Justice League: Vertigo

Chapter 22 - Adjustments

The Team was discussing the things they learned from the Light.
"So now, we know for sure that they are the ones that killed Superman." Said Robin. "But what are they going to do next?." He asked.
"They said something about the watchtower." Artemis answered.
"When Adam and I had a vision of the future, there was an army of bad guys surrounding the League in the watchtower." Said Zatanna.
"So they are trying to destroy it." Astrid said.
"The quickest way to do that is probably by hitting the fuel cells." Said Wally
"No." Replied Adam." The watchtower isn't powered by fuel cells. It is powered by nuclear fission. So the beat way to stop it is probably to add a large amount of oxygen to make it burn out of control. "
Everybody stared at Adam.
"What? I have a lot of time on my hands. That's why I hacked the watchtower and studied the schematics."
"I will tell Batman about this. Good work Team." Said Kaldur as he zeated out.
And with that, the meeting was over and everyone went back to their lives.
"Hey Adam." Said Robin. 'Could I take a look at those schematics?"
"Sure. Their in my room."
Adam took Robin to his room and immediately Robin came in, he gasped.
The walls were filled with all sorts of contraptions, the floor had a newly knitted carpet and on the ceiling, was an incredible pastel mural of two dragons.
"Dude, you've been without your powers for two weeks, and your already out of control."
"Well, when I'm not fighting two creatures for complete dominance of my own body, I'm quite a productive person. Adam brought out the schematics from a drawer and Robin tried to anticipate where the Light would attack from.
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"Why does he have his scarf on all the time? Even when it's hot out" Zatanna asked Astrid. They've been talking about random things, but this recently came to Zatanna's mind.
"Cause our dad gave that to him. Right before he died..." Astrid replied.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. When Ryder found us, he helped Adam put a spell on it to make it indestructible. So Adam could preserve it forever."
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Adam was getting hot. He had never really experienced that before but now he felt like he was on fire (which about a month ago would be a good thing for him). He found out that it was his scarf that was generating it. It then started to catch fire. Adam shouted in agony and threw it off him.
"Adam, what's wrong?" Asked Robin.
"I have no frickin clue." He replied as the scarf started floating. It was not on fire, but the runes on it began to glow. It then flew out of the room.
"What the fu...!" Shouted Astrid, as it flew past her face.
"Why is your scarf flying?" Asked Zatanna.
"No frickin clue. But I think we should follow it" Said Adam. If flew to where the bikes and vehicles go in and out, and just in time, the gate opened for Artemis and the scarf flew past her.
"Hi Artemis." Said Adam who ran past her and chasing the scarf, with Robin, Astrid and Zatanna.
"Bye Artemis." Said Zatanna.
They chased the scarf for about a mile and they were getting tired until it stopped at an abandoned construction site and fell to the floor. Adam picked it up and wrapped it around his neck again.
"A secret entrance, maybe." Zatanna said. They started feeling around the walls for something of importance. After some minutes Robin pushed a brick and it sunk in, activating a mechanism which lifted a part of the stone floor and revealed a ladder.
"Down the rabbit hole, huh." Said Robin.
They climbed down the ladder and where some kind of shrine. Immediately Adam feet touched the ground, the scarf was at it again, this time, dragging him along by the neck.
"Guys!" Adam shouted as he was scraping his face on the wall as the scarf pulled him.
"Again with the running." Whined Astrid, as they chased him down. They were closing in on the end of the cave. In front of them were five of the hooded men with two of the tall big fighter guys. They had formed a circle around the amulet which was on a small pillar and were chanting. The scarf threw Adam in the middle of the pillar on top of the amulet. The men all stared at him.
"Howdy." Adam said awkwardly. He then picked up the amulet and tried to run away, but he was grabbed by one of the big men. He was about to kill Adam, but was stopped by one of the cloaked men.
"We will use him as a host for Trigon, as he builds up his own body."
"Hold up. It's already to crowded in here."
Zatanna, Robin and Astrid had finally caught up with them.
"I'm only going to say this once." Said Astrid. "Drop him." She was holding a rusty chain that she picked up on the way. The big man just stared at her. She charged at the man holding Adam, while Robin and Zatanna went for the other one.
Astrid kicked the man in the chest, but he didn't flinch and he grabbed her by the neck. Adam used the opportunity to poke the guy in the eye. He lost concentration and Astrid flipped behind him and started choking him with the chain.
"Dirty fighting, Adam." Said Robin as he dodged a punch from the big man.
"If you ever pegged me as a gentleman, then you're horribly mistaken."
The man looked as if he was given in, but he broke the chain and caught Astrid in a bear hug. She lost consciousness after some seconds in his grasp.
"She will do even better. She has not been invaded by any other entity. Take her instead.
"Sorry, but no." Said Adam. He tried to punch the man, but he caught his punch and headbutted Adam, causing his head to bleed. Adam got up and tried to attack again. The man started shooting bolts of energy Adam was dodging them until one hit him in the chest. And again in the stomach. Adam again crumpled to the ground. He was in agony, nut he couldn't let them take Astrid, so he tried to stand up. The man brought his foot down on Adam's back, and this time, Adam stayed down.
The other man grabbed both Robin and Zatanna and hit them on each other, then threw then to the ground.
They opened a portal and walked out of the cave. Robin tried to go in, but it had closed by the time he got there.
"Astrid!" Adam shouted.
Robin and Zatanna helped him back to base and he was taken to the infirmary.