The Brave and the Bold 2040

GlitchGirl · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:03 pm Post subject: The Brave and the Bold 2040

I bounced this idea off of almediapusmc a while back and he seemed to like the idea. Since there was mention of Superion's fate, I figure I should get started. I do want to try to illustrate this sometime in the near future, but if PoJ is any indication, it's going to be a while :oops:

However, I can at least share the story in text. Hope you enjoy it, if anyone actually checks this forum that is.

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The Brave and The Bold 2040

[1]

"I have a bad feeling about this. It feels like a trap."

"Might be."

Sharon, better known as the Green Lantern, stopped short and stared at her temporary partner, the latest person to wear the scarlet speedster mantle. "Wait-" she said bluntly, "Let me get this straight James. You think it's a trap, but you're the one who insisted on coming in the first place?"

"Um... yeah?"

"Why?"

"I just... had a feeling. That's all."

"A feeling?" Green Lantern shook her head. "You are so green."

"Actually, I thought you were the-"

"Shut up."

Flash sighed. So far he was getting the impression that Green Lantern would rather have her stomach pumped than work with him.

He glanced at the message again:

"Riddle me this:
Can you pier over the water for to see
what Superion's fate might happen to be?
-?"

It had arrived a few hours ago at their headquarters in the form of a small note that had inexplicably appeared on their meeting table. He'd heard about the Riddler and how she worked from the others and this was certainly her M.O. The message was a test and he were about to find out if they'd passed.

He'd insisted on investigating it, despite protests from a few of the members, and finally the team agreed to let him go, provided he had backup.

"We're here," he said at last. "Pier 42, building C. If this isn't the place..."

"If it's not the place, then we'll revoke your mensa card. You ready?"

He nodded and they opened the door.

The inside of the building was dark and empty. Anyone who had been using it had long since cleared out, leaving the floor absolutely bare except for a single oddly shaped metal box.

"So what do you think?" whispered Flash as the two peered in from the doorway, "A bomb?"

Before Sharon could answer, the box on the floor started to hum and a shaft of light burst straight up out of the top, forming a human shape that rippled on the edges. It was a holographic image of a woman dressed in green with purple question marks across her jacket. Both her hands rested on a silver and black cane as she regarded the two heroes with disdain.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever figure it out," she remarked. "Please come in. We have matters to discuss."

Flash and GL exchanged looks.

"The Riddler, I presume?" James asked cautiously.

The holographic woman gave the cane a theatrical twirl as she bowed to the duo. "In the virtual flesh. And you must be James Addams West and Sharon Gardener, or would you prefer I call you by your working titles?"

"Actu-"

"Look," Green Lantern cut in, "just tell us what's going on already."

The Riddler seemed unimpressed. "Tsk tsk tsk, so rude. Just like your father. What would Superion say?"

Sharon's mood turned even colder. "That's not funny. He's dead."

"Really," the hologram said offhandedly, "Then I guess all that life support equipment is just going to waste."

Sharon stopped "...what?"

"But you said you wanted to know why I called you here first, correct?"

Green Lantern felt a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Better let her talk" James said in a low voice.

"Wise boy," Riddler smiled. "Now... the reason I called you here was for an exchange of... favors, shall we say. I do something for you, you do something for me."

"What... kind... of favor," growled Green Lantern. She wasn't in the mood for making deals.

"Simple really. I want you to take Superion away from Luthor."

Sharon's jaw dropped.

"In exchange for information on where he is currently located," the Riddler added with a smirk. "That should be a sufficient fee."

"But..." Sharon stammered. This was the last thing she expected from the information broker. And Superion was... alive? The last time any of them had seen him, he was battling his sister and then nothing, not even the faintest trace. She thought she'd lost him, was convinced she'd lost him and now...

Through the numb haze she heard the Flash speak up. "Not to complain or anything, but why are you helping us?"

"Oh it's not altruistic motive, I assure you," the Riddler purred. "Riddle me this: how do you hurt someone?"

"Um... with a really big stick?"

"Heh. Cute, but not quite. No, I'll give you this one. You find something that's going linger. If you kill someone, they haven't learned anything from the experience, except what the next life holds if you believe in that kind of thing. No, you have to tailor it per person. It doesn't have to be physical. Mental and emotional is often better at leaving scars than mere violence. You want something that will leave a constant reminder every day."

"As you know, I don't take sides," the Riddler continued as she started to pace the holographic body back and forth. "In fact, your friend Darkwing was a customer of mine. Had a lot of potential which is why I usually dealt with him directly. Shame what happened to him. However, more importantly is why it happened to him."

"Why?"

