Sector 2814
Scumbag thinks he can punch Superman across the cosmos, idiots got another think coming. (Thinking...something this person tends to do very little of) He'd been sailing for a while back in Earth's direction by now. As soon as he gets his wind back though, Sodam Yat's getting his. Just needed a few minutes to recover on Earth. Get to see Laurie again. His passion. His everything. He served a madman with speed powers just for her. He was doing everything just for her. But he hadn't got to work on his passion of hurting those fake heroes yet. Oh, how he wanted to kill that Superboy again. Fake Superboy. Konner or something. Kill him good. But he needed to humiliate him first. Make it known good and proper that anyone who came close to him was screwed. He'd target those idiot friends of his from the Titans or Young Justice or whatever they called themselves. A disgrace. The Teen Titans he grew up reading were so much cooler. Nothing better than seeing Mad Mod kicking ass unlike Trigon or Deathstroke or whatever dumb villain they made up to copy X-Men. I mean anyone with half a brain knows a random fashion designer is a better villain than a demon or assassin with personal ties to a team member. What a rip!
Earth, such a beautiful planet. Shame it wasn't his Earth. On his Earth everything was better. They had good comics where heroes were heroes and villains were villains. None of this stupid three-dimensional characterisation. If he wanted that he'd have read a book. Books were for stupid grownups, comics were for kids with brains. It's like how his Grandpa used to complain about that Welles guy ruining movies. Too right. Movies should be about shooting and cowboys fighting Indians. That's why he stopped reading X-Men. That Claremont guy really screwed them over. I mean, personalities?! Heroes shouldn't have them. In the Silver Age, everything was better. Men were men and all that... Anyway, he was tired from thinking too much, time to fly into the Earth.
What the hell? He couldn't get in. Some kind of barrier. Well, he'd just keep hitting against it. Keep pounding. And pounding. And pounding. And… "PRIME, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" the voice of Eddie Thawne echoed through his brain. "My name's Clark," he replied. An audibly protracted sigh entered his head as he envisaged Thawne clasping his hands frustratedly over his eyes. "Not when I'm impatient with the tumour upon my life that is you, it's not," the voice sighed, "Well…more impatient than normal. It's not your fault. Except it is. We've a lot of pressure on and we've been waiting a long time for you to get back."
"You left me to die."
"I wish. Then I wouldn't have to grovel to you like this. Zod is lost so we definitely need you."
"How are you—"
"The Calculator's increasing the signal so I can commune with you. They heard that barrier being struck across the planet. I figured there could only be one idiot in all of time and space and beyond who would hit the same point in a forcefield three times or more. Come down anyway. He's opening the barrier temporarily. Make sure there are no Green Lanterns nearby."
"There can't be. Not after what I did to them."
"Oh, shut up, you braggart."
And so, Superboy-Prime flew through the temporarily lowered barrier to downtown Metropolis, where he and his partner, Laurie Lemmon resided. She had been brought to life for him by Thawne in exchange for his service. She didn't really exist in this universe, so it had taken a lot of Thawne's energy to drag her here to be his lady love. He was going to write poetry for her when he got home. Poetry about how seeing the stars was nothing compared to her beauty. She was like the glistening grain of sand amid the rough and perplexingly glass like parts. Unlike sand, she wasn't coarse or irritating and she didn't get everywhere. That was his Laurie. He'd write a symphony just for her and him, if it would make her love him. Why must Clark Kent be a teenager in love?
Clark flew through some fields of roses first picking whatever bunches he could, then flew to a bakery where he demanded a cake instantly, forcing a man trying to get his girlfriend a present to flee. With his heat vision, he then burned into the nearest chocolate cake, 'FOR LAURIE, WITH ALL MY LOVE ACROSS THE STARS, CLARK," as the bakers fled in terror. He didn't need to pay. He's Superman. They should have to pay him. And Laurie would be so happy to see him with cake and roses. Him. Her perfect boyfriend. Superman himself. His mermaid would love him so much. Clark approached the apartment with glee. He was going to have such fun reunited with his fiancée. He remembered proposing to her. At the restaurant of her dreams. Before he could propose, he'd brutalised a couple for arguing eight tables away. Eddie chewed him out for that one, but he didn't care. Laurie had been crying tears of joy when he gave her the ring. She didn't say yes, she didn't need to. He knew from how much he loved her that she didn't need to say so. Following suit on her silent confirmation, he shoved it onto her finger. Such a blissful love. She never said she loved him because why would she have to? She'd been happy to see him when she first arrived but a cynic would mention Thawne's low-level telepathy as being responsible for that. She kept crying whenever he came home with such tears of joy. How he adored his Laurie.
Where was she? Where was his Laurie? There was only a letter left for him on the coffee table. A letter which had 'Dear John' written at the top of it. Who was John? No John lived here. Just him and Laurie. In their soon to be wedded bliss. It was Laurie's handwriting on the letter though. It seemed to go along the lines of how she was so happy to know him, but he scared her, like she and his parents had told him. More than a day in his absence gave her the confidence to flee, but Thawne's men had brought her back here within a couple of days. So now she wanted Clark to know how she hated him. How he could never be Superman because of what a filthy control freak he was. Superman would have let her live free, as he did with Lois in the comics they read. Then she'd read about the recent disease hitting Metropolis. Faces of people twisting into smiles and dying. She had hoped this would get her, but no. Thawne himself had contacted her saying that Clark was on his way, and in her despair, Laurie slit her wrists. She begged Clark not to bring her back or she would go through Groundhog Day in order to end their relationship again. She signed the letter off with a reminder that her hatred for Clark was unabated and she hoped he died slowly and painfully.
