Chapter Twelve: Besieged
A/N: I'm not dead! just got writers block towards the later part of this chapter, anyway i'm very sorry for the long pause on getting this one out to you. i went on holiday with a few of my friends for a week to place with no Wifi (But it did have a hottub:), after that i got some writer block and that dragged on for a bit. anyway enough of my ramblings lets get to the action!
Remember to leave a review to ensure you guys like whats going on or if you think i could things a little differently
Enjoy!
9:21 CDT Central City September 17th 2010
"So any luck with the Belle Reve escapees?" Kid Flash asked the Flash as she casually sidestepped the razor sharp boomerang and then again when it came back around towards her. The lightning fast duo were on their usual morning patrol when they had lucked out by finally tracked down some of the remaining free members of the rogues: Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master, and of course Heatwave. She didn't get an immediate response due to the flash currently actively trying to avoid cremation by the nutjob. Most of the escapees were small time independents, low or moderate classed meta henchmen, or more worryingly, dangerously violent offenders. The only real concern for the league was Cheetah, Kid Flash had faced the feline fatale only once before and that been the first time a non-speedster had managed to land a hit on her without luck being involved. She still remembered the sharp pain those claws inflicted when they raked against her body cutting through the suit like paper. Then again she could cut through kryptonain skin and had superhuman reflexes and speed… well supernatural at any rate.
"It's been one day kido, besides the league will handle it… and Mister Sinister too." He added as he slide along the ground under the wave of fire, landing an uppercut to the villain's jaw incapacitating him immediately. "Duck by the way."
"Thanks." She replied ducking the lightening quick slash Cpt Boomerang threw at her before grabbing his outstretched hand and throwing him over her head using his own momentum and finished him with a powerful blow to the head, she was rewarded for her efforts with a loud groan of pain followed by unconsciousness for the villain. She turned to face her mentor folding her arms with a serious look in her eyes now. "I trust your working with Red-X to take down Deula, no one knows her better than X."
"Yeah she's working in a taskforce with Red Arrow under Hawkgirl's leadership… heard bats might even ask Question to join in too." He said as he disarmed the villains and called for the CCMCU to pick them up. another thing that had surprised her was the larger number of independent heroes in this universe compared to wally's, and a lot of them were associate members of the league meaning they could call the league for help or advice and vice versa, although they didn't have access directly to league resources or know the identities of those in the league. Technical she was an associate member as a protégée but that was a grey area, even more so with the formation of the YJL. The downside to this was a huge increase in active villains compared to Wally's world that would justify the large number of superheroes, hell the size of the rogues here was a sign of it.
'and how many of them are working for the light?' she thought as the police arrived and took custody of the three rogues allowing the pair to get back to patrolling the city. She had recently been battling the issue of telling the league everything she knew but truth be told she was terrified of how they might perceive the revelation and more importantly treat her, all she truly wanted was to have a normal life… well as normal as she could being a hero. She kinda knew what Nightwing felt like when Aqualad was undercover. Another issue worrying her was the theory that she might not be the only thing to enter this universe from elsewhere.
"So how's the course going, still want to be forensic scientist, I mean you could go into industry work at starlabs or wayne tech; either options would be good for your hero work?" Flash asked over the suits com channel, much better for coordinating in a fight and holding a private conversation at high speed. He was secretly proud that she was following his footsteps, and it gave them something to talk about while patrolling.
"I like helping people and this way there's little chance my work can be used for sinister purposes." She responded thinking back to the plasma generator and the terrible events that resulted from it.
"It wasn't your fault Kid, science isn't good or evil it's the people who use it that are." He told her seemingly reading her thoughts as they took down a mugger in a second. "take the speedforce for example it's a fundamental force of nature and look how you use it compared to Speed Demon… well he's not really the same but you get the point don't you."
"Do we ever win Barry?" she asked doubt in her voice as she looked at him for reassurance; he smiled back at her.
"Every life saved, every crime stopped, and every villain imprisoned is a victory kid." He said wisely inspiring hope and faith in people; he truly was the moral rock of the league seeing the good in everyone. "besides there will always be evil in world; but so too will there always be good to stop it whenever it appears."
"Thanks Barry you're the best uncle and mentor a superhero could want." She said as he smiled before they rushed to stop an armoured car robbery.
13:32 CDT Kent farm Smallville September 17th 2010
"So when are your 'out of state friends' arriving Kara?" Siobhan asked remembering how hot the cousin was as the pair of them walked towards the farmhouse, Krypto was currently at the fortress of solitude so that Lois who was spending the day with clark wouldn't catch on until clark wanted her to know. Siobhan had asked if could come along since her mother was going on a worktrip today, plus the chance to meet her cousin was worth it. Kara had been organising the team coming over to the kents farm since the team needed a whole-get-to-together; both for fun and to take the stress off of them. The pair saw a lone figure coming out to greet them; upon closer inspection it was revealed to be Mr Kent.
"Kara it's about time you got here, Mia and Adrian was it, having been stuck with only us and clark for company." He said hugging the girl before turning to offer his hand to Siobhan smiling warmly. "jonathan kent you must be Miss smythe."
"It's really nice to meet you sir." She said grinning nervously before leaning over to Kara and whispering. "how many friends are you having over again?"
"Well theres Adrian and Mia from Star city, Evelyn from central city, Robin and Kathraine from gotham, Calvin's from Amnesty Bay, Donna's from Greece, and Conner, megan and Amelia are from Happy Harbor." She told her getting a surprised gasp from the girl.
"did they see the sidekicks battle Red Storm!" she asked exactly getting a confused look from the girl before she remembered the news article and shock her head.
"They moved in after that happened, hey guys!" she said waving over to her teammates. Mia was dressed in a nice red blouse and Adrian in a black canary style leather jacket. Apparently he had been restless while bed bound and couldn't what to get back into the fight. "Siobhan these are my friends Mia Dearden and Adrian Hollow, guys this is Siobhan Smythe."
"Nice to meet you both." Siobhan said looking at Adrian with a somewhat hungry look; at this Kara nudged her carefully, she got the message and pouted playfully.
"So how's the band going?" he asked after shaking her hand and walking into the farmhouse hearing the laughter of Lois Lane as Martha showed her Clarks baby photos; Kara smirked at the look of embarrassment on his face.
"We're working on it, the others have enthusiasm but… well they need practice is all." Siobhan said not wanting to speak ill of her new friends as the pair nodded in understanding.
"Nothing comes easy it takes hard work and dedication trust me on that." He said as she blushed slightly at his words. It was ten minutes before others came along in one big group.
"Well Adrian glad to see you alive and kicking." Evelyn shouted as she, Katharine, Robin, and Donna walked up the road as Katharine's driver pulled away. She embraced the Star city vigilant and looked over at Kara's friend smiling. "Nice to meet you, Siobhan right, I'm Evelyn West."
"Come on then lets get something to eat while we wait on the others!" Kara said as they headed in to get some of the pie Martha was dishing out. .
"Kara I didn't think you'd have some many friends over for the fair." Clark said with surprise as Lois looked confused to See Kathy and Evelyn amongst the group considering one was the daughter of one a general and heiress to one of the most powerful families in gotham and the other the neice of her old rival Iris, and a genius member of the H.I.V.E.
"Come on Clark the more the merry that's the spirit, besides more people mean it's easier for Conner and Megan to slip away in the husily and busily." Kara said as the sound of footsteps reached her ears and she headed out to greet the last of team; Lois walked over to Evelyn and the others.
"Small world isn't Evelyn?" she said noticing the way she and Katharine were interacting with cat like courisity.
"Well I guess so, so Clark is that the famous Kent pie I smell!" Evelyn said walking over to the dessert with Kara in hot pursit yelling at her not to eat it all. Calvin Durham ,Kaldur's alsia, walked over to greet Kara's friend who was sitting on her own while Kara attempted to stop the destructive force of nature that was Eveyln's metabolism. She smiled at him as he offered his hand.
"I'm Calvin Durham it's nice to meet you." He said shaking her hands as she blushed somewhat.
