Hawkman was not happy to have been saddled with following Mr. Miracle through another Boom Tube, but he was not about to let the man get away without an escort; he was the only way they had to travel between earth and Apokolips, and he was not about the let that link be severed. The stakes were much too high.
Coming out, he found himself on a world that was overcome with nature. Though there was technology, it seemed to blend with nature unobtrusively. It seemed…alien.
"Come on, we're probably expected," Miracle said. The two of them made their way through the field, to a giant city floating in the sky. It was not difficult for the both of them to get to it, and they were soon greeted by a man in white armor. Not long after that, a man in long white robes and a white beard arrived, leaning heavily on a cane. Marvel smiled, and the old man embraced him. "Highfather."
"Tell me what brings you and your companion here," he requested.
"Something critical is happening," Miracle explained. "Darkseid has kidnapped one of the members of the Justice League, and he is waiting for her to bear her child. The child is important, but we don't know why. Could you shed any light on the situation?"
The old man nodded slowly. "I myself cannot, but I believe Mother should be able to."
"Mother?" Hawkman asked, eyeing the old man dubiously. "Your species is long lived."
The old man smiled kindly. "No, not that kind of mother. It would be too difficult to explain to you, Thanagarian; too complex." He swelled his wings somewhat in insult. "I will return. Wait here." He turned and left, leaving the two of them in the floating paradise.
"What do you think happened to Marvel?" Hawkman asked.
Miracle shrugged. "Who knows," he said. "He might be back on earth, plotting to take down the League. He may not have foreseen Olivia managing to get a call in for help. We're lucky she did, too, else we'd have kept a traitor in our midst, even as we spoke. We would have taken him with us to Apokolips, definitely, and it would have been a simple matter of turning us over to Darkseid."
"What about Olivia, and Flash?"
"Olivia will be reconstituted the first chance Darkseid gets," he said. "Her baby is too important; he knew the easiest way to stop Batman was to remove the hostage, the same thing we were trying to do. He knew what was happening, and he knew he was in no danger. Neither was Olivia."
"Where is Darkseid now?"
"The Phantom Zone. It should take him some time to get out, but whether that time is measured in hours or months, I can't tell you."
There was silence between them for some time, until finally, the old man returned His face was drawn. "Indeed, these events are the beginning of a great threat to the multiverse."
Miracle frowned. "The multiverse?"
"Yes," Highfather explained. "There was a recent alteration of the universe. A balance had to made, in order to control an error that was made by a very powerful man. The universe was remade into the multiverse. Unfortunately, and unexpected paradox has formed, one stemming around this Olivia woman that Darkseid has taken captive. She is the source, and her child is the link across the multiverse. If one could control the child, then he could take all of the multiverses and make them one again. Undoubtedly, Darkseid seeks this power to gain control and remake the universe in his own image. The power of this child will be greater than any that the New Gods now hold, or even can hold."
"Olivia's child is a threat, then."
"Not so," Highfather said. "If the child were to grow up on earth, he would learn to use his power over time. If he is in Darkseid's hands, he will be prematurely aged, forced to use it at Darkseid's whim. He will undoubtedly begin this plot once he returns from the Phantom Zone."
"Then we have to stop him there!" Hawkman exclaimed.
"It might be possible, but do not underestimate Darkseid; even with such a loss of his powers, he is still a god. Still, if this is the path you wish to take, I must warn you; you can use a boom tube to enter the Phantom Zone, but you will be unable to create one to exit. You will have to find a way out on your own, if you do decide to attempt this."
Miracle nodded, his face solemn. "Thank you, Highfather. We will do what we can. In the meantime, we must return to earth and let the others know of this information." He turned to Hawkman. "Are you ready to go back?"
"I am," he said. "The sooner we get back, the sooner we can end this threat."