Smallville: 2012
. . .
In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night.
. . .
She wasn't inclined toward following anyone – Tess Mercer was a leader, not someone who allowed herself to be lead places by others, she might delude people into thinking she was acting on their wishes but that was merely luring someone into a false sense of security. She was a long-term tactician, you play the long-game and you reap the biggest rewards, but in this instance she was using Chloe to lead her somewhere – a point where she could actually stop Waller and her idiotic scheme before she got them all killed.
They had been ascending through the superstructure of the facility all the time – though Chloe hadn't let slip what advances she'd made, she'd simply informed Tess that she'd been able to contact two of the Metahumans that she'd been watching for a long time, Emil had actually proved instrumental in convincing one of them to attend the meeting but it was Chloe that had provided the link to the other – Tess doubted that either of them would have come if it had been her asking: that was why she had needed Chloe: contacts.
The lift shot past floors until they finally reached Level One – the uppermost floor - and began walking briskly past the idle Helicopters and some of Tess's hired guns waiting for the call to move out: not that they'd be any use against Super Heroes, bullets had a very low success rate against Meteor Powers or against Metahumans in general – she'd learned that part the hard way, but they might at least buy some time – besides if her plan was to be a success she wouldn't need to use the grunts, they would grapple with the ground-troops, the commanders would be the biggest challenge and until she'd released Clark's friends she didn't have anyone to fight those commanders with.
Chloe led Tess to one of the regular Conference Rooms and Tess eyed up the two people waiting – a man and a woman – the man was a white-silver colour, clad in a containment suit of some type, complemented by red gloves and boots, his eyes were a shocking electric-white and he had a hard-edge to him, one that Tess surmised stemmed from Military Service. Across his chest was emblazoned a model of the atom. The woman was rather more normal in appearance – apart from her lengthy, emerald coloured hair and complementing jade-coloured eyes, her lipstick was the same colour but otherwise she had the mildly-tanned complexion of a Latin-American. She was wearing a green jumpsuit with heeled-boots and she smiled warmly at Chloe as she came in.
"Would you care to make introductions Chloe?" Tess prompted, Chloe smiled awkwardly and then looked to the two people – trying to decide who to introduce first, at that point the door behind them opened and Emil came in, hurriedly taking a seat at the table.
"The man is Captain Nathaniel Adams," she introduced, the man-nodded his head in greeting and Tess caught his eye, "and the woman is Beatriz de Costa – she works as a Model and I think they are exactly what you're looking for Tess…from the brief that you gave me…," she could tell from Tess's reproachful look that she wanted information on what powers she had at her disposal, "Captain Adams can manipulate radiation and fly, hence his codename Captain Atom…Beatriz has power over fire, she can manipulate it and conjure it herself which is why she goes by the name Fire – together with Icicle I think they should be able to help bust them all out of wherever they're being held."
"This is assuming we want to help," purred Beatriz seductively, Chloe couldn't tell whether it was intentional or that was just the natural way in which she spoke in English, it could possibly have simply been her Hispanic accent spilling over into her English diction, "as much as I want to help people, I am not sure that I am comfortable working for Miss Mercer, she has a somewhat…dubious history – did you not tell me she once worked for an organisation opposed to Metahumans?"
"I did," Chloe admitted, avoiding Tess's look, "but she's turned over a new life – there is a…very foolish women who's helping villains kidnap Heroes like you and Captain Adams, Beatriz she's going to help those villains take over the city unless you stop them – Metropolis needs your…we need your help – will you do it?"
She looked at her nails and flexed her hand to admire how immaculately manicured they were while she considered the request, "I am in – I have not had very much fun like this, it should be interesting."
"You can count on me too m'am," replied Adams deferentially as though Chloe were his drill Sergeant, "sounds like you folks are in some real trouble and it's my duty to help with my abilities and I'm going to do what it takes to help get your friends out of that place."
"Then it looks like we are all set," murmured Roulette, entering the room in her trademark blood red-dress, with open sides revealing her dark dragon tattoo, "I have found the location of the Warehouse," she handed the address to Tess, "I believe it is time to take the fight back."
. . .
"Do you think it quite prudent to strut before your captives?" she probed – she was unsure of her leader, Waller might have been a fool but she had been a reassuring presence of sanity amongst the mission – she had not thrown herself in with common criminals on the basis of becoming a lackey and the lack of clarity had her worried. If need be she could turn her powers upon the Joker too – he was not invincible, but at the same time she was wary of him, she doubted any of the others were easy about his dominance over them but they were cowards – afraid for their lives. Not her: she was too forthright for that.
