Chapter Seventeen

Looking Through Her Eyes

Under the embrace of the cloak of J'onn's protection, she carefully flew in the thick and silent darkness that would soon welcome the sunlight and turn into a dreaded morning. But before she finally set out on her solitary journey, she was adamant on paying one last visit, which she knew in her mind was goodbye, to a place she once considered her home, and to someone who patiently awaited her arrival.

"Diana." It was a mere whisper in the dark as Hippolyta dismounted from her horse.

She hesitantly raised her face and met the queen's eyes. "Mother…it's good to see you again."

Strange…and awkward.

It was how she felt as they now stood face to face. And she let the precious seconds tick away, one by one, as she gazed longingly at the very first face her eyes and mind had seen, the ageless face of her mother.

But Hippolyta's tone could not be any more detached. "I heard your…friend's voice."

She dropped her gaze to the powdery sand where the shadows cast by the moonlight rested, knowing in her heart that her mother was hiding an amount of resentment.

"Yes…I told him to call to you." Her hair danced softly with the light breeze.

Standing close to her mother now, after all that had transpired, there were a handful of unspoken questions that she needed to ask, and a lot of explanations she, herself, wanted to disclose. But this was not the time, if ever there was even any time left for her.

Right now, what was important was to be at peace, at least, with one of those who were dearest to her…if ever she did not have the opportunity with the others.

"The world is in danger." Hippolyta broke another uncomfortable silence that settled.

"Yes." She paused, unexpectedly reminded that she must make this visit as short as possible.

But how could one say goodbye in an instant to someone a person knew all of her very long life?

"Mother…"

"We are in danger, from your friend," the older Amazon mentioned frankly.

She shook her head and raised her face to her queen. "I don't think it is Kal."

"You don't think?" The queen's voice rose the slightest. "Just like you didn't think about the curse…when you fell in love with a mortal?"

The lid on suppressed emotions was now opened, once the subject was brought up. And she knew from her mother's tone that the queen was deeply hurt by what was done.

"Mother…I love him." She still felt the need to explain. "I love Bruce." And I will always love him…even in death…her mind thought, and she was sure of her feelings.

"And look where that love led you." Hippolyta's voice finally softened, succumbing to the hopelessness she saw in her daughter. "I know, Diana. The gods made it known to me."

"All I can say now is…I'm sorry." She apologized. She was doing that a lot lately. And the feeling only made her lonelier. "There are a lot of…things I want to tell you…to share with you like I used to." Her eyes finally welled up with tears that she feared she would shed with the thought that the things she wanted to convey to her very dear mother would remain unsaid. "But this is not the right time to discuss…personal matters. The world is at war, and Themyscira will soon be caught in the crossfire."

"We are preparing for it."

She looked her mother in the eye without flinching, without fear and indecision. "So am I."

Her mother did not look away either. "What can we do to help?"

As a silent reply, she cast her eyes beyond her mother, slowly farther, to where the palace was hidden by the darkness, as the memories she made of this place replayed in her thoughts. Closing her eyes, she thought hard and recalled the cherished moments of her youth, of growing up in this beautiful paradise, with her sisters, and the loving embrace of her mother.

Just hold me one last time, she wanted to say aloud, wanting the warm comfort of her mother's arms to soothe her in this time of sadness. But instead, her eyes fought back the melancholy when her gaze fell lovingly on the countenance of her mother.

She sighed and composed herself. "The reason I came here…is not to ask for your help."

"Then what are you here for?"

"I came to say goodbye."

For the first time, the stoic expression of Hippolyta was replaced with a note of worry. "What are you saying?"

"I'm going to the temple of the sun god." There was nothing but conviction in her tone. "I am going to summon the bird of fire."

"No!" Hippolyta countered instantly. "You can't do that, Diana. I forbid you."

She smiled ruefully at the thought that she almost did summon the powers many years ago, as the gods declared, if the man from the stars refused to help. "Mother…if the gods told you themselves that I must do it? Would you disobey them?" She asked and her mother looked away, unable to reply. "This is not a delusion of grandeur mother. What you do for the gods…I must do for my friends, my family. I will do anything to protect all of you, with or without the gods' blessings."

