As the media closed in around the team of young heroes, Hellfire flew up and away from the group in pursuit of Fenrir. The wolfman was headed downtown, most probably towards Adam's and ONeil Accounting, the census station which they had both suspected to be a facade for Granny's operations. If Gabe was right, then he could not let his brother go in alone.

Hellfire silently crept into the building minutes after Fenrir barged in. In those few minutes, anything could have happened. Fenrir could have acquired some information, he could have been captured, stabbed, blown up, knocked out, attacked by--

Ninjas. About twelve of them, maybe more, charging at Fenrir as he lunged at them, howling. They were undoubtedly of the League of Shadows. Batman taught Gabe enough about the organisation for the teen to recognise their garb. He furrowed his brow. What were they doing here? Why would they be working with Granny? Worry soon overtook Hellfire. Fenrir was outnumbered and quite possibly outmatched. He had to intervene.

Ducking into the shadows, the human sun snuck up behind a ninja, constricting his carotid arteries with a rear naked choke before easing the now unconscious assassin to the ground. Realising that stealth won't do him any good against over a dozen alert enemies, let alone highly trained ninjas, Hellfire unleashed a tendril of black fire, as dark as the shadows, hot enough to severely burn, but cold enough to be non-lethal.

The flame blocked the assassins' path to Fenrir, which was Hellfire's aim, but he didn't think of the consequence; the ninjas now turned their attention to him, and a group of them advanced towards him.

"Holy ninjas, Batman..." muttered Hellfire, before calling out to Fenrir. "You probably smelled me when I arrived, Fen, but it's Hell! Could you maybe come 'round here and help me kick some League of Shadows tushy?"

A sword slashed at his head and he ducked instinctively, lashing out with a quick, hard punch to the stomach, followed by an uppercut to his assailant's chin. However, the ninja caught Hell's fist, his hold firm and unmoving. Enveloping his caught fist with flame, Gabe seared his attacker's hand, allowing his fist to redirect its course towards the ninja's nose, hitting his absolute hardest. This sent the ninja sprawling into the hallway, and summoned two to take his place. These two, Ninja #1 and Ninja #2, respectively, both held rope darts, and they moved in to strike Hellfire from both sides. Ninja #1 sent his rope dart at Gabe's face, the weapon moving incredibly fast. But Gabe's reflexes were faster, and he caught the dart inches from his face, pulling #1 off balance. However, a blade in his side revealed #1's attack to be a distraction. How it pierced his armour, he didn't know, but he didn't have time to dwell on it; lightheadedness overcame him and he doubled over, vomiting, emptying out all his stomach's contents.

There was poison on the ninjas' weapons. And Gabe was now weakened.

The two ninjas moved in for the kill.

(Double post, sorry)

(Triple post, what the hell)

A swipe of a katana was narrowly blocked by Fenrir's right Nth metal gauntlet, the folded steel blade, a design that has survived for centuries even when the advent of gunpowder weapons made it largely obsolete, hardly even marked the alien armour. The Wolfman pressed his advantage, twisting his wrist to slide the blade out of his path while stepping in close to slam his helmeted head into the assassins face. The black garbed sword's man dropped to the floor without a sound, but there was no time for Fenrir to congratulate himself, another foe jumping into replace his fallen comrade, while third man approached silently from behind to slide a tanto dagger into the meta's back.

The Wolfman yelped, equal measures pain and shock, but it turned to a snarl as he spun on his heel, throwing his own knife out in a wide arc. The assassin was quick, jumping backwards to avoid the blow, but the steel still whipped along his hip, little more than a glancing blow, but it slowed him enough for Fenrir to step forwards to deliver a straight kick, the blow thundering into the ninja's stomach, sending him flying from his feet to crash into the bookcase next to the executive, who was cowering in the corner and largely forgotten in the chaos. That assassin was down, winded to the point of uselessness in this fight, but there was still plenty more foes all wanting a piece.

There was a lull in the fighting then, Fenrir trying to figure out a way to win this encounter while the League knew it was only a matter of time until they brought the meta down, but were loathe to join their fallen comrades. It galled the Wolfman to be caught in this situation. The assassins were definitely more skilled than he, and they had the numbers to swarm him. The only thing keeping him in this fight was his greater speed, strength and resilience, but that could only count for so much. He was a great wolf, proud and mighty, but he was alone, and the curs would wear him down. An ignominious end.

Searing heat roared between Fenrir and his prey, a wall of flame leaping up in the no-mans land between them, tearing the feral teen from his defeatist thoughts. He grunted in surprise, sparing a moment of confusion before recognising the distinctive black flames and scenting his brother. Gabe had followed him, of course. Magnus should have known. His relief quickly turned to horror as the assassins attacked his brother, a swift battle, mere heartbeats from start to finish, ending with Gabe clutching his bleeding side and vomiting across the floor. He was easy prey for the League now, two of the assassins approaching him with raised blades.

The sight was like the breeze that stirred the leaves before strengthening into a hurricane that tore oaks from the ground. A terrible heat began to build within Fenrir's chest, while a distant, half remembered noise sounded in the back of his head. He stepped towards the assassins, the heat in his chest rising, the noise in his head growing louder and louder and till it was impossible to mistake. It was the howl of the Wolf, a cry of the wild. He welcomed it like an old friend, knowing he'd need it for what was to come. An assassin positioned himself to strike Gabe down.

Like lighting in a summer storm Fenrir struck then, leaping through Gabe's wall of fire, tongues of black flame wreathing him as he tore into the League of Shadows. He howled as he struck, snarled and spat like a wild thing, tearing and leaping and twisting with all the savage grace and ferocious energy of a mother wolf protecting her cubs.

The fight became a blur, a wash of bloody red that hardly seemed worthy of the scene of weapons and fists striking from the feral metahuman, who ignored them glibly to strike back with ten times the force, talons ripping into unprotected flesh, his knife long forgotten, left in a foes belly. He was dimly aware of the salty tang of blood in his mouth, but he was unsure of when he had bitten anyone. There was an incessant screaming, the kind of high pitched shriek someone can only manage when suffering a death wound, but he paid the screecher no heed, to caught up in slamming his fist again and again into the face of a unconscious ninja, his face little more than a pulped mess already. Fenrir laughed while he struck, the kind of rolling rumble that would haunt a mans dreams.

