ISSUE #4 (April 2018)
Written by Jake Hawkins Featuring: The Red Hood
Black Canary
Static
Amanda Waller
Rick Flag
Black Lightning
Talia al Ghul
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BELLE REEVE PRISON
LOUISIANA Amanda Waller sat in her office, a desk full of files strewn across her desk. She had her knuckles pressed against her temple as she studied the papers in front of her. She didn’t look up as the door opened, merely nodding in acknowledgment of the presence of the two men who had entered. Rick Flag and Jefferson Pierce each sat in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk. “How’s it going down there?” Waller asked, finally looking up and leaning forward in her seat. Jefferson gestured in Flag’s direction, signaling him to begin first. “We’ve been running training sessions three times a day since they went through intake and initial orientation. A few of the more…combustible personalities took some time to get acquainted with their new regimen here but they’ve come along well.” Flag, ever the military man, kept his assessment concise as he addressed his superior. Waller shot Flag a look before turning her gaze on Jefferson. “They should be ready for field activity in less than a week, if that.” Jefferson assured her, surmising his answer must have pleased her as she got up from her chair looking slightly less stressed than she had when they entered. “You’ve narrowed down your roster, Mr. Flag?” She assumed as she motioned for the pair of them to follow her. They made their way out of the office building and over to the army base barracks that had been completely overhauled into the state of the art military prison overseen by Waller. It was here she had begun reassembling the pieces to what she had always considered her greatest epiphany, her vision for Task Force X. “I have.” He began as they stopped in front of the cell and peered through the rectangular thirty-six inch wide glass window where a man laid strapped to a gurney that sat right side up, a lone bulb dimly lit above him. A television in the corner played re-runs of Martin at a volume barely above a hum as the man known only as Black Manta’s eyes met the ones staring at him from the other side of his cell door. “Black Manta’s mental stability is possibly the biggest question mark we’re dealing with. His obsession with Aquaman is something we are trying to find a way to use to our benefit. However his physical capabilities and extensive weaponry are huge assets for us.” Flag stated proudly as Waller began to continue down the corridor. “I’ve made it more than clear to Flag I am wary of Manta’s involvement.” Jefferson chipped in, causing Waller to glance back briefly as they reached the next cell. Inside was far different than the area that held Manta as it was pitch black inside, not a single piece of electronic equipment was allowed anywhere close per the sign next to the door. Jefferson hung back a few feet as a precaution while the other two tried to get a look inside. “That you Jeffy?” Leslie Willis called from inside her cell sheepishly. “Yeah that’s you alright. Don’t really care for the useless sack of laundry and her golden retriever ya had tag along with you. But you? My hair’s been standing up ever since you hit the hallway. You’ve really got a girl feeling some type of way.” A blue hued spark briefly illuminated the darkened cell, and the face of Livewire could be seen for a moment before her power short circuited out. “C’mon Jefffffff. I just need a plug, just a little push. Boy I tell you if ya let me get my hooks in ya…” Leslie’s face came slamming up against the cell glass window, but none of them were startled in the slightest by her antics. They continued down the corridor, much to the dismay of the captive Livewire. “Your assessment of Ms. Willis?” Waller prodded as Flag and Jefferson did their best to keep up with her. “She’s no Harley, and by that I mean she isn’t as insane as she’s trying to play at. Her powers have a unique diversity I’m sure you can see we’ll need. And Jefferson has been very instrumental in handling her so she is a definite yes from both of us.” Waller looked at Jefferson who nodded to confirm Rick’s statement. They went through a set of double doors down to the left of Livewire’s cell and out into the South courtyard of the prison. However the only prisoner in the entire yard was the imposing Bane, who although well aware to being watched, continued to rip out deadlift sets of over seven hundred pounds. “Bane wasn’t hard to please after he killed a few fellow inmates in his first couple of days here. We’ve given him free reign of the yard by himself during recreational periods and he’s been a model citizen ever since. Bane’s mind is as sharp as his incredible physical capabilities. I’ve had several conversations with him privately and he seemed more than ready to commit to the cause if it heavily commutes his sentence.” Jefferson said as they turned and headed back inside. “The one’s who refused, where are we at with them?” Waller asked briskly as a corrections officer opened another set of doors with his key card that led to a flight of stairs headed downward. “The assassin hasn’t spoken since her first day here,” Flag reported much to Waller’s displeasure, “And the warlock, well you can take a look at him yourself and make of it what you will.” They reached the next floor and turned to the immediate left to see a cell unlike the ones above. This one had a large glass window, not unlike the one’s used at Arkham, but the inside of the cell was completely padded for the safety of its occupant. John Constantine sat inside, a straight jacket wrapped around him. The walls were adorned with various scribbles of Latin, spell incantations and even what appeared to be smeared blood. