Revenant
Chapter Eleven
Justice League Watch Tower
J'ohn was sat back down while Green Lantern went to got some coffee. He monitored several different places while he was fully aware of a fight going on at Dakota between Gear, Shebang and Puff.
"Batman to Watch Tower, I am no closer into figuring out this puzzle, how are things up there?" Batman's voice asked on their communication channel but before J'ohn had a chance to speak as loud alarm sounded throughout the entire watchtower.
"J'ohn, what is going on?" Superman asked coming into the control zone followed by Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman. Batman listened on the open communication channel but movement could be heard in the background.
"Backpack has sent its emergency signal" J'ohn said in his normal calm voice.
"Meet you at Dakota" Batman's voice said before the communication channel closed.
"Diana, Green Lantern, you two better stay here. We will be able to handle this" Superman ordered Wonder Woman and Green Lantern before nodding at J'ohn and Flash.
Rising out of the chair, J'ohn walked past Superman with Flash rushing ahead as they headed into the hanger into the Javelin. J'ohn phased through the main window and into the control room, while Superman and Flash entered via the walkway.
Dakota Hills Mall Parking Lot
Chief Barnsdale had all of his officer's keep everyone back, this included civilians and reporters. "Chief Barnsdale!" A familiar voice called and fought his way through the crowd. "Rubberband Man! Let him through!" The chief called and the police parted the crowd.
"I was in Metropolis when I heard the news, what has happened?" Rubberband man asked joining Chief Barnsdale at his side along with a few of Chief Barnsdale's team.
"Puff appeared and started to attack but Gear and Shebang intercepted, did you say that you were in Metropolis? How did you get here so quickly?" Chief Barnsdale informed then wondered how the elastic superhero got here from the city.
"I got a lift... excuse me chief" Rubberband man excused himself before shifting form into his common ball shape before bouncing up and over the crowds onto the nearby low office skyscraper where if anyone looked hard enough sat the Bat Jet and the Javelin.
"The mall is filled with gas... I just found out that it is metagas, I have been so busy that I had only received the message from Gear and he informed me that the chemicals that had been stolen over the past few weeks is the cause of this sudden appearance of the metagas" Batman informed the other league members and Rubberband man, who looked a little annoyed but was able to hold his tongue.
"Metagas... how are we going to get in there without being infected by it?" Superman asked not knowing if the metagas would affect him and in what way.
"Whatever we decide we better hurry!" Rubberband man snapped in remembering how vile the big bang was. "The longer exposed Gear is the more chance that the mutagenic gas... that I don't want to think about... I have already lost my brother-in-law, don't make me loose him too" He said, his voice strained into keeping his voice low and his fists were clenched tightly at his side, shaking.
"We can try and freshen the air... Superman, I am not willing to experiment what the metagas could do to you but will you be able to blow the gas into the air conditioning and freshen the air?" Batman asked before climbing into the Bat Jet.
"I think I can, what are you going to do?" Superman asked, watching Batman press a few buttons on the main controls of his precious machine.
"I'm going to try and find a way so that we don't have another big bang on our hands..." Batman muttered clearly, now working on a keyboard that had appeared from somewhere in his jet.
All of the heroes shuddered and left Batman to work in his jet while moving into position ready to move in and check on the two-trapped heroes.
Once near the entrance, Flash ran off to make sure that the police understood what they were going to expect and keep everyone well back. J'ohn tried to check the status of Gear and Shebang but could only sense Shebang. "We better hurry Superman" J'ohn said unsure what was happening inside the mall.
"Ready Superman" Batman's gruff voice called through the Justice League's communication system.
"Right Batman, Stand by J'ohn... Rubberband Man" Superman ordered as Flash had his hands full with the Dakota police, both heroes nodded and moved to the entrance together.
J'ohn and Rubberband Man moved either side of the double doors while Superman stood in the middle and took a large breath. Nodding at the heroes, J'ohn and Rubberband Man opened the doors and moved away to allow Superman to do his stuff.
Releasing his breath, Superman released a strong and cold wind into the mall hopefully pushing the gas into the air conditioning.
Inside Dakota Hills Mall
Shebang stirred from the feeling of a cold wind blowing through the mall and pushed the toxic gas away from them.
Coughing slightly, Shebang pushed herself up onto her knees ignoring the headache and the odd feeling of butterflies all around her body. Looking around she found Gear unconscious, "G...Gear?" Shebang croaked as she crawled over to him.
"Gear? Shebang?" A voice called, which echoed around the mall.
