Swamp Thing Issue 8

Battlefield: Louisiana Part 1

By RoninReviews


Justice League Watchtower:

The Justice League sits in the meeting room high above the Earth. At the table are Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash, The Martian Manhunter and Captain Atom. Amanda Waller walks into the room, The JL don't look particularly happy as she enters, and neither does she. She comes to the edge of the round table in between Batman and Wonder Woman she stands.

"What does a lady have to do to get a seat around here?"

"You can stand, Waller. Say what you're here to say and then get out." Superman declares.

Amanda looks down her nose at the heroes. "Let's just say the feelings mutual, Krypto-freak."

She places a small oval device on the table, which instantly lights up projecting a holographic screen into the air above them. We see images of the last month's worldwide plant-demic alongside images of Cadmus weapons and devices.

"As you all know, 3 months ago the Green House Effect took a whole new meaning as plants began to act nuts all over the world growing like Jungles on cocaine and becoming barren deserts in other places. It was a big inconvenience for us all as I'm sure you'll attest to. Many people saw it as nature re-setting the scales, eco justice in a way. Of course we don't buy that culty bull so we did some digging. Apparently the creature known as Swamp Thing, as well as 3 other plant or Web-Life connected Supers were possessed by an extra terrestrial force that caused them to do these attacks. Meanwhile the uninhabited bodies of the Supers banded together to get to the root of the problem while their other bodies made you lot look like a bunch of amateurs. They travelled to the moon and killed the extra terrestrials with the help of Dr. Leo Quintum."

"One of your own Waller? This is looking better and better for you." Batman snarks.

"He was apparently taken hostage, caped crusader, and he's been taken into custody as of two months."

She straightens her smart business suit and continues with her presentation.

"Dr. Leo Quintum was forced to create the Green Altering Weaponry. Fortunately now that he's back with us, we've had him create more Green Weaponry."

"What?" Superman shouts. The JL look shocked.


2 Months Ago; Cadmus Labs:

Dr. Leo Quintum pushes his bruised face into the light, drowning his wincing eyes in white.

"Yes?" he said. "What is it now?"

He's slowing beings to make out a figure marching towards him.

"Dr. Leo Quintum, formerly of Cadmus Labs, you are under arrest for crime against nature."

"Heh, that's a good one," He replies. His voice has turned from an intellectual slightly feminine tone to a ballet of raspy groans.

"Now, you can either be taken to Belle Reve and wait for a month before your preliminary hearing, or you can come back to work for us under on a special new project, as a free man."

"W-what kind of project?"

"Taking the Green in the name of Science of course, starting with the capture and execution of the Swamp Thing."


Justice League Watchtower:

"You want to take the Green for America?!" Superman exclaims.

"Think about it; all the worlds plant life in the palm of our hand. We'll control the world's food market and Eco system. Our country will never know hunger. The capture of the Elemental Terrorist of the Swamp Thing will just be a test run at it."

"I can't even begin to Fathom how horrible of an idea that is." Superman says.

"You are contractually obligated, Man of Steel-"

"No! This goes against every-"

"Sorry, she's right sir. We are not able to interfere with this unless we are to be of assistance in the mission. It's part of our deal with the United Nations," informs Captain Atom.

"You sound like you know a lot about this, Captain." Batman says.

"Well, I've been drafted into this mission actually. I still have a military contract, and I will be leading the charge tomorrow morning, sir." Captain Atom replies. The league members just stare at him.

"And there is nothing you can do about it. It is our right to hunt escaped criminals. The Swamp Thing is one of them. The belongings of a criminal belong to the state. As far as we're concerned, the Green is a belonging of Swamp Thing," Amanda snaps at the heroes.

"You can't seize a form of life! It's not an asset or belongings," Wonder Woman protests.

"Tell it to the judge, sister. I didn't want to come here and have to put up with your crap. I don't work for the Justice League Initiative anymore. But you wished for a report of the situation and this is how we're handling it. I'm guessing you Justice Leaguers don't exactly want the job of dealing with it what with everything else that's on your plate at the moment."

The Justice League all turn to look at each other.

"And how exactly do you plan to take down the Swamp Thing when Superman here couldn't?" Batman asks, peering his white eyes out over the folds of dark leather Kevlar.


Cadmus Labs; 2 Months Ago:

100 men and women of all different ethnicities, physiques and ages all wearing white shirts, tracksuits with green lines across the seams on the shirts, with a green flower logo on the right breast on the shirt, stand in rows in a huge light hall. Amanda Waller stands at the front of the Rows with Dr. Leo Quintum, still healing from his cuts and bruises but back in his Lab coat and glasses, by her right and on her left is General Sam Lane.

