The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Dreams of the Damned
Chapter Two
Big
Robin was out on the conning tower that Silent Bob had built onto the top of The Sword. Bob claimed it was a place to smoke up where the smell wouldn't coat everything, but for Robin, this was a place to think. It was a place he could go to get away from it all and reminisce, or to just…be. He'd discovered it soon after boarding The Sword, and had spent a good deal of time up here, staring at the water and thinking about Batman.
He'd been Robin's mentor for quite some time, and the pair had begun to take on a father/son relationship when he was killed. For Robin, it was like that fateful night at the circus all over again, only this time someone much more powerful than Two-Face had brought about the death of his father.
So it was that on the third day of their journey to South America, Robin was leaning on the railing, gazing out at the water, when Selene wandered out. She saw him standing there, staring at apparently nothing, but knew that he was looking at a sea of memory. She moved closer and leaned on the railing herself, forearms supporting her weight, hands laced in front of her.
Little did she know that Robin had noticed her the moment she had set foot onto the tower. She'd looked beautiful when he first met her, but now…now she was gorgeous. The wind was blowing her hair behind her, whipping it about. Her coat made a soft fluttering sound as it billowed slightly. No sound was made other than that, at first. Until, finally, Selene noticed he was staring. "It's big, isn't it," she asked, her voice soft.
"Um…excuse me," Robin asked, eyes widening. She let a small smile curl her lips, and Robin joined in uneasily a moment afterwards.
"That's better," Selene replied, turning and using her elbows to support her on the railing. "What I meant," she continued, growing serious, "was the sea. The sea of memories that I know you were looking at. It's a vast ocean, isn't it?" Robin looked away then, and went back to leaning on the railing.
"Yeah," he said, after a long moment. "Yeah, it is…sometimes too big."
"I know how you feel," Selene returned, nodding her head slightly. "You try to remember everything about him, everything that you know about him…and sometimes you can't. You feel guilty for it, but no matter how hard you try, you can't remember everything."
"Yeah," Robin replied glumly. "Sometimes I forget the first time we met. That's when it's the worst."
"Yes," Selene nodded, "then it is the worst. I've been there." She turned now, leaning on one elbow. The other was stretching out, as Selene reached out her hand to place it gently on Robin's shoulder. "I know how you suffer, and I know by the nature of both yourself and the suffering, you want to do it alone…but you shouldn't. Everyone here would listen if you wanted to talk…even Darian. And Robin…you can admit how you feel about something that's said, too. You're a member of this League just as much as Indiana or myself your opinion is valued. Or if you just wanted to get it off your chest, how you feel-"
"I'm scared," Robin cut in suddenly.
"See, that's a start," Selene replied with a smile. "What are you scared of?"
"Recruiting this last guy. Indiana said it was too dangerous for anybody else, but he takes me with him? Why? Why not you, Alex, Darian, or Bob? You all have way more experience dealing with things like this. I was just Batman's sidekick."
"You underestimate yourself," she stated. "I saw the way you handled the fighting in Alex's home. You did well, a good mix of reflexes, speed, power, and wits. You knew what you were doing, and you weren't going to let anyone get in your way." They both saw the land quickly approaching, and Selene held up her hand to cut Robin off. "Don't worry, you can do this. Concentrate on the goal at hand, just like you did back there, and you'll do fine. And Robin?" He looked at her with a mix of curiosity and gratitude. "Don't forget, Bob is grieving too."
"What about you," Robin returned. "What about your husband, Michael?" A wall of ice seemed to slide over Selene's features, and she turned and walked away, back down into The Sword, leaving Robin to verbally bash himself over the head.
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"Alright," Robin mumbled, shaking a damp bit of fallen leaf out of his hair, "I am definitely not coming back here." The Red Cross workers laughed good-naturedly at the boy, none moreso than the bearded one in the hat. His brown eyes were filled with mirth, and he stepped forward.
"You just need to remember to bring a hat," he said, in perfect English. Robin quirked an eyebrow at that, while Indiana Jones sized the man up.
He was skinny, definitely not the kind of guy that could defend himself if it became necessary to do so. He was definitely intelligent, which he seemed to pride himself on greatly. He was also American, something Indy found quite odd. Oddly enough, he bore an odd sort of familiarity to Indy…almost as if he'd seen his face before. "Excuse me, Mr…." The man instantly took on a guarded look.
