The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season VII

[Eddie Brock]

"Okay, Powerboy, calm down," Tim said, raising his hands in what he hoped was a calming gesture. This wasn't exactly what he needed right now, but lucky him, it was his responsibility.

"Con, explain to me what happened. Slowly. From the beginning," Tim said, rubbing his forehead in an attempt to prevent the ache that was starting to grow there.

Before I can open my mouth to explain myself, Cassie speaks again. "Look, I've been having nightmares ever since the accident." Powerboy scoffs at the word. "The truth is, I'm having a little bit of trouble adjusting to life after it. I told Connor that it would be best for us to take some time to think things over." She says it all much more calmly than I could ever manage.

"And this sociopath blames me for his mistakes!" Powerboy bursts, pointing accusingly at me.

"Ecnelis," Zach announces hurriedly. "You'll have your turn to give your twisted version of all of this. I promise. Until then, do us all a favor, and shut up." Zach looks back at me and nods.

I sigh and run my hand through my hair. What can I say? "I don't know what Powerboy's been doing or saying behind my back, but I know he's been trying to get this breakup to happen for some time." I look into his eyes and see his rage. "Now, I can't speak for why he would do that, but I lashed out. It was wrong of me to do, but I did it."

"Hey, he deserved it," Zach assures me.

 

[Keyser Soze]

OOC: Hope you don´t mind the quick bunny Keyser

I look around the place where I have just taken a worm-portal to his sector, only to return to Oa. Suddenly, I´m starting to see Jordan´s point of view about the Guardians using us like pawns. However it seems so does he, despite my reservations about him he does seem like he has the Corps and in deed the univerese´s best intrest at heart.

"Are going back to Oa so that they give me another mentor other than you, you seem displeased about the decsion."

"Nope that´s not why we´re heading there. It´s something much more important, and since they said your now my responsbility; I´ll take the heat for what we´re about to do. Not you, so don´t worry."

A fair deal as Jordan speaks into the ring and the wormhole appears, I walk inside to it. It seems each time I go through one, my stomach feels worse and worse each time however in this Sector, things seem....diffrent. Very hard to describe how so, but very everything in this planet seems lighter then the others, not something I have had in other planets before hand. However before I can finish the thought I am already on Oa with my new mentor.

He flies past the skyline of Oa signalling me to follow him as we fly past the main part of the planet I notice we have come across the prision facility. Two other Green Lanterns stand side by side keeping an eye on the facility they turn to both of us noticing our green light;

"You do not have the permission to enter this......oh, Lantern Jordan. Sorry we have to keep an eye on new rookies like him." they say giving me a look, somehow I don´t think me and that officer are going to be getting along. Either way, Jordan signals them away. "The rookies with me." He says I follow his lead and whisper something to the other lantern, which I can´t help but smirk at. "If you´re so good how come your on prision duty?" I whisper to him as he just lets out a short huff as I walk over the main cells we fly up and the higher we climb, the threats begin to get larger and larger until we reach the tob floor of the sciencells.

"Hello, Lanterns."

"I have been expecting you, Hal Jordan. I am sure you have lots of questions..."

"No, just one. The orange ring. Where did you get it?"

But Mongul just laughs.

"Ha! No, I don't think I'll be telling you anything, Lantern."

I don't have time for games. I need to find Hector Hammond. Casting a sideways glance at Sodam Yat, I use my ring to form a construct around Mongul, strapping him tightly to a secure green chair. Then, I open the cell door, and step inside.

"This is your last chance, Mongul. Where did you get the orange ring?"

"Or what, will you kill me?" scoffed Mongul, "I know that a Green Lantern cannot use his ring to kill. You are weak, pathetic, an empty threat. Oh, how I wish I could have been there to see my father obliterate your home city. Tell me, Lantern... did you cry like a woman?"

Mongul's taunts make me seeth with rage, but it's not anger that drives me forward. It's will. I think of my wife, my child, and what needs to be done to protect them. I raise my ring hand, and fire a concentrated energy beam right through Mongul's left eye. The eyeball pops like a grape, and the beam carries forth into his eye socket.

"YEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGH!"

"Is that what the women sound like on your planet?"

Sodam rushes forward, likely planning to try and stop me. But I raise a warning hand, and the look I give him likely tells him to stay back. I turn my attention back to Mongul.

"No, I can't kill you. But right now, my ring has carried through your eye socket, and into your brain. With a thought, I can send an energy current right through your pain centres, like this..."

I do it. He lets out another scream.

"Or I can leave you a vegetable, dribbling, babbling and crapping your pants for the rest of your life. And my ring lets me do all that, because you'll still be alive when it's all over. Now... how about telling me where you got that orange ring?"

 

[Karem-Knight]

"I have been expecting you, Hal Jordan. I am sure you have lots of questions..."

"No, just one. The orange ring. Where did you get it?"

But Mongul just laughs.

"Ha! No, I don't think I'll be telling you anything, Lantern."

I don't have time for games. I need to find Hector Hammond. Casting a sideways glance at Sodam Yat, I use my ring to form a construct around Mongul, strapping him tightly to a secure green chair. Then, I open the cell door, and step inside.

"This is your last chance, Mongul. Where did you get the orange ring?"

"Or what, will you kill me?" scoffed Mongul, "I know that a Green Lantern cannot use his ring to kill. You are weak, pathetic, an empty threat. Oh, how I wish I could have been there to see my father obliterate your home city. Tell me, Lantern... did you cry like a woman?"

Mongul's taunts make me seeth with rage, but it's not anger that drives me forward. It's will. I think of my wife, my child, and what needs to be done to protect them. I raise my ring hand, and fire a concentrated energy beam right through Mongul's left eye. The eyeball pops like a grape, and the beam carries forth into his eye socket.

"YEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGH!"

"Is that what the women sound like on your planet?"

Sodam rushes forward, likely planning to try and stop me. But I raise a warning hand, and the look I give him likely tells him to stay back. I turn my attention back to Mongul.

"No, I can't kill you. But right now, my ring has carried through your eye socket, and into your brain. With a thought, I can send an energy current right through your pain centres, like this..."

I do it. He lets out another scream.

"Or I can leave you a vegetable, dribbling, babbling and crapping your pants for the rest of your life. And my ring lets me do all that, because you'll still be alive when it's all over. Now... how about telling me where you got that orange ring?"

An hour into my training with Hal Jordan and I already suspect him to back stab the Corps, starting with me. But then I see the son of the man who took away his home Coast City at the time Parralax took control of him. Quite a contradiction the two of us have; an alien killed his hometown and so he acted out, my home planet killed an alien of mine so I acted out. Still I was not ready to see someone´s eye being crushed by a power ring when all of a sudden he says a word that I had heard just a moment ago.

"....how about telling me where you got that orange ring?" At that moment, I see that the alien is screaming in utter pain and Jordan seems to be in great rage as I get him on the shoulder. "Jordan, with all due respect; you are going too far! Seriously this is not the way of the Corps, the Guardians would...." I say to him and he just gives me a look, raising an eyebrow underneath his mask. Then I remember what he said to me but right behind me, the monster that I am trying to defend starts to taunt me.

"That...thaat voice...haha....you sound like a Daxamite..." He looks at me in great pain to the point where I could barley understand his mumbling as I see the blood dripping on the floor. "I´ve seen your people, boy, they´re worthless, fear infested people! Hahaha....." He coughs up some blood as me and Jordan give him a breif moment of rest. "Tell me, boy.......how do you think it would feel if your people suffered the same fate as the Kryptonians? Your ancestors. Mongul does have a way with those beings weaker than him ARGH!" I contrucst a metal vice around his neck, tighting it, I postion him close to Jordan making it easier for him to aim for his exposed eye hole.

