20
Superman was pushing debris and street cobbles before sweeping in, over, and through Argento City and even the fabled Kryptonian grew weary. Superman noted that the three columns of downed sailors began to cease their advance having passed the flaming trench. And inexplicably they began a measured retreat. Using his enhanced senses, Superman swept the sky and realized a light cruiser reassigned to the Talok system was assuming orbit and its missile ports were opening. As the enemy began withdrawing, Superman swept the horizon with his telescopic vision. No reinforcements were in the horizon. Looking to the skies above, he witnessed what would prove to be a second Dark Circle frigate. It was disgorging clusters that would prove to be missile pods. All Superman knew for certain was that even he, both Kal-El of Krypton and Clark Kent of Earth, realized he needed help in saving the inhabitants of Argento City and Talok VIII.
The Dark Circle soldiers began a disorderly retreat from Kameran. Barda was grateful. She was at the limits of her nearly Kryptonian endurance. Her mega-wand and Mother Box link were fueled by her life essence as she fired her weapon, opened boom tubes, and flew with her hover discs from site to site. She dropped to her knees and locked her elbows to prop herself up. Barda was close to collapsing when the enemy began to pull out. And as she used her living computer, Barda knew the Dark Circle warships were in orbit and deploying missile pods. So Barda attempted to communicate with her fellow JLers.
But Barda knew the Dark Circle wouldn't retreat just because of her efforts. As something even more dangerous was coming into play. And Barda was determined to meet this escalating threat head on.
Out at the coastal city of Sceranto, Wonder Woman had bathed the city-state with multi-covered blood representing the hundred of species represented by the Dark Circle's military. As the sailors fled, Artemis spied missile pods being placed above the city.
"Mistress, come to me," Artemis stretched forth her arm.
An axe even larger than herself came to her. She threw the axe at each pod as it returned to her after each throw. She finally plucked her axe out of the air as it returned to her. The axe vanished.
"Well done, Mistress. Now for Huntress," Artemis held out her arm and a golden bow appeared.
She leapt into the air and her Sandals of Hermes propelled her through the air pursuing the departing frigate.
Cascade and Network were successful directing the native snipers and tearing the Dark Circle sailors apart.
Power Girl landed amidst them, "They're getting orders to withdraw."
"She's right," Network's telepathy allowed her to confirm, "They're prepping for an orbital bombardment."
"They must finally have given up with cleansing the perceived heresy. Now they'll simply kill everyone or unleash the Rapture," Cascade predicted.
"Well, I'm not finished dealing out persecution," Power Girl pledged.
"Good, because we need to unleash unified boarding actions," Cascade decided, "Taryn, inform everyone."
"Can do, Rhian," Network grinned.
Cruiser was already back in the fight when Power Girl had dropped off Killer Frost. Finale seemed an unstoppable fury of lethal motion. But her relentless attack couldn't be sustained forever. So Cruiser telekinetically pulled Finale from the fray.
"You can't do any good to us if you're dead, Pahe Leilani," Cruiser chastised her.
"It is not my custom to take prisoners and I won't start now, Nicholas Helicon," Finale was irritated.
A torrential bombardment of ice daggers showered across the enemy troops. Killer Frost let herself surprise the Sovereigns as she made her presence known.
"I'm a death incarnate and I will not relent," Finale reminded Cruiser, "I killed all life on my home Earth."
"Fine with me," Killer Frost shrugged.
"And don't forget I decimated the Rapture's slaves on mine," Cruiser retorted.
"Has anyone been paying enough attention to notice the bad guys have left town?" Killer Frost asked, "And I certainly didn't scare them off."
"None of us have," Finale said angrily, "Which means there is a greater threat inbound."
Network telepathically updated every Sovereign and JLer as to the looming danger in orbit. As she tapped into more allied minds she was able to relay information. Few knew her knowledge derived from nearby minds and otherwise she was catatonic and unable to even speak.
It was quickly discovered that several Sovereigns and JLers were already familiar with the ships' intent and their deployable missile pods and internal missile tubes. They would release one pod one after the other and once spread the Dark Circle would eventually unleash hundreds of missiles simultaneously to kill every living organism on the planet. Presumably even Superman and Barda.
"We must prepare for the worst," Finale insisted.
"What we need to do is preemptively attack the ship and disable them," Killer Frost countered.
"I agree with her," Cruiser told Finale.
"I will settle for no less than outright destruction," Finale advised, "We'll muster our forces and then deal with the enemy simultaneously."