The Wolf gloried in the carnage, uncaring for the wounds his body had accrued in the fight, or the poison swimming through his veins. He had conquered his foes, that was all that mattered now. He even forgot about Gabe's plight for the moment, his baser instincts drowning out his concern for his brother. The League lay in broken heaps, hideous lumps of meat that had once been men, useless to their master now. He couldn't believe he had thought these foes could have proven his undoing. They were pups fighting in the arena of the Alpha, and they had paid the price for their foolishness.

Fenrir had predicted there would be blood, and he was right. There was enough to bathe in now.

- One Year Ago -

"So uh we got some CDs here, go ahead and pick whatever you like. Got some Wu Tang Clan, NWA, Notorious BIG, Milli Vanilli..."

Luke flipped through the rather interesting group of CDs, all neatly filed into a holder that he flipped through. The original Plastic Man, who he now knew as 'Patrick', was still going through mentally the artists when Luke stopped him with a pat on the shoulder. "Actually hold on... before we do anything else." Luke asked politely.

It'd been about a week since he was 'killed' at the hands of Heartbreaker. Though with the phrasing he was close to death. If it wasn't for his guardian angel in red, the original Plastic Man and his son Offspring. They've nursed him back to normal but Luke felt like he couldn't just go back. A lot of things were becoming difficult to cope with. His dad came back into his life in the worst way possible. Filing a cease and desist on Luke for using the Plastic Man name. Even though the Justice League gave him a top grade team of lawyers to fight it, and eventually win Luke full control of the name. It made an already stressful experience all the worst. Like how the last time he saw his dad he was being chewed out, called 'a little shit'. That stung hard. It was also the team struggling to keep itself together through drama and pain. Everything made going back feel wrong for Luke. He didn't want to quit, he couldn't quit now. It was when Plastic Man suggest Luke join them on their world tour that he had the plan. Though for the plan Luke had one last idea.

Stepping out of the rental car Luke strolled up to the payphone and fiddled with the change in his pocket. Popping in two quarters before dialing a particular number from memory. Sighing as he felt like crap for what he was going to say, but knowing it had to be done.

- Modern day -

"Can't believe you're actually going through with this..."

"Hey, you act like your end of things is the only reason I am."

Luke carefully applied the wig on using the spirit gum technique he learned. A short wavy blond cut that hid his ginger hair perfectly. Soon after Luke started to use his fingers to stroke and curve his face and neck like putty, suddenly looking twice as old. Plastic Man and his son Offspring watching on as they stayed in the hotel's bathroom.
"There, how does that look?" Luke asked turning around, showing off the ritzy suit disguise in full. Both Plastic Man and Offspring looked him over a bit before turning to one another, and confidently giving him the thumbs up.

Luke slipped into the fancy party for Thomas Chemical Inc, staged in one of Gotham City's finest hotels. Luke didn't so much as have a single wandering eye come onto him between all the empty chit chats, champagne, and hor'dovrs. He knew all about this stuff, had to deal with it as a kid, even then it wasn't very hard to see through it all. Just empty everything, Luke wanted to gag but knew he had bigger fish to fry.

Soon the sound of a dessert fork tapping the side of a wine flute graced the air as Mr. Charles Thomas rose from his seat at the large table on the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen I thank each and every one of you for attending tonight." Mr. Thomas got a friendly applause, quickly brushing it aside in a dopey manner. "Please please, tonight is a special occasion as we celebrate the company's 45th anniversary. Now despite some fairly recent... difficulties." Luke knew instantly what his father was talking about. Losing the legal battle for the Plastic Man name really struck a chord. Causing Luke to let loose a small chuckle.

"Still, the company is at an all time high, and to each and every one of you who invest in the company... I thASNGGHH!" Suddenly a pair of hands with familiar red bands on the wrists had snaked up and behind Mr. Thomas. Grabbing the pair of tighty whiteys under his fancy suit and proceeded to yank them up high. After his feet left the ground for a moment Mr. Thomas collapsed to the ground holding his groin in hard pain.

"Aw ladies and gentlemen... please no need to thank me yet for shutting him up." Luke Thomas stepped out from where he had hid. No longer in disguise but his full Plastic Man gear. He grabbed the mic off of the table, twirling it by the cord in his hands before pulling the mic up to his face in a sly confidence that beamed off of him. Something completely foreign to anyone who knew Luke before. "How are all of you? I mean first off you all look shocked to see me. Seriously would you rather Two-Face or Penguin showed up? Least I'm only here out of love for my family! Yeah I know I'm suppose to be dead... but I got better." The crowd, though still shocked at what happened, seemingly let a few nervous chuckles out. "But seriously I'm here tonight because indeed my dad loves each of you. Much more than he ever loved me or especially my mom."

Luke heard his dad from behind the table make a weird groaning noise. A mix between pain and wanting to cuss Luke out. "Don't worry he'll be fine. I'm sure he hasn't used that part of him in years." Luke without missing a beat moved on. "Still I felt like maybe my father could be more honest to you. After all, each and every one of you are the reason this man, this... wonder man who kicks his kids out of his house and pays off divorce court judges. Has all the money and power to do that sort of thing."

Luke playfully scratched his chin, letting it bend and stretch in his hand. "I don't think though, and this is purely an educated guess. So before I run off so security can catch me. Let me ask something... did my dear father ever talk about the Malaysian factory he has undocumented where young laborers work tirelessly with dangerous chemicals? Or the fact his staff is under paid so he can pocket the extra money in offshore bank accounts?" Luke feigned confusion before pulling out of the back of his costume a large rolled up stack of paperwork, arm stretched to put it on the front in front of him. "Well after all of you read this, please feel free to question him about it. Ciao!"

Escaping out with little trouble Luke could barely keep the grin off of his face. All these years, built up and hardened like crusty fungus, suddenly vanished off of his shoulders. Luke could finally rid himself of the man who deserved everything that was about to come his way. As Luke got out of the hotel and to where Plastic Man original and Offspring waited. All three immediately burst out laughing. Plastic Man held up a fifty dollar bill which Luke happily snatched. "That was amazing!" Offspring squeaked out between his belly laughs. "Oh man you didn't see it, but when you pulled out that paperwork. Your dad looked like he was about to crap himself!"

