18
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the DCAU or its related properties. All such right s are the properties of DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation under the conglomeration of Time Warner.
Six weeks had passed since the conclusion of the Legion of Super Villains campaign to reenter their own time had ended. That conclusion had resulted in the arrests of the brainwashed members of the Justices Leagues Unlimited and International that had unwittingly served Saturn Queen, Cosmic King, and Lightning Lord. Those self same JLers were being held on a variety of charges to be prosecuted by the World Court in The Hague. Indictments included crimes against humanity, terrorism, kidnapping, property destruction, and murder. The kidnapping and property destruction charges were being filed by the United Nations for their delegates and staffers being held hostage and the utter destruction of the recently rebuilt UN facilities in New York City. Murder charges had been brought by Germany, Russia, and China.
The Hague's prosecutors felt they had an open and shut case. Everyone was confident the appointed defense teams would bow to official pressure and throw the case. But the prosecution and the defense hadn't counted on how desperate the remaining JLU was to exonerate Superman, Martian Manhunter, and the Atom. Dr. Mist and Belphegor were also hard pressed to see to the release of the JLI team members facing trial.
Green Lantern and Shayera Hol had reached out to Batman but he hadn't received either John Stewart or his wife. Wally West had paid a visit to Wayne Manor as the Flash but Alfred Pennyworth had broken heartedly dismissed him with a message that neither Bruce Wayne nor Batman was receiving guests. Yet, by spying on the manor, Flash learned Batman was frequently visited by both Jaina Hudson and the White Rabbit.
What no Justice League realized was that the White Rabbit was pulling every string that owed her favors to dismiss the charges against the JLU and JLI members. But so far, she'd had no success. The players involved were far more afraid of their political masters than her leverage. So White Rabbit toppled dozens of politicians' careers as a reward for their intractability.
The United States Department of Justice had appointed the legal defense team for the JLU. Each nation with a JLI member provided their own defense for that member. That included the United States in the cases of Echo, Reverb, Man-of-Bats, Raven Red, Blue Beetle, Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, and Samurai , who held dual citizenship in the US and Japan.
While the staff duly appeared to be working on behalf of their clients, they had received executive orders from POTUS to intentionally lose the case. An example was that data had been provided to them from Kalea-El, Superman's half-Almeracian daughter that clearly demonstrated the moment's when Saturn Queen took over each individual's mind. Yet this evidence had not been reviewed by the judge nor had it been shared with the prosecution. It had simply been buried and ignored.
Kalea had provided the Justice League of America with the data. Col. Steve Trevor had then "unofficially" slipped the materials to Selina Kyle, the Catwoman. Selina had then presented it to her old romantic rival, Gotham City Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon. She'd transferred it to the FBI and they'd forwarded it on to the Justice Department.
After six long weeks of waiting for movement with the evidence, Trevor decided to pay a visit to the legal defense team. He only had one basic question, "Why hasn't your team, and all of the international teams, submitted all of the evidence you've received for review for admissibility from the judges?"
"We can't account for the provenance of some so-called 'evidence'," the chief counsel replied, "Did ARGUS provide it?"
"My understanding is the DOJ received it from the FBI who in turn received it from the GCPD," Trevor stated.
"Who received it as an anonymous tip," the counselor sneered, "I'm afraid we deal with facts, not convincing looking YouTube mock ups."
Trevor decided it was best he'd been disarmed, "You're preparing to lose this case. I'd guess you've been ordered to. Why?"
"You're asking questions that don't need answering, Col. Trevor," Superwoman told him from the doorway.
"Superwoman, isn't it?" he inquired.
"It is," she smiled as she answered, "I have to admit I've admired your career."
"Until now, I take it," Trevor retorted.
"That all depends on what you do next," Superwoman replied.
"I wonder why the President isn't willing to give these people a fair trial," Trevor admitted.
"He is. It's The Hague that won't," Superwoman happily informed him, "Or so it'll appear."
Superwoman knew Trevor had to be wondering why the green kryptonite in his pocket wasn't affecting her. She in turn also knew he suspected Gen. Wade Eiling of complicity. But did he suspect Gen. Sam Lane?
