December 17th
Jason and April stood side by side on the runway. April barely reaching his shoulder as they examined the C-17 Globe Master in front of them. Its rear door already open and accommodating the constant buzz of men entering and exiting in their final preparations before take off. The interior was completely open. Only allowing for the crew seats lining the outer walls and a final bench positioned on the wall near the stairs to the cockpit. It mildly bothered Jason that they weren't going to transport other equipment with them. His frugal mind being a product of his childhood. But, he guessed it wasn't his budget or his problem.
He hefted the armored case, encased in a standard duffle bag, they'd been given to protect the elements. It's weight being distributed across his body with the sling. Before he marched into the plane. April trailing after silently. Both nonplused at the sight of another cargo jet. They made their way to the bench nearest the cockpit. Instincts screaming to have a good vantage point of the room, without compromising their position. Most would call it paranoia, Jason and April called it a healthy bit of skepticism.
Jason dropped the bag and slid it under the seat before practically dropping into the seat. April descended next to him. Quiet and relaxed.
"You'd think we'd get a private jet or something. Much more subtle." April thought a loud as she settled in. Crossing her legs and leaning back with her arms crossed.
"I don't know, it can't get more subtle than a standard supply run." Jason shrugged. Reviewing the manifest on his HUD. They were supposed to be accompanied by a team of Deltas. Callsign "Whisper".
"A bit dramatic." Jason thought, before remembering Slade literally named his team Silver Bullet. Both an insult and badge of honor. Never let it be said the man didn't have humor or love of double entendres.
"We have the budget to kill god, and we can't afford one private jet?" April huffed, an obvious pout in her tone.
"You must have been living the high life with the Rangers if that's your view. Did they provide armored limos and champagne too." Jason deadpanned. Receiving a side glare from the woman. Her hazel eyes hidden behind her helmet.
"Ya, it came with blackjack and hookers too." She responded sarcastically. Earning a snort from Jason.
"Next mission we'll just take a jet from the CIA. I hear they get poker." Jason smirked. He always enjoyed the banter his fellow agents could come up with. It was a lot like working with Roy again. April just hummed before watching as a full kitted team made their way up the ramp. Their captain making a beeline toward the two agents.
"Look alive." Jason sighed into his comms as he stood.
"Can't, I'm dead inside." April shot back as she stood.
The captain had reached them by this point. Snapping off a salute and quickly receiving two in turn from the agents.
"Captain Del, sir. I hear we're escorting a high priority package?" The captain asked as they all lowered their salutes. His tan skin and dark hair made Jason think he was probably of Egyptian descent. Not that he could tell with the balaclava covering everything below his eyes. Which were a bright, pale blue.
"Yep, highly classified. But we're not expecting anything, this route is very standard." Jason explained as the man nodded along.
"Understood. My men could use the downtime." Del said as he motioned to his men. Who were already working to strap themselves in. Backpacks and bags being quickly storied away as they organized themselves. Jason gave the captain a curt nod before settling back in himself as the man retreated to his troops. The rear door closing.
xxxxxxxxxx
It was about eight hundred miles and two hours later when Jason snapped out of filing his paperwork. His suit apparently losing connection to the plane's network. A not uncommon occurrence, but still annoying. April fidgeting next to him as her audiobook is cut off. Jason just took a moment to watch the other passengers in the cargo bay. Most talking with one another, or laughing at something the other said. They seemed plenty relaxed. Except for one guy. He was sitting on the last seat nearest the door. His head turned slightly toward them before looking across at Del. Who seemed to be completely relaxed, if a little blank faced. Deciding to try and ask April what she thought was up. He switched to their private comms. It wouldn't be the first time she was checked out or hit on by someone thinking a special ops woman was hot. Rose had enough stories to write several books.
But when he switched over, all he received was static. Which instantly raised his guard. These suits were designed to function completely independently of any network. Allowing agents quick and easy communication, even if cutoff from the rest of the world. He tapped April's leg lightly. Pulling her attention toward him before subtly motioned toward his right hand.
