Titans of Justice Unlimited Chapter 25 – “To Seek The Truth Part 2”
Written & edited by: Power Guy


The Magician’s Convention…

The Stranger dashed back and forth trying to dodge Zatanna’s crackling blasts of mystical energy. “At least I’m keeping her busy,” the newly christened Lord of Order thought to himself. Then suddenly, Zatanna fired another blast headed right towards the young mage. With little time to dodge, he created a portal in front of himself, sending the energy directly within it. A fraction of a second later, the portal reopened behind the unsuspecting Zatanna, unleashing her own energies against her.





“Arrrrrrgh…” she cried out, dropping to her knees.





“Maybe that will cool you off,” the Stranger hoped, aloud.

The enraged daughter of Zatara quickly counter-attacked, “Elit kaerb eerf! Ssapmocne ym oef!”

Before the Stranger knew what was happening, hundreds of titles ripped themselves free from the floor and swarmed the protégé’ of the Phantom Stranger, battering him all over his body and sticking to him so that he looked like an ancient mummy.

Zatanna dusted off her hands due to her victory over the Lord of Order. “And to think what a gentleman your mentor has always been. He would be so ashamed of you right now,” she said looking down as she pulled up one of her boots.

Just then the tiles burst off of the Stranger in an amazing display of light. The Stranger wasted no time with his newly found freedom. He quickly conjured up a spell that had Zatanna find herself strapped to an “X” shaped fixture with a gag over her mouth.

“Now, maybe you’ll be a little more cooperative,” huffed the Stranger. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Damn right, you’re not!” the Stranger heard right before receiving a devastating blow to the back of his head. The young mage staggered forward, his skull wracked with pain. Steadying his head with his hands, he turned to see Hawkman and Wonder Woman primed for battle as the Flash aka Wally West, zoomed by and released Zatanna from her bonds.





“Don’t you know when to take a hint that a lady isn’t interested,” Hawkman said, wiping the Stranger’s blood off of his mace.

“Zatanna sent us a mystical summons a few minutes ago saying she was being attacked,” revealed Wonder Woman. “We expected to find Dr. Destiny or perhaps Felix Faust here but certainly not you,” the star-spangled Amazon said, throwing her magic-lasso around the Stranger and binding him tight.


“And while I just recently passed on the Flash mantle to my daughter, I couldn’t help but come to Zee’s aid with how close she was to my Uncle Barry and Uncle Ralph,” the scarlet speedster said, helping Zatanna steady herself.

“But I was not attacking her,” insisted the Stranger.

“It sure looked that way to me, buddy,” countered Hawkman, smacking the head of his mace into his opposite palm.

“Carter, he’s telling the truth. He’s bound by the lasso,” pointed out the amazing Amazon.

“That’s right he is,” came a voice from behind the former Justice Leaguers.

The Flash was the first to turn around(as expected), “Power Guy? Sargona? What are you two doing here?”





“The Stranger probably called them to even the odds,” Hawkman said, showing his teeth, ready to fight again if need be.

“We’re not here to fight Hawkman,” Power Guy said, holding his right hand out in front of him. “We just want to talk to Zatanna. We were told she was here tonight and I asked the Stranger to detain her.”

“So that’s why you wouldn’t let me leave,” Zatanna concluded, looking at her former opponent.

“Yes, that is why,” confirmed the Stranger as Wonder Woman untied her magic-lasso. “It is most important that you speak with your daughter at once.”

“My daughter???” the daughter of Zatara repeated, totally confused. “I don’t have a daughter or any children for that matter.”

“So you’re just going to keep on lying, even to my face?” snapped Sargona, pointing her index finger in Zatanna’s face.

“Sargona, you must be confused. I don’t have any offspring,” Zatanna insisted.

“Stop it! Just stop it!” shouted Sargona. “Several of the Titans and I got captured by your old pal Professor Ivo a few weeks ago. It turns out that his goofy machines identified me as an exact d.n.a. match for yourself! How do you explain that one???”

“Easy – he was lying” barked Hawkman. “Ivo’s a cook. He hasn’t been wrapped right even before his accident.”