For a while, the queen just looked at the stars above, as if praying to the deities for help. Then the eyes fell back on her with a heartbreaking look, all the while considering the truthfulness in what was just said, though deep inside the queen fought to search for any other means to argue with her brave plan.

There was none.

And then the mother did something that should have been done a long time ago. Hippolyta bridged the space and took her precious daughter in her arms.

"I can't lose you again."

She closed her eyes in the reassurance that she needed most at the moment, wanting the precious stolen seconds to last longer. Tears finally escaped from her as she closed her eyes shut, fighting off the unwanted thoughts that whispered in her mind that this was the last embrace she would have from her mother.

"You never lost me the first time."

Hippolyta moved away to lovingly gaze at her. "But this time…" And from the eyes that had seen so much, experienced more hurt, more pain, but had more strength than she could ever have…a tear fell.

"Just look at the sun and stars…" She smiled with regret, wiping the dampness from her face. "…And remember me."

The queen wiped her own tears. "I'm sorry, Diana…if I was less of a moth---"

"Shhh…" She hugged her mother once more. "I love you mother."

"And I love you too, my daughter."

And the queen planted a soft kiss on her forehead, the very last kiss.

"Goodbye, mother."

With one last and long look before taking a few steps back, with her heels digging into the sand, she smiled at the sad face of her mother one last time before turning her back with a heavy heart and flying away. With the tears falling freely again on her face, she sighed in the night and proceeded, more determined than ever, to Heliopolis.

She knew the direction and the exact location by heart, just like she knew where Smallville was before. And as fast as she could, before she drained J'onn's energy, she flew and reached Egypt in the shortest possible time. Everything had to be done before the sunrise and once there, she immediately collected all the necessary aromatic woods to be burned as offering, before finally proceeding to the temple.

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Under the deep blue ocean, the Martian stirred from his concentration, finding a specific voice that spoke in his mind as he stared outside, through the glass encasement, at the ethereal beauty of the ocean.

I'm here J'onn.

Good, she was safe. Is everything alright?

I've already done everything that needs to be done. A brief pause. Now I await my fate.

A brief silence followed and he was worried for her.

Diana…

I am afraid, J'onn.

His heart went out to his friend as he felt her honesty. The orange eyes glowed, reflecting on the thick glass. I will always be with you.

I know. We are in this together. She needed his words now more than ever, and words were the only form of comfort he could give at the moment. Have faith, Diana…we will prevail.

For a while, he could se her face as she sighed, with a small smile on her lips.

J'onn…

Yes?

He could feel her indecision. Please tell Kal and Bruce that…I am very sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone… You can tell them when you get back.

We both know…there is no getting back.

He could hear a faint sound of another sigh

And J'onn…Thank you for everything.

He was just about to reply when he heard her gasp.

J'onn…it's here…Hera…it's…beautiful…

He tried to visualize what she was seeing but was suddenly interrupted.

She was screaming.

His ears rang with her voice, as her cry drowned any other sound. Then her scream faded and eerie silence followed soon after. J'onn's hands went to his head, searching for her presence. But there was nothing.

It was done.

Now it was time for his part.

He searched the recesses of his mind and focused on the memory she once shared with him during her time of confession, the memory of her conversation with a young man that would turn out to be her very best friend. In the recollection, she was telling young Kal-El of the mysterious bird that had the power to take away her immortality.

Then J'onn channeled this particular thought to a specific mind.

But the recollection of her thoughts, the innocence of her face in his mind and all of her sacrifices, all the heartaches that she hid from everyone else, her loneliness…it filled him with such sorrow.

And he knew all about it now, after she opened the floodgates of her emotions to him when he read her mind.

Her suffering was only because she just wanted to feel how it was to be loved. And she was blessed with the shortest time for her dream to come true. Only for those dreams to be shattered by the two men she loved the most.

And with a heart that was broken, she left this world.

With eyes still closed to the world around him, he focused on her emotions. He had to for it was a crucial part of their plan.

And then, he slowly opened his eyes and stared carefully at the reflection on the glass. Black hair flowed down past the shoulders as a golden tiara adorned the forehead, the skin that used to be green was now bronze and the eyes that once glowed an orange hue now stared back at him in blue.

