Author's notes: And we're back on Prime-Earth.
New cast members coming in this chapter and listed on my profile will be Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson and, for voice and body type, Troy Baker.
EDIT: I had some difficulties with this posting this and it looked like a mess. I hope it looks clearer now.
Countermeasures
Emily told Batman, Hermione, Zatanna, Constantine and Red Hood's team everything she had seen when escaping from the Crime Syndicate. How she and Firestorm had focused their efforts on trying to help Victor when the Syndicate member called Deathstorm had lunged at them and done something to Firestorm. Suddenly it had been like there was a black hole in Firestorm's chest that sucked all the League members in and only Emily had managed to not get sucked in due to being transported to the Wayne Manor by the Portkey Ron had made.
''They have been sucked inside the Firestorm Matrix,'' Batman said placing down the rucksack he had taken with him from the Batcave. ''The number of people inside is going to make it unstable and once it reaches critical mass-''
''It explodes with enough power to kill everyone on the planet,'' Starfire said in dominant voice.
''Except for cockroaches,'' Constantine said putting out his cigarette. ''Yes, we need to save them. Bats, I take it you have a plan in there?''
Batman looked at the rucksack for a few seconds, which gave everyone the image that there was something not good in there. Ultimately, Batman lifted the rucksack up and emptied it's contents on the table in the middle of the room. They were at least 20 lead boxes with symbols of the Justice League's members on them.
''What the hell are these supposed to be?!'' Arsenal asked picking up the one box holding image of a green arrow.
''Some weird rod, a gun and a something that looks like a big tic,'' Hermione said opening the a box with a lightning bolt.
''This one has a yellow ring,'' Zatanna said picking also two boxes, ''and this one has a red glowing rock. What are these?''
''Plans and weapons to neutralizing the Justice League,'' Batman grunted, shocking almost everyone. ''I have observed every metahuman I have ever worked with and certain events in my career as Batman have taught me that these plans needed to be done.''
There was a silence for a few seconds until Emily broke it by browsing the pile of boxes.
''Why is my box empty?''
''Plan for you is not done yet,'' Batman said starting to put some of the boxes back into the rucksack. ''And before any of you-''
''WHY HAVE BUILT WEAPONS AGAINST YOUR FRIENDS!?'' Zatanna yelled at Batman holding a box with a stylish Z on it.
''Because they were necessary!'' Batman snarled at Zatanna, grabbing her box and dropped it back to the sack. ''When you and I broke into the Ministry of Magic in '98-''
''What?'' Hermione said.
''-you were put under mind control and forced to attack me,'' Batman said leaving only six boxes on the table. ''I was also in Metropolis when the Kryptonians attacked and saw at first hand what they could do. I made these plans in case the worst possible scenario would happen.''
''In your language of dark, tall and creepy,'' Constantine said lighting another cigarette, ''what would that be?''
''Justice League turning against the public or taking on lethal methods against their opponents,'' was Batman's answer.
''And that is why I only shoot people on the knees now,'' Red Hood said with his hands crossed. ''You took those with you so we could use them against the Crime Syndicate, right?''
''In case of Johnny Quick,'' Batman said taking the lightning bolt box, ''this lightning rod should be able to tap into the same frequencies as the Flash does and stop the runner like he hit a brick wall. Alternatively I have also created a vibrating bullet to lock into him if he tries to phase through and this small device to cripple on contact from the neck down.''
''That must hurt like a bitch,'' Constantine said pointing at the box with his cigarette hand.
''For Power Ring I have this,'' Batman said taking the box with Green Lantern logo and revealed the yellow ring. ''I got it when the League had to go on a deep space mission and had to face the Sinestro Corps. It should have just enough power to neutralize Power Ring.''
''And for evil Superman, you are going to throw a rock at him?'' Arsenal said sarcastically showing the red glowing rock from the Superman logo box.
''That is something I wish I had never invented,'' Batman said grimly looking at the rock. ''Or anyone will ever recreate. I managed to engineer it from the ground samples te other World Engine created in Indian Ocean. That variation should turn any Kryptonian's skin transparent and so overload their solar power charge.''
