Kara moaned, her back lay flat against a cold metal table. Copper tastes and smells surrounded her face and filled her mouth, as a scab formed around her bloodied lip.
Her vision came back to her slowly and blurry. She took a look up at the ceiling right above her, a bright red light in her eyes. She tried to move her hands to cover her face, but they would not move as leather straps and their metal buckle tousled on her wrists as she tried to rip them from the table.
She turned her head left and right frantically, heart pounding out of her chest. She stopped and looked to her right, to see Conner lying asleep on a table beside her.
"You're Kryptonian, the one The Light was searching for?" A voice, similar to Conner's, but older and wiser echoed from her left.
Kara turned her head to the left where his voice came and sighed. She hadn't seen him in years, he was a baby. Jettisoned into space.
"Kal," She whispered with tears in her eyes.
"You know me?" Superman asked, he lied on the table beside hers, strapped down and covered in red lights.
"I'm Kara," She said with a sigh, "Kara Zor El, your-"
"My older cousin?" Clark asked with skepticism.
"Well we are dealing with Professor Zoom here, I'd take that as an explanation," Kara said, Clark nodded.
"Thawne, he kidnapped you from the past," Kal El said, "Using you to use the Holy Spear."
The sound of a metal door creaking open interrupted their conversation. Footsteps rang in Kara's ears, she could not see where they were coming from, as the door stood behind her head, out of her line of sight.
Thawne clicked his tongue and laughed. Clapping his hands slowly at the sight of the three Kyptonians laying on tables at his mercy.
"Zoom!" Clark boomed, "Why are you here?"
"Isn't it obvious, it's time." Zoom sneered.
"Time for what?" Kara asked, her voice starting to be frail.
"To make an example of you, to show the heroes who escaped that they will suffer." Zoom said with a smirk and a cackle.
Burnside, New Jersey
November 23, 2019
10:58 PM
Wally walked through the streets of Burnside, a smaller city a few miles from Gotham. The streets were littered with corpses and trash. Few people walked the streets alongside him, and around him.
They were nothing more than mere zombies, walking home to their tombs that used to be their lively apartments and houses. Children walked with their heads down, not playing in the puddles or snow.
The sight of all this made Wally's stomach turn, and his blood run cold. How could Thawne accomplish this? How could he let the madman do this?
Wally sighed as he reached a building on Greenway Ave and 55th St. A small apartment building with a rusted gate closing off its lobby. He vibrated his hand discreetly through the key lock and opened the gate.
Wally walked through into the dimly lit hallway and to the staircase.
Upstairs, on the third floor an apartment with a dim blue light coming from under the door caught the man's eye. Wally walked to it, knowing this was the place that Spectre wanted him to find.
He kicked down the door and put his mask on. He walked in with his hands up as six figures all aimed their weapons at his chest, and a seventh hid a computer under the couch.
Wally reached to his right and switched on a light. Walked in further and closed the door behind him.
"Oh my god," Artemis choked, she threw her bow and arrow down to the floor and ran to Wally smashing into him and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Wally closed his eyes and smiled with a small laugh.
"Hey, I'm not dead." He sighed.
Artemis let go of him and stumbled back, she caressed his cheek, now covered in stubble and scabs.
"Wally?" Dick muttered, his batons clanged on the ground as the former boy wonder dropped to his knees.
"Arrowette, Cyborg stand down," Garfield shouted, running over to Dick to help him up, all the while staring at Wally.
Cissie put her arrow back into her quiver and lowered her bow, collapsing it onto her hip. Vic transformed his arm back into a hand from Ion Cannon mode and put it to his side.
"How are you alive?" Robin asked, lowering his arm and putting his birdarangs back into his utility belt.
Wally sighed, he gave Artemis a slow kiss on the forehead and then slowly made his way to Dick, Cis, Tim and the others.
"It's a long story."
Sometime later Wally sat on the greasy yellow couch with Artemis and Dick on his sides, Tim, Gar, Cis and Vic sitting in front of them.
Will stood by the window watching the ground below, he took glances at Wally and Artemis and sighed. He barely listened to Wally's story, more concerned whether Wally was tracked or not. He also looked over at a small bed where Lian lay fast asleep through the whole ordeal.
"What now," Tim asked, "I'm glad you're back and all, but there are only eight of us, and if we go to Apokolips, Will's gonna have to stay here."
"Tim, we aren't going to have to go to Apokolips," Vic said, his eye glowed orange and a hologram of a livestream appeared before all of them, catching even Will's attention.
It showed The Light. Vandal Savage, Lex Luthor, Queen Bee, Ultra Humanite, Deathstroke, Ra's Al Ghul, Klarion, Bad Samaritan and Zoom all standing over a large cage.
A cage that held the seven founders of the Justice League. Behind them was a screen, split into six. Showing six cells. All holding members of The Team, The Outsiders and League.
"Vic where are they," Artemis asked.