Signing quickly, "Comms are out." Her body visibly tensed as she looked about. Quickly scanning the others and noticing not one of them had raised an alarm. All seemingly deep in conversation, not one man on his phone. An unlikely rarity. It was then that she noticed something else. Each one of them had a dark blue cloth wrapped around one of their biceps. They had initially dismissed it as a unit tradition. But now it screamed wrongness to her. Jason followed her thoughts as he read the body language more closely. Each man was spread out on their benches. More than a few shoulder lengths between each Delta, if they weren't sitting directly next to one another.
It wouldn't normally interest him. Knowing how he liked to spread out or group up with his fellow agents during overseas travel. But their bodies screamed, "too casual". Like they were forcing conversation. While at the same time trying to ensure they didn't encroach on each other's space. Arms and legs never straying too far from their original positions. Jason switched over to thermal vision. The entire area lighting up in a dull hue of oranges and yellows. A large blob appearing where the Deltas originally sat. But the blobs were unbroken and much larger than Jason thought they would be. He understood men got hot in their gear, but this was too much. He couldn't isolate one man from another, a wave of heat disguising their position.
He then switched to their version of detective vision. Called electric. As it combined the bat's vision with the additional benefit of isolating electrical impulses and computers. But Jason could care less about the science right now. His vision showing him the skeletons of the men in front of him….. and twelve others. Splayed in the empty spaces between the men.
His mind began to race and plot. Already knowing April was going to have to be the one to secure the cockpit. Her armor was good, great even. But it was still only titanium. It could withstand quite a few hits, but not the amount of lead that was about to start flying if the men's heart rates were any indication. He tapped her again, a determined glare coloring her pale features behind the helmet.
She watched as Jason signed, "Twelve unknowns. Deltas know something." Her helmet was still looking toward them as her eyes shifted back and forth from Jason and the threat.
She returned, "Pilots?"
Jason shrugged before signing back, "I don't think so. Why bother with all the men if you could just land and hose us then. Secure it." April lightly nodded as if she had a sudden thought as she pulled herself toward the stairs. A few men leering after her.
Jason waited till he heard the door opening and closing quickly upstairs. A few more of the men now turning to stare at him. Anticipation held in their gaze.
"Captain?!" Jason called out. His distorted voice surprised a few, as they didn't expect such a menacing tone. Del just turned to him, his gaze held steady.
"Yes sir?" He asked. Jason stood, leaning casually against the bulkhead as if he was just stretching.
"I have to ask, how did you end up with "Ghosts" as a call sign? It's a bit cliche honestly." A few men snickered, while others laughed that they're what goes bump in the night. Del just held his gaze.
"We're good at disappearing. Like ghosts in the night." He said seriously. Jason filtering his vision as he watched the additional figures slowly rise. Clutching small pistols, which made Jason hope their tech wasn't as good as Waller's new cloak. Jason just casually shrugged, throwing a glance toward the bag unseen and then refocused. Green filtering in at the edge of his vision.
"Ghosts are also supposed to be quiet. Like a whisper." He said before he activated his own cloak and bolted to the other side of the cargo hold. Pings and tiny flashes appearing where he once stood as the men opened fire.
He pivoted sharply, pulling both pistols as he opened up on the closest figures. His shots opening new holes and cavities on the closest threats. Whose partners all worked to shift their fire. Jason watched as two men dropped to the ground in his electric vision. Small sparks erupting from their backs as his bullets tore through their suits. Within seconds, one of the braver men rushed him. Emptying his clip as he approached. Jason stood his ground and dodged what shots he could. Still feeling the impact as two impacted his chest. He waited till the man got close enough and then lashed out with his right arm. Redirecting the man's outstretched hands with the pistol held tightly within. Before taking aim with his left pistol and sending a round through the attacker's skull.
