One Universe: Season III IC Thread

[Green Lantern]

"I still don't see anything," Harkness says as he peeks out the edge of the window.

"Kid's probably seeing things," Trickster replies, stifling another yawn.

"I know what I saw!"

"Yeah, sure." Suddenly, Toad's tongue wraps around Tricksters neck, lifting him high, cutting off his air.

"I. Knoal. Whaah. I. Sssaaa!" Toad mumbles around his tongue.

"Put him down." Trapster commands. "If you're right, we're gonna need him. Even if it's just for cannon fodder."

Toad whips his head to the side and tosses James into some boxes. He gets and grabs his neck, slowly pulling his hand away and looking at it in disgust. "Eeeewww..."

"Cut it out, you idiots. If it's Batman, we've got enough problems." For the first time, I see a break in Giganta's calm. I wish I had thought of this before. Calling a false alarm or two would have gotten their nerves on edge. They would have made mistakes. Maybe even dropped their guard.

"Guess I don't have that chance now. "She's right. We need to cover the doors and windows. If they come in, we'll be ready." Each of us take positions behind crates and whatever cover we can, watching as many obvious points of entry we can. Giganta just stands in the middle. I have no idea what she's planning. But since she seems to be as oblivious to the skylights above us as the others, I can only hope for the best...

...and prepare for the worst.

***

"Ok kid, that's five minutes."

Kurt cracks his knuckles. "I'm ready, Logan."

"It ain't healthy to be that ready for a fight. Just look how I turned out." I pull out my grapnel. "Ok, just like we planned. You take the three on the other side, I get these, and we go inside."

"Right. Just like we planned."

I give Robin and his crew a few more seconds. "Right. Go!"

Robin smiles as he flies along the streets and back alleys of Gotham on his bike, with his girlfriend clinging to his waist behind him.

"Do we have to go so fast?"

"What? We're not going fast? Okay!"

He cranked the throttle open as he saw a small crest in the road up ahead.

"HOLD ON!"

"WHAT?"

Kitty saw the same thing that Dick had just seen.

"DON'T YOU ****ING DARE!!!!"

At full throttle the Batcycle hit the small hill, going airborne at over 100 miles an hour.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Woohoo!!!"

The tires squealed as they reconnected with the pavement.

He saw the warehouse up ahead, unconscious guards strewn about the outside, and he brought the bike to a stop.

"You ever pull a stunt like that again Gra- Boy Wonder, and I swear I'll kill kittens."

"Shhh... be vewwwy qwiet. We're hunting penguins."

Robin and Kitty snuck up on the building, motioning to Starfire behind them. Kitty quickly grabbed Robin and phased into the building. Bringing them right into the line of sight of the gathered criminals.

"..."

"Oh. Hi. Anybody order Dominos? No? Okay then. Wrong warehouse sorry bout the confusion..."

 

[Shlee]

Robin smiles as he flies along the streets and back alleys of Gotham on his bike, with his girlfriend clinging to his waist behind him.

"Do we have to go so fast?"

"What? We're not going fast? Okay!"

He cranked the throttle open as he saw a small crest in the road up ahead.

"HOLD ON!"

"WHAT?"

Kitty saw the same thing that Dick had just seen.

"DON'T YOU ****ING DARE!!!!"

At full throttle the Batcycle hit the small hill, going airborne at over 100 miles an hour.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Woohoo!!!"

The tires squealed as they reconnected with the pavement.

He saw the warehouse up ahead, unconscious guards strewn about the outside, and he brought the bike to a stop.

"You ever pull a stunt like that again Gra- Boy Wonder, and I swear I'll kill kittens."

"Shhh... be vewwwy qwiet. We're hunting penguins."

Robin and Kitty snuck up on the building, motioning to Starfire behind them. Kitty quickly grabbed Robin and phased into the building. Bringing them right into the line of sight of the gathered criminals.

"..."

"Oh. Hi. Anybody order Dominos? No? Okay then. Wrong warehouse sorry bout the confusion..."

'Well, there's a stunt to get someone killed,' Starfire mused to herself, shaking her head as she followed along. The wind whipped her hair, and yet it seemingly never tangled. She heated herself from the inside, using a tiny bit of power and making her skin glow all the brighter. 'Not very subtle... Oh well.' She shrugged it off as she continued to chase after Robin and Shadowcat.

She stopped outside of the building that Kitty and Dick had just disappeared to and waited. On the one hand, she could easily blow open the side of the building, but that wasn't very subtle and she didn't know what was inside. On the other, she would look really stupid just standing outside in that ridiculous costume.

Her head whipped around as she heard sounds of fighting from one of the other nearby buildings so, wishing Dick and Kitty good luck in an undertone, she flew over to check out what all the hubub was about.

"Oh. Hello... Darkclaw," she smiled, watching from about fifteen feet in the air.

 

[Shlee]

"Abuhbuhbuhbuhbuh-buhbuhbuhbuh..." Peter Parker muttered quietly as he watches Officer Gordon head up the stairs.

He focused all of his energy on locating the devices with his spider-sense for a split-second, but forced himself to stop.

He's bluffing. Parker reassured himself. He simply has to be bluffing.

He glanced at Barbra, staring at her backside for a moment as she looked at her movies.

Right?

Peter shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

"So... uh... movies!" He announced cheerily.
​

The color had drained from Babs' face as she sat there, holding Top Gun in one hand and Memoirs of a Geisha in the other. She refused to look up until Peter's voice broke into her thoughts.

"So... uh... movies!"

"Right... what are you in the mood for?" she turned to look over her shoulder, hoping that her grimace could be construed as a smile.

 

[Blacklight]

"Two Sides of the Same Coin..." pt.2​

"Well if it isn't the Green Lantern...."

Kyle turned to see where the deeply low voice came from, and stood before what could be his greatest threat yet...​

​

"It has been ages since the one you call Norrin Radd had me banished, but now that I'm free, it's time to return the favor by crushing your skull within the palm of my hand..."

Oh crap...​

Moments later...

"Ugghh... Can't we talk... about this?" Kyle asked after coughing up small spurts of blood. Since the tyrant that is Mongul had made his rather ominous introduction, he wasted no time in attacking the Green Lantern viciously. His blows were powerful enough to cause shockwaves throughout the stadium, and if it weren't for the slight protection his armored uniform and the energy aura his ring provided him, he would've surely died like any other normal human.​

"No. There is no conversing. Only pain..."​

Mongul then slowly stepped towards the downed Lantern, and delivered a powerful stomp to Kyle's spine, causing his back to crack and him to yell out in agony.​

"AAAAHHHH!!"

