I just finished watching season 4 of young justice this week, and it was so good! I loved that they got back to the old team while still introducing new characters. If you haven't seen it yet, definitely go watch it. It's so much better than the third season! Anyway, hope you like the chapter, please review!
The next day, the League received an invitation through Catherine, asking that they send a representative to meet with both the Reach ambassador and Secretary General Tseng publicly at the UN. Mallory spent the night at her parents' house once the team was back and everything was settled, so she didn't hear about the invitation until Nate was already on his way to meet. Raquel was the one who told her, just in time for her to turn the news channel on and watch the introduction.
"Secretary Tseng and I are so glad you accepted the Reach's invitation to meet, Captain," the ambassador said, offering his hand.
Nate stared at it for a second, then glanced at the flashing cameras and put on a smile that Mallory knew was forced, accepting the hand. "The Justice League always supports peaceful diplomacy," he said.
"And should diplomacy fail, you have your umeta-powers to enforce peace," the ambassador said.
Mallory clenched her fist, waiting to see where he was going with the powers. Nate's smile fell off his face. "That's not how we operate, Ambassador," he said firmly. "But we can discuss that in private."
"If you insist," the Ambassador said easily, and the three men went off the stage and into the building. The news went to Godfry, who looked ticked.
"Private meeting?" he asked, as if that was some new concept. "Is this an April Fools Day prank? Or just another example of the League hiding their true agenda?"
Mallory snorted and shook her head, turning off the TV. She was sick of Godfry and the rest of the media trying to make the heroes out to be villains. If they were, then they would just stop and let murderers run amok and let the world fall apart around them.
She went to the kitchen and started to fix a late lunch. Darrin came in while she was taking a grilled cheese out of the pan.
"Morning sweetie," he said.
Mallory rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, you don't have to do that," she said.
"Do what?" he asked, feigning innocence.
"Let me sleep half the day, call me sweetie, take off work in case I explode."
He sighed heavily, admitting guilt. "You both had a long day yesterday, we just thought you could use a few calm days."
Mallory smiled. "Thanks, it was a nice thought, but I need to get back to campus. I have finals coming up, can't miss any more classes."
Darrin gave her a look of disbelief. "Mallory, I admire your drive, but I think you can forgive yourself a week after everything. The campus isn't going to penalize you after everything you've been going through."
Mallory chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure they would excuse me, provided I told them who I am and why I'm so strung out."
He sighed. "Maybe you should take a break from everything. Both of you. Like when you went and stayed at the farm."
Mallory shook her head. "I'd love to take a break, but I really can't right now." She had just sat down with her sandwich when her phone rang in the next room. She sighed and took a bight before going to answer it. It was Zatanna.
"Hey, how you doing?" the magician asked when Mallory picked up.
The pyrokinetic went back to the kitchen to eat while she talked. "Better, I guess. Or, I was until I saw the news."
Zatanna sighed. "I know, I saw it too. I don't know how much longer we can stay afloat with this." Mallory nodded, and a beat went by in silence. "Well, I was calling to tell you that Dick found somewhere for the live-ins to stay. He's at work, but he'll bring you guys when he gets off."
"You're not coming? What, are you going to move back into your dad's house?" Mallory asked.
Zatanna hesitated. "No, not yet, at least. I'm actually, well, John called when he saw the news and he offered to let me stay at his place until I get on my feet."
Mallory tilted her head. "In the House of Mystery? Cool. So, are you two getting back together?"
"I don't–no, no. I can't think about that right now, not with everything else going on. It was good to see him, though. Are you going to go take a look, or are you going to stay at your parents' house?"
Mallory shrugged. "I don't know, maybe. They're really worried right now, I don't know if it would be better for them to know when I'm coming and going or to not know."
Zatanna murmured in agreement. "That the only reason?" she asked.
Mallory rolled her eyes, annoyed that her friend knew her so well. She glanced around the kitchen to make sure her dad was gone and lowered her voice a little. "No. Part of me doesn't want to move back in. It feels like a major step back. I already feel like I'm failing in everything else, I don't want to feel like a failure in my personal life too."
"Yeah, that's kind of why I don't want to move into my old house. That, and I don't need the constant reminder of how much I lost."
