35

Deathstroke nearly gutted Superman with his first sword stroke with the God Killer. But despite the magical bolo wrapped around his ankles, Clark could hop and he was able to escape the opening strike. He then discovered the sword could split his super breath gusts in half. And it absorbed his heat vision.

Deathstroke came at Superman with an overhead attack. Superman successfully hopped back and lifted his legs off of the ground. Deathstroke severed the bolo, narrowly missing severing an ankle clean off.

Superman had never considered Deathstroke more than simply human. But he discovered the man had superhuman reflexes and perfect situational awareness despite only having one eye. His physique was peaked out at the edge of human potential. And he had a healing factor to rival a Kryptonian.

But despite Slade Wilson's relatively youthful appearance thanks to I-Ching, he'd still spent the last forty years perfecting the art of war. Superman tried attacking at super speed but Deathstroke's God Killer split into two identical swords. Clark barely managed to escape with minor cuts.

But the second sword transformed into a bladed hook with a chain tether. Deathstroke threw it and it wrapped around Superman's waist and gauged into his abdomen. Then the blade grew flanged tongs and it couldn't be extracted without inflicting life threatening injuries.

Deathstroke reeled Superman back in. He put the God Killer sword to Superman's throat, "I'm sorry it has to end like this. You were my only real challenge."

"It doesn't have to," Superman replied.

"I agreed to the contract," Deathstroke sounded weary, "And Saturn Queen is holding my little girl's life forfeit if I fail to do my best."

Superman doubted anyone had referred to Ravager as a little girl in ten years. But Slade hadn't already lopped his head off. Which could only mean Deathstroke was giving him precious seconds to deduce how to escape this fate. Which meant there was a way to do so.


Barda quickly deduced that Horus possessed superhuman durability. He'd received tremendous injuries from her mega wand but the wand was draining her of precious life energy and Horus was still far from dead. So she returned the mega wand back to her belt.

Horus cried, "Chaos!"

Black lightning descended and purged his wounds from him. Barda thought that was vital information. He still functioned as a Black Marvel despite his empowerment now coming from the Lords of Chaos rather than the Egyptian "gods".

She snapped the mega wand off of her belt faster than human eyes could see and fired at Horus while he was bathed in black lightning. And her gambit worked. It disrupted the magic and Horus was transformed back into Amon Tomaz.

"What?" his outraged voice shouted. The Lords of Chaos had promised him his transformation to Horus was permanent. He briefly wondered what other treacheries were in store.

Barda's last shot knocked Amon out. She had to admit to herself she felt weary from prolonged use of her mega wand. It had been centuries since she'd been that tired.

Then Barda spotted Deathstroke holding Superman's life in his hands. Barda feelings towards Kal-El were complicated. It was similar to when she first felt stirrings for Scott Free before they escaped Apokolips together and came to Earth to escape both that hellish world and New Genesis.

When she'd first felt the tugging at her heart, she assumed a quick tryst would quench them. But Kal-El, either as Superman or Clark Kent respected her lingering grief from the death of her husband and never made a move towards her despite his obvious attraction to her. At first Barda assumed he was experiencing some ridiculous loyalty to Princess Diana of Themiscyra. But she'd since seen that wasn't case.

Then she'd worried he was falling for that piece of fluff that called herself Obsession. But he didn't. Instead he'd inspired Obsession to freely give her life to protect his and others. Because that's what Superman did.

Barda knew many still distrusted Kal-El from his time of undergoing kryptonite poisoning. It had altered his personality and brought out the worst in him even as it reduced him to an infantile state. It was little wonder Empress Maxima of Almerac had sought him out to conceive an heir a decade ago.

Maxima had fully realized that as long as Lois Lane lived, Superman's heart would belong to her. And to a large degree it still did. Just as a large portion of Barda's would always belong to Mr. Miracle. But even after revealing Kalea-El to her father, Maxima still failed to secure Superman's allegiance. But she saw, as everyone did, that Kal-El felt affection for the Empress.

Mother Box had alerted every New God of the existence of Kal-El's offspring conceived within Mala. And of Lord Superman's bastard carried by Precious. Darkseid had his pick of the colonists on New Krypton but he demanded Kal-El's children be brought to him. Or he could have desired Ultraman or Overman's offspring but he solely focused on Superman's genetic progeny.

And Darkseid never did anything lightly or frivolously. Which meant a deeper, darker scheme was afoot. Izaya the Highfather couldn't fathom it. But then again, Highfather had kept secrets from Barda since Scott's death. There was evidence the multiverse was collapsing, or otherwise vanishing, and Highfather did little beyond assuring her New Genesis was safe. Angor and Matrix's Earth, both located in pocket dimension containing a partial universe, had also been destroyed by whatever power was decimating universe after universe.

And Highfather still refused to discuss the matter with the New Gods. Barda knew Darkseid was also aware of the truth. Very little escaped him. And if New Genesis was safe from the predations it just went to safely assume Apokolips was as well. But the Source alone seemed to fully comprehend when the threat would face the Prime Universe. And when the New Gods would share the nature of that same threat.

Barda snapped her mega wand from her belt without hesitation or consideration of her exhaustion. She volleyed a few shots at Deathstroke but despite her being on his blind side, he dodged every blast. Then she watched as the hook in Superman's gut turned to a golden liquid and merged with Deathstroke's sword.

"Well played, Big Barda," Deathstroke saluted her, "But you look ready to collapse."

"I've still got it within me to crush you, worm," Barda said with more bravado then she felt.

"Save your strength," Deathstroke, "Superman has been nearly disemboweled by the God Killer. And due to its magical nature, his vaunted healing factor won't save him. I've done what I was hired to do. I'll just leave him for dead. It's up to you to save him if you can."

And Deathstroke simply strolled away. Barda was stunned. Slade Wilson didn't spare a target. He never left one wounded to potentially rise again. It was the same mentality with the Female Furies. Barda scrambled with speed beyond her current physical capabilities. Superman had collapsed and she reached him to examine his wound.

It was as bad as Deathstroke had alluded to. Damnably, Superman gave her a gentle smile, "Thanks for the save."

"Don't thank me yet," Barda said gruffly.

"He wants me alive. He could've killed me several times. But he didn't," Superman managed to say through the pain.

"He still might kill you. He was very efficient in inflicting a wound that would either kill you or make it look like he tried his best to," Barda argued with him, "Relax so I can work."

"I'm in your hands. Have been for a while now," Superman was starting to pass out.

Barda held back a tear. Of all the stupid times to have a confessional. Barda swore an oath to herself that she'd save the idiot just to hear the rest of that declaration. Afterwards, she'd decide on whether or not to reciprocate. If she had even figured how she felt about him by then.


Green Lantern was locked in his struggle against Tattooed Man. But John Stewart knew the nature of Tattooed Man's power. The spirits of every person he'd ever killed as a soldier, mercenary, and contract killer formed a shadow energy tattoo on his body. But they were controlled through emotional impulses. And Tattooed Man couldn't indefinitely channel that level of inner energy.

But John's will was shown to him to be infinite. So he threw more and more constructs at Tattooed Man to push him to harness more and more of his emotions to match John's attacks. And Tattooed Man was driven into an emotional breakdown. His mind basically shut down when he hit his breaking point. John checked on him and discovered he was catatonic. Green Lantern felt it was a learning experience for both of them.

Cinder was torching the beach and boiling away the surf in an effort to kill Atom. John encapsulated her in a tube and then closed it beneath her. As the sun glistened off the glass she fused together, Cinder consumed her oxygen supply. When John's power alerted him that Cinder had been rendered unconscious, he released her.

"Ray!" John shouted.

Atom returned to his usual stature. His costume was singed and smoking. And he was behind John.

"The problem with being the size of a flea is even if you hide behind rocks she can still superheat them. Fortunately, I actually did catch a ride on a sand flea as it fled," Atom reported, "Thanks, John. I was beginning to think I'd break my promise to Jean to come back alive."

