Hello readers, sorry for the month and half long wait for an update. I'm just a very bad procrastinator, also writer's block and shit. But I finally got another update for you all. This time, both sides are getting new teammates, but I'm not going to reveal all of them, just a few for the story's sake. Without further ado, enjoy.
Date: August 26th 2023
Location: Lake Conroe Marina
Time: 8:00 AM
Normal POV
After the encounter with Young Justice, a frustrated Richard was trying to figure out an edge against the superheroes, but not a lethal one. His father, Matthew, came in to join in along with the other members of the Renegades.
Matthew: "Tough morning son?"
Richard: "Something like that Dad. The main issue I have is combating Miss Martian's telekinesis. Even though I have flamethrowers and liquid nitrogen shooters, I just need another edge that can affect the rest of the team."
Matthew: "Sound, similar to Black Canary's cry or my eagle screech when I was Screaming Eagle."
Richard: "That's a good idea. Maybe I can also add hydraulics to enhance my strength, and also electrodes in my gloves and boots, so I can electrify my punches and kicks when need be. I mean I already can charge my grapple lines."
Carter: "We could also upgrade your blades from carbon steel to tungsten carbide. Hardness is between 8.5 to 9 on the scale. Also has an extremely high melting point, meaning you can superheat the metal to where it can cut easily but still retain its structural integrity. It'll make cutting through anything be like a hot knife through butter, mate."
Richard: "Meaning it will inflict more damage, I like that."
Kevin: "I'd add in something to help increase your strength, like hydraulics, or pneumatics, or both. If you come up against aqualad or another heavy hitter, combine the hydraulics along with a pneumatic punch could do some serious damage,"
Richard: "Oh now you're talking." grinned
Cue a Montage of Richard upgrading his tech using the Home Depot Theme
The teenaged vigilante then used a cnc machine to cut out some billet tungsten in the same shape as his blades on his gauntlets. He then used some parts from a TIG torch to wire up the blades to superheat them. He also added electrodes in the gloves and boots, to help make his strikes more powerful, along with the hydraulic parts and pneumatics built into his gauntlets. Testing the pneumatics, it was strong enough to punch through a cinderblock with ease.
Next he tested the hydraulics and was able to lift at least 500 pounds with ease. Then he tested out the sonic weapon and it was able to shatter glass instantly. After that, he tried the electro gloves and boots out on Kevin and he was able to land some good blows on the durable meta.
With all of his new gear tested and ready for action, all Richard had to do was wait until night time. As for right now, he needed to meet up with a certain biker gang.
But before he left, his dad came up to him.
Matthew: "Richard, we need to talk."
Richard: "What's up, dad?"
Matthew: "We're going to need to expand the team, we can't take on the whole cartel and the junior justice league by ourselves. I'll be Georgia bound to pick up a certain friend."
Richard: "Lemme guess… Uncle Gator?"
Matthew: nods "Yes, and another one. You'll meet him tonight, after the talk with the bikers."
Richard: "Understood, pops."
With that, Matthew nodded and took his leave, making the drive to Georgia.
-Timeskip-
Location: Houston, Texas.
Time: 8:00 PM
Richard was now in his Blackhawk attire, waiting by an abandoned building for the biker gang that resides in Houston, Southern Angels. Unlike your typical Biker gang, these outlaws have a code: all bets are off when it comes to women, children, or drugs. They're also known for helping escort children to school and protect them from the cartel or other gangs.
Soon, he heard the unmistakable sound of multiple V-Twin engines coming his way. They then parked and got off their bikes. The leader, Bobby Jones, greeted Richard with a firm handshake.
Bobby: "New toys kid?"
Blackhawk: "Same toys, just a bit more oomph."
Bobby chuckled along with Richard, the pair going into the building, with two biker members standing watch outside. Richard then removed his mask after making sure no one else was around, as Bobby was an old friend of his old man's.
Richard: "Thanks for coming on short notice, Bobby."
Bobby: "Anything for my favorite Godson. What can I help you with, kid?"
Richard: "You know of Mano Sangriento, the cartel that's bringing in fenny into Houston?"
Bobby: Growls "Don't remind me… they're back?"
Richard: "Yeah, and not only that, I've been hearing rumors of them potentially using meta-humans as thugs now. Only meta we have on our team is Kevin, but he's only brute strength."
Bobby: "So what do you need me and my boys to do?"
Richard: "I'll need some information on whether these rumors are true. Because if these sons of bitches are juicing some kind of chemical into their systems, and turning them into metas, it'll turn Houston into a fucking war zone."
Bobby: "Will do kid." paused for a bit "How's your old man holding up, knowing the same fuckers that murdered your mom and Lucy are back."
