[04th January 2011]
[Metropolis, Delaware, United States of America]
"...and what do you think?"
I shrugged as I sat on the bare concrete and steel of the under construction hotel, usefully enough overlooking the LexCorp building. Hadn't had much time with Rocket, and she was decent enough company on this merry little stakeout/response team "Getting rid of us while they deal with the fallout of the reveal of the whole Red Arrow, Speedy...Lord it's horrifyingly complicated situation...hence why Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash aren't with us. Rest is covering for Superman while he's off punching things really hard, but not being in the city can't live without him"
She gave me a look as she stood beside me with the veil in the empty room overlooking the small LexCorp R facility. I gave another shrug motioning out with one hand at our watch area, one of several "Look, Metropolis has a shockin' low rate of crime, or had at least till starfish aliens wrecked half the city, and that's cuz Superman did too good a job in many ways. Police department here is tiny, and now whenever he leaves for League stuff...someone needs to be on call. Least that's how it looks to me while he's away, the others talk about the whole clone nightmare thing"
I nodded at the building beyond "That and someone is hitting LexCorp facilities judging by the six..." I gave the air quotes "industrial fires and gas explosions" to her as I spoke the words "...after occurring over the Christmas period. Makes sense keep an eye on this place on the chance it's something more than it lets on"
"Why not LexCorp Headquarters then rather..."
"Eh, I'd reckon that place is secure enough, bloody fortress probably behind the shiny facade, and its right in the middle of the city. Over there is in the middle of a battered area of town, and strangely had alot of guards, and interest from the Starro, during the fighting here"
"Ughh that thing, don't remind me. Friends of mine go...none of them died, but ughhh..." she muttered shaking her head, then moving to sit down on the open window, back against the empty concrete frame and one leg resting there as well, looking down at the building site and traffic beyond. Glanced back at me again "Since ya'll can make magic equipment and such...I've been thinking on what ya said back in England few months back, about my belt"
"Change your mind?" I asked hopefully and she gave a 'maybe' gesture with her right hand.
"A little...was talking to Icon about, and...well, saw the gear you made Artemis and Superboy. Good ta know ya weren't blowing smoke on been able make magic stuff..." she wagged her finger at me "...but only ta look at the Belt, and with me and Icon present. No takin' it apart or trying to fiddle with things mind you"
I gave a smile, and a thumbs up; this was certainly a pleasant surprise "That's better than I'd hoped for, and don't approved folk only after I talk my bosses and they give a list, and when and where for you and your mentor to agree to or not. Sound good?"
"Good enough, and don't think I'll be an easy customer now either"
I gave an amused snort "People never are, it's too bulk, it don't have the symbol on it"
"Superboy still liked it, alot you know, but why did you leave off Superman's S"
"Hmmm..." I sighed softly, folding arms across my chest and thinking a moment before replying "...maybe because I'd like him to try get beyond being Superboy. I dunno, I wasn't really thinking overmuch on it while making it, but better he be his own man than tryin' be, well, his copy like he tries to be sometimes"
She chuckled "Then putting that illusion on him to look like Superman probably didn't help the cause"
"Ugh, don't remind me, but it makes sense for the mission and the whole not letting Luthor know Superman isn't around tonight" because everyone deserves some free time as I was pretty sure there wasn't any crisis on dragging him away right now actually "...but, yeah, kinda screwed up the cause there I'll admit. I blame Batman"
"Not to his face"
"No, probably not, but it was his idea so let's go with blaming him in the here and now when he's not around to scowl at us threateningly" I matched her amused smile then both of us chuckled at it. Wasn't that funny, but it took away from the monotony a bit. Stakeouts were often dull affairs, and this one was shaping up to be one of those as we fell back into silence for another little while. Myself maintaining the veil and wards I'd set in the building while Rocket watched the building, and listened to our comms for any need for help same as me; apparently not as we made idle conversation on our relaxation over Christmas.
Of course I suspect part of why I was in a 'team' tonight and playing overwatch was to have backup just in case of certain demons deciding to target me. In fairness the Justice League, while apparently keeping the Red Arrow thing under wraps way too long in my opinion, were doing their best considering they seemed to be stretched at the moment...and honestly those closest to Harper, and Clone-Harper, weren't exactly mission ready right now either. Gods that was a mess, and likely Luthor and pals induced owing to the Cadmus nature of the whole situation; first Superboy and now this...one could be sure how far the problem could extend with its unknowing doppelganger potential.
'Practical cloning tech and this is the bullshit he pulls with it of course' I mentally groused with a shake of my head. It was so...wasteful considering how much it likely cost, and this was beyond the whole Superman obsession baldy had, well beyond that really into trying to replace people territory. Like instead of replacing a sidekick you'd aim to replace high ranking officials in the government and...and now I was going to be having long, terrifying talks with my bosses about Cuckoo Scenarios, and figuring out how to avoid such terrible thoughts. After all Lex Luthor was a far smarter man than I, and I could already envision various ways to usurp power for my nefarious ends if I had them and had access to a cloning facility with attached brain washing facility...