The Riddler stopped smiling. "Darkwing was acting on information I gave him. Information I delivered personally. That information turned out to be part of a trap, and a very deadly one. One of my customers had taken in upon himself to hack into my database and manipulate the data to serve his agenda, something I have taken even further safeguards to avoid happening ever again. However, when one deals in information and word gets out one may no longer be a reliable source... well, that's bad for business."

"So, Luthor did it," nodded the Flash, "and you want us to help you with payback."

The oily smile came back. "Very good. There's hope for you yet. Luthor's pride is his weakest point, especially now that he's got himself one of his worst enemies on a table to study and dissect at his leisure. It would be such a shame if he lost his little prize, now wouldn't it."

"So why don't you send one of your own people in?"

"My sense of irony. And the fact that you two are far more prepared to deal with Luthor's defenses than anyone I can send."

"And she thinks we're more expendable than her people," Green Lantern added under her breath.

The hologram apparently heard her. "Perhaps you're sharper than I thought."

There was a "cli-click" from the base of the projector and a small memory stick popped out.

"This is the complete schematic of the building security protocols," the hologram said, indicating the card at her feet. "Your friend is on the third subbasement level. I've included pass codes to allow you to pass through most doors; however it'll be up to you to get past all the other potential obstacles. I'm sure you'll think of something. Do we have a deal?"

"And if we say no?"

"Then your friend remains at Luthor's tender mercies. And you know what a kind and caring person he can be."

Sharon glared at the Riddler for a moment, then reached out an energy field with her ring and snatched up the memory stick.

"Good," said the Riddler. "I see we have a deal. Pleasure doing business with you. And if you have any further questions, well... you'll just have to answer them yourselves."

And with that, the hologram flickered out and the projection device gave an odd creak before breaking down into its component molecules and leaving a small pile of dust and the meeting was over.
_________________
"Flash, quit heckling the supervillain!" - Green Lantern
The Ether Forge: http://www.stkp.com/POSER/

almeidapusmc · Forum Member Joined: Nov 07, 2004 Posts: 28

I'm drooling!!!! What happens next!!

kmw · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 12:57 pm Post subject: Re: The Brave and the Bold 2040

Nice work.

Josephus · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 9:11 pm Post subject:

Very nice! I look forward to seeing where this is going...

GlitchGirl · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 8:06 pm Post subject: Re: The Brave and the Bold 2040

(needs editing, but just to let you know I haven't forgotten about this)

[2]

The security guard at loading bay 6 of the LuthorCorp building sipped his coffee. The caffeine helped keep him alert in what was a mostly routine job, and he wasn't about to complain. The pay was good though the hours were a little rough. He though-

There was a streak of red that went so fast his brain didn't even register it and then everything went black.

The Flash gently lowered the unconscious body of the security guard to the ground out of sight. It took him less than a second to search him to find what he was looking for.

"Got it," he said, tossing her a small key card.

"Good," Lantern nodded. "Let's get inside."

She checked the name on the card, then swiped it through the service door card reader and punched in a series of numbers. Something inside the door made a metallic "Clunk"

"Codes match," she said. "So far Riddler's data is accurate. Let's go, we only have a few minutes."

She pulled open the now unlocked door, tossed the now useless card over her shoulder, and the two entered the loading bay.

Rows of boxes were stacked halfway to the ceiling, making wide corridors between each group. The pair ignored them, making a b-line to the far back wall.

"Check for-" Sharon began

"Got 'em,"

She glanced over at her partner and raised an eyebrow.

"You were going to ask to check for cameras, right?"

"...Yes."

"I just did. Nudged a few of them so they weren't pointing our way, so we should be good."

"Good, just don't get cocky."

"uh.. okay," he added weakly. "Um, this is the spot, right?"

"Let's hope so," said Lantern grimly. Using her ring, she made a fine beam of energy that cut deep into the bare wall. After a few moments, she hauled out a six foot cross section of sheet rock, metal reinforcing, and other building materials and set it aside.

James peered into the darkness.

"Well?"

"It's AN elevator shaft," he answered. "Looks like it goes down pretty far... Car's overhead. We've got a clean shot down."

"Right. Hold still."

The Flash felt something slide under his feet as a green bubble of energy surrounded him. One of these days he was going to have master some form of flying, but for now, he'd have to rely on GL for a lift.

The two of them descended quickly into the gloom, the only coming from Lantern's energy field. Overhead, the dull grind of machinery echoed though the shaft.

"Riddler's diagram said it was the third sub basement."

"How many sub-basements does this place have?" asked James.

"Too many."

"Can you go any faster?"

"Sure speed demon. I can drop you. That'll be faster."

