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Post by James Barnes Jr on Jan 15, 2017 0:55:44 GMT -6
The tremble in Walt's voice woke James up. He looked over and saw the Flash shaking as he held the shield. That wouldn't do. He needed him in the here and now. "Don't. You know who owned that shield. You know what it means. It means that I'm buying the first dozen cheeseburgers when we get out of here." He shakes his head. "Besides, Lyds won't be baking anything for either of us if we die."
The response came with a little more steel in it. James smirked. "Well, yeah. That was kind of a given. I don't feel like walking home." The bright light activated and James' mask lenses auto-tinted as he closed his eyes for a second and blinked rapidly. The light was meant to throw them off. That wasn't going to happen. James was going to get them both out alive.
As the voice and the person speaking revealed itself, James was less than thrilled. Another voice emerged from the shadows as well, and the Winter Soldier came forward. "The good news here, gentlemen, is that neither of you has to live through this. It helps everyone out." They were using the light to their back, like fighter jets attacking out of the sun.
"Flash, they're pulling some Top Gun bullshit here. And frankly, I think they've lost that loving feeling." James wasn't going to die here. And neither was Walt. He had to get back to Lydia and Ginnie. They both did. Winter Soldier opened fire with a rifle, firing a few bursts at James. Cap brought the shield up to bear and the shield absorbed the gun fire, rippling with energy as the flattened slugs fell to the ground. He drew his pistol and fired back, moving to cover.
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Post by Walter West on Jan 15, 2017 1:29:32 GMT -6
That's my voice, Walt thought dully. Then a few dozen rounds slammed into the shield he had been holding dully in front off him, and he instinctively crouched, holding his head down beneath the shield. Then he watched James slip into action, the compounding reports of gunfire spurring his own legs to propel him to his side.
That's my voice. The thought repeated itself with quiet finality in his mind. Across the room, he watched as James fired back at their assailants. But that's not going to last. Not if my doppelganger's here. That's one speedster more than we've got currently. He's laughing at those bullets right now.
Staring at James with deer-in-the-headlights eyes in the middle of a battlefield, Walt opened his mouth with no idea of what to say.
"James!" He shouted over the hurricane of bullets. "Our Goose is cooked!"
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he broke open into unfettered, disastrous laughter.
Alright, Walter. You've waited too long for this. He gripped the shield until his knuckles turned white. Then he buckled the strap of the shield around his arm, spun around the corner of the crate which was protecting him, and dashed to where James was bunkered, still firing his pistol across the room. He felt several rounds impact the shield as he ran, but his course was unbroken.
He slid beside James feet-first. Exhaling sharping, he giggled shrilly.
"Guns are scary," he reported with childlike appreciation. He was grinning, although his eyes still darted back towards the direction of the bullets. "New respect for the trade."
His mind labored furiously as he crouched beside the Captain, and as his thoughts fell into place, he reverted back to a hasty, urgent tone.
"Cap, something drew me here. It could be a machine, or it could be my twin. You see anything evil, maybe with any red flashing lights, shoot that!"
His giddiness was just beginning to settle into measured confidence when he heard a voice by his ear.
"Now, now!" Walt's blood turned frigid as he recognized his own voice just outside his head. He spun around, whipping the shield towards where he guessed his doppelganger's head to be, but he immediately felt his arm being twisted sharply, and he let out a cry as pain shot towards his center.
"Can't have you giving it all away!" Walt heard a malicious glee in his enemy's voice simultaneous to the sensation of his spine slamming against a wall far from where he had been.
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Post by James Barnes Jr on Jan 15, 2017 1:56:08 GMT -6
"Not today, Maverick."
James tossed a couple of dazzlers over the crate and nods to Walt. "See? You always said that guns were unimpressive. To people like me, they're pretty impressive." He listened to Walt describe the things that could have drawn them there. He looked at Walt. "I see some pretty evil shit here." He bounded over the crates and charged towards his doppelganger. The bullets impacted with the shield in front of him, but the Winter Soldier remained motionless. It occurred to Cap that it might be a trap, but it also occurred to him that the other might just want the game to end.
