Enchantress shuddered in pain. She felt her brother's death,a dn it hurt as nothing else ever had before. "What have you done?" she shrieked as she appeared on the platform. She pushed past the Squad, and saw her brother's body, dead and dismemebered."This can't be." She looekd up at the others, eyes red with hate. "This is a lie. You're making me see a lie."
But she knew it was her brother, and that he was dead.
Murdered by her enemies.
She whirled, raging, toward us but her legs gave out and she sank to her knees. "Brother!" she screamed.
Her shriek became hurricane winds which battered us. We watched helplessly as the powerful gale blew the weapons from our hands. Boomerangs, Magnums, Glocks, even the Soultaker disappeared into the storm.
Enchantress began to exact her revenge.
A pulse of coruscating, multi-coloured energy washed over us, and we saw the witch as a prismatic, other-dimensional vision- not at all real, but still deadly and frightening.
Deadshot shouted at her. "You're next." He screamed, but she only laughed.
"My spell is complete," she replied. "Once your armies are gone, my darkness will spread across this world, and it will be mine to rule.
Her machine pulsated, blasting wind and rain into the rail station. Dark, magic clouds surged with increasing power as the weapons fired, pulling scraps of metal from the ring into the main main column, it's lighning infusing with molten metal.
A vortex of magic clouds spread, crackling bolts of lightning launched toward their targets, destroying everything they touched.
Enchantress shrugged off the tendrils attached to her, connecting her to her machine, and she began to change, reverting to her feral self-the creature June Moone had found hidden away in that cave.
A thing of evil.
Deadshot tried to wipe the shock from his eyes.
I stared at this thing that had taken over June. I wanted to destroy the witch then and there, but I knew it wasn't time,. Not yet.
"If we can get her heart back, we got a chance." Flag said.
"Her heart?" I echoed, confused. I looked at Enchantress, and saw the green glow beneath her chest. "How?"
"So you're saying attack?" Boomer said. "We keep fighting? Without out two strongest fighters? The matchstick and the alligator?"
"Crocodile," Harley whispered under her breath. "Not alligator. Crocodile. Like his stupid name."
"Yeah," I said.
Boomer shook his head. "You know that's suicide?"
"Like Lawton said," Flag replied. "That's in our name."
"Well, when you put it that way..."
Weapons ready, the Squad spread out. Boomer held two explosive 'rangs. Katana recovered her Soultaker. Deadshot clicked off the safeties on his wrist mangnums. Flag and I loaded new magazines into our pistols.
Harley snapped her gum, grinned a big smile, and charged.
Then the Enchantress disappeared.
"Guess she's scared of us, huh?" Harley laughed, blowing another large gum bubble.
Enchantress reappeared next to Deadshot. She grabbed him by the throat then tossed him aside, into me. We tumbled back.
Katana lunged, but once again, Enchantress disappeared.
Deadshot helped me up, grimacing.
We turned, waiting.
Seconds passed.
Still nothing…
Then Flag saw her appear behind him. He whirled, firing, but the bullets went through her as if she wasn't there. She grabbed him, again by the throat, and slammed him back into the station wall. He fell to the ground moaning in pain.
Deadshot fired, but she disappeared yet again.
Five seconds passed.
Ten seconds.
Then she was back again, just inches away from Lawton, manifesting two large swords in her hands. She sliced down with them, but Lawton was already moving, sidestepping out of her path.
She fell back and pivoted, kicking Deadshot in the chest.
He spun around as she slid closer for another attack and slammed Boomer to the ground.
Suddenly Katana was behind her, the Soultaker held high above her head, ready to slam down. The Enchantress held up a hand, magically blocking the sword without even looking, then sent a bolt of fractal energy into the warrior, blasting her back.
I dashed across the debris toward Flag, sprawled on the ground, as Harley stood in Enchantress's way to him.
Harley stood, grinning happily and weilding the bat with anticipation. With barely a thought, Enchantress flicked her hands, magically throwing her aside.
