On Earth Sixteen, Secret was hovering slightly, as she watched the activity in the cave. Less then forty eight hours remained before the time limit was up and the way home for Young Justice was gone. The ghost girl had been giving frequent progress reports to Sierra, who in turn asked her to stand by and observe. It was taking all her will power not to get involved with the efforts to help the nearly disempowered Guardian Angels and their friends.
Bettie was working with an unusually timid Zantana, prepping her for her role in the rescue effort, without a majority of the League. As much as the mentors/parents wanted to be involved in the efforts to find and retrieve the team; their professional/heroic responsibilities were forcing them to take a step back. Instead of rushing in to save the day they had to take a leap of faith; to give up the control they usually had and believe in others that they could complete the mission. Even the most jaded members, such as Batman and Hawkman, had gotten on their knees praying for whatever Almighty they believed in to take them the rest of the way.
"Are you sure this is going to work? I mean it still seems a bit dangerous to be mixing magic and science together with blind faith. How do we know that this isn't going to blow up in our face?" the young magician asked. She didn't want to be the one responsible if this combined effort failed.
Secret floated in front of the young mage and smirked. "Secret! Secret secret Sierra secret!" The little girl landed on the ground and gave Zantana a look.
"I think what our ectoplasm pal is trying to say that's the point. We never truly know what's going to happen next. As much as we work to create our own destiny sometimes we just have to take a risk and hope it works out for the best. I can relate to that," Red Arrow admitted reluctantly. "When I first went solo I believed in my own skills and stuff, but after surviving a few mission I have to admit I feel like someone is watching over me making sure I don't kill myself."
"Ah Roy, I never knew you were such a religious nut. Nice to know you've grown a bit as a man," Green Arrow joked earning a glare from his adoptive son. Black Canary yanked them apart before they came to blows reminding them they had more imperative matters to deal with. Turning to Red Tornado she asked him how likely the plan was to succeed.
"The probability of success is small. I have done my best to fully repair the phase oscillator key's scanner, but without the right parts it's impossible for it to lock onto a specific quantum signature. All we can do open partial doorways into other realities," Red Tornado responded.
"That's where science has to trust in magic and faith. Zantana can scry for people by looking for their essences, but won't be able lock on to the team's precise location. While I'm using my new weapon to power up Zantana so she can keep scrying you the Guardian Angels have to assist her. Once we've located them we need to create a stable doorway to bring them back. Even if it means shutting down the key for awhile for a recharge. Its all we have," Bettie replied preparing to serve potential kinetic energy balls to Zantana to supercharge her. "I hope you like my backhand."
"Can we just stop the joking and get to work on this? I really am anxious to have my friend back," Sasha spoke up.
"Yeah, I want our friends back so we can start partying! The first anniversary is not something they should miss," Jordana interjected. The others nodded and they got stated. They mounted the key and started opening portals to other realities. At the same time Bettie started serving her flameballs to power up Zantana energy levels while she scryed for the team with the Guardian Angels holding a personal item of their charge hoping to find that weak connection. All the time Secret observed the group sending her own prayers out to Young Justice. A supernatural chill went through her ectoplasm body. Something was really wrong wherever the team was.
On the Watchtower in Earth One, Huntsmark watched through a window as the doctors worked on healing Question with Huntress by his side. The poor man had been tortured and nearly died at the hands of Cadmus interrogator. In the next room over Captain Atom was being put back together after Superman had battle him over his loyalties. A single tear trickled down her nearly blank face. She felt the familiar presences of her big brother join them as Superman talked with Supergirl. "What have we done? How could we let it get this far?"
"We didn't know this would happen. There was no way you could have predicted the way Question would have reacted. If anyone should be upset it's me. We should have tried harder to push peace; now who knows what will happen," Superboy admitted angrily. The two of them had more reason to be angry with Cadmus then anyone in this reality. In some ways the whole team blamed the escalation in paranoia and aggressive manners from sharing their memories of their version of Cadmus and its sister companies. The Light was not the enemy here secretly controlling the shadow group. Instead it was the governments around the world rallying to protect themselves from a potential threat.
The two former Projects held each others hands, their marks burning as they relieved their memories of the last few hours wondering if there was anything else they could have done to prevent this tragedy.
