Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2015 5:17:27 GMT -5
Titans of Justice Unlimited Chapter 92 - “Whatever It Takes Part 1
”Written & edited by: Power Guy
All over the world, people were gazing into television sets. Whether they were at home on the couch, out for lunch with friends, or walking through an electronics store. While many used this ages old device to find some sort of entertainment, they will be shocked by what they see next.
Without warning, television shows all over the world are interrupted by a powerful signal coming from a satellite in space. As favorite sit-coms, local news, and favorite movies faded out, the face of Ras Al Ghul became clear. The long-time foe of the Batman had never looked more haggard in his life. As the camera in front of him zoomed in, he began to speak, “People of Earth. It has been known for some time that the Lazarus Pits that are in my possession can do wonders for the human body. They can rejuvenate the sick, heal the injured, and even resurrect the deceased at times. As you can see, all good things must come to an end. After repeated exposures, the pits will no longer work for me therefore, I am destroying them in one week from today. You are probably asking yourselves, what does this mean to me? Well, I am going to share the locations of the last three remaining pits. Those of you who are interested in bathing in their restorative waters are more than welcome - IF you can survive the traps and safeguards along the way. The three remaining pits are located in São Paulo, Brazil, Frankfurt, Germany, and Mumbai, India. The clock is ticking. Don‘t let time run out…………” he said with a sinister grin as he faded out.
***
Hours later at the Hall of Justice…
“What do you think Ras is up to?” Sargona asked Nightvision as they played the ancient villain’s speech back.
“My guess is that he’s dying and plans on taking as many people with him as possible,” deduced Nightvsion. “It’s not easy getting to a Lazarus Pit. Many people have died trying. And those that do go into the pits sometimes come out with unexpected results.”
“What do you mean?” asked the daughter of Sargon and Zatanna, quite concerned. “I heard that Black Canary went into one of those pits and came out better than ever.”
“She got extremely lucky. If a completely healthy person goes in the pit, a lot of times, they never come out,” explained the new-age Dark Knight. “Other times, they come out as mad as the Joker.”
Sargona’s eyebrows jerked upward as Nightvision finished explaining the drawbacks of the Lazarus Pits. She had no idea of the horrors one could unlock by bathing in their waters. “So you think people are going to mob the three remaining pits over the next week?”
“Yes, I do but there’s something that concerns me even more,” revealed Nightvision as several of the other Titans made their way into the room. “We’ve gotten intelligence reports that three people we’re familiar with are en route to one of these pits.”
“Who are they?” Sargona asked as Green Lantern walked up behind her and placed his arm around her shoulder.
“Booster Gold, Flamebird, and……Amanda Waller,” answered the son of Dick and Barbara Grayson.
“It looks like your little bribery to Obama will be worthless,” pointed out Power Guy. “If Waller gets her youth back, she’s bound to keep her position as Chief of Metahuman Affairs.”
“Waller hasn’t made it to any of the Pits yet,” countered Nightvision. “My sources say she’s still in the country so we still have a chance of stopping her.”
“I notice that there’s only fourteen of us here. Where’s the rest of the team?” asked Green Lantern.
“Well, as you all know, Wonder Man and Jemstone are on their honeymoon. Speaking of Jemstone, she’s decided to go by simply Jem from now on.”
“But why?” Stellar asked, a bit confused.
“Her agent, Murray Spaulding feels that since the world knows that Jerrica and Jemstone are one and the same, it only makes sense to streamline her identities. Mostly due to copyrights, royalties, and that type of stuff,“ answered the modern age Dark Knight. “Black Adam and Isis are on leave for the next week or two while they try to figure out what to do about Nefertiti and the rest of the team has already been dispatched. They’re out helping the various governments from stopping all forms of travel to the cities containing the pits or they’re busy helping local polices authorities keep people within a one mile radius from the pits,” advised Nightvison.
“So then why are we here?” asked Power Lad, obviously annoyed.