"Yeah. I'm sorry, Z."
"For what?" the magician asked.
"For being so selfish. I got so caught up in my own feelings, I didn't really think about everyone else. We're all going through the same thing. I just, I feel like I'm breaking apart bit by bit, and I look at you guys and you're all so calm and collected."
Zatanna laughed softly.
"What?" Malllory asked.
"Oh, nothing. I just think we all feel that was. It's good to hear that I at least look like I'm holding it together. If it makes you feel better, I don't think anyone on the League or the new team can tell that anything's wrong with you, and we only know because you talk to us."
Mallory smiled a little. "Thanks, that helps a little," she said.
"Well, I'll see you tonight. The League managed to salvage some stuff from the cave, they want us to go through it. I'm on my way to a birthday party, and then I'm meeting John, so I'm not going to get there until tonight."
"Ok, I'll probably wait until after Dick shows us the new place. See you then."
"See you," the magician replied, and she hung up, leaving Mallory to eat her first meal in two days in peace.
Mallory spent the rest of the day at school, going to classes, catching up on work, and gathering some clothes and looking around so she knew what all she had lost in the explosion. By the end of the inventory, she was more than a little depressed. Jen was out with Brian, so she didn't even have company to distract herself. As soon as night started to fall, she put on her suit under some civies and walked out the door, going to the zeta tube and punching in the coordinates for the Bludhaven, going to Dick's apartment building to wait for him. She went up to the roof and saw Megan, Conner, and Mal were already there with Wolf and the Supercycle, waiting for the former Boy Wonder to show up.
"Hey. Where's Gar?" Mallory asked.
"He's still at STAR Labs, they wanted to keep all of the abductees for observation, and Canary is there for counseling," Megan explained.
"Did he tell you anything about the new place? Is it an old League site, maybe a Batcave that went out of commission?" Mal asked.
The others shook their heads. "He didn't even tell me himself, Zatanna told me," Mallory said, rubbing Wolf absently.
They didn't have to wait long, though, because he opened the door a moment later. He didn't look like his normal peppy self, but then, who did anymore. They loaded onto the Supercycle and Dick took the wheel, bringing them to the docks. He landed in front of a grimy warehouse, and the live-ins looked at each other.
"Nice," Mal said, earning strange looks from the other live-ins. "This is the perfect cover for our new digs. I mean, on the outside, it's downright nasty." Dick opened the sliding door and the others followed him into…an old, rundown warehouse. Mallory, Megan, and Conner kept following Dick in, but Mal stopped at the door, his face falling. "And it's nasty on the inside, too," he said dejectedly.
Mallory nodded slightly in agreement, looking around. The walls were grimy, there was a row of beds with a curtain sectioning off two of them, an upstairs that had some questionable seating and an old TV, and one closet.
Mal looked at Nightwing. "April Fools, right? I mean, this is the team's new HQ? Where's the secret trap door to our real base?"
"No secret trapdoor," Dick said, walking towards him. "And it's not our new HQ. For the time being we'll operate out of the basement of the Hall of Justice. This is just a place to crash." Mal opened his mouth, and Dick held up a hand and added hurriedly, "a very temporary, stopgap place to crash for those of you who were actually living at the cave."
"It's fine," Conner said quietly. He smiled at Wolf, who had made himself at home on one of the questionable couches. "Wolf doesn't seem to mind."
A few minutes passed in silence as the live-ins inspected their new home. Mallory and Megan went to the beds behind the curtain, not really looking at anything. Dick walked over.
"I'm sorry about the lack of privacy. This curtain will have to do for now, but we'll figure something else out."
"Oh, no. No way, I am out. I'm heading for the Hall, where I'm making other arrangements, my friend," Mal said. He started out the door, and Dick sighed.
Mallory put a hand on his arm, smiling a little. He was trying so hard, and she could tell that he felt like he'd let them down. "It's fine, Dick. I'll probably end up staying with my parents, or maybe Lois could use a roommate." She chuckled and added, "Maybe this was a sign from the universe for Z and me to move out on our own and stop sponging off the League."
Dick smiled a little. "Universe isn't too subtle."
She shook her head. "Nope. It can be a real jerk, can't it?"
