Chapter 15: Cadmus Laboratories

His stomach contracted again and he made a great effort to tilt his head to the side and evacuate the bile and blood that burned his esophagus. The contractions were so strong that they lifted his chest, already pulling at the wounds he had. He could hardly keep his eyes open. The pain and nausea prevented him from thinking fully. He barely reacted when he heard Metallo's laughter beside him.

"Don't you like my new heart, Superman? "

The robot walked up to him and held his glowing kryptonite heart out to him. The Kryptonian had more violent contractions and vomited again, the pain pressing on his rib cage. He felt Metallo running his fingers over his bare chest and he screamed as he inserted his fingers into an already open wound, as he grabbed one of his ribs. He screamed so loud it hurt his throat, but he couldn't help it. It hurt too much. It hurt way too much.

Then Metallo released the pressure and he stopped screaming, though the pain was still sharp. He could hardly breathe, gasping for breath after so much effort. But his head was spinning. He could feel himself losing focus.

"I could go on doing this for days and days, but I have to give up my place. I'll wait until you're available again, Superman. "

The Kryptonian faded away, barely catching the robot's last words.

He did not know how long he remained in a semi-conscious state. It was as if he was present, without actually being present. He didn't even know how long he had been here. He didn't know what "here" was. All he could see were the various medical tools, screens in another room across the hall, and the unpleasant radiation from the kryptonite. He hoped the stone would finish him off quickly. The agony he was experiencing was gradually breaking down his will and his ability to think. He was dying, irradiated by the kryptonite. The bullet he had received had been extracted but he knew it had done quite a bit of damage. But they were keeping him alive. They wanted something from him.

Kal vaguely remembered that they had taken blood and stripped him naked. What worried him was the reason for it all. He was about to experience one of his greatest fears, he knew. Ending up on a scientist's table and being butchered like a lab rat. The worst part was knowing he wasn't the only one.

He had heard Diana's screams of pain when he woke up the first time, and J'onn's. But it didn't seem to last long. Kal hadn't heard them since. It panicked him inside. He was sure they were alive as long as he could hear them. But now he couldn't hear them. He hoped he would hear them again. He hoped they were still alive.

He was sure that Metallo was not the only torturer here. He had a personal grudge against Superman and made him pay for it, by making him suffer as much as possible. But Kal knew he was capable of more. So Metallo took his time with him. He had not yet reached the end of his rope.

He had thought of several ways to get out of here, but the room was riddled with kryptonite and the walls were covered with lead paint. No radiation from the sun could reach him. He could not fully heal from his injuries. If he didn't get out of this situation soon, he would surely die.

Kal reacted when the light in the room came on, blinding him completely. Someone else had entered the room, and his blood ran cold as he recognized the face.

"Kal-El. I finally have you in my hands. "

Brainiac smiled broadly at him. Kal tried to struggle, but he was tied to the table. He was too weak to do anything. He felt fear come over him as Brainiac prepared himself in the room. What was he going to do with him? Convert him? Torture him? Get inside his head?

"I'm determined to get every bit of information you have on Kandor and Kryptonian culture. I don't have enough. "

Kal felt his heart racing. He had no defense against mental attacks. Brainiac was going to do whatever it took to find out what he wanted. He remembered J'onn's advice on defending himself from telepaths and immediately applied it. To do this, he repeated the same syllable over and over again.

When he felt the singular presence enter his mind, he concentrated as hard as he could. Brainiac didn't like it. Kal could feel the pressure on his head as he tried to force his way in. He felt as if his head would explode. He opened his eyes, unable to keep them closed any longer, and screamed at the unbearable pain. He struggled, clenching his fists until his nails dug into his flesh. But he held on, more by instinct of conservation than by pure will.

Brainiac made several attempts. Kal tried to hold on, but he had no mental protection. Every time he lost his concentration, he let information slip out. He tried to keep the most important information from being given away. He was doing his best, but the pain prevented him from acting in a more reasoned way. The kryptonite wasn't helping.

He could feel the blood coming from his nose and ears, and he thought his eyes would pop out of their sockets. Kal couldn't hold on any longer. The impact was too great. He lost consciousness several times, but Brainiac did everything he could to keep him alive. Until he finally tired of it.