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head and an unlit cigarette dangled from his mouth. He kept mouthing something over and over, the cigarette threatening to fall every time his lips moved. “Any idea as to what he’s saying?” Waller inquired, moving along as her interest in an unusable asset waned. “Not a damn clue. We implanted the device but the next day we found it in front of him and the scar had completely healed.” Jefferson answered, the last to leave the spectacle that Constantine currently was. They moved to another large window, this one overlooking a massive room where a man with bright red hair that had yellowish streaks running through it hung upside down above a large pool of water. Francais Stone’s rolled his eyes, sick of this particular routine as he descended into the pool. “He left at least eight guards in the last week and a half with third degree burns until we came up with this. Since we put the device in his neck he’s calmed down significantly of course. He has been very receptive of joining the program as long as we stop dunking him, which we don’t plan to anytime soon.” Flag remarked. “Your time table is no good. We have a priority level five assignment in Peru, they fly out in two days.” Waller ordered as she kept moving down the hallway. Flag quickly started after her, protesting her decision vehemently as Jefferson let out a sigh as he began to follow them. “Jefferson, we have a problem.” The unmistakable growl Bruce used when he was completely engulfed mentally in the guise of Batman came over the untraceable com-link Jefferson kept in his ear. “Talia has an aircraft two minutes away. I have a team right behind her. I’m patched into the video feed, nod your head once if you copy.” Jefferson followed Bruce’s instructions, nodding his head as he caught up with Flag and Waller. “Good, now I need you to listen carefully…” Outside the prison, a Belle Reeve corrections officer sat at his station in one of the buildings many guard towers, his rifle across his lap as he listened to the Saint’s game on his phone. He almost didn’t notice the sound of what he thought were wings as the wind picked up around him. He turned down the volume on his cell as he looked out at the horizon in front of him and saw the oncoming horror in store for them all. At least a dozen Man-Bats dressed in all black and some even carrying swords across their backs flew towards the prison. He shuddered as he stumbled back, almost falling over his chair from the shock of what was coming towards him. Behind the troop of Man-Bat’s a cargo jet’s engine could be heard, and the officer didn’t waste any time slamming his hand on a button at his station, triggering the prison’s alarm system. In the back of the cargo plane, Talia stood before the seven men of death, ready to address them. “The morgue is located near the southwest guard break room. You all have your assignment. Do not fail the demon.” On the grounds of the prison the Man-Bat’s begun to overwhelm the Belle Reeve guards as the prison alarm continued to wail across the facility. Waller, Jefferson, and Flag rushed into a meeting room where a few of the proposed members for the new Suicide Squad now stood together, their weapons and outfits being handed to them by a handful of guards. Livewire, Bane, Hot Streak, and Black Manta were all far less than pleased to be government pawns. But the marks on each of their necks where an explosive charge had been implanted made it very clear they had no choice but compliance. The doors to the room opened once again and two more prisoners were ushered in, both in cuffs. In the case of Rudy Jones, otherwise known as the Parasite, extra measures were put in place before he was brought to join the others. When the power inhibitor collar around his neck that is subsequently removed by Flag, Jones licked his lips. Flag moved over and unlocked the cuffs around the wrists and legs of the young woman next to Parasite. “Ladies and Gentlemen, you all are aware that you have been selected to earn time off each of your sentences.” Waller began, pulling a small device with a trigger at its center from her pocket as she stepped towards the row of inmates. “Each of you have had an explosive device inserted a few inches below your ear that can be detonated by myself or Sergeant Flag if anyone of you does something we disagree with. Your tenure on Task Force X is going to begin earlier than we expected.” “How early would that be?” Hot Streak asked as his cuffs were taken off and his powers returned to him, flames crackling at his fingertips. “The prison is about to be