JUSTICE LEAGUE

31

The Awakening, Part Two
 

Studmuffin slowly drifted back to consciousness. There was a voice talking nearby, but it wasn't talking to him.

"No, Typho, I haven't seen the Jet around either...Put someone else on the phone...I don't care if you want to eat my soul, Fred, let me talk to Xiao by herself...Then give the phone to X-Raytor, Scarlett, Raven, anyone...Typho? You again?...Typho, go give the phone to Oreo. Right now...Wait! Don't give it to her if she's in the shower! Where's Rosma?...Invisible?...No, don't try to find her! Who else is there?...Right Wing Man? Who's that? Okay, nevermind, anyone else?...That's good. Give the phone to Eric."

'Eric, it's Iso...Yeah, I found something...Studmuffin...Antarctica...Yeah...Yes, on the way back to the Hall now...Uh-huh...Right...Yes..."

The conversation went on, but Studmuffin wasn't paying attention. Something stuck in his head. The Hall. What was so important about-------a voice, a memory replayed itself in his mind. Jarhead.

"...you'll never be able to save them, will you... you'll never be of any real use...you couldn't save your little friends at that award show...you won't be able to save them when me mates go down and kill every single one of them..."

Studmuffin's eyes flew open. He climbed to his feet and vaguely heard Iso say something. But he had no time for it, he threw open the door of the Jet and leapt into the air. His newly found energy propelled him towards the Hall of Justice. He just hoped it would be there when he arrived.

* * *

"Crimefighting?! In a yacht?!" Rosma demanded. It had been a while since she had gotten her parents' letter, but she was still clearly outraged.

"We have a yacht?" X-Raytor asked from the couch.

"We have a yacht!" Scarlett said.

"We have a yacht!" Raven echoed.

"We should go on a cruise!" X-Raytor said.

Rosma scowled. "We don't have it until I sign for it."

"Yeah, well, that's what I thought," Twisk said into the phone, grinning.

Oreo Avenger shifted restlessly on the couch. "Don't you think the line's been tied up for long enough?" She muttered.

"Who's she talking to?" Typho asked.

" 'Some guy.'" Oreo said.

" 'Some guy?'"

"That's what Pinzz told me." Oreo said. "All I know is that by the time she's done talking to him, we'll be living in plastic bubbles on Mars."

From the other side of the couch, X-Raytor waggled his eyebrows- an action that was just visible below his mask. "What are you so uppity about? Got a date?"

"No..."

"Want one?"

"Sorry," Oreo said. "I don't date-"

"Guys on the rebound?" X-Raytor asked. "Because, you know, I'm single again..."

"I was going to say 'outside of my species,' but, yeah, I guess that works."

"Wait... could you say that again?" Crystal asked, staring blankly at the TV remote.

"Oh, just order the movie already!" Netic said.

"I'm trying," Crystal said. "I just don't get it..."

"Okay, okay," Drew said, standing next to the TV and pointing at the ShowTime menu. "I'm going to explain this to you one more time, very... slowly: select 'Order Movie' and hit 'Enter.' Okay?"

"Wait, wait, where's the 'Enter' button?" Crystal asked.

"It's the one that says 'Enter'!"

"I don't see it..."

"You must be missing it."

"Pinzz, do you know how to do this?" Crystal asked, looking back at Pinzz. Pinzz shrugged.

"Have you noticed that Pinzz hasn't really been doing the leadership thing much since she got back?" Raven asked.

"Have you noticed that Twisk has been on the freaking phone for an hour?" Oreo said.

"Oh, what was that, Joe?" Twisk asked. "There's all this annoying clamor on my end..."

Oreo glared.

"I can't believe this!!" Rosma said. "A yacht! A yacht!! Am I the only one upset about this?!"

"Yep," Raven said.

"I'm not complaining." Xiao said.

"Wait... we have a yacht?" Crystal asked, looking over from the TV.

"Yachts are fun." Midnight Chatter said.

A brief pause.

"And...?" X-Raytor said.

"And what?" Midnight Chatter asked.

"Don't you have more to say than that?"

"Well... not really."

X-Raytor blinked. "Wow." Pause. "So, like, does the world end now?"

"Speaking of yachts," Xiao said. "Where's Right-Wing Boy?"

"Man." Oreo corrected.

"Yeah, the man who's five years younger than me," X-Raytor said.

"Yeah, but, you're working on the brain of a two year old, so it doesn't really count."

"I think he went into town," Raven said. "Something about hunting down injustice on American streets, and crushing it beneath his spangled heel or something..."

It was then that Eric walked into the common room. He paused, blinked, and then looked slowly around the room.

"Uh..."

"Oh, hey, Eric," Scarlett said.

"Can you believe my parents?!" Rosma demanded.

"Uh..." Eric said. "Why is everyone here?"

"Nothing to do." X-Raytor said. "So, for once, we're all here together. Like a big old Justice League reunion- only with not as much insanity."

"What- there's nothing to do?" Eric asked.

"Crystal, Drew, Netic, and Pinzz are trying to figure out how to order a movie," Raven said. "And Twisk's, uh, Twisk's..."

"Tying up the line." Oreo mumbled.

"...On the phone. And Rosma's, er..."

"Going apes*** over her parents' little present?" X-Raytor supplied.

Rosma glared at him. "I am not going- wait... what?"

"...And the rest of us are just sitting around." Raven finished.

"Nothing?" Eric said again. "No crime?"

"Nope." Raven said.

"And if there is," Oreo said. "It's not like anyone could call in on the hotline..."

"Hmm, what was that?" Twisk said. "Oh, sure, Joe, I'd love to hear all about your trip to Minnesota! Don't leave out a detail!"

"Oh." Eric said. "Um, by the way, I was in the radio room... uh, Iso called."

"Iso called?" Rosma asked, sounding slightly less harassed. "Where is he?"

"Uh... Antarctica?"

Silence. After a moment, Oreo said, "Why?"

"Well, I'm not sure..." Eric said. "But he said he found Studmuffin..."

"Ah, well, that explains it," Midnight Chatter said.

"I thought he was in El Segundo..." X-Raytor said.

"Is Jennifer Aniston with them?" Raven asked.

"Uh... he didn't say..."

"How about OJ?"

"Uh..."

"Hmm, you know, maybe they're trying to call back," Oreo said, looking meaningfully at Twisk.

Eric said, "So... there's... nothing to do, today?"

"Nope." Xiao said.

Eric shrugged. "Okay!" He flopped down on the middle cushion of the couch, causing both Oreo Avenger and X-Raytor to jump up onto the arm rests.

Crystal said, "I still don't get this."

"Then give someone else the remote!" Netic snapped.

"No!" Crystal said. "I can figure this out!"

"Pinzz, could you please, like, steal it from her or something?"

"Huh?" Pinzz said, looking up.

"Never mind."

"What movie are you trying to order anyway?" X-Raytor asked.

"X-Men." Crystal said.

"The Enter button!!" Drew cried. "ENTER!!"

"X-Men?"

"Yep."

X-Raytor was silent for a moment. "...Why?"

Crystal looked back over her shoulder and frowned at him. "Why not?"

"Because, hmm, let's see, you freaking live it?!"

"Yeah," Crystal said. "But my life doesn't have Shawn Ashmore in it."

"Amen!" Pinzz said, looking suddenly alive.

"Shawn Ashmore." X-Raytor said, making his disdain apparent. "Yeah, I really wish he was hanging around the Hall. How I wish I could hear him declaring that the Controllers were 'oot' to get me and that I'd be captured and 'Yeerked.'"

"You just wish you were Canadian." Crystal said.

X-Raytor laughed. "Yes, you've discovered my secret longing."

"Sure you do," Pinzz said. "Then you'd get to go to Vancouver and stalk your giiiiiiiirlfriend."

X-Raytor straightened up a little, but didn't say anything.

"A yacht!!" Rosma said. "Seriously, doesn't anyone else see how ridiculous this is?! How are we supposed to justify this?! A yacht?!"

"Well, we could make it fit!" Eric said. "We could call it, the, uh..."

"Justice Yacht!" Scarlett exclaimed.

"The Justice Yacht!" Xiao chimed in.

"Oh shut up..." Rosma muttered.

Neomatrix wandered into the room, walking slowly. He'd just gotten out of the infirmary after a painful week. The pain wasn't really from his wounds, but from the Justice Leaguers' numerous attempts to administer First Aid to a Chak-ra body. He seemed to be back to normal now, although, really, no one could tell.

"Motor units appear to be functioning properly," He mumbled, stretching his legs.

"Hey, E.T.," Pinzz said. "Could you quit talking to yourself? We're trying to order a movie here."

Neomatrix walked over and studied the TV. After a moment he said, "Ah, I see."

Crystal raised an eyebrow. "See what?"

"You desire to order this film, yes?"

"Er... yes."

"Well, it's a very complicated process, and I'll have to use all of my skill and much of my Chak-ra knowledge to accomplish it. Is this acceptable?"

"Um... sure..." Crystal said.

And so, Neomatrix walked over, took the controller from Crystal's hand and hit the "Select" button. The TV immediately to an order confirmation screen. Neomatrix hit Select again, and the movie began to play.

Crystal stared. "Oh."

"See?!" Drew demanded. "See?!"

"That was completely different from what you told me to do!" Crystal said. "You said to hit the 'Enter' button!"

" 'Enter,' 'Select,' they're one in the same!" Drew exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that." She paused. "And, uh, did Neomatrix just use sarcasm?"

"You make me proud, Freakmatrix!" Pinzz said.

"Yeah, you're right," X-Raytor said to Raven. "Pinzz does seem a little withdrawn now- well except for when she's being sarcastic or nasty. Certainly not the sweet little Neary that I dated."

