JSA: Land Of The Thuggee
By Bruce Wayne
Justice Society of America created by Gardner Fox
Dedicated to ME, who has taught me more about being philosophical than anyone.
DISCLAIMER: Most of the characters portrayed in this story are copyright by DC Comics, an AOL/Time/Warner company. They are used without permission for entertainment without profit by the author.
Chapter 2
"I'm sorry about your friend, Carter," Doctor Mid-Nite said. "But I'm concerned about our security."
The members of the Justice Society of America had to worry about security. Even though President Franklin D Roosevelt had established the group of "mystery men" at the start of World War Two to do battle against the Nazis, there were still many people inside the government -- let alone high- profile villains -- who wanted to see the JSA out of the way. The Justice Society learned its lesson in 1951 when a government committee went out of its way to disband the group claiming the super-heroes were involved in un- American activities.
The group had only recently reformed after a long hiatus that lasted through the 1950's. A mad master of disguise by the name of "False-Face" attempted to dominate the world under the threat of chemical holocaust and it took the JSA to stop him.
Six distinguished members of the Justice Society of American were now meeting in the warm oak and cool tiled meeting room of their headquarters located in a mansion in the New York City borough of Queens near Idlewild Airport.
Besides being a master crimefighter, Doctor Mid-Nite was a renown expert on all facets of worldwide crime. Confidential sources from all over the world fed the good doctor with all kinds of criminal intelligence. If he didn't use the information to battle the criminals, he often wrote about them in the books and articles that he wrote in his civilian life as Doctor Charles McNider.
Also in the room was Wonder Woman, who often acted as a go-between for the White House and the JSA. The Oval Office was the only branch of the United States government that knew anything about the Justice Society of America, and even the President knew only what the costumed heroes felt he needed to know.
It seemed as though the criminal cannibals of the world were multiplying rapidly. With the apparent lack of anyone to stop them, the criminal organizations and individual super-villains were becoming bolder, even more ruthless than before, probably because they believed there was no one on the side of justice who was able to stop them. Perhaps the world was slowly going mad.
The Justice Society of America would do whatever was necessary to combat the madness. They would take on the cannibals anywhere and any way to get the job done. The JSA expected no quarter and seldom gave any.
"The JSA is still secure, Charles," Hawkman began as he sat at the large round conference table in the meeting room. "Abdullah Yassin contacted me by telegram. He used a code name only I would recognize. He was a good man. The world needs more like him."
"Well," Dr Mid-Nite said with a shrug. "everything is squared away with the police in Manhattan. They just thought you were a tough archaeologist who was good with his fists and Yassin was the main target of the hit. The police are going to take most of the credit, which isn't fair, but it helps us and you, Carter, maintain security."
"Any info on the criminals who attacked Carter at the deli?" Starman inquired as he sipped black coffee and leaned back in his chair.
Starman was a powerful man, ruggedly handsome and built like a lumberjack. He was clad in a bright red costume that included green trunks, green boots and a long green cape. Though he wore no mask over his face, Ted Knight did wear a soft, red helmet over his head that was topped by a wedge. A large yellow star was adorned across his chest. Starman derived his special powers through a device known as the Cosmic Rod. The handheld rod was a device of his own invention that focused cosmic radiation to an endless number of ends. The Cosmic Rod commonly focused energy both to defy gravity, allowing Starman to fly, and to emit concussive bursts of force, serving as an offensive weapon.
At the beginning of his career as a costumed crimefighter, Knight had developed a passing fancy in the emerging mystery-men like the Sandman and Green Lantern around 1940. Knight was an independently wealthy man who liked to dabble in astronomy. Like many of the younger elite, Knight had a sense of dissatisfaction with his life. This was coupled with boredom.
Being a bright individual Knight had a natural talent for science. During one visit to Washington, D.C., Knight was introduced to technology invented by a Professor Abraham Davis. One of the devices was then called a Gravity Rod. It was a device that was designed to perform a variety of energy-based feats, but which lacked a power source. Knight procured the rod and studied it. With money and other resources at his command, Knight was able to discover a cosmic radiation of unknown nature, and during a mishap in his laboratory, Knight was able to charge the Gravity Rod with this energy. It wasn't long until Knight was seized with a sense of purpose and a desire to join the ranks of the new breed heroes who arose at the start of World War Two in the United States.