Like most of the veteran JLers, John was thrilled that Ray Palmer and his ex-wife, Jean Loring, were reconciling. But Shayera was a notable skeptic. She felt things were moving too fast. And she was still suspicious of how someone had tried to hang Jean in the shared bedroom when there was no sign of forced entry. But there was also no evidence suggesting Jean had hung herself.

John found it amusing that with Batman, the Question, and Ralph Dibney the Elongated Man all having quit the Justice League, Shayera was now the resident detective. But he agreed with Shayera, some mysteries demanded solving. And as she'd pointed out it might just be the beginning of a series of attacks on the JLers' loved ones and families.

"Ready to clean house?" John asked Atom as he shoved aside his concerns.

"Anything is better than fighting Cinder," Atom agreed.

"Don't be so certain," John cautioned Atom.


During the battle, the Ring of Volthoom found Threshold's defenses lapsing. So it relayed to Jessica Cruz his greatest fear. And it wasn't pretty.

Power Ring created a panoramic environment replete with CADMUS soldiers killing Threshold and Bliss' parents. Threshold lost his eye and the left side of his face was burned by a flamethrower as he and his sister were captured. And a demonic image of Ivana Baiul appeared beside a horrific John Lynch. Threshold launched himself into the air.

Threshold telekinetically snared Bliss as he withdrew. Jessica quickly deduced Bliss was oversexualized and that she'd done the same to Vibe. He was still under her control as he unleashed his vibration power on Power Ring.

"Cisco! Fight it!" Power Ring shielded herself, "Don't force me into doing this."

But Vibe hammered away at her shield. So she channeled a demonized Reverb to attack Vibe. Vibe snapped out of Bliss' spell just in time for Reverb's attack.

"Jess! I'm me again!" Vibe shouted at her.

"Don't make me regret this, Ramone," Power Ring dropped the Reverb construct but kept her shield intact.

"Wha…what was I doing?" Vibe asked.

"Getting it on apparently," Power Ring gave him a skeptical appraisal. He seemed honest enough.

"What?" Vibe was alarmed.

"You had your face in her crotch and you seemed quite happy about it, costume notwithstanding," Power Ring told him.

"She had a zipper," Vibe said despondently.

"Gotcha," Power Ring had suspected as much. No one wore leather in the tropics unless they had some kinky fetishes.

"I've never…" Vibe trailed off.

"Had oral sex?" Jessica was surprised.

"Any kind of sex," Vibe confessed.

"You're a virgin, Cisco Ramone?" now Power Ring really was surprised.

"Um…yeah," Vibe wasn't sure if he should feel insulted or not.

"Then my respect for you just went waaay up," Power Ring told him, "C'mon, let's go work out that pent up energy."

Power Ring lifted him up and deposited him amidst a rebel patrol, "Work out your frustration. I'll be here if you get into trouble."

Vibe felt ready for a workout.


Jesse Quick snapped the shaft of the arrow protruding from leg. Then kicked off at super speed to roll away as Arsenal loosed his arrow. As the pain grew too great, Jesse came to rest on her bottom and she spun her hands and arms in circles. The wind generated by the gambit blew Arsenal back over a hundred feet as well as created a dust and sand storm. He calculated his chances of getting around her to hit her from behind but she scooted around in a circle as he walked around her. Finally he broke off.

"You know Cheshire; my muscle density is two hundred percent denser than an average humans. Which means it suffuses your poison at a much slower rate. It probably won't even threaten my life until sometime tomorrow," Hourman advised the assassin.

Cheshire tried a direct attack. But she learned that now that the Miraclo was fully in his system and he was now faster than she was. And infinitely stronger. Hourman caught Arsenal's arrow in midair and snapped the carbon fiber shaft like a twig. The unhappy couple retreated in defeat.

Jesse limped her way to Hourman, "You okay?"

"I'm poisoned but it shouldn't be life threatening until the Miraclo wears off," Hourman told her.

"I'll signal Penny and she if she can drop some medical equipment to at least stabilize you until we can get somewhere with real medical facilities," Jesse suggested.

"Or we could get help from a local medical doctor," Hourman suggested, "Because you could use some medical attention as well."

"All right," Jesse sounded pained, "But even a normal foot patrol could kill us both right now."

"So let's avoid getting caught," Hourman suggested.

"Your eternal optimism is so…" Jesse faltered.

"Encouraging?" Hourman wondered.

"Damned irritating," Jesse completed her sentence.

"But you love me," Hourman pointed out.

"Unfortunately," Jesse agreed, "Despite yourself."

"I bet you were dumped at prom," Hourman ventured.

"No one would ask me to go," Jesse revealed, "All the boys were intimidated by me."

"It's a good thing I'm not then," Hourman scooped her up in his arms.

"What are you doing?" Jesse angrily demanded to know.

"You can barely walk and I've got a little over a half an hour before the poison takes effect. It's a small island. We should find a doctor before either of our times are up," Hourman replied.

"You are the stubbornest jackass I've ever known," Jesse grumped, "But I love you for it."

"Just remember you said that," Hourman advised her, "Because I will remind you later."

"I plead the Fifth," Jesse retorted.

"Too late," Hourman happily smiled.


Deathblow's second machine gun burst knocked Sir Justine down again. This time he didn't move or get up. General Glory risked checking his vitals.

"You're still lucky. If you'd killed him I would end you," General Glory warned Deathblow.

"I can't be killed," Deathblow snorted, "Remember?"

"There are things worse than death. Trust me, I know firsthand," General Glory told him.

The conviction in General Glory's voice made Deathblow believe him on both counts. He wondered what the JLer's story was. No one knew anything about the current General Glory other than he'd replaced Joe Jones. And given the fact Jones had been over ninety years old it was little wonder he'd passed the torch.

General Glory exploded into action. It was one part acrobatics and one part martial arts. And he battered away at Deathblow. Even his golden epilates threw knives as the decorative eagle wings grew into the real thing. And the buggers managed to hurt Deathblow. A swipe by a wing nearly severed Deathblow's hand clean off. All that was lost was his SAW.

But Deathblow healed up while General Glory continued to pound away at him. General Glory somersaulted over Deathblow and grabbled the assault rifle strapped to his back. General Glory the strap and twisted the rifle so the strap formed a garrote. Then General Glory pinned himself against Deathblow's back so the merc couldn't dislodge him.

Deathblow couldn't be choked to death but he could pass out. And all too swiftly, his vision tunneled. Then General Glory did what no other JLer would, he snapped Deathblow's neck. Then he threw Deathblow's body over his shoulder as it landed in a heap with his head at an odd angle. General Glory supposed it would take Deathblow longer to recover that way.

He checked on Shining Knight again. Sir Justin was stirring. General Glory held him down as he attempted to rise.

"Easy, son. You're out of the fight. Don't worry, I'll watch while I arrange a medevac and wait for it to arrive," General Glory promised him.

"Thou art a noble friend," Sir Justin struggled to say.

"Save your strength. You'll need all of it to survive," General Glory warned him.


Wonder Woman unleashed her full lethal wrath against Rose Tattoo. After expending every arrow in her quiver, she tossed the bow aside and drew her sword as she took up her shield. Rose Tattoo held her axe in one hand and one of her swords in the other. Artemis had to admit Rose Tattoo was very skilled and hell bent on killing. But Artemis knew she was better.

Diana was considered the greatest Amazon warrior ever. And she was a demigoddess. But Artemis had beaten her in trials and single combat to inherit the mantle of Wonder Woman. So the newest Wonder Woman had every confidence in her eventual victory.

Her first success came when she ducked under Rose Tattoo's arcing her weapons towards each other. While Rose Tattoo compensated for her inertial imbalance, Artemis cut her leg out from underneath her.

As Rose Tattoo toppled, Artemis severed her sword hand. As the axe swung up to bite into her shield Wonder Woman took Rose Tattoo's arm off at the elbow. Then a single stroke beheaded Rose Tattoo.

