Oh, BTW: Thank you all for your reviews! Just to answer a couple.
To Numen: Trust me, man, I know about tracking devices- and technically, it's been working for only a week, not eighteen months. (. And about "too much action?" You're obviously a sharp person to have noticed that- was hoping no one would. This story was actually THREE chapters crammed into one when I posted it here, and you're right, WAY too much happens when it's formatted that way. I'm never doing that again.
To Yodana: That was YOU, girl? *smiles*
Okay..back onto it!
Disclaimer: Remains the same. A bit OOC, but what the hell. If the shoe fits...oh yeah, and a WARNING. Adolf Hitler is mentioned in this chapter. b I do not, I repeat, DO NOT condone, support or admire his actions in any way. I merely wrote him in because of the NATURE OF A CHARACTER. You have been warned, so don't flame me for that. b
Rating: Ditto as well. PG-13, in case ya forgot.
"Oh, my God..." Hawkgirl whispered, eyes wide.
Diana's face was ashen, and she clutched the wailing child closer to her.
Batman opened his mouth. "What-" he began to ask sharply, but was interrupted when John attempted to stand, then suddenly slumped over, falling to the ground. He quickly ran over to him. "John!" he pressed his fingers against the man's neck, searching for a pulse. "Hawkgirl, help me!"
Shayera tore her eyes from Diana and hurried over to the two men, using her mace as a lever to elevate John's body a few inches above the ground.
"He has a pulse. Hold him up so that I can drag him to Sickbay.." Shayera did accordingly, and they began to move down the hall.
"Shall I call the others?" Diana volunteered, running alongside them.
"NO!" Batman's voice came out harsher than he intended, and he saw Diana wince. "Just...come with us." He had to make sure she was the real Wonder Woman before he let her out of his sight. "I'll call them."
They reached Sickbay in seconds, and Batman and Shayera carefully lifted John onto the examining table, and Batman dug for a pair of surgical scissors, ripping the man's clothing from his body to reveal a white linen bandage wound tightly round his ribs.
"Help me cut this off.." he muttered to Shayera, and she bit her lip, helping him carefully remove the layers of white linen and cotton, while Diana looked on.
After a careful unwrapping, he pulled the last of the cotton off to reveal a deep gash in the John's side, packed with what appeared to be herbs. Batman grimaced at the sight, actually feeling nauseous for a moment. The wound was long, about as wide as two of his thickest fingers pressed together, and was oozing blood and water.
Shayera's face went white. "What the hell..did he get slashed or bitten?"
"Diana?" Batman glanced around sharply, noticing suddenly that the baby had stopped crying. Diana stood behind him, her robe draped over her front, and from the noises that were emerging from underneath it, the child was nursing. "What happened to him?"
"We were attacked...it's a long story." She looked tired. "It was made from an animal's claw."
Batman put his curiosity aside with his usual professionalism and reexamined the cut. It was deep and gaping, but apparently whatever had been packed inside it had kept it clean- there was no puffiness, no puss, and very little sign of infection. The wound was raw, though, and apparently had been draining for some time without the bandage being changed. It looked extremely painful, and inflamed- no wonder John had passed out.
"Hawkgirl- bring me some peroxide, cloths, a needle and surgical stitching thread," he ordered. "I have to close this thing up." He began to work at removing the blood-soaked bundles of herbs that packed the wound. "Bleeding's stopped, that's a good thing," he muttered. He glanced at John- the man was still out cold- and decided against numbing the area, and then snapped on his overhead light.
With Hawkgirl's help, Batman thoroughly cleaned the wound, then stitched it up with immaculate precision and applied a light ointment to the area. He then carefully applied a loose cotton bandage to the wound, being careful to let air reach it. "Hawkgirl..can you please get something for him to wear? Then go and get the others, wherever they are."
"I don't want to leave.."
"Shayera-" Batman broke all protocol and actually called her by name- "Please."
She nodded, and with one last glance at Diana, left the room.
Batman surveyed his handiwork, then gave John's body a quick once-over. His skin was glossy and brown, his lips moist, his palms and feet a healthy pink. He had lost weight, though, and his cheeks appeared slightly sunken.
Batman then examined his chest and back, frowning slightly. John had apparently been doing hard labor for an extended amount of time, for his lean frame was hardened with long, corded muscles he hadn't had before, and apparently he had been.....beaten, or slashed. Scars crisscrossed his chest, legs, and back, some newer than others. What then hell..Batman ran his finger over a particularly long one on his chest, frowning slightly. What on earth...
"Batman?"
Batman started, then whirled around. Diana was approaching him, her face drawn. "How is he?"
Batman answered coolly. "He's fine. That gash in his side should heal in no time." He cocked his head, surveying her. "I'll need to examine you, too...and I think you need to tell us there you've been all this time."
She looked down. "I've...."
Batman shook his head. "No need to say anything till the others arrive." he gestured to the adjoining table. "Please.."
Diana caught his meaning and climbed up onto the table. Batman drew some blood from both her and John, and tested both to confirm identity. Then he went back over to Diana, who was cradling the baby in the crook of her arm. "Let me see..him?"
Diana nodded. "Yes, it's a boy." She handed the baby over.
Batman laid him on another table with the pretence of examining him, and looked him over carefully. The child was small, yet sturdy, with a heedful of tight, ink- black curls. His skin was light, almost the shade of lightly browned toast, and had long, black lashes that now rested on his cheeks. "How old is he?"
"Six months." Batman felt rather than saw Diana step off the table, rewrap herself in her clothing, and walk over to him.
"He's small."
Diana didn't reply for a moment, and when she did, her voice was quiet. "He was a bit early, I think. His name is Timeus Loannes."
"What?"
"Timeus is a Greek name that means, 'perfect' and Loannes..well, that's a Greek form of 'John.'"
"Ah."
Silence pervaded the room.
The child then opened his eyes briefly, and Batman fell back, startled. The child's eyes were large, and glowed a clear, emerald green, flecked with darker specks of blue. They were startlingly bright in his small face. He yawned, swallowed, and closed them again.
Batman silently went about the job of examining Diana, and found nothing wrong with her, other than the fact that she seemed a bit dehydrated. Water and rest would take care of that.
Just as he was washing his hands, Batman heard a groan, and turned. The Green Lantern was waking up. Wonder Woman hurried to his side and grabbed his hand. "John? Can you hear me?"
"What..happened.."
"You fainted because of your wound." Diana rested a hand on his forehead. "I TOLD you to have it cleaned before we left the Watchers..."
