Titans of Justice Unlimited Chapter 4 – “Three Little Witches Part 1”
Written by: Scotty2Hotty & Power Guy
Edited by: Marcus Mebes


Cairo, Egypt…

Antigone Fathy sat alone in the crowded bar. She usually didn’t frequent this bar, since it catered to tourists and foreigners, but for some reason she felt compelled to come here. She had gotten several stares from more traditional Egyptian women as she made her way to the bar earlier in the night--stares she had become accustomed to--since she dressed more like an American or European. In fact, she was wearing a sheer pink mini dress that was cut to the navel, no bra, gold high heels, and heavy make up. Her other self, “Nefertiti Pharo” was one of Egypt’s top adult film stars and she had over 70 films to her credit. She was tired of the adult film industry and she was starting to age out. She considered contacting her brother, who was one of Egypt’s most dangerous drug dealers, to see if he could use her help. She had also considered becoming a madam. With all of the tourists coming to Egypt, she could make a fortune off of prostitution.

She sipped her beer and was snapped out of her thoughts by an elderly lady who had taken a seat at her table.

“Sorry, lady. This is a party of one,” Antigone snapped.

“Would you be so quick to dismiss the one who can give you what you seek?” the old lady replied. She was covered head to toe in black. The only part of her body showing was her wrinkled face.

“What can you possibly do for me, you old crone? Even I’m not that kinky,” Antigone said, glaring at the old woman.

“I know more than you think. My employer sent me on his behalf. He has a very big opportunity for you. Wealth, fame, and most of all… anonymity await you.”

“Oh? Well, why didn’t your big bad boss-man come on his own?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

“I have worked for him many years. Please, come with me and hear him out.”

Antigone thought for a moment. This all sounded odd to her, but she was quite intrigued. Or was she just bored? Either way she agreed to go with the old woman and they made their way to one of Cairo’s most exclusive hotels.

“If this is for some movie…” Antigone began.

“No, no movie. Your days of being used for your body will be over. You shall be the one in charge after you meet my employer, my friend.

Antigone was getting creeped out, but kept walking with the woman until they reached the penthouse.

“I go no further with you. He awaits you inside. The gods protect you, child,” the old lady whispered right before she disappeared.

Antigone entered the room and it was pitch black except for a few lit candles. Ancient relics lined the walls and the air was cold and still. She looked around the room and gasped when she saw two red eyes glaring at her from the darkness.

“Greetings my child,” came a deep voice that seemed to make the room shake. “Come closer so that Anubis may bid you welcome.”

Antigone could not believe her eyes. Did the old lady drug her? “You… you are Anubis… from myth? Not possible.”

“I assure you I am no myth.” The jackal-headed man took a step forward. Upon seeing him, Antigone was terrified. She spun around searching for the door, which was suddenly gone. In fact, she was no longer in a penthouse apartment, but what looked like one of a chambers inside a pyramid.

“I… I’ll do whatever you want… please don’t hurt me! I can do certain things… things you’ll enjoy,” she offered weakly.

Anubis simply laughed at her. “Is that what you think? That a god wants a dalliance with a mortal woman! Be at ease, child. I offer you the chance of a lifetime.”

Antigone stood silent and listened to Anubis.

“Extend your hand,” he commanded.

Antigone did and Anubis placed a dark gem set in the brightest gold in her hand.

“Say my name,” he demanded.

“What?”

“SAY IT!!!” he said, his eyes glowing more and more.

“Anubis,” uttered the woman. The word had not left her mouth more than a second when she was engulfed in a blue flame. She could hear and see things from miles away. She could hear colors.

“I… I understand. I shall be your champion. The champion of all the dark and cold.” The sound of her own voice surprised her.

Anubis led her to a mirror. Antigone looked like a queen--or at least her idea of what a queen would look like. All kinds of gold and jewelry dripped from her body and her clothes showcased her exquisite form. Her make up was garish and lurid--just how she liked it.

“You are worthy of the gods themselves. You are Antigone Fathy no more. You shall be called Nefertiti; a name that you used in your professional life and a name that shall come to mean horror, strife, and death to all of the enemies of Egypt.”

Antigone’s head was spinning. “I feel alive… I feel like I am one with the earth...” she mused.