"And you won't detach from the group to engage in a private vendetta?" Cruiser asked. "We all will need to coordinate and cooperate to a infinitely greater degree."
"Very well," Finale was devastatingly disappointed.
"I know just how you feel," Killer Frost admitted.
Supergirl landed in the streets of Cyreno where Rampart and Indigo were engaged in an epic conflict. But they were, as of yet, unaware of her arrival. That was until she used her telekinetically boosted strength to level a city block with a single punch. Then she repeated the feat on a second neighborhood.
Rampart's force fields were buckling due to the tremendous strain he was enduring. Indigo led the resistance and they targeted key Dark Circle officers and noncoms. But everyone stopped everything when buildings started collapsing.
The city's design surrounded a magnificent central park. The enemy forces had reached the park and were now entrenched in it. But their lines were now reduced to one twenty-plus mile stretch. And the Dark Circle was having a crisis of faith thanks to Supergirl. They'd been certain their god, Darkseid, had sewn a hedge of protection around them. Now they didn't know what to hold fast too. Victory no longer seemed an absolute certainty. And for very good reasons. One of which alighted beside Rampart.
A notorious womanizer, Rampart saw Supergirl and was instantly attracted to her, "It seems Allah has blessed us with your presence, miladi."
"Get back," Supergirl brusquely ordered.
"Shouldn't we introduce ourselves to each other first?' Rampart applied all of his considerable charm to the effort.
"Move now!" Supergirl snapped.
Rampart was unused to women barking at him and giving him orders. Other than Cascade, "Very well."
Supergirl used her force vision this time around and crushed a twenty-mile column. Then she fainted. Rampart was ready and willing to catch her.
"I'm used to women falling for me but this may be too literal," Rampart laughed.
"I'd be very cautious. This one is haunted in the way when we lost our worlds," Indigo advised him.
"Then Allah will make me her savior, "Rampart boasted.
"Perhaps she doesn't want to be saved," Indigo suggested.
Matrix jerked out of Rampart's arm, "Don't ever touch me again. We still have work to do."
Supergirl flew off leaving Jaffar ibn Haroun Al Raschid hurt and confused, "How dare she."
"I think it's best to give her distance until she learns to trust you," Indigo added to his assessments.
Network connected with them both them and Indigo nodded in understanding, "Now you know the urgency of Supergirl's sentiment."
"And I will still prove myself a worthy suitor," Rampart promised.
"Or she could kill you where you stand," Indigo warned him, "Consider that."
Power Ring plowed through the streets of Thoron. Her Ring of Volthoom drank deeply from the groundswell of rising fear. The Dark Circle soldiers began to flee in a disorderly rout. Jessica Cruz didn't wish to complain but the development struck her as odd. She opted to join Reflex and Shadow Lad and their Resistance compatriots. She was curious as to whether they had any additional insights.
"Hola, you boys understand what just happened?" Jessica wondered.
"The Dark Circle is relentless to the point of suicidal," Shadow Lad explained, "They only retreat in the face of orbital bombardments from their own navy."
"Then we'd better get back to it," Power Ring opined.
"We are," Reflex reported Network's message.
"Gods! How can we go on after this?" Miss Bloss lamented.
"How can we not?" Race asked.
"How can you even say that?" Miri Raim demanded to know.
"Enough!" Carol Ferris snapped speaking as the Sapphire Queen of the seemingly defunct Star Sapphire Corps, "Our sisters died wholesale to defend Almerac. That mission still lies before us. And honoring their sacrifices leave us no other option.'
"Carol, the odds are utterly impossible," Miss Bloss whined.
"My father used to read me a story where a girl did ten impossible things before breakfast. Despite its fictional origins, that goal should be our credo for every day and situation," Carol insisted.
"Shall we disgrace our sisters' memory and everything they fought for?" Race snapped, "They saw their sacrifice as a fair exchange. What else is the nature of love? And what else is our ultimate purpose and crusade? We're meant to love all and strive to improve the lots of every sentients' lives. And in doing so, we elevate their thinking."
"But even if we survive, what happens afterwards?" Miri Raim wanted to know.
"The sapphires will choose those worthy of them. Then we will train a new generation of Star Sapphires," Carol promised, "It is our destiny."
"You don't have to follow me but I'm not stopping until this is finished one way or the other," Carol began to move off.
"Wait, I'm coming with," Race told Carol, "As for you two, observe that whoever that insane Almeracian commander was, they destroyed nearly two-thirds of the Dominator fleet. And the dimensional surge also disabled the psionics and Ring of Volthoom weapons. Just a thought."
