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#3

"Ambush"

By Tony Thornley and Edward Ainsworth

 

The dank cell reeked of rat feces and slurry. As an insult to the JSA, their food had been mixed in with pots of Slurry slid under the door. Alan Scott's heart was beating a steady rhythm as always, suspended some twenty feet above the others in a wooden box. His Star heart had no effect on the cellulose found in his wooden cage. Below him were the rest of the JSA stalwarts, Hawkman sans his giant grey Thanagarian wings and mace, Mr. Terrific stripped of his technological advancements, and Doctor Mid-Nite without his surgical tools and his modified goggles.

Sand stood at the edge of the room, frozen as a field of temporal energy swept across his body. Michael was impressed by the technology, but he couldn't find any way to free his comrade. Finally, Wildcat sat by the Door, every now and then punching the wall with broken and bloodied fists.

"Ted.Please, Stop. You're seriously damaging your meta-tarsals." Doctor Mid-Nite placed his hand on Wildcats shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"You're only going to hurt yourself more, Ted. Please, for all of us, stop it. We'll get out of here one way or another."

 

"Just how the hell did we get here, Pieter?" Hawkman was pacing in the far corner of the cell, frustration written over his features. Carter Hall had always been a serious man, but recently, he'd grown closer to both his own heart, accepting changes, and closer to Kendra. He wanted to find her. He NEEDED to find her.

 

"You know how we got here, Carter. Everyone does, we were ambushed." Mr. Terrific sat quite calmly on a wooden bed, chained to the wall. A rat scampered by his feet and he sighed.

 

"You know these rats aren't coming and going," Michael continued. "They're just put in here to make us uncomfortable. There's no way out of this room without going through that door. It's like Fate's Tower."

"We need to get out," Green Lantern said from above them. "I need to get out of this Box, Michael. I need to get out of here and exact some retribution. My neck is stiff and my bones are aching, I think they injected me with Chlorophyll." Alan's voice was fading in and out, he hadn't slept properly or appropriately in the last week, his neck was painful, his eyes still black from the ambush.

"We never get ambushed, Michael," Hawkman exclaimed. "NEVER! What went wrong, this was your mission, your plan!" Carter slammed his balled fists into the wall, turning his stare to Mr. Terrific.

"Carter, please," Mid-Nite said. "We're all under stress here; we all want to get out. I'm banking on this being an old well-read enemy for them to get us this badly." Pieter moved across the room to Carter.

"We were just rumbled, a dummy right hook and then taken out by the left," Ted declared. "I've seen it all the time." Wildcat ran a hand through his graying temples "We were played for fools. We should have seen it coming, Guys. Honestly, we're the JSA; we're supposed to be above this sort of thing."

Mr. Terrific closes his eyes, recounting the events that led to their capture. Entering the warehouse, moving in a structure formation, Kings first, Green Lantern and Hawkman, Wildcat, himself and Pieter bring it up the rear. A 2-3 formation, Kobra's genetically engineered devices taking them down one by one.

Ted removed from play by a Crocodilian genetic anomaly, taken into a metal wall, leaving Ted unconscious and bleeding. Pieter was taken by a giant Bat-creature, no doubt synthesized from the Man-Bat serum. Green Lantern was ambushed by a Cloud of Cellulose, squirted and pumped onto him by Kobra soldiers, as Hawkman was ambushed from above by several genetically engineered Ape soldiers.

Michael cursed himself as he replayed it in his mind. Just as he had a million times before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The engines of the Star Racer roared outside the ship's re-enforced hull. Hourman and Firebrand sat at the back of the jet, as Brainwave monitored the ship alongside the Red Tornado, and flew it towards the last recorded destination of Hawkgirl and Shade.

"I hope Kendra is all right, Rick." Firebrand whispered quietly to him, leaning towards him from her seat.

"She will be," Rick Tyler replied, "Shade's there, and those two might not be the greatest of friends and all, but they're survivors." Rick smiled gently a placed a hand on top of Firebrand's. "They'll be fine."

"Trust me; these are the best of the best here." Rick smiled and rubbed her hand before removing his own. Firebrand blushed and leaned back in her chair, looking out the window.

"What about the others?" she said. "Alan, and Ted, even Carter- who I don't like that much."

"Carter's a scary guy because he's angry inside," Hourman replied. "There's a lot going on under the surface with him. I'll tell you about it when we have some time. We'll find them all Dani. I promise." Rick looked at her and then turned his focus back to Brainwave.

"How are we doing?" Rick inquired, leaning forward in his seat, as Firebrand turned to watch him.

"We're not far off now, Rick," Hank replied. "Just give it a little bit longer, I had to learn how to fly this thing by reading 4 minds today, I've got a cracking headache. Damn, I'll be glad to have Michael back." Red Tornado glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, then turned back to the controls.

