THE JUSTICE LEAGUEhad assembled in the Watchtower. They watched idly by as the world was reaching a crisis point. The People's Republic of Zek'nya was the world's fastest growing nation. Much of the world economy relied on trade with this communist nation. Its sister- the Democratic Republic of Zek'nya likewise a powerhouse though slightly smaller in economic terms held a substantial stake in the world economy. Both countries have been in technical war for over fifty years. Now their armies stood eye-to-eye- a moment away from all out war.
Both armies are held back only by a Demilitarized Zone. From the Satellite photographs, it wasn't going to last long. The United Nations had called on both nations to back off- yet neither would for fear the there would launch a strike.
The massive military might of the United States was poised to intervene. But with whom? The North- the People's Republic was one of its biggest trading partner. The South- the Democratic Republic was supported politically, economically and militarily by the United States and considered it an ally; they had fought world wars together. How can they be an impartial entity?
In Manila, just a few thousand kilometers away from the Zek'nya Demilitarized Zone, terrorists attacked the United States Embassy, killing most of the staff and personnel of the embassy, including the top three posts. The blast radius was limited to the surrounding area, but the nuclear explosion also killed thousands of people around the busy intersection, including tourists and damaged the ecosystem of Manila Bay.
Six members of the Justice League sat on their massive round table. It was Camelot. The seat to Diana's left was vacant. It was the Batman. As the League sat, Superman activated his comm.
"Batman?"
Instantly the massive holo-generators of the Watchtower lit up. A mini holographic half-body projection of the Dark Knight appeared at the League's conference room table.
"Justice League: the stakes are much higher than you realize," The Batman said without preamble.
"Much higher than World War Three?" Superman asked for all of them.
"Planetary destruction is that high enough?" The Batman grumbled. He continued with his briefing.
"Ra's Al Ghul has set this in motion, from the Tsunami attack as well as the stand off in Zek'nya. Nyssa, Al Ghul's daughter acquired two nuclear bombs. She has already set off one in the Indian Ocean. There will be another. Intelligence from Talia Al Ghul-"
"Wait, intelligence from Talia ?" Wonder Woman queried with her eyebrows and voice raised.
"Talia was instrumental in confirming my suspicions. The Worm-Virus attacks on the Watchtower and the entire Earth monitoring system, the Earthquake-Tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the terror attacks in Aceh, in Manila, the conflict in Zek'nya- all are part of a master plan to, in Talia's words, 'cleanse' the Earth."
"Nyssa plans to destroy the world?"
"In a nutshell Flash, yes".
"This isn't some raving of a madwoman is it?" The Speedster added.
"Apparently, it was one of Ra's many plans. Nyssa wants to take it to the next level. There will be several more attacks to come unless she's stopped."
"Then the full force of the League will be there. What are the coordinates, we can teleport-"
"No." The Batman flatly said.
"What! We're going to stand by while the world's in danger-"
"Superman: take the League to Zek'nya and hold both sides, stem the lost of life at all cost! Be warned: Nyssa will have anticipated us there. She will have a counter-play in place long before we meet her in Battle. Do. Not. Hold. Back."
The Batman activated a special frequency and Oracle appeared on the League's monitor.
"Oracle, coordinate through Aerie One and activate all reserve members, deputize the Outsiders, the Titans, Supergirl and the JSA as per JLA By Laws and Global Threat Alpha-Level Protocols."
The Man of Steel was about to say something but something told him, it was time to hold his tongue.
"The word has gone out." Oracle confirmed.
"Call the family and I'll need Canary. Have Huntress do scenario-three-eight-zero-nine. Brief her with instructions I left you." The Batman ordered.
"Done, B. BG and R are en route to Point M to pickup the package and rendezvous with N. N has already secured the area as per your instructions. H is already in play and is carrying out orders. BC, I'm sending her command codes for Point M. The Family will be in play when you need 'em, boss."
"Good," The Batman commanded her, "Open a channel to all League members." In an instant, Oracle had done what she was instructed. Across the planet, The Dark Knight had every Leaguer's ear available.
None of the League members complained neither did they mind nor given notice that their least powerful but deadliest member had just assumed command of the entire Justice League.
"Oracle," The Batman turned to the Martian Manhunter, "J'onn, station teams all over the planet. Get Faith, Major Disaster, Jason Blood, Zatana and Captain Atom and have them join Superman's team. Activate other heroes if you have to- give them all signal devices. Get someone to man the Watchtower. We must be ready to shift the battle, to act and react when and where Nyssa takes us. J'onn, Oracle- we look to you to keep us all connected how well we coordinate will mean success or defeat. She will find a way to disrupt our comms. Do not let that happen!"
The Batman's holographic image turned to the Amazon Queen. "Diana, Superman will have to do without you in the field of battle. I need you at the UN- use your diplomatic skills- hold the line there."
"Batman- Superman will need me especially if-." Diana began to argue.
The Batman's features softened— but only Diana and Clark could notice. And that more than anything else made them accept his idea.
