Judgment Day

[dr_black_light]

( Fifteen minutes to the second after his first transmission ,the live feed from Guantanamo comes on.

The first image the nations that are viewing see is Brainwave, strapped to a tree in a manner that is meant to evoke images of the crucifixion of Christ.  He is by all appearances unconscious.  An off-camera voice speaks.)

"Henry King, Jr., also

Comments

[jsaboss]

All faces are glued to the set inside the U.N. Security Council's private chambers. Then, as one, the eyes turn toward Michael Holt.

"None of this is news to this body," he says, sounding calmer than he feels. "We all know that Brainwave was under the influence of Mr. Mind at that time, and that Atom-Smasher relinqueshed his JSA membership after that affair, remainign in Khandaq. We can't let this sway us from the issue at hand -- letting the JLA and JSA into Cuba to save lives."

The Chinese ambassador's eyes tick to the screen then back to Holt.

"Several Justice Society-affiliated functionaries have acted without proper authority against Kobra to disastrous result. I'm not certain the wisdom of allowing them to do so now. What is it your people say? Who watches the watchmen

[sand_hawkins]

Offscreen, a voice is heard.

"LIES! This man is no more the avatar of Chaos than I am!!!"

Immediately, rifles raise. Before they can fire, though, he speaks again.

"I invoke the rite of challenge to prove to all followers of Kali that this man is a fraud!"

[dr_black_light]

"Do not fire." Kobra speaks calmly. The minion arming the camera moves to turn it off, but Kobra shakes his head. "The world deserves to see this."

He walks over to Hawkins. "The law that you invoke indeed exists, but you are the first to dare invoke it, as once your claims are proven wrong, you are sentenced to immediate death. Speak your peace."

[sand_hawkins]

"Gladly." Sand says, loud enough so that the camera can pick him up. "In your trial, you claimed to the world that you were a bodhisattva, an enlightened being put on this earth to enlighten others. The true bodhisattva, however, by definition, is liberated from the cycle of rebirth. Yet you claimed before the world that you are the reincarnated Naga-Naga."

"Furthermore, DNA testing will prove that that body existed WHILE the true Kobra was alive, as DNA testing will prove that body to be one of Dr. Arthur Light."

"If you feel that my claims are wrong, then prove yourself to be the one true Lord Naga. In unarmed, unpowered combat. With me. Or dare risk your standing in the world to be damaged in the eyes of those who TRULY worship Kali."

[dr_black_light]

The accusation sends shockwaves through the troops. Yet no one pulls a trigger...as at least the first of what Sand has said...the meaning of what a bodhisattva is...is true.

Kobra glares. "I will take great pleassssure in ending your life with my bare hands." He turns to Slyther. "On the sole condition that you allow Slyther to remove your access to your powers magically. In the interests of fairnesssss."

[kingofbrain]

Step one...if the backlash from the soldiers going down didn't jar him out of it, this will. Up and at 'em, Sgt. Zukov.

Whatever's happening in his brain right now...and from the brief glance he got, whatever Slyther did to him is going to leave him VERY pissed...it shuts off and begins to dissipate.

He then looks towards Diamondback and stimulates the area of her brain that induces sleep, causing her to fall down...

[jla_kobra]

...and that's all he gets.

Slyther hits him with what is in effect a psychic poison spell, causing a constant stream of pain to filter through his system...not through use of his powers, but simply because they're there.

[hotshot1280]

With no more soldiers to worry about Hotshot cuts loose with the napalm grenades, ignoring the large patches of his uniform that burn away almost instantly. The heat of the fire is like water to a man dying of thirst, and less than a second later Trevor is back on his feet covered in his own flame. The first thing he sees is Slyther, and a smile creeps across his face.

"Hey Snake-btich," Trevor says cheerfully, superheating the air around the amalgamated mage into a cyclone of flame, "Remember me?"

[caleb_z]

Caleb has experienced the passing of hours, his real life having faded from memory in favor of his ideal life. Brainwave's jarring pulls Caleb out of his nirvana, and back into reality. And as painful an experience as that is, the worst of it is those first few seconds, when the fantasy world still feels more real than the dirt beneath him, and his memories re-align themselves.

He never married Kenna. She left him before he could propose, never even aware that it was coming. He never perused the career at the museums, opting instead to pursue the supernatural to heal his sister. Who, incidentally, was too busy with the coma he put her in to become a brilliant inventor.

He’s in Cuba. With the Outsiders. Corrine is lost, and Amelia is in a psych ward. Dying.

Maroon eyes settle onto Slyther, as even his inner incubus feels a lust for blood. Caleb ignores the throbbing ache in the back of his head as he picks himself up, and violently pushes Slyther’s magic away from her, siphoning it off faster than she can summon it to her command

[sand_hawkins]

The brief glimmer of hope they had when Brainwave took the soldiers down was fading fast. They had Kobra on the ropes, but he was back, and using the full range of his abilties - both as Kobra and as Dr. Light.

The one saving grace at the moment was that Sand had the feeling that Kobra didn't remember all of the tricks and the full range of abilities his previous identity had. He was still immensely dangerous.

That's when he saw it. The flicker in the sky. For a few seconds, the haze that had been surrounding the outer island stopped.

Kobra saw it too, because he hit a button on his belt...and it was back.

Chimp, I think Travis owes you an apology. Sand thinks to himself...then makes one more desperate play. He knows they're going down without backup coming soon.

He pulls the wirepoon gun. He doesn't have his powers to guide it, he's going to have to make this shot with skill.

He fires. It hits right on his belt buckle, going into it.

And the sky flickers again.

[jla_kobra]

Kobra hisses...the next move of his leaves him open to another shot, but he doesn't care.

He envelops Hawkins in a bright globe of destructive energy and concentrates. The scream might be heard in Florida.

A second later, Sand falls, his skin awash in second-to-third degree burns.

[doctorfatejsa]

At that moment, the sky is awash with luminesence, lightning arcing into the shape of an ankh, the outline of three figures barely visible through the brilliance.

Time moved differently between planes -- moreso than they had expected. And then there was the resistance they faced when they tried to return. A lesser mage would have been completely stymied.

But he's Dr. Fate. And what little he has discerned as he destroys the barrier has made him angry.

[tefe_holland]

And Tefe knows the feel of those out there as she reconnects solidly with the Green and she's pissed off herself.

The plant elemental doesn't plan on holding back, the entire area comes alive with plants moving and grabbing everything within reach.

[kingofbrain]

At this point they hear a scream from Brainwave in their heads that could curdle blood before he can focus enough to communicate.

spell...psi...poison...hurts...like a motherfu...

[sand_hawkins]

The shout snaps Sand awake and sitting upright...then he realizes how much pain he's in and snaps back downward, even with Tefe's hea..

Tefe?

"Did...you find..." he rasps.

[tefe_holland]

ouch Hank drop Sand out of the mindlink....

"We've got her, she's kicking asses, shut up and let me heal you." She puts one hand in the center of his chest prepared to hold him down if he tries to get up any further.

[damage_girl]

With the missiles no longer an issue, Merlynne moves back towards Brainwave. A hand of light on his shoulder should start to negate the effects of the psychic poison.

She finally takes a confused look around, trying to count heads. "Where is everyone?"