Megan was staring at the curtain, and Dick turned back to her. "Seriously, we can figure something out–"
She shook her head and smiled. "No, it's ok. I think I'll go stay at my uncle's apartment. I told him I would take care of his plants anyway, and so far I've been neglecting them a bit."
Conner still hadn't said much, and Mallory turned to him. "You know, you have other options, too. You could go stay at the farm, Wolf would love that, or maybe you could stay with Lois and I can stay at my parents'."
He nodded, but he still didn't say anything, so she fell quiet. Dick sighed. "I know it's not much," he said, still apologizing.
"Dick, really, it's fine," Conner said from one of the beds. Mallory chuckled and added, "but this was really the best you could come up with when there's a mansion in Gotham and a trust fund here in Bludhaven?"
Megan and Conner tilted their heads, smiling, and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "This was all I could come up with short notice."
"Hey, you coming?" Mal called from outside.
They smiled and shook their heads. "You should go to the Hall, too," Dick said, following them out. Wolf stayed on the couch, so they closed him in. "Pick up the boxes we salvaged from Mount Justice."
The four live-ins piled onto the Supercycle, and Nightwing pulled out his grappling gun and shot it to the roof of the warehouse. They waved at him before Conner started Sphere towards a zeta tube that would fit her.
When they got to the Hall, Zatanna, Captain Marvel, and Karen were already there. Zatanna was going through a box, but she stood up to greet the others.
"How was the new place?" she asked.
Mal snorted and walked past her. Megan shrugged. "It wasn't exactly Mount Justice, but it turned out we all have other places we can go. Well, except for Gar…" she said.
"It's fine, I'll stay in the warehouse with him," Conner said, his voice still a little empty. They didn't say anything else, they just each grabbed a box and started sorting through the contents.
"This looks like it's mostly your stuff," Conner said, sliding a box over to Mallory.
She put aside the old gumbo pot full of kitchen supplies she'd been looking through and started looking through the box. Her old suit was sitting on top, a coat of ash covering it, but otherwise undamaged. She smiled at the familiar orange and pushed it to the side. There was a picture frame, some clothes she'd made with the fabricator to be fireproof, a spare mask, the charred remnants of the burner phone Dick had given them, and there, sitting at the bottom of the box, nearly unscathed, was the black baseball cap. Her eyes widened as she pulled it out, and she turned it over, pulling a piece of paper out of the fold. She let out a huff of disbelief. She thought it was lost forever. She didn't know how it had survived the blast, but it was the last piece of Brek she had left, and here it was, only a little charred on the corners of the bill. She looked up, about to show it to her friends, when a voice came from outside the Hall.
"Greeting and salutationisms, Earth champions!"
Mallory looked at Zatanna and Marvel, and they jumped to their feet and ran outside. The speaker was a little robot hovering above them. It bowed and said, "I am L-ron, major domo to the great master. And you are my prisoners."
Mallory and Zatanna exchanged a grim look. "This is Plastic Man's April Fools joke, isn't it?" Marvel asked, relaxing. Mallory looked between the robot and Captain Marvel, not at all convinced. "All right, Plas, you got us," he said, chuckling.
"No, I have you," the robot said, and he pressed a button. A shield came down like a triangle around the Hall, and Mallory started towards it before catching herself when L-Ron started talking again. "Though not for myself, of course. Rather, I hold you here at the behest of my master." He pressed another button, and a light started shining in front of them. It reminded Mallory of the Zeta tube light, and she took a step back as the robot kept talking, "who seeks to prove himself against Earth's greatest warriors."
The light stopped, revealing a big, purple being with a fin on his head. He immediately kicked Captain Marvel through the Hall's glass doors with enough force to make him tear up the floor as he landed. Mallory and Zatanna turned back to the threat, watching him for movement and trying to size him up.
"Let the cage match begin!" L-Ron said excitedly, and the purple guy snarled at them. The robot circled Zatanna once and looked at his master. "Magic user, master," he said with a sing-song voice.
Zatanna held out her hands, starting a spell, and the being opened a third eye, and she went limp.
"Magicism is cheating," the robot sang. "Master's more the- hands on type."
