JLU 2001 Fanfiction - Outsiders #7

	*Taking You Outside Your Little Box...* 'Finale!'
OUTSIDERS #7 October, Year Six	by Mick Edwards


NIGHTWING	BLACK LIGHTNING	KATANA	Vera Black	SHIFT	MANCHESTER BLACK

The Pequod crashed into the shore buffeted by the blast of the MDI cruiser. Once the smoke was blown away, a purple telekinetic shield faded from the wreckage site and the Outsiders stood up with Manchester Black standing over them with blood running down his nose. He wiped it away with the back of his hand and turned to his sister, Vera.

She got up cursing, and wiped the sand from her pants. "I just changed my pants, dammit!"

"What the hell was that?" asked Black Lightning, his costume torn in two different places. "It felt like we were hit by something."

"It was an MDI air cruiser, mate."

"That is not good," said Katana, as she held her arm. She looked around, and noticed they were missing a member. "Where is Nightwing?"

"Far from here," was all Manchester said, his eyes glowing purple.

"Guys, don't look know, but that cruiser is coming toward us!" said Shift.

"Prepare for war," said Manchester, as he lifted off the ground. Like a bullet he charged toward the fighter planes that launched off of the cruiser.

Elysia Foundation, New York City;

Maxie Zeus stood in front of a large globe, which showed every meta on earth. He smiled as he recognized the Outsiders among the one point five million metas. He turned to a computer panel, which rose from the floor, and typed in several key commands, which unlocked the Pantheon protocols. As he stood there, the floor lit up, and he was lowered below ground.

Beneath the Elysia Foundation headquarters was a large engine shaped almost like a heart. At the edge was a crystal blade capable of cleaving a path between realities. With everything in place, Zeus was planning to bring the others to Earth. To raze, and conquer.

The African Shore;

Manchester used his vast telekinetic might to destroy the heavy Vulcans that the MDI cruiser possessed so that they stood a better chance. Katana, Vera, and Shift stood by as parachuting soldiers landed on the ground and attacked. With swift strikes of her blade, Katana sliced their guns in half. Vera used her heavy ordinance to blow up, or gun down anyone that attempted to get near her. Shift transformed himself into tear gas, and then an air born sedative to put the soldiers to sleep. But many more came from the cruiser.

Black Lightning shot up to the cruiser as a bolt of lightning, and used his energy powers to short circuit the delicate computer systems of the air ship. Many of the MDI soldiers abandoned ship while a big bruiser pumped up on Venom attacked him, only to receive a shock to his system.

"One cruiser, and one bruiser toasted."

As things became more hectic on the beach, Manchester Black used his psionic might to pulp the cruiser after Black Lightning got off of it. He then cut a swath through the soldiers on the ground.

Is everyone all right down there?

They nodded as a response to his psionic comment. But were shocked when Manchester was struck by an energy blast that sent him crashing into the forest.

"Manny!" said Vera, as she saw the smoke of where he landed. "You BASTARDS!"

She spun around, her arms changing into laser projectors, and opened fire, letting the hot blades of light be her weapons of vengeance. Each beam cut into the second cruiser, but not before it fired several rounds at the beach the team was on. Shift transformed into a dome of promethium to shield them from the attack, but the explosions knocked them from their feet. Shift withstood the attacks, but when the barrage was over he resumed his normal form, and collapsed.

"Rufus?" said Katana, as she knelt beside him to see if he was all right. "Are you okay?"

When he didn't answer, she looked to Black Lightning who sent an arc of current at the cruiser finishing it off.

"What do we do?" asked Katana. "Rufus is out, and Manchester..."

"Don't say it!"

"Vera," said Black Lightning.

"No!" she said. "I don't want to hear it!"

She sat on the beach with her arms wrapped around herself. Black Lightning and Katana watched over Shift hoping he would awaken.

Nearby;

Manchester was telekinetically pulling himself back together by converting various plants, and dead animals into energy and mass. Once he fully constructed himself a new body, he stood up bare ass naked. A dead parachuted soldier was lying in the grass near him. Using his telekinetic power, he turned the carcass’ clothes into facsimiles of his own. Then, searched out for the others with his telepathy, but a force blocked out his psionic probe.

"What the 'ell?"

You betrayed us.

So? You allowed the Spirit King to run ram shod with the Outsiders group my sister was apart of, and caused her to be jailed.

That was at our discretion. Now, you have put your sister in harm's way.

Leave her alone, Zeus.

It's too late for that. You ignored my warning, and violated my trust. Now, she shall suffer our wrath.

Manchester felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He looked up, and saw dark clouds cover the clear blue sky, and a light erupted from it.

Watch as your loved one burns along with your accursed teammates.

Manchester flung himself with his telekinetic powers, and just before the light struck; he tossed up a telekinetic shield over his sister who, surprised by his reappearance backed away. The shield quickly expanded over the others just as the blast struck.

The Elysia Foundation Headquarters;

Zeus laughed, and his body took on a semi-technological form. Within the shadows, Nightwing lurked, and watched him. He pulled two grenade capsules from his boot, and threw them at the generator supplying power to the energy weapon. The explosion caused Zeus to turn around, and he immediately caught sight of Nightwing.