Artemis backed away to admire her handiwork. Rose Tattoo's head laughed at her, "Even an Amazon champion of peace can be overwhelmed by the spirit of murder."

Artemis stabbed Rose Tattoo's face with the point of her sword. The body parts and body vanished. The weapons evaporated seconds later. Artemis was displeased but she decided to check on Matrix to see if a Supergirl needed help or not.


Jakita Wagner was unaware that Supergirl employed a telekinetic "push shove" projected through her fist to augment her already super strength. But Matrix was physically weaker than a Majestic-level meta-human. But Supergirl was faster so Jakita frequently punched thin air where Matrix had just been. After several attempts to punch Supergirl into submission, Jakita lost her in the shuffle. She spun around and searched in every direction but Supergirl wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Then a telekinetic "eye" beam plowed her into the dirt. Jakita sputtered and spat sand out of her mouth. As she rolled into a seated position, Supergirl appeared out of thin air.

"Holy hell, you can turn invisible," Jakita gaped.

"Now's a good time to surrender," Supergirl advised her.

"Never!" Jakita's burst of super speed caught Matrix by surprise.

She attempted to fly over Jakita but the Indian woman caught her ankle and began to pull her to the ground. Supergirl proved she could "push shove" with her opposite foot as well and her fists.

Jakita stumbled back, chagrined at having her first nose bleed since being gen activated. Supergirl focused every ounce of power she had into one final right cross. Jakita went down and her slack body didn't even twitch.

"I didn't think you could do it," Wonder Woman admitted. Artemis had collected her arrows and bow once more. She had an arrow nocked but not drawn.

"Never second guess me. General Zod, Non, and Ursa did. They'll never do it again," Supergirl cautioned.

"Whatever happed to them? Neither you nor Superman will discuss it. Superman actually looks pained when the subject is raised," Artemis recalled from the discussions that took place while the Kryptonian Ranger Scouts ran amuck.

"Gold kryptonite worked differently in the pocket universe I was from. It erased Kryptonian powers permanently," Matrix decided to share.

"So it made them mortal," Artemis approved.

"Yes," Supergirl wasn't done yet, "On the Moon."

It took a second for Artemis to fully realize the implications. No wonder Superman had difficulty with even discussing the "solution". He couldn't condone murder. But he couldn't let Matrix wander this Earth alone and unattended. Wonder Woman felt Superman had chosen wisely. The so-called crime was committed during a time of war. And in a separate universe so he had no jurisdiction there and had no legal recourse to accuse her here.

Which accounted for the stiffness between the pair that went well beyond any petty jealousy of Matrix usurping Kara In-Ze's role. Artemis had one final question, "Why didn't you stay in that universe?"

"Zod and the others killed Every. Single. Living. Thing. On. My. Earth," Supergirl dropped the final revelatory bomb, "There was no one and nothing left alive to help rebuild Earth's civilization. It was a burned out, dust clouded death trap after the Kryptonians dropped two dwarf planets on Earth."

"Even the Amazons are well aware of the term 'planet killer' referring to celestial events that cause mass extinctions," Wonder Woman admitted.

"Well, the predictions are right," Supergirl bitterly shared, "They cracked the world I was born on into fragments. All because of my mission to bring Superman to my world. In the end, Zod's scheme didn't kill my planet. I did."

Artemis had no words of solace or comfort.


Plastic Man actually felt sorry for the, now plural, rebel patrols he was bedeviling. But the more he distracted them the easier it was for his teammates to accomplish the United Nations' laid out mission parameters. So Plas went about stomping around trying hard not to step on anyone.


Gypsy made it past the innumerable security patrols around the presidential palace. The closer she came to her goal, the more untended bodies were strewn about. Which was making her increasingly irritable.


Ambrose Chase was nearly invulnerable and he was very happy to be so. But Stargirl's Cosmic Rod and Cosmic Convertor Belt produced energies that made his entire body experience mind numbing pain. He'd almost blacked out a few times.

And the girl's damn staff countered his gravitic powers. And to add a final insult, he'd stalked up to her while forcing her to employ the might of the Cosmic Rod to negate the gravity he was pouring down upon her. And then he learned that the Cosmic Rod wasn't her only means of flight. The stupidly named Cosmic Convertor Belt also gave her the ability to defy gravity. Ambrose wanted to scream.

And he finally did when Courtney Whitmore combined the cosmic energies of her equipment and unleashed a salvo of energy that overwhelmed Ambrose's ability to cope with pain. Stargirl felt lousy but she'd needed to end the fight.

"Jesus, Mike. What're you into now?" Courtney fretted over STRIPE's battle with the Drummer.

"Mike, you have to take this guy down. He's eating through my encryptions as fast as I produce them. And he has a line on me. If I don't divert all of my efforts to defending my programming, he'll control me as well," Roxy warned Mike Dugan.

"Do you what you have to, Rox. I'm about to unleash hell," Mike promised. He armed every one of STRIPE's offensive systems. And then Drummer seized control of the mecha.

"Roxy! You have to warn Courtney I've lost control!" Mike pleaded. There was no answer or reply, "Rox?"

Stargirl alighted nearby where the geeky looking Drummer ranted and raved about his having seized control over STRIPE. Courtney had heard enough, "Look, Dipshit. Give STRIPE back to my idiot stepbrother or I'll fry you."

STRIPE unloaded every weapon at its disposal. The Drummer gleefully waited for the dust settle. He wanted to see Stargirl's dismembered body for calling him "dipshit".

Instead Courtney still stood there enveloped in a gossamer energy field, "Are you done yet?"

The Drummer howled with infantile rage and directed STRIPE to crush her with its bare hands. Stargirl looked pained, "Aw crap."

She blow the mecha apart with her Cosmic Rod and leveled the Drummer with stars generated by her belt, "I'm never gonna hear the end of this when we get back."


Anna Fortune and Atom Smasher were marched in handcuffs to the presidential palace. A messenger summoned the "democratically elected at gunpoint" leader. Who turned out to be a Kazakh rather than a Latino native of Corto Maltese.

Anna studied him closely while Atom Smasher snorted derisively, "No wonder this guy had to take the top job by force and pay an army to help him."

"So," the Kazakh said sharply in English, "Even the mighty Justice League falls before me."

"Or we just wanted to meet you and your grand delusions of destiny," Anna snapped her fingers and the cuffs came off of her and Atom Smasher.

"Can I finally?" Atom Smasher wearily implored.

"Do feel free," Anna agreed.

He grew to a seventy-five foot height. Anna addressed the Kazakh, "Now, I suggest you surrender before I get bored."

"Or what?" the Kazakh laughed.

She formed a pistol with her thumb and forefinger and simply said, "Bang!"

The Kazakh's pistol ripped out of his holster and clubbed him over the head until he was bloodied and bruised, laying prostrate on the ground. The mercenary companies stared in abject horror.

Anna took aim at the "colonel" acting as the prime minister, "Not to let you out of anything. Bang!"

The Kazakh's pistol whipped the colonel into the ground as well. Every mercenary chucked their weapons and even surrendered their personal weapons before raising their hands behind their heads. Atom Smasher shrank to meet Anna.

"That was amazing," he breathed in awe.

"Thank Gypsy," Anna corrected him.

Gypsy became visible once again as she tossed aside the Kazakh's sidearm, causing several mercs to lose bladder control, "These guys are living clichés."

"Too true," Anna agreed heartily, "No matter what year or century it is."


The JLU secured Corto Maltese while United Nations Peacekeepers that had been dispatched, before the Justice League had been, arrived. Canadian and Mexican units deployed from naval assets in the region. Aircraft landed as well.

Russian and Chinese airborne troopers also arrived as a "counterbalance" to the allied "overexuberance" for unbridled democracy. But both units agreed to Mexico's assigned leadership role. Fortunately, given the wildly divergent political ideologies, nation building wasn't an assigned role. Electoral watchdogs were en route to ensure the projected elections in six weeks occurred and to make certain the vote was truly unencumbered by fraud and corruption.

