New Justice: Madness of the League
Disclaimer: This story is loosely based on the Arrowverse and DC Comics
Copyright: Millma Verse
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Note: We're finally at the end of Madness of the League. I will admit this isn't my favorite New Justice season, but it has had some amazing chapters and I think this one is included.
Flash Back, Flash Forward
The year was 2042 and the adult Leona Garrick-Lane was used to running; she had been running her whole life, after all, being born with her speedster powers like her mother. She ran through the city streets on the Central side of Central-National and into a building and then into an office.
"Ah, Little Flash is here," one of the men in the office spoke – the public hadn't been sure what to call her since she started as a superhero some years ago. Some called her Little Flash, others Flash Junior, then there was Flash Girl, and even Kid Flash. It didn't help that she hadn't decided on a name herself. She felt like she was waiting for her mother to retire so she could simply take the name Flash, but she also knew her mom had no intention of retiring anytime soon. As she shouldn't. Some part of Leona thought the world would stop turning if Rachel Garrick ever gave up being a hero.
"You can go," the other man in the room spoke, and Leona had to smile at the aging figure of Joe West; he had gained some weight due to his age and his hair had gone completely gray, but he was the same man she knew her whole life. "Close the door behind you."
Leona waited as the other man left and closed the door.
"So, you called?" Leona asked with a smile. "Feels like it's been a while since we have seen each other." Leona took the empty seat in front of the desk.
"Well, just because you and my grandson broke up doesn't mean you have to stop coming around," Joe said, sitting in his chair. "What did happen between you and Peter?"
"Nothing," Leona said, playing with a piece of paper on the desk. A nervous habit she had. "We just decided we weren't right for each other and better off as friends."
"Too bad, it would have been nice to have a hero in the family for real," Joe said.
"They do have a hero in the family. They have you," Leona protested, which earned a smile from Joe and gave Leona the opportunity to change the topic. "And this cannot be what you called me here for."
"No," Joe said, taking a file off his desk. "If your mother and the Justice League wasn't busy in China dealing with that meta outbreak, I would give this to her, but since she is gone it goes to the next Flash in line..." Joe threw the file at Leona, who caught it. Leona was surprised with all the computers and holographic technology they had available to them that regular old paper and files still existed.
Leona opened the file and the first thing she saw a picture of a body. It looked old and dried out, as if it was mummified.
"How old is this body?" Leona asked.
"Found this morning, not even an hour after she died," Joe said, this shocking Leona. "Instant mummification."
"Okay weird, but this has got to be below the pay grade of the chief of police," Leona said, surprised that Joe, the most powerful law enforcement personnel, in Central would be handling this.
"Not this case," Joe said. "You might want to check your mother's journals."
"Which one? She has a lot," Leona said.
"January 1st, 2023," Joe said, and Leona was surprised how fast the date came to the man.
"Mom's birthday?" Leona asked, knowing the date of her mom's birth.
"Indeed," Joe nodded. "You might want to hurry before this case ends up in your kids' laps, though," Leona raised an eyebrow at this. "I would like for you to get it done. Not sure I have another 20 or so years left in me."
"Okay," Leona said, deciding not to question Joe's cryptic talk, getting up figuring she needed to get to her mother's journals.
"And Leona – come over for dinner again. Francine misses you," Joe said as he turned to his computer.
"Okay," Leona mumbled, and ran out through the wall to the outside, she then ran down the side of the building – she needed to get home to the Sanctuary fast.
…
Once back in her home in the Sanctuary, Leona gave the elderly Krypto a pet as she grabbed out the trunk her mother kept her journals in.
"You're back," it was Ari; Leona giving her younger brother a nod. "What did Uncle Joe want?"
"Gave me a case," Leona said, handing the file to her brother. Ari was now 16 and their mothers had very strict rules for them when it came to hero work – they could start training on how to be a hero at 13, given it was the same age Rae had started, but couldn't officially start hero work until 15 or 16, albeit under heavy supervision from members of the Justice League. Ari was just starting hero work, so Leona didn't mind bringing him in, even though she wasn't official Justice League yet, given she was only 21.
"Can I see?" This was Dov, running up trying to take the file from Ari, but Ari towered over the 11-year-old still, so Dov was jumping trying to take the file. "Come on, you might need Superman!" Dov then posed as Clark used to do when he lived so long ago.
"Chris is in China with the rest of the League," Leona pointed out, "and he is Superman. When you're allowed to be a hero, you'll probably be Superboy." Leona was still looking through the journals. Her mother had put dates on the front of each so it was easy to find by year.
"Why are you looking through mom's journals?" Ari asked.
"Uncle Joe said I should start here – and made some weird comment that if I wasn't fast this would end up on my kids' laps. Makes me think ma has done this before. He gave me a date… and here it is," Leona said taking out the appropriate journal. "January 1st, 2023."
"Mom's birthday?" Ari asked.
"Wait, isn't that after those freaks tried to poison Gotham?" Dov asked.
"Dov," Leona sighed "Kate and Beth Kane were insane victims due to their kidnapping and years of torture. Not freaks." Leona had already opened the journal looking at the dates on top. "Here we go, mom's birthday."
"Read it out loud. You're the best with the Speed Force language," Ari said; Rae had, of course, written her journal in special Speed Force language so only other speedsters could read and there was a variance to how much people could understand naturally. Leona, like her mother, could read the language easily. Ari was good but sometimes mistook words, Dov not being a speedster, couldn't understand it at all.
"Today was my birthday so it was Leona's day with Kara," Leona started to read. "I was planning on playing golf with grandpa when I got an unexpected phone call from Joe West…"
-New Justice-
It was January 1st of 2023 and Rae had been running, but paused on top of the car behind Joe; Joe leaning against the car, looking at flashcards.
"What you doing?" Rae asked, causing the detective to jump.
"Why are you on top of my car?" Joe asked as Rae leapt off the hood.
"It was fun, surprising you," Rae said with a smile. Things had been awkward with her and the West family for a while ever since Wally, and then Walter and Iris – especially with Iris's death at the hands of an alternate, but Rae was finally getting to a good place with the remaining family, good enough she felt comfortable taking the cards. "Studying for something?"
"The test for captain is coming up and I signed up to take it," Joe said, giving Rae a smile. "I want to do something more. Could use the pay jump too since I am helping support my grandkids."
"You'd make a great captain. If you want, I'll pull some Justice League strings for you," Rae said honestly and winked at that. "And how are the grandkids?"
"Great," Joe said taking out his cellphone and showing Rae a photo of a baby with a woman Rae didn't know. "My grandson Peter, Walter's kid, and his mother Allegra. She's a darling. She loves having us around, even though Walter's now… well, imprisoned."
"Sweet," Rae said. "But I had plans and this is not why you called me on a secure Justice League line."
"True, that goes to some unfinished business for you," Joe said.
"For me?" Rae asked, following Joe as he walked towards the crime scene.
"Well, for the Flash at least," Joe said, bringing Rae to the body. "Found this morning. Shortly after his death."
"Shortly…?" Rae asked, looking at the dried out, mummified corpse.
"Flash…" Rae heard a deep voice say; it didn't sound like Joe.