“I think he was telling the truth,” Power Guy said, supporting his teammate. “You see, he captured only those of us who were either descendents or those of us who had almost exactly the same powers as the satellite-era of your Justice League.”

“Yes, Stratohawk mentioned something about that,” the winged wonder recalled, hooking his mace to his belt. “But I’ve known Zatanna since she first appeared on the scene and if she says she doesn’t have any children, she doesn’t.”

“A noble gesture of support Hawkman, but completely unfounded,” another voice came. The small crowd of heroes turned to see the second Sargon the sorcerer.





“Daddy? What are you doing here?” Sargona asked in shock.

“I am here to set things right, my daughter. It seems we can no longer keep this secret from you despite the high price it’s revelation.”

“David, I’m not sure what you’re talking about here…” Zatanna commented, completely puzzled.

“What are you talking about, Daddy??? I figured that she mind-wiped you. You knew about this the whole time???” Sargona demanded.

“Hear the entire story before you judge,” Sargon said approaching Zatanna and putting his hands on the sides of her head. “Let what was done be undone so that all may know the truth. This shroud must finally be dispersed!” Sargon said, weaving a spell.

Almost instantly, memories came flooding back to Zatanna that had long been held behind a mystical barrier. Zatanna looked at Sargona and then looked at Sargon and asked “David, this is our daughter, isn’t it?”

“Yes, yes it is,” confirmed the turban wearing hero, pulling the two ladies close to him. He then looked deep into his daughter’s eyes. “Let me finish explaining, my precious daughter. Years ago, your mother and I met during a horrific battle against Wotan. With Doctor Fate and the Spectre out of the picture, it took nearly all of earth’s other mystics to vanquish the threat he presented. Your mother was severely injured during the battle. Over the next few months, I nursed her back to health. What started as a gesture of good will quickly turned into a burning romance. I insisted that the two of us marry but your mother would not agree due to the fear of one of her old enemies finding out she finally had someone that she cared about. As young couples often do, we continued on with the romance. A few months later, your mother found herself pregnant. She was horrified. Not because she didn’t want a child but more so about the fact that she feared what some of her old mind-wipe victims would do to you if they ever found out you existed. Not wanting to abort you or give you up for adoption, she mind-wiped herself shortly after you were born. I had never seen a woman cry so much in the days before she made this painful decision. Over the coming years, I raised you alone forcing myself to try and forget the passion that your mother and I shared but it seems that thanks to Professor Ivo, I can no longer deny our past.”

“Sargona…” Zatanna began as she stepped towards her daughter, “I’m so sorry for all of this,” she continued as she went to embrace her offspring.

Everyone in the room was surprised when Sargona responded with a slap in the face, “Coward! The only thing you’re sorry about is the fact you got caught! All of these years I’ve felt so connected to you and I never could figure out why. I used to beg my father aka your lost love, to take me to your magic-shows thinking you were ‘so cool’ when all you are is a fraud!”

Zatanna placed her hand over the part of her face that was still stinging from Sargona’s slap. “Please….please try to understand I had to do this to protect you. If one of my old mind-wipe victims like Felix Faust or the Wizard found out that I had a daughter, they wouldn’t rest until they got to me through you. I couldn’t take the chance of them coming after you…”

“So you abandon me and mind-wipe yourself to alleviate any guilt you might have?!?!?!” demanded Sargona. “Plenty of other heroes have children and they don’t bail on them. You’re pathetic…” Sargona said turning, “Come on PG, we’re done here.”

While Power Guy knew there were unresolved issues between the mother and daughter, he knew that some cool down time would probably be the best medicine. He put his arm around Sargona’s shoulder as the couple began to walk off.

Sargon raced in front of his daughter in an attempt to stop her from leaving, “Sargona, you are staying here and we are working this out!”

“No, no I’m not!” countered the raven-haired beauty. “For the last few weeks I was feeling sorry for you thinking that this deserter had mind-wiped YOU. You’ve always sheltered and protected me all of my life but when it really came down to giving me what I needed, you looked the other way for your old playmate. Bottom line, don’t expect me to come home tonight or any other night for that matter. You and…..’Zatanna” make me sick,” she said cattily as she and Power Guy exited.

