AUG 2002 - #40

Clashes by Paul Hahn

Nightwing and the White Queen stood in the library, discussing. Emma Frost had drafted the young heroes to assist her in locating Sebastian Shaw, was well as removing him from any and all positions of power. In exchange, she promised that the Hellfire Club would never again get in Young Justice's way or cause them any trouble. Nightwing reluctantly accepted.

"There's a lot you're not telling us, isn't there?" he asked.

"There's a lot you haven't told me," Frost replied.

"Oh?"

"Your names . . . identities . . . full extents of your powers . . . your past . . . "

"That's private," Nightwing frowned.

"And so I've respected it," Frost shrugged. "Respect my privacy."

"I'm not asking for any details of your childhood, I'm asking about this . . . mission," Chuck Barnes continued frowning. "You brought us here to find Shaw. We're looking. But there are clear tensions between you and the twins who rule this branch of the club, Northstar and Aurora. What's the deal?"

"There's no 'deal', as you call it," she shrugged again. "They're just mutants in a position of power, like me. It just so happens that I've got more power . . . and they're jealous. They probably know that Shaw and I are the last remains of the New York branch's Inner Circle. If they can take me out, then they could probably assume control of the NYC branch."

"So this is all about power?"

"My dear child, everything is about power," Frost grinned. "Everything. You just need to look more closely."

Chuck sighed. "I just want to get this over with as soon as possible. And with as little trouble as possible, too. The last thing we need is another big fight."

Frost grinned. "I believe we may be too late for that . . . "

"Whoops . . . " Impulse said, looking at the four figures standing in front of him.

"I'm Vindicator . . . behind me is Sasquatch, Puck, Murmur and Snowbird, more members of Alpha Flight. I suggest you surrender now and do things the easy way."

"Surrender?" Bart asked. "What'd I . . . ?"

Sasquatch used his super strength to knock the young Bart Allen back into the wall of the mansion.

"Sasquatch!" Vindicator exclaimed. "I told you we wouldn't attack unless provoked!"

"Sorry," Sasquatch said. "You know how my mind gets when I'm in my beast form . . . "

"And besides," Puck grinned, "if he's here, he's gotta be evil, eh?"

"What's goin' on here?" Superboy asked as he and Phoenix flew down to Impulse. Jolt was running to catch up behind them, with Nightwing and the White Queen coming from the side.

"Hellfire Club, you're going down," Snowbird said. "We've gotten the orders, we've got some evidence . . . and we're taking you all down."

"But we're not the Hellfire Club," Phoenix said.

"And you hurt my bud!" Superboy said.

"Kon, no!" Nightwing tried to stop it, but was too late.

Superboy charged fist first into Sasquatch, giving the beast a blow he hadn't felt in a long time, almost knocking him off his feet.

The battle was quickly joined. Snowbird formed into a bear and charged at Jolt, while Vindicator called upon a blast of magma to rise from the ground in an attempt to hurt Phoenix.

Puck charged at the White Queen. She grinned and concentrated for a brief moment. The next second, her skin was covered by diamond.

"Nice trick ya got there, blondie," Puck said.

"You bet it is," Frost replied. She then punched Puck and sent him flying.

Murmer approached Nightwing cautiously. He had his bo-staff ready.

"I don't like the idea of attacking an unarmed girl," he replied.

"I am 'ardly unarmed," she replied with a smile and a wink. Chuck couldn't help but think that she was drop-dead gorgeous. It made him hesitate for a moment, allowing her to leap at him. She grabbed hold of his arm and touched the bare skin of his face briefly. Then, she said, "Sleep."

"Sleep . . . ?" Nightwing managed to get out before he fell to the ground, asleep.

"Sleep," Murmer grinned, proud of herself.

"Whoa!" Puck exclaimed as he got another hit. "Snowbird, trade partners!"

The shape-shifter, in the form of a bear charged at the White Queen, smashing her into the mansion wall. In her diamond form, she wasn't hurt, but she was winded.

Puck, meanwhile, moved on to Jolt. Hallie began leaping about, dodging the short man's physical attacks. He was leaping about as well.

"Huh," Puck said. "We're a little evenly matched with our speed and agility, eh?"

"That we are," Jolt said. "Good thing I've got something more!"

One shock-punch was all it took to drop the Canadian man.

Meanwhile, Sasquatch and Superboy continued to trade blows, neither one really getting anywhere.

"I can probably keep this up all day," Sasquatch said.

"Me too, ugly," Superboy replied.

"Ugly? 'Ow cruel," Murmer said from behind. She grabbed hold of Superboy's arm and said, "Sleep."

"Sleep?" Superboy asked. He blinked, shaking his arm from her grasp.

"It . . . it deed not work?" she asked.

"I'm guessing your powers work on physical contact," Kon said. "I'm protected by my tactile telekinesis field. Speaking of which . . . "

Kon rammed both his fists into the ground, causing a telekinetic shockwave that rocked both Murmer and Sasquatch to the ground.

"You're honestly trying to beat Phoenix with heat?" Linda asked, using telekinesis to block Vindicator's attacks. "How foolish."

Linda fired a blast of her own telekinetic flame, smashing Vindicator from her flight into the ground with ease. She then looked over to Snowbird and, telekinetically, flung her cross the fight scene right into Sasquatch. She then landed.

"Everyone okay?" she asked.

"Except Nightwing," Jolt replied.

"He's fine," Frost replied, her diamond sheath disappearing. "Just asleep."

"Murmer," Superboy nodded. He walked over to Chuck and shook him. "Hey, boy wonder, up an' at 'em!"

