Tartarus

Freddy dreamt for the half an hour of unconsciousness he underwent of seeing Mary and Billy again. Not only that, but he was able to walk too. They were in a field of poppies, with Billy as the Wizard again and him as Captain Marvel. He and Mary were on the JSA and her powers came from him, not Black Adam. Not to mention Black Adam and Isis were arriving in the field with a picnic basket. The Sun was shining, the birds were singing, but then he saw the grim, ancient and imposing visage of Shazam himself. The fearsome Wizard who sits on the Rock of Eternity staring at them sternly. He then bellowed "Wake up, Freddy!" in a different but familiar voice. Freddy then promptly woke up in response and found it was not the Wizard shouting at him but Black Adam, his companion on this journey to independently harness the powers of Shazam. "I'm sorry," Freddy said, clutching his head, "it's just that was a long fall." "Yes, but this place is protected by some kind of forcefield, as I suspected," Adam mused seriously, "and no doubt you did too. That's why we're not dead."

"Yeah, I guessed that, too. Still doesn't mean I'm not knocked out by the fall."

"Oh no, that was the shock. If anything, the fall was just like landing on a soft bed."

"Funny bed, with soot and ash lying under me and the heat being over 120 Fahrenheit."

Adam lifted Freddy up onto his shoulders, though thanks to Atlas' stamina the boy needed less support than normal. "I can see your old fortitude restoring itself, lad," Adam praised his friend, "Now let us see are we worthy of Achilles." "Achilles?" Freddy muttered to himself, "He was hardly that courageous. I mean he sat on his ass for ten years because Agamemnon took a priestess off him." Adam stopped and looked at Freddy in the face. "Word of advice," he spoke slowly to alert Freddy to the gravity of the situation, "Don't mention that to him. Ever. Sensitive subject." "It's been 3000 years, Adam," the young man laughed as Adam continued apace. "Yes, but he's a Greek hero," the Kahndaqi king rolled his eyes, "Their egos are near boundless. Trust me, Achilles will make Solomon seem humble."

"So, what part of the Underworld are we in exactly?"

"If I'm right, we're somewhere in the bowels of Tartarus. Close enough to what Dante would have deemed the Ninth Circle."

"The Ninth Circle? So, what we're going to meet Lucifer down here or something?"

"Don't be ridiculous. He lives in Los Angeles."

"Of course he does."

"However, if who Persephone said is down here is really down here, we may as well be facing Satan. Ares is a being based almost totally on violence and cunning. He will do anything to escape. I'm surprised Atlas has bought us this much time, Persephone will brook no eventuality of his escape."

"And we were doing so well."

"Sarcasm does not become you, Freddy. We both know that's Billy's department."

As Adam carried his former enemy through the depths of the Underworld, they came to a place where there was a purple lake which would have once been teeming with white light but was instead pitch-black barring a red light in the centre emanating a malevolence none could understand. Before the pool was a man wearing golden armour akin to the Hawaiian god, Kane Milohai. Achilles had been reincarnated in this god's body by Zeus in a plot against the Amazons recently. As an attempt to create a male equivalent to Princess Diana. Diana had become his friend however, turning him on his creator, and attempted to reconcile him with Patrick Cleese, reincarnation of his beloved Patroclus, but Zeus had ensured both were damned to Tartarus in a car crash engineered by the Furies. He then made certain that Patroclus went to Elysium, while Achilles for failing to destroy the Amazons, became guardian of Ares' condemned soul.

"Hold, mortals!" the voice of Achilles bellowed across the chamber. His face could not be seen beneath his golden helmet and he had a sword planted in front of him to show his vigil over the lake. "None may enter the Lake of Souls, lest they wish to unleash the wrath of war upon the mortal plane." "Do not be so unbecoming, Achilles," a reptilian voice with a seductive nature echoed around them, "You speak to Black Adam, King of Kahndaq, and a boy seeking to be Captain Marvel." Achilles squinted beneath his helmet and recognised the volcanic gaze Black Adam maintained against all his foes. "You will not release Ares for your nefarious schemes, Teth-Adam!" the hero of Troy defiantly shouted.

"We are not here for Ares, but for you, Achilles."

"Oh, that is wonderful," Ares chuckled from the pool, "Achilles is given the job of guarding me for all eternity and the first guests we get are here for him. Oh, the irony." "I have nothing for you mortals," Achilles shook his head, his tone more conciliatory now that he realised they weren't here to deter him from his duty, "Not unless you retrieve my beloved Patroclus." "Now, Achilles," Freddy said channelling Solomon's wisdom, "you know none of us can do that. Not unless we were Zeus or Persephone. But what we can do is free you from your burden." "Free me?" the demi-god laughed, "Bah! There is nothing you can do in that regard, lad." "Yes, we can, but you need to do something a little extreme first," Freddy said, as Adam levitated them both to standing just before Achilles.

"And what would that be?"

"Abandon your vigil. And have Ares help you to Elysium."

"What? That would never—"

"I would happily do this," Ares said from his pool, "This mortal has wisdom beyond his years. He seems desperate to obtain something from you, Achilles, and he knows that I am the only being nearby powerful enough to protect you from Persephone's creatures when they arrive. You know this, prince of Epirus." "I have my vigil!" Achilles blared. "I am the son of Thetis. Lord of the Myrmidons. None shall force me to break my vigil." "None of us are forcing you," Freddy reminded the hero, "We are merely suggesting a means for you to get what you want and for us to get what we want. But I also have a proposal for Ares."

"A proposal for me? Very well. Apart from protecting Achilles, I have little to offer you, young man, but I'm willing to hear you out. What is your request?"

"That you give us access to Mount Olympus. Your father and two of your brothers are gods we need to commune with once we are done with Achilles."

"Interesting. Well, since I am doing Achilles a favour, I suppose you deserve one too. I shall bring you both to my father and to Alcmene's bastard."

