JAN 2003 - #7

Junta Rising: Part III A World on Fire by Toby Kernan

It is amazing, thought Mach-1, how quick things can go from great to really, really bad. One moment they had been accomplishing their assigned task flawlessly-take out some rebel forces and provide a good distraction for the second team, so they could safely extract the imprisoned King T'Challa. His team, despite the fact that they were comprised of four criminals just trying the lift a little time from the criminal sentences by doing a little 'community service', was performing exactly as needed. They had taken out a large number of rebel troops.

Now, things had started to go bad. Members of Junta had entered the fray. From what Mach-1 understood, this group was a combination of some former Suicide Squad members who were thought deceased, along with some other super-villains, and members of Quarac's national terrorist squad, Jihad. This group had swept in, without any notice, and overthrown the nation of Wakanda, spreading a reign of fire and bloodshed.

Five members of this Junta had apparently come to confront Mach-1's team. Four of them Hank Henshaw was very familiar with. Aquaduct, Powderkeg, and Rainbow Raider were all former Suicide Squad members. The fourth, Manticore, was a member of Quarac's Jihad, a beast of a creature that always seems to come back from the dead. It was the fifth member of the group that disturbed Hank, because he was an unknown wildcard. Hank had never seen him before - a tall, blonde, young looking Caucasian - but he seemed to be quite powerful, as he stood in the center of the battlefield, rather arrogantly, and yet no harm seemed to come to him.

Now, as the two teams clashed, it seemed that Jihad had gained an upper hand. Enforcer was on the ground, apparently unable to control her own armor, a victim of whatever power the mysterious blonde man wielded. Aquaduct had used his power to control water to break a waterline, and used the pressure to fire Sureshot hundreds of feet in the air. Now, the water was gone and she was plummeting rapidly to the ground. This was a serious problem, since Sureshot's armor didn't fly, and he doubted her armor could effectively shield her from harm from such a fall. Powderkeg was moving into upon Shockwave, as was Manticore upon Master Blaster. That left Rainbow Raider for Mach-1.

Priscilla didn't want to die. Nothing she had done in her life made her deserve this. She was just a girl with the gift to fire a gun and not miss. A friend had sent her to Machinesmith, who had designed her a suit of lightweight, flexible armor. It wasn't like she was an assassin or a sociopathic murderer or anything - she just had robbed a few jewelers. She had never meant to cause any harm - she just wanted to make a little cash, have a little fun. Now, she was about to hit the ground hard, and die, and this just wasn't the way she wanted to go. Not now.

Suddenly, Sureshot heard a crackling sound in her ear. Something had turned on in the armor. Something Priscilla didn't even know existed. That wasn't all that surprising, as Machinesmith was a true genius, and who knew what was inside this stuff.

<"Severe damage eminent. Savior protocol engaged,"> spoke an automated voice.

Suddenly Priscilla smiled. Her god had arrived to save her.

Commando tried to formulate a plan in his head, but things weren't exactly looking too good. The jail cell, located in basement of the Wakanda Capital Palace, which he and several others now stood in, was engulfed in flames. Next to him laid King T'Challa, bloodied and beaten. Not far away lay team member Crucible, blood pouring from a sword wound in his chest, with his assassin, Kuroko, standing above him. Three other members of his team-Blue Jay, Lady Liberty III, and Blue Jay-were trapped against a nearby brick wall, held by the powerful air currents created by Junta's Cyclone. By Cyclone's side stood the fire-starting Rustam and one of Junta's leaders, the White Wolf.

Kuroko sped across the room, away from the flames that now began to engulf Commando, T'Challa, and the dying Crucible. Commando thought to quickly escape himself, but he couldn't just leave T'Challa behind, and the man was in no condition to make a quick escape.

"You all made a big mistake . . . "

Commando turned, and saw Crucible, trying to lift himself. He could see the blood pouring from his chest

"I ain't dead yet," sputtered Crucible, "and using flame against me was pretty damn dumb as well . . . "

Suddenly, all the flames in the room seem to rise, collate into a ball in the center of room, and blast out the front of the cell in a flash.

For moments, there was silence. Commando looked around, but the hall was dark and quiet. Commando looked to Crucible, and saw he moved no more. He grabbed T'Challa and slung him around one shoulder. He put his other arm, which contained his cybernetic arsenal in front on him, prepared for anything. He looked down the left side of the hall, and saw nobody. All the villains were gone. Commando didn't see any bodies, so he assumed Rustam, with his fire-manipulating ability, must have saved them from the blast. He looked down the other side of the hall, where his teammates had been forced against the wall. Overload wasn't there, but Mist Mistress was standing next to Lady Liberty III and Blue Jay, who was at normal size.

"What is the verdict, team?" asked Commando, carrying the King alongside him.

Mist Mistress turned and spoke; "I have no idea where Mystique or Overload are. Lady Liberty suffered a few bruises and scrapes, but is otherwise fine. Blue Jay had apparently broken one of his wings, so flying is out of the question. He is in a great deal of pain, but I think he will live as well."

"Well then we need to move ourselves fast . . . "

Commando turned to see Mystique standing behind him.

"Where you been hiding, woman?" asked Commando, the contempt in his voice unmistakable.

Mystique scoffed at the notion. "I've been covering your ass, Frank. The reason they caught on is because Overload betrayed us. He ran down the hall at the first chance, probably to join them. You know they aren't going to leave us alone for long. We need to get out of here . . . "

"We just got to get back to the ceremonial room and Quartzite can pick us up, right?" asked Lady Liberty III, rubbing her bruised head.

