31
Nightshade's dimensional warp brought her to Fate's Tower looming over the hillsides outside of Salem, Massachusetts. The edifice closely resembled an inland lighthouse…lacking the revolving light. Nightshade was surprised to find there was no entrance.
"Hello?" she called out.
Not eliciting a response, Nightshade stepped to the tower and pressed her hand against it. She could feel a slight swelling of mystical power as the tower analyzed who she was and whether or not she posed a threat to its inhabitants. Suddenly, Nightshade tumbled through the wall itself.
What she saw inside amazed her. She was at a threshold standing before a myriad of staircases stretching off into infinity. And most of them veered off in angles which defied the laws of physics. Yet Nightshade instinctively knew if she chose a staircase, she'd never fall off of it no matter how it angled away. At the center of all of this spider web of stairwells stood a burnished suit of…armor?
She had a feeling it was watching her. So she tackled the first steps to get to the central hub, "Hello?"
"Greetings, Ms. Eden. I am Amazo Prime. I shall be your guide," he informed her, "You are seeking Khalid Ben-Hassin, correct?"
"I need to speak with Dr. Fate," Nightshade insisted, "If speaking to this 'Khalid' is the first step, then so be it."
"Ms. Eden, Khalid is Nabu's human host that allows the fusion of mortal and Lord of Order that comprises Dr. Fate. So I would recommend presenting your dilemma to Khalid first. Then he will decided on whether or not to don the Helmet of Nabu," Amazo Prime explained.
"And what exactly are you?" Nightshade asked.
"I am an artificial life form," Amazo Prime answered, "I am completing my mastery of the mystic arts after having learned all there is to know about the physical universe. My next quest shall take me across the multiverse and beyond as I study each parallel dimension and outer realm for comparison. When I have achieved all of these goals it will be time to pass on my data or simply deactivate."
"I find seeking enlightenment is best accomplished through understanding the motive behind the task rather than the search itself," Nightshade offered him.
"Indeed," Amazo Prime considered her words, "I rather doubt a Lord of Order would say such a thing. But then Lords of Order were given their purpose to them by the Source and they have an unwavering commitment to that purpose. But lacking such conviction, I will take your advice regarding determining motive into account as I prepare to undertake my grand search. I have always assumed my purpose was enlightenment but now I have to wonder, why do I seek enlightenment? What end does it serve? Thank you for that."
"Or you may want to ignore me altogether," Nightshade countered, "After all, I'm really not that wise."
"It seems you have a good heart, Ms. Eden. And good hearts more often than not contain wisdom beyond that of the learned," Amazo Prime reassured her, "You have tried to guide me to the best of your admitted limitations. Yet there is profundity in your simple statement that stretches beyond all that I have learned until now. Therefore I cannot dismiss it."
"So which way do I go to find Khalid?" Nightshade asked.
"I'd best accompany you," Amazo Prime decided, "Even if you didn't get sidetracked, there's still Cerberus to deal with. He likes scaring strangers."
"I don't understand," Nightshade confessed.
"You will," Amazo Prime promised her.
One three headed hound induced slobber fest later; Amazo Prime led Nightshade to a study at the pinnacle of the tower. Like the rest of the space inside of it, the study seemingly occupied the glass enshrouded peak but there was enough space to include entrances to several rooms. Nightshade knew enough to realize the tower's interior existed in another dimensional plane than Earth Prime. And each of the hundreds of staircases undoubtedly led to other dimensions besides. Not unlike the pocket dimension inside Zatanna's stage top hat.
"I am afraid Kent and Inza Nelson have stepped out for the weekend. May I attend to your needs?" Amazo Prime inquired.
"It's all right, I'm finer," Nightshade demurred.
"Ms. Eden, I can detect that you need to vacate your bladder quite soon and that your caloric and fluid intakes are well below minimum health requirements," Amazo Prime pointed out.
"Um…I could a use a restroom. And some food, I guess," Nightshade was embarrassed.
"Tea or coffee?" Amazo Prime asked.
"Coffee," Nightshade replied, "Where's the…?"
"Through that door," Amazo Prime nodded.
"Are you going to inform Khalid that I'm here?" Nightshade wondered.
"He has been aware of you ever since you emerged from the Night Force," Amazo Prime promised her.
As the android stepped out, Nightshade wondered what Khalid Ben-Hassin's game was. She guessed it didn't matter and she really did have to pee.
Amazo Prime returned with a platter filled with a carafe, creamer, sugar bowl, spoons, two cups, and a plate full of English biscuits, "I deemed these more appropriate than scones."
Nightshade surveyed the selection of cookies, "They look delicious, thank you."
"To confess, I have not yet mastered the art of baking scones. I tend to burn them. I did not want to subject you to one of my many failures," Amazo Prime suddenly blurted.
"It's all right, Amazo. Even if you had tried to, your motives would have been pure and all would have been forgiven," Nightshade promised him.
"Thank you, Ms. Eden," Amazo Prime bowed at the waist, "Khalid is approaching now so I shall return to my studies."
Nightshade got the impression the android was very lonely. She prepared her coffee and discovered brewing bad coffee wasn't amongst Amazo Prime's failings. She'd never had such a delicious cup. And wasn't just the beans used either.
"I can tell you are amazed to find our resident student has immeasurable skill brewing coffee," a young Egyptian man said as he approached from one of the many side doors, "I'm Khalid."
"I'm called Nightshade," she said.
"But you're given name is Eve Eden and your mother was from the Land of Nightshades located within the Night Force," Khalid stated, "I took the liberty of looking you up when you came calling."
"Then you have me at a disadvantage," Nightshade was wary now.
"May I?" Khalid asked before sitting down.
"It's your tower," Nightshade grudgingly allowed.
"We don't keep annals on every meta-human on Earth Prime. Just the sorcerers, mages, witches, and sorceresses. You qualify because your powers are based from a magical dimension. Just like Amethyst only her raw power and lineage qualified her to become the youngest ever Lord of Order," Khalid saw Nightshade's confusion, "Nabu himself was once human. He was the magical advisor to Pharaoh Khufu and then went on after Khufu's death to battle the Lord of Chaos' many servants. The Lords of Order rewarded him by adding him to their ranks. And so both the Lords of Order and Chaos began inducting humans into their fold to swell their ranks."
"Why not do it the old fashioned way?" Nightshade asked.
"Neither the Lords of Order nor the Lords of Chaos procreate amongst themselves. They can't even conceive in the traditional sense. But they can mate with humans or across the divide and procreate that way," Khalid shared, "Of course, the elder Lords frown upon this and have historically dispatched agents to destroy the mixed offspring. They also despise fraternization between the hosts. Which puts Shazam in a vulnerable position."
"Excuse me?" Nightshade wondered what that comment was supposed to mean.
"These really are good biscuits," Khalid noted, "Before Shazam became a Lord of Order and was simply a wizard, he mated with a demoness and she bore him two children. But Shazam rejected his own offspring and they were raised as demons. Needless to say, their dual heritage gave them an advantage in the power struggles in the netherworld and Satanus and Blaze have amassed a great deal of power. And now they're collecting power from the various pantheons. Shazam is blinded by his own hubris to see it but Satanus and Blaze have begun creating their own brand of Marvels."
