23
Legal Disclaimer: First off, I do not own the Justice League or associated characters. They are the sole property of DC Comics, a publishing imprint of DC Entertainment and co-owner of the DCAU with Warner Animation. Which in turn is a subsidiary of Warner Entertainment. Both DC and Warner have Time Warner as their parent company. Does anyone remember when it was AOL Time Warner? Or even when America Online was a happening thing?
But in addition, several other legal disclaimers have to be addressed. The Mighty Crusaders and associated characters were licensed by DC on two separate occasions. The first was in the Nineties and they were incorporated to the specially created Impact Universe. Then between 2009-2010, they were licensed again and brought into the DCU. But the property holder is Archie Comics and the characters and the various titles are being published by Archie Comics once again.
Next up is the Fighting American, owned by the Joe Simon and Jack Kirby estates. Also licensed by DC in the Nineties but currently being published by Titan.
Then comes the Open Source characters of April Amazing, Vicenhammer, Volkssturm and Prof. Poison. The Black Cat is Public Domain after Harvey Comics failed to renew the copyright. Baroness Blood is also a Public Domain character. The THUNDER Agents, Bulleteer, Minute-Man, and Yankee Girl all went Public Domain as well despite DC briefly publishing a Bulleteer miniseries. Quality and Fawcett Comics were also purchased by DC and many characters went public domain. I have resurrected a number of them.
Finally, Jenny Elsewhere is an Open Source character but her creator insists upon their own legal disclaimer provided here:
"The character of Jenny Elsewhere and associated characters is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Jenny Elsewhere, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."
While most of her adventures, as well as her various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators, the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.
Thus, every legal entity that I can recall is addressed. If I missed a publishing entity I apologize and offer them up in this disclaimer as well. I derive no reimbursement, profit, or even condolences for writing this series. It is purely an effort of love on my part.
Colonel Steve Trevor of ARGUS directed the shutdown of the Hall of Justice. The United Nations had declared the Justice League Unlimited an illegal organization. And the World Court had indicted them for war crimes and issued arrest warrants for each JLer. Supposed eyewitness testimony to genocide and mass murders in Corto Maltese perpetrated by Justice League had reached the World Court shortly after Luthor's installment as the Global Policy Advisor.
Additionally, the Justice League was being blamed for the deaths of Ruby Ryder and half a dozen of her security detail. Deaths that occurred after UN security organs attacked Three Towers in Gotham City. Though oddly it seemed, Ruby and her personnel had been gunned down rather than killed through meta-human gifts matching known JLers' abilities. Even Batman was included in the charges despite his current lack of affiliation with the JLU.
Luthor had coerced United States President Olivia McKay into enforcing these warrants inside the US. So McKay tasked Amanda Waller with enforcing them. Which brought ARGUS to the Hall of Justice. Only to find every network and server destroyed beyond repair. And a mass exodus of Ops personnel headed for the tarmac behind the building.
An exodus guarded by Trevor himself and the current Wonder Woman, the Amazon named Artemis. And they were headed for the Invisible Jet which had its engines winding up. Aboard it, Penny O'Brien, Plastic Man, and Hula Hula had prepped the modified bomber for lift off.
"Don't do this, Steve," Waller advised Trevor.
He had a prototype assault rifle aimed at the advancing ARGUS agents. Beside him, Artemis had her hybrid recurve-compound bow drawn and ready to fire. With it she could put an arrow through three agents lined up, body armor and all. Waller halted the advance because she was worried for her less capable agents.
"We're not the criminals here," Trevor warned Waller.
"Then why act like ones?" Waller asked.
"McKay can't afford not to throw us under Luthor's bus, or you wouldn't be here," Trevor spoke.
Waller knew Trevor was too smart for his own good. She'd known it when she'd run him in Team 7 and later with the Justice League of America, so she tried one last argument.
"You can't hide forever," Waller warned them.
"We don't intend to," Artemis did her own advising.
Waller realized the Amazon was the instability in this scenario. So she let them go and contacted other installations.
"Montauk Point, I want them tracked," Waller ordered.
"There's reason the jet's called 'invisible', Director," the administrator of the Montauk Point Facility reminded Waller.
"She still has a tracker built aboard her," Waller grated.
"And Penny O'Brien disabled it her first day as its pilot," the administrator snorted.
Waller's reply violated FCC regulations and ARGUS air traffic protocols.
Twelve hours later, an entirely different assemblage had broken the locks sealing the Hall of Justice. Overman boasted of the New Reichsmen's accomplishment, "This facility, though crude, should prove useful, Mein Fuhrer. The fact that it previously served as the headquarters to the decadent Justice League should only prove useful for National Socialist propaganda."
"Excellent work," Per Degaton lauded him, "Satan Girl has acquired foodstuffs and tonight we celebrate. But I have a separate task for Overgirl. She shall join the festivities after she locates the elusive Fourth Reich. Their members have escaped custody here in the United States. Satan Girl has determined their whereabouts and Overgirl shall be my emissary to deliver an olive branch so that we might unify Nazi efforts on this planet."
"You've done research while we rooted out this base of operations," Leatherwing spoke for the others, "Tell us why Hitler failed to secure victory on this Earth."