"Hi!" said Nightwing as he ran toward Zeus. When he was close enough, he leaped in the air performing a diving heel kick. Zeus caught him by the ankle, and smashed him into the ground repeatedly before tossing him into the wall. He slid down to the floor. His vision swam, and his ears rang.

"That's a concussion you have," said Zeus as he drew near. "I will provide the internal injuries to go with it."

"T-take your best shot," said Nightwing as he tried to get to his feet. He fumbled despite the effort, and fell on his side. "Perhaps you can give me a moment?"

"A minute is all I need to destroy you," Zeus said, and his fingers became large talons. "Ready to meet your maker?"

"No, I'm not!" said Nightwing as he threw a grenade capsule he had hidden in his palm. It blew Zeus backwards into the wall. "I always keep a trick or three up my sleeve, Maxie."

Zeus pulled himself from the dent in the wall that his body had made, and he had a very angry look on his face. His glowing blue eyes focused intently on Nightwing.

"You'll pay for this indiscretion!"

"Maybe I will," said Nightwing after he fired his grapnel onto the projector above Zeus' head. With a tight tug he pulled it down on him.

He then laid back so he could give himself a reprieve to catch his breath. He felt his ribs believing they were broken when Zeus knocked the projector off of him.

"Don't you know when to give up?"

Zeus only growled in anger.

"Guess not."

He got back to his feet when a piece of carrier rubble smashed through the wall, and in through the hole came his teammates carried by a familiar purple telekinetic field. When they were lowered to the ground beside him, he caught a look at Manchester, and noticed he looked haggard, possibly from the effort of carrying the others, but he held himself up well. Shift was nowhere to be seen, at first, but then he saw what looked like strands of Shift moving around inside of Manchester’s wounds. It appeared he was feeding him with nutrients to keep him running.

"So, Zeus," said Manchester. "How does this end?"

"I say it ends with a little spice," he said, after snapping his fingers.

Two figures emerged, both of whom Vera recognized immediately.

"Nathan!" said Vera. "Pamela!"

"Hello, Vera," they both said in unison. "Welcome to the higher calling."

Both took on a semi-technological form, and with Zeus attacked. Manchester brought the brunt of his telekinetic might down on Zeus, while Vera opened fire on Pamela. Katana, and Black Lightning dealt with Nathan, but were having a hard time due to his power of electromagnetism.

Nightwing got to his feet, albeit still wobbly. He wanted to help, the problem was he didn't know how. Vera had blown Pamela into bits, but she was reassembling herself. Manchester was losing ground with Zeus. And both Katana, and Black Lightning were getting punked by Nathan.

"To hell with it," he said, and tossed a grenade capsule at Nathan. The explosion caused Nathan to let go of Black Lightning's energy bolt and the resultant effect caused him to puke up a bluish green liquid before he passed out, which left him normal again.

"Did you see that?" asked Black Lightning.

“Yeah!" said Nightwing, and he tossed a wingding at Pamela, which Black Lightning used as a lightning rod. Her body spasmed, and then she fell to her knees puking up the same colored liquid before she too passed out.

"That's two down," said Katana, and she ran behind Zeus, and struck him in the back with her magical sword. He spun around, and backhanded her.

"Insolent wench!"

"Excuse me," said Manchester as he tapped Zeus' shoulder. "You forgot something."

Zeus turned around about to say something when Manchester walloped him with a telekinetically enhanced punch. As he flew through the air, Black Lightning hit with an arc of electricity, which caused him to puke up the bluish green liquid as he slid down the far wall.

"Looks like we win guys," said Nightwing as held his ribs. "What do we do with this thing?"

"I'll take care of it," said Manchester. "See you guys top side."

The others took the elevator up as he pulped the alien engine. When he came topside, the others were standing at the edge of the steps.

"So, what now?" asked Black Lightning

"I don't know," said Nightwing. "We stopped the Maxie Zeus and the Elysia Foundation from doing whatever it was they were planning."

"Which leaves nothing else for us," said Vera.

"Yeah," he said. "So, I'll just go back to Blüdhaven."

"Well," said Shift as he removed himself from Manchester. "If it's all right with you two, I'd like to stay."

"Sure, man."

Vera smiled. "I'd like that as well."

Black Lightning, Katana, and Nightwing walked off waving goodbye to their former allies...

Next Issue: ???

OUTSIDE THE BOX: I have no regrets picking up Outsiders again because it was a learning experience for me. I've learned I'm not as awful as I make myself out to be. That I can't nail an excellent issue every time. This inner perspective has helped me in my writings, and understand what limitations I have, and what strengths I have. I look forward to my next challenge whatever it may be. You may see me do something else for JLU after I'm done with NIGHTWING. What that will be, I don't know. All I can say is I appreciate the friendship, kind words, and guiding hand of Curt Fernlund. If you ask anyone, he's a great guy, and an amazing friend.

-Mick

8/5/09