[CENTER][H2][b][color=slategray]Season 2 - E P I S O D E 2: A Traitor Revealed[/color][/b][/H2][/CENTER] [Color=DARKRED][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]M E T R O P O L I S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][INDENT][sup][COLOR=SILVER]October 25[SUP]th[/SUP], 2018 - 7:45 pm | Justice League Headquarters - Metro Tower[/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT][/COLOR] [color=GREENYELLOW]"Oy, what are you complaining about? You didn't have to go do the stuff in the lower levels,"[/color] spoke up the voice of Lizard AKA Jessica. [color=GREENYELLOW]"Try attaching plumbing in the sewers? Now that is a feat worth doing..."[/color] As soon enough two pair of eyes was staring at Champion in reply. Despite being an aquatic hero, Lizard was very capable of seeing things in the darkness as well. Since often times, she needed to move in waters that were dark as oil. [color=GREENYELLOW]"Sooo....missed a rat?"[/color] she giggled, namely thinking the failure of the generator was caused by a rat snapping thorugh the wiring. [color=teal]"Ehhh... doubtful."[/color] Champion replied with a slight shrug [color=teal]"The main genny runs offa solar, but even if that kicks out, there's a conventional diesel back up that's supposed to kick in a few seconds after that to keep the lights on. So either we have a [i]very[/i] determined rat or something else is fucked."[/color] Calmly picking up his surprisingly mundane toolbox as he past by one of the little tables they had set up for the clean-up, Duncan continued, taking a mock-hurt face. [color=teal]"Funny, I didn't hear ya complain about that at dinner..."[/color] [color=GREENYELLOW]"Ah c'mon now, don't go hitting that low...make a girl feel rather bad, eh?" [/color] replied Lizard - to girl in question had grown her hair out, a bit longer. It helped in hiding her eyes whenever the two went outside. A pain to wash though and manage - but she did try to look pretty for his sake. Despite the fact, both were rural spirits - having grown up in the old countryback. Well, Jessica was more than Duncan - but she could easily handle herself on the open seas. That was if she wasn't hugging Duncan for warmth. Not good idea to take your girlfriend to Nova Scotia - when she could freeze up worse than a human in the cold air. [color=GREENYELLOW]"Still, these stuff was designed by old Bats 'n the other heroes. What could have taken it down? Beside internal sabo'age?" [/color] stated Lizard, as they headed down to the generator room. When they had some distance with Ted - she made the effort to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. Going steady for two years wasn't easy - when one looked like a walking, talking crocodile - but she made it up many times to him. Plus, her cooking wasn't half-bad. [color=teal]"Well, that'd be why it's just you, me, and the guy who helped build the damned thing going down to check on it"[/color] Duncan stated in a quieter, tactful tone as the rest of the team shrank out of view... before a slight grin tugged at the Canuck's lips and he casually wrapped an arm around Jess' waist, pulling her closer in a playful fashion [color=teal]"...Because I must say, if [i]you[/i] turn out to be the crazy alien infiltrator, then you are [i]very[/i] dedicated to your job."[/color] This past year had been... an interesting time for the lad. What with the whole, 'Joining the Justice League', 'Fighting Evil', and 'Bringing his Superhero Girlfriend to Canadian Thanksgiving things'. Yeah, it had had it's ups and many, [i]many[/i] downs, but he'd be damned if being around Jess all day didn't make it all worth it- Especially when she was snuggling up next to him for warmth. ... Honestly, he actually never actually registered the climate of his hometown as being that cold. ...And he was gonna stick to that lie like his life depended on it. Turning a corner and down some stairs towards the basement, Duncan fished a flashlight out of pocket as they reached got closer to the generator room. [color=teal]"By the by, isn't [i]your[/i] Thanksgiving coming up soon? What're we doing?"[/color] [color=GREENYELLOW]"Dunno. Thinking of perhaps taking you to visit m'a folk. Eager to try the life of a swamplander?" [/color] she chuckled - looking at him. Although, while she wouldn't mind the spiders, snakes, lizards and mosquitos due to her thick skin. It might be another deal with Duncan. [color=GREENYELLOW]"Ehehe. n'ah - not that mean with 'ya. Maybe somewhere warm. Hmm, Miami? O' jus find the nearest, empty beach...get sum food...'n a nice tent..." [/color] As she spoke those words, she simply came upto him - and her hand ghosted over his own. Turning his flashlight off for a moment. [color=GREENYELLOW]"...us...under the nightsky...and...hehe...celebrating it...like we did at your place...when everybody left the house...." [/color] After that, she relighted his flashlight - having likely turned his red as molten metal at that. [color=GREENYELLOW]"Ayg'ht - enough eye-candy les' fix these genny, 'eh?" [/color] [color=teal]"You're the boss..."[/color] Duncan chuckled slightly, even as his face turned cherry-red, remembering their [i]'festivities'[/i] even as he continued after Ted into the Generator Room, [color=teal]"Let's see what we got."[/color] Whatever good mood Jess had put him in came to an abrupt halt as he entered and smelled... [i]diesel.[/i] Not exhaust, [i]raw fuel.[/i] The grin he'd worn the entire walk down here melting off his face in a matter of seconds, the Canuck first pointed his light towards the Auxiliary Unit, quickly indentifying the source of that smell in the [i]big, gaping hole[/i] in it's side. Blown inward. Around where the [i]output[/i] cable was supposed to be. [color=teal][i]'Awww, shit...'[/i][/color] Duncan deadpanned internally as his light slowly trailed away from the Auxiliary, across the puddle of fuel it sat in, to the Main Unit, finding it mostly intact... save for the breaker panel which had apparently ejected itself from it housing and thrown itself across the room. Taking a deep, calming breath, Duncan put down his toolbox, and pulled a pack of cigarettes outta his pocket. [color=teal]"Well..."