"We shall proceed with this plan to recruit Maxima to the Legion of Doom," the Immortal Dr. Fu Manchu declared, "So let it be logged."
Lois and Sloane exchanged knowing glances. Master Terrific was another criminal genius that hadn't needed to have Saturn Queen reveal his multiversal origins. He'd known them. Ultra-Humanite hadn't been so blessed and/or cursed until Saturn Queen's intervention. Even Luthor had been unaware of the previously existing Multiverse.
Most of thre Legion was still blitehly unaware. It was also telling that Moriarty, Boston, and Adler had known. Moriarty descended from Prof. James Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' greatest nemesis. Adler the only woman he ever loved and had outwitted Holmes on several occasions. Boston being the woman that had murdered Holmes and Watson, famously "investigated" the crimes, and framed unlikely culprits for it. "Justice" had been swift afterwards.
Fu Manchu had recognized Adler and Boston's true potential and offered them his near-immortality elixir in exchange for cooperation and "favors". They'd kept an eye on Moriarty's descendants and chosen Jamie as the likeliest to join them. They'd made a wise choice. Dr. Fu had shared his elixir with her as well.
Lois had been treated by Dr. Ernest Smalley, the man that spliced Daxamite DNA into Bill Dunn to create the world's newest Superman, and granted him an even more effective immortality. Master Terrific, another 12th Level Intelligence, found a way to heal Superwoman's facial burn scar created by Dunn's Flash Vision. So Lois was whole once again, telling stories of her "remarkable plastic surgeon". But the process had turned Lois' violet eyes blue in the process. The only regret she had.
She stopped dying strips of her hair pink to be a "respectable" journalist again and grew her raven hair out. Lana Linda Lang had attempted to use her energized form to make her hair platinum while she was Superwoman. But the effort had been too distracting and ;eft her vulnerable. So like Lois, whose face was on a nationally publicated byline on the Daily Star cover page, Linda was a talking head reporter for Galaxy Broadcatsing Corporation.
So both of them were easily recognized if someone lucked out and snapped a soon to be infamous photo. Lana Linda had gone back a traditional Superman suit now that Clark wore his black and white variant. But she wore a pair of glasses while in the public. So far, like Clark's idiotic "disguise", it was working.
And his defenders said he wasn't becoming Lord Superman, she snorted to herself.
"Thinking about your husband again?" Master Terrific chuckled. Lois was enjoying bedding him when the opportunity arose.
"Jealous?" Superwoman snarked.
"Of him?" Master Terrific snorted this time, "That fool couldn't lace his shoes without a pictorial instructional manual."
"Damn straight!" Lois laughed.
"You're a remarkable woman, Lois. Why did you settle for...that?" Master Terrific had to wonder.
"Bastard forced me to marry him to spare my sister's life. He raped me until I produced four heirs for his 'legacy' ," she spat, "Futzer never knew Lana and I were shagging on the side."
"Why did that end?" Master Terrific had wondered about that as well.
"We no longer needed each other once we were both free," Lois grimaced, "And she still carried a torch for Clark."
"You have to admit. Bumbling Clark Kent is a perfect disguise for Superman," Terry Sloane laughed, "Who expects the near god to be the prat of all jokes?"
"Fooled me," Lois hated to admit, "But in the end, it was Clark I fell in love with, not the man that became Lord Superman. My Clark died and I grieved for him. Now I just want to kill the bastard that wears his face."
"Fu Manchu is gloating. His chosen Legionnaires must have reported in by now," Master Terrific observed.
"Ultra-Humanite has them wrangled and attentive," Lois was pure Superwoman now.
Just the way Sloane liked her.
"You have been gathered for a recruitment issue," the Immortal Dr. Fu Manchu informed his audience.
"There's a lot heavy hitters for a simple 'recruitment'," Fear Lantern observed. Hal Jordan wasn't wrong. Besides him and Sinestro, leader of the nascent Ultraviolet Corps, and Spencer Hawke, Earth's Red Lantern, the cast of characters included Superman II (Bill Dunn), Lady Lunar, Moonman, Multiplex, Atomic Skull, Bizarro, Bizarro Girl, Bag O'Bones (formerly the Cyclotronic Man), Devastation, and Blockbuster (Marci Desmond), Mark Desmond's "kissing" cousin. In addition, the Sivana Family was represented by Thaddeus Sivana Jr., Georgia Sivana, and Magnificus Sivana. Finally the Tornado Twins of Don and Dawn Allen from the 29th Century Flashpoint Paradox were also present and accounted for.
"Any one of us could ruin or destroy a city on our own," Sinestro sneered, "I don't tolerate interference from bumbling fools."
"Which is why your Ultraviolet Corps is still pathetically underrepresented throughout the universe," Master Terrific retorted.
"Which you like a demonstration of my power?" Sinestro's ring began to glow.
"Ease off!" Red Lantern snarled at him, "We're all here for a common reason. Shut up long enough to learn what it is."
Blockbuster appreciated Spencer Hawke's unfiltered rage. It matched her own. Marci Desmond had found few men able to look at her with interest since her transformation. But Red Lantern even seemed attracted to her because of their common ground.
"Me not caring why we am here," Bizarro announced, "Never want to learn why."
Which in Bizarro speak meant he cared very much and was demanding to know right now
"He am wrong about this," Bizarrio Girl added. Which meant she agreed with his reasoning. Bizarro was twisted attempt at cloning Superman that went horribly wrong.
Bizarro Girl was a transformed corpse injected with Kara In-Ze's DNA as a side project while Galatea Hamilton was being grown from the same sample. Everyone present knew Galatea was now Power Girl of the Justice Society of America. Most didn't know she was also Karen Starr CEO and sole owner of Starrware, the rapidly expanding tech corporation.
She'd also had the technology developed so Taiwan could dredge its own sand for silicon based microprocessors rather than rely on Mainland China for the same materials. The People's Republic also despised Starrware because it wouldn't open manufacturing plants there. Starrware production was spread across North America.
NAFTA had made Karen Starr a billionaire to rival Bruce Wayne's 45% stake in Wayne-Powers. Derek Powers also controlled 45%. The outstanding 10% of shares were spread across Powers' loyalists. Master Terrific alone of the Legion had deduced Karen Starr's true identity as Galatea Hamilton. Lois had already known. Not even his closest peers, Moriarty, Boston, and Adler had reached that conclusion. But since Power Girl did nothing to disguise her face in either identity, it shouldn't take them much longer to deduce.
They were on special assignment right now. Moriarty's criminal empire needed occasional maintenance house calls. Adler and Boston were the Legion's best undercover agents. They'd agreed to infiltrate LuthorCorp to find out how involved Lena Luthor was with the Light and what the corporation was designing and building towards Vandal Savage's ambitions now that the New Gods were almost eradicated.
Dr. Jenet Klyburn of STAR Labs had inherited the Evil Factory and transformed it into CADMUS II. Granny Goodness and the Female Furies were establishing a training camp for procured meta-human youth. Baron Bedlam was tasked with locating and acquiring the youths. LuthorCorp's Mercy Graves' Everyman Project 2.0 was assigned to activating gen factors. Dr. Ivana Baiul was a leading researcher in Lena's artificial meta-gene research. Dr. Clarissa Clemens was harnessing the Firestorm Matrix and weaponizing it while trying to avoid creating a second Deathstorm. One was enough already.
So things were proceeding apace with Savage's ultimate plan to control and weaponize all meta-humans. Plans which he had learned from Saturn Queen and Lori Morning, the new Time Trapper, that he wouldn't have succeeded until potentially in the 31st Century.
But the groundwork was always being constructed and laid down. Vandal Savage worried less about the opposing Legion of Superheroes and the Justice League Infinite than his competitors such as Glorith, the Emerald Empress and her new Fatal Five, and finally Saturn Queen and the Legion of Super Villains. Everyone else was inconsequential.
Master Terrific had mastered producing the elixir which sustained Fu Manchu, Irene Adler, Ethel Boston, and now Lois Lane's extended lives. Lady Fairplay, his other lover, would be sorely disappointed to learn that while he intended to dose Jamie Moriarty, he would deny Mary Lee of her sought after eternity with him. But he would offer it to Veronica Sinclair. After all, the world always needed someone like Roulette and her Meta-Human Brawl to utilize as a training stage.
Crime Doctor continued her illegal human experiments in order to "enhance" the human genome for those without a gen factor and unable to accept an artificial meta-gene.
Her own experiments into mutating animal bodies and using their humanized parts as replacement organs and limbs for humans echoed the original Cheetah's own endeavors.
Barbara Minerva, Priscilla Rich, and Debi Domaine each becoming their version of the Cheetah through individualized means. Barbara herself was a member of the Legion
Priscilla a member of the Injustice Gang and Debi a member of Nyssa Raatko's Injustice League. A League Fear Lantern and Red Lantern also belonged to.
Hal and Spencer being renegades within their own Corps' ranks. Hal had betrayed the GL Corps, mutually destroyed his and John Stewart's power rings, become a Power Ring, and then a Fear Lantern. Whereupon he destroyed the Fear Lodge, forcing the Fear Lanterns off of Qward and back into the Matter Universe. Lysa Drak negotiated their headquartering on Oa with the New Guardians of the Universe. Krona now being the Guardian of the Yellow Light of Fear of the Emotional Spectrum.
He'd persuaded both the skeptical Guardians and GL Corps leadership that the Yellow Lanterns should be granted space on Oa to reconstruct a Fear Lodge and base Fear Lantern operations from the central world. So far the uneasy truce held.
Atrocitus and his Red Lanterns forswore a similar opportunity. Carol Ferris preferred keeping the Star Sapphires in their established grounds on Zamaron. Indigo-1 and the Indigo Tribe still wandered. The Blue Lanterns under Saint Walker also preferred remaining in Sector 1. Leaving Larfleeze and his hoard of loot secreted beyond where anyone cared to look. Agent Orange wasn't the most sociable type.
Another renegade Fear Lantern resided on Earth but Guy Gardner avoided official team affiliations nowadays though he frequently worked alongside the Super Buddies Repo Agency.
"We just have steer these idiots in the right direction," Master Terrific told her, "Tell them why they should be steered."
"Superman fathered both of Maxima's children," Superwoman suddenly interjected in the brewing debate, "We control Maxima and we control Kalea-El. Between them and Thara Kal-El, we control Superman. Or at least neutralize him. Through him and his paralysis, we neutralize Supergirl, the wannabe Superwoman, and Power Girl."