"And why are you so perky, anyway?" Raven asked. "Shouldn't you be, like, wallowing in self-pity or something?"

X-Raytor grinned and the fabric on his mask stretched. "I always act like this when I get dumped."

"Tell me about it," Pinzz said. "When I dropped him, he walked around grinning like a maniac for days."

"Hmm, maybe you do have a point about Pinzz after all." Raven said. Pinzz rolled her eyes.

"Okay. Okay. I'll call you on Wednesday. Okay. All right. All right. Okay. Okay! I'll talk to you then, Joe! Bye!" Twisk dropped the phone into the receiver and turned to Oreo Avenger. "There? Happy?"

"Very." Oreo Avenger said. "And... who's Joe?"

Everyone turned to look at Twisk.

"Someone who I'm never bringing home to visit." She said, and sat in one of the few unoccupied La-Z-Boys.

"Doesn't anyone understand why I'm upset?!" Rosma demanded.

"Oh yeah," X-Raytor said. "I hate it when my mutated, barely-human parents send me expensive gifts from whatever cage the government's keeping them in out in North/South Dakota. Hate it."

Rosma ignored him. "I can't believe they thought this would- would show support! This isn't them embracing the new Rosma, this is- this is-"

"A yacht?" Midnight Chatter supplied.

"Oh, never mind." Rosma said.

"We are so lazy..." Drew said.

"Yeah, can you believe it?" Twisk said. "With all of those earth-shattering phone calls coming in every second? I'm sure glad the phone isn't tied up, or we might be missing all of these important calls!"

"So... how long until Shawn's in this?" Crystal asked.

"About... twenty something minutes." Pinzz said. "I used to know the exact time, but then I memorized the time that he shows up in X-2..."

"So..." X-Raytor said. "How long until Famke Janssen's in this? ... Even though, Anna Paquin ain't that bad..."

"X-y, please, turn away from the TV." Crystal said.

"B-"

"Before I freeze your mask to your face."

X-Raytor looked away, grumbling.

The phone rang.

"Ha!" Oreo Avenger said. "Told you someone would call!"

Twisk rolled her eyes.

Oreo picked up the phone. "Justice League, Hall of Justice, Oreo Avenger speaking!"

For a moment, all she heard was the electric hum of the phone. And then, "Anne?"

Oreo Avenger frowned. "Claire?"

"Oh, God, Anne-"

"Claire, what's wrong?" Oreo demanded. "Is it dad? Did something happen to dad?"

"No, no," Claire said. "Anne- listen, something's going to happen..."

"What's going on, Claire?" Oreo Avenger asked, and then paused. "This isn't about the stock market, right?"

"No- Anne, listen!"

"Okay, okay! I'm listening!"

Over by the TV, Twisk sat up a little. "You know that sound in the movies that they always play when, like, a bomb is dropping?"

Silence. After a moment, X-Raytor said, "Um, yeah."

"I know I joke around a lot." Claire said over the phone. "I know I can act like everything's a big joke, but this time, really, I'm d- I'm serious."

"Claire, you're starting to scare me..." Oreo said.

"Well," Twisk said. "Am I the only one who's hearing it right now?"

"Because I had the same nightmare fifty times last night, and I'm having it again right now," Claire said. "Everyone's going to die."

BOOM!!

X-Raytor toppled off the armrest and the phone smashed on the floor.

"What the hell?!" Pinzz demanded, leaping out of her chair. She stormed over to the window. "I swear to God, if it's another alien spaceship, I'm-"

The words died in Pinzz' throat. She stared out the window, and then, glancing back at the others said, "Uh, you guys better see this..."

The other Justice Leaguers crowded around the front windows, pushing in an oh-so-professional way to see what was on the lawn.

"Oh, no..." Rosma said.

X-Raytor said, "Wait, isn't that-"

"Who?" Typho asked, trying to see over Midnight Chatter's head.

There were three towering, muscle-bound men standing on the front lawn, shirtless, ham-sized hands clenched into fists. Instead of heads, what seemed to be large containers rested on their shoulders.

Seekers.

"Who?" Typho repeated.

"Long story short," Rosma said, "One of these guys came here a while back, smashed four of us, and wiped out half of the Hall. It took Studmuffin just to hold him off- that's why that one part of the forest is nothing but a crater now. And even he couldn't beat him- eventually whatever it was just left."

"Half of the Hall?" Typho said.

"Yeah, and I had to clean most of it up," X-Raytor mumbled.

"And that was just one of them," Rosma said. "This is three."

"Wow, aren't you all just a positive-frigging-bunch." Pinzz said. "Now, who wants to stop yammering and kick some bucket-head ass?"

No one said anything, and Pinzz curled her lip in distaste. "Wow, you guys haven't changed while I was gone. Fine then, here's what we're gonna do- anyone who can get airborne, we're going upstairs. And anyone who can get around those guys unnoticed- Rosma, you can do that, and- Raven?"

"I'd have to go underground..." Raven said.

"Good. Rosma and Raven, try to get behind them. X-Raytor, Eric, MC? Go out there and stall."

"Stall?" Midnight Chatter yelped.

"How?" X-Raytor demanded. "Walk up to them and ask if they want to beat our heads into our ribcages until you guys get into position?"

"Hey, you think if you can come up with a better plan, than you should be able to figure this out." Pinzz said. "What do I do?" Typho asked.

"Hide." Crystal said.

"Run." X-Raytor added.

"Stay out of everyone's way." Pinzz said. "You too, Drew. And Nudey Boy, when did Iso say he was getting back?"

Eric thought for a moment. "Uh... a while. He was coming back from Antarctica..."

"Great." Pinzz muttered. "So we try to hold out until Iso and Chi Boy get back, whatever good that'll do. 'Kay?"

X-Raytor, Midnight Chatter, and Eric opened their mouths to protest, but Pinzz said, "Good!" and turned towards the stairs, activating her suit as she went.

"Told you, we should have made me leader," X-Raytor mumbled.

***

"They're going upstairs." Keghead rumbled.

"I zink zhat you may have been overestimating zhem, Herr Keghead," One of his companions, Mughead, said in his eternally sneering voice.

"I am not worried about them," Keghead said. "Even the useless one, he put up a good fight, but he was no match for me. Of course, they're only Workers after all, eh?"

"Ye've got that roight, mite!" Jughead said. "Though Oi 'ave to admit, Oi've never run into bloomin' powered workers before. Some of 'em are even naturally endowed, y'know? Strange thing, that- but, then again, it's been a rather strange week. Just a few dyes ago, Oi'm strollin' the streets of gay Par-ee, tryin moi luck with the mademoiselles, when Oi 'ear that they're movin' me to merry old England because Jar'ead 'as to go get 'is brainbox broke-in boi that Studmuffin character."

"I doubt, Herr Jughead, zhat you vere doing anyzing with zhe 'mademoiselles." Mughead sneered.

Keghead ground his foot into the grass impatiently. He wondered, again, why it had been Jughead chosen to accompany him and Mughead to the Hall of Justice, especially two days after his reassignment. Keghead had, really, never liked Jughead- even when he was still the Seeker stationed in France. Of course, then he had just been snobbish and rude, and smelled like cigarettes most of the time. He did not, however, have that grating Cockney accent. He talked too much for a Seeker, and possessed a self-centeredness that bordered almost on full-fledged independence. When the Chosen One became involved, Keghead wasn't sure if he would be able to rely on Jughead to stay and fight.

With the exception of Jarhead, however, and maybe one or two other Seekers, there was no one else that Keghead would rather have along than Mughead. Mughead was a warrior of the first class- he had been stationed in Germany for centuries, witnessing the countless wars that had forged the country's history. And for this mission, he had agreed to follow the special directive of the Intellects- a decision that would lead, undoubtedly, to oblivion. Keghead found the idea somewhat unnerving, but it wasn't his problem.

"Anyvay," Mughead was saying. "I have seen zhe uber-menschen before, and believe me- zhey bleed and die just like anyvone else."

"Still, it's a bit strange, you 'ave to admit," Jughead said, a bit more subdued now. "After all-"

"Well, look," Keghead said. "We've got some company, eh?"

The front door of the Hall of Justice had opened, and X-Raytor, Eric, and Midnight Chatter had cautiously walked out.

"Uh, hey guys!" X-Raytor called, waving weakly.

"Um... 'sup?" Midnight Chatter asked.

The Seekers exchanged looks, grinning, but remained silent.

X-Raytor glanced at Midnight Chatter, and he shrugged. Eric wasn't much more help. What was he supposed to do? Right now, the only thing he could think of was asking Keghead, if, maybe, he actually had something in that keg that might calm his nerves a little...

After a moment, X-Raytor said, "So, uh, how about those Mets!"

"It's football season!" Midnight Chatter whispered.

"Ha ha! So right! The Cubbies are going all the way this year!" X-Raytor said.

Eric and Midnight Chatter glanced at each other, and then laughed along nervously.

"The Yankees?!" X-Raytor demanded suddenly. "Man- you cheer for the Yankees, the terrorists win! Go D-Backs!!"

After a moment, X-Raytor turned to the other two guys. "Okay, I'm spent. What've you guys got?"

"Hey, want to hear a joke?" Midnight Chatter called.

"When are yer other friends going to come oot and play?" Keghead replied, and all three Seekers began to laugh.

"Ha! Ha ha! Ha... Good one!" Midnight Chatter said, looking extremely pale.

