Failsafe
Mount Justice Zeta Hanger: 4:01pm, October 16th, 2010
We were watching as the alien mothership got closer, the massive armada was spotted by Batman's deep satellites. He deployed the Lanterns to halt the approach but the mothership fired upon them, disintegrating them where they were. Superman, Shazam, Manhunter and Captain Atom were deployed next but they to were disintegrated. Batman soon followed. We watch from the cave as half the Justice League meets their end. Tornado stands in front as the computer pops open a screen showing Zatara. "Tornado...did you...?" He says sadly as Tornado replies. "Yes Zatara, we saw. Celestial defense's have failed. Initiate all terrestrial measures." Tornado says. "Affirmative, see you in the field." Zatara declares as the screen closes. Red Tornado turns to us. "I must join the League, we will protect the planet at all costs. But should we fail, the responsibility falls to you." We all stare amongst ourselves, Kaldur steps forward. "We stand ready."
We watch as everywhere was attacked. Heroes are being disintegrated left and right like they were nothing. Canary, Arrow, the Hawks, Flash, Zatara. Even Wonder Woman has fallen. Earth's Greatest Defenders, gone. "Red Tornado to Cave. I fear I am all the remains of the League." Tornado communicates to us as we watch him on the screen as he tries to hold the aliens off in Smallville. We watch in silence and shock when the mothership lands. Robin tries to boost the signal to Tornado. "Our team..." Robin starts but Tornado is disintegrated before our eyes. "We are Earth's heroes now." Kaldur says as Connor turns to him. "So what are we waiting here, a theme song?" He says as Blake signs. "We need a plan of attack, full frontal charge will only lead to our deaths. We need to find a weakness." I translate to the team. "Earth's weapons are ineffective. And Black Bolt is right. A direct attack with end in failure. The Justice League found that out the hard way and it cost them their lives." Kaldur says as Robin pulls up his holo-computer. "Checking satellite imagery. Let's see how widespread these invaders are." He says as a map of the globe shows with red blurs. These blurs represent the aliens. One red dot catches my eye. "Where's that one going?" I say as I point it out. "That's Superman's Fortress of Solitude." Robin says as I raise an eyebrow. "Superman has a Fortress of Solitude?" Connor says in shock, he literally took the words right out of my mouth. "It's power source must have attracted the aliens attention. At least enough to send a scout ship." Robin says as I nod. "One scout ship against us. We take it down and see what intel we can get from it." I see as everyone nods. "So he's got a fortress?" Connor says as he turns away, M'gann tires to comfort him but that's not my business. "This scout ship is going down. We'll break it down, hit those ugly aliens with their own mojo." Wally says as Artemis punches him and Blake hits him upside the head. "Ow." Wally says as Artemis leans into him. "Martian and Kryptonian on the house." She says as said Martian and Kryptonian state unamused at Wally. "Heh heh. Not that all aliens are automatically ugly." He says as I roll my eyes.
Arctic Circle, Superman's Fortress of Solitude:
We ride within the bio ship. The team were supplied with warm white jackets and white uniforms for any mission that would require us in the cold. Zarathos didn't like the white jacket and decided that I didn't need it. Being a being of Hellfire, why bother. We stealthily exit the Bio-ship as we covertly surround the scout ship. I see a faint glimmer of M'gann as she strips the communications from the ship. "Communications disabled." She says via mind link as the ship sways before crashing into the snow. "Propulsion disabled." She follows up as Artemis fires an arrow that covers the front screen of the ship. The main cannon starts blasting randomly in the direction that Artemis is stationed. "E.T.s are sealed inside." She says as Kaldur breaks the ice and snow underneath the ship. The cannon was about to fire but Connor, Wolf and Blake were able to push it away. I make my way over as I wrap my chains around the cannon, keeping it in its position. Robin points out the structure of the cannon as M'gann breaks it. Connor tries to break it as well, along with Blake working his electron beam to make small, delicate explosions to seperate the metal plates. Cables come out with a red pad that starts beeping. Wolf rushes over and knocks Connor out of the way as the cannons defensively fires. Wolf is disintegrated before us. "Wolf." M'gann says sadly as I shake my head. "No indication of feedback...I'm sorry." Robin says as we all look at Connor. He stares sadly into the snow before turning his head up. "Can't do anything for him now." He says as he jumps up and pulls the cannon off. He almost fumbles it but Blake is able to right him. I loosen my chains as I rewrap them around my arms.
