Disclaimer: I neither own the DC characters used or the Open Source or Public Domain characters. Neither do I collect profits from this or any other fan fiction story. All necessary attributions will follow the main story.
"You were right to call me in," Vic Sage said from the doorway to his wife's high school classroom.
"It's pervy," Helena Bertinelli complained.
The students in question were a cluster of affectionate twins, one fraternal and one set of identical, and three other siblings. One same sex pairing. And they weren't attracted to the others but their own brothers or sisters. Helena had first spotted the behavior developing several months ago but it was becoming increasingly blatant.
"God, they can't stop touching other," Helena was clearly disturbed by it.
"It's especially disconcerting in the identical sisters," Vic said of his fellow gingers.
"What do we do?" Helena asked.
"It's obviously consensual. It's equally illegal and defies genetic imperatives," Vic spoke, "But for things to be this prevalent and outre, something is reinforcing this behavior," Vic opined.
"All but a brother and sister are all transfer students," Helena told him before fretting, "You think they're sexual?"
Vic gave her the look. She surrendered, "Forget I asked. Teenagers with forbidden love. I get it. Never had it. But I get it."
"I've been getting information regarding a sex cult operating in Hub City. A cult spearheaded by the Religion of Crime. Now I believe you've shone me the basis of the sexual activity," Vic shared.
"You think there'd be that many people?" Helena was horrified. When she was horrified she hit people.
"Intergang will import adherents to build their church here before proselytizing in other cities," Vic predicted, "It's the Religion of Crime's motif."
A mother approached with son and a father did the same with his daughter. They displayed similar abhorrent fascinations with their children. Helena started forward but Vic blocked her.
"We do this, we do this to take down the entire cult, not spook them with a satisfying bone breaking or anonymous child protective services report," Vic advised, "Otherwise an unknown number of victims will be left in Intergang's thrall. But considering the efforts Intergang is going to, to establish this branch of the Religion of Crime, I'd say we need help."
"The Justice League?" she was horrified again.
"No," now he felt it, "I have a group in mind."
"Are they brutal sonsubitches?" Helena asked.
"Generally," Vic confirmed it.
"I'm for it," Helena growled.
Vic and Helena used their individual autos to arrive at a parking garage Vic owned under a different name. Vic drove a 1973 Ford Mustang Shelby and Helena preferred her 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo. Beneath the garage was a bunker called the Monitor Womb after a similar surveillance and computing center that had been secretly built by Batman in the original Hall of Justice and the second Watchtower station. Question had been honored that he, Huntress, and Shayera had been selected to bear the knowledge of their existence.
And so, Vic and Helena stored most of their working paraphernalia in the Womb. Huntress wanted to build an auxiliary Phallus to supplement the Womb in case of an unforeseen disaster. The Womb gestated information. Her proposed Phallus station would eject it. She did it just to watch his shoulders and head sag and he'd release one of those delicious sighs that turned her on.
After they were situated and the systems were awake again, Question explained to her the significance of the Religion of Crime and how Bruno Mannheim had started it with a mysterious high priestess called the Hooded Terror at Darkseid's command upon his delivering the Bible of Crime.
"I thought she'd died," Huntress admitted.
"No one knows. But rumors began to circulate regarding the reappearance of a Hooded Terror. And some of them have said she is named Lora. But those speaking those whispers don't live for much longer," Question explained.
"Sounds like a real pleasant woman," Huntress asked, "I heard she was a geezer."
Another wonderous sigh, "Lora is a senior citizen but hardly elderly. By all accounts from within the Religion of Crime."
"And you're contacting the Global Concern, why exactly?" Huntress wondered.
"Because they can contact our purported mercenaries and arrange for payment from a third interested party," Question answered.
"These 'Outlaws' are really what you say they are?" Huntress worried.
"They are personal agents of Nyssa Raatko and pledged to Ra's al Ghul's service as well," Question detailed the particulars.
"I still have trouble believing Dinah became Ra's or that she married Nyssa," Huntress admitted.
"But by doing so, she has revitalized the purpose and calling of the Leagues of Shadow and Assassins," Question admired the results.
"Shame on you, Q!" Huntress admonished him.
"Black Canary has enacted remarkable and fundamental reforms. And seeing as how each League is pledged to her, mind, body, and soul; she achieves results," Question opined.
"Dinah's a traitor and you can't soft sell anything else," Huntress' sense of being stung by her closest friend was obvious to see.
"I believe Nyssa is culpable in Dinah's abandonment of friends and family," Question offered solace, "Oliver's death struck her harder than any of us realized at the time. And as a powerful and vibrantly sexual being enters her life, it's little wonder Canary was swept away by passion."
"The woman slit Dinah's throat and now they're married?" Huntress railed, "No amount or kind of sex is worth that."
"Maybe she offered an apology and a purpose for life?" Question theorized, "But everything changed after Dinah was submerged in a Lazarus Pit. Including the formation of the Outlaws as a direct result of those developing events."
"And you want to work with them?" Huntress fumed.
"They have the most experience dealing with Intergang. Both as employees and as antagonists," Question reminded her again.
"They really did play all sides?" Huntress was dubious.
"With a single agenda of paring down the criminal elements in order to make them vulnerable so they eat each other alive," Question was pleased with the obvious results.
"It isn't easy being eaten," Huntress said in a low growl. The Bertinellis had headed up the Mafia's Gotham Five Families. It was how the Falcones had come to power before Roman Sionis had gutted them as well. Helena had been eight when her family was massacred in front of her at Tobias Whale's instruction.
Whale had acted on behalf of Intergang, which wanted to forge a working relationship with the original Black Mask. Huntress had been deprived of her vengeance because Jeremiah Arkham had killed Sionis to become a second Black Mask. Even he was dead now.
While Helena grew up in Sicily being trained as an assassin, Black Lightning had kept Whale embattled so his goals of establishing an Intergang foothold in Gotham failed. And the rest of the 100 left him to it.
"I need to contact the Global Concern, it's three hours earlier in San Francisco, but it's still nearing the end of the public working day," Question diverted the train of thought.
"Let's do it then," Huntress sounded more resigned than irritated.
After escalating through a series of intermediaries at the think tank, and mercenary contracting service, they arrived at a screen filled with, the even more rotund than Tobias Whale, Dr. Zadar. Dr. Zadar had founded the Global Concern and its legal and illegal activity branches. It was hyperbole to assume the government would them down if their illicit operations were known. Quite the contrary, governments from around the world including the US, relied on both aspects of the Global Concern's repertoire.
"How may I assist the illustriously misguided Question?" Dr. Zadar chuckled.
"I have a problem. You have mutual friends with a similar problem. Perhaps we can reach an accommodation?" Question watched Huntress rolling of the eyes with great amusement.
"That depends on the problem," Dr. Zadar admitted.
"Intergang, in general, and the Religion of Crime specifically," Question informed him.
"Regarding the church they've established in Hub City," Ariel Pryde didn't ask as a screen filled with her presence.
"Hello, Domino," Question tipped his fedora at her.
Huntress wondered where the hell that came from.
"Pirate Blue has been looking for ways to inflict pain upon Intergang with relatively low material cost or without breaking the supposed cessation of open hostilities," Domino recounted.
"Meaning we wouldn't send in any of our usual contractors," Dr. Zadar clarified in case the message was lost in the translation.
"I have a third party in mind. As well as a middle ground broker to handle the cash," Question shared.
"Do tell," Dr. Zadar was intrigued. Domino looked cross that she, as the illegal operations manager, would have overlooked a potential solution.
"The Outlaws," Question simply stated.
"They're effective but notoriously willing to flip sides after a contract has been fulfilled," Domino reported to Dr. Zadar.
"And Deathstroke or Deathblow aren't?" he chuckled again, "These Outlaws have a one hundred percent success rate. Intergang and our dear, Pirate Blue, are frequently in a bidding war to secure their services. Word even has it that like Slade Wilson and Michael Cray, they'll even reduce their fee or even work pro bono for the right causes."
"I could contact Oracle tonight," Domino had hired them for Pirate Blue in the past.
"But a stipulation that neither Nyssa Raatko nor the League of Assassins are to be involved," Dr. Zadar ordered.
"You'll just offend their professional pride," Question warned.
"Screw them then," Domino's image winked out.
"I'll soothe her nerves," Dr. Zadar promised and his image also switched off.
"Who the hell is Domino?" Huntress couldn't wait any longer.
"Ariel Pryde inherited the same games manufacturing company that swindled Edward Nygma. Inspired by his transformation into the Riddler, Ariel waited until she fully inherited Pryde's Games & Novelties. Becoming Domino, she also emulated Winslow Schott's Toyman, and presumably would have done so for Winnifred Schott as well, and used her personal fortune to create elaborate gameboards threatening hundreds to thousands of people simultaneously while they played her game to survive," Question answered her, "I encountered Domino before we met. And I outwitted her, which is no easy task. She doesn't take losing very well."
"Okay, assuming all of this scheming works, what do we do in the interim?" Huntress inquired.
"We follow the Religion of Crime's daily activities in Hub City. And we obtain more information," Question suggested.
"Meaning I beat more confessions out of people. Thanks, I could use that with this one," Huntress cheered up considerably.
"Then I suggest we begin tonight,"" he offered.
"Take that goofy mask off so I can kiss you right," Huntress refused to budge until he complied.
Which took him mere seconds to do so.
Three days later, the couple had tracked the Religion of Crime to a former Episcopal Church that had shuttered its doors. Professional recruiters, ie. "missionaries", went to the clubbing scenes to scout out potential "converts" just as they did in every major metropolitan area and discreetly placed messages in blogs, websites, and newspapers. The Hooded Terror was investing a thousand employees and thousands of man hours to locate, recruit, and transplant adherents to the Religion's new "hub". And as keeper of the Bible of Crime, the mysterious Lora was a direct pipeline to Darkseid. Whom no one actually believed was dead despite reports stating otherwise. An interconnected cult in NYC had opened an elite membership circle called the Apokolips Club. And absolute secrecy surrounded it with the two very outstanding exceptions of Sen Henry Ballard, as Intergang Director, and Hooded Terror, as high priestess to the worship of Darkseid.
