11 Justice League Night Falls
Sentinel called Jennie. She used a Skype phone so when she answered she asked him to give her a minute. A few minutes later, her face appeared on his screen as she'd switched to using her laptop. Despite her obvious pleasure at hearing from him, she was also deeply troubled.
"It's Todd, isn't it?" he asked without preamble.
She gave him a rueful look, "I was just watching the news. Old habits and all that. I saw the event in Detroit. It has to be him."
Sentinel heaved a weary sigh, "I was rather hoping you wouldn't say that."
Jennie had a new insight, "You've been called in to respond, haven't you? Well, you and the Justice Society, I mean."
He nodded somberly, "We have. The rest of the team is already on their way."
"But not you?" Jennie was surprised. Sentinel had always been considered to be one of the JSA's heavy hitters. Just as she had been Infinity Inc's when she was still Jade.
"I wanted to talk to you first. I've been praying it wasn't Todd despite all the mounting evidence. Apparently God isn't listening today," Sentinel complained.
"I think He's listening," Jennie replied, "I just think He has a different response than you want to hear."
Sentinel was gaining a new insight into how his daughter was coping with her new life, "How so?"
"You may be the only person that can reach Todd," Jennie declared.
That amused Sentinel, "Frankly I was thinking the same about you."
Jennie wore a guilty look, "I'd just be in the way."
"Jennie, I'm not going to fight him. I want to talk him down and get him some help. He's obviously troubled," Sentinel surmised.
"More than you know," Jennie replied. Seeing she'd plunged into the deep end, she elaborated; "My connection with Todd is getting murkier. It's harder to 'read' him now. But my impression is that he isn't doing this alone."
"What do you mean?" Sentinel asked more sharply than he intended. Seeing Jennie recoil, he changed his tone; "I'm sorry. But what did you mean Todd isn't working alone?"
"Someone or something is influencing him," Jennie insisted.
"But what or who?" Sentinel inquired.
"He's talking to the shadows again," Jennie revealed.
"Honey, from what you've told me, Todd has talked to shadows his entire life;" Sentinel reminded her.
"Only this time, they're really answering. It isn't just in his head," Jennie divulged, "Dad, you spent thirty years in the Shadow Realms. You know what's in them better than anyone, except for maybe Todd."
Sentinel grew very cold, "Yes, I do. All of us that were there do. If Todd is talking to the beings that live there, we could have a hell of a problem on our hands."
"Look, if you can't talk Todd down, call me. I'll come running. But this is as much about him and you as it is about him and James Rice," Jennie opined.
"What do you know about James?" Sentinel inquired.
"I've told you some of the stories about what he did to Todd," Jennie reminded him, "Of course, I haven't told you the really bad stuff."
Sentinel shuddered. What Jennie had shared had been horrific enough, "I mean, how is he doing? Is he still alive?"
"Ooh yeah," Jennie said ruefully, "Todd wants it to last for years to come. Just like it did for him."
"Jennie, you know Todd is very, very sick. Don't you?" Sentinel asked.
She sighed and slowly nodded, "He's my brother so I was in denial for a long time. But this is as bad as or worse than what you described mom as being in the end."
"That wasn't your mother," Sentinel rebutted, "Your mother told me you and Todd were alive. She just didn't live long enough to tell me where you were. Thorn is the one that left me and gave you two up for adoption. Rose would never have tried to kill me but Thorn tried with gusto. Unfortunately, Rose paid for Thorn's mistakes with her life."
"But was it Rose or Thorn that conceived and birthed Mayflower?" Jennie asked plaintively.
Sentinel smiled, "Totally off topic but I have told you about Roxy, right?"
"The wonder computer?" Jennie asked, wondering where this was leading to.
Sentinel chuckled, "Well, she likes to think of herself as a whole lot more."
Jennie's face scrunched up, "I'm not sure I'd like my laptop sassing me."
"Point taken," Sentinel agreed, "The point is: Roxy tracked down Mayflower."
"Really?" Jennie totally brightened now.
"Don't get your hopes up," Sentinel warned, "You told me Mayflower was part of this 'Force of July', correct?"
"Yes, that was the name of her team," Jennie confirmed for him.
"Well, according to official records, the Force of July had an 'incident' in Kabul. Nearly a hundred Afghans died as a result," Sentinel reported. Seeing Jennie's crestfallen expression, he hurried to get through the rest; "But the government chose not to prosecute despite the Afghan government's insistence upon it. A super agency named ARGUS took over their brief and assigned them to a covert missions team code named Task Force X."
"Well, that's a good thing. Isn't it?" Jennie wondered. She could see her father's discomfort and she inquired, "What is it?"