Miri Raim and Miss Bloss exchanged glances and mutual shrugs, "We're coming too."
"I see you survived Gardner," Bekka observed.
"Glad ta see ya too, babe," Guy leered.
"Shut up and fight," Bekka growled at him.
She went for the Khund fleet and Guy grinned, "She wants me."
Now was the time the Lantern Corps truly felt the loss of the remnants of the Green, Red and Blue Lanterns as well as the Indigo Tribe. No one desired the arrival of the White and Black Lanterns or Agent Orange. The only known Power Ring was also viewed as an evil portent. And while Sentinel would have been welcome, the StarHeart powered Green Flame restricted Alan Scott to Earth.
So it was that the Fear Corps and the Star Sapphires joined Maxima's fleets as the Almeracians renewed their assault in defense of Almerac.
"The multi-phasic wave of radiation knocked out their exotic and short-range weapons," Maxima deduced from her staff's reports, "We need to close the distance and engage them at point blank range."
"They've split their respective fleets to flank us in a crossfire," General Flux warned.
"The status of our screening units' rearmament?" Maxima inquired.
"Their missile batteries are replenished," Flux reported, "They are returning to the forward area of battle."
"Is there any word from Kalea's task force?" Maxima need to know.
"No, Milady. We knew going in to this her forces weren't likely to survive the jump," Hobb took it with the calm of a lifelong soldier, "They may now be component atoms in the Rift between universes."
"Cold comfort, General," Maxima had to admit. But she knew Hobb's science was wrong. No physical force could remain in the Phantom Zone other than biological components. Those component atoms would be spread across the surviving universes, scattered by the vibrational dissonances that kept the Multiverse from merging into a single universe.
"Empress! A translation gate is opening and multiple bogeys are translating through," a section chief shouted to be heard over the din even with amplification.
Who could it be now?" Maxima was dismal.
"It's your daughter's fleet," Hobb assessed, "Or at least what's left of it."
Maxima saw every dreadnaught and battleship was lost. Nearly every battlecruiser as well. And, sadly such losses were expected owing to the vessels' greater jump capacity. But nearly every cruiser was intact and engaging what was left of the enemy.
And the translation into the enemy midst had destroyed half of their remaining forces. It was a bold move worthy of Kalea-El. Which gave Maxima a thin vestige of hope.
"Any report regarding if my daughter is alive?" Maxima tried to fan the flames of hope further.
"Not yet," Hobb studied the incoming transmissions, "Empress! Someone is transmitting using Kalea's code keys."
A relieved Maxima almost sagged to the floor. When the battle was finally won, she would. Now she just desperately needed to speak with her daughter.
"We have sporadic evidence of Lanterns aiding us," Flux informed her, "Nut no more than a dozen."
"Kalea said every Lantern would be present," Maxima was horrified.
"And we have no cause to believe otherwise, Milady," Hobb advised her.
"Almerac owes the Lantern Corps a blood debt," Maxima vowed, "We still seem outnumbered, General."
"Even with Kalea's bold sacrifices and the decimation of the Lanterns, we are still face more than parity," Hobb revealed.
"This will reach the point where we face down the enemy on our home soil," Maxima predicted.
"I have little doubts," Hobb confessed.
Hal Jordan arrived on Earth. Hal's intention remained stripping John Stewart of his power ring and forcing it upon Jessica Cruz.
"I think I'll getta triple caramel quad shot latte while yer busy," Kilowog announced.
"We're here on business," Hal grated as he studied the Hall of Justice with more than eyes.
"Look, this is yer fracas. You've become the First Lantern but that'll only cut ya so much slack," Kilowog warned him.
"I'll back yer play ta a point," Kilowog advised him, "Why are ya doin' this ta Johnnie Boy anyway?"
"Jessica Cruz was chosen as the next Green Lantern. Stewart has the only other power ring," Hal explained his imperfect logic.
"So give her yers," Kilowog suggested.
Hal was horrified.
"Ya ever think she don't want it anyhoo, Hoss?" Kilowog sharply inquired.
"I'll have her Ring of Volthoom," Hal promised.
Kilowog knew Hal had finally revealed the real truth, "An' if it kills her?"
"Whatever the cost," Hal vowed.
And Kilowog began to truly wonder if the Guardians of the Universe weren't the only ones to go psychotic recently.
"Have we identified the thieves?" Lena Luthor wanted to know from Mercy Graves as she stormed into the Everyman Project Ops Center.