Zatanna began to sob….”I’ve made such a mess again, Carter,” she cried as Hawkman held her in his arms. “Why do I keep making the wrong decisions?” The Flash and Wonder Woman surrounded their old teammate in an effort to show support.

***

Downtown Metropolis…

The Arachnid and Phantom Lady were making their way down the crowded street as cars whizzed by and people swarmed the heart of the city.

“There’s the club up ahead!” Phantom Lady pointed out.





“That’s quite a line,” noticed the Arachnid. “It might take all night for us just to get in.”

“Uh uh,” countered the spectral heroine. “Watch this!” she said, walking up to the bouncer. “Hey love, how’s it going tonight?”

“Whoa!! Phantom Lady!” smiled the buff bouncer. “It’s been a crazy night but it just got a whole lot better.”

“Aww…are all of these punks mistreating you?” asked cousin of Ted Knight as she put her arms around the bouncer’s neck.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” the bouncer replied confidently.

“I’ll bet a big, strong man like you can handle just about anything….” teased Phantom Lady.

“Hehehe….yup,” smiled the bouncer.

“Well, I’ve got some partying to do. I’ll see you inside?” mused the former member of the Freedom Fighters as she began to toward the door.

“You bet, lady,” confirmed the bouncer.

As the Arachnid began to follow his beautiful date, the bouncer grabbed him by the shirt, ‘Where do you think you’re going Arachnerd?!?!?!”

Phantom Lady rushed over to the bouncer, “Down boy, he’s with me. Don’t worry, I’m more than enough woman to keep you both entertained.”

“You won’t even know he’s around once I get started,” smiled the bouncer with a perverse look on his face.

Once inside the club, the Arachnid and Phantom Lady were almost hypnotized by the amazing display of lights. There were cages hanging from the ceiling with people dancing inside. The dance-floor was elevated and slowly spun in a circle. Scantily dressed people were running around the bar getting drinks and racing back to the dance-floor.

“Whoa! This place is state of the art!” remarked the Arachnid. “I haven’t seen a club like this since I was in the future.”

“They say this place is one of the best clubs on the entire east coast!” Phantom Lady said, reveling in all of the excitement. “You stay here, I’ll go get us some drinks! I have to go upstairs to get mine because that’s where the booze is for those of us over 21.”

“Dr. Pepper please,” requested the bug-themed hero. “Music sounds decent. Hopefully they’ll play some Kylie Minogue or Darren Hayes…” he began thinking to himself when suddenly some guy who was walking by bumped him in the groin. “Hey! Watch it buddy!” shouted the alarmed Arachnid. “Damn drunk,” the nephew of Dan Garret cursed under his breath. Just then, he noticed the crowd on the dance-floor stop and stair up at two women dancing in one of the cages up above. The two women were both drop-dead gorgeous and were putting on quite a show, teasing each other with their dance moves. “Phantom Lady was right, this is one hot club. You don’t see that everyday. I’ll bet Power Lad would die to get in here tonight.”

Phantom Lady soon returned with their drinks, “Hey hot stuff! I’m back! See anything you like out there,” she asked, looking at the dance-floor filled with people.

The Arachnid turned to his lovely date, “Yeah but none of them compare to you,” he said, smiling under his mask.

“Aww…aren’t you sweet,” blushed the former girlfriend of Iron Monroe.

After a few slurps of their drinks, Phantom Lady asked, “Ready to go tear up the floor?”

“More than ready!” confirmed the bug-themed hero. “Do they allow break-dancing here?”

“You’re kidding, right?” chucked Phantom Lady, with one eyebrow cocked.

“Uhh…..yeah,” the embarrassed Arachnid said, realizing that Phantom Lady didn’t think that break-dancing was cool.