Huntsmark was sitting at the kitchen table trying to digest a badly burnt grilled cheese her "father" had prepared for her. At a nearby table she saw Question reviewing files he stole and decrypted thanks in part to her device. "Question? Dad come on you been staring at that laptop for hours. You need some rest. Mom will be over later to help with my training you need to take a shower. Dad?"
Question didn't hear her. He was just muttering under his breath repeating words like destiny, Illuminate, future time. She tried to shake him out of it, but he wasn't listening. She slapped him across the face to get him to look at her. "What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?"
"Your part of this conspiracy even if you don't know it, fate has been altered with you showing the way to avoid Armageddon. I only wish that our time wasn't so short, but sacrifices have to be made."
"Question, Dad whatever conspiracy you think you see in that data believe me when I say there's more then one solution. Whatever you think is going on its not as bad as you think. Please don't do something you'll regret!" Zairia pleaded. Her pleads fell on deaf ears as Question overpowered her; locking the girl in a closet without her communicator. It had been hours later when Huntress freed the teenager and the two rushed out to find Question.
Later, the two of them had been joined by Superman who was patrolling with Superboy. They had found Question's communicator prompting Superman to decide to take the battle to Cadmus to rescue him. The two teens hadn't agreed with that.
"We can't just go guerrilla and attack a facility! Heroes' don't do that we follow the laws of due process! That was the first lesson I learned when I was rescued," Huntsmark insisted.
"Laws, who cares about the laws Question could be under torturing and dying! We know that Cadmus is up to no good! We don't have time to wait for answers. What is the matter with you?" Huntress demanded.
"If we start acting on impulses were not better then animals. We don't even know what happened. Question is acting irrational, I mean he locked Huntsmark in closet and confronted Superman about something he didn't do and took off to commit something crazy. I know you want to rescue him, but if you go to Cadmus and trespass it's asking to open a can of worms you might not be able to close. Please think about what you're doing," Superboy responded trying to channel everything it meant to be a super, but the adults didn't listen.
An hour later Huntress and Superman had entered the facility. Not wanting to risk the kids they had left them above ground where the two teens debated what to do. Right now their mentors were quickly eradicating any chance for peace if they went in any chance of negotiating with Waller was gone, but if they stayed up here someone could die. "We can't just stand here and do nothing. Cadmus will never give up until Superman's dead and Question confess to whatever data he stole. You know your Mom better then anyone. She'll go down fighting."
"Cadmus shouldn't be acting behind the scenes like this! They shouldn't be torturing someone no matter what crime or forcing friends against each other. They may be the government, but who are they representing? Ugh, can it I'm sending a coded transmission to Waller explaining our reasons for trespassing. You help Superman and make sure he doesn't kill Hamilton if he's there, I'll handle Huntress!"
Superboy had gone after Superman finding him yelling at Hamilton. Not liking where this was going he zoomed placing himself between Superman and Hamilton. "Enough! Look you have every right to be mad at him! He betrayed your trust, but you did the same thing."
"I was trying to save Supergirl's life! I wasn't responsible for what I did under Darkseid's control!"
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't take responsibility! I know better then anyone what is like to live the life of a clone, knowing that your nothing, but a replica and that you're not truly alive, that the people who made you think your nothing, but a weapon. I rose above that because I had people that cared for me. I may not know much, but I know Hamilton cares for Galatea so he's has some heart. Just please walk away from this. Don't become a monster." Superman was angry and wanted to show it, but seeing his "son" eyes he backed off and headed back to rescue Cadmus. Superboy let out a breath and followed before stopping for a second. "I have no love for Cadmus, but it gave me life so I will protect those who belong to it. Just try to remember that your Project deserves to be loved to."
Huntsmark had run into Captain Atom and was doing her best to keep him at bay. She had tried to reason with him, but he was carrying out his duty. She fired several of her arrows dodging his energy blast. Using her bungee belt she zipped up the ceiling and knocked some sense into his head. Superman took care of the rest and they all escaped.
"What has the universe come to Connor when Superman becomes a one man army bent on destruction?"
"I don't know, but we need to get in there. I think Superman is about to have Question's head for what he did," Superboy insisted as they both entered the room. Huntress was demanding Superman leave and the Man of Steel was equally determined to find out exactly what Question had learned and what Cadmus did to him. More importantly he wanted to know why he almost assassinated Luther.