Clark's eyes shot heat beams through the whole building. They immolated concrete before descending into the apartments below, killing countless unsuspecting people hiding from the chaos outside Clark had yet to realise. He smashed every painting he could in the apartment as well as threw a couch out the window which killed an innocent passer-by. Nothing could stop his rage. He was the most powerful being on this Earth. He… "Keep him down, Faust," Thawne barked at the magician while they walked in. Prime was suddenly pinned to the ground by tendrils of light. "I have no love for this city, Clark," his employer spoke in a chilling and impatient manner, "But, my God, you can't start killing them yet. Not while our plans are working over there." Thawne indicated the towering colossus that was the Daily Planet on the city skyline. "Plans?" Prime asked dumbfoundedly, "Where's Laurie?" Noticing the opened envelope, Thawne picked up the letter and looked to a door ajar. "Bled out in your bath, I should suspect," he concluded, "I'd like to say I'm sorry for you, but I feel sorrier for her. You know I used to think of women like you did. As objects. Then I saw what creeps like you do in your lust, and I gained a sort of self-awareness."
Thawne's reticence brought a very uncomfortable pause for a moment. Nevertheless, he digressed, from one psychopath to another. "So, I don't know whether to love or hate you, Prime," he sighed, "You remind me of what I was but also how I've grown and matured. But stroking my ego with your very presence doesn't get over the fact that you are a loathsome little toad." Prime inhaled deeply not taking his eyes from off Thawne who smirked like some form of twisted zookeeper withholding food from a caged animal. "If you hate me so much, why don't you just kill me?" Prime bit back. A chortle emerged from the throat of the Kryptonian's captor and Faust chuckled slightly in reply. "No," Thawne shook his head upon recovery, "No, I'm not going to kill you, Prime. For you are going to be ever so essential to this upcoming battle." He placed both his hands on Prime's cheeks. "You're going to be my atomic bomb that annihilates my enemies," he smiled, "You'll have powerful help though. Felix here for one. I gave a lot to get some of these guys back from Hell, as you can see."
Thawne pointed to his temples, showing he now had greying hair. Prime could care less what had been exchanged. This asshole was trying to make him jump through hoops for him again. Him?! The ultimate power on this planet. He wished he could. But then Prime remembered something. Thawne had brought him back from death and so many others. Laurie among them. Why then could Thawne not continue this trend by revivifying one he had already restored. Of course, Clark had the perfect thing to say to him. Words of such eloquence to justify an intervention on Thawne's part and play unto his sympathetic nature. Only a genius of his calibre could ever perform such an oratorical feat. And those words were...
"Give me Laurie back!"
"I can't."
"You what?"
"The Entity…is gone. Which makes this battle one of self-defence at this point…After all we've done, we can still win, Prime. But I'm sorry…even if I wanted to, I won't let that girl suffer you any longer."
"That means you can't kill me, then?"
Thawne laughed as he dangled something that looked like car keys from one of his fingers. "Oh please, I had Slade put a red sun charge in your ear the first night I had you," he indicated the trigger on his device, "Thankfully, I have the detonator and not him. But he's still got that red sun rifle, such as it is. And I've still got my speed, so don't think being faster than a speeding bullet will save your life, Clarkie boy! Now just hold on a minute. Because soon you'll get another chance to kill the people you hate. Let us see what the Clown Prince has in store…" And with that, Thawne pointed to the Daily Planet and inhaled in reverence knowing that today he would finally triumph against the heroes.
Gotham
The news from across the bay was not something any individual who desired redemption from the conflict Thawne had engineered would long to hear. First the rictus grins. So many people were said to have developed those grins. It sounded like the attempted reservoir poisoning in Gotham nearly twenty years beforehand. At least, the prelude to a denouement which never occurred thanks to the Batman. This was the result so many had feared. A town of clowns. A world where the human condition was reduced to sanity versus insanity. Almost like Gotham was in the minds of the ignorant. So many people in Gotham woke up to know that the epidemic everyone was hearing about from Metropolis…had turned into a viral Joker attack. But there was no sign of the Clown Prince of Crime. Bruce had been informed the Joker had tortured Tim…but he had no idea his nemesis was now tied completely to Thawne. Any megalomaniac would think twice before allowing that pseudo-anarchist with a penchant for observing the world immolate into their ranks. Metropolis made it obvious how desperate this Thawne fellow really was. To infest a city of hope with a toxin that would kill thousands…his desperation knew no end. And that was why at half six in the morning, the Batman gathered together all the forces he could in Gotham to resist Thawne's biological offensive.
