11.01
Dealing with the aftermath was almost as hard as actually fighting the Nine.
Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration; that Halloween was one of the single worst days of my life, even if I got a brother out of it. For a brief moment, the world had been gripped by terror at the thought of some monster made from my flesh, coupled with the threat of hundreds of different bioweapons being potentially released into a populated area.
It was only natural that such an event would also have bad ripple effects.
There was a lot of things to be done during the week after the Nine had been taken away. Over a hundred buildings had been damaged in the downtown area, mainly by Burnscar's fires; the costs were trivial compared to a 'mild' Endbringer attack, or even a typical visit by the Nine, but they were still running to upwards of a billion dollars or more. A thousand people lost their homes, and half that many had been injured.
It was a miracle there were no deaths. There had definitely been close calls; Wells nearly died from an sliced stomach, and a few people were badly trampled during evacuations. Yet, they'd mainly managed to stay safe, thanks to the Janus shelters Fortress Construction had started putting up in a few select locations.
It was something Calvert made sure no one forgot.
Of course he made sure to wholly finance the reparations, even putting his own employees on construction work. If it'd been just about anyone else, I'd just assume it was genuine philanthropy, but there was something about it that made me wary. The speed at which they went to work seemed to suggest greased palms, though there'd been speedy construction projects in the past. New York after Behemoth was pretty notable, and apparently Providence had already rebuilt from Leviathan's short-lived attack.
Still, I couldn't help but note that people began their campaigns for mayoral elections this time of year. Considering how much Brockton Bay was now under the spotlight thanks to me, becoming mayor could easily be a springboard for higher offices; already there were some talks of Mayor Christner running for governor.
If Calvert became governor in the future, or another important office...
I guess I had some more work to do.
S
I tapped my foot impatiently, holding the phone in the crook of my neck while I continued making some cosmetic changes to my costume. Now that Brainiac was busy operating the Fortress, I decided I didn't want to take up precious processing power with a request like that.
Besides, sewing had grown on me. There was something enjoyable about going through the motions, weaving together something from just some fibers. With all the hectic stuff going on, I could use some monotony.
Finally, I heard the click as the phone on the other end was picked up.
"Hello?" a stern voice asked.
"Is this Ex-Director Emily Piggot?" I said.
"Yes. Who are you, may I ask? I don't think I've gotten this number before."
"I'm a private investigator looking into Fortress Constructions," I replied. "From what I've uncovered, you and Thomas Calvert were the sole survivors of the Nilbog incident, nine years back. Is that true?"
"The records are available to read, miss..."
"Ellis. Callie Ellis."
"Miss Ellis. Besides, I'm not the kind of person to divulge such information on a simple call."
"I was told that might be the case," I said. "Perhaps you'd be more willing if I told you I'm a friend of John Jones. You can give him a call right now if you need any proof."
"Give me a moment."
I listened in as she called another number, then watched as J'onn picked it up in his office.
"John?"
"Emily? Been a while; how are you?"
"I'm fine. Listen: I just got a call from someone named Callie Ellis, who claims that she knows you. Do you actually have a friend named that?"
J'onn blinked, a look of confusion on his face, and I waited for his answer. He seemed to be giving it thought, and I feared he wouldn't catch on.
"Yes, I do," he finally said. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing." Piggot hung up, then called me again. "Alright, you've made your point. Now, why are you calling me about the Nilbog incident?"
"I've asked a few older PRT vets," I replied. "Many say that there was a rumor that Calvert shot his commanding officer during evacuations. Is there any truth to that?"
Piggot fell silent. "...I had been sworn into silence about the Nilbog incident by the PRT. However, seeing as the PRT is now a non-entity, I am no longer bound by that agreement. I've been bottling it up for nine years, now, and I guess it's as good a time as any."
I heard cushions shifting as she sat up. "Yes, Thomas Calvert shot his commanding officer. He and I were in the same hospital room after the incident; I still remember the feeling of waking up to hear that I wouldn't be able to serve on more combat missions, all from him. He was quite talkative for some reason; might've been the adrenaline rush that comes with a close brush with death. Either way, he told me of how he shot his commanding officer so he could climb the ladder faster."
"Did he face court-martial?"
"He silently spent three months in jail, then was discharged from the PRT. They felt that his silence on how big a snafu the operation became was worth the lightened sentence."
She sighed. "A lot of good men and women lost their lives that day. I lost my squad, my friends, and they swore me into silence, offering a desk job as a small consolation while a murderer got off practically scot-free. I'm sure you'd feel the same in my shoes."
I fell silent for a moment.
"Ma'am, would you testify in court against Calvert?"
"Can't nail him for the same crime twice, but I can serve as a character witness," Piggot replied. "When the date comes, feel free to call me."
"Thank you," I said, and hung up.
I continued adding the finishing touches to my uniform. The fabric of the suit was now like chainmail, to hearken back to the Kryptonian heroes I'd read of, and to aslo add a bit of shine to the blue. I removed the collar; I didn't know why, but it felt too much like something a ruler would wear. Not to mention, it was always the hardest part to zip up.
