SPEED FORCE
(JUSTICE LEAGUE, the JUSTICE LEAGUE icon and all names and characters therein are property of and owned by DC Comics and Cartoon Network. Any attempt to use any such property of these companies without their proper authorization and/or permission can and will result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.)
(I do not own JUSTICE LEAGUE, nor am I in any way affiliated with Cartoon Network or DC Comics. I'm just a diehard fan who loves the show.)
(This fanfic is rated PG. It contains mild violence.)
CHAPTER 01 TIME: 0600 hrs. PLACE: The Watchtower, orbiting the planet Earth
High atop the Earth, just outside of the atmosphere, the Justice League Watchtower floated in orbit, constantly overlooking the planet. Inside were some of the world's greatest heroes – the heroes who comprised the Justice League.
Inside, the Flash was looking at a whiteboard he'd posted on one of the walls. On that whiteboard were mug shots of some of the most dangerous villains he'd had to overcome in his career as a superhero. As he scrutinized the pictures, a voice behind him asked, "Flash, just what are you doing?"
Turning, he came face-to-face with his friend, John Stewart, the Green Lantern. "Oh, hey, G.L.," he replied. "Come check it out."
Lantern walked over and looked at the board. "I noticed you've had this thing here since two days ago," he said. "Just what purpose is it supposed to serve?"
"I'm making a pyramid of all the villains I've faced since I got my powers," Flash explained. "The least dangerous are at the bottom, and the most dangerous are, of course, at the top."
Lantern examined the villain roster, appropriately marked Flash's Rogues' Gallery. "Hmmm...the Shade...Captain Boomerang...Mirror Master...Gorilla Grodd – say, how come the slot at the top is empty?"
"Oh, yeah...about that," said Flash. "Well, granted I've faced a lot of adversaries in the past, but...none of 'em have been dangerous enough to be considered my biggest arch-enemy, you know what I mean?"
"I don't think I'm following," Lantern admitted, shaking his head.
"Well, look at it this way," Flash explained. "You know that your biggest enemy as a Green Lantern is Sinestro, right? And Superman's is Darkseid, and Batman's is the Joker...well, none of my enemies are really in that class."
"Even Gorilla Grodd?" asked Lantern.
"Yeah, well..." Flash frowned as he looked at Grodd's mug shot. "I was considering him for the top spot, but...somehow, I don't think I should. At least not yet."
At that moment his com-link went off, and he answered it. "Y'allo? Oh...hey, man, what's up?...Is that so? Well, sure, I'll come! What time? 8:30? Yeah, definitely! Okay, see ya then!"
"What was that all about?" Lantern asked as Flash hung up.
"That was my good buddy in the Central City police force, Hunter Zolomon," Flash explained. "He and I are supposed to hang around at his crib in a few hours – it's his day-off today."
"You guys are that close?" Lantern wondered.
"Yep."
"Like brothers?"
"Yeah, sort of." Flash shrugged. "He and I can tell each other anything."
"Really?"
"Well, uh – not EVERYTHING, if you know what I mean," Flash amended.
Lantern just looked at him.
**************************************************************************** ****************
TIME: 0800 hrs. PLACE: Apartment 7E, Georgie's Apartments, Central City
"Yo, Hunter, you in? Open up – it's me!" Flash bellowed, knocking loudly on the door. A moment later the door swung open to reveal a brown- haired man with a mug in one hand.
"Hey, man, pipe down! You're not at Grand Central Station, you know!" he scolded.
"Sorry, sorry, Hunter," Flash apologized, scratching the back of his head.
"As usual," Hunter laughed. He then opened his door some more and stepped aside. "By the way, you're not out on the street, you know. It's always safe to be open with your own pal, right?"
Flash grinned. "True, true." Looking both ways down the corridor, he then removed his mask, and in a second he was Wally West, his alter ego.
"Grab a soda and sit down, huh, Wally?" Hunter invited him.
Wally complied. Soon, he had a Pepsi in one hand and had eased himself on the sofa. "So, how's police work coming along, Hunter?"
"Same as always, you know," Hunter lamented, opening his own can of soda and pouring it into the mug. "Writing up profiles for various criminals, including the super-psychos. It seems like fun when you first get into it, but after a while it becomes a 'same old, same old' type of thing. How 'bout you?"
