Titans of Justice Unlimited #82 - "The Enemy of My Enemy Part 2"
Written by: Power Guy & Scotty2Hotty
Editing & Maxi-Micros by: Power Guy


The Ha Ha Ha Hacienda…

"Release your associates?" repeated Punchline? "Alright, if you insist," he smiled as he pressed a button on the console in front of him. Suddenly, the floor beneath the chairs that the Riddler, Sting Ray, and Sub Zero were seated at, gave way, dropping them towards a pool of bubbling acid.





The Riddler began screaming in such a high-pitched tone that many thought it was a woman's scream. Luckily for the cowardly villain, Sultana's power ring formed a giant hand that caught them just before they hit the acid and returned them to the surface while removing their bonds.





"UGH! I hate party-poopers!" huffed Punchline. He then ordered his team, "Mutilate them all!"

Instantly, a battle of the most powerful and vicious villains on earth erupted. Tension, discord, and mistrust were heavy in the air as opponents sized one another up.

Bizarbara flew into Zy-Kree with the force of a missile. "You look like someone I be good friends with," mumbled the backwards female clone of Power Guy as she and the Phantom Zone escapee traded blows.





"You dare touch me, you Kryptonian mockery!" scoffed Zy-Kree as he knocked Bizarbara through the ceiling. She quickly recovered and returned to the scene, blasting Zy-Kree with her Ice-vision, freezing him solid.





Sultana took to the air and confronted Baron Vertigo. "You're a Vlatavian diplomat, what are you doing with these maniacs?" she asked as she encased the son of Count Vertigo in an energy-sphere.





"Release me, alien," ordered Baron Vertigo. "I will not waste my fighting prowess on the likes of you!"





The daughter of Sinestro presented an angry look on her face right before two energy-fists erupted from inside her sphere, punching out the Baron instantly. "Royalty such as yourself should have a better degree of tact," chided Sultana as she dissipated her energy-sphere, letting the Baron's lip body drop to the ground.

Below Sultana, Solomon Grundy had charged the Gored Ox and had him in a headlock, "You hurt Grundy's friends! Now Grundy crush!" he said as he punched the African assassin in the face repeatedly.





Meanwhile the Cheetah was entangled with Rag Doll. Rag Doll had wrapped her legs around the Cheetah's neck, in hopes of strangling her but Priscilla Rich was as quick in mind as she was in body and ran backwards until she smashed into a wall, making Rag Doll take the full brunet of the impact, knocking her senseless.






As the Society of Insanity continued to fall before the new Legion of Doom, Lance Luthor faced off with Punchline. "Your lackeys are falling before us, Punchline. The element of surprise is on our side and you'll pay for what you did to Riddler, Sting Ray, and Sub-Zero!" Luthor shouted as energy-beams shot forth from his chest-plate.





"Aww…..Lancey, we did our best to take good care of them," howled Punchline as acid shot out of the flower on his jacket. "And we'll do the same for you once I've bludgeoned you into unconciousness," cackled the son of the Joker and Harley Quinn as he produced a giant green mallet and started swinging it wildly about.

Just then there was a loud noise and the room started shaking. Suddenly, the ceiling of the Ha Ha Hacienda was ripped off, with the combined force of the Titans of Justice and the Titans of Authority in view.

"Oh pudding pops….." sighed Punchline. "Doesn't anyone ever call first before dropping by these days?"

"What now, Luthor?" questioned the Cheetah.

"With Riddler, Sting Ray, and Sub-Zero still injured, we're in no condition to take on two teams of heroes along with Punchline's crew," stated the son of Lex Luthor. "Let's let the Titans finish our work for us today." smirked the evil genius as he pulled a device out of his pocket, pressed a button on it, causing all thirteen members of the new Legion of Doom to vanish into thin air.

"The Legion of Doom is getting away!" shouted Sonic Boom.





"We'll catch them another day. Right now, there's only one man in this room that I'm set on catching!" declared the Huntress, referring to Punchline over her belief he was behind the recent murder of Jason Todd and the other members of the Batman Family.





"Punchline, what are we going to do? We're outnumbered by nearly two to one!" pointed out a very nervous Bonfire.





"I knew I should have stayed on Earth Two…." grumbled Briar Rose as she created a giant plant-monster seemingly out of nothing. The monster's giant stalks quickly snatched up Black Vulcan, Lilith, and Storm Surge and started crushing them.