"Good, then let's dance," Mallory yelled. She was already moving, spinning around her friend to get a good shot in. She started hosing him with flames, but all it did was make him close his eye and glare at her.
"This one has fire and advanced strength. Use cautionism, master, she could have more abilities, for she is–" Mallory didn't get to hear the next part, because the alien grabbed her ankle and threw her through the glass doors. Captain Marvel saw her coming and jumped up to catch her, breaking her fall and setting her down gently. She nodded a thanks, and they stood ready.
"Allow me to introduce my master, the warlord Despero! Gladiatorial champion of 92 star systems, working on 93 now. He has come to this backwater planet seeking a challenge to prove his superiority to all life forms." The robot put an arm around each of them, pulling them closer like he was confiding in them. "It's quite the complimentism. You really should feel honored."
"Oh, I do. Here, let me show him," Marvel said, and he charged at the alien. He managed to push Despero into the wall, but the warlord punched Marvel to the ceiling and he hit the beam hard. Mallory took advantage of his distraction to get a few punches in, but it didn't take long for Despero to throw her into the bronze statues of the original Leaguers. She slammed into Superman's knee painfully and fell to the marble floor, the wind knocked out of her. Captain Marvel was thrown into her mentor's face the next second, and she barely managed to roll out of the way before he crashed to the ground.
The doors to the library slid open and Conner and Bumblebee came out. Conner took one look at the fallen Leaguers and clenched his fists. "Check on Zatanna, finhead's mine," he said.
Mallory held out a hand to warn him, but she couldn't get enough air to form the words. She finally managed to push herself to her feet, and she dragged Marvel into the library to regroup. Mal and Megan were there, and she looked at the computer.
"Comms and zeta tubes are down," Mal reported.
Mallory looked at the box and grabbed the burner phone, praying that it would still work. It came on, and she pressed the first speed dial.
"Mallory?"
"Wally, I don't have time, so just listen. We're under attack at the Hall, I need you to get in touch with the League and get someone down here, ok?"
"Yeah, of course, what's going on?" his voice sounded almost panicky. The doors crashed open and Conner came tumbling in, Despero right behind him. "There's no time, just get someone down here!" she yelled, and threw the phone to the side, standing up beside Billy. Megan and Mal backed up, and Inferno, Captain Marvel, and Superboy charged the alien at the same time. Mallory and Conner each managed to pin an arm while Marvel punched his face and tried to find a pressure point, but it didn't take long for the warlord to prove superior strength and throw Mallory and Conner into each other.
"Hmm, not an impressive showing for you Earthings thus far," L-Ron said, crossing his arms.
Mallory glared at the robot and backhanded him away, part of her enjoying the scream as he tried to right himself midair. Megan grabbed the statue of her uncle with her telekinesis and threw it at the enemy, but he just punched through it and threw Diana's head back at her.
Marvel was thrown through the museum part of the Hall, and when Mallory tried to pick up the fight, she went through the wall into the Green Lantern portion of the Hall. The stars on the ceiling swam in front of her eyes, and she thought about not getting back up. Then, she heard Billy's grunts as he was repeatedly slammed into the wall, and she forced herself up. She took a moment, looking into herself, and brought all of the fire she had to the surface, heating it to the max. She tapped into her strength and went back out, flying right into Despero and punching and kicking and dodging for her life.
No matter where she hit or how hard, nothing seemed to phase him. The heat seemed to start to bother him a little, so she gave it just a little bit more, but then he backed up and grabbed Conner's arm, using his body to bat her away. They both grunted, and she was smashed between Conner's body and the wall. Marvel gave it one more try, and he ended up against a wall, Despero punching his face repeatedly, the back of his head punching a hole in the wall. He went limp and held up a hand.
"All right, I'll admit it," he said with a smile, "you've got stuff. But I've still got one last trick up my sleeve." He twisted out of the warlord's grip and grabbed his neck, yelling, "Shazam!"
A bolt of lightning came down, and Marvel turned into Billy, still hanging onto the unfazed alien's neck. Despero glared at the kid, and Billy's eyes widened fearfully.
"Oh, man, I really thought that would work," he said.
"Flagrant foulism!" the robot yelled, coming in. "My master has no interest in fighting a child!"
Despero's third eye came open, and Billy went limp.
