Engine City

"What in the world have we gotten ourselves into?" Kid Flash asked as they saw the massive mechanics before them.

"Steel, you're the genius. Where do we start?" Batgirl asked her old family friend.

"I wish I knew. This is advanced alien tech we're dealing with. I can't even begin to understand how it works." Wade said in awe at the machinery before them.

"I can't believe I'm suggesting this, but maybe we should try one of Beast Boy's methods." Raven said.

"What would that be?" Robin asked.

"Smash anything that looks important." Raven said.

"Works for me." Batgirl said as she flung three batarangs at several locations and watched as they exploded on impact. When the smoke cleared, the only thing her weapons had done was leave scorch marks. "Damn."

"Let me try." Raven said as the energy of her aura began to surround her and slowly elevated her into the air. She opened her eyes as they glowed with the energy within her as she raised her arms high. "Azarath, Metrion, ZENTHOS!" her words echoed.

At once, several pieces of machinery and devices began to glow with the same energy as her body. As Raven brought her hands together in a massive clap, the glowing machinery pieces ripped themselves from their places and collided together in a massive collision before tumbling down to the darkened depths. As Raven began to descend, a blast of energy was shot from the darkness and struck the young sorceress in the chest and sent her tumbling along the platform the group was standing on.

"HOLD ON!" Robin shouted as he ran forward as fast as he could and saw the young girl was quickly approaching the edge. As Raven began to fall over the edge, Robin went into a slide with his arm outstretched as far as it could. Robin was able to grasp Raven's right wrist firmly as she fell over the side and almost brought Robin over with her. Raven's eye's blinked several times before she saw where she was and looked up at Robin.

"Grab my other hand!" Robin called down to her as Wade and Kid Flash firmly grasped Robin to keep him from falling as well. Raven quckly grabbed Robin's arm as they quickly pulled Raven back onto the platform with them. As Soon as they were on firm ground, Raven clutched Robin firmly as he tried to make sure she wasn't severely hurt.

"How do you feel?" Wade asked her.

"I'm a little shaken. But, I think I'm okay." Raven said as they all stood to their feet.

"If you're done with the tender moment? I think we've got company!" Batgirl called out.

All of them looked to the shadows where the energy blast had originated and heard something moving toward them. Something big. All of them tensed and ready for a fight. But what emerged from the shadows wasn't what they were expecting. Each footstep sounded like a combination of thunder and metal clashing as its gears and stabilizers moved. It's enormous hands looked like it could crush stone as if it were made out of Styrofoam. And the head that emerged, a gleaming metal skull, looked like a horrific combination of a human skull an alien tech with brightly glowing red eyes in its socket. The chest of the machine before it was as wide as the length of a monster truck and glowed from its internal power source. As it stood before them, the fingers of its left hands turned into a set of claws while it's right arms shifted and changed into an energy cannon.

"We are so boned." Kid Flash said as it raised its energy cannon at them.

"SCATTER!" Robin shouted as it opened fired.

The blast narrowly missed them and struck on a distant, resulting in an almost deafening explosion. As many of the heroes hid, the machine's eyes began to glow brighter as it switched to thermal vision and began to track them.

"You can not hide from me!" the machine shouted as it fired again, causing Wade and Batgirl to try and find more cover again. "There is no hiding from me inside my creation!"

"What the hell is it talking about?" Kid Flash asked Robin.

"I don't know. But it's going after Batgirl and Steel. I'll get its attention while you start to yank out anything that looks important on it." Robin said.

"ME?! Why do I have to go up against the transformer?!"

"You're always bragging about how fast you are. There's a good chance it's too bulky and slow to hit you." Robin said as he removed several batarangs and a collapsible bow staff.

"Me and my big mouth." Wally grumbled as he lowered his goggles over his eyes.

"Go!" Robin shouted as he leapt out from his hiding place and threw several bataranges the monsters eyes. One completely missed its target as another bounced of its jaw. The third broke through the left eye and soon exploded, causing the machine to jerk its head backwards and momentarily stumble. As it did so, Kid Flash ran as fast as he could and began yanking and pulling various wires, cables and hoses from the giant's feet and legs. As the machine swung its arm around to try and strike Kid Flash, the young speedster dodged and ran up the metal menace and began doing the same for every thing he found in the creatures neck and shoulders. The machine was having trouble keeping its head balanced now as fluids began to flow and pour over its frame. The machine quickly slammed its back against a wall as hard as it could, stunning Kid Flash for a moment which caused him to loose his balance and fall to the ground. Wally groaned in pain as he turned over and saw the machine focus its gaze and cannon on him.

