JLU 2001 Fanfiction - YOUNG JUSTICE #10

Red Hood
Yesterday...
Today...
Tomorrow...

They are
The Next Generation of Rebels.....
YOUNG JUSTICE

'Young Rebels'

Part 3: The Queen and the Inmates

Young Justice #10 June, Year Four
by Alex Hayden

Robin

Arrowette

Speedy

Connor

Star Girl

Nyssa

Gotham Block

Arkham Asylum

Making his way through the corridors of Arkham Asylum Black Wind had to take down just about every guard before they could sound the intruder alarm. Using his Meta human abilities to control the wind he swept himself up in a whirlwind that took him quickly through the hallways of the asylum.

After making his way to the most secure area of the asylum, he took to the vents in order to get inside the room without alerting the security of his presence. Once inside he saw Red Hood and Renegade hung upside down in a very large room, which appeared to have one access way out. On the other three walls Black Wind could see what appeared to be three doors on each wall.

Strange sounds could be heard coming from the rooms, and it took no genius to figure out that something bad was on the other side of those doors.

“I bet you gentlemen are probably wondering what it is on the other side of those doors,” Jeremiah Arkham said as he walked around the chained up resistance fighters.

“Actually no I really don’t want to know,” Red Hood said as he saw hands filthy with dirt and blood sticking out of the small openings on the doors.

“Well then I guess we can just move right along to ending.” Dr. Arkham and his guards then headed toward the door.

What no one saw was that the key to Red Hood and Renegades chains was silently lifted from one of the guard’s belt and floated swiftly up to where Black Wind was hiding.

“Feeding time my pets,” Dr. Arkham said as everyone walked out of the room. Once on the outside Arkham pulled a lever that opened the doors inside.

“Oh you know this can’t be good,” Renegade commented as nine pale, savage looking men walked out of the rooms.

“What part is that? The part where we are about to be a meal?” Red Hood asked. “Or the part where we get to watch as they start to eat us?”

“All the above,” Renegade replied as the men moved closer to them.

Kicking the vent cover off Black Wind leapt down to the ground landing on one of the savage men. “How about we go with another option guys,” Black Wind said using his powers to take several of the savage men from his path.

“It’s about time you showed up,” Red Hood said as Black Wind unlocked his chains.

While Black Wind released Renegade from his bonds, Red Hood took on several of the savage men hand to hand. When one grabbed him, Hood snapped the man’s neck and pushed his body away in order to deal with others that were coming at him.

“Thanks for the save Tai,” Renegade said as he rubbed his wrists. “Excuse me.” Jumping up Renegade grabbed the chains and kicked another one of the savages in the face.

Not paying attention, Red Hood was caught off guard when one of the larger savages wrapped his arms around him and lifted him in the air.

“Hey get off of me, you big ugly mother...” Hood’s words were cut off as the creature bit him on the shoulder. “Owww!!”

Slamming his head into the face of the man, Red Hood bent down and then pushed up with everything he had. Using the momentum, he flipped behind the savage. Once he had landed, he snapped the man’s neck.

“These guys are tough,” Black Wind said as he captured another one in a tight reverse headlock. “But at least they can still be dealt with the old fashion way,” He finished snapping the man’s neck.

“Hey, we’re going to need some more room to move in,” Renegade said as he broke another man’s arm and then spin kicked him in the head sending him to the ground.

Focusing his powers, Black Wind began to generate a massive amount of wind. When he was ready, he unleashed the gale force winds at the doors, blowing them off their hinges and crushing the guards on the other side.

“Then lets get out of here,” Black Wind said using a generated hard wind to slice the head off another of the savage men. “Ava and Static should have found the girls by now.”

“Lead the way,” Red Hood said picking up another one and slamming him across his knee breaking his back.

“Here, finish those things off,” Renegade said tossing a couple of blasters toward Red Hood.

“Done,” he stated catching the blasters and cutting the remaining savage men in a hail of laser fire. “As I said before...” he said looking at Black Wind. “...Lead the way.”

Back aboard the Young Rebel’s spacecraft…

Medical Room

Several Hours Later

“So who is she anyway?” Gears asked as most of the team except for Outburst, Damage, and Blue Beetle stood around the healing chamber that housed a yet unnamed Rannian female.

