26
Cupid arrived at the former Costco warehouse in Auburn, Washington. Seeing four cargo vans near the entrance, Cupid assumed the building was occupied. She walked the perimeter inspecting the electrical systems and alarms. The occasional heavy thud shook the concrete walls. Whoever was inside was lively.
Cupid set up a perch atop a nearby warehouse. She eventually witnessed the emergence of the Injustice Rogues and Injustice Titans dressed in casual attire. Many of them were unmistakably meta-humans. The others tended to be killers nearly without peer.
Cupid watched the vans depart. She'd already put homing devices on each one. So she rappelled off the roof and returned to Costco. Using her bow she fired arrows into the junctions and cut the power from the building. The door required an EMP to break the fall back electromagnetic seal. Inside she found backup generators had kicked on to power the mundane equipment and lights.
A giant vat dominated a corner. It proved to be empty but it had residual matter left behind so Cupid took samples for I-Ching. From what she saw, the rest of this base was a training facility. So Cupid returned to her own car to determine where the Injusticers had gone to.
Cupid tracked the vans to Federal Way, Washington where the Injusticers seemed to be booked in the Embassy Suites Hotel. The rooms were built in a perimeter surround a hollow core with the primary lounge occupying the core's first level. Now Cupid knew why everyone had showered and changed. Except for Girder, Murmur, Match, and Blacksmith herself, everyone else could pass for average human beings.
Cupid didn't actually know who Plunder was with or without his mask but he seemed to have firm control over Murmur as the meta-humans and freaks returned to their rooms. Blacksmith seemed to enjoy the notoriety amongst the guests. Girder was less sanguine. But they all carried takeout that had been freshly delivered as they returned to the elevators.
Cupid recognized the other faces from her rooftop observations. Magenta was obviously mentally disturbed. Cupid's first guess would be schizophrenia. Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay were obviously long term associates and they had the stink of the righteously converted.
Cupid noted Scandal Savage because Scandal watched Blacksmith like a cat ready to torment a canary. Knockout obviously relished being the center of attention…especially Scandal's. The Injustice Titans were typical teenagers despite being some very dangerous people. Dreadbolt, Disruptor, and Persuader were an obvious clique and TNTeena desperately wanted to be included. Windfall drifted towards Inertia and Sun Girl. Enigma just seemed weary of trying to create cohesion between everyone. Match wasn't even allowed in the lobby because his distorted reactions were so bizarre.
But Cupid had to withdraw. She'd garnered Scandal and Knockout's attention. They'd seen her for the fellow predator that she was. Cupid spent a hundred dollars to get a printout of the guest list and registry of rooms.
Cupid withdrew her highest tension bow and six specially tipped arrows. Each had an eavesdropping device mounted on the shaft. She imbedded all six in various balconies of those she estimated to be the most valuable regarding intelligence gathering. She hid a relay away in the shrubbery before driving away.
Then she relocated from the Howard Johnson to a hotel near SeaTac Airport. The complimentary Wi-Fi allowed her to network with her relay which inserted data streams into the Internet through cell tower interfaces. Cupid sat back to learn what she could learn.
The Justice League Unlimited met in conference within their cave headquarters. Captain Atom asked the question on most minds, "What basis do we have to condone the Conglomerate's actions if we even choose to?"
"What legal standing do we even have anymore?" Atom wondered, "The Justice League of America may be a group of posers but they have legal sanction from the United States government. Hell, they're even considered a branch of ARGUS."
"I hear Jean talking here," Superman pointed out.
"When she makes sense she makes absolute sense," Atom preemptively defended his ex-wife and current lover.
"But we're agreed any support we lend them is on our terms and not fodder for the jackals that fund them," Barda pointed out.
"Easier said than accomplished," J'onn Jonzz grumbled.
"Yeah, but if they need us, they need us," Flash was upbeat at the prospect of working with the team's members again.
"I'd like a little clarification on our legal standing as well," John Stewart, the resident Green Lantern interjected.
"Our position is frighteningly similar to my own after my people invaded and I stayed behind," Shayera Hol pointed out.
"She has a point," Captain Atom hated to admit.
"She always does," Flash reminded him.
"Look, Jean has called in a lot of favors and exerted a lot of political influence and capital to get us a meeting with representatives from the United Nations," Atom stated again, "With the dismissal of the third-rate Justice League International, the UN needs a powerful policing force they can trust to do the job and not create international incidents. We'd receive international law enforcement authority in return and a mandate to protect the world."
"We had that," Superman replied, "But the UN decided to micromanage us."
"I'm for this is we can establish autonomy before we sign on," Captain Atom stated.
"I'm good with it with those stipulations," Wally West, the JLU's Flash agreed.
"I agree with reservations," J'onn put forth, "Should our autonomy be challenged in any way, I say we break trust with the UN."
"I totally agree. We can't be swayed by every wind and passing doctrine flowing out of UN offices," John insisted.
"I agree under those conditions," Shayera backed her husband.
Everyone looked to Superman and Barda. He deferred to her. Barda didn't waste words.
"The gutter rats must be taught we are neither their servants nor their masters," she declared.
"I think it's unanimous then," Superman smiled, "Call Jean and have her arrange the meeting."
"Was there any other business?" Atom was eager to get home to Jean Loring.
