Issue 2: "Bang and Blame, Part Two"

SS 1-The Suicide Squad Transport Plane-
Thirty Thousand Feet Above Qurac:

It was supposed to be a simple plan. The Suicide Squad was supposed to sneak into the capital building of Qurac, take down Onslaught, disable their secret weapon, and then get out before anyone knew they were there. Nightshade's role was the most important in ensuring their success, at least in her eyes. Her power to create inter-demensional black holes would provide the Squad the ability to strike quickly and without warning. Eve knew they were counting on her, but at the same time she was tired of being strictly transportation. Since joining the Suicide Squad, she had done little more than provide them with the means of moving in and out of situations quickly and efficently. She knew what she was doing was important and in most cases, their lives depended on it. But she also knew she had more to offer then just taxi service. She had been a government operative for years, heading up over a dozen missions and going solo on nearly twice that many. Eve wondered why she let Sarge Steel talk her into working with a team. Why did she let herself fall into the servant role so quickly when she was capable of so much more? She was a strong independent woman who allowed herself to fall into a trap. Rick Flagg was her current trap. With her relationship with him, she felt forced into another role she wasn't meant to play. The Vegas trip was nice but it was a fantasy. Being back in the real world, facing another dangerous mission, Eve was done with allowing the lines to stay blurred between business and personal. After tonight, Eve was going to make some changes in her life.

She sat back in her seat as Flagg got up to address the group. They were close to Qurac now. Eve wondered if it was foolish to allow herself the luxury of thinking too far ahead, especially with what she knew she had to do tonight. The entire mission rested in her hands, but all she could do was think about Rick. She was mad but she couldn't blame him entirely. She used him as much as he used her. It was just easier to focus her anger on him then admit that the real issue was that her life was out of control and she didn't know what to do. The darkness she clung to for strength and support wasn't enough anymore. She knew she had to find something or someone else for support. Eve shook her head and rubbed her eyes. She had to focus on the situation at hand. After tonight, she would decide what she was going to do with her life and if it would include the Suicide Squad.

"We will land in an air field outside the city of Ostrander, approximately twenty-two miles away from the capital city." Rick Flagg stated as he faced the Squad. "Nightshade and I will acquire transportation and head to the capital building. I will go after President Marlo. Eve will then jump back and grab the rest of the team after she scouts out the locations of Onslaught. The reports we have led us to believe that Onslaught and the President should be in the capital building. It’s a safe bet that the weapon is in there as well. Ben you are to go after Raven. He claims to be the first of the new thugee sect. He views his stay in Onslaught as temporary. Raven is looking to rebuild the sect and kill anyone that gets in his way. He worships the Indian goddess of death, Kali. He uses a vast array of weapons and is master of several forms of martial arts and he is potentially the most dangerous non-meta of the team."

“Hmm. Well so am I.” Ben said forcing a smile.

“Bolt, you are assigned the Djinn. Little is known about this digital genie except it can appear and disappear without warning striking fast and hard. He uses electricity to manifest dangerous powers including the ability to dispute the nervous system and fry people from the inside out.”

“Hardly seems fair…sending me against nothing more then a cheap parlor trick!” Bolt laughed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

“You have room to talk.” Killer Frost responded, “Have you seen the way you dress?”

“Ice bitch.” Bolt said as energy crackled from his fingertips.

“You too better take this seriously or I will blow you both up right here and now.” Flagg shouted, shaking his finger at Bolt and Killer Frost.

“Don't make promises you can't keep honey.” Killer Frost said seductively as she winked at Flagg. Flagg ignored her and continued.

“Frost your assignment is Angi. He is a fire wielder. His origin is unknown but is named after the Hindu god of fire. He is able to produce fire with the snap of a finger and project it towards his targets by sheer will power alone with deadly results.”

“Fire and Ice. Sex and hate. Should be a blast.” Killer Frost said with a chill in her voice.

