by Libbylawrence
In a plush penthouse, a blond man with a beard shook his head in disbelief. “Far freakin’ out — they got them all?” he said as he paced his luxurious home. “A super-powered goon like Ultraman, Superwoman — a babe who can benchpress a Chevy, a schemer like Owlman, and even that reject from the sci-fi cinema?”
“Calm down, Oliver,” said the red-and-black-costumed Microbe. “You weren’t there. There was nothing I could do.”
“Palmer, you couldn’t get lucky with a Barbie doll,” snapped the dark-clad man called Sundown. “Nobody expects you to be worth anything in a fight.”
A man with a snaking elongated neck chugged a liquid beverage and shrugged. “Hey, it’s like when I was with the Mob,” said Rubberneck. “If we can’t get along together, we’ll be easy pickings for the cops… or the super-cops in this case.”
Oliver Queen, the Ace Archer called Deadeye, rolled his eyes and said, “Yeah, yeah — we all know about your glory days as part of the Kennedy mob. You and the godfather were tight, yadda, yadda, yadda… The question is — how can we find our partners in the Crime Syndicate now that this Monster Society of Good captured them all? It’s not like they’re in the phone book.”
“What could we do if we did find them?” said Sundown. “That society of freaks is plenty powerful. We just aren’t that strong. Even if you called in your junkie ward or that punk kid Raven that Owlman hangs with, we’d be fodder against those do-gooders.”
“OK, just be glad I let you losers crash here at my place,” said Deadeye. “Don’t push me. I’m no one-man charity. The Monster Society can rot as far as I’m concerned. Maybe our old pals should do the same.”
Microbe said, “You’d be in the street if you hadn’t embezzled your fortune from others.”
“You can’t talk to him like that — he’s worth all of you combined!” shrieked a brassy blonde who emerged from a bedroom wearing a very brief teddy.
“Easy, sexy bird. Your man has the situation under control,” said Deadeye as she sat on his lap.
“Well, anyone who messes with Deadeye has to answer to the Silk Canary,” she said.
Microbe said, “The Silk Canary? She was the Plucked Canary during her days as a stripper.”
“Exotic dancer!” shrieked the angry woman as she jumped up, placing both hands on her hips in defiance. “Listen, Ken Doll — I have a real black belt. I know more about fighting than all of you. I can kill with my bare hands. I have killed more than one pig before!” she shouted.
Sundown began, “You can do more with your bare–”
“Hold it!” Rubberneck interrupted. “Dana can fight — we all know that. She’s OK. Now lay off her and help us figure out a plan for our future.”
Microbe eyed the pouting woman and smiled. “You know, with a little lab work, I could turn her into a real super-threat. I know you can dance, but how’s your singing, Legs?”
Dana Lance smiled confidently. “I’m a real pro.”
***
The next few days passed swiftly as Microbe experimented on the woman, and finally they emerged from his lab with smug expressions.
She now wore a black wig and a brief pink costume with fishnet hosiery. “I’m the Silk Canary for real. Microbe altered my voice box. I can create sonic waves like an amplified songbird — I call it my canary cry!” she squealed.
As she raised her head and opened her mouth, a piercing wave of sound erupted through the room, leaving the other thugs staring in amazement.
“Good going, babe!” said Deadeye as he grabbed his lover. He nodded at the criminal scientist and said, “You did good, Microbe.”
Sundown said, “Very well, we have a new member. Still, what about our missing allies?”
“We carry on without ’em!” said Microbe with a sly grin. “We can do quite well on our own. We don’t need ’em, anyway. They may have been the founders of our criminal group, but old blood must make way for the new.”
Rubberneck said, “Well, with old Luthor dead, you may have a point. His Society of Super-Heroes is useless without his keen mind running things, and we can avoid Dr. Atlanta’s Monster Society of Good by sticking to profitable but low-profile jobs.”
Deadeye grinned. “Sure. I only do my thing with the bow from a desire to get some kicks. I’m already loaded.”
He frowned a moment and added, “But I still think it’s weird how Alexander Luthor just got melted to dust like that. He was fighting that chick Lady Shrike when a ray just destroyed them both right before the eyes of our Crime Syndicate pals. They barely got to celebrate before their own defeat by Sivana’s group of heroes. Life sure is funny, sometimes.”