The bio ship fires beside us as Connor rights it on the ship. M'gann uses the shape shifting ability of the ship to connect the cannon to the Bio-ship. "Rerouting systems to integrate weapon into ships bio-martix. We'll need to camouflage for a few minutes." She says a so look up and see how mode scout ships arrive. "We might not be here in a few minutes. Black Bolt, see if you can dispute their flight, bring them to the ground." I say as he nods and flies off. "Get inside. Me and Bolt will handle these assholes." Artemis says as she fires arrows at the scouts. Blake flies above and fires down on one of the ships with his electron beam. The ship break apart and crashes into the ice. Artemis is able to disable the other one but the cannon is focused on her. "Artemis! Look out!" I shout as she turns and is hit with the blast. We watch in horror as she disintegrated before our eyes. "Artemis!" M'gann screams in shock. Bolt shoots down and breaks through the ship before lifting it. He rips it in half before blasting both halves with his electron beam. He flies down over to us as I collapse to my knees.
"Artemis!" Wally shouts as he charges to whatever but I get up and hold him back. "They're dead. Every last one of them! Even if it kills me!" He says in rage as I shake him out of it. "Then think it through. We have to continue the mission...for Artemis." I say as he calms down. We ride in the bio ship as I feel everyone's shock, anger and sadness. M'gann's most vocal. Her cries have reached down deep with everyone. Wally was most angry. "I should have gotten to her...I could have reached her." I hear Blake say mentally as I glance at him. "There will be a time to mourn. But we have a job to do. Defend the Earth and ensure that Artemis's sacrifice wasn't in vain." Kaldur says as I clench my fist. "Where to now?" I ask him. "The Hall of Justice. The human race must know that there are heroes that are still here, defending them." He says as I look away. This, this is not how to do this...these invaders have crossed a line. This world doesn't need heroes...what it needs right now...are monsters. My eyes glow in anger as Zarathos agrees with my train of thought. "We'll make every last one them regret ever coming here." Zarathos speaks through me. "For Artemis." Wally says as we all nod. "For Artemis."
Washington DC:
We arrive on the battle torn city of America's Capitol. The sky is an ash orange and black. The city is nearly destroyed. We see three alien ships firing on the armed forces left standing. The Bio-ship maneuvers above and behind as the ground hatch opens. Myself and Superboy leap out as Blake flies behind us. Connor lands on one as I whip over to the other. Connor bashes his fist into eh ship which descends from the impact. I jump off and whip my chain around the ship before swinging it around, Blake comes shoulder tackling through the ship which breaks apart. The last ship is disintegrated by the Bio-Ship's new cannon. As I fall, Blake swoops in and levels me against the ground. The ship that Connor destroyed comes crashing into the ground, right beige the armed forces. "Those bastards are going to be coming back soon, form a perimeter and get an injured to the Hall of Justice." I say as one of the soldiers scoff. "Why the hell should we listen to you? That's Superman there. I would listen to him before you, boy." He says arrogantly as I let Zarathos take control.