More to the point did he realize Lane had been the one to convince the President to crucify the JLers and convince the rest of the world to do so as well? And was the JLA aware that Lane had decided to use military forces to execute a few domestic super villains? And were they ultimately aware that Lane had a coup prepped and ready in case the President's resolve faltered in making the Justice Leagues an example of meta-human justice?
Having returned to the Hall of Justice in Brooklyn, Trevor gathered Amanda Waller, Sue Dibney, and Hula Hula in a room Trevor had just overseen as it was swept for bugs and cameras. Trevor warned them all, "The Justice Dept. is committed to tanking the Justice Leagues' defense."
"We were instructed to let that matter drop," Waller reminded everyone.
"That's what Superwoman magically appeared to tell me," Trevor informed everyone.
"Why would a military operative be concerned over a civilian courtroom drama?" Sue wondered.
"I've been wondering that myself," Trevor confessed.
"Any information you'd like to share, Amanda?" Sue asked.
"The military convinced the President to disentangle himself from the affair concerning the prosecution and defense of the JLers on trial," Waller admitted.
"Or you could simply say Wade Eiling and Sam Lane threatened the President into ordering the Attorney General to instruct his defense teams to operate at less than a competent level," Ralph Dibney, the Elongated Man, stated as he stretched into the room through the crack between the doors and the floor.
"Why should the military even care?" Hula Hula wondered, "ARGUS is tasked with meta-human security."
"Except the Army has a Meta-Human Response Division that paralleled CADMUS' responsibilities and now ARGUS' as well," Waller revealed, "But ARGUS has law enforcement powers where the Army doesn't except under martial law."
"So what happens when our two generals decide to push for martial law?" Sue asked, "And what happens if the President refuses to along with it?"
"Sam Lane's division is tasked with finding extreme countermeasures for extreme threats," Waller clarified, "And every Justice League except the JLA is now considered a threat."
"And what happens when the President is considered a threat for being too moderate?" Trevor asked.
"I don't like where everyone is going with this," Waller admitted, "I worked with Wade Eiling for years."
"And he was an extremist who injected himself with a Nazi mutagen and had to be incarcerated until he was cured," Ralph reminded her, "Who's to say he still doesn't have a radical bent to him?"
"Amanda, we need to talk to the President," Sue insisted.
The Black Marvel's conquest of Kahndaq had occurred in a day. But consolidation of Black Adam's newfound power took weeks afterwards. At first, the presence of the Black Marvels had dissuaded Egypt and Libya from invading. But now the two nations had a pact to carve up Kahndaq in a manner similar to Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union's hidden alliance to partition Poland.
Shazam was increasingly incensed by their actions but Black Adam was diffident and Isis took her lead from him. That made Black Mary his sole remaining hope for a reasonable solution. So he summoned her to the Rock of Eternity.
"You wanted to see me?" Mary asked apprehensively upon arrival at the Rock where it stood outside the Multiverse between Heaven and Hell.
"You seem to think I'm going bite rather than bark," Shazam noted curiously, "Could it be you have a guilty conscience?"
"Black Adam told us about your summoning him and the threats you made," Mary replied, "Should I be expecting more of the same?"
"I'm certain Teth-Adam regaled you all with his version of events," Shazam snorted.
"Black Adam is a good man at heart," Mary protested.
"And the fact you can see that and believe it is why I still hold out hope for you," Shazam remarked, "And why I allowed the Teth-Adam of Earth-3 to empower you with the gifts of his entire family."
"That was your call. I never asked to have their Black Adam, Isis, and Osiris' power added to my endowment. And what is this really about? Are you opposed to us saving Kahndaq's people?" Mary wondered.
"I agree the people of Kahndaq need to be saved from peril. But placing Black Adam on the country's throne is not the way to go about it," Shazam warned her.
"We've all been following the Wisdom of Zahuti. He is the Egyptian god granting that divine gift, isn't he?"Mary asked pointedly.
"And you also receive the Wisdom of Solomon," Shazam retorted, "What does he say about these actions?"