The shield on his wrist flickered of and then came active as James swung his hand. The energy shield caught the rifle in the barrel and knocked it aside. The shield flickered out again, with a thought, and Cap's metallic hand smashed into Winter Soldier's wrist, causing his grip to break and the gun to go flying. He was very glad that Ginnie had thrown a few upgrades into the new hand. Especially, since this guy was the reason he had it in the first place.
Winter Soldier brought his left hand around in a left hook. James brought his arm up to block. "I see you've gotten that hand fixed. An upgrade even. Your Stark is better than just being used for decoration." James drove his fist into the Soldier's ribs and the other man stumbled back. The Winter Soldier drew a knife and so did Captain America. The two circled with their knives drawn.
"Look, it's not personal. At least not for you. I just want you to die because you're annoying. My grudge is with the Flash over there. That's why my pal is going to help me. He's got to die."
A swipe of the Soldier's knife came in and James deflected it with his own blade, before slashing back at the double. "Yeah, still not entirely sure why you want him dead, but I'm going to say no. He's annoying, but I'd like him to live."
"He killed my Lydia. She was mine. And he took her." The slashes from the knife came faster now. James tossed his knife into his right hand and he continued trying to block the blows with the blade. He'd found the chink in the armor and decided to twist the knife. He'd put it on a drill.
"Your little slice of crazy, just wasn't good enough. Clearly, she wouldn't have died if she was better. But she wasn't. She wasn't worthy. So she's dead. I'm sure her lovers are all upset. All a thousand of them or whatever. Probably didn't have anywhere else to spend the money."
The knife swipes came faster now. He'd definitely struck a nerve now. "Don't you talk about her like that. You aren't fit to speak her name, never mind talk about her at all." A sloppy blow came down, and James grabbed the blade with his cybernetic hand. The blade pierced his glove and synthetic flesh, but the hand did the trick. He squeezed and crushed the blade, while bringing the blade in from the side. James took a blow to the neck, but the knife slipped into Winter Soldier's armor below the ribs.
The doppelganger coughed up some blood on James' cowl. "You might want to see someone about that. It seems pretty bad." James twisted and pulled the knife free. The doppelganger screamed and dropped to one knee. The blood was flowing pretty freely. He'd scored some solid damage. Hopefully, something vital was leaking there.
He looked past his bleeding counterpart and saw the machine behind him. It looked like a small obelisk of technology. It was blinking and pulsing with various lights. That was probably what he was looking for. "Flash, I found it."
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Post by Walter West on Jan 15, 2017 2:40:31 GMT -6
"Good... work!" Walt choked, clawing with one hand at the arm his doppelganger had wrapped around his neck. Black specks invaded his field of vision. Struggling for breath, Walt used the last of his strength to swing the shield down at an angle. Colliding first with the ground and next with the wall, the shield finally sliced through the skin of Walt's shoulder, eliciting another groan of pain. Nevertheless, Walt felt his attacker release him, and after stooping to retrieve the shield from the ground, he turned to face his foe for the first time.
The other Walter was grinning. His features mirrored Walt's almost perfectly, save for a hostility that looked utterly foreign on Walt's ordinarily jovial face. This man, however, looked bloodthirsty.
Walt gripped his shoulder. It was wet to the touch, and was beginning to soak through his thick shirt. Still, he kept a steady hand on the shield as he began to speak cautiously.
"Look," He barely breathed the word before he felt his insides shift. To Walt, it was as though his stomach moved backwards faster than his body, and he felt his heart slam against his ribcage. He was kneeling now, heaving, still trying to speak. His doppelganger took the opportunity to kneel beside him.
His grin had devolved into a sneer, with only the remotest sense of Walt's ordinary features recognizable, as he extended his palm towards to depowered speedster.
"Hi," he said amicably. He made a face which at any other moment may have been comical. "My name's Wally. And you go by Walt, don't you? I like it. Classy." He let his outstretched hand droop lazily as Walt held his gaze. "Ah-ah-ah," Wally spoke in a reprimanding tone. "Don't get up. It's not worth the effort." With that, he slammed a fist into the side of Walt's head, sending him sprawling once again.
