Avenging Justice 3:

To Infinity and Anti-Life

Part XVII

Earth Orbit, Justice League Watchtower

Diana Prince sat watching the screen, one of many displaying events going on around the globe. She did so unwillingly, even if she did see wisdom in J'onn's words. She'd rather be out there, doing something, but here she was, "resting." As an Amazon, her place was in battle, fighting against forces that threated her home. Since leaving Themyscira, she had come to realize Earth was home, not just her mighty island nation. Though she did miss it terribly, some days more than she cared to admit.

Still her place was here, and right now she was keeping watch over the chaos. J'onn was taking a break, and M'gann was doing what she could. Most of the younger heroes were having to step up more now. So it was that Ms. Martian was down on Earth picking up the slack for the overstretched Justice League and Avengers. Diana could tell that J'onn was very proud.

She checked in with Green Arrow, he and Black Canary were just finishing up with an Intergang cell. Both looked beat up and haggard, but would be right as rain after a good night's sleep. Huntress was running down members of several mob families, looking to merge together. She'd been told to leave the leave the extreme options off the table, no extrajudicial killings.

She switched over to a feed recorded from Gotham. It seems the Titans had made a new friend, one that was both familiar and foreign at the same time. There was a way about the movements that reminded her of two warriors she knew about. Diana took a moment to review what was recorded, and wasn't surprised there wasn't much. Whomever did this, was used to fighting in the shadows, like a certain missing Dark Knight. However, his strikes indicated he was used to fighting with bladed weapons coming from his fists. There were very few who could do that, and only one came to mind.

Diana smiled, another mystery to be solved, even as she was trying to hold everything together. What they needed was a symbol, something Superman did ever so effortlessly. She had the heart, the intellect, but people believed in that symbol. She had believed in it, still did. As Wonder Woman she held a bit of that symbol, she could lead and inspire. It just wasn't to the same effect as him, something she didn't begrudge him. Next to Superman, anyone could easily feel like second fiddle.

What drew her attention was something going down in the middle of Atlanta, Georgia. She almost jumped out of her seat when she saw innocents in trouble, but something quickly stopped her. The image on the screen was dire, two children being suspended in the air by a madman on a rocket glider. Hobgoblin, if Diana's memory served her right. Meanwhile another three figures skittered about, keeping the police at bay.

One looked like Spider-Man, if he had six arms and a more arachnid head. Another was Captain Cold, one of Flash's foes, and the last was Metallo, his cybernetic body unmistakable. The police were outmatched, with the villains in control. Snipers had been removed, violently, and the SWAT teams were being held at bay, unable to get closer than three blocks. The negotiator was doing their best, but in truth, there wasn't going to be a good way to end this.

"My demands are simple!" Hobgoblin sneered. "I want ten million in this offshore account, and you all have one hour to do it. Otherwise, my grip may falter. What a shame, little brat will go splat."

As if to accentuate this point, one of the two children slipped a few inches. The resulting scream echoed across the skyline. Below the gathered crowed gasped, while those watching the even live on television were treated to a quick break. The newscasters having to report this, doing their best to remain calm, even as their hearts leapt into their throats.

"Let us pray for those families," one said. "We're going back to our feed."

"Oh, see, nobody is coming to save these children," Hobgoblin announced. "If anyone tried to interfere." As if to accentuate the point, he let the other child slip. "There is nobody swooping in to save the day today."

"That is where you are wrong," a punch landed into Hobgoblin's jaw, sending him spiraling away. "Luna, grab the children."

Solaris flew swiftly and lanced Hobgoblin's glider, making it smoke. He watched as it slowly spiraled towards a nearby high rise roof. He had a few seconds, as it was very clear the operator was doing everything to keep the device under control. That just left Doppelganger and Captain Cold, and one of those had the proportional strength, with the agility of a spider. He went after that one next, and already he could see the monster hissing in aggravation at him.

"I got them, coming back for the cold pistol guy," Luna's voice came through his earpiece. "You think he's related to Mr. Freeze?"

Doppelganger swung one fist, and Solaris dodged it. The second and third he didn't, but he took the blows. They sent him flying, but he sent a beam of light out, and he heard the glider of Hobgoblin sputter as it took the hit. Then smiling, he went back after the spider creature. It was all too eager and leapt at him.

Creating a shield of pure light, he let the monster's fists pound on it, while he twisted around in the air. Finding an opening, he moved at a speed even the failed clone of Spider-Man couldn't counter. He hit the creature and sent it back, its spine crashing into the steel edge of a nearby skyscraper. It howled in pain, shot back at him, sending out natural webbing to enwrap its target. Letting the shield of light fall, he instead brought up a blade. It's luminous energy destroyed the webbing, and then he zipped forward.