"Vandal Savage usurped Hitler's power in the later stages of the war effort. He cryogenically froze the Fuhrer and unleashed demonically advanced war machines on the Allied fronts. Only the self same intervention by those recently identified as the Justice League defeated Savage and caused the German High Command to release Hitler to embark on his end game," Degaton described the historical record, "But being betrayed by Savage unhinged der Fuhrer and he descended into madness and led the Axis into the ground. Shortly after Germany's defeat, Japan was afflicted with dual detonations of the first atomic weapons and they too surrendered."
"Was Atlantis allied with the Axis powers, as on our Earth?" Underwaterman asked.
"No, Atlantis hid from the war and remained neutral. But your doppelganger here rules Atlantis and recently marched on the surface world. Presumably, you could persuade him to do so again only allied with us this time," Degaton suggested.
"And my fellow shield maidens?" Brunhilde asked, "Did Wotan dispatch the Valkyrie to assist Hitler's war effort?"
"Briefly while Hitler still possessed the Spear of Destiny. But in doing so, Hitler and the Brunhilda of this world led the formation of the first masked avenger assemblage that became known as the Justice Society of America. A forerunner of later assemblies of mystery men and women," Degaton answered, "When the spear was stolen from Hitler and returned to the Hapsburgs in Austria, Wotan, who is better known as Odin in this reality, forsook Hitler deeming him a weakling."
"And Mars?" the Martian inquired.
"Here too the Green Martians were annihilated by the White Martians. But on this world the White Martians invaded. This caused the Justice League to form up to repel them and they remained together through a Thanagarian invasion until the present day," Degaton explained, "They counted a Green Martian named J'onn Jonzz as a member until he also died. There is still a Martian active on this planet. She is named M'gann M'orzz and she is known as Miss Martian."
The Martian scowled even deeper than usual. The accentuation of M'gann's name was not placed in the customary syllables as a Green Martian's. Rather, her name sounded vaguely White Martian. But Martian customs in the Prime Universe could have differed as greatly as Hitler's personal history.
"Are there any other speedsters on this world?" Blitzen asked. Though Ukrainian by birth, Blitzen had been raised in the National Socialist system that dominated Earth-10. So much so, she struggled to conform to Aryan ideals.
"There are several speedsters on this planet," Degaton confirmed, "There have been three men called the Flash alone. One has died saving this world. The other belongs to the revived Justice Society and was an original founding member of the first. The other has not been seen in weeks. There was a man named Johnny Quick and his daughter, Jesse, now fights in his name. There are the criminals known as Zoom, the Reverse Flash, and Rival. All of who are arch nemeses of a Flash. There is also a Russian woman that deems herself worthy of being called 'Lady Flash'. And finally there is Baroness Blitzkrieg, who belongs to our kindred known as the Fourth Reich."
"But none like me?" Blitzen was disappointed.
"The Baroness comes closest. But there was a woman called 'Trajectory' who was endowed with her speed through a process similar to that used by Luthor Corp to grant you your gift," Degaton explained, "Here, LexCorp created a program called the Everyman Project to harness gen factors. Trajectory was just one among equals."
"And otherwise we all have doppelgangers on this world?" Overman inquired.
"To a degree or two," Degaton informed them, "Some of these 'Justice League' types even interfered on my world prior to the United States capitulating to me and thereby ending the Second World War."
"And Grail chose you alone to save from among the population of your Earth?" Leatherwing tread carefully.
"She allowed me to choose one loyal servant. Naturally I chose Satan Girl," Degaton chose to leave them ignorant regarding Jenna Quick or Baron Blitzkrieg. They'd be meeting the Prime Baron soon enough.
"But who is Satan Girl? What is she?" the Martian inquired, "Her mind is unnaturally close to me."
"She is named Kara Zor-El. She is Kryptonian like Overman but she is possessed by powerful demonic forces that she in turn worships and obeys. And they augment her natural physical gifts as well as add supernaturally derived ones as well," Degaton told them.
"And does Overgirl have a counterpart?" Overman asked defensively.
"There are no natural human-Kryptonian hybrids on this planet," Degaton explained, "But that doesn't mean Superman is bereft of children. He has a daughter conceived with an alien empress. And rumors have it he fathered a child with an Amazonian demigoddess."
Both Overman and Brunhilde bristled. Degaton decided to add to the answer, "There were two others as well. A child of a Kryptonian colony called Argo named here as Supergirl and her adult clone named Galatea. Supergirl has vanished seemingly for good and Galatea has adopted the guise of Power Girl. She may be the most dangerous person on this Earth. Present company excluded, of course."
"This schwein called Superman has a duty to reproduce. Why hasn't he mated with human women?" Overman was appalled.
"Perhaps for the very same reasons you only successfully reared one child. Perhaps the mothers have all died in childbearing and the infants died afterwards," Degaton theorized, "And you must all remember, there is no Fatherland in this brave new world. Here post-war Germany united with the Allies against the Red Menace of the Soviet Union. And the Soviets were also crushed not by force of arms but by the weight of economics. The Western world feels invincible."
"But the Fatherland shall rise again and I will secure this Odin's support," Brunhilde declared before vanishing.
"May she find success," the Martian intoned.
"We have no equals on this Earth but we do have rivals," Degaton thought of the Fourth Reich and the woman called Blackstar, "And we have competitors in the form of Grail's pets from Angor. The Extremists to not seek conquest. They seek only devastation."
"We'll crush them when the time is right," Underwaterman promised.
"I have no doubts but first the Extremists can bleed this world's heroes dry," Degaton decided for them, "And then we shall crush any and all opposition."
