20
"Welcome, I trust Lyla wasn't too insistent," the Monitor spoke of his ward, Lyla Michaels, also known as the Harbinger.
"She didn't give us a damn choice!" Green Arrow accused.
"And for the record, we aren't with those three," Speedy declared.
"Not yet anyway," Monitor mused, "But I'll keep it in mind for now."
"I take it our audition suitably impressed you," Red Hood ventured.
"Not as you imagined it would, Jason Todd," Monitor told him, "After all, how would you propose to kill me as Nyssa Raatko has hired you to?"
That killed the conversation. Monitor broke the silence, "I propose we work together in order to achieve the necessary balance this universe requires from us."
The Mighty Crusaders made their presence known in Los Angeles. Black Hood and Hangman terrorized hoodlums citywide working their way ever higher on the echelon. Fly, Jaguar, and Fly Girl followed the scurrying survivors as they fled to their supposed protection offered by their higher ups in the criminal food chain. Web and Inferno cracked down on the escalating layers of human filth.
War Eagle and Comet doggedly followed the rats deserting the ships to the upper crust of polite and impolite society. Shield led Fox, Fireball, and Steel Sterling in cracking down on the bosses while working their way to the bosses' boss. The war between Intergang and the Syndicate Underground meant there were few independent fish left swimming in Los Angeles' cesspools.
The whale in that shrinking pond was one Telly Cervantes. Cervantes fancied himself a connoisseur of lives and love. He destroyed the former and paid an hourly rate for the latter, even to his trophy wife and her circle of friends.
When the Mighty Crusaders invaded his Bel Air mansion, Cervantes' security staff was immediately overwhelmed. A standoff began whereby Cervantes held his wife, and her two friends who were spending the evening, hostage. At first Cervantes believed the costumes were in the employ of the disgruntled husbands of the women who spent more time in his bed than theirs.
Cervantes recognized Shield first. After all, a walking flag made an impression. But the original Shield had vanished in the early 1960s. Cervantes dully reasoned it out that this wasn't the same man. Even the armor was colored in a different pattern.
But when Black Hood rejoined the group, Cervantes lost bladder control and began having uncontrollable flatulence. The Black Hood was an urban legend by now amongst criminals. Especially the highest echelon criminals Cervantes was secretly dealing with.
"Everyone else, out!" Black Hood harshly barked.
He grabbed Cervantes by the back of his collar, "Not you."
Cervantes' bowels lost stability and Black Hood grunted, "I don't care what you bribe those women with. They're never coming back."
"Look! I'll give you anything you want! Money! Jewels! Gold! Drugs! Slow cars and fast women!" Cervantes pleaded.
Black Hood shoved Cervantes down into his own feces, "I want you to deliver a message to Pirate Blue."
"W…who?" Cervantes miserably tried to deny knowing Pirate Blue.
Black Hood chambered a round into his shotgun, "You know who. Now, you'll either play errand boy or I'll let Intergang know you've secretly chosen a side. And it isn't theirs."
After a great deal of blubbering, Cervantes was finally prepared to listen.
Once, someone asked a resident of Vallejo, California what there was to do in the city on a weekend. The reply was, "You mean legally?"
It was then determined that bowling was one of the few agreeable options. But it proved to be the perfect meeting ground for the inaugural session of the Evil Brain Trust. The members of the Mighty Crusaders were still inexperienced working as a team. But they'd operated as individuals for several years now. And accumulated a number of enemies.
The Bailyan tribal chieftain named Malik al Thaka was more infamously known as the Brain Emperor after Grodd activated his gen factor and made him a telepath to rival Saturn Queen. But Brain Emperor betrayed Grodd and left the simian behind to face the Crimson Queen alone. Brain Emperor had a world conquering agenda now.
Malik's skull had split open as his brain erupted into its enlarged state. Grodd had developed a transparent membrane to moisturize Malik's brain but he was instantly recognizable now. So Malik al Thaka died that day and Brain Emperor arose in his place.
But Brain Emperor's later efforts in Afghanistan had been derailed by the Shield. Travelling to Japan, he encountered the Fox. Brazil brought him to the Jaguar. And covertly entering the United States found him opposed by the Web and his Web Hosts, Steel Sterling, the Fly, War Eagle, Inferno, Fireball, Comet, and Fly Girl at different times.
Brain Emperor had falsely assumed the Black Hood and the Hangman would be the easiest to manipulate owing to their murderous intentions regarding criminals. But both were protected by supernatural, but independent, means. And then General Jack Latham had assembled the Mighty Crusaders under the MLJ Initiative banner. And their ranks continued to grow.