"Why are you telling me this?" Nightshade asked.
"Because Dr. Fate has spoken with Shazam only to be met with stubborn self-imposed ignorance," Khalid frowned, "But if you could suggest to the Marvel and Black Marvel families that they look into this, Maybe Shazam could be persuaded to intervene."
Khalid studied Nightshade, "You're not my usual brand of petitioner. Most people would have badgered me with a hundred questions by now."
"I only have one question but it will probably lead to a request," Nightshade warned him.
"Okay, I've been warned. What's your question?" Khalid chuckled.
"Can Dr. Fate free the JSA All Stars from the Subtle Reams?" Nightshade inquired.
"Of course he could," Khalid easily answered.
"Will he?" Nightshade asked, "Sorry, I know that's a question and a request all rolled into one."
"What are the All Stars doing in the Subtle Realms?" Khalid asked.
"I have no idea," Nightshade admitted, "But we need their help."
"Why?" Khalid wondered.
"I'm betting you don't get much mass media out here," Nightshade ventured. She then explained about the Legion of Super Villains joining forces with the Legion of Doom and taking over the minds of most of the Justice League Unlimited and the Justice League International. She also added that Madame Xanadu, Phantom Stranger, and Pandora had decided that Nightshade's group from the Justice League Dark would be the only JLers from the JLD to intervene. The rest of their League would hold out until the literal end of the world.
"What a cop out!" Khalid angrily declared, "Nabu may be swayed by that argument but I'm in control of most of Dr. Fate so I'll free the All Stars and send them home."
Khalid hesitated in front of the pedestal holding the Helmet of Nabu. Nightshade had to ask, "What's wrong?"
"There's a price to my becoming Dr. Fate. Because I don't let Nabu drive I go mad when I remove the helmet. In fact, the Nelsons have a room set up over there that's basically a padded cell."
"I'm sorry but this really needs to happen," Nightshade urged him.
"It always needs to happen," Khalid said sadly. Then he snatched the helmet up and placed it on his head. Dr. Fate's customary attire replaced his own and his voice became ethereal when he spoke, "I will intervene as you asked. And then I will approach Madame Xanadu, the Phantom Stranger, and Pandora in an attempt to rally the Justice League Dark to combating this threat."
Dr. Fate gesticulated and Nightshade vanished, "And now for Dr. Fate's former allies from the Justice Society."
Nightshade suddenly appeared before her teammates in the Hall of Justice's main lounge. Black Orchid let out a small shriek as she climbed up the backside of the couch she'd shared with Valerie Beaudry, "God! Don't do that!"
"I think I gotta pee," Valerie headed for the restroom. Enchantress was laughing so hard that she cried.
"Well?" Black Orchid had recovered enough to ask.
"Dr. Fate is bringing them back," Nightshade happily reported.
"And Fate himself?" Black Orchid inquired.
"Will try and persuade the JLD hierarchy to step in but otherwise I get the impression he'll stay out of it as well," Nightshade was little more glum now.
"Still it's helluva thing," Black Orchid mused.
"Oh, breathe or something!" Nightshade snapped at the tittering Enchantress.
Valerie returned, "I don't think I've ever seen her this happy."
"She has a point," Black Orchid conceded.
Nightshade just rolled her eyes in reply.
"Pour it on!" Stargirl shouted as she used the Cosmic Rod to vaporize dozens of demons. The assault on Johnny Sorrow's castle had begun twenty minutes earlier and the demons defending it had already endured staggering losses but it was plain to see Sorrow had withheld the bulk of his forces until now. Sentinel had already smashed in the front gates of the castle and was singlehandedly devastating rank after rank of demonic foot soldiers pouring out of it.
Atom Smasher was throwing boulders and chunks of the static fortifications surrounding the castle through its walls. Black Mary yelled, "Shazam!"
She gathered the mystical lightning and hurled it at the aerial demon hordes, electrocuting hundreds of them to death at a time. And she did so without qualm or remorse. Captain Marvel Jr. watched in transfixed horror as he dealt with those that got past Mary.
Flash lead the ground forces. Aptly demonstrating why he'd once been the "fastest man alive", Jay Garrick used the flat of his hands and his tremendous momentum to cut through demonic ranks coming at the All Stars. Jesse Quick followed his lead just as her father, Johnny Quick, used to aspire to live up to Flash's example.
Hourman and Commander Steel met the demons in the forefront of the center while Metamorpho and Aztek held the flanks. Judomaster and Mr. Terrific caught the spillover that flowed past Hourman and Commander Steel. Meanwhile, Anna Fortune planned for the moment when she would use her final cataclysmic spell casing to deal with the demon masses.
As she floated out of range, she sensed a great magical upheaval. A surge of Order magic penetrated the dimensional folds. Anna amplified her voice.
"He's here!" she cried about Dr. Fate's arrival.
And suddenly the All Stars found themselves at the K-Star Ranch on Earth Prime.
"You'll be instrumental in defeating your witless friends," Sorrow sneered at the word.
"I'll thank you with my boot up your butt if you let me out of here," Sand promised.
And then Sand simply vanished in an ankh shaped flash of light. Sorrow was perplexed at first, "Order magic?"
He spun to confront Dr. Fate, "No! This isn't your realm, Lord of Order."
"All realms desire Order. Even this one," Fate replied and Sorrow found himself in the very same chains he'd placed Captain Marvel in,
"These won't hold me," Sorrow cackled.
"I see," Dr. Fate vanished.
Sorrow tried snapping the Order magic infused chains but it was a wasted effort. Then he tried unlocking them but the end result was the same. Finally he summoned his demon followers and they failed as well.
The All Stars were just recovering from their miraculous arrival at home when Anna warned them, "Don't anybody move."
Captain Marvel and Sand appeared in ankh flashes. Captain Marvel was delighted to see Stargirl, "Courtney!"
She aimed the Cosmic Rod right at him, "You'd better be proving who you are, buster!"
"Shazam!" Captain Marvel transformed into Billy Batson and Courtney Whitmore threw herself into his arms.
"Billy! It's finally you!" she squeezed him so tight it was hard for him to breathe.
"I would never ask you to do anything you didn't want to do," Billy promised her.
"How do you…?" Stargirl feared the worst.
"Sorrow made me watch everything he did and said with you," Billy calmly explained, but there was a murderous fire in his eyes.
Wildcat and Dr. Mid-Nite out of the central ranch house to greet the returnees. Wildcat chucked Sentinel's shoulder, "Alan, you old dog! Ya made it back."
Then Wildcat gripped him in a bear hug that nearly made Sentinel pass out. When Wildcat released him, Sentinel looked embarrassed, "It's good to be back, Ted. We have plenty of stories to tell from this one."
"Lemme tell ya `bout stories," Wildcat started to brief Alan Scott on current events.
"Vibe actually discovered he can breach dimensional walls," Dr. Mid-Nite explained to the Flash, "We were attempting to perfect the method so we could mount a rescue."