X-Raytor wondered if Rosma and Raven were in place yet. Rosma had slipped out the door when they'd gone outside, and he'd felt her move by him. Now... X-Raytor switched to x-ray vision, and immediately located a skeleton moving cautiously over to the Seekers' right. He tried looking through the ground to find Raven, but her molecules were all separated- he couldn't locate her.

"So..." Midnight Chatter said.

"Don't worry guys, I've got this," Eric whispered. "Just follow my lead."

Eric sauntered up to Keghead, hands on his hips, a playful smile on his face. "Hey there, sailor, come here often?"

X-Raytor and Midnight Chatter stared. Eric looked back at them, gave them an enormous and painfully obvious wink, and then turned back to Keghead.

"Hey, baby, you know what I'd do if I were in charge of the alphabet? I'd put U and I together!"

Keghead didn't respond. He shifted slightly, and Eric almost jumped out of his socks.

"Hey, uh, are you tired?" Eric asked shakily. "Because you've been running through my mind all day!"

Keghead looked over at Jughead, and X-Raytor was sure he saw the Seeker shrug.

"Hey, baby, you may be ice, but, trust me, I'm the one to thaw you!" Eric said. "Now, let's try this again: Hey, baby, is that a mirror in your pocket? Because I can see myself in your p-"

Keghead's hand whipped out, and before Eric could even register the movement, thick fingers clasped around his neck, and he was lifted bodily into the air. Eric kicked his legs and willed his windpipe to stay open.

"Well, uh- urk!- you know, uh, no- guh!- no one's ever asked me out by, uh, uh..."

"All right, I'm tired of this." Keghead boomed. "Yer friends had better get oot here right now, or I'll smash yer head like an egg. And they'd better make it quick, eh?"

"You know, if you really wanted to get our attention..."

Keghead and his fellow Seekers looked up to see the rest of the Justice League loom up from the Hall's roof. Pinzz, who had spoken, was sticking to the dome, eyes narrowed. "... You could'a just knocked."

"Finally," Keghead said, and with one fluid snap of the wrist, hurled Eric into X-Raytor and Midnight Chatter, knocking all three to the ground.

"NOW!!" Pinzz roared, and leapt from the dome.

From either side of the dome, the Justice League leapt into the air, colorful, muscled birds startled into flight. Not that all of them actually flew- Netic rode on her trash can lid, Twisk became a jet of water, and most of the others simply jumped.

Keghead turned, almost lazily, to Mughead, and then Jughead. With casual, lightning speed, the Seekers leapt to meet their opponents.

Mughead reached out and snatched Netic's trash can lid out from under her in mid-flight. For a moment, Netic continued on as if she was still standing on it, and then seemed to trip in the air, and crashed, face first, skidding across the grass. Mughead lifted the trash can lid, and Twisk, as an abnormally blue fire hose blast of water, slammed into it. She dropped, landing in a thick puddle. Without a moment's pause, Mughead threw the trash can lid like a discus, catching Crystal in the mid-section and sending her flying into one of the Hall's walls.

Jughead shrugged off a barrage of Oreos, snatched Oreo Avenger by the cape as she tried to fly around behind him, and slammed her into the ground. Neomatrix, borrowing Oreo's power of flight, was able to dart in and deliver a kick to the side of his head, but the Cockney Seeker didn't even flinch. He swatted Neomatrix away, and then slammed his fist into Neomatrix's side, plowing him into the ground. He straightened up, and held his hand out, palm open, just as Scarlett swooped down at him in osprey morph. He could feel her brittle avian bones snap against his rough hand, and laughed.

Keghead grabbed Pinzz's bullwhip fingers when they were only about an inch from his face. He flipped her over his head, and didn't let go until he felt her impact on the ground. He reached down, suddenly, and grabbed Raven around the head just as she emerged from underground. He pivoted, and hurled her at Pinzz, who was standing up. Raven tried to turn insubstantial, but wasn't fast enough- she slammed into Pinzz and sent them both to the ground. Keghead would have finished them both there, but a flurry of punches directly into his abdomen drew his attention. He looked down and saw- nothing. He realized- of course, one of them was invisible. He swatted downwards, and felt the back of his massive hand connect with something warm, followed by a half yelp of pain. Rosma landed, fully visible, a few feet away.

"Come on! Come on!" X-Raytor said, disentangling himself from Eric and Midnight Chatter. He ran at the nearest Seeker- Mughead- and, about halfway there, realized exactly how stupid he was. Before he could stop himself, though, two red beams had already fired from his eyes, heading directly for Mughead's face. Mughead watched them come, and then tipped his head slightly to the side, letting the lasers shoot over his shoulder. He shook his head sadly at X-Raytor.

"I vas looking for a better battle than zhis." He said, and before X-Raytor could reply, he had sped forward and jammed both fists into X-Raytor's stomach. X-Raytor wheezed, and dropped onto his face.

"You can handle him," Eric said, shoving Midnight Chatter in front of him.

"No, no, that's okay," Midnight Chatter said. "I mean, you are the senior member..."

Twisk, who had become fully human again and launched another attack at the Seekers, flew over their heads and smacked into the wall over the Hall's entrance. Eric and Midnight Chatter looked at each other.

"You know, I bet Drew and Typho could use some protecting..." Midnight Chatter said.

"I zhink you two ought to run." Mughead said.

"Hey, man, you better back off!" Eric said. "You, uh, you don't want none of this!"

"Er, yeah!" Midnight Chatter agreed. "You, um, you don't!" He was, at the same time, backing away slowly. But it was then that he heard, "Scarlett!"

Oreo Avenger was on her hands and knees on the lawn, trying to revive the dark, crumpled form that was Scarlett in osprey morph. Midnight Chatter could see Scarlett's legs moving slowly, pawing at the air; she was alive. But as he watched, Jughead, smacking away Neomatrix, bore down on them. Oreo didn't see him. Why was she spending so much time trying to revive Scarlett anyway? Why didn't she turn around?

Midnight Chatter seriously wanted to leave. He wanted to run and run and run until he hit the river, and then he'd swim across, and then run through the city, until he hit the ocean, and then he'd swim- he wanted to be the hell out of there. And he knew, he knew that he should have...

"Hold him off," Midnight Chatter said to Eric. "I need to do something."

"Oh, okay," Eric said. "That makes absolute sense to me. I'll stay here and delay the seemingly invincible giant dude while you 'do someth- HEY!"

Mughead tapped Eric on the shoulder. "Are you done?"

Eric looked up. "Um... yep?"

"Good." Mughead raised his fist.

Midnight Chatter cut off Jughead about 10 yards away from Oreo and Scarlett. Jughead faltered a bit, but then increased speed. He was going to plow through Midnight Chatter, plow through him and rip Oreo and Scarlett apart-

"Hey!" Midnight Chatter said. "Hey! Uh... stop!"

Jughead didn't stop. He didn't even slow down.

"Um... I mean it!" Midnight Chatter added.

Jughead grinned, and leaned forward, closing the distance between them to mere feet.

"I'm, uh, I'm warning you?" Midnight Chatter said. Jughead's footsteps shook the ground. Midnight Chatter felt the tremors pulsing up his leg and he was afraid.

"Please stop." Midnight Chatter said, but even he could barely make out the words. Jughead's grin widened revoltingly-

"Back." The words were so small coming from his throat and mouth, and had no effect on the massive wall of muscle descending on him, and Midnight Chatter felt the fear loosen his bowels and the rage surge up and harden them again, and he made himself heard. "OFF!"

His hand shot out, and Jughead laughed, seeing it as a futile gesture of protection. But he did not feel the furious power surge through Midnight Chatter's body, electrify his biceps, and send his hands into spasms. Didn't, that is, until a blast of pure telekinetic energy hit him full in the chest.

Jughead grunted, and flew back, the grin gone. He landed on his back, and pounded the grass with a brick-sized fist.

"Wow." Midnight Chatter said. "Almost forgot I could do that..."

"...Midnight?" Oreo Avenger was looking at him with an eyebrow raised. The osprey sprawled in front of her was slowly melting into Scarlett.

Midnight Chatter said, "Oreo, move Scarlett until she's completely de-de- changed back! Okay?"

"Midnight..."

"You need to move her!" He said. "You need to move her now!"

"Midnight!"

Something enormous and strong closed around the back of Midnight Chatter's head, and he felt himself lifted into the air.

"You made a veeeeeery bad decision roight there, guv'nah." Jughead said. "Very, very bad."

Midnight Chatter kicked wildly in the air, trying to find a foothold. His body weight was unbearable- he could feel the skin on his neck stretching as gravity pulled him down, and Jughead kept his head firmly in the same place. And as it happened, he felt Jughead's enormous fingers digging into his skull, and a brutal, maddening pressure was building inside his head. His foot touched Jughead's leg, and slipped off. He couldn't die like this, he couldn't-

And in the blackness that grew from the center of his throbbing brain, he could hear someone from faraway, but their voice was an illusion and all smoke and mirrors, and as much as you tried to get a grip on it, it just kept shooting away like a slippery pebble or

Christopher.

Something small and dark and round shot across Jughead's arm, and he dropped Midnight Chatter. He landed like a sack of meat, and Jughead stepped over him.

Oreo Avenger was on him before he could take another step.

"DIE!!"

Jughead stumbled back, barely missing Midnight Chatter's prone form, and toppled onto his back. Oreo Avenger stayed with him, hands grasping his head. When the Seeker hit the ground, she raised a fist and brought it down at the base of his neck. Jughead grunted, and she did it again, harder.

"DIE!!"

She punched again. She'd tear his throat out, tear his filthy, evil throat out and let him spill out all over the grass.

"DIE!!! DIE YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! DIE!!!"

And some rational part of Oreo's mind was appalled at her ferocity, and some rational part wondered why she was so angry, and that part was smug and said, "Over him, huh?"