"I enjoy it actually," he said, stroking one of the cells and grinning as its captive roared and attempted to break free of his bonds, only to be restrained by them and have an electrical discharge pumped through his body, making his nerves cry out in pain and silencing him, he removed his hand and turned to face her, "and besides an enemy infuriated, is an enemy outmanoeuvred Miss Ferris," he allowed himself a delightful, devilish cackle, "for you see Miss Ferris these captives are quite powerless and quite defenceless, and besides why should I fear them when I have you and your crystal at my disposal?" Her eyes flickered to her bracelet and the magenta gem. "I believe we have a new inmate." He grinned; Carol pivoted on her heel and spotted her furry friend Barbara bearing an unconscious blonde-haired slung over her shoulder, she grinned broadly with her mission completed.
"Dinah Lance," she declared, dropping the body to the floor unceremoniously, it hit with a soft thud, "she was surprisingly tenacious but I got in at close quarters, she never really stood any chance," Cheetah admired her claws, "the sedative proved a considerable improvement to my already lethal arsenal." She purred graciously toward the Joker who ignored the flattery, Carol had recognized early on that he was not interested in an equal to him – Barbara had clearly not already picked up on the same signs.
"And with Aresia preparing to engage Diana Prince that leaves only Clark Kent and Oliver Queen," Carol surmised, "since Vordigan failed in that relatively simple task," she dismissed disdainfully, "you didn't exactly explain what your trump card was in regard to Kent?"
The Joker frowned slightly – that was something she wasn't used to seeing on their manic leader's face, it was a genuine frown of concern rather than one that was a precursor to some triumphant achievement, not a ploy to lure them into a false sense of security, he seemed concerned but it evaporated in an instant and he was back to his usual brand of insanity, grinning in the same unhinged manner that left Carol rooted to the spot.
"I have something that was once very dear to him, something that is now very lethal to him," he turned toward Cheetah who had been admiring her claws, "go and gather up the others would you," she nodded deferentially and left Carol alone with him, "Carol I wonder if you recall a man from your past – by the name of Hal Jordan?"
She was frozen to the spot on the floor once more, so many memories came rushing back…of when they'd been younger and so very in love…of when they'd become enemies…of when he'd joined the Green Lantern's and left her life forever: but how could he know? Hal had left Earth behind years previously and she'd known he wasn't coming back, which in a way was why it had hurt so much at the time. But he'd been gone from her life for a long time and she didn't have feelings for him now…they were too different, too far apart – the spark had gone.
"We were involved a few years ago," she admitted honestly, "why?"
"Because he, or rather his alter ego Green Lantern recently returned to Earth in pursuit of a rogue of their ranks – Sinestro," at that point the Joker gestured behind him with his arm and a being stepped out of the darkness in a yellow suit, similar to Hal's but somehow…harsher, with red-skin and pointed ears moved toward them until he drew up just short of the joker, "Sinestro's Power-Ring had unfortunately needed time to recover after their initial engagement in the Upper Atmosphere but he will not be able to take Jordan down alone.
"I need you to assist him – as Star Sapphire – distract Jordan long enough for Sinestro to take him down, you can then use your crystal and together you will kill one of the last remaining true threats opposing us, Oliver Queen is little more than a billionaire playboy with some toys – and I shall deal with Clark Kent personally." The Joker enthused dramatically; at that point the door slid open, revealing Cheetah and the other Criminals working for him.
One stepped forward from among them dressed in a voluminous green trench-coat with a pair of tiny-emerald spectacles perched on his nose and greasy, messy brown hair; he grinned in equally as mad a fashion as the Joker, rubbing his hands together excitedly.
"My friends," he addressed without an inch of truth – if any of them thought they could trust the Joker they were implicitly wrong, "it is time for our final moves – the Heroes are all but destroyed and I now have the tools at my disposal to execute my grand scheme," the Joker grinned wider still as though reaching his crowning glory, "first we shall take over Metropolis, then once our hold is secure the world – without Superheroes there is no line that the governments of the world can draw against us, we shall sweep them from the skies and the seas and annihilate them on the ground."
He gestured to Toyman who grinned at step-forward.