But on the third day, Vic received a coded call from Oracle that she herself and Arkham Knight would be joining he and Huntress this evening after their flight from Los Angeles arrived. Vic quickly called Helena before relaying the address of a fairly deserted alley to rendezvous in. Question had never met with either the Arkham Knight or Oracle. And he wanted to be certain of them before revealing the Monitor Womb to strangers.
One of the more disturbing aspects of the investigation for Huntress was that every youth and parent she and Question had observed when this began all attended the Religion of Crime's services. And each teen and parent were being emboldened every day services were held, which was three times a week. She was starting to win the fight but feared she'd already lost the war. Domino wasn't the only sore loser.
"Well?" Huntress checked her watch. It thirty minutes past the agreed upon time.
Question chuckled, "They were here before we arrived," he nodded towards a van across the street.
"How do you know that's them?" she asked.
"Because the van is modified to support a paraplegic," Question said nonchalantly.
"What?" Huntress yelped.
Jason Todd ands Oracle came around the van. She very pointedly wheeled herself. Yet there was no animosity. In fact, Jason seemed brimming with respect for his disabled teammate.
"Question, Huntress, I apologize for the delay but we had to be certain absolutely no one was following any of us," Jason offered his apology.
"You're the super hacker?" Huntress didn't believe it.
"I don't know. Guess you're the bigot," Oracle retorted.
"Okay, I like her," Huntress decided.
"I am sitting right here," Oracle was getting impatient.
"You get used to it from her," Jason warned.
"Have we met?" Huntress asked.
"When I first became the Red Hood," Jason shared.
"You're that asshole?" Huntress exclaimed, "Katana still wants your effing head."
"I'm aware," Jason replied.
"Have I informed you I know Bruce Wayne is Batman, Vic Sage is the Question, and you're Helena Bertinelli. That all took me ten minutes to piece together on the flight here. So yeah, I'm the goddamn super hacker," Oracle asserted.
"God, you made the best call here, Q," Helena was thrilled to have met Oracle.
"You gave us a summary. Oracle needs the complete package so I can brief the ops team and prep an action plan before they arrive," Jason requested.
"When do they arrive?" Question asked.
"He's effing with you," Oracle warned, "They flew in with us and are prepping to mobalize tomorrow. Mr. Ops Plan is just trying to sound modest."
"And failing," Huntress riposted.
"I know, right?" Oracle actually giggled.
Given their histories it was easy to forget Jason and Oracle were only nineteen-years old.
"Follow us," Question moved off.
"He means with your van," Huntress clarified.
"How will we know what you're driving?" Jason asked.
"You'll know," Huntress promised.
"I guess we're up," Oracle sounded skeptical.
The lift got her wheelchair back in the van. Locking the wheels just between the seats, she slid into the driver's seat. She slid the key in the ignition and started the van before clipping her seat belt on. Jason had already done so. He'd already been dead for two weeks once before and didn't want to repeat the experience because of his own negligence.
"I'm so glad you're fine with my driving," Oracle confessed.
"Hell, you drive better than I do," Jason admitted, "I took driver's ed. in Nanda Parbat."
She giggled and shook herself. She really needed to stop doing that. Jason would think she was getting all girlie. But it was his fault to begin with.
Question's other Ford Mustang, this time a 302, roared out of the alley and burned rubber and used the whole road to turn and race down the avenue.
"She was right. Can't miss that," Jason was philosophical.
Oracle wasn't as sanguine, "They do know they just left us behind?"
The Mustang suddenly drove by again with Huntress waving at them to follow. Oracle released the brake and put the van in gear, "Oh, eff it."
Question lapped them twice more before leading them into his garage. Oracle was not in a pleasant mood when she reached the ground.
"Have you ever heard of a goddamn carbon footprint, you effing maniac?" she literally wagged her finger at him.
"Hokum," and he literally brushed her objections aside, "We have a private elevator so access won't prove to be a problem."
"If I can fit my chair beside your swelled-up head," Oracle snapped at him.
Huntress and Jason were both enjoying the moment.
Question and Huntress updated their earlier briefing packet. The news was grim, "I addition to those members observed at Huntress' high school, there are almost two dozen more recent arrivals from other cities. Most are in the employ of the Religion of Crime. Nearly all of that number have been drawn from ither North American countries. Those that we originally observed were the majority of the US citizens brought in from various cities and rural townships. Only one pairing was domestic to Hup City. A pair of fraternal twins with two children who now serves as deacons to the Church of Crime."
Question delivered the worst piece of news, "The newest arrivals include pedophiles with children ages thirteen and below. So far we've identified two parents, one male and one female with same sex pairings and three, two male and one female, with opposite sex pairings. The youngest child is nine. That appears to be the threshold for as young as Intergang is willing to accept from 'converts'. Any younger would draw undue attention."
"The shittiest part is that these kids all seem brainwashed into believing what 'mummy and duddy' are doing is really love," Huntress could've literally spat.
"There also appears to be official reluctance to bring in Central or South American 'believers' as of yet. Again to avoid unnecessary attention," Question added.
"How do they recruit?" Jason asked.
And it was explained and he nodded, "I have the perfect undercover agents to play into this. They can pretend to be horny party animals club crawling their way across America. They can pass as a pair of fraternal twins. And the other as confused siblings. I was actually hoping to run with this scenario."
"I need access to your systems to verify certain facts," Oracle stated. Question just stared her down and she was dismissive, "Puh-lease, I was shot in the spine by Deadshot and left for dead by Amanda Waller. You honestly believe you can intimidate me?"
"Q, a word?" Huntress pulled him outside, "We need her. We can't do this without you but her help will make it a helluva lot easier. `Sides, I really like this one."
"Is this what makes you a good teacher?" he asked.
"No, scaring the bejeezus out of my students makes me a good teacher," Huntress reminded him.
"How can I assist?" he asked Oracle as he reentered the Womb.
"I don't want your passwords or secure data," Oracle promised, "But I do need you surveillance records and notes as well as outside access to the Dark Web."
"The person or the construct?" he inquired.
"Both, preferably," she smiled, "I might to contact Anonymous and YouTuber as well."
"I assume KitCat, Cypher, and Overwatch or on your shortlist as well," Question stated.
"Of course," she practically twinkled, "I might even have KitCat ask Kenny Wisdom for some help as well."
"Who are all these people she's contacting?" Huntress wondered.
"Elizabeth Fleischman and Kenneth Wisdom work for the MLJ. Felicity Smoak and Chloe Sullivan should require no introduction. Dark Web, Anonymous, and YouTuber's identities remain hidden but they are all on the international terrorist watch lists," Question explained.
"And she's working with these people?" Huntress was stymied.
"Oracle works with the elements she needs to to right the injustices she endeavors to cripple," Question didn't need to point out the similarities with Huntress herself, "These are her means just as you have yours and I have mine. We each of us live in the gray areas. Black and white can't function for us."
"And him?" Huntress nodded in Jason's direction, "Katana hates him for a reason."
"Jason Todd is a true believer. Batman trained him for a season before rejecting him. The Joker tortured and killed him to impart a lesson onto the Dark Knight. Nyssa Raatko resurrected him and made him her disciple as she raised him as her own. She made him the Red Hood to avenge himself upon the Joker's memory. He remade himself the Arkham Knight to redeem his year being brutalized by the Joker. Another bears the title Red Hood now," Question revealed, "And in it all, Jason has earned Nyssa's deepest respect and utmost confidence. The Outlaws were his idea, not hers. But she adapted to the new reality. Just as she adapted to his going to NOWHERE and joining the Teen Titans."
"But the Outsiders and White Rabbit were her ideas?" Huntress asked.
"Yes," he affirmed it.
"Okay, I won't kill him when this is over. I might even be able to talk Tatsu from it as well," Huntress guessed.
"Um…how did you get eyewitness statements? This is a cult. That should be next to impossible," Oracle wondered.
"I beat the confessions out of them," Huntress shrugged.
"Oh. Okay," Oracle was nonchalant about it.
"Squire, Ravager, and Speedy have small teams in the field. But I was able to bring half our team with me. With one joining up later in the week when he wraps up his current priorities," Jason shared.
"He didn't fly in with you?" Huntress snarked.
"Couldn't fit him in the luggage," Jason retorted.
"Smart ass," Huntress was appreciative.
"You have no idea," Oracle sounded pained. Question thought she protested a little too loudly.
"Okay, I have everybody grossed out and up and running. Over half these people have day jobs so they might be a little slower," Oracle advised everyone, "They'll ping me when they get something. I'll take it at my post in the safe house."
"Safe house?" Huntress asked.
"Nyssa has provided a network of safe houses. As soon as we brought in Oracle from being independent, she adapted all of them to her needs. And equipped them so we could maximize her talents as well as we were outfitted and equipped at each location," Jason explained the situation.
"That's why I have a van at every home along with those vehicles provided for Jason and the team," Oracle was pleased to say. She didn't elaborate on the fact Jason had fought for her inclusion despite her usual proclivity to stay in Los Angeles at the main compound. That was how she learned how highly he valued her as a coworker and a …friend? She hoped at least as much. But she also saw how he looked at her at unguarded moments.
"I'll let you drive," Jason quipped as she wheeled to the van.
"You are so effing funny, Todd," she groaned.
"Use these," Question handed them each a burner phone.
"I can secure any phone," Oracle promised. He blankly stared at her. She sighed, "Fine."
As they drove to the opposite end of the city, Jason made an offer, "I'll buy you drink."
She gave him a rueful expression, "You realize we're both underage."