"...Then death." Mongul finished stating as he applied more pressure, Kyle trying to resist futily.​

How am I going to get out of this one? I'm getting beat real bad here... Need to make a construct...​

Kyle channeled his thoughts to his ring, and thought of a giant octopus, but before his thoughts became an emerald reality, he felt his ring hand being crushed by Mongul's other boot.​

"RRGAAAHH Damn it!"​

"Your ring is nothing without willpower, Lantern, and let's face it..."​

Mongul then stepped off the hero and before the pain in Kyle's hand subsided enough for him to concentrate, the Warworld Tyrant lifted him by his uniform, and squished Rayner's ring hand in his palm, staring the last green Lantern in the eyes...​

"...How much willpower can you muster while I crush you into a sack of flesh and bone?"​

Whether Kyle liked it or not, Mongul was right. The pain from his beating was too intense for him to summon the willpower needed to get him out of this bind and gain the upper hand he needs.

"Now, you may not be the same Lantern that appeared after my defeat, but you must know where I can find him. Where is the Lantern of 2814?"

"I...don't know. He's...gone..." Kyle muttered while his handbuckled under Mongul's grip.

"I was going to grant you a quick death if you were to offer any more useful information, but now that you have nothing that is beneficial to my search, you will die excruciatingly slo--AAAARRGGHHH!"

Just then a bright flash of light appeared behind Mongul and he fell to his knees, releasing Rayner from his grasp. Kyle then quickly constucted a hard-light baseball bat the size of a street-lamp and swung it at Mongul's head, knocking him out cold. But Rayner didn't revel in the victory, instead looking around to see where the energy blast that helped in his escape had come from...

"It's a good thing I came here when I did..."

The last Green Lantern turned around and found himself looking at the person responsible for his life being spared of Mongul's wrath.

"Who are you?"

Spoiler

"Name's Richard Rider, Nova Centurion Prime of Earth, and if it weren't for me showing up to take Mongul into custody, you'd be dead right now..."​

 

[Matt Murdock]

The color had drained from Babs' face as she sat there, holding Top Gun in one hand and Memoirs of a Geisha in the other. She refused to look up until Peter's voice broke into her thoughts.

"So... uh... movies!"

"Right... what are you in the mood for?" she turned to look over her shoulder, hoping that her grimace could be construed as a smile.

"I feel the need.." Peter said happily. "The need for speed!" ​

 

[Steve Rogers]

"You want to hear it? You want to hear it. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you knew what I was talking about!" Tony says, anger creeping into his voice. "But, fine. You want to play that way? SHIELD just stole my property. How's that sit with you? Your pal Nick Fury just sent some of his goons into my house with no search warrant, no papers, no reason to be there, and took my property."

"They did what?!"

But Tony ignores me, glaring at Steve, leaning forward, his hands on the table. "So...what do you have to say about that, Captain America?"

Captain America
​

"What do I think? I think we should pay Nick a little visit. Just the three of us. Leave the League out of it for now."

I've know Fury for a long time. I know he wouldn't violate someone's rights like that unless he had good cause. I'm not as interested in catching Fury and punishing him as I am in learning his motives. But I don't say that out loud.

"Anyone know where to find him?"

"Tony" I say, looking at my friend. "Finish your beer. You need it."

 

[wiegeabo]

I hear the three guards on the other side of the building drop to the ground and pick up the odor of brimstone. I whip my cape over my last guard's head and punch him hard while he's blinded. He falls in a heap. Trust me, when someone with built-in adamantium knuckles hits you, you go down.

BAMF

"You ready?" I say softly.

Kurt nods, keeping quiet. That's good kid.

We teleport to the roof and quickly peak down through the glass.

"Don't see any kids. They could be hidin' them. Stick to the plan. Ok, on three. One, two,-"

"Woohoo!!!"

The tires squealed as they reconnected with the pavement.

The sound echos in my ears. "No, dammit. Don't do it!" I whisper through grinding teeth.

He saw the warehouse up ahead, unconscious guards strewn about the outside, and he brought the bike to a stop.

"You ever pull a stunt like that again Gra- Boy Wonder, and I swear I'll kill kittens."

"Shhh... be vewwwy qwiet. We're hunting penguins."

Robin and Kitty snuck up on the building, motioning to Starfire behind them. Kitty quickly grabbed Robin and phased into the building. Bringing them right into the line of sight of the gathered criminals.

***

"..."

"Oh. Hi. Anybody order Dominos? No? Okay then. Wrong warehouse sorry bout the confusion..."

"..."

"Holy ****!!! I told you!!!" Toad shouts.

We all jump into action. All except Giganta, who hangs back. That puts he right at the top of my threat list. Penguin's not going to shell out fifty thousand for someone who's just going to hang back.

She's the backup.

***

Great. Just ****in' great. 'Course...could be the distraction we need.

"Uh...Logan...?" Kurt points up.

"Oh. Hello... Darkclaw," she smiled, watching from about fifteen feet in the air.

"Ain't no time for hellos, darlin'. ****'s goin' down. Three!" Kurt and I teleport twenty feet in the air, and he lets me drop, teleporting into the building. I fall and crash through the glass. The suit's armor holds up well, but my face gets pretty sliced up. Still, should confuse the hell out of whoever's down there. Besides, by the time I land, most of the cuts are almost healed up.

***

The world explodes around us. Just what I was hoping. Now to get the attention off Robin. "Take care of the Batman. Toad and me will take out the kids."

I run up and throw a punch at Robin.

 

[Batman]

Captain America
​

"What do I think? I think we should pay Nick a little visit. Just the three of us. Leave the League out of it for now."

I've know Fury for a long time. I know he wouldn't violate someone's rights like that unless he had good cause. I'm not as interested in catching Fury and punishing him as I am in learning his motives. But I don't say that out loud.

"Anyone know where to find him?"

"Tony" I say, looking at my friend. "Finish your beer. You need it."

Tony looks over, surprised at Steve's response. He had half expected him to defend his ties with SHIELD, with all that Fury had done for the Captain. But instead, he shown signs of an eagerness that Tony had been looking for. Instantly, he raised his glass, pleased with this new attitude Rogers was displaying.

