17
Weapon struck from Shield's left with a dart gun. American Shield used his same named offensive-defensive tool to hem Shield in. But the Shield dove and rolled under the hornet sounding darts to come up and deliver an uppercut that staggered Weapon. Behind him, the darts detonated as they contacted American Shield's shield.
But American Shield backhanded Shield with his shield. Weapon tried again with a baton that could discharge lethal amperage. Shield redirected it into American Shield who took the blow, and the discharge, into his shield.
Weapon slapped a shaped smart charge onto Shield's chest. Then he quickly pulled the detonator free to use it. But Shield's nanotech armor could hack nearly any computerized system. So he overrode the detonator. And then he threw the charge at Weapon. It amused Shield that Weapon hesitated for the first time in any of their encounters.
American Shield re-engaged Shield but Joe Higgins was well aware that Weapon had reset the bomb while still unaware that Shield still controlled it. So he pulled the bomb out of Weapon's hands and attached it to American Shield's toy. And blew the bomb. Which laid American Shield out.
Then Weapon hesitated again. And Shield saw why. All of the insurgents on the western approach were hung by white nooses. And as they kicked and struggled, Shield was angered that Hangman had ignored the established Rules of Engagement and decided to slaughter everyone.
War Eagle continued to climb and soar to prepare to dive at her foes. Buzzard could fly higher and was slower but he had greater endurance and patience. Owl was a swift strike weapon of precision.
But the deadly aerial dance ended when Buzzard and Owl spotted Hangman's intervention. They few off towards the Pacific Ocean. War Eagle didn't wait for orders. She just took off in pursuit.
"I should have liquefied this guy by now," Radiation Rogue began to complain.
"I don't think he's actually human," Captain Commando warned him, "And I've put two dozen high caliber rounds into him and he barely flinched."
"So, cyborg or robot?" Radiation Rogue wanted the veteran's opinion.
"You haven't liquefied anything yet so I'd say 'robot'," Captain Commando ventured.
Then the insurgents were hung. Radiation Rogue was visibly ashen, "I'm outta here."
"A strategic withdrawal does seem in order," Captain Commando agreed as he caught up with Radiation Rogue.
And like War Eagle before him, Inferno set off after the enemy.
Lancelot Strong may have been bitter he was passed over in lieu of Joe Higgins to be the Shield but he was determined to prove to Latham, the MLJ, the Mighty Crusaders, and the CRUCIBLE Project he was the best damn candidate anyway. But at that moment he was barely holding his own against Doc Strong and Mighty Man.
Lancelot's training made it so he was able to use Doc Strong's overconfidence, despite his greater experience, and Mighty Man's brutish strength against them and each other. But he hadn't gained an advantage. He was just staying alive.
Then his opponents recoiled and Lancelot cheered Hangman on internally. Doc Strong and Mighty Man threw cars at Lancelot as they retreated. But Lancelot doggedly chased after them while he muttered, "Screw Higgins."
Firefly sprayed flames all around him until his second tank of fuel expended itself. Then he shrugged out of the flamethrower's harness and resorted to his trusty M1911A1 Colt .45 semi-automatic pistol. It had been standard US Armed Forces issue from 1927 until 1986. And the pistol was still in production through Colt Arms and various licensed manufacturers spread across the world. It had been dubbed the "horse pistol" because it could stop a charging horse with a well placed shot. Of course, the horses died of complications from bone breaking injuries. Usually the complications entailed a bullet to the head. And that evening the base mess would serve "mystery meat".
That was simple economy for the US Army. In Desert Storm, a unit of the 82nd Air Assault had a not so particularly bright soldier hit a local sheik's camel with a LAWS rocket, which blew the camel apart. The hilarity died when the military had to buy the camel for tens of thousands of dollars and the soldiers got to eat the various pieces left behind.
But the M1911A1 had aficionados throughout the world. Including many female soldiers, policewomen, and private shooters because of it stopping power and the slimmer single column grip versus the much wider double column grips of most smaller caliber semi-autos with vastly smaller bullets that went through people without knocking them over.
