“Gathering the Troops”
Director Bones frowned. It was a useless gesture since his skin was transparent, but sometimes you had to make the effort. He replaced the file he’d been studying atop a pile of similar folders on his desk. “So this is who you want?” he asked. Breathtaker smiled. “Yes. They’ll form a well-rounded unit.” Bones took another pull off his cigar and thought. “And you want to contact them yourself.” Breathtaker nodded. “Yes.” Bones tapped the ash off his cigar into an ashtray. “Fine. Go ahead on one condition. Provoke stays here. If these people join up with you, they do it of their own free will.” ”Done,” Breathtaker said. “You’ll forgive me for not shaking your hand, but I have a lot of work to do.” She turned and walked out. As the door closed behind her, Bones’s lips turned upward in an invisible smile. “Perfect,” he muttered. “Did he go for it?” Provoke’s voice still bore a slight impediment after Risk had broken his jaw while trying to kill him. Breathtaker smiled. “Indeed he did. Now all I need to do is decide who to contact first.” “I?” Provoke asked, nervous. “Relax,” Breathtaker said. “You’re staying here as a guest. Bones just wants to avoid another Risk scenario.” She opened the window and flew away. Her first stop was at the cell of another of her old associates. “Hello,” she called. The cell’s young inhabitant hurried to the bars as the metal of his restraining collar shimmered in the dim light. “Breathtaker?” he whispered. “Have you come to get us out?” ”Not all of us,” she said. “Just you.” The young Japanese man thought a moment. “What about the others?” he asked. “Provoke is already free as well, and the others refused me.” She saw a smirk fly across the Japanese man’s face when she mentioned Provoke’s name. “What?” ”I won a hundred dollars from my cellmate. He’d bet that Major Force would have Provoke down for the count in under a month.” Breathtaker ignored the double entendre and continued. “I’m empowered to release you if you agree to join us.” ”Who do we kill?” he asked. “No one.” Breathtaker smiled. “We’re government-sponsored heroes now. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Overseers.” The man’s eyes narrowed. “This is interesting. I heard that the Overseers were gone.” ”Only some of us.” Breathtaker took a box from under her arm and opened it. The man’s eyes widened as he saw his costume inside the box. “I’m in,” Shock Trauma, Breathtaker’s former partner in the Hangmen, said. Her next recruit was more difficult to find. She frowned as she tried to pick her way down the trash-strewn alley that led to his current hiding place. She smiled a grim smile as she noticed where she was. “Are you sure we really want to do this?” Provoke asked for the hundredth time. “I mean, this guy’s more dangerous than the rest of us.” Through clenched teeth, Breathtaker repeated her answer again. “All we need is for you to keep him sane. That’s all.” Provoke still looked worried. Breathtaker didn’t care – especially after the trouble she’d taken to sneak him along despite Bones’s orders. They approached a graffiti-covered door and were gone. They now stood inside a dark room, lit only by small circles of light from above. Breathtaker realized she couldn’t move and smiled on the inside. That means Provoke can’t open his mouth, she thought. Their next member stepped in front of them. “Well, well, well,” he said. “Look at what Dr. Fate’s sent after me now.” A mad gleam darted through his eyes. “What shall I do with you?” Suddenly Breathtaker’s mouth was free. “Doctor Fate didn’t send us. Director Bones did.” “Oh?” the recruit asked. “Bones, Bones, Bones. He was a poet and didn’t know it.” Breathtaker shot a look at Provoke. “Come on, now, mate,” Provoke said in that silky-smooth voice he had. “Calm down. We’re your friends.” “Friends?” The red-haired man looked confused. “It’s been so long since I had friends. Not since Hector, and Lyta, and…” He fought to keep the name back. “JENNIE LYNN!” he finally screamed. “It’s all right,” Breathtaker said, taking a lead from Provoke. “We just came to talk and to make you an offer.” ”An offer?” the man asked, his eyes clearer now. “What could you have to offer me that I haven’t already thrown away?” Breathtaker smiled. “Redemption.” When he glanced back at her in shock, she knew she had him. “We are reforming the Overseers.” ”Overseers, yes,” he muttered. “And Mr. Bones is behind it?” ”In a manner of speaking,” Breathtaker admitted. “He provides us with a headquarters and a full Presidential pardon for any crimes we may have committed.” “Sounds