Atom popped out of a dedicated receiver that the number was only known by he and Jean. He quickly shed his Atom costume and Ray Palmer was surprised to find Jean was home early. She closed her office door to finish the phone call she was on.
When she emerged he had an impish look, "Business?"
"Client privilege and confidentiality. You know the drill," Jean sighed, "You look like a cat that dragged home a nest of robins. Spill."
Ray did and Jean smiled, "I'll start making calls."
"They have a set of conditions," Ray warned her.
"The Secretary-General's staff can handle those before the real negotiations begin," Jean said, "My part is almost done."
"Your part is never done," Ray wrapped his arms around her.
"You're in a mood," Jean laughed.
As they began to kiss, Jean regretted her part in the bargain she'd made with Lex Luthor. Her role would truly begin with the advent of the JLU returning to the United Nations' umbrella. Several of the next steps would be difficult for Jean but she rationalized them as allowing her to keep Ray close by her.
Volthoom addressed the Crime Syndicate within the Justice League Antarctica base, "Go forth and deal with this world's mightiest champions and then work your way down to the lowest. Prove to me you're capable of mastering a universe."
"The Justice League's mightiest members epicenter themselves around Superman," Owlman reasoned, "So we'll begin in Metropolis."
Jessica Cruz paused on her way outside, "Several Lanterns are nearby. You can sense them, can't you?"
"They have no idea of who they're facing," Volthoom assured her, "Now go forth my human Power Ring and fulfill your destiny."
The newly appointed New Guardians stood vigil on the Moon overlooking sunset over Earth's Asian Pacific region. They were situated on the side of the Moon tidally locked to always face Earth. For Kyle Rayner and Kara In-Ze it was a familiar sight. Yrra Cyvil had traveled to Earth several times as a member of the Fear Corps and now as a Star Sapphire.
Kara had objected the requirements of bearing a red power ring. So it had abandoned her to seek out a more worthy subject. So the Argoan was Supergirl once again rather than a Red Lantern. She'd been replaced by a top Red Lantern lieutenant named Bleez.
Arkillo, the representative Fear Lantern, repeatedly advocated a direct, brute force assault. Saint Walker of the Blue Lanterns and Munk of the Indigo Tribe counseled patience in determining just why the Guardians of the Universe had isolated Volthoom in a prison dependent on their personal power and why they'd opted to free him as one of many consequences to their collective suicide.
Laira Omoto was the designated Green Lantern and she sought a middle ground between the passivity of Munk and Saint Walker and Arkillo and Bleez's outright hostility. Yrra sided with her. Black Hand and Larfleeze were the White Lantern's focus.
Black Hand was the sole being in the universe who could generate black power rings that would subsequently create Black Lanterns who would attempt to extinguish all life. Larfleeze was the sole Orange Lantern. Agent Orange's lusts were unpredictable and insatiable. He'd sacrifice anything but his personal comfort to sate a desire. Which didn't bode well for his allies.
Kara hadn't really spoken to Kyle since her selection as a Red Lantern. But her burning anger seemed to have dimmed when she rejected the power ring. He'd supplied the life support field that kept her alive in a vacuum.
"Kyle, something's coming. It looks like a rainbow person," Supergirl told him.
"Head's up people! We have an imminent contact with someone who's probably our quarry," Kyle warned everyone.
"Good!" Arkillo bellowed as he and Bleez launched themselves to intercept Volthoom.
"Saint Walker and Munk, secure our flanks in case this bugger brought friends," Kyle instructed, "Yrra and Laira, hang back as the ready reserve in case we need you."
Kyle confronted Black Hand and Larfleeze, "This is it, guys. Either you stand and fight or you simply run away now."
They both hesitated but the followed White Lantern on Arkillo and Bleez's trail. Supergirl found it noteworthy that Kyle had excluded her. She didn't know whether to be insulted or touched by his concern. She decided she'd beat him up enough over things that really hadn't been a problem except to her paranoia.
Arkillo led the attack against Volthoom. He did his best to elicit a fear response from the former First Lantern. But just as Volthoom radiated every color of the emotional spectrum so too did he have utter mastery over them all. Volthoom used the Black light of Death to make Arkillo succumb to his own fear reflex and he lost mastery of his own power ring. It attacked him rather than Volthoom.
Bleez was a road bump when he unleashed the Violet light of Love upon Bleez. It froze her ring's life sustaining power that maintained her body's health despite her heart being frozen within her. She was already dying when White Lantern, Black Hand, and Agent Orange reached the First Lantern.
Volthoom mixed all the spectrums into a ramming construct that belted Kyle off the Moon and halfway to Venus before he stopped himself. Larfleeze lusted after Volthoom's power so he tempted the Orange Lantern with a Ring of Volthoom and the promise of a black power ring. So Larfleeze attacked Black Hand. Black Hand, on the other hand, succumbed to the desire to kill Larfleeze and make him a Black Lantern.
Laira and Yrra acted in concert as though they'd drilled together for years rather than just meeting. Volthoom quickly gauged Laira and he pushed her beyond the point of reasoning as she was consumed by rage. She turned on Yrra instead. Yrra, as Fatality, had worn both yellow and violet power rings. So she'd mastered her fear before embracing love. But now her principle struggle was staying alive long enough to calm Laira down.
"The rarest of the spectrums," Volthoom said with appreciation, "Hope and Compassion. Keep your emotions and leave me in peace with mine."