Bruce read every note in the file that came to hand. The file just put together a lot of information about Cadmus, but it didn't make any concrete connections to the theories they were putting forward. They lacked evidence, but they had a lead. Bruce had never suspected that Lois and Clark were working on these labs. He had never asked about his investigation and the reporter had always filed his notes away.

"Bruce, there are dozens of Cadmus labs. What makes you think Clark's investigation is related to their abduction?" asked Dick.

He hoped his hunch was right. Because if not, he didn't know where to look. He took a breath before answering:

"I think it's a real coincidence. Clark has been missing for several days. The best way to neutralize him is to have kryptonite on hand. According to their records, Cadmus would receive merchandise illegally. Oliver and I had made the same observation when we tracked them to Star City. Except that here, they traced it to a vehicle coming from Gotham, to the Metropolis lab. They were searching around Gotham Harbor and... "

Bruce paused, turning over the various documents. He had just realized that he had forgotten one big detail.

"So far there's still no connection," Dick replied.

The Bat rubbed the growth of his beard and clenched his jaw. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain himself.

"Jason Kane," Jay said.

Dick raised a questioning eyebrow. Jason had been listening to his conversation with the reporter. He'd quickly made the connection.

"Your container in the Gotham Harbor had kryptonite in it and Clark had discovered it. That was the source of your cold, wasn't it? "

Bruce didn't answer. He felt guilty enough not to want to admit it.

"How much kryptonite was there, Bruce? And if it was in your container but Cadmus took it, how would Clark know? "

Tim opened his mouth as he stood back, a dark look directed at Bruce. He didn't take his eyes off him as he said:

"Clark called Hal Jordan, hours before he disappeared. "

They all knew the capabilities of the Green Lantern ring. Jason sighed in weariness and went to put on his Red Hood outfit.

"What are you doing, Jay? "

"I'm not going to sit around and do nothing. I owe Clark that much. "

"Jay, this is stupid! There's nothing to tie Cadmus to that kryptonite container!" cried Dick. "We have no direct evidence! "

Red Hood shrugged. He retrieved his Sig Sauer and quickly checked it.

"Well, I'll check it out. I'm going to take a look around the lab he suspected. "

"Don't do that," Dick replied, walking toward him.

"I don't care what I run into. At least we'll have some answers besides. "

Bruce had no reaction. He didn't even move. Jason left the Cave, as Dick looked on in bewilderment.

"Bruce! Say something! "

"No matter what I say, Jason won't listen. "

Dick was stunned for a few seconds, then shook his head.

"There are days when I'd really like to give you both a hard time! "

He went back to put on his suit and resumed:

"I'm going to get some more people and join that jerk! "

"Get some earplugs. I'll have your back as much as I can," Tim decided as he stood up.

And the decision was made. For his part, Bruce turned his attention to the major problem he still had to deal with: how did the thieves know that his container contained kryptonite?

Kal could barely keep his eyes open. He was at the end of his rope. The more time passed, the more he was tempted to give up. He had done so many times before, when Brainiac was too intrusive, but too often he fell into unconsciousness. He had already given up a lot of information about the Fortress and the artifacts it contained, as well as the existence of Kandor and the lives it held.

His moments of unconsciousness were the only moments he enjoyed. Because they were the only moments when he wasn't in pain. Brainiac had awakened him the first few times, until the effect of the kryptonite was too harmful for Kal. He had been forced to remove the stones from the room when he switched to physical torture, so he wouldn't die.

It was in conditions like this that regeneration was a problem. It kept him alive, and healed him. Very slowly, but surely. Until the wounds became too slow to heal. Kal could feel him growing weary of this, for it meant that Brainiac would have to abandon this method. The Man of Steel saw this as a glimmer of hope, but he knew that he could still suffer in a thousand ways without dying.

And that was one thing Brainiac knew. After flaying him alive, burning him, breaking his bones, Brainiac still had a way to go. He hadn't attacked Kal's entire body, but had chosen only a few parts. But just as Kal had resisted when he cut off another finger, the alien scientist paused, to Superman's surprise.

"Well, since it comes to that, you leave me no choice, Kal-El. Tell me how to get around the security of the Fortress and Kandor. You know I want Kandor, so make the effort. "

"No... "

He had tried to keep his voice as firm as possible as he focused as best he could on Brainiac, becoming more and more lucid.