"I still don't understand why you would do something like that? You have to know I would never kill anyone with my powers."
"How can we believe that after seeing you go Rambo on Cadmus butt? I was on your side and I was afraid of what you were going to do! Oh babydoll it's okay. Those soldiers were more then prepared for you to go on a rampage and knew how deal with me. There torture methods were specifically designed for Questions mind. How in the world were they that prepared?"
"Because we told them what to expect if you guys did something like this," a soft female voice said. The three heroes turned to see Superboy and Huntsmark without her mask, tears in her eyes, standing there.
"You did what? How did you when did you what exactly did you do?" Superman demanded in disbelief. He looked at his "son" in utter shock feeling betrayed. "You've been under watch or under the supervision of a guardian for almost three weeks. When did you have a chance to contact the enemy?"
"I want to know what you were thinking. Did you even think about the consequences to your mentors, us? Why would you do something so stupid?" Huntress yelled.
"Helena please…"
"No, I want to know what they were thinking aligning themselves with people like that! Cadmus hurt you guys so how could you even think about trying to make a deal with them?"
"Did you ever think that maybe we had a good enough reason? Ever since the team shared our memories of our version of Cadmus and the Light, the League has gotten even more paranoid, more controlling, more of a threat to the world then an asset. Dad, Superman, we shared those memories so you would understand who we were and so you could trust us. Just because our Cadmus worked for the Light doesn't mean this one does. If anything your encounters and investigations have proven that it is the world's government who are funding this project. Yeah they crossed moral lines and yeah they should be judged, but on the merits of what they have done in this world, not what they might do. Our souls have been burning with a desire since our arrival. Aqualad and Wonder Girl thought it meant we were brought here to help so we thought peace would be the answer. So if talking with Waller makes us a traitor I'm sorry," Superboy explained, his fists clenched his eyes wide.
"Cadmus hurt all of us bad, but it was on orders of the Light. We have more of a right to hate them then you do. My Goddess I was stolen from my parents trained as an assassin/spy and turned into monster!" Huntsmark yowled half her body going spliced. "Destroying them would be so much easier, but you have to see the big picture. It a war between Cadmus and the Justice League millions would die! The planet would suffer. We tried to broker a peace to prevent the loss of lives, to make sure none of you suffered like us. I killed my first person when I was five. Do you really think I wanted my father to be a killer? We had a deal with Waller. If we could convince the League to compromise on some of their powers, to sign oaths stating what they would and would do, heck just dismantle that stupid space cannon Cadmus would be willing to compromise on their projects. Thanks to your impulsive and arrogance any chance of getting Waller to listen and compromise is blown. I hope you're happy!" She broke down crying.
Superman was in shock and disbelief. He wanted to question the whole team to understand what they had done. How much had they divulged and what had this Cadmus done to them without their knowledge. "I can't begin to understand what you were thinking; you have caused us a lot of trouble and nearly got Question killed. Your entire team should be locked up for what you did. At the very least you are in the world of trouble. Were getting your teammates and talking about this now. Come."
Question used his good hand and pulled Huntsmark, no Zairia, closer to his bed. "No Superman she's been traumatized enough. I did what I did on my own, she tried to stop me. I told you I was going to find another way to avoid Armageddon. Killing Luther is not the answer, maybe peace is. Young Justice didn't do anything that we should have been doing in the first place. Talk with the others if you must, but Zairia is staying here for now to recover. Understand?" Even injured he was intimidating and Huntress also was placing herself between her "daughter" and him.
Twenty minutes later Superman expressing his displeasure with the members of the team he could find. Miss Martian, Kid Flash, Artemis and Superboy stood stock still as they were dressed down. Their mentors were just standing there in disbelief trying to piece this together.
"Okay let me see if I understand this. You used our memories to locate Waller and Cadmus HQ. Then Fate's Dagger performed a complex elastic band spell to send you there where you had a chat with Waller?" Green Arrow questioned still trying to wrap his mind around the whole thing.
"That's right we knew it was a risk, but M'gann had experience with our Waller. We thought we could talk to her. I understand her fears of super power beings going rogue. When Red Tornado's siblings attacked us, Robin and I, barely survived because we didn't have powers. Even now that I can access certain "talents" I don't use them because I want to be a hero on my own skills."
"Getting back to your little chat session exactly what did you talk about or do?" Flash questioned.
