By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G
Shout Outs-
Red Witch: Glad you thought it was still funny.
Ruby631: Considering his world was destroyed by Sentinels kind of a real messed up one.
X-Over: Oh they'll find out in this chapter and plans will star to form for the Dark Circle, there will be new recruits soon, unfortunately no Batman but you will see other familiar Batman characters.
Chapter 10: No Man's Land
The Exiles Complex-
It was two days after the King of the Ring debacle and our heroes were hanging out in the briefing room. "I wonder what kind of mission's Guardian's got for us today." August said.
"I'm hoping it's the planet of naked cheerleaders." Morph replied with a lecherous grin.
"Morph!" Blink said. "Is sex all you think about?"
"No." Morph replied crossing his arms in his chair. "I think about kissing too."
Blink just roller her eyes and sat down in her usual place at the meeting table. The door swished open and Guardian walked in. The Exiles could tell from his expression that he didn't have good news. "I don't like where this is going already." Vincent groaned.
"As long as it isn't another trip to Limbo." August replied. "Then I'd be happy."
"So what've you got for us Boss Man?" Morph asked. "Please tell me the planet of naked cheerleaders needs re-seeding."
"I'm afraid that you will not be able to visit that reality." The Guardian replied.
"And why not?" Morph asked. "You said we could visit any reality, right?"
"Well, yes I did." Guardian said. "But you can't visit that reality because it doesn't exist. A small chuckle rose from the other Exiles at Morph's expense.
"Now, I'm afraid that the time for levity is over."
Guardian said as he activated the holo-projector. "How many of you are
familiar with Gotham City?" Almost all of the Exiles raised their hands
in conformation, all of them except Blink that is. "For your benefit
Blink, I will explain the significance of this city."
The
holo-picture changed to that of a man dressed in a cowl and cape. "In
many realities Gotham City is the home to the vigilante known as
Batman. Just recently a terrible earthquake rocked the city and many
people were killed. The city was in such disarray that the US
government deemed it a 'No Man's Land.' Nobody was allowed in or out,
not even to deliver well-needed supplies, such as medicine and food."
The holo-picture changed to that of Batman fighting a gang of thugs in a wasteland. "Add to that the fact that several of Gotham's worst criminals and psychopaths were released onto the streets, chaos soon ensued. The strongest criminals soon took control of the city and split it up into several parts."
The holo-picture then changed to show a map of Gotham divided into different sections. "I am afraid that I will have to split you up to go about your separate missions." Guardian continued.
"Um no offence." August said. "But isn't that kind of Batman's job?"
"It would be if he wasn't killed in the quake in the first place." Guardian replied.
"Well that kinda puts a damper on things, doesn't it?" Morph said.
"I will split you up thus." Guardian said. "Heather, due to your medical expertise, you will be helping with the medical effort. Vincent, you will be investigating the disappearance of children in Robinson Park. Jono, you will be protecting a young woman called Oracle." The holo-picture then changed to that of an attractive redheaded woman in a wheelchair.
"Sounds easy enough to me, guv." Jono said. "Bein' a bodyguard isn't exactly hard work."
"If only that were the case." Guardian replied. "Oracle is located right in the middle of gang territory."
"Oh bugger." Jono groaned.
"There's another problem." Guardian told him.
"Of course there is." The British mutant muttered.
An image of humanoid creatures with red eyes that were all black and had long blade like things on their forearms and on the side of their shines that were part of their bodies. They had no real features and had three red eyes, two normally placed ones and a third one on the forehead. "These are Dark Circle Shadow Assassins, a friend of mine got a message to me telling me they might be in Gotham and Oracle was most likely their target."
"So what about us?" Morph asked. "Don't tell me we have to go after the Joker or something."
"Funny you should say that actually, Morph." Guardian replied. "That is exactly what you have to do. You, along with Blink and August will have to combat the Joker, Harley Quinn and Bane." Morph and August both groaned in dread at the prospect of facing two of Batman's most deadly enemies.