"Larry, Curly, and Mo used to bring a bottle in and beat me until I drank enough to be intoxicated. Then the Joker would arrive to torture me while I was drunk to see if I'd scream," Jason's voice didn't hold any recriminations, "I learned to handle my liquor. And there isn't much of a nightlife in Nanda Parbat or most of the places Nyssa took me to train."
Oracle wasn't quite sure how to respond, "I'm not an abstinence peddler. I got wasted a few times in high school. I think that's how I lost my virginity. All I really remember was disappointment when he came and I was left wanting more."
"Nyssa is a lesbian. So the women in my sphere were as well. My story of losing virginity involved an epic escape attempt and running the streets of Bangladesh with no money," Jason smirked at the memory.
"How'd that work for you?" Oracle laughed.
"Thieves will unite," he chuckled, "Of course, Nyssa made my life a living hell for six months afterwards."
"That seemed to happen a lot, after your dad and all," Oracle ventured.
'It wasn't, and isn't all bad, it depends on who you know and are with," Jason was confident in that.
Oracle caught the added meaning and blushed, "Are you sure you wanted me along for this?"
"You're tough and can take of yourself. Not everyone can survive hours of torture without breaking and even fewer survive Deadshot's sim or Waller's attention," Jason promised her.
"Are you going soft on me, Todd?" Oracle tried to sound business-like.
"Hardly. Just offering a fair assessment," he replied.
And now I know why you're attracted to me, she was pleased to realize.
Oracle rolled into the safe house's main room behind Jason. The team was assembled. Most, if not, looked angry and revolted by the targets.
"These are some sick ass effs," Laurel Anne Hardy opined.
"My people killed deviants like these," Hildur Goransdottir added. Possibly the first thing Sparrow and Shieldmaiden had ever intentionally agreed on.
"You seemed pretty insisted that Conner, Li, Emiko and I be on the team," Ollie Queen stated. Ollie was from Earth-27. A paradoxical alternate Earth where doppelgangers were typically twenty-five years younger than their Earth Prime counterparts. Li Harper was from Earth-4 where fourteen years older was the norm. Hence Lian Harper being five and Li being nineteen. Conner and Emiko happened to be of the same age as Jason, Oracle, and Li. Ollie was six years older than Conner but could pass as a sibling. Thus his importance on the mission.
"You're all undercover agents," Jason told them.
"Excuse me?" Conner blurted.
"You and Ollie pose as brothers travelling through town with bicurioius feelings…towards each other. Making the club rounds with some effective acting and a 'missionary' should approach on behalf of the Religion of Crime," Jason told them, "Emiko, you and Li will do the same, but you'll be fraternal twins."
"I'm Vietnamese, not Chinese," Li protested.
"Sorry Li, but neither of you are pure blood. You're both Eurasians and Americans can't typically differentiate between Asian ethnicities anyway. You're our best option at doubling down our chances of getting people inside those church services," Jason had to apologize.
"Here's the rundown of what we know so far," Oracle booted up the wall of multimedia screens and displays. Each one held different data points and she and Jason ran everyone through every point. Oracle loved doing it. And she could see Jason practically glowing at sharing the experience with her.
While the Queens and Harper clubbed, Laurel and Hildur provided discreet oversight for Emiko and Li. Jason discreetly observed Ollie and Conner's performance. Question and the Huntress set up an observation post opposite of the Religion of Crime's church.
"Dammit, everyone I know is still attending. Goddammit, I wish we could down and break some kneecaps and get these kids into counseling and the effing adults in jail," Huntress grated.
"Without obtaining the Hooded Terror, it's useless. They'll just start up again somewhere else. Illicit sex is attractive without the best of reasons. Consider non-consensual BDSM or how many people entertain rape fantasies," Question countered.
"Until it actually happens," Huntress and had known fellow teachers who'd been raped by students and other scum. Some of them had actually wished for it before it really occurred, "So we wait."
He heard her disgust, "For just a little while longer. This is the second service since the Outlaws arrived. Arkham Knight's infiltrators have been made contact," Oracle had just update Question via text, "It appears both parties have been invited to the very next service. They'll scout the territory and try to ascertain when the Hooded Terror will return and we proceed accordingly."
"We kill the bitch," Huntress promised.
"After we interrogate her," Question revised her statement.
"Two hours, Q. Then I do it my way," Huntress advised him.
"Pin cushions can be motivated to confess as well," he reminded her of her usual methodology.
"Fine. The last one counts though," Huntress was done bargaining.
"I concede to your better judgment," Question allowed.
"About goddamn time," Huntress continued observing.
A deaconess purposefully approached the Queens and Harper. She monopolized Ollie and Conner's time. Not overtly attracted to them but she recognized hesitation when she saw it, "Welcome to the Religion of Crime. They've made every natural impulse illegal so in essence we're all criminals."
"I bet that sells well," Ollie relaxed.
"Of course," she smiled, "I'm Sandra. My partner is my brother, Silas. You need to meet our two perfect children. Proof the warnings about incest are bullshit. We've applied for a marriage license. The church has arranged for falsified proof we aren't related. Of course that isn't an issue for you two. At least not yet. Legal challenges will legalize same sex marriage in a few years. Then the church can help you out of you chose. Sibling relationships are monogamous to a fault. So, you won't have to worry about divorce."
"Sounds good," Ollie turned to Conner, "Something to look forward to."
He reached for and held Conner's hand. He managed not to squirm. On another world, Ollie would've been his dad. So it was creepy on several levels.
"I think about it every day here lately," Conner confessed.
Sandra brightened, "You'll never regret a thing. Except for waiting for so long."
A set of identical twins approached Emiko and Li. The bolder redhead spoke first, "Hi! I'm Brianna. This is the love of my life, Valeria. She knows me intimately, in every sense of the word."
Valeria blushed, "Who can know you better than your own sister, right?"
"If course, I feel the same way," Emiko wrapped ar arm over Li's shoulders and kissed her cheek.
"I'm Linda. I can't imagine my life without Grace," Li smiled brightly. So far it was the truth.
"So, how'd you do it?" Emiko asked for background information.
"Val proposed to me when we were ten. That always stuck with me because she'd remind me we were getting married someday every few weeks. When we turned thirteen, I confessed to her I felt the same way and promised to marry her. It was the first time we clumsily had sex. Three years later, our mom caught us. We ran before she could call anyone. Fortunately, we were spotted by a Religion of Crime missionary while we made out in the car while we tried to find somewhere to live. They set up fake school records and moved us here. We have part-time jobs and school along with our own apartment. It ain't much but it's ours alone and it's home now," Brianna blew through several years of history while hardly taking a breath.
"Our first time together was mind blowing because of all the emotion wrapped up in it," Li replied. She felt Emiko's arm stiffen. They were now off script.
"How could we possibly deny who and what we are?" Brinna's question wasn't rhetorical.
"Oh God, of course, yes," Emiko gushed.
"Our parents threw us out rather than call anyone. We ended up buying fake IDs. It's easier to pass when you fraternal," Li added.
Brianna and Valeria were eating it up. They'd found true kindred spirits at long last. Li felt guilty for when they'd be disabused of that belief. Emiko was believing it was well deserved.
"Tonight we'll receive a further revelation truth. In us and about us, together and individually," Brianna gushed.
"Why is this special?" Emiko asked.
"Because the Hooded Terror is here for two weeks before tending to other flocks of different versions of the Religion of
"Terror?" Li played dumb.
"A holy terror against the forces oppressing us ands trying to make deny each other," Valeria was emphatic.
"Can't wait," Emiko lied. But the Hooded Terror's return and continued presence was good for the mission. They could proceed as everyone wanted to.
Protector arrived at the safe house and checked in with Oracle as she monitored the situation at the former church. Huntress and Question had one elevated position. Nearby, with line of sight, Arkham Knight, Sparrow and Shieldmaiden waited in case trouble broke out.
Oracle knew being isolated from the infiltration team irked Jason. Arkham Knight had survived less tenuous situations but he didn't have to like it, no matter how competent the team members were. His protectiveness with enough flexibility to let them get themselves out of trouble to only intervene if they couldn't warmed Oracle's heart.
"Hello, Dylan," she said without ever turning from her displays, "New uniform?"
Dylan Harris was still wearing a three-piece suit, "I had a meeting with my investment bankers. The clinics I support will be fully funded for ten years and counting."
Oracle found it hard to believe that two years ago, Dylan had been a street urchin addict who'd dropped out of middle school. He'd barely be a high school freshman now. But Jason Hart, the original Protector, had saved Dylan's life and convinced him to get clean. The drive that had fed his drug habit he used to invest. And it had paid off beyond all expectations. He'd invested in startups that were absorbed by Starrware among others.
"Was there any other occasion?" Oracle inquired.
"My sister's birthday," Dylan admitted.
"Funny you should mention that," Oracle smirked, "You read the brief?"
"I've seen worse. Hell, I've lived worse," Dylan admitted.
"Some of us haven't. It's hitting them hard," Oracle shared.
"'Them'?" he asked.
"I've seen real evil. This is just perverted stupidity," Oracle replied, "These people need help. But those exploiting them deserve to die."
"And that's why they call you the 'hangin' judge'," Dylan quipped.
"You might want to get your luggage stowed. The door to your room is marked," Oracle was all business.
But she was worried about the team inside. If anyone even suspected their duplicity, who knew what sort of extreme reaction they'd be on the receiving end of. And that was why Arkham Knight was vigilant.
Jason had explained to her, if no one else, why he'd chosen his new identity rather than remain the Red Hood and force Li into sculpting a new persona. Jason's time and death in Arkham had forged him into the man he'd grown into. Part leader, part assassin, part disciple, and part dedicated teammate. With Arkham Asylum disgraced and rebuilt, he'd wanted to not only redeem Arkham but also prove to Batman that he'd been worthy to be Robin, and eventually assume the Dark Knight's mantle. Nyssa hadn't been consulted but she'd approved.