"Diana, with the exception of Arthur only you have the diplomatic nuisances down. It is up to you to rally the human race together. That will be your duty."
As if that settled the issue, the Batman looked to Aquaman. "Arthur, I will not ask you to second Superman- you must keep an eye on the seas around Zek'nya. The People's Republic Army's Navy is the second biggest in the World and they have nuclear launch capability. J'onn, you must second Superman in battle, back him up."
The League members nodded their acceptance of their duties.
The Batman looked into each member of the League as he spoke. "Justice League: The world must stand together, as we do! Wage battle regardless of cost, do not hold anything back! Stem the lost of life, at all cost! There will be no tomorrow if we fail!"
It was Superman who faced him. "And where will you be?"
The Batman said in a voice that evoked fear in every Leaguer listening, "I'll take care of Nyssa".
"Get to work Justice League!" The Batman growled. The Batman disconnected the line.
THE HEROES had moved into play. The Watchtower was a buzz with activity. The Atom was brought from his self-imposed exile and brought to command the Watchtower. Superman and his team: John Stewart, Flash, Arthur, Plastic Man, J'onn J'onzz, Captain Atom, Faith, Major Disaster, Jason Blood, Manitou Raven and Zatanna gathered and prepared to make a dramatic entrance at the Zek'nya DMZ.
Wonder Woman had already left the Watchtower and arrived at the United Nations.
As per Oracle's and J'onn's instructions, the Justice Society, the Outsiders, and the Teen Titans took their positions all across the planet. They were in place to thwart Nyssa as her actions happened. The Martian Manhunter was the last member of Superman's team to depart the League's lunar headquarters.
Batman's family had gathered in Montreal. They were the world's most elite strike force, expert martial artists all: Robin, Batgirl and Black Canary. The Team was led by Nightwing.
The Family boarded a transport filled with Arctic Circle gear, weapons, batarangs, maps, comms, and food and water. It was a mobile fortress called the Flying Wing. It had tactical relays to every member of the League and a direct patch to the Batman.
THE BATMAN was already nearing his target over the Arctic Circle. Aboard his aircraft was the world's most advanced command and control system. From here he could direct the entire battle for the Earth. It was even more advanced than the technology Aerie One was carrying.
With each Leaguer carrying a signal device, he could identify where the pieces were and deploy accordingly. Having hijacked Earth Monitoring Systems and with the link up to the Watchtower, the Batman knew were the opposition was.
The new Batsuit he was wearing had a link up to his mobile Batcave. He could at a moment's notice coordinate the attack even when not aboard the aircraft.
The Batman was determined to win this battle at all cost. Ra's Al Ghul's evil must finally be placed to rest as he was. The Dark Knight vowed, he would do anything and everything to make that happen.
SUPERMAN'S TEAM had arrived from on high over the DeMilitarized Zone like gods descending from Mount Olympus. He and J'onn had already spoken. He would meet with General-Major Charlie Li, Commanding General of the People's Republic Army while J'onn and John Stewart would talk some sense into the Nationalists' Freedom Force.
The Man of Steel floated towards the People's Republic's side of the DMZ. He could see young boys- barely eighteen years old shivering in the cold night, probably not only because of that. He thought.
A battalion had started to wave their cannons and rifles at him.
He held his hand and in Zek'nya he spoke to them loud enough for everyone to hear. "I come in peace. I just want to talk with Comrade General-Major Li."
A young man he saw who carried the rank of Field-Captain approached him. "You could be sent here to kill him. How can we trust you?"
"You don't. Had I wanted to kill him, I wouldn't be asking you permission to talk to him. I'd just do it. And all you here, would be there to meet him in the afterlife."
The Captain told him, "Follow me."
J'ONN AND JOHN approached the Nationalists' command and control base. General Sammy Chang was waiting for them in his command centre.
As they entered the Southern Zek'nya centre of command, General Chang greeted them warmly.
"Good! The Justice League! With you around we can make little work of these Northerners."
"General, we did not come here to assist you. We came here to persuade you not to engage in battle," Stewart said.
"What! Can't you see those tanks out there?"
"Yes we can. Superman is out there talking to General-Major Li to hold his ground as well." J'onn J'onzz replied.
"Don't count on it." The General responded.
TALIA ARRIVED at Wayne Manor on time. The gates to the huge mansion (though it looked like a castle now befitting an English lord since Bruce renovated after the quake, which was twice now more than any of his ancestors since taking up residence there) opened. Alfred was expecting her.
The butler had greeted the young woman at the door and as the Wayne Industries driver unloaded her luggage and brought them through the door, Alfred greeted her. "Madam, it is good to welcome you, though it could have been under better circumstances."
"Thank you Alfred!" Talia's eyes showed that she meant it. "Bruce had always spoken highly about you."
"Indeed." The butler replied. "Shall we get you settled in?"
