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Legal disclaimer: I tend to liberally "borrow" character profiles and art from the Earth-27 wikia created by Roy Westerman with principle art coming from digital artist Phil Cho. Other creators and artists are found there as well and I will specifically list any creations with creator citations as I utilize them. In short, this is the single most comprehensive retelling of all things DC and beyond I have encountered. It's worth your time to explore.

Cover art of Lois Lane provided by Martina Havlikova.

Free, commercial use art by her can be found at the following URL: martinahavlikova84 | Pixabay

She is also available for private commissions.

That having been said, the properties, and their variations belong to DC Comics through WarnerMedia and its former controlling parent, AT&T, and now the merging with the Discovery empire with notable exceptions. More on that in the footnote. I do not own DC characters or their interpretations and reimaginings. My own characters are implied Public Domain since I have not included a copyright notice as required by the revisions of the copyright statutes and regulations. While an intellectual copyright is implied without the due symbols and language, all such considerations are generally voided under CC-BY-SA, which governs this site, unless duly noted otherwise.

Open Source attributions are listed after the story concluded to satisfy legalese requirements. And all "super" characters other than Open Source have been seen in comic books before barring any original characters coming from the Earth-27 Wiki or myself. You can look into Public Domain Superheroes Wiki and the DC Database Wiki's own vaults to verify this.

Although this is primarily set in the DCAU, I incorporate attributes of dozens of interpretations of each character, comic telling era, and medium into the telling.


"I can't believe you've been married to Lex for thirty years," Lois Lane admitted to Contessa Erica Alexandra de Portenza, "He's such a philandering bastard."

The pair were at the Contessa's manor in Castile, Spain. Erica was watching over Luthor "Alexander" El-Fadil, Luthor's son by the then-entirely-human Crimson Queen. Her corpse's possession by a succubus had not yet happened. Not until Luthor murdered her to obtain custody of his estranged son. The demon had the Crimson Queen's memories and bold traces of her personality but that was just chemical residue laden in the brain.

The Crimson Queen's long hidden name had proven to be Amomodat Ashtad, or in Farsi, "Immortal Justice" . Her sister, Scarlet Rose, or Suri Ashtad, had been mummified by the Disco Mummy in trade for the Crimson Queen exorcism. But the deal on Erishkigal Narayana's part was that the Crimson Queen voluntarily subject herself to Disco Mummy's ministrations and that human remnant of the Crimson Queen's mind had rebelled, condemning her sister to mummification. The devil's bargain was that Scarlet Rose would be spared if, and only if, the Crimson Queen allowed the demon to be cast out of her body. Since Amomodot had declined, Suri was condemned to be an eternal servant to the Disco Mummy.

Yet, paradoxically it seemed, Erishkigal returned Scarlet Rose to the Crimson Queen seemingly intact. Unbeknownst to Suri, she was internally mummified and still a slave to Disco Mummy's very will and whim. Luthor had promptly delivered El-Fadil to the Contessa to raise up as their heir. Erica was pleased, since she was barren and couldn't have children and Lex was content that Crimson Queen had named his son after him in Arabic.

El-Fadil's name would carry great clout in future Luthor-clan negotiations with Middle Eastern concerns. Even as his chief agent for Middle Eastern deals was his Arabic lackey, Semi Duel. The sheikh was remotely related to every Arabic emirate or prince so his counsel and actions were listened to by his relatives, thereby harnessing a "Luthor Spring" amongst the Arabic speaking world. A direct contrast to the "Arab Spring" two years prior that had enabled Black Adam, Isis, and Horus to carve out the Kingdom of Khandaq from Western Egypt and Eastern Libya after Gaddafi's fall. And from his seat of power, Black Adam forged the International Operations division of the United Nation's Meta-Human Affairs NGO.

Max Lord's abortive Justice League Task Force had been replaced by the Justice League Unlimited once more coming under UN governance as the Justice League International. A revived JLI that possessed the raw power and strength of will to enforce UN edicts across the world. Which as Secretary-General of the UN Lex Luthor, also the former POTUS, wielded considerable advantage over the JLI by threatening their UN Charter and Mandate in service to Vandal Savage's organization secretly known as the Light. Luthor's ongoing visible ties to the Legion of Doom ended his career as President of the USA but strengthened his position amongst most UN member nations.

But as Lois had learned, Luthor was engaged in pissing contest over control of the Light that included Vandal Savage and the Immortal Dr. Fu Manchu. Somewhere in all of this, Jaina Hudson, the White Rabbit, Ra's al Ghul, and her wife, Nyssa Raatko had pulled overt support from Vandal Savage to anoint the outsider known as Knightfall as their choice for visible worldwide savior. As the serving Ra's, Dinah Laurel Drake Lance knew Vandal Savage was too tainted by his exposure as CONTROL. Nyssa too, knew that Vandal Savage's Kaznian adventures had also lost him European support and he would need the EU within and without the UN to successfully emerge victorious. It was Jaina and the White Rabbit that discovered and nurtured Charise Carnes' ambitions as Knightfall and her vision of creating a regulated criminal and virtuous state appealed not only to its first subscriber, Gotham City, but now it spreading across the USA to NYC and Metropolis and their weight was carrying to urban centers nationwide.

Knightfall's own participation within Intergang was persuading it to fall in line as well to establish a monopoly over world-wide crime consortiums. The greatest resistance stemming from the ancient Court of Owls, HIVE, and the Black Seven. Lois, as Superwoman, now knew all of the Light's secrets. Secrets she'd been personally tutored in by Scandal Savage and Knockout. The ex-Female Fury being protected by the Light's ambitions to eradicate Darkseid's Elite and every New God in existence save her and the insensate Darkseid, who'd fallen before his daughter, Grail.

Glorith and Saturn Queen had both spoken of Darkseid's need to arise in the 31st Century to strip the human Lord of Chaos. Mordru, of a great many of his magicks. The Legion of Superheroes, Legion of Substitute Heroes, and the Justice League Infinite would battle Darkseid and his worshiping Daxamite army to a standstill whereby Darkseid would return to the stripped and barren Fourth World Realm of Existence. There he would wait for the power of Gemini to arise and slay him. The unforeseeable future beyond the 31st Century would be decided by the contest of wills between Glorith with M'Onel at her side vs. Saturn Queen and the Legion of Super Villains allied with the Emerald Empress, her Eyes of Ekron, and her Fatal Five. With the two LSHs and the JLI choosing between a lesser evil. But her agents within the LSH, Superboy and Insect Queen, would agitate on Glorith's behalf and no one yet knew which side Vandal Savage and his then-current Light would side with.

So Glorith and Saturn Queen were both on missions in the past to sway Vandal Savage towards their future disposition. In a moment of truce, Glorith had arrived with Saturn Queen so the telepath could unlock the hidden memories within the minds of a select brood unaware of the previous existence of a Multiverse now compacted into a single New Universe with the potential after Rebirth to spawn a New 52 universes. But crossovers from each universe would be next to impossible.

Hence, the future of the New Universe not recognizing any possibility of parallel universes. The maxim, "Nothing unreal can exist", coming down through the centuries as first uttered by Lex Luthor. so it seemed that the Monitor's struggles with the Anti Monitor that winnowed an infinite number of universes down to 52 through the Crisis of the Multiverse eventually collapsed the barriers between seven universes in the 29the Century future Flashpoint Paradox that spawned the Final Crisis and Zero Hour and then Rebirth and the creation of the New Universe had occurred. Afterwards, Renfri's Dark Multiverse couldn't exist and no Convergence wrought by Brainiac and War World would shatter the New Universe in a Multiverse beyond a theoretical New 52..

The New Universe had still endured the Dominator-led Invasion, the dawn of the Millennium, the march of the Third Army, and the Blackest Night. So Glorith hadn't created a utopian vision. In accordance to Dr. Manhattan's wishes, she'd incorporated the Minutemen and the Watchmen into the New Earth in order to acquire his sacrifice to insure the Rebirth of Time and Second Creation and Lois had been subjected to all these changes. When the Prime Earth and Earths-2, -3, -4, -5, -16, -27 merged with the Dakotaverse, the Angorverse, and Glorith's Pocket Universe, history had been scrambled and doppelgangers permeated society. The Earth-2 Lois found herself once again married to Clark Kent, but not to Lord Superman, but rather the Earth Prime Superman. Clark found himself father to seven children. Four with Lois, one with Lena Luthor that was explained away in the New Earth history as being a "clone", and two by Maxima. Kalea-El and Laura Kent had always retained their memories of the Multiverse. The others were awoken by Saturn Queen. But as part of Superwoman's continuing education to feed her fanatical desire to kill her husband, Lois had learned of the Contessa and Lori Luthor, who was Luna Luthor's daughter. Luna was the eldest Luthor but an autistic savant whose engineering marvels kept LuthorCorp become LexCorp become Mercy Corp become LuthorCorp once again under Lena's direction, and its subsidiary L Corp, alive with consumer products.

LuthorCorp literally owned the nation of Bailya now. Its principal neighbors, Kazakstan, Iran, and Bialya, were distressed that the Secretary-General could so easily flout international laws he was sworn to upholds and ratify LuthorCorp's territorial acquisition much in the way Great Britain and South Africa had financed the creation of Rhodesia. Only Great Britain had surrendered control over both states. Rhodesia subsequently becoming Zanzibar first and now Zimbabwe.

Bailya would have no such future and the world knew it. But the Luthors and the Queen Bee of Bialya were allies within the Light so aggressive action wasn't taken. But the Revolutionary Islamic State of Iran was terrified. The Ayatollah and the President being in complete denial that Allah could hand the secularist enemies such a coup. So they underwent a contraction as they began to assimilate Iraq through purchasing power and recreate a Persian imperial state. All the while fighting an undeclared war against Bailya and Bialya. Thereby "uniting" the already-allies in a common cause for survival.

LuthorCorp, MARS Corp, Hauser Arms and their united project, the ARMS Control Initiative, prospered as never before draining the Crimson Queen accumulated national treasury on weapons and outfitting troops. The Queen Bee also expending billions on arms and equipping troops, rallying her people to her side. LuthorCorp and the Queen Bee had even requested UN Peacekeeping Forces to end the conflict. A request Luthor happily passed on to the Security Council. the vote had almost been unanimous.

But the United States had employed its Permanent Member veto power to quash the measure. However, with even the United Kingdom and France's 5th Republic agreeing with the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, the USA wouldn't delay the action much longer. Meanwhile, in a blatant conflict of interest, Luthor deployed the JLI on "diplomatic" and humanitarian missions within the conflict zone and despite the rantings of the Iranian diplomats to the United Nations, Luthor wouldn't recuse himself in these matters. Even their faithful Russian allies ignored their pleas. To which end they pressured the Russians to give them the final components to nuclear weaponry and meta-gene activation.

But meta-humans disproportionately came from industrialized nations where scientific mishaps and industrial accidents activated the latent gen factors. Particularly in the USA , China, and Russia were safety concerns were secondary to maximizing profit potentials. Violent crime permeated American culture as well, sustaining the activation of different kinds of gen latents and now the Everyman Project was bringing gen factors to the masses, whether naturally imbued or implanted with artificial meta-genes spliced into their DNA, all dependent on how much the recipient could afford.

The government itself had funded the research in pursuit of the all-elusive Majestic-class genes and the ability to create human weapons on demand. POTUS Olivia McKay had ended those research grants. Too many of them relied upon harvesting alien DNA and as an alien Durlan herself, she couldn't tolerate those practices anymore. Which just drove CADMUS II further underground.

"So Savage really does kill every male heir rather than have them eventually lead a revolt against him?" Lois wasn't certain she'd understood the Contessa's last statement.

"True," Erica promised her, "But he lets his daughters serve as his agents or live free of his influence. Their choice."

"And no one has ever inherited his immortality?" Lois inquired further.

"Not in fifty thousand years," the Contessa de Portenza assured her, "Surely you would eliminate one of your own mundane children than have them fester hatred against their gifted siblings?"

"I only want to kill their father," Lois snapped back at her.

"Despite his actually never having committed any of the crimes you hate him for?" Erica laughed.

"I hate him because he could become him," Lois argued.

"And now you understand my husband's perspective," Erica chided Lois, "Gods do not walk amongst mortals for very long. They either ascend or fall."

"Or return to Themiscyra," Lois muttered. She also had her memories of this Clark marrying Princess Diana despite Diana's pregnancy obviously being the work of Bruce Wayne rather than her husband. Strangely enough, she hated him for his emotional betrayals with Diana and Maxima despite her Earth Prime counterpart dying years before. The Prime Lois had "left him" during his first dalliance with Maxima that yielded them both Kalea-El. Before then, he'd only bedded Lana Lang. As Lois herself had learned while she was bedding Lana. Her Lana, the other Superwoman.

But Lana, the ever faithful Lana, had chosen the Clark of her youth and now her present over Lois. For that she too deserved to die. Especially now that she was usurping Lois' place with her kids. Mia was being bratty and devoting herself to her other-world "mother", Lena Luthor, but the other children saw Lois as a monster not their "father". Lana, depowered or not, filled Lois' vacancy and she'd witnessed enough from afar to know that Lana's heartstrings for Clark were vibrating and making notes once more. Lois wasn't jealous about Clark but the fact that Lana chose a monster over her stung and now, thanks to the would-be "Superman", Lois' face was scarred in diagonal line stretching from her forehead, between her eyes, and across her cheek.

Still, the Daxamite DNA spliced Bill Dunn obviously chose the Legion of Doom whereby Clark pretended to be a hero and this pathetic Earth bought it up. Lois quit her job at the Daily Planet and hired on with the Daily Star with a by-line under an assumed name to avoid legal complications and also to further avoid Clark knowing the scathing reports casting doubt on his every action and motive were from her. Most people in the office barely recognized her thanks to her ever present scar and the pink highlights framing her face. The ever conservative Lois had also learned to dress casually and rather loudly in Mia's style rather than her own instinctive wardrobe choices. She'd also shortened her hair.

Though many fellow reporters suspected she was secretly Lois Lane, none could confirm their hunches. The little touches of purple lacing her pink hair also helped throw people off of her scent. She was the anti-Lois. And while Bruce now owned the Daily Planet, Lena Luthor owned the Daily Star. Questions regarding Lois' past were strictly forbidden and punishments for violating that were enforced. CatCo Media was the only remaining viable obstacle to Lois her secret. Cat Grant personally knew Lois and Clark.

That insider's knowledge could give Lois' game away and Cat wasn't beholden to either Lena of Bruce. It still surprised Lois that Bruce had personally purchased the Planet rather than move through Wayne Enterprises. A move which kept the Daily Planet out of Derek Powers' hands. It was also one Lena emulated. Now Lena and Cat were in a bidding war to acquire Galaxy Broadcasting. With Morgan Edge dead at Angelica Blaze's hands and Blaze missing, the Board was selling the media empire. This one Lena would acquire through LuthorCorp because even her personal fortune couldn't match Cat's corporate resources. But CatCo faced FCC regulatory scrutinization regarding monopolization and LuthorCorp didn't. Lena knew Cat could glide through the merger investigation but if Lena played fast and dirty she could acquire Galaxy overnight and still underbid CatCo.

"Aunt Erica? I'm off for my riding lesson," Lori called out before she departed, escorted by armed sentries.

"Poor kid. Growing up in a fortress," Lois commented.

"Yet, she's better off here than with her mother. Luna is still unaware that she has had a child. At least so much as we can ascertain. She certainly doesn't acknowledge her existence when confronted with it," Erica remarked.

"How did Luna ever get pregnant?" Lois asked.

"An opportunistic gardener took advantage of her. He paid the price," Erica explained, "Lex fed him his own penis before he died."

"I thought Lex avoided getting his own hands dirty," Lois caustically retorted.

"This was s family," the Contessa hissed, "No one defiles a Luthor and lives"

"Good to know," Lois replied.

"Vandal Savage sent you to me to educate you in the way s of the Light. My family has been involved for centuries. Before the Luthors were anything," Erica explained.

"So, the Light isn't a modern invention?" Lois was intrigued.

"Savage created the Light to combat Darkseid back when he ruled all of Asia. He surrendered those territories to focus on harnessing and controlling the emerging meta-gene. The one weapon that could allow humanity to finally eradicate the New Gods," Erica explained further.

