ISSUE #5 written by John Cheese
March 2018
March 2018
"THE BRAVE AND THE BRUTAL"
Midway City, California
Carter flew wide past the heat vision beams that lanced through the sky towards him, the sheer thermal output causing bubbles to form on the surface of the Nth Metal wings he wore, despite not actually being hit by the beams. Closing in on Superman he swung his mace into the Kryptonian’s chest, the blow staggering him and allowing an opening for him to strike the alien with the boss of his axe, blood spraying from the alien’s nose. Screaming pain, all sense of his decent nature submerged between rage and pain, Superman grabbed the axe and pulled it away with enough force that the bones in Carter’s arm popped.
“Clark you must fight this!!” Carter hissed through gritted teeth, as his former teammate made to grab his wings, only to recoil howling in pain, the properties of the Nth Metal reacting with the curse laid upon him. “Tell me who did this!” Carter pleaded, even as he blocked a wild punch with the mace, before swooping into a mid-air tackle, the pair of combatants knocked to the ground. Recovering first, Superman advanced on the downed hero, his eyes glowing red as Carter fought to get to his feet.
“Carter look out!” A voice yelled, one familiar over a thousand generations. Dodging just in time, Carter spun and held out his hand to catch his dropped axe throne to him by the red-haired woman dressed in a similar fashion to him, golden wings sprouting from her back.
“Shiera, but how…” Carter gasped, just as a hammering blow landed on his shoulder, the bone cracking from the impact. Slamming the hafts of both his weapons into his attacker’s eyes Carter created the space he needed between him and Superman.
“I will never leave you.” Shiera cried as Carter went to move to her, only for Superman to come charging in like a bull, barrelling through Carter and the railing into the port, the pair sinking down to the sea-bed. Fuelled by more than sorrow now, Carter wriggled free and landed the strongest blow he could muster, knowing full well that it wasn’t enough, on Clark before surfacing, an inviting hand reaching out to haul him out.
“He won’t stay down.” Carter gasped, as a red glow could be seen circling under the water.
As if on cue Superman rose, desperation now evident on his face as he landed on all fours, snarling and panting before screaming, “WITCH!” At Shiera, his hands ripping up a slab of concrete and throwing it at Carter. Knocking the ad-hoc missile out of the sky, Carter leapt up and slammed his axe deep into Superman’s skull, the Nth Metal blade embedding there, but doing nothing to keep his opponent out of the fight.
“Carter you have to kill him!!” Shiera screamed as Superman body slammed Carter to the ground and began landing blow after blow on him. “He’s going to kill you, and then go magical nova on Midway City. It’ll be like Thorndyke only on a nuclear scale!” Groaning in pain Carter, threw Superman off of him, before ripping the axe out of his skull and bringing the weapons across each other in a cross strike aimed at his opponent’s torso. Stunned, Superman dropped to the floor panting, his energy spent and his life almost over.
“Kill him!” Shiera yelled.
“You were never at Thorndyke, at least not the you I loved.” Carter replied coldly as he spun round and threw the mace at Shiera, her body crumpling from the impact, the glamor vanishing to reveal the Red Witch, a wicked smile across her face.
“We both know that’s not true my beloved.” The Red Witch purred as she picked up the mace, wings of blood red feathers sprouting from her back. “Just as you know that some deep dark part of you is envious of me.”
“You’re right, I am envious of you, you broke the cycle, escaped the constant death and regeneration, but in doing so you became a shadow of the woman you were meant to be.” Carter lamented as he looked upon the Red Witch, her body familiar, too familiar. “You were ruined the moment he took your hand.”
“Speaking of my dear doctor, you remember Thorndyke right?” The Red Witch cooed. “First it was there, then it was gone along with a chunk of Gloucestershire. You have the same choice you had back then kill the afflicted or let a city bathe in blood.”
“He’s my friend, I won’t kill him, not for you.” Carter stated as he threw his axe to the floor.
