A Better World Pt. 1
Chapter 42
The world was in shock of what happened… Luthor, the President… Just killed the hero Flash… On live television… In front of his best friend…
Their screams were ringing in their ears, as the doubled over figure was in tears, cursing the man for what he had done.
Oh if only the world knew what to come after this… This was just the beginning of the downward spiral they were about to experience. And it all started with those screams of anguish…
Superman stood in front of the president's window, the desk behind him smoking still.
Batman and Diana looked in horror at first.
"Oh, Hera…" Diana breathed.
"Well… It had to be done." Batman said weakly.
Diana walked up to Superman and rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Diana asked him.
He was silent at first, but then he turned and smirked. "I'm great…"
Superman walked into the small room in the Tower, they were curled up in a blanket, covered head to toe. He rubbed his neck and walked up to them and sat on the bed.
The small figure curled up tighter, but said nothing.
"I know you don't wanna see anyone… But I thought you should know… I got him today… I made sure he would never hurt anyone again…" He looked to the bundle of blankets.
They peaked out a bit and stared at him.
"He's gone… I had to use… some deadly force… But we can start over… Everything can change for the better…" Superman said softly.
The bundle slowly sat up, still wrapped up and pressed their head to his shoulder, as if to tell him it was okay.
"I'm glad you weren't there for it… And I miss him too…But he wouldn't want you to be like this… We'll make sure this never happens again to anyone else…" Superman tells them softly.
The figure nodded, but rather than jump to work, they slowly laid back down.
"Take your time… Don't worry, there will be plenty to do when you're ready." He encouraged.
2 YEARS LATER
J'onn was going over the consoles, the workers reporting everything that was going around the world, after Luther's death, they started working on getting the world under their control, even the governments weren't able to fight them in fear they would be burned down.
A figure walked up to J'onn, dressed in a silver suit with a solid silver face cover.
"Glad to see you today, you look better." J'onn said to them.
They only nodded and looked to the screens.
"Nothing so far, just a weather delay on the report and everyone has been evacuated to safety. It's been quite for a little while." J'onn said, sounding a little disappointed.
"Sector 31, civil disturbance." They hear suddenly.
The silver figure jumped down quickly and ran up to the man who called out. The man looked nervous at the person who ran his way.
"What's going on?" Lantern and Hawkgirl landed next to J'onn as the figure was already looking at the man's screen studying the situation.
"Just a small protest at the college." J'onn tells them.
The silver figure looked up to their friends, nodded and started their way to a Javelin to start their way to earth.
"We're on it then." Hawkgirl said to J'onn, she and Lantern taking off after their young friend.
"There is no need, the police are handling it." J'onn tells all of them.
The figure froze and turned to J'onn, the look they gave him sent a small chill down the Martian's back.
"It only takes on spark to start a fire." Lantern stepped up quickly.
J'onn sighed softly, but nodded. "All right, if you want to go so badly, be my guest."
The silver figure nodded. "As long as you're going down there… Please try to get Batman out of that cave of his. Even I find it depressing…" J'onn calls to them.
They stop again, look back, nod J'onn's direction and then took off in a jog to the ship to get it started.
At Smallville University the police were trying to control the crowd as they were getting louder and proving they weren't going to back down so easily.
One student showed no fear as he marched in front of them, starting a chant in front of their faces. They were grossly outnumbered, but they stood their ground as well as they possibly could.
It was never clear to the people who started it, but the police were recorded shoving the student first, as he picked himself back up, the people behind him started to shout and throw a mixture of food and rocks at the police as they held up their shields.
The silver figure was crouched at the top of the building behind the police, the glared down at the group of protesters and clenched their fists. The crowd took notice sure, but they didn't start to feel scared until Green Lantern and Hawkgirl landed behind him, looking just as serious and scary as ever.
They quickly broke up the protest and made a run for it. Those who lagged behind were caught by the police and cuffed.
The silver figure sat at the edge of the building and sagged a bit.
"What's wrong? This was a good day, no fighting and the police actually caught a few of them." Lantern said to the Silver figure.
They only shrugged and Hawkgirl spoke up what was very well on his mind.
"Remember when everyone liked us?" She asked Lantern.
"Since when does that matter?" Lantern raised his brow her direction.
Hawkgirl crossed her arms over her chest and looked a little sad, "Since I started to see the fear in everyone's faces."
"You want to talk about fear?" Lantern scowled back at her, the Silver figure looked up to their friend curiously.
"When I was a kid, I went to bed every night scared that the whole world was gonna blow up. That's the way things were back then, and folks just accepted it. They didn't think there could BE a better way. But WE found one." Lantern said.
The figure stood up and patted his shoulder, offering a silent apology.
"Do you sleep better now?" Hawkgirl asked him.
"You know I do." He smiled darkly.
The Silver figure was in awe at the images in front of him, it was like going back in time.
