Issue Number Eighteen
"The Extremist War, Part Three"
PROLOGUE - THE ONES LEFT BEHIND
Julie Days sat in her dorm room and wished desperately that her mentor, Cyril Sheldrake, were there to comfort her. During her days as the Squire, she'd seen things that would have driven most girls her age mad -- but never had she seen anything like this.
On the television screen before her, a live satellite feed from South America showed images of horror and devastation. The villains known as the Extremists, fresh from their slaughter in the country of Bialya, had sought refuge in the jungles -- only to be tracked down by Cyril's old mates, the Justice Squadron.
Now, the scene was one of carnage and mayhem... From all accounts, the Extremists were killers, always ready to rend and tear. But the Squadron's down there fighting them. Not really the kind of people who'd kill a man like Cyril. Maybe they were telling the truth* -- maybe Cyril is alive out there, somewhere. If so, I'm glad he's not here for this -- I'm worried none of the Squadron's going to come out alive...
(*We found out in Justice Squadron # 15 that a body seeming to be that of Cyril's was discovered recently.)
Elsewhere, the mysterious Revenant floated outside a television shop in London. The many screens on display in the sale window all flashed the same thing -- the mounting carnage in South America. Thirty foot tall beings were setting the jungle ablaze and reports were coming in that some of the Squadron were badly injured, perhaps even dead.
Revenant felt a pang of regret that he wasn't with them -- despite the harsh words he'd shared with Ralph Dibny, the Squadron were the closest things to friends he'd ever had. Still, he had no place with them anymore -- they were heroes and he... well, he was nothing more than a killer sentenced to serve penance.
Another former member, Godiva, sat alone in her apartment. The tears were still coming hard for her, the sting of love betrayed hurting a bit less with each passing day. Her television set hadn't been touched all day and so she knew nothing of the Squadron's peril.
She was the luckiest of all.
END PROLOGUE
SOUTH AMERICA
Kimiyo Hoshi, aka Dr. Light, couldn't help flinching when the explosions came. All around her, the landscape burst apart as Fifth Dimensional energies were turned against Dr. Light and her injured companions.
Kimiyo steered past a wall of fire, projecting a light bridge that was carrying her towards the Squadron's shuttle. At her feet lay Hawkman and Rocket Red, both unconscious. The Thanagarian had been split nearly in two by Tracer's claws, while the Russian hero had been crushed by his own armor, thanks to the magnetic powers of Dr. Diehard. Both were in critical need of medical attention, but Kimi's immediate concern was for her own survival at present -- if she died now, there would be no hope for her friends.
The Japanese woman saw the shuttle up ahead and banked towards it. The energy barrage had momentarily ended, meaning that the djinn had lost interest in playing with her. The team's plan had been simple enough and designed to negate the role of the djinn -- while most of the team battled the Extremists, the Elongated Man and Crimson Fox would steal the device with which the villains summoned and controlled the djinn.
Something, however, had gone very wrong -- and now three of the 5th Dimension djinn were laying waste to the countryside.
Kimi landed as gently as possible and began dragging her friends onboard. Just as she had loaded on both of them, her communicator chimed. With an annoyed motion she tapped it. "Hello?"
"Kimi! This is Sue. I've been monitoring your situation -- the JSA is en route, but the League is still in space and the Titans are battling Deathstroke in New York. Is Ralph okay?"
"I don't know -- he and Constance were supposed to get the device, but they obviously failed. Katar and Dmitri are badly hurt, but Chandi and I are in relatively good shape. One of her arms is broken, but she is otherwise unharmed."
"Okay... Hang in there. Reinforcements are on the way."
"I will try, Sue. I'm in the shuttle now, but I'm heading back to the Extremists' lair. Chandi is there looking for the others."
Kimi shut off the communicator before Sue could respond. She could the terror that lay beneath Sue's calm demeanor and she understood it quite clearly. After all, she'd recently lost a lover herself* and she had two children waiting for her in Japan.
(*In Justice Squadron # 14.)