The man's companions didn't even flinch. Instead opening up on where they now knew Jason to be. Who grabbed the falling body and held it up as a shield. Feeling a multitude of shots pass through the corpse and impact his armor. Earning a grunt of frustration from the agent. Eventually the men ran out of ammo. Small clicks echoing from empty weapons as they ran dry. Most started their reloads with machine-like precision. But Jason moved to capitalize on their pause. Holstering his remaining right pistol and drawing his rifle in one movement. Flicking the fire control to "auto", he began to empty his own clip. His own cloak dissipated as the blood and bits of his shield fell to the floor.
Jason didn't waste time on going for head-shots. Preferring to dose anyone who he thought was too quick in a burst of fire. Some clipping men as they worked to dodge, while others caught the bursts center mass. Dropping to the floor. Jason mentally counted down his targets as his HUD worked to keep track of the rounds left in the clip. As he approached zero he signed a mental, "Fuck it" and hurled the rifle toward the closest man after it went dry. Advancing forward quickly and trying to draw the men into CQC. He approached a group of three, who had one member rush forward. Trying to land a swift punch to Jason's stomach as his friends reloaded. Jason tanked the hit in favor of landing his own left hook to the man's jaw. Spinning him away and allowing Jason to kick out his right knee. Before catapulting himself over the man in a drop kick. Energy exploding from his feet and sending another assailant flying into the bulkhead. From his prone position on the floor, Jason lashed out again with a right cross into the other man's left knee. Energy exploded outwards again as the man's knee disintegrated. A scream of pain echoing around the hold.
Jason quickly began to roll with his momentum. Pushing himself back up to his feet to the greeting of another wave of fire. Rounds pinging off his armor as the paint chipped and scratched from the impact of the fire. The metal underneath not even registering the hits. His undersuit holding strong and only allowing for Jason to feel small bruising hits. Deciding he done being target practice, Jason retreated backwards. Slamming against the bulkhead and pulling the fire extinguisher from the wall. Before flinging it into the spray. It exploded as he hoped. A cloud of white mist erupting and flooding the bay. Causing a grin to break out on Jason's face as he barreled in. Old habits being hard to break.
xxxxxxxxxx
Trailing the Globe Master
Tim tapped his fingers against the metal armrest of bio ship. Boredom coloring his features as Young Justice kept pace with the aircraft in front of them. An uneventful escort if he had ever had one. After they had evacuated from the Quarac base. They beelined it to the nearest zeta-tube. Tuppence barely holding on as they worked to keep her stable. Four eventful hours later, they had teleported her to the Watchtower and its waiting doctors. Before being debriefed by Batman. Which went as well as could be expected. The Bat commending them for placing lives above the mission, but still berating them for their failure in securing the elements. He then turned around and told them they would be acting as unofficial escorts for the now captured objective. Trailing them as Waller worked to bring them home.
So here they were. A little under forty-eight hours later and they were following their failure home. His thoughts were interrupted though. As the rear door of the craft began to descend.
"The hell?" Tim muttered as worked to zoom in. The image appearing on the viewscreen before the team as it slowly descended. All his teammate's gazes immediately snapping to the first sign of action.
"Do you think they're going to airdrop them?" Connor asked quizzically.
"This close to Markovia? No way in hell." Artemis answered.
"So what do you think…." M'gann was interrupted by flashes of rounds impacting their screen.
The distinct pinging sound of rounds ricocheting off their hull. They watched as the fire died down and an armored figure appeared. Seemingly fighting two men with his back to the now open door. Before he caught a right hook to jaw. Sending him to one knee. Before lunging forward and extending a right arm blade into the heart of the other man. Rising with his strike and pushing the man to the floor. He then pulled his blade back and turned. Sending the next strike through the exposed throat of the original attacker. Before heaving the man to his left and out of the door. The body disappearing from sight below. He turned and raised his arm again. Driving forward and into the now returning fire of the other unknowns.
