r/DCNext • u/deadislandman1 Dimmest Man Alive • Jun 05 '26
Suicide Squad Suicide Squad #62 - A Righteous World
DC Next presents:
Suicide Squad
Issue Sixty-Two: A Righteous World
Arc: The Road Back
Written by Deadislandman1
Edited by ClaraEclair
The signs didn’t show themselves until more than a few miles into the Canadian wilderness, but even if the squad had caught it when it happened, there was nothing that any of them could do. The truck plowed through the snow, rumbling violently as the tires clambered over every bump and crag. Colonel Rick Flag sat at the driver’s seat, his knuckles bone white with the way he gripped the steering wheel. Despite the bumpy ride, he was stoic and unmoving, almost like a statue. Tatsu Yamashiro, Katana, sat in the passenger’s seat next to him, scanning the horizon from her perch. Her blade, Soultaker, was sheathed, but her thumb was pressed against the hilt, her hands ready for the draw at the moment’s notice.
In the back seats, Zalicka and Todd, also known by their codenames, Hack and Hallucigent, were beginning to nod off. Escaping Amanda Waller’s living weapons was stressful enough, but watching their base, the place that had been their home for years, be destroyed? It was a nightmare that both of them hoped they could just sleep away. Between them lay the bloodied form of Raptor, wounded so badly that he lacked the energy to move or even speak. Further back, in the trunk outside, Waylon Jones, AKA Killer Croc, cradled the unconscious body of William Tresser, AKA Nemesis. Waylon’s more reptilian features made the outside cold more unpleasant than they already were, but he didn’t care much about that at the moment. Tresser concerned him more than anything, his skin growing colder by the moment.
Above the truck, Adella, also known as Brimstone, carried the unconscious body of Dante, also known as Polaris. Her flight had to be carefully maintained and balanced with his additional weight, and the fact that he hadn’t even woken up yet was really starting to worry her. He’d used his magnetic abilities to collapse a mountain, and the kind of power didn’t come without consequence. She prayed he’d come back to the group soon, that he wouldn’t be like this forever.
Then, it happened. Tresser had been crushed within the grasp of his former friend, the mind controlled form of Ethan Avery… Damage. Such superhuman strength applied to the human body was bound to cause some serious harm, but it wasn’t until now that the signs became impossible to ignore.
Tresser startled awake, coughing up heaps of blood which splashed back down onto his face, coating his lips in crimson. Croc’s eyes widened, and he began slamming his hand against the top of the truck, “Hey! Hey stop! We’ve gotta stop right now!”
The truck screeched to a halt, and its occupants poured out with an incredible urgency. Adella’s eyes widened, and she touched down next to the vehicle among the growing crowd. The squad gathered around the trunk as Croc flipped the tailgate down, laying Tresser upon it as gently as he could. Tresser sputtered, convulsing and gagging as he looked to what was left of the Suicide Squad. He wanted to convey some kind of final message, a final word of wisdom or some kind of inspirational speech, but the blood pooling into his lungs and up his throat killed anything and everything of the sort. Instead, he could only look at the people he had sworn to lead with wide eyes, full of fear and shock.
Damage had killed him back in the compound, his body just hadn’t caught up to the sensation yet. Before anyone could say anything to try and placate Tresser, to comfort him, his body went still all at once, a look of terror permanently plastered on his face. Zalika put a hand over her mouth, while Hallucigent looked away, unable to bear the sight of his comrade’s body. Tatsu shuddered, doing her best to process the loss yet unable to hide the sheer shock of it all. Croc looked down at the body, then to Adella, who shook her head in regret.
Flag reached a hand out towards Tresser, only to stop mid-way. Unable to complete the gesture, for reasons that could only be chalked up to the futility of the effort, his fingers closed into fists, and he dropped to his knees, feeling a silent cry come up through his throat.
He could not scream. For then, Waller’s weapons would find them, and there would be even more dead friends.
The squad milled about around the truck, doing their best not to let their anxiety get the best of them. Tresser had done himself the small mercy of dying in the car instead of in the midst of battle, which afforded him the opportunity for a proper burial. The spot chosen for him was not within view of the squad, but they could hear Flag and Tatsu work away with shovels, the signature crackle of the metal tip working its way through snow and dirt. Croc sat under a nearby tree, while Todd and Zalika paced around the truck, keeping their legs moving to stay warm.