"Yeah me too." She said before turning red and blurting out. "I mean it's nice to meet you… Siobhan my names Siobhan Symthe."
"So I hear you like music Siobhan." Kaldur said letting the girls slip up pass by as she looked grateful for it before going on about how much she liked music. He was struck by how similar she was to tula in how she loved magic with the way she described it to him. Unnoticed by either Kara smiled at the sight while Kathy massaged the bruise forming on Evelyn's head from where the older girl had hit her to stop her eating all the pie.
14:22 CDT Smallville County fair September 17th 2010
"Ok first things first." Kara said as the group was all here, Conner and Megan holding hands and smiling at one another, the older girl had set up a camera and rushed back to her spot. " Festival!"
"Feastival" the group echo as she pressed the remote activator and took a few photos. She checked it and smiled before pointing to the fair group with gusto.
"Lets makes some memories guys!" she said as they followed into the fairground, Evelyn's stomach grumbling loudly, Kathy placed an affectionate hand on it.
"A shame you can't go for the eating contest, still you might feel better if you have a corndog or ten in your belly." She said looking at her girlfriend smiling at her and as Evelyn took her hand pulling it.
'I mean I am the technically the girlfriend at the fair.' She thought as dragged the girl through the crowd.
"Come on maybe you can win me a prize." She said joking as rushed off towards the shooting range where Conner was trying to win a stuff Pink Elephant for Megan.
"Come on Conner it isn't that hard." Adrian said handing the second elephant he had won to Donna when Mia had asked him to win it much to fury of Kara who watched him grin at Mia clearly the two knew something she didn't. Conner raised the BB gun and took careful aim, and knocked off one… two… three…four… missed the last one, it was then that he saw a spark of yellow lightening and the can was gone.
"Five for five congratulations young man you've just won your lovely lady a pink elephant." The man said with a grin handing over the elephant to a grinning Megan who rushed over and kissed Conner deeply. Kara's face lit up and then fell slightly at memories of a home long gone. Conner smiled when he Caught evelyn who smiled and winked back at him. Before Kathy walked up to it and looked at Evelyn.
"What colour of elephant do you want: red, pink or green?" she asked to which Evelyn shrugged unsure about it, Kathy smiled before dropping thirty dollars down and picking up one gun landing every shot, then picking up the next one and repeating the feat and then next one for the same effect, she handed the three to Evelyn who was laughing at the look on the man's face. "Here I'd hate to find out later you didn't like the colour."
"My hero." Evelyn said before kissing Kathy unaware of the picture Lois took with a wide grin at her, this little date might prove more fruitful for her career.
"Would you like me get you one as well Siobhan." Kaldur offered her as the girl looked stunned blushing before stuttering out a yes to him. The boy repeated Kathy's feat and handed one of each colour to her. "Your smile is worth more than one prize."
She seemed to enjoy his words greatly as she blushed and accepted the offered hand to go with him. Personally Kara and Amelia were happy that he seemed to have a crush on the irish girl. The group was doubled over with laughter at how Donna was devouring her cotton candy in a striking similarity to how their red headed leader would eat.
"How is he doing that?" Siobhan marvelled at how Robin rode the rodeo with apparent ease. Adrian sulked a little considering how Conner and Kara had both grabbed his shoulders the moment he stepped towards it, Aqualad was still rubbing his postior from where he had been flung off, Siobhan had been the only one not to laugh at him and she was currently helping him to his seat.
"So who's next? Yo Eve Kathy you two want a go?" Robin asked to watch Evelyn now wearing a purchased cowboy hat took off her leather jacket and headed over to the robotic bull, she climbed aboard it and waited for it to launch.
"No way she lasts the full five minutes." Siobhan said before a twenty dollar bill landed in front of her as Ameila smiled at her before the girl matched her bet. Not only did Evelyn last the full five minutes she seemed to move fuildly with the radeo so that by the time she got off she seemed bored of it all.
"Your other friends are intense Kara." Siobhan said rubbing her sore ass as Amelia dismounted from her sixth go on the bucking bull. Finally it was time for the dancing.
"Come on Eve let's tango!" Kathy said grinning at the sudden look of fear that had appeared on the girls face as she tried to break free of the gothamites grip.
"NO Kathy I don't dance-" she tried to tell her but, her words fell on deaf ears as her girlfriend just laughed and pulled her onto the dance floor and positioned her hands on her waist and shoulder.
"And you said you don't dance." Kathy said grinning at the red tinge that manifested on the freckled face of her girlfriend as they moved to the rhythm. Conner and Megan had eyes only for each other, while Amelia and Mia waited on their turns with Adrian and Robin with who were paired up with Kara and Donna. Siobhan seemed to be having a great time with Kaldur as they danced together chatting away; Lois seemed to find great interest in dancing red heads.
'It would make a good story.' She thought about the idea of publishing a story about the wealthy gothamites relationship before turning to take the drink Clark was offering her.
"You know I actually haven't danced without falling since the wedding of barry and iris." Evelyn Said to laughs from Kathy as the song ended and pair headed over to haybale and sat down looking at the full moon. "Want to have go there sometime."
"Sure why not." Kathy said with laugh before leaning in and locking her lips with Eves while Conner and Megan did the same not four feet behind a large haystack.
"So good first date?" Conner asked the Martian girl nervously as she smiled back at whispering.
"Best day of my life." She said with tears running down her cheek before pulling the taller boy into another long kiss. Amelia watched them taking blackmail photos while thinking of that Wonder warrior; she hadn't told anyone about him but she had heard rumours about some new hero in Jump City apparently dressed as a patriot or something wielding a large shield. She wanted to see him again but with school, training, and searching for her family she couldn't spare time for a potential crush.
"Tonight was great Cal you really know how to make a girl feel special." Siobhan said to the boy as the pair went over to the stall to get something to drink, Kaldur was enjoying himself as well as he handed her a root beer. He was thankful for kara's excellent make up abilities in covering his gills in a manner which didn't irritate them; so far he had been having the time of his life tonight, with his family issues and tula it was nice to spend time with another girl who seemed to like being in his company… in fact he found himself wishing the night was longer so as to spend more time with the funny and attractive silver haired Irish girl.
"Prehaps we could do this again sometime?" he asked hopefully giving her a small smile and was glad to see the look of joy on her face as she blurted out her response.
"Yes!" she blushed before straightening up and moving back a little from him. "I'm mean sure why not… maybe you can meet up next time you're in Metropolis or something."
"I would like that very much Siobhan." He replied smiling as he thought of ways to make a potential relationship with the girl work.
8:33 CDT West Residence Central City September 18th 2010
When Evelyn woke up she find herself looking at the group photo on the wall beside her bed, under that was her three stuffed elephants, smiling she yawned before getting out of bed and taking off her sleeping wear as she headed into her on suite for a quick shower before eventually heading to the cave for some of Diana's 'I'll make an amazon out of you' workout. While she was in heard her phone go off, speed drying she answered it hearing Kathy's cheery voice.
"Hi Eve I was just calling to make sure about dinner at yours tonight I'm excited and kinda nervous too about finally getting the chance to meet your parents." The anxious girl spoke through the device causing Evelyn's lips to creak in a grin as she wondered how worried the girl must have been so that she couldn't wait to talk about it at the cave.
"Well we were thinking around five o'clock so we'll have time to recover from the herculean trials Diana will put us through today." Evelyn responded as she selected out the clothing for the dinner, she was really getting the hang of being a girl by now and the feelings of being normal was a blessing for her mental wellbeing.
"right that's a load of my chest I guess I'll see you at the cave then bye red." Kathy said relieved as Evelyn said goodbye and hung up before getting changed into her civvies and headed down for some breakfast, she paused in the hall looking into the baby's room, she was very excited about having a little sibling regardless of whether they were a boy or a girl. Right now her parents were painting the room sky blue, having gracefully declined her offer to get it done in an hour citing how they liked to do it together. There was a slight falter in her smile now as she pondered about her own future family, she had always wanted to have a family with artemis but now she had several issues to resolve.