“Because, the three people I just told you about all have a history of doing whatever it takes to get something when they want it,” explained Nightvision. “I’m one hundred percent confident that these three people will get past any and all roadblocks that have been put up. It’s going to be our job to prevent them from taking a dip in these pits for their own good.”
“So we’re splitting up into three teams?” concluded Stellar.
“Yes. The three field leaders for these missions will be Black Vulcan, Sargona, and Power Guy. Stellar, Power Guy, and Infierna Verde will go with me to São Paulo, Brazil to intercept Waller,” directed Nightvision. “Black Vulcan will lead a team consisting of the Arachnid, Ms. Mars, and the White Wraith to try and stop Booster Gold. Sargona will take Power Lad, Kai-Ro and the Wonder Twins to Frankfurt, Germany to handle Flamebird. Meanwhile, Green Lantern will stay here as mission control.”
Sargona gasped in horror as to who she was stuck with. This was going to be her very first mission as a team leader and she was being given the most trouble-some and unpredictable members of the team to lead into battle. She pulled Nightvision aside from the others, “You CAN’T do this to me.”
“Do what?” challenged Nightvision.
Sargona snapped back with, “Surely you can call some people back like Argos, Illumina, or Nucleus for me to lead.”
“Sorry, these guys are all that’s left,” Nightvsion stated bluntly.
“We’re all going to die!” insisted Sargona, becoming frustrated, her eyes narrowing.
“Not if you’re a good leader,” pointed out the modern-age Dark Knight.
“Why can’t I have Stellar or the White Wraith?” Sargona said, whispering loudly.
“They’re spoken for,” declined Nightvision. “Now, you’d better get busy. You need to prep your team for their mission,” he said as he turned Sargona around for her to see her team standing right behind her.
“Umm………hi,” she said, forcing a fake smile.
“We’ve never teamed up before. This is gonna be groovy!” exclaimed Jayna, jubilantly.
“Jayna’s right!” agreed Zan. “We’ve idolized you for quite a while Sargona so this is like a dream come true for us!”
Gleek was scampering around Sargona, tugging on her skirt and smiling, filled with glee.
“Oh…..,uh…..great,” replied Sargona staring down at the blue space monkey below her, straining her face muscles to maintain her fake smile.
“I’m gonna be sick,” huffed Power Lad. “If you two keep up your Mr. Rogers act, I’m gonna throw you both in the pits until you degenerate into fetuses!”
Kai-Ro just stood there, not saying a word. Since his joining the team, the only one he had really interacted with was Green Lantern. Others had tried to build a relationship with him but he always gave them the cold shoulder. His posture and demeanor alone gave the rest of the team an eerie sensation.
Sargona continued to gaze upon the motley crew in front of her, wondering if any of them would make it back from this mission alive. “What did I do to deserve this, God?” she thought to herself.
***
An abandoned warehouse in Hub City…
“You’ve really got to get that jet fixed. I could feel the turbulence the entire way here,” Dark Arrow commented to Blackbird.
“With the limited funding we have, there’s not much I can do right now,” advised Blackbird.
“You’re sure that the Copperhead Twins are holed up in this place?” asked the second Geo-Force.
“We can’t be sure of anything these days but that’s what the tip I got said,” answered Blackbird.
“I like the unpredictable! Living on the edge is the only way to go!” giggled Miss Creeper as she crashed through the window of the warehouse, making the Outsiders’ presence known.
“Well, so much for being subtle,” sighed Black Orchid as she and the rest of the team flew after the woman also known as Julie Ryder.
Once inside, the team found the entire warehouse to be apparently empty.
“What is this? There are no super-villains in here?” groaned Tsukuri. “You got a bad lead!”
“It’s possible they split before we arrived,” pointed out Blackbird.
“Or you were set up,” came a female voice from out of the shadows.
Immediately, the Outsiders all took their battle stances as the female speaking to them stepped into the small amount of light in the warehouse.