"No!" Mallory said, pushing Conner off of her, but it was too late. The alien growled at the robot, who wrung his hands nervously.
"Uh, yes, Master, you will require a new opponent." He looked around the room. Mallory and Conner got to their feet, and Mal and Megan came running in. "Aha! This one wears the symbolism of Superman! One of Earth's mightiest champions!"
"Great," Conner muttered, getting into a fighting stance.
Mallory looked at Megan as Despero charged towards him. "Miss M, do something, before he kills someone!" she yelled.
Megan reached out, pulling Conner away with telekinesis. The robot sighed. "Do you Earthlings truly have no concept of honorable single combat?" he asked, annoyed.
Despero made a lunge for where Conner was hanging in the air, and he took him through the ceiling. Inferno, Miss Martian, and Bumblebee immediately flew up through the hole, the robot hot on their heels.
"Do not follow, Earth females! Do not interfere! It is bad sportism."
Mallory paused and slammed a fist into the robot's head, sending him back to the ground floor. He just came right back up, yelling, "Poor sportism! Poor sportism!"
When they got to the fight, Despero was standing over Conner, who looked unconscious, one hand grasping his head. Mallory's heart raced in her chest and she flew forward, slamming her shoulder into the alien's back. He flipped over Conner, and Mallory dragged her friend away from the middle of the floor. Bee came flying in, shooting him with her lasers.
"Did I get your attention?" she asked. He opened his third eye, and she fell to the ground limply. Despero roared and covered his eye, and Mallory looked at the Martian.
"Megan, now or never!" she yelled.
"No! I can't," Megan said, hugging herself.
Despero lifted a foot, about to bring it down on Karen. Mallory was about to try to rescue her when a voice from the upper level said, "Enough!"
They all looked up, and Mallory did a double take when she saw Mal dressed in the Guardian suit standing there, full of confidence. "You want Earth's champion? Well, you found him! Your fight is with me, alien! I am Earth's guardian, it's greatest champion, it's secret champion."
"He is not listed in the Krolotean databases, Master, but their records may be incomplete."
"The Kroleteans," Mallory murmured.
"Mal, what are you doing?" Megan asked.
"Keeping Ugly busy, at least until you guys get a better idea," he replied, then aloud he said, "Miss Martian, Inferno, take the others and leave. This is my fight alone."
The girls bowed. "As you command, Guardian," Megan said, and she and Mallory went to the others. Megan carried Conner and Mallory grabbed Bee, then they picked up Billy on their way outside. Mallory doubled back, staying on hand in case Mal needed backup. Conner started to come too in the elevator.
"What- what happened? Where's Mal?"
"About to play the most important game of keep-away of my life, so how about you guys figure out a plan B, fast."
Mallory watched as he flipped down to the floor and raised a fist at Despero. "All right, freak. I could incinerate you with a look, but you hurt my people, so I'm going to teach you a lesson instead!" He moved to the center of the floor and raised his arms up. "Strength of the Earth, and power of all mankind, I summon you!" he yelled, shaking his arms as if he was receiving some kind of power.
"Nice touch," Mallory mentioned.
"Thanks. Let's hope it makes him think twice," Mal replied.
"I'm right here if things get too bad," Mallory assured him.
"Thanks, Inferno. I think I'd feel a little better about that if I hadn't just seen him wipe the floor with you."
Mallory tilted her head a little. "You really want to insult me right now, o great and breakable one?" she asked.
"Good point," Mal said. "Don't go anywhere just yet."
"Oh, darn, I would have gone down to the cafe to grab a coffee," she replied sarcastically.
"Well, I'm waiting," Mal said to Despero. He got in a fighting stance and narrowed his eyes. "Give me your best shot."
The warlord charged him, and he flipped over him, letting the alien crash through the wall behind him. Mal walked over to the hole in the wall. "You are going to reimburse us for damages, right?" he asked.
"Don't get cocky, Mal," Mallory muttered. Conner appeared at her side a second later.
"How's he doing?" he asked.
Mallory nodded to where he was rolling out of the way of a flying piece of the building, and then an exercise machine.
Mal smiled. "Come on, chatterbox, you gonna show me something or not?" he asked.
