Justice League: Vertigo

Chapter 6: The Suicide Squad

Adam didn't get a bike. He preferred to run; gotta keep fit to stay in this gig. Even though he wasn't as fast as Kid Flash or any of the speedsters, he was sure as hell faster than a motorcycle. And besides, he did have more stamina than KF. He saw Zatanna drifting towards him. They had about 10 miles to Coast City so she doubted the truck was anywhere near. "So Adam, where are you from?" Asked Zatanna. "From a land far, far away." "How far?" "You go 7 dimensions, then make a left." She giggled."Wow. What's it like there?" "Its an apocalyptic future where Superman has killed almost all of Earth's civilization." He said, with a toothy smile. Zatanna's smile faded."Its amazing how you can still smile after such a traumatic experience." His facial expression didn't changed."Well, life goes on." "My dad was taken from me by Doctor Fate." Said Zatanna, trying to smile but couldn't pull it off. "If it makes you feel any better, I put a sword in the chest of the Doctor Fate in my dimension." "What!?" She gasped."Why?!" "Hey, he tried to kill me first. In that world, it was 'Survival Of The Fittest'." "I guess so. Then yes, it does make me feel better." She laughed. They were pulled out of conversation when a bomb exploded under Adam's feet. He was thrown into the air, by the force and flipped over in the air, landing on his face. Zatanna rushed over to help him. His leg was bleeding. He grabbed a part of her shirt. "May I?" He asked. "Ummm...sure." He tore out a part of her shirt and used it ad a bandage. "That was a plastique! I'm surprised you didn't lose your leg...." "Well that's what the invulnerability is for." She helped him up. "I can't run, so can I hitch a ride." "Sure." He got on and they set off. "Watch out for more...." She was cut off as a fireball from Adam's hand flew across her face, and hit the asphalt. It gave out a large explosion as it hit another plastique. "Nice shot." They could now see the truck. "Stop here." He said. "Why?" "The element of surprise." She stopped and they got off. "Tell me you know a teleportation spell." He pleaded "Without the ingredients, I can't." She sighed. "Well then, old fashioned way it is." He suddenly picked her up, and started chasing the truck. As he approached it, he jumped unto the roof. "A warning would be nice next time, here face looking like a strawberry." "OK. Take out the driver. I'll deal with the Vertigo." Zatanna went to the front of the truck. Adam was about to punch a hole in the roof of the top, when a man in red and white swung to the top, using the momentum of the swing to kick Adam of the truck. Adam was now standing on the side of the truck. His while left leg stung but he sucked it up and climbed to the top. "Who are you supposed to be?" Asked Adam. He observed his opponent. The man obviously had a bulletproof vest and was wearing Kevlar. He also had a scope one his right eye and a contraption on his right wrist. "They call me Deadshot." The man had readied himself to fight. "What's with the scope? Are you into bird watching or something?" Deadshot grunted and pointed Deadshot grunted "What's with the eye-binoculars? Are you a birdwatcher or something?" Deadshot grunted and pointed his hand towards Adam. "Fist bump." Adam said as he tried to give Deadshot a fist bump. Suddenly, a bullet came out from the contraption. Adam dodgied it by a centimetre. " 'Thought we were friends, dude." He dodged some more bullets and attacked Deadshot. He threw a punch and as Deadshot dodged it. He stepped into his guard and gave him an uppercut, making him fly off the truck. "Have a safe flight." The truck came to a stop as Zatanna came back to Adam, her hair scattered and part of her sleeve torn." "You look like you were just noogied by Ethopian ragamuffin." Said Adam. "Such words of encouragement." She says. He puched a hole in the roof of the truck. As the hole was opened, a red-haired woman stuck a plastic, bigger than his torso on his chest. Adam didn't even panic. He remembered the damage done by the plastiques on the road, and those were the size of his finger. This would be much worse. He mustered as much energy has he could in his legs and jumped, he loudly grunted as a tendon ripped in his damaged leg, but he kept elevating. Then Adam felt a great pain everywhere as his bomb attached to his torso detonated.
-----------------------------------------------------------------Zatanna watched as her new friend blew up. She put her hand over her mouth and gasped. The red haired woman found an opening and punched her in the stomach, then threw her over her shoulder. If she couldn't save Adam, she could at least complete the mission. The girl threw another bomb and, but Zatanna made a fist out of magic and grabbed the bomb. She then threw it in the sky. She levitated the girl then hit her on the asphalt. Once, then twice. Just to blow off some steam. She bound the girl in magical chains and backtracked the truck, looking for the girls accomplice. The man tried to get the jump on her by playing possum. When she was about ten feet again, he stood up and tried to shoot her. Before he could pull the trigger, her reflexes came into action and she opened a small portal in front of her, where the bullets entered. A second later, she opened the portal behind his left leg and the bullets came flying out and hit him in the legs. He sunk to one knee and she kicked him in the face. He also bound him in chains and dragged him to his partner.
----------------------------------------------------------------Adam felt the impact of the drop all too well as he landed headfirst on the floor. He was bleeding everywhere. He tried to cough, but his lungs were destroyed and he started choking on his blood. He turned himself to the side and a river of blood came out of his mouth. He promised himself not to die until the Superman in his dimension was killed. He closed his eyes and the tattoos on his elbows shone orange. He was transmitted into a familiar dark place. He was in his own mind. Two gigantic silhouettes faced him. They were dragons. The Phantom Dragon stepped out of the darkness. "That girl is nice." It said.