“Amanda Waller!” yelled out Dark Arrow. “Why doesn’t surprise me?” he said, keeping his bow and arrow aimed.
“You can put your weapons down, bow-boy. I’m not here to fight,” revealed the aging government official.
“What do you want from us?” demanded Blackbird firmly. “My team doesn’t have time for games.”
“Speaking of your team, I thought it was a big larger?” questioned Waller. “I see Dark Arrow, Black Orchid, Geo-Force, Tsukuri, Blackout, Miss Creeper…..where’s the Hunter and the Solution?”
“Not that it’s any of your business,” began Blackbird, “but the Solution is recovering from some injuries and the Hunter is taking care of him. Neither one of them are active members of my team anyways.”
As Amanda Waller listened on, she failed to notice that Miss Creeper had climbed up into the rafters above her. Suddenly, the yellow-skinned heroine plopped downward on a rope she found, hanging upside down in Waller’s face, “So dimples, what is it you want from us?”
“First of all, I suggest you learn a bit more respect for someone who is about to offer you something your team so desperately needs,” Waller said, pointing in Miss Creeper’s face.
“Would you just get on with it already,” huffed Blackout. “My mother always said you beat around the bush when she was in the Suicide Squad and I see you haven’t changed a single bit since then.”
“What do I want? It’s simple. I’m planning to give myself a little make-over and I need your team to make sure I don’t arrive late for my appointment,” revealed Waller.
“Make-over?” repeated Blackbird, “Oh wait……you want to take a dip in one of the Lazarus Pits before they get blown up, don’t you.”
“BINGO!” confirmed Waller. “As you can see, I’m not in the prime of my health and getting to the pit with all of the roadblocks in the way could prove difficult for a ‘sweet’ old lady like myself.”
“And why the hell would we want to do anything to help you?” demanded Dark Arrow. “I haven’t forgotten that you tried to get the courts to throw the book at my sister for killing that maniac, Dr. Light.”
“Well, you certainly know how to carry a grudge,” pointed out the elderly woman. “That was nothing personal. You really need to let that go. As for what’s in this for you, try five million dollars if and I stress if, I get a dip in the pit. You’ll get half up-front and half after I get out of the pit. Let me know how soon we can leave.”
“Are you outta your mind?!?!?!” shouted Dark Arrow, angrily. “There’s no way we’re helping you!!”
Blackbird began to pull Dark Arrow aside, “Excuse us for a minute Mrs. Waller.
About thirty seconds later, once Blackbird and Dark Arrow were far enough away so that Waller couldn’t hear their conversation, Blackbird tried reasoning with the man otherwise known as Robert Queen. “Arrow, I know you hate this woman. A lot of us do. But, we can’t pass up on the money she’s offering us.”
“She tried putting my sister away!” barked Dark Arrow.
“Come on, you know what that was really about,” reminded Blackbird. “She hates the Titans of Justice………just like you do now. Our team could really use the money plus think about how much this would tick Nightvision off if we helped her…” she said with a devious grin as she drew Dark Arrow close to her and looked deep into his eyes..
A few seconds later, Miss Creeper crept up on the smooching duo and began taunting them in a sing-song voice, “Dark Arrow and Blackbird sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…”
The couple stopped what they were doing and Dark Arrow started to address Waller, “Ok, Amanda, we’ll do it but you’d better keep your word. You’ve already crossed me once and don’t think I’ll let you get away with it twice.”
“Great! We can leave immediately,” instructed Waller.
“Wait a minute,” interrupted Black Orchid. “I’m not going.”
“Why not?” asked Blackbird, firmly.
“I used to work for this woman when I was a part her Suicide Squad. I know what she’s capable of and I know quick she can be to cut the strings and wash her hands of you if things go sour. There is no way I’ll work with her again,” explained the purple-clad heroine. “I’m going back to headquarters. If you guys get into some real trouble, you can call me in but don’t expect me to lift a finger to help that ancient witch over there.”