Web was dismayed to discover that Firefly was a crack shot. And he knew he couldn't withstand a hit without incurring major bodily damage as well as severe systems damage to his suit. And he was losing track of Deadly Force. A lethal proposition if there ever was one.
But before Deadly Force struck, the Hangman did. Terrified, Firefly fled. Even Deadly Force was badly shaken as he began a retreat. But Web wasn't prepared to let them escape.
Comet found his powers equal to Rogue Star's. So he tried to meet him fist to fist. But Rogue Star was an experience brawler where Rob Conner was a minor league baseball player. So he was getting the crap kicked out of him.
And Radium King's annoying radiation blasts just added to the pain. And then Rogue Star fled and Radium King set out on foot. Comet saw what Hangman had done below him and wondered why Radium King and Rogue Star had been exempted. Nevertheless he had a choice to make.
He could pursue the plodding Radium King or the streaking Rogue Star. Basically he decided someone else could track down Radium King while he went to kick Rogue Star's ass for a change.
Steel Sterling didn't appreciate the fact that Brontosaurus openly laughed every time he hit the undead brute. Fortunately his "steel" hide prevented Brontosaurus from inflicting too much damage in return. Finally Brontosaurus gasped when Steel Sterling's right cross connected.
And then he and Lodestone evacuated while Steel Sterling wondered just what the hell had happened. Then he spotted the hanging bodies. Disgruntled, Steel Sterling tested himself and found his magnetic powers weren't being interfered with anymore.
So he set out after the Eliminators while magnetically hurling vehicles at them.
"What the hell?" Big Daddy roared as Dr. Defeet's chemicals wore off. Dr. Defeet had vastly underestimated the dosage for someone of Big Daddy's immense stature. But Big Daddy saw that Dr. Defeet was missing and that the would-be revolutionaries were all hanging by ethereal ropes. Which eliminated the need for him to be there.
Fireball had melted all of Gadgeteer's remotes and drones when the Predator UAV made its attack run. Fireball slagged it since he obviously didn't have to worry about killing anyone. They were all dead or dying. But Gadgeteer was missing in action. So Fireball went looking for him.
Crow kept almost forcing Fly into Elasto's traps. But was obvious they weren't very well coordinated. But practice was perfecting their efforts. But then they both ran away, or flew in Crow's case.
And Fly took in Hangman's body count. He knew Shield would be pissed. And that term was an understatement of how angry Fly was. He decided to bring back Crow and Elasto alive to prove a point to the Hangman.
Darkling waded through her nightmarish reality when she stumbled upon Dream Demon. Dora Keane didn't know any green haired women so she assumed Dream Demon was the source of her predicament. So Darkling lashed out. And it snapped her out of her nightmare.
She spotted the Hangman's handiwork everywhere. And Darkling chose to seek a little payback from Dream Demon. She just had to find the fourth Eliminator.
The cartel members that had stayed behind to watch the fight and kill the winner were strung up by the Hangman just as effectively as the militias were killed off. Jewel tried plunging a knife into Black Hood's shoulder to get the zealous fanatic off of him so he could make a break for it.
But the knife was deflected by Black Hood's armor. Black Hood barely sensed Stunner's return to the fray, and even then, much too late. Stunner shocked Black Hood but his supernatural awareness and stamina kept him from passing out. Instead he drew his pistol while he groped for the assault rifle he'd dropped.
"Geez! He's still goin' after fifty thousand volts," Stunner began running as Black Hood began firing
"At least you threw his aim off," Jewel consoled him, "Look! Crotch rockets!"
They each jumped on a sport/racing street bike. Black Hood recovered while they hotwired their intending to be stolen motorcycles. Black Hood disappeared into a parking garage and re-emerged on his own personal power cycle.
"Aw crap!" Stunner pointed at the oncoming Black Hood.
"We're outta here!" Jewel promised and they roared off together chased by Black Hood.
Jaguar gripped part of the web strands near her. Although produced by the power of Spider's mind, they were tangible and silken. So used her claws against it and severed the strand, which brought an entire section of the web down. Jaguar deftly dodged the falling strands and Spider was reeling.
