26
The news from Paris dominated the coverage on televisions across Monaco. CNN and Fox News also brought reports from Gotham to those receiving those channels. For now, it seemed to educated observers that the Legion of Doom and its associates were taking a temporary back seat in global affairs. Media observers had spotted the comings and goings out of the soon-to-be christened Hall of Justice.
Selina Kyle and Kitrina Falcone had visited the hall just shortly before being shepherded to a flight out of JFK. Selina had refused to utilize a carrier airline unless she and Kitrina flew executive class. They'd later discovered Stephanie Brown had taken a flight with more connections around the same time. And she'd been relegated to tourist class.
Rocki Ballantine was the only one who had used the ISA teleporter network to arrive at the local station. They were holding her bat glider for her. The only reason she'd been allowed to use ISA's network was because Sue had seen a definite need for Batwoman's glider.
So Selina utilized some of Stephanie's insights into Arthur Brown's modus operandi. Selina herself was waiting for Cluemaster to reveal his chosen target. But she couldn't tail him throughout Monte Carlo itself because she was known to him. And Stephanie couldn't because she was his only child. Even Kitrina was a risk as well since her family was infamous amongst Gotham's criminal elite. But Rocki presented a complete ghost to Cluemaster's little operatives.
During the day, Cluemaster and two of his associates went on a tour of the Rainier family's palace and its corresponding state museum of family heirlooms. Selina and Stephanie followed the last man as he arranged a rental of a Range Rover Sport. A luxury vehicle also ideally suited to handle cargo and off road conditions.
Selina had demanded that ARGUS pay for Rocki and Stephanie to leave their modest hotel accommodations and join Selina and Kitrina in the Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo. Selina and Kitrina shared a full suite while Rocki and Stephanie took an "average" room. Those rooms still started at 461 Euros a night. Cluemaster enjoyed a suite at the Hotel de Paris as well but his three lackeys were squeezed into a single room accommodation.
Selina knew Luthor was financing Cluemaster just by his choice of accommodations. It was the most expensive hotel in a country known for its lavishness. Cluemaster was a moderately successful costumed criminal. Adventurous and capable enough to have earned a modest reputation but inept enough not to be a target of Batman's habitual radar. Instead, Stephanie had created the Spoiler identity specifically to foul up her father's schemes.
Rocki and Kitrina watched as Cluemaster and his cronies studied a display case with rapt focus and attention. They discreetly eyeballed the entire room but everything related to a single case. Rocki and Kitrina were finally able to wedge themselves near the case that Cluemaster and his men were monopolizing.
The tour guide finally berated them enough to allow other guests to view the crystal inside the case. Rocki's specialties were metallurgy and engineering. Crystals were out of her realm of expertise but it seemed unusual somehow. So she asked the tour guide why that was.
"Because the crystal was carved out of a meteorite that fell in Monaco during the late 14th Century. It eventually became the possession of the royal family and has been in their possession from that time except for a brief interlude during World War II where the Nazis acquired it and held it for study before entrusting it to the French Vichy government before the crystal's eventual repatriation in 1946," the tour guide explained
There were oohs and ahs over that. But both Rocki and Kitrina could plainly see Cluemaster knew all of that information and more. It seemed ARGUS needed to compile a report for the team in order for them to fully grasp what they were dealing with.
After returning from the tour, Rocki filed a report with Sue Dibney and Kitrina submitted an information request regarding the nature of the Nazis' research regarding the Rainier crystal. Then she began compiling her own research into the crystal's history. Sue had been derailed from principally handling the team's operation. So Hula Hula had stepped in as was his role as Deputy Chief of Operations in ARGUS' Justice League of America Initiative. Selina was alone amongst the gathered JLers who'd worked with Hula before.
Selina was preoccupied with dealing with ARGUS' accountants who were mass producing green nickels. So far, Selina's operation had been the antithesis of their definition of a good government operation. She'd booked a suite and a room in the country's most lavish hotel. Selina had rented a Porsche 918 Spyder, the company's most expensive automobile. And the women were enjoying room service almost to exclusion. Selina photographed and sent a copy of the menus of the hotel's three restaurants to ARGUS and the complaining over the room service almost halted entirely.
"Okay, the baccarat tournament resumes in two hours," Selina reminded her crew, "Stephanie, after I leave and your dad settles in to take a spectacular dive, you'll gear up and crash the room his goon squad shares. Rocki, you'll be Batwoman on a rooftop where you can observe the henchmen emptying the room to chase Spoiler. When they've left, Kitrina will pull a Catgirl and drop in from the roof to access their room and all of their planning material. Once Catgirl's in place, Batwoman will monitor and assist Spoiler as needed."
"Damn, we sound official," Kitrina grinned.
Selina drove her Porsche to the Casino del Montecarlo while Cluemaster took a courtesy shuttle provided by the hotel. Back home in Gotham, Selina drove a Porsche 911 but since this was the home of the Monaco Grand Prix, she'd decided to indulge herself with the Spyder.
Inside, Cluemaster approached Selina, "Why Ms. Kyle, I wish I could say this is a surprise."
"You seemed to do well for yourself last night," Selina offered him a bland smile, "Until the tournament was interrupted by your misfortune."
"What can I say?" Cluemaster asked with a longsuffering air, "Criminals abound even in environs such as this."
Selina bought him a drink. She knew from observing him play last night that he would limit himself to one alcoholic beverage per hour. But he appreciated her selection of the Krug nonvintage.
"So, still just here on pleasure?" he inquired a tad too aggressively.
"Oh, there's the odd trinket and bauble. But everything's registered with insurance companies and nothing large enough to fence and get a decent return on the effort and acquiring it in the first place," Selina complained, "So, it's still pleasure. Just a different kind than the old days."
"Yes, it would behoove the wealthier classes that flock here to register their valuables, I suppose," Cluemaster was feeling philosophical. He wouldn't be fencing the crystal. He'd simply hand it to Luthor.
The Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo had been built in 1864. As such, it had a classical architectural structure that made for a great deal of peaked roofs. Batwoman observed from atop a nearby modern building design. Catgirl was leaned over the roof waiting to rappel into position. And then Spoiler deployed.
Spoiler quickly and quietly maneuvered through the hotel to reach her father's minions. Disengaging the mag lock holding her fully telescoped quarterstaff together, she broke it down into two separate batons. She knocked on the door and called out that she was from room service.
Gambling they'd have access to the service authorized by Cluemaster today while he was away, she knew her guess had been right when a confused looking hoodlum opened the door and said, "But we just placed the order five minutes ago."
Rather than block her exit, Spoiler pushed him into the room with her batons in his gut. Then she clubbed him just above the ear. A second henchmen drew a gun but couldn't risk shooting inside the hotel without drawing the staff's attention. And the staff would alert the police. Spoiler kneecapped the would-be shooter.
As he fell, she noticed that the crooks had several tablet computers and old fashioned legal pads strewn about. The Range Rover thug attempted to tackle Spoiler. She leapt onto his back rode him as he collided with the larger bureau. Then she clubbed him in the neck. Darting outside the room, she headed for the main lobby while Cluemaster's crew of thieves scrambled to give chase.
Batwoman watched the melee with binoculars aimed at the henchmen's' room window. She used a laser sight to tap out a message next to Catgirl's head. Catgirl went for it. Her auto guide reel system lowered her precisely to the window she wanted to access. Using her multitool, Catgirl jimmied the window in seconds and fed herself enough slack to enter the room before detaching from the cables.
Batwoman watched as Spoiler crossed the street and started running down back alleys. Batwoman prepped her glider and waited until the goons, given enough of a visual trail, pursued Spoiler. Batwoman fired up the jet engines and hoped Cluemaster's men thought it was just a really loud takeoff at Monte Carlo Airport.
Catgirl discovered the tablets and notes. Using the USB ports, she copied every file in every machine with individual thumb drives. Each drive went into a separate pocket built into her boots. Then, using a small digital camera she photographed the legal pads, page by page.
Remembering she was on a time constraint she didn't bother searching the room and just went for the obvious targets. But despite Cluemaster's personal reputation, his helper bees didn't seem half as competent. Attaching herself back to the dual ropes of her auto reel. She double-checked her harness again before remotely activating the ascension phase of her plan.
The reel swept her up and over several stories of windows. Then she just had to pull herself onto the roof before putting civilian clothes on over her costume. Her mask went into a backpack while she unbolted the auto reel and slipped it into a duffel. Now she looked like anyone else who was checking in…who happened to get lost on the roof.
The henchmen lost sight of Spoiler. Then Batwoman landed her glider on a nearby rooftop. The trio found the access way had already been forced and they clamored to the roof. They arrived to find Spoiler waving goodbye to them as Batwoman flew her off into the distance. Cluemaster had already warned them of Spoiler's potential interference. Now they had the "privilege" of telling him she had an accomplice.
ARGUS had supplied Kitrina with half a dozen tablets and two laptops. Rocki brought her own laptop into the equation. So Kitrina loaded the files from each flash drive into two tablets and all the laptops. What she discovered was that two tablets were loaded with architectural blueprints of the museum. Two more were filled with electrical schematics of the same as well as the city power grid. The last two contained the security and surveillance system layout. The photographs contained proposed action plans as drawn up by Cluemaster. The henchmen were now processing those plans in relation to the operational realities.
Batwoman landed on the hotel roof after spotting Cluemaster's crew returning to the front lobby. Rocki and Stephanie put clothes on before entering the hotel and meeting Kitrina in her suite. Rocki and Stephanie read over Kitrina's results with dismay.
"When's Selina coming back?" Stephanie asked a little tightly.
"When your dad does," Kitrina shrugged.
Selina witnessed Cluemaster's spectacular fall. He did well for the early part of the evening before slowly declining. Then he went all in on a hand that was guaranteed to lose. Observers and players alike were stunned.
Cluemaster took his fall from grace easily enough, "Well, I guess luck only runs so far."
"I guess it wasn't meant to be," Selina dryly remarked, "I guess I'll see you back at the Hotel de Paris."
"You're staying there too?" Cluemaster was instantly suspicious again.
"Doesn't every ne'er do well that visits town?" Selina smirked, "Why don't I give you a ride?"
"You rented a car?" Cluemaster was and wasn't surprised. Rental rates were astronomical in a country where visitors' net worths averaged seven figures.
"Yeah, I couldn't resist," Selina explained while the valet fetched the Spyder. She explained how she drove her Porsche 911 in the States but just had to try out the 918 while in Monaco, "It makes my little wonder seem like a Volkswagen in comparison."
"Heh, I bet," Cluemaster practically drooled as the car arrived.
"I'd let you give her a spin but the rental and insurance agreements only list me as the driver," Selina shrugged, "You know how it is. But I'll go out on the highway and cruise us through the Riviera and back again. Deal?"
"You just want to show off," Cluemaster accused.
"Damn right I do," Selina said forcefully, "Of course, you could always walk back to the hotel."
"Well, unlock this bitch and let's take her out," Cluemaster decided.
Selina took Cluemaster out for some hairpin turns and fast sprints. She did the same after crossing the French border and then turned around and worried traffic officers all the way back to Monte Carlo. The hotel's valet staff parked her car and Cluemaster gave her a jaunty wave.
"Thanks for the ride, in more ways than one," Cluemaster entered the main lobby while Selina received her car keys and valet ticket.
Cluemaster reported in to his gang. They were near panic and described Spoiler's arrival and the mystery that was the Batwoman. Cluemaster was livid.
"Daughter or not, she makes another appearance you kill her. Understood?" Cluemaster demanded to know.
The crew all agreed. So he asked another question, "Describe the one on the flying wing."
