Flash looked over the map and nodded one last time, "I'm coming too." He said, placing his cup down on the edge of the map, forming a small circle of red liquid on the map.
"Not best." Batman said.
"I can manage." Flash answered back.
Batman looked him dead in the face. "One wrong move, and I will send you back." He told him.
"Just try it." Flash growled back.
Everyone around the table tensed as the argument started back up. Flash had been through three cups of blood after the samples had been taken and the more he drank the odder he seemed to get.
Batman had come back with the maps after announcing that the chemicals in Flash were complete contrasts and their antidotes were cancelling each other out; so they would have to capture Luthor to get the antidote, assuming there was one.
However, Flash and Batman seemed to be getting in each others faces every couple of minutes, which was normal for those two, but the only problem came when Flash wouldn't back down like he normally did.
"I say we move out as soon as possible." Superman said, stepping between the two. "Two teams. Flash, you're with me. Batman, your in the other team." He stated, leaving no room for argument.
"Fine." Flash shrugged. "When do we move out?"
"Five minutes." Batman answered over Superman's shoulder.
"Good." Flash said, turning away and leaving the room. "Shout when you need me." And he was gone.
"You need to give him some leeway." Superman muttered to Batman.
"He needs to control his temper." Batman said, folding the map.
"Makes two of you." Diana muttered, leaving after Flash. "I'll go calm him down." She added as she left.
"I'm going to get ready." Batman said, leaving out the other door. Superman, Green Lantern, J'ohn and Shayera were left shaking their heads and hoping they could find a cure, and quick.
"Flash?" Diana shouted as she caught up to the young man. He stopped and waited for her, glancing over his shoulder as she appeared around the corner.
"What?" he asked, his voice low, but his temper under control.
"Don't let him get you up, he does it to everyone." She said, stepping up beside him and matching his pace as he started up again.
"I'll try and remember that." He laughed slightly.
Diana smiled. "We'll have you better in no time." She assured him; he stopped once more.
"And if not?" he asked, facing her with a piercing gaze.
"There is no if." She told him, but her mind betrayed her.
"Then I'm an outcast." He told her.
"No!" she half shouted, turning his head back to face her. Then without saying anything she told him what she thought. 'You think you'll be rejected? The how have J'ohn and I stayed here so long? How about Shayera?'
He glanced down, a shy look in his eye. 'I never thought.' He told her back.
'We'll be here at least, even if no one else is.' She told him, pulling him into a fierce hug, which he returned just as fiercely.
"Thank you." He muttered into her hair. After a few moments they pulled apart and decided to head for the main dock to meet the others.
Once there the small group split up into two teams; one team to approach from the front, the other to approach from the back.
They flew off quickly and regrouped to check to see if anyone was still around. The building seemed occupied, which instantly arose suspicion since they should have guessed the League would arrive.
Flash opted to enter through the front, and promptly destroyed the door when the signal was given.
"Honey!" he shouted through the door. "I'm home!" he cackled, stepping inside and allowing his senses to take over. And just in time as the axe by the door swung across for his head.
He ducked and smashed a fist through the handle. "Now that's not nice." He said softly.
"When am I ever?" Illyeria asked, standing at the top of the stairs. "Come and get me lover." She said, racing off along the corridor.
"Pan out!" Flash ordered, racing up the stairs and avoiding every booby trap that was set for him.
Superman threw out an arm to stop Diana and Shayera from chasing after Flash.
"He'll manage." He told them. "We have to get Luthor." He said, nodding to the next room.
"Indeed, I'm sure he can manage." They turned to Luthor who stood in the door.
"Just give us the cure Luthor, You're beaten." Superman growled.
"Really?" Luthor asked. "My friends seems to disagree!" he nodded to ceiling where one of the creatures dropped down on Diana.
Diana flung the creature at the wall as several others poured out from behind Luthor. Superman flew straight into the mass with Shayera battering each creature he flung up out of the front door.