“I don’t know whether to call you liar or hypocrite.” The Red Witch hissed as she followed suit with the mace. “You were willing to let another friend kill to avenge the me in chains, the slither of me still bound to die and then be reborn until the sun finally sets. And you have killed before, I mean I have the scars from your attempts on me.” The Red Witch paused and slid over to Carter, delicately planting a courtly kiss on his cheek. “You know I’m right good Ser.”
“Leave me be you scavenging harpy, attend to your doctor and depart!” Carter snapped as he grabbed the witch and slammed her face first into what was left of the port railings. “Call me coward or hypocrite now, but should I need to you can call me executioner!” He snarled, as the Red Witch got to her feet, the operatic mask displaced revealing a painful looking burn that matched the shape and size of the head of Carter’s axe around her eye.
“As you wish, but don’t be too long darling.” The Red Witch stated as her body sparked with white energy. “None of you have much time left.” She added as she vanished, leaving Carter alone with Clark on the waterfront.
“I’m sorry Clark.” Carter whispered as he raised his axe above his head, the bladed head poised over Superman’s neck. “I hope you understand.”
# # # # #
Hall of Justice, Metropolis
The Hall of Justice was aflame, a pyro’s paradise and a Martian’s hell. As he stalked the corridors Tar Pit could hear the desperate efforts of the Metropolis Fire Department to combat the fire as clear as day, in fact almost everyone would be able to hear the shouts and sirens that accompanied such people. Only someone versed in listening for the psychic vibrations of the world could hear the other sound, the cry of the Martian Manhunter desperately trying to find salvation in the towering inferno.
Tar Pit could hear these cries, they were little more than a beacon drawing him to where his victim was hiding. Flowing down a flight of stairs, he came around the corner to see the burning husk of the Martian Manhunter desperately trying to crawl to the end of the bathroom and the shower unit there. It was a desperate last-ditch effort to stay alive, one that might summon up a grain of sympathy in most people. Today Tar Pit was not most people, lobbing a salvo of boiling tar past the Martian he created a barrier of burning liquid between his prey and its salvation.
“Why?” The Martian Manhunter asked in a faint voice as Tar Pit loomed over him, a monolith of burning flame and bubbling liquid.
“Same reason you so badly want to get to that shower.” Tar Pit stated as he reached down and grabbed the Martian by the neck before slamming him back first into his body, the alien’s head protruding from his body as flames sparked out of the Manhunter’s eyes and mouth before his flesh and bones were vaporised into a thick green mist.
“It’s done.” Tar Pit stated as an electrical whirlwind of white particles formed in front of him to create the image of the ‘Titan’, that expressionless face and single eye slit not giving away any sign of emotion. “One vaporised Martian.”
“Congratulations Mr Monteleone, you just personally ushered the Green Martian to extinction.” The Titan announced in a flat, almost bored voice.
“What now, shall I take the fight to the fire fighters?” Tar Pit asked.
“No, let them put the fires out, let this be a monument to the end of the Justice League.” The Titan commanded. “Let it be the thing that warns new heroes that their actions will lead to their ruination.”
“Things going that well then?” Tar Pit asked.
“Things are going to plan.” The Titan replied. “Across the board we are moving the white pieces into check, the game is all but won and your work here is done.” He added as his body dissipated, followed by a sparkling white discharge across Tar Pit’s body before he too teleported away from the burning shell of the Hall of Justice.
After a few long seconds one of the toilets rumbled slightly as something slithered away towards salvation.
# # # # #
Themiscyran Consulate, New York
The battles between Diana and Fatality had remained martial, but the former could tell that despite the civility of warrior vs warrior that she was losing the fight. With a sweep of her leg, she went to knock down Fatality, only for her opponent to trip her with the boss of her poleaxe and send her stumbling herself. Letting her foe get up, Fatality backed off and removed her pistol and fired off a quick salvo of blasts, forcing Diana onto the defensive as she blocked the blasts with her bracelets.
