Linda and Joseph circled each other, the sobs of infants filling the room. Linda knew, without a doubt, she was at the disadvantage. Joseph would happily kill each and every child in this room, and would use her need to protect them to make her get sloppy.
She needed to eliminate the problem.
With one flick of her wrist she had Joseph down on the ground, screaming as his blood stopped in his veins. Knowing she only had seconds, she ran at him, calling a wall of water from the pipes to rush up and push the two of them out the door.
As the door slammed shut, her ears began to bleed.
Joseph unleashes a sonic blast that had her clutching her head in agony. He slowly stood, glaring at her before he kicked her harshly, whistling once more and send the sound knives right into her skull. Linda twisted, throwing her hand out and praying she was aiming the right way.
Luck was on her side.
Water burst from the sprinkler system, striking Joseph hard and fast. It was like a thousand little bullets were hitting him, each one bruising and breaking his skin. The old man roared in pain, slamming his hands together, the shockwave sending the water flying. He walked towards Linda, limping weakly.
"You stupid little girl." He slammed his foot into her gut. "You dare think you can match me?!?" He held his arms out wide. "I am Joseph! Bane of The Company! The Master of All Sound! Herald of Death! There is only one man worth to fight me, and you call him master." He grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up. "Where is the Metatron?"
"Far from you." Linda gasped, punching him in the side of the head. Joseph stumbled back, only to cry out when Lee fired one of his talking guns at him.
"Oh, that hurt!" The cartoon gun said right before Lee returned it to paper form.
Lee pulled out a long knife. "You know, I would try and convince you to help us…to change your ways…but Carter only has room for only a few former super villains on his team, and I don't feel like leaving to give my spot to you." He snapped his fingers, and more of his paper clones worked to gather the babies up, leaving the prison behind. "now then…what to do with you?"
^&^&^&^
Carter lashed out, his sword drawing blood. Drago roared, his form now that more like some Greek monster than any one true creature. Body of a wolf, the jaws of a shark, and razor sharp spines running down his back and tail. He latched onto Carter's hand, nearly ripping the limb off before Carter blasted him with a shot of whammy energy right down his throat. The Kensei blade flashed in the fires of Carter's flames, drops of the bodysnatcher's blood falling from its edge. Spinning around and sheathing his sword, Carter returned to his daggers, slashing at Drago's throat before taking off in a dead run.
He knew there was no way he could defeat Drago at the moment. The cave was set up for Drago to win, his place of power. He knew what lay at every corner, and Carter was a stranger. So, the Metatron smothered his need to take this beast's heart and instead opted to run and fight another day, satisfied he had managed to wound him at the very least.
"Abaddon!" Drago roared behind him. "Get back here Abaddon!"
Carter continued to run.
^&^&^&^
Tina whipped about, searching. She had been separated from the group, and now found herself in the tunnels by herself.
"Always alone." A cold voice called out.
Tina turned, eyes narrowing as her father emerged from the shadows. Daniel Linderman looked at his little girl, pity in his cold dead eyes.
"Always alone…always separated and abandoned. You want to pretend that you are part of a family, that you have been accepted, but you know the truth. You will never part of a family…you will never have happiness. You are destined to be a scared little girl, trapped in dar-"
Tina fired her acid, melting away half of her father's face.
"Sorry, not falling for it. Now, if you were a Black Lantern, maybe I'd be scared. But right now, you are just annoying me." Acid dripped from her fingers. "So I am going to do what I've always wanted to do…I am going to burn that smug look right off that damn face of yours!"
And with that, Tina attacked.
^&^&^&^
"Where is everyone?" West muttered, looking about the caves. "Micah, you got a read on anyone?" He turned, noticing that Micah had gone stock still. "Micah?"
"Answer him, sweetie." A cold voice stated.
Micah trembled as the two corpses emerged. "mom…dad?" he whispered.
DL and Nikki smiled as they approached him. "Hello baby."
"Aw shit." West muttered.
^&^&^&^
"What indeed?" Joseph snapped, spinning on his back and letting out a scream that sent Lee flying. "What to do about me indeed?" He marched towards the young man, snapping his fingers and causing Lee to cry out as his left wrist shattered. "What…indeed?"
"Hey asshole!" Kelly shouted, leaping at Joseph and punching him in the gut. "Try that with me."
"Your funeral." He muttered, clapping his hands. Kelly slammed into a wall, a sticky red spot appearing where she had hit. But Joseph blinked as she rose, body healing.
"Ouch, this mortal wound itches." She smirked. "I've evolved."
"The Light." Joseph snarled. "That damn little girl can never leave well enough alone!"
"No…she-she can't."
All but Joseph fell to their knees as Adriana pulled herself through the doorway, circuits sparking and her left leg damaged. She was pulling at the bits of machinery that made up her right arm, struggling to get it working right.
"If that little girl had never interfered, Malcolm here…" She pointed her arm at Malcolm, who began to seize, "would never had done this to me. Seems we have a common enemy."
"No." Joseph said. "You are merely bothering my enemies."
"But we-we-we could be friends…we worked together, did we not-not-not." Her head twitched slightly.
"I used Marie for my own pleasures…I cared nothing of her or your causes."
"I no longer serve Marie…I have a new master, a man of many gifts. He provided me with just such a gift, as he knew you would be coming. A token of proof to his power."
Touching a button, Adriana waved in the new arrive. The woman was a corpse, reanimated by Fredrick, her long hair combed and straighten, her body still clothed in the dress she had been buried in.
"Joseph?" She whispered.
Joseph stared at his long dead wife.
^&^&^&^
"Carter?" Madrid said over the headphone.
"Yes?" Carter whispered, hiding in an alcove.
"I need your help."
Carter licked his lips. "Is everyone ok?"
"No…Gabe won't stop crying."
Carter let out a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that."
"Sorry, but I need you to sing to him." Madrid stated.
"ABADDON!"
"not the best time."
"Carter, he needs a nap and I can't get him to calm down…please?"
Carter sighed. "Put him on." He heard some shuffling, and Vally crying out that she could sing just as good, her own rendition of "It's Raining Men" starting up moments before Gabe's whimpers filled is ears. "Ok buddy." Carter said quietly, looking around. "Don da-don da-don…" he began to sing. "It's time to start the music, its time to light the lights…its time to make the most of the Muppet show tonight."
Gabe began to quiet down.
"ABADDON!" Drago roared, bursting around a corner, forcing Carter to run.
"Its time to put on make up…" Carter continued to sing even as he ran. "its time to dress up right. Its time to raise the curtain on the Muppet show tonight." Drago grabbed him, tugging him to the ground. Grunting, Carter slammed his feet into the monster's chest, slamming Drago into the ceiling. The beast hadn't even fallen before Carter took off running again. "Why do we always come here, I guess we'll never know…its like some kind of torture…just trying to watch the show!"
He spun, blasting Drago with a whammy blast.
"Come on lets get things started…" Drago's roars faded in the distance. "Why don't we get things started. Come on lets get things started to the most sensational, inspirational, extensional, muppetational…this is what we call the Muppet show!"
"Oooo." Gabe cooed, calm at last. He let out a yawn and fell to sleep.
"Thank you Carter."
He panted. "no….problem."
^&^&^&^
"See what he can do?" Adriana stated. "See the glory…"
SNAP
The corpse shattered into dust as Joseph lowered his hand.
"You dare…you dare desecrate her grave!" He roared, Adriana only now realizing her error. He screamed as every sound in the prison amplified, shaking the building as if it were caught in an earthquake. He marched towards her, eyes wild. "Now you die."