A special detachment would arrive from Turkey to transport the prisoners to the Hague for trial. Disturbing to NATO countries, Qatar and Yemen were assigned to safeguard the mercenaries once they reached the Netherlands. And time would prove out those concerns as the mercs "vanished into thin air" under the "watchful" eye of two of several UN member states with known terrorist ties.

When the JLU went to collect the Titans and Gen13 operatives they found Deathstroke's crew had secretly abandoned the island nation. Deathblow and the Planetary operatives were secured. But the Fourth Man had arranged for their release through the Secretary-General's offices. Elijah Snow felt it wise to curry a favor from Deathblow to be called in at a later date. Ivana Baiul, who had never been seen by any JLer, vanished as a wisp in the wind.

Jakita Wagner, Ambrose Chase, and the Drummer were escorted, along with Deathblow, to the marina where a Planetary yacht moored to take them to a neutral location and Deathblow could arrange passage to whatever destination he chose. The sight of the enemy combatants departing in luxury rankled some. Stargirl was especially vocal.

"Why don't we have a yacht?" Stargirl complained.

"Why don't you go collect STRIPE wreckage?" Superman advised.

"Aw, man!" Stargirl whined.

"I'll give you a power ring hand," John Stewart offered.

"So will I," Jessica Cruz volunteered.

Green Lantern wondered if he should finally inform Power Ring she was the last member of her Corps. And he knew he owed it to her to offer her a GL power ring before some other Lantern Corps did as well. The Fear and Red Lanterns were of particular concerns. But Hal Jordan's decision to forcibly retire John and offer his ring to Jessica still rankled him. Hal had been a pill about Lanterns being involved in marriages ever since his own relationship with Carol Ferris, the Star Sapphires' Queen, had dissolved when he proposed to her.

Which only raised tensions between the GL Corps and the Star Sapphire Corps. The Sapphires still held to the tenets that every Star Sapphire deserved happiness with a Green Lantern. Despite the Guardians of the Universe dying out and the Zamarons with them, Carol led her Corps in that belief. It wasn't that she didn't love Hal Jordan. It was the fact she couldn't stand the way Hal led the Green Lanterns. He'd sealed off his heart in order to hone his will. And he expected the same from every GL.

And John was a literal act of defiance in the face of that demand. His successful marriage to Shayera Hol proved Hal was wrong. Hal had even threatened to send Green Lanterns to Earth to force John into either abandoning his marriage or his power ring. Saint Walker and Indigo-1 had each tried counseling Hal to reconcile his emotions with his will but for some unfathomable reason, Hall felt there was none to be had. And the only ones that profited from the Green Lanterns' schism were Sinestro, Atrocitus, Larfleeze, and Black Hand.

Hourman, Jesse Quick, and Shining Knight were each treated by local physicians as well as medical teams brought in by the UN. Hourman and Sir Justin's lives were spared by their intervention. Jesse learned her joints and ligaments had been damaged. But even with her Speed Force boosted regenerative capabilities, she was still advised to stay off of her feet indefinitely.


Penny and Zinda were the last to land after securing safe passage for the various United Nations members. They'd each earned some much needed rest. And Penny was delighted to learn Plastic Man had arranged for a quiet dinner for two at a local cantina.

The Justice League successfully transferred responsibility for the local populace's safety and security. Then they quietly retired for the evening and awaited their departure in the morning.


Talon, Batwoman, and Hawkfire led the United Nations' agencies against Three Towers. Each agency, Spyral, the DEO, and SHADE, provided half a dozen helicopter transport-gunships. But they were operating within United States' borders without sanction from the US government. In fact, the federal law enforcement agencies and the military were registering the UN move as a terrorist attack.

SHADE brought in some of their premier agents. These included Frankenstein's Creature, the Bride, Bigfoot, and the Replicant. And the DEO's representing top agents were Cameron Chase, the Manhunter or Kate Spencer, Donald Fite and Ishido Maad (Fite n' Maad), and Shay Veritas. Unknown to the UN, the Patriarch had hired two lesser super villain teams to also attack Three Towers. These included the Jailbreakers and Conqueror Rex.

Father Time had contracted the Jailbreakers out to the Syndicate Underground. His operatives included Funerella, Black Python, Gonzo the Mechanical Bastard, Sawtooth, King Bullet, and Pharyngula. Conqueror Rex was composed of Doom Mathematic, Glimpse, Inflict, Murder Parade, Winter Guests, and Wishgun. Both groups had been soundly beaten several times by either the Justice League, Justice Society, Teen Titans, or derivatives thereof. And each defeat hadn't taken up much time.

Mirror, Gretel, and Grotesque faced the enemy while Bonebreaker and Bleak Michael escorted Knightfall to the first prearranged fallback position. Thereby baiting the trap for the United Nations forces to pursue. But there was confusion amongst the UN agents.

Talon asserted her authority. Cameron and Frankenstein cited greater operational experience as their credentials. Agent Chase boiled the confrontation down to a single question.

"Who the hell gave you operational authority?" Cameron demanded of Talon, "Because Director Webb-Kane ceded that to the DEO as did SHADE."

Talon aimed her crossbow at Cameron's chest, "This gives me all the authority I require."

"Okay, you bird themed, Huntress wannabe. You either stand down or I arrest your ass and you spend the rest of whatever cooling it in a DEO black site," Cameron warned.

"I'd like to see you try," Talon scoffed.

"She won't have to," Frankenstein loomed over her.

"You want to go back to being parts?" Talon stared up at him.

Gretel began seizing control over agents' minds. She began with the typical humans before moving on to gen actives or supernaturals. First, she pitted Fite n' Maad against the Manhunter. Then Shay Veritas began quietly setting up an ambush on Cameron. Bigfoot attacked both the Bride and the Replicant.

As Veritas attacked Agent Chase, Frankenstein and Talon realized the attack was underway. And unexpectedly, they were on the defensive. Frankenstein tackled Bigfoot.

"Get away from her!" he bellowed as he dragged Bigfoot away from the Bride.

"It seems he still cares," Replicant told her.

"He always has," Bride sighed, "The problem has always been with me. My first reaction at seeing him was to scream. I still can't get over that. I stifle it but there's still a twinge of fear when I'm with him."

Replicant noted her four hands were shaking, "I think after more than a century, you should finally learn why that it."


Mirror confronted Hawkfire and Batwoman. Hawkfire bounced off his chest and it took her a moment to recover from being surprised. That had been her best kick. And it barely budged Mirror.

He threw his cape up like a shield and its mirrored interior shifted its reflection and showed Hawkfire her past. Mirror chuckled, "So you barely survived. Twice now. You owe death a double indemnity."

Batwoman used a nunchuck to shatter his mirrored mask, "Get away from her."

He brushed the remains of his mask and threw back his cowl, "Do not stand in death's way or you'll collect her second debt."

A crossbow quarrel imbedded in Mirror's chest and he laughed, "Once again I escape my intended death. It seems my karmic debt increases as my dharma is failed by survivors uncollected."

"What is wrong with you?" Talon wanted to know after she reloaded.

"I survived a horrific accident but my wife and daughters died in it. Afterwards I realized I was meant to collect those that escaped death's grasp and send them to their intended demise. Once I have done so, I can finally die at last," Mirror shared with a demented zeal.

"So why am I so important to you?" Hawkfire asked, back on her feet.

"You've cheated death twice. Once you were disemboweled and once you were nearly burned to death. Both times you survived. That ends today. I am the bill collector and death is my client. All accounts will be balanced before the end."

"You're the only one that will die to today," Talon promised, "This is a typical box and snare."

The Spyral agents formed a triangle around Mirror. But when they engaged him they discovered two things. Mirror was ex-Special Forces. And his meta-human gifts included greater than Olympic level strength. The agents learned that they couldn't fight him in single combat. They had to work together, united as one.