Harley pulled herself back to her feet, laughed and attacked again.
I skidded to Flag's side and pulled up with one arm. He grabbed his pistol, and staggered to his feet.
Enchantress swung her sword but Harley dropped to the ground, the blade slicing the air just above her.
Flag and I shot continuously at Enchantress. She turned to meet each threat, but when she reached out to grab Boomer, Harley's bat connected with the back of her head, knocking her to her knees.
"Sorry?" Harley said.
Enchantress kicked her, sending her flying, then spun to face Flag. She bought her swords down on him, but I blocked the blades with my handgun. She looked at Flag, grinning, blew a fake kiss, and disappeared again.
The Squad was off balance. Where would she appear? Behind us? To the side? Alone? With and army of a thousand eyed EAs?
Behind Deadshot. Ready to slice off his head.
Boomer threw his 'rangs, knocking her sword from her hands. She turned toward him and manifested two more blades.
"Not nearly enough to take me out, Aussie." She said. "So c'mon. Let's end this here and now."
Enchantress looked at the septagram, its machine fueled with a mystical energy. Giving her more power. The machine itself was spinning faster, as well, thundering with ferocious energies. We could not survive.
A storm materialised. Rain blew sideways with unnatural intensity. The machine's gears ground with staggering torque. Whatever we came up with now, it was too late.
The sky overhead turned black, punctuated by flashes of lightning that allowed the world to witness her glory.
As Enchantress revelled in her own wonderment, she sensed Katana behind her, ready to slice down on her. Barely recognising the human's existence, she simply waved the sword away, flinging it out of Katana's hand.
Then she turned back to Boomerang, and threw a bolt at him.
He ducked and spun, throwing two explosive 'rangs at her. They detonated and she fell back. He threw another 'rang, but Enchantress waved her hand and it harmlessly exploded in mid-air. She grabbed him and pushed him to the ground, then raised her sword high.
"Your sword girl intended to cut me in half," she hissed. "Let's first try that on you." She started to bring down her sword, when her arm was suddenly grabbed by a powerful, scaly hand.
Croc. He looked down on her, his eyes glistening. His mouth twisted into a grim sneer,
"You're dead," she cried.
"I got better."
He snapped his arm and sent her hurtling toward the station wall. She disappeared just before hitting it.
"Hey," Harley called out. "You a ghost 'gator or the real thing?"
"Not a ghost, Quinn-and still not an alligator."
"That's your problem, not mine" she replied. "But welcome back an' all that crap."
"You missed me?"
"If you mean I missed having a monster to wise off to, yeah."
"Yeah, I missed you too, punky." He looked around him. "The witch is gone. Now what, Mrs. Flag?"
Why did they keep calling me that? I thought, irritated. "She has a nasty way of showing up when you least expect it. Keep on the alert."
"I smashed her once. Next time I'll rip her in half." Croc said.
Harley laughed. "That I gotta see. Hell, I'll pay good money for a front row seat."
"You're gonna have your chance, mates," Boomer shouted. "Behind you."
Suddenly, she was on the platform, crouching in the light. Her machine was behind her, spewing water and wind. The Squad readied their weapons.
"On my command," I said. "We're not taking any prisoners."
But then Harley stepped in front of them. "Hey. C'mon guys. Knock it off. I mean, what are we doing? Aren't we supposed to be heroes or something? You're talking cold-blooded murder."
"Out of our way, Quinn," Flag shouted. "She intends to destroy the world."
Harley glared at Flag as if he were speaking Martian. "Oh, jeez. Who cares about the world? What's the world ever done for us, anyway? It hates us. Hell, you hate us, too." She turned toward Enchantress and walked over to her. "I lost my Puddin'. You got magic powers, right? Can you bring him back to me?"
Enchantress smiled. "I can, my dear. Anything you want."
She was giving up, and giving in to the enemy. She was giving up on the world. On us, the Squad. I watched in terror as Harley stood a few steps forward.
Everything we had fought for was about to be lost. Forever.
