(FLASHBACK, back at Chapter 5, part 4, at New York)
After destroying the Dark Heart, Ben and the Atom was fine, though they greatly desired a shower. The other members of the League were quick to congratulate and thank him after he told them what happened; after all, by destroying the Dark Heart, Ben and Atom saved all their lives as well.
As the Justice League and the Titans recovered from their injuries, and Ben turned into Diamondhead, the Army arrived and began removing the dead robots and the Dark Heart itself. The process was overseen by General Eiling. Then Superman approached him.
Superman: I don't suppose you need any help destroying that. Wouldn't want that technology falling into the wrong hands.
General Eiling: We could learn a lot from this. It almost beat the Justice League, after all.
Wonder Woman: (while her arms folded over her chest) Why would you need something to do that, General?
General Eiling: Oh, I don't know, maybe because it turns out that the Justice League are nothing more but an army of super-powered beings thinking they're far superior than us. And we're going to be talking about that soon, believe me. (then he saluted) Ma'am...
Then he got onto a helicopter and left, just as the Justice League was gathering together.
Atom: Amazing, show him weapon that destroys everything it sees, and he wants to play with it. (he turned to Superman) What's to stop history from repeating itself right here on Earth?
Superman: (gave Atom a determined look) We are...
The Watchtower, NOW, a month later after Supergirl's dream incident.
Ben and Supergirl had been planning on celebrating their first year together as a couple, when they received an emergency summons to the Watchtower; the life of a superhero was full of sacrifices, it seemed.
Couple of the League members are also having relationships other than Ben and Supergirl, such as Green Arrow and Black Canary, Superman and Lois Lane, Flash and Iris West, Aquaman and Mera, and even Question, the faceless detective, is having his interest with Huntrerss, despite she got kicked out of the Justice League after she attempt to murder her parent's murderer. But instead her parent's murderer, Mandragora, was locked away to custody.
Most of the League was on the island of San Baquero, helping to evacuate the populace from an erupting volcano; due to the electromagnetic energy being cast off from the eruption, communications were spotty, at best, and the teleporters couldn't get a lock anywhere near the island.
Thankfully, Ben had a solution, at least for the first problem; the communicator in his Ultimatrix didn't rely on the League's communication's technology, and was unaffected by the volcano's interference thanks to its alien design. The other members of the League could use the Ultimatrix to bounce their signals to each other. Still, in order to be used as a relay effectively for the others, Ben had to remain on the Watchtower. Wonder Woman pointed out that one more hero on the ground wouldn't be as useful as someone who could help everyone at once.
At the Watchtower, the founding members of the Justice League, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, Cyborg, and Martian Manhunter, have been gather on meeting in a private meeting room after Batman met Amanda Waller, the head of the Project Cadmus, at her home earlier, then tell the rest of the League what have he learned. The founding members have invited Ben at the meeting room.
The worse news is that Luthor is elected to become President of the United States of America.
Flash: How long is this going to take? I thought we had an island to evacuate?
Wonder Woman: The first teams are already down there, and we'll join them as soon as we're done here. (then she turned to Batman) So tell us, what did you learn?
Batman: Project Cadmus is in the business of developing weapons, specifically to fight us.
Ben: I could have told you that after the incident with the Supergirl clone. Who else would have done it? I mean, they were capable of creating the Ultimen, why not a Kryptonian clone?
Cyborg: This isn't the first they've created a Kryptonian clone. Remember Superboy, Connor Kent?
J'onn: They're worried we've grown too powerful, and they want to even the odds.
Flash: That's crazy! We'd never try to take over like that!
Batman: Remember the time when the Crime Syndicate came to our Earth and try to invade it? If they can do it why couldn't we? We have more than eight times the numbers as them; we could take over the world in a weekend.
Couple of years ago, the Justice League was consisting into small group of heroes which are: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, Cyborg, and Martian Manhunter. The Crime Syndicate, known as the Justice League evil counter parts from another dimension, did tricked the Justice League, imprisoned them and tried to conquer their world. But the Justice League fought back and defeated the Crime Syndicate.
Superman: I've seen the Federal budget, and there's no funding for a "Project Cadmus". Where's the money coming from?
Aquaman: We're all thinking the same thing...
Hal Jordan: Luthor.
Batman: The obvious suspect, if he's bankrolling Cadmus, he's doing an excellent job of covering his tracks. I've got The Question looking into it and-
Everyone in the room groaned...
Flash: Not that kook!
Batman: I admit, he's wound a little too tightly...
Cyborg: But if there is a connection, you can bet that he can find it.
Batman: In the meantime, I'll be following the trail from Waller's end.