under attack, your first mission is to protect it.” Jefferson answered. “Flag and I will act as your field commanders.” “I could have sworn I made it perfectly clear I wasn’t working for you Waller.” The blonde woman finally spoke, her eyes boring into Amanda. “You did, but that’s why you’re the only person here without a bomb in your neck. Your father, Quentin Lance is currently standing trial for double homicide in Star City. A crime we both are well aware he did not commit. I have the power to assure the remainder of his trial goes smoothly, if you cooperate.” Waller stepped directly in front of the woman, the both of them doing their best to intimidate the other. “I know you imagine yourself as having this unyielding will, and you couldn’t care less about yourself. But I didn’t get where I am right now without figuring out how to properly incentivize people.” Waller walked out of the room without another word. “You all have your mission, let’s move out.” Flag commanded. Talia’s squadron of Man-Bat’s descended on the prison, attacking the guards defending their respective post. A corrections officer is tossed from one of the towers, landing in the courtyard with a nasty crunch just as the cargo plane begins to pass overhead. The seven men of death dropped into the courtyard and began to aide the Man-Bats in overrunning the prison. “Flamingo, you’re the main event. Everyone else, stick to your assignment.” Cain barked commands as their feet hit the ground. A broad smile came across the crazed face of Eduardo Flamingo as he began firing shots from his pistol into oncoming prison guards attempting to regain control of the escalating situation. Shiva and Cain made their way through the prison, pausing only to dispatch any opposition they encountered. “Through those doors and down two more levels.” Shiva directed as Cain set some explosives on a sealed door. Before he could finish the task, the doors are blown off their hinges by a blast of laser fire, sending Cain crashing into a nearby wall and setting off the explosives. Black Manta stepped into the now aflame corridor, his eyes on Lady Shiva. “You will die painfully if you don’t lower your weapon.” Manta threatened as Shiva brandished her sword and got into a defense position. A bullet bounced off Manta’s helmet, and he instinctively turned and let loose a massive blast from the eye orbs of his helmet. Cain rolled out of the way, the blast decimated the wall behind him. Shiva used the brief distraction to mount an attack, delivering a pair of kicks to his chest followed by a clean swipe of her sword across his neck that was intended to do more than the surface damage it did. Manta blocked Shivas next swing with his double pronged blade and the two stood in a stalemate. Manta released another blast in Cain’s direction, fending him off as he tried to mount an attack whilst Shiva had his attention. They broke away from each other and Manta managed to plunge his blade into the renowned assassins side, but Shiva’s face didn’t show a hint of pain. She pulled the blade from her body and smashed her elbow into the ribs of Manta, who grabbed her by the back of the head and tossed her aside as an arrow came flying at him. The arrow landed square in Black Manta’s chest, releasing a concussive blast that sent him crashing through a nearby cell. “Go.” Komodo told Shiva as he tossed Cain a machine gun and pulled another arrow from his quiver as they heard Manta stir from beneath all the rubble created from the impact. Shiva took off down the hallway, continuing the primary mission just as Manta released a blast at Komodo, who ducked away and fired a few arrows in his direction. Manta fried Komodo’s oncoming arrows with another blast, but before he could press his attack he’s distracted by the gunfire bouncing off his suit. Cain charges Manta, smacking him across the head with his gun and nailing him in the chest with a roundhouse kick. He side steps Manta’s lunge with his blade, firing point blank at the villains helmet before he is finally blasted away. Cain’s body rolled limply across the grubby prison floor, his chest smoldering from Manta’s blast. Komodo leaped onto Manta, plunging an arrow into his helmet and falling back to avoid the blast Manta attempted to take his head off with. The arrow in his helmet explodes, pieces of it falling to the ground as Manta ripped it off his head. He ducked an arrow from Komodo as he pulled a pistol sized harpoon gun from his waist and fired, nailing the archer in the gut and dropping him. He began to approach where Komodo laid, intending to finish the job if needed when he felt something hit his foot. He looks down to see a grenade and his eyes take him to the direction it must have come from. Cain merely gave Manta a little wave before rushing from the corridor as the grenade exploded. He didn’t look back or even consider the fate of Komodo, instead heading in the direction Shiva took off in. Flamingo continued tearing through the guards in the courtyard as Kirigi, Cheshire and and the Bronze Tiger infiltrated the prison. Flamingo began to follow after them when he saw a 1966 Jaguar roadster running through the guard shack barrier and into the