“When the battle with the Nebula Man ended, the Crimson Avenger's guns were missing,” Wing explained to the Green Arrow as they raced across the city. “It was two months later that my father and our network was alerted to the appearance of a man claiming to be the Crimson Avenger. Needless to say, we had to investigate.”
“Lemme guess,” Oliver Queen said as he paced alongside the lithe Asian. “The new guy was packing the old guy's guns?”
“Good guess. I'm impressed, I'd always heard you were a blunt weapon lacking in more refined skills,” Wing replied, his voice betraying no hint to Ollie if it were a joke or serious verbal jab. “Since my family had dedicated ourselves to finding Lee Travis, it seemed only natural to redirect our efforts to investigating and understanding this new Crimson Avenger. Over the next two months, we found that there was no such person.”
“Seeing as there's a chick with his guns on the monitor when we booked from the Dark Cross place, I'm guessing it's people then,” Ollie said, eager to score more points and prove his brain power. “Some rival organization to your family's?”
“Not from what we've determined,” Wing countered as the pair of heroes paused, and looked at the dilapidated brownstone across the alleyway from them. “Our belief now is that the guns travel, from person to person seeking justice, and offers them the chance to avenge themselves. Or possibly others. It took another two months to refine the ritual that led me to the battle where I met you, and, for the first time in seven decades, allowed one of my family to talk to the Avenger.”
“I see.” Green Arrow nocked a grapple arrow, and stared at the earnest, determined young man in gold and scarlet. “So the guns are haunted, basically. And someone wants to get their mitts on them.”
“And we have to save Lee's legacy.”
The arrow sailed into the air and slammed securely into the brick wall. “Okay then. The hoodoo don't make much sense, but I can get into the whole family thing. Let's do this.” He made a polite and showy bow to allow Wing to slide into the enemy ambush first, and the two heroes were soon smashing through a window and rolling into the semi-dark room beyond. The sounds of gunfire rang out a floor below them and with only a brief nod, the pair split up. Wing raced to a door on the far side of the room as Green Arrow hooked a line onto the window sill, and gave the younger man a twenty second count.
“Okay, old man,” he muttered to himself as he tensed up. “One more time.” He then hollered as he swung out into the night air and pressed both feet through the glass one floor down. The shattering noise and his cry startled the dozen Dark Cross thugs. They had their target circled, and pressed in close, the young African-American woman spinning and somersaulting without slowing. He could see she was cute in her way, though the big blood spot on her white tank top disturbed him. Her black leather duster fluttered and snapped, helping to distract some of the attacks on her, while she fired her guns relentlessly, and dealt out vicious kicks to any that got too close.
His entrance had caught her attention too, and she spun to face the new arrival, one gun leveled at him. Ollie stared as the world slowed in his mind. She wore a crimson blindfold, no way she could tell who he was in such a blur without eyes, and Green Arrow brought his bow up as fast as he could to try and find a way to divert the shot. It never went off though, as she continued to swing the gun past him to find of her attackers, blasting the criminal in the shoulder instead.
Wing tore in through a door on the opposite side of the room from Green Arrow. “Avenger!” he called out to the young woman as he leaped into the fray with expert kicks and chops.
“Wing? Is that you?” she asked with a wan smile. “How did you find me?” She purred at the sight of him and leaped in his direction, the two of them tearing into the demoralized horde of attackers as Green Arrow just smirked.
“Okay, time to focus and get to work,” Ollie said as he released the bulb-headed arrow and bopped one Cross cultist in the back of the head, a second arrow already firing before the man even fell. This one exploded between two others and stunned them, as a net arrow wrapped up a fourth victim.
“Lee?” Wing whispered as the last of the cultists lay unconscious on the ground. Arrow moved to the members who'd been shot, stunned again to find them in pain but alive. He decided to bandage them to allow his new buddy to bond with his old friend. “What's happening?”