"Thunder of Thor!" shouted Black Vulcan. "This thing is squeezing the life out of me!" She then concentrated hard and used the mantra exercise her father taught her as she shouted her own name, "BLACK VULCAN!!!!" turning herself into complete electrical energy and electrifying the plant-creature, frying it from the inside out.





"My baby!" shouted Briar Rose as her creature went limp and collapsed before her. "Bah! I'll just create another one!" she said, pulling some more seeds from her pocket, but before she could act, Lilith's telekinesis pulled the seeds from her hand while Storm Surge blasted her with his golden trident, taking her out.

"Not to worry, Punchline, I'll use my magic to send these do-gooders to another dimension!" declared Ebenezer Faust as he began reciting an enchantment.





Green Lantern Daniel Jordan was the first to notice the effects of Faust's spell, "Great Guardians! We're starting fade from this plane of existence!"





"Sorry Faust but I'm canceling our trip!" barked Starman as he used his gravity-control powers to make Faust's arms so heavy that he could no longer lift them, bringing his incantation to an abrupt halt.





"And just to make sure you don't have anything else up your sleeve, here's a little magic from me to you," smirked Corporal Marvel as he bashed his shiny hammer into the side of Ebenezer Faust's head, sending him off to dreamland.





A few yards away, Totem pushed a few of her teammates aside and charged the Gored Ox, "This one's mine!" she snarled, anger in her voice. "Brother rhinoceros, lend me your strength!" she then slammed into her opponent hard, without any restraint.





"I see you brought the other Tantu Totem for me, wench!" growled the Gored Ox as he and the girl otherwise known as Rachel Stewart started wrestling with one another. "Hand it over to me and perhaps I will spare your life and take your mother's instead!"

"You killed my father out of some sick idea of revenge," spat Totem as she summoned the electrical abilities of an eel and filled her adversary with hundreds of volts of electricity. The Gored Ox was stunned and dropped to his knees. Totem didn't let up, she then utilized the kicking force of a kangaroo and sent her villainous cousin flying backwards until his body crashed into a post that used to support the ceiling that the Titans had just ripped off the building. Totem jumped on the Gored Ox, not letting him catch his breath and began punching him left and right. Suddenly, she found her wrists in emerald chains, courtesy of Green Lantern Daniel Jordan. "Lantern - let me go!" Totem demanded.

Green Lantern shook his head back and forth, "I can't do that, Totem. I knew your father quite well and he wouldn't want your conscience dirtied up with a murder for the rest of your life. The Gored Ox is beaten, try to let it go." Both Green Lantern and Totem then looked down as the murder of John Stewart, his furry body was bruised bloodied, and broken. It took every ounce of restraint that Totem had but she forced herself to take the pastor's advice and walked away into Champion's awaiting arms.

"You did the right thing, sister," offered the Amazon warrior as she hugged Totem tightly, "Peace and forgiveness are always the better choices. Both of your parents would be quite proud of you today."





By this time, the other villains were fleeing like crazy, Punchline running as fast as he could.

"No you don't!" hollered the Huntress as she chased her prey, pulling a Batarang and rope from her Utility-Belt. Her perfect aim snared the frantic clown's legs in her rope, tripping him up. She jumped on top of him and grabbed him by his jacket, shaking him up and down while asking, "Why did you do it?!?!?!"

"What? Part my hair down the middle today or get my belly-button pierced?" teased the violent psychopath.

"You killed Batwoman, Azrael, and the others!" shouted the Huntress angrily.

"My dear Huntress, how I wish I could take credit for that act but alas, I did not!"

For all of the things Punchline was, he was not a liar, at least when it came to taking credit for his crimes. Still, she thought he might be trying to save grace being that she had an army of superheroes standing behind her. "I think he's telling the truth!" she gasped, "But just in case, Chamion - throw your magic rope around him and make him sing like a canary!"

The daughter of Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor wasted no time in honoring the Huntress' request. "Did you kill Batwoman and the others?"

"No, ma'am," replied Punchline.

"Do you know who did?" asked Champion.

"Nope," revealed the current Clown Prince of Crime.

The Huntress was in shock having believe Punchline was responsible for the deaths given that the means used was Joker-Venom. She turned to her best friends Power Guy and Sonic Boom and quietly asked, "If he didn't do it, who did?"