“I don’t know,” Robin replied as he watched Nona work at the medical computers. “But she’s extremely lucky to have survived this attack. As the only survivor of this massacre, she’s the only one that has the answers as to what went on here.”

“So Nona, is she going to live?” Brahma asked.

“It’s a fifty-fifty chance at the moment,” Replied Nona while checking the medical read outs. “At the moment the ships automated Med-center is the only thing keeping her alive. When we get back, Himon is going to have to explain how some of this stuff works.”

“This woman should have died in the attack,” Rocco said as he stared at the woman.

“Quite the bedside manner, Rocco,” Gears said as he checked the equipment once more to make sure everything is in good condition. “But you are right about that. If she was human, she would have died right away. But because she’s alien it means she’s a little tougher to kill than normal people.”

“Hey guys,” Nona said as the monitor began beeping. “I believe our guest is starting to wake up. I’m opening the chamber now.”

“Take it easy miss,” Robin said as he helped her out of the chamber. “Can you speak?”

“My p-people?” the woman asked weakly. “W-What happened t-to my people?”

“I’m afraid they are dead. Everyone was slaughtered In the attack by unknown forces,” Robin replied as he helped the woman out of the Med chamber. “Can you tell us who you are?”

“My name is Alanna. I am daughter of Sardath. Leader of New Rann,” she replied as she seemed to get some of her strength back. “You are humans? You are the last beings I expected to come to our aid. For that you have my thanks.”

“Yeah, well you may want to wait on the thanks until we find out just how you survived and no one else did,” Rocco said as he gave Alanna an accusing stare.

“You would dare to accuse me of helping with the massacre of everyone that I loved?!” Alanna asked as she reached back and decked Rocco in the jaw. “If I was one of the monsters that did this I would have killed you where you stand!”

“Whoa there,” Jordan said as he stepped in-between Alanna and Rocco. “You’ll have to excuse Rocco here. He sometimes puts his foot in his mouth, or in this case his whole leg.”

“Well that does sound like Rocco,” Damage said as he and Outburst walked into the room. “But don’t worry about him too much. He has a suspicious nature. It comes from all his time running Black Ops for the Resistance.”

“Yeah, we’re all a little on edge since finding the massacre that happened here,” Outburst said looking around the room.

“Hey, you guys are late for the rendezvous,” Robin stated. “Did you find anything during your search?”

“Nothing worth reporting, boss man,” Damage replied as he stared at Alanna.

Getting up from the floor Rocco rubbed his jaw for a moment. “Maybe BB found something,” he said looking at Outburst who was uncommonly quiet at the moment. “Did he happen to check in with you guys at any time?”

“I’m sure he’s safe some where out there,” Outburst commented as he too looked at Alanna. “Did anyone happen to ask her what she remembers about what happened here?”

“I believe at the moment that would be ill advised,” Gears replied. “As Rocco here can agree to, she’s not in the mood for a Q and A session.”

“Gears is right,” Robin said. “Questions can be asked after she has completely recovered.”

“Oh, but fearless leader, we must insist,” Damage stated as he continued to stare at Alanna.

As Damage and Outburst began walking towards her slowly, laser fire and a couple arrows nailed both from behind. Neither young man made a sound as they fell to the ground.

“What the hell?!” Rocco yelled as he watched Outburst and Damage begin to rise to their feet. What was even weirder was that both of their arms began morphing into what looked like weapon cannons.

“Witch!” the evil version of Outburst said preparing to fire. But before he could he was nailed with laser fire from Gears’ tech pack, while the other Damage was taken down thanks to the kinetic aura of White Lotus.

“How did you guys know they weren’t the real Damage and Outburst?” asked Jordan as he and Gears began to examine the remains of the two intruders.

“The ships sensors identified two unknown life forms,” Natasha replied keeping her aim on the alien remains. “Bio scans from my suit’s visor said these guys weren’t real.”

Taking a look at the remains of the aliens that were posing as Outburst and Damage, Robin took a piece of the remains and placed it under the genetic scanner. “So if these guys are imposters then the question remains,” Robin began as the computers began a scanning sequence. “Where are Damage, Outburst, and Blue Beetle?”

Several levels below in a cargo docking bay…

Within the Cargo Docking Bay a vessel was being filled with equipment and stasis pods containing both members of Young Rebels and Rannians.