"Individually and collectively," Mercy shared, "They're an entity labeled the 'Shadow Crusaders' within the MLJ Initiative. Our contacts within the National Security Council have been very forthcoming even if Gen. Latham's staff hasn't been."
"They're loyal. I even admire misplaced loyalty," Lena confessed, "Are they federal agents then?"
"In a very off the books way," Mercy told her, "They undertake blatantly illegal missions the very public Mighty Crusaders could never survive the resultant scandal."
"How is the TRAJECTORY Project coming?" Lena wondered.
"We're finally ready to revive Eliza Harmon," Mercy promised.
"I was very disappointed in the Retaliators' performance. 'Retaliators Ready' indeed," Lena snorted.
"American Crusader and the others have demanded extra training for an expected rematch," Mercy wore a cold smile.
"Good," Lena was feeling predatory. Perhaps Ultrawoman should join in as well.
US Sen. Henry Ballard had his Intergang minion released from the County Meta Detention Wing outside of Chicago. The arrest and arraignment records also vanished. All in time for Ballard to meet with Queenie Hart.
Goldilocks did the same for the Injusticers through a brutal one-woman assault. The effort endeared her even deeper into the Injustice Society hearts. With the Injusticers reunited, Goldilocks began to explain her goals and strategies.
She displayed their E Dial prize, "Attention me lovelies. This is what we fought for. And the good news is that there are three more. Right now, Queenie Hart is handing the other E Dial over to that wanker, Ballard."
She had their rapt attention, "Shadow Thief will nab Ballard's acquisition. The rest of us will travel to New York where the Dial H for Hero watches are stored in the Justice Society Museum. Once we have all four, we can name our opening bid when the Auctioneer sells them for us."
There was a general murmur of approval. But only Hazard, Mist, and Virtuoso knew the full scope of Goldilocks' plan and the lengths she would go to achieve them. That was why they'd attached themselves to her coattails.
KitCat invaded the Calculator's OS and enslaved his machines learning where he was located. Her next move was to infect his networks to pull his client list from him. Finally, she routed the FBI Cyber Crimes Division at him. Every score and contract he'd ever brokered or would was handed to the FBI.
The Shield skimmed the surface of the Puget Sound as he desperately tried to reach Seattle's ferry docks without sinking. His armor could hop an extended distance rather than fly. And it wasn't equipped with flotation devices. Even in the advent of a water landing.
War Eagle turned on the drowning Psi. Gayle Marsh had already strained her abilities having fought War Eagle and flying out to the straits between Washington state and British Columbia. War Eagle inflicted grievous wounds that knocked Psi underwater. She'd splashed down too far to swing to any nearby island. And her blood would draw sharks and orcas. Two predatory marine animals that populated the region.
"Ease off," Fox commanded Black Hood, "If you kill him in cold blood I will take your head off your body."
"You're lucky there's a witness I won't kill," Black Hood told Captain Boomerang.
"Oi, ya think ya could spring me?" Boomer asked Fox.
The resultant punch broke the Aussie's nose. Captain Boomerang sniffled as blood dripped from his nose. Black Hood was not amused.
"Should I file police brutality charges?" he asked.
"Bite me," Fox snapped.
John Raymond was amazed by Black Spider's tenacity. Web had bombarded his foe with microwaves from the rooftop communications array after he'd continually lost teleporter target lock. Someone else had manually commandeered the equipment. He knew the assassin's reputation and had to doubt his ability to overcome Black Spider.
But Jaguar lunged at Black Spider from the rooftop access stairwell. Her ferocity had him reeling. Sporting major lacerations, some life threatening, Black Spider fled.
"Don't mention this. Ever," Jaguar warned Web.
Which was fine. He didn't want to relive the past few moments. But he doubted his sleep would escape unscathed.
The bomb put into Enchantress' neck pulled free from her flesh, "I have other business to attend to."
Enchantress chose the House of Mystery as her destination. She had business with Dark Justice, the former Justice League Dark. The fabric of magic was unravelling and the DJ needed to address it before the UN government dispatched SHADE to apprehend or destroy the various mages.
"How am I…?" Inferno wondered how he'd been revived.
"`Cause I'm a frickin mechanical genius," Fly Girl was still reconnecting wires while Inferno's automated magnetic repair system reattached pieces and screwed them in.
"Thanks, I guess," he muttered.
"Look, you give me any grief and you can do this yourself," she grated.
"Sorry," Inferno was glumly remorseful, "I'm just tired of not knowing what and who I am."
"You know who you are, Frank. Just not what. Give it time," Fly Girl admonished him as she connected the last few loose wires, "Done."