Wally spoke briskly, although he was clearly enjoying himself to much to bother hiding it.
"I'll make this brief, since I know better than to leave old Jimmy alone for long." He nodded his head towards James as he approached the speed-dampening machine." I brought you here for one reason, and it's a very simple one, so I'm hoping you'll be able to understand despite the blood filling your ears."
Walt was in fact embroiled in the process of leaking blood from his mouth. Rather than a witty retort, he barely managed to spread his free hand in a "do tell" gesture.
Wally continued. "You see, Walter," He spread the two syllables out, filling them with derision. "I'm jealous. Of your friends. Of your freedom. Jealous of your popularity." He spat the last word out as though it did him pain just to bear the thought. "Hell, I bet the parking is even better over on your end. So here's the pitch: I kill you. I kill James! And then I pay your Tower- and your friends- a lengthy visit."
Wally stood. "It's not the most original plan, granted. But I plan on making it my own. I mean, hell! How hard can it be to eat pizza and crack idiotic jokes all day?"
"You'd be surprised," Walt managed to grunt.
His counterpart scoffed. "Maybe so. But in any case," He turned towards James. "I'd rather not draw this out."
Walt watched helplessly as Wally disappeared, only to return at James's side.
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Post by James Barnes Jr on Jan 15, 2017 12:33:49 GMT -6
The super soldier looked around. His counterpart was busy bleeding out. Walt was having some issues with his counterpart, but if James could disable the machine, the playing field would be evened out. The evil version of Walt was monologuing. James idly wondered if they had a play book for that sort of thing. But his version wasn't doing that. He was trying to patch the wound Cap had inflicted. Most of the time, James was okay with the idea of leaving his enemies alive to face justice. He wasn't sure that would work here.
Winter Soldier was busy fumbling around for medical supplies in his kit. James didn't want him to get any of those handy super power drugs. His counterpart could regenerate or worse, turn into something horrible and that would tip the scale horrible. The machine was the most important thing. James moved past his counterpart, giving him a wider birth. He looked over at the machine. He'd have to find a way to disable it. With Walt back in the game, they'd have a chance.
James' eyes flicked over his HUD display, using his optical interface to hack into Walt's comms. He clicked on a device on his belt, which began emitting an ultra high frequency signal. The signal to Walt's comms would hopefully block it from his ears, while screwing up his counterpart's equilibrium. James looked up.
"Does everyone think that I'm an idiot?" James shrugged. "I literally just had a rogue Flash for a little bit. Contingencies exist." He turned to Walt. "No offense. I'm just paranoid." He put his hand up and fired the wrist blaster at Flash. Hopefully, the vibranium powered weapon would be able to hit him even if he phased.
Cap knew he wasn't getting any closer to the machine. He fired twice more, hoping Flash would avoid the blasts and that they'd hit the machine instead. It was time to get the machine shut off. A gunshot fired behind him and hit James in the uniform. He spun and fired pistol and pulse weapon at his counterpart, cursing himself for turning his back on him.
Metal wrenched in the background and there was a concussive burst behind him. That was good if nothing else. The odds were turning around, finally.
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Post by Walter West on Jan 15, 2017 13:16:27 GMT -6
As Walt stumbled to where James was somehow managing to juggle both the speedster and the Winter Soldier, he laughed raggedly at James's comment about his paranoia. The ringing in his ears was amplified as he detected interference in his comm systems, but his heartbeat quickened as he realized that his partner had potentially disrupted the hostile speedster.
"I think I'll let it slide this once," he gasped as he limped desperately towards the machine which had reaped his powers. James chose that moment to fire a few rounds at the metal exterior. Knowing he had seconds (maybe less) of borrowed time from James, Walt hurled the shield as close as he could to the hole the bullets had torn through the machine. There was a low boom, and Walt experienced a half-second of euphoria as he glitched forward toward the shield as he rebounded. He caught the weapon in his hand and smiled ghoulishly through bloody teeth. It was then that the shield was wrenched from his grasp, his vision dimmed, and he felt the now-familiar crack as his back slammed against the ground.