''Is that bad?'' Emily asked with Hermione and Zatanna looking at Batman like he had killed someone.
''It can cause Superman's powers to overload exponentially and if they reach critical mass,'' Batman said, taking a short pause. ''If the power levels reach critical mass, he could either be paralyzed or he will explode from the unstable energies stored inside him.''
''That is dark even for me,'' Constantine said throwing his cigarette off and lit another.
''I take no pride in creating any of these weapons,'' Batman said looking back the judging gazes he was getting from Zatanna, Arsenal, Emily, Hermione and Constantine. ''You can judge me all you want after this is done, but understand me when I say this. What I did, because I had to. I did it, so that if the worst would ever happen, there would be away to deal with it without any bloodshed.''
''Just to clarify,'' Hermione said looking at Batman. ''You imagined that the people you work with would turn against you or the people you were protecting and to be ready for it, you created ways to fight them without killing?''
''They were created to neutralize, not kill,'' Batman said nodding.
''Then there shouldn't be any bigger conflict for now,'' Hermione said a representer of the public. ''What is your plan to go forward with these weapons?''
Batman looked at Victor in med-pod, at Red Hood and Alfred, Zatanna and Constantine and then at Hermione and Emily.
''First order of business is learning our enemies' defenses, then getting enough soldiers to go to war and then look for an angle where to attack,'' Batman said starting to tell his war plans.
Hogwarts, Gryffindor Common Room
''So, you were going to do what to these two?''
Ultraman made his stance up on his knees and saw Shazam standing between him and the Gryffindor students.
''Did you,'' Ultraman said getting slowly up on his feet as his eyes flashed red, ''even try to kill me?''
TZAAAP!
Ultraman released his heat vision to the entire Common room, meaning to try kill as many of the scattered students. Shazam, of course, naturally speeded to protect them from the beams of fire, which gave Ultraman the chance to ram him through the wall and outside when he was distracted.
''I came here to take them to be executed with their father and rest of their family!'' Ultraman told Shazam as he was pushing him through towers and walls of Hogwarts. ''An example for any one who would attempt to defy our rule, THE SYNDICATE'S RULE!''
''By killing an entire family!?'' Shazam asked, calling on the Power of Zeus as bolts of electricity running throught his fists as he hit Ultraman. ''That is crazy!''
CRASH!
Both Ultraman and Shazam crashed into the Great Hall and wreastled until Ultraman managed to get Shazam in a neck hold by fighting dirty.
''I came for those children to create an example,'' Ultraman said holding the strugling Shazam. ''But I might as well take you as that example for everyone who defyes the-''
''Ultraman! How-far-are-you-from-Kahndaq?''
''I'm kind busy right now, Grid,'' Ultraman said annoyed and angry to the voice in his ear. ''I'll get there as soon as I'm done here!''
''Something-was-just-shot-out-from-there-towards-Scotland,'' Grid's voice spoke in Ultraman's ear. ''Or-if-the-Sons-of-Adam-succeeded-in-their-ritual,-you-are-going-to-have-a-fight-with-what-they-call-''
SCRAAAASH!
The windows at the back of the Great Hall were shattered by an unearthly power as a dark figure resembling Shazam floated in looking intimidatingly calm and furious under his hood. It caused Ultraman to let go of Shazam, who hit him with the Strength of Hercules and speeded further away as the dark figure removed it's hood and revealed his face.
''-Black-Adam!''
''Boy,'' Black Adam said looking at Shazam gestured him to go, ''I will fight you another day. YOU!''
Black Adam speeded to punch Ultraman with blue electric shocks and then begun to throw blue bolts of lightning at him.
''THIS WORLD IS OURS!''
KRA-THOOM!
''THAT MESSAGE IS BEING THROWN AT EVERYWHERE ON THE GLOBE BY YOU!''
KRA-THOOM!
''YOU AND YOUR FOOLISH ALLIES HAVE COME HERE TO RULE OUR WORLD!''
KRA-THOOM!
''But I have spent my life ripping apart those who would,'' Black Adam said picking up Ultraman and lifted him up with his arms spread. ''I TEAR THEM LIMB FROM… limb?''