"I have had enough of these games." The machine said as the cannon began to power up.

Behind the machine, Kid Flash saw Steel launch himself into the air and extend his hammer as far as it would go. Steel raised the hammer high above his head as he deactivated his rockets and began to fall toward the machine.

"HIT IT HARD, STEEL! CREAM IT!" Kid Flash shouted.

The machine turned and looked up in time for Steel's hammer to smash it in between its eyes with enough force to dent the metal inward and caused part of it to spark. Kid Flash quickly moved out of the way as Steel landed. Steel raised his hammer one more time and with every ounce of his strength and power the suit had and planted the hammer into the middle of the robot's chest. The blow was able to puncture through the metal plating and damaged the mechanisms within. More of the machine began to spark and jerk as fluids leaked from its legs and neck which made its movements unpredictable. The light in the remaining eye kept flashing on and off before it grew dark and the entire machine itself shut down. For a brief moment it stood still before tilting backwards and off the edge of the platform and down into the deep and dark abyss beneath them.

"WAY TO GO MAN OF STEEL!" Kid Flash shouted as the others emerged.

"Something's wrong." Wade said.

"What do you mean something's wrong? That was awesome! I'm just sad I couldn't get a souvenir." Wally said.

"He's right. Beating that thing was too easy." Raven said.

"I agree. Something else is up." Robin said.

"Very observant." A low digital voice echoed from the shadows behind them. When they all turned, they were shocked to see and even larger machine that looked something straight out of an anime sci-fi feature. There was no face in the head, but a glowing blood red visor. Every detail was sleek, armored, and moved so smoothly that you thought it was alive. And on the chest area was a metal weld of Superwoman's crest.

"What is this thing?" Raven asked.

"I think it's the Cyborg." Wade said.

"Correct, Man of Steel. I wanted you to assume I only had one form."

"How's that even possible?" Kid Flash asked as they all began to scramble again as more weapons were deployed on this new body and began to power up.

"I am a being of pure energy. I travel where ever I choose." The Cyborg said and fired a mini gun that was able to fire hundreds of blasts within seconds.

"He sure likes to talk, doesn't he?" Batgirl asked Wade as they ducked behind more massive machinery.

"That might be the key." Wade said.

"What?"

"Play to his ego. Maybe we can get him to reveal enough about how this thing works and stop it for good." Wade said.

"Do you honestly think that thing is that stupid?" Batgirl asked him.

"Not unless you want to try and ask him to go for a cup of coffee." Wade said as they crouched even lower as several more explosions erupted.

"STAND STILL YOU KNAT!" the machine screamed.

"Sounds like Kid Flash is doing his thing. I'll let Robin and the others know the game plan. Just don't get your butt fried out there." Batgirl said.

"Same goes for you." Wade said as he armed his gauntlet and made a run for the Cyborg. "HEY! CIRCUIT BRAIN!" Steel shouted as he fired several spikes into the back of the robot's left shoulder, causing it to momentarily freeze and grind. "I'm going to little erector set! And you can't stop me!" he shouted as he launched into the air, narrowly missing being slammed by the Cyborg's giant fist but was soon nailed in the back by a giant energy blast and slammed into a near by wall like he was a super ball. As he began to fall, the Cybrog's enormous hand shot forward and pressed him against the wall as if he were trying to swat Wade like her were a bug. He gripped Steel in his hand tightly as he brought him to eye level and slowly squeezed.

"This engine is powered by a fusion process too complicated for you to understand. It will power the force fields that will prevent your Earth from tearing itself apart and provide the thrust needed to carry Earth into space as a new satellite. You are not strong, nor wise, enough to stop me."

"That's . . . what you . . . think." Wade groaned as he fired his rocket boots at full blast and aimed them at the wrist of the Cyborg's hand that was holding him. The metal began to glow red as the heat from the boots kept spraying it and soon turned into a glowing mixture of yellow and orange. Prying his arm free, Wade fired several spikes into the glowing hot metal and caused the hand to short circuit and release him.