Jughead's right hand shot up and caught Oreo's fist before she rammed it into his neck again. He grinned savagely. "Good troy, there, tart. But just not good enough."

Rosma lifted her head from the grass, and tasted coppery blood from her split lip. She looked up just in time to see Oreo shoot up into the air, arcing slowly, and then slamming down into the lawn again. She didn't get back up. Rosma pushed herself up onto her palms and knees, her head throbbing violently, and looked out over the lawn.

The Justice Leaguers, with the exception of Netic, Midnight, Oreo, X-Raytor, Eric, and Scarlett, had quickly recuperated and launched fresh attacks on the three Seekers. And with the same casual ferocity as before, the Seekers beat them back. Once, Rosma saw Twisk score a hit with her electricity power that caused Keghead to almost flinch, but that seemed to be it. It was like they were invincible. It was...

Hopeless.

That thought was strangely calming. Rosma considered flopping back down, sleeping before someone killed her. Better to be rested and comfortable, right?

But Rosma's more rational- or irrational- side kicked in, and she stood up.

Meanwhile, Raven became insubstantial, just as Mughead's giant fist flew at her. She ducked under the Seeker's massive arm, became solid again, and jabbed him in the side. Mughead didn't respond, but swung both fists downwards. They passed through Raven, and slammed into the ground. Raven leapt up, became solid, and delivered a kick to the Seeker's head.

"Getting slow, there, b-"

Mughead's knee smashed into Raven's belly, and she crumpled. A moment later, a foot smashed into her side, and Raven moaned. She couldn't let herself scream, couldn't let herself cry, couldn't-

Raven focused, and became insubstantial before Mughead could deliver his next kick. The Seeker tried a few more times, but became frustrated, and settled on going after Pinzz. And Raven knew that she could have, and should have, gotten up, but she couldn't. She wouldn't. At the very least, she wasn't able to cry now.

Twisk spun, firing water and bolts of electricity faster than she ever had, even faster than at the Oscars. There seemed to be so many more than three Seekers, a flurry of fists and kicks and muscles with grinning containers for heads. She had to hold them off as long as-

Something slammed into Twisk, and she was airborne. She caught a quick glance of Jughead rubbing his shoulder, and then she hit one of the Hall of Justice's walls, headfirst. She didn't even feel it when her body hit the ground.

"Come on, MC," Scarlett said. "Come on! You've got to get up."

Midnight Chatter didn't respond. He was breathing shallowly, and she could see ugly purple bruises forming under his scalp. A thin line of blood ran down his right nostril.

Why had he done something as stupid as jumping in front of a Seeker? Was it because of Oreo? Because of her? This whole crazy psuedo-love triangle- had he risked himself because he really did still like her? Was another person going to die because they cared about her?

Scarlett's hands became white-knuckled fists. She settled Midnight Chatter's head gently down on the grass, and stood up.

"Hey!" She yelled. "Who wants to hear a little Ben Folds?"

The Seekers seemed almost confused when she started to sing. And even moreso when Jughead's torso burst into flame.

"What in the bloomin' bleedin' blinkin' 'ell?!" Jughead demanded. "Why?! Why would you do something so bloody cruel?! Oh, moi 'eart! Oi can feel it burnin' up like a bloomin' foirecracker! Ooh, the agony! Oh the 'orror!!"

He paused, cocked his head as if listening to the flames as they grew over his arms and legs, and then straightened up. "Actually, you know, that feels pretty good."

Keghead and Mughead exploded into laughter, and as Scarlett stared, Jughead's skin turned bright red, moving out from the center of his chest, spreading across his body. Everywhere the red appeared, the flames seemed to sink down, into his pores. When every flame had been absorbed, he glowed red for a moment, and then reverted to normal. But he wasn't the same as before- he seemed more muscular, somehow, almost glowing...

"Feel free to loight me up again anytoime, love." Jughead said, and tittered.

"I need anyone who can get away to meet me by the trees. Now!" Pinzz shouted, and swung towards the woods. Rosma and Raven followed, while the remaining Justice Leaguers held off the Seekers.

"This isn't good." Pinzz said. "Who's down? X-Raytor, Netic, Midnight, Oreo, and Eric?"

"Twisk now." Raven said, looking back at the battle.

"Are we missing someone?" Rosma asked. "It seems like..."

"Doesn't matter." Pinzz said. "Have either of you seen any weaknesses on these guys?"

"They bleed." Raven said.

"Yeah, so do I." Pinzz snapped. "Anything else?"

Silence.

Pinzz sighed. "Okay, we know Studmuffin's coming back, right? Maybe we can just hold them off until he gets here..."

"They took down six of us in, what, ten minutes?" Rosma said. "We don't have much of a chance."

"Do we ever?" She asked, and then swung back into the battle.

"She's nuts." Raven said.

"Yep."

"But we're going to follow her, aren't we."

"Yep."

Pinzz shot a finger and it attached to Keghead's head. She swung in, and kicked him squarely in his wooden face. Keghead grabbed at her, but she flipped, whipped between his hands, and kicked him again, this time in the throat.

"Don't you know how to fall down?" She demanded.

Keghead didn't respond, but dropped his hands to his sides. Pinzz thought, just for a moment, that he was giving up, but then Keghead was in the air, right in front of her. His hands shot out, grabbed her by the waist, and squeezed. Pinzz struggled, but realized that there was no pain. Her suit was protecting her, it seemed. She smirked at Keghead, and-

Pinzz heard a loud crack, and looked down to see her suit split open. Something misty and blue started to run out, and Pinzz found herself becoming very tired very quickly.

"Wha... what?"

Keghead flung her with one hand, and she hit the front of the Hall. Crystal caught her a moment before she hit the ground.

"Pinzz! Hey! Hey, Pinzz!"

Crystal looked down and saw the crack in her suit, the- whatever- running out of it. That couldn't be good.

"Pinzz! You have to take your suit off. Pinzz!"

"Behind her ear!" Rosma shouted, dodging a blow from Mughead.

Crystal reached behind Pinzz's ear and found the activator button. She pressed it, and the blue suit retracted into Pinzz's fingers, until she was herself again. There was a long, shallow wound across her side, but other than that, she seemed to be okay. Crystal moved her out of the way, and returned to the fight.

"I'm livin' for givin' the devil his dues!" Scarlett sang. "And I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' FOR YOU!!!"

Flames leapt up on Jughead's body and, again, his skin turned bright red and they vanished. Without pause, the Cockney Seeker knocked away a temporarily invisible Neomatrix.

What the hell is this?! Scarlett thought. Were they just flame resistant? Maybe- but why did Jughead seem to become more muscular every time he absorbed the flames? Were-

Scarlett's eyes widened. "Oh no..."

"Everyone!" Scarlett yelled. "Guys! I can't use my powers! They're just making them stronger!"

"Ding ding ding!!" Jughead said, and the other Seekers laughed.

"Fire charges them up, huh?" Crystal said under her breath. "I wonder..."

Crystal ran at Mughead. "Hey! Let's do this you sucker-punching Jerry!"

"Hey! That vas over zhe line!!" Mughead raised a fist and brought it downwards in a devastating arc. Crystal raised her own much smaller hand, and as Mughead's fist collided with it, blue ice ran up over his knuckles. In mere seconds, a block of ice covered his fist up to the wrist. Mughead tried to push his fist forwards, but Crystal stood firm, pushing back.

"How do you like that, huh?" Crystal demanded. "Can't handle a little cold?"

Mughead grunted. "You... you I vill kill slowly." He swung his leg upwards and caught Crystal in the thigh. The kick wasn't nearly as devastating as it should have been, but Crystal stumbled backwards. She looked up as Mughead raised his ice encased fist and swung it with all his might.

The ice block shattered and Crystal sprawled across the grass. Mughead snarled, and raised his foot over Crystal's prone form, but a sudden attack from Rosma caused him to turn around.

"So the cold makes them weaker?" Raven said. "What should we, like, attack them with the refrigerator."

"I believe," Neomatrix said. "I believe I may have an idea."

He darted forwards, dodging Keghead, and knelt beside Crystal.

I assume that you would give me permission, Crystal Freeze. He thought, and placed his hand on her forehead. After a moment, Neomatrix stood up, bunched his muscles, and leap onto Mughead's back. He scrambled up onto the Seeker's shoulders, and placed his hands on either side of the Seeker's head. Ice spread out from his hands, growing over the ceramic-like surface of Mughead's head.

"Get off!!" Mughead roared. "Get... Ge... Get OFF!!"

He finally got a grip on Neomatrix, and hurled him savagely away. Neomatrix hit the ground, rolled over a few times, and lay still.

"Well, there goes that plan." Raven mumbled. She, Rosma, and Scarlett stood in a small circle in the middle of the devastated Hall lawn.

And above them, the three Seekers hovered.

"It's over." Keghead said. "You fight well, humans, but it's over."

"Oi get the tart that set me on foire." Jughead said.

"Shut up." Keghead said.

"Let's kill zhem." Mughead said.

"Yes. Let's."

"Well, I can't exactly say it's been boring." Scarlett said.

"This can't be it," Raven said. "It can't just end like- like..."

"Well, then," Keghead said. "Let's-"

All three Seekers were smacked out of the air as something large and fast streaked by. All three hit the ground, almost knocking the remaining Justice Leaguers over with the impact. Rosma looked up in time to see- a flying pretzel.

The Justice Flying Pretzel.

"Ho. Ly. Crap." Raven said.

"We still have that thing?!" Scarlett said. "I mean, I'm not complaining, but..."

"Who's piloting it?" Rosma asked, and the others shrugged.