Luke sighed, "Aw I missed that! Hope they get it on the news footage." Luke replied chuckling. The three continued to laugh until finally with collective sighs Plastic Man pulled his younger counterpart aside. "Listen Luke, I know we've talked about it for the last week but... I think it's time."

~~~~~

Luke glanced around Star City as he rode in on the taxi. The driver remarking how hilarious what he just did was. Though Luke was letting it go in one ear and out the other. He was too busy thinking about things. The events before he left, the year traveling the world, all of it leading up to him returning home. Sure enough the apartment and Lamboghini he left behind were still there. That was good, he had figured Ditto would've bent the car around some phone pole by now.

Stepping out of the taxi Luke paid and got his luggage out. Sighing wistfully as he marched confidently back to the base. It was all like he had left it for the most part. Though he had heard and seen that the team had new faces. Which he had to expect after all this time. Suddenly kicking open the doors Luke dropped the luggage from his arms and held them up triumphantly. "Hey guys... I'm bbbbbaaaaacccccckkkkk!"

Walking to the other fridge, Cal swallowed his pizza as he opened the appliance up and looked inside. A good vareity of sugary sodas, energy drinks and juices lined the shelves along with various milks and bottles of water. Smiling as he reached for a Mountain Dew Code Red, Cal cracked the can open and quickly slurped the can down before grabbing another. He loved the caffeine loaded up in these drinks, Cal had always found them helpful in keeping his cognitive abilities running at top potential. Seeing that he had been either unheard or ignored, Cal decided to grab another slice of pizza before his belt suddenly beeped. Sending the message from his belt to the holographic interface on his gauntlet, Cal's eyes opened wide in surprise as the results of his diagnostic came back. Looking around for the duplicating alien, Cal scrambled out of the kitchen as he chased Kilian down.

"Hey!" He called, using the jets on his boots to boost himself along before skidding to a halt. "Yo Bos... El Capitano!" Cal yelled as he caught up to Kilian. "I watched the fight earlier through the news feeds and noticed something strange about the local law enforcement. So I took some scans and ran a couple diagnostics, turns out that new gear of there's isn't exactly gear. It's part of them, they appear to be augmented by that technology. Cyborgs if you will."

Fenrir and Hellfire had been gone for a while. They're probably just bro-ing out Phil thought, not knowing the dark truth. Most of the pizza had been eaten, leaving only cardboard corpses. Phil had definitely eaten more than his fair share; he may have dropped out of the University of Star City, but he still ate like a college student.

Stretching, Phil yawned and cracked his joints. "Anyone want to do a War Room session?"

Jin was finished with her pizza, and playing a sci-fi shooter on her handheld gamer. She lifted her hand and called out without moving her gaze from the scene. "I'm up for it, Philly." Raising up from the couch, she wandered toward him while shooting down enemy ships. "Dangit." She'd been shot down, so she pocketed the game and looked up at Phil.

Her head tilted, and her eyes got the calculating look that was present when she was facing a problem. "You look different." They all looked a bit different, though. But it wasn't a physical change that she was noting. "Your eyes." She said after a long moment of silence. "You're looking more aware, sharper." A faint grin appeared on her face. "Good. Maybe you can teach me something instead."

Phil paused, thinking on Jin's words. "A lot has changed in a year," he said, returning Jin's apraising glance. "You look... different. In a good way." I can't put my finger on it. She obviously has grown, but she looks more confident maybe?
"How have you been?"

Jin's smile flickered. She didn't want to tell him about the therapy, and the nightmares, or anything else. "I'm alive. That's usually the best I can go on a given day." She jerked her head in the direction of the War Room, and led the way. "If it's all the same, I'm going weapons-free. I need the practice."

Phil frowned. Jin's response was cryptic and pessimiatic, but Phil doubted he could get a better answer with everyone else around. "Yeah, fine with me. No powers either?" They began walking towards the War Room.

Jin smirked a bit, giving him a look over her shoulder. "If you can hack it without your powers, then sure. But I'm not gonna go easy on you." She turned back to watch where she was going. Even though she'd read the blueprints of the upgraded base, she was still getting used to them on foot. "Maybe last year I would have been gentle, but... you look like you can handle it, so you get the respect punches."

"Oh, thanks," Phil responded in a sarcastic but friendly way. He playfully punched Jin's arm.

"Oh, owwww." Jin made an exaggerated wince, and then grinned at him. "You keep that up and you might even leave a mark."

Phil grinned, like he used to around Jin. She was like a goofy little sister to the young mage.

Jin let the rest of the way to the war room, warming up her muscles in quick sequence, and pulling herself into an agile handstand, balancing on her palms, and then fingertips. "So... how have you been, Philly?" She righted herself and started to roll her shoulders. "You do anything interesting while we were... on break?"

"Well, I did some traveling, Europe mostly. I met Justice League Dark. That was interesting, to say the least. Let's just say I'm sick of rhyming couplets." Phil chuckled at his own inside joke. But inwardly, Phil frowned; his nerves knotted in his stomach. I trust Jin, and I should tell her the truth. The whole reason for this 'study abroad' was to train for my inevitable fight with the corrupted Nabu. No one but Constantine knows about Nabu going psycho. "I... should tell you something. It's about---"
Phil was cut off by a commotion over the loudspeaker. Apparently, something was going on in the meeting room.

Hurrying back to the others, Jin and Phil were surprised to find Plastic Man alive again.

(Collab between Dizzy and Riurik)

After showing Robbie, now the champion of the wizard Shazam, around the new HQ, the original Ditto and company walked back towards the group centered mainly in the lounge area and kitchen. Everyone was surprised when Luke, their friend and current Plastic Man, walked in alive and well. The duplicate Ditto hanging out with Shock looked up at the original, he knew that Luke didn't die after the battle with Heartbreaker. He just needed to be hidden for awhile. Almost as if everyone in the team had a 'secret origin pt. II' or something.

"Glad you're not a zombie, Plas!" Ditto came back into the room absorbing his duplicate with Shock and leaving her a bit annoyed.

That's when one of the new recruits caught up to Kilian...

"Yo Bos... El Capitano!" Cal had called out.

What the new recruit went on to say and later determine, is that law enforcement in major cities like Metropolis, Star City, New York City, Gateway, Central City, LA, and others were all essentially cyborgs and that the President herself may also be an android. Black Canary had left on League business hours earlier or the League would have been alerted then and there. Everyone within ear shot could hear what was being discussed between Ditto, Thrillseeker, and the current Capt. Marvel.