"Washington D.C." Victor said.
Wally and Dick exchanged glances between themselves Artemis and Will.
"It's an execution," Will said, "And they're going to start with Bats, Supes and Wonder Woman."
Washington DC
November 23, 2019
11:02
Vandal Savage stood beyond the crowd of thousands of people, cowering and begging for their heroes to fight back. No one dared to make a move on The Light.
Bright, blue, red and green lights flared behind The Light as each of them stood tall and triumphant. The only heroes left were mere sidekicks, losers and wannabes.
Nothing.
Not a sound other than Vandal's voice echoed for nearly a mile. Only his voice boomed and declared the Justice League to be no more than false gods, and messiahs.
"You all really worshiped Superman," Vandal snarled into the crowds, "He is no more than a man, no more you and no more than me. That's why he dies!"
In the cage below Blackfire, radiating redlight grabbed Clark by the arm and dragged him out. He brushed her off of himself violently.
"Little miss, you are making a mistake," Superman muttered with a cold glare.
"Onto the podium," Komand'r sneered, shoving the Man of Steel onto the ground, onto a metal platform that rose up to Vandal's level.
Savage peered down at Superman at his feet. Clark mumbled something under his breath and stood up. Eye to eye with Vandal Savage. Their gazes deep and locked into each other's with fire and ice. A hot sensation of rage and a cold resentment.
"No, not him," Vandal laughed with a smirk, "Not yet he should be last of all of these 'heroes' watching as his empire crumbles and bleeds before him."
With that the platform Superman stood on lowered back to ground floor and he walked himself back into the cage. He stood with his arms in front of his waist in shackles as the gate slammed in front of his face, no flinching even a micrometer.
On the other side of that same cage Batman sat, alone and away from the others. His gaze lay on Talon and Red Hood, the two stood together with Terminator and Tharrok.
"What are you looking at," Jason snarled, walking over to Bruce, glaring at him through the plasma bars that flickered blue light onto their faces.
"At you Jason," Bruce sighed, "What are you doing here."
"What does it look like, I'm winning." Jason laughed.
Bruce shook his head, he snickered under his breath and then looked down to his feet.
"What's so funny?" Jason asked, suddenly nervous.
"Nothing," Batman said, "It's what's sad, you and Damian, what the hell are the two of you doing here?"
Damian walked over to make sure that Jason was fine. He avoided Bruce's gaze, as to never let himself lay eyes on his father. As to never let himself be what Jason was.
"Damian, what's your birthday," Bruce asked.
Damian looked down to his feet and sighed.
"He doesn't have one," Jason sneered.
"Didn't think so," Bruce mused, "Kind of hard to celebrate a birthday when in reality you are only three years old."
"What's your point?" Jason snarled.
"That Damian, a boy made from my DNA and Talia's in a lab to be the perfect weapon against the Justice League, almost reminds me of Superboy, that you like him, Damian, The Light, Talia and Ra's they don't see you as a boy."
Damian turned away and signaled to Deathstroke. Slade sent Terminator and Persuaded to take Batman.
"Damian, you are a real boy," Bruce said, just as Terminator opened the cage in front of him and grabbed The Dark Knight by the bicep.
"You might've been grown in a lab, maybe you're a clone, maybe not, but you are alive, don't forget that. You are real, and real people choose their destiny."
"Shut up!" Grant shouted, clicking a button, activating the collar around Batman's neck, sending volts of electricity through Bruce's body.
Damian watched as Persuader and Terminator dragged the Caped Crusader to the platform and stood, holding one of his arms each as it raised up to Vandal's level.
"Batman!" Vandal Savage cackled, "Too bad I'm robbing the Joker this pleasure, but it's too good an opportunity to pass up."
Persuader handed Vandal his axe and Vandal caressed the weapon in his hand for a moment, smiling as the crowd gasped and screamed. He raised it high above his head, and glared down at Batman who had his head turned and eyes burning through Vandal's very soul.
"Stop!" A voice shouted. Vandal put the axe at his side and looked off into the crowd, then at a shadow, becoming smaller as a familiar shape lowered into view.
He smirked. The Supercycle landed in front of the crowd. Wally, Dick, Will and Artemis all climbed out of it and ran to the front.
Artemis and Will both pulled out their bows and aimed at Savage. Wally and Dick stood between them, shoulder to shoulder glaring at the man who nearly struck down The Dark Knight.
"Nightwing, glad you Tigress, Red Arrow and Flash could join us!" Vandal's voice was low and cold. He forced his eyes to meet Nightwing's with a twisted smile.
Dick and Wally exchanged glances and then turned their glares to Vandal Savage who smiled at them as he held the axe blade to Batman's neck.
In the sewers below Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Arrowette ran through mucky, grey water, splashing the walls with brown and yellow as Vic led the way with a holomap of the sewer system.
