Mount Justice; October 1st, 18:13 EDT
Robin and Wanda fought hand-to-hand on the training deck, both of them were in casual wear rather than their costumes, but that didn't stop them from working hard. Robin came in with a kick that was aimed at her shoulder height. The female dodged, gaining 8pts in comparison to his 4 attack points. The Boy Wonder was quick to turn as soon as he touched the ground, getting close to Wanda, going in for a right punch which she blocked. Both of them gain 4pts for that, but Wanda already had her right hand raised, going for a cross which Robin ducked under, and she followed up with another, but he was quick into a backhandspring. She gained 14pts for his combo while Robin 10pts for his dodge and it was x2 the second his hands touched the ground.
Wanda was quick to follow him, while both Zatara along with Captain Marvel watched, the lightning man eating a bar. Both men watched with smiles.
As Wanda got in close she attempted a left-handed punch, which Robin blocked, and attempted to palm-heel strike, but she did her own backhandspring to make up the distance. Robin gained 8pts for his block, while Wanda gained 9 for her combo. Robin finished his combination with a front kick to get himself 5 more points and moved closer to her.
As M'gann, Conner, and Wolf approached the area, the floor light turned off and both relax, agreeing to finish later. The two aliens stepped off to the side, smiling to each other. "You know they're a couple, right?" Robin asked quietly to Wanda.
She smiled. "I think I knew before they did."
Three more sets of footsteps approached from the opposite direction, the two turned to see Wally, Kaldur, and Artemis walking in.
"Do we tell them?" the thirteen-year-old asked.
"It's not our place," Wanda said strongly.
Both dropped the topic when the three in question got closer. "So if Zatara is our babysitter of the week, why's he still here?" Wally questioned, clearly annoyed. "And why's he eating my snacks?"
Recognize: Batman; 0-2
"Computer, national news," Batman said as he walked out of the Zeta Tube, not even slowing down as he walked into the center of the room.
"The initial attack was short-lived, but Metropolis was only granted a short reprieve." The TV showed the massive plant once again standing upright and attacking, a scraper already caught, then shattering before them. "And despite the intervention of Superman and the Justice League," The frame switched to the top of the building, where two people were trapped, and just before the building shattered Superman picked them up and Hawkgirl flew onto the screen. "there seems to be no end in sight." The camera followed her as she swung her mace at the plant, a Green Lantern saw cutting it off as she flew to meet him. The two headed towards the Spiering plant as Hawkman followed behind them, hacking another vine on his way.
"Should we get out there?" Robin asked excitedly.
"No. The League will soon have the situation under control." Batman informed, giving no room to argue. "That's not why I'm here. According to your Intel, Sportsmaster supplied Cadmus' Blockbuster formula to Kobra."
"Who combined it with Bane's Venom to create Kobra-Venom," Wanda said.
"Which the Brain used to create his animal army." Robin spat.
"And upgrade Wolf," Conner said with a smile, petting Wolf under his chin.
"The Brain also used inhibitor collars like the ones at Belle Reve Penitentiary," M'gann remembered.
Artemis looked to the leader with worry. "Batman, is it possible that plant thingy's on Kobra-Venom, too?"
"I had Green Lantern run a spot analysis," the Dark Knight said as he got a holographic keyboard in front of him. "Divine cellulose does contain trace amounts of a Kobra-Venom variant."
The cellulose cells took Sportsmaster's place and two larger cells were colored in purple while three smaller ones were colored in maroon. All five looked more like deep sea mines than cells, but as smaller screens showed up and pointed to certain cells showing the several tests that were run and how the results compared. "These cannot be coincidences," Kaldur pointed out. "unrelated criminals are cooperating with one another worldwide."
Robin gestured for his own holographic keyboard, typing away. "Exactly. It's now clear our enemies have formed some kind of secret society of super villains. The attack on Metropolis is only the beginning." Batman stated.
"You got that right." The boy wonder agreed, still typing away, but other pictures joined the large one of Metropolis. "Plant creatures have sprouted in Gotham City, Paris, Star City, Taipei-"
All the screens cut to static, cutting off the Boy Wonder and causing Batman to turn towards the screens. "Dude," Wally griped.
"It's not me," Robin defended, typing just as quickly as he was speaking. "Someone's cutting in the satellite signal. All satellite signals."
The image suddenly cut back in to reveal the Joker, he tapped on the camera lens, as if to get everyone's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt your regularly scheduled mayhem to bring you this important announcement..." the Joker opened a switchblade in one hand then used the other to turn the camera left. "From the Injustice League." The Joker laughed at the camera.
"We are responsible for the attacks on your cities." Count Vertigo started as the camera zoomed in. "If you wish to save them, a ransom of 10 billion American Dollars is required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit. But the longer your governments wait..."
The Joker's gloved hand turned the camera away from the other six. "The longer we get to have our... jollies." He laughed maniacally until it cut back to static.
"Roger that, Aquaman." Batman said rather suddenly. "The UN will prepare the ransom as a fallback, but it won't come to that."