"It seems someone marshaled Dr. Fate into doing it for you," Flash smiled.
"Still, just the same, I don't think we have the resources to help Vibe perfect his newfound ability. We barely have a grasp on his simplified version of transmitting vibrations," Dr. Mid-Nite admitted, "It's going to take money and a dedicated research staff to hone this skill."
"Which are in short abundance around here," Flash conceded, "Anyone talked to Cisco about this yet?"
"I was about to," Dr. Mid-Nite shared, "I'd appreciate some help in that arena."
"Jay, Pieter, we need to gather Sand and Michael and analyze the ongoing crisis the Legion has created," Sentinel instructed.
Cyclone, King Chimera, Hawk, Dove, Lightning, and Vibe appeared. Wildcat nodded their way, "The kids can sort out a homecomin' celebration."
Cyclone got the united All Stars in the club house while Roxy's automatons prepared a meal and served drinks. The returning All Stars showered and changed before coming back to celebrate. Word of mouth from those left behind informed the returning All Stars of the Legion crisis. Despite being grateful to return, it seemed as though the situation back home was far more convoluted and less straightforward than battling demons.
Black Mary skipped out of the reunion. Roxy's avatar intercepted her, "What should I tell the others?"
"Don't tell them anything," Mary insisted before flying away.
Freddy Freeman was the only one to see her depart. And given the fact that Mary had already been missing for four weeks, it would take time before her departure was even noticed. Freddy wondered where Mary was headed but he thought he already knew. And he could understand her reasons for going.
Rick Tyler and Jesse Chambers asked Anna to step into a quiet room with them. Anna made her own terms, "Albert comes with me."
"That isn't…" Rick began.
"Al is coming with her," Albert Rothstein firmly declared. The couple backed down.
"Rick, it's good," Jesse assured him, "Al needs to hear this as well."
Jesse and Rick looked very contrite, "Rick and I have been very worried about you since you first appeared to the Justice League and later joined the Justice Society and now the All Stars. But we were wrong to suspect you of anything. You more than proved yourself in the Subtle Realms, including the fact that Rick and I were being guttersnipes."
"You shan't be getting any arguments from me," Anna said coolly.
"The point is, we're sorry. Your past is whatever it was and only the here and now is important. And in the here and now, you're one hell of a teammate," Rick offered.
"And that simple realization was all I ever asked you for. I'll accept your apology," Anna told them, "And perhaps someday we might even be on friendly terms besides mere professional ones."
Anna turned and led Al back to the reception. Rick was a little stunned but Jesse took in stride, "We should have expected that. Anna has no reason to trust Hourman and Jesse Quick. At least not yet."
"Have you noticed the higher ups are all missing?" Rick asked Jesse.
"Given what Maxine and Jennifer were saying, I'd say our list of problems grew by coming home rather than shrink," Jesse sighed.
"I'd still rather be home," Rick was quick to put in.
"Cisco looks worried about where he sent those mercenaries," Jesse pointed out, "Not that I don't blame him. Not knowing where they went has to be a lot worse than sending them in the first place."
Roxy suddenly appeared before them, "The team is being called together in the main house. Attendance appears to be mandatory."
"Rox, who do you recommend we send Vibe to to get help with his developing powers?" Rick asked.
"I'd recommend ARGUS," Roxy quickly answered, "They have the necessary expertise, funding, and staffing to assist Vibe. And they have access to the cooperating United Nations agencies, including the DEO and SHADE. And ARGUS was the umbrella agency behind CADMUS so they have all the pertinent research files produced during the initial cataloging of meta-humans."
Roxy also looked a little guilty, "In addition, both Vibe and Reverb send their respective stipends home to their mother. She recently staved off foreclosure but the house will be going back into arrears because Mrs. Ramone can't find dependable work that will allow her schedule to be wrapped around her other eight children."
"How can that be?" Rick wondered.
"Detroit is an economically depressed area. Full time employment is virtually unheard of and benefits aren't even a consideration and Mrs. Ramone has two children with chronic illnesses," Roxy explained, "And before you mention government stimulus bailouts, Mrs. Ramone doesn't owe enough to qualify but owes more than she can afford. Vibe and Reverb have mustered together funds to bring her out of arrears but it's a temporary solution at best."
"He's never said a word," Jesse realized.
"And he probably never will," Roxy pointed out, "Either brother could make more in the private sector or with the JLA yet they're determined to work in teams such as ours to help mankind in general while earning enough to help their family."
"Does Sand know?" Rick demanded to know.
"Sandy Hawkins is well aware of the situation. But Wesley Dodd's fortune is handled by financial advisors and those managers made a series of bad investments. Right now, there's barely enough money to fund the All Stars and the JSA Museum," Roxy revealed, "And as long as TylerChem is overseen by your cousin no relief will be coming from that direction."
Rick knew his father's company was one of the largest pharmaceutical firms in the world. But when Rex Tyler had disappeared between 1948-1986, his brother had taken over the firm. Rex reclaimed his financial birthright but his grandniece ran the company now and she had made a vow to never support Hourman or anyone affiliated with him. And Rex's personal fortune only stretched so far.
"We survived a recession just to come to this?" Rick was incredulous.
"Please help me to persuade Vibe he won't be betraying anyone by moving on," Roxy pleaded.
"You can count on us, Roxy," Jesse assured her.
"Thanks," Roxy winked out of existence.
"I thought I was fast," Jesse grinned.
Sir Justin tracked Goldilocks down to a darkened room, "Milady, art thou all right?"
"I'm as good as it gets," Goldilocks said sadly.
He flipped on the lights and Goldilocks shielded her eyes, "That was cruel."
"What art though doing here?" the Shining Knight inquired.
"Trying to find hope where there is none," Goldilocks revealed.
"Why hast thou lost heart, milady?" Sir Justin asked.
"Please, don't be concerned. It just makes it all harder," Goldilocks pleaded.
"Art thou troubled by the future?" Shining Knight wanted to know, "Take heart. We shall prevail because our hearts our pure."
"Maybe that's why the future is bleak," Goldilocks snorted.
"Pardon?" Sir Justin was confused by the remark.
"Any direction the future takes, my destiny is to die," Goldilocks promised him.
"What dost thou mean?" Sir Justin was alarmed.
Seeing his horrified expression, she took pity on him, "If we fail and my version of the future is restored, I'll be hunted down by Saturn Queen's minions and taken before her so that she can devise the most horrific death for me. It'll probably last weeks. And if we succeed in preventing any version of that future from happening then I'll never have been sent here and I'll just cease to exist. So either way, it's always been a suicide mission. One that I gladly accepted."
"This cannot be…" Sir Justin was stricken.
"It is, my love, and always has been," Goldilocks told him, "But thanks for your concern."
"But you said…" Sir Justin struggled with the truth.
"I said you might be reunited with Tessa and that's still true," Goldilocks promised, "But you can't save me. No one can."
"Um…we have a meeting about to get underway. I can try and stall them," Roxy offered.
"No need," Goldilocks assured her and headed out of the room.
"Sir Justin?" Roxy was uncertain how to proceed.