“Do you think we should alert the Queen, Balzar?” a soldier asked as he and another were loading the stasis pod that held Damage into the ship. “If these humanzz found uzz, then how can we be certain there are no otherzz who will dizzcover our where aboutzz?”

“Not at the moment. We zzzhall deal with them our zzelfzzz,” Balzar replied as more members of the Rannians where loaded onto the transport. “When we dizzcover the otherzz we zzhall add them to our Queenzzz plan to increazzzze her army.”

“Yezzz,” another one said as he joined the others in the loading bay. “We have already cut a path of death and destruction through thizzz zzector of zzzpace. It izzz only a matter of time before everything belongzzz to our Queen.”

“After zzo long we are finally within reach of our goalzz,” Balzar said as more of his kind began to gather in the cargo bay. “Zzzo what can a handful of worthlezzz humanzz do to zztop uzz?”

“I would like to put that to the test!” the voice of Blue Beetle exclaimed as a giant blast of electrical energy blasted through the wall taking out several of the aliens at one time. “You guys can call this a finale exam!”

Several more blasts of energy shot through different points of the wall, taking members of the alien invaders out as it had the others. Those that remained began searching the room for Blue Beetle in hopes of stopping him before he could attack again.

“All remaining warriorzzzz defenzzze pattern zzzzeta,” Balzar said as all remaining warriors gathered around him. “You can not zzzzurvive againzzzt our zzzuperior might. Zzzzurrender now and we zzzhall add your knowledge and abilitiezzz to our own.”

“You know guys, with an offer like that...” Blue Beetle said as he smashed his way through into the room. Grabbing a piece of rubble he threw it at the group cutting a couple in half with the speed it was traveling. “...How can I say no? But don’t worry in a few minutes you guys are going to be nothing but a bad memory.”

“Your frontal azzault will not work againzzt uzz more than once,” another alien warrior said as his hand shaped into spiked ball. “We are dezzzigned to learn from battlezzz. After time we zzhall know all you fighting zzztyles, and then you zzhall fall before our might.”

“If that’s true then I guess I’m going to have to learn some new tricks along the way,” Blue Beetle said as he grabbed the warrior’s spiked arm and swung him around nailing another alien in the face with the spiked ball at the end of the arm. “So, what’s going with you guys?” BB asked as he opened his Comm-link up to the others. “Why have you guys attacked the Rannians? And more importantly what are you things?”

“We are the Hybrid. We are legion,” one of the alien attackers said as more aliens seemed to come out of nowhere and began dog piling on Blue Beetle. “No life form in all the univerzzze has withzzztood the power of our king and queen for long.”

“We zzzhall incorporate you genetic material into our being,” Balzar said holding Blue Beetle down on the ground. “With your power added to our own, we zzzhall become even zzztronger than we have ever been. Zzzurrender now and give your zzzelf to our Queen.”

“Man, I wish you guys were awake,” Blue Beetle said as he gazed towards the ship that held Outburst and Damage.

Then from out of nowhere a blast of energy came crashing into several of the aliens taking them out in a single shot. Stepping out of the ship Damage and Outburst began unleashing their powers on the aliens around them.

“Sorry we took so long bud,” Outburst said as he helped Blue Beetle up from the ground. “It took a minute for the sleep stuff they used on us to wear off. As soon as we got out of the restraints we came to help.”

“Now just take it easy for a moment while we deal with these guys,” Damage said as he unleashed a massive energy wave that took out a group of the aliens.

“Your plan worked man,” Outburst said as he and Blue Beetle watched the rest scatter from the loading dock. “Destroy enough and the rest begin to get the point and run away.”

“But I don’t suggest we stay here for long,” Damage said as they headed towards the now abandoned ship. “Any idea what those things were, or why they’re here?”

“I don’t know what they are, but I do know what they are doing here,” Blue Beetle said shaking the cobwebs from his head. “Somehow when they tried to absorb me I linked with them. I saw what they did here, and...”

“And what?” Outburst asked a little scared of what the answer might be.

“They’re planning on invading Earth next,” Blue Beetle replied looking at the remains of one of the aliens. “They have a force of over a billion ready to invade Earth. All they need is the Zeta Beam weapon that the Rannians created to transport them to Earth.”

