31
Superior City had been built at the mouth of the Columbia River. The Thunderbolt Organization made their home there. Back in the Thirties, when Superior City was first being built over the historic towns of Astoria, Vernonia, and Warrenton, the masked vigilante called the Red Bee had made his home there. But he'd left to join the Freedom Fighters' crusade against Fascism and Imperial Japan.
Ravager and Beryl, disguised as a male Red Robin, had witnessed the Red Bee's death two years ago shortly after he was released from cryo sleep. Now they'd arrived in Superior City.
The city had expanded down the coastline all the way to where Tillamook had once been. And it came across the bridge over the river to the Washington state side to Cape Disappointment and the meager settlements of Ilwaco, Chinook, McGowan, and Megler and blossomed them into major suburban environments. Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark's winter coastal residence, had been preserved as a heritage park. And Fort Stevens and Fort Columbia, the coastal gun batteries formerly guarding the river mouth, had been resurrected as cruise missile, surface-to-air missile, and surface-to-sea missile batteries.
Mia had flown the team to Portland, Oregon where they transferred into a passenger van headed, counter-intuitively, north into Washington on the I-205. After the interstate divergence remerged with the I-5 it veered west and they followed along until reaching Longview. Crossing back into Oregon, they took Hwy 30 to Superior City.
The slow, but increasingly, popular trend towards platinum white blonde hair made Rose an object to be envied not gawked at. Rose and Beryl's obvious romance engendered the gawking even more so than Rose's eye patch. Jason finally decided enough was enough.
"Beryl, Rose, people are staring," he warned them.
"Good, maybe they'll learn something about human relationships," Beryl was defiant.
"The idea isn't to draw attention to ourselves," Jason tried again.
"Maybe not to you but I'm all for being in a spotlight," Rose grinned.
"Look, we've found the building the Thunderbolt Organization is housed in. Maybe you should take the van and go prep for your incursion tonight," Conner suggested.
"Aw, do we embarrass you?" Rose taunted him.
"No," Mia had also had enough. She moved towards Beryl and wrapped her arms around the Englishwoman's neck before kissing her. Beryl didn't know whether to freak out or ride with it. She saw Rose gaping and just went with it. Mia turned to Rose and closed her gaping mouth with her crooked finger. Then she kissed Rose as well.
"Now, if we're all done being homophobes, can we move on?" Mia asked after concluding her and Rose's kiss.
"Damn," Rose murmured to Beryl, "Kid's got guts."
"And she's a helluva kisser," Beryl admitted.
"Tell me about it," Rose was still almost swooning.
"Okay, you made your point," Conner told Mia. He wasn't angry or embarrassed. He looked chastised.
"Jason," Mia challenged him.
"Please start prepping for tonight's raid," Jason begged, "But I'm not going to argue the point with you. If you stay, be yourselves. No one should try and stop you. Including me."
"Okay, but I want coffee," Rose insisted.
"I'm sure we can while away the hours somehow," Beryl said suggestively.
"On second thought, screw the coffee," Rose laughed.
"Or just me," Beryl joined her gaiety.
"They're hopeless," Mia decided.
"They're just in love. Let `em enjoy it," Conner offered.
"Sounds like advice you should heed," Mia pointedly threw back upon him.
"How about this, everyone take the rest of the day off until 9pm `cause we won't be breaching the building until midnight," Jason proposed.
"Do we even want to know how you'll be spending your time?" Beryl asked.
"The less you know the better," Jason replied.
He strode off and Mia assessed the situation, "Cranky."
"Needs to get laid is more like it," Rose snorted.
"The rest of us are coupled off," Beryl reminded them, "That literally makes him the odd man out."
"I wonder what he'll be doing," Mia confessed.
"As long as you don't have to post bail, who cares?" Conner wondered.
"You two take the van," Mia offered, "We'll grab a cab when we need to."
"Ridin' along in my sex machine," Rose grumbled.
"Now is when I miss my bloody motorcycle," Beryl groaned.
"You're not the only one, babe," Rose admitted.
Jason's fake ID got him into a wharf-side tavern. Jason ordered up and texted Tatsu Yamashiro. He knew she'd probably be out on a mission with the Suicide Squad as Katana but he thought he'd try anyway.
Jason and Katana had established a truce after Nyssa Raatko had explained his mission with the Outsiders to her. Oddly enough, Katana was one of the few outside of the League of Assassins that could understand his mission to avenge himself upon the Joker through any means necessary. Her own mission against Takeo, her brother-in-law, had even included sleeping with him, her husband's killer.
So Tatsu understood his motivation even if she couldn't fully justify his actions in her own mind. But he was pleasantly surprised to find Tatsu enjoying downtime and seemingly in a chatty mood. It wasn't much but it was a start down the road towards redemption. Plus, Katana was the Outlaws' backdoor to Amanda Waller.
Mr. Thunder had found the Thunderbolt Organization to be a staffing agency for lower end criminal enterprises that wanted to up their game by hiring a meta-human or two. Intergang didn't need his services and the Syndicate Underground almost solely relied upon the Global Concern. And the mercenary elites were out of his clientele's price ranges.
So the Thunderbolt Organization filled a mid-price niche. Mr. Thunder employed agents to bolster a plethora of criminal activities. When he received a request, Mr. Thunder passed on the information to the agents he deemed best suited for the task. Occasionally one balked. Every agent was paid a flat rate per job plus a commission percentage paid directly by the employer upon successful completion of the task.
Failure meant incarceration so the agents were always careful to have their own exits available should the job pan out. Mr. Thunder had some of the best defense attorneys in the country on retainer. So far their work had been strictly advisory. A worthwhile investment as far as Mr. Thunder was concerned.
The agency director had tried out the meta-human life once upon a time. He'd stolen remnants of the lunar material that transformed Brice Rogers into Moonman and Stacy Macklin into Lady Lunar. But there was only so much power available between the shards he shared with Moonman. That cost Moonman his life and earned Mr. Thunder Lady Lunar's ire.
The lunar rock had divested itself of power, much to Moonman's regret, and no longer had the ability to transform a wielder. Lady Lunar appeared to have internalized her shard's power as a result of the feedback from Moonman's death. Mr. Thunder felt he was at least owed a "thank you" but Lady Lunar had spent three years trying to track him down and kill him. The Legion of Doom currently distracted her from that quest.
Mr. Thunder's own expertise in electrical engineering had allowed him to devise his own shock weapons. His chief lieutenant was a dominatrix called the Overseer. He'd fashioned electrically charged whips and chains for her as well equipped a few with drive motors and radio controllers. His medical staff consisted of Dr. Cyclops, whose own self-experimentation into genetic manipulation had deformed him into the mythical, cyclopean beast-man.
Dr. Cyclops was a mathematic savant who'd mapped the human genome ten years before the first computer had. Dr. Cyclops spent his down time running the firm's accounting office. Overseer made certain the employees were too frightened of Dr. Cyclops' intentions towards their genes to attempt to defraud the Thunderbolt Organization.
