Chapter 38

"These are the times that try men's souls."

New Genesis

Fenris stood frozen in shock. He'd come to kill the girl Avida at Darkseid's orders and now he found himself facing his father for the first time. Did she call him father? That would mean she was his…no, complete the mission, Fenris ordered himself. This man abandoned my mother and me long ago, Fenris thought. Kill the girl, whoever she is, that's the price Darkseid is charging. Fenris took a step forward, only to see Clark move the girl behind him.

"I can't let you do this, Fenris," Clark began gently. "I know we haven't met before, but I'd like that to change. I'm your father."

"I know who you are," Fenris replied. "You abandoned me before I was born, just like you did my mother."

"That's not true, son."

"Don't call me that! You have no right!" Fenris screamed, some of his control slipping and his anger spilling out.

"I didn't know, Fenris," Clark continued. He kept his voice calm and soft. He desperately wanted to reach the boy. Looking at him, Clark could see some of himself at a much younger age. The venom and anger coming from Fenris broke his heart, but he couldn't allow him to hurt Avida. He'd just found them both and couldn't bare the thought of losing them. "Your mother didn't tell me and when I did find out, I was told you were dead. If I had known, I would have come for you, I swear."

'Words, just words," Fenris replied. He made a lunge towards Avida, but Clark moved in front of him. Fenris slashed at Clark, cutting a gash across his chest. Avida gasped in fear. Fenris attacked again, but this time Clark was ready for him. He caught the boy's arm and held it.

"I have no wish to fight with you, Fenris, but I can't allow you to harm your sister."

"She's not my sister and you're not my father!" Fenris pulled his hand away from Clark and shifted position. "My mother is the only family I have. If you won't step aside, you can die with her!"

Pulling a second dagger from his belt, Fenris became a blur of motion. All his training made him a formidable killing machine. His daggers slashed and cut Clark, but every time he made a move towards Avida, Clark was there to stop him.

"You're my son, Fenris, whether you want it or not. Avida is your sister and she's done nothing to you. I can't allow you to harm her."

"You would take her side over our son?"

Clark looked up to see Lashina standing at the opening. Her eyes were filled with shock and rage as she stared at Clark.

"I won't let him kill her, Lashina."

"So the truth finally comes out, Kal-El!" Lashina practically spat at him. "This little bastard from that whore Amazing Grace means more to you then your own son or wife does?"

Fenris used the moment to make a lunge at Avida. Clark caught his hand before it could reach the target. He squeezed just hard enough to make the boy drop the weapon.

"Let go of him!" Lashina screamed, the rage plain in her voice. Her whip whirled out striking Clark around the neck. He grunted as electricity rippled through his body. Fenris pulled free and lunged again at Avida. She dodged his weapon and chopped down with her hand on his wrist. His grasp on the blade failed and it fell to the ground. With blinding speed of her own, Avida grabbed the knife and tossed it away.

Practically growling in frustration, Fenris attacked her with his bare hands. His fingers dug deep into her slender shoulders as he pulled her to him.

"I don't care who you are, I will kill you!"

Avida screamed in fear, the look on Fenris' face almost insane with bloodlust.

The next moment he was gone.

Clark managed to pull out of Lashina's whip and reached back to grab Fenris. With one jerk, he sent the boy flying towards his mother. Lashina caught him and quickly checked to make sure he was all right. She turned to Clark, rage and hate plain on her face.

"I thought you were different, special! I loved you like no man every before or after! I would have dared the fires of Hell for you, but no more, Kal-El! That you would chose her over our son breaks all ties between us!"

Clark looked at Lashina and sadness came over him.

"We've been together all this time and you still don't know me at all, do you, Lashina?"

"I know what is right before my eyes!"

"It isn't a choice between our son or my daughter, it is a choice between life and death. I will always chose life, Lashina," Clark said to her.

"Say it any way you wish, Kal-El, but I know what I saw! You have wounded me, deeply. For that you will pay and so will the brat! You said it was a choice between life and death, well I chose death! Furies! Attack!"

