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A/N: This takes place at the same time as Misplaced, but the events of that episode have already been negated. In other words, this is an original chapter.
Mount Justice
November 5, 17:49
Batman had called all of the team members into the cave for a mission. Zatanna was there as well, but here father wouldn't let her go on it. Wally was starting to get nervous. This hadn't happened, had it? Batman and Zatara hadn't disappeared yet, which was good, he guessed.
"The league has run an analysis of the fear gas that we found with you on October 16th."
"And what did you find?" asked Kaldur.
"The results were troubling" Batman said. "It seems to have been modified drastically from Scarecrow's original gas. It was designed to affect metahumans as well as normal humans. Furthermore, the drug is far more powerful. All attempts to find a suitable treatment have failed. The victims will rapidly descend into insanity, attacking anything they see, severly hallucinating, and behaving like an animal. It will not, however, kill them, at least until starvation sets in or others try to stop them."
"How exactly do you know all of this? You can't exactly test this on human subjects." Robin inquired.
"Two of Scarecrow's henchmen were found dead in crime alley two days ago. They both tested positive for the modified fear gas. When they were found they had strangled each other. Autopsies revealed that they had suffered severe blunt force trauma, as well as a variety of stab wounds, most likely inflicted by each other or possibly even by themselves. The league has identified six possible production facilities. The league and team will simultaneously attack each one to neutralize the target. Team One will comprise of Superman, Superboy, Green Arrow, and Artemis. They will go to a warehouse in metropolis. Team Two is myself, Robin, Flash, and Kid Flash. We are investigating an abandoned factory in Gotham. Team Three is Martian Manhunter, Miss Martian, Aquaman, and Aqualad. They are going to a shipyard in New York. The other three will be handled by other leaguers."
"Does Kid Flash have any input?" asked Aqualad.
"This didn't happen."
Batman frowned. "What do you mean it didn't happen?"
"I think I changed something in the timeline. In my timeline there was no modified fear gas, no dead scarecrow henchmen, nothing."
Gotham City, Connecticut
November 5, 18:16
Batman dropped down near the thug and took him out silently as Robin did the same to another one. Flash and Kid Flash zipped around taking out others. The four of them cleared the entire area in minutes. The two speedsters zipped all over the area trying to find evidence of fear gas. They reported back 30 seconds later.
"We didn't find anything, Bats. I don't think this is the one we're looking for"
Batman ignored him and walked over to one of the floor panels. He looked at it for a second before reaching down and lifting it out of the way, revealing a hidden staircase.
"How did you know that was there?" asked Flash.
"I know Crane." Batman responded before advancing down the stairs.
"Batman to Watchtower, we have found the production facility. Sending my coordinates." Batman said into his communication device as they reached the bottom.
Out of the darkness a giant monster lunged at Batman out of the darkness. Wally realized instantly that it was Bane. Batman reacted faster than Wally would have thought possible from the man. He side stepped Bane and threw several explosive Batarangs at him. Wally wasn't able to watch the fight, however, because at that he was occupied with Mammoth, who had backhanded Wally across the room. Flash and Robin had other villains to worry about, and a quick headcount revealed that they were severely outnumbered. Fortunately, it was around that time when the rest of the league showed up.
Wally zipped back towards Mammoth. He dodged a blow from the monster, then ran around and hit him in the back several dozen times. They had reached a stalemate. Mammoth couldn't hit Kid Flash, but nothing Kid Flash did seemed to have any effect.
He tried to find something that could help him. He found it in Superboy, who was currently trying and failing to hit Ra's al Ghul. In the blink of an eye, Wally raced over and tripped the man, allowing Superboy to get in the only hit he needed. "Mind helping with mine?" Wally asked.
Superboy smirked uncharacteristically. "With pleasure."
The Kryptonian jumped at Mammoth while Wally did his best to distract him. Mammoth fell forward with a thud.
After battling a horde of shadow assasains, Kid Flash surveyed the area. Batman had finished Bane, it seemed, and was currently fighting Count Vertigo. Hawkman, Flash, and Green Artow had all been defeated, and Robin looked like he wouldn't last much longer. Artemis was almost out of arrows, and Sportsmaster, Cheshire, and a few other shadows were holding Wonder Woman at bay. Vandal Savage had whipped out the Kryptonite on Superman early on, and had used it on Superboy since they had fought Mammoth together. Klarion was simultaneously dueling Martian Manhunter and Zatara, though he was considerably worse for wear. Aquaman and his partner were fighting Oceanmaster and Black Manta. What worried Wally was the confident, almost mocking, look Vandal Savage had, as though he was just playing with them.
Wally's suspicions were confirmed 30 seconds later when Scarecrow arrived and started to fill the room with fear gas. Klarion blasted Zatara through the ceiling and formed a shield around himself, and the other villains that were currently conscious. Wally tried to catch Scarecrow, but was intercepted on the way there by a beam from Count Vertigo. Just when he thought they were doomed, he heard the last thing that he thought he would.
"Do not fear! Fate has intervened!"
An ankh materialized and absorbed the gas with not a second to spare.
"Nabu!" Klarion's annoying, high-pitched voice rang out. He moved to attack the lord of order, Vandal grabbed his shoulder.
"Not today."
Klarion sighed exasperatedly and teleported the group of supervillians to somewhere else.
Everyone left who was still awake had gathered near Dr. Fate. Everyone who had come was accounted for, which left the one person who had been left at the cave, as per her father's request. Zatanna.
"Fate! Release my daughter!" It was less of a command and more of a plead.
"No. Her affinity for the mystic arts makes her a perfect candidate. The world needs Dr. Fate."
"Please. Take me instead. My body is physically stronger and my abilities are more developed."
"How do I know you will put on the helmet?"
"You have my word. Ekat em daetni."
Fate nodded and lifted the helmet off of his head. Wally couldn't believe this was happening. He had failed.
Zatara hugged his daughter and whispered something that to her that. She sobbed and wrapped her arms around him.
"Please, take care of her." Zatara pleaded to Batman. The vigilante nodded his head silently. Then, Zatara lowered the helmet of fate onto his head.
Mount Justice
November 6, 00:16
"Despite the costs the mission, was, overall, a success." Batman debriefed the team "The enemy was subdued and the production facility was destroyed. However, Crane, Savage, Klarion, Sportsmaster, and several others managed to escape. Also, approximately 10 liters of the substance is still unaccounted for. This amount is still a treat, and we will remain vigilant. You are dismissed."
Zatanna had moved into the cave. She was understandably still very upset, and Wally couldn't help but think that he had put her through this, despite what Black Canary had told him.
A/N: So, I'm really not all that proud of the fight scene. It felt rushed and inconsistent. I rewrote it, but then I was afraid that I would never get around to posting the chapter, and I ended up using this.
There will be, at most, another two or three chapters. Would you rather I finish the story with a nice, clean ending with all loose ends tied up, or a semi-cliffhanger and then do a sequel?