Titans of Justice Unlimited #113 - “Speed Thief Part 2”
Written by: Scotty2Hotty & Power Guy
Edited, & Maxi-micros by: Power Guy


The Flash felt the crashing ocean waves overtake him as breath escaped his lungs. He began to drop into the murky depths and suddenly felt something…someone catch him. Seconds later, both he and Storm Surge emerged from the water.

“Decide to do a deep six with Davy Jones?” Storm Surge teased, the sun reflecting off his metallic top.





The Flash coughed up some water as Storm Surge kept him afloat.

“Not quite. I don’t know what happened….I was chasing—oh God—that nuclear bomb!!” he said, eyes darting.





“Don’t worry my friend.” came Sargona’s voice as she stood atop her flying carpet. I got an emergency signal and got here as quickly as I could. Saw the bomb and sent into the sun. It took quite a bit of energy but I’ll recover.”





“Whew.” Flash sighed. “I don’t know what happened, it’s like something sapped my speed. I think I’m ok now. I can swim to land.” The Flash started swimming, thinking he would be on-land in a split second. To his horror, he was swimming like a regular person.

“Flash…you ok?” Sargona asked.

“No…no I’m not. My super speed….it’s gone.

***

S.T.A.R. Labs…

“I don’t know what to tell you, Eric.” Illumina commented, making notes in a file. “You can get dressed.”





Eric Allen wasn’t used to taking his time and what usually took a few seconds, now seemed like an eternity. He finished dressing and joined Wilma West, Wally West, and Barry Allen in a conference room. Il.umina took a seat and read through pages of notes. She looked up and began to speak.

“Physically, mentally…there is nothing wrong with any of you. I cannot pinpoint what has happened, but you all described similar symptoms…and they all occurred around the same time.” Illumina said. “Unfortunately there is nothing I can do for you.”

Despite her cold demeanor, the Flash family knew she cared and was not pleased that this mysterious malady had her stumped.

“I can contact Nucleus….run some tests…” added the daughter of the female Dr. Light.

“I think we’ve heard enough today.” Barry Allen said. Barry had been retired for several years and did not approve of his son becoming the Flash. He wanted his son to have a normal life without the trappings that came with super heroics. Iris Allen, on the other hand, encouraged her son to use his gifts. This had caused tension in the family for several years.





“I haven’t pulled any super speed capers in a while, but is this temporary? Permanent?” Wally West asked, noticing how quiet Wilma had become.





“I have no way of knowing.” Illumina said, exiting the room.

“First I get stuck as a teen-ager and now I lose my powers! This sucks! S-U-C-K-S!!!!” Wilma fumed. Being stuck in what she deemed ‘slow mode’ was making her frustrated.





“Calm down Wilma, I’m sure we can get this all sorted out.” Wally said. Despite his retirement, he still utilized his powers from time to time.

Eric looked at his father. After all these years, they still didn’t quite understand each other. The family said their good byes, Barry returning home and Wally and Wilma heading out for dinner. Eric walked the streets alone trying to make sense of this. Soon he was at the Hall of Justice.

“Any luck?” Sargona said warmly.

“No…I’m afraid not.”

“Don’t worry Eric. I’m sure this is just temporary and you’ll be running circles around us soon.” Power Guy said.





“Yeah, several of us have faced this kind of stuff before and it all turned out ok.” Black Vulcan added.





“Unfortunately, I don’t think that will be happening for me. I can’t explain it….but before I could feel the speed force…I could feel it fueling me, urging me on. It’s gone…like it never existed.” The usually chipper Eric Allen now sounded sad and forlorn.

“Here Eric, have a seat. You’ve had a very long day I’m sure.” Green Lantern said. “Maybe my ring can help?”





“Thanks, but I doubt it…..Illumina has checked me and my family from head to toe….we’re fine. Something’s happened…something big. And…I’m resigning.”

“Resigning? Eric, come on---you know we still want you on the team!” Starman said.





“Yeah! I mean, just because you don’t have your super speed isn’t a reason to leave. You still have your other training.” Corporal Marvel pointed out.





“I appreciate that, but I can’t make you all understand. What made me special…it’s gone.”

“Now you hold it right there Eric Allen!” Sargona fumed. “You may not be cutting running up the sides of the building and you may have to lay off eating pizza all day, but you are most definitely special! Your spirit is so bright and you keep us all up and going—even in the darkest hour!”

“I wouldn’t argue with her.” Green Lantern smiled.

“Besides, you still owe me a couple of monitor duty shifts where we swapped out.” Black Vulcan added, placing her hand on his shoulder.

“Ok, ok. I’ll stay….but—“

“I know this is hard, like you feel like you’ve lost part of yourself. You remember all those pep talks you gave me when Sargona was gone. Well, I’m giving you one right now. We will fix this.” Power Guy said.