Brain Emperor had managed to stay away from other super teams' peripheral awareness. The Crimson Queen and her Crimson Jihad were the only other humans in a position to harm him. Or even worse, to thwart his ambitions.
So Brain Emperor elected to gather a force that would be the Mighty Crusaders' reckoning and advance his goals for humanity. Most of the Fourth Reich had followed him until Captain Nazi beckoned. The Patriarch controlled everything the Syndicate Underground operated east of the Rockies in both the United States and Canada. Pirate Blue controlled everything west including all of Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific US Territories. The mutual decision to involve the Syndicate Underground with the Evil Brain Trust gave Brain Emperor access to cash and minions.
Dr. Zadar directed the Global Concern, a security think tank that also operated as one of the great clearing houses for meta-human operatives. Analyses and threat assessment for criminal endeavors were also offered for a fee. Ariel Pryde, more infamously known as Domino, was Zadar's lieutenant and top strategist. But her fixation on games and puzzles made her a liability when her competitive streak outweighed her common sense.
The Global Concern had appealed to the attendees that weren't Syndicate Underground bosses. Dr. Archer attended despite the physical limitations brought on by his muscular dystrophy. But his worldwide narcotics network opened doors the Global Concern couldn't otherwise touch.
Weapon was an independent contractor specializing in the "impossible" assassination. His client list was a who's who including HIVE, Black Seven, Basilisk, Intergang, the Syndicate Underground, and the Religion of Crime. But the Shield had humiliated him by making him bungle three contracts. Something his reputation couldn't afford.
The Jewel was an arms dealer and the Jewels were a street gang spreading across the United States transporting and selling the Jewel's wares. All of which he purloined from military armories across the country and the world.
Hit Coffee was the Patriarch's most trusted lieutenant. Violence was easy for Coffee but murder trigged near panic filled reluctance in him. All the more startling since he'd worked for the Patriarch for thirty years since he was a teen.
Adrian Hasket was also with the Global Concern. He was a failed magician who'd mastered genetics in prison. Now he developed and weaponized animal hybrids that couldn't exist in nature.
Dr. Melvin Harvey was also a geneticist working for the Global Concern. Seeking to reverse the effects of aging, Harvey unlocked a genetic formula that would emulate a gen factor in those without the meta-gene. But the transformations were unpredictable and wildly dangerous. He himself had gained the ability to control the gaseous compound, ozone, in the atmosphere.
Sir Harold Rogers had betrayed James I. Cursed to wander the Earth until he atoned for his crime; Sir Harold's spirit now possessed one of his own ancestors. He denied the power of the curse to be broken by an act of redemption so he continued to perpetuate crimes down through the centuries.
Shark Man was renegade Atlantean who craved the material wealth and the spilled blood of surface dwellers. Lady Sheba was former Durlan monarch exiled from her world. Her shape changing abilities gave her an advantage when dealing with ignorant humans. But her sole goal was to return to Durla and restore it to its past glories.
Snail was a hunchback who wore a shell-like brace and who affected a deliberate slowness in his criminal activities. Strangler was one of the Patriarch's men who'd earned his name by strangling over seventy men and thirty women to death. It was a running tally he was proud of.
Stunner wore an earlier prototype of Electrocutioner's gear. He specialized in kidnappings and ransom captures at Pirate Blues behest. He also frequently worked for a Syndicate regional boss named Texa. She appreciated his flamboyance in and out of bed. But he knew death was the price of failure in either arena.
Torgo was another regional controller for the Crime Syndicate. His territories spread across Polynesia and Micronesia. Ugly Man was a genetic throwback who resembled a Neanderthal. But he also had recidivistic strength to go with his macabre appearance.
Walrus was a frumpy looking master criminal with a distinctive bushy mustache that earned him his alias. Magi was a Iraqi sorcerer who wished to topple the former Babylonian and Persian Imperial areas and overthrow the predominantly Islamic sects and reestablish the pagan worship of the old gods. He was a prickly sort who only worked well with the Druid and the Crone.
Markov was a former Soviet commissar who now ran the Syndicated Underground's operations in Eastern Europe and the Russian Federation. Mighty Man was a product of the CRUCIBLE Project that developed the Shield project and several other military operative projects, most of which were deemed to be infeasible.
Monocled Monster was an obsessive fan of classic horror films and a SHADE groupie. The Owl wore a flight pack, wings, and gear like the Buzzard. Both specialized in high rise thefts and attacks. Sting wore a skull mask and hurled bioelectric shocks.