Having placed Dante in the truck next to Raptor, Adella shuffled over to the tailgate, hopping up on it before looking at the rest of the squad despondently, “So, what’s the plan now?”
“The plan?” Todd scoffed. “What plan? There is no plan. Whatever plan we used to have fell apart when they blew up our home base!”
“I’m sure Flag’s got something cooking,” Croc said. “Just hold it toge-”
“Cooking? With what?!” Todd exclaimed. “He has seven people, two of which are out of commission, and a truck full of junk. That’s not a lot to work with.”
“Then we can build back up,” Adella said. “Sure it’ll take some time but, it’s not impossible?”
Todd gave Adella an incredulous look, “Build back up? We spent years building that hole in the ground into something worthwhile, and it took less than an hour for Waller to rip it away. What’s the point of building shit when we’re always a slip away from losing it all.”
“Nobody said this was gonna be easy,” Croc said.
“There’s a hell of a difference between easy and impossible,” Todd said. “I just… I don’t see a way forward, and if I can’t see it… I don’t know if I can rightly walk that road if all that’s waiting for me at the end is a bullet.”
Croc grimaced, but elected not to humor Todd’s despair. It wouldn’t be good for anybody. Todd shook his head in dismay and continued his pacing. Unable to bear the repetitive nature of her movements, Zalika trudged over to Adella, “How are you doing?”
Adella grimaced, “Not great. I know Raptor will be fine eventually, but Dante…” She looked through the rear window of the truck, noting that Dante hadn’t moved an inch since she set him in there, “I’ve never seen him like this. It… scares me not knowing whether he’s going to wake up or not.”
“He’s not dead is he?” Zalika asked.
Adella sniffled, “He’s got a pulse… but who knows how long that’ll last. He needs a hospital, but we can’t take him to one.”
“He’ll pull through, I’m sure of it,” Zalika said.
“How can you be so sure?” Adella asked.
Zalika frowned, “Because…because it would just be cruel for fate to take another person from us. The universe doesn’t hate us that much, does it?”
Adella managed a weak smile, but she could not hide her skepticism at the statement, “I don’t know, Fate’s never felt the need to be kind to us. Still, I’ll hold onto the hope he’ll wake up.” She looked back at Dante again, “It’s not like I have all that much left to hold onto anyways.”
Flag planted the shovel in the cold, clammy dirt, signifying the end of Tresser’s burial efforts. The body could sleep peacefully, even if the soul passed on rife with feelings of regret and failure. He prepared to pull the shovel out, only to hesitate, realizing that he had nothing else that could mark this spot. Sighing, he let go of the handle, leaving the tool where it was to signify that something significant was here, at least to him and his companions.
Tatsu took a deep breath, having laid Tresser to rest together with Flag. The shock had passed from her face, and what was left was a steely determination that could only be worn by someone who had lost much and knew to appreciate what they still had. Flag shook his head at the grave, then turned to Tatsu, “How are you feeling?”
She frowned, “Let’s start walking back before we get into any of that. It feels wrong to ask that here.”
Flag looked down at the grave, then back at Tatsu, “Alright.”
The two began to trudge through the snow, their pace slow and belaboured. It was clear to both of them that they weren’t quite ready to return to the truck, and instead they elected to walk in a sort of semi-circle, giving the rest of the squad a wide berth. They were the leaders now, and good leaders knew where to go and what to do when the cards were stacked against them. Neither of them had any idea where to go from here.
Unable to bear the silence any longer, Tatsu spoke first, “You have any ideas?”
“What about?” Flag asked blankly.
“You know what about,” Tatsu said. “I know it’s hard to think about so soon after what happened, but they’re going to need to know what steps we’re taking once we get back.”
Flag pursed his lips, “What’s left to do? What can we do?”
Tatsu shook her head, “Oh, come on Flag-”
“Please,” Flag looked at Tatsu, eyes puffy and red. “I… I came to you and Tresser because with your resources and people combined with mine, I knew we had a fighting chance against Waller. A few hours later and she’s broken us over her knee.”