"Don't neglect Kara in-Ze and her pathetic Darkstars," Sinestro said haughtily, smug to bring up a name Lois neglected to mention.
"The point is: we stand their Superman down and present ours as his replacement," Master Terrific explained the gist. Bill Dunn preened.
"Then we insert our Superman into the Justice League at Luthor's demand and tear the institution apart from within," Fu Manchu said with a manic flourish. It was actually Superwoman, Master Terrific, Ultra-Humanite, and Lex Luthor's plan but they let Fu Manchu take the supposed credit. As long as they recruited, or otherwise controlled, Maxima it didn't matter.
"So, we strike at first light!" Fu Manchu shouted.
"Our first light our London's first light?" Devastation asked.
"Yeah, and as long as we're in London and going to a pub, can we grab a drink?" Atomic Skull asked.
"The earliest they'll open is 1100 local time," Multiplex told them all, "Otherwise you're waiting until 1500."
"Hrrrm," Fu Manchu hadn't been expecting that. They needed pub patrons as potential hostages as the London Metropolitan Police and New Scotland Yard responded alongside MI5. Then there the rash of a newly combined super team to worry about as well named the Isles that seemed to combine forces from the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic on behalf of the Justice League Global Guardians.
A woman named Britannica and a Captain Parliament were the apparent leaders of a new coalition of British meta-humans that included the veteran Godiva. Goldilocks and the Injustice Society might not take kindly to Godiva being roughly handled. Neither would the Olympian from Greece. Even Jack O'Lantern might get involved, which would drag in the rest of the new Global Guardians. Perhaps persuading Godiva and Olympian into rejoining their veterans' leadership ranks.
the Isles belonged to the larger Commonwealth collection of heroes. Also being incorporated were heroes from across the European Union, collectives known as the Asian Coalition, the Latin American Alliance, heroes from the African Union, the Middle Eastern bloc, the United States and her Territories and non-aligned nations of the world. What had once been a mismatch of has-beens, according to Legion estimates, was becoming a real force and a real threat to global operations.
"May I remind the crowd that operating in Britain just got harder?" Master Terrific wondered.
"The Brits are pussies," Superman declared. No one presumed to debate Bill Dunn's opinion.
Until Superwoman countered him, "Never count out the enemy on their own ground. Too many wars have been lost that way."
"Well said," Fu Manchu agreed, "Dismissing the members of this Isles group is tantamount to waging a land war in Asia. It never benefits the aggressor."
"Besides the physical might of Captain Parliament, Britannica is a genius on par with many of our own Legion's Brain Trust," Master Terrific excluded himself. He and Lex Luthor were the smartest men in the world. Mr. Terrific ranking a distant third.
But that terminology implied it discounted women. A fatal error too many men made.
"And Godiva and this newest Knight and Page are in play," Superwoman had been doing her research, "They seem to be able to use the same Justice League teleport system we hijacked to gather their greater host of the Commonwealth team as needed."
"This Justice League Global Guardians coalition is bringing together even hated rivals. Besides the veteran leadership of Owlwoman, Jack O'Lantern, Apache Chief, Samurai, and Black Vulcan, word is spreading that the Olympian, Tuatara, and Tasmanian Devil have rejoined as well and the annoyingly experienced legacy heroes Golden Eagle and El Zorro have also taken up arms with these 'Super Friends'," Fu Manchu warned everyone, "Even the Justice International itself were to refrain from engaging us, we would still have these others as well as an enraged and defensive Maxima and equally defensive Kalea-El to consider. Lest we forget, Kalea-El has access to a host of Almeracian bounty killers led by the former Imperial Navy captain, Hero."
"Two of Hero's crew died," Sinestro chuckled evilly, "The two men that were part of the crew were caught in bed together on planet that outlawed homosexuality. They were put to death before Hero and the others could affect a rescue."
"That still leaves seven Almeracian women not counting Maxima and Kalea-El," Spencer grumbled.
"So we need them off world," Hal shrugged, "Offer a large bounty on an elusive and dangerous prey in a lethal environment so that Hero gathers the entire team."
"We could finally pursue Beka of the Fear Lanterns and formerly of New Genesis," Master Terrific suggested, "Vandal Savage and Luthor have wanted her out of the way for a long time now. And killing her may flush out her ex-husband, Orion, and his working partner, Lightray."
"It may also flush Mortalla out as well," Sinestro approved the plan despite no one asking for his opinion, "Darkseid's wife is still bedding Orion."
"War World is ruled by Brainiac now and is inside LEGION jurisdiction. They won't take kindly to us provoking Brainiac," Hal warned, "If this comes back on us, he may decide to bring War World here."
"It is the only guaranteed contract to ensnare all of the Almercian bounty-killers!" Sinestro was petulant.
"Very well!" Fu Manchu interrupted, "Post the contracts and make certain this 'Hero' and her bounty hunters hear of it of it first. Now on to the true matter at hand. We must have Maxima's allegiance at all costs! Sweeten the honey and the honeycomb and entice her to join. Kill her and her wayward daughters if she refuses!"
"Dr. Fu…" Superwoman began to speak.
"Silence, woman!" Fu Manchu was in a full manic rage now, "Maxima will join us or die! There are no other alternatives! This is why you have all been summoned!"
"Prick," Blockbuster snorted back at him.
"Do as you're told and I may suffer you to live another day!" Fu Manchu definitely felt threatened by something, someone, or the group. Master Terrific and Ultra-Humanite exchanged droll glances. Luthor had selected the nearly immortal criminal leader as his proxy in the Legion. But apparently he wanted a brilliant but weak leader so his own position wouldn't be undermined during his long absences.
It was wearisome even on a good day. Today wasn't a good day. Fu Manchu had just seen to that.
"I propose to scout ahead to ascertain when Maxima and Kalea will be making public appearances," Multiplex offered.
"I'll go with him in case he's spotted," Devastation offered as well.
"Having a child with me will complete my disguise," Multiplex agreed to it.
"Careful with the 'child' remarks," Deva warned him.
"Just go and get it done. I don't care how," Fu Manchu dismissed them.
"That was far more 'Sinestro' than Dr. Fu generally is," Ultra-Humanite observed after Fu Manchu disappeared deeper into the Hall of Doom with Queen Alani. What business he had with the South Seas Girl was between themselves.
"Obviously it's another power grabbing scheme to displace Luthor," Master Terrific dismissed it, "It'll fail as the other have before this."
"I wonder…" Lois felt a need to investigate. But the Hall was proofed against her super senses.
"Can you break the encryption on the security lockouts?" she asked Terry Sloane.
"Of course I can," he was insulted.
"We may need to actually find out what they're up to this time," Superwoman warned them.
"Then let's do some basic hacking," Master Terrific grinned.
"Dr. Doom brought your latest test subjects," South Seas Girl was seen telling Fu Manchu in his private audience chamber, "But security is having to be tightened to keep the human trafficking secret from my people."
"You are being well compensated," Fu Manchu sighed
"But Dr. Doom found a member of INTERPOL embedded in his crew and fears ICE may also have a mole. He's demanding greater compensation as well for better screening."
"Tell him a twenty percent increase will cover his greater expenses of recruiting through Empress Penguin in Gotham rather than the Triads," Fu Manchu offered.
"The Triads will be unhappy you broke faith with them," Alani warned, "I don't need them creating a bloodbath on my beaches."
"My daughter and the Si-Fan will break the Triad's resolve," Fu Manchu boasted.
"And when the Triads turn to the Yakuza and they in turn rely on the Black Dragon Society?" South Seas Girl demanded to know.
"The Dragons are broken with the death of Dragon King. Black Mikado lacks the former's vision. And their allies in the Fourth Reich are scattered while Scarlet Skull and Blackstarr vie against Baron Blitzkrieg to pick up the Neo Nazi scraps," Fu Manchu predicted.
"How bad is it getting?" South Seas Girl suddenly asked out of concern.
"The cellular deterioration is advancing. In short, I am aging. Slowly but inexorably," the seemingly no-longer Immortal Dr. Fu Manchu admitted, "That is why I need more subjects to extract life giving fluids from them to perfect a new formula to replace the waning old elixir."
"I'll be damned," Superwoman breathed watching the viewer, "He's dying."
"Which means it'll also eventually afflict Ethel and Irene," Master Terrific grimaced
"How are you coming on the Nazi Regenerationsserum and Unsterblichkeitsserum, Sloane?" Ultra-Humanite asked.
"I've stabilized the Immortality Serum but have yet to perfect the Regeneration Serum. Smalley's work was profound but incomplete. He found Lois to be a perfect candidate for the Unsterblichkeitsserum because of her spliced Kryptonian DNA strands," Master Terrific answered, "A perfect storm of serums such as the Unsterblichkeitsserum, Regenerationsserum, Supersoldaten-Serum, and Mirakuru created artificial meta-genes in the Masked Leader and Ace of Blades to stabilize all the components. I'm sorry but I'm not replicating that process for Fu Manchu."
"Perhaps Lena and Mercy Graves can help. Ivana Baiul's research may prove already useful," Ultra-Humanite suggested.
"It's worth a shot," Superwoman conceded, "No pun intended."
"As best as I can deduce so far, the Japanese based their earliest work on Mirakuru on Fu Manchu's various formulas that had leaked out to Taoist alchemists," Master Terrific explained, "Perhaps that's the place to begin. But a purified variant free of the mental instabilities it can create."
"Dr. Fu would never have abandoned it if it could so tamed," Ultra-Humanite warned
"Ace of Blades seems to have escaped the worst of it?" Superwoman voiced.
"Did she?" Ultra-Humanite wondered, "She took one look at Killer Frost and was obsessed with her afterwards. That's deemed stable?"
"He has a point there," Master Terrific conceded, "It took one glance and Ace of Blades was smitten for life. She's obsessed with Killer Frost. Her entire life revolves around Frost."
"And Louise Lincoln is so lonely she isn't much better," Ultra-Humanite ruminated.
"Fine. They're dangerously co-dependent," Superwoman allowed, "But that doesn't change the fact they love one another."
"But we've the carnage that happens when one or the other is threatened. That part isn't relatively sane," Ultra-Humanite reminded her.
"I'd still gamble on them," Superwoman argued.
"But only because you're Superwoman, Lois," Master Terrific challenged her assertion, "Ace of Blades may or may not be able to kill you. The same with Killer Frost. But together?"
"In a sign of regression, Ace of Blades has returned to bleaching her hair her Nazi-era shade of blonde," Ultra-Humanite warned them, "Odd behavior for someone trying to effectively break with the past."