"I don't get it." Blink said. "If those guys are as lame as their names, they should be a push over." The holo-picture changes once more to show that of a muscle-bound wannabe wrestler and a man with bright green hair, a deathly pale face and an insane grin plastered onto his face.
"You want some salt with that foot in your mouth, Blink?" Morph asked.
The Exiles were gathered in the teleporter room waiting to be sent down to their respective missions. Heather was first up as her mission was deemed more urgent. She was also beamed down with several crates of emergency medical supplies. Blink, August and Morph were next, then Jono and Vincent was the final one to leave.
Sasquatch-Heather, in a white doctors coat and a medical case filled with advance medicines, and found herself in what appeared to be an abandoned train station. There were medical personnel rushing about attending to injuries of so many people, it looked like something out of one of those World War Two movies with a makeshift medical unit. Before she was teleported down to Gotham, Guardian told Heather to seek out Dr Leslie Thompkins, the person in charge of the medical efforts. Heather saw a gray-haired woman aged in her late fifties.
"Umm, Doctor Thompkins? I'm Dr. Heather Hudson. I'm here to help."
"Oh thank God." Dr. Thompkins replied, not even asking who the new arrival is or where she came from. "We're swamped. Follow me, we've got a woman about to give birth but she's having complications!" Heather followed Dr Thompkins.
"I brought medial and other supplies with me." She said pointing to the corner.
"How did-no I'll ask later." She said and looked around for someone. "David! We got new supplies start handing them out!"
Blink, August and Morph-Blink, August and Morph teleported down to an abandoned building yard. Down inside a large crater, a muscle-bound guy in a mask was pounding on a pale guy in strange purple clothing with an insane grin on his face pale face with bright green hair.
"Let me guess." Blink said. "The muscle-bound WWE wannabe is Bane and the freaky clown is the Joker."
"Got it in one." Morph replied.
"Uch." Blink winced. "I hate clowns, I didn't sleep for two days after watching that movie IT."
"So what're we supposed to do?" August asked. "Why don't we let the big guy pound on the Joker for a while, it would make our job easier for a start."
"That isn't how heroes work." Blink replied walking forward to the fight. "We have to stop Bane before he kills the Joker."
"I suppose that it's my turn then." August sighs and stops Blink. "Being the strongest out of us three, I got the better change but I could use back up if you two don't mind."
"Go get 'em tiger!" Morph replied, giving August two thumbs up she just rolled her eyes as she headed towards the villains.
Jono-When Jono teleported into Gotham and found himself in a mob scene, it was like something out of 'Gangs of New York.' He swore loudly as a random thug hit him on the head with a two-by-four. Jono spun around and punched the thug squarely on the chin. While the thug was momentarily off balance, Jono dealt him a meaty roundhouse kick to the head, knocking him out. Unfortunately, another thug leapt onto Jono's back in retribution for his friend. Jono simply flipped him off his back and kicked him in the kidneys.
Unfortunately, Jono didn't see another thug take out a gun. He realized this too late and was shot in the shoulder. He winced in pain as the gun-toting thug pistol-whipped him. With his vision darkening, Jono saw what appeared to be a giant bat swoop down from the roof and talked the thugs to the ground. Then everything went black.
Vincent-Vincent was teleported outside what was once a brick wall. A rusted sign on what was left of the wall read 'Robinson Park.' "I guess this is where I'm supposed to start searching." He said to himself as he walked into the park. Much to Vincent's amazement, the park was in a rather good state for a place that had just gone through a rather serious earthquake. Sure, the buildings were all crumbled and broken but the vegetation was unusually well kept.
"Somebody must take horticulture pretty seriously." He said. Out of the corner of his eye Vincent saw several children walking towards what he guessed was once the park's botanical garden. He hid behind a tree and watched them for a while. The children seemed to be carrying large crates of fruit and vegetables.
