"We need to talk about expanding." Dean said. Oliver nodded.
"We need to find Dr Strange first. He's got a lot of explaining to do." He said. Oliver had decided that skills transfer was necessary to find any weak links in the assembled force. Everyone had something teachable, and it gave them something to do.
The Sorcerer was sitting cross legged, staring at a wall.
"Dude's fucking weird." Dean said. "He was like that last night too."
"Doctor Strange. You had some things you wanted to say to us?" Oliver said.
"Ah yes, Mr Queen. You should gather your people. This is something everyone needs to hear." The bearded man stood up. He nodded towards the bustling warehouse. Oliver whistled loudly getting everyone's attention. The crowd gathered quickly.
"I got it!" Barry said. Row after row of folding chairs rapidly appeared. Steve laughed cheerfully.
"I am never going to get tired of seeing that." The first avenger said.
"It is indeed like I am on Asgard." Thor said. The crowd grew quiet as everyone took their seats. Everyone's attention was locked on the robed man.
"My name is Stephen Strange. A long time ago, I was given powers to fight the occult that threatens my world. Through a rather complex series of events I was awarded a seat on the council of Guardians. We are tasked with keeping the Rot contained. As you can see, we're not doing the greatest job." He chuckled nervously. "I believe I am one of the last guardians left living. The Rot broke free and began killing us. I understand that my colleague Doctor Fate was coordinating your response here."
"If by coordinate you mean dumbass vague knife-o-grams" Diggle said. "Then yes."
"Yeah. He's never exactly been straight with us." Thomas said.
"He is a fan of the theatrical." The sorcerer said. "He is on the front lines as of right now, otherwise he would be much more direct."
"What front lines?" Frank Castle asked.
"THE front lines Mr Castle. The only ones that matter. He is with every surviving Guardian on the Core world. He is shoring up the defenses for the eventuality that the Rot finds the core. You are the last line of defense. We will be busy with the Rot itself, we need your people to fight the infantry war with the infected."
"So we're doing your dirty work." Matt Murdock said. "That doesn't sit right with me."
"You do know what the stakes are don't you Daredevil?" Batman spoke for the first time. "This isn't just about your world. This is about every world that exists, has existed, or ever will exist."
"Settle down. He's not done." Oliver barked.
Strange nodded gratefully at the archer. He took a deep breath and continued talking. "We don't like it any more than you do. But the Rot's tactics have evolved. It has gone from sending champions to probe our defenses, to building an army. We can't fight both and if we lose, everyone loses." He said.
"I understand that. I don't like it but I understand it." Daredevil muttered.
"I will be teaching the angel how to properly use the Key, and then I will be leaving to assist my comrades." The sorcerer finished. The group got up and went about their day, Barry stacking the chairs in an instant.
"How is she?" The Avengers resident archer drifted over to the ODST medic.
"She's in and out of consciousness. Clint, I'm doing everything I can." Smith said. His shoulders sagged, he dropped himself down into a chair next to the wounded Black Widow.
Matt went back to the training area and picked up sparring with Laurel, and Cooper. Frank, Dean, and Digg were inventorying the armory and swapping notes. Bruce Wayne, Bruce Banner, Tony, Barry, and Felicity were in the process of completely overhauling the computer system. People were lounging or working out. It was a well-earned day of rest. Oliver thought this was a good opportunity for the new people to shake down, to feel a part of things. He stopped by the makeshift infirmary in one corner of the warehouse.
"It's gonna be a while before I'm back in fighting shape." Roy rolled his shoulder experimentally as Oliver approached.
"Roy Harper! I swear to god if you pop those stitches I will let you bleed out!" Smith called from her place tending Vale. Roy stopped moving his shoulder abruptly.
"She frightens me more than those alien zombie things." He said. Oliver smiled, sitting down next to the cot.
"How are you feeling?" Oliver asked.
"Well that needle thing produced something she called micro shrapnel. So she basically had to make hamburger meat out of my shoulder to get it all out. I've been better." Roy settled back onto his cot, wincing.
"You rest up okay? Don't push yourself. If she clears you to leave, maybe go spend some time with Thea." Oliver said.
"She called you I'm guessing?"
"I have fifty very angry voicemails." Oliver said wryly. Roy laughed and then winced again. Oliver nodded and got up. He walked over towards Clint.
