Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Mister Freeze's armored feet carry him deep into the heart of the facility. He glares forward with unchanging red eyes, his pistol drawn up high in his hand.
Fraust bounds before him, checking every avenue and door and passageway with a fleeting sense of familiarity that drives her forward. "The corridor l-leading into the lower ch-chambers should be close by, Victor… …" She comes to a stop at a huge, guilded door. "Here!" She rushes up to it. The door doesn't budge. She rungs a pale finger across it and cringes. "It is sealed. Tightly from the other side.. … .."
"Booker and his cowardly associates are attempting to armor themselves within the core of this place," Mister Freeze drones. "But there is no hope in trying to pass off a death camp as a bunker." He brushes Fraust aside and increases the frequency of his gun as he aims at the door. "No matter, I shall provide us a necessary route to the heart of this hideout."
"Not so fast, Popsicle pooper!"
Fraust turns her head and glances down the hallway.
Gizmo and a barrage of yellow-armored soldiers are standing in the corridor. Weapons and grenades are armed and aimed at the two intruders. Gizmo—in particular—has elected to erect his metal-arachnid limbs and is crawling his way menacingly towards the two with dual plasma cannons extending from his tech-pack.
"I've got news for ya! The Ice Age was an eon ago! You two are WAY past your rump-sniffin' prime!"
"Fraust.. …," Mr. Freeze boredly murmurs while zapping the wall into frigid ice. Zaaaap! "Do take care of them."
"Yes, Victor," Fraust turns and marches towards the H.I.V.E. defense.
Whurrrr-Cl-CLAK! Gizmo locks his plasma cannons on her. "That's the last step you take, ice princess—"
FWOOOOSH! Fraust runs, jumps, and spreads her limbs. CRKK-CRKKK-KKKK! Jagged ice armor forms on all angles of her person as she soars murderously into Gizmo's form. "HAAAAAAA!"
Gizmo's pixeled eyes widen. "HOLY SNIKEY---"
CLANG!
ZAP!
ZAP!
ZAP!
ZAAAAAP!
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Bard and I creep together until we are side by side.
I am holding Myrkblade and Bard has his metal-knuckled fists raised.
But neither of us seem ready to strike our opponents.
Especially since our 'opponents' are quite surprisingly—
"Please… …do not misinterpret what it is that we are about to do," Starfire raises her fists with hot, glowing starbolts.
Bard gulps. "Th-That depends. Are we going to both end up in traction over this misinterpretation?"
"Dude…," Static sweatdrops as he readies two sparkling hands of electricity. He speaks in a hushed voice as if some foreboding soul is listening over his shoulder. "We promise not to hurt you as you promise not to hurt us." A little bit louder now. "But we've got to make it look and feel like the real deal!"
"Look! Just give us an explanation!" Bard cackles.
In the meantime, I'm squinting my black eyes.
For there is something odd and flashing on the wrist of both of our Titan friends.
Like glowing arm bracelets… … …
"Can you tell us what's going on here?" Bard continues.
"Only that we are in grave danger!" Starfire says.
"Yeah?" Bard blinks. "Of what?"
FLASH! A starbolt slaps him dead-on in the stomach.
"OOF!"
He flies back into a yellow wall of the H.I.V.E. Academy.
WHAM!
I gasp and blur by his side to check on him.
"Snkkkt---" Bard winces, rubbing his tummy. "And she said she was in 'danger'."
"Yo, we're really.. …REALLY sorry about this!" Static winces and zooms at us on his metal disc. ZZZZZZT!.!.! He fires a spray of electricity at us.
"Noir! Move!" Bard shouts and shoves me—
FLASSSH!
Combined starbolts and electrical chains impact the wall behind us.
Bard rolls to the side.
I glide in a low crouch. Panting.
FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! Starfire flings her starbolts straight at me.
I grit my teeth, channel smoke into my legs, and backflip in the nick of time—
P-P-P-POWWW! The floor below me explodes in starbolt craters.