"Swear on the life of Lyta Milton," Freddy said with a strong degree of confidence. Adam looked towards him. "You are very clever, Mr Freeman," he whispered admiringly. "Just using the wisdom for real for once," Freddy humbly acknowledged. "I swear on the life of Lyta Milton," Ares said, betraying no sign of untoward behaviour. Freddy looked to Achilles who grumbled, "You will return me to my beloved?" "Of course," Freddy said, placing his arm on the Myrmidon's reassuringly. "Very well," Achilles then pulled his sword from the ground before him and walked away from the pool. The Lake of Souls began fomenting into a whirlpool in front of the red light and from it emerged a blonde man with red eyes who, whilst floating above the water, summoned dark blue armour around him and became the form he had been known by to mortals for years now. Ares. The God of War was reborn.

A shriek then echoed from behind them. "The manticores!" Achilles said raising his sword with pride, "Ares, can you handle them?" "Handle them?" the old malevolence and love of violence crept back into the War God's tone now he was at liberty once again, "They are my beasts, Achilles." Ares screamed like a banshee and the manticores who seemed to be becoming visible behind Adam and Freddy scarpered like the frightened animals they were. "Now, the portal to Elysium is to the east," Ares softly and coolly told them, "I would suggest running." Achilles and Adam bounded while Ares flew behind them until they arrived at a portal showing green fields beyond it. "We haven't much time," the God of War spoke hastily and with a palpable degree of anxiety, "I can bring you to Olympus by will, mortals, but Achilles will need to leave us here." "Will Patroclus be beyond?" he asked Ares imploringly. "Of course, Achilles," Ares lightly bowed his head and placed his hand on his chest in reassurance, "You have my word. But first you must grant this young man a boon."

"We require your courage," Freddy spoke frankly to the hero of the Trojan War, "It is part of my set as the champion of the Wizard." "Well, I would ask that a trial be completed before honouring such a request," Achilles answered with some bravado and disappointment at first before relaxing, "But you have proven yourself courageous in this act of defying Persephone to reunite me with my beloved. Very well, young man. I grant you my courage." Achilles placed a hand on Freddy's forehead which seemed to glow in response. Freddy spasmed and fell asleep on Adam's shoulder. "He will rouse in a few moments," the slayer of Hector told the god and the champion still awake, "Now, I must be off to see my Patroclus." "Farewell, Achilles," Ares smiled in an almost friendly manner as the hero walked through the door. "That was the door to Elysium, yes?" Adam asked Ares. "I don't know," the War God shrugged, "I just know it's supposed to lead there. Persephone could be one step ahead of us and sent him somewhere else. I wasn't going to tell him that though."

"Now that sounds more like the Ares I know. Take us to Olympus immediately, lest I smite you before the manticores remember they have a new mistress."

"Oh, I have every intention of taking you and the lad to Olympus. I have a feeling you'll both be necessary for my plans too."

Arkham Asylum

A whack to the face. And another. And another. All with the same bamboo stick his mother had had his instructors drill him with. "Grandfather, you really need to up your game if you're going to break me," Damian scoffed, spitting out blood. "Who said anything about breaking you, Damian," Ra's hissed as he kneeled down to his bound grandson. They were on a beach just outside the asylum in Arkham Island. The moonlight reflected on the water before them, illuminating the events unfolding. "Where is Drake?" Robin asked defiantly. "None of your concern, boy," his grandfather dismissed him airily, "Why you care so much for one of your father's urchins I will never know." The Demon's Head received a sneer in response. "They are more than that, Grandfather. Drake bravely infiltrated the League twice. Grayson is a good man who is pure of heart. The Cain girl is an even better fighter than I. Todd is an idiot, but I'm open to being impressed."

"You truly are brainwashed, Damian. I would have thought the Detective too caught between his harshness and his softer side to ever successfully inculcate such misguided beliefs in the likes of you. Ubu. The stick!"

Three more strikes to the face knocked Damian to the floor as Ubu battered him. "Painful, isn't it, boy?" Ra's gleefully whispered. Damian just laughed. "The Condiment King hits harder than that." "Hmm, seems we'll need to scare him a little more," Ra's mused, stroking his goatee, before propping Damian up against a nearby cliff face, "At my signal, unleash the blades!" The immortal walked up to a gang of assassins carrying knives. Damian tensed himself for what they were about to do. "Now!" the Demon's Head bellowed as several knives were thrown in Damian's direction, one of them grazing his temple, but all missing. "You will have to try better than that, old man," the boy laughed, "Mother's been trying that one on me since I was three." Ra's was now visibly infuriated. He grabbed Damian by the arm with a ferocity unheard of since his youth. "You disappoint me, Damian," he spat through gritted teeth, "Your mother must have been softer than I thought in her rearing of you to make you so soft and disobedient." He grabbed Damian by the hair and dragged him toward a hole Ubu was digging.

"You were meant to be the finest child known since Alexander, my boy. The product of a union more perfect than Zeus and Alcmene. The Dark Knight and the Daughter of the Demon. You would have been heir to my empire and continued my legacy should fate ever rip me from this mortal coil despite it failing to do so for centuries now. You prove you have the courage to defy me, but not the discipline to wield my power. You are a sentimental buffoon like your father, wasting your brilliance on a family of street urchins in a city benighted by crime with no hope of redemption bar men and women parading around in tights! And so, I must teach you who is your master. I had no desire to do so, but now I know I must break you. As the masked wrestler once broke your father. Though not quite as literally. Then you will know which side of your family knows best once again."

Damian saw the hole was quite deep, which seemed natural since he noticed Ubu had begun excavating it a couple of hours ago. "You can escape this, Damian," his grandfather spoke in much softer tones now, "Swear homage to me. Then you shall prove it by taking the life of Dick Grayson. Swear it!" "Never, Grandfather," Damian said, betraying no sign of breaking, "If my time in this city has taught me anything it is that you are wrong. There are good people among the wretched you abhor. My father is not unique in this city for his virtue or his brilliance. I have known people like Grayson and Stephanie be kind to me when no one else believed in me. I have seen the dedication a man like Pennyworth has to my father and I can see that it doesn't take my father's genes to replicate his brilliance in Drake. If what you want is for me to return to you…then you might as well kill me."