Superman stood up.
Superman: Alright guys, we've got work to do.
As the heroes filed out of the room, Wonder Woman caught Ben's arm.
Wonder Woman: Hey, Ben, can I talk to you?
Ben: Uh, sure Diana, what's up?
Wonder Woman: Well, I guess I want to apologize on behalf of all of us for a couple of things.
Ben: What do you have to apologize for?
Wonder Woman: Well, I know how you like to be in the thick of things, but-
Ben: (sighed) But I'm needed here the most right now. I may not like it, but I've made peace with that.
Wonder Woman: Also, I know that it's yours and Kara's anniversary as a couple-
Ben: And she and I both knew that we'd have to make sacrifices; it's part of the hero gig. I know it sucks, but we both know that we have to do the right thing.
Wonder Woman: (smiled) I just hope that we didn't interrupt any… "plans" that the two of you might have had for later.
Then Ben glared at her, even with his face turning red.
Ben: (blushed, thinking about Supergirl) Don't you have an island to evacuate?
Cadmus Headquarters
Amanda Waller holding her own "war council" with the leaders of each division in Cadmus, plus one employee that had issues to iron out. First was Professor Emile Hamilton, head of the science division, formerly the leading scientist for S.T.A.R. labs but now replaced by Dr. Silas Stone. Next was General Eiling, head of military applications and tactics. Finally, there was Dr. Milo, a scientist in the genetics department. He fell under Hamilton's supervision, but his recent actions, and subsequent failures, required a meeting with all of the Cadmus leaders.
Amanda Waller: How's our Kryptonians are doing?
Prof. Hamilton: Galatea will be fully recovered soon, and ready to return to active duty. While the Superboy clone is still need some... adjustments
Amanda Waller: Our Metahuman soldiers?
Prof. Hamilton: Still in the middle of their training.
Amanda Waller: And the Doomsday weapon?
Prof. Hamilton: Needs some adjustments.
Cadmus secretly kept a Kryptonian ship after General Zod and his followers invaded Earth years ago, but Superman send them to the Phantom Zone. Professor Hamilton have been using some of "another" Superboy's DNA and his own DNA to processly create "Doomsday", a monster from Krypton.
Then Waller switched her attention to the only soldier in the room.
Amanda Waller: General, how goes weapons development and training?
Eiling looked over his paperwork.
General Eiling: Most of our man-portable equipment should be able to handle all of the League's non-powered members, and some of the metahumans, but for some of the heavy hitters like the aliens and that shape-shifter, and the heavier stuff still has some radiation issues that need to be fixed; I'm not going to send troops out that are going to die before they even get a shot off.
Waller sighed, then turned to the final item on her agenda.
Amanda Waller: And Doctor Milo, splicing together human and animal DNA. How's that coming?"
Milo, a small man who clearly hadn't slept, shaved or showered in days, stood up as straight as he could.
Dr. Milo: I know what you're thinking, but my experiments are actually quite close to paying off. I just need a little more time and I promise, I'll have something concrete to show you.
Amanda Waller: Concrete? Like that super-powered warthog that tore up your lab last week? Professor Hamilton's already shown me the remains of your lab assistants; all twelve of them.
Dr. Milo: That... that was just an unfortunate accident, and accidents-
Amanda Waller: (raising her voice) An "unfortunate accident" might have one or two deaths, but your actions have now raised the death-toll in your department to sixty-four! It should never have even reached double-digits! Doctor, I am not known for my sense of humor, but I can see a sick joke when I'm "looking him in the face". In light of the lack of results and unnecessary deaths as a result of your work, I'm pulling your funding.
Milo's head shot up, his bloodshot eyes widening in shock and horror. Then Waller continued.
Amanda Waller: In accordance with the Technological Clearances Act, we'll set you up in a new, non-vital capacity and confiscate your research.
Waller allowed a grim smile to briefly grace her features.
Amanda Waller: Be lucky you're not being sent to prison or shot. Now, get out.
Milo slowly picked up his papers and marched out, his features solemn. However, in his mind, he was already plotting revenge.
It didn't take long for Milo to find the right room which have a Kryptonian ship; he'd had enough clearance to learn where all of the most dangerous weapons in Cadmus were located. None were more dangerous than Doomsday. The Kyptonian ship had Doomsday is in some of sort of an "egg pod", getting ready to be born to kill.
Milo approached the monster, confident in his plan; and perhaps his madness. He activates the computer to unleashed Doomsday, and programs him to be ruthless. But Doomsday has already been born to kill Kryptonians.
