"Blackouts worldwide have at last come to an end though as to the exact cause of them, remains for the moment unknown, but press statements made by various governments including the World Assembly is that they are investigating all possible origins."
News stations across the globe had similar anchors reporting from various blackout locations and in age of instant transmission, anyone who had access to network would know the story if they were not already in the area of a previously powerless city. Blue Beetle opts to take Question, Huntress, and Nightshade with him in order to learn the status of the hearings being led by Senator Schneider. They kept the broadcast running during the second flight of the 'Bug' in less than two days.
"The latest on Capitol Hill is that five of the Justice League Founders are in a closed doors session with a Congressional Committee led by known costumes detractor Senator Lawrence Schneider. However so far mandates from the higher levels forbid him from doing anything more than questioning them. As to the nature of the questioning, it is likely about the blackouts and their origins or so the situation suggests at present. Updates to come, this is Snapper Carr, Washington D.C."
Beetle throttles up the engines and they race within acceptable speeds inside military air space over the nation's capitol. The interior is again on running lights in order to mask their visual presence and Beetle had also made use of a radar jammer though if some 'bird' got too close then their hiding in plain sight would be blown.
"There's no way to hide a plane like this within city limits," says Beetle.
"That much is apparent from the security they have down there," notes Nightshade.
"The blackouts have made them jumpy," remarks Huntress.
"It'll be worse when they press the Founders about Atom," admits Question.
Question did not believe what the accusation would be as he had seen Atom head as far away the surface as he could get, but the energy backwash is too remarkable to be a coincidence yet he thinks that someone means to frame Atom, maybe even kill him. As for the Founders, Schneider's summons leaves the League in the hands of his most experienced agents. They mesh well their own familiar realms, but now they are caught between those realms and the world beyond those same realms.
"What would Schneider ask about him?" asks Nightshade softly.
"EMP is a form of electromagnetic radiation and Atom is one of few who can qualify as a radiation regulator yet the blasts all almost happen simultaneously," answers Question.
"When we were searching that hospital in Maine, we overheard a Dr. Magnus and Max Lord talking about a bonding process," interjects Huntress.
"It would account for why they set off the blasts, but not all of it."
"They were busy abducting costumes starting you with you," remarks Beetle.
"Interesting that they would start with me though they are likely after me first because of what happen with Cadmus."
"Because you went after Luthor, he went ahead with his plan to try to pit Cadmus and the League into a no-win scenario, but it didn't work, well it had come awfully close."
"They didn't anticipate certain variables and unknowns."
Huntress conceals a blush in the darkened interior of the 'Bug' when Question mentions those particular words while not exactly making eye contact with her.
"Repeats with variations, such is history, the cycle remains intact, but who or what will ensure infinity instead of terminus?" murmurs Question.
"Someone care to translate that one for me?" remarks Beetle.
"Infinity means that the cycle just loops back on itself like it has done before. Essentially it is not having all the worst possible outcomes becoming realities, like Flash surviving the fight with Brainthor by being pulled back into our world by the other Founders."
"So at a critical moment any one of us could defer the end of the world?"
"Possibly, but then I don't literally see all the pathways or the routes that they follow. What my mind can work through is tangents based on everything that I absorb about the current intersecting events."
"Very creative or imaginative mind you got there Question."
It is an obvious compliment if Question had not heard them infrequently enough in the past three years from various members of the Justice League, but then where Batman sought Arrow for humility, he sought Question for inquiry. However nobody, not Batman, not Question, and certainly not Huntress could have seen at the start just how intertwined lives become by Question's involvement in the League. However Superman, Batman, Huntress, and Black Canary are not the only ones with ghosts in their lives, but Question would not reveal the details of his ghosts, but then he had occasionally spoken of them. His ghosts were his oldest secrets, but then everyone has secrets, no matter how close anyone gets to anyone else, not all is truly known, unless both cast off their costumes in full.
Few ever venture into that realm of intimacy and those that do will either be closer for it or be driven away from each other. He wonders inwardly if he should take his ghosts to the grave yet Huntress… Helena… had long since held the right to know about his as he had found hers out without her telling him. His are as close to him as hers are to her though how or when to tell her that remains a blank. This conspiracy involving a plan set in motion by the presumed renegade Illuminatus Maxwell Lord had already shown him that their lives remain full of risk and some risks must be taken regardless of consequences.