"I was too eager to get back, I suppose..." John reached up and touched her face. "Where is..."
"He's here." Diana laid the baby, now swathed in a clean T-shirt, on John's bare chest. His hand came up to stroke the child's head. "Is he..."
"He's fine."
Behind them, Batman cleared his throat. "I'll just..leave you two alone," he said, then hurried from the room. He needed some air- he could feel his throat constricting.
*************************************
"C'mon, love..open your mouth for me..."
Diana was standing over Timeus, trying to get him to swallow a dropperful of the medicine that Batman had given her to rid his system of any parasites. He was having a hard time swallowing it, for apparently he didn't care for the taste. He cocked his head, eyed his mother in a way that could only be considered diabolical, and let the medicine fly.
"Oh!" she sputtered angrily, grabbing for a rag to wipe her face.
Timeus began to laugh, obviously enjoying her discomfort, and after a minute, she had to laugh as well. "You little devil.." Picking him up, she cradled him on her shoulder and looked around her room.
Everything had been virtually untouched during her absence, even down to the pile of dirty laundry she'd dumped on the floor the night of her disappearance. There was only one change- the rumpled bed that she and Batman had shared that evening had been discreetly smoothed out.
All of a sudden, Timeus was pulled from her arms and suspended from a beam of green light. He began screaming with delight. "Hey, Diana."
"You...!" Diana turned and glared at John Stewart, who had just entered the room. "We talked about this!" she took to the air and grabbed the baby, easing back down to the ground. "It's good to see that you're feeling better," she added sarcastically.
John pulled at the tape on his side. "It feels good. Batman did an excellent job. Besides-"
"You're a Marine. I KNOW." Diana didn't even bother to refrain from rolling her eyes. Men!
John smiled slightly and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm just glad to be back...aren't you?"
"Yes...I suppose," Diana said slowly. She still couldn't erase the picture of Batman and Shayera's faces from her mind. "Is everyone back yet?"
"Yes.." John sobered instantly, releasing her. "I suppose we should get out there and start talking."
They stood in silence for a minute.
"Well? Aren't you going?" John asked.
"Why not you first?"
"Ladies first." John quipped dryly.
"I'm an Amazon, princess, not a lady. Come on...we'll go together."
They left the room silently, each lost in their own thoughts.
***********************************
"Well, look who's up!"
Batman glanced up sharply at Flash's comment, just in time to see Diana and the Green Lantern enter the room, the Green Lantern holding Timeus in his hands. They walked in slowly, and sat down. The entire Justice League was assembled there, with the exception of Shayera.
To say that the silence that fell over the room was uncomfortable would be giving the understatement of the freaking century.
Batman was staring at the floor. J'onn was eying the baby curiously, as was Superman and Flash.
Just then, Timeus squealed, reaching out for Flash, nearly cutting himself into two in an effort to reach him. Flash grinned and held out his hands, and the tension in the room broke instantly. Timeus grasped the front of Flash's costume, trying to reach his lightning antennae, and managed to grab his mask, pulling it half off with surprising strength.
"Jeez!" Flash finally pulled off the mask, handing the whole thing to the baby, who immediately began chewing on it. "He's just as stubborn as his mom!"
"And what is THAT supposed to mean?" Diana couldn't keep the amusement out of her tone. Typical Flash. Despite the fact that they were now in the strangest of situations, the guy always managed to take everything in stride.
"You know what." Flash grimaced and attempted to pull the fabric from the child's mouth, but he began squalling, his mouth opening wide. "All right, kid! Chew on it-" and Flash relinquished control of his mask. "Then again, he looks like you with his mouth open, John," he added, regarding the drooling infant.
"Ha ha." John's opinion of Flash's sense of humor apparently hadn't changed either. Diana walked over and rescued Flash, dangling a beaded toy she produced from her pocket tantalizingly in front of his face. He immediately grabbed it and began gumming on it. "Sorry, Flash, he's teething."
"No harm done." Flash considered putting his mask back on, then decided against it. Baby drool was not a substance he was used to dealing with.
"Um...sorry to interrupt the small talk and all," Superman said, pensively, "but I might as well be the one to ask about what everyone's dying to know- where have you been? And what about-?" he gestured to Timeus.
"Well-" Diana began. She paused and looked to John for help.
"It's kind of a long story," the Green Lantern said, low. "Batman...has filled you in on the basics, I think?"
"Only that you have been gone for eighteen months- but to us, it's only been a week." This was Flash. "Seriously, it's like some kind of freaky science fiction movie or-"
"Please, Flash." Batman finally broke his self-imposed silence, and looked at the two, who were seated on the couch. "Go on, GL."
The Green Lantern sighed. "Well, after we were transported, we both woke up in some kind of lab. Savage was there, and we were apparently his only guests. We tried to fight back, of course, but he soon had us subdued." John stared at his hands.
Diana picked up the story from where he had left off, her voice soft, yet strong. "It became clear to us that he had a long term motive for transporting us to this..alternate reality, where apparently no one existed...he found a wormhole, and with his new form of time travel, was able to travel forward in time over and over again, transporting things he'd need for his ultimate endgame."
"This endgame involved yourself and the Green Lantern," J'onn stated.
"No." Diana's voice was quiet, insistent. "Only me. John was transported by accident. But as it turns out, Savage used him as well."
"How?" Superman asked."
"Well," John said, and then he paused. "Shouldn't..shouldn't Hawkgirl be here?"
"She's completing a mission," Batman said flatly. "I'll fill her in later."
"All right." John still seemed hesitant, but the looks on his teammate's faces compelled him to speak. "It all started when..."
*************************************
"Unnnggghhhh!"
John Stewart sucked in his breath, then took a running start and hurled himself over a bar positioned eight feet off the floor, barely missing it and landing hard on his shoulder on the other side.
"Very good, Mr. Stewart! Try again."
John turned around, sweat pouring down his face, arms, and legs, and glared at the android who had just praised him. He was standing in an arena-style training rink, and had just completed a barbaric, Roman-style obstacle course that included swinging axes and a thirty second-swim in a tank filled with sandy water.
John eyed the machine, wondering how long it would take for him to break it into a million pieces, but he couldn't take that risk. Other androids surrounded the area- and Vandal sat under a sunshade, observing him, that damned detonator in his hands.
"Just let it go, John," he heard Diana murmur beside him, though she glared at her captor with no less hatred. "There's no point in attempting to escape-"
"Until we have a better plan," John finished for her. "Are you okay?" he looked her over.
"The course was fairly simple. It was you I was worried about," Diana said, a bit of her old humor returning. "And those cuts on your back are opening up again."