But now wasn't the time for soft emotions or sympathies. As she stepped back out into the jungle, the flickering light of nearby fires casting long shadows on her form, she charged up her personal energy. For perhaps the first time since she'd visited the anti-matter universe all those years ago*, she felt her own mortality. But she would not go down without a fight.
(*In the classic Crisis on Infinite Earths # 7.)
A djinn materialized before her, smiling as all the colors of creation danced across his face. He towered over her and clenched a fist. Lightning danced about his eyes.
Kimiyo Hoshi felt a mad smile come upon her face and saw the confusion which then registered in the djinn's eyes. Since losing Erewhon she'd felt at loose ends and had thrown herself into her lab work as an escape. But here, now, she felt truly alive.
With a tremendous blast of light, Kimiyo took the offensive.
Chandi Gupta gritted her teeth against the pain that was flaring through her left arm. She wasn't sure how bad the break was, but it hurt terribly. Clutching her bow in her right hand, she silently prayed she wouldn't need to fire it anytime soon. Her flame and water powers worked without the bow, of course, but it served as a powerful focus for her still-developing powers.
The young heroine known as Maya moved through the darkened headquarters of the Extremists, the floor shaking beneath her feet. The djinn had been summoned, meaning Ralph and Constance had failed in their mission. And now it was up to Maya to find them and, if necessary, rescue them.
Images of Katar flashed through her mind. He'd looked terrible when Kimi had taken him and Dmitri away. Parts of his stomach had been... hanging out... The memory made her queasy. Don't worry about it. He'll be fine. I hope.
Maya paused suddenly, hearing voices from up ahead. This entire hallway was burnt and charred, evidence of the djinn's path. She wondered if she'd be too weak to put up a fight. If only my powers included rapid hea--
A tingle in her arm quickly became searing agony. Despite her attempts to remain quiet, she cried out as something snapped together inside her. Falling to one knee, she realized that the pain was gone as quickly as it had come... and her battered arm was now perfect.
I healed it. I healed it! That must mean my powers are still developing -- maybe it's related to that weird rash I got several weeks ago... It might have been a sign that something was changing inside me.
"Chandi, isn't it? You weren't one of the ones I recruited, so I'm not positive."
Maya looked up to see Lord Havoc striding towards her. His helmet was off, showing his true face -- Maxwell Lord. "Mr. Lord... What have you done with my friends?"
Havoc paused, a frown on his face. "Don't call me that. I'm Havoc. Lord Havoc."
"I don't care what you call yourself -- I want my friends back." Tiny flickers of flame suddenly danced along her arms and shoulders, giving her an almost demonic look.
"They're unharmed, child. Look for yourself." Havoc gestured towards the room at the end of the hall, from which a plume of smoke was emerging.
Maya kept her eyes on Havoc as she moved forward. Peering in, she saw Ralph lying unconscious on the floor. The Crimson Fox was awake, but immobilized -- bands of fifth dimensional energy held her tight against the wall.
"Chandi! You must run! Go! Rapidement!"
Havoc loomed over the child. "There's no escape, so don't even attempt it. I know that your friends destroyed the other Extremists -- it doesn't matter. They were machines and can be rebuilt. My djinn are all I need. As soon as they've captured the other members of the Squadron, we can end this -- and the world will see that Lord Havoc is destined to rule them all."
"You're going to kill us, aren't you? Even the ones who used to be your friends?!" Maya stared at Havoc with wide eyes.
"Don't you understand? I am not Maxwell Lord! They were never my friends."
"Then why did you aid us against ze Society*, mon ami?" The Crimson Fox shook her head. "And do not say it was because you wanted to destroy us yourself! I have checked -- you saved your ex-wife, Claire, from Mirror Master even before that**! Not to mention recruiting Dmitri to our cause***. And you knew that we could track you here from Bialya, didn't you? You wanted us to -- because you are still Maxwell Lord inside!"
(*See Justice Squadron # 4. **In Justice Squadron # 2. ***In Justice Squadron # 13.)