Conner winced. Despero growled and swung at him. Mal went to jump out of the way, and the alien grabbed his ankle and slammed him to the floor. Mal landed with a grunt.
"I think that's our cue," Conner said, and Mallory nodded.
"Uh, how we coming on that plan B?" Mal asked.
"It's here," Conner said, and he and Mallory punched Despero at the same time. The four of them went through the floor, and Despero held Mallory and Conner one in each hand, Mal unconscious at his feet.
"Master, this one has no powers," L-Ron said, gesturing to Mal. "He is merely another distraction. Neutralize him, then take the others' heads."
Despero started to open his third eye, and Mal's eyes opened and glowed yellow, and Zatanna's voice came out of him, saying a spell. Despero went limp, dropping Mallory and Conner. They looked at Mal in confusion.
"I've used Megan's link to possess Mal and turn the alien's power back on himself, but I don't know how long it will hold."
Conner glared up at the warlord. "Long enough," he said through clenched teeth, and his fist collided with Despero's jaw, sending him flying through two walls. The group looked through the hole to where the alien landed.
"Cheaters!" L-Ron screamed from behind them. "Sneaks! Frauds! You will all suffer for your crimes!" his eyes glowed red and weapons sprung out from his body. The group backed up, prepared for the worst, then Billy came down through the hole in the ceiling, catching hold of the robot's head.
"Let's try this again. Shazam!" The bolt of lightning came again, and this time the robot was shattered at Captain Marvel's feet.
"Thank you!" Mallory said, allowing herself a smile.
"Poor Sportism! Poor sportism!" the robot's head kept repeating, and it started to glow.
"Uh oh," Billy muttered, and he and Conner jumped over the others to protect them from the force of the explosion while Mallory put up a fire shield outside of them to protect them from the heat. The explosion went off, and the Hall crumbled around them. Mallory shut her eyes, keeping the shield up. She heard the boys grunting as the ceiling fell on top of them, but she didn't look until the sound faded and Captain Marvel threw a chunk of the roof off of them, letting in some light.
Zatanna landed on top of the rubble when she saw Marvel. "The others, are they…?"
He smiled and lifted the chunk of concrete higher to reveal the rest of the group nestled safely together in a tight pocket. She smiled, sighing in relief when she saw them.
"I can't believe that guy Medusa'ed me," Bee said. She looked at Mal and raised an eyebrow. "Uh… why are you dressed like that?"
He glared at her, and the others laughed and quickly filled her in, Mallory being sure to include his speech to Despero. It made them all laugh, letting the tension of the last few hours out with it. They looked at the force field, where the army and League were gathered outside, shooting everything they could think of at it. Mallory went to it and heated a hand, pressing it down. It did nothing, and she tried to punch it. Still, nothing.
"That's not going to work," Captain Atom said, walking over. "We've already tried it."
"What about hitting it from both sides?" Megan suggested.
Mallory and Nate backed up, and Mallory shot fire on their side, and Nate shot his energy from his. When they stopped, smoke flowed off the force field, but it stayed firmly between them.
Nate looked at Captain Marvel. "Ok, together," he said, and they both flew towards it full speed, their fists hitting at the exact same spot on either side. The concrete below them cracked with the force, but other than that there was no reaction. Zatanna walked over to them.
"My spells aren't working either. We could try digging our way out."
A helicopter approaching prevented them from responding, and the Leaguers turned to see Secretary Tseng and the Reach Ambassador getting out. They walked to the forcefield calmly.
"Perhaps I might be of some help," the ambassador said, and he put a device on the wall, pressing a button. The whole force field flashed twice, then disappeared, and the device fell back into the ambassador's palm. "There, problem solved."
The Leaguers looked at each other, their jaws clenched. After a tense moment, Nate said, "Thank you…ambassador." None of their faces were friendly, or even cordial, especially not the temporary leader's.
The ambassador didn't seem to notice as he looked at the ruins behind them. "Such a shame your Hall was destroyed. I suppose it is fortunate to still have your other headquarters, the one in orbit above us now." Mallory's eyes widened, alarm going through her, and she felt the same reaction from the others. "What is it you call that one? The Watchtower?"
Secretary Tseng and General Eising glared at the Leaguers. "What?" the secretary yelled, facing the Leaguers.
