Chapter 12
The request came as a shock. They had just been through a glorified death match against each other, and just like that, she changed her mind. Sarcastically speaking, there was absolutely nothing suspicious about that. How was he supposed to take her seriously after what they just went through? "Asylum? After all the death and destruction you and your friends caused?"
Barda remained steadfast as she put her ax away. She showed no remorse or humility, nor was she reserved in her request. She was not ashamed of herself, or at least, not willing to show it. She was tall, and not only was she physically strong, but willfully and emotionally so as well. After all, she was still a highly-trained, lethal warrior. "Believe me, I regret the things I was made to do, but you don't have the faintest idea what I've been through."
"Made to do?" Superman asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know little about what you're up against. I don't think you fully grasp what Darkseid is capable of. I was a child when he and his army came to my world. He made me watch as his minions killed my parents. They took me back to their home world of Apokolips, where I was forced to endure many years of torture, training, and brain washing through hypnotism and soothsaying. He locked away all my memories of who I used to be, and implanted memories of violence, death, and destruction. It was you who unlocked those memories and allowed me to remember who I really am."
"Me?"
"The emblem on your chest, to be more precise. I am, what many races call, a New God. The New Gods is a long extinct race of highly advanced beings who were all but immortal and indestructible. I am the last of their kind. Darkseid unleashed his might against the New Gods and wiped them out of existence. I was found amongst the ruins of my people and taken to a couple who would become my parents. The man who rescued me from the genocide of my people bore the same symbol on your chest."
Superman was taken aback by that last statement. There was no doubt that she meant his Kryptonian father, Jor-El. She was the first person, other than General Zod, who had actually met him. All he had was his conscious in a holographic form. "You're talking about Jor-El, my father."
"I figured as much," Barda replied. "My people believe in a prophecy that one day, Darkseid will meet his demise in this reality. Based on your uncompromised will to protect these people and your relation with Jor-El, I believe you are the chosen one—the only one—who can defeat Darkseid."
Superman shrugged. "I don't know about this prophecy thing, and I certainly don't like being called anyone's savior. I'm just a visitor in a strange land, trying to live by example, that there is a better way to live life than hate."
Barda cracked a wry smile. "Well, you're up against hate incarnate. Darkseid believes that life and free will is an abomination. He worships death as a god, and he is always searching for the ultimate equation to solve the riddle of life. He searches for something which he calls the Anti-Life Equation. He is convinced that somewhere out there, there is a code that will give him the power to control all life, so he can either enslave or slaughter those he chooses."
He had a sense of just how evil he could be, but hearing it from someone who's seen it first hand was something all together different. If Darkseid was looking for this Anti-life Equation, that could be the real reason why he hasn't attacked yet; he could be waiting and seeing if the human race had any part of that equation. "I will not let Darkseid have this planet. I will do whatever it takes to stop him. I could use your help though."
Barda stepped back and shook her head. She was afraid of very little in life, but she was smart enough to fear Darkseid. "I can't help you fight him. I'm now marked for death, and he would kill me on sight. I can't help you with him, but I would be willing to help you destroy the device which turns your sun red. It's here on this planet."
Superman would have preferred her help against Darkseid; he had doubts that he could stop him alone, even at full strength. After everything that happened to her, though, he could not blame her for being afraid of him. Getting the yellow sun back would be a great help in of itself. It was an offer he was willing to take.
"You caught one of them, excellent!" Dan Turpin cheered as he weaved his way through parked and demolished cars. "There's going to be hell to pay for what was done to Mags!"
"I didn't catch anyone, Lieutenant Turpin. The situation has gotten somewhat complicated; this woman is seeking Asylum."
If it was possible to spontaneously combust, he would be a raging inferno right there in the middle of Metropolis. Superman could hear his heart speed up and he could see his muscles intensify. His nostrils flared, as he was clearly not happy by the request. "Are you crazy? She and her goons just tore up my headquarters, killed a few of my agents, and sent Mags to the hospital!"
"Her actions were not her own. She was forced to do the things she's done with brain washing."