“Fine then, we’ll see you later,” replied Blackbird, coldly.
TO BE CONTINUED
”Written & edited by: Power Guy
All over the world, people were gazing into television sets. Whether they were at home on the couch, out for lunch with friends, or walking through an electronics store. While many used this ages old device to find some sort of entertainment, they will be shocked by what they see next.
Without warning, television shows all over the world are interrupted by a powerful signal coming from a satellite in space. As favorite sit-coms, local news, and favorite movies faded out, the face of Ras Al Ghul became clear. The long-time foe of the Batman had never looked more haggard in his life. As the camera in front of him zoomed in, he began to speak, “People of Earth. It has been known for some time that the Lazarus Pits that are in my possession can do wonders for the human body. They can rejuvenate the sick, heal the injured, and even resurrect the deceased at times. As you can see, all good things must come to an end. After repeated exposures, the pits will no longer work for me therefore, I am destroying them in one week from today. You are probably asking yourselves, what does this mean to me? Well, I am going to share the locations of the last three remaining pits. Those of you who are interested in bathing in their restorative waters are more than welcome - IF you can survive the traps and safeguards along the way. The three remaining pits are located in São Paulo, Brazil, Frankfurt, Germany, and Mumbai, India. The clock is ticking. Don‘t let time run out…………” he said with a sinister grin as he faded out.
***
Hours later at the Hall of Justice…
“What do you think Ras is up to?” Sargona asked Nightvision as they played the ancient villain’s speech back.
“My guess is that he’s dying and plans on taking as many people with him as possible,” deduced Nightvsion. “It’s not easy getting to a Lazarus Pit. Many people have died trying. And those that do go into the pits sometimes come out with unexpected results.”
“What do you mean?” asked the daughter of Sargon and Zatanna, quite concerned. “I heard that Black Canary went into one of those pits and came out better than ever.”
“She got extremely lucky. If a completely healthy person goes in the pit, a lot of times, they never come out,” explained the new-age Dark Knight. “Other times, they come out as mad as the Joker.”
Sargona’s eyebrows jerked upward as Nightvision finished explaining the drawbacks of the Lazarus Pits. She had no idea of the horrors one could unlock by bathing in their waters. “So you think people are going to mob the three remaining pits over the next week?”
“Yes, I do but there’s something that concerns me even more,” revealed Nightvision as several of the other Titans made their way into the room. “We’ve gotten intelligence reports that three people we’re familiar with are en route to one of these pits.”
“Who are they?” Sargona asked as Green Lantern walked up behind her and placed his arm around her shoulder.
“Booster Gold, Flamebird, and……Amanda Waller,” answered the son of Dick and Barbara Grayson.
“It looks like your little bribery to Obama will be worthless,” pointed out Power Guy. “If Waller gets her youth back, she’s bound to keep her position as Chief of Metahuman Affairs.”
“Waller hasn’t made it to any of the Pits yet,” countered Nightvision. “My sources say she’s still in the country so we still have a chance of stopping her.”
“I notice that there’s only fourteen of us here. Where’s the rest of the team?” asked Green Lantern.
“Well, as you all know, Wonder Man and Jemstone are on their honeymoon. Speaking of Jemstone, she’s decided to go by simply Jem from now on.”
“But why?” Stellar asked, a bit confused.
“Her agent, Murray Spaulding feels that since the world knows that Jerrica and Jemstone are one and the same, it only makes sense to streamline her identities. Mostly due to copyrights, royalties, and that type of stuff,“ answered the modern age Dark Knight. “Black Adam and Isis are on leave for the next week or two while they try to figure out what to do about Nefertiti and the rest of the team has already been dispatched. They’re out helping the various governments from stopping all forms of travel to the cities containing the pits or they’re busy helping local polices authorities keep people within a one mile radius from the pits,” advised Nightvison.
“So then why are we here?” asked Power Lad, obviously annoyed.