"Perhaps by embracing it she hopes to overcome it," Superwoman argued.
"Or perhaps she isn't the moralist she likes to portray herself as. All of the 'Heroes for Hire' are former Nazis now that we've determined Blur and Maximum are the former Baroness Blitzkrieg and the younger Baron Blitzkrieg," Master Terrific stated, "The less said about Faye Morgana's transformation the better."
"Who would have known Baron Blitzkrieg would've 'sullied' his gene pool to product a Black great-great grandson and a Portuguese great-great granddaughter with Incan Indian blood in her?" Superwoman was honestly amazed.
"It's more amazing that Hitler, as the Masked Leader, let them live," Master Terrific remarked.
"No doubt a personal favor to Baron Blitzkrieg," Superwoman knew better than to discount the folly of loyalty. Her children still breathing because of it. She'd reassessed her priorities since then. Saturn Queen had been right. Superman could have no lasting legacy. As well as no living heirs to try and carry on.
Which was too bad. She was fond of Mia and Jon was her first-born. Even Lana Linda had to die for choosing Clark over her. Even after everything they'd endured under Lord Superman. Was she truly that blinded by lust?
Or was it 'love'? Lois mentally sneered.
"You're thinking of them again," Master Terrific observed. She damned him for already knowing her so well.
"Call it observant," Master Terrific endured her wrath with aplomb. After all, he'd managed the Crime Syndicate of Earth-3 alongside Jarvis Pennyworth, the Other. Jarvis had helped assist Thomas Wayne Jr.'s murdering his older brother Bruce so that he could eventually rise to become the Owlman of the Court of Owls. Jarvis had located young Lincoln March after determining he was truly Thomas Jr. and gave him up to the Court.
Now Junior's daughter, Helena Lincoln March, was the Matron of the Court. She'd thwarted Blackwing's ascension to Owlman after Thomas' death, and appointed a new Owlman from amongst Talon candidates. After the League of Assassins had declared war under the leadership of the new Ra's al Ghul, Black Canary's forces had decimated the Talon population and Gotham's Nest families. Helena rebuilt the Court's resources internationally from the Venice Nest. But with Batman's abrupt retirement, Blackwing, the Wrath, Owlman, and the new Darkwing had no arch-nemesis to prove themselves against by killing him.
It seemed Deathstroke had delivered the ultimately "fatal" blow that slowly ebbed away Batman's strength. Blackwing focused on competing with Owlman's mission to purge Calvin Rose and Strix from this life as the two renegade and surviving Talons. When the Legion of Doom's scheduling allowed it of course.
"What the futz?" Master Terrific looked surprised. That was a rarity in and of itself.
"Helos are approaching up the river valley," Ultra-Humanite recognized the threat, "Armed American gunships."
"Damn!" Master Terrific sounded the alarm.
"Let them be!" Fu Manchu shouted over the blare of the klaxons, "These are guests."
"They bear Pax Mundi markings," Ultra-Humanite said sourly, "I wasn't aware that Lex had shared our location with Dagar the Desert Hawk."
"Just for this occasion," Fu Manchu told them, "For all the manpower assembled, Luthor agreed that we need an...edge against Kalea-El and Maxima."
They saw who was left behind as the helicopters did a touch and go before lifting and heading back out to sea.
"Impressive," Ultra-Humanite conceded
"Prohibitively expensive," Fu Manchu grumbled, "Come! Let us greet our newest contractors."
"Deathstroke the futzing Terminator," Master Terrific muttered, "Never thought I'd see the day."
Accompanying Slade Wilson were his two greatest competitors. His own son Grant, code-named the Jackal, and the undying man known only as Deathblow.
"Greetings!" Fu Manchu opened his robed arms expansively.
"Let's keep it professional. We don't kowtow to anyone," Deathstroke replied.
"Much less each other," Jackal added.
"Ease off, kid. You imagine a personal beef with your old man. Me, I got one with you. You went ape shit on our last op together. You're a futzin' amateur in my opinion. You're only with us today `cause Slade vouched for you. So show some cred where cred is due."
Jackal's body language looked distinctly uncomfortable upon learning that.
"What's the op?" Slade asked Fu Manchu, "I'm not jeopardizing my mole in the Outsiders for any vain glory quest."
"The Outsiders will not be included in our London operation. But as the scant brief alluded to we are after two Almeracian targets of opportunity," Fu Manchu explained.
"Killing Maxima and Kalea-El is hardly a business opportunity for the Legion," Deathstroke warned him
"We don't mean to kill but rather to recruit," Fu Manchu promised, "Your august presences are only there to insure that if they reject our offer that my people can safely extract themselves."
"You have a 'who's who' of heavy hitters and you're still worried about exfiltration?" Deathblow asked.
"I prefer refraining from employing the full might of those 'heavy hitters'," Fu Manchu sniffed.
"In other words, Luthor ordered you to leave London standing," Jackal snickered.
"So, we are there to kill them if you fail," Slade clarified.
"Precisely," Fu Manchu conceded graciously.
"Slade Wilson, you old scoundrel," South Seas Girl joyously greeted him as she joined the entourage.
"Alani," he tipped his head out of respect for her station as Queen of the Vanishing Isles.
Deathstroke activated his comm circuit with Pax Mundi helo carrier off shore, "Vanguard, we're staying. Safe voyages."
He unlatched and removed his helmet.
"Not so old anymore," Alani said appreciatively
Jackal did the same.
"Your father's son," South Seas Girl noted.
"Deathblow, ageless as ever," she gave him some love as well.
"Your Highness," he kissed her hand and slightly bent his knee.
"You could learn from this one, Dr. Fu," she laughed in delight.
"How'd you do it, Slade?" Lois asked.
"Still the intrepid reporter? For the Daily Star now nonetheless?" Deathstroke asked, "I thought Lena's rag would've dulled your instincts for a real story."
"I'm working on my second Pulitzer. I call it 'Why the world doesn't need a Superman'."
"Yet you've got a half-wit lined up to take his place," Deathblow didn't like the shade Bill Dunn threw on Black people.
"Mr. Dunn is quite malleable and able to represent what he is chosen to," Ultra-Humanite spoke up.
"I don't need a lecture on Uncle Tom's from the great white ape," Deathblow snapped.
"Seeing as how we'll all be working together, perhaps some decorum is required?" Master Terrific intervened.
"Don't manage me," Deathblow grated.
"Nor myself," Ultra-Humanite felt the same.
"Boys. It was just a simple question," Superwoman reminded them all.
"I-Ching blended the Mirakuru in my system with his blend of the Regenerationsserum. So I lost thirty years off of my age. Simple answer for a simple question," Slade replied.
Fu Manchu wondered why Lois had steered the conversation in this direction. The woman was full of guile. This was no simple inquiry. Lois was also a member of the Light. A distinction only enjoyed by Luthor himself from amongst the Legionnaires.
And Superwoman was member of the Legion at Luthor and Vandal Savage's insistence.
Just as they'd demanded Fu Manchu recruit Bill Dunn from the Secret Society of Super Villains.
Like the Question, Fu Manchu saw conspiracies everywhere. For Fu it was because he'd launched so many of them utilizing the Si-Fan over the centuries. But Lois was dropping a big hint regarding Fu Manchu's current options. But how did she uncover his affliction? The woman was as dangerous as Luthor had warned him about.
"Thank you for this," Multiplex told the bartender at Kalea's pub. He'd sold a story that he and Devastation were on a tour of the United Kingdom when Deva's Indian mother had become infatuated with an Italian tourist and absconded to Paris with his taking their Britrail passes with her. The hotels were actually booked solid for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
The rail ticket sales booths would reopen in the morning and they could still make their way to Cardiff-by-the-sea with single use tickets. They "had accommodations awaiting them there". The pub manager went to bed in his apartment above the bar but the pub matron stayed up to provide coffee and kitchen services.
"You can always sleep on the train," she promised them, "We don't reopen until 1500 local so that'll give me time to pop off and get some winks before I have to be back in the kitchen"
"You're too kind," Multiplex stated from the bar counter.
"Yes, too kind," Devastation rolled her eyes.
The former nuclear physicist was pouring on the charm for the late middle-aged matron
Multiplex had costumed duplicates stationed all around the public house. No lights had been spotted at either Kalea's flat or the one that was listed as Maxima's since they'd arrived past midnight. Luthor claimed that Almeracians were like Kryptonians and could get by with a few hours sleep. They could even go days without. One of the things that made Kalea, Hero, and the kill squad so relentlessly effective. Being raised in a warrior culture also greatly contributed to their ethos.
Maxima had been expected to embody all of these things and more. Every Princess-Heir became renamed Maxima upon assuming the throne. One of the presumed reasons Kalea never wanted it for real. When she took it from her mother, she forewent the tradition and became the Empress Kalea-El, staking out her individuality. Maxima would the last of the imperial line to bear the name title.
Kalea, Thara and their daughters would also retain their own names. But Maxima so identified with her assumed name, she refused to return to her old place name she'd borne until she became the Maxima. Kalea had never identified as a Maxima. Her joint heritage and being named after her absentee father tilting her actual name in her personal favor.
Thara would never even be presented with the choice now. She would be raised Thara Kal-El and remain so throughout her life since Almeracians and Kryptonian women didn't take on their husband's family name. Kara In-Ze retained her own name rather than the Rayner-Ferris or Ferris-Rayner that her husband and wife had adopted. For simplicity sake, Kyle was simply Kyle Rayner and Carol was simply Carol Ferris rather than confuse the issue with the uninitiated. The Green Lanterns, Darkstars, and Star Sapphires were glad of it.
Kara confided in her spouses that she was glad to no longer be a Lantern Corpsman. She'd been a Red and then a White Lantern. Neither felt as natural to her as being a Darkstar. Carol had always been a Star Sapphire and eventually contented herself with remaining the Sapphire Queen. So she empathized with Kara's position more than Kyle did. He missed being the White Lantern. The only color of the Emotional Spectrum that could single-handedly battle a Black Lantern or Third Army member.
Black Hand wasn't engaged in making Black Lanterns for some reason. Having lost Krona's support had weakened Black Hand's fervency in obeying Nekron's mandate to populate the universe with Black Lanterns. Losing a Black Lantern power ring to Larfleeze had also put Black Hand on the quest to track Agent Orange down and retrieve the precious ring. Larfleeze just needed a White Light power ring to have one of every spectrum. Until he learned of the revived Power Ring Corps and the newly fashioned Ultraviolet Corps then his greed overtook him once again. Raiders, pirates, and treasure hunters also devoted their lives to seeking out Larfleeze's hoard.