"Sieg heil!" The New Reichsmen said as one. Satan Girl just smirked in response as Degaton basked in the adulation.
"That glass eye is ridiculous," Baron Blitzkrieg advised Captain Nazi from the Fourth Reich secret hideaway in Bonn, Germany.
"No more than your mask," Captain Nazi sneered.
"We're the senior members of the Fourth Reich," Baron Blitzkrieg snapped back, "We need to set an example in all things."
"Some of us are far more senior than others," Captain Nazi sniffed.
"And you forget my power brought us to this place while you moaned and whined about the loss of your eye," Baron Blitzkrieg advised him.
"And the effort nearly killed you," Captain Nazi sneered, "You've spent the last two days barely able to hobble about. Do us a favor, old man, just die and get it over with so we can finally have some peace."
Baron's Blitzkrieg's hand wrapped around Captain Nazi's throat faster than Nazi could see and he was propelled into the wall, "Only the memory of the regard and esteem the Fuhrer held you in has kept us from this moment, Mein Kapitan."
"Do it if you still can," Captain Nazi managed to gasp.
Baron Blitzkrieg heard scuffle at the end of the hall and he turned his head to look. Captain Murder held Madame Libertine at bay. Baroness Blitzkrieg gave her great-grandfather a nod of approval. The newest members were more reticent to side with one or the other. The Hun obviously saw an opportunity to assume leadership. Baroness Blood disdained weakness so if Captain Nazi couldn't save himself he deserved to die. The new Baron Gestapo and Dr. Demon looked horrified but unwilling to assist or deter.
But everyone was morbidly curious as to why Baron Blitzkrieg delayed in killing his foe. The truth was he could hold Captain Nazi there for hours but he couldn't muster the necessary strength to kill Captain Nazi. And Captain Nazi knew it.
So Baron Blitzkrieg released him and waited to see what would be the result. Captain Nazi whispered to him, "I won't share your secret if you play along."
"We'll see," Baron Blitzkrieg allowed.
"My friends, the Baron and I were merely testing one another to insure we're back to full strength for our next mission."
"I say we strike at the Juden vermin where they reside," the Hun proclaimed.
"Israel or America?" Madame Libertine knew more Jews lived in the United States than any other place on Earth. Israel included.
"America. It is soft and decadent," Hun decided, "It is weak and ready to be destroyed."
"Yet there are over two million pigs in Palestine these days," Baron Gestapo, the younger, announced.
"They differentiate between Juden and Arabic Palestinians these days," Baroness Blood told him.
"It's nice to see your hours on the Internet were spent on actual research and not just bestiality porn," Baroness Blitzkrieg derided her.
"You could use a good humping from a Rottweiler yourself," Baroness Blood mocked her.
"I would hate to infringe on your personal pastimes," Baroness Blitzkrieg said scornfully. Baroness Blood had been one of Hitler's ace Luftwaffe pilots and behind the lines operatives before the war came to a close. Whereupon the Nazi scientist that turned Albrecht Krieger into the Majestic-level Captain Nazi also subjected Ilsa Appeler to the process before inducting her into cryostasis where she'd recently been found in eastern Germany. Just as the Hun revealed his longevity had preserved him hale and hearty into the 21st Century.
Of fifty selected super-soldaten, only the Baroness revived. And found her powers were half of those enjoyed by Captain Nazi and Madame Libertine. Or even the failed experiment called Captain Murder.
"Stop this useless bickering," Baron Blitzkrieg snapped at the two Baronesses, "We have enemies enough without turning on each other."
Captain Nazi gave him a small, smug smile. The accord was struck. But neither yet knew the extent of their bargain.
"Let us gather in the banquet hall where the servants have prepared a fine meal," Captain Nazi ushered them, "I will join you there shortly."
When the others had gone, he slammed Dr. Demon against a wall and roughly jammed his tongue into her mouth in his version of a kiss. Dr. Demon half teasingly pushed him away, "Now Kapitan, is that any way to treat your Doktor?"
"When will my new eye be ready?" Captain Nazi asked…again, "Until it's ready I shall simply have to grope to see you."
"You wanted an eye made from your own tissues. That takes delicacy and time," Dr. Demon reminded him…again, "I could have a synthetic in place tonight."
"You know how I feel about machines?" Captain Nazi sneered.
"And what about me?" Dr. Demon rightly took offense.
"You're still woman in all the ways that count," Captain Nazi leered at her.
"I'll choose to think you are referring to my mind, you letch," Dr. Demon scowled, "My vagina is off limits until later tonight."
And the cyborg known as Dr. Demon strolled away to maintain appearances despite the fact every Nazi there, including the servants, knew they were bedding together even though they spent a great deal of time sneaking from one bedroom to the other.
The front of the lodge flew off their hinges to reveal Overgirl. Captain Nazi's libido went into overdrive to see such a healthy Aryan fraulein standing in the doorway. He felt the construction in his pants and decide he didn't care if it was obvious to everyone including Dr. Demon. He was a former SS officer with a sworn duty to procreate.
Overgirl spoke in German, "Greetings, you don't know me but I know of each of you. The Thousand Year Reich is about to actually and finally be born on this world. The only question is whether you will serve der Fuhrer and rule beneath him or simply serve and die amongst the mongrels."
