Chapter 14
Betty and Barry were at the main branch of the New York Public Library, although it wasn't much of a library anymore. The huge building had once stored hundreds of thousands of books, however now the shelves were lined with just one book; The Book of Nama.
The books contents seemed to be entirely revisionist history. Apparently the world had been a place of chaos and terror until the arrival of the "saviour" Nama in the year 2000, when she had taken over Russia. The book talked about how Nama's rule soon spread throughout Europe and then to North America and soon the rest of the world.
"How could one person do all this?" Barry wondered softly as he and Betty read.
"Well these people are convinced that she's an actual god," Betty responded. "So obviously she has some sort of powers."
"Fair point," Barry admitted. "I guess theoretically you or I could do the same thing if there was nobody else with powers to oppose us."
"And we were egomaniacs with a love of tyranny," Betty added.
"Yeah, I did say theoretically," Barry said. "I dunno, maybe it isn't that bad though."
"The world's population is only four billion," Betty pointed out. "It's what, almost seven on our world. That's nearly three billion less people. Even if the birthrate is down, the population in 2000 was just over six billion, that's two billion people dead."
"Huh, yeah you're right," Barry said. "You'd think there would be something in here about that."
"If you were an egomaniac who wants people to worship you would you be going out letting them all know you killed two billion people?" Betty asked.
"Depends on what kind of nut job I am," Barry replied. "But I see your point; I mean look at these landmarks and works of art that she's changed. Mount Rushmore is now Mount Nama and has her face four times, the Mona Lisa is now the Mona Nama. And just about every world leader's dwelling is now one of her personal palaces."
"You know Barry if we're stuck here I don't think I can just sit back and do nothing and let this Nama rule the world," Betty said.
"Betty don't think like that, I'm sure that Cheryl and Ginger are going to get us home soon," Barry said.
"I hope so," Betty said. "And even if they can don't you think that as heroes we should try and bring this Nama down?"
"Are you serious?" Barry asked.
"We stopped Hiram Lodge after he'd gotten the power of Trigon," Betty said. "I mean compared to that this should be a cake walk."
Barry grinned at her.
"You know I'm in!" Barry responded enthusiastically.
Just then they heard the sounds of heavy footsteps and they turned to see dozens of armed soldiers making their way in. Betty and Barry were confused as they soon found themselves surrounded with almost one hundred guns pointed at them.
"Um, what's going on?" Betty asked nervously.
"In the name of her Majesty the Supreme Goddess Empress Nama you two are being arrested for treason, blasphemy and the desecration of a holy site." One soldier declared.
"Wait what?" Barry asked.
"Come with us or we will use deadly force," the soldier said ignoring Barry's question.
"Clearly running away didn't work last time," Betty whispered to Barry.
"Nope," Barry agreed. "Think we should take them out?"
"Don't see any other option," Betty replied.
Before the soldiers could react Betty and Barry both moved at top speed and began knocking out and disarming the soldiers. Barry knocked them unconscious while Betty destroyed their weapons. In just a few seconds every soldier was lying on the ground not moving with their weapons all broken in half beside them.
"Nice job," Barry said as he high-fived Betty.
"Yeah but let's get out here," Betty said.
The two of them quickly raced out of the library before anyone else could show up.
Ginger and Cheryl were sitting on the top of the Chrysler Building looking out with Cisco beside them still held by Ginger's Green Lantern ring. The sun was just setting and the lights of the city were all coming on.
"Man this city is really beautiful at night," Cheryl commented.
"Yeah it is," Ginger agreed.
"You know what else is beautiful, standing on the ground," Cisco whimpered.
"Oh be quiet, you're fine," Ginger said.
"You know you can let me go," Cisco said. "Preferably on the ground, though if you don't mind."
"Well as you yourself said, you're the only one who can rescue our friends," Cheryl said. "So what's to say that if we let you go you don't suddenly hop through a portal to Tahiti or something?"