He was getting increasing amounts of latitude in how to run the Outlaws. And of shaping their agendas and destinies. Jason Todd wasn't one to reveal his rather horrific life to anyone. But he was sharing with her on an increasing basis. As a paraplegic, she could relate to a lot of the trauma. And the drama of people being dedicated to killing you. She still didn't understand what the Crimson Queen wanted with her. Or how the freakshow named Alice the Mad Hatter had gotten into her head.
Every so often she felt like she could feel Alice's presence again. But it would fade faster than it arose. So Oracle was clueless that Alice's magic had its hooks in Oracle's mind until one of them died.
"Please be seated, the service is about to begin," Deacon Silas announced. He'd been working the crowd of faithful while Deaconess Sandra had been testing Ollie and Conner's "purity of heart" before joining in on that duty. The church had been sold to Intergang replete with its trappings. So everyone found a pew to sit in. Brianna and Valeria asked Emiko and Li to join them. The actual twins held each other tight. Li forced the issue and held Emiko's hand. Ollie and Conner joined the end of the pew and Ollie draped his arm around Conner's shoulders.
Both Ollie and Li gave their supposed love interests reassuring looks to reinforced it was an act. The Hooded Terror came out after a musical number while bottles of alcohol and shot glasses were handed down every aisle. The infiltration team wondered if this was the Religion of Crime's communion sacrament.
"Before I begin, many of you have asked for rooms to available here laden with offerings that you wish to have for your loved before engaging in your god given impulses. Those requests have been met over the last few months. Tonight, those of you willing to indulge in complete privacy and in an act of unholy fellowship, can utilize your special space to treat one another however you wish without fear of persecution," The Hooded Terror began speaking. She wore a literal hooded cassock and a scarf-like mask. But what was revealed is that she was mature but hardly elderly. She moved with a vibrancy and purpose not yet eroded by age.
"My children, several missionaries and our other deacon/deaconess team have been assaulted by masked vigilantes over the course of the last fourteen days. Steps have already been taken to insure your safety, both here in this sanctuary of true love, and at your homes. Because the Religion of Crime is not about criminality," the Hooded Terror began her "sermon", "It is instead about free will and the natural order. What is more natural than the love of family? And what greater extension of love can there be thana sexual expression of that love? Even those of us not yet having reached puberty understand that their parents love them in a very special way denied most boys and girls."
Conner was feeling his gorge rise but kept a poker face. He didn't realize the whole team was doing the same. Outside, Huntress and Question listened in on a parabolic dish. Arkham Knight's team used a laser eavesdropping device and Oracle and Protector piggybacked off of that signal. There wasn't a single one of them that wasn't revolted by the message or its underlying, if baldly proclaimed, motives.
"Tonight, we honor our wounded by celebrating our devotion one another. To the truest love family can share. And to the greatest freedom of expression ever brought to this country. Society will change. They will accept you as the norm not the deviant. And they will come to realize what purity of love and devotion has been lacking in their saddened and pathetic lives. Thank you. Please feel free to indulge yourselves in anything and anyway before you leave."
The Hooded Terror stepped away Sandra and Silas intercepted the team, "The Terror wishes to speak with you personally."
Brianna caught Li and handed a slip of paper, "It's our number. Maybe we could double date?"
"I'll ask Grace," "Linda" promised.
"Here we go people," Arkham Knight warned over communal comms. The infiltrators weren't wearing any communications devices beside smart phones. They were brought to a study filled with underground DVDs and Blu-rays that the Religion of Crime had produced. Pornographic films of bestiality, incest, necrophilia, genital mutilation, gasping and every taboo vice. These consisted of several other sex cults the Religion of Crime had been establishing across the United States.
"Thank you for coming," Lora said, "The first time is always the most jarring to meet others that have already expressed your latent desires. We have websites promoting our cause and contact information. The FBI has tried to seize control of the servers and shut us down. They have failed and court injunctions have been denied. Senate bills to legalize all of these sexual expressions are making their way through committee even now. When I proudly proclaim that these men, women, and children are the vanguard of a new normal, I am not lying. Society's prohibitive mores will be swept aside for enlightened policies."
The Hooded Terror paused, "But bigots, haters, the prejudices and the blinded by false religious zeal will have the hardest time adjusting and may have to be deported. Our tolerance will be met with violent intolerance and we'll have to protect those that cannot defend themselves. If you decide to continue attending, you'll be afforded our protection as well."
"Aren't you afraid we would go to the press or some other outlet?" Emiko asked.
"Frankly, I've been trying to garner the interest of the mainstream press rather than fringe groups," Hooded Terror chuckled.
"Arkham Knight, I've been tracking a number of incest porn sites. They're promising new live feeds will begin any second now," Oracle advised.
"They installed cameras," the Question realized, "And no one knows."
"Omigod! A huge transmission source just went live at your location," Oracle was alarmed
"Copy that. Standby," Arkham Knight turned to Shieldmaiden and Sparrow, "Don't follow me."
And he set out on foot to round behind the church building. Sparrow was livid, "Oracle, Arkham Knight just shagged ass behind the church by himself."
"Jason, what the eff?" Oracle was really alarmed now, "Jesus Christ, a dozen feeds just started up. The child molesters are already streaming hundreds of hits."
"Wait for it," Arkham Knight promised.
An explosion rocked the backyard. Arkham Knight sprinted back to the enclosure. Sparrow reported in, "Arkham Knight is safe and he has neutralized the transmitter. But he is also the biggest dipshit, dumb ass on the team."
Dylan witness as Oracle ripped her comm set mike and earpiece off and threw them across the room, "Sonuvabitch!"
"Problem?" he ventured.
"Not if you can get Jason Todd's head out of his ass," she vented.
"I see," and Dylan finally did see it.
The building shook. Silas burst into the study, "Hooded Terror, we have a…malfunction."
"What we have is a C-4 detonation," she said dryly, "Sandra, please escort our guests out. Silas, gather everyone so I can soothe their anxieties."
Safely outside in their vehicles, Li took a happy note that Brianna and Valeria had seemed to have departed before the sex began. And Oracle was off comms. Which was really odd. Protector was warning everyone to leave her alone. She had a conversation with Arkham Knight that needed to happen.
A convoy of vehicles formed up from different vehicles leaving the area surrounding the church at disparate times. But eventually everybody's safe house provided vehicle was on the road with the obvious exceptions of Oracle's van and Protector's motorcycle. And Question's Mustang had joined them.
"Wow! The League of Assassins treats its personnel like royalty. Even I don't have this kind of money," Huntress remarked upon entering the common area.
"Where are Arkham Knight and Oracle?" Question asked.
"Follow the shouting," Protector sighed.
Huntress and Question exchanged a far too knowing look. The situation had tiff written all over it. And there was no time for such considerations.
"You asshole!" Oracle was still yelling, "Did you even give a rat's ass about how it would affect the rest of us if you got yourself killed? Or provoked the Hooded Terror and got Conner, Emiko, Ollie, or Li killed as well?"
"This what I do," Jason said flatly, "It's all I know how to do."
That stupefied Oracle. Jasion had endured a crappy childhood of staggering proportions. It was actually the worst that Oracle had heard of, including her own.
"I…" Oracle faltered.
"It's okay," he promised, "I was thinking of everyone. But I was thinking of those deluded people playing into Intergang's hands. They didn't know, and I think they wouldn't care. And that's more effed up than my sob story."
"Jason, I'm sorry," Oracle was anxious again.
"Look, we have a debrief to get to. We can discuss this again later," Jason made it sound as appealing as getting his eyeballs boiled in ginger.
He exited first. Oracle hung her head, "Eff me."
"We have a building problem," Jason announced as met with the others, "We have civil rights violations on a grand scale equal to the Titanic sinking. But the direct threat is whatever security Intergang is arranging for their precious Hooded Terror and her Religion of Crime churches. Some of them were present tonight but destroying the transmitter rattled them and gave us an opportunity to extract.
Oracle decided to forgive him yet. Question took the field, "Intergang's own enforcers will likely be largely held in reserve. Since they boast an established portal creator, it's safe to say they can reallocate forces at will. But chatter has it that Intergang has asked Cluemaster and the Legion of Annoyance to step in."
"The what?" Ollie burst out laughing.
"The minor league to the Legion of Doom," Jason answered, "Cluemaster created it originally as the Kings of Catastrophe with promises of earning Legion proper membership."
He glanced towards Oracle, who'd collected herself from earlier, "The Kings of Catastrophe actually had some high profile successes. Which irritated Luthor who'd envisioned the Kings as the fall guys. So he remolded the Kings into the Legion of Annoyance. And he persuaded Cluemaster to go on a massive recruitment drive to counter-balance Libra's increased drive to bolster the Secret Society's own recruiting initiative. Both agencies more than tripled their original numbers. And get this, most of the recruits had been so-called 'superheroes'."
"These people failed as heroes, antiheroes, and civilians. So they have a lot to prove to themselves as villains," Jason warned.
Question handed Oracle a portable hard drive, "I have just supplied as up to date as possible rosters for both Legions and the Secret Society of Super Villains."
Huntress signaled a time out, "I have to ask, who the hell are you people?"
Sparrow bristled, "I'm Sparrow. I'm also Laurel Anne Hardy, and if so much as snicker, I'll break your jaw. I worked the American Southwest before Jason recruited me."
"I am Hildur Goransdottir, a shiedmaiden of Iceland and Odin," she announced.
"Basically a demigoddess born to Goran, a minor Vanyar of the Norse Pantheon," Question offered.
"Good to know, and you short stack?" Huntress asked the fifteen-year old Dylan Harris.
"I'm the newest Protector. My reasons are my own so back the hell off me, lady," Dylan got antagonistic.
"Okay, I've decided I like all of you. You can help," Huntress smirked.
"Everyone will be assembled in two days for services. We can contact the local PD and County Sheriff's office to create a net while we deal with Intergang's protective detail," Question suggested.