"Who are you and how dare you, a woman, wear the sacred crest of the Waffen-SS on your chest?" Captain Nazi asked in English since Baron Gestapo, Dr. Demon, Madame Libertine, Captain Murder, and Possibly Baroness Blitzkrieg didn't speak the Holy Mother Tongue of Germany.
"I am called Overgirl. I am the daughter of Overman and a chosen frau destined to carry his child. I am here on behalf of Per Degaton and the New Reichsmen," Overgirl declared.
"Who is this Degaton?" the Hun demanded to know.
"Degaton is Hitler's one true heir," Overgirl said happily, "He is here now and this world will be trampled under his boot. The New Reichsmen will be his vanguard and so can the Fourth Reich."
"Do you really have proof of any of your ridiculous claims?" Baroness Blood mocked her.
"Send an emissary back with me," Overgirl offered, "They can meet with the true Fuhrer and bring National Socialism to fruition on this Earth."
"Very well, we'll parlay," Captain Nazi pretended to think it over, "Hun, you'll travel with me."
"What is your mode of transportation?" Hun asked Overgirl.
"I flew here at over three hundred kilometers an hour. I don't require machines to fly," Overgirl sniffed.
"It seems you are staying after all," Captain Nazi chuckled having shown up the Hun's limitations as planned.
Baron Blitzkrieg inwardly seethed. But Captain Nazi and the Hun had been rivals back in the day and it seemed they would remain so. At least the haughty Baroness Blood had mellowed somewhat.
"Herr Kapitan, why not take Captain Murder with you?" Baron Blitzkrieg could easily make the journey but he'd already been snubbed, "Just in case it's a trap."
Captain Nazi was unhappy but he blustered through it, "Come, Captain Murder. Let us show up these pretenders."
"Where are we going?" Captain Murder asked Overgirl.
"We have taken the so-called 'Hall of Justice' and are reclaiming it as the international Hall of National Socialism," Overgirl announced.
Captain Nazi belatedly began to rethink showing up Degaton.
Penny O'Brien and Zinda Blake wore insulated coveralls despite having taxied their aircraft into the hangar. The Justice League's base in Antarctica had been basically abandoned for years now. But maintenance crews still inspected on a quarterly basis. And few manhunts were conducted in Antarctica.
"Funny, the lights are on," Green Lantern said as he opened the hangar door leading into the base.
"And it's heated," Shayera Hol remarked.
"It's always heated to keep the equipment from freezing up," Trevor told them, "And the lights are motion activated."
"Then they should have been off until they detected me," John Stewart clarified, "But they were already on."
General Glory was already down the hallway and held a fist up as he whispered back, "There's voices up ahead."
"No one should be here for another two months," Trevor chambered his rifle.
"When are Barda and Supes gonna get here?" Gypsy whispered to Vibe.
"He's got a day job and the Atom will be along later today. Ray Palmer has to show up at Palmer Tech once in a while to prove he's still alive."
"He's that Ray Palmer?" Gypsy threatened to yelp.
"Just like I'm a Tyler from TylerChem," Hourman told her.
"How do you think we afford a house in the `burbs?" Jesse Quick hobbled around on crutches.
John and Power Ring made parabolic dishes with their rings complete with speakers at their end. General Glory helped Jessica Cruz guide her dish in towards the intruders and John followed her lead while hanging further back as a second line of defense.
"Can you make out what they're saying yet?" Trevor asked.
"No, we're still too far away. But whoever it is, is arguing with themselves," John realized.
"Have General Glory and Jessica go further in," Trevor instructed.
"It seems the unexpected is prevalent wherever you go," Wonder Woman observed.
"Tosh, Baker Island would have been an isolated incident except for these lugs crashing our soiree," Anna Fortune quipped.
"As flippant as ever," Atom Smasher chuckled.
"Alas, you know me too well, love," Anna winked at him.
"I know one of those voices," Shayera shushed everyone, "It's Dr. Mist."
"And the French woman must be Belphegor," John understood the implication.
"Gypsy, you and Plas scout ahead. Jessica and General Glory will have your backs," Trevor instructed.
Plastic Man went into an air duct and Gypsy apparently vanished from sight but she still cast a shadow.
"Max Lord appointed me administrator of this Justice League branch. Your own president approved of the arrangement," Dr. Mist continued his argument with Molotov of the People's Heroes.
"Da, President Medvedev approved but Prime Minister Putin has not. It must be unanimous to register as fact," Molotov retorted.
"There has to be an accommodation," Belphegor insisted.
"Accommodations, bah!" Molotov literally spat, "The Soviet Union made accommodations and collapsed under its own weight. The Russian Federation will accommodate no one. Appoint one of the many Russians in this room leader and we will all follow."
"Ah, ah," Pravda warned Belphegor, "I can block your psionic ability with my own."
"This is pointless," Major Disaster complained, "Can't we just get along long enough to do our job?"
"Apparently not," Killer Frost scowled.
"Tovarishch, we came here to further our nation's interest. Not to take over this branch of the Justice League.," Red Star advised his countrymen and woman.
"You are nothing but Medvedev's western lackey on this assemblage," Hammer accused.
"But you are good in bed," Sickle allowed.
Everyone stared at her until Bolshoi interrupted, "The American Disaster is right. This is pointless."
Major Disaster coughed once, "That's Major Disaster."
"Let's not forget we are among international criminals," Dr. Valentina Vostok pointed out. Killer Frost and Major Disaster looked pained. Col. Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova, a fellow Russian known as Lady Flash, flushed in the cheeks.
