Task Force X - Recap

At Belle Reve Prison, Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot, is taken to the gas chamber for execution. However, a government agent is waiting for them: Colonel Rick Flagg. He has the proper papers to authorize Deadshot's release. Flagg takes him away in a car, and then explains that his last meal was laced with explosive nanites. If Deadshot tries to escape, they'll be detonated. Deadshot wonders what he wants, and Flagg says he'll be doing something patriotic, and he needs Deadshot to break into Justice League headquarters.



Flagg takes Deadshot to a dockside warehouse previously owned by LuthorCorp and shielded from detection. He then introduces the villain to the rest of his team: Captain Boomerang, Clock King, and Plastique. Flagg explains the plan, where Plastique will create a distraction with the nuclear plant. Deadshot will provide cover, while Flagg and Boomerang steal the target item. Clock King will coordinate from the ground, and has planned their infiltration when the satellite staff is at their weakest. The anticipated major heroes on board are Captain Atom, Green Lantern, and J'onn J'onzz. The team goes over contingency plans and Flagg warns that they shouldn't kill anyone because it will interfere with the plans.



Satellite technicians meet at the cornfield which conceals a teleport station up to the base. Flagg's team quickly sedates them and takes their place, wearing the same uniforms. They teleport up and Flagg uses rigged glasses to secretly sabotage the security systems so they can bluff the guard into letting them past. They go to a utility room and ready their ceramic equipment. Plastique and Deadshot then head for the rector and end up in an elevator with Green Lantern. Deadshot makes casual conversation and asks him for Hawkgirl's autograph. Meanwhile, Flagg and Boomerang go to the storage area, hiding briefly as Atom Smasher goes past. Inside, they discover there is a second door, and Clock King advises them to get out before the next security sweep.



Plastique plants an explosive charge, and Deadshot is forced to knock out a security guard. The two villains get out as the charge explodes, giving Captain Boomerang the diversion to blast open the secondary vault door. J'onn gets reports from the technicians, while Flagg finds the "package": the Annihilator, forged by Hephaestus.

J'onn begins coordinating evacuation of the personnel and sends Captain Atom to contain the reactor leak. Meanwhile, Flagg recites the invocation to activate the Annihilator. When nothing happens, he punches Captain Boomerang, and the necessary violence activates the magical construct. When Boomerang tries to leave, Flagg tells him to wait for the others.

Deadshot and Plastique get out ahead of the emergency doors. They are caught by the last one, but Captain Atom opens the door and "rescues" them, unaware of who they are. Meanwhile, Clock King informs Flagg that their margin of error is gone and they prepare to leave, just as Deadshot and Plastique arrive. They head for the bridge. Meanwhile, Green Lantern begins using his ring to evacuate the personnel while Captain Atom contains the leak and warns J'onzz that it was no accident.

As the villains escape, they are confronted by Shining Knight, Atom Smasher, and Vigilante. The Annihilator attacks Atom Smasher while Vigilante and Shining Knight square off against the others. The villains smash their way past them and get to the teleporter, but J'onn blocks their way. He easily subdues the humans, but the Annihilator tears him in two, badly damaging him. Flagg and the others get to the teleport pad while J'onn reforms and summons Green Lantern back. The Annihilator comes after him and J'onn smashes it back. However, Plastique takes Atom Smasher hostage, forcing him to stand down while Flagg escapes with the Annihilator. Plastique sets one of her explosives on a 30-second timer, but Captain Atom arrives to capture her. Deadshot shoots Plastique's explosive charge, and Captain Atom is forced to protect her while the others escape and scramble the teleport controls so they can't be tracked.



Back at the docks, Waller and Tala arrive to take custody of the Annihilator. As Flagg goes, Waller thanks him for his service and assures him that his father would be proud. As he leaves with the others, Flagg punches Deadshot as he tries to leave. He then tells them that they have to serve for five years or they'll be sent back for execution. When Deadshot wonders what Waller has on him, Flagg assures him that not everyone needs to be blackmailed to serve their country.



Aboard the satellite, J'onn identifies the inside man, one of the technicians who has been equipped with an anti-telepathy device. He warns Green Lantern that they can't trust the technician, and Green Lantern responds by warning that they can't trust anyone now.

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