Titans of Justice Unlimited #104 - “The Blood Pact Pt. 4”
Written by: Scotty2Hotty
Edited, & Maxi-micros by: Power Guy


Within seconds, the group split into two teams to investigate Lilith’s leads. The Flash, Lilith, and Nemesis were on their way to New Orleans. Black Vulcan and Starman were already on their way to meet them there. Jem, Supergirl, Dark Arrow, and Roy Harper were on the way to the grotto in Lilith’s vision.

“Are you sure about this Roy?” Dark Arrow asked the man who was like an uncle to him.





“Yes. My old Red Arrow costume still fits and those animals have my daughter.” He said sternly.

***

Across the country, the others had arrived in New Orleans.

“Over there…..” Lilith pointed.





Starman instructed the group on the plan of attack. They had arrived on the outskirts of New Orleans in an abandoned cemetery. The ground shifted beneath their feet as they walked.

“Remember, we’re here to save our friends and not kill anyone.” Starman said, looking at Lilith and Tom.





Tom rolled his eyes as he drew his weapon. Lilith shot Starman a very dirty look. The group approached an old house that stood at the cemetery’s edge. Bizarre decorations hung from the trees and the windows were boarded up. The house was spray painted with garish designs and words that made no sense.

“On three…..” Starman whispered to the group.

BOOM! The Flash kicked the door down and zoomed through the house. Seconds later he was back.

“I’ve searched this place top to bottom. They’re not here.” He said.





“Sorry guys. Sometimes my ESP is unreliable—but this place is somehow tied to the ones holding our friends.” Lilith sighed.

“Don’t beat yourself up.” The Flash reassured her. “It’s good we’re here. I didn’t find our friends, but something else.”

“It certainly looks like a house of horrors.” Black Vulcan said, walking over the bodies of headless chickens, snake-skins, and other debris. She noticed shelves that curated Mason jars containing eye balls, fingers….even a discarded fetus. She turned her head in disgust.





“Down here.” The Flash directed them to a trap door as he pulled it open.

The group gasped collectively as they saw several young men and women chained in the basement.

“Please….help us…before he comes back…..” one of the young women pleaded.

“Don’t worry, help is here.” Tom said, descending the steps. In the corner he saw the corpse of a woman laying on an altar whose heart had been removed. Some bizarre message was scrawled across the wall in blood.





“This was his hideout…the one who looked like Houngan…..” Lilith said. “He was sacrificing these people….one by one…..”

“Good work Lilith. You saved these kids’ lives.” Tom said.

“But what of our friends….?” Starman said, wondering the fates of the captured Titans.

***

Back in California, Lilith’s prediction was right. Supergirl burst through the wall of the grotto and saw Sonic Boom convulsing in an electric chair.

“What??” Paranoia gasped.






Supergirl quickly ripped the electrodes from Sonic Boom’s body. Her eyes were rolled back in her head and blood gushed from her nose, ears, and mouth. Foamy saliva had collected around her lips. Smoke poured from her body.

“Sonic Boom, say something! Can you hear me?” Supergirl pleaded.





“No need for code names here, JENNA!” Night Terror laughed.





“Get her out of here! Get her to S.T.A.R!!” demanded Dark Arrow as he ran over to his sister and kissed her forehead.

“But you need help against these people!” Supergirl said.

“I said go!” Dark Arrow said angrily. “My sister could be dying….dead! GO!”

Supergirl cradled Sonic Boom and took off so fast, she created a sonic boom.

Jem saw Conner and Roy noticed Lian.

“Ah, so nice of so many of you to join us for services today!” Witch Doctor smiled.





Jem flew over to the captive Titans. They were descending into the bubbling blood pit. Conner opened his eyes.

“Ma…..?” he whispered.





“Conner…it’s me…Jerrica….”





“Are we dead..did they get you too….I didn’t tell them…..”

“I know you didn’t sweetheart, don’t you worry----AGHHHHH!!!” Jem screamed as Witch Doctor twisted an effigy of her. She felt like her back was snapping in half. She glared at him and sent a concussive sound wave, knocking him over.

Helena Wayne felt relief as she saw her friends. “Jem, Dark Arrow….you’ve got to stop this thing….it’s somehow connected to that lever!”