The cuffs of my wrists had a few bands of metal wrapped around them, to better house and protect my computers, holographic displays, and commsets. If need be, they could also cover my hands with temporary gloves, so I wouldn't have a repeat of that Noelle situation.
I made the sigil on my chest a bit larger, and highlighted the golden part underneath the red. Along the curve of the symbol, I added in a line, translated and transcribed into Kryptonese: A Better Tomorrow.
I'd also changed how I wore the cape. Now, it was almost like a cloak over my shoulders, instead of being connected to either side of my non-existent collar.
Holding the suit up, I admired my handiwork, then put it back on. I adjusted my cape a little, then flew over to one of the larger rooms in the Fortress. Weld was there, watching the news as he absorbed some more Kryptonian metals, and Dragon was constructing drones and suits.
"They're talking about him again on TV," Weld said.
I sighed, then glanced over at the screen. It was a local station in the Bay, holding an interview with Calvert.
"...the creature known to the public as 'Doomsday' has yet to be found," the host said. She was a middle-aged woman, with that artificial smile they all practiced. "Superwoman has already gone on the record that it holds no further threat, yet refuses to divulge its location. What is your opinion on the matter?"
I groaned. There was another matter to deal with: Kon. Despite what I'd said, trying to assuage any concerns, the world was still terrified of him. Even knowing that he was essentially a child looking for peace and a place in the world, government officials from all around the world were calling for his death, saying that it was the only way to guarantee the public's safety.
Of course, they still didn't know where he went, and I was going to make sure they never found out. Just three days after what people had started calling The Long Halloween, a CUI satellite 'mysteriously' broke up in orbit. The ruling government said that it was just something meant to analyze weather patterns over the Pacific Ocean, tragically lost to a micrometeoroid impact.
Not entirely a lie, but they naturally didn't mention that the patterns it was analyzing were the jet wash I left when flying, especially when carrying something big.
Still, there were a few hunts for Kon, both by small black-ops units and by government parahuman teams. I didn't know why they tried; even if they did find him, just what were they going to do? Slap some handcuffs on him for the crime of existing?
"...certainly believe that Superwoman thinks she's doing the right thing. Whether or not it actually is the right thing? Well, only time will tell, Calvert said. "On the other hand, the fact that she took in several members of the Nine alive is a bit... more disconcerting."
I gritted my teeth.
"They've been disabled, thanks to the League," the reporter said. "It's believed that they won't be able to try anything before their trial, where it's expected they'll receive the death penalty. Some argue that the kill-orders were made because the Nine would be too dangerous to capture, and so Superwoman's success in that department is not a violation of the decree."
"A very... idealistic approach, I admit. But how many lives in the future may be endangered by that?"
"Don't let it get under your skin, Taylor," Dragon said, a humaniform suit glancing over, while a veritable tank stocked tools. "There's always going to be someone giving us trouble, but that doesn't meant they're right."
"Thanks," I mumbled, and made for the door.
"Hey, Tay," Weld said.
I glanced over to see Weld walking up to me. He smiled warmly, and I found myself reciprocating, even considering everything else going on.
"Hey," I said, softly. "What's up?"
"Well, I was thinking," he said. "I've noticed you've been pretty busy this last week, with everything going on. Speeches, recovery work... you've also been going on patrol a lot more than usual."
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah, I guess that's been the case. It's been pretty hectic, huh?"
"That's why I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh?"
"Date on Friday? There's a concert in Boston I wanted to check out, and I think you'd like it, too."
I smiled. "Friday... Friday sounds good. What time?"
"Eight."
I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "Meet me at my place at seven?"
He grinned. "Sure."
"Good." Another kiss. "I'll see you then."
I pulled away, then made for the exit. It was perpetual night out, and I didn't need fifty different kinds of vision to see the aurora borealis. For a moment, I simply stood there, basking in the soft light, listening to the wind.
Then, I flew up into the sky. There was still a lot of work to do, and not much time to do it.
S
11.02
The receptionist managed to remain rather calm when she saw me striding up, all things considered. Aside from a slight increase in heart rate, and a warmer bloom of infrared over her cheeks, she gave no sign of being nervous.
"Is... there something I can do for you, miss?" she asked.
"I would like to speak with your employer," I replied.
A dry swallow. "Allow me."
She tapped a button on the desk with a dainty finger. "Sir, someone wishes to have a meeting with you."
"There's an open slot in two hours. Can this visitor wait-"
"Sir, it's Superwoman."
A pause. I could hear paper tearing, along with a long breath taken through clenched teeth.
"Very well then," he finally exhaled. "Send her in."
The secretary removed her finger, and calmly folded her hands. "He'll see you right now."
"Thank you," I replied, and walked into the office.
The set-up was... well, it was something. Accord certainly seemed to be fond of minimalist designs, that was for sure. Lots of glass, high-grade plastics, and silver. His desk was made from mahogany and inlaid with silver; all of his work supplies were carefully placed on top, going for something as orderly as possible.
There were also a number of deathtraps hidden in practically every square inch of it. Some were even hidden in plain sight, cleverly disguised as furniture or artworks.