The young woman nodded and Alfred ushered her inside, past the old grandfather clock and into the fortress below. Half an hour later, he had retrieved her belongings and joined in the cavern beneath the manor. He then activated the security locks and the Cave and Mansion above went into Lock down.
Alfred and Talia had enough food and water to last them a full year beneath the mansion. The Cave was self sufficient.
As Alfred had returned, he found his new charge in the Manor's owner's chair. She was watching intently as the Justice League went into action. No words crossed between them but when their eyes met. Alfred knew she was rather worried.
"They will succeed, Miss Talia."
AERIE ONE'S receivers had connected with Wonder Woman's comm. "Oracle,"
"Is there any word from Batman?" Diana asked without preamble.
"None."
"Tracking his location?"
"Yes,"
"Can you tell me where?"
"Diana... I won't tell you. He gave us all orders- any other time I'd even break 'em but Your Highness, we're on the brink of extinction. He needs you to focus at the battle at hand."
"I know. I was being foolish."
The Amazon Queen foolish? Barbara asked herself.
"He'll be fine, he always is".
"He's only human, Barbara." She was worried. "Wonder Woman out." The line crackled off.
To no one, Barbara Gordon the Oracle said in retrospect, "Apparently, we all just are."
As instructed by Bruce, she initiated her own part of the plan. Aerie One was in the upper atmosphere. She had purposely tapped into League of Assassins frequency. She chose a frequency that the Assassins would know about. And one they had just recently discovered. She began to play her own tape. It was Bruce giving instructions.
NIGHTWING! Bruce growled over the airwaves. Its up to you son. You will have to take Nyssa down. Good Luck.
Roger that. Oracle, are we go for launch?
Ready for flight Nightwing. Oracle's voice piped into the League frequency.
Birds and the Bat are in the air.
NIGHTWING HAD his orders. He was to take the Family into a frontal assault of the League of Assassins' base; not the easiest thing in the world mind.
They had done it slowly.
Batgirl slipped past a guard and knocked him unconscious. Robin followed with a kick to another pair in the far corner. Black Canary was backing him up.
They had split into two teams- He and Batgirl, Robin and Black Canary. Of course, it was obvious why he did it. The younger members of his team were backed up by more experienced warriors. Batman would have planned it that way.
His orders were simple. Make as much damage, as much noise as possible. Their secondary objective was to destroy the submarine carrying the nuclear bomb. It was set to melt the Arctic Circle ice cap. The resulting accelerated rise in sea level would be an ecological disaster. That on top of all the things Nyssa had on the board right now, would ultimately spell a long protracted dying for the human race.
It took a good twenty minutes until they were discovered. The gun shots and the klaxon blazing in their ears was the telltale signal.
"DOWN!" He yelled at Robin as a Batarang flew from his hand and hit a guard in the face and in his gun arm. At his back he knew Batgirl was covering for him as another fell to the ground in a thud.
"Be more careful, little bro." The kid didn't deserve it but Nightwing was concerned for the boy. He turned to Batgirl. "Thanks, Little sis."
"No problem".
"Enough Chatter, Nightwing, we're moving! I see the sub- three levels down." Black Canary barked.
"Yes, mom." He got a glare from her. What did Babs ever see in you?She muttered under her breath.
"I'm charming." Was all he said giving her a smile. Nightwing had heard her.
THE BATMAN'S newest toy was running three generations above current clock technology. Even Aerie One didn't have this kind of tech. He made a mental note to increase Hiro Okumura's pay when he got back.
The Dark Knight dropped from the sky completely undetected as he heard the first explosion from the compound. Nightwing and his team were in place half an hour ago. They were making good headway. His job was to slip in and directly engage Nyssa.
Everything was going according to plan. In his ears, he had set his channel to primarily listen to Superman's team. That was the major crisis point they were dealing with. But that didn't worry the Batman as much as not knowing if Nyssa had more things up her sleeve.
"COMRADE GENERAL-MAJOR" Superman greeted the commanding officer of the People's Republic Army in Zek'nya.
"Superman! We meet again".
"Yes, its been awhile since the Nuclear Summit."
"Have you come to aid us in battle old friend?"
"I've come to ask you to hold your ground- no matter what orders you receive. The League is here to stem the loss of life".
"That is too bad." The man said in plain unaccented English.
"Too bad?" Superman's face was questioning as he replied.
"He meant, Its too bad he lost a simple wager, Krytonian!" Lex Luthor in full battle armor crashed out of a hidden wall and hit Superman knocking him out of the bunker and a mile away.
Dark evil laughter could be heard.
The People's Republic Army broke through the Demilitarized zone and the Justice League was shocked to see Superman falling from the sky and heralding the march of the PRA.
THE NATIONALISTS were surprised at the attack.
Sammy Chang looked passed his monitors and ordered his men to engage.
As he walked passed the Martian and the Green Lantern he angrily growled, "Choose sides, now!"
The Leagues rushed out of the bunker and arrived a few seconds after the other League members who was helping Superman up.
