All villains are equal, but some are more equal than others

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Alcatraz was cracked open and the prisoners spilled free eagerly, but not everyone was spirited off the Rock. Some prisoners had only themselves to blame for that: they were too distracted by the chance to take revenge against the guards or the prison itself to grasp the larger freedom that awaited them across the Bay. As for the rest of the population....

A select few were taken directly to the mainland.

Many others were supplied with inflatable rafts equipped with small lightweight engines.

Some were given inflatable rafts and a set of oars.

Others, either through desperation or cunning, headed for the prison's own docks, where official motorboats awaited those able to overpower the guards.

The warden barricaded himself in his office and continued to sound the mayday, hoping that some help--any help--would arrive soon, before the Rock crumbled into the waters.

Comments

[blackknightone.livejournal.com]

He was alone on the teleport pad of Titan's Tower. Lights flashed all around as if some kind of Alarm had been set off. In the distance he could hear some radio traffic, but it all sounded like incoming traffic. On a teleport pad next to find was something he didn't expect to see. A gold and black Checkmate uniform, complete with mask and holsters. Having spent several months in prison he was numb to the idea of stripping off his clothes in public. He ripped the prison garb from his body and slipped on the mutant spandex of his old profession. He had lost wieght so it didn't fit perfectly, but who cared! Oracle was even considerate enough to remember he wore a Flak jacket with the uniform.

"Hello!" he called out once he was finished, "Hello! Anyone here!" He walked into the hallway, looking for anyone who could tell him why he had been called here.

[oracle-watching.livejournal.com]

A monitor high on the wall, just a few feet ahead of him, flickers to life.

The images show him footage from Alcatraz: the breached walls, the cell doors open wide, closeups of nullifier collars lying broken on the floor.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

The Titans rematerialize at the landing pad on top of Titans Tower, along with their jet.

It's time to go to work.

Five minutes to resupply, people! Then we're heading out!

While they're doing that, Nightwing heads to command central to deploy the experimental containment field that Cyborg's been working on. It won't catch the criminals already a certain distance out, and its effectiveness on magic users hasn't been tested; but it should at least help stem the tide.

Five minutes later, the Titans are reconvened on the rooftop, and he's had time to come up with some semblance of a plan.

Okay, folks. Fliers, take point. Hope you all have your rebreathers, because I'm going to dump pepper spray and nauseating gas into the fray down there first to help make our jobs a little easier. Don't worry too much about the swimmers and rafts unless they make it through the experimental containment field that's about a quarter mile off the island's coasts.

Kory, Nightstar, I need you to lay down some covering fire while we land. Everyone, watch each other's backs. This place is no picnic, but I don't need to tell you that. Pair up, and watch out. Find the powerhouses and take them down any way you have to. Call for help if you need it.

Good? Okay, let's move out!

[starfire-kory.livejournal.com]

Starfire launches, speeding towards the mainland.

[kidflash2.livejournal.com]

Bart's not talking much - his throat still hurts, even after the speed-healing. He nods in response to Nightwing's instructions, and takes off, running across the water.

[jessequick.livejournal.com]

Jesse is in the air, racing toward trouble with rebreather and goggles firmly in place. At the speeds she's capable of showing in flight, she wants nothing to do with the stuff Nightwing intends to use to thin out the numbers. "Incoming," she mutters to hereslf, fists forward.

The wind does not feel great against the swollen lump that is her left cheek, but what the hell. From what she saw in the Watchtower, she got off light.

No pun intended at all.

[jla-alcatraz.livejournal.com]

As she nears the mainland, the wind picks up abruptly. She can smell ozone just before lightning leaps towards her.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

Above the waters of the Bay the Titans jet flies low and fast, delivering a hefty payload of pepper spray and nausea-inducing gas over the escaping prisoners still trying to get to the mainland. It's hard to work on escaping if you can't see and you can't stop throwing up.

It's going to be messy work once the jet lands on the coast; prisoners mixing with civilians is always bad news. They'll have to resort to the old-fashioned methods here - track and take down. As soon as the struts touch terra firma, Nightwing is on the move once more with the rest of the Titans.

Move out!

