The Cross-Continental Transmit Tower was a significantly important part of the infrastructure of the continent. It was the key to all world communications as well as the central hub for all communication devices throughout the continent.
And Cinder was going to meddle with its systems.
Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, sailing over the streets of Vale against the night sky. She landed on the ground and took cover in front of the tower, spotting 2 Atlas security guards standing in front of the entrance, barring entry by normal means.
Cinder smiled, Deathstroke would be nearby, he was just waiting on her.
Let's get to work
Keeping a low profile, Cinder ducked between stone benches, keeping out of sight and slowly but surely making her way behind the guards. Finding a pillar to hide behind, she waited until one of the guards walked by before grabbing him from behind and delivering a precise strike to his neck. The guard didn't even have time to yell out as he abruptly fell unconscious, allowing Cinder to roll his body into the bushes.
*Splat*
Cinder's eyes widened as she heard the distinct sound of liquid splashing on concrete. Racing over to the Tower entrance, she spotted Deathstroke holding a smoking pistol, standing over the other guard. He laid on the ground, red matter splashed all over his head.
"I told you not to make a mess!" said Cinder.
"Quit worrying, he's asleep." said Deathstroke, gesturing to the body.
Skeptical, Cinder kneeled down and checked the man's pulse. To her shock, he was still alive.
"How?" asked Cinder.
"Gel bullets." said Deathstroke, "Hits the target hard enough to render them unconscious, then the shell explodes and releases the red liquid, creating the illusion of a headshot."
"Clever." said Cinder.
Deathstroke nodded, leaning up against the entrance and gesturing for Cinder to do the same. Cinder obliged, creating 2 glass swords as Deathstroke pulled out his staff.
"I can hear around five bogeys inside." said Deathstroke.
"I'll take three, you take two." said Cinder.
Deathstroke nodded, "Alright then, GO!"
The two burst through the door, sprinting through the hall towards the five guards. Spotting the pair of criminals, three of the guards drew batons and began to run at them while two others set up next to the elevator with rifles. Noticing a staircase leading up to the elevator, Deathstroke surged ahead of Cinder, leaping over the baton guards and heading straight for the elevator guards.
Spinning his staff, Deathstroke knocked a gun out of one guard's hand while cracking the other in the jaw with an upward swing. Positioning the ends of the staff against the two guards, Deathstroke blasted them both simultaneously, taking them both out. Cinder engaged with her guards, sweeping one by the leg before blasting him with fire. He flew over Deathstroke's head and into the elevator door as the rest of the guards attempted to batter Cinder with their batons. Blocking every strike, Cinder knocked the batons out of their hands before dropping her swords and grabbing them by their heads and smashing them together. The guards slumped to the floor, unconscious, as Cinder dusted herself off.
"A fine job if I do say so myself." said Cinder.
Deathstroke grumbled, putting his staff away and drawing his pistol again as the elevator dinged.
"I've got this." said Cinder, creating new glass swords as the elevator doors opened, revealing two guards.
*Pap* *Pap*
Just as Cinder prepared to raise her swords to attack, Deathstroke popped them both in the head with gel bullets. As they slumped back against the wall, Cinder looked back with a disappointed look on her face.
"You're no fun." said Cinder.
"This is business, let's get on with it." said Deathstroke, getting into the elevator.
Cinder sighed, entering the elevator as well and pressing the button.
Clark and Ruby raced through the streets of Vale, making a beeline for the tower.
"What's the situation over there?" asked Ruby.
"I don't know, we'll have to get closer." said Clark.
Clark's scroll rang, so he decided to answer the call on the run.
"Clark, where are you?" asked Oliver.
"What's wrong?" asked Clark.
"You're not here at the party dude!" said Oliver, "Where'd you go?!"
"I-uh!" said Clark. While there was a fight at the tower, he didn't want to spoil everyone else's night. This was especially true in the case of Bruce, he needed this break and Clark wouldn't let anything ruin it.