"Alright," Bruce Wayne said before his assembled war council of all the heroes involved at an assembly in Park Row, now in costume as Batman. As taciturn as the Dark Knight tended to be, this maudlin delivery was the best initial oratory he could stomach while he was about to announce to many people he respected and/or loved that he may never see them again. Or anyone else beyond a traditional wake. He didn't know if he could continue and could sense Diana, Dick and others near him about to intervene before he moved to the one thing that dogmatically drove him beyond human failings. He remembered his parents. And the way they had fallen to wanton violence. He thought of all the children he had failed to deny a similar orphanage. As long as injustice existed, so would he. And no greater injustice existed right now for him than the monster who had all but destroyed his city, and was now forcing him to watch his own failure in Metropolis. Eobard Thawne. But no human could face knowing the horror that they and all of their family would perish in their crusade at once. Christians find joy in martyrdom. They never would have had all the Apostles been crucified with Jesus. He needed to tap into the human side of himself to elicit the words which might…and a strong emphasis on the possibility it might not…rouse those he believed in to fight by his side against this horror. But in this scenario, he needed to kill the man, and allow the legend to be born. If only for a moment. Bruce Wayne gulped desperately but Batman exhaled the words he needed to, in order to motivate others to follow him.
"This is it, my friends. This is where we finally assemble ourselves. An assemblage of gods to smite the evil which would destroy our world." His next gulp was so audible, Thawne almost sensed it from Metropolis and smirked so inanely that any jackal would blanch. "News," Batman continued trepidatiously, "News is coming in from the Daily Planet of an attack on their offices. An attack which is beginning to spread to the streets of Metropolis. Which already has…You've all heard of…Of…" With a clenched fist that would make Atlas appear to be a lightweight, he continued, "The epidemic in Metropolis which will no doubt elicit memories of a fiendish villain which has damaged so many of our lives. The Joker. He and Thawne are destroying Metropolis with this plague. Despite Lex Luthor's intelligence indicating Thawne's aim was a reconquest of Gotham, our enemies...no doubt in an attempt to further terrorise the good people of this world..., are not attacking our city but the city across the bay. They're striking Metropolis. Destroying it. Letting them suffer even worse than Gotham has suffered…"
Bruce struggled so much knowing there was no guarantee of redemption for anyone on either side of the battle. So many would die today. And as many martyrdoms and collateral casualties as he had known, the Batman could not countenance any result to this clash. But still he thought of Tim and Barbara and how many other people he knew who had risen above worse odds and made themselves leaders in order to rouse others to seize the day. "Thanks to our own hard work and the aid of the Amazons and Atlanteans we have rebuilt this city," he proceeded with more confidence, "When all this is over, I hope that Mayor Gordon and his daughter, Commissioner Gordon, can build this city back into something even better than what it was. But…we need to nip the virus caused by the Black Mercy in the bud. It has already caused fatalities among people…as some of you might say no more than influenza had. It's a virus we can fight back. And we can all sit still in our beds and think Charles Darwin was right and it's all just survival of the fittest…as if that were something any decent person could abide…"
Batman coughed before continuing, knowing his bitter anger and sense for social justice had surfaced too hard for even him to tackle with that last sentence. Calming himself, he hoped that Dr Mid-Nite and others he knew could deliver in ending this disease. But deep down…he knew that they couldn't. That this Battle of Metropolis would decide whether Thawne… or humanity won this war. "But if what J'onn J'onzz…one of the greatest heroes this solar system has ever known…told me long ago is true...then it's in all of us. This virus. Loathe as I am to say it…we need to take out the carriers in Metropolis by securing them here and now. And save the innocent. Maybe we'll cure it or maybe we'll just make life a little harder for Eddie Thawne," Batman inhaled so deeply that one would think he was partaking of a woodbine, "You know what…maybe there's no point in any of this at all. But we're all going to fight here today even if it kills us. Because…because it's right…because it's kind…because it's what almost every one of us swore we would do so long ago. And we'll all do it, until it kills us. Maybe not today. But someday that will happen to all of us. Hopefully…hopefully we will all live happily at the end of this…but I can't promise we will win this battle. Thawne has powerful allies. We're fighting an army. A grand army. An army of psychopaths and super-villains…" Hesitating crucially for one minute, Bruce recalled all his tutor in public speaking had advised many years before and attempted to regain his audience, no matter how fruitlessly that may have been. "But we have one too. A grand army, made up of better people that I gladly call my friends. Just know that I…I wish you all good luck and thank you for your service here."
Bruce summarily dismissed everyone in his presence as he stalked with Diana, Arthur and Dick down to assemble their legions. His conservative approach to the whole situation hardly made anyone feel more confident about their final battle. But…how could any of them go in not knowing this could be the end? Whilst making Gotham the pseudo city-state it had been had achieved a few months of security, they all feared they would be annihilated when their nemesis developed his forces enough to truly resist them. Bruce flexed thumb and forefinger of his right hand against his eyes as his adopted son and two of his old comrades tried to reassure him. Cool and calculated as he could be, the three of them knew he was still a boy who had witnessed the murder of his parents. They and few others. One of those few others had abandoned everything about himself that could help them now because of paranoia. The best of them. Clark. Bruce's speech nor his more obvious indecision afterwards did not spell the end of the war effort for the resistance, however. They had all lost to Thawne or believed in something greater than he or themselves enough to carry on. And that was why, regardless of any failure at public speaking, this conflict did not end because Batman's emotions got the better of him.
