Episode 31 - Flash Fanfiction - Nightfall

Chapter 8

Within an instant, Astrid sent a crippling mind scream into the heads of their foes, distracting them for the moment. But as she did, gravity seemed to disappear all around them, making them all float upwards.

"What's going on here?" Oliver cried as the arrow that he had just released, flew off track and into the ceiling. "That Black Mass seems to have some sort of control over the gravity!" Ralph shouted as he was having problems controlling his limbs, which had stretched and were wobbling about like jelly.

Batman used his remote control batarang and hit the man known as Black Mass, which broke his focus on the gravity, sending them all back on to the ground.
"Batman, continue to focus on Black Mass!" Astrid cried, "We can't let him do that again!"

Fastball pelted metal balls in Vibe's direction. "Don't you ever learn?" Cisco shouted at him, disappearing into another breath and reappearing behind him again. He sent a blast into the back of Fastball knocking him into the computer.

"You clearly don't learn either!" Crowbar said from behind, swinging his flamed crowbar at Cisco.

"Not today, Pal!" Ralph said, stretching his arms around Crowbar's legs and tripping him over.

"Wait... didn't we fight you back in Gotham, Rubber man?" Oliver remembered.

"Yeah, you did... but now I've joined you guys!" Ralph explained.

"You guys? Not now!" Astrid demanded at them.

"Oh, that's right!" Ralph said, remembering the task at hand.

John Diggle was currently in hand to hand combat with Shatterfist. He pulled out his weapon on the horned man.

"You should know the rules... you never bring a gun to a fist fight." Shatterfist said.

"Let's watch you dance!" John snapped back, shooting at his feet.

Harry had retrieved his thermo gun and was shooting frozen bullets throughout the cortex. The woman in the bird costume, known as Shrike sent an ear piercing shriek at the team, distracting them all and knocking them off guard.

"Doesn't she remind you of someone?" Oliver called out.

"Yeah... Black Canary!" Astrid called back. "Don't worry, I got her!" Astrid sent another mind scream, this time stronger, it brought the girl down to her feet.

"These guys aren't staying down!" Cisco cried.

Suddenly, Nightfall threw a large blast of darkness in their direction, inhibiting their line on sight.

Batman and Oliver shot hooks into the arches of the cortex, and glided above the fighting. Simultaneously shooting their targets from the roof.

"Cisco, Ralph! Get the cuffs!" Astrid demanded, as she rolled out from under the blast of darkness. She sent another ear piercing mind scream into the minds of their enemies, bringing them all down.

Suddenly, Barry appeared onto the scene. His powers had returned and he cuffed their foes in place.

"Where the hell were you!" Astrid demanded of him, "You seriously took your time!"

Caitlin emerged from one of the offices, adjusting her hair, with a look of embarrassment on her face.

"Sorry, you guys," Barry said a little embarrassed. "We had no idea what was happening. But at least you guys had it covered... Who are these guys anyway?"

"They work for the Overmaster!" Harry explained.

"No, something's not right... that fight was too easy." John Diggle said, staring at the group.

"I agree..." Batman added, "Where's your leader?"

"These restraints don't dampen the use of our powers." Nightfall said coldly, deflecting the question. Her cloak was still shielding her face.

Astrid stepped towards her. "Answer his question! Where is your leader? Or I will get it from you, myself!"

Nightfall refused to look Astrid in the eyes, so Astrid probed her mind. "You guys... the Overmaster has been testing us. He figured pitting us against his minions would test how useful we were." Astrid told them. The group looked at each other amongst the dim torch light.

Suddenly, the room went pitch black again. Nightfall had absorbed the power from the torch batteries currently in use, along with the Flash's speed, again. Batman held up a torch, the Cadre had disappeared from the Cortex.

"Great!" Astrid said sarcastically as she lit up a candle. "Now what do we do?"

"Well, Barry and Caitlin seemed to have the right idea!" Cisco joked, making their friends a little uncomfortable.

"We come up with another plan!" Harry said ignoring Cisco's comment. "I'm guessing that the Overmaster took them. If he was testing our abilities, I'm guessing that he will be back with an offer of recruitment. We need to be ready."

"The city's been evacuated. It will be our perfect playing field." Batman said.

Astrid looked over at Caitlin, "We may need Frost."

"Astrid, are you sure that she's ready?" Caitlin asked her.

"No, I'm not sure that she is. But we have no other options. But until then we leave her as a last resort. Now, let's get planning!"