Rematch

April 4, 1942

It couldn't affect him the way it did a normal person, but Superman was thankful for the cool spray of the Atlantic's waves. The steady rhythm of their approach assisted his focus, his care, as he pulled the massive chain. It had become an unconscious process most of the time, making sure that the force he exerted on this fragile world did not break it, but that was no excuse for sloppiness. Not when that chain was attached to an overcrowded passenger ship. It had been preyed upon by U-boats, who mistook it for a cargo or naval vessel, left to drift hopelessly in the endless expanse of blue, slowly taking on water.. Till Superman arrived. The vessel was North African, having fled the onslaught of the German machine across those lands. The voices of the passengers spoke mostly in Arabic and French. Hushed conversations took on new life when the docks of Metropolis revealed themselves on the horizon. Even with his assistance, Superman knew it had been an arduous voyage.

He towed the ship to an empty pier, fixing the chain to the supports to prevent it from drifting away. The dock workers shook off their surprise at the sight before them and moved to help, bringing gangplanks and throwing ropes to further affix the vessel. Superman was potently aware of the trust these men and women imbued in him, to help with so little knowledge. He explained the situation to the foreman, who sent off a few workers to get proper aid for these people while Superman helped the most vulnerable down from their craft. Many were weakened from the trip, having run low on food and water, some ailing from disease.

He was in the midst of handing a child to a mother on the verge of tears when Superman heard the jeeps arrive. They were arranged in a phalanx at the entryway to the docs, soldiers emptying out of them to form a blockade. The lead car held a familiar face, who had scarcely shut his door when Superman landed in front of him. A number of his men flinched, but General Sam Lane was unmoved by Superman's appearance.

"Fond of your dramatic entrances, aren't you?" said General Lane. Superman didn't respond.

He made a dismissive appraisal of the scene behind the costumed hero. The dock workers continued to help the refugees, but there was a new apprehensiveness to them. The chatter of the people coming from the ship turned nervous once again.

"Tell me boy, who's side are you on?" said General Lane.

"The people's."

The general's brow furrowed another degree. "Also fond of your trite proclamations. We are in America, are we not?" said the general. When he got no response from Superman, he directed his question to one of the soldiers at an adjacent car. "We're in America aren't we corporal?"

"Yes sir," the man responded.

"Has the war ended in the last few hours corporal?"

"No sir."

"Does anyone have a different understanding of those two facts?" General Lane said, louder now, addressing all of his troops.

"No sir," bellowed the assembled soldiers.

"I thought so. Which makes it so difficult to understand your actions Superman."

Superman could hear each and every heartbeat assembled at the docks. For all their composure, many of the soldiers had elevated ones. He could see and smell the sweat on eight of them. General Lane's was steady as could be.

"You have brought a ship carrying foreign nationals to our shores. A ship not cleared for landing here."

"They were in trouble. I helped."

"Such a simplistic view."

"A U-boat stranded them.."

"Yet, I don't see you out there hunting the U-boat, which will no doubt cause more damage, maybe even to our sailors."

Superman resisted the urge to point out that the ship would have sunk if he hadn't intervened when he did. Or that U-boat attacks had fallen sharply ever since the All-Star Squadron began patrolling the shores, having disabled four vessels in the past two months. The general didn't care.

"These people are not American. We don't know who they are. They could harbor spies and saboteurs."

"That's absurd."

"You can't be this naive. Our nation has been attacked more than once. I am not in a position where I can allow the possibility of any further vulnerability."

"These people need shelter and medical attention. I'm not leaving till I'm certain they'll get it," said Superman. To his left a young soldier's grip tightened on his rifle.

"Then you'll be here a while. Lieutenant make sure these people remain on that vessel till we're good and ready."

"Yes sir," said the lieutenant. The soldiers began to move forward till Superman crossed his arms, taking a firm stance in front of them. They looked at the lieutenant, then each other, then General Lane. The lieutenant appeared almost frozen, like he couldn't dare glance back at his superior.

"Stand down gentlemen," said Superman. "These people are no threat."

"You are blocking U.S. forces from performing their duty to protect this nation. You are aware of that?" said the general.

Conversation behind him had hushed. The refugees on the ship were holding a collective breath, along with the dockworkers on the pier. The soldiers hadn't taken another step,

"I am only here to make sure they receive the care they need."

"Lieutenant advance," said General Lane.

Superman met the younger officer's eyes. "You don't need to do that."

