23
Having arrived at Granny Goodness' orphanage on Apokolips, Bernadeth led the Female Furies under her charge in presenting their former leader, Big Barda, to Granny as a prize. But Bernadeth ignored the fact she hadn't led Barda's capture. And the Female Furies certainly hadn't done the capturing. Barda had been taken into captivity by the Legion of Doom, the Female Furies' sometime ally.
Granny was well aware of these facts. But she wanted to see just how Bernadeth would present them. As it was, Bernadeth was making a grand procession out of things.
"Granny Goodness! I present our prize!" Bernadeth loudly proclaimed.
Mad Harriet, Stompa, Malice Vundabar, Bloody Mary, Wunda, and Speed Queen all knew Bernadeth really meant her prize but they were holding on to her coattails. Malice's Chessure held Barda captive between its jaws. Without the shadow demon, they wouldn't have even been able to hold Barda long enough to transfer her from the Hall of Doom to Apokolips.
"Really, my ducklings? Is this your very own gift to dear, old Granny?" she purred, "Because Lex Luthor contacted me three Earth days ago and informed me our naughty Barda had been captured by the Legion of Doom. So I have to wonder just how you acquired your succulent prize. Was it a fierce battle? Was it a titanic struggle? Was it a tremendous victory?"
"All of the above!" Bernadeth tried to salvage a ship going down in flames, "We captured the vile traitor as she escaped from Luthor's custody."
"Leading Barda out of a cell into Chessure's jaws is hardly a struggle," Granny said coldly, "Why do you lie to your tired, old Granny?"
Bernadeth put together who had fed Granny the truth, "Lashina lied! We fought and struggled while she hid. Now she lies to you to spoil my victory!"
"Your victory?" Granny sneered, "Should we have Chessure release Barda so you can demonstrate how you achieved victory over her?"
"Uh…uh…whatever is Granny's pleasure," Bernadeth looked near panic.
Granny shot Bernadeth with an electro lance. Bernadeth screamed until she couldn't scream anymore. Granny relented but she wore a cruel smile.
"Haven't I always taught you to be honest with your kind, loving Granny?" she cooed, "Malice! Have your pet release Barda! Now!"
Malice whimpered before giving the command, "Let her go, Chessy."
Barda landed in a crouch as Chessure dropped her. The shadow demon moved away to shelter Malice from her. Barda studied her chances of escaping and came to her conclusion.
"Now, now," Granny tried to sound reasonable, "There's nothing for you to go back to. Scott Free is dead."
"You're lying," Barda growled.
"Kal-El himself contacted the great Darkseid and informed him of the death of Highfather's son," Granny informed her, "He died on that miserable Themiscyra the Amazons stand watch over. I'm as devastated as you, my precious. I always hoped my boy would come back to me."
Barda's fist smashed Granny's nose before she spun a round kick into Stompa's head. Then she drove her knee into Stompa's gut before finishing her off with a right cross. Mad Harriett pounced but Barda caught her in the air and flipped her over. The concrete cracked under Mad Harriet's landing.
Barda punched Speed Queen as she raced towards her. Bernadeth whimpered, "Please…"
Barda pulled Bernadeth's Feron blades from their sheathes and impaled Desaad's sister's hands. Wunda shrank back from Barda and let her pass. Bloody Mary tried to intervene but Barda smashed her face into a wall so hard it cracked the stonework. Only Malice and Chessure stood in Barda's path.
Malice stepped aside as Barda retrieved one of many boom tube controllers. Chessure stood guard over Malice as Barda created a boom tube and vanished into it. Bernadeth shivered from fright as Granny loomed over her.
"Well my pet, it seems you have a failure to account for," Granny angrily told her as she activated the electro lance.
"No! It wasn't just me!" Bernadeth pleaded, remembering how Desaad tortured her in her youth.
"She was your prize wasn't she? Your great triumph? Where is she now? After striking my face?" Granny raged as she prodded Bernadeth with the lance. Bernadeth found she could still scream until she eventually passed out. Then Granny simply left her where she fell, with her hands still pinned to the floor.
Throughout the disciplinary session, Stompa, Mad Harriet, and Bloody Mary all took grim satisfaction in recompense for their injuries. Wunda worried that she might be next. Malice looked as demented as ever as she stroked Chessure as it fed off of Bernadeth's misery.
"Here it is," Lashina informed Lex Luthor as she opened up the laboratory, "Desaad is overseeing the creation of a cult worshiping Darkseid on Daxam. Meanwhile, he's abandoned this facility and even Dev Em as he lies dying."
Lashina went straight to the medical bay and checked on Supreme. He felt her touch and groggily came awake, "You're back."
Lashina's heart broke at those words. How long had he lain here, flitting in and out of consciousness, never knowing if someone would share his final moments with him? Lashina had never known love throughout her life, and even the BDSM laced version she shared with Supreme was enough to confuse her.
"Do something," Lashina grated at Luthor when he joined them. Gilotina and Artemiz could tell Lashina was on the verge of unspeakable violence.
Luthor studied the monitor readings, "Only Darkseid could resurrect him now."
"You said…!" Lashina snarled.
"I said I could cure him if the poisoning hadn't reached past a certain point," Luthor clarified for her again, "It has. He's terminal. It's a great loss. He was a valuable asset."
