Summary: An unknown force takes Project Armageddon, a doomsday weapon capable of destroying all existence. It will require the combined efforts of the JLA and Titans in order to retrieve it before the mastermind who stole it unleashes its awesome powers.
Author's Note: 1. This story takes place in my "Friends" universe, immediately following "Friends 4: That Don't Impress Me Much!"
2. Zulu time is a military designation based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). It is used to coordinate military movements around the globe. I used it to simplify the numerous time zones in which the action takes place. FYI: EST (-6.00hrs), CST (-7.00hrs), MST (-8.00hrs), PST (-9.00hrs)
Acknowledgements: Info on Hypertime came from Kingdom Come 2 and the Time and Hypertime Website Info on Rip Hunter from The Unofficial Forgotten Heroes Website . These are excellent resources for writers; therefore, I happily give them full credit for the information. However, I stole the river metaphor for Time from Star Trek!:)
Disklaimer: All the characters are owned by DC Comics and Time/Warner; this is an original story that does not intend to infringe on their copyright. Feedback is welcome!
Copyright: February 2003
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JLA/Titans: Stealing Armageddon
By Syl Francis
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Chapter One
Day 1
0800hrs Zulu: Station Alpha-Omega
Somewhere in the Rocky Mountains
****
Sgt. Dupree glanced up. The photo of his wife and baby that he'd taped above his desk smiled down at him. He smiled back. Three more days and his current tour of duty at Station Alpha-Omega would be over. His beeper went off. Time to make the rounds. Standing up, he placed his forefinger on the photo, touching his wife's face.
Dupree then activated his satlink. Several monitors instantly shifted angles and views. He closely studied the outer banks surrounding the high security complex. Several camera shots flashed by of an electrified chain link fence topped by razor wire and lit by bright magnesium stadium lights.
Armed guards paced off their sectors in pairs, crossing paths at regular intervals. Looks good, he thought.
"This is the Sergeant of the Guard. Post One, report."
A young corporal with a military buzz cut and ice-cold gray eyes appeared immediately on Dupree's upper right hand monitor. Dupree knew him to be a serious, professional soldier who exuded confidence to both his subordinates and leaders.
"Post One, all clear."
"Roger, Post One," Dupree acknowledged, checking off his guard report. The corporal's serious demeanor slipped momentarily and he gave Dupree a slight smile.
"Cards and beer afterwards, Sarge?" he asked.
"You betcha, Gilman," Dupree said with a brief nod. Gilman nodded and signed off. Dupree continued with the job at hand. "Post Two, report."
Dupree repeated the call until he reached Post Six.
"Post Six, report," he called. No answer. He adjusted the darkened monitor tagged with the legend, 'Post #6.'
"Post Six," he repeated. Still no answer. Dupree counted to ten. "Post Six, this is the Sergeant of the Guard--report!" Again no answer.
"All posts! All posts! This is the Sergeant of the Guard. Post Six fails to acknowledge. I say again--Post Six fails to acknowledge. Go to DEFCON Three! I say again--DEFCON Three! Acknowledge!"
DEFCON 3 was the highest alert status. The guards were under orders to shoot to kill.
He turned to the Quick Reaction Force direct line. About to put in the call for the QRF, Dupree realized that he wasn't receiving any acknowledgement from his guard posts. Eyes widening, Dupree saw all of his monitors suddenly go completely black.
He pressed the emergency call button.
"This is Sgt. Dupree at Station Alpha-Omega! I've lost all comms with my outposts! I say again--I've lost comms with my outposts! Request QRF--!"
The doors and windows suddenly exploded inwardly in a blazing pyrotechnic display. Dupree instantly dived for cover, unholstering his .9mm Beretta. Glass and wooden shards flew all around. As he landed on his back, he looked up in time to see a weapon straight out of Star Wars aimed pointblank at him.
As the futuristic particle weapon erupted in a bright, searing beam, Dupree's last thoughts were of his wife and little girl.
****
Day 1
0845hrs Zulu: Apartment of Barbara (Oracle) Gordon
Gotham City
****
"The entire platoon was killed," Oracle reported. "Thirty-six men and women. And the underground bunker was cleaned out."
"What was taken?" Plastic Man's nose suddenly grew for no apparent reason other than slapstick effect. He was currently on monitor duty at the JLA Watchtower.
Barbara Gordon tried with difficulty not to grin at her irreverent teammate's antics. She covered her mouth to suppress a giggle, her reaction well-hidden behind her electronic Oracle icon.
