18

The Invisible Jet and Zinda's X-35B-2 made VTOL approaches to the tarmac behind the Hall of Justice. The JLers quickly exited while Plastic Man stood by and assisted Penny in securing her aircraft and handing it over to the ground crews. Plas then picked up the tablets with the incident report forms all three needed to fill out. The entire Justice League began doing the same while Steve Trevor briefed the Founders on Blackwing and Atomica's break in.

"They secured two things," Shayera informed them while John desperately resisted the urge to cuddle his Thanagarian wife, "They took the time beacon Saturn Girl left with Kara in order to contact the Legion of Superheroes in the future."

"And they copied a list of the ARGUS black site prisons housing super villains and lesser known metas," Trevor added.

"ARGUS operates more than Belle Reeve?" Superman was disgusted.

"It makes sense," Barda doused his righteous indignation, "New Genesis operates a public prison near Supertown similar to the GULAG for Darkseid's soldiers. But the Elite are imprisoned on the edge of our mutual dimension with Apokolips and its whereabouts are known to fewer than a handful of Highfather's advisors."

"That doesn't make it any less humane," Superman scolded her. Barda, Shayera, and Trevor all gave him a longsuffering look. Even John Stewart was inclined to join them. Reality fell short of Superman's idealism 99% of the time.

"Col. Trevor did his duty as did Shayera Hol. Word has it they fought honorably," Wonder Woman interrupted, "Do not take such a high tone with them. On Themiscyra we killed male intruders and sentenced the women to sail the ocean and let fate decide their fortunes."

"This is America not an island group home for violent psychopaths," Superman derided Artemis.

"No wonder Diana refuses you access to Alexandra," Artemis sneered.

"I really don't hate to interrupt but the Secretary-General just requested we dispatch a team to Gotham," Hula Hula said, "It seems Spyral, the DEO, and SHADE sent their top operatives there yesterday and the United Nations has no idea why."

"All three?" Trevor was astounded, "But our threat boards didn't register a single report."

"Someone obviously felt there was a threat," Superman spoke down to Trevor.

"Or they were manipulated into thinking there was one," Wonder Woman interjected.

"Why would anyone do that?" Superman sounded pained again, "Barda and I will do this alone."

"We will?" even Barda was feeling cross.

"Fine. I will do it alone," Superman left Ops and exited the building for the swift flight to Gotham.

"Fool is going to get himself or someone else hurt," Barda grated but she didn't follow, "I'll be in Metropolis when I'm needed."

"Hula, have the rest of the League stand down and return to their own lives," Trevor instructed, "Hopefully we can have at least one night of rest."

"Does that apply to us as well, Colonel?" Artemis asked Trevor.

"Please, it's just 'Steve'," he insisted for the umpteenth time.

""Steve, you promised to show me more of Man's World. Does this night suit you?" she inquired.

"Let me just wrap up a few things and I'll be ready," Trevor promised, "And you may want to check out our wardrobe department before stepping out a little more casually."

Artemis hesitantly kissed his cheek and then rushed to find the mysterious wardrobe department. Shayera and John openly stared at Trevor. Hula Hula walked away whistling to himself.

"Yes?" Trevor asked the couple.

"Nothing," John lied.

"An Amazon. Not just any Amazon but the chosen Wonder Woman," Shayera reminded him, "That goes far above and way beyond playing with fire."

"Artemis came from a tribe of Amazons that comingled with male servants and copulated with them in order to secure future generations," Trevor explained, "Of course, her view of the male-female dynamic is completely skewed in favor of the female but she's broadening her horizons."

"That and you kicked her ass," John chuckled.

"I don't think she really wanted to win," Shayera opined.

"However it worked, it did work," Trevor confided, "Now, I have an open reservation at the Met for a private showing."

"That should be interesting," Shayera murmured.

John elbowed her, "Have fun, you kids."


Gypsy was walking by the wardrobe department for women when she heard cursing fluent in several dozen languages. Gypsy stood in the doorway, "Hello?"

Artemis rounded a clothing rack, "How do I dress for a casual evening?"

"What look are you going for?" Gypsy wondered.

"Back home I dressed similar to you," Artemis confessed.

