"The Gathering, Part Four"
LONDON, ENGLAND
Jolly Jack stepped out of the bank, holding a sack that was full of valuables. He'd raided the safety deposit boxes in lieu of the vault this time. Never let it be said that Jack wasn't different.
Dressed in a gaudy red-and-orange costume, Jack looked like something from Wonderland come to life. Only in Jack's stories, people usually died when drank strange potions.
Bowing low to the assembled throng, Jack made way to his waiting vehicle. "Thank you for attending, one and all! Another showing will be held sometime next week or sooner if I blow all this before then. Ta-ta!"
"I must tell, as someone who is acquainted with high fashion, that your costume is absolutely horrible!"
The teasing female voice made Jack's normally jolly smile turn upside down. He looked up to see something that was becoming a disturbingly familiar sight throughout Europe : the Justice Squadron.
The Crimson Fox, the Elongated Man, the Knight, Maya, Revenant and Godiva were all floating in the air, held aloft by a mechanical platform of the Knight's devising. Jack reached for his bag of tricks and forced himself to laugh. "Ho-ho! The gang's all here -- what a truly wonderful, wonderful thing!"
Drawing a laser pistol, he directed a shot right at Revenant. The ghostly hero merely turned himself immaterial and let the blast go right through him. "Shall I deal with the sinner?"
"Let me -- I'm the new girl in the group. And my hair's been itching for something to do all day!" Godiva's long blonde hair responded to her every thought, now hardening and transforming into a fist-like shape that smacked Jolly Jack hard across the face. The villain proved to have a glass jaw and went down quickly.
Maya rolled her eyes, leaning over to Ralph. In a whisper, she said "My hair's been itching for something to do... Kill me. Please!"
"Shh! She's a very experienced hero. Besides, I like a girl who has stretchable body parts." Ralph raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"Ooooh. Gross! You better not let Sue hear you say that."
The Crimson Fox jumped off the platform and searched Jack's pockets. "No sign of a Secret Society communicator. We have struck out again, it seems."
The Knight frowned. "I don't understand. Using the device that Ralph found*, I sent out a homing signal that led us here. I was sure that Jolly Jack must have joined with them and his communicator was responding."
(*Back in our collector's item first issue!)
Revenant glanced about. He still felt uncomfortable with this group and he knew that did not yet consider him a friend. But they had proven remarkably understanding of his 'condition.' "I sense something... That we're being observed by someone of great power."
The Fox looked at him. "Can you tell where they are?" Constance sniffed the air, using her heightened sense of smell to try and locate anything out of the ordinary.
"No... it's fading. Whatever or whoever it was is gone." He stared at a wisp of smoke that drifted away from them, thinking for just a moment that the mist resembled a person. But then it was gone.
The Knight glanced up as the authorities arrived. He stepped off the platform and moved towards them. "Gentlemen! Godiva and I will be more than willing to answer your questions...."
The Fox felt a flush come over her cheeks. Godiva and I...? Just because we are in your native country does not mean that I have resigned as leader! We shall talk about this, Cyril. But what can I expect? With the way you demanded that we move our operations to England, just to suit you... I did not mind at the time, but it was the start of what has been a vexing week for me! Worst of all, though, were Max's revelations....
WORDENSHIRE, ENGLAND - SIX DAYS AGO
"Max Lord?! C'est impossible!" Constance D'Aramis had never known Max as well as some of her former teammates in the Justice League, but she had valued his friendship, nonetheless, and she had grieved for him when he had died. To see him now, cloaked in the armored costume of one of the League's deadliest foes... it was mindboggling.
Lord Havoc nodded, obviously enjoying the looks on his former friends' faces. "Yes, it's me. Not a robot, or a clone or an alien duplicate."
Ralph stretched his neck forward. "What did J'onn keep under his bed?"
"A large, locked box full of Oreos."
"Hmm... and what about Beetle?"
Max chuckled and glanced at Maya. "Do you really want me to answer that with minors present?"
Ralph blinked. He turned to Constance. "It is him."
Revenant grunted. "He's not dead. Death leaves a powerful mark on someone and his aura is clean. Whatever he is, he's not a ghost like me."
The Knight crossed his arms. "What he is is an uninvited guest!"
"My apologies, Earl. Yes, I know very well that you're the Earl of Wordenshire -- not that it would be difficult to surmise given your houseguests... I know secrets about all of you, even the ghostly fellow in red. I've been on the inside of the Justice League. I could destroy all of you on a whim."
Constance moved towards him, her hands open. "But why would you? You were one of us, Mr. Lord. If not for all the hard work you put into the League, they never would have expanded outside the United States. They never would have inspired my sister and I to seek membership...."