"I´ve had a change of heart. Go nuts!"

 

[Optikal]

[blackout]ATROCITUS
-Red Lantern-[/blackout]

Space Sector 2814

Ysmault

One Month Earlier


They were the five inversions.

The only survivors of the massacre of sector 666.

They were founders of the Empire of Tears.

They ruled with dark magic and an iron fist.

Until the Green Light took them down.

Now, centuries later, only two remain.


Upon the surface of the prison planet, next to a pool filled with blood, the red monster Atrocitus grasped his foe by the neck and slammed a vicious headbutt into his face. Qull, the last remaining Inversion fell to the ground in a heap.

"Your foolishness has cost you dear Qull". Atrocitus growled, kicking his former ally in the stomach. Qull cried out in pain and rolled in the dirt, red sand from the ground sticking the blood seeping from many wounds. The huge red monster stood above him, a lantern, red and pulsating hung from his hand. Qull tried took back away, to plead with his attacker.

"You see, it was your carelessness that condemned us to this barren hell. I have freed the others and through their death they finally serve a greater purpose. You see, here in the dark there is power..." Atrocitus clenched his empty fist, feeling the pressure of the blood running through his veins. "...after centuries of rage festering in my heart, I have learned the means of escape is within my grasp. Your innards will give me my freedom, Qull. And your blood my power. And finally, I will have my revenge against the Green Lantern Corps and all of those who would stand with them!"

Atrocitus laughed to himself and raised the lantern above his head. With a feral roar he brought the lantern down, smashing it ferociously into the skull of his fallen adversary. Blood sprayed up in a fluid arc, covering his chest and face. Atrocitus grinned and continued to bludgeon Qull, even after the alien was dead. His blood and gore covered the lantern and within his grasp Atrocitus felt the power within it swell.

Just as he had done with the other Inversions, he grasped the corpse of Qull, He cut it wide open and threw it into the pool. Atrocitus smiled, took a breath and steeped into the pool himself, submerging completely in the blood of his fallen foes.

As he let his rage consume his senses closed down. All he could hear was a faint beat, like a heart, like a drum...

BAHDUM

He can hear it

BAHDUM

Like the sound of a war drum

BAHDUM

His anger crystallizing the blood of the Inversions

BAHDUM

His heart stops

BAHDUM

So that the ring may take over.

BAHDUM

-RAGE-
​

 

[Keyser Soze]

An hour into my training with Hal Jordan and I already suspect him to back stab the Corps, starting with me. But then I see the son of the man who took away his home Coast City at the time Parralax took control of him. Quite a contradiction the two of us have; an alien killed his hometown and so he acted out, my home planet killed an alien of mine so I acted out. Still I was not ready to see someone´s eye being crushed by a power ring when all of a sudden he says a word that I had heard just a moment ago.

"....how about telling me where you got that orange ring?" At that moment, I see that the alien is screaming in utter pain and Jordan seems to be in great rage as I get him on the shoulder. "Jordan, with all due respect; you are going too far! Seriously this is not the way of the Corps, the Guardians would...." I say to him and he just gives me a look, raising an eyebrow underneath his mask. Then I remember what he said to me but right behind me, the monster that I am trying to defend starts to taunt me.

"That...thaat voice...haha....you sound like a Daxamite..." He looks at me in great pain to the point where I could barley understand his mumbling as I see the blood dripping on the floor. "I´ve seen your people, boy, they´re worthless, fear infested people! Hahaha....." He coughs up some blood as me and Jordan give him a breif moment of rest. "Tell me, boy.......how do you think it would feel if your people suffered the same fate as the Kryptonians? Your ancestors. Mongul does have a way with those beings weaker than him ARGH!" I contrucst a metal vice around his neck, tighting it, I postion him close to Jordan making it easier for him to aim for his exposed eye hole.

"I´ve had a change of heart. Go nuts!"

Mongul comes from a species hardened against torture, and he proves a tough nut to crack. But crack he does. As I increase the pressure on his brain through the whole I created in his eye socket, the alien warlord finally relents.

"Aaaaaaarrrrghhh! Alright! ALRIGHT!"

I ease off on the energy pulses to Mongul's pain centres, but hold the beam in place.

"Talk."

Reluctantly, Mongul replies.

"We were in the Vega System, the planet Okaara. I had heard whisperings of a great power that lay under the planet's surface, and so spent time assembling a small army of highly-skilled mercenaries. We descended upon Okaara, and I sent them forth, while I waited on the ship. Over one hundred soldiers went into the Forbidden Forest. Only one returned, running like the devil was chasing him. He jumped onto the ship, and the two of us made our escape from the planet. Once we had moved beyond the confines of the Vega System, he showed me his prize."

Mongul's one remaining eye glimmers with longing, lusting after what he has lost.

"A ring. An orange ring. Oh, the soldier spoke of the hell he'd been through getting it. He spoke of an underground palace, of a room filled with mountains of orange rings just like it. They'd all grabbed one, some grabbed more than one. Then the ghosts came. That's how the mercenary described them. Screaming, orange ghosts, a legion of them. This was a hardened combat veteran, yet he voided his bowels at the sight of these nigtmarish creatures. It was a massacre. They effortlessly murdered every last intruder. Except for him. He'd made it out, only just. And after all he'd been through to get that ring, he didn't want to let it go."

Mongul gives a nonchalant shrug.

"So I killed him, and took the ring for myself. I wanted it. It belonged to me. When the ring sat in the palm of my hand, I watched it grow to a size that would fit around my finger. It spoke to me, spoke to the greed in my heart. I never needed to charge it, like you charge your rings. It seemed like some external force kept it constantly charged up. It was the ultimate weapon, it was a part of me. And now it's gone...."

Yeah, now Hector Hammond's got his hands on it. At least now I know where the ring came from. If I go there, I might get some answers as to where it's headed. I break the energy beam, and the constructs holding Mongul in place dissolve. He falls in a heap on the sciencell floor.

"Thanks for the tip," I say, striding out of the sciencell and letting it close behind me, "C'mon, kid. We're going to the Vega System."

 

[Optikal]

Space Sector 2814

Ysmault

One Month Earlier



Atrocitus crashed through the surface of the blood pool with a roar. The raw power of the red light had drained the blood from his veins, replacing it with fire borne of rage and pain and anger.

He turned, fully dressed in a suit of black and red to the monolith that rose out of the murky crimson depths behind him. Blood dripped from the tips of the construct, splashing down to be consumed by the glowing red center. Atrocitus glared up and smiled, blood and fire dripping from between glistening white fangs.

The Red Power Battery.

Born in Blood and fire.

Fuelled by rage and hate.

More rings would be made and distributed around the galaxy.

A new corps will be born.

Atrocitus lifted his lantern and raised his ring to level with it. As rings began pouring to the sky from the central battery he smiled and recited his oath, a clear picture of Sinestro, Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps in his mind.

"With blood and rage of crimson red...
...ripped from a corpse so freshly dead...
...together with our hellish hate....
....we'll burn you all....
......THAT IS YOUR FATE!"
​

 

[Watchman]

Captain Marvel was fighting Martians on the moon. He hoped....

Yes, thats right Martians on the moon being mind controlled by a short bald man. This is what superheroes do. I think a giant robot is going to show up later.

Anyway, he hoped that Sinestro was able to find the satellite, he didn't no how much longer he can keep this up. The Maritans all attack at once but once again Marvel was able to keep them at bay.

"You're getting very predictable, Sivana." Marvel thought."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I'm going to kill you, you big red cheese!"