The sound of fastening screws also stopped, "Seems it is."
A burst of flames jetted across the courtyard, "Now we bust bad guys."
"A symphony to my ears," Fly Girl's wings began to buzz as they lifted into the air and beyond.
"Where's Zoom?" Inferno grated.
Zoom shifted temporal fields to race around Katana as she swung her sword to no seeming effect. Then he dropped to his knees covered in blood and lacerations. He was astounded.
"How?" he had to ask.
She took his head off with a backhanded stroke, "Simplicity itself."
The SoulTaker drank his essence as Zoom died. She could hear his ghost scream as it was consumed. Katana found it deeply satisfying.
Silver Swan and carried Light out into the Puget Sound. Light was distraught, "Go ahead! Just drop me and let me die."
Okay," Silver Swan regretted murdering yet another person but Light had made the request.
Despite her fervent desire to commit suicide, Light still screamed as she plummeted until she hit the water. She slipped below the surface never to be seen again. Silver Swan shrugged off her regrets and returned to Destruction Island.
Shield apprehended the now compliant King Shark and Shrapnel as they returned to the island. They joined the equally captured Black Spider, Afterthought, Jester, El Diablo and Captain Boomerang. Afterthought began to shout a warning and then the bombs inside the Suicide Squad detonated, blowing their heads apart. Even Shrapnel suffered the same fate owing to the electromagnetic bomb he had instead of a conventional explosive.
"No great loss," Black Hood grunted.
"It's criminal!" Web angrily shouted at him.
Nightshade was relieved no one but Katana seemed to realize Karin's controller for the Task Force X explosive program was missing. That was because Nightshade had secreted it away after killing the Suicide Squad loyalists.
"There's fighting all around the island and in the station," Silver Swan reported.
"Then we intervene," Shield ordered.
Free Association was a rare type of assassin. Created through the means of psychedelic drugs, mental enhancements and behavioral conditioning. Free Association was actually twelve separate people who were united in a hive mind. Each member operated individually and collectively all at once.
Free Association had been developed by the United States Defense Department as a kill squad. But Free Association defected during their inaugural mission. They were rumored to be in the pocket of a clandestine far right association within the Senate.
Fighting American led the resistance within Liberty Station with Freedom and Speedboy acting as his generals. The trio was blithely unaware the same cabal responsible for Free Association was also responsible for Fighting American's development. It was a secret that would eventually come out whether by chance or intention.
James Gordon Jr. had correctly predicted Gen. Latham would be inside the MLJ Ops Center. But has he effected his entrance, Phantasm revealed herself. She plunged her scythe blade beneath his ribs. Next, he lifted him off of his feet to make certain his heart was punctured. Andrea was fairly certain no one would miss the sadist except for Waller.
Phantasm waved down the sentries and flagged Latham's attention, "General, we need to talk."
Superwoman knew Gross National Product from briefings she'd received as part of the Meta-Human Response Division. He was an early product of LexCorp's military sponsored Everyman Project test trials. Gross National Product, like so many of the recipients, was distorted in mind and body. His physicality warped to the point of making every spectator revile him in disgust.
And like so many other failed subjects, he liberated himself with the sole intention to avenge himself upon Luthor and the public at large for the inability, or unwillingness, to reverse the process. And so he fell in with the same cabal that ran Free Association.
Every failed grotesque desired a return to their normality. Which was physically impossible. But Caitlin Fairchild had developed a serum and radiation treatment that would suppress an activated meta-gene. It was intended to deprive criminals of their superhuman abilities. Fairchild herself included people who were gen active and no longer wished to be.
Gross National Product had an empathic ability to stir lust and greed in people. They would gorge themselves with excessive amounts of food. The victims would also strive to acquire whatever physical or monetary items that they secretly or not so secretly craved. But the most insidious aspect was the loss of sexual inhibitions. Men and women would force themselves on anyone they found attractive, simply couldn't run away or defend themselves.
Superwoman knew Waller had contracted with the Senatorial Cabal to supply beings that could and would inflict maximum damage. Lucy's alien suit harnessing unknown to human science energies afforded her protection from Gross National Product's power. But the MLJ security and field agents weren't so fortunate.
Superwoman easily dented a steel wall with Gross National Product's head. His altered physiology allowed him to survive. But the affected MLJ personnel united in an effort to gang rape Lucy. She used brutal but nonlethal force to dissuade them.
And then the Mighty Crusaders arrived on scene. And they weren't pleased.