“Is that so?” Dark Arrow said, quickly drawing his bow. He sent an arrow into the panel that controlled the Titans’ trap and it suddenly stopped descending.

“Don’t just stand there you dolts! Stop them!” Paranoia commanded.

“Lian….Lian can you hear me? It’s Dad! You’re going to be ok!” Roy Harper shouted.

WHAM! A giant smoky hammer came crashing into his back. He spun around on the ground and saw the terrifying face of Phantasma.

“Ah the proud father! Just think if your little girl had become pregnant, we’d be family!” she laughed, her mist enveloping him. Roy struggled as the mist overcame his airways.





“Looking for an inhaler?” Phantasma giggled. “I think I’ll mess your lungs up really good….smoker’s lungs! Or maybe I’ll infest your veins like the heroin you were so fond of!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Roy saw his daughter. She looked like she did when she was institutionalized. He let out a guttural yell, reached for an arrow and signaled at Dark Arrow. He too drew an arrow. Both of them shot the arrows simultaneously.

Phantasma found herself trapped in a cellophane type contraction. Moisture started collecting inside the trap.

“What….what have you done……?” Phantasma hissed.

“That should hold you. Not even fog or mist can permeate that material.” Dark Arrow said. By now Jem had freed the other Titans.

“Fools, you’re still outnumbered!” Paranoia said. Witch Doctor, Night Terror, and Paranoia attacked the group full on. The women were still having trouble due to the mental suggestion Paranoia had implanted in their brains.

Night Terror punched Helena Wayne, knocking her over. “I can’t believe you were trained by the Batman! You fight like you were trained by the Golden Girls, Helena!”

“Guys, we need help…..they did something to us…..” Black Orchid said as Paranoia glared at her. The Witch Doctor stuck a needle into his Black Orchid doll, disabling her.





Lian Harper was still convulsing on the ground. In her mind, Dr. Light had his hands all over. Lian screamed.

“Now now, you already know all the fun we can have. Just lie back and enjoy it. You know you and I will always be one.” Dr. Light’s rancid breath was in her face as he kissed her eyelids.





“This…this isn’t real…..” Lian’s thoughts raced.





“He’s dead….I’m ok….this has to be a trick….” Her mind wandered to a day when her grandfather Oliver Queen taught her meditation and how to not be distracted.

She could feel Dr. Light’s excitement growing as he wrestled her. For a moment all became quiet. Lian relaxed and swore she saw a pinpoint of light. She focused on the light and saw her father….fighting a woman…a woman dressed in green…..

“Dad….DAD!!!!” Lian shouted, her eyes snapping open. Darkness started pouring off her body and she looked around.

“Night Terror! Send your darkness over her! Somehow she’s fought it off!” the Witch Doctor said as Hot Flash clumsily punched him and he dodged Jem’s soundwaves.

“Don’t worry, I’ll secure the girl.” Paranoia smiled, shoving Sargona out of the way.

“My spells…..my spells…..” Sargona gasped as Paranoia’s powers intensified, stifling Sargona’s natural confidence.





“Sinners! Sinners one and all!” The Heretic screamed, unleashing a barbed whip around Dark Arrow’s arm.





“AGGGHH!!!” Dark Arrow screamed as the barbs dug into his costume, ripping his arm. He dropped his bow.

Paranoia continued walking over to Lian. The young woman looked around, getting her bearings.

“Poor girl, violated…..” Paranoia’s cruel lips twisted.

“Poor girl, my a$$!!!!” Lian Harper cried, jumping into the air, summersaulting, and landing her feet in Paranoia’s face.

Lian pummeled away at Paranoia until she was unconscious. She kept punching.

“Lian! Baby! Stop, she’s down, she’s down.” Roy said, grabbing his daughter.

“Dad….Oh God, Dad!” Lian said, a big smile across her face. She hugged her father tightly.

“You monster!” Jem screamed at the Heretic would was about to slice into Dark Arrow with a scalpel.

“You tortured my son! Broke into my house!” she said, fists clenched.

The Heretic turned his attention to Jem. “You, the Godless singer. The youth wasting their money on the devil’s music when they should be devoting themselves to God!” He lunged at her.

Jem clapped her hands together and a psychedelic swirl of colors manifested. The Heretic felt blood gush from his nose and ears. He stumbled. “You….you’re bewitched, possessed by demons!!!”