The man himself looked almost like a part of the surroundings. He wore an immaculate white suit in the latest fashion, brushed so clean I could hardly find any imperfections, even when I really looked. His tie was coal black, neatly tucked into his suit, and I would be surprised if his silver pin had ever been touched by human hands. His black hair had been neatly combed back and parted, and the only sign he was a cape was the silver and wood mask he wore, made from overlapping bands that moved with his expression.
It would've made for quite the presence, if he wasn't a head shorter than me.
"Superwoman," Accord said. "This is a surprise, I must admit. If you wish, you may take a seat."
I took up on the offer, making sure that my cape was as neat as I could make it, which was practically perfect. My suit didn't fold or rumple as I sat down, and I carefully folded my legs, hands intertwined and resting on my knee. I didn't want him to feel more uneasy than he already was, not when I had a job to do. With my finesse, I could be the very epitome of poise, and I had to be for this meeting.
Accord sat down as well, hands folded in front of him. If he was nervous, he did an even better job of masking it than his secretary.
"May I ask why you've suddenly come to my office?" he asked.
"To lay some things straight, and to make an offer," I replied.
"I'm surprised. You don't seem like the kind to make offers to a crime lord."
"You haven't heard what I have to say."
Accord grabbed a pen. "If I may? It'll help me work over what you're about to tell me; I have a feeling I'll need to."
"Of course."
Uncapping his fountain pen, he held the nib over a pad of unmarked paper. "What is it you must 'lay straight'?"
"Simply enough, you're now at a fork in the road, each path very different from the other. You can try to continue your criminal career, which will be a very short one, considering that I can dismantle it before lunchtime."
Accord jotted down some notes in a tight, flowing style, not even looking down at the paper. "It's not a very appetizing scenario. I take it there's an 'or' in there?"
I allowed myself a smile. "Or, I make my offer."
"And that is?"
"That you join the Justice League, under probationary status."
Accord stopped in the middle of writing. "That... is not quite what I expected."
"It's simple, really. After the Long Halloween, I realized that the League must expand its ranks. The original seven, myself included, would still be the main body of the group, but there's no reason why we can't have others in supportive roles."
"And you imagine that I'd be incredibly useful in a supportive role." Accord capped his pen, and returned it to its original spot. "Something tells me you wouldn't make this offer to other crime lords."
"No, no I wouldn't. You're a special case for two main reasons: one, the severity of your crimes is nowhere near the level of, say, what the ABB used to do. Though, the fact that you sold capes to the Yangban is not one I take lightly. If you do join, one of the tasks you'll be given is to get those people back."
"Very understandable. What is the second reason?"
I produced a hologram of the Earth from my wrist, letting it slowly rotate. A bit theatrical, but it got the point across to him.
"I did some reading," I said. "And by that, I mean that I took the time to read your binders from afar. Plans to end world hunger, or improve quality of life across the planet. Designs for cities with minimal carbon footprints, roads that have the most efficient travel routes... all of them are meant to make the world a better place."
"You see what I've been striving towards, all this time," Accord said, and there was something in his voice when he said it.
"I don't approve of your methods in the slightest, but I admire the goal. If you join the League, you'll have to give up a lot of the comforts you're used to- fancy furniture, expensive suits, and so on. In fact, depending on how well it goes legally speaking, you might even have to spend some time in jail. But, I'll also help you achieve some of your goals. It's easy for a government to dismiss you; it's another thing altogether to dismiss me. The League has resources and technology beyond that of any nation; that could make things far easier. The same offer will go for your Ambassadors."
Accord fell silent for a moment. His gaze fell on the globe, and I could see the wistfulness behind his eyes.
"How could I say no?" he finally said.
"I'm glad you see it that way. Now, I believe I have a way to better lighten whatever legal penalties would come your way, once you've officially joined.
"And that is?"
I stood up, and leaned forward. "You had a former associate named Thomas Calvert, didn't you? I want you to tell the authorities everything you have on his operations..."
S
The two of them were standing out on the pier, like I'd asked. Neither were in costume, but they must've known it wouldn't matter with me.
I descended down, and they turned to face me. Unarmed, with no wires that could serve to alert Calvert of their activities. There were no camera eyes on them within a mile of here; we could have our conversation quietly.
"These are the last of them," Lisa said, and handed me the papers. "Along with all the testimony and reports you've already gotten, this seems a bit like overkill."
"I can't be too careful with this," I replied. "I don't want there to be even a slight chance of him weaseling out of trouble. Even if he manages to dodge a few charges, some of them will have to stick, and that'll be enough."
Brian folded his arms. "Sounds like you really have it out for him."
"Out for him?" I frowned. "No. I don't have any grudge against Calvert; I just want to free Dinah."
"I can tell," Lisa said. "So, probationary status still stands. Not that we even really did anything serious-"
"-which is why it'd be light," I finished. "Once again, thank you for helping me like this."
Brian shrugged. "I owe it to you, after what you did for my sister. Wouldn't feel right, staying on the job when it's clear you're after him for a good reason."
"I'm glad you see it that way. I'll make sure to try and get her out of your mother's custody, you have my word. I've helped the CPS on a number of times; they'll be willing to lend me their ears."
"Wow, you really do mean it, huh?" Lisa asked.