"What?" Rae asked looking around, but it didn't seem like anyone had talked. "What makes this the Flash's unfinished business?" Rae covered for herself, shrugging off the voice.
"Only ever seen this once before," Joe said, responding to the question without seeming to find anything weird. "When I was still an officer, your father worked the case. It was the day before he died."
Rae paused. "I nearly forgot," Rae said. "Thank you, Joe. I've got to go get my dad's journals," with a flash of light Rae was gone.
"Sad, I have gotten use to how fast she runs out," Joe said, going back to his flashcards as he finally allowed the body to be taken away. He had just been waiting for Rae to see it after all.
…
Rae ran into her house and Clarky gave a bark; since Rae had been going to play golf with her grandfather, she hadn't taken Clarky with her.
"Hey boy, plans have changed," Rae said, having already texted Richard Williams to tell him she wasn't coming and to reschedule.
"Hi Rae," Rae was surprised by the voice and turned to see Carter Grant sitting in her kitchen with his seeing-eye Kryptonian dog Ember. The dog giving a bark as greeting.
"What are you doing here?" Rae asked.
"I brought him," this was Chris coming down the stairs. "Just picking up some stuff I left here when I went back to college. Also, Carter's officially moving into my apartment today. Figured we should also grab some extra food," as Chris talked, he had gone to the refrigerator and started taking out some of the leftovers and premade food Rae kept for days when she didn't want to cook.
Rae shook her head but decided not to mention the food. "I didn't think Carter was starting Metropolis University until the spring semester?" Rae asked knowing that was at least a month away and found it unusual Carter was moving so early.
"True, but we convinced mom it would be better for me to move there now so me and Ember can get use to our surroundings," Carter said.
"You two convinced Cat Grant?" Rae asked, shocked and raising her eyebrow.
"Yes," they said together, and Rae titled her hand and put on hand on her hip.
"Lois helped," Chris said.
"And Aunty Annie," Carter added.
"That makes more sense. Well, while you're raiding my fridge, I could use you Chris," Rae said. "Go get my trunk from my bedroom. The one Mon refurbished for me."
"On it," Chris said, putting the food on the counter and running with speed. He came back with the trunk in one hand and put it in front of Rae. "So, superhero work?"
"And I might be able to use Superboy's help. Especially since Kara went with Leona and Laurel to the Kryptonian Island," Rae said; Kara and Laurel had some business on the Sanctuary's other property and had brought the kids there for a day of fun.
Rae went to open the trunk Chris got for her. She was currently keeping both hers and her father's journals in here along with some other sentimental things. Diana's watch – now fixed by Mon – was also safely tucked in here, but Rae figured with how fast she was filling journals she would have to get somewhere else to start storing things.
"First I got to find it," Rae mumbled as she searched through the books within.
"Find what?" Carter asked, seeming excited. The blind boy's eyes were on Rae; something Rae had gotten use to since Carter's powers had taken away his vision so he could only see metas – and Rae was a meta he said he liked looking at her glow.
"My father's last journal," Rae said as she finally got her hands on it. "His last case, from the day before he died. Seems it has made a comeback." Rae flipped through the pages. Her father's last journal wasn't long; he had only put a few entries into it after all before his death. "Here it is…"
"Wait, are you going to read it out loud? I get to hear the original Flash's real words!" Carter said.
"I'll read it out loud," Rae said with a laugh. "Alright, let's see. I dropped off Rae with Nora early this morning and then heard on police scanners about a body…"
-New Justice-
Back in 2042, Leona was reading the entry aloud still.
"Hang on, grandfather is involved in this?" Ari asked as Leona paused. Leona saw him playing with Diana's old watch. Rae had given it to him on his 16th birthday and the boy hadn't taken it off since.
"No wonder Uncle Joe said he didn't have another 20 years," Leona said, shocked. This had gone from her grandfather to her mother and now was her responsibility. It made Leona nervous. How could she hope to solve something apparently both her grandfather, the original Flash, and her mother, the world's longest running hero, had failed at?
"What did mom find in grandfather's journal?" Dov asked.
"Doesn't say," Leona said. "It goes from Carter's excitement over hearing grandfather's words to heading to Watchtower to get the nerds of the time involved. I guess we're going to need to pause here and get grandfather's journal if we want the full picture."
"I know where Ma keeps them," Ari said, and ran with speed, returning a second later. "Sorry, that took me so long. Had to dig to find his last journal only to realize it was on the top of the pile," he chuckled as he explained this.
"Long?!" Dov said with a frown and Leona chose to ignore Dov's jealousy. Since Dov was the child of Kara and Mon, all his powers were connected to the yellow sun which meant inside their home in the Sanctuary, the red sun light lamps cancelled them out. Leona and Ari, both being Rae's biological child had their speedster powers anywhere but did lose their Kryptonian powers when at home. Uncle Chris had a few times loaned Dov some of his yellow sun items, so he could have power under the dome, but Kara and Rae did frown at this.
Leona took the journal and flipped through it, finding the last entry. She hadn't really spent much time with Jay Garrick's journals, even though Rae was willing to share them with her kids. Leona wanted her own mother's words more.
"Here we go," Leona said, and started to read. "I dropped off Rae with Nora early this morning and then heard on police scanners about a body…"
-New Justice-
In 1996…
There were only two officers on the scene when Jay Garrick got to where the body was located. The officers were leaning against their police car and talking. Jay heard the darker officer talk about his kids and about going for detective but interrupted them when he cleared his throat. The two clearly not having noticed the superhero yet.
"Flash!" The dark officer said as he seemed to straighten out his uniform. "Sorry, we didn't see you…"
"That's quite alright, Officer…?" Joe paused for a moment and found the name on his uniform "West."
"Joe West, sir, it's an honor to meet you," Joe said.
"I heard something about an unusual body," Jay said.
"Ah yes, me and my partner are safekeeping it until detectives and CSI can get here," Joe said.
"Mind if I take a look?" Jay asked.
"Right this way," Joe said as his partner moved back to call in to say the Flash had arrived on scene. Jay was used to it as Joe West brought him to what appeared to be a dried out and mummified body. "Female, we think. From the clothes."
"Good guess," Jay said taking in the body. "How long has she been dead? Any idea?"
"Witness gave us a statement. They turned into his alley alive. He heard a scream and ran to see her like this. Happened in a matter of minutes, if not seconds," Joe said. "What do you think? Is the culprit someone like you? A human with powers? What do they call it again?"
"Meta human," Jay said. "And I doubt it. They're very rare and this would be a random power to have. I wonder if there has ever been a case like this before…?"
"You'd have to search all unsolved cases and it's not like we can look them up with a touch of a button. Would take hours…" Joe West stopped himself at that. "I forgot your speed. You can look in, what, minutes?"
"Probably a little longer," Jay said with a smile, nodding his head and fixing his helmet. "Thank you for the assist, Joe West." With that Jay ran off with speed, making Joe West jump.
"I'll never get use to how fast he runs… and the lightning," Joe said to his partner.
…
As Jay had long since made connections in both Central and National police departments, enough they let him in to look over the boxes of cold case files, he was currently in the National side, using his speed to search as quickly as possible until he found a matching case.