***

Beverly Hills...

Connor Trevor floated in the backyard pool, looking blankly at the sky.

SPLOOOSH!!!!! Scott Trevor did a cannon ball, snapping Connor from his thoughts.





“Scott! When did you get back?” Connor asked.





“About an hour ago. Man, that shoot in Japan was killer. Couldn’t wait to get home and get in the pool. When Jerrica and I were looking for houses, a pool was must.”

Connor didn’t say anything.

“Hey man, you ok? Did you want to be alone out here?” Scott asked.

“Oh—oh no, I was just thinking.”

“Mind if I ask about what? Everything ok? School good?”

“I couldn’t be happier here with you, Jerrica, and Steven. School’s fine. And I love being with the Titans of Authority…but sometimes I miss the old days…with the Teen Titans, even Young Justice. I mean, hanging out with Hank and Katie is great…but I’m Connor with them. And all of the Titans of Authority are older than me.”

“Ah, I see. Didn’t you tell me you were buddies with Corporal Marvel? He seems cool.”

“He is. But I don’t hang out with him very often. Back in the old days, it was always me, Cass, Tim, and Bart. I guess I'm getting all nostalgic.”

“Hmmmm.” Scott Trevor said, a twinkle in his eye. “You know, there is the Super Friends. It’s like a training program for the younger heroes. Maybe you could offer some of your experience to them and you’d be hanging out with kids your own age.”

“I don’t know….I don’t think the Titans of Justice would want me around after the World War Justice thing.”

“I still have some pull with the old gang. Let me see what I can do.” Scott smiled, cracking open a Diet Pepsi.

The next day…

Connor was finishing his breakfast before he left for school. Scott came downstairs and took a seat at the table.

“Got you all hooked up, man.” Scott smiled.

“For real?” Connor said.

“For real! I talked to Tom and the Huntress. Tom’s cool with you helping them out—and he understands. You’ll still be a member of the Titans of Authority, and the Huntress says you can hang with the Super Friends as a senior advisor whenever you want.”

Connor high-fived Scott.

“Dude, you are the greatest!”

“I know.” Scott Trevor laughed.

***

The Hall of Justice…

The Super Friends were gathering in the training room for their weekly session.

Power Lad and Constellation were making small talk when Power Lad noticed Superboy walk in, "Well, well, well…..if it isn't Wonder Boy. Where's your tiara and star-spangled panties?" asked the sidekick of Power Guy.





"What's your problem, dude?" asked the Boy of Steel.

"Maybe some of the others have forgiven you for handing Starman, Goldbug, and Corporal Marvel over to the IADC but I haven't," growled the cocky teen. "What are you doing here, traitor?"

The Flash raced in between the two young men and advised, "Whoa boys, shut it down. Let's focus on the future instead of the past."





"What's he doing here, Flash?" demanded Power Lad.

"Superboy is joining the Super Friends program as a senior member."

"After coming out of suspended animation, I have much to learn while having much to teach the rest of you guys. I'm hoping to be an asset to this team."

"Are you freakin' kidding me?" scoffed Power Lad. "You're probably just spying on us for those Titans of Authority losers!"

"Power Lad! That's enough," said the Flash sternly. "As you know, I'm filling in for the Huntress today and you will show me the same respect that you show her! Now let it go and call a truce!"

Power Lad quieted down and walked away with Constellation in tow.

"I'm sorry about him," offered the Fasted Man Alive. "He's not the best at the practice of forgive and forget."

"It's not a problem. I feel bad about what I did during World War Justice," frowned the Boy of Steel. "Hopefully my time here will help to make up for what I did."

The Flash's eyes then focused on the doorway as he saw an opportunity to change the subject enter the room, "Oh, let me introduce you to the new Red Robin here." The two heroes approached the sidekick of the Huntress as the Flash continued, "I believe you knew his father quite well."

Superboy and Red Robin were introduced while they sized each other up with the Boy of Steel looking curiously at the supposed son of his former best friend.

Red Robin smiled and shook Superboy's hand as he thought to himself, "Look at this room full of copy-cat heroes trying to steal the thunder of the originals as he stared down each of the various members of the Super Friends, most notably Power Lad and Blue Dolphin who he considered the worst of the bunch. "They think they can tarnish the Super Friends name and get away with it? Not on my watch!"





THE END(for now…)