"He was more of a man than you'll ever be!" Lashina lunged at Luthor but Gilotina and Artemiz held her back.
"Lashina…" Supreme mumbled.
"I'm here, Dev Em," Lashina desperately clutched at his hand.
"It's okay. I've served the Master well," Supreme assured her, "It's a good death. And you made it a good life."
His eyes closed for the last time and his chest eventually stopped rising and falling. He lost all color as the lead poisoning toxified the last of his blood. Lashina recoiled.
"Serve the Master," she spat, "When have we ever done anything else? Well, I'm through."
She stormed out of the lab. Artemiz dispatched Unus, Secundus, and Tertius to watch over her. They returned moments later and telepathically reported to their mistress.
"Lashina used a boom tube to return to Earth," Artemiz told them, "The cyber pack couldn't ascertain where she went to though."
"Who cares?" Luthor chuckled, "Now on to the real work."
He found Gilotina's swords in an "X" around his throat, "Give me a reason to keep you alive."
"Because Darkseid wants me alive," Luthor said with confidence, "Even as fast as you are, I can use the Anti-Life Equation to kill you before you strike me down. Then I'll simply kill Darkseid. You do remember what happened here on Apokolips the last time he died?"
The Female Furies remembered all too well. Granny Goodness had allied with Vermin Vundabar against Steppenwolf's forces which included Desaad and Bernadeth. It had been a stupid waste of resources that had weakened the entire planet against Brainiac's assault.
"The Master also wants you to be a faithful ally," Artemiz reminded him, "Are you one?"
"Sometimes allies have to be proactive in anticipating an ally's needs before he, she, or it, even realize there is a need," Luthor chuckled.
Artemiz drew and fired an arrow faster than Luthor could track. The arrowhead clipped his right ear lobe and he hissed in pain. Artemiz was totally unrepentant.
"I anticipated your need of a reminder to be faithful," she told him.
"Heh, so you did," Luthor chuckled, "Now, can we dispense with the swords?"
"Why do you want to be here?" Gilotina didn't budge despite Luthor's earlier threats.
"Desaad has worked out a universal detoxifier," Luthor explained, "A…colleague of mine called the Scarecrow has been developing a blend of his fear toxin with Venom. You recall Venom? Used by Bane, a brawny fellow with a low threshold for anything?"
"You said a universal detoxifier," Artemiz reminded him, "Could it have cured Supreme's lead poisoning?"
Luthor's smile broadened, "Yes, it could have."
"Desaad could have cured Dev Em any time he wanted?" Gilotina stepped back from Luthor, not trusting herself not to lop his head off.
"Yes, he could have," Luthor gladly shared, "And I could have as well."
"Then why didn't you?" Artemiz asked a very low, threatening voice.
Luthor wasn't certain he could trigger the Anti-Life Equation before she could fire an arrow at him, "Because Darkseid forbade us to."
"The Master commanded that Supreme die?" Gilotina was disappointed.
"And I followed along as a faithful ally," Luthor admitted.
Artemiz was tempted to use him as a pin cushion for twisting her words back at her, "Then why lie to Lashina?"
"Because all of this was a test of her loyalties," Luthor divulged, "My serum protecting Supreme from his lead poisoning didn't fail. Darkseid neutralized it in his system. Then he contacted me and had me establish this ruse. All of this to test Lashina's loyalty and faith."
"Faith?" Gilotina struggled with that concept.
"On Apokolips, Darkseid is the god above all New Gods. He wanted to know if Lashina would follow him no matter what," Luthor explained.
"And Lashina has obviously failed the test," Artemiz said sadly.
"Wouldn't this Scarecrow have developed his own cure?" Gilotina went back to the topic.
"Scarecrow doesn't think in terms of cures," Luthor said blandly.
The cyber wolves whined. Artemiz turned off the lights, "Precious is roaming the halls. She's become impossible since Kal-El impregnated her."
"Superman impregnated a New God?" Luthor was intrigued.
"Kal-El of Earth-2 did the honors," Gilotina explained, "But your Superman impregnated Mala over a dozen times. The Master received a dozen fertilized embryos and Mala carried triplets. Which multiple births amongst Kryptonians are quite rare. She may even survive birthing them given her durability."
"Wouldn't you mean 'were quite rare'? There are no Kryptonians besides Superman, Supergirl, the clone calling herself Power Girl, and Jax-Ur and Mala," Luthor narrowed the list down.
"Jax-Ur is dead," Artemiz revealed, "And there is one last Kryptonian colony. Kandor is the city-state of New Krypton."
"Why didn't your Master hurl the Kryptonians at Earth instead of the Daxamites?" Luthor wondered.
"The Daxamites are weak and easily controlled," Gilotina explained, "The Kryptonians are still a martial race despite having been out of contact with the home world for over a thousand years. They never knew their people largely lost the will to fight and conquer. That they'd lost an empire. Kandor still remembers the glories of campaigns gone past. They're building a fleet in secret and then they will rain destruction down upon old enemies."
"Like whom?" Luthor was curious.
"Almerac," Artemiz happily told him, "Unless Ultraa can convince Maxima to kneel to Darkseid."
"I wish him luck," Luthor chuckled, "I understand Maxima can be as stubborn as Wonder Woman. Probably the attraction both have for Superman."
The cyber wolves whimpered again. Artemiz turned to Luthor, "Precious has left the building. We can leave undetected now."