The agents, and their director, had the good sense to operate away from Superior City. But two teens, one male and one female, possessing the legendary H Dials had attempted to break into the company vaults and retrieve the E Dial. Mr. Thunder had personally worn the E Dial that day and trounced the two part-time, would-be heroes. And he learned through informants ARGUS had the other E Dial in their possession. Mr. Thunder felt it best to leave well enough alone.
Slade had booked everyone into a higher end casino-hotel in Reno, "Lian and the nanny have their own room so spare everyone the pretense and just sleep together."
Cheshire was amused as she accepted her and Arsenal's room key. Roy looked caught, "We didn't ask that Lian be brought along."
"She's a precocious preschooler. Don't make my mistakes and cut her out of your life in an effort to protect her from your choices," Slade advised. He turned to Vigilante, Tattooed Man, and Cinder, "You each have private rooms. The hotel staff has been instructed to guarantee our privacy. We have an empty room dedicated as our team briefing site."
"What about Horus?" Cinder asked.
"He's with family in Kahndaq. He'll come when summoned," Deathstroke explained.
"You're not sparing any expense, Slade," Pat was slightly surprised, "Do have a meeting with the Monitor already arranged?"
"He knows we're here. He'll make arrangements when his curiosity overwhelms him," Slade explained, "And an all out-with Saturn Queen could prove lethal. So why not enjoy our meager hours left to us?"
"Let me get this straight, Bizarro is trying to resurrect Lois Lane as a Bizarro clone?" Trevor asked again.
"With my father's technical assistance," Lucy Lane, in her Superwoman garb, repeated again.
"Why would he do that?" Hula Hula was understandably horrified.
"To hurt him," Superwoman pointed at Superman. Trevor was chagrined to find Lucy had known Superman's secret identity since Lois told her on the eve of her engagement to Clark Kent. But it seemed verifiable that Lucy had never told Sam Lane.
"But she was going to marry Clark Kent not Superman," Hula reminded everyone present.
"But Superman supposedly stepped aside to allow the marriage. Everyone knew his feelings remained the same. Or so the official line went," Lucy explained, "And having my sister marry any man that wasn't my father himself was deemed an insult to his own memory."
"So many kinds of ick!" Hula Hula writhed.
"We must stop this," Wonder Woman said from the open doorway, "Not only is this a desecration of body but also of soul and memory."
"Artemis…I'm surprised," Superman admitted.
"Do not presume to know me. You do not and likely never will," Artemis warned him.
Trevor was delighted. It seemed every "Steve Trevor" in his family was destined to be enamored with a Wonder Woman. Trevor depressed a virtual button on his tablet signaling the airfield to prep for an immediate departure.
"I assume Baker Island has an underground facility powered by a combination of solar and thermal taps," Trevor remarked.
"I'm impressed, Colonel," Lucy admitted.
"I've been doing this my entire career, Major Lane," Trevor felt obliged to remind her, "Now let's select a team."
"One of your ARGUS informants is reporting Superwoman has arrived at the Hall of Justice in the company of Superman and Big Barda," Dr. Mist told Gen. Lane, "Apparently her debrief has turned into a mission planning session."
"I knew she'd run straight to that alien imbecile. I could see it on her face when I told her how we would resurrect her sister," Lane bragged, "Let them come. My Lois will destroy the entire Justice League just to please her daddy."
Dr. Mist wondered if Lane knew he no longer teetered on the edge of insanity but fallen headlong into it quite willingly.
Owl led the mission to penetrate the mayor's official residence. The team had no use for hostages so security personnel and administrative aides alike were killed beside the domestic staff. Elasto used his pliability to strangle and disarm guards. Crow dealt with the exterior security detail. He occasionally took hold of an off duty cop acting as a security guard and dropped him several hundred feet to the ground.
Owl was amused when the survivors within the mansion doused the lights. It didn't even slow him down. The mayor pissed himself when Owl dragged him from his safe room. The deluded idiot had no idea cops on Pirate Blue's payroll had given him the access code.
It had been intended to make things seem like a robbery gone wrong. But frankly, Owl was pissed that they'd had to go to so much trouble. So he beat the mayor to death with table lamp before doing them same to his husband.
The man called the Eraser had been imprisoned in an interdimensional prison for an unknown period of time. No one knew who or what he'd been before he escaped. What was known was that the Eraser had lost his mind. And he had the ability to dissolve atomic bonds with his hands, hence "erasing" objects or people.
So while the Buzzard's overhead support seemed to be a necessary thing, as Eraser tore into the mobilizing SWAT as they responded to calls from the mayoral mansion, it really wasn't. In minutes, Eraser had dealt a lethal blow to every SWAT member by removing significant portions of their anatomy. And then he went into their command post to do the same to the off duty members being recalled to the station.
Mighty Man simply caved in a wall of Police Captain Sheridan's house and then brought the two story structure down on her and her family. Mighty Man was the only survivor. As he'd always intended.
Radiation Rogue irradiated the police chief's entire office and staff. They began dying within minutes. Radiation Rogue departed as a few lingering souls managed to reach the street level where ambulances were beginning to arrive in response to the 911 calls. What they found was the worst case of radiation poisoning ever charted outside of a nuclear detonation.
Radium King similarly dosed Police Captain Williams and the entire precinct. Radium King stayed close by as the police officers and detective began dying over the next hour. He enjoyed the sights and sounds resultant from his "prank".
Stunner also enjoyed his work killing the deputy police chief. Phantasmon slipped past the officers in Police Captain Gutierrez's precinct and silently killed the captain. He was long gone before the body was discovered banging from a support strut.
Aboard the Plunderer, Pirate Blue was reviewing the info the Persian had brought. She was enjoying a light buzz from her champagne as well and was entertaining wicked thoughts of herself with the Persian in so many deliciously compromising positions. But the Iranian woman never mixed business with pleasure.
Too bad, Pirate Blue thought, aloud she remarked, "It seems the data compiled here agrees wholeheartedly with that that the Global Concern amassed as well. Troubling how the Monitor expected you and kindly compiled the info."
"Yes, but Dr. Zadar would be the first to admit his organization has its traitors," Persian calmly remarked, "I saw your operations plan for the evening. Why did you spare the city council?"
"Because the senior councilman assuming the mayor's duties is the largest independent drug dealer in Southern California and Los Angeles, Malibu, and Orange Counties with a reach from Bakersfield to San Diego. It's just good business to have him alive," Pirate Blue revealed, "Now-Mayor Fielding owes me for his elevation. A debt I intend to broaden by making him the hero of tonight's 'debacle'."
"I suppose it's always good to have influential friends," Persian mused.
"You really have no idea," Pirate Blue advised her.
"But now that the distraction of killing the Mighty Crusaders has begun, would you mind telling me why the Brain Emperor is really interested in Los Angeles this evening?" Persian idly wondered.
"Clever girl," Pirate Blue openly admired Persian.
"You did say I was the best and brightest," Persian wore a triumphant smile.