And as he looked back at the reflection of her face that he now assumed, he remembered her once more.

And a tear escaped from him.

For the first time, J'onn cried for her.

He cried for Diana with her own eyes.

And after allowing a brief moment of reflection, of respect for his friend, he wiped away the tears. Later in Diana's form, he left the deep for the surface and made his own journey.

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Footsteps from a pair of red boots echoed inside what was left of the old temple, the shadows of birds that found sanctuary in the ruins dancing as sunlight filtered through the high windows. A soft breeze disturbed the sleeping dust on the stone floor, as the figure moved further into the empty area to approach the centermost part where remains of an altar and the faint smell of the offering still permeated the air.

J'onn touched Diana's hand to what was left of what she did earlier, probably the last physical remembrance he would have of her. And deep inside his mind, he wondered just where and how she was now…trying hard to locate her thoughts but somehow found it too difficult to reach yet.

He wanted to erase any doubt.

She was all right. They would succeed.

"Hello Princess."

J'onn turned to the owner of the voice that disturbed his reverie. A young woman bearing a striking resemblance to Kara was standing a few feet away. "I don't think we have been properly introduced. My name is Galatea."

"What are you doing here?" It was still strange to hear Diana's voice as he spoke.

"Oh…" Galatea sized her opponent from head to foot. "Probably, the same as you. Thanks to my dear cousin."

From the dark corners, Superman stepped forward, no more clothed in his red and blue uniform, but in something dark, as dark and sinister as the expression he wore.

"Hello, Diana."

Diana's blue eyes stared at the friend they used to know, while J'onn's mind subtly assessed the opponent. "Superman."

"Just Kal-El this time. I hate that name." Superman walked closer. "Where have you been? I've been destroying a lot of…properties in search of you."

"What happened to you?"

"Let's just say…I had a very drastic change of plans." Superman walked around while his so-called cousin was doing something on the nearby altar. "And you may consider yourself fortunate that I am including you in these plans."

"Plans? About betraying your friends?" J'onn raised Diana's voice. "I don't want to be a part of any of this."

"Are you sure? Because I know that you know why we are all gathered here…at this very sacred place." He halted then walked dangerously close, whispering into Diana's ear. "Remember the tiny confession you made before, about a certain bird. Funny, I only remembered just a while ago. But then, the timing could not be any more perfect."

J'onn looked at the old altar where the aromatic woods were now in place as beginning of the ceremony. "No. You can't Kal." He needed to inject a small amount of fear into Diana's voice.

"Oh…but I can." A very sinister grin appeared on Superman's lips. "Or for that matter, Galatea can. And once we have the power, no one else would dare oppose us."

"Is this how you do it?" The blonde girl asked, raising an insulting brow. "I am right, am I? Considering it's a crash course on summoning the power of the Phoenix with the help of the internet, I think I'm just doing fine. Yup…here it comes."

A strong gust of wind blew and ran across the temple, the ashes of the offering dancing all throughout the place. For a moment the ground shook, and a low rumbling noise disturbed the stillness.

And then, from high above appeared a very warm golden glow. It was such a breathtaking spectacle as the light of the purest fire they had ever seen fell down from the sky, into the temple.

Gold, it was like staring at gold fire.

It was indeed beautiful.

"No!" J'onn screamed in Diana's voice.

Then Galatea walked near the fire and raised her hands sideward, palms up, as a gesture of offering herself. Then the flames understood and in one swift and liquid motion, fires shot out to form a wide circle, the ends of the embracing, meeting and consuming the girl's form before she screamed as if in pain.

In a short instant, all of her was consumed as nothing of the girl's body was visible anymore.

Then the flames slowly quieted, forming into a female silhouette, without a face but the golden fire.

Kal-El looked at the life form in awe then burst into an applause. "Very good, Galatea."

And J'onn stared wide-eyed at the apparition. Diana…

The being nodded its head in recognition.

"You'd think summoning one of the greatest powers could at least be the slightest difficult," the Kryptonian observed, looking at Diana. "But then again, no one knew. Except for the ancient Egyptians, who are all…dead. And of course, the Greeks."