All eyes fell on Jason, who nodded agreement, "It's a good plan. It also gives us two days to prep. And to rest up from the tension of tonight. Straightforward action will clear our minds and purpose."
Everyone pretended not to notice Oracle shifting in her chair, "I'll disseminate these dossiers. I really suggest you at least peruse them. I'll warn you, there's a lot of raw data so you'll have to purge any unnecessary data from your tablets."
"I guess that's why I have an MP3," Emiko shrugged.
Li was distracted by the unfolding drama between Jason and Oracle. With any luck at all there wouldn't be a reconciliation. But she had two larger problems to deal with. She quietly texted Brianna and Valeria and set up that double date.
"I'm sending everyone data," Oracle announced. Tablets across the room pinged. She got busy reading. Huntress approached Jason.
"Trouble?" she asked quietly.
"Probably but I'm not sure why," Jason admitted.
"Because you were an ass tonight. You abandoned your team to attempt suicide," Huntress laid it out, "You may think you were sparing them but all you did was insult them. And tell them their respect for you wasn't reciprocated. And everyone that might care for you was told in no uncertain terms you'd rather die a martyr than live with them. Food for thought."
"Yeah, I guess it is. It's just that it's the League of Assassins code. The one dies for the many," Jason told her.
"That's Star Trek crap. The one is just as important as the many. You can't lose sight of that or you really will die next time. And no one will be sorry to see you go," Huntress advised him.
"I'm used to that," Jason groaned.
"Batman really wouldn't let you be Robin?" Huntress didn't believe it.
"I was 'too impulsive' and 'couldn't take orders without questioning them'," Jason quoted.
"That I believe," Huntress smirked.
"Anyway, he chose Tim Drake and again, the Joker chose a presumptive Robin. Only this time Batman came looking for Tim. And Joker even returned Tim to the ward he'd held me in for a year. Tim broke, I didn't." Jason stated flatly.
"You sure about that?" Huntress pointedly asked.
"I guess I don't know after all," Jason finally confessed.
"I know a few people that need to hear that," Huntress motioned towards the few Outlaws still in the room, pointedly at Oracle.
"They will. Later," Jason promised.
"Not too much later," Huntress counseled.
The next day, Question and Huntress engaged in an harassment policy against Intergang holdings in Hub City. And as soon as the vigilantes cleared out, the Syndicate Underground would be exploiting exposed weaknesses. Huntress hated that part but it was the price of the Outlaws' involvement. Empress Penguin got her war. She'd united most of Gotham under her banner and felt bold enough to threaten Intergang directly.
After Knightfall's losses, she'd been cut from the 100. She didn't even rate the 1000 as Emperor Penguin still did. So she'd struck out on her own as she'd begun. But even her closest allies, Jaina Hudson, White Rabbit, and Hellequin had turned against her in favor of Regina Swann. The Disgraced were all dead. Charise Carnes barely had a friend in the world. And so, she turned to the Global Concern.
Sen. Henry Ballard, Intergang's ultimate leader, while Big Boss ran daily operations, was the author of the bills to legalize and any and all sexual expressions. Victory wasn't his goal just yet. But he wanted the conversation in the American psyche. And he came from the most liberal state in the United States and had switched to the Libertarian Party this last election in preparation for these proposals and many more to come.
And seeing as how Ballard was one of the senior voices in the Senate, respect for him drove colleagues to listen despite his "nutbar" party positions. Many disagreed with Ballard's Far Left positions but they would listen because of the influence he wielded. And trading votes was just a form of currency on Capitol Hill.
Because of the political stalemate over Ballard's bills, Congress had issued a moratorium on enforcing existing laws against such practices. And emergency decisions by the Supreme Court ratified that policy as being legal. S
o it was, the children of the child molesters could be removed from the home for their own physical safety but during the ban, the parents wouldn't be charged unless physical harm could be proven. The ban also proscribed mental health evaluations. So the incestual teenagers and adults wouldn't face the merest hint of court ordered counseling. And so it was, Oracle and Jason delivered the bad news.
"But we can still physically shut the church down. The Hooded Terror's Religion of Crime endorses many blatantly, and still enforceable, violation of the laws," Question mitigated the damage done.
"So while we have to let the doers go, the leaders we can still bag," Huntress simplified it.
The daylight before the evening of the next service found Jason had made his apologies without delving into his own prejudices. But his certainty that he would reflect on matters to a greater degree before acting, and not unilaterally if at all possible, came a great relief to most. Oracle had strained to overhear his confession to Huntress the night before. She was torn between still being angry and wanting to forgive him for what was obviously a huge emotional turmoil he faced during every mission. The ass hat just needed to realize it wasn't just all about him anymore.
"Ollie and Conner received an invitation to meet Sandra and Silas' kids," every knew the names from the eavesdropping devices that had relayed every word to the comms network, "Emiko and Li are on a 'double date' with Brianna and Valeria."
"I liked them even though we didn't get to meet," Oracle confessed.
"So does Li. Maybe a little too much," Jason shared.
"You think she'll compromise the mission?" Oracle was curious.
"No, I just think she's getting too wrapped into this to be objective," Jason remarked.
"Hmm, that sounds like someone I know. I can't remember his name off hand," Oracle was serious and snarky all at once.
"Li told me 'her' Arkham Knight replaced Batman when he retired. Her Red Hood was his version of Robin," Jason shared what might have comprised a confidence, "She doesn't hide the info. She just doesn't think even Ollie can relate."
"Yeah, but 'her' Arkham Knight. You made that sound possessive," Oracle realized.
"It's how she said it, intonation and all," Jason told her.
"Do you think she might see you as a younger him?" Oracle was curious.
"Probably. Stranger shit happens here every day," Jason was being cautious but didn't see a problem yet.
"Someone accessed the safe," Dylan reported, "Biometric log says it was…"
"Li," Jason and Oracle said together.
"How much she take?" Oracle groaned.
"One of the standard 'run like hell' envelopes of ten grand," Dylan stated, "Want me to find her?"
"No, she's giving the money to Brianna and Valeria so they can bug out of here before tonight," Jason deduced.
"I'm glad you could meet the fam," Silas pumped Ollie's and then Conner's hand.
"Will you be attending tonight?" Sandra asked.
"Wouldn't miss it," Ollie said pleasantly. Even Conner brightened.
"We're so happy you called," Brianna gushed, "We never get to do this anymore. Everyone else judges."
"Assholes," Valeria agreed.
"Actually we came to give you an opportunity," Li said.
Emiko cast a suspicious look her way but remained silent. Li elaborated, "My sister and I had help moving out and starting a life. We can't stay here. It was a nice idea and everyone was cool."
Emiko wanted to slap Li for that one. Li went on, "We carry emergency mad money. This money can get you anywhere in the States to start over. It's not much and you'd still have to work while you went to school. Or you could challenge your courses and just get your GEDs now."
"Brie, this what we've been praying for," Valeria whispered.
"Shh," Briana shushed, "How much and what's the catch?"
"Ten grand and there's a drop box address inside the envelope. You repay as you can or not at all. You just need the best life you can have," Li said, "You won't get that here."
"Can we see it?" Valeria blurted out.
"Val!" Briana shushed her again.
Li retrieved the envelope from her jacket and slid it across the table, "The only catch is you go home, pack up, and leave tonight."
"This has to do with that vigilante business," Briana didn't ask.
"Yes. You don't have to tell us where you go. Just text a message now and then to let me know you're okay," Li dropped the plural pronoun.
"And you don't give a shit," Brianna accused Emiko.
"You're right," she replied.
"And you you're not twins…or even sisters," Brianna realized.
"Correct," Li confessed.
"And all hell is going down tonight, which is why you don't want us there," Valeria put forth.
"Right again," Li confirmed.
"Why us?" Brianna asked.
"Because you're good people. A little mixed up from where I sit, but you're decent and friendly. A rarity in my experience. You shouldn't suffer for that," Li opined.
"And you disagree with all of that," Brianna thrust at Emiko.
"Yes, to all of it," Emiko said stiffly.
"Will you follow us?" Valeria fretted.
"No, this is on her," Emiko conceded.
"This is on all of us. You deserve to get your best chance," Li had decided.
Valeria took the money, "Brie, we're doing this."
"Val, you're sure?" Brianna asked.
"We've been planning on doing this for months. Now we can actually afford to," Valeria reminded her sister. Brianna cupped Val's face in her hands and kissed her fully on the mouth. Emiko squirmed.
"You should go," Li urged, "Now. We're on a timetable and have to prep."
When they stood, Valeria tightly hugged each of them. Li reciprocated. Emiko stiffened. Briana spared her but did a death grip hug on Li.
"How can we repay you?" she whispered in Li's ear.
"Find your happy every after," Li whispered back.
"And you?" Brianna asked as she let go of Li.
"Had mine already. I survived. He didn't," Li said.
"Have another one," Brianna insisted.
"Working on it. It gets complicated. But it could be there," Li promised.
As the twins left the coffee shop, Emiko turned t Li, "Jason Todd is not interested in a relationship with you."
"I play the long game," Li warned Emiko.
"So does he," Emiko did her own warning.
Question devised the basic strategy for the evening. Arkham Knight modified it for his individual team members. Conner, Emiko, and Ollie had a vested interest in shutting the cult down. Li was les strident. Apropos considering she'd let Brianna and Valeria run away before all hell was scheduled to go down. Most of the team resented Li for her action. Jason had to intervene on her behalf.
"Look, mercy isn't weaknesses. Whether it's misguided or not is for the future to decide. We don't know what will happen with these girls. We don't know if they'll still be sleeping with each in a week, a month, or never again. The point being, who are we to judge? We're usually executioners but based on someone else's laws or dictates that we agree to abide by. It's not on us. We're the sharp sword, weapons to be used, we're not the judges or the rulers. We each recognize our supreme authorities. So recognize them, obey the, do what you want with them. But don't impose your judgment system on the rest of us. Got it?"
Silence loomed until Huntress broke it, "He's gotta helluva point."