"Somebody, anybody, try to get in touch with your League sponsors. We have to alert the League about this invasion or whatever it is this 'President Kendall' has in store for the United States..." Ditto went on to say before checking out what was on all of the news channels on the other tv's in the lounge and kitchen.

"I think they already know..." Shock commented in awe as each news station seemed to be reporting from a different city.

Superman was under attack in Metropolis, a retired Hawkman was cornered in an upper level of the Midway City Museum, Wonder Woman was defending herself in Gateway, it went on and on in at least a dozen cities or so. But that wasn't all. Inmates were being executed in cold blood in Gotham's Arkham Asylum, the Slabside Penitentiary just outside of New Jersey, Iron Heights outside of Central City, again, the list went on and on. The robot in disguise as the President is waging war on both hero and criminal metahumans.

~KL~

To say that Gabe was weak would be an understatement. The poison in his system rendered him useless, unable to get up off the ground, expelling the acid from his stomach in violent bursts. Fenrir had disposed of every single one of the ninjas that remained. However, he was no longer Gabe's brother. He was the Wolf now, devoid of any human emotions. He was an animal.

Realising that Fenrir would be no help to him in this state, Gabe touched a small button on his wrist, activating a distress signal that would hopefully reach his team within seconds. All he could do now was wait, and withstand the constant convulsions in his body.

Jin was still, in a state of shock. Luke was back. He... he had died. And yet, he was here, standing in front of them as if nothing had happened. As if he had just been on vacation. She felt a white hot rage building up inside, and knew her power was coming to the surface, and would spill from her if she didn't cut loose.

The television that everyone was staring at seemed muted somehow. She could hear what was happening, that the world had suddenly gone to hell, but it was hard to comprehend, especially with the ringing in her ears.

No. Not ringing. Beeping. She knew that noise! She turned her wrist, showing a small device that ran on the same frequency as her goggles. "...Gabe?!" Without another moment wasted, she fled the main room. Her feet barely touched the ground on the way to her room, as she suited up in seconds and slung her orb belt on while running. "Gabe's in trouble, I have to go."

So what if the world was going to hell? Even if it was saved, it wouldn't be a world for her without Gabe in it. With only that thought in her head, Orbit burst into a full run, and then her ricocheting flight method, pushing her rage out to fuel her speed. "Hang on, Gabe. I'm coming."

The convulsions were getting more and more aggressive. Gabe had to bite his tongue to keep himself from screaming. His insides were burning, more than his black flame ever could, and it brought on an agony he hadn't felt since he'd been held captive within Granny's labs. Tears trickled down his face, brought forth by both the pain and the memories it brought back. He didn't want to feel like he did back then ever again. To go through that torture a second time would be his end. He wasn't strong enough to withstand it. Another convulsion racked his body, and he couldn't hold it in anymore. Gabe's screams echoed through the slums of Star City.

Orbit was pushing herself harder than she ever had. She was closing in on Gabe's signal at a rate faster than most cars. The pressure in her head was building, but she would deal with it later, when there was time for pain and sleep. Shutting her eyes, she dropped out of the sky in a free-fall, diving with the grace of a swimmer. Half a minute before she would have become road paste, she hit the side of a building and angled off, with Gabe's signal dead ahead. Her eyes were lit white hot behind her goggles, giving her look a strange pink glow. "Whoever's messing with my partner better be ready for me." She twisted in the air and hit the entrance with both feet, the doors slamming open with resounding force.

The smell hit her first. A coppery tang of way too much blood, and the stench of fresh death that she wished she wasn't familiar with. Then she heard the screaming. Even though she hadn't known him to make any noise like that, she knew it was Gabe. She took off running, hovering, flying over a scene of pure carnage. As the signal honed in, she had to stop short and drop into the shadows. Her senses had picked up something wrong, and before she could question herself as to why she'd stopped, Fenrir stepped into view.

At least, she thought it was Fenrir. It was his body, at least, but something in his movement, in his eyes was wrong. Instinctively, she hid until he moved away, and then fled toward Gabe. "...oh god..." She crouched, touching his face, pushing away her fear. "I'm here, Gabe. I'm here, hold on." She couldn't see anything broken, and he was moving. Slowly, she lifted him in a fireman's carry. It was awkward even before he'd gained a foot of height on her, but her adrenaline fueled her strength. "We're getting out." With that, she made it toward the door and out, switching Gabe so she could carry him in her arms instead, and make a beeline for headquarters.

(Collab between Dizzy and Green Grenade.)

The Wolf was angry, and the reason was easy to discern. Foes that presented no challanenge were little better than no foes at all. Foe's was too high a term for this 'League of Shadows' though, prey was a better description for them, but even as prey they were lacking. The Wolf was left tense and uneasy, with no outlet to vent his rising emotions. He stalked the empty hallways of the census building, hoping to find more sport but knowing his searching was in vain. There was little left in this hollowed place save blood and pain. He though he scented the runt, the one the Man called Jinayah, at one point but then the smell was gone, to be swamped by the metallic stink of dead-mens blood. Even if she had been there she wouldn't have presented a challenge. The runt does not worry the Alpha.

The heat of battle was cooling now, and the Man was trying to wrest control back from the Wolf. Usually there would be more of a struggle for control, as the Man so rarely allowed the Wolf have its way, but the body was starting to hurt now, as adrenaline faded and left the muscles tired and weary, a feeling the Wolf didn't particularly care for. Let the Man deal with it, the beast decided, retreating back into the safe numbness of their shared subconscious.

Magnus came to the fore with a gasp, the first sensation upon regaining control of his body being pain, sharp and intense. His wounds had sealed, for the most part, but the agony went deeper than the skin. It was like a deep frost spreading in his muscles and organs, making him feel equal parts sluggish and dizzy. He'd never felt like this after a fight before, never had to deal with such a weakness. He staggered, falling to his knees with his hands thrown out to support himself. His right hand came down on something hard and solid, the blade of one of the assassins swords. The metal made a shallow cut in his palm. The Wolfman took a minute to compose himself before rising, the sharp pain of his cut hand retreating to become a dull ache. Then, as it was passing, his hand began to numb, just like the rest of his body.

