Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2015 4:25:53 GMT -5
The Titans of Justice Chapter 5 – "Scream of the Cheetah"
Written by: Scotty2Hotty
Co-conspirator: Power Guy
Edited by: Marcus Mebes
Wonder Man's jet streaked across the sky. He was having such a good time at the party after the fashion show and a very pretty new model named Ursula Hyatt had caught his eye, but monitor duty at the Hall of Justice was one of the unfortunate requirements of being a member of the team.
"Another time, Ursula," he thought to himself. "My grandmother would have liked you too."
He was growing accustomed to being Wonder Man, much to his mother's displeasure. Hippolyta had encouraged him all the time when the two had the chance to talk through the Well of Souls. Wonder Man knew this was because his grandmother sorely missed her days as the World War II Wonder Woman.
The jet landed at the Hall of Justice and Wonder Man entered. He was there to relieve Celsius. The two exchanged greetings and chatted. Celsius began, "It's been quiet tonight and very boring. Not even a cat stuck in a tree.”
"Boring sounds fine to me. I had a long show today and I'm kind of tired, especially since I had to fly here from Italy!" Wonder Man replied.
Celsius laughed good-naturedly, understanding the experience himself. “Well, have a good night man. I'll see you soon. I can't wait to get home to New Zealand. Hopefully I will have time to work on some personal projects without any drama from super villains."
Just then an alarm sounded. "So much for the quiet night," Wonder Man said.
"That was the intruder alert. Someone's outside the Hall" Celsius shouted.
The two heroes ran outside where they were startled to find a beautiful masked woman. The air around her was fragrant with a floral scent.
"I saw her first!" Wonder Man said.
"Hold up buddy, let's see what she's up to before you go all 'Dating Game' on her," Celsius chided. "Who are you?" he demanded of the newcomer.
"She's... she's beautiful..." Wonder Man said, much like a school boy with a crush on the teacher. Both heroes knew they should be in defensive mode, but somehow felt light-headed.
"Hello boys. You can call me Venus," the woman replied.
"Like the Roman Aphrodite; the goddess of love..." Wonder Man murmured as he moved slowly towards the woman, not taking his eyes off of her. Celsius was fighting to regain his composure and encouraged Wonder Man to stay back.
"What are you doing here!? You realize this is the Hall of Justice?" Celsius said to Venus.
Venus arched her back and tossed her hair and said in a breathy voice, "I came to the Hall because I need help. With most of the Justice League gone, I came here after hearing of your fights with the Legion of Doom and Amazo. I have the power to release pheromones and make people ‘appreciate’ me. I don't know how I got my power…..there's a lot about myself I don't know. It's like I can remember things that don't make sense at all. It's as if I’m remembering someone else's past. It somehow involves the Justice League of America, the Teen Titans, The Outsiders, and other heroes. Please help me."
Venus began to cry as Wonder Man placed his muscular arms around the tearful beauty.
"Oh brother," Celsius thought to himself. Aloud, he added, "Venus, please start from the beginning and we'll help you--or at least try to."
Oh thank you, thank you!' Venus said as she sat down at the meeting table and started telling her story.
• • •
Across town, Barbara Minerva lounged in a cheetah print robe and sipped Cristal. Two large cheetahs were curled up with her as she watched a documentary about Wonder Woman on television. "BAH!" she hissed throwing her glass at the TV set. "How I hate that Amazon
hussy. She's been out of the public eye for years and I still want to kill
her."
Barbara stumbled to her feet and made her way to the kitchen, looking for more champagne. She noticed the door to the back yard was open. "That's odd," she thought to herself. "My servant must have not locked it on his way out. I will deal with him tomorrow."
As she made her way to the door, she didn't notice the figure creeping behind her.
"Blood... there's blood in the air..." Barbara murmured. She froze, then spun around. Before her stood a young man. The lights were dim and she was drunk, so she had trouble making out his features.
"You should be more careful Miss Minerva. Anyone could come through that door," the young man said.
"You need to be more careful, boy. Dionysus! Hades!! To me--NOW!" Barbara shouted to her pets.
"I wouldn't bother calling them,” the young man said eerily. “They won't answer."