The Cyborg positioned the other arm and began to power up its mini gun once more before several batarangs sunk into the short circuited wrist and exploded. The resulting explosion caused the wrist to spark as it sagged lifelessly as Kid Flashed played the distraction and forced the Cyborg to fire at him a various places he thought was important. Raven was using her powers to pry various components free and throw them at the Cyborg in an effort to keep him off its balance.

"I've got to keep him talking. Make him slip up." Wade said to himself as he stood to his feet again. "Fusion Process?" Wade shouted and gave his boots one more good burst for him to raise his hammer, swing and crack the red visor in the Cyborg's head. "We use more energy initiating the fusion process."

The chuckle that came from the Cyborg was enough to send chills down the spine of the coldest being alive as he grasped Wade by his leg and flung him down hard against the floor that was starting to become covered with various debris. Despite what all they had managed to destroy, it seemed it had done nothing to stop the massive engine. "Your technology is primitive, human. Not yet capable of creating the kinds of magnetic fields needed to facilitate fusion on this scale."

"Magnetic fields?" Wade said as his brain went into overdrive as he was pelted by several energy blasts that sent him to the ground. His HUD display was flashing red all around him. His armor couldn't take much more and his fuel cells were running low. Fighting this thing was taking more of a toll than he thought. He had to end this and now. "To create magnetic fields like you're talking would require a giant transformer engine." Wade said and went wide eyed as he looked above him. All this time, it had been starring at him in the face. "Destroy the transformer engine that creates the magnetic fields within the fusion reactor. I know what to do." Wade said to himself.

"Face it, Steel. You can not win." The Cyborg surprised.

"And you should've learned by now that humans are full of surprises. FLASH! ELEVATE HIM!" Wade shouted.

"Elevate, are you kidding?! How am I supposed to do that?!" Kid Flash asked as he looked at Steel like he had lost his mind.

"Tornado. Wally, run circles around him! Literally!" Raven said.

"Oh, right!" Wally said and took off toward the Cyborg.

Faster and faster Wally ran around and around the massive robot until there was nothing but a red and yellow blur of a circle around him. Wally kept pushing himself to go faster and faster still. As Wally pushed himself more and more, sparks of electricity began to form around him. He was panting hard and the muscles in his legs were now screaming in pain, like they were begging for him to stop. But he had to keep going. He couldn't stop no matter what. As more sparks of electricity began to form around him, he swore that he was feeling parts of his body begin to vibrate. Thankfully, he seemed he was finally going fast enough.

The massive titan was now hovering in air as the vortex Kid Flash made finally took hold. Wade rerouted everything he had to his rockets and his strength augmenters. Even life support. In one massive burst, Steel flew toward the Cyborg's massive body and lifted it higher and higher into the air. He wasn't expecting the suit's power to be this low, but the momentum helped slightly as he kept pushing the cybernetic being above him higher toward the gears above him. Use the Cyborg's body to add bulk into the gears to bring them to a crushing halt and disrupt the magnetic fields. For once, he was going to save the world. And it felt good.

"Where is he? Can you see him?" Batgirl asked.

"N-No. N-Need to . . . catch breath." Kid Flash said as he laid on his hands and knees has the electrical sparks and vibrating stopped.

"I can't see him or the Cyborg. What was he doing?" Raven asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe he,"

The machinery above them began to explode as gears and various other debris began to fall down toward them.

"He did it! HE DID IT!" Batgirl shouted.

"Let's get out of here now!" Robin said as they began to run.

"What about Steel?" Batgirl asked.

"No time. If we don't get out of here, we're all flash fried." Kid Flash said as more explosions began to occur above them and wash them all in massive amounts of heat.

"We won't make it on foot. Everyone, hold on!" Raven said as her eyes and body began to glow again. "Azarath, metrion, ZENTHOS!" Raven shouted as her energy formed the massive form of a raven and engulf them all before flying out and away from the engine room as the entire structure exploded I a massive blasts the could even bee seen from the outside perimeter of Engine City. The dark energy bird flew through various corridors and passages, up several stories and levels as it escaped the massive fireball that was behind them until it finally came to a stop and disappeared, letting all the heroes tumble and fall to the ground.

"A-are we dead?" Kid Flash asked.

"No. We're alive." Raven said.

"What about Wade?" Robin asked.

"I can't reach him on his comm. link." Batgirl said.

"I tried – I tried to get everyone. I thought I had him." Raven said as she lowered her hood as her face was filled with fear and doubt. "I could feel him with the rest of us. I thought I had him." Raven said.

