"So I asked the Guardians about it and they think it might be an infection caused by the bone fragment that was stuck in him. But they didn't have any more to say other than that." John Stewart told Batman as he looked over Hal's charts and monitors. The Green Lantern was sedated and strapped down, just in case. Even without his power ring Hal could be dangerous.

"There's no sign of infection, biologically or technologically based. We need Zatanna to check for any magical involvement. Scans of the extracted bone showed nothing useful." Batman explained, then turned as John Stewart jerked and powered down.

"Batman, this is Boston Brand. Hal's soul is blinded by death. You need to find a way to cure his soul." John Stewart told Bruce, then he jerked again and his power ring blazed back into power. Bruce waited for John to get his composure back.

"What did I miss?" John Stewart asked Batman.

"Just Deadman possessing you and passing on vital intel. Do you have any idea how to un-blind a soul?" The blank stare gave the detective his answer.

"Bruce, what is it?" Carol answered her phone, impatient for an update on Hal.

"We know what's causing it but we have a problem." Bruce explained.

"So you still can't help him?"

"That's where you come in. We have a theory that maybe the energy of the Star Sapphire could clear up the problem."

"I'm on my way." Carol hung up the phone and dug out the ring, its violet nature reflecting a strange gleam behind her. With a second to spare, she ducked as black energy passed through the area her head had been. She reacted, putting the ring on and coming up firing. But there wasn't anything other than shadows.

"The last time I saw you, you were still a child. My, how you've grown up." A voice called out to her from the darkness outside. It pulled on her mind, begging to be remembered.

"Yeah, well if you come out where I can see you, I'll show you how much I've changed." She told the lurking enemy.

"Such fire! Perhaps that's what drew him to you. Someone as weak-willed as him will always cling to the brightest light he can find." The voice chuckled, a dry sound in the night.

"No idea who you're talking about buster." Carol said as she swept the window frame and stepped out into the moonless night. She kept turning, alert for any sign of the voice's owner.

"Perhaps you are as deluded as him. It doesn't matter, he will soon lose the battle for his soul. Even now the master's plan comes to fruition."

"Are you talking about Hal?"

"Who else do you think could fail as utterly as him?"

"Hal hasn't failed anyone, and we won't fail him."

"Two unfortunate truths that the living tell themselves. But I think I am most ashamed of their short memories."

"Why don't you just tell me who you are?"

"Haven't you ever heard of wasting time? The longer you stay here, the shorter Hal's time gets. Not that you can stop it at this point anyways. Just thought you might want to give him your goodbye before he joined us."

"So this is all about Hal?"

"I still don't quite know what my son sees in you." The voice whispered from behind her. She turned, firing at the source. Her violet light illuminated a face similar to Hal's but different enough to bring the memories to the surface.

"Martin… but you…." Carol stepped back, wondering what had brought this thing back.

"Died? I did. Now I serve the master's plan. And that will require your death." Martin simply said, attacking Carol. Carol blocked and dodged the black energy as best she could. She could only hope that someone came.

"Bruce, we've got a problem." John came into the medical room and waited for Batman to turn to him.

"What?" Bruce couldn't really imagine what could make this worse. Zatanna couldn't help and Hal's vitals were slowly fading.

"Carol's being attacked by some kind of zombie Lantern that's tailing her all over the East Coast. She needs help."

"What are we waiting for?" And the two left, prayers silently running through their minds.

In Hal's mind….

Hal heard the voice speak, waking him up. Well, less heard than saw the words appear in the space around him.

"What are you doing here Hal Jordan?" It read-spoke, the words indigo against the blackness.

"You mean other than being a failure?" Hal sarcastically told the voice. He wasn't in the mood.

"You have not failed. You are blinded by the grief you unnecessarily feel."

"What does that even mean?"

"Look into yourself." The indigo words swirled together, forming a silver mirror. Hal stepped up, looking in.

Hal saw himself, pure green through to his very center. Except for the blackness that blanketed his eyes and shoulder.

"What is that?" He asked the mirror, hoping for an answer.

"It is death's sickness. It clouds your mind and soul. Only you can expel it. Will it from yourself." Came the reply. Hal focused and grabbed the black gunk that marred his soul. It put up a fuss as he ripped it off of himself. But once he was rid of it, the world around him turned green. With a quick look into the mirror, he saw he was clear of any blackness.

"Go, your friends need you." The mirror said before fading. Hal might have imagined it, but he could have sworn he saw a bit of indigo hiding near his heart.

Real World…

Hal's eyes opened and he jerked against the restraints. He struggled against them, but to no avail. Then Hal's ring came flying in, seeming to want to return as fast as possible. With his ring back on his hand, Hal powered up and broke free.

"Time for some payback." Hal told himself and set off, ready to fight.

Carol could only watch as the Justice League fell before the revived Martin Jordan. The only three left standing were her, Batman, and Green Arrow. And they were still losing. Any time one of them landed a hit, it just healed before they could exploit it. When Carol saw a green comet streaking towards them, she could only hope.

Her hope was answered with a reward as Hal slammed into the thing, blasting it through a nearby building and onto the street. With a quick grin and a burst of speed, Hal left the three standing there as he moved to attack the zombie.

"I guess I was wrong about you son." It told Hal, finally revealing its face to Hal. Hal was shocked as he looked into the face of his dead father.

"Not you too." Hal simply said as he lightly landed on the ground. The father and son stared at each other, waiting for the attack that would force them to fight.

"Who else, Harold?" Martin lunged in, grabbing at Hal. A quick shot from Carol and Hal struck Martin simultaneously. The zombie exploded, its ring breaking and landing on top of a pile of smoking ash. They all walked up, prepared for it to do anything. But it didn't do anything.

"Hal, can you explain what's going on?" Batman asked Hal.

"Yeah, we just fought a dead version of my dad. This started back on Oa when Erin showed up from the dead and went on a killing spree. Now he's loose in the universe and trying to kill everything. So we're trying to bring the real him back and that's actually why I came back." Hal explained, turning back to his friends and Carol.

"So once again you're off to save the universe and you might not come back." Carol darkly muttered, and Hal moved to her side.

"Carol…" He started to explain, only to be silenced by her.

"If you think I'm letting you go alone, just try and stop me." She told him flatly. Hal could only grin and kiss her. After a minute, Batman cleared his throat reminding them that there were other people around.

"So what do we need to do?" Batman asked Hal.

"You guys need to spread the word about these things. They're hurt by the green energy and it looks like they can be killed with a combination of Lantern Corp energies. I just need to quick take some dirt for the journey back to Zamaron." The detective nodded and watched as Hal used his ring to scoop out a large piece of the ground and Carol opened a portal back to the Star Sapphire homeworld. After the two left, Batman looked at Green Arrow.

"Does this happen very often?" Batman asked Hal's friend, who shrugged.

"Only if Hal's involved." Telling the detective what he already knew.