P.O.V Change: Ghost Rider
I turn sharply as Hellfire explodes from my skull. I grab the soldier and pull him close to my face. "Do it...now!" I say with rage as I push him away. He scrambles back as some of the soldiers begin forming a perimeter. The Bio-ship lands and decamouflages as the rest of the team show. A man walks up to me as I narrow my eyes. "I don't know who it what you are. And right now, I don't care." He says as he walks past me and approaches Connor. "You wear the 'S' and you got the job done." He says as Connor looks away. I can feel his sadness but...pride. "I'm not Superman." He says but the man, General Eiling, shakes his head. "Tell that to the enemy. General Wade Eiling, Air force!" He says as he salutes. Kaldur'ahm approaches him. "Aqualad, Justice League. We'll help you salvage as many of the aliens cannons as possible, then we start by taking back what's ours." He says as I approach. "Black Bolt and I will keep a lookout for any invaders looking to drive by." I say as I loosen my chains as Blake follows after me. We pace on front of the Capital building as I reach out with my senses. Nothing, not a single soul left in the city. We are all that remains. I try to sense the aliens but I get nothing...no souls? Strange. I feel a nagging at the base of my skull. I feel like it's important but it could just be my anger. These invaders come to my home, my planet...they will know fear when I'm through with them.
We see everyone move off to the Hall of Justice as me and Black Bolt escort them on either side. Silence rings throughout the ruined city. I feel a presence that shouldn't be here. I run into the hall and see M'gann helping up Manhunter. I charge forward and grab him. "Zarathos! What are you doing?" M'gann shouts out to me as I read his soul. Strange, everything is fuzzing, he is who he says he is but something is not right. I let him go as I turn to M'gann. "Had to make sure." I walk away as I continue watching outside. The silence is unnerving, even for me. "It's ok. Ghost Rider is right to be suspicious. But I can't figure out how I survived, or how I arrived here." He says. "Maybe you were density shifting, and the beam passed right through you." M'gann says as Robin follows up. "Scrambling your brains along the way." He says as I try to piece everything together. Nothing about this seems right. No warning, no declaration, just destruction and now this. Manhunter has a powerful mind, to make his mind go fuzzy is not easy to do but the fact that reading his soul is hard. It shouldn't be hard. "My mind is clouded. I'm certain that I had something important to tell you." He says as he holds his head. "Hello Wally. Come on." The speedster says via mind link as he runs out of the Hall. We follow after him.
"I knew it! Look! The cannon is giving off zeta radiation. The same stuff that's out zeta tubes are posted by. These things don't disintegrate. They teleport. Artemis is alive!" He says but I fell Robin's doubt. "Maybe-." He doesn't finish as Wally interrupts. "No maybes. They're all alive!" He says as M'gann speaks up to Manhunter. "That must be what you've been trying to tell us." She says as I hear something coming. Myself and Blake turn around as a whole horde of hostiles come out way. "Find out a way out of here. We'll deal with this bastards." I say as Blake lifts me up and we fly towards the ships. Blake tosses me as I land on one. I avoid the cannon fire as I breathe Hellfire down onto it. The fire burns right through the ship as I leap to another one. Whipping my chains, I pull the cannons angle to the other ships as it fires, disintegrating three of them. I cut through the cannon as I reach down and melt the engines of the ship. I whip at another ship as I see Black Bolt tearing through multiple ships. Whipping my chains, I swing one ship into two others, completely destroying them, but for every one that we destroy, a dozen more replace them. "We're trapped here. Black Bolt, retreat!" I shout as I jump. He flies by and grabs me, we head to the hall as the armed forces retreat into the library. Myself and Black Bolt see the aliens coming from the city, using the ruined building as a resting spot. "We can't take them all...but we can bury them." I say as everyone turns to me. "Black Bolt, use your voice to hold them back, it'll give us time to fall back to the Cave. Level the city if you have to, bury them under it." I say to him as he looks at me and then everyone. He nods determinedly and he flies out of the hall and towards the city. Robin pulls up a functioning traffic camera which shows Black Bolt standing in the middle of the city. All the ships have turned and are flying towards him, all their cannons powering up.
"Go away!"