"And here, I thought true patriotism was dead.", He remarked, taking down a shot, before looking back towards the two. "I couldn't agree more with the good Captain's plan. SHIELD has been allowed to run their little operation without question for far too long. It's time we looked into what exactly we got ourselves into."

 

[Steve Rogers]

Tony looks over, surprised at Steve's response. He had half expected him to defend his ties with SHIELD, with all that Fury had done for the Captain. But instead, he shown signs of an eagerness that Tony had been looking for. Instantly, he raised his glass, pleased with this new attitude Rogers was displaying.

"And here, I thought true patriotism was dead.", He remarked, taking down a shot, before looking back towards the two.

Captain America
​

"Well, I couldn't exactly wear the flag if I didn't live up to its ideals."

I feel a quick bit of excitement as a S.H.I.E.L.D. encounter carries the possibility of running into Sharon Carter, but duty quickly nudges it aside.

Looking at both of my companions I say, "This sounds pretty urgent. We'll move out right away."

And it does sound urgent. Tony sounded downright spooked. It takes a lot to spook a man who wears a rocket-powered suit.

Looking at Jay and smiling..."I guess I don't need to tell you of all people to hurry up."

 

[Blacklight]

They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show them the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... My ONLY son...



I used to think that. That I was the only survivor of a dying planet, galaxies away from here... But as of a few weeks ago, I was proven wrong. And you know what? I couldn't be happier about being wrong for once...


You see, as it turns out... I have a cousin. Kara. And apparently she too was sent to Earth by ship in a manner similar to the way I myself as a baby had been transported to this planet I call home. The only diffrerence being her ship ended up going off course and was lost in space for years, resulting in her suspended animation until her arrival. And it wasn't until after I had already reached adulthood did she awake from her slumber. Now, she lives with my loving parents, who are raising her as they did me, instilling their moral values and sense of right and wrong upon her. The very same morals that have helped me to become the man I am today...


While fixing up the old Kent tractor, Clark thought quietly to himself about the recent link to his heritage that found it's way to his doorstep. Her arrival on Earth was definately... unexpected, to say the least, but it made him happy to know that he's not alone anymore. No. Now he has family from the planet of which he was born. He is no longer the last Kryptonian...


I have faith that Ma and Pa can teach her to use her powers for the betterment of mankind, and help me in showing the people of her new home the light...

Kara flies down the stairs as fast as she can, nearly running into Martha, washing the morning dishes. Pa laughed as he looked up from his paper.

"Decided to join the land of the living, sleepy head?

"Where's Kal?!?"

Martha looked up from the dishes.

"Nonsense, sweetheart, sit and eat breakfast. We saved a plate."

"Can't. No time. Gotta train."

"Bull honky Kara. You gotta eat. Clark can wait another ten minutes."

Kara sighed, she knew she couldn't argue with both the Kents. She sat down and within minutes had inhaled everything on the plate.

"Was that so difficult sweetie? Clark's out back in the barn."

And with that Kara was gone.

Clark smiled when he heard Kara's excitement from the other side of the farm, remembering a time when he too was eager to explore his abilities, so naturally, he could relate to her anticipation.

Then before he knew it, his cousin sped through the door of the barn to where he was standing near the tractor, loose stands of hay lying about being carried into the air from the gusts of wind that followed her.

"Morning, Kara. Have a nice nap?" Clark joked, smiling humbly.

 

[wiegeabo]

Captain America
​

"Well, I couldn't exactly wear the flag if I didn't live up to its ideals."

I feel a quick bit of excitement as a S.H.I.E.L.D. encounter carries the possibility of running into Sharon Carter, but duty quickly nudges it aside.

Looking at both of my companions I say, "This sounds pretty urgent. We'll move out right away."

And it does sound urgent. Tony sounded downright spooked. It takes a lot to spook a man who wears a rocket-powered suit.

Looking at Jay and smiling..."I guess I don't need to tell you of all people to hurry up."

I look at my old friend, as surprised as Tony probably is by this change in attitude. I figured Steve would spend a lot of time defending Nick's actions. I wonder what's changed. It's almost like he's a different person. "Guess I don't need to tell you, Nick's not going to like this."

I was one of the deciding votes that brought SHIELD into the League. And now, I'm wondering if I shouldn't have been so ready to trust my old friends. I walk out and head to the first floor equipment room. Steve and Tony follow. Reaching into one of the cabinets, I pull out the communicator Nick gave us when we formed the League. I hold it out for Steve.

"It's probably better if you ask for a pickup. Nick won't think much of it."

 

[Keyser Soze]

"Ah..."

I lean on the ledge of the rooftop, looking out at the city below. Several seconds pass before I offer any further reply.

"That's the thing. She's...fine. Her bullet wounds have pretty much healed, the physical trauma is gone. Technically, there's nothing stopping her from waking up. She could wake up any second now, the doctor's say. They've been saying that for weeks now. Any second, they say. Maybe. Or, maybe, she might never wake up. Could go either way. Fate's just going to... flip a coin..."

I take my own coin out of my pocket, rolling it back and forth along my thumb with my forefinger. I stare intently at it, my back still turned to Jim.

"She could wake up any second, but I'm not there by her side, Jim. I haven't been, not anywhere near as much as I should. I've been off playing superhero with men in masks, or fighting gangsters and nutjobs, or even hanging out with you. That sick freak The Joker made a threat on Gilda's life, and I wasn't there with her. I... I just can't stand it... being there... seeing her like that, it tears me apart! I'm... burying myself in this war of mine, working, crusading and fighting non-stop, and my wife is lying comatose in a hospital bed, alone."

At last, I force myself to turn around and face Jim.

"What kind of person does that make me? What kind of... vile, horrible person abandons their wife like that?"

I hope that Jim can say something to reassure me and ease my fears. Tell me that I have nothing to be ashamed of, that I've done nothing wrong, that I haven't abandoned Gilda. Something - anything! - to make me hate myself a little less. But he just looks down at the ground, and says nothing.

"Yeah..."

I let out a sigh, stepping away from the edge of the rooftop. I make my way to the fire-escape door that leads to the staircase back down into the GCPD.

"I gotta go, Jim. I got... things to do. Important, heroic things."

