"NO EXIT"
"Abandon all hope, you who enter here."
With those twin inscriptions above the gate, Clark knew he wasn't in the normal world. He was but one of the multitudes passing this way. As they stepped through the gate, everyone's clothes were transformed into the same khaki pants and navy blue shirts. Young, old, male, female, Superhero or civilian, they all changed into the same outfit. The only variation was some of the oldest people also had on a blue vest that had the words, "How may I help you?' on the back. Glancing over his shoulder he saw that an even greater crowd wouldn't even venture this far. The din of noise was so great, it rendered his enhanced hearing moot. He tried to process everything he was seeing as he moved along with the tide.
The river was just ahead. Boats of every description sat on its banks waiting to ferry the crowd across. The sound of buzzing came to his ears. As he glanced off in the distance, he saw another strange sight. Masses of people were chasing what looked like a banner. On the cloth a series of corporate logos flashed in seemingly random order. The crowd seemed desperate to get to the banner, yet it continued to move away from them. Hornets swarmed around the crowd, biting them and tearing at their flesh. Worms and leeches attacked the open wounds, hungry for the blood. The crowd never stopped, endlessly chasing the corporate flag, oblivious to everything else. Someone near him whispered the words, 'the uncommitted', but before he could ask what that meant he was pushed along with the rest towards the boats and the river.
Tall gaunt figure stood by the railing of the boat as Clark was hustled up the ladder. A pad was held out and quickly Clark's hand was placed on it. It did a quick scan and before he moved on he saw it had deducted a small amount from his bank account. Glancing back he saw the same thing happened to the next person and the next. Clark stumbled and fell as those around him slipped to the deck. He heard a commotion behind them and saw the tall figure moving towards the latest passenger. The figure looked at the pad and then turned his gaze on the passenger.
"Credit denied, insufficient funds."
"I have direct deposit, I swear! The money should be there!"
"Get him off my boat!"
Two crew members grabbed the pleading passenger and tossed him over the side. Clark started to get up, but several of those around him stopped him.
"You have to pay the ferryman, those are the rules.' They informed him.
"The ferryman?"
"Charon."
"NO TALKING!' The tall, gaunt figure shouted. He turned to the crew. "Shove off, we're on a schedule!"
Clark managed to get to the side of the boat as they pulled away from the shore. Ahead, fog was rolling in, obscuring everything. Trying to gaze through it, he realized his X-ray vision wasn't working. Thinking he could lift off the deck and check out everything from above, he found his power of flight wasn't there either. Like all the other passengers, he would just have to wait and see as they moved into the thick, blinding mist.
The Watchtower
Diana finished up a briefing with the others and returned to her room on the station. Her thoughts were on her mother, Hippolyta, but duty came first. It was something Hippolyta had taught her. Emotions of every sort seemed to be rushing through Diana. Joy, sadness, relief, wonder and anger, just to name a few. As she stepped inside her room, she saw only a small candle was lit and Artemis was kneeling in front of it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were in here,' Diana offered, starting to back up to give the other woman some privacy.
"No, I'm finished now,' Artemis said. She stood up and turned to look at Diana. "So have you spoken to your mother?"
"No, not yet,' Diana admitted.
"You should,' Artemis replied.
Diana thought she sensed something different about Artemis. There was a distance that hadn't been there before.
"You were praying,' Diana observed. "If you don't mind me asking, for what?"
"Answers."
"Did you get any?"
"No,' Artemis said with a shake of her head. "I didn't really expect them to be truthful. The Gods don't favor me as they do you. I guess if I believed in them more that might help."
"Perhaps their silence is your answer,' Diana offered.
"It doesn't matter, I think I already knew the answers,' Artemis replied.
"What's going on with you? You seem different?"
Artemis seemed to consider her words for a moment. She stepped closer to Diana and looked into her eyes.
"What happens now?" She asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Your mother is alive, that changes things doesn't it?"
"Yes, I suppose it does, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, is it?" Diana ventured.
"You'll be Wonder Woman again, won't you?" Artemis asked. "That's what you want, isn't it?"
"Yes." Diana answered truthfully. "Though it is still up to my mother as she did win the tournament."
"She'll agree,' Artemis replied. "She did all this to save you, but she's always known your place is out here."
Diana reached out and ran her hand down Artemis' arm. There was an aura of sadness about her that Diana hadn't seen before.
"What is it, Artemis? Tell me."
Artemis reached out slowly and ran her fingers along Diana's cheek.
"Where does that leave us?" She finally asked.
"How do you mean?"
"You'll be out here and I'll be back on Themyscira."