"Hope never falters," Saint Walker declared.
"Pithy but useless," Volthoom promised. He used the Black light of Death upon Saint Walker to cow him into submission. But the chief Blue Lantern never gave up hope. Volthoom had to credit him with that.
Munk, like all Indigo Tribesmen, mounted his power ring atop a staff. It was an affectation that amused Volthoom. Volthoom unleashed, Fear, Rage, and Avarice upon Munk and his Compassion crumbled.
Supergirl's purely physical attack startled Volthoom. And her resistance to harm also surprised him. White Lantern came at him in a frenzied defense of the woman. So Volthoom focused all his power on Kara.
White Lantern wrapped the unconscious Supergirl in a white cocoon of Life's energy and sent it to Earth. Kyle unleashed a barrage of attacks at Volthoom. The First Lantern shook his head in dismay.
"You just don't understand the nature of Life," Volthoom lectured Kyle, "Life is best served when it is controlled and orderly."
"Your control I bet," Kyle snorted.
"There are fifty-two universes each requiring a master or a mistress. I am content to provide the means by which they control those universes all within the framework of the multiverse," Volthoom promised.
"Will controls enough and it's tempered by Love, Hope, and Compassion," Kyle argued.
"You are a pathetic child," Volthoom unleashed his full spectrum strength on Kyle. But Kyle's ring mysteriously recharged after being drained by Volthoom. He began to come to and realized Volthoom had abandoned the lunar orbit.
Laira was still crazed and attacking Yrra. He decided to sort them out before reviving Arkillo, Bleez, Saint Walker, and Munk. Then, only together, would he subdue Black Hand and Larfleeze.
And he wished to God Kara was all right now.
Hal Jordan led the Green Lanterns beside Carol Ferris and her Star Sapphires in defending the Zamarons. With the Oans dead, the Zamarons were the Power Ring Corps' next target of choice. Sister Sercy stood beside Indigo-1's defense of Oa. Sinestro and the Fear Corps patrolled one half of the universe while Atrocitus and his Red Lanterns took the other half and tried to cut off Power Ring Corpsmen from Zamaron and Oa.
Ultraman arrived first and announced the Crime Syndicate's presence by toppling two skyscrapers. Superman quickly surged forth from the Daily Planet but even he couldn't stem the loss of life. Barda employed a boom tube to stand beside him. She triggered the JLU's alert network as she did so.
J'onn and Captain Atom quickly covered the distance between the up coast headquarters and Metropolis. Flash arrived mere minutes later from halfway across the country. Green Lantern broke personal records transporting Shayera and himself from Detroit. Ray hated the imploring look Jean gave him as he finished pulling his Atom suit on. And then he dialed Flash's earpiece transceiver and vanished.
Jessica set the other Crime Syndicate members down and targets were selected. Deathstorm chose to engage Captain Atom for the usual reasons. Superman blocked Ultraman's next attempt at carnage with a blow to the face. Afterwards no holds were barred.
Barda delighted in challenging Superwoman. Flash tried slowing Johnny Quick down as the interdimensional speedster took off to harm others. John blocked Jessica's progress. Sea King selected J'onn as his enemy of choice. Shayera immediately spotted that Owlman was the true power behind the Crime Syndicate's throne. So she opted to concentrate on shutting him down. Atom faced Atomica once again.
Ultraman tried for more buildings before Superman shoved him out of the city and headed north. He instinctively guided Kal-L to his own Fortress of Solitude. But they plowed through the complex still battling. Ultraman realized that the things within the Fortress were as alien as Superman himself. And precious to him.
So Ultraman set out to destroy as much of the facility as possible. Which included the alien animal shelter. But he dismally discovered there were animals kept there that could even kill Kryptonians.
Barda was having more fun than she'd had in months. Superwoman easily survived her first encounter with Barda's mega-wand. And now the Amazon was impossible to hit as she crafted her own weaponry out of her environment. This marked Superwoman as a true warrior in Barda's eyes.
She clipped her weapon to her belt and beckoned Superwoman to attack her. Superwoman didn't require a second invitation. And Barda wouldn't have it any other way.
Wally West was used to being the Fastest Man Alive with Jay Garrick running a close second and Jesse Chambers being third. But Johnny Quick was as least as fast as Rival or Reverse Flash which meant he clocked in near Jesse's speed and that of her father who had shared Johnny's name. But raw speed wasn't the danger here.
On Earth Prime, Reverse Flash was the deadliest speedster despite any claims Rival might make. That title was earned through Reverse Flash's finite control over how his speed abilities were utilized. But Professor Zoom had nothing on Johnny's sadism.
He made passing people erupt into spilling guts or literally have portions of their body vibrated until they exploded. Flash put him clean through a building to slow him down. Johnny recovered his footwork and grinned.
"You must be the top hoss they talk about here," Johnny realized, "You ain't so tough."
"I get the job done," Flash warned him.
"We'll see about that," Johnny countered as he prepared to fully unleash his limitlessly sadistic side.
J'onn found Sea King to differ from Aquaman in many important aspects. Not ranked amongst them were the facts he was clean shaven, possessed both hands, and wielded a trident rather than a harpoon. But his Atlantean strength was used with a deadliness of purpose that grabbed all of J'onn's attention. And Sea King shared Aquaman's telepathic control over aquatic life. But Sea King had learned to employ that gift as psychic "bombs" as well that tore through J'onn's susceptible mind.
