28
The JLU approached Corto Maltese in two separate aircraft. Penny flew the Invisible Jet while Zinda Blake flew her X-35B-2. Her X-35 being an advanced variant of the service F-35B. The standard aircraft had STOVL (Short Take Off-Vertical Landing) capability. Zinda's plane possessed a fully integrated VTOL (Vertical Take Off-Landing) capacity shared with the XB-1A-1 Invisible Jet.
"I-Jet, radar has five A-4 attack bombers approaching at subsonic and six F-20s coming at supersonic. I can deal with the fighters but the attack craft are on you. They'll wait until you drop out of supersonic to make their attack. Roger that?" Zinda radioed.
"Ah copy," Penny radioed back. Zinda could hear the awe in Penny's voice. Unlike her civilian counterpart, Zinda had been a fighter pilot. She guessed it was still in her blood.
Zinda barely had three seconds to assess her foes. Northrop developed the F-20 as a successor to the Vietnam Conflict-era F-5. The United States military complex had never purchased orders of the capable but cheaply produced F-20. The Department of Defense preferred drowning projects with seemingly limitless cash. The Joint Chiefs and DOD's procurement department found the economic F-20 an insult to their projected image.
Zinda knew two things for certain. The first being Northrop was so desperate to recoup their developmental investment they'd sell to anyone. The DOD would pay $339 million for an F-22 and resell it for $16 million just to undercut unsanctioned weapons developers. The standard F-35 was a multirole aircraft. And the military had spent upwards of $62 billion to insure it was.
The second thing Zinda's mind flashed over was that the biggest clientele for the F-20 was "security" companies like Meridian and the Zither Group. But the pilots' training was usually spotty at best. Which Zinda counted on since there was no way she could survive fighting six hostile aircraft if every pilot was competent.
As she targeted all six planes simultaneously, she found it annoying the United States and its allies maintained lists of approved arms sales clients. But the client lists changed with the shifting political winds. And mercenary companies were exempted because they were private firms, often in the employ of the very governments that the US would have to ban weapons sales to them.
Zinda's targeting system could guide missiles to sixteen targets simultaneously. But three of her foes managed to break the weapons lock and survive. But as they split into three separate directions, she released a second salvo at a fleeing F-20. Then through sheer skill and tenacity she downed the other fighters and evaded two missile locks.
Then she went hunting to see how well Penny was faring.
The A-4 entered US service in 1954 and it was intended to deliver atomic bombs to selected targets of opportunity (China). Production halted in 1979 but over a dozen nations used them by then. Only three countries still used them in active service. Those countries were Canada, Germany, and Brazil. And they were being phased out at last by those militaries. The far reaching phase outs of a dozen militaries had placed over one hundred attack aircraft on the open market. And open market that included security contractors.
Penny had to appreciate the rebels. They'd financed a revolt and hired meta-human mercenaries. Corto Maltese boasted two aged fighter planes, three attack helicopters, and two search and rescue copters. Their army was an extension of the national police force and their naval patrol was comprised of four retired Soviet gunboats that originally had sailed in the Caspian Sea. And somehow the small island nation had scraped together enough hard currency to buy two decommissioned German diesel-electric U-Boats identical to Pirate Blue's sunken Plunder.
Penny waited for the five A-4s to try and achieve a missile lock. She rammed the throttle to maximum and went through the center of the opposition's line.
Two A-4s spiraled towards the ground. One never recovered his aircraft and was forced to eject. The other came back into formation but was still severely rattled. Penny slowed from supersonic speeds and shifted the XB-1A-1's variable geometry wings to the forward position instead of continuing to have them swept back.
The USAF had only received fewer than six of their original B-1A order when the planes began crashing. So the program was salvaged by adapting the future supersonic bomber production into the subsonic B-1B. Penny had flown all manner of subsonic and supersonic civilian transport planes but none of them had ever handled as nimbly as the Invisible Jet. Even the infamous 747X-VTOL Plastic Jet had been a whale in a kiddy pool in comparison.
And the Invisible Jet was outfitted with more countermeasures than Air Force One. So, despite not having offensive weaponry, Penny employed the countermeasures in such a way she actually downed two A-4s before Zinda shot the other two out of the air. Penny was disappointed to see that no chutes opened from the debris.
"Ah thought we were takin' prisoners," Penny complained.
"Old habits die hard, I guess. I'll round the island and see if I can draw any antiaircraft fire," Zinda offered.
Zinda initially failed to do so. Either the missileers were smart enough to draw in the larger aircraft or they weren't there. Then a shrill alarm sounded. Antiaircraft missiles had been launched from two separate sites. First, Zinda broke the missiles' lock before she opened her rotary launcher from the bomb bay doors beneath her fuselage. Her weapons system had kept locked on to the radar stations guiding the missiles. So Zinda fired off her two air-to-ground missiles.
The bunker busters acquired the enemy radar signatures and guided themselves while enemy fired two additional missiles at Zinda.
The radar sites were destroyed before the enemy missiles went terminal on Zinda. Losing their external guidance, they flew off harmlessly while Zinda bat-turned to streak over the conflict wracked island. Using cameras mounted where her wings met her air frame, Zinda photographed swathes of the island before she broke to escort the Invisible Jet into the drop zone.
Shayera and Hula Hula poured over the incoming photos as the satellite relayed them. Marking them for probable hostiles, they sent the appropriate photos back to the Justice League. Steve Trevor watched Shayera's methodology.
"You're awfully good at this," he remarked.
"I wasn't always an infiltrator," Shayera said without emotion. She'd come to grips with her past and anyone else that hadn't could go screw themselves.
"Look, raising a family from the field took a toll on Sue and Ralph Dibney and they were mainly sidelined. This job you're filling in for is yours anytime you want it," Trevor promised.
Shayera hated him and felt grateful all at once. Thanagarian women had developed an overwhelming hormonal response during pregnancy to sharpen their senses and protective instincts. But they faded just as fast once the birth occurred. Shayera didn't want to become her mother. And she didn't want ARGUS raising her son. Rex would have both a mother and a father to love him. Not like the prenatal demise of their daughter. She'd sideline herself through the pregnancy to appease John and her raging hormones. Afterwards, she might just accept Steve's offer and stay on the side.