"You could come out too,' Diana suggested.
"And do what?"
"Anything you wanted to,' Diana replied. "You could work at the Embassy or even join the League if you desire."
"But I don't desire." Artemis said with a sad smile.
"So what are you saying?" Diana asked.
"This is your world," Artemis said with a sweep of her arm. "It's not mine."
"It could be if you wanted it,' Diana replied, moving closer.
"It wouldn't be the same. You and I, that was Themyscira not out here."
"Have your feelings changed?" Diana asked.
"No, but the world's changed again,' Artemis offered. "You belong out here and I would never want to stop you from doing what you want to do, but this isn't my place. My place is back on Themyscira with my people. With everything that's happened they need me as a leader more than ever."
"More than me is what you mean,' Diana said.
"Yes."
"How can you know that?" Diana asked.
"That's one of the answers I didn't need the Gods to tell me,' Artemis sadly replied.
"So you're ending this? Us?" Diana asked, her voice full of emotion.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because the road in front of us branches off in two different directions,' Artemis explained. 'Yours leads to the greater world, while mine leads back home."
"I could visit all the time or you could come out here,' Diana offered.
"That would just prolong it,' Artemis replied with a shake of her head. "We had a moment in time, a wonderful, magical moment, but moments don't last forever, Diana. We could try and hang onto it, but that would slowly kill whatever it was that made it magical. I don't want that. I'd rather we ended it now, while we still both know what we shared."
"And I get no say in this?" Diana asked, as a tear rolled down her cheek. Artemis reached over and tenderly wiped it away.
"Yes, of course, but you know I'm right. We are warriors, so we are accustomed to facing hard truths. We don't need a magical lasso to admit them,' Artemis said. "You would be miserable back on the island and I would be miserable staying out here. I would never want that for you and you would never want that for me."
"So if I love you, I have to let you go,' Diana whispered.
"Just as I'm letting you go,' Artemis replied.
Hell
Creatures unseen lurk in the forest, dark and deep. The ferryman had deposited them all on the shore and then headed back for the next passengers. This was the first circle of Hell and everything was uphill from here. The fog was rolling in as the group started. They entered the forest and with each step the darkness grew. They met up with other groups and they all began to journey together.
When it first reached their senses, Clark wasn't sure, but he along with the others knew something was stalking them. It was just out of their field of vision, on the edges of the darkness. A deep sense of foreboding seemed to ripple through the crowd. That first tingle of fear went up their spine, as the first baleful howl echoed all around them.
Clark's senses weren't helping him here and he was subject to the same feelings as everyone else. The unknown was out there, following them, waiting for them. Each moment seemed to add to the anxiety. It was like that haunting sensation of walking into an empty parking deck at night and sensing you weren't alone. You look around as you walk, but nothing. You step quickens, as your mind conjures up all sorts of possibilities. You clutch your keys tighter between your fingers, wondering if you'll have to use them as a weapon. If you do, will they be enough?
The anxiety spread through the group and slowly began to turn into panic. Their minds tried to rationalize that there was safety in numbers, but with each step it felt more and more like they were part of the herd being led to the slaughter. Clark could see it in the eyes of those around him and felt the sweat begin to roll down his back. He tried to stay focused on what was ahead, but the howls and cries all around them reached his ears too. He quickened his pace, as did the rest of the group.
It was starting to be overwhelming to many, that reptilian desire to flee. It was a deep desire to run, not carrying where or what happened to the others, just to get the fuck out of Dodge. It spread through the group like a virus. Then someone lit the match. One person broke from the others and ran for it. Another followed and then another. Their screams only added to the growing sense of dread. Voices of panic began as whispers in every language imaginable. More peeled off and as they disappeared into the darkness their blood curling screams turned the panic into a blind fear.
There were a few voices of reason, consulting to stay together, but they were quickly drowned out by the voices of fear. Slowly it dawned on Clark that was what this was all about, controlling your fear. If you gave into it, everything was lost. He finally raised his voice to tell the others, but it was a murmur against the roar of unreason. With every step more gave into the fear and blind panic. The mad, hopeless exodus was on. More and more splintered away from the group and rushed blindly into the darkness. They were lost, condemning themselves to this place forever.
Greenwich Village, New York City
The defense-training program for women was called the New Female Furies. Its instructor was something of an authority on these matters. An impossibly tall women, well over seven feet moved gracefully among the rows of women, giving encouragement and instruction to her students. Big Barda, the former leader of the original Female Furies had found her place in this world. She was happy. Here, far away from the madness and cruelty of her original home world, Apokolips, she had found a sense of purpose and some peace at last. These weren't soldiers and that was a nice change.