"If you don't tell me how to get to Kandor, I'll kill dear Supergirl. Not so super anymore, from what I've seen. She was so easy to get... She's getting out of hand, isn't she? "

Kal's blood ran cold. Brainiac couldn't have known that without seeing Kara. He took his word for it. He had Kara.

"She looks so fragile. "

Kal reacted, feeling anger and fear flooding his body. He moved and screamed in rage and pain from his injuries. He had Kara. He had Kara while she was exposed and not as strong as he was. While she was human. The pain called him to order and, exhausted, he stopped struggling.

"Leave her alone... She doesn't know as much as I do... please…"

He begged. Without realizing it, he was begging.

"Then speak. "

Kal felt the tears welling up. Not this dilemma. It couldn't be. Kara's life against the lives of hundreds of her fellow creatures and others. He couldn't. He had a responsibility. Kara knew that. She would tell him not to give in, to resist... But she was his cousin. He couldn't do that.

"Superman lost his mask. "

He saw Kara again, her smile, her pride, the goodness of her soul. He thought back to the little memories he had with her, the times they'd flown together, the times they'd gone out to integrate into the human world, the times they'd done unusual things. He remembered a poker game with Zatanna and Huntress, or the little competitions they had against Captain Marvel and the Flash. Kara's laughter was still ringing in his ears. Then he saw her again in battle, that hard, determined look in her eyes, that strength of mind she had to face all her problems. He took a deep breath.

"Go... go to hell... Brainiac. "

He knew his words would doom Kara. He cried, unable to contain his emotions. He had just put his cousin to death. Brainiac grinned.

"Metallo wanted to be there when you saw this. "

Kal frowned as he saw the scientist leave the room, and return with Metallo, who was dragging something behind him. The smell made Kal want to vomit. It was disgusting.

"I've got a nice present for you, Superman. "

Metal lifted what he was holding and hung it on the wall by a hook. Kal was petrified by what he saw.

"I knew you'd like it. I took it four days ago. Nice, isn't it? "

Metallo laughed and left the room. Superman stared at what he saw, unable to tear his eyes away as the tears flowed. That's when he made a decision. Brainiac would not have his information. He had a duty to protect the lives that depended on him. He did what he felt he had to do: he made sure he was silent.

Nightwing broke in through the roof with Raven on his heels. From where they stood, they could see Red Hood breaking into the building. Nightwing was relieved to see that his other teammate had thought to switch to a more discreet weapon. They followed him with their eyes, Raven covering him with her magic as he reached the elevators.

Moving as quietly as possible, the three of them entered the elevator car and Red Hood stopped the elevator when it was running: they were not going to risk being spotted when the doors opened. Nightwing opened the hatch on the roof and they stepped out, covering their tracks.

"HQ Security is on the first floor. Robin got the plans? " asked Red Hood.

"He sent them to me. If we get off the elevator, we should be two corridors from the station. "

A voice crackled softly in their ear:

"Left, right, and it will be the third door on the left. I've hacked into their surveillance network, so I can let you know if there are people there. "

They exited the elevator shaft as the car started up again and Robin gave his signal. They walked down the hallway, relying on Tim's guidance as he covered them, making them invisible to the cameras.

Red Hood entered first, knocking out one man while Raven projected her astral body to incapacitate the other two men. Nightwing entered last and all three searched the area. The superhero from Blüdhaven searched the computer files, Red Hood searched the closets and paperwork, and Raven leaned over one of the guards to use his telepathic powers.

"There are lower levels," she said.

Red Hood turned to her:

"Are you sure? "

"The blueprints don't show anything like that. "

"Certain. "

"Can you find out how to get there? "

She nodded and walked out. Red Hood and Nightwing followed her out.

The lab was much larger than they expected. There were nearly five underground floors that were not on any of the plans and the security system was closed. This time they were going in blind. Raven diverted the cameras with her telekinesis as they passed. The corridors were long and winding. Then they entered the rooms. What they discovered saw them on the spot.

"They're coming in," Tim said in an annoyed tone.

Bruce turned his head to his young apprentice. He knew this was affecting the teenager and he was taking it all in stride. He'd like to help the teenager evacuate, but he didn't know how to comfort him. Especially since he was in a bad place right now. He had seen the reaction of the boys and knew that they blamed him for what he had done. He understood. He made an attempt, however.