"How can you joke at a time like this?" John grabbed his head, pacing. "I swear, I'll go out of my mind if I don't.."
"Ah, Mr. Stewart, Your royal highness Diana.." Savage had approached the two, that superior smirk still on his face. "Lovely day, isn't it?"
"What do you want with us, Vandal?" John asked again, frustrated.
It had been three days since Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern had been transported to this...elseworld, and apparently, the only people who existed was Savage and themselves, other than the many androids that seemed to obey his every command.
And they still had no clue as to why they were there.
At least, now they knew that it wasn't Savage's intention to kill them- in fact, the man had seemed intent on keeping them very much alive. Immediately following their...altercation with him in his lab, he had shown them to a large, sunny, kitchen.
"Lunch?" he'd asked politely.
It was all that John and Diana could do not to let their jaws scrape the floor, but they had dropped pretty low nevertheless.
"Flies are around," Savage politely pointed out, then calmly dished up a thick brew from a steaming pot, where you guessed it- another android was stirring it, attired ludicrously in a pink ruffled apron.
"Please, sit- you are my guests," Savage had said, again with extreme politeness.
They made no move.
"Sit," he said, his voice had been laced with menace, and he positioned his finger over the detonator that was now at his belt. "Eat. Now."
They'd glanced at other, then obeyed, reaching for their respective bowls. John sniffed the brew cautiously, glancing at Savage before took a bite. The man's face remained unreadable.
The food was apparently a thick, vegetable-packed barley stew, forfeited with enormous chunks of meat. "This will build muscle and give you strength," Vandal commented. He then provided them with jugs of water and chunks of brown bread. "Eat everything. If you throw it up, I'll make you eat it again. I have no intention of starving either of you to death."
After their meal, Vandal had led them to a small room, furnished with two twin beds, two chairs, and a table, looking for all the world like a college dorm room. The beds were made up with crisp linen, and the room was airy and clean.
"Welcome to your quarters," Savage had said dryly, showing them into the room. "Sleep tight." He slammed the door, and they could hear his footsteps retreating down the hall.
"What the hell was that all about?" John muttered, walking around their small enclosure. Diana was tapping on the walls, looking for weak or hollow spots, and as he watched her, the Green Lantern lost his temper. "Let me-" he said, and then slammed into the wall with such force, the entire building shook.
"Are you crazy?" Diana had hissed. She could have taken down the entire wall with one push, but unlike her idiot roommate, she had sense. "What if he hears us? He still has that detonator!"
"Sh*t. You're right-" and the Green Lantern froze, fearful.
The building remained silent, and his limbs remained workable.
"So what the hell do we do now?" John whispered loudly.
Diana sighed and sat down on the bed on her side of the room. "I suppose we get some sleep, and tomorrow we can...great Hera, is this a pillow mint?!?"
"What?" John leaned over to examine the foil-wrapped bonbon, then threw his hands up. "That's it. This man is insane." He glanced over at Diana, who had already climbed between her sheets. "How in the name of all that is holy can you be so calm?"
Diana had stared at him. "We're obviously stuck here till Savage comes back. It's obvious that he has no intention to kill us- or starve us, for that matter. Your energy would be better used in planning how we'll get out of here."
"You're right-" and the Green Lantern had flopped on his bed, then in a mode of dark humor, had eaten the pillow mint.
This had been three days ago.
Savage had awoken them on the second day, serving/force-feeding them a light breakfast of fruit, bagels, and a coffee-like hot drink, then hustling them outside to a closed enclosure, where an obstacle course had been set up.
They were told to run this course all day, followed by a midafternoon gym session, under the watchful eyes of Vandal- and fifty-four androids that stood in various corners of the barbed-wired yard. An escape attempt by the Green Lantern had resulted in him becoming tangled up in the barbed wire, almost ripped to shreds. When Vandal untied the wire, he had let the bleeding man fall to the ground, surveying the cuts that now covered his chest and back with little sympathy.
"Sponge off," he said, dropping a large, wet sponge into the GL's lap, "and go run it again. Please don't try to escape again. It tires me."
Embarrassed as well as injured, the Green Lantern sponged off his stinging cuts and headed back for the obstacle course, still seething. That night, while in their room, Diana had looked at his cuts with concern.
The climate of the..planet or world they were now in was acrid and dry, the ground covered with a layer of rust-colored sand, this made it hard to breathe while running, and the dust had settled all over the Green Lantern's bare chest and back. Not the best thing if you wanted to avoid infection.
"Hold still-" the GL flinched as Diana attempted to clean a particularly large gash on his shoulder with a piece of cloth torn from the underside of her shift. It was no cleaner than his skin, being as they'd been wearing the same clothing they'd woken up in, but at least she could get some of the dirt off of him.
"It's no use, Diana." John moved away from her and folded his arms over his chest. "What I don't understand is why you're not more enthusiastic about getting out of here. I would almost expect you to lead the way- you still have your superpowers."
"I know," Wonder Woman's tone was quiet. "I know, and I'm sorry. I just feel that we should find out more about where we are and why we're here....so we can know where to go when we leave. By all appearances- Vandal's the only one who exists here."
"That makes sense, I suppose..." Mollified, the Green Lantern stared up at the ceiling. "It's been two days now. You'd think the guy would offer us some clothing and water or something. Is that too much to ask for?"
That was when an android had walked into the room, opening the steel door with as much confidence as if it had been a night nurse making his rounds. "Can I help you?" the android asked in a staccato, computer-generated voice.
"Great Hera!" startled, Diana took a fighting stance, and John stood behind her in the same position.
"Who the hell are you?" John rasped.
"I am programmed to serve you. Is there anything you require?"
"Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack, sir."
Did this android just make a joke? John shook his head and moved forward. Only Vandal would think to put a bad-humor chip in his androids..."Um, well, some water and soap would be nice. And some clean clothes."
"I can show you where the bathroom is. Follow me-" and the android turned and left the room.
John and Diana stared at each other, then left the room. The android led them down the dark hall, and to a door they hadn't noticed before. The creature opened it. Inside was a furnished bathroom with a shower, and two sets of clothes, lying on a warming rack. "The lady would perhaps like to go first?"
So the android had a decorum chip, too? Astounding. "Go ahead, Diana."
Wonder Woman did so, and John surveyed the android, who was standing placidly outside the door. "So..I can ask you anything?"
"Affirmative."
"Why are we here?"
"For Mr. Savage's pleasure."