The Persian was a mystery. It was known she ranked amongst the deadliest assassins on Earth. She could teleport herself a limited number of objects or individuals. And, despite her historical Iranian garb, she was a feminist in her thinking.
The Queen of Hearts claimed to be Cleopatra reincarnated. But she was a master strategist and manipulator which gave her assertions some credence. And Brain Emperor was well aware that Queen of Hearts was already plotting to seize control of the Evil Brain Trust, the Global Concern, and the Syndicate Underground.
Radiation Rogue wore a NBC (Nuclear-Biological-Chemical) haz-mat suit and carried radiation emitting weaponry. Radium King wore lead lined fireman's gear and brandished a radioactive weapon. Both could irradiate victims to eventually develop cancerous lesions and tumors or they could dose someone so that they died within hours of radiation poisoning.
Red Shark was a smuggling rival of Tiger Shark's. Roxi was another regional director for the Syndicate Underground in Mexico and she answered only to Pirate Blue. Elasto had gained stretching powers through the same gingold formula that enabled Ralph Dibney to become the Elongated Man.
Loadstone was a magnetically powered member of the Eliminators. Rogue Star was another Eliminator and had energy powers similar to the Comet's. Brontosaurus was an undead giant from the ancient of days. Dream Demon was the last of the four Eliminators and she was a sorceress capable of psychic attacks and creating dreamscape nightmares having locked a victim's mind into them.
Five by Five was a troubleshooter employed by the highest bidder. Gadgeteer was a malevolent inventor. The Gourmet was a food based assassin. The Mad Professor was accurately dubbed. Magnetic Monster was obviously well named as well.
The Crone was the oldest team member. She was as old as the Enchantress and her witchcraft was just as potent. But instead of utilizing a host to manifest her power, the Crone absorbed the life force and youth of women she chose to sacrifice. But the greater her magical output, the faster she aged once again.
The Crow wore a bird suit and no one knew how he flew. Some suspected he did so by the same mystical means as Black Condor. Others believed tribal leaders would have stopped him from launching a criminal career.
Martial Law was an expert in armed and unarmed combat. Formerly the criminal known as the Gasser, Martial Law abandoned his gas gun and spent four dedicated years learning martial arts, predominantly Chinese and Korean forms. His singular goal in life was to kill the Fox.
Deadly Force ranked along with Weapon as one of Deathstroke's rarified competitors. But where Weapon relied on skill and weaponry, Deadly Force had obtained a weaponized armor system. His lingering embarrassment was that he continually failed to kill the Web.
Dr. Defeet was a neuroscientist and chemist who'd perfected and deployed a depression causing gas. Under its influence, one third of the population of Dakota City had committed suicide. Which was how Dr. Defeet learned Dakota City was protected by a team similar to the Justice League secretly run by the Shadow Cabinet.
Deuces Wild was a compulsive gambler who ran the Syndicate Underground's Nevada based casinos. Druid was a former disciple of Blackbriar Thorn. Now he was the most powerful druid in the world and he felt the planet should be subjugated under his will.
Big Boy Malone ran the Midwestern Syndicate Underground interests. Black Knight imagined he was the legendary figure. Black Beard, in turn, thought he was the pirate reborn.
Bookworm specialized in stealing priceless scrolls and manuscripts. Bullfrog dressed the part and no one could get a straight answer as to why. Butch Brady was the Syndicate Underground's New England overseer.
Captain Balbo literally sailed a flamboyant junk in the South China Sea preying on shipping headed to Southeast Asia and back again to China. Claw was so-named because of the blades attached to his wrist guards and curving out past his knuckles. Clown just wanted to be the next Joker especially with his personal rival, the Jester, incarcerated.
Spider was agile and could spin psychically crafted webs. The combination made him Fly's worst enemy. Lady Spider had the same power set but an even deadlier disposition.
Dovi ran the Syndicate Underground's operations throughout India. Artist could paint horrific events happening to people and then they really did occur. Phantasmon knew the Phantasm had disappeared and his sole regret was not killing her himself. He'd never intended to inherit her crown by default.
Metal Master controlled every form of metal without the benefit of magnetism. Karl Rance was another of the Patriarch's errand boys. That left two castaways from the CRUCIBLE Project.
Captain Commando had been a member of the American Crusaders. But as the Cold War ended, Captain Commando's politics radicalized. Now he only saw one hope for the United States, the complete overthrow of her government.
American Shield had been an applicant for the Shield program. He and Lancelot Strong had been the finalists for the strength enhancement process and energy manipulation gear. But American Shield had washed out of the program because of his radicalizing psyche profile and political ideology. Now he and the American Crusaders fought the same fight.