"Looks like somebody's been going to market a little early." He said. Once the children had all entered the ruins of the botanical garden, Vincent stepped out from behind the tree and followed them in.
Unseen by the Canadian samurai, he was being watched. Being watched a certain clay-faced person...
Jono-Jono eventually came around and saw two women looking at him concernedly. One had red hair and was in a wheelchair while the other was younger and had black hair, she also was in a tight fitting black bodysuit that clung to her little yet athletic form, it also had a cape and a bat symbol on her chest. "Oh bloody 'ell." He groaned slowly getting up and placed a hand on the back of his head. "It feels like somebody hit me upside the head with a two-by-four."
"That's exactly what happened." The redhead replied with a small smile. "It's fortunate that my friend rescued you or we wouldn't dare to think what those guys would've done to you." Jono sat up and looked around at his surroundings. He was sat on a bed in what appeared to be in a clock tower. There was a large bank of computers in one corner with a large colour-coded map up on the wall. Jono suddenly remembered why he was there in the first place.
"You're Oracle, right?" he asked. "I'm Jono, also called Chamber, I'm here to help you."
"I can fend for myself here perfectly well thank you." Oracle replied. "And how did you know I'm called Oracle anyway?" She asked him sternly.
"It's a long story, luv." Jono replied. "But seein' that we're not goin' anywhere soon, I think that I'd better tell you." Jono then explained to Oracle the Exiles' mission and why they were in Gotham in the first place.
"Well that's pretty weird stuff." Oracle said. "But I've seen worse." Then the black-haired girl, who hadn't said anything since Jono had awakened, walked up with a mug of hot chocolate.
"Thanks, luv." Jono said as he gratefully took the mug. "No offence or anything but, isn't hot chocolate a luxury around here?"
"Not if you know where the army keep their supplies." Oracle replied. Oracle smirked slightly as she saw her friend hovering around Jono. "It looks like my friend likes you." She said.
"You wanna sit down, Cassandra?" Jono asked. Both Oracle and Cassandra looked shocked as Jono mentioned her name.
"How did you know her name?" Oracle gasped.
"Remember that Guardian bloke I told you about?" Jono asked taking a sip of his cup. "He debriefed us all about you guys, let's just say you're not the only information Guru. The guys has detailed files on everyone, so I know that you were the original Batgirl, how you lost the use of your legs, and the lot, sorry how that happened though."
"Oh okay...thanks, I'm over it now." Oracle replied, kind of freaked out about the fact that a stranger knew all about them. "Well, those thugs kinda quieted down after Cassandra took care of them so all we have to do now is wait."
Jono looked out of the corner of his eye and noticed the certain looks Cassandra was giving him.
'Oh balls.' Jono thought to himself. 'She's got a crush on me. I'd better watch myself with this one, she could kick my arse before I even bloody realize it!' But then re remembered something else. "Well you two better get ready cause this big bad group sent some assassins after you luv, so I think we should get the welcome mat out.
Vincent-Vincent followed the children down into an underground chamber. He hid behind a stone pillar as he watched the children pile up the crates of produce. Years of dodging the Sentinels and guerrilla warfare tactics made it easy to follow the children without them noticing him. Then his sensitive hearing heard a plaintive plea from somewhere behind him. He followed the sound and was surprised at what he saw in front of him. A redheaded woman was bound to the wall with what seemed to be hardened clay. She had one hell of a figure, pale green skin and had some type of green body suit that left little to the imagination; there was also what looked like ivy around her body. "Damn." Vincent muttered. "Poison Ivy! I bet if Morph was here he'd make a joke about having a new bondage fantasy or something."
"Help me..." Ivy pleaded seeing someone in the shadows. "Please..."
He thought it over but he did have a code of honour about him and steeped into the dimly lit room. "You may be a psycho and a killer." Vincent said. "But nobody needs to be bound to a wall like this." Vincent then formed a small energy blade and began to hack at Ivy's clay bonds. The clay seemed to be packed quite thick and he had a little trouble releasing Ivy, plus he was also trying not to cut her hands off.
