Titans of Justice Unlimited #48 – “Uproar Part 4”
Main Story Written by: Scotty2Hotty & Power Guy
Tales of the Titans Back-up Story Written by: Scotty2Hotty
Edited & Maxi-Micros by: Power Guy


The Hall of Doom…

As Luthor and Brainiac stared at the screen in front of them, watching Superboy’s battle with Jem, Sargona, and Starman, Sultana came bursting into the laboratory.

“Luthor – you need to get in the meeting room now!” ordered the daughter of Sinestro.





“We’re busy in here, Sultana,” sneered Luthor, obviously annoyed by the interruption.





“The Cheetah is on the monitor and she’s spewing a bunch of threats at us! I wasn’t even here when all of the drama with her went down. You need to deal with this,” Sultana replied, standing her ground.

“She has a lot of nerve threatening us!” grumbled Luthor as he pushed his way past Sultana and headed to the meeting room in a fury. Upon entering the room, he found the Sting Ray and the Cheetah in the midst of a heated argument, curse words flowing without restraint.

“Cheetah! What is the meaning of this ridiculousness?” demanded the son of Lex Luthor as he stepped in between the monitor screen and the Sting Ray.

“Don’t play me for a food, Luthor!” hissed the Cheetah. “I know you hired those second-rate villains to attack us and kidnap the Riddler!”





“Tell us where you’re holding him!” screeched Scream Queen, as she shouted from behind the Cheetah, angry that her boyfriend was taken hostage or possibly killed.





“Me hire second-rate villains? I did no such thing!” denied Lance Luthor. “When we decide to take you down, we’ll come for you ourselves! Not hire middlemen!”

“So you’re saying Punchline and the others aren’t on your payroll?” asked feral villainess.

“Punchline?” repeated the arch-nemesis of Power Guy. “He’s probably just ticked off because he applied membership in the Legion of Doom a few months before your return and we turned him down. Either way, he hasn’t bothered us so he’s your problem until he does.”

“Selfish as ever….” Concluded the Cheetah. “That’s fine. We’ll take care of Punchline’s team and then take care of yours. The REAL Legion of Doom shall be the victors here!” she threatened with a bit of foam coming from her mouth right before she cut off her transmission.

“That lunatic,” remarked the Sting Ray, rolling her eyes. “You should have listened to me, Luthor. I told she was trouble from the start.”





“Keep yourself in check, Sting Ray,” commanded Lance Luthor. “Brainiac and I are hatching a plan that will take care of the Cheetah’s group before she even realizes we’re coming for her. And if Punchline and his dogs come banging on our door, we’ll put them six feet under too! Now, let's discuss that mission that you and Sub Zero will be going on.”

***

The Secret Headquarters of the Society of Insanity…

The Riddler awoke with a start. He gasped as his eyes darted nervously around. Sweat covered his forehead as he tried to remember how he got here—wherever here was. He remembered getting jumped—knocked out, maybe tazered? It was all so blurry and he had no idea how long he’d been out.

“Got to get out of here….” He thought. He tried to get in motion, but realized his arms were chained to an overhead beam and his legs were attached to a beam that separated his ankles. There was a dog collar around his neck with a chain connecting to his ankles and wrists.





He noticed there was a flickering bulb suspended from the ceiling that was swinging back and forth. Every few moments he could hear the echoes of voices and people walking. The floor was damp and a rusty smell permeated his prison. He thought he saw movement in the corner….but wasn’t sure. For the first time in his life, the Riddler was really, really, really scared.

“Riddle me this….who the hell do you think you are?” he shouted out in desperation, and mostly fear.

“Well, well, well look who’s awake!” came Punchline’s crackling voice.





The Riddler knew this was not going to go well. “You’ve had your fun. Let me out of here. We’re friends, Punchy! I have no quarrel with you.”

“Ah, but I have a quarrel with you my dear, Riddler. You and your Legion of Doom.” Punchline said walking in a circle around the Riddler.

“The Legion? What do they have to do with this? What do I have to do with this? I thought we were on the same page of the joke-book? Hating Batman and his family.”

Punchline grabbed the Riddler’s jaws. “That’s just it! I waited and waited, planned it all out! And you…you and your Legion took the biggest gift of all from me!”