As the class ended, Barda had them all give themselves a round of applause for their good work. As was the tradition, she extended an invitation for anyone that wanted to challenge her. While they had little chance of beating her, it was the way to test out what they were learning. No one spoke up at first, having tried to take her on before. Finally someone did speak up.
"Is that invitation open to anyone?"
It was a voice from Barda's past and it sent a jolt through her system. She was on guard as she and the whole class turned to see another incredibly tall woman leaning against the door frame. A long coat with a hood covered most of her, but Barda could see that unmistakable predatory smile.
"Lashina."
Flipping back the hood, Lashina moved into the room. The contrast between the two was striking. Barda was more of a powerhouse, while Lashina had the deadly grace of an assassin. The class seemed to sense something was up between these two women and quickly exited the room.
"Why are you here, Lashina?" Barda demanded, ready for any attack.
"I need your help,' Lashina replied.
"Why would I ever help you? You still serve Darkseid."
'Because you owe me, Barda,' Lashina stated.
"How do I owe you anything?"
Lashina took a step closer and looked Barda in the eye.
"Because I always knew about you and Scott, but I never told anyone,' Lashina replied. "I kept your secret."
"You lie!" Barda growled.
"Oh, really? All those times you were helping Himon; did you really think no one noticed? Or when you assisted Himon and Metron in helping Scott escape, do you really think you covered your tracks that well?"
Barda couldn't hide the surprise from flashing across her face.
"Why? Why would you do that?" Barda asked.
"I have my reasons,' Lashina replied. "What matters is you owe me and I'm here to collect."
"I won't betray this world,' Barda stated. "So what do you want?"
"Kal-El."
Hell
The massive elevator continued its impossibly slow ascent. Or at least it seemed to be ascent. There was no telling for sure: it was so slow that all sense of direction simply vanished. It could have been going down for all they knew, or maybe it wasn't moving at all. Clark stood in the middle of the silent crowd, waiting with the rest of them. Perhaps only a one hundredth of those that had been in the forest had made it this far.
Motion and direction were meaningless inside of the metal box. The walls and ceiling were absolutely spotless polished stainless steel, while the floor was covered in a thick Berber carpet. There were no buttons to press, no emergency switches or phones, no maximum capacity posted or even lights to show they'd reach their destination. It was just a huge, steel box, a massive coffin like structure that they had all willingly entered. After the terror of the forest anything seemed better. Now as they stood and waited, they began to have doubts about this.
Someone coughed, but there was no echo. Sound seemed to be muted and the passengers reluctant to speak. Clark tried counting the seconds and then the minutes, but time seemed to have so little meaning here. The panic of the forest had subsided a bit, but as the interminable time passed and it seemed they were going nowhere began to register with the passengers the anxiety returned.
"It's not moving." Some said.
"We're trapped in here." Another said.
"Shut up!"
"We're going to suffocate in this box!"
"Why did we get on this in the first place?"
"Shut up!"
Passengers began to turn on each other. The voices got louder and shriller, as the first punches were thrown. Then the doors opened.
The sign greeting them said Toyland.
It was hardly a child's playground. Thumping, soulless, omnipresent techno music assaulted the passengers as they stumbled off the elevator. The multicolored lights pulsed in time to the beat or strobed in a seizure inducing staccato rhythm. Beings of all descriptions writhed and danced on stages as the spectators cheered and shouted.
Clark was hustled along with the others and when he looked back the elevator was gone. He managed to disengage himself from the crowd and take a step back. He wasn't an innocent by any stretch of the imagination and knew this layout was that of a strip club. He'd been to one or two in his life, but the atmosphere here was so much more intense. He watched as the figures dancing morphed again and again depending on who was watching them. Male, female, alien, they seemed to adapt to everyone's taste. Their movements seemed so primal and erotic that reverberated throughout his very system.
Lust, pure animal lust seemed to almost drip from the walls. He watched with baited breathe as the dancer closest to him shifted from one parody of the women in the League to the next. He had always known they were undeniably beautiful, but this was a representation of them like he'd never imagined. This was Rule 34 come to life. He felt the sweat break out all over his body, as he was mesmerized. Every cell in his body seemed on fire as a hunger burned through him. It was as if this place had tapped into some unknown secret desire of his to possess each of the women of the League. Other dancers saw his single-minded fascinate and joined the first dancer. Their movements almost became a blur of motion, top hats, wings, tiaras and fishnets, mingling before his eyes and fueling his libido.