Poison on the weapons, he realised with a start. Granny must have told the League about his ability to heal, so they had come prepared for him with a poison that would infect his system, wreaking havoc from within. He couldn't even tell if it was fatal or not. He couldn't think straight, thoughts confused and jumbled, but he had the sense that he was missing something, or maybe forgetting some important detail. Then it hit him. Gabe.

Gabe had been hit by the weapons too, struck with the same poisons, and if it was having his much of an effect on him then there was no telling what had happened to the pyromancer. He staggered to were he had last seen his brother, a sense of growing dread that threatened to swarm him until he scented Jinayah on the current. He didn't waste any time wondering on how she had known where to find them, not now will time was short, instead following in her path, as quick as his leaden limbs would allow him to move, only stopping to pick up one of the assassins weapons.

Phil didn't know what to think. So much had happened in the last five minutes. Plasma Man was actually alive. Jin had run off for some reason. And the cops had suddenly gone Terminator on everyone. Someone had activated the red alarm, alerting everyone in the base that there was danger. Several members of the team were trying to get a hold of the League. For Phil's part, he couldn't get a hold of Zatanna, Constantine, or any of his Justice League Dark contacts.

"Having trouble finding someone?" Nabu. The cursed wizard's mocking voice echoed through Phil's ears. "Your scry spells are still as pathetic as ever. Have you learned nothing? Even the most basic practitioner, like yourself, would be formidable with the might and wisdom of Nabu. Look around you, boy. Hawkman, Superman, even Wonder Woman are having difficulties fighting these cyborgs." Phil watched the heroes struggle against the onslaught of the former police forces on the television.
"What chance have you? You need me to survive this fight."

Phil grit his teeth, knowing where this was going. Nabu continued his monologue, unperturbed.

"If you don't do it for yourself, then do it for your teammates." Suddenly, in his mind's eye, Phil could see Jin laden with an unconscious Gabe, while Fenrir loped along behind them. "Two of them are nearly dead from a poison that has no mortal cure. As the Fates have it, you happen to be in possession the great and powerful magics of an immortal. I can give you the power to cure your friends and solve your cyborg problem. I trust you remember my terms?"

I … n-no. I can't. I can do this on my own. Phil hoped he sounded as confident as he wished he was.

"Guys, I-I think Gabe and Magnus are in trouble," Phil called out loud to his teammates.

Nabu chuckled to himself, outlining his plans in his head. The boy's hesitation is palpable. He will relinquish control of his mortal body to me soon enough. I will make it so that he has no other choice. I will be born again unto this world.

.

.

Fumiko heard some sort of disturbance going on and wondered what was going on so she shut off the game an raised her hood. She immediately went into the shadows and then reappeared in the situation room where she watched the screens.

Superman was under attack in Metropolis, a retired Hawkman was cornered in an upper level of the Midway City Museum, Wonder Woman was defending herself in Gateway, it went on and on in at least a dozen cities or so. But that wasn't all. Inmates were being executed in cold blood. It was as if the entire country had gone insane or it was all part of some huge movie.

Within her realm her minions were stirring as part of the disturbance in the mortal world. She was conflicted between her mortal half and her Oni self but this didn't last long for she had already fought and won this battle, she was and is a hero.

Shadow Dancer appears in the situation room with a shadow mastiff on either side of her and asked What is our response?

Orbit burst through the doors of their headquarters, nearly driving her boot heels into the floor to stop herself. "Okay, we're here. Gabe, talk to me." She quickly laid him down on the couch. He looked pale, and he smelled like puke and blood. It was taking all of her training not to break down into a full panic. "Gabe, please... tell me what's wrong. I don't know how to help if you don't give me a clue." She crouched, pushing his sweat-damp hair from his forehead.

"Poison... The League of Assassins... They attacked Mags. I tried to help and... they stabbed me," Gabe managed, wheezing out the words between gasps for air and contractions of pain.

Plastic Man didn't really have time to process the sudden insanity, wait like robot cops? People getting attacked by said robot cops? Seriously how bad did things get while he was gone. Barely getting a moment to put his luggage aside Luke watched Orbit bring in a very bad off Hellfire. Immediately Plastic Man came up next to Orbit next to the couch. "Here I'll get a first aid kit." Plastic Man started to stretch away from Orbit before stretching his head back up to Orbit. "Hey by the way, long time no see." Plastic Man quickly said to her. Not able to put much of a pleasentness to it, but the situation doesn't really call for it.

Orbit was slowly removing Gabe's suit, so she could see where his wounds were. "What kind of poison? I mean, how do you feel? Burning? Cold? Numb? Give me any detail you can think of." She seemed to be ignoring Plastic Man, but at his second comment, she turned to him slow. Her eyes lit with rage. "Luke, at this moment in time, I'd like to ask you to go fuck yourself. Stretch out your fist, shove it up your ass, and fuck yourself." She turned back around to attend to Gabe.

Seemingly ignoring Orbit for the moment, since he wanted to make sure Gabe wouldn't die first. Still when his arm and head came back he popped the first aid kit box open. Pulling out antibiotic, gauzes, and wraps. "Hey I could, but I fail to see how fist fucking myself is going to save Gabe here." Plastic Man propped up his shades onto his forehead, turning to Orbit again, about to ask her something.

Something in Jin snapped. Before she could form a thought to stop herself, she reeled back and called power to her fist. Then she slugged Plastic Man dead in the nose, at a force that was more suitable for bending steel. "Shut up! Shut up, you prick! First you fake your death, then you come back in like you were just on some fucking vacation?! I cried when they said you were dead! I cried, and you walk in the door like you didn't just step all over my feelings, like no one cared that you just walked away." She hit him again, the force lessened, but still powerful. "Guess what, Luke? I cared. I cared!" Shoving him away hard, she turned her attention to her task. "But not anymore. As far as I'm concerned, you're better off dead."