Barbara shoved past him into her living room only to be greeted with sight of her pets—both dead. Their throats had been slashed and both had been disemboweled.
"You--you did this! Who are you?" she demanded.
"Why, I'm the Cheetah. Or at least I will be." The young man said giving Barbara a very evil grin.
Barbara let out a shriek and leaped at the man. He just stood still watching her. As she was about to make contact, he pulled from his jacket a silver dagger that Barbara recognized. The young man moved like lightning and plunged the dagger into Barbara's chest, stopping her cold. She then fell to the floor gasping.
"Wh--where did you g-g-get this...? It's the dagger that I used in my Ch-cheetah ritual..."she muttered as her mouth filled with blood.
The young man kneeled beside her and ran his finger through the blood pouring onto the floor and then put his finger in his mouth. "My grandmother told me all about you. You know her very well. Her name was Priscilla... Priscilla Rich."
"You--you're her gr-grandson??" Barbara's vision was blurring. She knew she was dying.
"That's right. You killed her. She did nothing to you but she's told me what you did to her and what to do--how I can avenge her."
"But she's dead... I killed her!!" Barbara said in a drunken slur.
"You stupid stupid WOMAN! Can't you see? Grandmother is standing right next to me. How do you think I knew how to find you?” He paused and looked beside him, much to the dying woman’s bewilderment. “What grandmother?” He appeared to be talking to nothingness. “Oh yes, I think that will be perfect."
"Who...who are you talking to?" Barbara uttered weakly. The man who seemed to be talking to the air pulled out the dagger from Barbara’s chest that had killed so many before. He plunged it into Barbara's throat.
"Yes, Grandmother that will shut her up. What do I do now? How do I finish your work?" the young man asked out loud in the empty room as the woman formerly known as the Cheetah drew her last breath.
The young man known as Michael Rich sat in front of Barbara Minerva's mirror. He was covered in the bloody pelts that had once been Minerva's pet cheetahs. In one hand he held a chalice full of Minerva's own blood.
He gazed into the mirror. "Grandmother,” he muttered lowly, “I have killed the imposter. I have avenged you. What now?"
Anyone unfortunate enough to happen upon the scene would notice that Michael was speaking to his own reflection, but seemed to be carrying on a conversation with someone else altogether.
Michael saw his grandmother in the mirror looking back at him. She was in her Cheetah costume. She spoke from the opalescent depths of the mirror, bridging the ages and dimensions. "My dear, you are just like me... a cunning hunter... you will take the abuse of this world no longer. Go....go and show them all the power of the Cheetah. You must destroy the house of Wonder Woman and her entire family. They are your natural enemy… enemy by blood! Do not be fooled by their pretty words and false acts of kindness. Kill them! Kill them all!” The specter in the mirror collected herself, calming down. She narrowed her eyes to slits and gave him an order. “Now my boy… drink the blood and the cycle will be complete. You shall unleash death that has never been seen before."
Michael drank the blood out of the cup and immediately felt as if his own blood and body were on fire. He fell to the floor. "Grandmother! Help me... I… I'm not ready… all the training... all the steps for the ritual… it's not time!"
"Be strong, boy! You are doing fine!" The figure of his grandmother reached out, as if trying to escape the confines of the mirror. She spoke calmly and soothingly, but Michael let out a scream that sounded more like a deep savage roar.
• • •
Meanwhile at the Hall of Justice, Celsius and Wonder Man were talking with their new arrival: Venus.
"I don't know where to start." she told them as they interrogated her.
"Just start at the beginning. Take your time" Celsius assured her.
"Well, I really can't remember much until a few years ago. I have been working as an exotic dancer in Las Vegas..."
"SWEET!" Wonder Man interrupted, but Celsius gave him a look that signaled 'shut up!'
"All that doesn't matter anyway,” she continued, lowering her head in sadness. “For some reason I see people in costumes all around me... . I can't make out who they are. I try so hard to figure out why I'm there… in that memory… but it's like my mind won't let me. Maybe I survived some traumatic… event… and I've blocked it all out. I think I..."
