Worst Case Scenario

Chapter 33: Scorched Earth

Batman ran.

Granted, he ran a lot in his occupation, but anyone who had carefully studied his average running-in-the-direction-of-supervillains run (and indeed, there are such people) would notice some slight differences. His strides were wider, his movements less disciplined.

Such a person would get the feeling that he absolutely had to get to where he was going, that whatever was there was higher on his priorities list than saving the world.

Probably because it was.

Batman was vaguely aware that Green Arrow and Black Canary had appeared out of the darkness and taken up positions to either side of him, ready to blow away any enemies that might appear.

Miss Martian and Superboy were not far behind, all the heroes running at their top speeds.

Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado were flying ahead, sweeping for additional hostiles.

Nothing, save Sportsmaster's initial group. The rest (and there were certainly more) were likely holed up in the old Cadmus base.

Whoever was behind this had access to a lot of resources: Apokoliptan weaponry, state-of-the-art military drones, multiple cargo planes and a surface-to-air missile with the capability to take down a cloaked Martian Bioship. They had been in communication with Parasite when he had nearly destroyed Europe.

And Sportsmaster was involved. Again. That couldn't be a coincidence.

Something big was going on, and they needed to shut it down ASAP.

Since the only flight-capable heroes present had slowed down to avoid getting too far ahead, Sportsmaster's truck had outrun the group and disappeared.

"Batman, this is Watchtower" said Green Lantern over the radio. "I've got Sportsmaster on thermals. That truck has just reached the runway. There's still a C-5 there. They may be trying to take off."

"Acknowledged" said Batman, transferring the information to the others through J'onn's mental link. Red Tornado, being a robot, was not connected, but had received the transmission regardless.

"Tornado, Manhunter, intercept and neutralize the plane" the Dark Knight ordered. "The rest of us will sweep the buildings."

He swept his head back and forth, the sensors in his bat 'ears' scanning ahead for traps, bombs, cameras or hidden autoturrets (which were always annoying).

Nothing.

Either the mysterious enemy hadn't been here long or they had been very sloppy about security. And nothing about these guys had screamed sloppy.

Something was definitely wrong.

The truck reached the runway in record time. Being chased by superheroes will do that.

"Go! Go!" shouted Sportsmaster as he and the last of his men dashed up the long rear ramp. The massive plane lurched forward as it began to pick up speed.

"Everybody here?" the blue-masked mercenary asked as the rear door closed. Freeze was sitting off in a corner, still working on his torn suit. The rest of the men quickly counted among themselves.

"We're missing six" replied Epsilon.

Sportsmaster nodded in acknowledgement. "Send the signal once we're in the air."

Too bad for them.

The cargo plane was already speeding down the runway when Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado arrived.

A quick psychic sweep detected 16 humans present, though the sweep was too vague to give identities.

"Inquiry: Shall I stop it?" asked Tornado.