"What the hell? Maybe you can even help out," Pirate Blue was definitely feeling a rush of arousal, "The Auctioneer his holding one of his illicit sales tonight. Selected potential buyers received a catalog of items up for sale. One has undoubtedly caught everyone's eye. Our task is to acquire through a purchase if necessary or steal it from another buyer, which would be preferable. The trick is…"
"Everyone else will be feeling the same way with the same goal," Persian immediately understood, "What's my help worth to you and your endeavor?"
There was Pirate Blue's personal goal which involved her rack, the desk and chair, the head, and even the floor. And then there was the immediate goal she'd agreed to pursue for Brain Emperor. So she named a sum towards that end and thankfully Persian agreed to it.
Explosions rocked Los Angeles and the nuclear power stations. The city's electrical grid failed and the water and sewer treatment plants and pumping stations were also destroyed. The Eliminators had done their work well and now they converged on the MLJ's borrowed federal facility.
LA's gangs and lower echelon criminals flocked out into the streets to loot and pillage. Sex and hate crimes skyrocketed in a city whose inhibitions seemed cast aside. Everything Pirate Blue had promised them had come true.
And the city's militants marched on the MLJ from every direction. Federal and local law enforcement maintained their surveillance capabilities through the use of generators. Hospitals and first responders also maintained a reduced capacity ability to assist in the brewing crisis. With cell towers and telecommunications cut by the power loss, radios became the backbone of response capabilities.
Captain Commando and American Shield had persuaded two of Captain Commando's former American Crusaders compatriots to join in the evening's events. Doc Strong and Firefly willingly served beside the others but the original Shield and the original Black Witch had vanished twenty years ago when the unit was shut down over their participation in the Iran-Contra fiasco and they remained incognito.
A younger Black Witch had traded on the name before her criminal ties became evident. The American Crusaders not only wondered how the original felt about but also how the Shield wanted to respond to being replaced by a younger man who served the very masters that had hung the American Crusaders out to the wolves.
"Head's up, people! We are getting surrounded," Kenny Wisdom blurted in alarm from inside the federal building the MLJ had a temporary lease on.
"Damn, he's right," Carol Strander realized, "Scroll our surveillance out seven blocks,"
"That's our limit," KitCat reminded Carol.
"What do we see?" Special Agent Strander inquired.
"They're being led by those turncoats, American Shield and Captain Commando," Kenny observed.
"Look shaper, Mr. Wisdom," Carol stood behind KitCat and her multiple screens, "It seems Doc Strong and Firefly of the American Crusaders came out of retirement for this one as well."
"Forget the capes," KitCat implored, "Who are the jackbooted thugs?"
"Disgruntled citizens," Web announced as a holographic display and virtual keyboard hovered above his left wrist, "They're all fringer, anti-government types."
"LA has just officially gone to hell and the hounds are on us," Robert Dickering said from behind the crowd.
"These groups usually hate each others' extremist politics more than the government," Shield recalled.
"Seems they kissed and made up," Steel Sterling remarked.
"It's always worked in our favor until today," Carol sad grimly.
"We need to respond," Black Hood demanded, "Not only are we the epicenter of this tea party but we can't let an insurgency start in Los Angeles."
"They whole city is in meltdown," Carol assessed, "If we could stem the tide here and now and work our way out, maybe we could clamp a very tight lid on things."
"We're supposedly the 'Mighty Crusaders' for a reason," Lancelot Strong shared Black Hood's agitation; "Let's prove why."
"Damn skippy," Black Hood enthused.
"Do we have a plan, O' Peerless Leader?" Comet asked Carol.
"Matter of fact, we do," she stared at Shield.
"Here's how we deploy," Shield began.
Alfred Pennyworth of Earth-3 was known as the Other on Earth Prime. He was still unaware of the fact his entire universe had been wiped from existence. Right now he was too busy gloating.
"It really is a shame about Master Thomas," he tried not to sound giddy.
"Owlman's death may have been a mistake but it probably will be beneficial in the long term," Saturn Queen decided, "Has Atomica begun to settle down after Johnny Quick's death?"
"Assuredly as you have Ultraman well in hand now that you've provided a sex slave for him," the Other commented.
"Kal-L's predilection for anal sex was just too hard on humans," Saturn Queen said dispassionately, "Fortunately a fellow Kryptonian is far better suited to the life."
"I heard about what he did to Guy Gardner," the Other leered vilely, "Does Gardner remember any of it?"
"In his sleep and in fleeting glimpses when his mind strays," Saturn Queen explained, "A perfect punishment for a misogynist."
"And next it will be Luthor," the Other gleefully predicted, "What are you planning?"
"I'll leave him as he is," Saturn Queen decided, "Impotent."
When Carnes Development began building the bulk of Superior City, they established a seemingly inviolable rule: no structure in Superior City would exceed twenty-stories in height except for Carnes Tower. The tower proudly stood above all others at a thirty-story height.
Charise Carnes' business managers arranged for Mr. Thunder's lease and approved of the pertinent interior modifications and the addition of a private satellite communications dish on the roof. When Charise left Arkham and assumed an active role in the business' management, She did so without any manager being aware of her other role as Knightfall or her manipulations of the criminal underclass.
Beryl and Rose played tourist before taking the evening off. They found the lower ten-stories were sublet to an accounting firm, a legal practice, and a franchise of a security company, which also supplied security to the building as part of their contract regarding occupancy.
The next ten stories were the heart of the Thunderbolt Organization. The business end was run from there as well as training, exercise, and medical facilities. The Marriot food catering division supplied meals and fresh refreshments to agents and employees alike. The food was prototypical cafeteria food but it was free to enjoy and "all-you-can-eat-and-drink".
Other vendors supplied coffee kiosks and carts. A local bakery, the Home Baking Company, supplied pastries as well as stocked their own brick and mortar. The Pepsi Bottling Group in Newport supplied various drinks produced by PepsiCo. The Dr. Pepper-Snapple Group supplied customers through the Pepsi distribution network.
But the Coca-Cola Bottling Company was attempting to undermine Pepsi through the use of their PowerAde sports drinks. No contract had been signed regarding sports or energy drinks and Coke was happy to fill the void. Snapple received the fake fruit drink concession. The other tenets of the building had access to the cafeteria but were charged a modest fee in comparison of all the benefits that they received. And the coffee cart and pastry vendors also worked the lower ten floors.
The uppermost ten-stories were residences for the Thunderbolt Organization's active agents. Most had palatial apartments with ten residents per floor. A lottery determined who initially lived on which floor. Bartering between agents had redistributed most of those selections. The Overseer had soundproofed her flat in accordance to everyone else's wishes. Despite being super villains the sound s of screaming under torture still kept most awake.
Mr. Thunder's managerial staff ran individual agents and actively pursued contracts for them since they were paid both on salary and a commission. The business staff slept elsewhere like normal people. But they were all blithely unaware that Mr. Thunder had each of them under surveillance. And he had nicknames for each of them based on their sexual appetites.