“Three Hours.” Fatality hissed as Diana went for her lasso and whipped it towards her alien adversary, the strike causing her to spring away onto the steps of the consulate building. “Three hours left in this life.” She warned as she clicked thrice and her remaining seeker drones shot towards Diana, each grabbing hold of the Amazon princess knocking her to the ground once again. Clicking again, the drones detonated, as Fatality leapt in and slammed her poleaxe down close to Diana’s head, pain radiating through her entire body as her opponent picked up one of her severed ears.
“Nice got yourself a trophy.” A buzzling crackling voice announced as Fatality stepped back to let Diana get to her feet.
“Leave Neutron!” Fatality hissed as she spun her poleaxe round in a defensive circle as Diana struggled to her feet, blood smeared across the right side of her face. “The Amazon is mine to kill, it’s bad enough that I wasn’t allowed to kill the Lantern, one who I owe so many deaths to.”
“Then perhaps this will cheer you up.” Neutron hissed as he held his hand to reveal a dark finger wearing a green ring. Taking the finger Fatality smiled as she held the finger up, a massive smile on her face.
“He’s dead?” Fatality asked gleefully as Diana staggered towards her.
“Wasn’t when I left, but with Onomatopoeia keeping him company I suspect it won’t be too long.” Neutron told her as he blasted Diana with a beam of radioactive energy, the blast striking her gauntlets and pushing her back through the gate of the consulate. “The Lantern is as good as dead.”
“As is the Amazon.” Fatality stated as she handed Neutron the ear and slipped the finger on a chain and attached it to her poleaxe before advancing to where Diana was struggling to entangle herself from the gates. Rising her blade above her head for a killing strike she looked Diana in the eye before slamming the weapon down, only for a booted foot to slam into her chest.
“Fatality!” Neutron snapped.
“Stay, she is mine to kill!” Fatality ordered as Diana picked up one of the gates and charged forwards. Striking with her poleaxe, Fatality watched as her blade got stuck in the bars of the gate, the tip stabbed into Diana’s chest as she was carried along towards the consulate. Scattering just in time Neutron watched as Wonder Woman drove Fatality up the steps and through the entire building, the walls never an obstacle as the pair smashed through them onto the other side.
“When I come back, I will punish you, Neutron and anyone else who is involved in this!” Diana snapped as she slammed the gates down on top of Fatality. Taking to the air she saw Neutron come up fast behind her, even as Fatality kicked the gates off of her and leapt into the air, her knife in her hand, the blade slamming into Diana’s back. Reorienting herself Fatality wrapped her thighs around Diana’s neck and stabbed her knife into her opponent’s hamstring causing her to scream out in pain.
“You think I’d let you leave with my other trophy!?” Fatality hissed as Diana kicked her in the neck.
“You think I’d let you keep what you stole from John?” Diana asked as she revealed a confiscated finger before delivering another solid kick this time to Fatality’s face. Moving in to assist his teammate Neutron slammed a burning hand into Diana’s face, a blackened handprint left from his attack.
“I worked hard to get the lady that!” Neutron hissed as Diana finally shook Fatality off, the alien plummeting to the ground, her body sparking with a white discharge as she was pulled away from a hard fall leaving Neutron and Wonder Woman alone a mile up.
“You disgust me.” Diana whispered as she shot off west leaving Neutron hovering alone above the New York Consulate. Opening his hand, he looked at the severed ear and attached earring with a mixture of hunger and hatred.
“This isn’t over.” He spat as he followed Fatality’s lead and sparked out with a contrail of white sparks. “There will be a reckoning.”