Turpin was not thrilled with the idea of her getting off especially after what happened to Maggie. He wanted someone's head to roll for this. "Maybe that's true," he grunted. "but by law, she has to be incarcerated until the court decides the matter and/or the government grants her amnesty. I have no authority to grant such a request. By law, I have to put her in prison until a decision is made."
"You'll have hell to pay if you think you can imprison me," Barda scowled.
Superman raised his hands to try to calm everyone down before things started to get heated. "Lieutenant, I understand and respect the position you are in and the law of the land. I promise that something will be done to appease the law. I believe I know someone who does have the ear of the pentagon and the white house and does have the authority."
Turpin knew who he was talking about, and almost couldn't believe he was going to leave her fate up to him. "General Lane? Oy, you've got your work cut out for you." Turpin did not like General Lane. The general was over zealous to a fault. He was by-the-book to such a degree that he lacked any form of compassion. How Superman was going to rely on someone like that was beyond him.
"Anyway, right now, I need her help. She is going to help me destroy the device that's been turning Earth's sun red."
Turpin sighed, feeling pulled in two separate directions. He had the law that he had to follow, but if there was a remote chance this woman could help him save the earth, shouldn't he bend the law just a little for the sake of millions of souls on the planet? Superman assured him that the law would be followed in her process of seeking asylum. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was Superman's willingness to appease the laws of America. "I suppose her incarceration could be delayed under the circumstances. You're responsible for her."
"I understand and agree." Superman replied without any hesitation.
Barda remained silent, but she almost respected him for lowering himself to the level of these humans were pretty inferior in comparison to him. He could easily bring this world under his submission, but he chose to humble himself and to live by their rules. When the time was needed, he was the first to step forward and to protect these people from forces that were beyond their control.
"So, are you ready?" he said, turning towards her
"No, are you ready? I hope the girls and I didn't beat you up too much."
Superman smiled. Yes, they had done a number on him, and his powers continued to wane, but he could not afford to give up now. The fate of the world was resting on his shoulders, and if he could just push on just a little longer, he would be able to return to full strength shortly. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you."
She pulled out a portable remote. She spun the turn dial a quarter of the way around and then pressed the red, glowing button. There was a blinding flash of light before the boom tunnel took form. It looked like a tunnel made of nothing but rings of white light.
"Be warned, this is not going to be easy."
"Easy or not, we have a mission to accomplish, and failure is not an option."
They were about to enter the boom tunnel before Tuprin grabbed Superman by the arm. The more he thought about this, the more uncomfortable he was about what was happening. That uneasiness had only increased as he was watching them step towards the tunnel of light. "Can you really trust her? I mean, doesn't this smell suspicious to you? How do you know she's not leading you to your doom?"
"I've already told him that the device is going to be heavily guarded," Barda snarled impatiently. "What more do you want?"
Superman nodded as he looked over to his friend. "She's proven that she deserves at least an opportunity to prove herself. If there's any chance that the sun can be restored, I have to take it." There was more to this than getting his full strength back. The effects of the red sun were having more effects than just turning him into a mortal man. Life on this planet depended on the yellow sun. Plant life was already starting to die because of the lack of proper sun light. If this was allowed to continue for months on end, all food sources would dry up. Many solar powered electronics have started to die because they were incapable of receiving the proper rays from the sun. If the sun was not restored soon, the world would find itself back in the Stone Age. That was more than enough reason to trust Barda and take this opportunity to restore Earth's sun to normal. If this was so elaborate ploy to deliver him into the hands of Darkseid, then so be it.
Turpin relented as he stepped back. This was Superman's risk to take, and there was nothing he could do to convince him otherwise. Superman has proved to be a very good judge of character most of the time, despite his tendency to see the best in everyone. If he truly felt that he could trust her, then he had to respect his decision and hope that it didn't cost him his life. "Very well."
With no more protests, Superman and Barda walked into the tunnel of light. When their figures vanished in the brightness, it vanished out of thin air, leaving Turpin alone in the middle of a chaos stricken street.