They go without gadgets or weapons when walking in D.C. after hiding the 'Bug' on the far side of the city. Question as usual had intricate knowledge of the layout of the Metro schedules and the sewer lines. The four now out of costume travel among the nighttime passengers of the Metro. Reyes is the most easily recognized of the four of them. As for Eve, Helena would not thought she have another close friendship with a blond yet like with Dinah, she finds a friendship not easily made though once there, it is fiercely kept.
Fiercely kept meaning almost nothing could break for it had to be broken by those that keep it and Helena would have it no other way. The few friends she keeps are like family to her and as for love that goes to another level, one that had given her the ability to transcend the obsession that had partially driven her to become Huntress in the first place. Love made her redefine what being Huntress meant and what Huntress would do in a world where vengeance is no longer her motivation. She could not put her past in the ground with her parents yet she found how to live in the present through him.
She holds his hand tightly in hers and notes a slight grin in his lips. Helena puts her arms around him and they kiss on the Metro station platform. In moments like this one, she could forget that their lives are chaotic and that their profession is full all that could break them or save them. The trip passes almost in silence if not for the sound of rush hour chatter, people using iPods, cell phones, and other handheld gadgets that had taken a permanent spot in their daily routines. It is a rather drawn out ride on the Metro, but then they could not make the trip go any faster.
Part of her did not mind the lengthy process of reaching the Capitol South Station and the 'Bug' would be alright in the dark. Besides Reyes had a locator device on him, which would tells him precisely where to find his vehicle. This is another of the scattered interludes that she and Vic had since before what happen in Gotham not that long ago. The part of her that enjoys these pockets of alone time together clearly shows especially to Vic who keeps her close at hand because all that happen since Grant's death had kept him on edge though he hid it well most of the time.
America's capitol city had gone through periods of being an open inviting corner and times of fortification. It drifts more towards the latter these days, but that is not surprising to Question, though for Vic it remains a string of history lessons. His mother made him fond of learning even when it brought him face to face with the ghosts of history, but he got the importance of knowing what happen before because it often happens again with twists. Battles had been fought on the very streets above them though not always with weapons, more often some would fight with words.
Many of the figures he held respect for in history were often men and women who did what they did because to do otherwise would betray their principles as well as how those very things defined their lives. History texts however aren't known for remembering history the way Vic does or how Question puts history into context with the fights he has found himself in since joining the League. Like many things that held his interest in life, Vic found that he still had much to learn and many of those lessons had come from the woman who loves him.
Books at one time and still remain a source for developing how his mind operates though his romantic involvement with Helena brought him into the world of films. They would have to renew that ritual someday because they had gone a long time without doing it. His thoughts gain an interruption when she pins against the back of the car where they had been standing for quite some time. She truly is in the mood tonight and he is half way there himself even with all this thinking about where this new conspiracy is driving him.
He treats the moment as a new experience because they had rarely been known for kissing in public, usually when alone or among the other costumes, and so with that her lips connect to his. They taste better and different then he remembers even though they had been kissing to some extent during the flight down. She is using a shade of lipstick he had not seen her use before so again she manages a sensory surprise for him. She smiles noticing the almost startled look on his face.
"Good for you?" whispers Helena.
"Nothing is better than you… except maybe getting a kiss from you," murmurs Vic.
"Now, now, you are making me blush baby," replies Helena.
He could see it faintly in her cheeks and so he returns her kiss with one of his own. She makes a very low and subtle moan in reaction as if glad for him to be taking the lead to initiate another kiss. The tunnel lights brighten the Metro subway cars while in between the lights, the cars go dark again. It is rather rhythmic, like her breathing, which seems to quicken with him kissing her and her heart beats a little faster around him. Nothing attests more for their love then times like this one because in the chaos of life, there is the equation of love yet it is not bound by any one answer.
The answer is formless yet manifests itself in gestures like their kissing at the back of a semi-crowded subway car. Men and women alike aboard this particular car either take note or try to ignore looking in their direction.
The number of passengers in the car fluctuates all the way up to the stop where the four plan to get off, which comes after spending almost a half hour riding the Metro.
"Guess we're getting closer, but there's a security checkpoint ahead," notes Jamie.
"Rightly so, this is after all the closest stop to Capitol Hill," remarks Vic.