Penny flew the B-1A-X Invisible Jet across the Pacific with a heading determined to take them to the US Territory known as Baker Island. Flying escort, Zinda Blake flew her X-35B-2. It wasn't quite as "invisible" as the modified bomber but it was built up from the airframe of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. One benefit was that Zinda's "Invisible Fighter" was faster than its barely supersonic cousin. But it also had an increased fuel appetite.
Most of the JLU was aboard. Shayera had remained behind to assist Hula Hula and to guide the other JLers left at the Hall of Justice. At Lucy Lane's request, she rode aboard as Superwoman. She briefed the Justice League team regarding base layout and access protocol en route.
Penny landed her aircraft with its VTOL capability. Zinda made a few passes before doing the same. The only obvious construction on the island had been a lighthouse, a keeper's house, and an airstrip. Superwoman directed Zinda towards the aviation JP4 fuel dispenser.
"The house is a front. Access to the lower levels comes through there," Lucy warned them, "The lighthouse serves its actual purpose and also as a Pulse Doppler radar station to paint targets in the air or at sea."
"Obviously your father extended an olive branch," Superman opined.
"It just means he has something worse in store for you," Superwoman disabuses him of that notion.
Dr. Mist greeted them at the house's front porch, "Greetings Justice League, Gen. Lane and I have been awaiting you."
"Is it a trap?" Superman inquired sharply of Superwoman. Anna's hackles were raised well.
Mist didn't appear to be threatening. He wore a simple, if resplendent, business suit. But everyone could feel the air charge with mystical energy.
"Not of my making," Superwoman promised everyone.
"The General has been most anxious to deal with you, Major Lane," Mist warned her.
Superman and the others understood that it might not have been a complete trap concerning them but Lucy Lane would walk through hell if her father had his way. Just because she wanted to do the right thing by her sister. But Sam Lane didn't see it that way at all.
"Let's not keep everyone waiting," Dr. Mist ushered them inside.
Luthor contacted the Secret Society of Super Villains over their hijacked military telecommunications network. Fort Siegel had been officially closed by the US Army but personnel stayed on, officially to secure the base from squatters. Unofficially, Saturn Queen had hypnotized the Joint Chiefs into giving her staffing for Gen. Lane's old subterranean headquarters. The tech staff, mostly female, were passed around like sex dolls by members of Axis Amerika and the Secret Society. The female Secret Society members were subtler but just flagrant with both the men and women. Lagomorph in particular enjoyed multiple partners at once, a vestige remaining from her "Dumb Bunny" days.
The military hostages still ran a chain of command. Luthor waded through subordinates to get to the Officer of the Day and then on to Saturn Queen. He anticipated the day when he wiped the smug expression off of her face.
Luthor's image appeared on the main screen in Saturn Queen's stolen ops center, "I'm agreeing to your terms."
"You're wiser than I gave you credit for," Saturn Queen was genuinely surprised, "Report to the Crimson Queen. I'll dispatch your son as soon as I receive confirmation that you've arrived safely. Of course, I'm not guaranteeing your safety after your arrival."
Luthor knew Saturn Queen's intentions. The Crimson Queen would undoubtedly seek retribution for El-Faddil being taken. But that desire for vengeance might not be directed solely at him. As long as the Crimson Queen was angrier at Saturn Queen than himself, which he was counting on, then he'd gain an ally Saturn Queen didn't expect him to have. And Eve Aries couldn't read his thoughts or the Crimson Queen's.
But all Luthor said to Saturn Queen was a smile, "Very well."
And he signed off.
Saturn Queen turned to Virtuoso, "Verify Luthor's arrival before sending the brat back to his parents. Or parent as it may be by then. Have the team bring was what's left of Luthor here to me."
"Of course," Virtuoso agreed brightly.
Now it was time to deal with the remainder of the Legion of Doom. She'd sent summons out through the Underweb and Ultra-Humanite had replied on the group's behalf. So they met her in the abandoned sections of Fort Siegel. Ultra-Humanite and his small band arrived to a scowling Saturn Queen.
"You seem to be missing members," she angrily told him.
"Really?" Ultra-Humanite seemed genuinely baffled, "Who could they be?"
"The Mad Hatter, Tala, Psycho Pirate, Volcana, Clock King, Giganta, Parasite, Multiplex, and Sivana and Mr. Mind," Libra checked his list against those present, "And except for Sivana and the worm, they all missed defending the Hall of Doom."
"If I see them I'll let them know they missed out on you killing them," Ultra-Humanite said to a few snickers from the Legionnaires.
"I won't ask where Doomsday is since he's undoubtedly licking Darkseid's boots on Apokolips," Saturn Queen grated, "But where are Sivana and the worm?"
"Caterpillar," Ultra-Humanite corrected her.
"Excuse me?" Saturn Queen was obviously offended.
"It's an entomological mistake," Ultra-Humanite told her, "Lex made it all the time."
"Where are they?" Saturn Queen growled and Ultraman prepared to start killing.
"I really don't know. Lex gave them a significant sum and sent them on their way," Ultra-Humanite shrugged.
"Libra, take a note to follow the money," Saturn Queen ordered.
Angle Man appeared through a trapezoidal doorway. Saturn Queen regarded the Legionnaires, "Serve me to prosper and live. Otherwise…"
Ultraman cracked his knuckles rather loudly. And then he watched and waited as each "recruit" went through Angle Man's portal. He prayed that Libra would quickly find the others.
Lashina reveled in Bernadeth's screams within the wall of Palace of Pain on Apokolips. Desaad took a guiltless pleasure in tormenting his sister in new and never before contrived ways. Darkseid stood beside Lashina, bedecked in her traditional garb and weapons.
"Your intended rebellion was employed to reveal Bernadeth's ambitions," the Master told Lashina, "You were under my direction to spare Luthor your vengeance and to spare Bernadeth's life when she confronted you. She had the same directions and missives regarding them."
Darkseid cupped Lashina's face in his hand, "You ultimately obeyed while Bernadeth failed my test of loyalty. In her arrogance she would unseat Granny Goodness and then ultimately try to overthrow me. I cannot condone either."
"I was startled when Granny Goodness reappointed me into the Female Furies and then affirmed my taking leadership," Lashina admitted.
"She did so at my direction," Darkseid told her, "Beware Granny's intentions. She favors Bernadeth because she feels Desaad's fool of a sister will propel her to mastery of Apokolips and ultimately the universe."
"Master, are we safe from the destruction coming from the Antimatter Universe?" Lashina was honestly troubled.
"The AntiMonitor will not find us. And when he has destroyed New Genesis I will end his abortive attack on existence. I will need my faithful Elite at my side," Darkseid declared.
"I won't fail you," Lashina vowed.
"See that you don't or you'll join Bernadeth in the ecstasy of pain," Darkseid warned her.
Harbinger delivered Deathstroke and the Titans to the Monitor's Lake Tahoe compound. As jarring as the transition of instantaneous teleportation was, the Titans largely seemed unfazed. The Monitor stood by to greet them.