"Why wouldn't I?" I replied.
"Never mind."
"Anything else you need?" Brian asked.
I shook my head. "I'm good. I need to get going; hopefully I'll see you two when Calvert's in court."
"Be wary of traps, Superwoman," Lisa said, and I had a feeling she wasn't talking about legal pitfalls.
S
The Batman was waiting on the rooftop I'd specified. I landed to his side, staring down at the building two blocks away from us. At this time of night, staff was minimal.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" the Batman asked. "Maybe you should wait until you have him in court for everything."
"By then, he might have Dinah moved, or worse," I replied. "No, we're doing this tonight. You have the layout of the security systems?"
He nodded. "Disabling them should be child's play. The guards, on the other hand, might be a bit more troublesome. I have more of my tranquilizers, but we'd need to act fast."
"That won't be a problem for me. Give me enough darts for all of them, and they'll be out in a heartbeat."
"Well, that's the easy part," he said. "Figuring out how the device works, and crossing over into any number of alternate Earths in order to find the girl? That's going to be the hard part."
"But not impossible."
The Batman let out a dry laugh. "I don't think that word holds any meaning to you, does it?"
I shrugged. "Not really."
"Well then, let's get to it." The Batman straightened, preparing a grappling hook. "Stick to the plan I laid out, and we should be good."
He fired, and swung from the rooftop, wings spread like his namesake. I gently flew alongside him, keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble as we passed through the night.
"Never thought you'd be performing a breaking and entering?" the Batman asked.
"I never thought I'd do a lot of things I've done," I replied. "Hopefully, getting arrested won't be one of them."
S
11.03
Getting inside the building was easy enough. Once the Batman put the cameras at one of the entrances in feedback loops, I threw a dart into the guard's neck and gently carried him away to a out-of-sight spot. I used my x-ray vision to find the keycard, hidden away inside his tie, then also took his walkie-talkie for extra measure.
The Batman arrived at the door as soon as I unlocked it. He checked a computer on his wrist, a hand held up.
"Cameras in this hall will be down... now."
We hurried in, and I shut the door behind us. The hallway was well-lit; the Batman stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the white tiling. I peered through the walls, seeing where the guards would be in this part of the building. There were two of them, patrolling different halls, and I pulled out two more tranquilizers. I could probably take them out quick enough to avoid detection, but I didn't want to take any risks.
"Compartmentalized cameras," the Batman muttered. "I'll have to disable them individually, but that won't take much longer."
"Better hurry," I said. "One of the guards is making his round nearby."
The guard in question was coming near the corner, humming a little tune to himself. Suddenly, he paused, and pulled out his walkie-talkie. At the same time the walkie-talkie in my hand crackled to life.
"Tim, everything clear in your section? Over."
I strained my throat a little, then pressed the answer button.
"All clear," I replied in Tim's voice. "Most exciting thing I see is a few seagulls fighting over a sandwich. Over."
The guard -the name tag said Ray- nodded. "Nice and quiet shift, huh? Understood. I'm taking a coffee break in fifteen, make sure to have Johnson take the post. Over."
"Got it," I said. "Over."
Ray put his walkie-talkie down, then turned around. I turned to see the Batman staring at me, head tilted slightly.
"How did you do that?" he asked.
"Precise muscle control," I replied, still using Tim's voice. When the Batman shrugged and moved forward, I said in his own voice, "Plus, I have a pretty good ear."
He shuddered. "Don't do that again."
I fought down a chuckle, then glided after him. "Cameras are taken care of?"
"In this section? Go to town."
I nodded. In the span of a heartbeat, Ray and the other guard were out and stuffed into the closets, their hands bound. Just to insure their safety, I decided to unlock the closets; it wouldn't be good if there was an emergency and they couldn't escape. Dusting my hands off, I double-checked the trail to the lab containing the Janus ring, then waited for the Batman to catch up.
"Cameras for the next few halls have been taken care of," he said. "Wait for me before we get to the lab; it's a two-person job."
"Got it," I replied.
There were five guards in the section; they were all out before they knew it. I had to use my voice-trick to keep some more from investigating, then I flew over to the entrance to the lab. The Batman was already there, studying the locking mechanisms.
"I've disabled the cameras inside, but we need to turn the keys at the same time," he said. "Do you have them?"
I nodded, and tossed him one. "On three?"
"On three."
We stepped up to the locks and inserted our keys. The Batman counted down, and I turned the key, taking care to precisely mirror his movement.
The light didn't change.
"Damn," the Batman muttered. "Must be something we're missing.
I glanced down at the key, peering closely, and groaned. Of course it was fingerprint encoded. Not just fingerprint encoded, either; it was advanced enough to determine the person's body temperature and pulse. Most likely meant to prevent people from using severed fingers.
"Plan B, then," I said.
I carefully ripped the door out of its hinges, then set it down behind me. A cool breeze caressed my cheeks as I looked into the lab, searching for any security measures we had to be wary of. Pressure sensors, laser scanners, the likes.
There were a few, but they'd already been taken down by the Batman. I let out a low breath, then walked inside.
