As always all characters are fictional. Wyvern, Deus, & Reaver are my characters. All other characters/locations are copyright of DC Comics & their respective creators.
The Unwelcome Assessment: The Wyvern Arrives Part XI
"This takes all the fun out of things." Cassie complained as she peered into the warehouse through a pair of binoculars. A beep from the comm she'd been given caused her to look down as the text appeared on the screen.
'Without knowing this information came from a reliable source, or, knowing the exact number of hostiles it is important to gather as much intelligence as possible. No further verbal communication unless mission critical.' She turned off the microphone, then turned to Donna.
"If we didn't know who his dad was before, we sure do now." Donna giggled and pointed to her hand. More text had appeared, 'I heard that cousin.' Slightly irritated she keyed the mike and purposely made her voice petulant.
"How much longer till we kick this off?" She waited for the expected admonishing response, but, she was surprised by the silence.
"Diana, is he still there?"
"Surreptitious evac, fall back to checkpoint delta." Seeing a figure in the distance that could only have been Diana flying away they all moved to follow.
"What the?" the communicator pulsed in her hands.
'Supergirl providing decoy, converge on warehouse with caution, something is not normal.' Once she was out of the line of sight Kara turned back to regroup with her friends, keeping her speed just below breaking the sound barrier.
"What was that all about, Wyvern?" He motioned her over and she peeked through the skylight.
"What do you see?"
"A group of Wonder Woman's enemies having a conference." As she looked back at him, CJ had his head tilted to one side.
"What's wrong CJ?" She saw his left eye twitch infinitesimally and noted that she should use his other identity.
"They should not be talking."
"I know it's bad that they're plotting something, but." Kara's words were cut off
"It's not that." Diana whispered.
"He hooked up a canister of gas capable of knocking out the Justice League ten minutes ago." Kara had no doubt the gas would have served just that purpose, as scary as Bruce's inventions were, she could only imagine what CJ could come up with.
"So why aren't they all collapsed and drooling on the floor?"
"Because I wanted to make sure you'd be here." Knowing the voice Cassie and Donna took to the air, Kara following suit, but, CJ and Diana turned opposite each other and assumed fighting stances.
"Nice reactions, unfortunately, I'm just the messenger." As Circe snapped her fingers all five of them were transported away.
"If we were in midair," Kara queried "how'd we end up here?"
"I would wager that the rooftop was enchanted."
"Once we set foot on it, we were vulnerable to Circe's spell." Diana confirmed.
"Why are you here though?" Cassie seemed more surprised with his method of speech than his being there.
"You aren't an Amazon."
"No, however, I was born on Themyscira, and my mother is the Amazon princess, my grandmother the Amazon queen."
"Anyone ever tell you your voice is really freaky?" Cassie griped.
"Rather often." he responded while looking around. She glanced at Kara
"Talkative isn't he?"
"You work with Tim so much, but, you can't see he's analyzing the situation?"
"I know that, but, why does he sound so… dead when he speaks?" Kara looked at Cassie as if the answer should be obvious.
"Hello, Batman's son?"
"Why don't we try to figure out where we've been transported to?" Diana interrupted, "We can discuss my son's proclivities once we get back."
"Well, this sucks." Kara's remark was what they were all thinking. Before them stood three paths, one marked 'Amazons', one marked 'Aliens', and one marked with a skull and crossbones.
"Anyone else think splitting up is a bad idea?" Cassie asked. Donna raising her hand would have seemed funny in another scenario.
"Splitting up's a shitty idea." Kara grumbled. Before anyone could make a move CJ walked up to the path marked 'Amazons' and extended a hand. A flash of energy had him drawing back his smoking gauntlet.
"Are you alright?" Diana grabbed his hand to look for any injury to her son. Without a word he repeated the process on the 'Aliens' path, with the same results.
"Kara, would you come here please?" Guessing what he was thinking, she reached out, guessing this path was the one she would take.
"Wow, like I didn't see that one coming."
"Over here please." Diana called her, she was standing behind the 'Amazon' sign. To Kara's surprise, she wasn't shocked.
"Why do I get a free pass when Wyvern can't move?"
"I believe the 'Persona non grata' path is mine." Wyvern surmised.
"I'm not letting you go anywhere alone." As Diana tried to rejoin her son she was shocked to find a barrier blocking her.
"No, damn her to Tartarus for this!"
"You can't go alone CJ, it's suicide." Donna spoke up.
"Perhaps I do not have to." He was examining the skull and crossbones sign.
"This sign may not mean what I initially thought it did." He turned to Kara and held his hand out. "Do you trust me Kara?"
"I hate this." Diana whispered, she could see CJ and Kara on another path, but, they couldn't join them.
"Tell me about it. I feel like I'm in one of those transparent tubes in an aquarium."
"Please don't give them any ideas Cassie." Donna joked.
"I'm already getting paranoid that something hasn't attacked us."
"Oh, and you're telling me to not give ideas. Way to go auntie." Cassie's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Diana kept glancing to her left, observing CJ and Kara. She didn't know if it was because of the magic, or, if her son really was that quiet.