"Then let me help and you'll knock Col. Trevor senseless," Gypsy offered.

"I never said I was going anywhere with Steve," Artemis chided Gypsy.

"Everyone has seen how you two look at each and how you act around each other," Gypsy wryly told her, "You're not hiding anything except maybe from yourselves and each other."

"Good to know," Artemis decided, "And Vibe looks at you the way you look at him."

"Cisco? Really?" Gypsy's heart soared.


The battle raged in and around Summit Ministries. In the classroom building, Shield fought Martial Law. The Shield discharged his crowd control electrical burst. Martial Law swung his electrified nunchuks in circles to dispel the current.

Shield caught a nunchuck in each hand and discharged against them once again. This time the batteries within the nunchuks fused and overloaded. The tail end of the current stream zapped Martial Law and he flew backwards.

But Martial Law quickly rolled over back onto his feet. He was a master of a dozen martial arts and he was prepared to kill Shield one blow at a time. But even the weakest portions and joints of Shield's armor minimized Martial Law's strikes.

But Shield's stun charge capacitors had broken down after the overload of dealing with the nunchuks. So he tried to beat Martial Law the old fashioned way. But every punch and kick was blocked or redirected.

Finally, Shield bear hugged Martial Law and propelled himself into the ceiling's structural supports. Having knocked Martial Law out, he needed to contain him. So Shield dragged him into a bathroom and bent copper pipes around Martial Law's wrists, ankles, and chest. And finally, Shield resumed his march towards the end of the building.


Jaguar's own battle against Chromium boiled down to its essence as a contest of brute strength and endurance. Jaguar had heard of mythical metals that could be forged through extreme heat but they couldn't be bent or broken once cooled. They called the sturdiest of the batch Amazonium. Now she began to believe the myths were crafted out of truths. Just like the Jaguar herself.

But Chromium's lower lip and eyes were exposed. Which meant they were vulnerable. She didn't want to blind him unless no other options were left untried. But his lip? That was a prime target.

Her claws tore his lip to shreds. And the blood that spurted from it excited her animalistic frenzy and she was in danger of surrendering to it. Chromium fled from her as she attacked his torn flesh over and over again. She wanted to hunt him down and finish him off. But that wasn't her mission. Her mission was Brain Emperor.


Ever since Darla Lang had become Darkling her personal intuitive powers had gone off of her personal charts. And Darla had always been highly intuitive. But now even the best poker player was an open book to her.

Black Witch was desperate to prove herself to her peers. Magi was far more cautious than the impetuous Black Witch. He was trying to determine the nature and scope of Darling's power. She imagined Dream Demon may have imparted her experience with Dora Keane. But Dora had been a different kind of Darkling.

Darkling realized that she could not only teleport objects and people across the world but also in between dimensions. That was a reason the dark force that gave Darkling her powers had been sent to Earth but the major reason was the defeat and exile of the Brain Emperor. So Darla's hidden agenda was being served alongside the Mighty Crusaders. And nothing said defense like a crowbar over the opposition's head. So she snared Black Witch and Magi and sent them to the hellscape know as Limbo. And then she returned to her search only to reunite with both Shield and Jaguar.


In the men's dormitory, Sting had jolted Web once again. Web's suit was threatening to go into catastrophic failure as its systems crashed one by one and two by two. But while the voltage was rattling John Raymond, the Web was still fighting.

Sting relented and his electric attacks temporarily ceased. Instead he engaged Web hand to hand. And Web found Sting's suit made him as strong as Web's own generally did for him. But Sting had fried the motor actuators in Web's exo suit.

But John Raymond had spent years training for this event. He relied primarily on Aikido to redirect his opponent's kinetic energy. Aikido also focused on redirecting and harnessing one's own chi, as the Chinese called it, and utilizing it for joint locks and pressure point manipulation.

Used aggressively rather than strictly defensively, Aikido allowed practitioners to break joints and paralyze limbs through striking pressure point nerve clusters. And Web had a lot of pent up aggression. Web hadn't received this bad of a pounding since his encounters with Deadly Force. So Web rather enjoyed hurting Sting despite violating the most sacred tenets of Aikido to do so.