"Clark told me how Diana explained to him how a great alliance of men, Atlanteans, Green Lanterns, and the gods defeated Darkseid's first invasion of Earth," Lois recalled.

"Only the second world besides New Genesis to do so," the Contessa de Portenza continued to explain further, "It was only after Darkseid came and was defeated by your husband that he learned the mythical Anti-Life Equation was imbued in the Earth itself. To conquer it was to enslave free will across the Realms of Existence."

"Then why hasn't the Evil Queen focused on it?" Lois wondered.

"Because Renfri knows, as Darkseid didn't fully grasp, that Rebirth purged the equation from the New Universe. It now rests elsewhere."

"So you're aware of the former Multiverse?" Lois was impressed.

"Of course. I am a de Portenza, after all," she said haughtily.

"No wonder you married Lex," Lois snorted, "Between you two there's no room on Earth for any other egos."

"At least not for an impudent Sidhe," Erica snarled, "I could begin to imagine it if she were of the Seelie Court, but a pretentious bitch from the Unseelie Court?"

"Who managed to eradicate every other Sidhe, Seelie or Unseelie Courts alike," Superwoman reminded her.

"Since Darkseid fell, and the Light has sought to destroy the remaining New Gods, the Light will come into its own," the Contessa preened, "To metaphorically leave the darkness and enter the light."

"Overt control versus covert control," Lois remarked.

"Precisely," the Contessa excitedly confirmed it. She lifted d the lid off of a small jewelry box. Lois began to feel ill. She began sweating and her limbs grew weakened.

"A present for you, my dear," Erica draped the kryptonite necklace around Lois' neck, "And now, as Dr. Smalley proved through Lana Lang, we have the means to remove your accursed powers. Unfortunately, we haven't compounds to synthesize more of the serum. As of yet, at least. Some of its compounds are unearthly. So your children remain safe for now."

She snapped her fingers and rough hewn, armored Team Luthor guards seized hold of Lois. Erica herself injected Lois with the viral agent that would rewrite her rNA to suppress her Kryptonian DNA splices.

"Take her away. When the kryptonite marginally affects her, release her," Erica commanded. Lois was drug away. For two days she battled influenza-like symptoms and kryptonite poisoning alike. But then both eased away.

Lois was then fed and rehydrated before being released to see the Contessa again, "Now my dear, you will be liberated for one purpose: to kill your husband. But Lex and I couldn't assure ourselves you wouldn't turn against us in your gen active state. So that's been removed. But please, keep the brooch. It can aid you in your quest. Now take her to the plane and drop her off in Metropolis. She has an unfinished chore to complete."

"I'll kill you and Lex for this," Lois vowed.

"Empty promises you'll never get the chance to keep," the Contessa Erica Alexandra de Portenza laughed at her as she was pulled out of the manor.


After a trans-Atlantic flight in a private LuthorCorp jet, Lois was shoved out onto the sidewalk outside the Luthor Air field. Unable to fly under her own power anymore, Lois used her mobile to summon a taxi and rode into town with hatred for the Luthors barely escaping reaching the same heights as she felt for Clark. She was still in the wretched clothes she'd been sick in. Unwashed and unkempt, Lois reached her apartment and took care of these matters. She was barely mobile but she intended to visit Lena and Mia before she checked in with her new editor.

LuthorCorp had a long and varied history. Founded by Lionel and Lillian Luthor, the company changed its name to LexCorp when Lex Luthor assumed control after completing his first PhD at age 18 and assumed control. Several more followed. but Lex's secret weapon was his older sister, Luna. Who almost invented every single LexCorp consumer product. Luthor's losing control of the company to the original Mercy Graves persuaded the board to rename the company Mercy Corp.

Mercy emphasized Luna's role in the company. Lena Luthor came aboard and took the company out from beneath Mercy and rebranded it LuthorCorp again, as a play towards traditional corporate allies and consumer index confidence, as well as to spin off the consumer affairs division into the subsidiary L Corp. Mercy "disappeared" and a Japanese namesake arrived to take over Mercy's role as VP for the Everyman Project and the Team Luthor Development and Operations Division. The Japanese Mercy Graces 2.0 also oversaw LuthorCorp's ongoing collaboration with the ARMS Control.

Lois had reported on all three founding companies for the Daily Planet and now wildly sang their praises for the Daily Star. She hate d that she'd become an apologist but such propaganda liberated her to defaming Superman and the rechartered Justice League International. Morgan Edge, not having been "resurrected" by Rebirth, the board pitted Galaxy Broadcasting against LexTV and vacillated between exposes of the JLI and its rival companies. Maxwell Lord's Innovative Concepts heavily investing in Galaxy's endeavors and Lois knew Lord was allied with the Crimson Queen and her reunited sister, Scarlet Rose. Lord himself assisted by the fawning attentions of the extraterrestrial AI/Androids L-Ron and J-Lo. Both former executive assistants to the Trade Conglomerate's Manga Khan and his imperative to "trade or die".

The human, corporate sponsored Conglomerate super team had evolved into the for-hire meta-team of the Young All Stars. Branching out a second division known as the Heroes for Hire catapulting Killer Frost and Ace of Blades into the private sector. Claire Montgomery's promotional genius having already secured major contracts with various corporate partners. Unlike the Heroes for Hire, the Young All Stars skewed younger and more malleable former Conglomerates and fresh recruits. Lois knew that while the United Nations chartered the Justice League and the more secretive International Operations, the US Government licensed and monitored meta-human activities through the MLJ Initiative and Homeland Security.

MLJ Director Gen. (Ret.) Jack Latham being a heavily decorated former Army commander and Sec. Bones overseeing all of Homeland Security's responsibilities. Bones had survived appointments by Olivia McKay, Jackson Mason, Lex Luthor, and now again by Olivia McKay. Like Amanda Waller, Bones had the dirt and the staying power to survive multiple Presidential administrations. With ARGUS now defunct and Waller promoted to Sec. for Meta-Human Affairs, Bones had inherited the wreckage of Task Force X. But his iteration of the Suicide Squad depended on volunteers rather than convicted criminals. The repeated excesses of Task Force X and the so-called Secret Six had shut them down and dragged ARGUS down with them.

But the revived CADMUS was a government sponsored project operated by the Light. Its mandate to acquire, investigate, and manipulate alien technology and DNA was intended to secure the front lines of increased extraterrestrial incursions into Earth's sphere of influence. Such as the ongoing war on Mars. The Empress of Balzar had invaded six years ago, unintentionally uniting the Martian castes and the human colonists invited to join Martian society. But the decade long battle had unified the Red Martians, Green Martians, Yellow Martians, and White Martians as never believed possible before. T

The Empress dispatched her elite Battle Women of Balzar to Earth under the command d of a Balzarian named Erica to scout Earth as her next target. But a modified human called Captain Comet had ended Erica's mission and stranded her on Earth. But Captain Comet himself lost his memories and ended up joining the Injustice Society and their licensed security provisioning for the coastal community of Superior City in the Pacific NW. Superior City having transformed itself into an autonomous state stretching across the Columbia River into both Oregon and Washington states. A development begun in the 1930s on Earth-5. A development with its own coastal defense systems designed to guard the mouth of the river. But the Injustice Society itself was the city's ultimate defense.

LuthorCorp itself was displeased by the Injustice Society's swelling ranks. Two of the Everyman Projects' Majestic-class developments had escaped to join as well as two other projects. Infinity3 and Team Luthor had standing orders to recover Supra Woman, Lady Wonder, the Pink Pigeon, and the Crimson Canary. Further developments were the addition to the ISA's ranks of Captain Thunder and the Thunder Lord. Two mysterious Mortals dispatched by the Realms' Council of Wizards to oversee the eventual capture of Renfri, the last Unseelie Court Sidhe, preferably known as the Evil Queen. But the extermination of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts had released the containment spells blocking Renfri from her core magic and released her from the curse on her name.

Before, the merest mention of her true name summoned the Wild Hunt killers poised to kill the renegade Sidhe. The seal on her core magic had required all of the Courts of Sidhe, Seelie and Unseelie, to overcome Renfri's natural powers. Besides Lucifer Morningstar himself, the Evil Queen represented d the single largest threat to the Twenty-Seven Realms of Existence after Darkseid's fall and the Light's ongoing extermination of the New Gods.

Lois had earned her place in the Light and Lex Luthor and Contessa de Portenza's machinations wouldn't end that. The note she found waiting for her from Vandal Savage himself promised her that her place was secured so long as she remained committed to her mission of ending Superman's life. Lois now had a secondary mission: to reacquire her children out from beneath Clark and Linda's noses.

Lana Linda Lang formerly of Earth-2 having to go by her middle name because, unlike Lois' doppelganger, hers was still alive in the New Earth. Before he'd died, Dr. Ernst Smalley had reported in that his gene suppression virus had worked on Linda Lang. So neither Superwoman had their powers anymore. Just as when Glorith had seemingly stripped them away.

Encouragingly, Bill Dunn, the Luthors' replacement Superman, had survived the lab accident that killed Smalley. Smalley had used viral programs to splice Daxamite genetic material into Dunn's DNA and then inhibited his reaction to lead. an obsessive bodybuilder even before his transformation, now fused with his Daxamite genes, Dunn was more powerful than Clark but untrained and unstable even before Smalley's stabilizing influence was removed.

Dunn had managed to fend off Majestros, Homeland Security's latest Majestic, in an epic battle in Los Angeles that Task Force Z remembered more from its humbling by the Outlaws than by Superman II's confrontation with Majestic. That was also the epic event that caused Ace of Blades and Killer Frost to exit government service and go to the private sector. Louise Lincoln had earned her pardon and joined the Justice League Unlimited for a time. The former Nazi, Maj. Katharina Steiner, had also left Task Force Z for a very brief excursion with the JLU.

But thinking of the current Heroes for Hire brought an idea to Lois' mind. The meta-human world at large believed the Masked Leader was finally dead. But Baron Blitzkrieg had cloned Adolf Hitler's body before he'd died and successfully imprinted Hitler's mind into it as a backup plan. So the Masked Leader lived on as a twentysomething with meta-human powers. Powers that German scientists had unlocked with serums perfecting the human potential and creating immortal, rapid healing, Majestic-class humans akin to Kryptonians.

A criminal biochemist had managed to reverse engineer the serums from the barest samples of the originals and had even improved them. Thus Ace of Blades and Captain Murder were joined by the ranks of Baroness Blood II, Captain Nazi II, and the young, reborn Hitler. But that was all the samples of the dead biochemist's work that the Fourth Reich could spare until they could replicate more of the serum. A process that the biochemist had wisely manipulated so that he could use his singular knowledge as a life insurance program.

Unfortunately, his illegal medical practice had brought him criminal patients that murdered him and his work was accidentally stolen by two unsuspecting yet incestuous identical twin sisters. Baron Blitzkrieg and Captain Murder had thwarted the Outlaws and Justice League Outsiders' efforts to contain the serums but the twins had sampled some of the vials and others were lost. Lois had further uncovered that the Masked Leader, utilizing the Scarlet Skull as an intermediary, had made peace with the Neo-Nazi factions led by the Jewish Blackstarr and returned Baroness Blitzkrieg, Baron Blitzkrieg II, and Faye Morgana back into the fold. Not only that, but between the Scarlet Skull and Baron Blitzkrieg, they'd brought in 23 additional like-minded fanatics.

Now Lois would hire an additional numbers 24 and 25 to infiltrate and persuade the Fourth Reich to undertake missions for Lois. So Lois made the call and got put on the Heroes for Hire's appointment book. Then she contacted Eve Tessmacher and scheduled a meeting with Mia Kent, who'd she'd raised as a daughter but was now a sycophant of her dead mother's doppelganger.


Despite Mia's private tutors and busy workout schedule with Infinity3, Mia happily took time off to visit with Lois. The only member of the Earth-2 survivor's club to side with Lois in her vendetta to kill Superman, Mia delightfully awaited news of her stepmom's latest plan to kill her own father.

"I need your help to sell this," Lois explained to Mia, "Ace of Blades will not want to return to the Fourth Reich but we can leverage Killer Frost into persuading her."

"How?" Mia was understandably curious.

Lois pointed at the diagonal scar marring her face, "This is the work of Superman. We just won't admit that it wasn't Clark."

"So I help sell this idea to Ace of Blades and Killer Frost. Then what?"

"We get Jonathan, Laura, Carol and Jane away from that monster and Linda now that she's betrayed us," Lois outlined the beginning of the plan, "Linda will tell Clark and he'll gather allies. Allies the Fourth Reich will want to eliminate. Afterwards, the Masked Leader's ego will be dependent on further successes and we can provide targeting information through our moles. Ultimately, the Light will crush them and Ace of Blades and Killer Frost can go their own way back into general obscurity again."

"Or maybe they'll enlist with the Light," Mia was hopeful.

"That's up to Vandal Savage," Lois shrugged.

"You know what happened with Laura last time," Mia said sourly.

"But this time she won't be inspired by Kalea's intransigence," Lois countered.

"Laura has plenty of her own," Mia grumbled.

"We need to keep Power Girl and Lady Marvel busy as well," Lois reminded Mia, "I'll arrange for an international crisis to distract Mary and the Justice League and something domestic and local to keep the Justice Society busy. Libra and Major Disaster are literally dying to test the Secret Society against a foe worthy to gain the Light's attention. So we hand them Young Justice. The JSA will scramble to their defense. The HIVE Queen owes me a favor. They'll keep the JLI busy without warranting Clark step in but the entire Shazam Family should get roped in as well."

"Just let me know when you need me," Mia eagerly replied.

"I meet with the Heroes for Hire group on Tuesday. That gives me five days to present my argument. I'll need you at that meeting," Lois told her, "It's at 11am. I'll swing by and pick you up"

"Are we flying?" Mia was intrigued. Lois painfully told Mia about Lex Luthor and Erica de Portenza's "final solution" for her Superwoman powers.

"But at least they got to Linda first. So neither of us is Superwoman anymore," Lois shrugged.

"It's Glorith all over again," Mia was outraged, "How dare Lena set you up like this!"

"She'll deny it of course. But Lex and Erica don't generally move without Lena guessing what's going on," Lois surmised, "And I went to Castile at Lena's behest."

"Lois, you're the only mom I've ever had," Mia was shaking, "Lena just betrayed everything she said she was trying to build with me."

"Don't let her know you know," Lois conspired with her, "I may need an agent within LuthorCorp and you're the only person inside I can trust."

Mia fiercely hugged Lois, "I won't let you down. Not ever again after this."

"Well, it just means I have to get creative in how I kill your father," Lois said brightly.

"I think you're being creative enough," Mia managed a small laugh.

"I'll see you Tuesday," Lois excused herself, "I've been expecting a visitor."

Mia was nonplussed by that random commented But Lois wasn't disappointed.


Back out her loft, Lois wasn't surprised to find Bruce Wayne already inside.

"You made your plans with Mia?" Bruce asked.

"I know you're not wearing the cowl anymore. Although that last outfit was something else," Lois greeted him as she dropped her keys on a counter, "Coffee? I assume you still don't get much sleep much considering the rash of cold cases being solved since you retired."

"Black," Bruce replied.

"I hope you're not trying to hire me back to the Planet," Lois kept it light.

"You can't kill Clark," Bruce dropped the hammer fall.

"And why not?" Lois went cold, "He'll turn into a monster."

"Why are you so certain?" Bruce asked.

"Why do you store kryptonite?" Lois retorted.

"In case," Bruce told her what she already knew.

"Well, even if there's only a one percent chance Clark will snap, I have to end it before he does," Lois argued.

"He's your husband," Bruce reminded her.

"You're hardly one to talk," Lois snorted derisively, "Or should I mention your daughters? I know about you and Diana and everyone know as about how Bruce Wayne disinherited his daughter by Selina Kyle. Should I remark any further about your familial ties and where they go or should I name drop Dick and Barbara while I'm it? Or go for the gut punch with Alfred or Tim? Have you seen your uncle lately?"

He still didn't react. Typical Bruce, Lois miserably thought.

"You need to back away from Vandal Savage, very carefully," Bruce cut to the chase.

"How do you know about that?" Lois asked.

"I didn't. Not with any certainty. But Nyssa Raatko was very forthcoming," Bruce explained.

