32

The Auctioneer surveyed the crowd. Most of the low rent clientele had left. The remainder was gawkers. But the high rollers were waiting for the evening's extravaganza. And he wouldn't disappoint.

The first surprise came when Hangman and Darkling revealed themselves. The second surprise was the revelation of Comet and Fly Girl's struggle with Crow and Elasto outside. Finally, the Female Furies crashed the auction through a boom tube and threw everything into chaos.

Lashina quickly sized up the potential opposition and correctly assessed Hangman and Darkling as her principle foes. So she split up the Female Furies to put the Mighty Crusaders duo down before anyone else could grab the Mother Box. But as crooks fled to the elevator and stairwell, Shield and Web emerged from one of the four elevators.

Shield and Web weren't the most noted of superheroes but Shield's flag motif costume drew notice. And incited panic. Web saw a coterie of mid-caliber crooks to catch. And so he split off from Shield to do so.

Lashina led Mad Harriet, Stompa, and Gilotina against Hangman, having judged him to be the greatest threat in the room. Lashina's lashes severed Hangman's ethereal nooses in midair. Gilotina carved through them with her swords. Stompa simply tore them apart while Mad Harriet's frenzied dance evaded every noose sent after her. Seeing he couldn't directly confront the Female Furies, he teleported behind them in wisps of black smoke.

But Mad Harriet blindsided him with her electro-sock claws. That stunned him so Stompa could smash his chest with a frontal kick using her antimatter soles. Before Hangman could recover, Gilotina plunged both of her swords up their hilts in Hangman's chest. He teleported again. And reappeared nearby.

"You cannot harm me. I am protected by the Prince of Hell," Hangman warned them all.

"And Lucifer Morningstar fears our Master. Care to learn why?" Lashina taunted him.


Bloody Mary directly attacked Darkling. The energy vampire could taste Darkling in the air. But when she got a grip on Darkling and began to feed, the dark energy within Darkling began to kill Bloody Mary. She whimpered and lashed out with the last of her strength to rip free of Darkling's own grip.

Artemiz nocked her bow, "Malice! Do something."

"Why don't you?" Malice Vundabar sullenly asked in reply.

"I am doing something but I need a distraction with my Cyberpak off getting upgrades," Artemiz was losing patience.

"Fine," Malice clapped her hands and the other-dimensional shadow demon known as Chessure came through a portal from its home realm, "Chessy, time to play with that creature."

Chessure seemed eager and Darkling appeared reluctant until they realized they were both composed of, or controlled, the same shadow energy. But it was too late for Darkling. Artemiz fired her arrow into Darkling's heart and Dora Keane instantly knew she was about to die.

Dora didn't want her life to end without meaning. So she instinctively searched the panicky crowd and found an antisocial looking young woman. And Dora detached all of her energy and bonded it to the other woman.

Darla Lang had been labeled a Goth while in high school not that long ago. Darla had never felt labeled. She just knew what she liked to dress like, read, listen to, and watch. She'd left school as a sophomore having taken her GED so she could leave home. Life at sixteen in Los Angeles was an uphill battle but Darla managed to wade through life's muck without selling her body. But her principles weren't so lucky.

Darla had come to work for the Auctioneer as a delivery person in the months leading up to the main sale. After all, most shipping companies would report the buyer and sender of the exotic wares Darla transported every day. Darla had made the acquaintance of dozens of super villains and their henchmen. And she'd realized she didn't want to become one herself.

But the dark energy bonding itself to Darla carried a copy of Dora Keane's memories. And Darla recognized the other woman had faced the same choices. Yet she'd grown from the adversity. And in doing so, Dora inspired Darla Lang.

The darkness wove a far more provocative costume around the new Darkling. It had cutouts everywhere along with a flowing cape. Now Darkling wondered if her years of kickboxing lessons would come in handy. They worked well enough against your average asshole.


Ms. Mesmer blocked Dr. Sivana and Mr. Mind's exit. In the confusion, they'd ended up with the Mother Box. Ms. Mesmer tried hypnotizing them but Sivana's glasses and Mr. Mind's goggles protected them. Then she was struck down by a fire extinguisher to the back of her head.

Magnificus Sivana struck a pose with the fire extinguisher slung over his shoulder. Thaddeus Jr. and Georgia Sivana looked bored. But they were mesmerized by the sight of the Mother Box.

"Will that make me as lovely as Beautia?" Georgia was insanely jealous of her vastly more attractive half-sister.

Mr. Mind doubted there was hope for someone that so closely resembled her father. But he held his vocoder from responding.

"This will make the Sivana Family simply Marvelous," Sivana cackled.

"I already am," Magnificus boasted.

"But this might give you a brain to go with your brawn," Sivana chided him. His two eldest children had Sivana's brains but also shared his hideous looks. Magnificus had the body even Sivana craved but it was Beautia, alone of Venus Sivana's two offspring, that possessed the intelligence to go with the physical perfection. Beautia was loyal to Sivana but she wouldn't partake in his schemes against the Marvel Family. Not even now when only Black Mary remained from both Marvel lineages.

"We'd best get away now, Father," Thaddeus Jr. urged.

Finally! Mr. Mind could agree with the Sivana Family's plans at long last.


Shield grabbed the Persian. She wore a vindictive smile as she teleported him high above Los Angeles. And then she returned herself to face the Web.

She used two knives while she fought hand to hand, "I see you've learned from our previous encounters."

"One does try to rise to a challenge," Web replied.

And he found her form and technique to be perfect. But she was also growing impatient. So she teleported away from the building before charting her own course out of the city.

Web noticed Hangman was being overwhelmed by four lethal ladies. Which served the royal git right. But Dora Keane was dead. And a perfect stranger seemed to have her powers now. And he had to admire her fashion sense.


The Queen of Diamonds held Roulette at gun point. The Queen wasn't a supper villain by trade. She ruled a literal Kingdom of Diamonds in sidereal dimension adjacent to Earth. Her planet was threatened and she'd traveled to Earth to seek help. But every national ruler she approached had her detained. Tiring of escaping, she sought her help from less reputable sources. Sources that would work for the diamonds that littered her planet in such overabundance.

"Let me walk away and you'll never be bothered by me again," Roulette promised.

"Are you trustworthy?" Queen of Diamonds asked.

"It's only fair play," Roulette assured her.


Brains cursed over her lack of insight to smuggle a ceramic handgun past the metal detectors supposedly guarding against just such an event. Finally, Brains had had enough, "Cease fire! Let's just walk away from here and try and eliminate one another like civilized people. Besides, Sivana and the worm got away with the Mother Box already. There's nothing left to fight over here."

"Except general principles," Pirate Blue countered, "But I'll give you this much, killing you here and now won't provide a crippling blow to Intergang. And I want your death to have meaning."

"As if you could ever kill me," Brains scoffed.

"I could kill you now," Pirate Blue aimed her gun again.

