Justice League Realms: DCAU Series Part 26

by Loki's Son

Embattled on six fronts, the JLU works with allies from across the United States, across the stars, and across interdimensional Earths. Heroes from across the DCAU are called to action to face threats to everyone on Earth Prime and beyond.

10. Chapter 10

44

Superman absolutely objected to the methods Zazz, whose actual gender escaped Clark, and her (?) associates as they launched a seemingly long anticipated uprising. He finally understood Zazz's origin. She (nominally at least) was one of Zazzala's drones. Queen Bee had deployed thousands of her drones to infiltrate criminal organizations and prepare them for Zazzala to reunite with the drones and conquer a world. And every drone was named Zazz.

The criminals went street to street, building to building, assassinating Dark Circle soldiers and civilian Faithful. Superman streaked around trying minimize the killing. He was angry that Barda had simply vanished. Without her Mother Box interface, he'd require help to leave Rimbor for an unknown destination.

Rimbor's smuggler and pirate networks recruited help from beyond the solar system. Six hours after the uprising began, it ended in a bloody morass. The Dark Circle's screening units, two destroyers and two frigates, had suffered Believer and conscript mutinies and control over the warships was given to the criminal captains. Fortunately for the rebellion, they agreed to assist the revolt. And the smuggling vessels and pirate warships were also committed into united service.

"Well done, Kryptonian," Zazz had secured her position as planetary warlord.

"Tell your Queen we'll be ready for her return," Superman tried to be intimidating.

"Whoever said she left your mudball?" Zazz laughed.

---

Superman lifted off to meet with the agreed upon senior pirate captain outside a commandeered warship. In fact, she led the four occupying pirate captains. Clark was unfamiliar with her species. Her kind weren't in Kenex or the Fortress' data files. And she wore three dots in a familiar pattern.

"Brainiac?" he asked in shock.

"Brainiac 8 to be precise. But you can call me Indigo," she said all bubbly.

"I just met an 'Indigo'," Superman cautiously revealed. Her skin color was the same. But the magenta hair definitely wasn't.

"Hir kind live in this universe as well. They're just no longer dwelling on Earth," Indigo told him.

"Kara told me all about a Brainiac 5 in the 31st Century," Superman still wasn't certain of what to say.

"Querl Dox is something of an ancestor of mine, but not really," Indigo replied and then sighed, "Vril Dox's dad met with Brainiac, the Kryptonian AI that threatens everyone he ever meets. Somehow he impressed Brainiac and was given a mission to compile data. Calling himself Brainiac, he went on a mad quest of plunder and conquest. He also developed the biotech that enhanced his brain."

Indigo continued her story, "Vril Dox, or Brainiac 2, is that man's son. And Colu worships at his feet as they attempt to fuse biogenesis tech into their bodies. Querl is his great-great-great grandson. I came a few generations later after the Dox family line died out. They manipulated their minds. My entire body is techno-organic."

"But Coluans are green," Superman pointed out.

"Green has been done to death and I could choose any skin color I wanted. So I'm blue," Indigo was giddy.

"How old are you?" Superman blurted.

"Well, that's rude," Indigo retorted.

"What I mean is, you act like a human teenager," he explained.

"I pretty much am one," Indigo revealed, "My neural net processes data and input faster than any simply organic mind can. But my emotive centers and responses develop slowly. Like a child blossoming into a teen,"

"Just a warning, most organics don't consider adolescence a flowering," he advised her.

Indigo scrunched up her face, "I'll take it under advisement."

"Could you outwit Lex Luthor?" Superman suddenly asked.

"Sure," Indigo breezily promised, "What's a Lex Luthor?"

Superman face palmed.

"What did I say?" Indigo was baffled by his reaction.

---

Power Ring cracked open the floating fortress that commanded all ground and orbital defenses. Thew Imskans used jet packs and their miniscule size to penetrate the openings. But what happened next would haunt Jessica for all time. For someone with PTSD and social anxiety, she was in exactly the wrong place.

An Imskan would shrink to their smallest limit. Then they'd flew up through the enemy soldiers' nasal passages. Nestling into the varied cranial cavities, they'd trigger their growth. The resultant pressure shattered skulls and blew gray matter and bone shards everywhere. And the Imskans wore the gore as badges of honor.

The first time Jess witnessed this, she vomited projectile bile. Eventually she merely dry heaved after emptying her stomach and her upper GI. Several Imskans tried to comfort her but the sight and smell of brains and other matter just caused her to revert back to heaving.

"S'kay," Jessica weakly assured them, "I ate light."

But her reaction never lessened as she followed the Imskan invasion. Finally she held back to give herself a break. But when she was summoned to the station's command deck, the sight of all the headless corpses and chunks that used to be parts of people made her remember her damn sister's obsession with horror movies. And she wretched absolutely nothing again.

"You're not used to this," the Imskan assault commander observed.

"What was your first clue?" Jessica snidely remarked.

"We've studied how your ring absorbs fear. Your discomfort is probably a feast to it," the commander warned her.

"I've never done well with blood and guts. Even imaginary ones," Jessica admitted.

"Yet you're one of the few surviving Power Rings," she couldn't understand it.

"Yeah, I'm…" Jessica abruptly stopped that thought, "What do you mean 'one of the few'?"

"The Dominators collected most of the Rings of Volthoom," the commander explained, "But a handful escaped capture and chose new hosts. How could you not know this?"

"I'm usually the last one told about anything," Jessica ruefully shared, "And my 'fellow' Power Ring Corpsmen probably all want to kill me."

She chuckled at Jess' dry humor, "Something to look forward to then."

Jess' ring flared to life but only she could hear it speak, "`Scuse me. It always interrupts."

The commander wondered if Jessica had vomited a little too much. But she gave her space.

The ring insulted her by complaining that she'd stopped gorging him. Thank you very much. And it had received rendezvous coordinates. So Power Ring made her farewells.

---

Killer Frost led the ground attack against the Dark Circle fortress. Made of ceramics to spoil the Braalians' magnetic powers, it also shielded against extreme temperatures. But as she dropped temperatures to absolute zero, a condition impossible existing in a sun warmed atmosphere, Wonder Woman used Mistress, the mother of all axes, to shatter the walls. The Braalians would invade the metal interiors.

This process was accommodated five times, once for every continent, through the use of flying cars. Whether they were self-propelled or levitated by their escorts didn't matter to Killer Frost. Artemis at least had her Sandals of Hermes to fly her around. Throughout her life, Louise Lincoln had hid behind safe little facades. The greatest of which was her sexual identity. With Crystal Frost's death, that all snapped. Now Killer Frost was out and proud.

She'd already noticed that the near death, then certain enslavement, experiences common to Braalians had instilled in them a profound desire to avoid wasting life by avoiding their hopes, desires, dreams, and especially their sexualities.

In what seemed like days but was really mere hours, the JLers had assisted the Braalians in liberating their planet. And it truly was a native effort by colonists. Killer Frost and Artemis had merely ignited the spark of a tinder box of a revolution.

Krinsky came to them, "Vril Dox has sent rendezvous coordinates. We have a captured attack ship standing by to deliver you."

"Attack ship?" Artemis wondered.

"Pretty much a submarine in space," Krinsky explained, "They're the fastest, and rarest, ships in the Dark Circle fleet. Think stealthy hunter-killers."

"Will we meet any in battle?" Artemis hoped.

"Possibly. For sakes, I pray you won't," Krinsky admitted.

"Thank you for everything," Killer Frost interrupted, "Say goodbye to your husband and wife."

Krinsky knew Killer Frost realized her polyamorous relations extended beyond a wife and husband. Her "family" included several people and couples beyond the pair she always found the greatest love and safety in. For the most part her partners weren't jealous of one another. But with such a small planetary population eventually everyone would be forced into what she had willingly adopted just to propagate the species.

Artemis and Killer Frost met the transport that would take them to the attack vessel. Artemis was sullen. Odd, considering her tribe of Amazons practiced polyamorous relations. She wondered how much Steve Trevor had to play in this reflection. More to the point, how understanding was Trevor and how accepting?

The Dark Circle had prepared for uprisings in a single canton or even two. But the entire planet exploded in violence. Indigo's pirate ships descended on the orbiting fleet units. She herself was delivering Superman to Dox. But only a portion of her fleet had engaged the enemy at Rimbor. Those events had primarily been the responsibility of the Smuggling Guild. Blockade runners raced ahead of the pirates to preemptively lash out at the Dark Circle.

The pirates set a picket around Zuun. The blockade runners sallied forth to meet with the LEGION. One of them transported the Sovereigns.

---

"Lyrissa, I can't afford to lose you at this juncture," Brainiac 2 argued with the elder Lallor.

"Lydea is staying," she reminded.

"That's why I need you to stay. She and Stealth are always at each other's throat," Vril complained.

"What's a little attempted murder amongst terrorists?" Lyrissa snidely inquired.

"We aren't the REBELS anymore. We stand for something greater now," Vril insisted.

"Your ego, perhaps?" Lyrissa sneered.

"It doesn't have to be this way," Brainiac 2 protested.

"Did you tell Lydea that when she caught you sleeping with Stealth? Or was it you telling Stealth when she caught you having sex with Lydea in the escape pod? As I recall, she nearly disemboweled you. How those micro-sutures coming by the way?" Lyrissa growled.

"I admit I made mistakes," Vril said desperately.

"Stealth and my daughter were mistakes. Cheating on me with my daughter goes waaay beyond the pale," Darkness flowed around Lyrissa's hands.

"I need to pass on my techo-organic material," Vril begged.

"Try your own species next time," Lyrissa sealed the launch bay doors. The courier taking her back to Talok VIII launched immediately thereafter.

"Aw, mommy-kins just doesn't understand," Lydea said from where she'd been spying.

"Are you underage ?" Vril asked.

"Not on my planet," she snickered, "Otherwise Lyrissa would've simply killed you. At least I got to stay. Back home I'm betrothed to my cousin."

She saw his expression, "Don't be parochial. How else do the Shadow Champions keep it in the family but by…keeping it in the family."

"This isn't how I saw it to be," Vril complained.

"You saw Brainiac 8 and thought, 'by my electronic gods! I should mate with a Talokian'. Right?" Lydea snickered.

"Something like that," Brainiac 1 admitted.

"Hey, you can poke around in me anytime you want," Lydea offered, "But I don't think you'll get as generous an offer from either Stealth or Mummy."

"Thanks," he said sullenly.

"Brainy, our guests have finished arriving," Phase said as she came through the door.

"Why did you call me that?" Vril was perplexed.

"It seemed right," she explained.

"Don't do it again," Dox stomped through her.