"What did I say about predictablity?"

"AHHHHHH!" The Martians heads exploded.

"Your work's getting sloppy, too. I'm also make sure you do hard time for what you've done."

"Oh no no no no, Marvel. They're is no stoping me this time." The land beneath his feet was quaking. "Meet the Sivana 3000!" Robotic spider legs crawled their way out of a newly formed crack.

"Holy....." A spider leg came down on to Captain Marvel. The legs were connected to a giant Sivana head.

"Now who's predictable?"

 

[Catman_prb]

I sigh and run my hand through my hair. What can I say? "I don't know what Powerboy's been doing or saying behind my back, but I know he's been trying to get this breakup to happen for some time." I look into his eyes and see his rage. "Now, I can't speak for why he would do that, but I lashed out. It was wrong of me to do, but I did it."

"Hey, he deserved it," Zach assures me.

Tim shot a glare he had learnt from Bruce at the teen magician, who quailed.

"Zach, not helpful," he growled, before turning back to look at Power Boy. The teen was obviously troubled, and if he thought he could get away with it, he'd throw the conniving little git off the team. However, in the sake of fairness he had to give him another chance or at least a chance to explain himself.

"Power Boy, what did you do?"

 

[Byrd Man]

Suicide Squad: The Dirty Half-Dozen
Part II


​

Belle Reve Maximum Security Penitentiary

By the time the charter jet touches down in Louisiana, Waller has it all explained. Or, she's feeding me bullcrap. It's hard to tell with that woman.

She works for Checkmate now. Apparently after Luthor left office, they were disbanded by the new president. Like any good covert, almost illegal government organization, they found a way to continue. Checkmate is now a part of the UN. They continue the fight to monitor the metahumans of the world.

"After this Dark Alliance group reformed again and almost destroyed the world....again. I was able to convince some of the higher ups in the UN that Chekmate was needed again." She says as the guards escort us off the tarmac and into a jeep.

"And now, over a year later. Here I stand as White Queen."

"Congratulations." I mutter sarcastically as we go through the gates and into the heart of Belle Reve.

********************

The guards lead us to a small room with a table and three sets of chairs. This is supposed to be our interview room.

"So..." I say as I thumb through the prisoner files.

"No Deadshot?"

"Lawton is currently on the lamb. I made arraingments with the US Department of Justice, if he's arrested on American soil, then he is to be transferred to Belle Reve and offered a spot on the team."

"Well, let's start these godforsaken interviews."

****************

"State your name, please."

"Shock Trauma."

"Your real name."

The young man rolls his eyes and mumbles something.

"We didn't catch that."

"My name is Leslie, okay!"

"Well, Leslie. We know who you are and you know who we are."

"Yeah, yeah. No thanks, I can do these next five years no problem."

**************

"State your name."

"I am Richardo Davis. Better know as Steamroller!"

"What are your powers?"

"I drive a steamroller!"

"Next."

******************

The man with the black hair that's starting to receed doesn't say a word as he sneers at Waller and I.

"Pretty extensive wrap sheet you have here, Mister...King is it?"

"That sounds like a phony name to me. Arthur King and all. But it does make sense in a way, right Mr. King?"

The man finally speaks.s

"Just cut the crap and call me Merlyn, okay?"

"Okay, Merlyn. I'm pretty sure you can guess who we are. Right now, you're six months into twenty-five years in this hellhole. You play ball with us, we can have it down to eight months."

His eyes light up for a second, and then her goes back into his sneer.

"Okay, sure. Who am I killing this time?"

"As of right now, nobody. But welcome to the team, Merlyn."

"Do what Colonel Flag and I say and life will be sweet for you. Disobey our orders, I'll have you put back into Belle Reve with a life sentence, and then transfer you down to the pit with the men who like a little sweet taste every now and then. And from the way you look, you're their type honey."

"Whatever, just get me out of here."

"Go back to your cell and wait. Sometime next week, you'll be released to our custody."

"A week? What the hell are you two going to be doing for a week?"

"Finding your teammates."
​

 

[Karem-Knight]

Edit: Double post

 

[Karem-Knight]

Mongul comes from a species hardened against torture, and he proves a tough nut to crack. But crack he does. As I increase the pressure on his brain through the whole I created in his eye socket, the alien warlord finally relents.

"Aaaaaaarrrrghhh! Alright! ALRIGHT!"

I ease off on the energy pulses to Mongul's pain centres, but hold the beam in place.

"Talk."

Reluctantly, Mongul replies.

"We were in the Vega System, the planet Okaara. I had heard whisperings of a great power that lay under the planet's surface, and so spent time assembling a small army of highly-skilled mercenaries. We descended upon Okaara, and I sent them forth, while I waited on the ship. Over one hundred soldiers went into the Forbidden Forest. Only one returned, running like the devil was chasing him. He jumped onto the ship, and the two of us made our escape from the planet. Once we had moved beyond the confines of the Vega System, he showed me his prize."

Mongul's one remaining eye glimmers with longing, lusting after what he has lost.

"A ring. An orange ring. Oh, the soldier spoke of the hell he'd been through getting it. He spoke of an underground palace, of a room filled with mountains of orange rings just like it. They'd all grabbed one, some grabbed more than one. Then the ghosts came. That's how the mercenary described them. Screaming, orange ghosts, a legion of them. This was a hardened combat veteran, yet he voided his bowels at the sight of these nigtmarish creatures. It was a massacre. They effortlessly murdered every last intruder. Except for him. He'd made it out, only just. And after all he'd been through to get that ring, he didn't want to let it go."

Mongul gives a nonchalant shrug.

"So I killed him, and took the ring for myself. I wanted it. It belonged to me. When the ring sat in the palm of my hand, I watched it grow to a size that would fit around my finger. It spoke to me, spoke to the greed in my heart. I never needed to charge it, like you charge your rings. It seemed like some external force kept it constantly charged up. It was the ultimate weapon, it was a part of me. And now it's gone...."

Yeah, now Hector Hammond's got his hands on it. At least now I know where the ring came from. If I go there, I might get some answers as to where it's headed. I break the energy beam, and the constructs holding Mongul in place dissolve. He falls in a heap on the sciencell floor.

"Thanks for the tip," I say, striding out of the sciencell and letting it close behind me, "C'mon, kid. We're going to the Vega System."

Mongul comes from a species hardened against torture, and he proves a tough nut to crack. But crack he does. As I increase the pressure on his brain through the whole I created in his eye socket, the alien warlord finally relents.

"Aaaaaaarrrrghhh! Alright! ALRIGHT!"

I ease off on the energy pulses to Mongul's pain centres, but hold the beam in place.

"Talk."

Reluctantly, Mongul replies.

"We were in the Vega System, the planet Okaara. I had heard whisperings of a great power that lay under the planet's surface, and so spent time assembling a small army of highly-skilled mercenaries. We descended upon Okaara, and I sent them forth, while I waited on the ship. Over one hundred soldiers went into the Forbidden Forest. Only one returned, running like the devil was chasing him. He jumped onto the ship, and the two of us made our escape from the planet. Once we had moved beyond the confines of the Vega System, he showed me his prize."

Mongul's one remaining eye glimmers with longing, lusting after what he has lost.

"A ring. An orange ring. Oh, the soldier spoke of the hell he'd been through getting it. He spoke of an underground palace, of a room filled with mountains of orange rings just like it. They'd all grabbed one, some grabbed more than one. Then the ghosts came. That's how the mercenary described them. Screaming, orange ghosts, a legion of them. This was a hardened combat veteran, yet he voided his bowels at the sight of these nigtmarish creatures. It was a massacre. They effortlessly murdered every last intruder. Except for him. He'd made it out, only just. And after all he'd been through to get that ring, he didn't want to let it go."