"Give us some credit we're not complete idiots even if I play one once and while. No sensitive data on the League was exchanged, just our files with kill code inside them. We talked a bit about our experiences and offered a chance to put an end to the cold war. The general was more gung-ho, but Waller seemed interested in going for peace," Kid Flash replied.
"I sensed an almost spiritual change. Her conscience was voicing itself trying to remind her how to be patriotic. She didn't share anything with us other then a few ideas for compromise and time table. We were supposed to get you to think more about peace sooner rather then later. The rest of the team can confirm this," Miss Martian explained. "Wonder Girl and Hawklady are with their "moms" doing routine maintenance checks on the outer hull of the Space Station. Batboy is using the computers to track down our hacker and I believe Fate's with his dad and Zantana eating a late dinner. I think the rest of them are done near the fusion cannon trying to understand how it works."
"That or they're learning how to sabotage the fusion cannon along with the rest of the station. Should we really be trusting them after the stunt they pulled? For all we know Cadmus sent them here to distract us from our duty!" Supergirl argued.
"Do you have a problem with us or is just clones in general? Maybe going behind the League's back was wrong, but you can't tell me that if you thought it would help the situation you wouldn't have done it as well. Admit it," Superboy snapped. The two of them were about to get into a fight when J'onn and Superman separated the two of them.
"Okay enough. Now is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves! J'onn, I want to pull up everything we have on Cadmus. Filter anything from their memories that doesn't match. Flash, see if you can figure out which governments are supporting them and what we can do to assure them that we're not a threat. Green Arrow, will you please gathered up the members of Young Justice and their "mentors" for a sit down? Thank you."
At that exact moment the klaxons started going off and the entire station was shaking nearly shearing itself in half. Monitors were going down and power levels were fluctuating. Communications were in disarray when Batboy's voice came through loud and clear over the PA. "Attention members of the Justice League, a level one threat have been detected! I repeat level one threat!"
Superman borrowed Superboy's communicator already barking orders while the other adults tried to regain control of the stations systems. "What's going on Batboy; exactly what kind of threat are we dealing with?"
"Use your brain idiot, our hacker friend has decided to use a more powerful remote terminal to takeover the systems. As fast as I'm freeing slave systems and erecting firewalls he's punching through them. He probably learned how to circumvent them in his last attempt."
"Little brother what' after have you manage to isolate the system and taken it offline?" Superboy asked in a wide band link.
"He's trying to take over the fusion cannon! Aqualad, Green Lantern Jr. and Robin are down there attempting to fix the situation!"
"J'onn tell everyone to evacuate from their immediately! If there caught in the firing chamber when it goes off they'll die!"
"Everyone in the firing chamber evacuate now! This is not a drill I repeat this is not a drill!"
"Aqualad have you and the others left yet?" Miss Martian asked anxiously.
"Negative Miss Martian. Green Lantern JR. has secured on the personal and is keeping them safe. I'm attempting to damage the cannon power units in order to shut this down before it fires," Aqualad thought to her. Leaping into the air with charged water bearers he sliced portions of the cannon and tore wires apart. Ignoring the discharge of electricity he obliterated a power cell and kept going, but for all his efforts he seemed to only able to weaken the beam's power, not stop it. "In the event I can't Robin is at least endeavoring to change the target coordinates."
"Robin, get out of there! You can't survive those high temperatures for long dude! That utility belt doesn't come with a radiation suit!"
"Chill Kid I'm trying to redirect this thing away from civilizations! I can't let it hit the water and I can't hit any fault lines. What the ah!"
"ROBIN!"
"He'll be fine he's managed to redirect the beam to a forested area away from civilization. Aqualad's managed to damage the weapon so it only shot at fifty percent," Artemis shouted, tearing her eyes from her terminal.
"That's still to powerful; the wake of the explosion will wipe out everything in its path!" Kid Flash warned.
The communicators chirped and a haggard Zantana and Dr. Fate's voice started overlapping. J'onn attempted to filter the conversation and isolate one comlink. "One at a time what's going on you two?"
"Fate's Dagger borrowed all our magic and transported himself to Earth! I think he's going to try and stop the beam!" Zantana exclaimed in disbelief.
"Is he crazy? There's no way he's got enough skill to prevent the discharge from colliding with the planet."