The Kryptonian ship has been activated, which allows Doomsday to be born. Doomsday got out from the "egg pod". Then Doomsday reached for Milo's face.
Dr. Milo: AAAAHHHH!
Doomsday stepped out of the room, just as several Cadmus soldiers arrived and opened fire on him; Doomsday goes on a rampage and kills the soldiers and flees Cadmus. Doomsday uses his super leap and finding Superman.
In Waller's office, a soldier rushed in, saluting Waller while a noise of alarms are on
Amanda Waller: What's going on? She asked over the noise of the alarms.
Soldier: Ma'am, Doomsday's escaped.
Waller's eyes widened in shock; who in the world would be crazy enough to… then it hit her.
Amanda Waller: (growled) Milo, I'll have his head for this.
Soldier: Doomsday beat you to it, ma'am.
Meanwhile, at the Watchtower
Thanks to the support of Ben's Ultimatrix, evacuation of the island was going smoothly; still, there were a lot of people to move, the League had only so many transports, and Ship could only hold so many people. The UN had offered to send help, but the people of San Baquero had been leery of contact with any mainland government for years. They'd only accepted the League's support when they'd run out of other options.
While the Ultimatrix was relaying signals, Ben could still use it to stay in contact with Supergirl. Curious what is his girlfriend doing on her space mission.
Ben: Hey, Kara, how's it coming?
Supergirl: (from Ultimatrix comm) I'm almost done from my space mission.
Ben: I forgot to ask, did you record the end of that show last night? I fell asleep before I could finish it.
Supergirl: (from Ultimatrix comm) You know that I fell asleep before you, Ben.
Ben: Oh, right. Now I remember.
Ever since Supergirl moved to Ben's apartment in New York, the two of them had become much bolder with each other, but only when they were alone, or when no one else could hear them; they felt that what they shared was between them only.
Ben: By the way, did you know that you sometimes levitate in your sleep, then fall back down? The impact knocks me off the bed.
Supergirl: (from Ultimatrix comm) You and I are having a serious talk when we get home.
Ben: And I would love to have that 'conversation' when we get there.
Supergirl: (from Ultimatrix comm) Oh, shut up, I'm almost at the island.
Ben's tone changed; he knew when to be lighthearted, and when to be serious.
Ben: Okay, be safe; I love you.
Supergirl: (from Ultimatrix comm) I will, and I love you, too.
San Baquero
At the island, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Aquaman are evacuating the civilians. Meanwhile, Superman was trying to buy time by creating tunnels in the volcano, diverting the lava to areas with nothing to damage; he'd been optimistic when he thought that he could possibly stop the impending eruption altogether.
He had just finished with one such tunnel, leading the lava into a large cavern in the volcano, and was preparing to leave, when an object crashed through the side of the volcano. Superman could see that the object was a rocket, and what stepped out of it was a monster. It walked towards him, seemingly immune to the lava pooling around its feet.
The monster was Doomsday, finally found Superman. Superman and Doomsday fought each other. Doomsday able to shoot a powerful heat vision towards Superman. But Superman quickly recovers and gives Doomsday a powerful uppercut.
But Doomsday quickly recovers and charged towards Superman again.
Cadmus Headquarters
General Eiling: GPS puts the stolen rocket smack-dab on San Baquero, Doomsday went right back after Superman. I love a well-conditioned soldier.
Amanda Waller: And what will your soldier do after he's killed Superman? We can't leave him loose; for all we know, he'll try to kill everyone on the planet! He has to be stopped before he leaves that island!
General Eiling: But how am I supposed to-
Amanda Waller: I don't care! Get it done!
After she left, Eiling picked up a phone and dialed a number. Without even waiting for someone to answer, he spoke.
General Eiling: This is Eiling; authorization: "Firewall".
Somewhere in the Atlantic, a submarine received orders, confirmation and coordinates. Then, they launched a nuclear missile; a nuclear missile laced with Kryptonite.
San Baquero
Wonder Woman flew down to one of the last transports, carrying an ambulance; they were close to 75% done. She reached for her comlink.
Wonder Woman: Superman, what's your status?
For a moment, Superman didn't respond.
Superman: (comm) Uh! Something's come up! Ah!
Wonder Woman had had plenty of experience as a warrior to know when someone was fighting, but she knew that Superman could handle it.
Superman was not handling it; Doomsday was strong, stronger than anything he'd ever fought before. The monster had reduced his costume to shreds, and he was covered in cuts and bruises. Every time he struck, Doomsday struck back harder.
He knocked the monster into the lava, and the fight went on.
Watchtower
Batman: (to J'onn and Ben) Another transport just landed on the mainland, they're almost done.