"We'll find them, don't worry. "

Tim turned to him.

"Do you even care? "

"Do you doubt it? "

The young man shrugged.

"You're hard to figure out. So I don't know. You're always so distant. "

Bruce got up and sat down next to Tim.

"Being objective is the key to being effective. I try to be as objective as possible. Later, you'll be faced with stressful situations like this. You'll understand. "

Tim nodded and Bruce ran his hand through the teenager's hair, who smiled. Then he got up and went back to doing what he was doing: checking the security of the Batcave's computers.

Bruce realized that the only way to find out what was in the container was to hack into the Cave's network. So, while his first two apprentices were away in Metropolis, he ran a full network analysis and it seemed that he had not had any intrusion into the system. The data had to be extracted from elsewhere, and on some of his vehicles or other gadgets and drones, the database was recorded, but not directly connected. He made the updates manually.

He searched first the Batmobile and then the Batwing. Alfred and Tim watched, not daring to ask questions, and waited for Jason and Dick to return. The two boys arrived two hours after leaving the lab, arriving via the teleporter. True to form, Jay stayed behind while Dick reported on what they had seen.

On the lower floors, they had discovered clandestine laboratories where many researchers were working on sordid projects: they had seen many strange creatures locked in large tubes, laboratories for the creation of weapons powerful enough to put the League in great difficulty. And they had also seen human trials. With three of them, they couldn't get down into the whole structure, and if they did, the other labs might be on the lookout. So they decided to steal some of their files and make a run for it.

Dick proudly held up the computer chip he had used to retrieve the files. Bruce inserted it into the Batcave's computer, copied them, and the four of them began to sort through the data. Batman was amazed because he could see. Bioweapon creations, alien technology combinations, hybrid creations, superhuman creations, all sorts of things he didn't even know what they would be used for. He found files about Kryptonian technology and what they were planning to do with it. He had a feeling of déjà vu, but didn't pay much attention. This was no time to be distracted.

The more they dug into the files, the more convinced they were that Cadmus had the League members. From near and far, the labs were in on it and seemed to be waiting for information about League members. DNA, ability assessments, information about their alien culture... There was no doubt about it. Batman contacted the League members: he had to get this information to them urgently.

Superman thought that cutting his tongue out with his teeth would work in one go. He was painfully wrong, but that didn't stop him from doing it again. Brainiac and Metallo didn't see it coming. They tried to stop him, Metallo physically and Brainiac mentally. But it was too late. Blood was pouring down his throat and into his lungs. He coughed, gasping for air as the fluid filled his lungs.

Kal felt himself being untied and forced to bend over as he slowly lost consciousness. He was unable to move further, feeling like a rag doll in Metalo's hands. He could vaguely hear Brainiac yelling, and the next thing he knew, it was pitch black.

Kal had the misfortune to wake up and open his eyes to the horror vision hanging on the wall. He heard no sounds in the room and realized that he was alone, alone with what was left of the Kryptonians. He had this strange sensation in his mouth when his tongue was no longer bleeding. They must have given him some kind of treatment so he wouldn't die.

He stared at the wall, anger filling him. He would get revenge. He would get revenge on Brainiac and Metallo, for what they had done to him or the others. Kal tested his form. In places, where his skin had been burned, the hypodermis was reforming. Even when cut off from the sun's radiation and irradiated with kryptonite, he still had energy. But it was relatively insufficient. The wounds had had time to fester and his body could not fight that. Not currently.

His anger. He had to hold on to it. It was all he had left. He had thought he would be stronger, more resilient, but Brainiac had overpowered his will. He had lost hope of being rescued long ago. He had prayed for other vigilantes to find him, for Bruce to look for him, but... He had come to understand that he could only get out of this on his own.

He looked away from the wall to see what was around him. Superman had to get out of here. He tested his mobility and realized that he only had one arm he could use, but nothing more. The arm was broken, the forearm skinned, but he could still use his remaining fingers. The pain was excruciating, but the instinct to survive took precedence. His sticky forearm slid against the bracelet that held it and he thought that if he forced it, he might be able to free his left arm. He just had to wait for the right moment. He knew he would only have one chance.

"You mean we all have to attack at the same time? "

Batman nodded.