Harley paused. Katana's sword was lying on the platform by her feet. She leaned over and picked it up. "Promise?"
"Yes, child." Enchantress said. "But now, prove you loyalty to me. The sword. Bring it to me."
Harley looked back and saw us staring at her.
"Quinn, c'mon. You can't do this." Deadshot said.
"Quinn!" Flag shouted.
Enchantress held out her hand. "Give it to me. Then you need only bow to me and swear subservience. If you do I will give you everything you have ever wanted."
"That sounds nice," Harley said.
"Don't do it, girl!" Croc growled. "You know this is wrong."
"Yeah." She turned back for a moment and gave a defeated smile. "But she'll bring my Puddin' back to me." Harley leaned over, bowing. "I like what you're sellin' lady," Harley said as she looked up. "But there's one, tiny problem." She held Katana's sword firmly in hand.
Harley grinned. "You messed with my friends." In a single, swift movement, Harley swung the sword across Enchantress's chest, slicing her open, exposing her heart. Then she made a face as she thrust her hand into the cavity, grabbed the pulsating organ, ripped it out, then looked at the bloody mass in her hand. "God, that was like the weirdest shit I've ever done," she said. "And I've done some really weird stuff." Harley turned to Flag and gave him a wink as Enchantress howled in pain.
"Her heart's out!" I said. "We can end this." I reached into Flag's pack and removed a limpet mine. "Croc!" I called. "Take it!" I tossed the mine to Croc, who threw it toward the machine's grinding maw. At the same time, Harley tossed her magnum to Deadshot. "Hey, man. I got only one shot left. So you better do that voodoo that you do so well."
Deadshot grabbed the gun and cocked the hammer.
One bullet.
One target.
As the bomb arced toward its target, he fired the gun, and the bullet slammed directly into the explosive.
It detonated.
Abruptly, the wind revered itself, and sucked up everything and anything that hadn't been battened down. Piles of rubble, of debris, disappeared into the dark maw, ripping through the ring, shredding the machine until it could no longer contain all that it greedily absorbed.
I was sucked out of Flag's arms, and though I tried to gasp at him, I was flung into a pillar close to Enchantress. Over the noise of the chaos, I tried to tell everyone to take cover.
My shoulder crunched and a searing hot pain covered my entire torso as I hit the ground.
The machine imploded, leaving behind a great, glowing cloud to mark that it had ever been there at all.
Fire and smoke rippled through the train station, slamming into Enchantress. She cried out as she was caught in the blast. She tried to conjure an enchantment to protect herself, but it was already too late. She was surrounded by an eruption of light and magic.
All her power, her strength, her magical energy, was gone.
It was over.
Deadshot stared at the machine he'd helped destroy rippled into non-existence. It was gone, I knew. Because of him.
Flag ran up, before I could get to my feet, and scooped me off the floor. It hurt like hell. "We did it," he said. I winced, and felt dizzy, like I had gotten up too fast.
"What about her?" Harley said. She stood next to Enchantress, who was lying bent on the ground, weak and fragile. "You mind giving me five minutes alone with her and my bat?"
"Watch it, Quinn." Deadshot warned. "She may do more of that witch crap."
"No," Enchantress lifted her chin to give Katana a clear shot to her throat. "Help me join my brother."
Harley gestured to her, grinning. "There you go, K. Ready to add another soul to your collection? You should number them all. You know. Collectible kills. They'll be worth a lot more that way."
Katana cocked her sword over her shoulder, ready to bring it down on my command.
"Don't." I said, as Flag put me down gently. I hobbled over to Katana, holding out my open hand. "You still have her heart,"
Harley looked at it, smiled, and gave it to me. I passed it to Flag, and looked back at Enchantress. Suddenly, she was frightened.
"Listen to me," she said to Harley. "The soldier and his master will only put you back in cages-but I will set you free."
"June, please." I was no longer talking to the witch, but the woman inside. "Hear me. Hear my voice. Send the witch away."
