Written by Barry Reese
Surrounded by Confusion
Sugarland, Texas is one of the many suburbs outside Houston. It's a nice, pleasant community known for its quiet neighborhoods and relative security, one whose quaint name stirs images of contentment.
All of that is a lie.
Deep beneath Sugarland is a large complex built of alien metal. Its purpose is dark and sinister, and its inhabitants even moreso.
"AAARRRRGH!" Zan's screams echoed inside the tiny torture chamber as Bernadeth, leader of Darkseid's Female Furies, twisted her Fehren-knife in his belly. The blade causes its victims to burn from the inside out, something that causes intense pain.
Bernadeth, looking thin and gaunt in her emerald garb, smiled sadistically. "Poor Exoran. You sound a bit like your sister did when she felt this same torment. A pity I didn't have you together for the process -- I've never had the opportunity to play with twins before."
The door to the torture chamber opened, revealing the bulky figure of Stompa. The powerhouse of the Furies, she wore a bright orange and yellow costume. "Desaad wants a progress report." Stompa stared with unabashed glee at the bleeding, nude form of Zan. "Want me to rough him up while you're gone?"
Bernadeth rolled her eyes. "No thank you. You're an amateur when it comes to these sorts of things, Stompa. Why steamroll someone when exquisite torture is so much more productive?"
Together, the two women stepped from the chamber. Zan, one half of the so-called Wonder Twins, sagged in his bonds. "Jayna... where are you?" he murmured.
The familiar mental touch of Maxima made him jolt upright. Through puffy eyes she stared at the mental projection before him. "Maxima? Then my alarm when through*?"
(*Delivered last issue.)
"Yes. We're just outside one of the entrances to the facility. Captain Atom wished me to inform you that we'll be liberating the two of you soon."
Zan felt a small glimmer of hope within his heart. "Jayna -- is she okay? I haven't seen her since I was recaptured!"
Maxima's face darkened somewhat. Never one to sugarcoat words, she shrugged. "I do not know. Her mind is closed to me."
Zan hung his head in sorrow, while Maxima's image faded from sight. "If they've hurt you, Jayna... I'll kill them all."
Bette San Souci, formerly the terrorist known as Plastique, walked into the Mount Thunder headquarters of the Extreme Justice team with a smile on her face. Though she hated thinking of Nate off adventuring with the group, she knew that it made him happy. Since the demise of the team, he'd thrown himself into his solo career and grown a bit sullen around their home.
Bette moved through the expansive headquarters until she found the bedroom she'd shared with Nate during the EJ period. It still looked lived in, despite all this time. She set her bag down on the floor and made plans to begin unpacking. No matter what Nate said, she knew him well enough to know that he'd try to make a go of the team again.
A sudden sense of presence made her turn quickly. She brought her hands up, energy crackling around them, as she stared into the helmeted face of Nate's greatest enemy -- Monarch. "You?! What are you doing here?"
Monarch held up his hands in peace. "Calm down, Mrs. Adam. I haven't come to harm you in any way. I merely wished to offer my best wishes for your new marriage to my doppleganger*."
(*According to Extreme Justice # 8 and # 13, the current Monarch is in fact the real Nathaniel Adam. After being trapped in the Quantum Field in the experiment that created Captain Atom, Nathaniel was split in two -- the real Nate remained inside the Quantum Field while the alien coating used in the experiment created a Quatum Clone of him that escaped to Earth and became Captain Atom. The real Nate then met Hank Hall, from whom he gained the Monarch name and armor. As Monarch, he has since returned to Earth to plague Captain Atom. Whoo!)
Bette sneered at that sentiment. "How did you get in here?"
"I control the Quantum Field in ways that your Captain Atom never could. To be honest, Bette, the reason I'm here is because I've grown very curious about you. If Atom hadn't stolen my life, after all, it might be you and I who would have been married...."
Bette shook her head, keeping her hands raised to ward off any sudden attack. "No. That would never had happened -- you're nothing like Nate. No matter what stories you might manufacture, my husband is far more real than you."
Monarch threw his back and laughed. "Oh, that's rich! He's nothing but a twisted reflection of me!"
"So you say. I think you should leave before this turns violent."
Monarch stared at her evenly for a moment before turning away. "So be it. Let your false Nate know that I haven't gone away yet. I plan to bring order to this world eventually and if he chooses to stand in my way, I'll gladly destroy him."
Bette smiled slightly. "You might find yourself outnumbered. The Extreme Justice team is back together...."
Monarch glanced at her once before teleporting away via the Quantum Field. "Atom will need all the help he can get. Tell him to watch the skies."