"No, I'm feeling reasonable," Brains told her, "You outplayed me tonight. And the entire city of Los Angeles. You've proven you're up to the task of fighting a war against Intergang. So let's leave town before the Justice League and God Himself descend upon this city and wage our private little war afterwards."

"Say hello to the 'Director' for me," Pirate Blue laughed.

Brains realized her ruse had been seen through.


Cat-Girl was a self-proclaimed cat goddess. In truth she was the mortal host to a cat spirit the way Jaguar hosted the Jaguar Spirit. Cat-Girl's grandmother had been a previous Jaguar's lover. Cat-Girl felt compelled to fill that same role now. Regardless of the current Jaguar's gender. Since she didn't know Jaguar's identity she felt making a little mischief would serve as an introduction.

Pow-Girl had been the very first Web Host…and John Raymond's lover. When the Web dismissed her from his service and his bed, Pow-Girl was embittered. And she took great delight as Web realized who was fighting Kong beside Cat-Girl.

Cat-Girl almost singlehandedly drove Kong past the point of rage. Pow-Girl was relieved as Brains called Kong off to retrieve Ms. Mesmer and Bulldozer. Pirate Blue gathered Queen of Diamonds, Cat-Girl, and Pow-Girl.

"Ladies, our mission is blown. But my crew below us are prepared to take us to the Port of Los Angeles were we can stay together long enough to go our separate ways until we're called together again," Pirate Blue informed them.


Shield plummeted out of the sky but his armor allowed for limited flight capabilities so he slowed himself to the point of merely creating a small impact crater. And he arrived just in time for the Eliminators and two CRUCIBLE Project rejects to appear as well. Fly Girl nailed Elasto center mass with her buzz guns and put him down. Comet stunned the Crow in a similar manner before he addressed the problem called Rogue Star.

A series of high energy blasts coupled with supersonic punches carried Comet and Rogue Star's battle out across the Pacific. And eventually over Catalina. Comet found he could transform Rogue Star's energy bursts into harmless light.

And Rob Conners found he was in better physical condition than Rogue Star. Rob was a minor league baseball player. He'd played his way through several baseball related scholarships during his undergrad years. He'd been offered several opportunities to play Single A ball in different teams' farm systems. But the Seattle Mariners had always been Rob's goal. And he earned a Master's degree while trying out for a better opportunity to be signed into their farm system.

After becoming the Comet, Rob literally found he had twice as much energy. And when focused that energy on baseball, he became a phenomenal player. So, scouts eventually offered Rob the chance he'd waited for. A year in the Double A Hillsboro Hops with moving up to Double and Triple A when the managers felt confident in him. A chance that opened three months into Rob's tenure with the Single A team.

Latham and the MLJ explained to the franchise owners that Rob was the Comet and would be needed as such. But Latham agreed to minimize the Comet's role in the Mighty Crusaders during the season, and never during a game. Their reply was they wanted Rob to make several promotional visits with the Mariners and the minor league teams at times of their choosing. And they guaranteed to keep Rob's secret identity just that.

So Rob had been scheduled to start Spring Training in a week so Brain Emperor's own impatience had allowed Rob to participate in the effort against the Evil Brain Trust. Comet finally deduced how to stop Rogue Star in his tracks. He converted all of Rogue Star's stored up stellar energy into light. The flash was like having a second sun in the sky.

But Comet caught the unconscious Rogue Star before he splashed down. Dropping the Eliminator off on Catalina, Comet hailed Liberty Station, "General Latham, I've captured Rogue Star. I have him secured on Catalina Island. What do you want me to do with him?"

"What's his status?" Latham inquired.

"Depowered and unconscious," Comet reported.

"I'm not going to ask how you accomplished that on an unsecure channel. But good job. Hold him there. I have seaborne assets rerouting to your location. Once they have custody, feel free to return to Los Angles," Latham instructed.

Comet wondered what kind of seaborne assets the MLJ could muster but he didn't feel like asking a question which wouldn't be answered. Latham signed off and Comet checked out Rogue Star's condition again. The man was even cold to the touch. And Comet worried someone would eventually do the same thing to him.


Lodestone levitated a pair of automobiles, one before him and one behind, to act as a shield as Fly Girl circled him with buzz guns blazing. Sparks flew from the electrostatic discharges and impacts. She holstered one gun to pluck a concussive bomb off of her belt. She flew up to a car and it magnetically adhered itself. But Lodestone sensed the magnetic field.

Lodestone severed the field and lowered the affected car before burling the bomb back at Fly Girl. The bomb harmlessly bounced off of Fly Girl since she'd never activated the detonator. But now she had her clean shot at Lodestone and she took. Emptying both buzz guns' battery packs into Lodestone, he collapsed and took the cars with him.

Fly Girl swapped out battery packs, fresh for depleted, before reattaching her bomb to her belt. Fly Girl took note that Comet was nowhere to be seen. All sorts of villainous types were emptying out of the building. And Shield was hopelessly outnumbered. Or so it seemed.


Shield faced the Eliminator called Brontosaurus and two of his own fellow CRUCIBLE Project candidates, Mann-X and Maxx-13. Shield threw Brontosaurus atop of Maxx-13 while he moved to Mann-X, "I never thought you'd stoop to treason."

"What else was left to us?" Mann-X sneered.

Shield used his high voltage crowd control charge to stun Mann-X. Maxx-13 was being pummeled by Brontosaurus. And then Brontosaurus vanished in thin air. Maxx-13 passed out at that point.

Fly Girl noticed Lodestone was missing as well. On Catalina, Comet was alarmed to find Rogue Star had vanished as well. While Fly Girl assessed whether or not the Eliminators were in the vicinity, Shield took notice of the situation regarding the former auction.


Dream Demon studied team all from afar. See didn't trust her restored vision yet since it had returned upon Dora Keane's death so see didn't want to get into a fight. And her magic inner sight allowed her to see Lodestone and Rogue Star had been defeated anyway. And the brutish Brontosaurus didn't have the brains to defeat the Mighty Crusaders unassisted. So Dream Demon simply moved them elsewhere.


Fly Girl reported in to Shield, "No sign of any Eliminators."

"But there's plenty of action in the penthouse," Shield replied, "I'll stay ground level and deal with as many as I can down here while you help out our teammates above."

"Anyone ever tell you you're kinds of sexy in a take charge kinda way?" Fly Girl asked before flying to the heights of the building and reengaging there. While Fly Girl dealt with the uppermost stories, Shield contacted Special Agent Strander and gave a sitrep. Carol took control of a National Guard platoon and redirected them downtown.


Pirate Blue and her crew transited back to the Port of Los Angeles through war torn streets. But state, local, and federal law enforcement was regaining control of the streets of LA. The National Guard's arrival had all but ended the criminal domination of the city and its metro area. Pirate Blue was summarizing the situation on their drive back to the dock cradling the Plunderer.

"Sivana brought his kids in as backup. Fitting since word is the Legion of Doom is defunct so Sivana and Mr. Mind were operating in their own resources," Pirate Blue explained, "Which means Sivana's plan for the Mother Box will be a tight knit operation as well. We probably won't learn of it until it's well and truly over."