"I'd say he ain't gettin' any but he's actually had too much," Lydea laughed as she went out the doors that had opened for Brainiac 2.

Phase hoped that when she got her memories back she'd finally understand the relevance of such stupid sounding comments.

---

"The Justice League is adamantly opposed to killing for any reason," Superman thundered.

"Than just forget to save a few," Brainiac 2 suggested, "Where is your New God companion?"

"Out," he said stiffly.

"Out with her never dead husband to be precise," Vril activated a holo-channel where Barda and Scott Free clung to one another while Funky Flashman announced the end of the Mr. Miracle Interstellar Tour. Superman was horrified. He'd cavorted with a married woman. A woman that had shown him sexual gratification like no one except Lashina ever had. What was it about Female Fury leaders? He'd never been so openly excited by pain and humiliation before.

What would Ma and Pa think of his secret? It was no little wonder why he'd cum for Mala all those times.

"Where's Matrix?" Jessica asked.

"Ah yes, the Supergirl," Vril was pleased someone had though to mention her, "Shadow Lad suggested a mission particularly suited to her talents. She is deep undercover on Papal Center. Her mission is to solve our greatest riddles: who are the Papal Father and the Holy Mother?"

Killer Frost was horrified. Mae was her closest friend in the JLU. Power Girl recognized it as a power grab. Dox wanted to extend his personal authority over the resistant JLers and the even more resistant Sovereign Seven. She strongly suspected either he or the new Indigo had already made those deductions.

---

Hal had been amazed to find Carol kept an entire wardrobe in his size. Remoni-Notra was taking him out. Since he could drive, the chauffeur would be unnecessary. The entire staff was enjoying their month off. Hal's international driver's license still awaited him on the bureau stand.

When he saw Remoni-Notra, his eyes nearly burst. Carol's clothes were two sizes two small at the waist and bust. And the fabric, buttons, and clasps were all straining. She was irritated that she couldn't pour herself into anything leather. And he'd discovered she was refraining from using her power ring in order to avoid detection from any surviving Lanterns of any spectrum. But from their mutual experiences only John and Kilowog had lived as well and neither had a power ring any more.

A designer happily provided "Carol" with a piece after a fitting for designs to be adapted and go into production. This happened several times, including with Lana Lang's design firm. So Remoni-Notra ended taking several outfits home. A month's supply was being stitched together and every designer got to add "Carol Ferris" to their client list. A win-win for everyone involved, particularly the designers who accepted their exorbitant fees up front.

"Why do you sound Public School English since we left the manor?" Hal could finally ask.

"Because of this," Remoni-Notra removed her choker and sounded French again, "Carol has an annoying voice. But I need to copy it on Earth to appease the peasants that work for her."

Hal had always enjoyed Carol's voice. And the staff were hardly peasants. Sure, some of the families had served the Ferris clan generationally, but that didn't make them any less. Rather, their devotion to service made them exemplary.

He began to wonder if her reluctance to use her ring came from wanting to hide. Or if it was a fear that she couldn't use it. A Star Sapphire ring required one to love unconditionally. And after the horrors that Remoni-Notra had seen, maybe she couldn't anymore.

---

Sue threw open the double leading to the Executive Conference Room, "Argh!"

"I think that's typically my line," Shayera struggled to keep up. Eight months of pregnancy had ruined her body in her opinion. No matter what John said. She'd hurt less with broken bones and blood gushing. And no one wanted her to get irate about her new center of balance. She'd kill someone to get an honest Thanagarian creche in here.

"What a time for Hula Hula to run back home to the FBI," Sue grumped.

"Here's the collected intelligence reports from every concerned agency and entity wanting Iran repelled in its attempt to invade Bailya," Shayera plucked a digital display off of her tablet and threw into the main holo bank as the computer received the incoming data.

"And why is that?" Trevor had to wonder, "Bailya is an active nuclear aggressor. Iran is a covert offender."

"And we're starving innocent people trying to prove that," Ralph decided as he came in.

"I think we can agree that the Republican Guard is crazy enough to carry football nukes across the world to meet Allah in a nuclear fireball," John grumbled, "And this is exactly the type of situation the Justice Society was chartered to avoid. Where the hell are the Mighty Crusaders? Hell, where are the Shadow Crusaders? Or even the fraggin' Suicide Squad?"

"Task Force X is even further off of the grid than ever before," Shayera reported, "Rumors state new convicts have joined to replace catastrophic losses inflicted by the Mighty Crusaders and other Squaders. It seems Gwen Cormaugh is on the run from Amanda Waller."

"So she could still be a good guy with a new job outside of the Justice League or ISA," Sue deduced.

"Gwen contacted me to arrange a meeting with Jack Latham," Trevor finally shared.

"Could you have possibly delayed too long with that info?" Sue sounded weary.

"It's as bad as our own team calling off the mission," John griped, "Only Stargirl and STRIPE finally volunteered two hours after we cancelled it."

"I doubt Courtney and Mike actually wanted to go," Ralph opined, "But they're enthusiastic and they're loyalists."

"And the others?" John was looking for a target.

"John, it's hard for either of us to grasp at times, but this isn't a collection of soldiers. They're civilians. Hell, they're volunteers," Shayera reminded him, "They're free to walk away at any time. We're just damn lucky that they don't do that more often."

"What about Anna?" John persisted.

"Anna Fortune was a plantation belle that survived the Civil War. But it left a mark. A mark so severe she followed Nabu through the ages training to be an Agent of Order," Sue verbally squashed him, "Try and imagine being a Southern woman during Union raiding parties. Parties that would threaten to gang rape Anna and her sisters. We have no idea how she responded to those threats."

"We know how she responded to her fiancé killing her colored lover," John grated.

"The mere fact she loved a black man gives her credit in those charged times. And it was a death sentence for him. Something Anna copes with every day," Trevor interjected, "Team 7 survivors know something about trauma."

"So we're sitting this out?" John was disgruntled.

"Do you see volunteers clamoring to go?" Ralph asked.

---

The All Star Racer flew across the ocean and headed across Europe to fly over the Caspian Sea on approach to Bialya. Young Justice had been briefed and were receiving last minute instructions.

"Any questions?" Green Lantern asked.

"Why exactly are we propping up a dictator that nuked the world?" Superboy asked.

"What he said," a irritable Wildcat added.

"And why are we considering this a training mission?" Flash wanted to know.

"We can't stay in a glass bubble," Wonder Girl complained.

"Speak for yourself," Arrowette was the least confident team member. Muggers and murderers were fine for her. But fighting an army?

"How bad could it be?" Kid Flash inquired.

"Bad," Miss Quick rebutted her brother.

"Bailya serves as a deterrent to local aggression," Mr. Terrific answered as Hawkman and Hawkgirl relieved him in the cockpit, "Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan all have remnants from the Soviet stockpile of nuclear bombs. Supposedly they've been neutralized by international inspectors but no nation ever completely disarms. Russia is the second greatest nuclear power. Iran is their client and has publicly declared intentions to build bombs with the technology and materials. Ideologically their goal is to bomb Israel into nonexistence, disregarding the lives of the Palestinians that live there."

"And Bailya actually launched," Miss Martian held onto that point.

"And if the Crimson Queen is willing to do so, then every nation need fear her," Dr. Fate told her.

"Who's under that helmet anyway?" Miss Quick asked.

"Ah jist don' git it," Jinny Hex admitted, "Why us?"

"We're the only ones available," Red Robin told her, "That either makes us very valuable or very expendable."

"Ah only `greed ta leave Texas to join y'all `cause mah great-great-granddaddy suddenly popped up lookin' pretty damn healthy. Him an' a posse callin' themselves the Rough Bunch are at a troubadour fella named Greg Saunders' spread. They're lookin' ta git back in the saddle and make life miserable fer wrong doers," Jinny explained, "Ah was sent here ta practice up so's Ah kin join up."

"But we're pleased to have you with us," Dr. Mid-Nite promised.

"You have a great destiny awaiting you," Sand prophesied.

"Uh…thanks Ah guess," Jinny wasn't certain how to respond.

"I know why I'm here," the cowl/mask Red Robin wore obscured his features. Spyral Agent 37, Dick Grayson, had tracked Anarky down. And Agent Grayson realized Ulysses Armstrong was attempting to better the world in the only way he knew how. So Dick used his own funds to equip and train the next Red Robin. He assumed Beryl Hutchinson was done with the alias.

Then he brought Ted Grant into it. It was Ted's idea to bring Ulysses into Young Justice where he could learn, practice and train beside others his age. Conner, Cassie, and M'gann had known Beryl as Red Robin. But it was obvious to them this Red Robin was a complete stranger.

It was Ted that alerted the adults that Ulysses had begun training a corps of Robins using Grant's Gym. The Robins would be teenage street level vigilantes. It didn't help that Spoiler had discarded her entire persona. Stephanie Brown had rebuilt herself from Spoiler to the new Robin. She had Rocki Ballantine and Kathy Duquesne's support and Barbara Gordon's ire.

Which news of a new Batgirl had only added to Barbara's irritation. She'd tracked Carrie Kelley down but the new Batgirl was elusive. She'd even finished college vie online classes. And Barbara, the former Queen of Computers, couldn't even tag Carrie's IP address. Her hacker alias had been Oracle. But even that had been stolen from her.

"The UN rules of engagement are simple," Green Lantern announced, "No one crosses the border. In any direction."

"Which means the obvious," Flash continued the thought, "The Iranians don't invade and neither do the Bailyans."

"So everyone is our enemy," Superboy groused, "Just great."

"Just who is leading them teams?" Wonder Girl decided to ask.

"I'm Chairman of the JSA," Green Lantern reminded everyone, "But we've decided to split Young Justice into individual assignments. Cassie you're in overall command. Red Robin is your deputy."

Even Stephanie twitched at that announcement. Even the newly dubbed Robin had no idea who was under that cowl. She did know about his street army being built to battle the Jokerz. And it got a lot of teens out of life wrecking situations. So she decided he couldn't be all bad.

With the new additions to Young Justice, many familiar faces had transferred to a new, independent unit called the Outsiders. This had been older teens and young adults far more used to their powers with far greater control. Apparently it was legacy team since the first one had been decimated in a trap. And they'd been betrayed by Red Hood, who had led them blindly into it.

Cassie, Conner, and M'gann had heard Batgirl would be joining Young Justice. And Robin had convinced Harper Row that Bluebird needed a workout. Word was that Black Cat's protégé, Black Kitten, would arriving. Roxy had snuck a list of candidates to the entire team.