"How is she?" He asked. The other archer jumped as if startled.
"Oh..uh she's good. She's been in and out."
"You guys are close?"
"Yeah. I'd never let Tony hear it but these guys are probably as close to friends as I have right now. It always hurts to see your friends like this you know?" He cleared his throat.
"I'm a little new to the whole team system but I understand. What's her name?" Oliver asked.
"Her name is Natasha." Clint said.
"Natasha is going to be fine." Oliver said firmly. "We have a range set up outside if you need to blow off steam."
"Thanks man. I think I'm going to hang here until she wakes up." Clint said. Oliver drifted back towards the center of the warehouse, checking in on various groups as he walked.
"Are we sure he's blind?" Cooper panted, leaning against a punching bag in the sparring area. Laurel wiped sweat off of her forehead before rushing back in. Two quick blows later, she was on her back again.
"I can track you by your heartbeat, the sound your clothes make when you move, even your breath." Matt said calmly. Cooper steadied his breath and waited for Laurel to get up. They both attacked together, Laurel throwing a vicious kick at Matt's stomach, Cooper swinging at his head. Matt caught Laurels foot throwing her backwards, Coopers punch landed but Matt responded with a vicious kick to the knee. The bout ended the same as the first one with Daredevil standing victorious.
"You guys are good." He said helping them both to their feet.
"Matt here has been fighting like nothing but Ninjas for the last six months, so don't take it too hard." A pale black haired woman said from outside the ring.
"Jessica." Matt greeted. "How's the arm?"
"Hurts pretty damn bad. I'll live though. I heal fast."
"I guess the six pack convention is in town." Felicity said rolling out from beneath the expanding computer station. Bruce Banner shot her a weird look. Bruce Wayne just kept working on one of the screens.
"That was out loud wasn't' it?"
"We definitely talked about this Felicity." Barry said laughing.
"I got distracted by…that!" She gestured toward Arthur, Hal, Steve, and Diana taking advantage of Oliver's extensive workout set up. Aquaman was cranking out pull ups with a dozen cinderblocks attached to his ankles.
"Is she always like this?" Tony asked
"Today is a good day." Bruce Wayne grunted.
"Okay..that…should…do it!" Felicity smiled broadly. Three screens flicker to life, running diagnostics.
"Full tactical readout, coupled with the most powerful transmitter we have means we shouldn't lose our eyes next time we take a trip." Barry said.
"Everyone is getting WayneTech bio-readouts at some point, I'm going to have to venture back to Gotham but you should be able to track our vitals once we get everyone hooked up." Bruce Wayne said.
"We are absolutely exchanging R and D people for a month once all of this is over." Tony said.
"Only if you can get me a sample of that alloy Steve's shield is made of." Bruce Wayne said.
"I would give you a kidney if it would help." Tony laughed. The scene in the workout area was worsening. Thor had wandered over, and now the Asgardian and the King of Atlantis were engaged in a vicious arm wrestling match.
"How the hell am I supposed to get any work done here?" Felicity muttered to herself. "The testosterone fog is overwhelming."
Dean, Digg, and Frank, were all sitting around a folding table in the makeshift armory, laughing when Oliver arrived.
"This guy is a freakin riot!" Dean said clapped Frank on the shoulders. The Punisher was allowing himself a rare smile.
"Yeah well…it's nice to be around my kind of people again." He said.
"That transition to civilian can be a bit rough yeah. I can't even imagine how it's gonna be retiring from the vigilante gig." Digg said.
"Let's just focus on this first. I will be the first to attend your retirement party if we make it to the end of this." Dean grinned.
"You need something Oliver?" Digg asked.
"Besides a vacation?" Oliver asked jokingly.
"Burdens of command getting to you, oh dear leader?" Dean asked.
"Just logistics. We have to count on our numbers increasing right? We might have to move again." Oliver said, settling into a chair and rubbing his brow heavily.
"Housing an army undetected in a city is a heavy ask." Frank said.
"I still have issues wrapping my head around the word army." Oliver said.
"How are the ODST's doing?" Digg asked.
"They grieve in their own way according to their sergeant. Some kind of private thing." Oliver said.
Oliver left them to their conversation with that, heading to his bunk. He flopped down heavily, desperate to catch a few needed hours of shuteye. He slept harder than he has in his entire life.