That sleep issue meant that Maxima and Thara easily stay awake most of the night. Yet no lights had been spotted by Multiplexes since his and Devastation's arrival. Kalea's apartment was dark as well. No late night mother-daughter bonding it seemed
their vigil, and the flirtatious matron's, ended at 0500 local time when the lights flipped on in Kalea's apartment. The adjoining space also lit up.
Multiplex gave the matron a massive tip and he and Deva left to "catch the train" after calling a taxi. The taxi would drop them off several blocks away while the driver wondered why his passengers hadn't just walked. Multiplex shed his outer garments and revealed himself for who he was when he donned his mask. Devastation also shed her civilian coat to reveal her usual brand of armored attire. This time they did walk back while Multiplex Prime called it in. The scattered Multiplexes cordoned off the pub.
Superwoman, Master Terrific, and the Ultra-Humanite were the field team leadership.
Lois and Terry wore civilian clothes to hide her costume. They entered the pub before the matron had finished locking down the kitchen and the front entrance.
"Oi! We're closed until 11, luv!" she called out.
"We're just here to see Kalea and Maxima," Lois explained, "I understand they have a private entrance in the back."
While Sloane and Lane distracted the matron, the Legion of Doom deployed around the city block.
"Private means just that," the woman argued.
"It's all right, Em," Kalea emerged from the back storeroom. Maxima followed her with a bobbing Thara.
"I've got the kettle on and coffee brewing," Em told her, "The larder is unlocked and the dishes are cleaned. Make yourself what you'd like."
"Could you hold on for just a bit and prep five English breakfasts. I called in Amelia. She'll cover your shift today. She's been looking for extra hours over the holiday breaks anyway," Kalea told her.
"You're a saint, Kali. I've been up all night with American tourists that managed to get stranded here in Londontown. They just left to catch a train to Cardiff. Poor blighter's wife took off to Paris with his and their daughter's rail passes to take the Chunnel and head off to Paris with an Italian scoundrel," Emma explained.
"I'm sure," Kalea indulged Emma's misinformed sympathy.
"Your work, Lois?" Maxima asked as she seated Thara at a booth with a book from Crossroad's Public Library. Both Lois and Sloane noted the sticker barcode on the plastic over cover.
"Just keeping tabs. You understand," Lois smiled brightly.
"Weren't your eyes violet when we met before?" Maxima pointedly asked, "And I heard about your scarring. It seems you've resolved that issue."
"Times change," Lois shrugged nonchalantly.
"And how many times will you let people twist your DNA in your mad quest to kill Kal-El and your own children?" Maxima inquired sharply, "Or you here to kill mine? After all, they're Kal-El's children as well."
"I'd rather work with you and your children. Clark spurned you for me and now Lana Linda Lang. The old Maxima would've killed him for that now that you're freed of your imperial ambitions," Lois replied smoothly.
"Work with you?" Maxima laughed so hard it brought tears to her eyes, "You and the pathetic Legion of Doom and their second-rate Superman pretender? Or what about the Light? Have they tired of killing New Gods and started recruiting others besides Granny Goodness and her Female Furies?"
Lois and Terry exchanged glances. Maxima was well informed. Kalea's doing no doubt
She'd killed dozens of Darkseid's Elite on behalf of the Light. It seemed Vandal Savage may have made a strategic mistake confiding in Kalea-El or Kali as Em called her. The Hindu goddess of death was a good nickname for the warrant server for Almerac's Ministry of Executions.
Kalea didn't serve arrest warrants after all. She didn't negotiate and she didn't take living prisoners. She collected corpses to cash in. Emma seemed well aware of Kalea's otherworldy origins and those of Maxima and Thara. Kalea presently assisted Em in the kitchen. On Almerac, Kalea's participation in sundry kitchen work would have been an affront to her station. Yet Kalea had been stripped of her titles and citizenship when she was banished to Argo.
Maxima had restored Kalea's citizenship as Kalea served as her personal agent throughout the unceasing wars. Kalea had allowed that much at least, though she protested even that concession. But she refused to allow her mother to reinstate her titles or proclaim her the Heir Apparent again. Hence the need to conceive Thara. But Maxima abdicated and the Empire became a Republic before Thara was born on Rann.
"You have sorely misjudged me, Lois Lane," Maxima was still greatly amused as Kalea and Emma served them all caffeinated beverages of choice and traditional breakfasts. Maxima and Thara enthusiastically devoured theirs. Maxima indulged in an espresso while Thara tried out English Breakfast tea. Kalea herself took a quad shot with her breakfast. Master Terrific would've been impressed if he hadn't known it probably took that much concentrated coffee to even dent Kalea's peripheral senses.
Terry Sloane was excluded from the Light because Luthor felt threatened by him. Lex got the preference owing to his position as Secretary-General. Lena had the corporate interests now. Luna was sequestered in her lab in Smallville. Luthor El-Fadil was being raised by the Contessa in Seville. That accounted for every Luthor except for Luna's daughter who was also in Seville.
Except, Mia Kent was actually Lord Superman's daughter by Earth-2's Lena Luthor. But Lois had raised Mia from an infant after her father had killed her mother seconds after giving birth. So Mia truly was a Kent rather than a Luthor.
The fifteen-year old had turned away from Lois' quest to kill Clark's brood. All of Lois' biological children had chosen this Superman as their father. Even Carol and Jane refused to embrace their mother anymore. Preferring Lana Linda instead. That stung more than Jon or Laura's disloyalty.
Jon wanted to be Clark. Laura was problematic. Lois saw the troubles brewing behind her bright eyes. Laura was the manipulative provocateur that got Mia and Jon in trouble. Lois wondered just what Laura got up to now in her free time. Superboy and Miss Martian kept a careful eye on Laura and her devotion and empathy towards Kalea indicated deeper seated problems. Even the renamed Galatea/Karen Starr wasn't as enamored with Kalea as Laura was.
"So how many of your allies have to die before you leave us alone?" Kalea idly asked between bites of scrambled eggs. Lois mentally cursed. She could hear the Legion preparing for action. So of course Kalea could as well. Her senses sharpened by years of warfare and her ongoing role as a bounty-killer.
"No one needs to die today. We just want to come to an arrangement. You had one with the Light already," Terry attempted to smooth things over.
"I fulfilled the contract," Kalea said sharply, "And Mr. Dunn's mouth breathing is beginning to annoy me. And I don't care how many Bizarros you bring. They die just like everything else."
"You can't take us all," Lois said confidently.
"Watch me," Kalea said flatly. Lois recalled that Kalea had penetrated planetary defenses to kill entire planetary populations during the various wars Almerac had barely emerged victorious from to become a republic rather than an empire.
"What about Em?" Lois asked sternly, "Will you risk her life and those of the other tenets?"
"Shields," Kalea ordered. Defensive force fields enveloped the building. They modulated through different Emotional Spectrums as well as the power source behind the Rings of Volthoom.
"I've been prepared for this since the building was reconstructed," Kalea said grimly, "I just have to deal with you two first then squish your overbearing allies one at a time."
"I still have internal access," Lois warned Kalea, "Your tenets are dead."
"Kryptonite," Kalea ordered and the walls' lead lining parted and green kryptonite shards were revealed, "It seems Krypton's home system is just filled with the stuff."
"How are you surviving?" Master Terrific asked.
"My daughter is from Almerac. Her father's powers are dimmed but she is still half my daughter. And you foget about her cybernetics," Maxima boasted.
Kalea had accustomed herself to the sickness that accompanied kryptonite while on Argo. Lois felt overwhelmed.
"I need out," Lois and Thara both were looking green.
"This doesn't have to go this way," Master Terrific advised Kalea.
"It's already too late for that," Kalea warned him, "Take Lois outside. She can still recover."
They exited and Kalea ordered the lead walls back into place. Thara looked eternally grateful.
"You'll learn to tolerate kryptonite as your sister has as you grow older," Maxima promised her.
"Go back to Crossroads," Kalea ordered her mother and sister.
"What about you?" Maxima was concerned.
"Those commands alerted the JSA to my defenses going up. Karen will alert the Justice League," Kalea told her.
"Will they come?" Maxima asked
"If they want to save greater London they will," Kalea advised her mother, "If you insist on fighting beside me, I recommend you hand of Thara to Daisy Miller. She's good with kids."
"I'll be back," Maxima vowed.
"I'm not going anywhere," Kalea told her.
"So Kalea sounded the alert," Power Girl was explaining the the night shift Ops Manager at the Hall of Justice
"I'll alert the Isles section of the new Justice League Global Guardians and then raise an International team to respond if the Isles report heavy resistance."
"Expect it," Power Girl warned the manager, "I'd send in your Global vets as well as assemble an International team. Kalea is Superman and Maxima's daughter. If she's raised the alarm then all of London is threatened."
"Understood," the woman replied, "The locals can assemble on site in twenty minutes while the Global Guardians leadership rallies. It may take me thirty to forty minutes to assemble a JLI strike force."
"Just do it. The JSA has no legal jurisdiction and we're bound by domestic charter not to traipse off overseas," Power Girl reminded the manager. She ignored the fact that she was recuperating still.
"I can contact Homeland and see of they can get emergency clearance for some of their operatives to intervene as well," the manager offered, "Best I can do."
"It'll have to do," Power Girl conceded, "Thanks."
The main screen shifted to news from London while the smaller screens and individual monitors continued to tack regional crises and developments. The BBC was reporting live on the shifting, miasmic field surrounding a popular public house and its upper domestic units. Various members of the Legion of Doom could be seen testing the field's strength.
The Night Manager alerted the Ops Director, Sue Dibney, as well as the JLI Director, Col. (Ret.) Steve Trevor. Trevor lived in the dorms inside the Hall while Sue and her husband Ralph, the Elongated Man, shared an apartment in mid-town Manhattan. The Hall of Justice itself was built along former riverside docks in Brooklyn. Natalie Reed, the Blackhawk pilot in charge of the Invisible Jet was also alerted to prep the modified supersonic XB-1A troop transport for flight.
One of the UN stipulations was that the JLI could no longer use their teleporter network for international transportation. But team members could use the teleport zeta tubes to report to the Hall. Lady Blackhawk and the Blackhawk Squadron were also put on scramble alert for potential action. Blackhawk Express and the Squadron being UN agencies as well.