Troops began mobilising. Amazon, Atlantean, Gothamite and superhero. All together now, about to rise across the trench to No Man's Land. Mr Miracle and Cyborg had established all the Boom Tubes to Metropolis necessary nearby, so they could lead a full-frontal assault from various angles and help liberate the city of his old friend, Kal-El. "Bruce," Diana said to Batman as they continued readying themselves, "Kal does not have his powers." The expressions of Arthur and Dick were displeased. To them, she didn't need to state the obvious and affect their morale further. But Diana had made her point known. And she was right. As great as things were…they lacked Superman. Bruce, his lack of confidence apparent to all but him in this conversation merely asked her, "Your point being?" "Are you sure this is wise?" she asked, "We've never beaten anything on this scale without him." Her friend smiled with the insecurity of someone who had just lost a limb before approaching one of his dearest friends, and intimating, "Clark and Lois are on side again, Diana." A laugh as insecure as the Joker's echoed from the middle aged man's throat. "Not to mention," he managed through his discomfort, "We have the Spectre. Why would Superman be important? Why should any of us wo—`` The Themysciran placed her finger upon his lips before one of her equals could continue to mansplain. "Because Clark, yourself and I have saved this world together more times than any of us have alone," she explained, "Forgive me for worrying slightly…that he's not with us today." He just looked solemnly into her eyes and showed his own apprehension as well. "Clark wouldn't want us worrying about him," he answered with more confidence, "He'd want us to keep fighting...and overcome any obstacles." Wonder Woman was disgusted at this pretence of security, but before Dick could call his father out on his nonsense, she played to the chauvinistic side of his personality, by saying, "I'm frightened, Bruce." "As am I, Diana," he said holding his old friend's hand with all honesty, "As am I."
Cassie had been devastated when she told Conner and Kara they couldn't come with them. Both had vehemently complained at every member of the Batman Family heading to Metropolis without powers, not realising the irony of their statements. Neither had trained as if they had normal abilities except in the last couple of months, whereas the drills of the Batman Family put the USMC to shame. As angry as they were, they realised that someone needed to stay behind with Jim Gordon and mind the children, especially while Barbara was coordinating attacks as Oracle. Still, as always it wasn't just the under experienced adults who complained for being relegated during such a debacle. Mar'i and so many others under the age of fifteen had protested but everyone hoped they'd been talked down. They wanted to prove themselves. But only Damian was allowed for the simple fact that he needed to take down his mother. Slade and Rose Wilson were being sent with him as backup. Essential backup. But no one told him that they were needed. If they couldn't help in stopping Talia al Ghul's involvement no one could. Mr Terrific and Sasha Bordeaux would use their Checkmate assets to surprise Maxwell Lord…hopefully…while everyone else…everyone else would meet Vandal Savage's forces and whatever the Joker had to throw at them head on. Hippolyta and Mera had returned to Themyscira and Atlantis respectfully to rouse forces, but they couldn't promise reinforcements would be plenty after the recent conflicts there. Regardless, their forces were numerous. Why did they all feel so defeated? The fact of the matter was that with Captain Atom in Kansas and only Luthor to rely upon, everyone privy to that knowledge felt that this was the end. If not for all of them, then at least for the majority.
At the apartment they were sitting in, Conner saw his cousin, Kara was lost in thought. "Is everything okay?" he asked without judgement. "Oh, nothing, Kon," she exhaled through her mouth as if about to sigh before resignedly letting him know what was on her mind, "Just thinking back to that night in Smallville after we beat Doomsday. Never imagined we'd come from there to here in so short a time." "No," he shook his head in agreement, "But at least we're still breathing." That hollow laughter only the condemned can really elicit became apparent in the room both cousins shared. To think two people, both of whom had died before, would be this traumatised by sitting on the side-lines. Superboy felt he needed to say something to alleviate the tension. It would do no good, but he still needed to say it. "Hopefully even if they lose we'll make it," he said without confidence. Supergirl engaged him in protracted eye contact as she deliberated whether to confide in her cousin a certain secret. A confidential truth someone else should know. A factor that she would endeavour to solve if she ever left here. And so, Kara stammered as if she were prepubescent, "I do too," she managed, "I have someone I need to find when this is all over." "Oh, really?" Kon asked, trying to maintain a façade of guarantee to his cousin as any male would relying on nothing but false reassurance, "Sounds kind of...personal."
In order to keep himself sane, Conner simply thought back to before this war had begun. Before he'd spent a year or more in the future. Prior to his discovery of himself. Kara had been through more than him during that whole odyssey. Still, he felt more like he had to be strong, than she ever would. Why? He didn't really understand. But he knew that his cousin could do with someone to talk to right now. He and so many other people he'd loved had needed that and gone wanting in the past, that Kon-El would never sit idly by and watch it happen to anyone else. "Care to share with me?" he asked with a genuine smile upon his face. Kara grinned awkwardly as she tucked her arms into her legs and breathed deeply before confidence manifested itself within her. "I don't even know them," she sighed, "But it's so much more complicated than you'd guess." Her cousin just affectionately nodded, because all anyone needed in these times was a receptive ear. "Do you," she proceeded to ask, "Do you remember there was a Supergirl before me?"
"Yeah, sure. Nice girl. Different powers but looked pretty much like you did...except I have an itch in the back of my head saying she was really a brunette. Never really knew what happened to her. All I know is...she wasn't really Kryptonian."