The Outlaws held the stairwell since the elevators had been intentionally sabotaged. The Jailbreakers had reached the upper floors to break through the lines to try and attempt to intercept Knightfall as Bonebreaker and Bleak Michael brought her down from the penthouse pool and sun deck to the living quarters beneath them.

Ravager and the Knave blocked the Jailbreakers' abortive attack. Green Arrow, Speedy, and Red Arrow stymied Conqueror Rex's advance from a lower landing. Funerella broke from her team to descend upon the archers. Red Arrow led the resistance with explosive arrows.

"What are you doing?" Speedy demanded.

"She's already dead," Red Arrow explained, "And her touch will make you a zombified, undead servant. She must be blown apart to prevent her advance."

The combined explosive deterrence of the three archers literally scattered pieces of Funerella's body all across the stairwell. Green Arrow and Red Arrow ignored the smell.

"God, what a stench," Speedy complained.

"Smells like a month old, rotting corpse," Green Arrow described.

"How would you know?" Speedy wondered.

"I spent five years marooned on a Chinese island that every loony seemed to come to to kill each other," Green Arrow told her.

"And when were you going to share that?" Speedy was stunned.

"Now isn't the time," Red Arrow redirected their attention to the recently arrived mercenaries hired by Ruby Ryder and Disco Mummy.


Red Hood accompanied Knightfall as Bonebreaker and Bleak Michael ascertained Charise Carnes' safety in her own suite of rooms. Conqueror Rex came through the bay windows. Bonebreaker caved in the leader, Doom Mathematic's face with a single punch.

Bleak Michael created a toxic chemical gas attack that ate away Glimpse and Inflict's flesh. Their screams just added to a parade of the same in Red Hood's memory. But he had to admire the Disgraced's brutal efficiency.

Red Hood himself used head shots to kill Murder Parade and Winter Guest. Knightfall only used the dagger her boyfriend had used to kill her family before Charise Carnes' adolescent eyes. He'd left her the knife to frame her. Charise's lawyers had her remanded to Arkham at her behest. And there she learned the nature and value of directed violence as well as the methodology of revenge. She easily slit Wishgun's throat and eagerly listened to his gurgling while he died.

"Now I suggest we gain an appraisal of the larger situation," Knightfall ordered Red Hood.

Red Hood admired Charise Carnes now that he understood her means and motives. His weren't dissimilar. And they were also the same age so a budding attraction sizzled between them.

"I need to return to my team and gain access to the roof," Red Hood advised.

"Yes, I think you do," Knightfall replied as she gazed at her wall sized bank of monitors.


The Injusticers had swept through properties controlled by the Court of Owls. Many Owls had died defending them but Lincoln March was never among them. So the teams had reunited at the original Arkham Asylum manor. Beneath the manor was a network of catacombs that had never been properly sealed. And with the asylum inmates moving to its new grounds, the Owls had reopened the entire network.

Nyssa Raatko deployed the Injusticer teams to three different vantage points to begin their assaults from. Nyssa herself went in as a solo venture from the main gate. David Cain had voiced many objections but Merlyn had applauded her choice. Mainly as a means to escape her control if she died.


The Injusticer Titans had an advantage over the other teams. Enigma knew the grounds. She'd infrequently visited them in an effort to connect with her father, Edward Nygma. But Nyssa had brought word to her that the Riddler was dead. Along with his prostitute sidekicks, Query and Echo. Enigma had barely known her father so there little grief in her soul. But she now felt a burden to carry on his legacy and to succeed where he had failed so often.

"You're certain history didn't record any major events here?" Sun Girl asked Inertia.

"You're from the future just as I am. The 31st Century was altered by the Legion of Super Villains being stupid enough to come to this time and get their collective asses handed to them by the Justice League," Inertia complained, "Our Time Bubble won't lock onto home so we're stuck in this primitive era."

"Because our exact future was erased," Sun Girl complained, "And these primitives managed to change the present as well. Nyssa was supposed to be Heir to the Demon, not the Demon's Hand. Black Canary was supposed to have been killed by Cupid. And Oliver Queen was supposed to stay in the grave."

"It's all still workable. We can still course correct and get Nyssa on the League of Shadow's throne," Inertia assured her, "And once she's steered in the right direction she's always wanted to go in, we can return to our future."

"And this time, the future will belong to us," Sun Girl relished the thought.

"Gawd, this sooo spooky," TNTeena complained, "Why couldn't we have gotten here sooner? The sun is setting and it'll be completely dark soon. I don't want to fight any freakin' Talons in the dark."

"Because we couldn't get any Owls to reveal this location before now," Windfall said matter-of-factly.

"I never wanted to be an Injusticer," TNTeena admitted, "I tried out for the Teen Titans but they said my ability to blow stuff up was 'too volatile'."

"And most of the Teen Titans are dead now and the team has disbanded," Windfall reminded her, "I was with the Masters of Disaster because of my older sister. I was the lucky one because I was able to quit before they supposedly all died. I was caught by NOWHERE and cut loose when it shut down. I pretty much had nowhere to go, pardon the pun, until Nyssa recruited me. You had the same story. So don't pretend you didn't have a choice."

"Did I really? It was this or the street," TNTeena retorted.

"Of course we did," Windfall replied. But the seeds of doubt had been planted.


The Terror Titans approached the former asylum confident in their ability to kill anything that approached them. Persuader was still disgusted that Disruptor was still deeply in lust with Dreadbolt. And this in the face of his growing attraction to TNTeena. Disruptor was psychotic and wouldn't think a thing about killing her supposed rival. Disruptor would do anything to bed Dreadbolt and then kill him amidst her version of afterglow.


Match hovered over the manor complex thinking about what he usually thought about. Nothing. Then he had a thought, Kill Superboy. And that thought nagged at him until he decided to leave and follow his thought to its natural conclusion.


Blacksmith kept Murmur, Plunder, Magenta, and Girder close by. They were the original core group that has usurped the tile of "Flash's Rogues" while the originals were all in Iron Heights Prison. Blacksmith didn't trust the newer members of the Injustice Rogues Nyssa had foisted off on to her. The originals were wondering when the so-called promised "big payoff" would arrive. It couldn't be fast enough or simply large enough.


Scandal Savage and Knockout chose to work together. As befitting a couple. Knockout was her usual impatient self.

"Fire Pits! There'd better be a helluva fight in this," she complained.

"Blacksmith is going to betray us," Scandal predicted.

"So's that little slut bag, Disruptor," Knockout guessed.

"Then I'm glad you have my back," Scandal admitted.

"There's no one better than me to have in a fight," Knockout agreed.

"I've heard of this 'Court of Owls' before. Even my father gives them wide berth," Scandal referred to the immortal Vandal Savage.

"Phhht! If it isn't Darkseid then it isn't a threat," Knockout retorted.

Knockout rarely spoke of her upbringing in Granny Goodness' Orphanage on Apokolips. But what she had shared of those days and her time with the Female Furies gave Scandal nightmares. It was any wonder her lady love had survived long enough to escape and reach Earth…and into Scandal's arms.


"I think our time with these people is at an end," Silver Sorceress decided.

"Laura, it was your idea to involve ourselves with Nyssa in the first place," Blue Jay pointed out.

"That was true, Jay. But that was because I believed in Nyssa's vision of how the League of Shadows would save this planet. I think Nyssa herself has lost sight of that goal," Silver Sorceress replied.

"But she married Black Canary of all people," Blue Jay reminded her.

"Husbands and wives can have wildly differing goals and aspirations. Same is true of wives and wives," Silver Sorceress said sagely.

"So what do we do?" Blue Jay asked.

"We tell Dinah Lance exactly what Nyssa has been up to these many months," Silver Sorceress told him.

"This won't end well," Blue Jay predicted.

"You're right," Silver Sorceress' spell carried them away to find Black Canary.


Nyssa stopped at Arkham Manor's main gate and sighed, "Either reveal yourselves or go away. You're getting annoying in your sloppiness."

Merlyn and Dark Archer showed themselves. Merlyn did the speaking, "Cain sent us."

Nyssa looked pained, "Of course he did."

