Arkham Asylum.
-
"Hey Charlie… I know your listening, Charlie. Hey, whats shiny and nice and delivers a baby twice. Come on, Charlie."
The janitor was careful not to reply. The asylum had been quiet today. That in and of itself was usually the sign of some bad stuff going down. Charlie had done his best to resist the urge to call in sick. The last time he had called in sick, three members of his shift had died. Charlie paused at that, thought about the security cameras, and decided it was worth it to calm him down. He leaned his watch against the wall and slipped a hand into his coveralls. The peach schnapps was warm in his flask, but it flowed sweet down his throat and helped dry the cold sweat that had washed over him.
"Charlie, I just wanted you to know. I managed to snap one of the gaurds yesterday. It was beautiful. He was laughing so hard, he managed to open up a few cells down the hall. You know. Those lesser ones. No real art to them."
Charlie quickly twisted his flask shut and shoved it hurriedly into his uniform. He made a grab at the mop and started to walk down the hall. He made it two full steps before he stumbled. He caught himself with the mop twice before he managed to stand up. He wanted to scream. Instead, however, he found himself spinning in a daze. He found himself drawn down the hallway, away from the Joker's cell. Eventually he stumbled to another cell door. He collapsed on the floor, both legs sprawled out in front of him.
"Now don't be late. You have a very important date. The keys are on the guard and his lungs belong on your mop. The evidence is in the locker and you will get it and we won't hurt your daughter.
A few seconds passed. Charlie stood up and straightened his uniform. Then he calmly broke his mop in half and started walking towards the locked gate.
"Yo! Steve. I'm done here."
The guard looked up from his coffee and grabbed the keys. As Charlie stepped through the open gate, he turned and jabbed the broken ends of his mop into the guard. Steve thrashed as one end of the mop handle punctured his throat. Charlie dislodged the other end of the mop from Steve's flak jacket. The security guard collapsed on the floor. Tears from Charlie's face landed on the officer's chest.
"The keys are on you. And your lungs belong on my mop." Charlie sobbed as he sunk down to his knees.
Steve stared up at Charlie and shook his head. He tried to scream, but no air made its way to his vocal cords. Charlie raised both ends of the broken mop above his head.
-
Gotham
The Clocktower.
"I'm glad you could come in person. We understand that your team is under undo stress due to what appear to be our paranoid behavior. Please understand that Earth has experienced alien attack in the past, so-"
"I have been in warfare with Aliens. I am from Earth. My ship is built to defend not attack. You do appear paranoid. However, you have more then enough capabilities to defend yourself. Every threat that has been faced by the federation could be handled by your heroes. Almost every threat." Riker finished interrupting Dinah Lance-Queen. Behind the Black Canary sat Oracle in her chair. In the shadows, Batgirl was perched on top of a bookshelf.
Riker tugged his tunic down and breathed in. Black Canary sighed outwards. She uncrossed her arms and spoke up.
"We apologize for Green Lantern Guy Gardner's reaction. The Titan's dealt with him, your team was not harmed."
"Physically. There is an extreme amount of stress involved with a powerful being suspending you in an unidentified force field, against their will, several meters above the surface."
"Was it the Borg, Captain" This time it was Barbara Gordan who interrupted.
"What ?"
"It was the Borg. That was the threat that we couldn't face, isn't it ?"
"You don't know the Borg. Don't presume."
"A technological imperative. The mission logs provided show that you encountered them early on in your career on the Enterprise."
"Yes. The killed some of our crew. They assimilated Captain Picard."
"You were able to retrieve him."
"Yes. Yes we were." A touch of pride entered Captain Riker's voice.
"Despite everything, we… Why did it elude me until now." Riker turned around and faced Tuvok.
"Get back to the ship. See if there is Anything. Anything at all, that might be related to… Well, I prefere not to say his name out loud. Bad luck. Tuvok, I believe you know of whom I am referring to."
"Yes Captain. I will look for any tell-tale signs of involvment by the Continuim." The Vulcan tapped his com-badge. "One to beam aboard"
"What was that all about?" Black Canary asked, as Tuvok disappeared in a twinkle of chimes.
"Something that I had not considered unto this point. The reason we first encountered the Borg."
"You mean-" Oracle was cut short by Riker making a slashing notion across his neck.
"Bad Luck"
"Whats so bad about saying the letter Q?"
-
Titan's Tower
-
Red Arrow was rubbing his neck on the couch. In front of the crimson archer, Oliver Queen and Kyle Rayner were currently talking down Guy Gardner.
"I wasn't even going to hurt them. Just send them next to their ship and let them 'beam' aboard. Shouldn't have been here in the first place."
"You started to threaten the Titan's, Guy. We have a witness in custody who testifies that he supplied you with alcohol until, in his words, you were four sheets to the wind."
"That scumbag. It was his fault. He shouldn't have been giving me any. Everybody knows I don't drink anymore."
"Really, Guy? You installed a Warriors on Oa." Kyle Rayner spoke up. "You had to close it too, because you were your only customer."
"Gaurdian's don't drink, and everyone except the Honor Guard lives on their own planet. It wasn't the best business decision. Doesn't change the fact that I owe that little punk one."
"You think I need an arrow to knock you out Gardner, then I'm willing to strap the gloves on right now." Red Arrow stood up from the couch and walked towards the kitchen.
"Alright. I was in the wrong. Still doesn't mean it was my fault. Martian Manhunter should have handled it."
"It never is the user's fault, Guy. Trust me on that."
Guy scowled at Red Arrow and turned around to leave. He got a few feet when the alarms went off.
It started with the Tower's emergency alert. Then individual communication devices started chirping left and right throughout the building.
Kyle Rayner was the first to speak up.
"Two reserve Titan's are in danger, together. Nightwing and Robin. Close to Gotham, but if they need our help… Hal Jordan is reporting something large happening near the edge of the Solar System. The Titan is leaving orbit to assist him. Also, apparently, a large chunk of Antarctica just erupted."
There was a moment of silence throughout the building, then the heroes sprang into action. Training formed the Green Lanterns in front of the couch, Green and Red Arrow in the kitchen entrance. The remaining Titans in the room lined up along the wall, Cyborg in the middle, with Donna Troi and Red Devil on each end. Down the hallway the sound of doors opening and feet leaving carpet and hitting tile floors echoed.
"We'll get our boys, Ollie. You and the Lanterns go deal with the south pole." Cyborg called out as his teammates ran down the hallway towards their lockers.