"Looks like trouble" Rocket's words and sudden movement to stand brought me out of my thoughts. I rose to stand, coming over to look out where she was pointing; there were the lights flickering in the R lab...
...oh, there we go - went out entirely as the whole area plunged into darkness. Magic flared too, subtly and not very strong, but I could sense it now I focused and the blackout spread along the street in all directions. Shadowy figures were moving in the darkness now as we took stock of the situation...
...flashbangs exploding after they broke the windows of the lab...
My hand touched my ear communicator "Guys, seems Batman was on the money. Somebody's raiding Luthor's little lab that's totally not important"
"Yeah, moving to catch the bad guys in the act...watch my back?" Rocket agreed jumping out the empty window, flying forward as her body became coated in a bright force field and more flashes and crackle of weapons appeared before us. I voiced my agreement with that, triggering my own flight spell and an invisibility one before following along behind at a slower pace and trying to locate other potential...
'And...there we are' I thought as gunfire suddenly erupted in the direction of the force-field clad flying girl from the road below. That was my cue to descend behind them as Rocket unleashed an energy attack at figures charging over broken glass into the building; hovering down behind the two balaclava clad figures, about a dozen metres apart and behind cover, and unleashing a sleep spell...
I blinked as not only had it no effect, but both figures turned, snarling behind their masks, and guns came in my direction even as I triggered my paralysis spell and moved to dodge. Sure my Protection from Missiles should protect me, as should my body armour, but dodging was always a better option; waving my hands and...
Crackcrackcrackcrackcrackcrackcrackcrackcrackcrack
'Oh, for, fucks, sake!' I thought as they shrugged it off yet again. My feet touched the ground as I reached into my magic murder bag, attached as it was to my armour, and drew my shock batons in an easy motion. Smash to the face of the nearest one with baton number one, jam other into his chest and shove backwards out of range of the gunfire of his compatriot...trigger shock.
Thud.
One down and...
'Tonight is not my bloody night is it' I groaned as I smash my baton once again into the face of the should-be-bloody-unconscious attacker as he attempted to push himself back up more swiftly than I liked. Or liked at all really as I slammed both shock batons down, triggering them and sending electricity coursing through him and eliciting a loud hissing scream...meta-human maybe?
He stayed down this time, thankfully, because now I'd drawn attention to himself from his comrade and another one as...
And then I was flying through the air as magic exploded nearby to where I'd just been...something I worked with, pushing along through the air with my magic, triggering a shield spell just in time to smash aside the next bolt of magical energy. Okay, magically empowered attackers it was then. Physical force attack this time; Magic Missile, an old favourite, and five bolts of arcane energy flew from my hand towards the enemy wizard...then another round before I descend again, summoning my discarded batons to hand as I moved to join Rocket fighting within the building...
...slamming into the back of one of the three she was fighting with, one who'd been trying to sneak up behind her till my batons hammered into his back "HELLO!!!"
And this one didn't go down straight away either, and the voltage was pushing it on these things along with a stunning effect, and it took a hard wallop to the head to send this one down to the ground. This whole non-lethal thing was proving harder than usual as I triggered a bulls strength, then a haste, spell even as I moved to hammer on the next balaclava clad idiot while Rocket crushed the other two up against the wall with her force-field's energy "What's going on outside? There's more after rushing ahead inside the building"
"Dammit, I'd hoped to clear here first till backup arrives" I grunted landing blows with the batons, then a well deserved kick on the enemy to send her flying into the wall on the far side of the room from us. Two dead security guards in LexCorp uniforms lay on the ground, and now I could hear gunfire from within the building as well as from without. Communicate to the Team as whole time then "...Guys, enemy has a wizard with them outside, and a number gone inside the building. Me and Rocket here in the lobby...four hostiles down...dammit, no, getting back up again. Be aware their tougher than normal folk should be..."
Black Tentacles!
Horror!
Even as the, should be bloody unconscious, attackers rose once more I quickly cast the spells, summoning the darkness and shadows as my weapons, grabbing the two before me with said shadowy tendrils as they erupted from roof and floor. Struggling against it...and seemingly shrugging off my horror effect as best I could tell and...
My eyes narrowed behind my skull mask, words softly chanting as I used my hands to direct the tentacles to slam the two enemies up and down into the ground. Detect Life.
Vision shifted, Rocket's Aura flaring and flickering brightly in the darkness...but only hers and my own it seemed. Move, punch nearest of the struggling but quasi-secured enemies, and tear off balaclava...
...fangs hiss at me from the creature giving off no aura of life. That explained some things at least, and best to try test out some other methods of dealing with the rapidly approaching number of other, armed, bloodsucking enemies. It's been a very long time since I'd invoked it, and it only effected truly undead creatures, not just plant form ones, or drug/disease induced creatures. Different world, and were they...
"TURN UNDEAD. BURN IN THE LIGHT OF THE GODS ABOMINATION"
...they screamed as the White Light that I and they could see flared out from me, burning undead flesh of those nearest me, inspiring terror in the non-living fighting Rocket as I triggered my comms again, giving warning to my incoming teammates of what was...
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