They did and Cluemaster scowled, "It sounds like Batwoman. Word was she operates out of Chicago. Catman also reported killing her yet a Batwoman clone has attended JLA press conferences. So someone else has assumed the identity. But why is she here with Spoiler? Why would the JLA even care about our operation? If this is even a sanctioned JLA op."
"What are we gonna do, boss?" Jake Elliott asked.
Cluemaster considered his assets. Jake was his wheel man. Dennis Quatrain was his alarm, surveillance, and electrical engineering expert. Alan Davis was his architect. Alan also served as the explosives expert.
"We aren't set up to fight superheroes and rob the palace at the same time," Alan pointed out.
"You're right," Cluemaster conceded, "And I have just the friend who's been waiting for this kind of opportunity."
"Who?" Dennis wondered.
"A fellow that calls himself Libra. He's usurped control of Starling City's criminal enterprises since Green Arrow and Black Canary left town. He's expanding his tentacles into Opal City and Hub City. He wants to cement his reputation by killing a few masked vigilantes and the Question and the Huntress have evaded him thus far. I think my darling daughter and the Batwoman clone are just what he's been waiting for."
"When could he be here?" Jake asked.
"Within twenty-four hours," Cluemaster promised, "But we'll have to postpone our endeavor by a day. We need to give Libra time to stake out where he'll ambush the JLA, if that's who they really are."
Cluemaster considered matters, "Catwoman is still in town. She's both former Legion and former JLU. If she's a player in this then we deal with her."
"How?" Dennis wanted to know what they were in for.
"Permanently," Cluemaster demanded.
Kitrina had printed pictures from INTERPOL's taps into the palace's surveillance network. She had the entire public areas mapped out. And armed with Cluemaster's data, Selina smirked, "I'll say this for Cluemaster, he chose his people well."
"And now we know why," Kitrina informed her, "I had Stephanie call in a complaint from her room while Rocki lodged one at the front desk. That let me make photos of Cluemaster's crews' passports. I figured they'd be in the FBI's criminal database. So ARGUS put in a search request for us."
"Sharp thinking," Selina approved, "But just how did you create a credible problem large enough to keep the entire front desk busy?"
"A hand towel with a baton used to stuff it down the toilet pretty much works every time," Stephanie grinned.
"Except we had to change rooms," Rocki lamented.
"Hey, you said 'make it realistic'. Nothing's more realistic than actual reality," Stephanie retorted.
"I never endorsed actually breaking the plumbing," Rocki complained.
"Calm down," Selina urged them, "It was messy but it worked. And ARGUS is footing the damage bill. And the FBI is finally doing something useful on our behalf."
"The digital camera built into the eyeglasses I wore also gave us in depth pictures stored on the mock hearing aid I wore," Rocki pointed.
"Those pictures are being printed up now," Kitrina explained why the printer was still hard at work.
"Steph, will your father move within forty-eight hours?" Selina asked for Spoiler's expertise.
"Dad won't move tonight because he just isn't ready yet. He'll cancel tomorrow night because of Batwoman and Spoiler being in town. But he'll have a contingency plan in place the following night and will feel confident enough to move in," Stephanie counseled.
"Then we need to familiarize ourselves with the palace and get there first," Selina promised.
"I know we're stealing the crystal in order to make certain the locals don't spill the fact to the Legion but are we actually stealing it?" Rocki asked.
"ARGUS has an arrangement with the king," Selina retrieved a specially padded case originally designed for ice skates. She opened it and lifted a crystal out of it, "This is outwardly identical to the meteorite crystal. Only it's derived from terrestrial materials unlike the meteor crystal. So if this is in place then Cluemaster won't know he's snatched a fake. And we'll apply enough pressure to insure he buys into it."
"Okay, I just had to know," Rocki relented.
"That's why you're on the team," Selina acknowledged, "Now, we get busy on the rest of it. God, I love it when a good caper comes together."
As the JSA All Stars soared over the highly variable terrain on the Subtle Realms, Captain Marvel, Stargirl, Captain Marvel Jr., and Aztek battled demons forces while Anna Fortune continued to guide Sentinel and his construct passengers to the massive structure looming ahead of them. It was a castle as wide as the Great Wall of China and it stretched into the sky as high as Mt. Everest. As they approached its massive shadow loomed out across the great plain dominating the valley below the All Stars.
They all came to a halt before the edifice and the demons had abandoned their assaults. Stargirl summed up what was on everybody's minds the best, "Un-frickin'-believable."
The sounds of a cataclysmic battle resounded throughout the valley. Anna pointed at the structure, "Mary Marvel is inside somewhere. Her aethers are so broadened as to prevent me from pinpointing her location."
"How can that be?" Captain Marvel was agitated and it showed.
"I've spent time constructing a spell which will temporarily allow you all to see what my goggles reveal," Anna cast her spell. Beams of great power encompassing the two Marvels present with the group enveloped the Captain and Junior. But the four similar beams penetrating the castle were almost as broad as the great spire that dominated the center of the castle. Somewhere inside of it, Anna assured them, the four beams converged on Mary.
"Then we start with the tower," Captain Marvel decided, "Or Junior and I go it alone."
"Jay, can you lead a team into the base of the castle and search levels until you either find Mary or rejoin us as we descend?" Sentinel asked Flash.
"Do we have a general direction to head towards?" Flash asked Anna.
"My guess is Mary is located midway between the heights and depths of the castle," Anna answered.
"Your guesses generally turn out to be pretty damn accurate," Flash chuckled, "So I'll trust this one as well."
Flash took Jesse Quick, Hourman, Mr. Terrific, Sand, Commander Steel, Judomaster, Atom Smasher, and Metamorpho with him. Anna called after Atom Smasher, "Don't you dare die on me, Albert Rothstein."
"That's a two way street, Anna Fortune," he called back before entering the castle proper.
Sentinel led the lift to the uppermost spire. He used his power ring to smash away the top of it. Nearly fifty demons were inside some kind of aerie. As they stretched their wings to take flight, Stargirl focused her Cosmic Rod on them and incinerated them all. Afterwards she was woozy.
