LATE FEB 2002 - #30

Part VIII: The Last Run by Paul Hahn featuring the Thrilling Conclusion!

The tunnels were the Morlocks' home . . . but the Morlocks are dead. Slaughtered by a group of evil mutants called the Marauders, Young Justice responded to their call for help. They were wholly unprepared for what happened.

The amount of Morlock casualties and wounded shocked them. Arrowette was blinded almost immediately by an attack. Impulse was used as an ambulance, carrying the wounded back to their HQ for Red Tornado to try and help them. They broke into two teams.

Superboy suffered grave wounds with his team. Firebird and Rebel, the remaining two, along with Impulse and the mysterious Maggott, left the tunnels in search of the man responsible for the massacre.

Wonder Girl and Jade were dead. Killed by the Marauders. Nightwing and Jolt, barely coping with the events, stumbled upon a group of Morlocks searching for a safe-haven. Chuck Barnes promised to get them to safety. He won't fail . . .

He walked along fast, his mind racing. But no--he couldn't allow himself to think about what had just happened.

"Keep moving," he said. "We're almost back to my base. You'll be safe there."

Jolt hung more towards the rear of the group. She didn't know what to say either. There wasn't really anything to say. All that mattered, at that moment, was getting that group of Morlocks to safety. It was the only thing they could possibly do.

"Friend-Robin?" Caliban asked. "Or . . . Friend-Nightwing?"

"Yes?" Chuck asked.

"Caliban thinks . . . no, Caliban knows! Caliban senses mutants! Coming this way . . . dangerous, powerful mutants . . . Marauders!"

"Heading this way?" Jolt asked.

"Yes," Caliban nodded. "They are coming for us . . . "

"Alright," Nightwing said. He drew his bo-staff. "Morlocks, behind myself and Jolt. Any of you that are capable of fighting, we'd appreciate the assistance. We're going to hold them off here . . . either we stop them now, or we don't stop them at all."

"That's not exactly a cheery attitude."

"Who?" Nightwing asked. "What . . . ? Spoiler?!"

The purple and black costume gave it away. The Spoiler had entered the tunnels.

"Nice way to great me," she said.

"You seem different," Nightwing said to her.

"And you've got a new costume and codename," she replied.

"This is no place for you," Nightwing said. "It's . . . we . . . "

"I've surveyed the situation," she continued. "I've scoured the tunnels. This appears to be the last batch of the Marauders heading for us. It's time to stop them."

Nightwing nodded. "Then let's do it."

Impulse sped, following the directions of the wounded mutant Maggott. In the sky, Firebird flew, carrying the mysterious Rebel in her arms.

"We're approaching it," Maggott said. "Believe it or not, it's a church . . . "

"The bad guy's in a church?" Impulse asked.

"I'm not sure he's exactly a guy," Maggot frowned. "I think . . . I think he might be a robot."

"A robot?" Impulse asked again. "What would a robot have against the Morlocks?"

"I don't know," Maggot shrugged. "Never asked too many questions of him . . . it's usually safest that way. There it is . . . see it?"

"Yeah," Bart replied. "Just our luck . . . fighting in a church. Like we're not in enough trouble as it is . . . "

"How's it look, Reddy?" Cissie King-Jones asked. She was otherwise known as Arrowette. Unfortunately, just after entering the Morlock tunnels, a daze blast from Dazzler blinded her. She's been slowly recovering, but nonetheless sidelined as a medic.

"Terrible," the Red Tornado said. He was Young Justice's mentor. They had wanted to break free from him . . . but then the massacre started. They knew they were in over their heads.

" . . . Call the Avengers League," Cissie said. "They've got medical resources we don't have. They can help these people much better than we can."

The Tornado nodded. "I will make the call."

Cissie sighed. "Bart's stopped dropping off people . . . think they've run out of survivors?"

"I hope not," the Tornado said.

" . . . How's Superboy?"

"He needs to be watched carefully. His powers are slowly returning, but they appear severely weaker than the last scans I have of him . . . if his powers don't return fully, I'm not sure if he'll fully heal."

"But will he live?"

"I . . . I'm not sure. It depends on how the next few hours go."

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . Reddy, I'm scared."

" . . . Me too."

"I hope Chuck's alright . . . "

Nightwing stood with his staff ready. Jolt's fists burst with energy. Spoiler drew a staff of her own. Three of the Morlocks stood ready, as well. Skids could manipulate a force field. Rusty could create and control fire. Corsi was a middle-aged man with a rifle. The other Morlocks hid behind them in fear.

"Well well well," Dazzler said as she approached. "Looks like the little brats gathered up a group of Morlocks for us. Makes it a lot easier than having to track 'em down one by one."

"If you surrender, your deaths will be quick and merciful," Rapture said.

"You killed Wonder Girl," Jolt said. "She was . . . she was my friend!"

Jolt leaped forward, hitting Rapture with a shock punch. And with that, the battle began.

Corsi began firing shots at the Marauders, then ducked back. Skids spread her force field as best she could in an attempt to protect the Morlocks from any attack. Rusty and Corsi stood in front of her, a last line of defense.

Nightwing and Spoiler leaped into the fight after her, both wielding bo-staffs as best they could possibly manage.

"You're possessed," Nightwing said to Dazzler. "Break free!"

"Honey, she is free!" Dazzler exclaimed. "I've set her free. Everyone needs a little Malice in their lives!"

