“Risk-y Business”
”All right,” Gar Logan said. He and Bette Kane had secluded themselves and Lilith in an empty conference room. “What’s going on?” Lilith sat down. “Cody is taking you up on your offer. At your wedding, you told him you would accept my recommendation on Cody’s return to the team.” ”That was only a few weeks ago!” Gar protested. ”And after seeing you at your wedding and being confronted with his actions Cody began to make a great deal of rapid progress,” Lilith continued. “How do you know that nothing will happen?” Bette asked, sensing Gar’s rising anger. Lilith closed her eyes. “I just know,” she said. She opened her eyes and looked deep into Gar’s eyes. “Garfield, you know about my powers to sense the future.” ”Which are uncontrolled flashes,” Gar snapped, instantly regretting how sharp he sounded. Lilith ignored his tone as she continued. “I know what I know. I can promise you this. I look at Cody and I do not feel any danger from him toward any of you.” “Gar, maybe she’s right,” Bette said. “We’ve all had plenty of second chances. Why not Cody?” ”We didn’t kill anyone,” Gar said as he began pacing back and forth. “Madame Rouge?” Lilith asked. Gar took a deep breath. “That was different,” he tried to explain. “She was trying to kill all of us.” “Gar, listen,” Bette said as she placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “I think we should give him a chance. He’s not a bad guy. Plus, do you really think CM3 couldn’t handle any problems that popped up?” Gar scowled and plopped down in a conference room chair to think. Cody Driscoll looked around the small library. Paco had taken the chance to disappear, leaving Jason Parker in charge of keeping an eye on him. “So where’s the new kid?” Cody asked. “He’s been holed up in his room,” Jason replied. “He had a knockdown dragout with Captain Marvel. I’d say he’s probably healing up.” Cody nodded. “Where’s everybody else at?” Jason thought a moment. “Karen left. Literally. As in left Paco and me alone in the middle of a fight.” ”Harsh,” Cody said. “And Leo had to go back to Russia. Something going on in the government there.” “Leo’s gone?” Cody asked. He slumped down in a chair. “I can’t believe it.” Jason sat down opposite him. “I know. All we knew was that he got jumped by the People’s Heroes, so he and his girlfriend headed back home to see what was going on.” “What else has happened?” Cody asked. “I didn’t get much news in Azarath.” ”Well, Dagon joined the team,” Jason began. He stopped when he saw Cody shiver. “What’s wrong?” ”He just gives me the creeps,” Cody said. He avoided saying the real reason. Because he was another one of the Overseers and he knows everything I did with them. “I wouldn’t worry about it,” Jason said. “He pretty much keeps to himself.” Paco stormed into the residential hall, slamming the door behind him. “Don’t turn on the lights,” a cold voice said. “I like it better dark.” Paco turned on a smaller light and could just barely see a shadow sitting on the floor. “Dagon?” he asked. “What’re you doing in here?” “Relaxing,” Dagon replied. “Why aren’t you welcoming your friend back?” ”Last few times I’ve seen him he tried to kill me,” Paco said. “What about you?” Dagon laughed with no humor in his voice. “Renewing my contacts with the Overseers is at the bottom of my to-do list,” he said. “If you’ll excuse me…” A cold black mist enveloped Paco for a second as Dagon drifted past and he was gone. Beneath the ruins of the old Titans West headquarters, something had happened. During the battle between CM3 and Captain Marvel, a relay had been tripped and lights came on in a forgotten laboratory. On a steel table, a pair of eyes opened and an artificial man sat up from under his blanket of dust. His mouth opened and he recited his reason for being: ”Destroy the Justice League of America.” Mal came running into the monitor room as an alarm started sounding. Gar hurried in behind him. “What’s that noise?” Gar asked. Mal studied the monitor for a moment. “Oh, great,” he whispered as he paled. “It’s coming from the old base.” Mal pressed a button and a recently repaired camera put its view up on the screen. On it, the mechanical man could be seen looking around. ”Amazo,” Gar breathed. Mal stared at the screen as Gar ran out. The team assembled in the conference room as an alarm sounded. “We’ve got big problems,” Gar said. “Apparently there was an Amazo unit buried under our old base and during CM3’s dust-up with Captain Marvel it got activated. Mal’s categorizing powers now.” “I think we lucked out,” Mal said as he entered the room. “All of my readings show that this thing’s only got the powers of the original Justice League.” ”Only,” Dagon smirked. “So we’re going up against Green Lantern, the Flash, the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, and Black Canary.” ”At least we don’t have Zatanna or Firestorm added into that list,” Flamebird said. “Come on,” Vibe said. “When I was with the League we took out an Amazo with those powers.” Despite his words, he was still worried. Why does it have to be a robot? he wondered. “We need to get moving,” Gar said. “We’ll definitely need Cody along with us.” He stopped as he saw Paco and Jason shift uncomfortably. He