The New Guardians
Season 1 Episode 3: Deathstroke
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the DC comics property
Author's Note: Nothing to say here this time, I hope you enjoy this new episode can't wait for the next!
Manhattan, New York
A young man kneels in the shadows above as a group of people garbed in ancient armor similar to a samurai yet not quite as the armor is all black and the eyes are visible while the rest of the head is obscured by a hood and face mask. However, this group and more just like them have been around for centuries and this is one of their many secret hideouts where they operate from. This group is the League of Assassins led by Talia Al Ghul, the strangest part of this gathering is that all of them are kneeling before someone he hasn't seen before other than just hearing rumors. The young man kneeling above in the shadows narrows his eyes as he stares at the armored and armed man decked in a dark orange and black with hints of silver all over. The man has a full black body suit most likely laced with every protective material out there, he has an orange utility belt around his waist with two gun holster on his left hip along with a small bar of metal on his right most likely to expand into a bo staff the materials they are held in are dark orange, his gloves are a fingerless orange yet his fingers are covered in a black like the rest of his suit, at the bottom of his leg a knife is held attached with an orange holding and the soles of his feet are covered in orange along with the tip of his foot, on his left shoulder its covered in dark orange padding all the way down to his hand, his mask or removable helmet on the left side its orange while the right is black his eyes covered in red lenses, on his back a sword is strapped as well in a orange holding. Admiring and inspecting the man as he stands before the men kneeling before his heart quickly escalates as the black and orange man stares directly at him knowing he's there and yet he doesn't act.
The staring contest continues for what feels like hours to only be a mere minute as the man in black and orange then quickly pulls out his gun and sword shining in the limited light provided in the room. He slaughters those kneeling before him quickly as the blood splashes all over his body and he then jumps up towards the young man who was too startled by the events to move when he had the chance. Once the older man reaches where he is, does he suddenly leap down next to the bodies on the floors. The light flickers in the room and shines upon the young man. He stands up to which his outfit shines in the room garbed in a black and red outfit the bird symbol of Nightwing proudly on his chest. His outfit in a full black padding and tech provided by Luke Fox along with his own help in the designs, his chest piece with the large bird symbol in a bright crimson red with red lines all over his suit, his gloves have a red v on the top part of his hand and the inside where his palm lies is covered in the same crimson as the rest, his legs covered in the black material except for his knees where padding in the same crimson as well as the top of his feet in the same v shape as his gloves, his mask only covering his eyes is covered with red lenses, he also wears a utility belt covered in black and hidden from sight for those not looking. He looks up at where the man is to only then widen as he is gone from where he was, and he turns around quickly to only get knocked back by a brutal punch to the face.
Nightwing places his hand to his nose and looks to it seeing blood on his finger as well as tasting it on his lips as it runs down his face. He quickly acts charging towards the killer and leaps to the air as he lashes his right leg out to knock him in the head to only have it caught by the man. Having planned such an outcome he places a small circular device on the man's arm which then proceeds to electrocute the man. The voltage high enough to kill an elephant causes the man's arm to spasm releasing Nightwing from his grip and once he does the young man strikes. Arms flying and striking with such precision and the right amount pressure to halt any other person the older man can't help but respect Nightwing's technique but also be disappointed by the lack of killing intent. Nightwing halts in his strikes and back flips away from the fight realizing none of his strikes to the nerves worked and stares at the older man before him.
The older man pulls out a small cylinder device from his right hip and holds it out in front of him as it expands into a bo staff. Nightwing matches the man as he pulls out two escrima sticks that were attached to his lower back and twirls them as they give a low glow of red at both ends of the weapons. They both charge at one another clashing their weapons, matching blow for blow, blocking each strike made but the older man pushes more strength into each strike make Nightwings arm shake from the strikes. The pressure on his arms makes it feel like he's blocking a bus from hitting him. Nightwing swings both of his escrima sticks towards the man's left leg to only get a strike on the head in return having him quickly hit the floor. Dazed from such a strike he doesn't react when the man slams the bo staff on to his back making him hit the floor again before he could get up. The man doesn't stop as he continues to slam the bo staff on to Nightwing's back and when he begins to make another strike he quickly falls as Nightwing swings his legs right from under him. The black and red hero gets on top of the older and proceeds to punch him in the face and with sweat and blood running down his face he hears the armored mask crack but he's mistaken as its his own left hand that cracks and realizes this on his next swing when he feels his left hand fracture but he doesn't stop.