Tim turned to Cassie and M'gann. "Get over there! We can't have it crashing in Markovia!" He yelled, remembering the threats and violence from the isolated nation. More importantly though, the complete and utter exile of any Justice Leaguer from the country. Declaring heroes to be shot on sight. M'gann barely wasted a second. Phasing through the floor and shooting forward toward the bay. Cassie shortly behind, as bio ship opened a hole below her. Tim watching on as he worked to connect with Batman and the JLA.
xxxxxxxxxx
Jason finished off another man. Breaking his left arm as he judo threw him over his left shoulder, before delivering a punch to the man's temple. Knocking him out cold. He barely had time to react before Del charged him. Slamming the agent against the wall as his five remaining men sprinted toward Jason's bench.
"What the fuck are they feeding you?! I've never seen a man move like that!" Del asked as drove his right forearm into Jason's throat.
"Sugar, …..spice, ..and …everything nice." Jason choked out. Before slamming is right elbow downwards into Del's arm. Breaking his hold before following it up with a right uppercut. He then grabbed a fist full of Del's left sleeve and spun him. Making him collapse into the bench seats below him, before delivering blow after blow to the man's skull.
A call of "That's enough!" rang out in the hull. Jason turning to see what else he had to deal with, as the rest of Del's men glanced over. Fitting into parachutes that they disguised as backpacks and claiming the elements. Jason was met by the sight of Miss Martian and Wonder Girl standing in the opening of the doorway. One clutching her lasso and the other just floating there. Del's men barely even paused, just throwing a quick glance to one another. Before completely rushing the women.
Jason's call of "Stop them!" being lost in the roar of the men. Both Cassie and M'gann readied for a fight before all five men by passed them. Throwing themselves out of the plane. To the stunned eyes of the heroes who thought they just jumped to their deaths with backpacks.
Before another roar of "Damn it!" echoed in the plane. Jason's frustration boiling over as he darted past both of them. Throwing himself after the men. Both Cassie and M'gann still standing, completely stunned and blinking slowly.
Before Cassie asked, "Did he have a parachute?"
xxxxxxxxxx.
Tim and the rest of the team watched as a black shadow shot towards the earth. Everyone was stunned before Tim fingered his communicator. "Did they have a parachute?" He asked with almost clinical-like detachment. The answering silence being some of the loudest he ever heard, before Cassie shot down after him. M'gann relaying she was going to check on the pilots and round up whoever's left. Tim could only nod as he continued trying to connect to the Watchtower.
xxxxxxxxxx
Jason hurtled towards the earth. The wind whipping around him as he narrowed himself. Trying to catchup with the dots below him. He shifted slightly and angled toward the center of the grouping. Shooting past before rolling over. His back now facing the ground as he extended his arms and legs. Flying back up towards the group of wide-eyed men. All of them at a loss to the insanity of a man who threw himself out of a plane without a parachute. Jason aimed and impacted with one of the men. Sending both into a spin of clutching limbs and curses. Jason pulled his grapple and looped it around the harness of the man's parachute. Working to reangle the man upwards as the man screamed and thrashed. Completely blind to the man's panic, Jason got the man into position and pulled the cord. The canopy opening up in a brilliant red.
But before Jason could turn his attention to the screaming man, he felt a large impact on his shoulder. A tree limb snapping as they both crashed through the forest. Breaking branches and limbs as they went before the canopy caught on a limb. Snapping the two upwards and breaking Jason's hold. He free fell for about half a second before his grapple slowed his decent. Pulling him upwards again with a jolt. Before he crashed to the earth below with a loud thud. His grapple distangling itself and returning to its hold, as Jason laid sprawled on the earth. Working to catch his breath.
"Red Crown to Agent Knight and Agent Wolf, respond." Waller's voice rang out in his ear.
"Agent Knight here Red Crown." Jason groaned from position. Feeling the growing bruises and welts across his body.
"Sitrep" Waller tersely asked, drawing a bark of crazed laughter from Jason.
"The Deltas weren't Deltas. The elements have been taken, and Young Justice is on-site, again." Jason rattled off as he rolled to his chest. Arms ready to push him up as he eyed four other red chutes descending into the forest.
"Then where the hell are you!" Waller almost snarled.
"In pursuit" Jason responded as he pushed himself up. Limping for a few steps, before shaking his dizziness away and taking off at a light jog.