Diana flew above taking each creature off the ceiling. Luthor had turned and fled, straight into the waiting arms of J'ohn and Batman. He struggled against the binds of one of Batman's weapons and lay watching each creature getting thrown about like rag dolls.
Superman, Shayera and Diana had quickly disposed of the vampire creatures and gathered around the fallen Luthor.
"Where is the cure?" Superman asked, his voice dangerously low.
"Well you see, thanks to Illyeria's mind wiping, I can't remember!" he laughed.
"He can't remember." J'ohn agreed, having skim read his mind.
"So Illyeria's our last shot." Shayera said, turning for the stairs. Just as she reached the door the ceiling above them exploded inward and Flash fell through onto the floor.
Illyeria dropping in beside him. Where as he landed on is back, she landed on all fours and took off for the door.
Superman managed to restrain her before she got there while Green Lantern and Diana flew up threw the hole and chased after the escaping Garien. The two finally managed to capture the man and dragged him downstairs.
"Beam us back." Superman ordered into his comm. link, still struggling against Illyeria.
Eventually they got Illyeria into a separate cell where Superman decided to question her. The medics, when they got back, had quickly asked for Batman's help with some samples while Diana, Shayera and Green Lantern had taken Luthor and Garien to separate cells.
"How do we cure him?" Superman asked through the force field.
"You can't." She told him.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
She sighed and sat down heavily on the bed. "You think I always like being like this? Never remembering who I am?" she asked, tilting her head. "This thing killed me." She said.
"But we can help Flash." He pleaded.
"He won't be stable for too much longer." She whispered, pausing to glance at the Man of Steel. "His cells are dying. The more blood he drinks, the faster they will die." She explained.
"So he's dying?" he asked.
"He's becoming." She laughed. "I'll take care of him, his animalistic side will love it!" she howled.
Superman stepped away from her and out of the holding area. He stood outside for a few minutes, listening to her insane laughter, that was where Batman found him.
"So you know?" he asked, judging by his face.
"How long have you?" he asked.
"A day now." Batman said. "When I took the samples, I spotted the degeneration."
"Can we ever save him from that." He said, pointing to the door where the laughter was howling from.
"I have found a serum which will freeze the process." Batman explained. "It will leave his cells as they are, even allow them for grown."
"But it's not a cure." Superman said.
"No, he will stay this way until I find a cure."
"He won't like it." Superman said, leading the way to the dinning room where the others were.
"It's the best we can do for now." Batman answered back, short and sharp.
They both entered to see Flash sitting at the edge of the group, unsure of how to enter the group, unsure of himself.
"Who will tell him?" Superman suddenly asked.
'There is no need.' They both turned to Flash who was still looking at the group, but his eyes weren't quite seeing what was going on. He suddenly turned to look at them.
Standing he approached the pair. "If you can stop the process, I'll manage." He told them.
"Good." Batman answered. "I have it all set up in the medical bay." And then he left.
"Will you be okay?" Superman questioned.
Flash stopped and bit his lip. "I'm leaving." He suddenly said, speeding up and following close to Batman.
"You're leaving?" Superman asked, catching up.
"I don't fit in here anymore." Flash explained. "I want to find myself again. I want to find others like me."
"I can't make you stay, but please don't go yet."
"What will happen to the others?" he asked, ignoring Superman's pleas.
"They will be imprisoned." Batman said, opening the medic door and showing Flash to a bed.
He quickly returned with a small vial and a needle. The injection was quick and painless, but instantly both heroes could see the change as colour returned to the man's lips.
He no longer looked so pale, but his eyes and teeth remained. He sighed out a breath.
"I need to plan my leaving." He said, and then zipped out of the room before either could answer.
The two looked at each other and then away. Superman stood up and left, hoping to find either John or Shayera, hoping they could convince Wally to stay.
Little help that would do in the end.
I know its rushed, but am so near the end, and this is more of a set uo for a sequel.
tell me how it looks please, review!