The man stops the next hit by grabbing hold of the left hand then wrapping his legs around his left arm to then proceed by beginning to break the young man's left arm. Sweating from the pressure the hero goes into his utility belt and grabs a sharp device similar to a batarang but not and proceed to stab it into the older mans leg to only witness his weapon shatter after the third strike to his leg not even piercing into the man. Nightwing's eyes widen but doesn't stop as he then presses his left palm three times as a grabbling hook fires out from the red v at the top of his hand knocking the older man's head back while also cracking the helmet he wears. Nightwing quickly reals himself away from the man towards the other end of the room and staggers his way up and getting help from the wall. He turns to look at the obviously well-trained killer as he also stands up while rolling his shoulders getting ready for the next round and he pulls out his knife and twirls it in the air to then throw right at Nightwing. The young hero leaps away to only be grabbed by the throat and slammed into the wall by the man and they both crash into the next room which is a small run-down bathroom. Nightwing kicks the man off him while also grabbing hold of the mans armored head and slamming it down upon the sink which shatters from the impact. The assassin grabs hold of the hero's leg and pulls causing Nightwing's own head to slam against the rim of the toilet causing a crack not only on the object but his head as well.
Once again dazed and amazed at himself for still being conscious he begins to kick the man in the face while reaching out for his utility belt he pulls out a piece of clay and throws it at the wall behind the man. The man stops the kicks and wraps his arms around the leg and pulls up the boy and proceeds to slam him against the ground to only have the young man wrap his other leg around his head and pull himself towards him and gets a heavy dosage of electrical currents from the hero's hands and he throws the young lad off him as he staggers back. Nightwing then grabs a circular device from his utility belt and throws it at the man as it quickly blows on his chest which knocks him against the wall behind him. Shaking his head to get his bearings he hears the sounds of a ticking clock and looks up to see a piece of clay reach zero as it blows the wall and himself and smoke covers the whole area. Nightwing breathes heavily while covering his face with his right arm as his left dangles by his side. The smoke begins to clear but before it does a wire shoots out and wraps itself around Nightwing pulling him out.
Nightwing lands on to the pavement of the roof and feels the rain pour on his body and he looks up to see the man stare at him with only a piece of his helmet shattered. The man's left eye is exposed a lone green eye stares at the red lenses of Nightwing and he chuckles the first sounds to have ever left the man's voice. He kneels before Nightwing staring at him looking deep into the red lenses as if he could see what made him himself.
"This is the only warning you get, if I ever catch you looking or interfering with my business again, I won't only kill just you but everyone you love. Stay out of my way." The voice sounds so metallic and makes it seem as if he's talking to a sword ready to be unleashed. The man rises and looks like he's about to leave but the shout from the young man causes him to stop and turn to look at the battered Nightwing.
"Who are you?" Nightwing growls out and the man chuckles as he walks back towards the young lad and grabs hold of the hero and drags him across the rooftop until they're at the very edge. He proceeds to grab him by the throat and dangles him over the streets below. He narrows his green at to stare at the hero and it feels like his red lens over his right is doing the same.
"Deathstroke." The simple answer with nothing else added make it sound like a declaration to your own death and before Nightwing could ask more he begins to fall from the roof, and he sees Deathstroke stare at him and as he continues to fall he sees lightning flash across the sky and next thing he knows the man is gone but he's still falling. Acting quickly, he gets hold of his razor sharp projectile and tears through the wires around himself and aims his right arm out into the city as it shoots out a grappling hook on to the building across and it tugs on his right arm causing it to pop out of place while he soars into a building and crashes through a window into an office part of the floor in this building. Breathing heavily in pain and exhaustion he hits the panic button on his belt, and he falls unconscious not far after.
Star City
"Dinah have you seen my bow and quiver?" Oliver Queen shouts out to his wife as he digs through their room searching for his belongings while throwing everything else across the room trashing what was once a decent room.
"No! How about instead of looking for the damn thing how about you came out here and talk to our friend!" Dinah Lance-Queen yells back to her husband and Oliver grumbles in annoyance but smirks in satisfaction by grabbing a black leather whip and comes out of their room and stands next to Dinah while staring at their friend Dick Grayson.
"Is that-" Before Dick could finish his sentence Dinah beats him to it by yelling at Oliver. "What the hell are you doing bringing that out here? Are you going to spank him and tell him he's been a bad boy?" She slaps him across the head as he grumbles in annoyance and mutters an ow.