"50 years ago?" Jay mumbled, looking at the case. Three mummified bodies randomly appear one day and then nothing else. "I'm making a copy!" Jay called, going to the copying machine, and making a copy, taking the copy he put the original away and then ran for Central.
In Central, he once again looked through all the cold cases until he came across another one. "23 years ago," Jay said. Three mummified bodies over the course of one day and then the case went cold again. "Seems every 20-ish years. It's definitely not a meta. What is doing this?"
"Flash, I'm surprised you're still here," Jay was almost surprised to see Joe West.
"Well, I went to check National records first, then stopped to eat," Jay said. It wasn't a huge lie as he had grabbed some food and had found a payphone to call Nora, to tell her that he might be late. He could hear Rae laughing in the background. How much his daughter loved her aunt made Jay both happy and sad. Nora was a brilliant woman and a great female role model for Rae, but also Nora was, in a way, taking the place of the mother Rae would never know. Taken from them both too soon.
"Well, good thing you're here. Thought you might like to know another mummified body was found," Joe said.
"If the pattern holds, one more will be killed before whoever is doing this disappears," Jay said.
"Pattern?" Joe asked.
"Found two other cases. One 23 years ago and the other 50 years ago. Seems every 20 or so years this is happening," Jay said. "Can't really search back more since finding something from 70 years ago would be hard, even for me to find, fast."
"Wouldn't it be great if we could find this at a touch of a button," Joe said.
"Yes, but that will never happen," Jay said with a laugh.
"Have you tried placing the places the bodies were found 23 and 50 years ago on a map to see if there is a pattern there?" Joe asked.
"You'd make a good detective someday. That was my next plan," Jay said.
"Well detective is the…" Joe didn't finish his sentence as Jay ran out making Joe jump again. "Never getting use to that." Joe mumbled again shaking his head.
…
Jay had done what Joe suggested and put the former crime scenes on a map. Discovering every 20 years the attacks took place within a certain radius of each other. Using the two new crime scenes he estimated an area where the third attack could take place and he was patrolling the area.
It was times like these Jay wished he had his team of heroes he dreamed about. He had reached out to Wonder Woman and Batman about starting a team. Even managed to meet with the new hero Superman, who seemed to still be in his teens, but so far there was no movement on that front. If he did have a team backing him up he could have several heroes all over these blocks waiting instead of just him running around it and getting tired.
It was only a shadow he saw that made him turn down the alley and found the third body. Already mummified. He heard the foot steps walking away and knew it must be the attacker. Jay deciding he wasn't getting away as he ran towards it and caught a glimpse of something that was definitely not human before it disappeared.
"Damn it," Jay mumbled running off.
…
Jay had picked up little Rae, the tired girl was now asleep in her crib. He sat at his desk, writing his journal on what happened today and getting some of his work for his job done.
Jay paused as he wrote: by my estimates, whatever this is, the earliest it will return is 2019 and latest 2024. I guess I will get it then.
Jay closed his journal as he finished and got up. He looked at his daughter from the door to her room. Something about this case was bothering him.
"You won't even know I'm gone," Jay whispered into the room and grabbed his helmet and ran off.
-New Justice-
Back in 2042, Leona was reading aloud the journal to her brothers, still.
"By my estimates, whatever this is, the earliest it will return is 2019 and latest 2024. I will get it then," Leona finished.
"Well, we know he didn't and neither did ma," Ari said. "Hey why are there pages ripped out and what are those five numbers?"
"Not a clue but this was the day before he died. Maybe ma ripped out the pages when she was a kid and wrote those numbers," Leona said.
"Why didn't ma and mom get this thing?" Dov asked. "They had the Justice League in 2023 like grandfather wanted in 1996."
"Let's go back to ma's journal and see what happened in 2023," Leona said reaching for her mother journal. The writing might look alien to most, but it was very comforting to Leona to be back reading her mother's words. "After discovering what my dad did it was time to go to Watchtower…."
-New Justice-
Year: 2023
"…by my estimate, whatever this is, the earliest it will return is 2019 and the latest by 2024. I will get it then," Rae read out loud to the two boys.
"Very optimistic for someone who died the next day," Chris said, as Rae closed her father's journal.
"He never knew," Rae said with a shrug, having been use to the weirdness.
"Hey, why are pages ripped out and what are those numbers?" Chris now asked.
"Urm, I'm not sure," Rae admitted, "but this has been going on for 70 years, it seems," she added.
"Only from what we know. Jay couldn't go back further," Carter corrected.
"But we can," Rae said. "I think it's time to go to Watchtower and see what nerds I can get involved… Superboy, with me."
"Can I come?" Carter asked, making both look at him. "It's space."
"You're blind. What does it matter?" Rae asked.
"Please," Carter added.
"Fine," Rae said, not wanting to argue as she got Clarky in his Flash Pup outfit. Carter and Ember heading for the door.
"Hey Rae, hold on a sec," Chris said. "One question," Rae paused, waiting. "I was wondering, when do you think it would be appropriate for me to stop being Superboy and, well, become Superman instead?"
"Good question. It's been a while since Clark's death. The world is healed, but I would say give it a few more years. One, for you to look less like a boy and more like a man," Rae joked, and Chris gave a chuckle too as he shook his head, "and for the world to be completely healed from his death." As for the two, ignored Clarky barking every time they said Clark. "When the time is right, I'll back you being Superman." Chris gave a nod as he walked pass Rae and headed to the zap tunnel, Clarky following him.
"Flash…" Rae paused as she heard the voice again, looking around, but she was alone. She shrugged and went to the zap tunnel, still holding her father's journal.
…
In Watchtower, Ray Palmer was sitting in a chair in front of the computer with his twins on his lap.
"Look at the stars," Ray said to Addison and Alden.
"We should bring all the kids to Disney together for their first time," Winn said; he had his daughter, Susan, with him as well. "I don't think Dougie has ever been."
"Or Nora and Mon," Ray said. "We can stay in EPCOT City." Jess groaned. "You want to join Jess?"
"A vacation with significant others and kids? No, thank you," Jess said as the zap tunnel opened and in came Rae, Chris, and Carter with Clarky and Ember. "What's the blind boy doing here?"
"Carter is family," Rae said. "Nerds what the hell are you doing with the computers?"
"The computers here run faster than the ones at Palmer Tech," Ray said and noticed the look Rae gave him. "I'll transfer the rest to the company to finish..." he mumbled.
"Good, because we got a case and I need your nerd powers," Rae said and, with speed, put all three babies in playpens that had long since been put in the headquarters – with multiple people having kids now, it had been necessary. "A case my dad didn't finish has popped up again..." Rae began, quickly summarizing everything she learned to the three and they were fast in getting to the computers themselves.
"I'll try to get an area of where the other two bodies will be, but with only one focal point it will be a large area," Winn said.
"We'll look for more cases," Ray added, and Rae knew she had to let the nerds work for a bit before she could move forward. It was quicker than she realized when Winn was done first.
"You're kidding me with that area?" Rae asked when Winn was done.
"I told you with only one body it's not going to be exact," Winn said.
"I'd have to get the entire League to cover that area," Rae said considering it.