Amanda smirks before calling out in her aggressive and authoritative tones. "Alright listen up, you ladies and gentlemen have been selected at random from the entire population of Earth to see if you have what it takes to join the Green Team. The Green Team will be 5 of you who make it through this process to help gain all of the Earth's resources in one go. You will help gain use of all of Earth's plant life over the course of this two-month course. The Green Team will then be tasked with the equal distribution of the power we hope to gain from this as a team more influential than the Justice League. We are offering you spiritual and purposeful enlightenment with a big fat paycheck at the end for everyone. I will be the overseer of the operation, Dr. Quintum will be chief engineer and General Lane will be tactical training advisor. Your first assignment; assassinate the Swamp Thing for revenge against these recent plant attacks across the Earth. No one knows that information but from where I'm standing he's Public Enemy No. 1."
_

"Dr. Leo Quintum's Journal, July 3rd 2023: The tests have begun as the candidates are beginning the preliminary stage of the tests. Starting at seven o'clock, They have two hours a day of Botany 101, one hour a day of physical training, three hours of meditation, a half an hour break for lunch and then repeat till half seven when they're put in Sensory Deprivation Tanks for the night. A few left the program after the first day but almost all stayed, many of them seem to have good attitudes towards the program for their own reasons, mainly being that it's a once in a life time experience. ... I hate my new job."

Dr. Leo Quintum's Journal July 15th. 2023: As of today, the Preliminary Stages have ended as Stage Alpha begins. (who names these things?) Almost half the class where not accepted to the rest of the Program, much to their distain. Those who stayed where surprisingly varied as the class was at the beginning of the course. Tomorrow we will start with the bio restorative communication tests, in which a patient will have the Bio Restorative Formula injected into their veins and them have them attend to control plant life.

Dr. Leo Quintum's July 16th 2023: Today was a nightmare. Thirteen of the remaining fifthly three candidates went insane once the Bio Restorative Formula reached their blood stream. Seven of them became comatosed, and sixteen of them died erupting in plant spores. However, the seventeen remainders all are displaying healthy brain and body functions. We'll have to wait till tomorrow to see if their abilities will manifest like we anticipated.


Justice League Watchtower:

"So this Green Squad that you've created are all ready for the attack then?" Batman asked.

"Yes. Tomorrow morning, sharp. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some last minute operations to over see. C'mon Captain."

"Yes ma'am." Captain Atom says as he gets up from the table to leave. Wonder Woman reaches for his wrist.

"You don't have to do this, Captain." She says.

"I kinda do. It's what I was made for," Captain Atom says.


Louisiana:

Today Abbie Arcane watches the news on her Phone as the massive plant growths all over the Earth are being drawn back into the soil. The huge arctic jungle, one of the biggest was just drawn back in yesterday and today the Rainforest has been restored to its former glory. People all over the World called these massive plant grows works of god or revenge from nature but it seems that the Green has been put back to normal, or as normal as it can be. She looks up at Swamp Thing's massive protective cocoon. Abbie reaches up and pats the side of it.

"Good work, Alec. Good work."

She watches the cocoon while the Botany Students take a lunch break. Using her Rot powers she turns to a nearby tree and concentrates, suddenly the tree breaks down into a sort of mulch. Once in that state Abby waves with her hand and Dark Rot energy moves the mulch into a throne looking shape. She then walks over to sit down and continue reading her book when she feels a sort of psychic shock wave in the Rot Wavelength coming from the other end of the Swamp. She puts down her book, stands up tall and rolls her shoulder blades around making small circular movements with her arms. She does this as the big huge Bat like wings of Rot energy sprout from her shoulders. The dark scuttling mist sprouts from her shoulders and quickly covers her entire body but leaves her immaculate hair alone. She stands a bastion of darkness, smiles and swoops off into the afternoon sky. Meanwhile above he swampland a helicopter slowly looses altitude. Inside the Helicopter stands Captain Atom alongside the Green Team. Two women, one of them tall and skinny the other one short and thin, three men all medium height and rather well built, each wear gas masks, leather masks with thick dark goggles. They wear thick speedo looking outfits with large oxygen tank looking devices on their backs. Green lines along the seams again but their costumes are mainly black with Grey patches. "15 seconds till drop," Amanda Waller says over the radio. "Prepare the Napalm."


Next Issue: The Beast Burnt Down.