"Well said," Question verbally applauded.
"Gear up people. We're gone in forty-five," Jason instructed.
"Jason?" Oracle said from her station, "Be careful and come back."
"I have nothing better planned," he grinned.
From fearless leader to bad boy in ten seconds, Oracle mentally bemoaned.
"I think you need to make a decision," Huntress offered.
"Wha…what?" Oracle was startled. She wasn't used to people coming up on her unnoticed.
"You know what. What is it you want? Decide that, and the rest is easy," Huntress started to stroll out, "Just saying."
Red Hood received a text from Brianna and Valeria. They'd left town and were headed to San Francisco owing to its greater tolerance of differences. Sparrow approached her.
"I understand why you did it. We all heard the girls describe what happened after their mother caught them having sex together. I came from a broken home. My dad molested me until he was locked away. Your parents died with your entire Earth. You were orphaned by fate. They were orphaned by fear. So, I hope they get their chance but also hope they get it and start real relationships with other people. Because their limiting themselves to each other is corrosively co-dependent."
Until now, only Arkham Knight and Oracle had known the totality of Sparrow's story. Red Hood felt honored to be included in that very short list and said so.
"Hey, you earned my trust today even if a few don't see it that way," Sparrow, "I know Shieldmaiden and Protector agree after Arkham Knight's little discourse."
Red Hood's heart had a skipped beat during it. Her Jason had been fourteen years older than she had been but they'd been instant lovers. It made them better partners for defending the ruins of Gotham. The devastated Gotham that the League of Assassins had created led by Nyssa. That final act had broken the bond between Jason and Nyssa.
"I can deal with the others," Red Hood decided.
"Just know you have support," Sparrow assured her.
Sparrow had enjoyed nearly unrestricted access to Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Northern Texas until she ran afoul of Blackjack in Las Vegas. She'd dropped bodies in every state and Blackjack had been asked by both the LVPD and the casino owners to bring her to justice. And as highly skilled as Sparrow had been, Blackjack had soundly beaten her.
But a new figure in Vegas intervened. The woman called Black Jaq beat Blackjack senseless and got Sparrow to safety. Then she spent three months honing Sparrow's skill set, including her introduction to escrima sticks. And after she'd parted ways from Black Jaq, Sparrow never lost another fight.
As the Outlaws deployed, Question and Huntress went into the church to confront the Hooded Terror and the Religion of Crime directly. And Oracle had managed to confirm members of Intergang's circle as well as the Legion of Annoyance would be present as well. The Legion was in charge of external security. It was the Outlaws' role to keep them from converging into the church. Intergang would have agents there, but they weren't enforcers per se but affiliates hired to guard the Hooded Terror and secure her liberty.
At the NRO, or National Reconnaissance Organization, a corporal desperately flagged a full bird colonel, "Sir, we've lost control of a Keyhole satellite. Whoever it is they are retasking it."
The KH-12 series of satellites had the premier spy satellites in the American arsenal since the early Eighties. They were aged but still functional. But they had limited amounts of thruster fuel left. So any shifts in orbit would likely be their last. And a foreign power could still use them to gather invaluable targeting intelligence.
"Can you break into it?" the colonel asked.
"Negative, the encryption is far beyond anything we have,"' the corporal complained.
"Flag it for the NSA. It's their damn job to stay ahead," the colonel ordered, "Call up a rail gun. If we can't restore control within ten minutes, destroy it."
the corporal knew that was a POTUS-level policy decision. The colonel had to brief the Joint Chiefs and get a decision from the still-President for six weeks, Jackson Mason. He'd been given that long to finalize his forced resignation even prior to the rigged special election heralding Lex Luthor into office. The military, military-industrial complex, and Wall Street had arranged for Luthor's election with permission from the Tri-Lateral Commission and Bilderberg Group.
Services began with Hooded Terror addressing the Religion of Crime's Hub City faithful. Prior to that, Lora had given Cluemaster his final instructions.
"I don't understand the masked motif. I know it sounds odd coming from me, but you're an attractive woman. You should flaunt that to your advantage," Cluemaster admitted.
"When women reach sixty, they're overlooked, now answer my damn question, are you prepared?" the about to be Hooded Terror sharply inquired.
"Yes, we're prepared," Cluemaster shared, "We have the periphery set up as a kill box once numbers unknown enter the church and are dealt with by your private force. Nadya Burnett and I will coordinate the outer defense and insure there are no survivors."
"Unless Spoiler shows up?" Hooded Terror affixed her mask and pulled her cowl up.
"Even if Stephanie arrives," Cluemaster grated.
The music geared up. Hooded Terror headed out of the study, "That's my cue. Don't fail me."
Cluemaster was outside by the time Question and Huntress barged in, "Legion of Annoyance, we are a 'go'."
Inside, Hooded Terror stopped sermonizing before she'd even really begun, "Everyone, welcome the Question and the Huntress. They are here to brutally suppress your freedoms and forbid your romances. Be certain to say 'hello' to them on your way out."
The flock nearly stampeded their way past the crimefighting duo.
The Gang surrounded Hooded Terror. Brains issued her first order, "Ms. Mesmer, confound them."
But the MLJ Initiative had supplied them with contact lenses that blocked most hypnotic powers. Ms. Mesmer scowled, "They seem to be immune now."
"Suck it, Mesmer," Huntress shot an electrical outlet on stage and sparks ignited the old, very frayed carpewtiing.
"Your sole task in life is to get me safely to freedom," Hooded Terror announced, "Let the rank and file burn to death."
Intergang associates swarmed out of side rooms. Two in particular confronted the Question. It annoyed him that he didn't have a clue as to who they were, "And you are?"
Crimebuster," said one.
"Crime Buster," said the other without irony. A phonetic stresser indicated the break between words, "We tried hero game. It's rigged. Now we rig the game for ourselves."
Question had previously learned that Intergang was hiring former superheroes to continue to play the part but in Intergang's interests. These two appeared to be examples.
"When we hand you to Hub City PD, they'll kiss our asses to give us anything we want," Crimebuster predicted.
Question had been trained in the martial arts by Richard Dragon. The only man to ever beat both Bronze Tiger and Lady Shiva during the same fight. The "Crime-Busters" seemed robust enough. He estimated it would take two whole minutes to subdue them. He was startled when it took eight. He was out of shape.
Huntress faced a trio. "Kayo" Red Kirby was a professional boxer banned from the ring because he had killed every opponent except a resurgent Ted Grant. Kayo found himself quite useful to Intergang and moonlighted in Roulette's Meta-Human Brawl roster of regular fighters. Red Rogue was really a private investigator. As Red Rogue he would commit nonviolent crimes and as a civilian offer his services to solve them.
Huntress dropped Red Rogue in seconds. Kayo was a challenge. Despite his years ion various rings, he always underestimated female opponents. Huntress used that prejudicial nearsightedness against him. It took some work but she broke his kneecap, an ankle, an elbow, and gave him tracheal edema. Afterwards, Denver Doll reassessed her chances.
"Well Sweetie, Ah might be able ta drop ya'll `fore ya kin git that thar bow thingie aimed and fired at mah pretty head. Or mah own chances might be high thet Ah kin get mah six off `fore that happens," Denver Doll thought out loud for Huntress' benefit, "Back in mah day Ah wus a Pinkerton detective. First gal ta do thet. Now, thet agency wusn't too choosy `bout clientele. Ah guess thet rubbed off on me. So Ah've wallowed through pig shit but this done make mah stomach churn."
"Let me guess, you want me to just let you go?" Huntress ventured.
"Honey, Ah'm sayin' we let each other go. An' say 'Hi' ta Jonah Hex when ya'll see him," Denver Doll winked, "Tell him the Detective Queen is all growed up an' lookin' fer her Promised Land. He'll git it. Promise."
"Why would he visit me?" Huntress asked.
"`Cause ya'll are talkin' ta me," she retorted confidently.
Denver Doll leapt through the rising flames to disappear out the back. Huntress snorted, "Teenagers."
"We've got movement everywhere. Watch your sixes because you are vastly outnumbered. Will advise as I can," Oracle reported to the Outlaws using the hijacked Keyhole as her "eyes".
"Arrows, take the back. Question is reporting the Hooded Terror made an exit run and is under escort," Arkham Knight radioed.
"We're green," Green Arrow was pleased to say.
"The rest of us will secure the Question and Huntress' extraction," Arkham Knight instructed.
"Let us meet the enemy and gave him no quarter," Shieldmaiden expressed the popular thought.
Nadya Burnett helped Cluemaster quarterback the Legion of Annoyance's collective effort. Facially ruined by acid like Harvey Dent, Nadya's half visage had been scarred a year before Two-Face came to light. Nadya had been a strategic planner for the Dept. of Defense before a Russian spy, attempting to escape the Pentagon with purloined secrets threw acid in her face to distract the Military Police. It failed to do so.
Nadya was scarred emotionally as well as physically. Left for hours with searing agony, she felt abandoned by the very country she'd dedicated her life to. So Nadya was met by a then-junior Sen. Henry Ballard and she was inducted into Intergang. Privatizing in the last number of years, she'd been located by Cluemaster and they began a collaboration that became a romance.
Knowing Arthur Brown could easily begin a fresh relationship with someone that didn't have a horrific element to her face, Nadya appreciated the fact he easily saw past her disfigurement and even lavished affections upon her scarred half. Her only fear was that it was a manipulative ruse. But over the last year, Cluemaster had lost none of his passion nor strayed from her.
"This is the first public operation I've ever gone on," Nadya confessed.
"I know," Cluemaster admitted, "But rather than revile you, they need to learn to fear you."
"Why do you love me, Arthur?" she finally asked.
"I wondered if you'd ask that," Cluemaster admitted, "You're brilliant and you're as beautiful as you are intelligent. It's a heady combination."
She squeezed his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, "Thank you for that."
He was embarrassed, "We need to get busy. It just got real."