Penny opened the bomber's bay doors and John Stewart used his Green Lantern power ring to distribute the JLers onto Corto Maltese. As soon as the Justice League was on the ground, the Invisible Jet and the X-35B-2 flew off at supersonic speed to accept a refueling from the Mexican Air Force. The Canadians were dispatching a second tanker as it became needed.
The Mexicans kept an E-2 Hawkeye AWACS styled plane nearby to monitor air traffic in the region. They also maintained the presence of a KC-135 tanker dedicated to the plane and its fighter escorts while the Mexican Navy steamed into position to relieve the aircraft. Fortunately the Mexicans and Canadians had been in the region to conduct drills with Central American allies.
Opposite, in the Gulf of Mexico, the Canadians were showing the flag's support for the Mexicans in a boundary feud with Venezuela. Columbia had distanced itself from Venezuela's sphere of influence as a result. And their military airstrips had been opened to support assets involved in the Corto Maltese operation.
Superman dealt with the armed response on the beachhead where the JLU had landed. Superman and everyone kept watch as he distributed the JLers across Corto Maltese. Since they were dealing with an unknown meta-human or meta-humans they were split up and sent forth in pairs. With Goldilocks' disappearance, Mike Dugan had reactivated STRIPE.
The STRIPE support systems were still located at the K-Star Ranch. Mike himself had been accepted as a student by the JSA. But he was on loan under Stargirl's supervision. She'd actually been the one to request her stepbrother's participation. But she made everyone promise not to tell him. But Roxy had spoiled it.
Roxy was searching for L-Ron. Max Lord had rejoined Team JLU as their UN Liaison. And no one could fathom why. The JLU didn't have much administrative oversight so he did little beyond representing the Justice League's interests. Or so everyone thought.
L-Ron led Roxy a merry chase. He appeared and reappeared in seemingly random intervals. Roxy was the most powerful AI ever developed on Earth, surpassing even Brother Eye. But she couldn't fathom L-Ron's means, motives, methods, or mental state. And it frustrated her. So she didn't mention her searches or her ongoing failures to anyone.
Horus attacked Barda first. While she threw him off and managed to recover, she deduced his Black Marvel form was as physically capable of her own. She detached her mega wand from her belt and decided to go a round with Horus. But her Mother Box link detected Chaos magic, which was beyond even the science of New Genesis.
"I've looked forward to our rematch," Deathstroke admitted as he drew his sword.
"I see you have a new sword. Do you honestly think it makes you my equal?" Superman wondered.
"This isn't any sword," Deathstroke shared, "Hephaestus forged this as a god killer in case Zeus ever lost control of his tribe. Given what the so-called 'gods' really are, it's no surprise really."
Most of that statement obviously went over Superman's head, so Slade added, "You really should have a conversation with Black Mary and learn why she's the last Marvel standing. Oh, and this? It's well named. You might not be a wannabe god but you are vulnerable to magic. So let's see if the most expensive sword ever forged does the trick. I also have a few other toys thrown in for eliminating the Olympians."
Deathstroke threw a bolo around Superman's ankles. He was less than impressed, "Slade, you just make me tired."
But Superman found he couldn't break the snare. Nor could he melt it nor freeze it. The final indignity was he couldn't lift off the ground except in puny little hops.
Superman looked at Slade with real horror in his eyes.
Deathstroke sounded satisfied, "Now that's the look I've waited for for so long."
Tattooed Man's shadow forms equaled everything John could construct with his ring. And John could sense their malevolence. It was like fighting another Ring of Volthoom. But according to Hal Jordan, Volthoom and his Power Ring Corps were no more. Jessica Cruz was the only Power Ring left in existence. And the Green Lantern Corps was prepared to offer Jessica a Green Lantern power ring of her own. John hadn't informed her because the power ring in question was his own.
Atom was barely evading Cinder's plasma blasts no matter what size he adopted. Cinder's blasts basically seared so hot, with the heat of the sun to be precise, she vaporized atomic bonds. So Atom had no refuge in atomic level escapes. He had to find a way to defeat his foe because he'd promised Jean Loring he was coming home.
Power Ring and Vibe encountered Threshold and Bliss. The siblings represented a very real threat. Threshold's psychokinetic powers countered the Ring of Volthoom's psychoreactive properties. So Power Ring was freed from the ring's influence to construct anything she could imagine. The danger was she didn't know Threshold's fears to use against him. But her ring could sense Threshold's malice and delight in harming others. The ring shared those traits.
So Power Ring went to war.
Bliss was Threshold's seductive sister. Her mental power was to seduce men and woman and bend them to her will. An ability used too often simply to pleasure herself.
Cisco Ramone was totally unprepared for a psychic attack on that level. But he'd die at a word for Bliss. And he'd castrate himself for a kiss. Which Bliss had demanded as payment on several occasions.
Jesse Quick and Hourman were confronted by Arsenal and Cheshire. Jesse was incensed as she spoke to Arsenal, "You used to be Green Arrow's sidekick. How could you desecrate his memory like this?"
"We were goddamned partners. Or so I thought until he gave everything to Mia. That little whore didn't deserve jack. You wonder how I could betray him? He betrayed me years ago," Arsenal snarled.
"Don't lie. Ollie didn't revise the will until you signed on with Task Force X and then with Deathstroke. What was he supposed to do? Reward epically colossal stupidity?" Jesse demanded to know.
"You aren't getting on my good side," Arsenal warned.
"Or what? You're gonna stick a feather in your cap, Speedy?" Jesse taunted him.
"She's playing you," Cheshire warned him.
Jesse began running a circle around Arsenal and Cheshire. He drew and arrow, nocked it, and drew back. Cheshire wore a seductive smile as static electricity charged the air, "You've got this."
She sprang over the electrical field to deal with Hourman.
Arsenal fired and Jesse screamed as the arrowhead tore through her leg as she stumbled and tumbled across the rocky terrain. The shaft snapped and wedged the arrowhead against the bone in her leg. Jesse could barely crawl afterwards. She just hoped no tendons or ligaments were severed.
"Want to keep insulting me now?" Arsenal stood nearby with another arrow prepped, "Because it'll be the last thing you do."
As Hourman, Rick Tyler, was incredibly strong. But he'd grown reliant on that strength. So Cheshire's redirecting his own strength against him came as a horrid surprise. Cheshire enjoyed humiliating him but her coup de grace was to rake his face with her nails.
