451

"No Penny, you can't strafe the Legion of Doom," Sue was already weary of this conversation, "There are still too many civilians in that area."

"But they got Plas," Penny argued, "And sure enough everyone is keepin' their heads indoors."

"That's no excuse to endanger civilians," Sue grew firmer with Penny, "Those are very real, and potentially lethal, weapons on that shuttle."

"But they got mah husband and God knows what they intended to do to him," Penny protested.

"The answer is still 'no' and it isn't changing," Sue reiterated.

"Dammit! He's the father of mah baby and I don't want little Plas growin' up without his daddy," Penny vented.

Sue froze, "You're pregnant?"

"Nine weeks," Penny confirmed it, "Ah haven't told anybody until now."

"For the love of God, Penny!" Sue did her own venting, "You're not cleared for flight status if you're pregnant. We learned the hard way through Shayera what could happen to pregnant mothers out on the field."

"Why do you think Ah haven't told anyone yet?" Penny asked rhetorically, "Plas needs me to watch his back."

"You're risking two lives here," Sue grated, "Not just your own."

"Ah'm riskin' three every minute those Legion hussies got Plas," Penny was caught in a circular reasoning loop.

"You're pulling out," Sue ordered, "Now."

"No, Ah'm not." Penny stubbornly refused.

"I'll permanently revoke your flight status if you stay out there," Sue warned her.

"Y'all gotta do what you gotta. Just like Ah do," Penny retorted.

The connection was severed at Penny's end. Sue looked over at Hula Hula, "Get her back!"

Several minutes went by with no success. Hula looked crestfallen, "It's no use. She may be listening but she isn't responding."

"You've worked beside her for ten years. There has to be a way," Sue stressed.

"Penny has always been obsessive over Plas' safety. There's no reasoning with her when she gets this way," Hula Hula warned.

"The Blackhawks are flying over NYC," Sue reminded her, "Are we in contact with them?"

"Yes, we're getting updates at regular intervals," Hula Hula shared.

"Contact them and have them board our Javelin-11 and take it over," Sue told him.

"Is that really necessary?" Hula Hula hesitated.

"Penny is irrational," Sue replied, "Every moment she's out there is endangering the citizens of New York City."

Hula Hula's shoulders sagged, "I'll make the call."


Blackhawk looked over at Lady Blackhawk after he fielded the JLU's request. The entire squadron was in the cockpit and everyone wore headsets so they'd all eavesdropped on the summons. Lady Blackhawk looked as stunned as Blackhawk felt.

"You raise Penny and negotiate Smiley and I going aboard," Blackhawk instructed.

She looked like someone was had just slapped her face, "Why me?"

"She'll take it better coming from you," Blackhawk assured her.

"Why you sexist sonuvabitch. This is some misogynistic attempt at spinning that 'girl talk' will save the day on this," Lady Blackhawk fumed.

"Actually, it's that Penny looks up to you as a role model and admires you as a colleague," Blackhawk dryly replied.

"And you want me to screw with that," Lady Blackhawk accused.

"You heard Sue. She's willing to prosecute and Penny will deliver her and Plastic Man's child in a federal prison," Blackhawk reminded her, "So I think hurt feelings and a sense of betrayal are a drop in a bucket of trouble."

"Technically I shouldn't be flying yet either," Lady Blackhawk rebutted his argument.

"She's emotionally compromised and you aren't," Blackhawk retorted.

"So are you if you want to pursue that line of reasoning," Lady Blackhawk argued.

"Tea can survive a nuclear blast so it's safe to say there aren't many things that can kill her," Blackhawk countered, "We don't know Plastic Man's and I'm willing to bet Penny doesn't either. So she has a lot more on her mind."

"And just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she's suddenly a wilting flower," Lady Blackhawk grated.

"I never said she was," Blackhawk replied, "But according to Hula Hula this is a pattern when Plas is threatened. So please contact her and make arrangements."

Lady Blackhawk sighed, "I'm going to hate myself, aren't I? Okay, what excuse do I use?"

"A convincing one," Blackhawk recommended.

Lady Blackhawk gave him a scornful glare, "You are utterly useless without me."

"I'll owe you," Blackhawk offered.

"And I will make you pay up," Lady Blackhawk promised.

LBH got Penny to respond as she spun her lie, "Penny we've been asked to put personnel aboard your craft."

"Why?" Penny's skepticism came through loud and clear.

"It's been thought that it would be best to have weapons officers aboard both aircraft," Lady Blackhawk elaborated, "And you're barely rated for your weapons systems."

"Ah suppose you're right," Penny gradually conceded.

