spread itself out across Toyland, the Legionnaires in the caverns tracked those they selected. And when the JLers fell to peril in the pinball track, the Legion was poised for peril and destruction. Signalman distracted Huntress with flares, flashes, and bangs to keep her from discerning when the pinball itself would race through their portion of the track.

Huntress noted Signalman took great relish in luring her into untenable positions. Yet she couldn't fathom why he took her demise so seriously. It went beyond the Legion's usual brand of mayhem and drifted into the personal.

When Huntress escaped with life near the bumpers, she noted that Signalman was gone. Rather than press forward into unknown territory, Huntress backtracked and explored the alcove she'd spotted but used to find a means of escape. And with great diligence, she found an entrance to the labyrinth woven around the pinball track and underneath the warrens of the theme park itself.


Sparrow Hawk and Blackrock served as the secondary option should the ranger scouts fail. Captain Cold and Heat Wave served a similar function within the pinball track. As Rogues needed assistance, the monitors would play the video of them and the computer would guide them to designated points.

Toyman put four balls total into play yet didn't warn the Rogues. Captain Cold threatened to pull his force out of the game. Toyman dared him to try.


Pied Piper used his melodies to try and brainwash Little Mermaid. But Ulla Paske was half-Atlantean and used to hearing aquatically delivered noise as well as terrestrially. Something about the combination protected her from Pied Piper's power.

Ulla snatched the Piper's flute and crushed it, "Any reason I shouldn't clean your colon out with this?"
"I can help you save your boyfriend?" Pied Piper hesitantly offered.

Mirror Master found everyone one of his mirrors destroyed by pinballs, wingarangs, or Nightwing's staves. Ulla dragged Pied Piper to his position. The piper perked up.

"Hey! He's cute," he commented.

"Down boy, he's mine," Ulla warned him.

"Let's get to the surface," Mirror Master offered.

Weather Wizard created a typhoon inside the pinball track. Fire was drowned while the winds buffeted against the walls. A pinball crushed her to ensure her death. Weather Wizard smugly left the track.


Chance provided Jesse Quick and Hourman the opportunity to fall down the same hole. Their dedicated opponents compensated by working together as well. The Top and the Golden Glider confronted the JLers.

"Look darling, fates brought us two Justice Jerk losers to kill," the Top taunted Jesse and Hourman.

"I want to ride the stud," Golden Glider insisted, "You kill his bitch."

Golden Glider skated a frozen prison around Hourman. But he defied the frozen icy razors and slammed Golden Glider against an exit alcove. Pinning her throat, Hourman choked into unconsciousness.

Jesse fought the Top's centrifugal force with even more of her own. But she spotted the oncoming pinball and joined Hourman in safety while the Top was crushed underneath. The JLers tried to resuscitate the Top but was far too injured to survive.


Spoiler couldn't get past the fact the Trickster sounded just like the Joker. She was willing wager that voice recognition software would confuse the two. And if it weren't for the fact the Trickster had bothered two incarnations of the Flash, she'd sworn the Joker retired into the persona of the Trickster.

After disarming him of two rubber chicken nunchuks, a high voltage joy buzzer, a flame throwing kazoo, and an itching powder aerosol dispenser, the Trickster suddenly seemed to switch personalities and he vanished into the underground recesses immune to the pinballs. Not knowing what else to do, Spoiler reminded herself this was her last mission with the JLU and plunged ahead in search of the Trickster.


Jag-Set had made corporal by being efficiently ruthless in a corps that prided itself on being so. But the ranger scouts prided themselves in individualistic accomplishment and lone bravado. So Power Girl faced two opponents that acted individualistically and not as a team so she retained the upper hand by playing Jag-Set and Ursula against each other.

Ret-Gel knew fear because of his amputation at Power Girl's whim. So the Ring of Volthoom had fertile ground to play with. Jessica Cruz saw no reason to inhibit her ring's appetites so Power Ring bled off Ret-Gel's life forces and the Kryptonian found himself consumed by Volthoom's creation.


Quebec had ceded a portion of Quebec City to the control of the villainess only known as Hummingbird. After joining the Legion of Doom, Hummingbird declared her portion of the city-state as a sanctuary city whereby those fleeing lawful pursuit could shelter in…for a price. Even Canada's own Justice League United were forbidden to interfere or penetrate Hummingbird's zone.