"Rubberband Man! Over here!" Shebang called, her voice croaked and the yelling caused her to start coughing.
Rubberband man came rushing in followed by Superman and J'ohn, "Shebang... are you ok? Gear?" Rubberband Man asked and bent down to check on Gear.
"Rubberband Man?" Superman asked a little concerned for the young heroes. J'ohn looked around sensing a familiar but strange presence.
"Get Shebang out of here, and get her some water... I will need some water to help Gear" Rubberband Man instructed, he felt a little odd at doing so but he ignored it and searched one of Gear's pockets for his cloth mask but Backpack, who had moved to make his master more comfortable handed it to him instead.
Superman left with Shebang, while J'ohn stayed behind trying to figure out what the odd feeling was.
"J'ohn are you ok?" Rubberband Man asked looking up after he replaced Gear's helmet with the blue mask, they had decided about the mask when Richie had started falling asleep at his desk.
The Martian was looking around trying to find what was alerting his psychic senses, "I'm not sure Rubberband Man, I just want to check around in case there is someone around" J'ohn informed as he levitated a little off the ground so he could see above the balcony of the first floor.
"I can't do anything until Superman returns with that water... just be careful" Rubberband Man said as he gently moved Gear into the recovery position he had learned in first aid.
J'ohn floated up onto the first floor balcony and looked around the deserted shops and small gardens found on the first floor of Dakota Hills Mall. Looking from his left to his right, J'ohn focused in trying to find, what he could only describe as a chime, was coming from.
Opening his senses up, J'ohn grabbed his head in pain as memories swept through him. Flashes of faces, memories then darkness but then suddenly there was light and warmth. J'ohn closed his senses tightly in attempt to stop the images, which seemed to work. "Batman, Superman I think you should get in here" J'ohn said through the communication system rather than risk another surge of memories.
"On our way J'ohn, what is it?" Superman's voice asked as J'ohn walked up to one of the nearby pillars that supported the roof structures of the mall. "I'm not sure... I need some help here" J'ohn said unable to believe in what he was seeing.
Gear coughed and slowly woke up to find himself on his side but with Backpack and his helmet off, instinct kicked in and he rolled over and jumped up onto his feet with a zap cap in his hand.
"Whoa! Easy Gear, its me Adam!" Rubberband Man said rising slowly to his feet with his hands up in the air.
"A...Adam?" Gear croaked his throat sore from the metagas. "W...what happened? Where's Puff?" Gear asked before he started coughing.
Superman and Batman came sweeping in and saw that Gear was up on his feet, Backpack and his helmet were next to Rubberband Man. In Superman's hands there was a medium sized bottle of water, "J'ohn found something upstairs and has asked for assistance" Batman said as they joined Rubberband Man and Gear, who suited back up and took the bottled water from the man of steel gratefully.
"Thanks Superman" Gear croaked and lifted his visor up; he still had the blue mask on, and started drinking the water. Gear then realised that J'ohn might have seen Virgil, 'Virg!' He thought anxiously as he placed the lid on the bottle and pushed his visor back down.
"Where's J'ohn?" He asked the two league members trying not to sound too anxious that his best friend... his brother's ghost could have been caught in the metagas cloud too. Gear then remembered that Backpack had detected movement up near where Virgil was monitoring their battle before Puff released her new attack.
"You better get some air Gear, we can handle this" Superman said, looking concerned for the young hero. Batman had already got up onto the first floor balcony by using his bat grappling hook and walked over to join J'ohn.
"No I will be fine... I'll do a full assessment on myself at headquarters later" Gear said and sent a command to his jets to fly up onto the first floor balcony. "Rubberband Man, can you go outside and check on Shebang while the league and myself sort this situation out" Gear ordered Rubberband Man in their own communication system. "Right Gear, be careful!" Rubberband Man's voice said before he left the mall.
"What is it J'ohn?" Superman asked as they reached J'ohn and Batman, and whatever J'ohn had found. "I hope you can explain this Gear" Batman said as J'ohn and himself moved aside to allow him and Superman to see.
In front of the Martian lay an African-American angel with light purple wings; he was unconscious and from the angle he was in that he had collapsed. "Virgil… V, come on wake up!" Gear rushed over and was able to place a hand on the angel's shoulder.
The angel stirred and vanished from everyone's sight except Richie's and J'ohn's. "I think I'm in trouble…" Virgil muttered feeling like he had just died again. Checking his barriers, he could see that they all had collapsed apart from the invincibility cloak that was only in affect when he was in meditation and when conscious.