Others were the new Blue Beetle, Catwoman's trainee, Catgirl, Static from Dakota City, and the infamous Black Bat from Hong Kong. Those with less name recognition were Zachary Zatara, Zatanna's younger brother. Apparently there was a Victory Girl and her teammates, the Liberty Belles. A complete unknown was named Tefe Holland, whether that was a code-name or not. They knew Wendy Jones but didn't know if Windfall's loyalty would be with the team or her sister's memory.

"The point ista avoid a fraggin' war breakin' out on our watch," Wildcat stressed for the young heroes.

"I don't know what use I'll be in a desert," Obsidian complained.

"Do we even know who or what we're up against?" Jade was nervous.

"Iran keeps its meta weaponization program as quiet as Bailya does," Jonni Thunder remarked.

"Helluva first mission," Tarantula groused. She was the latest adventurer to have the name since World War II.

"I agree," Whip strongly concurred. Her great-grandfather had served with All Star Squadron.

"And I can't help but notice you treat me like furniture," Robotman had been created to save Dr. Robert Crane's dying brain when the poisons had made saving his body impossible. A moniker Cliff Steele had avoided since being resurrected and made part of the Doom Patrol.

"We're sorry, Bob. But we're just getting to know you," Flash said.

"I'm with Green Lantern's kids on this. We're in over our heads," Robotman stated, "And I don't swim very well."

"What about that Knight person?" Superboy interrupted.

"Sandman has business with Sir Ystin," Dr. Fate spoke.

"'Sir'?" Kid Flash scoffed. This Shining Knight is a girl."

"Don't say that to her face," Shira warned Barr.

The Racer suddenly banked hard. Robotman dented the cabin, "What the hell?"

"Strap in," Hawkgirl's voice echoed through the intercom, "We're taking fire."

"I don't wanna die," Arrowette fussed.

"I'm already dead," Secret replied nonchalantly. That was her official DEO designation. And no one seemed able to disprove it yet.

"Who's firing?" Green Lantern could heard from the cockpit.

"Bailya," Hawkman grated.

"And we're trying to help these bozos?" Arrowette asked.

"We're not exactly an easily identified aircraft," Sand replied.

"Take her down!" Green Lantern ordered.

The All Star Racer transformed into submarine mode and dove into the Caspian.

"Um…is it supposed to be this disgusting?" Kendra asked.

"I am not swimming in that!" Arrowette shouted.

"When we near the shore I'll deploy the treads and we can roll up onto solid ground," Carter announced.

"I'll teleport ahead and get the Crimson Queen to stop her damn shooting," Michael Holt vanished in a flash.

"And he left us behind," Hawkgirl grumbled.

---

The Shadow Crusaders were assisted by the PATRIOTS and the People's Heroes in fighting off the UN's Justice League Task Force. Of course, the Task Force all really served their own interests while unwittingly being forced into Max Lord's service. The first Task Forcers to encounter MLJ agents were the Changers, terrorists who wanted to remake the world in their own conflicting images. Teamwork was not among their priorities.

Blind continued his fight with Captain Flag, his eagle named Yank, and the near elderly Captain Commando. Captain Commando being the last of his unit of super soldiers to fight in the Korean police action. Blind was proving to be an expert martial artist.

Captain Flag wasn't a piker by any means but he was outmatched. Captain Commando was just too old to be effective against Blind. But Yank was the saving grace. Blind couldn't "see" him until it was too late to fend off the raptor's talons.

Yank eventually tore into Blind's chest and he begged for mercy while the eagle shredded him with his razor-like beak. Captain Flag pulled his friend off and Captain Commando subdued Blind. Calling in a retrieval from Carol Ann Strander, Captain Commando drew his sidearm and guarded the prisoner.

"I am officially too old for this now," Captain Commando decided.

"Nonsense," Captain Flag protested, "You did better than I did."

"Experience, lad. Besides there's a younger fella that's already been assigned my code-name. Shows you what the government thinks of me."

"But you've inspired millions," Captain Flag argued, "You can't retire."

"I've almost waited too long as it is," Captain Commando countered, "My inspiration now can be that I survived to enjoy the peace I've fought so long for."

"Then I really do hope you enjoy it," Captain Flag was honest as he relented.

"It'll be your turn someday and you'll be twisted in knots too," Captain Commando predicted, "But those knots need to be unraveled."

Blind wanted to puke from more than the pain.

---

Hypodermics sprouted from all across Doctor's mechanical parts, "Just a little sedative to help you sleep forever."

"There's a glowing recommendation," Denise rolled her eyes.

"Stay focused, Flag Bearer," Shieldmaster insisted.

"Let me guess, father and daughter?" Doctor ventured.

"Good eye," Dusty growled.

"I actually am a physician. I just discovered a better standard for health," Doctor boasted.

Shieldmaster smashed his Amazonium shield into Doctor's chest cavity. He was brutally swatted away. Denise was incensed.

"No one bags on my dad but me," Flag Bearer warned him.

"And what will you do, poppet?" Doctor laughed.

Denise thrust her staff into his exposed internal workings. Her insulated gloves spared the discharges that left Doctor's parts smoking and locked up, "I guess that's your power supply, Doc. Or was."

"I don't believe it," Shieldmaster admitted.

"Great vote of confidence," Denise sarcastically complained.

"You really have grown up," Dusty finally realized, "I guess it's time to embrace that reality."

Flag Bearer punched his shoulder, "Took you long enough."

Doctor wished he could self-terminate. Familial bonding was disgusting to witness.

---

Firefly laid down a flamethrower barrage while American Shield awaited his opportunity. While Engineer's parts began to fuse, Firefly ran out of fuel. American Shield used his namesake to lop off Engineer's head.

"This has so convinced me to retire," Firefly had served his country since Vietnam.

"I'm thinking the same. A discharge would free me for private contracting," American Shield wasn't even thirty yet. A young age to be disillusioned.

"Are you certain, Steven?" Firefly had to ask.

"I've never been more so," Steven Barnes answered. He'd already accepted an offer from the mercenaries known as the Gun Club that had worked for former Gen. Marian Higgins and now primarily served Arvell Hauser.

"Good luck then," Firefly shook his hand, "One last Oh-Beer-Thirty when the day ends?"

"You're buying," American Shield insisted.

---

Doc Strong delivered his strongest blows to High. But his fabled strength had been fading for two decades. He found it gawdawful annoying that Mr. Midnight simply zapped him with cosmic energies with a wave of a hand. High simply folded in on himself.

"You're welcome," Mr. Midnight announced before flying upwards into the stars.

"Showboater," Doc Strong grumbled as he mentally began his retirement discharge paperwork.

---

"She's invoking deities from all across Africa," Dr. Nevada Jones warned the Wizard. Suddenly the illusionist wished he were a real sorcerer like the Wizard formerly of the Injustice Society.

"The best I can do is distract her," Wizard said of Rite.

Dust and shadow came together to form mythical creatures. Dr. Jones advised Wizard, "She's conjured deity totems."

"How real are they?" Wizard gulped.

"As real as you make them, not her," Nevada explained, "They're fragments of imaginations given life through the dust of the earth."

"So, they're barely even more real than my illusions," Wizard.

"Just remember that and don't give her power over you," Dr. Jones gave one last admonition before taking a wide circle around Rite.

Wizard unleashed his version of Hell's inhabitants. Rite gave pause and his illusions actually began to tear hers apart. But she rallied.

Nevada Jones came from behind Rite and snared her throat with a bullwhip he habitually carried. As she struggled, Wizard blinded her with imaginary obstacles. Dr. Jones eventually shot Rite in the chest.

"Was that necessary?" Wizard fumed.

"Absolutely. You don't know this creature. She'll easily survive this. But she'll be catatonic for a few days first," Nevada Jones explained.

"Just shut up," Wizard was surly, "And get rid of that damn pith helmet. It isn't the 19th Century."

A fact Dr. Nevada Jones regretted.

---

Bob Phantom, Falcon, and Scarlet Avenger received some welcomed help. Special Agent Strander had sent She-Fox and the new Captain Commando to assist them against Smoke. Smoke's greatest weapons were obfuscation and entering a warm body through the nose and mouths before solidifying. And he could harden any part of his widespread essence to form feet and fists.

Scarlet Avenger and Falcon came with filter masks. Bob Phantom put on an actual gas mask. Captain Commando wore nose plugs and refused to breath through his mouth. That left She-Fox. Delilah Monaco was many, many things but pragmatic was the least of them. But Delilah was a keen observer and an opportunist par excellence. And she'd had ample opportunity to observe Smoke while he menaced the first responders.

"Commando! Throw me my can," she ordered.

He willingly obeyed knowing he too carried the same weapon. She-Fox wasn't pragmatic but she believed in being prepared.

"Now!" she triggered her can of liquid nitrogen. Captain Commando sprayed in the same vicinity. Smoke's fog froze and his wispy outtrails condensed around the frozen portions.

"What have you done to me?" he wailed.

"Ducky, it isn't what I've done. It's what I'm going to do that hurts," She-Fox did warn him.

She side kicked him in what appeared to be his chest. It shattered into frozen shards. Smoke went down with a blood curdling scream.

"Remind me never to piss you off," Falcon shuddered.

"Pretty horrifying," Scarlet Avenger commented.

"Pretty damn effective, you mean," Captain Commando gloated.

"Who are you again?" Bob Phantom asked.

"I don't know, Bob. Why don't you tell me?" and then she sashayed away.

"Now that's a woman I'd marry," Captain Commando bragged.

"Or have committed," Scarlet Avenger was still disturbed.

"We could ask Latham," Falcon suggested.

"Not a chance in hell he'd tell us," Scarlet Avenger complained.

"Strander?" Captain Commando wondered.

"Either KitCat or Kenny," Bob Phantom decided, "They're the only ones with access that would empathize with our cause."

"I don't have a cause," Captain Commando warned them, "My agenda is to get her name, address, and cell number."

"Don't forget a list of priors," Scarlet Avenger grumbled.

---

New Crusaders made their appearance. And Wish was greatly amused, "They sent an unarmed woman and a barely teen girl against me?"

"I guess you don't rate," Web snipped at her.

Pow-Girl wished there were times when Jane Raymond was a lot less like her uncle. Of course telling Jane she was anything like John would just end in a protracted fight. Just like when Rosie had compared John with Jane.

"You're Amerasian," Wish realized.

"I'm Korean, not Vietnamese, dunce," Web retorted.

"You're still only half-Korean," Wish clarified, "Would you like to change that? It's in my power."

"Get thee behind me, Satan," Web quipped, "You couldn't unravel my DNA if you wanted to."

Wish was nonplussed. To the point she hadn't realized Pow-Girl was missing from sight, "Ah yes, your gen factor."

Rosie stopped dead in her amidst her stealthy approach behind Wish. She could imagine why Jane had kept quiet. John would want her dissected. If that would even work on his niece. There was no telling.