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic. You'll think differently once you learn what darkness truly is."

Ra's then threw Damian into the pit which was about twenty feet deep at this point. The boy collapsed on the ground as Ubu began piling sand on top of him. Damian began biting the rope which bound his hands as his grandfather laughed at him from up top. "A veritable rat in a trap. I can't believe that you're blood. Still, it seems my daughter has not entirely disappointed me. She's already set to work at your replacement. How does it feel Damian to know your family have forsaken you?" Robin didn't really understand what his grandfather meant by that, but he pressed on, struggling to stand as more and more sediment struck him from above. "You are not my family, old man. And neither is the witch who has tortured me all my life. If you think I'm frightened of you, you haven't been paying attention."

Damian was already covered in sand by the time he managed to get his bonds undone. He could feel himself suffocating as he swam up through the darkness. The terror of the night engulfing him. This must be how criminals felt when his father attacked, except they weren't asphyxiating. He had to keep fighting, keep trying. Twenty feet of sand was nothing. Nothing for Robin. Jason Todd had come back from the grave, and he could come out of this. He had to do it. Not for his grandfather's sake or his mother's. Not even for his father. But to survive. Survive and prove he was every bit the Boy Wonder Grayson, Todd, Drake…or even Stephanie was. Though don't tell her he said that. He'd never live it down. Eventually, Damian felt his hand growing cold as he emerged from the sand. Pulling himself up he could feel Ubu strike his exposed hand with the shovel. Damian kept pulling despite the occasional strike until eventually his head came out. Ubu started striking that then as the child gasped for air, but he wouldn't give in. Spitting out sand, he grabbed Ubu's hand as he swung the shovel down, took it from him then began beating his grandfather's servant violently while emerging from his prison. The boy's anger got the better of him then. A rage his new family had been trying to control. He just kept beating and beating until Ubu's head was a fine paste. Then he started crying and screamed, "Father! I have failed you again!"

A slow clap came from Ra's' hands as he laughed at the little boy. "Very good, Damian. I never doubted you for a second," the Demon's Head laughed, "Um, new Ubu, kindly knock him out. We'll begin his next test tomorrow." Damian leered at his grandfather and then like a little panther lunged at him and started punching the ancient man in the face. Ra's quickly grabbed Damian's wrist and twisted it summarily before pinning the boy down. "Less insolence, brat," he whispered with derision into the child's ear, "I will tolerate your words slightly more than your fists. Now, you will serve me unless you wish to join Drake inside the asylum with the Joker." "Go to hell," Damian said as his grandfather headbutted him into unconsciousness.

Mi'ran

Koriand'r awoke with her daughter, Mar'i, now a little princess, beside her in a large double bed in the palace her grandmother had built for her to reign from on Mi'ran. There seemed to be a noise outside. A noise that sounded like a gigantic 'BOOM!' emanating from the centre of the city below. Her suspicions were confirmed as she looked outside and saw a Boom Tube. She immediately became hesitant wondering whether whoever emerged from there was an agent of New Genesis or Apokolips. But then from the Tube seemed to emerge her old friend, Cyborg accompanied by Superman. And Donna and Roy were there too. However, she could see that neither of them looked their normal selves, nor did Cyborg. Almost as if their minds had become clean slates for something else to inhabit them. Not to mention Roy was beefier than normal. Much more toned and heavy set. Almost as if he had been to the gym a hundred times a day since last she had met him. With them also were two Flashes, a man and a woman she did not recognise.

"Don't worry, Starfire," a familiar, menacing voice said behind her, "As much as your sister may want it, we are not here to kill you. The boss has better plans for you." Kory turned around to fire starbolts towards the voice she recognised as that of Slade Wilson. Her old enemy better known as Deathstroke the Terminator. Of course, he was far more quick-thinking than the average human and avoided the blast. "You Tamaraneans are even more predictable than my race, you know that?" he spoke with annoyance in his new prepared stance, a gun in hand, "Wearing your hearts on your sleeves…well your arms in your case…is never a good attribute to have when facing a man with my capacity for tactics." Slade looked to Kory's bed as he dodged her next attack and smirked beneath his half-face mask. "You will not harm my people, Slade!" the rightful Queen of Tamaran bellowed, "Now tell me how you got here!" "Oh, my boss is busy dealing with your Green Lantern friend while I capture you and something he calls the Hybrid Messiah."

Slade then vaulted over to Kory's bed and grabbed the rousing Mar'i, placing a gun to her head. "I take it this is the Messiah in question?" were the cool words that came next, not betraying a hint of fear or desperation on the assassin's part, "Your daughter, I'm guessing. Pretty little thing, isn't she? It would be a shame if I put a bullet right through her head because her mother forced my hand." "Mom, help me!" Mar'i pleaded. Kory lowered her arms to the ground and moved slowly forward. "It's alright, starshine," she said nervously, "Do not worry." "Yes, help her, 'Mommy'," Deathstroke chuckled, "Help her by surrendering and coming with me." "Let her go, Slade!" Starfire screamed, her old anger back in waves.

"To the count of five."

"No."

"Four. Your choice…"

"You would never kill a child, Slade."

"Three. I took a contract to kill you and your friends when you were teenagers, what makes you think I've changed?"

"You would not kill an innocent child. Hence why you never had the stomach to end any of us in the end."

"Two. I killed plenty of you."

"Because you blamed us for your son's death. Not for mere profit. Besides, you said so yourself, Thawne wants Mar'I alive."

"One. Yes, he does, but not necessarily you."