"I am one of you," she pleaded. "Return my heart to me and I will give you anything you ask for. What can the soldier give you besides a long incarceration?"
"June, I don't want to do this. Please." Flag murmured.
The others stared at Flag.
"It's okay, man." Deadshot said. "Do what you have to do."
Colonel Rick Flag looked at the heart for a long time. He had no choice. He only hoped June, wherever she was, would understand. He stared at the heart, grey and desiccated, then tightened his grip and crushed it.
Enchantress twisted in pain, jerked from side to side. Her body warped and her flesh reformed. Arms became legs, and legs arms.
She looked at Flag and spoke only one word. "Enchantress."
Then she lay limp.
Flag stared at the corpse, then looked back at me. His face went pale as my legs gave way beneath me. He fell to the ground and grabbed me before I slammed into the hard floor.
The others stood in silence, staring at the now-empty train station. The ceiling had collapsed and they could see daylight outside.
"Well, that was real," Deadshot said. "Guess it's time to split. I got business in Gotham City."
Croc looked back at the others and shrugged. "And if y'all don't mind, I got a sewer to crawl back into.
Flag reached down to yank me up into his arms, and I watched as the others started to walk off.
Flag turned away from them and paced swiftly through the debris towards the staircase. I didn't say anything as the dark closed around us. I was pouting, uncomfortable in Rick's arms. It felt too intimate to me - surely he didn't need to hold me quite so tightly.
Boomer gave the others a salute and started to leave when they saw Waller step up in front of them, blocking the only way out.
"How are you not dead?" Deadshot asked, confused.
"It's over?" she asked.
"Yeah." Flag said. He looked at the Suicide Squad. Harley, Deadshot, Croc and Boomer. Katana too. They were scorched, battered and bloody-emotional and physical wrecks. They were a team. They'd escaped the jaws of hell, and they were bound together.
"What now?" he asked Waller.
She looked at the group, as if trying to decide.
"Yes, you're right." She said to Flag, and she smiled as she held up the detonator. "Now what?"
"Aw c'mon." Deadshot said.
Harley folded her arms over her chest. "Yeah, a thank you wold be nice."
"Thank you." Waller said.
"Wait. No. That's it?" Deadshot stepped in front of her and stuck his face in hers. "We get nothing out of it? After all this?"
"Tell you what," she responded. "Any requests? What can I do for you? You cant run, but I can give you each one thing. Think hard. What do you want? What do you really want? Besides ten years off your sentence."
"That's not enough," Deadshot said. "I wanna see my daughter."
"Okay. Any other requests?"
"An espresso machine?" Harley said.
Croc shrugged. "B.E.T," he said.
I wasn't sure if he meant he wanted the entire television network, or a subscription to cable TV-then I decided it wasn't my problem.
Waller turned to Harkness and waited for his smart-ass request.
Boomerang shook his head. "Ten years off a triple life sentence? Not even close. Darlin', I wanna walk outta here a free man, or you're gonna see what I can really do."
Waller looked at him for a long time.
Flag continued to carry me outside, while Harley took a 'Suicide Selfie'
She said she wanted to remember us for the rest of her life, but I would be more than happy for forget.
The sun began to shine through the clouds, beaming its brilliant light on us. I couldn't even begin to describe how good it felt to see the sun again.
Waller walked gingerly behind us, being careful not to trip over any debris.
We were greeted by cheering from the surviving Seals- Taylor, Hayes, and Craig.
Flag's face was obvious that he was disappointed GQ wasn't one of them.
The war was won, despite many sacrifices being made.
I pushed in number for the tactical team. "This is Alpha Two, come in,"
The pathless way Flag took began to climb more and more steeply, but it didn't slow him down. He leapt easily from rock to rock, not seeming to need his hands at all. His perfect balance reminded me of a mountain goat.
"Copy Alpha Two,"
"We need exfil, there's too much debris around the target, so we will back track to the Federal Building."
"Roger that," it hashed and I put it back in its pouch.
Flag grunted. "Alpha Two now?"