"More or less, yes. We need to take down as many labs as we can. There aren't many in America. There's the one in Star City, one in Central, in Metropolis, in Gotham, one in Easter, one in Chicago and Salt Lake. From the information we have, their basements are thick and don't let a lot of radio waves through, especially the labs in Star City and Salt Lake City. I think one of the two labs is where the others are locked up. "

Batman looked around at the audience. They were in the League meeting room and he was showing his plan on the big screen to everyone present. There were a lot of them.

"We'll all have to be well prepared and well coordinated. We will have to act at night, too, at least for Star City and Salt Lake. "

"We need more details, Bruce. The team that has to get them out of there will have to be bigger to evacuate them," said Flash. "

"We need to move fast. We need to be ready by tonight," Guardian said, crossing his arms.

"The goal, for the other laboratories, is to destroy them, right? A maximum of damage? " asked Firestorm.

"That's the idea, but we can't condemn the people working inside," said Atom. "We'll have to give them time to flee, and only arrest our enemies. "

There were many murmurs in the assembly.

"There are bound to be casualties," said Black Canary.

"And we will have to deal with them," Steel replied firmly. "We must act! "

There was a new wave of murmurs. Flash's voice rose:

"We must decide! Who is to follow this plan and save our comrades? "

There was a long silence. The first hands to rise were those of the heroes known for their determination and thirst for vengeance, but also those who were close to the missing. That was a lot of people. The others followed.

"So we need to be smart about building our teams," Batman concluded.

"I don't think Star City is the lab that has them. We should focus on the one in Salt Lake," said Green Arrow. "I'd like to take care of the first lab, I wouldn't want to burn down my city. "

Batman nodded.

"I'll be on the Salt Lake team. Who else is going to want to be on it? We might have to fight, I think the biggest action will be there. "

"I'm going with you, Batman," said Cyborg.

"I'll be along for the ride and Guy will join us too. He may be a big jerk, but he's got a sense of loyalty. He'll want to go after Hal, " added Green Lantern John Stewart.

"I'm coming too. A speeder won't go amiss," said Flash.

"And I'll be along for the ride," said Zatanna, her fists on her hips.

"Don't forget us, Batman," Nightwing finally said, pointing at Red Hood and himself.

Batman nodded. That was enough people. The others spread out into the other groups to attack the other labs. Of course, some would defend their own city. Batman wasn't one of them, but he knew he could count on the Birds of Prey to do it, along with other League members. After that, they could get ready.

Batman was perched high with Nightwing at his side. Zatanna was below with the two Green Lanterns in camouflage mode. Flash was in the back, as were Red Hood and Cyborg. They were all in position. They were waiting for the signal from the Gotham team, which would operate at dawn. As soon as they got the signal, they went into action. Batman gave the signal to his own team.

Zatanna entered the lab and generated flames throughout the space. It was an illusion, but it was convincing enough for the men to panic and activate the security alarm. They waited only a few minutes before Human Flame, a sworn enemy of Martian Manhunter, appeared with Black Manta.

They would have no trouble neutralizing them. That is, until Cheetah made her entrance. She was a goddess, and a very combative one: she could stand up to Wonder Woman. Batman and Nightwing threw electrified batarangs at her while Flash and Guy Gardner did the rest. Then armed soldiers arrived.

They hadn't finished neutralizing the others when the soldiers fired on them. Red Hood made his move as John Stewart got the civilians out, with Zatanna's help. There were a lot of soldiers, and their weapons were not just AK-47s. It wasn't even Earth technology. But Cyborg weighed in on their behalf. His technology was also very advanced. Together with Red Hood and Stewart, the sniper, they attacked them from the rear while the others charged at them from the front to pin them down.

Batman and Nighwing stayed together as they advanced, covered by Robin's drone, which had remained in the Batcave. Flash and Zatanna took care of their unusual enemies, and Gardner took them prisoner. Then, when the field was clearer, Batman gave the signal to enter.

So far, their plan was going according to plan and no one had been hurt. Batman almost thought it was too easy. They entered the building, heading straight for the lower floors. There were more than a dozen sublevels and they had to search them all one by one until they found their comrades.

The floors were very large. They split into four groups: Flash and Cyborg went together, Red Hood and Guy Gardner, Nightwing and John Stewart and then Zatanna and Batman. This way, they could explore all the rooms more quickly.

