"Adam, report to the watch tower. Priority one." J'onn yelled. I moved upwards so fast I caught in the blankets, and fell to the floor. Kara wasn't there, since it was one of her alert nights.
"What's the matter?" I asked, searching vainly for a pair of pants.
"There is an attack occuring in Metropolis. You are the only league member available."
"Supes isn't around?" I asked, raising a hand to summon a pair from across the room.
"No, he and the other members are all on other missions." J'onn shook his head. "Even Booster is occupied."
"So, you're saying I've pretty much got my finger in the dyke?" J'onn gave me a blank stare.
"Long story, ask Flash when he gets back."
I like fighting people that are stronger than I am. I'm braggy, and on occasion, arrogant, I admit that. Fighting people stronger than I am, gives me bragging rights. Supergirl, Hawkgirl, and Superman are all fun to spar with. Supergirl, and Superman are weak to my powers, him more so because she's building up a resistance living with me. Hawkgirl would seem to be, but that mace of hers takes care of that nasty little detail. John, Lantern, is fun to fight as well, because he doesn't play nice. At the same time, I should also note, I only fight one person stronger than I am, at a time. Fighting seven at once, isn't as much fun. And it hurts. Because these guys are immune to my powers. Another pair of two foot hands hit me, and I slammed into the lobby of a building.
There had only been one when I started, and J'onn had said there was only one, otherwise I'd have tried a different tact. Namely having him fire that cannon down on this thing's head. After fighting for ten minutes, and hitting it with a city bus, or three, it had hit the ground. Naturally, I thought I'd won. Then he split. At least I think it's a he. The face isn't very good looking, and now it's a bit mangled.
"J'onn, status on back up?" I called, ducking a fist, and pulling it into a throw. Whatever this thing was, it landed just past me on it's feet, and shoved it's other fist into my teeth. I felt a few break, as I was ripped backwards through the air, and into another building.
"No one is available yet." J'onn answered. I came out of the office building, dragging an entire floor worth of desks. Like meteors, they slammed into the opponents, as I came down again and started to attack. A trio of fists hit me, and pitched me down the street.
"What about Captain Marvel?" I asked.
"He left the league." J'onn replied.
"Has he turned in his com link?" I asked, seriously not in the mood for another round.
"No, he said he will in the morning." J'onn replied. I suddenly had not so much hope, but a shining light in the distance.
"Put me through direct." I asked.
"One moment." The explosion of a pair of cars slowed the group of them advancing.
"Look, I told you I quit." Marvel's alternate form, one Billy Batson snapped.
"Marvel, don't hang up!" I yelled, leaping back from a massive fist. "I really, really need some help here."
"Who is this?" He asked.
"Adam, the wizard, remember?" I'd never bothered to convince him I wasn't technically a wizard. Even I have a heart, and I couldn't bring it out in myself to corrupt such an innocent. He wasn't the only to call me a wizard, but I digress.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I'm out numbered seven to one, they're immune to my powers, and they're at least as strong as Superman. Thankfully they can't fly. I'm kind of over matched, and I have no backup. Think you could see your way clear to providing some aid?" As I spoke another blow landed, and I felt ribs snap. He must have heard the grunt.
"On my way." The line closed, and I could almost feel the convergence of energies as he transformed. Fire streamed from my hands, as I was charged again. While the generation of the fire was magical, the fire itself was normal. They seemed afraid of it. Pitiably, I couldn't keep it up forever, with a distinct lack of stuff to burn. Air is combustible, but it requires a hell of a lot of heat and energy to burn. As Marvel approached, I saw a remarkable sight. Seven two foot fists about to impact me. Slamming an instant or so later through the middle of about six sky scrapers, I wondered exactly why I was fightin for the forces of good. I'd make an excellent evil genius, wouldn't I? Besides. They don't get slammed through sky scrapers. They came down on me.
