Avenging Justice:

Two Worlds Collide

Part XXVII

Earth, Wayne Industries Satellite 1939

The cold vacuum of space, where sound carried not, light still persisted. Against the abysmal darkness, pinpricks of stars, planets and nebulae backdropped a plane machine. On golden wings, it hung in space, powered by the sun, which the planet orbited. The machine came to life, reorienting itself, a signal received and its mission was set to start.

Inside the satellite circuits and processors came to life. A red light turned on, quickly blinking several times before settling on a pattern. Hidden processes came forward, temporarily overriding the preciously running processes. Traffic was diverted to another satellite, giving at the most a momentary blip of interruption. Before it was noticed, the message had been sent. The call had been made.

Down in Central City, the Flash was watching as new broke of a grand battle down in New York City. His team, surrounding him, were stunned into inaction. He though couldn't stand still. It just wasn't his nature. Before him he saw people in trouble, and despite the knot in his gut, he was gone. By the time his team knew he was gone, he was half a state away.

By the time he hit Illinois, Cisco was in his ear, "Hey Man, we got a strange signal. I think you out to hear this."

"Put it through," Barry said, his attention split between trying not to plow into a slower moving object, and getting to New York.

In his ear static took over before the very foreboding and gravelly voice spoke, "Flash, you are needed. I've sent your team the coordinates, and they will guide you in. Batman out."

"Dude, that is creepy," Cisco said. "I've got the coordinates, he got into my system so easily. That shouldn't happen, I have programs to prevent that! How'd he do that?"

Flash smiled, "Because he's Batman."

In Smallville, a curious Mrs. Kent picked up her incessantly ringing phone, "Kent Farm, Martha speaking."

"Diana is needed," came the scary voice on the other end.

However, Martha didn't get to be her age by letting mean voices frighten her, "You just missed her. She just left."

She could swear the voice changed just a bit, a little warmer, "Thank you, Mrs. Kent." Then the line went dead.

In Amnesty Bay all the televisions blinked and were replaced with the scenes unfolding in New York City. Not that many people weren't already watching, but there weas something different on this feed. In huge letters, scrolling across the screen, were a series of words, "Aquaman, the time has come and you are needed."

Arthur Curry watched as the curiosity repeated itself several times. With Superman there, he hadn't thought to go. The guy was tough and didn't need back up, yet someone had sent the message. So, Arthur looked closely and saw what he hadn't before. Despite the battle of Gods in the skies, the people were still in danger. Several heroes were fighting a losing battle to keep the invaders at bay.

"Well this should be fun at least," Arthur said as he grabbed his trident and put his armor on.

Above Coast City a green blur blasted upward past the atmosphere. John Stewart knew he couldn't make the time he needed, by keeping to a safe terrestrial speed. Outside atmosphere he could angle back down, and come down into New York City, minutes after leaving Coast City. He just hoped he got there in time.

That was when his ring picked up a message in morse code, coming from a nearby satellite. As a marine, he'd studied the old code just in case he ever had to use it. Up to today, he really hadn't had to use that skill. The ring of course translated it, even if John didn't need it to, because it sensed his hesitancy. The message read, "Green Lantern, you are needed in New York City, come to these coordinates. The Batman"

John held off his questions, like how had Batman known he would receive this message, and that he would recognize it. No, his ring had brought his attention to the attack, and with Hal away from Earth, he was it for the moment. Even if Superman was there, this was his beat, and nobody did an alien invasion on his watch.

Martian Manhunter was conflicted. This world was in danger, but so was one of the last of his kind. Those who still searched for M'gan were still out there. However, he knew of the threat coming down upon the people of this world. Even as the heroes made their stand, a lot of life was going to be lost in the end. If only they had been able to hold the perimeter they had set. The loss of life might have been lessened.

"Uncle J'onn, go," the young female Martian told her protector. "I'll be fine for a few hours. We haven't heard from those Cadmus agents again."

J'onn worriedly said, "That is what bothers me. If I leave you now, they could come while I'm away."

"They won't get me this time. I've learned so much since you rescued me," she told him. She hoped he'd see this for what it was, their time. "Go, and do what you need to do. I'll be fine."

"Remember," he began but she ended for him.

"Anyone comes to the door, hide, or flee to the other safe house." She gave him a smile, something they did here on Earth. "I'll be fine, Uncle. Now get going."

J'onn was gone an instant later, and M'gan let herself finally feel the fear that came with it. She wasn't going to be some helpless damsel in need of rescuing, but she didn't feel as confident as she acted. She couldn't let him know that, had to hide it from him, because she could see what he wanted, needed. He needed to protect her, but also aid this world in its dire hour. She owed him that much, to allow him the time to do that. No matter the cost, she was determined to give him that gift.

In Gotham City, Selina Kyle is near dumbfounded as she watched a bat shaped jet fly through an alien invasion. Leave it to him to stick his nose in the business of visitors from another star. Then again, that fit him perfectly, and she knew it. How many times had Batman taken on things that should have outright killed him? Too many, and that was why she was worried, yet not betting against him.

