Chapter 1: The Scarlet Speedster and the Emerald Archer.

Part I: A Cold Cry.

ELSEWHERE.

Earth-Prime

April 25th 2024

Metropolis.

It was a typically sunny day in the City of Metropolis. People on the street going about their daily lives. Birds is the trees singing. It was just a perfectly happy day.

At least, it was. Until the super-villains attacked.

"This is Lois Lane, reporting Live from the supposed launch of the Justice Leagues new orbital Space Station Base, known as the Watchtower." The Wife of Superman reported from the Daily Planet Helicopter. "The Joint Venture of STAR Labs, Luthor Corp, Queen Industries, Palmer Tech and Wayne Enterprises was supposed to launch following a press-conference led by the Leagues founding members, but it was interrupted by the sudden attack of a veritable legion of Super-Villains, christened by social media as the Injustice Lea- Oh, Shit!" she suddenly shouted as a a red-blue-blur shot passed, revealing her cousin-in-law fighting against her twisted clone.

Kara Queen, known these days as Superwoman (having changed her name a couple of years after the Crisis) was fighting her Bizzaro Clone created by Maxwell Lord. Bizzaro was still dressed in a darker version of Kara's original suit with the skirt, with her symbol reversed. Her hair remained long, unlike Superwoman's who had cut her hair to chin-length not long ago.

Nearby, Superman was fighting John Corben aka Metallo, the Man of Steel having activated his Anti-Kryptonite suit to combat the Kryptonite powered Cyborg.

Eventually, Superwoman delivered a blow to her clone and sent her falling down to crash on a rooftop down below. Sara Allen aka the White Canary and Mon-El aka Valor, who had been fighting nearby, ran over to restrain the clone with Blue Kryptonite Cuffs.

"Canary. Valor." Superwoman nodded to her friends as she landed. "Lets try to wrap this up. I need to get to the Watchtower." More of the villains, led by their Leader Adrian Chase aka Prometheus, had invaded the Tower. They didn't know what they wanted, but it couldn't be good.

Sara nodded. "Preferably before Chase throws something else at us." she suggested, but then at that moment there was a loud thud from behind them as someone landed hard on the rooftop.

The trio turned to see their friend and fellow hero, Samantha Arias aka Raya-L, better known as the superhero, Ultrawoman. The former World Killer was dressed in a dark blue suit, similar to Kara's only darker with a yellow diamond on her chest with a U symbol on it. She was also visibly and badly injured.

"Sam!" Kara rushed to the side of her adoptive sister. Her mother Alura had adopted the woman following her separation from her World Killer self, Reign, with her powers intact. The woman was bleeding from her mouth, indicating some possible internal injury, with visible bruising on her face.

Another thud nearby saw the trio staring at the one responsible. Glaring at them in full World Killer mode, was Reign - or rather a Clone created by Lillian Luthor and Project Cadmus, who had likewise recreated Bizzaro.

"Reign." Kara growled at the sight of the being that had once come close to killing her. With little hesitation, Kara rushed forward to attack, only for the Clone to smack her aside before chasing after her.

Rolling her eyes, Sara commented to Mon-El. "Remind me, how many times do we need to remind her about the benefits of teamwork?" she asked as she helped Sam to her feet.

Mon just shrugged. "Kara sometimes forgets that she can't do everything on her own." he said with a smirk. He passed Sam fully to Sara. "Get Sam to Medical. I'll help Kara." And with that the Daxamite Prince flew off to chase after the two Kryptonians.

The White Canary put her finger to her communicator. "White Canary to the Hall. We need a Speed Lift to Medical for Ultrawoman." The words were barely out of her mouth before they were gone in a flash of bright yellow lightning.

JL Watchtower.

At the Watchtower, Adrian Chase/Prometheus, Tina Boland/Blackbird, Solomon Grundy and King Shark were fighting members of Team Arrow, specifically Oliver Queen / The Green Arrow, Thea Harper-Queen/Artemis and Roy Harper/Arsenal, with the help of John Constantine and Ray Palmer/The Atom. While Ray attempts to hold Grundy, Chase fires two explosive arrows at him, only for Constantine to use his magic to redirect them at Grundy. Thea and Roy are thrown over to them by King Shark, distracting Oliver and forcing him back to his team to help with Boland and Grundy.

Adrian Chase glared at Constantine. "This has nothing to do with you, Constantine." he said sneering at the Warlock.

But John merely shrugged. "Yeah, well when I heard a twat like you were causin' trouble I just had to join the fun." he mocked.

Just then Blackbird unleashed her Canary Cry onto to Arsenal sending him to knock into Atom, who had just been thrown by Grundy. The Red Archer looked to his friend. "Thought you'd have this mess cleaned up by now." he joked.

Ray glared without heat, as he fired at Grundy. "Hey, the name's Atom, not Miracle Worker." he defended.

Oliver looked at his team and realized that they needed help. He placed his finger on his com in his ear. "Arrow to Flash. We need help at Watchtower."

Elsewhere.

Barry Allen aka The Flash answered his comm as he ran, a trail of white-yellow lightning behind him as he went. "After I check out Iron Heights." he promised his friend. "Need to make sure that Chase didn't break him out."

