Chapter 12
"Helios, we have a problem." Conner's voice floated across the mind link.
"What is it Superboy?"
"The room is empty and there was someone waiting for us." Artemis said.
"There was also someone waiting for us at the control room. They deleted all the data in the archives before we got here." Barbara added.
"Nightwing here, our safe zone is empty. No hostiles on site."
"Same here." Zatanna joined in.
"It's a trap. Darkmatter must have come with backup from the future. The question now is who did he bring with him?" Helios thought concentrating on the team's visual memories of the two hostiles and distributing it to the others across the link. The first was a teenage girl about 18 years of age. She had green eyes and brown hair tied into a ponytail. She wore a black leather jacket over a black and red sports bra and blue jeans with black high heeled ankle boots. The other was a 26 year old woman with blonde hair and brown eyes. She wore a black t-shirt with black leather pants and high heels.
"Legion and Weaver." Zoe said her anger spiking.
"Who are they?" Nightwing asked.
"Magician and telepath, we need to retreat now." Helios said. "All teams rendezvous at the bioship. Do not engage just move, NOW!"
She turned to Darkmatter who had removed his coat and tie and placed them on the back of a chair. He reached behind his back and removed two black combat knives from the sheathes on his back. They were 8 inches long and 21/2 inches wide with both straight edge and a serrated edge.
"Quickshot, Nightwitch, you need to go as well." Helios instructed her eyes fixed on Darkmatter.
"You sure?" Nightwitch asked her thoughts betraying her concern.
"Yeah, the team needs you more than I do." She glanced at the magician and saw the doubt in her eyes. "Don't worry, we can take him. Isn't that right brother?"
"Indeed sister." Achilles affirmed.
Quickshot let loose an exploding arrow that once again found its mark exploding on Darkmatter's chest. The archer and the magician used the distraction to slip away.
Helios watched her friends disappear before turning to face Darkmatter. They watched each other for a second before they launched themselves at each other.
"Guys, what's your progress?" Zoe asked as she tried to keep up with Quickshot.
"We've almost reached the exit but we have a problem." Nightwing replied.
Quickshot took Nightwitch in her arms and sped through the hallways until they reached the main conference hall on the topmost floor. Like most of the facility, it was a large circular room with three exits and was the room nearest the main exit. They screeched to a halt in front of the team who stood in various battle stances, their eyes fixed on the door to freedom. Silently, they turned to see the "problem" that Nightwing was talking about. Standing in their path, with gleaming katanas in their hands, were seven figures dressed in ninja outfits. "I should have known she wouldn't have come alone." Nightwitch stated.
"Who are these guys?" Kid flash asked.
"The seven dwarves, servants and minions to Puppeteer."
"Yeah but they are not the ones we should be worried about." Quickshot said as rock golems started to sprout from the ground.
"What the hell are those?" Artemis asked tightening her grip on her bow.
"Those are my babies. Why do you think they also call me Legion?" A voice spoke as Legion, Weaver and a man dressed in blue denim overalls, a green t-shirt work boots and a baseball cap appeared out of thin air behind them.
They were surrounded on all sides, their escape blocked by the rock golems and the "ninjas" and behind them the three newcomers forced them to the center of the room.
"We are sitting ducks out in the open." Nightwing stated.
"Don't worry we have a plan." Lilly said.
"And what exactly is the plan?" Cassie asked her eyes darting around the room.
Before Nightwitch or Quickshot could reply Darkmatter crashed through the wall and landed a few feet from his allies. Helios followed him through the hole in the wall and landed next to the team who stood back to back in the middle of the room.
"Nice of you to join us fearless leader." Quickshot stated giving a small smile to the new arrival.
Helios didn't respond her eyes locked on a particular telepath on the other side of the room, "Weaver." Her voice was low laced with hatred.
"Aaaah, hello clone." The villainess said with a smirk, causing Helios to let loose a small growl that made the telepath and her friends to take a step back.
"Helios calm down, we need a plan." Nightwitch could feel the immense anger and hatred that emanated from the girl but they had to work together if they wanted to win this fight.
"Fine, Puppeteer/Legion can create animated anthropomorphic beings from the rock around her. The rock golems require sufficient force to destroy them but once they are destroyed she can't reanimate them because her magical aura has contaminated the rock." Helios kept her anger in check and tried to assess the situation.
"Well that sounds like good news." Kid flash thought optimistically.
"Only problem is that we are surrounded by more rock that she can use to create her 'babies', we will be overrun in minutes." Quickshot replied.
Helios saw the villains getting restless and decided to buy some time. "I thought the Brotherhood was supposed to protect the innocent and punish the guilty yet you team up with Legion and Weaver knowing full well the crimes they have committed."
"What are you doing?" La'gaan asked slightly irritated.
"Trying to buy us some time while we strategize." Helios replied.
"I know that they have done terrible things but they are necessary for the success of the mission." Darkmatter stated.
"So that is how you justify yourself? Then you are no better than they are."
Darkmatter opened his mouth to reply but Helios was not paying attention. "The golems require some force to destroy so Superboy, Lagoon boy, Blue Beetle, Wondergirl, Miss Martian, Beastboy and Aqualad will keep their numbers from going out of control. Batgirl, Robin, Artemis and Kid flash will handle the seven dwarves."
"Seven dwarves, couldn't they have come up with better names." Kid flash thought sarcastically.
"Legion named them but that is beside the point. They are highly skilled with those katanas so don't underestimate them. Zatanna and Nightwitch will take down Legion while Quickshot will fight Darkmatter. Nightwing and Rocket will take care of Henchman. I will deal with Weaver personally."
"I assume Henchman is the guy with the baseball cap." Rocket stated.
"What are his abilities?" Nightwing asked.
"He has super strength and is a good street fighter." Helios stated. It was only after she finished that they realised that Darkmatter had stopped speaking.
"Have you finished strategizing?" Darkmatter asked.
"As a matter of fact, we have. Team, attack."