Mongul gives a nonchalant shrug.

"So I killed him, and took the ring for myself. I wanted it. It belonged to me. When the ring sat in the palm of my hand, I watched it grow to a size that would fit around my finger. It spoke to me, spoke to the greed in my heart. I never needed to charge it, like you charge your rings. It seemed like some external force kept it constantly charged up. It was the ultimate weapon, it was a part of me. And now it's gone...."

Yeah, now Hector Hammond's got his hands on it. At least now I know where the ring came from. If I go there, I might get some answers as to where it's headed. I break the energy beam, and the constructs holding Mongul in place dissolve. He falls in a heap on the sciencell floor.

"Thanks for the tip," I say, striding out of the sciencell and letting it close behind me, "C'mon, kid. We're going to the Vega System."

Jordan starting to fly off to the skies, without hesitation I trail behind him and then go faster then him blocking his way.

"Are you out of your mind!?" I say to him, making my opinion known, I may be a rookie but I´m also a member of the same Corps as him. "The Vega System is off limits from the Corps! It´s inside the Book of Oa it´s self, one of the main laws of this Corps! You know it better than I do, and you just want to march right in there without consqeuences!?" Jordan hovers infront of me sighing before giving me an answer.


"Listen kid, I know you´re by the book and as cocky as the next rookie Lantern. I was like you as well, but if there´s one thing I´ve learnt during my time here it´s that you have to break some rules for the greater good. Now, one way or another I´m going to that system, restricted or not, and if you don´t want to come with me? Fine. Suit yourself, there´s something around the cosmos that needs this Corp´s attention and if I´m the only Lantern to go and solve it that´s fine with me!"

He says and shoots off into the skies of Oa, leaving me behind. I stare at at the grounds of Oa pondering about his actions, his will power that he has shown. He´s already on thin ice with the Guardians, why should I jeapordise my carrear here because of him? Still, he is a Green Lantern, said to be the best of them all. Starring into the empty space I remember what Mongul said about the powers of the Orange energy and how powerful it was, he might need some help. I sigh looking at the buildings of Oa before I fly off outside the planet as I see him already on his way, he turns around and gives a smirk.

"I knew you´d come back." I ignore it and follow his lead, we travel through various systems through the portal of a construct Jordan created and before we know it our rings are warning us of something.

WARNING! WARNING! APPROACHING VEGA SYSTEM, RESTRICTED TO THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS!

WARNING! WARNING! APPROACHING VEGA SYSTEM, RESTRICTED TO THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS!

Slowing down, we enter the star system hovering around it. Jordan whispers into his ring about the locations of Okaara and uses the ring to track down the location of the planet, we both fly and land on the planets surface. It´s stench fills up my nostrils and mouth making me tempted to throw up, I use my breathing field to cover it up as I talk to Jordan.

"Now what?"

 

[Byrd Man]

Suicide Squad: The Dirty Half-Dozen
Part III
​

After signing up Merlyn, Waller and I go our separate ways. She takes a flight to California for another member of the new squad, while I get sent to Keystone City. It takes me about a week, but I manage to track down my target in some back alley dive.

"Owen Mercer." I say as I belly up to the barstool.

He eyes me distrustfully.

"If you're a cop...nope, not me."

I smile and order a drink.

"I am certainly not a cop. I used to work with your father?"

"So you're a Rogue? I don't recall seeing you at the meetings?"

"No. US Army. My name is Colonel Rick Flag."

He remains silent as he takes a long sip off his beer.

"Suicide Squad, right? I've heard about you. Forcing my dad to work for you."

"I seem to recall he had a deal with the Squad, they helped him out a time or two."

"And since you're so damn generous, you want to offer the same deal?"

"Considering the crowd you run with, it'll be nice to get a 'Get Out of Jail Free'. Comes in handy."

Mercer takes another long sip and looks at me.

"Let me ask you this, soldier boy. When my father was with Suicide Squad, how did he do?"

"Kiddo, your dad was one of the best men I served with in Suicide Squad......despite our differences. That's why I'm coming to you, heard you can sling a 'rang twice as hard and fast as him."

"....Okay, I'm in. What do I need to do?"

I pull a ticket out my coat pocket and slide it across the bar.

"Meet me at the airport tomorrow morning with your stuff. We need to make a stop in Gotham."

*****************

Blackgate Maximum Security Penitentiary

Mercer and I stand outside the prison as a dozen armed guards march the massive prisoner out the gates.

"My saviors have arrived." The criminal known as Bane says as the guards unshackle his cuffs.

"Where is Waller?"

"She's out on the West Coast. I'm Colonel Rick Flag, Squad Leader. This is Captain Boomerang."

"'sup, Big Man?"

"I have a name, use it."

"You two girls cut your squabbling, we've got a flight to Louisiana to catch."

****************

Back in Belle Reve, Merlyn has now joined Bane, Boomerang, and myself in the facility behind the prison. According to Waller, our temporary home until our team is complete.

"I swear, my mouth is hurting something fierce. Other day, damn prison dentist gave me a root canal. Feels like he shot me in the tooth with a .38." Merlyn mutters as he plays darts with Boomerang.

"Everything go okay?" Waller asks as she enters the room.

"Yeah. Two more members to the squad. Including me, we're up to four."

"Five. My trip to California bore fruit. Isn't that right, Arthur?"

​

"Who's got a hug for the good doctor?"
​

 

[Eddie Brock]

Tim shot a glare he had learnt from Bruce at the teen magician, who quailed.

"Zach, not helpful," he growled, before turning back to look at Power Boy. The teen was obviously troubled, and if he thought he could get away with it, he'd throw the conniving little git off the team. However, in the sake of fairness he had to give him another chance or at least a chance to explain himself.

"Power Boy, what did you do?"

"Why does everyone think I DID something?!" Powerboy reacts defensively. "I didn't switch sides, nearly kill my girlfriend, and then come back with my tail between my legs! All I ever tried to do with this team is HELP PEOPLE, but it seems to be impossible! All you people care about is yourselves!"

"You know that's not true!" I bark, outraged at his callous description of the events following the Dark Alliance's return. He knows that I wasn't acting of my own will. It was Deathstroke's mind-control! And to say that the Titans don't help people?! I've had enough. "It seems like all you care about is yourself!"

 

[Saved]

"Why does everyone think I DID something?!" Powerboy reacts defensively. "I didn't switch sides, nearly kill my girlfriend, and then come back with my tail between my legs! All I ever tried to do with this team is HELP PEOPLE, but it seems to be impossible! All you people care about is yourselves!"

"You know that's not true!" I bark, outraged at his callous description of the events following the Dark Alliance's return. He knows that I wasn't acting of my own will. It was Deathstroke's mind-control! And to say that the Titans don't help people?! I've had enough. "It seems like all you care about is yourself!"

Rose frowns, aggravated by the immaturity of her teammates. Looking to Robin, she notices the irritation in his expression, the shame at what his team has succome to. She steps forward, a scowl now on her face. She holds up her hands and shouts - her patience wears ever thin. "You two - shut up!" She screams, her teeth grinding eachother viciously. "What kind of a team is this if we fall apart because of a damned love triangle?" She questions, trying to forget her own personal love situations. "You!" She says, pointing to Powerboy. "You may be new to this team, but you're suppossed to be a hero. If you're really in the right then just shut up and let it go! And you," she starts, turning to Superboy, a sneer now crawling over her face. "I've had my problems with you since we first met. You try so hard to act like Superman, yet you let other people get to you enough to cause these altercations!" She pauses, taking a breath to cool her own emotions. "Now, both of you - calm down and relax. I've got my own plate of problems, and there are more important things going on right now then whatever the hell this is about...so for the love of all that is good and holy, shut the **** up!"