The woman slid the pistols into holsters under her duster and then grabbed Wing's shoulders with her hands. “You look wonderful! The suit fits you,” she said in a voice both Lee's and her own, whoever she was. She kissed him hard on the lips, and both Wing and Ollie froze and stared.
“Whoa! That's hot and disturbing all in one,” Green Arrow chuckled as he saw the shock and embarrassment on Wing's face as the pair parted.
“Lee?” Wing sputtered a bit and stepped back. “I...I don't understand.”
“I'm not Lee,” she said softly, trembling now as she realized what had happened. “Not really. Not completely, but...but there's something...what's going on?”
Green Arrow shivered at the discussion, more disturbed now by the way the Avenger's voice bounced around from old and trusted friend to scared young woman. He looked at his arms, gooseflesh crawling on the bare skin, and started to look around. “Not just the talk. I'm really shivering.” He started to stand up now, and called to the others. “Look alive, folks!”
The Crimson Avenger and Wing turned to their archer ally, and saw what he meant. A curling, creepy mist of icy white spread out from the broken window and filled the room slowly. Their breath frosted in the chill, as the Avenger's guns flashed out and the Arrow had his bow nocked when a figure in white trimmed in gold appeared at the windowsill, in a crouch.
“I'm the White Dragon, and I just have to say, thank you, all of you. Now, just relax, it's a long, long trip to Dos Rios, and I really don't want to have to worry about your comfort.” The man jumped down from his perch and gave a low, polite bow as the mist of absolute zero continued to fill the room, freezing the three vigilantes, slowing their blood. It made it hard to think, but Ollie knew all he had to do was let go of the bowstring. He did. He watched the arrow slowly sail in an arc across the air. Too slowly as he dropped to his knees in a tired state, the Dragon easily side-stepping the sluggish projectile. Soon, all three were laying on the ground.
The White Dragon picked through the pile of cultists, and gathered them into one place, concentrating the absolute zero field of his on them, until their skin bleached and hair turned brittle. “Are you sure about this, my lady?” he asked over his communicator, one hand on his earpiece and the other drawing out a crystal sai. “The three of them did quite well in defeating them without terminal injuries. I daresay, even those shot down by the Crimson Avenger would live if attended to.” he nodded and sighed. “As you command, the Dark Cross has served the Black Dragon's purpose.” He switched off the communicator and swept his weapon through the pile of frozen thugs, shattering them, the only sound the gruesome tinkling of crystallized flesh. The Dragon turned back to his prisoners, and began to carry them to his transport.
*7*
“Be careful with that container,” Wyrm Indigo snarled as she observed her agents unloading the cargo containing Firebrand. “Not one slip-up. We all know how resilient and resourceful these heroes are. The longer we leave them trapped, the more likely they are to escape. I'll have no jostling or tipping to give even a moment's opening for her. Especially not her.” She clenched and unclenched her fists anxiously, her goal so tantalizingly close.
“Lady Indigo,” Green Dragon said as he stepped up to her and bowed low. “Welcome to my very humble abode. I'm surprised you chose to perform your rites here.” He turned and walked alongside her as she headed into the base.
“That's none of your concern, Brother Green,” she told him sharply. “Everything here is as I need it?”
“Yes, my lady. Brother White is on his way now with the last of your components,” Green Dragon answered, keeping his voice as respectful as possible. “He should be here in the hour, according to his transmission. He also implies that he has some extra presents for you.”
“Hmm. I wonder what he means by that?” She stopped in the hub of the base now and watched as they set the cylinder into place, Danette Arthur glaring at her captor the entire time. “Look at that stare,” Indigo said with a chuckle. “Keep a close eye on her, or we'll all suffer for the lapse. You can see it in that face.”
Green Dragon gazed up at her and shrugged. “Whatever. If Brother Blue could take her out, how tough can she be?”