"Captain, why'd you let the Gang go?"Bonney asked.

"Brains, through Ms. Mesmer, is secretly Intergang's Director of the 100. A secret shared only with the Gang itself and Julia Sazia and Knightfall," Pirate Blue told the assemblage.

"I thought Knightfall was a vigilante," Snips added.

She's also uncommonly known as the real estate heiress, Charise Carnes. As Carnes and Knightfall she's reached the pinnacle of crime and polite society in Gotham City and the neighboring NYC. Positions she'll work hard to defend and expand on a national platform as she sells her business model." Pirate Blue laughed, "Carnes' overall goal is to regulate all crime and thereby control its affects on society. In turn, she would regulate society to create a vice market because she's realized you can't have one without the other."

"So she's trouble," First Mate decided.

"Of the decidedly delicious kind," Pirate Blue said hungrily.

Her crew were suddenly very jealous of Knightfall.

"But she's the Patriarch's problem to deal with directly," Pirate Blue sighed.


Dr. Archer, of the Global Concern, hired Deadly Force and Weapon to help secure the Plunderer's slip. Buzzard and Owl patrolled the air. War Eagle watched from a distance and then she was surprised to learn Black Hood, Steel Sterling, and Jaguar had infiltrated the port without even War Eagle spotting them.

War Eagle launched herself off of the massive crane she'd perched upon. She dove, barrel rolled, and lashed out at Buzzard. He finally understood just how greatly she'd held back before. Only Owl's intervention gave him respite enough to escape alive. But Owl was a predator as well and he and War Eagle escalated their fight while Buzzard loped off to crash elsewhere.


Black Hood engaged Pirate Blue's available crew. What they lacked in martial expertise they made up for in numbers since the crew numbered sixteen women in its entirety. Leaving twelve there to guard the submarine.

It wasn't first time Black Hood had fought a pitched battle with Pirate Blue's crew. But hopefully it would be the last time. But he also knew from Carol's updates that Pirate Blue herself was returning to the sub. A profound morale boost for the crew.


Jaguar engaged Deadly Force. And he realized he'd always sorely underestimated her as a simple "cat person". Jaguar's strength and claws could damage his battle suit. Deadly Force and Weapon had engineered an ambush. Now he knew his survival depended on leading Jaguar into it.

But first Steel Sterling stumbled into Weapon's sights. Weapon was using the antitank rounds from an A-10 Warthog. He put three through Steel Sterling's chest before Jack Sterling could even locate where the shots had come from. But Deadly Force mistimed his trying to lure Jaguar in.

Se bounded off to attack Weapon directly. Meanwhile, Deadly Force watched the light go out of Steel Sterling's eyes. That added to the total number of Mighty Crusaders killed by the Evil Brain Trust.

Black Hood disengaged from the Plunderer crew and delivered a more conventional brand of combat against Deadly Force. But his armor was damaged, still lending Black Hood an even greater advantage than would normally be his to have. Deadly Force saw Pirate Blue's van arrive and was the first to withdraw.

War Eagle had severely wounded Owl and left him behind to get a chance at Pirate Blue. But was the entire crew against War Eagle. Even the gen active War Eagle couldn't thrive against those odds.

Weapon kept Jaguar pinned down until he ran out of rounds. She made it to his former location to find him already gone. Then a strange feline scent filled the air and Jaguar felt compelled to investigate.

Pirate Blue led a fighting retreat back aboard the Plunderer while Cat-Girl, Queen of Diamonds, and Pow-Girl delayed the Mighty Crusaders. Warning klaxons announced the submarine's departure. Cat-Girl and Queen of Diamonds distracted War Eagle but they wouldn't fight her. And then Jaguar arrived and Cat-Girl's life flip-flopped.

Pow-Girl did get into a physical altercation with Black Hood. But everyone around could tell they weren't even trying. But even their eyes turned to the rapturous meeting between Jaguar and Cat-Girl.

"Finally! Now my life is complete," Cat-Girl sighed.

"Who are you?" Jaguar also felt flushed and breathless.

"Your better half," Cat-Girl almost mewed.

"Are you coming on to me?" Jaguar's head was spinning.

"Is it working?" Cat-Girl wondered.

"I have no idea," Jaguar confessed.

"Then I'll just have to try harder," Cat-Girl promised.

"Wait! Who are you?" Jaguar pleaded.

"I'm Cat-Girl. For every Jaguar there's a cat goddess. For you, that's me," Cat-Girl finally revealed something.

"I'm taking everyone prisoner," War Eagle declared.

"No!" there was a note of panic in Jaguar's voice, "I don't know anything about what she's talking about but I also know I need to learn."

"And these other two are just guilty of keep bad company," Black Hood replied.

War Eagle knew Black Hood was rarely generous with a potential foe.

"What about Steel Sterling?" War Eagle grated.

"His killers already got away," Black Hood reminded her, "And we know it was Deadly Force and Weapon working together that killed him."

"Can you live with what they might do?" War Eagle asked her partners

"Yes, because they won't do anything illegal," Black Hood promised.

She knew his insights came from his enchanted hood so he was probably right but still she had to ask, "Jaguar?"

"I already trust her with my life," Jaguar confessed.

"Wonderful," War Eagle rolled her eyes.


From the Simon & Kirby Building, Inferno contacted Latham at Liberty Station. The general's seasoned eye picked up what he needed most of all to know, "I see you're discovering the truth for yourself, Frank."

"If I can even call myself that still," Frank Verrano complained, "What the hell am I?"

"We don't know," Latham admitted, "No one has ever seen anything like you. You're not a cyborg because you haven't any organic material in your construction. But you're not a robot or artificial intelligence either because you mind operates on brainwaves. Which despite your machine-like origins means that some part of you is just as alive as any standard human being. Fortunately, you don't work with standard human beings."

"So what's to stop me from leaving the MLJ Initiative?" Inferno inquired.

"Noting but the knowledge that it's the wrong choice for you. I don't think your conscience could handle it and I've seen that you have a conscience a hundred times over on our way to today," Latham told him.

"What will you tell the others about me?" Inferno suddenly worried.

"Only what you want me to share. No more or less," Latham pledged, "But I suggest getting that skin of yours patched before everyone starts coming back in from their assignments. That skin of yours heals faster than normal human tissue and the synthetic blood that infuses it also makes it easier to patch up."

"Let me think what I want everyone to know and I'll get back to you in a few days," Inferno offered.

"I won't share anything until or when you decide," Latham reiterated.

"Over and out," Inferno signed off and then headed for the medical wing.


