[center][color=darkgray][b][sub]E P I S O D E  S E V E N :  A N T I T H E S I S [/sub][/b][/color][b][color=bf2628][sup][h1]GALA NEMESIS[/h1][/sup][/color][/b][/center][center][url=https://youtu.be/G6RyV_KY3W4?si=zmJ1QkxXVpirdrUu]SOUNDTRACK[/url][/center]
[COLOR=bf2628][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]M O U N T  J U S T I C E [/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][sup][color=darkgray]October 21[sup]th[/sup], 2021  |  09:05am.  |  Mount Justice, Happy Harbor[/color][/sup][/INDENT][/INDENT]

With the perfect beach adventure behind them, a paramount mission briefing was primed and ready for the Team the following morning. Once all were gathered and seated in the mission briefing room, Black Canary entered the room while Batman patched in on the overhead monitor.

[color=slateblue]“Good morning, Team.”[/color] Black Canary greeted with a head nod, a slight smile on her face— warm, but not [i]too[/i] friendly.

[color=slategray]“Good morning, Team. As you are aware, your primary focus is Kobra’s manufacturing, testing, and distribution of their latest strain of Kobra Venom. Your previous missions have tackled all but the latter…”[/color] He let the Team absorb that for just a beat. [color=slategray]“However, success in the following mission will give us a lock on who is expected to receive the drug.”[/color] The screen display shifted, showing a satellite image of a remote island in the South Pacific, with Batman’s window shrinking down into the bottom right corner of the screen.

[color=slategray]“Isla Serenata is the location of this year’s Gala Nemesis. This private event is particularly hosted and attended by several criminal entities as a means of networking, marketing, and negotiations. However, many attendees are invited to attend simply due to their wealth and status. We have a strong lead that Kobra will be in attendance to seek a potential buyer for their new Strain of Kobra Venom. You’ll be there to find out who, while disguised as attendees. Some of you will be undercover as a group of spoiled affluent teens who were able to get by wealth alone, while others of your team will serve as your bodyguards who happen to be lesser-known criminals trying to upstart their careers. Sticking to your cover is the most important objective of this mission, as you will be amongst some of the most dangerous people on the planet.”[/color] 

[color=slateblue]“And that is where I come in, team. I was informed about the details of this gala and have already begun the prep work for each of your temporary identities… with some help, of course.”[/color] She happily dipped her head toward the monitor. [color=slateblue]“Likewise, some of you have a bit of experience in the shoes of some of these identities.”[/color] Her eyes darted to select members of the team.  [color=slateblue]“For those who lack that, consider Iceburn, Metamorph, Quiver, and Rain as my assistant coaches for the roles you will assume. Iceburn, Metamorph, Mirage, Nymph, and Zatara will be our wealthy, spoiled brats. Will, Viktor, Cora, and Vincent will be our bottom-rung evildoers. We’ll only have two days to get all of you ready for this.”[/color] She nodded to Batman, who continued.

[color=slategray]“Aside from your identities, at the gala, you will be accompanied and assisted by an agent intimate with the underbelly of international crime. Origami, an information broker… Her criminal reputation will be what strongly validates your presence at the gala, and her expertise in intelligence collection is something the Team requires for this mission, but be aware… she is [i]not[/i] doing this out of the goodness of her heart. She is not a member of your team, and you should consider her a potential risk to your true identities. Simply treat her as a necessary [i]and[/i] temporary ally.”[/color] Another pause followed, but he was also expecting questions from the members of the Team and was quick to expand upon the fact that the team would not only be working as a criminal element, but they would also work alongside a tried and true criminal during this mission. 

[color=slategray]“As for Origami's motives to participate and the Justice League’s motives for allowing this… Despite her criminal history, Origami is a teenager who has been determined to have been targeted by an organization that sought to use her as an unwavering asset. Many of you are familiar with such circumstances, and some of you have experienced them firsthand. Origami has requested much-needed leniency for her past crimes in exchange for providing her expertise. She sees this as a trade of services,”[/color] he said with eyes narrowing, [color=slategray]“we see it as an opportunity for her to get exposed to peers using their abilities and skills to help others while doing some good in the world. Still, this does not overwrite what I mentioned previously about applying caution.”[/color] His pause was deliberate, allowing the Team to take all that had been briefed for a moment. [color=slategray]“If there’s any input needed or anything that needs clarity, you’re welcome to speak.”[/color]