The Justice Flying Pretzel circled around, and then descended slowly onto the lawn. When it had finally landed, the door slid open, and the entrance ramp extended.

Typho walked out.

"'Sup, dawgs!" Typho said, waving. "I found this in the hangar! A giant pretzel!! How old school izzat?!"

"Ty-!" Rosma yelled, but it was too late. Mughead tackled Typho, and drove him into the ground. Then he picked him up by his throat, and turned to Scarlett. "Set me on fire. Now. Or I'll snap his neck in two."

Scarlett looked helplessly at the other Justice Leaguers, and then began to softly sing something from "Moulin Rouge." Flames covered Mughead, and he tossed Typho away like a primary colored rag doll. The flames were sucked into Mughead's skin, and his muscles bulged; his entire body glowed.

Mughead turned, and lifted the Justice Flying Pretzel clear off the ground. With a slight grunt of effort, he heaved it into the air. Mughead leapt into the air, and met the Flying Pretzel as it reached its zenith. Faster, almost, than Rosma could see, he sped at the Flying Pretzel and, with a lightning-quick chop, passed through it.

The Flying Pretzel seemed to hover in the air for a moment and then seemed to slide apart, splitting into two.

The two halves exploded into brilliant, blinding light, and a massive shock wave shook the earth.

Just as the fiery blossom opened in the sky, Right Wing Man's SUV pulled up through the main gate of the Hall. Right Wing Man glanced up at the fading explosion, and blinked.

"Hm."

The situation became immediately obvious- three enormous, clearly non-human creatures hovered above the Hall, while three of the Justice Leaguers stood in a tight, desperate circle below them. The rest of the League was strewn everywhere. Unconscious? Dead? It didn't matter.

It was time for Right Wing Man.

He stepped out of the SUV, onto the field of fallen heroes. What better place to have a last stand, on the Lawn of Justice, soaking up the blood of martyred heroes, while the arch-enemies of man hovered proudly above them? And they could fly, the one power that he desired more than any other- what better enemy for him to have? And what better time for him to bring them low, beneath the heel of Justice?

Even though, he thought, It would be nice if their skin was a bit darker...

"You!" Right Wing Man bellowed, pointing at the center monster, whose head resembled a keg. All three turned, and then the center one, the leader, it seemed, floated towards him.

Right Wing Man's heart pounded with excitement. They would decide this battle hand to hand, muscled forms grappling, adhering to their deepest, fiercest combatant instincts. The uber-mensch one-on-one with the inuber-mensch. This was why the Fates had led him to the Justice League, for this glorious, raw moment.

Right Wing Man tensed up, prepared to charge the approaching Keghead, when he realized that his cape was still on. He removed it slowly, reverently, and hung it over the branch of a nearby tree, where he would be able to see the proud stars and stripes. If he died, he would die watching it flow in the wind.

Keghead stopped a few feet from Right Wing Man, and then lowered himself slowly onto the ground. "You want something, eh?"

Canadian! He was Canadian! Clearly, this accent was not an accident- Keghead was the archetypal traitor, the deserter, the coward who ran North instead of standing and fighting for his God and Country! What more perfect foe?! A direct opposite, as the forces of Hell were to the forces of Heaven, as Goliath was to David, as... as Adrian Veidt was to Rorschach!

"Well?" Keghead said.

Right Wing Man felt a surge of masculine energy, and the deepest animal part of his mind surfaced. He roared a manly roar, and tore his shirt open, revealing his (slightly) hairy chest. With a final battle cry, he charged.

Keghead punched him in the stomach, harder than he'd ever struck a human, and Right Wing Man went flying into the air.

Right Wing Man caught his breath as he soared over the trees of the Justice Woods. For a moment he was confused, and then he realized-

He was flying! He had finally achieved the power of flight! He was sailing across the realm of the gods, his own golden form engraved against the fading light of day. But, wait, hadn't he just been fighting Keghead?

But of course! He had defeated him, trounced him without even knowing it, and now he was flying off to find his next opponent. It was almost disappointing, that victory had come so easy, but he swelled with pride at the extreme manliness of his enemy's swift defeat.

At the same time, it seemed that his flight was automatic, as if some unseen, heavenly hand (the Hand of Justice) was guiding him- yes, that was it! Fate was, physically, leading him to his next foe!

Right Wing Man had begun to look for his opponent, when he hit a tree.

Back on the lawn, Rosma, Raven, and Scarlett stared.

"Uh..."

"And the point of that was..." Raven said.

"The point of that was that we're screwed." Rosma said, as the Seekers hovered over them again.

"Now, where were we?" Keghead said, grinning.

And almost in answer, the doors of the Hall of Justice exploded outwards, and bounced across the lawn. Xiao stepped through the doorway.

"That's quite enough." Xiao said.

"I'm really getting tired of these interruptions." Keghead said. But he didn't make any move to stop Xiao. In fact, the three Seekers seemed to back off a little.

Raven took her chance, and ran over to meet Xiao. "Xiao! Where were you? We were-"

Xiao kept walking towards Raven, silent, a playful smile on her lips.

Raven slowed her pace. "Xiao...?"

Xiao's lips tightened slightly, and she punched Raven squarely in the jaw. Raven's head snapped around, like she'd heard someone call her name, and then she collapsed onto the grass. Xiao grinned and stepped over her.

And that's when Rosma realized that, even against the setting sun, Xiao had no shadow.

"Fred!" Rosma said.

"That's right!" Xiao/Fred said cheerfully. He turned to the Seekers. "Now, I believe we have some business."

"You are correct." Mughead said, and floated forwards. "I am Mughead."

"Well, Mughead," Fred said. "We'll try to make this quick."

And with that, Xiao's eyes fluttered shut, and her head rolled back. Her arms stuck out to the side, almost in mock crucifixion.

The hairs on the back of Rosma's neck were standing at attention. "What's going on...?"

Suddenly, Xiao's mouth dropped open... and something misty and black and serpentine crawled out. A stream of liquid, but gaseous black, flowing out of Xiao's mouth with a grotesque grace.

Mughead stuck his arms out on either side, almost mimicking Xiao, and turned his head skyward as the black stream touched his chest. There was a low, low pssh! sound, and the stream sank into Mughead's chest, his skin becoming dark around where it had touched, and then spreading out through the body.

The stream of black continued to pump from Xiao's mouth and into Mughead's chest until, finally, the last wisps passed between Xiao's lips. Her arms immediately went limp, and she fell onto her back. Rosma would have caught her if she'd been near enough, or thought that it would matter.

Mughead's body had changed. The skin was a few shades darker, but a color that no human skin had ever, or could ever, be- a unique pigment of more-than-visual darkness. His head was pure black, and seemed a bit smoother now than the original porcelain-like outsides.

"Well, that's interesting," he said, and the German accent was gone. He spoke with Fred's voice.

"What is this?!" Rosma demanded.

"Oh, haven't you figured it out by now?" Mughead- no, Fredhead- said. "I've been hearing these lovely Technicolor voices in my head for months now, and they made me the most interesting offer. Can you tell what that was?"

"No!" Rosma whispered

"Surprise!" Jughead said, and laughed. Keghead was silent, but smug.

Fredhead flexed his muscles. "Well, this body is certainly much better than that shadow," he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there are just two more loose ends to tie up." He turned and faced Rosma and Scarlett.

"Not yet." Keghead said.

"Oh, come now," Fredhead said. "You've had your fun, now let me finish the job. These people have been quite a pain, you know. I probably would have had this miserable little planet in my fist right now, if it weren't for these costumed idiots and their simpering ideologies. I would be bloated with souls!! Well, you know what they say- good food, good meat, good God let's eat."

A pair of crimson beams struck Fredhead in the chest and left two smoking patches.

X-Raytor stood, albeit somewhat shakily, by where he had fallen.

"Learn to count," he said. "That's three loose ends. Three. Seriously, that's just embarrassing. Then again, you do have a beer stein for a head..."

"I would have thought you would be dead by now," Fredhead said, rotating slowly to face X-Raytor.

"Yeah, well, uh... if I could think of something cooler to say than 'You thought wrong,' I would."

He fired another pair of lasers, but this time Fredhead calmly stuck his hand out and caught the beams in his palm. His palm glowed briefly, and then returned to its original color.

"Uh... okay." X-Raytor said. His knees wobbled a little.

"Now this is getting old." Fredhead said. He closed his dark hand into a fist, and then extended one finger. Before X-Raytor could make another wisecrack, a stream of something thick and liquid and incomprehensibly black sprang from Fredhead's finger, like enormous, demonic silly string.

X-Raytor watched blankly as it raced towards him, and then felt a sudden pressure in his stomach.

He flew back, the black stream driving him into one of the Hall of Justice's walls. X-Raytor dropped into a sitting position and cursed.

It hurt like hell, but his heart was still beating and his brain, woozy as it was, was still working, and he'd be damned if he couldn't get back to his feet. Now Fred was going to get it...

He tried to stand but felt a sting of pain from where he'd been hit. He reached down to inspect the damage-

His glove immediately became wet.

X-Raytor looked down, not comprehending, at the gaping red hole directly under his right ribs. The spandex around the hole had become a darker shade of black, and was glistening wetly.

"... oh... my god..."

And then darkness welled up from behind his eyes and he was gone.

Fredhead nodded with satisfaction. The burn marks, where X-Raytor had hit his chest, were gone. "There, that's much better."

Is he dead?" Scarlett demanded shrilly. "Is he dead?"

"I- I don't know." Rosma said. X-Raytor wasn't moving and she couldn't tell if he was breathing from here. But she knew it didn't matter. They were all dead anyway.