"I hope Lyla wasn't too insistent on leaving before you were prepared," Monitor offered.
"We make our living being prepared for anything and overcoming that which we weren't prepared for," Deathstroke advised the Monitor.
"Just so," Monitor agreed, "But why have you turned to me? You've never wished my service before and I'm out of the referral business."
"On account of your being 'dead'," Deathstroke mocked him, "But I won't tell Nyssa Raatko if you don't."
"And what will this consideration cost me?" Monitor bemusedly inquired.
"Actually we're here to buy information," Deathstroke clarified.
"Why me?" Monitor was amused.
"Because it's said you know everything about everyone," Deathstroke replied.
"An exaggeration but perhaps I can help you," Monitor allowed, "In exchange for a favor."
"Name it," Deathstroke bartered.
"Not now. At a later date," Monitor countered.
"Can you name where Saturn Queen is?" Deathstroke asked.
"Yes, but better still, I can name where she'll be when she's vulnerable," Monitor made his offer.
"We'll do it," Deathstroke vouched for the entire team, even the absent Horus.
"Then let's talk locations," Monitor smiled.
Harbinger teleported the team back to their shared room. Vigilante was the first to speak, "Slade, this could prove to be incredibly stupid. We don't know what he'll ask of us."
"But now we're ahead of Saturn Queen and can make preparations prior to her arrival in Paris," Slade told her, "Cheshire?"
She was checking the files given to them by the Monitor on a portable hard drive by using the shared laptop, "It's all here. Personnel files, architectural layouts, city and municipal grids and first responder frequencies. There's even an addendum regarding Rose and her new running mates."
"Copy everything and attach it to emails to every computer on our network," Slade instructed, "And contact Deathblow. I want to find out what he thinks of our deal."
"Confirmed, they are coming at us from all sides," Carol reported from the roof with her tactical team, "I have overwatch established. It's time to deploy the Mighty Crusaders."
Shield led War Eagle and Inferno towards the west. The would-be revolutionaries were dismayed to discover Shield was bulletproof. But he was still vulnerable to antitank weapons. Jewel had provided LAWS rockets in addition to submachine guns, assault rifles, and heavy machine guns. The squad assault weapons, or "machineguns", were euphemistically dubbed "suppressive weapons." Which getting blown to bits by a belt fed weapons with a cycle rate of 2400 rounds a minute could be quite suppressive…if you survived.
But Shield's strength was augmented so that he could pull automobiles into the missile path or leap several stories into the air. And the closer he drew to the enemy the closer his electroshock weapon came within range.
The American Shield chose to confront the official Shield. Unlike his counterpart, he carried an actual shield hardened to be bulletproof. His body armor was standard Kevlar but his strength had been enhanced through steroidal use and other experimental techniques. And he'd dreamed of the day he finally got to fight the Shield to the death.
War Eagle dove, at and swooped in towards, panicky insurrectionists. Her talons made short work of body armor and her inhuman human-eagle hybrid appearance induced terror. Her primary targets were the mounted weapons on the troop carriers. They could be elevated to engage her in the air. And when they finished with her they could be used against the Shield and Inferno as well as Carol's team on the roof.
Theresa Shane had been the unwilling participant in a CRUCIBLE genetics project. War Eagle had been the result. Her psychology had been altered as well. Theresa had been a timid lab assistant. War Eagle was the fiercest Mighty Crusader. A benchmark amongst an already fierce group.
She found it difficult not to simply kill her foes if the opportunity presented itself. And it presented itself a lot. So War Eagle chose to deal with the insurgents decisively. And nothing said "decisive" like a body bag.
Inferno was a man without a past. The sole survivor of an explosion on a cruise liner, he'd originally appeared to others as a young twentysomething. All he could remember was a name, Frank Verrano. And even that was suspect because no record of anyone worldwide had that name.
Then when Inferno discovered his powers, his appearance changed to that of an older, biker type. He'd looked that way ever since. And frankly, Inferno found it odd that he had a handlebar mustache and never needed to shave, trim his facial hair, or shave his head to keep it bald.
Or at least he had until Latham explained it all. The MLJ had honored its agreement with Inferno to find out just who Frank Verrano was. And it turned out, after the agency had expended a great of time, effort, cash, and piecing clues together, that Inferno wasn't even human. He was an infiltration unit designed and built to operate like a cinematic Terminator.
But "Frank" had defied his programming and thwarted a series of bombings perpetrated by those that had paid for his construction. And it was that inborn desire to protect rather than harm that drew Inferno into the MLJ. Latham promised to find Inferno's creator but he suspected the General already knew who it was.
Meanwhile, Inferno walls of flame were driving insurgents back. So Captain Commando chose to intervene. But his first shot ricocheted off of Inferno's cheek with a decided clang!
Captain Commando was startled to see metal underneath Inferno's flesh, "What the hell? What are you?"
"You really shouldn't honk me off, today of all days," Inferno advised the former American Crusader, "I'll give you three seconds to start running."
And Captain Commando complied. But he ran straight at Inferno rather than away from him.
Lancelot Strong, the Comet, and the Web went north. Lancelot Strong immediately rubbed his new teammates wrong by trying to assume command with nonexistent authority.
"Weren't you, like, a corporal in the Army?" Comet sarcastically inquired before going airborne.
"Web…" Lancelot began.
"Save it," Web warned Lancelot, "I don't listen to Latham, Strander, or the Shield. Why would I listen to a pretender?"
He went his own way, leaving Lancelot seething. He was so distracted by his anger he never saw Doc Strong approach or rear back to hit him. And Doc Strong proved why he'd earned the name when he loosened a few of Lancelot Strong's augmented teeth.
"So, you're the government's original strong guy," Lancelot commented while he wiped away blood from his split lip, "Nice punch, old man."
"You think I'm a traitor," Doc Strong realized.
"Look at the company you keep," Lancelot replied impertinently.
"You have no idea of what the American Crusaders paid for their service or how we were all betrayed," Doc Strong ranted.
"Look Geezer, make it simple. Just surrender before I cripple your arthritic ass," Lancelot retorted.
"Obviously you were one of the Shield Project candidates," Doc Strong assessed, "And a reject. I knew the real Shield before this punk kid took over the name. You aren't worthy enough for him to even fart on you. So let's see what you've got."
"You're funeral, Pops," Lancelot boasted.
Firefly, the American Crusader to bear that name before a copycat stole his name, lit up his flamethrower and spewed ignited fuel at the Web. Web's suit gave him limited flight capability as well as boosting his speed and strength. All of which kept him alive…barely. But Web needed all of his resources just to stay a step ahead and remain alive.
Comet blasted away at insurrectionists. But they rallied a block away from the federal building he was defending. And he recognized their hardened resolve. Their line would be broken if Lancelot Strong and the Web supported his effort. Or if he began indiscriminately killing everyone. Frankly, he didn't like a single one of his choices.
Steel Sterling was joined by the Fly, Fireball, and Darkling. Everyone felt protective over their newest member. But she urged them to go on as planned. She stayed behind to guard the eastern entrance.