It was only by chance he glanced up at their faces and saw they had none. It was like a bucket of cold water had been thrown on him. He glanced around and saw that all the dancers, male and female were without features. The passengers for the most part didn't seem to notice, so caught up in their own personal desires and lust. Had he really just objectified the women who were his friends and teammates as nothing more than things for his desires? Was he no better than a dog sniffing the air for the scent of a female, any female? Could all that he believed he was slip away so easily in the fire of lust? A quote came to him then, one from Marilyn Monroe.
"A sex symbol becomes a thing. I just hate to be a thing."
Was civilization or what we all believed so easily lost by the objectifying of others? Stumbling backwards in horror, Clark realized this strip club was just an illusion. As the strobe lights increased in their pace, the mask of the illusion was stripped away. He watched in horror as his fellow passengers slowly gave in and began to devolve back into the beasts of the fields, baying at the dancers of the various stages. The dancers began to change as well. With each flash of the strobe they seemed to disassemble in to just parts. A smile here, a thigh there, bits and pieces, but not the whole entranced the crowd and continued the process.
Animalistic howls and grunts began to mix with the music. Everyone, the passengers and the dancers became just things for the others to lust over. Others had come to the same realization and began to move away. Clark was shaken to his core and struggled to join them. His mind was in chaos, as one simple thought seemed to repeat over and over. All our humanity, all our nobility, all our compassion was lost when we stop seeing others as individuals and turn them into objects for our own personal agendas.
The Watchtower
Mordred lay back on his medical bunk just staring at the ceiling. He was alive, but more lost than he'd ever been. He had thought returning to an adult form would solve all his problems, but now knew he'd been sadly mistaken. There was more to being an adult than just looking like one.
The door to his room slid open and the light came rushing in. He turned to see who it was and his breath caught in his throat. It was the woman in black. She seemed tentative about entering, but finally stepped inside. Her hands fluttered nervously at her side and finally she clasped them in front of her.
"How-How are you feeling?" She asked.
"I'm alive thanks to you,' he replied.
"I couldn't just let you die and do nothing,' she offered.
"Many would."
"Who are you?" He asked. She seemed to blush and then a sad smile came to her face.
"I'm still trying to figure that out,' she replied.
"Would you at least tell me your name?"
"Mary."
"Thank you, Mary, I'm Mordred, by the way."
"You're welcome Mordred."
They both smiled and fell into silence. Both had questions, but neither seemed to know where to start. As the moments stretch on, the silence became uncomfortable and finally Mary spoke again.
"The Golden Lady, she did this to you too?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't have an answer for you,' He replied. "I was a child when this happened and now I'm supposed to be a man. It seems I'm out of practice at it."
"I've had no practice at all,' Mary admitted. "The world saw me as one thing and then overnight that changed. I see the changes so clearly, but no one else does. I don't know where that leaves me."
"You're not alone in that,' he said. They smiled at each other, as they realized finally someone else understood what they were going through.
Hell
The elevator stopped again. The shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of passengers had dwindled to no more than twenty now. They stood in silence, numb over what had just happened. Each was trying to process what they had experienced, yet knew it was far from over. The doors opened. As they stepped through they saw they were in an abandon high rise. Gapping holes in the walls looked out over a dead city. Everything was in pastel colors, muted as if by time. A layer of dust covered all of it.
Clark moved forward and realized this had once been an apartment building. The dishes were still sitting on the small kitchen table and the cups had rings where once liquid had been. He inadvertently bumped the table and one of the cups tumbled off the side. He reached for it, but couldn't catch it before it shattered on the linoleum floor. It made no sound. He turned and saw the others looking. He tried to speak but nothing came. He could see the others trying to talk as well, but they soon realized the same truth. One picked up a dusty dish and dropped it. It shattered but again no sound.
It was a world in silence. They began to move about, trying to see what they could make of this world. Clark noticed it had a futuristic look about it, almost as if it were some World's Fair exhibit of the World of Tomorrow. The contrast between this and the dust and decay were striking. The World of Tomorrow had ended a long time ago and now they stood in its remains. As they each looked out through the gaps and holes they realized that nothing could be done, as the cause and effect had already run their course.
It was a world without hope and the silence just added to their despair. It was too much for some of the passengers and they crumbled into the fetal position and started crying. They made no sound. Others tried to console them, but without words they could only hold them as the sobs shook their bodies.
Movement caught Clark's eye and he turned to see a lone cable car silently moving towards them. It looked impossibly old and was covered in dust like everything else. He wanted to shout to the others, but they couldn't hear him. Slowly they each saw it. Some immediately rushed to get on, while Clark and a few helped those that had collapsed make their way forward. Once they were all inside, the doors closed and they silently started back the other way.