I nodded, and cringed at the pain in my shoulder. "You're in charge, Colonel. I did my job."
He smiled. I didn't like having this conversation under the present conditions - with his too-warm arms wrapped tightly around me and nothing at all I could do about it.
"A smart person looks at all sides of a decision."
"I have," I retorted.
"If you haven't thought at all about our . . . er, conversation the last time I came over, then that's not true."
"That conversation isn't relevant to my decision."
"Some people will go to any lengths to delude themselves." Then he muttered something unintelligible.
"Look, you gave me the job to get us to the train station. Then, I carried on and gave orders to get the job done. And it's done, so the floor is yours. Take the credit if you want." My head lobbed against his shoulder-I couldn't hold it up anymore. My vision began to blur.
It was quiet then for a while; there was just the sound of his measured breathing and the chatter from the Squad behind us. But even Waller didn't say anything.
Flag pulled me in tighter, so that my face was closer to his chest.
"I'm going to rest now." I mumbled.
The panicky edge to my voice made him slow down over the debris mountains. "What's wrong?"
He stared at me for a minute, slowing to a walk, the amusement draining from his face. His eyes narrowed, turned dark in the shadow of his brows. His breathing, so regular as he ran, started to accelerate. Slowly, he leaned his face closer to mine.
I stared him down, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. "Nothing…" I tried to protest, but I couldn't resist the darkness that enveloped me.
"You look terrible." I said to Taylor, who was a frequent visitor to my room.
He mumbled something but grinned. "Yeah well, I been to hell an' back. You look no better,"
I scoffed. "I got shot. You didn't."
He sniggered. "Yeah," He looked tired, but reasonably unscathed. With Flag and I in the hospital wing at the base, Taylor was left to deal with the absence of our fallen team mates. I knew how he felt.
"When you gettin' out? It's dead quiet in the barracks." His brown eyes pierced mine. "I don't wanna be babysittin' what's left of Alpha Dogs. That's above my pay grade."
I laughed. "You don't need to worry about that. Why isn't Flag out yet?"
"Broken ribs," Hayes added, walking in the door. He looked almost apologetic, eyeing up my arm propped up in a sling, and no doubt my many bruises. "He will be in longer than you."
The wind knocked out of me and I frowned. "As soon as I'm squared away, it'll be light duties only. I can't carry a weapon."
"Didn't stop you before," Hayes accused.
"I know, but what Brass says goes."
Taylor grinned. "You know Flag won't let you back out there. Not if he can help it." Taylor said lowly.
I rolled my eyes. "What he says and what Brass says is different. Flag is on sabbatical, so his word don't count."
Hayes grinned. "I too, like to live dangerously."
Taylor and I laughed.
"Just don't say anything." I said.
Hayes and Taylor looked at each other dubiously. "We were hoping you would be the one to keep it on the low." Taylor said.
I nodded. "Not a problem boys. Leave it with me." I swung my legs over the side of the bed. It had been close to a week in that bed, with next to little memory of what happened on the chopper ride home. My guesses were Waller had been doing damage control, threw the convicts back into their holes and taken the credit. I didn't care too much for the aftermath-as long as the world wasn't taken over by some crazy supernatural creature.
"Trig," Taylor said, snapping me out of my stupor.
I looked up. "Huh?"
"Flag has been asking for you. You should go visit or he will crawl out of bed himself. Room One –oh-three."
Hayes clearly resented the suggestion. His jaw slacked as he looked away, hiding the protest on his face.
"I will. Just help me up."
Hayes was the first one to grab my hand as I pulled myself off the bed, my feet hitting the cold floor. "Nice dress," he chuckled.
"Shut up." I gazed down at he hospital gown in disgust. "Thanks for coming guys. I'll catch up with you later."
Taylor gave me a tight smile and left, as though he were in a hurry to leave the cripple.
Hayes sighed and smiled sweetly before letting my hand go. "I'm here for you need anything, okay Trig?"
"I'll be fine." I reassured.