So Jaguar set out to destroy as much the web as she could from the ground before she bounded her way up the buildings to do the same from above. Before Spider could situate himself on the wall he now clung to, Jaguar made for the rooftops. Spider followed, much to his own regret.
Jaguar was completely in her primal mode and nearly eviscerated his chest with her claws. Spider beat a hasty retreat. He'd call it something better later on. But to his dismay, when he looked back over his should, he saw Jaguar vaulting over the gaps between rooftops formed by streets and in hot pursuit of him. Spider did the only sensible thing. He ran harder.
Fox had already disarmed Phantasmon on three occasions already. The fourth seemed like desperate overkill on Phantasmon's part. Finally, Phantasmon used his smoke screen again. Fox readied himself from an attack from any direction.
Only it never came. The smoke thinned out and a nearby manhole cover was ajar. Fox was often reckless but he wasn't stupid enough to follow Phantasmon into the sewers. Between the close quarters, the smoke projectors, and whatever other weapons Phantasmon still possessed, it was a recipe for disaster.
Then Fox spotted Fly Girl's difficulty and jumped in to help her. Fox attacked Lady Spider and kept her busy while Fly Girl used her buzz guns against Eraser. Eraser was completely deadly but was also unstable and lacked commitment to a difficult kill. So he swiped at a wall and created a dimensional portal and absconded away.
Seeing she was about to be outnumbered, Lady Spider scaled a building and began running away across the city's rooftops. Fly Girl and Fox spotted all the hanging bodies.
"Lemme guess, Hangman," Fly Girl quipped.
"Lives up to his name," Fox said nonchalantly.
"Wanna chase the bad guys or bag it?" Fly Girl asked.
"Chase away, of course," Fox decided.
"Good," Fly Girl took off after Lady Spider while Fox employed fire escapes to get on top of the building.
Fly Girl called back to him, "I've decided I like you."
"The feeling is mutual," Fox confided to empty space.
Gunny was as startled as the bulging eyed Ultra-Patriot Corps as they dangled in the air. He thought about putting the members out of their misery one by one. Then he reconsidered. Instead, Gunny tried to raise Kevin Wells on the secure comm link all the Web Hosts shared. Finding no answer, Gunny set out to find out why Kevin was silent.
Kevin was recovering from the blows the militants had rained down upon him. Or at least the surviving members had. Now they were all being lynched. And Kevin wouldn't spare a tear.
Silver found it poetic that the White Might party was being hung in the streets like they did to minorities. Silver chambered a phosphorous laden tracer round and detonated the gas tank of a now abandon vehicle. Can't have a lynching without something burning. It was just too bad she didn't have a cross handy to torch.
Win also set out to establish contact with Kevin as the Asian Dawn was strung up all around him. Of course a dozen dead Asian Dawn members were his tally for the evening…thus far. He had a bad feeling the night was just heating up.
"Make a hole!" Carol Anne Strander stormed through the Simon & Kirby building's halls headed for the ops center.
Carol barged into the center to witness Hangman releasing the dead bodies to flop onto the floor. Carol went from angry to seething at the sight, "What the hell are you doing?"
Hangman turned to face her, "It is ironic that you phrased it that way, Special Agent Strander," Hangman almost smiled, "If I had a sense of humor, I would have laughed."
"Cut the bullshit!" Carol snapped at him, "You call that justice?"
"Yes," Hangman said simply.
"They had no trial, no conviction, and no sentence," Carol argued.
"In fact, they did stand trial, as their peer I served as a jury, they were convicted, and they were condemned as their sentence. Eternally condemned," Hangman replied.
"Latham may endorse your methods but we'll see how our superiors react," Carol advised Hangman, "As well as your own contemporaries."
"Then it is fortunate I only have one," Hangman dismissed her.
"You aren't capable of judging people because you aren't one anymore," Carol baited him.
"No, I am like the animals I condemn," Hangman agreed, "Which makes me more than capable of judging my peers. And Jack Latham sought my services. I did not seek out his endorsement of my appointed task. I need no man's approval."