Deathstroke then turned the gun towards Starfire and shot her twice in her right shoulder. "Now stand down or the next one is in your head," he methodically and calmly spoke. "Leave my mom alone!" Mar'i screamed, tears falling from her eyes. "Your mom should learn not to go having special children for my boss to get a hold of," Slade told the child. Kory winced through the pain and stood up defiantly. "Fine, take us Slade," she spoke slowly, cradling her wound, "But spare the lives of the people of this world." "Ah, sorry, but I'm afraid that's not up to me," Deathstroke glibly but genuinely apologised, "My mission was to secure you two. The League and your sister have the job of pacifying this world. But I promise I won't shoot anyone else, including you, if you come with me. I'm giving you another five seconds…"

"Very well."

As Kory surrendered herself and her daughter over to the mercy of her nemesis, Adam Strange awoke and saw the Justice League had arrived in the main square. "That's odd, Alyssa. I—" Then the two Flashes appeared behind him holding his daughter. "We don't want to hurt her," Dawn said, desperately trying to make it clear she didn't want to be here, "Just please, surrender." "You fragging quislings!" was all Adam could say, recognising these two as the Flash's children. "Please," Don shouted aggressively, "or they'll kill you." Adam then threw his blaster to the ground and outstretched his hands in surrender. "Thank you," Dawn said genuinely. "Go to Hell," Adam replied as he spat in Don's face while he handcuffed him.

Just over the planet, Cyborg activated another Boom Tube which summoned a large ship in the sky. The ship was the royal cruiser of Queen Komand'r and her consort, Vril Dox, which was armed to the teeth. The voice of the false queen echoed all over Mi'ran. "People of Mi'ran. Your queen has come. And I am very, very disturbed at the news that you have declared my sister as your ruler. You will hand her and the false Messiah over to me or suffer my wrath." At this point, Slade was escorting Kory and Mar'i to the Justice League at gunpoint. Thawne and Krona arrived then with Kyle Rayner likewise chained up. "Is the Czarnian dealt with?" Thawne looked to Superboy-Prime who smiled his trademark, devilish smile filled with bloodlust. He flew into the sky and headed towards Lobo's quarters.

Entering the room in which the mercenary stayed, Superboy-Prime found it to be completely booby-trapped. As it exploded around him, Lobo emerged from the corridor armed to the teeth. "Now what bastiche thinks he can invade a planet Lobo's staying on!" "SUPERMAN!" the angry voice of Superboy-Prime echoed from the chamber as he fired full force heat vision at Lobo throwing him not only out of the building but off the planet and out into the depths of space, "Here's hoping you get caught foul of a black hole." Superboy-Prime then returned to the Justice League. But before he could he was hit on the head with a mace of Nth metal, which temporarily knocked him out due to its mystic properties. "Kill my drinking buddy, will you?" Carter shouted as he whacked the Kryptonian on the crown with it again, concussing the younger man and making him too sluggish to react in time. "Where's Starfire?" he bellowed after a third blow to head, before suddenly realising the boy was out cold. He flew down then to the Justice League where he saw Adam and his family being dragged before them by the Flashes. "Why didn't you kill them?" Thawne asked. "We don't need to, do we?" Dawn replied. "I suppose not," Thawne sighed with boredom, "Oh, well. We might give them to Komand'r as appeasement." "Don't you think she's getting enough today," Don said. "Fair point," Thawne noted as apathetically as he possibly could before he noticed Hawkman flying down from the sky.

"Hell, I forgot there was a warrior with Nth metal here. Wonder Woman, Red Arrow! Deal with him!" "We obey," Donna and Roy said soullessly as the former withdrew her new makeshift lasso crafted by Circe and wrapped it around Carter. "Donna?" Hawkman asked confused at the sight of two sidekicks of his old teammates advancing on him, "Roy? What the hell are you doing?" Roy then grabbed the pinned down warrior and began smashing his face in repeatedly with the anger and bloodlust Venom gave him. "Stop it!" Kory shouted, rushing away from Deathstroke in their direction, "Roy, this is not you! Please!" Roy stalled a little at hearing his old friend's voice but betraying no hint of emotion as he dropped a comatose Carter to the floor. Superboy-Prime then flew back down angrily. "He hit me!" he said in the most whiny and petulant voice imaginable pointing at Hawkman. "Good for him," Thawne said, smiling for the first time in a while, "We could use him as a drill sergeant."

Komandr's ship began to land before a procession of the populace nearby led by Princess Niviath. Adam walked over to Kory. "Kory, she said that she'd kill them all unless you and Mar'i were handed over to her." "She will kill us, Adam," Kory spoke with restrained anger and frankness. "But she'll kill them if you don't stop her here and now," he reminded her sadly. "I know," Kory wept a little as she kissed Mar'i on the head, "I have to go." "We'll keep Mar'i here, don't worry," Adam promised. Kory then went to move but Deathstroke held her back. "Ah, ah, ah. The boss says you're coming with us. You and the child." "But—" Thawne then walked towards Starfire and caressed her face almost too intimately. "There, there, my dear. Did you think I would let someone as righteous as you with the child I have restored for you die at the hands of someone as wilful as Blackfire? No, we'll be keeping you all in stockades at our interstellar base." "But the people—" Kory began before he placed his hand under her chin and stifling her voice. "Merely a means of appeasing your sister," he creepily spoke, "I'm sorry, but it's you or them. And I want you and your daughter for my plans, Princess." With that, despite Kory shouting loud protests, she, Mar'i, Adam, Alyssa, Aleea and a chained Kyle Rayner walked through the Boom Tube escorted by the Justice League, Deathstroke, Thawne and Krona.

Niviath glared at Komand'r as she withdrew from her ship. "Grandmother," Komand'r said with every hint of malice, "It brings me no pleasure seeing another one of my family choose Koriand'r over me." "It was never a pleasure having you as my first grandchild, but I never complained about it," the priestess scoffed. "At last she admits Kory and Ryan were more loved," Blackfire laughed, trying to pretend she wasn't hurt, though there was evidently moisture in her eyes. As her beads welled, Niviath smirked, "Can I help it if they were just more pleasant children to know?" "Your words are as foolish as your coming here was, Grandmother," Komand'r smacked the old woman in the face knocking her to the ground, "Now where are Kory and the false messiah?"