No I haven't. I'm going to go sit in my office, listening to surveillance feed I know will get me nowhere. Because it means I won't have to sit in that hospital ward and look at the price of my sins.

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

The evening ends with J'onn bidding Katar farewell and Katar heading back to the hotel. When he had arrived, Shiera was in the shower after she had just come back from shopping. While the fiancee of Carter Hall resides in the shower, Katar digs through 'his' suitcase. J'onn was able to help shield Carter's memories and feelings but Katar had to learn a little bit more about this new body of his such as where they live.

Digging through the suitcase, he pulls out Carter's wallet and state driver's license. A sigh of relief escapes Katar's lips when he discovers that the couple lives in Manhattan. During Katar's stay on Earth for so long, he had roughly lived in several areas in New York. And if his memory serves him right, Westchester should be just some distance past Yonkers when heading north from Manhattan. Should only take about 45 minutes to drive, with the high chance of traffic making it about an hour and 10 minutes.

Putting the wallet back in, and picking up the suitcase from the edge of the bed, something falls out of one of the side pockets. Picking it up from the ground, Katar opens up the small photo.

"Carter, my love? Could you bring me a towel?"

Katar stares at the photo for a moment. Such happiness. Such love. However, he soon shakes himself out of this feeling of star struck awe, and walks over into the hotel bathroom. He does his best to not look directly, and to his thanks Shiera remains behind the shower curtain. As he takes the towel from one of the racks, he slowly walks it over to her. She peeks her head out from the side of the shower, and smiles as she takes the towel from Katar. Katar smiles back--a forced smile--and walks out of the bathroom.

As he walks back over to the bed, he sits beside the small photo. He glances over at it, and picks it up.

She loves him...Carter. Katar can see it with each glance she makes his way. She really, truly, deeply, loves him.

Katar turns the photo on its backside, and lays down on the bed. He stares up at the ceiling as though looking up to heaven and the stars above. It's almost as though he almost forgot about it. What doing what he knows must be done will also result in.

"...Is it selfish of me to break one heart, to repair two more? I did not ask for this..."

 

[Steve Rogers]

I look at my old friend, as surprised as Tony probably is by this change in attitude. I figured Steve would spend a lot of time defending Nick's actions. I wonder what's changed. It's almost like he's a different person. "Guess I don't need to tell you, Nick's not going to like this."

I was one of the deciding votes that brought SHIELD into the League. And now, I'm wondering if I shouldn't have been so ready to trust my old friends. I walk out and head to the first floor equipment room. Steve and Tony follow. Reaching into one of the cabinets, I pull out the communicator Nick gave us when we formed the League. I hold it out for Steve.

"It's probably better if you ask for a pickup. Nick won't think much of it."​

Captain America

​

The look of surprise on both of your faces is not exactly subtle. Without even taking my eyes off the communicator, I say, "I defend liberty, freedom and the American dream, gentlemen. That doesn't guarantee that I defend Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. Besides, Fury wouldn't have done what he did without a damn good reason. We need to know what that reason was."

I look at Jay and Tony, waiting for a challenge. When none comes I speak into the communicator. "Nick Fury? Nick, this is Captain America. Over."

 

[Gallagher]

WADE WILSON - DEADPOOL
Jailbird Part 1

"Alrighty, who's read for a recap?"

Spoiler

Wade Wilson - Deadpool

Iron Heights correctional facility.

One of the top maximum security prisons in America. Walls high as they are grey. A certain... atmosphere can be felt as it's newest inmate walks the halls to his brand new cell.

"'Cos I'm as Freeeee as a bird nooowww and this bird you cannot caaaaa-OW."

The impromptu, fairly ironic, rendition came to an abrupt halt as a jail gaurd brings the butt of a nightstick down upon Wade Wilson's head.

"Not a fan of the classics huh?" The assassin chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Get in your cell and keep that motor mouth shut scumbag."

"Is that anyway to treat a guest?" The smart-mouthed murderer said in mocking disproval as the bars closed infront of him leaving him alone in a small box of a room.

"Ok... Ok I can make this work, a little vacation, a little R&R and then I check out. Hope they don't get too attatched to me."

Sitting down on the lower of two bunk beds Deadpool scanned the room, a toilet, a sink, the aforemention beds and not much else adorned his new home.

"So what you in for?"

"HOLY-!" In typical dramatic fashion Deadpool fell to the floor as a squeeky voice came from above. "BY THE HAMMER OF THOR! Don't ever do that again, what the hell are you doing in my cell?" Wade asked looking up at the small man peering down behind a pair of glasses from the top bunk.

"A...actually this is my cell... w-w-where roommates now."

Wade looked on for a moment eyeing the man up and down as his new roomate climbed down from the bunk.

"I... uh, I don't have any friends but If I did they'd call me Weasel." He stuttered, holding out a trembling hand. Wade took it and shook quickly as if worried he may catch something. 'Hey, I don't wanna catch the geek virus... EW his palms are all STICKY... just don't let him know you know, act casual dammit.'

On the outside Wade, unbenknownest to himself, wore a look of utter disgust and horror. Weasel broke off the handshake and sat back down.

"So... what are you in here for?"

"Oh some misunderstanding, you know how it is, a cop gets all up in your business and blows your brains out and you return the favor and suddenly YOU'RE the villain. Yourself?"

"I got caught snooping around in government files... I'm good with that kind of thing you see, computers and stuff."

'OH GOD HE PLAYS WARCRAFT ABORT FRIENDSHIP! ABORT!'

"That's interesting." Deadpool nods, trying desperately to actually back up his statement and look interested. Before either man could say anything else a loud yell was heard from outside.

"Exercise time kiddies!"

'Oh thank GOD'

Three Months Later.

"Boredboredboredboredboredboredboredboredbored."

Lunch time, formerly Wade Wilson's favorite time of the day just below 'Sleepy time' and 'Killin time', had become nothing but a boring hour filled with bad food and even worse company.

The incacerated mercenary sat, fingers drumming, at a table in the dinner hall next to his 'New' friend Weasel whom Wade had worked with once before yet neglected to recall him whatsoever.

Weasel had learned to adjust to Wade's... erractic behaviour.

"Hey cheer up, it could be worse." He said solemnly, poking the meager meal in front of him with a fork, his head bowed. "You could be me."

"Hey, you're outta here in another two weeks! Stop being so down..."

For a fleeting moment Wade envisioned a scenario in which he wore Weasel's skin and walked right out the front door.