"Go, I'll tend to her," Anna urged the others.
The sounds of battle intensified as the base and heights of the castle joined in battles with the central point. Stargirl eyed Anna, "Why are you really with me?"
"If William fails to persuade Mary, then that will be my cue for you to intervene on her behalf," Anna shared, "I fully intend for you to arrive if and when needed."
Flash and Jesse tore through the castle's outer edges just to be certain Mary hadn't reached them instead. The other All Stars were battling their way up twisting staircases. But some stairwells went up just to come back down. And those twisted into other chamber after climbing to subsequent levels. The locations of the one true staircase seemed randomly located.
Hourman's chemically derived strength enabled him to batter his way through the demonic ranks. He and Commander Steel frequently worked together to bring walls down atop their foes. But just as frequently, doing so revealed hidden pockets of demon fighters. Unlike Hourman, Commander Steel was proofed against demon claws and teeth.
Seeing their attacks thwarted, the soldiers began arming themselves with pike, axes, spears, and swords. Judomaster evaded every weapon and every physical attack. And she responded with lethal strikes. It wasn't long before the demons grew to fear Judomaster.
Metamorpho secured the lower staircase after Flash and Jesse rejoined them. He transmuted from acidic compounds to phosphorous to radon gas. Demons were melted, burnt, and radioactively poisoned depending upon the elements that he chose.
Atom Smasher could barely double his size but his increased strength worked as effectively as Hourman and Commander Steel's. Sand ripped open flooring to create sinkholes delving deep into the soil. Then he would close the holes shut, crushing and suffocating those trapped beneath them.
Mr. Terrific's T-Spheres used energy blasters to fight demons while he himself used his boxing techniques learned before he joined the JLU and perfected under Wildcat's tutelage. He hung close to Judomaster to guard her flank. But he seriously wondered why he bothered.
Captain Marvel pushed his way through the demonic ranks keeping him from Mary. Junior dealt with those attackers that maneuvered around Captain Marvel's wrath. Sentinel and Aztek cleaned up the rearguard.
Junior held back for a second and asked Sentinel, "Any sign of Anna and Courtney?"
"They're behind us," Sentinel's ring flashed as it told him, "Aztek, want to hang back and assist the ladies should they need it?"
"I promise I won't tell them you said that," Aztek grinned as he double backed.
Captain Marvel pushed past a demon guard to arrive in a vast, oversized audience chamber with a stone throne set in place up against a wall. Junior looked around at the multiple corridors stemming out of the chamber, "Sentinel?"
"Mary's near," Sentinel reported, "Almost in this space."
Flash and Jesse burst past another column of demon guards. Flash scowled, "Any sign of her, Alan?"
The rest of his team made it into the chamber. Mr. Terrific frowned, "Anything?"
"She's close," Sentinel promised, "And getting closer."
The wall behind the throne began to pound. Stones were knocked loose with every impact. Dust and mortar began filling the chamber.
Finally the wall caved in and collapsed over the throne. Mary Marvel was thrown through the debris. Beyond her stood Johnny Sorrow.
Several things struck the All Stars as odd all at once. First, Johnny Sorrow was solid with his mask fully affixed. And then there was the matter of Mary's appearance.
Mary's red and gold outfit was now jet black except for the golden lightning emblem across her chest. Her white and gold cape was missing in lieu of no cape at all. Her hands were now covered with black gloves that flowed seamlessly into the uniform's long sleeves. And her rather modest skirt was now so short her black underwear could be easily seen. And she wore black boots laced up to her knees.
Mary took sight of the assembled All Stars. There was a raw hatred and savagery in her eyes that none of them had ever witnessed before. But Supergirl and Superwoman each had.
"Mary?" Captain Marvel asked.
She shot him a glare that could have easily killed him on its own merits. Then she attacked Johnny Sorrow again. This new, Black Mary fought dirty and each strike was intended to permanently cripple or kill. Only Johnny Sorrow's nature saved him from either fate.
Sorrow repulsed her with a violent spell that only her nature allowed her to survive. Sentinel erected a shield between Sorrow and the All Stars. Sorrow began to chuckle.
"I banished young Mary to the Subtle Realms to use her in a spell that required a sacrificial victim that had fallen in love with me, was touched by cosmic forces, and was pure of heart," Sorrow taunted Mary, "She's touched alright. She fell in love and was about to offer herself mind, body, and soul to me but I discovered her heart was as tainted as mine. Imagine her surprise when I became myself again and rejected her, casting her to the furthest reached of the Subtle Realms. And her heart, being what it is, brought her back to me with every intent to kill me."
Mary snarled at Sorrow. He had to comment, "They say love tames the savage beast. In this case it unleashed it. I threw everything the Subtle Realms has to offer at her and she relentlessly pursued her quest to kill me. Me. The one being that can return her to Earth Prime."
Jesse pulled Flash aside, "We have two threats before us. Sorrow is one. He's the obvious threat but Mary is just as much a danger if we can't calm her down."
"Anna has a plan," Jay Garrick assured her.
"Then where is she?" Jesse grated.
Aztek led Anna and Stargirl into the chamber. Stargirl immediately blasted away at Sorrow with the Cosmic Rod. He was staggered and in obvious pain.
But he began cackling; "Now this is more like it. Begone!"
Anna found herself staring at vast plains with no obvious signs of life present. Yet she knew she wasn't alone. Mary landed behind her.
Anna felt the full weight of Mary's wrathful glare. She and Courtney had hidden and overheard Sorrow's explanation of what he'd put Mary through. If Mary truly had been ready to consummate whatever affection she had for the obviously disguised Sorrow, then she would have done so as Mary Batson. And it was after Sorrow's revelation that Mary had undoubtedly become Black Mary.
"Well, this is certainly a new 'you'," Anna commented to test the waters.