"We definitely want to end this," Ray said. "We have tracked this back a lot longer than 70 years. It's moved from the East coast to the West coast overtime, but overall, this has been going on since the war."
"Need to be a little more specific," Rae said.
"The war Rae – as in The American Revolution," Ray said, and Rae blinked.
"You're kidding," Carter said. Chris had been telling him what was going on and the boy seemed happy to just be involved. Since several of the people in the room were metas too, he could see them in his own way.
"Letter to George Washington from one of his soldiers describing three mummified bodies of fellow soldiers. They thought the British did it for a bit," Jess said, bringing up a digital copy of the letter.
"200 years… all those lives, taken," Rae said, shaking her head. "Whatever this is it ends now!" But before Rae could get on her communicator to order all the League to Central, her cellphone binged. "Joe West, we have our second body."
Rae handed the phone over to Winn. "That will reduce the area we need to cover, give me a second," Winn said as he typed into his computer, adding the second location, and recalculating the probable area the third body would appear.
"Much more reasonable," Rae said, when the computer showed the new area highlighted. "Superboy, Stopwatch, Angel, I want you covering the streets with me and Flash Pup. M.I.A. get Wonder Girl and Wonder Boy there too along with the Aquas and anyone else available. Not Supergirl or Black Canary. Let them enjoy their day."
"Yes," the A.I. M.I.A. said, as the zap tunnel opened and Winn, Jess, and Chris already moved.
"What about me?" Ray asked.
"Stay here with Carter to watch the computers and give us any updates. Besides, someone needs to stay with the kids," Rae said looking over at the three kids: Ray's two kids Addison and Alden and Winn's daughter, Susan.
"True," Ray said with a nod as Rae and Clarky left the zap tunnel closing behind her.
….
Rae had been running the streets with Clarky since leaving. The sun was now setting, and she could hear her other League members in her ear giving updates. Winn was using his power to freeze time to stop anything suspicious. So far, they had stopped a couple of muggings and a possible rape, but not whatever was doing this.
Rae was almost losing hope when she saw something strange looking jump at a man. Rae reacted fast and pushed the creature off the man.
"I got the attack. Victim is still alive," Rae said, having ran to bend over the victim. He looked bad, like he had aged years in a moment it took Rae to knock the attacker off. "Superboy get him to a hospital."
Clarky was growling at the attacker, now sending heat vision that the thing was dodging. Chris had arrived to take the victim as Rae moved off to help her dog, sending a lightning strike at the attacker.
"Well, you're not of this planet," Rae said knowing that as fact. The thing was alien and, while it stood on two legs, Rae would not consider this humanoid at all. The face was different, and its body had a hard shell. It reminded Rae of a large cockroach.
"Romulo," the thing answered, it's voice a hiss.
"That's your name. Well, what have you been doing on my planet for the last two hundred years?" Rae said.
"Waiting… for my people to come and rescue me... and then we can suck this planet dry!" Romulo said. "You took my third meal… I need the energy before my habitation cycle starts again. No time…. You will need to be taken…"
"Trust me, people have tried," Rae said taking off her helmet and using her powers on it to create a wave that knocked Romulo back.
"Flash, I am on my way. I'll freeze him and then we can trap him to transport to Fort Rozz. Just keep him busy until back up comes," Winn said on coms.
"Got it," Rae said, running fast from an attack and using wind arm tornados to knock Romulo about. She didn't want this thing touching her.
"Me and Nisos are on our way," this was Donna.
"Aquagirl and I will be there in a moment," this was Aqualad.
"Got the victim to the hospital – on my way back," Chris added.
Rae didn't need to give the order. Her team knew what she wanted. She was keeping this Romulo busy and then would herd him into a trap. They would outnumber him and with Winn's power, so long as he could freeze, this would be short work.
Rae was shocked though as there was another flash and another speedster entered the fight, grabbing hold of Romulo, but one of Romulo tentacles got into them.
"Flash Pup, heat vision!" Rae ordered and the dog used the heat vision, injuring Romulo. It seemed the alien understood now that he was outmatched and moved back.
Rae paused to check on the speedster. "You good?" Rae asked, barely taking in the newcomer.
"Yes," the speedster said back.
"Who has eyes on Romulo?" Rae asked into the coms.
"I saw him disappear from above," it was Jess and Rae could see the flying meta above her head. "Some type of teleport."
"Angel, Stopwatch turn and go back to Watchtower. Help ATOM track the teleport," Rae said, and could see Angel move and Winn said on comms he understood. She could even hear the motorcycle make the turn, meaning Winn had been close. "Superboy, Wonders, Aquas, continue patrolling the area. He didn't get his third kill. He might still be looking for it." The heroes confirmed they would, and Rae finally turned to the unknown speedster; Clarky having been growling at him keeping him at bay.
"Flash Pup, down," Rae said, recognizing a Jay Garrick. Her dog obeyed. "What the hell were you thinking?!" Rae was pissed at this alternate. "Multiverse code of honor. Not your world, not your problem. No one asked for your help, and you just let him get away," she ranted to the man.
"I don't know who you think I am…" Jay said. "But I am the Flash, here on this world."
"I know exactly who you are, and your alternate is dead here. He has been for a long time. I am the Flash. I have been for a very long time," Rae said. "This is not your world," Rae didn't understand, thinking this Speedster thought this was his world.
"It is my world," Jay said, taking a breath. "Just… the future."
"What?" Rae asked and then paused, realizing what this meant. "No..." Rae took in the Jay Garrick before her; despite the fact he had died when she was merely one year old, she knew her father's face. Of course, her uncle who raised her was an identical twin, but she had also seen many alternates. She knew the graying hair, the age wrinkles, and how he looked in his superhero outfit. All that was missing here. He was a young man, and while there could be alternates young out there, Rae suddenly knew that was not the case here.
She remembered her father's last words in his journal. How he would get Romulo then. Rae assumed it had meant waiting the amount of time, but a speedster didn't have to wait if they really didn't want to. All he had to do was pick up enough speed to break into the time vortex and direct himself to the future.
"Dad," Rae said, stunned.
"Rae," Jay said knowing this was his daughter. "Look at you. Look at that outfit. Is that my helmet?" Jay moved forward, holding out a hand but Rae moved back. Clarky giving a warning growl to the man. "Rae…?"
"Just… Come with me," Rae said, fixing her helmet back on her head and running off, knowing Jay would follow.
…
Rae brought Jay to Watchtower.
"What was that?" Jay asked of the Zap Tunnel technology.
"Don't concern yourself. Nerds, what do we have?" Rae said, seeing the three nerds at work. Carter was with the three kids and Mon had shown up as well. He was looking at the screen.
"Wow," Carter said. "Is bringing him here a good idea?"
"What can it hurt?" Rae said with a shrug, seeing the nerds had a picture of Romulo up taken from her goggles probably.
"We know how he teleported, but we have no idea how to tell where he went," Ray answered.
"We're in space…" Jay said seeming to notice the Earth outside the window.
"Why did you bring him here?" Winn asked turning in his head.
"I needed a private place to yell at him," Rae said.
"Yell at me? Who's the parent here?" Jay asked.