Behind the cordon of jeeps and military vehicles, ambulances and the other help the dock workers had summoned began to arrive. Many of the soldiers craned their necks to see what the latest wrinkle on this debacle.

"If you don't move I will report you to your superiors in the All-Star Squadron." General Lane hissed the team's name as though it was poison.

"I'm not leaving till they're taken care of. Properly," said Superman.

Lane got so close to Superman that flecks of spit hit his chin. A vein was beginning to bulge on his neck.

"You think you're above all of this? You think that you and your kind can make any decisions you like and the rest of us just have to live with it? Those days are ending. I understand what it means to serve a higher purpose. To serve your country, with duty and integrity. So, ask yourself one more time, Superman, whose people are you here to help? America's?"

"The same as before general. I serve the people. All of them."

There was no outburst. No sudden shriek of rage. General Lane glowered in Superman's face for another few seconds, then had his men give way to the help. They lurked by the pier the entire time it was being used to disembark, held at bay only by Superman's presence. It was only after, when the refugees had been taken, that Clark realized he had been holding his breath that whole time. He exhaled, releasing the tension. Lane might think otherwise, but Superman wasn't so naive to think that his victory would be clean. He would need to continue to shepherd the refugees wherever they ended up, lest Lane's people scoop them up at a later time. General Lane hadn't truly backed down, so much as assented to settling their differences at a future date. It was uncanny to see the stubbornness that he admired so much in Lois employed for such purposes.

It was after he moved the ship, to one of the salvage yards, where it could be repaired or scrapped, that Superman heard a voice call to him, the one he knew better than almost any other. He found Lois on a rooftop by the harbor. It had a clear view of the pier where the standoff had taken place.

"You called Ms. Lane?" said Superman, gliding to her.

"That was quite the stunt you just pulled down there. I can count on one hand the number of people I've seen stand up to dear old dad like that," said Lois.

Superman feigned surprise. It had become harder to do as his relationship with her as Clark...progressed. "I wasn't aware General Lane was your father."

Lois waved her hand dismissively. "Not common knowledge. He's not going to let this go. He caught me sneaking out once. Had me doing pushups and runs for punishment for two months and put tape on my windowsill that he'd check every morning."

"Did it stop you from doing that again?"

Lois chuckled. "No. I just got better at being sneaky."

"He won't stop me either. Not when it comes to helping people."

"Conviction like that is hard to come by. Hard to maintain too. Though that hasn't been a problem for you all these years." There was a note of concern to her voice.

"Are you worried for me Ms. Lane?"

She briefly returned to her normal self. "Worrying about you? That's like worrying if the sun will come up tomorrow," Lois said. Then her voice lowered once more, her gaze averted. "He doesn't tolerate what he can't control. He'll come for you. If he can't do it with force, he'll turn them all against you."

"Who?"

"The military. The government. The people."

"Let him."

"What if it works? If they all believe him? Could you keep doing what you do?" It was strange to see Lois this vulnerable. He had seldom seen it even as Clark. There was a tinge of jealousy that this was something she was granting to Superman, but not him.

"There would always be one person who believes in me," said Superman. "You."

Lois's eyes widened. A faint smile appeared. She took a faltering step closer.

"This city can be so hard to live with sometimes...this world. I never thought I could believe it, but all my life I've waited for someone like you to be real," said Lois.

Seeing Lois this vulnerable, her arms clutching each other as if hugging against the cold, the ocean breeze sweeping her hair across her face in a mess tangle awakened something in Superman that he didn't even try to resist. He met her approach by putting his hands on her shoulders, as his lips locked with hers. He had kissed her as Clark, but there was power in the moment, in the transgression, in the naked desire that he felt here and now. It lasted an eternity and no time at all, with Lois pulling away gently, hesitantly, their eyes clinging to each other.

"I..I shouldn't have done that," said Lois.

"No, no that was my fault," said Superman.

"I can't do this with you. I'm sorry. I'm with someone," said Lois.

Superman just breathed, in sync with her own breathing, their faces still close enough that the act threatened to recur. There remained that transgressive quality, even if the only person Superman was competing with was himself. Lois, at last, stepped back.

"I need to go," she said, leaving him with only a lingering glance as she reached the access door to the building.

Somehow as Superman flew away, off to correct whatever wrong needed righting next, he felt sorry for Clark Kent.