Diana's eyes looked at him with utmost anger. "You have tampered with a sacred belief. There will be a punishment for this."

Superman sneered. "If there is anyone left alive of your race to…punish me." Then he turned away. "Come along now, we've wasted much time here already."

"I will never go with you," Diana's voice was filled with loathing.

Superman looked back, his eyes mere slits. "Just because you are in my favor does not mean I can't hurt you," he threatened. "Remember, I have the power to kill your loved ones, one by one."

"I never thought you are capable of this, Kal."

"You never thought about a lot of things," Superman said before walking away. Then he called out to his army of Kryptonians. "Seize her."

J'onn did not even try to fight the soldiers who bound Diana's hands. He could not risk the chance of being in pain that he might give away their secret.

And as prisoner with hands bound behind his back by a strong kind of metal, J'onn in the form of Diana, was brought to the spacecraft that hovered close, just within the earth's atmosphere, dominating and watching over the planet closely and carefully. Once inside, he scanned the area immediately, noticing that the interior was similar to that of the Watchtower. There were different stations manned by one or two uniformed men and he could see that their faces were all obscured by the headgear he saw in his vision that for a while he thought they all looked the same.

As he stared in front, Superman was a few steps ahead. To his right was the female silhouette enshrouded in flames that they thought was Galatea.

At the middle of the wide area was the control center where wide screens were strategically placed. And these monitors served as the watchful eye as they displayed different locations within the planet.

And they were all under his control.

Again…he asked his mind why. What reason could there possibly be for Superman to turn on them, his friends, the home he knew all his life, and make them all his slaves?

"Take a close look, Diana. I never thought the earth would fall into my hands this easily."

J'onn looked at one screen and caught a glimpse of fear on the onlookers where a man was being violently apprehended for protesting. "Why are you doing this?" The very people they were sworn to protect were now the victims of this atrocity.

Kal-El pushed a button and the image became bigger. "Look at them…pathetic excuses for living beings." The statement was said in utter disgust as images of a small mob appeared. "Don't you ever get tired of saving them, the world?"

J'onn did not reply as he looked at the images of destruction, of chaos. And his heart bled for the people of this world and suddenly remembered his fate before was not very far from what was happening before his eyes.

"I'm just putting matters in…order." Superman's voice cut through his reverie.

"Order? You call this order?" J'onn spat out in Diana's voice. But deep inside he was trying to search the evil mind for any trace of the friend they used to have and what turned him into this…madman.

"Try seeing this differently." The friendly face of Superman was nowhere in sight as a calculating man faced him. "You'll be surprised at the number of villains I have already…in custody."

Strangely…J'onn could not sense any trace of whom he knew. "And the league? The people we used to call as friends? Are they in your custody also?"

"As of the moment, there is no more league. Only a handful are left and they are in hiding, like cowards." Superman crossed his arms. "Anyone who opposes me is my enemy."

Diana's blue eyes glanced quickly at the golden silhouette while J'onn's inner thoughts tried hard to locate any audible life signs of his former teammates in the ship. "After you have captured everyone who opposes you. What then?" He continued talking in Diana's voice while his mind worked overtime in his search.

Superman looked smugly at the image of Diana. "Then…we enter another stage."

Then…J'onn recognized the faintest signs. Faint, weak, but life signs nonetheless. He tried communicating with Diana.

Diana…if you can hear me…our friends, they may be here. Give me more time to locate them before we act.

He looked again at the silhouette of fire, as if waiting for a sign that he was heard before returning his attention to Superman. "What? Rule the world?" Using Diana's voice allowed a greater range for J'onn to express his feelings rather than the level tone he always used. "That's so…lame." For a moment J'onn wondered if Diana would use that word.

"Ah. But this world is going to be different. I'm going to create a race of strong men and women." Superman walked around, proudly. "Wouldn't it be great, a planet of beings who do not have to worry about a threat to their lives and their world because they can take care of themselves?"

"A master race?" Diana's eyes looked at him incredulously. "Haven't you read earth's history? It's been done before and it didn't exactly take off."