John winced, remembering the way that Savage had looked at him and touched him when he'd been shackled to the wall- and even today, when he lay on the ground at his feet, groaning in pain, and the man was standing over him with that...smirk. "What does he want to do with us?"
"What gives him pleasure."
"Oh, jeez...." John muttered. "His plan is classified, isn't it."
"Affirmative."
"Who are you?"
"A servant of Mr. Savage."
The android was obviously not giving up anything, so John gave up talking to him. Diana emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a unisex-looking pair of gray cotton pants and a matching top. John went inside and showered, glad to rinse the residue of dirt and sweat off of his skin. He stayed in there as long as possible, then emerged to find an outfit much like Diana's- and a tube of antibacterial cream.
He anointed his cuts, then dressed and emerged. The android was standing there, but Diana was gone. "Where is she?"
"Inside your quarters."
"Can you help us escape?" John asked half-heartedly.
"User cannot be read. Please try again later."
"very funny." John stalked back to the room, suddenly tired. Diana was on her bed, already sleeping, and he stared at her for a moment before climbing into his bed. She seemed so...different. So closed off.
That was his last though before drifting off to sleep.
And now, this was their third day in Savage's captivity.
"Savage, you might as well tell us," John yelled over the course to him. "why the hell are we here?"
*****************************************
"So what did he say?" Flash demanded, eyes wide. John had stopped to catch a breath, and Timeus was whining. Diana tried to soothe him, but he only whined all the more.
"Let me take him. Di, you continue the story," John said, and took the baby, bouncing him lightly on his lap.
"I don't care who talks," Batman broke in, tightly. "What happened?"
Diana sighed, raked back her hair, and began to talk.
*******************************************************************
Wonder Woman glanced at John, who was walking by her side, his normally rigid face tense with anticipation. During their 'training' that afternoon, he'd begged Savage to let them know why they had been kidnapped in such a fashion, and it looked...like he was actually going to tell them.
Perhaps John's stubborn hotheadedness was an asset, after all.
She didn't know what was wrong with her. Normally, in such a situation, she would be fighting twice as hard, both physically and mentally, but she just didn't feel...right. Not at all like herself.
Could it be...no! It had been only three days, after all. She pushed the thought from her head and hurried along.
Vandal had led them back into his lab, where he asked them to sit, then faced them. He waited a moment before speaking, stroking his goatee.
"Surely," he said, "you've heard of the dictator Adolf Hitler? At least you, John, who have had the privilege of attending an earthly school?"
They nodded.
"I have always admired him, in a way," Savage said softly, leaning forward in his chair. "His ruthless ambition, his brilliance, his desire to rule the world..."
"He killed millions of innocent people," John said. Surprisingly, his voice was steady, even hard. "I can imagine you admiring him."
Savage laughed silently. "What a wit you are, Stewart. I didn't approve of his methods- far too barbaric and messy- ! and believe it or not, I do not share his prejudices. I merely was intrigued with his idea of creating the perfect race."
Savage pretended not to see the look of disgust that John shot his way. "Yes, the perfect race, the perfect people...."
"And your point?" John's voice was icy.
"Please, Mr. Stewart, none of your 'we shall overcome' hysterics." Savage looked bored. "I am not a racist, neither am I a Nazi. I was merely intrigued with the idea that in such primitive times, a man thought that a perfect person could be created in himself, and could wipe all others off the face of the earth."
"Again..your point?" This was Diana.
Savage leaned forward and grinned evilly. "Surely you are familiar with my quest for world denomination."
"Who isn't?" John muttered sarcastically without thinking. Savage laughed delightedly. "Mr. Stewart, you know me well. Anyway, I became fascinated with the perfect human over the past few decades, and have made great strides in genetic manipulation and research.
"It occurred to me a few months ago that in Hitler's time, he wished to oliberate all the inhabitants of the earth with what he called a 'perfect' race- the Aryan race." He paused for breath. "My theory is- why create a perfect human race? Can a superhuman not be created- with genetic manipulation from another kind?"
"Are you suggesting human and alien cross-breeding?" Diana said. "Because if you are, you're a little bit behind the times."
Savage seemed a little surprised by her bluntness, but gratified nevertheless. "My dear, you misinterpret my motives. Through intensive research, I have found that genetic manipulation can be combined with breeding with fantastic results."
He looked at Diana, then John, and smiled- a smile of true, complete, and whole insanity.
"Are you two getting my point?"
*********************************************** "He wanted you two to BREED?" Superman sputtered, nearly choking on the coffee he'd been drinking. "Like cattle?"
John grimaced at his choice of words, but looked him in the eye. "Yes."
"B-b-b-b-but that's disgusting!"
"I agree," Diana put in. "Savage had been planning to breed the perfect human- one that had super strength, the ability to reason, superior intelligence, and perfect looks-"
"Your basic Amazon," Batman finished for her.
"Yes." Diana barely glanced in his direction before continuing. "He initially wanted to kidnap me, then use me as a host mother as well as a genetic contributor to his..experiment, but John mixed up his plans, as he was transported as well.
"It occurred to him as he observed John, though, that he'd be an ideal candidate to father the child. No past family illnesses, strong body and mind, and also all the radiation from his ring which had been absorbed into his bloodstream, as well as his DNA."
"Plus, Vandal can't father children naturally, apparently, and a fetus conceived in the...natural way would have much more of a chance of survival than one conceived outside the womb." John added. He sounded as if he was reciting from a medical textbook.
"So..are you saying..that you two actually...?" Flash trailed off delicately.
"Yes, Flash." Diana looked him in the eye. "About three months after we arrived, to be exact. And Timeus was the result."
"Oh," Flash mumbled. He couldn't stare at the floor hard enough.
After a slight pause, the Green Lantern continued. "It was..all very strange...but he had planned it out with excruciating care. The man has really made great strides in genetic research. Plus, he had us trapped in an alternate reality sometime in the near future, so...we didn't even know where to go if we tried to escape."
"Forgive me if this sounds..crude," J'onn said, speaking for the first time in nearly an hour, "but how did he manage to make you...I mean, humans are not like cattle, and in the case of two people, cannot usually be expected to merely......."
"Perhaps we'd better just go back to the basic story," Diana said, cutting him off. Her cheeks were burning. "We owe you all a full explanation, not a shortened version."
"Yes," John agreed. "And it's quite a story- you haven't heard a third of it yet. Just sit back and listen...."
Mwhahahah! Confused the hell outta some of you, right? Don't worry, it'll all be tied together soon. Sorry it took me so long to update; I hit writer's block like a brick wall, but I'm back on the story! BTW, did okay on finals, thanks to all who care.