"No," Rae said pointing her finger at Jay. "You don't get to come to my time and use a biological relationship to try and say you're in charge. This is my time, I am the Flash, I am the leader here," Rae had so much authority in her voice that Jay took a step back. "And you time traveled. I originally learned about the danger of time traveling from your journals," Rae picked up the last journal she had left here when she had gone on patrol. "And here you are. Breaking all the rules." There was a collective 'ohh' from the room at that, as the rest of the gathered League realized exactly who this Jay Garrick was.
"Time travel to the past is dangerous, but the future is harmless," Jay said.
"Oh, what a loophole?" Rae said, annoyed. "And completely wrong. You distracted me which gave Romulo time to get away. He'd be captured now if it wasn't for you. Why? Why did you do this? How did you even get to the right time? You had a six-year possible time frame."
"Well… I was looking at you and for some reason I couldn't just let it go. I needed to, so I ran and suddenly knew where I had to go," Jay said.
"I'm going to need to have a word with the Speed Force next time I am in her," Rae said, getting it – the Speed Force had directed Jay to make this meeting possible.
"Wait, looking at Rae?" Carter asked. "Who is with the younger her?"
"Good catch, Carter," Rae said.
"Well, no one, but I'll be back in a second," Jay said, seeing the look at Rae's face.
"So many things could have gone wrong with this, and you left me alone," Rae said. "What type of father is that?"
"You don't know what it is like to be a hero and a parent," Jay countered back.
Before Rae could say anything, there was a little speed trail. Rae hadn't realized the Zap Tunnel had opened or that her wife and Laurel come in with the kids. "Mama!" Leona said, having phased through Kara's arm and ran at Rae. Rae grabbed the little girl and held her close. "Mama."
"Want to reword that last comment?" Rae asked, hugging her daughter as Jay seemed shocked. "I would never leave Leona without someone watching her."
"What Jay Garrick is this?" Kara asked.
"Ours – from 1996," Jess answered for her.
"Oh, no wonder Rae emotions are all over the place," Kara said coming over and putting an arm around Rae. "Guess I'm your daughter-in-law."
Jay took a breath, obviously realizing he was in the wrong here. "Look, you can disagree with my methods, but I did what I thought was right," Jay stated. "And I stand by it."
"Kara," Mon spoke, distracting them and, as the group turned to him, Jay took his journal that Rae had placed down. "Do you recognize this alien? I think I do, but I need confirmation."
"I definitely do," Kara said seeing the image. "Seen pictures of them in history books when I was a child on Krypton. But this isn't possible… They are dead."
"Care to fill the rest of us in, sweetie?" Rae asked as she went to put Leona with Addison, Alden, Susan, and, now, Owen. Clarky was there to keep an eye on Leona to make sure the little girl didn't use her powers in a way that would hurt the normal children.
"These species have an ability to suck life right out of people," Kara explained. "They ran their own planet dry. A baron waste land and took to the stars sucking planets dry as they went."
"They came into Krypton and Daxam's space," Mon said. "It was one of the few times in the history of our two planets we worked together to defend our solar system. We were more advance than Earth but not yet at our highest power yet back then. But our two armies working together managed to fend them off."
"Long enough," Kara continued, "for our scientist to make a virus that killed them."
"Biological warfare," Rae said, surprised.
"It was a dark time in our history but it was effective. The entire race was destroyed and the universe celebrated. Daxam and Krypton got some inter-galactic power," Kara said. "Point being, this alien shouldn't be here."
"How long ago was this?" Rae asked.
"About hundred earth years ago," Kara said.
"We tracked this alien being here for at least two hundred years," Ray added, bringing up the proof the three of them had found.
"That would explain it," Mon said. "You can stop searching for him. If I remember correctly from original Mon, this species could hibernate after sucking in energy. If he's waiting for his people he would be doing quick cycles. He can't go off schedule. He's gone until he comes back."
"Superboy, Wonders, Aquas, stop the search," Rae said into the coms. "Nerds, when will he be back?"
"Well while you were all gone I looked through available data on all the victims of Romulo and realized the younger and healthier the victims the longer Romulo is gone. Using Jay's method of calculating when Romulo would come back and adding in this new data with the help of M.I.A. we are calculating he will be back in approximately 2042," Ray informed them.
"Then we'll go," it was Jay who said it. "Me and you, together, to the future Rae. We can stop him."
"And possibly mess up my future self or Leona," Rae said, turning to her father. "No. Time travel is never the answer. We'll prepare for when he comes back."
"And what if you're not around like I am apparently not?" Jay asked.
"The Justice League will be here," Rae stated, and then notice Jay was holding the journal. "Hey, you shouldn't have looked at that."
"The last entry, the one I just wrote," Jay said holding it. "I write in my journal every day. That means that I'm not only am dead, I actually die tomorrow! From my perspective, of course," Jay realized. Rae sighed and held out her hand, Jay returning the book. "Tell me what happens. I can change it."
"No," Rae said and turned to everyone. "No one tell him anything." Rae turned back to her father. "You can't change the past."
"The future," Jay said. "It's my future. My life."
"No, it's my life," Rae countered. "My League, which was formed due to your death. My wife, my daughter. You would destroy all of it. You will erase this world. Break not one, but two time loops in which I am somewhat responsible for creating. This world won't just change. It will be ripped to pieces. And maybe even the entire multiverse will go with it. You need to die when you do."
"You want me to leave you orphaned?" Jay said, shocked.
"No, I want you to leave me with the best parents I could possibly have. Uncle Henry and Aunt Nora. They raised me. They made me the woman I am. The hero I am. Everything I am is due to them. I am better off with them," Rae said, taking a deep breath. "The world is better off with me being with them. The multiverse is. Please go back to your time and give my younger self to my parents. You know you can't mess with time."
"The Speed Force won't be happy if I do," Jay said with a nod.
"Actually, you're happy in your Speed Force heaven. She creates a whole afterlife for every Speedster she has made and claimed – I should know, she did the same for me, sort of, some time ago," Rae explained to her father.
"Still… I need to see my brother before I go," Jay didn't seem convinced.
"Rae?" Kara said.
"I got this sweetie," Rae said, knowing Kara was worried and nervous. Rae kissed her wife's cheek and then gave Jay a nod, putting her helmet and goggles back on.
"Flash…" Rae heard the voice again, and turned around to see who was speaking, but no one had said anything.
This was getting suspicious.
…
In the Central portion of Central-National City, Nora was getting annoyed at her two adopted sons.
"Ryan, Richie, you have to finish your homework before you can watch TV!" Nora yelled at the two as they ran into the living room, followed by the Kryptonian dogs, Dizzy and Marble. Nora also looked at the high chair where Athena Ramon was. Nora and Henry had agreed to babysit tonight for Frankie and Gypsy.
"Sometimes I wonder if taking those two dogs in was a good move," Henry said with a laugh. He was still sitting at the kitchen table, finishing off his meal just as the back door opened. Clarky was the first to bounce through the door. "Rae, good, we still cook enough for you."
"Oh, what Earth Jay is this?" Nora asked seeing the younger man behind Rae. "It's not Alien Jay?"