Keeping a neutral tone, she answered him. "The bunker manifest reads: M-16s, grenade launchers, LAWs, sundry ammunition. Conventional munitions. Certainly nothing worth going to all this trouble to--A--store under such high security measures, or--B--to steal."
"So, what you're saying is that something with a little more bang was actually taken," Plastic Man stated. "What do you think? Nukes? Chemical munitions? The Army's entire supply of condoms?"
Before Oracle could reply, Plastic Man continued. "By the way, I love the way your electronic eyes glow from the overhead monitor. Will you go out with me?"
Oracle rubbed her eyes, her security system covering for her.
"Plas, this is deadly serious. A lot of lives were lost in this raid--"
"I know. You're right," he said looking properly chastised. "So--let's talk about us! You're much too good for the Bat-guy. He doesn't appreciate your nano-nites the way I do. Run away with me and be my screensaver. You'n me, Babe, we'll stretch all the physical boundaries."
"We believe that the manifest is a fake," Oracle continued, ignoring Plastic Man's silliness, "but at this time we don't have much else to go on."
Plastic Man sighed, surrendering to the inevitable.
"Why do the Bat-guys get all the babes?" he grumbled. "Okay, okay. What you're saying then is that our relationship is strictly business."
Barbara dropped her head in her hands. Talking to this guy was like having a conversation with a Looney Tunes character.
"Fine then. I guess this means the engagement is off," Plastic Man said in a huff. "So what do you want from the JLA?"
Barbara looked up quickly. That last had been a serious question. She noted, however, that Plastic Man's tone was offset by the fact that his neck was twisted like a pretzel and his lips had spread out about three feet in either direction.
"Batman says that whoever's on monitor duty needs to maintain a sharp lookout for anything suspicious. Sudden activity in the international arms market. That sort of thing."
"Oh, he said that, huh? Phwa! Who died and made him king?" Plastic Man grumbled. "Aquaman? BWAHAHAHAHA!!!" He laughed at his own joke.
"Oh, I don't know," Oracle replied. She looked up at Batman. "Would you care to ask him, yourself? He's here with me."
"Eeep! Uh, nah, Oracle!" Plastic Man said hastily. He backed off, waving his hands nervously. "No problemo, my lovely nano-queen. Batsy's wish is my command! Does our ever vigilant Dark Knight have anything else for us mere minions?"
Batman gave a single sharp shake of his cowled head.
"Negative, Plastic Man," Barbara replied with a wicked grin. "Oracle out."
The JLA satcom link diskonnected. Barbara looked up at Batman.
"Oooh. You terrify even the good guys. Have you thought about changing your image?" she teased.
Batman ignored her bantering. "Has Black Canary found out anything else?" he asked.
Barbara shook her head. "Department of Defense isn't sharing," she said. "But Dinah can't be put off so easily. Arsenal's buddies with one of the CBI agents assigned to the case, so she's called him in."
"Arsenal?" Batman's tone dripped disapproval, but he didn't say anything further. "Is there any evidence that what they stole weren't conventional munitions?" he asked.
"Dinah's already managed one covert look-see. She says that the underground bunker might have more than meets the eye. She's not sure, though, so she's planning another recon. This time, she's going to look for whatever she can't see."
Batman nodded.
"Very well," he said. "Keep me informed."
"Aren't you going to dash off sight unseen to help her?" she teased. She cringed at his sudden cold look, startled by the grim jut to his granite jaw line.
"Black Canary doesn't need my help," Batman said, turning to go, his cape whipping behind him. "Haven't you heard? She's the best covert operative in the world. This mission is in good hands."
He was gone in an instant.
"Yeah," Barbara muttered. "So why do I get the feeling that that's a bad thing?"
****
Day 10857hrs Zulu: Station Alpha-Omega
Somewhere in the Rocky Mountains
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Black Canary glanced at the digital readout on the wall monitor. 1:57 a.m., local time. As often as she traveled around the world, she still hated adjusting to time changes. She'd been in Cannes only two hours ago, where she'd been enjoying the wonderful beaches and moonlit nights.
And her blossoming romance with Bruce Wayne. She sighed. It had all started so well and ended so badly.
And now she was here. Underground. Skulking in the shadows.
"Par for the course, Dinah," she muttered. "Give a guy an inch and he wants to control your life."