"That's not good." Marvel muttered to himself, seeing the buildings fall. He landed in the middle of the seven creatures, all about eight feet tall, and with massive fists and muscles. The faces on them made them appear disfigured, and inhuman, even if the rest of their appearence wasn't a clue. The leader slammed into him, and Marvel admitted privately, they were at least as strong as Superman. A return blow, on the other hand, pitched the creature back and into one of it's brethren. Both exploded in a brillant flash of light. Marvel blinked, realized they were robots, and charged. Several well placed punches later, all five of the remaining robots were scrap metal. Supergirl arrived a minute later, appearing ready for a fight. Marvel flushed not so much with pride, as embarrassment. For all his powers, he was still a teenager at heart. "Supergirl, I..."
"Fight is over I see. Where's Adam?" She asked.
"I don't know. He wasn't here when I arrived, but he called me." Marvel replied, scanning around for the errant warrior.
"J'onn, Adam isn't in sight, and there's a massive pile of rubble with lead pipes that's giving my X-ray vision fits. Can you lock onto his comsignal?" Kara called, still scanning other buildings.
"One moment." J'onn answered, then a moment later. "No, the signal is too generalized, but he is alive, if with an elevated pulse."
"Must be about to get some." Kara joked, covering her nervousness about the moments. That was when the flash of green light caught Marvels' attention.
"Over there." It was underneath the fallen sky scrapers. Both heroes approached it.
"Adam? Is that you?" Kara called.
"No. It's Green Lantern." Came the reply.
"Are you alright?" Marvel asked.
"I'm lying under the rubble of six sky scrapers. No, alright is not something I'd call myself." Came the answer. He sounded a little stressed.
"Hang on, we'll dig you out." Kara called down the shaft.
"No, no, don't do that. I'm braced six ways from sunday down here. The rubble shifts, and all you'll find is a jacket and goo. See if the Atom is free."
He was, and arrived ten minutes later. "Down there?" He asked, pointing down the six inch wide shaft. "This could take time."
"How about a lift?" Adam called, and a glowing green platform appeared. Atom stepped from Kara's hand to the platform. He disappeared and Kara flew to the ground.
"Not much space down here, is there." Atom asked rhetorically.
"Not really no." I replied. Have I ever mentioned I have mild case of claustophobia?
"So, is this place going to come down around our heads when I shrink you?" Atom asked.
"It shouldn't my powers aren't proportional to my size." I answered dubiously.
"Well if it is, I can go all the way down to sub-atomic, and save us the hassle." Atom replied. I thought on it for a moment.
"No, your size should be fine." I answered, far more confidently than I wanted to. He shrank me, and we started to ascend on the same platform. The distinct rumbling made me realized I'd forgotten something. "It would appear my range isn't independant of my size."
"Then could you hurry this up? I'd rather not be a smashed Atom." He whispered.
"One express elevator, going up." The acceleration drove us both to our knees, but we came out just as the pile collapsed.
Atom and Kara were off to the side, examining the remains of one of the robots, and I had a chance to pull Marvel off to the side. "Hey, I want to thank you for coming to my aid."
"Of course, the others would have done the same." Marvel tried to wave it off.
"Most of them yes, but I've had my fair share of less than heroic moments. Certain people up there don't like me, and I can understand why. They think of me as a loose cannon." I admitted. Kara could probably hear me, but it didn't matter. She'd made the same suggestions to me. Marvel sighed.
"They are a bit high and mighty. That's why I left. Why don't you come with me? We can start our own group." Marvel offered.
"I wouldn't mind it, but for two things. I am under the command of a pair of very powerful beings, who I cannot deny." I replied, with honest regret..
"Who?" Marvel asked, clearly appearing ready to go off, and fight them for me.
"Supergirl for one. She would let me leave, but wouldn't come with me. She's too close to Superman, even if he's only her cousin. And my Penultimate master, Lord Triaxx. He wants me to work with the League, at least a bit longer, so even if I could convince Supergirl away, I couldn't convince him to let me go yet. If he does, I'll come to you and we'll talk this over alright?"
"Sure." Marvel smiled, and offered me his hand.
"Great, here." I shook his head, and passed him a small, silver and blue pin. "This is one of my personal links. Only two other people have one besides me. Just squeeze the sides if you need me, and I'll be there as fast as I can."
"Thank you. And if you ever need me?" He asked. I smiled.
"Your's blinks too." I answered him. He laughed.
"We need to talk." Superman spoke. I sighed, and turned to face him. "In private."