"Karter," he said evenly, "Michael Karter."
"So, you are American," Robin stated.
"Yeah," Karter returned. "I came down here because the people need help." He gestured to the shabby medical facility behind him. "We're not doing much, obviously, but it's better than nothing."
"Karter, huh," Indy asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yes," the man stated, beginning to sound agitated. "What's the problem?"
"Oh, nothing," Indy replied, shaking his head and waving his hand. "Nothing at all, sorry. So, Dr. Karter, can you tell us anything about this large green thing that people have spotted throughout forests all across South America?"
"Nothing," Karter returned quickly. Too quickly, Robin noted. He knew something. "Nothing at all. Now, I think you should go, before-" Just then there was the sound of a humvee grinding to a halt. "Shit," Karter cursed, and then gestured for people to start hiding key medical supplies. Several large, macho, army types stepped out of the vehicle, guns strapped to their person. They began speaking in Spanish, and appeared to be arguing with Karter and glancing suspiciously towards the two of them. Robin knew very little Spanish, but Indy was fluent, and translated for Robin softly.
"The one guy is saying that Karter needs to give up the medicine or pay for it with his life." Indy paused to listen to Karter. "Karter just said that they were just helping people." Another pause, and then, "The loudmouth said that they were going to confiscate the supplies. He wants Karter to tell them where they hid them." Yet another pause, and then, "Karter said no, and – oh, shit." The large man had just slammed the butt of his rifle into the head of a little girl, who promptly fell down and started crying. He aimed the rifle at the little girl's head and then shouted, in broken English, that if anyone moved, the girl would become another casualty of war. Robin immediately started to retrieve a Batarang, but Indy stopped him with a shake of his head. "If you do anything, he'll shoot that girl dead." Just then, Karter stepped up in front of the gun, blocking the little girl from view.
"You don't want to do that," he said in a calm, even tone, but with a current of suppressed rage running through it. The man laughed and shoved Karter out of the way. Karter merely got back up and stepped in front of the gun again. His face was calm, but it almost appeared that he was distant, like he was detaching from the world. It took Indy a second, but he noticed that Karter's eyes were glowing green. "You're making me angry," Karter said, so quietly that Indy and Robin had to strain to hear it. "You're not going to like me when I'm angry."
And then Karter let out an animalistic, feral roar. It sounded far too deep to be his own voice, and he dropped to the ground, tried to push himself up, and fell again. He began beating on the ground in a fury, even as his body shifted and changed. His skin was slowly changing from pale flesh to bright green, muscles springing into existence from nowhere. His hair was receding, changing into a dark green mop around a quickly devolving head. His shirt ripped and shredded, shoes following shortly after. The lower half of his pants ripped as enormous calf muscles grew, and the top half became inexorably tight as they stretched to suit his tree trunk legs. His brow sloped forward, jaw squared. It almost looked Neanderthal in appearance; only Indy doubted that Neanderthals were nine-foot tall green monstrosities with enormous muscles and green eyes. The beast stood up and considered the man in front of him, who was no longer laughing. Instead, the man shot him, and the beast, known as the Hulk, looked at it in disinterested. The wound healed, and Hulk swatted the soldier away before he could get in another shot. The man flew back ten feet, smacked into a tree, and broke his spine, the crack of bone mixing with the crack of the tree as it split down the middle.
Then the screaming started, as Hulk began smashing his way through the military types. He picked up the humvee and bellowed like an angry gorilla before throwing it up and over the trees. He then turned to look at the odd newcomers, but his attention was drawn to the frightened girl that had been hit with the gun. She was still crying, and was very much afraid of the green giant that was standing in the midst of the people she'd grown to know and love. Hulk walked over to her and gently scooped her up before turning and giving her to her parents. "Hulk not hurt girl," the jade giant stated plainly, before turning on the newcomers. He cocked his head, as if considering them a moment, before leaping into the trees and taking off through them. Indy pulled out his gun and gave chase, Robin a step behind, two Batarangs already in his hand. He was throwing like crazy, trying to knock the goliath out of the trees. Indy smirked at the boy when he had to pause to grab another Batarang and shook his head. "Just keep chasing him," he stated. "Don't worry, we know what we're doing, right Robin?" Without waiting for a response, Indy took off after the beast, firing his gun at branches just below the feet of the giant.