The Janus ring was at the end of the lab, looming over everything else. There was a crate of equipment nearby, and I was surprised to see an assortment of spacesuits inside. Perhaps there were a few Earths devoid of an atmosphere?
The Batman took to the ring's console, studying the controls intently. He hesitantly flicked a switch, and the power came on.
"Controls are about the same as the commercial models," he said. "Shouldn't be too difficult to get it working."
Lisa's warning echoed through my mind, and I decided to check the device for any explosives or self-destruct mechanisms. Satisfied there weren't any, I gave a nod to the Batman.
"Let's do this."
He worked the controls, and a portal formed. It started small, then grew, and I could see the gravity waves rippling outwards as a hole was torn in the fabric of our reality. Eventually, I could see the inside of a complex, rather spartan in appearance.
"Is it this one?" the Batman asked.
I peered inside, then pulled back, frowning. "I searched the entire compound. She's not in there."
"Let me try something."
The portal shifted, and the view changed. Now, vast prairies stretched out, a lone trail snaking through tall grass that waved in the breeze. This was a world that'd never been graced by humans, I saw.
Still, no Dinah. The rest of the worlds in the 'catalogue': a world covered in ice, an Earth with a pale green sky and red vegetation, and a world where only some vegetation fringed the shores of vast deserts; none of them had her.
"This doesn't make sense," I muttered. "She should be in at least one of these. Is this all of them?"
"Yes," he replied. "Although..."
"Although what?"
"It's possible it's a multi-step process. Hop over to one Earth, and use a Janus that only has a world you want to keep secret."
I blinked. "I think you're right. Go back to the first one."
He did as told. Sure enough, I could see another Janus ring to the side, a bit smaller than the main one. The controls were the same; barring any surprises, I could operate it.
"I'm going in," I said. "Stay here. If there's trouble, I want you to contact the authorities."
The Batman seemed to grapple with it for a bit. I could imagine he was hesitant to just let me journey into an alternate Earth without any real backup.
"Understood," he finally said.
"Hopefully, I'll be back soon enough, with Dinah in tow."
After a moment's thought, I grabbed a spare spacesuit from the crate, one that'd fit a person of Dinah's size. With that in tow, I glided into the compound, then went to the Janus ring, fiddling around with the controls for a few moments. There was only one target destination allowed, so I selected that one.
Blue light streamed in through the opening portal, washing over me. For a moment, I felt a blissful warmth, as if invigorating every single fiber of my being. It was like when I was out in the unfiltered light of the sun, but magnified to an unimaginable level.
I finally shook myself out of that haze, then looked through the portal. There was air on the Earth before me, but unbreathable to humans. There was no vegetation, no water; only barren rock that flared in the infrared, brighter than I'd expected. The explanation hung in the sky: a blue sun, massive and bright, to the point where the outer surface was practically molten.
I sucked in a breath, and stepped through. The blue sun would've burned a normal human to a crisp already, but I only felt better and better with each passing moment. Taking to the sky, I looked around, searching for Dinah. There was a rover of some sorts nearby, no doubt meant to carry personnel back and forth; it couldn't be too far.
There. A small compound four miles out, made of high-grade materials. In one of the rooms, huddled in the corner and gently rocking, was Dinah Alcott. She was hugging her knees to her chest, surrounded by papers covered in shaky handwriting.
Getting her out would be tricky in an environment like this. I'd have to-
My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of an explosion behind me. I turned around in time to see the portal closing, fire shooting out of the shrinking hole in spacetime.
It couldn't have been the device itself; I'd checked it... the explosive was probably meant to level the compound, ring included.
I was trapped.
No, I couldn't think that way. There had to be a way back, even if I had to smelt down the raw materials and make my own machine from what I'd seen of the inner workings. Normally, one couldn't replicate tinkertech, but I had to try; there was no other option.
But first, Dinah.
S
The armored door to the compound was locked, but I didn't care at that point. It gave way like water before my eyes, and I stepped through the molten hole in the wall, spacesuit in tow. Carefully, I disassembled it, so it'd cut down on precious time. The next part was going to be pretty tricky.
The human body can survive a full minute and a half in the vacuum of space, though it'd only be conscious for the first fifteen seconds. Unfortunately, a sudden drop in pressure could hemorrhage the lungs, cutting down chance of survival immensely, so I couldn't take it so leisurely.
In the span of a second, I punched through the one-way mirror, sealed it back up with my heat-vision, and got Dinah into the spacesuit. Her heart rate spiked at the sudden shock, but it began to slow down again when she realized who she was staring at through the visor.
"It's..." she croaked, then licked her lips. "It's you. I-I couldn't see you in the n-numbers, but I knew..."
"It's okay," I said, soothingly. "I'm here now, it's going to be okay. I'm going to get you out of here, right?"
Dinah nodded weakly. With a pang of disgust, I saw a kind of drug running through her system, and realized it must've been what Calvert used to keep her docile. The very thought of him drugging a little girl made my blood boil; if he'd been right there, I didn't know if I'd be able to restrain myself.
"T-the end," Dinah slurred. "T-the world's gonna end..."
"I need you to stay quiet and try not to exert yourself," I said. "I need that air to last you a while, okay?"