“June, the Enchantress's target is Badb. I know the file on her doesn't state much but be advised, she is very dangerous. She is named after the Celtic god of war. Word is, she took out an entire village in Ireland by herself. Over two hundred dead.”

“I…she will be ready.” June said nervously.

“Angle Man you are going after Jaculi. Rustam uses him to guard the perimeter of the capital building. He has the ability to move at super-speed in spurts of three seconds at a time. He uses an assortment of javelins as weapons. Don't be fooled by the fact that he is barely a teen. He is very deadly and has very little sense of right or wrong. He can be on you before you know what has hit you.” Flagg continued, turning to the next member of the Squad.
“Hey, taking out speedsters is my specialty. Even old Digger would tell you how I took out the Flash in less then three seconds. If Digger were here that is.”

“Right.” Rick said as he continued, “Floyd, you are going after Rustam. He is named after the mythic hero of Persian folklore but he is only a hero is in own eyes. He is Arab and viewed by many to be a traitor to his own people when he signed on with Marlo's mission to separate Qurac from Saudi Arabia. The United States government can place him with or in charge of over eleven terrorist/liberation groups over the past 16 years. No one is certain what part he plays in the new Qurac, but with Marlo gaining world wide support for orchestrating the separation from Saudi Arabia, be certain whatever role it is, it serves the greater good for himself alone. He can summon a blazing scimitar. We don’t know where he summons it from, but it can supposedly cut through anything. I don't care to test that. He is the leader of Onslaught so I want him taken down first and fast.”

“He won't even see me coming.” Floyd Lawton said as he hid his grin behind his mask.

“Tom, after everyone else is in position I want you and Mitch to find this weapon and take it out.” Flagg turned and gave his orders to the last two members of the Squad.

“I don't like the idea of going in on this blind. Not knowing what the weapon is concerns me.” Tom, also known as Nemesis, pointed out matter of factly.

"That’s why Mitch is tagging along. You’re the brains and he's the power. Whatever it is, between the two of you, you should be able to disable it."

“Thanks, Flagg.” Mitch said sarcastically.

“You know what I mean.” Rick sighed impatiently, “While the rest of you are completing your assignments, Eve will play go between. She will be picking you up or dropping you off for back up as needed. She will be wearing a two-way earpiece so you can use your communicator to contact her when you complete your assignments.”

“There won't be the need for any back-up on this end.” Bolt stated, a little too proudly.

“Good. I want this quick and efficent. We are treading on foreign ground people. If anyone is caught, the U.S. government will disavow any knowledge of our activities in a country that is days away from acquiring membership in the UN.”

“How is it possible that a nation of terrorists gained an audience with the UN council in the first place, let alone be up for membership?” Angle Man asked.

“Your freedom doesn't have anything to do with the politics involved. It does have to do with you successfully performing your part at the task at hand.” Flagg said, clearly getting annoyed but attempting to keep it in check. “ Now if there aren't any more questions, we will be landing soon so get ready.” Rick walked towards the back of the super jet and stopped when Nemesis reached out for his arm.
“I was wondering that myself, Flagg. Something doesn't add up here. Where did the Wall get her intel that Marlo had this weapon? And who said they were going to use it against America?” Nemesis asked suspiciously.

“I don't know and I don't care.” Flagg moved Nemesis’ arm out of the way.

“Well you better start caring. Marlo is a hero in his people’s eyes and around the world. People aren't going to be pleased if they find out we are trying to piss in their pool.” Nemesis called after him. Flagg didn't have a response but instead continued towards the back of the plane.

Rick and Eve made it to the capital building in less than thirty minutes. They made a few blind jumps along the way. Eve didn’t like using the dimensional warps when she didn’t have a target exit to lock onto from memory. She found herself pushing and testing her limits more and more lately.

It was late at night and the street outside of the capital was empty. This country had just spent the last week celebrating their freedom from Saudi Arabia but post party liter was the only thing blowing around out here tonight. Eve dropped Rick off inside to go after Marlo before she embarked on her hunt to track down Onslaught. Once she pinpointed their location, it would only be a matter of jumping back to get the squad and dropping them off to go after their assigned members.

