124 Justice League Convergence
Lex stepped back from the control center. Grodd had things under control. The Riddler and Calendar Man manned the monitors while the Ultra-Humanite communicated with the team commanders. Professor Ivo was in the lab working on his latest genetic manipulation. It was time to deploy the Legion's next team.
He went to the staging area. Two teams awaited him. One was the strategic reserve. Penguin and Two Face were the obvious alpha males. Major Disaster was a third command option but he didn't relish the role like the other two.
Luthor focused his attention on Tala and the Enchantress, "You're a go."
The Enchantress snorted, "It's about time."
Luthor took hold of Tala's arm, "Mordru is prepared is he not? He originally requested a seventy-two hour window. It's only been forty-eight."
Tala patted Luthor's cheek as she pulled her arm free, "There, there. With my assistance, Mordru can be freed today. He and Ian Karkull are already making the necessary preparations within the Shadow Realms."
"Just so long as it gets done," Luthor said with a tinge of menace in his voice.
"What's the matter, Luthor?" Enchantress taunted, "Don't you trust us?"
"Not even remotely," Luthor confided and then he strode away.
Enchantress smirked at Tala, "He's learning."
Hula Hula temporarily relieved Sue so she could grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, Sue's stomach was a tangle of knots. Even knowing Ralph was on the scene at the Day Center Academy didn't help soothe her nerves. She thought a nice cup of tea might do the trick.
The staging area was connected to the wardroom. Inside, the JLU's reserve force was biding their time until if and or when they were called into action. They all had mixed emotions regarding that eventuality. While they wanted to participate, their being sent in meant that something terrible had befallen their comrades.
Sue brewed her tea and thought about the reserves. There was no shortage of leaders. Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris were present, having taken time off from dealing with Ferris Aircraft's horrendous losses due to the nuclear bomb that the Brotherhood of Evil had detonated at the nearby Edwards Air Force Base. Satellite imagery just prior to the detonation clearly showed the Brotherhood running amuck on the base.
Black Canary and Green Arrow were also veterans of the JLU. Nemesis could easily lead a team. Sue could hear Hawk bellyaching from here while the new Dove tried to keep him in check. Aztek and Vixen were pointedly ignoring one another.
Sue wondered if she needed to separate them. Tensions between them had risen since the Atlantean crisis and Sue could easily tell why. It was obvious to all that Vixen's affections had shifted to Batwing. Which made a lot of sense actually. They were from the same country after all. They had a lot of common ground and Vixen seemed to be lacking a lot of connections in her life.
Firestorm seemed to be trying to chat up Red Tornado. Reddy was taking it in stride but the youthful Firestorm still peppered him with questions. Sue lingered by the door long enough to hear Firestorm grilling Reddy about T.O. Morrow.
Sue was one of the few privileged to know of Firestorm's dual nature. She had a hunch that the questions were being driven by Firestorm's "silent" half, Professor Martin Stein. She seriously doubted that college student, Ronnie Raymond, was all that interested. Besides, the pauses where Firestorm seemed to be listening to an unseen voice were pretty indicative.
Sue sighed and returned to the command deck. Everyone would do their job. Hell, they were doing their jobs. It just wasn't fast enough for her.
Zatanna stood beside Anna and smiled at the sight of Kent and Inza Nelson working with Jakeem Thunder. The Nelsons were showing Jakeem various methods of employing the Thunderbolt. Jakeem was soaking it up like a sponge.
"He's a good kid," Zatanna commented.
"Let's hope he survives being chosen to carry the burden of the Thunderbolt," Anna said wryly.
"Do I detect a note of dissatisfaction?" Zatanna asked.
"Not exactly," Anna said ruefully, "It can just be overwhelming enough for an adult to plunge into this world. Those difficulties multiply with a child."
"He's hardly a child," Zatanna countered, "Courtney was younger than Jakeem is when she became the Star Spangled Kid. Within a year she was bequeathed the Cosmic Rod and became Stargirl."
"But was it to her betterment?" Anna wondered.
"She seems to think so," Zatanna said, "Courtney never found her niche until she inherited the Cosmic Convertor Belt."
"Stole, you mean," Anna said mirthfully.
"Indulge my revisionist view," Zatanna insisted, "The point is, Courtney thrived as the Star Spangled Kid. So much so that Ted and Jack Knight awarded her the Cosmic Rod and she's blossomed as Stargirl."