"Take me away. I'm yours," he smugly smirked.
Gilotina was tempted to draw her sword and behead him before he could turn around. Artemiz shook her head and Gilotina subsided. Once they got outside the Palace of Pain, Artemiz kept watch for overhead parademon patrols while Gilotina used her controller to prepare a boom tube.
"Your base is no longer where it was," Gilotina advised Luthor.
"What?" he was outraged.
"It's now in orbit over your planet," she happily informed him upon seeing it upset him.
"Input these coordinates," Luthor recited spatial parameters.
"Hurry, a patrol is heading this way," Artemiz warned them.
Gilotina created the boom tube, "And we're away."
But Darkseid had observed everything with his scrying window. He summoned Steppenwolf. It was time to inform his general of his plans for Lashina and Supreme.
Underneath the ACME warehouse, Spyral Agent Nancy Morgan exchanged gunfire with assorted Owls. Nightwing had headed into the overhead catwalks to drop in behind the Owls. He disarmed and beat them senseless. Morgan felt another near orgasm coming on.
"This way!" Nightwing insisted, "It's clear up ahead."
"What about him?" Morgan looked back at where Talon fought Aneesa.
"I think he has his own exit planned," Nightwing guessed.
As Morgan and Nightwing made their way to the surface, Talon withdrew from the fight with Aneesa. His retreat would put her back in the Court of Owls' good graces. Talon felt more comfortable facing a fellow Talon that he knew he could beat.
Morgan led Nightwing through the maze of warehouses and shipping containers that faced Gotham's Hudson River ports. And they happened upon a nondescript minivan. She grinned as she unlocked it.
"Company car. Get in," Morgan waited as Nightwing hesitated, "You got a better exit strategy, Mr. Hot Pants?"
"No, I'm just not sure getting in with you is safe," he admitted.
"Would you prefer to drive?" Morgan dangled the keys.
"I think I prefer you keeping your hands busy," Nightwing relented as he got in.
"I can multitask," Morgan warned him as she got in and started the engine.
"Just get us out of here," Nightwing requested.
"Any destination in mind?" Morgan asked, "I'm thinking a Club Med."
"I'm thinking the Hall of Justice," Nightwing threw cold water on Morgan's visions of unrestrained hedonism.
"We could still play hooky for a couple of hours," Morgan suggested, "Or even the rest of the night."
"Look, I'm really flattered but I'm spoken for," Nightwing tried to be gentle about it.
"Yeah, the guppy girlfriend," Morgan said flippantly, "Haven't you ever wanted to be with a real woman?"
Nightwing smashed the forward console just to the right of the steering wheel, "I don't know what kind of relationships you're used to, but this isn't the start of one I want to be in."
Morgan was actually afraid, "S…sure. N…no problem."
Morgan knew the door had been firmly slammed in her face intended to leave a bloody nose, "I didn't realize how committed you were to your relationship. With you both working for the United Nations but on separate continents I just assumed your relationship was a little more open than it is."
"Since I'm out of Spyral, Ulla is leaving the Justice League International and we're settling down in Bludhaven," Nightwing revealed.
"How settled are we talking?" Morgan saw a small ray of hope.
"I asked her to marry me and she said 'yes'," Nightwing shared.
And Morgan's door swung shut again, "I had no clue."
"No one does, actually. I just asked her yesterday," Nightwing admitted, "With everything happening the way it is, we haven't had a chance to share the news."
"Well, congratulations," Morgan was slightly hurt when Nightwing gave her a skeptical look, "No, seriously. I honestly wish the best for you. I hope it can happen to me one day."
"I'm sure whoever he will be won't turn you down when you ask," Nightwing teased.
"Yeah, it'll probably go down that way," Morgan sighed before brightening, "Right before a lot more going down happens."
"My suggestion is, don't try breaking up existing relationships. Even if the guy leaves her for you, what happens when someone else plays the same card on you?" Nightwing advised.
"Yeah, you're probably right," Morgan admitted, "But the idea of stealing a man from a rival is just too tempting."
"You seriously have some relationship issues," Nightwing remarked.
"You really have no idea," Morgan confessed.
When they arrived at the Hall of Justice, security alerted the ops center who in turn alerted Little Mermaid, Plastic Man, and Penny. Ulla came running out of the building to greet Nightwing.
"Dick!" she happily threw her arms around him and lifted him off of the ground. He couldn't reply because he could barely breathe.
"Atlantean muscles," Penny explained to an amused Morgan.
"How did you learn Nightwing was missing?" Plastic Man asked.
"I didn't," Morgan said, "Director Webb-Kane got a tip from Batman that Matron might be involved with a secret criminal society. So I was tasked with watching her. When she left Hartford and drove to Gotham I followed. It didn't take a genius to figure out there was a chamber beneath the warehouse so I snuck in. Matron never spotted me but Grayson seemed to know I was there."
"`Cause he trained with Batman," Penny happily stated.
"And there was this bird man that helped out and then vanished," Morgan was still baffled by Talon.
"His name is Calvin Rose," Nightwing and Ulla were gently holding one another now; "He's a Talon and used to work for the Court of Owls. He sees them as being corrupted and is working to restore them to what they once were even a century ago."
"So all is well that ended well. I transmitted my digital recording of Matron's confession to the Director and have the rest if the night off," Morgan told Penny, "You still interested in painting the town red with me?"