Wally stood above him, holding the shield and looking displeased. The machine was sparking and whirring behind him, and his patience had been depleted.
"Let's head this off, shall we?"
Walt barely registered his enemy's hand reach down towards his own chest before the latter stumbled forward, dropping the shield and reeling from James's shots. Walt took to opportunity to kick out with both legs, propelling Wally several feet back. There was blood spreading from the bullet hole in the counterpart's chest, and Walt spared not a millisecond as he gathered the shield and knelt above his enemy, poised to swing down.
Wally tried to phase out, resulting in a brief struggle as he realized his powers were being disrupted. Walt, on the other hand, still felt only the occasional spasm as his own powers skipped like a dying battery as he slammed the smooth side of the shield four times rapidly into his enemy's face. He knew he only had a few seconds before his doppelganger regained full control of his powers.
Wally bore a terrifying smile, his chest pinned to the ground by Walt's knees. His voice was calm, if not tinted slightly by his trouble breathing, as he spoke.
"What do you think happens now? You kill me, destroy my machine, and get your speed back? Not that simple, Walter," Wally craned his neck upward as far as he could towards Walt's.
"It's in me. You already lost. The only way, the only chance you have of getting your powers back, is to keep me alive." He grinned devilishly, while Walt's own expression betrayed his committed sorrow.
"So do it! Destroy the only thing that makes you-"
Walt slammed the shield downward. Wally's mutilated face morphed to reflect his grim surprise, and he blurted his last noises before his eyes glossed over.
Before them, the machine whined manically for brief moment before exploding.
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Post by James Barnes Jr on Jan 15, 2017 13:44:59 GMT -6
James saw Walt glitch in and out and smiled. The Flash was fast again. That would work. Walt could handle anything that happened here now. Now, it was time for personal business. He turned his attention over to the other doppelganger as it struggled to its feet. As Walt severed the head of the other Flash, Winter Soldier spit on the ground. Cap smiled.
"Now, you get what's coming to you for the Titans and Hawkeye, not to mention all the victims of your drugs. I couldn't save your companion, and I'm not sure that I wanted to, but I'll see that you'll pay. You don't get to die."
"Do you think this is over?" The Winter Soldier yelled, blood flecked spittle flying freely. "Please. I'm walking out of here. Then I'm going to come for Lydia. I'm going to take my time with her. I can't make her like mine, but I can enjoy her for a little and take her away from you. That will..." The super soldier from a parallel universe stopped speaking and looked down. A yellow glowing sword blade protruded from his chest.
The man's mouth opened and closed for a second and then he dropped to his knees. James' focused on the being behind his own doppelganger. It looked like Martin Jordan except wearing black and gold armor and a white and gold cape.
"Oh, that's not good."
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Post by Marty Jordan on Jan 15, 2017 13:53:24 GMT -6
As Martin phased into the building, he watched Flash decapitate the Reverse Flash. That was one pain in the ass down. The Winter Soldier was ranting at his counterpart. That didn't really shock the Yellow Lantern either. He was always ranting and coming up with these half-assed plans. When Martin heard him mention Lydia, his eyes narrowed beneath the gold, pointed mask. He floated up behind Winter Soldier and stabbed him through the heart with a construct blade. No one was going to harm Lydia.
As the Winter Soldier dropped to his knees, Martin heard James speak. The Winter Soldier tried to say something, gurgling blood. Martin floated past him and shot him a look. "Listen, Soldier. The adults are talking now. Try to die quietly and as painfully as possible. We're all sick of your Game of Thrones bullshit."
The Sinestro Corps member looked to both Walt and James and held his hands up. "I'm not here for a fight. I'm more of a garbage man for my universe." He pointed to the Reverse Flash. "Sorry. I apparently got here too late to enjoy that one." He gave a shrug that said 'what can you do though'.
"Anyway, I was sent here as your ride out of here. And while I did promise a certain someone that I wouldn't kill anyone. Let me tell you. I just couldn't sit by and watch Captain America kill someone. I mean, it just wouldn't be right."