"Four of the assailants at the deli were Americans," Dr Mid-Nite said, answering Starman's question. "All had been involved in crimes of violence before. Mostly juvenile offenses. One of them had spent a couple of years in the joint for second-degree murder. All four low-lifes had been associated with radical political groups in the past. Interesting variety. The two women were formerly members of something called the Socialist Reform Front. One of the men used to be a member of the National White Supremacy Party."
"Sounds like a fun group," Hourman said dryly.
Rex Tyler was known as "The Man of the Hour" or Hourman, for short. Tyler was the inventor of the Miraclo pill. Miraclo was a chemical stimulant that instantly gave Tyler superhuman strength, endurance and reaction time for exactly sixty minutes.
Hourman was also a large man. He was dressed in black costume that covered his entire torso. A black cowl hid his identity from the public. He also wore a yellow cape with yellow leggings. Black boots with red stripes around the ankles and a red belt completed his mysterious costume.
Unlike many of his JSA comrades, Tyler actually grew up in a humble home enviornment. He grew up to become a chemist for Bannermain Chemical in New York. His friends and colleagues gave him the nickname "Tick-Tock" for his obsessive punctuality. Working late one night, Tyler discovered a drug that would give a man miraculous powers. He called the drug "Miraclo." He ultimately donned the costume of a crimefighter and became Hourman.
"One of the dead men was Ali Nassan, believed to have led other hit teams in the Middle East and Western Europe," Doctor Mid-Nite explained.
"The Libyans considered Abdullah Yassin to be a traitor to the Arab people," Hawkman added. "They may have ordered the assassination of Yassin. We'll probably never know for certain."
"Hardly a justifiable reason for murder," Wonder Woman muttered with a slight trace of disgust in her voice. "Yassin believed Jews and Moslems could live together in peace, so someone killed him."
The eyes of all the males in the room were on the beautiful Diana Prince, who called herself Wonder Woman. Her long, luxurious brunette hair was over a gold tiara with a red star that covered her forehead. A costume of red, white, blue, and gold clung tightly to her magnificent body. Red and white boots completed her uniform.
Wonder Woman's powers were formidable. They were the result of her Amazonian heritage. Her powers included super-strength, super-speed, and the ability to fly in the air for brief periods of time.
Wonder Woman was also trained by her Amazonian sisters to be a warrior. She was able to deflect projectiles targeting her with her Amazonian bracelets. In addition to her bracelets, Wonder Woman had an invisibile airplane and a magical golden lariat that compelled those ensnared by it to obey her commands.
Her love of a man, Steve Trevor, brought Diana to the United States during World War Two. She eventually rose to a position in U.S. military intelligence. Her civilian position and her respected position as an Amazonian princess in her Wonder Woman guise allowed her access to high- ranking sources in the U.S. government.
"Murders are often committed for reasons that don't make much sense," Doctor Mid-Nite remarked, reaching for a file folder.
"I realize that, Doctor," Diana replied. "In fact, the President of the United States has taken a personal interest in a series of bizarre killings that have recently occurred in India."
"I hope he still remembers how we assisted the government during the False- Face affair," Hourman noted.
Wonder Woman smiled and nodded.
"Does this mean we've got a new case to work on?" The Atom asked eagerly.
The diminutive crimefighter from Calvin City had become restless and started to pace the floor. The Atom was a bundle of nervous energy, and he could never sit still for long. Al Pratt lived for a fight even though he was barely over five-feet tall. His stature was the only thing that was small on the Atom. He had the heart and courage of a lion and would never show fear while facing an opponent.
He wore a blue mask that obscurred his entire face. A blue cape covered his powerful shoulders. A yellow tunic with red trim along his open chest covered his body. A large, brown leather belt covered his abdomen. Red boots were pulled up along his bare legs. Brown leather bracelets covered the Atom's wrists and forearms.
In his younger days, the Atom was the target of harassment. Pratt was often referred to as "Atom Al" by his tormentors. After being accosted by a mugger in front of a girl who he had a crush on, Pratt came into contact with former heavyweight boxer and trainer Joe Morgan. Morgan trained the eager Pratt into a first-class fighter.
One night, Pratt found out that the girl he liked had been kidnapped and was being held for ransom. Finding the criminals, Pratt saved the girl. He later donned a costume he had made for himself and became the crimefighter Atom.
