The Clocktower, Blüdhaven

[zinda-blackhawk.livejournal.com]

Zinda's thankfully brief flight back to the East Coast from Colorado wasn't as eventful as the trip from Nevada last night; but she almost wishes it had been if only to take her mind off the fact that she just left a partner behind. But Canary told her to get these little technocritters back to the boss lady, and no matter what, she didn't break a promise.

Navigating in the air is one thing, navigating this dump of a city is another entirely. She takes a wrong turn three times before finally seeing the familiar clockface that graces the Bludhaven skyline. Not even a nice place to visit, never mind live here, Zinda thinks once more as she approaches the door and announces her presence via the traditional method of the doorbell; though she's acutely aware that there are several cameras trained on this section alone. She waves up at the most obvious one.

"Just me, boss lady. I got a package for ya."

And maybe I'll still have a job when I leave, she silently adds.

Well secluded, I see all...

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Francis Kane has never had an easy time of it. Confined to the Keystone Home for the Criminally Insane, she's spent the last few years making a slow recovery. The collar on her inhibits her abilities with magnetic fields, and (along with it) the mania that caused her to become a criminal and a murderess.

There are a lot of anti-psychotic drugs in her system, but she's worked her way up to having enough "good girl points" to read the Bible in the chapel by herself.

Goddess in Progress

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

The toga party look does wonders for my tits, but does zilch for the rest.

Tara Markov started out as the illegitimate daughter of a monarch, managed to connive her way into metahumanity, slept and stabbed her way up the ranks, and scored the job of jobs from her then-current screw, Deathstroke.

Infiltrate the Titans, aka the "Junior Justice League," play the part of the cute and cuddly innocent (which frankly wanted to make her gag), and lead 'em right into a trap. Reward would be more money than Markovia had for GNP and a few less overpowered idiots to deal with.

Now, no job came without its snags. In Tara Markov's case, it...he...had a name. There was no good or bad reason why he managed to piss her off still. She could just as easily claim that she was just in San Francisco on her new job. Hades was SUCH a sucker, and the Nerd Queen he lost to wasn't interested in keeping her around, and left her to her own devices for the most part.

Suits me just fine.

The Croutex cult was so cliche, but what a cover and what a buzz! Goddess of Chaos sure had perks better than most of her jobs. Now, she was just having a little bit of fun, turning all the street lights green at a major intersection. Ooooh, that's gotta hurt. Maybe someone got killed this time.

Unacceptable

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

In the presidential palace, General Alberto Fuentes, the leader of Costa Linda, is angry. No, he is furious. Reports have come to him that someone is snooping around, asking questions about his country and about that pest Reyes. More than a someone, an American. With a half-billion dollars in cocaine ready to ship to the United States and Europe, he cannot afford snoops.

The American must be silenced. He calls one of the local drug lords, and instructs him to take care of things, make certain that his death is blamed on the would-be revolutionaries that support Reyes' old regime.

As Ollie is leaving his hotel to take a taxi to the airport, four men are waiting to ambush him. In the taxi, the driver sits white-knuckled, afraid for the American, afraid to speak.

Meanwhile, back in the office

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

Somewhere around 10:00 AM, Bruce Wayne, immaculately attired and more than a little jovial, exits his limo in front of the Wayne Enterprises headquarters and waves to the members of the press gathered to record his return to work after the escapades in the Caribbean. Questions are called to him with regards to his relationship with Selina and with Diana, but those he answers with a grinning, "Nothing unusual about me in the company of beautiful women, is there?" before passing inside.

Margaret, his executive secretary, is greeted with a kiss on the cheek and a pair of pearl earrings to thank her for holding down the fort so well, and then Bruce disappears into his office to relax his face muscles from all the smiles.

All right, some of them weren't feigned. He likes being back at his father's company.

The amount of work waiting for him is monumental but not overly so - his staff does do a good job when he's away - but a post-it note is sitting atop his phone messages: "Balbo the Boy Magician: Look it Up. Love, Boston B.

Bruce sits back, pinches the bridge of his nose. "I hate that guy."

Dreaming...