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

Three coughing prisoners abandon their powered inflatable raft, swearing as they stagger through the water to the shoreline. One of them, a short Hispanic man, wipes his eyes and squints. "It's the Titans!" he shouts. "Get 'em!"

"You get 'em!" retorts another prisoner, shoving the other two out of his way as he runs to shore. He swerves to avoid Nightwing, leaving the other two to face the Dark Knight's first apprentice.

The Hispanic man growls, then shakes his head, raising his chin and revealing the mark of his now-missing restraint collar just before fur begins to sprout all over his skin. His front teeth lengthen, and he now resembles something very like a giant rat as he charges Nightwing.

[speedy-mia.livejournal.com]

Speedy moves out and positions herself as rearguard.

"Go for it," She says to the Titans moving passed her, "I've got your backs."

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

Three pairs of bulging eyes peer out of the water near Speedy's position.

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

Flamebird comes out of the jet, crouching low to the ground, rebreather held tightly in her mouth. Near to the shoreline, she watches what is happening, looking for where she can be the most good.

[jla-alcatraz.livejournal.com]

Not far away, she can hear a peculiar laughter, even more unnerving than the Joker's. It seems to be coming from her right ... or is it her left?

There is also a scurrying sound, as if something is moving through the brush.

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

Flexing his fingers, the leather of his gloves squeaking, Grant fixes his goggles into place, securing the strap over the back of his head, then places the rebreather over his mouth and nose. Smacking his right fist into his open left palm twice as he waits for the gang ramp to lower, Damage rotates his right shoulder, wincing. Still hurts.

We get it right this time...he thinks, rushing out with the others, glancing up briefly at the afternoon sky as Nightstar and Starfire soar overhead.

Already, his fingers are beginning to shimmer with excess biochemical energy. Any of these yahoos that decide to get in his way is going to be really sorry...

[jla-alcatraz.livejournal.com]

"Hey, kid," rumbles a voice. "Wanna see a trick? It's called lights out."

Suddenly there's a fist headed straight for Damage's face.

[blackknightone.livejournal.com]

It was not a capture he was going to brag about....okay, not even mention. He dragged the exhausted Birdman of Alcatraz from the water and bound him on the beach. He could heard the sounds of the riot coming above him. He'd have to climb the cliff face to get off Barker's Beach into who knows what kind of mess.

Still no sign of the Titan's

After putting Robert Stroud in a place he won't hurt himself, Slater climbs the cliff face.

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

Suddenly the rock beneath one hand turns to mud. There is a low snickering coming from above him.

[middle-amazon.livejournal.com]

The battered Titans will see a green comet landing near them. The newlyweds are back and they do not look happy. Troia steps to the lead.

"Go back to your cells - NOW!"

[jla-alcatraz.livejournal.com]

"Giving orders?" A familiar armored figure rises from the ground. "No, Troia. You do not give the orders here."

[boy-of-steel.livejournal.com]

Superboy streaks to assist, fists clenched. Since Greta died, he's needed something to hit. These guys, they'll do.

[jla-alcatraz.livejournal.com]

A tall, statuesque redhead grins at him. "Want to play, little Super?"

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

Robin exits the jet, also wearing his rebreather, assessing the situation as quickly as he can before entering the fray.

[jla-alcatraz.livejournal.com]

A figure cartwheels rapidly towards him. She finishes the series of flips with a triumphant raising of both hands and a perky cheerleader's grin.

Two spikes snap out from her wrists, making it look as if she holds two knives.

[gar-logan.livejournal.com]

A giant green albatross swoops around the island, keeping an eye out for the first prisoner he can see.

Heeeeeeeere con-vict, con-vict, con-vict...

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Alcatraz appears quiet now, but there appears to be movement on the northern shore of the mainland.

[starfire-kory.livejournal.com]

Some of the prisoners have made it to other parts of the mainland and are trying to run out of range of the pepper spray and nauseating gas. Starfire swoops down and unceremoniously picks them up by the collars of their prison uniforms, flying them two or three at a time back to Alcatraz.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

Nightwing is working his way further inland, hot on the trail of other escaping convicts and past police officers trying to contain them.

[jla-alcatraz.livejournal.com]

A slight crackle in the brush, then a brace of throwing knives are flung in his direction.