Kara was about to tell her cousin everything. About the Matrix Angels and Hal Jordan's control of the multiverse once upon a time. Everything. But, some of the younger ones came in, interrupting the cousins bonding, and Conner was a little flabbergasted to see Robbie and Mar'i were flying. "What the heck?" Kara started laughing, "Don't be so shocked. You do know that's Starfire and Donna's kids, right?" He changed his expression to a smirk, attempting to disguise his own disbelief. Mar'i flew up into his face and blew a raspberry into the cocky lad's visage before saying, "I told Uncle Tim you said you beat Doomsday and he said you talked a load of…well he told me not to say this word but…SHIT!" Superboy laughed heartily before reengaging by tousling the hair of Dick Grayson's daughter. "Well, I'll tell you I'm not full of…that bad word…because your Daddy's one of my heroes…and your mom mentored me…though don't ask about my dog tearing up her garden." She giggled at Kon, squirming away from his hair tousling before saying, "Oh wow, Uncle Tim was right. You are like Superman with teen angst." He laughed a little thanking all the deities ever his best friend hadn't mentioned Luthor to her in reference to his overly perceptive niece.
"I thought when they said minding kids, they meant a nice one like Steph's," he sarcastically wound Mar'i up while asking his cousin. "She's here too," Kara noted, nodding to a smaller girl with a knitted doll held to her while her other hand was being escorted by Avia Free, who Conner still found intimidating in how much taller she was than him. "So, why the big...older...older ones!" he panicked as Avia gave him a leer. Even if he had had his powers she was a New God, and could take him easily. "Our parents are just frightened," Lian Harper said as she came in, "Well, their parents. My mom would probably love to have me fighting, but…Aunt Donna's the closest thing I have to a parent here apart from my grandparents so…"
Conner played with Lian's hair as he had Mar'i and she scowled at him a little. "Sorry for being nice, kid," he shrugged. "We're older than you think," Lian reminded him, before winking as if to remind him she did appreciate his kindness. "I know," Kon smiled, "I'm sorry. I know all about people thinking you're a kid when you don't feel it. Reason we set up Young Justice." Lian and her peers seemed curious, but then Leslie Thompkins walked in with some supplies. "The others are leaving now," she told the two Kryptonians, "You might want to go and...Say your goodbyes." Superboy and Supergirl nodded, looking at one another sadly. "Are there...um...evacuation procedures in place?" Kara asked her. "I have a Mother Box," Avia replied. Kara just didn't know what to say to that terse and forthright response and merely nodded. What can you say anymore? They really felt like there was no more hope. Not at all.
The army assembled at the wharf, about to head into the bay. All the heroes they could bring. All the Amazon and Atlantean troops that accompanied Wonder Woman and Aquaman stood ready. Ready to face Leviathan, the followers of Vandal Savage, Checkmate and the legions of Eddie Thawne. Dick Grayson watched across the bay to Metropolis with his binoculars. All he could see was a fire coming from the Daily Planet. A fire burning green. Dick sighed. "I think that's a declaration of war," he said to Bruce behind him. Batman looked to see armies of Jokerised people attacking the police and ordinary citizens in Metropolis. These Wayne Tech binoculars had great viewing qualities. The Batman can't have ordinary binoculars. "Thawne…" he said with disgust before turning to face the first of his family, "Is everyone ready?" Nightwing nodded. "You sure Luthor isn't going to try and nuke Metropolis while we're all there," he inquired before getting everyone to their Boom Tubes. "Even if he was...what can we do," his father sighed, "Chris, Thara and Diana could stop it maybe...but..." Bruce felt his son's arm on his shoulder. "Sorry for hitting you," Dick apologised, "You know when you first came back?" "That's okay," the Dark Knight smiled, "I deserved it." "No," Nightwing shook his head sadly, "You didn't."
Tim and Steph were now approaching in costume to meet with their allies. Batgirl stood back a little as Tim fitted his cowl over his face. He noticed he couldn't hear her walking behind him anymore and turned around. He immediately sensed Steph's discomfort before he could even tell her that "We're going to be late." He placed his hand on her shoulder and she spoke before he could question what the issue was. "Sorry...just," she managed through her anxiety, "What the reports said...there's a big army out there." "And like Batman said," her boyfriend reminded her, "We've got a big army." "Yeah, but he also said this guy can control life," Batgirl exhaled almost in surrender, "If we win...what's to say he doesn't just get tired of toying with us and...end it." "We have the spell from Constantine protecting us," Red Robin spoke matter of factly. "Of course," Steph conceded, "But he could still drop a nuke on Metropolis." "We have," he began but hesitated with the realisation of how sound his lover's logic was, "Alright look...I can't promise we're going to survive this, Steph. Are you happy?"
"I've never expected to survive before, Tim. Never. Not since I started the job have I ever thought there's a guarantee going out there. But at the same time...I haven't gone out expecting it was more likely I won't make it out before. Shows you what I know...after Black Mask."
"I don't buy that."
"What?"
"You're not being honest, Steph. Bar some easy patrols with backup, this is the first time you've gone out to fight since you found out about Debbie. You want to be there for her."
"I-Yeah."
"Avia will get her out of here, you won't have to worry about her safety. But I get it."
"I don't. Nothing makes sense anymore."
"No. I suppose...it's not like you're going out on patrol to fight Scarecrow."
"You should be used to this. I mean...you've been to Apokolips."
"That I have. And I've lost friends. Family. I even lost you once. I don't know, am I fit to fight out there...I know I'm not her Dad, but I'm afraid of leaving your little one alone too."
"You should have been her father."
"Now Steph, we both know there's more to fatherhood than DNA. I mean...look at me and the other Batboys. Except Damian."