Rendering his foe unconscious, Web withdrew monofilament zip ties from a hidden storage area in his own suit. Tying Sting up to the plumbing in a nearby restroom, Web left Sting behind to further his search for Brain Emperor's whereabouts so he could summon the Web Hosts to make the arrest and outshine the "vaunted" Mighty Crusaders.


Steel Sterling slowly marched on Metal Master. Despite the unique nature of his biometal form, Steel Sterling was still forced into a struggle to move. But the fact he relentlessly bore down on Metal Master totally unnerved the villain.

"Stop! I command you!" Metal Master's screech even sounded like a scraping metallic squeak.

Steel Sterling manipulated his hand into being a sledgehammer head. Metal Master focused all of his power on Steel Sterling's right arm and hand. He hadn't realized his opponent was within arm's reach. So Steel Sterling knocked him out with a left cross.

Like so many others, Steel Sterling dragged Metal Master into a restroom. Forming a knife's blade after breaking the toilet free, he chopped off the tank and the basin, leaving a porcelain ring. With Metal Master totally slack, he managed to pin the man's arms. Steel Sterling assumed that Metal Master would have no control over porcelain as he dragged the crook back out into the hallway. And then he resumed his search.


Black Hood's shotgun blew apart a drinking fountain. Then the agile Black Knight swung his sword as Black Hood ducked under it and scooped up the discarded double edged axe. Black Hood found he had intimate knowledge of how to brandish the weapon. After all the black hood he wore was a medieval executioner's hood.

Black Hood swatted away the Black Knight's sword and then he rounded out the swing into an overhead strike that severed the knight's right arm off. Blood squirted from the shoulder joint but the Black Knight seemed unfazed, "Phhht! `Tis but a flesh wound."

The knight reattached his arm and it healed almost instantly. So Black Hood did what came naturally. He lopped the knight's head and kicked it down the hallway. Black Knight's body dropped the sword and went search, groping about, looking for its missing head. Meanwhile, the head rambled on about revenge. Black Hood left him and the axe there.


"Curses!" the Crone screamed, "My powers are derived from Hell itself and this swine is a servant of the Prince of Hell. My magic holds no sway over him."

"I cannot bind a demon to stand against him nor can I summon nature's wiles in this manmade monstrosity," Druid complained, "Instead, let's be away with him."

And Hangman was teleported to China where it was daytime and he reverted back to being Robert Dickering. At nightfall he would become the Hangman once more and chase the falling night across the world. Crone cast her runes.

"Our magical brethren have been cast into Limbo. I will need to feed in order to have the strength to help liberate them," she declared.

"Then hurry and meet me at our shrine," Druid vanished.

Crone summoned her enchanted broom and rode it to Summit. There she stole a teenager's youth and beauty. Restored, Crone joined the Druid. Then they prepared to storm Limbo and face Surtur himself to free their comrades.


Inferno streamed flames all over Magnetic Monster. He ran screaming to a nearby fountain and magnetically ripped from the wall to expose the ruptured pipes and douse the flames. But Inferno intensified his attack and Magnetic Monster rode the Earth's magnosphere to escape Summit.

"That's what I'm talkin' `bout," Inferno boasted.


Fox had run headlong, literally, into the Invisible Terror. And his foe was well named. As skilled in fighting techniques as Fox himself, Paul Patton felt no compunction to keep his katana sheathed. But even then, he was at a disadvantage.

So Fox outwitted his opponent. Kicking a water fountain free from the wall, the spraying water collected on Invisible Terror and allowed Fox to cut his forearm and leg. The water caused the blood to flow and spread across Invisible Terror so even when he stepped out of the spray, his blood was visible.

He reverted to being visible, "I guess my ability is useless now."

Fox placed the edge of his sword against Invisible Terror's throat, "Just run away now."

"Really?" Invisible Terror couldn't believe it.

Fox nicked his throat, "Really."

And Invisible Terror fled. Fox rejoined Inferno at the other end of the building, "Where's Hangman?"

"Who cares where the creepy sonuvabitch is?" Inferno retorted.

"You have a point," Fox conceded.