Earth

Wave after wave of Parademons filled the skies. To the shocked citizens below they looked like an enormous swarm of insects and like locusts they began to destroy everything in their path. Fighter jets counter-attacked from all sides, but after a first round of successes they were quickly dealt with. The Parademon weapons were far superior to anything in Earth's military arsenal.

Over New York, Diana flew straight for the invaders, taking the fight to them. Her bracelets deflected volley after volley, turning the blasts back on the Parademon ships. The ships exploded, but it seemed there were five more to take its place. Huge carriers opened their bay doors and squadrons of Parademons swarmed out.

It was the same all over. Every available hero pitched in, but their numbers weren't enough. It seemed there was a thousand Parademons for every hero.

The Watchtower

Dinah and Mr. Terrific were frantically trying to coordinate everything to get the most out of their limited resources.

"That's not good," Mr. Terrific said.

"What? Is it going to rain too," Diana sarcastically replied.

"They're setting up magma-tappers across the globe to create firepits. They're going to recreate Apokolips here on Earth."

"Wonderful, just wonderful," Dinah grumbled. "We're already stretched to the limit.'

"Those have to be our priority, Dinah."

"I know, don't mind me," she replied. "I was planning on a nice quiet day to pick out my wedding dress, so much for that idea. I hate this job!"

"Everyone thinks you're doing great, Dinah," Mr. Terrific said with a smile. "I hear there's a movement underway to vote you chairwoman for another year."

"Absolutely not!"

"The members seemed pretty sure about it."

"You'd better be joking, Mr. Terrific. I can't take these crazy people for another year."

"Just trying to lighten the mood."

Gotham

Batman struggled to fight off another group of Parademons. They had knocked his plane out of the sky and now he was barely holding his own. As another wave came at him, suddenly an energy burst took them all out. Batman turned to see Talia dressed for battle with a pulse rifle in her hand.

"Was that a surprised look I saw, beloved? I'm not just a pretty face, you know," Talia said.

"Where did you get that weapon? That's from Apokolips," Batman replied.

"I'm the head of LuthorCorp, remember? I made it a point to find out where everything was going. Oh, by the way, I brought some recruits with me."

Batman turned to see an army of villains waiting. Gorilla Grodd stepped forward.

"It seems we have a common enemy, Batman. Perhaps this one time we might pool our resources," he said.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Me love flying insect men," Bizarro offered. Gorilla Grodd looked at him for a moment and then shook his huge head.

"And you wonder why I have such distain for humans."

"It's our planet too, Batman," Giganta offered.

"Yeah, we have a stake in this!" Atomic Skull added.

"Grundy smash!"

"And another Mensa member is heard from," Grodd groaned. "Look, detective, your lady friend brought us all here. She said you'd be the one to talk to. What's it going to be, Batman?"

"Necessity makes strange bedfellows, beloved," Talia said softly.

"All right, but you'll be working with League members as a team," Batman replied. "Is that clear?"

"Could I not be on the same team with Zatanna," Toyman spoke up. "Her and I have some issues."

Batman gave him a look before tapping his communicator.

"Dinah, Mr. Terrific, I've got some more help down here. I need you to teleport them to where members are already fighting."

"Am I reading this right, Batman? Them? You want to use them?" Dinah's voice came over the comm.

"We need all the help we can get. Just inform the members that for now, they're on our side."

"And could you not put me anywhere near Zatanna," Toyman said again. "We really don't get along that well."

"Big man doesn't talk enough," Bizarro said to Toyman.

"Please, just transport me anywhere," Grodd moaned. "I feel like I'm losing brain cells by the second with this group."

"Initiating transport," Mr. Terrific said. One by one the villains disappeared. Another Parademon carrier was moving towards them. Bruce turned to Talia.

"It isn't safe for you here," he began, but she cut him off.

"My place is at your side, beloved, for now."

