Issue Number Twenty One
"A Knight to
Remember"
Part Two
Written by Barry Reese
What Has Come Before: Four members of the Justice Squadron have been captured by the evil Ultra-Humanite and his partner-in-crime, the Contessa. Augmented by an army of clones based on the genetic template of Cyril Sheldrake, the hero known as the Knight, the villains are eager to spread their dominion throughout Europe. Meanwhile, Captain Atom, Maya and Lionheart were trapped in the villain's base when it blew up. Help is on the way, however, as Cyril's former partner, the Squire, has adopted her mentor's identity as the Knight -- all under the watchful eyes of Merlin the Magician!
Lionheart woke up to a tremendous pounding in his head -- and an awful noise that sounded like nothing less than the destruction of the world.
He forced himself to sit up, staring around himself in open-mouthed wonder. Standing above him were two of his teammates -- Captain Atom and Maya -- and all three of them were sheathed in a bubble of Quantum Energy. Outside the bubble was an inferno that seemed to dance about like a living creature. "Bloody hell," he whispered. His words attracted the attention of Maya, who knelt beside him. She looked frightened, her youth obvious in this stressful situation. She was usually so cool that he forgot she was just a teenager -- especially since she had more experience than he did in these sorts of things. "What's happening?"
"There was an explosion," she shouted, her Indian accent sounding more pronounced than normal. She gestured around them. "Captain Atom threw up a bubble around us but he's having some trouble -- he says if he's not careful we could be thrown through the Quantum Field."
"And that's not good?"
"No -- he said we could be tossed through time!"
Lionheart rose to his feet, unsure of how to help in this situation. He saw the strain on Atom's face and could sense the energy swirling all around them. This is exactly why I didn't want to be in this group -- I'm well and good against a bloke with a pistol, but clones and time travel? I'm buggered.
"Richard," Atom whispered, gritting his teeth. "I'm not going to be able to stop us completely, but if I'm planning this right, I can set up a slingshot effect -- we'll stop for a minute in the future and then I can set up a Quantum Reflux effect. It'll shoot us back to the present, hopefully outside this burning building."
Lionheart nodded, glancing over at Maya. The girl was listening, too, obviously ready to do whatever was needed. "We're ready, mate. You just do what you've got to do."
Captain Atom closed his eyes, allowing his mind to touch the nebulous field of pure Quantum Energy. It coursed through him, caressing his spirit like a welcome lover. He almost smiled, hearing its whispers. He had never talked to anyone about it, but his connection to this Field was growing... and there were times he almost felt inhuman, like he was more energy than man. And at those times this place called to him like a siren.
The world outside the bubble faded, depositing the three heroes on the grass outside Wordenshire Castle.
Maya blinked. "We're home...?"
"No," Atom whispered, still feeling disoriented. "This is the future, remember. Just try to stay calm until the slingshot effect hits us and--"
"It's just like I remembered," a woman said, attracting the attention of all three Justice Squadroners. Maya, in particular, gasped as an older version of herself stepped from the Castle's doorway. At her side was Peter Cannon -- a hero known as Thunderbolt, who had previously turned down an opportunity to join the Squadron. The older Maya was gorgeous, with a curvaceous figure barely contained in her skimpy costume. "March 16, 2015."
Thunderbolt looked at them with a mixture of alarm and curiosity. "Richard," he whispered, staring at Lionheart. "God, it's been so long...."
Lionheart frowned, not liking the way Thunderbolt was staring -- it was like the other man was staring at a ghost. "Atom... When are we leaving here?"
"It could be any second -- just ignore them."
"That's easy for you to say," Maya answered. She took a step towards her older self, curious about how things would turn out for her, but the other Maya cut her off before she could ask anything.
"Listen to me," the older woman said. "You're from 2005, right?" At the girl's nod, she said "There's a traitor in the group -- someone who's going to betray all of you to Morgan Le Fey! Some of you are going to die unless you change history -- watch out for--"
A sudden rush of energy swirled around them all once more and the younger Maya strained to make out the words that her older self was shouting. They were lost to her, though, carried away in a roar of space and time.
When they were gone, the older Maya sighed and lowered her head. "I did it again. I wasted too much time."
Thunderbolt touched her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "You did all you could."
"It wasn't enough. Their blood's going to be on my hands."
Kimiyo Hoshi heard the voices of men all around her -- they all had the same tenor and tone to them and she knew even without opening her eyes that she was surrounded by clones. Clones of her former friend, Cyril Sheldrake.
Opening one eye, she surreptitiously took in her surroundings. She was in a clear tube of some kind, with her captured teammates in similar apparatus along the wall. Ralph and Constance were both unconscious, but Kimi saw that Liam was awake. His Power Pumpkin was missing, however, and she knew that he used the device to focus his powers -- meaning that he was somewhat helpless at present.
