Justice League - Rogue / Part 1 - Cellmates

This story takes place after the events of Justice League Doom.

It has been a year since Vandal Savage’s ultimate attempt to bring down the Justice League and save the word – in his own disturbing way, of course. Back then, he united a small group of super villains and, using Batman’s contingency plans for his own allies, almost killed the main leaguers, one by one. After those events, the Dark Knight left the League, declaring that his actions would not change, even in the same situation.

Within only twelve months, crime all over the world has decreased considerably. Most of the once great super villains are now in jail.

Part 1 – Cellmates

BELLE REVE

“What are you doing?” A short, chubby man asks.

“It’s none of your concern,” responds a tall, bald man, with something in his hands, “but, this is my way out of here.”

“You’re bluffing!” His voice rises. “No one has ever escaped Belle Reve… Damn it! If I was at Arkham, I’d be already out.”

“Don’t try to compare us, Cobblepot. And you may have forgotten, but Nigma escaped last year.”

“That crazy fool is the luckiest bastard I know,” admitted Cobblepot. “And as to you, Lex… Call me Penguin.”

“Whatever. If you want to leave this hell, stick with me,” advices Lex Luthor, as confident as usual.

“Haven’t you heard that these walls can contain even your nemesis, the Man of Steel? And those drones securing the place? They were made by the only company able to rival yours: Wayne Enterprises!”

“Precisely. The drones are Belle Reve’s greatest weapon, and they will help me.”

“You are even crazier than they say.”

“Wayne is smart indeed. But he and his company are always making the same mistake of underestimating my intellect!” The man that looked calm and confident a few second ago seems really angry now.

“You seem to have some issues, my friend. Anyway, how do you expect to use Wayne’s drones against Belle Reve?”

“With my little friend here,” says Lex, revealing what is in his hands. “I made it with thrown away objects that I’ve been collecting during lunch time.”

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot is absolutely speechless. How can a man build such a device with trash?

“I won’t believe it until I see it working,” he says.

“Oh, you will soon enough. It took me almost one year to collect what I needed, but now, no more waiting.”

“Then let’s get out of here!”

“There is only one step left, and I need you to do it.”

The Penguin makes an ugly face. “Of course, it sounded too good to be true. So, what do you need me for?”

“What is missing is… Energy,” admits the evil genius.

“Can’t you just plug it somewhere?”

“There are no exposed plugs here, you idiot! The only accessible energy sources are the drones.” He stops for a second and then continues, “Unfortunately, my intelligence isn’t as underestimated as I’d like to, and I’m the only prisoner they won’t let get anywhere near the drones.”

“I see… They’re afraid you’ll reprogram it. And you need me to take this near the drones?”

“Yes. I believe the energy they emit will be enough to charge the device. Once charged, this light will go on,” he explains, pointing to a little light in the object. “All you have to do is press the red button and every sophisticated machine in a range a hundred meters will do what my program tells them to do. “

“Amazing!” Cobblepot confesses. “How long will it take to charge?”

“I… Don’t know. But the time you’ll have on the break should be enough. When the drones go rogue, the prison staff will need all the help they can get, and more people will have to come from outside. ”

“And if it doesn’t work, I will have lost my lunch for nothing!”

“It’s either your lunch or your freedom.”

“Good point. Fine, I’ll help you out, Lex. But listen to me very carefully: if your plan fails and the guilt falls over me, you will experience something worse than hell! The rage of Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot!” The Penguin shouts.

“If you say so. Now, shut up. I would love to take a nap until lunch time.”

This is good! Noice