“Well, if it’s a gift you want let me out and we’ll go rob a store!” The Riddler said with enthusiasm and desperation.

Punchline backhanded him.

“Fool. You took my chance for revenge! Not only did you kill Batgirl, you killed Knightvision! They were mine to kill! Mine!!!” he bloodshot eyes flashed in the flickering light.

“What’s the difference!?” the Riddler spat. “We saved you some work!”

Punchline’s eyes widened. “I wanted this face to be the last thing that son of a b*tch ever saw! I wanted Knightvision to see ME ending his life! You took that from me! And now, you must pay.”

“Wait! I can get you the Huntress!” pleaded the Riddler.

“If you go so much as near her, today will seem like a stroll in the park compared to what I and my associate will do to you.”

The motion in the corner the Riddler thought he saw earlier was moving again. He could hear what sounded like joints snapping. Out of the darkness and into the dim light wandered Ragdoll. As the overhead light swung back and forth, he could see the scars on her arms and legs. Punchline put his arm around the damaged woman as she silently stared at the Riddler.

Punchline leaned in close and whispered in the Riddler’s ear. “Do you believe in God? I hope so.”

The Riddler had heard Ragdoll’s story. Once a very promising musician, she had been gang-raped and unmercifully beaten to near-death. Surgeons had grafted a polymer to her broken bones that gave her uncanny control of her joints and muscles. Despite them being able to heal her broken bones, she was left horribly scarred and wore a mask that resembled a Raggedy-Ann doll. He could see her wide eyes through the mask, despite her stringy hair dangling in her face.

Punchline continued in a whisper, “You see, I told Ragdoll that you were one of the men responsible for what happened to her. I think I’ll leave you two alone so you can get re-aquainted.” Punchline said raising his voice with his last few words to make sure the emotionally damaged woman could hear him as he smiled and backed into the shadows.

The Riddler could hear Ragdoll’s labored breathing. She traced his eyes, nose, and mouth with her crooked fingers.





“Uh, can’t we just hug this out? Surely you know me—I’m the Riddler! I’m like you! I wasn’t one of the men who tortured you!”

Ragdoll walked away to a table that Punchline had rolled in for her. The Riddler could see all kinds of knives, scalpels and other sharp instruments.

Ragdoll picked up a scalpel and walked around to the Riddler’s back.

“Please…please don’t do this…..AGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” The Riddler screamed as Ragdoll slashed away at his back. Blood spattered across her face as she laughed in a gurgled voice. She stopped suddenly. The Riddler craned his neck to see what she was doing. He saw her pick up a mason jar of a clear liquid. “No—Oh Lord, No….”

The Riddler screamed again as the alcohol from the jar was thrown on his bleeding back. He started to scream uncontrollably. Ragdoll approached him and started wrapping his head in Saran-Wrap. Soon his entire face was covered and the Riddler could not breathe. He couldn’t see what she was doing. Suddenly he felt something jab into his mouth and he could taste his own blood. Ragdoll had inserted a pocketknife into his mouth, creating an airway through the wrap. The Riddler gasped as air and blood filled his heaving lungs.

Ragdoll then grabbed his hands and in turn she snapped each of his fingers. He howled in agony as she broke all 10 of his fingers. The Riddler was so panicked that he could not scream. He tried to mutter something, but no words would come out.

“Do……you…..want….me…….to ……..let……you…gooooo?” Ragdoll’s voice came. It was barely a whisper and took much effort for her to utter these words.

“Yes…yes…puh…please……” Riddler begged. He still could not see due the wrap around his eyes. Soon he could feel it loosening as Ragdoll removed it. “Th…thank you….I’ll do anything you want…tell you where the other Legion members are…just don’t hurt me anymore…” he noticed she was holding a butcher knife.

“What are you doing…you were going to let me go….” He gasped.

Ragdoll then plunged the knife into each of his kneecaps and he screamed for mercy. She then freed him from his bonds. The Riddler dropped to the floor.

“Wh…what….are….you….waiting for….run……RUN!” she laughed.

Tears welled up in the Riddler’s eyes. “I can’t….I can’t even get up you crazy %!+(#!” he howled as he tried to scoot across the floor. He tried to stand, but his severed knees wouldn’t let him. Ragdoll stood over him with a pair of pliers. Before he could protest, she reached into his mouth and pulled a tooth. Blood gushed as raw nerves were exposed. Ragdoll inserted a finger into the hollow opening and irritated the nerves.