"Head out towards the Atlantic," LBH instructed, "We'll rendezvous near Liberty Island and proceed from there. You'll need to slow down enough to open your cargo ramp and deploy the grapple shield."

"Y'all are gonna zip line over?" Penny was incredulous, "Have any of you even done that before?"

"Lots of times," Lady Blackhawk shrugged her shoulders at Blackhawk. None of them had done it outside of a simulator.

"Lookin' forward to seein' this actually done," Penny admitted, "Ah'd hate to log all that simulator time and never do it for real."

"That makes four of us at this end as well," Lady Blackhawk shared.

"Ah thought you said y'all have done this," Penny protested.

"And we have," Lady Blackhawk grimaced, "It's just new every time."

"Oh, okay," Penny was barely mollified before she signed off.

Lady Blackhawk let out a huge breath, "Okay cowboy, she's baited and hooked."

Blackhawk shrugged out of his harness and Lady Blackhawk put a restraining hand on his shoulder before he removed the headset, "You know, she's going to hate me for this. And in turn, I'm going to blame you and make your life a living hell. Fair enough?"

"We all do what we have to," Blackhawk consented. He removed his headset and joined Smiley near the hatch.

"Sure jump out of my aircraft without a parachute," LBH said despondently as Jake joined the others.


Smiley aimed the grappler while the two aircraft flew parallel at the same altitude at a constant five hundred feet apart. Smiley had Jake signal LBH that they needed the ramp lowered and the shield deployed. The rear of the Javelin-11 lowered and a metal shield deployed from the opposite side of the ramp.

With the hatch open and the wind gauge measuring conditions, Smiley adjusted his aim. Firing the grapple it slammed into the shield and the electromagnet held. Attaching their belt lines, Blackhawk gave Jake a thumbs up. Jake requested that Lady Blackhawk initiate the next step. The Oracle-5's elevation climbed until there was a twenty degree incline between aircraft.

Blackhawk pushed off first and rode the line until he managed to stop short of the shield. Unattaching his line he went further into the shuttle. While he removed his harness, Smiley arrived.

Smiley shucked his harness while Blackhawk went forward to the passenger area. Smiley signaled Jake and the magnet shut down and fell to the ramp. Jake then reeled the grapple in and then shut the hatch and rejoined Lady Blackhawk. Smiley sealed the ramp and joined the others in the cockpit.

Smiley found Blackhawk in the co-pilots station. Blackhawk saw Smiley was there and he turned to Penny, "I'm sorry Penny. I have to ask you to surrender this aircraft."

"Are y'all crazy?" Penny was incredulous.

"No, just very determined," Blackhawk counseled her, "It's in your best interest to leave the cockpit now. Will you do that?"

"Like hell Ah will," Penny snapped.

Blackhawk motioned Smiley forward. He pulled his sidearm out of its holster as he did so and placed the barrel between Penny's shoulder blades. She gave Blackhawk a scathing look of condemnation.

"Y'all have no idea of what you're doing here," Penny warned him.

"I'm afraid I do, actually," Blackhawk amended for her.

"Fine," she said snippily and removed herself from the cockpit.

Blackhawk moved over to the pilot's station. Smiley whistled as he returned, "I had to handcuff her to her seat."

"Mission accomplished," Blackhawk said sourly, "Now why do I feel horrible about it?"

"You'd better call it in," Smiley dismally suggested.

"Good thinking," Blackhawk admitted, "Javelin flight to Blackhawk Express Oracle flight."

"Did you do it?" LBH asked, "Did she go willingly?"

"No, she did not," Blackhawk said with gravitas, "I'm setting course for the Watchtower and will rejoin you when we've transferred Penny aboard."

"I just hope like hell we know what we're doing here," Lady Blackhawk opined.

"Me too," Blackhawk said heavily.


The Teen Titans team below Madison Square Garden came across a four person guard detachment. Since Ravager was on point, she decided to deal with the potential problem personally. The first guard spotted her and went for a pistol. Ravager lopped her hand off with one stroke and then took her head off with a second.

Spinning away from that woman Rose beheaded a second target. She then disemboweled the third and thrust her foot into the last guard's throat. Jamming the man's neck against the wall, Ravager applied pressure until it snapped with an audible crack.

Fishing a handkerchief from a corpse, she wiped the blood off of her sword's blade. Red Robin yanked her off of her feet and braced her against the wall with his forearm locked across her throat. The fact he was very, very angry would have been evident even to Big Sir.

"No! We don't work that way!" he shouted at Rose.

"Please, I don't think they heard you in the bleachers," Ravager said scornfully, "I don't take orders from you, Squire. And since when did you belong to this rabble?"

