JustIce League: The Malignant Uprising

Monsters and Man

There was a moment when I was walking with the members of the Justice League where I felt relieved that my torment was over. They were finally getting me out of the chaotic demands and the ruthless fighting of the Complex. My thoughts slowed as I turned to look up at Superman's bruised and bloodied face. He was still walking with confidence, eyes locked in a focused pattern, and lips drawn taut. This moment where I didn't have to run, felt right.

The voice didn't say a word.

I closed my eyes as I let go of the sinking feeling in my gut. My time with father was over.

You know, it won't be like this forever. The voice spoke in a calm and lazy tone. I never heard it speak with such emotion. Your father always knows how to get what he wants.

I sighed very quietly. Not this time.

You think that you've let go of him.

I have.

But you haven't. I know that when the time comes, you'll fight for him.

I won't.

You will. That is what you do. You were made to fight.

I-

To die. For him.

There was a silence. My throat tightened as I took in the voice's edged words. I knew what was coming next, I just didn't want it to be true.

Anger soon began to consume me again as I thought of the shots, the needles, and the useless lab rats father had created in his lab. That was the right thing to do. We needed to kill the League. It's what God wants. I need to. Father will keep me forever if I do.

******

The Commander's Ship

Amanda hastily followed the Commander's orders. She reached into the belt she had wrapped around her waist and pulled out a radio. It was small and easily fit into the palm of her hand. She placed her fingers on a switch and fiddled with a dial on the top. The radio made a high pitched sound and then followed through into a low hum. Tempest had blocked all radio waves and telepathy, but this radio ran on opposing magnetic currents and signals that allowed the Complex to communicate with each other when they were out of range from one another.

Amanda lowered her voice into a cold tone and spoke into the radio. 

"Come in Sanctum Squad." The radio only responded with static. "Sanctum Squad? Do you read me?"

The radio made gaps in the static as a confident male answered. 

"What is alive, but not dead. What is dark, but can be light. Who is it that will win this fight?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. 

"Not now."

The man on the other line laughed.

 "I'm just following orders for radio communication." The man laughed again. "Now, what is alive-"

Amanda's voice became venomous. "Enough with your riddles!" She sighed and then looked at the ceiling and mumbled, "why me? Out of all of the ones he could have hired, he chose the one who would sell to the highest bidder." She rubbed her temples. "Look, there's not a lot of time-"

"Just answer."

"Just-"

"What. Is. The. Answer?" The man asked triumphantly. 

"A ghost," Amanda lazily retorted.

"Good to hear your voice my bright and beautiful Amanda."

"I am not yours, you wordy man. Now, just activate the serum in Hawk Girl."

"You got it."

******

Edge of the Gotham City Storage Facility

We had arrived to the very edge of the battlefield. The warehouses gave way to a clearing of a desert.

"Summon the ship," Superman called to Manhunter.

My veins were flooded with adrenaline as I thought about what was going to happen. "You might want to step away from her." I gestured with my head to Hawk Girl. Everyone stared at her and then looked at me.

"Why?" Flash looked me up and down and crossed his arms. 

"There might be a slight chance of something bad. " I shrugged my shoulders and gave them an innocent look with my eyes. All of the conflicting emotions I had over this long fight seemed to get left behind as my purpose came into light. Use this vulnerability against them.

The Commander would be proud of this.

Finally.

Superman rushed toward me and grabbed me by the collar of my uniform. "What's going to happen?"

I flashed the Commander's ruthless smile. 

"Oh, you know, a little bit of," I lunged at his face and growled, "Frankenstein." 

Superman dropped me in surprise. I gave them a vile laugh and smiled again as I looked at their bewilderment.

"Flash! Get her out of here!" Superman ordered.

"It's a bit late for that," I crooned as I saw Hawk Girl's knees tremble.

Superman's eyes widened as he turned to see Hawk Girl collapsing to the ground. She was on her hands and knees, panting.

Everyone stared at her muscles moving under her skin. They rippled faster and faster, making her skin look like it was boiling. A large snapping sound averted everyone's eyes to her spine. It jerked up with the sound. A lump began to grow on her spine as it grew longer and scalier with every waking moment. 

Everyone stood frozen as they saw Hawk Girl become a monster.  

Her arms began to double their size, adding more muscle with each jerk of the skin. Her finger's grew long and slender as they formed into black talons. Her feet did the same thing in an uglier manner. Her wings grew bigger and pointier as Hawk Girl's moans raged on louder. Hawk Girl's head jerked up at them. Everyone could see that her neck was long and that her eyes were black. Her moans became roars as she bared her teeth to show that they were long and sparkled like knives.

Hawk Girl's convulsing stopped and she kept her same raggedy gaze on the team. She stood up only for the League to find that she was three times their height with a long tail that resembled a dragon. She widened her talons as she locked eyes with the team.

Hawk Girl was no longer a hero. She was a villain, and the biggest monstrosity anyone had ever laid eyes upon.

Flash looked at me with sadness and pain buried deep in his stare.

"What have you done?"

"What didn't you do?" I smiled at him as the high shriek of the monster pierced the air. "You made this happen, Flash, not I."