"Why would I go to Tahiti?" Cisco asked.
"Because it's a lovely island paradise in the Pacific far away from here," Ginger replied.
"We're going to rescue your brother," Cheryl said. "But we're keeping you here to make sure you keep up your end of the deal."
"Can we at least sit somewhere on the ground?" Cisco inquired.
"Nah, I like the view from up here," Ginger said.
"Yeah it's like we're in one of those Spider-man movies," Cheryl added.
"Oh man, you girls are into Spider-man?" Cisco asked.
"No, one of our friends is," Ginger replied.
"Although Andrew Garfield's butt does look good in those tights," Cheryl admitted.
"Meh, you know that doesn't do it for me," Ginger said.
"Well it does have Emma Stone, she's pretty cute," Cheryl said.
"Yeah but she's not nearly as good looking as you," Ginger responded.
"I'm living a nightmare," Cisco muttered. "I'm stuck nine hundred feet in the air with a pair of lesbians."
"I'm not a lesbian, I'm bisexual," Cheryl corrected him.
"That doesn't really help," Cisco moaned.
Just then Cheryl's phone rang and she took it out, saw it was Tim and answered it.
"Hey, what have you got for us?" Cheryl asked.
"I got a lead on a possible location that they might be holding Cisco brother at," Tim replied.
"Well, where is it?" Cheryl asked.
"An apartment over on Roosevelt Island," Tim replied. "420 Main Street. I'm not sure about the apartment number though. I found it through phone tracking."
"Do you have a floor number?" Cheryl asked.
"No, unfortunately not," Tim answered.
"Well we'll check it out, and let you know," Cheryl said.
"So where we going?" Ginger asked as Cheryl put her phone away.
"Just across the river to Roosevelt Island," Cheryl said pointing towards their destination.
"Can't we take the subway?" Cisco groaned.
Ginger and Cheryl both just laughed.
Betty and Barry had found a small little diner in Williamsburg to eat at and plan their next move. There were two waitresses, one blonde and one with black hair; they both wore ugly mustard yellow and red uniforms.
"I can't believe you guys keep eating the food here," the black-haired waitress said as she brought over yet another plate of fries.
"Why? It's not bad," Barry said.
"Not bad, you should both be dead," the waitress said.
Just then a short Korean man appeared.
"Max," he yelled at the waitress. "Stop harassing the customers!"
"I'll stop harassing customers when you're tall enough to go on all the rides as Disney World," the waitress, Max, responded.
"This is a weird place," Betty muttered to Barry.
"I know; it reminds me of the kind of place you see in a TV sitcom," Barry agreed.
"So I guess the first thing we need to do is find out where this Nama is," Betty said.
Just then the door to the diner opened and a lone soldier entered. He looked around and his eyes locked on Betty who was facing him. Betty watched as the soldier reached for his radio and in an instant she had sprang from her seat and grabbed the radio and crushed it in her hand. She also grabbed the soldier's rifle and twisted the barrel so it was now useless. Betty couldn't see the soldier's face but she could tell behind his mask that he was frightened.
"You're going to tell us where Nama is right now," Betty threatened him.
"She… she's in her palace in France, in Versailles," the soldiers stammered in response.
"Let's go," Betty said to Barry.
"But I'm not done my fries!" Barry complained.
"Eat fast!" Betty ordered him.
In a split second Barry had polished off the fries much to the surprise of everyone in the restaurant.
"None of you saw anything," Betty said.
With that she and Barry were gone from the restaurant.
"Talk about a dine and dash," Max commented.
Cheryl and Ginger had found the apartment that Tim had directed them to. Ginger was up on the roof with Cisco while Cheryl was slowly flying around the building carefully looking into the windows to try and find Cisco's brother, working her way up from the ground level.
"What exactly are you going to do when you find my brother?" Cisco asked.
"I've dealt with a hostage situation before," Ginger replied.
"If I recall correctly people ended up dead," Cisco said.