Richard: "You know my old man… stoic and expressionless, but I could tell he's furious. He really wants revenge against El Hurcan."
Bobby: "Me and him both kid, fucked up what that sumbitch did. I hope either you or him puts him 6 feet under."
Richard: "I won't stop until their deaths are avenged."
With that, the two shook hands and exited the building. With that, Bobby took off on his bike, while Richard flew away, with his mask forming back on his face. He decided to continue flying and patrolling the city when he was struck with an arrow that short circuited his wingsuit.
Blackhawk: "FUCK! I'M HIT"
He didn't immediately start falling, he deployed his parachute and drifted to a building, before retracting it. He pulled the arrow out of his suit, which didn't penetrate his skin thankfully. He recognized the arrow and knew it belong to the archer of the junior justice league.
Blackhawk: "You gotta be shitting me…"
The vigilante tossed the arrow aside and was greeted with three members of Young Justice. Artemis, Miss Martian, and a new member. Once he used FRS, he found out it was Zatanna, daughter of league member, Zatara. He mentally cursed, knowing this would cause problems, as she was a mage and could somehow use magic to find out his identity.
Artemis: "I knew tonight would be good for bird hunting."
Blackhawk: "I hope you accounted for this little birdy to fight back, because I'm not coming peacefully."
He then extended his new tungsten blades, which were starting to glow from being superheated. This got their attention as they realized he's got some new additions to his person. He also electrified his boots and gloves. All the while this was going on, he was recalibrating his booster so he would have the chance to escape when it came to it.
Miss Martian: "You would be wise to surrender. You can't keep fighting forever, we will find out who you are eventually."
Artemis then knocked an arrow, with MM preparing to fight, and Zatanna casting a protection spell for the three of them. Growling, Richard flipped his RPG launcher on his shoulder along with his mini ruger on the other, preparing to fight.
Without warning he charged them at a quicker pace than they expected, heading for Artemis. Acting fast, she knocked an arrow and fired at Blackhawk, who simply cut through it like a hot knife through butter. He then struck fast and hard, using both the pnuematic fist, and his hydraulic hips and muscles, to send the archer flying back.
Miss martian then tired to use telekinesis, but Richard was already a step ahead, as he preped his sonic weapon before hand, and released a sound that was painful for both girls who tried to charge him. Both MM and Zatanna were clutching their ears as they both were affected by the painful sound waves.
After a bit, he shut them off and used his liquid nitrogen on both girls that were incapacited to ensure that they won't be able to pursue him easily. Once he got an alert that his booster was recalibrated, he turned and jumped off the roof. Little did he know, Zatanna casted a spell to help the recover easily and were now pursuing him.
Blackhawk: "These bitches just don't give up…"
He then mauevered through the city to try and ditch them. Then for some reason he felt a bit of turbulence through his wings which sent him crashing into the street, in a popular metro area. A bunch of citizens got startled and backed off when they saw the three Young justice ladies, approaching the stunned Blackhawk.
Blackhawk: Groaning "Fuuuck…" He then hit his comm button, trying to get in contact "Blackhawk here… I… need… assistance…"
Miss Martian then used her telekinesis and lifted him up. As Zatanna was about to use a spell to reveal his face, they heard this incantation:
?: "Judicium Dei per solem"
(Translation: God's Judgement by the sun)
This resulted in the 3 of them being blasted by a beam of what seemed to be sunlight. When they recovered, they were greeted with a stranger in what appeared to be the attire of a Catholic Priest, only it was more sun yellow. He was also holding what appeared to be a staff, that was glowing the same yellow sunlight. His face too was also hidden by a mask similar to Richard's.
Stranger: "Begone from this place, for this soul is under my protection."
Artemis then got up, pissed off and knocked an arrow.
Artemis: "Yeah and who the hell are you?"
Stranger: "I am… the Exorcist… Per idemtitetem dei in lumine suo conservabitur."
(Translation from Latin: "By God's light, his identity shall be preserved.")
With this incantation, Zatanna nor Miss Martian were able to access the identities of either men. The incantation was far more advanced than Zatanna's magic and she clearly was outmatched. In fact, all three were outmatched against the mage before them. Not to mention, Zatanna couldn't understand what The Exorcist was saying as he spoke in Latin.
The Exorcist: "Ad Domicilium itur."
(Translation: to the domicile we go)
This time, the incantation made both Blackhawk and the exorcist disappear, shocking the heroines. They were speechless by how they were just blindsided by someone they never even heard of before.
Turns out, the place The Exorcist was speaking of was St. Mary's Catholic Church. Once the two vigilantes had appeared, the Exorcist carried the semi-conscious Blackhawk to a pew and laid him down gently. The mage then revealed his identity to be Father Michael.