"We decided to enlist as soon as we reached New York," Red Robin told her, "We are Titans."

Ravager placed her sword to his throat, "You're going to be a very dead Titan if you don't let go, Squire," Ravager informed him

"Put the sword down," Speedy said very slowly.

Rose knew she had a problem. Speedy was on her blind side and Mia Deardon was even more impressive with a bow than Roy Harper ever had been. And Rose needed Mia to keep the others invested in keeping her with them.

"No problem," Ravager offered as she lowered the blade. She tried to knee Red Robin in the balls but he blocked the shot with his leg. Two points for him.

"Now let her go, Red Robin," Speedy instructed.

Red Robin stepped back. Ravager hefted her sword and set its blade across her shoulder, "See? We're chill. Isn't that right, Squire?"

"Okay, what the hell is up with this 'Squire' business?" Speedy was already tired of the game.

"Should I tell her?" Ravager quipped.

"Before ARGUS recruited me I was the junior partner to the Knight of Batman Incorporated in London. The Knight dismissed me from his service when his son grew old enough to take my place. Needless to say I was at a crossroads when ARGUS approached me," Red Robin explained, "Because of my connection to Batman's organization ARGUS developed the Red Robin persona for me given that 'Robin' was a dead title."

"And how does Batman feel about that development?" Speedy wondered.

"He's very tightlipped about it. He disapproves but he won't say so," Red Robin admitted, "Instead he's financing me again."

"So why join the Titans?" Speedy had t ask.

"Because I've always worked with a partner," Red Robin explained, "Or in groups. I haven't experience with flying solo. I'll tackle that later on."

"So, London. That makes you British," Speedy realized, "Why the American accent?"

"I'm going to be going up against higher caliber foes here in the States," Red Robin spoke, "I still have family in London I'd like to protect. And if no one realizes I'm from there..."

"Gotcha," Speedy did too. She turned to Caitlin, "And what about you?"

"I never wanted to be a meta-human but since I am I'd like to follow in my father's footsteps," Fairchild shared.

"He was a costume?" Speedy was curious as to who.

"No, he was a government operative. Ever hear of Team 7?" Fairchild wondered.

"No," Speedy let her down easy.

"Well, they're still supposed to be top secret. But Deathstroke was a member as well," Fairchild revealed.

Speedy cast a loathing glare Ravager's way before asking Caitlin, "So you want to be a spook?"

"No, I wanted to be a scientist. That got taken away from me. So it all boils down to trying to help people with these gifts I never wanted," Fairchild explained.

"This is all nice, neat, and cozy," Ravager said in a mocking tone, "But what do you really want to happen when we run into more World Army troops? Cry boo-hoo? Please don't sound the alarm? I'm only asking because we will run into more of them."

"I'll take point," Red Robin offered as he put his collapsible bo staff together.

"Oh, that'll do some good," Ravager rolled her eye.

"You'd be surprised," he said firmly.

"Yes, I would," Rose admitted.

"Do we have to separate you two?" Fairchild had to ask.

"Red Robin, you'll take point from now on. Fairchild, you'll back him up," Speedy decided, "Ravager you're on me."

"Sweet!" Ravager enthused, "I knew you wanted me."

"I've been with women," Mia admitted, "I'd only do it again for the same compelling reason as before."

"Let me guess, true love?" Rose said scornfully.

"Money," Mia replied, "And since I don't need any money that badly anymore, it's a done deal."

"So how much would it cost me?" Rose inquired.

"You'd have to break the bank of every country in the world," Speedy told her.

"Tempting," Ravager mused, "You'd be my first woman if you agreed."

"In case your father never gave you the memo, I'm HIV positive," Speedy warned her, "Transmission rates between women are smaller than between other pairings but they're still way too damn high."

"Didn't seem to bother your boyfriend," Ravager pointed out.

Speedy grew very still and spoke in an eerily calm voice, "Jason and I took precautions but there were still aspects of our sex life that put him at risk."

"So my enhanced autoimmune system and healing factor would get a real workout. It'd be worth it to me," Rose shared.

"Not to me," Speedy shot her down.

Ravager smirked, "You'll be begging me for it before we're done."

Speedy was half tempted to agree just to infect Ravager.


Red Robin came upon the next cluster of guards. He smashed the closest one in the mouth with his staff. Spinning, he drew his staff across the head of another's temple. Shifting into a half spin, Red Robin thrust his staff back into a soldier's gut. Then he levered it up into the man's face.