Everyone else was poised to storm the manor if thing inside got rough. Which it was guaranteed things would.


White Rabbit used an emissary to contact Calvin Rose and Strix. Then she personally introduced them to Bronze Tiger and Lady Shiva. And she gave up Lincoln March's location.

Lincoln was holed in a Gotham district that made Crime Alley look luxuriously safe. The precise hotspot was Noonan's Bar. The bar was owned by an ex-hitman and the bartender was a disguised demon that went by the name Baytor.

Baytor's role was to foment violence within Gotham City. And since the bar's clientele was so disreputable, and violence and murders occurred so frequently, police and EMS wouldn't respond to calls. In fact, the police rarely if ever entered the entire Cauldron District. Not even now that Knightfall regulated all murders and unsanctioned deaths were met in kind by her authorized agents.

The US Army had walked into similar death traps in Somalia. Mayoral candidates advocated cleaning Cauldron up and then ordered everyone to avoid the district once elected. Bloodbaths made for poor imagery and reflections on a mayor's office.

"There it is," Lady Shiva said from her place of concealment.

"Why don't you soften them up and we'll finish them off," Bronze Tiger suggested.

As Strix and Rose crossed the street to enter Noonan's Bar, Lady Shiva observed, "They're very good."

"But are they good enough?" Bronze Tiger wondered.

"It doesn't matter. No Talon escapes. Not even former Talons," Lady Shiva coldly stated.


Mary Masterson had purchased the public relations firm that would become Masterson Concepts after she divorced the disgraced US Army general, Marion Higgins. The man that transformed Joe Higgins, their son, into the Shield after his trial on fabricated charges that Gen. Higgins had planted the evidence for. Mary had been a PR associate for most of her adult life. Now she was the executive officer as well as a working account manager.

Mary's assistant, Marcy Holt spotted Joe and Maria de Guzman exit the elevator on the executive floor of the building. She quickly did a spot check of her appearance and even her breath as Joe escorted Maria to her office. Marcy did her best to sound utterly professional as Joe entered her office.

"Joe! Your mother will be so glad to see you," Marcy enthused.

Maria could tell Mary wouldn't be the only one. Marcy would be enthusiastic over Joe even if he wasn't the boss' son. Jaguar had just begun to feel that way about the Fly while Maria already felt that way about his alter ego. And now he was dead.

"Let me get her," Marcy scrambled for Mary's door.

"She's…very efficient," Maria whispered.

"Marcy is good people. Mom is grooming to take on her own accounts. Then she'll have her own assistant," Joe explained, "And you can bet she won't work him or her to death."

"Joe!" Mary emerged with Marcy right on her heels, "Why didn't you call?"

"It's an unplanned visit," Joe said as much as he could. His public identity was also his private identity thanks to the Department of Defense's geniuses. But thanks to that fact, Mary relented.

So she switched gears as her eye appraised Maria, "And who is this?"

"Maria de Guzman," Maria was a little more forthright than her usual timidity would allow. But the longer she was the Jaguar, the more its persona leaked into her personality.

"Brazilian?" Mary asked as she shook Maria's hand.

"That's right," Maria was admittedly impressed.

"Any relation to Timon de Guzman?" Mary asked.

"My father," Maria felt a little squelched now.

"I have several minor accounts with de Guzman Holdings but they're also quite lucrative," Mary shared her connection, "What brings you to the States?"

"I am a student at Elm Harbor University," Maria automatically answered before considering if she should.

"Michigan," Mary mused, "You're far from home in both senses of the word. Are you a…friend…of Joe's?"

"An associate. Work brought us here together," Maria shared.

Marcy practically heaved a sigh of relief. Mary was more practical, "Do you have time for lunch?"

"We have the rest of the day and all night," Joe divulged.

"Marcy, see if Fidel can squeeze us in on short notice," Mary instructed, "And take the rest of the day off and join us. My treat."

Marcy beamed. Joe seemed to brighten as well. Maria saw where merging Joe's public and private lives seemed to solve as many problems as it created. But Mary, like Maria's papa, worried about her super powered offspring.

Marcy seemed intelligent and inquisitive. Good traits to have. But Joe had also mentioned a Denise Madigan. Marcy had caught his eye but had Denise as well?

Maria could see why Mary was grooming Marcy. For more roles than just the professional ones. The same way Maria's papa overlooked her two older brothers and even her younger one to send her to the States to study international business and advanced mathematical theory.

"We'll have a table in ten minutes," Marcy promised after a quick call.

"Plenty of time to get there then," Mary then thanked Marcy. But Maria could already see the worry behind Mary's eyes. The same look Timon de Guzman got when Maria discussed being the Jaguar.


"So this 'Delilah Monaco' is your ex as well as the She-Fox it turns out," Kim Brand reiterated, "So I get it why you were concerned…to a point. Maybe you can fill in the blanks."

Paul Patton, Junior, she'd discovered, began to explain, "I wanted to cash on the Fox name after my dad couldn't wear the costume after the accident and Travis Fox disappeared. The idea was to sell freelance photos I'd stage of me fighting crime to whatever news outlet that would pay. I even sold some to tabloids."

"Ew. That's low," Kim was revolted.

"I was drowning in debt and it was a lucrative gig," Paul obviously was remorseful, "Delilah helped me design and fabricate the Fox costume. And she patched me up when I got my ass kicked. Which happened a lot."

"So why the breakup and why Japan?" Kim was merciless.

"I was a literal freak magnet. Every loser super villain with an axe to grind came after me. So one day I was fighting the Eraser and trying to rescue a bus full of kids when the Eraser not only handed me my ass but he ground it into hamburger. I just barely escaped alive. The kids weren't that lucky. Because I wasn't any good at what I pretended to be. So I packed up and went to Japan to learn how to really be the Fox," Paul summarized, "Delilah knew my plans and that I intended to return but she didn't take it well."

"Well she understood enough to follow you to Asia and undergo the same kind of training," Kim pointed out.

"But she hasn't learned there are consequences to the actions we take when we put on her personas. Fly Girl, She-Fox, and the Fox all bear responsibility for the lives we touch…or abandon," Paul was ardent in his persuasive argument. And Kim found it sexy as hell.

"Delilah wasn't the only weirdo to come out if nowhere yesterday. Some chica calling herself 'Cat-Girl" put the moves on Jaguar," Kim shared.

"You're sure about that name?" Paul was fully alert and ready for action now.

"Is she an ex-girlfriend?" Kim groaned.

"What? No! When I was in Japan my master tasked me with protecting several valuable artifacts," Paul told her, "Feline themed artifacts. No one knew who would try and take them first, Catwoman, the Cat, or Cat-Girl. Turns out all three tried."

"And how'd that work out?" Kim was understandably curious.

"I kept them safe. But when I returned to the States, the artifacts went missing outside of Japan," he shrugged.

"So what was she doing in Los Angeles?" Kim wondered.

"You said it yourself. She was there to seduce Jaguar," Paul told her, "My master said Cat-Girls were possessed by the Spirit of the Cat the way Maria is possessed by the Spirit of the Jaguar. Every Jaguar has been sought by a Cat-Girl. Maria is like catnip to her."

"This has happened before?" Kim was incredulous.

"Since before the Norse or Spaniards arrived in the Americas," Paul said, "No one knows for certain how far back it all began. Just like no one knows where the Cat Spirit originated from or how it chooses its host. But it always chooses a woman regardless of the Jaguar's current gender."

"This is some seriously weird shit," Kim decided.

"Welcome to my life," Paul sighed.

"Really? Am I welcome into your life?" Kim's question was laced with suggestiveness.

Paul knew his next answer would be life changing. If not downright dangerous. Paul hesitated.

"Mine?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmmm. Your life and maybe my life. To possibly make our lives," Kim clarified.

Paul knew he was definitely in trouble now.