"I just might! The hell Dinah! I thought you were just as pissed at the Bat as I am! He doesn't show up at the public funeral for the ones we lost during the war and he doesn't even show up during the private one and he doesn't call once to let us know what the hell is going on and he just expects us to hug him and kiss him on the forehead?" Oliver yells back at Dinah while swinging his arms around with the whip going in front of Dick's face each time.
"Well he wasn't the only hero to not show up to people's funeral or have you forgotten that you didn't go to Barry's? We all grieve in our own way and you need to stop being a hypocrite and lashing out your own damn anger towards yourself at Dick!" She shouts out right back towards Oliver and he steps back as if he got slapped in the face and looks towards the ground in shame at the mention of one of his closest friends and how he failed to see his proper burial. Dick looks at them in unease at the altercation between the two of them he clearly doesn't need to be here for this.
"Look I can come back to talk to you, clearly the two of you have something private to discuss." Dick responds and once he's about to exit through the door a hand is placed on his shoulder and he turns to man in jeans with a green button up shirt.
"Dinah's right. Just, look forget all that, tell us why you came Dick." Oliver responds back with apologetic eyes his own way of trying to say sorry and Grayson nods in return but still looks at the whip in the man's right hand. Oliver raises an eyebrow and looks towards what he's looking at and chuckles nervously in response while also tossing the thing to Dinah, it is hers after all. Dinah sighs but smirks at the two of them and nods at Grayson as well, he has the floor now. Dick proceeds to tell them what he's been able to tell everyone else so far. The need for heroes again, the all too quiet rogue's gallery, the recruiting of the Justice League and then his offer to have them join him in his efforts. The two lovers glance at each other thinking on his offer and once they're about to respond the city shakes and all three of them move to the window to see what's happening and that's just it they can't see it but the definitely see the blurred colors shoot across the city and then it all stops.
"The hell was that?" Oliver voices out everyone's question that's currently in the room and he turns towards Dinah then Dick and sees that they're both at a loss for words. Before Dick gets a message and begins to read it out. "Looks like whatever it was it's not just here that it happened. It happened all over from Gotham to what looks like it originated from Central." He glances at the two heroes before he goes to his phone and begins to call someone and as he does a voice, he hasn't heard in a long time answers the phone.
"This is Cisco Ramon," That's all Cisco gets to say before Dick cuts him off.
"Mr. Ramon, tell me what exactly you did that caused not only my city to be disturbed but multiple others." Dick demands in a gruff voice that causes Cisco to stutter for a second realizing who he's talking to. Then the words begin to flood right out of Cisco's mouth as he proceeds to tell the whole story of the new speedster and how they tracked him and tried to get answers to only then tell him how he made all of them look like the new kids on the block and how Supergirl began to give chase. Dick ends the call without even a thank you to Cisco and turns to Oliver and Dinah retelling the information that Cisco provided.
"Why didn't he tell us about that when the speedster first showed up?" Oliver questioned in a calm tone, but his eyes showed nothing but rage at the mention of someone else seeming to have taken Barry's place as well as uneasiness on there being another speedster.
"I imagine its due to us being disbanded and out of reach as well with us not really communicating with one another like we used to." Dinah answers first and stares at Dick seeing if that was something along the lines he was going to say, and he nods in return.
"Alright look, I'll make this short. We're in but we need to keep an eye on this speedster and make sure we have the needs to take him down if he's anything like Thawne." Oliver points out as he looks at Grayson and the man nods in return satisfied that he has their help with his mission.
"I agree this new speedster needs to be dealt with. I'll get in touch with Conner so he can get in touch with Supergirl for us. As much as I would like to discuss more with the both of you on this, I have other stops to make. I'll be in touch with the both of you soon and say hi to Roy and your granddaughter for me. Also, Oliver your bow and quiver is on the kitchen counter." Dick address the two to which they both turn to the kitchen to see that bow is in fact on the counter and when Oliver goes back to talk to Batman he's gone.
"Seriously, how the hell does he do that?" Oliver questions aloud while Dinah just shakes her head.
Manhattan, New York
Inside a large tower in the city at the top level resides a medical room where Tim Drake lies with his Nightwing suit and gear on a table. A woman stands next to him looking at him sadly with all the injuries he has. His back was completely covered in a bruise, his head had several gashes which had to be stitched, his right arm got popped back into place while his left hand is in a cast due to a fracture in the hand, and his face is bruised and swelled up and other minor injuries across his body. She reaches out and touches face while kissing his forehead and walks out of the room to then go into the lobby where she stares out into the city below a city, they decided to call home and use as a base of operations. They also came out here because during the Darkseid war their old team disbanded and Tim has been wanting to rebuild the team and declared this as their new base and has been building it up to top notch so it would be ready for when they brought everyone back together.