 

[Catman_prb]

Tim saw what was coming first, although to give him credit, Connor would have had he not had his mind on other matters. He extended his arm, plam flat and slammed it into Power Boy's arm as the super powered manchild extended his own arm to punch Rose. He followed it up by a sucket punch on the behemoth's nose, which made a satisfying crunching sound under the Teen Wonder's fist. Power Boy stepped backwards and growled.

"Big mistake," he snarled and lashed out, just brushing Tim's cape as he dodged under the man's fist.

"You have no idea," Robin said, smiling as he stepped back. He didn't see the next fist that hit him in the gut and knocked him backwards into the wall with a crack. He groaned and shook his head.

"Quite a temper you've got there big guy," he muttered.

 

[trustyside-kick]

I'm instantly by my friend's side as he pulls the sword from his shoulder. "You going to be ok?"

"I'm...fine. I'm going to be fine. Just a nasty little flesh wound."

Taking to the skies, Carter starts to slowly head towards the building where Wildcat's son and Plastic Man are battling The Trickster. Hawkman's pretty confident that Plastic Man can hold his own, given the guy is practically immortal and indestructible...but Carter worries greatly for Ted's son. This was his first real, superhero mission. The gloves are off and he's toe to toe with supervillains. If there's one thing Hawkman will do in Ted's memory, it's make sure his kid doesn't fall to a supervillain.

"I'll see what's taking them so long with The Trickster. We now have a location we need to check out, Jay. We need to dispose of these Rogues as soon as possible."

 

[trustyside-kick]

After Kyle Rayner drops off Aquaman over the Atlantic Ocean, the two heroes say their goodbyes as Aquaman dives into the cold, blue ocean and Kyle takes to the skies.

It's a truly sensational feeling that has overcome Orin now. Not more than a year ago, during the second Dark Alliance attack, the Marine Marvel had been standing in front of an old Justice League photograph talking to Black Canary. He yearned to feel what he so obviously felt in that photo, so easily captured. His happiness seem to exist solely in the glimpse of that moment, immortalized in the trophy room of the Arctic JLA Headquarters.

But now...finally now...it no longer is just a memory.

"The first thing I'm going to do when I get back...is hold Kym."

The thought brings the former King of Atlantis to joy, and he plays with the nearby dolphins. He slows himself down to make things more fair, racing along the Atlantic waters, letting the three dolphins beat him as they reach the end of the race at the nearby kelp bed.

There is something...different about you, Swimmer.

Yes. Something new about you.

The Aquatic Ace smiles, circling the group of dolphins and in doing so challenges them to another race around the reef.

~No...not new...this is something that's always been. Hidden beneath the surface of everything...much like us and the wondrous waves of the current.~

 

[Watchman]

What frightens a eight foot tall cyborg?

"Out of the Asylum.....too much police activity....not looking like yourself..." Metallo had turned small pieces of himself into listening devices and placed them all around the place.

"....Nightmare Factory....he's coming soon?" Metallo spyed on the Batman. He was talking on the phone but he didn't know to who. The phone wasn't hooked up to anything.

"....he's here..."

Metallo ignored him. He's was from Gotham so its a very good chance that the guy was nuts. All he wanted to do was get Flamebird in his hands and crush the life out of her. Then when Superman gets back he'll do the same to him thats what the Batman promised. He strolled down a hall and notice a door he hadn't seen before. Well, there was no door only a curtin. He peeked his head in.

The room was mostly dark. The only light that came from it was from a screen up in the front of the room. The screen was all black except for the word NO which flashed across the screen in big red letters. There was a crowd of people in the room. Their mouths, eyes, and ears were covered by odd looking helmets which were made out of what looked like steel hands.

"What the...?" A few of the people in the room stirred.

"Mmmph....mmmph." Metallo slowly back out of the room. What the hell is wrong with Gotham guys. Always pulling crazy stuff like this. Metallo back up but stop when he heard a voice behind him.

"See anything you like, Corben?" It was the Batman and Steel stood right by his side.

"What's wrong with you? I've worked with the Joker...I can't believe I'm asking that question. All of you and your Arkham crazies...."

"Arkham? Ha, you think this is the work of Arkham crazies. Oh, Corben, naive John."

"I think....I think I'm going to help with the police barricades."

"You do that." He had that condescending smile on as Metallo left the two.

 

[wiegeabo]

Captain Marvel was fighting Martians on the moon. He hoped....

Yes, thats right Martians on the moon being mind controlled by a short bald man. This is what superheroes do. I think a giant robot is going to show up later.

Anyway, he hoped that Sinestro was able to find the satellite, he didn't no how much longer he can keep this up. The Maritans all attack at once but once again Marvel was able to keep them at bay.

"You're getting very predictable, Sivana." Marvel thought."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I'm going to kill you, you big red cheese!"

"What did I say about predictablity?"

"AHHHHHH!" The Martians heads exploded.

"Your work's getting sloppy, too. I'm also make sure you do hard time for what you've done."

"Oh no no no no, Marvel. They're is no stoping me this time." The land beneath his feet was quaking. "Meet the Sivana 3000!" Robotic spider legs crawled their way out of a newly formed crack.

"Holy....." A spider leg came down on to Captain Marvel. The legs were connected to a giant Sivana head.

"Now who's predictable?"

I force the fight that rages behind me from my mind, and trust Marvel and Starman to keep our enemies busy. ...Trust. What a strange concept for me. I trust a team of people I've been trying to kill for years, and they now trust me. I trust a woman, a human woman, that I love, and she trusts me with her child.

And now the whole planet trusts me to find a hidden satellite that will give an intelligent ape control of the Earth.

...this is my life now.


I finish my umpteenth scan of the coordinates Atom gave us and my ring once against finds nothing. No transmissions, no signals, no energy bleed. If the satellite is here, it's using one of the most sophisticated cloaking devices I've ever encountered. Which means it will just continue orbiting forever, intermittently broadcasting its control signal...

Wait...orbiting... It's not using propulsion, otherwise I'd detect it. So it must be orbiting the Earth. Which means it's using gravity. Which means it's own gravity is distorting space-time.

And that, I can detect!

An instant later, and my ring is blaring at me about a minuscule curvature of space-time where one shouldn't exist. I smile and lash out, but the light from my ring touches nothing. The cloak bends even ring light around it. No wonder I couldn't find it.

Time to improvise.

A quick wormhole later and I'm a couple of hundred million kilometers away in the system's asteroid belt. I scan for a few moments. "Ah...perfect."

A womhole opens near the cloaked satellite and I emerge, small asteroid in tow. A force of will through my ring and I drive the rock home into it's target. There's a ripple in the darkness as the asteroid collides with the clocking field and overloads it. The satellite finally becomes visible for an instant before I drive the asteroid through it. One problem solved.

I turn back towards the fight and fly to the next problem.

 

[wiegeabo]

"I'm...fine. I'm going to be fine. Just a nasty little flesh wound."

Taking to the skies, Carter starts to slowly head towards the building where Wildcat's son and Plastic Man are battling The Trickster. Hawkman's pretty confident that Plastic Man can hold his own, given the guy is practically immortal and indestructible...but Carter worries greatly for Ted's son. This was his first real, superhero mission. The gloves are off and he's toe to toe with supervillains. If there's one thing Hawkman will do in Ted's memory, it's make sure his kid doesn't fall to a supervillain.