'I guess I can put that off for now since that issue won't be relevant for quite a while.' She thought she went down and made a large fry up before saying her goodbyes and heading out towards the Zetabeam platform and teleporting to the cave.
10:21 CDT Lock Down Central City September 18th 2010
"So this guy's like the flash right super speed?" a rather nervous young man asked the older grey bearded African American guard as they passed a security check point heading down; the older guard sighed hating the higher ups for not briefing the new blood properly considering the danger their charge presented to world, he turned to look at his new guard a pale and nervous boy with blonde hair and grey eyes no doubt fresh out of his high school football team and into a career with the department of corrections.
"Yes sort of son, you see there are only two people capable of catching speed demon: flash and kid flash, anyone else doesn't really stand much chance of catching him." He explained as they entered a large domed room with huge generators and machinery lining the walls leading to a glass dome in middle holding one occupant in his mid-twenties. He had the usual orange jump suit on along with brown hair and hazelnut eyes.
"So your replacing Jackson aren't you… Jameson god their getting younger aren't they Patrick old boy and what's next Anderson, Henderson?" the prisoner said with mirth in his voice reading the guards name tag while the older guard sighed watching the boy's hand hovered over his sidearm in an involuntary reflex no doubt a result of his training.
"A word of advice lad NEVER fire a weapon at him now it's meal time Thawne so get back with your hands where I can see them." Patrick said as he went over to pick up the food tray and walked over to the door opening it with his retina scan, he felt the familiar tingling feeling as he entered the inertia field which prevented him from using his super speed, he walked over to the table and placed the tray down at the exact moment the inertia field shut off. He was dead before he hit the ground as new guard heard the snapping of bones before drawing his sidearm on the convict who calmly advanced on him through the open door way.
"Stay where you are now or I will fire!" he ordered as the convict grinned evilly not stopping as the boy felt fear enter his system, he emptied the clip at him in a second before gasping at the sight before him. A wave of red electricity formed around him and several bolts struck out from his body to several points in the air before the sound of metal hitting the ground reached his ears.
"I guess they never told you that i steal the kinetic energy of anything or anyone within a certain radius of me did they boyo." He said before zipping out of sight in a blur of red lightning and appearing behind the boy snapping his neck cleanly before turning towards the door and looking confused at the person standing there. "And who might you be?"
14:21 EDT Mount Justice September 18th 2010
"Well your all improving greatly in your abilities I hope you've all seen the benefits of a strict training regime; if you continue to remain as dedicated to enhancing your skills as you are now, then I have no doubts future conflicts will always go in your favour." Diana praised the battered and panting teens while Donna walked around handing out bottled water and towels, Diana's communicator went off and she looked alert now glancing at Evelyn who was laying with her head in Kathy's lap breathing like a woman in labour.
"Hit the showers team Kid Flash a word in private." Diana said as they team clambered to their feet while Evelyn followed after wonder woman her curiosity aroused by the radical change in the amazon's demeanour; they walked in to a side room where she activated a monitor from the watch tower and turned to face Evelyn. "Theodore Thawne has escaped from his detention cell only a few hours ago."
Evelyn stood looking at her stunned by the news of the speedster's escape; Diana continued showing a camera feed from the prision.
"two guards were killed in process as to how he bypassed the new inertia fields we don't but for now you'll need to be on stand by to work with league on capturing him" she explained handing her a league response communicator before looking her in the eye with a penetrating gaze "can I trust you not to involve your team with his capture, I shouldn't need to tell you just how out matched the rest of them would be against this individual?"
"Of course Diana." Evelyn said before heading over to showers seeing the other girls waiting on her looking very curious about why Diana had wanted to see her in private.
"Speed Demon has escaped from his prison, the league want me on standby to deploy if there's any sightings of him." She told the girls who looked shocked and confused.
"Who's speed demon?" Megan asked looking at her in confusion, Evelyn sighed before using her ring to form an image of a dark orange clad figure with red lenses on his eyes and a bright red lightning bolt on his chest in the reverse direction of the flashes and her lightning bolt.
"Theodore Thawne is the fourth speedster, he differs from me and barry in several ways: first his lightning is red not yellow, and second he can project an aura around him which will steal the kinetic energy of any moving object in it but for three execptions, Barry me and Jay. Thus we're the only two heroes who stand a chance against him." She explained as the others looked scared at the idea of an evil speedster, they knew how hard it was to fight a person who could move at inhuman speeds and no one could match the speed of a speedster like barry or Evelyn.
"So he's like your super soldier then, a danger that you're the only ones who really stand a chance at beating?" Amelia asked as she slipped on her bra while the red head undressed and headed through into the shower room.
"Pretty much but he's inferior to us since he's limited by his energy stockpile, it let us bait him out into the desert and trick him into a inertia field trap when he tried to get back to the city the first time around." She explained to the others as she dried herself off before slipping into her civvies and turning to look at Kathy. " the only real danger is him breaking your neck before you can react, one on one you screwed, I mean he'll simply keep draining your speed slowing you down while speeding himself up."
"So he's really dangerous then?" Mia asked as she took her medication; Evelyn paused to think it over before replying. "In a way yes; I mean he couldn't devastate a city in the same way as Super soldier or the joker could but in his own ways he's very dangerous."
"What's an inertia trap?" Kara asked as she put on her wig and glasses.
"A device which projects a field which limits the speed of objects in it from increasing beyond a certain level; me and barry built it last time to stop him in his tracks… I don't think it failed on its own though." Evelyn told them looking thoughtful. "the question is who did it and for what purpose did they break him out for"
15:01 EDT WatchTower September 18th 2010
Batman cast his gazes over the numerous monitors trying to connect the dots from it all; who would have the ability to supply Doctor Anderson with the means of cloning and engineering Kryptonian DNA, what use would the kobra-venom be to them, what purpose was the super soldier project made for and who was sending technology to Bialya?
'Queen Bee is clearly a major player in this, Sportsmaster is probably a hired enforcer along with Ravager and Marauder, I don't doubt Lex is involved somehow perhaps the whole assinatnation attempt was a ploy given the amount of influence he has in both countries. Is Ra's just a hired hand or does he too have a commanding position… Ra's special operations, Bee safe haven and operations centre, perhaps Lex is funding them and providing research and development… but what's the goal? No there's more major players out there and I'm just not seeing them but who? I'm getting the feeling Sinister isn't working with them but what's his agenda then? Why would this society break out Speed Demon and do T. and Ivo have a role in all this, what was the aim of the prison break and what were they hoping to get from using the FOG and why not us it on the H.I.V.E?… I need more intel, I need a possible end goal for it all that fits the nature of the main figures, wealth gain? Control of the global criminal underworld?, Destruction of the league?' He sighed as he heard Captain Marvel enter the room humming a song with a tray of food and coffee in hand, Batman smiled internally, naïve as he was Billy did seem to have a knack for knowing when he needed a cup of coffee badly.
"So how's the jigsaw puzzle going Batman?" he asked with childish warmth in his voice leaning over batman's shoulder to look at it all; he seemed to get his answer from batman's posture. "That bad huh, maybe you should ask that Question guy he's even more paranoid than you from what I hear."
'You're not wrong there Billy.' Batman thought thinking about the man; in fact there were only two people that surpassed him in either intimidation or detective work. Question was one and Inquisitor was the other but then his area was more specialised than his and what Question went after was often beyond even his deductive abilities.
"You're worried about the teams safety aren't your?" Billy asked drinking his hot chocolate as he took a seat beside batman; he nodded slowly. "Well they've been trained by their mentors, Dinah and Diana and you know Kid will stamp out any cockiness's or arrogance she sees, I mean that girl's practically an adult already I mean that's why you tolerate her relationship with another teammate whilst being team leader, what more can you do for them, besides their future justice league, not even you and Superman will be around forever."
Batman was always surprised by the words Billy give him from time to time; and he wasn't sure if those wise words were a result of the wisdom of Solomon or if in fact they really came from the ten year old beneath it all.