“I'll be sure not to take the insult, Greenie,” Blue Dragon snapped back as he stalked into the central chamber now, from somewhere further in the complex. He knelt before Wyrm Indigo, head bowed. “Great lady, you honor us with your presence.”
“Yes, yes. Get up. We are running low on formality. We're on enemy ground here, and I want this done soon. Get the chamber ready, I'll be in my room, meditating.” She stalked past the two Dragons and down a different corridor.
“Yeah, get up. You look pathetic down there, you ass-kisser,” Green Dragon said as he pulled out a box of supplies.
“I feel true devotion to our cause, while you feel no devotion to even your side business,” Blue Dragon replied. “Of course you'd see what I do in a bad light. Who cares? Long as we all get Lady Indigo to her goal, and it makes us all rich and powerful.”
“Yeah, I can agree with that, Blue.” Green Dragon fished out small brass pots and passed them to Blue Dragon, then grabbed up a jar of ashes blended into a paste. “Let's just get this set up. And you, dear, you just wait,” he smirked. “You'll get outta that jar soon enough.”
*7*
“Well, gotta say I didn't like the looks of all that,” Greg Saunders muttered as he lowered the binoculars and glanced at the sleekly-dressed woman to his right. “That sure looked to me like Danette in that jug, and I'll be danged if I recognize the fellas escortin' her in. Did you?”
La Garra pursed her thick lips and shook her head. “The guy in green was the guy I saw ranting a little earlier. Green Dragon, I think is his name. The woman? No clue. I'd almost want to say it's this Brother Blue I overheard him mention, except, well. I mean...”
“Yeah. That's a definite she, no question. Hmm.” Greg rubbed his jaw and inhaled deeply. “Well, the two of us ain't gonna be bustin' in there on our lonesome. Wish I could let Pat the others know to just wing their way straight here, rather ’n waste time gettin' to my ranch.”
La Garra slipped out a very slim cell phone from a small hidden pouch at the small of her back. “Here you go then, Greg.”
“Danged if they don't keep gettin' smaller and smaller, don't they?” He picked it up and held it in his right palm, gingerly picking at it with fingers from his left hand as he opened it up. He looked at the screen, then the buttons. “So, I press this green phone button here?”
Yolanda chuckled and took the phone back. “I guess the mentoring will go both ways,
viejo hombre,” she teased and tapped in the number he rattled off. “Hola. Is this Stripe?” She listened to the answer. “I'm with Greg. Vigilante. We're staking out a place on Rio del Este, and he wants you to come right here.” She listened again, and nodded her head. “Si. I understand.” She passed the phone to Greg now. “He doesn't know me. Just press this to your ear and talk and don't worry if it's not near your mouth.”
Greg gave a wry look but took the phone and followed her instructions. “Heya, Pat. It's me. That's my new pard, La Garra. She's good as gravy on biscuits, so yeah, git yerselves down here, you'll see it. Boathouse on the eastern river.” He nodded and said, “Sounds good, buddy. See y'all soon.” He handed the phone back to La Garra. “All set, little lady.”
She folded the phone back up with one hand and slid it back into place. “Then we just wait?”
“We jest wait. Yup.” He sighed and picked the binoculars back up.
*7*
“That looks like the place,” Sylvester Pemberton said as he peered out of the passenger window. The river flowed wide and lazy below as the Star Rocket Racer swooped into the area. “That looks like the boathouse Greg mentioned.”
“Good thing too,” Pat Dugan said as he directed the flying car. “The engines need a good rest, and I'm betting Victory would agree. Wouldn't he, Justin?”
Sir Justin nodded in return as his winged steed flapped hard to keep pace with the antique airborne sedan. “Aye! It will be good to get back on the ground and onto our true mission, as well!”
Gimmick was stretched out on the back seat, fiddling with a panel of chips and diodes, whistling to some tune she could only hear on her music player. She glanced up with a start when she felt Syl shake her shoulder. “Hey! Watch it, not easy doing soldering in a car, flying or--” She saw the look on his face and tugged down the headphones. “Are we there yet?”