"Task Force X seems to be comprised of condemned prisoners off of death row. Condemned super villains to be precise," Sentinel explained, "Apparently they can earn a reprieve of sentence or even a parole if they serve the agency honorably."
Sentinel registered her stunned expression, "Seems unlikely I know but it gets a little worse."
"I don't see how," Jennie muttered.
"The team is commonly called the Suicide Squad because their missions are so hazardous," Sentinel dropped the last bombshell on his daughter.
"Great," she said miserably.
"Jennie, Mayflower was doing this sort of work before she joined the Suicide Squad," Sentinel reassured her, "And besides, Roxy discovered what Mayflower's real name is."
"Really?" Jennie brightened again.
"Her name is Briar Rose Westfall," Sentinel was happy to share.
"So," Jennie mused, "She was right. Her name does make sense if you knew about Rose and Thorn."
Jennie suddenly perked up again, "Who is her father?"
"Reverend Andrew Westfall," Sentinel smirked, "Apparently it was a shotgun wedding seeing as how Briar was born only seven months after the wedding. Rose left a year after that."
"Sounds familiar," Jennie said wryly.
"Well, it was probably more of Thorn's doing," Sentinel suggested.
Jennie's eyes suddenly went wide, "Dad! You have to go!"
"What is it?" Sentinel was immediately concerned.
"It's Todd," she grimaced, "He's taken over the minds of two of your teammates."
"I'm on my way," Sentinel promised, "Take care, Jennie."
"Yell if you need help," she made him promise.
Her transmission ended and Sentinel rose and straightened out his flowing cape. He wondered just how Jennie would get to Detroit from Atlanta at a moment's notice. He cast the concern away. Jennie was highly capable and she'd find a way to keep her word.
"Thanks for keeping so quiet, Roxy," Sentinel said to the empty room.
Roxy's avatar appeared at the center table, where she was leaned back with her feet propped up, "Not a problem. I seem to be distracting and you needed to be focused."
"What's the team's status?" Sentinel inquired.
"Both Marvel Families penetrated the black cloud five minutes ago and haven't been heard from since," Roxy described the situation, "And the Raven is now on scene and looking for a landing site."
"How's Mike?" Sentinel inquired as to the team's mechanic/mecha driver.
"Giddy," Roxy giggled.
"At least someone is," Sentinel commented as he headed for an exit so he could begin his flight to Detroit.
Roxy intellectually understood Alan Scott's plight but she'd never had children. She conceivably would never have children so the heartbreak caused by one in distress sailed over her head. She idly wondered how Pat Dugan would be reacting if Mike were in direct danger. It seemed that he and Barbara had come to terms with Courtney's adventuring but then again she didn't see the times at home when they literally shook with fear for their daughter.
Shayera spotted the Raven as it glided by. It began a slow circle over the affected area. Her signal device and been directly tied into the JSA's comm network so she hailed the ship. She was delighted when Blackhawk replied.
"Good to see you, flyboy," she quipped, "Think you can land this thing in a parking lot?"
"Point me at it," Blackhawk chuckled, "The Raven makes Sawbones look like she was made of Legos."
Shayera wore a wry smirk, "Glad to hear it. John will be due east of your position in three...two...one…now. He's cleared you out a landing grid. At the mass's current rate of expansion, you'll have thirty minutes before it overtakes the landing spot."
"I guess the JSA won't have much time to work," Blackhawk opined.
"You know this business, Blackhawk. Sooner is always better," Shayera retorted.
"I've marked John," Blackhawk announced, "He's using his signal device as a beacon and his ring as a landing marker. See you in a few."
"Take care," Shayera replied, "I'll be your eye in the sky for the foreseeable future."
"Glad to hear it," Shayera was touched by the genuine warmth in his voice.
The Raven settled down on its gear. Like the Javelin-9s the JLU had employed, the Oracle-15s also had a VTOL capability. The JLU had moved on to the Javelin-11 series shuttle since the Blackhawk Squadron moved out and now flew the Blackhawk Express missions for the DEO. John knew the Global Guardians utilized the Oracle-5 platform. While STAR Labs had designed the Javelin shuttles and manufactured them in partnership with Lord Enterprises, the Oracles were a wholly developed and produced product of Ferris Aircraft.
Carol and Hal had ruminated on the fact that their own team didn't use Ferris aircraft while their so-called "rivals" did. Most of the League's membership kidded them about it but John saw their point to a degree. But it was a sheer result of design limitations. The Oracles could achieve orbit and operate in the microgravity of Earth's gravity well but the Javelins were designed for deep space usage. They possessed hyperdrives and artificial gravity while the competing Oracle crafts lacked both. This limited their usefulness to the League.