Surprised that he couldn't do as he had said, Black Adam went silent and Ultraman took his chance.
''Black Adam, ha?!'' Ultraman said before headbutting and punching him back outside, following himself behind. ''You could be my example.''
Gotham City, Docks
''Kill everyone, but leave at least two people alive.''
Owlman and the Talons of the Court of Owls attacked the safe house, where the heads of Gotham's mafia had taken sanctuary in the wake of Crime Syndicate's takeover. In short, this was meant to be a negotiation of where to go next with this new status quo. With Owlman leading the Talons to attack them, the mob learned that they were not as untouchable as they had believed themselves to be. In less than thirty seconds, almost everyone had been beaten or stabbed to death and the two remaining survivors tied to hang upside down on the roof over the crack between two buildings.
''Gentlemen,'' Owlman said addressing the two surviving mobsters, ''as of this moment, all the activities conducted by both families are handled to me. However, some more pressing commitments require my attention elsewhere and I need someone I can trust to look over this empire.''
Owlman pulled out one of his sharp owlarangs as he took a short pause.
''The question here is,'' Owlman said stepping closer to the two lines carrying the mobsters and begun to wave his owlarang back and forth between the lines, ''which one of you do I pull in and which one of you do I cut loose?''
''I'LL DO IT! I'LL BE YOUR GUY!'' tied mobster on the right yelled.
''NO, PICK ME! YOU CAN TRUST ME!'' tied mobster on the left yelled.
''I WILL DO ANYTHING YOU SAY, BATMAN!'' right mobster yelled again.
Owlman lifted his hand holding the owlarang and brought it down with force on the right line, cutting the right mobster loose. As he fell, Owlman pulled the left mobster up and gave him orders to go home and wait for Talons to bring him instructions and enforcers.
''Outsider, I have taken over the organized crime in Gotham and on my end, we're ready with the next part of plan,'' Owlman said to the communicator in his helmet. ''Are you done at the house?''
''Ahh, the differences, master Thomas,'' Outsider spoke on his end, ''they are marvelous to see. We lived in this house in our world and it is so different in this one.''
''You can tell me all about them back at the Watchtower,'' Owlman said looking over this Gotham. ''I'm heading back there myself now-''
''Hahahahahaahhaah!''
That laughter coming below him, froze Owlman on his tracks. Last time he had heard it was in his world and there he had killed the man who laughed like that. Regaining his senses, Owlman jumpped of the building and towards the direction of the laughter. It was coming from one of the warehouses. As soon as Owlman had ran inside, he was temporarely blinded by a large spot light.
''GREETINGS, KING OWL!'' high pinched and deep, dark and twisted voice called out somewhere in the echoing hall. ''STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE! A donkey gets catapulted up in the air and is caught by an owl-''
''I really don't have time for this!'' Owlman snarled trying to regain his vision.
''Oh, you have heard that one,'' the voice said mockingly disaponted. ''Don't worry, I got more. An owl notices three rats fighting over a bone in flight-''
''I'm giving you this one warning to walk away and forget you ever saw me,'' Owlman snarled as his vision returned. ''The Crime Syndicate gave everyone a fair warning not to oppose us and now I'm-''
''Gee, what a tough audience,'' was the response echoing in the hall filled with containers. ''Am I really not so good at this anymore? An Owl get visited by a bear, a pig, a rabbit, a tigger and a donkey-''
''YOU WON'T BE ANYTHING ANYMORE IF YOU DON'T STAND DOWN!'' Owlman yelled to the hall and grabbled to a better vantage point. ''JOKER! DO YOU HEAR ME!? THE CRIME SYNDICATE WILL-''
SPRING!
SPRING!
SPRING!
SPRING!
SPRING!
Five lines of cord with gag teeth were fired at Owlman, tying him up and pulling him back to the floor.
''UNGH!'' Owlman grunted as he hit the floor and saw the feet of the speaker in the light and the rest still in the shade.
''So let's go with the A-material,'' the Joker said grimly walking to the light, ''if you could even find THAT funny.''