The four head straight for the checkpoint and hand over what little they brought with them to the officer handling personal items and another directs them through the metal detector. The check goes off without a hitch and together they head south once back on street level. As for how to get into Capitol Hill itself they would have to be more creative about that approach.
"I have a feeling that Damon might be here to meet with Schneider," comments Jamie.
"What makes you say that?" asks Eve.
"The fact I can see him in the distance, unless there's another Damon Dreiser that looks like him."
"We'll take your word for it, but he might find it curious that you are here."
"More so even knows you have seen those files or at least a portion."
"He can't do anything to me in public, unless I am overestimating my safety here."
Reyes goes alone to meet with Dreiser who is still a distance from the steps of Capitol Hill. Eve, Helena, and Vic stay out of sight, but Vic as usual is reading body language as if to determine what Dreiser's mindset is right now with the appearance of Reyes. Vic starts lip reading as Reyes made a point of standing with half his face within Vic's line of sight.
"What are they saying?" queries Eve.
"Damon seems surprised to see Jamie," answers Vic.
"What else?"
"Damon is inviting him to tag along with the meeting with Schneider."
"He said anything about us yet?"
"He is asking if a few others can come with them."
"Damon might not agree to that."
"Strangely he does, we better join them then."
The trio joins Jamie and Damon a few minutes later then together the five climb the steps. At the entrance is another security checkpoint, but like the one back at the Metro station, there is little trouble once again. Vic catches sight of John Stewart, but Stewart tries to act like he doesn't recognize Vic. It looks successful despite the watching eyes of the security personnel. The five pass Wally on the way to the boardroom where Dreiser is planning to meet with Schneider when the hearings go into recess.
Eve looks unaffected by the prospect of seeing her stepfather again after all this time, but some part of her feels like she might give him at least a piece of her mind over what happen to Lucas if Vic read her right.
"Your friends will have to stay outside since Schneider is only open to seeing Kord Industries representatives," remarks Damon.
"We understand that Mr. Dreiser," assures Vic.
"Well glad we got that straight, so after you Jay," continues Damon.
Reyes goes inside and Eve heads for the bathroom nearest to there. Helena goes too, but discovers Eve is gone. Helena had a gut feeling that somehow Eve was looking to spy on the meeting and might try the old hiding in the closet trick or something similar. She heads back out alone yet Vic looks unconcerned that only she had come back.
"She teleported to one of the adjoining rooms, a closet, or something similar right?" whispers Vic.
"What makes you say that?" asks Helena.
"She wants to know what business her stepfather has meeting with Damon Dreiser."
"Makes sense… why not just take it from Jamie later?
"She doesn't trust Reyes to tell her the whole story, so eavesdropping is the only way."
"She better be careful for her own sake."
"She knows her powers and understands that not all solutions involve a fight."
"Status of Project Tin-man?" asks Schneider.
"Success, the blackouts had given us the best cover to do it as it would blend in with the EMP blasts. Perhaps you would like to see our newest operative in person?" says Dreiser.
"He is here?" queries Schneider.
"I am Senator. You can call me Major Force. I have another name, but that identity is no longer mine. The same applies to those who are also part of the team I am now on," says Force.
"What happen with the team in Gotham was remarkable, but you were still driven back."
"Nobody could anticipate fully that Question would involve himself, but then with the lives of two Justice League Founders at stake. I doubt he would have kept to the sidelines."
"It still gave you an opening to test the abilities of Conduit and Zoom, but then Batman's enemies did not entirely follow their part of the bargain."
"Nobody ever entirely follows their word, not even you Senator, and you wonder how I or my associates dare to say such a thing to you in this very building, but I remind you of how close the ties had been between our predecessors, it did what was necessary, now we only seek to do the same."
"So your pals expect to succeed where Cadmus came up short?"
"The only one we have not been able to match up with is Question."
"He's one of the reasons why Cadmus failed in my opinion because they underestimated the way his mind works and also Huntress though she wouldn't have gotten him out without Superman."
"She had the nerve, just not quite the means to pull off the retrieval alone."