With Sorrow out of her sights, Mary was still angry but she was no longer seething in a murderous rage. Anna knew all about anger.
"Mary, I can't help you unless you tell me what you need," Anna stated then went ahead with her intuitive hunches, "You know I lost my one true love to bigotry in the past. You lost Ray even before you came here. You were still coping with that loss when Sorrow disguised himself and preyed upon you. You thought you'd found love again and were even ready to bed him to prove it. And you were betrayed in the ultimate sense of the word. So tell me. How can I help you?"
Mary just stared at her in stunned silence before her knees eventually buckled. She gasped air so quickly and in such great quantities she was on the verge of hyperventilating. And then Mary began to pour out her grief and rage in tremendous sobs.
Anna instinctively went to her and stood pressed up against Mary while cradling the younger woman's head against her stomach. Anna knew Marry had only turned eighteen mere weeks before disappearing, "Shh…I won't lie to you. The pain will always be there. But you will learn to cope. And eventually you'll learn to trust again. And when you can trust, that will be the first step towards a true love."
Mary gripped Anna even tighter because of her candid honesty. Mary didn't need platitudes. She needed the truth and she'd just heard it.
Captain Marvel Jr. gazed across the landscape and he was facing a demon army larger than any force ever assembled on Earth. The demons even blotted out the light that mysteriously filtered down from the sky even without a visible sun. Junior just hoped he could beat Mary's location out of one of them.
Stargirl threw herself into Captain Marvel's embrace, "Billy! Thank God you're here!"
"Unfortunately we aren't alone," Captain Marvel directed her gaze back towards the castle in the distance, "Mary is somewhere inside so we have to return."
"I guess," Stargirl hesitated.
"Courtney, I'll protect you. Nothing bad will ever happen to you as long as I'm with you," Captain Marvel promised.
"That's one of the reasons why I love you," Stargirl admitted.
"I know," Captain Marvel simply said.
Courtney wondered why he hadn't returned the sentiment. She chalked it up to his being distracted by what had happened to Mary.
Mr. Terrific found himself in a vast wasteland dominated by rising and falling sand dunes. His T-Spheres were nowhere in range of his mask's controls. Nor were the T-Spheres located at their entrance point into this dimension. But his first task was finding water or he'd be dead in three days or less.
Sentinel had been dropped in front of an army. He'd been relocated amidst a massive war fought between armies the scale of which he'd never beheld before. And both sides suddenly decided he was fresh sport.
Flash had raced across what seemed to be a continent. And he'd been intercepted by demons every step of the way. Even now he was approaching a wall-like fortification manned by a garrison force. He wondered if he was even headed back towards the castle he'd been at moments before.
Sand found himself trapped within an hourglass. He didn't find whoever's sense of humor very funny. He'd been left with his gas gun but it seemed useless against the airtight chamber.
Hourman had found himself in a crevice like a miniature Grand Canyon. It took the rest of the hour his Miraclo dose was potent in to reach the rise. And as soon as he did he found a demon patrol waiting for him. Hourman only had two doses left to rely upon. So he wondered how he'd fare without it.
As Hourman crested the canyon, Jesse raced through it and he had no idea his wife was even in the region. Jesse was being pursued by a special pack of hunters that rode hellhounds in pursuit of her. And Jesse was just barely staying ahead of them.
Atom Smasher looked around for Anna. But he finally gave up. But with his current ten story height he could see a spire in the distance. So he trudged off to reach it. He just happened to trample demon patrols along the way. Al considered them bonuses.
Aztek had also been delivered into a war. And it was Aztek against every former side. And the armies seemed to stretch on beyond his imagination.
Metamorpho found himself in a polar region. Seeing the first hints of water to be found in the hell dimension, he examined the ice. It looked like dry ice and was therefore incapable of being consumed. But the winds were several hundred miles an hour and the freezing temperatures were biting even into Metamorpho's adapted hide. So he was grateful to find an ice cave. But it was already occupied.
Commander Steel had been climbing a distorted mountain for what seemed like hours. Stretching ahead of him were vast plains that led to the castle he'd just been at. And demon armies were arrayed in a defensive posture. So he had to find a way to circumvent the armies without sacrificing months.
Judomaster had ambushed a straggling demon that was part of a foot patrol. Donning its cloak and grabbing its weapons, she joined the patrol. She had no idea where she was or where she was headed. But she planned on learning soon enough.
Saturn Queen's force joined Lightning Lord's in returning to OmniTech in Los Angeles. Neither was in a good mood as they met up with the rested Cosmic King. Cosmic King was sympathetic.
"We knew these forces would be the most difficult to kill," Cosmic King reminded them, "Brainiac has isolated the remaining credible team threats facing us."
"Any other news?" Lightning Lord asked.
"Grodd arrived with a technical support team," Cosmic King reported.
"Why?" Saturn Queen was confused.
"Because Luthor forced them to leave the Hall of Doom," Cosmic King advised his partners.
"Luthor wouldn't empty the Hall of Doom if he wasn't planning treachery," Lightning Lord shared.
"Which was inevitable," Saturn Queen sighed, "The timing is just…inconvenient."
"Eve, Grodd trusts you the most out of any of us," Cosmic King pointed out, "Perhaps you'll persuade him to give up what Luthor is planning."
"While you and Mekt receive Brainiac's report?" Saturn Queen asked.
"We could wait for your return," Lightning Lord assured her.
"I'll be right back," Saturn Queen promised.
She found Grodd had brought Ultra-Humanite, Dr. Sivana, Mr. Mind, and Clock King with him. Saturn Queen cut to the chase, "Why is your detail here?"
"I know why I'm here, heh heh heh," Dr. Sivana leered at Saturn Queen.
"Your thoughts would be repulsive in any century," Saturn Queen made him bounce his forehead off a metal support pillar until he was bloody, "Now Doctor, what are your intentions?"