His voice ain't a whisper and the traffic camera cuts out but the echoing sonic speech is heard, we look to see the city of Washington DC and watch as it is destroyed. All the ships closest to Black Bolt shatter into nothingness from the soundwave while the rest are knocked out the sky, but they too are destroyed as the ruined buildings start to crumble and collapse. The whole city falls apart, like a massive earthquake had just hit it. Soon enough, the sonic echo had quietened. "I can't feel his mind anymore." M'gann says sadly as everyone hangs their hand. I hear Matthew's anger and sadness at what has happened. "We need to get going. They'll be back." I say as we all run towards the library. "We can all zeta to the Cave, if you can grant us computer clearance to access the tubes." Kaldur says to Manhunter. The library is destroyed as we enter. The soldiers form their defense's as I jump to the broken windows. One ship came flying in, a swing my chain and the ship is cut in half. "Send the soldiers first, get them out of here." I shout to everyone a so cut another ship. "Belay that! You seven are assets we can't afford to lose." The general states as I jump back down. The computer scans Manhunter, the doors open revealing the zeta tube. M'gann and Robin enter the tube as the library doors blast open. Connor runs to an injured soldier as I grab Wally and toss him into the tube. "Your turn." I say to Kaldur'ahm. "No, they need you more than me." He says as I stare at the soldiers and the orange beams coming from the smoke. "Take Manhunter and go." He says as Connor takes a soldier through the tube. I growl before taking Manhunter and pushing him through. I stand by the tube as Kaldur'ahm charges ahead, two maces beared. I breathe a torrent of Hellfire which blocks off the tube. I run into the zeta as I'm transported through. The zeta really messes me up. I give control back Matthew.
P.O.V Change: Matthew Spectre
I fall through the zeta as Connor rights me. "You ok? Where's Kaldur?" He asks as I shake my head. I feel the sadness from everyone but Robin asserts himself fairly quickly. "We have to finish the mission. The next stage is clear. If we believe the aliens have been teleporting their victims-." He starts as Wally interrupts. "We do." He says as Robin finishes. "Then the only reasonable detention facility is here." The computer shows a picture of a large spiked vessel. "Their mothership. Stands in what used to be Smallville. Ring any bells?" He asks Manhunter who shakes his head. "No, I'm sorry." He says as Robin turns to Connor. "Superboy, you'll create a distraction." M'gann is horrified by the notion. "No, he's offering you as a sacrifice. Aqualad wouldn't do that, nor would Black Bolt or Artemis." She says. "You're right. Aqualad would sacrifice himself. A mistake that just cost us our leader. Superboy and Matt are the most likely to perceive as a threat and if the mothership is crawling with aliens. We're going to need Ghost Rider's firepower." He says as he gestures to me. I shake my head, something isn't right. "You are correct. I can't put my finger on it but something is happening on your subconscious, it might take me awhile but I can fix it." Zarathos says as I nod.
M'gann decided to send out a global message to the people of Earth. "Although it may seem all is lost. The one thing the aliens cannot destroy is hope." She says as Connor follows up. "Hope survives because the battle is not over. Not as long as even one of us is willing to fight." He says as I look around the room. Roy is stocking up of his arrows. Zatanna is mediating, Icon's partner, Rocket, she's suiting up. The zeta opens as Kaldur's friends, Tula and Garth enter the cave. "It doesn't matter how many fall. For new heroes will always rise to carry on. Bringing all their resources, their skills, their talents to bear, to defeat the enemy." Wally says as I nod, impressed not only at him but everyone else as well. "The people of Earth will survive this. We will rebuild and we will thrive. Never doubt and never forget, the Earth will never surrender." Robin says with pride and determination as Manhunter approaches me. "You not going to say something?" He asks as I shake my head. "The people need heroes...but the world needs monsters...how much are you willing to sacrifice?" I say to him as he hangs his head. "Is this about Black Bolt?" He says as I shake my head. "It was for the greater good, it might haunt me for the rest of my life but if we survive, then I hope I did the right thing." I say as Manhunter nods and walks away.