"On second thought, take your time," he laughed nervously. Sharon wouldn't drop him, right?

"Never mind, I think we're here."

The two hovered level with a set of reinforced elevator doors.

"This thing says there are two alarm senors on the other side on opposite sides of the room. You have a total of five seconds to enter the disarm code on both of them before they detect you. You go the codes?"

"Yup," he answered, taking a deep breath to focus himself and started to shake. He was partially aware of the bubble around him changing shape. The world started to fuzz as he molecules began to vibrate at faster and faster speeds.

He moved forward...

First there was the awful sensation as his molecules slid between the gaps in the door ahead; he knew he couldn't breath and he dare not stop unless he wanted to become one with metal and cement in a very final way, he just had to keep moving forward. And then there was an almost blinding light as he emerged on the other side. Time to pull himself together.

Blast it, took an entire second to stabilize. Gonna have to work on that. What were those codes again? Oh yeah, 41735.

And 41735 over here too.

BOOP {Please Re-enter your code}

Crud, too fast. Gotta slow down a little. Wonder how long I have left?

BOOP {Approved - System Disarmed}

BOOP {Approved - System Disarmed}

Whew.

He went to the closed doors and rapped on them twice with his knuckles. He was answered by the grind of doors being forced open by a glowing green jaws of life.

"Any problems?" Sharon asked as she landed next to him.

"Nope," he answered brightly hoping the mask hid the sweat on his forehead.

"Good. This way. And watch it, this thing says there's wandering guards on this level."

"We know which room he's in?"

"Central lab," she said as she doggedly marched ahead.

James considered asking if she was sure when one of the aforementioned 'wandering guards' rounded the corner a few yards ahead. He wasn't your typical rent-a-cop variety of guard; this man looked dressed for a heavy riot situation.

Sharon didn't even break stride. She raised the ring and a block of green force rammed into the guard, slamming him against the wall where he slumped down unmoving.

I've never seen her this focused, James thought as a second force ram flattened the guard's partner against the ceiling as he entered her field of vision. Hope she doesn't do anything rash.

She continued on, hovering a few inches above the ground now to avoid the virtually invisible laser tripwires that lined the next hallway. Flash noted with some small annoyance that she'd apparently forgotten him, shrugged, and ran along the wall to avoid the triggers in time to watch another guard fly past like a rag doll.

Eventually she stopped in front of a heavily armored metal door.

"Did Riddler give us the security codes for-" Flash began.

Sharon frowned and loosed a claw shaped green force that dug deep into the metal and began to wrench it loose from its frame.

"-this one? GL, what happened to stealth?!"

"We'll be out of here with Superion before they can do anything. Move."

The remains of the door flew past the Flash who deftly dodged out of the way. Sharon was letting her emotions run the show. The three lab techs in the room didn't last three seconds; she swept them aside with a green force like someone housecleaning with extreme prejudice. James darted past her and caught one of the techs before he landed and snapped his neck and then put him out a little less permanently. The thought of killing someone in cold blood was something he avoided.

"GL, chill! We're here to get- Oh man..."

They'd found Superion.
_________________
"Flash, quit heckling the supervillain!" - Green Lantern
The Ether Forge: http://www.stkp.com/POSER/

almeidapusmc · Forum Member Joined: Nov 07, 2004 Posts: 28

Glitchgirl this is sooooooooo good. This is tied with Infinite Crisis in my mind!

GlitchGirl · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:49 pm Post subject:

[3]
In a lab in another part of the LuthorCorp building, a small red light began to blink.

The lab's owner paused from his work, put down his scalpel, and called up some information on a nearby computer screen.

{SECURITY BREACH, SUBBASEMENT 3 AREA ALPHA 1}

He smiled. Something new to play with.

--------------------------------------

The body on the table had a wasted look about it.

Needles and discs connected to tubes, medical devices, and wires stuck out all over the body, even though the metal clamps that held the victim to the table. It was completely naked and the head had been shaved clean to allow for more contact points. Though the face appeared asleep, the sunken eyes and lines indicated that drug induced condition did not allow real rest. Days and weeks of nourishment through only IV tubes had begun to take their toll as well, giving the body a gaunt look despite its obviously toned frame. Recent stitches crisscrossed the torso, souvenirs of recent exploratory surgery that wasn't healing well. And worst of all, the skin had a faint greeninsh-grey cast.

In this state, the body was barely recognizable as Superion.

Green Lantern looked down in horror. What had they done to him?

She heard James' hushed voice say "Sharon, is he..?"

"No... I think... I think he's still alive." She had to keep it together. The medical sensors around her were showing heartbeat, blood pressure... no stitches on the head, Luthor must have left the brain intact. Of course he would, she thought bitterly, Luthor'd want him to experience everything, bastard.