"I'll see what's taking them so long with The Trickster. We now have a location we need to check out, Jay. We need to dispose of these Rogues as soon as possible."

"Right. You get the team together. I'll grab Wally, do a little clean up around here, and we'll scout out Pahrump together while you're on your way."

"Now, now, laddies. Don'tcha be forgettin' about me." Two hands reach out from the store window behind me and grab me by the shoulders.

"CART-!!!" I'm pulled into the glass as I call out for help, but Hawkman's too far way too hear.

The street is finally quiet for the first time since the Rogues attacked...until McCulloch flies out of the window backwards and crashes into the street.

I step out of the window rubbing my sore hand before the portal closes on me. "I think that's the last of them."

 

[Keyser Soze]

Jordan starting to fly off to the skies, without hesitation I trail behind him and then go faster then him blocking his way.

"Are you out of your mind!?" I say to him, making my opinion known, I may be a rookie but I´m also a member of the same Corps as him. "The Vega System is off limits from the Corps! It´s inside the Book of Oa it´s self, one of the main laws of this Corps! You know it better than I do, and you just want to march right in there without consqeuences!?" Jordan hovers infront of me sighing before giving me an answer.


"Listen kid, I know you´re by the book and as cocky as the next rookie Lantern. I was like you as well, but if there´s one thing I´ve learnt during my time here it´s that you have to break some rules for the greater good. Now, one way or another I´m going to that system, restricted or not, and if you don´t want to come with me? Fine. Suit yourself, there´s something around the cosmos that needs this Corp´s attention and if I´m the only Lantern to go and solve it that´s fine with me!"

He says and shoots off into the skies of Oa, leaving me behind. I stare at at the grounds of Oa pondering about his actions, his will power that he has shown. He´s already on thin ice with the Guardians, why should I jeapordise my carrear here because of him? Still, he is a Green Lantern, said to be the best of them all. Starring into the empty space I remember what Mongul said about the powers of the Orange energy and how powerful it was, he might need some help. I sigh looking at the buildings of Oa before I fly off outside the planet as I see him already on his way, he turns around and gives a smirk.

"I knew you´d come back." I ignore it and follow his lead, we travel through various systems through the portal of a construct Jordan created and before we know it our rings are warning us of something.

WARNING! WARNING! APPROACHING VEGA SYSTEM, RESTRICTED TO THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS!

WARNING! WARNING! APPROACHING VEGA SYSTEM, RESTRICTED TO THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS!

Slowing down, we enter the star system hovering around it. Jordan whispers into his ring about the locations of Okaara and uses the ring to track down the location of the planet, we both fly and land on the planets surface. It´s stench fills up my nostrils and mouth making me tempted to throw up, I use my breathing field to cover it up as I talk to Jordan.

"Now what?"

"Lovely place."

Okaara. This was a planet where warriors, soldiers and killers from all across the galaxy came to be trained in the art of combat. Fatality, an enemy of the Corps, was trained here. I'd never thought of Okaara as a pleasant place to be. But apparently, the secrets this planet is hiding make it even worse than I initially thought.

"Now? We go looking for orange ghosts."

We venture forward into what is called the Forbidden Forest. It's a forest of weeds, that seemed to have choked the life out of all other vegetation on the surface. It soon becomes apparent that the weeds are beginning to grow around us. As oily tendrils begin to wrap around my legs, I look around, and see some skeletons entangled in the mass network of vines, making it clear why this place is forbidden. Fortunately, unlike the poor souls who wandered into this forest in the past, never to return, we're armed with power rings. The green aura around us brightens, incinerating any weeds that touch us.

And so we carry on, deeper and deeper into the Forbidden Forest, until the weeds grow so high and so thick that all light above is blotted out. Finally, we make our way to a clearing, deep in the forest's heart. It is a massive stone structure, partially buried under a network of crawling vines. But from what I can see of the structure, it appears to be a massive statue. And at its base is a great, circular doorway. There is a huge stone disk, marked with the symbol I saw on the orange ring, lying cast aside nearby. This was where Mongul's men broke in. The entrance to an ancient temple, perhaps, or a palace. Or maybe it's a crypt.

But I'm not scared by ghost stories.

We enter through the doorway, and are immediately cast into deep darkness. But our green light shines brighter, and the darkness is pushed back. We make our way down a seemingly endless spiralling stairway which, appropriately enough, reminds me of the path down to Hector Hammond's cell in Belle Reve.

"Ugh! That... smell!"

If the stench up on the surface was bad, down here, it's enough to make you retch! It's a smell of rotten, festering meat, of decomposing corpses. It's the reek of death, and it's getting stronger.

We reach the bottom of the staircase, and walk through a series of huge, ornate stone rooms, with that symbol carved all over the walls. One of the rooms is a dining room, and I actually let out a dry heave. This is where the smell's been coming from. Spanning across the room is a grand dining table, packed high with food. But it's all rotten. It's as if nothing's ever been thrown out, with more meat just piled up on top of the rotten carcasses, creating a bed of rot and decay. And by the looks of things, someone has been enjoying this grotesque feast recently. We interrupted them.

"If anyone's in here, this is the Green Lantern Corps. Show yourself!"

No reply. We press on forward, into the very heart of this subterrenean labyrinth. And at last we come to what seems like a kind of ancient throne room, but it's empty. Empty, save for a single orange lantern, glowing bright, lighting up the whole chamber in its warm glow. I gaze at the lantern. It burns so bright! And... and I don't know why, but... but I want it.

Eyes fixated on the orange lantern, I walk slowly towards it. I'm aware of Sodam Yat doing the same. What's that rookie doing? He needs to stay back, I can handle this. I... I just want to touch it. Eyes wide, mouth open, I reach my hand out...

"Don't touch that!"

Suddenly, a swarm of hideous, deformed orange beings burst forth out of the lantern, knocking Yat and I backwards. These must be the ghosts. Thinking fast, I use my ring to form a construct of a giant hammer, swinging it at the hovering monstrosities. But upon making contact with them, it simply dissolves. Within seconds, both of us are surrounded by a legion of the orange ghosts, each of them looking as rotten and decayed as the food laid out on the table. I lunge forward, firing an energy blast in hopes of fighting through them, but it is simply deflected, and I am sent hurtling back, landing in a heap on the floor, next to the orange lantern. But it is quickly snatched away by an orange-clad creature, towering over my shoulder. But this isn't a spectral figure, like all the orange ghosts. This creature is solid, and very much alive. And it stinks, too.

"That's mine."

 

[Karem-Knight]

"Lovely place."

Okaara. This was a planet where warriors, soldiers and killers from all across the galaxy came to be trained in the art of combat. Fatality, an enemy of the Corps, was trained here. I'd never thought of Okaara as a pleasant place to be. But apparently, the secrets this planet is hiding make it even worse than I initially thought.

"Now? We go looking for orange ghosts."

We venture forward into what is called the Forbidden Forest. It's a forest of weeds, that seemed to have choked the life out of all other vegetation on the surface. It soon becomes apparent that the weeds are beginning to grow around us. As oily tendrils begin to wrap around my legs, I look around, and see some skeletons entangled in the mass network of vines, making it clear why this place is forbidden. Fortunately, unlike the poor souls who wandered into this forest in the past, never to return, we're armed with power rings. The green aura around us brightens, incinerating any weeds that touch us.

And so we carry on, deeper and deeper into the Forbidden Forest, until the weeds grow so high and so thick that all light above is blotted out. Finally, we make our way to a clearing, deep in the forest's heart. It is a massive stone structure, partially buried under a network of crawling vines. But from what I can see of the structure, it appears to be a massive statue. And at its base is a great, circular doorway. There is a huge stone disk, marked with the symbol I saw on the orange ring, lying cast aside nearby. This was where Mongul's men broke in. The entrance to an ancient temple, perhaps, or a palace. Or maybe it's a crypt.