Deathstorm used his atomic powers far differently than any Firestorm or Firehawk from Earth Prime. Rather that completely alter structure, he infused it with nuclear energy reducing whatever matter to a radioactive cinder. Captain Atom was horrified as he witnessed Deathstorm convert people into nuclear husks.
Captain Atom attempted to drain all of Deathstorm's nuclear fire from him. It boiled down to a contest of who could absorb enough before being overloaded versus who could sustain enough to overload the other. Deathstorm's skull-like fiery visage betrayed no emotions but his body language eked pure delight.
"Here we go again," Atomica snickered at Atom. She leapt at him and reduced her size to that of an insect. Her full weight and momentum slammed into Atom's chest before she began shedding atomic weight and mass and vanished out of sight.
Atom followed her down into the atomic realm. She began colliding atoms at him. The energy discharges were as deadly as direct impact from the atoms themselves. But Atom had experience playing in this realm for years. And as an astrophysicist, he understood the nature of what was happening to a degree Atomica could only dream of.
Owlman proved as difficult a foe as Batman ever had. And his motif bespoke of an obsession surrounding owls that mirrored Batman's bat fixation. Even his weaponry was stylized.
So now it seemed there were three Batman-wannabes. The League of Assassin's Darkwing had been the first to emerge. The so-called "anti-Batman" called the Wrath was the second to go public and then there was this clown. Yet even through his cold arrogance and disdain for life, he reminded Shayera of Bruce Wayne.
Shayera began to tire of harassing Owlman from the air. It was getting pointless and he was targeting bystanders to draw her in closer. She landed near him and fought mace to whatever he threw at her at that moment.
He closed the distance and tried to rip her mace out of her hand. But the Nth metal reacted to a non-Thanagarian touch and discharged electricity that stunned Owlman. Shayera tried to grab him as he fell but all she succeeded at was pulling his mask off.
And she received the stunning revelation of her life, "Bruce?"
Owlman rose to his feet, "The name is Thomas. After my father."
He kicked her in the feet and retrieved his fallen mask and affixed it into place, "Of course, I'll simply have to kill you now."
Shayera wondered what he'd call what he'd been doing thus far.
"Okay, you've changed," John commented to Jessica.
"I'm sorry but you're blocking the way of progress," Jessica was truly regretful. She began creating terrifying constructs like she had at him before. But John was steeled against them this time.
Through his ring, he could detect she had an iron will to rival his own or Guy Gardner's. She could easily prove worthy of a green power ring other than the Ring of Volthoom. And unlike the rest of the Crime Syndicate, Power Ring didn't seem malicious. Just horribly misguided.
Amanda Waller ordered Sue Dibney to muster up the Justice League of America only to find every member except for both Animal Man and Crimson Fox was already in the field. And that pair were on medical leave. But Waller knew Steve Trevor was guiding Question's team in their ongoing investigation regarding their runaway members. She didn't have a clue as to the nature of any other deployments.
Waller didn't believe the bat crap Sue was schilling out about not knowing the precise nature of General Glory's mission but Waller let it ride for now. She had ways of tracking General Glory's team. If it seemed to her they'd found Green Arrow, Speedy, and Black Canary, she'd sick Trevor's group in on them.
Matrix met with Jade and LAPD Captain Jeff Parker. Parker exploded, "You're not Supergirl!"
"Actually I am," Matrix said with ultimate weariness "Just not from this universe."
"Say what?" Parker blustered.
"She is Supergirl but she just isn't one you're used to," Jade clarified.
"Thank you very much," Parker said snidely.
Jade knew it to be true. Her power pulse embedded in her left hand used the Starheart derived Green Flame as a lie detector. And Matrix was telling the truth.
"Why did you come here if you weren't the Supergirl I was expecting?" Parker wanted to know.
"How was I to know who you expected?" Matrix was getting flustered, "The nice officer told me you wanted to talk to me so here I am."
Jade desperately fought a snicker as Parker groaned, "God, my migraines are coming back."
"Look, I'm headed too Brooklyn to consult with the JLA. DO you have any business in New York City?" Jade was hopeful.
"My team is working a case there," Matrix happily answered.
"Team?" Parker snorted.
"The Conglomerate," Matrix's happiness wasn't dissuaded by his sarcasm.
"Goddamned corporate sellouts," Parker sneered.
"We'll be leaving now, Captain," Jade ushered Matrix out and to the roof, "I'm guessing you can fly."
"What Supergirl doesn't?" Matrix lifted into the air.
"It'll be nice to have some company," Jade admitted, "These cross-country flights are usually such a bore."
"Thank you for being so understanding. Normally I just confuse people," Matrix sighed.
"Try being green all the time," Jade said ruefully.
"But it's a lovely color and you're so beautiful," Matrix gushed.
"I think we're going to get on famously," Jade decided.
The Injustice League was booked in the Tradewinds Hotel in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The team had split into two forces. One team was at the hotel intending to distract the Atoll Base 1151's primary defenders. The second time was infiltrating the base itself.
Gen. Sam Lane's operatives had observed the Injusticers "lounging" around the hotel and nearby beach for an hour now. So they decided it was time to strike.