This made him giggle.

Weasel chose to ignore it and continue speaking.

"Yeah but once I get out what is there for me? Go back to snooping around inside government computers for kicks?"

"It's a living." Wilson said absentmindedly, gazing over to the queue where inmates were collecting their meals.

"Uh... not really Wade. That's no existance, I don't even have my own place anymore. Once I get out of here I'm moving back in with my mother. God knows she's going to have a few words to say and then I'll be stuck doing customer support for some computer company that doesn't deserve me, I'll never have a girlfriend and I'll die alone."

Wade, paying more attention to the food queue rose to his feet.

"Excuse me... I've always wanted to do this." He half-explained, leaving an exasperated Weasel on the verge of a panic attack.

Striding over to the queue, he joined at the back and waited for inmates in front to pick up there food. A tap on the shoulder made him spin around to face a large brutish inmate staring down at him.

"Excuse me, could you pass th-" He began before being interrupted in a spectacular fashion.

"You have it wrong! I'm not locked in here with you! You're locked in here with ME!" He roared, grabbing the nearest food tray (Which happened to be the salad.) and tossing it at the man's face, the tomato slices and lettuce leaves bouncing harmlessly off of the inmates face.

A rather awkward silence lasted for a moment before the man spoke up once more.

"I was just going to ask you to pass the gravy boat... I'm kinda glad you didn't."

Feeling the cold sting of defeat Wade trudged back to his seat with a mumbled "Sorry."

"It was awesome in Watchmen."

 

[bkhedr]

Hours pass as Fate, sequestered within his chambers, searches for the Mortal the Thunderer seeks.

The heavy chamber doors are shut, and fused by some unexplained magical force while the thinnest wisps of smoke and mist drift out lazily from underneath its wooden beams.

From within there is silence, and all the while Thor, God of Thunder, imaptiently paces outside, his mind awash with a combination of worry for Jane, anger directed at her unknown captor, and most of all, guilt.

"I have your woman Stormbringer", the message had read. There could be no doubt that the message's author was the Immortal threat of which Hermod had warned. A threat aware of Thor's presence, able to see through his mortal guise, and worse still, undetectable to Thor's own godly senses. In self exile from Asgard the Thunderer had nowhere to turn save Dr Fate and now the hours pass as Fate too seems unable to locate Jane.

"It is because of me that Jane is in danger. By loving her I put her in the sights of my unseen enemy and now I can not even find her." Thor mutters as he comes to a halt before a golden framed mirror and stares at his own reflection for a moment.

No doubt the Odinson's spirits would have dipped even further as he stood and contemplated the decisions that had brought him to this point if not for a sudden shrill scream from within the chambers of Doctor Fate.

"Fate?" Thor shouts as he races to the sealed door and presses his ear to it.

A moment, two, and then Fate screams again.

Reacting instantly Thor again calls to the Wizard and moves to push the heavy doors apart.

Amazingly the doors hold though Thor strains against them with all his godly might.

Fate's magic keeps me at bay but magic or not, no door of Midgard can stand Mjolnir's fury he quickly rationalizes as he takes a step back from the door and hefts his magic mallet only to have the door suddenly swing open and bath him in an instant decompression of smoke and light from within.

Quickly making his way into the chamber the Thunderer finds Fate slumped on the floor before a shattered globe and takes a hold of the Wizard's shoulders.

"Fate?" he asks as he gently shakes the Wizard who stirs then groans in pain.

"What happened here Wizard? Did you find the one I seek?"

"Y-Yes I did Thor." Fate replies as he struggles to his feet with Thor's help. "I found him and engaged him, but his powers have grown, he has changed, and the entire world...is in danger."

"Who Fate? Who is this knave?"

"Seth." Fate replies grimly"The Serpent God of Death is here on Earth"

"And Jane?" Thor asks after taking a quiet moment to take in the enormous significance of his foe's identity.

"She lives Thor. He has her and will use her against you as he did me."

"He will try." Thor said confidently but Fate merely shook his head.

"He has many prisoners Thor. Somehow he is adding their living essences to his strength. Their lives are both his power and his shield Thor. He is not hiding anymore, he believes himself invincible. I fear you will not be able to defeat him alone, and I...I am sorry but I will need..time..to regain my strength."

"I understand Wizard and I thank you for your help." Thor says as he lowers Fate into a chair and straightens up.

"This is now an affair of the Gods Fate. Show me where to find him."

​

The place is cold and dimly lit by torch light. It smells of strongly scented oils and of burning incense. The floors and walls are of smooth aged stones that seem to echo with the faintly heard screams of the long dead.

The ancient, evil place is buried deep within the halls of a large and ultra modern office building over looking downtown Boston, its ancient architecure is hidden by the building erected around it but it fully dominates several floors of the steel and concrete tower, and one of those floors, the master of this timeless place crosses his arms behind his back and looks through the large windows before him and unto the city beyond.

He is Seth Heliopolis, the Serpent God of Death and Misfortune, Brother and slayer of Osiris..and everything is going according to his millenia old plan. His repitilian eyes scan the surrounding roof tops in anticipation of his enemy's arrival and when the Thunder and the Lightning deliver that enemy the Serpent God smiles humorlessly.

With a wave of his hand the Death God draws back the glass and the wall before him like some kind of living liquid, thus revealing himself and his stronghold to his foe.

Despite the pouring rain and the bitter storm, both Set and his stronghold remain dry and untouched as he makes eye contact with Thor and practically hisses his greeting.

"Welcome Odinson, to your long deserved Doom."

​

 

[Green Lantern]

The world explodes around us. Just what I was hoping. Now to get the attention off Robin. "Take care of the Batman. Toad and me will take out the kids."

I run up and throw a punch at Robin.

He telegraphed that. Robin caught the fist with his forearm. He could barely keep back a smile, at least he knew who he was fighting, the others wouldn't know this. Robin scowled at the 'mobster.'

"What, you think you can take me punk? You're a lowly street urchin. Me? I'm the goddamn Robin. You're a bastard, Bruce, why the **** did you pick HIM?!?"

Driven by the anger of Batman's choice in 'replacement', Robin drove a sharp kick to Bruce's shin.

 

[wiegeabo]

He telegraphed that. Robin caught the fist with his forearm. He could barely keep back a smile, at least he knew who he was fighting, the others wouldn't know this. Robin scowled at the 'mobster.'

