Chapter 29: Final Showdown

All characters are the property of DC Comics. No money is being made on this story and no infringement of copyright is intended.

I entered the elevator, being careful to step around the hole in the floor and glancing up to check that the emergency hatch was open. I hit the button for the lowermost floor and, as the doors closed, caught a last look at Jones' worried face.

As the elevator descended, I used the Swiss army knife Jones had provided to pop open the control panel. I pulled out a pair of wires and used the knife to cut them and strip off the insulation. As the elevator came to a stop, I crossed the wires.

The door opened. I dropped the wires, making sure they didn't accidentally touch. The door would stay open, now.

I stepped out into the corridor. There was no one in sight.

"Left," Oracle whispered, unnecessarily, into my ear. Clutching the knife in my hand, I turned left. At the second intersection, I turned right.

"All the cameras are gone beyond this point," warned Oracle. "From here on out, I'm blind."

I nodded and continued. At a turn in the corridor was a sight that caused me to speed up to a lurching trot. I was winded by the time I got there, although it was only twenty yards. I had to put a hand on the wall to support me while I stared at Captain Marvel's body, embedded spread-eagle in the wall.

"He's still alive," Luthor informed me, "for now."

I turned and looked down a corridor a hundred yards long, with a hole more than six feet across at the far end. Halfway down the corridor stood Luthor in his armored suit. He still held Diana in front of him, with one palm against her temple. Beyond, I saw Etrigan's smoking body.

Luthor looked me over carefully. "Lose the headset," he ordered.

"Two minutes, mark," I murmured to Oracle. I removed the headset and dropped it.

"Smash it." I stamped down with my foot and headset shattered.

"Now show me what you're hiding in your hand." I opened my hand.

"A Swiss army knife?" he hooted. "You thought you could stop me with a Swiss army knife? I expected better of you, Batman."

I smiled grimly. "I didn't figure I'd need much. Your muscle is melting away, Luthor. You had Marvel, and lost him. You had the Thunderbolt, and lost him. You had your Bizarros, but – as soon as the mind control system was smashed and they could think for themselves – you lost them, too. All that's left are some Bizarro-shaped holes in the White House roof. There's just you, now, and – for all your fancy armor – you're no fighter."

Luthor scowled. "In my 'fancy armor', I'm more powerful than Superman."

I shrugged. "You've got me, Luthor; let the others go."

He just smiled. "I never said anything about letting them go. After I kill you, I'll kill them too and make my escape. I could fight my way through the troops and any super heroes gathered above, but I won't need to. There is a secret escape route leading off of this level. I have plenty of money hidden aboard. With it, I can make my comeback."

I started laughing. Luthor's expression got blacker and blacker. "You were a fool to ever trust Talia, Lex. She's had years to spy out all of your secrets. As soon as the crisis broke and you were too busy to notice, she started taking over your accounts. She knew how it would turn out; everybody did. You're a loser, Lex, you always have been, and now you're a POOR loser!"

I didn't know that, of course; I had been busy myself. But I must have sounded convincing. Luthor's eyes narrowed. "I have hated you since No Man's Land," he purred. "This is going to be very satisfying." He let go of Diana and she slumped to the ground. He raised his arm, his palm pointed at me. "Say good-bye, Batman."

BAM! Right on schedule, the dynamite charge went off on the floor above. Not enough to cause the ceiling to collapse, but more than enough to pull Luthor's attention away from me. I reached into my pocket, grabbed a handful of 'flash-bangs' and tossed them at Luthor. Then I dropped to the floor.

I had cut it close. Luthor's energy bolt went just over my head, catching and setting off the 'flash-bangs'. They lived up to their name. They couldn't hurt Luthor, but they could momentarily blind and distract him, and that was enough.

The shockwave of her passage slammed me to the floor. She was supersonic at that point: her shout of "LUTHOR!" trailed behind her. The shock of her impact slammed me back down again.

Luthor was knocked back through the wall; shards of concrete tore at my scalp and back. I staggered to my feet. Through the new hole in the far wall, I caught a glimpse of the battle. Supergirl was pummeling Luthor with a speed and ferocity that was keeping him off balance. That would not last.

I made it to my feet and staggered over to Diana. I pulled out the hypospray and jabbed it against her arm.

"Come on, come on," I muttered. "Supergirl can't do it by herself. Wake up, Diana, I need you."

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"Wake up, Diana, I need you."

The words penetrated the fog in my brain. Bruce was calling me, he needed me. I struggled upwards through the darkness and, with a tremendous effort, opened my eyes. But the man bent over me was not Bruce or Batman. It was a stranger, his face bloody and unfamiliar. Where was Bruce? Then I remembered: he was in disguise.

"Batman?"

