The Justice Force: Chapter 1, The Ultimate Initiation

## The Formation of the Team

Mount Justice. Once a famous hideout of heroes from across the globe. It served as the home to the original Justice League. Some would call it the mecca of greatness, only seconded by the Fortress of Solitude. However, as the Justice League began to deal with interplanetary and intergalactic threats, this small mountain building became nothing more than a shed when compared to the Watchtower. Regardless, this would be the perfect base for the new team. Hidden from the public. Yet with another technological weaponry to protect them from any future danger. Plus, the historical importance of this base might imbue the culture of justice within the heroes of tomorrow.

Or so the green skinned martian, floating throughout the famous corridors wearing his signature outfit, hoped. Martian Manhunter. A being who graced these halls thousands of times before. And each inch brought back a million memories. Warmth. Smiles. The home of different species who dedicated their life to universal justice. The idea that he could pass onward these ideals and sensations brought a fond pulsing in his chest. But he also feared that this was for naught...

No. Doubt would only fuel failure. He had to believe that this team would help solve his major problems. These weren't ordinary people. They possessed something in their hearts..something he saw when he interacted with each and everyone of them. This would surely work. Each invitee was given an order to report here in under an hour. The two who lived here prior to the crisis, he could hear them in the living quarters. Rather than engage, J'onnn wanted to analyze the situation completely. And such, he morphed through the walls to a secret room...an observatory of such.

Music blasted from Iris's headphones. She knew today was the day that her life as Superman's successor would begin. Just, the fact that these once silent halls might be bustling with noise and people didn't help her excitement. She wasn't one for crowded areas. She hated shopping, which explained why almost all her clothes were ordered online. But her uncle said she had to get used to it. She tried to reach out to her uncle J'onn but to no avail. *This is not the fucking time.* Iris thought angrily. Not even because of the mysterious disappearance of the others, but because she *needed* support. Iris knew of Pantheon, just not enough to actually rely on him.

"Guess it's time to get this show going." She sighed. Iris finished brushing her wet hair and slipped into her battle suit. An alluring outfit which revealed quite enough for one to double check their rearview mirror. This would surely help in covert operations where clothing might restrict her movement! she began towards the meeting room. Hoping that one of her thousand's pings might reach her uncle. In between these thoughts, she prayed that her new best friend would also show up. Maybe she might be able to keep the Rocket Queen from dying from nervousness.

A low rumble could be heard as Kai Leng backed his old 1972 Ford pick-up truck into the storage shed he purchased in Happy Harbor, RI. It had taken him a couple of days to reach the small city from his residence in Montana by truck, but it was the only way he could get over here relatively undetected. The manhunter had given him the place's coordinates during the meeting, and Kai had gotten his old truck running that day.

Kai got all of his gear out of the bed, all wrapped up in a large rucksack filled to the brim with various pieces of his arsenal, not to mention other things he had 'liberated' from his old employer before he went rogue. After that is was just a matter of locking the shed before tossing a year's worth of storage fees to the guy running the front desk in cash as he started walking to the given coordinates.

The door opened for him as he reached the hidden entrance, his presence already being accounted for, not to mention the system recognized the ID card he had been given.

While the automated scanner noted all the weapons he carried, it too was waved almost as if the system expected it.

Now all that was left was to navigate this place, this unfamiliar place.

"Guess now I get to see if I have what it takes to be a hero... God knows I don't want to be a villain again..."

Iris looked over to the new arrival. A man quite older than her but a human, a fact which made her wonder more about the mysterious hero-in-training. She wanted to approach him but felt her nerves keeping her in place. What if she said something stupid? She quickly diverted attention, focusing on the device in her hand...which had died several minutes before. Still, she could pretend to text on it.

The dust kicked up as Violet stopped her blitz of movement, dressed in a new costume. Unlike her basic hoodie with glasses, this time she had a skintight leather outfit, with it mainly being white and black. She had a belt, with a strangely designed 'V' in the middle, and two halves of a pole on each side of her waist. And of course, the signature flamboyant orange glasses were still there.

Violet pulled out her phone, looking around the old factory landscape. "This is the Happy Harbor..." she murmured. Her eyes then settled on a large mountain, realizing that it was the actual destination Iris mentioned. Which made sense, after all it was a giant mountain, and the address she had been sent mentioned a mountain.

She quickly ran up the side of the mountain, smiling as she got closer and closer. A reunion with Iris was just what she needed, someone she'd recognize amongst the people she'd probably meet today.

The speedster halted in front of a large door, retracting from the ground having recognized the ID card that she had been given. As it opened, Violet rushed inside, the door closing behind her. She stopped suddenly, looking around. She noticed a man with with a lot of items around him, but more importantly she recognized Iris standing nearby.

"Hey, Iris!" the girl called out. "It's me!"

Iris's eyes widened. "Violet!" She screamed. Violet's voice filled Iris with such glee she dropped the device, revealing that the screen had been blank the entire time. She leapt over the couch, jumped over Kai, and tackled Violet. She lifted Violet up and spun her with a tight grip. One would think she was preparing to toss Violet across the room. Iris often forgot she wasn't human when overwhelmed. "You came!!!" Iris screamed. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I knew you would! Oh my god! Welcome to the hideout!"

A weird name...she would have to talk to the others about renaming it. "I call top bunk!"

Violet smiled until she was grabbed with ease, and spun around like a top. As she heard Iris' excitement, Violet's smile returned. "Yeah, I came!" she exclaimed as she kept being spun around in a circle. She managed to squirm out of the hold, holding onto Iris' hands the way she had when they had first met. "We're gonna be bunkmates? Awesome!" the girl squealed, happier than usual.

She looked around the 'hideout' as Iris had called it. "This place is pretty spacious. How many others are going to be coming here?"

"Uncle J'onnn said there's quite a few others. You're the second to arrive after..." She motioned to the strange man standing by himself. Obvious her facial expression was one of nervousness. She didn't want to insult the stranger, but she hesitated to introduce herself. "I'm super excited though. We might finally become real heroes!"

Violet looked towards the man Iris had, tilting her head at him like he was some anomaly she wanted to dissect and figure out. "Real heroes, huh?" Violet said, facing Iris. "That'll be so cool! Do we get like, a superhero discount or something when we go out for food?"

Kai had noticed the strange girl in a rather revealing outfit when they had entered the same room, though she quickly pretended to look at her phone. The lack of light coming from the screen informed him that the phone was off. Probably of the shy type, though that outfit brought that I to question to Kai's eyes. There was something else off about her that he couldn't quite place either.

She however became more animated once her friend arrived. A speedster by the looks of it. Least her arrival was faster than he could keep up with. The two however seemed pretty animated, so at least there was some energy in the room.

Kai made a small sigh before resolving to introduce himself to the youngsters, especially as they had been referring to him a few moments earlier.

"My apologies for not introducing myself sooner, this is a big jump from where I live. My name is Kai, a pleasure to meet you both." He stated with a bow.

Before Iris could respond to her friend, the new guy interrupted her with a weird introduction. One which made her jump behind Violet. "Name's Iris, but you can call me Rocket Queen." Literally no one called her Rocket Queen. But it was her biological father's favorite earth song and the name upon which he referred to her as. Even though he has tried to kill her numerous times and she wanted him dead, she hoped that taking the name Rocket Queen would ruin his favorite song. "N-nice to meet you." She nodded.

Violet smiled in response to the strange man. "Nice to meet you too, Kai!" she exclaimed. "I'm Violet, and Iris just introduced herself, so yeah."

She turned to face Iris. "Wait, how many more people are we expecting?"

To think today he would be joining an official team. The first ever Red Lantern to work side by side with the Justice League. This must've been what Jackie Robinson felt. To think a year ago Ezekiel was nothing more than a college student trying to get his life together. Then several months ago he was flying through space by Green Lantern Hal Jordan's side. And now...well now he had access to the oldest hideout of the justice League. Ezekiel landed gently, his crimson cloak blowing behind him. His face was hidden by his hood and his body covered in a silver armor-like suit which felt more akin to cotton. Both constructs of the glowing crimson ring on his finger. Besides the burning anger coursing through his blood, he felt nervousness. Sorta like a calm sky above a raging ocean.

"It's now or never." He grumbled. The entrance recognized the ID and he entered what appeared to be a giant lobby. Uproar, from training with Hal, immediately scanned the area. Absorbing the magnitude of the Justice League's hidden base. At the center stood several people...his new teammates? He nodded. Or appeared too behind the shadowy mass which covered the bandages wrapped around his face. Another construct. But it felt authentic. Soft. Allowing him to maneuver during his more covert missions. Rather than introduce himself, Uproar leaned against the wall.

"I honestly-" Iris, before she could fully answer Violet, had been caught off guard by the new arrival. A mysterious man covered in what appeared to be silver armor and crimson cloth. She couldn't make out his face. Her interest overwhelmed her nervousness. "And you're?"

"I'm new here." Uproar replied. "As you can tell...I am the Red Lantern Uproar. Or Red Lantern for short." His voice a deep mumble beneath the bandages. He felt his eyes wandering lower. Beneath the cloak and daggers was a dark skinned human whose face reddened. *Wow...She's so pretty*. He felt his heart racing. Or more like the napalm-like blood rushing throughout his body. After all, he hadn't had a heart in quite sometime.

*A Red Lantern*. Iris read about them in several of J'onnn's files. A group of savages bent out on vengeance. Empowered by anger. They were cousins to the Green Lanterns...How could a Red Lantern, known for being enveloped in a constant rage join this team? Afraid to delve deeper she only smiled, grasping Violet's hand tighter. "N-nice to meet you. This is Violet!" She attempted to change the focus from herself. She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. "She's my bunkmate! M-maybe you and Kai can bunk together?"

"I was not aware that we were using bunk beds, but I guess I can be flexible in that regards." He turned to repeat his greetings to the new man. "I am Kai, it's a pleasure to meet you Uproar, though I will say I have never met a red lantern in person before. I assume the color difference is more than just asthetic?"

Gliding down gracefully towards the entrance, Cassandra noticed a figure walk in from a birds-eye view. Despite her proximity to the Sanctuary, Cassandra couldn't help but second guess herself, especially after all *"she"* had went through in the past few years. After watching her entire squad be put down before her eyes, to say that the young woman was apprehensive of teamwork would be a tremendous understatement. Made worse with the consideration that since her reanimation, with every waking moment she was forced to relive such a haunting memory; the mere fact that she maintained her determination and sanity in itself was a testament to her mental fortitude. Subconsciously shifting her form into one in a characteristic of red and black Chinese-themed dress as she prepared to land on her feet, Cassandra stood in front of the entrance pensively.

However, she had to admit, the Martian had a point. She could either choose to sit here and live a life of vigilantism, on her own, for the rest of her life, or, she could rise beyond herself and her past, and become a part of something greater. The Martian was counting on her to make the right decision. Her grandparents had always told her she was meant for something greater than just working as some government dog. Deep down, she'd already known the answer even before the question was asked.

Sighing softly, Cassandra spoke to herself. "Well, here's to hoping that these people at least aren't boring." Looking at her hip to find a strapped-up beer bottle she "borrowed" from a nearby apartment, Cassandra downed it all before presenting her ID. "Ughh, still no buzz." Despite the disappointed tone, the young woman knew drinking alcohol was pointless, as it had no effect on her nowadays, but beer had just become more of a comfort beverage since then. Discarding of the bottle, Cassandra walked in nonchalantly as the door opened despite clearly interrupting a conversation.

"Heyyo." Introducing herself to the group with a friendly wave, Cassandra instinctively scanned the room, taking note of every person. The couple, the hooded guy, and..a familiar face. Too familiar a face. Her voice would just as quickly trail off, before coming to a complete halt. Tilting her head curiously and directing her gaze to a certain formerly infamous brown-haired man in the room, Cassandra's tone immediately changed. "...That you Kai Leng? What's a person like you doing here? Most people in your position just disappear entirely...and I mean as in, not join a superhero team."

For a woman of her occupation, at least in her "past life", the man's reputation preceded him, having walked into H.Q and gave enough information to be one of the biggest catches that year. To find him of all people, here of all places, needless to say, intrigued her.

"If I were to say that I ever expected to be brought out of retirement to join a team dedicated to rescuing the League, I would be lying. The world must be in pretty bad shape to consider asking myself for help. I must say though, I honestly didn't expect to run into anyone here who was particularly familiar with me."

Kai paused for a moment before continuing, "But where are my manners, I am indeed Kai Leng, and may I have your name Miss?"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I didn't expect to be roped into this either. I guess if being presumed dead and crashing your own funeral counts, then I'm pretty damn retired myself."

Pausing after beginning her reply to take a gander at the ex-assassin, Cassandra attempted to put a hand on the vibe he exuded. The others in the room were immediately clear. In the room, there were social auras of anger, nervousness, and liveliness respectively. Only one, however, appeared to be an aura that was actively mysterious. But then it became obvious; judging by his presence here, the only thing he could truly be, was repentant.

Resuming in a softer, less hostile tone, "In any case, the name's Cassandra King, research and special agent for the FBI. Or at least I used to be.., and it's at this point I feel compelled to say, I'm not sure if you knowing of me would be a good or a bad thing."

"Depends on your line of work. For a career like my own, people knowing you is a bad thing if it's by anything besides reputation. For one like yours, well as long as you don't make too many powerful enemies you should be fine. Though I don't think your former enemies can really add much danger in this line of work. But what do I know, I've never been a super hero per se."

Whatever he had left in his apartment, he bagged or boxed up. It wasn't much. A few game consoles, a television, a laptop, some clothes, and other items. "I guess this is it." Calling upon the power of the living lightning within him, Pantheon suited up into his hero gear. Putting the items in a larger, more solid container that he left outside, Pantheon lifted it and flew off at high speeds. It was easier to handle while flying despite being heavier due to his strength.