Do the moral implications of Brainwaves actions ever cross his mind? Danielle wondered. Do the ideas of invading someone's mind in order or obtain information carry any moral weighting with him? To look into someone's mind without permission is akin to Psionic perversion, the equivalent of watching someone undress across the road. If he can simply take the information, what's to stop him going the next step?

"You okay, Karen?" Rick asked, glancing behind him. Danielle turned to Karen Starr. She sat quietly, watching the stars pass outside, her arms folded over her breasts. She guessed that her mind was on events in Metropolis, with Superman. Her bond to her Kryptonian cousin had been strengthened in some ways over the past year. Danielle had seen that in even just her time in the Society.

"I just want to find the rest of the team, okay?" she said with a frown. "Just. don't want to think about it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure this is the place, Thunderbolt?" Jakeem glanced around the warehouse, crouching down to look at the markings on the floor. It had once been busy, bustling, hundreds of over-lapping footprints. Now, not so much.

"Have I been wrong before?"

"There was that time you turned my Aunt into a cupcake."

"That wasn't my fault; you wished she wasn't so sour all the time."

"Cupcake?" Jesse's attention snapped from Thunderbolt to Jakeem.

"This is the place then Thunderbolt?" Jakeem asked again, somewhat sheepishly.

"Yeah," the djinn said. "This is the place, the JSA where here a while ago. At least before they were ambushed and taken elsewhere."

"How do you know they aren't here now, Thunderbolt?" she asked.

"Can ya see them Jesse?" Jakeem ran a hand over his bald head and tutted.

"No."

"Can you see them Thunderbolt?"

"Well, no, but I can."

"Ain't here then."

"Jakeem," Jesse said, "you can't be so matter of fact about these things. We're taking superheroes and super villains here. Maybe you don't have the same experience with them that I do." Thunderbolt snapped his mouth shut, whatever he was going to say silenced by Jesse. Jakeem snapped a look at her.

"I've proved myself, Damnit, Jesse," he replied. "I'm not some stupid kid who doesn't know what he's doing. I Have PROVED myself."

"For Godsakes Jakeem, will you just." Jesse was interrupted by the shattering of the far wall, the large frame and bulk of Atom Smasher and his group of Suicide Squad agents moved through the hole, stopping in shock at the sight of the other JSA'ers.

"Jakeem?"

"Oh shit."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are we having fun yet?" Kendra brought her mace down violently onto the Kobra troops, cutting a swathe through the group, sending a few into the air with a spurt of blood, here and there.

"I do not know what you consider to be a 'good time', my girl," Shade exclaimed, dodging a blow, "but I have often found myself enjoying the tales of violence rather than being actively participating. It's..passé." Darkness enveloped a group of soldiers, pulling them into a bubble of dark-stuff, as screams of pain and agony erupt from the sphere.

"Ah, you're just a fuddy-duddy underneath that top hat aren't you, Shadey?" Hawkgirl exclaimed.

Kendra did appear to be enjoying herself a little too much, swinging her mace and beating her wings violently, gaining altitude and dropping with the wrath of an angry, mace-wielding eagle.

"Kendra, dear," he quipped, "have you ever considered an Anger management course? I think perhaps it would help you." He swept the feet from under a trooper who rushed him, then punch another in the gut as he rushed her.

"It'd only help if I found Hawkman, Shade. That's all I'm after right now."

The far wall of the warehouse exploded inward, the fist of Hourman leaving a great crack followed by the shattering and collapse of a huge segment of the wall. The assembled JSA rushed into the large room, hopping to the aid of their colleagues.

"Guess what time it is?"

"That has to be the LAMEST quip in battle I have EVER heard," Hank injected, pushing past Hourman and Firebrand, blasting the nearest solider with a mind-bolt, dropping the weapon wielding religious fanatic like a sack of potatoes.

Power Girl shot forward, her fists extended as she blasted through the troopers, men flying through the air with broken ribs, arms and legs. She paused for a moment to review her handiwork, before banking in the air, and dashing into the group of men again. Shade smiled as he turned back to the fight.

"So the battle is truly joined," he muttered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Kobra troops dropped from nowhere, Jakeem and Jesse taken aback by their sudden appearance as well as the appearance of Al and the Suicide Squad.

"Squad go!" Atom Smasher ordered

The team spread out, ice and fire scorching the ground, supplied by Icicle and Scorch, as Al increased his size, smashing his massive fists into the metal scaffolding above him, wrenching it from the ceiling, the Kobra soldiers falling onto the ground below, yelling.

"So Cool!" Thunderbolt jolted forwards, electrifying the Kobra soldiers with his own body, as Jesse zipped around the room at super speed, collecting guns from the soldiers and dumping them over the other side of the warehouse, then returning to the troopers and knocking them to the ground.

