Chapter 12: Departures
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Eighteen minutes later I shepherded the two congressmen into the hangar. The transparent walls gave a spectacular view of Atlantis beyond. Inside were three shuttles, the invisible plane and more than a dozen super heroes. Lois was interviewing the Ray, who looked flattered. Blue Beetle was examining one of the shuttles.
"These look like Atlantean design," he announced loudly.
"They are JLA shuttles which Mera has kindly allowed us to store here against an emergency like this," I told him quellingly, pointing at the plaque on the side of the shuttle. It read: "Javelin 7, property of the JLA."
Beetle looked disbelieving. "Yeah, riiiight."
I suppressed the urge to slap him upside the head and instead turned away. I whispered into the microphone, "How are we doing, Oracle?"
"He made the call and, I can tell you, it sure stirred up a hornet's nest. Every HDC rapid response team in the eastern U.S. is moving. I'll be able to triangulate in a few minutes. So everything is 'go' from my side."
My attention was caught by Supergirl's entrance. We nodded to each other. Her attitude concerned me; the more so as I had had no opportunity to discuss it with either Batman or Nightwing. Lost beneath her anger, I knew, was a spirit both brave and true. I hoped she would find it again when she needed of it.
Oracle interrupted my reverie. "Places, everyone, he's coming."
My eye caught Supergirl's once more and then we both looked away.
Batman walked through the doorway, nodded very slightly in my direction, and then ducked through the hatchway into the Javelin 7. I could hear his voice, "Beetle, if you break it, you've bought it."
Then Dawn and Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, came through the doorway into the hangar. Ralph was telling Dawn something and talking with his hands again. Given the way they could stretch, everyone within twenty feet was backing away. Batman came back out of the Javelin 7 and the two made straight for him. Supergirl and I closed in behind them. I started surreptitiously pulling on the special black gloves Batman had given me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Supergirl do the same, but my attention was focused on the pair ahead of us.
"Batman," Ralph called out loudly, "Dawn has something more to tell you." Every head turned at this.
"I do not think it is important," Dawn started to say as Ralph took a long step towards Batman. Supergirl and I stepped up on each side of Dawn. Ralph pulled himself out of the way as we both swiveled and struck Dawn with all our speed and power.
At least, Supergirl did so. Although my mind knew the truth, my heart could not stop believing this was a friend. I realized with dismay that I had pulled my punch. The force of Supergirl's blow knocked Dawn towards me and I could see he was reverting to his true form. Another second and we would have a battle on our hands that would shatter this tower and rock all of Atlantis.
My mind stopped and my body took over. I hammered him again and again, not allowing him a split second to recover. It was not enough; he had almost fully shifted to his true form. His power rivaled Superman's, I reminded myself as my side kick knocked him into Supergirl's fist. He was staggered back towards me and we both hit him simultaneously. He swayed for a moment.
"Haiiiii!" Power Girl slammed into him, knocking him back into a wall. Fortunately, it was built to withstand the pressures of the deep and did not shatter. She grabbed an oversized purple arm and threw him back towards us. As one, Supergirl and I punched with all of our might and, finally, he crashed to the floor, out cold.
"Thanks," I told Power Girl, breathing hard.
"I thought you two could use a hand," she replied.
"Senator, Congressman," Batman's voice boomed out. I looked up and saw them in the far corner where Ralph had carried them, as per plan. They were looking dazed, as well they might.
"You asked for proof," Batman continued in a commanding voice, "I present you with Exhibit A, the Parasite."
"I don't understand," quavered Zabrowski.
Lois knelt next to the Parasite and looked him over, being careful not to touch him.
'J'onn?'
'I am here, Diana.' His thoughts were partially formed and chaotic, not at all like his usual controlled self. It was amazing he could function at all, I thought. I knew he still couldn't maintain a form. It had been disturbing to see him reduced to a puddle of green ooze; but it was better than what we had feared. Scorch's teachings had allowed him to survive the flames long enough to turn intangible and slip into the bedrock beneath the house. It had taken him hours to reach Atlantis, moving through rock until he came up in the basement of one of the towers.
'Did you get it?'
'Yes.' I felt pain and a black despair clash, sweeping away conscious thought for a moment. Then he forced the emotions back down.
'Hourman was right. Dawn, at least, is being held at Belle Reeve. The image was clear in the Parasite's brain. I am sorry I can do no more.'
'You have done enough,' I assured him, but he had already broken the connection. Major Disaster, I thought, was not the only one fighting for his soul.