The Team and League were down here, and they'd find them. Vic came to a stop at a threeway tunnel and Robin rammed into his back, falling onto his back with a grunt, and a disgusted moan as his hand touched something squishy.
Tim sighed and clammered to his feet, shaking his hand and then wiping it on his cape. Why'd he change to fingerless gloves, he thought his days of running through sewers was over when he joined The Outsiders, that's why.
Garfield chuckled under his breath at Tim's dismay and then glanced at the holomap.
"Which way?" Gar asked. He turned his head to watch the back of the tunnel. Cissie already had that idea, her bow and arrow drawn ready to aim and shoot if anything came at them from behind.
"Left," Victor said, transforming his right arm into his sonic cannon and leaving his left one displaying the map. He ran for the tunnel on the left and the others followed behind.
They came to a subway station, seven rail cars were lined up with several members of Onslaught, HIVE and The League of Shadows guarding them. Before they made their presence known Robin planted a small device on the ground behind them.
He activated it and every signal was jammed, no back up for these clowns. But also no back up for the Outsiders.
Beast Boy and Cyborg charged first, ramming into six ninja, knocking the warriors to their feet. Garfield transformed into a wolf and howled at a circular light above him.
Devastation growled at the sight of the pair, she tapped her comlink and requested back up only to get static in return.
"Dammit, Junior, Holacuast kill them!" She shouted.
Junior laughed as his arms became frozen sword of crystal ice. He charged for Beast Boy who morphed into a small house cat, making Junior miss and fumble around on his feet.
Gar them morphed into a tiger and growled, opening his jaws and clamping them down on Junior's calf.
Vic parried around the fire, he ducked under a trail of flame and heat coming from Holacaust. He barrel rolled to a trash can and ducked behind it, he stood up and fired his sonic cannon.
The jovial laughter of the boy wonder rattled across the roof as Robin jumped from beam to beam, and swung between them as Black Spider tried to reach him.
Tim landed on the roof of a train car and pulled out two bladed disks, one for each hand. He threw them at Black Spider's webs as the assassin swung to him, crossing his arms over his chest Robin black flipped off of the car and onto the rails next to it.
He ran on the tracks and then slid on the gravel and concrete under a passenger car and came back up at the station and leaped up onto the platform, while kicking Deadshot square in the face.
Lawton fumbled backwards and fired his forearm gun at the ground, hoping to his Robin's feet, missing all five rounds.
Devastation turned her attention to try and help Deadshot and Spider with the boy wonder, she was cut off by an arrow landing at her feet and exploding. She turned to where it came from and glared at Arrowette who stood before her bow drawn with a newly reloaded arrow.
"Really?" Devastation chuckled, "Well I could use the work out."
Cissie smirked and shot her arrow at Devastation's shoulder, stabbing into her but not doing anything to make the titan of a woman even flinch. Arrowette then flipped a switch on her belt and a large pipe with an arrow in it fell from the roof.
The two Quantum Arrows then pulled Devastation and the large pipe together, crashing the two into each other.
Vic and Gar plowed through Junior and Holacaust and came up to a control panel.
"The collars?" Gar asked.
Vic nodded, a connector ejected from his wrist and he put it into the computer. He twisted it around and the panel's lights all turned off.
On the street above the staring match was at its end. Savage rose the axe above his head and went to swing it down.
Time seemed to slow, everything happened all at once. As the axe lowered to Batman's head, Jason and Damian watched and exchanged glances. Jason turned on his heel, pulling his katana's from his back and slashing Grant in the eye.
Damian pulled his shoto off his hip and threw it at Vandal's arm, cutting through Savage's forearm, making the man drop the axe in pain and rip the sword out.
Batman stood up, and before Savage could kill him he rammed his head into Savage's and decked Lex Luthour across the jaw. He jumped over Luthour's body and kicked at Ra's who caught the Bat's leg and threw it to the ground.
Under them, the cage seemed to rattle and shake, and out burst Wonder Woman, Flash and Superman, followed by Aquaman, and Green Lantern.
Under the streets Devastation rose her hands above her head to smash Arrowette into paste. A streak of red and yellow moved Cissie out of the way. Confused Devastation looked up at Kid Flash who smirked at her and waved his arms in circular motions, the wind from Brat pushed Devastation back.
She couldn't react, a hand grabbed her hair and leaped up through the station and on to the street next to Nightwing. Superboy threw Devastation at Zoom and Ultra Humanite, missing Zoom.
Kon landed between Wally and Dick and glared up at Savage.
"I think I hate being strapped to a table more than shoved in a pod." Conner snarled.
"I thought you'd say something about hating monkeys, since you just took down Humanite," Wally chuckled, Conner jolted and his face turned white.
"W- Wally?" He muttered in disbelief.
"Anyways, Zoom's on the move Supey, I gotta run," Wally saluted to Conner and ran off at Zoom.
Dick laughed and slapped Conner on the shoulder.
"I know," He chuckled. "Time travel is weird!"
