DISCLAIMER: I do not own Justice League or the characters within.
This is a little drabble based off The _Lady_Iris story What Happens In Oklahoma Part II. If you haven't read it or any of her stories, you should they're great!
It was very quiet, peaceful day in the office. The only sounds were the rhythmic ticks coming from the antique clock in the corner and the non stop clicking of the keyboard. It had been a full day after the successful raid and things were looking like they had pulled it off.
They finally one-upped the Justice League.
Wishful thinking.
The entire room shook with the unmistakable force of an earthquake, or maybe it was a large explosion. Either way it was enough force to send her careening from the chair to the floor in the blink of an eye. Scrambling to her knees Mrs. Waller groped around her shattered desk for the phone. Grabbing the device she flung it open and yelled.
"What the hell was that ?! Someone report now! Now damnit!" as she spoke she managed to get up off the floor onto her feet and was moving toward the office door. That was until the garbled reply came back. The background noises making it difficult to understand half of what the person was saying, but it was enough to stop her dead in her tracks.
"….Large meta ….. smashing our defenses …. Killing ….. burning everything …. My God …. GOD HELP US ….. " In the back ground she could hear the troops screaming, crying out in pain and agony only to be silenced by the sound of a raging inferno. Just before the transmission cut off she heard one more thing that turned her blood cold.
"WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN?!" an unnaturally loud voice shouted.
'Oh dear God no …' was her only thought as the realization what was happening. One of her advisors, the one who strongly protested their plan for this very reason, said this might be a possibility. Mrs. Waller didn't believe in gods and demons other than what her own religion taught. But it was becoming painfully clear that they just might have angered a god of old.
Broken out of her thoughts by frantic shouts and cries from beyond her office door. Whatever was happening was occurring just outside in that corridor and it was coming closer. The noises became louder and she could her people running past. Their flurried steps and cries cut short by the sound of a torant of fire passing by her doors. The metal sagged and contorted from the heat. Puffs of smoke leaked in through the edges as the screaming intensified then ceased into an erie silence. The only sound to remain was the padding of very large feet. These footsteps were approaching her office. Instinctively she backed up until she bumped in to her desk. Frozen with ever growing fear her eyes fixed on those doors.
It didn't take long for those fears to be realized as the entryway that had until that moment kept her separated from the horrors that lay outside disappeared, shattering into a thousand bits and pieces thrown about the once tidy office. The doors gone, a dark figured filed the space. After a moment in it strode, a very large fierce and imposing looking man clad in ornate armor. So very god like. She knew in an instant who this … what this thing was. The word escaped her lips in a gasp.
"Hades …"
The god of the underworld smirked as he calmly walking into the shattered office clearing the distance in a few strides to end up towering above her. Looking around he gestured to a fallen chair to right itself behind him then sat most casually.
"You know who I am mortal." It was not a question. "Then you know who's children you have taken. THE IMPUDANCE! Did you think such an act would go unpunished ?!" The unearthly power his voice possessed cause the walls to shake.
Waller's body shuddered while her mind tried in vain to come up with a suitable answer. 'I was only following orders', 'There were security issues to be realized', 'The things we thought we could learn' or even 'We were curious about them.' Seemed to fall short of anything nearly acceptable. All she could come up with was.
"I … ummm " fortunately for her she was saved when an apparition appeared next to Hades. Smoke poured from a shadow on the floor next to him. It twisted and shimmered then took the form of a rotting corpse clad in the armor of ancient warriors. It kneeled next to its master then spoke reverently.
"My lord we have found the children. They are two levels down in a large room. Both appear to be unharmed and asleep. We have control of the entire building and await you orders - oh great one."
"Excellent! I will retrieve my grandchildren myself. When we are away from this place burn it to the ground! " Hades said with a grin. The creature made to move, but before it could Hades' hand came down smashing it into dust. The force of the blow almost knocked Mrs. Waller off her trembling feet.
"Do not presume to me! Unharmed?! They were abducted from their home! Frightened and scarred were they dragged away from where they belong - And for what purpose may I ask?" he turned cold cruel eyes towards Waller. She trembled under his gaze.
"To be studied. Examined. Poked and prodded for secret no mortal could possibly understand much less comprehend. Is that right my dear?"