Meanwhile Captain Cold shot beams of ice at the flying woman coming at him. The first was dodged and hit a nearby cruiser, freezing it shut and nearly taking the police inside. After that the next three, Luna caught the cold blasts in envelopes of darkness. All the while gaining on the villain.

One even hit her, and she felt a cold like she had never felt before. Like being hit with an arctic blast, after being dunked in a bath of ice water, while drinking liquid nitrogen. She felt everything in her start to slow, to give into entropy. The darkness that was the universe before time existed and was always threatening to swallow it whole again. Yet, she could show this little man a thing or two about cold and darkness.

"You wish to play with cold, let the shadow guide you in your lesson," she unleashed her power and darkness swallowed Captain Cold. "You shouldn't play with things you don't understand."

Captain Cold would have screamed if he could, but the enveloping darkness strangled out, absorbed any sound he made. Moments ticked by and then the darkness began to recede, leaving only an unconscious Captain Cold. She quickly removed his weapons, and then left to make sure Solaris had all in hand. The police could now handle her opponent, and he'd probably wake up with one hell of a hangover in a couple of hours. There were worse fates.

Solaris punched Doppelganger into the sky, hearing the thing's mandibles crack and crunch. There was a very good possibility that the thing had several fractures around its mouth parts. Wasn't how he wanted to do this, but he had to move quickly. He grabbed the reason for his quick attack, a pumpkin bomb that had been thrown towards the crowd below. Bringing the explosive near to him, he waited for the explosion, and then all was energy and light.

Hobgoblin cheered as he landed his damaged glider on a nearby rooftop. Thanks to the self-repairing mechanism, he was able to hopscotch across the city scape. In a few hours, and with some materials, the glider would be right as rain. Till then he had to take out the shade girl, since her light boyfriend just ate a pumpkin bomb. These heroes were all the same, though at least Spider-Man had a better survival instinct about him.

"You've got bigger things to worry about," came Solaris' voice and Hobgoblin was confused.

This guy should be dead. The only person that should be able to take a hit like that would be Superman, maybe Wonder Woman and Supergirl. However, this clown wasn't that, he was just a nutty do-gooder that S.H.I.E.L.D. sent out. Most of the public hated him and Luna, called them names, threw tomatoes at them. That last part always brought him a smile, who brought fruit to throw at super powered people?

"We're tougher than we look," Solaris continued as he brought a blow down on Hobgoblin, sending the villain to the rooftop. "Now, it's your time to go to jail."

The police swarmed the scene, taking the villains into custody. Both Solaris and Luna descended to the street below. She could see the worry on his face, hoping they had arrived in time, and there hadn't been any injuries. What broke her heart was to see him notice the looks everyone, including the cops were giving them. They weren't even trying to hide their feelings.

"We had a call into the Avengers," the chief negotiator growled. "We were buying time, and this would have been all taken care of. Instead, you almost got our hostages killed!"

Solaris took a step back, "The children were in danger, and we got them out of that."

"Did you ever think what would have happened if he'd attached one of those damned pumpkin bombs onto them?" the negotiator was getting so heated, spittle was coming out with every syllable. "Did you want little children blown up on live TV? I mean where do you get off? I know we're working with S.H.I.E.L.D. on things like this, but if I ever see you on one of my crime scenes again, it won't end well for you."

Solaris' face, the part that was visible, remained emotionless. However, those looking closely would have seen the drop in the shoulders, and the ever so silent let out of breath. They would have noticed the flying off was done rather slowly. Which gave the crowd plenty of time to throw jeers, and whatever was at hand. Somehow one even managed to hit both Solaris and Luna with a rotten tomato.

They both flew off, and the joy was gone for Seth. Lara could see it in his body language. He loved flying, but right at that instant, it had been stripped away. To him, this was a lifelong dream come true. She was just as happy using her new abilities to do experiments, experience new things, fuel her scientific curiosity. His was a little more pure, more childlike, and something that she loved about him. He found almost everything fascinating, well all but geology. That was a good way to put him to sleep.

He landed on a rooftop, far away from the big skyscrapers. She didn't recognize this part of Atlanta, but then again she really hadn't spent time here. The briefing had only really been concerned with the city blocks around the hostage crisis. Those she had memorized with the same intensity as the science experiments and notes. Which meant, that she could probably walk around those city blocks blindfolded at this point.

"Come on, Arwen, get down from there," came a small voice nearby. "How'd you get up there?"