They they were there. Gathered as a force from hell's heart itself. Lex Luthor. Grodd. Cheetah. David Cain. Reverse Flash. Mr. Freeze. Bizzaro. John Corbin (in a new battle suit). Fataly. Mongul. The Axis of Evil on their flank.
"Hello, Martian! Now DIE!" As Luthor fired a shot from his gauntlets and hit J'onn J'onzz squarely in the chest, knocking him out. All hell broke loose then. It was all out war.
The Legion of Doom was a force from hell itself. They acted in concert with each other. Freeze firing his gun not caring who he hit, Grodd when after the battered Martian, Cheetah engaged Faith. And Bizzaro? He just went crazy.
The snow had turned into blizzard by then. The winds grew mightily.
"JUSTICE LEAGUE!" Superman yelled over the comm, "HOLD THE LINE!" As he accelerated and hurled himself at Luthor. Lex's armor-shields held their ground.
The People's Republic's Army was engaging the South's. The League could not contain the fighting. They were preoccupied with living.
The Legion of Doom were relentless in their attack. John Stewart thought, this may be the day the League fell as Bizzaro hit him, crushing his Power Ring-created Shields.
Reverse Flash and The Flash were hitting each other at mach 10 speeds. The sonic booms echoed all over. They actually took the fight global. Hitting, kicking throwing things as they ran across the planet, over seas, above mountains. Each punch, a sonic boom in itself.
The battle between the Legion of Doom and the Justice League, was Armageddon on Earth.
JONATHAN RODRIGUEZ had activated the worm-virus. It had a two fold purpose- activate Russia's nuclear arsenal. The virus that League of Assassin operatives had planted months before enabled them now to be in the hands of one woman- Nyssa Al Ghul.
In Russia's Command and Control Station, the General in command was shocked at what was happening. Russia's nuclear missiles were arming. Selecting appropriate targets across Europe and the United States.
Jonathan Rodriguez also used his backdoor access to send traffic, power and Internet traffic in the North American continent into a sprial towards hell.
Cars rammed each other as traffic signals went to hell. Power fluctuated on and off. There was panic in the streets.
THE JSA were on the case saving lives as the world went crazy around them.
THE GENERAL got into the line with his President. "He was frantic."
"I do not know how it happened, sir. The missiles are armed! Launch in five minutes! There can no stopping it."
The President of the Russian Federation, picked up the emergency hotline to US President Pete Ross.
"Mr. President, as of two minutes ago, Russian Ballistic Arms had been activated by forces unknown. They are launching. We have no way of knowing how to stop them."
Pete Ross' face went ashen. He was in the middle of an Intelligence briefing already. They just heard that all hell went loose in the DMZ.
"Get me Superman, NOW!"
"JLA CRITIC!" Oracle's voice boomed in Batman's ears as he subdued two of Nyssa's troopers. Another level and he would engage Nyssa.
"B! Russian Ballistic weapons have been co-opted. Virus. I've seen the code. They are on launch. JLA JSA are unavailable to engage. Orders?" She was loosing it, Bruce could tell.
"Focus, O! Get the Titans, and the Outsiders to take care of it. Have Supergirl join Cyborg's team!"
WONDER WOMAN heard Bruce's commands over the Signal Device. She was half tempted to fly out. She and the UN had brought both Zek'nya delegates on the table.
They were flying accusations at each other. Fifty years of pent up anger was finally let loose and they were not about to be boxed back in. Wonder Woman could understand. Then an idea formed in her mind.
"Oracle!" She called to her ear. "Yes, Wonder Woman?"
"I need a live feed of the DMZ action. I also need a live feed of every engagement we are on- fed to the general assembly and fed live on every house and every monitor on the planet."
"You'll have it in five minutes."
"Make it happen." The Amazon Queen turned to the Secretary General. "I want to speak with the entire assembly. Gather them. This ends now."
Bruce was right, this was her place.
TITANS AND OUTSIDERS flew as fast as they could. The Atom was feeding them coordinates from the Watchtower of every missile on target.
Supergirl, Superboy and Wonder Girl engaged them as quickly as possible. Scattering to all points across the planet.
Victor Stone, Beast Boy were on the air, frantic in their quest to destroy every missile before they even reached the ground.
Elsewhere, The Outsiders too were on the move. Directed by the Watchtower, Jade and Starfire's team were up in the air.
In every heart and in every mind, they had one thought and swore. "None shall pass".
TALIA Al GHUL as she sat idly by watching the world around her in the brink of death. She reached into the control panel that activated the Batcave's massive systems and linked it up with the Watchtower and Aerie One.
"What the-Who is this!" Oracle's voice boomed into the Cave's gigantic speakers, frightening the bats above.
"Talia. Let me help."
"WHAT! You're in the Cave?" Oracle's startled and frightened voiced filled the cavern.
"And Alfred, Miss Barbara". That calmed Barbara up. Alfred was home and by the tone of his voice everything was all right.
"Let us help." He said and Oracle delegated JSA-operations to the Batcave.