But I'm not scared by ghost stories.

We enter through the doorway, and are immediately cast into deep darkness. But our green light shines brighter, and the darkness is pushed back. We make our way down a seemingly endless spiralling stairway which, appropriately enough, reminds me of the path down to Hector Hammond's cell in Belle Reve.

"Ugh! That... smell!"

If the stench up on the surface was bad, down here, it's enough to make you retch! It's a smell of rotten, festering meat, of decomposing corpses. It's the reek of death, and it's getting stronger.

We reach the bottom of the staircase, and walk through a series of huge, ornate stone rooms, with that symbol carved all over the walls. One of the rooms is a dining room, and I actually let out a dry heave. This is where the smell's been coming from. Spanning across the room is a grand dining table, packed high with food. But it's all rotten. It's as if nothing's ever been thrown out, with more meat just piled up on top of the rotten carcasses, creating a bed of rot and decay. And by the looks of things, someone has been enjoying this grotesque feast recently. We interrupted them.

"If anyone's in here, this is the Green Lantern Corps. Show yourself!"

No reply. We press on forward, into the very heart of this subterrenean labyrinth. And at last we come to what seems like a kind of ancient throne room, but it's empty. Empty, save for a single orange lantern, glowing bright, lighting up the whole chamber in its warm glow. I gaze at the lantern. It burns so bright! And... and I don't know why, but... but I want it.

Eyes fixated on the orange lantern, I walk slowly towards it. I'm aware of Sodam Yat doing the same. What's that rookie doing? He needs to stay back, I can handle this. I... I just want to touch it. Eyes wide, mouth open, I reach my hand out...

"Don't touch that!"

Suddenly, a swarm of hideous, deformed orange beings burst forth out of the lantern, knocking Yat and I backwards. These must be the ghosts. Thinking fast, I use my ring to form a construct of a giant hammer, swinging it at the hovering monstrosities. But upon making contact with them, it simply dissolves. Within seconds, both of us are surrounded by a legion of the orange ghosts, each of them looking as rotten and decayed as the food laid out on the table. I lunge forward, firing an energy blast in hopes of fighting through them, but it is simply deflected, and I am sent hurtling back, landing in a heap on the floor, next to the orange lantern. But it is quickly snatched away by an orange-clad creature, towering over my shoulder. But this isn't a spectral figure, like all the orange ghosts. This creature is solid, and very much alive. And it stinks, too.

"That's mine."

I get knocked back to what feels like miles away and hit a stone wall, cracking tiny bits of it as I land. My head is in a daze and I can see Jordan, in a blurred vision looking up at something. I try and get up ignoring the pain in my head when all of a sudden a strange orange vision grabs me with a burning sensation and lifts me up in the air, I struggle but it´s no use.

MINE! MINE!

Then, nearly a four more come out of no where attacking me I let out a yell and scream pouring all my will towards the ring sending a blast knocking the octupus like creature back a bit. I land back on the floor and whisper. "Ring?"

POWER LEVELS AT 44.89%

What? They were at 89 when I got here a few seconds ago and as soon as I look up I notice that the creature that attacked me seems to be coming back, nearly untouched. Oh my god, they´re not even alive, they´re just constructs, how do they..

POWER LEVELS AT 39.86%

Great and now they´re taking my ring charge, knew I should have brought my damn Lantern with me. And when I finish that thought that octupus like creature starts to attack me with an orange beam of light, much more intense though as I create a green sheild to stop from being burnt. I start to feel a huge stain on my leg and that´s when I notice something resembling a snake surronding it. It keeps repeating the same words from either the power ring, or the lantern. Mine.

MINE! MINE! MINE!

"No you´re not!!"

I say and create a sword and sheild which I use to phase the snake rapped around my leg, it´s successful but not before hords of them start grabbing me around the arms legs and even a small toad like animal on my face, and they keep repeating it, over and over again!!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!!

POWER LEVELS AT 28.14%

I struggle but it feels like I´m being mauled to, like they want every last inch of me. I let out a scream for help, to figure out how I can get out of this.

"JORDAN!!"

I don´t know if he can hear me, because he can barley see me so I just wait patiently to try and score up enough willpower of my own.

 

[Saved]

TwoFace​

The sun is begining to rise. The warm glow of morning begining to take hold of a city who knows darkness best. Soon the skyscrapers will bask in a glowing light and the streets will be lit brightly. But even the sun cannot kill every shadow in Gotham. The darkness in this city doesn't exist only physically...the truth is that Gotham's darkest places reside in the hearts of her people.

"Poetic, Harvey." He grins, his reflection in the window before me a haunting memory. "Good work last night, by the way." He chuckles, staring at me. I try to ignore him, staring past his image and looking out at the Gotham city skyline. "You beat those thugs mercilously. Haha... Batman couldn't have done any better."

"What are you saying..." I hiss.

"Harvey, you and I both know the truth. Your teetering on a line. A line Batman refuses to cross. Refused...sorry."

"That's what makes me better!" I growl, shouting at the window to an image only I can see.

"I'd say different...not better." He says with a mercilous smirk. "See, Harvey, here's what you're not getting. You, yourself? ... You're a *****. A scared child, fearful to make decisions, take control, or do anything on your own. That's why you need me. Even now, in your glorious reformation, you keep me around."

"I don't keep you around!" I shout. "You won't go away!"

"Harvey, Harvey, Harvey..." he shakes his head, putting his hand to his forehead and taking a long sigh. "You made me. I do everything you can't. That's why you keep me around. You don't want to let go. I'm your insurance."

As I listen to his words, I feel a pit form in the bottom of my stomach. Suddenly, I feel weak...tired. I realize he's right. About this, the coin, all of it. It's all been a coping method. A sick way for my fractured personality to make sense of a world I'm too fearful to face. Fear. It's always held me back. ... It was the start of all of it.

"Come on, Harvey," he speaks, his voice charismatic and pervertedly soothing. "It's time we did this the right way, isn't it? Flip the coin. Let fate decide our next move." As he coerces me, I reach into my pocket and slowly pull out the coin, compelled - hypnotized. I hold it up and he nods, a wide grin across his face. I place the coin over my thumb and hold up my hand - it's time to choose.

CRASH. A loud noise comes from the doorway to the apartment. The sound of glass shattering screams, falling into the pitter patter of raindrops. I soon hear the crunch of glass being stepped on, walked over. Someone is here.

"What the hell was that?" I say, grasping the coin tightly in my hand. I reach into my pocket with my free hand and pull out the .22, ready to fire.

"Oh, dammit. Just when I was making headway."

"Who's there!?" I shout, aiming the gun toward the hallway. "Show your face!"

As I hold fast, ready to fire, I hear the sound of multiple footsteps approaching. The hallway between the door and this room isn't big, but it's large enough to hold twenty or so men. I step backward, pushing up against the window at my back. "Harvey, get out of here." He says, a whisper in my ear. "We can finish this conversation later..."

"No." I say adamantly, slipping the saftery off the pistol. "You say I can't do anything on my own? I'll show you."

"Great," he sighs. "Now you get balls."

As I watch the hallway, a figure emerges, coming out of the shadow and into plain sight. I see his coat, the bandages, and my heart sinks into the bowels of my stomach. "You know, Harvey, you should lock your doors." He grins as multiple figures begin to step forward, coming to his aid. "It's a really bad neighborhood." They raise their weapons and aim for my head, ready to fire at their leader's command. "What, nothing to say?" He smiles, folding his arms over his chest. "Both of you are speechless?" He mocks, laughing slightly.