Penny looked over at Plas and he grinned, "You've earned it. Hula is getting off duty in a few. He can help me watch the baby. He'll prefer to being on crisis management duty."
"It's the same thing," Penny teased him, "Ya'll are forgettin' what Plas Jr. can do. He's just like his daddy. All trouble."
"Fortunately you like both our types of trouble," Plastic Man said with relief.
"Lucky you. Ah'm up for it. Let me get ready and Ah'll join you at the garage where Ah can pick up mah own car," Penny offered, "But what about you? Ya'll can't seriously be thinkin' of goin' out in urban fatigues."
Morgan pulled a suitcase and a dress on a covered hangar out, "I travel prepared."
"Ya'll were plannin' ahead?" Penny was confused and delighted.
"Well, let's just say I had plans," Morgan cast a meaningful glance Nightwing's way.
"Oh!" Penny was stunned, "Ah'm glad ya'll…changed your mind then. C'mon, I'll show you to the locker room where ya'll can get ready."
"Should I be worried?" Ulla asked Nightwing.
"Not anymore," Nightwing assured her, "But let me share with you what I know about Agent Morgan."
"And I'll fill in a lot of gaps," Plas offered.
Dawn came across Kenya and it found a naked Santana lounging in her bed next to an equally naked Ultra-Humanite. Santana's bed was reinforced to be able to hold the weight of an elephant since several of her lovers were mutated elephant bodies with transplanted human brains. She bedded rhinos, lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, gorillas and even the occasional crocodile. Of course, Santana had experimented with gorillas and elephants before mutating them and transplanting brains. The actual number of animals she'd slept with without mutation was rather staggering.
Ultra-Humanite had known she made secretive trips to various farms and zoos while he was human and they were lovers. It wasn't until she'd transformed the albino ape his mind now resided in that he'd learned of her bloodlust and her bestiality fetish. He'd been the original template for her entire cult.
"Mmm-mmm, I forgot how much…stamina you have. Can I ride you again, for old time's sake?" Santana purred.
"Old times were an hour ago," Ultra-Humanite rose and put his armored apron back on.
"Aw…don't go away mad," Santana cooed, "Lemme suck it and make it all better."
"Maybe you wouldn't have forgotten if you hadn't vanished the next morning after the operation and I killed those mercenaries that were after you," Ultra-Humanite frowned.
"We are not having that conversation," Santana scowled right back, "I gave you your life and the wildest night of sex that you'd ever had. Until last night that was."
Ultra-Humanite retrieved a small vial from a pocket in his apron. Santana saw it as he gently swished its contents, "What's that?"
"The antidote that will save your life if you comply with the request I was sent here to deliver," Ultra-Humanite said dispassionately, "You should be feeling the first effects of the nerve agent I dosed you with."
Santana had been the goddess of her own sex cult for so long, she'd forgotten that people could, and would, harm her to get what they wanted, "You bastard! What…how…?"
"It's delivered by a mutated viral agent. It's most easily delivered through semen. I believe you received, and swallowed, copious amounts of my infected semen throughout the night," Ultra-Humanite was still discussing the matter as though Santana were a stranger rather than a former lover.
"Whatever it is you want, you'll never get it," Santana vowed as she started trembling.
"The effects take hold rather quickly," Ultra-Humanite warned her, "And they become quite agonizing."
"I can have my people rip you apart to get that vial," Santana snarled.
"I know you could, but you see this one part of a binary agent. The cure is completely ineffective without both ingredients," Ultra-Humanite warned her, "So, agree to my terms or I watch you die suffering as no human being on Earth has suffered since chemical warfare was developed."
"What do you want?" Santana snarled as her tremors began to take over.
"I want twelve of your best cage fighters," Ultra-Humanite told her, "By now Dr. Sivana and Mr. Mind have selected the candidates. I need you to tell them to explicitly follow any orders we give as though you issued them yourself."
"Damn you," Santana struggled to stand, "Bring whoever here and I'll give them my blessing."
Santana exited the tent still naked. It wasn't like anyone in the camp didn't have intimate knowledge of her every curve. She was surprised to see Sivana and Mr. Mind already had their chosen force assembled.
She was a little surprised by their choices. There were three rhino men, four lion men, three cheetah men and both her her crocodiles. In a way they were doing her a favor taking the crocodile men. She found them repellant lovers but they were top cage fighters. She was surprised there were no elephants and said as much.
"We already have Elephant Man allied with us through the Brotherhood of Evil. We wouldn't want him to be jealous," Ultra-Humanite told her.
"I'd like him back some day," she advised him.
"I'll be certain to tell him so," Ultra-Humanite chuckled as he handed over one agent. Blue flashes spirited them away and Santana began to suspect Ultra-Humanite had betrayed her. Then a second flash delivered a small vial. She desperately read the instructions on the label and staggered back to her tent to prepare the injection.
Mother of Champions was strapped across a table with her hips and legs hanging over. Her knees were bent and her legs spread wide. Doomsday studied her naked form with rapt curiosity.
"I've never done this before," Doomsday told Merlyn.
"It's called 'doggy style'. You'll be a natural," Merlyn assured him before leaving the chamber.