A VERY LOUD explosion broke the gigantic metal doors that protected the cavern chamber of Nyssa Al Ghul.
"NYSSA!" The Batman's voice boomed with every anger, every fury his body had. "This ends here!"
"Detective," She greeted him rather warmly.
"I see my dear sister had betrayed me completely. She was always in love with you."
"Call it off Nyssa."
"What?"
The Batman glared at her.
"This?" As she pressed a button on her chair. The entire chamber was filled with monitors- every action on the planet was being fed to them. The Justice League battling the Legion of Doom, the Armies of the Zek'nya engaged in mortal combat. The JSA rescuing lives, the Russian Missiles being destroyed by the Titans and the Outsiders.
"Glorious isn't it?" She was thrilled and laughed evily. "It is time to cleanse the world of its filth, Detective!"
The Batman launched himself at her, flying in the air. Nyssa blocked him as expertly as Ra's did. "Uuhh," She uttered as she her sidekick hit him in the chest.
"UBU!" She summoned the biggest baddest Ubu. "I'm sure Detective that you would find this one a match. He comes with a modified Venom-Lazarus-Pit alchemy potion." And her mad laughter filled the cavern.
"As an added motivation, she activated a button, "My submarine's nuclear warhead has just been activated. fifteen minutes ought to be enough, don't you think?" She laughed again as The Batman went on the offensive against Ubu.
The pumped up Ubu easily deflected the blows the Batman sent him and countered with his own, hitting the Dark Knight squarely at his chest and sending him across the cavern.
The Detective fell with a huge thud.
"Oh and Batman?" Nyssa smiled as she activated a monitor connecting her to the International Space Station.
"No!" The Batman thought as he guess what was next on Nyssa's agenda.
ISS WAS passing across Asia. It would be over the Middle East in a few minutes. Nyssa's troopers aboard the station received a call from their Mistress.
"EXECUTE MISSION," Was all the new Ra's Al Ghul had commanded. The League of Assassins began their preparation. Rockets were fired and the International Space Station with its nuclear reactors were in bound to crash land on the Oil Fields of the Middle East.
"FOR THE DEMON'S HEAD!" They said in unison as Nyssa closed the channel.
THE BATMAN heard the order confirmed and Nyssa displayed on screen as the massive station was falling to the Earth.
WONDER WOMAN stood at the podium of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, fellow delegates, people of the world. This feed goes out to every monitor on the Planet as we speak." She pressed a button and live feeds from the battle raging across the Earth was displayed on the screen behind her and flanking her on either side.
"This is the planetary catastrophe we are facing. A woman named Nyssa plans to cleanse the Earth and kill us all. She has set this into motion," Images of Russian Ballistic Missiles were being destroyed by the Titans and Outsiders, scenes of traffic accidents and destruction across North America, young men dying in the fields of Zek'nya and the Justice League waging battle after battle.
"We are dying."
"ORACLE!" The Batman called on his comm as Ubu began to pound on him again. It was all Bruce could do to evade while his mind thought of other ways to take him down. Outside the chamber he could hear the explosions going on. The Family was destroying the base.
"ISS- uuhh" The Batman stopped as he took a direct hit in his solar plexus. "Falling-uhhh! Flash- Faith- Intercept it-uhhh" Ubu had hit him squarely on his face.
"Arabia-uhh" The Batman collapsed on the floor.
How could he fight a Venom-powered warrior?
FLASH AND Faith heard the Batman's orders.
Flash needed to disable Professor Zoom and he needed to do it now! Flash gave it everything he got, threw superspeed punches, kicks and ran circles around the Reverse Flash. Sonic Boom after Sonic Boom filled the area when both Professor Zoom and Flash hit each other at top speed. With the final boom Reverse Flash fell to the ground.
With Zoom out of the way, Wally West immediately raced to Faith's position. Faith was already flying off to engage the falling station. She knew she didn't have the speed to make it on time.
Faith saw Flash racing towards her. He carried her and they ran faster than she could imagine. They ran over land and over sea. Then Flash transferred all his speed into Faith and whispered to her, get ready and he threw her sky-way like a missile she soared towards the station.
She knew what the Batman wanted. The Fat Lady must sing!
The Flash dove into the sea. He thought he was a a dead super speedster. Aquaman had summoned a dolphin in the Area who picked him up and carried him to the surface.
The Lord of the Sea would intercept them soon.
"THERE IS only one way out," Wonder Woman said as the image being displayed on screen as a broken and beaten John Stewart fell from the sky and then Superman was brutally taking hits from Lex Luthor.
"We," Looking at each delegate, "must stand together, one Planet, one United Earth".
In her ear, Oracle fed through the system. The International Space Station was falling to the Earth.
"Mr. Secretary-General, fellow delegates, I thank you for the opportunity- We must hastily depart. The International Space Station is in bound to Saudi Arabia and We must do my part."
The Ambassador of Peace and the Master of War concluded, "We trust," Wonder Woman said, "Each of you will do your part."