Just then, the transporter used to go from Earths 1 and 2 started glow. Seconds later Hermes Liberty Belle, and Lightspeed appeared.

“Great to see you guys! Is this a social call?” Corporal Marvel asked.

“We wish….but seeing Eric….we can tell it’s happened here too.” Hermes said.





“What…don’t tell me….” Eric, said as he stood.

“The speed force is gone.” Lightspeed revealed. He told them how on Earth-2 that all three speedsters from Earth 2 had experienced similar things to the Flash family on Earth-1.





“At first, we thought it might just be an Earth 2 thing but we decided to come here to double-check,” revealed Liberty Belle.





“That settles it. Something has happened to the Speed Force….and I for one am not going to sit idle until we find out what.” Eric said, determined.

***

A cavernous hideaway…..hidden by a concealing spell…

“Look at it, Professor Xum. Look at the way it tries and tries to escape.” Ebeneezer Faust smiled.





“Don’t toy with it….it’s angry. I can feel it in my bones.” Professor Xum smiled.





“I know. And I will channel the anger…use it to kill the Flash and his entire family. I cannot wait to come eye to eye with them…watch them face to face as they die…slowly. You’re sure this will work?”

“I am, my impatient friend. Your idea to claim the Speed Force was brilliant. The spell was relatively simple…..seek it out, capture it…cut it off from feeding you speedsters.”

“Temporarily…for me at least. When do we begin the process?”

“I am ready now. Are you? I assure you, it will not be…..painless.”

“I don’t care. I can handle it. Transferring all the power of the Speed Force into me…..I will be the fastest, the most powerful. Not even Power Guy or Superboy will be able to touch me. Earthquakes, tidal waves, all the fun stuff will be left in my wake and then…then I will kill the Flashes. One. By. One.”

“And after them, the other Titans and those lame Justice Society rip-offs as well!” Faust, cracked his knuckles. “And each of us will have an Earth all our own to hold sway over.”

“I like the way you think Faust. I should have thrown in with you a long time ago.”

“Lie here on this table. Try to think of the bloodshed to come…that desire will see through the process.”

Minutes later, Professor Xum was strapped to a stone slab. Faust had seemingly gone into a trance. He looked upward into a stasis field, where the Speed Force bounced to and fro. He then plunged a dagger into the field as energy crackled and boomed. Faust started speaking an incantation and his eyes rolled back into his head. The Speed Force was drawn into Faust’s mystical dagger. Professor Xum thought he saw the dagger come to life and start writhing…almost as if it were breathing.

For a moment Professor Xum wondered if this was what he truly wanted. Before he could second guess himself, Faust removed the dagger and plunged it into Professor Xum’s heart. He thought his mind was going to explode as the Speed Force consumed him from head to toe. He felt every hair on his body stand and his pores were filled with energy. He shook so hard, the table split into.

“AAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!” Professor Xum screamed as his eyes changed color multiple times. The tips of fingers erupted with power. He tried to scream again and lighting poured from his mouth, striking Faust and knocking him down. Professor Xum levitated from the table, his head twisting. The contents of Faust’s hideout spun with tornado-like force.

“Contain it you fool! Remember what I told you!!” Faust screamed.

“All this power!!! It’s unreal!” Professor Xum said, lowering himself to the ground. His body jerked about, causing him to look like an image from an old film. Faust could barely see him, he was vibrating so fast.

A few hours later, Professor Xum was in full control of the Speed Force. Faust smiled at him.

“So Faust, I’m going to bring you the Flash’s head….on a silver platter.” Professor Xum said, an evil grin spreading across his face.

Back at the Hall of Justice, Sargona sat quietly.

“What’s wrong Sar?” Power Guy asked.

“Something’s happening. The cosmic vibrations are all out of whack…something wicked is coming…soon….”

***

Back at Eric Allen’s home, his girlfriend Sandy was modeling some beautiful swimsuits she had bought for the upcoming pool season. She struck a pose in a red suit with gold trim.

“Eric? Not a word about my new bathing suit?” she smiled.

“Huh? Oh..yeah, it’s great. You look pretty.”

“Eric, you’ve been acting weird all evening. Is it the book?” Sandy asked, referencing Eric’s latest novel. In his secret identity, Eric wrote crime novels and dabbled as a private detective. Years of listening to his father’s stories about working in a crime lab had fueled his imagination, and his books were often on the best seller list.

“Yeah..the book…can’t quite come up with an ending.”

“I’m sure it’ll come to you.” She said, pouring them both a glass of scotch.

Eric half smiled. How could he tell her….what he believed made him special…was gone, probably forever.


TO BE CONCLUDED!