As he flew, much went through Pantheon’s mind. He though of his mentor, Captain Marvel, and of Superman to a lesser extent, who had helped him understand some of his abilities. "We will get y'all back."

As time went on, he arrived at the destination. Putting his container down, he looked at the ensemble of people. A Czarian, a Red Lantern, what looked to be a normal man, and a few others. While unsure of who all of them were, he walked up. "Hello, I am Panthe- Gabriel." He knew he should share his name, but it was strange to do, especially with so many people he doesn’t know. He did, however, at least recognize the Czarian.

Violet looked around the various newcomers, a grin on her face. "SO MANY PEOPLE!" she exclaimed, practically jumping around in her shoes. She blitzed over to Uproar, looking him up and down. "Cool armour. Are those knives? Do you stab people with them? And if you're a Red Lantern, does that mean you're like...a Red Green Lantern?"

Without waiting for a response, she shot towards Malady, looking at her outfit. "That's a big spear, where'd you get it from? Are you sure your dress thing is practical enough for combat?"

She then shot towards the newest person, the person who had introduced himself as Gabriel. "Hi Gabriel, I'm Violet." she began, introducing herself to him as he had to the rest of them. "You must be really strong, being able to carry that container? How much can you lift? You can fly too? What's that like?" she said, the flurry of questions shooting out of her mouth rapidly.

She ran back to Iris, her stupid grin still on her face. "This is gonna be fun."

"Whoa whoa whoa, I get you're fast and all but *slow down* hun." Subconsciously playing with her hair, Cassandra watched as the young woman made a sudden dash towards the newest arrival in Gabriel, introducing herself as Violet before she could even finish her sentence. Giggling to herself quietly at her to-be-teammate's hyperactive nature, Cassandra just gave a quick response before she could be barraged by any further questions. "I got the original spear from my grandpa, and, for what this dress actually is, it's probably more than good enough."

"Violet, mama relax." Iris joked while trying to chase after her friend. "We have forever to get to know each other-Gabriel!" She jumped to Pantheon with a high five, letting Violet go to her madness. The only other person with intimate ties yo the league, uncle J'onnn said that there was a surprise for Gabriel. This will indeed be so much fun!

*A green red lantern?* Uproar could already feel the headache coming from the speedster. But deep inside he felt something different...a warmness. Still, Uproar was never one for teamwork and this damned ring made it harder for him to control those urges. People loved him and he had close friends...but even as a normal human he exhibited certain awkard behaviors. And so, Uproar chose to remain silent. Partly admiring the beauty that was Iris. Well until this weird dude showed up. *They seem so close...so unfair*. But rather than argue, Uproar chose to play it cool. Sitting down on a chair silently.

Gabriel eyes went wide from the conversation the speedster attempted. "Hi, uh, yeah I am pretty strong. Something, something Hercules. I can say, flying is great. It gives a feeling of freedom. Nice to meet you Violet."

The man powered by the gods of the world returned the high five to Iris. "I remember the Captain mentioning you when he mentioned the team to me before... before he disappeared." Pantheon looked down for a moment, trying to hide his sadness for his missing mentor. He looked back up with a smile to hide his feelings. "How are you doing?"

Iris patted Pantheon's shoulders, giving them a gentle rub for support. Her eyes feeling the pain he felt as she remembered the last day she spent with Superman. But they had to remain strong, for they're in charge of holding the light until the Justice League returns. "I'm doing great." Her voice trailed off. But with a deep breath, her usual smile returned. "Its our job to make sure that this thing works. And plus! We still have Uncle J'onnn!" She screamed excitedly.

A speedboat pulled up to the docks of the harbor, slowing as its captain began to dock it. Ryan sighed as he tossed his bags onto the dock and pocketed the keys to his boat. He stared at the beauty as it bobbed on the water, a 1998 Sea Ray Sundancer. It used to be his father's but now Lucille belonged to him. "I'll catch ya later." He waved to the boat as he turned, slinging his eight duffle bags over his back. His powers made them weight nothing but to any onlookers he seemed like he was insane. As he approached mount Justice he noticed a crowd gathered around it. They all looked so official, some even in hero gear. Ryan himself was decked out in a grey t-shirt under a red flannel, below that were blue jeans and checkered vans. His Long purple hair was currently in a bun under his gray beanie, making it look much shorter than it was."Hey what's up?" He shouted to the others, waving his hand as the four duffles on his right arm shook. "I'm Ryan." He introduced himself as he dashed to reach them.

Uproar sickened by the familiarity between the two chose to move once more. His eyes, hidden by the crimson cloak locked onto Cain. He'd heard rumors of a man who matched this stranger's appearance. Too think they were recruiting villains. However those words reminded him of the other greens who feared that a Red would be too much of a wildcard. So he decided to hide his worries. After all, he couldn't feel anything different from this group. Still, the Red Lantern chose to examine everyone differently. Especially Marvel's protege and the golden boy of this *team*. They hadn't seen his face yet or learned his actual name...Maybe one day he would open up to them. But for now, he needed to remain safe in case this team turned into a solo act.

Lavender and Alex had been at Mt. Justice for about a day, Lavender spending her time familiarizing herself with the place. She had gotten comfortable in her room, decorating her little space with all shades of violet imagery. Mostly flowers and butterflies. The entire color scheme of the room would most likely be what popped into one's head when they thought of "Star Sapphire". She didn't mind it though. She liked what she liked and didn't really care what others thought about it. Alex, on the other hand, hadn't entered his room once. At least not the room he had been assigned to. He had instead made a sort of nest or den out of the base's information hub. He had planted himself in front of the computer screens and had barely moved unless it was to eat or use the bathroom.

However other people were set to arrive and he needed to socialize. Whether he wanted to or not. Which prompted Lavender dragging him from the room and locking him in the bathroom until he freshened up. He did so, begrudgingly and followed his mother down to mingle and socialize. They argued all the way towards their destination, Alex about how he didn't need to meet the others because he had read any and everything about who was expected to arrive from their files and other sources, Lavender about how reading about people isn't a good substitute for actually meeting someone face to face. Half their argument was in English, the other half was in Japanese, and it continued all the way until they made their way to the others. Lavender pushed Alex off so that he wouldn't try to stick next to her and avoid actually talking to people. Little did she know that Alex had snuck in his phone and was about to find a nice dark corner to seclude himself.

## A Forced Inheritance

She always hated press conferences. Spending her entire life watching her father do this, making it look so easy..She couldn't help but envy his natural born charisma. Or perhaps it was the fact that he had a penis that attributed to the success of his conferences. Yeah of course. People would blindly follow that bumbling idiot for he radiated the toxic masculinity that humans evolved to worship. But she was his child after all. The massive glass doors to new Lex Corp branch of Seattle opened. Revealing a team of black suits surrounding the famous new CEO.

Larissa Luthor.

From the second she stepped to the podium, the young heiress was bombarded with questions. But her smile, those beautiful pearls in her mouth was enough to resist the nerves. Finally the crowd hushed. Allowing her to speak.

"Good Morning America" She began. Her soft voice resonating throughout the microphone.. "Over the past few weeks, there have been thousands upon thousands of questions regarding the recent crisis. We've received everything from the occurrence of the shadow monsters to the disappearance of the Justice League. Even the apparent kidnapping of my own father." Her voice cracked. "But I am here to say, that we at Lex Corp are working endlessly to support those who've stepped up to the plate in the league's absence. We are also investigating the strange invasion which caused this chaos."

"Larissa! Larissa!" Several reporters yelled. The young Luthor pointed to an older woman. "What do you think of the suspicions that your father, Lex Luthor, is in cahoots of whatever attacked earth?"

"While I am not one to rule out possibilities, I am afraid that the chances of that are slim. Seeing as my father suffered a fate most cruel. Also, his love of this great country would never allow him to place the safety in the hands of some creature of darkness.

As I am still grieving, I ask that all questions pertaining my father be dismissed."

"What about your supposed affair with Prime Minister Tanaka?!" Another reporter exploded.

"A relationship built on trust and a desire for peace. My time spent with Prime Minister Tanaka is time spent on assuring that the American and Japanese treaty remains strong. The tabloids have spread rumors of a secret relationship. However, those images of were public meetings where we spoke about a new program which would stop pollution into the pacific ocean. For we share one ocean, they are our direct neighbors."

"Ms Luthor! Ms Luthor! What of rumors of a top secret weapon facility in the center of the pacific?!"

Larissa smiled. "Rumors. Rumors and more rumors." She took a sip of water and addressed the crowd once more. "I am thankful for all of the trust this city as placed into Lex Corp. I am pleased to announce the opening of a new branch in Seattle, Washington. Where we hope to lead the country in advance medical research as well as the introduction of genealogy in agricultural development. For further questions, here is our RP representative, Mr. Burns." Larissa stepped down, letting her senior PR rep take her place. And with several more minutes of glistening smiles, returned to the glass building behind her.

Later that night
"During the attack several weeks ago, the Justice League vanished from the entire sector. However, there were those unaccounted for during the attack."

"What do you mean Ms. Larissa?" A woman in a white lab coat asked. To which, Larissa snapped her fingers. The darkened room lit up around her, revealing a lab straight from every engineers fantasy. Before her, three screens illuminated. Revealing a warehouse...or what was once a warehouse. At the center of the debris, surrounded by corpses and scrap metal, a purple haired man sat alone.

"When we opened the Seattle branch, my father did so under the idea that he could eventually awaken the metagene within humanity. A strand of DNA which lies dormant in us all. In order to do so, we required several test subjects who've managed to naturally awaken this genetic inheritance. Leading us to this man in purple. A petty criminal, his record isn't all that impressive." She tapped the side of her cheek. "However, we were hoping to capture him after his next arrest. You know, to run some test on him."

With a twist of her wrist, the screen fast forwarded. Revealing a green figure descending upon the seemingly hurt metahuman. "There. Martian Manhunter." Larissa smirked. "To think that we thought the Justice League had been obliterated. But it makes sense that some of the more alien members were away during the attack. Still, I doubt he's given up on finding his comrades."

"So we're planning to expose him?"

"Expose? No no no!" She smirked. "He's hiding. Without knowledge of what occurred, he's probably in the reconnaissance stage. Gathering as much infomration as possible. Martian Manhunter is no Superman. He's not one to barge into a situation without several libraries worth of knowledge.

"Still, with the world ignorant to his survival, we have the perfect chance to capture the Martian. His disappearance will be blamed on whatever the hell attacked Earth during that crisis. And we'll have access to prime Martian DNA. I've always wondered what would happen if we used it alongside the Metagene."

Larissa lead her assistant to a different room. One filled with machinery and a giant silver cylinder attached to the wall. At the center of the room was an alien device. To think this *thing* was hand wrapped and zeta-beamed directly to her doorstep. An egg shape metallic weapon, comprised of a tech so foreign and futuristic, she hadn't a clue of where to begin the examination. "Bet you he would've figured it out." She spat venomously. Still, Larissa understood one thing. This was a weapon of considerable power.

"Take this to the coordinates. Just off the coast. There's a construction site nearby, use it to build a tunnel overnight. I have sent the instructions. "

"Aren't you worried it might destroy our new branch?" Her assistant asked.

"Have you *seen* the insurance policy?! I'll have enough money to build an even larger laboratory."

## The First Mission: Trouble in Seattle

### Mission Briefing

Martian Manhunter watched the new team mingle with one another. As he expected, his niece seemed to get along with several people. And as he hoped, the ones from the troubled past warmed up to the idea. Good. Good indeed. He stepped out from the hidden room and entered the main meeting area in his classic costume. His stature tall enough to shadow those before him, he stopped at the top of the center. Once everyone was silent, he began.

"Good afternoon everyone, I thank you all for coming and welcome you to Mount Justice, the first hideout of the Justice League and your new home." His deep voice resonated outwardly. "Today begins your new life as an extension of the league, the Justice Force. A team which serves the purpose of upholding the glorious virtues of this planet in the leagues absence. While some of us have no ties to the league while others have more personal relationships, the entire world has suffered since the mysterious crisis.

As suspected of Earthlings, there have been hundreds upon hundreds of those who've attempted to fight the criminal underworld. However, this emergence of heroics and criminal activity has created an in balance. Whereas the Justice League stood as the utmost standard of heroism, their absence has left a massive gap. A hole that those those without the proper foundation to uphold the standard are attempting to fill.

I hope to guide you all to stand in for the league, and assist myself in locating my fellow comrades."

Martian Manhunter smiled. "For now, we begin today anew as the newly created Justice Force. While I wanted to go over teamwork and enact a more controlled learning environment, I've also come to understand that the best experience is real world experience. And such, I present to you the Justice Force's first mission." He clicked a remote. Before him, several holographic computers appeared. Each screen had a different statistic. Colorful graphs and massive numbers depicting information pertaining to damage, likelihood and numerous chances of success. With the center portraying a young woman surrounded by buildings with shattered glass and evacuating citizens.

“This is Lisa Bonnet live in Seattle, Washington, bringing to you news regarding the ongoing crisis! There have been a strange series of earthquakes focused upon the coast. Earthquakes have ravaged the city with civilians being evacuated immediately. Heroes have gathered to help with the efforts and search for the source of this attack.”

“The heroes in Seattle Washington are searching throughout the city for the perpetrator," Martian Manhunter interrupted. "But our satellites have registered a dangerous amount of tectonic activity several miles underground beneath the ocean." It was a good thing that the Watchtower's computer were connected still to Mount Justice. Or else the new team would have been just as lost as the others attempting to save the day. "The reverberations have been too coordinated to be a coincidence. Your first mission will be to investigate and apprehend whoever is behind this. However, we must act with the utmost precaution. Treat these missions as covert operations.”