like the old Suicide Squad,” the man said. “Hardly. Amanda Waller is far away from this team. No government influence, and we’re through the DEO – not Task Force X or whatever they’re calling it this week.” The man’s mind raced. Finally he made the only decision he could. “I accept,” he said as he released them. Breathtaker stepped forward and clasped Brainwave’s hand. “You won’t regret this,” she promised. Breathtaker’s flesh crawled. She’d not been comfortable with these two during the first grouping of the Overseers, and that was before current events. Joshua smirked at her from his throne. He now wore the traditional red costume, white cloak, and headpiece of Brother Blood, which was becoming the only way he wanted to be addressed. At his right hand stood Harm, still wearing almost the same costume he’d worn with the Overseers – the only change was the addition of a long scarlet cloak. Still, despite her familiarity with his garb, something had always felt… wrong about him. “So, you wish us to rejoin you,” Joshua purred. His fingers stroked the bone-like (or maybe it was actual bone) material that the throne had been carved from. “Impossible. My church needs me here.” “I shall join you,” Harm declared. Beneath his cowl, Joshua cocked an eyebrow. “You would leave us, Brother William?” he asked. “I must continue my search,” Harm said. “Perhaps with these Overseers I will find my target.” “I see,” Joshua said. “Do you feel that Sister Stealth is not doing enough to locate your quarry?” His voice held a hint of menace. “Not at all,” Harm replied coolly. “I simply believe I would be a fool not to accept any opportunity I can to locate him.” Joshua slowly nodded. “Very well,” he finally said. “I give you permission to go. Now leave me to my meditation.” Harm and Breathtaker slowly walked out the doors that shut firmly behind him. Breathtaker looked up and caught an amused smile on Harm’s face. She cursed silently as she realized she was shivering. “I see that you are uncomfortable around him,” Harm said in a low voice. “That is a very common reaction.” He led her down a small stone hallway. “Do not be ashamed.” ”I’m not-“ Breathtaker snapped, then stopped herself. She took a deep breath to calm down. “I just don’t like this place. There’s something about it that disturbs even me.” Harm nodded once. “I agree. Even with my somewhat unusual past, I feel the same.” They walked out of the church and approached a limousine. Provoke leaned out the back window with a bottle in his hand. “Welcome back, mate,” Provoke said as he popped the cork and began pouring three glasses. He began distributing the drinks as Harm pulled the door shut behind them. “Here’s to the Overseers, back and better than ever!” A small smile crossed Breathtaker’s lips as she raised her glass as well. “For once, you have said something I can agree with,” she said. Breathtaker stood. Around the table in the meeting room (unwillingly provided by Director Bones) sat the rest of the reassembled Overseers. She forced a smile to her face and began to speak. “Welcome,” she said. “During the last incarnation of the Overseers, we were being manipulated by Director Bones to dispose of the Titans West for him. After the unfortunate events that led to the end of that group, we each went our own ways. The others may do as they please. ”We are here to help people. The only difference is that we are no longer doing it to serve Bones’s or the DEO’s purposes. We are independent, and, as of today, we have all received Presidential pardons. We all have clean criminal records. ”We have received a rare second chance, gentlemen. We must make the most of it.” Breathtaker cut off as an alarm began buzzing from a computer console. “What is it?” she asked as Provoke began scanning the readout. “We’ve just gotten a call from somebody named Oracle,” he said. “Looks like there’s an old Amazo robot on the loose.” ”Excellent,” Breathtaker said. “Come on! We’ve got work to do!” The Overseers ran from the room, heading for their transport. On the other side of a mirror in the room, Director Bones laughed. “Excellent,” he told a technician. The technician looked up. “They bought everything, sir. And if I may add, the Oracle bit was genuinely inspired.” ”It was, wasn’t it?” Bones asked. “These Overseers need to learn their place. Whether they want to or not, I’m still the one pulling the strings. At least, until their mission is finally accomplished.” Next Issue: Bumblebee leads the team as they face off against one of Superboy’s oldest foes! Previous Issue | Next Issue |
