Titans of Justice Unlimited #42 – “Crisis: Omen of the Phoenix Part 8”
Written by: Scotty2Hotty
Edited & Maxi-Micros by: Power Guy


IADC Headquarters…

Champion’s determination was unwavering as the nuclear missile barreled towards her. She spun her lasso with lightning speed and gritted her teeth. Tom Tressor watched from the lobby of the IADC Building.

“Please God, help her!” he prayed as dozens of IADC agents watched breathlessly.





Champion tossed her lasso forward, capturing the missile. She was able to redirect the missile skyward, however the propulsion of the missile pulled her from the ground. The IADC agents collectively gasped as they watched the daughter of Wonder Woman being tossed wildly like a rag doll.

“Got to climb the lasso….get to the control panel…before this thing detonates above Washington….wasn’t able to get it far enough away…” her mind raced as she struggled to climb her lasso.





“Looks like you could use a hand!” a familiar voice rang out.

“Supergirl! Am I happy to see you!” Champion said, relieved.

“Hold on and I’ll make sure this thing doesn’t hurt anyone!” Supergirl smiled as she flew up to the missile. She was able to loosen Champion’s lasso. Champion then descended to earth. Supergirl steered the missile through earth’s atmosphere. She used her super-vision, trying to find a path to send the missile.





“No satellites there, no planets! So long missile!” she thought as she shoved the missile on its new path. She flew back to earth with lightning speed as she heard the bomb harmlessly detonate in outer space.

She landed in front of IADC headquarters to the cheers of Champion, Tom Tressor, and the assembled agents. Champion gave the former Titan a hug. “I am so happy to see you come out of retirement!”

“Out of retirement for one night only. I saw what was going on and had to help. Besides, this was more interesting than my art history paper.” explained Supergirl who had left the Titans to focus on college. “Any idea what that thing in California is doing? The news says it’s possessed one of the original Teen Titans.”

Champion explained what she knew. Supergirl said, “I’ll be on stand-by if you need me.” She then said her good-byes and returned to her studies.

“That was smooth, Mindy.” Tom said to Champion, now back in her IADC uniform. “Reminded me of your mom back in the day.”

Mindy Trevor looked at Tom and smiled. Once being compared to her mother would have angered her. Now, it made her day.

***

Marvel Earth…

Deep in Wakanda, Magneto and Jem flew through the jungle.

“My Wonder Man really helped me through a rough patch. Before that, I never really paid him much attention. He was so shallow, so vain. But when my old boyfriend turned into a villain and came after me, Scott was 100% there for me. Not long after that we fell in love. We got married and one baby later, we’re very happy. I don’t get out often, so this is all so exciting for me!” the pink haired heroine explained.





“That’s really nice. My parents met when they were members of the X-Men. My mom was dating Iceman, but when she met my dad, I think Iceman got dropped pretty quickly.” Magneto smiled.





“And they are ok with you doing this?” If my son tried to get into this game, I think I would hesitate to give my blessing—this or becoming a singer!” she laughed.

The duo continued to make small talk. The final gem, the blue one, had been hidden in the Wakanda jungle years ago by Black Panther and Storm. Magneto explained who they were.

“I called ahead for some back up, just in case.” He said. “One of our members was here on a diplomatic mission.”

Just then, Jem noticed a man on the ground. He was very tall, dressed in black and gold. She felt the most pleasant warm breeze wash over her.

“Thundercat!” Magento waved.

“Hello my friends! We were expecting rain today, but I arranged for sunny skies and warm breezes to greet you.” Thundercat waved back. Jem noticed his voice was deep and rich, almost song-like.





Quick introductions were made. “I know exactly where the gem is buried, although it took a ton of goading to get my father to give me this map. He’s not all the way on board with my career choice, unlike my mother. I will accompany you both. We are going to the top of that mountain.” Thundercat gestured.

The trio quickly made the journey to the mountain. Thundercat walked around. “It’s a little cool up here. There, now that’s better.”

Jem noticed it suddenly became much warmer.

“X marks the spot.” Magento said. Stand back and I’ll see if can manipulate the magnetic properties of the gem and lift it right out of the ground.