Before she could speak any further, there was a loud alarm from the trouble alert. Wonder Man went to the screen. It was Police Commissioner Lachey from Gateway City. Since their reinstatement, the new team of heroes had spread the word to law enforcement agencies; and Commissioner Lachey was among those who accepted their willingness to assist.
"I need your help urgently!” transmitted the voice from the speakers. “There is something going on across town at Dr. Barbara Minerva's home on 1313 Mockingbird Lane. I have dispatched some men there who have been hurt badly!" The voice hesitated.
“What is it, Commissioner?” asked Celsius.
“Nothing, really. I’m just not accustomed to calling on costumed vigil… I mean, superheroes… to help my own men.”
"We're on our way!" Wonder Man replied. "Sorry Venus. We have to go check this out, You are welcome to wait here."
"Wonder Man, I can stay and keep an eye on things.” said Celsius.. “Venus, why don't you go along? I have a good feeling about you. I'm sure Wonder Man would like the company."
With their leader’s assent, Wonder Man and Venus left. Celsius wondered to himself, "What's your story Venus?” In actuality, Celsius’s motives were ulterior… he wanted to get Venus out of the Hall of Justice so that he could try to do some research on her.
• • •
Wonder Man and Venus arrived at Minerva's home and saw empty police cars parked outside. They both cautiously entered the darkened house. "Venus,” whispered Wonder Man to his accomplice, “stay close to me." Just then the bloody and mangled body of a police officer fell to the floor from somewhere above them. Wonder Man looked up and saw two glowing red eyes peering through the dark. The person--or creature--was eating something that struggled futilely in its grasp. As they watched, they could make out the terrified face of another officer, though the life was quickly draining from him. Struggle as he might, the officer could make no sound, for the creature had torn out most of his throat.
Before Wonder Man could act, it--whatever it was--was on him. Venus was knocked to side and the creature slashed Wonder Man's chest. Wonder Man punched the creature in the face and sent it across the room. Wonder Man jumped to his feet. In the light he could make out the creature.
"Cheetah?” he asked incredulously. “But… you're not Miss Minerva?"
"Fool!” growled the feral voice that emanated from the creature’s throat. “That imposter is dead! The power of the Cheetah is mine!” The creature wiped its arm across his face, then flung the blood and gore to the wall behind him where it left a long, red splatter. “How appropriate the son of that Amazon wench is here!” He snarled in disgust. “I can't wait to skin you alive!”
Wonder Man observed that this was not the same Cheetah that his family had confronted so many times in the past. This was a male Cheetah. He stood seven to eight feet tall and was covered in fur, much like Barbara Minerva had been.
The Cheetah lunged at Wonder Man again knocking him off his feet. Instinctively, he went
straight for his throat. A voice in the Cheetah's mind said, "Do it! Kill him! Leave his corpse
for Wonder Woman to see!"
"YESSSSSS, Grandmother!!!" The beast howled.
"Grandmother? You trying to say I fight like an old lady??" Wonder Man shouted, kicking the Cheetah off of him. In the fight his lasso had been dropped and Wonder Man was bracing for a long bloody fight. A huge marble statue of the Egyptian goddess Isis came whizzing by and struck the Cheetah in the face. He let out a yelp and lunged towards Venus, who had thrown the statue. He surged forward as if he wanted to attack… then hesitated. He gave her an odd look and backed away. Turning swiftly, he let out a roar and jumped out a window.
Venus went to the bloodied Wonder Man. "Are you all right?" she asked as she knelt to help him up.
"I'm fine; I’m fine,” he uttered as he collected his wits. “Just… not sure what just happened here.” He shook his head and blinked his eyes. “We have to go after him. I need to warn my mother and aunt.” He stared at his benefactor, dazed. “I didn't know you were so strong. That statue must have weighed at least 500 pounds and you picked it up like it was nothing. How did you do that? Are you sure you're not from Krypton?"
"I .....I don't know” came the worried reply from Venus. “Sometimes things just happen like that. It felt so natural……but now I can feel that my extra strength is gone. Come on, let me take care of you. He cut you really bad."
"Agh, you're right. I'm a mess,” he agreed. No additional police officers had been dispatched, and those that remained were no longer among the living. The sight was grizzly. “He did claw me pretty bad." Wonder Man added, looking at the blood pouring from his chest.