The Web Hosts tracked down Deadly Force to the Port of Los Angeles and then he fled again after encountering the Mighty Crusaders. As the self-styled "Mighty Crusaders" packed their dead after letting several suspects go, the Web Hosts were rejoined by "Jump" Kennedy, "Brew" Troy, "Wild" Bill Grady and some support agents. Kevin Wells returned to an advisory role out of the Web's LA base while Big Daddy assumed tactical command. Normally that would have fallen to Buster, despite her relative youth and seeming inexperience, but she had more time in as a conventional law enforcement agent than most Web Hosts, who had little to none.

Web had reprioritized the mission prior to setting out to the auction. The revelation of the Evil Brain Trust and the Brain Emperor's command of it, shifted Web's focus from a singular operative to a leader of singular and group operatives. And Web wanted to find and deal with Brain Emperor before the MLJ could.

Web wanted the Web Hosts to transform into a federal Web Agency to share costs with him while he retained full control over the agents and their agendas. Latham had been less than receptive. So Web envisioned the MLJ and the Mighty Crusaders as the government's Uncle Toms while the Web Agency would deal strictly with covert operations and meta-human controls. So Web had unwittingly fostered the formation of the still top secret Shadow Crusaders within the Mighty Crusaders umbrella.


"We both worship at the feet of the United States' flag and bleed its colors," General Glory still tried to reason with the Sandman leader, Col. Wes. Dowd, "Don't mistake our presence here as a strike against national sovereignty. Our aim is simple: to prevent the creation of a Bizarro mockery. Bizarros are proven to be unstable killers."

"I think you're a little too late," Psycho Trooper Romanski sneered as he pointed at Bizarro Lois and Bizarro's battle with Superwoman.

"Colonel, you have to know this is wrong," General Glory appealed to Dowd, "Superwoman is your teammate. What has she done to deserve certain death?"

Dowd knew Gen. Lane had to have given the order to attack his living daughter. And Sam Lane was no fool. He knew Lucy Lane was badly outmuscled. Her only crime was objecting to Lane's mad plan to resurrect Lois as a Bizarro clone infused with Kryptonian DNA.

Dowd knew US Army regulations demanded he refuse an illegal order. But the Meta-Human Response Division was an off-the-books illegal unit. So every order was illegal. Where and when could he draw a line? Should he? As the unit's second ranking officer his decision would have drastic consequences.


Superman faced down the kryptonite laden Black Razor mechas 14 and 31, "We didn't come to fight. We came to prevent the creation of another damn Bizarro clone. Barring that, to insure she wasn't a threat to the public."

"That 'threat' is now a strategic asset," Maj. Poole informed Superman, "She will go where told and do what instructed to. No more and no less."

"So you're saying Gen. Lane has instructed the Bizarros to kill his daughter?" Superman asked.

Gwen Poole assessed the conflict between the Bizarros and Superwoman. Her audio amplifiers detected Gen. Lane cheering on Bizarro Lois and manically urging her to kill Lucy Lane with feverish ramblings of bringing Lucy back as a Bizarro clone as well. The ravings weren't coming from a rational mind.


Green Lantern found he could still tap into the ultimate will and overpower the Psycho Trooper's and Sandman's manipulations. Capturing them, John Stewart confronted Bess Harding and Don Drapier, "You have thirty seconds to persuade me to leave you conscious."

Capt. Harding began detailing the Meta-Human Response Division's official policies regarding capture and interrogation.

Atom flattened Psycho Trooper Linkletter. Then he shrank into Linkletter's psychotropic controls faster than Sandman Hooper could respond. Then Atom proceeded to sabotage Linkletter's gear so it would affect his fellow Psycho Troopers and every Sandman in range as well.


Lane redirected Bizarro at Barda after she mauled Goodwin and Jones. Bizarro summed his feelings rather succinctly, "Me am not liking you."

"Good. Now I won't feel bad as I literally rip your arms and legs off and beat you to death with them," Barda decided.


Hourman used the last dregs of his first Miraclo dose of the day against two Sandmen. He wanted to use his three remaining doss rather sparingly. Besides he was enjoying watching Jesse in action.

Jesse Quick also defeated two Sandmen singlehandedly. She ran around Tanner and Stamper until she created a vacuum and sucked all of the oxygen out of the Sandmen's vicinity. Once they were unconscious she was joined by Hourman.

"Plas looks like he could use a hand," he suggested to Jesse.


Vibe shook Agent Liberty's equipment apart. And nearly liquefied the man himself. But Vibe spared him when he didn't have to. Which wasn't the sign of an enemy just as the Knight and Squire had argued beside General Glory earlier.

"Can we talk now?" Vibe wondered.

"I think we'd better," Agent Liberty agreed.


Cyclotron's blasts were turning Plastic Man into Putty Man. Jesse Quick attacked Cyclotron from a dozen different directions before Hourman stepped in to beat Cyclotron senseless even without Miraclo. Cyclotron surrendered in the middle of the assault.

"Uncle! And I think you broke my suit," he complained.

"Poor baby," Jesse derided him.

"You okay, Plas?" Hourman inquired while Plastic Man solidified.

"Give me a minute to stop dripping all over the floor," Plas requested.

Hourman and Jesse gave Cyclotron scathing looks. He held up is hands, "What? He said I couldn't hurt him."


Supergirl pulled Guardian's attention to Superwoman, "This is what Gen. Lane wants."

"Let's go!" Guardian leapt to join the fray.

Matrix suddenly wondered where Guardian's heart lay.


Atom Smasher stomped Reactron into the bedrock. And Reactron's armor was critically damaged. Squire whistled appreciatively.

"It certainly doesn't pay to mess around with you Justice League blokes," Squire determined.

"I'm a man with a mission to reunite with the woman I love in that underground base of yours," Atom Smasher.

"Go. I'll watch this git," Squire insisted.

"The Knight picks good partners if you and Red Robin are any examples," Atom Smasher offered as he head indoors to catch a lift.

"Red Robin?" Squire was confused. Could he mean Beryl?


"I can't just sit here," Owlwoman decided.

"You'll destroy everything Mist has worked for," Belphegor warned her, "Our money and mandate have to come from some source."

"But even the Global Guardians and the Justice League International never marched to a madman's beat," Owlwoman protested, "So I'm helping Superwoman."

Only she couldn't as Belphegor frowned, "I can't let you."

Owlwoman's razor sharp talons extended out of her fingertips, "You just made a very serious mistake."


Despite her advanced training with the Air Force Security Police and as Superwoman, Maj. Lucy Lane was truly afraid for the first time in her career. The Bizarro process heightened natural aggression and latent, suppressed urges. And Lois had been the most aggressive person Lucy had ever known. Bizarro Lois had a hundred times more aggression with Kryptonian powers to back it up with.

It didn't help that Lucy was already discouraged that her father claimed Bizarro Lois as his only true daughter and had commanded the mockery to kill the natural offspring. But at least Bizarro had pulled away. And suddenly Guardian interposed himself between Bizarro Lois and Superwoman.

Supergirl was now at her side, "We'll stand by you."

The sight of Guardians and Supergirl only further enraged Bizarro Lois. So while Superwoman gathered her strength, Guardian distracted Bizarro Lois and Supergirl took the fight straight to her. Superwoman had hope once again.