"Yeah, I know. Bruce is your father. And you...won't get the chance to be hers. I'm being selfish not letting you in."
"Shh, shh. Don't worry about it. If we make it out today...we have all the time in the world to talk about this stuff. If not...well, at least we'll die well."
"I love you, Tim."
"And I love you, Steph. It's good to say that to you again after this past year. Now come on...the people we love and the world need us."
Connor Hawke was looking with a scowl at his girlfriend, Mia Dearden, knowing she wanted to fight but being against it for some unknown reason. "Connor, you're being unreasonable," Speedy laughed." "Mia, this is serious," he sighed, "I can't-" "Shh," she put a finger to his lips, "It's fine. Whatever happens I'm going to be there to help end all this...you can't stop me." "But we could lose..." he stopped until she interrupted to say, "We won't lose a thing...no matter which of us goes out there our future is in danger. Let's risk it for the right reasons, okay?" "Okay," he sighed, "I still feel...uncomfortable." "Well, believe it or not," she replied with a smirk, "If Ollie and Dinah can't tell me not to fight, you certainly can't." "You'll be the death of me," he smiled after she finally justified herself to him. "Well...that might be the case for everyone here." As she gave him a quick kiss, Bart Allen just gave Rose Wilson a silent hug asking that she be safe without really asking. That's all that really needed to be said between the two of them right now. Conner Kent found it difficult to speak to Cassie Sandsmark however. It was different. He was useless at the moment. He didn't even have his tactile telekinesis working. She, on the other hand, still had her divine strength and her lasso. "Feels like history repeating itself, doesn't it?"" he asked, avoiding eye contact, "Me, hanging behind while you and the others go off and fight."
"Yeah, just like when Prime first...ah it doesn't need saying. You alright?"
"No...I feel like this is the last time I'm going to see you."
"Conner, you got the crap kicked out of you at the Evil Factory. You'd be wiped out in six seconds flat out there. Bruce was right to tell you not to come and I'm sorry to say that. And don't give me a corny line about how at least you'd die with me. I'm not living with that grief again if this time you die being an idiot instead of a hero. But…I still need to know one thing from you before I go out there."
"Of course."
"What's dying like?"
"It's...painful at first. But then the pain fades very quickly, and you get a little panicked, knowing your body's giving in. Then...then it's like going to sleep. Just drifting off and being at peace."
"So, you're saying I shouldn't be afraid?"
"Definitely not."
"Thank you. If I don't make it, you better convert and start praying to Persephone that you get to go to Elysium with me."
"Ha! You have your coin?"
"Always...it feels more important now."
"I hope you make it back. If not for us, then for yourself."
"I...hope I make it too. But even if I don't...don't be like me and just wallow in self-pity for too long. We're both too young to feel like we've been widowed. I wasted a year of my life missing you, some of it in the stupid cult that started this, and then the best part of another year hating myself for kissing our best friend. It ruined me a little."
"I know...and I'm really, really sorry."
"Don't be. You had given me a great love, and I missed it. That's nothing to regret. Now just make me feel like I have something to come back for."
And with that, they had a kiss which seemed to define tragic kisses. Long and tainted in an unspoken way with sadness as well as with their own tears. They didn't have a right to kiss like this. To kiss as if...nothing could fall. The shame was on the other side. In Metropolis. With the enemies of humanity ready to destroy them. Enemies of everything. Enemies of them or anyone else being happy except for one evil man and his twisted plan to subordinate life to himself. They let go, and moved on as soon as possible, not wanting to let the goodbye linger any longer than it had to. A shame. Bart just gave Conner another silent hug as he moved up to follow them.
Jason Todd was cleaning his guns beside Bruce Wayne with a cloth. "Are you going to use those?" his father asked. "I know how to aim them non-lethally if you're worried," Red Hood reassured him. "I'm not," Batman replied, "What I'm worried about is who you're going to be hunting over there...this is an army. We need discipline." His second son just laughed like a maniac. "Do you really think there's going to be any structure over there?" he put to the Dark Knight, "That it's not going to be every man for himself. We're heroes...not an army. And no, Bruce, I'm not going to hunt him. I have a feeling I won't have to." Red Hood and Batman just glared at each other with mutual respect but also concern.
"Are you okay?" Dick asked Cassie Sandsmark as they stood together ahead of a lot of former Titans, seeing she was visibly upset after what might have been her and Conner Kent's last conversation. "I'm," she hesitated before deciding Dick was someone she could be honest with, "Just worried I'm not going to make it back and see him again." "Yeah, I know that feeling," he nodded, "Being married and being a dad only makes me ten times more anxious. Still, it's good we finally get to chat privately. You and me…Titans leaders. You remind me a lot of Donna, you know." "Well, I am her aunt," she laughed. "Eh?" Nightwing said confusedly. "Long story," she smirked, "Ask Bruce." A shyness came out in this Wonder Girl at finally getting a proper chance to speak candidly with someone she as a Titans leader really admired. "Tim and Kon really look up to you, you know," she smiled. "Yeah well, your boyfriend and I both went into that abyss together," Nightwing pointed to the horizon, "Last time we had to land in Metropolis with the apocalypse coming. I was his last partner before he died. I'm glad I get to pair with the leader this time. You're everything Donna says about you. Strong and knows how to command respect without demanding it. And like Tim told me, the model Titan."