Snow fell on the steps of the police station, a rare enough occurrence that every passerby took the time to watch. That or they were surprised to see Wonder Woman in person delivering her latest package to the authorities, a villain going by the name Blue Snowman that had seen fit to extort the farmers in the valleys just outside the city with an artificial cold snap. Her freeze gun was disabled, but its final, lingering gift was the snow. In spite of the name, Diana had quickly found that it was a woman beneath the helmet, one Byrna Brilyant.

"You're rotten. All rotten," said Blue Snowman. The officers on duty were already helping their new tenant to her feet.

Diana ignored the hurled abuse. "A mind like yours shouldn't be wasted on crime. Should you reconsider your choices, I am always willing to help you."

The villain glared daggers at her foe, before letting the officers guide her away. It wasn't exclusive to Gateway by any means, but there was a common thread amongst many of the foes that Diana faced. Individuals that felt wronged by society, their talents wasted, their lives at a dead end. It was a shame that crime became their next step.

"Wonder Woman," cried a young girl from the street. A small crowd had assembled. Wonder Woman smiled and greeted them, taking the time to talk to the children. She continued to help wherever it was needed, but it was nice to have a place to call home again.

Some time later, Diana was back at the university, her true refuge. She made sure to change out of sight, using the lasso's magics to banish her costume. It wouldn't do to link the university to Wonder Woman any more than it already was. She often wondered how her peers in the JSA would react to finding out her home was a cramped dorm room at a school she pretended to go to. Etta had been crafty enough to pull some strings through her sorority and get a new room that the two of them shared. The other sorority members regarded Diana as a fun oddity, a foreigner that Etta had adopted. She did her best to play along, in part because it replaced the much missed camaraderie of her home.

Etta was half-asleep when Diana strolled into their dorm. "You stop the ice queen?"

"I did. Did your studying go well?"

Etta covered her head with a pillow. "Margaret and I went to the movies instead. Then, Olive wanted to go dancing."

"So your prospects of passing the exam are slim?"

Etta merely groaned. "Oh, before I forget. A letter came for you. It's on the table."

Diana left her roommate to sleep. The letter was crammed between Etta's textbooks and journals. Her spirits dipped for a moment when she saw that it wasn't from Steve, though she knew that that wasn't a fair expectation. For all Diana knew, he had no idea where she was these days. Instead, it was postmarked from one Dan Garett. She tore it open. Reading the letter, Diana suppressed a cheer for Etta's sake.

The contents of the letter were a major leap forward in her pursuit of the God's Teardrop. Over the past months, she had worked diligently, using the resources of the university and institutions around the country to hone in on the truth of where Wotan would go next. Dr. Minerva's assertion that it was a fringe theory proved true, complicating the process, as many scholars paid her interest little mind Garett was one of the few experts on the region of North Africa and the Middle East that was still available for contact, with many of the others swept up into the war. He narrowed the focus even further, asserting that any "hall" or "house of lightning" was in line with a series of expeditions conducted by C.C. Batson and Marilyn Batson. The country of importance was Kahndaq, a small nation that bordered Egypt on the Sinai. Garett wasn't able to pinpoint the specific temple because of the loss of the Batson's research, but it remained a victory for Diana's search.

Any celebration was delayed by the telltale buzz of her signal ring.

Dinah Drake awoke to the noise of Larry getting ready to leave for work. She sat up in the bed, the sheets still bundled around her, her hair messy. She had been spending so much time at his place that the neighbors were likely asking questions about their indecent arrangement. Not that Dinah cared all that much.

"I didn't mean to wake you," said Larry. He brewed his coffee, his tie conspicuously untied around his shoulders.

"S'alright," said Dinah. "Though I sleep better with you beside me."

"Hey now, you're not getting me this time. I'm already cutting it close."

"They run you ragged over their at the precinct." Dinah got up, stretching her back and yawning. She enjoyed the way Larry pretended to be focused on his task, while staring at her. She joined his at his counter.

"The price I pay to keep this place safe."

Dinah leaned close and helped him fix his tie. She inhaled the musk of his aftershave. "You do work so hard. I think you may have earned a reward later. If you're home in time."

The look Larry gave her almost convinced Dinah that he was going to be late after all, till she heard the vibration of her signal ring. Larry laughed. "What was that about being run ragged?"

"Damn thing," said Dinah.

"Any clue what it could be?"

Dinah dug around her things for the ring. "Flip in the radio. If it's big enough, we'll hear it."

Larry followed her instruction, tuning it to GBC.