She smiled, "Very good, Doctor. Keep thinking that. You may even get your wish. Oh, and if you happen to regress, next time I'll make you punish yourself against a window until you plunge through it thirty stories to your death. Are we clear?"
"How can we be of assistance?" Grodd inquired.
"You know the project we require be completed," Saturn Queen was a little cross because of Sivana.
"Progress is being made," Grodd reported, "But Dr. Connelly had kept the bulk of her designs off of LexCorp networks."
"Have you tried her apartment? Her husband is with us so he won't interfere," Saturn Queen pointed out the obvious.
"Perhaps you can send him to Paris to collect his wife's research notes," Grodd suggested.
"I have other uses for Booster gold. Send one of your associates. They'd have a better technical grasp of the material they'd be searching for," Saturn Queen suggested.
"Of course," Grodd obligingly replied.
"Now answer my damn question. Why has Luthor emptied the Hall of Doom?" Saturn Queen was irked.
"He's not alone, he has our temporal agent with him as well as all the captive JLers," Grodd stated.
"Luthor isn't part of the Legion's future after current events have passed," Saturn Queen scowled, "He isn't aware of this."
"Perhaps he is after all," Grodd warned her, "Lex is not a fool and he has unimaginable resources at his disposal."
"Has anyone useful remained behind?" Saturn Queen's frustration was showing.
"Calendar Man is still in place. He and I have an…arrangement. But I fear losing him if I activate him at this juncture," Grodd revealed.
"Will his loss impede your designs?" Saturn Queen bluntly asked.
"No," Grodd admitted, "My efforts would continue unimpeded."
"Then activate him," Saturn Queen directed.
"There is one entity that certainly knows all of Lex's plans," Grodd pointed out.
"Who?" Saturn Queen thought they'd covered everyone.
"Brainiac," Grodd said.
"Brainiac, assemble the remaining Rogues and Legionnaires and have them begin planning the liberation of all incarcerated Legion members and the Brotherhood of Evil," Saturn Queen said as she strolled into the room.
"Is this really a mission priority?" Lightning Lord had to wonder.
"Something I skimmed off of Grodd's psyche," Saturn Queen admitted, "This era's Legion, like our own, is predicated on the promise of liberation should members be captured. We can't afford to lose the goodwill this will engender towards us and our cause. We simply couldn't buy the brand of loyalty this will earn us."
"Brainiac can you locate all the imprisoned Legionnaires and affiliates?" Cosmic King inquired.
"I already have done so," Brainiac boasted.
"Then transfer that data to the rescue parties," Cosmic King was a little perturbed he had to order the action.
"It is being done," Brainiac promised.
"Did you determine who our greatest unidentified threats are?" Lightning Lord posed the obvious question, "And are you prepared to detail who and where they are?"
"I have determined that only four unidentified threats pose any danger whatsoever," Brainiac reported, "However, calculating quantifiable data into the equation only two teams remain variables in regards to their susceptibility to Saturn Queen's powers of persuasion."
"Who are these teams?" Cosmic King was getting bored.
"The first two are government sponsored paramilitary units. The first is the German Federal Guard. The Federal Guard has also supplanted the Global Guardians as NATO's response team. But the Federal Guard has only been recently established and their combat armor and the agents wearing it are largely untested," Brainiac explained, "The Russian Federation supports a similar paramilitary unit dubbed the Rocket Red Brigade. Individual brigade members are designated by number. But the team's leader, simply called Rocket Red utilizes Apokoliptan battle armor."
"That could prove problematic," Cosmic King admitted.
"Then the Great Ten of the People's Republic of China serves as the first variable. Other than August General in Iron, none of the ten have served outside of China so no concrete information regarding their effectiveness exists outside of the unreliable Chinese propaganda," Brainiac shared, "The final variable is a team based in the United States. The Teen Titans were originally based on an otherwise uninhabited island in New York City's harbor. But the Teen Titans recently uprooted their operations and moved to San Francisco where they operate outside of a compound situated near the Presidio."
Brainiac elaborated, "The Teen Titans also underwent a membership changeover. Five new, and previously unknown, members enlisted in the Titans' ranks. Another has returned after an apparent sabbatical."
"Where the three unspecified teams headquartered?" Lightning Lord wanted to know.
"Berlin, Moscow, and Beijing," Brainiac shared, "All traditional seats of national power."
"The Teen Titans obviously defeated the Brotherhood of Evil and their Legion support," Saturn Queen surmised, "What is the Titans' operational status?"
"MIA," Brainiac answered.
"What?" Cosmic King erupted.
"Their compound is secured but no one is residing within it. Their own security logs report the team received a visitor before being teleported by an ISA network," Brainiac described what happened.
"You've been wasting our time, you damn toaster oven!" Cosmic King snarled.
"It's obvious that the Teen Titans have joined the All Stars at the JLA's Hall of Justice," Saturn Queen said calmly, "And it's probable that the Injusticers and Deathstroke's Titans have joined with them as well. Brainiac, display satellite imagery of any new vehicular arrivals to the Hall of Justice within six hours."
Both the latest and original Batmobiles appeared in a holographic image, "These two arrivals have appeared within the time stamp reference specified. One is known as Batman's original Batmobile. The other is an unknown quantity."
"It's another Batmobile," Lightning Lord said grimly, "The last Batmobile used by the original Batman before being taken possession of by the second Batman thirty-five years from now."
"He's dead, I tell you," Cosmic King was practically rabid.
"It doesn't matter," Saturn Queen sought to restore order, "It was almost always an inescapable development."
"I say we storm this accursed Hall of Justice and kill all of our enemies in one fell swoop," Cosmic King angrily proposed.
"I can speak from experience that our Justice League forces unfortunately hold back against the JLA and its allies and our Legion forces are too severely diminished to effectively strike," Saturn Queen admitted.
"They're not going anywhere, Laevar," Lightning Lord assured him, "Once we bolster our forces with the freed Legion forces and capture the minds of these Federal Guardsmen, Rocket Reds, and the Great Ten, we will mercilessly strike all of our enemies down."