There is a slide-show of psych evaluations made on the team starting with their operative brought in to exploit Superman's weakness to Kryptonite as his suit runs on Kryptonite, but in a way separate from Metallo. The suit runs on Kryptonite, which is seen as better than a machine that needs the ore to remain online. Conduit had come remarkably close to killing Superman and Batman had been taken down when he thought himself almost safe in the Batcave. The operative put to the task of snatching Batman is Hush as he shares much in common with Batman and Batman's alter-ego though there are more than a few personality differences too. However Hush is seen as a more pliable candidate when it comes to finding someone capable of taking on Batman. Joker never made the list for obvious reasons in the minds of most sitting in on this closed doors meeting.
"Conduit and Hush more than met the assignments head on, which is why they remain on the team when we cut our losses with several others during the Gotham Toss."
"However their near successes were beaten back by Question and others close to Batman."
"Zoom had more success against Flash in Central City then anywhere else, but he has proven to be a keeper for the team. As for Sinestro, he stays because we need someone against Green Lantern and so far Star Sapphire is unlikely to return anytime soon. Otherwise she would replace Sinestro."
"So you have Cheetah, Conduit, Hush, Zoom, Sinestro, Killer Frost, Volcana, and now Major Force."
"We have found a suitable eighth operative. I trust you have heard of him. Doctor Destiny, meet the good Senator, one of our many political supporters."
One didn't need words to explain the discomfort that Destiny's face brings to the faces of those in the room with the exception of Force, Dreiser, and Reyes.
"So who he is a counterpart to on the team?"
"The Martian, but of course he went up against the Martian and almost all the other Founders in their nightmares. So share your assessment or at least what you remember after the catatonia broke."
"How did he end up catatonic?"
"I'd appreciate if you didn't refer to me as I am not in earshot Senator."
Schneider grips his chair as Destiny glares at him. The senator clenches his teeth whilst refusing inwardly to bend to what Destiny is doing inside his head. It did not take much imagination to realize that Destiny's augmentations by Luthor had made his powers much more deadly than they were to begin with after Destiny aka John Dee remade himself mentally through a machine. A machine built to enhance and unlock parts of the brain that are rarely tapped into by anyone. His initial abilities had given him the power to trap people in their dreams or rather their nightmares, which made It impossible for them to wake unless someone could go inside their minds and break Destiny's hold on them.
The Martian from within went through each one stuck in their nightmares, but Destiny also had Batman to contend with though trying to get inside the Caped Crusader's head proved to be harder than he thought as Batman's mental stamina was different from the others.
The first image shown by the overhead projector after the lights are dimmed down is Flash.
"I shall start with the easiest trap of the seven. Flash is afraid that his speed will one potentially cut him off from all that matters, that life will pass him by, not because everyone else is leaving, but because he cannot slow down. His Speed Force attack on Luthor almost did this while also almost killing him."
The image shifts to the familiar S emblem yet it a split image as to one side there is the familiar look of Superman and on the other side is the darker version of him from the Justice Lords' reality.
"Superman's fear is that his control, his self-restraint will fail him and then nobody will be safe to be around him. The first person to die in his nightmare was Lois Lane, not a surprise, those two are all over each other, no matter what happens to either, he's got such immeasurable powers yet he is afraid of losing control."
Superman's split image is replaced with three different shots of John Stewart. The middle one however belongs to his Justice Lords counterpart. The point is the subtle likeness in countenance and attire.
"Green Lantern aka John Stewart at times fears that being a Lantern alienates him from Earth, but more so alienates him from the city where he had grown up. In his nightmare, I merely found a way to mesh that city and all the alien cities he has been too. His other fears or insecurities tie to the former Hawkgirl."
Another triple image replaces Lantern's triple shot. The new triple shot shows three versions of Shayera Hol. The first two belong to when she is seen wearing the headdress or helm. The first shot is the look she was known for on Earth for five years. The second is presumably the Justice Lord Hawkgirl though to some it just looks like her in a Thanagarian military uniform. The third shot is one of her without the mask.
"Failing in anyway was and remains the fear of the former Hawkgirl. She also realizes that neither Earth nor Thanagar will ever look or think of her in the same way again. Don't look so surprised people, she betrayed her people to save this world from their attempt to their save their own world. You might wonder how I know this, well during my last encounter with her I found her new nightmares."
Nobody speaks as they just listen to the almost sinister voice coming from Destiny.
"The new ones still involve failure, but there is almost unbearable anxieties and belief that her connections with those that matter to her on Earth will never really recover. Further still her cut short romance with John Stewart makes a triangle between her, him, and his new girlfriend."