Rob Conners and Darla Lang exited a theater's matinee showing and threw away their empty drink cups and popcorn bucket. Darla hadn't been to a theater with anyone in this circumstance since before her brother died. And being with Rob was a lot like that. It was…comfortable. He even casually remarked that Darla would have to meet Victoria Johnson. He said it the way brothers mentioned meeting a sister-in-law.

They watched the opening of a comic book movie about mutants. Darla was less than impressed, "That was so unrealistic."

"Really?" Rob wasn't inclined to agree, "Because that whole 'trick me into being experimented on' felt awfully familiar."

"Okay, I'll give you that," Darla had heard Rob explain how he derived his energy powers, "But no one would survive having their bones laced with metal. And how the hell would you even be able to move afterwards much less swim in a lake after jumping down a waterfall?"

"Maybe, but those metal claws were awesome," Rob sounded like a seven year old fanboy.

"Have you seriously been living that life?" Darla asked.

"Um…yeah," Rob didn't know where this was going.

Darla punched his arm, "Then wake up, dumbass! It couldn't happen."

"You seem to know more about the meta life than I do," Rob realized belatedly.

"At least the super villain end of it," Darla finally revealed something about herself.

"You were a super villain?" Rob yelped.

"Nooo," Darla rolled her eyes in epic fashion, "I was a courier for the Auctioneer. He traveled around the country selling of bits of junk and piss ants and major players alike bought them. I delivered them."

"Why?" was all Rob could ask.

"Because super villains will pay insane amounts of money for useless junk they think will make them rich or conquer the world," Darla dripped sarcasm.

"Why did you need that much cash?" Rob quietly asked.

"I've told you enough for one day, Mr. Baseball. No more question," Darla imposed.

"I'm actually a shortstop," Rob clarified.

"Okay then, Shortstop. No more questions," Darla rephrased.

"Okay, okay," Rob gave up, "Where would you like to go next? My travel app has quite a few suggestions. No, but wait, that was a question. I guess I decide, you follow and I surprise you."

Darla gave him a droll look, "Smart ass."


The woman known as War Eagle summitted the highest peak in the region. There were higher further north but she was hungry and wanted to return to the FEMA warehouse. Theresa Shane, as War Eagle still thought of herself, soared on her way back to Summit.

Her incredibly sharp vision gave her a view of everything in the valleys below. Including several compounds of some sort. And a tent village with camo netting over everything. And it was obvious sentries patrolled the grounds. War Eagle guessed that the netting held aircraft and vehicles of a militant nature. But the encampment didn't strike her as being a legitimate military base. It was too ad hoc.


Wayne Sidmonson made his way into a Big Belly Burger. He'd avoided them for the past year since he embarked on his black hood driven quest. Besides owning a franchise, he was a fan.

So he ordered a triple cheese belly buster with fries and shake and set down to compose a letter to his family regaling them with his recent adventures with the Mighty Crusaders. He hoped it softened the blow of his absence.


Web met with his Web Hosts in the city's Embassy Suites hotel. None of the Web Hosts knew Web was also John Raymond. They knew of Raymond as their financier the way Batman Inc. has assumed Bruce Wayne funded them and Batman both unaware that Wayne and the Dark Knight were one and the same. But they were grateful the upgraded lodgings in comparison to where he'd placed the Mighty Crusaders.

"Web, are you still with us?" Buster asked at the lounge where the Web Hosts had gathered for a drink. The Web Hosts were in civilian guise. John wore wraparound sunglasses to go with his sports coat, polo, and jeans.

"And I'm glad you're all out of prison," John admitted.

"So are we," Rad agreed.

"But thet thar Task Force X is a lesson in dysfunction. Imagine super villains as covert operatives," Rowdy added.

"Makes it quick and efficient to throw them under the bus in case of a screw up," John mused.

"You haven't told the MLJ about our involvement," Jump, the oldest Web Host ventured.

"No, I haven't," Web confirmed it.

Why not?" Win, the other veteran Host, asked.

"Who cares?" Big Daddy wanted to know.

"We'll still get our shot at the Brain Emperor," Gunny predicted.

Silver and Wild Bill protested. John soothed fraying nerves, "You're my secret weapon. When the MLJ screws the pooch over this, and they will, we'll save the day and convince Latham to back my Web Agency proposal."

"That's a lot of faith in us," Kevin Wells stated, "And not much in the Mighty Crusaders."

"You saw Los Angeles," John reminded them, "What is there to have faith in? Things simply are the way they are."

"We have a tentative location for Brain Emperor," Silver reported, "And you're not gonna like it."

John knew her father was the Web Host in charge of electronic surveillance, "Tell me more."


Robert Dickerson turned a corner and when Frank Verrano did the same, Dickerson waited for him, "Hello, Frank."

"Uh…hi, Doc," Frank was stymied.

"You can stop pretending to be texting. I know you're following me," Dickerson told him.

"After what happened in LA?" Frank had to ask, "Latham's lost confidence in the Hangman."

"And what about you?" Dickerson asked, "After all, you're not even human."

"What do you mean?" Frank asked suspicious of the answer.

"You don't eat. You rarely rest, and you don't perspire and your eyes never dilate," Dickering explained, "I'm a physician. I'm supposed to notice those things. Hangman knew you didn't have a soul and that you weren't a higher being. That leaves a machine. And it was obvious you didn't know the truth about yourself. I'm guessing Latham struck on that one."

"He also told Strander," Frank grumbled.

"Yes, the lovely Carol Anne Strander, Special Agent of the FBI. If she thought she could, she'd arrest my alter ego and throw the key to whatever prison they devised for him," Dickerson said wearily, "She isn't the first law enforcement agent to feel that way about Hangman."

"Still it beats being an android," Frank replied, "Or whatever I am."

"Or you could spend your nights as a hitman for Satan," Dickering retorted, "It lends perspective. And to think I agreed to the arrangement because I was afraid to die. Now I'm afraid I'll live until the Apocalypse and the end of the age."

"Let's drink to that," Frank offered.

"I can't get intoxicated and neither can you, I wager," Dickering warned him.

"But it's something normal," Frank said, "And I just want to feel normal even if it's just for one drink."

"I like that sentiment," Dickering agreed to it, "Let's find somewhere suitable."


KitCat returned to the table where Carol and Kenny Wisdom were still eating Korean barbecue. She'd checked in with War Eagle where she was staying at the FEMA warehouse. KitCat looked appalled.

"War Eagle is eating," KitCat looked revolted.

"Her name is Theresa," Carol said between bites.

"What does she even eat?" Kenny asked and took a mouthful.

"Raw steaks and fish," KitCat informed him. Carol already knew.

"Raw?" Kenny managed to ask with a full mouth.

"Blood and all," KitCat stared dubiously at her own plate while her stomach flip flopped.

Kenny forced a swallow and looked a tad green. Carol continued to eat away, "Theresa's metabolism is a hybrid between eagle and human. Unfortunately for those around her, her digestive track is almost entirely eagle. Hence the dietary choices."

"Where the hell did she even go to get that stuff?" Kenny was definitely queasy now.

"I made arrangements with a local butcher shop to make a rather large delivery. Theresa should have enough for several days in case this investigation takes time," Carol explained, "That's why I was late."

"Daaamn," Kenny took several deep breaths.

"But all that meat requires refrigeration," KitCat replied.

"And FEMA provided plenty of it," Carol said nonchalantly, "More bothersome is that Theresa put a steak and a salmon in the communal refrigerator for later tonight. So you may want to sterilize any containers you have in there."

"My garden salad," KitCat lamented.

"Will she eat my sub sandwich?" Kenny was alarmed.

"What's in it?" Carol asked.

"It's a Reuben," Kenny told her.

"Well, she definitely won't eat the bread or but the roast beef is a curiosity. I doubt she can manage to eat cooked and processed meats," Carol mused.

"You 'doubt' it?" Kenny was outraged now.

"Your larger concern is what is dripping on the paper wrapped around the sandwich," Carol said matter-of-factly.

"Oh god," Kenny moaned.