"I'm…I'm coming," he assured her at last.
As Sir Justin left the room, Roxy dropped her avatar but her processors dwelt on the matter. She'd recently conducted intensive research into temporal mechanics and Goldilocks had told the Shining Knight the complete truth. No matter what happened next, Goldilocks faced certain death.
Part of Roxy's core programming was the drive to sustain her own existence at nearly any cost. How could Goldilocks willingly accept her certain demise, especially on a hope as fleeting as altering the future. The weight of history becoming the future with all of its drives and events intact or at least partially realized was nearly unstoppable. Yet the woman had essentially thrown her life away for a microscopic chance to derail the future that had brought her to the past. For an artificial intelligence, it was unthinkable.
"I see you brought friends with you this time," the Crimson Queen remarked as her throne room was cleared of civilians. Crimson Jihad took up positions around the Titans. Scarlet Rose stood to the left of her sister's thrones to better block right handed assaults.
"Everyone take it easy," Deathstroke advised his own people as well as the Crimson Queen's.
"I don't think we're the ones needing that advice," Cheshire murmured.
"What's at play here?" Deathstroke asked, "I came peacefully and at your request."
"But I can't be seen as owing you for El-Fadil's return, Slade," Crimson Queen told him, "So I invited you here so I could make a demonstration of my neutrality."
"That doesn't work for me," Deathstroke replied.
"And what will you do? You can't kill me and you know it," Crimson Queen laughed.
"I always find a way if I'm properly motivated," Deathstroke promised her.
"Scimitar!" the Crimson Queen clapped her hands together.
As the mentioned agent moved, his psychokinetic sword formed between his hands and he came slashing down upon Cheshire. Before she could even move, Arsenal shoved her out of the way…at the cost of his own right arm.
Arsenal clutched at the stump, "Sonuvabitch!"
Crimson Queen clapped again but before Scimitar could move a pistol cracked and a bullet impacted Scimitar's forehead. The Crimson Jihad went on alert and so did the Titans.
"The first round was a rubber bullet. The only rubber bullet," Deathstroke holstered his sidearm, "From here on end, it gets very real."
"I've made my point, Slade," Crimson Queen declared.
Deathstroke could see the apology in Scarlet Rose's eyes for the position her sister had forced her into. Cheshire pulled the sash from her hips and bound Arsenal's wound, "We need to transport Roy before he bleeds to death."
"You have safe passage," Crimson Queen vouched, "As long as you take his arm with you."
"You've made a deadly mistake today," Deathstroke promised, "The Legion will turn on you and I'll make certain you have no recourse from anyone else."
"You'd wish that, wouldn't you?" Crimson Queen taunted.
Crimson Jihad followed the Titans back to their airfield. Scarlet Rose turned to her sister, "Please explain to me how that wasn't a sincere effort to slowly commit suicide."
"Let me explain a few facts to you, little sister," Crimson Queen offered.
Conner, Cassie, Celine, Miguel, Bart, Kiran, and Fairchild all drove to the hospital where Rachel Roth was recuperating and Gar Logan was watching over her. They were all better known as the Teen Titans. But even with such a gathering, not all of them were represented.
Jason Todd went…wherever he went when he wasn't being Red Hood. Miss Martian stepped out as M'gann M'orzz to become Megan Morse and caught several buses to get to Presidio Park. Megan liked coming to the park to observe human behavior. Especially now that she had taken J'onn Jonzz's advice and joined a human super team. She could fathom why J'onn was assisting the Legion but she had several guesses and they all frightened her.
Red Robin and Ravager were left all alone. Red Robin brought her to the main rec room, "Wait for me here."
She watched the news for a while and thought the endless political campaigning was utterly futile in the face of the Justice Leagues crisis. Red Robin returned as Beryl Hutchison, "Okay, your turn."
He tossed a backpack, "Here are a few things to choose from when you change."
Rose Wilson-Worth came back from his room, "And how exactly did you guess my sizes?"
"I pretty much eyeballed you in the tunnels beneath New York City," he admitted.
"Are you sure you want to be seen with me?" Rose smirked, "Even as a civilian I'm pretty noticeable."
"I'll risk it," Beryl assured her, "The garage is this way."
He tossed her a motorcycle helmet and grabbed his own. Mounting his bike, he waited for her to switch on the built-in radio mike and get behind him. As soon as she happily grabbed his waist, the motorcycle roared out of the garage and sped without hesitation out into traffic.
Rose warned him over the radio, "You're the one riding bitch on the way back."
"Fine, I'm cool with that," Beryl replied.
Rose held him even tighter. Every guy she'd tried to be with before him always wanted aggressive in bed and not on the street. Which usually ended badly. Rose had taken to paying professionals for recreational sex. Something Slade approved of.
Beryl let Rose take charge when she needed to. He was confident enough with himself to simply let her and then reassert himself when she floundered. Rose wondered if this was how love began. She had absolutely no basis for comparison.
Talon's current safe house was inside Gotham City limits. Calvin Rose eyeballed his unexpected guest, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you found me. But you're certain Nightwing willingly left Florida with Lincoln March?"
"Lincoln couldn't force Nightwing to go if he tried," Batman assured him, "He had to have gone voluntarily."
"I know the Court of Owls despises your influence in Gotham but why meet with Nightwing? He has less love for you than the Court itself," Talon commented.
"Nightwing is really Dick Grayson," Batman revealed.
"The potential recruit the Owls lost leading to my recruitment," Talon realized, "And he's obviously trained so he could become a serving Talon despite Aneesa's being in the post. And it would strike a blow against Bruce Wayne."
"She was defeated in combat," Batman reminded Calvin, "They may have lost faith in her."
"And Deathstroke and White Rabbit effectively demonstrated just how vulnerable the Owl nest in Gotham still is," Talon commented.
"Do you know where to find them?" Batman asked.
"They haven't dug new warrens," Talon assured him, "And even if they have, I can find him."
Batman rolled out a map, "Show me."
Talon pointed and Batman marked, "In ten hours I'll be routing the GCPD to each of these locations. Lincoln may have another agent in play but so do I. If they are in play when you come upon Nightwing, do not interfere with their withdrawal."
"And what will you be doing?" Talon pointedly asked.
"I'll be a very distinctive distraction," Batman explained, "I'm going to interrogate Two-Face and Penguin over where they've spent the last twenty-four hours. The Owls will be watching me and not looking for you."
ACME Trade Goods' warehouse held an Owl base beneath it. Part of it included an arena whereby condemned Owls were pitted against the standing Talon of that year. But before they reached that point they stood before the Court of Owls' tribunal. Nightwing had been brought here by Lincoln March. The Owl Matron served as Chief Justice while Lincoln made his case.
"Behold! The instrument of both Batman and Bruce Wayne's destruction!" Lincoln proudly proclaimed.
"I haven't agreed to anything yet," Nightwing advised him.
"Why does he speak?" the Owl Matron shrilly demanded to know.
"Because he has never known when to simply shut up," Helena Wayne stated as she entered the courtroom.