“Yeah, just figuring on where to land the Racer safely,” Pat answered. “Don't want to tip our hand early.”
Gimmick adjusted the lenses on her goggles. “I think I see your buddy and his girlfriend,” she said, and pointed to a wooded area of the park. She twisted another quarter turn. “Hmph. He's kinda old to be going with someone as young as her, isn't he?”
Pat just rolled his eyes and guided the craft to a nearby parking lot, driving it as a normal car into a space as the wings slid back into the undercarriage.
“First off, he's not
that old, and second of all, he's not 'going with', he's...what is he doing with this girl?” Sylvester asked as he let the suit hum and lift him up from the ground.
“I do believe we need keep our focus on the matters at hand,” Sir Justin chided the young heroes.
“Yeah, give it a rest. I'm sure when we meet her, she'll be a nice young woman who's just friends with Greg,” Pat said as he tugged on the familiar red and white striped shirt of his action garb. “Still fits,” he said with a grin. When Gimmick chuckled, he sucked in his breath and tightened his abdomen. “A little tight, but it
does still fit.”
“I'm picking up some of that ionization,” Skyman reported as he let the sensors in his suit turn him in the direction of the energy. “Blue Dragon's around here too. Let's catch up with Greg.”
The quartet soon approached the hiding spot of Vigilante and La Garra, much to Greg's delight. “Pat! Syl! Justin!” He greeted each with a hearty handshake and clap on the shoulder, and the three men also brightened at the sight of the weathered old Vigilante. Several paces behind Greg stood La Garra, crouched and curious, but silent, while Gimmick hid behind her companions and gave an occasional peek at the dark golden-clad cat-costumed Latina.
“This is the little lady I was talking about, La Garra,” Greg said by way of introductions, waving his hand back toward her. She stood and approached the others carefully now. “Taken her under my wing, you could say. Trainin' her up right.”
“Bueno encontrarle,” she said softly. “Though I'm not a little lady, and I don't need to be trained up right.” She gave him a sideways glance and quickly added, “But he is helping.”
“This is my granddaughter, Gimmick,” Pat said with pride as he wrapped a strong arm around her slim shoulders and pushed her to the front of the group. “You should see what she can do with some tools. She's got her grandmom's brains, that's for sure.”
Gimmick rolled her eyes and stepped from his arm. “Hiya. Nice to meet you. So you two aren't actually knocking boots? That's a relief.”
Greg looked at her quizzically, not sure what she just said. Pat stared at her in shock as Yolanda fumed and Sylvester laughed. “She's a pip,” he said as he rubbed a tear from his eye.
“Si, a real pip.” La Garra grumbled. “We ready to actually go and put these guys down now, or does the reunion tour still need time warming up first?”
“I'm ready to go,” Gimmick said quickly, smiling up at La Garra. “I like your attitude. Think we're gonna get on just fine as Soldiers.”
“I am quite anxious,” Sir Justin said at last, having been largely silent. “Every minute here is a minute those varlets could be doing unspeakable things to my love.”
“Yeah, we saw the woman and Green Dragon bring Danette inside, in some kind of glass column,” Greg reported. “She looked awake, but no way of tellin' what condition she was in.”
“And Blue Dragon is in there too. Thanks to Gimmick, I can sense his presence in there,” Skyman said.
“That's not the woman, is it?” La Garra asked. “I heard something about Brother Blue.”
“No, the police report said that Blue Dragon was a man,” Sir Justin answered. “So this woman, she remains a mystery to us.”
“Then we need to get in there, hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast, count on Stripe and the young 'un to get our little Firebrand free, and...”
Skyman pointed down river, and interrupted Greg. “And count in whoever's in that craft too.”
The six costumed figures watched the skycraft come down and slice into the river, and pull up to the hidden entrance under the boathouse. Skyman growled and his costume began to emit an angry red glow when he watched White Dragon step out of the craft.