As Wonder Man and Venus left, they were able to see that more officers had indeed been dispatched, and were arriving. No one noticed the lurking form of the Cheetah perched in a tree. "Yes grandmother, I see them. I will make sure they all pay. Now I must rest but soon I will gather allies to destroy the son of Wonder Woman and his friends........"
• • •
Epilogue:
Gotham City, USA
The Batmobile streaked across the city finally arriving at its destination: Arkham Asylum. Nightvision parked the car, got out, and headed into the building. After traveling through what seemed like a maze of hallways, he finally saw the person he was there to meet.
“Good evening Commissioner O’hara.” said Nightvision. “How did Phosphorus escape?”
“Actually, he was let out,” expounded Commissioner Lachey.
“Why on earth would you release that man???” questioned Nightvision.
“I didn’t. It turns out a guard let him loose,” explained the Commissioner.
“Bring me to the guard!” demanded Nightvision.
The Commissioner took Nightvision to the room where the guard was been held. “Here he is. Take all the time you need. I’ll be waiting out side.”
“Give me three minutes,” said Nightvision.
Nightvision entered the room and closed the door behind him. He emerged ten minutes later with a grim look on his face.
“Well? What did you find out?” asked the Commissioner.
“Very little. I asked the guard why he let Dr. Phosphorus out of his cell and he said he had no choice. I asked him if Phosphorus threatened him and he said no. He claims someone else asked him to let Phosphorus out. When I asked who that someone was he kept saying Mor… Mor… Mor. Then he went into convulsions and passed out.”
“Is he okay?” asked the Commissioner.
“He’s alive,” confirmed Nightvision. “I checked his pulse and heartbeat. It appears that he’s in a coma. There’s some other force at work here.”
“My men tried to stop Phosphorus once he got out but he mauled his way through them like they were a bunch of rag-dolls. He headed west.”
“Thanks Commissioner. Don’t worry, I’ll find him,” affirmed Nightvision.
The hero headed out of the building and took off in the Batmobile in search of the elusive Dr. Phosphorus…
Scotty wrote the majority of this chapter so MAD PROPS to him!!!
Written by: Scotty2Hotty
Co-conspirator: Power Guy
Edited by: Marcus Mebes
Wonder Man's jet streaked across the sky. He was having such a good time at the party after the fashion show and a very pretty new model named Ursula Hyatt had caught his eye, but monitor duty at the Hall of Justice was one of the unfortunate requirements of being a member of the team.
"Another time, Ursula," he thought to himself. "My grandmother would have liked you too."
He was growing accustomed to being Wonder Man, much to his mother's displeasure. Hippolyta had encouraged him all the time when the two had the chance to talk through the Well of Souls. Wonder Man knew this was because his grandmother sorely missed her days as the World War II Wonder Woman.
The jet landed at the Hall of Justice and Wonder Man entered. He was there to relieve Celsius. The two exchanged greetings and chatted. Celsius began, "It's been quiet tonight and very boring. Not even a cat stuck in a tree.”
"Boring sounds fine to me. I had a long show today and I'm kind of tired, especially since I had to fly here from Italy!" Wonder Man replied.
Celsius laughed good-naturedly, understanding the experience himself. “Well, have a good night man. I'll see you soon. I can't wait to get home to New Zealand. Hopefully I will have time to work on some personal projects without any drama from super villains."
Just then an alarm sounded. "So much for the quiet night," Wonder Man said.
"That was the intruder alert. Someone's outside the Hall" Celsius shouted.
The two heroes ran outside where they were startled to find a beautiful masked woman. The air around her was fragrant with a floral scent.
"I saw her first!" Wonder Man said.
"Hold up buddy, let's see what she's up to before you go all 'Dating Game' on her," Celsius chided. "Who are you?" he demanded of the newcomer.
"She's... she's beautiful..." Wonder Man said, much like a school boy with a crush on the teacher. Both heroes knew they should be in defensive mode, but somehow felt light-headed.
"Hello boys. You can call me Venus," the woman replied.
"Like the Roman Aphrodite; the goddess of love..." Wonder Man murmured as he moved slowly towards the woman, not taking his eyes off of her. Celsius was fighting to regain his composure and encouraged Wonder Man to stay back.