"Really? After all that, you revert back to scratching my face?" Hourman was surprised.
"Wait for it," Cheshire's triumphant smile promised an agonized death.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Deathblow raised the barrel of his SAW so that it aimed at the sky.
The SAW was ideally a two man weapon that could be operated singly if necessary. The gunner aimed the weapon and pulled the trigger. A second soldier was responsible for the ammo box and keeping the belt free of jams and kinks while the SAW consumed copious amounts of ammunition. Besides the box inserted into the weapon, the gunner and secondary would each carry a box of 5.56mm armor piercing rounds.
"You don't have to fight us," General Glory advised him, "You're not a Titan or even one of Deathstroke's normal crew. Walk away now and I'll guarantee safe passage to the mainland."
"That just doesn't work for me," Deathblow replied, "A merc is only worth his rep and what kind of price could I ask for if I was known to cut and run on my employer? Just because some guy in red, white, and blue spandex says to? Especially when he's standing next to some shit bird wearing chainmail and carrying a sword."
"Thou art a base villain, knave!" Shining Knight shouted back at Deathblow.
Deathblow dropped the SAW into firing position and leveled it out with his other hand. He put a three round burst into Sir Justin's chest, "Sure you want to insult a man with armor piercing bullets?"
The strike threw Sir Justin several feet back. He laid sprawled spread eagle and wheezed when he breathed. General Glory did a triage styled inspection of his wounds.
What he found was that Sir Justin had survived the attack with little more than a few broken ribs, "You're lucky he's wearing enchanted armor."
"Oh really?" Deathblow scoffed.
"Aye, but thine bullets hit like catapults," Shining Knight said between gritted teeth as he tried to rise, "And thine own stench is far more powerful."
"Easy, take it slowly," General Glory aided Sir Justin's rise. He wanted to caution the Arthurian knight not to risk puncturing a lung. But he also knew such an admonition would be futile. Since Goldilocks had disappeared, Sir Justin was even more determined than ever to punish himself physically and emotionally.
Shining Knight drew his sword, "Will thou accept my challenge, yon varlet?"
"Sure, why not?" Deathblow shrugged, "I'll even give you the first shot."
Shining Knight marched on Deathblow and swung his sword with deadly intent. Deathblow dodged and weaved around the strikes, "Hey Galahad, you gotta earn it."
Sir Justin shuffled his feet in a feint to draw Deathblow to his right while he apparently thrust to his left. It seemed to work and Shining Knight buried his sword to its hilt in Deathblow's chest. Deathblow looked stricken and then he punched Sir Justin in the jaw and knocked him off of his feet.
Then Deathblow spat blood at the bewildered knight, "I gotta say, this really smarts. Now I know why Slade carries one of these things."
Deathblow painstakingly pulled the sword out of his heart and threw on the ground beside Shining Knight, "If you hadn't already guessed by now, I can't be killed. So what are you gonna do about it?"
General Glory's kick to Deathblow's chest pushed him back, "Come on, this is going to take teamwork."
As General Glory got Sir Justin back onto his feet, Deathblow decided to quit wasting time and just shoot everyone.
Wonder Woman and Supergirl were paired together when they encountered the seeming duo of Jakita Wagner and Rose Tattoo. Rose Tattoo chose Artemis as her opponent, "Ah, an Amazon. An Amazonian champion, no less."
Rose Tattoo shouldered her double edged axe. Instead of the Armor of Athena, she wore a chainmail brassiere and loincloth. She forsook an Amazonian headband, bow, and quiver, besides having no parallel to the Lasso of Hestia. But she did have twin swords crossed across her back. And a belt with knives sheathed down her legs. Her rugged boots and gloves were her only concession to warfare's defensive necessities.
Artemis had her shield slung over a shoulder while she drew her bowstring back, fully intending to put the arrow in Rose Tattoo's left eye. Steve Trevor had given her the bow. It was an Oneida Eagle Phoenix compound-recurve hybrid with a two hundred and twenty pound draw. He'd explained to her that Green Arrow and Speedy used similar bows with respective 120 pound and 90 pound draws. Wonder Woman knew the only female archer on the planet with a nearly identical bow was Nyssa Raatko. Except for the poundage of the draw, of course.
"Are you just going to aim that arrow at me or are you planning on using it sometime today?" Rose Tattoo mocked Wonder Woman.
Artemis released the arrow. As intended it pierced Rose Tattoo's left eye and went further as it exploded out the backside of her head. But Rose Tattoo didn't collapse. Instead she healed at an incalculable rate.
"Now that's the Amazon credo 'Peace through Strength' in action!" Rose Tattoo tittered.
"What are you?" Artemis wasn't certain whether to be repulsed or applaud.
"Honey, I'm the literal Spirit of Murder," Rose Tattoo giddily confessed, "You've met my disciple, Captain Murder. Now, it's just too bad you're a redhead. When I kill a fellow ginger I feel dirty all over. And I love that feeling."
"You won't kill me," Artemis vowed.
"It's what I do," Rose Tattoo replied, "It's all I do."
"Until now," Artemis defiantly told her.
"I love this. Hell, I love you, Wonder Babe," Rose Tattoo exclaimed, "Amazons are always so feisty and hot. I'm going to enjoy this like none other."
"So will I," Wonder Woman admitted.
"You're with the Planetary Group," Supergirl observed, "I've read about your exploits in the Daily Planet and watched them on Galaxy News. What are you doing in a war zone?"
"Archeology is expensive and even the Fourth Man doesn't have limitless resources it turns out," Jakita told her, "That Kenesha brat keeps getting to the good stuff before we can."
Kenesha, known to some as Savant, was the daughter of Majestros and Zealot of the now departed Kherabim. She had been one of fewer than six pure blooded Kherabim born over the millennia on Earth. And Kenesha, through her assumed identities, was an archeologist of Kherabim, Daemonite, and Thanagarian relics. Along with any stray alien artifacts she happened to unearth. The Green and White Martians had also visited from time to time, among others.
Kenesha had recently discovered ties between Ran and Earth beyond the obvious Adam Strange connection. The Planetary Group had invested over a billion dollars US in the search. Kenesha had already known where the site was. She'd been present at the event twelve hundred years ago.