Winter Soldier gurgled again and Martin sighed. "He's actually so dumb that his brain hasn't registered that he's dead yet. It would be impressive, if it wasn't so damned pathetic." He held out a hand and fired a beam of yellow light. Winter Soldier screamed for a moment before being turned to ash and bone.
"Anyway, where can I send you gentlemen? Some place warm and tropical? Perhaps, home? I take requests."
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Post by Walter West on Jan 15, 2017 14:13:51 GMT -6
With both doppelgangers gone and the speed-dampener gone, Walt shakily rose to his feet. The appearance of the alternate Marty didn't do much for his mood, but as the he saw Winter Soldier's blood, he managed one comforting thought.
Mission's over. Another two in the hole.
He glanced towards what remained of the machine, mostly mangled and charred strips of metal and a lot of smoke. He tried to vibrate his arm. It shook one, rapidly but weakly, and then... nothing.
Walt's vision blurred.
This is it.
As the voices of James and the alternate Marty descended to background static, Walt looked up at the ceiling.
It's over. I'm finished. No more speed. No more Tower. Marty and Lydia can't know.
That was the last complete thought he managed before his mind sputtered out. He heard the yellow Marty say something about taking requests, and Walt gave out.
"F*** off," he said, and collapsed.
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Post by James Barnes Jr on Jan 15, 2017 14:27:03 GMT -6
Cap's mouth hung open as Winter Soldier turned to ash. Clearly, someone had let the Yellow Lantern version of Marty out of his box. Or maybe not. This guy still wasn't wearing a ring, but didn't seem to be letting that stop him. As he turned his attention on James, Cap braced himself for an attack. It didn't come.
He heard Walt say something before passing out. This kind of a fight was above James' pay grade. So far above that he needed a step-ladder just to look at it. A ring would have been one thing, but he was exhibiting all the signs of someone who had one, yet his was on someone posing as the Red Hood. The words processed in James' mind.
"Wait, you want to send us somewhere else?" He was working for someone. That could work to their advantage. Someone had sent this Marty to save them. It made sense. This Lantern was the informer that gave James and Walt the location of the Titans during the invasion. He had already proven himself to be an informer and that he had no loyalty to his universe's people.
James walked over to Walt and took a pulse. Flash was still alive, but his heartbeat was... normal. He looked up at the Lantern. "Alright, Jordan. Send us to the helicarrier. Do it yesterday."
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Post by Marty Jordan on Jan 15, 2017 14:37:44 GMT -6
Martin looked over at Walt as he collapsed. "Everyone is a critic."
The Lantern could sense the fear inside Captain America. The other inside him churned and begged for release. It wanted to feed and there was a perfectly good source of terror in front of him. Jordan forced control of it with his willpower. He was in charge. Not the entity. Martin shook his head and the fangs disappeared from his mouth as he felt control come back.
"I kept telling you, Flag Boy. I was only a guest here. I could leave any time I wanted. So I did." He shrugged, moving the large shoulder pads. "Lucky for everyone involved a lovely blonde asked me to help. And yellow always was my weakness."
As James opened his mouth, Marty held a hand up. "Relax. I'm leaving after this. I'm taking my ring and getting off this rock. I just wanted out of my universe. I've cleaned up the last of the trash here. She's not interested, and I don't have much interest in the rest of you. I'm going to find a nice quiet space sector and settle down."
When the Captain made his request, Martin held up a hand. "Tell Walter I owe him one for that." There was a flash of light and both men disappeared. Martin looked around at the installation. "Well, this place is a mess." He reached out with his mind and felt the ring. He tugged at it with his thoughts and emotions. He felt the Red Hood fight it and then finally it came free.
A few moments later, it floated in front of him. Martin Jordan of Earth. You have the potential to instill great fear. Welcome to the Sinestro Corps. He slipped the ring on and the armor and cape faded away to be replaced by his normal uniform. He was no longer worried about the ring. His time apart had shown him how to protect himself.
Martin rocketed into space. This time it would be different. This time, he was free.
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