"Look numb nuts, grow a pair so I can kick them," Web directly challenged Wish.

"Tempting…but no," Wish mocked her, "Let's see about unravelling those DNA strands."

Pow-Girl struck. And she did so, Wish's mounting power rewrote her genetic code. Wish went ballistic.

"Damn it all!" she shouted, "I wasn't prepped. Whatever happened just now was completely random, Speaking of which, why are still breathing? Or haven't been turned into an aardvark?"

Rosie was insulted by Wish's callousness. But then again, that's why Wish was the villain of the piece. All Rosie knew was that she felt super charged.

Pow-Girl's right cross broke Wish's cheekbone and jaw beside hurling her across the beach. Web was ecstatic, "Hot damn, Aunt Rosie. That is so effin' cool!":

"Watch your language for my sake if not your own," Pow-Girl sighed.

"You are seriously bad ass now," Web was still all unbridled enthusiasm.

"Where you ever going to tell me you're a meta?" Rosie was hurt, "I know about John. He's an ass most of the time. But I thought we had a bond."

"We do, I promise," Jane reassured her, "But I'd lost everyone in my life before I found out I'm a freak. I can't lose you or Uncle John too."

Rosie hugged Jane and held her tight, "You won't, kiddo. In fact, you can't."

Jane desperately patted ta Rosie's sides and Rosie Raymond let her. Jane was gasping for air, "Damn, Rose. You are seriously strong now."

"I wonder how long it will last?" Rose wondered.

"I dunno. But Uncle John is going to piss his pants when he finds out," Jane snickered.

"At the least," Rosie sighed.

---

Each time Eidolon attempted to grasp Mr. Justice, the ghost of Paul Morse simply floated away. Eidolon was upset, "You're no mere ghost. What are you?"

"I'm the Spirit of Divine Justice," the air crackled and darkened, "Shall we apply justice to you?"

And with a display of power, Eidolon vanished. But never for good.

---

Rose Tattoo was frustrated by two factors. The first being Hangman was blind. So he couldn't appreciate her idealized body or the strings with gland problems that she wore and that they actually served no purpose towards modesty. Or even not being blatantly nude. The second being, he wasn't dead yet.

Suddenly Rose Tattoo was seemingly vaporized. Mr. Justice met with Hangman. The crow circled around a few times just to be certain before landing on Hangman's shoulder.

"You?" Hangman just wanted to sure.

"She isn't human. She's the Living Spirit of Murder. As long as men and women kill one another, she'll exist on this world," Mr. Justice advised him.

"Shall we assist the others?" Hangman asked.

"We have other pressing concerns regarding Robert Dickering. He is ascending. His replacement must be chosen tonight."

"I thought he couldn't," Eric Adams shared.

"Dickering professed faith and demonstrated it even in his role as Satan's enforcer. But Lucifer received Dickering's orders from the Source. Something Dickering himself came to know," Mr. Justice explained, "The next satanic Hangman will be a vile vessel. Not a healer."

"Dickering described his role as removing souls too vile to walk the Earth and longer," Hangman said.

"And it was true," Mr. Justice confirmed, "In the balance of powers within Hell, there must be a Hangman. And fortunately for you, you share nothing but the name."

"So we're to witness a birth?" Hangman asked.

"Of sorts. Think of it more as a condemnation," Mr. Justice warned him. And they were gone elsewhere.

---

The Terror Titans continued to desperately prove their worth. Their fathers had been failed super villains. The duo lived to prove they were more. They demanded respect and would kill for it.

Yankee Girl stayed airborne rather than risk being grounded during one of Dreadbolt's electrical barrages. But his suit's batteries began to drain. So Yankee Girl put on a burst of superhuman speed and smashed Dreadbolt's faceplate in…while he was still wearing it. He desperately tried to claw it off of his head. Yankee Girl obliged with a second punch that cracked the conical helmet. He twitched a few times but never moved again. Which suited Yankee Girl fine. She was out of practice.

Disruptor took hold of Bulleteer's shoulders and energized her disruption gauntlets. She was rather battered and bruised before that venture. Alix Harrower just looked bored. Bulleteer ripped Disruptor's helmet in half.

"Oh shit!" was all the girl inside would say. Alix's follow through punch ended the debate.

"Kids these days," Alix snorted despite only being ten years older.

---

Gwen deployed her remaining Task Force Xers. With Firehawk and Silver Swan's departure, that left Katana, Nightshade, and Phantasm. Gwen was confident because the trio was the backbone of the Suicide Squad. The soul of it, even.

Task Force X had recently conducted incursions into Russia and China. North Korea had been a diversion rather a chore. But the People's Heroes represented the power structure of the Russian Federation. And Russian leaders had phenomenally long memories of perceived slights.

Katana came to Black Eagle's aid against Maj. Zastrov, Mrs. Gradenko, and Troublemaker. Katana found Black Eagle's attire and choice of primary weapon amusing. The black chainmail and silver lined helmet/mask were normal enough in the business. His black silver lined gloves, boots, and utility belt were also within the usual standards.

But the chest crest and shield emblazoned with the Romanov standard, adopted by the Russia Federation, with its twin headed eagle were a bit much for some. He was obviously Russian. Why slam it in someone's face…twice.

Then Black Eagle literally slammed his shield into Troublemaker's face. She went down and her hypnotic gaze no longer proved an issue. Maj. Zastrov began spraying the beach with his AKS. He lobbed a few grenades just to be certain.

"I will deal with Mrs. Gradenko. You will put an end to Zastrov's menace," Black Eagle commanded.

Katana drew the SoulTaker, "No. The bear is mine."

Black Eagle reconsidered, "Fine. But be wary. She is like a rabid, caged beast."

"My understanding is that she is an extremely old woman," Katana paused.

"She lived to be old by being a rabid beast," Black Eagle reiterated.

"Duly noted," Katana charged the bear that had been Mrs. Gradenko.

Black Eagle admired her courage. Although, the modified samurai attire bespoke of a lot. The FSB had intel regarding a clan of samurai warriors that had fought against the Yakuza. But it had been a war of antiquity and traditional values against modernity and an adherence to survival by any means necessary. The master sensei had survived the conflict and was now training the new League of Assassins beside David Cain. Even Cain had a new life as the elite operative known as Orphan when he wasn't training the greatest elite force of assassins dedicated to toppling governments and countries.

Upon last report, Katana had served with the abortive Justice League of America. An ARGUS sponsored group of operatives. Now it seemed both the JLA and ARGUS had been supplanted by the MLJ Initiative and the Mighty Crusaders. But the Justice Society and the Justice League still endured. The FSB had discovered the mysterious grouping calling itself the Dark Justice had moved through Russia. But the Interior Ministry had proven unable to capture them. And the MVD's Rocket Red drones were rendered inert.

The MVD reported the Dark Justice had liberated a prisoner from a gulag. But they wouldn't disclose the nature of the prisoner with anyone besides Putin and Medvedev. Insiders in the Kremlin reported that the two men, mentor and protégé, were worried about potential fallback. Witches, warlocks, sorcerer/s/resses, magician, and mages of every description weren't to be trifled with. But a surprising spokesperson had emerged to share scant details of why the event had occurred. Giovanni Zatara was among the world's greatest entertainers. Some said he'd served beside Dr. Occult in the Justice Society. What was known with certainty is that his daughter, Zatanna, and his young son, Zachary, were instilled with real sorcerous power.

Zatara had put out a swelling brush fire of fear. But Black Eagle knew with certainty that Putin, through Medvedev, had instituted several secret initiatives to quash a future event such as the jail break. And that the People's Heroes had been assigned a secondary mission to recapture the liberated criminal after disposing of the Red Shadows and Soyuz. The Americans would protest the finality of Russian justice but these were the People's countrymen. It was their sacred duty to dole out that justice as prescribed by the legal authorities.

Black Eagle quickly subdued the aged Maj, Zastrov, "I'll give you a choice. End it yourself or I will do it for you."

Zastrov had wondered why he hadn't been completely disarmed. He still wielded his Makarov PM pistol. It had served as the official issue sidearm of the Red Army and police Militia from 1955-2000. It was a winterized Walther PPK. Larger to accomodate a heavier round, the pistol had been the most powerful in a European theater preferring .38 caliber and .380 ACP rounds. Only the American .45 ACP Colt M1911A1 had boasted a more powerful discharge amongst official sidearms.

Black Eagle released Zastrov's left hand so that he could draw his weapon. Stepping back, Black Eagle kept his emblazoned shield over his torso. Zastrov recognized that there was finally no escape. So he took his own life rather than die in a gulag.

Hearing a massive roar, Black Eagle turned to find Mrs. Gradenko going down and reverting to being human. Katana curiously studied her, "She truly was elderly."

"I'd hoped to avoid this. That babushka was an inspiration to millions over seven decades," Black Eagle sadly eulogized her."

"She still can be," Katana remarked, "Her true fate and allegiance need never be known."

"I will radio Moscow," Black Eagle promised.

Gradenko's severed heart finally stopped beating. Black Eagle picked it up, "And it truly is over."

"Not for your comrades," Katana pointed out, "Or mine."

"Then let's get to it," Black Eagle gently sat the heart down and rose up from his knees.

---

"You are aware my sensory perceptions have greatly been altered?" Negative Man asked Lumia.

"Your point?" she wondered.

"Your pheromones don't work on me," Negative Man dryly informed her.

"Maybe they will work on her," Lumia pointed out the approaching Nightshade.

Negative Man saw the life energy in people rather than the fleshly epidermis most humans observed. And Nightshade's was a mix of powers he'd never seen before. Not even his Negative Spirit's.

"I don't think so and I would advise not angering her," Negative Man cautioned.

Stalnoivolk spat on the sand, "Bah! She is but a woman. I will deal with her,"

An ebon spear thrust through his heart before becoming prongs that ripped him in half. Nightshade was quite pleased with herself, "That always works with the Immortal Man as well."

Lamia was screaming. Negative Man realized she had been for quite some time now. He released the Negative Spirit and as it passed through her, its unique radiation short circuited every neuron in her brain. She crumpled like a discarded rag.

"Neat trick," Nightshade grinned.

"What are you?" Negative Man asked after the spirit reentered his body.

"Excuse me?" Nightshade wasn't sure whether to be insulted or afraid.

"I don't see the world like mortal men do anymore. What I see is a miasma of conflicting energies. So, I'll ask once more nicely. What are you?" he repeated.

"There's an external realm called the Land of the Nightshades. It nightmarish. My mother was its queen and she went into exile here on Earth. My father was a poor benighted soul that thought he could help a mysterious woman who obviously didn't fit in. I was the result," Nightshade gave a biography of herself, "My mother died protecting from her formerly 'loyal' subjects. My father happened to be in government service so he passed me onto a man named King Faraday."