"You haven't lost you're sense of humor even through all of this." Superman observed and walked closer. "Because the idiot didn't have what I have now." He tilted Diana's face to meet his eyes. "Your genes and mine. Strength and immortality."

If it were not because of the direness of the situation, J'onn would have metamorphosed back into his form. The implication of what Superman was saying was simply unthinkable. "You'd be tampering with the very laws of creation itself. Is nothing ever sacred anymore to you?"

For a while, a strange expression of regret passed by Superman's blue eyes. "There is one thing I consider sacred."

And J'onn knew what the statement meant. Even through all this madness, he could sense something finally, the truth of the magnitude of Superman's feelings for Diana.

"I will never allow myself to be a participant in your mad quest for power." The loathing was very present in the voice and Diana's eyes stared icily at the eyes of the man she once considered her very trusted friend.

A hand suddenly grabbed Diana's face. "Remember this…I have more than one way of convincing you." Superman let go just as immediately then walked away. "But right now, I must depart. I have to make appearances like every ruler has to."

As J'onn stared at the retreating back and the human form of the bird of fire through Diana's eyes, as a number of guards led him away, he knew that there was a chink in the armor after all. And they were going to use it to an advantage.

Even if Diana's expression was obtuse, deep inside J'onn was grinning.

Everything was going exactly as planned.

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As he walked the corridors and everyone else fell back as commanded, he realized with such alarm that his heart was beating slightly faster than normal. In anger at what he was experiencing, a part of him wondered just why he was reacting this way.

Ever since he came to be who he was now, there was always this whisper, this vague apparition that he tried shoving far into the corner of his mind. But the more he tried to obscure the image, the more it solidified.

What is it about her?

There was one instance, when he searched the world for her, that he was almost afraid of finally meeting her. Because of the way she made him feel, as if he would never do anything in this world to hurt her, that he would even protect her…from himself.

And he hated every single bit of that feeling.

Because it only meant he had a weakness.

She was his weakness, his vulnerability.

And only one person knew why this was so.

He took a deep breath and punched a series of codes that opened a door to a large room. At the other side was a thick glass wall that separated another room and the inside of this enclosure was filled with green light, a very dangerous green light that he should be frightened of. But many thanks to his creators, he was made immune to the one thing they thought was his weakness. In the middle was a man in a red and blue uniform, tied by his hands spread-eagled on his sides.

Kal-El walked closer to the glass. And stared at the prisoner, a man who looked exactly like him.

"You'll be pleased to know…" Kal-El started. "She is right in the other room."

"Diana…" Superman answered weakly, his eye squinting in the light.

"Yes. Your precious Diana." He walked away. He had said what he needed to. Now he had more important matters to attend to.

"Don't…hurt her."

"I don't seem to want to." He paused by the door. "It's something I got from you," he answered before leaving.

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The numerous screens that filled the dark and silent room served as his eyes to the outside world, just like a man he knew well.

Very unlike Kal-El who paraded himself proudly in front of his captives, basking in the fear and terror his presence elicited, he kept to this quiet darkness, he kept to the company of the shadows. Besides, it was originally planned that he stay away from anyone else's sight because they wanted to deceive the entire unsuspecting world that Superman was the one truly responsible for all of this.

Batman's image did not exactly fit the description of a power hungry dictator, he thought as the faint likeness of his handsome face reflected by the light on the glass of the screen stared back at him.

So why was he, a clone just the same, a willing participant in what was significantly taking place?

Because the promise of finally bringing peace and order to the world, even if by forceful means, was simply hard to resist when it was offered. The man whom his very identity was taken from devoted his whole life to bringing order to his city. He was helping a higher cause, he was helping the world.

But he could slowly notice the slight deviations in the plans Kal-El and himself initially formulated.

And the more time passed, it was clear that there was more than just peace and order in his teammate's calculating mind. Kal-El was planning on creating another Krypton, a home he did not even see with his own eyes. And in this plan, he was sure that she would have to be involved.

She.

Diana.

Thinking of her made his eyes suddenly wander to a particular monitor on his right side.

And it was like an itch, a very persistent itch, that he just had to scratch.