"I don't know. He doesn't say much to me these days," Mary admitted.
"I never should have struck a bargain with the Egyptian pantheon," Shazam muttered darkly.
"They want to assemble their worshippers and grant them safety in which to worship in," Mary stated the gods' obvious goals, "Is that so wrong?"
"And what of you?" Shazam asked, "Do you worship them now?"
"No, I worship the one true God above all gods," Mary replied, "But you shouldn't have to ask that."
"What I know is they want Osiris on the throne of their hub of worship so that he can rule after either Luthor dies or Grail kills Darkseid," Shazam pointed out, "I never should have allowed the Egyptian gods' savior to be born. I should have slain him in Isis' womb."
"I never thought I'd hear you say that," Mary gasped in horror, "Ever since the Lords of Order brought you into their ranks it's like you aren't human anymore."
"I'm not," Shazam conceded.
"It shows," Mary flew back to Earth Prime.
"That could have gone better," Shazam murmured to himself.
In Hell, Shazam's half-demon offspring, Blaze and Satanus, laughed and cackled in delight. Now they would send their champion into the fray.
Mary returned to Kahndaq to find Black Adam patrolling one border and Isis the other. Mary immediately checked on Osiris, having learned Shazam wanted the infant dead. Inside Osiris' nursery, the nurse lay on the floor, stunned. A figure dressed as a Marvel loomed over Osiris.
Mary shoulder checked him through the wall. Grabbing Horus' tunic she drew back her fist, "Why did the wizard send you to kill Osiris?"
"Kill him?" Horus scoffed, "I'm protecting him. He's my nephew after all. And I'm hardly a servant of Shazam."
"Prove it," Mary demanded.
"Ahmud?" Isis froze at the hole in the wall.
"Hello, sister. Imagine what I've become," Horus revealed at last.
"Let him go, Mary. This is my brother. I don't know what he is called in this form," Isis eased Mary off of him.
"I'm Horus and I receive the power of my patron god just as you do," Horus shared.
"As pleased as I am to see you, you have to admit your timing is rather…coincidental," Isis tried to be polite.
"I don't serve Shazam," Horus told them, "His children gave me my power. And they sent me here to protect Osiris from Shazam."
"Shazam has children?" Isis was startled.
"Let's wait for Black Adam and then I'll tell you all about their family politics," Horus promised, "In the meantime, I know Osiris is immune to conventional harm but let's move him to where he can be watched at all times."
"Agreed," Isis decided. She gathered up her son and scooped up a basket to lay him in as they went to the royal residence.
The Hall of Doom had set down in the Gobi Desert some hundreds of miles from Red Socialist Guardsman's fortress. Luthor had reinstalled Brainiac's crystalline CPU and the AI navigated the faculty down to the ground. Once the Hall was inside the Earth's atmosphere and reentry friction was a thing of the past, Brainiac had used the stealth dampers to make the Hall of Doom indivisible to conventional means of tracking. This included optical means.
Since boom tubes created spatial rifts that could be detected miles away, the Legion of Doom relied upon the International Security Agency's teleporter network. Saturn Queen had used her contact within Spyral to initiate the ISA's opening of the network. But Helena Wayne's loyalties to the Court of Owls had become known and Matron was now a fugitive.
But the UN had never investigated who the ISA had been trafficking across its network. Despite internal efforts by Spyral Director Katherine Webb-Kane, the Secretary-General had shut down any and all investigations into the ISA's activities. A move which benefited the Legion since many secure sites now had spatial disruptors to block boom tubes but had relays or beacons to home an ISA teleport jump onto.
"Are you certain you still wish to go through with this farce?" Grodd asked Luthor as they approached the designated gathering place for a new squad being assembled by Luthor.
"It's always valuable to have expendable distractions to throw at one's opponents," Luthor said with a smile that could sell Bermuda shorts to the Inuit tribes.
"If you don't mind, I'll pass on this. I doubt I could keep a straight face," Grodd moved on down the corridor while Luthor entered into the conference room
All conversation died as he did so. Luthor knew this collection of "super villains" had to be wondering why they rated an audience with a truly "superior" individual, "Don't get up."