Batman was showing him the past… That was going on NOW…
"We're looking at another dimension. LIVE." Batman tells all of them.
"It's just like ours…" Diana breathed in shock.
"Almost…" Batman said quickly.
"Their Flash is still alive…"
"So's their Luthor." Superman narrowed his eyes at the image of his old enemy.
"There's something else, they don't call themselves the Justice Lords, they're the Justice LEAGUE." Batman looks to the group.
"There's one more thing…" A weak voice spoke up, startling everyone.
The Silver figure let their mask of nanites melt off his face, revealing a young man. He looked at the screen as a young woman ran on the screen with a golden staff and was defending herself.
"They don't have me… They have my older sister… Tala Oakland…" The young man said.
"Andrew… Are you sure-" J'onn started.
"SHE'S MY SISTER. I KNOW WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE." He said loudly, but his eyes never leaving the screen as Flash and his sister stood together and smiled at one another.
"She… She must have been sent to your world instead of me…" Andrew said weakly.
Everyone was quite for a moment, allowing their young friend to see the familiar face of his best friend and family member he thought he would never see again after 2 years of being in their world.
"This can take us into that other dimension?" Lantern asked Batman in awe as they were now looking at a portal that Batman designed up in the back of his cave.
Andrew's eyes were wide, and for the first time in a long time he looked so hopeful. His friend… His sister… He could see them after SO long…
"If we decide to use it." Batman said looking to Andrew mostly.
"Why wouldn't we?" Hawkgirl asked him seriously.
"You're talking about helping them. But would they accept it? OUR kind of help?" Batman said warningly.
"And Andrew's sister, she's part of their team. Would she allow us to help?" Batman said.
"She's like me in this world right? She'll understand… I mean… It will take a little time and we'll have to ease her into it, but she'll see the bigger picture like I did…" Andrew said looking to everyone.
"Andrew, she's not YOUR sister… just remember that." J'onn said to keep his friend from getting his hopes too high.
"I know! I know… But… I haven't seen my family in 2 years guys… She'll be the closest thing to the family I have for a while you know… I just… After what happened to Flash, I don't want her to get hurt either… And clearly she's like me…" Andrew gave a small smile and looked to the screen showing the team talking together and Tala smiling widely with Flash.
"She'll rush head first into trouble… I don't want her to be hurt like I was…" Andrew rubbed his arm nervously. His nanite suit kept him from irritating his skin, he used to scratch his arm roughly when he got really nervous.
They all looked at one another and Superman looked to the screen, watching the League working together to take down Luthor, the legal way.
"I say we take a delicate approach… We wait for Tala to leave the group and pull the League into a trap. Get them out of harm's way." He said.
"Really?" Andrew looked at Superman, a small smile on his face.
"We will take care of it all Andrew, make sure we get them safe. After that, we'll visit your sister and bring her here to see you." Superman smiled.
"What? Bring? I want to go-"
"I know you want to go, but remember, this world doesn't have a version of you there. It has your sister, you have to keep a low profile for now. As well, we'll need someone here to keep things in order while we're in their world cleaning it up." Superman said.
"You think… You think I can keep everything under control?" Andrew asked him.
"I know you can kid. You're smart and strong. And we're only a call away. I promise, we'll make sure your sister is safe and sound, then we'll bring her here to safety."
Andrew thought it over a bit, but he looked up and smiled.
"Okay, you're right! I'll watch over everything here. Just be careful with her, she's got more of dad's hard head than I do." He joked.
Everyone was happy to see him perk up as he did, he had been quiet and reserved for so long. They missed seeing him smile and laugh.
"Alright… Let's start making a plan then… Andrew, you go ahead and get a head start on the reports around the world, dispatch the police as needed and keep notes from the President if he calls for us." Superman said.
"Yes sir, I'll do my best!" Andrew took off out of the cave.
"You sure we'll be able to get them to fall for anything?" Lantern asked once their young friend was out of ear shot.
"With the right story? Yes. Batman, for now monitor them, find a moment Tala isn't with them. I have something in mind to trap them. Once we have them under control, Batman, you still have those cells open?" Superman looked to him.
"Empty and waiting." Batman nodded.
"Then this will go smoothly." Superman smirked.
SURPRISE EVERYONE!
I know this is a shorty, but I have the next chapter ready to make up for it!
I hope the surprise threw everyone for a loop! I can't tell you how many times I had to do this chapter over in my head because I couldn't figure out how to plot it all out. But then… I was stuck with this golden nugget and I rolled with it! And BOI did I have to do some SERIOUS changing and rewriting for this idea...
More to come in the next chapter! I can't leave yal on such a hanger, that would be cruel!
You know the drill! If you see something wrong, let me know and I'll fix it as soon as I can! Comment if you liked the chapter and surprise! I love hearing from you all!
Like I said I'll make up for the shortness with the next chapter!
Peace!
~*~Katie Gibbs~*~