"That isn't going to work," remarked Commando, "If Overload betrayed us, then he knows that is where we intend to go, and they will be waiting to kill us. We are going to have to get out of here some other way."

Strategic Hazardous Intervention & Law Enforcement Division was their full-length name. They were the United Nation-sanctioned global police force. It was expected that eventually they would come to Wakanda's aid, but Mach-1 figured this would be a force filled with zeal. That was because the first victim's of Junta had come not from Wakanda, but from SHIELD. Junta, in a 'rescue' of Solomon Prey attacked a SHIELD base in Egypt, then set in aflame. SHIELD lost a lot of good agents. They would want revenge.

Everybody fighting turn as the vehicles came into view. Two giant SHIELD Helibases. He watched as scores of agents came flying out of the Helibases, with personal jetpacks. This was an all-out assault.

Mach-1 looked at his team, and realization struck him.

"We have got to get out of here," cried Mach-1, over the intercom linking his team. "They don't know us from Junta. They'll think we are the enemy as well. Head for the inside of the Palace."

It seemed that the Junta members understood the gravity of the situation as well, as they all also starting running for the palace.

"What do you see, child?" asked Mystique, pushing past her, and looking for herself.

"We have serious problems," announced Mystique, turning to meet Commando's face, "SHIELD is coming, and they have a massive strike force. They are apparently NOT in a peace-loving mood. Because they are mowing through the rebel forces with extreme prejudice, and don't seem to be interested in taking any prisoners. What makes you think they are going to take the time to ask which side we are on?"

"They aren't," said Commando, honestly. "Which means our options are very limited. I don't see any choice-we are going to have to chance going to the Ceremonial Room and get a ride from Quartzite. Otherwise, we are all going to die . . . "

His team sped their movement as much as possible, running corners, praying they wouldn't meet interference. They didn't. Both Commando and Mystique couldn't help but notice that there were no Junta anywhere.

"It is good to see you guys still alive" came a voice ahead of them. Commando recognized members of Team One, and the voice of Mach-1.

"You guys alive?" asked Commando.

"Well, we lost one," replied Mach-1, "and the team is pretty banged up, but the fear of SHIELD has got them up and running. Oh, and does anybody find it a little strange that Junta looks to have ran?"

Mystique spoke up, "I don't like it. It isn't those guys style to just turn and run. I think we need to get out of here ASAP."

Commando nodded, I couldn't agree more, lets get to that Ceremonial Room, and get our ourselves long gone."

"The tallies are still coming in sir," spoke one of his generals. "We can't be too sure yet. Between those killed in Junta's assault, rebel soldiers, and now those killed in the explosions, the toll is in the tens of thousands. The explosions continue to rock Wakanda's capital. The city is all but destroyed. All of the country's finest Vibranium mines are destroyed as well. Junta has effectively destroyed an entire county and it's livelihood."

Alan Scott slammed his fist upon the table, startling several of the people present. President Scott was not known as an emotional man, and this was without a doubt, the most emotion anyone had seen from the man. His face was twisted in anger and disgust.

"And what of the members of Junta?"

"Information we have received seems to indicate that the members of Junta somehow escaped before the blasts went off. We have received word that they are hiding in Quarac, although President Marlo vehemently denies that rumor . . . "

"We did this . . . " said President Scott, almost in a whisper.

"Sir?"

"I said . . . WE DID THIS! I realize that I am just the President of this country, but I have my sources as well. I know that Raoul Bushman, White Wolf, Aquaduct, and Cyclone were all members of the accursed Suicide Squad program, that they faked their deaths, then showed up in this Junta. WE put them there. WE gave them the opportunity. THIS IS PART OUR FAULTS!"

"Sir, I don't see how . . . "

"I want it gone. Suicide Squad, I mean. I don't care if Sarge Steel and his entire Department M has to dismantled and crushed. This administration will NOT be in the business of sending criminals out to help destroy the world. All those people, all that blood, all the lives lost, WE helped do this. I WILL HELP UNDO THIS."

With that President Alan Scott threw the paperwork he had spread out before him upon the floor, and ran from the room.

"Well," said Solomon Prey, "let's examine. My greatest enemy is utterly crushed. His country lies in ruins, and we have crippled the world's supply of Vibranium. Months from now, when everybody is scrambling for the stuff, and we are the only ones that have any, we will sell it for a handsome profit. It all feels very good to me."

"That is part of your problem, Solomon," said W'Kazi, the White Wolf. "You are so petty and short-sighted in your dealings. We are now the most hated men on the entire planet. SHIELD wanted us bad before . . . now, it is only worse. There will be no place in the world where we will be able to hide . . . "

"Hide? Why," cried Raoul Bushman, throwing the empty bottle into the nearby wall, shattering it, "would we hide? We didn't get it this because we were some petty criminals, knocking off banks or turning all New Yorkers into lizard men. We are despoilers of nations. We are conquerors. We don't slink into the shadows like dogs, and hope to be forgotten, or run out and beg for forgiveness. Today, we showed the world we mean business. Junta is to be taken seriously. This is our world, and it is just ripe for the taking."

From the shadows came the fourth man in the room, President Marlo of Quarac.

"Indeed gentlemen, this is just the beginning . . . "