WHOOOOOOOSH! “Thanks for the map, suckers!” came a voice whizzing by them, followed by a red blur.

“And for finding the gem for us!” another voice laughed.

“Magneto, you didn’t tell me you were planning a family reunion up here!” Thundercat said.

“I wasn’t my friend! Scarlett, you and Silver are not welcome here!” Magneto said, as energy poured off his fists.

“Who are these people?” Jem asked.

“My cousins.” Magneto replied.

“Your EVIL cousins!” Scarlett laughed, holding the map above her head.





“Sorry about your bad luck!” Silver said, gesturing towards the three heroes. He lifted both his hands above his head and sent a hex bolt at them. Unable to dodge the bolt, the trio were hurled over the edge of a cliff. Scarlett then used her superspeed to dig up the blue gem.





Magneto used his powers to lift his friends to safety. As they regrouped he explained to Jem that his cousins were the twin children of the Scarlet Witch. Her son had inherited her hex powers, the daughter had inherited Quicksilver’s superspeed. Both of them were opportunists who unfortunately worshipped their grandfather’s once evil ways.

“Ah, the black sheep!” Jem sighed. “Come on, stopping them will be easy!”

Thundercat admired the sassy singer’s attitude.

Scarlett and Silver were retreating down the side of the mountain, carrying the gem.

“AGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!” both twins screamed in unison!

“My ears…” Silver said, dropping to his knees.

“Oh, you don’t like my music?” Jem said as she manipulated the sound waves in the air.

Magneto used the powers in one hand to levitate the gem towards Thundercat, who pulled it from the air. With his other hand, he sent a concussive blast towards his cousins sending them flying into a grove of palm trees.

“You!!! You have the nerve to name yourself after our grandfather!” Silver screamed as he recklessly shot off hex bolts. One was headed right at Jem. Thundercat stepped in front her. His suit of vibranium deflected the bolt and sent it back at Silver, knocking him down.

“Give it up. Not only are you two wanted in the US, but now you have trespassed in Wakanda. I assure you our justice system will not go as lightly on you two as your homeland does.” Thundercat said.

“Shove it, mutant traitor! You betray your own race, siding with the humans!” Scarlett screamed, running full force at the son of Storm and Black Panther.

Thundercat stood his ground, handing the gem to Jem. He reared his fist back and struck Scarlett in the chin, sending her reeling backwards.

Magneto said, “Jem get out of here with the gem! We’ll meet you back at the base of the mountain after we take out the trash.”

Jem smiled and ran with the gem. Something didn’t seem quite right. Her head started spinning and she stopped in her tracks. She turned around to see Magneto and Thundercat unconscious on the ground.

“What--?” she gasped, not believing her eyes.

POW! Scarlett landed a superspeed punch, knocking Jem over.

Silver walked over to her. “Humans are so easy to fool. You see, I can manipulate reality. Make you see what I want you to see.” He smiled. “It comes in handy from time to time.”

“As does my superspeed!” Scarlett laughed running up from behind Jem.

Magneto tried to raise his head, his vision blurry. He could see Jem struggling with his cousins. The gem was on the ground, unguarded. He wobbly summoned the gem to him via his magnetic powers. By now Thundercat was awake and trying to stand.

SNAP!!!!!!!!!!! Thundercat and Magneto heard as they saw Jem’s head jerk. She slumped to the ground. Scarlett and Silver hi-fived each other.

“No!!! NOOOOO! You animals!!!” Magneto screamed. He wasn’t sure if Jem was dead or injured, but his anger consumed him.

Thundercat summoned lightning from the sky and it struck the ground surrounding Scarlett and Silver. Scarlett smirked and set out running. Lightning pounded her from all sides as Thundercat summoned monsoon level rains.

“Losing traction in this rain!” Scarlett thought as she ran across flat rock. She misjudged the traction and was sent crashing into the side of cave, knocking her out.

Thundercat then summoned winds and hail, directing them at Silver.

“Can’t concentrate….my hexes….” Silver muttered trying to summon his powers. His fists started glowing.

