Titans of Justice Unlimited #46 – “Uproar Part 2”
Written, Edited & Maxi-Micros by: Power Guy


The Secret Headquarters of the Titans of Authority…

“This is quite the group you put together, Arrow,” commented Hawkgirl, gazing upon the familiar and new faces seated in the room. “Would you mind sharing with us how it all came together?”

“Well, as you know,” began Dark Arrow, “You, Black Orchid, and Apotheosis joined up at the last Titans of Justice meeting. Storm Surge had signed on even before the three of you did during a private meeting that he and I had in his hospital room last week. He’ll be joining us in a few days once he’s back up to one hundred percent. As for the rest, not everyone I approached wanted in but here’s the scoop.”





A few days prior at the Hall of Justice, just minutes after the conclusion of the Titans of Justice’s last meeting, Green Lantern and Sonic Boom: The Black Canary had made their way out of the meeting room and entered the monitor room, noticing that Dark Arrow and his new crew were still present.

“What are you still doing hanging around here?” asked Sonic Boom, a bit suspicious of her brother.





“I wanted to give you and Danny-boy one last chance to join us,” offered the green and black clad archer. “What we’re planning on doing will make a real difference to the world.”

“Oh, I agree that you’ll make a difference, just not a positive one,” countered the blonde bombshell. “We’ve worked hard to regain the world’s trust after the Syndicate of Terror impersonated us and did unspeakable acts. What you’re planning on doing will set us back tremendously. Needless to say, I’m not, nor will I ever be, interested.”

“Suit yourself, Di Di, but you’ll see….” Pledged Dark Arrow. “How about you, Danny?”

“Rob, how can you even ask me to join a group set out to do what you’re planning? It’s border-line illegal,” replied Green Lantern as he crossed his arms over his chest.





“I’m sorry to hear you say that but if you won’t join up, we’ll still need A Green Lantern,” pointed out the son of Green Arrow and the second Black Canary. “I guess I’ll have to offer up the spot I was holding for you to Jo Jo Gardner.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” growled an outraged Daniel Jordan.

“Out of everyone you know, Danny, you know I would more than dare,” confirmed the emerald archer.

“You’re making a HUGE mistake, Rob,” predicted the son of Hal and Carol Jordan.

“The only mistake I’ve made is not putting this team together sooner,” replied Dark Arrow. “I keep thinking about all of the lives we could have saved during Lililth’s possession by the Phoenix. Yes, everything worked out eventually, but had someone taken out Lilith before the Phoenix fully bonded with her, we probably wouldn’t have seen so much destruction and loss of life.”

“You’re speculating at best, Rob,” pointed out Sonic Boom.

“Well then, I guess we’re done here,” announced Dark Arrow. “Come on team. Let’s head out.”

“Apotheosis – wait!” called out Sonic Boom.

“Yes?” asked the son of Paragon.





“You’ve made huge strides during your time with us,” complimented the woman otherwise known as Di Di Queen. “I don’t want to see all of your progress get sidetracked by going off with my brother.”

“I appreciate your concern, Sonic Boom, but after all of the horrible things my father did during his time as Paragon, I can’t help but wonder if a lot of the chaos he caused could have been prevented by a harsher form of punishment placed upon him. Please let the Huntress know that I won’t be meeting up with her for training sessions any longer.” With that, Apotheosis soon joined his friends in the Arrow Plane in the hanger.

***

Later in Star City…

In the apartment of Lian Harper also known as the crimson clad archer called Trickshot, Dark Arrow had just filled her in on the details of the new team he was putting together.

“Oh boy, you’re timing is way off, Robbie,” revealed the daughter of Roy Harper.





“Why’s that?” asked a confused Dark Arrow.

“I’ve decided to retire as Trickshot.”

“What? You’re kidding!” replied a shocked Dark Arrow. “Why?”

“Well, I’ve been dating this guy now for a few months and I think it’s time for me to settle down,” explained Lian.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you two were that serious already,” admitted the son of Green Arrow and Black Canary. “I haven’t even met him yet.”

“Yeah, it seems that we spend a lot of alone time together,” smiled Lian. “But, he’s a great guy. He’s well-mannered, successful, and a doctor to boot!”

“A doctor?” repeated Dark Arrow. “Wow! What’s his name?”

“His name is Maximillio. He’s from Brazil, originally. I’ll tell you what, why don’t you and Di Di come over on Sunday afternoon and join us for dinner? I’ll even make my mother’s spring rolls.”