"Well better get back home I've got a busy day tomorrow." Captain Marvel said getting up and leaving. 'Yes school trip to the zoo if I'm not mistaken.' Batman thought as he returned to his work, the league was facing the greatest threat in its history and he was determined to discovery exactly what it was before it was too late.
16:52 CDT West residence central city September 18th 2010
"So are you worried about this thawne guy?" Kathy asked as they left the zetabeam platform and set off towards Evelyn's house; Evelyn thought about it before responding.
"He's dangerous but I'm sure I can handle him on my own especially with my ring on my side." Evelyn said showing the aforementioned object before turning to walk up the path to the front door; taking a deep breath she opened the door walking in to the sounds of a familiar old voice.
"Well it's about time you got here; good graces you got big lass." The gruff voice of Joe West, Evelyn grandfather sounded from the hallway, she beamed before walking over and hugging him tightly. "So this is the girl that stole my granddaughter's heart eh?"
"It nice to meet you mister West I'm Katharine Kane" Kathy said smiling nervously as she went to shake his hand; Joe just grinned before pulling the surprised girl into a strong gripped hug as Evelyn laughed at the indignant squeak that left her lips.
"Just call me Joe Katharine come on then, let's not keep Mary waiting." Joe said jovially leading the pair of them into the dining room where Mary, Rudy, iris and Barry were setting up the meal. Mary looked over to see the two girls and smiled walking over and hugging her daughter.
'Moment of truth.' Evelyn thought as she walked over and wrapped her arm around Kathy's shoulder smiling at her mom.
"Mom this is Katharine Kane my girlfriend, Kathy is my mom Mary, my dad and my aunt iris." Evelyn said pointing to each person in turn.
"It's great to finally meet you Mrs West." Kathy said smiling nervously as she held out her hand to Mary who walked up to Kathy before hugging her.
"Please just call me Mary; It's nice to finally meet you too Kathy… you don't mind if I call you that do you?" Mary asked smiling at Kathy as she led them to their seats.
"No feel free Mary." Kathy responded as she sat down beside Evelyn facing her parents; Rudy smiled as he shook her hand.
"So Kathy when exactly did you set your eyes on my granddaughter?" Joe asked halfway through dinner; Evelyn nearly choked on her food before turning to look at Kathy with genuine interest as to the exact point she developed her attraction towards her.
"Well it was really after that sleepover in august that I first saw Eve in that way, you know since finding out we're both attracted to the girls. But what really lit a fire under me were the words of my cousin and those of Kent Nelson when we went to the tower of fate." Kathy explained to the gathered crowded her eyes focused on Evelyn's who was surprised to learn about how she got advice from Kent… kinda like the advice he gave Wally all those years ago on that tower top. What followed was a genuinely good family night.
"So I was thinking about horse riding for our next get together?" Kathy said as the pair walked towards the Zetabeam platform after dinner ended; Evelyn thought it over considering she had never ridden a horse before, it was an exciting idea.
"Sure why not, after all you can show me some of your vast equestrian talent." Evelyn said smiling slyly at the gothamite who laughed before giving a goodbye kiss stepping into the phone box.
'For once my life feels normal.' She thought before turning and heading homewards.
"So do you approve of my tastes?" Evelyn asked her mother once she returned to the house; the woman gave her daughter a bemused smile before turning back to the ironing she was doing.
"She seems like a lovely young girl, I mean she really cares about you which is good to see… but as long as your happy than she's got my seal of approval." She said with genuine warmth beneath her words; deeply touched Evelyn walked over and embraced the woman tightly before yawning and heading off to bed.
18:32 EDT LexCorp headquaters Metropolis September 18th 2010
"So I'm apparently being leant out to you then sweet cheeks?" Theodore asked smiling as he looked at beautiful blonde heiress who smirked at his words; the black suited giant man behind her rolled his eyes beneath his red tinted visor.
"You mission is simple Speed Demon: locate the Android by searching those potential locations without detection and signal the retrieval team when you do." Lux replied handing him the data pad as the speedster smiled transferring it to his holo-com on his brand new friction suit complete with a little present from his new boss.
"Well time for speedy Gonzales to get to work then." He said with a grin as he leaped to his feet and slipping on his full face mask as the now normal facing but bulkier red lightning bolt emblem on his chest started glowing. "Can't wait to put this gizmo to the test."
He disappeared in a gust of wind and red lightning.
18:43 EDT Mount justice 22nd September 2010
"So you believe that Sportmaster's might have been telling the truth about this mole?" Red Tornado inquired as he and Evelyn conversed quietly by themselves.
"Personally I think he was just trying to sow doubt in the teams mind… I'll investigate it on the sly but I'd trust anyone on this team with my life." She responded with conviction.
"Very well I will leave this in your hands… as well as the decision whether to inform the batman or not." Red Tornado replied watching her intently before turning to towards the approaching figure of Amelia.
"So I heard your covering for Green Arrow and Black Canary for their date RT?" Amelia asked the red android as he nodded.
"I shall return at the end of the shift… if you need me then contact the watchtower." He informed them, lingering his gaze on Evelyn who nodded before heading into the Zeta beam platform. Amelia yawned before turning to face Evelyn as the pair walked towards kitchen to grab something to eat. "So you excited about the new baby I mean I know it's still a while away but you get the idea?"
"I ecstatic about it I've always wanted a younger sibling." She replied happily as she felt her phone vibrate checking her messages she saw Kathy's text.
Be there in ten with robin just saying bye to babs, james and Bette
P.S: got Crystal fairy cakes for my special girl
"I hope my family's ok wherever they are." she said with quiet sadness noticing Evelyns smile at the message and promise of cakes it brought, Evelyn's smile turned to one of sadness as she gave the smaller girl a long hug ,before they both turned to grab a pair of cokes out the fridge. "Thanks Eve I needed a hug badly… sorry to put a downer on the whole baby thing."
"We're all here for you Amelia, we won't stop searching for them; not ever." Evelyn responded as the pair headed towards the practice range by the front door. They entered in time to see Mia hit three apples on separate pedestals elevated above one another to the clapping of a suited up Adrian.
"You're still grounded." Evelyn said to him frowning as he raised an eyebrow smiling back at her.
"And that means I can't wear my suit because?" he returned gaining an embarrassed flush out of her face. "Exactly oh fearless leader"
{Warning: Communications disabled, foreign user is accessing cave systems: Front, rear and hanger door overridden intruder alert!} The computerised voice informed them as the four of them raced out to see a terrifying sight.
"That's a lot of mister twisters." Power-girl said simply as the wave of androids turned to face them before raising their arms in unison and launching bolts of lightning at them. They rushed into the tunnel leading towards the living sections as Kid and Speedy fired explosive arrows and energy beams at them taking a few down as the explosive bolts blew the machines apart and the beams blasted off limbs and fried critical circuitry in their bodies.
"They don't seem as formidable as you said he was." Wildcat said as the two girls ducked behind the door arches for cover with Power-girl shielding him from harm. "My hero."
"Well the bolts were designed for tanks so they're stronger than what we had back then, plus my ring is a new thing." Kid flash began ducking a bolt of lightning before stepping out from behind cover forming a gatling gun like Guy had instructed her and began shredding apart a half dozen MT's before being catapulted back by a hurricane strong wind force, power-girl grabbed the other two and flew after her as Kid Flash righted herself and created a construct wall before crystallising it solid. "Second their probably mass production quality so their weaker but still packing the punching of the original… hopefully not including AKW's, but then it's expensive to make a lot of robots with those installed, so here's hoping."
"That doesn't answer the question of why the hell they're breaking down our door!" Speedy yelled as she notched an arrow in preparation.
"Whoa didn't know you ring could do that." Power-girl said tapping the wall as the sound of lightning hiting it from the other side reached their ears. Kid smiled as she accessed a wall port and turned on her holo-com.