# # # # #
Three Mile Island, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
John Stewart wrapped the strip of fabric that he’d torn off of his shirt and bound the ends of his severed fingers before looking up and into the darkness of the TMI-1 building he’d taken shelter in. He’d never felt like this during his time as a Green Lantern, but he was all too familiar of the feeling from his service with the US Marine Corps. During that conflict he’d survived in enemy held territory for three days before making it back to a coalition supply depot. However, it wasn’t the Iraqi Revolutionary Guard on his heels this time, as formidable as they were they had been soldiers, the psychopath who pursued him could be barely considered a man.
<THUD> The noise radiated around the building, but it wasn’t created by a footfall or dropped crate, it was Onomatopoeia taunting him as he closed in. Creeping along the supply corridor, John saw a glowing white circle at the end of the corridor in-front of him. His opponent had not only caught up with him, but somehow got ahead of him. Backing up, his eyes not moving from the circle John heard a loud <CLICK> from behind him and somewhere to his right before a three-round burst of <BANG, BANG, BANG> sounded, the tracer rounds lightning up the corridor.
Ducking into a laboratory off to the side John slid under a lab table and watched as Onomatopoeia’s silhouette appeared in the door. With a joyful <PING> followed by a <KLUNK> three seconds later, Onomatopoeia pitched a grenade into the room, the explosive rolling under the table in front of John’s hiding place before exploding in a flash of light and defining wave of sound that caused his ear drums to rupture and blood to pour out of them.
Blinking, the light suddenly faded to reveal a pair of black steel toe-cap boots standing right in front of him and the white circle of Onomatopoeia’s mask looking down at his prey. Reaching down to grab his opponent, the hitman received a punch in the face, accompanied by a self-uttered <WHAM>.
“That’s just weird!” John grunted as he balled his fists up ready to fight. His only response was what sounded like the noise that accompanied an error message on a computer followed by a <BANG> as Onomatopoeia fired a shot into his gut causing the former Green Lantern to stagger and then fall backwards clutching his chest. “That all you got?” John mocked as Onomatopoeia jumped onto the table with a <SPRING> and a <THUD>.
“Got anything to say for yourself?” John asked as a golden loop of rope wrapped around Onomatopoeia’s torso before he was swung away to reveal Wonder Woman standing behind him.
“I think you dropped this.” Diana replied as she handed John his missing power-ring. “What’s the story with this guy?”
“I wish I knew.” John replied as Onomatopoeia got to his feet and drew his second pistol. “He ambushed me while I was trying to stop Neutron.” He added as Diana spun round just as a chorus of <BANG> sounded, and deflected the bullets from her new adversary’s guns until both magazines were dry. Dropping his weapons, Onomatopoeia saw Diana cover the gap in a second and throw him up through the ceiling of the building.
Taking a deep breath John slipped the ring onto the middle finger on his left hand and summoned up his uniform and a few replacement fingers for the ones he had lost earlier before following Wonder Woman’s path of destruction. Reaching the roof, he finally got a good look at his teammate, and realised that she was in a worse state then he had previously thought, the second degree burn on her face and cuts across her body looking painful, despite the aura of strength she still radiated.
“Where did he go?” John asked, as he noticed that Onomatopoeia was missing.
“We reached the roof and he dropped a grenade.” Diana replied angrily. “Once the light had cleared he was gone.” She added as a faint <SCUFF> could be heard as the villain sprung up from the side of the building and ran at Diana, his knife flashing. Turning to repulse him, Diana never got the chance as a green fist slammed into him, knocking him off the side of the building and down to a broken section of roof below, his body impaled on the exposed rebar jutting out of the concrete.
“Thanks.” Diana stated
“He deserved it.” John replied as the pair of them drifted down to where Onomatopoeia was pinned to the concrete. Reaching down to pull his body off, Diana watched as the villain lashed out, his knife slicing across the surface of her eye before she punched him out.
“He deserved that too.” Diana announced. “Shame he won’t be telling us anything about what’s happening any time soon.”
“What is happening?” John asked.
“I can answer that.” A voice in both the heroes stated.
“J’onn?” Diana gasped in surprise. “Are you…”
“I am fine.” J’onn answered. “And to answer Green Lantern’s question, the Justice League is under siege.”