Luthor stood at the head of the oblong table, "Shall we get down to business? Each of you were assigned tasks to assess your skills and problem solving abilities as well as your native cunning. I'm pleased to state that you have all passed the requirements."
For being abject failures, Luthor thought to himself. How else could you explain this assemblage? He'd gathered such forgettables as Kite Man, Mr. Polka Dot, Dr. Doom, Multi Man, the Mighty Bruce, Bird and his falcon named Talon, Tiger Shark, and Cluemaster. Every one of them had failed to secure their objectives except Tiger Shark and Cluemaster. And even they had walked away with forgeries. But Cluemaster had actually fought the JLA in the process of securing his fake.
The real crystal that he'd been tasked to acquire was already back on display and Brainiac had been forced to disable a tracking device at the heart of the phony substitute. Cluemaster's one stroke of genius had been to enlist the aid of a man called Libra. But when Luthor attempted to contact Libra he'd been unable to. It was like he'd vanished from the Earth.
But Libra wouldn't have joined these ranks anyway. He was too competent to do so, "Welcome one and all to the Kings of Catastrophe."
Everyone liked the name. He'd chosen it to inflate their already swollen egos. He dismissed them with a minor task in hand just to keep them busy and out of the way.
Next, Luthor met with the remnant of Black Seven. Once upon a time, before Intergang crushed its competitors, Black Seven had been a rival of HIVE. Two members had been the design geniuses. The remaining five conducted high profile raids and assassinations with the gear they wished to demonstrate for sales purposes.
The four remaining operatives were also being courted by the League of Assassins. But Luthor had persuaded Talia al Ghul to order Lady Shiva into revoking any and all employment offers. So that left the four unemployed and still hunted by Intergang.
Luthor's sales pitch was simplicity itself. He'd get Intergang to back down if they joined the Legion of Doom. He knew the decision rested with Dragonfly. Whatever she decided, Silken Spider, Tiger Moth, and Black Beetle would comply with. Fortunately for them, they agreed to join. Luthor had Boss Moxie standing by if they would have refused the offer.
Five and a half weeks ago, Mother of Champions had given birth to twenty-five Doomsday-meta-human hybrids. The rampage had been a thing of horrific beauty. The JLA had been called in beside the JSA All Stars to confront them. Even the government sent in its Meta-Human Response Division.
Which begged the question of who was Superwoman? Was she Kryptonian? Argoan? Daxamite? A clone of some kind, like Superboy?
Military and police observers at the United Nations had spotted Saturn Queen's withdrawal from the site. So she obviously hadn't been dislocated through time with the rest of the Legion of Super Villains. So where had she gone to?
And the mysterious time ship had left this century ferrying Booster Gold, Claire Connelly, and Goldstar in it. And Deathstroke's Titans had been obscure since they skipped the final battle with the LSV. As had Nyssa Raatko's Injusticers. So where were all of Luthor's thorns located?
The nascent Secret Society of Super Villains was recruiting. Saturn Queen had hypnotized every ISA agent assigned to the Watchtower. They'd carved out a meeting space and a training facility as well as quarters for Eve Aries herself. Working with the Other, Saturn Queen had gathered a host of villains overlooked or slighted by the Legion of Doom. Libra was her handpicked field commander.
The others were divided into two complements. First was the Superior Five. They were composed of Hindenburg, Jongleur, Lagomorph, Splitshot, and Tremor.
The second grouping were individuals who'd never worked together before now. They included Captain Comet, Hi-Jack, Captain Stingaree, Funky Flashman, Matter Master, Angle Man, Silver Ghost, Killer Moth, Quakemaster, the Sizematic Twins, the Cavalier, Dr. Psycho, Cicada, Crazy Quilt, Fadeaway Man, Double Down, Humpty Dumpty, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Hyena, Jinx, New Wave, Sabbac, Sea Wolf, Torpedoman, Skorpio, Sting, Typhoon, Vault, Ubermensch, Virtuoso, and Zebra Man. Saturn Queen knew she had work ahead of her to turn this lot into an effective force. But they were united by their greed and lust for power. Prime motivators for her to work with.