"All right, let's do this."

New York

Diana waded through wave after wave of Parademons. Using her lasso, she ensnared one of the gun ships and used it as a battering ram against the others. A blast from one of the other ships sent her flying.

"All hands on deck! Prepare to take on boarders!" A small voice shouted. Diana felt herself being caught by a net of some sort. As she got herself under control, she looked up to see Toyman standing on at the helm of a flying clipper ship.

"We saved the fair damsel, my crew!" He laughed, as his toy soldiers moved about the deck.

"What the hell,' Diana said in confusion.

"He's on our side, Diana," Dinah's voice came over the communicator. "We need all the help we can get and the villains volunteered. We're pairing them up with League members."

"And I get Toyman?"

"Someone had to."

"Thanks."

Toyman had heard the whole exchange.

'What is it with your superbabes? Are you prejudice against the little man or something, honey," he asked.

"Excuse me? What did you call me," Diana shouted.

"Uh-oh," Toyman groaned. "Hey! Incoming!"

Diana turned to see another squadron of Parademons coming towards them.

"We'll discuss this later,' she said to Toyman and then launched herself off the deck.

"Looking forward to it," Toyman called after her. He shook his head and wondered aloud.

"Why couldn't I be teamed up with Plastic Man? At least he's got a sense of humor."

Washington

The magma-tapper was working at full capacity, as Shayera and Atomic Skull fought their way through the Parademons.

"We need to disable that tapper as quickly as possible,' she shouted.

"I'm on it," Skull said, firing a blast at the weapon. Far from destroying it, his blast only brought more demons to them.

"Cover me," Shayera said, bashing her way through the onslaught. Skull fired volley after volley, trying to clear a path for her. One of the Parademons saw her and realized her target. It threw a spear directly at her back. A large grey hand reached out at the last second and caught it. Shayera turned to see Grundy standing beside her.

"Puny cowards attack bird-nose from behind. Grundy smash."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Shayera replied. Turning her attention back to the tapper she hauled off and hit the main junction with her mace. A chain reaction started.

"Run! It's going to blow!"

Grundy battered his way through the demons, with Shayera right behind him. Atomic Skull blasted a trench and the three jumped in just as the tapper exploded.

Undisclosed Location

Lex and Eiling stood watching it all. Amanda Waller worked the phones, trying to get authorization to release the beast, but was having no luck. In frustration she slammed the phone down and turned towards them.

"You bastards! All hell is breaking loose out there and you just stand there watching it! Even some of the worst villains are pitching in to help with this invasion!"

"Misguided fools," Lex mused.

"Are they, Lex,' she asked. "You pitched this idea as saving the world, but from where I'm standing you're doing nothing."

Lex finally turned to look at her. His usual superior look riled her more than ever.

"Your limited understanding surprises me, Ms. Waller. The plan is perfect in every detail. We knew this day would come and have made all the preparations. The Parademons are solving the first part of our problem, those damn heroes. When the time is right, the monster will solve the second part, Darkseid. I've calculated every possibility, the plan is perfect."

"And what about all those civilians dying while you wait, Lex," she asked.

"Martyrs to the cause of having an Earth for humans again," he replied.

"Collateral damage is expected in every war, Ms. Waller, surely you understand that," Eiling added.

"Collateral damage, martyrs, how easily those words roll off your tongues. Innocent people are dying out there, damn it! If this is the price we have to pay to get rid of the heroes, it's too high! Release the beast and let's save the planet," she screamed.

"All in good time," Eiling replied. "We need to wipe out those freaks once and for all. Sacrifices have to be made!"

"First they were Martyrs, then Collateral damage, now they're sacrifices," Waller offered. "Cannon fodder is what they are for sick bastards like you."

"Very eloquent, Ms. Waller," Lex said with a smile. "Under that hard exterior I think you have the soul of a poet. Take heart, the time is almost at hand. There is a large ship approaching on long distant sensors. That will be Darkseid's ship. So you see, you'll be getting your wish very soon."