“You….you will pay….for….what…you did.” Ragdoll muttered.

“I didn’t do this to you! I don’t even know you! Please, please!!!!!” The Riddler said as he lay on the wet floor. His own blood mixing with the filth.

Several rooms away, Briar Rose sipped a glass of wine. She heard one of the most tortured screams ever.

“That sound. So soothing to my soul. Much like a precious fairytale. I wonder what dear Ragdoll is doing right now.” She smiled at Punchline.

“If I am correct, she is….violating him. Much the same way she was violated by those men. Ah, Riddler. So annoying with the riddle me this, riddle me that!” Punchline laughed.

Briar Rose and Punchline saw Ragdoll shuffling down the corridor, covered in blood. She glanced at them and kept moving, slowly along.

“Looks like she has had her fun and moved on.” Briar Rose said.

“Yes, she got the Riddler warmed up for me. Hope he’s still alive so I can play. Oh well, if not, there are other Legion members that must pay for what they’ve done! How I LOOOOOOVEEEE new toys!” Punchline laughed as he poured Briar Rose another glass of red wine.

***

Central City Observatory…

Sub Zero and the Sting Ray had broken into the facility and made short work of the security guards.

“You’re positive that the Flash and Hot Flash are both out of town?” asked the Sting Ray as her helmet’s eyebeams blew the steel doors in front of her off of their hinges.

“Yup,” replied the son of Captain Cold as he used his powers to freeze the two scientists in the room into a block of ice. “Those two losers are in Gorilla City today for the city’s new king’s anointment. Apparently Solivar’s son likes the new Flash as much as his dad did the old one.”





“Hmmph…..something tells me that Sir Simian Sinister won’t be cheering the new king on anytime soon,” surmised the Sting Ray right before she pointed to a large container in front of her. “There’s the liquid light! It’s taken these loser scientists decades to replicate this stuff from when the original Legion tried stealing it and Superman ended up disposing of the rest in space. Once we pump this stuff into the Hall of Doom, it will be nearly unstoppable! Now, freeze it and let’s get out of here!”

“You got it Manta-babe!” agreed Sub Zero as he raised his hands until he was interrupted by a strange voice.

“The only thing that’s going to freeze are you two…………..right before we take you away!” ordered Dark Arrow, bow drawn. The Titans of Authority scurried in behind him: Apotheosis, Black Orchid, Buffalo Brave, Green Lantern Jo Jo Gardner, Hawkgirl, Illumina, Kid Comet, Storm Surge, and Totem.





“What do we have here? A new team of the Titans of Justice?” pondered the Sting Ray as she aimed both of her wrist-lasers as the group of heroes.

“They probably call themselves Titans of Justice Elite or something stupid like that,” scoffed Sub Zero to his teammate. He then turned his attention back to the heroes and shouted, “Look kids, you know what we did to your buddies Knightvision and Batgirl. I suggest you close up your lunch-pails and go home before more of you wind up dead!”

Sub Zero’s words opened up the still healing wounds of the two Titans’ passing. Dark Arrow, eager to show that he was done playing games with these murderous criminals, shot two arrows, each of them embedding themselves into one of Sub Zero’s palms.

“ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” screamed the son of Captain Çold as blood spurted from both of his hands.

The Sting Ray glanced briefly at her comrade and then remarked, “Aww…..did he strike a nerve with you guys? Let’s see if we can’t help reunite you with your dead friends!” Instantly, her eye-beams started shooting relentlessly, causing the heroes to scatter about the room.

“There’s no way the two of you are escaping today,” declared Black Orchid as she flew towards the daughter of Black Manta, swooped down, but just barely missed the murderess as she dove out of the way.





The Sting Ray, realizing the overwhelming odds in front of her, was in panic mode. Illumina and Jo Jo Gardner were zapping away at her left and right while Kid Comet and Apotheosis secured Sub Zero. Just then, she noticed Buffalo Brave had grown to fifty feet tall and his immense hand was reaching for her! Thinking quickly, she shot three of her stingers at his hand which delivered a sizable amount of stingray venom to his system, paralyzing the muscles in his body. She then took a rope from one of her pockets, threw it around the giant Indian warrior and gave it a firm yank, causing him to collapse on Black Orchid, Totem, and Jo Jo Gardner. She then noticed Dark Arrow and Hawkgirl coming at her from opposite sides. An arrow from the archer whizzed by her, grazing her left shoulde, stunning her long enough for Hawkgirl’s Nth Metal mace to come crashing into the back of her helmet, knocking her wildly about only to be caught by Storm Surge as he formed a hard-water “glove” around his right fist and sent it promptly between the villainess’ eyes, splitting her helmet in half.