The last soldier got her rifle to bear. Red Robin poked the end of the staff into her forehead. She dropped her rifle and bounced off a nearby wall. She groggily pulled her pistol out of its holster. Red Robin put one end of his bo staff past his hip and took a two handed grip to smack the woman down.

The World Army unit looked like a collection of broken porcelain dolls. Ravager drew her sword, "Okay, I am impressed but you forgot one important aspect."

"Back off, Ravager!" Speedy almost shouted, "We're not killing these people for no reason."

"How about because they'll bring their World Army buddies down on top of us if we don't? Not to mention my father," Ravager countered.

"They won't raise any alarms," Red Robin promised as he pulled a bundle of zip ties out of his utility belt.

"Aren't you always prepared?" Ravager asked perkily, "Do you happen to have condoms and some lube in there as well?"

Everyone could tell Ravager's flippancy masked her disappointment. Red Robin and Fairchild bound everyone and gagged them with fabric torn from their own uniforms. Speedy monitored Rose.

"Do feel free to indulge," Ravager nodded towards the fallen soldiers.

"You said it yourself," Speedy reminded her, "I'm not to trust you. So here we are."

Ravager smirked, "Good memory."


The JLers had come upon the first group of soldiers Ravager had dealt with. "Oh. My. God," Catwoman said with revulsion.

"This is an unforeseen development," Question said thoughtfully.

"Development?" Huntress was irked, "Q, it's a goddamn massacre."

"This is expert work," Katana commented, "No wasted energy or movement. Each strike was thought out and perfectly executed within a few seconds."

"You sound like you admire them for this," Catwoman accused.

"Was this done by a sword?" Question asked Katana.

"Yes, probably by a cross between a saber and a long sword," Katana observed, "And the wielder had enhanced strength and reflexes in order to cleave through bone so efficiently."

Huntress and Catwoman were beside themselves while Question made another inquiry, "So, this was done by the very same type of weapon that Deathstroke used to carry."

"Yes, but Slade Wilson has retired that sword. He now favors a heavy blade akin to a katana. Not unlike the SoulTaker," Katana replied.

"No Teen Titan carries such a weapon," Question reminded the group, "So they have an extra party traveling with them."

"Or one of them joined up with a pig sticker since you last reviewed their membership," Huntress threw out there.

"Protector would never allow it," Question countered.

"But according to the police band, Protector is dead;" Huntress shot back, "Grief makes you do funny things. Look at Katana and I."

"This was no novice," Katana remarked.

"So they picked up a stray like Q mentioned," Huntress shrugged.

"The Teen Titans were last seen at the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street," Question recalled, "There a costumed force of unknown composition faced the World Army. Separate elements of this force engaged the World Army at Madison Square Garden, downtown, and the Brooklyn Bridge. We've seen what happened to the one at Madison Square Garden. They executed him for his efforts."

"What happened to the rest?" Catwoman asked.

"A sizeable number of them were killed before Vandal Savage removed himself from the situation. Afterwards they withdrew," Question answered, "The police are still trying to identify the bodies."

"So let's assume the Teen Titans are running with a homicidal plus one," Huntress ventured, "Why did the Titans let this happen?"

"Either they were completely taken by surprise even as we were or our worst imaginings concerning their current intentions are completely true," Question theorized.

"Either way, this is getting messier by the second," Huntress surmised.

No one argued with her assessment.


Under the cover of an illusion, King Chimera and Nightwing had penetrated the stadium's outer and inner security. King Chimera made them appear to be two officer's that he and Nightwing had found killed in action. They'd lifted their IDs and let Chimera's power do the rest. So far they'd proceeded with a minimum of fuss.

"There are two dozen sentries posted amongst the delegates," Nightwing observed.

"With another dozen on the main floor," King Chimera added, "But there has to be more than that. Vandal Savage is about to proclaim himself Emperor over the whole Earth. He wouldn't leave his security up to even a remote chance of being interrupted."

"You're right, he hasn't," Deathstroke placed his sword at King Chimera's throat, "King Chimera, I presume?"

The illusion lifted and Deathstroke assessed his foes, "And the former Boy Wonder too. This is a treat. You may be a potential challenge considering I've never beaten your mentor. I've come close on occasion but we've developed a mutual noninterference policy. But you're excluded from that."

"Good," Nightwing growled.

"We'll see if you still feel that way in five minutes," Deathstroke sheathed his sword, "Just to make it sporting, you understand?"

"Go to hell," King Chimera grated.

"Maybe," Deathstroke allowed, "But not today."


In the tunnels Red Robin took the two unadorned World Army troops while Fairchild battled the two in mechanized battle armor. She'd crippled one suit but the operator of the other had her reeling as it throttled her. Ravager made a few discreet suggestions to Speedy.