Vegas

Wally, Deadshot and Killer Frost battled the Parademons on the Strip. Mr. Terrific had informed Wally of the magma-tapper and they were working their way towards it.

"So do you have a plan hero, or we're you just making it up as you go," Deadshot asked.

"There's no reason to be snotty. We're on the same team, remember?"

"Well, come up with something quick," Deadshot replied. "More and more of these things are arriving every minute."

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking,' Wally said.

"Why don't I just freeze the whole dame thing,' Killer Frost offered.

"What the hell is that going to accomplish," Deadshot asked.

"Well, I don't see you offering any ideas," she fired back.

"How about we get the hell out of here, killing as many of them as we can."

"No!' Wally shouted. "We have to stop that tapper! Frost, how cold can you make it?"

'As cold as you want," she replied, firing another blast as the advancing demons.

"Do it,' Wally shouted. He was a blur, moving all over the battlefield, taking out row after row of Parademons. Killer Frost moved into position. Deadshot gave her all the cover he could. She hit the tapper with full power, freezing the whole machine. It didn't stop it.

"Now what?"

"If it's that cold, it should be brittle," Wally said. "I'm going to make it even more so. I'm going to set the whole thing vibrating and then when I give the signal, Deadshot you hit it right in its most vulnerable spot."

"Where's that?"

"Figure it out! Isn't that your talent?"

Before he could answer, Wally was off blindingly fast. He began to vibrate the machine, moving faster and faster, putting more stress on the tapper with each moment.

"Now!"

Deadshot took aim and fired off a single round. The bullet pierced the machine. Everything seemed to stop for a moment.

"Run!" Wally shouted, grabbing Frost and heading away from the tapper. It started as a small crack, but grew and grew. Suddenly the tapper burst apart, sending ice-covered shrapnel everywhere. Deadshot was right in the line of fire. There was no way he could escape and then a blur came towards him. In the blink of an eye he was miles away, safe.

Metropolis

Lantern, Steel and Bizarro fought desperately. The concentration of Parademons seemed especially thick here. Jonn teleported in to assist them, bringing Silver Banshee and Grodd with him. More ships arrived and hovered over the city.

"Something's happening," Grodd immediately said. "Those ships aren't attacking."

"It's almost like they're waiting for something," Jonn offered.

The clouds parted and the flagship of the fleet descended. It hovered for a moment above the Daily Planet building before an opening appeared. A blinding light came out and then a figure emerged. The figure slowly descended. Parademons rushed to flank the arriving figure.

Darkseid landed on the rooftop and surveyed the city.

"Kal-El's home,' he mused. "A fitting place to watch his world die."

Undisclosed Location

Lex watched all of this on the monitor. A sense of excitement filled him. With a huge grin he turned and looked at Amanda Waller.

"It's time," he said. "You get your wish, we'll release the monster now."

He headed for the door with Eiling and Waller right behind him. His pace quicken with each step as dreams of conquest and the ultimate victory danced in his head. Punching the code in, the huge doors slowly began to open.

The lights were dim as Lex walked towards the restrained figure.

"Your time has come, my friend," he said.

"Release me," the monster replied. It's voice was a low rumble.

"All in good time. I thought you'd like to know that Darkseid is here.'

"Darkseid," the beast repeated. "Where is Darkseid?"

'He's waiting for you, Doomsday," Lex replied.

"Good. Send me to him so I may kill the God," Doomsday said.

"May plans exactly. Oh, and I'm coming with you," Lex offered.

"I care nothing for you, only Darkseid."

"Your wish is my command," Lex said and then hit a series of controls. Doomsday and Lex began to fade as they were transported out of the facility.

When they were gone, Eiling and Waller moved quickly back to the monitoring room.

"Now Ms. Waller, you will see just how well we have planned for this," Eiling offered.

"I pray you're right, General, otherwise there's nothing to stop Darkseid,' she replied.