Issue 17: "Africa, Part One"

Suicide Squad Roll Call:


Amanda Waller: The tough as nails head of the Suicide Squad.

Manhunter (Mark Shaw): Formerly of the now-defunct Manhunters cult. Enhanced strength, speed, stamina, agility, and limited healing powers. Now the second in command, and leader in the field.

Vixen (Mari Jiwe McCabe): Tatu Totem gives her the ability to mimic the powers of any animal. Lover of Mark Shaw and third in command.

Knockout (Unknown): Former member of the Female Furies of Apokolips. Possesses super strength, regeneration and limited invulnerability.

Catman (Thomas Blake): Big game hunter, skilled tracker, excellent duelist, and good marksman. Has made several unsubstantiated claims about the powers of his suit, but the real danger is in his viciousness and cunning.

Killer Frost (Crystal Frost): An ice elementalist, she is a living heat sink, needing warmth to survive, though she is learning to have some control over this, enabling her to survive longer. She can project cold and ice from her body, and can manipulate cold air to allow her to float. But her heart is the coldest thing about her.

Enchantress (June Moone): The Enchantress is an actual second personality, an immortal spirit of unknown vintage, surviving within June Moon's psyche. When June says the word "Enchantress," this second personality steps forward and takes control. Enchantress is a witch of unknown power, though it seems to wax and wane depending upon the situation. At all times she is a mistress of magic to be feared. Recently she has demonstrated the ability to actually lend a portion of her power to her host, June; her motivations for this are not entirely clear.

Resurrection Man (Mitch Shelly): Is resurrected each time he dies, gaining new powers having to do with the circumstances of his last death. Currently, he has a limited, scaled down version of the powers of Captain Atom; atomic blasts, flight, et cetera.

Electrocutionee (Paul Buchinsky): A murderous vigilante, he uses the electric power circuitry of his suit to fry his enemies. How he gained the suit and what his motivations are, at this time, not yet known.

Terra(Tara Markov): Bastard child of the Markovian Royal Family, this troubled and conflicted young woman has power over the Earth itself. The full extent of her powers has not yet been measured.

Parademon (Unknown): Born and bred to be a soldier of the Apokolips war machine, he has strength, a limited form of flight due to the wings of his suit, and a battle axe forged from the dark metals of his home-world.

The Squad had assembled in the briefing room.

"Mubotu," Waller told them, "Is a shining example of modernization and development in North Central Africa. Previously little more than a tribal state, now properly developing into nationhood. Never a terrorist state nor of any difficulty to the US, the government is in fact friendly to us and one of the most peaceful countries in the continent."

"Who cares?" said Catman. June glared at him. Vixen positively hissed. He held up his hands in a placatory gesture, but they could tell he really didn't care.

"There are two answers to that question," Waller answered, curbing her own irritation. "First, after the whole Starro mess the Government is doing it's best to look good by providing humanitarian aid and genuine help overseas, rather than irritating people with military strikes. The whole Kasnia situation didn't help matters any in that department, either. So the Squad is the natural tool for the Government to use. Second, apparently some of the more military countries around Mubotu are less than happy with this situation and wanted Mubotu to be what it had been in the past; a neutral ground for them to travel to, not a 'pawn of the Americans'. So first of all there was an assassination attempt on King Tawaba of Mubotu, and now...it seems likely these enemies will recruit super powered help. Which is another reason we were summoned."

"Do we even know which rival nation is responsible?" asked Manhunter.

"We thought it was Libya first, but they've been cleaning up their act recently. So it might even be a...private contractor."

Catman grinned sourly; he could guess what that meant. "A criminal consortium?"

"Possibly. Spy satellites have detected the presence of several metahuman villains in the area, which is why we think superhuman help will be brought in on the next attempt."

"Can we get there in time?" Vixen asked.

Waller nodded. "We believe there is still some negotiations about money going on between the would-be assassins and their potential paymaster. All the same we'll be cutting it close."

"Which is the priority, protecting the King or taking out the organization behind the attempts? And what if it is a foreign government?" Manhunter pointed out.

"Protecting the king is the first priority. Taking out the enemy is the next logical step. If it's a criminal fraternity, by all means take it out. If it's a foreign government, well it depends on which one it is, but do whatever's necessary to prevent a second attack. If possible...teach them a permanent lesson."

Killer Frost grinned in anticipation. Electrocutioner let the lightning play between his hands.