“You are one with the earth. The gods have gifted you.” He spread his dark, almost black arms and spread out his fingers as he spoke. “From the desert-god Set, you shall call upon the sandstorm to engulf your enemies. From the bull-god Bata, you shall have the strength and speed of one thousand bulls. From the cat-goddess Bast, you shall have all the cunning, agility, and enhanced senses of a cat. From the earth-god Geb, you have the power to summon earthquakes to swallow your enemies or to destroy their cities. And finally from the goddess Nepthys, your breath shall become fire, capable of burning the very oceans themselves. And my gift to you… your kiss will drain the lives of men and women, leaving them as the living dead—a mummy if you will. Now, go! Seek out the sleeper Isis and her traitor consort, Black Adam. They are enemies of Eygpt. They have helped the other nations take our resources and have aided in making our nation a mere tourist attraction. YOU will restore our nation to the glory of the gods and destroy the harlot goddess Isis. Go, Nefertiti! Go and destroy her!





Nefertiti grinned at the death-god and took to the night skies. As she flew over the pyramids she opened her mouth, releasing her fire breath. It illuminated the sky as she flew with menacing abandon.

***

The home of Richard Swift, Opal City…

The man once known as the Shade knocked on his bathroom door. “You’ve been in there over an hour. I need to use the bathroom too.”

“Dad, can you use the one downstairs?” replied Rachel. “I can’t get my ponytail straight.”

“Honey, you really need to stop obsessing,” advised the former adversary of Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash. “Why don’t you wear your hair down for once?”

“Dad… you know I never wear my hair down,” Rachel reminded her father. “I look horrible with my hair down.”

“I think you look beautiful no matter how you wear you hair,” Richard said, trying to instill some confidence in his insecure daughter. “Okay, you’ve convinced your old man to take the trip downstairs to use the other bathroom. If you leave before I’m back upstairs, don’t be out too late with your cold.”

“Dad, I took some Dayquil, I’ll be fine,” insisted Rachel.

“Okay, have fun tonight!” cheered Richard Swift as he made his way towards the basement stairs.

As Rachel continued to adjust her ponytail, she glanced down. “These jeans are a little tight. They might send the wrong message. Maybe I should wear something else?” Then she looked back up into the mirror, but this time it was not her own face that was looking back at her. What she saw was a sinister-looking elfish face. She shut her eyes tight. “Maybe I shouldn’t have taken that cold medicine on an empty stomach.” She then opened her eyes, expecting to see her own face again. The elf was still looking back at her. “Okay, I’m hallucinating,” she said aloud. “I guess you’ll just have to put up with me talking to you while I clean things up, Mr. Elf.”

“Clean up? Always the model of perfection, aren’t you?” the elf said, shocking her.

Rachel backed up a bit and turned her head, not quite believing that the person in the mirror was talking to her. “Okay, this medicine is really throwing me for a loop…”

“Nonsense child, I am very real. But do not be afraid! I’m here to nurture you to your full potential,” offered the elf.

“Isn’t Santa going to notice that you wandered away from the assembly line?” Rachel said, still thinking she was hallucinating.

“I would not insult the one who can make your wildest dreams come true,” countered the elf.

“And what can you do for me… besides make sure I NEVER take another dose of Dayquil again?” spat Rachel, becoming frustrated.

“Aren’t you sick of always playing the good girl?” asked the elf. “Always being Miss Goody-Goody? The honor roll student? The saintly churchgoer? The perfect daughter?”

“I… I… it’s a lot of pressure but it’s worth it,” Rachel defended.

“Really? Wouldn’t it be nice just let go just once… even if only for a little while?” asked the elf. “What could it hurt?”

“I don’t know… maybe,” considered the girl, becoming perplexed.

“Take my hand child, and your adventure will begin,” the elf said as he extended his hand through the mirror.

Rachel stepped forward and grasped it, shaking a bit.

“By the way,” started the elf, “my name is Culp.”

About five minutes later, the doorbell rang. Richard Swift rushed up the stairs as fast as he could for his old age. “Hang on! I’m coming!” He finally made his way to the door and opened it to welcome Freddie Batson, with a bouquet of roses in hand.

“Hello Mr. Swift, it’s nice to see you again,” Freddie said, extending his hand.

“Hi Freddie, come on in,” Richard said, shaking the boy’s hand.

Freddie made his way inside and sat on the couch.

“Rachel should be ready pretty soon,” assumed the man once known as the Shade. “I think she’s still fussing with her hair.”

“No surprise there,” smiled the boy also known as Stellar. “She’s such a perfectionist when it comes to her hair. I keep telling her to just wash and go, but she insists on wearing it up every day.”

“You don’t have to tell me,” commented Richard Swift. “I’ve raised her since diapers, remember?”

As the two men continued to converse about different subjects, Freddie noticed that fifteen minutes had gone by. “Geez, if she takes much longer, I’ll have to bring her home right after dinner.”

“You know kid, she’s certainly taking longer than usual tonight,” Richard said. He got up and went to the bathroom. “I know she’s got a little cold but I wouldn’t think it would slow her down this much.”