Nyssa had an artificially rejuvenated Lazarus Pit transferred to Seattle. When she wasn't with Dinah Lance, she was reviewing intelligence reports and planning the Injusticers next missions with each squad's commander. The squads were all in a training mode since they'd all infused fresh blood into them.
Nyssa could see Mia Deardon was uncomfortable with her intentions towards her former guardian. Mia in turn was also uncomfortable with Nyssa's attraction to Dinah. And Dinah was unwittingly starting to return the affections. But Mia doubted Dinah realized she was slowly falling for Ra's al Ghul's other daughter.
And, Black Canary and Speedy had been hunting for the mysterious perpetrator called Cupid for six weeks now. But Cupid had a wide hunting area that spread across the Puget Sound region and all around Lake Washington. And whoever it was had no shortage of Green Arrow effigies.
Even when there were multiple, arrow filled victims; no witnesses ever came forth to testify against Cupid. So either there were none, they were too terrified to speak, or a misplaced sense of gratitude prevented them from coming forward.
Which Mia had pressed Dinah on the why behind Nyssa's absences while Black Canary and Speedy hunted down a killer. What neither of them yet knew was Nyssa was further ahead on the trail than either of them. And just as how Dinah reacted to her growing feelings for Nyssa would make or break things, so would Cupid's reaction to being cornered by Nyssa.
Auburn sat in the valley south of Seattle. Once rural farmland now it was a network of warehouses and distribution hubs. The United States Postal Service was one of the rare vendors to locate their principle sort facility in Federal Way instead of Kent or Auburn. The Injusticers had acquired a former Costco hub facility and modified it into a training facility. It also housed Nyssa's Lazarus Pit.
Plunder had returned to Earth Prime after acquired a cure for the Top and the Golden Glider for the Top's illness that was killing him from the use of his power. Now two of the Rogues owed Plunder and the Injustice Rogues a favor. One Blacksmith intended to collect one day.
The Injustice Rogues were incorporating two new members into the team. Scandal Savage was Vandal Savage's daughter the way Nyssa was Ra's al Ghul's. Knockout was a New God who'd escaped Apokolips and worked as a stripper. Scandal had been told about "Kay" by associates and she went to see the act herself. She immediately recognized that Knockout wasn't from Earth.
One date became several and Scandal and Knockout began living together. Nyssa had tracked the lovers down after meeting Knockout in Mexico. And she'd quickly convinced them to move on to better things by joining the Injustice Rogues.
The Injustice Titans had totally restructured themselves after so many new members. Match had returned with a rambling story about the dark side of the Moon and a hidden fortress there. But Match rambled at the best of time. With Sun Girl and Inertia's help, Enigma was teaching Dreadbolt, Persuader, Disruptor, Windfall, and TNTeena to work together as a unit.
David Cain only had one fresh face to learn about. Killer Frost had come to Nyssa after Godiva's death and Goldilocks' declaring she'd carry on in her sister's name. Denied a clean opportunity to honor the first woman Killer Frost had loved since Crystal Frost's death, Killer Frost looked forward to breaking civilization in order to make its strongest pieces even stronger.
Sir Justin joined Goldilocks on the porch of the singles' residence on the K-Star Ranch. She was already dressed in her new white body glove suit adored only with a blue belt and matching choker. And like every morning for the past few days of this ritual, she nursed a mug of breakfast tea.
"Milady, whilst thou be joining thy comrades in the dining hall?" he asked her.
"I'm not certain they consider me a comrade yet," Goldilocks said mirthfully, "And Roxy's automatons already provided me with a proper English breakfast."
"Why hast thou chosen to dine alone?" Sir Justin wondered, "Thou even departest early from the communal supper."
"I think it's best to break everyone in to my ongoing presence rather slowly," Goldilocks told him.
"But they were already accustomed to having thee for an ally," Sir Justin argued.
"They were accustomed to a future incarnation of me that will never come to be anymore," Goldilocks reminded him, "I'm someone else entirely. And I'm not entirely sure of who I am just yet."
