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    The Brave and the Bold #8

    The Brave and the Bold » The Brave and the Bold #8 - Wally's Choice released by DC Comics on January 2008.

    Short summary describing this issue.

    Wally's Choice last edited by MjauMjau on 04/01/24 11:56AM View full history

    A virtually unstoppable force has driven the Doom Patrol to the brink of destruction and despair! And why is The Flash the only hero who can possibly stand between them and utter chaos?

    At Challenger Mountain, the Challengers of the Unknown continue reading the Book of Fate in shifts. It seems they get sucked into reading it and lose track of time. They also become so entwined in it that they become bitter and snap at each other. As Red Ryan reads the book, he barks at Rocky that they have all the history and future to read and have to figure out what "Megistus" means as it keeps popping up. Rocky tells him to take a break so that he doesn't lose his mind and takes over. As June comes in and asks Rocky what just happened between them, Rocky snaps at June.

    In Keystone City, Linda hands Wally the mail. He immediately tears up, at super speed, a letter from Dr. Niles Caulder. Linda mentions that he's been sending letters, e-mails, and leaving messages. He insists that he can help their kids with their unstable powers yet Wally keeps ignoring him. As they discuss this, Iris is listening from under the bed, her head phasing through the floor as Jai holds her up in the kitchen below. Walls is adamant that Caulder will not go anywhere near the kids. Iris pleads with Wally. As the leader of Doom Patrol, he's supposed to be one of the "good guys." Wally just doesn't like the guy. He gets the impression that he enjoys experimenting on people too much. A crash below scares the two of them into thinking something has happened to the kids. Iris lies that Jai was just being clumsy. Iris tells Wally that she's tired of always being on edge, waiting for another change in their kids' powers. Wally agrees to take them to see Caulder.

    At the Doom Patrol castle, Caulder answers the door with very little warmth. The kids are a little scared. Elasti-Girl is with them and introduces herself to the kids with a big smile. As Caulder wishes to speak to Wally and Linda, Rita agrees to take the kids on a tour, including showing them the torture chamber. This excites the kids. Caulder tells Wally and Linda that what he wants to say to them concerns their future.

    As the kids are getting their tour, they begin pulling their way to look at different things. Looking back, they notice that Rita is practically in the last room despite the fact that they are still holding her hands. Seeing the big smile on her face along with her arms stretched completely freaks them out and they run away. In a dark hallway, they hear some metallic footsteps. All they can see is the glow of red eyes as Robotman says, "Mmmm. Flesh." He was kidding but the kids run off anyways. Then they run into Larry Trainer, the fact that he looks like a mummy doesn't help the kids. Iris grabs Jai's hand and phases them into the floor. Larry sends Negative Man after them.

    In Caulder's lab, he tells the Wests that he has built a machine for each of them to help stabilize their metabolisms. When Wally shows his doubts, Caulder says it's a pity that he doesn't trust him. As these words are spoken, a green gas begins to form in between the chambers of the machine. Instinctively, Wally yells to Linda to stand back from the trap. He spins his arms at super speed to dissipate the gas. It begins to talk to him and reveals itself to be Metamorpho. He's there visiting. As he begins to explain that he's there to help the Chief with his experiment, the screams for help from the kids can be heard.

    Iris punches Negative Man, telling him to stay away from her as Jai holds Robotman pinned to the floor. Robotman says that it shouldn't be possible for her to actually punch Negative Man. Wally soon arrives and grabs them. He notices Iris hitting Negative Man. He mentions that she must have found the right vibrational frequency. Then a huge arm is placed in between them to stop the fighting.

    The discussion continues over dinner about helping the kids. They are still a little weirded out by the Doom Patrol. When Rita reminds Larry to use manners when slirping through a straw, he reminds her that if he unwraps his bandages, he'll irradiate everyone. When Robotman is asked why he isn't eating, he mentions that me just absorbs a health shake the Chief made and removes his head plate to show his brain to them. This pushes them over the edge and they jump in their parents' arms. The two of them are outraged that they continue to scare their kids. They just want to get the test over with and leave.

    Back in the lab, the kids are in their chambers. Metamorpho stands in between connected to the machinery, stabilizing it. The Chief explains that the machines will pull the kids apart and reassemble their biostructure almost instantaneously. Metamorpho is keeping them safe. The machine readings begin to redline, Metamorpho lets out a scream of agony, and Wally runs to the kids. He is bounced back and Metamorpho can be seen fading away. The kids are in a state of...decomposition. Wally demands to know what is going on. Rita mentions that something took Metamorpho away. Wally is going to grab the kids when the Chief tells them that if he doesn't stay back, his contact will kill them. They have not been reassembled yet and one touch will scatter their atoms. The only thing that can keep them together is the metal alloy from Robotman. The problem is, it can only hold one of the kids. Wally has to decide which one to save.

    In that moment, Wally doesn't know what to say. Then he tells the Chief that there isn't a choice. Both kids must be saved. He tells them to bring out Negative Man. The Chief agrees that it could work. Robotman's armor is placed around Jai and Iris is wrapped with Negative Man. Wally tells Negative Man to remember what it felt like when he punched her and to try to tune into her frequency.

    After throwing some switches and a bright flash of light, it seems to have worked. Jai appears as a little Robotman and Iris is tingling from being wrapped by Negative Man. Jai asks if they are going to have to stay like that but Wally doesn't know how to answer them. Linda yells at the Chief to answer them. He says that they are beginning to stabilize so it shouldn't be too much longer. This is good because the tickling feeling Iris is feeling is starting to bother her and Larry is starting to feel pain from being separated from Negative Man.

    With the kids back to "normal," the Wests are prepared to leave. Caulder tells them they deserve an apology but it's too bad that Metamorpho isn't there to give it. Wally can't believe that Caulder is trying to put all the blame on Rex. He says it's not like them to bail in a moment of crisis. Caulder says he could find out more if he did more tests. Wally and Linda both quickly say no. Before they teleport out, Rita notices a word burned into a piece of metal with acid by Rex. It says, "Megistus." No one knows what it means. Caulder continues to try to tell them that the kids would benefit from being with them. He activates the teleporter before he can finish his sentence.

    Back home, Wally and Linda are in their bedroom. The Justice Leauge has been alerted to search for Metamorpho. He then tells Linda that in that split second he had to choose between the kids, he did. In tears, he explains that in the one tiny moment, she didn't have the chance to really understand the question. That little moment was plenty of time for Wally to think and think about it. He is ashamed that he was able to make a choice before thinking about using Negative Man. Linda asks who he chose but he asks if it really matters.

    At Challenger Mountain, Rocky is reading all about this, sweat pouring from his head. June comes in and says he's been reading for hours. She tells him he needs to step away since it is so draining. He pulls himself away but writes down the word "Megistus" on a post-it since it keeps popping up. As they walk away, a hand forms from the pages and reaches out.

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