"How often do you have visits from the multiverse?" Jay asked his daughter this question.
"That's… complicated," Rae settled on, trying not to laugh at the question . She was still mad at her dad for both time travelling and leaving her one-year-old self alone in the past. "And it's not a multiverse Jay Garrick. It's ours from the year 1996. The day before he died." Rae informed her parents taking a seat next to Athena and waving at the girl.
Henry and Nora stopped what they were doing, stunned. Nora put the plate she had been washing down as Henry dropped his spoon. "And yes, he knows." Rae wondered what this was going to be about as she watched the three.
"Brother," Jay said, taking off his helmet. "You aged."
"Well it happens…" Henry said, standing up and bringing Jay into a hug, which he returned. When they two brothers released Nora went and hugged the man as well.
"Rae has made a very passionate case on why I shouldn't try to cheat my death and I know in my heart she is right. The Speed Force would not be happy. I could destroy a lot, but I needed to see you two. To make sure," Jay said when hugs were finished, looking at them. "Rae couldn't have been easy for you two?"
"Well, she wasn't easy, but she was always something special," Henry said.
"Honestly, she was easier than Barry sometimes," Nora said and noticed Rae give a shake of her head and Nora understood. She wasn't to mention what happened to Barry. There was a crash and two boys yelled 'sorry!' from the living room. "And easier than those two. Ryan, Richie, homework!" Nora yelled again, to hear them yell an 'okay' back.
"So, you have no regrets on being left with Rae?" Jay asked.
"Jay, if you're asking if I want you to die, I can say I never wanted that. But if you're asking if I want you to change the past I would say not one word," Henry said truthfully. "Rae was a lot of things growing up. Trouble, sometimes. Head strong, completely. Fast, of course. She gave Nora a headache when she was first a hero," Rae couldn't help but smile at that, remembering as if it was yesterday when she has started as the Flash at 13 and Nora trying to argue her case to Rae, "but she made us whole. She's our… well…"
"Our daughter," Nora completed for her husband. "She's our daughter, Jay."
"That's what I needed to hear," Jay said, putting his helmet back on with a smile. "It's time for me to go back to my time." Jay turned to head out and paused, seeing a calendar on the wall. The dates that pass were crossed out. "January 1st 2023? Rae, it's your birthday!"
"I know, dad," Rae said, smiling a little now, following him outside. "And dad, just to let you know, your journals helped me a lot through my life. I always held you in very high esteem. And we were always connected through this," Rae took off her own helmet and Jay gave a smile.
"Thank you," Jay said and gave Rae a hug. "Your daughter, what was her name again?"
"Leona Diana Garrick-Lane," Rae said.
"Leona," Jay said with a nod and then he ran off in lightning. Rae had to pause, suddenly wondering if her father was about to break another law in time travel. She wasn't going to go after him, though.
….
When Rae retuned home, Leona and Kara were waiting for her.
"Chris and Carter went to Metropolis with about half the food we had here. Courtney is upset she got left out of a superhero hunt but I reminded her she had gymnastic competition this afternoon anyway. She's upstairs now doing homework," Kara informed Rae. "And this little one refuses to go to bed until you were home."
"Oh, do you want mama to read to you?" Rae said, picking her little girl up.
"There were a lot of emotions there about your dad. Anger, betrayal… love," Kara said. "All messed up into one. Care to explain the anger and betrayal?"
Rae had to pause at this. She has been thinking about this since the visit to Henry and Nora's. "Well… everything I knew about how dangerous time travel was, I learned from my father's journals. His rules. I have always tried not to break them. When I saw him doing it… breaking those rules, it just felt like he lied to me my entire life. I guess that's not rational considering he's been dead nearly my entire life…" Rae mused.
"I don't think your emotions need to be rational when it's about a dead parent," Kara said, and Rae sensed her understanding – she, too, had had to deal with that upon discovering thing that had happened with her Aunt Astra and her last words to her. Getting over them to make a relationship.
"I'm going to go put this one to bed and then write my own journal for the day," Rae said, smiling at her wife, and ran up the stairs with speed. Kara gave a chuckle.
-New Justice-
Back in 2042, Leona was reading her mother's journal aloud still to her brothers.
"…I guess my emotions weren't rational but as Kara said, when it's about a dead parent they don't need to be rational. Overall after the dust was settled I am glad I got to meet my actual dad - even for a short amount of time, and even if I yelled at him a lot. But the one thing I know is Romulo will be back some day and the Justice League will be ready," Leona read.
"She never once mentioned meeting actual grandfather," Ari said, amazed by the story.
"Never," Leona agreed, putting the journal down.
"Ironic, she said the Justice League would be ready but the entire League is halfway around the world dealing with a bigger issue," Ari mused, knowing even if they contacted them, it would be unlikely they could leave right now.
"Maybe they are ready though," Leona said, moving over and a holographic screen appear when she moved her hand. "M.I.A. connect me to the Justice League's systems." Rae had given her access to almost all the Justice League systems, even if she wasn't technically a member yet. "Look up Romulo."
Leona was surprised when dozens of files came up. "What is it?" Ari asked, moving over.
"Some of this is the history. All known appearances of him, but yes the Justice League has been preparing," Leona said. "Devices to block his teleportation device and a serum based on knowledge from the Fortress on the species. If we get this into him, it will paralyze him long enough we can get him to Fort Rozz."
"Going to phase it in him?" Ari asked.
"Too risky getting that close to him – even for a speedster," Leona mused. "Katie's pretty good with a bow and arrow."
"White Arrow," Ari said with a nod on the mention to Sara and Tommy's first-born.
"We'll see if Arthur can join too. The more the better. Maybe Owen too. We still need to find him," Leona said, knowing they needed to get as many people on the streets as possible. "Could use another speedster."
"Going to call Alura, Nora, or Skye in?" Ari asked.
"Only if you don't want to join, Super Flash," Leona said, knowing that was the name her little brother used.
"Really?" Ari asked.
"Well, you're a hero now," Leona said.
"And me," it was Dov who said it. "Superman!"
"Chris is Superman," Leona and Ari said together.
"You're not a hero," Leona added and noticed his pout. "You're not even a teenager yet. Let's get Addison here to watch him. Her magic can keep him in control."
"And maybe Alden on the computers," Ari agreed, the two already calling the other Justice League kids as Dov was sulking, sitting on the floor upset.
Addison showed up not soon, giving the two a smile. "Krypto, Dragon, you two too old to do hero work?" Leona asked the old dogs as both her and Ari were now in their outfits. The two Kryptonian dogs jumped out at that, and ran to follow the two.
…
Leona was upset when Joe contacted them to inform her that the second body had been found. While it did lower their search grid, it also meant another person was dead.
"Found him," this was Owen, who had been going by Green Canary for a couple of years - having inherited his mother's Canary power, eventually he dressed in green for his father.
By the time Leona arrived with Krypto to the site, Owen had knocked Romulo off his victim. Leona activated the teleport jammer the Justice League nerds had long ago made. "Jamming is working, as long as you keep him close he can't teleport away," it was Alden who had gine to Home Base. He and the A.I. M.I.A. had been leading them.