"...officials have confirmed that the Lion of Metropolis is the latest missing landmark. Others include the Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Memorial and…"

"That would be it," said Dinah.

"How does one steal the Statue of Liberty?" said Hawkwoman.

"Very carefully," said Mr. Terrific, ignoring the dour look his companion gave him.

Starman couldn't fault his teammates joke. It was a ridiculous situation, of the magnitude that demanded the Justice Society's intervention. The Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Lincoln Memorial, Lion of Metropolis, Keystone Colossus, Griffith Observatory, all gone. The entire society wasn't present, many occupied by their own business or All-Star Squadron concerns. Still, Black Canary, Hawkwoman, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Spectre, Doctor Fate and Mr. Terrific had answered the call.

Batman cleared his throat, retrieving their undivided attention like schoolchildren gone astray. "Each crime scene was adorned with this symbol." He clicked the slide projector to display a red globe, pieced from top to bottom with a knife, with the initials ISW on it.

"The Injustice Society," said Black Canary. There was a gravity to that name, one that eluded Ted. He had heard all about their battle with the group of villains from the team veterans.

Batman nodded. "My sources have indicated that the group has already presented the government with a ransom of twenty-six million dollars for the return of the monuments." Batman and Sandman always seemed to have a "source" for any given case.

"An outrageous figure," said Hawkwoman.

"The money isn't just for the monuments," said Black Canary. "It's to avoid having whatever stole them used again."

"Precisely," said Batman.

"Though, these folks being villains, what's to stop them from going back on the deal as soon as they have the money?" said Mr. Terrific.

"Nothing at all," said Wonder Woman.

"They won't get a chance anyway," said Superman. "We're going to stop them first."

"Assuming we can find them," said Black Canary.

"Actually, I've got an idea on that front," said Starman. He had gotten used to being the center of attention on the Vanguard team, with the others looking to him for guidance, but there was no real preparation for the experience of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice Society waiting for your next word.

"I examined the absence of the Lion of Metropolis before coming here. My cosmic rod can detect certain forms of energy. It picked up a trace element that I think may be of use in tracking the thieves."

"I sense a complication on the horizon," said Hawkwoman.

Ted nodded. "The issue is range. The rod is limited in that regard. Short of combing the entire country for the energy signature, we remain where we started. I was hoping one of you might have an idea."

The entire room sat in heady contemplation for nearly a minute. Batman and Mr. Terrific had a near simultaneous jolt. "Dr. Fate," they said in unison.

"Yes?" said the sorcerer, silent up till now.

"Could you extend his rod's sensors?" said Batman

"Using a method similar to how the signal rings work?" added Mr. Terrific. Ted was not alone in observing how in sync their epiphany had been. Black Canary had a wry expression as she leaned on her elbow, while Wonder Woman appeared perplexed.

Fate rubbed his chin. "It's conceivable...It would take more now than it used to, but.."

"But?" said Starman.

"I can manage a ritual that would accomplish such a feat. Though it is hardly reproducible in a short span of time. If Starman's hunch is incorrect, I cannot try again."

"Are you confident?" said Superman.

There were few words to describe what it meant to answer that question coming from such a man. Ted swallowed any doubt. "I'm sure."

They performed the ritual in one of the room's that Kent had set aside for his own studies, when he had to spend extended periods at the JSA headquarters. Without the helm, he would need all the channeled magic to cast a spell with such a broad range. Fate spoke the incantations, drawing out the ley lines that crisscrossed America, like pulling a net taut.

"I warn you. If there are any of my ilk amongst the Injustice Society, then this spell will alert them to our intentions. They will know we are coming."

"Let them," said Wonder Woman.

"I've got a suspicion that they won't mind," said Batman.

The cowled hero had a voice that gave Kent chills. He was also the sort to be skeptical of the supernatural, as was Mr. Terrific. It mattered little to Doctor Fate, so long as they allowed him to carry out his craft.

"Hand me the rod," he commanded Starman, who complied.

There was an energy coursing through the device, one tethered to the heavens above. It was a work of scientific genius. Now all it required was a helping hand from the realm of magic. Kent expanded his presence, worked along the ley lines. He felt their reverberations, made silent, distant contact with those powers that held sway throughout the nation. While his comrades watched, wordless deals were made, esoteric favors exchanged, pacts for a later date. Helm or not, Doctor Fate was the defender of order and such a title meant a certain degree of deference. He could only hope that the exchanges made were worth the price.