"Power of love baby, shit robin and kathy are going to zeta right into an ambush… we need to reach them now… the quickest way is on the other side of the wall." Kid said looking at her three teammates, she had no way of re-establishing contact as the Invaders had blocked their coms and Megan wasn't close enough to hear her call for a mind-link, she couldn't believe she had forgotten the whole red inferno and red torpedo incident. Then again with the whole thing had happened twenty odd years ago and the things happening in her personal life had distracted her from remembering these sorts of things.
"Alright I got an idea, you two head towards the zeta beam platform, get rob and Kate and meet us in the armoury, I mean it's got a separate air filter and firewall right." Power-girl said looking at Wildcat and Kid Flash before looking at Speedy as she stood ready with her bow notched with a thermite arrow staring at the wall with steely determination. "Well push them back and hold them off long enough for you two to get down the corridor, take the vents I highly doubt T. built them to crawl around in those spaces, once your gone we'll split up and meet with Aqualad, Super-girl, Super-boy and Miss Martian."
The other three were stunned with the plan Amelia had devised, she blushed at their looks before turning to face the wall again.
"Alright then Once we regroup we'll come up with a plan of action, good luck." Kid said placing a hand on each of the girls shoulders as they nodded, she turned to look at Wildcat who extended his three metal blades on each wrist and gave her a single sharp nod. She exhaled before raising the ring and remembered her training as she exploded the wall outwards at the encroaching robots with Power-girl charging at them with a volley of arrows sailing past her while Kid flash And Wildcat rushed towards the side corridor and down it hearing the roar of Power-girl as she smashed into the wall of steel and circuitry.
"How many of those fuckers do you think are in here?" Wildcat asked as they barrelled down the corridor the distinct sounds of battle echoing throughout the base complex.
"Doesn't matter we need to contact the league and get some back up before someone gets seriously hurt." Kid replied leaping over a cyclone launched by a Twister emerging from a side room, Wildcat slide under the whirlwind before swiping up with his arm blades severing the left arm before spinning to horizontally bisecting the head neatly down the middle. Evelyn formed a pair of constructs around her arms in the shape of powered gauntlets and began going rocky on their metal asses, denting chests and smashing heads all the while still running on with a determined Wildcat keeping pace, the pair eventually reached the zeta beam room as they lit up releasing a suited Batwoman and robin, she was holding a bag in one hand but stopped as a number of twisters turned to face her arms raised.
'they're going to make lightning whirlwind!' Kid released before zipping ahead at supersonic speeds.
"So You got to meet Grandpa West then, isn't he great; you know he meet wonder woman back in the war." Robin said as they discussed how well things had gone for her at the Dinner.
"Yeah it was nice that he was so accepting of our relationship… I haven't felt this happy in a very long time, yet I have this feeling like something's Gonna bring it all crashing down around me." Kathy responded despairingly as robin entered the old box son followed by Batwoman.
"You'd be surprised at how hard it is to beat kid; she's always one step ahead." Robin replied grinning before he saw more than a dozen mister twisters standing there ready to attack them. "What the hell!"
"GET DOWN!" Kid commanded as she smashed into the two stationary figures knocking them both to the side away from the zetabeam platform which was struck by a dozen bolts of lightning over loading and destroying it in a brust of flames and flying shrapnel; she turned to Wildcat standing by her and quickly formed a large violet dome around them while Wildcat helped the startled gothamites to their feet checking them over for an injuries.
"What the hell is going on here kid, where did all the Twisters come from?" Robin yelled looking at the redhead as she started groaning with the effort of maintaining the dome under the barrage of lightning coming at her.
"Don't know but we've set a rally point in the armoury, once I drop the dome make for the vents and take down the motion and heat sensors, I'll cover the retreat Robin hack the system and rise the firewall against them and get them out of our network, Barwoman get on the com to the league we need back up." Kid said getting her orders across and crushing any argues with a single look before receiving reluctant nods from Robin and Batwoman. "ON my mark deploy screeners… three…two…one…Mark!"
With that Batwoman deployed her military garde Thermo, particle smoke with a jammer frequency in the containers wall. In short only a kryptonian could see through this cover and the three heroes made for the memorised location of the nearest vent. Kid on the only hand formed a gatling gun and began laying down a thick field of purple of beams counting down until the point where the screeners battery dies and turning towards the left passage towards the maintenance room where she would hopefully enter the vents there without the duct being filled with lightning.
'I just hope Power-girl and Speedy can reach the others in time.' She thought before racing out of room as the smoke began to clear.
"I HATE TINNIES!" Power-girl roared as she fly-tackled one MT sending it careering into its fellows like bowling ball to pins, she then launched a series of wide swings with her arms battering the robots around her, metallic limbs flying everywhere as she ducked one lightning bolt using her momentum to head butt the offending android into the wall before quickly smashing the back of her head into another. She was waiting for the signal from Speedy to show she got clear before setting off to find the love birds.
"I'm good PG get clear." Came the whispered response her focused ears were waiting to pick up as she turned her gaze towards the piping overhead and then onto the severed waist of a Twister unit; smiling she grabbed it and started spinning for a few moments releasing the metal body which went crashing into the pipe causing a burst of steam to flood the corridor, which would hopefully cover her escape as she zoomed towards motor pool where Conner and Megan had been getting some alone time.
"So Kaldur you wanted to see me?" Kara asked as she entered the boys changing room seeing Kaldur sitting down looking somewhat nervous as he looked down at his hands.
"I was hoping that you would help me with personal dilemma?" he responded as she walked over to the other bench and sat down opposite him.
"Sure what's the problem?" she answered giving him a 'knowing' grin; he took a deep breath before looking up at her with determination in his eyes.
"Ever since the smallville fair I've been thinking a lot about your friend Siobhan… I had enjoyed the time I had spent with her immensely and I wish to spend some more time with her… I was wondering if you might be able to help me with that… unlike the rest of you I have never needed to conceal my identity when off duty before, but now… I was hoping you could help me maintain the 'Calvin' side of me so I could perhaps pursue a relationship with her." He asked looking at her nervous but pushing through it; for her part Kara just grinned like the cat that got the canary.
"Of course I'll help you out Kaldur… Amelia told me about you and your friend Tula, getting back out there is the best thing to do." She said encouragingly as he smiled happily at her words; she paused looking thoughtful as she tried to think of all the challenges they would need to meet. "it'll take time solidifying your secret identity and helping you switch between the two… but with time-"
"What is it kara?" Kaldur asked with an alert tone in his voice as he watched the alien girl stand up looking at the door tense and alert; he got to his feet slipping into a battle stance as his military training took over both water bearers in hand.
"Base alarms went off, damn it, the lead shield in the changing room's walls are messing with my vision." She groaned in frustration as they both rushed towards the door; a massive wave of water came hurtling towards them from floor to ceiling. Without thought Aqualad entered the crab stance: planting his feet and stabilising his body as he brought his water bearers forward to create a dome around him protecting him from the force of the wave… Super girl wasn't that lucky. She was dragged back by surprise and pinned in the show room trying to move through the water which seemed to have increased in density and pressure. Turning at the metallic sounds of footsteps Aqualad was shocked to see a band of twelve Mister Twisters lacking the iconic scarf and more strangely the red figure in the middle that looked incredibly similar to Red Tornado and whom was clearly controlling the water judging from the way he had his arms raised and pointed directly towards Super-girl. As one, six of the robots raised their arms generating and firing lightning at the pinned and defenceless Kryptonian. Super girl roared in pain as the electricity was conducted through the water and into her body.
"Leave her alone!" Aqualad roared swinging his water bearers together towards the left forming an aqua sphere around the benches and dragging it around freezing it right before he released it, the frozen projectile raced towards the invaders of whom the six stationary units raised their hands and generated a wall of wind which shredded the ice ball with merciless efficiency. Growling Aqualad tried to assess the situation: in the confines of the room the wind abilities of the Twisters would be enhanced, furthermore the water controlling unit was using some form of technology which prevented his water bearers from using the same water as it was currently controlling.
'Think Kaldur what would the others do.' he thought to himself as he dodged a lightning bolt fired at him by one of the MT units, all the while super-girls screams filled his ears. 'of course this is the homefront… defender advantage… the pipes!'