We know nothing of what happened to the Justice League. Revealing yourselves would only worsen the situation. A, the Justice Force becomes just another amateur team alongside the hundreds of others fighting to replace the league. Or B, whoever took out the league will target you in fear of losing their position.

The best advantage is letting the enemy think they have the lead. Force them to let their guard down and strike. And such, these missions are to be carried covertly. When not dealing with a mission, you are all too return here and train.”

Martian Manhunter smiled. "Gather at the hanger. I have provided a means of transportation, a jet which will reach the other end of the country in no time. Fitted completely with martian technology allowing for active camouflage and stealth. Pantheon, as a former intern of the Justice League, you will lead this team. Auger, as the only person whose telepathy is comparable to a martian, you'll be in charge of piloting and controlling the ship. I trust you'll get the hang of it rather quickly."

"Good luck team."

### Bombs Under Seattle

The flight was only several hours, something which surprised Upraor. To think that martians possessed the tech to soar across country in such time. Shit. The plane landed in a evacuated construction site somewhere in the midst of Seattle. But the second his foot touched the earth, it shook violently. The shocks were getting stronger with each passing hour. "Not too long before Seattle becomes property of Atlantis." Uproar chuckled to himself. He looked around while waiting for his new *leader* to appear alongside his fellow teammates. The flight was quite quiet for him. He simply listened to the others speak, learning as much as he could before actually engaging in anything. *Several miles underground*.

Before the Red Lantern could began deducing anything, Uproar was hit with several waves of hatred and anger. *I can feel your hearts*. Uproar whispered. *Ironic, right?* He knew that people were dying with the greatest efforts of the heroes and crisis aversion forces. Their hatred called out to the Red Lantern, beckoning for vengeance. Pleading for him to deliver judgement on those behind this horrific crime. People were suffering...and it pissed him off even more. Red energy radiated off of Uproar, whose crimson cloak seemed to grow by the second. *I'll burn them to ashes as retribution my pained hearts.* His fist tightened. *I'll avenge you all. But I must remain calm.* The words of his teacher resonated deep within his chest. *Channel your anger.* He could feel himself becoming stronger. His powers rising while his mind cleared. *Channel your anger.* He took several deep breathes, entering a meditative state for several seconds until-

*Screeeeeech*.A metallic beam fell from the side of the construction site. It would've crushed several fleeing civilians below, had Uproar not caught it with his crimson energy. A massive demonic claw, stretching from the crimson ring on his middle finger, grabbed the yellow bars several feet above them. A second late and they would've been paste. He gently moved the fallen metal to the side of the street before recalling the hard-light.

"Ungrateful." He grumbled jokingly. "You're welcome! God the nerve of some people. You'd think I'd gotten a thank you for saving my ass."

Iris stood not too far from Uproar when he saved those people from being smushed. *So that's the power of the Red Lantern?* She thought. *At least now I can see why they're called Red Lanterns.* She seemed entranced by the construct's gothic beauty. But snapped out of it by the rapid shaking beneath her. "Focus!" She reminded herself. Iris reached into her pocket, pulling out a handheld radar. A black box with a blue screen which had a red dot beeping at the center.

"Uncle J'onn gave me this before leaving. It tracks the source of the underground shockwaves. We can use it to find out what the fuck is causing this." She looked to Violet, to Cassandra, to Edgeshot and then to Pantheon.

"We should follow it right? I mean you gotta put out a fire at its base, right?" Iris shivered. Not because of her revealing outfit or the autumn afternoon. No. She shivered because of the nerve racking day she was having. She wanted to be of assistance. Wanted to take command but couldn't figure out what to do. *Shit. Come on Iris. Don't be afraid. What would Superman do!*

“Agreed, we should follow the tracker. I know west coast has some crap tectonics, but this seems like too much.” Pantheon said as he looked in awe of the red lantern construct. *Seems safer to use than the red energy I have...* Pantheon thought to himself as he began to move forward.

As he did, he saw a pair of kids trying to run to their parents. Unfortunately, the building beside them began to collapse. Large portions of the building began to fall down towards them both. Quickly, Pantheon appeared before them in moments with his great speed. He grabbed the two kids in one arm as he lept through the falling rubble. As he did, he punched through a large portion of the falling wall and landed before thr parents. “Keep moving, get out of here fast!”

Ryan had followed the others off the ship, now using the alias of Cain. He finally donned his hero outfit. A marvelous black and purple suit, gifted to him by Martian Manhunter. It was heavily armored but still light and flexible. The arms had retractable blades that came just past his hands, perfect for surprise attacks. Around his head he wore a purple bandanna with feathers and his long purple hair masked most of his face.

He watched as his comrades sprung into action, saving citizens left and right. It was already nerve wracking being on his first mission with the team but this, this was just making it worse. The place he had known and loved, where he had grown up. Where his family once was, it was all crumbling away. Whoever did this was going to pay for it.

Cain felt another rumble as the ground began to shift in the streets. A large crack began appearing, threatening to swallow cars and civilians whole. He sprung into action, dashing to the street and slamming his hands onto the ground. The vectors became his as the ground closed up again, locking itself in place for now. "Get out of here, evacuate the city now!" He shouted to the civilians.

This new guy, Cain, seemed pretty good...but the Red Lantern was more focused on the junior boy scout. Of course he would try to one up him. *Super speed my ass.* Uproar grumbled to himself. He turned to his supposed leader and sighed. It took him awhile to accept Hal Jordan, whose considered the best Lantern to ever lantern, as his superior. So how could MM expect Uproar to just bow his head off the bat. The Red Lantern could feel the lack of rage in his heart. The false sense of pureness-it sickened him. Everyone had some form of pain and heartache. Everyone except Pantheon...*Please. Leadership should be based on merit, not favoritism*. He felt his fiery blood boiling throughout his veins. So much so he bit down his teeth. Watching Iris stand next to Pantheon made things worst...Why was she so close to him? "Know what..." Uproar glared at the pair from beneath his cowl, growled, and flew off. "As a substitute Green Lantern by order of the Guardians, I'm going to go find the cause of this! You guys can do whatever." He called back.

"But wait!" Iris started "We need to stay together!" But her words were on deaf ears as the Red Lantern flew off. *Why'd he do that?* She thought. Her inner thoughts tinted with a hint of sadness. She wanted to see more of his red constructs. Red's were rare in this sector since their rings were famous for being parasitic in nature. Plus, she could feel her inner turmoil lessening when near him. As if he was absorbing the latent rage she held in her heart at her father. Regardless, the team had a mission. "Dammit. It's just the lot of us then." She scooted closer to Violet, grabbing her hand tightly in the process. Surely this would slow the speedster down. However, her company seemed to serve a better purpose for Iris's psyche and nervousness. "The tracker is saying that the source is nearby. Where would someone or something go...to cause the most damage?"

"Taking orders from some blonde haired Captain Marvel reject, please." Uproar growled while flying throughout Seattle. He shot away falling beams, disintegrating them with the plasma blast which burnt hotter than earth's sun. "Second fiddle to some earthling!" That word...Uproar hadn't been an earthling for quite sometime. "I could call the Guardians here and they'd fix all this with a snap." But he didn't believe his own words. "As if they'd trust me in the first place." He sighed. A breath of pain and sorrow.

"It's a Green Lantern!" A child rejoice. A sound which brought back his slumped posture to one of honor and dignity. It was quite humorous how many people thought he was a different kind Green Lantern. How ignorant they were to the workings of the universe! Yeah, that alone made him more qualified for a higher position among the team. Unfortunately he couldn't bask in the honor those around him seemed to have.

"My baby!" A woman shrieked. Uproar darted towards a falling glass pane and caught it with his bare hand. Yet the force caused it to shatter into a million pieces. "Fuck!" Hal Jordan would've had his head for that mistake. A gigantic shield of crimson energy erupted around the woman and her child. Saving them from the deadly rain. He floated to the ground and removed his construct once the coast was clear. "Thank you so much Mr! It's so refreshing to see a Green lantern here...even though you're wearing red. Why's that?" She offered.

"I'm earth's only Red Lantern and assistant to Hal Jordan ma'am. But please continue evacuating, I'll be more than happy to answer questions later." Uproar responded. To think that a representative of rage incarnated would be able to have such a genuine concern. Without the immediate threat, Uproar levitated over the street. Another earthquake followed by more aftershocks. "The tectonic plates are being tampered with. Which means that...whoever is behind this is below the surface. But how...I don't feel any vengeance or anger from below." The ebony Red Lantern took a deep breath with his arms cross. "Seems like the only way to find out is to dig." To dig...If only Hal was here. The chief of the corps dedicated his free time to helping the Red Lantern master his constructs. Unfortunately, he required intense concentration when handling his red energy. For the rage could easily disrupt his train of thought.

"Stay calm. Channel your anger." He repeated in a meditative state. The Red Lantern held his ring outwards, pointing it to the earth and took a deep breath. He could feel the massive surge of anger coursing through his body. But the red light slithered from his ring to form a more alien device. A mixture between a digger and bulldozer several stories high. It started to rip into the earth...until an even stronger shockwave knocked his concentration off alongside several floors in nearby buildings. "Of course I made the situation worse!" He spot! However he quickly regained his composure with several deep breaths. "I can't just dig here. Doing so is messing with whatever is down there. Shit...but this is earth. Which means..." The putrid blood coursing through his body burned hotter than his brethren. And with a deep heave, he began to regurgitate a massive blast of napalmic blood at the earth. Easily melting through the asphalt and lower levels. Sinking deeper and deeper until he was in a massive tunnel of darkness.

The earth shook. Causing the ceiling to creek and crackle. "A tunnel under Seattle?Whoever's behind this has serious money to set this shit up."

#### Alpha Team

Cain barely knew anyone there but he could feel the tension between them all, it wasn't very hard. Cain watched as Uproar shot off through the air into the city. Cain glanced back at Iris and some of the others, looking around at the damage. Pantheon was up in the air saving people. "I might as well be of some use." Cain sighed to himself, dashing off after Uproar. The Red Lantern seemed to have some idea of where he was going as Cain followed him on the ground. As he ran through the collapsing city a couple tears welled up in his eyes. These shops, these people, he knew them. A small apartment building shook to his left, and screams filled the air. "Ah shit." He exhaled, dashing up to the building and grasping it. The vectors of the building stopped as the civilians trapped inside began to evacuate. It was a large amount of Vectors to control all at once, especially for a sustained amount of time. *"Alright come on Ryan. Breathe. Breathe. You got this."* He encouraged himself.

"Thank you sir." An old woman spoke as she hobbled out the door to join the rest of her family.

"Yeah for sure no problem ma'am." Cain grunted as the last of the people evacuated and he pushed the vectors inward, causing it to implode on itself rather than fall on them. "Ok all of you get the hell out of here this place if coming apart." He shouted as he jogged off down the road. *"Alright we gotta be faster here Ryan. Concentrate on your feet, charge and release."* He mouthed to himself as his right foot came down he caused the vectors to exert a large amount of force, blasting his foot from the ground and his body forwards. *"Ok good again."* As left foot hit the ground he blasted himself forwards again. "Yeah yeah yeah." He grinned pumping his fist.

As Cain rocketed down the road there was a massive rumble as the sky became red. Well actually a giant red drilling machine appeared in the air, but it was really red. "That's probably Uproar." He planted both feet on the ground as he prepared himself. *"Just like in a game."* He concentrated, adjusting the correct power to the vectors around his feet. He then kicked off propelling himself into the air. He rocketed through the sky, landing on a still stable building near Uproar. "Hey what are you doing?" He called to his fellow hero. However his words were lost on him as the Red Lantern let loose a massive blast of energy and descended below the surface into the hold he created. Cain sighed, staring down the pit. "Guess this is the way to progress." He shrugged before jumping from the building and down the massive hole. "Uproarrrrr!" He shouted as he fell.

Pantheon watched as the lantern ventured on his own. "Wait!" he shouted to no avail. The young godling sighed. *A whole team thrown into a mission immediately. Not even a chance to try to get to know each other beyond names. You made this really stressful, J'onn,* Pantheon thought to himself as he sighed. "So we have a red renegade space cop doing God know's what-"

Just then, a massive shockwave hit Pantheon and the remaining team. It was a big one too. As it hit, Pantheon saw the sky light up red as a massive... drill was tearing into the Earth. "That. He is doing that. Everyone, try and make sure the rubble is clear and escort remaining civilians. Follow Iris' tracker as well in case the source at all moves. I'm gonna go talk with the Guardian's 'substitute Green Lantern.'"

Pantheon leaped into the air and began flying towards the red light shining in the distance. As he flew, he scanned the ground to make sure he wasn't missing any stray civilians. For the time being, there was nothing he could see. His flight allowed him to avoid rubble and his speed let him quickly arrive to where he wanted to be. He landed on the ground with a thud. "Uproar, what's gotten into you? We've barely gotten into the mission and you already left the team high and dry. Thankfully they have Iris to follow with her tracker from Martian Manhunter. If we are going to function as a team, we need to act like one!" the god shouted.

This is it. The stress he didn't want. He was hesitant about the idea of a team. Pantheon knew he would at least be a high option for leading a team of newer heroes due to his league experience with his close work with Captain Marvel, something he didn't really want to deal with. He already had to deal with the powers of the petty gods within him, dealing with beings with godlike powers wasn't at the forefront of his desires. He was here for one reason, to bring the Justice League and Captain Marvel back. It could have possibly been Iris, hell, it could have been Martian Manhunter himself, but it was him and he didn't know what exactly to do. The knowledge of Apollo aided him in various ways, but the power seemed to ignore his current dilemma.