He gave in to the temptation by pushing a few buttons on the console. Then the image on the screen changed from the view of the earth in orbit to the small confines of a holding room, her room.

And there she was, bound by her hands and feet. And still looking every bit as regal, every bit as beautiful as his mind had imagined.

When he knew of her very presence inside the spaceship, that she had been held as a prisoner, he felt a certain tenseness, a heightened sense of awareness that he could not explain, that his analytical mind could not deduce. Looking at her now, the tranquil sleeping face that belied the true feelings within, it awakened certain unfamiliar emotions deep inside that he never thought he was capable of. And it left him in an utter state of confusion.

They, the clones, were initially created for the purpose of safeguarding the earth when the possibility that the league misusing their powers became a reality. And they were to stop all of them by all means necessary. To carry out this order, they were programmed not to feel the basic human emotion of caring.

But why was he feeling this onslaught of emotions a simple look at her face could bring?

His thoughts were immediately diverted when he caught sight of a faint red light on the lower part of the console blinking, alerting him of something important. It was one of the security precautions he had installed that informed him if someone was approaching his area, or rather his territory, inside the large spaceship. And with a few push of the right buttons, he was able to immediately replace her image with pictures from the outside.

"How are…our guests?" Kal-El said behind him as the other entered the room.

"What do you expect? They are all unconscious." It was the same deep baritone of Bruce Wayne. "Except for him." He pointed to a screen where Superman's weak image was displayed. "If you plan on keeping him alive much longer, we'd better lessen his exposure to those lights."

"I want him alive." Kal-El looked at the image. "I want him to witness the exclamation point to his downfall when I finally make her mine."

He managed to hide the sudden twitch of a nerve in his jaw but deep inside his pulse beat faster upon hearing the statement and he quickly dismissed the unwanted feeling before Kal-El's enhanced senses could detect it.

"What about her? What are your plans?" His voice sounded detached.

"We are going to rule this world. Together." Kal-El looked at him suspiciously. "You don't have any problems with that, do you?"

He ignored the question. "What if she doesn't cooperate? Do we have to extract DNA from her?"

Kal-El seemed to consider. "No."

He was relieved, somehow. But of course, he would not let it show. "Then what's the point? She will never give you what you want."

"You sound as if you know her that well." Another suspicious glance was cast his way. "Maybe you do, like I do. Our…hosts definitely have…certain affections for her."

"We all know her." He punched the same digits earlier to display her sleeping form. "And trust me, whatever my affections are, they come last to the possibilities of what we can achieve through…her contributions. It would not be difficult to experiment with her."

"No." Kal-El abruptly answered. "I will never violate her."

"Then what?" He tried a cynical expression to hide his true sentiments. "Don't tell me you want to marry her."

"If I can't have her the old fashioned way…" Kal-El paused. "I will just have to kill her."

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His fingers drummed lightly on the steel casing of the computer console. But the weak sound was intensified by the lonely silence that lived within the dark cave. And when he leaned on the chair, the slight squeak echoed, the small sound bouncing off the damp walls.

It happened all too fast.

As he looked at the screen before him, various images displaying the events outside, an army of soldiers patrolling the night laden streets and interrogating civilians who did not follow the curfew, he could not help but wonder how the planet could fall this fast into the enemy's hand.

Enemy.

He just referred to Superman as his enemy.

And it only proved that he could not trust anyone anymore.

But when he analyzed further, he could not recall an incident when Superman expressed even the slightest interest in world domination. But then again, Hawkgirl fooled them once also when it was revealed that she was a spy.

His line of thought suddenly reminded him of the brief Thanagarian occupation.

And although unwanted and unwelcome, he could still feel the kiss that was shared with a woman he once loved, the only woman he almost changed his life for. Twice.

Where could she be?

"I still cannot believe Master Kent would be capable of all of this." Alfred appeared behind him.

He looked back at the various incidents displayed on the screen. "We all have our dark sides, Alfred." He should know. "But…I have a hunch not all is what it seems."

"A hunch…Master Bruce?" Alfred's brow rose.