The sound of Lois' voice, brought my attention back to the scene before me
"The Parasite," Lois was explaining, "is a super villain who absorbs a person's memories and powers with a touch. He can also take the form of that person, making him the perfect imposter. Of course, he also drains your life force with his touch. That's how he feeds. And he has to touch you every twenty-four hours to keep up the disguise. But he's supposed to be dead, killed in a battle with Superman." She stood and stepped back from the Parasite's body, as Atlantean guards appeared to take him away. Lois looked inquiringly at the Batman.
"LexCorp took possession of the body," he told her, "and you can see the result. He has been impersonating Dawn since the Kylaq affair. He ambushed Major Disaster and handed him over to Luthor. He sabotaged our communications and blew up the Watchtower. We intercepted his call just now, revealing our plans. The HDC has sent rapid response teams to protect Luthor's clone factory."
"Then we've failed," cried Steel, "They'll be waiting for us."
I nodded to Nightwing, who raised his arms for attention.
"Not at all!" shouted Nightwing. "We've got them right where we want them!" He stepped up to Batman and saluted. "Permission to proceed, sir!"
"Go ahead," Batman replied. More softly he added, "Be careful… son."
"You too, pops," whispered Nightwing. He turned. "Change of plans! We're breaking our friends out of Belle Reeve! Both teams!"
Everyone cheered except for the two congressmen – who were still trying to puzzle things out – Batman and myself.
"Time to go," I told the congressmen and picked them up and flew towards the invisible plane. Batman raced after me on foot.
Behind us, Nightwing called out, "Hourman will lead Team One with Power Girl as his second! Now come on! Team One in Javelin 6, Team Two in Javelin 7!"
"I don't understand," Zabrowski repeated. Connelly looked completely out of his depth.
Lois suddenly realized she had been outmaneuvered. "Hey!" she shouted at us, "I'm going with you!" She started running after us.
"Too late, Lois," I yelled, "better luck next time!"
We settled into the invisible plane as the last of the super heroes boarded the shuttles. The great hangar doors started to cycle open and Lois, realizing she couldn't reach the invisible plane in time, turned and dashed for the nearest shuttle.
"I don't understand," Zabrowski said yet again.
"It's actually quite simple, sir," I explained. "We knew the Parasite was a spy, so we used him to feed Luthor misinformation. He thinks we're attacking the clone factory, when in fact the other super heroes will be freeing our imprisoned comrades in Belle Reeve."
"But she… he… it, whatever, gave Major Disaster away. Why do that?"
"Because Luthor realized we would guess he had a spy in our midst. By sacrificing Major Disaster, he sought to place 'Dawn' above suspicion. Fortunately, Batman was already suspicious of 'Dawn' and was able to verify his suspicions in time."
The hangar doors were now fully open and the invisible plane shot out into the brightly lit waters of Atlantis.
"What about all that stuff about the clone factory being the only place to find the evidence. Was that a lie?" demanded Zabrowski.
"No," answered Batman, "that's why – while the others go after Belle Reeve – we're going after the clone factory."
"Just the four of us?" cried Zabrowski. "Are you insane? What am I saying? You dress up like a bat and go around terrorizing criminals. Of course you're insane!"
"Calm down, Piotr," advised Connelly. "They're the experts. Let's leave the means to them and concentrate on the ends."
"Thank you, sir," Batman replied respectfully. Well, respectfully for him. He turned to Zabrowski. "I lied. We didn't know where the clone factory is. So we had to get Luthor to show us. Which he has done. HDC shuttles are carrying troops from all over the eastern United States towards the clone factory right now. All we have to do is follow them."
We were approaching the dome surrounding Atlantis. Beyond, the waters were midnight black. A hole started opening just ahead of us.
"How do you know what the HDC is doing?" asked Zabrowski.
"We've tapped into U.S. spy satellites," Batman replied unconcernedly.
"If you're trying to convince me you people aren't dangerous," Zabrowski commented waspishly, "you're not doing a very good job."
"I never said we weren't dangerous," Batman answered with a smile that terrorized hardened criminals, "I said we weren't guilty."
The invisible plane shot through the opening and into the inky depths beyond.
Author's Note: The Parasite died in the trade paperback "Til Death do us Part". His new, greater powers first appeared then. Hope and Mercy appropriated his body in the trade paperback "Critical Condition". For those of you surprised by this development, I did hint at it back in Chapters 1 and 9. ;-)