"A legendary figure even in my country," Negative Man commented.

"King carried me through my teens. He trained me to take his place," Nightshade revealed, "And I almost did. But I discovered my mother's heritage within me. My power set is almost identical to Obsidian's. Only my sources from a different place. And my source can drive people horrifically insane."

"But I sense a third component," Negative Man prodded her.

"That's more recent. As in the last six weeks," Nightshade was rueful, "I was assigned to 'shadow' a group of women ARGUS was interested in. Their names were Emily Briggs, Rosa Carnis, Pande Monium, and Meg Masters. Men and woman had a tendency to vanish around them. Pande owned two storefronts. The first sold mystical antiquities to the curio buyers with a black market trade in truly sorcerous artifacts. The other store, supposedly used for storage, was a brothel."

"And it was openly a brothel. The police and local politicians were the most loyal clients," Nightshade told him, "I was sent in alone because the Enchantress had disappeared and Silver Swan was just too damn innocent."

"And it all went wrong," Negative Man could easily guess.

"The women were anything but," Nightshade sighed, "Emily Briggs had a member of the Outsiders. She'd actually been killed in the ambush that wiped out the team. Now she was back and she is a vampire."

"But they're all destroyed," Negative Man protested.

"The vampiric bloodlines belonging to Drakul, Bennet, and Seward were destroyed. Apparently someone was missed. Someone even more ancient and far more powerful," Nightshade warned Negative Man, "But Looker wasn't the ringleader. Megan Master was a host to a succubus named Naamah. Rosacarnis is the daughter of Death and Nergal. And Pandemonium was the shop owner and is Lucifer's daughter besides."

"And they transformed you," Negative Man realized.

"Together they summoned a lower level succubus and bonded her to my soul," Nightshade grimaced, "I fight it but I always want to feed of sexual energy."

"I wish I could help," Negative Man confessed.

"I'm coping," Nightshade shrugged, "But everyone on the team I could talk to about it walked away before it even happened.

"And wasn't that just rude," a stranger's voice interjected from behind them.

"And you are definitely inhuman," Negative Man observed.

Nightshade saw a man replete in a white suit, "And you are?"

"Lucifer Morningstar at your service," he smiled beatifically but he saw doubt, "Satan? The Devil? Beelzebub? Old Scratch? Oh, come on! You know who I am. It calls to you."

"Why are you even here?" Nightshade asked while Negative Man removed his goggles to get a better look.

"I have business in town later today. Your Hangman and Mr. Justice will be joining the Specter for a front row seat. I'm thinking about selling tickets," Lucifer laughed, "But as for you, my daughter and her friends really whammied you, didn't they?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Nightshade lied.

"Your sex drive is coiling up like a spring just seeing me," Lucifer chuckled, "I could release you and you'd have the orgasm for the ages. But, good deeds aren't my thing. You want to fight your enhanced primal urges? Go for it. I love seeing people suffer when I know I'll win in the end."

"I've heard otherwise. About the winning part," Nightshade goaded him.

She wasn't disappointed when he exploded, "I always win! On my terms anyway. I just have to stay flexible about what the term 'win' really means for me."

"You're no angel," Negative Man decided.

"It's the wings, isn't it?" Lucifer sighed, "You people are all about wings. Go to effin' Thanagar."

Lucifer emitted a blinding white light and white feathery wings sprouted from his back, "Satisfied already?"

"You actually do the angel of light riff," Nightshade shielded her goggled eyes.

"If it's in the Book, I do it," Lucifer sniffed.

"So you're a slave to the Bible," Negative Man ventured.

"I do it because I want to," Lucifer snapped, "When the Bible was written, they recorded what I do. Not because anyone tells me too. But because I want to do it and they were compelled to tell the truth. Got it?"

Nightshade had to admit the last week had been weird. She'd run from Waller. Come to Seattle and obliterated her own team. Helped a bandaged Russian out. And now she was pissing off the Prince of the Power of the Air. Just because his brat daughter had cursed her. Curiouser and curiouser.

"Look, I'm way off track," Lucifer handed Eve a business card, "The next time you're in New Orleans, I have a club there. You can blow off steam and no one will judge. They'll probably line up to join in."

"Why a succubus?" Nightshade asked.

"Pandemonium knew you were the last in the royal Nightshade line. That means your being is wired to cut loose and get butt wild. She probably thought she was doing you a favor," Lucifer offered, "Or it was just one helluva practical joke. Pande has a wicked sense of humor. She gets that from me."

Nightshade was amazed to hear him sound like a proud parent. And just as suddenly as he'd arrived, he was gone, "That seems to be over."

"Nightshade?" Negative readjusted hos goggles, "I've studied your energies and his. That demonic part of you? It matches his signature."

"You've got to be shitting me," Nightshade groaned.

---

"Arkadin! We don't need to fight!" Valentina Vostok insisted.

"Yes, we do! I'm unstable Vostok. Ever since my accident I've been destabilizing. Soon I will burn out and Mikhail Arkadin will die," Pozhar argued, "Just as the Firestorms and Firehawks of Britain and France reinvigorated my nuclear matrix, so too will yours."

"I did not become Russia's Firestorm just so you could kill me," Valentina yelled at him.

"I was never even a Firestorm!" Pozhar shouted back.

"But you still can be. With my help, and your expertise in nuclear physics, we can find a way," Firestorm pleaded.

"No. This is the only way," Pozhar insisted, "You know what you have to do, Dr. Vostok. I haven't the ability to alter atomic structure. I can only emit radiation," Arkadin warned her, "And I will remove my suit and blast away until I, and this planet, are dead."

"You have no right to force me into this," Valentina complained.

"I have every right," Pozhar argued.

"Then you have no human decency," Firestorm protested.

"Not any more. Not for a very long time," Arkadin said with an air of finality. He began unlatching his suit and was about to remove the helmet and progress to the gloves and chest piece. But Firestorm acted before he could.

She transformed every inch of the suit into cooling rods. He was immersed in a sphere of them. As his heat and radiation quelled, Mikhail Arkadin, one the Soviet Union's finest mind, died. But even his body was reduced to fallout ash. Valentina reverted back to her human state and wept tears of tribute. Her sorrow was her salute to his former brilliance.

---

Firebird telekinetically pressed attack on Lady Flash. But Christina was too fast for her. But Firebird's TK shield kept Lady Flash from returning the favor. Fusion came closer to hitting his target. It seemed radiation moved faster than thought. But Christina desperately craved a shot of Velocity 9 at that moment. With it, she knew she could've already ended the fight.

But Fusion found a blade sticking out of his chest. Blood dribbled from his mouth as it retreated. Turning he met the face of his death. Phantasm sliced his throat open before he could generate a radiation pulse as a revenge mechanism. Firebird ceased all activity as she stared in mute horror.

Lady Flash hit so fast and hard the sound barrier broke and Firebird's skull caved in on one side. Christina came to a shaky halt. Phantasm studied her. Even through the helmet Lady Flash knew it was a hard appraisal.

"Get yourself sorted out. Use whatever legal vice you have," Phantasm spoke.

"What do you know of it?" Christina was defensive.

"I know an addict when I see one. I've killed my fair share of them," Phantasm told her, "Or I could put you down. Your choice."

"You think you could catch me?" Lady Flash scoffed. She found Phantasm's blade in her throat.

"Yes, I do. Your withdrawals make you sloppy," she said coldly, "Now make that choice before you get someone killed."

"I'll go grab some coffee," Lady Flash decided. She raced off hoping the MLJ would let her in Liberty Station.

Phantasm didn't care if Lady Flash made it or not. She just didn't want friends or allies killed when Lady Flash had her unavoidable breakdown. If she survived it, Ivanka Christina would emerge stronger for it.

---

Morozko tried freezing Red Star but failed every time. Perun decided to pit his enhanced strength against his People's Heroes foe. While the pair traded blows, Speedboy and Freedom walloped Morozko over the head with batons. Then they proceeded to beat him senseless.

"So much for police brutality," Speedboy joked.

Despite his African ancestry, Speedboy had come from an upper middle-class home. His parents owned a chain of variety stores across several states. Word had it, Wal-Mart was looking to buy them out. So Freedom knew Speedboy was oblivious to inner city life.

Mary Loo was the daughter of Chinese immigrants. They'd pushed her to excel at everything. And they made her do and participate in everything. But when Mary came out as a junior in high school Her parents threw her out. She easily earned her GED, being the presumptive valedictorian the next year.

Mary moved as far as she could and then worked her way through college after acing her SATs. She applied too late to receive any scholarships but the following years she earned a free ride. After graduating with honors she had her choice of Ivy League schools.

And it was at MIT that she met her future wife. She'd never imagined she'd end up a government agent much less the sidekick to an extremely male superhero. But Fighting American had adapted well from flirting with her to trying to keep things smoothed out between the couple given the dangerous life Mary had chosen.

"I'm used to being tear gassed at gay rallies, not beating people with sticks," Freedom admitted, "It feels wrong."

"He was trying to kill our new Russian friend," Speedboy tried to salve her conscience.

"But is he really a friend?" Freedom had to wonder.

Red Star saw his opening as Perun accidently dropped his left. The fight ended instantly. He turned to find two Americans guarding his other quarry, "Your doing, I suppose."

"Just a peace offering between countries," Freedom stated.

"Your help is appreciated. I'll take them from here," Red Star announced.

"How are…?" Speedboy faltered as Red Star grabbed Morozko's hair and dragged him to Perun, who received identical treatment. Red Star trudged away down the beach.

"How do you suppose they even got here?" Speedboy wondered in awe.

Freedom thought he needed better role models, "I assume we'll find out rather quickly."

---

Vikhor not only controlled magnetism but he could fly independently of that gift. Rusalka stood pouting. Then found she was out cold. Fighting American did not look pleased.

"I hate ambushes and I hate hitting a woman. But Mary says I shouldn't be sexist,": Fighting American explained for no apparent reason, "So, my apologies."

Vikhor came crashing down. Vostok X landed on him and beat his face a few times until he was satisfied his enemy was disabled. He viewed Fighting American with considerable skepticism.

"Why do you Yanks feel compelled to put your flag on your tights?" Vostok X asked.

"Isn't that a flag on your arm?" Fighting American asked.

"My arm, yes. My entire body? That is gauche," Vostok X lectured.

"I'm happy to disappoint," Fighting American sketched a salute.

"You would," Vostok X hefted a body over each shoulder, "Move. Or I'll be responsible for a war to destroy everything."

"Must've been some bad borsht," Fighting American grumbled.