Before she could question what that enigmatic comment meant, Monarch was gone. Bette let out a deep sigh and glanced around at her surroundings. If Monarch could come and go as he pleased, how could any of them ever feel safe?
"I wonder what they're doing in there? Besides torturing neophyte alien heroes, I mean." Booster Gold stared at the apparently abandoned store across the street. The members of Extreme Justice were hidden in an alleyway and had watched the store for several hours, seeing as numerous people entered without leaving.
Blue Beetle lowered the binoculars he'd been holding. "I can't tell. The interior is too dark for me to see anything. Whatever it is, it can't be good."
Captain Atom moved forward, with both Maxima and Firestorm in tow. "Maxima's made contact with Zan and told him we're on our way. She's also made a cursory mental scan of the rest of the base. It extends pretty far below the surface and she thinks there might as many as three dozen personnel situated there, mostly scientists."
Beetle rubbed his chin. "What about the Female Furies? Are they inside?"
Maxima nodded. "Yes. Their minds are heavily shielded but I know they're within."
Atom stared across the street. "There are five Furies that we know of. Take them out as soon as you can, but our first priority has to be freeing the Twins. We'll figure out what the Furies are doing on Earth later."
Booster made a salute. "Yes sir, Cap'n!"
"Can it, Booster! This is serious business. Let's hit 'em hard and fast!"
The four flying members of the team launched themselves forward, while the Beetle strapped a pair of anti-gravity flying discs to the bottom of his feet*. They weren't as fast or as manueverable as the heroes' natural abilities but for the land-based Beetle, they evened the odds a bit. The Beetle zoomed forward in an upright position.
(*The Blue Beetle used these in Extreme Justice # 0-1, but sparingly afterwards.)
Captain Atom fired first, his quantum blast exploding through the locked doors of the store. Glass and metal melted instantly, allowing the heroes to enter easily. A large, barred door appeared to be the only exit from the interior of the store. "Firestorm?"
"My pleasure, Cap." Firestorm turned his matter transformation powers on the door, transmuting it into water. The "door" dripped to the floor, forming a pool.
As the heroes stared at a walkway leading into the Apokaliptian lair, alarms began to blare.
The Extreme Justice team was easily besting the guards at the facility, which worried Captain Atom somewhat. I don't understand this -- there are no parademons here at all. If it was an important facility, shouldn't they be here? Then again, Darkseid has the Female Furies around -- maybe he thinks that's enough.
WHAM! A sudden blow sent Atom flying, his mind awash in pain. The leader of the EJ team recovered quickly and saw a large behemoth marching towards him. "You made a mistake, lady...."
Stompa chuckled, rubbing her knuckles together. "Did I? I don't think so, shiny boy." The powerhouse raised her foot to kick at the hero but a quantum blast made her scream in agony.
Meanwhile, the other members of EJ were finding themselves in similar situations...
Lashina, arguably the toughtest of the Furies, had wrapped one of her ropes around Booster Gold's form. "Booster! Such a pretty man... Lashina will teach you proper discipline!"
Booster, I'm augmenting the suit's strength supply to compensate. "Thanks, Skeets!" Booster Gold had almost gotten used to the fact that his robotic partner was now a part of his alien armor, but it was still strange to hear his voice like that. Booster wrapped a hand around the rope and yanked, pulling Lashina towards him. "I'm a lover, not a fighter -- but that doesn't mean I like so much bondage on a first date!"
Booster grappled with the shocked Lashina and fired his energy blasts at point-blank range. Lashina roared in more anger than pain -- a fact that caused Booster great concern. Great. I'm stuck with Xena here -- not exactly my choice of the ideal dancing partner.
Firestorm found himself confronted with pure insanity as the yellow-skinned devil named Mad Harriet launched herself at him, cackling with glee. Her energy claws flowed with energy. "Die, Fire-head! Die!"
Firestorm grunted. "C'mon -- I faced old Darkseid himself! You, Ms. Harriet, are no Darkseid!" Firestorm dodged her attack as best he could, though her claws drew jagged and bloody lines down his chest. He focused his nuclear powers on her claws, transforming them into a pair of fuzzy gloves. "Whoa! Down girl!"
The Blue Beetle was dodging several arrows fired by the dark-haired huntress named Artemis. "Listen, lady, how about we talk this thing through? I mean, you can't like working for Darkseid right? You could join us instead,we have a great dental plan!" Beetle twisted and turned through the air, using his incredible acrobatic skill to dodge her attacks.
"Stand still, bug!" Artemis's tone betrayed her increasing frustration.
Beetle bounced forward, driving a hard fist against her jaw. "No can do, I'm afraid. I have this serious paranoia about getting killed by beautiful women shooting arrows!"