"There are two additional elements as well," Brainiac amended his earlier declarations.
"Why haven't you already listed them?" Cosmic King was outraged.
"The Injustice Society and the Crimson Jihad are potentially natural allies," Brainiac explained, "Technically speaking, attacking the Injusticers and the Titans without first attempting to secure their loyalty was a strategic blunder."
"You're lecturing us on strategy?" Cosmic King was irate.
"He's right," Saturn Queen confessed, "We should have approached them as potential allies before relegating them to 'enemy' status. We just suffered from a knee jerk reaction from observing so many timelines where we inevitably fought both Nyssa al Ghul and Deathstroke's forces."
"So how do we approach this situation?" Cosmic King forcibly calmed himself.
"Summon the Crime Syndicate, the Justice League Unlimited, and the following members of the Justice League International…" Lightning Lord supplied his list.
"But before you do, send the Rogues and the Legionnaires to the briefing room so we can bless their efforts," Saturn Queen instructed, "Thereby reminding them that we sanctioned this effort. After the Legion and the Rogues are dismissed, send in the JLers and the Crime Syndicate."
"One final note," Brainiac promised, "Several stray Legionnaires are petitioning me for transport coordinates for the boom tube controllers. It is possible for me to supply coordinates directly to their controllers and have them remain inaccessible to the individuals."
"Send the coordinates and alert the Legionnaires that they can transport at will," Lightning Lord specified.
"And make approaches to Regulus, Majestic, and John Lynch," Saturn Queen ordered, "Do you have their current whereabouts?"
"Regulus is overseeing the primary Basilisk camp in southern Mexico. Majestic has set up a personal fiefdom in Outer Mongolia and is ruling it as a great white god. Lynch is narrowing in on Majestic. His actual intentions are nebulous but his specified goal as dictated to the DEO is to harness Majestic as a United Nations controlled deterrent on the scale of a Superman or Ultraman," Brainiac answered.
Brainiac spent nearly a second pondering on whether or not to mention Stormwatch and the Shadow Cabinet. But he couldn't prove their existence and he easily dismissed the notion of pitting the Legionnaires against urban myths. So he ended the debate before it even began.
Batman gathered the commanders and unit leaders of the various teams into the Hall of Justice's briefing theater. The goal was to establish a concrete strategy. And to formulate a list of potential Legion targets.
Steve Trevor, Nyssa, Deathstroke, Red Robin, Vapor, Nightshade and Wildcat represented the commanders. David Cain, Blacksmith, Enigma and Joker's Daughter, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Red Hood represented the unit commanders. Sue Dibney and Hula Hula represented the ARGUS Justice League of America Initiative's Operations Department. Elongated Man was watching over the section while Sue and Hula attended the conference.
Goldilocks and Killer Frost were present as mission specialists. Nightwing was Batman's chosen deputy. And unbeknownst to those inside the theater, events were unfolding outside the hall.
Ralph briefed the JLers. The Injusticers and the Titans were held in reserve should the unknown entity approaching the Hall of Justice prove to be a threat and overwhelm the Justice Leagues. The entity had arrived from outer space and entered Earth's atmosphere hell bent on a direct approach aimed at the hall. Telemetry had the object landing fifty feet from the front doors.
Hawkman and Troia led the initial reception committee. It was a mixed force comprised of Superboy, Wonder Girl, Solstice, Black Orchid, Silver Swan, Enchantress, Vibe, and Hawk and Dove. It soon became apparent the incoming object was a yellow orb. An orb that suddenly manifested a power beam that descended and transformed into a fist while it did so.
The fist smashed into Hawk, propelling him through the bulletproof glass partitions separating the foyer from the courtyard steps. Dove immediately went to check on Hawk. Then the orb stopped and vanished…revealing Guy Gardner.
"Har har har! Eat that, Bird Boy! Who's laughin' now, ya scuz?" Guy was obviously delighted with his property destruction.
"I take it it's safe to assume you've joined the Sinestro Corps," Hawkman said drolly.
"It's the Fear Corps now, ya idiot. An' no, I ain't a member. Does this look like a frickin' Fear Corps uniform?" Guy smarted off.
"And we'd know because…?" Troia wondered.
"`Cause I'm tellin' ya!" Guy snapped.
"You do realize Sinestro recruits psychopaths, rapists, and murderers?" Troia asked, "Right?"
"What did ya suddenly become such an expert, toots? Want me ta show ya what kinds of shapes and sizes of construct my little ringy-dingy can whip up?" Guy leered, "Ya already gave it up once ta some slob so ya won't lose yer immortality if you taste the ol' Guy Gardner magic. `Cause I gotta tell ya, alla ya Amazons are smokin' hot!"
Hawkman unclipped his mace from his belt. Guy noticed it, "What's wrong? She yer girlfriend or somethin'?"
"Something like that," Hawkman grated.
"Well `scuse me ta death," Guy sneered, "If ya would've manned up fer her she wouldn't be pantin' after me."
"I think I'm going to be very ill," Donna Troy admitted.
"No wonder they kicked you out of the Green Lantern Corps," Superboy laughed.
"Are ya laughin' at me?" Guy snarled.
"I sure as hell am," Superboy snickered.
The force beam that caught the young clone sent him out to sea far enough over the horizon he disappeared. Wonder Girl flew after him. She found herself joined by Miss Martian, who had discreetly been observing the entire encounter.
"My telepathy will help narrow the search area down," M'gann explained.
"Thanks so much," Cassie Sandsmark said gratefully.
"Now, do I get ta talk with someone in charge or do I keep puttin' up with yer crap?" Guy challenged Hawkman.
"Carter," Troia warned Hawkman off as his grip tightened on the handle of his mace.
"Har har, I just watched yer balls drop off, ya…ugh," Guy almost finished saying.