"Ruby and I just went on a walk," said Clark, "We'll be back soon."
"Alright," said Oliver, milling around at the party, "I'll call you back."
Hanging up, Oliver was approached by Yang, "Who was on the phone?"
"Clark," said Oliver, "He and Ruby are on a walk."
Yang chuckled, "He better not be doing anything with my sister."
"Please, it's Clark." said Oliver, "He's a friggin teddy bear."
"Ooh, harsh words." said Yang.
"Not harsh," said Oliver, "He's just really innocent."
"Hmph, this conversation is getting boring," said Yang, "Wanna dance?"
Oliver smirked, "It would be my pleasure."
Clark and Ruby stumbled to a stop outside the tower, spotting the bodies of the unconscious Atlas guards.
Ruby gasped, "Are they dead?"
Clark walked over to one of the guards, closing his eyes and focusing his hearing.
"He's still got a heartbeat, they all do." said Clark, opening his eyes and looking upward towards the top of the tower, "I can hear more inside, all unconscious. There are also 2 people on the communications floor, both awake."
"So they're the baddies?" said Ruby, pulling out her scroll, "I'll call in Crescent Rose."
"I'd guess so," said Clark, attempting to focus his vision, "I can't see their exact position, the tower was built with lead infused metal."
*Crash!*
Clark turned around and watched as Ruby's locker rocketed into the ground, popping open to reveal her signature weapon. Pulling it out and letting it form a scythe, Ruby stretched her neck back and forth, "Let's do this."
Clark cracked his knuckles, ready to bust the bad guys when he felt a slight pain in the back of his head. A quiet but distinct whistle reached Clark's ears, a whistle he recognized.
"Ruby, go in without me." said Clark.
"What?" said Ruby, "Why?"
"I can hear something coming." said Clark, "I'll deal with it, you get the guys upstairs. I know you, you can handle them."
Ruby looked skeptical, "What is it?"
Clark, "Just go! I've got this."
Ruby sighed, nodding before running into the tower. Clark took off his glasses, placing them on the ground so they won't get damaged before hearing a *Clank*. Turning around, Clark found himself face to face with Metallo.
"Am I speaking to you or the one controlling you." asked Clark.
Metallo stood still for a moment, it's expression motionless before it opened its mouth.
"He doesn't seem to want me to fight...yet." said Metallo.
"Good, that means we can talk." said Clark.
"Talk? He forced me to almost kill you against my will, I don't want that." said Metallo, "You should run while you still can."
Clark stood firm, "What's your name?"
"We don't have time for-"
"I got to read your file from Lexcorp," said Clark, "they call you Metallo, but I'm guessing that's not your real name."
Metallo paused, unsure of what to say.
"Why do you want to know my name?" asked Metallo, "I might kill you."
"Because you aren't some robot to be assigned a codename and used." said Clark, "You're a person, and I want to know that person's name."
"...Corben, Michael Corben." said Metallo.
Clark took a deep breath, "Micheal, I can tell whoever's using you is doing so with bad intentions in mind. I promise you that I'll free you from that person."
"You can't," said Metallo, "They rebuilt me from the ground up to be controlled. I can't break free."
"You can!" said Clark, "You just need a little push."
Metallo stood still, not saying a word.
"Michael?" said Clark.
Metallo's fingers began to curl up, "Brace yourself."
Taking the warning, Clark put his hands up just in time to block Metallo's strike. Pushed back a few feet, Clark tightened his fist.
"Ruby, you better finish this up quick." said Clark.
As the elevator dinged, Cinder and Deathstroke vacated the elevator, entering the main comms room. Cinder smiled, satisfied at their progress.
"What's next?" asked Deathstroke.
"Guard the elevator, I have a virus to upload." said Cinder.
Walking over to the main receptionist desk, Cinder pulled out her scroll and plugged it in. She watched as the device began to do its job, uploading the malware onto Vale servers.