“I guess I can accept you declining my offer in exchange for your mom’s spring rolls,” smiled Dark Arrow. “I’ll let Di Di know….” He promised as he exited via the bedroom window.

***

An Apache Reservation in Southeastern, Arizona…

Buffalo Brave(in his civilian guise of Tye Longshadow) is in the midst of building a fire to prepare his dinner when a shadow casts over him. Without looking up to see who is there he says, “Good evening, Dark Arrow.”





“Huh? How did you know it was me?” asked the startled archer.

“A wise man uses more than his eyes to see, my friend,” replied the humble hero.

“I guess that’s a good thing in your case with that big, horned, furry mitten you usually wear on your head,” commented Dark Arrow, sarcastically. “But anyways, I’ve got a proposal for you…”

“You would like me to join your new team to help hunt down super-villains,” revealed the Indian warrior.

“You know that too, huh?” smirked the hero from Star City. “Then I guess you also know when and where our first meeting will be.”

“I do,” Tye confirmed as he looked up for the first time, having finished building his fire.

“So then I’ll see you there?” presumed the green and black-clad bowman.

“While we apaches are not known aggressors, we do believe in teaching those who commit dire wrongs a lesson they will learn from. I will be at the meeting.”

“I’m glad I can count on you,” smiled Dark Arrow as he breathed a small sigh of relief.

***

Tokyo, Japan…

Imako Hoshi(known to the world at large as Illumina) was in the middle of her latest research project at a branch of S.T.A.R. Labs. There were few things in life that excited her more than her work but today, that excitement would be interrupted by the arrival of “Robert Queen? What can I do for you?” asked the Japanese scientist as the junior executive from Queen Corp made his way into her laboratory.





“I’m here with an offer you won’t be able to turn down,” smiled the handsome young man.

“Do you need a project done for Queen Corp?” asked Imako, curiously.

“Do we have complete privacy in here?” asked Robert as he glanced around the room.

“Of course,” affirmed the daughter of the female Dr. Light. “Now, what is it you need?”

After explaining the details of his new team, Robert asked, “So, can we count Illumina amongst our ranks?”

“Ever since the incident we had with the evil Dr. Light a while back, you may have noticed that I’ve been all but absent from the Titans of Justice,” began Imako. “While the incident was traumatizing, that was not the reason for my avoidance of the team. While your sister regrets her actions against Dr. Light, I do not. Am I in favor of slaughtering every super-villain on the planet? Hardley, but, those who are as vile and morally repugnant as Dr. Light are better off dead than leaving them alive to rape and murder again. I respect Power Guy and the other senior members of the team but feel that they should be dealing with offenders of the law in a more strict fashion. This team you are putting together sounds more like what I was hoping for the Titans of Justice to be so, yes, you can count me in.”

“You won’t regret this, Imako,” smiled Robert Queen.

“I highly doubt that I will,” nodded the Japanese heroine.

***

The rooftop of a tall building in Whales, England…

“Come on, Kid Comet, what do you have to lose?” asked Dark Arrow as the teen telepath used his telekinesis to send a garbage can flying at a jewel thief running from apprehension. The metal container slammed into the thief’s head, knocking him out cold as the bag of jewels in his hand scattered all over the ground.

“Besides my dignity?” questioned the son of Captain Comet and the villainous Star Sapphire known as Deborah Camille Darnell.





“You won’t be expected to do anything you’re uncomfortable with,” pointed out the archer from Star City. “We need someone like you on the team to help us verify if and when people are lying so we can make sure we punish them appropriately. Besides, the Titans passed on you for their recent roster revision so what else do you have to do?”

“I keep plenty busy, mate,” huffed the mutant hero as his telekinesis lifted all of the jewels from the ground and placed them back in the bag the thief was carrying so he could return them to the jewelry store. “Still, you can count me in AND you can count on me to make sure you and your buddies stick to the truth as well. If I find you or anyone else abusing your position and taking out anyone who doesn’t genuinely deserve it, I’ll lead Power Guy and the others right to your door. Understood?”

“Understood, bro,” acknowledged the son of Green Arrow and Black Canary. “I think you’ll see we’re going to doing a lot of good things in the near future.”

“I’d better,” replied Kid Comet, firmly but with a smile.