So the alerts were sent. The zeta tube teams were warned to expect heavy traffic. Now it was just a matter of observing the situation via satellite and over traditional news broadcasts. The talking heads at Fox News' "Fox and Friends" were already decrying the situation as "fake news" and that the Brits "deserved it" for socializing medicine and having a social safety net that American liberals frequently pointed towards.
One commentator even handily remarked that the "Commie bastards were finally getting their own!"
Another pundit heartily agreed that "They're finally getting what they deserve."
The other guest panelist decided to top off the conversation by loudly declaring "It's what happens when you let your country get overrun by (bleeped) foreigners!"
They all agreed on this last point before moving on to more important issues. Like how suspected voter fraud was undermining school board elections nationwide. Text books that labeled slavery and segregation as racist were needing to be replaced by texts showing how Black people and poor whites prospered under the "generous, loving embrace of wealthy white upper class citizens". Further assertions were made that the vote tax should return and that the Constitutional amendments granting universal suffrage to men, women, and races of all color should be revoked and the vote returned to a white landed aristocracy as framed in the original Constitution. The talking heads proposed that an income cap replace the property ownership clauses. Multimillionaires and above would earn the franchise after the wealth passed 100 million dollars. That bracket would qualify as the "peasant class".
All others would be "voluntary" indentured servants or slaves. Only multibillionaires would qualify to run for office. The office of the Presidency restricted to those with over 100 billion dollars of net worth. Brokerage houses selling leverage and political influence could then open.
The good folks at Fox News were more than happy to sell Jackson Mason's proposals
seemingly unaware that without their own branding of influence peddling, the individual pundits and reporters wouldn't even qualify to vote under the proposed changes of the newly reformed Constitution Party. America's second third-party alternative to gain traction since the Republican Party overtook the Whigs. Party registration was already consuming the America's Deep South and Florida. Farsighted real estate developers were already trenching out the mass graves for the elderly and the disabled poor.
Life would be good for rich white folk again. Everyone else would serve the new "genteel" classes. The courts and voting districts would be stacked and gerrymandered until there was a one-party rule.
The government would be weaponized to "defend democracy" or at least the Constitution Party's democratic norms. The courts would be weaponized to take from the undeserving colored moneyed classes and redistribute the wealth to the needy billionaires. The middle class would erased and sell themselves into bondage. The poor would be forcibly enslaved. Neither would ever taste freedom again and neither would their children.
Under Jackson Mason's banner slogan "Make America Great Again!", he echoed Hitler's theme of "Make Germany Great Again!" Mason sold the message to the same types of people. Poor and semi-literate souls that saw a chance at exerting power for the first time by taking it from others. These would become the next wave of federal and state agents. Through it all, the Fourth Reich and the Purple Shirts would wonder when did they become irrelevant?
Three-time failed presidential candidate and disgraced Vice-President Jackson Mason had found his base. Once he had Fox News in his pocket, his grip on American politics would be inescapable. Even Rupert Murdoch would lament the United States' fate from the UK.
Godiva and Mayflower were the most experienced superheroes of the Isles group
but Captain Parliament and the 10th Level Intellect, Britannica, were the team leader and chief strategist of the Isles sub-division of the Commonwealth team within the banner Justice League Global Guardians. Of course, the Irish Republic wasn't a member of the British Commonwealth but they were interconnected through the British and Irish Isles and their common and frequently bloody history.
Owlwoman was bringing a Global Guardians response team that included Jack O'Lantern, Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, Samurai, Golden Eagle, and Red Dragon, who like Samurai was also from Japan. The Commonwealth was already largely on a mission in Australia hence the sparsity of the Isles' response. The rest of the Global Guardians were on alert as well.
The Isles that were present weren't intended to defeat the Legion of Doom. That was the role of the Justice League International. But any help in preventing loss of life and property damage until they arrived would be appreciated. This was the first operational outing for the newest Knight and Page. Squire still refusing to release her title despite her official renegade status. MI5, in selecting and training the newest Knight and Page, decided to forgo the Squire title to avoid confusion with INTERPOL and the FBI's arrest warrants.
Oddly, Homeland Security's DEO and SHADE didn't list Squire or any member of the Outlaws as criminals or fugitives from justice. Just "persons of interest". New Scotland Yard also carried a similar notation towards the Outlaws' members. INTERPOL was under pressure to downplay the Outlaws participation with the new, and now defunct, Bat Clan in what had occurred at INTERPOL HQ in Lyons, France. The FBI was being hard court pressed by Homeland to drop the murder charges against the Outlaws for the Masked Leader and Dragon King's murders seeing as how they liberated Gotham as a result.
Every other charge that could be made was circumstantial at best and no federal prosecutor would touch them. Gotham's DA Reynolds wanted to give them the key to the city. Knightfall had certainly pressed to exonerate them given her own actions against the fascist forces. But Police Commissioner Gordon had unearthed the Outlaws' Bunker while searching for Knightfall's own beneath Three Towers. The fact that Barbara Gordon had always known it was there never came to light. Barbara left Knightfall's false "evidence" of not being Charise Carnes alone and Charise left Barbara's past as Batgirl alone.
The London Metropolitan Police in London and MI5 still had plenty of questions they wanted to ask of the Outlaws concerning their recent defense of the Queen and her family. That event had also discredited the wildly popular first duo of the Knight and Page as being in Intergang's pocket. So MI5 merely trained up their own incarnation.
Both were former constables. The Knight being a former sergeant and the Page being a third year veteran. Both had military records besides. They'd both seen action in Afghanistan.
Squire had donated the Knight's Cave and Knight's Ride to London. Thereby revealing the heroic legacy of the Sheldrake family and keeping Beryl Hutchinson free from suspicion. Beryl's mother knew then that her daughter was never willingly returning to the United Kingdom. But at least she'd met Rose Wilson-Worth, the woman that captured Beryl's heart and even joined her in a civil union.
The Monarch, Freedom, and Spitfire rounded out the English members of the Isles. It had been mere luck of the draw that the English Isles team members were regionally selected to stay behind with Captain Parliament and Britannica as their Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish, and Irish Republican teammates traveled to the crisis in Australia.
"Bloody hell," Godiva managed to breathe, "The International team wants us to hold out against them?"
"That's right," Owlwoman said as her teammates came up behind the Isles. Jack O'Lantern was already flaming, the golden haired Red Dragon looked determined, Golden Eagle was inscrutable behind his golden face mask. El Zorro and El Dorado had joined the mission team as newly appointed squad leaders. Black Vulcan, Samurai, and Apache Chief were mentally preparing themselves for the worst.
"That's the newest Superman, isn't it?" Spitfire asked.
"Looks like," the Monarch replied gravely, "It's the Legion of Doom's collection of heaviest hitters. We don't have a chance."
"Hold that talk!" the Olympian commanded as he landed to join the group.
"Bother," Godiva sighed.
"Dmitrios, you were ordered to hold back," Owlwoman sharply criticized his decision to come knowing it was based purely on Godiva's being present.
"Ya want him ta leave now that he's already here?' Jack asked.
"No, we can obviously use the help. The International team is scrambling everyone not on the disabled list. So we have help coming," Owlwoman promised them all.
"No disrespect, but what can we manage against them?" Freedom wondered, "Some of us don't even have gen factors."
"Gen factors don't matter," Mayflower promised, "What counts is being able to risk a punch and get back up once it's delivered."
"Spoken like someone with a meta-gene," Page complained.
"How many futzing plants do you see down there for me to mutate and control?" Mayflower asked, "I'm just as scared as you. But my time with the Force of July taught me it's not always about powers. It's about raw courage. Major Victory didn't have powers. He just had a powered armored suit like the Knights. Lady Liberty had a power blasting torch like Page has her short sword. Silent Majority was a meta and so was I but were weren't the heroes of the group because of it. We were the least of them because of it."
"It seems the ability to make a rousing speech came with the territory as well," Owlwoman smirked.
"Sorry, Wenonah. I didn't mean to overstep," Mayflower apologized.
"Trust me you didn't," Owlwoman said, "We're all scared but we showed up anyway. We just need to slow the bastards down and maybe take a couple out while we do it."
"So we're cannon fodder?" Zorro inquired.
"Hardly that, Mate," the Knight replied, "We're the floor show distraction until the heavies get in it."
"I'll take this so-called 'Superman'," the Olympian offered.
"Best leave him to Kalea," Owlwoman reminded him of whose building was under attack, "Focus on the Bizarros."
"Futzing hell!" the Monarch yelped, "Some daft woman just stepped outside the field!"
"That would be Kalea-El. The real Superman's craziest daughter," Black Vulcan chuckled, "Strap in folks. She's gonna put on a show."
The Legion halted the breaching efforts as Kalea emerged out out her pub's front door and stepped through the multi-Spectrum defense field.
"Oh shit," Superwoman groaned.
"Which one of you thinks you're better than my father?" Kalea asked, "Bring out the 'Superman'."
Bill Dunn landed before her, "Prepare to get broken, little girl."
"Well, my eleventh birthday is coming up. I guess handing you your own ass is my gift this year," Kalea riposted.
"You can't be that young," Dunn challenged her declaration
"I'm many things but a liar isn't one of them," Kalea promised him, "You're just gonna to have find out all about the negatives on your own."
"Ha! You're Superman's daughter. You won't…" Dunn's jaw was broken by a sucker punch.
Lois gasped, "That was her right arm!"
"That's right, Lo-Lo!" Kalea mocked her with her father's former pet name for his estranged and homicidal wife, "I've had a few upgrades made."
Superwoman faltered, "How?"
"Hand enough Kryptonian and Daxamite corpses to the Techno-Organic Union and then they can replicate nearly anything. Including this."
Both of Kalea's blue eyes began to glow red and her Heat Vision lashed out at Superwoman. Lois barely managed to escape the blast.
"Fascinating," Master Terrific, like everyone else present, hadn't seen that coming.
"No power cells needed `cause my native biology was left intact to apply the implant to. They just had never analyzed a Kryptonian's optical nerves to see where the vision powers came from and I was a rush job back when I was six," Kalea bothered to explain, "And they measured muscle density and genetic coding to create Kryptonian norm cybernetics for me. All very hush-hush of course. But my employer is very enthusiastic to see what I can do now. I cracked worlds beforehand. Imagine what I can do to your individual skulls."
"Then we attack en masse!" Hal ordered the Legion.
"I was hoping someone would be stupid enough to order that," Kalea smirked.
"Did she just bate the entire Legion of Doom into fighting her?" Godiva asked.
Owlwoman looked pained, "Much as I hate to say it, we can't let them die."