*Ring*
Deathstroke sighed, pulling out his scroll, "I'm busy."
"I know," said Emerald, "but you've got incoming."
Deathstroke noticed the elevator light blink over the doors, signaling that someone was coming up.
"Who?" asked Deathstroke.
"Kent and Rose," said Emerald, "and Ironwood's just left the party, he'll be there soon."
Deathstroke nodded, "Noted."
Hanging up, Deathstroke pocketed the scroll, "We've got incoming."
"It's not finished uploading." said Cinder.
The elevator dinged.
"Then hide." said Deathstroke.
Cinder quickly ducked under the desk while Deathstroke slinked into the shadows next to the elevator. As the doors opened, Ruby stumbled out, scythe drawn. Unfortunately, she was having trouble with her heels, petering to the left and to the right.
"Oh forget these things!" said Ruby, kicking the shoes off her feet, "I know you're in here, my friend said so!"
Cinder kneeled under the desk, cursing under her breath that this little brat knew she was here. However, after a moment, an idea came into her mind. She drew a wicked smile as she slowly stood up, entering Ruby's eyesight.
"Ha, there you are!" said Ruby, brandishing her weapon, "Did you knock out the guys downstairs?"
"Yes, indeed I did." said Cinder, her eyes focused on Ruby. However, she moved her fingers into a certain position, signaling to Deathstroke, who remained hidden behind Ruby. Deathstroke's eyes narrowed before he realized what Cinder was asking. Quietly stepping out of the shadows, he silently drew his sword as he approached Ruby.
"Why the mask? You're clearly hiding something." said Ruby.
"Maybe so," said Cinder, "but if you knew the things I've done you'd be hiding it too."
Deathstroke stopped mere feet from Ruby, raising the sword.
"My friend mentioned two of you," said Ruby, "Where's the other one?"
Cinder smiled, "Why don't you ask him yourself."
Ruby was confused, unsure of what she meant until she caught a glint in the corner of her eye. In the reflection of her scythe, she spotted Deathstroke as he swung his sword. Firing Crescent Rose, she flipped around, blocking the attack while jumping back. She stepped back, watching as Cinder and Deathstroke approached from the front.
Cinder sighed, creating two glass swords, "You missed."
"I wouldn't have missed if you didn't give her the hint." said Deathstroke.
Cinder cracked her neck, "Let's just finish her now."
Ruby stepped back, recognizing Deathstroke. Fighting against the world's deadliest assassin as well as this new assailant was a tall order, one she wasn't confident she could deliver.
"Clark, you better help me soon!" said Ruby.
Clark flew across the concrete, crashing into a stone bench as Metallo advanced on him. Scrambling to his feet, Clark jumped back as Metallo slammed his fist into the ground. Clark peppered Metallo with heat vision strikes as he landed a solid 10 meters from Metallo.
"Ah, keeping your distance?" said Metallo, the horrid voice now emanating from his mouth, "You're not so dumb after all."
"Release control over Micheal Corben right now!" said Clark, "Or I'll find you and tear the joystick out of your hands."
"Hah!" said the voice, "As if a joystick could control something as elaborate as Metallo."
"Stop calling him that!" said Clark.
Metallo leaped forward, opening his chest and exposing Clark to the green stone's light. He winced, immediately feeling its effects, but dived out of the way of a green blast of energy from Metallo's hand. Clark panted, keeping himself as far from the stone as possible as Metallo continued his onslaught.
I've gotta hit him harder, my heat vision isn't cutting it.
Spotting another bench, Clark grabbed it and hoisted it over his head. As Metallo raised his hand for another energy blast, Clark closed his eyes and hoped for the best. Just as Clark chucked the bench, Metallo unleashed another blast of energy, catching Clark right in the face. Clark landed on his back, smoke hazing off his face as the bench crashed against Metallo. Metallo stumbled back, shaking off the dust before approaching Clark again, chest open. Clark, disoriented from the blast, is helpless as Metallo closes the distance, weakening Clark further.