Some might find such details boring, but then for someone like Schneider personal lives were not that important to him so long as the vigilantism would end in his lifetime. Destiny found that much in the Senator's surface thoughts.
"Carter Hall aka Hawkman is part of a second triangle, which involves him, Shayera, and John along with this nonsense about reincarnation, but then who knows, what counts is the unsteady nature of personal relationships and uncertain friendships bothers her though all of it ties back to the Occupation."
"Well that it should, there was an outcry when she was let back into the League, but then they are led in a sense by the first alien traitor Superman," snorts Schneider.
"I'm not done yet Senator, so hold comments if you please."
Schneider simply hand gestures that his silence will be upheld.
"Of all the ones I had trapped in their dreams, I got the closest to breaking her mind, but Batman discovering my hiding place put an end to that as I jabbed myself with the injection instead of him. He mentally fought off all my attempts to get into his dreams. He held even when in close proximity to me. As the closer you are to me, the more I can affect your mind."
The lights resume their usual setting and Schneider pops the most obvious question as for who of the Founders Destiny said nothing on so far.
"Anything on Wonder Woman?"
"She wasn't around at that time so I never got around to her. However during the Gotham test of team. I did manage to get a taste of her fears as they were constantly at the surface of her thoughts. She fears failing Batman more than any of the others in the League because she loves him though he is overly reluctant to involve himself with any woman."
"What else about her?"
"She holds failing Batman to the same degree as failing Themyscira, in particular her mother."
"You think that those seven having all that power to throw around, they wouldn't have such ordinary fears."
"They have fears yes, ordinary perhaps, but then no amount of power helps against the fears of the mind. Not even yours Senator."
"Just what exactly are you implying Dee?"
"My name is Doctor Destiny and my implication is something from your past that few in this room know about except me, maybe some of the non-politicians in this room, and of course someone eavesdropping on this meeting."
Dreiser's brow rises slightly as if certain that the room was found clear before Schneider's arrival. Destiny walks towards where he senses a mind trying to conceal its presence yet not doing too well now aware that Destiny could sense… her. He moves to open the door to the equipment closet, but just as he does, he hears a somewhat muffled noise. He pulls the door away to find a closet vacant of its only living occupant.
"Someone overheard this entire meeting. I do believe its time for us to go Mr. Dreiser. No sense in getting caught in a situation like this once the Founders learn of our presence."
"Force, Destiny, sneak out of here, the security sweep cycle presents an opening in less than ten minutes, now go."
Force and Destiny slip out the side entrance to the conference room then head for the break in the sweep.
"If is alright with you, I'll be leaving now Damon, see you back at the offices."
"It didn't feel totally right leaving you out of the loop after Ted's death, but now you know."
"Yes I do… it looks like everything is in order even with a recent snafu… good night Senator."
Schneider and his aides leave ahead of Reyes.
Reyes leaves next and notices that his 'friends' have already left. He could only wonder where they went so he makes a bee line for the front entrance/exit to the building. He goes through the checkpoint, and he is soon on this way back to the entrance to the Capitol South Station. However he gets the feeling that somebody is following him. A hand grabs his then pulls him into a slight dash across the street and just narrowly avoid an unmarked car that he did not notice bearing down on him. He looks to who had gotten him across the street. It is Eve though he had done his best not to think about her while in the presence of Destiny since the villain obviously had the ability to dig into minds without finesse or care for the mind that comes into his mental grip.
"Destiny almost found me. I made a hasty teleport and found myself back in a bathroom stall, but not the same I went into before trying to spy on that meeting. They certainly have covered all their bases and they have leverage on Schneider… probably me or my brother, maybe both."
"Your Schneider's daughter?"
"Stepdaughter, my brother and I became his legal stepchildren when he married our mother. As for the details beyond that, I'm not saying anything more… we have enough to deal with right now."
Together they hurry down the stairwell into the station only to be taken into the shadows away from the ceiling lights above the stairs.
"What the?" gasps Jamie.
"Relax Reyes, it is just me," assures Vic.
Eve already realizes who had taken hold of her and Helena says nothing to her.
"We left ahead of both of you figuring that they might be onto one or both of you. It is not like either of us thought you might get caught, but once we heard Destiny's voice, we both agreed that it was time to leave the building," continues Vic.
"Good call, we both tried to vamoose as soon as possible," replies Jamie.
"Who says vamoose anymore?" snickers Eve.