I twirl about and land on the wall, hanging with one hand off of a disabled gun turret. I pant and look up as the normally-friendly Starfire soars up and around and dives at me.
Again, I squint my eyes.
And again.. …I see the bracelet on her wrist. But with every movement she makes in offense against me.. ….
… … …the bracelet glows less.
I purse my lips.
Wait a second…..
FLASSSSSSSH! A huge starbolt sails at me.
I wince. Ackies! I kick off the wall with a burst of smoke. FWOOOOSH!
Starfire turns about with a pained expression on her face and launches another barrage at me. FL-FL-FL-FL-FLASSH!
Twirling upside down, I swing Myrkblade like mad and deflect the green projectiles. CL-CL-CL-CLANG!
I land in a slide and sweat all over. But I can't help but think….
Starfire… …
She's making it easy for me…. …
She's a veteran, and I'm a novice.
Certainly she would have wasted me by now if she could!
FLASH!
CLANG! I deflect her last shot and blur to run away from her.
Starfire's sparing me.
Because she doesn't really want to fight me.
The bracelets.. ….
I wonder if Static's has something to do with it too… … …?
I glance across the corridor—
ZZZT!.!.!.! ZZZZZZT! Static soars around Bard, tossing ropes of electrical fury at the flick of a wrist.
"Hey—HEY!" Bard jumps, ducks, and dodges. "I thought you weren't for real, man!'
"This is as much for REAL as I've got to be!" Static grunts and squints through his reflective goggles as he zaps, zaps, zaps from the flying disc. "Now do something badass and knock me out or somethin'!"
"What?" Bard ducks and rolls to the side. Panting. "Static, I can't punch you!"
"Do it!" Static zooms after him with a huge bolt of chain lightning summoned. "Punch me right in the face! Make it quick!"
"Nuh uh!"
"Why not?"
"Because….Because—"
ZZZZT!
"Dah! B-Because it wouldn't look good!"
"Do you not SEE the 'death bolts' of frickin' lightning I'm launching at yo ass?"
"I see them! But I still ain't hittin' you in the face!"
ZTTT! "Why not?"
"BECAUSE!" Bard skids to a stop with fists clenched. "IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT TO BE TO BEATIN' ON A BLACK MAN!"
Static hovers to a complete stop. He blinks. "…. …whoah, dude. Really?"
CHIIIIING! Static is cut short as a wave of frozen energy encases his whole body. He falls down hard to the ground—SHATTTTER! "OOF!" He sprawls out on the floor.
Bard lowers his hand, finishing a humming tune. "… …gotcha." He turns and looks my way. "Noirry, man, you need a ha---?"
WHAM! Starfire tosses me into Bard's side.
"DAAUGH!" Bard grunts as I collapse down on top of him.
"EEP!" Starfire holds her hands over her mouth. "Oh! Friends! I am most exceedingly sorry!" She hovers in dismay.
Bard groans and I stir uncomfortably.
"I am so… …soooo confused right about now."
But the longer that Starfire levitates inactively… …. …the brighter and hotter her armband begins to strobe. Wrii-Wrii-Wrii! She gasps at the sight of it.
A near unconscious Static stirs on the floor and notices his own bracelet warbling. Wrii-Wrii-Wrii! He winces. "Sonuva…."
"No! Do not desist!" Starfire charges both of her eyes hotly and stares at us. "I am most exceedingly sorry but we must continue this impromptu scuffle!"
"Starfire," Bard climbs up to his feet. "Just tell us what to---"
ZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP! Two green trails of fire soar at us.
"AAAUGH!" Bard flinches.
I grit my teeth and angle up Myrkblade in such a way as to deflect both optic beams.
CLAAAAAANG! The hot emerald fury bounces off the murk and slams into the golden walls. CRAAAAACK! The corridor shakes. The ceiling begins to crumble and rain down fragments of tile on top of us.
I dash aside with Bard, covering our heads, and whistle before gesturing to the bracelets on our comrades hands.