"You might have been right. Heads up!" Kid Flash shouted as he looked up and saw something falling toward them and fast.

Raven's eyes were soon glowing again as she stretched her arms and used her powers to slow the speed of what or who was falling towards them. Within a few heart stopping moments, she was now in control of the rate of decent and soon lowered a very battered, bruised, and burned Steel to the ground. The armor surrounding him was dented and broken. Most of his left arm was exposed as parts of the armor had been ripped away and exposed various servos and circuits. The boots were completely destroyed and almost blackened on the bottom. Most of the helmet on the right side was gone and exposed Wade's face and the scratches at his hairline that bleed all over his face. The chest piece itself was completely broken and dented in various places. Chunks were gone that exposed bruised and bleeding skin underneath. Wade indeed looked like someone who had almost been crushed to death.

"Is he breathing?" Kid Flash asked as Robin removed the helmet completely and checked for a pulse.

"I've got a pulse. It's strong. I think he's just out cold." Robin said and paused. "Do you feel that?" Robin asked his team.

"I don't feel anything." Batgirl said.

"Exactly. We did it. We shut down Engine City." Robin said with a smile.

"So now we just need to get Steel back on his feet and head to the power core." Kid Flash said.

"Can you guys use and extra hand?" someone asked behind them. The all turned and were shocked and horrified to see Green Lanter who looked to be barley standing up straight. Green constructs were acting as casts for his entire arm and shoulder while bandages covered one knee, but both appeared to have some kind of brace on them. Lantern's face was so swollen that his check was forcing his right eye closed and caused him to slur. His right eye was completely blood shot and might possibly have a pretty bad black eye under his green mask. His uniform was covered in tears, holes, and there were several splotches of his blood all over it that was mixing with the dirt, sweat, and grime that covered him. He looked ready to pass out.

"What happened to you?" Batgirl asked him.

"Went a few rounds with their leader, Mongul." Lantern said.

"No wonder you look like crap." Kid Flash said.

"You should see the other guy. Now, what were you guys talking about a power core?" Lantern asked.

The Cyborg gasped in fear as she quickly looked at her surroundings and began to breath slightly easier. She had made it back to her body that was hooked into Engine City's main computer core. She began to disconnect herself from the systems as she made another sensor sweep. She hadn't planned on destroying so much of her creation, but her plan succeeded. She was able to use the humans in her efforts to stop Mongul's plan. Earth would no longer spin out of orbit. She could see that Mongul himself had also been taken care of. That would teach the fool to try and usurp her. The others were also starting to flee. All the sensors were showing that they were making their way back to the main starship. The cowards. They were fleeing like rats on a ship. Let them leave, then. She could control Engine City all by herself if need be. She still had other problems to worry about. Superwoman and her other allies were still alive and heading toward the core. Let them come. It seems only fitting that Superwoman should die in the presence of a piece of her own dead world.

What Kal-El saw before him was nothing short but incredible and sickening at the same time. It was larger than Coast City had ever been but was still a disgusting reminder on how these invaders saw the human race that had once called this area their home. For Galatea, she saw nothing more than her biggest failure ever since she decided to wear Kim's shield. She couldn't believe how she let that robotic piece of trash actually sucker her into thinking she was one of the good guys. Not this time. Not if she could help it.

"Stick close to me no matter what. You got that, Kal?" Galatea asked him.

"I got it. But something's not right." He said.

"What do you mean?"

"Look at how close we are. Shouldn't their defenses have already gone up?" he asked her.

"You might be on to something." Galatea said as she began to scan. She was thankful to have her eyes working again, but a lot of the metal encased areas were virtually impossible to see through. The ones she did see all looked the same. Either they were empty, or they were running away. As they finally came closer to the massive facility, both of them paused as they saw the massive damage that at ground level that extended some distance into the structure with pieces of it still burning. "It looks like Kim and her fiends have been making some progress."

"I just hop we can find them. From what I can see, it's a virtual maze inside." Kal said.

"Never mind that. Look!" Galatea said as she pointed to the far side of the complex. Kal looked up and saw a very large strangely shaped ship rising from the ground and begin to elevate. No part of it matched anything Earth had creates, but he did recognize several Kryptonian components.

"Is that the ship that destroyed the city?" Kal asked her.

"It's the same one, all right." Galaltea said as she tried to block the memories of the massive fireball they had caused.