"Possibly, but I have to believe that he has something more important in mind. I need to reclaim my lost energies before I can retrieve him. Just keep an eye on him!" Dr. Fate urged the Martian anxiously.
"Guys, I managed to get a visual. It's kind of hazy, but it might help us figure out what he's doing," Supergirl said. The group watched as Fate's Dagger appeared near the point of impact. Judging by the glow Taji had given full control over to Nabu who was quickly casting a circle of some kind with floating seals. With the beam inching closer and closer the mage flew in the air protected by an ankh shield. He struck the beam head on shaving it into smaller and less powerful pieces. As he hovered in the air his circle absorbed most of the impact, causing less destructive shockwaves to hit a nearby town. The seals blinked out of existence depositing their deadly energy far away.
Fate's Dagger was weak after using so much magic, his return spell failed, returning him just outside the Watchtower where his sisters, Wonder Girl and Hawklady, gently caught him and lead him inside for treatment. Everyone in Command Central was relieved until five seconds later when the overload surge took out practically everything leaving them in partial darkness.
"This is bad isn't it? Really bad?"
"Not as bad as it could have been, the station is operating around 15% capacity. Our teleporters are out, but we should be able to launch the Javelins if we can get the doors opened. Injuries aren't as severe."
"What about the planet J'onn? That beam may not have hit its intended target, but even at a fourth of its strength it still caused quite a bit of damage," Green Arrow pointed out.
"At least the numbers are much lower then they could have been if our hacker succeeded. We should get down there and see if we can help. Kid Flash, why don't you and the rest of the sidekicks check on your friends okay? Oh man how are we going to deal with this?"
"I don't know Flash I don't know," Superman said sadly. He felt so loss and uncertain. Everything was falling apart.
A little while later the team was gathered in the boys' recovery room. Aqualad had a few burns and Robin a cracked rib, but both were healing quickly. The damage could have been worse if Green Lantern JR. hadn't sheltered them. He was just exhausted and needed time to regenerate his lost energy levels. Fate's Dagger was in pretty bad shape having needed lots of fluid and a magical transfusion. It was only thanks to Nabu he hadn't suffocated out in space.
"Well I…guess…we…can add…fusion laser fire…as something that doesn't kill us," Taji coughed weakly. He had removed his Helmet so it could recharge after his little stunt.
"Please don't joke about that. We got inluck that we managed to stop this from getting worse."
"Robin, I fear the greatest challenge is still ahead. Batboy, what can you tell us about the outside source that took control of the station? Was it the same one who messed with the simulation?" Aqualad, even injured and tired, was being a true leader. The team stood at attention as they waited for Batboy's report.
Batboy pressed a few buttons on his computer zapping data from Robin's combining it all together to display information on the hacker. "This wasn't an easy task, finding the IP address location and accessing the true identity took a lot of patience. Our hacker friend had a lot traps and false leads, but since I designed half of Cadmus tech I know how to circumvent it."
"Get to cough point little brother. Who's the hacker and can you prove it?" Robin asked.
"The hacker is none other then our beloved Superboy's "mom" Lex Luther. I was suspicious when during the first hack the culprit was systematically trying out all the pathways. Lex is smart, even evil genius need to figure out the best way to take over an orbiting station weapon system with over a dozen lockouts."
"Well that's good then if you know it was Luther you can give the evidence to League. They can use it to prove their innocence right? If we prove Luther was the cause then Cadmus has no reason to launch a preemptive strike against the Watchtower," Miss Martian pointed out.
"It's not that simple Megan. Terry's tech is beyond the access to most governments. Not to mention he probably had to do a few illegal hacks of his own to figure out whom the hacker was. Its not admissible in court," Huntsmark pointed out in a patient tone of voice.
"Let's not forgot whose doing the banking for Cadmus. Waller would probably think we manufactured the evidence. They only way we can prove the truth is by confronting Luther and having him admit it. Not an easy task," Kid Flash added.
"Hey it may not be easy, but we have to do something. I heard the Founders talking. They're going to submit themselves for voluntarily imprisonment as part of a cooperation agreement with the governments. Knowing Waller and Cadmus style it's the perfect time for a tactical strike. With Cadmus attacking the Watchtower and the League imprisoned Luther can implement whatever he's attempting to hide. It's not enough to clear the League and stop the Cadmus response; we need to nip Luther in bud. There is no way he nearly killed Question just because he lifted a couple files on backdoor banking," Wonder Girl informed them. Her mind was already trying to come up with counters to any attacks from either Cadmus or Luther.