Smallville:
We wait until Robin gives the word. The mother is in the distance, the towering vessel stands like a looming dread. Only this is not a dread, it's a nightmare fueled horror. "First team, deploy!" Robin says as Manhunter and M'gann fly up to the ship. Manhunter and M'gann go invisible as Manhunter uses his intangibility to phase both himself and M'gann through the ship. "We're in." She says via mind link. Robin and Connor nod to each other as Connor leaps to the mothership. We watch him break a cannon off the ship but Robin tells not to break the power coupling. "Alright, you glorified trespassers! Want see how a real alien fights?!" He shouts as the cannon fires and destroys some of the other cannons. We see that hanger doors open as a horde of ships fly out. "Now or never." Connor tells us as Wally picks up Robin and runs. I chase after them, using my hellfire enhanced muscles, I catch up to them. I see Wally jump across a so follow, whipping a chain, it embeds in the ship's hull as si pull myself over. We run ahead and cover behind a generator of sorts as ships fly overhead. "Way's clear. Go!" I say as we continue on. We reach a crossroads as I reach out with my senses. I try to find any souls on board and I get...nothing. There's no one here. I hear a crash and see an alien machine broken as Manhunter and M'gann shoe up. Robin gestures down the hall as I follow. I hear a moan and turn and see M'gann holding her head. Manhunter helps her. "No, he's gone." She collapses to the floor as I run over and hug her. Wally and Robin join in as well. "It's alright. We'll find him with Artemis. I know it." Wally says as I turn back to him. "They're not here. No one is here." I say as Manhunter follows up. "Rider is correct. My mind is clearer now. The disintegration beam is exactly that. There is no detention facility. Our mission holds no purpose." Wally grabs his cloak and pulls him close. "No, you're wrong. The zeta radiation proves she's alive. Shes-." Robin pulls Wally off of him. "Snap out of it, Wally! I've been scanning for League and team signals since we got inside. They're not here...Artemis is gone." Wally looks horrified as he turns to me. I get up from hugging M'gann as I look at him sadly. "There are no souls on board. They're dead, all of them." I say but Robin speaks up. "Our mission still holds purpose. To destroy this mothership." He says as he walks off. I hear whirring and turn and see a machine coming at us, it's beam being charged. Manhunter! Behind you!" I shout as Manhunter turns and is hit by the beam...he disintegrates before us. "Uncle!" M'gann screams as everything metal behind shaking, lifting or being crushed. "M'gann!" I shout out as she collapses. "Come on!" I pull her by the arm as we enter the main power core room. "This is it. We blow this and whole mothership blows." Robin says as he jumps forward, we follow him as he leaps to a platform. I feel my chains being pulled towards the core. Robin tries to get his footing but the magnetic pull is too strong. Wally grabs his arm as both of them are pulled. I throw my chain as Wally grabs of it. I swing my other chain outside the magnetic field as it embeds in the wall. I use what strength I have left to keep them from being crushed under the pull. A machine is about to fire at Wally and Robin but M'gann furiously bashes it before telekinetically ripping it to pieces. "Matt, lower us to the core." Robin says as I loosen my chain. I see the both of them on the core as Robin lays down small bombs. "You knew. You knew from the beginning why we were really here." Wally says as Robin activates the bombs, givving us four minutes to escape. I pull them out of the field as we run out of the room. The blast doors close, trapping us. "Perfect." Wally says sarcastically as machines show up, they fire their weapons as we dodge. Wally and Robin to one side with me and M'gann on the other. I make a fireball in my hand before sending a stream towards the robots. "We can't escape this." I say as I move to the adjacent wall and burn a large hole through it. "Take this route and get out of here." I say to M'gann. "No, I won't leave you here." She says as I turn to her. "You know the feel of intangibility...if you don't go now than all of this will be for nothing. The human race need a leader, a symbol...you can be that symbol M'gann...now go!" I say as she reluctantly flies out.
I turn back to Robin and Wally. "20 seconds." He says as I nod. "It was a honor being your friend." I say to both of them as they nod. Robin pulls out all of his birdarangs as I lighten my chains. Wally pulls his goggles down as we charge the machines...
BBBBBOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!