"Why?" Lois was indignant.

"I traded her intelligence on the Court of Owls," Bruce explained for no particular reason, "She and Dinah are prepared to end it."

"She's your niece," Lois warned him.

"Helena Lincoln March is hardly my niece because Owlman was hardly my brother," Bruce growled, "Just as my uncle has no right to call himself Bat-Man or my 'cousin' to be called a Robin."

"So do something about it," Lois challenged him.

"I'm out. I'm staying out," Bruce said with finality.

"You've become a broken old man overnight, Bruce. Get out," Lois said in no uncertain terms.

"I will discover your plan. Every time. And every time I will warn Clark about it," Bruce warned her.

"And every time, you'll be too late," Lois advised him as she pointed at the door, "You want out and want to stay out? Start there."

She slammed the door shut behind him. She called her editor at the Daily Star and gave her a preview of how she was working up the remaining connection between the Justice League and the Outsiders. As well as working on uncovering who the Shadow Crusaders were and how they answered to the MLJ and the Mighty Crusaders themselves. Lois' pseudonymic expose on Task Force Z had the government reeling. Olivia McKay may have truly been the most popular President since Washington but even her gilded edge was tarnished by the revelations of Homeland Security's continuing to maintain a meta-Task Force group in light of the fiascos Task Force X and the Secret Six had caused.

As well as the enduring shame the United States was viewed with by her NATO allies after the secrets came out. The Suicide Squad and Secret Six had even been deployed against allied nations in pursuit of unspecified goals. Treaties allowed for covert American operatives to undertake mission within allied spheres as long as the host nation was aware of it and unsanctioned operations so long as the host didn't discover them in play. Only the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia were exempted from these agreements and no idependent operations whatsoever were to occur.

ARGUS had broken each and every one of these supposedly "secured" arrangements. So the United States had dismantled ARGUS. But secretly transferred its meta-human divisions to Homeland and CADMUS was transferred to Waller's fiefdom. It was she that officially handed administrative and budgetary control over to the Light's organs. Lex Luthor had been impeached by both sides of Congress and removed from the Presidency. But his appointment as Secretary-General of the United Nations precluded any criminal investigation into malfeasance while in the Oval Office. Lois knew that the Luthors were ultimately her allies and that they'd acted out of the same fears that she harbored towards Clark. And the fact they couldn't control her as they could Bill Dunn was an even more terrifying prospect.


Erishkigal Narayana, the Disco Mummy, surveyed the Metropolis skyline from her penthouse office of the local Ryder Corp tower. Disco Mummy owned the corporation so she had access to a reserved office in each building she owned. today she'd gathered her entourage. Scarab, Myra Pyram, Ghazia, and Black Pharaoh passed for completely human unlike the mummified Aten Kesh, better known to the world as Wraps, or the Green Mummy. Although they were reincarnations of great warriors and priestesses, they retained all of their original memories throughout the ages. Not unlike Carter Hall, Kendra Saunders, and in flashes Shayera Hol and John Stewart. Hawkman and Hawkgirl were completely attuned to their past lives and Khufu's formerly relentless pursuit of Chay'era. A pursuit broken by Carter and Shayera. Thereby freeing Shayera to marry John and have their first baby, named Kenra after Hawkgirl and liberating Carter and Kendra to explore their own undetermined futures.

Each of Erish's minions possessed a great power. Scarab had an ancient magic power ring to rival a Lantern's. Myra could fuse living creatures together, making a new expression, completely under her control. Ghazia could animate any nonliving object. Black Pharaoh had the powers of the Ten Plagues as well as control over sand in all its forms. Wraps' own burial wrappings were animated and the Green Mummy possessed magical speed to match a Flash or a lesser speedster.

Ravens had provided Disco Mummy with valuable intelligence, "We have an opportunity to wreak some havoc in the days to come."

"Command us," Scarab took a knee. Myra Pyram and Ghazia quickly followed his example.

Black Pharaoh hesitated, "Mistress, our forces are depleted."

Black lightning enveloped his body. Its necrotic energies savaging his living flesh, "Our forces? Since when are they our forces? Perhaps I've given you too much free will."

Black Pharaoh's base assumption that he was a contender for Disco Mummy's hand had grown wearisome as it began to interfere with his loyalties as he attempted to assert himself as her equal.

"Mistress! Please!" he begged.

She released him, "Do not ever try to equate yourself as being my stationary equal, Egyptian. I was a princess of Greater Sumaria before your First Kingdoms arose."

Erishkigal had been entombed for six thousand years before oil prospectors in modern Iran found her Mesopotamian tomb she was still living within. Her cursed burial wrappings preserving her ageless body. Through the darkest sorceries, Erish had been freed from her wrappings and the full extent of her powers revealed. The name Disco Mummy came from when she was released and the music had hit its popular zenith. It'd been her first taste of modernity and she took its name upon herself to obscure her origins.

A gambit that had blocked Plastic Man and the Agency from learning the truth about her. Of course, the Agency had become the International Security Agency before the UN shuttered it. Patrick O'Brien was no longer Plastic Man. Now Patricia "Patti" O'Brien was Plastic Woman and like Eel O'Brien before her, she was a criminal once again. Disco Mummy's frequent contacts with Empress Penguin afforded her many updates regarding Plas and her lover, former FBI agent, Nancy Morgan. Both had begun as criminals and now it seemed they would serve out the rest of their days as criminals.

Morgan had been Eel's girlfriend when he was a gangster. Now she was Plas' girlfriend once again now that Penny Lark had divorced her over the death of their baby. Plastic Woman had found her true identity at last. And she'd never seemed happier. As members of the Penguins, Plas and Morgan had made themselves invaluable to Regina Swann and earned the trust of Empress Penguin's closest associates comprised of Black Siren, Pussy Katnip, Bird of Paradise, and Jinx. The Penguins being the underworld enforcers for Knightfall's licensing program.

The GCPD was the overt control during the crimes themselves. Empress Penguin dealt with the violators that decried the licensing program and defied Knightfall and City Hall. Even Intergang and its greatest rival, the Syndicate Underground, operated within Gotham City's border properly licensed and bonded for their criminal activities. Knightfall's program was spreading to its neighboring NYC, Metropolis, as well as major cities beyond the Northeast spread across the country.

Even foreign metropolises were looking into its efficacy. Knightfall's success was guaranteed to a degree owing to her recent enlistment in Vandal Savage's uber-secret organization known as the Light. Savage had recruited such modern notables as Lex Luthor and his Legion of Doom, Deathstroke, the Queen Bee, Damian Darhk, the latest Ra's al Ghul and her wife as well as the entire Shadow Seven's League of Assassins in his efforts to first destroy the New Gods and now secure the planet from alien aggressors. Darkseid's defeat at the hands of his daughter, Grail, had opened the door to the scattering of the Elite and the destruction of Supertown on New Genesis.

But fears remained of Brainiac and his intentions as ruler of War World as well as a revived Dominator campaign to harness Earth's meta-human population now that Valor was confirmed to be missing. His sister, calling herself Valoria, continued to protect those millions of humans the Dominators had stolen and activated their gen factors. Spread across a dozen worlds, the future core human populations of the United Planets waited for a thousand years to pass before consolidating into two political rivals: the UP and the Confederacy of Worlds now that the great yoke of the Dark Circle had been lifted from them. But the future would be bound by tensions between the Dominators, the Dark Circle, the Daxamites, the Khunds, the Legion of Super Villains, the Fatal Five, and the greatest threat of all, the Lord of Chaos known as Mordru.

And in the midst of these titanic struggles, Glorith, the Emerald Empress, and Saturn Queen would vie for dominance. Each with a skewed perspective of what the future could be, should, be, and would be. Each was seeing their proposed victories in the past. Emerald Empress had recruited half of her new Fatal Five from the wreckage of the Terror Titans. Glorith had literally shaped history as Rebirth orchestrated a Second Creation event that spawned eth New Universe. History was what Glorith had patched together from the fragments of the Multiverse's past. Her ideal future was one where M'Onel killed Mordru and ruled by her side over the universe. Saturn Queen wanted to create an eternal Age of Chaos by destroying the New Universe and creating a Dark Multiverse. All three were opposed by the Legion of Superheroes, the Justice League Infinite, and even the Legion of Substitute Heroes. Even elements of the LSV stood by to oppose Saturn Queen.

"Opportunity awaits us," Disco Mummy advised her disciples, "Here's how we shall prepare…"


Lois picked up Mia as planned and they rode a taxi into NYC. Lois had used her own identity to persuade Claire Montgomery to bump her to the head of the Heroes for Hire's waiting list of potential clients. Claire herself would sit in on the meeting.

"I'm surprised you need Louise and Katharina's talents considering your own," Claire was also involved with the JLI and knew that Lois had been Superwoman. At least until recently.

"I'm depowered," Lois readily admitted.

"I'd also heard there…familial difficulties underway," Claire tried to be delicate.

"Marital ones you mean," Lois interjected.

"Let me cut to it, the pair won't get involved in a custody battle," Claire said coldly.

"I'm not asking them to," Lois shrugged, "What I need are infiltrators to help dismantle a criminal elite."

"Infiltrators?" Claire was intrigued.

"For a target Maj. Steiner is especially qualified to initiate herself back into," Lois explained further.

"The Fourth Reich," Claire immediately understood, "I can't guarantee they'll agree but I see the opportunity here."

"And I get the exclusive," Lois warned Claire.

"It'd be the best press we could ever ask for," Claire smirked.


"Nein," Ace of Blades tersely answered.

"Kata, we have a real shot here. You always want to make a real difference. This case could open up a world of opportunities for us. Make us legit in the eyes of law enforcement," Killer Frost cajoled her girlfriend.

"Das ist eine dumme Idee," Ace of Blades argued.

"Just reach out," Lois pleaded, "They're threatening my children. And my idiot husband leaves them alone with a woman that no longer has a gen factor. Like me, the Legion of Doom neutralized it. The Fourth Reich will do anything to study my children's genetics."

They would because Lois had leaked her children's location to white supremacist groups with contacts with the Neo-Nazi leader, the Scarlet Skull. The Kent children in this narrative were hidden with Clark Kent and Lana Linda Lang and not the bumbling Clark Kent's actual children. It was a favor to Superman and Superwoman that Clark and the former other Superwoman cared for the children.

"It's not a stupid idea," Killer Frost had been studying German since meeting Ace of Blades just as Katharina had been mastering English. Their multicultural Brooklyn neighborhood was a place to blend in and disappear. Even for a woman with blue skin. The couple knew the Fourth Reich had white supremacist stringers observing them. Just as they knew Hitler had "died" but Ace of Blades hardly accepted that fact.

Dr. Demon and the original Baron Blitzkrieg were too good of geneticists to simply let Hitler's serum fueled meta gifts go to waste. She knew of Dr. Demon's "golem" project which had seemed unnecessary given the Masked Leader's seeming immortality granted by both the Serum der Unsterblichkeit and the Regenerationsserum atop the gene active granting power of the Supersoldaten-Serum. A trait shared by Ace of Blades. Killer Frost's own cells were in a perpetual state of cryogenesis so both women were virtually immortal.

Ace of Blades had literally died dozens of times to perfect the immortality and regeneration serums the Nazis desperately completed at the war's end. She'd already been a successful candidate for the super soldier serum that had also create the original Captain Nazi by that point. Several other candidates had undergone the transformations as well. The current Captain Murder, the new Captain Nazi, the former Madame Libertine, the once and former Baroness Bloods as well as injecting the aged Baron Blitzkrieg with the regeneration and immortality serums.

The revived Masked Leader had forbidden the application of any serums to Baroness Blitzkrieg or the new Baron Blitzkrieg. Their Incan and Negro "mongrel" blood tainting their German "perfection" Hitler had taken on a pseudonym to sustain the myth of his passing as he had following WW II. So Hitler was formally referred to as Von Hoogstraten, after an infamous WW I U-Boat commander. The Masked Leader's message, as proliferated through the Scarlet Skull was "Make America Great Again!"

The MAGA slogan had caught on just as Hitler's original "Make Germany Great Again!" slogans had come to dominate the Nationalist scenery in 1920s Germany. MAGA mainstreamed white supremacy into the Republican Party and they'd come to denounce Olivia McKay for her Durlan origins despite Congress desperately creating new Amendments to forgo the requirement that a US President need to be born in the United States much less on planet Earth. But the MAGA cries turned the party against its nominal leader.

So the Democratic Party embraced McKay as one of their own. Her moderate positions selling better than their increasingly Leftist ideologues. So the Left Wing had swung Communist and the Right Wing had swung Fascist and had swung so far that their ultimate methodology met in the middle even if their slogans denounced the opposing side as "traitors" to the country and humanity. Both wanted to legislate themselves into a One Party Rule and enforce ideological laws that would "save" America from its own citizens.

The rule of the ensuing Oligarchy or Proletariat would seize power and strive to never release it by actually rigging elections through paring the voting population down to elites that followed the Party Line. Those requirements would be any blend of ideological proofs, ethnicity, social and economic classification, and relentless pursuit of the Party aims. In the end, either party would institute such policies and the democratic experiment that both sides proclaimed to cherish but secretly loathed, would end.

The other limitation was that the term limits to the Presidency had been terminated. McKay had served six years under the old term lengths and had been reelected to a new six-year term. But the Marxists and Fascists elements of the two major parties would force McKay, as Luthor had done, to wage a third party candidacy. And the victor could well be named President-for-Life.

It would be, as Steve Bannon popularly phrased it, a "kinging" moment when a powerful figure was made dictator until they died or were overthrown. Of course, the extremist views of the Big Two had disaffected most Americans. But a marginal majority was enough to elect the crazies. Control over the Judicial Branch had already been stacked in the Fascists' favor after decades of Leftist leaning. Now either side needed to capture the Executive and Judicial Branches and the country would cease to exist as the Constitution was discarded in the name of "preserving the Constitution".

A civil war would the least of the results if the Democrats took such power. The Nationalism of the South and the Western states could sharply conflict with the Northeastern Coast and the Left Coast policy makers. The Midwest would simply tilt the factor against the would-be Communist revolutionaries. Their utopian visions drowning in blood and violence. Whereas the Republican "Nationalists" would simply create a dictatorship under the pretext that the Constitution they were eliminating was "under threat".

At that point in history there were 120.3 guns per 100 people in the USA. Yet only 30-40% of the population held these arms. Making the gun owners average 360.9-481.2 guns per 100 people. At least all those legally obtained. The illegal guns were hardly an imprint in comparison. So when the "good guys" with guns opened up on the "bad guys" with guns the bad guys would be slaughtered and the definition of "bad guy" included anyone that disagreed with a "good guy".

The polarization of the United States had reach an epoch where anyone holding an opposing opinion was the other. There was nothing to fear and hate as much as the other. Because in the basest human logic, the other was anyone that wasn't me. Therefore the other had to die and maybe a few like-minded people could be allowed to live. It was this fear mongering that the Masked Leader fed.

And as the fear spread throughout the nationalistic crowd, the fear of the nationalists infected their opposition. So the powder keg was being filled to overflowing and no one knew what the match would be. The Masked Leader dreamed of being that match and shaping the outcome.

Vandal Savage and his cohorts in the Light also dreamed of dictating the terms of the eventual surrender into anarchy. The United States, born in blood and fire, would end the same way and become just another failed state in a long history of them. The resultant dictator that would take power would be a stranger to either side of the originators of this strife and would pursue an unknown agenda. A new Committee for Public Safety would terrorize the former nation and Luthor, overseeing the UN, would create corporate nations to rule the former USA as every other entity collapsed and failed.

Slavery would be re-established as corporations "bought" volunteers/employees with the promise to care for them in those turbulent times. Multinational corporations would then engage in covert and overt warfare in the endless drive to acquire resources, human and otherwise, and to expand their market shares. Although the Masked Leader formally eschewed oligarchic corporations and the rule of the elite, he secretly poured Baron Blitzkrieg's billions into acquiring ever larger shares of viable companies that could insure National Socialism's survival. Baron Blitzkrieg had been playing the international markets since 1940. When one filtered through all the shell companies, only the League of Shadows, Vandal Savage, and Lex Luthor hoped to compete with his personal wealth. Even billionaires on the scale of Bruce Wayne, Derek Powers, Max Lord, Charise Carnes, Veronica Cale, Anna Hark, Venus Sivana, Cat Grant and the deceased Morgan Edge paled in comparison.