The disastrous results had pushed the Planetary Group to edge of insolvency. A factor Slade Wilson had exploited when he'd offered the Fourth Man a way out…if his agents accompanied the Titans to Corto Maltese. As a show of good faith, Deathstroke had deposited the money before undertaking the mission. As Saturn Queen had boasted, she truly did have all the money in the world at her disposal.
"Look, we don't have to fight," Supergirl pledged.
"I'm not supposed to kill you," Jakita shared, "But after I capture you I'm supposed to look the other way."
"Why?" Matrix naively asked.
"So Deathstroke can kill you himself," Jakita sad distastefully "Apparently I'm supposed to be too stupid to figure that part out."
"You don't look or sound stupid," Supergirl observed, "And I'm pretty hard to kill."
Jakita slammed into her at super speed and sent Matrix sprawling, "But I'm a Majestic-level meta."
Supergirl got back on her feet, "And I'm completely unique. I was born fighting Kryptonians so facing a human pretending to be one shouldn't be that hard."
Jakita charged again. Supergirl used her telekinetic eye beams to blast Jakita thirty feet in the opposite direction. The Indian woman was confused.
"What the hell?" she exclaimed, "That wasn't heat vision. That was pure force."
"I'm not Kara In-Ze despite also being blonde and wearing the 'House of El' symbol on my chest. I have abilities beyond those of a Kryptonian," Matrix warned.
"I'm afraid I'm still obligated to capture you," Jakita sighed.
"And I'm obligated to resist," Supergirl stated.
"Then may the best of us win," Jakita ramped up to attack again while Supergirl quickly deduced ways of defeating her opponent without killing her.
Rebel troops had ambushed and surrounded Plastic Man and Gypsy. Plas leaned over to Gypsy and whispered, "You find the self appointed El Presidente and get him while I keep these poor slobs busy."
Gypsy was going to ask how when Plas went into action, "Hey fellas! Wanna see my Godzilla impression?"
Before anyone could reply, Plas became a red and flesh colored one hundred foot tall lizard. As the troops panicked and uselessly expended ammo at Plastic Man, Gypsy camouflaged herself and effectively became invisible. Not that she really deemed it necessary since they'd effectively forgotten about her already.
But the Presidential Palace would be teeming with hyper-vigilant, trigger happy thugs. The rebel general was their meal ticket. So they'd fight for him as though their lives depended upon him…because they literally did.
Stargirl and STRIPE found Ambrose Chase and the Drummer waiting for them. So at Courtney's leading, they settled down to find out why. Mike demurred while his stepsister did all the talking.
"So, you guys are in that thing…the Planetarium?" Stargirl ventured.
"Planetary Group," Ambrose bristled.
"Yeah…whatever, aren't you supposed to be digging up fossils and mummies and stuff rather than camp out here?" Stargirl inadvertently heaped insult upon insult upon Planetary.
"Our patron owes a debt. We're here to work it off," Ambrose didn't know why he bothered explaining.
"Shouldn't the dude pay his own debts?" Stargirl blurted precisely what Ambrose had been thinking.
"Look, just give up and we'll try and protect you," Ambrose offered.
"From who?" Stargirl shrewdly asked.
Ambrose realized suddenly Courtney Whitmore wasn't the glib, fluff head she preferred to portray herself as at times. He lashed out with his gravitic powers intending to flatten Stargirl. Instead she just leaned against her staff and faux yawned at him.
"Like, it's the Cosmic Rod. Y'know, the one the original Starman built," Stargirl sounded bored, "And what comes next is courtesy of the Star Spangled Kid building my Cosmic Convertor Belt."
Stars erupted from Courtney's fingers and blasted Ambrose nearly into unconsciousness. But he struggled to maintain his composure, "You little witch. I actually felt that."
Stargirl wished Billy were still Captain Marvel so he could handle the sweaty work.
The Drummer was a technopath. So he tapped into STRIPE's satellite relay with Mike Dugan's command pod back at the K-Star Ranch. Mike could see the Drummer overriding the mecha's systems.
"Roxy! I need help," Mike implored.
"I've triple encrypted your systems. But he'll manage to break them if you give him time to. So I suggest you keep him too distracted to concentrate on the problem," Roxy replied over Mike's monitor.
So STRIPE swung into action against the Drummer.
"We give up," Anna Fortune announced to a rebel patrol.
"We do?" Atom Smasher seemed as surprised as the rebels.
"We just can't fight any longer. Why not take us to your leader?" Anna promptly suggested.
"I get it," Atom Smasher told her.
She winked at him, "You always do."
Atom Smasher was glad his full facial mask hid his blush. Anna gazed about, "And what about you lovely people from Albania? Or you Macedonians? And don't think I haven't spotted the Serbian contingent you all loathe. Are you here for the sun? I know I surely am."
"These guys are all European?" Atom Smasher finally realized they were rather pale compared to the native Latinos.
"They're probably all wanted war criminals from Kosovo. A rather touchy thing to be nowadays," Anna speculated.
"Shut up!" the patrol leader snarled as he moved in to personally handcuff them. First they took Anna's arm cannon and bandolier of spell casings. They unmasked the couple.
"Be sure to get those really tight. Wouldn't want us to get away or anything," Anna prompted the commander.
"Really?" Atom Smasher squirmed as the handcuffs nearly cut of his circulation.
"We're going to be model prisoners, Albert. We have an appointment to keep," Anna chided.
Atom Smasher's eye roll just said, We're in it again.
Ivana Baiul sat in a bunker directing the Titans and Gen13 assets. Elijah Snow, known as the Fourth Man, kept tabs on his own people. Ivana hated relaying orders to them through the Fourth Man but Snow knew too much about the NOWHERE Project. Activating Jakita and Ambrose's gen factors had been the price of his silence along with custody of the Drummer. But Planetary had uncovered far too much regarding Ivana's current project and the roles Threshold and Bliss played in it. Truths even the siblings hadn't grasped yet.
The MLJ teleported the Mighty Crusaders from Liberty Station to Summit, Colorado. Carol Anne Strander had booked the local Federal FEMA office and the MLJ had the run of the place for the foreseeable future. KitCat and Kenny Wisdom got the support teams up and running while Carol oversaw the overall operations and called in local law enforcement to coordinate with them.