As she picked her way through the rubble, her mind kept going back to the all-too-few days and nights she'd spent with Bruce. She recalled his dreamy, dark blue eyes and how they twinkled when he allowed himself to smile, making him appear almost boyish.
Her blue-green eyes hardened suddenly.
Underneath Bruce's smooth, polished exterior simmered a tortured soul obsessed with the dead ghosts of lost loved ones. And it didn't take long for those fears to surface. Before she'd known it, their last after-dinner conversation had taken an unexpected turn...
****
Dinah's special earrings beeped, warning of an incoming message from Oracle. Dinah looked up regretfully at Bruce. They'd already disregarded one JLA emergency call-up. She couldn't put off going back to work any longer.
"Yes, Oracle," she responded. "What can I do you out of?" Oracle quickly brought her up to speed regarding the destruction of Station Alpha-Omega.
"Sounds like a national security problem, girlfriend," Dinah protested. "I'm sure the CBI will handle it just fine." She listened patiently, her eyes narrowing in thought.
"Okay," she said. "I'm on my way. Black Canary out." She turned to Bruce and filled him in on the situation as she dressed in her uniform and gathered her equipment. That's when things got ugly.
"I'll go with you," he said immediately.
"Sorry, Dark Knight," she said blithely. "No can do. This is my mission, and I work strictly solo."
"Dinah, don't be ridiculous. There's no need for you to--"
"Look, Bruce," she interrupted. "There's one thing we're going to have to get straight from the get-go. When it comes to my job, you have no role to play in it. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is."
"No!" he shouted. "I forbid you to go alone!"
"'Forbid'?" she'd gasped. "Who do you think you are? I'm not one of your little Batboys who jump when you snap your fingers."
"Dinah," Bruce began, "that's not what I meant--"
Dinah glared at him long and hard. "Yes it is, Bruce. That's exactly what you meant." She walked up to him and gently placed her hand on his cheek.
"I'm falling in love with you Bruce Wayne, but there is no way that I'm ever going to allow a man to control my life again. So, you'd better decide. Either accept me as I am--as who I am--or end it now. The choice is yours." She stood on her tiptoes and lightly brushed her lips against his.
Taking a step back, Black Canary held his eyes momentarily and then activated her JLA transporter signal, disappearing in a shimmer of photons...
****
Black Canary gritted her teeth at the unpleasant memory.
Put a lid on it, Dinah, she growled silently. Concentrate on the mission at hand.
She came to a titanium steel security door and approached it with added caution. The super-strong door had been melted into so much useless slag. Raising a single eyebrow, she analyzed it with her handheld scanner.
"Whoa," she whispered. Taking a cautious step through the security door, Black Canary continued with her reconnaissance. She entered a section of the complex that was in total blackout and donned her night vision goggles accordingly.
Touching a pressure point on the NVGs, a digital readout popped up suddenly on the lower right hand corner of her lenses. Her special goggles quickly scanned and analyzed the collateral damage surrounding her. The same high-energy beams that had destroyed the titanium security doors had turned most of the walls and ceiling into so many melted puddles.
If whoever did this already have this kind of weaponry already, she wondered, what could they possibly want with the conventional stuff that the station was supposedly storing?
Unsurprisingly, the rest of her recon showed more of the same destruction. What did catch her interest was the amount of and diversified types of high-tech security measures that were used in the facilities.
"Like using Fort Knox to store a piggy bank," she muttered.
Finally, Black Canary arrived in the central storage chamber. She moved cautiously to the edge of the catwalk at the uppermost levels and whistled softly. The chamber was the size of a skyscraper. She looked down the seemingly endless heights, counting over fifty-six levels.
"I'll be a dirty name," she muttered. "What in the name of all creation could they have been storing here?"
More specifically, what did the guys who took it intend to do with it?
****
Day 11030hrs Zulu: Temporary office of Special Agent Thomas O'Neil, CBI
Federal Building, Denver, CO
****
"You owe me, O'Neil," Arsenal growled. "I saved your butt more times than you can count. You and I both know that whatever was taken from Alpha-Omega, it wasn't just a bunch of M-16s."
"Harper, you know I'd help you if I could, but they've assigned me to Adara Mylonas as my senior partner. You think Cheshire was tough? That assassin has nothing on my partner. A real Dragon Lady. If she even gets wind that I'm talking to you, she'll--"
"--She'll probably have you before a diskiplinary board." They both turned to see a beautiful woman standing in the open doorway. "O'Neil, you're on probation, and I'm your only chance to remain in the Bureau. If I give the word, you'll be out of the CBI so fast, you'll get a ticket for speeding."