Hummingbird's javelin thrust failed when Hawkman wrenched the weapon out of her hand. But her hammer and sickle confounded him momentarily as he adapted to fight dual weapons at a time, "You should crawl back into whatever hole you squeezed out of."

"Some days, I truly wish I could, ma petite, but such is not to be," Hummingbird's attack became even more frenzied.

"That was a warning not a request," Hawkman advised her.

"Tries biene, I believe you, mon ami," Hummingbird fought to simply stay alive at that point.


"Well, well, a little Amazon to play with," Duchess gloated.

"Do I know you?" Troia asked.

"Once upon a time," Duchess replied.

"I doubt you're coming in peacefully," Troia sighed.

"Good guess," Duchess channeled her own inborn energy through her rifle and intensified her fire to the point Troia couldn't deflect it anymore. So the Amazon from Earth-52 pressed in on Duchess.

"Who are you?" Troia asked as she seized Duchess' rifle.

"Here's a hint," Duchess placed her palm against Troia's chest and energized her heart. Troia died knowing it was Lashina in disguise.


Fright expended every fear toxin dispenser trap she arrayed in anticipation of a dozen or more forces. Not one. General Glory waded through the increasingly toxic fear cloud seemingly unfazed by it.

The sight of General Glory unaffected by the propensity of toxin in the air prompted Fright to pull off her own gas mask. And she fell victim to her own trap. She shrieked and howled in terror as General Glory arrested until her panic fueled mind simply shut down. General Glory carried her back out of her own trap.


El Diablo set a ground attack against Green Arrow and Speedy while Black Spider utilized a high tower shooting position. Speedy barely had time to recognize the glint of gun metal and fire a boxing glove arrow into Green Arrow's back.

He in turn recognized the sound of rifle report and ricochet local that corresponded where his head had just been. El Diablo confronted Green Arrow, "Hey Homes, you only get one shot at me."

So Green Arrow hit him with a fire retardant arrow. Which lathered him up for the stunner arrow to jolt him unconscious. Green Arrow to check on Mia's progress afterwards.

Speedy was using explosive arrows to drive Black Spider out of his perch. Then she signaled Green Arrow round a one black radius around Black Spider while she did the same from the other street. Black Spider finally descended to street level to find both archers aiming at him.

"You don't stand a chance against me," Black Spider boasted. Just before one stun arrow and one net arrow took him down.

"Smooth, Hawke. I might keep you around. Think of it, Green Arrow as Speedy's side kick," Mia teased.

"I really prefer the term, partners," Green Arrow shared.

"Now I have to keep you," Speedy said warmly.


Shrapnel and Psi were completely ignorant regarding the new Supergirl. While Brainiac's briefing had noted that Matrix wasn't Kryptonian or Argoan, it neglected to elaborate on what she truly was. Largely because no one seemed to know.

Her powers seemed psychokinetic. But unlike a Martian, flame didn't encumber her. And reports indicated she could shape change like a Martian. But she wasn't telepathic which just muddled things up even further.

So Psi, whose principle power was telekinesis, lashed out at Supergirl. She sensed that her mentalist power was being blocked just millimeters away from Supergirl's flesh. Then Matrix surprised Psi with a visible psychokinetic force blast akin to telekinesis projected from her eyes. Despite Psi's defenses Supergirl smashed Psi into the path of a pinball.

Only Psi's telekinetic shield prevented her from being crushed. Shrapnel timed his "explosion" of his fragmented body poorly and the pinball shielded Supergirl from his attack. Supergirl knocked over an alcove door and entered the nexus of tunnels interlacing the pinball game leaving Psi and Shrapnel to deal with the other three pinballs in play.


Atom Smasher wanted to test his growth ability against the ceiling of the pinball game. But instead King Shark had attacked him. Their stature and strength were nearly equal so they fought with frequent interruptions by the pinballs.

Atom Smasher was being slowly cut to pieces by King Shark's talons. And he'd barely avoided losing a body part to the undersea prince's bite. So Al rallied and put King Shark through the wall and found another tunnels system free of pinballs.

Electrocutioner's electricity spewing gauntlets were easy for Anna Fortune to defend against but Lady Lunar's gravitic manipulations were a much harder beast to defend against. Timing the pinball incursions, Anna began prepping her solution. Meanwhile she achieved an impasse against the Legionnaires. She couldn't vanquish them but neither could they do the same to her.