The second floor gave them no clues about their companions. They went down to the second floor and did the same thing. It was a weapons warehouse. Very large. Batman and Zatanna were greeted by a scientist who saw fit to destroy the fruits of his labor with them. He blew up his part of the lab. Zatanna had an incredible reflex to protect them both. She created a protective shield. The explosion was so powerful that it hit the upper and lower floors. They fell, the ground crumbling beneath their feet.

Zatanna struggled to hold the shield in place as the debris fell on them. She was a powerful magician, fortunately for them. She managed to shield them until the collapse was over, then with a cry of effort, she expanded the force field to push the debris above them.

The effort seemed to cost her as the light disappeared around them. She leaned on one of the rocks to catch her breath while Batman radioed to make sure the others were okay. Red Hood and Gardner were closest to them, but they had been able to protect themselves with the ring. The Flash and Cyborg had felt the blast, but only got a few scratches that wouldn't last long.

They didn't stop there. Batman and Zatanna explored the rest of their level, later joined by Gardner and Red Hood. The Flash and Cyborg found them later. But they hadn't heard from Nightwing or Lantern Stewart.

They couldn't afford to leave their comrades behind. They checked their floor and Flash quickly made the uncollapsed part of the one above. They must have already gone to the next level down, four floors below surface level. They hadn't explored half of it yet.

They regrouped to find them. Sounds of explosions drew them in, and when they found them, they had just enough time to see Metallo running away. Batman turned to Flash and with Gardner, he went after him. The rest of the group headed in the opposite direction of Metallo.

They found themselves blocked by a collapse. Zatanna cleared the debris and they found the last duo on the other side. Stewart was using the ring to free himself from the debris and Nightwing was sitting next to him, a little stunned. Batman didn't have time to react when Red Hood walked past him and approached the young vigilante.

"He caught us by surprise," John said. "He came from that way. "

He pointed down a hallway to their right.

"Will you be okay?" asked Cyborg.

The former soldier nodded.

"Yes, I have an outfit that protects me more than Nightwing's... "

They all turned their heads to the other two. Red Hood had knelt beside Nightwing and was examining his head wound, which appeared to be bleeding profusely. They had nothing on hand to soothe the wound, so Red Hood simply wiped his face with his jacket sleeve and sponged it up a bit. Then the two men got up, ready to go again.

They decided to go on without the others and took the path to Metallo. Already, the floor seemed more different than the others. The facilities seemed more substantial and large cables ran through the corridors. The lab looked even stranger. Batman had to admit, the contents were more than a little disturbing. Especially if the subjects being studied in those rooms were their friends.

Batman could see the anxiety rising in his teammates. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach. They were moving forward without meeting anyone. Everyone had already evacuated, and the only sound they could hear was the alarm. They found no one on this floor, let alone on the floor below. All they found were corpses of all kinds of creatures and a few scientists. This was all recent and the most likely reason was that the ennemies needed to make sure scientists were definitely quiet.

The tension rose as they descended again. Batman felt they were on some sort of descent into hell. They had slowed down since they had run into Metallo, who had managed to escape by blowing up another hallway behind him. Flash didn't have time to see where he'd gone, and Gardner had dropped his trail.

It was when they got the call from Cyborg that the tension rose. They joined him at his position and found Arthur chained inside a large tube. Cyborg was scanning the facility before saying he could be removed. They had placed Arthur in sea water so that he could heal from his injuries more easily.

"My God... " Zatanna muttered in shock.

Arthur's condition was pitiful. And he had only recently disappeared.

"We need to get him out. He's still unconscious," Nightwing said.

"We can't do it right away. We're sticking to the plan," Stewart replied.

He used his ring to carry Aquaman and they continued on. They couldn't find anyone else on this floor, but already they had hope of finding the others.

Flash and Gardner joined them on lower level six. The rooms were more than a little eerie. There was blood everywhere and nothing had been cleaned up in a long time. This area looked more like a slaughterhouse than a real research facility. It was in all this that they found an annex in the level, with an area that was much more secure than the rest.

The door they were facing was over a foot thick and made of armored steel. The two Green Lanterns pushed it open and they came to an aisle of storage containers. They all rushed in when they saw the faces.

"Kori!" cried Nightwing as he saw his former comrade.

"Hal is here !" Flash said as he opened the box in front of him.