Mist exited the Exogenesis Chamber, "Belphegor, release Owlwoman. Wenonah is the only one of us thinking properly. We can't allow this travesty to continue. This will end the Ultramarine Corps but we'll make do somehow. We always have before."

"So how do we proceed against the Bizarros?" Belphegor asked.

"You must calm them down and keep them calm," Dr. Mist instructed.

"But what if I can't?" Belphegor fretted.

"You don't have a choice," Dr. Mist pointed out.


Behind the construct wall surrounding a four block area originating from Sunset Blvd and Western Ave in Los Angeles, Jade began questioning Jonni Thunder regarding her Thunderbolt's nature, "Do you know the extent of your powers?"

"Nope. One day I just need to accomplish something and it magically happens," Jonni replied.

"Sounds like a Thunderbolt," Jade shared, "We brought two food trucks in with my groups when we split up and escorted people into our safe zone. They should have grocery lists waiting for me. I was hoping to take fifteen and leave you here while I get supplies."

"Take thirty or more," Jonni confidently offered.

"The first teriyaki bowl is guaranteed to be yours," Jade promised.

"Hell, take an hour," Jonni laughed.


"Heads up, people. ARGUS files stipulate this thing's strength comes from its photosynthetic hair," Flagg warned the Suicide Squad's "Alpha" Team, "They also categorize the Shaggy Man as a weapon of mass destruction. Superman couldn't stop this beast on his own."

"So burn away the hair or get rid of the sunlight," Unknown Soldier offered.

"Enchantress, can you burn its hair off?" Flagg asked.

"May I remind you my magic doesn't affect living creatures?" Enchantress huffed.

"It isn't alive," Flagg was worried by Shaggy Man's proximity now.

Enchantress fireballed Shaggy Man. And he emerged unscathed, "It seems my curse disagrees with your file, Colonel."

"King Shark, take point but don't let the monster grab you. Everyone else back him up," Flagg dictated orders, "Light, Boomerang, and Unknown Soldier with me."

As the squad attacked en masse, Flagg addressed his chosen instruments, "Tell me you have incendiaries."

"I got me a fire bomb boomerang," Captain Boomerang bragged, "But it ain't gonna do diddly against that mound of hair."

"I have three phosphorous grenades," Unknown Soldier brightened Flagg's day.

"I don't have anything," Light grumbled.

"You're my chosen weapon," Flagg consoled her, "You can create lasers to shave the beast without feeding it solar energy to make it stronger."

"Oi! Check it out, Colonel," Captain Boomerang urged.

Enchantress and Psi were hurling rubble at Shaggy Man. Zoom was attacking from multiple directions seconds apart. Afterthought, Black Spider, and White Canary slashed and hacked away at the Shaggy Man. Shrapnel clung to one arm and King Shark had his jaws set on the other.

"Anarky just pulled a runner," Unknown Soldier reported. Silver Swan was in pursuit. Flagg keyed his remote detonator and blew Anarky's head apart. Silver Swan landed nearby to puke her guts up.

"Pull Enchantress and Psi off of the Shaggy Man to report to me," Flagg instructed Unknown Soldier, "Boomerang, get Silver Swan over here. And Harkness? Gentle hands."

Enchantress heeded the summons while grumbling, "I can't believe June picked you people to help me."

"June Moone picked us because we're willing to end you if you start to get drunk on power," Flagg reminded Enchantress.

"Very good to know," Enchantress sniffed.

"I'm going to call every one off of the Shaggy Man," Flagg warned them, "Valerie, I need your swan song to distract the creature while Psi and Enchantress set up. Light, I want you to shave the beast. Then I want you two to manipulate the rubble so that it binds the Shaggy Man. Sink him twenty feet into the ground and wrap him in every material known to man. Then cap the hole."

"This might actually work," Psi mused.


The plan went like clockwork and afterwards the Suicide Squad was the verge of celebrating when the "cap" over the Shaggy Man was dug through and the bald creature emerged.

"Oh hell," Light bemoaned.

"Shrapnel, hit it!" Flagg ordered.

Psi protected her teammates from Shrapnel lashing out. Then Psi punctured Shaggy Man with the remaining pieces. Flagg wasn't done.

"King Shark, maul that thing to death," the undersea god-like creature was happy to comply, "The rest of you, as Shaggy Man beats King Shark back, hit it with everything you have until Shark reengages. Make sure it can't grow its fur back!"


Saturn Queen studied the battle outside over the media coverage, "Ultraman, you and your blushing bride are on standby. It seems Ivo's unkillable creature might just die."

Professor Ivo disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Saturn Queen wasn't amused, "Virtuoso, find the Professor."

Funky Flashman was the next to vanish. Saturn Queen stopped all movement, "We have a pair of visitors."

Jester appeared on the main stage, "Am I in time to make my presence known? After all, isn't everything in life about timing?"

"Spare him," Saturn Queen called off both Ultraman and Virtuoso, "I want to learn if the fool is hiding any wisdom. Meanwhile, find me the Phantasm."


"Bring the Shaggy Man to heel," Phantasm demanded of Professor Ivo.

"Or?" Ivo wondered.

"Or I gut you and the world takes its chances," Phantasm replied.

"Those are very large odds," Ivo chuckled.

"But you'll never make a 3.0 version," Phantasm poised her scythe glove.

"It's done!" Ivo said desperately, "But you have to get me away from here."

"And done. You can even take your Shaggy Man as a bodyguard," Phantasm agreed, "Just follow the exit signs and you'll make your way to freedom."

Phantasm went into the next room to visit with Funky Flashman, "You know who I am."

"Your reputation is quite impressive," Flashman admitted.

"Your Queen is under threat," Phantasm warned him.

"You kind of blew your element of surprise," Funky Flashman guffawed.

"I'm talking the one man even I'm afraid to face," Phantasm clarified.

Funky Flashman's face fell, "Deathstroke."

"The one and only," Phantasm verified, "I need you to warn your boss. My man upstairs is doing it but he's a bit of an ass so she probably won't believe her defenses could be penetrated twice in one afternoon."

Funky Flashman adopted a meditative state in his mind and yelled for Saturn Queen to recognize him. As Phantasm had suggested, Jester had failed to persuade the Queen and was seconds away from facing an execution. Saturn Queen decided to be forbearing.

"Go! Leave with your life," Saturn Queen commanded Jester, "You won't get this offer again."

Jester literally ran out of the auditorium. Saturn Queen studied the room, "Deathstroke! I'm calling you out. Let's parlay."

Vigilante took her painstakingly selected shot. The hypnotically controlled Shara caught the bullet and then vaporized where Pat Trayce had been perched with her heat vision. Deathstroke jammed the end of his power staff into Shara's chest and a loud, compressed bang was heard. She staggered back and then her veins began to glow green as her heart pumped the aqueous solution of green kryptonite powder. She was dead long before her brain registered the fact.