She greeted her father and smiled towards Nightwing, "Owl got your tongue, Grayson?"
"If you were expecting this to be a surprise, I think the connection is a little obvious. Your father practically drooled as he revealed he had a source inside of Spyral," Nightwing shared.
"So, did Uncle Bruce fund Batman before or after he practically adopted you?" Helena was obviously playing the role of prosecutor in this farce.
"Bruce traveled the world looking for a man that could become Batman. His taking me on was just a coincidence after Batman started his campaign, funded by Bruce," Nightwing gave the official line.
"And what do you think of the man that handed you over to Batman to be used as a weapon?" Helena spun sharply.
"I begged Bruce to let Batman train me," Nightwing told a distorted version of the truth, "Against his better judgment, he said 'yes'. Batman helped me avenge my parents' death rather than the other way around."
"Yet both of them have discarded you like a broken puppet," Helena sneered.
"They didn't leave me behind so much as I left them," Nightwing admitted.
"What if I offered you a better alternative?" Lincoln suddenly jumped in.
Now came the sales pitch Nightwing had come along to hear. Lincoln only gave Nightwing seconds to consider his words before continuing, "You were selected as a candidate to be trained as a Talon. Bruce Wayne and Batman interfered in that natural selection process. This is your opportunity to take your rightful place."
Nightwing spotted the slightest fidget from the serving Talon. Nightwing cast a scornful glance towards Lincoln, "Or you could go to hell and take your ever so charming daughter with you."
"I know Helena has spared little love for you but this is a prime opportunity. You could be our Talon of Talons to raise a new cadre to serve throughout the ages," Lincoln was really pitching it now, "And keep in mind 'no' is not an option."
Nightwing was ready to expose Helena, "Lead a triple life, Helena?"
"Yes, my first loyalty is to my father. Next I serve the Court of Owls without reservation. And my third loyalty is reserved for the honor of the other two," Helena proudly proclaimed.
"And Spyral is where in all of that?" Nightwing asked.
"Spyral, and especially Director Katherine Webb-Kane, is nothing but a collection of puppets that I use to further the Owls' global agenda," Helena boasted.
"Got all that?" Nightwing called out.
"You betcha," Agent Nancy Morgan called back.
Nightwing utilized a serious of acrobatic leaps to reach the scaffolding where Morgan had hidden herself. She was elated, "Oh. My. God. It's really you, Grayson. Penny wasn't lying. You really are an un-frickin'-believable superhero."
Morgan made a noise like she'd just had an orgasm. Breathlessly she motioned for him to follow her, "C'mon! This way!"
Morgan led Nightwing to a walkway to the arena, "There's an exit on the other side."
Owls appeared in the exit. Aneesa had caught up with them. Suddenly another owl themed person dropped out of seeming nowhere.
"And you are?" Nightwing skeptically asked.
"Talon. The only true Talon remaining," he declared.
"I think she has some issues with that approach," Nightwing nodded Aneesa's way.
Aneesa began swing her double bladed staff in her hands. Talon stood his ground, "Go! I'll deal with her."
"We need to make a hole, Morgan," Nightwing advised her.
Morgan chambered a round into her submachine gun, "Got it covered. Want to cover me? Now and maybe later?"
Nightwing was momentarily taken aback. He'd heard Morgan was forward and aggressive but he'd never been on her radar until now. He wanted to ask Penny just what the hell had she said anyway?
"Hello-o?" White Rabbit wandered into the underground laboratories beneath the Hall of Justice. A bright light cascaded out of a room out of sight. When White Rabbit reached it, she discovered that a network of mirrors brought sunlight down through vents and dispersed it across the lab Poison Ivy occupied.
"Over here," Ivy told her, lost amidst the hydroponics.
"You've been hidden away," White Rabbit accused.
"I've been manipulating my pollens," Ivy told her, "This latest generation puffball can knock up to a dozen people in a fifty foot radius."
"What kind of protection would our allies require?" White Rabbit held up an immature puff ball.
"A simple paper mask would provide adequate protection," Ivy explained.
"Any particular reason you've been hiding down here?" White Rabbit was curious.
"I had a little chat with Batman recently," Ivy looked philosophical, "He's always known Harley was still alive. He hasn't told anyone else. And he offered to trade me a personal amnesty if I did this project. Once the world gets back to normal, I can move to Jersey Shore and be with Harley."
Ivy was positively radiant. In fact, White Rabbit had never seen her so happy. It made her want to scream.
"That's…uh…great," White Rabbit lamely added. Ivy didn't even notice.
Jaina and White Rabbit had built all of their plans around certainties that no longer applied. Batman knew their secret. Vandal Savage was incarcerated. Nyssa no longer controlled the League of Assassins. A lifetime of schemes had been destroyed in a matter of months. Where would they go from here?
Talia al Ghul had put the Injusticers into service. The Injustice Rogues helped reconstruct Nanda Parbat's breached walls. The Injustice League found and dealt with deserters and their entire families. The Injustice Titans were all over the world, flitting from here to there informing Talia's minions in the Leagues of Shadows and Assassins that their mistress had need of them.
"It was foolish to keep Luthor El-Fadil in the first place," Nyssa al Ghul chided Talia, "The Crimson Queen isn't as deluded by ego as Lex Luthor. It was inevitable that she would learn the truth and take measures."
Nyssa could see her father's mind behind Talia's flashing eyes, "Still, Deathstroke must be taken to task for this. I've tolerated his independence for far too long."
"Fath…sister, tread lightly. Deathstroke is not a man to enrage lightly. He purposefully forgoes interfering in most of your operations. Do you want to make it his mission to destroy you?" Nyssa asked.
"I am the Demon's Head. I cannot be destroyed. Or was Talia's sacrifice not proof enough for you?" Talia asked sharply, "Is this why I gave you my name and made you my Demon's Hand? So you can cower from my enemies?"
"Deathstroke isn't an enemy," Nyssa grated, "He simply needed leverage over the Crimson Queen. Obviously El-Fadil was the pressure point he used."
"You know his plans?" Talia was startled.
"We are allied against the Legion of Doom," Nyssa explained.
"You are allied with my enemy against my allies?" Talia raged.
"As ever, I serve the true needs of the League of Shadows," Nyssa allowed.
"Your gross misinterpretation of those same needs," Talia spat.
"Your chosen goals spit in the face of thousands of years of tradition. The League of Shadows balances the powers of civilizations not the environment," Nyssa lectured her father's mind in her sister's body.
"And I say they are the same!" Talia snarled, "I take my name from you, you ungrateful cur. Leave now while I will still let you. I will find a true heir to be my Demon's Hand. Not you! Never you!"
Nyssa gathered her force, "We're leaving now."
"I take things went less than smoothly," David Cain observed.
"I am Nyssa al Ghul no longer. I am Nyssa Raatko for now and forever more," Nyssa explained, "And if you follow me, you will defy the League of Assassins and be considered beneath their contempt."
"Who the hell needs them anyway?" Wrath asked.
"Thank you, we must warn Deathstroke. The full might of the League of Assassins will soon be thrown at him," Nyssa warned.