Brain Emperor telepathically called the meeting to order. One, to remind everyone of what he could do; and two, the rest of those invited to attend that had agreed to and hadn't arrived yet for various reasons. So once he had everyone's attention, he thought-cast his remarks even as he spoke aloud.
"In this, the inaugural gathering of the Evil Brain Trust, we have gathered for the sole purpose of eliminating our greatest nemeses," Brain Emperor began his opening remarks.
"The IRS?" Walrus guffawed.
Brain Emperor regretted his decision to include the old man. But Walrus' hatred for the members of the Mighty Crusaders was second to none. But events were shaping themselves to sharpen everyone's focus.
"The MLJ has deployed the Mighty Crusaders to Los Angles, a mere afternoon's drive from here," Brain Emperor enjoyed announcing.
"Typically we just get in each other's way," Bookworm sniffed.
"You haven't done so well solo," Bullfrog literally croaked.
"I have selected a core group of agents for us to send to Los Angeles," Brain Emperor revealed.
"And if they refuse to go?" Captain Balbo asked.
"Then they permanently excuse themselves from our gathering and its mission," Brain Emperor shared, "When I proposed collecting everyone into this group, I didn't seek its leadership role. That was thrust upon by a nearly unanimous vote. If you will not accept my first directive, why keep me in the leadership?"
"We're ready to go," Captain Commando promised, "Just name the team."
Brain Emperor did so and everyone wondered how they would get there. Brain Emperor wasn't finished with his revelations, "I have acquired a teleportation device from the International Security Agency. With it we have an instantaneous global reach."
"What are our mission parameters?" American Shield inquired.
"Bring Los Angeles to its knees. Pirate Blue will provide confederates of a criminal nature while you two are ideally suited to rooting out ideological allies. With Los Angeles collapsing all around them, the so-called 'Mighty' Crusaders will be revealed as the impotent lackeys that they truly are. And afterwards, feel free to kill them all," Brain Emperor described his plan.
The Evil Brain Trust got behind that directive.
"ARGUS began receiving reports of a battle in the Louisiana swamplands earlier today. Sounds from the conflict reached as far as Baton Rouge and New Orleans," Trevor reported to a gathering of JLers. They knew he'd purposefully left Belle Reeve out of that description.
"They've found the wreckage of the Hall of Doom," Hula Hula shared, "And close to fifty bodies with more being found in the swamp waters around the hall."
"Spy Smasher has boots on the ground on this but she needs support," Trevor resumed.
"So we drew up a team roster," Hula added.
"Who is all on the list?" Superman asked.
"Shayera will lead the investigation," Hula Hula told everyone.
"She's pregnant and has a broken wing," Superman challenged that nomination.
"So I'll stay out of the fighting," Shayera offered, "Besides it sounds like the fun is already over."
"Better let her have it," John Stewart advised, "She'll just go behind your back anyway."
"I knew there was a reason I married you," Shayera feigned dawning awareness.
"Who else would go?" Vibe asked.
"You would," Trevor told him, "Along with Plastic Man, General Glory, Goldilocks, and Supergirl."
"Say what?" Goldilocks yelped.
"You're the only member of the Justice League that has ever had free access to the Hall of Doom," Trevor explained it to her, "We need to determine who all the players were and where Luthor absconded to."
"Luthor only retreats in the face of overwhelming force or he's laying an elaborate trap," Goldilocks reminded everyone, "Frankly, I vote for the latter."
"If you want to prove your worth, you'll go," Trevor's tone was ironclad.
"You can take your 'worth' and…" Goldilocks met Sir Justin's eyes and she sighed, "All right, I'll bloody well go."
Trevor knew the concession ran on different levels. Goldilocks had never served the Justice League without the Shining Knight at her side. It was time to see if she could still viably help the team without him. And Godiva's death had shocked her younger sister into a semblance of sanity but ARGUS' legion of mental health professionals felt Goldilocks still dwelt in a psychotic fantasy world.
"We're also assuming GL will want to come with," Hula Hula grinned.
"The whole Power Ring Corps couldn't keep him away," Shayera snorted.
Jessica Cruz snickered. As the only Power Ring to ever master her Ring of Volthoom, Jessica was unique amongst the multitudes of Power Rings spread across the multiverse. Her own ring came from Earth-3's universe. But she hadn't told anyone her ring had been suffering from what seemed to be nightmares lately. Now, when her concentration slipped, her ring bemoaned itself being "the only one left", whatever that meant.
"We're an international peacekeeping force," Superman pointed out, "Doesn't ARGUS have domestic capabilities equal to this task?"