"Yes," Doctor Mid-Nite confirmed. "We have a mission. The murders in India haven't received much press attention, but a lot of people are getting killed over there and some folks in high places are getting worried about it."
"Like the President of the United States," Hourman mused.
"And the prime minister of Great Britain," Doctor Mid-Nite added. "The president of France and the prime minister of the Federal Republic of Germany and a couple other heads of Western democracies are also interested."
"Sounds interestin'" the Atom remarked. "And we haven't heard any details yet."
"Okay," Doctor Mid-Nite said as he nodded. "Somebody is murdering Americans, Britons and Western Europeans in India. A few victims have been minor officials working for the embassies in New Delhi. Others have been businessmen and trade representatives. Most were just tourists. The murders have occurred all over the country from Bombay to Calcutta."
"How long has this been going on?" Starman asked.
"Almost a year now," Mid-Nite answered. "At first the motive appeared to be robbery. The killers steal their victims' money, watches, rings and so forth, but I don't believe that's the real motive."
"I don't know, Doctor," Wonder Woman said with a shrug. "I've heard about drug addicts who would kill people for twenty dollars. That kind of money would mean even more to some poor person in a country like India."
"But the murders have all been committed the same way," the blind crimefighter explained. "The victims were strangled to death. The murders were well thought out in advance and the killings were done swiftly, skillfully, in an organized manner."
"Or a ritualistic manner," Hawkman commented thoughtfully. "Were any of the murders committed by more than one assailant? Probably two men holding the victim while a third strangled him with a weapon that could be a silk scarf with a silver rupee knotted in the middle?"
"Yes," Doctor Mid-Nite said with surprise. "How did you know?"
"That's the traditional method of assassination by the Thuggees," Hawkman replied. "Although they'd call it a 'ritual sacrifice,' not murder."
"I've read a bit about the Thugs," the Atom announced. "Cult of robbers who strangled their victims. Thuggee is where the term 'thug' comes from in fact. As I recall, they were active in the 1840s. The British were occupyin' India at the time. The soldiers rounded up the bad guys and hanged the lot of them. I thought that was the end of the Thugs."
"Think again," Hawkman told him. "The British executed hundreds of Thuggees, but they only drove the other members of the cult underground. The religion is still practiced to this day. In fact, there was a revival of the Thuggees in the Bengal region as recently as 1947."
"And the Indian Criminal Investigation Division thinks that's what's happened now," Doctor Mid-Nite confirmed.
"You seem to know all about this cult, Carter," Hourman remarked. "What else can you tell us?"
"Well," the reincarnated Egyptian prince began, "they worship the goddess Kali, and according to legend, Kali is the daughter of Shiva, one of the three great gods of the Hindu religion. She is the goddess of death, but also the giver of life and the destroyer of evil."
"This is all very interesting," Hourman remarked. "But I don't see why the JSA is getting involved in a series of murders committed by a band of religious fanatics. I'd think the Indian authorities would handle it, or possibly the CIA and the European intelligence outfits. They already have agents operating in India, don't they?"
"Not as many as you might think," Wonder Woman replied.
Doctor Mid-Nite added, "The Indian government doesn't seem terribly upset about Americans and Britons being strangled in their country. Apparently none of the victims of the Thuggees have been Indians. They figure it's our problem. The British SIS, I'm told, keep their activity in India to a minimum. That's still a sensitive area of the world for the British. Still some hard feelings there."
"I don't know why India is still pissed off at England," the Atom said with a shrug.
Wonder Woman glared at Atom, disapproving the language he had used.
"Sorry, Diana," he said sheepishly. "The British rule ended there some time ago and they haven't done such a great job running the country on their own."
"France and Germany have virtually no operatives in India," Wonder Woman continued. "And the United States has only a handful of CIA people there. They have to keep a very low profile."
Starman said, "The JSA has never gone up against these Thuggees."
"Yes," Doctor Mid-Nite admitted. "But we've tangled with secret societies involved in criminal activities before."
"We can expect these Thuggees to be no push over," Hawkman announced. "You see, some six hundred years ago, the original Assassins network extended across most of Asia, including India. There is evidence to suggest the cult of the Assassins influenced the followers of Kali who then became the 'children of death."
"What sort of evidence? And who were these people in the Assassins cult? This is another cult?" Starman asked.