He heard the echoing screams of that weird purple headed guy. Okay that's fine. A regular metahuman wouldn't get in his way *too* much. But of course the universe wouldn't make the Red Lantern's life any easier. Because right after Cain came bellowing, the very man he was attempting to avoid followed. And one thing **anyone** should avoid would be pissing off a red. Uproar turned around and glared beyond Cain towards Pantheon. "What's gotten into me? You don't even know me." He spat. Who'd decided that Pantheon had the right to berate him? To order around a member of the Green Lantern corps? Hell, that's like Superman telling Hal Jordan how to do his job.

"Listen kid, I've been throughout this sector." Not really a feat compared to other lanterns. "This ain't nothing new to me. So how about you sit back and let the Lantern corps do their job." Maybe if he wasn't so green himself Uproar could've hid his nervousness. But anyone could see through his anger filled voice that the young lantern was biting more than he could chew.

Another rumble. "Seattle won't last too much longer." Uproar grumbled. "Why don't you go back to saving women and children-" He turned away to face the tunnel only to be met with a gigantic wall of silver. "Ugh!" A loud boom as the Red Lantern was sent flying well beyond Pantheon. "Motherfucker..." He groaned. After the haziness cleared and his watering eyes focused, he saw the metallic giant which shadowed both Pantheon and Cain. He tried to focus further, noticing several other shadowy figures moving in the darkness. "Robots!"

The earth shook once more. The metallic giant approached Pantheon and threw a devastating double handed haymaker, which it followed with a clubbing smash towards Cain's chest.

Cain landed on the ground, rather unfazed as he'd controlled his own vectors to slow his fall. "Uproar where are you going man? What's up with that drill and that beam and..." His slew of questions was cut short by Pantheon's arrival. Cain stood aside as Uproar and Pantheon began to bicker. He wanted to say something but it probably wasn't his place. It was weird watching the two powerful beings go at it, seems they weren't so different from kids in city. As Uproar made a point about finally saving Seattle, Cain chimed in. "I couldn't agree more Uproar. Lets go find out what's going on h...ere.." Cain slowed his voice as he watched Uproar go flying across the tunnel, courtesy of large metal robot that was bearing down on them.

"Why are there robots down here? Are they causing this?" Cain shouted to his more experience allies. He was just a kid from the city. He didn't have any of this formal detective training or know the villains of the area. At best he knew a crime boss or two and some of the threats that shook the Earth in the past. However, as the massive metal fist shot towards him, Cain was ready. He met the arm with his hands, immediately stopping it with his powers. He then reversed the vectors in the arm, giving them a massive push in the opposite direction. Weight and force didn't matter to him. At best the entire robot would go crashing into the walls of the tunnel. At worst its whole arm would be ripped from its body and smashed into the wall.

Pantheon was slammed into a wall, leaving an indention shaped like himself. While it certainly wasn't a pleasant feeling, Pantheon wasn't invulnerable for nothing. He pulled himself out of the wall. Pantheon was no longer in a decent mood. "I'm not a kid, I'm your age!" Lightning began to swell around Pantheon's hands as his eyes lit up an electric blue color as well. "I've been given my power and duty by Captain Marvel and the great wizard Shazam! I've learned from the Captain and Superman! I was tasked to lead by Martian Manhunter! Lanterns have their job and so do I!" yelled the young leader as the lightning continued to surge about his arms. In his anger, Pantheon punched both of his hands forward and a massive bolt of lightning bursted out of his fists to begin flying towards the robot's head. The gave lit up with the flash and shook with its thunder as the lightning arched towards the machine.

"aNd sO Do I!" Uproar mocked under his breath as he regained his composure. Perhaps if he wasn't so annoyed, so angry, he would've been more impressed by the fact some mere metahuman was the only person unharmed by the robots. But he had neither the time nor focus to concentrate on his surroundings. No. Uproar hated sucker punches more than anything else...Red light bled from his ring, coiling around his arms before wrapping around his hands. Forming into two distinct red constructs. Boxing gloves composed of pure, burning rage. "You wanna fight you oversized toaster oven!" His legs launched him towards the mech which assaulted him earlier. Its red eyes seemed to scan over Uproar before sending forward its massive razor blades for hands.

*Green Lanterns are keen of long distance combat. Throwing constructs at one another like children. But Red Lanterns are more...personal.*

The Red Lantern of Earth slipped the punch, his head moving lightly to the side, avoiding the nearest metallic claw by centimeters. An explosive pivot at his core, releasing a powerful hook into the robot's body. Although his punch completely demolished the entirety of the robots body, the Red Lantern followed with a straight right into its chest. Sending it slamming into a nearby wall. Nothing more than a pile of scrap metal.

He regained his footing with a bloodthirsty grin. *Sparky ain't too bad himself. But I'll make sure he learns his place.* Uproar thought. Several more mechanical men emerged from the darkness of the tunnel.

A thunderous rumble almost collapsed the tunnel above them. "It's getting worst. We need to hurry. I'm willing to bet that whoever is behind these robots are using them as a defensive line for our goal. Beat these things and they'll be there." He looked to Pantheon and growled...before calming himself. "Listen, lets call a truce for now Sparky." He turned his head to Ryan. "I don't know what you can do, but what you did earlier might be more helpful than you think. Do any of you have any ideas?" As he spoke more mechanical soldiers surrounded the trio. But in the distance of the middle tunnel, a light blazed.

The robot's arm shot off of it as the metallic menace fell to the ground besides Cain. He turned to it and quickly hopped atop it, slamming his hand into the back of its head. "Die." He shouted as the vectors of the robot's head shot downwards, ripping it from the rest of the bot and imbedding it in the ground. Cain looked up from his work to see Uproar as he dismantled a robot with massive fists. It was funny how that was the go to weapon for many lanterns, bigger punches. With his opponent down Uproar addressed the rest of the group, and Cain specifically. Cain grinned, it was the first time he'd been acknowledged the whole day.

"I uh I think I have a plan." Cain replied as he looked at all the robots. "We want to get down the hallway right so I think I have an idea. "Though Cain knew very little about Uproar and Pantheon's abilities he could still formulate a plan. "Alright Uproar you make constructs right. So make us a stealth bomber or some sort of jet that's very streamline and can fit the three of us. Scaled down so we can get through the tunnel though." He turned to Pantheon. "You can electrify that right, if not that explicitly umm maybe just make some electricity around it." He turned back to Uproar, just make sure I have a seat and something to hold onto."

To think this kid was giving him orders! But by the look of these numbers, the three of them were at a heavy disadvantage. Besides, Uproar witnessed Hal Jordan create a stealth bomber billions of times during missions which required stealth. After all, his teacher spent a majority of his life as an ariel ace. Still, making constructs took more concentration for those who wielded the Red Light of Rage than it took other corpsmen. *Like I'd let Jordan down like that*. Uproar growled. Deep breaths. Red light slithered from his ring before enveloping the three teammates. They had to do this. They didn't have any other choices. Seconds later, Pantheon, and Ryan were standing behind Uproar on a simplistic combination of shapes which mimicked the actual plane used by the military. But the amount of focus and concentration it took for him to hold the formation and fly it was quite annoying. He could feel the rage coursing through his body. Urging him to ram the three of them into a nearby wall at full speeds. *Channel your anger. Channel...your...anger*. He repeated beneath his breath.

The thunderous shaking snapped Pantheon back to his senses. *I need to be more careful with lightning down here.* Pantheon turned towards Cain and nodded. Sharing his electric powers with a plane construct should be simple enough to accomplish. Pantheon looked towards Uproar as he was crafting the jet and noticed the man going into deep concentration to assure the construct would work properly. *I suppose different rings work in different ways,* Pantheon thought as this continued. However, another robot appeared while Uproar was still making the construct. He knew if it attacked, it may disrupt Uproar's concentration which could result in the jet disappearing and having to start all over again with the same risks of another attacking again. He knew his lightning was dangerous down here, large bolts caused to much shaking in unstable ground and small bolts would likely do nothing to the robots.

Pantheon breathed in and his eyes glowed red. Beams burst forth from them and danced around Uproar and Cain as they went in a different direction mid flight before correcting themselves after being past the two. The beams slammed into the nearest robots chest and put a massive hole through it. Pantheon covered his eyes in a brief instance of pain, as he was still not used to using his Omega Beams. However, when he pulled his hand away the jet appeared complete. Pantheon placed his hands on the blood-red construct and channeled his electric powers through it as an electric aura began to cover the jet.

Cain watched as the Uproar created the ship around them. "Yeah yeah this is good! Just focus on keeping it together." His concentration briefly lapsed as he noticed Pantheon using some sort of wavy beams to blast a robot to bits. "Woah that was pretty cool." He commented as Pantheon settled down in the ship with them, bringing forth electricity to coat the ship. "Alright everyone hold on and umm close your eyes if you want." Cain spoke as he grabbed what looked like the controls of the plane. His hands firmly grasping them, he readied himself. The vectors of the plane, of the energy, he could feel them. He breathed out as the robots approached. *"Everything forwards."* He thought, he willed. The ship shot forth with astounding speed, red and yellow streak in the dark tunnel. The hard light construct was sharp at the front, combined with the electricity that crackled around plane and the unimaginable speed, it cut through every robot in their path without effort.

"YEAHHHH!" Cain screamed excitedly as they barreled through the absurdly long tunnel. Robots exploded left and right as the plane first bisected their bodies and the electricity fired their circuitry. Unknown to the crew the ship had reached the end of their flight. The plane slammed into the cave wall sending the crew flying. Cain stopped himself at the moment of impact, eliminating the whiplash of the crash entirely as he hovered harmlessly in the air. He was quite sure that Pantheon and Uproar would be fine, considering they both seemed to have absurd durability. Both Shazam and the lanterns could take punches from Superman after all. "Oh man that was awesome, I can't believe we did that." He shouted excitedly as he looked back at their path of destruction, robot bodies strewn all over the ground. "It was like we were in an anime or something."

*Don't rip his fucking head off...*

Uproar had to remind himself. It took so much focus to keep his construct together during the sudden acceleration that Uproar couldn't prepare for the crash. Instead, he was sent crashing through the earth with enough force to shatter it completely. However, the immediate threat had been neutralized. So with a sigh, he managed to channel his anger into a crimson energy blast which missed Ryan by several inches. "Good idea," Uproar's voice was a bit more calmed. "But we don't have time to play around." He turned to Pantheon as the earth shook once more. "They're getting worst. And I doubt the other heroes have found it yet."

Uproar sighed. "And besides," He pulled out a phone from his pocket and took several pictures of the broken pieces. "This isn't good. Whoever is behind this has the funds or access to some serious tech. Shit looks almost alien..." Uproar turned back to his makeshift team. Things would only get worst from here...

Pantheon chuckled at the excitement of Cain. While he didn't show it as his teammate had, he did think it was quite cool to ride the super jet that merged their powers. The robots, however, didn't seem to enjoy it as they were destroyed left and right by the merged attack.

Pantheon looked at the images Uproar had taken. "Yeah, whatever these robots are, they mean business. They were able of fighting a lantern, a god, and a meta human with some really strange power. No offense." Pantheon looked at the image again. "Can you see an signs on the images? While I'm not sure if aliens follow the same system of slapping a logo on everything to make a profit, there could be some marker that helps tell an origin."

"Gah!" Cain flinched at the energy blast, holding his hands up defensively. "Hey look I knew you could take it. You're a lantern after all." Cain was quick to walk away, glancing at the robots they had dismantled. "Oh uh none taken. I like your eye lasers." Cain responded to Pantheon's remarks. As they looked over the scraps Cain grabbed a chuck with a symbol and some characters on it. "Hey umm Uproar or Pantheon. One of you guys can read most languages right? Cause I think this is Japanese but I'm not sure." He glared at it a little harder. Apparently watching subs didn't make it any easier to read.

Uproar zoomed closer to a peculiar logo on one of the scraps of metal. A strange symbol located right beneath the kanji. Above it were several letters large enough to see in between the kanji and the mysterious symbol, S.E.E.D. "Seeds?" Uproar repeated. He'd only heard that word in his botany class. "Japanese seeds?" He sighed. "The symbol above is completely alien. Whoever is manufacturing this is just the middleman. Kinda like how Apple devices use parts from Samsung."

The earth shook violently. "We can investigate further later. This shit is about to collapse." He started off without his newfound team, following the vibrations. Strangely, the lit tunnels lead them to a massive opening beneath the pacific coast. At the center was a metallic egg. The Red Lantern approached it. "Cain, Pantheon, this looks like the cause of all our problems."

Something is Pantheon's head was setting off. Japanese and high tech murder machines. While it is common in anime, seeing it actually happen was tugging at something in the back of Pantheon's mind, but the dire situation before them was preventing a total memory recall. Nonetheless, Pantheon looked over the egg. "I'm betting you are right." Pantheon flew up to inspect the egg from several angles. "I'm not seeing much beyond 'metal egg' on the exterior. The question is, how do we get to the interior without causing the west coast to fall into the ocean?"

"Guys I wanna touch this but I don't. Like I could break it probably but I don't know what it'll do. Do either of you have like super vision or something?" Cain asked worriedly. He reached his hands towards the egg and recoiled. It sucked to feel so useless in a situation, especially after that cool team attack they did. Cain walked over to the nearby wall and placed his hands against it. "I'm going to try and stabilize the area so that if we get another tremor I might be able to contain it." He breathed in as he began sensing the vectors.

Uproar released the communicator on his ear. Communication was key after all. "Good idea." Uproar nodded to Cain before looking to Pantheon. "Edgeshot said that it's likely set to explode if we try anything. However-" Uproar pointed his ring at the bomb, commanding his anger to form a crimson shield around it. "This should stop the shockwaves." Or so he thought. For another violent trembling took place. And due to the physical nature of his light, the sound both collapsed his construct and bounced back towards the source. Causing the egg to beep violently. Louder and louder. "I lessened that outburst but I don't like the sound..." The tunnel began to shake rapidly from the ends of the tunnel. "An aftershock?" Uproar thought. He lit up the nearby holes, revealing another few militia worth of mechanical men. Each wielding a variety of weapons and more imposing than the last. "Of course not. That'd be too fucking easy right?" He grumbled.