"Someone has a fucked up sense of humor."
"I have to wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the situation, Kara." She jumped as she'd forgotten he was there.
"Could you make some friggin' noise when you walk?!"
"Did I startle you?"
"Yes, I can't even hear your heartbeat with that armor on." He held up his hand as he coked his head to one side, listening intently.
"What is it?" Kara asked, suddenly ready for an attack.
"Do you hear anything?" Kara stopped and concentrated, she could hear Diana and the others, but, there were no other sounds that were out of place.
"Okay, that's just plain freaky." Spying a tree that stood ten meters high to his right CJ jumped, he was surprised when he swung into the boughs of a seemingly real oak tree.
"What was the purpose of that?" Kara asked, floating beside him.
"The testing of a hypothesis." He gauged the distance to the next tree then, without warning, he jumped.
Ten minutes of leaps and bounds gave CJ a chance to view the topography of their surroundings.
"I hate magic." He grumbled as Kara caught up with him.
"What are you doing?"
"Why are we able to move with some freedom while my mother, aunt, and cousin cannot?" Kara shook her head, privately happy that he wasn't using their costumed names.
"Planning on jumping straight up next?"
"No, I threw a rock one minute before your 'sense of humor' quip. It disintegrated upon impact with a barrier one and one half kilometers above us."
"Wait, if we're in a dome, wont we run out of air?"
"As it appears we are the only five people here, the abundance of plant life would preclude that possibility."
"My, how smart you are." A cold voice rang out behind him. CJ had just enough time to shove Kara away before the blow hit. Aries' ax struck CJ in the ribs, launching him from his perch.
"No!" Diana had seen Aries strike. As CJ went flying she slammed her fist against the barrier that prevented her from helping her son. She saw Kara attack Aries. The punch landed, but, she was shocked when Kara was backhanded and flew towards them. Expecting her to bounce off the barrier, they were astounded when Kara impacted in the ground a few meters in front of them, leaving a small crater. She tried to fly back, she was prevented from rejoining the battle by the same barrier she'd just passed through.
As he finally managed to stop his skid along the ground, CJ got to his feet.
'Damn, that hurt. I'll have bruised ribs tomorrow, if I'm lucky.'
"A shame, it looks like we're all alone now, scion of the Amazons." Aries voice was dripping venom as he spoke.
"Their protection wont help you. It only covers the Amazon women." he gripped his ax with both hands.
"Makes you hate them for that doesn't it?"
"It is different here, Deceiver." he spat back at Aries. The god of war blew a long sigh as he looked at him.
"I wish you could see reason Wyvern, perhaps Circe might have been the better to send here." As he closed his eyes and raised the ax, CJ struck. He put all his strength behind the punch, and was surprised to see Aries fly back, trailing blood from the blow.
"My thanks Hephaestus." CJ whispered as he moved towards his mother, he just saw her expression change as Aries screamed.
"You impudent human worm!" he grabbed the young hero by the throat and lifted him off his feet. CJ grabbed Aries arms, trying to pry the hand off his throat, oddly enough, he didn't notice the blood from when he'd struck Aries was missing from his gauntlet. Aries pulled him close, staring him in the face he growled.
"They're protecting your family, but, maybe I can put you to use." He slammed CJ into the barrier, energy coursed over and through him as a scream of agony clawed it's way up his throat. The sound of her son's scream pierced Diana like a blade in her heart. Aries smiled as he pressed CJ into the barrier, not caring which one broke first. A flicker of movement drew her attention, his cape was on her side of the barrier! Seizing the opportunity, Diana leapt forward, her own blow launching Aries away from the barrier, and pulling her son along with him. Away from the agonizing pain CJ twisted Aries arm, firing out a kick that caught Aries in the temple. As he felt the pressure on his throat release, CJ pulled Aries arm toward the ground, lining him up for another shot from Diana. He staggered backwards, reaching for his ax, CJ jumped from his low crouch. As Aries hands closed around the handle of his weapon, CJ's knee caught him flush in the face. The element of surprise gone, this blow had hurt him, but, Aries was prepared for the strength of his adversaries. As he prepared for another attack his attention was diverted.
"Another time Wyvern, Diana, always a pleasure." He vanished as Wyvern fell to his knees.
"CJ, are you hurt?" Diana put her arms on her son's shoulders.
"My ribs are bruised , my throat was nearly crushed, and my back is killing me." He grunted as he tried to rise. Diana looped her hand under his arms and was glad when he didn't object or pull away.
"Wyvern, are you alright?" Kara, Cassie, and Donna were now beside them.
"Mother, please." He leaned forward and Diana helped him remove his helm.
"Wow," Cassie smiled. "he is hot."
"He's your cousin." Kara responded matter-of-factly.
"So? It's an Olympian thing." Cassie countered.
"I am pleased to see you aren't seriously injured young Wyvern." A delicate, but, firm female voice spoke from behind the group. Diana, Donna, and Cassie all fell to a knee upon catching sight of the speaker. CJ gave a head nod to the speaker.
"Greetings Hera, what do you want?"