"Well, you're not getting any woman's approval as well," Carol saw KitCat do a fist pump over that. And oddly enough, it seemed to strike a chord with Hangman as well. Or maybe it struck Robert Dickering.
"Still, do you really expect General Latham to dismiss me because I struck a significant blow in the MLJ Initiative's war on crime?" Hangman dryly asked in reply.
Carol rather doubted it. But she had to report the incident anyway and see what followed. The last presidential administration had proven to be corrupt. But President McKay seemed to be her own woman.
Thunderbolt had cleared the neighborhood in a four block radius. The various gangbangers had been tied to lampposts, bus stop benches, and even barred windows. Then Thunderbolt transformed back into being Jonni Thunder.
"Ah always knew ya'd be a lifesaver someday, Ms. Thunder," Jacob Crawley, a transplant from Georgia, gratefully pumped Jonni's hand.
"Gather everyone up. I doubt this over yet," Jonni warned them all. And they went and gathered their extended neighbors prepared to rally around their own neighborhood "superhero". The exact label Jonni had avoided for so long.
Baker Island had three lifts leading to the subterranean levels. Two were standard passenger elevators. The third was a massive cargo elevator capable of lifting equipment or fifty passengers.
The cavernous space Dr. Mist led them into was even larger than the cave network the Justice League had built their reserve headquarters in. Those in the know also knew it was vaster than the Batcave. Dr. Mist could tell the JLers were impressed.
"The cave network was formed by a gas pocket from the eruption that formed the island," Mist explained.
"We aren't here for the tour," Superman said tersely, "We're simply here to stop Lane from distorting his daughter's memory"
"And you came prepared for a fight," Dr. Mist chuckled grimly, "Has Maj. Lane described the full process Gen. Lane is employing to convert Lois Lane's body into a Bizarro?"
"No one said anything about 'conversion'. Bizarros are warped clones," Superman argued.
"Tell him or I will," Dr. Mist warned Lucy.
"To preface this, I didn't tell you before to prevent you from engaging in a suicide mission," Superwoman tried to explain, "Lois' corpse can't be simply cloned to convert the clone into a Bizarro. Her body has to infused with Bizarro cells and DNA and she'll be converted into a Bizarro. Complete with some of Lois' memories intact."
Superman grabbed Dr. Mist and drew back his fist, "You…you…!"
"Consider your next move carefully," Dr. Mist calmly advised.
"Take me to Lane. Now!" Superman shouted into Dr. Mist's face.
"Of course," Dr. Mist smoothed out his rumpled suit, "If it's any consolation, I agree with your position regarding Gen. Lane's ambition. Many of us do."
"Yet you stand by and do nothing," Superman snarled, "And you've lined every wall with lead."
"The General's precaution regarding an unwanted visitor," Dr. Mist led them further into the cave complex.
The Ultramarine Corps awaited them as well as the rest of Gen. Lane's Meta-Human Response Division. The General himself stood with his agents, "I knew you'd come, alien scum. And you brought your UN based lackeys with you. You may have duped them and the entire United Nations but I see through your lies. You're a monster and my Lois will be the monster killer that destroys you"
"But it won't be your Lois!" Superwoman warned him, "And it won't be under your control, no matter what you think now."
"Major!" Gen. Lane roared, "You've already been charged with going AWOL and aiding and abetting an enemy of the United States. Do you really want to add insubordination to those charges? You're a hair's breadth away from being charged with treason as it is."
"No, sir," Lucy said stiffly.
"No sir, what?" Gen. Lane snarled.
"I do not wish to be insubordinate," Superwoman clarified.
"General, your daughter came to me out of concern for Lois' memory. She respects her sister enough to honor Lois' legacy. And she respects you enough to try and stop you from making a mistake you'll regret," Superman tried to reason with Lane.
"I allowed my so-called daughter to find you, alien. I wanted you here so that Lois could deal you the death blow she couldn't find in herself to deliver to you before she died;" Gen. Lane was practically raving, "Now she'll fulfill my wishes and kill you once and for all. And the United States will be safer for it."
"You can't stop me from preventing this," Superman cautioned Gen. Lane.