Lara looked away from Seth for just a moment, and knew that the cat wasn't coming down soon. Somehow the little critter had climbed up a light pole, and now was holding onto the top with hysterical strength. Whatever had caused the cat to race up the pole, had been replaced by the fear of the height it now found itself at. Not to mention, there was the added danger of the electrical wires. If the cat made one wrong move, things would end poorly.

She turned back to look for Seth as another voice came in, "I told you I was getting rid of that dirty little flea bag."

"Carol, what did you do that for?" the small voice echoed.

The next sound to come was that of skin on skin slap, "You will call me, 'mother.' Your father and I are going to be married soon, and you will give me the respect I deserve. Now get inside, and leave that beast. It'll come down when it's hungry, or not. I don't care."

The child went to protest, when the adult growled and the child screamed. Lara flew down, rage filled her and it was all she could do not to rip the woman's arm off. Luckily for her, the woman was stunned by Seth floating down. She about jumped three stories when Lara landed behind her. The woman looked between the two of them, and Lara could see the wheels turning inside that mind.

"My child…"

Seth growled, but held an even tone, "You have done enough." There was no need for his Solaris identity to be marred by dealing with this woman, but he wasn't going to stand by while she abused this child.

"My friend is holding back," Luna reached up and raised the woman over her head. Lara had to hold back a smile as she shook the woman. "You want to be called, 'mother.' However, mother is the name of God on the lips and hearts of all children."

"And father is the righteous might to push back against those things that go bump in the night," Seth said as Solaris.

He rose to the top of the light pole, gently retrieved the cat. He talked to the cat, the words weren't important, but the tone was. He gently consoled the cat and ran his fingers through its fur. Slowly he landed in front of the child, and then sure the cat was sufficiently relaxed, handed it to the kid. Despite what had just happened, he gave the kid a smile. The kid ran back inside and then he turned to the woman that had been abusing the child.

"Lay a finger on that child, or that animal," Solaris started.

Luna finished for him, "and you'll understand what it is to be that powerless. In fact, it may be time for you to find counseling. Find out what made you this way."

"Now leave," Seth's voice returning as he turned back towards where the child had disappeared.

They both heard the woman run away from the home. About a block away, she sent a phone call out. It was to 911 saying that some super powered freaks had attacked her. It was intercepted and she did get police out to her. They came to arrest her, though. One call from Fury's people, with the recording from both Seth's and Lara's suits was all it took. They didn't even think about that fact, they'd gotten so used to S.H.I.E.L.D. monitoring them while they were out.

"Why don't you two come in," Fury's voice came over their cowls. "You guys did good today. Despite what that officer told you."

Seth commed back, "We'll be back shortly."

"I'm also going to have you two take a few days off," Fury said. "You've both done more than anyone could ask. Get some rest."

Seth turned the comm off, "They why do they hate us so much?"

"It'll be okay," Lara pulled him in tight. She didn't know how, but she knew she just wanted to make him feel better. Seeing him like this was painful, especially with how much he had loved his new life.

"Excuse me, mister," the voice of the child caught both of them off guard. "I just wanted to thank you for saving, Arwen."

Even more different, the child grabbed Seth in a hug. He could feel the child hugging as only a child could. Full love and appreciation, with nothing held back, thanking him for something that he could do. Despite himself, he felt that lump form in his throat, and his eyes wettened ever so much. He returned the child's hug with one of his own.

Soon the moment was over, "Thank you again! All my friends aren't going to believe this!"

Then the child ran back inside, and with their hearing, soon was comforting the cat. Lara checked on Seth, and watched as one tear escaped. However, with that came a small smile. It had still been a horrible mission, but maybe not so horrible day. She could live with that, and from what she could see, so could he.

"Let's go home," he said, launching into the air.

Lara followed, and this time there was more of his usual self in the flight back. Maybe this was a turning point, or maybe the rest of their days trying to do what was right, would be more like today. At least one person they had tried to help, liked having them around. Was that enough? Possibly, but for now it was enough for one day.

Overhead in the Watchtower, Diana Prince watched and she could see something else there. No matter the ultimate fate of Superman. It did appear there were those willing to carry on his mission, to try to make things better. They still had a ways to go, the people of Earth still had a ways to go, before they'd see them in the same light. There was even the possibility they wouldn't. That didn't matter though. What did, was that her friend's legacy lived on.

She wished he could see this, and Diana hoped one day he could. Still, till he returned, the world turned and so did the threats. However, after seeing this, not only did she feel hope begin to grow again, but something else. It was time for her to get back to work, and that wasn't sitting up here watching over. It was time to rejoin the fight.