"Well...you know how it is," said Wally, taking a swig of his soda. "Being the fastest man alive has its perks, plus being a member of the Justice League – but at least there's the comfort of knowing that the criminals – ordinary and super – can't hurt anybody else. Oh, and there's all the babes that come up to you, asking for your autograph."
"I wish I were in your shoes, Wally," Hunter admitted.
"Well, it's not all roses," Wally replied. "Just being the fastest man alive is hard work, if you know what I mean. I have to be stocking up on food every couple of hours just to keep up my metabolism."
"Well, at least there are some things about your body you don't need to speed up, right?" said Hunter, and both of them laughed. At that moment, however, Hunter's cell-phone rang, and in disappointment he answered it.
"Yeah, Zolomon here...you guys need me at the station? What for? It's my day off, you know...Oh? Oh, all right, then, I'll be there...yeah, see you then." He looked at Wally. "Sorry, man."
"Oh, hey, no worries." Wally replaced his mask and once again, he was the Flash. "The other heroes will probably be calling me in a moment, anyway. Well, see ya!" One second later he was speeding out the door.
Hunter smiled and shook his head. "Same as always, that one..."
**************************************************************************** ****************
Moments later saw Flash at the hot dog stand. "Yeah, fifteen chili- dogs with extra mustard," he said.
"Fifteen? Dude, you've got one big appetite, you know that?" the vendor exclaimed. "Well, as long as you've got the cash, right?"
"Yeah...so, how much?" asked Flash.
"$2.00 for a chili-dog, so...that's 30 bucks for ya, big guy," said the vendor.
Before Flash could reach his pocket, however, a familiar hand reached over to the vendor with some crisp bills in hand. "$34.00 – that's fifteen chili-dogs for him, two for me," said Lantern.
"G.L.! Uh – what brings you here?" Flash exclaimed, turning red in the face.
"I was in the neighborhood," Lantern grinned as he accepted the chilidogs from the vendor. "Hey, Flash, here you go. So, wanna tell me more about your pal Hunter?"
Flash turned even redder. "Um...maybe we can talk about it elsewhere?"
"Yeah. Sure." The two men walked some distance away from the vendor's stand, both munching on their chilidogs. "Well, Flash, who would've thought your real name's Wally? Sounds kinda corny for an alter ego..."
"Hey, would you keep it down? What, you want the whole of Central City to know?" Flash scolded. "And since when do you eavesdrop on other people's conversations?"
"Sorry, sorry." Lantern laughed. "But you could've at least told me that you and he were THAT chummy, you know...chummy enough for him to know who you really are."
"Well, you know...he's helped me bring down a couple of bad guys in the past, and as time's gone by, we've earned each other's trust and confidence."
"But is it wise? I mean, having him know your I.D. like this," said Lantern. "Wouldn't that put him in danger?"
"It would – if anybody thought he knew," said Flash. "But he is one guy who knows how to keep secrets, and I'm grateful for that."
"You know, Flash, you're really lucky to have a pal like him," said Lantern after a moment's thought. "You don't have a lot of those in the world anymore."
"Yeah...I guess that's right..."
At that moment Lantern's com-link went off, and he answered it. "Yeah, Lantern here."
On the other end of the line came the voice of an all-too-familiar person – Batman, the Dark Knight. "Lantern, it's me," he said. "We've just gotten reports that Gorilla Grodd is operating in Central City. Be on the lookout."
"Copy that, Batman," said Lantern. "Flash is here with me, so we'll check it out right now. Where's Grodd at?"
"He has a hiding place in the subway system," said Batman. "Find him and flush him out."
"Grodd, huh?" said Flash. "Well, okay." He turned on his own com-link and punched in a frequency number. After a moment Hunter's voice came up: "Yeah?"
"Hey, Hunter, it's me," said Flash. "You know about any big, ugly, talking gorillas in Central City?"
"You mean Grodd? Yeah, we're aware of him," said Hunter. "Our dispatcher just sent the alert to your Justice League friends. We suspect that he's operating in the westbound side of the subway system. I'm already on my way there with the units."
"Okay, I'll see you there then!" Flash snapped off his com-link. "C'mon, G.L., let's go!" A moment later he was speeding off toward the west side of the city, Lantern flying after him.