Hawkman explained, "The Assassins are another ancient cult of fanatics that were spread in all parts of Asia. They believed their leader was a prophet of Allah. They are very dangerous because they don't care if they get killed in the service of their master because they believe they'd go straight to paradise. We can expect the Thuggees to be much the same."
Starman pressed. "Okay, the Assassins were Moslems and the Thugs were Hindus. How did one influence the other?"
"Not all Thugs were Hindus," Hawkman corrected. "Most Thugs came from the Bengal region where Hindus and Moslems have generally gotten along better than they do anywhere else in India. Unfortunately both were known to join the cult of Kali. Also the Thugs used various passwords and key phrases, among them some salutations honoring the Islamic prophet of Allah. This sets them apart from most Moslem sects, who consider Mohammed to be the supreme prophet."
"Well," the Atom said. "These Thugs sound like interestin' guys. One thing I can't stand is a dull opponent."
"How many victims have the Thuggees claimed so far, Charles?" Starman inquired.
"My sources have confirmed fifty-three, but it might be more than that," Mid-Nite replied, checking his notes. "Twenty-four were British, sixteen Americans and rest have been French, German, a couple of Italians and at least one Swiss national. He was from a banking interest sent to strike up a deal with the gold market in Bombay."
"Among the victims," Hawkman asked, "were there any women?"
"I don't think any of them were," Doctor Mid-Nite announced, scanning a list of names. "Nope. Not a single woman among the victims. In fact, the killers throttled an American journalist named Fred Knapp right in front of his wife. When she tried to stop them, the Thugs just pushed her aside, but they didn't strike her."
"That's odd," Hourman remarked. "Bandits and murderers seldom care about the sex of their victims."
"Thuggees would," Hawkman stated. "They have several taboos in the cult of Kali, one of which is never to take the life of a woman. After all, Kali is a goddess. Sacrificing a female would be sacrilegious."
"I guess you'll be safe on this mission, Diana," Hourman said.
"Maybe we should dress in drag for this mission," the Atom joked. "Just to be on the safe side."
"Atom," Hawkman began with a grin, "if any of us wanted to play it safe, we never would have gotten into this line of work in the first place."
To be continued ...
By Bruce Wayne
Justice Society of America created by Gardner Fox
Dedicated to ME, who has taught me more about being philosophical than anyone.
DISCLAIMER: Most of the characters portrayed in this story are copyright by DC Comics, an AOL/Time/Warner company. They are used without permission for entertainment without profit by the author.
Chapter 2
"I'm sorry about your friend, Carter," Doctor Mid-Nite said. "But I'm concerned about our security."
The members of the Justice Society of America had to worry about security. Even though President Franklin D Roosevelt had established the group of "mystery men" at the start of World War Two to do battle against the Nazis, there were still many people inside the government -- let alone high- profile villains -- who wanted to see the JSA out of the way. The Justice Society learned its lesson in 1951 when a government committee went out of its way to disband the group claiming the super-heroes were involved in un- American activities.
The group had only recently reformed after a long hiatus that lasted through the 1950's. A mad master of disguise by the name of "False-Face" attempted to dominate the world under the threat of chemical holocaust and it took the JSA to stop him.
Six distinguished members of the Justice Society of American were now meeting in the warm oak and cool tiled meeting room of their headquarters located in a mansion in the New York City borough of Queens near Idlewild Airport.
Besides being a master crimefighter, Doctor Mid-Nite was a renown expert on all facets of worldwide crime. Confidential sources from all over the world fed the good doctor with all kinds of criminal intelligence. If he didn't use the information to battle the criminals, he often wrote about them in the books and articles that he wrote in his civilian life as Doctor Charles McNider.
Also in the room was Wonder Woman, who often acted as a go-between for the White House and the JSA. The Oval Office was the only branch of the United States government that knew anything about the Justice Society of America, and even the President knew only what the costumed heroes felt he needed to know.
It seemed as though the criminal cannibals of the world were multiplying rapidly. With the apparent lack of anyone to stop them, the criminal organizations and individual super-villains were becoming bolder, even more ruthless than before, probably because they believed there was no one on the side of justice who was able to stop them. Perhaps the world was slowly going mad.
The Justice Society of America would do whatever was necessary to combat the madness. They would take on the cannibals anywhere and any way to get the job done. The JSA expected no quarter and seldom gave any.