War Eagle went on an all out offensive and downed the three remaining UAVs. Two of which she tore apart with her talon tipped fingers. General Mechanix opted to retreat at that point. But War Eagle was now engaged by Meridian's four UH-1 Huey helicopters. The door gunners opened fire when they could and they also used 4.75" rockets from tube launchers mounted above the landing skids.

The helicopter crews became even more aggressive as War Eagle managed to rip a door gunner out of one Huey and threw him to the ground over one hundred feet below. With every fifth round a phosphorous laced bullet, the tracer rounds enabled the gunners to see where they shooting at and at what.

War Eagle grew creative even as the pilots and gunners grew more desperate. Seeing Meridian's ground forces advancing, War Eagle whipped the helo crews into a frenzy and led them back at their employer. They should prove to be her own weapons against Meridian.


Arachnus kept shooting adhesive lines at Fly Girl, "Welcome to my parlor, little fly."

"You are sooo getting it, pal," Fly Girl dodged and weaved and opened fire with her twin buzz guns to make Arachnus do the same, "What is it with all you spider types anyway?"

"You mean that laughable Spiderman and Lady Spider?" Arachnus sneered, "They pale before my greatness."

"And your loud mouth," Fly Girl had tricked Arachnus into halting to pontificate. She zapped him silly until he'd passed out and his frame work had short circuited.

Fly Girl landed at the end of the hall, "Damn I'm good."


Ozone had lured Comet outside where he could open the atmospheric ozone layer to allow unchecked solar radiation through and aim it at Comet. But Dr. Harvey had forgotten it was night. So while ambient solar radiation curved around the magnosphere and still filtered to Earth, it was hardly significant in regards to a daylight attempt to do the same. Comet easily absorbed the radiation he was hit with and used the power surge to knock Ozone out.

"Geez, what a loser," Comet remarked.

No wonder Black Hood hated the guy. That and Dr. Harvey had created a gen activation drug for Dr. Archer to distribute. Gen factors all over the world were being unlocked and meta-human populations were wildly increasing. Rumor had it third world countries and rogue nations were surpassing China as Dr. Archer's chief customers for the drug.

And Comet just knew the MLJ would be tasked with helping clean up the results.


As the Mighty Crusaders searched the upper floors of the respective buildings they were in, Tremor unleashed his seismic manipulations. As Brain Emperor and the Mad Professor made good their escape, the Mighty Crusaders exited the buildings while abandoning those trussed up. Tremor brought the buildings down and then he himself exited the field of battle.

Meridian joined Brain Emperor, Mad Professor, and General Mechanix, "Your exit is covered. Your boy, Tremor, collapsed the hidden bunker so the Global Concern's complicity is hidden. Now, you just have to get out of here and let my people handle the rest."


The Web Hosts used all terrain vehicles and hover bikes specifically designed for their needs to battle Meridian's mercenaries. The Hosts' particle weapons made short work of armored vehicles, but the mercs still had light and heavy weapons. War Eagle's pursuers also shot and blew their way through their own forces. It was a pitched battle for a time until the mercenaries inexplicably laid down their arms.

"What the hell?" was all Buster had to say.


Afterwards, the state and local police began their investigation while rescue crews excavated the buildings to recover Martial Law, Black Knight, Sting, and Metal Master. Ozone was taken into custody but Chromium had vanished without a trace. The Mighty Crusaders were brought back to the FEMA compound as the FBI arrived from the Denver field office.

MLJ administrators were teleported in to take statements and after action reports from the Mighty Crusaders. Gen. Jack Latham himself received them when they returned to Liberty Station, "Congratulations, people. You did fine work. The President herself will be awarding you letters of commendations and the Medal of Freedom. For now, you're all free to resume your lives until you're called for again."

Joe Higgins returned to Summit to spend time with his mother…and Marcy Holt. Maria de Guzman opted to return to Brazil to visit her family. Paul Patton and Kim Ward traveled to Baltimore so Kim could see where he lived and worked.

Web resumed being John Raymond. Black Hood went his own way without a word. Rob Conners invited Darla to meet Victoria Johnson in his home town of Evergreen, Washington. War Eagle headed for her cabin supplied by the MLJ in the Cascade Mountain Range. Jack Sterling teleported back to Los Angeles where he'd once been a movie start and bodybuilder. Inferno joined him.