Mrs. Waller's eye shot open. She nodded dumbly for she had no words to convey. He spoke the truth. They grabbed the children in hopes of learning some great secret from them. At the time those secrets, the possibilities of the knowledge tantalized her brain. Now, only one thought was running through her mind.
'What have I done?'
Hades stood and looked as though he would turn to walk away, but instead looked at her with a small smile plastered on his face. His smile was unnerving and she feared not for her life, but her very soul.
"Destroy all except for this one. I want her kept safe. I want her to tell the tale of what happens when the gods are offended. I want her to remember what she rout this day. Besides, I can wait for her eventual death to exact my personal revenge." Then Hades leaned in and grabbed her chin forcing her to look into his cold eyes. "We will meet again. Your sins are many and vast. In time you will come to my realm. Your damned soul belongs to me! ha ha ha" With that the god of old turned and left the room still chuckling to himself.
With his departure she collapsed on the spot. The fear and adrenaline no longer able to support her weight. Minutes passed in silence. She wondered if it was all over. Then the screaming started again. She forced her eyes shut to tune it out and suddenly it stopped. The world around her quieted and a cool breeze graced her face. Opening her them once more she found she was no longer in her office, but on a building rooftop overlooking what was once Cadmus.
It was burning. All that she had worked for destroyed in an unrelenting hellfire. Her last memories of that night before the darkness claimed her was Hades words echoing over and over again. 'I want her to remember what she rout this day…. We will meet again.'
Back at the manor Bruce and Diana were holding on to each other on the couch trying to console one another. The police had left hours ago with assurances that the entire Gotham City force was on the case and that they would be found safe and sound. Bruce had little doubts that Jim Gordon and his officers would do all that he could.
The Justice League was on the hunt as well since all of the original seven had a personal interest in finding the children. The bonds shared between the heroes were as strong as family. Some Leaguers were more determination than others to find the kids. The Flash was one of them. Being the last remaining childless bachelor he took the role of uncle to the Little Leaguers (as he called them) seriously. No one touched his kids and got away with it.
One would think that Bruce and Diana or at least their alter egos would be out searching as well, but truth be told the whole experience had robbed them of any ability to do so. Diana was an absolute mess. She could not sleep. She could not eat. Even simple rest eluded her. Her powers seemed to have abandoned her in her time of need. She cried almost constantly and shook violently every time she thought about them being in harms way. Bruce could not leave her side for fear of what would happen. In all reality he wasn't in much better shape.
She had her head buried into his chest again cry for the umptenth time that day. He rubbed her back gently and uttered whatever words of encouragement he thought would help ease her suffering whether he believed them or not.
Just then a loud thump was heard from the upstairs. Bruce's head picked up and he could have sworn it came from the twins' room. After a moment of intensely focusing on hearing he knew someone was upstairs pacing back and forth. First he thought maybe it was Alfred, but he was sent off to bed hours ago to rest after his assault. Besides whoever this was, was very heavy. The loud dull thuds his footsteps made against the wood floors were clear to his trained ears.
"Diana someone is upstairs in the chirldrens' room." He said was he pulled her to stand with him. She stared at him with blood shot tear filled eyes. Begging for him to tell her that they were back home. Both moved quickly but cautiously up the stairs and towards the room. Bruce held onto her the whole way. She had so very little strength left.
When they got to the room he grabbed onto the door handle and looked at her. The hope and fear clear in his eyes. She nodded and a quick turn they were in. Inside they found a large figure cloaked in shadows with his back turned to them. Before they could demand who this was it turned to reveal Lord Hades, God of the Underworld cradling both children in his massive arms. He smiled at Diana as she covered her mouth with both hands to prevent the scream. Whether it was in joy or terror we'll never know.
Before either of them could say a word Hades spoke.
"Calm yourselves. I was not the one who had stolen your children. In fact I am returning them to where they belong. To you." Both Bruce and Diana looked upon him with watery eyes. The fear and joy evident in their gazes as they watched, dumbfounded, the large olympian god come closer offering their precious children back. Diana lunged forward and grabbed each one and held them close as she started to to cry again. Bruce wrapped his arms around them all and wept as well.
The nightmare was over.
AN: I think I'm going to live it there for now. I did several times to write some dialog between them but it never fit right. Maybe if I get a good ideal I'll add a chapter or two, but I doubt it.
Anyhow, after reading the Lady's story this popped into mind. I thought having their grandfather come rescue them would be cute.
Please read/review. Hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !!!