Batman ventured into the alley. The other boxes were empty. Wonder Woman, Superman and the Manhunter were missing.

"They're unconscious. We can't hold them, Batman. "

Batman nodded at Red Hood. He then told Zatanna to teleport the three injured to the Watchtower. There would be people there to take care of them.

The floor below stank. As soon as they arrived, the smell caught them by the throat. The place was deplorable and had suffered some damage. Venturing into the debris, Batman thought the stench of rot and stale air would make him vomit.

He moved ahead of the group, trying to figure out where the stench was coming from. That's how he found Diana. Hanging in the air with a butcher's hook in her shoulder, her hands were tied behind her back and her blood had already coagulated quite a bit from all her injuries. Cheetah had taken pleasure in clawing at her.

He untied her with the help of Cyborg and she moaned before opening her eyes.

"Diana, where are J'onn and Kal? "

The young woman was disoriented and badly injured. Batman didn't know how long she would remain conscious. Then her eyes widened suddenly, as if she had just had an epiphany.

"Kal... the Fortress... the key... protect the key... "

The young woman mumbled her last words several times before fainting. Cyborg carried her in his arms and this time they ran down the corridors.

J'onn was two rooms down. The Martian was being held in a heated cage, and because he feared the heat, he was very weakened. Flash disconnected the system and Stewart went to help him lift the Martian. The Martian was slightly unconscious, but there was no time to let him recover: Superman was still missing.

Batman followed his instincts. He followed the smell. He knew it could only mean one thing, but he refused to believe it. Until they came upon a room full of kryptonite. Many boxes were missing, but they couldn't leave with everything. Gotham's vigilante was cautious as he entered the adjacent room.

When he opened the door fully, he was assaulted by the stench that emanated from it. Then he saw Brainiac's corpse first and bent down to look at it. His skull had been pierced by a laser that Batman knew well. He looked up just as Zatanna screamed and Gardner swore.

That's when he saw her. Hanging on the wall in front of them was Kara's decomposing corpse. He then saw Nightwing vomiting next to him. Her face distorted by necrosis and stupor, she seemed to have died in excruciating pain. This was also indicated by the wounds visible on her body.

"We can't leave her here. "

Zatanna's cries could be heard in her voice. Batman didn't turn to her. He didn't look at his comrades. They had killed one of their own.

He looked down as the sorceress unhooked Kara from the wall. That's how he noticed the blood on the floor. Someone had been dragging himself and it looked more recent than Kara.

He stepped over Brainiac and walked to the room across the hall. The tracks went to the other end of the room. Batman rushed in and tried to open the other door, but failed. The blood trail indicated that the person before him had not been successful either. As he looked around the rest of the room, he saw him.

His heart missed a beat. He stared at the fingerless hand sticking out from behind a console. It took him a few seconds to move, as his ears buzzed and his vision blurred behind his mask.

"Kal!" he called in a broken voice.

He did so only once. He knew before he saw it that it was too late. The first thing he saw were his wide-open eyes, pupils turned green by the kryptonite radiation, empty of life. Superman was covered in wounds and had a huge hole in his chest.

The world of Batman and Bruce Wayne collapsed. Paralyzed before Clark's body, he was unable to make a move. It couldn't end like this. Superman couldn't be dead, not like this, in a basement. His life couldn't have ended. Not him. Anything but him. He couldn't lose him.

He shook him slightly, as if hoping for a reaction from him. Think. He had to think. This couldn't be the end of Superman. He couldn't die like this.

"Kal, regenerate... "

It was a simple whisper that came from his mouth.

He froze even as the other vigilantes rushed toward Clark. Their voices sounded distant, fuzzy to him. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered now. He had no reaction as Zatanna's magic covered them and they found themselves in the Tower's lobby.

Clark's body lost its footing against the furniture and Bruce caught him so he wouldn't hit the floor. He was heavy and cold and yet as limber as a doll. He didn't dare look at what more torture he could have endured. He stared at Clark's face, the green veins still visible on his grayish skin, his empty eyes turned green. Such an empty look.

"Please, Kal... regenerate... "

He stared into his eyes, hoping to see a spark again. Just a spark. A breath. He had managed to regenerate after Doomsday, to survive, so maybe now he just needed more time. A little more time. It had taken him days to wake up. He could still regenerate.