The keyboard beeped rapidly as Robin continued to type away. The video rewound and Robin started listing off the members with facial recognition matching them. "Count Vertigo, The Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra-Humanite, Atomic Skull, Black Atom, Wotan. Seven heavy hitters. Probably behind nearly everything and everyone we've faced."
"There's your secret society," Wally murmured.
"I don't think so." Wanda typed something into her own hologlove, showing the team the images she was able to pick up from corrupted security cameras. "Something tells me that whatever this secret society is," she swiped to different images as she spoke, only stopping when she got to one with a clear enough picture. "he's at the center of it." They all looked at the picture of Lex Luthor with Cheshire, Sportsmaster, and Quicksilver standing in front of him.
"The Justice League will handle the plants," Batman continued almost instantly. "I have a different job for this team."
"Oh, man." Wally whined, but grunted as Artemis hit him in the arm.
"With the plants attacking so many locations simultaneously, there must be a central control system. Your mission is to destroy it."
"You realize what you're really asking them to do?" Zatara asked as he walked up to Batman.
"They're ready."
"Ready? Ready for what?" Wally asked , only to be hit in the arm again but this time by Wanda. "Ow! Will you cut that-"
"Hello, Wally." Artemis purposefully mimicked M'gann's phrase but with more bite. "If the big guns are fighting plants, who do you think we'll be fighting?"
"I don't know. I guess we'll..." he gasped as the archers' arm jabbed in front of his face. "Ohhh." he mumbled.
"Well, Batman, I trust you're correct." Zatara yielded to Batman's determination and how little the Team seemed daunted by the task.
"I trust you can locate the enemy."
"Indeed. Wotan's involvement suggests sorcery is part of how the plants are controlled." Zatara turned to the Team rather suddenly. "Robin, if you will provide a holo-map, I'll search for signs of concentrated sorcerous activity."
A holographic globe appeared in the center of the training room. Zatara stepped up, raising his hands towards the globe. "Etacol retnecipe fo yrecros." A small red dot appeared on the southern part of the US. "There. That is where you will find the Injustice League's central control system."
Robin looked at the readout in front of him. "Coordinates locked in. The Louisiana Bayou."
"We are on our way." Kaldur said harshly,
The Team taking off with Captain Marvel following.
"Captain Marvel." A call from Batman stopped the hero short. "For this plan to succeed, the entire Justice League must be seen fighting the plant creatures. You, Zatara, and I are needed elsewhere."
.........................................................................
Bayou Bartholomew; October 1st, 18:52 CDT
The BioShip flew over the expansive swampland. M'gann was focused on flying. Robin looking over his Birdarangs with an intensity that seemed abnormal. While Kid ate a banana, but something catches his eye.
"What's in the duffel?" he asked Kaldur, confusion in his voice.
"Plan "B"." Was all Kaldur said about it. Wanda narrowed her eyes at the back of his head, getting the feeling that there was more than he lead on.
"Ugh." Miss Martian groaned as he gripped her head. Superboy and Wolf both turned to her instantly.
"You all right?" Superboy asked.
"Dizzy." she offered, confused by her own feeling.
"Martians get airsick?" Robin wondered aloud.
"She does look a bit greener than usual." Kid mused.
"Not me, her." Miss M corrected.
"I feel fine." Artemis said quickly.
"Not her, the bioship. She's trying to shield us, but-"
Outside the air crackled with power. Suddenly the BioShip lost the camouflage. "There it is, Atom. Go," Vertigo commanded as it flew overhead. Black Atom took off with enough power to punch the underside of the BioShip, knocking it off course. Causing all the teens inside to start screaming as they crashed in the swamp. They groaned as it came to a stop. Yet they got no reprieve as vines came out from under the water, latching on to the ship, trying to drag it under.
Black Atom ripped a hole in the top of the BioShip as something screams. Miss Martian clutched her head. "He's hurting her."
Superboy stood up and punched Black Atom off the ship. But now that he was off, and the vines continued to drag them under, water flowed into the ship. "No. No way I'm nearly drowning 3 missions in a row." Artemis griped as she put a rebreather in her mouth. She shoved it on in Kid's face.
"M'gann, we need to get out. Open a hatch," Conner told her, trying to keep everyone safe despite the pain she was feeling from the ship.
"Hello, M'gann. Of course," she said, hitting herself lightly on the head before growing gills on her neck. She swam to a wall, opening a hole in the ship.
Robin handed Wanda a rebreather before putting one in his mouth. "Out. Everyone out," Aqualad commanded. Kaldur didn't even miss a step as he broke the surface, Conner gasped for air, M'gann lost her gills, and Robin, KF, Wanda, and Artemis took off their rebreathers. They watched from the trees as the vines dragged the ship fully under the water.
"She's in shock. She'll need time to recover." Miss Martian informed. Before anyone could say anything the entire Team screamed in pain as they fell to the ground clutching their heads.
KF pushed himself to his elbows, looking up at the source. "Vertigo."
To be continued...