Javelin threw bomb tipped spears at Stargirl. She blew them out of the sky and knocked Javelin out with the concussive blast of his own weapons. Slipknot fired grappling lines at her from various vantage points but Stargirl leveled him with a focused blast of cosmic energy. Sportsmaster never even stood a chance of getting into the game.

Courtney focused her Cosmic Rod and Cosmic Convertor Bent's energies at the walls and slipped into the hidden network running beside the previously hidden pinball game.


Flex was a cybernetically enhanced weightlifter who faced the Shining Knight. Sir Justin fought him chivalrously but deduced Flex's arms and legs were artificial and let his sword sing and fly. The Folded Man was another person who'd cracked the Universal Energy Theory. Blackstarr used the theory to manipulate energy on a quantum level.

Folded man converted himself in 2D and 4D versions of himself. Goldilocks' hair defied energy and matter so Folded Man fought for his very life. Her impatience with being accepted as trying to succeed Godiva was at an end. Rather than honor her fallen sister's memory, Goldilocks would forge her own memorial and destiny.


Ran-Dul found himself fight Black Mary. At first she seemed to be a novice but then her fighting acumen increased in geometric curves. And as Black Mary learned, she became exponentially more dangerous. And, unlike Superman, Black Mary seemed more than willing to kill him.

Rayni Zeb-Gon and Kira Id-Zo fought Barda and Wonder Woman to a standstill. Which startled the ranger scouts. And both New God and Amazon were smiling as the fighting increased in intensity.

"What are you?" Rayni finally had to know.

"Your better. That's all you need to know," Barda's mega-wand blasted Rayni across the theme park.

Then Barda took stock of Artemis' battle. Wonder Woman had penetrated Kira's defenses with a dozen arrows that the Kryptonian now had embedded in her flesh. Artemis had drawn her sword and Kira found it could penetrate her armor and skin. And her shield proofed against super powered blows.

Kira withdrew at super speed rather than continue to lose any more ground piece by piece of her body. Barda and Wonder Woman pursued but they were too slow to capture the wounded scouts. Artemis was angered and wanted to employ higher vaunted tracking skills to bring the Kryptonians too ground.

"Let it lie," Barda advised her, "The next struggle is inevitable and will be decidedly lethal."

Wonder Woman could get behind that.


Dresden, Germany had been literally destroyed by Allied fire bombs during World War. But it was an industrial hub before and during the war so the communist East German government rebuilt the city and its manufacturers. And now it was an Essie enclave for Neo-Nazi activities.

Blackstarr had chosen this as her defensible point because of her ties with the Nazi movement. And she'd brought both the Fourth Reich and Axis Amerika with her to snub Germany's outlawing National Socialism.

Blackstarr manipulated energy at the quantum level. Guy Gardner manipulated the emotional spectrum of fear. Guy had earned his ring by being able to master his own fear and inflict in others. And Blackstarr had much to fear since she was a Polish Jew taken in by the SS Kommandant of her concentration camp. If the Neo-Nazis ever learned of her true lineage or her actual age, despite her ability to appear ageless, she would be finished amongst the Nazi enclaves around the world. And without them, Blackstarr would have no purpose in life.


Gudra the Valkyrie fought Vapor and Praxis. As a shield maiden of Odin, Gudra carried both a spear and a sword. Praxis was amazed as her spear penetrated his defenses and pierced his heart. Vapor was shocked into immobility by Praxis' death. Then she recovered.

Turning into an acidic mist, Vapor encroached on Gudra. Gudra drew her sword and speared the pavement. An energy wave went out from her and dissipated Vapor.

"Schwerin," Gudra snarled, "To think you could ever stand against a Shieldmaiden of Wotan."


Judomaster singlehandedly fought Horned Owl and Fledermaus. But although Judomaster couldn't be touched, neither could she land a single telling blow against the German duo. She imagined the fluidity with which her opponents moved along with their uncanny coordination was akin to Batman and the first Robin in their prime.

Gypsy simply disappeared and reappeared to goad Kamikaze to committing to a ballistic flight of her choosing. And finally he relented and bore down on her as she vanished once again and Kamikaze impacted a freight train.