"Superdog, get the victim to the hospital," Leona told Krypto, who ran off, grabbing the human victim and leaving fast.
"Ari got me on top of a building. Tell me when and I'll take the shot," it was Katie, and Ari appeared with Dragon on the other end. Arthur appearing in a burst of water to make it so the group was surrounding Romulo.
"Not who I was expecting," Romulo said, having apparently been dazed from Owen's attack.
"This ends today!" Leona said. "Romulo, your people aren't coming for you. They are long dead."
"You lie!" Romulo went to attack Leona, but Leona was fast and dodged the tentacles. Ari and Dragon ran to block Romulo from escaping where Leona dodged. Ari used his strength and speed on the ground, causing a small quake and a small crater, blocking him.
Water appeared around Romulo, lifting him in the air, and Leona let out a freeze breath, freezing the water encasing Romulo in place. She didn't need to ask Katie if she had the shot as she saw the arrow a moment later and it went right into Romulo – it wasn't the arrow that would stop him, but the serum the arrow carried, one that would paralyze him for a limited time.
"It's over," Leona said as Krypto reappeared. "Superdogs, melt the ice so we can bring him to Fort Rozz."
"We did it! We did what our grandfather and mother couldn't," Ari said as Kathy swung down from above to join them, standing next to her cousin, Owen.
"That's not the way to think about it, Super Flash," Leona warned. "If it wasn't for grandfather starting this and writing it all down to give Ma a head start and for Ma and the Justice League preparing, we would have failed too. It was three generations worth of work that led to this.
"Well said," Arthur said with a nod.
"Who's taking him to Fort Rozz transport?" Owen asked, and the group looked at the alien.
"Superdogs?" Leona asked and the two barked and grabbed the alien, moving off. "Thank you all for coming."
"It was no problem," Kathleen said. "Too bad Helen's officially Justice League. This would have been a fun take down with her here too."
"Yeah, why aren't you Justice League yet?" Owen asked, turning to Arthur. "You are the oldest."
"I'm a little busy getting my Kingdom back together, little brother," Arthur mused, play-hitting Owen with his trident.
"Thank you for taking the time to come then," Leona said to the man.
"Anytime, for you all," Arthur said, giving a wink and the group moved off.
…
Leona and Ari returned home with the dogs soon after.
"Where's Addison?" Ari asked.
"Not here," Leona said, knowing it.
She wasn't surprised when she heard the familiar voice. She could feel her back – the way she always knew her mother was around. She had the connection more than Ari, who tended to ignore it.
"I sent her home," from out of the kitchen came Rae.
"Ma," Leona and Ari said together and went to hug Rae who returned it.
"Where's mom?" Ari asked.
"There are new Natu cubs and you think she will be here?" Rae asked and Ari ran out fast to find Lara. "He is sure a mommy's boy," Leona laughed. "So, Addison said you two had hero work and Dov mumbled something. What happened?" The two went back into the kitchen where Rae had been cooking
"Romulo," Leona said simply, and Rae put what she was holding down. "We got him."
"Oh, that's my girl and my boy," Rae said with a smirk. "Damn, I wish I was here, but China was way too important. Sorry it took us so long, but had to round up all those new metas. Mutated horribly due to what was done to them and yell at the Chinese government and scientists for messing with the metamorphosis. You held down everything here well enough. It might be time to move you up into the League."
Leona gave a smile at that.
"How you feeling?" Rae asked.
"Um… good?" Leona said, confused.
"No sickness or anything?" Rae asked.
"I'm a speedster," Leona pointed out.
"Sweetie, you never could hide anything from me," Rae said and it took a moment but Leona's eyes went wide.
"The pregnancy test? You know…" Leona said and Rae nodded. "I'm not pregnant."
"Ah," Rae said.
"And me and Peter are no longer together," Leona added. "The scare made us realize we didn't want kids – at least not together."
"Good reason," Rae said. "And it's good you're not pregnant. Not only do you need to get your human life together," Leona frowned; she had dropped out of college a few months ago and hadn't figured out what she wanted to do since then, but her mothers hadn't been pushing her, "but I hear pregnancy is awful for speedster woman. Might be better with the Krypton DNA but still… besides, I am way to young to be a grandma."
"What are you talking about?" Leona asked. "Both Courtney and Chris have kids already that call you grandma."
"That's different. I took them in as teenagers – everyone knows I am not old enough to even be their mom," Rae said. "But you're my baby."
Leona gave a smile. "You never mentioned having really met our real grandfather before," Leona pointed out.
"Didn't I?" Rae asked with a smirk that told Leona she knew she hadn't as she continued cooking, and Leona smiled as she sat there and continued to talk with her mother.
-New Justice-
Back in 1996, Jay now ran the familiar route with Rae in his arms and the diaper bag over his shoulder. He had packed all of Rae's favorite toys and everything else needed – just to make sure the two had them when he didn't return. He was also holding a vanilla envelope and a box.
Jay ran into the house and put Rae in the high chair Nora and Henry had for her. Nora was already sitting at the table and smiled at them. "Hi, Rae," Nora said, putting some cereal on the high chair for Rae to start eating. "Morning, Jay."
"Morning Nora," Jay said, trying to act as normal as possible. "Thanks for watching her."
"Always, but be on time today. Barry is going to be having a sleepover and we need her gone before the kids get here," Nora said.
"Sure," Jay mumbled, knowing that was a promise he wasn't keeping as he put the diaper bag down and the six-year-old Barry ran into the kitchen. "Barry, can I get a hug?" Barry complied and hugged his uncle before he sat at the table and started eating his waiting breakfast.
"IVF?" Jay said, noticing the papers on the table of his bother and sister-in-law trying for another child.
"Me and Henry have been considering it. We've had trouble having a second child," Nora said and Jay decided not to say anything. He didn't know how, when he knew their second child was going to be his daughter.
"Where are my keys?" This was Henry walking in. "Hi Jay." Henry gave his brother a half-wave.
"Henry, just a moment," Henry stopped his search at Jay's words. "I have been meaning to give you this for a while," Jay handed over the envelope to Henry. "It's my Will. I want you to have a copy in case anything happens to me, also a copy of Rae's birth certificate and any other important documents."
"Um…. okay?" Henry said, taking the envelope as Jay wondered what the two would think when they got the news later. Or would they be so upset they wouldn't remember?
"And this is for Rae. Promise me you will hide it from her and not give it to her until the day after her 28th birthday," Jay said handing the box to Henry. "I wrote the date on the top, so you won't forget."
"The day after? That is a very random and very specific date," Henry said.
"You'll understand then," Jay said, knowing they would.
"Everything okay, Jay?" Nora asked.
"Everything is great!" Jay lied "I just decided to do this, just in case. You know what I do is dangerous," Jay explained, and the excuse seemed to placate the two.
"This is a lock box. Five numbers?" Henry said, looking at the box.
"Rae will know them when the time comes," Jay said, and moved over. He bent down and kissed Rae's forehead. "Be a good girl for your aunt and uncle," Jay said and bent to give her a kiss again but whispered "…forever." Jay went to move off and as he headed for the door he heard Rae cry.