Clones toiled in front of them, setting up sophisticated-looking equipment. Some of it was being hooked up to the tanks in which the heroes resided and Kimi had no doubt that it was meant to hold them immobile somehow, though whether it was through gas or some other means she didn't know. The Ultra-Humanite's going to clone us, just like he did the Knight, she thought. The idea chilled her blood.
Dr. Light moved her arms and legs, testing the amount of freedom she had. They were stiff from inactivity, but there were no restraints upon her. She placed her hands against the interior of the glass case, testing its strength. She wasn't certain if her light powers would pierce it -- or if it would just cause the rays to ricochet back at her.
Taking a deep breath, she fought the urge to scream... tight spaces had never been a major fear of hers, but she didn't relish it, either. And the stale nature of the air in the tube didn't help....
Carol Ferris.
Kimi opened her eyes, wondering what had brought that name into her head. A few weeks ago, she'd helped Green Lantern's lover repress a set of dangerous personalities*... and she realized that something similar could help them all now.
(*Back in Green Lantern # 4)
Dr. Light kicked hard at the glass, attracting the attention of the clones working around her. They looked up, several of them dropping into defensive stances as if they feared she was going to launch an attack. Kimi smiled at them, generating a series of pulsing light bursts about herself, using the same principal that she'd used on Carol Ferris... she lulled them into a hypnotic state, beginning to speak slowly and carefully. Her lights seemed to reach into their minds, shutting down certain parts of their brain while stimulating others. "Free us," she whispered, over and over. When some of the clones began shuffling forward to do just that, she added "And be prepared to fight at our side."
Jack O'Lantern grinned as one of the clones released him. He jumped to the floor, his eyes pulsing with energy. "My Power Pumpkin's not too far from here, Kimi. As soon as I have it back, I'm chuffed as can be."
Dr. Light exited her own chamber, nodding. "Good. Go get it and I'll wake up Ralph and Constance. Then we can start turning the tables on these jerks."
The Ultra-Humanite paced through the laboratory, his massive bulk moving gracefully. Since placing his brain in the body of a giant white ape, he'd grown quite comfortable to the dimensions of his form -- so comfortable that he couldn't imagine using any other host body now. "What's taking so long?"
Dabny Donovan looked up from his test tubes and beakers, grimacing. "I'm working as quickly as I can... We can go ahead and start making clones of the Fox and Dr. Light -- but Mr. Dibny's DNA is a bit odd and there's something about Jack O'Lantern's that seems to refuse--"
The Ultra-Humanite picked up Donovan by his collar, letting the man's feet dangle in the air. "No delays. The longer those heroes are here, the more dangerous it becomes. I want to kill them as soon as you're ready to begin production on their clones."
"Calm yourself, my dear." The Contessa stepped into the room, wearing a skintight bodysuit that hugged her curves. "The Squadron poses no threat to us -- not anymore. The ones who were still in the factory are dead. The ones we have here are securely bound and are no doubt slumbering in a drugged sleep by now."
The Ultra-Humanite grunted, dropping Donovan heavily to the floor. "Their kind is hard to kill... and we didn't stay behind to verify that the others didn't escape from the factory. For all we know, they're on their way here."
"You're paranoid," the Contessa said with a smile. "What could happen?"
"I can't believe I couldn't hear what she said," Maya whined. "She said we had a traitor on the team -- and that people were going to die."
"I'm no expert, lass -- but I'd think the future's not set in stone." Lionheart held the young girl tight against him as he flew over London, propelled by his rocket-boots. Captain Atom flew beside them, looking grim.
"He's right, Chandi. We'll look into it when we get through all this, but for now we have to rescue Ralph and the others -- I just wish he'd listened to me instead of splitting us up the way he did."
Maya started to defend Ralph but something off to the side caught her eye -- it was someone on a mechanical horse of some kind, one that was flying straight towards them. The way the light gleamed off their helm, she immediately recognized them -- and it made her forget all about the terrible vision of the future. "Look! It's the Knight!"
Lionheart slowed his flight, hovering in mid-air. He shook his head. "I didn't know Cyril Sheldrake well... but I don't think he had a figure like that."
Indeed, as the mechanical horse slowed nearby, it became obvious that a woman now wore the costume of the Knight -- and her voice was familiar to Maya. "Ho, Squadroners. I'd like to help you, if I may."
"Squire?!" Maya exclaimed. "Why are you dressed like that?"
"Because Cyril made this suit for me -- and it's high time I started living uup to it." She held up a small device that flashed in the center of her palm. "Got this from Max Lord -- he says it's a tracking device for you lot. Right now it's focused in on the Elongated Man. I see he's not with you...."
"No, Ralph and the others were captured." Captain Atom took the device from her, frowning at her. "I didn't know Max had these things -- I'll have to find out how they work."
"Time for that later, I'd say," the Knight replied. "Your friends need help, don't they?"