“Well then, if we move now, we can get a jump on that hombre, before he's--” Greg stopped when he watched Gimmick and La Garra bound toward the retractable dock that held the secret entrance open and shook his head. “Ah, how the young love to look before they--” He stopped again as Sir Justin and Skyman followed quickly, eager for their own causes. “Well, I guess it's just you and me then, Stripe, ol’ fella?”
The two elder statesmen of the team then began to head for the impending battle.
“Move along now, move along,” White Dragon ordered the minions who dashed up to his craft. “Wyrm Indigo is anxious for this first package in particular.” He watched them pick up the crystalline case holding two firearms. Thus he was totally taken by surprise when Skyman smashed into him, a crimson streak of anger, having flown at great speed. The two of them tore into the temporary dock and plunged into the depths of the Eastern River of Dos Rios.
“No energy blasts this time, this time we do it the old-fashioned way,” Syl grunted as he landed several blows to White Dragon's jaw.
La Garra and Gimmick arrived next, and the feline heroine leaped into a pair of the Black Dragon servitors, lashing out with a pair of vicious blows to their sternums and watching them gasp for breath. “Guess that makes you mine, right?” Gimmick asked the last of the servants, who stood now at the entrance to the lair, allowing for his companions to flee with the guns.
Gimmick watched as the man drew out a pair of tonfa from his belt and giggled. “Oh, that's precious!” she said as she tugged something out from a pouch and let it slip from her fingers. “Oh, klutzy me.”
The man grinned wickedly, stepping forward, but the tiny polyhedral slipped under his foot and then released a current of electricity through his body. “Four-sided dice. Always a killer,” she added as the man fell over with a groan.
“Do not jest with the enemy, Gimmick,” Sir Justin said gravely as he ran by. “These are dangerous men who would kill you without hesitation. Jibes and taunts do nothing but waste time and make you a target.”
“Don't listen to him, chica,” La Garra said as she turned to look down the corridor. “That was good,” she added as Gimmick saw her grin.
“Over here, Gimmick,” Pat called to her as he looked inside White Dragon’s skycraft. “Gonna need your help to help them.” Gimmick stepped up behind him and saw three others bound with advanced manacles to the rear of the ship.
“I recognize Green Arrow, who are the other two?” she asked. Pat could only shrug helplessly as they headed for the prisoners.
“I bet they're on our side though, when we spring 'em,” he said with a confident grin.
*7*
The sounds of the battle trickled down toward the central chamber, now hazy with incense as Wyrm Indigo paced around the glass cage. “Go and stall them. Not much more now. Soon, very soon, we'll have what we need.” She turned to her two colored Dragons and grinned viciously. “Make sure the automatics are brought to me, give me the time I need!”
Green Dragon and Blue Dragon bowed and dashed out, eager to be away from the rite Wyrm had them prepare. “Never gonna work, lady,” Firebrand said through gritted teeth as she watched her captor continue to pace. “They're gonna stop you.”
“I only need the guns, and a few more minutes,” she replied to the prisoner as her fingers slid impatiently over the surface of the prison. “Minutes to undo decades of injustice!”
Danette felt something burning inside of her. It wasn't the sort of burning she was familiar with, but one that made her wince deep inside. Her skin prickled and her back hurt, as her memories were peeled back to that moment, back to 1942.
”They come, my queen!” announced the servant, as he watched his fellow Black Dragon Society members battle the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Perched atop Challenger Peak, he felt safe from the struggle. “Nothing seems to deter them!”
“It doesn't matter,” the Dragon Queen said coolly, calmly as she pressed the last of the staves into the ground, each at a cardinal point of the circle. “Not now. Not with the dragon staves in position, now with the Dragon Kings to heed my call!” She cried out in joy as the wind started to whirl around her and dark clouds gathered ominously overhead. Lightning tore up the sky as she started the ancient chant.
