Running his fingers through his hair, "Will someone tell me why the hell we're here," asked Nicholas 'Buzz' Sanchez, the SAW (Squad Assault Weapon) operator of the SEAL team, tying his short cut brown hair up with a bandana.
"You're here to follow orders and get shot Buzz," answered Evan 'Sarge' Daniels the other heavy weapons man on the SEAL team.
He used an older, but modified M60. The barrel had been shorten and forward handle for better accuracy had been added to the front. He load up an extra belt of ammo cross ways over his light combat vest, which showed much of his dark African American skin.
"Yea, but Sarge, why am I here, I'm a damn sniper," cried Leo 'Lookout' Mendoza placing magazines in the belt pouches of his web belt.
Using an M14 with scope, he managed to once hit the wing off of a fly, which is still hanging in a frame on his living room in his home.
"You don't think we would leave you out of the fireworks, right Boomer," said the chipper voice of Chris 'Mouse' Michaels placing the last amount of C4 into his backpack.
He didn't need most of it, but he liked putting on a show. And as for his nickname, he like being in small places where his 5-foot even body could fit.
The one called Boomer, Brad 'Boomer' Kennedy, looked over his shoulder.
"Huh, what did you say Mouse?"
Crash.
"God damn it, Boomer, can't you be as steady with everything else as you are with explosives," yelled Sarge looking at Boomer after knocking over a box with gear.
With explosives, Boomer's hands were like surgeon stitching up his patient. However any time other then that, an earthquake was steadier then him.
Pushing up his wired rim glasses, "Sorry, Sarge," said Boomer, "Now, what did you say Mouse?"
"Alright, quiet down," called Captain Paul Jameson with his two day old, unshaven beard with touches of gray in the black hair made them all seem young enough to be back in preschool.
He had been doing things like this for years, and this was just another day at work.
"Captain on deck," barked Sarge causing the SEAL team members to stand at attention and silencing the once noisy equipment tent.
"As you were," came from the Captain, "listen up."
Relaxing, the team surrounded a table.
"Behind me is Jake 'JAFO' Spiegel," this brought snickers "He going with the team. He got SEAL training and can sense demons."
Or bring the demons to them. Jake believed the team would die without him. Actually he needed to save his girlfriend.
"You all know we are going into the sewers for a rescue operation," said the Captain.
Buzz raised a hand, "Cap, why are we going in, can normal rescue personal handle this?"
Stepping forward, "Not against Blood," said Jake, "Brother Blood has manage to capture both Titan groups as well as achieve an artifact that could destroy the world and everything else in the reality. Regular police units, even SWAT, wouldn't stand a chance. But a SEAL team does."
Actually the HDC could, but the council won't use them.
"And why is that?" asked Mouse.
"We're better trained and better equipped for something like this," answered the Captain, actually the HDC were however council wasn't going let them be used, turning, "Now," opening the printed map of the Jump City sewer system which revealed two red X's, "The area we're going to," pointing to the blank space where the chamber should be, "is here. In it, we should find Blood, the artifact, and the Titans. The two X's you see are points we're going to blow, bring the tunnels down behind us in the case we are being followed on the way out. Boomer, Mouse, think you two can come up with something that can do the job but not bring the entire tunnel down on us."
"Yea," replied Boomer, "a couple of shaped charges, equal the size of the blast on both sides of the tunnel, we could do something like that easy."
"Good, you two work on that," said Jameson, turning back to the rest of the group, "Now, in between the to explosive points, I want Sarge who will cover the tunnel in case anything gets past the first explosion, and Buzz and Lookout will be at the second explosive point incase things go completely F.U.B.A.R. Jake and I will move up to the entrance as a two man team and go for the rescue and try to take out Blood and destroy the artifact. Any questions?"
Raising his hand, "Why is it that Sarge is on his own at that one spot," asked Lookout, "I thought we were always trained to work with a minimum of two man teams."
"Well," answered Captain Jameson, "since Doc was killed back in Ecuador and we haven't been able to find a replacement. We're a little short handed. You offering to trade spots with him."
"No sir, just asking."
"Fine, any more questions."
"Yeah, what's JAFO?" asked Jake.
"Any more questions," no reply, "alright, everyone load up on the chopper in half an hour, and expect to land in a hot LZ, so be prepared for that. Also expect a lot of close combat against machine aggressors," looking around the table, "so I want EMP grenades issued instead of the normal frags."
Nodding, the Captain left.
Jake studied the gear he received. A pair of new paraordnance .45 caliber pistols with a wider grip to stack the ammo side by side rather then one on top of another therefore doubling the ammo it could hold and a new belt that held up to twenty magazines. Figuring the upgrade would be a good thing, Jake had to use his gun slinging skills once he separated from the SEAL team.