yard. The Red Hood sat behind the wheel, firing at Man-Bats as he tore through. The man known as Flamingo eyed the car and its driver curiously before picking up the rifle of a nearby dead guard and firing at one of the Jaguar’s front wheels. The left tire is blown out and Jason tries to control the skidding vehicle. He gives up, grabbing the shotgun and leaping from car as it crashes into one of the massive walls surrounding the prison. A pair of Man-Bats immediately converge on him, and he swiftly begins to reload the shotgun. Before he can fire, Jason’s head is nearly taken off by a sai tossed from one of the Man-Bats. He clips the other in the shoulder as he leaped and landed a straight kick to the face of the other. Before he can follow up on his attack, the familiar cry of Dinah Lance levels the remaining Man-Bat ninjas in the courtyard. “Oh I am patting myself on the back thoroughly for bringing you along.” Jason remarked as the pair of them entered the prison. “I need you to not be so conceited if this whole thing is going to work out.” Canary told the Red Hood as they rounded a corner, picking up speed as they went along. “We are inside one of the most heavily guarded facilities on the planet, ran by a woman who I have been led to believe is not very fond of the cape and cowl crowd. Not to mention she may have her own team of notable super villains that could consist of god knows who, while also trying to stop Talia’s seven psychopaths from doing whatever the hell they are doing. What are they doing anyway?” Jason asked as Canary pushed him out of the way of a barrage of gunfire from a bewildered corrections officer. She disarmed the man with a spinning back chop to the face and another straight kick to the jaw. “An attack like this here of all places, there’s something or someone she wants.” Canary answered. “She’s already stolen an AMAZO unit, I’m really not sure what else she could actually possibly need.” Just as they turn down another corridor, Red Hood is nailed in the gut by a forty-five pound steel plate tossed like a frisbee with ease. Canary managed to duck out of the way of another plate tossed by Bane, who begins to pump himself with Venom as he approached the two heroes. Canary helped Red Hood to his feet before turning back towards the threat in front of them. “Colonial Flag, I have two costumed vigilantes in Section E, how would you like them handled?” Bane asked, his fingers twitching with anticipation at the thought of ripping apart the pair of foes in front of him. “Waller wants any and all intruders dealt with extreme prejudice, no exceptions.” Flag informed him over his com-link. Bane didn’t say another word as he charged at Canary, who let loose an epic sonic scream that held the mountain of a man at bay momentarily. Bane began to feel his foothold slipping. Refusing to go down so easily, Bane leaped and ripped down the array of lighting fixtures in the hallway, bringing much of the ceiling with them as well! Waller sat in her office, the sounds of the mayhem in the prison didn’t unnerve her in the slightest. She knew when they found the body of Ra’s Al Ghul that if his followers might one day come after it, one of the many reasons she had reassembled the Suicide Squad. “Amanda…call off your men until my team has handled the situation.” A holographic video sprung to life in front of her, rousing her from her train of thought was none other than the Batman. “Why is it whenever and wherever Talia Al Ghul rears her head, in some way shape or form you’re always right behind her?” Waller mused. “Nevertheless, we have everything under control here and do not require any assistance. Because of this, I have to declare your people as trespassing in a government facility and will treat them accordingly.” “If you think Talia stormed Belle Reeve with just the seven men of death and a handful of mutated assassins than you aren’t the woman I thought you were. She’s been searching for her father for months and you’ve had him tucked away in your swamp jail paid for by Lex Luthor’s money. You’ve failed to understand the gravity of the situation you’ve found yourself in. She’s not going to leave until she makes an example out of you, on top of getting what she wants.” Batman warned, his patience growing thinner by the minute. “I’m not worried about her Bruce, because unlike you, she doesn’t have me tethered to a string. And that allows me the freedom to deal with her as I please. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a prison break I need to stifle.” Waller ends the call abruptly, a smug look on her face. Nothing could please anyone more than getting the last word in on one of the smartest men in the world. “Waller, I have two hostiles approaching Section B, corridor 9. Requesting backup and permission to engage.” Jefferson’s voice shook her from the cloud of satisfaction she was on. That particular area of the prison was where the satellites overlooking the facility were controlled. Apparently she hadn’t given Talia the credit she deserved, as clearly there was a bigger game being played. “They don’t get anywhere near the main control room Mr. Pierce, is that clear?” Waller barked into the mic at her desk. In Section B, Jefferson Pierce peered around a corner as he watched Cheshire and the Flamingo slaughter one guard after another, both taking far too much pleasure in the task. Jefferson’s fist begin to crackle and he pulls a pair of his signature goggles from his suit jacket’s inner pocket before he joined the fray. The Flamingo noticed him first, blasting through the head of a guard at Jefferson. The bullets merely bounce off the force field of lightning he began to generate, his eyes glowing as his power surged through him. The crazed Flamingo finally flashed a look of worry as his continued attack yielded no results. He pulled the steel tipped bullwhip from his waist as Cheshire prepared to back him up. “Keep him busy.” She whispered as she pulled out both her poison dipped sai’s. Flamingo immediately charged Jefferson, swinging his whip wildly as the hero once known as Black Lightning barely avoided each blow. Sensing he had the advantage, Eduardo Flamingo caught Jefferson with a kick that landed right under the chin, dazing him just enough. He followed with a wide swing of his whip, the steel tip coming dangerously close to connecting with Jefferson’s eye. However Jefferson managed to get a hand up just in time, halting the whip’s moment with a small jolt of electricity. With a nudge of his forefingers he sent the tip of the weapon right back at the Flamingo, smacking him across the mouth. Suddenly Cheshire drove her knees into the back of Jefferson’s neck, slamming him face first into the concrete floor, all while stabbing each of her sai into his back. She got up and is joined by Flamingo, who wiped the blood from his face as he noticed Jefferson start to foam at the mouth. “What you’re experiencing is a delightful little concoction I put together just for this job. Paralysis kicked in faster than I expected, you’ll be unconscious before I finish this sentence I’m guessing.” Jade Nguyen taunted the hero as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. The Flamingo began to kick at Jefferson’s prone body, still angry about being smacked with his whip. “That’s enough, let’s go.” Cheshire said as she put a hand on his chest. Flamingo merely nodded as they continued down the corridor. Red Hood helped Canary slip from under the wreckage created by Bane as Bruce’s voice came in on his communicator. “I need one of you to get over to Section B immediately!” “We are both incredibly busy at the moment.” Red Hood rasped out as Dinah decimated a piece of a nearby wall Bane at chucked in their direction with another sonic scream. He pulled two red batarangs from the inside of his jacket before turning to Canary, “Go, I’ll handle him.” She nodded and took off directly at Bane, who was still blocking their path. She leaped at him, avoiding a right hook as she did so and slammed her fist into his nose, shattering it on impact. Bane wasn’t fazed in the slightest by the blow, using the opportunity to snatch the Canary up by her neck. “All the tales I have heard about your skills seem to be true. It will be a distinguished honor for me to break you.” Bane hoisted her above his head when one of the Red Hood’s batarangs came flying at his face, exploding mere inches from his nose. Bane dropped Black Canary as tear gas flooded the hallway. Instead of using the opportunity to escape, she turned around as Bane dropped to his knees and smacked him across the back of the head with a vicious elbow followed by a straight right hook. Red Hood joined the assault, rushing in before the villain could begin to recover and smacking him in the already injured nose with a running drop kick. Enraged by the fact he’d been taken off his feet by the pair of them, Bane let out a howl of fury before backhanding the Red Hood away, sending him into a nearby wall with an audible splat! However before he can get back to his feet he turns directly into a another scream from the Canary at point blank range, shattering his ear drums and dropping him unconscious. Canary immediately began to head over to where Jason laid, quickly checking his vitals before taking off towards Section B. In the prison’s satellite control room, Bronze Tiger stepped past the bodies of the fallen guards and tech personnel that he had left scattered across the room as he approached the series of screens at the main terminal. Cheshire and Flamingo entered moments later, the former raised an eyebrow as she surveyed Bronze Tiger’s work. “Is there a reason all these men and women are breathing?” She questioned as she leaned her head on his shoulder while he worked. “Yes. But none that matters to you.” He remarked, shrugging her off of him. “I don’t need the two of y’all here for this.” “Well color me quite curious, I’d like to stick around and watch.” Cheshire said as she ran the back side of her dark green painted finger nail down his cheek. The flamingo grew bored, and began to execute the fallen prison guards, firing bullets into their skulls while gleefully chuckling. A snarl of pure disgust began to curl at Ben Turner’s mouth, but he pushed the feeling aside, his mind focusing on the task in front of him. He plugged a drive into the computer and a status bar appeared on the screen, a