“Why haven’t they left yet?” Damage asked as he and Outburst bagged the alien body to take with them.

“The Rannians destroyed the only one they had here,” BB replied. “And the only person who knows how to make another one is in the hands of these things. And god help everyone if they get their hands on the Zeta Beam plans.”

Arkham Asylum

Sometime Later

In another section of Arkham Asylum, the team of Ava and Static continued to make their way through the dark and twisted corridors of the asylum in search of their missing teammates Ravager and Arrowette.

Coming to another corner Static took a look around the corner quickly. “We got two standing guard at the next entrance.”

“Leave them too me,” Ava said

Static watched as Ava’s hair began to snake downwards and across the floor. Her hair moved around the guard’s legs like snakes without even being noticed. When it was tight enough she commanded the hair to retract pulling the guards legs from underneath them and slamming them into the ground.

“I still can’t get over that,” Static said as he watched the hair drag the two guards towards them. “But I have to say you’re beautiful and dangerous.”

“Thank you,” Ava replied.

Moving onward they soon came to a large pair of doors. Static looked at the access panel for a moment before taking a step back. “Since we don’t have a key for this door,” Static began as electricity coursed through his hands. “I’ll have to over ride.”

Touching the access panel the electricity shorted out the circuits inside, which opened the door automatically. Taking the lead the duo moved onward in to the next room. When they got to where the rest of their team was supposed to be they were surprised to see Arrowette and Ravager already out of their cells. The guards that should have been watching them were out cold on the floor thanks to the two female rebels along with a couple new friends in the form of the former Teen Furies known as Star Girl and Shyleen.

“Okay, I need a score card in order to tell who is on whose team,” Static said confused at the scene in front of him. “So when did they turn from the dark side?”

“Apparently Robin has had them undercover for some time now,” Ravager replied sliding her sword back into the sheath on her back.

“Guys this is Shyleen and Courtney who also goes by the name of Star Girl,” Arrowette introduced. “Girls, this is Virgil also known as Static, and Ava. So where is Black Wind?”

“He went to release the guys while we came looking for you two,” Ava replied. “Now here is another question. How do we go about finding the magic girl we came here for?”

“She’s being held in the special cells towards the rear of the asylum,” replied Star Girl as they finished putting the guards into the holding cells.

“She is correct,” said Shyleen. “Doctor Arkham wanted to keep her away from others just in case anyone secretly had magic abilities she could tap into in order to escape.”

“Well let’s find the others and then we can go after her,” Static said walking out of the room. “This place is full of surprises and I don’t feel like discovering them all with out the whole team here.”

“Then have no fear,” Black Wind said as he and the others stood around the next corner. “Cause the team is here.”

Looking past Red Hood and the others, Ava could see dead bodies lined up all the way down the hallway. “Have you left anyone alive?”

“Not so far,” Renegade replied holding a couple stun sticks over his shoulders. “The crazies here are used as soldiers apparently. We were spotted not too far back.”

“So the good doctor let these whack jobs out to try and take us out,” Red Hood explained as he held his weapon pointing down towards the ground. I see you found everyone.”

“Yeah we did,” Static replied. “Plus we picked up a few extra recruits.”

“What the hell?” Red Hood asked lifting his gun up and taking aim at Star Girl and Shyleen as they came around and joined the others. “What the hell are they doing here?”

“It’s a long story,” Ava said.

“Then skip the unimportant parts,” Red Hood ordered.

“Long story short then, they helped us escape, they’re on our side, and they have been working undercover for Robin for sometime now,” Arrowette explained as she placed her hand on the barrel of Hood’s gun and pushed it down towards the ground. “Now down boy.”

“You better be right about them,” Red Hood said taking his finger off the trigger. “Now, which way do we go?”

“This way,” Shyleen said pointing the other way. “The entrance to the girl is being guarded by a dozen of Lock Down’s best soldiers.”

“Since you know so much fire bug, you lead the way,” Renegade said pointing the way for her to go.

Nodding slightly, Shyleen took the lead followed by everyone else. “Then follow me.”

“And stay close people,” Red Hood said following right behind Shyleen.