"There is nothing false about your niece, Komand'r. She is the Hybrid Messiah and your sister the Madonna."

"But I am Queen of Tamaran and she is not. She cannot be the Madonna."

"She is, was, and has always been the Hybrid Madonna. My Sisterhood ensured it. Now unless you want our people to fall into catastrophe, you will swear allegiance to her."

"I swear this," Blackfire shouted as she fired a powerful starbolt directly through her grandmother, incinerating her chest and leaving naught but a still corpse, "Unless she is handed to me now, you will all burn as this crone did!" None of the crowd flinched for a second, except for two at the back who began fleeing. Ryand'r and Merand'r. "My sister is insane, Merand'r," Ryan told the older man, "We have to save these people!" "If we stay and save them Kory and Mar'i are doomed," Merand'r sternly replied, "She has already killed her own grandmother, imagine what she will do to the sibling she still loathes and her child she has never met." "But you saw Thawne take them," Ryan said, "She's under lock and key at this interstellar base of his. If we tell Komand'r she may spare these people." "Do you really believe that?" Merand'r earnestly told the prince who bowed his head as the old man continued, "And even if she did stop killing them, she'd kill the two of us, and then your sister and niece will have no one left to help them. What we have to do is find Thawne and Krona's base and rescue your sister."

"But we can't, Merand'r. She'll be guarded by untold power there. And we are just two Tamaraneans."

"Correction. Two Tamaraneans and Lobo."

"But he's—"

"Nothing can kill Lobo. Now come on, to the royal cruiser quickly before this place burns."

Komand'r had by now run out of patience and was slaughtering as many of the innocent civilians before her as she could with the aid of her royal guard. Investigating Lobo's room, Ryand'r and Merand'r found Dex-Starr clawing his way out of the remains angrily. "That fool Prime nearly killed me!" the cat hissed at them. Ryand'r merely scooped him up and they headed straight to the port outside the city centre. Entering the royal cruiser, the prince and the commander noticed some royal guards following them. "Engage lasers!" Merand'r shouted. Ryand'r fired them in the direction of the guards as Merand'r initiated emergency takeoff. "Now which way did Prime kick Lobo, Dex-Starr?" Dex-Starr indicated a paw towards what looked like a comet in the distance. It wasn't. It was Lobo flying at full velocity speed through the vacuum. Flying the ship in that direction, Merand'r activated the tractor beam and dragged the mercenary in. "Aw frag, I can't even die in peace!" the Czarnian moaned.

In the cargo bay, Ryand'r let Lobo in from the airlock. "Lobo, are you hurt?" he asked with genuine concern. "No more than that fragging Kryptonian is gonna' be when I'm through with him," was the angry reply, "Where is he? I'm gonna' shove a fragging grenade up his whatsit." "Calm yourself, Lobo," Merand'r said, coming down from the bridge as Dex-Starr flew up and affectionately licked the mercenary on the face, only to be swatted away, "We have a long way to travel before the royal cruiser arrives in time. I have a feeling we will need to contact someone who can locate an interstellar base." "Atrocitus?" Lobo asked, hoping he'd get a chance to do some real violence with the Red Lanterns at his side. "No, they're too weak after the Psion attack," Merand'r shook his head, "I'm setting a course for Odym. Perhaps the Blue Lantern Corps can aid us in finding them." At the news of the Blue Lanterns becoming their allies, Dex-Starr hissed violently in annoyance. "Aw frag, not them hippies!" Lobo shouted as he struck himself in the face in despair.

The Narrows

Jason Todd had not seen Gotham like this in a very, very long time. When he had grown up in Ma Gunn's home on Crime Alley, it had always been a cesspool, but not like this. The rest of his squad (the likes of Catman, Bane, Ragdoll, etc.) he had sent to scout out other parts of town, such as the Clocktower for tech or intel. Houses were deserted and any person he came across either tried to kill him or was running away from someone trying to kill them. Whatever had happened to his hometown, it was sickening to behold. "Scarecrow and Riddler really did a number on our home, eh, kid?" he said to Scarlet who was standing beside him. "Not my home, Jason. Never was," she spoke with apparent coldness, "This is the town where my father died." "Where you killed him, you mean?" he said, knowingly. "Yes," was the short reply. Jason walked up the empty street they were currently on. Three hours they'd been in Gotham since earlier that afternoon. Now it was pitch black all around them, with no way of detecting who could jump out. Jason spied a young teenager hobbling with a little girl towards them, his right leg clearly broken.

"Hey, easy kid. You okay?" Jason said as Scarlet took the girl's hand and he got her crippled friend in a better position. "Shit, man. You're the Red Hood," the kid said in disbelief. Jason could see he'd been beaten up recently and noted his front was stained blood red, "Aw heck, we gotta' get you to a hospital man." Jason then tore off part of his shirt and used it to bandage the boy's arm. "Hey, stay awake," he spoke frantically, tapping the teenager on the cheek rapidly to keep him alert, "Keep talking to me, kid. What's your name? How did this happen?" "Name's Duke," the boy struggled through his pain, "Duke Thomas. This here's my cousin, Nell. Her mom didn't make it. I took out a couple of the hoods who hurt her." "Took out as in…" Jason asked expectantly. "Nah, man, just…punched 'em and ran," Duke said through deep breaths of agony, "One of 'em got me with a shank but I knocked him out." Jason then hoisted the injured boy on his back. "You're a brave little punk, you know that?" he smiled, "Bit like me. Where are you both trying to get to?" "City Hall," Nell said as she cried into Scarlet's waist, "To find the Son." "The Sun?" Jason asked peculiarly, "There ain't no Sun out at this hour, kiddo, I doubt even at City Hall." "She means the Son of Batman," Duke said groggily into Jason's ear. "Ah, well, now it seems we have a mutual interest," Red Hood nodded, trying to hide his apprehension from his new acquaintances, "Come on."