The war didn't just hurt the world or the league, but it also helped disband what Tim likes to call the Titans. She walks away from the view of the city and into a different room a room which reminded her of Dick's own place in Gotham. Several screens are on with different teenagers and young adults wearing different colorful outfits and saving the everyday people and that's when a voice startles her.
"How is he?" Their first and only recruit from before the war and after who stood by them and never left with many reasons calls out. The older of the two looks at her and sees the sad and distraught look on her face obviously having already seen Tim's current state. "Stephanie, how is he?" She calls out again and Steph walks up to Cassie and hugs her.
"He'll be just fine but whoever he faced is someone he shouldn't face alone. Not again and we'll be there to help and kick this person's ass. He won't hurt our boy again okay?" Steph responds with a reassuring smile to the eighteen-year-old who smiles back and they both turn their heads towards the screens and they both know that's it way past time to bring the crew back together along with some fresh and new faces. They'll do this for Tim, they'll get everyone together and take on the man who did this.
Unknown Location
A man in orange and black uniform enters a darkened room to then have all the lights switch on and the room is filled to the brim with weapons. Swords, knives, staffs are hanged along the walls along with handguns, sub machine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles and desks are covered in parts and designs for more intricate weapons like bombs and smoke grenades even electrical bombs. The shelves are covered in many other small weapons used for various situations, then there's a table full of armor being designed and made for the next mission along with several spare suits in the walls. The man continues down the room when comes to next to a bed where there's also a shower right across from the bed. He turns his head towards where his computers are along with a tv screen. He places his finger on the space bar and every screen lights up and he sees money being constantly transferred to his accounts from the various jobs he's done today. The last job he did today however was a personal one, one he assigned himself before he became a hit for hire.
"Tt, should've figured you were here." The man states out into the room to which the lights flicker and once it's done, he turns around to see Talia Al Ghul he still looks to be at the prime age of early thirties.
"Well, after your displays of violence towards my league I figured it was time for a personal visit." Talia responds as she then sits down on the bed and looks around the room "I must say I expected something bigger, but it is quite efficient. Reminds so much of how your father operated." Before she could say another word, a sword was pointed at her throat.
"Don't speak of him like you know him. You never did. You always loved another man over him. He was just your plaything while you had your fun with Bruce Wayne. Just because my father entertained you with your games on the detective doesn't mean I will as well. State your reasons for being here. Mother." The man growls out with nothing but hatred towards the woman.
"I wonder if you would have treated me with more respect if I had kept you. After all I did spare you from the life of being raised under the League of Assassins. I should be thanked." Talia responds as she gets up from the bed and looks at her son in spite.
"Please as long as I am the son of Slade Wilson and not the son of Bruce Wayne you never would have loved me. I'm sure you would have kept me if I was the Wayne's brat. With him long gone now you can never have the heir you deem. Which is a far greater punishment than I could ever deliver upon you. Doesn't mean I still won't torment you." He narrows his eyes in anger and yet smirks in satisfaction by the look of anger that crossed her face after his statement.
"Hear my words well Damian Wilson, Deathstroke, you kill another man or woman of the league and you will start a war you will not survive. The bloodline of Wilson will end if you continue this path. Every person related or next of kin to Slade Wilson will taste the end of my blade. I do hope you choose the right path, even if you do not care you are still my son." Talia responds as the lights flicker again and she's gone. Damian looks on in rage at the spot she once stood and throws his sword across from into the tv screen which shows the latest news report of Batman in National City stopping a gang. He stares at where his sword landed and looks at the new Batman also known as Dick Grayson. He turns from the screen and looks at the damaged helmet on his bed and remembers his fight with the second person to take the Nightwing mantle. His mother loved Bruce Wayne; Bruce Wayne loved his family. Should the Nightwing boy not heed his warning he has a new plan of action to take and he hopes the boy doesn't listen. It's been quite sometime since he had worthy fight and he can't wait to see how broken the boy would be. His anger for his mother has now made himself a new drive of anger towards the entire bat family and he wants to hear their screams but for now he will wait, and plan and he will continue with his jobs.
Next time on New Guardians:
With Tim Drake unconscious from his encounter with Deathstroke will Wondergirl and Batgirl be able to get the Titans back together? Why was Tim even there where Deathstroke killed those League of Assassin members? When will the Justice League be together?