The ambassador feigned a surprised look. "Oh, I'm sorry, was that fact not for public consumption?"
The Leaguers looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
"We will have a conversation about this later, Captain!" Tseng said, then he turned back to the ambassador. "Thank you so much, Ambassador. I do not know what they would have done without you. We would like to invite you to extend your stay on Earth, perhaps we could examine some of your fascinating technology."
Mallory snorted, standing next to Nate. "When the League comes up with good tech, it's too soon and we're up to something, but what some random aliens do it, it's not suspicious at all," she muttered.
Nate sighed and looked back at the fallen Hall. "Let's see what we can clean up here before the authorities start moving in," he said.
The group went to the rubble and started moving it around. The boxes from the cave were the first thing they uncovered, and Mallory dug out the cap, fortunately having been protected by the gumbo pot when it flipped over in the fight. She righted the pot with a fond smile, rubbing a finger over a dent in the side of the charred outside. She picked up the cap, looking it over. There were a few new tears, but it was still wearable, and the letter was still safely tucked inside the fold. "Lucky," she murmured, tucking it into her jacket pocket and continuing to gather what she could.
An hour into the cleanup, Mallory looked up and saw Wally at the front of the police line. She set her box down and went behind the Hall, and he met her there. His face was all concern as he looked her over.
"Are you ok? God, you look terrible," he said, brushing a finger over her forehead where there was a particularly bad bruise and a cut that had clotted.
Mallory nodded, trying not to wince at the sting. "Yeah, I'm fine, Zatanna took him out for us when Megan took the spell off of her."
Wally sighed with relief and pulled her into a hug. It caught her off guard, but she relaxed into it, letting the safe feeling seep in just as it always had.
"I was scared I was going to lose you when the phone line died," he explained, letting her go.
Mallory nodded and chuckled softly. "I thought I was gonna lose me, too," she said, trying to make light of the situation.
He glared at her. "Don't do that," he said firmly, and she sighed and nodded.
"I know, sorry," she said.
He looked behind her. "I should go, I just had to make sure you and the others were ok."
She nodded. "Thanks for getting the League here," she said.
He tilted his head. "Well, duh. What am I going to do, let you and the others get crushed by some alien? I'm not planning on anyone this year."
Mallory tilted her head. "Anyone else," she said.
He looked away. "Yeah, anyone else."
Something was tugging at the back of Mallory's brain. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something just wasn't right with her friend. She didn't have a chance to try to figure it out, though, because there was a commotion behind her, and when she looked, she felt wind hit her back as Wally ran away. She sighed and went to rejoin the League with the cleanup. They had uncovered Despero, and the Reach Ambassador and Nate were talking next to him. She got closer to hear them.
"We would be happy to take this desperate criminal off your hands," the ambassador said, gesturing to the alien. "After all, I think we are much more capable of containing such threats of this nature than you are."
Nate hesitated, and Mallory could tell he was racking his brain to come up with an excuse, but eventually he just sighed and let the alien take charge of the warlord. He looked at the others. "All right, let's wrap it up," he said.
They nodded and gathered their boxes and things the League wouldn't want to fall into the wrong hands, and they put it all in the Supercycle and flew away to find a zeta tube away from prying eyes. They made it to the Watchtower, where the League's supplies were put in storage, and the team was dismissed. Mallory grabbed her boxes and the gumbo pot and zetaed to her parents' house, needing to put her suit there and get cleaned up before she went back to campus.
Her family was asleep when she got home, so she went upstairs quietly and slipped into the bathroom. As soon as she saw her reflection, she winced. Her suit was torn to shreds, her arms, stomach, and legs were cut up, bruised, and painful, but her face was the worst. She ripped her mask from where the dried blood had glued it to her face, opening some of the wounds again. She didn't know how she was going to keep them hidden. Her lip was cut and swollen, her eye was purple and swollen shut, her forehead had split open, as had her cheek, and there was a gash on the back of her head that was still oozing blood. She sighed and took off her clothes, cleaning and dressing all of the wounds, and she took a pain pill and crawled into bed, exhausted and sore, her conversation with Wally playing in the back of her mind as she tried to figure out what was bothering her about it.