Again, she nodded.
If need be, I could probably set up a shelter for her, but how long would that last? A few days? Maybe I could supply raw materials to make new equipment, but how long could I keep it up?
"I'll be back in a minute," I said, pulling away. "I need to get something."
Dinah didn't say anything, but the way she tried to hold on spoke volumes.
I left the compound the same way I'd entered, then began to gather up raw materials. Iron ores, copper, tin, gold, silver; if it existed, I could find it. I made piles of the stuff where the portal had been, then went to work. I refined the metals with my heat-vision, tempering and mixing wherever I needed, producing the kind of alloys the machine had been made of.
With my eidetic memory, it was a cinch putting the pieces together with mechanical precision. I even managed to recreate the power-source, using electrolysis to produce hydrogen for the miniature fusion reactor. In a few minutes, I had my own equivalent of a Janus ring.
It didn't work.
Gritting my teeth, I tried again, dismantling the machinery and putting it back together, trying to recreate what I'd seen from memory. And yet, no manner how many times I tried it, no dice.
It must've been a quality of tinkers, a factor of their power that let them make it. It'd explain why scientists couldn't reproduce the technology; hell, it was the predominant theory as to why mass-production wasn't an option. Still, I'd thought it was simply a matter of not having the precision, or the proper know-how...
I wiped my forehead, and was surprised to see sweat glistening my fingers. When was the last time that'd happened? Especially odd, considering how good the sunlight had been making me feel. I'd been moving faster and faster as I worked, like someone had plugged a cord right into my spine.
Now, though... I actually felt funny. It was hard to put to words, but my vision was beginning to swim. Not like I had a fever, though; instead of losing sight of things, it was almost like I was noticing details I hadn't before.
The song of the sun was almost painfully loud in my ears, like it'd never been before. New colors danced before my eyes, colors I'd never seen in my life. To try and describe would be liking trying to describe sight to a blind man. An apt feeling; I'd thought I could see so many things before, but now I felt like I'd been blind my entire life.
Things that'd been faint before were now in full detail. I could begin to see a pattern, an underlying fabric to everything, with infinite and zero density all in the same moment. Nature abhors a vacuum, and I'd known of the theories of particles composing the bottom layer of it all, but now I could see it dancing before my eyes, unbelievably beautiful. A mesh of violent energies, infinite in their magnitude, like the tossing of a stormy sea, yet structured.
Looking down at my hand, I could see the clockwork of my own body, organic yet mechanical all the same. Particles smaller than atoms, through which I could see the violent energies being channeled through, permeating my very being.
I flew back over to Dinah, and was shocked to see that same not-light I'd seen on Weld's face, and on those of her parents. Now, however, instead of a faint glimmer, it was like a powerful beacon, structured so beautifully I wanted to cry.
Would that light be snuffed out?
I clenched my fists. No, there had to be a way back, a way out. And I thought I was beginning to see it.
If I focused my eyes just right, I could peer to other things, but it was neither without or within what I normally saw. It was almost... coexisting, never interacting, except for the rare occasion. It was like a sea of dust motes floating through the void, but I realized that wasn't what it was.
They were Earths.
Infinite Earths.
How foolish we'd been, to think there were a finite number of them! A finite number of themes, perhaps, but each theme could have infinite variations, each different in subtle or overt ways. Why, there were even variations of my own theme, ones I could even now only scarcely glimpse.
But I couldn't focus on that, not when there was a life to save.
Trying to make a machine that could bridge to other worlds would be a fruitless endeavor. But that didn't mean I couldn't leave this place. If I could see the very clockwork of the universe, and that which kept it separate from the others, then there had to be a way to twist it, so to say.
Yes. A reverberation through spacetime, done just the right way...
I turned to Dinah. "Hold on to me."
She did as told, climbing onto my shoulders. In the spacesuit, it was rather awkward, but she managed as I flew back to where the portal had been.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
"Getting you home," I replied.
I vibrated the atomic structure of my hands in the right way, and plunged.
I imagined it must've looked terrifying from the perspective of people on the other side. A pair of hands appearing out of nowhere, spacetime warping around them as a hole was widened. My arms screamed at me as I widened the makeshift portal, but I pressed on, trying to keep it as stable as possible.
Finally, it was wide enough for me to pass through, and I did so in an instant, landing on the floor with Dinah cradled safely in my arms. I felt exhausted, like I could sleep for a year, but it was quickly fading.
I rose to my feet, still holding Dinah, and saw the League staring at me. The Batman must've called them when I disappeared, and I could see two dozen armed guards unconscious on the ground. Based on the bruising and occasional broken bone, that'd been his doing.
"Superwoman?" Clockblocker asked, eyes wide behind his mask. "Did that..."
"She needs medical attention," I interrupted. I walked over to Dragon, depositing Dinah into her arms. "Get her to the Fortress."
"You yourself look like you need it," the Batman said. "My god, you're so pale."
With how I was hearing and seeing everything now, I couldn't even try to not decipher the voice changer. I managed a wry grin as I looked at him.
"Look who's talking. Maybe you should be getting out in the sunlight more, Defiant."