"What, you think you can take me punk? You're a lowly street urchin. Me? I'm the goddamn Robin. You're a bastard, Bruce, why the **** did you pick HIM?!?"

Driven by the anger of Batman's choice in 'replacement', Robin drove a sharp kick to Bruce's shin.

I sigh inwardly and drop down as Robin kicks my leg. I was afraid for a moment that he wouldn't catch on quickly. The last thing we need is for one of us to hurt the other. As Robin kicks at my face, I knock his leg away with my 'missing' arm and slam my palm into his chest, knocking him away.

"Psh. Robin? Real scary name there, kid. Whatcha gonna do, tell on me to daddy? Now is not the time..."

I stand up and notice Toad leaping around like he's taken why to many drugs. But every time he tries to land an attack on Pryde, she just phases. She lands a nice punch to Toad's face, but he wraps his tongue around her wrist.

"Ewww. Gross!" She phases out of his grasp. "Oh, god. The smell!" She swings a roundhouse kick at Toad, but he flips away.

***

"RRRAAAAAAHHH!!!!" I scream as my claws rip through what can only be silly string that one of these freaks is using against me. I know what you're thinking, what's the big deal. Well, it is a big deal when this stuff almost instantly hardens to be as strong as steel.

"Nya, nya. You'll never catch me!"

He's right. I'm not getting anywhere. So I decide to stop thinking like a wolverine for a second, and start thinking like a bat. I grin and pull a few small balls out of my belt, tossing them at the guy dressed like a clown. They explode into gas and he drops to the ground coughing.

I leap into the air, claws ready. "Gotcha now, pun-" Suddenly I'm blasted from the side by some kind of goop. I hit the ground hard and try to get up, but I'm stuck. One of the other freaks stands over me, pointing his gun at my face.

"Guess the scary Batman wasn't a match for the Trapster and Trickster," he says.

 

[Carnage27]

I stand up and notice Toad leaping around like he's taken why to many drugs. But every time he tries to land an attack on Pryde, she just phases. She lands a nice punch to Toad's face, but he wraps his tongue around her wrist.

"Ewww. Gross!" She phases out of his grasp. "Oh, god. The smell!" She swings a roundhouse kick at Toad, but he flips away.

The warehouse has exploded into a battle-royal, and I realize I've just been sitting against a wall doing nothing for what seemed to be forever.

I 'port over to where Kitty is attempting to catch up with Toad.

"Vhy don't you try and pick on someone your own size, you Budweiser reject!"

Before the incredibly agile mutant can react, i deliver a combination of kicks, punches, and tail-whips that leaves him bruised and battered, but not down for the count. He cames at me quicker than i could have expected, and lands a kick that sends me tumbling into a wall.

"Well, well...looks like I get to take out two of Xavier's little cheerleaders in one night."

"I vouldn't be too sure of yourself," I say as Kitty comes from behind and slams a metal pipe across Toad's back, while I simultaneously give him a slash across his chest with my rapier.

I stand over him, and a horrific odor almost puts me in the same state as him, "Got in himmel. And I thought I smelled bad."

I see Kitty snicker, "Thanks for the assist, Kurt, but this is not time for jokes. It looks like Robin could use some help."

Robin is engaged with a pretty mean looking thug, but out of the corner of my eye I spot Logan down with two opponents stand in over him.

"Robin can take care of himself, Logan needs us more." Kitty grabs onto me and we are instantly next to the creeps that took down Logan.

"Seriously? A clown? Okay, fraulein, you take baldly, I've got Bozo."

I go after him fast, and he throws a...rubber chicken at me?

"You have got to be kidding me of all zhe lame-"

BOOM!

Before I can finish the chicken explodes and sends me flying through the ceiling into the second level.

Come on, Kurt, you've got to be ready for this stuff.

BAMF

I teleport next to Logan and cut him free from the goop that held him to the ground. "Let's go, Kitty could use some help."

 

[Keyser Soze]

...In other news, escaped criminal Dr. Jonathan Crane - alias The Scarecrow - has attacked the Sapphire Club in Gotham City's Diamond District. The popular nightclub was exposed to the masked fugitive's trademark "Fear Gas", inciting a panic-induced riot. Details are still sketchy, but we understand that there are over a dozen people dead and many more seriously injured...

"Sal, turn that off! You'll scare Leo!"

Maroni obeyed his wife, turning off the television. Then he turned to face his 9 year old son.

"You ain't scared, are you? You're a big man now, huh?"

The boy beamed lovingly at his father, who picked him up and hugged him.

"Come on, we're gonna be late for the movie."

Salvatore, Helena and Leo Maroni headed out for their Saturday afternoon routine: a movie at the cinema followed by pizza. A very normal family routine, which was important for Sal. After the way he was groomed, from a very young age, to be his father's successor in the family business, he wanted his son's upbringing to be different. He didn't want Leo in this life, he wanted for Leo to be anything he wanted to be. And so he made time for this every Saturday, because he wanted Leo's childhood to be as happy and normal as possible.

But the thoughts going through Maroni's mind as the three of them slid into the backseat of their car were anything but normal. He was thinking about what he'd saw on the news. Thinking that he'd planned it. The Sapphire Club belonged to Carmine Falcone. And Falcone knew Crane was one of his guys. This was a message. Not a direct attack on Falcone, but a warning to treat him with respect. He'd shown Falcone he couldn't be pushed around, that from now on he should talk to Maroni like a business partner, not like one of his lackies, or some scum off the street. He was Sal Maroni, part of a crime dynasty spanning generations!

As their driver took them through the quiet suburban streets on the way to the city-centre, one of the tires in the car suddenly blew out, causing the car to veer to the right suddenly and crash into the sidewalk. Funnily enough, this random mishap saved the lives of Sal Maroni and his family. A wave of mistimed gunfire flew in front of them, through the point where the car would have passed if not for the flat tyre.

"What the..."

Maroni's driver pulls a sub-machine gun out from a compartment under the passenger seat, and exits the car. He is immediately gunned down by three men on foot. Maroni recognises them - Falcone's guys!

"Son of a b**ch..."

"Daddy!"

Maroni turns around, and sees his son, huddled in his mother's arms. Tears stream out of his terror-widened eyes. He just wanted his son to have a normal life, he just wanted him kept away from his world...