Bruce had been the majority shareholder in Wayne Enterprises until he sold off a ten percent stake to fund Batman Incorporated. Powers had acquired those shares and created an alliance of shareholders that outvoted Bruce 55-45% in the Powers Industries merger. Powers also held the majority in the merger that created Wayne-Powers.

Carol Ferris had also signed away the majority stake she had in Ferris Air as she settled into her role as the Sapphire Queen and her marriage to both Kyle Rayner and Kara In-Ze. Ramoni-Notra, the Star Sapphire known on Earth as Deborah Camille Darnell held 45% of Ferris Air. Carol had bequeathed a minority stake of 10% to Hal Jordan out of pity as he'd been rejected by the Green Lantern Corps and desperately became a Power Ring and then a Fear Lantern. Sinestro had vanished after losing his original Fear based power ring to Guy Gardner. Rumors persisted that he'd mastered the mythical Unseen Light and was raising an Ultraviolet Corps.

Vandal Savage in particular was curious as to Sinestro's current fate and whereabouts. But Lois was currently only concerned with her husband's fate and that of her children. Once Clark was dead at the Fourth Reich's hands, Lois could manipulate Jonathan and Laura into eventually avenging him and raise the twins, Carol and Jane, to become agents of the Light. Saturn Queen and Dr. Smalley had immortalized Lois through treatments developed by the Dominators. Of course, Saturn Queen had never mentioned that Lois' genetic splicing would be neutralized and she'd become a "mere" mortal again. But she still retained her Lasso of Pain.

"Look, I need you to steer the Fourth Reich into a position of failure regarding my children. I have concrete reasons to believe that the Masked Leader will attempt to conscript my children into his service and raise them as loyal Nazis," Lois explained. Her concrete reasons were simply that she herself had started the initiative and it was gaining momentum within the Fourth Reich. She'd also recruited two women from Dakota City to intervene on her behalf.

"Kata! We have to help," Killer Frost insisted.

Ace of Blades finally relented with a sigh, "For you."

She strapped her sword onto her back, "I'll be back."

"Did she just say, 'I'll be Bach'?" Mia snickered.


She then flew out of the opening provided by releasing a wall sized reinforced bulletproof window. She alighted on the rooftop of the neighboring skyscraper. There, under an awning, the Masked Blackjack had his observation post set up, "Major Steiner!"

"Tell Von Hoogstraten we will meet with him. Here in two hours," Ace of Blades then flew back to her offices. The Masked Blackjack quickly called Baron Blitzkrieg to share the news. Ace of Blades would return to the fold and bring Killer Frost with her.


Ace of Blades and Killer Frost cleared their schedules for an indefinite amount of time. Lois explained that even after her children were "safe" that she wanted an expose on the Fourth Reich's inner workings. Which meant the ladies would be staying undercover even longer. Claire made calls to Sec. Bones' offices to get Homeland Security to whitewash any charges brought against her clients should they be detained. In exchange, after Lois had her scoop, Ace of Blades and Killer Frost would testify for a DOJ investigation and prosecution.

Lois assumed that with Clark finally dead, she could resume using her own name and publish stories for the Daily Star under her own column. Then she could show the Star staffers what Pulitzer Prize winning journalism was all about because she could finally end her smear campaign. And she truly did want her expose on the Fourth Reich and its membership as well as its actual, terrifying reach into mainstream politics.

Blackstarr was holding rallies in National City right now. The urbane California setting rivaled Los Angeles, San Francisco, Coast City, and San Diego for its ethnic diversity. But Blackstarr, despite being Jewish, was a die-hard anti-Semitic Neo-Nazi. She'd been raised by the Commandant of a concentration camp and allowed to live because of her genius intellect which had d been obvious even as a six-year old. The camp commander inked his arm and that of his wife and natural-born daughter and pawned themselves off as half-Jewish prisoners in the camp they actually oversaw when the Allies liberated it.

Blackstarr had been raised to hate Jews and her entire culture. But discovered the secret and harnessed the power of the Uni-Field Theory. Essengtially, Blackstarr became ageless and could rewrite reality within certain contexts and limitations. Fulfilling her dying adoptive father's wishes, Blackstarr joined Neo-Nazi groups and unified them into a national organization only rivaled by that of the Scarlet Skull himself when he returned from uniting Europe's fractitious National Socialist movements. Blackstarr had eschewed the Fourth Reich as being ineffectual and chose to join with Luthor's Legion of Doom instead as one of its leaders and policy makers. She was part of its heady Brain Trust joined by such notables as the Ultra-Humanite, Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, Mr. Mind, Dr. Veronica Cale, Dr. Clarissa Clemens, Dr. Ivana Baiul, Anne Droid, Irene Adler, the ageless Ethel Boston, Jamie Moriarty, the Immortal Dr. Fu Manchu and, of course, Luthor himself. There were other scientific powerhouses to be certain but these were the highest echelon in the Legion's scientific community.

Then there were others such as Candace Zither, Arvell Hauser, Kommand'r, and Jarvis Pennyworth that were economic and strategic powerhouses. But the Legion of Doom, and thus far the Light itself, saw the Fourth Reich as a necessary distraction to keep the Justice League International, the Justice Society of America, and their associates at bay. Even the Heroes of Dakota City gave more thought to the Fourth Reich's obvious threat than exploring where the Hall of Doom was being secreted in the Vanishing Isles by the South Seas Girl. Luthor, with the power of the entire United Nations behind him, broadcast an exceptionally poignant distracting influence upon the hero community as well. All that authority, extending over the JLI itself, being flaunted in such a manner to enrage the "heroes" and to keep them from investigating the Light's other members. Members like Lois Lane herself.


So Lois, insatiably curious as to who the new Masked Leader was, observed the meeting between the presumptive Heroes for Hire and Von Hoogstraten. Who came in civilian garb accompanied by Machinenmensch. Whose presence immediately alerted Ace of Blades to the Masked Leader's true identity.

"Wie hast du überlebt?" she asked the un-Masked Leader.

"Habe ich nicht. Ich wurde im Feuer wiedergeboren!" Von Hoogstraten declared, "But let us continue in English, yes? Your woman appears to be confused."

"You're alive. How this possible?" Ace of Blades wouldn't relent.

"You can thank the genetics genius of Dr. Demon and Baron Blitzkrieg the elder for my resurrection," Von Hoogstraten explained, "They transferred my psyche into a prepared body. A recapturing of my youth but with all of my so-called 'gen factors' intact."


"Did you can catch any of that?" Lois asked Mia as the acoustic dish they were using overheard the conversation.

"No, but I think the guy just declared himself to be a meta-human," Mia remarked.

"That's what I got too," Lois confided, "But who the hell is a 'Von Hoogstraten'?"

"I have no clue and the Internet only has a World War One sub driver listed as a famous example," Mia ran a search using Killer Frost's unlocked laptop.

"But this guy is barely older than you," Lois complained.

"Shhh! It's getting interesting," Mia warned her.


"Why would you return to us, liebchen?" Von Hoogstraten asked.

"Despite our past differences, I am still a loyal Party member. I have no love for the decadence of this country where they allow anyone to enter and strive for importance. Their President is an alien from another world," Ace of Blades physically spat, "My issue was with you and your insanity. If that has ended, then we can reconcile."

"I have learned a great many things over the past 65 years. Which includes a great deal about the mistakes I made before. Even a Fuhrer isn't omniscient nor could I avoid mistakes. My stubbornness and vanity prevented me from seeing that before. But my words considering a racial holocaust are still true. We must retake this world from the inferiors before it is destroyed," Von Hoogstraten declared.


"Did this guy just compare himself with Hitler?" Mia had to ask.

"Yup," Lois was furiously writing notes, "And he's selling the same BS."

"Ace of Blades seems to be eating it up," Mia warned.

"I wonder how immune she really is," Lois mused, "After all, she was an original Nazi and fighter ace for the Luftwaffe before she became a super-powered commando."


"Your woman seems troubled," Von Hoogstraten observed.

"Her woman has a name," Killer Frost warned him.

"And a remarkable history," Von Hoogstraten admitted, "I studied your career with great interest, Killer Frost. You are aptly named and wasted as an agent of decadent morality that serves no further use than to inspire the weak to become weaker. Evolution dictates that the weak serve the strong. And you two are very strong. So join with me. With us, and restore evolution to its rightful place."


"Oh hell," Lois complained, "Even Frost sounds weak in the knees right now."

"As long as they still warn us when the Fourth Reich will attack Dad and Aunt Lana, they'll have served their purpose," Mia counseled her.

"You have been spending quality time with Lena," Lois chuckled.

"You realize Lana will probably die?" Lois inquired.

Mia was obviously disturbed by this but she answered, "She chose her side. It just sucks she'll die being 'Linda Lang' instead of herself."

"The world already has a Lana Lang. Two would just confuse the issue like there being three Cyborgs, three Green Arrows, and so on and so forth," Lois glibly remarked, "At least the Green Arrow trio sorted itself out when one died, one retired, and the third calls himself the Arrow. Having a dead Cyborg and two living ones just confuses the piss out of people."

"The truth would only frighten them. They'll never know that existence really did end during the so-called Near Apocalypse of 2009," Mia reminded her, "If they actually knew, the apocalypse would become very real and very permanent."

"Still, I preferred the fantasy of the New Earth history over remembering our past on Earth-2 before the Crisis destroyed our universe. This blender version of history is too confusing at times. Glorith should've paid attention to the details and not just push for her perfect tomorrow," Lois griped.

"They say the Evil Queen influenced history more than anyone will admit," Mia shuddered.

"Renfri is nothing but an urban myth now. Let her stay in the past," Lois advised

"Then why did I get a cold chill down my spine when you mentioned her name?" Mia sharply inquired.

"You're imagining it," Lois countered. But she'd felt the same chilling effect.


"Follow us and learn where we gather. It is very public and very safe. The politicians of this city are afraid to move against us," Von Hoogstraten declared, "You can meet our new members as well as re-associate with our classic members. Several others have also rejoined us."

Ace of Blades feared the worst. her fears would soon be realized as she re-encountered Faye Morgana, Baroness Blitzkrieg, and the younger Baron Blitzkrieg. It seemed that of all of them, only Master Race had permanently escaped the Fourth Reich's clutches. And even then, only in death.

"Even you returned," the British national deemed a traitor back in 1939, mentioned to Ace of Blades, "And you're a redhead now."

Ace of Blades gave Faye Morgana a rueful look, "You're one to talk. You've returned as well."

"Hello, I'm Baroness Blitzkrieg," she introduced herself to Killer Frost.

"Kata has told me all about you two. I know why you're wearing your masks in here," Killer Frost confided. Baroness Blitzkrieg shifted uncomfortably.

"I won't tell anyone," Killer Frost promised.

"Kata?" the younger Baron Blitzkrieg inquired.

Killer Frost eyeballed Ace of Blades, "You never told them?"

"It was a different time," Ace of Blades shrugged.

"Well…are you going to tell them or should I?" Killer Frost pushed the matter forward.

"Before the war, I was Katharina Steiner. I was a Major in the Luftwaffe during the war itself. Now I'm simply Katharina when I am not Ace of Blades," she finally explained to her former co-conspirators.

"I think I like you," Faye confided in Killer Frost.

"Why are you all back?" Frost asked them.

"You try and build a life outside of the Fourth Reich when it's all you've ever been prepared to be a part of," Baroness Blitzkrieg was regretful, "We were foolish to ever to try and leave. Great-great Grandfather always knew where we were. When Hitler died and Von Hoogstraten became the new Masked Leader, it was the beginning of a new era for the Fourth Reich. An era that I can largely endorse now."

"The same with me," Baron Blitzkrieg agreed, "The Masked Leader knows our parentage yet he embraced us."

Frankly, after the little rooftop speech, Killer Frost doubted that. Otherwise everyone would be unmasked. But most of the crowd here was still masked as well.

"Who are the two Aryan poster children?" Killer Frost asked, eyeing two women across the room.

"Replacements," Faye explained, "The gloved one is the new Blitzkrieg."

"You have to be shitting me," Frost retorted, "How many Blitzkriegs are in this room?"

"Four," Baroness Blitzkrieg said matter-of-factly.

"Okay, who's the other chica?" Killer Frost inquired.

"The new Captain Nazi," Baron Blitzkrieg answered for her.

"Another one?" Ace of Blades groaned.

"Hey, at least this one's cute," Killer Frost argued, "And undeniably fem in all the right places."

"Those three are and aren't," Faye nodded towards three civilians speaking with a now re-Masked Leader and Machinenmensch.

"Who're they?" Frost wondered how they fit in.

"Besides our family fortune, they're the money," Baron Blitzkrieg the younger confessed, "But watch out. The man, Barry Finn, was born a woman named Sarcia Zaroff. The tall woman, Baroness Belinda Beitz, is a cross dresser actually known as Baron Bruno Beitz outside these walls and his select clubs where he can be the woman he fantasizes about being but will never actually become full time. The last woman is Erica von Kampf."

"And what's her deal?" Killer Frost waited for the surprise.

"She was disloyal and had a swastika branded into her forehead, that's why she wears her bangs long. She's the richest of us all," Baroness Blitzkrieg explained. Frost had to admit the platinum blonde was a hottie, swastika brand or no.

"I see the Iron Police have undergone an upgrade," Ace of Blades remarked regarding the mechanized soldiers standing guard at every entrance and window..

"Just as the ever faithful Machinenmensch is now completely human in appearance. But the appearances are deceptive. Underneath it all she's still a toy pretending to be a real human," Faye was snide.

"Wasn't she like, Hitler's girlfriend?" Killer Frost asked.

"For decades," Baroness Blitzkrieg confirmed it, "Through all of her various incarnations."

"Who is the swordsman?" Ace of Blades' attention was piqued.

"He simply calls himself the Sword, luv," Faye sounded bored, "Most of these jackals couldn't choose an original moniker of their very lives were dependent upon it."

"We have a new Baron Gestapo and Captain Swastika as well," Baroness Blitzkrieg pointed out.

"I see Satan Girl hasn't forgotten me," Ace of Blades chuckled.

"She still hasn't forgiven you for the beating you inflicted upon her," Baron Blitzkrieg enjoyed the levity.

"She should've stayed Kryptonian then," Ace of Blades dryly remarked regarding the weakening transformation Satan Girl had undergone when her demon possessed her.

"Misery and Man of the Ages are still pretentious ghouls," Faye said dismissively.

"Who are these newcomers?" Ace of Blades asked.

"First there's the Black Death. Then Snowbird, followed by Baron Doom. Added to the company are the three Captains: Captain Plastic, Captain Speed, and Captain Science. That fellow is Master Man. Then we have the Masked Raider, Black Baron, the Marksman, the Menace, Firebird, Blackout, V-Man, Twilight, the third Man of War, Black Puma, Atom Wizard, Blackbird, the Grim Reaper, and you've already had the misfortune of meeting the Masked Blackjack on that rooftop," Faye explained in a bored tone.

"Is Captain Murder still nutso?" Killer Frost asked.

"Yes," everyone said at once.

"The Scarlet Skull seems pleased with the turnout," Ace of Blades observed.

"He called for this meeting," Baroness Blitzkrieg admitted. Given Lois' information, Ace of Blades and Killer Frost could guess why. The Masked Leader stepped up to a podium on a small stage.

He began to speak, "My brothers and sisters! The Scarlet Skull has information that could our alter our war for humanity's future and define our struggle. In neighboring Metropolis, we all know about the misguided so-called 'Superman'. that champion of the weak and defenseless. Vermin who should be allowed to exterminate themselves. My fellows, that man has children!"

That last part was delivered in a virulent shout, "This mockery of a man has dared impregnate a human mother. And the absence of the mother, who wisely fled from his pathetic excuses and life, has foisted this brood off on a human who speaks for the craven Superman in the popular press. This idiot! This Clark Kent has taken in these mongrels to raise them as his own family. Here too is a man so weak and so small minded that his own wife left him when he accepted these would-be bastards into their home. Accepting that her humanity was at stake, Lois Lane departed and caused this so-called man to enlist the aid of a former lover. Although how anyone could ever love a spineless jellyfish is beyond the pale! This Linda Lang cares for this Superman's children while Clark Kent exploits her gullibility and her virtue! We must act for the preservation of our race! We must obtain these children so that our scientists can study them and take them apart so we can advance our humanity and we too shall become the ultimate forces in this world!"