“And you suck!” she smiled, drop kicking him into a wall, knocking him out.

With Paranoia out cold, the other women quickly recovered from her mental influence.

“None of us will leave here alive!” Night Terror screamed, darkness pouring from him as his cape flailed. A wind kicked up and the cavern started to shake. The stained glass windows of the church shattered and the blood pit erupted.

“Give me a break, @$$hole!” Connor Trevor cracked a smile and used his tactile telekinesis to send a boulder hurtling at the posturing villain. WHAM!!!! The boulder slammed into Night Terror’s head, stunning him.

Illumina unleashed a huge bolt of light at Night Terror, effectively shutting him down. She reached for Superboy’s hand. “Good team work.” She smiled.





All of the villains lay defeated. Roy Harper sat down with his daughter.

“Lian…are you ok?”

“I am Dad, better than ever. I protected myself in the end. Didn’t even need my arrows, just my mind and my training. I know I can take care of myself. I’m going to be ok….really ok.”

“Oh baby.” Roy held her close, hugging her tightly.

“Your arm….” Sargona said, noticing the mangled mess that was Dark Arrow’s arm.

“I’ll be ok, I’ve got to get to my sister.” He said, grimacing as his arm pulsated with pain.

“leaH!” Sargona smiled as Dark Arrow’s arm was restored to normal.

“Conner, I’ve got to get you to Paradise Island…the healing ray…” Jem said, noticing the extent of Superboy’s wounds.

“I’m ok…..just need a minute….” Superboy said, trying to get to his feet.

The Titans didn’t notice Paranoia begin to stir. She pulled a communication device from her costume. She was going to warp everyone away, but in the fight with Lian, the warp device had been shattered.

“Mother! The initiative has failed! I need you to proceed! The Titans’ identities…..The Huntress is----MRFFFFFFF”

“pu tuhS!!!!!” Sargona gestured at Paranoia, her mouth sealing shut. Sargona walked over to her smashed the communication device. As it fizzled she could hear Phobia’s voice cursing.

“.peelS” Sargona commanded as Paranoia passed out.

“We have a big problem. Phantasma and Night Terror know who we are, know where we live.” Hot Flash said.

“And they told the others.” Black Orchid said, pointing at the fallen Brotherhood of Evil.

“They violated my home! Hurt Conner!” Jem offered.

“The Phantom Zone, we can send them all back there.” Helena said.

“And have them all escape again? Besides, wasn’t the projector damaged when the Hall of Justice collapsed?” Illumina said. “No, something more permanent needs to be done.”

“You don’t mean---“ Helena said.

“I’m not going to kill them.” Illumina said icily. “One of us here today can fix this problem efficiently.”

All of the group looked at Sargona.

Dark Arrow said, “You mean mind wipe them? Like the original Justice League did to Dr. Light. Sounds good to me.”

“Me too!” Jem added.

“Wait! We can’t just go messing with people’s heads!” Helena argued, remembering how her own father’s mind had been tampered with, thanks to Zatanna.

“Helena, you have parents—parents who are getting older. Most of us do! I have a baby and a nearly grown son. Hell, they even know who Superman is at this point! What will you do when they show up in the middle of the night at your house?” Jem countered.

“Ha! And when we get loose we will come for them! I’m sure your mother has all kinds of jewels stashed away from her Catwoman days!” Phantasma’s muffled voice came from the trap that contained her. “And Jem, I always hated your music. I bet that brat of your screams sound like your warbling. Think I’ll drown your kid in your very own pool!”

“!!ecneliS” Sargona glared at Phantasma. The ghostly woman was stunned as her mouth moved but no sound was produced.

“I’m all for it.” Lian said. “Even though I feel safe…safer than I’ve ever felt, I’d never forgive myself if they came after Max or you, Dad.”

“I know I’m not one of you, but I was a Teen Titan for years. Things have changed, family and home are the most important things you can strive for. It’s to be protected, no matter what. If I had a say, I’d vote to do it.” Roy said.

Sargona walked over to the Brotherhood of Evil. She looked them over and bit her lip.

“Sargona…what are you doing?” Helena asked her friend.

“What I should have done in the first place.” Sargona’s ruby glowed as she began to speak backwards.


TO BE CONCLUDED!