"What are you doing here!? You realize this is the Hall of Justice?" Celsius said to Venus.
Venus arched her back and tossed her hair and said in a breathy voice, "I came to the Hall because I need help. With most of the Justice League gone, I came here after hearing of your fights with the Legion of Doom and Amazo. I have the power to release pheromones and make people ‘appreciate’ me. I don't know how I got my power…..there's a lot about myself I don't know. It's like I can remember things that don't make sense at all. It's as if I’m remembering someone else's past. It somehow involves the Justice League of America, the Teen Titans, The Outsiders, and other heroes. Please help me."
Venus began to cry as Wonder Man placed his muscular arms around the tearful beauty.
"Oh brother," Celsius thought to himself. Aloud, he added, "Venus, please start from the beginning and we'll help you--or at least try to."
Oh thank you, thank you!' Venus said as she sat down at the meeting table and started telling her story.
• • •
Across town, Barbara Minerva lounged in a cheetah print robe and sipped Cristal. Two large cheetahs were curled up with her as she watched a documentary about Wonder Woman on television. "BAH!" she hissed throwing her glass at the TV set. "How I hate that Amazon
hussy. She's been out of the public eye for years and I still want to kill
her."
Barbara stumbled to her feet and made her way to the kitchen, looking for more champagne. She noticed the door to the back yard was open. "That's odd," she thought to herself. "My servant must have not locked it on his way out. I will deal with him tomorrow."
As she made her way to the door, she didn't notice the figure creeping behind her.
"Blood... there's blood in the air..." Barbara murmured. She froze, then spun around. Before her stood a young man. The lights were dim and she was drunk, so she had trouble making out his features.
"You should be more careful Miss Minerva. Anyone could come through that door," the young man said.
"You need to be more careful, boy. Dionysus! Hades!! To me--NOW!" Barbara shouted to her pets.
"I wouldn't bother calling them,” the young man said eerily. “They won't answer."
Barbara shoved past him into her living room only to be greeted with sight of her pets—both dead. Their throats had been slashed and both had been disemboweled.
"You--you did this! Who are you?" she demanded.
"Why, I'm the Cheetah. Or at least I will be." The young man said giving Barbara a very evil grin.
Barbara let out a shriek and leaped at the man. He just stood still watching her. As she was about to make contact, he pulled from his jacket a silver dagger that Barbara recognized. The young man moved like lightning and plunged the dagger into Barbara's chest, stopping her cold. She then fell to the floor gasping.
"Wh--where did you g-g-get this...? It's the dagger that I used in my Ch-cheetah ritual..."she muttered as her mouth filled with blood.
The young man kneeled beside her and ran his finger through the blood pouring onto the floor and then put his finger in his mouth. "My grandmother told me all about you. You know her very well. Her name was Priscilla... Priscilla Rich."
"You--you're her gr-grandson??" Barbara's vision was blurring. She knew she was dying.
"That's right. You killed her. She did nothing to you but she's told me what you did to her and what to do--how I can avenge her."
"But she's dead... I killed her!!" Barbara said in a drunken slur.
"You stupid stupid WOMAN! Can't you see? Grandmother is standing right next to me. How do you think I knew how to find you?” He paused and looked beside him, much to the dying woman’s bewilderment. “What grandmother?” He appeared to be talking to nothingness. “Oh yes, I think that will be perfect."
"Who...who are you talking to?" Barbara uttered weakly. The man who seemed to be talking to the air pulled out the dagger from Barbara’s chest that had killed so many before. He plunged it into Barbara's throat.
"Yes, Grandmother that will shut her up. What do I do now? How do I finish your work?" the young man asked out loud in the empty room as the woman formerly known as the Cheetah drew her last breath.
The young man known as Michael Rich sat in front of Barbara Minerva's mirror. He was covered in the bloody pelts that had once been Minerva's pet cheetahs. In one hand he held a chalice full of Minerva's own blood.
He gazed into the mirror. "Grandmother,” he muttered lowly, “I have killed the imposter. I have avenged you. What now?"