"Cain, you focus on keeping this tunnel together. Me and the Cadet will take out these metal men." Maybe if the west coast wasn't at stake he would've enjoyed this battle. But the stress didn't help. He launched himself at the robots with fury. Firing blast of crimson light from a considerable distance. He managed to pierce several but they continued to press onward.

"Y-you got it." Cain replied as he turned his full focus to the wall. He could hear the mechanical whirring behind him but payed it no mind. Uproar and Pantheon had this, they were like super beings. Right now his singular goal was to hold the damn earth together. It wasn't like he could actually grasp all of it but by manipulating the vectors of the area around the egg, he could severely damped the force of the shockwaves.

Cadet. Pantheon has long since outgrown that name. The only person who could call him Cadet and get away with it was Captain Marvel. Pantheon would even complain to the lovely Sergeant Marvel and especially Lieutenant Marvel, who Pantheon found annoying. "Alright Ringpop, let's do this!" Pantheon leapt into the nearest robot, which knocked it over. As he grabbed the massive spear the machine wielded, Pantheon blasted Omega Beams into its head, disintegrating it. Pantheon charged lightning into the spear he now had and threw it with all his might. The spear pierced through two robots before lodging itself in a third one. Pantheon fired off a larger optic blast in hopes of destroying more, but more machines kept flooding in.

The battle raged on for what appeared like an eternity. For every two robots they destroyed, six would emerge from the darkness of thee nearby tunnel. To make matters worst, if they weren't completely destroyed, new members of the metallic militia would incorporate their pieces and weaponry. Making them tougher as the generations continued to arrive.

Uproar leapt into battle. Firing crimson blast of burning rage at the metallic army. He melted several robots and blasted others to pieces. When one approached him, he weaved through its strikes before punching straight through its chest. With an opening, a crimson tiger pounced from his ring and mauled the approaching mech to pieces before dissipating. Red Lanterns all possessed a unique ability gifted by their ring. Uproar's, besides blood which burned hotter than the sun, had developed a unique skill. One which, according to Hal Jordan, would've made him a powerful Green Lantern...

Still, Uproar hadn't the time to think about training and the world of what ifs! He quickly struck down the mechs, making sure to remain close enough to the bomb that should any approach, they would get decimated. He leapt over an approaching missile, caught b the resulting blast which him flying into the nearby cave wall. Bam! A bone breaking punch to his stomach.

*These robots wasn't fighting like this several minutes ago.* He thought, holding onto the metallic arm dug deep into his body. Uproar regurgitated a blast of blood which disintegrated the robot's top half. Leaving nothing but legs and an arm. He stood up once more and entered the fray.

*Iris to Uproar! Listen, I don't need any attitude. We've found the detonator and Edgeshot is currently in the process of dismantling it. We've discovered that everything is connected to Larissa Luthor.*

*Which explains this happening several days after the Seattle HQ opened.* Uproar answered. *I heard that the Luthor's were trouble but...*

*We're in the process of downloading everything we can from her main computer. Hopefully she might know what happened to the league during that day.*

*Understood. Me, the cadet and the human can hold it down here. Just hurry, these robots won't stop coming.* Uproar hesitated before clicking to a more private channel. *A-and g-g-ood job Iris*

*I'm sorry....breaking...up...Uproar...Come..Uproar....Iris Out*

**Click**

Uproar sighed. Of course...as if gathering the courage to say that wasn't enough. He turned to Pantheon and Cain. "Guys, the others have located the detonator. They're working on dismantling it. We just have to-"

The bomb began to vibrate violently, interrupting the Red Lantern's report. It rapidly increased in frequency as the seconds past. Growing until the robots themselves shut down from the unique soundwaves. Then absolute silence.

"Finally! Some good fucking news!" Uproar tried to joke. Unfortunately the fates enjoyed bothering the trio, for the bomb opened up to reveal a massive tube. The final shockwave started outwards, shaking the earth above. But this was something completely different from the others which seemed to expand outwardly. No. It seemed like a doomsday function meant to erase all evidence. Rather than the entire city of Seattle, the construction site above would come crashing down-erasing all evidence.

Pantheon looked over the massive tube. "That thing is full of power, this won't be good for Seattle." Pantheon quickly scanned the tube over. "I can't see any place I can safely detach the main unit from, I can't just carry it out without risking it going off sooner."

Pantheon did hear what Iris had to say, however. Super hearing has its perks. "So the detonator is with them. In that case, maybe we should evacuate this chamber in case something goes wrong."

With the detonator now disarmed, the bomb finally gave out its dying wail. A sonic boom which erupted upwards, collapsing the earth above them. Uproar knew he would be able to save himself...but abandoning Pantheon and Cain die wouldn't be favorable among Hal Jordan when he returns. *Forget your feelings! Being a lantern means doing what is right despite what feels right!* Hal would always lecture. Uproar held his hand up, calling upon a shield to wrap around Pantheon, Cain and himself. He focused the excess rage, using it to create a cowcatcher attachment. Allowing him to effectively push further debris passed the trio. Several minutes of a collapsing cave, and Cain, Pantheon and Uproar stood on the surface once more in utter silence. The city, although damaged, still intact and functioning fully.

"We have to go get the others. They're at the Lex Tower." Upraor grumbled. Without waiting for his newfound friends, he jumped into the air and started flying off.

#### Beta Team

"Wait?!" Iris was suddenly thrown in charge. And when she turned around, she noticed that the mysterious man known only as Edgeshot had disappeared as well. Some first mission! "What was Uncle J'onnn thinking with this!" She screamed. Without experience. Without actually knowing each other! How could he hope that this team would succeed?! *What would Superman do!? What would Superman do?!* She clenched her shivering fist. "Come on. That'll be Alpha team. We'll be Beta team!" The rumbling earth beneath her began to crumble. "We'll be tasked with finding the bomb!"

"Who put this little girl in charge". Diablo thought to himself. "Yo, Iris. You need to calm all the way down, your leading for a reason, so chillax a scared leader isn't a leader at all". Diablo had felt kinda bad for iris being supermans protege to much may be expected of her too soon. "I wonder what Batman saw in me, some dumb kid from Bed-Stuy, well whatever he saw I guess its only right that I live up to whatever expectations he has of me". Diablo continued to think to himself he seemed slightly reserved he chose not to open up being shoved into a new situation and meeting new people wasn't his strong suit. He put up his walls choosing not to trust those around him for the time being. "Iris, I think we should get a move on finding this bomb before it y'know, goes off" Diablo jokingly said further increasing the nervousness of his new teammate.

Her earpiece flickered to life with the voice of Edgeshot. "Edgeshot here, Overwatch established. I have all of you on my scope. Unit leader, I can guide the rest of the group more efficiently through the city, at least until this building collapses. What are your orders sir?"

Edgeshot came in calm and professional over the radio. This was another operation for him, even if its aims were nowhere near what his usual modus operandi. A majority of the unit may be new, but it had at least one veteran among its ranks. One very, very experienced veteran.

"It's been going off this entire time!" Iris screamed a Diablo. The idea of leading this team definitely made her feel uneasy. Still, the fact they were coming together finally...she only hoped that Pantheon had the same luck. She jumped at the sound of Edgeshot. "How the hell-when the fuck-What the! Ahhhh!" Iris pulled at her head. To think this ninja managed to bypass them all and set up position. And than, when this building collapsed?! "If the building is going to collapse, maybe you should come down?" She said sarcastically. "No, you're the veteran. Okay I trust you. But listen, we might be new to this team thing...or maybe I am, but I'm expecting you to live through this. We can't fail this test."

Iris was of course nervous of failure. But she never really partook in team activities. So the idea of Edgeshot dying on their FIRST mission. Ugh. She looked to the tracker and touched her earpiece, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "The bomb is towards the outskirts of the city."

Another rumble. Dogs and wolves howled as a unique frequency radiated throughout the city. Gaining power from the massive steel structures around them. Still, only *certain* humans could discern it. It was a sound which used the idea of familiarity. A sound easily overlooked unless one had encountered it previously through tragedy.

"Don't fucking yell at me, little girl". Diablo's blood began to boil he felt the demon within him taking over. He quickly calmed himself he closed his eyes allowing him to reclaim his past calmness and bootleg back the anger. "Going off or not it's our job to do something about it". He listened in to Edgeshot. "Well, I guess its time to make moves then it's your call Iris, whats our orders o faithful leader". Diablo readied himself for the now incoming situation.

Violet had stayed quiet most of the time, her mind actually coming to terms with the whole situation, and what she had plunged herself into. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. But the constant nagging of this...Diablo character was pestering.

She zoomed over next to me, a smile hiding her anger visible. "Alright. Why don't you shut up and listen to Iris? She's been here longer than us, and I've seen her haul ass. Let's calm down."

Violet looked towards Iris and nodded. "What's the plan?"

Having said nothing; attempting to assess what she was working with and gather how long it'd take the team to get themselves together, Cassandra looked around at the people on her new "team" with eyes holding an almost motherly semblance of dissapointment. Nerves and bickering only made the situation more complicated than it needed to be. Plugging the trembling earth up with her own matter as it cracked and fissured under her feet until a course of action could be settled on; her level of aptitude with manipulating her biomass was unfortunately not yet at the level of the Martian, but it was more than good enough to be divested.

"About time really." Taking a deep breath and attempting futilely to push her incessant recollection of the deaths of her past team behind her; out of necessity, Cassandra scanned the small group, having witnessed this playing out before. Chuckling softly, Cassandra thought it was  ironic, after blaming herself as the "disease" that led to her team's downfall; she was there, standing as a *literal plague* on another team trying to foster a sense of togetherness. "Telling someone to calm down like that doesn't work either kid; and making her more nervous is the last thing we all need."

Hardly older than the white-haired Harlemer, Cassandra caught herself instinctively "kidding" yet another person; an old habit. Without giving him an opportunity to respond, Cassandra then turned to the tense leader; her anxiety and nervousness leaking out involuntarily as everyone looked up to her for her input, as *the* one in charge. The burden of leadership, especially in the first operation, if not properly mediated could break down even the best. Instead of just waiting for her to speak and building on the young girl's own internal tension, Cassandra decided instead to offer her an avenue to fully collect herself before speaking. "Iris, take a deep breath, count to three, and then do what you have to."

"Uh...Um...Thank you Violet." If not for the other girls on the team, Iris would have went totally Main Man on this little creep. But Cassandra was right...She took a deep breath and counted beneath her breath. "Everybody, please calm down. We'll deal with this later."

Beep! A message from...Uproar!? Followed by several pictures. Who'd think that THAT hothead would have already had Iris's number?! HOW did he have her number?! Not that she minded necessarily. They were a team and as Uncle J'onnn would always say, a team without communication is a team without success!

"Looks like the guys have found the bomb...But there's no way to disarm it from their end...It might be remotely controlled. I'd figure no one would risk staying underground an earthquake causing bomb." She touched the communicator in her ear. "Edgeshot, do you see anything out of the ordinary?"

"Aww, looks like we've gone from a team to a women's support group. Iris, to tell the truth, I could give a fuck about your feeling iris, and to be honest I don't trust a single one of you but, since we are on this team together and you are our captain, ill be as respectful as possible and I apologize for my prior remarks". Diablo stood forward, he showed respect and stood diligently in wait of Iris's orders."So what's the plan?"

Violet let out an exhale, trying to calm herself. "There was no statement at any time that would make it seem as if this became a women's support group. You need to learn to accept when you're in the wrong, you dip-- you buffoon." she ranted at Diablo, becoming tired of his 'insults', if they could even be called that.

Edgeshot winced as he heard the noise ring throughout the city, almost as if it was a signal for something. He swore he had heard it before, but he had no idea where.

"I don't see anything, but I have a pretty good guess as to where it might be. Move north 3 clicks while I reposition to get a better angle." Edgeshot said while he leapt from his rooftop, a strange contraption in one hand. It was almost like an umbrella, though its purpose was not to keep the rain off him. Several spokes pulled out of the rod as they pointed at various angles. A small jet started firing from each spoke. The device allowed him to fall great distances without harm, the thrust being enough to allow him to glide for a distance, even if it couldn't provide true flight.

Truth be told, he didn't know where the bomb was, but the only clue he had was that damnable noise. A noise which he could ascertain was coming from the north, almost as if it was helping them home into the detonator. He winced a further time as he fell towards the next building, as each pulse of the sound just got worse and worse. "I'll be in my next position in 3 minutes."

Iris disregarded the little devil who proved true to his name. "Ignore him Violet, we have a larger matter at hand. We'll deal with him when this is finished." She smiled at her friend before glaring at the brat. But another explosive tremor threw her attention. Things were getting worst and they were wasting time! Meanwhile Pantheon and the other two managed to already locate the bomb! She clicked her radio. "Copy that Edgeshot, the guys have already located the bomb, should we change our position?"

"The device is probably set to go off completely if tampered with, so we're going to be stuck trying to find the detonator. Considering the properties we know of the bomb, the detonator is almost certainly remote. Otherwise you'd risk the shockwaves damaging the detonator and causing the bomb to potentially disable itself. Combine that with signal propagation, likely the tunnel itself is the transmitter. You're going to want to find a tall building next to a construction site that is still working on the basement. And we'll likely find that to the north." Edgeshot transmitted as the sounds of jets could be heard in the background. "Least that is how I would set up such a device."