Hawkman had smashed his Nth metal mace over Guy's head. A yellow skewer formed in midair when Guy recovered, "I'm, gonna have me some rotisserie chicken. Too bad it ain't red hot when I shove this poker up yer ass."
Troia swung in front of Guy and punched him in the throat. All he could do was gurgle as his trachea closed up, "Urk!"
He slowly sand to his knees as his vision started getting spotty. Donna knelt onto one knee and looked Guy in the eye, "Some of us are a tad psychotic as well."
Silver Swan landed behind Guy. Hawkman turned to the others, "Everyone else, clear out. The situation is under control."
Guy glared at Hawkman and Troia with pure hate. Hawkman was glad he already had Gardner's attention, "Listen up, Guy. The JLU is still under the Legion's control as well as most of the JLI. Deathstroke and his mercenaries are working with us as well as the Injusticers. The Teen Titans and the All Stars have thrown in as well. Still with me?"
Guy barely nodded so Hawkman continued, "Batman has assumed overall command. But if a 'friendly fire' incident were to occur and you were its victim, I don't think even Batman would mourn your loss. Do we have an understanding?"
Guy glared daggers as he nodded. Hawkman added, "So take all the time out here that you need to think about life in general and then join us inside. But I suggest you behave…and watch your back from now on."
Silver Swan accompanied Hawkman and Troia as they reentered the much draftier Hall of Justice. Guy watched them leave. He'd already made one decision regarding friendly fire. He wouldn't be putting up with Hawkman's bullshit for much longer.
Batman's first declaration divided the house. Rather than abide by Waller's SOP and ROE, he established a new "zero deaths" policy. No one by direct action or inaction could contribute to an opponent's death. Deathstroke led the opposition party. The Injusticer unit leaders followed along and so did Red Hood.
Batman wondered if Jason Todd didn't realize Batman had known who he was since he'd arrived at Wayne Manor to kidnap Bruce Wayne. He also knew Katana was well aware of Red Hood's true identity and she wanted words with him regarding the deaths of the Outsiders. Batman wondered if he should intervene because he doubted Red Hood would survive the conversation.
Nightwing, Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite all readily accepted the policy at face value. Nightwing because of who he was. Wildcat and Dr. Mid-Nite because of the Justice Society's proud traditions. And Red Robin because he was the Knight's one true Squire, even if the Knight were too blind to realize it.
Trevor, Nightshade, and Vapor were a little more resistant but not outright opposed. Trevor and Nightshade because they were career government operatives. Vapor because of the losses the JLI had already endured.
Goldilocks and Killer Frost had no say whatsoever. Which left Nyssa. Nyssa seemed acquiescent…or at least until the policy impeded her from pursuing a goal. When Cassandra Cain had revealed Nyssa Raatko's existence to Batman, he'd taken it upon himself to learn all there was to know about her.
While he still didn't know everything, he knew more than she suspected. He knew she was the idealist in the al Ghul family. Ra's was a dreamer but he was ultimately a mass murderer wanting to reshape the world into a flock of worshippers. And it seemed Talia was following in her father's footsteps.
Nyssa actually believed in the ancient mandate of the League for Shadows. Batman could trace seven key epochs where the League had literally saved human civilization from extinction. Nyssa's goal was to maintain balance in the world.
But she would have doomed the state of New Jersey to nuclear destruction in order to fulfill her pact with the Court of Owls. But in the end, she was just as pleased not to have done it. But her willingness to pursue any means to achieve an objective made her the most dangerous member of the al Ghul family.
"This topic is not open to debate," Batman silenced all the arguments.
"Can we agree to petition the United Nations and the World Court to remand any and all prisoners to Stormwatch for incarceration in their Lunar Max?" Nyssa asked.
Waller obviously knew what Nyssa was referring to. Batman himself knew only a dozen people on Earth outside of the Shadow Cabinet and Stormwatch operatives even knew about the agency. And that dozen included Waller, Nyssa, and himself.
Batman didn't quite know how to apply damage control methods to her question. And Nyssa herself seemed inordinately pleased with herself. Batman chose to ignore the question.
"As convicts rot away in prison cells, their hopes diminish and soon they'd gratefully accept any punishment in exchange for an hour of freedom," Batman stated, "Apply that to your personal brand of justice, Slade."
"Preventing loss of life requires an investment of time, effort, and difficulty," Deathstroke argued, "Three quantities which are negotiable currency."
"Just submit your bill," Waller said wearily, "It'll be paid. But if you break the ROE you'll forfeit any pay above your already contracted rate."
"Just so we have an understanding," Deathstroke conceded.
The Injusticer chieftains all turned to Nyssa. She nodded her assent. So they were now committed as well.
"Next order of business, where will the Legion strike next?" Batman asked.
All eyes turned to Goldilocks. She sighed, "In my past they went in a dozen directions at once. But they'd also been more successful up until now. I'm afraid my usefulness as an event coordinator is over. But I'm a reliable character witness regarding the three Legionnaires."
"Given the Legion's proven record, they will seek out international assets to recruit or brainwash into assisting them," Nyssa boldly stated.
"I suppose you have a list of candidates," Batman dryly surmised.
"Am I really that predictable?" Nyssa smirked.
"Present your list of candidates and we'll review them," Batman offered.
She'd been given access to the Wi-Fi network so she uploaded her files. Even the encrypted ones.
Afterwards, Sue relieved Ralph as Elongated Man began describing unfolding events, "The Rogues and members of the Legion are striking out at Blackgate and Belle Reeve."
"Following the Legion code of liberating incarcerated members," Batman acknowledged the news.
"So…aren't we going to do something about it?" Ralph asked.
All eyes fell on Batman. He didn't even flinch as he answered, "No. the disruption and loss of manpower will give us an advantage when the Legion makes its true move and we can target Saturn Queen, Lightning Lord, and Cosmic King,. They're the true threats. We deal with them and send them back to their future and then everything else will quickly resolve itself. So until those three are on scene, separately or together, we wait."