"Agent Adara Mylonas, I presume," Arsenal said. "Roy Harper, AKA Arsenal, superhero extraordinaire, currently on a mission with the Justice League of America. Agent O'Neil was merely helping your local JLA rep."
"You? JLA?" Mylonas snorted. "An ex-junkie who couldn't cut it with the CBI? Don't make me laugh!"
"The JLA prides itself in being equal opportunity employers, ma'am, "Arsenal said smoothly. "As for making you laugh," he added with a slight leer, "meet me later, and I promise I'll leave you with a smile."
O'Neil covered his mouth to hide a sudden snicker. Same old Harper, he thought.
Mylonas regarded them both with a look that could freeze lava. Grinning, Arsenal took out a card from a hidden pocket in his weapons belt.
"Call that number and you'll get confirmation of the 'official' status of my visit," he said. Turning to leave, he added, "Oh, Agent O'Neil? Thank you for your time. I'll be in touch."
O'Neil shook his head desperately. "But--"
"Later!" With that Arsenal left the same way he'd come, through the open window. Staying to the shadows, he crouched near the window ledge and listened for a few moments. He cringed. Mylonas was taking a large chunk out of her junior partner's butt.
"Ouch," Arsenal muttered, grinning. He immediately made his way to Mylonas' office. "I see O'Neil hasn't lost his touch with the ladies. Still, no sense letting such a golden opportunity go to waste." He added this last quite philosophically, as he entered the darkened office of the senior agent.
Heading directly to a safe marked 'Top Secret,' he shook his head sadly. "Not even a challenge."
****
Day 11040hrs Zulu: rooftop
Federal Building, Denver, CO
****
"Did you get it?" Black Canary spoke without turning.
"Of course." Arsenal stepped into the weak illumination given by the airplane warning lights on the antenna tower. They were standing on the roof of the Denver County Federal Building.
He held out a mini-compact disk jewel case. "It's encrypted," he said.
"Any trouble?" she asked.
In answer, Arsenal smirked. "Hey, Pretty Bird, this is me you're talking to!"
Black Canary gave him an answering smirk and nodded. She took out a mini-disk player, placed the CD in it, and hit a few buttons. "Oracle? Black Canary. I'm transmitting the coded data now. How long?"
She listened for a moment.
"Cool. We'll stand by." She paused and looking as if she were weighing her next words carefully asked, "Did he say anything?"
Catching Arsenal's curious look, Black Canary turned her back to him. Listening intently, she slowly straightened her shoulders. Then, in apparent defiance, she lifted her chin.
"I see. Thanks, girlfriend. BC out." She glanced up at Arsenal. "Oracle says it'll be about four to five minutes for the decryption."
"Good," Arsenal said, noticing that Black Canary seemed oddly distracted. "Dinah, you okay?" he asked. "You look bothered by something."
Black Canary gazed at him momentarily, and then looked away, shrugging. "I just don't like what I saw in the bunker, Red. Definite signs of ultra high-security measures--lasers, alarms, photoelectric cells, iris scans, palm prints. You name it, it was in use. Whatever was stored in there, the government went to a lot of trouble to keep it there."
"Uh-huh," he said noncommittally. "So, what's really bothering you, Pretty Bird?"
Black Canary shook her head, dismissively. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Okaaaaaayyy..." he said reluctantly. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Her back was to him. He walked up to her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Just remember that I'm here for you."
Black Canary placed her hand on his and squeezed it slightly. "Thanks, Red," she said gratefully. She then opened her comlink to Oracle again. "Ready on your end, Oracle?"
Black Canary listened and nodded. "Ready to receive." A few seconds later, her palm-sized disk player beeped, signaling that it had received the decrypted data.
"Got it, Oracle. You're the best." BC listened thoughtfully, relaying the information to Arsenal. "Oracle reports that she had to remove some of the data from the disk. Something about personal information that directly affected some members of the JLA."
Arsenal raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Let's take a look at what we've got," he said.
BC punched the necessary keys on her player and instantly accessed the decrypted information. A tight muscle jumped along her jaw line, the only sign of her startled reaction.
"Armageddon," Arsenal whispered.
"We'd better get ready," BC breathed. "Things are about to get nasty."
****
End of Chapter One