"Look out, behind you!" She screamed at him.
Vincent spun around just in time to see a colossal fist fall towards him. He managed to dodge out of the way easily with his super speed and while floating in the air fired an energy blast from his hands.
The figure in the shadows seemed to dodge the attack and started to come out into the poorly lit area.
"Clayface!" He said recognizing the figure coming out of the shadows from the comics he used to read and from the files he had read. "Oh please! You're nothing more than a second-string thug!"
"Strong words coming from a guy that's about to end up splattered all over this cavern, and who seems to be some kind of Superman wannabe." Clayface hissed as he turned his hand into a giant mace and swung it around. Once again, Vincent dodged out of the way.
"Please, I'm no boy scout and I'm a lot meaner then him." Clayface formed several tentacles and tried to impale him into the wall but he proved too fast for him. "You villains make me sick." He hissed his hands and eyes getting an eerie crimson glow to them. "Gotham's been struck by a earthquake and all the scum like you do is wreck the place."
"It's one of the simple laws of nature, buddy." Clayface replied. "Survival of the fittest!"
"Oh I now all about that." He said coldly to him. Vincent tried to blast Clayface with another burst of energy from his hand but the clay monstrosity dodged out of the way by making a hole in his form and the ball of energy ended up blowing a whole in the cavern ceiling. Fortunately, the hole let in a shaft on light, which fell on a weakened Poison Ivy. Being part plant, the sudden burst of sunlight strengthened her enough to break out of her bonds and join the fight against Clayface.
"This is for feeding me salt you monster!" She hissed as vines whipped around Clayface's legs. "Do you know what that does to a plant?"
Vincent saw his chance and brought both hands together and blasted Clayface with a much more powerful beam of energy from both hands his hand, blowing him to pieces. "Nice job, Ivy, it will take him months to pull himself back together." He said as he powered down. "Did you ever think about a job in the hero business."
Ivy just ignored Vincent's comments and sidled up close to him. "Thanks for saving me lover." She purred placing her hands on his chest. "How about I thank you with a kiss?"
Vincent held up his hand to Ivy's lips and gently pushed her away. "Sorry hot lips." He grinned. "I've heard your kisses are to die for...literally. Plus I want you to let the kids to go free."
"Pff, men." Ivy pouted as she walked away with a sexy sway of her hips and looked over her shoulder at him. "You have no idea what you missed out on, but I will give the kids back so we're even and if you ever change your mind." She looked him up and down. "Come and visit me sometime and I'll show you have 'appreciative' I can really be."
Vincent stared as he watched her walked off then shook his head. 'Damn it...why do all the female villains have to be so damn sexy...I'm going to need one long and very cold shower when I get back.'
August-
Bane was still pounding on the Joker when August crept up behind him. The hulking enforcer was distracted as the fire-manipulating woman cleared her throat behind him. He whipped his head around to see August standing behind him with an innocent smile on her face and her hands held behind her back.
"Candy-gram, for Mister Mongo!" She said. Before Bane could say anything in reply, August sent him sailing against a stack of pallets with a meaty punch to the chin. The Joker took this moment to make his escape.
"You will pay for that woman." Bane hissed getting up and whipping a small trail of blood from his mouth with a clenched fist. "I broke the Batman!"
"Blah, blah, blah." August yawned. "That's all you bad guys talk about, I broke the Bat, I killed Superman, I nailed Scott Summers, I took out the Hulk. Get a new gimmick already!"
Bane let out a bellow of rage and charged at August. She dodged out the way of a massive right hook and stuck out a foot, tripping him up. "Looking a little rusty there Bane." She said grinning. "Has beating on clowns tired you out?" With unusual speed for such a man his size, Bane leapt at August once more and grabbed her in a bear hug.
"As I said woman, you will pay for this!" He growled at her.