"You seem to know best!" She said playfully. "We'll close in and provide ground cover." She clicked her communicator, switching to the second channel. "Pantheon, Uproar and Cain. Edgeshot believes that the bomb is set to go off if meddled with. I'll take this team and help him locate the detonator. You guys focus on making sure no more freaky robots come out. And try to keep the...y'know, earth together." Iris looked to the others and sighed. "Come on guys, we're going to follow Edgeshot." And with that, she started northern towards a massive building. One recently built nearby.

"Violet, Cassandra, Diablo. Whoever's behind this has an army of robots defending the bomb. The other three are handling the situation as we speak. But we have to hurry and locate the detonator. Where would it be? If it's using sound, the bomb has to receive it through a building large enough to reach beneath the earth."

Diablo felt his anger drift away from his body now realizing he had angered his teammates. "What the fuck is wrong with me, I don't mean to be an ass but somehow I always am, its almost as though I have no control sometimes. Over time this blood is taking a larger and larger hold on me". Diablo stood with his head down as he continued to think to himself. "What's the point in stressing over it now, this is not the time, I just gotta get my head in the game and keep my mouth shut for the time being". Diablo shook of his stress and bad thoughts he laid back listening to Iris. "Hm, so they would have to be in close proximity to the bomb in order to detonate it, depending on the technology they have in there arsenal that may not be the case if they have an item that would allow them to detonate it from father than we thought possible, this could be harder than it seems they could be anywhere".

Kai noticed a large building that was in the area he was searching as he leapt from building to building, trying to figure out where this detonator could be. It was at this point he noticed the large building next to an open pit.

"Lexcorp... Why would they... This is their home base... Why destroy here?" He mumbled to himself as he aimed for a higher vantage point.

"The Lexcorp building fits the profile, but I would like to hope at least they aren't dumb enough to bomb their own building." Edgeshot stated as he landed on the roof of the building across the street from it. "You guys may want to get over here."

"LexCorp?" Iris repeated. "But isn't Luthor dead?! Shit, if he's still causing shit like this then we're in a load of trouble without Superman." She shook it off. *This ain't the time to be afraid Santos! Whatever Lex is planning, we're here to stop him.* Iris touched her communicator harder. "It makes sense. No one could point this towards them because they took collateral damage. Plus, I'm sure Luthor has several other buildings which have been insured here."

The world's largest insurance scam maybe? Regardless, she turned to her team with a grin. She was getting the hang of this hero thing. "Come on guys, LexCorp has the detonator. We have to break inside and find it. But-" The earth shook violently. Time was running out..She had a plan but to make such a judgement call...to think that she would be in charge of their lives...No! She can do this. The guys were down their fighting at Ground Zero without fear. *God I wish I had a Lantern ring dammit.* She touched her radio.

"I'd hate to do this but Edgeshot, go ahead and locate the source of the detonator. I'm sending Violet up ahead to join you." She looked to Diablo and Cassandra. "We'll join them, but first we have to get to the bottom of this."

Violet nodded. "See ya guys in a bit." she called out. She zoomed over towards LexCorp, looking for any sign of Edgeshot. "Edgeshot, I'm right by LexCorp." Violet began, touching her radio.

"I see you now," Edgeshot said as he prepared to make his descent. "I will be joining you shortly."

With that being spoken, Kai walked off the edge of the skyscraper, device in hand. He let gravity take control as he plummeted towards the earth. The only reason why he didn't splat on the ground was the jet he carried, which he fired at full throttle once he was 3/4ths of the way down.

He hit the ground on bent legs with a solid thud, joining the speedster at street level. He returned his high altitude assistant to its holster before addressing Violet. "Well, two of us should still be more than enough to clear the building Violet. Do uou want to stick together or split up once inside? I can work with either."

"It's up to you, Edgeshot." Violet responded. "I'm fine with either as well."

"Villains!" Several men screamed.hey were dressed in black suits and wielding all sorts of guns. Usually more information was required for this type of accusation...But the ongoing crisis made it important to shoot first and ask questions later. Besides, the type of equipment the male had in his hands seemed off. Besides, these were trigger happy buffoons. Buffoons who unleashed a wall of bullets towards the pair.

Violet spun around to face the group of screaming men, who had aimed guns towards them. As the bullets shot forward, she got to work. She blitzed forward, rushing about to grab every single bullet. The bullets were fast, but she was much faster. She managed to grab ahold of them all, crumbling them into a ball in her hand. She turned around, throwing it towards one of the men.

Click. Click. Click. All of their magazines were empty. "Quick! Retreat and call for backup!" The golden order. The men ran inside, preparing to reload their weapons. Leaving the entrance open for several minutes. Surely they would return with more dangerous weapons. From the glass atop, a small grenade broke through the window and landed beside Edgeshot.

Violet rushed over to the grenade, grabbing onto it and throwing it back towards the glass above. It exploded, leaving glass flying everywhere. Violet stumbled to halt, exhaling. She wasn't tired but exhilarated. She had almost died...but she was filled with adrenaline, a strange excitement in her. The rush, the fights...it all felt empowering.

"Edgeshot, we need to move now," she said, adjusting her flamboyant glasses. "Before more of them show up."

Edgeshot had barely been able to move before the speedster had resolved the situation. It made it painfully clear to him that unlike most of the people here, he didn't have powers. But there was one thing he had that most of them lacked, a reputation.

"Don't wait up for me, Hummingbird was the name you chose right? I can serve as an effective distraction. Draw the majority of the guards, leaving you and the rest of the group to search the place far more quickly than I can move." Edgeshot said as he started rummaging through his bag. "It will be the most efficient way to find the detonator in short order. Once it's located, we can reconvene to try and disarm it. Sound like a plan?"

Violet, the Hummingbird, nodded. "On your signal, Edgeshot."

“Just get going Hummingbird, I got this.” Kai said politely as he pulled a package wrapped in cloth. It was his old mask. Kai may not have had super strength, super speed, or any superpowers at all. But there was one thing he had that most of the others did not. He had a reputation.

“I never thought I would wear this mask again…” he muttered to himself as he unwrapped his mask. Hummingbird was gone by the time he started staring at the smiling face in his hands. A lifetime of sorrow was owed to this mask, but for now it had a new purpose.

It still fit like a glove as Kai brought it to his face, the mechanisms inside grasping onto his head to prevent it from falling off. It turned the quiet man into something a bit more sinister. The quiet hermit became a smiling demon, an Oni of yore.

Away went the gadgets, unneeded for this task, out came the guns, eager to blast. Twin pistols, each white as snow. His weapons to put on this show. One loaded with death, ready to put people into a grave so deep. The other loaded with life, to instead send them to sleep. The demon took a deep breath and counted to ten, for now it was time for the terror of Yama to once again begin.

Kai walked forward into the building, trailing his speeding ally. He had to trust her ability to find the detonator, after all she could search this building much quicker. The door was already shattered by the strength of the shocks, something he quickly capitalized on.

The guards were returning as he entered the lobby, twenty in all. But for Edgeshot to advance they all must fall.

“I would suggest running, little guards. Your lives aren’t worth the checks you’ve been paid.” He said out, the mask deepening his voice down to hide it from those above.

"Y-yama!" That named echoed across the radios. To think that the mysterious assassin known for his 100% success rate would be here of all time! During a crisis! But that would make sense. Strike when the target is surrounded by chaos. Use the craziness as a cover.

"Ms.Luthor has evacuated the building." A captain screamed over the radio. "Send over extra guards to protect the office. We can't allow him access any data. Gamma Squadron, engage from long distance!"

On command, lines upon lines of armed men appeared before the mysterious assassin. Each baring different weapons, they fired a rain of bullets with extreme prejudice. Usually people would do this out of loyalty or some form of payment. But the look of their faces showed that they stuck their fingers to the trigger out of fear. As if they stared death in the face. Each suit-clad man had heard rumors of the famous Yama. A human whose skills in espionage and murder was considered an art. A connoisseur of murder and slaughter. They would become the pigs and his hands the instruments of murder.

And so the two groups of men continued to fire without letting the demon a second to breathe. But the fear which washed over their body caused them to make several rookie mistakes. Eyes were closed. Heads turned. To think that one man could turn a group of bodyguards into cornered animals.

The bullets flew as the demon walked forward, yet each and every shot fired seemed to find no purchase as the demon swayed back and forth, as if he were a drunken oni out for their souls. Each and every bullet found itself impacting around him, even as they were aimed for his heart.

The gun of death was tossed into the air as knives numbered four appeared in the demon's hand. Each one sparked and crackled as lightning coursed through them in a sinister arc. But he held his hand for a moment, continuing to dance through the rain of lead and steel without a pause for the right moment. Fearing the reaper tended to make people panic, and panicked people don't plan. The guards hadn't staggered their shots, and the gunfire fell silent as all of them had emptied their weapons.

The knives disappeared from Yama's hands as quickly as they had shown up in the first place. Screams could be heard from the four guards being electrocuted from the sparking blades in their shoulders even as the thrown gun finished its descent into the demon's hand. Then Yama started to move, running towards the stairs to the second level.

Sixteen shots rang out by the time the demon had reached the base of the stairs, well-worn triggers reaching rates that neared automatic. Each shot placed precisely even as the guards scrambled for cover to reload their weapons. Eight guards crumpled down one after another even as the weapons of eight others exploded under the kiss of life and death respectively.

Yama didn't bother touching the stairs, running up the rails of the steps as easily as most would handle the flat ground. Faster and faster he strode, hitting a pace that Olympic athletes would struggle to obtain on the track.

He left the rails two-thirds of the way up, leaping towards a pillar underneath the second-floor balcony. A pillar he leapt up in a mere step. The first guard was about to call that he'd lost sight of the demon when a booted foot impacted the side of his head, slamming it into the opposite wall as Yama swung over the barrister railing into him.

One foot planted on the ground the demon twisted, grabbing the second guard as he threw him over the railing to the floor below.

The third and fourth charged him, knives attempting to pierce the Demon's invincible hide. Two thrusts in unison might have been able to overwhelm a lesser man, but not Yama. Two chops of his hands were all that were needed to turn the blades aside before Yama grabbed the two men by their faces. Their forward movement was halted with all the easy of children, and the last thing they knew was the death grip of the demon pulling them down to the ground, back of the head first.

The next pair decided that they were never going to reload in time, and had dropped their rifles in favour of drawing their side arms. Shots rang out towards the demon as he heaved one of his last victims up in front of him, shots impacting on the man's ballistic vest.

One body hit another as the makeshift shield of a man hit one of the assailants as the demon closed in on the other, shot after shot failing to hit him. Yama pulled the weapon to the side as he twisted, the man doubling over as a fist hit his gut before the second one hit him with an uppercut that lifted him off his feet.

The other man didn't even have a chance to recover as Yama's spinning heel kick caught him in the chest as he stood back up, slamming the guard into the wall.

All that remained were the last two guards, who had finally finished reloading some of their unconscious comrade's guns.

Yama didn't even slow down as the pair opened up on him, dancing and swaying between the bullets as he closed the gap. It didn't matter how many rounds they put down range, they would never hit him.

The first guard went down to a swift chop to the neck. The second one could be seen becoming more and more panicked as nothing he did had any effect on the demon bearing down on him.

The gun clicked empty once more as the demon pushed the weapon aside before delivering a powerful straight punch into the chest of the man, sending him flying backwards before he lay still in a heap on the floor.

Kai was slightly out of breath as he finally came to a halt. "I guess I'm a bit out of shape for wet work." He'll say to himself as he rubs his wrist. "Luckily those guards weren't particularly subtle. It's a bit more of a pain to dodge their shots when they aren't panicked."

Kai left the mask on as he walked further into the building, aiming to trace the pattern of the noise.

The building was silent. The familiar silence that stemmed from the cowardice of the surviving and the failings of the dead. To think that one man could cause so much chaos...it was as if Batman himself decided to become a professional killer. Regardless, now was the time for the master murderer to accomplish his task. A powerful ringing came from a nearby staircase. A peculiar frequency which caused the railings of the stairs to shake in a song that resembled a Christmas tune. From the concrete, one would feel the support beams of the building itself follow the unique vibration. The demon would know not only that the detonator was close, but that it had a source more foreign than originally believed.

*Kai, Kai come in!* A voice rang out through his communicator. It was Iris. *We've gathered sufficient data from the Luthor's master computer. Any luck on the detonator? We're ready to wrap up the mission on our end. Also, keep an eye out. There's someone named Yama in the building. We don't know who he is, but he's sent security into a frenzy. Do you need support?!*

"I haven't run into anything I can't handle, Miss Iris." Kai responded over his earpiece. "Every guard I've come across is currently unconscious or wishing they were. Though I must say, coming out of retirement was more demanding than I expected. Either way, I'm close. The device appears to be using the building as a transmitter. Probably Alien in origin. I'll attempt to disarm, no promises. And Yama won't be a problem. Edgeshot out." He finished with a smile.

Kai followed the signal through the building, coming to a large metal door secured with an electronic lock. He was almost certain that this is where the detonator was located. And to be fair, after all of the signals that were shooting out through the building, he probably didn't have much time to second-guess himself. Kai took one look at the lock before shaking his head. He simply didn't have the time to open this door with the lock.

He pulled another small trinket out of his bag of tricks, a six-inch wide metal plate that he quickly placed upon the door. He quickly twisted the outside of the device before stepping away to search through his bag once more.

This was a unique device given to him by his old employers to breach even the most durable of doors. A sonic device, it quickly located and resonated with an object's natural frequency, amplifying the signal to the point where whatever he used it on quite literally shook it apart. Not that Kai wouldn't help it along.

Kai adorned his right fist with a gauntlet of steel. From its backside, numerous plates crawled out to engulf Kai's arm. A strength enhancing device, this gauntlet would allow Kai to temporarily double the amount of power in his right arm, though he had to be careful as it did nothing to protect his arm from the backlash.