An alarm went off at the panel next to the Martian.
J'onn: I don't believe it, it's a nuclear missile, headed straight for San Baquero!
Batman and Ben rushed over.
J'onn: And from the spectrograph, its warhead is lined with Kryptonite!
Ben: Can we hit it from up here?
Ben and the other former Unisquad members knew that the Justice has a bionic-fusion canon, but only been used for a dire situation.
J'onn: No, it's moving too fast; but who fired it? (then J'onn turned to see Ben leaving) Where are you going?
Ben didn't even turn his head.
Ben: You guys figure out the who and why; if you can't stop it by the time I reach the Javelin bay, I'll take care of it myself.
J'onn: What about communications?
Ben: You heard Batman, they're practically mopping up; they know how to finish.
Batman watched him leave, then grabbed a phone.
Cadmus Headquarters
Waller was organizing some papers on her desk, when a phone rang; a certain phone that only one person knew the number to. She picked it up.
Amanda Waller: Yes, Mister President?
Batman: (from telephone) Call off the missile.
Amanda Waller: How did you get this num-
Batman: (from telephone) The missile heading for San Baquero!
Waller froze.
Batman: (from telephone) If anyone dies on that island today, I'm coming for you.
Waller regained her composure.
Amanda Waller: You do what you have to, and so will I.
She marched out the door and into the war room.
Amanda Waller: (roared) EILING!
Watchtower
Batman hung up the phone.
Batman: She didn't know.
J'onn: (using his comm to Ben) Captain Atom is on his way from Southern California.
Ben: (while running to the Javelin bay) His top speed is only mach two, he'll never make it in time!
He made it to the Javelin bay and rushed to one of the ships. He activated the Ultimatrix and transformed into Upgrade.
Upgrade wrapped himself around the Javelin, making it larger, faster and better. He sent an emergency release signal from the computer, and a hatch underneath the ship dropped him outside the Watchtower. He fired his Upgraded engines and rocketed towards San Baquero.
J'onn: (from the radio) Ben, you're coming in too fast; you won't survive reentry.
Upgrade: Obviously you don't know what I'm capable of. I should intercept the missile in two minutes.
Cadmus Headquarters
Amanda Waller: What were you thinking? You're going to kill Superman and everyone else on the island!
Eiling didn't look troubled.
General Eiling: We have to sanction Doomsday, we were going to get to Superman somewhere down the line, and we've been trying to stop drug traffic from San Baquero for years. The way I see it, three birds, one stone.
Amanda Waller: Call it off.
General Eiling: Anti-abort safeties are already engaged; I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to.
Waller seemed to sag, then stared at the map that was showing the path of the missile.
San Baquero
Upgrade could see the missile, only a few hundred feet ahead of him; several miles ahead of that, he could see the smoking volcano of San Baquero. He tried to destroy the rocket part of the missile with a missile of his own, but it was deflected off.
Upgrade: The missile's got some sort of magnetic shielding.
After a moment, Batman's voice came over the radio.
Batman: (from the radio) The only chance you might have to get through that shield and survive would be to set an opposing charge on the hull, then eject.
Upgrade: Understood.
Meanwhile, Wonder Woman received a call from J'onn; the message was filled with static, so Ben must not have been on the station, for some reason.
J'onn: (from comm) Wonder Woman, can you hear me? There's a missile with a Kryptonite warhead heading for your position.
Wonder Woman: Say again?
J'onn: (from comm) I repeat: there is a Kryptonite missile heading your way!
Wonder Woman knew of only two reasons why a Kryptonite missile would be launched, and Aquaman had taken another boatload of refugees to the mainland. The only left is Flash.
Wonder Woman: Flash, get everyone as far away as you can! I'm going back for Superman!
Flash: But-
Wonder Woman: DO IT NOW!
Then she flew off to the volcano.
The last of the refugees made it off the island, just as the volcano erupted; however, neither Superman nor Doomsday noticed. Superman was on his last legs, literally; he could barely stand. But with the last of his strength, Superman unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks, stunning Doomsday long enough for him to pick him up and hurl him into the open mouth of the volcano. With his energy spent, he fell to his knees; he couldn't even think about escaping the oncoming lava. He was completely spent.
So it was with great relief for him that Wonder Woman flew in and pulled him out, just in time.
Upgrade approached the missile as carefully as he could, then gave the hull of the Javelin an opposing charge. Just before he connected, he withdrew to the escape pod and launched; he'd given autopilot instructions to move the missile away from the island, or the path of refugee ships. That would have to be enough.