"Let me ask you a question, Bane." August said, not disconcerted at all by the fact that she was having her body squeezed to mush although it was getting hard to breath and it was staring to hurt. "Have you ever dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?"
"What?" Bane asked, not knowing what she was talking about.
"I'm not too sure myself." August shrugged as best she could. "I just wanted to say that." Before Bane could even continue squeezing the life out of her, August blasted him point blank with a fireball. Bane let out a scream of pain as he clutched his face and started to stumble about. Right towards a gas pipe that had been split open during the fight.
"Look out for that..." Too late, the gas pipe exploded with a colossal boom, sending August sailing through the air. Blink had seen her fly out of the crater and ported over to her friend.
"August, you alright?" Blink asked kneeling down to her and checking her. August's black leather one-piece bodysuit was ripped and torn and she saw a few cuts but nothing too serious. Then August groaned as Blink helped her up.
August moaned a little leaning on Blink. "I am so glad fire can't hurt me...but I wish the concussion of explosions didn't also...wish I had invulnerability like Vincent does, god I ache all over."
"Don't worry we'll have the Doc fix you up."
"What?" August asked her. "Did you say something? I think I got a ringing in my ears."
Jono-Back at the clock tower the security had been heightened but Jono was still nervous. Cassandra had pulled on her mask and had gone on a few patrols of the area to help out while Jono stayed behind to make sure Barbara was still safe. He had to admit she was a looker but refrained from starting anything, since not only was he leaving after this mission, but he really didn't want a jealous and crushed Batgirl after him. Or else he would have a few certain body parts crushed instead.
"So tell me about yourself, you said you're a mutant. What exactly is that?" Oracle asked looking through all the data on her monitors.
Jono shrugged. "Well luv we're basically human except for one small gene that gives us our powers. Normally it's activated at puberty but there are exceptions. Unfortunately it also means most humans from my world and others don't look kindly on us."
"How so?"
"Let me use the Sentinels as an example. These are huge machines designed by the Government that are used to hunt down and kill any and all mutants, regardless of their age, sex or even if they're not a threat like the mutant only has increased intelligence or denser bones."
Oracle looked away from her data. "You mean they just kill anyone that's a mutant? That's barbaric!"
Jono nodded solemnly. "Yeah...another word is genocide. Take me pal Vincent. His world was destroyed by those things, they started out as killing just mutants but they moved on to regular humans too." He could see the sick look on her face and was about to say something when something felt 'wrong' at the moment.
Ever since Sinister played around with his body he had been finding a few new abilities. He couldn't exactly 'read' someone's mind but he could sense it and others. He could make a 'link' with someone and a little suggestion here and there but that was it for his telepathy. Right now he 'felt' something else close to them...and it didn't feel human in fact...it gave him the creeps.
Barbara noticed his change in attitude and looked at the security logs, but they showed nothing. "They're here." He whispered, she was about to argue when he suddenly pulled her wheelchair away from the monitor as a black razor weapon flew out of nowhere and hit the monitor.
They both turned around and in the darkness they saw several glowing red eyes and then out stepped five Shadow Assassins. Oracle pulled out her fighting sticks that were always by her side, she may be in a wheelchair but she had been the first Batgirl and wasn't as 'weak' as others thought she looked. "I don't see how they could get through the security."
Jono shrugged. "If these guys do work for the Dark Circle and that group has the kind of resources as Guardian, I would be surprised if your system did pick up on them.
More razor weapons where thrown and they both dodged. Jono had flung himself to the side and quickly rolled and jumped up onto his feet and blasted two of the attackers. They were flung to the far wall but they didn't seem to be fazed and just got up. "Bloody Hell."
Oracle wasn't doing much better; she was fending off two of the attackers at once. Her sticks were re-enforced and sturdy material but the blows she managed that should have seriously hurt or maim a human opponent only seem to irritate them. "How are you holding up?" She yelled over to Jono.