---

Camorouge, Anya Volkova, and Divinity kept the Freedom Fighters at bay. But Uncle Sam got to see two of his newest teammates in action for the first time. Sam led Miss America, the Ray, Major Victory, Pat Patriot, Ms. Victory and Black Condor against the clone. Fortunately for them, Power Girl was as strong as Kara In-Ze. But Divinity was a copy of a copy and her powers diminished accordingly.

Uncle Sam, Pat Patriot and Ms. Victory almost matched Divinity's strength. And working in sequence, they were wearing her down. In addition, Human Bomb's explosive touch rattled Divinity's teeth every time he connected. Miss America's power over atomic density meant she could harden the air around Divinity or even drop elemental objects on her. Major Victory utilized a mixture of cunning, flight, energy blasts, and enhanced strength to rock Divinity. And Black Condor's talons were magical. And like a typical Argoan, Divinity was vulnerable to magic.

Phantom Lady led the fight against Camorouge. Joining her were Red Bee, Doll Man, his newfound equal named Midge, and Firebrand. Lady Liberty pitted her energy torch against Anya Volkova. Silent Majority joined with his erstwhile teammate and multiplied himself a dozen times over. Mayflower seeded the sand and sprouted plants to use against Anya. And a newcomer to the team called Lady Luck warped probabilities so outcomes favored her and her team.

Ray had the duty to absorb solar radiation directly from Divinity. When she'd significantly weakened, Uncle Sam, Pat Patriot, and Ms. Victory took decisive turns knocking her out. They were more than happy when the clone fell into the surf and was washed away by a riptide. Even Black Condor's tracking magic couldn't locate her.

Phantom Lady used darklight constructs to harry Camorouge. Firebrand kept her contained in a blazing ring. Red Bee fought her hand to hand. Little was known of the Asian woman who'd replaced the deceased Red Bee. But she seemed to be one of the best melee fighters in the world. The Freedom Fighters were unofficially taking bets on who would win against Judomaster in a cage fight. But it was Doll Man and the diminutive Midge who reached a point where they could surprise Camorouge and take her down. Their small stature belied the fact their muscles condensed to give them superhuman strength. Stormy Knight was more than a little jealous over the instant rapport between Doll Man and Midge.

Lady Liberty harried Anya and distracted her from killing Silent Majorities. Mayflower's plants lacked solid footing and their roots were easily pulled out. Lady Luck got past every one of Volkova's defenses and took her out with a single chop to the throat.

"Damn you're lucky,": Lady Liberty complained.

"It's in the name," Lady Luck tipped her fedora at her.

"So's we got us some here prisoners," Uncle Sam was pleased.

"I have jurisdiction over these women," Black Eagle announced as he was flanked by Vostok X, Red Star and even Valentina Vostok. An enfeebled Lady Flash stood by in case of trouble.

"Yore sure of thet?" Uncle Sam asked.

"I have a writ if it's necessary," Black Eagle revealed, certain that Negative Man could disable most them if he needed to release the Negative Spirit, "And otherwise, I wouldn't be in this God forsaken country."

"Ah reckon ya'll better git `fore Gen. Latham gets all hot `n bothered `bout it," Uncle Sam relented.

"The General and I have reached an understanding," Black Eagle shared.

"Then we won't stand in yer way," Sam acquiesced.

As the Russians departed with their prisoners, Vostok X could be heard, "Damn Americans."

---

After a general debriefing, the assorted agents were released until the next. Cat-Girl had arrived to late for the conflicts. And she'd missed Jaguar's recent departure. But Stormy Knight saw Lydia Fellini as in need of a friend. So they ended up in Pike Street Market with coffee from the original Starbucks.

"Are you a lesbian?" Stormy asked, "Because I heard how you asked about Jaguar and also how you reacted when you heard you'd missed her."

"She's probably glad that I did," Lydia admitted, "And I'm not a strict lesbian. The modern term is 'pansexual'. I identify as male on occasion and female on others. My partners range from hetero-, to homo-, to cis-, to trans. I'm just into people. I don't care about gender or sexuality."

"Modern term?" Stormy latched onto that turn of phrase, "How old are you?"

"That borders on rude especially when it isn't an easy answer," Lydia chuckled, "My cat essence is thousands of years old. My human half is barely thirty-two."

"Do you have an outside occupation?" Stormy wondered.

"Does a certain Senator's daughter?" Lydia teased.

"Actually I don't. And you're evading the question with small talk," Stormy pointed out.

"I'm a thief. A good one, actually. I'm considered to be Catwoman and the Cat's biggest rival," Lydia confessed.

"And Latham knows?" Stormy was surprised.

"He looks the other way as long as I keep Jaguar on the team," Lydia admitted.

"And we're back to that complication," Stormy pointed out.

"Like I said, I'm the host of the Cat Spirit. Maria is the Host of Jaguar. Cats and Jaguars always mate and produce exceptional offspring," Lydia explained, "It's almost a curse. Maria certainly agrees with that interpretation. But the attraction and sex drive are overwhelming."

"And what happens when both hosts are the same gender?" Stormy asked.

"Pregnancy," Lydia shrugged, "For both."

"That's a first," Stormy whistled.

"We live in a world where a virgin birth occurred. Having two parents of any gender isn't much of a stretch," Lydia remarked.

"You give new meaning to the expression, 'cool cat'," Stormy complimented her.

"I know," Lydia said with no amount of modesty.

---

Latham met with Gwen Cormaugh, Carol Ann Strander and Lucy Lane, "I called you here because we have a problem, Certain individuals have been reporting to Gen. Lane about confidential matters here."

"Any idea who?" Gwen asked.

"The former Force of July members except for Mayflower," Latham answered.

"They have been known as fanatical loyalists before. They certainly didn't try and aid our escape," Lucy admitted.

"Who supplied the information?" Carol asked.

"I did," Phantasm emerged from a shadow no one had realized was there before now.

"Take the damn helmet off, Andrea," Gwen fumed.

"You need to take these people out," Andrea Beaumont insisted.

"I don't do summary executions," Lucy declared.

"Where's the due process?" Carol asked.

"Where's the line before survival is compromised?" Andrea coldly wanted to know.

It was times like these that Gwen wondered what would've happened if Andrea had married Bruce Wayne and there never would have been a Phantasm or a Batman, "Do you want the job?"

"Yes," Andrea said with certainty.

"No one gets the job," Latham growled.

"Then you're dead already," Andrea warned him, "You and your entire organization. Once Lane has access, he'll force the Joint Chiefs into a strike. That distress call from Agent Liberty was merely the beginning."

"Where the hell did you find her?" Carol was aggravated.

"I found them," Andrea said.

"There aren't many of us left," Gwen said sadly.

"Give me Waller. That's all I ask," Andrea proposed.

"Lives aren't trading cards," Lucy intervened.

"You weren't ARGUS. You wouldn't understand despite being a career soldier," Gwen told her.

"And you were a police officer before being promoted to the International Security Agency. What happened to you?" Carol wanted to know.

"I lost too much," Gwen said with utter despair, "Now it's a matter of preventing everyone else's losses. If a threat emerges, Task Force X eliminates the threat before there is harm in the world."

"And who decides who lives and dies?" Lucy asked.

"For now? I do," Gwen gave her a glacial stare.

"You sound like my father," she accused.

"He's not entirely wrong," Gwen stated.

"Stand down!" Latham ordered, "Gwen, rein your people in. All three of them. Agent Strander, I want the White House situation contained. No press. Have your Bureau boys get on it. I want Kenny and KitCat to get some downtime. This snowball is going to launch an avalanche. And our Mighty Crusaders are in the middle holding the line."

"And the Freedom Fighters?" Lucy asked.

"Tell them the situation and then cut bait. They'll fend for themselves," Latham was adamant.

"And what about my associates?" Lucy asked.

"You have a hard call to make, Major. I've spoken with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. The military has determined you aren't traitors. You in particular get to retain your rank and oversight of you so-called "associates". Those that sit at God's right suggest you call yourselves thew PATRIOTS as you've already done on occasion. You will not be a military asset or be run out of the DoD. But you will report to Homeland and they'll square everyone away," Latham described the developing situation, "So I suggest your people get some chow, maybe bunk for a spell and then catch the flight to St. Elizabeth's in DC that's being provided to you at 0630."

"Thank you, General," Lucy snapped a smart salute.

"Dismissed, Major," Latham returned it.

"What about her and her cretin commandos?" Carol stared hard at Gwen.

"They've never officially existed. And with ARGUS being shuttered it's anyone's guess of who has oversight over the Suicide Squad," Latham admitted, "We may or may not have jurisdiction. The single biggest problem being that all three of Dir. Cormaugh's remaining unit have never had criminal records. So there's nothing to hold them on."

"You've been busy," Andrea wore a thin smile of approval.

"Just who the hell are you?" Carol demanded.

It amused Andrea greatly, "That glimmer in your eye is the stroke being caused by hypertension."

"Phantasm's agreement with ARGUS came at a price. In exchange for them globally wiping every trace of her existence, she would act as a volunteer operative with Task Force X," Gwen explained.

"People actually volunteer for the shit show?" Carol was incredulous.

"How do you think we came by talent like Katana, Nightshade, Firehawk, the Enchantress, Silver Swan, and very briefly the supposedly dead Harley Quinn?" Gwen asked, "Not forgetting Phantasm here."

"Quinn is alive?" Carol came around Latham's desk. Even without her scythe glove on, Andrea easily restrained her.

"Call her off!" Carol snarled.

"I feel you shoulder popping. Shall we explore the experience?" Andrea asked the FBI agent.

"Cormaugh!" Latham had a pistol hand as he came off of his chair.

"Let her go," Gwen said softly, "She isn't a threat to either of us."

"I'm worried about Harley," Andrea advised Gwen.

"You're very lucky, Agent Strander. She could have easily killed you rather than toy with you to make a point," Gwen advised Carol.

"And that point is?" Latham was seriously irked now.

"We insure the safety of our own," Phantasm warned Latham, "Now and forever."

Latham shouldered his gun, "Agent Strander, please step outside and make the arrangements we have discussed."

She gave him a questioning look. He caught it, "Go."

"All right Dir. Cormaugh, I believe we need to come to an understanding. And very quickly at that," Latham decided, "But we don't require the presence of your pet killing machine."

Andrea replaced her helmet upon her head. Then she slipped her right hand into her scythe glove. Latham pointed ta the door.

"There it is," he urged.

"So it is," smoke filled the area where Phantasm stood. When it cleared, she was gone.

"That is disturbing," Latham confessed.

"It's meant to be. Gotham's underworld still swaps stories of the undead Phantasm that cut the heart out of the mob," Gwen shared, "You should look up the press clippings. She was a one-woman war on crime. And they never knew what hit them, why she started, why she quit, and where she disappeared to. Only the Joker survived an encounter with her. And no one, not even Batman, knows how he survived."