"The JSA is still secure, Charles," Hawkman began as he sat at the large round conference table in the meeting room. "Abdullah Yassin contacted me by telegram. He used a code name only I would recognize. He was a good man. The world needs more like him."
"Well," Dr Mid-Nite said with a shrug. "everything is squared away with the police in Manhattan. They just thought you were a tough archaeologist who was good with his fists and Yassin was the main target of the hit. The police are going to take most of the credit, which isn't fair, but it helps us and you, Carter, maintain security."
"Any info on the criminals who attacked Carter at the deli?" Starman inquired as he sipped black coffee and leaned back in his chair.
Starman was a powerful man, ruggedly handsome and built like a lumberjack. He was clad in a bright red costume that included green trunks, green boots and a long green cape. Though he wore no mask over his face, Ted Knight did wear a soft, red helmet over his head that was topped by a wedge. A large yellow star was adorned across his chest. Starman derived his special powers through a device known as the Cosmic Rod. The handheld rod was a device of his own invention that focused cosmic radiation to an endless number of ends. The Cosmic Rod commonly focused energy both to defy gravity, allowing Starman to fly, and to emit concussive bursts of force, serving as an offensive weapon.
At the beginning of his career as a costumed crimefighter, Knight had developed a passing fancy in the emerging mystery-men like the Sandman and Green Lantern around 1940. Knight was an independently wealthy man who liked to dabble in astronomy. Like many of the younger elite, Knight had a sense of dissatisfaction with his life. This was coupled with boredom.
Being a bright individual Knight had a natural talent for science. During one visit to Washington, D.C., Knight was introduced to technology invented by a Professor Abraham Davis. One of the devices was then called a Gravity Rod. It was a device that was designed to perform a variety of energy-based feats, but which lacked a power source. Knight procured the rod and studied it. With money and other resources at his command, Knight was able to discover a cosmic radiation of unknown nature, and during a mishap in his laboratory, Knight was able to charge the Gravity Rod with this energy. It wasn't long until Knight was seized with a sense of purpose and a desire to join the ranks of the new breed heroes who arose at the start of World War Two in the United States.
"Four of the assailants at the deli were Americans," Dr Mid-Nite said, answering Starman's question. "All had been involved in crimes of violence before. Mostly juvenile offenses. One of them had spent a couple of years in the joint for second-degree murder. All four low-lifes had been associated with radical political groups in the past. Interesting variety. The two women were formerly members of something called the Socialist Reform Front. One of the men used to be a member of the National White Supremacy Party."
"Sounds like a fun group," Hourman said dryly.
Rex Tyler was known as "The Man of the Hour" or Hourman, for short. Tyler was the inventor of the Miraclo pill. Miraclo was a chemical stimulant that instantly gave Tyler superhuman strength, endurance and reaction time for exactly sixty minutes.
Hourman was also a large man. He was dressed in black costume that covered his entire torso. A black cowl hid his identity from the public. He also wore a yellow cape with yellow leggings. Black boots with red stripes around the ankles and a red belt completed his mysterious costume.
Unlike many of his JSA comrades, Tyler actually grew up in a humble home enviornment. He grew up to become a chemist for Bannermain Chemical in New York. His friends and colleagues gave him the nickname "Tick-Tock" for his obsessive punctuality. Working late one night, Tyler discovered a drug that would give a man miraculous powers. He called the drug "Miraclo." He ultimately donned the costume of a crimefighter and became Hourman.
"One of the dead men was Ali Nassan, believed to have led other hit teams in the Middle East and Western Europe," Doctor Mid-Nite explained.
"The Libyans considered Abdullah Yassin to be a traitor to the Arab people," Hawkman added. "They may have ordered the assassination of Yassin. We'll probably never know for certain."
"Hardly a justifiable reason for murder," Wonder Woman muttered with a slight trace of disgust in her voice. "Yassin believed Jews and Moslems could live together in peace, so someone killed him."
The eyes of all the males in the room were on the beautiful Diana Prince, who called herself Wonder Woman. Her long, luxurious brunette hair was over a gold tiara with a red star that covered her forehead. A costume of red, white, blue, and gold clung tightly to her magnificent body. Red and white boots completed her uniform.
Wonder Woman's powers were formidable. They were the result of her Amazonian heritage. Her powers included super-strength, super-speed, and the ability to fly in the air for brief periods of time.