"We have to do something! The League isn't going to listen after the stunt we pulled. We have to take the initiative and act on our own," Artemis insisted. She had a look of determination in her eyes.
"She's right this is why we were sent here. We have to help end this crisis no matter what. No matter what it takes we have to stop this war now, otherwise we may never get home," Green Lantern JR stated.
"What do you want to do Aqualad? How should we handle this situation considering that some of you are laid up?" Hawklady inquired. She was busy using her EMT training to try to speed up some of their healing, but even with their advance healing it would take a little while.
"The Founders will be leaving in five minutes and after that no ships will be allowed to leave. Superboy, you will lead the seven Founder counterparts to Earth. Deliver the evidence to Waller then go after Luther. Apprehend him at all costs. The five of us will remain here and spread out. Should Cadmus attack we'll defend the station with our lives. No matter what happens, Young Justice we must have faith in ourselves and whatever God we believe in that it will work out fine. Am I understood?" Everyone nodded, placing their hands on top of one another strengthening their bond. A few hugs and exchange of equipment the seven quickly left. A few minutes later a camouflaged bioship headed to Earth hoping for the best.
"What do we now fearless leader?" Taji asked.
"Now we prepare for battle." Forcing himself off the bed he took a deep breath and pulled out his water bearers forming his swords. Artemis notched a few trick arrows and cackling Robin got some exploding birdarangs ready. Huntsmark put her mask back on and Fate's Dagger placed the Helmet on his head. With a nod they headed out to their destinations.
Cadmus's attack was very swift and deceives. No more then a half and hour had past since the Founders surrender themselves when thirty missiles were launched at the tower. Steel attempted to raise their defensive shields, but there wasn't enough in the power reserves to provide adequate protection. Robin was in the command center and the second the heads started to open he began hurling all his explosive birdarangs in attempt to seal them shut. No good against superpower puppets with one thought in their minds; destroy the League at all costs
"What in the world? What's going on, I thought the Ultramen were dead!" Steel shouted slamming his hammer into Juice's gut. Supergirl was going against Longshadow while Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E. handled the twins Downpour and Shifter. Cackling in his trademark laugh Robin quadruple flipped over Winddragon hitting him with a flash bomb.
"What's the matter not feeling the aster?" The Boy Wonder joked. He held his ground as the meta tried to blow him away with gale force winds. He launched a line pulling him up to the ceiling. Stray lighting blasts and winds tried to bring him down, but he swung over their heads tossing several smoke bombs.
Winddragon quickly blew away the smoke only to have Robin's boot smash in his face. Flipping in front he punched the meta in the shoulders and landed an axle kick to his right leg. Robin forced the palm of his hand into the meta's chest cracking a rip before using momentum to toss him over his shoulder. Twirling his escrima sticks he brought them down hard breaking the meat puppet's hand before tasering him into unconsciousness. "Totally feeling the traught tonight. Only about two hundred more meat puppets to go. Aqualad, come in what's your situation?" Robin demanded jumping back into the fray.
"I'm preoccupied at the moment; I am otherwise fine," Aqualad shouted flipping off the wall and split kicking two Juices and absorbing a trio of Downpours into his water bearers. Forming chains he restricted the movement of Long Shadow long enough to mix in some poisons he found. The towering teen collapsed to the ground taking out several shifters. Noticing Red Tornado was in trouble he released the Downpours as an electrified flash flood taking out the Winddragons.
"Thank you, but don't get complacent there are still many more out there."
"Agreed, I'm going to check on the different sectors. Can you handle this?"
"I'll be fine go!"
"Team report in now! What is your status?"
Artemis didn't respond as sliced the neck of a Shifter raptor with her bowstring after it attempted to eat the personal. Ducking under the claws of the other she fired several net arrows trapping the meta. As she was grabbed from behind she kicked Juice in the groin followed up by a head butt to force him to let her go. Notching five arrows she let her eyes take over and shot the metas in the chest nearly puncturing their hearts. Her special eyes told her the Ultramen weren't truly alive, but that didn't mean she wanted to kill them. A sixth sense told her trouble was brewing below so after making sure no one was hurt she headed off.
