Disclaimer

I don't own any of the characters I used in this story. They are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. However, the story is entirely a product of my own imagination

Chap 7

No matter how much he tried, Superman couldn't gain a control over the ship. The ship was set to hard automatic pilot with Batman's access codes. Under normal circumstances, Superman could override them, but not under 'hard' circumstances. He tried to contact Batman again, but it was no use. Others were restless too, but they did not have the slightest idea of what to do. Jonn groped and groped as far as he could, but could not catch even a trace of his colleague's brain wave.

"I'm sure he's in some kind of trouble! I can sense it!" Superman remarked. The others agreed. Superman pounded on the pilot seat in front of him in desperation. The shuttle revolted against the impact, sending annoying warning beeps. That frustrated him even more. But it was of no use. They could do nothing until they reached the destination to which it was set, obviously the watch tower.

Long and dreaded minutes passed, and they felt a surge of nausea, as if they were being turned inside out. It was the jump, something a boom tube would provide. Batman had insisted on developing his own mechanism for the javelin after having experienced the travel once. To his credit, he had succeeded in achieving the end, but couldn't avoid this minor inconvenience. Within moments, they were parsecs away, near the watch tower.

Superman voiced the commands and the door to the hangar opened. Superman dashed out past Orion, who tried to get off along with high father, and made it to the monitor room. He punched the keys feverishly, hoping to trace the location of Batman through his communicator. In the mean time, the others had disembarked the shuttle and had joined him.

"Damn it!" Superman snapped, "He's on Apokalips!"

"Well, of course, he had to be there! Where else can he be if he had come with you?" Orion remarked, and soon realised his mistake. The others were squinting at him, especially Superman.

"I said Apokalips, Orion! Not New Genesis", Superman spoke through clenched teeth. Orion realised his mistake, but refrained from making another commnet.

"Jonn can you reach him?" Diana asked the futile question.

"I had been trying to, Diana!" he said, weakly. "I had lost contact with him ever since he wandered off on New Geneisis."

"Of course!" Diana sighed. Her fists clenched involuntarily. She knew that she was concerned, a bit more than concerned.

"What can prevent you from reading minds, Jonn?" Hawk Girl asked suddenly.

"Well, I have never been able to read certain kinds of minds, yours for instance! If you want to know if I can read Batman's mind under ordinary circumstances, then 'yes'. I may not be able to read his thoughts accurately, but my methods can locate him, unless he's unconscious or…dead!"

Superman shivered visibly, but controlled himself.

"Well may be something in the atmosphere was obstructing your brain waves too. You didn't try to read any of our minds, did you? Just to make sure it was working." he said, curiously.

"No, I didn't. And you may be right! But the fact that he led us out of the planet without himself accompanying us begs the question." Jonn remarked.

Superman grew uneasy. " I know he's in some kind of trouble, but he cannot be dead!" He said solemnly.

Just then, the watch tower trembled. It was a boom tube, and a figure walked out of it.

"Highfather!" the figure approached high father in a trembling gait, and fell to his feet.

"Light ray!" High father exclaimed, as he lifted him and helped him to the chair.

"What happened?" Orion demanded as Light ray composed himself.

"Darkseid!" he muttered.

"What's with darkseid?" Orion cried.

"He was there, on the New Genesis!" he replied.

"I knew it!" High father said and turned to Superman, "That's why I said it wasn't safe outside. I bet he was the one who arranged for the fog."

Superman paid no attention. "Have you seen Batman?" he asked desperately.

"Yes!" he replied, almost going unconscious again.

Diana leapt forward and held him by his shoulders and shook him violently. "Where is he? How is he? Why didn't you get him with you?"

"Darkseid killed him!" he muttered, and fell unconscious.