The Simon & Kirby building had western and eastern entrances to the main lobby. Carol had a heavy weapons team guarding the west. But to maintain the roof team and a reserve tactical team to guard the ops center, the east had to be guarded by a Mighty Crusader. Shield had personally selected Darkling for the duty. Only Lancelot Strong had made a snide remark.
"No guts, no glory. Keep babysitting techies and you'll never get your name in the press," Lancelot had derided her.
Steel Sterling used his magnetic ability to shove the attackers back. He also dismantled two LAWS rockets. He thought about displaying his prodigious strength by lobbing a car at the retreating enemy. But unlike Lancelot, Steel Sterling knew that too much really was too much.
Fireball was so named because he created literal balls of fire and hurled them at bad guys. But sometimes they were really big balls of fire. He tried supporting Steel Sterling's effort but the insurgents had gotten wind of what his maximum range was. And he was still well within range of their rifles.
Fly dove bombed revolutionaries' vehicles with his buzz gun. Despite Fly Girl giving him the weapon, they weren't involved. He was secretly dating Jaguar in her civilian guise. And petite Maria de Guzman hardly resembled the robust, Amazonian Jaguar. Fly's only regret in this plan was that he was separated from her.
Darkling had only faced one enemy group before, if you didn't count the Marvel Family in that arithmetic. But she felt a psychic tether drawing power, not unlike the Marvels' connect to Shazam through the lightning. Gritting her teeth, Darkling prepared from the inevitable attack.
The rest of the Mighty Crusaders were deployed to the south where Mexican cartels and Asian paramilitaries were supporting the attack. Black Hood positioned his teammates and the followed along simply because they didn't have any better ideas.
Black Hood made his stand in the middle of the street, sacrificing someone's pickup truck. He didn't give a flip about Shield's "kill only when absolutely necessary" policy. Targets of availability were targets headed into a coffin. And it was obvious the opposition felt the same way.
Fox used the ninja skills he learned in Japan to devastating effect. But since Shield had persuaded him to leave his katana and shuriken behind, that meant he had to be within arm's reach to afflict pain upon the enemy. And most of them were strung out on coke and meth.
Jaguar enjoyed the thrill of the hunt as much as any other predator. And the smell of fear in the air just triggered her primal urges. She was just relieved Fly wasn't around to witness what was occurring.
Kim Brand had been an engineer that enlisted as a Web Host. When she parted ways with the cocksure, insanely rich, asshole called the Web she'd developed her Fly suit and buzz guns in an act of appreciation towards the Fly who'd read her proposed emulation and approved if she used her acumen to improve his gear.
Fly Girl was a free spirit who took up costumed adventuring as much to have fun as to help people. And most of the time it was. Then there times like this.
Fly Girl watched Fox struggle against increasingly impossible odds. And she was too busy to do more than token assistance every time she had a free second. But she was going to keep him alive by God! She'd almost worked the nerve to ask him on a date. And she promised herself if they both survived this, they were going to have a very long and very intimate talk.
The Web Hosts had rallied at an airport owned by John Raymond, the Web's billionaire alter ego. But even they were unaware of that fact. They knew Bruce Wayne funded Batman so too did John Raymond fund the Web and his Web Hosts. After all, hadn't there also been a Batman, International.?
Kevin Wells was overwatch for the assembled Web Hosts. He'd tapped into the surrounding CCTV and traffic cams. Silver took west to support the Shield's unit. Braking into a building, she mounted the rooftop and set a gunner's post. Then she began laying down cover fire with her machine gun to alleviate War Eagle.
Win took north and an elevated position to support the Comet's push against the revolutionaries. Comet didn't have a clue who was helping him. He was just grateful to get some assistance after all.
Big Daddy went east. He availed himself of the fort Steel Sterling had built out of wrecked automobiles. Gunny decided to go south to aid Black Hood's defense and pull forces away from the other active Mighty Crusaders.
And then the Evil Brain Trust revealed itself as they moved to counterattack. Unbeknownst to them, inside the Simon & Kirby Building, the Hangman came to life as Robert Dickering faded away. The differences between them were rather stark since Hangman wore his blend of cape, cowl and Union officer's uniform circa 1865, and Dickering's turn-of-the-century styled mustache vanished. Even the MLJ staffers cowed before him in fear.
"Now it is time," Hangman pronounced and no one wanted to know what it was time for.
Jonni Thunder had narrowed the comings and goings to Los Angeles' largest industrial district. It resided within the Los Angeles city borders and completely covered East LA. It was north of Monterey Park, and east of both Bell Gardens and Vernon. Several Interstates and highways crisscross over the region. They included the I-5, I-710, I-110, and the overlapping I-10 and Hwy 101 and San Bernadino Hwy. And at the very heart of it all sat the defunct Queen Consolidated Paint Factory.
Oliver Queen, suspected by many of being the original Green Arrow, had left the factory to his son on the advent of his death. And the LAPD had a strong consensus that Conner Hawke had been the vigilante known as the Arrow until assuming the mantle left by Green Arrow. Conner was also chummy with Queen's principal heir, Mia Deardon. And suddenly the new Green Arrow and Speedy were joined at the hip. And oddly enough, Mia was here in Los Angeles as well.
The security around the factory was primitive enough. But the factory itself and the outer loading docks were biometrically secured. So either Conner was storing fissionable materials or it confirmed he was the Green Arrow. The LAPD had raided the factory but come up empty. Then ARGUS had swept everything away. Jonni guessed it was a perk of membership with the Justice League of America.
Jonni touched her finger against a biometric palm reader and suddenly spark flew out of it as it released the lock. Conner hadn't bothered getting an apartment or house within Los Angeles or Orange Counties. He hadn't had any address other than a Postal Annex delivery drop since inheriting the paint factory.
Inside the loading area, she found two motorcycles and a pickup truck rather than the expected forklifts. Jonni looked triumphant at finding Green Arrow and Speedy's bikes. And she called in a favor with Lt. Mike Sanchez, LAPD, and asked him to run the truck's plates. The results were completely predictable.
"The vehicle is registered to one Mia Deardon. California plates despite her address listed at being in Washington State," Sanchez informed her.
"No surprises there," Jonni replied snarkily.
"Then why did you need my help?" Sanchez asked.
"Because the lines in the DMV make people homicidal," Jonni teased him. Sanchez had met Jonni while investigating her for potentially committing a murder. She'd been exonerated and become an unofficial resource for the Robbery-Homicide Division of the LAPD.
"Remember our deal. Dinner and I'll bring the tamales and chili relleno," Sanchez insisted.
"Will Shamus enjoy your recipe?" Jonni asked.
"Why do you have a pet rabbit? Are you just afraid of real animals?" Sanchez taunted her, "Trigger would probably eat him if they ever met."
"Trigger is a name for a horse, not a German Shepherd," Jonni scolded him.
"Cualquier cosa," Sanchez sighed as he hung up.