"You're lucky you're not in control of your actions," Nightwing said. "That means I'll have to let you live."

"Bold words, little man," she said. "Bring it!"

The front door burst open as a fiery angel swooped in. Firebird landed, helping Rebel to her feet. Impulse came in after her, setting Maggott down.

"Alright," Firebird said. "I know whoever's responsible for the Marauders is here. Reveal yourself . . . now!"

"Query: You would make demands?" a cold, mechanical voice answered. It echoed off the old stone walls of the decrepit church.

"I would, and did," Linda said. "If you are indeed responsible for the tragedies that have befallen the Morlocks . . . "

"I am responsible, yes," the voice answered. "But it is not a tragedy. It is a necessity. I am programmed to locate mutants. I located a large group. My programming is conflicted, however. I have been instructed to help mutants . . . but also, to destroy them. It is a conflict of interest, if you will. I have come to the conclusion that the best way to protect mutants is to destroy them, and replace them with artificial constructs of my own making that I can watch and monitor at all times."

"That's . . . it's just . . . stupid!" Firebird exclaimed. "It's evil, it's wrong! How can you say that you're protecting a people by committing genocide? Who are you?"

"My name is Cerebro," the robot said. It stepped into the light from the back, near the alter. Its body was a greenish silver. Its head was a red, sphere-like shape with large coils attached to its chest and back. It had orange, glowing eyes, and claws on its hands. "The ultimate mutant tracking device. One of you four is a mutant. He will be catalogued, destroyed, and re-created. The other three are not mutants, and therefore pose a threat to the mutant race. You shall die."

"Umph!" Jolt took a punch from Landslide, sending her onto the hard floor.

"This day is far from over," Spoiler said. "You Marauders won't win!"

"We already have," Dazzler said. "You just don't know it yet."

"Put a sock in it!" Nightwing said. He popped her in the face with his bo-staff, causing her to fall unconscious.

Spoiler went head-to-head with Rapture, using her staff against the winged lady's sword.

"Spoiler, no!" Nightwing said. "Don't go up against her straight on! You won't win!"

"Thanks for the confidence," she said.

"It's just . . . " Nightwing said. He ducked a blow from Chaos. "That's how Jade was killed."

"An' it's how she'll die, too," Landslide said.

"No," Caliban said. "No more death!"

Caliban leapt at Landslide in a fit of rage. His claws began tearing away at the large Marauder's body, drawing blood and causing major damage. A berserker rage had completely taken control over the once gentle Morlock. He had seen enough.

"Die!" Rapture exclaimed, slamming her sword down.

Spoiler met it with her bo-staff. She then pulled her bo-staff apart, exposing two smaller blades. Rapture was surprised by this move. The Spoiler then . . . teleported . . . in a puff of smoke behind Rapture and shoved the blades into her back.

"Holy," Nightwing said, dodging another punch from Chaos. "You can teleport?"

"There's many things about me you don't know," she said, drawing the blades out.

"All that's left is you, Chaos," Nightwing said. "Surrender."

"No," Chaos said. His entire body began to glow red like his left eye. He began to shake.

"Holy crap . . . I think he's gonna self-destruct," Jolt said.

"Skids!" Nightwing exclaimed. "Quick, extend your force field--!"

Impulse launched himself at Cerebro, hitting the robot with a series of lighting-fast punches. Unfortunately, it did more to hurt Bart's hands than the robot. He broke fingers.

"Oww!!" Bart exclaimed.

Cerebro turned a hand to Bart, trying to grab him. Focusing past the pain, Bart vibrated to become intangible. Cerebro's hand past through him.

"Modifying," Cerebro said. It sent a shock-pulse through it's hand, which somehow made contact with Bart, despite his intangibility. Bart screamed in pain, then fell backwards.

"Bart!" Firebird exclaimed. "That's it . . . I've been feeling it build up inside of me . . . I've been holding it back . . . but I'll deny it no longer. I . . . am . . . PHOENIX!"

From Linda's body burst forth a new passion, a new power. A fiery bird appeared all around her body, one whose very existence screamed of energy.

Cerebro's sensors went wild. "Unlike any data ever encountered . . . "

"It is the last data you shall ever receive," Linda said, speaking in her same voice, just one more calm and even toned than usual. From her spewed a huge mass of energy, tearing into Cerebro's body.

The robot cringed as the energy began to tear it apart. "System . . . error . . . sys-sys-sys-t-t-t-t-t--mmmmmmmm err--01010101110001000101101--"

Cerebro exploded. Linda collapsed.

Rebel stood there cautiously, looking around.

"Ungh . . . " Linda said, holding her head. "That was some trip . . . "

Rebel walked over and offered her a hand up. Linda accepted.

"Thanks . . . hey! Maggott . . . he's gone! And . . . Bart?"

"Uhh . . . " he moaned.

Linda sighed with relief. "And . . . Cerebro?"

Rebel walked over to the various remaining scraps. She approached the head piece. She looked it over carefully. Then, raising her leg high, she smashed it.

"Good enough for me," Linda said.

Rebel surveyed what she had done with a strange look in her eyes. Like this wasn't her first encounter with Cerebro . . . almost like she knew it wouldn't be her last.

"Good work, team," Linda said. "I guess. Let's just . . . let's go, okay? We beat the bad guy . . . but there's still lots to be done back home, and in the tunnels. We'll come back for the scraps another day. Let's just make sure that this massacre is over . . . "