"Nyuh! Nyuh! Can't hit me!" Plastic Man taunted Usil the Golden Archer.

Usil would have believed that at one time. But Luthor had equipped Usil with a quiver full of tech arrows to match Green Arrow and Speedy's best. So Plas was caught unawares but he still struggled to overcome Usil's newfound technical advantage.


Baron Blitzkrieg stared down his old foe from World War 2, "Ah Flash, you make me yearn for my youth when I fought Citizen Steel and Amazing Man."

Flash had to admit Baron Blitzkrieg was very spry for a centenarian. But then again, Jay Garrick was pushing his late sixties himself despite the Speed Force. The Speed Force proofed him against the effects of his great speed but not the strain. Jay suddenly wished Wally West had never left for Apokolips.

So Baron Blitzkrieg and Flash fought to see who had the greater endurance. And Jay could only hope that. unlike Ted Grant who was youthful again thanks to the Nine Lives' Charm and Alan Scott whose entire body was saturated with the Green Flame energy from the Starheart, that he had the endurance to win this fight.

Sentinel used his power ring to battle Captain Nazi and Madame Libertine simultaneously. He struggled to analyze their attacks. But seemed Captain Nazi was all about fury and brute force. Force equal to a Marvel's while Madame Libertine was a sly one at ambushing from behind. But slowly, patterns emerged and Sentinel could exploit them.

Baroness Blitzkrieg's speed plagued Sand for a while. But then he created avoid sand trap for her. And she sank below its layers; she was still cursing his name.


Dr. Mid-Nite realized Hunter was a time lost knight like Sir Justin with none of the chivalry. So he didn't feel bad about using a blackout bomb to obscure Hunter's vision and then beat him senseless while he couldn't see.

Captain Swastika proved a more competent foe than Atom would have believed from his cartoon exterior. And when Captain Swastika had mapped Atom's abilities, he surprised him by catching him by the throat. As Atom's vision darkened, he was surprised to hear Captain Swastika's raspy voice for the first time.

"Say auf wiedersehen, Herr Atom," and Captain Swastika's confidence made Atom realize it could be true.


Katarina Armstrong was the great-granddaughter of the original Spy Smasher. After WW II, Spy Smasher had changed into be Crime Smasher and fighting crime syndicates. But Katarina, in her ole with ARGUS revived the Spy Smasher name. And now Spy Smasher found herself pitted against Reichsmark.

Spy Smasher had dozens of foreign meta-humans before but not on an exclusive basis. Waller had excluded Spy Smasher from the JLA but wanted her to be a part timer with the JLU. Which lent the UN based JLU Spy Smasher's expertise and lent Waller increased ARGUS influence in the JLU's activities.

Spy Smasher hit Reichsmark with several gas balls. His entirely human lungs rejected the gas and he sputtered and spewed his way into unconsciousness. So Spy Smasher shackled him with restraints made for his level of gen activation.


Baron Gestapo and Mr. Terrific fought a battle of technologies. T-Spheres flashed in and out of existence to wage war against Baron Gestapo's mechanics. While Baron Gestapo was obsessed with his creations, Mr. Terrific settled things the old fashioned way.

Captain Murder had all of Made Libertine's abilities but none of her so-called "sanity". Trajectory finally realized what it would take to defeat Captain Murder and she realized it would be her last act. So she raced back and forth on Dresden's streets delivering one supersonic punch after another.

As Captain Murder finally succumbed to the beating, Trajectory felt herself fly apart and she exploded with blue energy lighting half of Dresden. Back at the Hall of Justice, Hula Hula's monitoring team gasped in horror. Hula was shaken.

But Waller merely whispered, "Go, girl."


Saturn Queen faced down Inara Ye-Nev. A simple hypnotic command sent Inara headed out to the outer solar system. Then she went to Ultraman who'd killed Fal-Jegg by thrusting his fingers into his throat and subdued Shara Yi-Nill.

"Can I keep her, Mother?" Ultraman pleaded with Saturn Queen.

Saturn Queen brushed aside all of Shara's objections, "She's yours to do with what you please. Think of her as a sexually willing pet."

"You're far too generous with me, Mother," Ultraman confessed.

"Take her to your quarters and then rejoin us at the Hall of Justice," Saturn Queen instructed, "I'll clean up here."