Cyclotron came upon Killer Frost and White Lightning sitting beside the hotel pool. Cyclotron took one look at White Lightning and had to ask one question, "You do realize that leather bikini is going to shrink if you get it wet and let it dry."
"Do you see me in the water?" she wondered.
"Um…no," he admitted.
"Then quit hoping for a peep show," she commanded.
"Okay," the thought was instantly gone.
"Gawd, it's too easy sometimes," White Lightning groaned, "Get in the water. Up to your neck."
"Happily," Cyclotron sank into the water. His innate radioactivity began to boil the water and it steamed around him. Until it froze completely.
"Not bad," Killer Frost decided, "You're more than eye candy after all."
"Thanks," White Lightning said condescendingly, "So are you, Lollipop."
Reactron fused the sand in front of Major Disaster's feet on the beach. Reactron missed his single warning, "Try anything at all and I'll glass this whole island."
"Ah, total respect for human life and all that," Major Disaster said sardonically, "Gotcha."
"Um… whut I do, Major Man?" Big Sir was nervous.
""Just what I tell you to," Major Disaster hoped the big lug could remember his instructions. Turning to Reactron, he issued his own ultimatum, "Just go away and we won't have a problem."
Reactron chuckled nastily, "Or you could just come with me and tidy up a cell until they decide to dissect you."
"Uh…tempting, but no," Major Disaster had made him his mind, "Big Sir?"
"Yus?" he asked eagerly. Big Sir liked helping.
"Now," Major Disaster instructed.
Big Sir moved faster than anyone would have expected from his Solomon Grundy sized bulk. And he hit just as hard. Reactron flew backwards before plowing into the sand. Then a tremor hit the beach as a fissure opened beneath Reactron and swallowed him up. The ground quit trembling as the fissure closed.
People looked around but no one seemed to have a clue. Major Disaster congratulated his child-like partner, "Big Sir, my fine fellow, you deserve your choice of ice cream."
"Yay! Ide cream!" Big Sir clapped his hands together in delight.
Major Disaster wondered why most people's needs weren't that basic.
Superwoman had elected to land on the backside of the hotel. And there she ran headlong into Aresia. Renegade or not, Aresia was still a damn Amazon. And Lucy Lane had had her fill of them after meeting the new Wonder Woman.
"Stand down and let me by," Superwoman used her best Officer's Country voice.
"Would you in my place?' Aresia wondered.
Superwoman hated that she had her there, "What I think is you almost drove humanity into extinction when you almost killed very male member of the species."
"And you've never thought of doing the same?" Aresia asked dryly.
"I think you're unpredictable and that makes you dangerous," Superwoman declared.
"Predict this: we're going to fight and you'll discover first hand just how dangerous I can be," Aresia retorted.
Superwoman started to fly away but Aresia moved even faster and grabbed Lucy's ankle and threw her to the ground, "Face the inevitable."
Aresia had nearly wiped out mankind and she was quibbling over Superwoman's reluctance to fight? Superwoman moved with superhuman speed and got to her feet to rock Aresia with an even mightier right cross, "You want it? You got it."
"That's more like it," Aresia smirked.
Lucy Lane had always thought that the Air Force Security Police had taught her how to fight. She was quickly learning the USAF had nothing on Themiscyra.
David Cain and Lady Flash were out of uniform like all the other Injusticers near the hotel. But they occupied the main lounge in the lobby. They weren't disappointed as Agent Liberty and Guardian strolled through looking for them.
"I thought the rumors had to be false but they really have cloned Jim Harper," Cain commented upon seeing Guardian.
"And you're the mystery man with no file but sightings across the globe associated with unsolved murders," Agent Liberty said with disdain.
"Sorry to be a bother," Cain lied.
"And you, Col. Molotova, your government was very happy to learn you were still alive," Agent Liberty told Lady Flash.
"Of course they are. All of their surgeons have run away from home so they want the butcher to work for them again," Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova replied.
Agent Liberty's hands had hovered near his holstered pistols the entire time, "Actually, they don't want you back alive at all."
His hands snapped to the pistol grips. Lady Flash erupted in a burst of speed as she shoved him out the main doors, across the water, and straight into an offshore yacht. As the yacht sank around him, Agent Liberty marveled that she could run on the surface tension of the water at high enough speeds. But he had a jet pack to do the same so he flew after her.
Cain wasn't used to fighting a foe so adept at using a defensive weapon as an offensive weapon as well. Muscle memory might not be passed on through genetic replication but Guardian had been weaned on footage of his progenitor in action. Anything and everything the original Guardian could do the new Guardian could emulate and improve upon.
He actually had Cain reeling until Lady Flash smashed into him and pushed him up several flights of stairs before throwing him through a third story window. Then she rejoined Cain.
"He has entered Aresia's path now," Lady Flash advised him.
Cain actually felt sorry for the clone. Lady Flash slowed herself enough so that Cain could pace her as they entered the pool area. Cyclotron's teeth were chattering as he was still neck deep in ice. But it was melting rather quickly owing to the tropical sun and Cyclotron's own radioactivity.
Agent Liberty was a free standing ice sculpture. Only his mouth and nose were exposed to the air. And those were a distinct shade of blue.
"Is it too much?" Killer Frost laughed.
"Gather everyone's things and extract to the yacht," Cain ordered, "The other team will need us to pick them up soon."