"That means a lot, Dick. I mean…you're like basically the Titan. The epitome of who we want to be. Nightwing."
"Yeah well, believe it or not, Cassie…my shit stinks too."
"Ha!"
"Titans Together?"
"Titans Together!"
The Daily Planet
Clark Kent and Lois Lane were holding hands walking into work that day. It was like any other day at the Daily Planet. Except Clark Kent normally didn't go with his wife straight into the editor's office carrying a folder full of documents detailing the crimes of Eobard Thawne and his trafficking network for young metahumans. His connections to Intergang. Everything. All of this happened at 8 o'clock in the morning. Before Barry Allen awoke from his coma, before the heroes in Gotham amassed to liberate the city of Metropolis. Cat Grant and Jimmy Olsen were both surprised at what they saw. These two coming into work this early and looking so determined. It made no sense. So, Cat pressed a button on her phone. A button transmitting a signal to her source on getting the rights to compose First Lady Eliza Day's biography, "A Most Fashionable Queen". Lois' pregnancy was now in the third trimester. So many months had passed since the initial news, and now she and Clark would soon be parents. Her source wanted to know if ever it became apparent Lois and Clark's story was going full on. She knew this would be the day their collection of articles would end up furthering a special edition of the Planet exposing the government.
Perry White perused the evidence at his desk, a cigar in his hand and feeling sick looking at the pictures of children being taken away. "Damn," he swore, placing his hand on his forehead, "Lois, Clark...you two are damn fine journalists. But...you're gonna' have two little babies soon. This stuff...I can't guarantee your safety if this comes out. Why are you risking your necks now?" His ace reporter wanted to interject, but knew she shouldn't. She would have published this stuff come hell or high water, but it was Clark doing this that was important. His whole work with Black Lightning to research this human trafficking on such a scale, and only now gaining the courage to do something about it meant it was him who needed to justify this. "Because we're not going to stand by and let our children grow up in a country where something like this could happen," Clark told his mentor, "At the hands of our own government, no less."
"Kent...I'm not talking about the government. Do you know how many companies are tied to the people you identified in these pictures? They're not just Intergang…they're all employees of pretty much every major corporation with offices in the city except LexCorp. This...I can't promise the two of you won't be ruined if you're not killed. You won't have a pot to piss in. Whatever about attacking LexCorp, he always had a thing for Lois, and people knew he was crooked anyway, you're really taking a risk with these other guys. You do this...you'll have powerful people all over your asses."
"We already told you, Perry," Lois began, "All we want is for the truth to out. We don't care about anything else. Just for good to win." Her editor frowned but then nodded his head. "The special will be on the shelves tomorrow," he pledged, "Let's just hope the country goes up in arms about this. I suggest you two go outside and mingle. You never know whose watching." Their boss was right to be suspicious, but even Clark felt secure right now. There was something about him today which naively believed things were going to be alright. Not today. An hour later, they saw rioting in the streets below them. Heavy rioting. Rioting suggesting the end of the city. "What the hell is that?" Perry White wondered, looking downstairs as he saw people with disturbed faces ripping apart random folks. Clark, Lois, Jimmy and Cat then walked towards the lift. Cat didn't think her contact would come here. She didn't even know his name, except that he worked for the government. And now he'd come to see her. Come to make himself known. The lift door pinged open as the chief security guard at the Daily Planet was thrown to the floor by a man with a shotgun, his face contorted maliciously into a smile. The man was most definitely dead.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," the Joker splendiferously announced as he and his henchmen made their way into the main office of the Daily Planet, "We're the health inspectors. Here to make sure that the public well-being is taken into account by the stories you publish. And a little birdie tells me that you're going to be publishing some very naughty stories. Stories which…" He pointed out the window to the people below. "..., have already damaged that health. They don't even know you're going to publish it and they're all losing their minds." He began giggling in that characteristically manic fashion before silencing himself just in time to shoot a young intern he passed by in the head with a real bullet. "Now," he kicked the corpse to see was it dead before returning his attention to the crowd, "Where is Superman?" The clown's henchmen currently had every single person working in the Daily Planet held at gunpoint. "Superman?" he reiterated with impatience, "Anyone? I know he works here. I'll settle for his loved ones."
"What the hell is this?" Perry White stormed out of his office and squared up bravely to the Clown Prince of Crime. The editor seemed to lack fear even more so than a Green Lantern. "Who do you think you are bursting into my paper like that?" he shouted in the madman's face. There was silence. Everyone in the room expected their beloved bullpen commissar to be killed on the spot. But as ever the nefarious harlequin simply laughed like a hyena, sparing the reprobate for the moment in order to derive a greater sense of satisfaction from this encounter. "You know you remind me of Citizen Kane," he patted the old man on the cheek, "Only without the good looks and charisma. I'd like to see you smile, grumpy." He put his thumbs in Perry's mouth and forced his frown to move upwards into a smile. Perry, either bravely or stupidly, moved the killer's hands from his mouth and punched him in the face. The Joker snickered almost melodically at the older man's reactions. "A little fight in you, I like that," he chuckled, "How about I show you something?" As this occurred, Clark and Lois were hiding behind a fern in Perry's office with Jimmy Olsen. "Oh gee, Miss Lane," Jimmy fidgeted, "Clark...I dunno' what to do. Clark, do something?" "I can't, Jimmy," he reminded him. The younger, red-haired man looked up at him and said, "Superman wouldn't care about being hurt."