"And you bunch have a helluva lot of explaining to do regarding your own activities in North Korea and Iran," Owlwoman threw it back at the Russians.
"Enough!" Dr. Mist roared in an unnaturally loud voice. Big Sir began to bawl while Mist continued, "I'm the only one of us that has overseen an United Nations level team before. Not once but twice. That alone makes me overqualified for the administrative post."
"Two failed teams," Molotov laughed.
"Neither the Global Guardians nor the Justice League International failed," Belphegor unrevised history, "They were simply sidelined in favor of the Justice League Unlimited."
"Who proved to be criminals themselves," Pravda snorted.
"Before we get into any major dick swinging, can I remind everyone our purpose is to go into international hotpots the JLU can't get permission to intervene in? We get the dirty jobs the JLU is too prissy to handle themselves," Killer Frost spoke up, "Especially since they're lurking in this room?"
"What?" Molotov roared.
The clump of Gypsy running in boots could be heard fleeing the room. General Glory spoke up, "Neat trick."
"I'm literally a heat vampire so the kid's heat signature was like a flare going off," Killer Frost revealed.
Plastic Man oozed into the room. Power Ring came in as Dr. Mist said, "Reveal yourselves."
As the Justice League Unlimited met the Justice League Antarctica, tensions mounted between certain members. Captain Cold fingered his cold gun, "I don't believe it. The UN puts a billion dollar bounty on their heads and they just waltz in here."
"I say we collect," Golden Glider chose.
"A billion dollars hard currency would go far in the great Motherland," Molotov mused.
"Even if we gave Putin a kickback," Pravda agreed.
"Who says we're collecting," Owlwoman revealed her talons and Jack O'Lantern's namesake lantern ignited.
"Control your people, Mist," Molotov demanded, "Or we'll turn them in as well."
"Mr. Lord would want to us to comply with United Nations directives," Divine stated.
"Why does she look like a dark haired Galatea?" John asked his wife.
"Because she's a partial Argoan clone blended with human DNA just like Superboy," Shayera told him.
"I can hear you," Divine fumed.
Belphegor tried to catch a telepathic clue from Dr. Mist. But Pravda's smirk told her where the interference was coming from.
"Oh, to hell with it," Killer Frost froze the Justice League where they stood.
"Quit stepping on my toes," Captain Cold complained.
"Puh-lease. Like that thermal suit means anything to me," and Killer Frost froze him to a far lesser degree.
"Put them in the holding cells," Molotov commanded.
Red Star and Big Sir volunteered. Divine held back while Major Disaster went to supervise Big Sir. Killer Frost excused herself from the revived pissing contest. Lady Flash went with her. Marian Drew and Tefe Holland just left without a word. No one but Mist knew why they or Insect Queen were members anyway.
As the debate resumed, Owlwoman, Jack, Knight, and the Squire also slipped free. So Valentina chose to follow to see what exactly was up. Killer Frost intercepted her when she found the JLers lined up abreast of each other.
"Go ahead. Thaw them out," Killer Frost said nonchalantly like she'd always expected Valentina to do so.
"You knew I would," Valentina was surprised.
"I'd guessed," Killer Frost told her, "I'm a very good guesser and an even better survivor."
"Wenonah, make certain we're not interrupted," Killer Frost requested. Owlwoman led Jack, Knight, and Squire to guarding the hallway, "Christina, we need the teleporter primed and ready."
Lady Flash darted off. Killer Frost turned to Valentine, "All yours, Colonel."
Valentina ignited with fusion powered fire and she thawed the JLers. Killer Frost made the announcements while Marian and Tefe stayed in the shadows to act as bodyguards should the Justice League hold a grudge.
"Listen up if you want to live," Killer Frost said without preamble.
"Are you threatening us?" Trevor asked irritably.
"Quite the contrary, Colonel. I'm trying to get you out alive," Killer Frost told them all.
"What's going on here?" Hula Hula had to ask.
"The inaugural meeting of the Justice League Antarctica," Valentina explained.
"The what?" Trevor's head hurt.
"A neutrally located United Nations team with a mandate to undertake missions deemed too sensitive for the JLU," Valentina described it.
"Think too militant," Lady Flash said in a burst of static electricity as she arrived, "The teleporter is ready."
"Or think of it as servicing countries that would sooner blow themselves up than accept aid from the JLU," Neo Joker revealed herself. Tefe accompanied Marian.
"Um…are you supposed to be Harley Quinn?" Atom Smasher asked.
Neo Joker growled low in her throat and Tefe warned him, "She hates when people ask that."
"Are Superman and Big Barda joining you here?" Killer Frost asked.
"They haven't arrived yet?" Penny was alarmed.
"Neither has the Atom," Valentina confirmed.
"I wonder why," Trevor admitted.
"If you can warn them off it'll save everyone a lot of trouble," Killer Frost advised him.
"How did any of this begin?" Shayera asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Max Lord must've seen this coming," Major Disaster brought Big Sir back to meet his favorite JLers, "He invited most of us before Dr. Mist and some of the others had that fiasco on Baker Island. But Luthor knew it too because he assembled a 'Justice League Task Force' personally loyal to him before Max created the new JLA. I heard you met some of the task force members on Corto Maltese."
"Back before people died," John interrupted.
"But your loyalty is to Max, not the UN," Jesse guessed.