To Numen: Trust me, man, I know about tracking devices- and technically, it's been working for only a week, not eighteen months. (. And about "too much action?" You're obviously a sharp person to have noticed that- was hoping no one would. This story was actually THREE chapters crammed into one when I posted it here, and you're right, WAY too much happens when it's formatted that way. I'm never doing that again.
To Yodana: That was YOU, girl? *smiles*
Okay..back onto it!
Disclaimer: Remains the same. A bit OOC, but what the hell. If the shoe fits...oh yeah, and a WARNING. Adolf Hitler is mentioned in this chapter. b I do not, I repeat, DO NOT condone, support or admire his actions in any way. I merely wrote him in because of the NATURE OF A CHARACTER. You have been warned, so don't flame me for that. b
Rating: Ditto as well. PG-13, in case ya forgot.
"Oh, my God..." Hawkgirl whispered, eyes wide.
Diana's face was ashen, and she clutched the wailing child closer to her.
Batman opened his mouth. "What-" he began to ask sharply, but was interrupted when John attempted to stand, then suddenly slumped over, falling to the ground. He quickly ran over to him. "John!" he pressed his fingers against the man's neck, searching for a pulse. "Hawkgirl, help me!"
Shayera tore her eyes from Diana and hurried over to the two men, using her mace as a lever to elevate John's body a few inches above the ground.
"He has a pulse. Hold him up so that I can drag him to Sickbay.." Shayera did accordingly, and they began to move down the hall.
"Shall I call the others?" Diana volunteered, running alongside them.
"NO!" Batman's voice came out harsher than he intended, and he saw Diana wince. "Just...come with us." He had to make sure she was the real Wonder Woman before he let her out of his sight. "I'll call them."
They reached Sickbay in seconds, and Batman and Shayera carefully lifted John onto the examining table, and Batman dug for a pair of surgical scissors, ripping the man's clothing from his body to reveal a white linen bandage wound tightly round his ribs.
"Help me cut this off.." he muttered to Shayera, and she bit her lip, helping him carefully remove the layers of white linen and cotton, while Diana looked on.
After a careful unwrapping, he pulled the last of the cotton off to reveal a deep gash in the John's side, packed with what appeared to be herbs. Batman grimaced at the sight, actually feeling nauseous for a moment. The wound was long, about as wide as two of his thickest fingers pressed together, and was oozing blood and water.
Shayera's face went white. "What the hell..did he get slashed or bitten?"
"Diana?" Batman glanced around sharply, noticing suddenly that the baby had stopped crying. Diana stood behind him, her robe draped over her front, and from the noises that were emerging from underneath it, the child was nursing. "What happened to him?"
"We were attacked...it's a long story." She looked tired. "It was made from an animal's claw."
Batman put his curiosity aside with his usual professionalism and reexamined the cut. It was deep and gaping, but apparently whatever had been packed inside it had kept it clean- there was no puffiness, no puss, and very little sign of infection. The wound was raw, though, and apparently had been draining for some time without the bandage being changed. It looked extremely painful, and inflamed- no wonder John had passed out.
"Hawkgirl- bring me some peroxide, cloths, a needle and surgical stitching thread," he ordered. "I have to close this thing up." He began to work at removing the blood-soaked bundles of herbs that packed the wound. "Bleeding's stopped, that's a good thing," he muttered. He glanced at John- the man was still out cold- and decided against numbing the area, and then snapped on his overhead light.
With Hawkgirl's help, Batman thoroughly cleaned the wound, then stitched it up with immaculate precision and applied a light ointment to the area. He then carefully applied a loose cotton bandage to the wound, being careful to let air reach it. "Hawkgirl..can you please get something for him to wear? Then go and get the others, wherever they are."
"I don't want to leave.."
"Shayera-" Batman broke all protocol and actually called her by name- "Please."
She nodded, and with one last glance at Diana, left the room.
Batman surveyed his handiwork, then gave John's body a quick once-over. His skin was glossy and brown, his lips moist, his palms and feet a healthy pink. He had lost weight, though, and his cheeks appeared slightly sunken.
Batman then examined his chest and back, frowning slightly. John had apparently been doing hard labor for an extended amount of time, for his lean frame was hardened with long, corded muscles he hadn't had before, and apparently he had been.....beaten, or slashed. Scars crisscrossed his chest, legs, and back, some newer than others. What then hell..Batman ran his finger over a particularly long one on his chest, frowning slightly. What on earth...
"Batman?"
Batman started, then whirled around. Diana was approaching him, her face drawn. "How is he?"
Batman answered coolly. "He's fine. That gash in his side should heal in no time." He cocked his head, surveying her. "I'll need to examine you, too...and I think you need to tell us there you've been all this time."
She looked down. "I've...."
Batman shook his head. "No need to say anything till the others arrive." he gestured to the adjoining table. "Please.."
Diana caught his meaning and climbed up onto the table. Batman drew some blood from both her and John, and tested both to confirm identity. Then he went back over to Diana, who was cradling the baby in the crook of her arm. "Let me see..him?"
Diana nodded. "Yes, it's a boy." She handed the baby over.
Batman laid him on another table with the pretence of examining him, and looked him over carefully. The child was small, yet sturdy, with a heedful of tight, ink- black curls. His skin was light, almost the shade of lightly browned toast, and had long, black lashes that now rested on his cheeks. "How old is he?"
"Six months." Batman felt rather than saw Diana step off the table, rewrap herself in her clothing, and walk over to him.
"He's small."
Diana didn't reply for a moment, and when she did, her voice was quiet. "He was a bit early, I think. His name is Timeus Loannes."
"What?"
"Timeus is a Greek name that means, 'perfect' and Loannes..well, that's a Greek form of 'John.'"
"Ah."
Silence pervaded the room.
The child then opened his eyes briefly, and Batman fell back, startled. The child's eyes were large, and glowed a clear, emerald green, flecked with darker specks of blue. They were startlingly bright in his small face. He yawned, swallowed, and closed them again.
Batman silently went about the job of examining Diana, and found nothing wrong with her, other than the fact that she seemed a bit dehydrated. Water and rest would take care of that.
Just as he was washing his hands, Batman heard a groan, and turned. The Green Lantern was waking up. Wonder Woman hurried to his side and grabbed his hand. "John? Can you hear me?"
"What..happened.."
"You fainted because of your wound." Diana rested a hand on his forehead. "I TOLD you to have it cleaned before we left the Watchers..."
"I was too eager to get back, I suppose..." John reached up and touched her face. "Where is..."