As the two made their way out to the floor, Phantom Lady decided to motivate the crowd with a display from her black-light bracelet. She jumped up on the stage, dragging the Arachnid with her. “Party people – are you ready to dive in the pool with me tonight???” she shouted, reciting a line from an old Pepper Mashay club track The crowd went into a frenzy noticing they were being honored by the presence of the legendary Phantom Lady. “As my girl Paula Abdul would say, let’s dance like there’s no tomorrow!!!” she screamed as she dived into the crowd.

The Arachnid decided to follow suit and did the same. He was caught by a group of people who paraded him around the dance-floor like a football trophy. His mind and heart were racing with excitement. He knew this was the beginning of the most awesome nights he had ever experienced.

About an hour later, the two heroes caught up with each other and started dancing with one another, “You were right, this place is a blast!” yelled the Arachnid who was bouncing off the walls from a sugar-rush. As the two continued to dance, the Arachnid’s mind began to wonder how this night would end. Would Phantom Lady give him a kiss goodnight? Would she maybe even spend the night with him? Just then, the hero’s thoughts were interrupted by someone bumping his derrière. He turned around to see it was that same guy who had previously bumped him in the groin. “Look pal, stay out of my personal space,” he grumbled. The guy just winked at the bug-themed hero and smiled.

“What did he do?” asked Phantom Lady, noticing her date’s concern.

“He keeps bumping me in my ‘special areas’,” answered the best friend of Starman.

“He must think you’re cute,” suggested the spectral heroine.

“Yeah well, the feeling’s certainly not mutual,” spat the Arachnid. He continued dancing with Phantom Lady for a bit until he felt the need to use the restroom. “I’ll be right back. Need to go let the water out of the tub.”

“I’ll be here,” smiled Phantom Lady as she threw her hands up in the air realizing the DJ was playing the new duet from Madonna and Justin Timberlake called “4 Minutes”. “Whoooooohooooooooooo!!!! Let’s give it up for the Material Girl!!!” she shouted.

The Arachnid made his way into the bathroom and stood in front of a urinal. He felt a bit awkward about the fact there were no dividers between the urinals.

A few seconds later, a man walked in and stood at the urinal next to him. He was tall and buff, wearing a leather cap, harness, and both of his nipples were pierced. “How’s it hanging?” he asked.

The Arachnid just looked at him for a second, shocked by the man’s question. “That’s really none of your business dude,” he remarked, storming out of the bathroom, too upset to even wash his hands.

On the way back to the dance-floor, his eye caught a poster of a man dressed similar to the one who had harassed him in the bathroom. He stopped for a second and read the headline on the poster, “Don’t miss Pride Fest this weekend at Metropolis Fair Grounds!” Then, it hit him like a truck….

He raced over to Phantom Lady and grabbed her by the arm, “ICAN’TBELIEVEYOUDIDTHISTOME!!!!” he screamed in anger.

“Sorry, all they had was diet,” smirked the former member of the Freedom Fighters thinking that the Arachnid finally noticed his soda was actually Diet Dr. Pepper.

“Stop playing dumb!” he ordered.

“Umm….listen amigo, if you’re not talking about your soda, I’m clueless,” she retorted.

“You brought me to a freakin’ gay bar!!!” he bellowed, starting to shake.

After a few seconds of silence from Phantom Lady, she finally asked, “And?”

“And?!?!” repeated the former member of Titans West. “And nothing. How could you bring me to this kind of place???”

“I thought since you and your beau were having some troubles, maybe you could meet someone here to help comfort you,” advised the spectral heroine.

“Oh my God! Oh my God!” the Arachnid shouted, freaking out. “You still think Starman and I are lovers! He has a girlfriend for Christ’s sake!”

“Oh, you mean that girl that only you and he have met?” countered Phantom Lady.

“It’s not our fault. She lives really, really far away!” argued the bug-themed hero. “She can only come to earth for an hour at a time.”

“Right….,” smiled Phantom Lady, still not believing the young hero. “Are you sure that’s not you dressed in drag?”

“Drag?!?!?! Are you out of your mind lady?” demanded the Arachnid.

“No, I’m thinking quite clearly right now which is more than I can say for you,” Phantom Lady said, becoming a bit annoyed. “Let me ask you a few questions before you continue to go off on me.”