Kent ignored the creeping pain, the one that shot through his forearms, into his spine. The pain that reminded him of how much he had been lessened with his sacrifice. Once, this ritual would have been child's play. Now, it was liable to take weeks to recover from it. He pushed through the discomfort, wound the potential of the cosmic rod along the threads of magic.

Consciously or not, the others recognized the power at play in the room. Most of them backed up, save Wonder Woman and the Spectre. Even Superman flinched from the flecks of spectral runoff that bled from the ritual. Fate invoked the powers beyond, the powers that ran through this land, that gave it form beneath form. He uttered the words. The rod ignited in a fountain of blue luminescence. There was an inrush of air, an outward crackle of unseen electricty. Then silence.

Wonder Woman was the first to speak. "Doctor Fate, did it work?"

Kent raised a weary hand to his comrades. A blazing image formed, a floating map of the United States. Highlighted was the focal point of their search.

"I know that place," said Hawkwoman.

"Looks like we're taking a trip to the Grand Canyon," said Mr. Terrific.

The Grand Canyon constituted an area of nearly two thousand square miles of land. A massive area to search by any stretch of the imagination, particularly without the Flash. Or it would have been, had Superman not immediately sighted the rocky spire that spiraled up into the clouds from the North Rim. Doctor Fate and Superman lowered the team members that lacked flight onto a smooth mesa, to better scope out the strange structure. Starman and Hawkwoman remained on high to scout ahead. The Spectre swirled around near them, their cloak never touching the ground.

"How has no one noticed that before?" said Black Canary. She raised an arm to shield her eyes from the sun, which soared behind the spiral.

"They've been getting fewer visitors since the gas rations," said Batman. He already had binoculars out, which he used to scan the area. It was unsettling to see him out of an urban setting in such stark daylight. Then again, she wasn't known for her outdoorsy nature.

"They'll see us coming," said Mr. Terrific.

"No avoiding that now," said Wonder Woman. "Did you see something Superman?"

Their companion's sight line was locked ahead, toward the base of the rocky spire. "I can't see the top of the tower. There's interference of some kind. But, that's not it." He pointed. "Look at those people."

Batman trained his binoculars, then let Black Canary and Terrific take a look. Gathered near the base was around a dozen people. Parks workers and visitors from their clothes. All of them were stock still, heads tilted up in the direction of the spire. If it weren't for their skin, Dinah would have assumed that these were statues, carved from the orange rock that made up the mesa.

"There's something wrong with them…" said Superman.

As if the mere act of being observed triggered something in them, the people began to move. With dawning horror, Dinah realized that they were marching straight for the cliffs that bordered the mesa. The ones closest took a last step into open air, without the slightest shred of hesitation. Superman and Wonder Woman acted, flying low to stop them. Doctor Fate scooped up Black Canary, Batman and Mr. Terrific with his powers to hasten their approach. Superman reappeared from the cliffside, a pair of people in hand. Wonder Woman followed suit. As Fate set them down, Dinah could hear the pair pleading with the people to no avail. As soon as they were placed back on the mesa, their doomed march began anew.

"Superman and Wonder Woman can't stop all of them. Not if they're going to keep that up," said Black Canary.

Batman produced bolas from his belt, along with binding ties. "They'll need to be restrained till we know what's going on." He handed ties to Dinah and Mr. Terrific.

Dr. Fate was already working his magic, using walls of golden light to block the people off from their destructive impulses. In times past, he could have rounded up everyone here with a snap of his fingers. Dinah and Mr. Terrific took on a group to their right, a trio of hikers and a ranger. Up close, the people had a vacant expression to them, their eyes locked ahead, without a care for what was in front of them. They didn't offer Dinah any concentrated resistance beyond the unceasing desire to stroll off the nearest ledge. Still, it took her time to tie down two of them, while Terrific finished up with his pair. Just beyond them, another group reached the bounds of the mesa.

"We've got a problem. More people going over the edge," Dinah shouted, hopeful Superman or Wonder Woman were able to respond.

Her hope was in vain as the people tumbled impassively off the cliff. Dinah let out a hushed cry. She sprinted to the rim, well aware that there was nothing but a grim sight awaiting her. Instead, a swirl of green cloak rose in front of her, the dulled folks ignorant of their savior, the Spectre.

"Thank you," said Dinah.

Her ghostly companion did not respond, merely dropping them. With a wave of their pale hand the stone that they sat on reshaped to form bindings. Mr. Terrific and Batman finished up their charges, while in the distance she could see the others do the same. Dinah was briefly distracted by movement above her, Starman and Hawkwoman were returning from their patrol.