"Supergirl needs you, Diana. She can't hold off Luthor alone. She needs your help."

It all rushed back to me, then: Luthor in his armor, handily defeating Etrigan and me. And Supergirl was facing him alone?

I clambered to my feet, then nearly fell over. Bruce caught my arm and kept me upright. I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths, and willed the dizziness to pass. After a moment, I pushed myself erect.

"Where?" Bruce pointed to a wall with two large holes in it. I nodded and stepped towards it. I didn't stumble this time. I took another step. And another. My strength returned, bit by bit, with each step. I climbed through one of the holes and took in the sight before me.

Supergirl was using her speed and flying ability to dodge Luthor's blows, then close and strike. But, although she was hitting Luthor two or three times for every blow she took, it was clear she was getting the worst of it. I ducked as an energy bolt sizzled past me, then winced as a backhand blow caught her squarely in the chest. Supergirl was smashed back against the wall; but she held onto his arm and turned Luthor's momentum against him, smashing him against the wall, in turn. Still holding on, she swung him back through a half circle and into the wall on the other side of her.

All of which did more damage to the surroundings than to Luthor. I looked at the limp bodies of Robin, Zatanna, Pete Ross, Jakeem and the Mad Hatter scattered across the room. We had to move the battle out of this room before someone was killed.

"Supergirl," I cried out, "the others...."

Supergirl glanced at me and I waved at the bodies. I don't think she realized, until that moment, that they were there. Her momentary distraction cost her. Luthor connected solidly and she sailed backwards across the room and through one of the holes in the wall. I flew after her, catching her before she hit the far end of the corridor. She groaned, barely conscious. I turned and saw Luthor jet through the opening after us. He grinned.

"What, back for more, Diana? I'll be happy to oblige you."

I placed Supergirl gently on the floor and braced myself.

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Once Diana left, I wobbled over to Etrigan. Although the smoke was starting to dissipate, his body was too hot to touch. He didn't appear to be breathing. Did Demons need to breathe? I cursed my ignorance; I should have been prepared for this possibility. He appeared to be intact and I knew, from past experience, that he was tough; probably, he would be all right. I pressed the hypospray against his neck, on the off-chance it would help; but Etrigan was clearly out of the battle.

I spotted something out of the corner of my eye and threw myself flat as Supergirl sailed overhead, followed by Diana. I was about to get up, when Luthor flew past. None of them seemed to notice me. At least that left me free to check out the room beyond. From the look of Supergirl, I doubted she would be of much help to Diana. I needed to find some back-up – the more powerful, the better – fast.

The room was a shambles: what little furniture there had been was all shattered, craters dotted the walls and there was debris everywhere.

I hurried over to Zatanna. She didn't appear seriously injured. I pressed the hypospray against her neck and waited.

After a moment, her head rolled from side to side and she murmured, "Just a few more minutes, Dad. I'll get up in a few minutes." Then she started snoring.

I moved on to Gypsy. She was in a heap next to the wall and her breathing was shallow. I checked her over carefully. She was definitely concussed and I thought she had re-injured her shoulder. She needed medical attention urgently, but that wasn't possible until we dealt with Luthor.

I quickly checked Robin, Jakeem and Ross. None were as badly hurt as Gypsy, but it was clear that they would be no help. That left me.

I looked down at the Swiss army knife still in my hand. I heard a dull boom! from the corridor. Diana was fighting Luthor single-handedly out there. I took in a deep breath and let it out, shuddering. Yes, Luthor, I'm coming for you with a Swiss army knife. Diana and I are going to take you down. I don't know how, but we're JLA: we'll find a way.

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I dodged Luthor's energy blast, then darted forward and hammered him with all my strength. He took a step back, then smiled. I barely dodged his return blow and flew back a few steps. We squared off again.

For all the battering Supergirl, Etrigan and I had given it, Luthor's armor only showed a few minor dents and some scratches and smudges – except for the center of the chest. There, it looked like Luthor had been hit dozens – if not scores – of times, each minor dent and scratch on top of the next. Supergirl must have been concentrating on that spot, hoping to wear her way through the armor. It seemed as good a strategy as any. I flew forward and delivered a staggering blow to the center of his chest.

Only Luthor didn't stagger, and his return blow caught me on the side of the head, a glancing blow that knocked me back. I bounced off the side wall, then barely ducked under Luthor's energy blast. I flew forward again and struck at his chest, this time pulling back in time to avoid his response.

As we fought, we had drifted into and then down another corridor, this one perpendicular to the long corridor. Now, behind Luthor, I saw Supergirl stagger around the corner. Afraid Luthor would turn and spot her while she was vulnerable, I dove forward and planted my fist in his chest. This time, his fist caught me on the shoulder and my arm – my left, fortunately – went numb. I twisted out of the way of Luthor's energy blast – his responses were becoming predictable – and kicked out. Luthor staggered back a couple of steps and I took the break to fly further down the corridor – and draw him further away from Supergirl.