“What does she think she's hoping to accomplish?” Stripe asked as he decked another of the Black Dragons. “Heck, at this point, I'd be happy to know how she got up there.”
“Keep at it, Stripe, do not lose faith!” Shining Knight said as his blade flashed in the streaks of lightning. “We will reach her, and we will stop her insane scheme!”
“You boys have fun bashing heads,” Firebrand said as she let flames spread over her shapely body. “I'm taking a shortcut.” She started to lift up into the air as the Knight raced up to her.
“Not alone, good lady,” he said with a smile as he held an arm out to her.
“Saying I can't do it alone since I'm just a gal?” she teased him as she pulled the fire from her hands and let his calloused, strong fingers curl around hers.
“Nay. Only that she has someone up there with her, and there might be other defenses for the unwary,” Justin answered as he enjoyed the smooth feel of her skin against his, feelings he'd not felt before. “I wouldst be remiss if I did not stand at your side in such a happenstance.”
“Remiss,” she echoed and chuckled softly as she kept her eyes from looking at him too long and giving away any feelings. “Okay then, let's go not be remiss together.”*7*
Back down in the tunnel, La Garra and Sir Justin closed with the fleeing servants. Just as they were within reach, a blast of lightning roared up from the corridor and struck them hard. As Sir Justin pulled himself up first, his armor having absorbed the brunt of the attack, Green Dragon sprung on him, and brought him back to the floor.
“Let's check out roasted knight, shall we?” Green Dragon sneered as he opened his mouth wide. Two rows of razor sharp teeth clamped down hard on Justin's neck, and the Dragon grunted in pain and surprise. He leaped off of the prone hero and clutched his mouth. “Damn! Damn, that hurt!”
“Idiot, his chain is impenetrable, don't you do any research on your foes?” Blue Dragon sneered as he unleashed more bolts of electricity from his fingertips, blasting Justin back with the force. “Besides, I rather suspect it's me he'd like to use that blade on. Content yourself with the kitty.”
“Don't even think it, hombre del dragón,” La Garra said as she landed a flying kick into the staggered Green Dragon. “We'll just nip that idea right in the bud. As for you, Sparky, I think you've got to learn some manners too.”
Blue Dragon took a moment to glance La Garra's way, long enough for the Shining Knight to lunge forward, and bring his sword hard across the man's chest. “What have you done to Danette, fiend?” Justin demanded to know as his sword came down again, the flat of the blade battering the side of the Dragon's face.
“She's fine, better than fine, so back off, sword-slinger,” Blue Dragon stammered as he crashed into the stone wall. He ionized the air around him, setting it crackling with energy and lashing into his two enemies, sending them crashing backward. “And better off than you two will be. She's going to become the most important woman to the reborn Black Dragon Society, rest assured!”
La Garra crashed to the ground, staggered, eyes dazed and unable to move from the electrical display crashing through the area. Shining Knight quickly picked himself back up, however, and prepared to charge his foe, but Green Dragon leaped into him again.
“Did not learn your lesson, knave?” Justin taunted as he brought a forearm up into the villain's jaw.
“Agh! I've learned enough to use my venom sacs, tin can!” Green Dragon opened his mouth wide and exhaled long and hard, green mist pouring out to coat Justin's face. He cried out from the pain, staggered back from the surprising assault.
“Now then, let's try this again,” the Blue snarled as the Nefarious Dragons regrouped over the battered Soldiers.
*7*
“Not so cocky this time, are you?” Skyman released a blast of energy from his outstretched hands, smashing into White Dragon's back now as their battle erupted from the river and crashed into the already battered dock. Skyman pounced on his enemy. “Got something smart to say this time, tough guy?”
“How about 'get the heck off'? That sound good to ya?” Skyman was struck from behind by a blistering blast of heat that his suit's energy field barely resisted. The plasma ball forced him from the White Dragon and he crashed dazed into the river bank. “Good thing I got here when I did, huh? Not nearly so much fun if the fight's not even, I says.”