It was only then that the shadows stood up.

Starman was on his descent when his teammates were attacked. The order of the assault betrayed a malign intelligence. The long, twisted shadow of the spire reared up like a terrible leviathan, whipping its form at Superman, who was sent hurtling away, only the plume of dust to tell of his landing. The shadows of the people on the mesa joined in the fray, splitting off from their hosts. Starman rained energy on the swarm of them that encircled Batman and Mr. Terrific, while Doctor Fate and Wonder Woman grappled with their traitorous shades. Hawkwoman dueled with her own silhouette, which had taken flight to pursue her. The Spectre formed a barrier around Black Canry as they were besieged.

He wasn't allowed to remain unmolested for long, his own featureless doppelganger soon on his heels. Starman's only consolation was that whatever foul force granted them power did not extend to the replication of his cosmic rod, at least not so far. The shade wielded it with all the subtlety and care of a crude club. He weaved through the air, avoiding swing after swing.

With a few flicks of his thumb, Ted recalibrated the rod's projections. He had a hypothesis in need of urgent testing. Starman flew past his shade, curving straight up, higher into the sky, past any hint of clouds. The malicious shadow eagerly followed. He spun around, centering the rod at the thing's chest. Self-preservation was clearly not a priority as the shade refused to deviate from its course.

The rod flashed a light bright enough that Ted had to clench his eyes shut. There was a hiss, like air leaving a tire. When he opened them all that remained of the shadow was scant particles of black mist.

Self-congratulation was postponed. His companions remained under attack. Starman angled back towards the ground, just in time to see that he was not the only one descending from on high.

Black Canary was sure that she would have been swarmed by the shadows if not for the Spectre. Her ally blocked their advance with their cloak, before using that same instrument to tear them to shreds. The Spectre's face, normally morose, contained a shred of what she could only surmise to be glee.

"Those aren't people right?" said Dinah.

"Naught but the dregs of darkness. Beckoned by a charlatan who would play at sorcery. Karkull awaits my judgement."

Ian Karkull. One of Fate's opponents. Which meant it wasn't necessarily the same group they fought before. Before that thought could be pondered, Dinah's attention was drawn to a man hovering near them, one whose arrival caused the Spectre to bristle, their cloak wracked with twitches. At first glance, he resembled the Wizard, but he lacked that man's cape and his eyes, partially covered with diminutive round spectacles, were a sickly yellow that almost leaked out. Whatever the case, his presence prompted a response in the Spectre that Dinah could only liken to fear. A prospect that chilled her to the bone.

"I see you continue to gallivant with lesser beings," said the man.

"Spare me your poison fiend," hissed the Spectre.

Black Canary slowly stepped away from her ally, aware that whatever was about to happen, it was on a decidedly higher magnitude than her being. The wind around them had turned, whipping up small rocks and dust.

"You have made a mistake challenging me again Zor. One you will not have to live with for long."

Zor outstretched his arms. "So much bluster for one so humbled. Show me."

The Spectre struck, their form a serpent lunging for the kill. Zor clapped his hands together, sending out a wall of smoke and light. When it cleared, they were gone.

Doctor Fate dispelled the final shadow man with a solid right hook. Crude, but he found that it was easier to channel his magics directly. The restrained ease of the helm wasn't available. They reeked of Karkull's machinations, down to the very aura that bled off of them. Yet, it didn't explain the behavior of the incapacitated civilians. Nearby, Wonder Woman spun her lasso around, cleaving the shades into pieces. While Kent practiced magic, she was magic, pure and simple. It was breathtaking to watch her in action.

"How do you fare doctor?"

"Well enough. Though that's not going to be the last of them."

Wonder Woman scanned around them. "We need to regroup with the others."

A fight continued on the far end of the mesa. The far off trails of dust spoke of Superman's troubles. A cascade of cold air ran down Kent's spine. A warning tripped.

"Something's wrong with the Spectre," he said.

Wonder Woman turned to answer him, but her response was cut short by the snarl from above, as a woman in a yellow and orange catsuit bowled her off. His ally rolled with the worst of it, though the crimson trail that followed their path revealed of the price she paid.

"Priscilla," said Wonder Woman.

The villain Kent now saw was Cheetah, prowled around her prey, ignorant or uncaring of him. "I hope you didn't think I'd given up on you. Our last meeting didn't end to my satisfaction."