"I think they're trying to escape."

"I don't think so." Galatea said as she flew after the starship with Kal following her.

The ship's engines hadn't reached full power yet which was causing them to move at a slow pace. This gave Kal and Galatea time for them to catch up to the ship. As they approached the invader's star ship, both of their eyes began to glow with intense red energy. Kal maneuvered close to the metal that covered one of the thrusters as he let his heat vision heat the alien steel. It began to glow from the intense blast of heat before it melted away and allowed Kal to fire an even more powerful blast of heat vision inside the ship. Several key thrusters exploded from the attack and the alien weapons immediately began to open fire in an effort to try and bring down Galatea and Kal. Galatea and Kal began to batter the ship all along the exposed engines and noticed that the ship was now having trouble staying airborne. Kal's eyes began to glow once again as two energy blasts struck him dead center. Kal wavered for a bit before he leveled himself out and saw that the suit was still intact while his skin felt tender and slightly burned. The Kryptonian fibers were holding up well.

Galatea and Kal both unleashed their heat vision in a massive blasts and it traveled from not just the engines, but to the sides as well and causing several explosions. The ship began to loose altitude and headed for the ground. Both Kal and Galatea watched in surprise as the ship crashed into the scorch earth and plowed a deep trench with the sounds of the strange metals tearing and distorting. When it finally came to a stop, Kal looked at Galatea with a puzzled look.

"I thought this ship destroyed Coast City."

"It did." Galaltea said.

"Then if it can survive an explosion of that magnitude, how were we able to take it down?" Kal asked.

"Let's find out." Galatea said as her eyes narrowed at the numerous aliens that were escaping from the fallen vessel.

Many of the strange creatures were fleeing the large space craft in fear that it would explode. Others were fleeing because they didn't want to come face to face with whatever brought down their vessel or worse. Their greatest fear was that their leader would find out that they were fleeing and would suffer their leader's wrath. Aliens or not, they wanted to live. When the two flying humanoids landed on the ground next to their ship, many began to panic. Mainly because the symbols on their chests was the same symbol their leader wore. One alien that was only three feet tall that looked a lot like a humanoid male lion, with anime eyes and no nose, tried to crawl back into the ship. However, he only succeeded in falling on his face. When he looked up again, Galatea grasped him firmly by the front of his uniform and lifted him in the air.

"Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me! I was only following orders!" the small alien shouted.

"How can I understand him?" Galatea asked Kal.

"The suit has a built-in universal translator. We hear the language most fluent to us." Kal said.

"Good." Galaltea said with a smile as she slammed the small creature against the wrecked ship's hull. "What the hell is going on? Why didn't you put up a fight like last time?" she demanded.

"P-power cells! Power cells were too weak. We only had enough power to launch into space and drift to the nearest outpost." The creature said.

"The attack must have taken a heavy toll on their power core if he's telling the truth."

"But that doesn't make any sense, you little troll." Galatea said as her eyes began to glow. "Why bring enough power for a one way trip?"

"WAR WORLD!" the alien screamed.

"What?" Galatea asked.

"We were supposed to turn this planet into our master's new War World. A space traveling planet. But something has gone wrong. We were ordered to prepare the ship for Lord Mongul to flee. But when we found out he was defeated by a Green Lantern and the meta beings destroyed the power processors, we abandoned the station." He said.

"Kara and the others. They're alive?" Kal asked the creature.

"They were the last time we checked the sensors."

"Then we're not too late to join the party. Thanks." Galatea said before she raised her other arm and gently thumped the alien in between his large eyes, knocking him unconscious. "We better hurry and get in there. I owe that bitch a rematch." Galaltea said as her and Kal launched themselves into the air and into the section of Engine City that was blown open like a fresh wound.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" M'Gaan asked Superwoman as the others made a perimeter check.

"I'm fine. The only thing Mongul hurt was my pride." Kim said as she picked up her fallen weapons and groaned slightly in pain.

"Speaking of tall, dark, and ugly; do you think Green Lantern can handle him?" Beast Boy asked.

"He's handled worse. Right now, we stick to the mission." Batman said as he walked to Superwoman. "You barley have powers to speak of, and I can tell you're lying about your injuries. You should let us handle it from here."

"No! That thing responsible for this is still here and wearing my family shield. I'm in this until we put her down." Superwoman said as she charged her rifle.