Merlyn joined Grodd as Doomsday brutally raped the Chinese heroine. Her screams resounded through the OmniTech complex they inhabited. Every time Doomsday took a moment to recover, Grodd checked Mother of Champions' hormone levels. Finally on the twelfth round, Mother of Champions couldn't scream anymore and even Doomsday looked disturbed.
"Excellent!" Grodd proclaimed, "She's pregnant. Take her back to her holding cell. In three days you'll be the proud father of twenty-five sons."
Doomsday rather liked that idea as he broke the straps holding Mother of Champions down and dragged her back to her cell. Merlyn rejoined Grodd, "This isn't what I signed up for."
"No, you signed up to kill Starling and Bat-Girl for nearly killing both you and your son," Grodd reminded him, "These bumps along the road help insure that outcome. Never forget that."
Merlyn knew Grodd wouldn't let him.
The day before, Jake Elliott had driven Arthur Brown to the Monte Carlo International Airport. Rocki Ballantine had rented a Range Rover the day before and drove Stephanie Brown and Kitrina Falcone to the airport so they could observe who Cluemaster was picking up. Rocki stayed in the SUV with a laptop receiving a signal from a mincam mounted in Kitrina's sunglasses.
Stephanie couldn't afford to be spotted by her father and neither could Kitrina. The Falcone crime family in Gotham had a reward posted for her return. Basically it was a bounty placed on her head by her uncle Roman.
Justin Ballantine had appeared and he and Cluemaster had breezed through baggage claim and back to the Range Rover Jake was driving. Kitrina had made a near pass that had brushed her up against Justin's coat. Stephanie later admitted she didn't know if she would have had the wherewithal to make that pass.
Rocki got ARGUS chewing on the visuals and the team didn't get a response until the next day. Rocki called up to Selina Kyle's suite, which she shared with Kitrina, and informed the pair they needed to see the data ARGUS had sent back. Rocki and Stephanie shared a room inside the same hotel.
"We might have a problem," Stephanie warned Selina and Kitrina as they entered.
"Our stranger?" Selina inquired.
"Exactly," Rocki told them, "His name is Justin Ballantine. No relation. He's an up and coming super villain in Starling City. He put on his mask when Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Speedy moved to Seattle. Of course, Speedy was calling herself Red Arrow at the time."
"This so-called super villain got a name?" Selina was mildly curious.
"He goes by the handle, 'Libra'," Rocki informed them all.
"So what's his particular shtick?" Kitrina asked.
"He uses a weapon that seems to be based off of an early design of Ted Knight's called the Gravity Rod," Rocki read off, "Anything sound familiar?"
Selina found it ironic that she, as Catwoman, was the most experienced crime fighter in the room. Kitrina had only been Catgirl for a little over a month. Stephanie's time as Spoiler had been dedicated to making Cluemaster's life a living hell. And Rocki hadn't worn her Batwoman togs in a few years.
"Ted Knight used the Gravity Rod to become the original Starman," Selina explained, "You know, Justice Society of America days? Later he constructed the solar powered Cosmic Rod. He turned over the Cosmic Rod to his oldest son and he became the second Starman. But he was also killed on his first outing as a superhero. Ted's younger son, Jack, took possession of the Cosmic Rod and wandered around the country getting into trouble. When Prince Gavyn arrived on Earth and wanted the Starman title, Jack happily gave it to him."
"Jack then went further and gave the Cosmic Rod to Courtney Whitmore. Courtney was calling herself the Star Spangled Kid at the time and was powered by her Cosmic Convertor Belt. Having both the rod and the belt, Courtney changed her name to Stargirl. I think we all know the rest," Selina added.
"Well, it says here, Libra adapted the Gravity Rod into something he calls an Energy Transmorgrifier. I don't have clue as to what it does but he's singlehandedly taken over the criminal rackets in Starling City," Rocki reported, "And he's making inroads to Hub City and Opal City."
"So he's a serious player against cops," Selina mused, "Can you whip up a countermeasure against this energy doohickey?"
"Is there any way to talk to Ted Knight?" Rocki asked.
"Ted's dead. And I doubt Jack knows anything more about the Gravity Rod than Courtney would. Which means zilch," Selina warned her, "Check with ARGUS. They probably classified the plans for the Gravity Rod when this Libra stole a copy."
Rocki called the Hall of Justice. The Watch Officer had the plans compiled and attached to a file that was sent to Rocki. She frowned as she opened the attachments.
"They sound pretty tense over there even though it's the middle of the night," Rocki observed.
She skimmed the paperwork before looking over the schematics to the Gravity Rod, "The theory behind this is incredible."
"But you understand it?" Stephanie asked.
"Like I said I understand most of the theoretical work and I can grasp the basic design elements. But I can't tell you why this thing would actually work in principle," Rocki confessed.
"We just need something to stave Libra off long enough for them to get some shots in before they make off with the crystal," Selina reminded everyone, "Steph, you're certain your father will go in tonight?"
"He was only waiting for Libra to show up. Now that they've had time to adjust the plan accommodating the new player, they're going in without a doubt," Stephanie assured them all, "For all his scheming, dad's nothing if not predictable."
"And you and Kitrina are still stealing the actual crystal in broad daylight?" Rocki found it hard to believe, "With tours underway?"
"If it wasn't impossible they wouldn't have sent us," Selina grinned.
Kitrina looked confident as well. Selina had explained their portion of the plan to her. It was so simple it was ludicrous.