"I don't think your chief enforcer will mind the loss of his talking blow up doll," Deathstroke warned Saturn Queen.

"But you are, and are not, here to kill me," Saturn Queen deduced.

"The money's good but the challenge just wasn't there for me," Deathstroke told her.

"I've been distracted," Saturn Queen admitted.

"I won't betray Luthor even in the face of my 'failure'," Deathstroke advised, "So where does that leave us?"

"I hire you to kill the Justice League," Saturn Queen offered.

"It's been tried and everyone has failed. Even me," Deathstroke confessed.

"You tried to kill Superman and had to fight your way through the Justice League to make the attempt," Saturn Queen corrected him, "I'll assemble a coalition on the order of the campaign to kill the Daemonites. Then you try again."

"What would be the terms of the contract?" Deathstroke asked.

"Patience, Mr. Wilson. Let me conclude my business here and with Luthor and then we can negotiate," Saturn Queen offered.

"Why not just compel me to obey?" Slade asked.

"There are a small percentage of minds I can't affect. Yours happens to be one," Saturn Queen informed him, "Unlike your quarrelsome associates. And I didn't need to tell you that little nugget. Besides, what's money?"

"Says someone who can have bank employees empty the vaults and deliver the receipts to nondescript locations," Deathstroke countered.

"You noticed," Saturn Queen was delighted, "Your pathetic FBI hasn't put it together and ARGUS is still several steps behind. Frankly, I expected more from the vaunted Amanda Waller."

"Never underestimate the Wall," Deathstroke warned her.

Virtuoso played a madcap tune. Staffs, signs, and notes raced through the air, cutting whatever they touched with potent sonic energy. Tattooed Man fought back with his shadow tattoos come to life. Arsenal tried drawing a bead on Virtuoso while he dodged her own weaponry. But the notes created a barrier around her and nothing seemed to get through.

Cheshire effectively dodged and weaved through the attack. But she couldn't penetrate Virtuoso's defense. She even sacrificed her favorite sword for the cause. Cinder and Vigilante angled away from their fellow Titans.

Cinder's plasma didn't need to touch Virtuoso to harm her. Vigilante tried a series of rounds before she found one whose metallurgy resisted the shattering impact of the sonic weapon. Virtuoso backed away from the assault and went on the defensive. But Cinder and Vigilante continued to push her. And Arsenal, Tattooed Man, and Cheshire applied continuous pressure to force Virtuoso to submit.


"You dress like Black Adam," Ultraman observed of Horus, "I hate him and I'm glad he's dead."

Horus decided that wasn't the moment to reveal that he'd negotiated with the Lords of Chaos so that Black Adam and Isis lived again after Teth-Adam and Adrianna Tomaz accepted their power. Their Black Marvel forms were permanent now, or as long as the Lords of Chaos existed into the future. Which unbeknownst to the Black Marvels, was prophesied to be a finite period.

Horus settled down to kill Ultraman. The concept of one less Kryptonian in the world was bolstered by the prospect of one less dolt to deal with again in the future. And Ultraman saw the opportunity to defend his "mother", Eve Aries the Saturn Queen. So it would literally be a duel to the death if left unchecked.


Amos Fortune personified his entire tarot deck. But the Mad Hatter sacrificed his remaining pawns to place mind control chips on the personifications. He unleashed them upon Amos and fled.

Amos found he no longer controlled any card character or their fate. He had one trump. He could insert himself into a card to be removed from it later. Grabbing, he injected himself into the card without looking at it first. And he found himself tormented by the Devil.

Katana carved trough Tala's hexes and spells with her SoulTaker. Then she had the sorceress up against the wall, her sword nicking Tala's neck. But Tala had her own trump to play.

"I surrender," Tala said quickly before she lost both her head and her soul.

"What makes you think I'll accept it?" Katana coldly asked.

"You live by Bushido. It would be dishonorable to kill me when I've given up," Tala argued.

"Agreed. But I can kill you for disobedience at any time after you've surrendered," Katana advised Tala.

Psycho Pirate made faces at Deadshot and Killer Croc. Croc was resistant due to the mutation that made him seem reptilian. Deadshot just closed his eyes…and fired.

The bullet struck the Medusa Mask between Psycho Pirate's eyes, putting the man down after he'd peed his pants. Croc hefted the pirate over his shoulder, "Tasty."

"No snacking between meals, big guy," Deadshot remarked, "Besides he might be worth ten to twenty off our sentences if we bring him in."

"He'd make a better snack," Killer Croc was adamant.

"Maybe after he's in jail," Deadshot offered.


El Diablo reached a vent as Fright released her fear toxin without warning her teammates. He flooded the ventilation systems with flames, burning the toxin out. It also caused a gas explosion at the HVAC unit, knocking Fright out.


The newest claimant to the title "Batwoman" made her debut assisting Director Webb-Kane. As the Director subdued hr four agents, Signalman temporarily blinded her and Batwoman revealed herself. Dressed in black, red, and yellow, the newest Batwoman had a look all her own.

"And who are you?" Signalman scoffed.

"Batwoman," she claimed.

"I've fought Batgirl and Batwoman. You aren't either of them," Signalman pointed out.

"Try me," Batwoman challenged him. Despite his arsenal of tricks, Batwoman stayed focused on the task at hand: kicking his ass.

"Good work," Katherine Webb-Kane congratulated Batwoman, "Assist the others as needed."


Count Vertigo struck down Agents 77, 44, 66, and 55 to get at Agent Morgan. Through the bleary vertigo, Morgan watched Batwoman brutalize him, destroy his inducer, and subdue Morgan's fellow agents. Morgan was still busy being impressed when Batwoman moved on to help other agents in need.

Helena Wayne expected Agents 45, 82, 25, and 5 to thanks her for merely hospitalizing them rather than blatantly killing them. Then she employed ceramic knives against Dr. Polaris. Including a near-fatal stabbing. Dr. Polaris surrender in exchange for medical attention.

Bette Kane saw a few similarities between Batwoman's suit and her old Flamebird gear. A fact that made her nostalgic for her cape and mask days. Nightwing operated with Spyral sanction. Why couldn't the UN sanction other costumed operatives beyond the Justice League?

Batwoman, Bette, and Helena relieved Mr. Minos of his opponents just as they were deducing which Multiplex really wasn't a Multiplex. Mr. Minos noted how well the women worked together. And he saw Director Webb-Kane and Spyder had as well.


Webb-Kane introduced Batwoman to her fellow agents, "This is Agent Katrina Moldoff. The Secretary-General as authorized Spyral to endorse and coordinate the efforts of costumes other than Nightwing and the Little Mermaid. To that end we determined to create our own. With the original Batwomen all retiring, it gave us a name with continuity and a familiarity with a costumed dynasty. Spyder and I have discussed it and we've chosen two more recruits. Agents Wayne and Kane, would you like to join Agent Moldoff?"

"Yes, but I create my own persona," Helena spoke first.

"Flamebird is dead," Bette replied, "But I have another identity in mind."