The Masked Leader paused for effect, "We know where this oafish Clark Kent lives and we will extract Superman's children for our benefit. And if this Kent or this Linda Lang should interfere, then we shall respond in defense of our planet and exterminate them before Superman's whelps can breed humanity out of existence!"

The fact that Satan Girl herself was a Kryptonian didn't seem to matter because of the physical adaptations her body had made to play host to the demon inside of her. She was a classic caricature of the being type most associated with the Devil and no man amongst the Fourth Reich would ever bed her.

"Are you all with me?" the Masked Leader challenge everyone.

"Yes!" came the resounding reply from everyone but the returnees.

"So now we're threatened by children," Faye said sourly.

"Lab rats. All of them," Baron Blitzkrieg predicted. Ace of Blades and Killer Frost pointedly neglected to say they personally knew Lana Linda Lang and that she was a former Superwoman. Nor would they admit that they knew Clark Kent and that he himself was secretly Superman. Of course Superman and Linda would object to the Fourth Reich taking his children. The largest question facing them wasn't if Superman would intervene, it was how many others would he bring with him when he did?

"First we observe. We carefully study the enemy of our people and then we strike!" the Masked Leader reached his crescendo.

"Are we sure he isn't Hitler in disguise?" Killer Frost wondered aloud. Ace of Blades refused to comment.


The Zeta Beam teleporter engaged and returned Jonathan Lane Kent and Laura Kent to their apartment's rooftop.

"That was a busy day," Jon breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm glad it's over"

"You're just lazy," Laura was still flush from her exertions. During the week at the K-Star Ranch, Roxy, the JSA's own AI, ran schooling tailored for each student. Afterwards came team building drills and practice honing individual abilities. Saturdays were a practicum. Young Justice deployed to dole out vigilante justice or disaster relief depending on what services were required or what the program's administrator, Katherine Webb-Kane, would allow. That Saturday had been a disaster relief day.

Monitored and led by members of the JSA, Young Justice provided much needed relief from a recent hurricane. For Laura it was a challenge doubled by the fact she was only eleven and hadn't visibly begun to manifest any powers derived from her father's Kryptonian heritage. Laura basically did the work of any average volunteer under the circumstances. She was the youngest Justicer. The age limit before had been thirteen, which Jon had just passed that bar and joined Devilina Dare as the Justicers' youngest members. Then Mia had quit and Lois had abandoned the family.

Katherine was persuaded by Linda to allow Laura into the program on a conditional basis. So far, all her reports coming back to Clark and Linda were glowing accounts of how dedicate d Laura seemed to be towards the process. Mia and Jon had barely begun manifesting powers before Mia took off. Carol and Jane, the four-year old twins, were displaying suspicious behaviors indicating they, even so young, might be already manifesting powers. Linda couldn't catch them at a blatantly discernible moment that would verify the suspicions surrounding the identical twins. But, of Carol and Jane were displaying latent abilities at such a young age, that left Laura alone without any visible manifestations of powers. She seemed fine with it but Laura had always been the evasive troublemaker within the family.

She idolized Kalea-El and took after many of her traits. A thought that disturbed Clark knowing what his eldest by Maxima was capable of. Especially considering that Kalea's principle employer was Almerac's Ministry of Executions. Laura, like Kalea herself, hadn't needed to be "informed" of the existence of a Multiverse preceding the creation of the New Universe. She'd simply known. A fact that Power Girl said didn't bode well. It had taken Galatea years to find favor in Clark's eyes but now as the tech mogul Karen Starr and as Power Girl, Superman had come to rely on Kara's clone. Kara In-Ze herself having abandoned her Supergirl identity and the 31st Century to head up the Darkstars. Clark was a little scandalized that Kara was married to both Kyle and Carol at the same time but then again, she and Kyle had been living together for several years now despite his being married to the Star Sapphires' queen. Invoking Sapphire law, the Sapphire Queen solved the situation by simply marrying Darkstar as well. A situation that had become idyllic for all involved.

Ma and Pa Kent had vociferously objected to the marriage and alienated Kara in the process. In actuality, Martha and Jonathan didn't care which partner Kara divorced as long as she was only married to one man or woman. The last part being a major concession on Martha's part. But Kyle, Kara, and Carol rarely ever visited Earth these days. Each was wrapped up in each other and their various Corps. Clark had to admit that the polygamist marriage had taken him some getting used to but he was just happy that Kara was finally settled and thrilled to be alive again. Which left the question of Karen would ever remarry now that Blackhawk had been dead for a number of years now. As far Clark and Linda knew, Karen wasn't even dating.

The eve before the attack, Ace of Blades passed a message on to Claire Montgomery that the Fourth Reich's strike on the Kent household was about to begin. As prearranged, HIVE and other parties lashed out causing the JLI to split apart and the JSA to scramble to the opposite coast to assist the Outsiders. As Lois had predicted, Superman remained in reserve. But what was still unknown was with the Shazam Family in action with the JLI squads, who else remained behind with Superman? But the siblings were as unaware of that as the Fourth Reich members prepping for their strike to kidnap the Kent children.

"Linda! We're home!" Laura bellowed as she and Jon crossed the threshold.

"Keep it down," Linda whispered as she existed the twins' bedroom, "I just finally got them down."

"Helluva day, huh?" Laura smirked at Linda's bedraggled state.

"Watch your language. And yes, it's been a helluva day," Linda sagged into the beckoning couch.

"Do you wish you were still Superwoman?" Jon asked the question that had been on his mind for weeks now.

"Considering my powers were killing me? No," Linda answered forthrightly, "But on a day like today, I could use the endless energy."

"Whatever happened to the red kryptonite pendent that made your powers so different from dad's?" Laura asked.

"Your father, the actual Lord Superman, took it from me when I was an adult and buried somewhere where I'd never be able to find it. That's just how he and the Justice Lords operated. That's why we fought them so hard and for so long," Linda reminded Laura.

"I wish there were other survivors from our Earth," Laura said.

Linda hesitated before answering, "I know of two more. And they always remembered the past as it was too."

"Really?" Laura was intrigued.

"I'll introduce you to the Heckler someday. Hellequin would give you too many bad ideas and you have enough already," Linda told her.

"You always say that about Kalea too," Laura huffed.

"That's because your sister is a bad influence," Linda replied smartly.

"So was Mia's horse-girl porn addiction but no one seems to want to keep me away from her," Laura complained. Linda was at a complete loss for words. Lois had discovered that particular fact after Laura began to noisily protest Mia's increasingly loud and frequent masturbating. There was also the fact that Mia, using a prepaid debit card, had begun ordering all kinds of sex toys from obviously adult on-line vendors. Items Linda had dutifully packed up and forwarded to Lena's office on Mia's behalf. Clark still refused to believe the fifteen-year old had accumulated them on her own. Or that her fetishism would only be encouraged by Lena. General Glory's NYPD contacts had informed him, when he'd inquired on her behalf, that Lena had arranged for some "alone time" for Mia with the Mounted Patrol's stallions. On a reoccurring basis. Linda had grown up on a farm and frankly couldn't see the attraction.

"What the futz?" Jon cried out as a section of the living room wall was ripped away. Linda didn't know what to scold him over: the language or raiding the fridge before dinner was served. The apartment's defense grid went active. Kelex had installed a Kryptonian based force field network with projectors mounted along sight lines in every corner. Linda didn't recognize the blonde woman floating outside but she recognized the uniform and Captain Murder floating beside her chucking away the section of wall.

"I suppose you're supposed to be Captain Nazi now," Linda remarked caustically. The front door was ripped out to and Satan Girl and Master Man were also stymied.

"I'll get the twins," Linda told Laura. Jon came to stand beside his sister. Linda hit the activation button on her signal watch. Gathering up the crying Jane and Carol she joined the defensive huddle in the living room as Baron Gestapo and Captain Science each began working on the force field from opposite directions.

"Your father is on his way," Linda promised the children, "He'll deal with this."


Linda's signal watch transmitted at different hypersonic pitch than James Olsen's. So he knew, and by association his children, were under threat. He just hoped they were home. Kelex's defense grid could back most opponents. Zod's forces were dead and so was Jax-Ur. But that still Mala alive and out there somewhere. Not to mention this new "Superman" pretender that had threatened them at the Fortress of Solitude and had almost beaten Clark in a one on one contest.

"Superman, there's an attack underway at the Kent residence," Colonel (Ret.) Steve Trevor III reported to him.

"Who?" heasked.

"The news has identified several members of the Fourth Reich. And they seem to have fresh blood as well," Trevor warned him.

"Can I take the reserve with me?" Superman asked.

"Of course. John's already arranging things and Shayera is gathering additional intel," Trevor told him, "Sue is putting the reservists on notice."

That accounted for the Operations staff. Sue Dibney was the Chief of Operations while John Stewart was Security and Training and his wife, Shayera Hol, was the Thanagarian Chief of Intelligence.

"Elongated Man is going with your squad," Trevor informed him. Ralph Dibney was the JLI's Chief Investigator. His presence was obviously to determine how much, if anything, the enemy knew of Superman's secret identity. But Clark Kent, a known associate of Superman's, had come under fire. And Elongated Man would lead the inquiry into the why of it. It was fateful day for the JLI.

Shazam, Captain Marvel, and Lady Marvel had all tendered their resignations that morning. They were transferring to the JSA rather than continually face Luthor's UN oppressions. The loss of the Shazam Family was to be a heavy one. The raw power quotient was headed the JSA's way. With Power Girl, the original Green Lantern, the original Flash, the original Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, Anna Fortune, and now the Shazam Family, and all the various new and returning members, the Justice Society's ranks were stacked with heavy hitters once again.

But the Justice League retained two Wonder Women, two Green Lantern Corspmen, a Star Sapphire, Supergirl, Strange Visitor, Zatanna Zatara, John Constantine, the Enchantress, Nightshade, the original Captain Atom from the Seventies, and the rest of the JLI so the international team wasn't lacking in potential manpower. It was just diminished.

With Billy Batson becoming Shazam rather than Captain Marvel and empowering Freddy Freeman, the former Captain Marvel Jr., as Captain Marvel they'd just recently rejoined the Justice League. Shazam had even restored Mary Bromfield's powers as Lady Marvel even after her dark transformation from Mary Marvel into Black Mary. But the JLI still retained its Outsiders covert action force. Led by Donna Troy as another Wonder Woman. Which also added to the Cyborg mystery. Over time, three men named Victor Stone had emerged as heroes called Cyborg.

The first had been veteran of the original Teen Titans. He'd joined to the Justice League Unlimited under their first endorsement by the UN. Cyborg had died a hero's death. But recently, a Victor Stone who was the original Cyborg's elder by fourteen years had also emerged as Cyborg. And then a younger Vic Stone, half of the original's age, had appeared as well. Victor had agreed to join the Justice League whiel Vic was persuaded to leave the Doom Patrol and enlist with the Justice League Outsiders.

Just one example of the paradoxes that had been appearing across the globe. Superman, thanks to his daughters Kalea and Laura, knew the secret history of the Multiverse that had been. So he knew Victor was from Earth-4 and Vic was from Earth-16. Chosen by the still mysterious, even in death, Monitor to survive the destruction of their universes. Even entire metropolitan areas had been saved such as Dakota City and Superior City.

The Monitor and Anti Monitor's conflict waged across the Crises which reduced an infinite number of parallel realities down to 52. The Crisis of the Multiverse reduced the 52 down to the Prime Universe and Final Crisis had destroyed even that and laucned eth Zero Hour whoch erased history. But the Multiverse had been a singular Realm of Existence amongst the full Twenty-Seven Realms of Existence. And the others were unaffected. But that opened the door for Glorith, Dr. Manhattan, and the Heckler to spark the Second Creation Event through Dr. Manhattan's death at the Heckler's hands and for Glorith to reshape the Rebirth of history and the New Universe it spawned.

Glorith's inattentiveness allowed the Evil Queen to utilize the power of the Genesis Rose to intertwine dark threads into the tapestry of history. And Glorith's lack of focus on history leading up to her own 31st Century allowed the Monitor's paradoxes to remain threaded into modern history where they'd appeared before the multiple Crises ended with Zero Hour. Added to the modern New Universe was Barry Allen's Flashpoint in the 29th Century which rethreaded elements of New Universe history and allowed for the possibility of a Convergence that could be reshaped into an Infinite Crisis spawning a New 52 Universes.

The JLI team teleported via hidden Zeta Tube atop the apartment building's rooftop. They were composed of aerial capable members as well as ground-laden teammates. Superman, Supergirl, Strange Visitor, Owlwoman, and Jack O'Lantern all took to the skies. Trajectory raced down the side of the building. The others took the stairs and found themselves confronting Baron Gestapo, Satan Girl, Blitzkrieg, Black Puma and Master Man. Nubia, the Wonder Woman attached to the group, attacked Satan Girl upon seeing her. Cyborg dealt with Baron Gestapo. Chief Man-of-Bats engaged Master Man.

Thus liberating Azrael and Sister Lilhy to get by and reach the street level where the Fourth Reich was gathering and Trajectory was facing them alone.

Superman and the others appalled by the Fourth Reich's swelling membership. Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern immediately descended to help relieve Trajectory's one-woman war. A few Nazis followed their trail. But still left their mightiest members behind to deal with Superman, Strange Visitor, and Supergirl. Ace of Blades and Killer Frost were still nowhere to be seen. Neither was the Masked Leader, Machinenmensch, nor the Scarlet Skull as they drove the effort onward from their undisclosed locations.


Inside the apartment's top floor, the Kent family had one of two upper story apartments. The neighbor's apartment was broken into as the conflict widened. Nubia, Queen Diana of Themiscyra's half sister and the Wonder Woman personally appointed by the presiding Queen, battled Satan Girl through the walls of the unreinforced structure. Satan Girl's transformation into a demonic being stripped her of most of her Kryptonian strength. But it also altered her esoteric powers as well. Instead of Heat Vision and Freeze Breath, Satan Girl unleashed Hellfire Vision and Brimstone Breath at Wonder Woman. But Nubia's weapons and armor were forged of pure Amazonium, the hardest metal found on Earth. And nearly eveyr trace of it was found in the mines of Themiscryra.

One of the reasons Hera and Athena had chosen the island reboubt for the Amazon tribe originally led by Hippolyta and Antiope before Antiope took a rebel band of Amazons back to Man's World, forgoing Hera's gift of immortality. Hippolyta's seeming inability to say no to sex with mortal men or god's had led to her birthing Nubia (mortal), a son that she handed away to his father Hercules, and Diana (born to either Hades, Zeus, or Ares…it had been a busy week) and her inability to reconcile that her beloved Hercules had repeatedly assaulted and raped Antiope led Hippolyta's sister to abandon Themiscyra.

It took that departure to finally sway Hippolyta to seal the island's borders from that point on. Even when she herself, at Hestia's urging went forth in World War II as the first Wonder Woman to help guide the Justice Society's efforts against the Nazis, the borders remained closed as a measure fo protection to insure that Nubia and Diana remained out of Hitler and Hirohito's hands. It was during this conflict that Aresia and Donna Troy were taken in and trained as Amazons. Aresia eventually becoming the Fury and Donna briefly joining Diana as the first Wonder Girl before leaving Earth as a Darkstar before returning to become the fifth Wonder Woman at Hippolyta's request as she went into exile to solidify Diana's claim to the throne.

But as a woman of color, Nubia was often portrayed as a "pretend Wonder Woman" and alone of the Justice League frequently found herself in a jail cell for intervening on victim's behalf. Colonel Trevor and Artemis, the third Wonder Woman, having to constantly convince local enforcement that Nubia really was a Wonder Woman and a certified member of the Justice League. At least no one could deny Victor was Cyborg. Probably the only factor that spared him the same indignities.