"You need help Priscilla. This hatred leads nowhere." Wonder Woman had her arms raised in a defensive stance. Kent could see the slashes on her bicep.

"So long as it leads to your death." The woman pounced on Wonder Woman.

Doctor Fate tipped the odds, using his telekinesis to throw Cheetah off balance, spinning her around to face him. Wonder Woman capitalized on the moment, grabbing her opponent around her torso from behind, arms pinned to her sides. The villain hissed and spat in fury, legs kicking around to try and find purchase.

"Don't do this. Fight this anger," said Wonder Woman.

He started the chants for a sleep spell, one that required a tap on the forehead. Draining, but effective. Fate floated to the struggling woman. He was reaching a hand towards her, when he himself was grabbed. From the ground below, a pool of shadow oozed out an inky black hand which clutched Doctor Fate. In the confusion, Wonder Woman lessened her hold just enough for Cheetah to slip free, giving her a parting slash to the thigh for her troubles. All Kent could do was watch as the hand yanked him down into the darkness.

The shadow leviathan was relentless, but it didn't have a good answer to Superman's heat vision. It fizzled and shrank as he burned away the last of it. Most of it's advantage was surprise, yet there was a quality to its blows that reminded Superman of being struck by Green Lantern all those years back. Though it never matched the sickening, acidic agony of the green rock.

The first rock broke against his back, having met its match with his skin. The second missed, burying into the mesa. By the time the next several arrived, Superman was ready, shattering them with his fists. A veritable hail of boulders fell from above, coming from the direction of the spire.

He had no chance to investigate the source, as a mechanical fist landed on him. He was pressed into the ground, a body-sized indent in the rock. He dug his knuckles into the hard earth and pressed up, pushing back against the fist. As gears strained and metal groaned, the fist relented. Standing tall, Superman was greeted with the sight of an enormous toy soldier.

"Winslow?" said Superman.

He side-stepped another fist, ignoring the shattered rock that rippled outward.

A scraping mechanical speaker barked from the giant toy. "It's the Toyman to you."

Superman floated up till he was level with the devices face. A quick flash of his x-ray vision confirmed that Winslow Schott was indeed piloting the construct.

"What are you doing out here?"

A panel on the toy soldier's chest slid open, unleashing a squadron of miniature airplanes, each with their own stream of bullets. Superman evaded their attention, while the giant's fists tried to swat him down.

"Did you suppose I would sit in prison like a good boy while Luthor enjoys his life?"

Superman let loose a gale of a breath, downing the majority of the toy fleet. He caught another strike, holding back the toy giant's might. "I'm not here to belittle you Winslow. But, this isn't the way to stop a man like Luthor."

The other hand clapped onto Superman, squishing him between them. "This gives me options. A future. The Injustice Society gave me my toys back!"

Superman separated the hands with a shove, with enough force that he heard mechanisms in the joints break. He pulled on the left hand, which tore free from its metal socket. The right one crumpled in his grip. "You can't win this fight Winslow."

"It's the Toyman!" he shrieked.

Superman zipped to the toy giant's head, ripping open the cabin that contained Toyman. The man stared at him in disgust.

"Besides, I didn't intend to beat you. I only had to keep you busy for him."

A spray of liquid hit Superman's back like a firehose. He whirled around to see who was doing it, or at least that's what he willed his body to do. Instead, he felt his limbs stiffen rapidly. Superman watched as his body turned brown, like clay, till the effect reached his face, frozen into a cry that never rang out.

The rim of the mesa was too close for Black Canary's comfort as the Injustice Society pressed her and her teammates into the pocket. She pushed Mr. Terrific out of the way of a noxious glob, fired by one of their flying aggressors. Wonder Woman was occupied, Fate, Starman and Superman nowhere to be seen and Spectre just...gone. Hawkwoman was unconcious on the ground beyond their fight. Batman, Terrific and Black Canary were to make their stand here.

Another glob exploded on the rocks beside her. Killer Moth, a fink from Gotham, buzzed above them, gloating.

"You know Batman, you're not so scary out here. Just another stiff."

