DC/Marvel: Access Denied
Chapter 10
By Christopher W. Blaine
e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER: The characters and situations contained in this story are ©2003 by either DC Comics Inc. or Marvel Entertainment Group and are used without permission for fan-related, non-profit entertainment purposes only. This original work of fiction is ©2003 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express permission of the author.
Prime Universe …"I really do not know what he is," the Huntress said for the fifteenth time. The Batman still did not believe her; she could tell by his mannerisms. As a child, whenever she would tell a lie, her father would be able to detect it immediately. She was truly surprised by how alike this Batman was to her own.
But there were differences as well. This Batman never smiled and she got the sense that his pain ran much deeper than her father's. Perhaps it was her mother's love that had finally tamed the beast within him; she wondered if there were anyone special in this man's life. "I don't believe you," he said and she was not surprised.
She had, however, enough of his attitude towards her. The Martian Manhunter seemed to be already healing and Robin had used a stun gun to put the Joker down. The Clown Prince was still having his nightmares, only they were now more intense and occurring constantly even as he was awake. "He's not from where I am from…"
"Which is someplace you can't tell me," the Batman said as he folded his arms over his chest. There was something familiar about this woman, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. She was beautiful; he could tell that despite the mask, yet he wasn't attracted to her romantically. She reminded him of his mother in the way she had a defiant look in her eyes. Even when she had faced her killer, Batman's mother had kept that rebellious stare.
He inhaled deeply and then turned a glance again towards the frozen form of the Super-Skrull. His blast had hit the freeze gun first and overloaded it. The alien had taken the full brunt of the resulting explosion that had ended his life. He was nothing more than a grotesque statue as he was in several forms when he was frozen. "He's not going to be much help either."
The Batman stepped towards the Super-Skrull and there was a crackling sound as his boot crunched the remains of his cape. It had saved him and the Huntress from certain death. Strangely, it also seemed to have helped the Martian Manhunter, but then Mars was much colder than Earth.
"I wish I could tell you, but you have to trust me when I say I didn't know. I thought he was human…we were here to see if the Joker was under the influence of an outside source…" She muttered a curse as she thought the Batman was ignoring her. "Have you always been so arrogant?"
Batman paused and turned his head slightly. He was suddenly reminded of a night many years before when the Catwoman had offered her bed to him. He had, of course, refused, despite his overwhelming desire to take her up on her proposition. She had said the same thing. "Yes," was all he said as he pulled out a small camera to begin taking pictures. Before he could snap the first one, the Super-Skrull shattered into a million pieces that rained down onto the floor.
Slowly Batman turned to see the Huntress holding a batarang that was dripping water. He said nothing, as he understood that she was protecting her secrets. She started to open her mouth when the Martian Manhunter started to speak in a weak voice. Both heroes moved over to the alien. "She is being truthful, Batman; she cannot tell you anymore than she has."
The green Martian turned his head to look at her and in that moment she understood that he had read her mind. It made sense; he had no idea if she was friend or foe. Somehow, looking into his deep green orbs, she knew her secret was safe. "That does not explain everything," Batman replied. He indicated the sleeping Joker with his chin. "What is going on with him?"
"He is dying," the Manhunter said as he tried to sit up. "His very soul is being torn from this reality and pulled into a place where it does not belong."
"I have to get back home," she told them. "I have friends who might be in danger because of this." She looked over to the Joker. "And believe it or not, I don't want him to die, at least not this way."
She was definitely not the Huntress of his world, the Batman thought. He looked back down at his alien friend and Justice League teammate. "Let her go," he was told. The Batman's better judgment said to keep a hold of her and try to get the answers to the questions forming in his head. She was simply too familiar to him and he couldn't guess why.
But the Martian Manhunter was one of the few beings in the universe that the Batman counted as a true friend. He had never wanted anything else but to be a companion and comrade to the Dark Knight and he was as much a victim of tragedy as Bruce Wayne. "Alright," he finally said, standing up. The Huntress squeezed the Manhunter's hand and then stood up as well.
"Go," the Batman finally said. "But don't ever come back unless you're ready to tell me everything I want to know. Gotham is my city and my city alone."
The Huntress nodded and briefly remembered the death of her father. He had been elected the police commissioner of Gotham City and had long since retired the Batman identity. A power-mad super-villain was threatening the entire city. "You would give your life for this place, wouldn't you?"
Batman thought it an odd question, not something he had ever really considered. He gave it a few seconds of thought and then nodded. "Yes."
"Good. At least I'm sure it's in good hands then." The Batman started to reply but she turned around to regard Robin. "And you, young man…I would suggest that you stop identifying women by their breasts. It's sexist."
"Oink, oink, ma'am," Robin replied with a salute and a smile.
She said nothing but shook her head and turned to leave. The Batman was standing there and she had a million things she wanted to say to the man. Instead, she merely kept her eyes straight ahead and walked on by and into the passageway. Batman slowly moved to the doorway and looked.
He was not surprised to see that she was gone.
Earth-CA…
Batgirl looked out the broken window and saw the Hulk raging. It was like a seen from her worst nightmares. The Flying Fox stepped up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned and paused. "Bruce, may I ask you a question?"
He told her she could and pulled off his mask. There was very little the two of them could do against something like the Hulk and both had agreed that staying out of the way was the best advice. The Flying Fox hoped Super-Woman would get back and take care of this soon.
She reached up and unhooked the clasps that held her mask in place and allowed it to fall away. He was surprised to see that she was Asian. During her time on the Fox's Earth she had remained in costume, as if the mask she wore protected her from the horror she had witnessed. "In my world, you were much older but also much darker," she said. She tossed a sideways glance outside to see Spider-Man covering the Hulk with webbing. She began to blush and the Fox realized that she was embarrassed.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I never got to tell you…" she started to say. Then without warning she flung herself onto him.