“Because, the three people I just told you about all have a history of doing whatever it takes to get something when they want it,” explained Nightvision. “I’m one hundred percent confident that these three people will get past any and all roadblocks that have been put up. It’s going to be our job to prevent them from taking a dip in these pits for their own good.”
“So we’re splitting up into three teams?” concluded Stellar.
“Yes. The three field leaders for these missions will be Black Vulcan, Sargona, and Power Guy. Stellar, Power Guy, and Infierna Verde will go with me to São Paulo, Brazil to intercept Waller,” directed Nightvision. “Black Vulcan will lead a team consisting of the Arachnid, Ms. Mars, and the White Wraith to try and stop Booster Gold. Sargona will take Power Lad, Kai-Ro and the Wonder Twins to Frankfurt, Germany to handle Flamebird. Meanwhile, Green Lantern will stay here as mission control.”
Sargona gasped in horror as to who she was stuck with. This was going to be her very first mission as a team leader and she was being given the most trouble-some and unpredictable members of the team to lead into battle. She pulled Nightvision aside from the others, “You CAN’T do this to me.”
“Do what?” challenged Nightvision.
Sargona snapped back with, “Surely you can call some people back like Argos, Illumina, or Nucleus for me to lead.”
“Sorry, these guys are all that’s left,” Nightvsion stated bluntly.
“We’re all going to die!” insisted Sargona, becoming frustrated, her eyes narrowing.
“Not if you’re a good leader,” pointed out the modern-age Dark Knight.
“Why can’t I have Stellar or the White Wraith?” Sargona said, whispering loudly.
“They’re spoken for,” declined Nightvision. “Now, you’d better get busy. You need to prep your team for their mission,” he said as he turned Sargona around for her to see her team standing right behind her.
“Umm………hi,” she said, forcing a fake smile.
“We’ve never teamed up before. This is gonna be groovy!” exclaimed Jayna, jubilantly.
“Jayna’s right!” agreed Zan. “We’ve idolized you for quite a while Sargona so this is like a dream come true for us!”
Gleek was scampering around Sargona, tugging on her skirt and smiling, filled with glee.
“Oh…..,uh…..great,” replied Sargona staring down at the blue space monkey below her, straining her face muscles to maintain her fake smile.
“I’m gonna be sick,” huffed Power Lad. “If you two keep up your Mr. Rogers act, I’m gonna throw you both in the pits until you degenerate into fetuses!”
Kai-Ro just stood there, not saying a word. Since his joining the team, the only one he had really interacted with was Green Lantern. Others had tried to build a relationship with him but he always gave them the cold shoulder. His posture and demeanor alone gave the rest of the team an eerie sensation.
Sargona continued to gaze upon the motley crew in front of her, wondering if any of them would make it back from this mission alive. “What did I do to deserve this, God?” she thought to herself.
***
An abandoned warehouse in Hub City…
“You’ve really got to get that jet fixed. I could feel the turbulence the entire way here,” Dark Arrow commented to Blackbird.
“With the limited funding we have, there’s not much I can do right now,” advised Blackbird.
“You’re sure that the Copperhead Twins are holed up in this place?” asked the second Geo-Force.
“We can’t be sure of anything these days but that’s what the tip I got said,” answered Blackbird.
“I like the unpredictable! Living on the edge is the only way to go!” giggled Miss Creeper as she crashed through the window of the warehouse, making the Outsiders’ presence known.
“Well, so much for being subtle,” sighed Black Orchid as she and the rest of the team flew after the woman also known as Julie Ryder.
Once inside, the team found the entire warehouse to be apparently empty.
“What is this? There are no super-villains in here?” groaned Tsukuri. “You got a bad lead!”
“It’s possible they split before we arrived,” pointed out Blackbird.
“Or you were set up,” came a female voice from out of the shadows.
Immediately, the Outsiders all took their battle stances as the female speaking to them stepped into the small amount of light in the warehouse.
“Amanda Waller!” yelled out Dark Arrow. “Why doesn’t surprise me?” he said, keeping his bow and arrow aimed.