It wasn't too soon before Hulk found out the reason behind Indiana Jones' infernal calm. He stepped on a branch, prepared to keep running, when there was a deafening crack, and the branch fell away, part of it having been sawed through to weaken it earlier. Hulk landed hard on his back, and Indy gave the signal to Robin. Robin instinctively knew what to do, grabbing one of the Bat-Nets and throwing it over the green giant. The net was connected to a rope that was attached to a winch on The Sword, and it proceeded to whip Hulk back and into The Sword. "Welcome aboard, Hulk," Indy mumbled, an amused tone in his voice.
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Selene hadn't argued with Indy when he'd stated that the mission was too dangerous for anyone except Robin. She hadn't understood it, but she hadn't argued it. Nor had Darian, Bob, or Alex for that matter.
So it was that when the entire ship began to shake, Selene understood it was the "game" bagged on the mission. She left her quarters to investigate, and met Darian and Alex along the way. "Seems like the explorer's nailed his treasure," Darian stated when he saw Alex. Just then, the three of them saw Brody come flying out of the room and slamming into the wall.
"Or the treasure nailed him," Alex returned, eyes wide. With a smirk, Alex gestured for her to go first. She rolled her eyes and entered, though nearly stopped in her tracks once she laid eyes on Hulk.
The monster was chained up, but for some ungodly reason, there was slack in the chains, and the huge green giant was using it to his advantage, swiping at Bob any time the man came close enough. Bob would just jump back, while Indy stood in one place, just out of Hulk's reach. Robin, she noted, was well to the left and well out of reach. Selene smiled and walked over to stand by him, while Alex and Darian chatted amongst themselves.
"Hulk," Indy called out suddenly, when it looked like the monster was beginning to brood. "I've got a message for you." Hulk seemed rather uncaring, truthfully. "From Betty." Hulk's head snapped upright, and his eyes were wide.
"Betty," questioned the beast in his deep, unearthly voice.
"She wants your help, Hulk. We're after a man called Dracula. You know about him?" Hulk sniffed the air for a moment and then pointed at Selene.
"Like her." Selene raised her eyebrows, and then smirked slightly when she noticed Robin starting to interpose himself between the monster and her person.
"Right, he's a vampire." Indy shrugged and continued, "Here's the thing: We're after him, and we need your help."
"What in it for Hulk?"
"Besides clearing your name," Indy asked. "Don't forget, you haven't heard the message from Betty yet."
"Tell."
"The message is this: Help me. Dracula's kidnapped her, Hulk. The only way you can get to her is by working with us."
"Hulk is in," Hulk growled, and then sniffed the air. His eyes fell on Robin. "Don't be afraid."
"Who said I was afraid," Robin returned uneasily. Within seconds, Hulk had ripped a chain free and swung it around, nearly decapitating both Selene and Robin. At the last second, Robin had grabbed Selene and thrown both of them down on the floor.
"Hulk smell it," was all that he said. The monster seemed to be calming down. Quite suddenly, he began spasming and writhing around, shrinking and losing muscle mass in the process. His skin was returning to the color of pale flesh, and gradually, his eyes lost the green glow.
Finally, after the last spasm, the man that had introduced himself as Michael Karter stood before them, holding his pants up so they wouldn't fall. "Hi," he said nervously. "I'm Bruce Banner. I'll help you."
"The League is set," Indy said, smiling slightly. Bob seemed to be thinking about something, and then shook his head. Indy cocked an eyebrow, but Darian nodded.
"Bob's right," the ex-thief stated. "There was this one file you never got around to looking at."
"Did anybody notice it," Robin asked.
"I did," Selene stated. "In passing. It had a large Z on the tab, just like the other folders had the first letter of each of our names."
"Z?" Indiana Jones knew of only one man useful in this situation with a name that began with Z. "How in the hell are we going to recruit him?"
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"You're kidding," Jones groaned, looking at a webcam screen with James Bond's face on it.
"I joke, Mr. Jones, but not about this," returned the British man.
"So…he's alive? How?"
"You're mythical fountain, Mr. Jones." Jones was on his feet in a heartbeat.
"He knows where it is? What? How? When?"
"Which question should I answer first," James responded, smirking. Indy was about to return with a bitter retort when James rode on overtop of him. "Take it easy, Mr. Jones. I can't tell you much, just that he lives in Mexico, in the manor of his old master."