Carter flew wide past the heat vision beams that lanced through the sky towards him, the sheer thermal output causing bubbles to form on the surface of the Nth Metal wings he wore, despite not actually being hit by the beams. Closing in on Superman he swung his mace into the Kryptonian’s chest, the blow staggering him and allowing an opening for him to strike the alien with the boss of his axe, blood spraying from the alien’s nose. Screaming pain, all sense of his decent nature submerged between rage and pain, Superman grabbed the axe and pulled it away with enough force that the bones in Carter’s arm popped.
“Clark you must fight this!!” Carter hissed through gritted teeth, as his former teammate made to grab his wings, only to recoil howling in pain, the properties of the Nth Metal reacting with the curse laid upon him. “Tell me who did this!” Carter pleaded, even as he blocked a wild punch with the mace, before swooping into a mid-air tackle, the pair of combatants knocked to the ground. Recovering first, Superman advanced on the downed hero, his eyes glowing red as Carter fought to get to his feet.
“Carter look out!” A voice yelled, one familiar over a thousand generations. Dodging just in time, Carter spun and held out his hand to catch his dropped axe throne to him by the red-haired woman dressed in a similar fashion to him, golden wings sprouting from her back.
“Shiera, but how…” Carter gasped, just as a hammering blow landed on his shoulder, the bone cracking from the impact. Slamming the hafts of both his weapons into his attacker’s eyes Carter created the space he needed between him and Superman.
“I will never leave you.” Shiera cried as Carter went to move to her, only for Superman to come charging in like a bull, barrelling through Carter and the railing into the port, the pair sinking down to the sea-bed. Fuelled by more than sorrow now, Carter wriggled free and landed the strongest blow he could muster, knowing full well that it wasn’t enough, on Clark before surfacing, an inviting hand reaching out to haul him out.
“He won’t stay down.” Carter gasped, as a red glow could be seen circling under the water.
As if on cue Superman rose, desperation now evident on his face as he landed on all fours, snarling and panting before screaming, “WITCH!” At Shiera, his hands ripping up a slab of concrete and throwing it at Carter. Knocking the ad-hoc missile out of the sky, Carter leapt up and slammed his axe deep into Superman’s skull, the Nth Metal blade embedding there, but doing nothing to keep his opponent out of the fight.
“Carter you have to kill him!!” Shiera screamed as Superman body slammed Carter to the ground and began landing blow after blow on him. “He’s going to kill you, and then go magical nova on Midway City. It’ll be like Thorndyke only on a nuclear scale!” Groaning in pain Carter, threw Superman off of him, before ripping the axe out of his skull and bringing the weapons across each other in a cross strike aimed at his opponent’s torso. Stunned, Superman dropped to the floor panting, his energy spent and his life almost over.
“Kill him!” Shiera yelled.
“You were never at Thorndyke, at least not the you I loved.” Carter replied coldly as he spun round and threw the mace at Shiera, her body crumpling from the impact, the glamor vanishing to reveal the Red Witch, a wicked smile across her face.
“We both know that’s not true my beloved.” The Red Witch purred as she picked up the mace, wings of blood red feathers sprouting from her back. “Just as you know that some deep dark part of you is envious of me.”
“You’re right, I am envious of you, you broke the cycle, escaped the constant death and regeneration, but in doing so you became a shadow of the woman you were meant to be.” Carter lamented as he looked upon the Red Witch, her body familiar, too familiar. “You were ruined the moment he took your hand.”
“Speaking of my dear doctor, you remember Thorndyke right?” The Red Witch cooed. “First it was there, then it was gone along with a chunk of Gloucestershire. You have the same choice you had back then kill the afflicted or let a city bathe in blood.”
“He’s my friend, I won’t kill him, not for you.” Carter stated as he threw his axe to the floor.