Rick began to make his way through the capital building. Stolen security photos gave him a good idea where Marlo would be. He had to get to him before the members of Onslaught knew they were there. They had the element of surprise on their side but they had to act quickly before their secret weapon could be used. Rick was outside of the lit door that he was certain was Marlo’s office. He stood outside and listened for a few minutes before determining Marlo was inside and he was alone. He entered quickly and shut the door behind him. He pointed his gun at the surprised Marlo who was sitting at his desk.

“Good evening Mr. President. Don’t get up.” Flagg said calmly as President Marlo started to get up out of his chair.

“An American invading my country, why am I not surprised? He sent you didn’t he?” Marlo looked up at Flagg and smiled.

Eve dropped Angle Man off about 100 yards from the capital building. “Jaculi patrols the perimeter so he shouldn’t be too hard to find. Just keep your eyes open and be ready. We don’t want him to alert the others we are moving around inside.” Eve said as she prepared to head back to the rest of the team.

“Hey you guys didn’t bring me along for my charm alone now did you?” Angle Man said with a grin on his face that Eve thought was almost as goofy as his costume. “Hey I have one question before you go babe.”

“Make it fast.” Eve sighed.

“Do you think Flagg and the Tiger could detonate these crappy little explosive things they decided to stick us with us from here? I mean if they were all busy how would they know whether or not we’re ‘behaving’? Or what if something happens and they set it off accidentally?” Angle Man rolled his eyes.

“There won’t be any accidents. Do your job and nothing will happen, but if you ever call me babe again I will drop you off someplace so nasty you will cry and beg like the sniveling little bitch you and I both know you are.” With that Eve opened up a dimensional black hole and stepped through.

“I think that dame digs me.” Angle Man ran his fingers through his hair before heading off to look for his target. I love American women. Angelo thought as he walked away. But I don’t believe she is as tough as she thinks. A woman like that just needs a strong man. Hmm. Like me, maybe. Yeah, I’d be just what that babe needs. Angelo stopped when felt a breeze blow past him. He looked up and saw Jaculi standing about ten feet in front of him with a Javelin in his hand.

“What are you doing here?” Jaculi said in Arabic.

“Well aren’t you just a primitive looking little snot with your sharp pointy stick?” Angle Man cocked his head and grinned.

“American.” Jaculi yelled as he raced towards Angle Man.

“I am Italian you little twit. Show some respect.” He said before pointing his angle weapon at Jaculi forcing him to turn sharply towards the sky. Angle Man watched as Jaculi continued to run on what must have seemed like an invisible wall going straight up until he was nothing more then a speck in the sky. Angle Man pulled his weapon down and began to walk away thinking about Nightshade again. Yes, a woman like that needs to be shown there is only room for one man in a relationship. About thirty feet behind him, Angelo heard a splat. He just shook his head and kept walking.

“Tom, I wasn’t able to find anything that looked like a weapon on my first sweep.” Eve said as she stood inside the capital building with Nemesis and Resurrection Man. “I didn’t want to get noticed before I had a chance to get the rest of the Squad in place.”

“That’s ok.” Nemesis said to her. “This is as good a place to start as any.”

“This is the lowest level of this place?” Mitch asked looking around. “Didn’t seem this big from the outside.”

“Well, this is as good a place to start as anywhere.” Nemesis repeated.

“Looks more like a dungeon down here then a government building.” Mitch said.
“Well, I am going to check on the others. Let me know if you find anything.” Eve said before slipping through a black hole that closed up behind her.

Larry Bolatinsky was dropped off and quickly got to working looking for the Djinn. He took his work seriously when the situation called for it. He just didn’t feel this magic genie was up to par with his talents. He was a professional nonetheless and would do what he had to in order to serve his time with these circus freaks and psychos! Once he was done, he would get back to business killing folks for money. No more government bozos. Though he may have to make a go at the frost queen before it’s all said and done.
Bolt open the door to what appeared to be small computer lab. He walked up to a computer terminal and started tapping on some keys.