"Is it just me, or is that hot?" Speedy asked.

"No need to tell me twice." Cyborg said.

"You mean that we bring her in and not kill her. Right?" Batman asked her.

"What are you implying?" Kim asked.

"M'Gann informed me of what happened with Mongul."

"I'm fine! I,"

"I mean what went on inside your head. You thought you were fighting Doomsday again, didn't you?" Batman asked her.

"You had her read my mind?" Kim demanded.

"No, but that's how her people communicate. You know that she isn't used to life on Earth yet. Now answer the question." Batman growled.

"I had a flashback. But I'm okay. I know where I am and what's happening." Kim said to him.

"You're staying in the back." Batman said and immediately saw that Kim was ready to object. "You've been through hell and back, and haven't had any time to work through the trauma. Mentally, you could be a ticking time bomb. You're staying in the back of the group, just in case." Batman said and turned away to lead the group to the core.

"Superwoman? I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to,"

"M'Gaan, I know you're still learning. But for now, stay out of my head and out of my way." Kim said and followed the others.

"Step into my parlor said the spider to the fly" a menacing voice said as it watched their movements from the shadows and moved to intercept them.

After what seemed like hours and seemed like they were sinking deeper and deeper within the complex, they noticed that the passageways were becoming slightly more narrow and circular. It almost looked like they were now venturing down maintenance shafts. With their hopes slightly heightened, it might mean they were closer to their target.

"All the pipes and cables seem to lead this way." Speedy said as they came to a fork and glanced to the left.

"Maybe that's where we'll find the boss." Cyborg said.

"Let's keep moving then." Batman said.

"Mind if we join?" another voice spoke up as several figures emerged from the other tunnel. They were relieved to see their friends had survived, but shocked to see the state Wade and Green Lantern were in.

"Dude! You guys look like something death stuffed in a suit case. Three sizes two small." Beast Boy said.

"Damn near close." Wade said as he leaned against a wall for support.

"You two look like you're ready to pass out. I think you should stay here and wait for us." Superwoman said as she looked at her friends wounds.

"That argument didn't keep you away, did it?" Wade asked her.

"It sounds more like you're arguing over who gets to die first. I assure you, only one qualifies." The Cyborg Superwoman said as she emerged from the shadows with her eyes glowing red. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Superwoman. Know well that you won't be able to escape death this time." She said as her heat vision shot forward.

"NO!" Batgirl screamed as she leapt in front of Superwoman, but was surprised when she saw M'Gaan appear in front of both Superwoman and herself and took the full blast. M'Gaan screamed as she reeled backwards from the pain.

"SIS! YOU DICK WEED BITCH!" Beast Boy screamed as he morphed into a large ice age rhino and tried to ram the cybernetic villainess. The Cyborg Superwoman easily side stepped Beast Boy and allowed him to hit the wall. That was when the young shape shifter morphed into a T-Rex and used his tail to swat the villainess like a fly and caused her to hit the wall of the passage. The Cyborg woman's robotic eye began to glow as several cables came to life and restrained Beast Boy tightly. Beast Boy gave a thunderous roar in frustration and anger as the villainess flew down the corridor.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get her!" Kid Flash said.

"No!" Superwoman said, causing everyone to turn as she, Batman, and Wade were knelt over M'Gaan to check on her. "She could destroyed all of us easily here and now. It's a trap, she wants us to blindly charge after her." Kim said as they looked over the young martian's wounds.

"How is she?" Victor asked as Raven used her magic to free Beast Boy.

"The burns aren't too bad. Her suit protected her and took most of the damage. She'll be weak for a little bit from the exposure to so much heat." Batman said.

"Sis! If you see a light, don't run towards it!" Beast Boy said as he rushed to her side.

"I'm okay, Garfield." M'Gaan said as she ruffled the green boy's hair and forced a smile.

"Are we to stand and do nothing now?" Starfire asked.

"No. But we'll have to be smarter than her and do things our way if we're going to win." Batman said.

"Then this chick is toast." Victor said as his cybernetic parts began to glow and they made their way down the passage. The team made their way down the dark tunnel until it finally emerged to reveal massive machinery that almost looked like pistons, pump houses, and advanced gears and belts that preformed who knew what.

"All of a sudden I feel like an ant that just crawled into a diesel engine." Raven said.

