Red arrived for their chess game, Julian had setup the board per their regular preferences. Julian played the white pieces while Morrow played the black ones. It was a fine set of pieces, costs ranging in the thousands of dollars. Only reason Julian owned them was because he liked the weight of them in his hand. And he thought that a tangible feeling would improve Red's learning. Frankly, it shocked him how much faster the lab-grown giant of a man could grasp chess. Or anything, for that matter. Julian understood full well that he was - presently - smarter than Red, but he also fully realized that there were things Red could think that would leave the Luthor in the dust. Something in him got both excited and angry at the prospect any time they played.
Soon his opponent arrived, but had barely had the time to take a seat and do their regular greetings before Julian's phone buzzed. The perimeter alarm had been tripped. Something a little bit bigger than a bird. And powered with a source of energy that was running on... Nuclear power... From the 25th century. Julian's brows furrowed. That could only be good. "Excuse me." He told Red, who had just gotten settled into starting their game. He got up, and walked to where Hana had opened the window and the little Gold-robot came careening in. As soon as it entered the room, it crashed on the ground. Apparently damaged, judging by the impact on Skeets backside, by a rock or some kind of debris that was thrown at him by someone
strong.Julian held up his hand and told everyone to stand back, he popped up his phone and quickly began scanning the robot. Tapping the earbud in his left ear, he commanded the mainframe in the house to run diagnostics on Skeets. He needed to make sure it wasn't gonna blow up. While he was running tests and scanning the robot, Skeets gave them his message.
"Booster Gold in danger. Require League assistance. I find traces of Blue Beatle, Green Lantern and Superman in this building. 99.7% chance this is a Justice League safehouse." Julian shrugged. The robot was right about the fact that three of them had direct links to Leaguers - more if you count the people who came here with baggage from Wonder Woman. His tests concluded. Robot wasn't going to explode in a nuclear blast.
"All right. You're not gonna explode buddy. Where's Booster Gold? How did you get hit? Isn't your future tech supposed to be too fancy to get hurt?"
"Booster was working a lead that lead us here to Seatle. He went to stop a bank robbery. Got more than he bargained for." Skeets projected voice was having interruptions and became distorted from his damage. "I must have been hit by a rock as I flew away. Need Justice League assistance. Beginning self-repair protocol." The robot seemingly shutdown, while a quiet sound could be heard from inside of it's chassi. Like a reboot.
Julian got up, looked to the gathering of his little team, he looked strained. He hadn't anticipated a real mission - not one like this - yet. He knew that Superman, Wonder Woman, Manhunter and Flash were all on the other side of the world dealing with natural disaster in Bialya. Two Green Lanterns were out in space and Batman was dealing with Penguin holding Gotham's mayor hostage. The Titans were dealing with a coup in Markovia.
Julian hacked into the security cameras in the bank. Witnessing just as the four thugs ripped the vault off it's hinges with their bare hands. The cops were alerted, but the criminals had apparently sent two of their fellow super douchebags to fight the cops. Throwing the Police Cruisers through the precinct and was currently occupying the majority of the Seattle Police department.
"We're dealing with at least six enhanced individuals. Tensile strength ranging in the thousands of pounds. They weren't afraid of Booster Gold - and while he's not one of the A-listers in the league, he's not a chump. They'll hit hard and they seem well coordinated. They are expecting a full League or Titans response as they've blocked the Police from arriving at the bank. We will have to split into two teams - one that goes and helps the police. We don't want anymore casualties. And one that deals with the four at the bank." He spoke sternly, serious.
His face softened as he looked at the frankly inexperienced and honestly incapable group of young would-be heroes in front of him. They hadn't had time to do proper team training. Julian barely knew what everyone was capable off.
They weren't ready. He wasn't ready.
But they had to be.
"I understand if some of you want to stay back because it feels like it's too much. And I won't blame anyone who takes a knee. But the city needs saving. And we're the only ones able to save it."
"Me and Conor have a little science project down in the storage room that will allow us to get to the bank and the PD immediately. Gear up and meet me downstairs in five minutes."
"Puta madre!" One of the men in the leather jacket that was ripping under his overblown muscles shouted at the other, shorter and scrawnier kid. "Ay! I signed up to get paid. Not to get yelled at by a crazy Mexican."
"Santa Prisca, idiot. Now shaddap and put one more on and help me with the vault you useless sack of shit." The younger man, hiding under the balaklava did as he was told, opened up the steel case in his hand and got out the little orange patch, looking like a nicotine patch and folded up his sleeve, where three more similar patches were already seated, seemingly losing their orange color. He slapped the patch on and his veins bulged. He spit as he exhaled in excitement, as his oversized muscles got even bigger, tearing the black denim jacket he was wearing at the shoulders.
"Tonto and Dore can't hold the cops forever. Nine minutes till evac. You two need to hurry the fuck up." The Santa-Priscan ringleader told the other two boys, who were grabbing the cash from the previously opened vault out. "And make sure he doesn't wake up. I'm pretty sure I fucked up his robot." He told them, looking at the bound and unconscious Booster Gold in the corner.
The recently juiced up thug walked next to Leader and grabbed a hold of the Vault door and together they ripped it off it's hinges.
"Yeah baby!" The younger man shouted. "Now fucking move." Leader told him, eyeing the watch on his oversized wrist.
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