"Aren't you the one that just whined to the UN that you needed more help to capture the Legion of Doom?" Trevor remarked.
"You sound more like Waller every day," Superman complained.
"And she's a helluva motivator," Trevor replied.
"You'll be taking the Invisible Jet on this one," Hula Hula announced.
"Why the jet?" Shayera wondered, "We have domestic teleportation capabilities now."
"But the jet has a crime lab and satellite hook ups to the main ARGUS CSI labs," Trevor ignored Superman for a second.
"I already alerted Penny and Plas is with her," Hula Hula told the group.
They knew the Hall of Justice had a daycare where Plastic Baby resided when his parents were away on a League mission. Trevor informed the others, "The airstrip has been cleared and is reporting that Penny has her preflight checks underway."
"And that would be our cue," Vibe quipped.
Trevor and Hula waited for the team to clear out of the Briefing Theater. Trevor resumed speaking when the doors closed, "Now for your secondary objective."
"Secondary objective?" Stargirl groaned.
"As you may or may not know when ARGUS disbanded the Justice League of America the United States government already had the MLJ Initiative in place. The MLJ is the directing administration that oversees the Mighty Crusaders and supports its individual members," Hula Hula reported.
"The what initiative?" Jesse Quick swiftly asked.
"The MLJ was developed out of the military CRUCIBLE Project that ran alongside the civilian CADMUS," Trevor told them all. He could see a collective bristle ripple through the audience, "The CRUCIBLE Project began in World War II and still exists today. Hundreds of enhanced military and covert operatives came into existence thanks to its efforts. The MLJ recruited civilian costumed vigilantes and gave them legitimacy in exchange for working with the MLJ and its public faced team, the Mighty Crusaders."
"The name is definitely a public relations nightmare," Hourman retorted.
"There was an American Crusaders team that worked alongside the All Star Squadron after the JSA disappeared in the Fifties," Jesse recalled. Her doctorate was in the history of masked mystery men and women.
"Who worked with the CRUCIBLE Project in exchange for official sanction and support," Trevor was pleased someone knew their history.
"The MLJ is based at Liberty Station on Destruction Island in the Puget Sound near Seattle," Hula Hula added.
"The Mighty Crusaders were dispatched to Los Angeles after a street battle between an unknown armored assailant began robbing banks and five known quantities stopped him by killing him," Trevor shared, "Red Hood led the party which consisted of Ravager, Green Arrow, Speedy and a fourth, who we presume is Red Robin in a new guise."
"Katana spoke of this Red Hood with some vitriolic anger," Anna Fortune interjected.
"Basically she wanted to kill the guy for setting up the assassination of the Outsiders," Atom Smasher finished the thought.
"So what's our presumed role?" Superman asked, "Take over the capture?"
"The Justice League is the backup here," Trevor enjoyed saying, "After all, you're an international peacekeeping force and the Mighty Crusaders are domestic. But the UN Security Council has cleared you for action should they need the help."
"We're the Justice League, we don't play second fiddle," Superman coldly declared.
"No one Diana derides your name," Artemis scoffed.
"Not to my face she doesn't," Superman snapped at her.
"Can we keep the domestic squabbles out of the workplace?" Hula Hula fervently hoped.
"You truly are the egoist Diana claimed you were," Artemis would've spat on the ground if she didn't feel hampered by Steve Trevor's proximity, "I wonder if you could ever truly love another woman after Lois Lane died. Is she worth the conflict within your heart?"
"Watch your tongue," Superman warned her.
"You're welcome to try and attack me," Artemis dared him.
Hula Hula had stepped out and returned to report what he'd just discovered, "Someone dug up Lois Lane's body."
"What?" Superman roared, "Who?"
"Deal with it," Trevor directed.
"Metropolis PD is requesting Superman report in to them," Hula Hula added.
"Take Barda with you," Trevor hoped she could calm Superman down.
"Ready?" Superman irritably asked her.
"Always," she lied as she slipped her hover discs on.
They exited the theater and flew out the airstrip exit. Trevor returned the focus onto those still present, "With the Atom gone, that makes Jesse and Hourman our most experienced members in house."
"What am I? Dead?" Stargirl protested. Mike Dugan's holographic image also displayed irritation.
"Most experienced mature members," Trevor amended while Hula Hula chortled.
"Sure, sure," Stargirl was dismissive.
"Anna, SHADE reports the Justice League Dark is headquartered in something called the 'House of Mystery'," Trevor singled her out.
"I know of it but it's unpredictably on the move," Anna informed him.
"Can you find it?" Trevor asked.