The Justice Society disembarked. Stargirl enthusiastically greeted John. He was pleased to see that Courtney's zeal hadn't ebbed despite the JLU's treatment of her by handing her and the Marvels over the JSA. She also had taken on a new air of maturity.
"Too bad you had to miss the party," Stargirl teased, "I swung into being eighteen with aplomb."
"Just keep telling him that," STRIPE counseled.
"Cool your jets, Robo-Britches," Stargirl remarked.
"I take it this isn't Pat Dugan at the helm," John observed.
"Mike Dugan at your service," STRIPE extended his hand, "Pleased to meet you, sir."
John looked to Courtney and she shrugged, "Stepbrother."
"You've never mentioned a stepbrother," John scolded her.
If John could detect body language from a mecha, he'd say STRIPE was reflecting Mike's own ire, "You never mentioned me?"
"I was busy getting Pat off of my back. Why would I want to tell them you were chomping at the bit to take his place?" Stargirl inquired sharply.
John stepped away to let them bicker and joined up with Sand and Mr. Terrific as the T-Spheres analyzed the mysterious darkness, "Hello Michael. It's good to see you again."
Mr. Terrific shook John's hand, "I wish it were under better circumstance."
"Your team seems to have grown again," John observed.
Sand's features were obscured by his gas mask but he chuckled, "We were on a recruiting drive today when you called."
"And you brought new members with you?" John wasn't certain he liked the sound of that.
"Didn't J'onn do the same when twelve of us transferred to the Justice Society from the League?" Mr. Terrific reminded him.
"Yes, but we had you on loan to help us through it," John reminded him in turn.
The Flash, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Hawkman joined the group. Flash spoke first, "Wildcat's got the kids ready to go in and see what's going on."
"I'm getting some strange readings from this stuff," Mr. Terrific confided, "The darkness isn't quite in phase with the rest of reality."
"Any word from the Galatea and the Marvels?" Hawkman asked.
"No," Sand reported, "Their last check in was with John and Shayera. They've been out of touch for over twenty minutes now."
"If you guys wouldn't mind, I'd like to join Shayera on her vigil," John admitted.
"Feel free," Sand encouraged him, "Carter, would you join them as well to be our eye in the sky?"
Hawkman fell silent. All eyes turned to him and finally he relented, "Very well."
"It'll be like old times," John tried to cheer him up.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Hawkman confessed, "And so are you."
John couldn't argue that point.
Two of Mr. Terrific's T-Sphere had reached the boundary of the growing shadowy mass. They'd jumped by line of sight teleportations. Once they hit the edge of darkness, they signaled Mr. Terrific. He used the HUD in his mask to take a gander around.
"The path seems clear," Mr. Terrific announced.
"Jay, could you gather everyone?" Sand asked the Flash.
The JSA grouped up a moment later and then vanished in a red flash…
…only to reappear at the boundary.
"Okay folks, this is it," Sand announced, "Wildcat assigned you to a group. Stick with your group and you'll be fine."
The three teams entered the dark mass and quickly lost sight of one another. They could contact each other through their comm devices still. Hawkman reported that the mass had continued to grow and Blackhawk had lifted the Raven and was holding station in the skies above Detroit.
Hourman and his wife, Jesse Quick, were leading one team. They had Commander Steel, Anna Fortune, Atom Smasher, Johnny Thunder, his Thunderbolt, Judomaster, and Solomon Grundy with them. As they ventured inward, Hourman whispered to Jesse.
"I don't think we should have brought Grundy with us," he expressed.
"Why?" Jesse wondered.
"Can't you feel it?" Hourman wanted to know, "It's like every bad thought and intention I've ever had wants to come rushing to the surface."
Jesse looked guilty, "I thought it was just me."
Grundy's roar turned them around. Grasping hands made of darkness brought him to his knees. The darkness smothered him. But then it partially peeled off of him. Only his rags were still immersed in the black goo. But it was his eyes that caused the others to give pause. They were coal black and filled with a malice that Grundy had never borne save when he was possessed by Chaos magic.
"Anna!" Atom Smasher said as Grundy began to climb to his feet, "Can you…? Anna?"
Hourman and Jesse turned to face Anna, who'd been behind them. Her eyes were also inky blobs. Johnny Thunder's eyes were also glazed over with a black sheen. The Thunderbolt looked as nervous as Hourman and Jesse felt. Hourman summed up having their three mightiest members possessed by this mysterious darkness, "Oh shit."
The Flash scouted ahead and then came back with bad news, "Every city block up ahead is filled with people. They pretty much look like the zombies the kids rage about these days."
"What if we head north or south?" Wildcat wondered.
"Same story," Flash let him down easy, "Looks like whoever is pulling their strings wants a fight."