Lady Flash alerted Major Disaster and Big Sir the evacuation was now underway.
Guardian held Aresia at bay long enough for Superwoman to gather her wits. Then she scooped him up and flew away before Aresia could mount a pursuit. Cain checked in on her to deliver the news.
"Should I go after them?" she inquired.
"No, we're pulling out. Your muscle is needed to haul equipment cases," Cain told her.
"I'm not a menial," Aresia sniffed, "Let Big Sir do it. He was born into the mundane anyway."
"Even after a staggering defeat at Princess Diana's hands, you still utterly lack any humility," Cain saw, "But you'll learn some even if I have to hand you over to your enemies."
Aresia glared at him before sullenly striding away. Once again, Cain wondered just where Nyssa Raatko had gone off to.
Wrath led his four person team to Pago Pago's docks. There two submersible transports ferried personnel to and from Atoll Base 1151. One transport would arrive in the morning as the other one shipped out to return. The lingering transport would remain overnight.
The ersatz military guard standing over the remaining transport never saw the Injusticers coming. Then they took the transport and headed towards the submerged base. Wrath found the controls rather similar to those designed for the UAVs his company produced.
The hull echoed as a sonar bleat bounced off of it. The low frequency radio began to crackle, "Transport EE-127, why are you returning early?"
"We have sick personnel. They are violently ill and require medical attention," Syonide radioed back.
"Transport, you know the regulations. Communicable illnesses are treated at civilian facilities on the islands. We can't afford an outbreak in a sealed environment," the controller argued.
"And you know we don't have the oxygen or battery power to return to the islands and back again," Syonide replied.
"Stand by EE-127," the controller ordered.
After a lengthy pause the controller returned, "Stand advised, you are permitted to enter the boat bay but you will not pop your hatches or release passengers. You will receive fresh batteries and oxygen tanks through external sources and return to the islands."
Wrath piloted the sub into the designated slip the controller assigned them to. Then they waited as technical crews began the replenishment. Wrath popped the hatch and enjoyed the strings of profanity from the workers. He executed them all first before beginning to kill every worker in the boat bay.
As expected, the alarms began to sound. Dark Archer unloaded all of his extra quivers and set up a post near the center of the room. Syonide handed Wrath his extra equipment cases and he joined Dark Archer. Syonide and White Canary then disappeared in the maintenance crawlways that were supposedly inaccessible to all but a few elite technicians. It was bribe money well spent.
Syonide's designated task was to reach the detention facility and liberate the elder Merlyn. As she'd hoped and regretted, everyone but two remaining guards had vacated the detention wing to respond to the brewing crisis in the boat bay. She didn't even need to employ her electro-whip to kill those two.
Then she freed Merlyn. He gave her a baleful look, "Oh, it's you."
"I could lock you up again if you prefer or have better plans," Syonide quipped.
"I just expected someone to be here a week ago," Merlyn admitted.
"Either your new friends don't know or don't care about your incarceration. We just found out a day ago," Syonide told him, "And here we are."
"So I'm a secondary objective," Merlyn realized.
"And I'll leave you behind without hesitation if bringing you threatens my safety," Syonide duly advised him.
He picked up a submachine gun, "Then I'll just have to keep up."
White Canary made her way to Lane's office. She silently, and rather indiscriminately, killed the six staffers and guards posted outside his private domain. Then she confidently entered his office. Lane drew a concealed pistol holstered to his desktop.
White Canary broke his wrist with her nunchucks and then backed him against the wall with a tanto knife to his throat. He got straight to the point, "What is it you want?"
"To deliver a much needed lesson," White Canary said succinctly.
Lane impatiently waited for several seconds before prompting her to continue, "Well?"
"You will leave us alone from now on," White Canary ordered him, "We are the ultimate countermeasure. When you exceed your checks and balances we are the leveler that takes you back to the very beginning to begin again. We are the Injustice that topples your false sense of Justice and establishes true harmony and the natural order that thrives within it. I suggest you keep that in mind from no won before you make an irrevocable mistake."
Her left cross surprised him. When Lane looked up, White Canary was missing. He snatched up his fallen pistol with his left hand and went out. Finding corpses littering the outer offices and corridor, he wondered just how the hell an Asian woman wearing all white could abruptly vanish.
Wrath reloaded his pistol having already expended all of his ammo for his assault rifle. Bodies were piled up and choking off entryways. Dark Archer released the last of his extra arrows. Now he was limited to the twenty-six stored on his back.
"We're in position," White Canary signaled Wrath.
"We're out of here," Wrath informed Dark Archer while the Atoll Base security team prepared to throw their last combat soldiers at the duo.
Security penetrated the boat bay only too find no one else living in it. They frantically began search for the intruders' means of escape. And then every transport sub exploded, shredding the security officers. Other charges affixed to the outer hull detonated and water began flooding into the submerged base.
Wrath and Dark Archer reached the experimental boat bay. One craft had already been scuttled. That left the one the Injusticers were stealing. Dark Archer became agitated.
"Where's my father?" Malcolm Merlyn demanded to know.
"Inside the craft with Syonide," White Canary answered indifferently.
Dark Archer boarded the submersible boat to find Merlyn chained to a seat. Dark Archer was enraged, "Who did this?"