Skyman watched the arrival of the Red Dragon now, groaning and shaking his head clear. “You want some of this?” He fired a bolt of energy, but the newcomer easily sidestepped the fuzzy-headed hero.
“Sure 'nuff! This is what I've been waiting for, don't you get it? It's what I've been waiting for since the days sitting at Granddad's knee, listening to his tales,” Red Dragon replied as he triggered the shoulder-mounted gun again, sending three balls of plasma at Skyman, who avoided them by flying into the air.
“Fine then, don't say I didn't oblige you,” Skyman retorted, and prepared to drop down on the villain. But his suit felt sluggish, circuits unresponsive. He gazed down at his lower legs and saw the frost from White Dragon's field coating the suit. “Damn!”
“Two on one too much for ya, punk?” Red Dragon taunted now, and fired a stream of fire that tore across the bottom half of Skyman. The extremes in temperature shorted out the circuitry and caused the young hero to crash to the ground hard, crying out as his legs absorbed the impact.
“That is a shame, but permitting my defeat is a greater dishonor than taking advantage,” White Dragon said as he stepped up to one side of Skyman, and Red Dragon flanked the downed hero. “Know that in my heart, I am sorry our rematch could not be more sporting.”
“Don't worry, pal, we'll try and make things a little more even,” Green Arrow said from the skycraft, a cocky grin on his face as Gimmick stood behind him and played with an arrow. Stripe waved from behind Crimson Avenger and Wing.
*7*
“Roar, Dragon Kings, roar and rampage across this decadent country!” The Dragon Queen flailed her arms wildly as the storm raged about her, her eyes completely black as she felt the power caress her body. “Takeda, this is amazing! Nothing can stop me!”
Her loyal servant, the man who loved her and helped her through a number of plots barely averted by adventurers in the past five years, now watched the arrival of Firebrand and the Shining Knight. He knew the time had arrived, as he looked at his beloved Queen and what she had brought the Black Dragon Society to.
“Okay, Queenie, time to put you down like the mad dog you are,” Firebrand said as she dropped Justin toward Takeda. The servant drew his own sword and brought it up to clash off of Justin's weapon.
“You dare talk to me in such a manner, western whore?” Dragon Queen sneered in response. “When I command the Dragon Kings, and draw them to this place, to rampage across your land in their travels and you would dare speak to me thus?”
“Oh just shut up,” Danette insisted as she unleashed a jet of fire that knocked the Queen off-balance. “I looked them up, the Dragon Kings aren't even Japanese, so what does that say about you?”
“It says I have the power to steal the Chinese forces away and make them do the bidding of the Rising Sun, witch!”
Takeda dueled with Sir Justin, their blades clanging against each other. “Tell your woman she's right,” Takeda cried out to Justin over the roaring elements and the sounds of battle. He maneuvered the duel toward the southern Dragon Staff as he spoke. “The Dragon Queen must be put down like a mad dog.”
“You speak nonesuch, varlet,” Justin said as he swept the blade toward Takeda, hoping to push him into an outcropping and pin him down. Instead, Takeda dove forward, under the blade and Justin watched as it sliced neatly through the staff. Takeda took the moment of confusion to leap over the side.
“No! What have you done?” the Dragon Queen screamed in horror as the tempest started to focus on the mountain top now, the forces she'd called drawn down on her directly. She struggled to keep control, but that allowed Firebrand to smash her back with her flames before she could realize what the villainess was doing.
“Good riddance, beloved Queen. We could have been wonderful together, but for your madness!” Her once-loyal servant flew high into the air, propelled by a rocket pack of his own design as she screamed at him in mindless rage and pain. Justin could do nothing but watch helplessly as the circle of staves exploded, tearing off the peak of the mountain from under the Dragon Queen and Firebrand.“But you survived that day, and thanks to your survival, and the powers at play that dark day,” Wyrm Indigo said as she continued to pace Danette's prison, “the Dragon Queen will have her chance for revenge at long, long last.”