As Freddie followed Richard Swift to the bathroom, the host began knocking on the door. “Rachel? Are you almost done? Freddie’s been waiting for a while now.”

There was no response.

Richard knocked again. “Rachel? I’m getting worried about you. Open the door.”

Again there was no response.

“Maybe she fell asleep in there?” Freddie said, jokingly.

“Stand back kid,” Richard directed, ignoring the remark. He then backed himself up and raced towards the door, breaking it open. To their shock, the bathroom was empty and the window was wide open.

“Oh my God! What’s happened to my daughter???” Richard Swift asked in shock.

About halfway across town, a figure crept along the rooftop of the tallest building in Opal City. She wore all black, including a top-hat and dark sunglasses, and a carried a scepter with her. The shadows surrounding her seemed to morph with her thoughts. Suddenly the shadows started to reach out, encompassing the entire downtown area within minutes. People began to panic and scream. Cars came to a screeching halt, many of them hitting other cars, light-poles, or nearby buildings. Hysteria quickly overtook the area as people feared for their lives.

The dark figure on the rooftop smiled wickedly. “Darkness brews in Opal City. Let all beware the mistress of the dark. The new Shade will bring about the never ending eclipse!” Rachel Swift cackled.





***Special thanks to Iwantthemonkeys for suggesting the idea of the new Shade!


***A few years ago……


“Lilith, you are too much!” exclaimed Melody Hall as she talked on the phone.

“I wanted to give you and Hank something special for your anniversary. I saw Rosa Keyes perform when I was in Europe and she is very talented. Hank probably won’t enjoy it, but her show came with the overnight stay I got you guys in Opal City,” replied the pretty redhead.

Hank and Melody Hall, the alter egos of Hawk and Electric Girl, were celebrating many years of marriage and Lilith had procured a night at the most posh hotel in Opal City along with a performance by the world-renowned harpist Rosa Keyes. Opal City was a major tourist destination made famous by the legacy of the Starmen who had protected the city for years.

“Lilith, you are so thoughtful! Hank will love it, I promise!”

A few days later, Hank and Melody had arrived at the hotel and were enjoying the dinner show featuring Rosa Keyes. Hank leaned over to his wife and said, “You know, I thought this would be boring but look at the way she plays that harp. It’s like her hands have a mind of their own.”

“I know! She’s been playing for over an hour! Look at her go! And I thought people only played the harp in movies,” Melody replied, placing her hand on Hank’s thigh. “As much as I’m enjoying this music, I think I’d like to go upstairs,” she whispered to her handsome muscular husband. The duo left the dinner theatre hand in hand and went to their room.

Later after her show, Rosa Keyes found herself at the hotel bar.

“I loved your show Miss Keyes!” shouted a passerby.

“Thanks so much!” she replied, not looking at the man who complimented her. Rosa was very tall and had shiny red hair. It was long and Rosa wore it pulled back in a slick ponytail, which accentuated her porcelain skin and her fantastic bone structure. Her eyes were an icy blue and more than a few heads turned when this elegant woman entered a room.

She chatted with the bartender and enjoyed a glass of chardonnay. It was a warm, balmy night, so she decided to take her wine and stroll through the hotel’s floral gardens. She stopped to admire the beauty of the well-kept grounds and breathed in the fragrant air. The gentle woman never heard the footsteps behind her. Her world went black as she felt a blow to her head and she dropped her glass.

The next morning the hotel staff was aware that Rosa was missing. There was a pool of blood and a shattered wine glass in the botanical gardens. The surveillance video showed what appeared to be a man in a black trench coat attack the musician.

“Hank, we’ve got to help them search for Rosa! She’s such a sweet, beautiful lady!” Melody pleaded.

“Yeah, we’ll help. We might even meet Starman!” Hank said as he shouted “Hawk” and transformed to his heroic identity. “I’ll talk to the police. You fly around the city and see if you see anything from the air.”

“I will Hank.” The duo kissed and Electric Girl took to the air. The blonde beauty scanned the city, looking for anything that might be out of the ordinary… or anywhere someone might take a kidnap victim.

“Hey you! Watch out!” came a male voice.

Electric Girl wasn’t paying attention as she flew and crashed into none other than Starman, Jack Knight.

“Ooops. Sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she admitted to the man wearing a trench coat with a “wife-beater” tee-shirt underneath.

“Are you one your way to a photo shoot? Is that a Versace shirt!? That’s an edgy look,” Electric Girl asked.

“Ah, not quite,” he replied, scratching his stubbly chin. Starman had heard of the woman next to him… and her legendary air-headed personality.

He also couldn’t help but notice the tan heroine’s revealing costume and her blonde hair.

“Aren’t you one of the Teen Titans?” he asked.