"It was necessary," Wrath informed him, "Accept that fact or join him in bondage."
Dark Archer unhappily subsided. Merlyn counseled his son, "Pick your battles, Malcolm."
"Watch them both," Wrath instructed Whit e Canary. She drew her knife and intently watched both Merlyns.
"Take us out," Wrath requested of Syonide.
"I'm surprised you're letting me drive," Syonide chuckled as she dove the boat into the pool of water and took it outside the flooding Atoll Base.
She continued to pilot the craft until they were several miles outside of American Samoan territorial waters. Surfacing, the offloaded everyone onto Cain's yacht before scuttling the boat. With all evidence of their rendezvous destroyed the yacht set sail for nearby Baker Island and a fateful meeting with the Ultramarine Corps.
Gun Moll Flanders bristled as Boss Moxie drooled over the Gang, particularly their leader, Brains. Boss Moxie tried to exude charm and it was hilarious to Gun Moll, "Hyper-intelligent and a superior beauty as well. Is there nothing you don't excel at?"
"Romance," Brains replied, "I tend to threaten men's egos because I refuse to coddle their ineptitude."
Gun Moll could have kissed Brains after that. Her supposed rival was now a potential ally.
"And the rest?" Boss Moxie was obviously disgruntled at being rebuffed.
"Ms. Mesmer, she mastered the arts of hypnosis as a child. She'd even controlled Supergirl on occasion," Brains offered, "Kong is our strongman. He's endowed with the strength to take on Supergirl head to head. Bulldozer can't be stopped once he's reached a run. His specialized helmet allows him to smash his way through most anything. And he can effectively head butt almost anyone into submission even if he's unable to move."
"Welcome one and all to Intergang," Boss Moxie was feeling benevolent now that he could see the advantages the Gang brought him, "Given how your Gang helped out the Cabinet, I think we'll fit you in with our regional bosses called the 100. They'll see how best to use you beside our network of agents known as the 1000. With you joining us, everyone will fear Intergang."
"Or simply the Gang," Brains retorted.
Gun Moll relished Boss Moxie's ire.
Kara awoke in a trench plowed through a wheat field as her life support cocoon brought her to a landing in Smallville. And she was startled by the fact that Jonathan and Martha Kent were standing over her.
"Ma? Pa?" she asked with obvious confusion, "How'd I get here?"
"You fell from the sky in some kind of white cocoon thingy," Martha explained.
"Help me get her up," Jonathan requested.
"Mind your heart," Martha warned him.
"My ticker can hold out long enough to get the girl to her feet," Jonathan insisted.
Kara's X-Ray vision showed Jonathan had less than 30% of his heart still functioning. So while she made him feel good by putting on a show of how he helped, she really got herself up without assistance. Martha gave her a grateful; smile.
"Where's Clark?" Kara asked.
"In Metropolis as always fighting some earth shattering menace," Martha sighed.
"And we need to get back inside to see what happens on the news," Jonathan insisted.
"That TV is going to be the death of you," Martha protested, "You're always yelling at it."
"That's `cause it always lies," Jonathan snorted.
"Does Clark know?" Kara asked softly.
"Yes, but he refuses to accept it," Martha said sadly, "I assume you're headed to Metropolis to join the fight. When it's done, send Clark home. He needs to visit his father."
"Will do," Supergirl blasted off the ground.
"And kick some ass, Kara," Martha said aloud knowing Supergirl could still hear her.
Ultraman broke free of the ravenous creatures and he flew out of the Fortress of Solitude. As he headed back to populated regions, Saturn Queen summoned him to Fort Siegel. He had never been so grateful to hear someone's voice before. Even if he only heard it in his mind.
"I'm coming, Mother," Ultraman whispered his promise.
Barda gained the upper hand. So Superwoman began to fight dirty. But no one knew dirty like a Female Fury from Apokolips.
Superwoman retreated and Barda used her Mother Box to ping Superman's location. Finding he was in the Arctic of all locations, she employed a boom tube to join him.
J'onn resorted to invisibility to escape Sea King's attacks. So the Atlantean moved on.
Flash merely desired that Johnny's access to the Speed Force be removed when lightning like energy enveloped Johnny Quick. That energy then flowed from Johnny to Flash. Johnny was stunned to learn he was merely mortal again for the first time since the lab accident while he and Atomica robbed STAR Labs. Flash was even more startled to learn his own personal speed power had doubled.
But Superwoman took Flash from behind and her fist almost caved his skull in. If it hadn't been for his surge in the Speed Force, it would have been. Superwoman witnessed as the Speed Force energy flowed back from Flash to Johnny.
"Are you done yet?" Superwoman impatiently asked.
"I think I'm back," Johnny confessed before streaking off.
"He's back and twice as useless," Superwoman grimaced before abandoning her position.
Captain Atom broke off from draining Deathstorm. He had reached his limit and he flew up into orbit to release the nuclear energies he received from Deathstorm. Deathstorm, on the other hand, was drained to near lifelessness. Johnny snatched his comatose body up as he raced to rejoin Atomica.
Atom hurled electrons at Atomica. While she was busy dodging the highly charged particles, Atom threw two free atoms at her. Their collision released a tidal wave of energy that overwhelmed her. Manipulating her suit controls, Atom restored both of them to their natural sizes.