"I do," remarks Jamie.
"I heard, just making a joke."
"I didn't get it, but maybe it is just me."
Vic hand gestures for absolute silence as a man and a woman in dark attire head down the stairwell then start earpiece comlink chatter with others that are presumably watching other Metro stops. It would be difficult to make a clean getaway here with agents trailing them. The risks are the same all around, but it would be best to stick to the return route, at least he believes that is the way to go about 'skipping town'.
The two agent team leaves by stairwell, but there are likely others in the station, so they move about as casually as possible then board the next subway bound back to the direction that they took to get here.
The subway suddenly starts to speed up once they are away from the Capitol South Station.
"This is too convenient. Nobody followed us onto the train, at least I thought so," quips Vic.
"Too bad I don't have my goggles, but then the point was to go as plain as possible," remarks Jamie.
The four advance car by car to find that the cars are mostly empty save the wiring that runs the length of each car.
"This is bad, very bad," groans Helena.
"What is it?" snaps Eve.
"This train is wired to explode!" yells Helena.
"What kind of explosives?"
"It is speed regulated as something or someone input a command to speed this thing up."
Reyes pulls out a hand-held device then starts typing in commands in an attempt to override the car's computer system, but to no avail, someone made the program impossible to disable with the time remaining. The four only had so much time to stop the train or risk jumping out though they soon discover the doors are also stuck in a lock-down. Separately they break out the emergency axes then start pounding away at the end car's back door as all the interior doors still respond to bio-signs as this subway is part of a new experimental system where the subway control functions are run by a computer interface.
Jamie continues clacking away at his hand-held after almost wheezing himself into a panic attack.
Helena and Vic finally manage to shatter the end car's back door window then Helena sets to breaking the locking mechanism, which takes more time then shattering a window. It felt annoying to rely on tools that weren't hers to break the lock, but they had to do the job if they were going to get off this death train before it smashes into the concrete barrier at the end of the line or worse smash into another subway train. Vic bandages up the cuts on her arms as breaking the window had given both of them some scraps on their arms.
There is a loud explosion above them and then something comes through the break in the subway tunnel ceiling. Reyes had brought the 'Bug' to them using his handheld, but then the subway speeds up more. This forces Reyes to struggle to keep his balance while setting the 'Bug' to follow on maximum speed while continuing to run on autopilot. The 'Bug' is the width of two subway trains side by side and they got lucky that the tunnels could withstand interior damage to a certain extent. The only other structural plus is that the boarding/departing platforms are off to the side of the underground stations instead of the middle, which accounts for the tunnel geometry.
"I really think people are trying to kill us everywhere we go," fumes Helena.
She starts to hear Vic speak and makes a wry smile as she recognizes the words.
"To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man," quotes Vic.
"You are quoting Shakespeare while we are speeding towards our deaths?" retorts Jamie.
"There is no right time so I'll say it anyway," replies Vic.
Eve pulls herself towards the back of the car and the 'Bug' strains to keep up with this bullet train of a subway. They are liable to run out of track before much more time passes by. Eve focuses mentally to teleport herself and Jamie to the back of the 'Bug'. It appears successful as both Helena and Vic can see them inside the ship. Eve reappears at Helena's side a few seconds later. Vic nods at both of them as if nonverbally insisting they go now.
"It'll take more than a speeding train to ruin this night," assures Vic.
"You better believe it," says Helena.
"I do."
"Save those words for another time… you know what I mean."
He had done his best to hide a certain purchase from her, but as he had known all along, timing never works for him, life is too unpredictable and his life had long since taken on a different meaning because of her, because of Helena. There is a familiar whoosh as they teleport via magic and then the car speeds up more, which throws Vic onto his back. The impact with the metal floor hurt more than he had been expecting though it no surprise in a speeding train. He can feel himself slipping out of consciousness. The previously open back door had also flown shut, which partially obstructs her teleport path.
"Obsessed by a fairy tale, we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace" are the words that flow through his mind like so many other lines he had read in his life before she happen to him. In her presence, in her arms, he found incalculable affections, comforts, but most priceless of them is her love, her love for him, towards him, and more.
Nobody gets the happy ending, but that doesn't mean happiness is lost to us when one realizes the only certainty in living is uncertainty though often life and more so love can surprise anyone even someone like Vic. So we chase dreams and hide nightmares, but then for some there is no way to separate the two in one's memories.
