99 Red Balloons
Little Russia
June Moon fills the ninety-ninth red balloon from the helium tank, and hands it to the last customer who falls into line with the ninety-eight before her, holding her balloon, and waiting. The Enchantress smiles to herself, and skips to the end of the block where the first enchanted customer waits silently. Along the way, she sings out, "Everybodyyyy face the streeeet!" In answer, the ninety-nine customers of Nimball's Toy Shop turn and face the street, the mass movement almost military in its unison. Caressing the face of her first enchanted customer, June smiles. She pats his face, dabs her index finger on the tip of his nose, and says, "Boop!" As she does so, he lets go of the balloon, and falls to the ground.
The Enchantress laughs, quickly moving past each enchanted customer with a "Boop" to each one's nose, causing them to release their balloon, and collapse in her wake. It takes only a few minutes to go through the entire line, and when she reaches the end, the last customer flicks her eyes towards the sorceress. "Oh," she says with mock concern, "what's the matter, boopsie?"
Unable to move from where she stands, the woman shakes with fear as she says, "Why are you doing this?"
The Enchantress tsks as she caresses the woman's face. "I would just tell you, 'because I can,' but that should be obvious, and it wouldn't really answer your question, would it?" Stroking her finger down the side of the woman's face until it rests under her chin, Moon leans in close, and with a hint of malice, whispers, "The truth is: I just want to watch the world burn." The enchanted customer shakes harder, tears rolling down her cheeks. This just makes June smile, and laying her finger on the woman's nose, she says "Boop" with an exaggerated pop of her lips. The woman releases her balloon, and falls like all the others. The sorceress smiles cruelly on the fallen woman, then looks up to see the last balloon following the long line of all the others on the wind.
A tall, thin man comes out of the toy shop, and asks, "Are you sure about this plan, Enchantress? Luthor was quite clear about not wanting any mistakes."
Never taking her eyes off of the balloons, she answers, "Yes, Mister Nimball, the plan proceeds perfectly. The Blood Balloons were made from the blood of Superman himself, and the soul of each fallen customer is trapped in the balloon they held. Their souls will animate the balloons within the hour, giving you a 'Red Army,' if you'll forgive the pun," she said dryly. Nimball did not reply. "They'll become the Knights of the Air- every one a 'superhero' on par with the fallen Kryptonian. Every one under my control."
"You mean under Luthor's control," said Nimball. "Don't forget whose plan this is," he warned.
Continuing to watch the balloons, The Enchantress gave an uptick to one finger, and in response Nimball lifted off of his heels, balancing impossibly on his toes. "Don't presume to give me orders, Toyman," she said sternly. "Plans change. Luthor has access to an army that could enable him to rule, but he merely wishes to smear the name of a hero that has already fallen. Why should I give a man that kind of power?" She considered a moment, then sounding bored, she added, "And Toyman?"
"Y-Yes?" he asked nervously.
"Never try to fool someone whose art is deception. This automaton you've sent in your place is ingenious, but the next time we meet, you had better be the real you." Nimball said nothing. "And Schott?"
"Y-Y-Yes?" the android Nimball replied, its controller surprised to hear his real name.
"You should pray that we don't meet again." With that, she twisted her upturned finger in the air, and the android sparked and separated at every joint, before falling into a useless pile of junk. The sorceress took a deep breath and crossed her arms, watching the last few balloons disappear from view over the city's skyscrapers.
She was startled from her silent vigil when Nimball's head called out, "Enchantress!"
She spun to face the dismembered android.
"There's all kinds of magic, you loon! Like hypnotic suggestion. Rumplestiltskin," said Nimball's head.
The Enchantress' eyes went wide, and she stiffened slightly.
"Now... what's the magic word?" taunted Schott through his fallen android.
Her brow furrowed as she tried to resist.
"Say it!" shouted Schott.
"E-Enchantress," stammered the sorceress, and she reverted back to her ordinary form of June Moon, horrified to have once again become her mousy, ordinary self.
"That's right," the android head said menacingly. "You may be powerful, but Luthor's reach extends further than you think. Now say it again."
"Enchantress," June said quickly, and she once again became her sorceress self.
"Now let's get back to work, shall we?" asked the pile of Nimball parts. The Enchantress nodded shakily. "And Enchantress?"
"Y-Yes?" she asked as she recovered herself.
A fat man in suit with vertical stripes stepped out of the doorway of the toy shop, and Winslow Schott replied, "Don't ever threaten me again."
She seethed, but said, "Of course."
"Also, why not an even hundred?" asked Schott.