Sea King bluntly struck down Atom with his trident. Johnny appeared carrying Deathstorm. He traded off the fallen Nuclear Man to Sea King as he gathered up his beloved Atomica.
"I got you, babe. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore," Johnny pledged to the unconscious Atomica.
"She'd be thrilled if she were awake," Sea King drolly told him.
"She still knows," Johnny advised the deposed Atlantean monarch.
Shayera was barely staying alive. It was as if Owlman had held back until she saw he was a Bruce Wayne doppelganger. And now she was aware of the rest of the Crime Syndicate converging on Owlman's position. As much as she hated to leave a fight, she needed intelligence more than a single victory.
So Shayera flew off before Owlman was reinforced.
Jessica repulsed every construct John sent at her. And then she swatted him off planet Earth. The Ring of Volthoom began to whisper a warning to Jessica and she erected a barrier that blocked Supergirl. As it whispered further suggestions, Jessica created a cryo unit around Supergirl and began to freeze her in the same manner she'd been stored on Argo until Superman found her. Supergirl utterly panicked and broke free in a moment of unreasoning, blind fear. She fled halfway across the globe.
Jessica rejoined the others. Owlman commented, "Well done, Power Ring. Now get us back to our temporary base."
Jessica scooped everyone up in a transport module and flew south. Inside it, Superwoman made an observation, "It's just like that idiot Ultraman to be late."
"He'll find us when he wants to," Owlman said confidently.
Everyone was blithely unaware of Shayera following in the distance. Just as she was unaware of a presence behind her.
John returned to find Flashy recovering, "You okay, kid?"
"I just have a headache the size of Toledo," Flash grumbled, "How's Shay?"
"J'onn contacted me. He's trailing Shayera and she's tracking the Crime Syndicate as they fly south," John told him.
"Why south?" Flash wondered.
"I don't have a clue but J'onn says they're intent on travelling that direction," John shrugged.
"I need a time out," Flash admitted, "Or I'll be useless next time."
"He's not the only one," Atom admitted as he approached, "I have an idea of how to shut Atomica down. My workshop at home has everything I need."
"I'll let you both know when I get word," John released them both.
As Flash raced off and Atom phoned himself home, Captain Atom arrived, "Where'd they go?"
John explained the situation.
Barda began blasting animals off of Superman. They turned on her as well. She wasn't as gentle in dealing with them as Kal-El was. Soon the creatures were all back into separate pens or sleeping off the beatings they'd received.
"Thanks," a breathless Superman expressed.
"You were missing and I was…concerned," Barda confessed.
"Enough to come here?" Superman asked, "What about Superwoman?"
Barda realized Superman had known exactly who she'd faced and had learned it in the seconds before his battle with Ultraman had intensified, "She ran away."
"But you left a fight," it seemed to her he understood how difficult that was for her.
"There will be another. There's always another with these people," Barda shared.
"I promise you you'll get a second shot at Superwoman," Superman pledged.
His promise was so heartfelt she realized he watched over her the way she tended to him. Which meant things were getting…interesting. It was a feeling she hadn't shared with anyone besides Scott Free.
"What the hell happened here?' Supergirl asked from the shattered entrance to the enclosure.
"Kara! You've returned to Earth," Superman was elated.
"And we need to discuss a threat called Volthoom," Supergirl warned him.
Jean found Ray in his workshop, "Ray? When did you get home? I heard about everything on the news. They said it was the Crime Syndicate and they got away."
"Shayera and J'onn are tracking them as they head somewhere unknown," Ray told her, "We'll get them as soon as they stop."
"You'll let me know where they find them, right?" Jean asked.
"Why the sudden intense curiosity?" Ray paused.
"It's easier to not worry as much if I know where you're at," Jean told him.
"Then I'll let you know where I'm going before I leave," Ray promised.
And Jean was pledged to inform Luthor.
Wally West changed clothes before he reached his apartment building. But he found his front door ajar when he reached it. He gingerly opened and spotted a humanoid shape in the dark.
"Hello?" he flipped on the lights and he recognized his "guest", "Vreti?"
She wore a grateful smile, "You still remember me. That'll make things easier."
"What kind of 'things'?" Wally asked.
Vreti looked like giving a hundred different answers before settling on, "Darkseid kind of things."
"By the look on your face, I'd say there were dozens of other answers as well," Wally prodded her.
She picked up a pornographic magazine off of his coffee table, "Lewd but unimaginative."
Wally saw it was his kinkiest magazine, "You can suggest better?"
"If I had time," Vreti said hesitantly, "Which I don't."
"And Darkseid is why you don't," Wally brought it full circle.
"Look, you provide food and shelter and I'll show you everything," Vreti offered.
Wally detected a broader invitation here, "I'm assuming you haven't had Earth food before."
"No, but seeing as how you ate one of our emergency larder's worth of food I think it's safe to assume I can eat here since you didn't die," Vreti said dryly.
"Okay, I know a place that can get us thirty pizzas in forty-five minutes and later we can fill up on Chinese," Wally suggested.
"I thought Chinese was a people group," Vreti looked concerned.
"But we also classify their food style by their cultural name," Wally let her know he wasn't a cannibal.
"Fine, you get the food here so I can show you absolutely everything I have," Vreti sounded seven different kinds of hungry.
Wally wondered if he was reading too much into it but he could have driven a building through that innuendo.