Wonder Woman was also trained by her Amazonian sisters to be a warrior. She was able to deflect projectiles targeting her with her Amazonian bracelets. In addition to her bracelets, Wonder Woman had an invisibile airplane and a magical golden lariat that compelled those ensnared by it to obey her commands.
Her love of a man, Steve Trevor, brought Diana to the United States during World War Two. She eventually rose to a position in U.S. military intelligence. Her civilian position and her respected position as an Amazonian princess in her Wonder Woman guise allowed her access to high- ranking sources in the U.S. government.
"Murders are often committed for reasons that don't make much sense," Doctor Mid-Nite remarked, reaching for a file folder.
"I realize that, Doctor," Diana replied. "In fact, the President of the United States has taken a personal interest in a series of bizarre killings that have recently occurred in India."
"I hope he still remembers how we assisted the government during the False- Face affair," Hourman noted.
Wonder Woman smiled and nodded.
"Does this mean we've got a new case to work on?" The Atom asked eagerly.
The diminutive crimefighter from Calvin City had become restless and started to pace the floor. The Atom was a bundle of nervous energy, and he could never sit still for long. Al Pratt lived for a fight even though he was barely over five-feet tall. His stature was the only thing that was small on the Atom. He had the heart and courage of a lion and would never show fear while facing an opponent.
He wore a blue mask that obscurred his entire face. A blue cape covered his powerful shoulders. A yellow tunic with red trim along his open chest covered his body. A large, brown leather belt covered his abdomen. Red boots were pulled up along his bare legs. Brown leather bracelets covered the Atom's wrists and forearms.
In his younger days, the Atom was the target of harassment. Pratt was often referred to as "Atom Al" by his tormentors. After being accosted by a mugger in front of a girl who he had a crush on, Pratt came into contact with former heavyweight boxer and trainer Joe Morgan. Morgan trained the eager Pratt into a first-class fighter.
One night, Pratt found out that the girl he liked had been kidnapped and was being held for ransom. Finding the criminals, Pratt saved the girl. He later donned a costume he had made for himself and became the crimefighter Atom.
"Yes," Doctor Mid-Nite confirmed. "We have a mission. The murders in India haven't received much press attention, but a lot of people are getting killed over there and some folks in high places are getting worried about it."
"Like the President of the United States," Hourman mused.
"And the prime minister of Great Britain," Doctor Mid-Nite added. "The president of France and the prime minister of the Federal Republic of Germany and a couple other heads of Western democracies are also interested."
"Sounds interestin'" the Atom remarked. "And we haven't heard any details yet."
"Okay," Doctor Mid-Nite said as he nodded. "Somebody is murdering Americans, Britons and Western Europeans in India. A few victims have been minor officials working for the embassies in New Delhi. Others have been businessmen and trade representatives. Most were just tourists. The murders have occurred all over the country from Bombay to Calcutta."
"How long has this been going on?" Starman asked.
"Almost a year now," Mid-Nite answered. "At first the motive appeared to be robbery. The killers steal their victims' money, watches, rings and so forth, but I don't believe that's the real motive."
"I don't know, Doctor," Wonder Woman said with a shrug. "I've heard about drug addicts who would kill people for twenty dollars. That kind of money would mean even more to some poor person in a country like India."
"But the murders have all been committed the same way," the blind crimefighter explained. "The victims were strangled to death. The murders were well thought out in advance and the killings were done swiftly, skillfully, in an organized manner."
"Or a ritualistic manner," Hawkman commented thoughtfully. "Were any of the murders committed by more than one assailant? Probably two men holding the victim while a third strangled him with a weapon that could be a silk scarf with a silver rupee knotted in the middle?"
"Yes," Doctor Mid-Nite said with surprise. "How did you know?"
"That's the traditional method of assassination by the Thuggees," Hawkman replied. "Although they'd call it a 'ritual sacrifice,' not murder."
"I've read a bit about the Thugs," the Atom announced. "Cult of robbers who strangled their victims. Thuggee is where the term 'thug' comes from in fact. As I recall, they were active in the 1840s. The British were occupyin' India at the time. The soldiers rounded up the bad guys and hanged the lot of them. I thought that was the end of the Thugs."
