Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or organizations from the Young Justice cartoon, comics, or general DC universe.
The Medic
Chapter Twenty One
The Amazon
February 23, 23:30 BRT
They lumbered by slowly, their knuckles dragging across the floor. The lights on their collars cast a red glow down the hallway. They were brightly colored, the hues announcing their toxicity, with black splotches. The main parts of their bodies were shaped like normal frogs, but their front appendages were elongated and they used them to support their weight like apes. Long tendrils dragged behind them attached to their spines like a floppy Mohawk. Artemis was the first to breathe after they passed.
We're clear, Artemis announced.
What did you see? Robin asked.
Poison dart frogs Robin, Pulse answered.
Big mutated ones, Kid Flash added. They look nothing like John.
Superboy groaned over the link.
Pulse raised an eyebrow. You named the frog John?
Yes. Better than Frog. Kid Flash mentally glared at Superboy. Wait how did you know about the frog?
I was there when Robin gave it to you.
I thought I saw an angel, Kid Flash replied grinning.
I'm pretty sure that was the drugs.
Artemis suppressed a laugh. That was a good one.
Enough time has been wasted, said Aqualad. Let us continue with the mission.
One second. Let me get a proper reading off them. Pulse leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Like the originals they can excrete Scarcrow's toxin. Sharp claws-.
Claws? Robin asked disbelievingly. On a frog?
It is an abnormality, but so is the existence of seven foot frogs. They are enhanced with Kobra venom and something else. I'm guessing the blockbuster serum.
Great, Superboy growled.
They also seem to be flammable, Pulse continued.
Flammable? Robin interjected once more. How can they be more flammable than the average organic thing?
Perhaps it is the wrong term…maybe combustible is better?
Robin, no explosions, commanded Aqualad. And Artemis.
No fire arrows got it, Artemis completed her leader's sentence.
I do have some good news. They have an extremely narrow range of vision and a horrible sense of smell. As far as weak points go, the joints are obvious targets, but dead on the nose is another, as well as left of center on their lower backs.
I feel like I'm in a video game. Kid Flash commented.
I do not believe that Pulse carries any healing potions Kid, said Aqualad dryly. So do not become reckless.
You are just on a roll with the jokes today, huh? Kid Flash replied.
Superboy peeked through the small glass window on the door. The room contained a large supercomputer and was empty just like the rest of the compound.
"I'm beginning to think that this place is deserted," he whispered to Robin. His sarcasm lost on the boy.
"Perhaps everything is just automated?" Robin connected the cord of his holo computer to the door's control panel. "That just makes things easier for us!" He typed in a few commands and the panel lit up, opening the door.
We found the control room, Robin announced.
Sweet! Kid Flash replied.
Aqualad and Megan entered a grand space. Row upon row of tanks were lined up within the space. Each one contained an unfinished frog.
"There are so many," Miss Martian whispered. She floated to one and placed her hand on the glass. "I am not sensing any awareness."
Aqualad approached a console and entered a few keys. "It is password protected." Robin, is it possible to hack from your location.
It should be, Robin answered.
I'm picking up humans, announced Pulse
Scarecrow? Robin asked.
I wish.
Artemis moved forward to scout. She peered though the windows of a pair of double doors. Just a bunch of scientists.
Villains or Hostages, inquired Aqualad.
Kid Flash zoomed forward until he was next to Artemis. Definitely Hostages. They are wearing inhibitor collars.
Pulse caught up to the pair. And one of them is hurt, she added.
Free them, Aqualad commanded.
Frogs! Pulse warned.
The trio ducked into the room. They crouched behind the door under the windows. One of the scientists approached them.
"What are you doing here?" he commanded. He was a tall and tan man; his dark hair had streaks of grey along the side.
The three heroes gave him the shush symbol. The frogs walked pass and the trio held their breath until they moved on.
All clear, said Pulse.
Kid Flash stood and faced the scientists. "We are here to rescue you."
You should be good to go, Robin informed Aqualad.
Good, the leader answered. We are going to disable all of these tubes.
Take a small one, suggested Pulse.
Eww that's a horrible souvenir, said Kid Flash
It's for Batman. We need to study them.
Very well. Aqualad began entering commands into the console.
"You are here to rescue us?" Another scientist approached them. He was a short and round man. He adjusted his glasses nervously.
"Hey! You're Kid Flash!" a female scientist exclaimed, her blue eyes bright.
Kid Flash beamed.
"Is the Flash with you!" a scientist yelled from the back of the room.