"You're telling me," Jones began, "that Alejandro Murrieta, Zorro, somehow found the Fountain of Youth and took a drink?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Mr. Jones. I'm glad we understand each other. Good day, and happy hunting." The screen died before Jones could ask any further questions. Silence descended on the room for all of three seconds, and then Indy uttered a curse and left the room.
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A day and a half later, Indiana Jones, Darian, and Alex stood at the door of the old de la Vega manor. It looked rather shabby at the moment, as if whoever was living there had long since fallen into uncaring apathy. Indy had knocked three times already, and was ready to knock again, when finally the door swung open, and Alejandro Murrieta, looking no older than he had when he first donned the mantle of Zorro, stood in the door, wearing a blue Polo shirt, faded khaki pants, and beat up sneakers. "Mr. Alejandro Murrieta," Indy asked, and the man standing before them nodded. Jones didn't want to believe at first, didn't want to believe that this dishelved mess of a man could be (or have been, as the case may be) the freedom fighter, Zorro. His hair was long, unruly, and greasy, while his face looked like it hadn't seen a shave in years. His body still looked as strong as ever, but the way he carried himself gave away the years of sadness he'd experienced. "Hello, Mr. Murrieta, we're from Mr. James Bond-"
"Bond," he scoffed, and shook his head. "No. I am not interested. Leave." He started to close the door, but Alex stepped up and caught it with his forearm. "Let go of my door."
"Mr. Murrieta," Alex said, "all we want at this time is a moment of yours. Please, at least hear us out." Murrieta opened his mouth to say no, but something in the young man's face (besides the scars) changed his mind. He jerked his head in the general direction of "inside" and retreated back into his house, leaving the others to trail behind him. Once inside, they could clearly make out the smell of alcohol, and they could also clearly see the bottle of liquor sitting on Alejandro's kitchen table. He guided them all into a spacious den, grabbing the bottle of liquor off the table as he did so, and then took a seat, gesturing for them to do the same. The three of them did, and then looked at one another a moment before Indy sat forward, elbows on knees, and began talking.
"Mr. Murrieta, James Bond and a Coalition made up of American and British officials are putting together a team to stop what may be the destruction of civilization as we know it." Indy nodded to the bearded man sitting across from him. "They want you to be a part of it."
"I am not Zorro any longer," Murrieta returned.
"That's just it," Darian returned, "we want you to be him again."
"What reason do I have to take up the sword? You've seen this house, devoid of any love. Why should I care whether civilization falls?" This was the tricky part. Indy had only one thing prepared for this, and he hated having to use it, but there was no other way.
"Honor," the explorer stated.
"Honor," Murrieta scoffed. "What honor do you think I have? There is nothing left of what you speak of for me."
"Not your honor, Mr. Murrieta," Jones said softly. "The honor of your instructor, mentor, and friend. Don Diego de la Vega."
"What do you know of that," Murrieta shot back, his voice acid.
"I know," Jones began, even softer than before, "that his grave has been robbed of its most precious treasure: His body."
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The four of them stood at the former grave of Don Diego de la Vega. It was torn up, and the body was, quite obviously, gone. "Who…who has done this," Murrieta raged. "I will…I will…!"
"What will you do, Mr. Murrieta," Alex asked softly. "What will you do, with no information and nothing but your rage to go on?" Murrieta was silent for a long time, and then finally, he turned to face them.
"Mr. Jones. Who did this?"
"Do you want the blunt, short answer, or the longwinded explanation," the explorer asked.
"Short," Murrieta returned.
"Dracula."
"I see."
"Have you made your decision, Mr. Murrieta," Darian asked, for once being polite and respectful.
"Yes," he stated, heading determinedly towards the manor. "Zorro rides again." The Leaguers followed him back inside, where they witnessed him drastically shortening his hair and shaving off most of his long beard, leaving only a pointed goatee. He then quickly retrieved the costume and dressed. Finally, he buckled his sword belt to his waist and made a few test slashes with his rapier. With a grin, he turned to his new teammates. "I'm back."
"Now you can say it," Darian said, turning to Indy with a grin.
"The League is set…again."
AN: You like? Well, there you have it, the League is ready to go. Love it, hate it? R&R, but no flames, please.