The back of Plastic Man's head got launched back a couple feet, if he wasn't elastic his skull would be broken everywhere. However because of his powers he wound up with a gaping hole where his face was suppose to be. Fiddling with it for a second before reaching in with a hand. Plastic Man pulled hard to get his face back out. Gasping amazed she had that kind of power in her. "Okay okay so I might, no I totally desvered that. But I..." Suddenly punched and shoved over. Plastic Man could feel his heart shatter. He knew he was going to regret faking his death, wanting peace and quiet after all the team troubles and the issues with his father. But he had no idea, she cried for him? She cared? Plastic Man went to open his mouth and say something, anything. Nothing came out except a pathetically meek yelp. "I... sorry..." Plastic Man muttered so quietly he would've been surprised if she heard him.

Although he was poisoned, stabbed and bleeding out, Gabe could sense the sudden tension in the room. His blackened vision heavily distorted everything he looked at, but he could still recognise Plastic Man. Luke. The same Luke that unashamedly asked Jin out the year before, and the same Luke that had been killed by Heartbreaker along with Patriot and Apollo. Surprising even himself, Gabe felt no anger towards the guy. As far as he could tell, he was hallucinating when Jin punched a sizeable hole in Plas' face. He might be hallucinating the stretchy man himself.

"Plas...? I don't mean to be rude, but... Are you real? I think this poison might have some... hallucinogenic... properties."

"He's real." Jin muttered, back at Gabe's side. "You're not seeing things. But tell me anything you can. Please. I can probably work some kind of antidote or at least delay the effects." She wiped her hand down her face, not even noticing the smear of blood on her gloves. "Luke, you can help or you can leave, either way I'm gonna need to concentrate. I need hot water, some cotton swabs, some clean cloths, a lighter, and a needle and thread."

Plastic Man quietly sulked in his own stupidity and playing of emotions. Finally though Jin called for items and his choice. Luke was quiet for a moment, almost forgetting that Gabe was nearby and dying. Heart breaking as it was, Luke still needed to put his head back on straight. "Right... got it." Luke replied, heading out, not even stretching away but running to get what he could. Finally returning with an enlarged arm cradling everything carefully. "Here, go." Luke said putting everything down next to Orbit.

"My insides... are killing me. Probably in the literal sense. I... can't feel the stab wound. I feel like I'm burning... up, which is surprising, considering my... powers..." Gabe began to explain. However, before he could elaborate any further, he began to feel a tug on his eyelids, one which he immediately began to fight. He could feel his mind shutting down, and soon he forgot how to form a sentence. But though his ability to think was taken away from him, he didn't need it to know that he was passing out, possibly for the last time. And a part of him, close to his heart, regretted not telling Jin how he really felt. So just as his eyes closed, he reached out towards her with his hand, fingertips lightly brushing her cheek, before he slipped from consciousness. His hand thudded against the side of the couch.

Jin took the hot water and cloths, starting to clean out Gabe's wounds carefully. She could still feel his touch on her fingertips. It made her angry, and that anger made her focus. No way in Hell was he going to have some dramatic goodbye scene. Not if she could help it. "Luke. I need you to research poisons. Cross reference numbing effects and burning sensations, along with..." She paused, trying to phrase it. "Internal pain, I guess." She opened the box of cotton swabs and made sure to try and wash Gabe's wounds completely clean. No trace of the poison could remain if she was going to save his life. Once she was done with the cleaning, she stripped her gloves off with her teeth and gave her hands a quick dunk in the water. Then she sterilized the needle by holding it over the lighter's flame. "Luke, get me some more hot water... And you might wanna start a pot of coffee. It's gonna be a long night."

(Collab with Diz, Drew and GG)

The rest of the team milled around Orbit, Plas and Hellfire as the two tried to save the one, each member unsure of what to do. Even Ditto was at a loss. There was so much going on all at the one time it was hard to prioritize, hard to decide which crises to tackle first, where to leverage their strength to make best use of it while letting everywhere else burn. Between Gabe’s injuries and the attacks by these new cyborgs this was easily the biggest disaster they had ever faced. There was no reference point in how to deal with this, the only thing that was obvious being that any choices they made now would almost certainly have an effect on the future well-being on not just Star City but all of the world. But what too choose?

Their distraction was interrupted by a sudden influx of cold air. There sounded a whoosh, like some invisible giant was taking a great gulp of air, and the space behind them shimmered as if the molecules where dancing. The noise built to a crescendo in the space between heartbeats, until it built to a reverberating boom, the likes of which makes you think your eardrums might have popped. A yellow energy materialized in front of them, quickly forming a spinning portal. From the portal stepped out three recognizable forms. First came the golden blur, the Living Lightning, the Fastest Man Alive, The Flash. Behind him, cape billowing in the wind generated by the boom tube, was the Dark Knight of Gotham himself, Batman. The Caped Crusader was straining with the third man, struggling to cart the legless torso of Cyborg, recently returned to the League and the obvious source of the boom tube. All three bore signs of battle, the partially dismembered Cyborg being the most obvious but the Batman and Flash were both blood stained and wearied too. The Dark Knight lay Cyborg down on the floor, the part-man part-machine propping himself up on his elbows.

"Team I. . . " began Batman, his voice all gravel and hard edges, before he glimpsed Hellfire lain out on the couch. For a moment only does the Dark Knights steely composure slip at the sight of his young ward injured, the image of the stern, unrelenting warrior of the night giving way to a hurting old man for just a heartbeat, before he slips his iron mask back on and returning straight to business.

"What has happened too Hellfire? His wounds don't seem consistent to the weapons the Tomorrow Woman's forces have at their disposal." Says the Batman. It isn't a question, not really, not the usual request for information a normal person would make. From him it is a statement demanding the blanks be filled in, waiting only for the other person to comply. Ditto took lead, filling the Dark Knight into what has happened. When he finished the Batman seemed pensive for a few minutes before walking towards Gabe, pulling Orbit away, not urgently, before leaning in-front of the pyromancer. The Caped Crusader spent several more moments looking Gabe over, before turning to the Golden Speedster.

"Flash, there is a bottle in the top left hand cabinet of the med bay marked LOS anti-toxin 16, Tiger Snake. Syringes too." The Flash didn't question him, instead just diapering in a crack of thunder and a streak of lightning. The Fastest Man was back as quick as he had left, a small bottle of anti-toxin in one hand and a syringe gun in the other. He handed them to Batman who then applied it to Gabe, injecting him in the young heroes arm.