"No, but they can," Gen. Lane summoned Lucy, "Major Lane, you're with me. The rest of you, kill the Justice League."
"I'm truly sorry for this," Dr. Mist admitted as the Ultramarine Corps and Meta-Human Response Division mobilized.
Since the opposition forces outnumbered the JLers, and needed to group up to defeat them anyway, the JLers found themselves facing duos and even quartets. Superman was blocked from pursing the Lanes by Cyclotron and Reactron. Reaction's armor and its power source had been melded specifically with Superman and Kara In-Ze in mind. The gold kryptonite power source could cancel out Kryptonian powers for fifteen minutes per exposure, yellow sun or not. Kal-El grimly supposed Galatea was included in that list now as well.
Cyclotron had once been the Cyclotronic Man and he'd fought the Super Friends and Black Lightning. Superman had still been new too his alter ego when they asked for his assistance. Flattered, he'd leapt into the fray without hesitation. And he discovered Cyclotronic Man's powers could actually hurt him. Fortunately, Black Lightning led the Super Friend's effort and they shorted out Cyclotronic Man's powers and captured him. Clark could only suppose Cyclotron retained all of his original powers as well as his suit.
Cyclotron nearly killed him while he had his powers. Reactron could make them vanish and he'd be a normal man thereby guaranteeing Cyclotron's ability to kill Superman. But still, the Man of Steel wouldn't back down.
Green Lantern was dismayed to be confronted by Guardian and Agent Liberty. One, because he'd thrilled to tales of the Guardian's adventures as a kid. And two, because Agent Liberty was another modern legendary figure. And, Guardian's gold and blue uniform mixed with his golden shield would problematic for John's power ring. And Agent Liberty wore a gold and black variant of Guardian's costume and he wore a jet pack as well.
A strong enough will could overcome the ring's built in weakness against yellow. Only Hal Jordan had done so in recent memory. So John new his willpower would be sorely tested today.
Atom was dismayed as well because the android called Chrysalis pulled a Bug Eyed Bandit and deployed robot bees at him. That nearly eliminated his size changing advantages. But the "bees" deployed from a chamber within Chrysalis' chest. So design whys that made her the hive mind and she probably had limited defenses of her own. And even the most intelligent AI could be confounded by human irregularities.
Olympian and Tasmanian Devil confronted Barda. Olympian raped her with his eyes and she knew his intentions should she be defeated. Demigod or not, Barda swore to herself she would break him. And Tasmanian Devil saved that look for Olympian. So Barda wasn't worried about a sexual assault from him.
"I understand you're London's Dynamic Duo," General Glory cheerfully met Knight and Squire, "You're listed as the United Kingdom's greatest heroes."
"My grandfather told me stories of General Glory at the front lines," Knight admitted, "In homage to your legacy I offer you this one chance to surrender."
"And you should know I won't," General Glory chided him.
"I shan't offer such a recourse again," Knight warned him.
"Then we're at an impasse," General Glory decided.
Squire knew a fight was inevitable at that point.
"Weren't you all part of 'Batman Beyond'?" Hourman asked Hood, Dark Ranger, El Gaucho, and Wingman.
"Batman Incorporated, gringo estupido," El Gaucho growled at him.
"No need to be insulting," Hourman replied, "We're supposed to be on the same side. Or did that all fly out the window when the Justice League International disbanded?"
"We didn't disband," Wingman sneered, "The United Nations fired us. And now you walk in here flaunting the fact you have our old job."
Hourman triggered his Miraclo patch while Hood warned him, "You need to walk away and go back to the surface now."
"We won't ask again," Dark Ranger added.
"And it's four to one," El Gaucho proudly boasted.
"I prefer to think of it as you're outnumbered," Hourman revealed.
"You're too stupid to be allowed to live," El Gaucho spat in disgust.
"Now you've hurt my feelings," Hourman counted down the seconds until the Miraclo took full effect.
"Good," Wingman was also spoiling for a fight.
The Miraclo surged through Hourman's muscles, "Then let's get it on."
"Three to one. Seriously?" Jesse Quick asked Cascade, Centrix, and Sandstorm, "Are you sure you don't need an even dozen?"