"In more ways than one," Anny quipped.
Zatanna gave her a reproving look, "I thought you two had settled your differences. After, she gave up all claims on Atom Smasher to be with Billy Batson."
"Ah yes, but there is still that pang of jealousy that Al was choosing me over her while they were still ostensibly waiting to date," Anna revealed.
"I guess if anyone should know, it's you," Zatanna allowed.
"And my thoughts regarding Jakeem also extend towards Khalid," Anna admitted, "Nabu chose him but Khalid only accepted the role as Nabu's mortal host out of necessity."
"Well, having Wotan hunting you down can have that effect," Zatanna dryly commented.
"That reluctance has an effect on Dr. Fate though," Anna reminded her, "Kent surrendered all. Khalid remained very much his own man. Nabu is an advisor and a fount of power but he is most definitely not the driving force behind Fate anymore."
"You sound as though you disapprove," Zatanna realized.
"Fate was a powerful instrument comprised of a mortal man and a Lord of Order," Anna stated, "Now Fate is a mortal man with the power of a Lord of Order. Yet, not entirely that of a Lord of Order. Nabu retains much of his power and keeps it from Khalid in order not to tempt him into a path of destruction. And then there is the madness…"
Zatanna winced. When Kent Nelson had removed the Helmet of Nabu, he had simply been restored to his normal self. Khalid Ben-Hassin, because he took the fore in the gestalt form of Dr. Fate, was driven to a Lazarus Pit-like insanity when he removed the helmet. It would pass, but the longer duration that he wore the helmet the worse it got.
"And at least Khalid could leave the damn tower once in awhile," Anna vented.
Zatanna had to admit she had a point. Khalid had become something of a recluse. Hovering near and around the Helmet of Nabu on the off chance that Dr. Fate would be needed. Amazo-Prime had set out on a sabbatical to explore the mystic realms. So his only other companions came and went as they pleased. Only Khalid, and the helmet, were fixtures within Fate's Tower.
"I can see where you're going with this but…" Zatanna never got to finish her sentence as a boom tube opened up with a deafening explosive sound. The Enchantress and Tala strode forth and they wore malicious smiles.
Kent and Inza began herding Jakeem back towards the tower. Anna and Zatanna stepped forward. Curiously, the Enchantress stepped forward while Tala remained with the collapsing boom tube.
"Only two of you?" Enchantress mocked them, "I thought you'd send an entire army this time."
"It seems you survived the mercies of the Lords of Chaos," Anna observed, "What did it cost you?"
"Surprisingly, very little," Enchantress shared, "Instead of killing me after my last encounter with you, they gave me the key to your demise."
"And that would be?" Zatanna asked crossly, "Because, you're pathetic when it comes to killing us."
"And who said I would do the killing?" Enchantress smirked.
A dark bolt of mystical energy struck Anna and she went down. Wotan suddenly came in for a landing. Wotan's newest guise was male. He'd spent centuries impersonating Odin before the Germanic tribes. The Fate of that age defeated him just as he'd defeated him/her through the ages.
Zatanna made to intervene but Anna warned her off, "It's a ruse. Tala is the one to watch."
"Very astute, Agent of Order," Wotan laughed, "But you're too late. My allies are emerging from the Shadow Realms now."
Tala cast her spell and Mordru added to it from his end and a rupture formed between the Shadow Realms and Earth Prime. Mordru led Ian Karkull and Obsidian into the light of day. Karkull and Obsidian shielded their eyes but Mordru proudly met the blazing sun as if daring it to affect him.
"Oh hell," Zatanna muttered.
"Would that be Mordru himself?" Anna inquired.
"Yeah," Zatanna dismally confirmed it.
A piercing golden burst of energy struck Mordru. He was staggered but he kept his footing. He looked up and smiled.
"Ah, Fate. Good to see you. But it really isn't you, is it?" Mordru inquired.
"I am what I am," Dr. Fate countered, "Which is sufficient to strike you down."
"We'll see, won't we?" Mordru chuckled, "I think you need a little less mortal in you and far more Lord of Order."
"We shall indeed see, won't we?" Dr. Fate asked. He stretched forth his hands and mystic energy warped into the shape of an ankh from them. The base of the ankh struck Mordru. The immortal mage had constructed a shield and he warded of Fate's attack and unleashed one of his own with his free hand. The cataclysmic barrage threw the noncombatants aside.