“Shoot,” the Arachnid spat, crossing his arms.

“When I first met you, didn’t you tell me you would do anything for Starman?” asked the spectral heroine.

“Yes, but…”

“And don’t you two share a room at the Hall?” she continued.

“Yes, but…”

“Last time I saw you two together, were you or were you not straddling his chest and asking him who his ‘daddy’ was?” reminded Phantom Lady.

Becoming extremely frustrated, the Arachnid screamed, “THE WHOLE THOUGHT OF KISSING ANOTHER GUY TURNS MY STOMACH!!!” a lot louder than he intended to.

Suddenly, everyone the dance-floor stopped moving and stared at the Arachnid, giving him the look of death. “Did you hear what that bigot said?” shouted one of the men in the crowd. “Who does he think he is coming into our territory and shooting off his homophobic mouth!” yelled another man. “Let’s teach him a lesson!” ordered a large, burly man leading a pack of tough-looking men towards the Arachnid.

<GULP!> The Arachnid started running from the men. He knew that he could not fight a bunch of civilians without severely tarnishing his image plus if Nightvision found out that he fought them, the new-age Darkknight would make him suffer much worse than this entire mob would if they got their hands on him. They chased him all around the club, upstairs, back downstairs, even across the catwalk high above the dance-floor. “Oh shoot! Oh shoot!” he gasped. He reached for his Titans of Justice communicator, “Hello? Hello? Whoever’s on monitor duty, teleport me to the Hall ASAP!!! I’m about to get my head handed to me!”

“Whoever this is, I can barely hear you with that music blaring in the background,” replied Atmosphere. “Turn it down and speak more clearly.”





“Atmosphere! It’s me! The Arachnid! I’m being chased by an angry mob of homosexuals! Teleport me to the Hall, NOW!”

“Right…..and let me guess, they’re all dressed up like Wonder Woman and Black Canary,” sighed the son of Damage and Cyclone as he shut off the transmitter. “That guy never stops with his stupid jokes. I don’t know how Starman puts up with him. So anyways Imako, where did you want to go for dinner tonight?” he asked as he picked up his cell-phone.

“Dammit!! Atmosphere! Atmosphere! Come in!” the Arachnid continued to scream as he raced across the catwalk as fast as he could with the angry mob behind him. Then he realized at the other end of the catwalk, more of the mob was waiting for him. “Uh oh, let’s see, what are my options here? Keep going and get beat to death or use my power of flight and throw up all over the place….” His head began moving side to side as the two divisions of the mob closed in on him. “Looks like I’m gonna die because I’m not gonna fly.” The bug-themed hero braced himself for the fight of his life when suddenly he was gone???

A few seconds later, he found himself outside, behind the club. Phantom Lady made her way around the corner. “How did I get here?” he asked, confused.

“I teleported you here with my bracelet,’ answered the spectral heroine. “Not only can it make me invisible and intangible, but I can also open warps from one place to another,”

“This is all YOUR fault!” accused the angry Arachnid. “How could you do this to me?!?!?!”

“So it’s my fault you spew of a bunch of homophobic comments from your mouth?” countered the former member of the All-Star Squadron.

“You’re the one who brought me to this…this place!” the Arachnid continued to scream. “And I’m not homophobic. The gay life just isn’t for me!”

“Keep it down before that mob realizes you’re still in the area,” advised Phantom Lady. “Look pal, all I tried to do was help you get out and have a good time. I felt sorry for you since your friend was killed and you’re fighting with your lover. I realize you’re going through a lot right now but don’t take it out on me.”

“For the LAST TIME, STARMAN IS NOT MY LOVER!!!” the bug-themed hero yelled at the top of his lungs, pointing his index finger in Phantom Lady’s face.

“Sure….uh huh, whatever…” Phantom Lady sighed as she walked away. “Call me when you come to terms with your orientation. I think you’ll be a lot more fun when you stop living this lie.”

“ARRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!” the Arachnid screamed like a banshee as he raced in the opposite direction.


The End