Jonni thought they'd made a stride forward in their working relationship. Usually he told her he had "real police work" to get back to. Of coursing, pimping his dog to eat her rabbit was disturbing on several levels. Her rabbit would only be eaten after a vigorous chase.
Jonni was stymied inside the factory. It really did seem deserted. And then there was the highly secured door with a "water main break" warning posted on it. All of that and not a sign of moisture.
She "jolted" the lock, and lo and behold, it released. There was a breaker box inside the doorway so she threw it and lights powered up. As well as a whole room of computers and terminal displays as it turned out. Equipment racks and clothing dummies inside cases were also present. Two of the dummies were garbed. One as the first incarnation of the Arrow and the second as the Pre-JLA Green Arrow.
Lots of the equipment storage lockers still bore their ARGUS labels. One locker, labeled SPARTAN, was filled with pistols and sat beside another bi-level case with magazines and ammo. Whoever "Spartan" was, or had been, he loved his Glocks. And he had range of assault rifles and .50 caliber sniper rifles.
And then Speedy had a display case and a rack to hold bows and arrows. And there was even a king size bed and mattress set in a corner along with arrays of exercise equipment. Which explained how Green Arrow stayed in shape and where he lived. The kitchenette was hidden beneath the stairs. There was even a biohazard disposal container next to the nightstand beside the bed with a freshly used condom clinging to the opening. Which Jonni knew explained away how Conner and Mia were intimate despite her HIV positive status.
Jonni always hated the breach of privacy involved with her work. But the breaches also yielded innumerable clues. Conner and Mia had been here recently. But given how their own personal equipment was cleaned out as well as the dressers and nightstands, it was good bet they were travelling. Probably with their three new companions from downtown.
She'd have to check on whether or not Queen Consolidator's corporate jet had flown out of LAX or John Wayne International Airport. There was cell reception in the room but it pinged a server when she attempted to make a call. So Green Arrow appeared to have NSA standards of cell phone tracking and surveillance.
Word on the ether was that the heroes that left the JLA rather than integrate into the Justice League Unlimited did so on bad terms with ARGUS. This lair belied all of those rumors and innuendos.
Jonni knew all about rumors and innuendos. First her father, Jim Thunder, had been expelled from the LAPD. Then she had her on-again, off-again relationship with Mike Sanchez. And her more off-again then on-again relationship with her fellow private investigator in San Francisco, Harrison Trump.
Sanchez was the guy you brought home to dad. Trump was the bad boy with a law degree whose bitter divorce sent him into private investigating `cause infidelity and sleaze cases paid well. Sanchez was so safe he was boring. Trump was trouble in every sense of the word. But Trump had a major advantage over Sanchez in one distinct area. He respected her working, not-so-working `57 Thunderbird.
Sanchez drove a Volvo. A beige one. Trump owned a not-so-reliable `78 Datsun 280ZX. Jonni had to laugh when he announced plans to replace it with a `78 Mazda RX-7. It seemed the Datsun wasn't impressive enough for his predominantly female clientele. Jonni occasionally theorized Harrison Trump had quite being a lawyer to be a PI so he could get laid.
And neither Trump nor Sanchez knew her electrifying little secret.
Shield was defending the western approach to the Simon & Kirby Building against American Shield when a high bore rifle shot narrowly missed him only because he'd inadvertently shifted position before the bullet struck. The rifle report sounded afterwards because the bullet had been travelling at supersonic speed. That was how Weapon announced his arrival.
Shield stifled an audible groan. The first two times he'd encountered Weapon, the assassin had laid him out and only spared him to reacquire his actual target as the police swarmed the scene. The first target had been a US Senator preparing his presidential bid by supporting Central American rebels. The warlord being threatened by those selfsame rebels hired Weapon for some "pest control" in Congress. The second target was the President herself when she announced she would sign the bill authorizing military support to the rebel cause.
Shield had thwarted the attack but was about to killed, if he could be killed, when a gaggle of Secret Service agents descend on the scene. FBI and military assets followed on their heels. Weapon escaped but just barely. Mysteriously, Weapon's employer died shortly thereafter Latham accused the CIA of turning Weapon to their way of thinking through a large infusion of cash that was far cheaper than training and equipping rebels in a faraway jungle.
The third and final time Shield encountered Weapon, he himself was the target. Arvell Hauser, the industrialist, had been trying to acquire the CRUCIBLE/Mercy Corp nanite tech for years. Finally he decided it would be easier to extract it from the Shield's corpse. That time, Shield had learned hard lessons and fought Weapon to a standstill. Mercy Graves detached Team Mercy, the corporation's private security force, to deal with Weapon and presumably Hauser as well.
Latham and Shield took their argument with that decision straight to Mercy herself. There, she produced a writ of authorization signed by the President herself giving Mercy full authority to defend the proprietary nanite tech and retrieve any that had been stolen by any extralegal means necessary. Both Latham and Shield lost faith in the President that day. And so the MLJ Initiative was born as a countermeasure to the legal excesses.
Special Agents Carol Anne Strander and Frank Garcia of the FBI had been assigned to track down Weapon. But Garcia was revealed to be a member of the Neutralizers. A terrorist outfit dedicated to bringing all nations to economic and military parity. Inferno had been the one to save Carol's life on that occasion and it led to his inclusion in the Mighty Crusaders.
Weapon had only failed in four contracts out of dozens per year for twenty years. The first had been when he was tasked to kill the original Shield. And his successor was responsible for Weapon's other three failures.
Weapon's ire was so great over the failures of an otherwise unblemished record of decades' of success that he chose to participate in the Evil Brain Trust for the opportunity to kill the Shield even for free. And his obsessive hatred combined with the American Shield's blind, irrational compulsion to do the same, made for an unstoppable juggernaut of wrathful desire.
Buzzard and the Owl swooped in on War Eagle. Buzzard had shoulder mounted deployable claws that attempted to snare War Eagle or tear at her flesh and wings. Owl had between-the-knuckle mounted razors curved like talons to combat War Eagle's natural, fingertip talons.
War Eagle only knew some of that. But she was elated to finally fight foes in the air. Her natural element.
Captain Commando simply sidestepped Inferno's stream of fire. A large, barely visible stream of energy struck him. Inferno's systems almost crashed from the radiation surge. Radiation Rogue casually strode forward in his NBC haz-mat gear.
"So you poozers wanna real fight?" Inferno wore an insane grin, "Let's get it on, suckers!"
Mighty Man joined Doc Strong at the northern approach to the Simon & Kirby. Lancelot Strong hated to admit his predecessor, Doc Strong, was marginally more powerful than he was. But Lancelot had absorbed some voltage before stepping outside so he discharged it on Doc Strong. The visible crack of electricity threw Doc Strong back and Mighty Man charged into the fray.
Mighty Man was another CRUCIBLE project and he was much stronger than Lancelot. And Lancelot knew it from sparring with Mighty Man before the other fled the CRUCIBLE Project grounds. But the formula that gave Mighty Man his tremendous strength made him mentally unstable.