Meanwhile back in space…

After the team had gathered and come up with a plan of what to do next: invade War World. Before leaving New Rann the team placed what survivors they found in the alien stasis pods and sent them into space in the cloaked alien vessel until they could come back for them.

Now aboard the Young Rebel spacecraft the team took what few minutes they had left to get themselves together before making a suicide run on a hostile world that was ruled by a mad man.

“So Rocco, do you think this is going to work?” White Lotus asked as she watched him and Jordan pilot the ship.

“Sure it will,” Rocco replied. ”All we have to do is get the ship close enough to one of the alien outposts so they can see us.”

“Don’t forget the part where we have to let them vaporize us,” Jordan added.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that part,” Rocco said tapping his self on the forehead. “And then pray we can actually slip through the debris and get to a teleportation pad that will then take us to War World undetected. How hard can that be?”

“So are you guys scared?” White Lotus asked.

“Oh yeah.”

“Yep,” Rocco replied. “You?”

“Me too,” White Lotus replied. “So are we ready?”

“Yeah,” Jordan replied. “Auto drift is on. Power is off through ninety percent of the ship.”

“Good going,” Rocco said getting up from his seat. “Let’s get down below with the others.”

Down below in the cargo area of the Rebel Craft…

“How are things coming along guys?” Robin asked as he and Speedy arrived into the cargo area.

“Almost done here boss,” replied Brahma as he and Outburst placed the last of the supplies into the make shift escape pod.

“I’m almost finished welding these pieces of metal to the side of the pod,” stated Damage while welding another piece of metal.

“Good going everyone,” Robin complemented. “Natasha, how is our guest doing?”

“I found something for her to wear since she’ll be coming with us,” Natasha answered. “She’s in the pod as we speak.”

“How are you coming on your end, Beetle?”

“Jamming sensors are wired throughout the pod like you wanted, Robin,” Beetle answered. “They should hide our presence from the alien scanners, allowing us safe passage to the surface.”

“Good work, Thaddeus. Gears can you tell us anything about these aliens?” Robin asked over his Comm-link.

“Just what the Rannian computers could analyze,” Gears replied as he walked into the room while reading a hand held computer read out. “These things are made up of several different alien species. They took the weapon making abilities from the Vuldarians. Then there’s an insect-like race unknown to the computers. But the most dangerous of the alien parts comes from a parasitic alien race known as the Viroxx. It’s with this race that these things can assimilate other beings into their collective.”

“Do you know of any way we can take them out if need be?” Speedy asked.

“I’m working on that as we speak,” replied Gears.

“You’ll have to work as we go,” Robin said pointing at the escape pod. “Everyone into the pod. We’re five minutes from ejection. Where are Rocco, Jordan, and Nona?”

“Right here,” Jordan said as he, Rocco, and White Lotus entered into the escape pod. “So is everyone ready for the ride of their lives?”

“Let’s just hope this isn’t the last ride of our lives,” Robin said as the pod sealed its self, shut.

Just outside the base of operations for Young Rebels, a group of heavily armed Security Enforcers and Justifiers gathered awaiting orders to move in on their targets.

Standing in front of the group was a man wearing what appeared to be a costume with a tiger mask concealing his face. His name was Ben Turner but to most he was known as the Bronze Tiger, an advance scout for Kanto’s personal Death Squad. He watched the area in front of him scanning it for any sign of movement. When he was satisfied he took a device from a pocket on his belt.

{{ Is the area secure Tiger? }} David Cain’s voice asked over the Tigers Comm-link.

“Yes, sir,” Bronze Tiger replied. “Area is secured for transport landing.”

{{ Transport is coming down now. }}

A couple seconds later the transport carrying David Cain came down ten feet away from the gathered forces. Once it landed the door opened and the leader of the gathered force, Cain, walked out in front of his troops.

“Is everything prepared?” he asked Bronze Tiger as he stood in front of everyone.

“We’re prepared to move on the Young Rebel base on your orders,” Bronze Tiger replied.

“Destroy the base and bring anyone you find alive to me,” David Cain said as his forces moved through the secret entrance that led into the Young Rebel’s base of operations.

As the forces moved through the secret passageway, the claxon alarms throughout the building began blaring like there was no tomorrow. From his room Connor ran out, slipping his shirt on as he ran down the hallway.

“What’s going on?” he asked one of the base operatives as they ran past him.