P.O.V Change: M'gann M'orzz
I land back to the ground. I don't know intangibility but...Uncle J'onn had given me a little bit of a learning curve. I felt what's necessary to do it and I did. I hear a boom and look to see the mothership exploding in a fiery mushroom. I feel my tears build as I collapse to my knees. Artemis, Blake, Wally, Robin, Kaldur, Matt, Wolf...Connor. They're all gone. I'm alone. I hear a whistling as I see a fiery body flying to me. I move out of the way and see it land with a thud. I see that it's Matt. He groans in pain as I race to him. "Matt? Are you ok? How are you?" I ask as he sits up. "Zarathos protected me from the blast. But Wally and Robin..." He says as I hang my head. We get up and gaze at the destroyed mothership. A shadow befalls is as another mothership lands. I stare in horror. "No, no, no, no. We have to get out of here." I says as I turn back to Matt who is hanging his head. "I'm sorry M'gann." He says as he approaches me. "For what?" I say confused. "Forgive me when you wake up." He says as I feel something penetrate my chest. Super hot heat is coursing through my body. I look down and see Matt's fist in my chest. I stare up at him in horror as he gaze sorrowfully at me.
I walk up with a gasp. I look around and see the zeta hanger of the Cave. I sit with a gasp as I see Connor petting Wolf. Shazam helping with Wally. Artemis alive and holding her head. Robin with Batman. Aqualad coming too. Blake holding his head and Matt standing over in the corner. "You're all alive." I say in joy. I turn and see Batman helping Uncle J'onn. "What happened in there?" He asked which makes me confused. "The exercise. It all went wrong." He says as Robin asks questioningly. "Exercise?" Batman turns to him. "Try to remember." I think back on what I can. "What you experienced was a training exercise. Manhunter psychically linked the nine of you within an artificial reality. You all knew this going in. What you didn't know was that it was a train for failure exercise. No matter what the team accomplished, the scenario was designed to grow worse. Still, you were aware nothing was real,including the deaths of the entire Justice League." He says as we hang out heads in ponder. "That is why you hardly grieved, even when Wolf was disinterested before your eyes. But all that changed when Artemis died." Uncle J'onn says as we look at Artemis who stares at the floor. "Though consciously, M'gann knew it was not real. Her subconscious mind could not make the distinction. She forgot it was only an exercise and her subconscious mind took control, making all of you forget, too." I stare open mouthed in horror. It was my fault. Everyone looks at me. "I...I'm so sorry." I say as Connor speaks up. "This isn't her fault! Why didn't you stop the exercise?" Connor states furiously. "We tried, but M'gann had a death grip on the scenario. The only one that could get loose was Ghost Rider and even that was difficult. Even Artemis, who should have awakened upon her death, was so convinced that she had passed, she slipped into a coma. I realised I had to wrest control form M'gann's subconscious from within. But upon entering the reality. I was overwhelmed by your collective emotion, the rage from Zarathos didn't help, only made it worse. The noise from your emotions made it difficult to focus my mind, to remember...why I was there." Uncle J'onn says as I sit on the table. All of this...because of me. "The deaths of Black Bolt, Aqualad and Superboy helped but the Ghost Rider's anger had clouded my senses. I tried contacting Zarathos through Matt but the Spirit was focused on Matthew's subconscious. The spirit knew that something was wrong and was trying to fix it. But when I was disintegrated. I became trapped within the reality but not as a visible entity. I became a watcher, unable to help or interact. When the mothership exploded and Robin and Kid Flash were silenced. That is when Zarathos had figured out the problem. He had told Matt that he had to do the one thing that would have broken the simulated reality. He had to shock M'gann out of the experience. If the reality wasn't broken fast enough, your comas would have become permanent. My apologies, I had no idea that a training exercise could be so dangerous, so damaging." J'onn finishes as I turn from the group as I cry in shock and self hate. I did this, this is my fault. I feel a hand as I look up and see Matt gazing sorrowfully at me. "I'm sorry." He says as I fall into his embrace. My fault, my fault...my...fault.