[23rd July 2010]
[Government Offices, Kildare Street, Dublin]
"He was sent on a possible international incident causing mission by the Justice League and...took over a small island in the process is what your telling me?" Commandant Eoin Og O'Reilly heard come back in a mixture of exasperated horror, weariness and just plain confusion from the Taoiseach who was sitting and rubbing his head at the top of the table here in the secure conference room "...I was under the, evidently mistaken, impression that we were sending him to the Justice League for training. Not. For. Black.Ops. Missions. That. Turn-out. Like. This"
Eoin maintained a blank faced look, or stoic as he preferred to think of it, and nodded in the affirmative as a few of those present winced at the Taoiseach's teeth grinding tone towards the end of his reply "Yes Taoiseach, I'm afraid the summary we were supplied by our Agent has been confirmed to us for the Justice League by Batman through..." he nodded respectfully towards another unhappy Cabinet Minister who'd also been dragged here in the pre-dawn hours "...the Office of Foreign Affairs just after midnight. Utilising the abilities of Mr.'s Consantine and Finn, along with the pre-arranged supplies from Agent Amergin, we have already dispatched both mages and a full Ranger team to the site as per protocol. Situation is last reported as tense but secure with a request for clarification on how to proceed"
A snort of bitter amusement "Proceed? My boy I'm not entirely sure I'm not having some sort bad dream right now. After all it's not every day that an agent of the State accidentally conquers a small island nation now is it?"
Something of a stage cough came from Minister of Foreign Affairs "Santa Prisca isn't truly recognised as a State Taoiseach, it has existed more as a home for the Drug Cartels and ruled over by an occasional supervillian such as the notorious Bane recently to act as enforcer of sorts..."
Eoin interjected calmly as the Minister trailed off "And most recently by the Cult of Kobra who were in the midst of a drug deal of mammoth proportions. Owing to the nature of that organisation we are lucky that it was ended before they could complete the transaction and fuel another terror campaign. While the outcome is not what we would have preferred, it is better than the alternative and we have a true opportunity right now to end a number of threats in one blow..." he stated handing over a hand-written list of objectives and mission goals he and the others in SHIELD had agreed upon now that such a chance has arrived"
The Taoiseach paused, opened up the folder and began to read, frown, then read some more and then look up and the Commandant with a disbelieving look upon his face "Are you perhaps drunk Commandant O'Reilly? Or is the madness of Agent Amergin contagious?"
It was a valid question he supposed, after all he himself wondered if this was just some particularly pleasant lucid dream at times, or a particularly bizarre nightmare at others "No Taoiseach I have not, nor do I believe mine or any of those within S.H.I.E.L.D's have been impaired. Operation-Aplha-03 is already being performed upon the captured members of the Cult of Kobra, or more accurately, their captured leadership by our onsite team. I can confirm that funds are already being emptied from every account the organisation possesses to ones designated by ourselves as we speak. Also they are currently revealing all known cells, supply dumps and other resources vital to that organisation...which I would recommend we supply to the British Intelligence Services of course, but also the Americans, Russians and Chinese immediately so that the Cult of Kobra can be eliminated root and branch"
His superior was shaking his head disbelief "This has to be illegal in some way. Mind controlling them to give up all their information and rob them blind? That's hardly going to stand up in Court now is it Commandant?"
'I very much doubt they'll live long enough to see a prison cell in most cases I expect. And no bloody loss that'll be either' he told himself as he maintained his calmly professional tone "The confessions of course won't Taoiseach, but currently Santa Prisca is held to be outside most international treaties over its residents..." because of the Drug Cartels bribes mostly. Wasn't the definition of irony now that'd it be turned against them? "...and the truth is it would be merely be a larger, less bloody, version of what occurred when Bane and the current cartels arose to power over the previous regime"
"It's Mind Control Commandant"
"Only temporarily and it's a resource we have available Taoiseach. One that could at one blow shatter the cartels for years before they manage to reorganise. And one in which we have no direct ties too by utilising Agent Amergin and his associates as a front on the island for the foreseeable future. This opportunity may never come again, and with the day these groups may become aware in the island's change in status. We need to strike now while the opportunity presents itself"
A deep, tired sigh, came from across the table "So you want to grab, with magic of course, the heads of all the cartels living on the island and do the exact same with mind-control and mind-reading via our team of what I'm suspecting are evil wizards? Then prop up a teenager as the wizard ruler of the island afterwards and use said funds to rebuild said island and fund SHIELD as well? Am I reading this correctly?"
"And their accountants and senior legal counsel too Taoiseach, and once that's done we release all the information afterwards to authorities deemed useful. Quite simply the Cartels are too well entrenched on that island to other than treat this failed mission as anything other than a direct attack upon them. There would be retaliation regardless, and definitely resistance to any attempts at reform. Through this manner we remove their capacity to retaliate as well as destabilise their organizations. While there will likely be some fallout and power struggles resulting from this the damage from this to ourselves, and our allies, than if we do nothing. We have already taken one point three billion in the name of Santa Prisca as we speak from Kobra alone. I assure you...this operation shall more than pay for itself" he replied confidently and pressing for a decision. Time was of the essence and it was best to strike now while the iron was hot.
Another deep, tired, sigh followed by some scratching on paper "You know what Commandant? Go ahead, and make sure none of this sees the light of day please God. We'll discuss the Justice League's role in this farce, as well as false promises after I've gotten some bloody sleep"
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[23rd July 2010]
[The Watchtower, Earth Orbit]
Princess Diana of Themyscira watched the globe below as the bickering around her continued between her comrades in arms. Or at least those of the Justice League most affected by the events, or available on such short notice, this early in the morning. Upon the main screen behind her she could hear the faint hum of various data-feeds alongside some Spanish language channels that had yet to realise the disastrous situation that had occurred last night.
