DEC 2002 - #49

Endgame IV: Mere Anarchy Is Loosed Upon The World by Paul Hahn

"There."

The Red Tornado observed his handiwork. Using a device that Batman had created years ago, he was able to create something that would, in affect, nullify one's mass, making him or her impervious to gravity . . . and therefore unaffected by Graviton's powers.

He adapted the device into the form of an armband, and was able to create ten of them.

"With any luck . . . this shall be enough."

Nightwing returned to YJ's headquarters with a passenger in tow. His passenger was known as Mister Freeze.

"We set to go?" Nightwing asked as he walked into the room where Red Tornado was.

"We are," the robot nodded. "There are ten arm bands of adjustable sizes. In theory, they should allow us to slip from Graviton's control."

"Good," Nightwing nodded. "Reddy, this is Freeze. He's gonna help us."

"Mister Freeze is a villain," the Tornado said, slightly alarmed.

"All we have left are villains," Nightwing replied. "You said it yourself, all the heroes have been captured. Freeze is powerful. He's got the point-and-shoot angle that we really need. I also contacted Ultimatum. I had a . . . run in with them recently. They're far from the best, but they're a military organization . . . and I persuaded them to launch an attack on Sky Island."

"They will be wiped out," Red Tornado said.

"Probably," Chuck answered. "No big loss there. Their only real purpose is to distract Graviton long enough for us to slip onto the island and free our team. Then, with the armbands given out, we can nail him."

"This is . . . a different course of action than those that I am used to."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Chuck shrugged. He gave Freeze an armband, and put one on himself. We need transportation."

"I have access to a League QuinJet," the Tornado said.

"Let's take it," Chuck said. "We're on a tight schedule here people. We've got a world to save."

"Well, it worked," Kon-El said. "By giving up my powers, I was able to get out of the cell without trouble. Seems like Graviton figured that just watching for his own powers moving would be enough. He was wrong."

Wonder Girl nodded as she floated beside him. "The real trick'll be freeing the others."

"I still have to confess some serious doubt about us pulling this off . . . "

"We can do it."

"I missed you, Cassie."

"I missed you, too, Kon. But why didn't you tell someone? I mean, there's no shame in what you did."

"I could have outsmarted the villain," Kon frowned. "I could have made up lies about all the super-heroes. But I told him exactly what he needed to hear . . . in order to hold the world hostage like this."

"Everyone makes mistakes," Wonder Girl said. "But not everyone gets the chance to make up for them. Here's your chance, Kon. We'll take down Graviton and save all the heroes."

"Right."

"This way," Wonder Girl said, leading Superboy. "They're all trapped in one big cell . . . "

"Guys?" Kon called as he approached the cell. It was identical to his . . . just bigger.

"Come to offer us a chance to join you?" Arrowette asked angrily.

"What?" Kon asked.

"I looked up to you so much, Superboy," Jolt frowned. "Were you just playing us all along?"

"No!" Kon exclaimed. "It's nothing like that! I'm sorry for what happened, I can't take it back . . . but I can make up for it! We're busting you out of here . . . and then we're gonna take down Graviton."

"Cool," Impulse said. "See, toldja guys he wasn't evil."

"Who's . . . we?" Linda asked quietly.

"Hi guys," Wonder Girl smiled.

"Cassie?!" Arrowette exclaimed.

"Shh!" Cassie replied. "Don't scream . . . but yeah, it's me! I'm back."

"Cassie, that is so awesome," Arrowette started.

"As much as I love seeing you guys again, now's not the time for 'welcome back's," she said. "We've gotta get you guys out of here so we can take down Graviton."

"Is there a way out?" Empress asked.

"Maybe Bart could vibrate through the rock?" Superboy asked.

"That won't work," a voice said from behind the heroes.

"You!" Kon exclaimed. "M'Reel!"

"Yes," the figure nodded. He was a strange being. He wore a large red cloak that just let his pink hands stick out. His face was pink as well, though clearly not of this world.

"Who?" Wonder Girl asked.

"One of Graviton's flunkies," Superboy frowned.

"I am hardly a flunky," M'Reel frowned. "I was a prisoner in the same underground chamber as Graviton was. I served him to feed his ego, knowing he would eventually escape . . . and take me with him. Now that I am free, I have no desire to serve him, or to see him rule this world."

"You're turning against him?" Arrowette asked.

"Yes," he answered. He waved his arm in front of the cell opening. "I have now opened the cell. Graviton will not be aware. You are free."

"What's the catch?" Superboy asked.

"It is less of a catch, and more of an equally beneficial dealing," M'Reel explained. "Should you take down Graviton, Sky Island will come crashing down to the planet below . . . anyone underneath it will die. However, if you will allow me, I can temporarily absorb some of Graviton's powers and keep the island from crashing down into the ground. I believe I would be able to direct the island out to the ocean before setting it down."

"But then you get power . . . " Wonder Girl frowned.

"This is the trade, and the only way to avoid mass death," M'Reel said.

"He's got a point," Phoenix said. "Alright . . . we'll let you do it. But now . . . hey . . . does anyone else hear that? Gunfire?"

"Looks like the cavalry's arrived," Superboy said. "Come on . . . he's going to be distracted . . . now might be our only chance to take him out!

A whole army of Ultimatum soldiers, armed with all types of weapons, were waging war against Graviton.

"You think you can actually harm me?" Graviton asked, deflecting their bullets away from him. "You can't even touch me!"

"All we need is to get one shot through," an Ultimatum soldier said. "Keep firing, men! We'll take him yet!"

"Hardly," Graviton replied. He used his powers to knock down the front line of the approaching soldiers. "You are all pathetic."

The Justice League QuinJet landed several kilometers away from the fight. Nightwing, Red Tornado, and Mister Freeze stepped off.