“Shame on you for not taking me out first,” scolded the prince of Atlantis as the Sting Ray’s limp body collapsed in front of him. He reached down, pulled off her wrist-gauntlets containing her stingers and crushed them both. “There, now she’ll be weaponless when she wakes up. Score two for the Titans of Authority!”





But before Dark Arrow team could enjoy a sense of celebration, a voice interrupted them.

“We need you to hand over the Sting Ray to us – NOW!” It was Power Guy along with Green Lantern Daniel Jordan, Sonic Boom, the Huntress, Champion, Corporal Marvel, Sargona, and Black Vulcan.





TO BE CONTINUED!

***

Tales of the Titans Starring: Jem, Sargona, & Starman

Superboy screamed at the sight of the statue. The plaque read “In Honor of Superman for Saving Beverly Hills Time and Time Again.” Within seconds he had pulverized it with his fists.

“Where is he!? Where is Superman!? I’ll tear this city apart until he shows his damned face!!” the young man screamed.





“It certainly looks like Superboy, but he hasn’t been seen in years! And wouldn’t be he older?” Starman asked.





“I don’t know! And I heard he just sort of disappeared all those years ago. I know he dated that blonde that was briefly Wonder Girl. Maybe Jerrica knows?”





“Well, I don’t think he’s going to give us time to find out!” Starman said. “He’s seen us!”

“You two! You must be in the Justice League of America! Where is he?!?! Where is that bastard?” Superboy screamed, veins bulgin in his neck.

“It can’t be Superboy Prime—he’s imprisoned at the Source Wall!” Sargona said, her magic carpet dodging a blast of heat vision.

“A clone of a clone? He certainly has all the typical Krypton powers!” Starman said, as Superboy flew into the sky.

“You two will lead me to him!” Superboy said, ripping a communications antenna from a building and swatting Starman and Sargona with it. The plummeted to the ground as Starman caught Sargona in his arms, landing safely.

“We’re going to need help….” Starman said, reaching for his communicator.

“Uh-uh-uh!” Superboy huffed, grabbing their communicators and smashing them at super-speed. “I’ll use the two of you as an example! All of the Justice League will die at my hands until Superman comes to me and I can kill him for all he has done to me! Using me! Abandoning me and letting innocents die!”

“What are you talking about----AGGGHHHH!” Starman screamed, as Superboy’s punch sent him crashing through a shop window.

“Superboy—please calm down! We’re your friends—you were Superman’s ally. Where have you been?” Sargona said trying to reason with him, noticing his t-shirt reminded her of Luthor.

From the Hall of Doom, Brainiac and Luthor watched.

“It’s all going to plan. Plus if he kills Sargona and Starman, that’s a bonus!” Luthor laughed, finishing his bottle his wine.





“Agreed. His mind is so warped, he thinks Superman was responsible for the old woman’s death. His perception of reality is askew. He is the ultimate weapon. The added circuitry I embedded in his skull will be our ‘silver lining’ if the Titans disrupt the mental conditioning.” Brainiac added.





“Ha, those Titans are no match for him. Watch!” Luthor pointed to the monitor screen.

Back in Beverly Hills, Starman and Sargona continued to battle Superboy.

“We’re getting nowhere. It’s like fighting Superman. All we can do is stay on the defensive. Surely some of the others have seen this on the news by now!” Starman said, aiming his Cosmic Rod at Superboy and unleashing a blast.

“What an idiot! My powers are solar based! You just juiced me up!” Superboy screamed, flying full force at Sargona and Starman.

“Oh shi------“ Starman gasped, feeling stupid and panicked at the same time. Just then, he saw Superboy cover his ears, his flight faltering.

“What is this?” Brainiac said, watching the monitor screen.

“How does millions of decibels of pure sound make you feel?” Jem shouted.