“Intruder Alarm on entrance Three just went off,” the operative answered. “We have intruders in the base.”

“Get everyone out of here now,” Connor ordered. “Don’t worry about fighting them. Just get out of here as quick as possible. Tell everyone to move out of here now!”

“What about the base? We can’t let them get to our data base.”

“Get to the Computer Room and start wiping everything out,” Connor said taking off in the other direction.

Going down a couple rooms he came to Mya’s quarters. Opening the door quickly, he found that she was just finished getting dressed. “What’s going on Connor?”

“We’re being invaded,” Connor replied as people ran past the door. “And right now me and you are the only people here that can do anything to help these rebels. So get ready, cause were about to go to war.”

Arkham Asylum

Same Time

As Static and the others moved onward to find their target, further into the asylum a sound of crying could be heard coming from a heavily guarded room.

Within the room the young woman named Lori was curled into a ball in the corner, sobbing like she has been doing for weeks now. Outside the room the guards snickered and enjoyed the pain the girl was going through.

“Hey, what say we go on in and help ourselves to the little pretty?” one of the guards asked staring at the girl through the small opening in her cell door. “No one would know it was us.”

“I say yes,” the other guard replied while licking his lips at the thought of tasting the young woman’s flesh. “Let’s be quick about it though. Before someone comes down here and finds us.”

The guard simply nodded as they both placed their weapons beside the door and entered into Lori’s cell. The young woman Lori looked up and watched as the men came towards her with evil intent in their eyes.

“N-No stay aw-away from me,” she managed to get out softly through the tears. “P-Please don’t hurt m-me.”

“Oh we aren’t going to hurt you little girl,” the first guard said as they stood almost on top of her. “We’re just going to have a little taste of you, before you’re taken away.”

“Maybe more then a taste,” the other guard added as they both began to undo their belts. “Now come here my little pretty.”

Being half starved and having no energy Lori couldn’t protect herself as one of the guards held her down while the other began to remove her clothes.

“Now, don’t scream too much girl,” the first guard said running his hand down the middle of Lori’s body, feeling her warm, smooth flesh. “Mmmm... Let’s have us some fu…“

The guard’s words were cut off as someone came from the shadows and took him away like a ghost. His partner jumped up and ran for the door in hopes of getting to his weapon but he was caught around the neck by a hand. The hand barely had to move as it crushed the guard’s neck like a twig.

Walking over to the scared young girl, the man placed a covering over her. Wrapping her in it, he picked her up in his arms and held her close.

“D-Daddy?” Lori asked holding her head to the man’s chest.

“Shhh, baby. Daddy’s here to take you home,” the man said as he began walking out of the room with his daughter.

As he exited the room, the guard was greeted by Lock Down, and his security enforcers. Along with the asylum enforcers, Nyssa and the remaining members of her Teen Furies were also present.

“Give us the girl and maybe I will let you be carried to a hospital bed so you can live,” Nyssa said staring at the man who was holding her prize. “If you don’t hand her over then I will kill you slowly and make her watch every single moment until you die. Do you understand me?”

“Oh I understand you very much,” the man said holding his daughter close to him. “I knew you would try and stop me from taking her out of here. That’s why I brought some back up for you to meet. Now!”

On his signal the members of Young Rebels came out of their hiding places around the room. Red Hood, Ravager, and Renegade were posted in various high points around the room with sights locked on the leaders of the group.

“On my way to rescue my daughter I came across the rebels trying to make their way here. I knew if I wanted to get Lori out of here safely I would have to work with them to bring the place down,” the man explained. “I can never forgive myself for the things I did to her mother, but I can try and make things better for Lori by getting her out of this hell.”

“And that’s exactly what we plan on doing,” Shyleen said as her hands were engulfed in flames. “With a little help from another helper on the inside.”

“Who would be dumb enough to betray us?” Nyssa asked angrily. “Star and Shyleen are to die for their betrayal. Who would add their necks to the chopping blocks?”

“Actually we would,” Dee Dee said.

“Do you honestly think we would stay with some psychopaths?” Asked Dee Dee.

“Allow me to answer that question for you,” Empress answered as she disappeared along with the Dee Dees and reappeared next to Shyleen and Star Girl. “We quit and you can tell Granny that she sucks.”

“NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE!!! OPEN FIRE!!” Lock Down exclaimed as he ordered his men to open fire on the heroes of Young Rebels.

On Lock Down’s orders the guards opened fire on all the heroes releasing a hail of laser fire in all directions. From up above Red Hood and his shooters began to return fire on the guards down below. In all the gun fire as Nyssa began to make her way out of the room she was then caught in the cross fire. Several of the former members of the Teen Furies almost smiled as Nyssa fell to the ground riddled with laser fire.

“Arrowette, watch your back!” Renegade said as he jumped down to the ground and opened fire once again taking out several guards that were about to attack Arrowette.

“We have to get out of here, now!” shouted Red Hood leaping down to the ground. “Black Wind find us a way out of here fast!”

“I’m on it,” Black Wind said opening the exit.

On the other side of the door were more heavily armed guards waiting to attack. As they began to fire, Black Wind closed the door before being hit with any laser fire.

“Yeah, we can’t go this way!” Black Wind shouted as he unleashed several wind blasts that took the guard’s guns from them without hurting them. “Does anyone else know a way out of this place?”

“You’re a teleporter right?” Ravager asked Empress as they fought back to back.

“Yeah, I am,” Empress replied as she bashed a couple guards with her Emperor’s Stick.

“Good, then start getting people out of here!” Ravager ordered.

“It’s going to take some time,” Empress said unleashing the blades from within her weapon. As she cuts through several of the guards she continues to explain. “I can only teleport myself and a couple others at a time.”

“Then start getting our people out,” Red Hood said taking out the guards in his way. “Static, Arrowette, and Black Wind you guys are first.”

As the three gathered around Empress she tapped her Emperor’s Stick on the ground and they all disappeared in a puff of smoke. A few seconds later she returned for more passengers.

“Ava and the Double D twins are next,” Red Hood said while keeping his laser fire going. “Shyleen, Star, and Ravager after that.”

Gathering her next batch of passengers, Empress took off in another puff of smoke. A couple seconds later she returned and took Shyleen, Star, and Ravager to safety.

“Renegade take the girl and her pops and get out of here,” Red Hood ordered diving behind a barrier with the others.

“I’m not leaving you behind Mike,” Renegade stated as he popped up, fired a couple shots, and then ducked back down once again. “We both go or neither one of us goes.”

“Did you forget whose in charge here? I gave you an order,” Red Hood said as Empress appeared behind the barrier.

“Yeah, an’ I chose to ignore it.”

“Are you guys going to make up your minds soon?” asked Empress as she kept low away from the gunfire.

“I’ll make it easy for everyone,” the man said taking Renegade’s gun from him and blowing away several guards that tried to run up on them. “You both get out of here and take Lori with you. Get out of here now, or I’ll blow you both away.”

“What about you?” Hood asked handing the man his gun.

“It doesn’t matter if I survive. As long as Lori is free from this hell hole that’s all that matters.” Pointing the guns at Renegade and Red Hood the man told them one last time, “Now take Lori and get out of here!”

No one said anything as Red Hood took the girl into his arms and in a final puff of smoke the guard who had once made a terrible mistake gave his life so that his daughter would be free of the hell she was born into.

Gotham Block

Inside the Young Rebel base, an army made up of Security Enforcers and Justifiers continued to invade the base. As they made their way through level by level they came into conflict with armed rebels who opened fire in hopes of beating back the invaders.

“We can’t hold out for much longer,” one of the rebels yelled as another one was cut down with laser fire.

“Then get out of here!” Connor yelled as he burst through the floor between the two groups.

Accessing the Kryptonian powers within him he began to melt the weapons in the invader’s hands before pulling part of the floor up in order to block their way further into the base.

“Get the wounded and go before they find a way around the blockade,” Connor ordered, taking a hand held radio from one of the rebel guards before they left. Pressing the button on the side he sent a message out to whoever would listen.

“This is Connor. Enemy forces are overwhelming. They’ve already breached half the base. Mya is helping to lead the Evac and I’m doing what I can to keep the people safe until they get out safely. Whoever gets this I hope you get here quickly.”