They walked for another hour through the streets of the Narrows until eventually they crossed a bridge into Miagani Island. As they crossed the bridge, the hanging corpses of policemen and various others could be seen on the rafters above them. Jason indicated silently to Scarlet to try and not let Nell look up. "You still with us, kid?" Jason asked Duke for the umpteenth time to ensure he was awake. "Yeah, thanks," the teenager replied groggily, "The wound ain't that deep." "Yeah well, City Hall's not far from here," the Red Hood reached his arm back and patted the lad on the back reassuringly, "Let's hope there's medical aid. You got any family apart from the little one here?" "My mom and dad weren't with me when the bridges blew up," Duke admitted, "I was stuck with Nell and her moms. Earlier today, some hoods broke in…I don't think Nell gets it." Nell was crying beside Scarlet who held her hand tightly to show she felt her pain. "Yeah, I've been there too, kid," Jason admitted with sadness, "Especially when you feel like you could've saved them." "Batman could have saved her," Duke said with certainty. "He can't save everyone," Jason sardonically noted, "I know that all too well."

At the end of the bridge, they found themselves surrounded by Mutants. "I heard a rumour these punks are working for Nightwing now?" Red Hood said, "You know anything about that, Duke?" "Nah man, not all of them," Duke informed him, "A lot, but not all. You can tell by the face paint." "Alright facepaint," Jason mused not able to make out their facepaint from their distance, "Can't make out any facepaint but these guys are all wearing sunglasses?" "Well then…nice knowing ya', Mr Hood," Duke coughed. The Mutants advanced on the four of them, with their leader carrying a crowbar. The sight of it gave Jason some flashbacks. "Well, well, well…four idiots trying to get across our bridge without paying the toll," the closest one spoke through what looked like fangs. "How about you just piss off before I fucking shoot you in the head," Jason said with every bit of seriousness, Jason said withdrawing a gun and brandishing it directly in the thug's face, "These are just two little kids, and one of them's hurt. Bad. If you punks have any sense of decency, you'll let us pass." "Hear that boys," the leader shouted behind him, "Looks like we're gonna' be hanging some idjits tonight." The Mutants all howled like wolves at the prospect as more of them scaled down the rafters of the bridge. "Scarlet, get the two kids and hightail it the Hell out of here!" Jason shouted after shooting the first Mutant in the face, "I'll hold 'em off! Just run!" "I'm not leaving you, Jason," Scarlet said. "Don't fucking argue!" He then tossed Duke towards Scarlet and he landed awkwardly in her arms.

Jason then withdrew a second gun and fired both directly into the leader of the Mutants' abdomen. All it served to do was wind him slightly, as the bullet holes vanished as though he'd shot Clayface. "Gonna' take more than that, asswipe," the beastly gangster smiled through even sharper fangs than his first goon to fall. The leader then grabbed Red Hood by the neck and started throttling the life out of him. Scarlet and the children turned to run when they found themselves surrounded by some of the Mutant underlings. Then they all heard the clatter of hooves. Coming up the bridge were Mutants carrying torches screaming like a native tribe on the attack in a Western film. These Mutants were different though. They had the facepaint of a bat over their eyes. They were the Sons of Batman. Jason then saw an arrow land on the back of the Mutant leader that was emitting a small, ululating noise. It then suddenly exploded releasing tear gas everywhere. He could distinctly see a figure in a Batgirl outfit using a battle staff, while an archer with a distinctly feminine appearance was hitting some of the Mutants in the toes. The Sons of Batman arrived on horseback and jumped from their steeds to pin down whomever of their former brothers they could. Then another outfit, looking darker and not dissimilar to Batgirl's joined in. Jason knew immediately who this newcomer was. Cassandra Cain. The Black Bat. Then he felt something metal poking at his neck as he turned back to face the fog.

"Ah, the new Bimbogirl" Jason spoke recognising the stave as one Barbara had used in his time, "Was wondering when we'd meet." "Jason Todd," Stephanie Brown replied as she looked at him with disdain knowing the horrible things he had committed in the name of vengeance, "You're not half as ugly as Tim lets on." "What would the replacement know about being good looking?" he scoffed. "Lot more than you," Steph shot back, her walls not breaking down whatsoever. "Ah, I forgot there's a history there," he smirked not betraying a bit of confidence in his flirtations, "Ever thought of going with a real man?" "Well, can you think of one because I'm not seeing any right now," Steph said with the same level of sarcasm he had. "Ha, you're alright, Bimbogirl," he laughed, impressed at her level of banter. "What are you doing trying to get to City Hall?" Batgirl asked, "Last I heard you were working for Eddie Thawne."

"I still am, kid. He wants me to meet with Dick. On your boss's terms." "Dick ain't my boss," Steph informed him, "He just runs the gang. I work for Babs. And I think the only terms she'd have for you meeting Dick is in chains." "Well, if somebody's going to cuff me…" he looked expectantly at the vigilante. Steph then smacked him in the face with that same staff she was holding. "Seems Dick and Tim have the monopoly on charm in the family as well as restraint," Batgirl rolled her eyes. She then immediately lightened up when she saw the little girl being brought forward by Cass Cain. "Nell!" "Batgirl!" The two hugged like it had been years since they saw each other. "Who's this guy with you, little hero?" she asked, pinching the girl's cheek. "It's my cousin. Duke. He needs help." "We'll get Leslie to check him out back at City Hall," Steph said kissing the little kid on the cheek, "Where's your mom?" Nell looked down and started crying a little. Steph swept her up in her arms and let the tears come. "Patented Batgirl hug time, eh?" she whispered, kissing the child on the head, "I'm so sorry, Nell."