"Of course, dear," she smirked.
Arkham Knight was confronted by no fewer than five humans and a dog. He ended Mr. Polka-Dot's frenzied attack by blowing out the man's kneecaps. Granite Lady and Power-Man worked together against him. Power-Man had Majestic-level strength and durability but could use one or the other at a time. Granite Lady's skin had transformed into rock when her gen factor was activated.
They threw punches at Arkham Knight but Jason was agile enough to evade them. Finally he had Granite Lady behind him and Power-Man before him. Power-Man threw the expected punch as Granite lady did as well. Arkham Knight ducked and spun away. Power-Man, as was his custom, threw the punch using super strength and then triggered his invulnerability as it neared. Only, he struck Granite Lady in the fact even as she clocked his jaw.
He was invulnerable so no harm was done. But her face cracked. Power-Man cursed the fact he couldn't fly as he hustled Granite Lady off of the field of battle. Arkham Knight went down hard as he was struck in the chest by Bulletman and the back of the knees by Bulletgirl.
He'd heard of these two. They were posers pretending to Alix Harrower's rivals. He knew Bulleteer. They'd enjoyed a dalliance or two in the past and she'd complained about this happy couple and their pretensions. She'd urged Jason to put them out of her misery since Alix was too squeamish to kill anyone intentionally;
Now, he had his opportunity. He threw Bulletman to the ground on the man's next pass. He shot the hyper-concerned Bulletgitrl as she flew by. But the experiments that gave them velocity powers also hardened their skin against impacts. Arkham Knight was annoyed when Bulletman didn't show the slightest concern for his wife when she was shot. Whether he was confident in her invulnerability or not, a little humanity was warranted.
He put one into the forehead protecting portion of Bulletman's helmet to delay him and cause the overprotective Bulletgirl to approach again. He ripped her conical helmet off as she flew past. The act destabilized her and she back flipped into the concrete parking lot.
"Sic him, Bullet Dog!" an offended, because of the umbrage over his own embarrassment, Bulletman commanded. Bullet Dog flew at Arkham Knight, who'd had enough. He waved a C-4 stick so Bullet Dog could see it and threw it further down the parking rows. When Bullet Dog retrieved it, Arkham Knight remote detonated the dog. Bulletgirl screamed. It appeared she was more intimately involved with the dog than her emotionally detached husband.
Bulletman tried to fly away only to discover a small brick of C-4 and a detonating cap affixed to his chest. He was blown in half by the explosion. Bulletgirl was catatonic but he slapped a C-4 charge to her forehead and ended her decades of misery in a loveless marriage comforted physically and emotionally by a dog.
"Oracle, I need a team sitrep," he requested. And she began to supply one as he determined where the greatest need was. But first he finished off Mr. Polka-Dot.
Quicksilver was just a swift acrobat. Red Hood ended his annoyance with an expert shot to the forehead in midair. Stuntman was just a pretentious poser that harassed Black Cat and Black Kitten on a regular basis. He'd been so pathetically easy to kill Red Hood knew she hadn't even needed a bullet. But Liberator and Swift Arrow were actual threats.
Swift Arrow was obviously an archer, who like Splitshot, could accurately fire two arrows simultaneously. Unlike the Superior Five member, he was equally competent with a single arrow. Red Hood was just staying alive when Swift Arrow used his compound bow to fire armor piercing arrows through parked and abandoned cars.. Red Hood got one desperate shot off but it tagged him between the eyes.
Liberator screamed and a Venom-like intensification of muscle and bone transformed the very slight academic into a boundless titan. Even Li's bullets bounced off. She holstered her useless pistol and drew her knife. Fortunately, the sheer muscle mass Liberator carried around slowed him down. So she was able to stay out of arm's reach because failing to do so would end her life.
What she was unaware of was that the ancient Egyptian formula that empowered Liberator caused random transformation to his powered state and back again with no control. But the enormous amounts of agony he underwent during them announced that the change had been triggered. And so with no warning, Liberator screamed again as the change lasted a mere few minutes. Seeing him revert to an average human being, Red Hood stabbed him through the heart and called it good as he died with a startled look of surprise on his face.
"Thankfully that's over," Red Hood breathed a sigh of relief. Oracle contacted her. Li decided she didn't like her rival having spy satellites at her disposal.
Protector watched as a thirteen year-old boy swelled in proportions to become the Majestic-level Mighty-Mite. Whose fifteen-year old girlfriend hired him out to Intergang. And preferred him as Mighty-Mite versus Mike. And so Protector met with a conflicted mass of Kryptonian strength.
Corpse had been executed twenty-seven times in three years. The governor pardoned him just to end the embarrassment and civil lawsuits. Lady Lunatic was just plain nuts. Clown envied J-Man his claim on the Joker's throne over the Jokerz. Corpse proved easier to kill in hand to hand combat when his jaw was shoved up into his brain by a well placed kick. Clown hardly counted as a threat. Lady Lunatic was sane enough to retreat with a mere broken arm.
But Mighty-Mite was almost as fast and strong as Superman. And he was just as thick skinned. So Protector popped a tear gas pellet and threw it down Mighty-Mite's throat. He flew away, screaming. Daryl knew he should care whether or not the boy lived, but frankly, he didn't.
Lone Warrior and his ten-year old brother had been injected with a compound that gave them superior strength and regenerative capacities. Wonderman wore a cybernetic suit that simulated Majestic-level powers but as long as the batteries lasted. And exertion ate battery life even faster. Mista was a low level mystic and the albino Bunny was her assistant with an hypnotic gaze. Destroying Devil was just a disgruntled ex-ARGUS agent.
Sparrow had no intention of sparing any of them. It just wasn't her thing. She hadn't become a vigilante to let criminals go. So it was she battled Lone Warrior with her balicki batons while everyone else stayed the hell out of the way. His increased strength and reflexes allowed him to stagger Sparrow with several blows. But his treatment hadn't added t his own durability or regenerative powers.
She angrily beat him to his knees. He held up a hand to ward off her next blow, "Please! I have a ten-year old brother counting on me."
"Should've thought of that before," her next strike drove his nasal bone into his brain and killed him. The others underwent a collective shudder. Wonderman tried next. But his head was exposed and he took a lot damage.
So he tried to move faster and strike harder. But he never connected before his suit froze, "Aw, shit."
She crushed his trachea with her baton. Destroying Devil tried his luck with SpecFor training but she broke one kneecap after the other. As he knelt, sobbing, she fractured his skull. Mista and Bunny decided to leave as swiftly as possible. But it was already too late for them.
Oracle didn't regret her teammates' actions but they could be difficult to watch at times. Normally she was on comms or observing through CCTVs. Now she had cameras and infrared available so she could watching the heat bleed from dead bodies as they cooled. It was very sobering.
Arkham Knight joined up with Red Hood, Sparrow, and Protector as they watched Shieldmaiden in action. It was a thing of terror. Expressman had been a speedster hero in the Seventies. Express was his grandson. They relied upon alchemy to grant their power rather than the Speed Force. And they were vulnerable to friction and impacts as a result. And Shieldmaiden delivered both in abundance.
Using her sword to ward off attacks, she used her shield to bludgeon the attacker when they swung around. Finally, Expressman pulled Express away from the fight and they retired from battle since they'd reached the end of their endurance.
Madame Muscle flexed and struck a pose. Shieldmaiden put her sword through the musclebound woman's throat. Only He-She remained. Shieldmaiden wondered about the significance of the sexless tunic when He-She shifted from female to male. It was a surprise to him as well.
He was barely staying alive when he was startled when he became a her again. Shieldmaiden felt insulted enough and took her head off. It rolled away, half and half.
Hildur spat on the ground, "Worthless!"
The Queen family halted the Gang escorting Hooded Terror. They'd just met with Grey Lady and Ultus the Avenger from the United Kingdom. Hood Terror was impatient.
"We don't have time for this," she complained.
"Yes, we do, Luvvie," Grey Lady promised.
Green Arrow was confronted by Ms. Mesmer and Bulldozer. He lacked the MLJ contacts but a flare arrow blinded her and kept her distracted. Bulldozer was unstoppable once he was in motion, but when he halted after smashing into an abandoned church bus, Green Arrow used cable arrows to snare his arms and legs. Taser arrows completed the job. A punching glove arrow finished Ms. Mesmer off.
"That's for you, dad," Conner happily saved the glove arrow for just in case and it had been a favorite of Oliver Queen.
Red Arrow found Kong could snap any cable. So she used gas head arrows and tasers to topple him. The gas halted Brains. But she ended up running anyway.
"Hooded Terror, you have failed this city!" Arrow applied his usual accusation.
"And what would you know of it, Mr. Queen? You're not even of this world. Join with me and make a real difference in lives," Lora countered, "Darkseid will change Earth for the better."
"Don't mention Darkseid to me again," Arrow countered. Earth-27 had been besieged by Darkseid's Elite and armies of parademons before its destruction by antimatter wave. Nearly all of the Multiverse had been. Excluding Earths-4&5.
Grey Lady and Ultus the Avenger each had their revolvers out and cocked. Mary Ferris had heritable titles in England and Wales but had been forced to live the life of a rogue. Until she fled to the United States. Ultus had been betrayed by his own and left for dead in the Australian Outback. He was Grey Lady's natural ally.
Grey Lady raised her pistol but found it knocked out of her hand as a broadhead embedded itself in the barrel. Ultus tried as well with similar results. Ultus made to charge him but Arrow had snared his feet. A gas arrow finished him.
Grey Lady drew her constable's baton from her belt and came at Arrow. He defended himself using his bow as a melee weapon before his right cross knocked her out. Drawing and nocking an arrow, he drew it back all in one deft motion.
"Last chance!" he declared.
"I was just thinking that." Hooded Terror chuckled.
Cluemaster and Nadya prepped to depart. She asked the obvious question, "Is there anything we can do?"