"We've come too far to stop now." Superwoman said as they marched on and couldn't help but marvel at the size and scope of what they were venturing through. They continued along their path, looking for any sign of the Cyborg Superwoman while Victor and Batman consulted their maps when Superwoman stopped. "Does anyone hear that?" she asked.

"All of us don't have super hearing." Robin said.

"I hear it too." Batgirl said.

"What is that?" Starfire asked.

"It almost sounds like . . . metal tearing?" Speedy asked.

"DUCK!" Beast Boy shouted as he morphed into the water fowl as massive cables came to life and tried to restrain the young heroes like they were living serpents.

"What in the world is going on here?!" Kid Flash asked as he dodged a large cable as Speedy fired two exploding arrows at one cable that almost took off his head.

"It's the Cyborg! She can control the machinery!" Wade shouted.

"In the Engine Room, she actually had two different bodies." Robin said as he used his acrobatic skills to easily dodge several smaller cables before one larger cable snuck up from behind and bound him tightly.

"Dick!" Batgirl shouted and leapt toward him, only for her to be caught and bound as well.

"Star taking everything apart piece by piece if you have to!" Kim shouted as she began to blast at the cables and any of the machinery they were near, hoping she was destroying their source. One cable struck her weapon and knocked it out of her hand before it bound her wrists tightly and two others wrapped themselves around her legs and forced her to kneal. As she looked up, she saw that cables had been able to catch and bound the rest of her team as well. She looked to her right and saw Batman was bound tightly right beside her and was struggling to break free.

"Technology is my playground, Superwoman. MY domain! And as your friends will see, I am the master and you are nothing more than an insect that needs to be exterminated. Farwell Superwoman." The voice of the Cyborg Superwoman echoed.

Two massive pistons ripped free and were positioned above Superwoman and Batman. Both were raising themselves high and ready to deliver their fatal blows when a red and blue streak shot past them and took down one piston without any trouble as the other began to swing downward towards Kim. Before Kim could react, a figure with long dark hair and a red cape landed in front of her and stopped the piston from crushing her. She could tell the figure was having a little trouble keeping the piston from falling, but the one thing she noticed was the black House of El crest on the cape.

"Who the hell?" Kim asked herself.

"Nice to see you too, Princess." The figure said before pushed herself into the air, pushing the piston back and ripping it from its mountings. Using it like an over grown bat, she swung and slammed it into various machinery and walls that shook the entire room and destroyed several pieces of machinery. As the figure let the piston fall slack, the cables loosened and allowed the others to free them selves as their two rescuers landed in front of them. The main thing they noticed, besides the blue uniforms, were the red and yellow pentagonal S shields on their chests.

"Not more imposters." Batgirl said.

"Kal?!" Kim asked as she stood to her feet and looked at her cousin.

"We figured you could use some help." He said with a half smile.

"I should deck you right now. But thank you." She said as she hugged him tightly while Galatea rolled her eyes.

"Who is he?" Starfire asked.

"I'm guessing they're close." Kid Flash said.

"His name is Kal-El. He's Superwoman's cousin." Robin explained to the others.

"So, do we call him Superboy?" Speedy asked.

"Superman is more like it." Hanna said as she and the other two women noticed how form fitting his suit was against his frame.

When the two cousins finally broke their hug, Kim noticed the other woman wearing her family crest. Her hair was now black and her eyes were blue, but she still looked like Kim in almost every single way. "I never thought I'd see you again." Kim said in a neutral tone of voice.

"How about a thanks for saving your life?" Galatea asked.

"Who's the girl?" Victor asked.

"Long story short?" Hanna asked them and saw the team nod. "She's the Superwoman with the visor. She's one of the first clones of Superwoman." She said.

"That simple, huh?" Raven asked in a sarcastic tone.

"After this is over, we need to have a long talk." Kim said to Galatea.

"Don't tell me you're pissed that I tried to take over your gig."

"No. I'm mad at the fact that you seduced and took advantage of my cousin." Kim said as she became flustered.

"Kara, not now." Kal said.

"I didn't take advantage of jack squat! And let me tell you something, little miss perfect,"

"Would you both shut up?!" Batgirl shouted. "We're in the middle of an alien base that's trying to kill us, a killer alien Cyborg is stalking us, and we need you both to be concentrating on not dying. SO JUST SHUT UP AND GROW UP!" Batgirl screamed.

"Remind me not to piss off your girlfriend." Kid Flash said.

"Ditto." Robin said.