The Amazon Queen flew from the podium and raced to the sky. She must reach the Station in time before it fell to the Earth.
ORACLE AND Lady Blackhawk were rather preoccupied at the moment. The entire command and control system of Aerie One was being hijacked.
"Calculator!" Oracle hissed. As the artificial intelligence sentry was running through its paces.
Suddenly Aerie One's cloaking drive fell out and they were completely detectable. Aerie One appeared in every People's Republic radar now. The General commanding the People's Republic Air Force immediately ordered an air strike. He thought it was an American aircraft spying.
PRAF conducting Barrier-Combat Air Patrol- their version anyway sprang to intercept.
Lady Blackhawk immediately saw this in her command board.
"Barbara! We've got incoming," She reported and attempted to activate the cloaking field. "No good on our cloak. No good on defense systems. I'm bringing our weapon systems online."
"Roger that, Zelda!" Oracle was busy hacking into the system. Aerie's autonomic systems would take care of Calculator's viral infection. She was going after the man. He wanted a crack? He'd get it.
Cyber-War happened that moment. Oracle used the massive power of the Watchtower's systems, Earth Monitoring Stations and NASA computers to crack into Calculator's.
PRAF Mig-29s were coming into range. The lead flight had a targeting system fix on Aerie One. "Fox-One!" He said. "Fox-Two" he followed up a moment later. They stole that from the Americans.
"Barb! Incoming! Taking evasive action." Lady Blackhawk was the veteran of a world war. She wasn't just a pretty face, poster child. She was one of the world's best pilot. She was going to prove it again today.
Aerie One banked left and dropped down, a thousand feet. The missiles followed her. Lady Blackhawk, fired chaffs and deployed the Electronic Countermeasures. The engines suddenly went to dead mode. Without the heat profile of Aerie One, The heat seekers went after the ECMS.
The autonomic systems suddenly alerted Oracle, Excalibur was back!
"Zelda! Excalibur is back, engage defense profile now!"
Lady Blackhawk didn't have to be told twice, using her own copy of Excalibur- Aerie One's defense and combat control system, multiple copies of the aircraft appeared on the radar scopes of their enemies.
A minute later, she made the aircraft itself invisible again.
"YES!" Barbara cried from her station. Her sentries had penetrated the Calculator's system and cracked her way into it. She started stealing the calculator's files- but then he was already on his way for a counterattack. Too bad, Barbara thought. She just shut him off.
Calculator was off the 'net.
UBU POUNDED him again, but the Batman summoned more will, he was able to deflect the attack. From the corner of his eye, the Family had arrived. Robin had an awkward stand. Nightwing had a bleeding arm. Black Canary was limping and Batgirl was the only one who was more or less uninjured.
"Battle Positions!" He ordered his team members.
Seeing the Dark Knight in trouble, all four now honed in working together, launched their attack. Nightwing was directing each of their moves and like choreographed dancers, hit and kicked at Ubu.
"We'll take care of this," Nightwing told his mentor and father who was catching his breath.
The older man nodded and walked towards Nyssa. He knew Nightwing will take care of the rampaging Ubu.
"SO DETECTIVE, Its just you and me then?" As she drew her sword and threw one to the Batman. The clock behind her read, five minutes to launch, ten minutes to detonation.
The Batman did not reply. At the corner of his eye, he could see Diana racing to stop the falling station. He saw how the world's greatest heroes were holding the line. Then he saw it change. The Zek'nya armed forces were rallying to help the league against Lex and his team. The battle was turning their tide.
Diana had done it! As he knew only the world's powers allied with the Justice League could save them all.
Superman had already recovered. He led the combined Justice League and Zek'nya Armies to do battle with the Legion of Doom.
"Its over Nyssa." The Batman said. "You've lost."
"Really? Then why don't you walk away from that nuclear bomb that's about to blow up?" Nyssa lunged her sword and the Batman deflected it expertly.
"My father thought you everything and you turned against him." As she drew the Batman's blood.
The Batman countered with his own attack and hit Nyssa on her left arm. Uuuh.
The two warriors clashed. Each trained in the same arts as Ra's Al Ghul. Each, were of even match. The Batman summoned all the training he had. He felt himself drawn into the motion, blocking everything else.
He did not even see it happen, he just did and his sword found its mark squarely on Nyssa's chest. "Ubu!" Nyssa called with all her remaining strength.
UBU HEARD his mistress call. And as Batgirl launched her devastating flying kick- which would have killed any other warrior, only Ubu fell to the ground. He had the presence of mind with the power of the Venom to stand again and disengaged from the battle.
Faster than his huge frame would normally allow a human being, he raced to his mistress' side and threw the Detective clear across the room.
"Mistress!"
"Home, Ubu, home." Then Nyssa fell into the darkness. Ubu activated a secret panel and he and Nyssa disappeared into it and the self-destruct sequence activated.
The base was imploding.