The cafeteria was in total disarray as Zantana, Vixen, and Black Canary attempted to repel their invaders. Vixen lashed out with the speed of a cheetah while Zantana tried to transform the Ultramen into harmless rabbits. Black Canary was screaming her heart out, but it wasn't having much of effect.
"If we don't think of something quick were going to die!" Zantana warned. She whirled around transforming a giant Longshadow into a tiny ant.
"If you have any suggestions I'm listening!" Vixen replied shoving back two Shifter in tiger form. She raced over and caught Black Canary before she fell over. "Dinah, talk to me you okay?"
"I'm spent; I don't have any energy left." The females looked up as their doom marched closer and the water rose to drown them. The ladies closed their eyes ready to accept the end. It never came.
"Aqua congeal! Protocto Sphere! Metala Chrysalis!" Fate's Dagger enchanted as he flew over Ultramen's head. He shot a blast of rainbow magic into the group scattering them. Unsheathing his tanto it glowed with his magic as he dropped into the group. Faster then the eye could track he slashed open the chests of the metas. He impaled two attackers and sliced off part of the water arm of a third. Calculating the strike force he performed his famed Crescent Moon Strike rendering the metas unconscious. "Are you alright?"
"A bit shaken, but we'll recover. Thanks."
"Your welcome, don't look so troubled Black Canary they aren't dead, just incapacitated. If you excuse me I'm needed elsewhere."
In the infirmary Huntress was up to her neck in trouble as she tried to kill the Winddragons and Shifters who entered the room. Her arrows were just bouncing off the armor and they were slowly starting to suck the air from the room. A Juice clone appeared behind her only for Question to beam it on the head. The victory was short lived as another Juice started electrocuting them.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The pain suddenly stopped when a diamond tip arrow shot clean through the clone's hand taking away the volts. The meta turned to face the threat only to be beamed in the head by a razor fedora that diced up his face causing him to faint. The couple looked up in surprise at their rescuer.
"You just crossed the line. No one messes with my parents! You want someone to kill come and get me!" Huntsmark snarled tossing her question mark hooks at one Winddragon. They morphed into cuffs preventing him from using his powers. Doing a one handed spring she kicked him in the chin and punched him with all her might. Dodging about she delivered several no hand martial arts attacks before he dropped. As the other came after broke a capsule flicking on him so he was trapped in a gel.
The Shifters came after her in lion and cougar form, but she wasn't worried. "Your tricks are so last year my spliced form tops you any day of the weak!" She pounced in her clawing and biting like savage animal. She used the animal instincts to attack vulnerable points ripping off parts of the Shifters faces. Just when she was about to be ganged up Captain Atom shot the two of them rendering them out of action.
"Zairia! Zairia are you okay? They didn't hurt you to bad?" Huntress asked checking her over for wounds. Question was also by her side making sure his "kid" was safe.
"I'm fine really. They weren't as tough as some of the simulations I dealt with. Are you alright?"
"We're fine. Thank you for saving us. What's wrong?"
"It's my team they're calling me. Something wrong in the reactor I have to go!"
"Wait! Oh be safe our little dawning."
In the Reactor Room, Steel was attempting to get the reactor operational again before it blew the Watchtower to bits. Watching his back was Robin, whose surprise entry momentarily distracted Galatea, giving Supergirl the chance to ram her into a wall. The older clone bitch slapped and smashed her foot into the original's stomach nearly crushing the internal organs.
"Not so super now are you? Back to ah quit it you little twerp!" Galatea growled as a barrage of birdarangs bounced off her back. She grabbed an incoming smoke pellet crushing it to dust. "You really can't be dumb enough to think your little toys can beat me!"
"Perhaps, but then again that doesn't mean I can't borrow from my little brother's toy chest!" Robin snapped activating the full power of the RSS bathing the clone in red sunlight. Galatea felt her powers weakening as she struggled to summon the energy for a heat blast. Her shot went wild, but managed to nick the device causing it to short. "Oh crap."
"Your going to wish you hadn't done that bird boy!" Seconds before the clone could strangle him an enchanted blade cut open her back. She whirled around intending to snap the blade, but found her hands burned.