"Dr. Fate is a member of the Justice League Dark. I can ask him to show me its location," Anna offered.
"Want me to come along?" Atom Smasher asked.
"Albert, my love, the House of Mystery only allows access to those whom it chooses. Defiance regarding that prohibition will get you sentenced to the interdimensional prison known as the House of Secrets," Anna warned him, "And from there, there is no escape."
"I've got things here I need to do," Atom Smasher decided.
"Is this a social call?" Anna asked Trevor.
"Actually it's a favor for the MLJ. A future member of the Mighty Crusaders is training with the Justice League Dark. They've been informed that her training has been completed," Trevor explained.
"But they can't find nor enter the House of Mystery," Anna immediately grasped the dilemma.
"You make it sound like this 'house' is alive," Hula Hula interrupted.
"And perhaps it is," Anna shrugged, "But in any case it has a will and a sense of purpose."
"The person you're picking up is called 'Darkling'," Trevor shared, "You'll bring her here for a joint debriefing before delivering her to her new teammates."
"Yea, verily yea," Anna raised her mask, "Care to see me off, Albert?"
They said their farewells and Anna teleported herself to Salem, Massachusetts. Stargirl bugged Trevor, "Any chance I can get the rest of the day and maybe tomorrow off?"
Trevor smiled, "Say 'hello' to Billy Batson for me."
"Okay," Courtney Whitmore readily agreed.
"And if you see Mary, ask her to drop by," Trevor requested.
"Um…yeah," Courtney reluctantly agreed before darting out of the room.
"That was…odd," Trevor assessed.
"I don't think Courtney is really on speaking terms with Mary Batson right now," Jesse told him, "And Mary has pretty much shut Billy out too."
"What about Freddy Freeman?" Trevor asked.
"No one has a clue," Hourman confessed.
"Hula Hula, get in touch with Freddy and do a threat assessment regarding Black Mary," Trevor instructed.
Hula Hula hated the order but he understood its necessity all too well.
Lois' grave was at Metropolis Legacy Graveyard. Now it was a hole in the ground with splinters of what remained of the casket. Superman recognized Inspector Turq by the fez he habitually wore.
"Who did this?" Superman tersely asked him.
"By eyewitness accounts, you did it," Turq told him, "But CSI is finding strange dermal residue left behind when the suspect broke the casket open."
He showed Superman a sample of the flaked skin. Superman's eyes narrowed, "Bizarro."
"Why would he do this?" Turq wondered.
"He can't revive Lois as she was but he can create a Bizarro clone of her," Superman hated to theorize.
"Wouldn't he need specific equipment to do that?" Turq asked, "And isn't he rather stupid?"
"Yes, to both. But someone has that equipment and expertise on hand that would be willing to help him," Superman explained.
"Who?" Turq inquired.
"General Samuel Lane," Superman grated, "Lois' father."
"Well, Col. Trevor vouched for your alibi so you're in the clear. How do I find Gen. Lane?" Turq wanted to know.
Superman was still wounded about needing an alibi. He used to be above reproach. Why had his statue of perfection been knocked off of its pedestal once again?
"You don't find Lane. He finds you," Superman warned Turq, "Usually with a black ops kill squad."
"I deal with Intergang every day," Turq scoffed, "I think I can handle some Boy Scouts with guns."
Barda approved of Superman's look of contempt over the man's arrogance.
Inside Fate's Tower, Anna vehemently argued with Khalid Ben-Hassin, "You know what Nabu would want."
"And I know what it will cost me to give it to him," Khalid shouted back.
"You useless fop!" Anna snarled.
"It seems to me if you really didn't want to be Dr. Fate, you'd have left by now," Kent Nelson said as he entered the study. The magic keeping the decades away had faded and both he and Inza were rapidly aging. A choice Khalid had forced upon them.
"We can guide you to the House of Mystery. It has invited us to take our rest inside of it," Inza explained.
"Houses don't make offers," Khalid scoffed.
"Ignoramus," Anna scathingly accused.
She teleported the Nelsons and herself to the location Inza visualized for her. There, amidst tenement housing, sat the unmistakable House of Mystery. Yet no one in the neighborhood was aware of the fact the house just recently appeared in a vacated lot. And the door swung open to admit them.
As Kent and Inza crossed the threshold, all the accumulated years that had heaped upon them as baggage over the last several weeks melted away. Anna laughed, "Better than a spa treatment."
"Anna Fortune?" Pandora asked as she entered the foyer from a drawing room.
"Quite," Anna pulled her mask down around her throat.
"Follow me," Pandora requested, "Today is my day to tutor Darkling."