"May I present my Toy Soldiers," the mechanical creatures, reminiscent of those from the Nutcracker with the fiery-red helmets and vintage era uniforms marched forward from ranks between the Criminals with their rifles raised for walking, "they are programmed to obey your commands – they will overpower any opposition to you and assist you while you effect the major takeovers: our domination shall be complete."
"Your soldiers await you in the main area," the Joker briefed, "go my friends, go and wreak havoc upon Metropolis – the day is ours!" The criminals nodded and sprinted out of the room in a general melee, racing for the first blood across the city. Caro lingered and caught Sinestro admiring her suit – admittedly it was not understated but then she had never been one to just "fit-in", she had instead opted for a black cat suit, cut-off above the knees with long, stretched-out pink boots, a mask modelled on a tribal style she had seen once in her customary magenta, with glove to complement the entire ensemble.
"You like what you see?" she probed.
"I can see why Hal is so infatuated," he commented starkly, "we must go – we must take him out quickly." She nodded and ran of after Sinestro, not even bothering to turn and face the Joker.
. . .
Lois struggled with her bonds, she had been tied up tightly and her arms were starting to hurt from the amount of effort she was putting into it as she cut herself trying to loosen the bonds and escape – anyone would think with her experience of being kidnapped by nut-jobs she'd be a pro at escaping but now she only had Diana to rely on instead of Clark, and she wasn't sure that the girl from Greece could exactly pull-off a Clark style rescue. The door opened casting light into the dull interior of the Warehouse and Diana entered, dressed in the leotard that she recalled Clark mentioned, complete with tiara and a lasso attached at her waist. She entered and Lois blinked to avoid the sun glinting of her wristlets, Diana took a few steps before swivelling and taking Aresia's intended attack on the front. She was only on the floor for a second however; kicking Aresia square in the chest and sending her Amazon sister hurtling over her head, smashing into the floor with a crack.
Aresia however was back on her feet in an instant, grinning and snarling through the pain as Lois spotted a trickle of blood trail out of her nose as she ran at Diana, dodging an incoming uppercut to smash Diana on the right side of her face before yelling in a warlike fashion and slamming a kick into Diana's waste, sending the Princess stumbling backwards slightly winded. Lois wriggled her hands and felt the ropes begin to slacken but didn't have too much time to consider that as she ducked to avoid Aresia as she sailed across the room – clearly having suffered a serious hit from Diana who charged across the room. Lois swivelled her head in time to see Diana jab an elbow into Aresia's chest, dodging a second hit aimed at her face and succeeding in landing an uppercut, sending Aresia rocketing up toward the roof such was the force off it.
The Amazon however recovered midflight, pivoting her body into a tight flip that Lois would have envied back in her Cheerleading days as she barrel rolled down, landing her hands squarely on her shoulders, and flipping her body down, in the process picking Diana up by her shoulders and hurling her across the greater length of the Warehouse. Striding down toward Diana who was in the process of forcing herself up as she arrived, before taking a kick to the face and a double hit to the back-of-the-head, she slumped to the floor and Lois felt fear strike through her like a lighting bolt. Diana was about to die and then she would be next. She closed her eyes tightly and thought through what she should do – what she could do in the situation and then opened her eyes widely. She bit through the gag and tore it, and then she screamed.
. . .
Chloe steadied herself slightly as the armoured car rocked with the tremor of an explosion – somewhere distant to them but regardless she was scared, around her Metropolis was in flames, the tall skyscrapers were burning – somehow the Daily Planet seemed to have escaped the worst of the damage but otherwise the villains were taking over, she'd seen groups of civilians rounded up by hideous Toy Soldiers, while other villains she barely recognized apart from a brief run through of the Rogues Gallery of Arkham Asylum, Metropolis was falling and they needed to arrest the situation. She put her attention back upon the laptop, the coordinates for the secret base were growing steadily closer as the convoy moved further out of the city – she was in the second car, the command car – the lead car was a decoy.
"Do you think we're going to be in time?" Chloe asked but Tess motioned her to silence as the car turned sharply and Chloe realized they were almost on top of the base. The car drew to a stop and Chloe went to open the door but Tess stopped her, they instead watched as Tess's hired guns jumped out in their uniforms, holding their assault rifles and then flung open the doors, pouring in – evidently Fire, Icicle and Captain Atom had them occupied. Chloe ducked out of the car after Tess and kept pace with her as she crossed the lot – Roulette had left once she had completed her part of the mission, believing her service had been served, Chloe held the suspicion that she was likely dead though Tess was acting like an enigma – she wasn't getting anything out of her.