Carol made the first executive decision for the Mighty Crusaders, "Take the day off. That includes this evening. We'll get serious in the morning."
"I've taken the liberty of booking everyone rooms at hotels across Summit. The reservations are confirmed and details are in this binder. Pick a room, or share, as you see fit," Web flaunted his money as John Raymond, "I'll be stepping out."
Web reunited with his Web Hosts situated in the area. He had plans of his own for Brain Emperor. Plans that didn't include the MLJ.
"Maria, would you care to visit my mom?" Joe Higgins offered.
The poor girl looked miserable after the loss of the Fly. She was sweet and kind enough to understand it was a platonic offer. At least he hoped so.
"It'll do you some good and I'll play tour guide afterwards," Joe decided to sweeten the deal.
Jaguar had come to the United States as an exchange student but her duties seemed to take up all her time now so she'd deferred a semester. Afterwards, she'd have to reconsider her options. Her Papa wanted her taking over the family business empire but Maria had no interest in that whatsoever.
But Joe was a nice guy and he seemed to have no ulterior motives for asking her. And she tried to see as much of the States as she could whenever she could. So ultimately she agreed.
Kim Brand had used the locker room to become herself again rather than set out as Fly Girl. She saw the Fox was just plain old Paul Patton again. She was still mad at him but she could also see his point of view. Which made it harder to stay angry.
And Paul looked miserable. Which caused Kim to snort and mentally grate, Serves him right.
And then she softened, "Hey Paul, why don't we check out the town together."
Paul stared at her with a mix of relief and horror etched into his features. But he didn't respond. Kim decided enough was enough.
"I won't bite. Unless you want me to," she teased, "Just kidding. Sort of. Anyway, I'm not mad anymore. I probably would've done the same if an ex of mine showed up calling himself Fly-Man or Fly-Boy. Mostly out of pity for Fly-Boy."
Paul grinned, "What do you have in mind?"
"Anything," Kim confessed.
And Paul was thrilled and frightened all over again. He hadn't had the best luck at relationships since becoming the Fox. And he wasn't even the only historical Fox. Paul Patton Sr. and Travis Fox had also fought crime and evil as the Fox. Paul's father had been a non-powered vigilante who'd served with the American Crusaders but he'd been crippled on an early mission and missed being disgraced alongside the others over the Iran-Contra connection.
Travis Fox was a Native American who'd been gen activated by a mutagenic drug when Dr. Melvin Harvey, John Lynch and Ivana Baiul tested a drug on the population of an entire reservation. The drug triggered a transformation within Travis and he essentially became a were-fox that could transform at will. That Fox had devoted his efforts against the Patriarch for distributing the drug for Harvey, Lynch and Ivana.
Harvey developed the gen activator. Lynch and Ivana were complicit in order to harvest whomever the drug affected. They would then indoctrinate and weaponize the newly developed meta-human. Afterwards they would sell the meta to the highest bidder. The Patriarch was allocated a percentage of the harvest for spreading distribution of the gen factor activation drug. Or at least that had been the plan before the Fox interfered. It eventually cost him his life. But Waller and Task Force IX decimated the distribution network.
"Let's go see what 'anything' looks like," Paul finally decided. Wisely it seemed judging by Kim's response.
"I'll be in the Rockies if I'm needed," War Eagle informed Carol. Special Agent Strander approved of Theresa Shane's choice. And Carol felt a pang of regret that she'd be coordinating with Liberty Station until the wee hours instead of joining the others. But she'd promised KitCat and Kenny they and their teams could hit the town as soon as everything was up and running.
Ever since a member of her FBI squad had been revealed as a Neutralizer before killing every other member of the team, Carol had vowed she'd never be caught unawares again. The Bureau's shrinks called it PTSD. Carol called it a wake up.
Robert Dickering chose to explore Summit alone. The Black Hood also vanished. Wayne Sidmonson chose to mail the collection of letters he'd written to his longsuffering wife, son, and daughter. He knew the MLJ's stipend offset his lack of financial contribution at the family franchised Big Belly Burger. But nothing could offset his absence. At least the MLJ had paid off the debts he'd incurred equipping himself after obtaining his namesake black hood.
He'd relentlessly obeyed the hood's admonition to punish evildoers. Yet he increasingly felt like a failure. It was a dichotomy that threatened to tear his mind and soul apart.
Comet dressed down to become Rob Conners and he approached the new Darkling, Darla Lang, "Hey, just gimme a second. How'd you like to go explore the town? I'm spoken for so I won't be hitting on you. It'd just be you and me maybe becoming friends as well as teammates. What do you say?"
Darla was studying him, "Aren't you a baseball player?"
"Yeah," Rob was surprised.
"A friend of mine was a minor league fan. Said that was the heart and soul of real baseball," Darla told him.
"Where is he?" Rob wondered if he could meet a fan.
"She was killed six weeks ago working the same job I seem to have quit," Darla revealed.
Rob didn't even blink. Latham had advised everyone that Darla had lived a rough life with plenty of encounters with law enforcement especially as a teenager. She'd managed to avoid getting arrested since her eighteenth birthday. Even if she hadn't escaped travelling in criminal circles.
"Okay, I agree to your proposal but I have a condition," Darla countered.
"Name it," Rob was curious to what it would be.
"No questions," Darla told him.
"Well, I have to ask three," Rob replied.
"See ya," Darla turned to walk away.
"Don't you even want to hear them?" Rob shot back at her.
"Sure," Darla dismissively retorted.
"What's your favorite foods? Do you like movies? What do you like to drink? And what interest do you have you could fulfill in a strange town?" Rob recited his litany.
"That's four," Darla turned to face him wearing an amused grin.
"I can't count above three," Rob joked.
"You should try topping out at nine," Darla dryly replied, "And how does someone get an MS in astrophysics if they can't count?"
"You read my file," Rob realized.
"Latham thought it help me ease into the group," Darla confessed, "So, who is Victoria Johnson."
"Only the best and brightest person I've ever known," Rob happily described his girlfriend.
"Okay, now I believe you're happily spoken for," Darla admitted.
Carol watched Rob and Darla leave together and Darla was even smiling. Most of the Mighty Crusaders thought of Comet as a goof off. But Rob was the first of them to crack Darla's defensive armor. She wished him luck in cementing Darkling's loyalties to the MLJ and especially to the Mighty Crusaders.