Military Industrial Complex was another LexCorp castoff. His power influenced his victim's to seek and acquire weaponry and then use it directed at everyone else. The MLJ agents with Guardian forced him to shelter himself behind his shield.
The original Guardian had employed children as sidekicks. The Newsboy Legion would bring child endangerment charges in the modern era. But seeing the largely untrained Speedboy and Freedom fighting to assist the Fighting American caused Guardian to revisit the notion of dedicated assistants.
Waller hadn't contented herself with enlisting agents clandestinely supported and controlled by legislators. She'd also turned to performance art terrorists known as the Media Circus. Their objective was to create a mocumentary full of accusations and innuendoes "corroborated" by fabricated evidence. But they found their efforts stymied by those Shadow Crusaders present within Liberty Station.
Shieldmaster tried stopping Anchorman. The media terrorist narrated the conflict in sound bites. He wielded a microphone mounted at the end of a chain. And he was giving Shieldmaster hell.
"What would it take to shut you up," Dusty Madigan was sick to death of the incessant chatter.
"In other news, shield bearing criminal attempts to silence the press in a blatant flouting of the Constitutionally guaranteed right of free speech," Anchorman gleefully reported in an odd deadpan.
Shieldmaster allowed Anchorman snare him with the chain after "dropping" his shield to his feet. Anchorman lost his objectivity, "This just in! The terrorist has been captured!"
"You wish," Shieldmaster kicked the shield into Anchorman's face. The hatchet man released the chain to staunch his bloody nose. Shieldmaster's resultant punch knocked Anchorman out once he'd shrugged off the chain.
"So that's what takes to shut you up," Shieldmaster sighed.
Dusty's daughter, Denise, fought Sound Byte as Flag Bearer. Two factors made the inexperienced heroine falter. First was that Sound Byte was merely three feet tall and she was untrained in how to fight someone so small. Then, his sonic weapon shattered her principal one. Her staff crumbled into metallic flakes as she watched. But when she let go of her reservations, Flag Bearer learned Sound Byte was a techie and largely untrained in hand to hand combat. But she took great satisfaction in beating him senseless.
Jane Raymond faced her second enhanced opponent as the Web. Satellite Dish relied upon her namesake that she wore as a hat. With it she could project and receive tight beam microwave transmissions. That was useful in intercepting and broadcasting mobile phone calls, relaying information to and from literal satellites, and commandeering most military radio traffic including and up to missile command systems and UAVs. Satellite Dish also enjoyed the singular distinction of being the Media Circus' sole female member.
Microwaves were accelerated tighter wavelength electromagnetic emissions than radio and less so than infrared. They could excite water molecules and cause the atoms to vibrate and heat up. As such, they literally cooked from the inside out. So, Satellite Dish fully expected Web to die screaming as she bathed the teenager in focused microwave beams. Yet, she didn't.
Instead Jane marched on her. Liberally applying her martial training, Web knocked Satellite Dish senseless. Ripping the hat off of Satellite Dish's head, she discovered the gear was powered by bioelectric energy. In short, Satellite Dish's own brain and body fed the thing. Which Jane guessed had to be exhausting.
Jane hoped Satellite Dish's testimony to law enforcement and prosecutors would be discounted. The last thing Web needed was an entanglement with the Department of Meta-Human Affairs. Despite the Mighty Crusader's effort, Sec. Waller was a survivor and would likely keep her position. And she had a long memory regarding perceived slights.
Spin Doctor led the Media Circus' efforts. He was also a highly trained and adept acrobat. He'd been called a "Leaper" on occasion and specialized in the French martial art known as savate.
Marvel and Press Guardian stood back to back. When one moved, so did the other. Spin Doctor was increasingly frustrated as the pair fended him off.
Marvel finally shot him out of the air. Press Guardian was disappointed, "I wanted to do that. He makes a mockery of everything I stand for."
"Feel free," Marvel urged.
"He'll go into MLJ custody I suppose," Press Guardian ventured, "I wonder what happened to Hangman."
"Which one?" Marvel had to ask.
Eric Adams met with Robert Dickering atop the Space Needle. Hangman broke the silence, I knew you'd come. It was a certainty."
"It seemed inevitable," Hangman agreed.
"Your methods are soft and useless," Hangman accused.
"My methods, like my legal practices, achieve justice," Hangman replied, "I leave vengeance to you."
Hangman considered that as he changed the subject, "It appears your crow is far more than he appears. Tell me, is he also the mentality behind your actions?"