Anyone unfortunate enough to happen upon the scene would notice that Michael was speaking to his own reflection, but seemed to be carrying on a conversation with someone else altogether.
Michael saw his grandmother in the mirror looking back at him. She was in her Cheetah costume. She spoke from the opalescent depths of the mirror, bridging the ages and dimensions. "My dear, you are just like me... a cunning hunter... you will take the abuse of this world no longer. Go....go and show them all the power of the Cheetah. You must destroy the house of Wonder Woman and her entire family. They are your natural enemy… enemy by blood! Do not be fooled by their pretty words and false acts of kindness. Kill them! Kill them all!” The specter in the mirror collected herself, calming down. She narrowed her eyes to slits and gave him an order. “Now my boy… drink the blood and the cycle will be complete. You shall unleash death that has never been seen before."
Michael drank the blood out of the cup and immediately felt as if his own blood and body were on fire. He fell to the floor. "Grandmother! Help me... I… I'm not ready… all the training... all the steps for the ritual… it's not time!"
"Be strong, boy! You are doing fine!" The figure of his grandmother reached out, as if trying to escape the confines of the mirror. She spoke calmly and soothingly, but Michael let out a scream that sounded more like a deep savage roar.
• • •
Meanwhile at the Hall of Justice, Celsius and Wonder Man were talking with their new arrival: Venus.
"I don't know where to start." she told them as they interrogated her.
"Just start at the beginning. Take your time" Celsius assured her.
"Well, I really can't remember much until a few years ago. I have been working as an exotic dancer in Las Vegas..."
"SWEET!" Wonder Man interrupted, but Celsius gave him a look that signaled 'shut up!'
"All that doesn't matter anyway,” she continued, lowering her head in sadness. “For some reason I see people in costumes all around me... . I can't make out who they are. I try so hard to figure out why I'm there… in that memory… but it's like my mind won't let me. Maybe I survived some traumatic… event… and I've blocked it all out. I think I..."
Before she could speak any further, there was a loud alarm from the trouble alert. Wonder Man went to the screen. It was Police Commissioner Lachey from Gateway City. Since their reinstatement, the new team of heroes had spread the word to law enforcement agencies; and Commissioner Lachey was among those who accepted their willingness to assist.
"I need your help urgently!” transmitted the voice from the speakers. “There is something going on across town at Dr. Barbara Minerva's home on 1313 Mockingbird Lane. I have dispatched some men there who have been hurt badly!" The voice hesitated.
“What is it, Commissioner?” asked Celsius.
“Nothing, really. I’m just not accustomed to calling on costumed vigil… I mean, superheroes… to help my own men.”
"We're on our way!" Wonder Man replied. "Sorry Venus. We have to go check this out, You are welcome to wait here."
"Wonder Man, I can stay and keep an eye on things.” said Celsius.. “Venus, why don't you go along? I have a good feeling about you. I'm sure Wonder Man would like the company."
With their leader’s assent, Wonder Man and Venus left. Celsius wondered to himself, "What's your story Venus?” In actuality, Celsius’s motives were ulterior… he wanted to get Venus out of the Hall of Justice so that he could try to do some research on her.
• • •
Wonder Man and Venus arrived at Minerva's home and saw empty police cars parked outside. They both cautiously entered the darkened house. "Venus,” whispered Wonder Man to his accomplice, “stay close to me." Just then the bloody and mangled body of a police officer fell to the floor from somewhere above them. Wonder Man looked up and saw two glowing red eyes peering through the dark. The person--or creature--was eating something that struggled futilely in its grasp. As they watched, they could make out the terrified face of another officer, though the life was quickly draining from him. Struggle as he might, the officer could make no sound, for the creature had torn out most of his throat.
Before Wonder Man could act, it--whatever it was--was on him. Venus was knocked to side and the creature slashed Wonder Man's chest. Wonder Man punched the creature in the face and sent it across the room. Wonder Man jumped to his feet. In the light he could make out the creature.
"Cheetah?” he asked incredulously. “But… you're not Miss Minerva?"
"Fool!” growled the feral voice that emanated from the creature’s throat. “That imposter is dead! The power of the Cheetah is mine!” The creature wiped its arm across his face, then flung the blood and gore to the wall behind him where it left a long, red splatter. “How appropriate the son of that Amazon wench is here!” He snarled in disgust. “I can't wait to skin you alive!”