Max looked pained for a moment, as if Constance had touched a chord within him, but his expression hardened quickly. "I was told to go away, that I wasn't needed anymore*! And then, when I lay dying in the hospital, where was my support? Where were all of my friends when you thought me dead**?!"
(*Max was told to take a hike by Superman in Justice League Spectacular # 1. **Max's funeral was rather poorly attended in Justice League America # 96.)
"Oh, Max... I am so sorry if you felt betrayed. But if you are alive now, we can try and make it up to you...."
"Go to hell." Lord Havoc turned away her, steeling himself. Coming here had troubled him more than he'd expected it would. "I came to warn you, not because I care for you, but for my own purposes. The Secret Society of Super-Villains attacked Claire in hopes of gaining the hidden locations of the JLI's old equipment. This group is very well put-together, they're not run by Grade-B villains like the original Society was."
Ralph poked Havoc in the chest, eliciting a stern look of disapproval from the villain. "A-ha! You are concerned about us! Otherwise, you wouldn't be here. What I want to know is, why are you dressed like Lord Havoc?"
Havoc sighed. "The reasons behind my transformation are unimportant -- but to make a long story short, I was offered a choice. Become Lord Havoc and live, stay Max Lord and die. It wasn't a hard choice. Not for me."
The Knight shook his head. "Forgive me for not caring about the specifics of all of this -- I understand that this... individual... was once a friend to some of you. But I am much more concerned about the Secret Society -- and whether or not our armored guest had led them to our very door!"
"Max would not do such a thing!" Constance stared at Cyril in outrage. "He is here to help us!"
"Enough!" Havoc had replaced his helmet and his voice was once cold and harsh. "You've been warned. The Society is well-organized and has a gameplan. Watch yourselves."
Constance touched his arm. "Max! Do not go -- there are still so many things we need to ask you...!"
Havoc's attack was so sudden that no one could stop him. He backhanded Constance so hard that her feet left the floor. She landed hard against the wall and slid to the floor. "Never touch me again. I want you all to know this -- since I became Lord Havoc, I've felt rage. Rage for everyone who ever stood against me. I don't want the Society to destroy you, because I want that pleasure for myself!"
Maya launched a fiery arrow at Havoc, but the villain teleported away. The flames landed in the curtains and began blazing away. Ralph and Revenant put out the fire while the Knight knelt beside Constance.
"Are you all right?"
Constance groaned, holding her head. "Oui... But the man who did this was not Max Lord. Somewhere inside him is the real Max... We have to find a way to free him!"
LIVE WITH COLIN KING, BBC STUDIOS - THE PRESENT.
"So you're the leader then?" Colin smiled graciously at the brightly-garbed heroes who sat across from him. As host of England's most popular morning talk show, he'd interviewed everyone from the Prime Minister to Robbie Williams, but never a woman quite like this.
The Crimson Fox smiled. "Yes. I formed the group and, by popular vote, I am serving my first term as leader."
Colin smiled even more. Damn, but she smells wonderful!
The Fox continued, "But we're really a team in every way. The Elongated Man is our resident detective, the Knight is well-known throughout Europe for his keen intellect and awesome fighting prowess, Maya has the potential to be our most powerful member, though for now she focuses on her flame powers and Revenant is a bit of a mystery but his magical abilities are quite useful."
Colin placed his chin on his hand and gazed at her with adoration. The man who'd grilled politicians was like putty in her hands. Her pheromones were quite powerful, indeed. "And you're here today to announce another addition to the team?"
"Yes. Like the Knight, she's regarded as one of Great Britain's premier heroes. I hope everyone will welcome the addition of Godiva!"
Colin barely even looked up as the gorgeous blonde walked onstage, waving at the cameras.
"Colin?" Constance prompted.
"Hmm?"
"Welcome your guest, mon cheri."
"Oh! Yes, well, let's welcome Godiva everyone!"
From the flat he shared with Godiva, Piers Grayson watched the television with a smug look on his face. She's in. God in heaven, she's in.
Piers reached for the phone, dialing a number that only a few were privy to. When the connection was made, he let out a chuckle. "Yes, sir. It's just like you said. They jumped at the chance to get her. The Squadron's ours now...."
Coming up in Justice Squadron # 5 : Thanagarians. A very big battle that may very well cost the Squadron their lives. A dinner party. And the Mad Mod returns!!!!!!
SQUADRON NOTES
This wraps up our first storyline, as the team is now at full strength. Lord Havoc will return and his storyline will climax in issue # 12. Next issue will see the return of the Mad Mod (an old Titans villain who was reformed in Dan Jurgens' most recent Titans series) and a Thanagarian menace that could threaten all of Europe. No lie!
Be here!
Hope you're enjoying things,