"Think again," Hawkman told him. "The British executed hundreds of Thuggees, but they only drove the other members of the cult underground. The religion is still practiced to this day. In fact, there was a revival of the Thuggees in the Bengal region as recently as 1947."
"And the Indian Criminal Investigation Division thinks that's what's happened now," Doctor Mid-Nite confirmed.
"You seem to know all about this cult, Carter," Hourman remarked. "What else can you tell us?"
"Well," the reincarnated Egyptian prince began, "they worship the goddess Kali, and according to legend, Kali is the daughter of Shiva, one of the three great gods of the Hindu religion. She is the goddess of death, but also the giver of life and the destroyer of evil."
"This is all very interesting," Hourman remarked. "But I don't see why the JSA is getting involved in a series of murders committed by a band of religious fanatics. I'd think the Indian authorities would handle it, or possibly the CIA and the European intelligence outfits. They already have agents operating in India, don't they?"
"Not as many as you might think," Wonder Woman replied.
Doctor Mid-Nite added, "The Indian government doesn't seem terribly upset about Americans and Britons being strangled in their country. Apparently none of the victims of the Thuggees have been Indians. They figure it's our problem. The British SIS, I'm told, keep their activity in India to a minimum. That's still a sensitive area of the world for the British. Still some hard feelings there."
"I don't know why India is still pissed off at England," the Atom said with a shrug.
Wonder Woman glared at Atom, disapproving the language he had used.
"Sorry, Diana," he said sheepishly. "The British rule ended there some time ago and they haven't done such a great job running the country on their own."
"France and Germany have virtually no operatives in India," Wonder Woman continued. "And the United States has only a handful of CIA people there. They have to keep a very low profile."
Starman said, "The JSA has never gone up against these Thuggees."
"Yes," Doctor Mid-Nite admitted. "But we've tangled with secret societies involved in criminal activities before."
"We can expect these Thuggees to be no push over," Hawkman announced. "You see, some six hundred years ago, the original Assassins network extended across most of Asia, including India. There is evidence to suggest the cult of the Assassins influenced the followers of Kali who then became the 'children of death."
"What sort of evidence? And who were these people in the Assassins cult? This is another cult?" Starman asked.
Hawkman explained, "The Assassins are another ancient cult of fanatics that were spread in all parts of Asia. They believed their leader was a prophet of Allah. They are very dangerous because they don't care if they get killed in the service of their master because they believe they'd go straight to paradise. We can expect the Thuggees to be much the same."
Starman pressed. "Okay, the Assassins were Moslems and the Thugs were Hindus. How did one influence the other?"
"Not all Thugs were Hindus," Hawkman corrected. "Most Thugs came from the Bengal region where Hindus and Moslems have generally gotten along better than they do anywhere else in India. Unfortunately both were known to join the cult of Kali. Also the Thugs used various passwords and key phrases, among them some salutations honoring the Islamic prophet of Allah. This sets them apart from most Moslem sects, who consider Mohammed to be the supreme prophet."
"Well," the Atom said. "These Thugs sound like interestin' guys. One thing I can't stand is a dull opponent."
"How many victims have the Thuggees claimed so far, Charles?" Starman inquired.
"My sources have confirmed fifty-three, but it might be more than that," Mid-Nite replied, checking his notes. "Twenty-four were British, sixteen Americans and rest have been French, German, a couple of Italians and at least one Swiss national. He was from a banking interest sent to strike up a deal with the gold market in Bombay."
"Among the victims," Hawkman asked, "were there any women?"
"I don't think any of them were," Doctor Mid-Nite announced, scanning a list of names. "Nope. Not a single woman among the victims. In fact, the killers throttled an American journalist named Fred Knapp right in front of his wife. When she tried to stop them, the Thugs just pushed her aside, but they didn't strike her."
"That's odd," Hourman remarked. "Bandits and murderers seldom care about the sex of their victims."
"Thuggees would," Hawkman stated. "They have several taboos in the cult of Kali, one of which is never to take the life of a woman. After all, Kali is a goddess. Sacrificing a female would be sacrilegious."
"I guess you'll be safe on this mission, Diana," Hourman said.
"Maybe we should dress in drag for this mission," the Atom joked. "Just to be on the safe side."
"Atom," Hawkman began with a grin, "if any of us wanted to play it safe, we never would have gotten into this line of work in the first place."
To be continued ...