Latham addressed Carol Anne Strander, KitCat, and Kenny Wisdom, "Once the equipment is signed for you're all free to enjoy some time off too. That goes double for you, Special Agent Strander."

"General, I prefer…" Carol began to protest.

"You prefer to take at least five days off. That's a direct order from the MLJ Administrator," Latham cut her off.

"That's you," Carol replied.

"So it is," Latham looked pleased with himself, "Just go, Carol."

"Come on, I'll show you San Fran," KitCat volunteered, "We can pick up guys, or gals if you're so inclined. And if you don't want to be bothered, we can pretend we're a couple."

"Okay," Carol hesitated, "Sounds good. I think."

"It'll be fun!" KitCat enthused, "I've been looking for a wingman."

"Thanks," Carol deadpanned, "I think."

"Too much thinking. Just go with it," KitCat began dragging Carol to the lockers so they could change and queue up for the teleporter.

"Any news on what happened to the Web Hosts?" Kenny asked Latham.

"Web got his Web Agency approved," Latham sounded discouraged, "So the Hosts are undergoing training in federal law enforcement procedures. And from here on in they will be referred to as Web Agents."

"Holy crap," Kenny breathed, "Web is so going to be a dick after this."

"And he wasn't before?" Latham chuckled.

"You've definitely got a point," Kenny conceded, "Please tell me John Raymond won't be in charge as himself or as the Web."

Latham didn't flinch learning Kenny knew of Web's secret identity, "Neither. Web is still attached to the MLJ and specifically to the Mighty Crusaders. As for the Web Agency, it is a subordinate agency under the MLJ's umbrella. An administrative director will be appointed, by me, and I will oversee the agency's operations in addition to the Mighty Crusaders."

"Damn, boss. You go," Kenny waited for his high five to be reciprocated. It never would be.

"Okay, over stepping," Kenny realized, "I'll just catch a teleporter ride to Chicago."

"You do that," Latham encouraged him. He had start reviewing candidates to oversee the newly instated Web Agency anyway.


From Wayne Tower, the Outlaws observed Ruby Ryder's penthouse atop the Ryder industries building. Knave and Red Hood were currently viewing the layout through binoculars. It wasn't a pretty sight.

"The building is filled with security," Knave reported for the others.

"Too bad for them," Ravager said derisively.

"I'm not killing rentacops," Green Arrow declared.

"Neither will I," Speedy added.

"Why not?" Red Arrow inquired, "They chose their employer poorly."

"Hold it," Knave interrupted, "Our friends from Superior City have arrived as well."

"Can we kill them this time?" Red Hood sarcastically inquired.

"Why are we still working for Knightfall anyway?" Speedy wanted to know.

"Because Charise Carnes, or if you still prefer 'Knightfall', is playing the same game we are. Pretending to be a criminal mastermind while secretly operating as a vigilante seeking justice outside the courts. And she's highly successful at being both," Knave replied.

"Damn straight she's good. She has Gotham spinning to her tune and now that she's inside Intergang, she can go global," Red Hood's admiration was obvious to all.

"And she's got the hots for Jason and he reciprocates," Ravager stated, "I only have one eye but I see everything."

"Can we just get on with this farce?" Speedy was impatient to get it done.

"First we need to get to the penthouse," Red Hood told them, "Ravager and the archers three will deal with the opposition while Knave and I will handle Ruby Ryder and Disco Mummy."

"So are we finally doing something?" Red Arrow sharply inquired.


Ryder Industries had been far from the tallest building in Gotham before the Kandorian attack. Now it was the tallest because both of the Wayne-Powers buildings had been shaved down. Surprisingly, Wayne Tower and the adjacent Ryder Industries building had been left unscathed. So the group used grapple lines to traverse the gulf between them.

The penthouse was three stories below the rooftop. The upper floors housed elevator banks and structural reinforcements for the helipad. Red Hood shattered windows with gunfire and the Outlaws crashed through the glass all at once. The Outlaws quickly divided even as their opponents divvied up forces. Ravager drew the bulk of the opposition. Mr. Thunder himself chose to fight her. He hurled electrical discharges at Rose but she dodged every one of them and beheaded him with a single sword stroke.