Eve reappears near the unconscious Vic and with another whoosh they are back with the others aboard the 'Bug'. Once they are inside it, Jamie starts to manually throttle the compact plane back in order to put distance between them and the subway cars as well as the impending explosion. Helena and Eve gently lift Vic then place him in one of the back seats. He is babbling something and to her it sounds like another quote though not one she had heard from him before.
"Hell is yourself and the only redemption is when a person puts himself aside to feel deeply for another person." mumbles Vic.
She would look for it later because right now he is hurt and as usual she wouldn't leave him to face this alone. She made a promise she sought to keep with him and it held more meaning to her than the one she made after her parents were murdered when she was a little girl.
"In bed my real love has always been the sleep that rescued me by allowing me to dream," whispers Helena.
She had taken up quoting around him and she notes a compact box in his trench coat pocket. She did not expect them to near this possibility so soon, but often she felt like they had always been in some ways. A ring held a symbolic significance to what they held for each other yet to her all the 'little things' between them would always be worth more to her than anything else. His eyes flicker open and he notes the smile on her face.
"You were quoting something when Eve and I lifted you to the chair," says Helena.
"You sure about that?" asks Vic.
"This is me you are talking to here. I think myself rather good at reading the way you talk."
"Not that I doubt you, but I was thinking of quotes before I hit my head on the floor of the subway car."
A muffled explosion echoes back through the tunnels as the subway finally hit the concrete barrier at the end of the line. Jamie flies the 'Bug' back through the breach he made to bring it down into the tunnels in the first place. He pilots it back to the clouds and goes into stealth mode with the hopes that they can make it back to Charlton without incident. He would forward their discoveries to Terrific at the Watchtower and he could relay it to the Metro Tower.
The 'Bug' is halfway back to Charlton when the com-system goes off.
"Blue Beetle," says Terrific.
"Yes Mr. Terrific," replies Beetle.
"I am afraid I have to call you and the others back into the field. We have got situations happening across the board including Gotham and Smallville."
"We'll head to Gotham, it is closer to us. Who can be sent to Smallville?"
"I am dispatching Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., Vigilante, and Shining Knight. I have Arrow and Canary on standby. The Founders aren't due back until later. I wish somebody would let me alert them to the situation, but then I suppose the point of the others taking up temporary Founder type duty is the point of this situation."
"We'll get through this… just do what you usually do."
"Right… update me when you can and let me know if you need backup."
The 'Bug' descends towards Gotham and somehow they were having another Arkham breakout as well as one originating at Stonegate. It did not look good especially with the GCPD facing most of Batman's Rogues without Batman. Nightwing however is arriving from Bludhaven and Robin is out covering some ground whereas Batgirl appears to be back on her albeit a little shaky. Her legs were improving, but she relies somewhat more on the gadgetry for now. Blue Beetle drops out through the underbelly hatch of the 'Bug' and Nightshade joins him as they find an unexpected lesser known rogue starting fires.
Firefly is back in Gotham looking to torch the city naturally.
The rogues appear to be attacking sections of the city at random, but what looks random to everyone else, does not look quite like that to Question. His head is still sore from the bump less than an hour ago, but he still had enough resilience to ignore the pain though he knows he will still have to have it checked out.
None of the rogues have ever found out Batman's secret identity with the exception of Strange, but nobody believes him because Bruce in a stroke of genius made a fake tape using Strange's machine against him in the process.
"How many times do we have to find ourselves tangling with these guys?" snaps Huntress.
"Every time they break out is the short answer, the longer one is something I can't concentrate on spelling out right now," remarks Question.
"I don't think you should be out here with a head injury Q," insists Huntress.
"It looks worse than it feels," responds Question.
It didn't help to ignore what his skull was telling him nor what Huntress felt necessary to tell him either, but if this new breakout ties into the plan already in motion by Lord then he could not wait on the side lines.
"Wait… what's with the smoke way over there… Wayne Manor is on fire?!"
Question saw it too and as much he did not want to 'borrow' the 'Bug', they had no other way to cover the distance between them and the Manor by ground. Beetle notes his airplane racing away from his present location, but for now he had more important things to attend as Riddler comes charging at him with his trademark cane. As for Nightshade, she is kept busy by Roxy Rocket, and so Gotham descends into a rolling street fight that had not been seen in years if one was counting back to when Batman and Joker first 'met' though gang wars were not nearly this messy to some.