Atom smiled. "Yes. Yes, they do." He offered her a hand. "Welcome aboard."
The Elongated man retracted his neck around the corner, letting it settle back onto his body. "They're around the corner, working in the lab." He glanced back over his teammate -- and the small army of clones that were now working with them. "Uh, Constance... What are going to do when this is all over?"
"What do you mean, mon ami?"
"With all of them," he said, gesturing towards the clones. "I mean, they're living beings. We can't just toss 'em out on the street. Can we?"
The Crimson Fox sighed. "One problem at a time, no?"
"No -- I mean, yes." Elongated Man wiggled his fingers, relaxing his body. "You ready, Liam?"
Jack O'Lantern nodded, the flames about his pumpkin mask flickering. "I'm more ready than you know. I need a good row."
"Then let's do it. One, two--"
A sudden explosion in the other room made everyone lose their footing. Elongated Man kept his balance better than most, his fluid body rising with the waves of the floor. He moved quickly around the corner, a grin spreading wide across his face.
There, poised in the air, was the cavalry: Captain Atom, Maya, Lionheart... and a girl in the Knight costume.
"Yahoo, guys!" Ralph yelled, balling up a fist. "You're going down, monkey-face!"
The Ultra-Humanite snarled as the heroes surrounded him. He shoved the Contessa away from him, saying "Go! Get yourself to freedom! I'll deal with these fools."
"I don't think so, Humanite!" Captain Atom's body glowed brightly. "You might be able to overwhelm a few of us physically -- and your telepathy would take out even more. But I bet you won't be able to deal with us all at once. Hit him, everyone!"
The Ultra-Humanite howled in pain as a wide variety of attacks struck him simultaneously: quantum blasts intermingled with lasers and fire, as well as mystic energy from Jack's Power Pumpkin. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, along with his roars of defiance.
The Contessa stared at her lover for a moment before bolting towards an exit. His sacrifice was appreciated, though she'd never have done the same for him. She was a survivor, above all things.
"Afraid not, Miss."
The Contessa skidded to a halt as Lionheart landed in front of her, brandishing his energy sword. "Get out of the way... You truly don't want to make an enemy of me."
Lionheart smiled coldly. "You made an enemy of me when you tried to blow me up -- You wouldn't believe how hard it is to forgive something like that."
The Contessa tried to lunge past him, but Richard drove an elbow into the back of her head. The blow was more than enough to knock her out and Lionheart caught her easily in his arms before she struck the floor.
Meanwhile, the Ultra-Humanite had managed to get close enough to Dr. Light to strike out with his mental blasts. The pain was so intense that blood spurted from Kimi's nose and she fell backwards, spasming.
A sudden pain in the back of his own head made the Humanite turn about. He stared down at the Knight as the heroes' assaults died away. The villain swayed unsteadily, bleeding and smoking. "I'll kill you all," he murmured, blood dripping from his gums as he spoke.
The Knight shook her head. "No. You've done enough harm, perverting Cyril's memory the way you did. I'm not standing for it any more."
The Ultra-Humanite bared his teeth. "And what do you think you're going to do about it?"
Julie Days smiled beneath her helm. "Seems to me, monkey or no, you've got one big weakness. Same as any other bloke."
"And what is that?"
The Knight drove a boot hard into the villain's crotch, striking so hard that all the men in the room winced in pain. The Ultra-Humanite gasped, falling forwards. His face then came into immediate contact with the Knight's knee pad, flipping his head backwards and sending a spray of blood into the air.
The Ultra-Humanite landed hard on his back, making the ground shake.
"Nice work, Julie... That is you under there, right?" Ralph asked.
"Yes. And thanks."
"I guess you'll be taking Cyril's place, then?" he inquired, looking excited.
Julie hesitated. "I don't know about joining the Squadron... I've met someone who's going to be tutoring me in reaching my full potential. But I'd like to be a part-timer or reservist, if you'll have me."
"I think Cyril would approve, Julie." Ralph looked over at the many clones, who were now standing about without purpose. "You think the Ultramarines have space for a few dozen Cyrils?"
Julie started to answer, wondering about that herself, when she noticed that Jack O'Lantern was watching her closely. They'd worked together in the Ultramarines, but the way he was looking at her now seemed... different. She felt herself blush. "Liam -- You want to help me find out?"
Jack nodded, remembering what the Lady of the Lake had shown him... that he and Julie would be lovers. My life's getting weirder and weirder, he thought. "Ready when you are, Julie."
Merlin waved a hand over the crystal ball, causing the images within to fade. Julie had done well on her first mission as the Knight... indeed, the Justice Squadron's new lineup had performed impressively.
But they would have to be better, if they were to stand any chance against what was coming.
Next Issue: Things slow down as the Justice Squadron's new roster gets to know one another... and an unexpected complication with Sue Dibny's pregnancy forces Ralph to make a difficult decision.
EUROPINIONS
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