When things had calmed down, they all went back to City Hall on horseback with Nell riding in front of Steph on her lap with Duke propped up behind the rider unconscious and Cass holding Jason in handcuffs behind her. "So…I guess you're my brother then," Cass said in a very unemotive fashion. "I'm an only child, little lady," Jason told her, "My mom left us when I was a kid 'cuz my dad was a no-good gangster. You?" "I am also an only child…my mother and father were assassins," she slowly told him, nervous as to where the conversation would move, "David Cain and Lady Shiva." "Aw yeah, heard something about that," Red Hood replied, "Your mom is smoking." "She wants me to kill her," Cass said as if it was something someone said every day. "Oh, okay," Jason somewhat apologised, "Damn, even I'm floored by this chat." Cissie ran up alongside them then with Scarlet behind her. "So, you tag along with him?" she asked the young Russian girl. "Yes, but he's not all bad," Sasha told the archer, "He saved me from myself once." "He must have done a good job if you still tag along with him to murder people," Arrowette shook her head. "Criminals," Scarlet corrected her.

"What?"

"Murder criminals. Not people."

"And that's my point exactly."

As they drew closer to City Hall, Jason noted all the Bat symbols painted on buildings as well as the lack of hanged corpses. Not to mention that apart from torches and baseball bats, none of the Sons seemed to be armed. He realised this must be Bruce's ultimate fantasy. An army of young soldiers using non-lethal force to suppress crime and protect the innocent. They eventually approached a makeshift set of ten feet high gates where a fifteen-year-old girl with red hair wearing glasses walked up with a clipboard. "Password?" she asked Batgirl as the leader of the group. "Father, I will become a bat," Steph said with all earnestness to the young girl who nodded while putting her pencil to the clipboard expecting a report, "We've got a prisoner and three civvies, one of them wounded badly." "Well then, Leslie will have to check them out ASAP," the girl said looking everyone up and down, "Harper will help them with anything once they're in there. Any other news, Batgirl?" "Nothing new, Carrie," Steph answered plainly, "We dealt with another gang of Mutants extorting people at the bridge to the Narrows. Some of the Sons are taking them to the Lockup on Bleake Island." "Cool stuff," the girl named Carrie replied before looking at the man behind Cass, "That's the Red Hood, isn't it?" "The one and only," Jason spoke up sarcastically before Cass elbowed him in the stomach. Carrie snickered as she added that detail to her clipboard.

"The boss will want to see him. And where they are is on a need to know basis."

"Exactly, Carrie. And he wants to see Nightwing, not Oracle."

"Ah, that makes things easier. He's busy drilling some of the new Sons on the roof of City Hall."

Carrie then motioned for the gates to be opened and they all rode in. Steph parked the horses in a makeshift stable and she and Cass dragged Jason into City Hall. Scarlet, Cissie, Duke and Nell followed inside, as the ground floor of City Hall was now a mass infirmary. There were people hobbling on crutches coming in and out. A young man walked up to Cissie on their way in. "Cissie, Leslie says she needs another food run, hopefully find some medical supplies at Elliot Memorial," he said, getting straight to business, "Can you head out with Ragman on the next one?" "Fine," Arrowette nodded, "Sorry guys, I have to go. Cullen show them to your sister. Harper will help you from here." Cissie then headed outside while the lad named Cullen led them towards a girl with dark hair. "Harper Row," she said, not looking away from filling a needle from a jar, "How can I help you?" "My cousin's been hurt," Nell said and Duke seemed to collapse in front of Harper. "Damn, he's lost a lot of blood. Cullen get him straight to Leslie; I'll sort these two out." Cullen rushed Duke into the main hall of the infirmary where Leslie was busy talking to another young man on crutches.

"You two looking for anyone?" Harper asked sincerely as she tickled Nell's nose a little. "Just my auntie and uncle, Duke's parents," Nell said, "Doug and Elaine Thomas." Harper picked up her clipboard and said, "Yeah, we've got two of them here." Walking through into another wing of the infirmary she went "Doug and Elaine Thomas! Doug and Elaine Thomas!" "Excuse me," Scarlet said tapping her shoulder, "How old are you?" "About your age," Harper replied, not taking her mind off the job all the while, "So, if you think I'm not old enough to work, most of the bosses here certainly aren't old enough to fight crime. Now come on." They eventually found Doug and Elaine who were delighted to see Nell alive and well but distressed to hear of Duke's predicament.

On the roof of City Hall, there was a makeshift throne, upon which sat a man in a black and blue tight uniform. Nightwing. Or as he was called by those more superstitious than most in this city, the Son. He was the first son of Batman as far as the gang was concerned, and so long as that led them to follow him, Dick wasn't going to disavow that notion. A new member of the Sons was being escorted before him for judgement, bruises all over his face. "What seems to be the problem?" Dick asked. "This one, sir," a more senior Son answered, "he killed a Mutant. Burned him with his torch." The Sons all hissed in disgust at this. "You know this goes against our tenets, young man?" Dick said with the sternness of his adopted father. "I do, sir," the Son nodded, trying to maintain a stoic disposition, "But he was going to kill children. He was going to eat them. He was much larger than me. It was all I could do." Dick then walked down to him and held the obeisant Son's face up to look at his own. "This mistake cannot be tolerated," Dick spoke with a warm and caring judgement, which seemed to also imply sternness, "You must take the welfare of those children into your own hand, above that of Miss Row and Dr Thompkins. Let their lives allow you to atone for the soul you stole, no matter how wicked that was. Is that understood?" The Son began crying at Dick's feet then. "Oh, thank you, sir! Thank you so much!"