"Them or her?" Freedom yelped.
"Them," Owlwoman said flatly.
"Oh shit!" Jack pointed, "`Ere comes Maxima."
"Olympian, new priority: Devastation!" Owlwoman watched Deva winding up to use her power.
"She's a child," he scoffed.
"That 'child' is a daughter of Rhea and Chronos with the power to singlehandedly sink this island nation. So go!" Owlwoman snapped at him.
"The rest of you evacuate civilians from the area. The Metro has a perimeter established. We need it pushed back another twenty blocks at least and everyone out of their buildings and outside of that perimeter," Owlwoman ordered, "Move!"
"Friends of yours?" a freshly armored Maxima asked as she noted the Global Guardians going into action.
"I heard them earlier. I have no idea who most of them are," Kalea admitted trying to rip Spencer Hawke and Hal Jordan's heads off while Maxima took serious delight in humiliating Sinestro.
"The power of the Unseen Light, indeed," Maxima's sword shattered Sinestro's shield and nearly cleaved his shoulder off.
"You aren't worth my time," he sneered, desperately trying to reclaim his pride as he retreated.
Maxima suddenly felt her own weight increase fifty fold as Lady Lunar and Moonman applied their power to her. then Moonman began projecting energy bolts at Maxima
"Need or want a hand?" Kalea asked.
"I'm in no need," Maxima promised her eldest daughter. Maxima rarely used her telekinetic powers so people generally didn't know she had them. She reached out mentally and cracked Lady Lunar and Moonman's skulls together, concussing them.
Maxima had a sudden spring to her step, "I forgot how enjoyable this could be."
Kalea had both Fear Lantern and Red Lantern by the throats and was applying crushing pressure against their personal protection fields, "I know, right?"
Hal used pry bars to loosen Kalea's grip while Spencer used a rage driven beam of pure force to her nose to get her to release him.
She wiped the blood away as she nearly instantaneously healed, "Good work, boys. I thought you'd be dead by now."
"Jesus, woman. Don't you fear anything?" Hal had to wonder since his ring didn't get any readings off of her.
"Nope," she grinned.
Hawke's ring only detected grim purpose within her and not a killing rage. She was rumored to be a sociopath but it seemed she was a detached killer. So his ring couldn't feed power from her. Jordan's power field began sputtering as he began to feel fear instead of inflicting it.
"Next time," Red Lantern promised as he rescued Fear Lantern from her.
"Performance issues," Kalea chuckled, "No wonder Carol Ferris dumped his ass for Rayner."
Maxima was mixing it up with Atomic Skull and Bag O'Bones. The Sivana Family flew up to intercept Kalea.
"Look: Marvel or Shazam, or whatever the hell they're calling themselves this week, Family wannabes," Kalea mocked them.
"No! We Sivanaaaaaah!" Magnificus transformed back to mortal and fell before repeating his last name and returning to the skies.
Kalea snickered, "I guess he's the brains."
"Daddy said you killed most of Darkseid's Elite for us. Why are we fighting?" Georgia asked.
"`Cause Lo-Lo can't take 'no' for an answer," Kalea snorted. Superwoman slammed into her and they headed down the Thames to the ocean beyond.
"I guess she wasn't kidding," Thad Jr. shrugged.
Maxima's sword cleaved Atomic Skull and Bag O'Bones' power blasts in two. Her armor deflected the rest.
"What the futz are you made of anyway?" Atomic Skull had to wonder. Bag O'Bones flew off as the Tornado Twins raced in to engage Maxima. Then they raced off in opposite direction only to return to deliver simultaneous supersonic punches from either side of Maxima's jaw. It staggered her but it broke Don and Dawn Allen's hands. They retreated as super speeds.
"Me want everything to do with her," Bizarro Girl decided.
"I am wanting to too," Bizarro and his girlfriend flew off. Multiplex was making himself scarce. Master Terrific now understood why Vandal Savage wanted Maxima tamed. Through her, they could leverage Kalea-El as well. But Maxima herself was the prize.
The former warrior queen was still all warrior. The Sivana Family was trying to talk Maxima down while Atomic Skull slunk back into the alleyways. Terry Sloane decided it best to take over from here.
He came forward applauding Maxima, "That was the finest display I've seen in years."
"Would you care for another?" Maxima was still poised to damage the Sivanas.
"It's all right. You can go," he dismissed them.
"You've mastered every human tongue so I'm guessing you understand the term 'parlay' in both my language and your own," Master Terrific kept his hands visible, "I'm unarmed. I loathe violence."
"That's what the minions are for," Maxima sheathed her sword, "I begin to understand you."
"We were never here to fight. Lois, God bless her, is a tad jealous of you," Master Terrific shared, "Though she'd never admit it herself."
"I can force her to," Maxima warned him.
"That's if your daughter leaves her alive," Master Terrific advised her, "Something I rather doubt at this point. Your daughter's version of fun includes killing Lois."
"Something you don't wish to happen?" Maxima sensed she had a bargaining chip.
"Lois' obsession conveniently distracts Superman and his other children," Master Terrific shared, "Whether or not she can ever succeed is an entirely different question. Especially with the Eradicator of Earth-52 arriving in the New Universe. Ah, I see your daughter has shared the truth behind the Multiverse that was."
"There's another Lois?" Maxima was startled.
"We manged to transfer the Eradicator from STAR Labs where the Outlaws delivered her to the former Evil Factory your daughter liberated from Darkseid's Elite. We've remade it into a new CADMUS facility," Master Terrific was impressed by the fact none of these terms escaped Maxima's understanding, "Almerac's Jovian observation post must have been quite effective."
"It had its uses," Maxima allowed.
"But Almerac has abdicated its customary role in defending Terran space from those who would exploit its meta-humans," Master Terrific understood.
"The observation post is a commercial site now. Employed by your own Light to traffic metas and those with unactivated gen factors off-world," Maxima said derisively, "Everything I fought against. I'm no stranger to slavery but weaponizing children was beneath even my empire."
"Was?" Master Terrific seized upon that word.
"Was," Maxima said coldly, "There's now a meta-human arms race. One the Dark Circle and the Dominators have chosen to be rivals in. That conflict should last throughout the terms of their empires. The Dark Circle has an early lead by capturing the hearts and minds of Daxamites. The Dominators have so many others including the Thanagarian remnant."
"I think we should talk," Master Terrific confessed, "To further discuss these matters."
Maxima deactivated the pub's shielding. But reactivated it when they were inside, "Drink? I understand Kalea's establishment stocks libations."
"I'll have whatever you're having. It isn't early morning where I came from," Master Terrific told her.
"Kalea told me about 'brandy' and 'bourbon'," Maxima told him, "Which is more apropos for negotiations?"
"Brandy, I would assume," Master Terrific told her, "It's the higher ticket item."
"You're the native," Maxima smirked as she selected a bottle and poured two very full sifters.
"To profitable exchanges," Maxima toasted him and downed the sifter's contents.
"I'm not even going to attempt that," Master Terrific told her, "I don't have your metabolism."
"Now, you wished to discuss an alliance of a sort. Did you not?" Maxima asked.
"You'd be open to that?" Master Terrific asked.
"I'm open to anything that keeps Thara out of harm's way," Maxima admitted, "But it has to be on my terms"
"Let's discuss those then," Master Terrific took a swallow of the brandy, "Your daughter knows her suppliers."
"I think her minions are the experts," Maxima smirked again, "Care to explain how you've kept Capt. Hero and her crew from responding?"
"We sent them after a colossal bounty. They'll be off world for weeks, possibly months," Master Terrific shrugged, "How better to deal with former imperial scouts?"
"Clever man. I appreciate clever men," Maxima poured and downed another sifter, "Your personal value just went up."
"I never said it was my idea," Terry Sloane admitted.
"You never had to," Maxima grinned, "Kalea has compiled extensive notes on you, Terry Sloane. She suspected you'd be chosen to approach me after I came to Earth. But she estimated you'd arrive with either Dr. Moriarty, Ms. Adler, or Ms. Boston or a combination therein. Lois Lane was a poor choice."
"Not mine to make," Master Terrific shrugged.
"Because you're still directing things from the shadows," Maxima acknowledged, "On your Earth you were the '8th Wonder'. The man that collected and composed the Crime Syndicate while letting the buffoonish Ultraman believe it was his idea."
"The ruler in the window waving at the crowd attracts the bullets," Master Terrific downplayed his role.
"Quite, quite clever," Maxima settled in her mind, "These are my terms for betraying Kal-El and the Justice Leagues…"
"Raaarrrrgh!" Blockbuster roared as she clotheslined Olympian. Then she hefted him up and punched him towards Devastation. Deva replied in kind. They rocked Olympian back and forth for several rounds of blows. He eventually collapsed. Captain Parliament landed then.
"I suppose you blighters aren't interested in a fair fight," he assumed a boxing stance.
Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern flew up as well.
"Leargh urgh alogahgog," Blockbuster snarled, which roughly translated as, "Leave us alone."
The ground began to shake. Devastation was beginning an earthquake in otherwise tectonically stable London.
"No ya don't," a mystical fiery blast emanated from Jack's fist and struck down Devastation. With her concentration broken, the tremors stopped.
"Strewth! She can do that? But she's just a child!" Captain Parliament exclaimed.
"She's centuries old. And she needs to focus," Owlwoman extended her finger talons and went on the attack. Jack wordlessly joined her. They worked seamlessly without words or signals of any kind.
Blockbuster shoulder checked the Captain into a building. She was about to interrupt Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern when she found herself knocked through a building.
"Not so much fun on the receiving end, is it?" Captain Parliament inquired floating above her. So he wasn't just a dandy with to many muscles wearing a shield emblem on his chest.
"Raaagh!" Blockbuster swung a backhand. He caught her arm and flipped her over onto her back. Freedom and Spitfire showed up then. Blockbuster was beginning to get a feel for these Brits.
Parliament was a Majestic-class human, whether by science or magic. Spitfire was a pyrokinetic based on her flaming mode of arrival. Freedom was a speedster. Whether she was Tornado Twin talent or not remained to be seen. Dawn and Don arrived on the scene. Their bones had quickly knitted together. They attacked Freedom. Atomic Skull came at Spitfire. A swarm of Multiplexes trampled Captain Parliament.