Ironically, Mercy/LexCorp had solved the instability problems when they created Maxi-Man and then the second Maxi-Man. And the corporation had shared the fix with CRUCIBLE and thereby crated Lancelot Strong. Lancelot knew he could defeat Mighty Man by using the brute's strength against him. But he didn't know yet if he could outweigh Doc Strong's greater experience with his own updated training.
Web was dismayed when Deadly Force stepped into his battle with Firefly. Firefly had just depleted his fuel tank and was retreating to secure his spare when the battle armored Deadly Force attacked. Deadly Force was mercenary through and through so someone was bankrolling his participation. Which meant there was a currency trail to follow to uncover who was behind this attack.
Rogue Star had been an early result of the experimentation that yielded the Comet. But Rob Conners didn't recall those weeks in Alaska at his parents' wrecked laboratory. His implanted memory was of being jolted by a falling power line and becoming the Comet.
Rogue Star knew the truth and it made his decision to form up with the Eliminators so much more delicious. Comet and Rogue Star were testing each others' abilities when a massive radiation surge hit Comet. He was able to absorb and process it but it still sent him reeling.
"Let's see if you survive the second strike," Radium King wondered.
"A combined strike," Rogue Star grinned like maniac.
Loadstone threw his magnetism against Steel Sterling's. His fellow Eliminator, Brontosaurs, was there to test his undead might against Steel Sterling's fabled strength. Brontosaurus was the result of a Chaos magic ritual and he had Solomon Grundy-like strength. More than a match for Steel Sterling.
Dr. Defeet presented himself to Big Daddy and the Web Host laughed, "What're you supposed to be, chump?"
"Your doom," Dr. Defeet replied, "I'm guessing you're a Web Host."
"Got it in one," Big Daddy was still overly amused, "So what'ya do?"
"Only this," Dr. Defeet gassed Big Daddy.
Big Daddy suddenly despaired of every winning the battle and even started contemplating taking his own life.
The Gadgeteer had made "improvements" on the weaponry he found at ARGUS. Including remote operated guns and robot assault vehicles as well as small, armed drones. Fireball was attacked on every side and he struggled just to stay alive under the mechanized assault. And then the Gadgeteer personally intervened.
Between Elasto's elongated reaches and Crow's dogged pursuit, Fly was being run into the ground. Elasto proved capable at dodging enemy fire while maintaining his threat. Making Fly's buzz gun potshots utterly useless. And then Crow used a vocal amplifier to caw at an ear shattering volume that broke windows throughout the block at knocked Fly out of the air.
Dream Demon was the fourth and final Eliminator. The sorceress could attack on a psychic level and reduce the mind to a feverish nightmare state. Most succumbed to the horrors with seconds and dimply fainted away locked in a nightmare world forever.
Dream Demon found Darling's imbued dark energy dampened her powers. But through sheer grit and raw determination, she punched through Darling's mind. And she found so many horrific memories to play with. Dream Demon would revel in Darling's destruction.
Black Hood found himself facing down Jewel, the Jewels Gang, and Stunner as the cartels retreated to join in the city's general mayhem. So, he did the last thing they'd ever expect, he left cover and charged at them. Firing away while yelling at the top of lungs, he decimated the Jewels' ranks and they broke and ran leaving their boss and Stunner standing there gaping like idiots.
They finally opened fire at Black Hood but he uncannily seemed to know where the bullets would be before they reached him. He'd knocked Stunner over with three shots to his armored chest. And Jewel and Black Hood locked d into a close quarter's battle to the death.
Jaguar caught a strange scent in the air. And it wasn't entirely human. As she began to track the scent to its source, she encountered a massive, psionically constructed web.
Spider descended down a single strand, "Oh, my pretty pretty, you'll make quite a meal in so many ways."
Jaguar immediately wanted to rip his throat out.
The rolling mist alerted Fox to the approaching danger. His backspin kick caught the side of Phantasmon's head as he nearly reached Fox with a drawn combat knife. Phantasmon shook of the kick rather quickly.
"Clever, Fox," Phantasmon chuckled, "Let's see some of those famed ninja moves."
"Oh friggin' crap," Fly Girl muttered as dodged Lady Spider's swing on a psionic web line.
Then she realized she was being herded towards Eraser. And didn't want to be anywhere near that nut job's grabbing distance. So she forced him into retreat with her buzz guns.
Lady Spider clung to a nearby wall and Fly Girl challenged her, "You picked on the wring gal."
"Such brave talk coming from such a teensy weenie fly in the web," Lady Spider laughed.
Fly Girl didn't feel like joining in.
The Free Nation Brigade was the "armed resistance" members of the increasingly popular movement to have California secede from the Union despite the Union's overwhelming decision to prevent the South from doing so in the 1860s. It was a federal policy, established by Lincoln, to never allow the Union to be dissolved. Even by one state.
So Kevin Wells was being targeted by a fringe group of a political fringe group.
It was sheer dumb luck that pitted the White Might Party against Silver, an African-American, female Web Host. Their racist slurs and sexists mantras offended her on more levels than she cared to admit. She'd honestly enjoy her work tonight.
Asian Dawn was the Far Eastern version of the White Might. It was a true melting pot of disaffected Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Tibetan, Mongolian, Filipino, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Malaysian, Burmese, and Singaporean youth. Win saw them and was heartened and dismayed all at the same time.
The New Black Panthers and the Amerind Council slipped around the Mighty Crusaders and Web Hosts to storm the Simon & Kirby lobby. Carol and her team abandoned their rooftop post to repulse the invaders. As much as Carol sympathized with the African-American and Native American grievances, their militant civil disobedience sickened her.
Before Carol and her team engaged the invaders in the stairwells, a team of Black Panthers and Amerinds reached the ops center. Before the MLJ Security team could react, white hangman's nooses and ropes snared and suspended the attackers in the air, strangling them. The MLJ staff, already terrified, watched in horror as the Hangman took out the would-be enemy.
Watching everyone kick and struggle, KitCat voiced everyone's opinion, "That. Is. Too. Gross."
"It is what it is," Hangman replied dispassionately, "What is our situation?"
"Shitty," Kenny complained.
"The whole town seems to be going to hell," KitCat griped.
"Not yet. But the night is still young," Hangman direly assessed.
Jonni had barely left the paint factory when the lights and power went out. The city went insane in the darkness. As she nursed her T-Bird home, the rioting increased. As she saw gang members harassing the tenets inside her own apartment/office building, Jonni knew the moment of fate was upon her.
She could deal with as many brushfires as she could as Jonni Thunder or she could reveal herself as the meta-human Thunderbolt. And she'd already realized she could do more as Thunderbolt. When first received her powers from an ancient copper statue, Jonni would merge with the Thunderbolt's essence and her body would be unconscious and vulnerable. But over time she learned out to merge both her body and her psyche into the Thunderbolt essence.
She left her car in the street confident no one would steal what probably wouldn't start again, and transformed into the Thunderbolt for the first time in public. And she went to work cleaning up her neighborhood.