"He's here." Diana laid the baby, now swathed in a clean T-shirt, on John's bare chest. His hand came up to stroke the child's head. "Is he..."
"He's fine."
Behind them, Batman cleared his throat. "I'll just..leave you two alone," he said, then hurried from the room. He needed some air- he could feel his throat constricting.
*************************************
"C'mon, love..open your mouth for me..."
Diana was standing over Timeus, trying to get him to swallow a dropperful of the medicine that Batman had given her to rid his system of any parasites. He was having a hard time swallowing it, for apparently he didn't care for the taste. He cocked his head, eyed his mother in a way that could only be considered diabolical, and let the medicine fly.
"Oh!" she sputtered angrily, grabbing for a rag to wipe her face.
Timeus began to laugh, obviously enjoying her discomfort, and after a minute, she had to laugh as well. "You little devil.." Picking him up, she cradled him on her shoulder and looked around her room.
Everything had been virtually untouched during her absence, even down to the pile of dirty laundry she'd dumped on the floor the night of her disappearance. There was only one change- the rumpled bed that she and Batman had shared that evening had been discreetly smoothed out.
All of a sudden, Timeus was pulled from her arms and suspended from a beam of green light. He began screaming with delight. "Hey, Diana."
"You...!" Diana turned and glared at John Stewart, who had just entered the room. "We talked about this!" she took to the air and grabbed the baby, easing back down to the ground. "It's good to see that you're feeling better," she added sarcastically.
John pulled at the tape on his side. "It feels good. Batman did an excellent job. Besides-"
"You're a Marine. I KNOW." Diana didn't even bother to refrain from rolling her eyes. Men!
John smiled slightly and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm just glad to be back...aren't you?"
"Yes...I suppose," Diana said slowly. She still couldn't erase the picture of Batman and Shayera's faces from her mind. "Is everyone back yet?"
"Yes.." John sobered instantly, releasing her. "I suppose we should get out there and start talking."
They stood in silence for a minute.
"Well? Aren't you going?" John asked.
"Why not you first?"
"Ladies first." John quipped dryly.
"I'm an Amazon, princess, not a lady. Come on...we'll go together."
They left the room silently, each lost in their own thoughts.
***********************************
"Well, look who's up!"
Batman glanced up sharply at Flash's comment, just in time to see Diana and the Green Lantern enter the room, the Green Lantern holding Timeus in his hands. They walked in slowly, and sat down. The entire Justice League was assembled there, with the exception of Shayera.
To say that the silence that fell over the room was uncomfortable would be giving the understatement of the freaking century.
Batman was staring at the floor. J'onn was eying the baby curiously, as was Superman and Flash.
Just then, Timeus squealed, reaching out for Flash, nearly cutting himself into two in an effort to reach him. Flash grinned and held out his hands, and the tension in the room broke instantly. Timeus grasped the front of Flash's costume, trying to reach his lightning antennae, and managed to grab his mask, pulling it half off with surprising strength.
"Jeez!" Flash finally pulled off the mask, handing the whole thing to the baby, who immediately began chewing on it. "He's just as stubborn as his mom!"
"And what is THAT supposed to mean?" Diana couldn't keep the amusement out of her tone. Typical Flash. Despite the fact that they were now in the strangest of situations, the guy always managed to take everything in stride.
"You know what." Flash grimaced and attempted to pull the fabric from the child's mouth, but he began squalling, his mouth opening wide. "All right, kid! Chew on it-" and Flash relinquished control of his mask. "Then again, he looks like you with his mouth open, John," he added, regarding the drooling infant.
"Ha ha." John's opinion of Flash's sense of humor apparently hadn't changed either. Diana walked over and rescued Flash, dangling a beaded toy she produced from her pocket tantalizingly in front of his face. He immediately grabbed it and began gumming on it. "Sorry, Flash, he's teething."
"No harm done." Flash considered putting his mask back on, then decided against it. Baby drool was not a substance he was used to dealing with.
"Um...sorry to interrupt the small talk and all," Superman said, pensively, "but I might as well be the one to ask about what everyone's dying to know- where have you been? And what about-?" he gestured to Timeus.
"Well-" Diana began. She paused and looked to John for help.
"It's kind of a long story," the Green Lantern said, low. "Batman...has filled you in on the basics, I think?"
"Only that you have been gone for eighteen months- but to us, it's only been a week." This was Flash. "Seriously, it's like some kind of freaky science fiction movie or-"
"Please, Flash." Batman finally broke his self-imposed silence, and looked at the two, who were seated on the couch. "Go on, GL."
The Green Lantern sighed. "Well, after we were transported, we both woke up in some kind of lab. Savage was there, and we were apparently his only guests. We tried to fight back, of course, but he soon had us subdued." John stared at his hands.
Diana picked up the story from where he had left off, her voice soft, yet strong. "It became clear to us that he had a long term motive for transporting us to this..alternate reality, where apparently no one existed...he found a wormhole, and with his new form of time travel, was able to travel forward in time over and over again, transporting things he'd need for his ultimate endgame."
"This endgame involved yourself and the Green Lantern," J'onn stated.
"No." Diana's voice was quiet, insistent. "Only me. John was transported by accident. But as it turns out, Savage used him as well."
"How?" Superman asked."
"Well," John said, and then he paused. "Shouldn't..shouldn't Hawkgirl be here?"
"She's completing a mission," Batman said flatly. "I'll fill her in later."
"All right." John still seemed hesitant, but the looks on his teammate's faces compelled him to speak. "It all started when..."
*************************************
"Unnnggghhhh!"
John Stewart sucked in his breath, then took a running start and hurled himself over a bar positioned eight feet off the floor, barely missing it and landing hard on his shoulder on the other side.
"Very good, Mr. Stewart! Try again."
John turned around, sweat pouring down his face, arms, and legs, and glared at the android who had just praised him. He was standing in an arena-style training rink, and had just completed a barbaric, Roman-style obstacle course that included swinging axes and a thirty second-swim in a tank filled with sandy water.
John eyed the machine, wondering how long it would take for him to break it into a million pieces, but he couldn't take that risk. Other androids surrounded the area- and Vandal sat under a sunshade, observing him, that damned detonator in his hands.
"Just let it go, John," he heard Diana murmur beside him, though she glared at her captor with no less hatred. "There's no point in attempting to escape-"
"Until we have a better plan," John finished for her. "Are you okay?" he looked her over.
"The course was fairly simple. It was you I was worried about," Diana said, a bit of her old humor returning. "And those cuts on your back are opening up again."