He crouched down placing both water bearers on the floor, concentrating on his plan, slowly the ground beneath the robots rocked and rumbled before a geyser of water exploded in the middle of the robots, it immediately turned to steam condensed by the water bearers into a dome around the attackers and then immediately was frozen at his command; Aqualad smiled as the lightning attacks ceased against Super girl who tried to force her way towards him. He turned towards the showers in order to aid his comrade when the iceberg exploded sending shards towards him; were it not for his dense skin he would have shredded by the razor sharp ice fragments, despite that he was heavily cut by the attack. He was smashed into wall and watched as the red android seemed unfazed by his efforts despite being surrounded by the wrecks husks of its allies who clearly weren't designed to withstand water vapour entering their bodies and then rapidly freezing into ice crystals. What made matters worse was the sight of more Mister Twisters entering the room behind the red figure ready to recommence their assault.
'what now?' he thought desperately trying to think of a strategy to counter these automatons; he was thus surprised when the wall of the shower room exploded relieving the pressure on super girl, who was knocked off her feet by the shifting pressure, next he heard the whoosh of arrows as a smoke screen appeared in front of him; at this point Diana's training kicked in and he turned around sprinting into the shower room, reaching out to grab the stumbling form of super girl and pulling her up and after him as he saw the welcoming figure of Speedy in the corridor her bow raised and a bulbous headed arrow drawn. She loosed it the second they cleared the hole, it exploded into an expanding restrictive mass.
"On me we've going to the Rally Point." She said simply before running down the corridor towards a vent grate and prying it open for them and leading the way.
"So have you given anymore thought to joining the football team?" Megan inquired as Conner worked on one of his bikes; Sphere was rolling around behind him in an excited manner. "I mean with those solar ray bracelets you could negate your super strength and invulnerability?"
He paused in his work before looking at her smiling; she returned to gesture with a wide grin of her own.
"Alright since you're determined to see me on the pitch I'll give it a go." He said getting up and dusting himself off before adding. "Besides it would be nice to knock Daniel down a peg or two."
Megan squealed with delight as she jumped into her boyfriend's arms kissing him deeply as they wrapped their arms around one another. They remained like that for several minutes before Sphere began beeping frantically rolling over and ramming them; startled they looked down at the ball in surprise.
"Someone's jealous." Megan said slyly, but Conner looked around alert now as strange noises reached his ears.
"No something's wrong." Conner said looking at her shocked face.
{Warning Communications disabled, front, rear and, hanger door overridden intruder alert!} The computerised voice informed the two as they ran out on the garage and to the wide hanger space. They stopped stunned as a horde of Mister Twisters glided inside the open door, superboy glanced at the bioship.
'Already on it; powering up ship weaponry.' Miss Martian informed him as the red vessel roared into the life rising and turning to face the invading force; the pair checked for human operators and found all the units were unmanned. With a roaring sound the ship fired on the horde destroying several in a burst of light, the others returned fire with their lightning and whirlwinds battering the ship into the wall and hurting it badly. Miss Martian recoiled in symbiotic pain causing Superboy to roar in rage as he scooped up his girlfriend and headed towards the exit with sphere in tow.
"It's ok Megan we'll meet up with the others and call the-" superboy began as the door opened revealing a female android red and covered in flames; without hesitation he threw miss Martian to the side as a roaring maw of flames engulfed him and sphere. The boy stumbled out of it his clothes burned away, thankfully miss Martian had recovered from the link trauma and was staring at him in horror. "GET OUT OF THE WAY."
" she realised what he was doing and jumped to the side as he barrelled into the stone wall separating the hanger from one of the numerous secret passages; Superboy turned to her and gestured for her to follow, blushing she took after her naked boyfriend with sphere rolling in tow. The passage was pitching black something Miss Martian was thankfully for as she held onto her boyfriend's hand while they ran.
"Try to link up the team if you can Megan you can bet Eve's got a plan of action." Superboy told her from somewhere in front, she nodded before realising the futility of such an act and began searching the cave for the closet mind to them.
'Come on is there anyone within range respond please!' she thought desperately waiting several agonising minutes before a response reached her.
'Megan thank god are you alright, is Conner with you?' Came Power-girls relieved voice bringing sighs of gladness to the pair.
'We're in a side passage with sphere… em Conner lost his clothing's in a wave of fire so some spare would be welcomed.' Miss Martian responded slightly embarrassed by her words.
'Listen take the vents to the armoury, we're rallying there since its firewall isn't connected to the cave security system… I'll grab Conner's jumpsuit ok just get there.' Power-girl told them as the pair glanced at one another in the dark.
'Alright there's a vent in a few meters well see you there.' Superboy responded as he increased his pace, pulling Miss Martian into his arms carrying her bridal style as he ignored her squeals of surprise. Once there he placed her down and ripped the vent's grate off guiding her to it and turning to face sphere.
"I'm sorry boy but you won't fit in, go hide until we can get back here with the others alright?" he instructed the alien machine placing his hand on the metal surface gently. Sphere beeped in acknowledgement and rolled off into the distance. Turning and climbing in first Superboy turned to face Miss Martian and guided her into the vent. The dim red light would allow her to follow him without getting lost while he used his x-ray vision to see the way there.
"Ok we're here Armoury firewall held out against the cyber breach it seems." Robin said as the three dropped out of the secured and now unlocked ventilation shaft and into the cave armoury: the room was filled with boxes and crates of gadgets and equipment, arrows, capsules, hell even a pre-modified Black bat glider with rockets and Gatling gun still attached. The trio went about searching and cracking upon the crates with the gear capable of taking down the horde of robots currently occupying their base.
"So anyone got any ideas as to how a horde of T. robots managed to infiltrate the cave and why they're here in the first place?" Robin asked as he strapped a bandolier of high explosive and thermite Birdarangs to chest while Wildcat grabbed a number of thermite grenades from another crate.
"Don't know but it seems they've mass produced them… maybe the first time you face Mister Twister it was a prototype or something." Batwoman responded as she set about syncing her suit's system with the gliders operator system. "Boy am I glad dad ships them in ready for the front line… and to think Amelia wanted to see what the normal version of the glider looked like."
"Someone's in the vent!" Robin said as he looked to the source of banging coming from the open portal; the trio stared at it before super-girl fell out of vent landing in a crumpled heap with Speedy and Aqualad following suit. "Nice landing."
"Ha ha ha, well we all can't be skilled acrobats." Super-girl grumbled as Wildcat helped them to their feet; she patted herself down before looking around. "Where are Eve and the others?"
Another banging sound preceded the falling form of Kid Flash who was neatly caught in Batwoman's arms, her having rushed over when the other three had arrived.
"Coms are jammed and I have no idea how many the attackers' number." Kid told them as Batwoman placed her down; once more the sound of movement in the vents alerted them to the arrival of a naked Superboy, a flustered Miss Martian and a rather relieved looking Power-girl with a pair of boots and a super-boy jumpsuit in her hands.
"Why are you naked, where are your clothes!" Super-girl yelled turning red as she rushed forward turning round to block the others view of the naked boy. The rest of the team whistled awkwardly as they looked anywhere but at the boy.
"Weren't fire resistant" He joked accepting the jumpsuit and boots that Power-girl chucked at him before she looking around at the others. "We ran into a red tornado lookalike, the thing is it was a she and fire was her element."
"Yeah we ran into a red android with a talent for water manipulation." Super-girl added frowning before looking at the others. "RT never mentioned Siblings."
"I guess he never knew… although we can't get through to the watchtower for him-"Kid flash began before stopping hitting her head in Martian style. "Hello kid! That's how they got in."
"Care to explain kid?" Robin asked confused.
"When we brought the original mister twister back to the cave for analysis none of us gave thought to the possibility that it could be harbouring malware that could have infiltrated our systems." She told them as they realised the truth behind her words.