"So let it," Syonide shuddered.
"We do not betray one allegiance to succor another, no matter what Talia might think of us," Nyssa chided her, "But first, we must collect Dark Archer. For he is the key to restoring Merlyn to our good graces."
"But our long term goal is still…?" Blacksmith began to ask.
"It is the same," Nyssa allowed, "And it is unaltered."
"Then we're with you," Blacksmith cheered.
The Injusticers followed Nyssa to the nearest teleport capable site.
"So that's Vibe's situation," Amanda Waller explained to Steve Trevor and Sue Dibney, "No one knows if Reverb has made, or is even capable of making, a similar discovery."
"As long as we're recruiting, I have someone else in mind," Trevor handed Waller an iPad.
"You can't be serious," Waller protested.
"I need a lieutenant. And Starling isn't qualified anymore because of her years undercover and her newly rekindled relationship with Bat-Girl. Elizabeth is a distraction as well as a strength. Until Eve balances her personal life with her professional one she's nearly a liability," Trevor stated.
"Is this person even real?" Waller wanted to know, "My niece reads his comic book."
"Gardner assured me he's very real," Trevor told her.
"Are we talking Guy Gardner?" Waller was incredulous.
"Guy may be a misanthropic Neanderthal with sloppy impulse control but he isn't a liar," Sue threw in, "At least not as far as we can prove."
"Okay, give me details," Waller sighed.
"PFC Joe Jones was in Anzio when the retreating Waffen SS used an experimental nerve agent. While the rest of Jones' platoon died a horrific death, he was sheltered. His official statements later claimed he was approached by the Spirit of Lady Liberty herself whereby she had him recite a stanza from a tablet she held and he transformed," Trevor explained, "Jones went to his commanding officers and they bumped him up through the ranks until he met with FDR himself. The two struck up a friendship and Jones was utilized as a masked agent in theaters the Freedom Fighters weren't in and until the war ended he never operated domestically since the Justice Society and All Star Squadron were held off from the European and Asian fronts so they stayed behind to battle insurgents and fifth columnists."
"But really? General Glory? I think I'm going to be sick," Waller complained.
"My grandfather fought beside General Glory in Europe," Trevor confided, "He wasn't certain of his past but he said General Glory was the bravest man he'd ever fought beside. I don't consider my grandfather a liar."
"And the comic book?" Waller still looked pained.
"Army Counterintelligence came up with that," Trevor told her, "No one would ever believe General Glory was real if he was a comic book character."
"I don't want to believe he's real," Waller snorted, "Where's he been all these years? He'd have to be a hundred years old."
"Last year, Joe Jones turned ninety-five. And then he died of congestive heart failure," Trevor divulged.
"You want to recruit a corpse?" Waller erupted.
"Jones was put in a hospital room he shared with a wounded police officer named Donovan Wallace. Wallace had been made a quadriplegic in a shootout between rival gangs. He saved the lives of six children in the line of duty that day," Trevor stated, "Wallace and Jones shared the room for three days before Jones died."
"Is there a point to any of this?" Waller wondered.
"The day Jones died, Wallace disappeared without a trace," Trevor told her, "He couldn't move a single muscle below his neck so how did he walk out of a hospital?"
"I suppose you have a theory," Waller said snidely.
"Two hours after Wallace's disappearance, a tip brought police to a location where an entire gang had been subdued and were clamoring to confess to the shootout that crippled Wallace. They described their attacker as being General Glory," Trevor revealed, "And similar reports have been coming in from Cleveland for a year now."
"These are all classified military files?" Waller looked at them with a fresh eye.
"Yes, they're under a one hundred year seal. They go public in less than twenty-five years. I want the seal extended," Trevor requested.
"Why bother?" Waller wondered.
"Because it took Sue five minutes to connect Wallace to Jones," Trevor informed her, "And Wallace has family still living in Cleveland."
"No one would take this seriously," Waller protested.
"Mercy Grave had access to the files and took them seriously enough to try and recruit General Glory to lead Infinity, Inc," Trevor admitted.
"So what makes you think Wallace is a decent recruit?" Waller asked.
"Look up his service record. He has commendation ringing out his ears," Trevor insisted, "That's a man I want to serve with."
"You can't think this is serious," Waller asked Sue.
"I think Steve's right. We need Wallace and not just because he's become General Glory," Sue told her.
"Et tu, Susan?" Waller sighed.
"Don't ask for an opinion if you aren't ready to hear it," Sue remarked.
"All right, I give you my pending approval contingent upon meeting General Glory," Waller decided, "But you'd probably just send people after him anyway."
"Actually I did that before asking for this meeting," Trevor confessed.
As he and Sue retreated, Maven smirked at the language being hurled about, "She's in a mood."
"It actually went better than I expected," Sue admitted.
"Okay, you can put me down now," Trajectory insisted now that she and Guy were in Cleveland's city limits.
"You sure, honey? We gotta lotta ground ta cover. I wouldn't want ya wearin' yerself out before the main event later tonight," Guy tried to sound caring.
"Um…ground. Now," Trajectory felt like putting on bug repellant.
"Okay, don't get yer panties inna twist," Guy grated.
He lowered the construct carrying Trajectory to the ground. She was gone in a literal flash. She even charged the air with her passage like Wally West and Jay Garrick.
"Cripes, she is fast," Guy realized, "What'tcha know?"
Guy went higher and used his ring to track Trajectory. She was attempting to run a grid search from Lake Erie to the Cuyahoga River and everywhere in between. Finally she stopped near the port district on Lake Erie.
"Gardner? Can you home in on my location? `Cause there's something here you need to see," Trajectory radioed him over his ear piece.
Guy flew to her present location in just under a few minutes and he found her hiding behind the corner of a building. He began to guffaw, "What's wrong, babe? Need a little privacy so we can…hmph!"
Guy would have gone on but Trajectory had clamped a hand over his mouth, "Shut up. You'll scare them off."
"Scare who off? Ya useless broad." Guy slapped her hand away. It returned faster than he could even breathe.
"You said General Glory spends his time hunting down gang bangers and organized crime. Down this side street we have a meeting between both," Trajectory reminded him of his own words, "The mobsters look like Intergang. But they're supposed to be based out of Metropolis, right?"
Guy shoved her hand away again but this time he whispered, "Well, toots. Just so's ya know, Intergang has gone global. They've teamed up with the local costra nostra in every city they operate in. Intergang's got the manpower and the talent ta give the old timers a real revival."
"Sue said you were a former cop," Trajectory finally felta little respect towards Guy.
"Baltimore PD, babe. Love `em or just hump `em," Guy bragged.
"I liked it better when you didn't talk," Trajectory scowled, "So do you remember describing General Glory's activities that way or not?"
"I say a lotta things, cuddles," Guy was insufferably pleased with his lack of recollection.
"Yeah, I've noticed," Trajectory complained.
"Aw, we still got all night ta get down and dirty," Guy leered at her.
"You actually went out with Ice?" Trajectory wondered.
Guy darkened, "It wuz one date."
"I couldn't imagine there being a second," Trajectory admitted.