"Almost all of the members of the league have been captured. And he knows I am a sitting duck in this cave. Yet…"

It was still a mystery that plagued his mind that, as of the moment, he was still safe in the cave when he was expecting certain visitors to come knocking as early as the start of the invasion. But he also could not help to think that Superman had other plans for him.

"What about the…princess?" Alfred felt awkward about his inquiry. After that night, he had not heard from her again, nor did his charge volunteer any more details, information like he used to. And years of knowing Bruce only led to a sad conclusion that…things did not work out, though he could not imagine what possible reason could cause this young man beside him to feel this indifferent towards her. "Have you heard from her Highness?"

"No…I can't reach J'onn either." He tried to sound detached.

The dismissive voice was not hard to miss. Well, if Bruce did not care, he did. Because there was a time when he was sure that Bruce loved her and for a while he was happy. He should not give this up as easily.

"Sir…Aren't you the least bit worried about her?"

"Alfred, there are a lot of things that worry my mind as of present."

"More than her?"

He could not bring himself to answer immediately because he was indeed worried about her but he would not let himself confess the words. "The whole planet is taken over by an alien race. I can't allow my personal feelings to interfere in this most crucial of times."

"Aren't you even concerned if she's still alive?"

"Of course she's alive." He answered all too quickly.

Then, it struck him like lightning.

All the time that he wallowed in his anger at her, of what her past brought, of how he felt jealous of the meaningful secret she shared with someone else and not him, he forgot. He overlooked what she had to sacrifice to love him, her immortality.

With the recognition of the possibility, he felt the coldness slowly creep up his skin. He almost shook his head in a desperate attempt to dismiss the sudden unwanted thought.

That she may be dead already.

"Well, for…everyone else's sake, and yours," Alfred could not resist adding. "I hope and pray that wherever she is, she is all right."

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Morning of the last day of the year, Kal-El was preoccupied with the plans and strategies he had lined up for the year that was to come.

The first phase, take control of the planet, was almost complete except for very minor setbacks that could be overlooked since they were still very much ahead of schedule. In truth even he, himself, was amazed at the progress they had in such a short time, how easy it was to steal the reins from the leaders. Well, imagine more than a thousand soldiers just like him in strength working for the same objective. It really would not be difficult.

The general did not see that coming. He thought he was creating an army of mindless drones to carry out his every plan. His mistake was he singled out the first batch of successful clones and retained the memories of their hosts, adding in an extra amount of rage and only erased the thoughts of the succeeding creations.

He also did not see that Kal-El was planning this all along under the innocently blue eyes.

Kal-El's lips revealed a sinister grin as he walked to the holding cell. The general probably did not even notice the red laser beam aimed at his brain before it was too late, that it was the last thing he would ever see.

"So…have you made up your mind?" He asked Diana once again, as he paced while looking at her captive form through the glass encasement.

Diana looked straight at him and answered in a flat and uninterested voice. "I already have a decision."

He stilled and faced her. "May I hear it?"

"I'd rather die than be with you."

For a while he did not blink, nor move. But his eyes never left hers as if convincing her to change her mind. But inside, he wanted to smash the glass with his fist at her impudence, her stubbornness.

Didn't she know her life, and the life of her race depended on her answer?

As much as he did not want to, he had to do it, sever the useless hand that was bound to be a liability one day. Besides, when she was gone, all the unwanted feelings that came with her presence would fade with her.

"Then you will," he finally stated. "And the rest of your sisters and your…mother will share the same fate. That is, if they don't cooperate."

Diana's expression never wavered a bit. "I know they'd rather die themselves."

"Yes, they will die." He added an evil grin for emphasis. "After you do." He walked to the door.

"Not before…" Diana spoke.

Kal-El turned from the door to see a smug expression on Diana's face.

"…I kill you first."

A red glow appeared as he fought the anger at her taunt. He smashed the console beside the door with his right hand before exiting.

On a dark area, a man wore an amused smile after witnessing the event that had just unfolded. And when he was sure Kal-El had already left the ship in anger, that meant he would be gone for a while to release the steam on several very unfortunate souls, he stood up from the chair and wore a dark mask.

He had plans of his own.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Sensors installed strategically around the manor and the cave immediately alerted Bruce of the intruder's presence, though the trespasser seemed to have knowledge of the security measures since he knew how to move around the cameras taking advantage of the very few blind spots.