"Hmm, maybe you weren't so smart after all." said the voice.
"I don't understand!" said Clark, "What's that stone, and why is it hurting me?!"
"Hah, as if you don't recognize it!" said the voice, "It's from the same place you came from!"
Clark groaned as the green light intensified, "Y-You know where I'm from?"
"Not exactly," said the voice, "but it would have been best if you'd just stayed there."
Just as the glow began to become unbearable to Clark, the chest compartment suddenly slammed shut. Surprised, Clark looked up as Metallo's body twitched as if it was fighting against its own urge to move.
"I've managed to suppress his control, but he'll have it back soon." said Metallo.
Clark, wide-eyed, stumbled to his feet, "Okay, then tell me how to disable you in the least painful way. I don't want to kill you or cause any real harm!"
Metallo shuddered, "You have to take my heart."
"What?" said Clark, "What does that mean?"
"It means you have to-"
Metallo's speech abruptly stopped, his hand flying up and grabbing Clark by the throat.
"Michael, stop!" said Clark, grabbing Metallo by the wrists but unable to break the hold.
Metallo was silent, his grip tightening. Clark began to sputter, dropping to his knees.
Just as Metallo was about to finish Clark, a shot rang out, hitting Metallo square in the shoulder and causing him to stumble forward, losing his grip on Clark. As Clark gasped for air, hand around his own throat, he glanced towards his savior.
It was a man in a white Atlas trench coat wielding a large revolver. He stepped forward, pulling the hammer back.
"Step away from him." said the man.
Metallo paused, staring back at the man before leaping into the night sky. The man followed Metallo with the sights of his gun, prepared to fire another round when Clark jumped in front of him, clamping his hand over the muzzle.
"Don't!" said Clark.
The man glared at Clark, "Are you kidding me! I could have brought him down!"
"He's not himself!" said Clark, "Someone else is controlling him!"
The man growled, "Didn't look like it."
"Sorry, I understand it looked dire," said Clark, now drawing some familiarity from the man's face, "I swear I've seen you before."
"General Ironwood," said the man, "Headmaster of Atlas Academy and leader of the Atlesian military."
"Oh, that's where I remember you from." said Clark, "You were at the party."
"Enough talk," said Ironwood, "are there any more attackers?"
Clark's heart stopped mid beat when he realized that Ruby was still engaged with the other attackers, "My friend is fighting two people on the communications floor, she might be in trouble!"
"Then let's take the elevator!" said Ironwood, rushing into the building while Clark followed.
Ruby fired off a volley of shots, jumping back as Deathstroke swung his sword at her. Dodging a horizontal slice, Ruby felt a sharp pain from the back as Cinder kicked her in the spine. Falling forward, Ruby used her semblance, speeding around Deathstroke before delivering a point-blank shot at his head. Miraculously, Deathstroke leaned his head, dodging the bullet as he caught Ruby in the side with his sword. She yelped, falling in front of the elevator as her assailants strode towards her.
"She's quick, I'll give her that." said Cinder.
"Not quick enough," said Deathstroke, "she should fight smarter, not faster."
Ruby picked herself up, "Don't act so high and mighty, I'll run circles around you."
The elevator dinged, signaling that someone was coming up.
Ruby smiled, "But it doesn't hurt to have backup."
Without warning, Deathstroke hurled his sword at the elevator switch. The sword pierced the appliance, causing the elevator inside to sputter and buckle behind the big metal doors. As the elevator screeched to a stop, Ruby's confident demeanor began to fall away.
"Heh, what backup?" said Cinder.
Clark tapped his foot in the elevator as Ironwood loaded fresh bullets into his revolver. While the two hadn't exactly gotten off to a good start, they had silently agreed to avoid arguing until the fight was over. Suddenly, the elevator stopped dead, heaving and screeching until it's movement ceased.