Ian Karkull went towards the Nelsons and Jakeem. Zatanna interposed herself between them. Karkull chuckled malevolently.
"I'd step away my pretty. Kent Nelson has almost a century's worth of wrath to face from me," Karkull warned.
"You'll have to go through me first," Zatanna declared.
Karkull shrugged, "Very well."
His opening onslaught nearly cracked her defenses. It was only as the attack escalated that Zatanna realized he was merely gauging her. She dreaded the actual assault.
Wotan attacked Anna again. Her shields held up but they were wavering. Her counter spells were largely ineffective. She desperately thought of an appropriate spellcasing to use. Wotan eased up his attack and Anna selected a casing and loaded it in her arm cannon. Firing it at Wotan, she was stunned when he caught it and it didn't detonate.
"Ah, ah!" he wagged a scolding finger at her and then threw the casing back at her.
Anna's world exploded when the spellcasing did.
"Cei yu!" Jakeem said firmly.
The Thunderbolt appeared, "Yez, bozz?"
"Sic her!" Jakeem pointed at the Enchantress.
The Thunderbolt rolled his eyes, "Arf!"
The Thunderbolt came blazing towards the Enchantress and lightning burst forth from his fingertips. June Moone collected it between her hands and then released it in the Thunderbolt's direction. The Thunderbolt frowned.
"That should have worked," he commented.
"Maybe next time," Enchantress said saucily.
Thunderbolt wrapped her in mystical energy but she shattered the bands. He tried shooting energy darts at her but she swatted them aside. Finally he thought he'd give her the ol' one-two combo.
Enchantress blocked both his punches and then took hold of his neck with one hand. A massive surge of dark energy flowed from her and the Thunderbolt exploded with a scream. Enchantress looked at Jakeem and wore a sinister smile.
"Got anything else?" she asked.
"Cei yu!" Jakeem frantically commanded.
A very haggard looking Thunderbolt appeared, "I'm here! I…argh!"
Enchantress speared the Thunderbolt with a mystical javelin and lofted him high in the air. Her hands began to crackle with the Thunderbolt's distinctive pink energy. She laughed at Jakeem.
"You should have left well enough alone," she taunted.
Jakeem suddenly felt very helpless. He couldn't say he enjoyed the feeling any more than he had during the rest of his life.
Tala pursued the Nelsons. Kent hurled a spell at her, which she deflected and then she hit him with a fireball. Inza helped put him out. He was largely unharmed but his shirt would never be the same. Tala clucked her tongue.
"Do me a favor and simply run away. The city is nearby. It beckons to you. Just leave and you'll go unharmed," Tala offered.
"You should know us better than that by now, Tala," Inza said angrily as she got Kent back to his feet.
"I do know you better, Inza," Tala said, "That's why I know you should accept my offer."
"I'm not the one Felix Faust trapped inside of a mirror," Inza scornfully replied.
"So, you want a fight?" Tala asked bleakly.
"Yes," Kent said before Inza could speak.
Tala shrugged, "Very well."
She conjured six mythic dragons and unleashed them on the Nelsons. Tala then headed for Fate's Tower and worked on defeating its defenses while everyone else was engaged. Mordru wanted the Amulet of Anubis and the Scepter of Ra in exchange for killing Fate. Then he would march on the Lords of Order and leave Earth to Vandal Savage and his allies.
Obsidian made his way towards the woods beyond the clearing Fate's Tower stood in. Tala had brought, and dropped, the second boom tube controller. The White Rabbit had purchased his services with Jennie's location. He knew his sister had moved after his defeat in Detroit.
But the White Rabbit had located her. After all, how effectively could a woman with green skin hide in plain sight? She'd gone back to Los Angeles to work for their father's networks. In Southern California, green skin was merely seen as an affectation. White Rabbit reported that several of Jennie's co-workers were now painting their skin green. Apparently they were all quite a hit in the club scene.
Obsidian didn't give a shit about any clubs or about Jennie's popularity. All he knew is that she'd chosen their father over him. And that couldn't go unpunished. After all, Jennie had discovered they had a half-sister from their mother. Jennie was now expendable and could be replaced by Mayflower. If she didn't meet his requirements, she really would lose it all.