(JUSTICE LEAGUE, the JUSTICE LEAGUE icon and all names and characters therein are property of and owned by DC Comics and Cartoon Network. Any attempt to use any such property of these companies without their proper authorization and/or permission can and will result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.)
(I do not own JUSTICE LEAGUE, nor am I in any way affiliated with Cartoon Network or DC Comics. I'm just a diehard fan who loves the show.)
(This fanfic is rated PG. It contains mild violence.)
CHAPTER 01 TIME: 0600 hrs. PLACE: The Watchtower, orbiting the planet Earth
High atop the Earth, just outside of the atmosphere, the Justice League Watchtower floated in orbit, constantly overlooking the planet. Inside were some of the world's greatest heroes – the heroes who comprised the Justice League.
Inside, the Flash was looking at a whiteboard he'd posted on one of the walls. On that whiteboard were mug shots of some of the most dangerous villains he'd had to overcome in his career as a superhero. As he scrutinized the pictures, a voice behind him asked, "Flash, just what are you doing?"
Turning, he came face-to-face with his friend, John Stewart, the Green Lantern. "Oh, hey, G.L.," he replied. "Come check it out."
Lantern walked over and looked at the board. "I noticed you've had this thing here since two days ago," he said. "Just what purpose is it supposed to serve?"
"I'm making a pyramid of all the villains I've faced since I got my powers," Flash explained. "The least dangerous are at the bottom, and the most dangerous are, of course, at the top."
Lantern examined the villain roster, appropriately marked Flash's Rogues' Gallery. "Hmmm...the Shade...Captain Boomerang...Mirror Master...Gorilla Grodd – say, how come the slot at the top is empty?"
"Oh, yeah...about that," said Flash. "Well, granted I've faced a lot of adversaries in the past, but...none of 'em have been dangerous enough to be considered my biggest arch-enemy, you know what I mean?"
"I don't think I'm following," Lantern admitted, shaking his head.
"Well, look at it this way," Flash explained. "You know that your biggest enemy as a Green Lantern is Sinestro, right? And Superman's is Darkseid, and Batman's is the Joker...well, none of my enemies are really in that class."
"Even Gorilla Grodd?" asked Lantern.
"Yeah, well..." Flash frowned as he looked at Grodd's mug shot. "I was considering him for the top spot, but...somehow, I don't think I should. At least not yet."
At that moment his com-link went off, and he answered it. "Y'allo? Oh...hey, man, what's up?...Is that so? Well, sure, I'll come! What time? 8:30? Yeah, definitely! Okay, see ya then!"
"What was that all about?" Lantern asked as Flash hung up.
"That was my good buddy in the Central City police force, Hunter Zolomon," Flash explained. "He and I are supposed to hang around at his crib in a few hours – it's his day-off today."
"You guys are that close?" Lantern wondered.
"Yep."
"Like brothers?"
"Yeah, sort of." Flash shrugged. "He and I can tell each other anything."
"Really?"
"Well, uh – not EVERYTHING, if you know what I mean," Flash amended.
Lantern just looked at him.
**************************************************************************** ****************
TIME: 0800 hrs. PLACE: Apartment 7E, Georgie's Apartments, Central City
"Yo, Hunter, you in? Open up – it's me!" Flash bellowed, knocking loudly on the door. A moment later the door swung open to reveal a brown- haired man with a mug in one hand.
"Hey, man, pipe down! You're not at Grand Central Station, you know!" he scolded.
"Sorry, sorry, Hunter," Flash apologized, scratching the back of his head.
"As usual," Hunter laughed. He then opened his door some more and stepped aside. "By the way, you're not out on the street, you know. It's always safe to be open with your own pal, right?"
Flash grinned. "True, true." Looking both ways down the corridor, he then removed his mask, and in a second he was Wally West, his alter ego.
"Grab a soda and sit down, huh, Wally?" Hunter invited him.
Wally complied. Soon, he had a Pepsi in one hand and had eased himself on the sofa. "So, how's police work coming along, Hunter?"
"Same as always, you know," Hunter lamented, opening his own can of soda and pouring it into the mug. "Writing up profiles for various criminals, including the super-psychos. It seems like fun when you first get into it, but after a while it becomes a 'same old, same old' type of thing. How 'bout you?"
