Disclaimer: Don't own Justice League unlimited

A/N: this is a companion story to CharmedSerenity's Retention written with her permission, these stories tie together so I recommend reading Retention before you read this. She also beta-read it so I guess I kind of owe her!

Liberty

Shining Knight had been quick to act when the Thanagarians started showing their true colors. He mounted up Winged Victory and took to the streets helping wherever he could. The Thanagarians were fiends and Justin wasn't going to let them go on with what they were doing to innocent people. He was able to help many a group of heroes escape their clutches over the time that they were there and cheered when they finally pulled out.

Days passed and things were beginning to fall into a normal routine when a rumor hit that there was a detention facility outside of New York where captives might still be held. He approached one of those that spoke of the prison.

"Where be it?" he asked

The man said where it was "I don't believe what they're sayin' that there could be who knows how many prisoners over there"

"Thee assume those demonic birds just let the prisoners free when they left" Justin said surprised that this man didn't even think to have the prison checked "Thy assume too much"

Justin mounted up and started out to the location. He got off victory and started looking at the cells, all but one was open and that one was locked. He raised his sword and cut into it and was mortified by what he saw. It was a cowboy, he looked like he had been there without food or water for three days.

The cowboy staggered out obviously weak and dehydrated, Justin figured he had other problems from the sheer fact that he was stuck in that tiny cell "To think the invaders would be vile enough to do such deeds, art thou alright?" he asked supporting the stranger who's reply came out as a weak croak.

Justin guided him over to Winged Victory and helped him mount up before joining him and taking off back towards the city. The man soon passed out. They arrived at the nearest hospital minutes later and Sir Justin found himself at the center of a mob of orderlies and nurses who took the stranger for care. Justin righted himself and remounted Winged Victory to leave, the cowboy would be okay now.

The End