[/color] He stated, lighting up a dart and taking a drag, holding it in his teeth as he popped a few kinks out of his shoulders- a sign that he was getting ready for a fight [color=teal]"...Internal sabotage it is."[/color] [color=GREENYELLOW]"Ayeh. Well, guess we can share a shower later after this," [/color] spoke Lizard, knowing they'd be stinking of fuel for a long time - not to mention the time it would take to scrub it off them. As she quickly snatched the cigarette after his puffs, crushed it her fingers and threw it out the room. [color=GREENYELLOW]"Not the wisest thing - to be smokin' in a room full o' gasoline. You ain' Superman..." [/color] As the woman in question, quickly pulled her hair into a ponytail - to prevent it from getting tangled or in her face. Despite the fact that her hair was as tough as steel - as some idiots whom had tried to grab it or gotten hit with it can tell. Duncan, meanwhile, just sort of rolled his eyes and shook his head a little as he had his cancer-stick taken from him. [color=teal]"[i]Relax[/i], Hon; diesel's inert until under compression. I could throw a lit pack of matches in the middle of that puddle and it wouldn't do a damned thing."[/color] He snorted, clearly amused by the look in his eyes though his voice carried a slightly annoyed tone, as he gave Jess a slight wiggle of his brow and subtly scanned the room behind his girlfriend for any sign of an interloper who might take the bait his (admittedly rusty) improvisation skills laid out with this little 'Lover's quarrel' and do something that'd reveal himself [color=teal]"Wait, is this just an excuse to have the 'Quitting talk' again?"[/color] [color=GREENYELLOW]"What? What makes you say that? I thought we had gotten over this situation long ago," [/color] replied Lizard, miffed that he would bring this stuff up right now. [color=GREENYELLOW]"Plus do you think, now? Might be a good time to bring this stupid stuff up?"[/color] she added. Duncan's brow twitched slightly; either Jess was a much better actor than he was or... or... ...Or he was gonna have to buy a [i]lot[/i] of flowers later. Or dinner. Probably both. [color=teal][i]'Ahh, fuck me...'[/i][/color] He winced internally, as he kept scanning the room over Lizard's shoulder [color=teal][i]'...I'mma catch hell for this later.'[/i][/color] [color=teal]"Yeah, we [i]talked[/i] about it a while ago, but God help me I can tell we're certainly not [i]over[/i] it by the way ya look at me sometimes..."[/color] The Champion continued, screaming internally at his own voice even as he caught something out of his peripheral [color=teal]"So is this just gonna keep being a thing or- [b]Plug your ears.[/b]"[/color] With a flash, Duncan's head suddenly snapped to the right and his body quickly followed suit, his arms reeling back before shooting forward and slamming his hands together in mighty clap- a neat little trick he'd learned from the Big Blue Boy-Scout himself - that sent a sonic shockwave into the thick concrete wall with enough force to put an indent eight feet in diameter and three feet deep into it. An impressive display that was only [i]slightly[/i] negated by the fact that... [i]something big[/i] along the wall very visibly got the hell out of dodge before impact. Or... entirely negated, in that the Canuck had just pissed off his girlfriend and now had nothing to show for it. In the moment of silence that followed, Duncan cleared his throat just a [i]little[/i] bit uncomfortably before speaking up, hands still out in front of him. [color=teal]"Err... sorry 'bout that. Needed a distraction."[/color] He began with a nervous laugh, that was met by a suddenly [i]very[/i] quiet room [color=teal]"...I'm sleeping on the couch tonight, aren't I?"[/color] [color=GREENYELLOW] "Oh relax...I wouldn't intentionally milk this moment for all that I would like," [/color] spoke Lizard, going over to him and pinching his cheek - although knowing Jessica, she might as well do it. [color=GREENYELLOW] "Still...don't try that kind of distraction again...cause you know why I don't like to talk abou' that much, when I ain't working..."[/color] As to indicate, that he wouldn't be sleeping on the lonely couch - she went over and gave him a quick kiss onto his lips. [color=GREENYELLOW] "Also...what was that thing? Not to mention, how did an invisible force like that be able to kill the generator without anybody hearing it?" [/color] [color=GREENYELLOW] "Like...don' we have sensor' or sum'kind around our HQ?" [/color] she asked, stepping into the diesel, with a slightly disgusted look on her face. [color=GREENYELLOW] "I'm gonna need a show'a after this. Up for joining me later?"[/color] [color=teal]"Probably the work of our little [i]Martian Problem,[/i] sensors aren't exactly good for squat if someone goes ahead and shuts 'em off."[/color] Duncan replied, subtly letting out a little sigh, both at what he just said implied and out of relief that he had not stepped into his own grave with his little stunt, before meeting Jess' eyes with a humourous grin as his arms fell relaxed to his sides [color=teal]"...And c'mon now, yer gonna give Beetle a heart-attack talking like that."[/color] Clearing his throat and standing fully upright, the man's face shifted into a more business-like expression (even managing to stop blushing for five seconds); now they had at least [i]one more[/i] bad guy running around where they lived. Letting the rest of the team know would [i]probably[/i] be a good idea. So, he clicked on the communicator hanging off his ear and... heard nothing but static. The communicators were being jammed. Because of course they were. [color=teal]"Oh..."[/color] The coverall-clad hero stated after a second [color=teal]"...That can't be good."[/color] Lizard also checked her comm, finding it down - now they were likely in big trouble. [color=GREENYELLOW] "Generator...." [/color] she spoke, now they were in the dark and cut-off from communication. As she soon grasped onto his hand tightly. [color=GREENYELLOW] "And don' you dare let go..." [/color]