Kid Flash slumped a bit.
"At least they remembered your name this time." Artemis gave him a friendly clasp on the shoulder. She turned to address the scientists. "We need to get you all out as soon as possible"
"How ?" asked the scientist with the grey streaks. "Those things are out there and these collars are rigged to set off an alarm if we leave this particular sector."
"And you can't just take them off. They are programmed to discharge an electric shock if they are tampered with. They also explode if we leave the compound," said a scientist with dark skin. He stood at his desk and stared at the trio, his eyes filled with suspicion. "You all should just leave! There's no telling what Crane would do to us when he finds out."
"Oh stuff it, Stevenson," said the round man.
"Yeah!" added the blue eyed woman. "This is our chance to escape!"
"Stuff yourself, Wong! I'm sure that there has to be some scrap of food in this compound that you haven't eaten yet." Stevenson approached them, glowering. "I'll have no part of it! I'll- Hey!" Pulse's lasso was around his body. She pulled it tight.
"This isn't optional," Pulse said her voice hard. "You either come with us willingly or you come with us zip tied and gagged. "Now," her voice brightened. " I believe that one of you is hurt."
A quartet of frogs passed the control room. Robin and Superboy gave them several minutes before resuming their activities. Robin's holo computer was In the middle of downloading the compounds files.
"Why can't we just take them out?" Superboy whispered. He leaned against the wall near the door, his body tense.
"It would be best if scarecrow did not know we were here at all. It will take longer for him to develop a countermeasure that way."
Rob! Kid Flash called out.
Yeah? Robin answered.
Can you disable the collars on the Scientists? We can't take them off without getting shocked and they will blow up if the scientists leave the compound.
On it.
Pulse finished patching up the hurt scientist's head and arm. Apparently the older woman had a run in with one of the frogs and it lashed out at her.
"Can you stand?" Pulse asked.
"I will be fine." She braced herself and stood. "It will take more than that to keep me down."
"How did you find a neotropical pygmy squirrel out here?" The blue eyed scientist asked. She had taken over the duty of holding the animal. "They are shy enough but I was sure most of the wildlife had vacated the area by now."
"It was sort of a mistake really." Kid Flash answered.
"More frogs are on the way," Pulse warned.
The hero's hid while the scientists pretended to work. Pulse kept her eyes on one man. He sat in one of the corner desks and had fidgeted since they entered the room.
"Hey!" Pulse whispered to him, he turned his head in her direction sharply like a frightened animal. "It's okay. We will get you out of here soon."
"Here they come," Artemis whispered through clenched teeth.
The frogs passed by the room. The last one peered into the room through the door's window before moving on. The man freaked out and bolted to the back door. Pulse rose to chase after him, but he came screaming back into the room, tripping over his own feet he fell. Three of the frogs came bursting in after him. Pulse scrambled to get to the man as the forward most frog reared back. It spewed the toxin from its mouth and a spark of electricity from its collar caused the gas to turn into a column of fire. Pulse pulled her medpack from her back and activated its shield. The shield grew until it was a circle large enough to cover her crouched form. The fire collided into the shield with tremendous force but it held. Artemis fired and hit the frog on the nose with a boxing glove arrow, dropping it instantly.
Aqualad and Miss Martian had managed to disable a good quarter of the tanks before being forced into hiding. They hid in the shadows while they waited for the frogs to pass by. One of the frogs turned and entered the space. It inspected one of the disabled tanks, tilting its head to and fro, confused by the absence of the light that normally lit the tubes. Miss Martian snuck behind it in her camouflaged state, striking a blow on its lower back. It croaked and then passed out. Miss Martian used her power to float the frog away as Aqualad came out of hiding. In a stroke of bad luck the other two frogs doubled back in search of the missing frog. They croaked loudly, enraged at the sight of their fallen comrade, and charged. Aqualad moved forward to meet them, Miss Martian flying behind him.
Hey guys... Kid Flash broadcasted over the mental link.
Yes, Kid. Aqualad answered.
I think we figured out the flammable part.
The gas spewed from the frogs bodies and was then ignited by their collars. Flames now sprouted from the tendrils running along their backs and their hands and feet.
Aqualad's eyes widened. Did you really?
The frogs spewed their fire. Miss Martian flew higher to avoid the flames. The forward most frog attacked Aqualad, swinging wildly. Aqualad flipped backwards avoiding the frog's wild punches. His tattoos glowed when he landed, activating the room's sprinklers. The water fell like rain dousing the frog's fire. An alarm sounded throughout the compound. Several of the remaining pods whirred as they opened. The newborn frogs, some of which were only half formed, had awakened.