"But I do know I'll never be Tessa no matter how many hopeful looks you pass my way," Goldilocks warned him.
"Pardon?" Sir Justin was startled by the comment.
"I'm not Tessa even though I'm not entirely myself. But someday soon I'll just be…me. And everyone will have to cope with that fact. Even you and even me," Goldilocks advised him.
"Mayhap, yet the loathsome Saturn Queen imparted something in you. An echo of fair Tessa. It may not be who you are entirely but it is a newfound portion of who you are now," Sir Justin spoke up, "Can'st thou fault me for noticing the eye and facial expressions you now make that mirror Tessa's own?"
"No, but I can fault you for holding out unrealistic expectations of where that will lead to," Goldilocks explained, "I have no memories from Tessa even if she is in my head. She simply doesn't exist except as a frame of reference that I can view the world through."
"But that is still a noble end for her," Sir Justin assured her.
"I have enough noble causes to fulfill right now," Goldilocks replied, "I've taken up Dorcas' mantle to carry on Godiva's legacy. But rather than shame us both I'm doing so as me," Goldilocks explained, "I can't be Dorcas anymore than I can be Tessa."
For the first time she could see he accepted that simple truth, "Very well, milady. How did'st thy meeting with thy sires go?"
"Mum and dad knew about Dorcas' death. I don't think they expected me to mend fences with them or to readily endorse Dorcas' last will to donate all her earthly goods to a children's hospital where she's had her tonsils and then her appendix removed. I suppose they were expecting me to object on monetary reasons," Goldilocks shared, "Little did they realize I'm individually wealthier than the entire rest of the family combined. Even with anonymously returning stolen cash and jewels. Working for the Legion of Doom is quite lucrative. I suppose that's why so many stay with it."
"I see," Sir Justin allowed, "And I suppose they joined me in giving you the freedom to be whomever you will be."
Goldilocks laughed, "I've always had that. But the sentiment is appreciated even if a tad condescending."
"Whilst thou be joining the group exercise today?' Sir Justin asked.
"No, I have a private session with Alan, Jay, and Ted again. They say I'm close to working with Michael and Sandy's group," Goldilocks shared.
"Why hast thou been relegated to these single sessions for so long?" Sir Justin took umbrage at this fact.
"Easy, I've only been here a week. And they need to test my loyalties and motives as well as my skills," Goldilocks reminded him.
"It seemed an eternity between your decision to join with us and your actual arrival," Sir Justin commented.
"I like you too, as a friend," Goldilocks clarified.
"It seems young Courtney Whitmore is fast becoming a bosom friend," he conserved.
"And she's dragging poor Billy and Freddy along with her," Goldilocks chuckled, "And Anna Fortune and Al Rothstein are always trying to make me feel welcome."
"I suppose Anna's time as our resident outcast taught her many things about unwelcome resentment," Sir Justin finally realized.
"I get the impression Anna has always been the odd man out in any age," Goldilocks told him.
The Flash appeared, "It's time, Goldilocks."
"Thank you, Jay. I'll be there shortly," she informed him. He streaked off again.
"Don't get into trouble without me," Goldilocks winked at Sir Justin as he returned her mug to her room through the open widow even as she vaulted over the railing. Sir Justin wondered how the JSA Founders could be so concerned when she had that precise control over her magically imbued hair.
Sir Justin donned his chainmail and strapped on his sword belt. The Legion had stripped him of them and delft them in OmniTech for ARGUS to find. ARGUS's scientist stated the blade, forged from a meteorite that Stonehenge had been built around, wasn't indestructible owing to Merlin's magic but rather it quantum flux density which Merlin had obviously known how to manipulate in order to forge the sword. Which Sir Justin called magic.
Goldilocks joined the three JSA Founders where Sentinel had already created a fortress-like construct with his magic power ring. Wildcat intercepted her first, "Ya ready? `Cause today we're throwin' everythin' at ya. If ya pass this test, ya graduate so's ya join the group sessions and we can start fittin' ya into the team dynamic."