His eyes widened, and I could see Dragon turn a drone in his direction, almost accusatory.
"Not now," I said, like I was short of breath. "There's more we need to do."
S
It didn't take long to gather the authorities and tell them everything. In ten minutes, they were outside his door, practically bringing half the force down on his penthouse.
Dragon wanted me to rest a little, get myself checked out at the Fortress, but not when I still had this to do. I had to be the one to do it, after trying to nail him down for his crimes for so long. It wouldn't feel right, if I wasn't the one to do it.
The officers parted way as I strolled up, and I knocked on the door.
Calvert opened it, dressed in his finest suit. He must've figured it out early, to get himself ready. If he was nervous, or afraid, even I couldn't see it as he glared at me.
"Thomas Calvert," I said, "you're under arrest."
S
11.04
"How you're feeling?" I asked, knocking on the open door.
Dinah managed a smile, snug in the bed we'd set up. "Better. My headache's gone."
"Dragon washed the drug out of your system with some Kryptonian technology," I said. "It's going to take some time to repair your body from the effects of the drug, and we're going to have to ensure that you won't be reliant on it any longer."
"When am I going home?"
"You'll have to stay in treatment for at least another day," I replied, then smiled. "But your parents are in the next room, and they're dying to see you."
Dinah's smile brightened, and her aura with it. I still didn't know quite what it was, but it had to be a good sign. The sight of it warmed my heart, and I found myself smiling back.
"I'll go get them," I said.
Suddenly, Dinah stopped smiling, like she was remembering something. "Wait."
I frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Before they come in, I need to tell you something. It's important."
I walked over to the side of the bed. "What is it?"
Dinah sucked in a deep breath. "It's about the end of the world."
"The end of the world? Dinah-"
"I can see possibilities," she continued. "Numbers, almost like a collection of pictures, colors..."
"A mosaic?" I supplied.
She nodded. "In the next year, I keep on seeing in a lot of them blood, or blackness, and I see it everywhere. I can't see much else, can't really see who or what is involved."
"When exactly does this happen?" I asked.
Dinah rubbed the side of her head. "It'll most likely happen by September."
"Can you see me in the pictures."
She shook her head. "No. I can't see the green man, either. He asked me the same thing, and I told him so. I don't know anything else."
My frown deepened. "Well, if you do, just talk to me about it."
"Are you going to stop it from happening?" she asked, voice thin.
I forced a smile. "I'm Superwoman, Dinah. I can do anything."
I got up, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll bring your parents in now, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
S
I decided to give them some privacy for the tearful reunion, and walked down the hall, thinking about what Dinah had said.
The end of the world? It didn't seem to make much sense, considering the good work the League and I were doing. Just what on Earth could bring about its end? And just what did she mean by 'the end'? That could range from the disruption of civilization to the planet getting vaporized.
There were too many possibilities. A plague? Nuclear war? Something with the Endbringers? Hell, even an alien invasion wasn't necessarily off the books.
Dinah said she couldn't see me, or J'onn. That had to account for something. Maybe we were blind spots in her precognition, and if that was the case, then perhaps her visions were inaccurate. After all, I had to be a major factor in it, enough to possibly turn things around.
I decided to put a pin in it for the time being. Dragon wanted me to get a check-up from her, to make sure there weren't any negative side-effects of my exposure to blue sunlight.
As I floated over to her lab, I thought about the events of just a few hours ago. I had to admit, it felt pretty good seeing Calvert led into a police cruiser, his hands cuffed behind his back. After so long of evading repercussion for his actions, justice would finally get its way. Once he was in court, the sheer amount of evidence I'd gathered from Piggot, Accord, Brian, Lisa, and others would be enough to damn him, and that wasn't even including testimony from Dinah.
I'd love to see him try and wriggle out of that.
Things weren't quite over, of course. It could be some time before the first court meeting, and it'd be even longer before the jury made a decision, even with testimony from me. Still, odds were that Calvert would be seeing the inside of a prison cell by Christmas. All in all, things felt pretty good, even with Dinah's warning hanging over my head.
That feeling would fade soon enough.
S
"Try again, with this piece," Dragon said.
I did as told, taking the metal bar in my hands. After a moment's resistance, I simply twisted it into a pretzel, and let it drop to the ground, alongside other items. Toothpicks, pencils, pieces of paper; all sorts of objects. It wasn't surprising that I could twist them or break such materials.
No, it was the fact that they had been timelocked when I started.
"That's enough," Dragon said.
The room pressurized, and we stepped out of the vacuum chamber. Dragon's suit shook its head, analyzing the data it'd gathered. I could see an aura around it, as well as the other suits; some were dim or nonexistent, like with drones, while her core AI shone like a small sun, structured differently from the other auras I'd seen.
"This should be impossible," she said. "Considering that the only things that can negate Clockblocker's power are Siberian and Flechette, this indicates a massive increase in strength. That jaunt with the blue sun has made you three times stronger, at the very least. Coupled with the sudden ability to make portals to other realities with your bare hands, and I believe the sudden increase in sunlight had a drastic effect on the fundamentals of your powerset."
"I felt like I could do more, too," I said. "I didn't know what, only that there was more."