closed his eyes, realizing he wanted to do the same. “What?” he asked, dreading the question. “I’m not too sure about this,” Eagle said. “He tried to blow up a good friend of mine.” ”And he tried to strangle me,” Vibe added. “What about CM3? He’ll give us enough power.” “He’s still out of action,” Flamebird said. “It’s Cody or nothing.” ”All right,” Gar said. “We’ll put it to a quick vote. Should he come or not?” ”Yes,” Flamebird said. “No way,” Vibe replied. “No,” Eagle said after thinking a moment. “Who cares?” Dagon asked. “He comes, he doesn’t… Makes no difference to me.” “I say yes,” Terra said. “I’ve been responsible for this team being attacked before and I got a chance to redeem myself. I don’t see any reason to deny that same right to Cody.” “Two to two.” Flamebird turned to Changeling. “You’re breaking the tie, Gar.” Gar thought a moment. “He comes with us,” he decided. “Get to the transport.” As they were leaving, Flamebird passed by Gar. “You made the right choice,” she whispered to him. “I hope so,” Gar whispered back with an edge to his voice. Amazo turned as the door to the hangar slid open. “Amazo!” Changeling called. “Give me the Justice League,” Amazo ordered. “Forget it,” Changeling said. “We’re going to stop you.” Amazo’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the others. “You!” he yelled, pointing at Vibe. “I know you. You’re one of them!” Vibe’s eyes went wide as the android launched himself at him. “Die, Green Arrow!” “Green Arrow?” Terra asked as she fired a mudball at Amazo that enveloped the android. “You’re a little off.” Her eyes widened as she saw the mudball beginning to expand. “Down!” she yelled. Amazo stood free. “Useless against the Martian Manhunter’s strength.” He took a step forward and was staggered as Golden Eagle threw a screamer at him. “Let’s see how you handle this with his hearing!” Eagle yelled. “Useless,” Amazo judged. He turned and began to sing Black Canary’s canary cry. Battered by the sonic assault, Eagle grabbed his ears and plunged to the ground. Meanwhile, Vibe was watching the battle. He reached over and grabbed Flamebird’s arm. “Bette, come on!” he said. “What are you talking about?” she asked. “Something I just noticed,” Vibe replied. “But I need your help!” Together, the two ran toward the hole Amazo had emerged from. Out of the corner of his eye, Changeling saw them running for the hole and realized they needed cover. “Cody!” Gar yelled. “Knock this guy out!” A smile spread across Risk’s face. “All right!” Cody let fly with a right hand that snapped the android’s head around. “Danger,” Amazo judged. “Retaliate.” Risk went flying backward as replicas of the Martian Manhunter’s eyebeams burned outward at him. He switched to the Flash’s speed and continued the assault. “Paco, what are we doing?” Bette asked as she and Vibe dropped into the cave. “The others need our help. Amazo’s probably taking them apart right now.” The two pulled flashlights and began looking around. “You’re right, Bette,” Vibe said. “Amazo should have taken us apart already.” ”What are you talking about?” she asked. “Simple,” Vibe said as he wiped dust off an old display. “When I was with the JLA, we fought the original Amazo. This one’s different. He looks stiff when he moves. Plus, why did he switch powers when Eagle came at him? JJ could fly. Why not use his flight and strength to take Eagle out? Instead, he used Canary’s cry.” ”He can only use one power at a time,” Flamebird said as the realization dawned on her. She stopped. “And here’s why.” Vibe joined her. A computer which took up the entire wall at the head of the table was sparking. “I think that thing’s responsible for Amazo’s programming, and it looks like got a short circuit,” she said. “Too much moisture in here.” ”We’ve got to get back to the others,” Vibe said. Gar frowned as he helped Terra to her feet. “He’s holding Cody off,” Gar said. Suddenly his communicator went off. He clicked it on and Flamebird quickly explained the discovery that she and Vibe had made. “Great,” Gar said as a smile crossed his face. “That gives me an idea. Hurry back up here. We need you both.” ”On our way,” Bette said. ”What’re you thinking?” Terra asked. “Give me just a second and then we’re taking this guy down,” Gar said, sprinting for the hangar. When he returned carrying a blaster pistol, Flamebird and Vibe had emerged from the hole. He quickly gathered them all together. “Bette said that his main computer bank was damaged,” he explained. “Hit him with everything we’ve got!” Gar started firing lasers, Tara began immersing him in lava, Bette used the lights in her visor to blind him, and Vibe began firing shockwaves. Gar smiled as he saw Amazo began to shake. “Now, Cody! Take him down!” he yelled. Cody picked himself up and wiped a trickle of blood away from his busted lip. “With pleasure!” he yelled back. With a yell he launched himself at the android, snapping its head back. He looked up just in time to see a beam strike the android. A second later Amazo vanished. “Well, now,” Breathtaker said as she and her teammates hovered overhead. “It looks as if we arrived just in time.” Next Issue: Prepare yourselves for the reformation of the Overseers! Previous Issue | Next Issue |