She spotted Inferno milling about, "Frank, aren't you going out?"
"I don't even know if I need rest, food, liquids, or even sleep," Frank Verrano stated.
"Too bad. As long as you're here and bored, care to keep an eye on Dickering?" Carol inquired.
"You want me to spy on the Hangman's alter ego?" Frank was almost disgusted.
"'Spy' is such an ugly word," Carol tut-tutted him, "Anyway, no one trusts the Hangman anymore and Dickering is short on details about what drives Satan's hit man. Maybe you could find out."
"Why not just lose him?" Inferno asked.
"Because he won't leave," Carol revealed, "But maybe you could find us reasons to trust him again."
"Lady, you could sell sin to a saint," Frank complained.
"So, you'll do it?" Carol brightened.
"Yeah," Frank grumbled.
"Here's a preprogrammed phone. It has a GPS tracker pinged to Dickering's burner I gave him before he left," Carol handed him the device.
"Aren't you gonna wish me luck?" Frank seemed insulted.
"You don't need me to," Carol smiled, "You saved my life. Remember?"
Red Hood and the Outlaws had arrived in Gotham City. The group had checked into a fashionable hotel before gearing up and meeting Bonebreaker at a neutral location. She brought them to Knightfall atop the Three Towers development. The supposed assassins were startled to find Knightfall in costume but unmasked as Charise Carnes.
Speedy and Red Arrow seemed to be the only ones unsurprised by the unexpected revelation. Knightfall began her briefing, "My street level informants tell me that two major players are battling over Gotham's streets. By their descriptions it would have to be the Court of Owls pitted against the League of Assassins. Rumor even has it Nyssa Raatko has been spotted in town."
Seeing those bits of information didn't faze the Outlaws, Knightfall moved on, "Much more expensive informants have told me the Court of Owls has infiltrated the United Nations, particularly its enforcements agencies."
"Which agencies?" Red Hood asked.
"Principally Spyral, SHADE, and the DEO," Knightfall told them, "And those three agencies have received orders from Lincoln March to eliminate me."
"Why bother?" Ravager bluntly inquired.
"Because my efforts are obviously making someone uncomfortable," Knightfall smugly smiled, "Or maybe the Court of Owls is just embarrassed that I've accomplished in a year what they haven't done in three centuries."
"But why now and not when Knightfall first appeared after you left Arkham?" Green Arrow asked.
"Because now Lincoln March has reached an accommodation deal between the Court of Owls and the Syndicate Underground," Knightfall explained, "They've carved up their respective levels, layers, and fiefdoms should Intergang be destroyed."
"And you're with Intergang?" Speedy was aghast.
"A useful fiction. Sort of like yours. Heroes playing villains to get paid to do what they'd do anyway," Knightfall replied.
"So why doesn't Intergang intervene on your behalf?" Knave wanted to know.
"They did. They referred me to you," Knightfall gave her a sweet smile.
"And we accepted her contract," Red Arrow reminded her uneasy allies.
"But no one ever dictated we'd be up against UN agents," Red Hood retorted, "That's a breach of contract."
"And when I offered the contract I only knew about the Syndicate Underground and the Court of Owls. The League of Assassins and the UN are recent wrinkles," Knightfall wore a disarming smile, "We can renegotiate if you wish. Money literally isn't an issue."
"Nor for us," Knave assured her, "But are you certain it hasn't become one for you? MSNBC would disagree."
"I have resources Ruby Ryder doesn't have the imagination to reflect and consider," Knightfall replied.
"A job is a job. You meet our price and we'll get the heavy work done for you," Ravager spoke up.
"But you're saying the UN agents are dupes," Speedy ventured.
"Most but not all," Knightfall clarified.
"What the hell does that even mean?" Green Arrow was sharing Red Hood's frustration by now.
"It means what she says it means," the statuesque Bonebreaker moved closer.
The Disgraced had remained silent in the background until now. Bonebreaker and Bleak Michael would gladly lay down their lives for Charise Carnes in any incarnation. Gretel just waited for her chance to get back at the corrupt cops that had tried to kill her and the men that sent them. Grotesque was just paying back his karmic debt for Knightfall arranging his release from Belle Reeve.
Mirror had a similar debt. And he had a singular quest to kill people who'd survived catastrophic accidents. From a quiet corner, the final and newest member of the Disgraced watched the developments. James Gordon Jr. was presumed dead and he had no intentions of revealing himself yet. He was also a suspected serial killer. If the GCPD ever properly connected the dots, he'd be reclassified as a mass murderer. Which his sister's current and cold case units were dangerously close to doing. A fact which had his twisted brain working overtime.
"So, do we renegotiate or do I send word out on the Dark Web that you're too particular regarding assignments to ever be considered reliable?" Knightfall ended the debate.
"Like Red Arrow stated, we already work for you. But we need more information to work from," Red Hood insisted.
"Like?" Knightfall seemed satisfied.
"Who is coming after you? Specifics would be appreciated," Knave declared.
"And we need to know what your private muscle can do," Ravager added.
"Why don't I show you?" Bonebreaker's enlarged muscles seemed to swell further.
"Bonebreaker is just enthusiastic about my personal safety," Knightfall diffused the situation before Ravager could escalate it further. She knew an adrenalin junkie when she saw one.
"Speedy, you and the Arrows scout out breach points," Red Hood instructed, "Knave, you and Ravager work out layers of responsibility between us and the Disgraced. Knightfall will show me everything she has on the opposition."
"Is that all she'll be showing him?" Ravager muttered.
"Easy Rose, he actually does know what he's doing," Knave advised her girlfriend.
"Okay, I don't care who your daddy is. You have to prove yourself before we bother doing the same for you," Bonebreaker challenged Rose.
Ravager wore a triumphant smile while Knave groaned.
Underneath Gotham's Archives, Nyssa and the Injusticers had rooted out the remaining temple of the Court of Owls where Talons were stored and revived according to necessity. The handlers assigned to release the Talons were slaughtered wholesale. Wrath took samples of the ichor used to replace a Talon's blood so they were in stasis until needed.
Aresia was put in charge of beheading Talons. It was hard to come back from that no matter what kind of goop flowed in your blood veins. Killer Frost froze the already animated Talons. She placed them in subzero states well below minus 300 degrees. Syonide shattered their bodies with her electrowhip.