Dr. Cyclops chose to abort his own attack but she ran him through his single eye and out the back of his head with her other sword. Belladonna fired a poison dart at Ravager but she jerked out of the way and the dart struck Naiad, the one Thunderbolt Operative that could have killed Rose. Ravager threw her sword across the way and impaled Belladonna.

Swarm cowered before Ravager, "Please…I don't even want to be here."

Ravager pulled her sword out of the wall, and Belladonna, and sighed, "Just go. But if I ever see you again, I will finish this."

Swarm, divided into one hundred miniaturized versions of herself and she flew into a ventilation shaft and left the scene. Ravager wondered when she'd started to go soft. And as she thought about Beryl, she wondered if it was a bad thing.

Blue Damsel Fly distracted Green Arrow with her bio electric stings. Silhouette ambushed him from behind. While Green Arrow recovered, Silhouette made good his escape and Blue Damsel Fly went out the window to fly away.

Speedy fought three opponents. Serpentina held Speedy in a death grip because she'd tried nonlethal means to incapacitate the predator. The inhuman Squid prepared to kill Speedy while she was in Serpentina's grasp. But Iron Mask, so called because of the medieval torture device he wore to conceal his disfigurement, chose to shoot both his teammates in the head. While Ravager was distracted, and Speedy and Green Arrow were recovering, Iron Mask chose to exit right behind Silhouette.

Red Arrow faced a trifecta of women that weren't associated with the Thunderbolt Organization. Two out of three were crime bosses brought in by Ruby Ryder to challenge Knightfall's increasingly iron grip on Gotham. But Beauty and the Veiled Lady backed away from Red Arrow headed for the elevator. Emiko Queen was stymied because she didn't know who they were and they hadn't threatened her.

Shado would have disapproved but Emiko felt her father would have approved of her decision to allow the duo to escape. And then Red Arrow tried to determine where the third woman had disappeared to.


Knave and Red Hood descended the upper levels of the building until Red Hood blasted his way to a conference room occupied his targets. Knave was incensed, "I thought we were leaving the guards alive."

"Maybe next time," Red Hood offered a weak excuse, "This way they won't come up behind us."

"I've got your back," Knave grated.

"This way you don't have to work so hard," Red Hood was nonchalant.

"Excuse us," Disco Mummy had shed her wrappings and exited followed by the cadaverous creature called the King of the Undead that had broken the enchantment trapping Disc Mummy within her wrappings.

"Sure," Red Hood wondered who the gorgeous woman was.

Knave was focused on the creature, "What? You're letting her go? And about that…thing?"

"Disco Mummy is dust," Red Hood pointed at the wrappings in the corner of the room, "See? And that whatever-it-is is already dead."

"Men," Knave grumbled as she thought about braining him with her staff.

"And what business do you have here?" Ruby Ryder was imperious.

"I have it on good authority you're muscling in on territory claimed by Knightfall," Red Hood told her.

"And who told you that fabrication?" Ruby snorted.

"Knightfall. She hired us to take care of the problem," Red Hood took aim between Ruby's eyes.

"Wait! I can double whatever she's paying you!" Ruby begged.

"I don't negotiate," Red Hood shot her. He turned to Knave, "Now we need to leave the way we came."

"Good point," Knave found the whole affair distasteful.


In the front lobby, Swarm reassembled. Blue Damsel Fly came in from outside. Silhouette and Iron Mask had come from the private elevator that went straight to and from the penthouse earlier. Now it disgorged Veiled Lady and Beauty.

"Where's Jenny?" Blue Damsel Fly inquired.

"Right here," Jenny Elsewhere said from behind her. Jenny controlled transdimensional energy and portals. Throughout every Earth in the Multiverse, there had been a Jenny Somewhere, a Jenny Nowhere, and a Jenny Everywhere except on Earth Prime. Here, Jenny Elsewhere was alone and she'd been alone throughout the multiverse. And Jenny knew with certainty she alone of all those other Jennies was the last in existence.

Jenny Elsewhere knew that because every Jenny had been aware of the others, not only in their selective universe, but throughout creation. And Jenny Elsewhere knew everyone else had been destroyed as a universe wide wave of antimatter consumed each physical universe. And she knew the Prime Universe's days were numbered.