"Could be better, these blokes won't stay down." One of them jumped him and he was slammed into the ground onto his back. He grunted in pain and saw his attacker raise a talon three-fingered hand to finished him off. Jono managed to get one of his hands just in the right position and blasted him in the face. The dark skinned creature shrieked and held it's face with it's hands as red glowing energy was leaking through and the creature seemed to shrink and melt. "Aim for the eyes!" Jono yelled out.
Oracle tried but her weapons weren't meant for that kind of attacks and one of them managed to kick her chair over and she fell out. She looked up and saw one of he attackers with a long blade weapon raised above its head but then three batarangs landed in perfect marksmanship in all three eyes.
Jono had just finished blasting another in the face when he saw Batgirl leap from where she had come in from the roof and did a flying kick to the other one. He saw her easily dodge her opponent's attacks with speed and grace he never thought he would see. Then with lightning fast moves with her hands did three jabbing knife hand blows to the eyes.
With only one left it was easy to finish it up. After that was done Jono helped Oracle back up into her chair. "Well...that was interesting."
Jono smiled. "Tell me about it, thanks for the save Cass." She nodded at Jono.
Morph-The Joker was running through the streets of Gotham as he heard a colossal explosion in the distance.
"Heh." He chuckled. "Bane go boom." He stopped to catch his breath but he jumped as he heard movement behind him. "Gah! Harley! What the hell are you doing?" He asked seeing a woman in a red and black clown outfit with a white face with a small black mask over her eyes. She was both his right hand woman and suedo-girlfriend.
"I-I'm sorry Mister J." Harley Quinn winced. "Please don't kill me..."
"There's not time for that now." The Joker replied. "Come on, let's get out of here before whoever blew up that WWE wannabe comes after us!" He said to her looking behind him.
"I'd say that it's a little too late for that... Mister J." Harley replied. The Joker turned around as he heard Harley's voice deepen. His eyes snapped wide open as he saw what was once Harley Quinn turn into something big, green and muscley version of the Hulk. "HARLEY SMASH!" The green giant roared as he raised both fists over his head.
"Oh this is gonna suck..." The Joker winced.
Later-With their respective mission completed, the Exiles assembled in Oracle's clock tower. "Well I'm glad to say that Doctor Thompkins's emergency medical centre has enough medicine and pain killers and other supplies to last a life time." Heather said, it had been a very hard few hours on her, and was tired, she hadn't felt like this since her intern days, plus there had been so many people hurt that kept coming in. "What about you guys?"
"The missing kids were helping Poison Ivy harvest fruit and vegetables." Vincent replied. "There was the little matter of Clayface but I soon took care of him, you shouldn't worry about him for sometime." He finished shrugging. He omitted how he let Ivy go since he doubted anyone would believe the villainess had actually helped.
"The Joker and Harley Quinn are locked up in jail." Morph replied. "But I didn't see what happened to Bane."
"I'm afraid that there wasn't enough left on him to spread on a pizza." August replied with a grim smile. She had obviously survived the explosion but she was sporting a few cuts and bruises not to mention her clothing was a little singed and torn.
"Remind me never to piss you off." Morph winced at the image.
"I can bet that Jono's mission was a success." Oracle added. "Seeing that I'm alive and well."
"Where is tall, dark and British, anyway?" Morph asked looking around.
"Outside saying goodbye to an admirer." Oracle replied with a small smile on her face.
As Jono and Cassandra Cain were stood out on the roof of the clock tower by one of the rails over looking the city Jono looked over at the young eighteen year old crime fighter. "I know you can't talk." Jono said. "But it was nice knowing you." Cassandra smiled sweetly and blushed. Then, much to Jono's surprise, she grabbed him in a hug and kissed him straight on the lips. Jono didn't dare break up the kiss, as he wasn't sure how she would react. He didn't want to upset somebody that could easily kick his ass.
TBC...
NEXT: Exiles' day off...