“I don’t know whether to call you liar or hypocrite.” The Red Witch hissed as she followed suit with the mace. “You were willing to let another friend kill to avenge the me in chains, the slither of me still bound to die and then be reborn until the sun finally sets. And you have killed before, I mean I have the scars from your attempts on me.” The Red Witch paused and slid over to Carter, delicately planting a courtly kiss on his cheek. “You know I’m right good Ser.”
“Leave me be you scavenging harpy, attend to your doctor and depart!” Carter snapped as he grabbed the witch and slammed her face first into what was left of the port railings. “Call me coward or hypocrite now, but should I need to you can call me executioner!” He snarled, as the Red Witch got to her feet, the operatic mask displaced revealing a painful looking burn that matched the shape and size of the head of Carter’s axe around her eye.
“As you wish, but don’t be too long darling.” The Red Witch stated as her body sparked with white energy. “None of you have much time left.” She added as she vanished, leaving Carter alone with Clark on the waterfront.
“I’m sorry Clark.” Carter whispered as he raised his axe above his head, the bladed head poised over Superman’s neck. “I hope you understand.”
# # # # #
Hall of Justice, Metropolis
The Hall of Justice was aflame, a pyro’s paradise and a Martian’s hell. As he stalked the corridors Tar Pit could hear the desperate efforts of the Metropolis Fire Department to combat the fire as clear as day, in fact almost everyone would be able to hear the shouts and sirens that accompanied such people. Only someone versed in listening for the psychic vibrations of the world could hear the other sound, the cry of the Martian Manhunter desperately trying to find salvation in the towering inferno.
Tar Pit could hear these cries, they were little more than a beacon drawing him to where his victim was hiding. Flowing down a flight of stairs, he came around the corner to see the burning husk of the Martian Manhunter desperately trying to crawl to the end of the bathroom and the shower unit there. It was a desperate last-ditch effort to stay alive, one that might summon up a grain of sympathy in most people. Today Tar Pit was not most people, lobbing a salvo of boiling tar past the Martian he created a barrier of burning liquid between his prey and its salvation.
“Why?” The Martian Manhunter asked in a faint voice as Tar Pit loomed over him, a monolith of burning flame and bubbling liquid.
“Same reason you so badly want to get to that shower.” Tar Pit stated as he reached down and grabbed the Martian by the neck before slamming him back first into his body, the alien’s head protruding from his body as flames sparked out of the Manhunter’s eyes and mouth before his flesh and bones were vaporised into a thick green mist.
“It’s done.” Tar Pit stated as an electrical whirlwind of white particles formed in front of him to create the image of the ‘Titan’, that expressionless face and single eye slit not giving away any sign of emotion. “One vaporised Martian.”
“Congratulations Mr Monteleone, you just personally ushered the Green Martian to extinction.” The Titan announced in a flat, almost bored voice.
“What now, shall I take the fight to the fire fighters?” Tar Pit asked.
“No, let them put the fires out, let this be a monument to the end of the Justice League.” The Titan commanded. “Let it be the thing that warns new heroes that their actions will lead to their ruination.”
“Things going that well then?” Tar Pit asked.
“Things are going to plan.” The Titan replied. “Across the board we are moving the white pieces into check, the game is all but won and your work here is done.” He added as his body dissipated, followed by a sparkling white discharge across Tar Pit’s body before he too teleported away from the burning shell of the Hall of Justice.
After a few long seconds one of the toilets rumbled slightly as something slithered away towards salvation.
# # # # #
Themiscyran Consulate, New York
The battles between Diana and Fatality had remained martial, but the former could tell that despite the civility of warrior vs warrior that she was losing the fight. With a sweep of her leg, she went to knock down Fatality, only for her opponent to trip her with the boss of her poleaxe and send her stumbling herself. Letting her foe get up, Fatality backed off and removed her pistol and fired off a quick salvo of blasts, forcing Diana onto the defensive as she blocked the blasts with her bracelets.