The Batman saw his family go after Nyssa and Ubu. He called them. "No!"
Nightwing turned to him as Robin and Batgirl got him to his feet.
"Nightwing, get everybody out now!" As he walked towards another tunnel that would take him to the submarine which was set to launch in two minutes.
"What about you?"
"There's still that nuclear warhead."
"We'll help."
"You have your orders." He glared at them. "Follow them."
The Batman left running towards the submarine as it began to move and submerge. Activating his suit's underwater mode, his grappler took him to a hatch right behind the bridge.
The Dark Knight broke into the sub.
"Alfred!" He opened a channel to the Cave.
It was Talia who answered him. "Beloved?"
"Talia, get Alfred on that chair. I need bomb-schematics." The Batman made his way to the launch site. Alfred already knew the Software.
It was indeed a bomb. 25 kilotons. Not enough but sufficient to accelerate an ecological disaster. He needed it stopped.
The clock was ticking as the submarine made its descent.
"One minute."
FAITH WAS nearing the target. If it crashed in Saudi Arabia, the resulting explosion would blow the oil and the pollution it would generate would kill millions- slowly. Not to mention affect the entire planet's ecosystem. It was going to be an extinction event.
Behind her, she caught a glimpse of Wonder Woman.
The Station was nearing, growing larger. Then when she was close enough that the sheering heat was nearing to overwhelm her, Faith let loose all the power in her.
The Fat Lady was singing.
Then it blew up. The International Space Station blew up like a big mushroom in the sky, scattering debris over the Persian Gulf coast.
The Station's billion pieces scattered and its friction and heat fell across the ocean. She had hope Aquaman would forgive her.
Deep in the sea, Aquaman had cleared the area near the Persian Gulf of sea life. He had already anticipated Faith's action. He was a bit peeved but there was no choice at the moment. His sea could take this.
From the distance, Wonder Woman flew faster than ever. The bandage wrapped around her face, she tore it out- it was becoming a nuisance and as the blinding flash of the exploding ISS shined across the horizon, somehow her retinas were healed! She could see again.
Wonder Woman felt the heat scorch her skin when she found Faith falling towards the Earth. She willed herself to fly even faster.
"LUTHOR!" SUPERMAN anger seething, yelled as he punched through the madman's shields and broke his jaw. His left arm connected with Lex's frontal shields, breached it and cracked his armor. Lex's blood gushed from his mouth.
Green Lantern sent his ring to imprison the Kryptonite that powered the armor and sent it burning into space.
With the power core gone, and the threat of Kryptonite past, Superman broke Luthor's armor, tore it piece by piece.
All around them, the Justice League was pounding their respective opponents. J'onn J'onzz had Mongul by the rope. Broken and battered, John Stewart was winning against Grood.
Superman's uniform was torn, his cape, he waved like a battle standard tattered but the "S" remained.
"This battle ends NOW!" Kal-El of Krypton cried out. The Man of Steel gave himself to battle. He summoned every ounce of strength in him and poured it all into his Heat Vision. Bizzaro was hit and he fell to the ground then Grodd, then Mongul. Superman was relentless.
The Justice League did not give the Legion of Doom gave any quarter. They were oblivious to the humans around them. It was Armageddon, Ragnarök on Earth and the Earth itself shook as they clashed.
SUPERBOY WAS after the last of the Russian Ballistic missiles. He flew faster and faster. It was headed for Kansas. He had met it head on in the Atmosphere. He fired his heat vision but for the first time- fatigue and stress made him miss. It hit the thrusters, it veered off Metropolis but the missile plunged into Grandville.
The Boy of Steel raced to stop it. Too late. The force of the nuclear blast sent him spiraling away. He wasn't able think about how he failed. Darkness embraced him.
THE COWL transmitted what he was looking at. The bomb was good. Alfred and Talia had transmitted what he needed to know. He was sweating.
Ten seconds.
The Batman had cut the green wire. Then the red. Then the yellow. The clocked stopped at one point five seconds, as it was meant to.
Oracle, Alfred and Talia could be heard on the comm sighing relief. As Bruce began to relax, C4 exploded across the sub, brining in the icy sea water into the ship.
For an instant, The Batman feared that the nuke had blown, but he would be dead now, if it did. He did not waste time, and raced out of the ship. He only had a minute at the most as Oracle reported from what she could see from satellite imagery.
The Batman made a decision. He wrapped his kevlar-weaved fire-proof cape around the nuclear device. He used his utility belt to lock it securely and attached his aqua-thrusters and batwave beacon to it.
If it disappeared or blew up with the rest of the ship, it would all be for nothing. He thought. The Dark Knight launched it at through the torpedo tube. Away it went.
The Batman looked around as the water was filling the ship in and he could feel the ship breaking apart. As the water piled up on him, he tried his comm- but the cowl was damaged somehow.
He activated his rebreather device as the water greeted him. There must be another way out.
FAITH plunged into the Earth as the International Space Station crashed into the sea. She thought she would die. She didn't have enough strength left to maintain flight.