He brushed his fingertips against his cheek before resigning himself to closing his eyes. His hand was shaking, like the rest of his body. He had to put on a special suit so he could absorb energy faster. It was his only chance to save him.

"We need a sun suit. He can regenerate. "

Superman could do it. He could recover. He was the man of steel.

When he realized that no one was moving, he looked up:

"He got over Doomsday, he could do this! "

He met John's desolate gaze, Barry's, Zatanna's and Dick's tears.

"Bruce... "

Nightwing's broken voice was accompanied by a hand on his shoulder. Instinctively, Batman gripped Clark's body tighter. Cyborg knelt beside him.

"He... he has no heart... "

Batman looked down at Clark's chest. He could see the gaping hole in his chest and the emptiness inside. If he had no heart... regeneration would not be possible...

The thought made its way into his mind. He was unable to react. Unable to think. It was just... Clark was dead.

"We'll take care of it, Bruce. Leave him to us. "

It took a moment before he nodded. Victor picked up Clark's body and Bruce stood up, not looking at anyone. He didn't have the strength. Clark was dead, and with that, it was as if a part of him was gone. Bruce left the room, heartbroken.

INDEX

Atom/ Ray Palmer : He is a superhero who can manipulate the atoms of his body at will, which allows him to grow or shrink. Ray Palmer is a great scientific genius, but he tends to underestimate himself and therefore often reduces his size, even when he is not wearing his costume. In this fiction, he is the head of his own company, like Ted Kord (aka Blue Beetle) who is one of his great friends.

Birds of Prey : In this version, the Birds or Preys are a group of superheroines formed by Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), Black Canary (Dinah Lance) and Huntress (Helena Bertinelli). In the comics, these are the original founding members.

Black Manta : He is a human enemy of Aquaman, who is desperate to hurt and kill Arthur Curry. In the comics, Black Manta causes the death of Aquaman and Mera's son, who was just a baby, by suffocation.

Brainiac : He is an extraterrestrial humanoid who appropriated the knowledge and technology of other extraterrestrial cultures in order to subdue them. His specialty is also bottling worlds, like Kandor. Brainiac uses advanced technology to upload himself and change bodies when he needs to, which happens regularly in the comics. He is one of Superman's greatest enemies, as he wants to get Kandor back to subdue it again.

Green Lantern Guy Gardner : As a reminder, he is the Green Lantern replacing Hal Jordan. Garner has a shitty character, he is a fighter, a go-getter, but particularly loyal and nevertheless has a sense of duty and responsibility. He and Batman hate each other. He is the only Green Lantern to have a civilian social life and be happy, unlike Hal, John and Kyle.

Green Lantern John Stewart : A former sniper in the army, John is an architect in civilian life. He replaced Gardner as a backup (and yeah, you need a backup). In the comics, he had a romance with Hawkgirl/Shiera Hall : As for Hawkman, she is the reincarnation of an Egyptian priestess from Ancient Egypt, cursed by Vandal Savage, the priest of the pharaoh. In this version, she and Carter have found each other and are living together (they are even married, and museum curators).

Guardian/James Harper :Let's face it, he's a fake Captain America. Best description possible.

Human Flame : This is the first enemy of Martian Manhunter. He can generate and control flames, and also change his body mass.

Martian Manhunter/J'onn J'onzz : Lest we forget, he is the shapeshifting Martian of the Justice League. He is part of the second wave of heroes to join the founding members, and was one of the first members of the Justice League of America. He can change shape, pass through objects, fly, has eyes that project laser beams like Superman and is a great telepath and empath. He was actually recruited by the US, in the comics, to act as a barrier to Superman and to subdue him in case of need. This didn't work because he joined his side.

Metallo : He is one of Superman's greatest enemies. He is a robot with a human brain (that of a thief) with a kryptonite heart. He continues to commit crimes as he grows in power, upgrading his body and regularly coming face to face with Superman, who is always there to stop him. Initially, in the comics, the first version of Metallo is programmed to kill Superman. This hatred is maintained in the further evolution of the character.

Zatanna : One of the most powerful magicians in the DC Universe. Zatanna, daughter of John Zatara, can cast complex spells by saying her requests backwards. She is known to be part of the Justice League Dark, the superheroes who fight monsters, demons and other creatures. She had a romantic relationship with the magician John Constantine that ended very badly.