The demon took a deep breath as the door started to warp and wave under the sonic barrage ravaging it. He concentrated his inner strength as he pulled his arm back. Focusing all of it on the palm of his hand, he unleashed a devastating strike on the door, whose warped metal and joints failed under the powerful blow, the door breaking out of its track before falling into the room beyond.

Inside he found a device that was definitely alien and hooked up to something inherently human.

The device was completely alien in design. A massive hunk of smooth blackish metal with gold outlines. On top, several silver tubes with outward stretching chambers to amplify the sounds. It beeped in a strange remedy. One which only those who experienced it before could recognize it. It was something close to the machinery of Apokolips. However, the symbol branded on the front of the casing had a completely different design. Still, the machinery, to be replicated by humanity, would surely require an entire room of coolant and wiring. For this complex device to be nothing more than a typewriter in size...

Regardless, it released strange tunes and hums. As if speaking to the human standing in front of it. Perhaps if the assassin could speak in the complex language, he would understand that time was running out. In about several minutes, the machine will release the final song upon which, when picked up by the bomb underground, would finally bury Seattle. It started to chime loudly once more. Growing in both sound and frequency.

"Definitely Alien..." Kai said as he retrieved his sonic weapon. It had enough of a charge for one more use. "Can't let it continue broadcasting like this anymore, or everything is going to break."

"Iris." He said over the radio. "I found the detonator, definitely alien. I don't know the origin, but it's using a series of pipes to transmit its sound based signal to the building and bomb. I'm going to try and cancel out the signal long enough to disconnect it. You might want to get everyone else clear, I could easily make this worse if I mess this up."

Kai placed the sonic breacher upon the device in front of him as he pulled out an old datapad. One connecting wire later he started manipulating the breacher's functions in an attempt to modulate the signal in an exact reverse of the alien device. He'd have to be exact, otherwise, the device would be able to get off its final song. His eyes went dull, ignoring his sight to focus on his hearing and touch. his fingers danced across the datapad, each one hitting each key precisely as if done a hundred thousand times. the sounds of the device muffled and distorted as the device resisted, changing frequencies every so slightly as if it knew what was happening. But Kai noticed the pattern, and he adapted to it. Each time the device changed up its song, Kai reacted faster and faster, until he could predict what change was going to make. Predicting it so fast that quickly his device altered it's frequency an instant before the alien device could. By the time it's final dirge was to play, the program was fully in place. The device attempted to unleash its death wail, but nothing happened. No sound emitted from it as the sonic charge matched its frequencies exactly, except in reverse. This wiped out the signal entirely.

Edgeshot quickly went to work disconnecting the pipes from the device while his device kept the detonator at bay, quickly dismantling the transmission propagation. Then once he had disconnected the device completely, he picked up the detonator with a hefty grunt and started to vacate the room.

"I got the detonator out of the transmitter. I'm going to get it out of the building as fast as I can. Edgeshot out."

Kai removed his mask as he left the building, still hauling the oversized detonator on his shoulder. Unlike his hurried team mates, all he had to do was walk back out the front door. He did kick a few guards awake and suggested they collect their friends before the building collapsed on his way out, but he didn't pay them enough attention to what they did before he walked by and back into the lobby.

"I don't suppose any of you guys can pick me up down here? I kinda can't fly."

Did he want to swoop in and save her? Of course. Would he be able to do it? Not if the havens had anything to say about it! Still, this wasn't the time to worry about his own personal feelings. Instead, the Red Lantern darted across the sky and towards the source of his communicator. "I got you Edgeshot." Uproar arrived, punched through the window and offered his glowing fist. From which a bright crimson claw stretched out, allowing Kai to jump on. With the hero on, the Red Lantern turned away and flew the two towards the black jet which came their way.

Iris hated the idea that she was left alone with Diablo. But at least Cassandra was here to keep things calm. She jumped at the gunfire. She wanted to radio in...She had too...Her hands hovered over her communicator. *No, I'll only distract them. They got this, they'll be okay!* She reminded herself. "Come on team. We'll sneak in through the back entrance. We're going to try and either locate something that'll shed some light on Luthor." She guided them towards the back of the massive building. She quickly grabbed Cassandra and Diablo. Motioning for them to stay quiet for a second.

*Calling for backup. We have an attack on Ms. Luthor's life. Code Red. Unidentified speedster alongside an unidentified assassin.* The radio of a nearby guard roared. He quickly dashed off, wasting no time to help his brethren.

*Guys, please be okay.* Iris prayed. She motioned to Diablo and Cassandra to follow her as she ran off. They only had so much time. But Iris's adventures with Superman would serve as a guide for her journey throughout LexCorp.

Diablo followed close behind Iris with impeccable stealth. He readied his blade in his hand as an extra measure ready for anything. "Thank god for that stealth training The Big Bat made me do." As they got farther into the building Diablo looked for anything or room to shed light on this situation. "There has to be something here that can make this whole ordeal more understandable." Diablo looked around with a slight confusion. But aside from the confusion, he stayed diligent while in what may end up being enemy territory.

Due to her occupation in her previous life, Cassandra needed no prompting to carry out her duties; having been trained to behave calmly within this specific situation. Following behind her teammates silently, she observed the area; but attempted to harness the supernatural abilities she possessed and the strange..voices she would sometimes hear in order to assist in doing so. Focusing for a mere instant, Cassandra's "mind", if it still be considered as such, grew filled with voices, hushed whispers of vile contagions drowning out her own thoughts before: *harmony*. Extending her senses beyond the conventional, Cassandra "listened" around for any trace of plague; taking advantage of the fact that humans possess an inherent intimate relationship with micro-organisms and harmonizing the chatter within her own mind. Simultaneously, Cassandra's eyes peered into the otherwise invisible veil of the infrared spectrum, looking for anything suspicious within the room via residual or non-residual body heat while following the mission leader.

Gunshots. But this time the bullets were aimed at Iris and her team. For they managed to make it up several floors and encountered several guarded positions at the end of both corridors. To think that this new building was so heavily guarded. She ripped off a metal door and used it as a makeshift shield to deflect the oncoming barrage. "Cassandra, Diablo," She spoke from behind them. Shielding both from the hellish rain. "Anybody can take out those guards? We're going to head to Luthor's office. Whoever's behind this, they'll be answers there."

"I'll take care of the guards". Diablo cut his hand with his sword deep enough to allow for rapid blood flow. Out of his hand appeared several blood red snakes, seemingly made of his blood. The snakes lied in wait for instruction from Diablo. "I need you guys to bite and infiltrate each of there bodies, ill control everything from there, wait for the signal and take off." Diablo waited and listened until he heard the clicks of the now emptied guns. "Go now". They raced off in the direction of the guards doing as instructed. they soon heard screams as the snakes entered their bloodstreams, but soon they stopped. Diablo walked from the cover of the door to show the guards on the floor unconscious. "I had my snakes made from my blood take over their bloodstreams so I could cut off the flow to there brains just long enough to make them fall unconscious. Were all clear to go forward, on your order of course Iris."

Iris smiled. "Good job Diablo." She dropped the door and continued onwards, gracefully leaping over the unconscious bodies. Despite the violence, her blood seemed to flow rapidly from excitement instead of the usual fear. Was this the sign she was becoming a good leader? She would watch Pantheon fight and train, noticing that even in the midst of chaos, he kept his composure. Even the raging lantern seemed to exhibit some form of control. Perhaps..."LexCorp tends to design their buildings with identical layouts. Which means, if my memory serves right, the main office should be nearby. We're going to get to the bottom of this one way or another. One team is damage control. One focuses on disarming the bomb and we're going to gather information." She lead her makeshift team throughout the hallways, avoiding detection through clever manoeuvres until she stopped at a giant metallic door.

"The Luthor's aren't suicidal. She would've evacuated at the first sign of trouble. Which means her office should be empty. But be prepared, it's likely wired with a hundred different traps."

Hopping over the bodies on the floor subconsciously as if moving on auto-pilot with an effortless silence, Cassandra crept behind the head of the team. Ideally, if she was still in her old profession, she'd have simply "eaten" one of those guards and replaced him without batting an eye; but if she was meant to be a heroine she had to do things differently. Or perhaps, that was just the presence of her teammates talking instead; stopping her from relapsing into her old ways of thinking. Cassandra knew it was only a matter of time before her teammates caught her doing *that;* and despite the action's merits, it'd be unlikely to find someone on a superhero team that would sympathize with it. They, couldn't know that she.. had..*"ate"* people, to sustain herself before, ..even if only once, especially not a team with connections like these to the Justice League, or perhaps more specifically, the Batman. "Pretty likely, even more so if she had some part to play in this. I can get us past most biometrics inside...if you need it anyways." Putting that aside however, not sure of the full extents of the others' abilities and feeling like she was slacking, Cassandra offered to help in her own unique way.

"You can?" Iris was just about to bust down these doors and barge into the room gun blazing. But Cassandra's offer stopped her. A bunch of superpowered individuals breaking into Luthor's office during this crisis would give Larissa a valuable scapegoat. Iris was strong, but she thought several steps ahead. "Yes! Cassandra! Do your thing!" Perhaps they should've spent more time discussing their abilities. But now wasn't the time to ponder what ifs. Iris pressed the button next to the door which lead to a small screen popping up.

"This way we can leave no proof of our little investigation."

"Yeah do your thang, its better than my plan to bust in there and ask questions later." Diablo decided to take a back seat he sat back on the wall taking the chance to observe his teammates skills. He took the time to take care of his cut clotting and healing it almost instantly."Hm I wonder how long till those guards wake up, it does vary per person, well it still stands if they get up I can put them right back to sleep." Diablo thought to himself still careful and keeping his guard up considering their surroundings.

Nodding towards both of her teammates, Cassandra moved with an almost unnerving grace towards the screen; lacking even the slightest semblance of hesitance within her individual movements. As the tension apparently embedded in her personality began to dissipate, it became increasingly clear that she was a bit too familiar with this setting. "Stay out here, keep watch for any sort of cameras or further interlopers. Enter when I give the greenlight." Despite Iris being the mission leader, if she was going to do this she needed some sort of command for both her safety and theirs.

While usually perhaps Cassandra would have to do a bit of digging to bypass security, the target of this location, in particular, was far too esteemed of a public figure for her to have any problems with; as her facial features slowly adjusted themselves to adopt the visage of the one to whom the office belonged. Her goal, was to get in and get out, concealing all traces of her presence and removing all evidence that she ever came here.

Assuming the form and figure of one Luthor, "Ms. Luthor" pressed her finger against the scanner, watching the screen come alive as it immediately scanned her finger. However, there was no rumble or click of the door's lock, no simultaneous metallic grumble. *Double scanner, one obvious, other hidden.* One of the oldest tricks in the book, a trick that would easily throw off some of the most skilled field agents; and more than sufficient to stop the "average" above-average detective from gaining access. However, Cassandra was no novice, nor was she merely an above-average detective, looking straight ahead at what would appear to be a common wall, perhaps much to the confusion of her teammates. Having a unique level of familiarity with the machinations and security measures of "geniuses" gained from her previous job, Cassandra identified the hidden face recognition software embedded into the very external walls of the office, as the door's lock disengaged.

Pressing against the metallic door, "Ms. Luthor" opened the door with ease, feeling no additional weight behind the entrance, though to say that she expected elsewise would be tantamount to lying. Managing to slip into the private quarters of a Luthor,  she was privy to what would perhaps be the greatest scoop of a lifetime for any aspiring journalists or reporters alike. Entering the room, "Ms. Luthor" quickly took note of the room, a quaint office, leaning towards the more extravagant side of "unique"; a fully furnished mahogany cubicle sat directly opposite her, greeting "her" entry with her own desk, complimented and contrasted by the wine red's and chiseled patterns of the surrounding walls. Despite making her way in however, "Ms. Luthor" wasn't yet safe. From the very moment she entered the door, Cassandra's "ears" picked up on a faint buzz that would otherwise go unnoticed, if such noises were not usually indicative of hidden cameras.

Based on prior experience however, it didn't take much to reach the rather correct assumption that some of these cameras probably served as makeshift scanners, microphones, and motion detectors, ontop of mere recording cameras. She'd have to delete the logs of each of these cameras; just the office was more surveilled than even some military bases. Each camera was likely attached to a "deterrent", meant to stop the unauthorized from getting beyond a certain point; but Cassandra didn't feel in the mood for experimenting. Having mimicked the body of the woman from hard to soft biometrics however, Cassandra had little difficulty evading detection, as clearly the triggers for each "deterrent" appeared to simply not activate for Larissa specifically. Swishing her way across the marbled flooring of the office space with businesslike purpose, Cassandra headed to the computer behind the cubicle, sitting at the desk.

"Almost done", she thought to herself, cracking her fingers a bit before touching the trackpad of the system accidentally while looking for the mouse,  subsequently realizing it was no longer there. "..Come on, now that's just spiteful." Immediately activating some form of security check; another one, just to open up the computer acting as the mission's data terminal; Cassandra sighed mentally as the device scanned her once more, this one more sophisticated than the last; before finishing up with a password screen. Pulling out a small cipher, Cassandra plugged it in to a vacant USB jack, bypassing the screen and gaining access. From there, Cassandra accessed the network the cameras were placed on and deactivated them from within the network itself, before deleting the surveillance logs of her entry and replacing it with looped footage of an empty office.

Reverting to her original appearance, Cassandra walked back to the door, opening it up. "Alright, you two can come in, I disabled the triggers for the room traps; not particularly keen on figuring out what she had in store. Clear path to the terminal, all's that left is to upload the information."

