One Year Later

by Persiana13

A chaotic year awaits the Justice League, from serial killers, to the Legion of Doom, to a group of vigilantes that were once their friends. Set in the DC Persiana-verse, eighth story in the series

11. Chapter 11

One Year Later

Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to DC or Marvel. I own Farrah/Persiana and Leon/Crisis.

Chapter 11: Chess Pieces

Nyola, an auburn haired woman in red robes, grumbled,

"I do not like to be kept waiting. When is that impudent fool coming?"

Parasite, a purple-skinned man, grinned,

"All right by me. Wanna kill some time?"

The Aztec weather manipulator readied a lightning bolt,

"Do you wish for me to kill you instead?"

Vandal Savage, the black-haired immortal conqueror, said,

"Children, please. This is no way to settle your differences. At least wait until Grodd tells us why we are all here."

King Shark, a half-man, half-shark hybrid, said,

"It's obvious, isn't it? Grodd has called on the legendary shark god to aid him in his conquest!"
Fatality, a dark-skinned woman wielding a large alien spear and a yellow Sinestro Corps ring, said darkly,

"Any opportunity to take revenge against the Green Lantern Corps is an opportunity I will take."

Ignition cracked his knuckles,

"I can't wait! Grodd wants us to crush heroes, and that's what I'll do!"

Blackfire, sister to Starfire, could see Parasite checking her out,

"Hands away from me, human!"
She lashed out with an energy wave attack, flattening the power-absorbing villain into a wall. Chemo stared blankly at the exchange, while King Shark and Nyola began laughing.

Scavenger, a seemingly advanced aged man with one eye missing, was busy checking and re-checking his weapons and his arsenal of technology. Firefly, a pyromaniac that had an armored suit like the said insect, said,

"It's the fifth time you checked your equipment. You're obsessive, aren't you."
Scavenger looked at the armored villain,

"For your information, the Justice League has technology that I need for the upcoming battle."

Nyola groaned,

"Here we go again."

Firefly said,

"Are you serious?"

Scavenger nodded,

"Yes, I have had many a-dream that, one day, I will take part in a great battle and I must be prepared for it with as much technology as I can gather. That is why I am doing this. Grodd has promised me the most sophisticated equipment in his arsenal, and I am to use it to the fullest benefit of my battle."

Firefly took all that in and said,

"I see. You forgot your medicine again, didn't you?"

Scavenger took out a rather intimidating trident-like weapon,

"You fool! Don't you see? This monster is coming and I must prepare for it! The heroes don't know it because they don't want you to know it! They're all out there, waiting to turn their backs on humanity the moment this foe rears his ugly head, but not me! I am going to be the salvation of the human race, more so than any other hero out there!"
Vandal blinked,

"And here I thought I was the ego-maniac."
The plunderer of technology glared,

"Shut up, Savage."

Grodd entered,

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please. This is no way for civilized human beings to behave."

Absorbing Man entered behind the simian telepath and the gorilla directed,

"Everyone, please have a seat at the table."

The assembled villains took a seat, Parasite limped to his chair.
Grodd took a moment to look at the assembled villains and said,

"As you are aware, there have been some changes to the Justice League's roster since Persiana came to this world well over a year and a half ago."

Parasite smirked,

"Yeah, she is a real sex kitten. Woof!"
Vandal Savage rolled his eyes and said,

"I assume there is a point you are trying to make, Grodd."

Gorilla Grodd looked insulted,

"My dear Savage, I would think that, out of everyone here, you would appreciate a little poetry and theatrics before we get to the point."

He returned to the group's attention,

"I have asked you all here because each of you has a vested interest in seeing the League befallen. My new recruit Thinker has recently uncovered some information about the Howling Commandos, a new group that is separate from the League and tends to go after smaller, less bothersome targets."

Parasited gulped,

"I've heard of those guys. They're ruthless."

Grodd nodded,

"Quite, which is why we are not going to go after them and instead, go after the League."

Blackfire growled,

"I do not know whether you know this or not, but we are only twelve. They are many more."

Nyola nodded,

"I am forced to agree with Blackfire. We cannot simply withstand the onslaught of the Justice League, no matter how well we prepare."

Grodd smiled darkly,

"That will not be a problem. With my plan, we will have an army to fight the Justice League."

Ignition smirked,

"Nice. Who's working with us?"

The simian telepath said,

"We first take Gorilla City, kill Solovar, and then implant a suggestion in all the inhabitants of Gorilla City to serve me and begin a rampage of destruction that will force the League to go at them. Then, once that is accomplished, we will have them right where we want them."

Chemo continued to stare out at the table. King Shark gloated,

"Hah-hah! Grodd is wise with his plan, just as he was wise to bring me, King Shark, with him!"

Savage nodded,

"And, what will Thinker be doing while we are going about this mission?"

Grodd explained,

"Thinker will be dealing with Howling Commandos. It has come to my attention that General Lane is adamant in their destruction and has demanded that the Metal Men, a top secret government project, be used in apprehending or killing the Howling Commandos. I would use Thinker to reprogram the Metal Men, and unleash them on Crisis and his Howling Commandos."

Absorbing Man nodded,

"That's good."

Savage nodded in agreement,

"It is, but there is still one thing. If we attack right now, the League would get the jump on us quickly. We would need to divide them."

The psychic ape began smiling,

"And that is why I have Chemo here. Chemo is a living radioactive glob that we will use as a weapon."

Nyola asked,

"And, how will we do that?"

Grodd smiled,

"Simple. We will drop him from an airplane over a major metropolitan city."

Parasite blinked,

"You wanna wipe out Metropolis?"

Savage shook his head,

"Not Metropolis, a metropolitan city, like New York or Gotham."

Grodd said,

"Actually, I was thinking of Bludhaven, the city next to Gotham."

Fatality nodded,

"I see. They would raise their defenses in Gotham if we did that, but not so much if the target was Bludaven."

Grodd pointed to her,

"Precisely."

Savage said,

"It is a brilliant plan, Grodd. Just one question; when do we start?"

Grodd said,

"Soon. Let the League continue to think things are safe for the moment. Then, when their defenses are down, we strike!"

Next Chapter:

General Lane confronts her daughter Lois about the recent headline, and Crisis tells the other Howling Commandos what he found. Stay tuned, fellow readers!