At this point, the Joker was showing Perry the entire city of Metropolis from a window he'd shot open. His henchmen were rigging the whole building with timed explosives containing his toxin. The traffic seemed to have stopped, everywhere. There were fires in the distance, a police helicopter crashed into a building nearby and an apartment complex was being torn apart by what appeared to be Superman's heat vision. "It's all a joke, Perry," the clown demonstrated to his hostage, "My way of thinking...the disease you've spread, has destroyed your city. Thawne got his men to amplify it. Everyone's breaking down. He thinks I'll bring him order, and I might...But today, anarchy wins." "You're a thug, you know that," Perry said to the clown, who began to reply, "I know-"
"No, you don't know. Like a lot of you super-criminals you like to think you're some amazing new artiste. Avant garde. You think your crimes are ingenious and unique like something Picasso would do. In your mind, the likes of Damien Hirst got nothing on you and the things you do. Believe it or not, you're just sick puppies. Your crimes are no grander than any other murderer just because you do them with a trademark. It's not your talent for evil that makes you so notorious. None of that comes because you're some kind of force of nature. The only reason you're even here is your city's revolving-door prison system and Batman's mercy that means you get to keep doing it again and again. It's all one bad fucking joke."
The Joker didn't smile at first. Then he giggled a little. "You don't like me very much, do you, Perry?" he said, almost sadly, "You're awful, Perry. Party poopers like you need to fly." The Joker prepared to throw Perry only to hear a nasally voice cry "Wait!" as Jimmy Olsen emerged with his hands outstretched. "Who the hell are you?" the Clown Prince of Crime mocked the young reporter. "I'm Jimmy Olsen, sir," he adjusted his bowtie nervously before returning the arm that did it up above his head, "We've met before. I'm a friend...of Clark Kent's. I'm here to tell you he's skipped town...but he'll come back...if you use me and Perry as hostages. Keep us alive. Then...he'll do what you want if you don't hurt us." "You're a very brave boy, Jimmy," the clown congratulated him, "It's a pity I know you're lying. See, my henchmen already have Kent and his wife at gunpoint." He nodded behind Jimmy to indicate the couple in question being dragged from Perry's office. "And I can't stomach liars," he drawled menacingly. The Joker then produced his Bowie knife and slashed Jimmy's stomach before firing a bullet through each of his kneecaps. The young reporter screamed in pain. Lois Lane, who like her husband was being held at gunpoint, turned to him with tears in her eyes.
"Oh, quit whining. I only cut you enough to draw some blood. Don't take it so personally, you cry baby. It was just for the stomach gag. Those kneecaps will probably be permanently damaged though. My treat."
Perry jumped for the Joker's gun as he laughed at Jimmy Olsen's unfortunate situation only to receive three blows of a Bowie knife to the gut. "I…I…" the old editor spluttered through the pain. "Perry!" Lois screamed, running out and almost being shot in the process. But then as she prepared to grab her mentor, the monster with the rictus grin put a gun to her head, halting the ace reporter. "This is why hostages are overrated, Mr Olsen," he said to the agonised young man, "Gangway, Perry!" As Perry lay bleeding, with a tear trickling from his right eye, the Joker kicked him out the window. The old editor fell at top speed down to the road below before swarms of infected Metropolitans swarmed around his corpse in a cannibalistic rage.
Jimmy, Lois and Clark couldn't believe what they had seen. Clark was brought to his knees beside Jimmy as one of the henchmen actively bandaged the lad's knees. "Why are you doing this?" Lois asked the harlequin. "I think those screams of his are hilarious," the clown indicated her friend, "Don't you? I'd rather protract the kid's suffering for comic relief than just let the little ginger nut die." Looking up from Jimmy, Lois defiantly leered at the clown who just giggled back. "You're not frightened? Good. A little fight in you? I like that," he repeated, "Perry White had a smidgeon of fight in him too." "He was worth ten of you," she defiantly spat. "No doubt, judging by his girth," the clown rejoined, "Now, Miss Lane, my employer has some questions..." The Joker produced their portfolio on metahuman trafficking from one of his goons. "What were you planning to do with this?" he asked her accusatorily.
"Expose anyone and everyone involved in this slavery programme."
"Is there any way I could persuade you to…like your friend, Perry…drop the story. Or several storeys in his case. Oh, I kill me!"
"Never. Not for you. Or anyone. We've fought too hard to let people like you keep winning."
"So…Perry White being thrown out a window did nothing for you? Nothing at all."
"Nope."
"You're not even a teeny bit afraid? Who taught you to be this stubborn?"
"Perry fucking White!"
"Well then...I'm afraid you'll have to die with him. I'll be killing four for the price of one so…"
"No," Clark said pathetically as the Joker put a gun to Lois' head. "Any last words?" he asked her as he removed the safety pin. "You can't win," she shook her head and laughed, "You won't...Superman will never…" WRONG!" the Joker screamed as he pulled her up and levelled his gun at her, "This reminds me of a joke about having a baby. You probably won't get it." He pulled the trigger as Lois Lane closed her eyes and thought of the children she would have had. The mother and father she and Clark could have been. All gone now. Gone. There was a whoosh. An almighty whoosh. Lois thought she must have died. She must have. Then she opened her eyes...