He eyes fell on one of the IV feeds. The contents of the drip glowed a faint green.

"Kryptonite," she breathed,

"What?"

"They're feeding a green K solutions directly into his body."

Flash looked down. "Crap... That's just sick."

GL took a deep breath. "Let's get him out of here."

"Right-"

"Slowly."

Flash stopped. He already had five or six sensor contacts dangling from his hands.

"In case one of those things is all that's keeping him alive," she added gravely. "We don't know how bad off he is."

"Gotcha," James nodded.

She wanted to cry as she drew the needles from his arms but she knew she had to be strong. Superion had been strong and now he needed her strength. She fought off the sobs by thinking about Luthor and what she'd do to him if she ever got the chance and the anger flared up inside her like a blowtorch burning away her tears.

By now, Flash had managed to carefully sit him up and draped him in a sheet he'd found who-knows-where. Superion was still unresponsive and unmoving. Sharon knew they'd have to carry him out.

"James," she said in a quiet voice, "I'll take him."

The Flash met her eyes and stepped back to give her room. Extending her hand, she willed a soft field of green that enveloped him in a protective bubble and lifted him from the slab.

Suddenly, there was a face in front of her - masked, emotionless, bright yellow.

It was Zoom.

The next second, the table next to her broke apart with a spray of wood and shattered glass beakers and Flash was standing in front of her in a fighting stance.

"Get him out, NOW!" Flash yelled before both he and Zoom vanished in a blur.

He was moving faster than he ever had before, dodging and weaving through the hallways of the Luthorcorp subbasement, and it still didn't feel fast enough. Zoom seemed to ghost in and out as he slipped between seconds using the time devices built into his costume. The next attack missed, as did the third, Zoom seemed to know they were coming before he did, always a split second ahead.

And then, Zoom struck.

James barely managed to dodge the brunt of the blow, instead of hitting him in the chest, it landed against his shoulder and spun him off balance. If it wasn't for the speed force around his body, he would have been pulped against the nearest pylon, but instead he rolled with the impact and was immediately on his feet again trying to catch up, ignoring the throbbing pain in his shoulder.

He's going after Sharon again, James thought. Can't let him. She's tough, but not fast enough. I am. I have to be.

He poured it on, letting the speed force carry him onward. Zoom changed course and was coming at him again.

This time the shot was aimed at Flash's head, shattering one of the lenses in his goggles. James's head reeled and he stumbled, trying to stay focused. He barely managed to veer off before he hit the closed security doors ahead of him. He cursed - he'd tried to block this one, but Zoom just ghosted past between nanoseconds.

Gotta stop him. Gotta make sure Sharon gets out with Superion.

He pushed himself harder, forcing himself to go faster. The world blurred by as he raced the man in yellow who wanted to kill them both. As he fought to keep up, he saw Zoom change course again, heading right for him once more.

James was fast, but Zoom had time on his command.

I can't catch him. I can't beat time...

But Wally had beaten time. And Barry. and Jay. It was part of the name. If you were the Flash, you WERE speed.

The Speed Force was all around him, he used it, manipulated it, but now, he let it carry him and let go of the world and its limitations.

It was like riding a wave, James flowed with a current within the force, allowing it to carry him faster and faster.

NOw, he WAS speed.

It almost looked like Zoom was standing still when Flash's fist made contact, but the force behind the punch was unbelievable. Half of Zoom's mask shattered instantly as he flew back, hot shards embedding themselves deep in the walls. Zoom went falling out of the time slip and crashing through several walls before slamming to a stop against a support column.

James could barely believe it. Zoom was down!

And then, his leg betrayed him.

The strain had been too much, the old injury reasserted itself and old cracks flared anew.

Flash bellowed in agony as his leg collapsed under him in blinding pain. He landed on the floor near the damaged wall, clutching his leg.

Not now! Please, God, not now!

A shadow fell across the injured Flash. He looked up.

Zoom loomed over him.

James had never seen his face before but now half of it was revealed beneath the busted mask. He looked younger than James expected, and even more cold. A single eye visible from under the damaged mask regarded him with anger, contempt and icy bloodlust. Blood trickled down from a deep gash in his cheek and a busted lip and there was blood elsewhere on his once pristine yellow uniform, his sudden trip into real time having taken a heavy toll on it and his body. Small wisps of smoke flowed from his boots where his time device, overloaded by the sudden jolt into real time, were probably little more than just heavy decorative boots now.

Zoom smiled - it was a smile without warmth that promised pain and retribution tenfold.