"Their battle is not going well," Freeze commented.

"Seems I had too much faith in them," Nightwing frowned. "We might need to act sooner than expected."

"Will the three of us be able to stop him?"

"Only one way to find out, I guess . . . "

The three began to charge forward as Graviton continued tearing the Ultimatum force apart. Soon, they would hardly be noticeable at all.

"Hey, Ugly!" Nightwing called. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that Spandex and Beer Bellies don't mix?"

"Who dares?" Graviton asked. He turned around just in time to get a Bo-Staff in the face. "Argh!"

Red Tornado moved quickly, punching him with his right fist. Mister Freeze blasted Graviton's mid section with his ice gun.

Graviton growled, using his powers to shatter the ice from his body.

"Fools!" he exclaimed. "I will tear you to pieces! I--eh? My powers . . . they're not working?!"

"Sucks to be you," Nightwing said, flinging a batarang at the villain.

"No matter," Graviton said. "If I can't affect you directly . . . I'll just have to do it indirectly!"

He tore a large piece of rock from the ground and flung it at Nightwing, who barely managed to dodge.

Another chunk flew at Mister Freeze, who shot his ice gun at it, freezing it, so that when it hit him, it shattered and broke apart. His suit protected him.

"The outcome here is still in doubt," Red Tornado said, smashing another chunk of rock. "I believe the odds are against us."

"It's time we did something about that," Superboy said.

"What?" Graviton turned around.

Behind him stood Young Justice: Superboy, Impulse, Phoenix, Arrowette, Rebel, Jolt, Empress, and Wonder Girl.

Chuck acted quickly, his thoughts reaching Phoenix, who telepathically set Impulse on a quick run. Bart grabbed the other eight arm-bands and attached them to the others and himself in the blink of an eye.

"How did you escape?" Graviton asked. "No matter, I . . . I cannot affect you, either! Not even Superboy!"

"What can I say?" Superboy asked as he activate his photonic 'S' shield. "Your offer stinks."

"Hit him!" Nightwing gave the order.

Impulse sped to Graviton, hitting him a few hundred times in the space of a second. Phoenix knocked him aside with a telekinetic burst. Arrowette fired a pair of shock-arrows, causing the villain pain. Jolt shock-punched him, as Rebel kicked him hard in the side. Empress teleported behind him and hit him over the head with her staff. Wonder Girl charged in the decked him.

"How are you doing this? You are but insects to me! I am the master of the fundamental force! I am Graviton! None can stop me!"

"Thor did it years ago," Superboy said. "We may not be Thor . . . but we're more than enough to kick your butt!"

Graviton began lashing out wildly, ripping apart trees, the ground, buildings and more, and hurling them at the members of Young Justice. It became that all they could really do was dodge.

"This isn't working!" Arrowette exclaimed.

"No kidding," Nightwing frowned. "We need to neutralize his powers!"

"How?" Arrowette asked.

"The armbands," Freeze said.

"Pardon?" Arrowette asked. "Why's this guy here, anyway?"

"He's here to help," Nightwing said.

"Put the armbands on Graviton," Freeze said. "They neutralize his powers against us . . . perhaps they will do the same to him."

"But then he'll be able to hurt us," Arrowette said.

"He's stopped trying to use his powers on us," Nightwing realized. "He figures we're immune to him . . . and when we ditch the armbands, he probably won't know the difference."

"There's a gamble," Cissie frowned.

"I'm willing to bet," Chuck replied.

"I will occupy him," Freeze said, readying his gun.

"Bart!" Chuck exclaimed.

Impulse was to him in seconds, despite the chaos going all about.

"Get everyone's armbands," Nightwing explained. "Vibrate so you can move around easily, and get all ten of them on Graviton! It's our only hope!"

"Gotcha!" Bart said. He moved around faster than the eye could see, carrying out Nightwing's order. Soon all the armbands were attached.

Graviton let out a yell, a scream of sudden pain. "What . . . what are you . . . doing to me . . . ?"

The villain began to glow.

"Uh . . . Chuck?" Linda asked.

Mister Freeze fired a solid blast at Graviton, encasing his body with ice. However, the ice was quickly melting away.

"Pour it on!" Chuck exclaimed.

Freeze eagerly complied, firing his gun to its max.

"I . . . no . . . no . . . " Graviton screamed. "Noooooooooo!!!!"

In the blink of an eye, Graviton's body collapsed in on itself. Seconds later, a small chunk of ice fell to the ground.

"Whoa," Chuck said. "His body became like a black hole, sucking everything to him. If not for the ice surrounding his body and eventually clogging the hole, he might have taken us all with him."

"Looks like Freeze did some good," Arrowette said.

"How is the island still floating?" the Tornado asked.

"M'Reel over there," Superboy said, pointing to the odd figure standing a distance away. "He said he would be able to absorb some of Graviton's powers if we would be able to beat him. He's on our side. He's lowering the other heroes down to the ground safely, and the island's moving to the ocean where it can be safely lowered."

"We did it," Nightwing said. "And Wonder Girl's . . . alive!"

"Yup," Cassie said.

The group of young heroes gathered together in celebration.

"Uh . . . why's Mister Freeze here?" Impulse asked.

"Umm . . . " Nightwing started.

He wasn't given a chance to finish. Suddenly, the team felt a tingling sensation run through their bodies. A flash of white light later, and they were gone.

The Red Tornado looked at the spot the nine had just been standing in. Nothing.

"Where did they go?" Mister Freeze asked.

"They . . . they disappeared," the Tornado frowned. "I'm not sure what this means. The team seemed as surprised as we were. If some enemy, some . . . super-villain has kidnapped them . . . we may never see them again!"