So it seemed the Legion of Doom hadn't completely faded away. But an invisible force began shattering Multiplexes with tremendous blows. El Dorado was on the scene. Bag O'Bones had also returned. Black Vulcan and Samurai engaged him. Red Dragon summoned psychokinetic constructs of dragons to unleash against the recuperated Superman II. The Monarch joined in the battle attempting to mind control a Legionnaire to turn against their fellows. Britannica and El Zorro also dealt with Multiplexes. With a thunderclap, El Dorado and Zorro's fellow Mexican superhero, Suprema, arrived only to be ambushed by Bizarro and Bizarro Girl. La Espirita, also from Mexico, faded in and out of tangibility and sight as she joined in the battle as well
"Ohshig," which was Blockbuster-speak for, "Oh shit" slipped out when the Invisible Jet suddenly decloaked over London announcing the arrival of the Justice League International. The International team's arrival had been a certainty. But the Legion had expected to have squished the Isles and any "Super Friends" by now. They were also lacking their Lanterns. The idea was to retreat upon Maxima's acceptance of Master Terrific's deal.
"They're here," Ultra-Humanite warned Terry Sloane over comms.
"Extract the others. I'll be along shortly. Any news from Lois?" Master Terrific replied.
"None," Ultra-Humanite activated the teleporter recall sequence that extracted the Legionnaires back to the Vanishing Isles' Hall of Doom. Everyone save Sloane and Superwoman.
"What the futzing hell?" Fire asked no one in particular.
"Who knows?" Ice innocently shrugged
"Guys! We have a situation at the pub!" the Flash warned them and streaked off again to join Trajectory there.
"Come in and join us," Master Terrific offered Trajectory as she staked out the front door.
"Um…" he delighted in Eliza Harmon's consternation.
"Come. Sit. Lady Maxima has opened the bar. If you don't want something to drink, which I doubt you can get drunk with that metabolism of yours, she's serving coffee," Master Terrific clarified the offer.
"It's alright, Trajectory," Maxima assured her, "Thara is safe and so am I."
"Um…" Trajectory still stood at the door until the Flash arrived.
"We have backup coming," he warned Master Terrific.
"Is it my breath?" Sloane asked Maxima.
"Flash, do come in and take a seat," Maxima insisted.
"They keep saying that," Trajectory told a stunned Flash.
"Eliza, Wally, I could pose a serious threat to you but I don't see the point," Master Terrific chuckled, "I'm just having a quiet drink with a newfound friend while awaiting Lois' return."
"Lois Lane, Lois?" the Flash gulped.
"Kalea should be beating some sense into her right now," Maxima smirked, "Literally, not figuratively."
The speedsters exchanged worried glances. Then the Flash darted off again.
"He'll be back and then everyone will arrive," Trajectory sighed, "And I do mean everyone."
"We'll have to start charging for drinks. It's after 1100 local time, the pub can reopen early," Master Terrific enthused, "I'm an excellent mixologist."
"Good idea!" Maxima approved, "Trajectory, can you cook?"
"Just Cuban," Trajectory warned.
"I have no idea what that means beyond a person from a specific country," Maxima confessed.
"It means they won't have the right ingredients," Trajectory deadpanned.
"I'll get Thara from her nap," Maxima decided.
"You mix the drinks. No one would accept one from me anyway. And you can watch me prep the food to make certain I haven't done anything diabolical to it," Master Terrific chuckled.
"You're not what I expected," she confessed.
"Neither are you," he winked at her, "Now starting reading the mix listings for cocktails. But I suppose this is more of a draft tap crowd," Master Terrific smirked. Trajectory snickered despite herself.
"You know, I don't know Mr. Terrific can't accept my existence. He feels I'm such an existential threat that he's colored everyone's perceptions of me. Can you honestly recall any time I actively harmed anyone?" Master Terrific inquired.
"You betrayed us all to the Anti Monitor," Trajectory said coldly.
"But I didn't actually harm anyone and the universe was recreated. So no harm, no foul," he shrugged indifferently.
"That attitude is why he hates you," Trajectory explained.
"Thank you for that insight, Eliza," Master Terrific smiled.
"Do you even own a costume?" Trajectory had wondered.
"Never saw the need," he grinned, "Unlike present company and expected company, of course. Besides, Seville Row never goes out of fashion."
"You're so not what I expected," Trajectory said again.
"You're repeating yourself," he grinned.
"It's still true though," Trajectory replied.
"You want unexpected? Meet my partner in the Anti Monitor crime someday," Master Terrific grinned naughtily.
"Hellequin? She's a nut job," Trajectory dismissed the thought.
"Anything but. I consider her a peer," Master Terrific confessed, "Knightfall believes she controls Gotham's criminal element. But Hellequin is the one that brought them all together. They owe her for their fiefdoms and Knightfall had to pay the ultimate price for Hellequin and Red Alice's cooperation."
"Which is?" Trajectory was fascinated despite herself.
"Control," Master Terrific snickered, "Knightfall has no control whatsoever over Hellequin, Red Alice and her Wonderland Gang."
"Where's Maxima?" Supergirl demanded to know as she burst through the open front door.
"She's rousing Thara from wherever she truly lives," Master Terrific replied, "Order a drink or some food. Kalea is open for business early today."
"What do you mean where she truly lives?" Supergirl was stymied by that revelation.
"She lives at the Crossroads Coffee Bar as does Kalea. This is just a mailing address," Master Terrific shared, "A spoof to get the potentially harmful distracted."
"You knew? And you let the Legion come here anyway?" Trajectory was amazed.
"Crossroads is universally neutral territory across the Realms of Existence. Fu Manchu wouldn't respect that and we'd pay the price. So I've never told anyone besides Lois," Master Terrific explained.
"Lois Lane?" Supergirl yelped.
"Kalea is dealing with her as we speak," Master Terrific's naughty grin returned.
"I can give you Kalea's location," Maxima said as she returned with Thara on her hip.
She pulled up a holographic map, "They're on Great Blasket Island off of the west coast of County Kerry, Ireland. Our intelligence dossiers say the island has been uninhabited since your Earth year 1954."
"I'll see you all back here," Supergirl announced.
"You'll need my tracking power," Owlwoman offered.
"An' I knew the territory," Jack O'Lantern volunteered as well, "There's still structures there the Real IRA used ta hide out in."
The Justice League had come to terms with Jack's past as a terrorist. But the JLI had also admitted former Nazi, Ace of Blades, and her girlfriend, Killer Frost for a time as well as Goldilocks, the current leader of the Injustice Society on the Prime Earth. Trying to accept former foes as friends began with Galatea. Who as Power Girl, transferred to the Justice Society of America. They'd re-accepted Lady Marvel after Mary Marvel's stint as Black Mary. But she too had left for the JSA. The entire Shazam Family had migrated. Shazam primarily because of Stargirl and Captain Marvel and Lady Marvel over the reticence remaining in accepting Mary back.
"Let's order up," the Monarch declared. His Isles' teammates quickly ordered ales and draft beers and lunches. All provided for by Trajectory and Master Terrific. Maxima watched like a proud monarch over her throne room. The other JLers introduced themselves only to find Maxima already knew who they all were. But Thara delighted in the attention as Maxima let her take the floor.
Lois led with a right cross and received a knee to the gut and a left cross to the jaw. Which propelled her into the craggy soil with the force to crack rock. Which it did.
"I get it. You hate my Pops' other self on Earth-2. Who wouldn't hate that bastard?" Kalea remarked, "And Mercy Corp blended his DNA with yours and Lana Linda's to make you some shit hot powers back on that Earth. Guess what? Earth-2 is gone and only Hellequin is making an honest go of it. Though you jump started Lana Linda's chances with Pops."
Lois tried to charge into Kalea's midsection to receive another knee then an elbow between her shoulder blades. A harder right cracked into the back of Lois' skull and Superman momentarily blacked out. But she pushed herself off of the ground, bruised and bleeding but refusing to give in.
"You're effectively half-Kryptonian now `cause that DNA is dominant. Same with your kids. But you're still half-human like Superboy," Kalea warned Lois, "My other half is Almeracian. A pure blood Almeracian like my mother could kick your ass. What chance do you stand against my Pops?"
"Why do you care?" Lois spat blood and wiped more from her nose and lips.
"`Cause with your dick move of abandoning your kids that leaves them with Pops and Lana Linda. I may not care if you offed him on his own merits but I won't see my sibs left to your 'sweet' mercies," Kalea told her, "So, I'm just gonna kill you right here and now. `Kay?"
Supergirl slammed into Kalea.
"What the futz, Matrix?" Kalea was now angered. Owlwoman and Jack were wearied from the speeds they'd been pushing.
"Looks like she had ya on the ropes, Superwoman," Jack chuckled, "An' don't get all pissy. We're both magical an' that means we kin kill ya if ya get uppity."
"Some heroes," Lois snorted.
Owlwoman extended her talons, "Want to see heroics?"
"Get the futz outta my way, Linda," Kalea warned Supergirl. A mirror suddenly appeared next to Superwoman. Long, golden tendrils and braids of hair snaked out of the mirror, snared Lois, and pulled her through the mirror portal. Then it shattered and the pieces vanished.
"I thought the Evil Queen was done with Earth," Supergirl was baffled.
"That was Goldilocks, you twit," Kalea snapped at her, "She's in Superior City now."
"What would the Injustice Society have to do with Lois Lane?" Supergirl asked.
"I don't know," Kalea grated, "Why not go ask them?"
"We don't have probable cause," Owlwoman grimly told her.
"Then I guess you find out the hard way," Kalea snorted, "Meanwhile, I'm goin' back to my pub where your co-workers better be paying for the food and hooch."
She was a vanishing blur.
"Damn, she's gonna kick everyone out `fore we get a drink," Jack complained.
"We'll get one before we go," Owlwoman promised, "The Isles sub-team will know the best spots that are open this early."
"Ooor we could getta drink an' a bite at a place I know in Dublin. It's on the way. Ye're invited too, Supergirl," Jack suggested.
"I love Dublin!" Supergirl enthused.
'God Himself made it," Jack boasted
"Braggart," Owlwoman laughed, "Let me call it in."
To Kalea's surprise, everyone was paying for their drinks and pub grub. On the UN's issued debit cards nonetheless.
"Everybody clear out when you're finished," Kalea told them all, "We open for real in two hours and my staff will be arriving to prep. I need them working, not gawking at the so-called celebs."
"You're a buzzkill," the Flash retorted.
"Just pay out your tab and go," Kalea faced him down. The Global Guardians and JLers proper exited. Master Terrific finished up in the kitchen.
"So, Mother agree to betray the League for you?" Kalea asked.
"And you know how?" Terry Sloane smirked.