"That was before I got there," Ginger said. "Once I was there nobody else died."
"Well forgive me for not feeling very confident," Cisco said.
Just then Cheryl came zooming up and landed on the roof.
"Well?" Ginger asked.
"Pretty sure I found him," Cheryl replied. "He's being held in the bedroom on an apartment on the tenth floor. There are two guys in the bedroom and another four in the living room."
"That's a lot of people to watch one person," Ginger commented.
"They didn't want me to sneak in and out," Cisco said. "If they keep two people on my brother at all times it makes it almost impossible for me, because even if I can surprise one I can't surprise the other."
"What about this Phantom character, did you see him?" Ginger asked.
"I have no idea what he looks like, but I don't think he's here himself," Cheryl replied. "All the guys looked like they're just muscle."
"Do you have a plan?" Ginger asked.
"We need to take out the two goons on Cisco's brother first," Cheryl said. "But we don't want the others to get into the bedroom. So I'm thinking you take out the two guys in the bedroom and create a barrier over the door and I'll handle the other four."
"Sounds like a good plan," Ginger said.
"Good plan? You take two and I'll take four is your idea of a plan?" Cisco complained.
Once again, Ginger and Cheryl ignored Cisco's comments. They both jumped off the roof, Ginger dragging Cisco behind her. Cheryl led the way down to the apartment and pointed out the bedroom.
"You ready?" Cheryl asked Ginger.
"Oh yeah," Ginger replied with a nod.
Ginger flew towards the bedroom window and smashed through it feet first. The two goons guarding Cisco's brother looked towards her in surprise only to see a pair of huge glowing green fists smack them in the face knocking them unconscious. Ginger then created a barrier overtop of the door to stop anyone from using it to enter the room.
A moment later Cheryl broke through the balcony door into the living room, surprising the thugs in there. She knocked one of them out with a punch to the face before the other opened fired at her. Cheryl gave a small smile as their bullets just bounced off of her. She knocked a second goon out with back fist to the side of the head and then smacked the heads of the last two goons together knocking them out as well.
Cheryl then made her way over to the bedroom door and knocked and a moment later Ginger opened it.
"That was easy," Cheryl commented.
"Must be nice to be bulletproof," Cisco muttered.
"It has it's perks," Cheryl said.
Using the Silent Armour Cheryl created a dagger and she cut the bonds that were holding Cisco's brother and then peeled the duct tape off of his mouth.
"Thank you, thank you," Cisco's brother thanked them.
"Oh it was no problem," Cheryl replied. "You brother kind of insisted we do it though so that he would help us, with a problem he created."
"What did you do Cisco?" his brother asked.
"Nothing Dante," Cisco replied.
"Cisco," Dante insisted.
"Alright, the people that kidnapped you may have forced me to attack that Trump rally," Cisco replied. "And in doing that I may have sent two of their friends to an alternate universe."
"Cisco you have to get their friends back," Dante told his brother.
"I know that," Cisco said. "But I'm going to get you to safety first."
He then looked at Ginger.
"Now if you would please release me," Cisco insisted.
Ginger hesitated for a moment.
"You may not trust Cisco, but you can trust me he will help get your friends," Dante said.
Ginger finally released Cisco from her ring's hold and he let out a relieved sigh.
"I'll be right back," Cisco promised.
He opened up a portal and he and Dante stepped through it leaving Ginger and Cheryl in the bedroom. Just then there was the sound of police sirens.
"Of course," Cheryl muttered in frustration.
"Should we leave?" Ginger asked.
"Give him a moment," Cheryl responded.
Just then a portal appeared and Cisco returned without Dante.
"You guys ready?" Cisco asked.
"Let's do this," Ginger said eagerly.
Cisco then opened another portal and all three of them stepped through.
Barry and Betty arrived in France at the Palace of Versailles. The first thing they noticed immediately was that all of the statues had been replaced by statues of Nama, her image now one they were quite familiar with.