"Dad will move on the museum within an hour or two of its closing since it'll be dark before it closes," Stephanie reminded them.
"Do you think Cluemaster will wise up to the authenticity of the false crystal or the tracking device inside of it?" Kitrina wondered.
"He'll be so happy he pulled of the robbery he won't care enough to scrutinize the prize," Stephanie predicted.
"Good, because he needs to deliver right to Luthor's hands," Selina stated, "Especially now that the Hall of Doom is in orbit and no one knows what happened to Luthor."
"Sure, no pressure," Rocki said with gallows humor.
"Just be glad we're not going against this new Legion faction," Selina reminded them all, "They'd throw a rival Justice League up our asses."
"I think we're all happy we're not," Kitrina admitted.
Lashina had come to Pomona to see Grodd. Doomsday loomed over her but she pointedly ignored him. Grodd was intrigued by her unexpected arrival.
"How can I help you?" Grodd asked.
"I want to help you kill Luthor," Lashina declared.
"And if I don't want to?" Grodd inquired.
"I'll try anyway and if I fail, I'll name you as my conspirator," Lashina promised, "And I'll keep saying it until they kill me."
"What makes you think I would even want to?" Grodd wondered.
"Everyone on Earth wants to," Lashina stated.
"True," Grodd allowed, "But how could you accomplish it? You're a known asset."
"Lashina won't be the one who kills Luthor. It'll be a stranger he's never met before," Lashina removed her head gear, "Would you even recognize me?"
"Honestly? No, I wouldn't?" Grodd had to admit the transformation was startling, "Let's say I agreed to help. How could I?"
"My ability to project energy through my lash is well known," Lashina said, "But Desaad tested my ability and discovered I can funnel energy through hand weapons if they're properly gauged and fine tuned."
"So, you reveal yourself and take up new weapons, to what point?" Grodd asked, "Because I have to assume Supreme has died so Luthor will be expecting you."
"He'll be expecting Lashina," she reminded him, "After today I'll be Duchess. And Duchess will worm her way into his confidence and then destroy him."
"Despite Darkseid wanting him alive?" Grodd asked the pivotal question.
"Darkseid can go to hell," Duchess replied angrily.
"Words I've waited to hear," Grodd confessed.
Saturn Queen emerged from her chambers. She looked haggard and worn. It was almost prescient the way Lightning Lord and Cosmic King turned to see her.
"Eve!" Lightning Lord exclaimed.
Cosmic King hurdled over a coffee table to reach her. Lightning Lord was right behind him. Saturn Queen gave each of them a reassuring squeeze of the arm.
"It's all right, Mekt. I'm fine. You don't to worry so much, Laevar," she tried to soothe their fears.
"Is Tessa…?" Cosmic King couldn't quite ask.
"Dead?" Saturn Queen gave a flippant laugh, "I'd like to think so but I think I've just beaten her back into submission. I'd prefer destroyed but I'll settle for quiet for now."
"Is there any way to accomplish both?" Lightning Lord inquired, ready for action.
"Actually, I devised a way to do both at the same time," Saturn Queen wore a cruel smile, "I finally realized I can transfer the unwanted personality to another person the same way it was transferred to me when it was created."
"So let's grab someone!" Cosmic King started out of the penthouse.
Saturn Queen quickly grabbed hold of his arm and brought him to heel, "It's not that simple. The Tessa personality was designed as a bandage for what the Titan Council determined was a broken personality. Of course, since I wasn't actually shattered, I rose to prominence again. But the matrix will be drawn to a broken psyche to fix. If we could find someone Tessa knows can reach the Shining Knight, it would ease things along much smoother and faster."
"But what happens when the transfer is complete?" Lightning Lord asked.
"Then we give Tessa her happy reunion with the Shining Knight…and then kill them both as painfully as possible," Saturn Queen decided.
"I like it," Lightning Lord cheered on her plan.
"So where do we start looking?" Cosmic King wondered.
"Right here," Saturn Queen summoned Brainiac. She gave her search parameters and it took him three seconds of contemplation to derive an answer. He had someone already in his data files. It took longer to track her down than it had to determine her eligibility. In all it was a ten second process.
"I have acquired a suitable target," he announced, eager to serve his queen.
"Who is it?" Lightning Lord demanded to know.
"Easy, Mekt. Patience is a must. I have a lot at stake here," Saturn Queen cautioned him.
"But you have selected someone who meets all of the criteria?" Cosmic King wondered how that could be.
"Tell me everything," Saturn Queen requested.
"The target individual has a known association with the Shining Knight. She also has a record of mental illness and delusional behavior. She has also served beside the Legion of Doom with the Brotherhood of Evil," Brainiac explained.
"So she's a potential meta-human. That will entice Tessa all the more," Saturn Queen relished the thought.
"And it would be an opportunity to eliminate a self perceived rival," Brainiac elaborated, "The target's name is Goldilocks and she has professed her undying love for the Shining Knight because it fits her delusional paradigm of being a princess in need of rescuing by a charmed knight."
"I love it!" Saturn Queen enthused.
"Goldilocks shares her power with her sister, Godiva of the Justice League International," Brainiac shared.
"And this Godiva is one of those that resisted us," Cosmic King couldn't recall anyone with that name in their ranks.
"Precisely," Brainiac congratulated him on his deductive skills.