"I do believe that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Goldilocks admitted.
"Ah, mush," Wildcat stomped off and entered the citadel.
"Remember, be ready for anything," Flash advised before joining Wildcat inside.
"The object is to liberate a teammate," Sentinel told her at last, "But once freed, they will be simulating being powerless and wounded. You have to get them out without further injury being inflicted."
"Who is my erstwhile teammate?" she wondered.
"You'll find out," Sentinel sank into the citadel construct.
Goldilocks hesitated despite knowing she was on a clock. She'd only failed one test before when Sentinel had created a construct of her dead sister. Even though she'd known it wasn't Dorcas it has still taken her precious seconds to respond to it and it had scored a simulated kill against helpless civilians.
Goldilocks didn't intend to repeat that error again. Neither did she expect to walk through the front door. It was time to get creative.
The Injusticers had taken the rest of the day off when Nyssa brought Dinah and Mia to the facility and brought them to the sectioned off portion where the tank holding the reinvigorated Lazarus Pit sat. They climbed the catwalks and Nyssa took them to the gangplank extending over the bubbling mud-like liquid.
"You understand the risks and the rewards?" Nyssa asked Dinah and she received a nod in reply.
"And you understand the physical state you have to achieve in order for the pit to work?" Nyssa got another affirmative answer. Mia wasn't aware of a condition to be in.
"And you understand the temporary consequences of entering the pit?" Nyssa inquired. Dinah nodded more firmly.
"And yet you still want to go through with this?" Nyssa finally asked. Dinah nodded several times and squeezed Nyssa's hand. Nyssa seemed to lose her normal poise and composure over that,
"You'll need to strip before immersing yourself," Nyssa took a little too much delight in that act for Mia's taste. Nyssa shed her own jacket. Dinah approached the gangplank and walked out on it and turned to face Nyssa.
To Mia's despair, Nyssa produced a knife and stabbed Dinah through the fourth and fifth ribs and twisted it at the end. Dinah was dead before she went beneath the Lazarus Pit's surface. Mia almost screamed as she charged Nyssa.
Nyssa held her back with the knife in the teenager's throat, "It's a Lazarus Pit. It only works on the dead."
Mia wondered what else Nyssa and Dinah had neglected to mention. Dinah came out of the muddy water with a gasp moments later. She climbed the framework to reach the gangplank. Confronting Nyssa, she struck Nyssa a savage blow to the face and then another.
Mia wondered why Nyssa didn't even attempt to passively defend herself. And then Nyssa swung behind Dinah and draped her own jacket over her and held her with two arms and they sank to the decking.
Dinah struggled at first but the madness eventually began to subside. Mia couldn't stand it anymore, "Why are you doing this?"
"Because the world is a better place with a whole Dinah Laurel Drake Lance," Nyssa simply stated.
"Why is she like this?" Mia wondered.
"The madness and bloodlust are temporary effects. The bloodlust lasts longer if you openly fight it from the very beginning. Let the person draw first blood and they calm rather quickly," Nyssa explained.
Mia thought that explained why Nyssa accepted the split lip and black eye so easily. Dinah suddenly spoke, "Whuh…what am I doing here?"
"Dinah! You're talking!" Mia exclaimed.
She felt for the scars on her throat and Dinah was amazed that they were gone…as promised. She belatedly realized she was still naked and then Nyssa had a firm grip around her waist. And she was even more startled to find she felt safer than any time since Ollie died.
"I can talk," Dinah fully realized.
Nyssa helped her get to her feet and Dinah realized that Nyssa had sacrificed an outfit worth more than her entire closet in order to keep her privacy as intact as possible. She turned and saw the damage to Nyssa's face.
"Did I do that?" she wondered.
"We discussed it. It was no matter whatsoever," Nyssa promised her, "Now, there are showers in the restrooms but I think it's best I gather your clothes and handle them. Keep the jacket on."
Nyssa had brought a change of outfits and was replete except the eye and her lip. But the lip was no longer bleeding. Mia disapproved, "I thought you'd stay for the show."