"After this, we talk." Kim said to Galatea and continued on.

"You bet your ass we're going to talk." Galatea said and followed.

"I think I'm suffering my first Earth headache." Kal said.

"Welcome to the human race." Batman said as the others reluctantly followed.

They were finally clear of the large machinery and cables and once more found themselves in a large rounded maintenance shaft. All of them were tensed with their guards up. There was no telling what they were going to run into or what else this cybernetic lunatic was going to use against them. There was barley enough light for him to see and every little shadow looked like it seemed to be moving on its own accord. Every hair on their bodies were standing on edge as they moved and waited for something to come out and try to attack them again.

"Wait." Kim said as she made everyone pause.

"What's wrong?" Green Lantern asked.

"She's behind that corner." Kim said to a tunnel up a head that branched off from the main path.

"How do you know?" Starfire asked.

"I don't know. I can – I can just feel it." Kim said.

"So can I." Galatea said.

"Only one way to find out." Victor said as he transformed his arm into a sonic disruptor. They all turned the corner to see that Kim had been right. There, standing tall and glaring at them, was the Cyborg Superwoman herself. And as she stood there, the only thing she did was chuckle.

"At last. It's good to see you again, Kara Jor-El." The Cyborg said.

"Who the hell is Kara?" Beast Boy asked.

"It's Superwoman. That's her birth name. But how would she know that?" Kal-El asked.

"Good question. How do you know my name?" Kim demanded as she stepped forward.

"I am so disappointed in you, Kara. The clues hace been in front of you all along. You must recognize me on some level. The technology used in most of this complex, the use of Kryptonian used in the computer systems. Ring any bells?" the Cyborg asked and saw that Kim was still as confused as the rest. "Then maybe this clue will help you." The Cyborg Superwoman said as the House of El crest slowly burned and melted away to reveal three glowing green orbs in the form of a triangle pointing downward. At the sight of this, both Kim and Kal's eyes widened in reorganization.

"It can't be!" Kal said.

"Brainiac?!" Kim asked.

"In the flesh, so to speak." Brainiac answered with a loud boisterous laugh.

"Y-you've returned to Earth to do – to do this? Why?!" Kim demanded.

"Simple, Kara. Revenge." The Cyborg said.

"Less talking, more smashing." Beast Boy said and made a leap for the Cyborg, only for several cables to rise out of the ground and wrap themselves firmly around him. "Not again!" the young man moaned as he slammed into the ground hard.

"Garfield!" M'Gaan shouted as the others began to move forward.

"NO ONE MOVES!" the Cyborg shouted, making everyone freeze. "I control everything in Engine City with but a thought. Make one step, and I'll take great pleasure in making his organs burst like they were balloons."

"Brainiac, leave them alone." Kim said.

"Why would I do that?" she asked.

"You want me. Look at you. You're in a body that resembles me, you've been wearing my symbol. If you want revenge, then take it out on me. Leave them out of this." Kim said as Brainiac looked on in thought.

"Very well. I'll leave them alone, for now. But only if you alone follow me. Agreed?" Brainiac asked her.

"Not without me!" Galatea shouted.

"Don't!" Kal protested.

"I've still got a beef with you robo-slut! You want her, you get me too!" Galatea said and shivered slightly as Brainiac laughed.

"If that's what you want. I look forward to killing you again. But to make sure you keep your word." Brainiac said as her eyes began to glow. Several more cables sprouted from the walls and floor, binding themselves to the legs and arms of each of their team members. Kal tried to pull his restraints from the wall, only to find that they were matching his strength. Even Batman found himself wrapped tightly by one cable from shoulders to waist and couldn't break free. "Once we're far enough away, they will be set free. Now Ladies, if you will follow me." Brainiac said and began to walk away.

"KP, it's a trap. Don't do it!" Batman said as he struggled against his bonds. Kim stepped up to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips before looking into his eyes.

"I will always love you. Always." She said to him and turned to follow Brainiac.

"You keep them safe, you got that?" Galatea said to Kal.

"Don't do this. I almost lost you once." Kal said.

"I'm a big girl, Kal. I know you've got my back." She said as she kissed him. "Take care of yourself." She said and began to follow Kim. "Oh, and ladies?" Galatea asked as she addressed the four young girls in the group. "You were right about the Superman part. Especially in the bedroom." Galatea said with a smirk before following Kim.