Titans Lost Part Eight: Together at Last
Written by Green Lantern
Featured Artist: The Stranger (Huntress by Christophe)
Editors: Marcus Mebes and Power Guy

San Diego, California

Chew, chew, chew, chew, chew…..Pop! Duela continued chewing her special bubble gum as she listened to the two love birds continue their spat. Duela had always had a sadistic sense of humor. She loved to spoil parties. She never got along with her "do-gooder" father. As a matter of fact, she found his super-heroics embarrassing. That is why she used to commit petty crimes as "Luthor's Daughter." That really used to get her old man's goat. But ever since the Super Fiends killed him in battle…well, nothing had ever been quite the same. No more heroes left to antagonize, except for that Sportsmaster bozo.

Slap!

"If I see you look at another girl one more time I will take Beast Boy's offer to join his circus scam," warned Bat-Girl.

"Ooooh! This lover's quarrel is starting to get interesting," thought Duela Luthor.

"Be my GUEST!" shouted the Golden Eagle. "I can rob gas stations on my own anyway."

Duela grinned from ear to ear. Her special bubble gum had reached the perfect degree of softness at just the right time.

"So that's it?" asked Bat-Girl. "Just like that? We're finished?"

"That's it!" answered the Golden Eagle. "I don't ever want to see you again!"

"Good riddance!" said Bat-Girl tersely.

POP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Duela did cartwheels around the massive bubble gum mess that had entrapped Golden Eagle and Bat-Girl together. She laughed uncontrollably at the thought of the two former lovers stuck together in her bubble gum prison. Then she skipped over to the sacks of money that the two villains had just acquired from the First Savings and Loan Bank, and was on her merry way.

Gull's Island Penitentiary

John Gnaark had never been the brightest guy anywhere he had gone. He dropped out of school after he failed the seventh grade for the third time. His life at the gasoline station had been a boring one, but it was something he was able to do successfully. Still, it never seemed enough. John wanted more out of life. When his uncle ran for mayor of Gotham, John volunteered countless hours in campaigning efforts. John really admired his uncle for the subtleness of his corruption. Uncle Charles could commit any crime, make it look like someone else did it, and come out looking like a saint. When he was elected, Uncle Chuck rewarded his nephew's campaigning efforts by getting him a job as a guard at Gull's Island Penitentiary. Officer Gnaark really felt like someone important ever since. He ruled his prisoners with an iron fist. He had never had a problem on the job until today.

"So, what did you say their names were again?" asked Officer Gnaark.

"Nucleus and Junjie Quick. They say they are with some group called the Titans of Justice. They claim to be from another universe," answered Commisioner Gordon.

"Why did they come here?" questioned the confused officer further.

"I didn't catch that part. But they did say they wanted to help in any way that they can," explained the Commisioner.

"Well where are they now?" asked John in irritation.

"They left pretty quickly. Something about their friends needing help," answered James Gordon.

Officer Gnaark was quite disgusted. He admired the Super Fiends, especially Robin. He couldn't believe that these meddlers had come all the way from another universe just to put these crime legends in prison…


…and there was no way that he was about to sit by idly and just let it happen!

Star City, Connecticut: The Queen Estate Library

Daniel Jordan searched frantically through the many rooms of the seemingly endless maze of the Queen Estate. He appreciated what his friend Di Di Queen was doing for him by entertaining the sleazy version of Dinah Lance Queen, while he sought for the power battery that was hidden somewhere in the ebony mansion. Daniel prayed for Di Di's safety as he searched through the library. Normally, he tried to see the best in people and be charitable when making character assessments. But after being attacked by the Superman and Aquaman of this horrible universe, Green Lantern thought it best to assume that the Black Canary of this universe was also dangerous. Especially considering that the charge in his ring was exhausted a good twelve minutes before they arrived at the Queen Estate. "Where is that battery?" thought Daniel in frustration.

The Queen Living Room

Di Di Queen knew that the time to act was now, but the question was how best to deal with the situation. She was alone with a murderess who was athletically capable a best and a highly skilled assassin at worst. But the martial artist formerly known as Sonic Boom had two things going for her: one, her "Aunt Dinah" had no idea just how skilled Di Di was herself, and two, this 'Black Widow' also didn't realize that Di Di had not even taken a sip of the poisoned tea she had been offered.

"You should begin feeling the effects of the poison shortly," said the Black Widow with a chilling smile.

Di Di was feeling quite stressed from all of the events of the day and decided to use that to her advantage. Deliberately allowing tears to fall, the young heroine asked with a shaky voice, "Am I going to die? Is that why I feel so faint?"

"Don't worry, young dearie. It won't be long now," said the scantily clothed villainness with a laugh.