"Hardly," Major Disaster scoffed, "Most of us are independent operators who thought we could do some good and redeem ourselves. Then there are the opportunists, like Captain Cold and Golden Glider along with most of our Russian friends it seems. But there are those that put Max before all other concerns."
"Meaning Divine," Killer Frost clarified.
"Does Dr. Hamilton know she was created using Supergirl's DNA?" Trevor glanced at Matrix, "The other Supergirl that is."
"I rather doubt it," Valentina answered, "Max secured nearly all of the last vestiges of Kara In-Ze's DNA but it wasn't enough to yield a full developed clone. Hence the hybridization and in a rare irony, since Luthor's DNA had been successfully fused with Argon genetic samples to create Superboy, Max did the same to produce Divine. Luthor also obtained the remaining genetic material and used the Bizarro process to yield enough DNA to fuse with human material in order to create two other super beings. The first was a genetic grafting into a corpse that became Bizarro Girl and the second was into a live host and she is now called Superior Girl. I wish I could explain how it all worked but I'm a physicist not a geneticist."
"You've been plenty helpful," Plastic Man promised her.
"Both attempts, and the perfected process used to create a Bizarro out of Lois Lane, created Majestic-level meta-humans," Owlwoman said as she returned to the area, "This show needs to get underway."
"Just what the world needed most," Vibe groused.
"Cisco!" Gypsy scolded.
"What?" Cisco Ramone protested, truly perplexed by the nature of his indiscretion.
"Whatever occurred top side, the meeting has broken up and the Russians are coming," Owlwoman advised them.
"Sounds like a bad movie from the Fifties," General Glory remarked.
"They'll be on us `fore Ah can get the Invisible Jet runnin' from a cold start," Penny warned them.
"Who needs a jet?" Jessica's Ring of Volthoom flared to life.
"Even if we got to the hangar undetected," Zinda warned everyone.
"That part is the easiest bit," Killer Frost assured them, "Lady Flash will get you to the surface. Your job is to get safely away before you freeze in the Antarctic winter."
"You up for this?" John asked Jessica.
"Like I have a choice," she ruefully remarked.
John didn't envy Power Ring. His will power controlled his Green Lantern ring. She had to use will power to beat her ring into submission. And she used it to force the ring crafted by Volthoom into doing what she wanted. In many ways, John realized, Jessica utilized greater will power on a daily basis than most Green Lanterns.
Hal Jordan, John himself, Kyle Rayner, and even Guy Gardner had displayed the Ultimate Will at times. Jessica lived there. Only Alan Scott dwelt there with her on a permanent basis. And Alan had only been a Green Lantern in name only and had never been part of the Lantern Corps. Kyle and Guy were also no longer Green Lanterns. Kyle had mastered the emotional spectrum and been found worthy of being a White Lantern. Kara had joined him after proving the same.
Guy had been stripped of his GL ring by the Guardians during the fits of their insanity yet undiscovered. He'd stolen Sinestro's original yellow power ring until Sinestro abandoned the Green Lantern Corps yet again and reclaimed his yellow power ring. Guy's rage had attracted a red power ring and it chose him for a time before Guy went to the Fear Lodge and officially joined the Fear Lanterns.
Jessica alone was the sole Power Ring Corpsman left in existence. Something Hal knew and had instructed John not to reveal to her just yet. The Power Ring Corps had died defending Volthoom from the Anti Monitor and even the First Lantern was dead. The sole Ring of Volthoom left in existence barely struggled against Jessica these days. But it did speak to her when it needed recharging from a victim's fear. And criminals were deliciously fearful beasts.
Jessica herself was immune to its appetites. That had been a direct result of her gaining independence from it. And she tempered its appetites so that it no longer drained the life forces completely out of its prey. But every Lantern Corps except for the Star Sapphires and Blue Lanterns wanted the Ring of Volthoom to study it. Atrocitus and Sinestro in particular wanted to dissect the ring's power. Larfleeze just wanted it as a trophy especially now that it was the only one left.
Lady Flash led the JLers outside. It was springtime in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Arctic Circle. So the weather in Antarctica was increasingly devastating to the human body. No matter how exceptional it was. It could kill a protected human in minutes rather than hours.
Green Lantern and Power Ring created warm environments to shelter the JLers as Lady Flash resealed the headquarters. Inside, Owlwoman distracted the People's Heroes with Dr. Mist's quiet assistance. As the JLU escaped, they saw Killer Frost coating the Invisible Jet and the X-35B-2 with ice to deter people from prying into their secrets.
In the air, Jesse broke the lingering silence, "I can't believe Killer Frost of all people arranged for our escape."
"I agree," Hourman was equally confounded.
"She `tis a changed woman. The loss of her beloved Godiva split her heart in twain and sent her on a path of righteousness," Sir Justin spoke aloud.
"That's what you've been touting about Goldilocks too," Zinda retorted.
"And both are changed women," General Glory broke the argument's back, "I think we can all agree on that. The shades and degrees of change may be difficult to gauge. But they both seem to honestly want to redeem themselves. Human body parts found in rooms notwithstanding. We don't know the full story there."
In John's construct, Trevor had contacted Superman and directed him to divert to a secondary location. Hula Hula was warning off Ray Palmer.
"Where are we headed?" John asked his navigator.
"Eagle's Aerie," Shayera told him, "It was a joint base of both ARGUS and the MLJ Initiative to be used in the advent of a national emergency."
"You're really taking your new role seriously," John commented.