What happened? Robin asked. He typed away at the computer. Only seconds away from disabling the scientist's collars, and it locked up.
Apologies, said Aqualad. In my haste to put out the flames I may have triggered additional defenses.
A frog burst into the control room covered in flames. It shot out a stream of fire. Superboy blocked the flames with his body. He moved forward and once he was close enough he punched the frog sending it through a wall. He rushed after it and into the hallway.
Everyone, Aqualad sent over the link. We need to vacate the building. I fear if we stay in an enclosed space we will be over run.
Robin! The collars are blinking Robin! The collars are blinking! Pulse stood in front of the scientists who had all huddled in a corner. She blocked another torrent of flame with her shield.
I'm working on it! Robin responded, his inner voice frantic.
Kid Flash whooshed by tagging the last Frog hard and knocking it to the ground. "We should go."
"I'll cover the front," Artemis volunteered. Her bow at the ready, she peered out of the front door.
"Shouldn't we wait until-" The blue eyed scientist was interrupted by a loud buzzing noise. The collars stopped blinking and popped open.
"Okay problem solved," said Kid Flash. "Let's move."
"Or not…" said Artemis. "There's a whole crowd of them in the front. Kid check the back."
Kid flash rushed out of the back door and he was slung back into the room by one of the frogs. Pulse steeped forward to catch him. The frog entered the room after Kid Flash, wreathed in fire.
Artemis released an arrow, encasing it in ice.
"It cut me." Kid flash inspected his torn costume. "Ow!"
Pulse injected Kid with an antidote, aiming for the tear in the costume.
"A little gentler next time Doc."
"No time for gentle, Kid. I'd rather not find out now how fast the toxin could spread through a cut with your metabolism. Artemis, Hon, how many of those do you have? I'm afraid we will have to push through."
"Not enough…wait Hon?"
"Do you have anything else water or ice based?"
"Fire extinguisher arrows."
"I have pellets of a similar nature. We will manage."
The three groups had made their way to the outside of the compound. Pulse had taken up escort duty over the hostages, allowing the rest of the team freedom in their battle against the frogs.
She caught him staring and Aqualad felt like a hypocrite. He could not say that his tactics were gentler. Neither were the rest of the team's, but Pulse's ruthlessness disturbed him. On occasion a frog would break through their front line and she would handle the situation deftly. She did not falter, despite their flames or superior strength. She showed the creatures no mercy. This woman was a healer? She looked far more accustomed to taking life than restoring it.
She had caught him staring and Aqualad felt choked by his doubts. It was, in his opinion, a selfish wish. He had hoped that the inclusion of someone trained in the medical field would help ensure his team's safety. That it would lighten the burden of leadership. He often worried for his teammates. They all had their vulnerabilities, even Superboy. So he had disregarded his earlier doubts. He attributed how distant she seemed when she met the team to being a member of Batman's brood. He waved Superboy and Pulse's confrontations away as a childish misunderstanding. He assumed that the discomfort he felt during their earlier conversation was in partially because of pre mission jitters. After all, technically they had spoken before, and at the ball, she did not radiate such negativity.
He knew as leader that he shouldn't show any uncertainty. That he must stay composed for his team. It was only supposed to be a quick glance, just to check on everyone's progress. However seeing her take down another frog, her lasso still tight around its neck, and then seeing her look right at him, but at the same time through him, paralyzed him. He remembered that for some individuals within their line of work, the masks they wore were more complex than a cowl or domino. The masks they wore were often their civilian identities. Her attention shifted to the right of his location, he looked but was too late to block the fire assisted blow that knocked him off his feet.
"Aqualad!" Artemis fired her last ice arrow at the Atlantean's assailant.
"I am fine." Aqualad stood. He winced as he touched the burn on his cheek.
"This is no good!" said Robin as he dodged another frog. "With this fire most of us we can't even get close enough to take them out quickly. We need something to put them all out now."
"It may be too late for such tactics Robin-"
Aqualad was cut off by booming thunder. A steady rain began to fall.
Superboy smirked and shook his head, droplets of water slinging off his hair. "You lucky little…"
"Quick! Ask for something else!" said Kid Flash.
Robin pulled out his escrima sticks twirling them."Like what?"
"I could really go for pizza."
End of Chapter Twenty One! Please Review!
Also, I'd like to thank my beta that helped me with this chapter!
Macrauchenia