"Well...you know how it is," said Wally, taking a swig of his soda. "Being the fastest man alive has its perks, plus being a member of the Justice League – but at least there's the comfort of knowing that the criminals – ordinary and super – can't hurt anybody else. Oh, and there's all the babes that come up to you, asking for your autograph."
"I wish I were in your shoes, Wally," Hunter admitted.
"Well, it's not all roses," Wally replied. "Just being the fastest man alive is hard work, if you know what I mean. I have to be stocking up on food every couple of hours just to keep up my metabolism."
"Well, at least there are some things about your body you don't need to speed up, right?" said Hunter, and both of them laughed. At that moment, however, Hunter's cell-phone rang, and in disappointment he answered it.
"Yeah, Zolomon here...you guys need me at the station? What for? It's my day off, you know...Oh? Oh, all right, then, I'll be there...yeah, see you then." He looked at Wally. "Sorry, man."
"Oh, hey, no worries." Wally replaced his mask and once again, he was the Flash. "The other heroes will probably be calling me in a moment, anyway. Well, see ya!" One second later he was speeding out the door.
Hunter smiled and shook his head. "Same as always, that one..."
**************************************************************************** ****************
Moments later saw Flash at the hot dog stand. "Yeah, fifteen chili- dogs with extra mustard," he said.
"Fifteen? Dude, you've got one big appetite, you know that?" the vendor exclaimed. "Well, as long as you've got the cash, right?"
"Yeah...so, how much?" asked Flash.
"$2.00 for a chili-dog, so...that's 30 bucks for ya, big guy," said the vendor.
Before Flash could reach his pocket, however, a familiar hand reached over to the vendor with some crisp bills in hand. "$34.00 – that's fifteen chili-dogs for him, two for me," said Lantern.
"G.L.! Uh – what brings you here?" Flash exclaimed, turning red in the face.
"I was in the neighborhood," Lantern grinned as he accepted the chilidogs from the vendor. "Hey, Flash, here you go. So, wanna tell me more about your pal Hunter?"
Flash turned even redder. "Um...maybe we can talk about it elsewhere?"
"Yeah. Sure." The two men walked some distance away from the vendor's stand, both munching on their chilidogs. "Well, Flash, who would've thought your real name's Wally? Sounds kinda corny for an alter ego..."
"Hey, would you keep it down? What, you want the whole of Central City to know?" Flash scolded. "And since when do you eavesdrop on other people's conversations?"
"Sorry, sorry." Lantern laughed. "But you could've at least told me that you and he were THAT chummy, you know...chummy enough for him to know who you really are."
"Well, you know...he's helped me bring down a couple of bad guys in the past, and as time's gone by, we've earned each other's trust and confidence."
"But is it wise? I mean, having him know your I.D. like this," said Lantern. "Wouldn't that put him in danger?"
"It would – if anybody thought he knew," said Flash. "But he is one guy who knows how to keep secrets, and I'm grateful for that."
"You know, Flash, you're really lucky to have a pal like him," said Lantern after a moment's thought. "You don't have a lot of those in the world anymore."
"Yeah...I guess that's right..."
At that moment Lantern's com-link went off, and he answered it. "Yeah, Lantern here."
On the other end of the line came the voice of an all-too-familiar person – Batman, the Dark Knight. "Lantern, it's me," he said. "We've just gotten reports that Gorilla Grodd is operating in Central City. Be on the lookout."
"Copy that, Batman," said Lantern. "Flash is here with me, so we'll check it out right now. Where's Grodd at?"
"He has a hiding place in the subway system," said Batman. "Find him and flush him out."
"Grodd, huh?" said Flash. "Well, okay." He turned on his own com-link and punched in a frequency number. After a moment Hunter's voice came up: "Yeah?"
"Hey, Hunter, it's me," said Flash. "You know about any big, ugly, talking gorillas in Central City?"
"You mean Grodd? Yeah, we're aware of him," said Hunter. "Our dispatcher just sent the alert to your Justice League friends. We suspect that he's operating in the westbound side of the subway system. I'm already on my way there with the units."
"Okay, I'll see you there then!" Flash snapped off his com-link. "C'mon, G.L., let's go!" A moment later he was speeding off toward the west side of the city, Lantern flying after him.