"And you are?" Anna inquired.
"Pandora, and yes, I'm that Pandora," she answered as they moved through a house that was bigger inside than its exterior would allow.
"Curioser and curioser," Anna said as she fell down the proverbial rabbit hole.
Ultraman stuffed himself back into his trousers. Shara wiped the remains away from her lips and face. Saturn Queen voyeuristically enjoyed their time together. It usually required a Daxamite to survive her own personal sensual pleasures.
Saturn Queen summoned her remaining cadres, "Find Luthor."
Ivo spoke on their behalf, "Luthor still has significant financial means and real estate holdings. Most of these are protected within shell identities or the world governments would have already seized them."
"The Crimson Queen also holds a bargaining chip," Saturn Queen revealed, "Her son is none other than Luthor El-Faddil. Lex's own bastard heir. Bring him here but leave her alive to deliver the news that I have him."
Ivo helped Libra prep the team tasked with finding El-Faddil. Saturn Queen wondered if Ivo knew he possessed a hypnotic "cork" within his mind. Once it was triggered it would reshape his loyalties, no doubt. But Saturn Queen had to wait it out and see what developed, or conversely, she could tear the hypnotic block apart and lobotomize Ivo. And frankly, the Shaggy Man was too great a resource to leave unexploited.
LexCorp had built their founder and CEO a veritable fortress on the slopes of Mt. Shasta. Mercy Graves had no knowledge of its existence. So Mercy Corp. couldn't betray its location to the Justice League…or Saturn Queen.
Luthor's Situation Room informed him that Spy Smasher had begun ARGUS' investigation into the wreckage that had been the Hall of Doom. Apparently Shayera Hol had led a JLU team to the site as well. But since they lacked both Batman and the Question, or even the foolish Elongated Man, Luthor didn't have high hopes they'd track down Saturn Queen.
So he sent a nearly untraceable email to Mercy and left it to her conscience as to whether or not to inform on Luthor. He didn't have long for her to make up her mind. Luthor thought Mercy was so predictable.
The Monitor's compound was located outside of Reno on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Red Hood had finally gotten over the shock of learning who their mysterious employer was on that assignment. Knave convinced everyone to enjoy the Monitor's hospitality since they were there until he let them go.
"Also, since you're not human, what are you?" Knave asked him.
Red Hood and Green Arrow spluttered into their drinks as the Monitor answered, "I don't know what I am. But I wasn't born on Earth Prime. But I was born in the Prime Universe."
"You obviously have a private agenda," Ravager spoke up.
"I have a counterpart in the Antimatter Universe," Monitor answered, "His ultimate ambition is to reduce the multiverse down to a single universe by destroying every matter universe."
"Can he?" Speedy asked.
"We must wait and see," Monitor frowned, "He has enjoyed unparalled successes until now."
"Why now?" Reed Hood asked.
"Because there are only one matter universe and the antimatter universe remaining," Monitor sadly explained.
"Waitasec!" Speedy blurted, "There are fifty-two universes."
"Not anymore," Harbinger answered from her seat across from them
"Does anyone know about this?" Green Arrow felt close to panic.
"You do," Monitor replied, "Lyla knows and I know."
"Could you have done something?" Knave asked.
"Like what?" Monitor was curious.
"Like warn someone in each universe," Ravager thought he was addled.
"It didn't matter," Monitor told them.
"Why?" Red Hood suspected they already knew the answer.
"Those people in those universes didn't matter," Monitor coldly proclaimed. And they learned how he could operate a mercenary referral service.
War Eagle swooped down and her finger talons shredded a fleeing criminal's back. He went face first into the pavement. War Eagle pulled him up and off of his feet.
"You hired the one they called 'Tanker'," War Eagle let him know she knew right away, "Why?"
"Because we wanted to rob a dozen banks and relocate down to Acapulco," he said between tears.
"Who did you contact to hire him?" War Eagle was even more threatening as she received answers.
"It was on the Underweb," he bawled.
Jaguar and had followed War Eagle, "He's telling the truth."
LAPD officers came and picked up their missing suspect. Jaguar watched the man's face change as he passed by War Eagle, "Impressive."
"I prefer 'effective'," War Eagle corrected her; "The Web and the Fly's squeamishness impeded our progress. Black Hood and Hangman know what needs to be done to get tangible results."
"What about the Shield? Or Steel Sterling? Or even the Comet?" Jaguar asked, "What about Fly Girl and the Fox?"
"The Shield is a soldier. He'll do what's necessary when the time comes. Steel Sterling and the Comet are soft but they can learn from their mistakes," War Eagle described everyone, "And it's funny you paired up Fly Girl with the Fox."