But instead of hiding in the protection of darkness, Bruce opted to remain in his chair, awaiting the arrival of the enemy.

The faintest sound of movement made him aware that that intruder was already nearby.

"Hello Bruce."

The voice. It was uncanny how it sounded so very much like his, the same deep and detached tone.

He stood up, noticing a silhouette of a man several feet away, about the same height as him, clothed in darkness. "Who are you?"

The clone stepped in the pale light, removing the mask. "I am…you."

There was no mistaking the resemblance that lead to one conclusion. "A clone."

"Yes. The first and only clone from you."

For a while they remained at that distance, the computer console in between them. The man in front of him was a clone alright, but how could anyone have cloned him, when he was so careful.

"You don't know how much they paid for someone to scratch you precious cheek." The clone answered his silent inquiry.

"And the man parading himself off as Superman?"

There was the familiar smirk on the other's face. "I'm surprised how little your faith in your friend is if you thought the real Superman could be capable of this."

"Every one can be seduced by power."

The smirk was wiped out by a certain recollection. "Not everyone."

The clone turned around and walked around the cave as if familiarizing himself with the area. He stepped forward but remained at a safe distance, after all, this was him he was facing.

"It was a secret plan of the government, though I don't think the president is exactly in the know, plausible deniability…is that the right term?" A brow rose before the clone continued walking around, stopping just beside the giant penny. "…just in case the league got a little power hungry. They cloned three of you, the two you know."

Though his ears and mind were busy paying attention and analyzing everything that was being said, his eyes were also fast to observe every movement of the other just in case the clone decided to catch him off guard.

"The Martian's DNA did not exactly come by easily," the clone continued. "Flash was not cloned because if Superman's powers were maximized, he would be…obsolete. The ring and the mace were what they wanted to duplicate, not the owners."

Then who was the other one?

Just a few feet away, without anything between them, the clone turned to fully face him this time, wearing a very serious expression on his face. "They wanted to clone…her." The voice was laced with emotion, a feeling that was missing before. "But they could not find a way to re-create through scientific means someone formed by the magical hands of the gods themselves."

"And why are you telling me all this?" He tried to dismiss the emotions that came with the mention of her by changing the topic. "If you plan on capturing me I have no intention of going with you alive."

"Just by using his friend's voice, your voice, calling for help, the strongest man on earth fell into or trap." The clone mentioned truthfully. "If he wanted you dead, you'd be."

"Then why---"

"Time is of the essence and I can't explain everything in such a short time. In a while he'll know I'm missing and he'll suspect something because I never leave the ship." The clone abruptly cut him off. "I came to you only because of…her."

"Her?"

"Don't be obtuse Bruce and think that I believe you don't care the slightest because I know very well that you do." Same blue eyes stared back at him coldly. "Because, I don't know how and why, I seem to have these strong feelings for her too."

He dismissed the suggestion. "She's not as strong as Superman. Why would they want her?"

"He wants her. He wants to create a race of strong and immortal beings." The clone seemed to be looking for any sign of emotion, any reaction on his stoic face before letting the next words escape his lips. "He has her right now and he's planning on executing her anytime soon in front of the whole world."

He felt the dread wash over him when he remembered her vulnerability. "Why? I thought he had plans for her?"

"Because she can't be seduced by power." The voice softened a bit. "He's going to make an impression that he would not think twice about killing anyone who opposes him. Even her. And we have to stop him." Something in the wrist band was blinking red and the clone immediately tensed. "I will contact you when he starts to make a move. I will free every prisoner and the rest is up to you. I have to go."

It was hard not to notice the collective pronoun. "We?" His voice was filled with disbelief as the other turned away and prepared to depart. "The offer of help is very tempting but…how can I trust anything you say?"

The clone took a deep breath, halting in his steps but not turning to face him anymore. "She's going to die if you don't. I am only doing this to make sure she lives."

And with that, the clone disappeared from sight, leaving him with his thoughts.

And the simple fact that he did not run after the intruder, did not pursue was enough to tell that a part of him believed what was just said.