WHAM!!!!!! A concussive bolt from his cousin sent Silver into unconsciousness.

Thundercat and Magneto rushed to Jem’s side. She was very still and not moving. Thundercat kneeled beside her. He slid his mask back, revealing his deep, dark eyes.

“She….she’s gone.”

“What??? She has a husband…a baby! We promised her husband we’d take care of her! He didn’t want her to come. My cousins they……AGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” Magneto screamed in frustration.
Wakandian security would collect Scarlett and Silver. Thundercat carefully picked up Jem’s body, cradling her in his arms.

***

Back at Avenger’s headquarters, Sargona, Red Hammer, and Kid Comet rejoined their teammates. The Infinity Gauntlet was on the meeting table. Green Lantern had just placed the green gem in its proper spot.

Marvel Man gestured to Sargona.

“Go ahead and place the purple gem here.” He said.

Sargona placed the gem in place. “Wow, the power pouring off this thing…it’s unreal. I’ve never felt anything like it before.”





“The gauntlet is one of the most powerful….and dangerous artifacts around.” Offered Wonder Man.





“Looks like everyone is accounted for except Magneto and Jem.” Freedom Falcon noticed.





Isis noticed the power of the gauntlet too. She could hear nature responding to it.

“How odd. The trees, the very air…all are responding to the gauntlet. What’s going to happen when the final gem is in place?” she asked.





Sargona read from her book. “According the legend, the one who can control the power is of the purest heart, the most noble, the most fearless, the untainted. Anyone else will be driven mad.”

“Ha, all this work and no one to control the gauntlet.” Spider Girl huffed.





“And the villains on this world, they make some of ours look like Mary Poppins!” Flash offered.





“We’ll sort this all out later. As soon as Magneto and Jem arrive we’ll return to our earth and hopefully the gauntlet will rescue our friends and send the Phoenix back where it belongs.” Power Guy added.





“It may not be as easy as all that, tough guy.” Woverine added.





“Always the optimist, aren’t you?” Wonder Man glared at Wolverine.

“I’m just saying, we may open up a whole can of worms. Who’s going to try to use the gauntlet? What if its reality bending powers and the Phoenix just make things worse? What if its power corrupts whoever ‘is of the purest heart’, blah blah blah. ”

“I….I don’t see how things could get much worse.” Magento said. Thundercat was behind him, Jem’s limp body in his arms.

“Jerrica!” Sargona gasped.

The Titans all gathered around as Thundercat placed her body on a sofa.

“My friends. I am so sorry.” He quietly said.

Magneto explained what had happened as he sat the final gem beside the gauntlet.

“But this can’t be! What about Scott…and Steven?” Corporal Marvel said, fighting back tears.





Sargona buried her head in Power Guy’s chest and sobbed.

Flash collapsed into a chair, feeling short of breath.

Kid Comet and Isis both examined Jem.

“No brain waves….” Kid Comet sighed.





“I sense no life….” Isis sobbed.

Red Hammer assumed his human form and stroked Jem’s hair. A tear rolled down his cheek.





Green Lantern took Jem’s hand and said a prayer. The entire room was quiet. “How we will tell Scott? I heard him begging Jerrica not to join us.” Green Lantern said.





“I don’t know.” Despite wanting to cry his eyes out, Power Guy placed the final gem into the gauntlet. It started to glow and a multi-colored light bathed everyone in the room.

Marvel Man walked over to Power Guy. “I promise you. We will see that Scarlett and Silver pay for their crime. I cannot tell you all how sorry I am.”

Thundercat added, “My new friends. I offer you my sincerest apologies and assurances the nation of Wakanda will punish Scarlett and Silver—to the fullest extent of the law.”

“We appreciate that. More than you know.” Power Guy said. “Now. Sargona get that portal open. We have a world to save. We do this in honor of Jem.”

“To Jem!” the group said in unison as Sargona opened a portal to the Titans’ earth.

A world away, Scott Trevor felt an odd sensation.

“Scott, are you ok? You look pale.” Apotheosis asked.

“I don’t know…I feel like my heart just broke….”





TO BE CONTINUED!