"I'm certain they don't do enough credit," Latham conceded.

"You wanted to talk," Gwen sat down, "So talk."

---

Carol and the Star Sapphires found themselves swarmed. The greater Daxamite population made it swell as an invasion force. And the near lethal hilarity of the Daxamites rediscovering their vision powers caused many fatal injuries amongst the Almeracians and even nearly fatal ones between unwitting Daxamites.

The Star Sapphires forced into a retreat that only ended at street level. With nowhere else to turn, they bunkered down and prepared to give their lives for Almerac's citizens. Help came as Munk and Saint Walker also found themselves overwhelmed. Their position seemed to be a beacon that drew Lanterns in. Bekka was the next to locate them and join in. Even Guy swallowed enough of his pride to participate. And a raging Laira Omoto was saved by their collective efforts so that she could live to fight for minutes longer.

"That's a look, Laira," Carol observed.

"It suits me better," Laira growled.

"I can't believe Gardner is a Green Lantern again," Miss Bloss bemoaned.

"Kiss mine, sweet cheeks," Guy said between battles.

"Well, he certainly isn't any less insufferable," Miri Raim complied.

"I can't believe Dela Pheron made him her consort," to Race it was an insult to all Star Sapphires, present and future.

A massive emerald warship flew above them and laid fire that temporarily drove off the Daxamites.

Kyle floated down to meet the crowd, "Miss me?"

"Yer actually a decent sight," Guy conceded.

"At least someone deserves to be a Green Lantern again," Race sneered.

"Would you two get a room?" Bekka demanded, "This sexual foreplay is seriously annoying."

"Ew!" Race and Guy echoed together before doing it again, "You did not…!"

"Shaddup an' let me talk, ya bimbo," Guy shouted.

"Stupid move, Gardner," Laira warned him, "She was prepped to have your fatheaded babies."

"Ain't no way," Guy still had the hots for Bekka. Who'd turned cold once he'd received the green power ring. Just looking at her gave him an erection.

"Put it away, Guy!" Miss Bloss shrieked.

"It isn't very impressive. Is it?" Miri Raim remarked.

"More `n `nough fer you," Guy predicted.

"We'll never know, will we?" Race interrupted.

"I did miss you, Kyle," Carol confessed, "Where's Kara?"

"I have no idea.," he shared. It was obvious that bothered him. As well it should.

While Guy argued with the three Star Sapphires, Carol gathered the others, "It's time for an adult conversation."

"We're not surviving this," Bekka predicted.

"But we'll take hundreds with us," Laira said with relish.

"I refuse to give up," Saint Walker protested.

"These people are dupes. We can save from themselves," Munk suggested.

"Kyle?" Carol asked.

"I'm not dying here today," he vowed and looked to her, "And neither are you."

"Care to spread the love?" Bekka asked irritably.

"You have no idea concerning the history or the chemistry," Laira warned her.

"Whut are y'all yappin' `bout?" Guy angrily shouted at them as he stomped closer.

The Star Sapphires held back. They were definitely not feeling the love. Carol looked at each of them.

"That Guy will want to continue fighting is a given," she stated.

"Damn skippy," Guy grunted.

"We need to combine our strengths. The Corps have always worked best together. This will be no exception," Carol insisted, "So we pair up one spectrum to another."

"Damn! Yer hot when yer bossy," Guy had to say.

"You should see me in corporate boardroom," Carol mocked him.

"I bet. Them tight miniskirts an' all that," Guy's feverish imagination was running in overdrive.

Bekka slapped him, "Snap out of it."

"You beat me by two seconds," Laira confided.

"Guy, you're teamed with Race," Carol decided.

"Do I gotta?" he whined.

"Yes!" everyone said at once.

"`Kay already. Geez," Guy moped his way the Race's side.

"I will shove this ring up your ass and make building constructs if you so much as touch me again," Race warned him.

"All right, already. I git it," Guy groaned.

"Miri, you and Laira will work together," Carol assigned them, "Bekka, you and Miss Bloss will work in tandem."

"I believe that partners us, Munk," Saint Walker realized.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kyle asked Carol.

"It's a terrible idea. We're doing it anyway," Carol tried not to sound too pleased. Everyone knew they weren't talking about the mission.

"It ain't fair," Guy griped, "I ain't got none fer four hundred an' thirty-two days, six hours an' eleven minutes."

"A well deserved abstinence," Race told him, "Now shut the hell up."

"`Kay," Guy meekly replied.

---

Kara broke a Daxamite's nose with satisfying soggy crunch. He went down without a fight. A Royal Guard shot him anyway.

Kara glared at him. He shrugged, "Population control."

"All precincts have reported in, Lady Kalea," a tech shared.

"Then we take the war to the enemy," Kalea ordered.

---

The sergeant in command of Maxima's detail flagged her down between hacking Daxamite heads off, "My Empress, the lead ammunition has been distributed and the counter attack had begun."

"Who ordered this attack?" Maxima demanded to know.

"The Lady Kalea," he said proudly.

Maxima wondered if she should continue pretending he hadn't slept with her underage daughter. She decided it was finally time not to. Exiling him to Argo sounded like a poetic solution. She knew most men on Almerac slept with girls not even having a menstrual cycle yet. Her uncles had been her frequent rapists. And now she knew how appropriate that word was for the despicable behavior. And it was time to ban the practice, under penalty of death or desolate exile.

Kalea had been as hypersexualized by it as Maxima herself. But Maxima had remained hetero. Kalea was bisexual at the least and possibly pansexual. And she was emotionally damaged to the core not only by the hatred Almeracians had traditionally held for cyborgs but also from the series of failed relations. Maxima ordering Marcus' termination hadn't helped at all

He'd been her one love. The one person that didn't scorn her because of her cybernetics and Maxima, rightfully, judged him for treason. But he'd escaped and reappeared rescuing Kalea from Argo. They'd toppled Maxima's government, a second successful coup on Kalea's part. In surprise twist, Kalea killed Marcus to restore Maxima to her throne.

But Maxima and Kalea were mother and daughter simply in a biological sense. Maxima's mother had groomed and even loved with as much affection as an Almeracian Empress could. Maxima hadn't even tried. And Kalea's absentee father not knowing she was even alive for the first six years of her life only wounded her further. A fact she demonstrated when she captured Kal-El and savagely tortured him.

Many saw Kalea as Almerac's golden savior. But Kalea's motives for restoring Maxima's rule weren't to save Almerac, but to destroy it from the top down. Kalea's penchant for destruction served her people's interest in times of war. But Kalea's ambitions towards reshaping social order were her greatest devotion and her vilest deceit.

Marcus had been too heavy handed in his societal reforms. Maxima was subtler and people always gradually embraced them. Kalea thought she secretly wanted Maxima to end the empire. But Maxima was not a political fool. She'd made her reforms and carried them as far as she was able, or at least willing to. She was the epitome of the old order.

Maxima had publicly endorsed, and even begged for, Kalea's reinstatement to the royal line. She was Maxima's heir again. And Maxima's harshest fear was that Kalea would eventually ascend to throne. It wasn't that Maxima despised her daughter. Rather she loved her enough to give every opportunity not to destroy herself…and everyone else in the process. So Kalea had to be given the choice of whether to accept the iron crown or abdicate.

Maxima didn't hate Kalea. But she had every reason to fear her.

---

Alicia Frake's crew had spotted the drifting Kandorians. They'd mistakenly traveled into solar wind of an orange star. As such, their invulnerability was cut in half. Five thousand had attacked Almerac. Fewer than fifteen hundred had left alive. The Antares sensor suite only detected less than five hundred life signs. And even those were faint to the point of dying in mere minutes.

"Deploy life boats. These idiots are too stupid to live but Saturn Queen wants them returned to her," Capt. Frakes grumbled.

"We'll lose fifty percent before we get them aboard," the Master Chief reported.

"The woman gets what she gets no matter how much we owe her," Frakes retorted, "She pays a queen's ransom but we can't do the impossible."

"Aye, Captain," the Chief concurred.

In the end, barely one hundred and twenty-seven made it to the pirates' medical bay. Frakes paid a visit, "What's the prognosis?"

"There's a reason my medical certificate was revoked and I'm wanted for multiple murders," the ship's doctor preambled.

"Just get to it," Frakes was impatient.

"Seventy-two are stable. More to their figuring out their limitations. The rest I give thirty percent," he told her.

"Thirty percent losses?" Frakes asked for clarification.

"Chance of surviving. And most will suffer mental impairments. Anoxia is a harsh bitch," the doctor snorted. Which seeing as how he was an amphibian meant flying mucus. Frakes flung it off her shirt back at him.

Frakes triggered the intercom, "Frakes to Bridge. Make way."

"Aye Cap'n," the First Mate was never referred to as "Number One". Frakes was the only numero uno aboard her vessel. Plus, he was decent ship handler but he had pebble for a brain. Literally. But he made a relentlessly enduring lover. As long as she kept him in his place.

---

Lane and Waller arrived at the White House to find the newest Suicide Squad recruits surrounding the building. As far as the Secret Service and Marines were considered, no prisoners were being taken. Lane was indifferent.

"Serves the jarheads right for joining a fake service branch," he chuckled.

Even Waller wasn't that cold. She'd released Rick Flagg from detention. His supposed role was to ferry messages back between McKay and Lane. Lane's own diversified units were also arriving.

Deadshot gloated over Flagg's face, "I don't need a cranial bomb, Colonel. One shot from my wrist gun will blow your head apart."

"Shut up and get it over with Lawton," Flagg stared him down.

Lane could see the Americans and the THUNDER Agents were disturbed by the carnage, "Remember, the President isn't remotely human no matter what she looks like."

"I kill aliens as a hobby," Knockout bragged.

"I wouldn't know if I've killed an alien. I just don't care what species my victims," Scandal Savage shared as she configured her Lamentation Blades for a fight.

Catman enjoyed a hunt but not like this. He wondered how Kitten was doing. He'd adopted her as an thirteen-year old and she pulled heists with him as she grew up. She'd done as much time in juvie as he had inside. But Waller wouldn't give him access to her. She was in her late teens now and he feared that she thought he'd abandoned her. He sent money and letters to her last known address but he'd never received a reply.

Captain Triumph's Crusaders gleefully watched the agents and soldiers get cut down. In addition, Reactron blasted anyone the Squaders missed. Cyclotron blatantly tried to avoid watching. Lane hadn't called in independent operators but he'd summoned Black Razor support for crowd control. Col. Dowd and his Sandmen had refused to participate. They'd been executed by the Clock, Minute-Man, and Adrian Chase. Chase wanted Pat Trayce's life so he could reclaim being the second Vigilante. Albeit one condemned to death row.