“You can put your weapons down, bow-boy. I’m not here to fight,” revealed the aging government official.
“What do you want from us?” demanded Blackbird firmly. “My team doesn’t have time for games.”
“Speaking of your team, I thought it was a big larger?” questioned Waller. “I see Dark Arrow, Black Orchid, Geo-Force, Tsukuri, Blackout, Miss Creeper…..where’s the Hunter and the Solution?”
“Not that it’s any of your business,” began Blackbird, “but the Solution is recovering from some injuries and the Hunter is taking care of him. Neither one of them are active members of my team anyways.”
As Amanda Waller listened on, she failed to notice that Miss Creeper had climbed up into the rafters above her. Suddenly, the yellow-skinned heroine plopped downward on a rope she found, hanging upside down in Waller’s face, “So dimples, what is it you want from us?”
“First of all, I suggest you learn a bit more respect for someone who is about to offer you something your team so desperately needs,” Waller said, pointing in Miss Creeper’s face.
“Would you just get on with it already,” huffed Blackout. “My mother always said you beat around the bush when she was in the Suicide Squad and I see you haven’t changed a single bit since then.”
“What do I want? It’s simple. I’m planning to give myself a little make-over and I need your team to make sure I don’t arrive late for my appointment,” revealed Waller.
“Make-over?” repeated Blackbird, “Oh wait……you want to take a dip in one of the Lazarus Pits before they get blown up, don’t you.”
“BINGO!” confirmed Waller. “As you can see, I’m not in the prime of my health and getting to the pit with all of the roadblocks in the way could prove difficult for a ‘sweet’ old lady like myself.”
“And why the hell would we want to do anything to help you?” demanded Dark Arrow. “I haven’t forgotten that you tried to get the courts to throw the book at my sister for killing that maniac, Dr. Light.”
“Well, you certainly know how to carry a grudge,” pointed out the elderly woman. “That was nothing personal. You really need to let that go. As for what’s in this for you, try five million dollars if and I stress if, I get a dip in the pit. You’ll get half up-front and half after I get out of the pit. Let me know how soon we can leave.”
“Are you outta your mind?!?!?!” shouted Dark Arrow, angrily. “There’s no way we’re helping you!!”
Blackbird began to pull Dark Arrow aside, “Excuse us for a minute Mrs. Waller.
About thirty seconds later, once Blackbird and Dark Arrow were far enough away so that Waller couldn’t hear their conversation, Blackbird tried reasoning with the man otherwise known as Robert Queen. “Arrow, I know you hate this woman. A lot of us do. But, we can’t pass up on the money she’s offering us.”
“She tried putting my sister away!” barked Dark Arrow.
“Come on, you know what that was really about,” reminded Blackbird. “She hates the Titans of Justice………just like you do now. Our team could really use the money plus think about how much this would tick Nightvision off if we helped her…” she said with a devious grin as she drew Dark Arrow close to her and looked deep into his eyes..
A few seconds later, Miss Creeper crept up on the smooching duo and began taunting them in a sing-song voice, “Dark Arrow and Blackbird sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…”
The couple stopped what they were doing and Dark Arrow started to address Waller, “Ok, Amanda, we’ll do it but you’d better keep your word. You’ve already crossed me once and don’t think I’ll let you get away with it twice.”
“Great! We can leave immediately,” instructed Waller.
“Wait a minute,” interrupted Black Orchid. “I’m not going.”
“Why not?” asked Blackbird, firmly.
“I used to work for this woman when I was a part her Suicide Squad. I know what she’s capable of and I know quick she can be to cut the strings and wash her hands of you if things go sour. There is no way I’ll work with her again,” explained the purple-clad heroine. “I’m going back to headquarters. If you guys get into some real trouble, you can call me in but don’t expect me to lift a finger to help that ancient witch over there.”
“Fine then, we’ll see you later,” replied Blackbird, coldly.
TO BE CONTINUED