"Wally, we have to go…"
"Just a few more minutes… I can't leave him like this Connor, I can't!"
"Snap out of it West! The longer you sit here crying over the dead, the more bodies we'll have on our hands!" Damian cut in sharply, unaffected by Wally's grief. The battle was still raging outside the Medical Ward and Damian's words, although cruel, weren't untrue. Too much blood had been spilt on both sides for this war to end peacefully. Even now, the angered shouts and battle cries echoed right outside the Medical Bay, announcing a merciless fight between their former mentors.
Reluctantly, Wally pulled himself away from his cousin's lifeless form and turned his misty eyes back to his Team. Damian gave a satisfied grunt before signalling silent orders to the others. Lian drew her bow and took her place at Robin's left flank. Connor buried his concern behind determined eyes and stood at Robin's right while Wally followed behind. Each ready to spring into action at a moment's notice… but none of them prepared for what lie behind that door.
Damian kicked the doors open just in time to see Aquaman hurl Wondergirl up against the wall, and drive his trident deep into her chest. The Amazonian blonde gave a shocked whimper before falling into a deathly silence. Her eyes dimmed and when Orin ripped his trident from her body, the girl sank limply to the floor.
"What have you done?! Cassy!" Wonder Woman's shrill voice sounded over the shocked gasps of the Team. She soared towards her fallen protege, only to be knocked back by the very trident that ended the young Amazon's life.
"She was a sister to me Orin! Have you no mercy?"
"Only as much as you showed my son!" Orin retorted, showing no remorse for the life he had taken. "This is an eye for an eye Diana! She died because you took Artur from me!"
"Your son stood proudly and fearlessly when we ended his life. I wonder, Orin, will you have the same honour?"
"NO!" Lian clasped her hands over her mouth, unable to stop the mournful cry. She and Artur had been inseparable since her parents died. To hear he was killed as well… Each of them knew the reality of leaving Artur behind, but it hadn't seemed real until Wonder Woman admitted to it.
Alerted by the sudden outburst, Wonder Woman turned her vengeful eyes on the young heroes. Connor stepped in just in time to block the powerful punch that had been meant for Lian. The heroine began pounding the clone; mercilessly beating him as the grief of her protege's death added to her strength. Connor blocked several strikes, but even with his super strength and experience on the Team, he was little match for one of the original Leaguers. With a powerful kick, Diana sent Connor flying back into Wally, who had been speeding to Connor's aid. The Amazonian turned back to her original target, still stunned by the death of her close friend. Damien lunged at Lian, knocking her away from the whipping lash of Diana's lasso, effectively snapping the archer out of her daze.
Before Wonder Woman could attack again, Aquaman grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms harmlessly down at her sides as he tried to wrestle her away from the younger heroes.
"Go! She killed my son! She is mine to deal with!" The Atlantian bellowed, leaving no room for objection.
Wally helped the injured Superboy to his feet while Damien shoved Lian in their direction. The four proteges hurried away from the chaos, racing towards the Armoury only to find another nightmare lying in wait.
Wally felt the hair raise on the back of his neck even before the bloody scene came into view. He felt his heart stop as he recognized Bart's discarded wheelchair and realized there was a reason Orin was the one to bring him to the Medical Wing.
"Uncle Barry!" The Team felt a rush of wind as the speedster disappeared down the hall, followed seconds later by an agonizing cry. It took significantly longer for the Bat, the Clone, and the Archer to reach the scene, and by the time they arrived, Wally was on his knees, leaning over his uncle, sobbing at the cold, motionless figure before him. Barry was already dead, and the eerie sight of a speedster that lay so still… it was haunting.
"Wake up! Come on Uncle Barry, not you too! Wake up!" Wally begged, shaking the speedster's shoulders to no avail.
"He's gone Wallace. I couldn't save him." Batman's voice sounded hoarse and laced with pain, causing each of the young heroes to search the shadows for their mentor. Batman was leaning against the wall, not far from the fallen Flash. His cape was shredded, his cowl torn, and any exposed skin was either black with bruising or red with blood. The Dark Knight pushed himself away from the wall and staggered towards the Team. He did well to hide any trace of pain in his expression, but the Team could tell he was seriously wounded. Damien was instantly at his father's side, but when he offered an arm to stabilize the older hero, he was roughly shoved aside.
"You're hurt." Damien stated sternly, refusing to allow more than a few paces between him and his injured father.
"Your mission was to get Wallace to a secure location. Either you blatantly disregarded my orders or you failed to escort him out of the base before the attack. Both are unacceptable Robin." Batman completely ignored his son's concern, focusing solely on the failure of the mission. Damien, who was so eager to confront his Teammates, didn't dare defend himself against his father's accusations.
"Your incompetence not only cost us the lives of your Team, but also the countless others that have died in in the years Wallace could have prevented!"
"I can still prevent them! I have to! Uncle Barry, Bart, Artur… I can't let them die for me. I won't!" Wally shouted back through his tears. Still kneeling beside his fallen uncle, Wally was literally vibrating with raw emotion.
"You're not fast enough." Batman stated, sounding more like a warning than an outright refusal.
"I will be fast enough! I don't care what it takes, I won't let them die!" Wally's determination was inspiring, but strength of will could only get you so far. If he was physically too weak to withstand the speed needed to operate the Time Machine, no amount of positive thinking would save him.
"What would happen if Wally couldn't reach the speed?" Connor asked, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.
"According to Flash, if Wallace was unable to reach the required speed to travel through time, the Machine could self-destruct, killing Wallace as well as anyone else in the immediate vicinity. If he is miraculously able to reach that speed, he would have to maintain that velocity until he reached the proper time, otherwise he could be lost in a foreign timeline, too drained to use his abilities. Maintaining that speed would be near impossible for Flash, who has demonstrated a far greater threshold for his abilities than Wallace has. If Wallace pushes himself too far, he won't survive." Batman responded, keeping the white slits of his cowl focused on Wally through his entire speech.
"So I either blow up, get lost in time, or die trying?" Wally said, letting his eyes fall to the face of his motionless uncle.
"But if I do make it, I could save everyone… Not just the heroes who've died here, but Roy, Jade, Artemis, even Tim and Jason… and Dick. I could save them all." Wally closed his eyes, picturing the faces of his fallen friends and allies. Each had lived their lives as heroes and had given their lives for their cause. Each met their fate fighting for the greater good. Each made the ultimate sacrifice so that their friends might live to see a brighter future. How could Wally not do the same?
"It's a risk I'm willing to take." Wally finally started, opening his eyes. He gently rested his uncle's head on the floor and got to his feet with a new determination burning in his brilliant emerald eyes. Batman stared at him for several seconds, reading the unwavering resolve in the speedster's eyes. Seeing no trace of doubt or uncertainty, he nodded his approval.
"Robin, Superboy, Linx, you're mission is to get Kid Flash to the Armoury and to defend the Time Machine until it has been fully activated. You are not to let anyone interfere with Kid Flash's preparations. Defend him and the Time Machine at all cost, is that understood?"
Before the teens could respond, the booming voice of Superman echoed down the corridor. He was searching for Batman, willing to kill anyone who got in his way. The Team was hesitant to leave their mentor - injured and exhausted - to face the Kryptonian alone, but Batman insisted. He would cover their escape as they ran to the armoury, delaying Superman as long as possible.
"Batman, I insist! Let me fight with you!"
"No Robin."
"Batman, you'll be killed!"
"If Wallace succeeds, my death won't matter. If he fails… this is not a world I wish to live in any longer."