Why is it funny?" Jaguar wondered.
"Because Fly Girl wants the pairing to happen," War Eagle told her, "And they are possibly the two most dangerous people on the team in a very quiet way."
Later, Latham took a video conference with the entire team, "The LAPD has both praised and condemned your efforts thus far. You're there to assist local law enforcement not antagonize them and give ulcers over violated rights and ignored legalities."
"They're sloppy," Black Hood condemned them all with a single statement.
"And our mission is to kill the unrepentant," Hangman declared.
Robert Dickering had been a physician with the Union in the Civil War. But he treated a wounded Confederate and was hung as a traitor. Lucifer offered a choice to work for him ensuring the unrepentant never redeemed themselves until the universe collapsed or God established His kingdom on Earth. Whichever came first. Dickering took the deal and spent his evenings as the Hangman.
Web took the time to monitor his help website. Requests cane in every minute of the day. The Web Hosts served to answer request he didn't have time for. But now he'd called them all to LA. So no one was being helped.
Shield reported their progress, "Web searched the so-called Underweb to locate a criminal referral service. He found several. Interestingly enough, he scored a hit on the Green Arrow and the band with him that killed the Tanker. They call themselves the 'Outlaws'. And they only target criminals they've been hired to terminate."
"Ravager is Deathstroke's daughter so they've learned from him," Latham shared, "If you have to, set up a sting operation. We'll front the buy in money to get noticed and then get it back when we arrest them."
"What about who hired Tanker?" Fox asked.
"Let that go for now. The LAPD has biometrics on the Tanker so they can follow his money tree. Our priority is the five vigilantes killing crooks in broad daylight," Latham decided.
The Russian Kilo-class attack submarine surfaced just outside a Port of Los Angeles docking slip. The ship's name, the Plunderer, marked it as Pirate Blue's replacement from her German U-Boat called the Plunder. The nuclear sub could stay underwater nearly indefinitely, an advantage over the antique diesel boat. But her power plant was noisier since it was essentially a steam driven vessel.
Pirate Blue and her crew of twelve women disembarked the Evil Brain Trust agents sent in. Then they cut loose and sailed into international waters. The captain and her crew fancied themselves modern day pirates and dressed accordingly in the romantic notions of piracy. Pirate Blue's blue asymmetrical bob being a rare concession to modernity.
Courtney waited outside Billy's studio at WHIZ Multimedia. When he emerged after his two hour session, he was still studying paperwork. Courtney decided she wanted him scrutinizing her that way.
"Hiya, Handsome," Courtney quipped.
"Court" Billy threw his papers on the ground and melted Courtney's already buttery heart. The reunion was even more touching than she could have hoped for.
"I hate to bring it up, but have you seen Mary?" Courtney winced as she asked.
"No, and I heard she moved out of the K-Star Ranch a week ago. No one has seen her or Black Mary since," Billy then revealed he was using WHIZ's resources to track his sister.
"What about Galatea?" Courtney asked, then added, "Power Girl returned to fight the Kryptonians but stayed on Earth and vanished around the same time."
"Court, you are so unbelievably brilliant!" Billy hustled her into a research room where they sat side by side surfing news reports and Internet blogs regarding superhero sightings.
"Power Girl has been sighted in Manhattan and the Five Burroughs. And even in Metropolis," Billy read.
"Hula Hula said Tea cleaned out her bank accounts," Courtney told him.
"How much could she have?" Billy wondered.
"She was paid at CADMUS, by Luthor, by Black Adam, by the United Nations, and ARGUS," Courtney had memorized the list, "And Prof. Hamilton once said Galatea made shrewd investments."
"Yeah, Blackhawk joked that his wife was a billionaire so he wouldn't have to worry about retirement," Billy recalled, "Guess it really wasn't a joke after all."
"I bet Hamilton really does know where Tea is, especially if she's close," Courtney ventured.
"Up for a road trip?" Billy asked.
"You're serious?" she didn't quite believe him.
"I have the weekend off and it gives me an excuse to monopolize your attention," Billy grinned.
"Flattery will get you everywhere," Courtney smiled back, "What about Freddy?"
"He's trying to hire a weekend seller but until he does he's working 24/7," Billy told her.
"Poor Freddy," Courtney tried to sound sympathetic but utterly failed.
"C'mon on home with me. You've packed but I haven't. And Uncle Dudley would kill me if you didn't drop in," Billy insisted.
"Lead on, man o' mine," Courtney wanted to swoon everything was happening go fast.