Before Maroni knew what he was doing, he was out of his car. Hiding behind it for cover, he lunged across, grabbed the fallen driver's gun, and mowed down two of the three killers. A gunshot pumped through his arm, and he screamed in pain. The last remaining killer fired another round at Maroni. Missed. Hit the side of the car.

"You could have hit my son with that shot."

Maroni put a bullet in the last killer's head. And then he stood there, bleeding, four corpses scattered over the road all around him. He looked back, and saw his wife and son looking through the car's backseat window. Leo's eyes were still wide with terror. But now he wasn't afraid of being killed.

He was afraid of his father.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Maroni’s restaurant was closed for business today. The shutters were drawn closed, and armed enforcers stood guard outside. Inside, Maroni paced back and forth like a caged animal, a ticking time bomb of hate looking for something to explode on. Much darker business was being conducted at Maroni’s today.

“That piece of s**t Falcone! He wants to try and kill me – ME, Salvatore f**kin’ Maroni! – while I’m with my wife and son? Was he gonna have his guys kill them too?”

“He crossed the line, boss,” said his lieutenant, Toots Leggiero, “That ain’t how things are done with the old families. He gotta pay.”

“Old bastard thinks he’s untouchable, huh? Well I showed him, I showed him his men sure ain’t! Bullets for all three of ‘em, gunned the punks down myself. Yeah, oh I showed him alright…”

But Maroni couldn’t get the image of his son Leo out of his mind, looking at his own father with horror in his eyes.

“You take care of the bodies, Toots?”

“Yeah, boss. Dumped them up at Slaughter Swamp. Your driver too.”

“Rest his soul, he’d understand. This is war now. Falcone and me have been dancin’ round each other long enough. It ends now. I won’t stop until that old man is dead, until his operations are my operations. We gotta regroup, lay low just for now. My family are somewhere safe, outta the way. We build up our army, then we take the fight to Falcone. He’s gonna FALL!”

Just then, the kitchen doors opened, and three of Maroni’s men came in, dragging a familiar face in with them, albeit considerably more battered and bruised than we’d last seen it. Maroni’s face lit up with vengeful glee.

“Well look who it is! Bookie Benson, Falcone’s boy!”

Benson said nothing.

“Tie him to the chair.”

His men did as ordered, tying Benson to the chair right in the middle of the restaurant floor.

“I bet you thought I’d be dead by now, Benson,” Maroni snarled, “Me, my wife Helena, my little boy Leo. He’s 9 years old, you son of a b**ch.”

Spitting out wads of blood, Benson struggled to formulate a response.

“I… I didn’t know…”

Maroni pistol-whipped him, knocking out two more teeth.

“Don’t insult me, Bookie! You knew! And now you’re gonna f**kin’ die here. How’s that?”

“N-no, p-p-please…”

“That all you gonna say, Bookie? No smart talk like you had for me when I was unarmed? Well, take a look here, smart guy. This is a gun right here in my hand. My gun is goin’ right here in your mouth…”

Maroni jammed the gun in Benson’s mouth.

“Mmmmmphh! Puuuhlz duhnt kuh muh!”

“Suck it,” hissed Maroni, eyes blazing with fury, “Suck it like a dick!”

He shoved the gun right down into Benson’s throat, making him gag.

“Now I’m gonna pull this trigger, and blow your f**kin’ Irish mick brains out, capiche?”

“NUUUUUH!”

*BLAM*

Maroni pulled the trigger, and a crater burst out of the back of Benson’s skull. Brains and bone fragments blasted out all over Maroni’s floor. Maroni withdrew the gun from Benson’s mouth, his hand and sleeve thick with blood.

“Yeech, Christ. Get me a towel, toots.”

Boss Maroni had murdered Bookie Benson. The act was witnessed by Toots Leggiero and several more of Maroni’s men.

And then there was the recording device, still sitting unnoticed underneath the table where Harvey Dent had sat with Sal Maroni, all those weeks ago. A wiretap that many had since discarded as useless, after the recent fiasco. Nevertheless, on the other end of the line, in a small room in the GCPD Building, someone was listening in. Harvey Dent was also a witness to Bookie Benson’s murder. He’d heard it, he had it on tape. All of it.

 

[wiegeabo]

The warehouse has exploded into a battle-royal, and I realize I've just been sitting against a wall doing nothing for what seemed to be forever.

I 'port over to where Kitty is attempting to catch up with Toad.

"Vhy don't you try and pick on someone your own size, you Budweiser reject!"

Before the incredibly agile mutant can react, i deliver a combination of kicks, punches, and tail-whips that leaves him bruised and battered, but not down for the count. He cames at me quicker than i could have expected, and lands a kick that sends me tumbling into a wall.

"Well, well...looks like I get to take out two of Xavier's little cheerleaders in one night."

"I vouldn't be too sure of yourself," I say as Kitty comes from behind and slams a metal pipe across Toad's back, while I simultaneously give him a slash across his chest with my rapier.

I stand over him, and a horrific odor almost puts me in the same state as him, "Got in himmel. And I thought I smelled bad."

I see Kitty snicker, "Thanks for the assist, Kurt, but this is not time for jokes. It looks like Robin could use some help."

Robin is engaged with a pretty mean looking thug, but out of the corner of my eye I spot Logan down with two opponents stand in over him.

"Robin can take care of himself, Logan needs us more." Kitty grabs onto me and we are instantly next to the creeps that took down Logan.

"Seriously? A clown? Okay, fraulein, you take baldly, I've got Bozo."

I go after him fast, and he throws a...rubber chicken at me?

"You have got to be kidding me of all zhe lame-"

BOOM!

Before I can finish the chicken explodes and sends me flying through the ceiling into the second level.

Come on, Kurt, you've got to be ready for this stuff.

BAMF

I teleport next to Logan and cut him free from the goop that held him to the ground. "Let's go, Kitty could use some help."

Kurt cuts me free from the goop. I would have done it myself, but there was no way I could move my arms inside that stuff. "Go!" I say as I cut the last of the crap from my suit. "Help Shadowcat. I'll handle our funny friend over there."

I glare at Trickster as Kurt runs off. "Uh-oh," he says.

"You got that right, bub." I leap at him. He tosses a handful of confetti at me, and it explodes into gas around me.