"Yes," Fredhead said hungrily, and Rosma realized he was talking to her. "You most certainly are."

And that was when they heard the sound of far off, rumbling explosions.

"It's just one thing after another here!!" Fredhead shouted in frustration.

"What is that?" Rosma asked.

Studmuffin streaked through the sky like a bullet, the sound barrier shattering as he passed through, explosions rolling off of him. Trees bowed as he blew past overhead, his legs clenched together, arms stretched out in front, fists clenched.

The Hall of Justice was miles away still, but miles were nothing to him. The trees began to thin, the back of the Hall began to be more recognizable, and then the dome was swelling in front of him-

Studmuffin smashed into the dome through the back and smashed out through the front, like a bullet through an apple. Monstrous cracks ran up the dome's stone body, and it was only by extreme luck that it didn't split and collapse into the rest of the Hall. (Down in the basement, Drew was wondering what the hell was going)

Studmuffin came to an abrupt halt immediately in front of the Hall. The wind created by his flight blew violently past him, raining shards of the dome down on the lawn. Rosma and Scarlett covered their heads and tried to get out of the way. Unfortunately, a larger piece of the dome hit Scarlett, knocking her to the ground.

"Scarlett!" Rosma crawled over to her and tried to shield both of their heads. Scarlett was unconscious, but seemed to still be breathing.

Keghead's wooden face was split by a savage grin. "Finally."

"What's going on here?" Fredhead asked slowly, the slightest hints of suspicion in his voice.

Studmuffin hovered, looking out over the lawn where his friends were scattered. How many of them were dead, now, because of him? How many would still die?

And then his gaze settled on the three Seekers and his eyes narrowed until he saw everything in blurred dark red. The Seeker out front radiated darkly, and Studmuffin knew, somehow, that it was Fred.

Fred had betrayed them, Studmuffin realized with a surge of rage. He was worse than a Seeker.

Studmuffin swooped down at Fred, grasping hands out front. Fredhead tried to evade, but suddenly he felt strong hands clamp around his arms, as Keghead and Jughead held him in place.

"What is this?!" Fredhead demanded, panicked now. "What are you doing?!"

The two Seekers only grinned.

Studmuffin stopped in front of Fredhead, and took his head between his hands. Without even thinking, Studmuffin started to squeeze. Fredhead cursed and struggled, tried to get away, but the two Seekers held him tight. Studmuffin's muscles strained.

Pop him, an insidious voice whispered in Studmuffin's head. Pop his bloody head just like a bloody melon. Crush his skull into gooey pulp and make him scream!!

The voice was strangely familiar, dark and deep with a thick British accent. Studmuffin was vaguely aware, through the misty-red violent ecstasy of squeezing, of something like a prodding finger in the back of his head...

A small crack appeared and Fred started to scream.

Studmuffin's hands suddenly rushed together and black, hissing liquid splattered on his chest and arms and face. And all through this, he thought he could still hear Fred screaming.

No... he could hear Fred screaming! Studmuffin reeled in the air as Fred's wail echoed inside of his skull. Fred cut off suddenly.

Where am I?! He demanded. WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!

Studmuffin suddenly felt his stomach lurch. It felt... heavy. Swollen, even. He'd felt this before, but where...

He remembered suddenly- the abdomen was the focal point of chi in the body. From there, it could be channeled out through various outlets around the body. Studmuffin usually ran on only the minimum reserves of his chi, but after enough chili dogs and hours of meditation, he had been able to locate his chi center, learning from it, slowly pulling from it, expanding his super powered arsenal.

And now he felt the same sensation that he did when he had found his chi center in the past- only now, instead of meditating and gorging himself on chili dogs, it seemed that he had slipped into this state automatically.

He writhed as he felt the chi spread out through his body, neither hot nor cold, but invigorating his entire being nonetheless. And inside his head, Fred continued to scream and curse.

From the ground, Rosma watched in wonder, and then terror, as Studmuffin was gripped by a frightening transformation. The color drained from his skin, leaving it the pale color of death, and his hair grew out, it too losing color, until it was long and white. His muscles bulged against the remains of his costume. His eyes were twin orbs of blue flame.

Studmuffin hovered, a different being than he had been a moment ago. And even though he looked like a floating corpse, power radiated from his every pore. It even hurt to look directly at him, Rosma realized.

Studmuffin, or the creature he had become, drew in a breath and reality seemed to shudder around him. And then, without even looking, he stuck on arm out to the side, and caught Jughead's fist as it swung towards his head. Jughead's face registered shock, and then Studmuffin tightened his grip, and heaved, sending the Seeker flipping through the air.

Jughead hit the stone awning over the Hall's front door, smashing through its two support pillars, and sending the top part crumbling down. By a stroke of good luck, a large piece of stone narrowly missed Pinzz's prone form.

Jughead tried to get to his feet, hands slipping on the yielding rubble, and then Studmuffin was on him.

He lifted the Seeker bodily into the air, his hands clenched around the skin of Jughead's chest, and slammed him down on one of the broken pillars. Jughead was impaled by a twisted steel rod, jutting from the column's shattered head. Studmuffin leapt up and perched on his chest, pushing the Seeker down painfully further.

Studmuffin grasped Jughead's head (it was like second nature now), and squeezed until the Seeker's head split open and spilled brain matter onto the grass. Immediately, Cockney tinged laughter filled his head, rising into a crescendo with Fred's curses, and another laugh, a deep, British voice, laughing in dark victory.

Studmuffin fell to his knees, clutching madly at his ears. He tried to stop the voices, tried to silence them, tried to kill them, but they just grew louder inside his mind- Jughead and Fred and the third voice- Jarhead, he realized suddenly.

That's right! Jarhead's disembodied voice crowed. Now, come on, you have some more work to do, chap.

And then, above the mental noise, Studmuffin heard a cry. He looked up and saw Keghead, standing only about a yard away. He was holding Rosma up by her head, and as Studmuffin watched, he slowly began to squeeze.

"Come on," Keghead called. "Try to stop me! You can do that, eh?"

Studmuffin screamed in frustration and fury, in utter conflict. He had to save Rosma, but if he did, if he killed Keghead...

Still tearing at his ears, Studmuffin ran towards the last Seeker.

Keghead squeezed, and suddenly realized that his fist was no longer responding to his commands. His headless body dropped to the ground, and Rosma rolled free.

Studmuffin snatched Keghead's head from the ground and looked him directly in the face.

"Who are you?!" Studmuffin screamed at him. "Who are you people?! Why are you doing this?! WHY ME?!"

Jarhead's laughter boomed in his head.

Keghead's head grinned, spit out dark blood, a small dribble running down his sheer wooden chin. "Kill me." Keghead said.

"Tell me what's going on!!" Studmuffin yelled. "Why are they in my head?!"

Keghead laughed, blood and spittle flying into Studmuffin's face. Rage pounded through him, stimulating him, feeding him, burning him. In uncontrollable fury, he began to smash Keghead's head into the ground- one pale, muscular arm went up, and then came crashing down, slamming the wooden skull into the debris covered ground. Keghead's laughter grew, and so did Jarhead and Jughead's.

What is so god damned FUNNY?! Fred demanded.

Studmuffin slammed Keghead's head brutally into the ground again.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

Wham!

"WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!"

Wham!

"WHAT'S!"

Wham!

"GOING!"

Wham!

"ON?!?!"

He brought Keghead's head down a final time, and it split open, staining the grass. And now, Keghead's laughter joined the chorus in his mind. Blood coursed from Studmuffin's ears.

He could feel the change, he had felt it every time he killed a Seeker. His muscles had swelled, his power had grown. And, somehow, the essences of his victims, their minds, their whatevers, were trapped in his head, all rising together in a chorus of insanity. With each victory, he'd become stronger, faster... crazier.

He threw his head back and screamed at he appearing stars.

Rosma got to her knees, and then her feet, her neck and the back of her head aching. She stumbled, and dizzily made her way over to Studmuffin's anguished form. She reached out a hand and gently touched his arm...

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Studmuffin snapped. His voice sounded far, far too much like Jarhead's.

Shocked and horrified, eyes wide, he launched up into the air and flew off. Rosma stood, alone, surrounded by the dead and the wounded and the near-dead, and she couldn't think of a single damned thing to do.

***

Studmuffin flew aimlessly, sometimes straight, sometimes diving and turning erratically, beating at his own head, screaming for the voices to leave him alone. But they never did.

'ow do you loike this, mate? Jughead asked, and tittered.

I told you we'd win, hero, Jarhead taunted him. You can't get away from us now, and like it or not, you're going to follow the plan to the letter.

My beautiful body!! Fred cried. How could you?! Do you realize how close I was?! Do you realize what you've done?!

Oi think 'e popped yer 'ead loike a wart on somebody's arse, that's what, Jughead said, and Keghead cackled.

I can tell you love the power, Keghead said. Don't deny it! Embrace it! You'll have to in the end.

It's inevitable, Jarhead agreed.

Destiny. Jughead added.

What the hell are you talking about?! Fred snapped. And then, suddenly, his tone changed. Studmuffin, listen. There has to be enough power between the two of us to expel these three jokers. I was left out of the Goetia because I wasn't able to be tamed, what do you think I'll do to these nothings?

"Shut up." Studmuffin murmured, clenching his eyes shut.

Hey, now, don't go to sleep just yet! Keghead said.

It's an offer you can't refuse! Fred said quickly. Desperately. You need me as much as I need you! Surely you must see that!!

It's time for you to do your job, Jarhead hissed. It's time for you to wipe out some scum.