"You misunderstand. I'm not a voyeur nor do I demand sexual favors for an act such as this. This was a gift. I guess you could say it was from...love. I've admired Dinah since her earliest days as Black Canary. Her military records and time with Team 7 only add to her allure. But I'm not asking for anything in return for this other than Black Canary to regain her life as it was before tragedy struck."
"So if she did mention anything and turned you down?" Mia asked.
"I'd fully expect it," Nyssa replied, "But, if she were to begin to reciprocate some of my fascination…I really don't know what would happen next."
"And whatever happed to letting my personal life remain my own goddamn business, Mia?" Dinah said from the restroom entrance, "At least Nyssa seems too respect that thought."
"Dinah…I…" Mia faltered.
"You mean well, but Ollie's death has made your clingy." Dinah warned her, "If there's a mistake to make, it's mine just as the reverse is true."
Dinah turned to Nyssa, "As for you and your confession. Now that I'm speaking again, I'd like to explore just what you meant. So, when are you free?"
"All month," Nyssa assured her.
"Then tonight at 7pm? You come to the estate and we'll head out to a favorite restaurant. Dress casual. Sound good?" Dinah asked.
"Better than good," Nyssa confessed.
Dinah touched Nyssa's face, "I'm still sorry about that."
She took Mia and they drove off back to Kirkland. Nyssa felt a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities facing her now. She supposed there was only one way to find out what could happen.
Dinah and Mia startled the staff when they greeted them and Dinah spoke back. They were so astonished they almost forget to announce the guest. The butler warned them he'd been waiting all afternoon.
The young man's name turned out to be Conner Hawke. Dinah recalled the name, "There was a specially sealed portion of Ollie's will with your name on it."
"I was told you couldn't speak anymore," Conner replied.
"Things change, but not the subject," Dinah verbally sparred with him.
"Oliver Queen was my father. I was born before he took over Queen Consolidated and I was the illegitimate heir he never embraced until I was a teenager. I took on as Green Arrow when he died and I'm here about Cupid and her obsession with dad," Conner reported.
"Son?" Mia yelped
Dinah felt bad. Ollie had bastards all over the world. She was surprised he'd reached out to Conner.
"You say Cupid is a she," Dinah latched onto that fact.
"She's been sending me photos of her crime scenes including this one of her breast. I think it speaks for itself," Conner handed over a picture.
It was a woman's breast with a heart shape tipped arrow above a heart with an arrow in it drawn above it in scar tissue. Conner couldn't refrain, "This is one serious psycho."
"Do you think this is one of Ollie's former conquests?" Dinah asked Conner.
"You'd know better than I would," he replied, "I think she's just a nut job."
"It definitely classified the perp as female," Dinah conceded.
"And horribly obsessive," Mia observed, "She probably thinks she's carrying on Green Arrow's work."
"Which means you're a target," Dinah pointed out to Conner, "Pretender to the throne and all that stuff."
"So where do we look for her?" Conner asked.
"I think I know someone to ask," Dinah hated to break her date but Nyssa's tracking skills were needed more than a night at the Old Spaghetti Factory.
The Crime Syndicate finally reported to Luthor. He was skeptical to say the least, "So now there are more of you, including the supposedly dead members."
"We were never dead," Owlman replied.
"Obviously," Luthor snorted, "Why are you all on my Earth?"
"We want your help in conquering our world," Owlman spun a half truth, "Your doppelganger is dead. Max Lord has chased Darkseid's forces from Earth-3. Together with Darkseid or independently we can take his world if we're united. Afterwards a deal could be cut with Darkseid."
Power Ring's Ring of Volthoom flared to life and she whispered, "He's coming."
In the heart of the dead Sector 666, Volthoom had forged an army's worth of power rings. He'd done so across most of the multiverse. But now, with Jessica Cruz wearing a Ring of Volthoom, he knew the Prime Universe was ripe for the plucking.
So Volthoom sent his rings forth to capture proper bearers and follow Volthoom as the Prime Universe's Power Ring Corps. With the Guardians of the Universe dead and the Lantern Corps splintered, this universe would also be his.