"Ha! You're not the only one with that trick." I land on my feet, groggy, my balance shot. He steps up to me. "What? Never heard of sleeping powder?" He punches me in the face, and instantly grabs his knuckles, jumping up and down in pain like a little kid. "OWOWOWOW!!! What are you made of?"

Suddenly my healing factor kicks in and my senses return. I lash out with my fist, catching Trickster right in his jaw. His eyes roll up and he crumples to the ground. "Glass jaw, meet adamantium fist." I wince at myself. Ok, I'll leave the jokes to the kid.

Suddenly there's a sharp pain as something bounces off the back of my head. I drop a bit from the impact, and turn around just in time for something to embed itself in my chest.

I clutch at the object and feel blood trickle between the fingers of my glove. I'm lucky. The armor of the suit kept it from going very deep. Not like that would have really mattered anyway, I guess. I pull it out. "A...boomerang?"

Shthunk. I drop to one knee in pain, my shoulder exploding with heat. I look up to the second floor and see a man standing there, two more boomerangs in his hands. "I could do this all day, mate." he says with a smile.

Shutting the pain out, I grab a batarang and throw it at him. He calmy tosses one of his own, neatly slicing mine in two as it flies down and strikes my hand, sticking out both sides of my palm.

"Sonova-!"

"Like I said...all day." He throws another...

 

[wiegeabo]

The look of surprise on both of your faces is not exactly subtle. Without even taking my eyes off the communicator, I say, "I defend liberty, freedom and the American dream, gentlemen. That doesn't guarantee that I defend Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. Besides, Fury wouldn't have done what he did without a damn good reason. We need to know what that reason was."

I look at Jay and Tony, waiting for a challenge. When none comes I speak into the communicator. "Nick Fury? Nick, this is Captain America. Over."

We wait in silence for a fow moments, but hear nothing but static. I nod to Steve and he clicks the communicator on again. "Nick," I say, "come on. We know you're listening in. Or have someone listening in. Pick up the damn line."

Click. "Not like you to swear when you don't mean it Jay. I suppose this is important."

I smile despite Nick not being able to see it. "Well, we knew that if it was Steve swearing, you'd assume the worst and send an armed team down here."

Nick chuckles. "I guess you're right. So what's so important that you use this line to SHIELD for the first time since I've given it to you. Track down one of those hundred criminals we gave you files on?"

I wince. I'd almost forgotten about that. Actually, I guess I did forget. The League's been around for, what, almost two years now? And what have we done? Heck, we've barely even gotten together a handful of times.

"Point taken, Nick. Why we're contacting you is-"

"Enough of this friendly crap, Fury," Tony interrupts. "I want some answers. And I want them now!"

"That you Stark?"

"You're damn right! And I want to know what gives you the right to send people onto my property to steal technology that is rightfully mine with no court order, no search warrant, not even a hint of probably cause."

The line is silent for a few seconds. "...perhaps...perhaps we should talk in person." The line goes dead.

I look at the others. "Is it me...or did Nick actually sound confused?"

 

[Carnage27]

Kurt cuts me free from the goop. I would have done it myself, but there was no way I could move my arms inside that stuff. "Go!" I say as I cut the last of the crap from my suit. "Help Shadowcat. I'll handle our funny friend over there."

I sprint on all fours towards Kitty. All I can see is the guy shooting some goop at her, and Kitty continually phasing through it.

He senses me as I get close and shoots another substance from a wrist container at the ground in front of me. As soon as I hit it, I lose my grip and slide along the floor. He catches me with an elbow when I pass by that leaves me seeing stars.

I'm woozy, but I can feel him standing over me, "Some demon you are. You scared the crap outta Cobblepot, and all he needed to do was punch you in the face. It's sad really."

Before he can encase me in that goop, he gets a round house kick to the nose from Shadowcat.

"A little bird once told me to always mind your surroundings, maybe you should take his advice."

"Gah, you wittle witch. You bwoke my nowse."

I smack his gun out of his hands and turn it on him, encasing him in his own solution.

"Maybe you should think next time you decide to play vith guns."

"Kurt, you've never been incredibly funny, but even that was bad for you."

"I know, but I'm trying, and zhat is zhe important thing," I respond, flashing her a cocky smile. "Let's go help Robin."

I teleport above the thug and the boy wonder, and grab the bigger man with my tail, and pull him up towards me.

"Boo."

 

[wiegeabo]

I sprint on all fours towards Kitty. All I can see is the guy shooting some goop at her, and Kitty continually phasing through it.

He senses me as I get close and shoots another substance from a wrist container at the ground in front of me. As soon as I hit it, I lose my grip and slide along the floor. He catches me with an elbow when I pass by that leaves me seeing stars.

I'm woozy, but I can feel him standing over me, "Some demon you are. You scared the crap outta Cobblepot, and all he needed to do was punch you in the face. It's sad really."

Before he can encase me in that goop, he gets a round house kick to the nose from Shadowcat.

"A little bird once told me to always mind your surroundings, maybe you should take his advice."

"Gah, you wittle witch. You bwoke my nowse."

I smack his gun out of his hands and turn it on him, encasing him in his own solution.

"Maybe you should think next time you decide to play vith guns."

"Kurt, you've never been incredibly funny, but even that was bad for you."

"I know, but I'm trying, and zhat is zhe important thing," I respond, flashing her a cocky smile. "Let's go help Robin."

I teleport above the thug and the boy wonder, and grab the bigger man with my tail, and pull him up towards me.

"Boo."

I sigh to my self. Not now. Quickly striking out with my hand, I land a blow to a nerve cluster on Wagner's neck. His body instantly stiffens in short-term paralysis, his tail dropping me to the floor.

I try to stand up, but Pryde swings a roundhouse at me. I lift my arm to block, but she phases her leg through my arm, solidifying it just as it connects with my head.

I roll with the blow, minimizing the impact, and using the momentum to right myself. "Not bad," I start to say. But I'm interrupted as the ground quivers beneath us.

"ENOUGH!!!"

We all turn towards the yell and watch Giganta...grow! And when I say grow, I mean grow. Suddenly she's ten feet tall, then twenty, then thirty. The top of her head is now well above the second floor, nearly to the top of the warehouse. And I can only assume that her strength and durability have grown proportionately. So that was Cobblepot's real plan. The five of us were cannon fodder to soften Robin and Logan up for the real fight.

"Mein Gott in Himmel!"

I know exactly what he means...