Enchantress held out one last balloon in her hand, not yet inflated. She answered quietly, "Always have a backup plan, Toyman." Then she smiled, and placed the balloon back in her pocket.
Two hours later, Kord Industries Metropolis, secret subbasement- headquarters of Blue Beetle:
"Captain Marvel, Jr. vouched for you, or you wouldn't be here," said Batman.
"I get it," said the teenage boy he was speaking to.
"I'm not sure that you do. I don't like to put children in danger," the dark knight growled.
"All evidence to the contrary," said the boy, looking over Batman's shoulder to Robin.
"Robin isn't going out there to face those things," countered Batman, "and I'm not convinced that you should either."
Just then, Blue Beetle came running into the lab. "I got 'em!" he shouted. "It took every connection I had, and the help of The Guardian's connections to Project: Cadmus, but S.T.A.R. Labs finally gave up Bloodsport's kryptonite bullets." He placed the box of ammo in Batman's hands, looked at the kid, and back to Batman, his look silently communicating the doubts that the caped crusader had just voiced.
Batman looked at the boy, his scowl showing that the bullets had not changed his opinion of this plan.
In response, the boy chose to address Batman's earlier statement. "In a sense, I won't be going out there either. My brother's not fond of putting me in danger either. But I don't come alone. I come with all the help I need."
"Is that so?" said Batman, skeptical.
"It is," the boy said confidently. Then he said, "Eternity," and with that, he was replaced by a tall man in the garb of a World War II flying ace.
"Wow," said Robin and Blue Beetle in unison.
"You're the help we need?" asked Batman. "Who are you?"
"Lieutenant Steven Henry Savage, Jr." answered the man. "Flying ace and expert marksman."
"There are two hundred bullets in there," said Blue Beetle, pointing to the box in Batman's hands, "and one hundred of those mystical, super balloon men out there. They're giving the Marvels a hard time. Are you sure you can do anything?"
"Balloon men?" laughed the pilot. "Well boys, I am just the man you need on the job. Where I'm from, the boys in my unit call me Balloon Buster!"
Blue Beetle managed to stifle his laugh, but could not keep the smile from contorting his face. Robin looked shocked at the silly name, and slightly dismayed at their chances. Batman continued to look grim with no sign of relief, but handed over the box. "Let's get to work."
Metropolis Airfield
A long whistle from Balloon Buster was followed by, "Well heckfire, gentelmen! I ain't never seen air crates like that, but they are mighty nice," he said of the jets gleaming in the afternoon sun.
"Lieutenant Savage!" called one of the jet pilots. "I'm Bart Hawk! The Blackhawk Squadron is quite familiar with your history, and we're proud to be backing you up on this mission!"
"Can we dispense with the pleasantries, and get on with this," seethed Batman.
Hawk looked at the masked hero, and merely nodded. "You heard the man, boys!" he called to his men. "We corral 'em, Balloon Buster takes 'em out! Scramble the jets!" The Squadron all ran for their jets, and Savage climbed into a comparatively rickety looking biplane.
"Are you sure I can't get you in something more formidable, Lieutenant?" asked Blue Beetle.
"This is what I know, son," answered Balloon Buster. "If I'm going to help, this is the seat I'm going to do it from best. Those fancy green bullets are loaded, and it's time for the dogfight to end all dogfights," he grinned.
Blue Beetle couldn't help beaming at the man's enthusiasm. "Keep 'em flying, lieutenant!"
Savage saluted, and settled into the cockpit. The jets roared down the runway and took to the air. Savage's biplane seemed like little more than a wind up toy as it took to the skies a minute later.
Looking on, Blue Beetle said, "Well, the Bug's on its way. I'll try to keep down any panic in the streets. You going to coordinate things from the subbasement?"
"Don't be ridiculous," said Batman. "That's what Robin's here for."
Beetle looked at Batman a little shocked. "Then what are you going to do?"
As if in answer, the roar of another jet engine was heard as the Batplane angled towards the runway. As it descended, Batman looked at Blue Beetle and said, "Miss the chance to fly with the Blackhawks and Balloon Buster? Are you kidding me?" As the Batplane hovered above them and lowered a grab bar, Batman grinned, pressed a button on his belt that signaled the bar's retraction, and zipped up into the plane which took off almost immediately.
Slightly dumbfounded, Beetle watched him go for a few seconds before touching his earpiece, and saying, "I knew that you were enjoying this!" He laughed at the radio static as the Bug landed softly behind him. "See you in the air," he called out, and then ran for the Bug.
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