Merlyn and Dark Archer returned. Merlyn made the report, "Half of these sarcophagi are empty because the Talons were already released. The League is pushing them back this way."
"Leave the Talons to the League," Nyssa decided, "Wrath, you know this city. Where could Lincoln March hide?"
"Batman had a hidden electrical system built within the public grid. If the Owls tapped into it they could be anywhere. But Dreadbolt could detect where the main draws are if I modify a few elements in his suit," Wrath predicted.
"Did you spot Bronze Tiger and Lady Shiva?" David Cain asked.
"No, they weren't leading the attack against the Talons and Court of Owls," Dark Archer answered.
"Yet you're certain they're in Gotham?" Cain asked Nyssa, "And you don't know why."
"They're doing whatever Black Canary asked them to do," Nyssa was unhappy her wife had kept this secret from her, "Determine the three largest power draw sites and we'll divide the Injusticers by team to deal with each one individually."
"The best offense being a formidable defense," Cain approved.
"We shouldn't even need one," Nyssa complained, "But Dinah is being far too clever for her own good."
Cain realized there would be far reaching consequences for this campaign back at Nanda Parbat.
Ultraman and Ultragirl dropped into Manhattan to begin wreaking havoc in order to warrant Power Girl and Black Mary intervening. Ultraman laughed as he threw a taxi full of passengers up into and through a twenty story building, "This world is even weaker than ours was."
"Let's knock down a few skyscrapers," Ultragirl laughed gleefully.
"They're so proud of building that one where two others were destroyed," Ultraman pointed at the 1WTC.
"We can toy with everyone as we destroy it floor by floor," Ultragirl suggested.
"You're a woman after my own heart, Cousin," Kal-L boasted.
Kara Zor-L could only hope that it was true. Together they could rebuild the House of L one baby at a time.
The destruction didn't go unnoticed in the Executive Suite at Starrware. Mary Batson was nearly knocked off her feet when the Ultras first attacked, "What the hell?"
"Worse," Karen Starr said as she stared downtown using her super vision give the details, "Ultraman is in town and he has some bimbo dressed like me with him."
"You mean you as in Kara, you. Or you, you?" Mary inquired.
"My same physique and dimensions. Even the Power Girl costume but with a big 'U' where the cut out is," Karen said with disgust, "When I adopted the Power Girl identity I didn't realize everyone in the multiverse did as well. But her face is different than mine. She isn't a duplicate of Kara In-Ze or me."
"So she's what? Ultrawoman? Ultragirl? Ultra Idiot?" Mary wondered.
"I like the last one," Karen admitted, "Give me a second to change."
And it actually took two. Mary scowled, "Show off. Shazam!"
And Batson was transformed into Black Mary after invoking the wizard's name. Going out onto the balcony, Power Girl and Black Mary launched themselves towards the growing threat. They intercepted the Ultras at the ground floor of the 1WTC.
"Stop right there!" Power Girl ordered.
Black Mary quizzed Ultragirl regarding her identity in language that shocked Power Girl. Mary Batson and Mary Marvel would never have dropped the "F" bomb much less three in as many heartbeats. Ultragirl seemed amused.
"You should join the winning side," Ultragirl offered.
"I am the winning side," Black Mary retorted.
"Like the new attitude," Ultraman leered and Ultragirl bristled.
"I heard were Saturn Queen's lapdog now," Power Girl told Ultraman, "Superwoman tired of abusing you? Did she trade you away like an unwanted dog?"
"Superwoman is dead!" Ultraman snarled, "So is most of the Crime Syndicate. They paid for laughing at me."
"So who is your little girlfriend?" Black Mary wanted to know.
"Jealous much?" Ultraman laughed, "We've chosen our side. You should too with what's coming."
"What's so bad about it coming?" Black Mary mocked him, "Are you gonna sit around and fart, sneeze, and belch? Or are you gonna sit there and scratch your balls until they bleed?"
"Bitch!" Ultragirl flew forward at super speed and her fist connected with Black Mary's nose with the faster than the speed sound momentum augmenting the super strength behind it. Seeing Black Mary sailing into a nearby skyscraper, Ultragirl opted to purse her and continue the fight. Ultraman was laughing, "Kara's always been impetuous."
Power Girl caught the familiar name and tried to work out why she looked different than either her progenitor Kara or even herself. Ultraman deduced her question, "Don't strain your brain. Ultragirl ain't Kara In-Ze. She's my cousin, Kara Zor-L."
Which made Ultragirl's obvious infatuation with her cousin make Power Girl's skin crawl, "How…romantic."
"Hey, you make due with what you got," Ultraman shrugged, "Humans break too easily. Amazons are all bitchy. And New Gods think they're better than. "
"Fascinating," Power Girl droned, "Look Chump Change, I'm not going to let you wreck the city."
"Hell, wrecking stuff was just a fun way to draw you two out," Ultraman laughed.
"Why do you want us 'out'?" Power Girl asked.
"Mother thinks you're both threats. But she also sees how you could be allies. Personally I don't think so," Ultraman said dismissively.
Power Girl echoed Ultragirl's blindside and sent Ultraman flying, "Dismiss that."
Power Girl calmed herself and then went to find out where Ultraman ended up.
Charles Bullock arrived at the Hall of Justice and gained entrance with his legal credentials. He was shown to a conference room to discuss his brief with Steve Trevor. After he was alone, Richard Grayson abandoned his Bullock guise and adopted his Blackwing identity. Then he disabled the two guards outside before moving deeper into the Hall.
Atomica was signaled by Saturn Queen to begin her operation. Atomica moved through the ventilation system to the appropriate room and waited for Blackwing to begin drawing every eye to himself. Alarms began to sound and Atomica knew it was just a matter of a few more minutes before the room was evacuated.
Trevor was discussing the Ultras with Shayera Hol and Hula Hula, "Every JLer is committed to the Corto Maltese situation. We need to ring up the Justice Society and their students."
"Power Girl and Black Mary are already on the scene," Shayera countered, "Additional presence isn't required."
"How long did it take from the time the trouble started until they responded?" Trevor asked.
"Seven minutes," Hula Hula answered.
"So they were in Manhattan," Trevor realized.
"The greatest sightings of the two are in NYC and Fawcett City," Hula Hula informed him despite Shayera's glare.