percentage above it kept them updated on the programs status. “We’re done here, send out the beacon.” He tells Cheshire as he leaves the terminal. Cheshire pulled a phone from her bra and pressed a key before placing a finger under Flamingo’s chin and leading him out of the room. The three of them halted in their tracks as they saw the Black Canary standing in their path. Dinah looked past the trio at the screen with the progress bar before her and Cheshire’s eyes met. “Whatever that is, I’m going to ask you once to shut it down.” Cheshire merely laughed at Canary’s threat as a sinister grin spread across the Flamingo’s face and he began to fire at her. Canary ducked behind an array of equipment to avoid the storm of bullets as Cheshire and Flamingo stalked after her. She rolled out from the other side, nailing Cheshire in the chest with a kick. Before she can level the assassin with one of her screams, the whip of Flamingo wrapped around her throat. He yanked hard, dragging Canary across the floor towards him. He grabbed her by the hair nailed her with a head butt that drew blood from her forehead. She responded back swiftly with one of her own followed by a knee to the groin and a round house kick to the back of the head for good measure. She turned just as Cheshire attacked, grabbing her by the wrist just as she drove her sai at Canary. The poison dipped weapon was inches from her eye when the arms of Bronze Tiger wrapped around Cheshire’s neck. He applied just enough pressure that she was out in seconds and he lowered her gently to the floor. Flamingo got to his feet just in time to witness Benjamin’s actions, and he hurled himself at the Bronze Tiger in a fit of rage. In one fluid motion Turner threw a chop that smacked Flamingo silly in the side of the face before finishing him off with a punch to the crown of the head that sent him face first to the ground right next to Cheshire. He helped Dinah to her feet as the progress bar reached completion. “Damn, I thought I’d be gone by the time it was finished. You need to get your people out of here, now.” Tiger informed her as they headed out of the room. “We aren’t going anywhere until that very insane women you’ve chosen to follow returns the very dangerous Android she stole.” Dinah answered hoarsely as she massaged her throat. “By the way, what the hell was that?” “I’ve been in deep cover with the league for the last year and a half. Waiting for the opportunity to burn it to the ground from the inside.” They stopped as they saw Jefferson struggling to his feet in the middle of the hall. Ben rushed to help Jefferson, injecting a syringe full of a dark purple liquid into his neck. The color began to return to his cheeks and lips as he stood under his own power. “Glad you decided not to be an asshole.” Jefferson joked as Ben and Dinah kept moving. He turned to Dinah, glad to see Bruce’s team had arrived. “They haven’t got to the body, have they?” Jefferson asked as he caught up with Bronze Tiger who put a hand up to halt the three of them in place, narrowly avoiding the bolt of lightning that came shooting down the corridor, leaving a smoking hole in the wall. They turned to see Livewire laying on her side in the middle of the hall, siphoning energy from anything electrical near her. The lights hanging along the corridor and in the cells began to flicker. “Shit…”Jefferson summed up the severity of the sight in front of them as Livewire began to cackle. “Jefffffy, you two-timing on Waller? Which ranks me below the side chick? No no that’s just unacceptable.” She leaped, converting her body into pure electricity and slamming directly into Jefferson’s chest. He began to convulse where he stood, energy sparking around him so intensely it forced Benjamin and Black Canary to move several paces back. Finally she ejected herself from his body and he slumped to the floor, his entire torso smoldering slightly. Livewire stood before the pair of them, her hair standing up as the energy she siphoned from Jefferson coursed through her, her face the epitome of delight. “Alright, who’s getting fried first?” She quipped before unleashing a massive blast at the both of them. Dinah stepped in front of the Bronze Tiger and screamed with everything she had. The two incredible waves of energy smacked into each other, the shockwave sending everyone flying. Jason’s eyes fluttered open underneath his helmet. As five guards, Hot Streak, and Rick Flag surrounded where he sat. He slowly rose to his feet, his head still ringing from the battle with Bane. “My orders are to shoot you on sight. I’m feeling generous, I’ll give you the succinct opportunity to tell me why you and your friends are here.” “Well first and foremost I think calling us friend’s is quite a stretch, some of us have just met and I was kinda M.I.A for awhile so I’m not quite sure that fits. Secondly (that’s a word right?) Yeah well secondly, Static you in position?” Static hopped off his disk as he approached the fence surrounding the transformer boxes that gave power to the prison. He blasted the chain off the fence’s gate and stepped inside, placing his hands on one of the transformer’s. “Yeah Jay I’m here but I’ve never tried nothing