But Nubia had to admit that as Native Americans, Owlwoman and Chief Man-of-Bats also faced frequent discrimination instead of gratitude for their efforts. Yet they wouldn't give up so it encouraged Wonder Woman not abandon her appointed task as ambassador to Man's World. Yet Nubia also knew she'd shoulder the blame for the destruction of the apartment she battled Satan Girl in and that the Kents would be forced to relocate.

Unlike Vic Stone, Victor's cybernetics were wholly the product of his father's genius. Vic was the creation of a Father Box. So the youngest Cyborg frequently had to battle with his cybernetics for control and to keep them from doing unnecessary harm to innocents and the guilty alike. For Victor is was simply a matter of free will. He chose to minimize the harm he caused. But Baron Gestapo and Blitzkrieg hurling racial slurs at him seriously made him want to unleash his full capabilities on the pair of Mazis. But, at least he was successfully distracting them from attempting to breach the Kents' defense grid.

His systems recognized that Baron Gestapo wore powered armor that gave him considerable tactical advantages. His weaponry was as advanced as that which Victor wielded. Blitzkrieg was armed with kinetic gloves that Cyborg assumed multiplied the power of whatever effort she put into a blow. Cyborg's systems tapped into the JLI networks and identified the tech as primarily belonging to the original Dr. Demon.

Rumors had also circulated amongst white supremacy groups that a new Dr. Demon had replaced the dead woman that had originally inherited the title from a WW II era Nazi. Just as Baron Gestapo and Captain Swastika had as well. Baron Blitzkrieg the elder was the only known original Nazi remaining in the Fourth Reich. The Masked Leader was debatable because although he possessed Hitler's mind, his body was a new creation.

But in the New Universe, such distinctions were rarely made. Otherwise there'd be basis for discriminating against Power Girl, the original Guardian, and Superboy. John James Diggle was proud to be chosen as a second Guardian in Jim Harper's tradition. Superman had followed Kara's example when she embraced Galatea as a sister and accepted Karen into the family. After that acceptance, including Conner as a brother in the Kent family had been an easy step. And now he'd soon be embracing M'gann M'orzz as a sister-n-law. He couldn't be prouder that Superboy and Miss Martian were engaged.

Cyborg's position was made a little difficult in the fact that Chief Man-of-Bats had his back. Which typically was a good thing but Baron Gestapo and Blitzkrieg had the raw power to harm Robert Great Eagle should they get passed Victor. And Chief Man-of-Bats already had his hands full.

Chief Man-of-Bats, as veteran squad leader within the J:LI framework, studied the MLJ's growing list of meta-humans and masked villains on a daily basis. His brother had carried the title Man-of-Bats in Batman, Inc. While Robert had served as Elder Chief to their tribe before the original Man-of-Bats died. Adopting his nephew, Charlie Great Eagle, as his Raven Red, Robert stepped down from tribal responsibilities and represented his people as Chief Man-of-Bats. He'd never seen Master Man or Black Puma listed amongst them. Which mean that they either were amateurs or very good at keeping unseen and un-linked to their crimes. The fact that they hurling racial derivatives at him proved they belonged with the Fourth Reich ideology, but how desperate had Baron Blitzkrieg been to refill the diminished ranks? In simpler terms: could they deliver on their threats?


Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern quickly drew off more of the powered beings Trajectory was facing while Azrael and Sister Lilhy, having taken what seemed to be the slowest elevator ride in history, drew off the masked mundanes.

Trajectory was still faced with the just as speedy Baroness Blitzkrieg and Captain Speed. Furthermore, the devilishly clever Captain Swastika had chosen her specifically as a target. The Birds of Prey had reported through the Huntress that Baroness Blitzkrieg had defected. So Eliza Harmon was dismayed to see her back with the Fourth Reich. Captain Speed was an unknown threat. But if he called her one more demeaning term regarding Latinos, she was going to rip his face off. And what she couldn't determine was what Captain Swastika was up to but she instinctively regarded him as her greatest threat.

Azrael and Sister Lilhy each took on seven foes of indeterminate skill. Jean-Paul Valley worried for Sister Lilhy. She was a capable fighter, as bespoke a true disciple of St. Dumas, but she wasn't an enhanced clone like he was. Centuries of eugenics and finally outright genetic manipulation had created Azrael. Then came the behavioral conditioning to perceived threats. Only the betrayal of the leadership had separated Azrael and Sister Lilhy from the Order of St. Dumas.

An order, dating back to the Crusades, that actively pursued their deaths now that Lilhy had destroyed the stockpiles of genetic samples Azrael derived from. They needed him to reproduce him and they preferred a dead but compliant Jean-Paul over a living and resistant Azrael. They'd programmed him so they knew full well what their Avenging Angel was truly capable of. Azrael had only accepted into the the second Justice League Unlimited on Batman's endorsement.

An endorsement that still swayed the JLI to accept the latest Azrael as a member. Jean-Paul vouched for Sister Lilhy so she too was readmited into the Justice League's ranks. Azrael drew his flaming sword but didn't unleash his gauntlet blades just yet, "Stand down. There will be no further warnings."

Despite Superman's objections, the JLI was under Trevor's command as Chief Administrative Officer. He and the Operations Department Heads had agreed that not every villains' life could be spared. Death was still supposedly the last option. But Azrael and Lilhy still had to come to terms with that reality. So did the Sword, the Marksman, the Black Death, Blackbird, the Grim Reaper, V-Man and Baron Doom as they began to comprehend that Azrael was born and bred an assassin. Not a traditional superhero in the Justice Society mold.

Sister Lilhy had been born an illegitimate daughter to a Knight of St. Dumas. He'd kept her as a pet. But she excelled in genetics as well as the martial disciplines. So she'd had a direct hand in the creation of the last two Azraels. One she'd overseen for the Order when he went rogue. The second she convinced to go rogue and take her with him. Sister Lilhy knew her limitations and wondered if seven adversaries was the epitome of them. She supposed the Masked Raider, the Masked Blackjack, Firebird, the Eagle, Blackout, Twilight and the Black Baron were eager to answer that particular question.

On the other hand, Owlwoman was only faced with two gen active foes. Snowbird was essentially a male, Aryan version version of herself. But the younger Baron Blitzkrieg posed an interesting question. Owlwoman's enhanced senses, which included her uncanny tracking sense, indicated that while this Baron Blitzkrieg was related to the first, he wasn't the elderly German. And he seemed unable to fly. Which just made Snowbird her aerial opponent.

But the Baron's prodigious strength was shown when he hurled a car at her. Fortunately, the gawking crowd made way for its landing. Owlwoman decided to up the game by extending her finger talons. Then Snowbird did the same. Owlwoman was significantly intrigued by what would inevitably follow this escalation.

Liam McHugh had absorbed the energies from Danial Cormac's magic lantern that the Earthly sidhe had granted the Irishman. For reasons still unknown to Liam, Daniel had besqueathed the lantern to him in the event of his death. That untimely incident had come to pass and the sidhe, unbound by any promises, had judged Liam worthy to take up Jack O'Lantern's name and cause. Which surprised the hell out of the Real IRA terrorist. But Liam abandoned the Cause to take up a role as a superhero. Something that Wenonah Littlebird hadn't been eager to forgive him for. As Daniel's lover and partner, Owlwoman had been offended by Liam's taking Jack O'Lantern's place despite his adopting a unique costume different from Daniel's original.

In the end, it was actually Wenonah's word that got him Justice League membership. And slowly, he proved himself to her. Even now, Jack O'Lantern was beginning to win over Owlwoman's heart. But the unseasoned Jack O'Lantern found himself pitted against Man of War and Baroness Blood. Man of War was one of Ares' bastards and a demigod attached to the Fourth Reich in repayment for Hitler's unwavering support of Mussolini while the dictator ruled Italy. Baroness Blood had received a portion of the German super soldier serum. The last dregs of it. So unlike other recipients, she couldn't fly but she wasn't merely earth bound and she didn't regenerate but her skin was exceptionally durable and she was almost as strong as Baron Blitzkrieg the younger. All factors Jack would be swiftly learning about.


Superman, Strange Visitor and Supergirl confronted six opponents. The Nazis choosing their targets while leaving a team behind to attempt to penetrate the Kent apartment. Their goal still being the apprehension of Superman's children for experimentation purposes. Dr. Smalley's advertising his genetic splicing work on Bill Dunn, creating a "second Superman", had tickled the Masked Leader's ears and the information brought to him by the Scarlet Skull seemed prophetic to the delusional white supremacist. His goal now was to utilize the children to harvest their DNA and splice superpowers into volunteers the same way LuthorCorp's Everyman Project was shifting emphasis now that they'd harnessed methods for activating latent gen factors and were now focusing on creating artificial meta-genes. The Fourth Reich's Dr. Demon and elder Baron Blitzkrieg were foremost medical scientists but even then the creation of an artificial meta-gene was out of their reach. Hence the Masked Leader's burning desire to acquire genetic samples to develop into a replacement for the increasingly ineffective and costly serums dating back to World War II.

Captain Murder and Captain Nazi stayed paired up to attack Superman himself. Normally, Superman would hesitant to physically engage a female opponent. Despite his marriage to Lois and his affairs with Maxima, he still felt obligated not to strike a woman. The Kents had taught him it was wrong under any circumstances. But he was willing to make an exception in this case. Both Captain Murder and Captain Nazi had been transformed into Majestic-class meta-humans. Majestics being the ultimate class of human genetic expression. They had all of the Kryptonian baseline powers with exceptions of sensory and lung capacity powers.

Which meant both women were as powerful as he was. Captain Murder's transformation had made a homicidal murderer a homicidal maniac. The same fire burned in Captain Nazi's eyes. Superman would do anything to protect his children who were still under threat. Even hit a woman.

When Matrix, one of the sole survivors from Glorith's Pocket Universe, merged with Linda Danver's corpse, Supergirl became human but retained most of her powers. As a non-Kryptonian, she didn't even have Majestic strengths. But her psychokinetic abilities were off the charts. These mental abilities gave her telekinetic forces that allowed her to fly, mirrored invulnerability by brushing aside hazards, and projected as brute force when she threw blows or kicks. Now the only physical transformation she was capable of now was altering her blonde hair to Linda's brunette shade.

Both of Supergirl's opponents were mystical in nature. Man of the Ages was a spirit being that was a physical manifestation of humanity's evil. Faye Morgana was a seemingly immortal sorceress that had been accused of treason during the British war effort in 1939 and had sought refuge in Nazi Germany. Faye had defected from the Fourth Reich but gained no refuge in the modern world. So she returned just as Baroness Blitzkrieg and Baron Blitzkrieg the younger had as well. Unlike the mixed race Blitzkriegs, Faye was a pure blood Saxon. Which suited the Masked Leader perfectly. So now, the Fourth Reichs most powerful magic users were about to confront the world's most powerful telekinetic. Winner take all.

Strange Visitor was a stranger even to herself. She'd discovered that she'd once been Sharon Vance, a childhood friend of Clark Kent and Lana Lang. But that woman, and her daughter, were strangers to her. She had no idea how she'd survived the plane crash that killed every other passenger. Or how Kismet had infused her with her powers. All she had was a burning desire to see Order overcome Chaos. Currently Atom Wizard and the spectral Misery stood in her way. She could feel Atom Wizard's atomic power coursing through his armor. Misery was…odd. He felt powerful but she couldn't define how or why. But she decided to get the job done.


Linda kept the twins with her at all times while Jon and Laura took up defensive positions across the room should Captain Science and Captain Plastic manage the thwart the defense grid. To no one's great surprise, the original Baron Blitzkrieg flew up to join them. Baron Blitzkrieg the elder joined Captains Science and Plastic as they continued their attempted breach of the defense grid.

"Surrender the kinder ot me, Fraulein, and no harm will come to you," Baron Blitzkrieg offered.

"You do realize I'd rather die fighting?" Linda replied.

"Lana Linda Lang, what power has this Clark Kent over a former Superwoman that she would lay down her life for Superman's children? Children not her own. Children that are not Clark Kent's and even he will not rise to defend them? Consider your position, Fraulein. I will have the kinder over your dead body or otherwise. It is merely a matter of time," Baron Blitzkrieg warned her.

"Then it'll be over my dead body," Linda defiantly declared.

"And ours," Laura growled.

"No liebchen, we need you alive," Barion Blitzkrieg ominously chuckled.


From a hidden vantage point, Scarlet Skull directed the ground campaign while the Masked Leader stood by and watched his followers engage the Justice League. Machinenmensch stood vigil by his side. Ace of Blades and Killer Frost also watched with apprehension. The Masked Leader held them in reserve. Their defection to the Fourth Reich would be a psychological blow to manipulate should the JLI begin to prevail. It was, as everything, a matter of precise timing.


The wholesale destruction of the uppermost floor of the Kents' apartment building had now included the rooftop and the Zeta tube teleporter was almost a casualty. Any reinforcements coming from the Hall of Justice would now have to cross the Brooklyn Bridge or fly under their own power. Lady Blackhawk and the Blackhawk Express were providing air support for the other JLI teams in the field.

Wonder Woman found her strength matched by Satan Girl's. Nubia had gained superhuman strength compared to the average human when she bathed in the Pool of Hestia and gained immortality. Artemis and Hippolyta possessed the same strength. Only Artemis wore the Gauntlet of Hercules on her right hand which tripled that arm's strength. Donna Troy was a child of the Titans of myth and a sibling to Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. But the battle was still evenly matched.

Too evenly matched for Nubia's tastes. Satan Girl had even managed to conjure a flame spewing pitchfork to counter Wonder Woman's sword and shield. To Nubia's dismay, Satan Girl managed to disarm her. Then she released her sulfuric Brimstone Breath to drive Wonder Woman towards the edge of the ruins of the neighbor's apartment. Artemis had the Sandals of Hermes and therefore could fly. Diana and Donna had the power of flight as a birthright. Nubia and her mother, Hippolyta, did not. A fall from this height would severely injure Nubia. Rendering her incapable of assisting her fellow JLers and defeating Satan Girl'. Point in fact, she would be extremely vulnerable to her demonic foe who could fly. Wonder Woman dug in and knew she couldn't be pushed off of the precipice.

Cyborg's battle against Baron Gestapo was one of remote weaponry and equipment hacks. Blitzkrieg was an actual physical threat as her first landed punches demonstrated. Victor's alloyed body was proof enough against conventional weapons but Blitzkrieg's kinetic gloves unloaded a pressure contact far greater than TNT. He struck her down with his sonic cannon. Baron Gestapo blanched. Cyborg took the man's hesitancy and utilized it to overload his opponent's power systems. Baron Gestapo's own weaponry was turned against him as massive overloads shorted out everything. The electrical backlash rendered the Baron unconscious.

Chief Man-of-Bats was soundly defeating Black Puma. But Master Man was far resilient. And a better fighter possessed of superhuman strength. It would be weeks before the MLJ and therefore the JLI, discovered that Master Man had undergone the same gen screening and activation that had created the first and second Maxi Man. The first Maxi Man had died hero in the Conglomerate's employ. The second had abandoned the second Conglomerate team to their fate. A fate they overcame with Supergirl and Strange Visitor leading the battle. Elements of the final Conglomerate morphed into the Young All Stars and select members of the Justice League of America sponsored by ARGUS as a fail safe should the Justice League Unlimited go rogue. The actual battle between the JLU and the JLA had resulted in the team that now comprised the JLI. So when Black Puma fell before Chief Man-of-Bats, Master Man retreated into the wreckage Satan Girl and Wonder Woman had created. And there Cyborg joined in his efforts to contain both Fourth Reich Nazis.


Superman, Supergirl, and Strange Visitor partially joined the street battle. In the sense that not all of their conflict was of an aerial nature any longer. Wayne-Powers and LuthorCorp's superhero insurance and reconstruction teams would spend months repairing the damages being inflicted upon Metropolis' infrastructure. Fortunately for the city's insurers, the United Nations was involved in this conflict so they were liable for any and all repairs that the Fourth Reich could not be legally compelled to pay for. FEMA dollars would also assist in keeping insurance premiums down.

Trajectory managed to set Captain Speed up for a superconic punch. But Captain Swastika and Baroness Blitzkrieg proved to fast and avoided a similar fate. It was then that Trajectory discovered that Captain Swastika might not have the Speed Force but his mental acuity rivaled Baroness Blitzkrieg's psionically derived speed powers granting him superhuman reflexes. Try as she might, Trajectory couldn't land a solid blow on Captain Swastika. He deflected or evaded every punch or kick she tried to land. He was also fast enough to land several hits against her. At least Baroness Blitzkrieg was mentally taxed enough to render her temporarily speedless. Which gave Trajectory an opportunity to focus solely on the annoying swastika faced Captain Swastika.