And before Studmuffin could comprehend it, he was hovering over a large, rectangular facility, with a yard of white stone and sand, and towering gray walls. A scar of society against the lush country backdrop. Studmuffin had seen this place thousands of times before, and visited even more.

Jackson Prison. The city's major penitentiary. Home to over seven hundred something convicts.

"What are we doing here?" Studmuffin asked, and immediately regretted looking to the voices for guidance. He didn't care what they were doing there, it was nothing good.

I already told you, Jarhead said. Your job. You're going to kill every single lowlife scum bugger in that building, and you're going to love it! There's no place for people like them in our world.

"No!" Studmuffin shouted, and tried to fly away. But then Keghead and Jughead joined in, egging him on along with Jarhead. And amidst all of this, Fred's wheedling entreaties, his growing rage and desperation...

Studmuffin could feel it all, could hear it all, in horrifying detail, his mind racing to merely comprehend what was going on, his head spinning-

Studmuffin felt the chi leap inside of him. "No!!" He shouted. He needed to resist, he needed to-

Smash them like the meaningless little bugs they are! Kill them like bugs, like vermin! Kill them all! Smash them and burn them and drink their blood!! Keghead howled.

Yeah, just turn the 'ole place into a bleedin' poile of rubble! Sorta loike what we did with yer little 'all back there! Jughead said. Say, 'ow many of the buggers did we kill?

Couldn't have been less than half, Keghead said triumphantly.

We could be great together! We could rule the world! With our powers together... can you even imagine what we'd be capable of?! Fred demanded. Answer, damn you!! ANSWER!!

Smash 'em just like...

Rip their guts out and shove 'em back in...

Smash their bleedin' 'eads loike bleedin' oranges!

ANSWER ME!!! ANSWER ME RIGHT F***ING NOW!!!

Studmuffin screamed in anguish at the sky, and let the chi flow into his hands. With tears stinging his blue flame eyes, he pulled his hands close to his chest, forming a white ball of light and energy between his hands. It grew, slowly going from the size of a golf ball to about the size of a basketball. He entire body trembled with anticipation as the killing power licked his palms-

With a final shriek-sob, Studmuffin fired the ball of energy. It touched the center of the prison, lightly touching the roof of the main complex.

Jackson Prison blew apart like a box of firecrackers. Fire pillared into the air, and Studmuffin could feel the heat on his face, and he screamed. A shockwave thundered out from the prison, tearing up trees and shrubs, rending the earth itself for miles in all directions, a tidal wave of dust and smoke billowing out across the land.

The towering fire was eaten by oily black smoke, and then Studmuffin began to hear the new voices.

Someday I might just...

Could get a new dress, at least...

I don't care, I don't care what they say about... wait, where am I?

Hundreds of voices!! Hundreds of minds and emotions and feelings pouring into his skull. He felt the prisoner's minds, some dull with resignation, others fierce and alert, and others, still others, twisted and rambling and turning in and out and spiraling back into one another...

And not just prisoners. He heard the shocked cries of the warden and the guards and the other workers. He felt the fear of dozens of visitors. There was a relative calm, and then all of the voices were talking at once, screaming, threatening, crying, no one quite sure of what was going on. And above all of this, the three Seekers laughed.

We're in Hell! A voice sobbed. Oh God I knew it, I knew it...

Studmuffin clutched at his head and squeezed, digging his palms into his temples, hoping to smash his own head open, smash it open and stop the voices once and for all, make them silent, make them dead.

But then his arms dropped and he was wheeling in the sky again, screaming to be heard over the mob inside his skull. His ears were bleeding and his nostrils were bleeding and even the rims of his blue flame eyes were bleeding, but Studmuffin didn't care.

He arched his back in mid-air, and sent a rending scream into the cold, uncaring stars, as Studmuffin fully awakened into insanity.

* * *

"Oh, good, there's Iso." Rosma stood up from where she and Raven were checking on Xiao, brushed her hair out of her eyes, and watched the Justice Jet approach the Hall.

"Good? What good is he going to do now? He wasn't here when we needed him!" Oreo complained. She and Eric had gone to get Right Wing Man's body from the woods and were carrying him closer to the road for the paramedics to see when they arrived.

"It means we can take the Jet and follow Studmuffin! Come on!" Rosma began picking her way through the rubble in the yard towards the field where Iso would land.

"Follow him?" Twisk asked, from a few yards away, where she, Neo, and Crystal were making sure Pinzz and MC were still breathing. "Why? There are injured people here! Our friends! We have to help them!"

"Well, fine, someone stay and wait for the ambulances or whatever, but Studmuffin knows what was going on. I know I can't...I can't do anything to help anyone here. I'm going to find him and get some explanations. And I'll go by myself if I have to."

"Okay, fine, wait for me." Oreo sighed.

"Yeah, I'll come with you, too." Raven stood up.

One by one, Crystal, Twisk, Netic, Neo, and Typho joined Rosma, some limping more than others.

"Um...I'll stay here and see what I can do." Eric shrugged. "You never know what questions those doctors will ask. And the police...and the reporters will show up."

'Yeah, I'll stay, too. And see what can be saved from this place." Drew gestured at the demolished Hall of Justice.

"Scarlett?" Rosma asked.

Scarlett was crouched over X-Raytor. She shook her head no. "He's still bleeding. I'm trying to stop it, but..."

"Stay with him, then." Rosma nodded, and then ran towards the Jet.

Iso had barely enough time to come to a complete stop and lower the entrance ramp before they all climbed on board. Rosma flung herself in the co-pilot's seat and ordered him to immediately take off again.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Tell you on the way. Hurry."

"To where?"

"Studmuffin flew south. But I don't know where he was going. Just fly in that direction and maybe we'll see him. I mean, we were having a normal day, and then they showed up, and now people are hurt, and they tried to kill us all, and Studmuffin saved us, and he left, and..."

"Rosma, breathe," Oreo ordered. "And everyone look out the windows for any sign of him."

"What signs?" Typho asked. "I don't even know him."

"No-I mean-I don't know. Just look."

"No need," Iso set some controls. "I know where he is. Probably right back where I found him."

* * *

Well, with all of this killing mate, you missed one, Jarhead said, inside Studmuffin's head. There's another one of us, did you know?

"What?" Studmuffin sat up dizzily. "Where am I..."

Oh yes, the woods outside the prison. Studmuffin quickly braced himself for the onslaught of voices, but, thankfully, the noise in his head was only a faint roar. Well, except for a few select individuals.

They were botherin' you, too? Don't get me wrong, they're still inside yore 'ead, but we told 'em to bugger off and quiet down. 'Ow are we supposed to tell you what to do with all that fuss? Jughead said.

Wait, Fred interrupted. Back up. What was that about another one of you?

Yes, demon. Mughead seemed to have regained his own voice now that he was "free" of Fred. Pothead. Zhat iz his name. I believe he iz stationed in Brazil, yes, Herr Keghead?

Yes, in the rainforest, last I heard. He was looking for a small tribal village. I hear the chief's daughter just got married, eh? Such a happy occasion. He wanted to congratulate the bride.

"No...you can't...he's not..." Studmuffin struggled to his feet.

Oh, but he is.

"NO!" Studmuffin forced himself to leap into the air again, and flew faster than he thought possible towards the rainforest.

In what seemed like minutes, he arrived over the village. But he was too late. Pothead, who did indeed have a pot in place of his head, was already there, hovering over the center and holding something in his hands. Studmuffin could make out several people lying motionless on the ground, but he couldn't tell if they were dead or just injured. The rest of the villagers were nowhere to be seen.

"The groom is back!" Pothead noticed him. "Time for a party, right?"

Studmuffin finally saw that what he was holding was Liara, his wife. She was, he realized with relief, trying to fight back by kicking at Pothead, but her efforts weren't doing any good.

"Release her!" he demanded.

"But you abandoned her, didn't you? Just left her here. What makes you think you can come back to save her now? I think I can take care of her better than you." Pothead taunted.

"Let. Her. Go!"

"Oh, I think not."

"What do you want from me?" Studmuffin demanded. "What do I have to do?"

Pothead grinned. "Our leaders, the Intellect, wish to take their places as the rightful leaders of the world. You must set them free."

"Who are...? No! I won't help you take over the world! Put her down and you and I can settle this. She has nothing to do with it!"

"But of course she does! She's the leverage I need to get you to do whatever I want!" Pothead grabbed Liara by the head and lifted her up higher. She screamed.

"Stop!" Studmuffin shouted. "Don't hurt her!"

He flew at Pothead, who simply slapped him away.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to hold her like that," Pothead grabbed her around the neck. Liara tried to pry his hands off her, but she couldn't. "Now she's not screaming, is she?"

See, Jarhead said, what did I tell you? You can't save anyone.

Liara stopped struggling, her skin turning blue. Studmuffin felt the anger well up inside him. He actually felt his skin change tones. And he knew that his eyes were blue flames. Letting out a cry of pure rage, he sped towards Pothead.

Pothead didn't have time to react before Studmuffin was on him. Studmuffin grabbed the metal of his head and squeezed.

That's roight! Jughead encouraged. Kill 'im, too!

The metal began to twist and bend in Studmuffin's grip. Pothead's eyes sparkled, he was almost laughing. In a final burst of fury, Studmuffin forced his hands together, tearing the metal. Pothead's brains splattered all over the trees and the ground. His body fell backwards, shaking the ground when it hit.

And now there are five of us in here, his voice said, joining the others in Studmuffin's head. Now you have all of our strengths at your disposal.

Studmuffin couldn't help but hear, but he wasn't really listening. He pried open Pothead's fingers and pulled Liara out. But it was too late. She'd been without oxygen for too long. She was dead. And scattered all around them on the ground, tribal men and women were dead, having tried to save their princess. He could only stare, helplessly, as tears welled up in his eyes. All these people. All gone. Because of him.