"Your master may be the Prince of the Power of the Air and Prince of this World but he is simply a creation and not the Creator. Have you wondered why he wasn't simply destroyed when he rebelled against the Almighty?" Hangman asked.
"On occasion," Hangman confessed.
"Because the Lord of Hosts wishes to display His infinite grace and mercy. You haven't died yet so you haven't been judged at the Great White Throne. You still have the opportunity to repent and accept Christ's gift of salvation. Otherwise you'll be damned to the Lake of Fire with your master at the end of the age," Hangman warned.
"It is too late for me," Hangman lamented.
"Satan doesn't control Hell. Select fallen angel are trapped thee as condemned prisoners. But Satan doesn't freely move in and out. He can't do anything against God's servants without permission and that permission comes with limitations of what can be attempted. Lucifer can't even assign you a target without permission from the Lord of Heaven," Hangman explained.
"So I have free will?" Hangman was incredulous.
"To choose Heaven or Hell, life or death," Hangman clarified, "You can choose salvation or damnation. But when you choose God's grace, you will choose to serve Him out of gratitude and love, not fear and coercion."
"This is too much. I refuse to believe any of these lies," Hangman snarled.
"Then you truly are lost," Hangman summoned a cloud to ride as he was led by his crow.
"I can't be redeemed," Hangman muttered as he watched the other Hangman depart. Yet, even that simple statement rang false somehow.
Red Hood emptied his pistols into Eraser. But the nebulous appearing being simply "erased" the bullets with sweeping swathes with his hands. Eraser lunged at Red Hood and "vanished" a large portion of the front door. Red Hood kneed Eraser in the groin and rolled over backwards onto his feet.
Using the magnets attaching spare magazines to his harness and belt, Red Hood reloaded and put a bullet in Eraser's forehead. The impact knocked the interdimensional assassin over. But Red Hood recognized that the bullet had made contact with his foe's head but seemed held against it without penetrating by some form of suspension field.
Eraser disintegrated the bullet and rose using several handholds. And Red Hood bore witness that Eraser didn't vaporize a single thing doing so. Which revealed the erasing effect was purely voluntary.
As Red Hood slipped back into the house proper, he began an assessment of the ongoing action the Outlaws were engaged in. Knave continued her struggle against Martial Law. Green Arrow and Speedy were making a systematically meticulous search for Persian. Ravager was God knew where. And Red Arrow was still MIA.
Eraser lunged at Red Hood from behind. He responded by spinning and clipping Eraser's temple with his pistol. Moving on, Red Hood pistol whipped Eraser until the man was dazed beyond comprehension. And finally, a blow to the gut, a knee to the forehead, and a pistol butt to the base of the skull put Eraser down.
Despite Eraser's nonsensical ramblings, Red Hood felt the MLJ could learn how he'd come to be in an interdimensional prison. And what had transformed him into his current self.
Knave fought Martial Law to a standstill. And disarmed him of every weapon. But he played turnaround and pulled her staff from her. But he was ill prepared for her batons. She broke his fingers to cause him to release her staff.
She then methodically broke every bone in his arms and legs as well as a few ribs. She finished it by fracturing his skull. Red Hood bore witness to the very end of the conflict.
"Damn, I hope I never piss you off," he confessed.
"Too late," Knave gave him a half smile, "But I let you live anyway."
"It's a long way from the Teen Titans, Red Robin," Red Hood reminded her.
"And let's keep it that way," Knave requested, "I'll check on Rose and you see to Mia and Conner."
"Yes, ma'am," Red Hood mock saluted her. He'd wondered why she hadn't contested him for leadership already. And he certainly wasn't prepared for when, not if, she did.
Deadly Force was dismayed as Ravager emptied her .50AE caliber pistol at him. Each shot damaged a supposed secretly vulnerable point in his armor. As his weapon systems sequentially went down, he wondered what Robert Downey Jr. would do at that point.
Ravager didn't bother reloading. Instead she drew her swords and went in for the kill. Something Deadly Force was now certain she could accomplish if he stayed. His boot and gauntlet thrusters weren't tied to an exposed system so he tested them and grateful discovered they still worked. He launched himself and flew out into the Nevada desert.
Rose heard clapping. She saw it was Beryl. Rose adopted a wry expression.
"Smart ass," she accused her girlfriend.
"Honest appreciation for the way you work," Knave promised.
"I could work you," Ravager offered.
"Promises, promises," Knave smirked.
"I had a word with Jason," Knave warned.
"That bodes ill," Ravager groaned.
"Not yet," Knave, "And maybe never."