"They decimated our people," Cluemaster was scowling, "But I texted Hooded Terror's emergency relay. They'll send some of their primaries to end this fiasco or die trying. We're done."
"Fu Manchu will want a report," Nadya reminded him.
"It never happened. We weren't here and we weren't handed our asses," Cluemaster decided.
"And if he already knows?" she wondered.
"He's immortal not omniscient. If he does take issue, we can remind him we need a higher class of recruits," Cluemaster advised her.
But Nadya had already sent her report in. And Fu Manchu wanted her to kill Cluemaster and assume control over the Legion of Annoyance. And she would.
The Black Ace Gang led the charge against the Question, Huntress, and their allies. Black Ace himself challenged Question directly. He was competent fighter and he proved a challenge. In fact, he was so good, Question wondered why he'd never heard of him. Question had to throw his fedora in the man's face to distract him long enough to deliver a devastating blow. Afterwards, he systematically destroyed Black Ace culminating in a broken neck to avoid a second confrontation.
Queenie Hart, the 100 member in charge of the Midwestern cities of Dakota City, Central City, Keystone City, and Chicago among numerous others, fought the Huntress. Administrative work had not detracted from Queenie's preparations for physical altercations. Huntress had to resort to wounding Queenie with her crossbow. And even then, she'd attempted a lethal shot. Queenie managed to escape.
Question checked on her, "You as well, I take it?"
"Who the eff are these people?" Huntress asked.
"I don't know but I fully intend to find out," Question promised. He hated open questions that didn't have answers…yet.
King Clubbo was the muscle of the gang, "Har, har... little man needs a gun."
A knife imbedded in his throat. Arkham Knight approached to pull it free, "Not always."
The agile gang member was Diamond Jack. But Red Hood had already killed Quicksilver, who was twice the acrobat. To give him credit, it took her two shots to down Diamond Jack, one in the leg and the other in the head.
At Ballard's request, Big Boss had assembled the Black Hoods Gang. Where Red Hood One and the Red Hoods had been of a purely criminal bent, the Black Hoods saw themselves as selective, albeit mercenary, vigilantes in the spirit of the legendary Black Hood. They had no idea of the killing field they walked into as Green Arrow and Red Arrow each slew four of them apiece. Shieldmaiden almost enjoyed herself as she accounted for twelve fatalities. Four were wounded by the archers but allowed to flee to spread the word to future Black Hoods.
Protector faced the Secret Circle. A pretentious name for fraternal triplets. Jim, Lawrence, and Mackenzie Storm were Olympic-level athletes profoundly lacking meta-genes. Protector didn't care. He just wanted through them. And their last mistake was opposing him.
Arrow and Sparrow worked together to keep Hooded Terror in custody. Sparrow choke holded Pigeon and broke her neck. To her multiple romantic partners', including Ragdoll, regret. Arrow wounded Blue Damsel Fly while Swarm beleaguered Sparrow. His electro-net arrow zapped all of Swarm's bodies and they refused together to a human norm. Sparrow caved in the side of Harpy's head and Arrow pierced Green Lizard's heart.
But Jenny Elsewhere created a travel portal beneath her and Hooded Terror and they fell through to somewhere else. Sparrow was incredulous, "Who the eff was that?"
"I don't know," he really didn't recognize the blue haired Asian woman, "She wasn't a player on my Earth."
"She wasn't on my Earth either," Red Hood removed her domino mask, "We done yet? We did lose the object of our concern."
"Do I hear a complaint?" Sparrow was defensive.
"It doesn't need to be said. We're all frustrated," Arkham Knight said as he arrived on scene.
"A word," Question challenged Arkham Knight.
No one could hear but it was obvious no one was happy with the numbers of casualties and escapees. They went their separate ways and Arkham Knight flatly avoided the topic, "We need a few days off."
Back at the safe house everyone was subdued until Jason interrupted their thought, "We didn't grab the top prize. That prize wasn't ours to have. Empress Penguin hired us on behalf of the Global Concern acting as a proxy for Pirate Blue. We have a new contract with Pirate Blue. We have two days before we need to deploy and a week to prep. We achieved that without a single casualty. That is always a victory in my book. So get out of here and have some fun however you like to."
The group dispersed, much happier than before. Li studied Oracle before departing. Oracle felt like prey scrutinized by a predator.
"So, any plans?" Jason asked Oracle.
"Depends on whose offering what," Oracle smirked, "I believe you owe me a drink."
"You're finally accepting?" he was slightly surprised.
"I am. And you're drinking with me. In my bedroom," Oracle told him, "You can't have me drunk driving after all."
"Should I bring something else?" he asked.
"Your toothbrush?" she was hesitant on how forward to be.
"Are you asking me out?" he grinned.
"I hate one-night stands so we'll see where we are in the morning," Oracle offered, "And we have a lot of conversations to finish up. If they lead to sleeping together, then I have been dying to do that with you."
"I was beginning to think you even avoiding this possibility," Jason admitted.
"Neither of us have had any success with relationships. So I hate to hope," Oracle confessed.
"I think the risk is finally worth it," Jason opined.
"So Todd, are you grabbing that bottle already?" Oracle wore a naughty grin.
From a shadowed corner, Li's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Helena checked her voice mail, "All those reports I filed paid off. All the children and teens are in protective custody. Most of them have been identified using missing persons reports. The Supreme Court filed a stay in the adult cases so only the molesters among the adults get held and prosecuted."
"That could have been reversed with the Hooded Terror's input," Vic complained.
"Brianna and Valeria weren't at services tonight. Someone musty have warned them off," Helena realized.
"Or you could simply say Lian Harper," Vic sighed.
"You knew?" she had to question.
"I trusted her judgment. I trusted all of their judgements. I won't repeat that mistake again," Vic was bitter.
"So much for date night," Helena sighed.
'Call in. Let's take the week off and get out of Hub City," Vic offered.
"You're serious?" she was surprised.
"Very," he promised her.
She ran off to start packing. Vic sat staring at where she'd been, "Not that you want to."
§ Public Domain
§ Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Notes
§ The Arrow was the first costumed comic book hero to appear after Superman.
§ The Arrow is the first archer superhero in comic books.
§ The character eventually received his own magazine. The stories in the first two issues, however, were reprints from earlier comics.
§ Open Source
§
§ "The character of Jenny Elsewhere and associated characters is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Jenny Elsewhere, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."
§ While most of her adventures, as well as her various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators, the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.
§
§
§ Cabala was open-sourced in 2009 and, thus, every aspect of the character prior to then can be used by anyone, so long as the creators are cited.
Created by
Miguel Rude and Leandro Silva
§ Party Girl, P.I. is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante & Uriel Duran, credit.
"Captain Atomic was created by Michael P. and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Captain Atomic, in order that others may use this property as they wish."
While his adventures, as well as his various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators, the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.
Notes
The character of Tharia of Mars is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Tharia of Mars, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed.
Note
The character of The Nihilist is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving The Nihilist, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed.
Notes
AMERICAN GENERAL is an "Open-Source Character" and has been deemed so, specifically, for use by anyone by the original creator. The only rule about using him is that your work must have this notation:
"The character of the AMERICAN GENERAL is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving AMERICAN GENERAL, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."
Nereid is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Jay Epps, credit.
§ Celestina is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante & Uriel Duran, credit.
§ Pax Mundi is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante & Uriel Duran, credit.
The character of Doc Mettle was created by Scott Griffin and available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Doc Mettle in order that others may use this property as they wish.
"The character of Express is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Express, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."
While most of his adventures, as well as his various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators (including her first appearance) the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.
BAGGU is an "Open-Source Character" and has been deemed so, specifically, for use by anyone by the original creator. The only rule about using him is that your work must have this notation:
"The character of the BAGGU is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving BAGGU, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."
§ The Black Flag is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
Felidae is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit
Origin
Epitome is the perfect man.
Appearance
Whatever YOUR perfect man looks like!
Notes
§ Epitome is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
§ Strix is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
"Earth-K, Anna Atom, and Max Atom were created by Michael P. and are available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Earth-K, Anna Atom, and Max Atom in order that others may use these properties as they wish."
"Red Lightning was created by Michael P. and Miguel Alejandro Neira Balbontín and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Red Lightning in order that others may use these properties as they wish."
"Captain Freeze was created by Michael P. and Miguel Alejandro Neira Balbontín and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Captain Freeze in order that others may use these properties as they wish."
"The Astronomer was created by Michael P. and Miguel Alejandro Neira Balbontín and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving the Astronomer in order that others may use these properties as they wish."
§ Lord Albion is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
§ In 2011, comic book writer Vito Delsante chose to create 35 new characters that he would voluntarily release into the public domain. Upon completion of that project, he chose to continue on with a grand total of 100. Lord Albion was #56 (although he had been promised much earlier).
Notes
§ The Children of Cian are open source characters created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use them any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
§ In 2011, comic book writer Vito Delsante chose to create 35 new characters that he would voluntarily release into the public domain. Upon completion of that project, he chose to continue on with a grand total of 100 (with most of those being released into the public domain as well). Samhain, Balor, and The Phantom Queen were #'s 45, 46, and 47, respectively.
Ultaman is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish. You must also give creator credit.
First Appearance
Open Source Characters on Facebook (February 26, 2014)
Created by
Corey Grant
"The character of Express is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Express, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."
While most of his adventures, as well as his various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators (including her first appearance) the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.
§ Mesmera is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
§ Ladyhawke is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante, Michelle Delsante & Uriel Duran, credit.
§ The Neb is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
The Black Cobra (6) is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante & Ricardo Vinancio, credit.
§ The Bollocks are an open source team created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.
Lady Deathshot is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante, Michelle Delsante & Uriel Duran, credit.
§ King Snakeroot is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante & Uriel Duran, credit.
§
§ "The character of Express is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Express, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."
§ While most of his adventures, as well as his various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators (including her first appearance) the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.
§ CT and Bea are open source characters created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use them any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.