"Shit." said Ironwood, "They've disabled the elevator."
"Then we'll have to climb." said Clark, leaping up and punching a hole in the top of the elevator. Tearing apart an opening, Clark climbed up before offering Ironwood his hand. Ironwood grimly took it, allowing Clark to hoist him up as well.
Looking up, Clark spotted the doors leading into the comms room, "Now we climb."
Ruby gasped, dodging a stab from Cinder as she flipped back, blocking a gunshot from Deathstroke's pistol. Leaping over the various terminals, Ruby watched as Cinder burned her way through the room, demolishing any terminals in her way by shooting fire from her hands.
Who the heck is this?!
Noticing that there was a pause every time Cinder prepared to unleash her fire, Ruby smirked, jumping into her semblance as she sped behind Cinder just as she was about to unleash another attack. Ruby sliced Cinder across the back with an upward swing, causing her to grunt in pain as she fell forward. Noticing a fire dust crystal fall out of her pocket, Ruby grabbed it as another shot whizzed by her head. Deathstroke quickly loaded another mag with his back to the window as Ruby flung the crystal at him. Cycling Crescent Rose into rifle form, Ruby took aim and fired a bullet at the crystal as it flew towards Deathstroke. Just as the crystal neared the end of it's path, the bullet makes contact, causing it to explode in Deathstroke's face. Blown back, Deathstroke flies through the window, caught off guard by the sudden ingenuity. Pulling out a knife, Deathstroke stopped himself from falling to his death.
She's smarter than she looks.
Ruby smiled, ready to declare victory when she felt a certain degree of heat from behind. Cinder roared, blasting Ruby in the back and breaking her aura as she flew into the Elevator doors, leaving a dent on impact.
Scrambling to her feet, Cinder walked over, raising her sword as she prepared to stab Ruby when a loud screeching reached her ears. Looking at the elevator, Cinder realized that someone was opening the doors manually.
Damnit, I guess it's time to retreat.
Racing by the main desk and grabbing her scroll, Cinder leaped out the window, creating a glass knife and using it to slow her descent as she slid down the side of the building. As she reached the ground, she spotted Deathstroke in a nearby alley, usher her over. Cinder smiled, racing into the alley as they both made their escape.
She had completed her task, and the heroes were doomed.
Ruby coughed, slowly but surely getting on her hands and knees. She had just taken a nasty hit from the mysterious woman and the pain was sticking around longer than she wanted it too.
"Ruby!"
Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder as Clark leaned in, checking her face, "You ok? I checked you for broken bones, but I just wanna make sure you're good."
Ruby forced a smile, "I'm fine, just a little bruised."
Clark looked around the room, noting the damaged terminals, "What were they doing here?"
"And what did they want?" asked Ruby.
"Those are questions I would like answered," said Ironwood, "but first I have questions for you two."
Ruby and Clark turned around to face Ironwood, though Ruby had a confused look on her face.
"Who's that?" asked Ruby.
"That's General Ironwood." said Clark.
Ruby was stone-faced, "...Who now?"
Ironwood sighed, "Follow me."
Ironwood gestured for the two heroes to follow him to the stairs. They both sighed, following him to the door, unaware of the active central terminal. The terminal glitched, it's screen distorting before revealing a large Lexcorp symbol with a chess piece on top of it.
I'm back! I've been writing other things (Cyborg has taken a little more out of me creative wise, but I've begun planning big things for that series) in addition to ramping up other activities during quarantine (Maybe I'll finally finish Persona 5?), but I'm still delivering weekly chapters!
Reviews:
DCDGojira: Quarantine has actually been quite pleasant, I find myself spending more time with family. You'll have to see when the crossover comes.
Thanks for the feedback as always! :)
Shadow Joestar: Thanks for the feedback as always! :)
Next Chapter: A talk with the headmaster.