While chaos reigned, Maxima slipped away in silence. My fellow warriors can handle this batch of fools while I free the Twins... With all the Furies occupied, I should face little resistance....
Zan heard the noise of conflict and felt his heart swell. These humans were as brave as anyone he had ever met -- they had risked their lives to save he and his sister, despite having only known them a short time.
Maxima tore the door to the room off with ease, casting it aside. She frowned somewhat as she saw Zan's nearly unconscious form hanging in his bonds. "Zan, we've come for you. We have to go quickly!"
Zan looked up and gasped. "Behind you!"
Maxima turned just in time to feel Bernadeth's blade sink into her back. The burning pain made Maxima stumble, while Bernadeth grinned.
"Mind-witch! Do you think I wouldn't be able to evade your mental probes? My mind is like an iron safe!"
Maxima swore in Almerac. "Burn in the four hells, woman! You shall pay for this indignity!"
Bernadeth's smile widened. "I've been forged in the firepits of Apokalips! The fires of your hells do not frighten me...."
Maxima grinned in return. "Then face the wrath of an Almerac noble and learn the true meaning of fear!" Maxima blasted Bernadeth with a tremendous burst of force, sending the leader of the Furies staggering.
Bernadeth howled in pain, throwing her knife. The blade slashed deep into Maxima's shoulder, but the female warrior refused to yield. She pulled the blade from her shoulder and tossed it aside, never lowering her energy attack on Bernadeth. "What are you doing here on Earth? Why would Darkseid waste so many resources?"
Bernadeth rolled out of the way of Maxima's latest attack. "Darkseid never wastes his forces, witch! We are here on extremely important business -- recent years have seen the Hunger Dogs' production levels decrease considerably and we are finding fewer subjects who are fit for transformation into Para-Demons! We have come to Earth to test the Para-Demon process on humans!"
Maxima sneered in disgust. "No sentient being should live as a slave to Darkseid!"
Bernadeth started to reply but halted when a large, bear-like creature entered the doorway. "Ah -- my sweet has arrived. How are you, my little Jayna?"
Zan glanced up in horror. Gone was all the light he usually saw in his sister's eyes. Replacing it was a cold bitterness that froze Zan's heart. "Jayna?"
Jayna roared at Maxima and her brother. "I no longer need you, little brother! Bernadeth has taught me to appreciate my true abilities. I don't have to be in proximity to you to change any more and I now know who my true lord and master is -- Darkseid the Mighty!"
Zan screamed. "No! You've been brainwashed! How could you say such a thing?"
Maxima scanned Jayna's mind and frowned. The girl had been tormented and her mind was no longer her own. Given time, she was sure she could free Jayna -- but she had a feeling she would not get that time.
A roaring boom caused the room to shudder as Bernadeth called down a Boom Tube. "You have caught my Furies, Maxima. I salute you -- but they shall be freed in time. Come, my sweet...." Offering a hand to Jayna, Bernadeth entered the Tube. It closed behind them before Maxima could respond.
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayna!" Zan's voice echoed throughout the lair.
Epilogue
"Are you sure you won't stay with us? We might be able to mount a mission to Apokalips and..." Captain Atom stopped when Zan shook his head. The entire EJ team had returned to Mount Thunder after turning over the Female Furies to the authorities. Almost two dozen human beings had been housed in the facility, all of whom needed medical attention.
Zan let out a long sigh. "She is my sister. I appreciate your offer but I know that your primary concern is Earth and I have no idea where my sister's captor may have taken her. I shall search for her on my own. When I have found her, perhaps I shall call you for assistance."
Booster Gold placed a hand on the young Exoran's shoulder. "I'll take care of the Flesh-Driver*, Zan. Don't worry. When you find Jayna, we'll be right there with you."
(*The Flesh-Driver is the Exoran name for the armor that Booster currently wears.)
Zan nodded thankfully. "I am glad to see the team is back together..."
Beetle glanced at Captain Atom. "What about it, Cap? Are we back together?"
With a sidelong look at his wife, who hovering supportingly nearby, Atom smiled. "I think so. We blew it last time -- but maybe we'll get to make amends. Extreme Justice is back!"
NEXT ISSUE : A special focus on the Blue Beetle as Ted Kord deals with some leftover JLA business. Meanwhile, the rest of the team must deal with the fact that the U.S. government has come calling....
AUTHOR'S NOTES
I think this issue was stronger than the first, a progression that will hopefully continue. The Wonder Twins storyline isn't over yet and they'll pop up in future works of mine here at DCL.
Barry Reese