"So they're living in the Five Boroughs," Trevor deduced, "With extracurricular activities in Pennsylvania. Hula, check rental lease agreements through HUD and rent control."
"Um…we're already on the Corto Maltese thing," Hula Hula was getting seriously unnerved by Shayera's glower.
"It doesn't need to be now," Trevor assured him.
The alarms sounded and Trevor asked, "What now?"
"Colonel, a lawyer was admitted to the facility in order to meet with you. He assaulted two guards and disappeared inside the Hall of Justice," the security chief reported, "Here's his ID."
It was a New Jersey license made out to one Charles Bullock. Shayera plucked it out Trevor's hand, "That's Dick Grayson."
"Not anymore," Hula Hula observed, "But it is a Bludhaven address."
"Colonel, some costumed hostile entered the cafeteria. He's demanding to talk to you," the Chief told him.
"Any idea who it is?" Trevor asked.
"Identifies himself as 'Blackwing'. But our database doesn't have him listed," the Chief answered.
"A Dick Grayson and a Blackwing all in one day isn't a coincidence," Shayera surmised.
"Shay, you call Dick Grayson. Let's see if 'Charles Bullock' is an alias," Trevor requested.
"Why not just talk to us then?" Hula Hula asked.
"That is the question," Trevor agreed, "Hula, stay in Ops and keep feeding the Corto Maltese team intel as it becomes available."
"Will do," Hula Hula readily accepted the dictate.
"Lancelot Strong is brain dead," Dr. Singh reported to Latham, "But John Sterling has undergone a dramatic transformation. His brain has converted itself into an unknown biometallic alloy. It's still active."
"Can you convert the rest of him into this…alloy?" Latham immediately asked.
"We have no concept of what will happen to him if we do," Singh replied.
"The chance at reclaiming life has to be a better option than existing as a vegetable," Latham insisted, "I'll get an Executive Order if I need to."
"General, we don't know if his memories will be intact or if his cognitive reasoning has been corrupted. We don't even know if he'll have motor skills," Singh warned him.
"But you can advance the process so it transforms Steel Sterling?" Latham boiled it down to one question.
"Yes," Singh reluctantly admitted.
"Then you and your team will proceed, Doctor," Latham ordered Singh.
Caitlin Fairchild was met at the Coral City train depot by Sarah Rainmaker and Holly Ann Fields.
"Caitlin! It's good to see you," Rainmaker gave Fairchild a fierce hug
"I've missed you too, Sarah," Fairchild admitted.
"And this beautiful woman is Holly," Rainmaker introduced Virtue.
"I'd kind of guessed that," Fairchild feigned serious deliberations, "Unless you're just holding hands and kissing strangers these days."
"Just the one," Rainmaker promised.
"Which could still imply she was a total slut before meeting me," Virtue teased her girlfriend.
"Reformed slut, if you please," Rainmaker adopted a high tone.
"So what brings you to Coral City?" Virtue asked Fairchild.
"Ivana Baiul," Fairchild dropped the unexpected bombshell.
"Bitch!" Rainmaker snarled.
"Ivana has partnered with Threshold and Bliss to capture and breed suitable subjects for an off the books Gen14 program," Fairchild further announced, "And indications are that Channel M is a prime target as well."
"You'll tell us what we need to know, right?" Virtue sought clarification.
"The ideal would be to bring every Gen13 subject in the area in with your Channel M people and do one big confab," Fairchild suggested.
"Then I'll prep the Sweatshop for company," Virtue gave Rainmaker an ardent kiss, "Don't be late."
"How could I after that?" Rainmaker practically swooned.
"Nice to have a face to go with the infamous name, Caitlin," Virtue waved goodbye as she boarded a bus to transit to her shift at a diner.
"Infamous?" Fairchild queried Rainmaker.
"Grunge," was all Rainmaker had to say.
"Stupid horn dog and his disgusting fantasies," Fairchild did her own snarling.
"It wouldn't be frickin' Grunge otherwise," Rainmaker reminded her friend.
"And Roxy?" Fairchild wondered.
"Still smitten with the walking penis," Rainmaker sighed, "And Burnout is even more despondent and even angrier than ever before."
"I'm sorry I didn't come with when everyone broke out of NOWHERE," Fairchild apologized.
"Whatever happened with Red Robin?" Rainmaker wanted to know.
"Didn't work out," Fairchild was uneager to admit.
"Why?" Rainmaker was curious.
"Turns out he was a she," Fairchild hated admitting.
"My kind of man," Rainmaker grinned, "Sorry."
"And she's in a deep relationship with Ravager," Fairchild continued.
"Whoa. Wouldn't have seen that coming," Rainmaker confessed.
"Turns out Rose Wilson-Worth doesn't care about gender. She is all about the individual," Fairchild responded, "And she always knew Red Robin was a woman."
"The plot thickens. She never told Lynch or Ivana, did she?" Rainmaker asked.
"Nope," Fairchild confirmed it, "Anyway, Beryl Hutchison was the Squire before she pretended to be Red Robin and now she calls herself the Knave."
"I suggest you just let the happy reunion be happy," Rainmaker told her, "Drop the bomb after we're at the Sweatshop. Whatever happened to Red Hood?"
"He recruited the Knave and Ravager and they kill bad guys for a living," Fairchild shared, "While being paid to by other badder guys."
"Red Hood and Ravager are a given," Rainmaker stated, "But Red Robin or whatever she's calling herself these days?"
"I know, right?" Fairchild sighed.
Sivana made the final adjustments to siphon power from the Mother Box. Then he brought three of his four children in. It was time to empower the Sivana Family. Himself included.
Brain Emperor gathered a cadre of Evil Brain Trust members at his academy in Summit. The Mad Professor, Dr. Harvey, and General Mechanix would provide the technical wherewithal. Druid, Magi, the Crone, and the Black Witch would provide magical support. Magnetic Monster and Metal Master were the gen actives of the group. Queen of Hearts had stolen a dozen mystical tokens like those that had powered Obsession. She was Brain Emperor's last line of defense.
Meridian was providing mercenaries acting as a security troops. Every other member present relied on mechanical advantage or gimmicks. Sting and Chromium were the most motivated to kill any Mighty Crusader that arrived. And it was the top of a very long list.