"You have one hour to grab what you need from Mr. Minos' workshop and the armory," Spyder informed them, "By then Agent Morgan will have a target for you."

Helena crafted her Talon guise while Bette created the Hawkfire persona with Batwoman's assistance. As promised, when the hour was up, Morgan had a mission target for them and Spyder and Webb-Kane had a mission outline setting the parameters of the goals to be achieved. Means and methods were up to the operatives' discretion.


Mighty Bruce had infiltrated the GCPD's computers and issued releases for Cluemaster, Kite Man, Multi-Man, Mr. Polka Dot, and Bird as well as an animal control release on Talon. They met in Arthur Brown's basement while the upstart Kings of Catastrophe combined with the surviving Rogues and Brotherhood of Evil to confront the DEO agents and Nightshade and her Suicide Squad "Delta" team. Tiger Shark and Dr. Doom had stepped on a snack run.

"It's clear our first task must be to track down Ambush Bug," Cluemaster asserted after the snack run concluded and everyone was reunited.

"Why? He's a loon?" Mr. Polka Dot accused.

"But he's a loon that can go anywhere he wants," Cluemaster stated, "And he's not restricted to just this Earth. Strange people are appearing all over the place. How else do you explain the Female Furies and the Crime Syndicate? Things are in motion. Things we can help steer into place if we know what is going on."

"Creating the future by shaping the present," Mighty Bruce went Zen.


Disco Mummy and Ruby Ryder were striking out at Charise Carnes' real estate empire. Both through legal means and the preparation of illegal means to force Charise into signing her company for a pittance. Neither antagonist realized Charise was also Knightfall.

Knightfall directed her Disgraced to manipulate criminals into eliminating their rivals and then Knightfall would seize control over the remaining enterprises. Every member of her Disgraced was a meta-human owing her their lives or freedom. They were Bonebreaker, Bleak Michael, Gretel, Mirror, and Grotesque. The non-meta Katharsis had served Knightfall's interests for a time before relocating to Coral City and joining Channel M.

Charise wouldn't go quietly into the night. Especially when she had Intergang's resources at her disposal as well. Disco Mummy and Ruby Ryder were prepared to unleash Armageddon. They just didn't realize they'd have to just to survive.


Meanwhile, Phantom Lady was the first Squader to engage the Kings of Catastrophe. Half-Ape and Dr. Dome were distracted by a personal rivalry so Phantom Lady flipped her hood on and dematerialized, existing between the Phantom Zone and the Prime Universe. She reached them and inducted them both into the Phantom Zone.

When she reengaged the field to pull them out, she realized she'd lost them to the depths of the Phantom Zone. They were her first. And they would be far from the last.

Nightshade chose to confront Captain Cold and Golden Glider. Nightshade merged with the shadows and came up behind Captain Cold. Immersing him into the Land of the Nightshades, she let him feel its torments for a while before returning him to Earth. He lay spasmodically twitching suffering from a complete lack of warmth. She thought that was a punishment to fit the crime.

Golden Glider went mad with rage and launched herself at Nightshade. The ice emitting skates the Glider wore cut Nightshade's shoulder open. She knew to be more cautious on the Golden Glider's next pass.

Using Darkforce constructs, she snared Lisa Snart's skates and dropped her to the ground. Then Nightshade let the denizens of the Land of the Nightshades grasp and grope her. When she released Golden Glider, Nightshade knocked her out with a few punches. Lisa Snart had never been so grateful.

Doll Man thought it humorously appropriate that two freaks should face him down. Mason Stucko had a trowel for a hand and the Lobster wore…a lobster suit. And both were knocked out five seconds after meeting Doll Man and his weapons rig.

Tuxedo's high tech suit enhanced his every movement. So Firebrand just notched up the flames surrounding him until he willingly stripped out of the suit. Mr. Morbid simply despaired of winning and easily surrendered.

Firehawk fought Knight of the Tower and Gulliver Foyle. She converted Knight of the Tower's armor into soap bubbles. And he modestly hid behind shrubbery. Foyle was a former FBI agent that saw himself as a rival to Plastic Man. So much so he impersonated Plas on a series of crimes and investigated them himself to implicate Plastic Man's guilt. But he was found out and was imprisoned as well as professionally disgraced. After Firehawk was done, Foyle, Knight no longer in the Tower, Mr. Morbid, Tuxedo, Mason Stucko, and the Lobster were all imprisoned behind the walls of a jail Firehawk conjured up.


Buster perforated Brain's casing and Mallah dropped everything to tend to his lover. Gemini surrendered without a struggle. She just wanted to leave the Brotherhood of Evil. Mother Goose released his nursery rhyme automatons and Rad destroyed them all. Mother Goose surrendered rather than face physical harm. Rowdy gunned down Mr. Cat and the Mangler. But he insured they were merely flesh wounds.

The Washington DC Metropolitan Police took custody of the perpetrators. Then ARGUS swooped down to take custody of the whole conglomeration. Nightshade thought it was a bad omen.


Nightshade returned everyone to Belle Reeve where Katana's team was just reporting in. Waller had informed Gwen that Buster, Rad, and Rowdy's convictions had been overturned while they were away. The official word was it would also pave the way for the trio to resume as Web Hosts. Which pleased Waller in that she could gain leverage over the Web and his proposed federal agency.

Shayera and Hula Hula continued the Hall of Justice's operations while Steve Trevor prepped the internal security force should the remaining JLers or Justice Society members fail to stop a member of the Fourth Reich. Trevor also had a dozen ARGUS Black Razors dispatched and heading to the Brooklyn site.


Wonder Woman specifically chose Captain Nazi as the epitome of every flaw she could find in mankind. And his arrogance supported her view spectacularly, "Bah! You are hardly a Wundabar Fraulein. Go back to milking cows, liebchen."

"Then you'd give me first blow?" Artemis asked.

"Ja!" Captain Nazi laughed, "But I think it you who will blow me."

She hit him her left hand and it cocked head to one side and caused his lip to split but it wasn't a devastating attack, "I think you'd better blow me now."

"That was my weaker hand. Let me try again with my strong hand," Artemis requested.

"I think you will be owing me an entire night of pleasure after this," Captain Nazi boasted.

Artemis wore the Gauntlet of Hercules on her right hand and it magnified her Amazonian strength tenfold. Her next punch broke Captain Nazi's jaw and landed him on his arse. Fury blazed in his eyes as he rose and he suddenly found three arrows protruding from his chest.

"I could have easily placed any of those in your so-called heart or an eye if I'd chosen to," Wonder Woman nocked another arrow to her bowstring, "But the Amazon custom is to offer a chance to surrender."

Captain Nazi opted to lunge at her instead and found her next arrow went through his left eye. But he was still breathing as his augmented body struggled to heal itself. Artemis stood over him with her next arrow drawn and ready and aimed at his head.

"Don't bother getting up, mein Kapitan," she advised him.