"Can I just have one last request before I pass on, mother?" asked the daughter of the Black Canary as she stood and moved wearily toward the fireplace. "Can I sit down on your hearth? Its so beautiful. I – I just feel like I belong there."

The Black Widow tossed her head back in laughter. "Ha! You should! That's where I burned your corpse three years ago!"

Dashing for the fireplace, the newly christened Green Arrow grabbed the emerald colored lantern showcased on the mantle.

"Put that down you little witch!" shouted the Black Widow.

Di Di held the lantern tightly and edged towards the doorway to the hall.

"Just for that your boyfriend sneaking around my house is going to get a little kiss from my pet spiders."

The former Sonic boom realized with mounting horror that her "aunt" was fully aware that Daniel Jordan was also in the mansion. "GL, get out of there NOW!" shouted Sonic Boom in panic.

[glow=yellow,2,300]BEEEP! BEEEP! BEEEP! [/glow]
"Sonic Boom!?! Is that you?" asked Nucleus.

The Queen Estate Guest Bedroom

[glow=yellow,2,300]BEEEP! BEEEP! BEEEP! [/glow]

"Huntress here!"

"Huntress?!? Praise God you're still alive! This is Green Lantern. We are at the Queen Es…"

"Oh MY SOUL!!! They're everywhere! Huntress!! Huntress this is an emergency! Please come help –"

Green Lantern tripped over a small table as he dashed out the bedroom door. An aquarium shattered on the floor and released countless arachnids. They were quickly joined by spiders of various colors, sizes, and shapes. The hallway looked like a jungle for spiders.

"AAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

Beads of perspiration covered Daniel's body as spiders surrounded him. Noting the alarming size of the creatures he decided to jump up and run with all of his might.

The Queen Living Room

Di Di Queen rushed toward the Black Widow, jumped up and kicked her in the jaw, did a mid-air backflip and landed near the hallway entrance. She could sense that the man she had secretly admired was in imminent danger and could soon breathe his last breath if she didn't act quickly. Sonic Boom ran down the hall with all her might. Speaking into her communicator she said, "Dan, leave your Titanss communicator on so I can trace your location,"

"Di Di! They're all over me! Two have already bitten me!" replied the Green Lantern.
The blonde bombshell detected the panic in her teammate's voice. She prayed that God would lead her straight to Daniel before it was too late.

"Why aren't you dead yet, intruder?" demanded the Black Widow as she chased Sonic Boom. "There is no way I am going to let you see your little boyfriend before he dies."

Di Di Queen spun around to find herself face-to-face with an insane version of her own mother. She recognized that stubborn look of determination that she knew all-too-well as the daughter of the Black Canary. Di Di knew that the Black Widow fully intended to kill both Daniel Jordan and herself. Her arrows were hidden in her duffle bag in the living room and she dare not waste time in a battle of martial arts. Though confident she would emerge victorious, Green Lantern might not live that long. There was only one thing left to do. It was a gamble, but she had no other options. Planting her feet firmly Di Di drew a deep breath and screamed with all her might. At first she sounded no different from any woman. But then she felt a small vibration in her larynx and pharynx region. Di Di squinted and concentrated on that area of her body. Then it happened. She felt some type of foreign element disperse from her neck area all through her body. She didn't know what it was, and assumed it wasn't good, but her sonic scream was back…and that was all that really mattered to her right now.


SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The force of Dinah Queen's sonic boom slammed the evil version of the Black Canary into the far wall with a force so great that the wicked villainess was knocked out instantly.

"Di Di?" called the Green Lantern. Sonic Boom whirled around to see the man she loved crawling on the floor toward her. She rushed to him and embraced his head in her arms. He felt weak.

"Di Di…I don't know much about spiders…But four of them got me," explained the youthful pastor weakly. "I don't know if I am going to make it…"

"Dan --" began Di Di

"Wait, " interrupted the verdant guardian, "in case I don't make it…" He coughed weakly.
"I just want you to know that I love you…"

A solitary tear traced the beautiful bone structure of the former cheerleader. This was completely unfair. Dinah Queen had waited patiently for half of her life that someday Daniel Jordan might care for her the way she cared for him. She watched in bitter sorrow as the eyes of the man she loved closed and his body sagged into her lap.

Di Di could hear her uncle Roy's voice in her head, "NEVER PANIC. Not even when it seems to late." Her father's wisdom rang in her ears, "Never give up. Not even when they all say you've lost."

Still gripping onto the lantern she found on the Black Widow's mantle, Sonic Boom took Green Lantern's hand and depressed his ring firmly into it.

"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight…" several tears ran freely as the young beauty continued the oath she heard from her parents' bedtime stories. "Let those who worship evil's might beware my power…Green Lantern's light."

Green energy burst forth from the power battery and flowed into Daniel Jordan's ring.