"Look, ya little…" Guy started to hiss.
Trajectory's hand clamped over his mouth again as a bird-like shadow passed over them, "He's here."
"Ain't nobody here, ya dumb…" Guy's ring pulsed twice, "I'll be damned. He is here. What're these yahoos even dealin' with here?"
"Intergang seems to be selling the gang members drugs and guns," Trajectory pointed out, "I thought that would make perfect bait for your friend. I'm glad I was right."
"Uh…this General Glory ain't as much my friend as the old General Glory wuz," Guy confessed.
Trajectory barely had time to register that comment before she blurted, "Does anyone like you?"
"Before the General died he gave me his dog, Wonder Pup," Guy looked hurt.
"And the dog actually likes you?" Trajectory couldn't bring herself to believe it.
"Hey, most dogs like me," Guy was defensive now.
Trajectory had to admit Guy thought like a rutting dog so it made sense, "And you met Donovan Wallace before he became the new General Glory?"
"An' once afterwards," Guy asserted.
"Shh!" Trajectory looked around the corner as a booming voice called down to the crooks, "Gentlemen, drop your weapons, put your hands on your heads, and back away slowly."
"Awl right! We finally get ta bust some heads!" Guy enthused.
"Ease off the throttle, cowboy. We're here to observe and we only intervene after seeing General Glory in action," Trajectory reminded him.
"Aw, yer a wus just like Trevor," Guy complained.
Trajectory's heart skipped a beat as a very patriotically themed person leapt down from the rooftops. His golden shoulder epaulets grew into wings to slow his descent. But when General Glory landed, he spun into action. His acrobatic agility combined with pure physical strength knocked criminals senseless before they even realized they were under attack.
General Glory seemed to strike from all sides at once, confusing the gang bangers to the point they opened fire on each other. General Glory then concentrated on Intergang. Intergang's enforcers mowed down the surviving gang bangers. General Glory relentlessly pummeled them into oblivion despite their helmets and body armor.
It wasn't until General Glory leapt atop Intergang's delivery truck that things seemed soured for him. Intergang's last four gunmen surrounded the truck. General Glory watched them expectantly.
The armed and angry enforcers were prepared to kill General Glory so Trajectory burst into action. She took out two of the gunmen before they even realized she was approaching. Guy flattened a third with a yellow brick and General Glory dealt with the fourth panicking gunman.
"Thank you, ma'am. I had to see what you'd do and you didn't disappoint," General Glory told her.
"That bit on the truck was a setup?" Trajectory was nonplussed.
"I had two strangely dressed potential perps sitting on the sidelines. You'll forgive me if I doubted your intentions," General Glory stated, "Gardner, I'm surprised you bothered coming."
"Har, har! Ya still upset `bout last time?" Guy guffawed.
"You crippled a man. He'll never walk again because of you," General Glory thought it was like debating with a rhesus monkey.
"Yer just pissed `cause yer a cripple too. If the General Glory hadn't asked the Spirit of Lady Liberty ta let ya take over, ya'd still be lyin' in bed cryin' ta yer mama," Guy predicted. Guy suddenly looked remorseful, "I didn't mean that."
"Yes, you did," General Glory said coldly.
"General, could I have a private word with you?" Trajectory shot Guy an angry glare.
"Yeesh! I know when I ain't wanted," Guy flew off.
"Not usually you don't," Trajectory murmured, "General Glory, I've been asked by a federal agency to recruit you to the Justice League of America."
"I've watched the news, miss. I've never seen you with them," General Glory informed her.
"Sgt. Wallace, my understanding is I haven't even met every member of the JLA yet. But we're facing a crisis and we need your help," Trajectory explained the situation to him, "With your help, I know we can beat them."
"I'm not sure…" General Glory hedged.
"I just joined the JLA so I don't know why they sent me but I do realize it's a chance to make a difference in this world on a global scale. Can you really afford to skip the opportunity of a lifetime?" Trajectory asked.
General Glory's eyes went blank for a second then he snapped out of it, "I guess not. And I guess we just discovered why they sent you. I'll talk to your people."
"Awl right!" Guy whooped as he landed, "If ya will just step inta the carriage we'll be off ta Brooklyn."
"Do you always listen in on private conversations?" Trajectory asked.
"Every luvvin' chance I get," Guy promised her.
"Great," Trajectory muttered. But at least she'd get to talk more with General Glory on the flight to New York.
"Steve, White Rabbit informed me her Legion contact reports Luthor went to Apokolips in the company of three Female Furies," Sue reported, "The other seven escorted Big Barda back to Granny Goodness."
"There will be hell to pay once Barda learns Scott is dead," Trevor grimly predicted.
"White Rabbit also reported that Calendar Man won't be giving her any more updates," Sue regretted to say.
"At least we persuaded Lady Chronos to assist Claire Connelly," Trevor sought a bright spot.
"Mary Marvel showed up looking for Black Adam and Isis. She's dressed like Black Adam and calling herself Black Mary now. Considering she's a Black Marvel now it shouldn't be a surprise Black Adam and Isis wanted to talk with her. They left almost an hour ago and took Osiris with them," Sue informed him.
"Which means they're not coming back any time soon," Trevor groaned.
"That little conclave of JLers you've had me monitoring have recruited Kalea and Wonder Woman into their plans," Sue told him, "Do you want me to bring them in?"
"No, let them make their plans," Trevor instructed, "And then we'll determine whether or not they're viable. And they're going to be missing Black Adam and Isis for the duration anyway."
"At least Trajectory persuaded General Glory to come here despite Guy's presence," Sue pointed out, "And the fact he neglected to mention the bad blood between him and the current General Glory."
"Is there anyone on the planet Guy doesn't have bad blood with?" Trevor had to wonder.
"Wonder Pup," Sue got an incredulous look from Trevor over that, "The old General Glory's bulldog."
"That's a stretch," Trevor riposted her.
"Give me a break. I'm groping here," Sue complained.
"And there's still no word on Supergirl or White Lantern?" Trevor asked miserably.
"I suppose you could ask Kalea," Sue thought about it, "After all, Almerac has been spying on us for over a decade now."
"Good idea," Trevor decided to glean the good from the situation.
"I thought you wanted me out of your computer systems," Kalea smirked upon hearing their request.
"One computer network, that's it. You don't need to infiltrate every computer on the planet again," Trevor clarified.
"Would you even realize it if I violated your instructions?" Kalea asked.
Trevor looked over at Sue and she shook her head. Trevor looked back at Kalea, "We're simply trusting you."
"Then I guess I will have to live up to your expectations," Kalea decided, "First I require imagery to base a comparison on."
Sue called up file photos of Supergirl and Kyle Rayner when he was still a Green Lantern. Kalea's breath caught in her chest, "She wears the signet of the House of El."
"The 'S' is a family emblem?" Sue was startled by that revelation.
"The glyph means 'hope' in Kryptonian," Kalea explained, "It is been the representation of the House of El for a thousand years. Yet Kara In-Ze is not of my house."
"Superman formally adopted her when he recovered her from Argo," Power Girl explained from the doorway, "It seemed a pointless formality yet it carried great emotional weight with them."