"You should start to regain use of your limbs shortly. Fortunately for us that means you'll be battle ready in about twenty minutes. Though I'd like to find out why you were battling the League of Shadows, and I'm assuming it has something to do with the conspicuous-by-his-absence Fenrir, that is a question for after this current crises is solved. Gather round team, I've got a lot to tell you and not a lot of time to tell it." The team did as they were told, all listening in rapt attention to what the Dark Knight had to say.

"Clara Kendall, currently the president of the United States, has instructed her newly minted cyborg police forces to attack the Justice League while simultaneously declaring martial law in all the major cities across America. She has combined this with open executions in the meta-human prisons. No one is quite sure why yet, though I aim to find out. All we do know is that we need to stop her now before she consolidates her power any further."

"The League is either fighting for their lives or trying to stop fatalities building. Taking down Kendall is being left to us. To do this we are going to utilize a three pronged attack. The team will be split into two. Team one will be Hellfire, Owlet, Frostbite, Shadowdancer, and Brick, who will be laying siege to the Star City police headquarters, for two reasons. Firstly Star City PD is one of Kendall's strongest forces, and she will almost certainly believe that is where the team is making its concentrated attack, allowing team two consisting of myself, Ditto, Shock, Orbit, Plastic Man, Fate and Brick to assault the Whitehouse, and Kendall, directly and covertly."

"But even that is a holding action. Our real offensive is on a plane none of us can access, save Cyborg. He shall remain here, injured as he is, awaiting team one to reach the mainframe hub located in the SCPD commissioners office. There you will insert a flash-drive containing an linking software to Cyborg, allowing him access the polices virtual up-link. It is our belief that the cyborg police force is linked by a kind of quantum entanglement, meaning that if our Cyborg can disrupt their signal then we should be able to cripple the entire force. Any questions?"

Fumiko was waiting for someone to speak to her when she heard a strange noise and felt a dimensional disturbance.
She'd never experienced a boomtube intruding on her space and it startled her.

So startled was Shadowdancer that she summoned to the edge of the shadows around her army and was ready to release them on this plane. She relaxed a little when she saw the Flash and Batman though Cyborg's condition did key her up a bit.

She watched as Hellfire was administered to for poison by the combined efforts of the Flash an Batman.

Then the Batman explained why the others weren't here and the set about choosing teams and assigning targets.
"Hellfire, Owlet, Frostbite, Shadowdancer, and Brick" he said putting her on the team attacking the police station. She was to be a distraction and though some small part of her was annoyed she was also excited.
Fumiko felt a thrill at the opportunity for combat, her darker nature would find the release she so craved.

When people saw her as the human Fumiko they were either unaware or forgot that she was also a Queen among Oni, ruler of a plane of shadow. She was not a malevolent Oni but a guardian an Oni still and that made her a lover of combat.

Orbit stayed very quiet after her mentor led her off. She was shaking all of a sudden. Now that she wasn't fighting to save Gabe, a wave of exhaustion rolled over her. Covering her face with her hands, she let out a noise that was suspiciously similar to a sob. Her shoulders shook for several moments. An old teammate returned from the land of the dead, and her best friend nearly went to it in his place... Her brain was spinning, but she knew she had to focus.

She couldn't break down. Not in front of him. Never in front of him.

She took a deep, slow breath like her therapist had taught her, and pulled her hands from her face slowly. There was a smear of fresh blood on her gloves. Frowning, she touched her face and realized that her nose was still bleeding, slowly but steadily. She just hadn't paid it any attention. "Damn... not good." The bleeding meant that she was pushing past her limits, in a dangerous way. Next would come the headaches, and after...

Well, she woke up 2 weeks after.

"Sir?" She caught Batman out the door, trying to look as strong as possible. If she presented herself as such, no one would tell her different. "I have... misgivings about working with Plastic Man." And being separated from Hellfire on such an important mission, but that was another story. "He pretended to be dead, he told a horrible lie, just to get away from the team, and I'm not going to act as if that's all water under the bridge. What about the next time a situation gets hot? Is he going to 'die' then too, and leave us one soldier short?" Her fists were clenched so hard that her dirty fingernails were nearly breaking the skin of her palms.

"He can't be trusted, sir. I refuse to fight with someone who has already proven won't have my back if things go wrong."

Plastic Man didn't have much time to really get into the book of poisons and aliments before The Flash had given Gabe the things he needed. Luke sighed a bit as finally he knew Gabe would be okay, frankly a bit surprised, and yet not at the same time at all, that she knew all that considering her mentor in Batman. Luke always did imagine training under Batman would be like becoming a boy scout, only much more messed up, and with bats, lots more bats.

Still he quietly listened in on the plan of what to do. Sneaking into a highly secretive base with his elastic skills? That he can do easily. Luke gave a faint smirk as he nodded to the plan. While he was out for a year the original Plastic Man... well... lets just say Luke learned more of original Plastic Man's criminal past through learning criminal moves. Breaking and entering stuff, even with it being the White House it should be a piece of cake.

Luke was thinking about the mission and all the things that were going to happen if they failed, and unlike the old Luke, the Luke that would've stammered away, ran and hid from the problem. The Luke standing here now, he was ready. His vacation time was over, now it was time to grow up, be a man.

Still, that past came back hauntingly for Luke when he heard Orbit immediately talk about him in a negative light. Luke gritted his teeth a little as he heard her complain about his actions. Trying to not let it boil up inside finally Plastic Man reached out with an elastic arm, grabbing Orbit's shoulder and spinning her around. “Okay you know what Orbit? You're right. You are absolutely right. I am a liar, I am scum. I wasn't honest and for that I'm sorry. But in case you're too busy in your own self grieving to notice. Hell just broke loose outside and we kind of need to stop it before innocent people get hurt. Believe me I completely regret not coming forth to you guys about what happened. But like it or not I'm going to help, and if you have a problem with it just go with me and punch the bad guys in the face harder and harder until you do. If that doesn't work we can settle our problems later. Right now though, we need to be superheroes.” Plastic Man calmly but sternly told Orbit, making sure his suit was prepared before walking past Orbit and next to Batman. Stopping next to the stoic figure and keeping his head down, just as much more for focus on whats to come then for respect. “Just tell me where to go through the vent systems and piping, I can catch Kendell and provide an early attack on her before she knows what hit her.”