Tess turned to look at Chloe, "They'll be fine – I don't trust Chloe, I know – they will all be fine."
. . .
Oliver leapt down into a crouch and then swept his crossbow across the facility, the cells, illuminated from above stretched out towards a central console at the end – he was ensure in which cell Mia was but he knew all his friends were here, he crept forward slowly – wary of triggering any booby-traps or alerting any guards to his presence, navigating the ventilation system of the facility had been difficult to say the least: he'd triggered one trap that almost sawed him in half and suffered a burn on the back of his leg after he'd set off a laser trap – it would have cut straight through his leg if he hadn't moved fast enough.
He stood up after he was confident that he was safe and then swivelled round, grabbing the incoming strike at his face and snapping the arm at the elbow – breaking it, kicking the grunt in the chest and sending him stumbling backward, the guard fumbled about and then produced a pistol, levelling it at Oliver. Oliver flinched on the spot and then heard the mild whoosh around him as Clark moved at hyper-speed around him, deflected the bullets and then super-hurled the grunt into the wall, knocking him unconscious. At that point they heard the noise behind them and turned on their heels, spotting another grunt seated at the console rapidly typing something – an endgame. Oliver levelled his bow but Clark ran at speed, knocking him away and then turning to Oliver, confident that their friends were safe.
"It's been a long time." Murmured another voice and Clark bent as the air around him plummeted in temperature – he saw Icicle beside him and reacted instinctively, hurling him against the wall and knocking him down, he then felt intense heat around him and turned, seeing a woman he didn't recognized dressed in green, her entire body somehow aflame with emerald energy and behind her a man dressed in an ivory white containment suit with blank-white eyes, clenching his fists in his gloves and then flexing them in anger. The woman then motioned to him and he relaxed, she then herself resumed her human form.
"I would assume you are Clark Kent," she said in Spanish, walking past him and thumbing a key on the console, it flashed a 'Release' message across the screen, "it seems you have beaten us here, just as she predicted you would, although you had no need to attack Icicle, he was here to help – he is our teammate." She murmured, Clark was disinterested however, he was too busy looking at the various cages, the cell's doors flung open as one and their prisoners staggered out of him – they were all there, and then he turned to face the screen.
"Mr Kent I have something that might interest you," murmured the Joker, the hideous figure looking down from the screen, "you were romantically involved once I believe, I think you should meet us, but, of course you know where we are – Lana is waiting Clark, and time is running out but there remains another dimension Kent – I also have your girlfriend Lois in captivity, who do you choose Clark? Who do you rescue – for one of them will die." The message winked out – it had clearly been pre-recorded, Clark felt Bruce Wayne come up behind him and look at the image and then snarl. Standing beside him was a dark-haired teenage boy, dressed in a similar red-green costume to that worn by Wayne himself, his eyes remained hidden by a mask, reminiscent of the masks people wore to Venetian Costumed Balls.
"I'm going with you," he said simply, "you can't take him alone – you don't understand how he works." Clark nodded acceptingly, and then tensed his legs to keep himself rooted to the spot as another shockwave rocked through it – but a much larger one than those before, as though a bolt of thunder had struck the ground and shaken it to the core. Clark immediately leapt up, smashing straight through the floors to the roof and ran out to see what was missing – and then he saw it, collapsing. The Daily Planet disappeared from its summit, collapsing downwards and disappearing altogether from the skyline, he couldn't help there, he reversed his previous moment, arriving in the midst of the Heroes. He spotted Aquaman uproot a pair of water pipes from beneath the gantry, soaking himself in nourishing water, while he saw Mia and Courtney return with their respective weapons from a room off the main detention area.
"Metropolis is under attack," he murmured, "we have to work as a team to stop them." They nodded their assent and broke into a sprint out of the facility – this would be the defining moment of fight between them. Clark spotted Wayne change into his costume in the blink of an eye, pulling the mask down over his face to conceal it an watching after the boy as he ran off with Mia into the streets, "Are you ready for this?"
"He tried to take everything from me," Batman replied grimly, "now he's going to pay."
. . .
Hope you enjoyed Chapter 7,
The final Chapter will be up in a little while,
Be patient,
Reviews welcome,
Acrobat
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