"Then we kill her and it makes a three sided object lesion," Lightning Lord gloated.
"Where is this Goldilocks?" Saturn Queen asked Brainiac.
"Hong Kong," he answered.
"Assemble a team. We're going after her," Saturn Queen decided, "I'll get dressed while you prep everyone for transit."
In an undetected cave system branching out from the Justice League Unlimited headquarters, Brother Eye existed amongst the power systems and caverns housing his OMAC production facilities. There, the Other met with the Crime Syndicate on Earth Prime.
"Mistress Artemis, it is so good to see you again," the Other bowed low.
"You've gone far beyond what your master tasked you to do on this world," Superwoman replied, "Now, Alfred Pennyworth; it is time to bring your master here."
"Brother Eye has stolen the necessary schematics and built a dimensional gate. But even with the fires of the nuclear reactor in this chamber, there is insufficient power to operate the gate," the Other warned her.
"Then it's good we brought a sufficient power source with us," Superwoman declared.
All eyes fell on Power Ring. Even though the Ring of Volthoom wasn't actively tormenting her, Jessica Cruz backed away anyway, "N…no. Puh…please…don't."
"Come, my dear," the Other encouraged her, "By doing this you will learn to master the ring rather than have the ring master you."
"No one on our world knows they're alive?" Superwoman halted the Other and Power Ring.
"Alex Luthor thought Darkseid's forces had eliminated everyone and Master Thomas chose to let that illusion take on a life of its own. Max Lord is a fool with no scope of how his assumptions have angered Darkseid and Master Thomas alike. He thinks his bargain with the Justice League will protect him," the Other explained, "He thought wrong. This world is weak and has no scope of what the united Crime Syndicate can truly do."
"Very well, carry on," Superwoman decreed.
The Other led Power Ring to a receptacle, "Focus all of the energy you can summon and project into this device. If you falter even for a second, lives will be lost. Lives the Ring of Volthoom will make you suffer for losing."
The gate activated on its own accord as Power Ring poured every iota of energy she could into it. The Other called out, "Now, Master Thomas!"
Johnny Quick was the first through. Owlman, Deathstorm, and Sea King followed. The Other came to Power Ring.
"That's quite enough," he assured her.
Jessica passed out and Ultraman moved at super speed to catch her. No one besides the Other even noticed. Atomica squealed as she threw herself into Johnny Quick's waiting arms. Deathstorm and Sea King took an appraising look around.
Superwoman grabbed hold of Owlman's tunic and pulled him in for a savage kiss. She held on to him after she broke the kiss, "It's good to see you."
The Other dropped to one knee, "Master Thomas, I only live to serve."
"You've gone above and beyond, Alfred," Superwoman released Owlman as he spoke to his bond servant, "Can this world truly be as soft as the data you sent suggests?"
"Softer, Master Thomas," the Other promised.
"Then it should take a few days rather than months to conquer this world and prepare to retake our own," Thomas Wayne predicted.
"There will be pockets of resistance," Superwoman warned him, "Max Lord was right to get the Justice League to sign off on never coming back to our Earth. They can be formidable foes."
Owlman smiled, "We wouldn't want it to be too easy, would we?"
Barda used her captured boom tube controller to go to JLU headquarters then to report to Supertown on New Genesis. Finally, she'd arrived at Themiscyra. A dozen Amazons led by Hestia surrounded her.
"Lay down your weapons and strip out of your armor, New God," Hestia commanded.
Barda scattered the Amazons with her mega wand, "The next shot actually hits one of you and not the dirt you're standing upon."
"Sisters! Form ranks!" Hestia commanded.
"Stand down," Diana ordered as she made an appearance, "Hestia, I won't repeat myself."
The Amazons slinked away but Barda could feel their eyes still upon her, "I take it you've been expecting me."
"I thought you'd be here sooner," Diana admitted.
"The bulk of the Justice is still a prisoner to that woman's mind. But I had to check to see if anyone laid Scott's body at our headquarters," Barda admitted.
"There isn't exactly a body in the traditional sense," Diana warned her before leading her to a small memorial garden. The statue Mr. Miracle had become stood amidst it, "We tried to honor his life not the mockery of it when he attacked us and tried to kidnap my daughter."
"I'll be taking him," Barda told her.
"Thank Hera, when no claimed him we put him here but this is reserved for fallen sisters," Diana breathed a sigh of relief.
"What would you do in my place?" Barda said in a menacing voice, "How would you respond if someone disrespected your slain husband?"
"Clark isn't dead so that's hardly an issue," Diana retorted.
"Would you even care if he died?" Barda asked coldly, "If he did die, would you be bothered enough to leave this island to attend his funeral?"
Diana's silence was the answer she needed, "I didn't think so. Don't ever leave this island again, Princess. If you come out to the rest of the world, we'll have another entirely different conversation. And if perchance you were to end up on New Genesis, I'll kill you without asking the how or why of it."
Diana stood in mute silence as Barda used a boom tube to return to Izaya's halls in Supertown. Diana was affronted by both Barda's ingratitude for all the Amazons had done for Mr. Miracle and she was outraged by Barda's accusing her of insensitivity. Of course she'd feel something if Clark died. She'd be grateful she'd never have to explain to Alexandra that he was her father rather than the story she had rehearsed depicting her daughter as divinely born of the god, Apollo.