Colin walked over, a data pad in his hands. He was still in his Batman garb for the time being; he hadn't the time to change, not when there was this work to do.
"Anything else you're feeling?" he asked. "Dizziness, fatigue, aches?"
I shook my head. "I actually feel fantastic. Why?"
Colin and Dragon shared a glance.
"Taylor," Colin said, "we decided to, well, take a look at you on the microscopic level as part of the previous tests. Brainiac helped us with that, and well..."
If he was being tactful, then something had to be up. I felt a chill run up my spine, gooseflesh pricking up.
"What's wrong." It was more of a statement than anything else, with how I'd said it.
"Whatever effect that gives you your powers is in some kind of overload," Colin continued. "It's a rough description, but it fits. Already some of your cells are undergoing apoptosis. It's a slow effect, very slow, but it's still there..."
"Taylor, you're dying."
Dragon's words echoed through the silent lab. For a few moments, they seemed to find any purchase in me, but eventually they managed to sink in.
I looked down at my hands. Why I hadn't done it before, I didn't know. Peering down, I could see what they were talking about; it was like tiny fireworks going off under my skin, taking individual cells with them. Blood cells, bone cells, skin cells... they were all dying.
I licked my lips, trying to find the strength to speak. That happened three times before I finally managed to say something.
"How... how long do I have?"
"It's too early to be sure of the date," Dragon replied, her voice subdued. "I'd say a year, give or take a few months. Your cells are healing the damage every second, but eventually it'll be too much. After that, your body is going to essentially break down, like radiation poisoning."
I stared at Dragon, looking without looking.
"There has to be a way," I said. "There has to be something in the archives, or some power that can reverse the damage."
"We can't rule that out," she replied quickly. "If anyone can find a way, it's the Justice League. Yet... you also have to consider the possibility that there isn't a way, and plan accordingly."
With a year to live, if I was lucky? And a potential apocalypse at the same time? How the hell could I 'plan accordingly' for that?
"Don't tell my father anything," I said, voice even. "Not a peep. Same goes for Weld. If I have to break the news, I'm doing it myself, on my own terms."
"Of course," Dragon said. "We'll... we'll give you some time alone. I know you need some privacy now."
"Thank you," I replied.
Dragon and Colin left the room. For a few minutes, I simply stood there, staring at nothing. Then, I slowly walked into the hallway, sliding a hand over the wall, feeling the crystalline material under my fingers. I breathed in deeply taking it all in. Lord knew I might only have a short time to.
At the time where most people's lives were just beginning, mine would be coming to an end.
All I had was a year to get my affairs in order, both as Taylor and as Superwoman. A year to try and leave the world a better place, to do as much good as I could. A year to stop the rest of the Endbringers, to rid the world of its worst threats. A year to leave a better League in my wake, one that could shoulder my burden when I was gone.
A year to find a cure.
A year to write my will.
A year to work up the courage to tell Dad, to come to terms with my mortality, to live life to its fullest, and to leave behind a legacy.
I closed my eyes, and fought the urge to cry out, to fly into the void and hit something. Shattering a moon wouldn't make me feel any better, or change anything. At this point, I didn't know just what could.
It wasn't fair.
I walked to the end of the hallway, stopping at the window. The arctic landscape spread out before my eyes, and I simply stared at it, trying to keep my mind as blank as possible.
After a few moments, I realized J'onn was standing beside me, a towering giant in his natural form. His head was bowed, and I could feel the crushing sadness and despair emanating from him, like a heavy weight that tried to pull me to the floor. For something so different from a human, it was startling just how much he felt the same things as us.
"You already figured it out."
I could skim enough from the top of Colin's mind. It was such a powerful thought, such a heavy one; I couldn't have ignored it if I tried.
"They think they might be able to save me."
Do you?
I didn't answer. J'onn looked up to the sky, his eyes gleaming.
A younger me would take the news differently. Pain and sadness were unfamiliar to him. He'd lash out, tremble and quiver with emotion, then calm down, as he did on those rare occasions. Then, there came a pain so great, it changed him. I still feel pain like him, perhaps even deeper, but I am well acquainted with it. Even if the wounds are still as deep, I can better shoulder them.
"And yet, it still hurts."
By the Source, it still hurts. And it never stops hurting. I hide it well, but that's just it- hiding. For more than a billion years, I've shouldered my suffering, like you can scarcely hope to imagine. And yet, the news still stings me like it would've done to that young one, all those years ago.
He sunk to his knees, and began to shudder. After a moment, I realized it was the Martian equivalent of crying.
I grow tired of shouldering it, Taylor. I've failed you. I failed him. That promise I'd forged in my heart has been broken, and with it, I've failed them all. I remember hearing your heart beating for the first time, and the oath I swore to him, to make sure you'd be safe. After so many millions of years of death and despair, I'd felt hope flicker.
My first heartbeat? That didn't make sense. Unless...
"J'onn," I began, "what are you talking about?"
He stood up again, slowly, and looked my way with those sad eyes.
I've hid it for too long, he replied. It is time that I told you everything.
You have been reading:
The Girl of Tomorrow, Arc Eleven: World's Finest