He quickly put Liara's body on the ground and stood up. He had a sudden, overwhelming need to get away. Get away from the death and the pain. Go anywhere but here.

Studmuffin flew, this time weaving through the trees. Left! Right! Left! Danger? Ha! What did it matter anymore if he ran into one headfirst and killed himself? It didn't! Nothing mattered!

And with that thought, he did crash into a tree. The world went black.

* * *

Shall I tell you a story?

Studmuffin sat up from where he was lying under a tree. He looked around, confused, until his brain caught up. He was in the jungle again. But not the perfect place he once lived in. Now it was destroyed. People's lives ruined. Innocents dead. Because of him.

I suppose you want to know who we are.

"I want you to LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" Leaves rattled as birds flew away from his voice.

Aye, but we can never leave you alone, mate, Jarhead's voice said. Surely you want to know where we came from, now that we live inside yer head.

"I. Don't. Care."

Yes, you do. And we will tell you now.

Listen. We, the Voices you hear, are of another species.

Yes, we are a breed of what you would consider child-sized 'humans.' On our home world, we were the Intellect. There were actually three breeds on our planet: Intellects, Workers, and Fighters. We Intellects are physically weak--an eternal child's body, whereas the Fighters are huge, muscular beasts--the Seekers.

That's us, Jughead said, unnecessarily.

Intellectually subnormal, the Seekers are easily manipulated and controlled by the Intellects. They carry out all the physical reinforcement that we Intellects require. The third breed, Workers, are a healthy blend of both physical and mental capacities, who build the cities and keep everything running.

Billions of years ago, our sun went nova, and hundreds of thousands of Cityships escaped in all directions, each going their own way to find a new home to settle. One came across the prehistoric Earth, and landed on the tropical land mass now known as Antarctica.

We Intellects remained in our ship and turned it into our central operations. Then, we sent out the workers to build, mine, and harvest resources for us; to build a new home world. The Cityship was half-buried in the earth.

Then, the plates shifted, Antarctica was thrown south, and the land began to freeze over. Panicking, we put ourselves into cold sleep, and abandoned our Seekers and Workers. We would wait until the plates shifted again or until we were somehow freed from the ice.

The Workers, however, survived, adapted, and strived through the ice age.

"And, let me guess. The Workers are today's humans?" Studmuffin said.

Yes. Unfortunately, only five Seekers survived.

Not anymore, Mughead complained.

But some of you humans developed powers similar to the Seekers. I believe they are your friends, yes? What was it you call yourselves?

Superheroes, Fred muttered.

Superheroes. That's right. We couldn't risk have you getting too much power, now could we? We could never allow you to defeat our Seekers and our hopes of returning one day. We had to use you to help us, because otherwise, of course you would oppose us.

"You'll never return." Studmuffin climbed to his feet, his eyes starting to glow again. "You've destroyed people I care about. And I won't let you come back. Ever."

He stood up and lifted into the air, "I'm on my way. I'll destroy Antarctica. I'll kill you all."

Go ahead. Blow up the continent. Eliminate our prison of ice. We look forward to it.

* * *

Iso was correct. They could barely make out Studmuffin's pale form against the white of Antarctica, but there he was. As soon as the Jet landed and skidded to a stop, they hurried down the exit ramp and stared up at Studmuffin, who was hovering ten feet in the air.

"What are you doing?!" Rosma shouted.

Studmuffin didn't respond. His fists became tighter and the glow increased. Rosma could smell something like ozone radiating from him.

"Studmuffin! Come down here and talk to us! Talk to me!"

Studmuffin was silent for a moment and then, without even turning his white head, said, "Leave."

"Not until you tell me what you're doing! What is going on?!"

"Leave." Studmuffin repeated. He hung in the air, silent, and then spun around, eyes flaming. "LEAVE! NOW!"

"But why?" Rosma asked, and the others nodded, choosing to remain silent while she argued.

His face remained blank, and that, combined with his pale skin, made him look unnervingly like a corpse. Finally, he said, "You wouldn't- you can't understand. I need to do this."

"Do what? You're not making any sense. What's wrong? Why are you acting like this? Come talk to me." She took a cautious step closer to him.

"I can't talk..." Studmuffin said, voice edged with frustration. "Because that won't DO ANYTHING!! I need to do this. They all need to die."

"What?!" Rosma realized he was completely serious. She casually gestured for the others to go back inside the Jet. Better safe than sorry. "Who are you killing? There's nothing here. And no one but us."

Studmuffin laughed, and the light growing in him seemed to brighten in response. "You don't know," he said, and it was only then that Rosma realized how much his voice sounded like Jarhead's. "There's more here than you ever want to know. But they're evil, all of them, and they're all going to die."

"Studmuffin, you can't kill anyone," she pleaded with him. "You haven't been around lately. You don't know--too many people have died because of us. And we're supposed to save people, not kill them. Remember? You say they're evil? Well, you'll be just like them if you start murdering whoever it is."

"People?! You think-no, of course. You don't understand. But believe me... believe me, the worst thing I could do today would be to let them go. They're monsters. They're monsters and murderers and- and they'll never stop. Unless I stop them right now."

"What exactly are you going to do?"

No response. He just turned away from her and stared at the horizon.

"Answer me!!"

"I'm going to blow up this whole continent," he said in an eerily calm and logical voice. It's the only way to be sure I got rid of them all. They'll never hurt anyone again. You need to get out of the way."

"I'm not leaving. You'll have to kill all of us, too. Right after you saved us from those...things. The Seekers. They can't hurt anyone. They're dead, and there's nothing left here."

Back in the ship, the others were watching from the windows. "At least Eric will be glad he didn't come. He hated it last time we were here," Raven joked.

"Shhh! I'm trying to hear!" Crystal complained. "Can anyone tell what they're saying?"

"No, and he doesn't look like he coming down, either," Netic said. "Should someone go help?"

Oreo shook her head. "No. If anyone can convince him to come down, she can."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, nevermind."

Back out in the snow, Rosma was getting tired of trying to reason. "Studmuffin, you are not going to destroy Antarctica to kill something that doesn't exist. You are going to get down here, get in the Jet, and come home. We need you at home. We have to go check on the people who got hurt and I have no time to deal with you."

His eyes flickered. "People got hurt?"

"Yes, didn't you see?"

"It's because of me. This is all because of me."

"How can it be because of you?"

"You'd never understand."

"Like I've been saying since I got here, come and explain it to us. Make us understand."

"But..."

"Studmuffin, it's cold out here. So, make up your mind. Come home, or kill us all. And hurry up about it."

"They have to be stopped."

Rosma sighed. "Then do it. Hurt more people."

He paused. Rosma noticed that his skin wasn't so pale. It resumed even more of a normal color as he floated down. He landed on the snow and stared at her. His eyes weren't glowing blue anymore, either. "I can't. I can't hurt anything else. It can't be my fault."

"Good. Let's go." Rosma turned and stamped through the snow back towards the Jet. She heard something hit the ground behind her and turned. "Oh, I'm so not carrying you."

* * *

A few hours later, the League reunited in a private waiting room at the hospital.

Scarlett filled them in on what was going on. "They said Pinzz and MC could go home sometime this week, probably. They also said that Right Wing Man will be fine, but he needs to stay a few more days. Oh, and they can't find anything wrong with Xiao at all. She'll wake up when she wants to."

”It's Fred. There's no telling what happened when he left her. I mean, I don't know where he went or if he's dead or whatever, but we'll find out, I guess." Drew said. "Oh, and I talked to the press. They're going to leave us alone for now. Or so they said."

"How's X-Raytor?" Raven took the ice pack off her jaw long enough to ask.

"Well, he's alive. But he's in a coma and the doctors say there's nothing else they can really do." Eric answered. "Just wait for him to wake up, too. We'd all go home to wait, but we sort of don't have much of a Hall left to go home to. I made the arrangements with the city and they're putting us up in a hotel."

"Yeah, and they'd best pay to remodel the Hall while they're at it," Oreo grumbled.

Twisk leaned back in her chair. "I don't know what I want more. A nap or a hot shower."

"Where's Iso?" Drew asked her. "Wasn't he with you?"

"Yeah, but I don't know where he went. Like he ever tells us what he's doing."

"Rosma, what about Studmuffin?" Scarlett said. "What's he saying? And where is he?"

Rosma turned her head towards Scarlett and winced. The bruises around her neck were turning various shades of purple. "The doctors are checking him out. But he's not talking. Nothing at all. But I don't think he'll be flying off somewhere."

"What did you say to him, anyway? To get him to come down?" Oreo looked at her.

"Oh, just that if he wanted to blow up Antarctica, he'd have to kill all of us, too."

"WHAT?" Crystal sat up from where she was half asleep across several chairs, her sprained ankle elevated on some pillows. "You told him to kill us?"

"It worked, didn't it? He wouldn't hurt us."

"He could have!"

"He didn't. Let it go." Raven ordered.

They sat in silence for a few moments until Typho said, "Want to hear some good news?"

"Sure, Typho. We certainly need it."

"Iso found the Justice Jet. I don't have to look for it anymore!"

They couldn't help it; they all started laughing, and then immediately tried to stop.

"Ouch! It hurts to laugh!" Oreo held her side. "I know we just had a really bad day, but thanks, Typho. That was great."

"I have good news, too...I think," Rosma said. "I've decided that I'm going to accept the yacht my parents want to give us. I'll go sign for it tomorrow. And then, I vote we take a vacation. A cruise. And we are going nowhere near Antarctica."