The memories ripped through the red-head's mind as she watched the revolvers get placed near her feet. She couldn't understand what was going on, but she felt like she was drowning in those memories.
“Ah yes, the containers of celestial power,” Wyrm Indigo said as she stopped over the firearms. “Now, now at last, we can finish.”
*7*
Two arrows streaked across the distance as Ollie kept up the grin and Gimmick watched the results anxiously. Her goggles kept her vision in the thermal ranges, and recorded the results carefully as the arrows raised the ambient temperature around White Dragon sharply. They left trails sliced neatly through his field of absolute zero as predicted, trails that were quickly used by Green Arrow with two more arrows, these concussive in nature and sending the icy enemy crashing unconscious to the deck.
“That was some great shooting.” Gimmick slapped Ollie on the back.
“Thanks. Felt pretty good getting the drop on him,” Green Arrow said. “Good job on the arrows. I might have to put you on the payroll.”
Crimson Avenger and Wing had closed with the Red Dragon now, and they acted in expert tandem as the fire-thrower staggered under their assault. “Dang! This part, not so fun,” Red Dragon said as he activated his rockets and lifted up into the air to escape. He hadn't gotten far when a rope closed on his ankle though. “Whu--?”
“Vig lent me this, thought I might find a use for it,” Stripe said with a grin as he gave a mighty heave of those broad shoulders and thick chest. Red Dragon wailed in helpless horror as he was brought down hard onto the craft, bounced once and slid to the dock. “I'll secure these two and take care of the Kid. You guys get in there and see what's up with Danette.”
Blue Dragon was retreating down the hall after he'd staggered his foes. Green Dragon, however, sneered, and felt he had the upper hand. He reached down to grab La Garra's hair when he heard a bullet smack into the nearby wall.
“The cowboy? That's all that's left to save these two?” Green Dragon taunted
“That'd be me, yeah,” Vigilante nodded as he stepped toward the Dragon. “You wanna jest surrender, or do you really want to make me slug it out with ya?”
“Heh. How about you just choke on my bile?” Green Dragon taunted and disgorged the green gas at Greg.
“See, I had a friend, some long time back, he said to me, 'Greg,' he says, 'if'n yer gonna wear that danged kerchief as a mask, then at least make it useful.'” Vigilante walked through the mist and brought the butt of the pistol down on Green Dragon's temple hard. “So I let ole Wesley fix it up with one a them gas mask thingies he was so fond of makin'.”
The others found Greg helping Yolanda and Justin to their feet when the finally arrived, and Gimmick looked around. “Three down, one to go and that purple broad?” she asked.
“So it would seem,” Sir Justin said as he shook off the effects of the poison and the electricity. “Come, for Danette!”
The Seven Soldiers charged into the main chamber, prepared for a final battle, prepared to rescue their captured companion, and prepared to get to the bottom of the Nefarious Dragons and their plot.
They were not prepared for what they saw.
“Welcome to my triumph,” Wyrm Indigo said as the cylinder opened with a hiss, a roaring golden pillar of flame filling its interior. Blue Dragon stood at his lady's side, crackling with electricity and prepared for the battle to come. “I've gone through so much, and now, at last, my life is fulfilled, my dream achieved!”
The cylinder melted around the dazzling pillar of golden fire until at last, it coalesced into a beautiful blazing woman. She shone with heat and light, and floated across the floor as she walked. In her hands were clutched the Crimson Avenger's guns, and on her face was a look of pure hatred and lust.
“My Dragon Queen, reborn! And to you, my beloved Queen, I give you these first sacrifices!” Wyrm Indigo cried out in exultation as the figure that had been Danette Reilly-Arthur, a.k.a. Firebrand, leveled the revolvers at her would-be rescuers.