“Jem!” Sargona said with relief in her voice. She whispered, “should you be out here, I mean….”

“The mood I’m in, I’m ready to fight!” Jem replied. “Is that…Superboy?”

“We think it is, he certainly fights like a Kryptonian!” Starman said.

“I saw Cassie just a few weeks ago. His name came up, he went missing years ago.”

“Well, I am back on the scene now!” Superboy replied, shaking off the deafening effects of Jem’s power.

Jem quickly explained she had hit the Titans emergency frequency and help was on its way.

Just then, Superboy pounded his fists into the street, causing it to shatter and buckle. Starman and Sargona were knocked unconscious by flying pavement.

“Uh oh, got to keep him occupied.” Jem thought, sensing something about the young man. “His eyes…” she thought. “Like he’s struggling….” Jem flew into the air and Superboy followed.

“You think you can outrun me!? This new Justice League are a bunch of fools! You only prolong the inevitable!”

“He’s crazy!” Jem thought as their chase zigzagged through city streets and around posh shops. A crowd had assembled, watching.

“It’s not right what he did! It’s not fair! Because of him, the only person who cared for me died!”

“What are you talking about? Who?”

“SUPERMAN!” Superboy growled, using his Super-breath to knock Jem from the sky.

She plummeted into some trees, the braches breaking her fall. She hit the ground, dazed.

Seconds later, Superboy was standing before her, heat vision sparking out of his eyes.

Jem scurried backwards. She send sound wave after sound wave at him, but he kept coming towards her.

“You….you remind me of her….that day….” Superboy grabbed his head.

Taking a chance, Jem asked, “Who…who is she?” Jem noticed Superboy’s face relax.

“Ma….he killed Ma…she was protecting me….AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!” Superboy screamed. He felt as if his brain was on fire.

“Something about Jem. It reminds him of the day you killed the old woman. There, I activated the failsafe in his skull. He’ll destroy the female and continue on his path.” Brainiac said to Luthor. Luthor watched intently.

“Please….get away…quickly….I’m not in control….don’t want to hurt you….”Superboy pleaded.

“It’s ok…I’m here.” Jem said, her motherly instincts kicking in. Who is doing this to you? I won’t let them hurt you anymore.”

“Foolish woman!” Superboy yelled, striking Jem and sending her plummeting into the windshield of a parked car. She instinctively grabbed her abdomen, but remembered she had lost her baby.

“Today, you all die!”

“Not today kid!” It was Starman and Sargona. Jem gasped in relief.

Sargona quickly recited a binding spell that slowed the teen aged powerhouse down.

Starman made his way to Jem.

“You ok?”

“I am, thanks. We’ve got to help him. That is the real Superboy. I’m sure of it. Someone or something is controlling him!”

Superboy burst free from the restraint spell. His eyes were bulging and he was covered in sweat.

“I think he’s trying to fight it! Whoever is controlling him!” Jem whispered.

“What is that coming through his forehead??” Starman said.

Superboy grabbed his head and doubled over, feverishly clawing at his temples.

“Brainiac, what is he doing? You moron!”

“I don’t know Luthor! And you are the moron! You and your mental conditioning! I told you the experiment wasn’t ready.

“Get out of my head!” Superboy screamed, dropping to his knees. “AGHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

Jem ran to his side.

“Jem, come back….!” Sargona pleaded.

“I know what I’m doing!” as she ran over and put her arms around Superboy.

“Connor, I know you are in there. I’m right here and I will not leave you. You and I….you and I will fight this together!”

“I can’t control myself…don’t want to hurt you…”

“You won’t hurt me. I trust you.”

Just then, Jem noticed Superboy’s skin turning a pale green. She looked up at the sky and saw a small blue ship with the “S” insignia on it. Inside she saw Superman. From the bottom of the ship she saw a piece of kryptonite. Superboy collapsed.





Starman, Sargona, and Jem all waved to Superman. They were all in awe of him, even seeing him from afar in the Supermobile. His voice came from a speaker: “Looks like I arrived just in time. I saw what was happening on the news and got here as quickly as I could. Apotheosis was on monitor duty and sent me an urgent alert as well. An old friend had a piece of Kryptonite and I had to get the Supermobile out of the mothballs, so to speak. S.T.A.R. Labs is waiting!





TO BE CONTINUED!