Gear sighed, "You're not the only one V…" Gear muttered before turning to face the league members, Superman, Batman and J'ohn. "We better go somewhere else to discuss this… the gas station" Gear said getting to his feet and could see Virgil do the same but more shakily, his wings folded naturally.
"Think you're right… Superman, J'ohn" Batman said and walked away, his cape sweeping behind him. Superman and J'ohn looked a little shaken up but left all the same, Superman had a hand pressed to his ear as he flew off and went through the double door entrance followed closely by J'ohn.
"Are you going to be ok?" Gear asked Virgil, who looked worse for ware. "Will be… but I will have to do something after this…" Virgil said and created an energy disc, and placed it under his feet. "Someone knew I would be here…" He muttered as together they headed for the entrance of the mall. "How can that be?" Gear asked stunned. "I… I don't know Rich… I am worried about that green gas they used to knock me out with" Virgil muttered, expanding the disc so that he was able to sit on it but remained a nice height from the ground so that his wings were not brushing the concrete.
Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude
Ten minutes later…
"Coffee?" Gear asked as he took his helmet off and placed it on his desk, and put his glasses on. "That's the only thing we got, there might be a odd soda or something similar in the fridge," He stated tiredly as he crashed down onto his computer chair.
"Richie... what was that about at the mall?" Superman asked as himself and Flash sat down on the old couch. Batman stood in the corner nearest Richie's desk. Richie got up from the desk and went about of fixing himself a cup of coffee.
"Not sure... won't really know till I have had a chance to look at Backpack's security footage..." Richie muttered his hands crossed against his chest while he waited for the kettle to boil. "Then there is the fact of Puff's powers have changed to allow her to breathe metagas but not get affected by it herself" Richie muttered, playing with the invention that hanged on a piece of string around his neck.
"The metagas is something that is concerned me Richard, Shebang said something about feeling light by wanted to go back to her home to rest for a while but you... you have shown no signs... what's that?" Batman asked noticing Richie was playing with something around his neck.
Superman and Flash got up off the couch and joined Batman; Richie unfolded his arms and lifted up the pendant. It was the size of a cent coin and there was a few small buttons on the back of it while on the front was a dark green light. "It was just something I came up with the other day, I didn't realise that I built a light on it thought" Richie said noticing the light for the first time.
"Can I see it?" Batman asked and held his hand out for the pendant. Richie slowly reached up to the string and loosened the knot so that the string and pendant could be lifted over his head.
As soon as the pendant left his body, Richie's ears roared with noise causing him to drop the pendant into Batman's hand before clutching his ears and gasped in pain. The league members backed away worried with what was happening to Richie, who had now collapsed onto his knees still in obvious pain.
Richie tried to make sense of the roaring and get into some sort of control but it was too much... there was double the amount of ideas but that was not the problem, it was the voices that worried him... there were too many voices all with feelings attached. Richie tried to stop the voice but they wouldn't go away, he tried instead of building a wall around the voices and it worked. The voices stopped to a low whisper but then a high burst of power surged forth, Richie tried to contain it but there was just too much power then there was only darkness.
Batman saw the dust lift up and circle around Richie, it soon settled back down to only rise back in a fury but not on the dust but anything and everything that wasn't tied down. "Batman!" Superman called out and worked on securing the gas station's furniture.
Batman looked quickly around the gas station and saw Flash running around trying to stop the paperwork from joining the cyclone. "What is going on? This all had started when…" Batman looked at the pendant he was holding. "Flash! Get in there and get his back on him!" Batman ordered Flash before dodging the computer chair.
"Got ya Bats!" Flash yelled, changed direction and ran past Batman, grabbing the pendant and through the cyclone to Richie and managed to get the pendant back around his neck.
With the necklace back on, the cyclone ceased and Richie collapsed. Everything settled back down and left the gas station in a mess, Superman sat down on the couch but then got back up and moved over to Batman and Flash before making a move to get him Richie off the floor.
"Don't!" A voice boomed. "Leave him there, he is weak at the moment so leave him be" The voice then said.
"Virgil, you know how cold this gas station can be… we need to move him to the couch!" Batman snapped worried for the unconscious blonde.
"Fine, move aside" Virgil's voice said in a more quiet tone. Richie's body moved off the floor and onto the couch, a blanket appeared from somewhere and was placed on top of him.
"Now that he's comfortable I guess you have got a few questions for me to answer… but I won't be able to stay long and can only answer certain questions" Virgil's voice said and the computer chair lifted up and was straightened.