As he flew back, the nuke went off. The blast of energy was so great that Upgrade turned back into Ben. For a moment, all he saw was the explosion; then, he saw nothing at all as he drowned into the ocean. But luckily, Aquaman grabbed Ben from drowning unconciously.
Then another Javelin appears and opened the hatch. It was Batman, who knew that Ben will going to be badly hurt and going to pick him up.
Batman: Arthur, get him in here!
Aquaman carries Ben into the Javelin where Batman is here to aid Ben.
Watchtower
News about the missile had spread quickly through the League, and the members who'd been
on the station rushed to the observation deck to see what could be done, or at least find out more information. When they arrived, they discovered what Ben had done. The entire League, save for the injured Superman, had been scrambled in a desperate search for their teammate and friend. Ben had indeed been found, and was rushed to the Watchtower's infirmary. However, the search party had found one other thing. Batman did everything he can to aid Ben at the infirmary.
They'd located Doomsday. The creature was encased in lava so dense that not even he could break out, at least for now. Two days after the battle, the founding members, save for Batman, sat in front of him.
Superman: J'onn, can you read him?
J'onn: I can't read mind
Then Superman grabbed the Phantom Zone and aim it towards Doomsday, still being encased in lava.
Superman: I only use this as a last resort. It's going to send you to another dimension; you won't be hurt, but you also won't hurt anyone else again.
Doomsday just roared. Then Superman activated the Phantom-projector, sending the monster to the Kryptonian prison-dimension.
For the last two days, Ben had remained unconscious; everyone had been assured that he would recover, but he needed rest. While every member of the League checked in on him at some point, Supergirl had stayed at his side for the entire time. She wouldn't let Ben wake up and wonder where she was.
Outside the room stood a brooding Batman, who turned when he saw Superman and Wonder Woman walk up to him.
Wonder Woman: How is he?
Batman: He'll be fine. He'll probably wake up in a few hours.
Batman spoke without looking at them.
Batman: You sent it off to the Phantom Zone, didn't you?
Superman: We had no other choice.
Batman: Then you're no different from the Crime Syndicate.
Superman: What!?
Batman: Passing judgment like gods? With our super-powered army and our orbiting death-ray? Cadmus is right to be scared. The human race wouldn't stand a chance.
Superman: We'd never go there. It isn't in our nature, and nothing can change that.
Batman: Nothing? What if Luthor does become president and piss you off? Who would have stopped you?
Superman: (shrugged) There's always the Kryptonite you're carrying around.
Batman: (snapped) You don't get to joke! Not today. Ben just took a bullet for you.
Superman: I'm sorry, Bruce. You're right. But you don't have to worry about the Justice League, trust me; you know me.
Batman stared at them for a moment.
Batman: Yeah, I do.
Wonder Woman: Come on, let's go; we don't want to wake up Ben by accident.
Batman finally nodded, and the three walked off.
Inside the room, Ben began to stir; he slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He recognized this place; he was in the infirmary, which meant that he was alive. He heard soft breathing nearby; he turned his head to see Supergirl sitting on the chair next to his bed, asleep. He slowly reached out and took her hand in his. She must have been sleeping lightly; her eyes shot open at the touch, and she stared at him.
Supergirl: Ben?
Ben smiled
Ben: That was my name, last time I checked.
Supergirl gently moved forward and gave him a gentle, loving embrace, which he returned.
Supergirl: Don't you ever scare me like that again!
She buried her head into his shoulder; Ben could feel tears wetting his shoulder, and could feel a few of his own building as well.
Ben: I promise.
Normally, he'd make a joke about the whole thing, but not today. They had come too close to losing each other for that.
Supergirl let out one more sob, then took a deep breath and sat up; she wiped her eyes, then an impish smile crossed her face.
Supergirl: Good. You can't die yet; we still haven't celebrated our anniversary.
Ben's face went red; and here he thought that it was too soon for jokes.
While Ben and the Justice League investigates the Cadmus conspiracy headed by Amanda Waller, Superman battles Doomsday in the heart of a volcano.
NOTE 1: This part is based on Justice League Unlimited: "The Doomsday Sanction".
NOTE 2: Instead of the "Justice Lords", I've used the "Crime Syndicate" instead.
NOTE 3: Instead of the "Ultimen" (from Justice League Unlimited"), I used metahuman soldiers instead
NOTE 4: I've also added another Superboy clone. The first one was already a member of the Titans, as Conner Kent. The second one was currently one of the Cadmus' weapon clone along with Galatea (a Supergirl clone). And the third was used to create Doomsday at a Kryptonian ship (similar method from Batman v Superman, how Luthor uses Zod's DNA and Luthor's blood to create Doomsday).