"How can you joke at a time like this?" John grabbed his head, pacing. "I swear, I'll go out of my mind if I don't.."
"Ah, Mr. Stewart, Your royal highness Diana.." Savage had approached the two, that superior smirk still on his face. "Lovely day, isn't it?"
"What do you want with us, Vandal?" John asked again, frustrated.
It had been three days since Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern had been transported to this...elseworld, and apparently, the only people who existed was Savage and themselves, other than the many androids that seemed to obey his every command.
And they still had no clue as to why they were there.
At least, now they knew that it wasn't Savage's intention to kill them- in fact, the man had seemed intent on keeping them very much alive. Immediately following their...altercation with him in his lab, he had shown them to a large, sunny, kitchen.
"Lunch?" he'd asked politely.
It was all that John and Diana could do not to let their jaws scrape the floor, but they had dropped pretty low nevertheless.
"Flies are around," Savage politely pointed out, then calmly dished up a thick brew from a steaming pot, where you guessed it- another android was stirring it, attired ludicrously in a pink ruffled apron.
"Please, sit- you are my guests," Savage had said, again with extreme politeness.
They made no move.
"Sit," he said, his voice had been laced with menace, and he positioned his finger over the detonator that was now at his belt. "Eat. Now."
They'd glanced at other, then obeyed, reaching for their respective bowls. John sniffed the brew cautiously, glancing at Savage before took a bite. The man's face remained unreadable.
The food was apparently a thick, vegetable-packed barley stew, forfeited with enormous chunks of meat. "This will build muscle and give you strength," Vandal commented. He then provided them with jugs of water and chunks of brown bread. "Eat everything. If you throw it up, I'll make you eat it again. I have no intention of starving either of you to death."
After their meal, Vandal had led them to a small room, furnished with two twin beds, two chairs, and a table, looking for all the world like a college dorm room. The beds were made up with crisp linen, and the room was airy and clean.
"Welcome to your quarters," Savage had said dryly, showing them into the room. "Sleep tight." He slammed the door, and they could hear his footsteps retreating down the hall.
"What the hell was that all about?" John muttered, walking around their small enclosure. Diana was tapping on the walls, looking for weak or hollow spots, and as he watched her, the Green Lantern lost his temper. "Let me-" he said, and then slammed into the wall with such force, the entire building shook.
"Are you crazy?" Diana had hissed. She could have taken down the entire wall with one push, but unlike her idiot roommate, she had sense. "What if he hears us? He still has that detonator!"
"Sh*t. You're right-" and the Green Lantern froze, fearful.
The building remained silent, and his limbs remained workable.
"So what the hell do we do now?" John whispered loudly.
Diana sighed and sat down on the bed on her side of the room. "I suppose we get some sleep, and tomorrow we can...great Hera, is this a pillow mint?!?"
"What?" John leaned over to examine the foil-wrapped bonbon, then threw his hands up. "That's it. This man is insane." He glanced over at Diana, who had already climbed between her sheets. "How in the name of all that is holy can you be so calm?"
Diana had stared at him. "We're obviously stuck here till Savage comes back. It's obvious that he has no intention to kill us- or starve us, for that matter. Your energy would be better used in planning how we'll get out of here."
"You're right-" and the Green Lantern had flopped on his bed, then in a mode of dark humor, had eaten the pillow mint.
This had been three days ago.
Savage had awoken them on the second day, serving/force-feeding them a light breakfast of fruit, bagels, and a coffee-like hot drink, then hustling them outside to a closed enclosure, where an obstacle course had been set up.
They were told to run this course all day, followed by a midafternoon gym session, under the watchful eyes of Vandal- and fifty-four androids that stood in various corners of the barbed-wired yard. An escape attempt by the Green Lantern had resulted in him becoming tangled up in the barbed wire, almost ripped to shreds. When Vandal untied the wire, he had let the bleeding man fall to the ground, surveying the cuts that now covered his chest and back with little sympathy.
"Sponge off," he said, dropping a large, wet sponge into the GL's lap, "and go run it again. Please don't try to escape again. It tires me."
Embarrassed as well as injured, the Green Lantern sponged off his stinging cuts and headed back for the obstacle course, still seething. That night, while in their room, Diana had looked at his cuts with concern.
The climate of the..planet or world they were now in was acrid and dry, the ground covered with a layer of rust-colored sand, this made it hard to breathe while running, and the dust had settled all over the Green Lantern's bare chest and back. Not the best thing if you wanted to avoid infection.
"Hold still-" the GL flinched as Diana attempted to clean a particularly large gash on his shoulder with a piece of cloth torn from the underside of her shift. It was no cleaner than his skin, being as they'd been wearing the same clothing they'd woken up in, but at least she could get some of the dirt off of him.
"It's no use, Diana." John moved away from her and folded his arms over his chest. "What I don't understand is why you're not more enthusiastic about getting out of here. I would almost expect you to lead the way- you still have your superpowers."
"I know," Wonder Woman's tone was quiet. "I know, and I'm sorry. I just feel that we should find out more about where we are and why we're here....so we can know where to go when we leave. By all appearances- Vandal's the only one who exists here."
"That makes sense, I suppose..." Mollified, the Green Lantern stared up at the ceiling. "It's been two days now. You'd think the guy would offer us some clothing and water or something. Is that too much to ask for?"
That was when an android had walked into the room, opening the steel door with as much confidence as if it had been a night nurse making his rounds. "Can I help you?" the android asked in a staccato, computer-generated voice.
"Great Hera!" startled, Diana took a fighting stance, and John stood behind her in the same position.
"Who the hell are you?" John rasped.
"I am programmed to serve you. Is there anything you require?"
"Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack, sir."
Did this android just make a joke? John shook his head and moved forward. Only Vandal would think to put a bad-humor chip in his androids..."Um, well, some water and soap would be nice. And some clean clothes."
"I can show you where the bathroom is. Follow me-" and the android turned and left the room.
John and Diana stared at each other, then left the room. The android led them down the dark hall, and to a door they hadn't noticed before. The creature opened it. Inside was a furnished bathroom with a shower, and two sets of clothes, lying on a warming rack. "The lady would perhaps like to go first?"
So the android had a decorum chip, too? Astounding. "Go ahead, Diana."
Wonder Woman did so, and John surveyed the android, who was standing placidly outside the door. "So..I can ask you anything?"
"Affirmative."
"Why are we here?"
"For Mr. Savage's pleasure."