"That's not what I came here for." Said Adam.

"So, you think you can waltz in here anytime you get injured?" Said the Phoenix Dragon as it stepped out of the darkness.

"I was seriously offended when you said that you are our masters." Said the Phantom, who was the calmer one. The Phantom Dragon was electric blue with sharply tipped wings. It was the rationaland one in their team. That's why. his power over electricity is less destructive, but has many ways it could be used tactically.

The Phoenix Dragon was a red and

aggressive animal that always fought for

control over him. He enjoyed ending lives, that's why his power is so destructive.

The dragons shrunk down and changed into their human forms. The Phoenix Dragon was now a curly haired man with a 5'oclock shadow , while the Phantom was a tall woman with voluminous blonde hair.

"Do you think they would allow an unstable demon into their team."exclaimed Adam

"Don't try to flatter me with compliments. We'll heal you, but we will only he'll when we want to." The Phoenix growled.

"Thank you."

The Phoenix Dragon leaned in closer and whispered into his ear: "I saw the way you looked at that girl earlier. If I ever see an emotional weakness like that ever again, I swear, I will take control and I...will...kill...her. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Then off with you." He kicked Adam in the chest, and Adam was falling down a bottomless pit of darkness.

He woke up with a deep breath. He was breathing heavily as he stayed on is back for a few more seconds. He then stood up and wrapped his scarf around his right arm then went to look for Zatanna. He jumped a great distance and landed on his feet and he kept doing this when he saw Zatanna waiting for support, with their targets bound in magical chains.

"Adam!" She gasped. She came up to him and hugged him. "I thought you were dead."

"I'm not that easy to kill."

He just realized that he was shirtless. The bomb had destroyed his shirt and hoodie. So much for indestructible clothing, but his scarf was different. As long as he was alive,  it would not be destroyed. She pulled away once she too noticed. For the third time today, he had made her blush. She kept looking at his exposed chest when Adam had to clear his throat to get his attention.

"My eyes are up here."

She playfully smacked him, when she noticed the tattoo on his right and left upper arms.

"Those are the marks of th Phantom and Phoenix Dragons."

"Its nothing; their just silly tattoos."

She walked behind him and saw a tattoo that extended from his neck to the bottom of his torso. A tattoo of a twisting dragon.

"Your The Herald Of The Demon Dragons."