***

The Royal Palace of Khandaq…

“Greetings King Teth,” smiled Dark Arrow, ready to give his pitch.

“Your pleasantries are much more respectful than usual. What is it you need, archer?” demanded Black Adam, sitting up straight upon his throne.





“Can’t a friend just drop in to say ‘hello’ once in a while?” asked the man also known as Robert Queen.

“Besides my wife, I do not have any friends, so again, I will ask you one last time, what is it that you need?”

“You used to be friends with the Marvel Family,” Dark Arrow reminded the king.

“Yes, but that was until they found out how far I was willing to go in my quest for justice,” recalled the pointy-eared monarch, thinking of the event he stared decades ago that some called World War Three. The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse had killed his wife Isis and her brother Osiris. Later, a miracle occurred and they were both returned to him. In the interim, Black Adam had become obsessed with making those responsible for their deaths pay the ultimate price.

“What if I could offer you the chance to work with people who see things in a similar light as yourself?” asked the brother of Sonic Boom.

“My wife would not like me utilizing such drastic methods again,” revealed Black Adam. “She has shown me the promises of more peaceful problem-resolution.”

“And how much has that done to eliminate threats instead of just temporarily containing them?” pointed out Dark Arrow. “The Monster Society of Evil almost killed you both a few months ago. Your wife, along with her teammates in the Titans of Justice have good intentions but how many times do they put a super-villain away only to find themselves battling them again after they escape custody? When you dealt with The Four Horsemen the way you saw fit, they were never a problem again, were they?”

“True but I take no pleasure in execution,” revealed the husband of Isis.

“Well, that’s not going to be our first or only problem-resolution but if push comes to shove, I know that someone like you won’t let some crazy villain set off a nuclear missile if you can take him out first.”

Black Adam sat silent for a moment and then announced, “Leave the address where your first meeting will convene with my staff. I will be in attendance. You may leave now….”

***

A dark alley in downtown Gotham City…

“Agent Tresser, good to see you as always,” greeted Dark Arrow to government sponsor as became visible in dimly lit alley. "What's with the new belt-buckle?"

“Since I'm getting back into the game of taking down bad guys, Wonder Woman insisted I wear it so that the super-villains know I'm part of her extended family and under her protection. I find it a bit annoying but I wasn't up for an argument with her. Anyways, I see that our guest of honor is late?”





“Hardley!” came a voice from above as Kitty Kat dropped down from a fire-escape up high, landing with complete grace. “I just wanted to make sure you boys didn’t bring the Huntress with you. I have been wondering if this deal of yours is actually a trap.”





“No trap, Kitty Kat,” confirmed the man also known as Nemesis. “You stick to the plan and keep feeding us tabs on Punchline’s team and once we have them all in custody, you get what you want.”

Kitty Kat put one of each of her arms around the two men present and pulled them close to her in a sort of group-hug. “I’ll be holding you both to our little arrangement. Cross me and you’ll think of what the Legion of Doom did to my beloved Knightvision as a fairy-tale compared to what I’ll do to you.”

“Unlike a cat-burglar, we superheroes can be counted on to keep our word,” countered Dark Arrow, pulling himself free from Kitty Kat’s grasp.

“Hmm…..Knightvision told me you were a bit of a jerk,” revealed the self-proclaimed legacy of the Catwoman. “I see he was right on the mark.”

“Look lady, you’re being given a chance to do something right for once and make good for your crimes. Don’t blow it!” Dark Arrow suggested, strongly.

“Don’t you worry about me, Dark Arrow,” began Kitty Kat. “I’ll be a purrrrr-fect little angel.” She then winked at the archer, leapt into the air, grabbed onto the ladder of the fire-escape above, and disappeared into the night.

“I’m not so sure we can trust her,” Dark Arrow said, looking Nemesis in the eyes.

“I’m sure,” retorted the director of the IADC. “She won’t blow this. I have something she wants, desperately.”

“And what is that something?” asked the brother of Sonic Boom.

“I’m sorry but that’s classified for now,” revealed Nemesis.

“And when will that be un-classified?” asked Dark Arrow, suspicious.

“Probably never but I’ll let you know if that changes,” replied the master of disguise as he turned around and headed to his vehicle.

Dark Arrow then thought to himself, “I don’t like that answer much, Mr. Tressor. I’m going to find out what you have that Kitty Kat wants – with or without you telling me.”


TO BE CONTINUED!