Back in the underground tunnels running below Gotham Block…

{{ … get here quickly. }}

“Okay people we have to double time it,” Red Hood said as everyone began running down the tunnel heading back to the Young Rebel base of operations. “Once we get close Empress I want you to start taking people inside the base. And don’t get any funny ideas. I still don’t trust you as far as I can throw you.”

“I don’t care just how much you trust me,” Empress said as they stomped through the water and other things in the tunnels. “I see you as an escape from that sadistic Granny Goodness, that’s all.”

“Fine then, you betray us and I’ll send you back to Granny Goodness wrapped in a nice little bow,” stated Hood.

After a while as the team came to the access way to the base everyone was thrown backwards as an explosion erupted from their head quarters. The team stirred a few minutes after the explosion. Rubble and fire blocked their way in and Empress dared not teleport in, for fear that she would be burnt by the fires.

“Everyone start looking for a way out of here,” Red Hood ordered as he began to move a large piece of rubble. “I hope we’re not too late to help Connor and the others.”

Back in the vastness of space the escape pod was seconds from ejecting from the ship. The ship floated like it was dead through space as it came closer to an alien scout ship that was orbiting nearby.

“Do we have anything?” an alien woman asked sitting in the middle of the space cruiser flight deck.

“Nothing yet, Queen Zazzala,” one of the aliens said sitting at a console. “No rezzponzzze to haling zzzignalzzz. Life zzzupport readingzz are negative. The zzzpace cruizzer izz nonfunctional.”

“It appearzz to be nothing more then a dead zzhip,” another alien said looking at the ship from the view screen. “Do you want uzzz to invezztigate the zzhip my Queen?”

“Therezz no point in wazzting our time,” Queen Zazzala, also known as Queen Bee replied watching the ship for a moment. “The zzhip izz nothing more than a floating target. Dezztroy it azz you would any other.”

“Firing gamma cannon now,” another alien said as he activated the ship’s weapon systems. As a beam of concentrated energy cut through the center of the spacecraft and the sound it might have made was lost in the vacuum of space.

Aboard the alien ship the sounds of laughter could be heard as the ship exploded in a bright burst of light. The alien attackers celebrated their victory without knowing that as they laughed at the explosion the escape pod from the ship sailed through down to the surface with the other debris.

Aboard the escape pod…

“Well, that worked out well didn’t it?” Gears asked.

“Didn’t you plan it out that way Gears?” asked Rocco as the pod floated through space.

“Sure.”

“Yeah, right,” Jordan said, as Gears tapped the hand held computer he brought with him. “So what now people?”

“Now we move on to phase two,” Robin said as Outburst unstrapped himself from his seat. “Are you sure you can get this thing to the surface, Mitch?”

“Thanks to the metal that was welded to this thing I can use my powers to move this thing safely to the planet’s surface,” Outburst replied as he focused his powers on moving the pod safely through the debris and to the planet. “But for the record, you guys are putting an awful lot of faith in me with this plan.”

“How are we doing, Natasha?” BB asked from his seat.

“The falling debris covered our tracks to the surface, Blue,” Natasha replied while looking at her view screen.

“Good. We’ll land at the docking bay on the abandoned outpost,” Robin said as Outburst brought the pod down slowly. “This place used to be one of their outposts, so once we land I want a team to scout the area quickly.”

As the pod landed softly on the docking bay, Blue Beetle, Damage, and Speedy quickly moved out and secured the area.

“Okay guys, move!” Speedy said scanning the area.

Once everyone made their way out of the escape pod, the team quickly made their way to the room where a transporter would take them to War World.

Walking into the transporter room, Gears headed straight for the console. “Okay guys, once we activate this thing they’re going to know it,” Gears said as the transmat began to power up.

“Once we’re on the other side, I want everyone to move and find a safe place to hold up,” Robin said as everyone stepped onto the transporter. “Is everyone ready?”

“No,” Rocco replied holding a laser rifle he took from the ship. “But when has that ever stopped any of us from going into a dangerous situation?”

“Never!” they all said at the same time as the transporter reached full power and everyone began to vanish in a burst of blue and white light.

To Be Continued...

Next Issue: Will Robin’s team succeed in their mission on War World? Will Red Hood and his team find anyone alive? Who will be left standing in the final show down? Will I be able to get the last chapter out before the next update? Find out next time in Young Rebels Part Four: “Surviving War World and the Final Fight.”