"Yeah, I know!" Bard shouts above the tumult. "But what the Hell you reckon WE can do about us?"
I hand-sign fervently.
"No I DON'T know a magic music spell for 'undressing'!" Bard snaps. "If I did, you'd see me around the Titan's Girls' lockerroom with a massage chair and a can of V8!"
ZZZZZT! A bolt knocks Bard down on his butt.. …again.
"DAMMIT!"
I wince and look ahead.
Static hobbles to his feet. His bracelet is glowing less and less with every offensive administration of his superpowers. "L-Look.. ….we gotta think up a plan before these things blow us to smithereens."
"Is that wh-what they're gonna do?" Bard wheezes.
"Virgil is right…," Starfire hovers behind us and readies two fists full of starbolts. "We have less than ten seconds to deliberate before battle must be rejoined!"
Bard climbs to his feet. "Well have you considered taking them off?"
"They're bolted shut!"
"Well, smarty-pants! Use your electrical energy to short circuit them!"
"I can't!"
"Why not?"
"I need a charge three times as intense than what I can generate at a split-second's notice!"
"Well, have you even tried?"
"Do I look like I want us to turn into two charred barbecued Titans?"
"X'Hal! Virgil! The bracelets!"
Wrii! Wrii! Wrii!
"Wait! I've got an idea!" Bard waves his arm. "Uhm…attack Noir for a second."
Hey!
ZZZZZZT! ZZZZT! ZZZT!
FLASH! FLASH!
I snarl mutely, twirl about in a murking cyclone, and madly deflect the dual electrical shocks and starbolt orbs with a madly swinging Myrkblade. CLANG! CL-CLANG! I grind to a stop, panting.
"There," Static pants as his and Starfire's bracelets dim. "Now talk!"
I turn and glare at Bard. Could have warned me!
"Static! Do the biggest gosh-darn electrical spitwad that you can and aim at me when I give you the signal!"
"What's that going to do?"
"Trust me! I'm gonna… ..I dunno… …'high-fry' them shackles and ten Noir can quickly whip them off you and toss them to kingdom come!"
"And what if it doesn't work?"
"Hey, I aim to get an A-plus for this assignment!"
"Eeek! The bracelets! The bracelets!"
"Noir!"
ZZZZT!
FLASH! FLASH!
Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgh!.!.!.!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
"… ….Okay—Static! Get charged up!"
"All right, cowboy. This had better work," Virgil raises his arms high.
I stare at him, panting….smoking….
A huge, blue orb dances above Static's head. Fluctuating. Warbling. Growing….
"Concentrate, Virgil….," Starfire whispers. "You can do it. I know you can…"
I glance at Starfire. "… …." Then at Static. "… …" Then back at the earnest-looking Starfire again.
What's up with them?
"Nnnnnngh!" Static sweats as he charges one helluva sphere of electrical chaos. "Godddd this is bringing back memories of middle school! Nnnnngh!"
"Just keep it up, fella," Bard whips out his guitar and starts strumming it. In a deep country voice, he sings: "'G men T men revuners, too. Searching for the place where they made his brew'."
The corridor shakes with the intensity of the electrical storm.
It starts to get steaming hot.
I sweat… ..eyeing the bracelets as they begin to strobe and cook like mad on our dear friends' wrists….
"'They were lookin' tryin' to book'im'," Bard sings and strums. "'…but my daddy kept on cooking….'" Suddenly he tilts his head up. "NOW, STATIC!"
"NnnnnnghhYAAAAUGH!" Static tosses the energy bolt straight at Bard.
And the cowboy finishes the lyrics with a well-timed guitar twang: "'Pssshhhhhh..white lightning'!.!.!.!"
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTT!.!.!.!.! Bard's entire guitar absorbs the electrical insanity. The wooden instrument glows a hot, fiery blue. It is so bright and blinding that I have to look my black eyes away.
Bard grits his teeth, raises the guitar ceiling-ward by the neck, and then whirls it around like a lightning rod / wizard's cane. "YEEEE-HAAAA!"