(Joint post by BlackSam & Exodus)

The first one to ask a question was Orbit, just as Batman predicted. There was a reason he had picked her as a mentee, and it wasn't just because of her powers or her potential. She had a terrific intelligence, and a fierce independence. Both assets through and through. The girl voiced her displeasure at working with Plastic Man, and with not a completely unfounded argument. Eel O' Brien's successor had abandoned his team, perhaps not in their most dire moment but definitely in a dire fashion. His leaving was a complete betrayal of the trust his team had in him, and the Dark Knight should know, being a bit of an authority on the subject of betraying teammates trust himself. Still, now was not the moment to bring up these concerns. He was just about to inform Jin of this when Plastic Man himself interjected.

This small action showed that despite the underhanded fashion he had gone about getting his sabbatical, Plastic Man's time away was a major boon to the young hero. The stuttering teen he had been was gone, giving way to a confident and able man.

"Plastic Man is right Orbit. The mission is too big to allow personal feelings to cloud your mind." The Bat gave an almost imperceptible yet pointed look in Gabe's direction, though whether it was for Orbit's sake or just his own feelings for his wounded protege bubbling to the surface no one could say.

"I picked the teams personally, and I picked them for a reason. I will not be changing them. I've taught you enough to master your own emotions, and when you do that I know you'll be able to discern why I chose as I did. " He turned to Plastic Man. "The Whitehouse's ventilation systems are secured against intruders, even ones like you. We'll make best use of your powers in another fashion. Now, if that is all." He dismissed the two with a wave of his hand, so casual that it seems he must have practiced it.

Batman surveyed the group, turning his gaze onto each member in turn, almost like he was daring them to ask more. When it became apparent they were satisfied he continued.

"Good. Then it's time to get. . . " The Dark Knight was cut off by a disturbance towards the back of the base. The team turned round to see Fenrir stalking into the base, still carrying his trophy katana from his and Gabe's battle with the League of Shadows. The Wolfman stared back blankly at the team, unsure as to why Batman, Flash and Cyborg was there, though he would guess it had something to do with the screams and chaos he had heard on the way to the base. Then he saw Gabe, a grunt sounding in the back of his throat, and he limped towards his brother as fast as he was able, the toxin in his system still having some effect.

"Hmm. . . I don't have time to bring you up to speed Fenrir. Hellfire, give your brother a shot of the anti-toxin and get him up to speed, he can join you on team one. The rest of you have five minutes to prepare yourselves, then we are moving out." The team wasted no time, each hurrying to ready themselves for the biggest mission of their lives.

"It's a good plan Bruce, save for one thing." Batman was checking his League communicator, trying to touch base with his other League mates when the Flash approached him.

"Don't call me that, not here. What's wrong with the plan Flash."

"Just the small fact that you're injured. You might have been able to hide it from the kids, but I seen you take that shot. Full plasma beam, straight to the chest. You're lucky your armour held, but even still I figure you've got several broken ribs, maybe some internal bleeding. You're no good to us in the field." Not many people could speak to the Caped Crusader so bluntly, but Barry Allen had stood by his side for nigh on a decade and a half now. If anyone had earned the right to speak thus, it was him. Still, the Dark Knight stiffened, either shocked to be told what he can or can't do, or surprised that the Flash had noticed, it didn't really matter, as the Batman isn't one to be told when to stop.

"Injured or not, we need every hand on deck Barry. I've got three times the combat experience any of theses kids have and. . . ooof" The Batman fell to his knees clutching at his ribs, struggling to breath. As he slowly mastered himself he looked up slowly at his comrade, the lenses in his cowl being the only thing that hid the look of pure fury in his eyes.

"I did that by prodding your ribs with my pinky Batman, not even all that hard. Like it or not, you'd be a liability on the field. We'd have to be constantly watching out for you, and the odds are just to high for us to do that. You'd either get yourself killed or worse, wind up getting one of us killed."

"We need you here. You said it yourself, the most important battle is the one Victor will be fighting. You can help him from here, and provide us tactical support. You'll still be fighting Bruce." The two veteran heroes stared at each other for the longest time, two iron wills each trying to make the other blink. It was a ferocious battle with no blows and no words needed, but there was only one way it could ever end. They where both logical men, and there was only one logical outcome.

"You'll have to lead team one. . . And don't call me that." Growled Batman as he slowly picked himself up, still gingerly trying to avoid hurting himself any further.

"I dunno Bats, I think Ditto can handle that. He's ready."

"We'll see."

Beck was just getting out of his post-workout shower when the commotion hit the base. He'd have to get up there, and fast. There was just one thing he had to do, first. He jogged quickly to his desk, and took a small case from the upper shelf. Opening it revealed a couple syringes and a couple vials of dark-blue liquid. He swiftly, but carefully, prepared the injection before pulling off his shirt and administering it into his left arm. There really was no pain, he'd become used to the process long ago. He glanced back into the case before closing it. One vial left. He was due for more tomorrow, no problem. He set the case back in its place before changing into costume and heading to the others.

Frostbite looked around at the others as Batman started giving them the details of what was happening. 'Shit's really going down...' he thought to himself. He was concerned for his teammates, of course, but his thoughts drifted back to the vials. He'd be in just as bad a shape within a few days if he couldn't get a supply.

He waited until the Bat had a few moments to speak, just after he and the Flash had finished speaking, not necessarily private but in a hushed/away-from-others tone.

"Uhm, Batman, Sir. Can I speak with you? Just, away, for a second?"

The Dark Knight nodded stiffly, still hurting from the Flash reminding him of how mortal he was, and stepped away from the rest of the group, Beck in tow.

"Make it quick Frostbite."