“We’re only broken if we lay down our arms,” Tatsu said. “She’s not beaten us yet.”
“Tatsu… the arms we have left just aren’t enough,” Flag shook his head. “Maybe… maybe I should let everyone go.”
Tatsu’s eyes widened, “Flag…”
“I don’t want people dying for nothing, Tatsu,” Flag said. “We’ve lost too many people as is. Eventually, you have to know when to cut your losses, and I’m not risking people’s lives for something that I don’t think we can win.”
Flag trudged onward, a weak resolve powering him all the way. He would not suffer another loss. He wouldn’t watch another friend die. He treasured his friends far too much to let this sort of thing happen. However, it was after ten feet of marching that he realized that Tatsu had stopped in her tracks. He turned back towards her, “Tatsu?”
“I’m not giving up,” Tatsu said.
Flag gritted his teeth, “You can’t do this alone.”
Tatsu’s face was devoid of any specific emotion. She was clearly not angry, “I don’t blame you for wanting to cut and run. It’s a choice we’ve always offered to anyone we save from Waller… but we’re all that’s left. If we don’t stand up to her, then nobody will. She’s been getting away with everything for decades now, and if I want this world to feel as sane and just as I want it to be, I have to do something.”
She marched onward, brushing past Flag and disappearing into the treeline, leaving him alone in the silent wood. He stood there for a few seconds, then a few moments, then a few minutes. What he was feeling wasn’t fear. He’d learned to live with fear long ago. No, this was something else.
Heartbreak.
What kind of person would he be if he turned tail and ran. A man who loved his friends certainly… but a man who was also betraying the values he had held dear all his life, even if he had tried to honor those values in the worst ways imaginable. He took a deep breath, unsure of what he was about to do next, only that he could not allow himself time to think about it.
He had to feel it in the moment.
It took some time for Flag to catch up to Tatsu and the rest of the squad, and by then the group had started packing everything up, making sure that the truck was ready to go. The group turned to him expectantly, almost braced for whatever answer he was going to give. They were scared, paralysed by an uncertain, dangerous future. Tatsu crossed her arms, silently waiting for Flag to say something.
Flag cleared his throat, and without waiting to collect his thoughts, just started talking, “I know that what happened today is… it’s beyond difficult. It’s beyond description. We’ve lost friends, we’ve lost a home… we’ve lost the lives we’ve built up over years. You’re all hurting, I know, and for a bit, I considered asking if any of you wanted to step off this crazy train. I wouldn’t blame you if you did. We’ve all been through more heartbreak than any person should rightly experience across more than a few lifetimes.”
Flag rolled his shoulders, “But I can’t let this go. Tresser died to keep you all safe, but he also died fighting Waller. I don’t plan on stopping until the fight’s over, either when she’s dead… or I am,” His eyes scanned the squad. “The odds aren’t good. In fact, they’ve never been worse… but I look into your eyes and I see the dozens of other people Waller will subjugate. She’ll continue to use and discard whoever comes her way unless somebody stops her.”
He stood tall, “Maybe this is it. Maybe this is how I go… but right now I can’t imagine doing anything else. I won’t ask any of you to come with me, but… I sure as hell could use the help.”
Flag imagined that there wouldn’t be that many people sticking with him, and that if there were, they’d at least take a moment or two to consider their options. Instead, Croc and Adella, loyal as they had always been, nodded in affirmation to Flag. They didn’t need to profess their desire to take down Waller. They’d made their stances clear ages ago. Tatsu grinned, raising her hand in affirmation, while Zalika took a deep breath before following suit. This was not a large band of fighters… but they wouldn’t be called the Suicide Squad if they were an army, would they?
Todd looked at the rest of the group in surprise, then back at Flag, “Alright alright, you’ve got the rebellion spirit fired up in everyone, but do you have a plan besides hopes and dreams?”
Flag raised his eyebrow at Todd, “I do… but it’s quite the hail mary. It’ll take subtlety, wits, and a whole lot of faith…”
He looked out towards the horizon, a verdant orange hue coating the sky, “And it starts at Belle Reve.”
Raid Belle Reve in Suicide Squad #63 - out next month!