"Have you forgotten your vulnerability too magic as well as red sunlight? If so, then you're really going to hate this one, Confusion Illusion!" Fate's Dagger cast on her. Instantly Supergirl's double was clutching her head in pain as her senses went haywire and voices entered her head confusing her. She lashed out destroying everything in her path. "Not good we need to contain her before she brings the station down!"
"Leave that to us! Supergirl, Aqualad get ready to subdue her on our mark!" Artemis shouted running into the room with Huntsmark. The two heroines notched their weapons and sent the projectiles zinging. Huntsmark's smaller arrows hit their mark by imbedding themselves in Galatea's now weakened flesh. The two small tips in her legs caused her to stumble off the platform and into two net arrows. Not giving her a chance to recuperate Aqualad wrapped her up in an electrifying water cocoon causing her to scream and thrash. As she struggled to get up Supergirl came up from behind trapping her in tight bear hug until she slumped forward unconscious. She was barely breathing and injured, but at least she was alive.
"Thanks, I didn't think I could take her alive. She's much stronger then me being an older clone."
"It was no trouble and even if she's a clone she deserves to have her own life. Let us get her to the infirmary for treatment."
"Reactor's back up and the station should be at full power in two hours or so. Let's hope the rest of the team is as successful."
In Lex Corp, Luther was dealing with some unexpected guests. After misleading Waller and setting up the League he planned to become a God by uploading his mind into an android body. Sure Batman's unexpected arrival was troubling yet it was nothing he couldn't handle. He was literally squeezing the life out of the Dark Knight. "You should have gone with the rest of your chumps into Federal Lockdown. At least then you wouldn't die alone! Ah!"
Luther dropped the Dark Knight as a thin batarang cut his cheek. He reached for his side arm only for it to be kicked out of his hand. The invisible foe ripped up the tank for his blowtorch hurling it towards him. Luther dodged to right tipping over a misplaced fire extinguisher. The contents spilled all over revealing a glaring Batboy. "Well this is certainly unexpected. I didn't know you had another brat Batman."
"Why don't you shut your mouth and come quietly Luther? Cadmus already knows you're the hack and by now Waller is making her way here for revenge," Batboy informed him coldly, his eyes glancing at his Dad making sure he was okay. Batman was surprised, but grateful for the unexpected help.
"I don't surrender especially to teeny poppers," Luther said getting ready to attack again when the rest of the team dropped in, four from the ceiling, one from the door and one from the ground. Luther jaw dropped at the sight of Superboy cracking his knuckles saying "Hi Mom."
"Destroy the android then secure Luther!" Batman ordered tossing two more Batarangs at the monstrosity. Luther clicked a button on a hidden remote activating a protective field and security system that starting shooting thermal beams at the group. They all dove out the way as Luther cackled. "You'll never stop me!"
"Kid Flash, Miss Martian, Batboy take Luther! We'll get the android!" Superboy commanded. He brought his fists down sending a shock towards the table that caused the floor to shake and the table nearly to flip. Luther yelled moving towards the android when Kid Flash hit him hard enough to bounce across the floor. "I don't think so jerk!"
"Children shouldn't interfere with matters of adults!" Kid Flash felt his arm nearly break as Luther twisted it. Miss Martian hit him with a psychic bolt causing him to loose his grip. Both Bats attacked him hitting high and low trying to bring him down, but his super strength was a bitch to deal with.
Meanwhile Wonder Girl and Hawklady were making short work of the security system. Between their super strength and flames it the lab was quickly disintegrating. Green Lantern JR flew in and tried drill a hole to take out the android yet he was having trouble compensating for the yellow field. A crash and explosion sent Young Justice skidding into the doorway and Batman out the window without a cable.
"Now to upload my mind and deal with you pests."
"Hey Luther, you didn't pay for that android. I have to reclaim it for Cadmus," Waller growled firing her new weapon destroying the android. The angered Luther shoved his entire work station at her intending to kill her. Superboy strained to hold it all back with Wonder Girl's help. Using his TK he sent out the window. Hawklady knelt down checking her brother out. "Any other tricks you want to try?"
"Even with the chibis you don't have the power to stop me!"
"That's why I called in a favor." Luther glanced around to see himself encircled by both Young Justice and the Justice League. No! He wouldn't ever admit defeat! Not when he was this close to Godhood! Suddenly Batboy's computer began beeping frantically as everyone watched in stun horror as Brainiac emerged from Luther's body. This just got a lot harder.