"Makes sense that T. would have backups for his plan." Robin said leaning on a wall as they heard banging on the vault door; they all whirled around. "Guess they found us then… I'm going go out on a limb and suggest that they're trying to stop us from alerting the league to the attack, if they control the system then they know that RT is the only one on watch and if he suspects something's up then?"
"He'll come alone to investigate it." Batwoman finished as she fed the bullet of ammunition into the Gatling gun on her glider looking round grim faced.
'If I work at it then I can maybe save Red Torpedo and Red Inferno… I mean once we knock out the robots then we can neutralise the twisters and restrain the reds so they don't infect RT!' Kid thought to herself; it would be taking a big risk in changing the outcome of the future mission but if it saved Red Tornado's only real family then…
"so Kid what's our plan of attack?" Robin asked looking towards the speedster with the same deference he gave to batman.
"We create an EMP blast and knock them all out!" she said with gusto as she grinned at the team, using her ring to create a hologram of the x-ray vacuum tube and the central power generator in the hanger. "Robin will move via the vents to retrieve and reprogram the x-ray vacuum tube before making his way to the generator with Aqualad and Miss Martian for back up while we act as a distraction… I think this is one of those times someone puts the helmet on."
"I'll do it." Wildcat said gaining surprised looks from the others. "I'm still injured so it would increase my effectiveness for the fight."
"Alright then you'll make straight for the trophy room with Speedy and Super boy via the vents, Me Power girl, super girl and Batwoman will take the fight to the machines draw them away from both your objectives; BW can that glider of yours clear the way for us?" Kid Flash asked the girl who smiled taking a small black handset out of her belt and pressing a button on it, the war machine roared to life lifting itself to hover a meter off the ground.
"Lets take back the homefront!" Robin said raising his fist up high, power girl, Kid Flash and super-girl got ready in the front with Batwoman behind on her glider waiting for Kid's signal to open the door. She nodded and the heavy blast door opened; a wall of Mister Twisters stood there arms raised forward.
"DUCK!" Batwoman yelled as the three heroines hit the deck while the whirling sound of the Gatling gun roared into life shredding the wall of automatons in devastating fashion; a couple of missiles fired out along with some scything beams of heat vision from Super-girl and blasts from kids rings before the hall was littered with ruined robotic parts.
"Damn! You guys don't think that might have been all of them do you?" Power-girl asked hopefully hovering to her feet along with kid and super-girl who both shock their heads at her before gliding off with Batwoman in tail her gilder occasionally scratching the sides of the passageway. "A girl can hope."
'Alright then we'll draw the rest of the Twisters and hopefully those reds towards us meanwhile leaving Fate team and Pulse team to reach their targets unnoticed.' Kid instructed the team on the mind-link while also blasting away at the twister units in front of her along with Batwoman's glider armaments and Super-girl heat vision while Power-girl used the wrecked parts as projectiles, hurling at any target she could; they were making their way towards the rear entrance so as to ensure the entire invading force got caught in the pulse wave.
"You know these guys aren't even half as good in a scrap compared to the first Mister Twister we fought." Super-girl commented as she bisected one robot before roundhouse kicking another; Evelyn grinned as she swung her purple crystal katana and cleaved through two more robots like butter.
"I guess these are running off basic programming, the original was probably being remote controlled by T. himself." She offered as she lifted the crystal construct over her head and threw it at one Twister trying to close in on Batwoman as she pushed on with her glider cutting down the invaders in clattering waves. It impaled the robot through the chest alerting Batwoman who ducked it's attack before reaching behind the robot grabbing the weapons gleaming handle and pulling it before decapitating the robot with it cleanly.
{Warning ring power levels at 10%, it is advised to seek recharging within 24 earth hours and to cut short any intergalactic void travel.} the ring's built in A.I companion informed Kid Flash as the group broke through into the advance combat room.
'Guess Guy's lesson of 'never let the ring charge drop below 25%' hasn't kicked in yet.' She thought as she heard the other team's updates in her head.
Meanwhile…
"So Supey how's the girls doing?" Wildcat asked as they waited in the vent above the trophies; super-boy was staring intently through the wall while Speedy was posed by the vent grate to launch their part of the plan.
"The Twisters are moving away now… still no sign of the reds." He informed the two as Speedy kicked the grate off and leaped down to the ground, an arrow posed to be loosed at the door while Wildcat rushed over to the helmet before turning to look at the others.
"Make sure he takes it off afterwards ok." He spoke to Super-boy who nodded before he took a deep breath and slipped the helmet on.
'Super-boy here fate's in the game; we're moving to engage now.' Super-boy communicated across the mind link as the trio rushed into the hallway while a wave of Twisters appeared around a corner and raised their combined arms out towards them. Fate created a Arkh barrier against the hurricane force wind and began pushing forward towards them; Speedy twirled around loosening two arrows into each of the eye sockets of a Twister who tried to creep up on them.
'How are things going on your end Robin; you finished building the EMP yet?' Speedy asked across the link while impaling any flanking Twister units that got passed the herding barrier made by fate.
'I'M A LITTLE BUSY AT THE MOMENT!' came the irritated mental reply from the boy wonder as he coped with some unseen issue; the trio continued their goal of driving the Mister Twisters towards the main group and then contain them while the others set off the EMP… or so they hoped at any rate.
"Alright the girls have begun their attack lets reach the medbay." Robin said as he watched the camera footage on his holo-com, he began crawling through the vents with Aqualad and Miss Martian in tow as his back up. The route he had planned would take him through the overhead vents then the crawlspace beneath the floor and then through the water access pipe into the water of the hanger. The sounds of machine gun fire and explosions reached their ears as the three of them travelled along the pipes.
"Just what the hell is going on out there?" Robin asked as several bits of metal came screeching through the metal floor in front of him embedding within the vent's ceiling leaving several beams of light pricing through the darkness.
"I do not think sitting idle will help the situation robin." Aqualad whispered looking at the younger boy who nodded before looking down at his map; they trio needed to reach the Med bay and retrieve the device before moving onto hanger bay where the main generator was located.
'After all that's why my friends are risking their life's out there.' Robin thought as the three of them crawled through the dark vent; eventually they reached the room, Robin lowered down a snake cam and saw that the coast was clear signalling his escorts to drop down.
"Work quickly we only control the vent systems." Aqualad reminded him as he and Miss Martian stood guard while he ran over to MRI machine and began working on vacuum tube. Suddenly a trio of Twisters marched into the room arms raised ready to attack; without pause Miss Martian used her telekinesis to redirect the arms of the middle and right one to face one another causing them to blast each other away while Aqualad ducked the remaining one's lightning attack and impaled him with a water sword before discharging his electricity through it causing the robot to drop like a rock.
'How are things going on your end Robin; you finished building the EMP yet?' Speedy said over the link.
'I'M A LITTLE BUSY AT THE MOMENT!' Robin replied as tried not to blow them all up.
"Hurry Robin before more arrive!" Aqualad urged him as the boy wonder fought to remain calm under the pressure; he remembered his training as he carried out KF's instructions to the letter before turning and nodding to them.
The trio ran through the corridor and towards the crawl space hatch; Miss Martian opened it and the two boys slide inside with her closing it behind her. The teen heroes began moving quickly towards the hanger careful not to alert the Twisters standing above them; soon enough they reached the point only to find however at least dozen Twisters standing guard by a motionless Bioship.
"She's hurt real bad, it's taking all my concentration not to let the mental pain enter the mind link." Miss Martian whispered to them; they nodded before Aqualad assessed the situation and came up with a plan.
"Miss Martian and I will make a break for the rear door; with luck the Twisters will assume we're heading out to get help leaving you free to reach the generator." He inform the other two, Robin looked trouble but nodded in understanding. Aqualad held up his hand counting down with his fingers before bursting out of the crawlspace and making a break for the water with Miss Martian in tow. Robin watch via his snake cam waiting for the right moment to stealthy climb out of the hole and then rushing towards his objective, while bent over cradling the Vacuum Tube. Once he reached the edge of floor he paused momentarily to secure the device on his back, before firing his grappling hook and flew towards the generator with a dull echoing clang; swearing under his breath he unslung the device and pulled the panel off the generator slotting it he tube in and setting it up. there was several moments of of silence before he realised nothing was happening; he examined the device franticly looking for the source of the problem before finding it, his heart beating like a speedster under the stress.