He kept his face in the dark, but just showed that he was wearing a green-grey mechanics uniform with a utility belt.
''Owl King and his posse fly in to the Bat King's palace and declare it their own, unconsulted. The Court Jester is confused and tries to make sense of it all, as his Bat King is not even present. He is told to be dead, but there is no body shown. No body, no royal crown, not even the royal arms band. All they show are the neighbouring kingdoms' rulers' artefacts. But not the Bat King's royal crown jewels.''
It was actually in that last sentence in that joke that revealed Owlman something the Crime Syndicate had missed when they arrived to this world. The Justice League had all been there and while Ultraman and the others had seen their counterparts there, Owlman had not seen his.
''So what should the Court Jester do next? Well, he's gonna-''
''When I get loose, I will skin you alive,'' Owlman said biting his teeth.
''Hahahahahaahaaahaah!'' the Joker laughed kneeling next to Owlman, revealing that his face had already been cut off and was being held on with a strap around his head and couple of strings from his jaw to his ears. ''Oh, Owl old boy, that was good one. Maybe I was too harsh to judge you, maybe I shouldn't be worried what you and your posse did to Batman AND MAYBE YOU AND I WILL BE BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!''
The Joker leaned closer to Owlman's face, so close that the rotting flesh in the cut-off face skin could be smelled, and in his eyes there was a glimmer of despise and anger.
''Does that sound funny to you?'' the Joker asked snarling at Owlman, before turning back to a happy face and patted Owlman on the cheek and left. ''Be seeing ya.''
It took few seconds for Owlman to take of his gloves to ease getting loose of his binds and once he was loose and had ran out of the warehouse, the Joker was nowhere to be seen. Angered, Owlman punched the wall before heading back to the Watchtower.
Metropolis, Hobbs Bay
''Creature, move that satellite facing east!''
Subject B-Zero was a fortunate find for heavy lifting but not much more than a muscle with no brains. When Lex Luthor had taken it out of it's pod and given it a Superman-suit to wear, it had put it on inside out making the S-symbol look like a mirror image.
For Lex himself, he had taken one of the prototype suits made based on the designs of the Kryptonian armors. The technicions at LexCorp had managed to install it with somewhat similar functions as in Cyborg's augmentations. It had wrist cannons, that fired radiation similar to wizards's magic, for combat and assault, gravity defying boots and a console interface, that needed internet connection to work. That was why Lex had put Subject B-Zero to build a satellite console that should have strong enough connecting to reach LexCorp satellites at the asteroid belt.
''There, now I should have bird eye view of Earth,'' Lex said as a hologram was projected from his armor's wrist. ''Thank you, creature. Now, that red streak should be, as Superman is not around, Ultraman. He is flying on the dark side of the planet and avoiding direct contact with the Sun light. Why would that be?''
''Hrrrrrr,'' Subject B-Zero growled.
''What?'' Lex asked turning to the creature, which was looking at the sky.
Ultraman's flight path was going above from where they were standing.
''IT IS TRUE! THIS WORLD IS OURS, BLACK ADAM!'' Ultraman yelled at his enemy while fighting him in the air. ''WE CAME TO YOUR WORLD AND WE TOOK IT! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU DO ABOUT IT!''
''SHAZAM!''
KRA-KA-THOOM!
Lightning stroke from the sky and hit Ultraman as Black Adam attempted to stay below him not to be turned back into a mortal.
''Ahah, ahahahah-HAHAHAHA! Words!?'' Ultraman laughed amused at Black Adam. ''You try to hurt me, with WORDS!?''
CHOCK!
''No more words for you,'' Ultraman said grabbing a hold of Black Adam's jaw and crushed it, before punching him down to the sea below them. ''Shazam? What a bunch of-''
Blood. It was coming out of Ultraman's nose. His Kryptonite charged powers had dropped lower and he needed more kryptonite to stay strong.
''Grid!'' Ultraman called to his earpiece. ''Send me Metallo's location! NOW!''
Lex rushed to shore where Black Manta was carrying Black Adam with him. Black Adam was unconsious and from the shape his jaw was in, it must have been in shatters.