"Y'know, you could talk dirty to me and get me even further in the mood," Ravager grinned, "This place has at least a hundred bedrooms. We could try out every one of them."
"If only," Knave sighed.
Ravager was disappointed but she'd expected that exact reply. Still, they'd managed to have sex in the Hall of Justice. Other than Shayera Hol and John Stewart, Rose suspected it was largely a first. And Red Robin had been exposed as a woman yet the JLers had kept that secret from the Teen Titans. So maybe there was hope for them after all.
"Where's Sazia?" Green Arrow wondered.
"Look at this," Red Hood said from the hallway.
He led the duo to the master bedroom which forsook a safe room in lieu of an elevator. It was presumed that it led to an off-site location. It was also assumed that Sazia had been whisked to safety.
"Damn," Speedy grumbled.
"What she said," Green Arrow concurred.
Knave arrived, "You all need to come with me. Rose spotted Emiko."
"Where?" Green Arrow anxiously asked.
"Outside," Knave answered, "It seems she dealt with the sniper."
"Show me," Conner Hawke demanded.
Mia Deardon was apprehensive. She still didn't trust Red Arrow. Emiko Queen had only reappeared after Ollie had died and left Queen Consolidated to Mia and various subsidiaries to Conner. She'd always expected trouble would come from Roy Harper but Arsenal seemed to besotted with Cheshire and working for Deathstroke to bother with Speedy and Green Arrow. Which seemed to imply Arsenal wouldn't try to claim a piece of Oliver Queen's legacy. So for now the troubling question was, what was Emiko's true motive for revealing herself?
And even more disturbing was why had Dinah Laurel Drake Lance, the former Black Canary and recently crowned Ra's al Ghul, sent Red Arrow to them. Was it a design orchestrated by Nyssa Raatko? Did the Leagues of Shadows and Assassins have plans involving Shado's daughter? There were just too many variables to count them all.
The group found Ravager standing guard over Red Arrow and the fallen Vigilante. Red Arrow appeared even more sullen and rebellious than ever before. Beryl could tell her lover was ready to lop Emiko's head off.
"Emiko, where have you been?" Conner asked his half-sister.
"Borneo then here," Red Arrow sullenly replied.
Mia thought it was an evasive answer since weeks had passed since Red Arrow vanished. She was relieved to see Jason Todd's native prejudices seemed to have precluded his accepting the story at face value. In fact, it seemed none of the Outlaws were accepting the story as its totality.
Knave checked on the unconscious Pat Trayce, "She's alive and waking up."
"That wasn't the plan," Red Arrow scowled.
Ravager crossed her swords around Vigilante's neck, "You can stop pretending, Pat."
"You really are Slade's daughter," Vigilante grinned as she was allowed to sit up.
"Just don't tell him that," Rose requested.
"You can let me go now. My target is long gone. I assume you figured that out," Vigilante said sardonically.
"We can trust you to pack it in?" Ravager asked.
"And why would she do that?" Red Hood inquired suspiciously.
"Call it professional courtesy," Vigilante offered.
"Call it you owe me a dozen times over," Ravager snidely replied.
"One thing, who hired you?" Knave asked sharply.
"Knightfall," Vigilante shared.
"Why?" Speedy wondered, "They're both members of the 100."
"She also steered us to protecting Sazia," Green Arrow reminded them all.
"She probably just doesn't want the competition in case of a power play," Vigilante suggested.
"And this just further muddies the waters," Knave complained.
Sazia's convoy had left Las Vegas proper and was headed out to cross the desert and head for the heartland on its way back to Boston. Suddenly there was a thud as the roof dented inward despite its reinforcement. Highway Patrol and Sheriffs vehicles surrounded the Intergang crew as a row of tire spikes blew the lead SUV's tires.
Blackjack stood by as police pulled her bodyguards out of the limo. Then he slid in beside her, "Ms. Sazia."
"My understanding was that you work with the local mafiosos," Sazia grated.
"I do. I also help them keep the peace with the Vegas Police Department. These folks just extended their courtesy in arranging this meeting," Blackjack advised her.
And who are you representing?" Sazia coldly asked.
"All of the above," Blackjack clarified, "No wants Intergang in Vegas anymore. And they will cooperate long to excise their presence."
"I see," Blackjack had to respect her cool reception of the ultimatum.
"Safe travels, Ms. Sazia. But don't come back. Otherwise I will have to kill you," Blackjack got out and closed the door. It was plainly apparent her protective detail and their vehicles were staying in custody. She supposed she should have to settle for being grateful she still had a driver.