"He'll keep." Oliver said over the comm. "We're getting our asses handed to us here."

"Be there soon, Ollie." he promised as he arrived at his destination.

Iron Heights Penitentiary.

Watchtower

Back at Watchtower, Oliver dodged a knife thrown at his head. He turned to see Boland sneering at him. "No one's coming to save you this time, Queen." Adrian's Murderous Fake Canary gloated smugly. "You're going to suffer for what you did to Vince. And then everyone will see you for the monster you are!"

Oliver just had to roll his eyes at the delusional ranting he had come to expect from Chase and his delusional acolytes. Case in point, the former cop who allowed Adrian to twist her into a psychopath and pointed her in the Green Arrow's direction after Oliver had been forced to kill her lover, Vincent Sobel aka Vigilante.

Not bothering to try to convince her otherwise - he knew she'd never listen - Oliver simply fired an arrow at her, which she dodged and came at him. Swinging his bow, Oliver got into the fight.

Iron Heights

Inside, Barry was following a guard down into a very specific area of the prison.

"We've been keeping a close eye on him, Flash, just like you said." The guard told him as they came to the cell. "He hasn't moved in hours."

Unfortunately, when they came to the cell door, the Guard tripped a wire on the door before Barry could stop him. Quickly jumping into Flashtime, the Flash grabbed the guard and ran him to the far end of the corridor, away from the cell, just as it exploded.

Coughing from the resulting cloud of smoke from the explosion, the guard asked in shock "How did James do this?"

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Barry said "He didn't. The real trap..." he grabbed the guard and shoved them both out of the way, just as a beam of cold sailed past where they once were. "...is behind us." he finished as he glared at the one responsible.

Leonard Snart aka Captain Cold.

"Sorry, Red. I don't have a choice in this." the former thief, and ally of the Justice League, claimed. As the guard runs to safety, Snart repeatedly fires at Barry who dodges easily. He gets in close and the two engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Eventually, Barry was able to knock Snart to the floor, causing him to drop his Cold Gun. "What do you mean, you have no choice?" he demanded to know. Leonard had been mostly straight for the last few years, running his Security Company (He'd basically break in somewhere to test their security and then tell them how to improve it).

Len sighed sadly. "Chase has Mick and Lisa." he revealed. "He put Waller's Bombs in their heads. If I don't do what he wants, they're dead."

The Flash grunted in annoyance. "Damn it." But before he could do or say anymore, Snart picked up his Cold Gun from the floor and continues firing.

Back on the Watchtower, Oliver couldn't help but wonder what the hell Chase was teaching Tina, as she was even less of a threat than Barry was in the beginning.

It seemed most of her fighting style typically involved her using her own canary cry to destabilize her enemies. However Oliver had spent years fighting with both Laurel and Sara, as well as both Laurel and Tina's respective doppelgangers.

With this in mind, Oliver was able to deliver a hit to Boland's throat, temporarily taking away her greatest weapon.

Eventually Barry was able to grab the gun and fired it at its owner, freezing him to the wall, despite Snart having made it so that only he could wield the weapon.

Sighing sadly at the man who had actually become something of a friend, Barry made a promise. "I'll save them, Len."

Snart smiled - or smirked rather. "I know you will, Red. Now go!"

As the Flash leave the Rogue where he was pinned, he opens the comm-link to his friends. "Flash to Watchtower. Come in." Silence. He tried Oliver. "GA!" But again, there was nothing. He tried another hero. "Flash to Superman. Come in."

Thankfully, the Man of Steel answered. "Superman here. Go ahead, Flash."

"Chase has placed Squad Bombs in Mick Rory and Lisa Snart to force her brother's cooperation." he got straight to the point. "Those bombs give off a signal on an ultra-high frequency, can you find them?" he asked, remembering a briefing that Green Arrow had made on the Old Suicide Squad when it was led by Waller.

On the other end of the call, Clark nodded. "I'm on it." There was a moment of pause before Superman spoke again. "Found them." he reported.

"Good. Bring them to Ivy and Hawkeye to remove the bombs." As he spoke, Barry turned to look at Len and gave him a thumbs up making the man almost collapse in relief. "Flash out."

And with the call ended, Barry shot out of the prison with a trail of white lightning behind him.

Oliver looked down at the defeated Blackbird, bound from his Bolo-Arrow, and was about to turn to fight Chase. However, he was suddenly knocked away by a dark blue blur with a trail of pale blue-red lightning.

here it is the next chapter. hope you enjoy it.

notes on the chapter:

STAR Labs: After being left the labs by Thawne, Barry - who has a business degree - decides to reopen it as a legitimate laboratory once more. Among their innovations was what was known as the Speed Cell, an Artifical Speed Force Reactor that provides a clean source of near-limitless energy.

Queen Industries and Palmer Tech: Oliver never lost the company, but has made Walter Steele the CEO while renaming it Queen Industries. After the Undertaking, Merlyn Global was in ruins because of Malcolm. It was bought up at a low price by Ray Palmer, who renamed it Palmer Tech saving many jobs.

Tommy opened his own clinic in Bludhaven, while Laurel is the DA. Tommy (Hawkeye) and Caitlin (Ivy) serve as the League Medics.