''Ultraman left him for dead,'' Black Manta told from the respirator of his helmet.
''And you are not pleased with their rule?'' Lex asked pointing at the trident, Aquaman's, that Manta was carrying.
''Aquaman's death was the only reason I had in life,'' Manta said squishing the trident. ''Now it is theirs.''
''Wow, what the hell is that?''
Lex turned around and saw Captain Cold being snarled at by Subject B-Zero.
''It is a clone of Superman I had grown at LexCorp,'' Lex said walking to confront Cold. ''What are you doing here!?''
''You didn't agree with Crime Syndicate's rule?'' Cold asked pulling off his hood. ''Their orders for us to burn down Central City while there were still people in was against The Rogues' code against killing and they tried to fry us. We escaped through Mirror Master's mirror dimensions, but they broke the mirror and got separated.''
Lex looked around Captain Cold, Black Manta, what was left of Black Adam and Subject B-Zero and grinned. His army of allies against the Crime Syndicate was growing.
Rhode Island, Happy Harbor
''Batman might be a crazy bastard for making those plans,'' John Constantine told Zatanna as they were looking at the Watchtower from a safe distance. ''But he is good at strategizing attack on enemy soil.''
''That he really is,'' Zatanna agreed observing Watchtower's new defenses. ''His level of paranoia to build them better come in good use.''
''So, whot do got 'ere?'' Constantine said looking at the corpses of US soldiers laying on the soil. ''Those soldiers were taken out by their Flash-analogue in- Bloody 'ell, that is gruesome.''
''LAEVER EHT EMIRC ENECS!'' Zatanna muttered showing them projections of Johnny Quick and Atomica massacreing the US Soldier that had attempted to breach in and take on the Crime Syndicate. ''That lightning rod better work when we try to attack here.''
''Not to mention that vibro-bullet and tic,'' Constantine concured. ''And what did Batman create against their Atom?''
''He didn't say, John,'' Zatanna said turning around.
She and Constantine had done their part here. Security around Watchtower was mostly done by Johnny Quick and Atomica, who would appear out of nowhere when a threat was occuring. The quiet surroundings were a trap waiting to happen.
''Batman is taking Victor to STAR Labs in Metropolis with Element Woman and that Ministry woman,'' Zatanna said ready to teleport herself and Constantine there. ''We should regroup with them and-''
PTOOTH!
A tiny dart hit Zatanna in the throat and she suddenly couldn't speak anymore.
''Zee?'' Constantine said worried as Zatanna was moving her lips unable to get words out of them. ''They know we're here.''
''No, that's just me.''
SMACK!
Attack from above came in form of Owlman's fist as he punched Constantine down before he could see him. Constantine fell to the ground as muted Zatanna was alone at Owlman's mercy.
''I had such a bad night at work,'' Owlman said grabbing Zatanna by her shoulders, ''but seeing you again makes it all better.''
Author's notes: Did anyone get the references the Joker was making when he tried to tell Owl-jokes to Owlman?
And next we go back to Earth-3 where Harry and Superman will learn more from the survivors of Crime Syndicate's previous reign of terror.
Replies to reviews:
Wonderbee31: Owlman is actually the one who is planning the Crime Syndicate's take over in the strategist's way and Ultraman is basically going by the Wild West rules where the strong ones rule. Harry and Superman are meeting/been confronted by a person who has seen war and has a violent history with Crime Superman looks like Ultraman, believe he is being treated with extreme prejudice.
Miss Singing in the Rain: More illogical plot holes were why didn't anyone notice Clark Kent's absence to Superman's death and why were Clark Kent's parents sitting in the first row in Superman's funeral?
Alexander is played by Gene Hackman. Who could he be? And as it was said in those records, Torchwood and Ministry of Magic merged as one when they begun to prepare for Ultraman's return. Alexander was a part of both organizations.
They did have a rough patch after Jason came back from the dead(don't ask me about the circumstances). But yes, they are a family.
How did the portrayals of Ultraman and Owlman here feel to you?
And I will PM you all my opinions about that to you later next week.