“Come out, come out wherever you are magic idiot!” Bolt said loudly, looking around the room. A hand reached out from the monitor in front of him and grabbed hold of his head and began to squeeze. Bolt pulled back and the Djinn fully emerged from the monitor. He stood nearly ten feet tall. Bolt began to wildly shoot streams of electricity at everything in the room. He quickly knocked out the lights and was able to escape the Djinn’s grasp.

“What the hell freak! Sneaking up on someone like that.” Bolt shouted as he crouched down in the dark. “I just came to talk.”

“You are not welcome here.” The Djinn said in a calm calculated voice. “Leave or be destroyed.”

“Not likely. My freedom depends on me frying your stupid ass.” Bolt jumped up and fired a blast in the direction he heard the genies voice come from. The lights flickered a bit then returned. Bolt stood up and saw the Djinn floating in front of him.

“Non compliance is determined. Destruction is the only alternative.” The Djinn said.
Bolt began to tremor. He felt a tingling in his left arm before he dropped to his knees. He was having a heart attack.

Amanda Waller lay in a roll out bed in her office. She never went home while the squad was away on a mission and she rarely slept, no matter how hard she tried. The buzzing of her Blackberry forced her up. She flipped on a light and walked over to her desk. She picked up the device and read the text message:

A-
Marlo is the target. Deadline was the shooter. He’s been taken out. Send a retrieval team for pick-up. There are two of us and one hospitalized - status critical.
-O

Amanda picked up the phone. After a few rings, someone on the other end picked up.

“Flo get a team to pick up the group in France with a med unit in tow. Also get me Eiling on the phone now!” Amanda barked the orders to her niece.

“Yes, Sir.” A groggy Flo yawned.

Amanda hung up the phone. Something wasn’t right and she was determined to get to the bottom of it!

Enchantress was confused. She couldn’t focus. She tried to conjure up a containment spell but couldn’t remember how. She was afraid. What if she got it wrong? What if she hurt herself or the girl? She didn’t want to hurt anyone. She didn’t want to be alone. Everyone in her life left her. Everyone around her died. What was she going to do when she was all alone? Wait, those weren’t her thoughts, those were June’s.

“Get out of my head you pathetic little weakling. I am in control. Not you!” Enchantress began to yell. “We don’t need anyone. I don’t need anyone. So stay out of it!”

June attempted to regain focus. It was like looking through a haze but June could see through the Enchantress’s eyes. What she saw was fear and hatred. Badb stood and watched as Enchantress fall to her knees. She looked up at the little girl and smiled.

“You have been a very bad little girl haven’t you?” Enchantress slowly began to stand. She reached up and backhanded Badb. The girl fell and landed flat on her back. She lay there and began to cry.

“Is that how you do it? Make people feed into their fears? Tap into their emotions until they lose control? Well guess what little girl that may work on baby June, but not me. No not me!” Enchantress screeched as she rose to her full height and towered over the girl.
She leaned down and put her hands on Badb's neck and slowly began to squeeze. Her eyes turned from green to red as Enchantress tightened her grip.

“Are you still watching June? Are you? Is that what you are afraid of? Afraid to lose control? Destroy yourself? Destroy the world? Is it? Well get a good look because this is the future. There is no turning back. There is no where left to hide once I snap this scrawny little bitch’s neck!”

“Step away from her!” Nightshade demanded, standing behind Enchantress. “Now!”

“You don’t understand. She is evil.” Enchantress howled as she squeezed Badb’s neck while staring into her eye. “I have to kill her before it’s too late!”

“It’s over. Subdue her and then say your name! NOW Enchantress!” Eve moved closer to Enchantress, ready to contain her if necessary. “Say your name now!”