"We'll suffice," Cascade was confident.
"We do this for a living," Centrix assured her.
"Being bullies?" Jesse quipped.
"We were told your tongue was as fast as the rest of you," Sandstorm warned, "That's why were specifically chosen to deal with you."
"Aw, my very own fan club," Jesse snared and then she was a blur in motion.
Vibe saw 4–D and Pulse 8's interdimensional powers and he simply turned them off. Warmaker One's battle armor would be more problematic. So Vibe used his vibration and frequency power at full strength to rattle Warmaker One apart. Pulse and 4-D desperately tried to intervene.
Glob was a reasonable match against Plastic Man. Kid Impala and Nightrunner just got in their teammate's way. So Plastic Man strove to keep them there.
"You're not Supergirl," Owlwoman remarked to Matrix.
"Not the one from this Earth anyway," Supergirl replied, "But I was Supergirl back home and now I'm Supergirl here on this world."
"C'n I just roast her now?" Jack O'Lantern wanted to now.
"I thought you were dead," Supergirl was understandably confused.
"This is a new Jack," Owlwoman explained.
"Is that why you don't like him?" Matrix asked.
Wenonah Littlebird had to give the new Supergirl credit. She was very observant. Maybe she was reasonable as well.
"If you leave now you won't be harmed. Same goes for any of your friends you convince to go with you," Owlwoman offered.
"You couldn't hurt me anyway," Supergirl was confident, not boastful.
Owlwoman sighed, "Okay, Jack. Feel free."
It seemed the new Supergirl was unaware that Jack's lantern was magical and so were Owlwoman's abilities. Which meant they were perfect for carving their way through Kryptonians. But they were in for a surprise.
Anna Fortune teleported the nuclear powered Goraiko to the outer edge of the solar system. Then she quickly returned to Baker Island before her survival spell expired and she died in the vacuum of space. Having arrived safely, she took a moment to assess the developing situation.
Belphegor already knew she could beat Atom Smasher. But Anna Fortune could prove to be problematic to the mission. So the French mentalist concentrated on getting rid of Atom Smasher quickly.
"Um…can we talk about this?" Gypsy asked the father-son team of Man-of-Bats and Raven Red.
"And tell each other lies?" Man-of-Bats scoffed, "It's better this way."
"But we'll make it as painless as possible," Raven Red promised.
And Gypsy vanished from sight.
"Me am not letting you stop me from taking Lois as me bride," Bizarro roared.
Superwoman was fully garbed now, "And I'm not letting you corrupt my sister's body."
"You do this, Major, and you'll be wanted for treason as well as disowned," Gen. Lane advised Lucy.
And suddenly Lucy Lane knew that Sam Lane had lost his ever-loving mind, "I'm not stopping."
"Good, me am killing you now," Bizarro was quite gleeful.
"God forgive you, Lucy. Because I won't. You were never my daughter. Only Lois," Lane seemed to feel some remorse but he turned his back on Superwoman as Bizarro began his attack.
The Sandmen and the Psycho Troopers stood by to act as a second wave. The Black Razors maneuvered their mechs over towards the lab set up to convert Lois' corpse into a Bizarro. If any of them had qualms over Lane's intended actions, none of them said a word. Orders were orders.
A silent alarm alerted security in the Carnes Tower. And a meta-human Thunderbolt Organization agent dropped in on the scene. Only to find Knave and Ravager ready for him.
Knave alerted Red Hood that the mission had been blown as more agents flooded into the room. From the neighboring rooftop, Red Hood fired a smoke grenade through the window. Green Arrow used an explosive arrow too clear away the rest of the glass. Speedy was the first to fire over a grapple line. And the Outlaws set out to fulfill their contract.
Red Hood would have been amused to discover one of the lowlifes he was about to fight was called "Arsenal". No one had a trademark or a copyright on the name but it did breed confusion when it came time to be recruited for work. Jason put two bullets between Arsenal's eyes, or at least into the plastic dome of the hazmat styled helmet Arsenal wore.