Shocking. The sheer fact that this woman accomplished something so delicate in a mere matter of minutes...Iris knew, without a doubt, that she would've busted open the door and tripped *every* trap that was wired throughout the room. Deleted every giga or jigabyte of information. Alerted the military and several international security agencies all the while managing to cause an international incident between two major superpowers. So the young Czarnian breathed a long sigh of gratefulness that they had a Batman on the team. She tapped her foot inside, almost testing the water for nuclear missiles and alien laser beams.

"Y-you go girl!" Iris exclaimed. She entered the room fully and joined Cassandra alongside Diablo. The office of a Luthor. Iris visited one during a school trip during her seventh year. But this one seemed different. Superman always said that the Luthor's were a prepared people. And often practiced layers upon layers of security measures, with their primary weapon being a tactic called misdirection. Surely this office did just that! "There's more to this office than she's letting on." Iris whispered.

A tremor shook the walls, swaying the building side to side. They hadn't much more time....*What are the others up too!* She thought worriedly. *I hope the guys are okay.* This mission she co-captained...so much happened over the previous hour it felt more like a day had passed. She darted to the computer and pulled out a flash drive of her own and plugged it in. Still, there was a job to do! *The guys are keeping the city safe while Kai and Violet are locating the detonator. So that leaves the information gathering to us!* Iris might not know how to do whatever it was Cassandra did, but she's turned in enough school projects to know about dragging and dropping files!

Files began to transfer over at a surprisingly rapid pace. There was, of course, some which were layered beneath further security measures. However, Iris's flash drive had a program installed which would steal the recently accessed files. Two abbreviations flashed before her eyes before vanishing into another blast of data.

"It seems as if the Luthor's have been investing in genetic engineering and advanced robotics."

"Yama has appeared. I repeat Yama has appeared!" Iris heard over the radio. "Sending guards to protect the main office!

"Shit! Who the fuck is Yama?!" Iris barked, looking towards Diablo and Cassandra hoping someone would have answers. "I'm wrapping things up here. We need to hurry and find Violet and Edgeshot. Cassandra, Diablo, radio in and let them know they're not alone."

"Goddamn, that was fast as hell." Diablo entered the room alongside Iris. "So this is the head bitch's Office, I've only seen it in pictures, I've never seen it in person let alone ever gotten into the Luthor building." Diablo looked around diligently as Iris was extracting information from the Head Bitch's Computer.

"Oh shit." Diablo stood there as the tremors continued. Despite not having the best first impressions with the rest of the team he worried for there safety, especially violet. "Hope she doesn't get dragged out there, I wouldn't have anyone to argue with anymore," Diablo smirked

"I'm already on it iris." Diablo heard the guards approaching down the hall, once again wounded himself this time producing a significantly larger amount of blood, he soon formed what looked like 5 Dobermans made of blood. "Y'all know what to do." The dogs took off in an enraged speed. Soon you could hear a frenzy of bullets and screams from down the hall as the dogs attacked the guards just like before it got silent. "Yo Iris, I can go help out Violet and Edge if you don't need me here. Those dogs will most likely take out a dozen each injecting them with a small amount of my blood each, soon ill have complete control of there bodies, that should be more than enough firepower to take down the remaining guards and get the fuck outta here." Diablo began calling the guards to converge at his location soon almost 20 arrived all under his control. "Rather than radio in ill let them know in person. I'm ready when you are, Iris"

"Dammit Diablo-" Iris started. "I just needed you to radio Violet-"

As if she had been summoned, Violet turned the corner and reunited with Iris and the others. "Iris!" Violet exclaimed. She looked at Iris with a look of concern in her eyes. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Iris jumped. "We were just worried-" A radio transmission interrupted her thought. She held the communicator and listened attentively. Her face slowly melting into a glorious smile of victory! "Edgeshot managed to locate and disarm the detonator." Yes! Their first mission was a success and she could hear the city slowly but surely return to normal. Maybe this crack pot team had the potential to actually amount to something! She just needed to hammer in obedience and teamwork into Diablo. Of course she appreciated the ambitious nature of the young hero. However, she simply needed someone to radio Edgeshot. Creating an army of puppets would only give Luthor more security footage since Cassandra only broke into the office's mainframe. The Rocket Queen sighed.

"Diablo, I just need you to follows orders." She whispered.

To think that Lex Luthor as an ordinary human would be more than an understatement-an insult actually. For Lex Luthor's autobiography included chapters where he stood against Darkseid and outsmarted Braniac, two beings whose intelligence far surpassed the confines of humanity. So even if the apple fell far from the tree, Larissa would still exist on an entirely different plain than the average heiress. After studying thousands upon thousands of BAE cases, Larissa learned something so simple yet so crucial. Internal security systems were expected. So she implemented systems in one's workplace and office and made them hard enough to crack that potential thieves would feel like they succeeded. Meanwhile, implemented a secondary defensive system often overlooked due to humanity's obsession with whatever is inside *that* box. External protocols. Camera's located on the matching floor of the adjacent skyscrapers, each equipped with motion tracking and thermal sensors. That's right, Larissa brought out an entire floor of the building across the street and installed a completely separate security system. Whereas the camera's were initially tracking movement and recording information,

The camera's picked up twenty unidentified personal. Twenty new heat signatures entering the room. With the main system down, the secondary external system, unattached to the office's mainframe deduced emergency.

"Protocol INV, activated!" A woman spoke over the loudspeakers in the office. Suddenly, the doors upon which Cassandra worked so elegantly to hijack were slammed shut. Locking the small team inside. Panels in the wall opened rapidly, revealing several guns which emitted an invisible gas.

"Shit!" Iris cursed. It seemed as if they couldn't catch a break. She quickly ran to the doors and tried to rip through them with her massive strength. But to no avail. She felt weaker...weaker than normal. Almost sickly. *What's in this gas?* She thought. *It doesn't feel poisonous...and earth's toxins never hurt this much...Plus...we can still breath.* She felt her vision blur. They needed to escape. She turned towards her team, eyes shooting wide opening as a rocket flew towards the office.

"Guys! The window!" She screamed.

As the initiation of a security protocol was broadcasted across the loudspeakers, Cassandra quickly realized the gravity of the situation. Strangely, despite her getting into the office under the guise of Larissa herself and consequently making scapegoating the team that much more difficult, security measures were engaged. Based on accumulated experience, Cassandra's instinct's determined the likeliest possibility: the presence of external security measures of some sort that went unaccounted for. While legal action and the manipulation of the press was mostly out of the picture, there was nothing stopping Larissa from employing her own security. Barely having enough time to process all of this information even with the subconscious nature of these thought processes, Cassandra heard the whizz of an incoming rocket and Iris' concerned scream. Inhaling habitually despite her lack of need for a conventional respiratory system, she recalled her situational analysis abilities.

Moments to escape. A sudden *faltering* in the capabilities of a team member, an incoming rocket, and what would be logically the emission of a flammable gas. Diablo's triggering of the worst-case scenario; the scenario she specifically avoided. Processing all this information and more in the fleeting moments she had; Cassandra grabbed the mission leader and darted out towards the window in one fluid motion. Ramming against it with her shoulder, Cassandra shattered the structure with inhuman force in an attempt to escape as much of the brunt of the explosive's shockwave as she could; trusting that the rest of the team would know to do the same.

The office was lit aflame by the rocket, which collided against the steel door. The room filled to the brim with oxygen amplified initial fiery explosion into a hellish inferno with enough force that the heroes who leapt from the window would feel their bodies soar several feet further before actually falling. To think Larissa would go this far to ensure her safety.

Iris, familiar with the sensation of free-falling, still waved her hands in hopes that she'd activate some spontaneous evolutionary trait and grow wings. After all, her immense durability allowed her to survive deadly drops but this was no ordinary fall. This would definitely hurt times several thousands. She looked to Violet, Diablo and Cassandra...at least they made it outside the building. "Don't worry guys, we got this!"

She clicked a button on her belt, remembering the parting words of her uncle as he gave her a set of keys.

The key to a good method of transportation is one which works as an extension of the users mind. And once the advanced AI picked up distress signals followed by biological patterns which resembled plummeting, the jet quickly powered up and shot off to catch the falling heroes. In under a second, they were piled atop one another in a back seat. The black jet quickly made a U-turn and rose slowly towards where it located Kai, leaving a hanger open for the assassin to jump into.

Today was an official success.

## The Aftermath, Conclusion of a Crisis, Beginning of a Team

### That Which the Earth Unraveled

*The tragedy in Seattle has been averted. Although the source and solution of the crisis has yet to be discovered, the president has dispatched numerous federal agencies in a never ending investigation. During the attack, LexCorp Seattle sustained heavy damage, including an attempt on Ms Luthor's life by way of explosive. More at 5.*

Larissa turned off the news with a smile. Although her plan seemed like a failure, she found enjoyment in sadness. Now, was the time to begin building the foundation that strange green skinned merchant spoke of. Larissa turned around. "Meliss-" Her beckon trailed off as she noticed the different woman standing across from her. “What happened to my last assistant?” Larissa asked, swirling her crimson wine in her pointed glass. She sat with her legs cross in the massive chair once occupied by her father. Behind her, a massive window which showed the evening sun of Metropolis.

“The last girl,” Her new assistant spoke. A young woman several years Larissa’s junior with blonde hair and fair skin. “Perished in the previous accident. She was evacuating LexCorp Seattle ehrn the ceiling collapsed.”

“Oh...please send a memo to accounting that the wellbeing of her family will be top priority.” Larissa's grieving visage quickly shifted into a welcoming smile. “As for you, welcome to the company!” She quickly rose and started pass the young assistant. “Usually, geniuses tend to keep their secrets to themselves. However, the best assistant is one which can help me in all my endeavors. The only way to obtain complete loyalty from you is to show you the scope of my trust. Follow me.”

The two femme fatales made their way across the room, stopping before a painting. The bowtie of the man opened up to reveal a blue scanner which shot a beam of light into Larissa’s left eye.

“Larissa Luthor, identity confirmed. Good morning.” The painting open to reveal a massive elevator which shot downwards. Of course she would need an elevator to ‘’that’’ laboratory. Several seconds later and they were well beneath the earth.

“Welcome to Cadmus Metropolis.” The giant metallic doors opened to reveal a massive lab. Covered in metal with thousands upon thousands of tubes and rooms. Larissa walked out. Strolling past men and women in lab coats. Caged animals. People being experimented on. It looked something out of a futuristic movie. “Founded by a brilliant scientist and professional thorn in my father's side, named Dabney Donovan. He funded numerous studies into genetic engineering and other forbidden fields in a foolish attempt to become God. Luckily, before his *untimely* death, my father managed to become a majority owner of Cadmus through several shadow accounts and hidden algorithms. Afterwards, he moved the headquarters to Metropolis, putting it here, in his basement for safekeeping.”

They continued down the hallway. Passing hundreds of tables. Larissa knew not a single person, but she owned every single ounce of genetic material. “Now with my father's own passing, I’m the owner of this twisted Wonderland. And I continue to support the chaotic dream that my father and Mr Donovan possessed.” Finally they made it to a separate room located at the left of the main lab. She pressed a button which lead to an open door. The room lit up and at the center, a tube. A floating ball of flesh was suspended in a jelly like substance. The tube itself, hooked up to thousands of chords each leading to a different machine.

“A dream which has been instilled in humanity since the ancient Greeks and Romans discovered space.” She joked. “Foolish men and their desires to become something more than human. But who am I to neglect our genetic goal?” She approached the tube and rubbed the warm glass before turning to her assistant, whose face turned from the sense of wonder she had walking through the laboratory to a face of pure curiousness.

Larissa stepped away from the tube and towards a nearby control station. “My father’s obsession with Superman was a foolish one.” She clicked a button and a giant screen lowered from the ceiling. “Why obsess over a Kryptonian when there are Gods among us?” On the screen, a muscular warrior battled the kryptonian hero high above the ocean. Each clashing fist created small shockwaves that disturbed the water hundreds of feet below. They were training, two fighters filled with laughter and charisma. “Do you know who that is, fighting Superman?”

“Captain Marvel.” The assistant answered. “But I always thought he was an alien.”

“My father has dealt with the Justice League for several decades. He has accessed their information and individual files countless times. His real name is Billy Batson. And he was bestowed the power of the Gods themselves through the usage of a special word. Shazam.” Larissa crossed her arms. “What do you think happens to his genetic code when in this form? Magic or not, as Captain Marvel, he is no longer a human. The powers of the Gods have to alter his DNA, give his body the instructions needed to sustain itself. The genetic code to a body comparable of the Gods themselves.” She chuckled. “As one would expect from a being capable of beating up Superman, he lacks the weakness which would have allowed my father to obtain any useful material. Gods aren’t weak to kryptonite. And in his human form, we could only create humans.”

Larissa pressed the button once more. A tunnel located beneath the city of Seattle. On the screen, several beings seemed to be surrounded by the same robots found walking throughout the laboratory. “Although my original plan of drawing the Martian Manhunter to us failed, I’ve obtained quite some useful information. And information is power. That metahuman we planned on capturing seems to be on some team. Wouldn’t shock me if Martian Manhunter created this Jr. Justice League to hold things down till the adults get back.” She pressed another button. One screen was an assassin and a speedster dealing with a square box. Next, a white skinned skimpy clad girl and her white haired boyfriend. Once more, the screen changed back to the tunnel. At the center a Red Lantern. “Red Lantern Uproar. Was hoping he would’ve died with Hal Jordan. Those Lanterns, who gives them the right.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. Look closer. What do you see?”

“A blonde guy?”

“On his chest.”

“A thunderbolt.”

“Yes. Cadet Marvel also survived that attack from those shadow monsters. Just as a snake hunts the eggs of the hawk, we have harvested the young of the Marvels.”

“Meet our genetically originated daimon. Project G.O.D.”