He then paused, wondering if his daughter was calling him back and turned around, but Nora had already picked up Rae, holding her in her arms to calm her. Barry was making funny faces that turned Rae's cries into a laugh. Jay smiled at this.
"Found them!" Henry said, grabbing keys from a drawer. "Be back later." Henry kissed Nora's cheek and then kissed Rae head and patted Barry on the head before heading to the door.
They looked like a family. Like the perfect family. Jay gave a small smile as he summoned his powers and vibrated through the wall and out of the house for the last time.
He would meet his death knowing his daughter was safe and where she belonged.
-New Justice-
Back in 2023, Rae ran with Leona attached to her. The little girl was laughing.
"Fawster!" Leona yelled.
"We go any faster and we will be seeing the Speed Force instead of grandma and grandpa," Rae joked with her daughter as she did pick up the speed a little, going in a round about way so she was running more than she really had to before she phased through a wall and into her Aunt and Uncle's house.
"Want an omelet?" Nora asked Rae as Rae slowed down taking a seat.
"I am still off omelets for at least another 3 months after that whole time loop thing," Rae said and noticed the look. "Oh right you two weren't in that one. It's… complicated and not why you asked me to come here."
"No. True. It's the day after your 28th birthday so it's finally time for us to give you this," Henry said, handing over a box.
"Um… Thank you?" Rae said unsure what this meant.
"The day your dad died. When he dropped you off he gave us things to have in case he died. We thought it was weird at the time he did that on the exact date he died and now we know. Among them was this, which he told us to hide from you and not give you until today," Henry said.
"You don't know how many times we thought about breaking that promise and giving it to you early, but it was the last thing Jay asked us to do so we did it. Now we know why he wanted you to have it today," Nora said, referencing the meeting with the young Jay from the day before
"Oh," Rae said, taking the box and going to open it and it didn't.
"It's a lock box, five numbers," Henry said pointing at the lock.
"And I know those numbers," Rae said jumping up fast to Leona amusement. "Thank you." Rae ran out before the two could say another word.
…
Once at home, Rae put Leona on the floor, letting her play with Clarky as Rae took her father's last journal she still had out on the table, opening to the last page where there were only five numbers on it, she slowly put them in and the box opened.
Rae took out pages that were clearly torn out of the journal and started to read…
Rae, I noticed pages were torn out of my journal and I knew this was the reason why. Consider this my real last entry. A last entry for you. There's so much I want to write, but I know I can't go on forever. I don't have forever. I barely have a day.
It's hard for me to accept I will die, even though I know you were right. I must meet my fate. It's for the greater good of everything. And maybe I can meet my fate a little easier knowing the woman you will become. The hero you will become. It makes me proud to know you will have such a good life. A League of Heroes you lead. A League that I can tell, if you told them to jump, they would simply ask how high. A wife – that's a little odd for me to say, but I guess times have changed between 1996 and 2023 – and a beautiful daughter. You are my world. I will gladly die to give you the life you love.
And I know Henry and Nora will be amazing parents for you. They told me as much. Sad that I couldn't see Barry, but I am sure he was a great big brother. The way he is now…
Rae paused in reading, realizing it was lucky they hadn't told Jay what happened to Barry since he went on for a few sentences. To be fair, she did have three Barry's she considered her true big brothers, but it was a technicality they weren't actually from this world.
"Ha, he thought Athena, Ryan and Ritchie were Barry's kids," Rae laughed. "I suppose they do look a little like him with the hair and the eyes," she mused to Leona, never having considered that before, but she skipped the section on Barry and continued reading…
Leona seems like a beautiful girl. My granddaughter. You don't know how weird it is for me to write that with my little baby asleep in the next room. Don't scream, but I did leave you alone a little longer than I should so I could get Leona a gift. It's also in the box.
Rae went into the box and took out a necklace with a 'L' charm on it. Rae smiled at it. Please give this to her and let her know her grandfather would have loved her to death. Maybe alternates of me do, considering you and this multiverse are complicated.
I thought about putting a present for you in this box too, but I couldn't figure out what to give you besides this letter. You seem to have everything. Thank you for keeping my legacy alive and surpassing it clearly. Rae, know I love you. I am so glad I got to meet the woman my baby grows into before I die – even if you spent some time shouting at me, but I did deserve it.
Live long. Raise a wonderful family. Most of all, be The Flash. And always remember your father loved you.
Rae folded the paper a small smile on her face. All the time traveling drama was worth it for this.
But before Rae could even think about putting the necklace on Leona, she heard the voice again saying "Flash…"
"Okay, what the…?" Rae started, but stopped as a swirling black portal opened up in her living room. It wasn't a multiverse portal which was normally blue. Rae reacted fast, grabbing Leona, who was between her and the portal and summoning back her superhero suit. Clarky was already growling as an older man came through the portal.
He was tall, with dark hair in fancy clothes that seemed ruffled. He was clearly injured and bleeding as blood dripped from him and onto the ground.
"Finally!" The man said; it was the same voice Rae had been hearing since yesterday, but she finally noticed the British accent.
"Who are you?" Rae asked as Clarky continued to growl.
"Oh call off your hound, Flash, I mean you no harm," the man said. "I am here to warn you."
"Tell me who you are," Rae repeated the demand.
"Richard Swift, but people tend to call me the Shade," he said. "And I have been trying to reach you for a while, but I was too weak to break through the walls between here and the shadowlands. I finally managed to get here. Unfortunately, I couldn't take Dr. Mid-Nitr with me."
"Dr. Mid-Nitr?" Rae asked.
"Not all heroes are as obvious as your League," Shade countered back.
"Is that what you're claiming to be? A hero?" Rae asked suspicious of the man.
"I have been called many things, but 'hero' is not one of them," the Shade responded. "But Dr. Mid-Nite… well, he made me want to do better, made me better. But not why I am here. Flash, Dr. Mid-Nite and, I we tried to destroy something, rid the world of it, but unfortunately we made things worse. Instead of ending him we set him free. He's coming and now your League is the only thing standing against this evil and utter destruction."
Rae was still a bit suspicious of the man as she held Leona close, but she also had a way of knowing the truth – since realizing she was a Paragon of Truth, lies had become easier for her to detect at times. This Shade seemed truthful.
"Well, that's not unusual at all, but I think we will need more information. Who's coming?" Rae asked.
"He is unlike anything you have ever faced. Forget the Reverse Flash, Savitar, the League of Assassins or even the Ultimate Crisis. He is old. He is pure evil, with not an ounce of good. He is the Darkness itself," Shade said and Rae took in a deep breath as a chill went up her spine; she remembered the Sphere of the Gods warning about a coming darkness. Her League had been on the look out with no clues, but she suddenly knew – here it was. "He is Eclipso…"
Note: Dun-dun-duuun! This was a monster chapter but I hope you enjoyed it and the ending. Yes, the coming Darkness is Eclipso himself and, for the first time in Millma Verse history, two worlds will be facing the same villain at about the same time, because if you didn't knows SuperEarth will be facing him soon too in SuperEarth: Eclipso. Both will be very different takes on the baddie, though and sigma needs to get himself in gear and write SuperEarth: Reign before this. Heh.
Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and the end of Madness of the League!
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Karry Master OUT!