"When have I ever taken my duties less than?" Shayera was miffed, "I'm pregnant and have a broken wing. I'm not brain dead."
"Hey, I never implied you were," John told her, "I'm just impressed by the fact my wife is running the show and being pretty damn sexy doing it."
"I run the show beside Steve and Hula," Shayera said modestly.
"I've watched you manage both of them," John chuckled.
"Maybe more with Hula Hula," Shayera admitted, "I still miss Sue."
Ralph and Sue Dibney had "retired" to take care of their daughter, Alyssa, full time. Of course, on Sue's budget, that meant a lot of world travelling where the Elongated Man could still poke his nose into trouble. They were spending the spring and most of summer in Denmark while taking tours of Eastern Europe. Sue's usual fortunes as a bestselling mystery novelist and heiress made for an easy lifestyle that could indulge Ralph's inability to stay out of trouble.
"Change of plan," Superman warned Barda, whom he bridal carried since her hover discs weren't fast enough to keep up. She was rather enjoying it. Scott Free could barely get her off of the ground much less carry her anywhere.
But still, Kal-El wasn't a New God from either Apokolips or New Genesis despite his power. But Precious had proven that Kryptonians could impregnate New Gods. She was carrying Lord Superman's child. And Mala had conceived a dozen times with Superman as her captive partner. So he was fertile.
Clark Kent was a naïve idealist but Scott had been one as well despite being raised on Apokolips. He'd convinced her to escape with him to Earth where he had become Mr. Miracle. And they had been mostly blissfully married until he died.
But grief was a rare emotion for a former Female Fury. And she didn't want to wallow in it any longer. It wasn't befitting to Scott to end her emotional life when he would want her to carry it on. Her undefined relationship with Superman was utterly brand new and mysterious and heart wrenchingly familiar all at the same time. She loved all aspects of it.
After Superman abruptly altered course, she managed to ask, "Problems?"
"The Antarctic base is occupied by a UN team calling themselves a Justice League," he explained, "Trevor is rerouting us to a shared base with something called the MLJ."
"Won't ARGUS detect us?" Barda asked.
"According to Trevor, ARGUS has pulled all investment or claim to the base now that they have to share it," Superman revealed, "So the question will simply be what would this MLJ do if they detect us."
"Waller can't be trusted. She reminds me of Steppenwolf," Barda assessed.
Superman had to admit there were similarities between the ARGUS Director and Darkseid's commander-in-chief. Especially the fact they both hated to lose, "We'll see her Suicide Squad coming."
"Using condemned prisoners with a false hope of freedom is an Apokoliptan tactic," Barda confided.
"Waller doesn't serve Darkseid. Luthor ostensibly does," Superman reminded her.
"Luthor only serves Luthor and the same is true of Waller," Barda said disdainfully, "Even her own leader can't trust her."
Superman didn't like the implications.
"So you see, the original proposal to create the Justice League of America went along similar lines as the Meta-Human Response Division's mandate. The previous administration was quite concerned over the intentions and actions of the Justice League Unlimited once they became a United Nations security organ and the United States had no direct control over them," King Faraday briefed Gwen Cormaugh and Eve Eden.
Gwen was the Director-in-Charge of Task Force X and Eve Eden was both Faraday's protégé and the supernatural force known as Nightshade.
"And Waller sidelined us in order to freely facilitate personnel transfers to Gen. Lane's division. Transfers she knew we'd investigate and see they were illegal," Gwen stated. Once a constable from Cardiff, always a constable from Cardiff.
"Officially Task Force X has been taken off line because the program is dangerously close to being discovered by Congressional oversight," Faraday corrected her.
"Read between the lines," Gwen snorted, "Your bullshit detector works fine against the enemy. You just haven't realized yet who the enemy really is in this scenario."
"I think you're overreacting," Faraday grimaced, "Waller is guilty of impropriety but none of us are innocent on that score."
"I think you're under-reacting," Eve chided her mentor, "Waller wouldn't be burying these transfer papers if she felt they would hold water in the light of day. Or that her recipient of these illegal transfers would bear scrutiny."
"You may or may not be right but for now, Task Force X is derailed and in no position to do anything regarding any potentially illegal actions," Faraday warned them.
"Let's examine a few facts. The Department of Defense blacklisted Lane's program and shuttered it. Then the DOD issued an arrest warrant on Sam Lane himself. Yet everyone has found that they're still operational and moving between covert DOD assets," Eve recited the facts, "Now they have reclaimed Fort Siegel and are operating in the open with the DOD presumably unaware and unwilling to investigate. And ARGUS is adding to the problem. Sound about right?"
"And Waller is transferring assets that were deemed too unstable even for the Suicide Squad," Gwen pointed out, "Officially the DOD incarcerated the Crusaders and never transferred them to ARGUS' control. Yet they were and are now with Lane."
Faraday had dealt fairly with Gwen and Eve hoping to throw them off of the scent, "I advise you, no, I implore you to take this through the legal chain of command."
"Waller is the chain of command," Gwen said derisively, "How effective do you expect that effort to be?"
"She will terminate everyone in this program if you move unilaterally against her," Faraday warned them.
"Um…I saw the door was open," June Moone was rubbing her neck, "Is there a reason the Wall would kill everyone?"
"Reason with them if you can,:" an exasperated Faraday pleaded.
Then he pushed past June to exit the office. She watched him go with some confusion, "I know I'm new here but he seems…off."