Fr Michael: "What have you gotten yourself into now Richard… First drug dealers now the Justice league?" He sighed and began to remove Ricahard's armor when the young vigilante began to awake.
Richard: "Father… Michael…?"
Fr Michael: Smiling "Hello Richard… I cut it pretty close didn't I?"
Richard: "What the hell happened?"
Fr Michael: "You were fighting three members of the justice league. They would have found out your identity had I not intervened when I did. Their new mage had done a number. Thankfully, I made you resistant to her magic."
Richard: "How…"
Fr Michael: "I used to be a vigilante like you, like your own father. In fact, I fought alongside your father when he was Screaming Eagle and I was the Exorcist. He would need my assistance when it came to mystical artifacts or anything of that nature."
Richard: sitting up "So… why did you stop?"
Fr Michael: "I stopped because I realized that I didnt want to take souls this way anymore. This justice didn't sit right. But now… I can see that we don't have a choice. Not with the rumors of Mano Sangriento creating new foot soldiers that are also meta humans."
Richard: "Meaning they could branch out and take over entire cities. The police would be overrun, and the justice league would struggle against them."
Fr Michael: "Which is why your father came to me to rejoin the Renegades. I want the peace of mind knowing I helped prevent a mass takeover."
Richard smiled and stuck out his hand.
Richard: "Then I welcome you back to the team."
The two men shook hands with grins.
-Timeskip-
Date: August 28th 2023
Location: Okenfenokee Swamp, Georgia.
Time: 9:00 AM
Matthew Meyers was driving his 2021 Gmc 2500hd Denali through the Georgia backroads to get to a place where an old friend and former teammate of his resides. This teammate was Gator Mcklusky, otherwise known as "The Gator".
McKlusky is an outlaw who cooks up moonshine in the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia, but he used to be a member of the Renegades. Before Kevin, he was the team's muscle. He was also their go-to for anything aquatic-related. Why was he the go-to for anything aquatic-related? Well simply of the fact that he's half Alligator. Gator is a metahuman that can transform from a man into an anthropomorphic Alligator that stands over 10 feet tall. With his hide being nearly indestructible, sharp claws, excellent swimming skills, sharp vision, quick reflexes, and great strength, he was a force to be reckoned with.
However all good things have to come to an end, when Gator and had to return to Georgia to take care of his sick father as well as continue the tradition of being a shine runner, but his most important reason was to take care of his daughter. Now… his father had passed away and Gator couldn't bring himself to return to the life of being a vigilante simply of the fact that he had too much to lose.
Now… Matthew has come to convince his old friend to turn off the burner and come out of retirement. He pulled up to a wooden shack that he knew all too well. On the porch sat a familiar face, smoking a cigar. Meyers hopped out of the truck and looked at his old friend with a grin.
Matthew: "I always told you those damn things would kill ya, Gator."
Gator: "I've got bullet-proof hide, Meyers. If bullets can't harm me, a cigar won't."
Chuckling, the former Screaming Eagle sat down in a chair next to the Gator.
Gator: "This isn't some friendly visit, is it? Because there's no way you'd drive here from Houston just to say hi to an old friend."
This got Matthew's smile to fade.
Matthew: "They're back, Gator."
Gator's eyes widened, he coughed a bit before putting down his cigar.
Gator: "Bullshit. The last time we beat them so bad they packed up and left. What's it this time?"
Matthew: "Rumor has it, not only are they shipping in fentanyl, but they're juicing their foot soldiers with some sort of drug that turns them into Meta-humans."
Gator: "Damn… those sons of bitches always loved Houston as their turf. This must be a way to try and take it back."
Matthew: "With a Meta human brigade they could overwhelm the cops and take over the whole city, and the surrounding areas. Not to mention, they could potentially fight and hold their own against the justice league."
Gator: "So… you want me to help you wage war against an entire cartel?"
Matthew: "I know what i'm asking is a big ask, man. But I need all the help I can get."
Gator: grinning "Matthew… you're like a brother to me… of course I'd help you." Grin fades "But you gotta promise me somethin."
Matthew: "Suzie…?"
Gator: "She's already lost her mother, Meyers, I don't want her to wind up an orphan because of this."
Matthew nods. Soon the two men along with Suzie Mcklusky, piled into the Gmc and set back towards Houston, to prepare for the fight against Sangriento.
(Outro Song is "God's Gonna cut you down" by Johnny Cash)
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
… Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
… Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head's been wet with the midnight dew
I've been down on bended knee
Talkin' to the man from Galilee
… He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, "John, go do my will!"
… Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
… You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
… Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin' in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What's down in the dark will be brought to the light
… You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
… Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Didn't expect that bikers were the good guys huh? Well stay tuned because there is more to come. Have a blessed day/night, and I'll see you in the next one. Take care and God Bless.