She excused herself, walking out of the Bast Youth Home, and seeing other Gothamites glued to their smartphones. Selina couldn't bring herself to watch though, because something had changed. His help recently, the lengths he went to, to save her girls. Those had changed her outlook, if ever slightly. It wasn't that she owed him a debt, she paid all debts. No, she cared now. He had shown himself over and over again, to be someone worthy of her respect. It wasn't a foreign concept to her, but she could count the people she respected on a single hand. To see someone like that, face indomitable odds, that was unbearable.

Her phone rang, and Selina answered on the third ring, "Hello?"

"He has need of you, Ms. Kyle," a very British and synthesized voice said. "Arrangements have been made. You'll find a safehouse a block from your current location."

Selina found her curiosity stirred, "Who is this? What are you talking about?"

"There isn't time," the voice went on. "He took the liberty of upgrading your suit, and weapons. You'll find they are all based on your current equipment, with modifications."

Despite herself, she followed the directions of the voice. What looked like an empty lot under construction, led to something fantastic underground. A code punched into the service door on the side led her down. Lights turned on as she did, and walls slowly slid around to reveal a whole host of new toys.

True to the strange voice's words, each one was similar to a weapon or item she had used in the past. Her eyes were drawn to the suit, that looked liquid metal. She rubbed her fingers across the material, it felt cool and silky. Next her attention was drawn to the whip below the suit. She picked it up and tested it out, liking how hit handled. These were very nice, and now she was starting to get that itchy feeling. That feeling that told her that she owed someone something.

"Ms. Kyle," the voice returned, but coming from the room itself. "I trust all is in order?"

"Listen, I appreciate the thought, but I can't accept this," Selina said, as she put the whip back down, antagonized by the act.

"You misunderstand," the voice countered. "This isn't an offer or bribe. You will need this equipment when you go to him. He knew a day like this may come, so he planned for this contingency."

"Really?" Selina looked around. "What made think that I'd ever agree to this?"

The voice didn't wait, "Because he says you are a good person. One that had a different sense of justice than he does, but a good person nonetheless. Now, when you are ready, he has a transport waiting for you."

Earth, New York, New York City

Janet for the tenth time, was trying to figure out how this wasn't going to end badly. She knew they had to go, had to fight, but there didn't seem to be much hope in this endeavor. Alien invaders were just outside her and Hank's normal wheelhouse. Seeing all the chaos, pain and misery though, she didn't have a choice. Even if Hank hadn't followed her, she would have gone off to aid Captain America and the others. Luckily, Hank had followed her, and she felt better because he was here. Together they made a formidable team, and together she felt they could overcome anything.

All around them, destruction rained down. Janet resized long enough to pull a young child out of the way, and the shrunk again. Using her wings, she flew up and blasted the Chitauri in the face with her bio-electric sting. The alien howled and swatted at her, and she slammed her fist into the alien's jaw. It flew off its flying chariot, the driver in front took notice of her. However, Hank took that one out quickly.

"We need to find the others," Janet said, as she tried to grab the controls of the chariot.

Hank looked around, "I still think this is a bad idea. Look down there, two aliens going after a family on the ground."

"Got them," Janet shrunk as she yelled this. "Bring the chariot down and we'll use it to get them away."

Ant-Man shook his head, she was incorrigible. She was going to get herself killed, but there was something about her. Finding out his secret, convincing him to let her join him, all because she had a sense of right and wrong. That sense wouldn't let her see an injustice stand, and truth be told, made him love her even more. He just needed to keep her alive, because a better partner he couldn't think of.

They had returned to New York City, to get materials ready for the new lab. After S.H.I.E.L.D. had left, Hank had calmed down. They were ready now to continue on with his experiments, in peace and far away from any prying eyes. She also wanted to give Hank a break. He tended to over focus on his goals, to an almost obsessive level. Such a thing tended to be called tunnel vision, or having blinders on, for him those weren't close enough.

Leave it to her to come back on the day when the sky opens up and terror reigns on the city again. Janet tried not to look up at the huge hole in the sky, or the monstrosities flying from it into her world. Even those with the stoutest of hearts would be hard pressed not to feel dread creep up their spine. How were they going to win this fight?

Across the sky, she gazed a blue and black blur. She recognized Superman was tussling with another figure, one who was taking all his hits and giving the same in return. Windows cracked as the two figures pounded on each other. She recognized the black clad man had a more martial way to his fighting, while Superman in more of a brawler form. Technique and form would go to the black clad man, but she would give Superman the edge in heart and indomitableness.

After getting the family to safety, Hank and Janet found where Black Widow and Hawkeye were fighting. Back to back, they were dashing from cover to cover, each expending their dwindling numbers of ammunition. They would need help soon, or they'd be weaponless in the face of this invasion.

Off in the distance came the whine of a vehicle that Janet didn't recognize. It only vaguely looked like a motorcycle, with oversized front and rear wheels. The center body held a certain star-spangled hero. As he brought the vehicle in, the wheels and body rotated, allowing the rider to roll over several Chitauri without crashing. That was how Captain America rejoined the battle.