Wonder Man observed that this was not the same Cheetah that his family had confronted so many times in the past. This was a male Cheetah. He stood seven to eight feet tall and was covered in fur, much like Barbara Minerva had been.
The Cheetah lunged at Wonder Man again knocking him off his feet. Instinctively, he went
straight for his throat. A voice in the Cheetah's mind said, "Do it! Kill him! Leave his corpse
for Wonder Woman to see!"
"YESSSSSS, Grandmother!!!" The beast howled.
"Grandmother? You trying to say I fight like an old lady??" Wonder Man shouted, kicking the Cheetah off of him. In the fight his lasso had been dropped and Wonder Man was bracing for a long bloody fight. A huge marble statue of the Egyptian goddess Isis came whizzing by and struck the Cheetah in the face. He let out a yelp and lunged towards Venus, who had thrown the statue. He surged forward as if he wanted to attack… then hesitated. He gave her an odd look and backed away. Turning swiftly, he let out a roar and jumped out a window.
Venus went to the bloodied Wonder Man. "Are you all right?" she asked as she knelt to help him up.
"I'm fine; I’m fine,” he uttered as he collected his wits. “Just… not sure what just happened here.” He shook his head and blinked his eyes. “We have to go after him. I need to warn my mother and aunt.” He stared at his benefactor, dazed. “I didn't know you were so strong. That statue must have weighed at least 500 pounds and you picked it up like it was nothing. How did you do that? Are you sure you're not from Krypton?"
"I .....I don't know” came the worried reply from Venus. “Sometimes things just happen like that. It felt so natural……but now I can feel that my extra strength is gone. Come on, let me take care of you. He cut you really bad."
"Agh, you're right. I'm a mess,” he agreed. No additional police officers had been dispatched, and those that remained were no longer among the living. The sight was grizzly. “He did claw me pretty bad." Wonder Man added, looking at the blood pouring from his chest.
As Wonder Man and Venus left, they were able to see that more officers had indeed been dispatched, and were arriving. No one noticed the lurking form of the Cheetah perched in a tree. "Yes grandmother, I see them. I will make sure they all pay. Now I must rest but soon I will gather allies to destroy the son of Wonder Woman and his friends........"
• • •
Epilogue:
Gotham City, USA
The Batmobile streaked across the city finally arriving at its destination: Arkham Asylum. Nightvision parked the car, got out, and headed into the building. After traveling through what seemed like a maze of hallways, he finally saw the person he was there to meet.
“Good evening Commissioner O’hara.” said Nightvision. “How did Phosphorus escape?”
“Actually, he was let out,” expounded Commissioner Lachey.
“Why on earth would you release that man???” questioned Nightvision.
“I didn’t. It turns out a guard let him loose,” explained the Commissioner.
“Bring me to the guard!” demanded Nightvision.
The Commissioner took Nightvision to the room where the guard was been held. “Here he is. Take all the time you need. I’ll be waiting out side.”
“Give me three minutes,” said Nightvision.
Nightvision entered the room and closed the door behind him. He emerged ten minutes later with a grim look on his face.
“Well? What did you find out?” asked the Commissioner.
“Very little. I asked the guard why he let Dr. Phosphorus out of his cell and he said he had no choice. I asked him if Phosphorus threatened him and he said no. He claims someone else asked him to let Phosphorus out. When I asked who that someone was he kept saying Mor… Mor… Mor. Then he went into convulsions and passed out.”
“Is he okay?” asked the Commissioner.
“He’s alive,” confirmed Nightvision. “I checked his pulse and heartbeat. It appears that he’s in a coma. There’s some other force at work here.”
“My men tried to stop Phosphorus once he got out but he mauled his way through them like they were a bunch of rag-dolls. He headed west.”
“Thanks Commissioner. Don’t worry, I’ll find him,” affirmed Nightvision.
The hero headed out of the building and took off in the Batmobile in search of the elusive Dr. Phosphorus…
Scotty wrote the majority of this chapter so MAD PROPS to him!!!