"Whu?" Nightwing asked. "I'm awake, I'm awake . . . whoa. Lemme guess? Persuasional powers based on skin-to-skin touch?"

"Wow," Kon said, "you really were trained by the World's--"

"Knock it off already," Chuck sighed as he stood. "This shouldn't have been a fight. How's Bart?"

"I'm okay," Impulse replied.

"Good," Nightwing nodded. "Alpha Flight are Canada's heroes. They were here to bring down the Hellfire Club . . . and we stopped them. Kind of a, well . . . real dumb move there."

"Why didn't someone tell me?" Superboy asked.

"Because, as usual, you decided to punch first, ask questions later," Chuck sighed.

"I didn't see you doin' much good, sleeping away," Kon replied. "Letting some little hussy get the drop on you . . . "

"Both of you, stop," Linda said. "Your arguing, as usual, won't help anything."

"She's right," Frost replied. "And has anyone noticed that three of your own aren't here?"

"I called them telepathically when Kon and I came here," Linda said. "I assumed they received the message and were on their way."

"The mansion is heavily psi-shielded," Frost shrugged. "It's possible they just didn't hear."

"Or it's possible something's up," Nightwing frowned. "Especially since none of the Hellfire staff here seemed to notice there was a fight going on."

"Plan?" Jolt asked.

"I'll stay here and wait for Alpha Flight to regain consciousness," Nightwing said. "Frost, you stay, too. The rest of you, go find the others and keep in touch."

"Why do I stay?" Frost asked.

"Because I don't trust you."

"What the heck is this?" Arrowette asked.

"Beats me," Empress said.

Rebel continued to lead the way. She had led them up a short staircase, then down a longer one into some strange basement. They then found themselves walking through a long, narrow corridor. It was fairly dark, and the walls had strange, ancient artifacts hanging on them.

"Rebel certainly seems to think she's on to something," Arrowette said.

"I wish we could communicate with her," Empress frowned. "She seems able to understand us fairly well, but can't communicate herself. But she sure can fight . . . "

They continued along the path for a few minutes. It seemed as though the corridor went on forever.

"We've been going lower," Empress said. "There's been a slight decline on all these hallways . . . we're going underground. But it sure is taking a long way to get wherever we're going."

"I hope we get there soon."

"I think we're there . . . " Empress said as the trio turned another corner. The corridor opened into a very large room. The space before them was wide open, lit only by a few torches along the walls. About twenty yards ahead was a spread of white stone stairs that spread the width of the room. They led up a few feet to two large, wooden doors that sprawled at least ten feet high.

"What the heck is this place?" Arrowette asked.

"No idea," Empress frowned. "But I say we knock and see what's what."

"Just . . . knock?" Arrowette asked.

They both turned to see Rebel standing at the door. She knocked three times, somewhat loudly. After a moment, the doors creaked open. The inside room seemed fairly large, and well lit. The three peered inside.

"You?!"

Superboy, Firebird, Jolt and Impulse burst back into the Hellfire mansion through the main entrance.

"Let's find our teammates," Superboy said.

"Stop right there," a voice called.

The four stopped quickly, looking up to Northstar and Aurora, standing on the second floor balcony which overlooked the main lobby.

"Why?" Superboy asked.

"You can go no farther," Northstar said. "We won't permit it."

"Why not?" Jolt asked. "Just earlier you called us your guests!"

"We used the term loosely," Aurora replied.

"Your teammates have gone where they should not have," Northstar continued. "And though we appreciate your assistance in defeating Alpha Flight . . . if you proceed any further, we shall have to hurt you."

"You and what army?" Kon asked.

The twins grinned. "This one."

The lobby filled with Hellfire troopers armed with guns, all aimed at the four members of Young Justice.

"I see," Kon replied.

"Make it easy on all of us, Young Justice," Northstar said. "Surrender. And you won't be harmed."

"And our friends?" Linda asked.

"They, well . . . " Aurora started. "They're out of our hands, I'm afraid."

"This is foolish," Frost said. "We should all be in there, finding Shaw and finishing this mission. I don't trust Northstar and Aurora, and the sooner we're gone, the better. I doubt these Canadian Super-Heroes will come to any harm . . . and if they do, who cares? There are plenty of super heroes."

"Is the loss of life that meaningless to you?" Chuck asked. "Have you never lost anyone near to you before?"

"I . . . " Frost started, then she paused. She wasn't ready to accept that her students . . . her Hellions . . . were dead. That the Marauders had killed them. She thought, maybe . . . there was a chance . . . that they were still alive."

"No, of course not," Chuck frowned. "You've probably led a rich and pampered life your entire existence and have never had to deal with sadness."

"Oh, and like your life has been so sad?" Frost asked.

" . . . " Chuck paused. "Wonder Girl and Jade are dead. They died on my team, under my command. My parents? They were murdered by a loony named Flag Smasher. I witnessed the dead bodies of hundreds of Morlocks. I've seen heroes and villains alike die in the course of these stupid bouts. I've been plucked out of a normal teenager's existence and given more responsibilities than most people ever have in their entire lifetimes combined. Don't try to compare."

Frost merely frowned and turned away, crossing her arms.

Chuck sighed.

About fifty yards away, unbeknownst to the two, a figure watched closely. He was hidden easily by dense forest, and had a clear view of the mansion. He watched the two figures, and slowly lifted up his gun to bare.

He closed his left eye and looked through the targeting scope on his rifle. It locked on to the White Queen with ease. A single shot through her skull from behind would take care of it all.

His finger tensed on the trigger. He took a breath . . . and fired.