like this and statistically speaking I’m not entirely sure-“ “Hey man, I got faith in you, if that counts for anything I suppose.” Jason assured him lazily as he cut him off. Virgil took a deep breath and began to siphon off the electricity being generated from the transformers, his body struggling under the immense strain. Back inside the prison the lights went out. “Get me eyes on the target now!” Flag yelled through the darkness. Hotstreak generated fire around each of his fist and his hair went aflame as the hallway became dimly lit. By then it was too late as Jason was in the middle of dropping the last guard, rocking him with a crushing left hook to the jaw. Flag drew his weapon and fired but the Red Hood was a step ahead, narrowly avoiding the Task Force X leader’s shot while drawing one of his glocks and putting a bullet in his chest. Flag fell, the effects of Jason’s tranq bullets was instantaneous as he struggled to stay conscious. Hotstreak grabbed Jason’s glock, melting it in his hands and forcing the Red Hood to drop his weapon and stumble back a few steps from the intense heat coming off his body. He attempted to draw the gun in his other holster but Hotstreak blasted it away, sending it shooting down the hallway in a ball of flame. He sent another massive fiery blast at the Red Hood, who ducked and rolled under it as he closed the gap between himself and Francais while pulling a taser from inside his jacket. He slams the taser directly into Hotstreak’s forehead just as the prison’s backup generator’s come on and auxiliary power is restored to the facility. Jason continued to press his advantage, delivering a series of brutal uppercuts to Hotstreak’s stomach, shattering a couple of ribs before the villain smacked away his taser and blasted him at point blank range with another huge blasts that sent him back across the hall and destroyed his jacket in the process. The lenses of Jason’s helmet had begun to malfunction from the intense heat, making it near impossible for him to see and forcing him to remove it. He tossed it aside as HotStreak continued after him, his hands aflame once again. Suddenly he is blasted from behind by a massive dose of electricity as Static flew onto the scene. Jason used the brief distraction to kick his helmet across the floor, where it rolled and stopped at the feet of Francais whilst he battled static. The lenses went from their usual opaque white to a coal dark black before exploding. As the smoke cleared, Static and Jason saw Hotstreak covered in a thick, blue substance that hardened the more he struggled, leaving him stuck where he stood like some sort of strange statue. The substance continued to expand, covering Francais body head to toe and completely immobilizing him. “Not that I won’t forever enjoy whooping Francais here’s ass on occasion, but last time I checked which wasn’t that long ago to be honest, he was in solitary confinement at Dakota Correctional. I’m just puzzled as to how the hell he got here.” Static lamented as they walked past the statue of a body. “Bruce told me a few years after I departed that the government had given Amanda Waller free reign to build a team of super-villains that under her control would be sent out on what they deemed suicide missions. In return they’d have their sentences dramatically reduced. Of course if they failed, then the government could deny any knowledge of their actions, pin any and all blame on them for obvious reasons, and wipe their hands of it all. How the fuck the world got so significantly shittier in such a short span of time baffles me, I wasn’t dead that damn long, Jesus.” Jason explained as they reached the bottom level he knew the morgue was on. “We any closer to figuring out why they decided to break into a place full homicidal maniacs?” Static stated plainly. “Waller must know where Ra’s is. And if Talia gets her father’s body to a Lazarus pit then I’m almost positive we will have a whole different set of problems to deal with.” Jason assured him. They reached the morgue, passing by a trail of bodies and saw that the doors had been blown clean off. They rushed inside just in time to see Shiva tossing a body bag over her shoulder. She turned a dial on the watch and a small boom tube opened to the left of her before dashing into the portal and vanishing. The boom tube opened by Lady Shiva deposited her three miles from the prison at an abandoned airfield. She walked into the hangar where the cargo plane that dropped the seven men of death had been stored to find Talia, the Expediter, and Ubu standing around a string of equipment set up a few feet away from the plane. A string of cables and wires ran from the computer the Expediter worked at into the crate that held the stolen Amazo unit. She dropped the body bag at Ubu’s feet as Talia turned to greet her. “Where are the others?” Talia asked, less out of any sort of concern and more so for curiosity’s sake. “Not sure, my com-link was damaged in the battle with one of Waller’s operatives.” Shiva answered, stepping past Talia to examine the crate for herself. “And what of Waller?” She continued her line of questioning as Ubu handed her a small device that she attached to