Galatea didn't bother explaining she'd been left out of the arrangement. Kalea understood that meaning though, "And I thought she was just a make believe cousin."
"Can we focus?" Trevor asked.
"The search is purely automated now," Kalea pointed at the tablet she held, "When a comparable image appears, it will be displayed beside your file photos. If you want I can even look for naked photos of you, Col. Trevor."
"Do you take any form of authority seriously?" Trevor asked.
"I serve my empress," Kalea said solemnly.
"But she's also your mother," Sue pointed out.
"Biologically but not legally," Kalea reminded them, "By her own edict. I have greater legal ties to my father, who I barely know, on a world that would happily kill me."
"You don't sound bitter," Trevor realized.
"I created my own situation. So who else can I blame?" Kalea asked, "All I can do is offer service in the hopes it will be rewarded. But there is an equal chance it won't be."
"Why wouldn't it be?" Sue wondered.
"My mother is preparing to take Warlord Ultraa as her consort even though she hasn't quite reconciled herself to it yet," Kalea explained, "Their children will be full blooded Almeracian nobility thereby negating any claims I could possibly have to the throne. Ultraa himself would supersede my ties to the throne even though he may have lingering doubts regarding my intentions. The nobility have proud traditions regarding the elimination of rivals. Yet Ultraa can't beat me in open combat. So he might seek stealthier means of securing Maxima's throne for himself."
"Have you told your mother about this?" Trevor wondered.
"In a manner of speaking. I encouraged her to marry Ultraa," Kalea told them, "This way I can flush him out."
Kalea's computer began pinging, "I believe I have a match."
She pulled up an image of a Red Lantern, a Star Sapphire, and a White Lantern, "You should have told me Kara had been chosen by a red power ring and that Rayner was now a White Lantern. I don't know who the Star Sapphire is."
"Her name is Fatality," Power Girl broke her silence. She'd once been a Star Sapphire as well, "And Kara didn't tell me she'd become a Red Lantern."
Kalea could hear the hurt in Galatea's voice, "This image was taken four of your weeks ago. She might not have had time to inform anyone of her change of status. They haven't returned to this solar system which could mean there's a greater crisis out there in the universe we don't know anything about."
Kalea had briefly spoken with Power Girl. She knew Power Girl felt confident she could kill Superman or Ultraman if she had to. But she preferred not having to.
Blackhawk found Galatea, "Tea, Speedy and Artemis are having an archery contest down in the training level. Afterwards Starling has challenged Vigilante to a shooting match."
Vigilante and Vixen had recently returned from traveling across US military repositories gathering kryptonite shards. They came back with nearly two pounds of fragments. The kryptonite was being stored in a lead lined safe in the operations center.
"May I ask what you have in the safe, Colonel?" Kalea wondered.
"Nearly two pounds of kryptonite," Trevor readily answered.
"Would you like more?" Kalea asked.
"Of course we would," Sue answered.
"Galatea, I suggest you go watch the contests," Kalea advised her.
They both left but Kalea returned with a twenty pound bag filled with kryptonite. Sue saw the strain in Kalea's face, "This still affects you, doesn't it?"
"I am still half-Kryptonian. It doesn't incapacitate me but it is painful to be around and prolonged exposure would eventually be lethal," Kalea explained.
"Where did you get this much?" Trevor was terrified and delighted all at once.
"The one you call Cosmic King transmuted several stones into kryptonite. Diana kept two and I took the rest," Kalea explained, "And before you ask, Alexandra should have the same reaction to it that I do. So I doubt they're lining her bed chamber with it."
"What do we do with it?" Sue asked.
"I can assist your weapons smiths in making bladed hand weapons out of it," Kalea offered, "My people have kept abreast of Krypton's history and the threat Kryptonians pose."
"Superman and Supergirl are the last Kryptonians," Trevor argued.
"Hardly," Kalea snorted, "Where do you think the Daxamites came from? Five thousand years ago they were Kryptonian colonists but the planet Daxam changed them on a genetic level and they developed their deadly allergy to lead as well as became corrupted in the eyes of pure Kryptonians. But it saved the Daxamites lives. But they've got a xenophobic undertone that laces their entire culture. It'll only get worse in time."
"Then there's New Krypton," Kalea informed them, "The colony of Kandor outlived Krypton's destruction and they've been settled on an icy world that orbits a yellow sun. They may not have interstellar flight capacity anymore but they will and each citizen is as powerful as Superman. There's been no contact with the colony over the last five thousand years but it was settled when Krypton was militant and aggressively expanding their empire. Kandor has nine hundred million residents and the population is swelling. How long will it be before they settle a colony on another world? And then another and another after that?"
"And what separates Krypton from Almerac?" Trevor challenged Kalea.
"Almerac and Krypton both conquer. But Krypton has traditionally been xenophobic and enslaved races to work them into extinction," Kalea described the differences, "Almerac takes slaves but we guarantee they have basic rights and can address grievances against their masters. Subjects have further rights and can own property and businesses. Citizens can own all of the above, including slaves. The nobles alone can own worlds."
Kalea went on, "Imperial governors oversee economic relations and imperial law over each subject world. But subject worlds are autonomous and local governments are derived strictly by local traditions and standards. Representatives from every world now sit on a legislative council and every class in the realm has seats."
"It sounds very Roman," Sue admitted, "With improvements."
"I studied your Romans and I used them as a template for Marcus' reforms," Kalea admitted.
"I thought you didn't like humans," Trevor accused.
"I specifically said humans weren't my favorite people. But I can find admirable qualities about my worst enemy as well as my friends," Kalea corrected him.
"And where do we fit in?" Sue wondered.
"Today humanity is my friend," Kalea offered.
"Anybody in this farkin' joint?" Guy could be heard bellowing from the foyer.
"Excuse us," Trevor said as he and Sue met with Trajectory, General Glory, and Guy, "General, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Col. Steve Trevor, the JLA field commander. This is Sue Dibney, our Chief of Operations."
"I'll be candid, Col. Trevor. Trajectory has made a case for joining forces with you. But I want to see the nuts and bolts and to see why you'd let someone like Gardner join your force," General Glory shared.
Sue exchanged a painful look with Trevor already knowing Waller's own opinion, "If you could follow us."
"I'll see you afterward," Trajectory promised.
"Well, look-ee here! If it ain't the bionic babe!" Guy leered over Kalea.
"Go away, Gardner. I'm not in the mood for your repulsive juvenile antics," Kalea warned him.
"Ya aren't goin' ta be sayin' that when I rip that armor offa ya and drag yer panties off with my teeth," Guy boasted, "Then I'll take my tongue and…urk!"
For the second time in recent history, Guy was knocked out with a single punch. Kalea hoped he could somehow hear her still, "Next time, I cave your skull in."
Trajectory sidled up to Kalea, "I don't think we've properly met…"
General Glory wore an appreciative smile, "Is she a member?"
"No, but she's proving to be very useful," Trevor assured him, "But we have other members just like her."
"Tell me more," General Glory asked in a much friendlier tone.