All Killer Moth earned for his remarks was a love tap from a batarang. The villain's aim was poor, but he was canny enough to stay well above them. He was joined by a woman in a pointed cap with a wide tutu, who swung around a wooden instrument as a bludgeon. Harlequin. Somehow she was able to make it appear as if there were multiples of herself, phantom attackers to confuse. Black Canary and Mr. Terrific retreated from their every advance, unable to offer any openings. Behind his two, more aggressive companions, awaited the strangest of the ensemble: a lithe man with purple skin and a finned head. A closed eye rested square in his forehead. If it was a costume, it was one of the most convincing she had the displeasure of seeing. He had done something that knocked Hawkwoman out of the fight in no time at all.

Black Canary rolled under a swipe from Harlequin. "All this work and Green Lantern's not even here. Are you sure you're telling the truth?"

Mr. Terrific spun into a kick that caught her in the side. He tried to take advantage of it, but Killer Moth glued his foot to the ground. Batman covered them with a dropped smoke capsule.

"We're getting nowhere," said Mr. Terrific, working his boot free.

"I'll clear a path. You two get Hawkwoman and the rest," said Batman.

"Wait a minute," said Black Canary, shaking her head. "We're not doing the sacrificial play here."

"This is not up for discussion," said Batman.

"Gimme a clean shot and we can end this quick," said Killer Moth.

He signaled his comrades to slip out the side of the smoke cloud, while he ran forth. Dinah didn't like it, but she followed his directions. She and Terrific made it a few dozen feet before a booming noise made her glance back just in time to see Batman sent flying off the cliffside by an explosion. Killer Moth chased his fall over the edge, out of sight. She hesitated, long enough to stop Mr. Terrific as well.

"We've got to go back for him," said Dinah.

"Unnecessary," said a voice to their right. It was a queer accent, like a sloshy mix of French, Russian and maybe…Chinese.

The finned man stood waiting, arms linked behind his back.

"In your defeat you will be reunited."

"Big talk gruesome," said Mr. Terrific. "You've kept your hands clean long enough. Let's change that."

He bolted at the villain. The eye on the man's forehead opened with an orange flicker. Mr. Terrific's run slowed to a saunter, then completely ceased. The finned man did what Dinah assumed has to be a smirk.

"Your turn," he said.

It would have been nice to pretend there was more at play than sheer desperation, but that was the motivating factor for Dinah to pivot away from the strange, purple villain and leap off the edge. With any luck, she might stick the landing too.

All of Diana's pleas for reason fell on unwilling ears. Cheetah only responded to the language of force as she clawed and swiped at Wonder Woman. Their fight rolled over the mesa. Doctor Fate was nowhere to be seen, since the darkness consumed him. She could only pray that he was doing better than her.

Cheetah bounded overhead, intending to deliver a vicious slash. Diana granted her a punch to her solar plexus for her troubles. The villain hit the rock hard, the wind knocked out of her. She grasped her lasso in preparation.

"I have no interest in hurting you sister. Nothing good can come of this continued feud," said Wonder Woman.

Cheetah spat on the ground, rising to her feet in a feral crouch. "So much talk of sisterhood. Of unity. All excuses so you can put me back in my place. You can't admit that you like being better than the rest of us."

What happened next would bring her no pleasure. Wonder Woman twirled the lasso. When she let it loose, a white, translucent hand plucked it from the air.

"Ah, ah. Can't be having that."

The new figure was in pure white clothing, that betrayed an older era's sensibilities. The disconcerting aspect was that there was no face beneath the top hat or monocle that floated in open air. Before Diana could respond the figure curled the lasso around her. Someone else seized the other end of it, working in a circle to bind her with her own tool. She made to grab them, but they eluded her grip. She shot a kick out at the ghostly figure to no avail. It went directly through his form. Wonder Woman felt her strength wane as the lasso was pulled tight around her body.

"Hold her steady. I want to savor this," said Cheetah. The feline villain loomed over Diana, claws unfurled, ready to slash where they pleased.

"Hold it my dear," said the absent man. "Don't let your eagerness outweigh our needs."

Cheetah frowned, her mouth screwed into a sneer. "Forget your needs. The only need I have is her death."

"And you shall have it. In time. Do not forget that I too know the tune of vengeance all too well."

"Why waste it now? Leave time to play with her. With all of them" said another villain, a thin-limbed man with eyes and a smile that were too wide and simple to be real. Ragdoll, one that Flash had spoken of.

Cheetah glanced from one to the other, then back at Wonder Woman, unable to break from her lasso.

"Fine. But, know that I will have my fun soon, or you shall join her suffering."

"Excellent. I was positive you'd see reason. Now Ragdoll, my good fellow, do help me with our prisoner. Brainwave and the others will want to see her."