Speedy used an arrow to sever the armor's primary hydraulic line from its pump. The armor's joints all froze up. Fairchild impaled the helmet with her fist and the faceplate bashed the wearer inside and knocked him out. It toppled over and joined its comrade.

"Aw, did sweet, little Caitlin get a boo-boo?" Ravager mocked her.

"I don't know," Fairchild said reasonably, "How about I punch your face in and see if you get one?"

"Stop it!" Red Robin instructed, "We don't have time for this. We've arrived."

Speedy poised herself where the door would open up to. Red Robin opened it while Fairchild kept tabs on Ravager. Not seeing anyone, Speedy moved out into the area dividing the locker rooms. The newly minted Teen Titans plus one followed her out.


Things had gone as expected. King Chimera had gone down with one punch. But the boy was no fighter and Deathstroke had already known that.

Nightwing had lasted the full five minutes that Deathstroke had predicted he would. Which was still four minutes and fifty seconds longer that his average opponent. Only Batman and Wildcat had ever lasted longer. He knew Black Canary was really his old Team 7 comrade, Dinah Drake-Lance, and he wondered how her skills had improved since joining the JLU. He also wondered if she knew the truth about Kurt's fate. Perhaps he should enlighten her before this was done.

Deathstroke signaled for the two JLers to be bound and dragged away. He had no idea why he had spared them. Maybe he could use them as leverage to get the JLU to broker his daughter's release. He'd seen Red Arrow's eyes. There wouldn't be any negotiating with her.

He was late checking in with the guards in the maintenance tunnels. He grew increasingly angry as each unit failed to respond to his inquiries. The damn JLers had been a distraction and some vermin had tunneled into the stadium proper. Deathstroke signaled Gunslinger to be alert and he drew his pistol from its holster.


"Well, your theory that someone was out of control and later restrained seems to have proven itself out," Catwoman said gratefully.

A World Army radio sounded with Deathstroke's voice. He grew irritated as no one responded. Question shook his head.

"So now he knows," he said sadly.

"Who 'he'?" Huntress asked.

"Isn't obvious by the sword that was employed in the slayings?" Question wondered.

Huntress and Catwoman exchanged a puzzled look and then shrugged. Question looked over at Katana, "I know you already know."

"We face Slade Wilson, also called Deathstroke the Terminator," Katana announced.


Outside Madison Square Garden, Luthor confidently strolled towards the main entrance while Artemiz and Volcana killed the outer sentries. Reaching the doors, he turned to Parasite and Metallo, "Stay here in case Supergirl and Superboy attempt to affect an entrance."

"Superwho?" Parasite was confused.

"You'll recognize him by the emblem on his chest," Luthor said wearily, "If he looks super, kill him."

Scarecrow cleared the next hurdle with his fear toxin. Plastique converted the doors into explosives and blew them up. Strolling in, Luthor saw Deathstroke diverting from where he was headed.

"You shouldn't be here, Luthor," Deathstroke warned.

"Let me pass," Luthor insisted.

"I can't do that," Deathstroke declared.

"Let me guess, you were hired to deal with costumed interference," Luthor surmised.

"And the Justice League Unlimited and the Legion of Doom are equal players in that field," Deathstroke warned him.

"I know better than to attempt to bribe you," Luthor allowed, "At least summon Savage so I can speak to him."

"You can't kill him," Deathstroke advised him.

"I have no desire to kill him," Luthor admitted.

Gunslinger chose to fire at that instant. Luthor held up his left arm and an electrostatic shield formed off of his glove. The bullet deflected away.

Artemiz fired an arrow as Kestrel took to the air. The arrow struck Gunslinger in the shoulder and she was knocked from her perch. Kestrel caught her and delivered her to Deathstroke.

"I could easily have had her killed," Luthor informed Slade, "But consider this a demonstration of my restraint in this situation."

"What's your intention?" Deathstroke finally asked.

"I wish to speak to the assembled UN delegates," Luthor said simply.

"Somehow I doubt it's that simple," Savage sad as he emerged from a nearby shadow.

"It rarely is," Luthor agreed, "But our bargain holds at my end. For now at least."

"And I hold true as well," Savage allowed.

"Then you shouldn't deny me my request," Luthor advised.

"Very well, if you'll follow me. Your acolytes shall remain here," Savage dictated.

"Agreed," Luthor acquiesced.

Deathstroke wondered where the Female Fury named Wunda had disappeared to. And he wondered who had arrived from the maintenance tunnels and when they would make their move. He didn't have to wait long for the answers.