"As far as your salad goes, throw the tainted bits away and fry up any meaty remnants and make it a club salad," Carol smirked.

"Oh, piss off," KitCat grumped.

"We live in an age of extreme diversity," Carol waxed poetic, "I'm sure Theresa feels the same way whenever she's forced to watch a vegan eat a meal."

"It's still gross," KitCat complained.

"Be tolerant," Carol admonished her, "Speaking of which, how'd you find us, Web?"

John stood by the table still wearing his blacked out, wraparound sunglasses, "It's what I do, Agent Strander."

"Cool shades," Kenny approved.

"Shut up," John snapped at him.

"Are we gonna be tolerant or can I bitch slap him now?" KitCat fumed.

"Funny you didn't feel that way when you worked for me," John sneered.

"And I recall your damn sunglasses were annoying in bed too," KitCat retorted, "And it really does take tolerance to put with someone so bad at having sex, John."

"What did you say?" John was poised for an all out attack.

"I don't know, John. Did I call you John? Is that your real name, Mr. Raymond?" KitCat delighted in torturing him.

"You little…" John was so furious he couldn't even speak complete sentences, "Why?"

"Because after you screwed me, you screwed with me and I took it personally. Especially after Latham hired me and I was reunited with you and you treated me like shit. So you became my business and I'm better at hacking and investigating than you'll ever dream of being," KitCat told him.

"Latham and I already knew who you were. King Faraday at ARGUS is very thorough in his investigations into metas and costumed vigilantes and crooks. But out of courtesy we didn't tell anyone else. Now, are you going to tell me why you're here?" Carol asked.

"I know where Brain Emperor is," John managed to say after reeling from the revelations.

"Tell me more," Carol slid a chair out with her foot.


Ultraman, it turned out, was an even worse brawler than Superman. Kal-L relied on pure, savage brute force to beat an opponent into submission or death. And his own nigh invulnerability protected him from most enemies' attacks. The fact that he had been the strongest and most durable being on Earth-3 only lent itself to perpetuating that modus operandi.

But Ultraman, like every other Kal-E/L from the extinct multiverse, was weaker and more vulnerable than their Earth Prime counterpart. So Ultraman turned out to be as strong as a Prime Universe survivor of Argo…or her clone. And Galatea, having been raised vigorously exercising, was stronger than Kara In-Ze had ever been. So Power Girl held strength as an advantage over Ultraman.

But more than that, Tea had trained her own admittedly short life to the art of killing Superman. Ultraman had heard Saturn Queen warn him that Power Girl had killed Lord Superman of Earth-2. He'd dismissed it as a fairy tale. Now he wasn't dismissive. Instead, he was fearful.

Since the mission had simply been to lure Power Girl and Black Mary to Saturn Queen's relocated presence, he opted to find Ultragirl and flee back to his "mother". And thereby reduce Power Girl and Black Mary to Saturn Queen's slaves upon chasing the Ultras.

A Marvel on any Earth used to be nearly as powerful as a Kryptonian. On universes other than the Prime Universe, that distinction was the barest of margins. But the multiverse no longer existed and the few survivors from its destruction were all coming to Earth Prime.

Black Mary was as powerful as Power Girl or Kara In-Ze. Which made her an even match with Kara Zor-L, the Ultragirl. Which disturbed Ultragirl on all kinds of levels. And Black Mary's resemblance to Mistress Mary disturbed her on many more psychological strata. Even Black Mary's smugness over lording it over Ultragirl's discomfort was a reminder of Mistress Mary's cruelty.

Ultraman ambushed Black Mary in order to extract Ultragirl. Power Girl wasn't far behind. But she intentionally lagged to see where the Ultras would head next. The answer dismayed her.

"Where'd they go?" Black Mary asked as she extricated herself from a wall.

"Gotham," Power Girl grimly answered.

"Then let's go get them," Black Mary started to surge forward.

Power Girl caught her arm, "Wait!"

Black Mary gave Galatea a hateful glare. Power Girl let go and held her hands away from her body in a neutral pose, "We have no jurisdiction in New Jersey, particularly Gotham City. If we go, we'll be fighting every local and state trooper they can throw at us besides busting bad guy heads. Besides, it's a trap."

"And how do you know that?" Black Mary scoffed.

"Ultraman's MO is to attack crowds to distract a foe from pursuing him. He didn't do that when he broke from fighting me or again when he left us behind," Power Girl pointed out, "Ultraman and this 'Ultragirl' want us following them."

"This jurisdiction shit is annoying," Black Mary sighed, "There were advantages to being part of the Justice league."

"There were," Power Girl conceded, "But Waller wants my head and Col. Trevor is her lapdog caretaking the JLU. And they definitely wouldn't appreciate the new attitude you're flinging around."

"What frickin' attitude?" Black Mary snapped.

"That one," Power Girl dryly replied.

"I could 'persuade' Waller to leave you alone," Black Mary offered.

"No one makes Waller do anything," Power Girl advised her, "Not even God."


Catalyzation of Steel Sterling's gen factor was completed. The smelting accident had originally partially activated John Sterling's meta-gene but now Project CRUCIBLE had completed the imperfect process. And Steel Sterling's gen factor would peak at it s maximum potential. All thanks to data purloined from John Lynch and Ivana Baiul's work at the NOWHERE base.

"He's alive, alive!" the chief geneticist cried as Steel Sterling's biometric readings stabilized.

"I've seen the movie, Dr. Singh," Latham drolly commented, "What's been done to him?"

"Only what we've discussed. But there are some unexpected variations," Singh reported.

"How so?" Latham inquired.

"Our predictive models show that besides having bio-organic metal for a bodily composition, his magnetic powers are now internalized instead of externalized in order to manipulate and mold his body into various shapes," Singh described the changes, "His flesh may appear normal but when his concentration lapses, his metallic nature will become obvious. His dexterity at molding his bodily parts and proportions will increase over time with practice."

"Can he travel?" Latham asked.

"It's inadvisable to put him into action without proper preparation and training," Singh was defensive.

"Can he survive a flight to Colorado?" Latham grated.

"Steel Sterling is now one of the most durable men in the world. He's become a literal Man of Steel," Singh qualified his answer.

"Let me know when he wakes up," Latham ordered, "And Jack will decide if he's going to Summit."


Luthor gathered his allies once again. Hauser and Zither appeared via holographic projections. Sivana introduced his now physically perfect children. Georgia had been transformed into a ravishing beauty to equal or even surpassing her half-sister, Beautia. Thaddeus also had changed himself into an idealized, handsome man. Magnificus now had the brawn beyond measure he'd always wanted. Unfortunately he was still vain and dimwitted.

Senator Henry Ballard, secretly the official leader of Intergang, informed Luthor the military's sweep of Fort Siegel had turned up brainwashed soldiers but no sign of the Secret Society of Super Villains except that half the base barracks were deserted as the official personnel were all crowded into a single structure. And medical tests indicated every female soldier was pregnant. A statistical improbability at best.

Gen. Sam Lane and his Meta-Human Response Division had been brought out of the cold and returned to Fort Siegel. And ARGUS had reinforced his specialist complement with additional meta-human assets. Waller had stood Task Force X down until the Congressional inquiry as to whether or not the United States was employing criminals as covert operatives concluded. In the meantime, the Suicide Squad was shelved and out of the Legion of Doom's way.

The Secretary-General had just informed Luthor the Security Council had approved his proposal and the General Assembly had enacted it into an official resolution. Luthor now served as a special advisor, and sole executive veto, over the United Nations. In short, the international body unofficially recognized him as ruler of the world. But the cost of that acknowledgment was Saturn Queen's destruction. A condition he was happy to fulfill.

So, Saturn Queen and her Secret Society had been flushed from one roost. Now it was time to intensify the pressure and leave her with nowhere to run to. And then force her hand into her own destruction or her flight from Earth.

In the interim, Luthor had a way to test the freshly empowered Sivana Family. Including the hulking Black Sivana, the tribe's own father. And in the process, repay a betrayal in kind.