[demonshead.livejournal.com]

Bear’s Ear Mountain.

It’s been a long climb. Treacherous winds and icy cliffs have nearly sent him plummeting to his death. He has almost succumbed to the temptation to let go. To let death take him. It would be so easy to let go.
Tenacity and will push him onward however and finally he reaches the snow swept summit. The cave is before him. The one he meditated in so long ago. It is not empty this time. A monk sits within, his back to the cave mouth opening, still in peaceful mediation.

He drops to his knees and makes the sign of supplication.
”Master. I have come a long way and have traveled through much darkness to this place.”

The monk’s head moves slightly.
“Why have you done that?”


Bowed head, he replies,
“Once I was a teacher. I was a man of peace and healing. I studied and meditated for long years and passed on what I learned to those who would learn from me. I held Wisdom and Compassion as my most valued virtues. Then in my quest to understand I fell into hubris. I fell from enlightenment. I discovered the secret to immortality, or so I thought. I did not seek it for myself, or so I believed. I wished to remain in this world so that I might help others, so that I might have more time to bring harmony to man and to the world. In time I lost sight of my original purpose. At some point I decided that the world needed to be saved from men.
I traveled a long road of death and destruction, thinking I was trying to save the world. I thought my work was one of compassion, compassion for the world, to be it’s voice when it could not speak out for itself, but in truth I had become a demon.”

He holds his head in his hands.

“Then I was cast down. I nearly destroyed the world and murdered millions. I want to atone. That’s why I’m here. I want to attain enlightenment.”


The monk laughs.
“If you attain anything at all, it's conditional, it's karmic. It results in retribution. It turns the Wheel. As long as you're subject to birth and death, you'll never attain enlightenment. To attain enlightenment you have to see your nature. Unless you see your nature all this talk about cause and effect is nonsense. Buddhas don't practice nonsense. To say he attains anything at all is to slander a buddha. What could he possibly attain? Even focusing on a mind, a power, an understanding, or a view is impossible for a buddha. A buddha isn't one sided. The nature of his mind is basically empty, neither pure nor impure. He's free of practice and realization. He's free of cause and effect. “

He frowns slightly. True words, but strangely familiar.

“I wish only to atone. I have wrestled with what to do. What deeds can I perform to perhaps in some way change the path of my karma.”

The monk raises a finger and answers.
“The sutras of the Buddha contain countless metaphors. Because mortals have shallow minds and don't understand anything deep, the Buddha used the tangible to represent the sublime. People who seek blessings by concentrating on external works instead of internal cultivation are attempting the impossible.”


His eyes are cast down.
“Is there nothing to be done?”

The monk waves away the question.
“The mind's capacity is limitless, and its manifestations are inexhaustible. Seeing forms with your eyes, hearing sounds with your ears, smelling odors with your nose, tasting flavors with your tongue, every movement or state is all your mind. At every moment, where language can't go, that's your mind. “

He begins to reply and then the scene changes...

Watchtower

[last-joke-x.livejournal.com]

And with that handshake and exchange of names, Jason stands up and blinks a few times as if getting something to mind first. A moment is all it takes as he changes into some street wear that's more along the lines of what he'd wear. Coming out of the temp quarters, he's not so much planning to head back for a full workout, but more to just beat the punching bag around more. This time more to clear his head then to release some type of inner strife.

A long over due reunion.

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

There are not many people who can just walk in to Talia Head's office at Lex Corp. There are guards and security systems and many thigns which are specifically in place to keep her protected from everything she might well not want to deal with in her day to day dealings.

Unforunately for Talia, there are people she knows who are more than capable of handling such 'issues' and to an extent enjoy doing so.

It is difficult to tell how long Shiva has been here - waiting for Talia when she enters the office. The guards are on the floor - possibly dead, possibly just unconcious or in some state in between. The other woman is sitting in a chair, politely waiting.

And no. She doesn't have an appointment.