I hope Sharon got away, James thought, even if I don't get out of this alive, I just hope they got away.

As he lay among the wreckage of the wall, Flash braced himself for what he thought was the inevitable...

...when a force of green blasted Zoom across the room.

"You know something Zoom," snarled GL, "My father was called 'Warrior'. Want to see why?"

James turned. And stared.

Sharon was wrapped in a ring construct that looked like a cross between a battlesuit and a portable weapons platform. Her eyes practically burned green as she glared out at the man in yellow.

The next moment, all hell broke loose as everything fired at once in a deafening roar.

Zoom tried to activate his time device, causing his boots to sizzle and spark a split second before GL onslaught inundated him with weapons fire.

When the smoke finally cleared, what had been left of the room before was now complete rubble. It was impossible to tell if Zoom escaped or was nothing more than a charred smear beneath the masonry.

"Are you all right?" James heard her ask.

"Fine, I- gnnngh!" he winced, face contorting in pain.

"Yeah right. Don't move. Looks like I'll carry both of you."

Flash nodded. It was easier than talking.

"And good job," she added smiling down at him. "You stopped him."

"No... Didn't stop-"

"You did," she said firmly. "Believe me. And don't argue with me. Just hold on Flash. I'll have us all back home in no time. Just hold on."
_________________
"Flash, quit heckling the supervillain!" - Green Lantern
The Ether Forge: http://www.stkp.com/POSER/

GlitchGirl · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject:

[Epilogue]

Sharon leaned on the glass as she looked into the treatment room.

Superion lay on a medibed asleep, but looking far more peaceful he did when she found him two days ago. His skin had gained a more healthy color now that the Kryptonite solution had been purged from his body and even a small stubble of hair was starting to appear across his scalp.

He'd only woken once since his rescue. She had been there too. He was too weak to talk, but she could see in his eyes and the way he tried to smile that he still recognized her. The doctors said the body would have a full recovery in time, but until then, there was some question about his mind.

As far as she was concerned, that question had been answered.

"How's the patient," a voice behind her asked.

"Better, Flash," she answered, "Still resting though. Might be another day or two before he'll be awake enough to have visitors."

"That's good," said the scarlet speedster.

"How's the leg?"

"They say this'll come off in another few days at the rate I'm going," he grinned and gave the soft cast around his leg a tap. Most of the damage was healing rapidly, one of the advantages of a hyperfast metabolism. "Which is good. It itches. A lot."

GL chuckled a little. "You know something Flash?"

"What's that?"

"Hate to say it, but I guess we make a pretty good team after all."

"Well... you know, with Barry and Hal, Wally and Kyle... we got a reputation to live up to."

"Mm-hm."

Flash leaned on the window pane next to Green Lantern and the two of them watched over Superion as he continued to sleep and maybe even dream.

-------------------------------

"Well well well... Mr. Luthor. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

The face of Luthor on the monitor glared at the Riddler. "You know what this is about."

"I'm afraid that's a little vague, Luthor. I know a lot of things."

"The Superion files!"

"Ah yes. I do believe I know something about a certain set of files that used to reside on your servers."

"They're completely corrupted! No one can extract anything from them!"

"Consider it a hack for a hack Mr. Luthor. You corrupt some of my data, I corrupt some of yours. And it's not like you can't recreate those experiments on the poor man once again."

Luthor was silent.

"Oh you didn't go and kill Superion now did you?" Riddler chided. "Or perhaps you misplaced him among your other pretty baubles."

"I want. The files. Back."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"WHAT?"

"Oh I do have them. But I'm afraid you're no longer a customer."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"No. How dare YOU assume that you can still do business with me after breaking into my systems and changing my information. I'm neutral ground Mr. Luthor. Remember that."

On the other end of the line, Luthor seethed.

"However... I am a very forgiving woman," the Riddler continued. "I am willing to give you another chance. Your account with me can be reinstated, and I might consider selling you some useful tidbits... at slightly more than my usual fee."

"...What's the catch?" Luthor demanded icily.

"No other catch. I should hope you've learned your lesson about playing with my files. Up until recently, you've been a very reliable client. However, if I get wind of you trying a stunt like this again, I have enough information stored away off network to not only destroy you, but your entire empire as well, and that would be so messy. Now, do we have a deal?"

"..."

I said, do we have a deal?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. It's been a pleasure doing business with you, as always."

[END]
_________________
"Flash, quit heckling the supervillain!" - Green Lantern
The Ether Forge: http://www.stkp.com/POSER/

almeidapusmc · Forum Member Joined: Nov 07, 2004 Posts: 28

applause, applause, standing ovation...take a bow Glitch girl! Perfection from begining to end!