Arsenal employed a customized gun that fire razor edged discs. Jason Todd had owned a harmless toy version of the weapon as a young child. Red Hood tried shooting him again but Arsenal wore a gelatin layered, Kevlar backed vest. The bullets slowed down before impact so they didn't even trip Arsenal up.
Crimson Star fired stellar energy bolts at Red Hood. Powered by the stars themselves, Crimson Star had somehow acquired the Cosmic Convertor Belt technology and was employing it for nefarious purposes. And unlike Libra, he didn't require an external instrument to direct the energies.
The two agents thought they'd cleverly caught Red Hood in a crossfire. When actually, Jason had maneuvered them into their respective positions. Moving blindingly fact, he fired his grappler into the ceiling and ascended the twelve foot height.
Arsenal's discs severely injured Crimson Star while the energy bolts nearly killed Arsenal. Red Hood descended between them again. He considered killing them but Arsenal's helmet was problematic. But Red Hood only had about thirty seconds to reflect before the choice was taken away from him.
Ravager fought Chain Master and Wildebeest. Chain Master utilized the ever popular "swinging the wrecking ball around" shtick. Wildebeest appeared to be an actual hybrid of man and oxen.
Ravager appeared tentative as she moved in a semi-circle. Then Wildebeest charged her. And she leaped over him and he took a twenty story plunge out the shattered window. Chain Master came swinging his wrecking ball around and Ravager spun around him and used a side kick to send him hurtling after Wildebeest.
"Someone please, give me a challenge," Ravager pleaded. And then reinforcements arrived.
Piledriver was as simplistic as his name. Coil was like a living spring shaped into a body. Knave deftly launched Coil at Piledriver and they tangled themselves into a literal ball. Knave couldn't help but laugh.
Green Arrow was faced with the dominatrix named Overseer. Her electrified whips and chains kept him at a distance. Which was fine for Conner Hawke. A bow was a distance weapon anyway.
But Solar Dynamo was Green Arrow's first concern. His solar powered armor and weaponry were an unknown variable. So Green Arrow rapidly fired a series of explosive and fuser arrows into Solar Dynamo.
The armor shorted out to the degree it stunned Overseer as its power system shorted out. Green Arrow paused for a second to wonder just who would be attracted by someone as strident looking as Overseer. But he realized business was probably booming after 50 Shades.
Decibel began warming up the speakers' mounted across his entire body. Speedy blew the main amplifier up with an explosive arrow. Then she pierced speaker cones with razor tipped arrows. Finally she ended the chore with a stunner.
Silhouette only presented a living, everyone guessed, outline silhouette of himself. So he managed to escape despite Speedy's better than average vision. When Silhouette returned, he came back with friends. Lots of them.
Emiko Queen slid into the room from a grappler arrow fired from the same rooftop the Outlaws had come from. She was Oliver Queen's daughter by Shado. And Conner recognized her at once.
"Don't worry," he put himself between her and the Outlaws, "This is my sister."
"You're kidding," Speedy said in monotone.
"Well, half-sister. She's Ollie's only daughter," Green Arrow tried to summarize.
"I'm Red Arrow," Emiko told them, "And I've come to join you."
Everyone could tell Mia Deardon was seething inside.
The Secret Society of Super Villains arrived in Paris to seize control of the Dome and take the United Nations hostage. The Superior Five provided aerial coverage from atop Hindenburg. Axis Amerika confronted the arriving gendarme. Saturn Queen confidently took the podium.
"Withdraw the inevitable Firestorm and Firehawk response from the Anglo-Gallic collaboration. Secure a two mile kilometer perimeter in all directions. And finally, keep the press corps within these halls available for interviews and announcements," Saturn Queen proclaimed, "Failure to comply will result in one block of Parisian cityscape to be destroyed. To prove my intentions, the first will be destroyed now."
Outside Ultraman and Shara leveled one city block and then returned to the Dome. Saturn Queen resumed her announcements, "You have fifteen minutes to comply or another neighborhood gets renovated."
The French President was at a loss as to why no one could reach the Justice League. So he called upon the old American alliance. He contacted Amanda Waller.