(no subject)

[light-to-guide.livejournal.com]

Crushing the newly emptied soda can and tossing it in the trash Kyle began to make his way in the direction of the Medbay. Undoubtedly, Red wouldn't be there since they had a hard enough time convincing him to wait to be cleared, let alone to keep him in bed. The wait was over now though, and the trio might finally be able to go and get some answers. The longer they waited; after-all, would just giving the Manhunters more time.

Cry for Vengeance: Turning the knife.

[dr-black-light.livejournal.com]

Dr. Light was heading for one of the "operating rooms" that Sivana used to work his experiments. It was particulary fascinating to see the work that he had been doing with the so-called "Captain Nazi", taking variants and aspects of Venom and Velocity 9 and 10 to "home grow" some treatments to get Nazi up to a level where he could go toe to toe with Captain Marvel and Power Girl. The results would be soon enough. Right now, though, he had to walk away from the viewing of the Black Canary to fulfill a bargain.

He walked into the room, where Psimon, Sivana and Enchantress already were. Light nodded to the foursome, then looked at the person who was laying on the table and had a broad grin. "I see you were successful, Doctor. I trust the getaway, as it were, was clean?"

She's only a bird in a gilded cage....

[http://users.livejournal.com/_black_canary_/]

Salad. She doesn't trust it. Maybe it's poisoned. Maybe it's not. Maybe he got all traditional on her and used a raw egg. With salmonella. Or maybe it's just the really cheap-ass bottled dressing.

But the lettuce.... Dinah plucks out a piece of Romaine that is relatively free of dressing, and shakes it clean. Setting it on one end of her cot, she stretches out on her stomach, resting her hands on her fists, staring at the lettuce.

The JSA comes to Las Vegas.

[midnite-md.livejournal.com]

The jet approaches the Vice Mecca in Nevada under most any radar's detection.

Mr. Terrific is piloting, Dr. Mid-Nite is 'second chair,' and Taz is along for the ride, some handy muscle to have around, since they're pretty sure they'll be walking into traps.

The likelihood of any clues being left behind isn't promising... but it's definitely worth the try.

She's definitely worth the try.

(no subject)

[laughing-mage.livejournal.com]

The feeling things were going wrong just wouldn't be ignored, then the telly had tuned into a broadcast about a gang related shooting in broad daylight. More horrific than normal and there was a shot of the victim.

Dani. Very dead and splashed all over the media at the ferocity of the killing. And that feeling that bad things were coming just hadn't gone away, if anything it had gotten worse.

He started making calls.

Before too long he was sitting in his room with the cell phone that Zee had given him feeling numb and in need of a drink. Too many people hadn't checked in, Chas' taxi building had been bombed with him in it, Marj was dead and Mercury was in a coma after whatever had attacked them. Clarice, Detective Watford the list just keeps going on and on. Someone's declared war on John's friends and they seem hell bent to wipe them out completely.

And in Belfast Kit isn't answering her phone.

He's talking on the phone with the airlines as he runs out the door to catch a cab to the airport.

D.E.O. offices

[taliahead.livejournal.com]

Talia Head, CEO of LexCorp has an appointment with Director Bones of the D.E.O.

She sits in the foyer sipping a coffe as she reviews some recent work on her laptop that has come across her desk.

A sleek briefcase rest next to her as she waits and several LexCorp security officers stand nearby in case they are needed.

(no subject)

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Well the candle light vigil went well but she just doesn't seem to be able to keep Wonder Woman in bad press. It is beginning to get frustrating how quickly and easily these sheep let these things slide and slip back into complacency.

Circe was beginning to wonder just what she had to do to start a war here.

She lounged with a sigh to look into her scrying pool, looking at her daughter Lyta. The faint smile as she watched her daughter betrayed that there actually was love there and a desire to have her back but it turned to a frown as she saw those cow amazons teaching her to shoot a bow and continuing their moral corruption of her child.

This had to stop.

Soon she would be reduced to more open tactics if something could not be made to change.

A package:

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

The JLA gets massive amounts of fan mail every day. Much of it is for specific heroes, such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, or even Zauriel.

But it's uncommon for mail to come addressed to "Sue Dibny and Tazmanian Devil." Particularly a package. A large package. As a result, such a package stands out.

The return address is in New York.