As they looked around they noticed that there were hundreds of tourists, which was a little odd. But perhaps they were here to see their so called Goddess.
"Let's take a look inside," Barry suggested.
The two of them went inside and saw that all of the artwork had also been replaced with images of Nama.
"This Nama really does love herself," Betty commented.
The two of them were getting stares from the people that were milling about, but Betty and Barry just ignored them.
"I'm guessing she's probably sitting in the throne room," Barry said.
They made their way to the throne room and sure enough they saw the very woman whose image seemed to be everywhere sitting on a massive elaborate throne that was decorated with hundreds of thousands of gems. She was dressed in a black tight fitting bodysuit that gave a generous view of her prominent cleavage along with a cape which was attached with a silver chain that had a large medallion with an S on it. Her hair was a mix of black and red and hung loosely down her back.
"Nama," Barry said angrily as he entered the room.
Nama looked towards the door and eyed Betty and Barry with amusement.
"Who are you?" she asked derisively.
"We're the people that are going to end your tyrannical rule," Barry responded.
Nama just smirked as she stood up.
"I'd like to see you try," she said smugly.
Barry charged forward as fast as he could and struck her with a punch to the face. There was a loud crack and Barry let out a cry of pain as he clutched his broken hand.
"I must say you move rather quick," Nama said.
However in the blink of an eye Nama grabbed Barry by his good wrist and with a simple squeeze she broke his arm.
"But you are no match for me," Nama said.
She then drove the fist of her free hand into Barry's stomach sending him flying backward at breakneck speed. Betty watched as Barry smashed through the walls finally tumbling to a stop in the courtyard out front. Betty wasn't sure if Barry was dead or alive.
"Well how about you girl?" Nama asked Betty. "Are you going to surrender or join your friend?"
Betty turned around and unleashed a blast of her heat vision on Nama, striking her right in the chest. However the beam had no effect and Nama just laughed.
"How amusing," Nama said. "That actually tickled a little."
Betty then ran forward and struck Nama in the face with a punch that would have had enough force behind it to move a fully loaded oil tanker. However Nama barely moved except for her head turning to the side. As Betty looked on in horror Nama turned back and wiped a small amount of blood from the corner of her mouth.
"You have a lot of strength girl," Nama said. "But you have no skill. Me on the other hand…"
Betty barely had time to try and block as Nama hit her with a punch to the side of the head. Betty got knocked to the ground and groggily tried to get up but Nama stomped her down. Nama then kicked Betty sending her sliding along the ground knocking a few people over until she too ended up in the courtyard, just a few feet away from Barry. All around people began to run away in terror.
"Barry?" Betty called out weakly as she struggled to get to her feet.
Barry let out a pained moan letting Betty know that he was still alive. Betty staggered as she tried to crawl to check on Barry, she turned when she heard people screaming in terror and saw Nama slowly flying towards them. Betty fired another blast of heat vision, but all of a sudden Nama was behind her holding onto Betty's hair and Betty's heat vision set some of the bushes around on fire. Betty cried out as Nama pulled Betty to her feet by her hair and then forced Betty to turn around and then Nama drove a knee into Betty's gut. Nama then slammed the point of her elbow down on Betty's back knocking Betty to the ground. Betty weakly tried to get up only for Nama to kick her in the face, causing her to roll over onto her back.
"I don't know who you are girl, but I must say you can certainly take a beating," Nama said with amusement. "I haven't had this much fun in quite a while."
Nama went over to a coach bus that was parked nearby and with one hand picked it up over her head. The people inside screamed in terror as Nama carried the bus back over towards Betty and Barry, a smirk on her face.
"But play time is over," Nama said.
Uh oh, looks like Betty and Barry (and those poor people on the bus) are in some real trouble. Will Cheryl and Ginger be able to get there in time to help? And can they even stop the seemingly unstoppable Nama? Find out! Please Review!