KRAK-KOWWWWW!.!.!.! A forking beam of blue lightning sails out and soars hotly into each of the armbands on our friends' wrists.
"Whoah!"
"Eeek!"
ZZZZZZZZZT! The bracelets flicker, jolt… …and short-circuit. CLICK! Half a second later, they've both snapped open.
"Now, Noir!" Bard points.
I snap out of it, blink my eyes back to the fuzzy world, and blur straight at Starfire first—
Wriii-Wrii-Wriii! Snatch!
Fw-Fwooosh! And then towards Static.
Wrii-Wrii-Wrii! Snatch!
I have both madly-glowing armbands in my grasp. I breathe, heave, twirl around in a cyclone of smoke, and toss the two shackles straight down the length of the hallway.
Swooooosh! WRII-WRII-WRII-WRII! KABOOOOO-OOOOM! Both bracelets explode in giant green splashes of bioelectric meltdown.
"HELL YEAH!" Bard pumps his fist and hangs his guitar proudly behind his back. "Lord Almighty Aphrodite! How about some George Jones for your tease?"
I exhale with a weak smile until Bard slaps me brotherly on the back.
"Man, that's off the chaiiiiin," Static gestures. A beat. "Erm, you didn't hear me say that."
"Whatever, sparky."
"Virgil! Hee hee heee!" Starfire zooms over and explosively hugs Static, much to my and Bard's blinking amazement. "We made it! We are freeeee! Hehehe!"
"Erm—Heheh---Hell yeah, Star," Static hugs her back. "Man, that went way better than expected, didn't it—?"
WHURRRR-SCHALACK!
"—oh shit."
"Huh?" Starfire turns and looks.
Bard and I turn and face the freshly opened doorway.
"…. .. …..," the Boy Wonder stands. Staring.
"R-Robin!" Starfire exclaims, in Static's arms.
Static sweatdrops.
"… ….," Robin drones. "Get down."
Static does a double-take. "Wh-Who… …Wh-What—"
"I said GET DOWN!" Robin runs and plows into both Static and Starfire.
Just in time—
BLAM! BLAM! BL-BLAM!
BLAM!
A hail of bulletfire sails in above the three as three dozen H.I.V.E. guards storm into the electrically-fried corridor. Simon, Hull, and Pulsade are doing their best to fight the horde of henchmen off while Chang is sending dozens of hoverbots flying down on the scene with weapons blazing. Then, from the sidelines, Mammoth charges in with giant metal bulkheads being swung at the metaheroes like virtual clubs and a phantom Kyd Wikkyd teleports amidst the fray.
ZAAAAAAAAAP!
I turn pale and glance up at Bard.
Bard takes a breath and twirls out his laser pistol. "Well… …Woodshed 2.0. I can do that."
POW!
POW!
P-POW!
BLAMMMM!
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Zillah is creeping through the hallway.
Into the lofty laboratory facing a windowed chamber.
She shuffles up to a workbench and peers through the translucent glass.
A wounded, panting Red X hangs ever-so-torturously in the wirings of the experimental chamber beyond the pane.
A near-mischievous curve alights the dark girl's lips.
"If I'm to ditch this pressure cooker… ….why should I ditch it alone?" That said, her hands deftly reach for the 'release' lever on the experiment console—
FLAAAAAAA-AAAAAAA-AAAAAAAAASSSSSSH!
A green field of energy shimmers into Zillah's body from behind.
"AAAAAAAA-HAAAAAAAAAUGH!" She screams and twitches all over before falling painfully to her knees.
Behind her, a figure marches up with metal mech-braces enhancing his upper and lower limbs. WHURRR-CLINK! CA-CLINK! CA-CLINK! Booker, aptly suited, aims a cannon extended from his arm brace and renders the dark girl paralyzed with the violent green disruption field.
His lips curve for the first time in weeks.
"Well, if it isn't the obstinate little rat… …," he slurs. "For once… ..I have a student worth tormenting…."