“I was several years ago, but never one of the current group.”

The two heroes discovered they were both searching for Rosa. Electric Girl would continue to search from the air while Starman investigated the abandoned buildings in the city. These buildings were often a hangout of some of the more lurid characters in his beloved hometown.

Meanwhile, Rosa Keyes could not believe what was happening to her. She was behind some bizarre mirror and surmised she was in some sort of carnival or theme park. She was tied up on the floor and her clothes had been removed. She heard footsteps coming and gasped. “H-help me… somebody… please!!”

Her eyes widened as a group of thuggish men entered. The young man in the trench coat led them in and said, “There she is. I got one for you. Am I in?” he asked.

“You did good. She’s hot. We’re gonna enjoy this. Lady, you’re going to be part of Frankie’s initiation to our little social club.

“N… no! Keep away from me… I have money… cars… you can have them all… please don’t do this!” she begged as the leader of the gang walked towards her and undid his pants.

Hours later Rosa woke up. Her mind could not comprehend what had been done to her. She cried quietly and her throat was swollen. She thought her windpipe might be crushed after what the last one did to her. How many of them had violated her… fifteen? Twenty? She heard a noise and strained to turn her head. She looked to the mirror which actually turned out to be a window.

“S… Starman… help… help…” she gasped, her voice barely a whisper. Starman walked around. Rosa could see him… why was he ignoring her!?? Unknown to Rosa, the window she was looking into was a two-way mirror. From Starman’s view, all he saw was a fat version of himself. Rosa was being held captive in room used by the park’s former security where they could see into the fun house through the mirror without patrons knowing they were being observed.

Rosa continued to cry out as loud as she could. “Starman… please help… I’m begging you…”

Suddenly the radio Jack used to communicate with the police department came on.
“Starman, we have a lead on the outskirts of town. It’s hot, so hurry!” came the voice.

“On my way,” Jack said as he used his cosmic rod and took to the sky.

“C-come back! Please don’t leave me!” she gasped.

“Awwwww, we didn’t leave you lady! Since we’ve all had our turn, now it’s time for Frankie to show us he deserves to be in our gang.”

Rosa tried to scream as Frankie violently raped her as the gang cheered him on.

Later she lay on the floor, battered, bloody, and broken.

“Whadda we do wit’ her now?” asked one of the gang members.

“Git rid of ’er. An’ make it fast. Frankie, she’s your girl. Take her on a date.”

The men all laughed as Frankie grabbed Rosa by the feet and dragged her away.

Rosa woke up beside some railroad tracks. She tried to look around but all she could see was red. Blood had filled her eyes and she couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak and could barely breathe.

“Lady, don’t move! I’ll get help!” said a child’s voice. The young child was outside playing and happened to stumble upon Rosa.

***

Later at Opal City Hospital…

The stretcher carrying Rosa Keyes was hurried down the corridor. Nurses and EMTs rushed alongside the stretcher. Rosa couldn’t figure out was happening. Was she dead? Was this hell? The doctors spoke as if she wasn’t awake, and didn’t realize she could hear them.

“Dr. Blanton, the patient shows evidence of sexual assault… I think she was gang raped. Nearly every bone in her body is broken, both hands are crushed, her skull is fractured in three places and her face has been slashed. She has over seventy stabs wounds… and somehow she’s still hanging on.”

“I know Dr. Lane, but we haven’t much time. We’ve stopped the bleeding, but her body is so broken. What kind of life will she have in that condition? Death would be a blessing for that woman.”

“What about that experimental polymer the boys down at S.T.A.R showed us? We could graft it to her bones. It might…”

“Exactly. It MIGHT. It’s too new, too experimental. They’re still working with it in our research lab. We don’t know how it will react with human bones and tissue.”

“But it’s her only shot. She’ll die anyway more than likely. Can’t we give her a chance? What do we have to lose? Hell, it could work and make her good as new… physically at least.”

“You’re right. Prep her for surgery.”

***

Years Later…

Unfortunately for Rosa, the procedure did not work. The polymer did indeed graft to her bones, but instead of healing the bones and joints, it created a new sub joint at the point of the fracture, leaving her multiple-jointed. The once beautiful musician was now scarred from head to toe. Her scars resembled stitching on a rag doll and her once beautiful red hair now hung down her face… scraggly and thin. Her voice was gone. Her windpipe had indeed been crushed when one of those men violated her. One of the over seventy knife wounds had struck her throat. It was almost impossible for her to stand or even hold anything due to the damage the operation caused to her joints… or at least that’s what she wanted the staff of the convalescent home to think. No, this woman… this rag doll was biding her time… biding her time until she could make her escape and find the one who left her to those men… the one who should have saved her… STARMAN.