"`Cause I would've," Kalea told him, "But Saturn Queen broke our deal. So other than contract work, I'll have nothing to do with the Light."
"Vandal Savage is hardly Saturn Queen," Master Terrific replied.
"Yeah, he's twice as treacherous," Kalea snorted derisively.
"True, but you know I'm not. And I'll vouch for him in that he has no ill will towards either you or the rest of your family beyond your father," Master Terrific pledged.
"Can you say the same for Fu Manchu or Luthor?" Kalea asked.
"Sadly, no," Master Terrific confessed.
"At least you're honest," Kalea decided not to kill him after all. She would've regardless of any deals he'd brokered with Maxima.
"Ciao!" he tapped a control on his watch and teleported out.
"Did Lois survive?" Maxima idly inquired.
"The Injustice Society pulled her away after the JLers interfered," Kalea grumbled.
"Pity. You could still deal with her," Maxima encouraged Kalea's blood lust.
"I have a truce with Goldilocks. I won't operate in Superior City or against the Injusticers without her sanction," Kalea shared.
"You must think highly of her," Maxima was impressed by this woman's unspoken credentials.
"We have similar histories with the Justice League," Kalea ventured to share, "She was even a member after she quit the Legion of Doom."
"And your father allowed this?" Maxima was amazed.
'It was one of his saintly, 'I give people second chances', moments," Kalea made air quotes with her fingers.
"Pity it took him so long to reach that conclusion with Galatea and Superboy," Maxima shrugged, "Now, you were going to show me this fair city."
"Let me grab some gold ducats and diamonds from the safe to sell so we'll have cash to spend. Royal privilege only applies to humans in the UK," Kalea went to her flat and changed clothes as well.
They had to dismiss a Pax Mundi unit that Luthor had dispatched to contain the situation. Kalea put them in charge of suppressing the "free" press and coping with MI5 and New Scotland Yard. Then after some visual exchanges with watchers, they went out on the town.
Master Terrific found himself teleporting and then steppng onto a mirror portal back at the Hall of Doom. He fell through it before it shattered into nothingness. He found himself in Goldilocks' offices in Superior City. There, the unique coastal city encompassed two states across the mouth of the Columbia River. The Injustice Society had contracted with the emerging hub and vital port as a protection detail. They kept meta-human and above average criminals from overwhelming the dogged police force.
Meanwhile the Injusticers were freed to pursue their larcenous tendencies out of town
Master Terrific was unsurprised to find Superwoman there, already healing. But Dr, Moriarty, Irene Adler, and Ethel Boston were surprises. For the Injusticers, Goldilocks was seated behind a desk. Also in occupancy were Clock Queen, Shadow Thief, Hazard, Mist, the Fiddler, Alice the Mad Hatter and Tinker Bell. All Goldilocks' strongest supporters. Alice was the supplier of the mirror portal magic. A native of Wonderland, she'd been exiled but married a fully sized Tinker Bell from Neverland
"What have I missed?" Master Terrific grinned.
Back in London, Deathstroke called off the vigil, "He gave us the all-clear."
"Master Terrific did. Not Fu Manchu," Jackal argued with his father.
"Do you really want to die today?" Deathblow inquired sharply.
"They went inside," Deathstroke warned Jackal, "Our only opportunity was to take them by surprise outside the pub. Master Terrific never gave us the 'go' order. Inside, they'll kill you straightaway and never think twice about it."
"The big, bad Deathstroke is afraid of two women?" Jackal sneered.
"I jumped in without think against a young Oliver Queen when he first became Green Arrow and lost an eye over it," Deathstroke reminded his son, "I underestimated him and my arrogance cost me. Kalea-El is a planet killer, I shit you not. She's killed New Gods beside me with her bare hands. I watched her kill Darkseid's finest assassin, Kanto, when he was fully armed and she had just her hands and feet. Poor bastard didn't stand a chance."
Jackal protested but Deathblow intervened, "Listen like you've never listened before."
"I went against Brutaal and the Female Furies beside her. She defeated a full blooded homicidal Daxamite. Granny Goodness and her Furies aligned themselves with the Light rather than face Kalea-El's wrath," Deathstroke tried to install some reason in Jackal, "I doubt a nuke could kill her. She's Superman's daughter but even kryptonite can't kill her, just weaken and sicken her. Red suns? She doesn't sweat them because she's still Maxima's daughter. She didn't annihilate New Krypton by playing half measures. This woman is a professional executioner. Her mother is an alien warlord. Don't think Almerac grew to be an interstellar power through mercy and kindness. Threaten her and her child and Kalea will be the least of your problems."
"You're honestly scared of them," Jackal finally realized.
"And you should be too, boy," Deathblow advised him, "The Pax Mundi provided us an exit strategy, I suggest we use it."
"She's coming out!" Jackal excitedly pointed out.
Kalea stared at their hidden position, then made like she was slitting her own throat before reentering her pub.
"And there went our last hope for the element of surprise," Deathblow announced, "I say we exit. While we still can."
"We can get to the other entrance. The one for the flats," Jackal sounded feverishly excited.
"No!" Deathstroke hurled his son against a wall and held a knife to his exposed throat.
"Gonna kill your own son?" Grant Wilson gibed.
"Better me than her," Slade told him, "Either way it's just as certain."
"They're both waving at our position," Deathblow had maintained the vigil, "It looks like they're stepping out for the day. They changed into civvies."
"So we follow them," Jackal demanded.
"You're on your own," Deathstroke released him, "I'm certain Addie will blame me for your death."
"You're really chicken shit about this?" Jackal was surprised.
"Yes, I am," Deathstroke told him, "If you want to call it that. I call it professional respect. I'd feel the same going against Deathblow."
"Right back at'cha," Deathblow agreed.
"You two really have turned pussy," Jackal stormed off.
"You gonna stop him?" Deathblow asked.
Deathstroke sighed,, "Yes, I am."
He pulled his .50 caliber AEA pistol out of its holster and shot the back of Jackal's knees.
"What the futz?" Grant raged in agony.
"You'll heal. Trust me," Slade knew Grant's recuperative powers were as great as his and Rose's. It took the loss of a limb or organ to incapacitate their healing factor. Hence both he and Rose losing an eye. Only Joshua's mind control powers as Jericho differed. But then his gen factor had been altered by Slade's exposure to Mirakuru before he was conceived. Grant and Rose inheriting his latent mental acuity, physical enhancements and healing factor. Adeline leaving him less for his post-Team 7 activities and more for the discovery of his infidelity in Vietnam that yielded Rose
Yet he'd left Cais in-country to return to Addie. When he went back to Vietnam, Cais was dead and Rose an orphaned street rat. He'd settled her in with the Worth family until she was old enough to take up training. Now his beloved daughter had entered into a civil union with another woman only because gay marriage was still spotty amongst the American states. How Slade hated her now. Her previous homosexual indiscretions having been overlooked because Rose was obviously bisexual. But to commit to another woman and deny him his birthright of grandchildren by her was unforgivable.
"I will find away to kill you, old man!" Jackal raged.
"I don't give a futz what you do from now on," Deathstroke replied.
He called MI5 and gave up Grant's location while he and Deathblow reported in with the Pax Mundi for their exfiltration. Even Josh, as Jericho, had betrayed Slade. Jericho was a member of Young Justice training to one day join the one of the Justice League branches or the JSA. At least Ravager was still a mercenary. A vigilante disguised as a merc but still getting paid to kill targets. So at least the family business was still going strong.
"Let's just get out of here," Slade told Deathblow on their way to extract.
"Fine with me," Deathblow said, "Easiest money I ever made."
"It could've been the hardest," Deathstroke reminded him, "Maxima would have torn you apart given the chance. She's also a ferrokinetic. Able to transform any gradient iron or steel into a weapon. And she's an expert with them."
"Coulda told Jackal that," Deathblow offered.
"Let the idiot think what he wants," Deathstroke snorted, "I have nothing to prove to him."
"Except that your his father," Deathblow replied.
"Shut up and enjoy the ride," Slade replied.
The helicopter would drop them off at a private airfield whereupon they would part ways and fly to separate locations. It wouldn't be fast enough for Deathstroke.
"You been summoned before the Court of Inquisition to answer for your affairs in the mortal Realms," the Inquisitor told the Lords of Order, Chaos, and Balance as well as the Endless. Their Agents and Avatars were also present before the Court
"Prepare yourselves, for the Trial has always been and always underway," the Inquisitor's skull-face seemed to grin.
"Justice is blind but the Court is not," the Spirit of Lady Justice said from behind her blindfold, "I will be your Advocate while the Inquisitor prosecutes. Have you anything to say before the Lords Tribunal before we begin?"
"This is a sham!" Mordru shouted on the Lords of Chaos' behalf.
"We will, of course, abide by the Court's ruling," Kismet spoke for the Lords of Order. The Lords of Balance and Endless remained silent but skeptical.
"May I inquire as to whom our accuser or accusers is or are?" Anna Fortune asked.
"You may indeed," the Evil Queen laughed as she strolled forward, "One or more of you invited the Amhránaithe agus Baird back into the Realms and I mean to know why, who, and for what purpose."
"And the guilty will answer for any crimes against Reality that they have committed," the Inquisitor said gleefully.
"Let the Trial renew," the Lords Tribunal declared as one.
Attributions:
Pax Mundi
Real Name
Unknown
First Appearance
November 5, 2010
Created by
Vito Delsante & Uriel Duran
Superman
Real Name
Bill Dunn
First Appearance
Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization #3 (January 1933)
Created by
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Contents
Origin
Professor Ernest Smalley was a mad scientist who specialized in chemistry. Needing test subjects for his experiments, the professor randomly chooses a homeless man named Bill Dunn from a Depression-era bread line telling him that in exchange for participating in the experiment Dunn would receive a new suit and a hot meal.
The experiment, a potion, granted Dunn telepathic powers. However, the man became power mad and decided to take over the world. Unfortunately for Dunn, the potion's effects are temporary and since he killed Smalley, the secret formula could not be duplicated. Dunn's powers begin to fade and he realized he will be returning to the bread line once more.
Public Domain Appearances
Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization #3
Notes
Bill Dunn was inspired by Hugo Danner by Philip Gordon Wylie.
In 1934, after refusing editors, the two authors decided to recreate the Superman character who launched the Golden Age of Comic Books.
"Captain Atomic was created by Michael P. and is available for use by anyone, with only one condition: This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Captain Atomic, in order that others may use this property as they wish."
While his adventures, as well as his various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators, the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.