Doubt seemed to cloud Lord's face. "No... I am Havoc. I was remade. All of you abandoned me to die!"
"That is not true! We loved you, Max, even through all of your deceptions. And what's more -- we believed in your dream. Of a global League, helping mankind."
Havoc snarled and raised a gauntlet. Energy flared around his hands. "Shut up! I'll kill you if you say another word."
Maya tensed, ready to act if Havoc was true to his word. She was careful, though, to not set him off. "Calm down, Mr. Lord...."
The Fox shook her head, tears in her eyes. "Do it, Max! If you want to kill me, then do it! My sister died in this costume, as part of your League. It would be fitting for me to do the same."
Sweat beaded on Max's forehead. His arm shook from the internal struggle going on. He felt the madness, induced by Kilg%re, vying for control. "Ngg... I'm sorry, Connie... but you have... to .... Aaaaaaaagh!"
The scream that issued forth was long and laced with pain. Not physical, but mental, emotional... and spiritual. In that one moment, Maxwell Lord threw off the restraints put onto him by Kilg%re...
The former mastermind of the Justice League fell to his knees, his hands outstretched. "I'm sorry."
The words were whispered softly, but Maya felt relief rush over her. It was over. The long, bloody battle was over.
EPILOGUE
"How's Max?"
"Well, I'd say he's recovered from the ordeal as well anyone could have. Many of his actions in the Lord Havoc persona seem to be repressed right now, so he barely remembers much of it. Physically... Well, his new body seems to be working quite well. We destroyed the robotic body that his mind had been trapped in and transferred his intellect into this new cloned one -- the technique was recently used on the Titans' Cyborg as well, I believe."
Ralph Dibny, his arm in a sling and several bandages on his face, walked through the JLA's Watchtower headquarters, John Henry Irons at his side. "What about the others? Has all this alien science worked wonders on them yet?"
Irons, dressed in a lab coat rather than his Steel armor, shrugged. "Hmm. Hawkman's Avatar-status grants him some nice recuperative abilities, but Dmitri is going to be touch-and-go for awhile. He has some sever spinal chord damage. There's a chance of paralysis, but with enough physical therapy... Who knows?"
The Elongated Man stepped into Max's room, smiling as he saw his teammates were already there. Dr. Light, Maya and the Crimson Fox were all laughing at something Max had just said. Lord, for his part, looked better than he had in years. "Ralph! Glad you could make it. I always knew you'd be a great leader -- I pushed for you to get the job back in the League, you know. But J'onn wouldn't--"
Ralph stretched his neck towards him and grinned. "Max? Let me be the first to say that I'm glad you're back to your old self. But howzabout shutting up?"
"You give a guy a little power, goes straight to his head." Max's smile dropped a bit. "I wanted to thank all of you for that little cover story you came up with...."
Kimi shook her head. "Don't worry yourself. It's very believable -- the world thinks that your death was faked, part of a kidnapping plot orchestrated by Lord Havoc. We discovered you while battling the Extremists and freed you. End of story."
"Still... All of you put yourself on the line for me. Considering some of the things I did... Well. Anyway, I can't wait to get to work."
"What are you going to do, Mr. Lord?" Chandi asked.
Max flashed a brilliant grin. "Getting this team their just desserts, of course. How does Justice Squadron International sound?"
Ralph couldn't help but say, "Uh-oh."
In Justice Squadron # 19 : With half the team out of commission, the Squadron tries to take advantage of some downtime by rebuilding their ranks, spending some quality time with their loved ones and - oh, yeah! - solving the mystery of the Knight's murder!
EUROPINIONS
Hope everyone enjoyed this three issue storyline. I had several goals in mind when I began this, but the main ones I like to think have been accomplished. The next time you hear that the Extremists are back, hopefully you'll fear for our heroes... The rehabilitation of Max Lord was crucial as well, and will figure into the slight reworking of the series that begins next issue.
A sleeker look awaits the team in issue 19 as I tinker with the formatting of the stories themselves -- hopefully, you'll like the changes I have planned.
Keep in touch,