'And is still occurring in so many ways' as she ended the brief few moments of respite from gazing out over the view of globe below and back towards the others. The initial outbursts of confusion, anger, and re-explaining everything once another member of the League arrived had died now and at least now they might be able to salvage something from this failed expedition by their younger counterparts.
Something she had been unhappy about from the start, though even she had never imagined it could have gone this disastrously wrong...or perhaps this frightening right. In another time and place not too long past she would perhaps have considered the crushing defeat inflicted upon such forces of evil as been something worthy of celebration.
Of course some small voice at the back of her mind told her that she had been right for all the wrong reasons; far from lacking ability as she feared it seemed the children had too much of that and merely lacked guidance, leadership and restraint. A dangerous combination when matched with another their age with a far different mindset and trained by a mentor with no little to no concept of restraint in the face of a foe according to Zatara. She sighed at self-directed anger that almost boiled up. Foolish on their part to send inexperienced warriors off to battle without a seasoned captain to maintain order!
Barry at least seemed to have calmed himself and now sat not too far away at the table drinking deeply of a mug of coffee with occasional glances at the screen. Something she could do with herself after yet another long arduous day and night without rest. Perhaps soon she told herself as she took a step towards the others and attempted to restart the conversation "Now that we have cooled our heads as the heat of the battle has passed, we need to decide what to do...with what has been thrust upon us this past night"
A fist slammed into the conference table somewhat angrily. Or at least strong enough to draw attention to the annoyance of the individual possessing the fist, for if Clark had truly been enraged she very much doubt the reinforced conference table would have survived very long "We need to get that...boy...away from the rest of the Team of the League's protégés is what we need to do! He's a younger version of Lex flippin' Luthor Diana, especially after the past day! Setting up the Team was a mistake and we're paying for it now"
Barry chuckled tiredly "Heh, maybe Luthor cloned himself so he could have hair and magic powers the second time around?"
Clark glared at the Flash for a moment as Barry looked back with a forced smile till the Kyrptonian looked down at the table and seemed to sag forward to resting on the table. Barry sighed "Guys, everyone of them made it out alive and unharmed, and honestly..." he sighed
"...this is as much our fault for letting it get this far as anyone elses. Let's be honest about this; Diana said the Team being formed, or at least not getting the needed training was a bad idea, Bats warned us this mission was a terrible idea from the start. Skullsy himself gave him a written report saying this was a bad idea, and Zatara has warned us about Skullsy Mentor every time we bring him up. Now I'll admit I doubt any of us would have thought they'd end up taking over the place..." he shook his in seeming disbelief
"...but what's done is done. So let's move unto to how to fix this. All I'll say further...if this is young John Fortune trying to be a hero...do we really want to see what he'll be like if we burn bridges entirely and let him here alone to build his Skull Fortress or whatever for a few years?"
Diana frowned at that as took her seat. Barry would often play the part of the fool to lighten the mood, but his words were often wise and right this moment he seemed rather serious about halting any rash actions towards the Team as a whole. And of course allowing the problem of the 'Team Leader' of that group to simmer into darkness for the future now that he'd somehow managed to take over the small island used by the drug cartels with his 'taking charge' of the mission. Bruce's gravelly voice though injected as he gazed at a data-pad held in his hand.
"That maybe a matter for later, as there is further complication after arising since our departure"
Barry blinked dramatically and motioned with his coffee at the holo-screens as she and the others at Bruce "Oh, what now Bat's? They've invaded Cuba and taken charge there too? I thought we left Zatara there to stop something like that happening...annnnddddd that's a fear I didn't think I'd ever have for Kid Flash till today"
Personally she would have preferred to have stayed there and established control, or some attempt at it...but this whole situation could be far too toxic to allow the Justice League to be involved officially. Even the presence of the sidekicks was a problem in of itself, and one that could be resolved by getting them home tomorrow and out of public sight before this all got unto some news channel. Bruce shook his fractionally.
"No, but since we departed Fortune's own mentor has arrived in tow with another Irish magician and a squad of Irish Special Forces and have begun..." Bruce seemed to pause and consider something, perhaps his words, before continuing. Diana took her own data-slate in hand and brought up the information he was sending them all "...confiscation of illegally acquired assets, or profits acquired through illicit means, via unconventional interrogation techniques"
Diana read a few lines and froze as Green Arrow's incredulous voice exploded out "Their Mind Controlling Mob Bosses to steal all their money? What?"
Across from her Flash chuckled again to himself, looking up at the ceiling while shaking his head "Lex Luthor Mark 2. New and improved, with magic...and Hair!"
Bruce somehow remained completely impassive as he clarified "Strictly speaking they are applying local civil forfeiture laws against illegally held assets and sources of income, and agreed under international treaty in 1964 under one of the previous dictatorships. It is still on the books so to speak. There is also no current legislation applying in regards magic mind control that applies for what's being done here as technically they aren't stealing anything. But we need to prepared for the fallout in the next few days"
Diana shook her head "This is madness, they'll send an army after them for what they shall see as stealing from their groups"
Batman shook his head in the negative "No, you misunderstand my concern. They are bankrupting not stealing from the three cartels present on the island, which are the three largest in the region I might add, along with the Cult of Kobra. There are multiple phone calls and emails occurring this moment from Santa Prisca and Ireland out to the United States, Russia, China, Mexico and ourselves. Names of uncover operatives, hit-men, production facilities, safe-houses of those organisations..."
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