The creature started to rise out of the water, its massive form blocking out the sun in some areas. Had there been more of a population left in New York, and then panic would overcome the people as the horror of Godzilla was revealed to them.
A monster created through the use of atomic weapons, Godzilla had been a threat to Japan for decades. In recent years, the monster had migrated towards North America and that had bought it to the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. The agency had eventually been able to capture the monster and it had been transported back to the Pacific for experimentation.
Early in his presidency, Lex Luthor had contracted with a company in Tokyo to alter the nuclear powers of the monster. Over the course of several months, Godzilla had been injected with a synthetic form of Kryptonite, the only element that was deadly to Superman. Luthor's reasoning to his top aides was that there needed to be a weapon capable of taking down the Man of Steel should he ever go renegade.
The truth was Luthor hated Superman and was waiting for an excuse to use Godzilla against his foe.
The monster did not care, though, instead being attracted to the roar in the distance that could only come from another creature worthy of battling. Godzilla stepped onto the shore of Manhattan and let loose with a mighty war cry.
The Hulk stopped as it heard the challenge of Godzilla. Wonder Woman took the opportunity to help Hawkman up. "I think my freakin' arm is broken," the Winged Wonder said through gritted teeth. Before the Amazon could reply the Hulk leapt into the air and over the skyscrapers.
"We have to go after him," Spider-Man said as he stripped off his gloves in order to replace his web cartridges. "Damn it! Where is Super-Woman?"
"Right here," the Mistress of Might said as she landed next to them. She quickly explained what had happened in Florida while Spider-Man webbed Hawkman's arm into place. "I had Kid Flash take the long way to check out a bunch of airships off of the coast."
"Where's Batgirl and the Flying Fox?" Wonder Woman asked.
Super-Woman scanned the area with her X-Ray vision and gasped. "Uh…they are…"
"Who the hell cares? We need to go after Holocaust," Spider-Man said. Super-Woman averted her eyes from what she saw in one of the abandoned buildings and regarded her motley crew. Hawkman was damaged and Spider-Man was on the edge; Wonder Woman was looking off into the distance and the Hulk had gone berserk.
She was beginning to question the wisdom of becoming a hero in the first place when Kid Flash appeared next to her. "Great big freaking lizard is coming!" he said with excitement. His eyes were wide and Super-Woman used her enhanced vision to look to the other side of the island.
Godzilla had just finished demolishing the remains of the pier when the Hulk landed a block away and began to issue a challenge. At first, Godzilla ignored the green behemoth, but then the Hulk picked up a sedan and tossed it, striking the monster in the nose.
Godzilla's roar shook the buildings on the entire island of Manhattan and the heroes started looking at each other. The eyes eventually moved towards Super-Woman. "I guess I'll go get the Hulk and take care of the monster," she said, putting her hands on her hips.
Wonder Woman nodded. "I need to go after Holocaust. Spider-Man and Hawkman can go with you."
Kid Flash waved his hand. "Hello? I'm here, too!"
"You need to find Batgirl and Flying Fox and get them out of here," Wonder Woman said. She pointed to the dead body of the Skrull that had posed as Captain America. "Do not trust anyone else. Batgirl is too young for what is about to happen." She then stepped out to address them all.
"My friends, our world has been destroyed. Even if we defeat Holocaust, it may never fully recover. Darkseid had shown me the way to defeat our enemy and I am to meet a spy in the villain's midst." She then smiled for the first time since they had arrived on the devastated world. "I may never see you again, but know that the sacrifice is worth it. So long as the cause of peace, communion and prosperity is furthered…"
Spider-Man interrupted her with a snort. "Give it a rest, Wondy. Our world is crap. I agree with you, though, Batgirl needs to be taken away from here. Take the kid back to your world."
Super-Woman whispered into Kid Flash's ear and then jumped into the sky. Many thoughts ran through her impressive mind as she flew towards the battle raging between the Hulk and Godzilla. Her powerful eyes scanned the entirety of the world she was now on and her heart sank.
Had she continued being a super-villain, would she have rendered her world so? There were clouds of black smoke hanging over most of the major cities and the stench in some countries was overwhelming. Her super-senses were betraying her as she took in the whole of the destruction.
But it was impossible for the entire world to be so devastated in such a short period of time she decided, her mind working overtime as she moved to a higher altitude. Again she brought her vision powers to bear as she scanned continent after continent. In the more civilized areas, it was true, the destruction had been greatest and more than one small nation was in the hands of the Church of Blood. Their acolytes, clad in their crimson and black robes, sat on thrones of flesh and dictated insane edicts to dying populations.
In the Middle East, Muslim and Jewish fighters had banded together and beaten the Church back, securing in the cradle of civilization the beginnings of a new society. In Europe, though, it was like the Black Death all over again as Blood Church members and every free radical known went on killing sprees.
It was almost as if Holocaust's presence had opened up everything bad inside the mind of everyone in this world. Add to that the infiltration of the Skrulls and it was a recipe for genocide.
She shook her head and looked straight down. Godzilla was a large creature and had it not been for her excellent eyesight, she would have never seen the Hulk raging at the monster's feet. Suddenly, Godzilla fell back as the Hulk picked the creature up by one foot and tripped it. The monster's bulk was too much for the shoreline and it created a large sinkhole that the ocean started to pour into.
The Hulk, caught by the sudden suction, was pulled in as well, roaring and raging all the way down. Super-Woman took a last breath and filled her lungs before flying straight down at the hole.