Then she felt strong hands carry her.
It was Diana, smiling she had her sight back!
Then they heard it. Bruce was successful in stopping the nuke bomb. Then two seconds later- heard explosions across the sub, it was sinking into the icy Arctic Circle.
"BRUCE!" Diana whispered. The Amazon Queen carried Faith along and flew towards the Arctic Circle.
NIGHTWING AND the Bat-Family had taken to the sky. The Flying-Wing's shields would protect them from any nuclear fall out he knew. Then he saw the submarine explode blow as he heard the chatter in the comm.
"Bruce," he simply said.
WAR DRUMS had calmed. An exhausted Justice League took a moment to sit, to gather. The Justice League and triumph over the Legion of Doom.
Superman, seeing the devastation around them- the dead soldiers, the scorched earth, it robbed him of strength. J'onn J'onzz's hand fell on his shoulder.
"It's over, Clark. We won."
From a distance, they could see John Stewart, bruised and battered and probably with a hundred different broken bones, just like most of them, securing the Legion of Doom in Ring-created individual prisons. On another flank, Zatana was helping Captain Atom and Jason Blood to stand.
No hero died today.
As his ears were clearing, his comm was running back on track. Then he saw J'onn's face. Someone was dead. Dread fell into him.
"What? Who is it?"
Comms returned to the Justice League in the Zek'nya DMZ. They heard the anguish of their team members. Kal-El heard the pleas and cries, "Bruce".
"BRUCE?" TALIA kept calling over the comm. "Bruce! Answer Me!"
Every league member heard her pleas and the empty response from it. They were all holding on to their breaths. The Batman would always come through. He always did. They each thought the same.
He was the world's greatest escape artist- OK close second to Scott Free. He always survived in the past, in more deadly situations.
As the seconds mounted. No one would accept the fact. Then the submarine cracked open. Nightwing and the Family could see it from their aircraft. Oracle watched it from satellite imagery.
There was no sign of him.
SUPERGIRL AND Wonder Girl were dispatched on the site the Batman disappeared to summoned there by Oracle when she was certain no radiation was leaking in the area.
Superman was too weak to race this far. Diana had to take Faith to get looked after first. It took both of them a longer time to reach the site.
Supergirl used her X-Ray vision to scan. Then she heard it. A beacon was buzzing in her ear. Wonder Girl followed her. Suddenly the Girl of Steel plunged into the icy water.
She saw it.
It was the nuke with Batman's utility belt and cape wrapped around it.
But there was no sign of the Batman.
For a long time, Kara Zor-El hated hearing his heart beat because she believed he didn't really have one. Now all she wished for was to hear that steady beating heart. No matter how hard she tried, there was none.
Was he really gone?
NIGHTWING SETTLED the Family's aircraft on the icy patch. He could not believe he was dead. He looked into Tim's eyes. He hid his shock as well.
ROBIN STARED at Nightwing. He was in shock. Was he going to lose a father all over again in just the span of a few months?
CASSANDRA CAIN had unmasked herself. For only the third time in her life, tears were flowing from her eyes. The mighty ninja-warrior-princess couldn't help it. She could read the disbelief in her family's body language. Even Black Canary's eyes were filled with tears. Overhead she saw Wonder Girl land and hugged Tim.
Then something gave them hope. Supergirl came out of the icy water. They all thought it was Him. They could all see the shiny yellow belt glistering in the light.
But Cassie Cain knew better. She could read Kryptonian body language. The tears didn't stop flowing.
ORACLE COMMANDEERED satellites. She did not care if they traced her. She tasked them to find one man. All they found was the bat-wave transmitter in the utility belt. It was the missing nuke.
She tried tracing an active JLA comm. It was no good.
She tried the cowl's backup. Nothing.
The suit's— she doubted its signature ever could be traced. Damn Bruce and his paranoia! She thought.
All they found was the nuke. Her mentor did one last heroic act... Oracle couldn't even think the words. Didn't even expect it to happen, ever. He was the Batman after all.
THE JUSTICE LEAGUE had gathered in Nyssa's Arctic Circle base. Diana was in tears. J'onn J'onzz, in spite of his injuries and exhaustion, found strength to hold her steady.
Superman collapsed on his knees, he felt old and exhausted. One of his best friends was dead today.
BLACK CANARY had returned to the Watchtower hours later. Dr. Mid-Nite was doing triage. Her injuries weren't that great- only cuts and bruises and the Doc said he would look after her after the others. So Dinah lay beside Ollie who was still recuperating. He was going to make it.
"What?" He felt her tears.
"Bruce is dead."
"Nnooo..." Ollie said weakly, unbelieving. Dinah's tears didn't stop flowing.
TALIA HAD tears flowing in her eyes. Alfred had them too. They both embraced, freely letting the tears flow. His charge was most likely dead. For Talia, her beloved was dead. Why did he choose to be a hero?
Outside the Cave, night had descended once more on Gotham City.