Saturn Queen expectedly floated high above Hong Kong. Lightning Lord and Cosmic King stayed close by. Beneath them, Superman and the Martian Manhunter used their own unique skills to search out the urban sprawl.
Saturn Queen could sense a disturbance in their minds. But either they were blithely unaware of it or vastly better at concealing a greater issue than she was willing to concede on their behalf. Below them at street level, the Justice League International mobilized with the assistance of the Atom. Atom joined his fellow dissenters, Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, and Samurai.
No one actually knew why Saturn Queen had them tracking down Goldilocks. Most assumed it was another recruiting effort. But the JLU and three JLI members suspected there was more to it considering Saturn Queen's near feverish state.
Brainiac had located Goldilocks by tracking police reports that could easily be attributed to the teenager. He'd traced her across Eastern Europe to Asia. But the Brain had destroyed all evidence of Goldilocks' life before she assumed that identity. Owing to her sister's real identity as Dorcas Leigh, Goldilocks' surname could be traced. But no birth records, school enrollments, hospitalization records, no nothing existed before Goldilocks was born a grown woman.
So Brainiac had flagged two thefts occurring the night before and directed the Legionnaires there. The JLI flashed their United Nations credentials around and finally, at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong Hotel, got a hit off of her picture. The staff produced a passport in the name of Anne Chambers and a room number.
The JLI quickly surrounded the hotel and they sent capture teams into place. But the JLI never counted on Goldilocks taking the simple precaution of bribing the staff. She received the tip off just as she'd completed preparations for going out. She gathered her essential items and dropped them down the laundry chute. The standing arrangement obliged to pay out a hefty reward for the return of her bag and its contents.
Goldilocks had never met most of the JLI. And she knew how to make herself up and dress older than her actual nineteen years. So she wore a high hemmed, low cut skintight little black dress with a black leather biker jacket, thigh high leather boots, and a black baseball cap with her ponytail protruding between the adjustment strap and the cap.
Dr. Light and Rising Sun led the procession out of the elevator. Goldilocks coolly walked past them towards the elevator. She'd never met Nightrunner, Wingman, Dark Ranger, or the Hood. Which was just as well. But Blue Beetle took notice of her. She knew she looked like a high priced escort. That was the whole point. But she didn't like the way he was staring at her.
"Excuse me, could have a word with you?" Blue Beetle asked.
"Not really," Goldilocks replied as scooted into elevator.
Blue Beetle caught the doors, "I just want to ask you a few questions."
"Sorry, I don't think you can afford my rates to answer them," Goldilocks pushed him out of the way and the doors closed and the elevator began to descend.
Beetle wasn't satisfied, especially when Rising Sun called down that Goldilocks wasn't in her room. Blue Beetle didn't believe that was coincidence. So he flagged Booster Gold, who was running the hotel search from the roof.
Booster signaled the lobby team and put them on alert. Olympian, Maxi-Man, Tasmanian Devil, Reverb, and Seraph waited as the elevator doors opened…to reveal an empty car. Yet the elevator hadn't stopped on the way down. Seraph entered and his ring, handed down by Solomon, examined the car.
"She was here and went out the access hatch," he reported.
Olympian roughly pushed past him and bent the metal around the hatch as his broad shoulder shoved their way through and he flew up the shaft. Reverb shook his head, "I'll call it in."
Olympian shattered the elevator shaft housing on the roof, "Where is she?"
"Subtle," Booster grimaced. The hotel knew they were the Justice League International. The UN would get the bill.
Booster deployed most of the JLers in pairs to search floor by floor. Fire complained, "This will take hours."
"Don't be a whiner, Beatriz," Ice scolded her.
"The idea is to drive Goldilocks into the stairwell and keep her there," Booster explained…again, "Goldstar has a team at the bottom of the stairs just waiting for our little prize."
Goldstar heard from her brother, "They're flushing Goldilocks out. It's only a matter of time until she reaches us."
"Then what?" Atom whispered in Apache Chief's ear from his shoulder.
Black Vulcan and Samurai had the same question in mind.
Goldilocks hadn't left the elevator shaft until just before the Olympian made his ascent. Then she rode the service elevator to the basement levels where she went straight to the laundry. She handed out over a thousand Hong Kong dollars worth of rewards to get her passports and her cash back.
Exiting the service entrance she literally ran right into Superman, "Bloody hell."
"Would you please come with me?" he asked.
"Why am I suddenly so popular?" Goldilocks asked.
"We represent someone who wants to talk to you," Superman replied.
"Try a phone call. It's easier," Goldilocks took the precaution of removing her ball cap.
"I really don't think your hair is going to stop me," Superman tried not to laugh.
Her ponytail whipped and snared his feet before pulling them out from underneath him. But he caught her ankle as she ran by, "A little help?"
"Care to try that request again?" Goldilocks was incredulous and totally unaware of J'onn Jonzz standing behind her.
She slumped into his arms. Superman called off the search as Saturn Queen set down before Goldilocks. She held two fingers to Goldilocks' head.
Then she wore a triumphant smile, "She's perfect."
Superman exchanged a worried look with J'onn. Which went unnoticed by Saturn Queen or the arriving Lightning Lord and Cosmic King. Their overconfidence in Saturn Queen's ability had blinded them. Just as Saturn Queen herself was victim of self-imposed ignorance.