"I have a hard time believing the American government cares about this," Terra said.

"Cares specifically? Of course not," Waller agreed. "Cares how it reflects on them and their presence in the region? You better believe it. Now get moving."

The Suicide Squad plane soared over the Atlantic.

Electrocutioner was sitting with Frost again, and this time she was proving more responsive to his advances. "Not while we're on the mission," she playfully slapped his hand, "But when we get back..."

Electrocutioner grinned a sour, unshaven grin. "It's a date, frosty."

She laughed.

June merely sat, holding Mitch's hand.

"What's wrong, June?" he asked her.

"I think...I think I will need you to be here for me in the days to come."

"Of course, June, always."

She squeezed tighter. "I hope so, I really do."

He reassured her further, but she merely kept a tight grip on his hand.

Inside her head, Enchantress smiled.

Knockout sat with her charge. The Parademon was bowed uncertainly over its knees—his knees, she supposed, as anatomically the Parademons were male—brooding silently. It—he—did not talk much. Not even to her. He did what she told him, and sometimes spoke to her when prompted, but mostly he just sat there. He was little more than a killing machine, separated from his true masters. She was a poor substitute, and well she knew it.

The longer he stayed here, the more he would have to adapt to Earth culture. Granted, she herself had not done this very much. But at least a little. He could not be a simple killing machine as he had been back on Apokolips. He would have to become...a person.

And how, by all the Darkness, would she manage that?

She blew out a sigh. Somehow on this mission, he would have to work as part of the team. That would be difficult in and of itself, but the team's own dynamic didn't help matters.

[shadow=green,left,300]"Mistress?"[/shadow]he asked her in the dark language of their own, hearing her sigh.


"Just thinking of the battle ahead, loyal soldier. Rest now while you may. And remember not to harm our allies once combat begins, and above all, do not strike until I tell you to."

[shadow=green,left,300]"As you command,"[/shadow] he said and lowered his head.

She reflected that her earlier thought was wrong; there were such things as female parademons...they simply never left the breeding grounds.

She chose not to think about it, but in so doing she realized that she must have already been somewhat softened by this world.

The thought simultaneously amused and annoyed her.

As King Tawaba led Manhunter and Catman upstairs, Queen Uwabe took Vixen to one side.

"And what do you think?" she asked primly. Her accent was strong but in no way distorted her words.

Vixen raised an eyebrow and smiled thinly. Unlike her earlier conversation with Manhunter, she didn't ask the Queen if her question was racially motivated. "I cannot be sure, your Majesty, we don't really know yet."

"Do you have a...guess? An intuition?" the Queen asked, choosing the words carefully.

Vixen paused, thinking about it. "Greed," she finally said.

"For money, or for power?" the Queen asked.

Vixen pondered some more.

"Both," she said finally.

The Queen looked thoughtful herself, and then gave a sad nod.

On the roof they found no incriminating marks; and the climbing equipment had already been removed by Tawaba's guards. Catman suspected there had been a third operative, and Manhunter agreed. But it was only a hunch.

The blood had already dried in the thin grasslands, but Catman did find some tracks. They faded in a northwestern direction, which told them nothing.

"I suppose we'll have to take a search party out that way," Manhunter sighed.

High Priest Uzangi—witch doctor, really—stepped into the cool basement of the palace. He walked with purpose and determination to the secure line they had installed down here. It was almost impossible to get cell phone reception in Africa, service was almost nonexistent. But landlines were certainly possible. And very definitely useful.

The phone was an old, black chunky rotary. They could've gotten something more modern, but the King wanted something that looked "official". Uzangi had agreed with Tawaba when he said this, but rolled his eyes now. Tawaba embraced the modern world only when it suited him. Uzangi, for his part, had no problem merging the old with the new, to best effect.

This was as perfect an example of that as any. He dialed the number he wanted, and when the phone on the other end was picked up, said, "The American group is splitting in two. Some to find us, some to protect the King. Send your new acquisitions here; kill the Americans too, while you're at it. Once the palace is secure, we can defend it against the others when they return."

He listened to a response, and then hissed angrily, "Then double their pay! I want them here, now!"

He slammed down the phone.

Tawaba had been useful, up to a point. But now it was time for the real power in Mubotu to step forward, and lead the country to true power and prosperity.

His power.

Uzangi smiled to himself.