"Piper! Play us a tune." Al barked. Piper began played furiously on his flute as Tarantula backed him up, drawing her pistol from its holster and emptying several rounds into the Kobra troops. Hellhound jumped into the fray, tearing through Kobra troopers like a feral animal. Jakeem almost took a moment to admire his carnal grace, as he laid two opponents low quickly. The martial artist spun, but bullets ripped through his body, mortally wounding him. The former villain bared his teeth, determined to go down fighting, and jumped two more troopers, snapping their necks before he succumbed to darkness.

Similarly at the other end of the warehouse, the Black Spider thrashed around being bogged down by sheer numbers. He twisted and clawed at his opponents, but it was of no use. Hoping to save her teammate, Scorch stepped in to save him, but misjudged to intensity of the flames she generated. A wall of fire enveloped them, killing the soldiers as well as Spider.

"Oh no!" she squealed. "Ohnoohnoohno!"

Al turned to the rest of his team, swinging his massive palm backwards, throwing the Kobra soldiers into the air, and into the walls of the warehouse. Piper blew away on his pipe, slowly calming the Kobra soldiers in the area, one by one the men dropping onto their knees, leaving Piper, Jakeem, Jesse, Al and the survivors of the Squad standing.

"Good job Piper," Al muttered, looking around the room. "Damn."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brainwave slaps a solider around the face, holding him by the collar.

"This could possibly hurt if you resist me. Otherwise, sit back and watch."

A flash of psionic energy, residue on the forehead of brainwave, linked the two men's minds. Brainwave landed softly in the gray matter of the Kobra troop and began to poke around.

"Not a lot in here guys."

"Find what you can, Brainwave."

Karen was pacing up and down, with Shade watching her every moment intently. Hawkgirl sat, leaning on her mace with her head down, exhausted in the wake of the battle. Firebrand stood close to Hourman as he watched Hank with his cowl pulled down.

"Ohh. Rick. I've got them. They're alive."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Icicle drove a shard of Ice into the Hands of the Kobra Solider, pinning him to the ground. Al continued to look around the room. He'd lost two men in this mission. Two capable soldiers. He gritted his teeth and turned back to Icicle's interrogation.

"Talk."

"Kobra Forever! Kali Yuga Forever!"

Icicle slams another two ice shards into the man's kneecaps, splitting the flesh and cracking the bone. The Solider screamed.

"Kobra Forever! Kali Yuga Forever!"

Icicle forms a long sharp shard and places it very gently against the man's groin.

"Talk, or it's going up. And I'll flick."

".Shit.You..Dammit. Okay. Okay."

Jesse pushed her face up against Atom Smasher's, as the Pied Piper sat with Scorch and Tarantula next to Jakeem and Thunderbolt.

"Al, you immature, fascist little shit! How dare you do that to a man! How DARE you condone it, you idiotic little asshole!"

"Wow. Jesse's Mouth runs faster than her legs." Jakeem commented to the Pied Piper.

"Jesse, Jesse," he muttered. "This isn't a Society mission. Look, we have the information now." Al thumbed over his shoulder to Icicle.

"Come with us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A dark shadow stood over the captive JSA team, the large bulk of the bearded man, though not actually standing in the room, a holographic projector.

"My old friends, the JSA, I hope you're enjoying the hospitable environment I've provided you. It appears as though you are enjoying your time together to.reflect?"

Pieter wraps his arms around Carter, who jumped towards the Holographic projection, holding him back.

"WHERE'S KENDRA YOU SOCIOPATH?"

"Easy, Carter," Mid-Nite said. "Easy."

Ted looks up at the Projection, and waves a fist, not with any real malice or anger, just because it seemed like the thing to do.

"Ya know I get tired of every two-bit villain tryin' ta muscle into the super villain world by capturing a super team. You ever thought of doing something different with your life?"

"Such as, dear friend Ted?"

Ted, smirking, got to his feet and looked directly up at the hologram.

"I heard somewhere you invented cannibalism, so I got ta thinkin'. You been around that long, maybe you invented incest. Maybe that's why your daughters are all so messed up."

"HOW DARE YOU." He stepped into the light; for the first time the rest of the members can see who Ted suspected all along.

"Savage."

The immortal smiled, showing his stained and sharpened teeth, his momentary outrage gone. He clasped his hands behind his back.

"Indeed," he said. "Your protégées are fine, Hawkman. In fact, they're on their way here right now. They'll attempt to free you, but I'm afraid they'll fail."

"They're the Justice Society," Green Lantern muttered feverishly. "They'll stop you."

"So you say, Green Lantern," Savage said. "But they won't be able to stop a nuclear explosion." The image expanded to reveal a large cylinder with a radiation symbol stamped on the side. He smiled even wider.

"Boom."

 

In JSA #4: The Society! The Squad! The two very different teams converge on one location, and find themselves facing the evil of Vandal Savage!