"How is Col. Flagg?" Gwen asked.
June blushed bright crimson, "Um…how would I know?"
"You're wearing his boxers," Eve pointed out, "Not to mention his hoodie sweatshirt. Unless you're in the habit of wearing tents."
"He doesn't want anyone to know," June sighed.
"Then he shouldn't have been caught snogging you in front of news cameras and the entire Suicide Squad," Gwen scowled.
"Oops?" June offered.
"You're so terrible at this covert operations work," Eve snickered.
"Look I become part of the Enchantress. It's never fully me, I just contribute something to her. I'm vaguely aware of what she does but the witch can asset more control than I can and actually takes over at times," June insisted.
"So you're vaguely aware of Enchantress sleeping with Killer Croc?" Eve asked.
June blushed again, "God, I feel like a voyeur sometimes."
"You may want to make peace with the witch so Enchantress can be around full time," Gwen suggested.
"Because of Luthor and the Justice League?" June asked.
"Justice Leagues. You're part of the Justice League Dark just like Eve here and Silver Swan," Gwen replied, "And Luthor is gunning for both."
Enchantress suddenly appeared as June subsumed herself into the dualistic personality, "I understand."
"Then I suggest we get Valerie and warn Zatanna and even Constantine. Lords of Order or Chaos can't break into the House of Mystery but it can be besieged," Eve warned everyone present.
"I'll prep a teleportation spell while you dress as Nightshade and Valerie transforms into the Silver Swan," Enchantress offered.
"You do realize the interior cells have cameras," Gwen guessed.
"No, why?" Enchantress was distracted with her preparations.
"The guards recorded everything between you and Croc," Gwen shared, "And I do mean everything. And they have big mouths. Flagg will find out."
"He's a big boy," Enchantress was dismissive, "June loves Flagg. I don't. Croc is just a pastime until someone better comes along."
"Does he know that?" Gwen inquired.
"He will," Enchantress promised.
"This will complicate things," Gwen promised.
"So?" Enchantress dismissed it out of hand.
.
"What a load of crap!" Gen. Jack Latham growled as he slammed the phone down as Special Agent Carol Anne Strander entered his offices at Liberty Station.
"I suppose knocking is moot right now?" Carol asked.
"Come in, Carol. We, and every other federal law enforcement agency, just got marching orders from President McKay herself. We're to engage the Justice League if and or when we find them," Latham spat nails.
"Read the letter of the law, President McKay mentioned engaging the Justice but not how. With it unspecified we could engage them in conversation and still obey the spirit of the order," Carol told him.
"Carol, you've become one devious sonuvabitch," Latham congratulated her.
"Despite protesting some gender confusion, I thank you," Carol admitted.
"Now how do we keep Luthor and the United Nations off of our backs?" Latham wondered aloud.
"Send the Web Agency to run point. They don't have the firepower or training to affect an arrest," Carol told him.
"Excellent suggestion," Latham was proud of her, "I'll make it happen."
"The Web Agency is recruiting from other federal agencies. But the core, original Web Hosts are still the best choice for the job," Carol advised him, "They're out at Topeka investigating a UFO crash. But it seems the occupants died in the abortive landing."
"Carry on, Special Agent Strander," Latham dismissed her and thought she would've made a helluva soldier. But she was still a damn fine FBI agent.
The Mystery Man called Mr. Justice met with the even more mysterious Blackjack in Las Vegas. With them was also gathered the totally enigmatic Marvel.
"Why did you call us together?" Blackjack asked Mr. Justice.
"I didn't. He did," Mr. Justice nodded skyward.
A crow circled them while the other Hangman floated down atop a cloud. They all noted his mask had no eye or breathing holes. This Hangman was blind and saw through the eyes of his crow. And used magic through his mystical Native American medicine bag given to him by the same shaman that granted him sight through his bird.
"We must prepare," Hangman warned them all, "Our friends within the Mighty Crusaders are all in peril. A peril you're equipped to deal with."
"I don't do teams," the Marvel complained.
"And I don't do cosmic," Blackjack advised him, "I stick to Vegas because there's trouble enough here."
"Yet the Fly is dead and your promise to aid him whenever needed lives on in his heirs within the Mighty Crusaders," Hangman warned him, "Spirits do not take it well when their faith has been compromised."
"He has a point," the ghost of Paul Morse known now as Mr. Justice stated while Black jack stared at Hangman, "And we each owe a member of the Mighty Crusaders a karmic debt."
"You have each been chosen by destiny to carry this out," Hangman warned them.
"There's no such thing as fate," the Marvel scoffed.
"Yet tell it to a Lord of Order like Dr. Fate, who single handedly delivered this message to me," Hangman shared.
"And Dr. Fate is the host for a Lord of Order, a higher being we can't begin to comprehend," Mr. Justice counseled the doubters.
"Despite my name and home, I rarely gamble," Blackjack reached a decision, "But I will gamble on people like the Mighty Crusaders and Dr. Fate. If they need our help, who are we to refuse it?"
"Oh, to hell with it already," the Marvel was exasperated, "When do we leave?"
"We already have," Hangman nodded at the towering casinos as they rose to meet their heights. Each of them had a cloud beneath them, "Try not to move around."
"Easier said than done," the Marvel gulped.
Blackjack let a whoop, "This is awesome!"
"Not bad," Mr. Justice agreed, "Actually very impressive."
Beneath his featureless mask, Hangman smiled.