Huntress and Question race across the circle drive path at the front of the manor to find Alfred fighting off members of a street gang looking to make a bigger reputation for themselves by breaking into Wayne Manor. Pennyworth is not fairing too well so an intervention is necessary and the butler witnesses as his attackers come under assault from the last two people he thought would be saving his life, but then the butler takes it in stride. He does however go over to the gang leader and hits him with a broom. The same broom he had been using to vainly deflect the gang members attacking him only moments ago.
"So uncivilized though I am immensely grateful for the save," admits Alfred.
"Glad to help. Going after such a standup man like you, its despicable," remarks Huntress.
"Right you are… Batman was rather beside himself after he saw the news of the mass breakouts… it is just not heard of… somebody let them out on purpose… why else black out Gotham?"
"Pennyworth get inside, lock everything, the only way any of us getting inside is you letting us in or through the cove inlet," says Question.
"Practical decision… good luck."
Before Question and Huntress head out again, they tie up the gang then leaving them hanging upside on the trees outside the manor.
"Let that be a lesson to you. Don't let a breakout go to your head," cracks Question.
They all look to be seething, but neither Huntress or Question would stick around to watch them pass out with the blood rush to the head.
Question realizes the ghosts will have to wait for another time, but he had caught a scary glimpse of the past in barely making to the manor in time to save the butler from the fate that had taken another life before his eyes years ago.
His mother being a Russian never made life easy for her even back home if he had gotten that much from her stories. She didn't believe the paranoia spoken out by both sides though she felt it would be a better life for her little Charles in America as she told him when he was older, but then like back home; the small town mentality almost got the better of her.
His father's home land went from an occupation by the Nazis to falling into the grips of the Soviet Union. As he found much later, Wiktor Szasz had given his all to get his only and his beloved wife out of the country before the political situation worsened less than two decades after the end of the war. So mother and son went from a politically troubled Poland to a socially turbulent America. The people that were the kindest to her and to him were often the ones that were likewise treated poorly by a majority of the town. His earliest friend in town was a girl named Gemma which means gem or jewel.
It felt odd to think about Gemma after all these years, but she was the first friend he had when they had come across the Atlantic. What happened to Gemma was something he did not like to think about, but she was the reason why he couldn't let harm come to Helena. His mother had been naturally enraged at what her attacker did to her and sympathetic to her son trying to protect the girl from further harm except he couldn't save her. The injury she got only hours before she died was more fatal than either he or she thought it to be at the time.
The same inconsolable state hung over him when his mother would pass away many years after Gemma's death. People die all the time, but even Vic could not help feeling responsible when he thought he could have done something about it.
Huntress flies the 'Bug' as they head towards a deployment of riot police holding the line against the Stonegate inmates. It would be a much longer night than he or she felt like facing, but then this is what they do when they have to and because no one else will do it, with the exception of the cops down there.
A/N 1: The extent of Schneider's ties to Lord come to light as well as how the team brought together by Lord's corporate associations is playing off the physical or psychological edges they have on their counterpart in the League. There is still concern that they continue to fail to anticipate Question and Huntress.
A/N 2: Destiny references events from the JL episode Only A Dream. Luthor did augmentations on various villains while a part of Grodd's co-op yet he also retained the ability to sabotage their enhancements. However with Luthor out of the picture, nobody can do that unless they discover what Luthor kept secret from them.
A/N 3: The early Metro moments contrast against the later ones where the four are stuck on a speeding train. It is Jamie's inventiveness that gets them out of the tight spot with some magical assistance by Eve.
A/N 4: Lines quoted by Vic/Question and Helena/Huntress belong to four different dramatists (Shakespeare, O'Neill, Williams, and Pirandello). Considering how long it took me to write the last few chapters, this is the first one I finished in less than a day. When the writing is, let the story flow so to speak.
A/N 5: Gemma is Vic's Kitty Genovese, but with a more personal twist and more on my version of Charles Victor Szasz's personal history too. As for Question and Huntress saving Alfred from the gang attacking the manor, that's a nod to when Hollis Mason was killed by a gang. In Alfred's case he is saved in the nick of time, which in my mind is preferred. I'm not that 'good' at 'on-stage' deaths, so as they say in theater, character dies off-stage.