“Three Hours.” Fatality hissed as Diana went for her lasso and whipped it towards her alien adversary, the strike causing her to spring away onto the steps of the consulate building. “Three hours left in this life.” She warned as she clicked thrice and her remaining seeker drones shot towards Diana, each grabbing hold of the Amazon princess knocking her to the ground once again. Clicking again, the drones detonated, as Fatality leapt in and slammed her poleaxe down close to Diana’s head, pain radiating through her entire body as her opponent picked up one of her severed ears.
“Nice got yourself a trophy.” A buzzling crackling voice announced as Fatality stepped back to let Diana get to her feet.
“Leave Neutron!” Fatality hissed as she spun her poleaxe round in a defensive circle as Diana struggled to her feet, blood smeared across the right side of her face. “The Amazon is mine to kill, it’s bad enough that I wasn’t allowed to kill the Lantern, one who I owe so many deaths to.”
“Then perhaps this will cheer you up.” Neutron hissed as he held his hand to reveal a dark finger wearing a green ring. Taking the finger Fatality smiled as she held the finger up, a massive smile on her face.
“He’s dead?” Fatality asked gleefully as Diana staggered towards her.
“Wasn’t when I left, but with Onomatopoeia keeping him company I suspect it won’t be too long.” Neutron told her as he blasted Diana with a beam of radioactive energy, the blast striking her gauntlets and pushing her back through the gate of the consulate. “The Lantern is as good as dead.”
“As is the Amazon.” Fatality stated as she handed Neutron the ear and slipped the finger on a chain and attached it to her poleaxe before advancing to where Diana was struggling to entangle herself from the gates. Rising her blade above her head for a killing strike she looked Diana in the eye before slamming the weapon down, only for a booted foot to slam into her chest.
“Fatality!” Neutron snapped.
“Stay, she is mine to kill!” Fatality ordered as Diana picked up one of the gates and charged forwards. Striking with her poleaxe, Fatality watched as her blade got stuck in the bars of the gate, the tip stabbed into Diana’s chest as she was carried along towards the consulate. Scattering just in time Neutron watched as Wonder Woman drove Fatality up the steps and through the entire building, the walls never an obstacle as the pair smashed through them onto the other side.
“When I come back, I will punish you, Neutron and anyone else who is involved in this!” Diana snapped as she slammed the gates down on top of Fatality. Taking to the air she saw Neutron come up fast behind her, even as Fatality kicked the gates off of her and leapt into the air, her knife in her hand, the blade slamming into Diana’s back. Reorienting herself Fatality wrapped her thighs around Diana’s neck and stabbed her knife into her opponent’s hamstring causing her to scream out in pain.
“You think I’d let you leave with my other trophy!?” Fatality hissed as Diana kicked her in the neck.
“You think I’d let you keep what you stole from John?” Diana asked as she revealed a confiscated finger before delivering another solid kick this time to Fatality’s face. Moving in to assist his teammate Neutron slammed a burning hand into Diana’s face, a blackened handprint left from his attack.
“I worked hard to get the lady that!” Neutron hissed as Diana finally shook Fatality off, the alien plummeting to the ground, her body sparking with a white discharge as she was pulled away from a hard fall leaving Neutron and Wonder Woman alone a mile up.
“You disgust me.” Diana whispered as she shot off west leaving Neutron hovering alone above the New York Consulate. Opening his hand, he looked at the severed ear and attached earring with a mixture of hunger and hatred.
“This isn’t over.” He spat as he followed Fatality’s lead and sparked out with a contrail of white sparks. “There will be a reckoning.”
# # # # #
Three Mile Island, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
John Stewart wrapped the strip of fabric that he’d torn off of his shirt and bound the ends of his severed fingers before looking up and into the darkness of the TMI-1 building he’d taken shelter in. He’d never felt like this during his time as a Green Lantern, but he was all too familiar of the feeling from his service with the US Marine Corps. During that conflict he’d survived in enemy held territory for three days before making it back to a coalition supply depot. However, it wasn’t the Iraqi Revolutionary Guard on his heels this time, as formidable as they were they had been soldiers, the psychopath who pursued him could be barely considered a man.