Enchantress quickly spoke a sleeping spell and Badb was out cold. “It’s only a matter of time, isn’t it, June? Only a matter of time…”

“ENCHANTRESS!!!” She yelled and quickly collapsed next to Badb.

“Crazy witch.” Eve sighed, just as her earpiece buzzed.

“Eve, you need to get back down here now.” She heard Nemesis say.

“Did you find the weapon?” she asked.

“I am afraid so.” Tom responded.

“Why do you say that?” Eve asked, a little hesitantly.

“Eve, just get down here. It’s Captain Atom.”

Rick stood there with his gun pointing at President Marlo. “So your saying your not surprised? Why? Because you duped the U.N. and the rest of the world into thinking you’re a patriot? Your nothing more then a terrorist.”

“You’ve got it all figured out so it doesn’t really matter what I say does it, Colonel Flagg?” Marlo said smugly.

“Your right it doesn’t matter because your going to tell me where the weapon is and what your planning to do with it?”
“Weapon?” Marlo began to laugh. “Is that what he told you?”

“He who?”

“You don’t know? Well this is strange. You westerners are less trusting of each other then you are of your enemies.” Marlo locked his fingers together and leaned back in his chair.

“No more games, Marlo. It’s over. As we speak, your group is being taken out one by one. Then we are taking you into custody where you will answer some questions.”

“You have no authority to take me anywhere. Besides, I have not committed any crimes.”

“Where’s the weapon?” Flagg demanded.

“That’s twice you asked that. There is no weapon. You have nothing, Flagg, so you and your little team can head back and tell Eiling the deals off.”

“What did you say…”

“Don’t say another word to him!” Rustam entered the door with his gun raised at Flagg. “Put it down or I put you down.”

“Move another inch and I will shoot your precious President where he sits!” Flagg cocked his gun and kept it pointed at President Marlo.

“Do it and you will unleash a hell your country has never seen the likes of!” Rustam snarled.

“You can’t threaten me anymore Colonel” Marlo said, enunciating every word. “Eiling wouldn’t dare take me on. Even he and his organization aren’t stupid enough to take on the Ten. So drop your weapon and walk out of here now.”

Flagg spun around towards Rustam when he heard two shots ring out. He watched as Rustam hit the ground with a thud and he saw blood start to seep from two bullet wounds in Rustam's chest.

“Lets go Colonel.” Deadshot said, leaning against the doorframe. Flagg noticed that Deadshot was badly wounded, but said nothing. He just nodded to him as he followed him out the door.

“Do you know what time is it?” Eiling snapped into the phone. “This better be important.”

“Your damn right it’s important.” Waller snapped back. “I just got word from the Squad that their mission has gone south and they are preparing to head back from Qurac.”

“Did they take out the weapon?”

“No! He took off and it appears he’s heading your way.”

“He?”

“Yeah! One of yours, Captain Atom, and he has mad on for you and President Lord. He was being held captive in the Capital building of Qurac.” Amanda screamed at Eiling.

“I wasn’t aware of that. I thought…”

“You better stop thinking and start giving me some answers!” She interrupted him.

“I don’t know what’s going on!”

“Well we have a satellite tracking Atom and as fast as he is flying he will be on your door step in less then three hours! Figure it out!” Amanda slammed down the phone.

“Damn it! I told them we couldn’t trust Marlo!” Eiling shouted after getting off the phone with Waller. He dialed another number.

“We have a problem.” Eiling said to the person on the other end.

“No, General, you have a problem. It’s time you cleaned it up. If the council has to step in you will not like the results. I promise you that!”

“Understood.” Eiling hung up the phone and dialed yet another number.

“Eric Blairman, we have a situation that compromises national security. A terrorist group has just attacked the country of Qurac and is now on their way to Washington to kill the President of the United States. Be warned, they have brainwashed Captain Atom into working with them as well. I need Major Force and the Force of July. I also need you to send an agent to kill the traitor to this country who was behind the entire plot, Amanda Waller.”