Azrael made his stand beside Sister Lilhy. Their foes united as a living wall around them and attacked from all sides at once. But the mob mentality worked to their own disadvantage as the Nazis worked at cross purposes. Azrael and Sister Lilhy thinned the herd by inflicting grievious harm upon their obstructed foes. Soon only six were left to fight them as the others had retreated to seek medical attention from Dr. Demon.


Superman was grateful that the Majestic-class Captains Nazi and Murder lacked his sensory and esoteric powers. Because their punches and kicks alone were devastating. He hadn't fought equals like them, at least female ones, since he engaged Kalea in that useless Duel of Honor on Almerac. Due to Saturn Queen's telepathic manipulations, he couldn't recall that he'd chased Kalea down on Almerac after she'd murdered her mother, Maxima, on Rann. Or that she'd kidnapped her younger sister, Thara Kal-El. Condemning Thara to a life as the token empress.

Kalea had challenged her father to duel to the death with intention of losing. But she'd put uup a tremendous fight before he finally defeated her. And spared her life. The ultimate insult, even beyond Kalea's being a cuborg, and she was exiled from Almerac's territories for life under threat of execution upon her return. A protracted and painful execution. Kalea had endured tortures beyond Kal-El's reckoning yet she feared what the Ministry of Execution would do to her. So although the Ministry was her most frequent employer, Kalea never set foot inside of Almeracian territory when fulfilling her contracts. Superman, although marginally stronger, was taking a beating.

Supergiurl used her TK Vision, the ultimate expression of her potential to knock Man of the Ages out of the city. Then her telekinetic "push-shove" assisted punch knocked Faye Morgana out. But Man of the Ages returned, stronger than ever.

Strange Visitor found it increasingly difficult to fend off Atomic Wizard's attacks while Misery continued his psychic assault. A one-time Nazi torturer in a grim reaper costume, Misery had made pacts with arcane forces to become a spirit that literally fed off of misery and suffering. As she became more despondent, Strange Visitor was unwittingly feeding Misery's powers over her.

Owlwoman had had enough of Baron Blitzkrieg the younger. His continual threatening of bystanders had enraged her. So she decided to test whether or not he'd inherited his great-great-grandfather's ability to switch his energies to healing. She nearly eviscerated him with her talons. Snowbird was immediately upon her and the two engaged in a vicious struggle while Baron Blitzkrieg desperately tried to coerce medical attention out of nearby EMTs. First responders that were horrified to learn the younger Baron was a Black Nazi.

Baroness Blood fell before Jack's powers but Man of War was made of sterner stuff. Seeing Owlwoman had been bloodied in her battle against Snowbird, Jack O'Lantern didn't care if he had to kill Man of War to get through him and to Wenonah.


Captain Science breached Kelex's defense grid. Captain Plastic attempted to stretch into the opening but Jonathan grabbed a hold of him and stretched him beyond his capacity to endure. As he passed out, Captain Science came at the young Superson. As he battled Jon, Baron Blitzkrieg attempted to apprehend Laura. And she unleashed her Heat Vision for the very first time in an uncontrolled blast.


"Vas ist?" the Masked Leader said with some dismay as Donner and Blitzen arrived. The unironically named German woman and Ukrainian speedster were here to intervene on Lois' behalf.

"Go! Now is your time. Deal with those race traitors," the Masked Leader commanded Ace of Blades and Killer Frost. He was still unaware that the former New Reichsmen's Blitzen was actually Jewish.


"What a mess," Donner remarked. Blitzen had used the Speed Force to hurry Donner along in their journey from the Midwestern Dakota City. Ice daggers fell between them. Ace of Blades delivered Killer Frost to the scene.

"So, you're true colors win out in the end," Donner sneered.

"Don't be so judgmental about things you know nothing about," Ace of Blades warned her, "Just leave while you can."

"Not until the children are safe," Blitzen declared.

"How do you know about the kids?" Killer Frost wondered.

"We were warned this would happen ahead of time," Donner answered. That gave both Ace of Blades and Killer Frost pause. Only Lois Lane had been informed of the Fourth Reich's plans ahead of time. But Donner and Blitzen were primed for a fight now. And they wouldn't leave without one. So one couple fought the other.


"At least the elevator is still serviceable," Lois remarked at seeing the wreckage that had been the uppermost floor. Black Puma, Baron Gestapo, and Blitzkrieg's bodies littered the hallway.

"Too bad about them," Mia snickered.

"Be kind. They never actually had a real chance," Lois chided her stepdaughter.

"The grid's down," Mia noted. There was always a possibility that Kelex hadn't overridden their genetic pass codes. So they could've possibly affected an entrance into the apartment even if Captain Science hadn't breached the defenses.

"Mama!" the Kent twins cried together and ran to their mother when they saw her.

"Lo?" Linda gasped.

"Hello, Lana," Lois wore a cruel smile, "Step aside. These are my children not yours."

"No one is contesting that," Linda growled back, "But you seem to need a lesson in how to be a mother."

"From you?" Lois sneered, "Mia, take her out."

Mia's eyes began to glow.


"Do something!" Master Man demanded of Satan Girl, "Throw her off already!"

Satan Girl's spade tipped tail smacked his face, "Get a grip!"

Wonder Woman dug in and lunged forward, swinging her shield as a weapon. After being punched in the forehead by Nubia's shield, Satan Girl dropped her pitch fork. Nubia pressed the attack and bodily slammed Satan Girl with her shield. Satan Girl unleashed both her Hellfire Vision and Brimstone Breath to force Wonder Woman to hunker behind her shield. But Nubia forced her way forward despite the barrage.

Cyborg and Chief Man-of-Bats pressed in on Master Man and Satan Girl's retreating back. Master Man attempted to grapple with Victor. Cyborg electrified him as efficiently as any taser could. Chief Man-of-Bats, meanwhile shoulder checked Satan Girl at Wonder Woman. Nubia's next blow stunned Satan Girl into unconsciousness.

"Come! We must assist our comrades on the ground and I must retrieve my sword. It's imperative men do not get their hands any more Amazonium samples," Nubia insisted. So after binding Master Man and Satan Girl, Cyborg employed his thrusters to get Wonder Woman to her lost sword.


Trajectory broke away from Captain Swastika and raced around the city to build up a static charge. When she returned and threw the lightning, its swathe was so great that even Captain Swastika couldn't evade it. Baroness Blitzkrieg considered her options carefully. She recovered Captain Swastika and fireman carried him away to safety. Now it was Trajectory's turn to rest and assess the situation surrounding her.

Azrael and Sister Lilhy stood against the Sword, the Marksman, the Grim Reaper, the Eagle, Blackout and Twilight together as a single unit. But the Marksman wounded Lilhy and Azrael finally unleashed his full potential and nearly killed the surrounding Nazis in a swift strokes. Then he tended to the unconscious Sister Lilhy. Discovering that he could nothing for her, he called for an immediate emergency teleport to take Sister Lilhy back to the Hall of Justice and immediately into Dr. Sharon Santiago's med center where the resident Nurse Practitioner, Anne Allen, could assist Dr. Santiago's efforts with a full emergency treatment and surgical team if necessary.


Captain Nazi hesitated as Captain Murder went full blown psycho on Superman. he reflexively struck her as hard as he could. she was caught totally unprepared for the roundhouse blow that knocked her out. Captain Nazi flew away as fast as she could. Breaking the sound barrier within seconds. Superman didn't spare her a second thought as he decided to investigate how his family was faring. But fate intervened and he was unable to.

Supergirl spent the last of her ready reserves hitting Man of the Ages with every resource she had. As she nursed a throbbing headache, Man of the Ages joined Faye Morgana in unconsciousness. But as Superman had just discovered, their difficulties were just beginning.

Strange Visitor's powers were akin to electrical but also tuned to Kismet's Order magic. So neither Misery nor Atom Wizard had a complete defense. Though Misery lasted long enough to whisk himself away. Afterwards, Strange Visitor rallied to the next threat.

Owlwoman wasn't certain whether to be pleased or regretful to discover that Snowbird possessed enhanced regenerative capacities after she nearly gutted the man. She then followed the blood trail to where Baron Blitzkrieg was receiving aid and was as shocked as the EMTs to discover the white supremacist was actually a Black man.

Man of War was losing the contest against Jack. But he had a secret reserve in that he could portal himself back to Greece to his father's ancient temple. And there he recuperated while Jack O'Lantern joined in on Owlwoman's surprising discovery.


Jon defeated Captain Science utilizing his Young Justice training. He was as shocked as Baron Blitzkrieg the elder to learn Laura was manifesting her powers. Fortunately for the Baron, the regenerative serum he'd been injected with coupled with his own psychoreactive powers healed his burns almost instantly. Just as they'd erased the burn scares Citizen Steel had inflicted all those long decades ago at the opening of the Second World War. Commander Steel's death had ended that lineage but there was a new, second Citizen Steel now operating within the USA and the Justice Society had chosen to approach him regarding training and membership. But the Baron was as of yet unaware of this development. All he knew with current certainty was that both of Superman's middle children were displaying portions of his power. Which complicated Baron Blitzkrieg's mission. He could subdue one or the other at a time. But if theij Young Justice training was as team oriented as intelligence reports put it as, he'd be hard pressed to conquer both at the same time.


Ace of Blades proved superior in the physical conflict with Donner just as Killer Frost was able to leech heat from Blitzen to render her frozen in place. But their lives grew increasingly complicated as they were confronted by Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and Chief Man-of-Bats.

"So this is where your ultimate loyalties lie," Victor said in a condemning tone. Ace of Blades had no ethnic axe to grind with any of the minority heroes but she knew now that they'd already condemned her and that her decision to assist Lois was actually a trap that now plunged her back into the Fourth Reich for real. Killer Frost stood condemned by her past actions and seeming future choices. They, not unlike Superman himself, had never considered her one of them even when she fought beside them. Similarly castigated as her life partner, Killer Frost knew there was no going back no matter how Claire Montgomery pleaded their case.


The Masked Leader and Machinenmensch flew to join Baron Blitzkrieg's opposition to the Kent children while Lois and Mia dealt with Linda.

"Seize the kinder," the Masked Leader commanded. Baron Blitzkrieg grappled with Jon and the boy was astonished to find the German noble was as strong as he was. Laura cold cocked Machinenmenshc but only yielded a resounding clang when she did so.

"What the futz are you, anyway?" Laura asked.


"Their going to take Jon and Laura if you don't stand aside," Lois warned Linda. Carol and Jane started crying.

"Shut up!" Mia snapped at them. They sniffled their misery but grew unexpectedly subdued.

"It'll be okay," Lois promised.

"We want our momma," Jane said.

"I'm here," Lois assured them.

"No, she's not," Carol replied. Lois understood at that point that her scar wasn't the issue. Even Linda wasn't the issue. Lois' change of attitude and demeanor was the real issue. Now they saw her as a monster. Fine. She easily be a monster.

"Kill them all," Lois commanded Mia. If she couldn't command Lord Superman's children then they were as great a threat as he.

"Waitasec," Mia was startled by the coldness in Lois' voice. It wasn't the stepmother that had raised her speaking, "We only agreed Dad should die."

"We won't be taking the children and we can't allow them to be taken. Kill them already," Lois commanded again. As Mia continued to hesitate, Joe Public entered in, guns blazing, with Geist the Twilight Man at his side. LuthorCorp's agents were now in play.


Infinity3, Team Luthor, and the other Metal Men were now authorized by Metropolis Police Captain Mara Taggard to operate on the Special Crime Unit's behalf. Despite the JLI's UN credentials and federal deputization through the domestic MLJ Initiative, Taggard was charging both the Justice League and Fourth Reich with domestic terrorism.

"You will stand and down and surrender yourselves to the proper authorities," Skywoman, nominal leader of Infinity3 ordered.

"And why should we do that?" inquired Superman, nominal leader of the JLI squad, "You're hardly more then Lena's Zither 'security contractor' rent-a-mercenaries."

"Because I authorized them as agents of the SCU," Taggard said over a bullhorn, "Giving them police powers in the Mayor's name."

That's when Superman realized the situation was spiraling out of control.

Ultaman's mask hid most his features in the way Batman's original cowl had as well…without the ears. But Superman could see that Ultaman, as he descended from the skies had a physique to match his own. He estimated Ultaman was at least a Majestic-class gen active since the Everyman Project's first priority had been continuing John Lynch and Ivana Baiul's gen screening and activation protocols. ARGUS fronted most of the research costs. Even as they'd hired Dr. Caitlin Fairchild to determine how to deactivate and neutralize gen factors. Amanda Waller's goal had been to create an army of Majestics and an army of Batmen, the latter project aided by Colonel Jacob Kane.

Oddly enough, it hadn't been Bruce Wayne that shut down his uncle's program and drove him into the private sector. Rather, Kane had wisely initiated his program after Batman's retirement. By then his sister-in-law, Katherine Webb-Kane had dismantled Spyral and had gone to work administrating the Young Justice Program for the MLJ. Kane had no problems with Directors Latham and Webb-Kane's goals or even methods. But he was angered that Dick Grayson had recruited Anarky to the Young Justice program with a new identity, that being Red Robin. Ulysses Armstrong's technical and tactical genius could've greatly aided the Batmen. Instead, Kane had been forced out after his brother-in-law, the newly revealed Bat-Man led the new motley Bat Clan against the Batmen. And despite everything, they prevailed. Thereby convincing Waller's inheritor, Secretary Bones of Homeland Security to shut the Batmen down. Kane's idea of revenge was founding Crow Security. Whereupon he adapted the Scarecrow and Fright's techniques and weaponized them.

But Ultaman's gen factor had introduced LuthorCorp to a new gen latent ability. Like the original Paragon, Ultaman could mimic anyone's powers within a standard American city blocks radius. So at the moment, he was awash with powers. Team Luthor's Leader One led Units Two through Four against Superman as well. Superman deduced the nature of Ultaman's powers so he led him a merry chase to the Fortress of Solitude where Ultaman could only duplicate his own powers.

"Now Kelex! Red Star Protocol!" Superman shouted as he maneuvered Ultaman into position. A crystalline cage surrounded Ultaman and barraged his cells with red solar radiation, affecting Superman's copied powers by purging yellow solar radiation from his cells. When the cage opend, Superman knocked him out with the flick of a finger.

"Deal with him until I get back," Superman instructed Keleex. Upon returning to Metropolis, Team Luthor engaged him but their armor was hardly proof against his mounting rage.


Power-Man had already had the gen factor to exhibit one Majestic-class power at a time. After undergoing Everyman treatment, he could utilize three at once. But Supergirl literally went for his throat as she bombarded it with the sum focus of her TK Vision. Then she turned on Team Luthor.

Strange Visitor watched with amusement as Mesmera attempted to use her super hypnosis on her. She simply stunned the woman and called it good. Then she blew the Team Luthor unit's armor apart at the seams.

At first Owlwoman was beguiled as Epitome took on Daniel Cormac's form. That was his gift, to embody every woman's dream man. But her rage mounted as she recalled Daniel demise and recognized this sacrilege to his memory. She nearly gutted him and returned him to being a multi-hued indeterminate male cutout.

"Now you've done it," Skywoman announced.

Jack repulsed Ladyhawke and Black Cobra but the Hood created portals to project Jack O'Lantern's power back unto himself. Something Liam was hardly expecting or prepared for.

Wonderman had previously achieved limited duration Majestic strengths and powers through his amror. At least until the power cell would run dry. But now the armor channeled his Majestic powers and allowed him to control them. The very feral Cat-Man was the first to pounce upon Wonder Woman but she knocked him out with a swing of her shield. Now Wonderman would challenge a Wonder Woman for tactical dominance.

Black Scorpion's hair came alive and twisted into a scorpion stinger and jabbed at Chief Man-of-Bats. He simply grabbed the unsuspecting Streetfighter and used him as a human shield.

"That's hardly fair," Black Scorpion complained. The Chief barely registered her complaint as he moved to strike back.