the nape of her neck. The device turned a reddish hue as it came online. Suddenly the lid came bursting off the crate with unparalleled force, and the Amazo unit rose from its container. “She’s still inside the facility. She is shockingly far more predictable then she would like anyone to believe.” Shiva answered while she eyed the Amazo as it walked over to Talia, the device on her neck enabling her to control the androids every movement. “Good. Then let’s leave her with a lesson she will appreciate.” The Amazo unit took off with the speed of The Flash in the direction of the prison. Livewire is the first to her feet, electricity swirling around her as she approached Bronze Tiger and Black Canary. With the instincts of the warrior she was, Dinah instantly threw a haymaker at Livewire, who fired a bolt of lightning at her chest that sent her crashing through the door of a cell behind her before the blow could land. She prepared to fire another, her intent to put the heroine down permanently. Suddenly the sound of steel sliding into flesh could be heard as a knife sunk deep into Leslie’s shoulder blade. She dropped to her knees before falling flat on her face, a victim of the very same poison wielded by Cheshire. “Listen to me, by now they’ve got what they came for. You all need to leave now.” Ben stressed to Dinah as Jefferson finally came around slowly. “Well anytime someone tells me where I shouldn’t be that’s usually exactly where I want to be.” Red Hood joked as he joined them, Static flying in right behind him. “You don’t understand, that program you saw me loading earlier,” Ben explained as he turned back to Dinah, “It wired Talia into their satellites, she’ll be able to control that thing from miles aw- The entire building shook as something came crashing through four levels of concrete into the hallway from above. The group stood in shock as Amazo stood up, its eyes darted around as it assessed the threats around him. It noticed Canary’s mouth ajar, her vocal chords ready to unleash. Once again relying on the flash’s speed, it was in front of her in seconds, it’s steel like fingers crushing her windpipe. Jefferson was the first to react, unleashing a lightning bolt that connected with the back of the android’s head. Instinctively Amazo turned and hurled Dinah at Jefferson, sending them both crashing down the hall. Jason sprung into action next, tossing a pair of smoke bombs at Amazo’s feet as he charged in. Using the smoke to avoid the heat vision blast, he tossed a knife that sunk right into its cheek. As soon as it moved to pull the blade out, it exploded, completely blowing its face off. “Jason, such parlor tricks should be beneath you. All that money I spent sending you to the most ruthless killers in the world, and he still managed to turn you back into one of his wayward pups. I’d call you pathetic but I don’t really think you deserve it.” The voice of Talia boomed from the robot as she taunted the Red Hood. Amazo turned, unleashing more heat vision blasts Jason narrowly avoided. Just as the Android had cornered him, Static swooped in front of Jason, creating a lightning barrier that managed to hold the blasts at bay. As he struggled to hold back the onslaught coming from Amazo, Bronze Tiger leaped into action. Brass knuckles on each hand, he caught Amazo with a pair right hooks that merely got the Android’s attention off Static. It turned and released one of Canary’s sonic screams at Ben, who rolled out of harms way not a moment too soon. Static created a bubble of electricity around each of his hands and soared directly at Amazo, who turned and released a blast of heat vision at a section of the ceiling, bringing a heap of rubble down on top of Virgil. Amazo put its foot on top of the mound of concrete the teen was pinned under, applying just enough pressure that Virgil screamed as his ribs were broken. Red Hood fired both his pistols at the Android to no effect, and the cold laugh of Talia echoed throughout the corridor. “You know you were far too hard on him. It’s why I did what I could to delay your return to Gotham. It’s why I always knew no matter how well planned your steps were, you weren’t going to beat him.” “Shut up Talia.” Jason tossed away the guns as they emptied, grabbing his knife from his waist as he approached Amazo. “You thought just because he didn’t kill the Joker that your death changed nothing for him, that it meant nothing, but you couldn’t have been more wrong. It redefined him, it still does. Why do you think that suit is still in the cave?” “Shut up Talia!” Jason roared as his temper boiled over and he attempted to drive the knife into Amazo’s chest. However he is easily caught by the throat and brought face to face with the Android. “You’ve realized by now how very petulant your entire vendetta truly was. Years wasted, so much damage done, and for what? For you to be right back where you were, another spoke on the wheel. But I’m going to do you a courtesy, I’m going to end this boy’s life in front of you. Only the can you truly understand what he went through when you were lost.” Amazo’s eyes began to glow a bright hot red as Jason struggled to free himself…. TO BE CONTINUED IN ISSUE 5 |