"Did you get it?" Swarm asked her.

Jenny held the Dial E wristband up to be viewed, "Easily."

"Now we go to Intergang and leverage a buy in," Beauty greedily declared. Her organization would profit handsomely by working with Intergang rather than competing with it.

"And we deal Brains and the Gang a crippling blow," Veiled Lady said lustfully.

"Now we just need to acquire the other E Dial from ARGUS," Jenny announced, "And Intergang will give us whatever we ask for."


Eve Aries reposed in civilian guise at an exclusive club at the heart of Gotham's nightlife. Ultraman and Ultragirl had also raided a clothier for unobtrusive attire. Bizarro led Bizarro Lois and Bizarro Girl in smashed their way in and absconding with the Ultras. Bizarro Girl had been developed using genetic remnants of the originals samples that Galatea had been cloned from.

"Well, that was certainly new," Saturn Queen commented.

The Sivanas crashed through the roof next. Saturn Queen was hardly amused, "Really?"

Shyla Kor-Onn, a Kryptonian criminal released from the Phantom Zone by Luthor, formed the last link in the box formation surrounding Saturn Queen. Eve found it somewhat discouraging that her telepathy and hypnotic powers couldn't affect the Sivanas. And she recognized Shyla and realized the Kryptonian's exposure to the Phantom Zone had altered her on a fundamental level and thereby rendered her immune to Saturn Queen's powers as well.

Superior Girl was the next to arrive. She was a former classmate of Kara Kent that STAR Labs had transfused some of Kara's blood into and transformed her into a Majestic-level gen active. Lady Lunar delivered Lex Luthor at last.

"Oh, it's you," Saturn Queen was disappointed.

"I'd advise you to simply surrender or I'll force you to kneel before me," Luthor told her.

"I'd like to see you try," even in the face of defeat, Saturn Queen was still haughty.

"Lady Lunar, if you will," Luthor requested.

She affected Saturn Queen's local gravity and increased it forty times. But Saturn Queen's Legion flight ring allowed her to combat it. But the strain crippled her ability to use her powers.

"Magnificus, assist her," Luthor enjoyed saying.

Magnificus shrugged off the gravity affect and took hold of Saturn Queen's shoulders and pushed her to the floor.

"All right! Damn you! I surrender," Saturn Queen relented. So did Lady Lunar but Magnificus Sivana had to be called off.

"Let her up," Luthor warned Magnificus.

"So, do you kill me now?" Saturn Queen asked.

"My ally and I have discussed this moment at length," Luthor confided.

"Don't you mean your 'Master'?" Saturn Queen snapped the barb at him.

It had needled him as intended, "Darkseid and I differ on terminology but not methodology."

"And what does your 'methodology' demand here?" Saturn Queen asked.

"There is an opportunity for you on New Krypton," Luthor confided, "It's under Almeracian occupation. Maxima has ordered a genocide but Lord Ultraa, under Darkseid's direction, has delayed the campaign."

"What's Ultraa's interest?" Eve asked.

"Ultraa wants the throne and Maxima's subjugation, in that order. And he desires Kalea-El's demise since she's the only potential rival for the throne," Luthor explained, "And the Khunds and Dominators have decimated the Gordanians. But it has severely weakened both empires. Which ripens your opportunities."

"My leading Ultraman and Ultragirl to New Krypton could open doors for me but I need transportation off planet," Saturn Queen reminded Luthor, "And a means to contact Ultraa."

"Done and done," Luthor assured her.

"Call off your Bizarros. I accept the challenge," Eve promised.

"I always knew you would," Luthor smiled smugly.


Superman went past the GCPD's cordon around the uppermost floors of Three Towers. He stood in the heart of Charise Carnes' home. Inside it Talon vociferously argued with Cameron Chase, Frankenstein's Creature, and Barbara Gordon. Hawkfire and Batwoman backed Talon up. The Bride supported Frankenstein and Manhunter rallied behind Agent Chase. Bullock supported Barbara. No one knew why the DEO and SHADE agents had delayed their departure.