He left slowly and quietly, taking one last look at me before closing the door.
It was an awful struggle to get dressed, only a pair of track pants and a black hoodie.
I struggled with the arm, but I finally got there. My heart pounded at the thought of finally seeing Flag. How badly was he hurt? He didn't let on any broken ribs at the train station.
I wandered down the hall slowly, making my way to room one-oh-three.
The blinds were down in the window, but I stood at the door and stared at the patient name. Richard Flag Jnr. My breath shuddered from my lungs as I stared, bracing myself for severe injuries. Broken ribs… was that the worst? Did anything happen after I passed out?
I opened the door slowly, and peeked inside.
Flag was lying there, bruised but peaceful.
All the while I studied him, his face was perfectly composed, a carving of a God.
I thought I'd known his face better than my own, but the air hitched in my throat as I caught sight of faded bruises over his face.
I continued to stare at Flag's face, motionless again. I moved slowly around the bed—each step taking a second, each step flowing sinuously like river water weaving over smooth stones—my hand outstretched to touch the end of the bed.
His eyes were closed, but his head snapped up when I stood beside him.
"Hey," he cooed.
"Hey," I replied, mimicking his tone. "You look terrible."
Bandages were wrapped around his torso, but he tried to cover it with the blanket. "It looks worse than it is," he reassured me. "Come here."
I sat on the chair beside the bed.
"Look at you, though. Jaz, Warrior Princess." He chuckled.
I could not answer immediately, lost as I was in the velvet folds of his voice. It was the most perfect symphony, a symphony in one instrument, an instrument more profound than any created by man. . . .
"Rick?" I asked in a low, calming tone, but the worry in my voice layered his name with tension. "I'm so sorry…"
"What?" He winced as he tried to put one elbow behind him, to sit up. "It's not your fault, I signed a contract, remember."
"No-not that." I shook my head.
Hi face fell calm, motionless. "What then?"
"You lost GQ." I looked down at my hands guiltily. "It should have been me.
"Don't go dragging this up. GQ made the choice." Did Flag's blanket of assurance cover all of that? Or was he just trying to calm me? "I just want you to know," he looked at me with his soldierly eyes. "I'm gonna be there for you now. 24-7, 365."
"I'm not worried about me, Flag, I'm worried about you. You lost more than I did this time."
He fell silent and just stared at me. "I'm okay." He croaked.
"Really?" I arched one eyebrow at him. "Why don't I believe you? After all you told me about your unit and the Jihads? You lost your best friend, Rick, and I know what that feels like."
His eyes trailed away from mine, and he sighed. "Look, I know I'm an asshole sometimes,"
"Sometimes?" I laughed. "Your men died, and so did you." I frowned. "You can't pretend. And now you're hiding in here, away from the rest of our team because of GQ. I know you're not disabled under there."
He looked back at me, a little shocked.
"GQ and the others had a reason to die. It wasn't for nothing." I added.
"You're the only one who sees through the bullshit," he chuckled.
"This isn't funny. Go home, see your mother. It worked for you last time."
Flag shook his head. "We're down three men. Bravo Team has been completely wiped out."
"All more reasons to get some R&R." I insisted.
"Only if you come with me."
I looked away, out the dark window, trying to control the panic before it gave me away. "Rick, please be serious."
"I am one hundred percent serious." He gazed at me with no hint of humour in his face.
"Oh, c'mon," I said, an edge of hysteria in my voice. "We hardly know each other, and you want me to meet your mother?" I thought about how much I wanted this. Better to keep a poker face, I decided, and not let him know how very much that was. It would give me more leverage.
He shrugged. "Could be good for both of us."
I sighed reservedly. "Whatever you want, Colonel."
"Great. I should be out of here soon anyway." He cleared his throat. "I guess Alpha Team can go on annual leave as well."
"Yeah, leave it to me."
Flag leaned back down, resting his head on the pillow. "I can't wait."
I gave him a sly smile and left as quickly as I could, and as soon as I was out of his sight, I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.