Luthor grinned at my retreat. "Getting tired, Wonder Woman? I can keep it up all day. But, as enjoyable as it's been, I think it's time to finish this."

I caught Supergirl's hand signals and nodded. Luthor looked surprised, so I said, "I think so too, Luthor. You think you can finish me? Then come and try." I took a step back and beckoned him forward.

Luthor scowled and flew towards me, coming on faster and faster. If he connected, I would be a blue, gold and red smear on the wall – mostly red. I had to time this just right.

I waited until he was going too fast to change course, then I stepped aside, grabbed his arm as he passed and yanked.

He yelped and cart wheeled down the corridor, smashing deep into the wall beyond. As he started to get up, I yelled, "Now!"

Around the corner zoomed Supergirl, accelerating the whole way. A look of surprise spread over Luthor's face, but that was all he had time for. Supergirl hit the center of his chest with a concussion that knocked me off my feet and tossed me up the corridor. I smashed into the wall at the far end. I got shakily to my feet and looked back down the corridor. The far end was gone, replaced by a tunnel whose far end disappeared into darkness. No, not darkness: a phosphorescent glow lit the far end. It had to be at least forty feet deep. The walls of the tunnel had been melted to glass by the heat of the impact.

"Diana!"

At Bruce's shout, I turned and looked down the other corridor. He dropped something from his hand and ran towards me. He weaved as he ran and I started towards him, only to discover I was no steadier on my feet. We met and embraced, holding each other up.

Then Bruce asked, "Supergirl? Luthor?" Arm around his shoulder, I led him around the corner and just pointed.

Bruce gaped. Then he pointed at the phosphorescent glow. "She must have ruptured the containment on the suit's plutonium power cells. She's breathing in plutonium dust."

We stared at each other. "With the way her power level has fluctuated lately," Bruce said, "I don't know what that will do to her."

"I'll get her."

"Hold your breath."

I nodded and lifted off the ground, flying slowly and unsteadily. Halfway down the corridor, I took a last deep breath and sped up. The heat in the tunnel was almost overwhelming. Fortunately, the glow from Luthor's ruptured suit helped me find Supergirl. I grabbed her under the arms and lifted. Normally, it would be effortless; not now. I gritted my teeth and flew back down the corridor. Once well away from Luthor and the plutonium, I sucked in a gasping breath. My flying steadied. I stopped in front of Bruce.

"I think I know how to help Supergirl. Luthor should be safe, sealed inside his suit."

"Do it."

I nodded and flew away, Supergirl in my arms.

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I watched Diana fly away and turned back to face the gaping chasm where Luthor lay trapped in his armor. Diana wasn't thinking clearly. Without power, Luthor would lose air and cooling. Even if he hadn't been seriously injured by that last cataclysmic impact, he would quickly suffocate or die of heat prostration. It would serve him right; it would be only justice for all the death and misery he had caused; it....

I snarled and tore a strip off my shirt. I wrapped it around my lower face; it should provide some protection. Then I trudged down the corridor to rescue a man who didn't deserve it.

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I flew down corridor after corridor. I knew there had to be one down here, somewhere.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

I halted in mid-air. Two soldiers had materialized around the corner up ahead. I was in no shape for a fight, but if I had to....

One of the soldiers saluted. "Wonder Woman! We have orders to assist any and all super heroes we encounter. What can we do?"

It took a moment for his words to penetrate, and another for my mind to accept them.

"There are people back there who need medical assistance. Take this corridor, turn right at the third cross corridor, then left, then left again. Do not go right at the last intersection: there is radioactive contamination down that way."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, and do you know where there is a fire hose?"

The soldier looked blank, but the other soldier said, "Down this corridor, take the second right. I saw one in a little alcove on the right hand side."

"Thank you."

We headed off in opposite directions. I found the fire hose where the soldier had said. I put Supergirl down and unwound the hose far enough to allow me to hold the nozzle in her mouth. Then I cranked the wheel full open. Water spurted out of her mouth, taking with it – I hoped – the plutonium dust from her lungs and throat. I kept it up as long as I dared, shutting it off only when Supergirl started struggling. I put her head in my lap, holding her as she coughed up water. She looked up at me.

"Where... Wonder Woman. Is it over? Did we win?"

I nodded. "We won."

Author's Notes: It may be over for Luthor, but not for Diana and Bruce. One more chapter to go!

Batman thwarted Luthor's scheme to control Gotham at the end of No Man's Land, as chronicled in the "No Man's Land Volume 5" trade paperback. Supergirl's power level changes occurred in the last couple of years of her now defunct comic.