"Heal him," Sonic Boom ordered the ring. She waited in both hope and concern for several moments.

Coughing, Daniel Jordan smiled, sat up, and gazed into the eyes of his childhood friend. After a few moments of silence the two Titans embraced.

"Hey! What's this?" said a familiar male voice.

Di Di looked around and smiled for the first time in a long time. "Power Guy!"

"Don't I get a hug?" said the Kryptonian with a smile.

Sonic Boom sprang up and gave her teammate a bear hug. Then she looked at the end of the hall to see another of her teammates investigating the unconscious body of the Black Widow. "Huntress!"

The Huntress got up and ran towards her teammates. The two Birds of Prey embraced one another as the best of friends. "Are you okay, GL?" asked the raven-haired detective as she rushed toward Daniel Jordan and checked his pulse.

Power Guy helped Green Lantern up. "I just need a minute…Man, I hate spiders!"
All four Titans smiled.

Later: Gull's Island Penitentiary

"I cannot thank you all enough," said Commissioner James Gordon to the six heroes who stood before him. "The Super Fiends and the Black Widow have terrorized this nation for countless years. I thought they would never be caught during my lifetime."

"We are just glad that we could help," said Nucleus.

"By the way, where is our local hero?" asked the commissioner.

"The Sportsmaster?" asked Junjie Quick. "He is cleaning up the ruins of his home. Wonder Woman pretty much destroyed it.

"It will be good to have the six of you around to help us. Things have gotten really bad ever since Lex Luthor died," said Gordon.

"I am sorry, sir, but we aren't going to be able to stay," said Green Lantern. "One of our teammates was captured by a powerful villainness just before we were blown here."

"Sargona survived?" asked the Huntress joyfully. Power Guy, Junjie Quick, and Nucleus were filled with hope. The four heroes had not said anything, but they assumed that Sargona had been killed in the S.T.A.R. Labs Tower explosion.

"It was the Sting Ray," said Sonic Boom now sporting her original costume. "She just appeared out of nowhere, grabbed Sargona, and then they were both gone."

The Huntress looked strangely at her two teammates.

"It happened just after you left the room, Huntress," added Sonic Boom.

"She must have the Bermuda corals," thought Green Lantern out loud.

"Then the Titans of Justice have to find a way back home!" said Nucleus confidently.

Suddenly, gas spread thoughout the room and the heroes began to choke. Commissioner Gordon was the first to pass out, followed by Junjie Quick.

"Arrgghhh!" shouted the Huntress as a poison dart in her neck sent her into a deep sleep. She had not gotten the breather into her nostrils in time.

"Someone do something," said Power Guy weakly as Sonic Boom passed out.
Spurts of green energy came out of Green Lantern's ring before he passed out. Shortly after that both Nucleus and Power Guy fell to the ground.

Somewhere

The Titans all awoke feeling groggy. Each was imprisoned in individual sound-proof cages. The Huntress noted that there were several other colorfully costumed prisoners besides themselves. Power Guy groaned from the painstaking drain of his kryptonite cell. Green Lantern was unable to concentrate hard enough to get his ring to work. Sonic Boom checked her pockets for weapons.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Di Di Queen answered her communicator in a whisper. "Yes?"

"Di Di, don't make any moves yet, " said Nucleus as he checked his belt. "Let's see what we're up against first."

Junjie Quick was feeling sore, but scanned the prison cells. He recognized most everyone there. Young versions of Titans. "Bumblebee, Kid Flash, Aqualad…Is that Lilith?" he thought. "Those two are obviously the Hawk and Dove...Beast Boy…the Guardian, the Golden Eagle, Bat-Girl…the Joker's Daughter?" Junjie wasn't quite sure who the tough looking guy in the green costume was.

"Attention everyone! Welcome to the first meeting of our new organization," said Robin.

"How did he get free from prison?" thought Nucleus.

"My pal, Gnaark and I are sponsoring a contest," said the evil boy wonder as he patted the prison guard on the shoulder. "The day of the Super Fiends is over. They are now rotting at Gull's Island Penitentiary. But I have some good news! I would like to introduce you to six new super-types who are here on an exchange program from the Universe of Do-Gooders. They call themselves the Titans of Justice. Today we are going to form our own Titans of Injustice. Who's interested?"

Shouts of excitement and approval came from all of the cells, but six.

"Great! Here is how it will work: When your cell gate comes open, run out into the arena and fight your assigned opponent to the death. We will continue having one-on-one battles until there are only seven of us left. Those seven survivors will make up the membership of the Titans of Injustice! All losers will be buried in a common grave. Ready?"

The Titans of Justice listened in horror as the natives of the Universe of Evil shouted out in unison, "YES!!!!"

"Then let the games begin!" shouted Robin in glee.



TO BE CONTINUED…