The Watchtower
Hippolyta immediately stood as the door opened and Diana and Artemis walked in. Both mother and daughter had gone over what they would say a thousand times in their minds, but when the moment actually came, no words were necessary. They rushed into each other's arms never wanting to let go again. Tears freely flowed and Artemis and Phillipus joined them.
"I thought I'd lost you forever,' Diana whispered through her tears.
"I'll always be with you,' Hippolyta replied.
"Why?" Diana couldn't help asking. "Why didn't you tell me what you were doing? I would have never wanted you to make that sacrifice for me."
"That's why I didn't tell you,' Hippolyta explained. "I couldn't lose you. I couldn't stand by and watch you die. You are my daughter and I would make any sacrifice to keep you safe. I knew a part of me would always live on within you and you are worth any price to me."
"I was so angry with you,' Diana admitted. "I thought you had lied and deceived me for some purpose I couldn't understand. I'm ashamed for the things I thought of you mother."
"Don't be,' Hippolyta whispered, stroking her daughter's hair. "I would have felt the same way in your shoes. When you have children of your own, you'll understand why I did what I did."
"I cannot have children of my own, mother, you know that,' Diana sadly said. "You fashioned me out of clay and the Gods gave me life. These special gifts also come with a cost that I'm not like normal women."
Hippolyta looked at her daughter for a moment and knew it was time to end all the lies.
"Sit down, Diana, I must tell you something that only I have known since the beginning but was unable to remember until recently,' Hippolyta began. "It was done to save you, but now the time has come for you to know the truth of who you really are."
"What-What do you mean?"
"I am you mother, Diana, not just in name but in fact."
"What?!" Both Artemis and Phillipus exclaimed, shocked by this revelation.
"Mother?" Diana said in confusion.
"That night I didn't fashion you out of clay as I told everyone. I gave birth to you, my daughter, Diana."
The Watchtower – Cafeteria
Wally was sitting with Shayera, Zatanna and Dinah. They each turned and glanced out the door as they heard the shouts of surprise coming from Diana's room.
"I wonder what that's about?" Zatanna ventured.
"Maybe it's about Hippolyta having an affair with Clark,' Dinah glumly replied.
"That would certainly account for the shouting,' Shayera offered.
"So let me get this straight,' Wally said. "Big Blue was doing Queen Amazon and Dinah at the same time? That's kind of a gut punch isn't it, Dinah?"
Dinah just glared at him for a moment.
"I'll take that as a yes,' Wally quickly said and then moved his chair a little further away from Dinah.
"I wouldn't have picture Clark like that,' Zatanna observed.
"Why not?" Wally asked. "Isn't he like the perfect guy that's sleeping with all of you?"
"What?' All the women said in unison.
"Okay, so not in this reality, but I would imagine there are others where he sleeps with all of you,' Wally offered.
"I don't think so,' Zatanna fired back. "If he was sleeping with me, there would be no sleeping with anyone else, I'll tell you that!"
"Really, so no harem in any of the other realities?"
"No! Where do you come up with this stuff?" Shayera asked.
"Well, he's slept with Dinah and Hippolyta so that's two in this reality,' Wally offered.
"Are you just rubbing it in now?" Dinah complained.
Wally wisely moved his chair just a bit further away from her. Nervously he tried to change the subject.
"So-So have they had any luck finding Big Blue? I know Kara, Jonn and the others were trying, but I haven't heard anything."
"Nothing yet,' Zatanna replied. "It's like he's vanished from the timeline."
There was a puff of smoke and then a horrible stench engulfed them. Etrigan appeared perched on the edge of a nearby table. He had a menacing grin on his face.
"Wondering where the Man of Steel is, are thee? Look not in normal places for thee will not find him to be."
"You stink,' Zatanna observed. "Do you really have to rhyme it? If you know something, can't you just tell us?"
"I kind of like the rhymes,' Wally offered. "The stench, not so much."
"What do you know, Etrigan?" Dinah asked.
"They seek him here, they seek him there, they seek him everywhere,' Etrigan replied. "He isn't in Heaven, so that means he's in …"
There was a long pause and the others just sat waiting.
"Okay, I'll bite,' Wally finally said. "He's not in Heaven, so where is he?"
Etrigan gave him a sour look.
"Hell, you idiot!"
Everyone gasp in shock.
"Superman's in Hell?"
"Yes."
"You know I don't think that even rhymed, did it?" Wally whispered to Shayera.
"Really? You want to piss off the demon from Hell, is that what you really want to do?' She asked.
"Good point."