Superman had no idea who Talon really was but she closely resembled Helena Bertinelli. Manhunter proved to be Kate Spencer, an infamous former ADA who'd tracked down those acquitted on technicalities and executed them as the Manhunter. Clark's confidence in the DEO plummeted to a new low.

Superman approached as Charise entered the verbal fray with Sally Sarasota beside her. Superman marveled at Sally's height and muscular physique. She easily rivaled Barda. And unknown to him, she doubled as Knightfall's Bonebreaker.

Sally had been a wrestler until her gen factor was activated by a Dominator gene bomb. Sally found herself far too powerful to wrestle ordinary women. She was destitute and suicidal when Charise found her and gave her a new purpose. And Bonebreaker held to Knightfall's vision of the future with fanatical zeal.

Superman could see and hear that tempers were flaring, "Excuse me, but your agency directors have ordered you to recall to your individual bases."

"Why haven't we heard that?" Talon snarled.

"Apparently you all turned off your comms," Superman said peaceably.

"Let's check it out," Cameron suggested. Everyone withdrew to separate corners.

""Thank you for that," Charise sighed.

"Precisely," Barbara agreed.

"The story checks out," Cameron noted everyone but Talon agreed with her, "Sorry for the inconvenience, Ms. Carnes."

Charise looked like she was about to have a fit of pique. Superman intervened again, "The UN is sending officials to file restitution claims with. You've been assured the adjusters will accept your claims at face value."

"Enjoy the blood money," Talon sneered, "I know who you really are."

"And I know you, Helena Wayne," Charise replied, "Give my regards to your father."

Talon tongue lashed Charise in terms that made Superman blush. Then Talon took Batwoman and Hawkfire and vanished over the building's edge.

"It's actually too bad about what's happened. I lost my family to a predator. I don't envy what she'll be going through," Charise remarked.

Barbara wondered how Charise knew about Lincoln March's death. It hadn't gone public yet.

Superman recalled Charise had been accused of murdering her family and ended up in Arkham Asylum for three years before a security tape "mysteriously" reappeared and exonerated her. Her first act at assuming control of the family business sat barely the age of twenty had been to renew the Three Towers project that had languished in development hell while she was incarcerated. After three years of delays the structure was completed in six months under her leadership.

Now Three Towers served as a business and residential hub of the renovation project Charise had launched in Gotham's dilapidated Cherry Hill district. And in the wake of the Kryptonian Ranger Scout attack cities worldwide required more construction than there were crews for. But Carnes Development had secured enough crews to further ongoing projects and tackle reconstruction. But it left cities like NYC and Metropolis bereft of much needed construction crews. And events in Los Angeles had left the city in disrepair and in need of attention.

Charise dismissed herself and Sally escorted her to private quarters. Barbara wasn't feeling charitable, "There goes two predators."

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Superman asked.

"Clark, I've seen more humanity out of Poison Ivy," the former Batgirl told him.

And he realized she didn't consider it a harsh assessment at all.


Gwen Cormaugh received word from Amanda Waller that ARGUS was transferring several Belle Reeve inmates to the DOD's custody. Specifically to Gen. Samuel Lane's operation. Gwen was not amused. Deadshot and Oracle were the two inmates. Unknown Soldier had also been reassigned to Lane's bailiwick.

Word amongst ARGUS division commanders was that Waller was shifting significant meta-human assets to Lane's control. Gwen was from the United Kingdom where most of the costumed set was under government control. Godiva had been an exception and Knight and Squire still were.

But the UK had allied with France's Fifth Republic to weaponize the Firestorm program. And other European nations had weaponized so called "superheroes". The Anglo-Gallic cooperation had spun off into several NATO, multi-nation efforts. Most were funded and controlled by national militaries. Or as had been the case with the Global Guardians by NATO itself.

Task Force X was as black ops as Gwen cared to get. But she was a police officer by training and inclination. ARGUS' law enforcement mandate had gotten Gwen to leave the International Security Agency the Cardiff Metropolitan Police Service had assigned her to. Waller had selected Gwen to take her place when she assumed the Directorship over ARGUS.

Gwen had been an Inspector within the constabulary. And she thought it was time to engage in an investigation of Lane's operation. And she had to strike fast before Oracle cleaned up the trails leading back to Lane.