"Hey kid, what's your part in this, I mean, we know what Blood's been able to do in the past, how is this time different then before," asked Buzz.
Looking him over, "Used to be a hunter, now I'm a Titan, but still a hunter for any demon stupid enough to show his face in this reality."
"But your what, eighteen, barely out of high school," said Buzz.
"Buzz," barked Sarge, "shut your mouth, that's an order."
"Don't worry about it Sarge," I told him, then looked back at Buzz, "and for your information, I've graduated from high school fifteen times from being in different realities, even have three different masters degrees in law, medicine, and computers. I also have for field time then every one in this room combined, including the captain."
"Ok, now I know your bullshitin me," said Buzz.
"Buzz-" started Sarge.
"Stand down, sergeant," Jake said staring at Buzz, "you don't believe me, then throw a fist, and watch what happens."
Shrugged, he threw his fist at Jake. In half a second, he was pinned to the table in the center of the room. His neck between a pair of claws on ether side of his neck with one in the middle one inches from penetrating his Adam's apple neck. The clicking of the hammer of a handgun drew his attention to Jake's handgun between his legs, and the pressure of the barrel being pressed against his little Buzz in his pants.
Looking up with surprise and fear in his eyes, he saw Jake's smiling face. Nightmare fuel.
"Now, do you want to be in pain and never have kids, or take my word as fact and shut up," Jake said in a sickly sweet voice.
"I'll take your word."
Smiling, he resheathed his claws, and reholstered his gun.
"Good choice," Jake said returning to prep his gear.
Color returned to his face, as everyone else was laughing at his expense.
Helping him off the table, "Told you to keep your mouth shut, Buzz," remarked Sarge, "but that concrete head of yours just doesn't listen."
Shaking his head and Buzz returned to his gear while trying to keep his bladder in control.
Twenty minutes later, the captain returned
"Ok, our bird is warming up," he said, "Finish gearing up and load up."
Picking up his M60, "Time for the show people," ordered Sarge, "Move, move."
Rushing towards the bird, they were loaded in.
"The bird is not landing," shouted the captain, "so be ready for cable insertion, and remember, it's going to be a hot LZ, so watch for targets! Fire if fired upon!"
With that, he motioned for the pilot that they were ready, and with that they lifted up then picked up speed.
In the back of Jake's mind which as a lot of space for rent, "Help's coming guys, just hold on a little longer," he prayed under his breath.
In Blood's lair, Brother Blood watched Jake leave with the SEAL team causing a smile to form on his lips. His helpers will soon arrive to begin the destruction of this world and then, the universe plus they didn't know why he did what he did. He was glad how simple it was that every reality he went to, existed the same artifact. The macasa dell latoa did destroying of the world and the chain reaction taking care the rest of existence. If one person survived, that power was given to that single person, to do with what he wished. Blood did this dozen of times actually there was that one time he failed. His average was good. Once he did it again, he could destroy an entire reality with a mere thought, a feat only the devil himself was able to do.
"Looks like you're about to lose Blood," came the ever-persistent voice of Nightwing.
Still smiling, Blood turned to face the original Teen Titans. His powers bind their powers and their bodies to fight. The only reason they still spoke was cause he enjoyed hearing things like this, and to gloat when he won.
"Yes, friend slinger of guns will defeat you," said Starfire.
That smiling not leaving his lips, Blood held his hand up then snapped his fingers with a slight spark of power. A bloody scream of pain erupted from Starfire as she felt every one of her organs seize up.
"STARFIRE!" cried Nightwing.
Blood also allowing them speak so he enjoy their screams. It was like music to his ears. Snapping his fingers again, her screams stopped since she blacked out.
"Why don't you fight us, rather then hide behind your magic, Blood," growled Nightwing.
Blood smiled at a thought, "Why fight you, when your own can fight you, Jinx, hurt them."
Coming out of the shadows with her eyes red along with Gizmo and Mammoth, "With pleasure, sir," Jinx said as they attacked the helpless Titans with a vengeance.
Blood smiled again, "Just be sure to leave them alive enough so they can watch one of their own die."
He turned and face a second screen, which showed a bloody beaten Cray, who was getting his ass kicked by the East Titans under Bloods control once more.
Watching the two fights, he thought about the battle coming up.
"Soon, even the devil will cower in fear of me," smiling "I will have the power I have always wanted."
He laughed as he watched the combined might of Jinx and Mammoth rip off the legs of Cyborg.
Evil will win, he knew it. Only the dark side and fools believed in absolutes.