<THUD> The noise radiated around the building, but it wasn’t created by a footfall or dropped crate, it was Onomatopoeia taunting him as he closed in. Creeping along the supply corridor, John saw a glowing white circle at the end of the corridor in-front of him. His opponent had not only caught up with him, but somehow got ahead of him. Backing up, his eyes not moving from the circle John heard a loud <CLICK> from behind him and somewhere to his right before a three-round burst of <BANG, BANG, BANG> sounded, the tracer rounds lightning up the corridor.
Ducking into a laboratory off to the side John slid under a lab table and watched as Onomatopoeia’s silhouette appeared in the door. With a joyful <PING> followed by a <KLUNK> three seconds later, Onomatopoeia pitched a grenade into the room, the explosive rolling under the table in front of John’s hiding place before exploding in a flash of light and defining wave of sound that caused his ear drums to rupture and blood to pour out of them.
Blinking, the light suddenly faded to reveal a pair of black steel toe-cap boots standing right in front of him and the white circle of Onomatopoeia’s mask looking down at his prey. Reaching down to grab his opponent, the hitman received a punch in the face, accompanied by a self-uttered <WHAM>.
“That’s just weird!” John grunted as he balled his fists up ready to fight. His only response was what sounded like the noise that accompanied an error message on a computer followed by a <BANG> as Onomatopoeia fired a shot into his gut causing the former Green Lantern to stagger and then fall backwards clutching his chest. “That all you got?” John mocked as Onomatopoeia jumped onto the table with a <SPRING> and a <THUD>.
“Got anything to say for yourself?” John asked as a golden loop of rope wrapped around Onomatopoeia’s torso before he was swung away to reveal Wonder Woman standing behind him.
“I think you dropped this.” Diana replied as she handed John his missing power-ring. “What’s the story with this guy?”
“I wish I knew.” John replied as Onomatopoeia got to his feet and drew his second pistol. “He ambushed me while I was trying to stop Neutron.” He added as Diana spun round just as a chorus of <BANG> sounded, and deflected the bullets from her new adversary’s guns until both magazines were dry. Dropping his weapons, Onomatopoeia saw Diana cover the gap in a second and throw him up through the ceiling of the building.
Taking a deep breath John slipped the ring onto the middle finger on his left hand and summoned up his uniform and a few replacement fingers for the ones he had lost earlier before following Wonder Woman’s path of destruction. Reaching the roof, he finally got a good look at his teammate, and realised that she was in a worse state then he had previously thought, the second degree burn on her face and cuts across her body looking painful, despite the aura of strength she still radiated.
“Where did he go?” John asked, as he noticed that Onomatopoeia was missing.
“We reached the roof and he dropped a grenade.” Diana replied angrily. “Once the light had cleared he was gone.” She added as a faint <SCUFF> could be heard as the villain sprung up from the side of the building and ran at Diana, his knife flashing. Turning to repulse him, Diana never got the chance as a green fist slammed into him, knocking him off the side of the building and down to a broken section of roof below, his body impaled on the exposed rebar jutting out of the concrete.
“Thanks.” Diana stated
“He deserved it.” John replied as the pair of them drifted down to where Onomatopoeia was pinned to the concrete. Reaching down to pull his body off, Diana watched as the villain lashed out, his knife slicing across the surface of her eye before she punched him out.
“He deserved that too.” Diana announced. “Shame he won’t be telling us anything about what’s happening any time soon.”
“What is happening?” John asked.
“I can answer that.” A voice in both the heroes stated.
“J’onn?” Diana gasped in surprise. “Are you…”
“I am fine.” J’onn answered. “And to answer Green Lantern’s question, the Justice League is under siege.”