"Hush..." I say under my breath, muttering his name like a curse. "You here to finish what you started?"

"I'm here to thank you. You took out Thorne for me. Now I run the south side of Gotham." He reaches into his trenchcoat and pulls out a .375 magnum pistol. I swallow hard as he locks the barrel into place and aims the sight at the tip of the barrel for my head. "So, thanks, Harvey. I knew I let you live for a reason. Unfortunately, you've outlived your usefulness." He grins, his finger slipping over the trigger carefully. "Say hi to 'the Bat' for me."

They say when you're about to die, you feel a cold come over you. You see your life go before your eyes, all the good - all the bad. It's a bitter sweet moment, one where you realize all you've truly done in your lifetime. A silence comes over the room and I close my eyes, accepting my fate. No way out now...it's over.

"Boss, what the hell is that?" One of the men shouts, pointing behind me. I turn to look, but before I can, the window behind me shatters. Glass pours like rain and I drop to the floor, shielding my eyes. The men open fire, shooting toward me, but to my surprise, not at me. The sound of gunfire fills the air, accompanied by the sounds of faint screams, and the "thuds" of bodies hitting the floor.

Looking up to catch a glimpse of the ruckess, I see a dark shadow cover me. An arm wraps around my torso and grabs me tightly, forcefully taking hold. Before I can say a word, I'm pulled out the apartment and through the shattered window into the open air. As I'm taken from certain death, I catch a glimpse of Hush's face, a disgruntled scowl - an angered sneer. I see him mouth "no" before I drop out of view, and into a freefall. I expect to be falling, plummeting to my demise on the hard street stories below, but suprisingly, I'm not. Instead, I'm swinging through the air, being carried by the shadow as the sun breaches the horizon.

"W-what the hell just happened?" I ask myself, stunned and in shock.
"You're lucky I was following Hush, Harvey." A voice says, the tone femine yet stern. I look back to see the figure holding me, the person who saved me from certain death. I see the black garb, the pointed ears of the head, and the black cape flowing from behind. For a minute, I'm taken back - back to the past. I say his name under my breath, barely a whisper. "Bruce..."

Before I can finish the breath I'm thrown through the air with surprising force. I hit the rough ground of a rooftop, forced into a roll. I stop myself and look up, as the figure lands just feet from my head. I see the legs, the body type, and suddenly I remember that Bruce is dead - gone forever. The figure looks at me, her red hair flowing behind her mask in the cool morning air.

"Irony of ironies," she says, her voice forced to sound darker and more intimidating. "I go after Hush and find Two Face. Two birds with one stone."

"Batwoman..." I grunt, lifting myself to my knees.

"Well, Mr. Dent, I think it's about time I take you to the MCU. Gordon's been looking for you."

 

[Saved]

Tim saw what was coming first, although to give him credit, Connor would have had he not had his mind on other matters. He extended his arm, plam flat and slammed it into Power Boy's arm as the super powered manchild extended his own arm to punch Rose. He followed it up by a sucket punch on the behemoth's nose, which made a satisfying crunching sound under the Teen Wonder's fist. Power Boy stepped backwards and growled.

"Big mistake," he snarled and lashed out, just brushing Tim's cape as he dodged under the man's fist.

"You have no idea," Robin said, smiling as he stepped back. He didn't see the next fist that hit him in the gut and knocked him backwards into the wall with a crack. He groaned and shook his head.

"Quite a temper you've got there big guy," he muttered.

Rose stands ready, moving into a fighting stance as she watches Robin be thrust into the wall. She reaches to her back to grab her swords, but to her surprise, they are not there. "Right," she says in a dissapointed tone. "I forgot...I got rid of those." Powerboy launches forward, slamming his elbow into Robin's gut. Rose sees his back, open and exposed. She knows this is the time to strike.

Improvising, she looks around the room for a weapon. She sees a pair of scissors resting a top a cut up magazine lying on the table. "Well, what do you know, Cass. You are good for something." She smiles, grabbing them quickly and running forward toward her foe. "Hey, pretty boy!" She shouts, leaping into the air. "You look tense," she says, landing on his back. "You need to relax." She throws her arm back, then forward with tremendous speed. She thrusts the scissor blades deep into the tissue of his neck, sending them right between his hightest vertebrae. With a sadistic laugh, she takes hold of the handles on the blades and pulls them apart, ripping open a pocket of tissue between the two bones. A loud "pop" is heard and Rose grins, proud of her work. "Gotta say, didn't think that'd work."

"It didn't!" Powerboy roars, his body seething with unbridled rage. His eyes go red and he turns to her, his speed rivaling even Superboy's. In less than a second he grabs her by the neck, holding her high off the floor. "You little witch!" He shouts, the spit dripping from his mouth. "This is not your fight. STAY OUT OF IT!" He screams, cocking his arm and launching Rose across the room. Her body hits the wall at the far end of the room, breaking away large pieces of dry wall as she falls to the floor. She groans slightly, rubbing her neck as she recovers from the violent hit.

"Alright..." she says, slowly rising. "That hurt." As Rose gets to her feet, Megan rushes to her side. She puts her hand on Rose's back and helps her stand straight.

"Are you alright?" She asks, concerned.
"Yeah," Rose says, spitting a wad of pure blood to the ground. "Freak's stronger than I expected."
"How's...you know?" Megan asks secretly.
"Fine." Rose says, barely phased. "But he won't be." She growls, pointing to Powerboy at the far side of the room. "Megan, do me a favor," Rose starts, brushing the dust off the sleeves of her shirt. "Distract him for me. I've gotta get something from my room."
"Y-You're...you're not gonna kill him, are you?" Megan asks innocently.
"Look at him, babe," Rose says in an irritated tone. "You think I could if I tried?" Megan rolls her eyes, looking away from Rose and toward their raging foe.
"I think you'd find away..." she mutters. Megan rushes forward, heading toward Powerboy in a full sprint. She holds her hands out in front of her and focuses, this is her moment. "Hey, roid rage!" She screams, her eyes glazing over into red. "CALM DOWN!" She fires a telepathic blast, an invisable wall of pure psychic energy, hitting him like a freight train. He blasts backward, breaking through the wall behind him and into the next room over. Megan rushes to Robin's side as he steps forward, taking the chance to recover. "You alright," she asks him in her familiar way.

Rose grins at the spectacle, proud of the young martian - impressed. "Didn't think she had it in her." She says with a smirk. Quickly, Rose makes use of the distraction, running down the hallway and heading for the armory inside her room. "I don't know what the hell he is," she says as she reaches the door to her room. It opens quickly and she leaps inside, looking around the room frantically at her weapons scattered aimlessly about the room. "But I'm bound to have something in here that'll hurt him."

 

[SenseiofCheese]

"JORDAN!!"

I don´t know if he can hear me, because he can barley see me so I just wait patiently to try and score up enough willpower of my own.

They took what was his. They took it from him and now they are coming for more. He won't let them.

"You're not supposed to be here! We had a deal, give it BACK!" he lets out a vicious howl.

His army of Orange Lanterns wash over the intruders, pummeling them physically while syphoning off the power from their rings. They try to fight him, but they can't. They try to struggle, but they can't. Down here, no on can.

One of the Orange Lanterns, a four-armed behemoth, appears behind the two struggling Lanterns.

"MINE." he roars, just like all the others, as he bends down and grabs both of them by the neck. He flings them across the crypt, and they crash like dummies into a wall.

"You think you can take what is mine." Larfleeze howls, as his orange light drowns out the green. "But now you are mine!"