As the Sons took the young man from his sight, Dick turned to see Batgirl and Black Bat escorting a prisoner towards him. "Steph, Cass…who is this?" "Your brother," Steph said tossing Jason to the ground before him. "Hell of a push, Bimbogirl," Jason shot back as he stood himself up. Dick smacked him in the face with full force. "You will not speak of my sister in such a way," Nightwing told his family's prodigal son, betraying no hint of emotion. "Yeah, I can see you fight like her as well," Jason laughed. Dick returned the smack once again. "And misogyny isn't going to be tolerated here either, Jason." Dick then lifted Jason up by the lapels and glared at him with his chin almost in his brother's face. "You have a lot of nerve coming here, considering who you work for," Nightwing said with disappointment. "I work for the government," Jason said, "I don't see—" "The government did this, Jason," Dick spat, his teeth seemingly wired shut in anger, "Riddler and Scarecrow were trafficking metahumans for Thawne before this happened."

"Nah, you're talking shit."

"They as much as admitted it to us. Not to mention that despite what's happened, Thawne has done nothing to help us. Instead he sends the goddamn Suicide Squad after us. But don't worry, Catwoman is already taking in Ragdoll and Catman. Bullock has them at the GCPD lockup. You can join them there too. We might make you a cellmate of some Mutant who can't get a girlfriend unless you start talking."

Jason then broke his handcuffs, headbutted Dick and leaped to the side before Steph or Cass could react. He was holding a detonator in his hand. "Now, I'm here with one specific order," Red Hood said as his three opponents stood still, waiting for his ultimatum, "Bring you and Gordon in, Dickhead, or I blow up this entire town." "You're bluffing," Steph said. "Try me," Jason baited her, "You see, Thawnie Boy's allies have secured the bombs Eddie and Crane didn't get around to detonating and now the boss man has given me the trigger. If I activate them this whole place gets doused with fear gas." "You're still bluffing," Cass said looking Jason dead in the eye. "How's that?" he said, trying to hide any sign of reluctance. "Because Jason," Dick said, "you don't believe in Thawne enough to murder your hometown for him. These two have only just met you and they know that." "Dick, unless I bring you in or blow these bombs up," Red Hood looked into Nightwing's eyes to show how serious he was, "Thawne's gonna' do a hell of a lot worse."

"Try me."

"What?"

"If it's so bad, tell me what he's got up his sleeve. We're not going to believe you unless you do."

"Superboy-Prime."

A hushed silence descended over them all at that point. "Yeah, Dick, that's got you scared," Jason smiled malevolently, "A few bombs and the Red Hood you can handle…but not that idiot and his stupid, whiny bullshit which kills dozens of people a minute. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue." Dick paused for a minute as Steph, Cass and Jason all awaited a response. "Let him," Dick shocked everyone with such an emotionless response. "What?" Jason said perplexedly, his eyes blinking rapidly in disbelief. "You heard me, Jason," Nightwing stoically answered, "He's bluffing as much as you are. He's not going to blow a propaganda victory by unleashing his precious Justice League on us. I'm sure he'll try other things but he won't massacre a city of over eight million people with his own personal army. At least, not yet anyway. Not when he's got people like Ra's still on site. Please, Jason, give me that thing." Jason noticed Dick was now closer to him with hand outstretched. "If I do it, he'll kill me," Jason shook his head. "You died a long time ago, Jason," Nightwing once again betrayed no emotion, "I don't really care anymore whether you live or die." "You can't mean that, Dickhead," Jason said with shock, a tear falling from his eye.

"You've got me there…except I care more about you not pulling that trigger than Thawne killing you."

"What the Hell's happened to you?"

"I know the man we're dealing with now. My wife was kidnapped, one of our best friends died saving her and now this city is looking to me to save it from itself. Not to mention Bruce does a disappearing act when we all need our father. People are dying out there every day, Jason. And we have to rise above that because that's what Bruce does. I don't want you to die, but for Christ's sake, I can't let you kill hundreds of people…"

Jason was in massive shock. He didn't really know what to say. Dick was different to how he had known him for many years. "Dick, I—" "Oh, forget it," Dick said punching his adopted brother full force in the face and grabbing the detonator as he collapsed. Dick then crushed it in his hand, "Considering our brothers are prisoners of the Joker I really don't give a damn about your self-preservation anymore, Jason." Steph and Cass then moved towards Dick. "Dick, he did help save Nell and her cousin on the bridge," Steph said, trying to get some clemency for the former Robin, "He's not all bad." Jason was in a foetal position at this point, afraid Thawne would somehow know of his failure and kill him then and there. He gripped his head in fear and began crying. Dick just stared at him, and felt his compassion returning. He moved down.

"Hey, Jason…it's okay. You're not dead. He's not done anything."

"I know…but it's so fucked. I can't believe I was so selfish. I worked for him to save my own skin. To save Lian's skin. Oh fuck."

Dick then hugged Jason tightly. "Lian Harper living is one of the most noble causes I can think of," Dick said, acting more like the man Jason remembered, "I know we've had our ups and downs, but you're not evil, Jason. Just misguided." He rubbed him up and down his back with his left arm. "What…did you say about the Joker, Dick?" Jason asked, after a fashion. "He's got Tim and Damian," was the sad reply. Jason leapt up from his position with anger in his voice. "That piece of shit…where are my guns?" he shouted into the night, "I'm gonna' get him." "You can't," Dick said, placing a calming hand on his brother's chest, "They're in Arkham. Which is guarded by the entire force of the League of Assassins. If any of us set foot there the two of them are dead." "Better dead then where they are now," Jason shouted, "I'm going—" Dick hit him on the head with his escrima sticks and Jason collapsed to the floor. "Lock him up in one of the rooms downstairs," he told the two girls, "Should've known he'd be a security risk." Cass and Steph then lifted Jason's unconscious form without speaking and followed Nightwing's orders. Dick stood on the edge of the roof and observed his city before focusing his attention on Arkham Asylum. He cried a little as he swore to himself, he would rescue Tim and Damian from that madman's clutches. Meanwhile, Eddie Thawne laughed in delight as he realised the drop of poison which he had planted in the well of Nightwing's operation was now after seeping in well and truly with the Red Hood's imprisonment, and crushed the remaining trigger for Scarecrow's bombs.