"You think the kid is still running the show?" Wildcat referred to Obsidian.
"No," Flash admitted sadly, "This feels too much like the Shadow Realms. I'd say that these people are possessed by the beings that dwell there."
"Okay," Wildcat accepted that, "So how do we stop them?"
"We were never able to stop them," Flash admitted, "We were just able to finally escape with Fate's help."
"Well, chrome dome is never around when you need him in the era," Wildcat complained.
"Uh…gentlemen, they've cut off our exit," Mr. America alerted them.
Lightning looked uneasy. Even her luminescence was dimmed down within this environment. Ri and Red Beetle looked like their skin was crawling. Flash couldn't blame them.
"So we go for Obsidian?" Wildcat asked.
"The sooner we close the door, the sooner we can stuff the Shadow Realms back where they belong," Flash agreed.
"Good," Wildcat decided, "Now we just got to bash our way through thirty square blocks of possessed zombies. No problem."
Flash grinned, "It's good to have you back, Ted. You were sorely missed."
"The feelings mutual, Jay," Wildcat admitted. He turned to the others, "Whad'ya say we kick some butt?"
The newest team members all smiled.
The other comprised the third team. Sand, Dr, Mid-Nite, and Mr. Terrific looked after Stargirl, STRIPE, Cyclone, and King Chimera. When the dark hands struck, they ignored STRIPE since the mecha had no soul to infect. Courtney unleashed the power of the Cosmic Rod and it shattered her bonds. She freed Cyclone next. Sand got free on his own by shape shifting into a literal pile of sand and then resolidifying. Mr. Terrific and Dr. Mid-Nite broke free of their bonds.
Stargirl sought out King Chimera in order to assist him but he was already taken. Cyclone lunged towards him with a cry, "Nooo!"
STRIPE held her back while Stargirl warded him off with the Cosmic Rod. A sudden rush of infected people came at the group. Stargirl unloaded solar blasts at them but they simply passed through the infected people.
"Dammit!" Stargirl snarled, "They were just some of King's illusions."
"Why was he taken?" Cyclone fretted, "Why not me?"
Everyone knew the answer but they didn't want to break Cyclone's heart. Dr. Mid-Nite turned to Sand, "Company is coming and this time it's real."
"How's your vision in this goop, Doc?" Sand inquired.
Dr. Mid-Nite wore a rueful smile. Pieter Cross had been born in Oslo, Norway. His parents had been in the midst of a robbery. The original Dr. Mid-Nite had been in the country for a medical conference and foiled the robbery. He then delivered Pieter right there on the sidewalk.
Dr. Mid-Nite had not joined the rest of the Justice Society in Ragnarok because he had been dealing with a life threatening medical emergency when the JSA was called up to fight Surtur. As the years went by, Dr. Mid-Nite was less and less active as a costumed adventurer.
Now a medical researcher, he'd been delighted to take on the newly licensed Dr. Pieter Cross as his assistant. The original Mid-Nite had been born blind in sunlight but with the ability to see when it was dark. Corporate saboteurs struck at Pieter Cross while he was at the lab late one night. The research was destroyed and Pieter was blinded.
But his mentor soon discovered Pieter now shared his unusual condition. Outfitting Pieter with his spare nightshade glasses, the original Dr. Mid-Nite enabled Pieter to see in the daylight world again. Then he outfitted Pieter as the new Dr. Mid-Nite.
The new Dr. Mid-Nite had been recruited by the revived Justice Society when Jay Garrick and Alan Scott approached Pieter's mentor. They'd heard stories of the new Dr. Mid-Nite and were interested in enlisting him in a revival of the original JSA. Pieter was delighted to hear of this and was the JSA's first new member since 1952.
"Things are surprisingly hazy," Dr. Mid-Nite admitted.
"But this seems like your perfect environment," Mr. Terrific commented.
"One would think," Dr. Mid-Nite said with regret, "But this isn't 'night' as we know it. This darkness is almost tangible. It feels 'alive' somehow."
"Jay made the comment that Obsidian accesses the Shadow Realms in order to manipulate darkness. Could this be an interdimensional crossover?" Sand wondered.
"The theory is sound enough," Mr. Terrific shared, "But it's unproven beyond the realm of multiple Earths. We just don't know the depths of what kind of dimensions are out there."
"Jay and Alan do," Sand commented, "So do Pat Dugan, Sir Justin, Rex, Johnny Thunder, and the Crimson Avenger."
"Uh…guys?" Stargirl interrupted, "I hate to mention it but King Chimera is leading the charge of these zombie wannabes."
"King!" Cyclone cried and used her vortex creating abilities to fly to him.
"Well, I guess that's one way to react," Sand muttered grimly.
It was then that all hell literally broke loose.