The third Vigilante had been a bailiff in NYC's courts. He'd avoided arrest but ditched the Vigilante alias. Word was he was homeless and going by the title Street Avenger. The recent rumors had him joining Red Hood and his Outlaws. Chase hated him as much as Trayce.

"Now this country gets the leader it deserves. And even better, it desperately needs me as Commander-in-Chief," Lane was being vainglorious now.

"I wouldn't place myself in the Oval Office just yet," Waller cautioned him.

"You're frightened of your own enormous shadow," Lane criticized her.

Waller decided he needed to die just for the fat joke.

---

Emerald Empress was actually enjoying herself. Sinestro's legend was larger than life in the future. Only the Legion of Super Villains and the Fatal Five inspired as much terror as the Fear Corp, the Legion of Doom and the Injustice Society. Those tales of horror were used to scare obedience into dismissive children for a thousand years. Long after the Age of Heroes had faded into obscurity. Yet the Allen-Thawne rivalry would reignite the flames of heroics and villainy two hundred years before Sarya's subjects revolted and caused her to employ the Eye of Ekron in killing every last one of them and sterilizing the planet. And soon after, the other Eye of Ekron chose her as well.

Her relationship with the Eyes was a complex one. Built by Volthoom before he mastered crafting rings, the Eyes had endured millennia of wasted neglect as they travelled the universe. Sometimes together and other times apart. But they had never selected a worthy vessel until the early 31st Century when they came upon the deposed Empress Sarya.

The Lantern Corps were nearly defunct. A smattering of Green Lanterns and Star Sapphires remained. The Blue, Fear, and Red Lanterns had been crushed. The Indigo Tribe had bene obliterated. Even Larfleeze had lost the Ring of Avarice. White Lanterns hadn't been seen in a thousand years. And even the Black Lantern waves ceased.

What endured in strength was Sinestro's Ultraviolet Corps. In a time after the impending Crisis, Sinestro discovered the ancient ultraviolet power ring. A ring equal in strength to a white or black power ring. A ring so unstable, the Guardians had hidden it from existence. It was what Volthoom had been searching for when he discovered the Green Light of Willful Fear. In fact, Volthoom had spent his imprisonment between realities transforming into Ultraviolet energy as he crafted thousands of Rings of Volthoom and imbedded his own twisted personality into them. And those personality engrams were joined by the sadistic essence of the Fearfully Willful Light.

But Sinestro of the here and now wasn't the near omnipotent Ultraviolet Master. At this stage he was the First Yellow Lantern. Master of the Fear Corps and its Lodge. And he still had limits. Limits the Eyes of Ekron were pushing to the breaking point.

"What are you?" Sinestro managed to ask through the strain.

"I am the Empress of the Antimatter Universe. I have slaughtered the Qwardian population, including the Thunderers and the Weaponers. Your Fear Lodge is forfeit to me. Your life is as well," Sarya explained. A simplistic dolt should understand the situation in her opinion.

"No! Qward is mine! The lives in the Antimatter Universe are mine!" Sinestro screeched.

"Has anyone informed the Anti Monitor of your pretensions?" Emerald Empress asked, "He is, of course, the presumptive god of this universe."

"We have an arrangement," Sinestro finally realized he was losing.

"Tell him you quit," Sarya triggered an all out, impossibly strong blast that shattered Sinestro's remaining defenses, "Or I'll tell him on your behalf."

"You think you've won," a smoking Sinestro sneered.

"I know I've won," Emerald Empress laughed, "You want to live? Come here and lick my boots. Literally, not figuratively."

"Nooo!" Sinestro raged as he tore a rift between the matter and antimatter universes and ducked through it. Sarya was disappointed, "And he would have made such a houseboy."

She supposed his Ultraviolet destiny would still be met.

---

Her Emerald Acolytes were waging war against Fear Corpsmen as well. Cera Kesh was the more accomplished the two. The Eyes had forged Rings of Volthoom for the Acolytes. And Lyssa Drak had never truly seen the like. But Lyssa didn't despair until Sinestro fled the field of battle. Making certain the Book of Paralax was still chained to her, Lyssa also fled the scene.

Ingria Olav was the less accomplished. The Eyes approved of her, which is why Sarya hadn't already summarily executed her. Karu-Sil's raw savagery and lupine constructs were overwhelming Ingria's defenses. So Cera bitterly intervened. Now facing two foes, Karu-Sil's instincts told her to flee as well.

"You're useless," Cera accused.

"Let the Empress decide that," Ingria angrily replied.

"Oh, she will," Cera gloated, "I promise you that."

Inertia vibrated Bedovian's shell until it shattered and then carved up what was inside. Sun Girl boiled away Slushh. Persuader hacked Tekik apart with the Atomic Axe. Sarya gathered them, "Now my loyal subjects, we destroy the Fear Lodge and the move on to Anti Earth."

Ingria saw Sarya's anger with her. And Cera's prophetic words loomed.

---

Lucifer Morningstar summoned Aradia Morningstar to his chambers. Angels, particularly fallen ones it seemed, could adopt human form. Gender was entirely a matter of choice. Lucifer presented himself as male while Aradia chose to be female. And he'd chosen her as his "daughter".

The writer of the Gospel of Luke had gotten it right in chapter twenty verses thirty through thirty. Angels weren't given in marriage nor practiced intercourse. But human-angel copulation had bred demigods and demons. Lucifer found it delightfully pretentious of demons calling themselves gods just because they'd tricked mortals into worshiping them. The half-bloods were annoying but extremely useful.

Aradia was no exception especially with her being one of the Fallen. She'd fought by his side in the Revolt and stayed extremely loyal after the Fall. So Lucifer had rewarded her by declaring she was of his so-called flesh. Aradia was just foolish enough to believe he cared.

Lucifer no longer knew anything kindness or caring. His expertise was in deception and ambition. Aradia was simply a loyalist, a defender, and a weapon. And she was extremely versatile in every role. And in an environment of unvarying betrayals and interminable warfare, those traits were invaluable.

Taking the name Chronos, Satan had fathered the demigods. Who in turn polluted the blood by dallying with humans. Diana and Cassia Sandsmark just being two. Grace Choi was another unknown to the Amazonians. The jealousy factor would gone orbital if they knew he'd fathered Donna Troy. And Diana always saw her as an inferior. Lucifer wanted to broadcast the fact just to incite riots on Themiscyra now that Diana ruled. Let Zeus claim parentage over Diana and Cassie. It was Donna that would eliminate his would-be rivals, his very children.

Jehovah's army wouldn't sully themselves with a human. But Lucifer and his minion fathered bastards every day. And they grew to shake the heavens. It kept the mortals in fear and that's where they needed to be to internalize the basics of it all: pride. And they embraced their pride, they threw off all perceived shackles and declared themselves to be God. And habitually began to kill one another to assert their perceived godhood over someone else's. Because only one can be god.

Lucifer knew his downfall was predicted. But he'd made career out of creating loopholes. He just hadn't found the one to spare him yet. So he'd redoubled his force's efforts on the Earths. And Anti Monitor's wrath was quickly reducing their number. The Monitor seemed to be wasting his time bringing select refugees from now destroyed worlds to Earth Prime.

Lucifer knew he shouldn't worry. Jehovah's prophets and Apostles had been blessed with depressingly unerring insight. And Lucifer hated unerring and blessings on sheer principle. So he wanted to send his chief agent on a mission to curry fear and scout out what the miserable mortals were devising to save their universe.

And that's where Aradia excelled. She was the perfect infiltrator that always got close enough to pierce the heart of her target with her flaming sword. Aradia had studied humanity since the Creation. And she could mimic a woman of any distinction. Rather than waste her time observing weaknesses for a target, Lucifer had already chosen a man that would succumb to her considerable charms. It may as well been a woman, Aradia had no preference, but this particular target had lost everything and couldn't attract the affections of the woman he craved. Aradia was guaranteed to be successful.

The only problem could lie either with the intended or Anna Fortune. He had scurried his minions to clear every obstacle so that Anna and Al were married and gone quickly. The problem being mystics could sense angelic beings. And Laura Neilssen posed an even greater threat. The Silver Sorceress was Jay Abrams' closest friend and therein lay his difficulty. He choked on their friendship when wanted romance. So Blue Jay had to be distanced from her. And he had a human agent indebted to him that he could use. He didn't care a whit over Silver Sorceress' fate, just as long as she was out of the. But he would make a teeny suggestion that he preferred as an occultic sacrifice. He was just funny that way.

---

"You look extremely attractive for someone who was mummified alive five thousand years ago," Scarlet Rose was envious.

"It's good finally be rid of those dusty wrapping and not turn to dust because of it," Disco Mummy confessed, "Now, why are you and especially why are betraying your sister?"

"She isn't remotely human anymore," Scarlet complained.

"I don't think I remotely qualify either," Disco Mummy was feeling pragmatically honest.

"But the King of the Undead reversed your condition," Scarlet protested.

"To a point," Disco Mummy warned, "Like your sister I won't ever age again and that means I'll see every loved one turn to dust."

"Then spare her that fate," Scarlet pleaded.

Disco Mummy laugh. She found the thought hilarious, "Surely you have enough grasp of politics and dynasties to know I can't aid a rival without there being a cost attached."

"Anything," Scarlet blurted, "What kind of cost could there be?"

"You," Disco Mummy suddenly decided, "I'll have the Crimson Queen's humanity restored to her in exchange for your immortal service."

"Done," Scarlet hastily agreed.

"Your sister doesn't deserve you, " Disco Mummy told her, "But I've already whispered the incantations and the bargain is sealed. You're my servant until I die."

"But you can't die," Scarlet was confused.

"Everything dies when the universe dies, dear heart," she clanged a gong next her high chair that Scarlet finally recognized as an ersatz throne.

Two mummies shambled in and Disco Queen flourished her finger through the air, "Green Mummy, Wraps, take her to the embalming room."

"Are you insane?" Scarlet practically screamed.

"Yes, for a very long time. Thousands of years in fact. But I feel much, much better especially knowing you'll be at my side forever," Disco Mummy wore a cruel smile, "But the King of the Undead and I will pass your regards on to your sister. Maybe even your nephew."

Scarlet Rose struggled but the mummies were infinitely stronger. She tried to trigger her meta gift nothing happened. Disco Mummy looked pleased.

"Your gen factor won't reactivate until you've been mummified and brought to an obedient service," Disco Mummy was enjoying herself immensely. It was akin to being in Sumaria again ruling as a princess should. In the meantime, she was killing her little black minidress.