"Damn it the electrodes aren't long enough." Robin cursed before remembering his birdarangs and reaching down to grab one. A sudden gust of wind blew him off his feet and nearly flung him from the generators side; his hand managed to grip the side of the open panel as he turned to see a lone Twister hammering him with his gale force wind his unchanging expression taunting the young hero.
'Everyone is relying on me I can't fail; I won't fail.' Robin thought gritting his teeth as he pulled himself towards the opening with all his might; the robot intensified its assault pushing the boy wonder back until only the tips of his fingers kept him tethered to the machine. Suddenly the whirlwind halted causing the startled boy to fail to the ground hard, groaning he looked up to see Sphere smashing into the Twister while a dozen more had arrived from the corridor gliding towards him with hast, he rushed to his feet moving to face the open panel his birdarang in hand.
"Consider yourselves unbooted." Robin growled slamming the metal tool in between the electrodes blasting him back into the air where Miss Martian was able to catch him and lower him down gentle.
Evelyn watched as the pulse wave passed through the horde of Mister Twister's standing right in front of her; she also heard a loud clanging noise as she whirled around to see Kathy laying on her side sprawled having been knocked off her glider when it dropped to ground, thankfully she was already clambering to her feet groaning while Super girl and Power girl began the long process of decapitating the twisters before the pulse wore off.
'Good job everyone have fate stand down once the robots have been neutralised; I don't want to take the chance that they might have reboot hardware in them.'Kid Flash instructed on the mind link as she powered down her ring saving it for any issues that might crop up. she began walking around vibrating her hand through the heads of the robots causing them to exploded and fall apart.
'Hey anyone got eyes on those two reds?' Robin's voice sounded in the team's minds; KF paused a feeling of cold dread creeping up her spine.
'living quarters clear.' Super-boy said
'Obstacle course clear'Came Speedy's exhausted voice
'Training room clear!' Power-girl chipped in
'Got nothing with my x-ray vision.' Super girl informed them glancing around at Kid; she disappeared in a flash of yellow lightning as she checked each and every room in the base fatigue forgotten.
'No nothing where did they go?' she thought as she came to halt before turning around and rushing towards the front door; she show that it was open and raced outside to the sheltered clearing beyond. The landscape was in ruins, the ground was burnt and muddy in places, several trees were uprooted and there was the stench of ashes in the air.
'Robin can you access the caves camera footage for the front door?' KF instructed over the link her tone full of fear. who knew what sensitive information the light could gleam from Red Tornado's data banks concerning the league and its secrets.
'the EMP knocked out everything Kid the system has a back but we'll have to wait on the reboot first.' Super-girl explained over the link; Kid Flash hesitated thinking about what might happen if she left her team to handle clean up and any possible threats that this universe might have in store for them while she ran off to alert the league.
'I have alert Zatara to what is happening at the cave.' Came the voice of Dr Fate in Kid's mind; she sighed with relief as rushed back inside to see the team looking at her battered and bruised while the supers went about stacking the broken husks of robots in a large pile.
Aqualad walked over to her looking concerned.
"What is it Kid?" he asked gravely with Super-boy pausing to glance at her while Robin and Batwoman worked on a terminal trying to get the systems back on line.
"There were signs of battle outside the cave's entrance… I think the two Red's ambushed Red Tornado and abducted him leaving the Twisters to deal with us and cover their escape… I need to see that Camera footage ASAP." She told the room directing the last part towards the bat clan who nodded and turned back to their workings.
"Where's Speedy and Miss Martian?" Kid asked just noticing the two were gone; the link was still up so they weren't in trouble.
"They went to check on the Bioship." Super-boy spoke up as he deposited a pile of the broken machinery in the expanding mound turning to face Kid as he spoke. "The ship got hurt during the attack Megan say's she had to work hard to keep the psychic backlash of the ship's pain from hitting us all via the mind link."
'Listen up everyone, stay alert this isn't over until the league arrive.' Kid instructed her team wondering what other changes lay ahead of them all.
02:21 EDT LexCorp Warehouse 115 Metropolis September 23rd 2010
"I gotta say they buried that thing pretty deep, I mean five miles underground with lead shielding to boot." Theodore said loudly as Ravager and Marauder followed him into the large shielded building. Marauder was pulling a wheeled flatbed trolley with a large lead lined create on it. Lux and Lex smiled as the enforcers pulled it off the trolley and positioned it up right in front of them.
"Efficient and dependable just as the good professor said about you Speed Demon." Lex complimented the speedster who grinned and gave a theatrical bow while ravager and marauder rolled their eyes. "Mercy if you'd please."
The bodyguard walked forward and ripped the lid off the create exposing the contents to the room; it was a towering metal figure around seven and a half feet tall, bright silver in colour with clawed hands and a broad chest with a circular crest extending a few centimeters from the from the surface, it's face was a cross between a skull and a demon with its mouth set in a permanent scream. Nodding to his daughter who opened the metal box in her gloved hands revealing a large glowing green rock, Lex reached over with his gloved hand and took hold of the rock before walking over and pressing a button on the crest. It hissed as it opened revealing a open chamber into which he placed the rock before closing it again. The android remained still for a few moments before a humming sound began to eminate from the chamber and vibrant green lines appeared to run along accents in it's surface and spread along it's body reacting down to its hands and feet before moving up to its head turning its mouth and eyes a sinister unearthly green.
"Command: 11-32-08, open Processor port and switch to safety mode." Lex said with complete clarity as anidroids head moved up to stare at him with a burning intensity.
{Voice and visual recognition conformed: Joint project leader Alexander Lionel Luthor.} the deep and fearing inspiring voice announced to the gathered crowd resulting in a wide grin appearing on Lex's face. {Command accepted, safety mode engaged, opening processor port}
The machines face split in half revealing a complex looking computer within with a data chip being ejected into Lex's outstretched hand, he moved his hand into his pocket and took out another one inserting it into the port and watching the android's face close up again.
"Mr Luthor word from Marrow; the operation was successfully and he has begun downloading all data Red Tornado has on the personalities, abilities, personal information of the leaguers and their associate members." Mercy informed him as she lowered her hand from her ear.
"Excellent as soon as he's down have him transfer the data to lab in Biayla." He said as she turned back towards the android which stared at him unmoving. "with the learning capabilities of the Ivo's software then our dear Metallo here, will have no issue adapting and developing counters to and ways to take down each and every member of the Justice League International and the so called Young Justice League."
A/N: So what you guys think, compared to the last chapter the content from the episode was a much larger section of the chapter; i thought that the potential intel gained from acquiring Red Tornado might justify using a large force of massed produced Mister Twisters to assault the cave.
We got to see Megan and Conners first official date, along with sparks between Kaldur and Siobhan, though can the Atlantean make it work, will Kara ever find love maybe you guys can give me a hand with that.
in my opinion no flash story is complete without a reverse speedster to do battle with them between the raindrops. so i give you Speed Demon.
i never liked how batman didn't seem to catch onto the lights activity considering his status as the worlds greatest detective so i gave him a little credit for his lack of progress at this point.
I like making new backgrounds for the characters i use, so metallo was no exception being an android this time around and not a cyborg.
So now i just need to collect my ideas on the next chapter: watch the episode, picture my team in their place, how they would handle the situation, how the light would react to combat them, what kid would do, you get the idea. once that happens we'll be halfway through the series unless i can make another in between chapter like terror of steelburg.
Remember to leave a review telling what you liked, what you think might improve the chapter or story, and what you might like to see in future. Constructive criticism is welcomed as it leads to productive thinking. and as usual feel free to ask a question or to have me explain something you don't understand, also pointing out any inconsistency which might affect the story so i can fix them.
Till next time dear reader, this is Greywolf41 Esquire signing off!