BAGGU's armor made him equal to Cyborg. But the genius behind it was BAGGU's gen factor. Nereid's water based powers were of little consequence just yet. And Strange Visitor got the drop on her and moved in to assist Victor.


Ace of Blades rushed to acquire Killer Frost and exit the field of battle as the Metal Men worked to engage them.

"That certainly wasn't sporting," Uranium complained.

"But decisive," Agantha replied.


Secretary Bones dispatched the Power Society to relieve the Kents. They arrived while Superman and Supergirl were dealing with their respective foes. Superman and Supergirl were about to rush to assist Linda and the kids.

"We need help Linda and the kids," Supergirl admitted to Superman.

"Let's go," he encouraged her.


Skywoman chose to evacuate Epitome thereby allowing Owlwoman to come to Jack's relief. Owlwoman dealt with Black Cobra and Ladyhawke while Jack overpowered the Hood. The nebuluous foe faltered and fell. But Jack was spent and reverted back into being Liam McHugh.

The victorious Owlwoman came to him, "I won't let anything happen to you, Liam."

"I know," he smiled and promptly passed out. She flew him back to the Hall of Justice in Brooklyn.


Wonderman held Wonder Woman at bay. He was stronger, faster, and more durable. But Nubia had a lifetime's worth of training at her disposal. She also literally chinked away at his armor. Which made his powers unstable and increasingly out of his control. He barely managed to fly away.

Chief Man-of-Bats constantly evaded Black Scorpion's hair stinger and managed to close the gap so that he could render her unconscious.

"What an unusual gift," he remarked to himself.

BAGGU was forced into retreat under the dual pressures applied by both Cyborg and Strange Visitor.

Half of the Metal Men kept the JLers at bay while the other half formed contrivances to ferry off the unconscious Team Luthor agents and their armored wreckage alongside the vanguished Infinitors.

"Good riddance," Cyborg decided.

"Now comes the difficult part," Chief Man-of-Bats warned as a livid Captain Taggard stormed in on them with SCU officers ready to open fire at the slightest provocation.

"What is it with your police anyway?" Nubia huffed.


Baroness Blitzkrieg returned to find Trajectory about to sprint off into action again.

"We must check on the children," the Baroness urged, "The Masked Leader's scientists cannot get a hold of them."

"Ooo-kay…can you run up the side of a building?" Trajectory asked.

"I can do anything you can do," Baroness Blitzkrieg said haughtily.

"We'll see, won't we?" Trajectory raced off with Baroness Blitzkrieg on her heels. When they arrived at the penthouse floor, the Power Society was just complicating matters.


The Soviet Union had flung resources into creating a Russian counterpart to the original Vietnam era Captain Atom and Dr. Manhattan. Max Atom had been their success. And eventually their failure as he left the newly established but largely lawless Russian Federation. He came to work for the Power Society when they rivaled the Watchman after the disappearances of the JSA, the All Star Squadron, and eventually the American Crusaders.

The Justice Society re-emerged briefly in the late Eighties while the Watchmen dominated the super team scene in the United States. But left even as the team itself broke apart and left the Power Society as the American Crusaders before them, a government controlled meta-team. It was after this that Batman and then Superman first appeared followed by a young Barry Allen as the second Flash and a still clean-cut Aquaman patrolled the oceans. The American public would presume the Power Society was dead before the first Justice League came together before the advent of the Thanagarian invasion.

In these days, Max's daughter Anna was born, possessing his atomic powers. When CADMUS and Homeland Security were created, the Power Society was folded under their mutual control. Like every member of the Power Society, Max Atom's powers were fading. All except for Anna Atom's. But even still, with all his vaunted power and experience, Baron Blitzkrieg was a poor match for Max Atom. Except, that the Baron would cheat. As a lifelong meta-human recruiter, the Baron recognized Max Atom's cooling system for what it was. And he crushed the coolant rods. Max desperately flew into outer space before he exploded as a bright star in the mid-day sun.

Anna wasn't even yet aware of her father's absence. Machinenmensch was the Masked Leader's bodyguard and frequent lover. It wasn't ironic that Adolf Hitler was incapable of real human connections. So his lover and confidante was a machine designed to look human. But Anna blasted a hole through Machinenmensch's chassis, deactivating the gynoid. Baron Blitzkrieg was hardly concerned. He had a new upgrade already designed and built for the Masked Leader. And he took Anna Atom from behind unawares. He then decided that Anna Atom would be a prize to be collected and co-opted into the Fourth Reich willingly or not. Compliance would be rewarded after all.

Red Lightning had once rivaled Expressman for speed but in his declining years Baroness Blitzkrieg easily overwhelmed and killed Red Lightning. She saw Baron Blitzkrieg's triumph and vanished to race to the ground and locate her cousin, the other Baron Blitzkrieg.

Captain Freeze had never renovated his cold gun even the face of superior technology developed by the likes of Mr. Freeze and Captain Cold. So Captain Science easily killed the Baby Boomer by making Captain Freeze's own weapon freeze him and allow Captain Science to shatter his body.

The Astronomer had subdued Captain Plastic but the Masked Leader proved unaffected by his cosmic triangle. Seeing his friends perished or captured the Astronomer chose discretion over valor and simply vanished from everyone's reach as he ventured forth into the stars.


Lois attacked Linda. but Linda was more than capable of defending herself.

"Look you idiot, they're trying to steal your kids!" Linda pointed out that Reichers had summarily defeated the former Power Society.

"The hell with them," Lois snarled.


Trajectory disarmed Joe Public while Mia threw Geist off of the building.

"Uh...parlay?" Jon asked.

"Thsi isn't Pirates, you doof," Laura accused.

"No, but we've got other problems," Mia pointed at the Masked Leader, Baron Blitzkrieg and his prisoner alonmgside the Captains Science and Plastic.


Superman and Supergirl arrived to find the chaos.

"Lois? Mia?" Superman was astounded. The Masked Leader took the opportunity to punch Superman across the bay.

Mia grabbed Lois, "Let's go!"

"This isn't over!" Lois snarled at Linda while the twins cried and went to Linda. Trajectory propelled the Captain off of the ledge while Jon and Laura combined their powers with Supergirl's to repel the Masked Leader. The Baron wisely retreated while managing to contain Anna Atom.


"Is everyone all right?" Superman returned to sweep Jon and Laura into an embracing hug.

"The are sooo gone," Trajectory reported as she raced back.

"I'm too tired to really care," Supergirl confessed as Strange Visitor and Cyborg met them in the apartment.

"I think your lease just came up," Strange Visitor drolly remarked.

"We need to talk about Ace of Blades and Killer Frost," Victor warned Superman.

"Get everyone packed," Superman asked of Linda, "Colonel Trevor will get us into a safe house while the MLJ spins a story and collects the rest of our belongings."

"No one saw the kids us their powers, so your identity should still be safe and everyone will think Clark Kent's family was attacked to draw out Superman. Which succeeded," Linda offered.

"Good narrative. Have you considered becoming a reporter?" Superman asked, "I understand GBCTV is looking for a scence reporter."

"I'll think about it," Linda was encouraged.

"The twins can join Kenra in the Hall of Justice daycare with Tawky Tanwy and Uncle Dudley," Clark suggested.

"I'll take you up on that, mister," Linda was delighted to get her life back.

"The Zeta Tube on the roof still operational," Victor announced as he remotely scanned the equipment, "We can get everyone away quietly."

"C'mon everyone. Let's hurry," Linda urged. Packing up the twins took the most time but Jon and Lautra assisted Linda. Superman proceeded with Cyborg to get Wonder Woman and Chief Man-of-Bats released from jail. It seemed Captain Taggard was hesitant to incarecerate Cyborg but Nubia and Robert Great Eagle were charged with multiple counts of terrorism and for impersonating Wonder Woman and a vigilante. Colonel Trevor and Sue Dibney arrived within hours to serve Taggard, the SCU, the Metropolis Police Department, and the City of Metropolis both Federal District Court orders to drop all charges and to file civil suits against the before mentioned entities with discrimination and racial profiling. The FBI was brought in to determine if the arrests qualified as a hate crime since minorities alone were arrested out of all the JLers and Nubia alone was the sole Black woman on the team and Chief Man-of-Bats the sole Native representative present and Taggard argued back that she'd released the higher profile Cyborg. Which with the arrival of the news media had seemed to be bad optics for the SCU.

Taggard was personally pushing the Knightfall Initiative through the police department and City Hall. A proposal that NYPD Commissioner, former SCU Captain and former GCPD Commissioner, Maggie Sawyer was also spearheading through the NYC's City Hall. When adopted, Gotham City, New York City, and Metropolis would all fall under the same set of licensing mandates. But they were facing stiff opposition from the NYPD and MPD's union leaders.

But as Gotham had proven, the GCPD could be ignored even after the union took the city to court in protest over the legality of the mandates. The GCPD's efforts led by Commissioner Barbara Gordon, Detective Lieutenant Harvey Bullock and Detective Lieutenant Renee Montoya. The battle against the proposal in Chicago was led by none other than Captain Margo Collins and Detective Sergeant Sonia Alcona. Detectives Montoya and Alcona both mysteriously "returning from the dead" as Earth-5's history merged with Earth Prime's in the New Earth.

In their original histories, Alcona had still been Batwoman and a disgraced GCPD Detective- ergeant. Montoya had been the dying Vic Sage's successor as the Question. But in the Rebirth history Sonia had retired her secret identity at the same time Rocki Ballantine and Kathy Duquesne retired the costumed identity as well and Renee had never met Vic Sage or the Question and here Montoya was a respected police lieutenant in command of the GCPD GRU. The Gotham Response Unit was Gotham's answer to Metropolis' Special Crimes Unit. They were designed to take the place of Batman. Bullock was in charge of the Major Crimes Unit which handled the remnants of the Five Families and pedestrian heists and murders. Montoya got Intergang, the Syndicate Underground, and the costumed crazies and would-be Bat successors.

The Arkham Knight and Oracle weren't the only members of the Bat Clan to unearth where Batman had stored Batmobiles and Bat Bikes across the country. Barbara Gordon also had access to that equipment as the the original Batgirl. The Outlaws just reached outside of Gotham and the tri-city region first. Even then, Babs knew Jason Todd had been stymied on the West Coast when the new Bat-Man, Bat-Woman and Bat-Girl raided Batman International depots to acquire vehicles and Bat tools. Those acquisitions had startled the Commish as well so she routed the new Batgirl, Nightwing, Batwoman, and the Black Bat to Seattle where they purloined Bat equipment before the Huntress' Birds of Prey could unearth it.

Taggard was enraged but she could hardly argue with the Federal District Court. Nubia was enraged because almost every mission she went out on, she was arrested despite all of the UN press conferences decrying the fact. The MLJ's WEB Agency had opened a department to investigate racially motivated arrests of deputized meta-humans. Even Secretaries Waller and Bones had to admit it was a re-occuring problem. For Homeland Security, it meant that their Native American, Asian, and Black members of Task Force Z and other teams were frequently arrested by local law enforcement until their federal agency credentials could be cleared. Some of those agents, who could level entire cities, were getting irate over the increased scrutiny they faced versus their Caucasian counterparts. Especially when it seemed meglo-maniacal super villains were prone to be white.


"Other Lana said we could use her apartments for as long we needed," Linda promised Clark and the kids later that evening while they enjoyed the MLJ's hospitality.

"Trevor and Sue said they'd have a technical team there tomorrow to set up a Zeta Tube teleporter," Clark told everyone after his consultation, "In the meantime, I've spoken with Director Webb-Kane and you two are excused from Young Justice academy and training sessions tomorrow. But you resume on Tuesday"

"Billy Batson and Courtney Whitmore will be dropping by tomorrow while I'm interviewing with Galaxy Broadcasting," Linda advised the kids, "So don't give them a hassle. That means you, Laura."

"Where's all the love gone?" Laura bemoaned.

"Meanwhile, Sue's arranged for Clark Kent to give an interview regarding the attack on our home as well as Perry White let me write an editorial about increased white supremacist violence and the utter lawlessness behind Team Luthor and Infinity3's so-called 'intervention'," he explained and purposefully ignored Laura's lament, "I also wrote an interview with Superman regarding the useless attack on personal friends."

"I'm sure Lois will be writing the exact opposite at the Daily Star," Linda was irritated by that fact. She and Clark both had easily recognized Lois' writing style in the Daily Star's so-called "exposes" and given Lena's owning the paper, it seemed fitting somehow.

"I already have a copy of the Star's morning edition," Clark gave it to her, "She dropped the pseudonym and is attacking the Daily Planet itself as a Superman apologist rag."

"CatCo Magazine just released a defense of Superman and Supergirl," Laura was at her laptop, "Cat Grant herself wrote it."

"Good for Cat," Linda approved of the sentiment.

"Good luck with your interview," Clark offered before he left. Linda spared a thought towards Lois as she recalled Carol and Jane's rejecting her.


"Well, we're actually part of the Fourth Reich now," Killer Frost snorted.

"Wundebar," Ace of Blades said derisively.

"Trevor and Dibney skewered us after Claire made her explanation of how Lois Lane herself hired us to infiltrate the Fourth Reich," Frost continued miserably, "She's had to shut the office down."

"The Masked Leader and Baron Blitzkrieg called as well, welcoming us into the fold," Ace of Blades complained.

"We gotta pay the bills somehow," Killer Frost shrugged.

"Ach, but the Nazis? Again?" Ace of Blades was disgusted.

"So, we aren't true believers but at least Baron Blitzkrieg came through with cash," Killer Frost could forgive a lot of things for that. They'd had to abandon their apartment. Her promise to Godiva to reform irrevocably broken now.

"We shall get by, Geliebte. I promise you that much," Ace of Blades vowed.

"I know we will. As long as we're together," Killer Frost took the taller Ace of B;lades in her arms and passionately kissed her, "As long as we're still together we can conquer the world."

"That is what I'm afraid of," Ace of Blades admitted.


Lois opened her door to find Mia outside of it with all of her belongings, "This is a surprise."

"I can't live with that bitch. Not after the crap she pulled with the fam. She's gonna try and dissect me," Mia angrily griped.

"I can move my office into my bedroom and you can have the spare," Lois cheerfully offered.

"You're in a surprisingly good mood," Mia began hefting her bags even as Lois took some as well.

"I figured out how to kill Linda and Clark," Lois smirked triumphantly, "And then we'll see about Jon and Laura. Carol and Jane will accept me back as their mother or they die with the rest of them."

And this was why Mia wanted to move in. To tame Lois's ambitions.


Attributions and Notation:

In the Justice League DCAU Series I wrote in six-part story arcs within the mainframe of the overarching plot. The Justice League Beyond series will only be written in singletons, duologies, or trilogies. And as you can note, they're much shorter.

Nereid is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Jay Epps, credit.

The character of Doc Mettle was created by Scott Griffin and available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Doc Mettle in order that others may use this property as they wish.

BAGGU is an "Open-Source Character" and has been deemed so, specifically, for use by anyone by the original creator. The only rule about using him is that your work must have this notation:

"The character of the BAGGU is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving BAGGU, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."

Origin

Epitome is the perfect man.

Appearance

Whatever YOUR perfect man looks like!

Notes

Epitome is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.

"Earth-K, Anna Atom, and Max Atom were created by Michael P. and are available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Earth-K, Anna Atom, and Max Atom in order that others may use these properties as they wish."

"Red Lightning was created by Michael P. and Miguel Alejandro Neira Balbontín and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Red Lightning in order that others may use these properties as they wish."

"Captain Freeze was created by Michael P. and Miguel Alejandro Neira Balbontín and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Captain Freeze in order that others may use these properties as they wish."

"The Astronomer was created by Michael P. and Miguel Alejandro Neira Balbontín and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving the Astronomer in order that others may use these properties as they wish."

Ultaman is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish. You must also give creator credit.

First Appearance

Open Source Characters on Facebook (February 26, 2014)

Created by

Corey Grant

Mesmera is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creator, Vito Delsante, credit.

Ladyhawke is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante, Michelle Delsante & Uriel Duran, credit.

The Black Cobra (6) is an open source character created specifically for use by anyone. Feel free to use it any way you wish however, you must give the creators, Vito Delsante & Ricardo Vinancio, credit.