John winced, remembering the way that Savage had looked at him and touched him when he'd been shackled to the wall- and even today, when he lay on the ground at his feet, groaning in pain, and the man was standing over him with that...smirk. "What does he want to do with us?"
"What gives him pleasure."
"Oh, jeez...." John muttered. "His plan is classified, isn't it."
"Affirmative."
"Who are you?"
"A servant of Mr. Savage."
The android was obviously not giving up anything, so John gave up talking to him. Diana emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a unisex-looking pair of gray cotton pants and a matching top. John went inside and showered, glad to rinse the residue of dirt and sweat off of his skin. He stayed in there as long as possible, then emerged to find an outfit much like Diana's- and a tube of antibacterial cream.
He anointed his cuts, then dressed and emerged. The android was standing there, but Diana was gone. "Where is she?"
"Inside your quarters."
"Can you help us escape?" John asked half-heartedly.
"User cannot be read. Please try again later."
"very funny." John stalked back to the room, suddenly tired. Diana was on her bed, already sleeping, and he stared at her for a moment before climbing into his bed. She seemed so...different. So closed off.
That was his last though before drifting off to sleep.
And now, this was their third day in Savage's captivity.
"Savage, you might as well tell us," John yelled over the course to him. "why the hell are we here?"
*****************************************
"So what did he say?" Flash demanded, eyes wide. John had stopped to catch a breath, and Timeus was whining. Diana tried to soothe him, but he only whined all the more.
"Let me take him. Di, you continue the story," John said, and took the baby, bouncing him lightly on his lap.
"I don't care who talks," Batman broke in, tightly. "What happened?"
Diana sighed, raked back her hair, and began to talk.
*******************************************************************
Wonder Woman glanced at John, who was walking by her side, his normally rigid face tense with anticipation. During their 'training' that afternoon, he'd begged Savage to let them know why they had been kidnapped in such a fashion, and it looked...like he was actually going to tell them.
Perhaps John's stubborn hotheadedness was an asset, after all.
She didn't know what was wrong with her. Normally, in such a situation, she would be fighting twice as hard, both physically and mentally, but she just didn't feel...right. Not at all like herself.
Could it be...no! It had been only three days, after all. She pushed the thought from her head and hurried along.
Vandal had led them back into his lab, where he asked them to sit, then faced them. He waited a moment before speaking, stroking his goatee.
"Surely," he said, "you've heard of the dictator Adolf Hitler? At least you, John, who have had the privilege of attending an earthly school?"
They nodded.
"I have always admired him, in a way," Savage said softly, leaning forward in his chair. "His ruthless ambition, his brilliance, his desire to rule the world..."
"He killed millions of innocent people," John said. Surprisingly, his voice was steady, even hard. "I can imagine you admiring him."
Savage laughed silently. "What a wit you are, Stewart. I didn't approve of his methods- far too barbaric and messy- ! and believe it or not, I do not share his prejudices. I merely was intrigued with his idea of creating the perfect race."
Savage pretended not to see the look of disgust that John shot his way. "Yes, the perfect race, the perfect people...."
"And your point?" John's voice was icy.
"Please, Mr. Stewart, none of your 'we shall overcome' hysterics." Savage looked bored. "I am not a racist, neither am I a Nazi. I was merely intrigued with the idea that in such primitive times, a man thought that a perfect person could be created in himself, and could wipe all others off the face of the earth."
"Again..your point?" This was Diana.
Savage leaned forward and grinned evilly. "Surely you are familiar with my quest for world denomination."
"Who isn't?" John muttered sarcastically without thinking. Savage laughed delightedly. "Mr. Stewart, you know me well. Anyway, I became fascinated with the perfect human over the past few decades, and have made great strides in genetic manipulation and research.
"It occurred to me a few months ago that in Hitler's time, he wished to oliberate all the inhabitants of the earth with what he called a 'perfect' race- the Aryan race." He paused for breath. "My theory is- why create a perfect human race? Can a superhuman not be created- with genetic manipulation from another kind?"
"Are you suggesting human and alien cross-breeding?" Diana said. "Because if you are, you're a little bit behind the times."
Savage seemed a little surprised by her bluntness, but gratified nevertheless. "My dear, you misinterpret my motives. Through intensive research, I have found that genetic manipulation can be combined with breeding with fantastic results."
He looked at Diana, then John, and smiled- a smile of true, complete, and whole insanity.
"Are you two getting my point?"
*********************************************** "He wanted you two to BREED?" Superman sputtered, nearly choking on the coffee he'd been drinking. "Like cattle?"
John grimaced at his choice of words, but looked him in the eye. "Yes."
"B-b-b-b-but that's disgusting!"
"I agree," Diana put in. "Savage had been planning to breed the perfect human- one that had super strength, the ability to reason, superior intelligence, and perfect looks-"
"Your basic Amazon," Batman finished for her.
"Yes." Diana barely glanced in his direction before continuing. "He initially wanted to kidnap me, then use me as a host mother as well as a genetic contributor to his..experiment, but John mixed up his plans, as he was transported as well.
"It occurred to him as he observed John, though, that he'd be an ideal candidate to father the child. No past family illnesses, strong body and mind, and also all the radiation from his ring which had been absorbed into his bloodstream, as well as his DNA."
"Plus, Vandal can't father children naturally, apparently, and a fetus conceived in the...natural way would have much more of a chance of survival than one conceived outside the womb." John added. He sounded as if he was reciting from a medical textbook.
"So..are you saying..that you two actually...?" Flash trailed off delicately.
"Yes, Flash." Diana looked him in the eye. "About three months after we arrived, to be exact. And Timeus was the result."
"Oh," Flash mumbled. He couldn't stare at the floor hard enough.
After a slight pause, the Green Lantern continued. "It was..all very strange...but he had planned it out with excruciating care. The man has really made great strides in genetic research. Plus, he had us trapped in an alternate reality sometime in the near future, so...we didn't even know where to go if we tried to escape."
"Forgive me if this sounds..crude," J'onn said, speaking for the first time in nearly an hour, "but how did he manage to make you...I mean, humans are not like cattle, and in the case of two people, cannot usually be expected to merely......."
"Perhaps we'd better just go back to the basic story," Diana said, cutting him off. Her cheeks were burning. "We owe you all a full explanation, not a shortened version."
"Yes," John agreed. "And it's quite a story- you haven't heard a third of it yet. Just sit back and listen...."
Mwhahahah! Confused the hell outta some of you, right? Don't worry, it'll all be tied together soon. Sorry it took me so long to update; I hit writer's block like a brick wall, but I'm back on the story! BTW, did okay on finals, thanks to all who care.