Spy Smasher fought Captain Swastika hand to hand. She felt a vicarious thrill every time her punches connected with the swastika emblazoned across his otherwise featureless mask. But Captain Swastika held the upper hand in weaponless combat. So she kicked him away and then emptied her pistol into him. Except for a twitching foot, he didn't move afterwards.

"Damn, I'll be filing reports for a week now," Spy Smasher grumbled.


Goldilocks didn't care about reports. All she knew was that Baron Gestapo resembled the uncle that had molested and raped her for so many years of her life. So she used her hair to snare his head and hip and then pulled him apart. Afterwards she severed the head from Baron Gestapo's body and took it back to her quarters to mount it as a trophy.

The Shining Knight fought as valiantly as he could against Hunter. And in the end, his steadfastness overcame Hunter's brutal tactics. Having plunged his sword the Hunter's heart, Sir Justin stepped back and watched as Hunter tried to make peace with this life and God.

"Renata! I am going to you at long last!" Hunter cried before he collapsed and the death rattle rang through his lungs.


Sentinel found his willpower tested by Baron Blitzkrieg's psychic powers. But Alan Scott had been Earth's first Green Lantern, chosen by the Green Flame born from the Starheart. As such, he'd been the first human to tap into the ultimate will, not Hal Jordan or John Stewart. With an indomitable will, his ring wielding was only limited by his imagination. And Sentinel's other gift was a limitless imagination.

So Sentinel became the first man to ever capture the uncatchable centenarian Nazi agent. Baron Blitzkrieg, despite his disfigurements, had thrived in the United States during World War II. Then he'd moved to Brazil followed by Columbia and built a cartel empire to fund the future which took shape as the Fourth Reich. But after evading law enforcement officials on three continents, including Europe, Baron Blitzkrieg would see the interior of a prison cell. Something he hadn't endured since his boyhood in Vienna.


Baroness Blitzkrieg had the same psychic potential as her grandfather. But his mind could boost virtually every physical acumen his body boasted. Hers enhanced her speed to Speed Force levels. With greater application and practice, she'd surpassed Jesse Quick's ability. Now it seemed she was on par with the Flash, or at least Jay Garrick, the Fastest Man Alive on Earth. Wally West was still on Apokolips helping Vreti, his lady love, dismantle Darkseid's war machine.

They stopped running in short order and Baroness Blitzkrieg tried to fight the Flash hand to hand. But Jay was a man trained by Ted Grant, a multi-year heavyweight champion of both professional boxing and Roulette's Meta-Human Brawl and as the hero known as Wildcat. So Baroness Blitzkrieg wore herself out mounting an untenable attack which her pride couldn't allow her to see was unfeasible. As she collapsed to her knees, Flash spoke to her as a kindly grandfather. Despite the chemical process that tapped him into the Speed Force rendering him sterile.


Dr. Demon couldn't track Mr. Terrific so she focused her efforts on him. Sand used his particulate nature to grind inside her joints and connections. Dr. Mid-Nite attempted to determine which cybernetic components were necessary for life support and which weren't.

Mr. Terrific managed to hack her systems only for them to self destruct. Dr. Mid-Nite struggled to keep her organics alive while Sand reconstituted himself. Oddly it seemed, Dr. Demon died peacefully.


Superboy found Madame Libertine on her own terms for a while. But he feigned receiving a more harmful blow than he'd actually received to touch the floor. And the concrete rose to swallow Madame Libertine and suck her into itself. The corridor reshaped so it looked normal except for Madame Libertine's head sticking up in the middle of it. She struggled but couldn't break free. So she contented herself with delivering a tongue lashing Superboy would never forget.

Captain Murder's blind rage allowed her to endure until she snatched Wonder Girl's Lasso of Thunder away from her and tied her up with it. Then Captain Murder escaped the Hall of Justice with a single arrow puncturing her side. Artemis knew her shot had been true but Captain Murder's fanaticism kept her going.

"Got it! T-Bolt, freeze that mutha!" Jakeem Thunder happily commanded. Just as M'gann threw a punch that shattered Reichsmark into hundreds of pieces."

"Oops," Miss Martian managed to say.

"Kid, we gotta talk about lettin' yer teammates know what yer plannin'," Wildcat sounded tired.


Goldilocks studied Baron Gestapo's head. She could feel the hate welling in her all over again. She smashed the head up against the wall until it was bloody pulp. She knew the Justice League would never understand this. And Sir Justin was too devoted to his precious chivalry to defend her. So when Madame Xanadu's image appeared before her, she ready to go anywhere but where s she was at.

"Of course I'm yours," Goldilocks answered Xanadu's request for assistance wile recalling the ready acceptance she'd experienced amongst the Justice League Dark for just being who she was or would be someday. Not what people wanted to make her out to be.


White Rabbit arrived at the Queen Estate while Mia showed Nyssa and the others the underground bunker and armory and the discreet motor pool versus the "public" collection of vehicles. Rose managed to answer the incessantly ringing doorbell.

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" Rose demanded to know.

"I'm surprised you don't remember me," White Rabbit pouted, "Jason or Nyssa will vouch for me."

"Figures," Rose allowed White Rabbit entrance into the manor.

"Too kind, Rose Wilson-Worth," White Rabbit quipped.

"How did you know we, or Nyssa, would be here?" Rose wanted to know.

"It's what I do. But I'm mostly harmless," White Rabbit promised.

"I doubt that and I don't like being found," Rose growled.

"Then cover your tracks better," White Rabbit surveyed everything while Rose led her to the garage.

Keying the bunker door, Rose called down, "Nyssa, you have company."

Nyssa came up the stairwell, "White Rabbit, I might have guessed. How's Jaina?"

"Bored," White Rabbit summarized life with one word, "She wanted the field trip but couldn't be missed.

"Girlfriend?" Rose smirked.

"Better half. Literally," White Rabbit offered.

"White Rabbit is a gestalt being. She resides within another woman's mind until given physical expression and life through a meta-human gift," Nyssa explained for the uninitiated.

"Hullo, Jason. Still seeking revenge upon the world?" White Rabbit greeted him as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Still trying to control it?" Jason retorted.

"Always so impertinent. And I gave you new purpose in life outside of the League of Assassins," White Rabbit pouted again.

"And why are you here?" Beryl asked.

"I've supposed Nyssa has asked you the 'Ultimate Purpose' question by now," White Rabbit shared, "I'm here to offer options to your potential answer."


Anna Fortune, Gypsy, and Goldilocks were only some too respond to the Justice League Dark's distress call and report to the House of Mystery. But vital member were still missing. Those included John Constantine, the Phantom Stranger, Pandora, Detective Chimp and most off the part timers as well as Frankenstein's Creature and the Bride.

Wotan had joined with Satanus and Blaze as well Damian Darhk and Ian Karkull. Their servants included Wendigo, Chain Lightning, and Ghost of the Deep. And the Morigan and the Injustice Society had also been recruited. So Wotan's thirst for vengeance might be sated after all.