Dick only needs to knock once before the door opens.
"Hola, amigo," Bart says quickly. "What brings you to the old casa?"
"Hey, Bart. Is Jay here?"
"Negative. Out for groceries."
Dick looks quickly around him then says, "Can we talk for a minute?"
Bart's face falls slightly. "Sure. Is it serious?"
Dick walks in the house and the door closes behind him. "I'm not sure." The two sit down at the kitchen table. "Bart, what do you know about the Speed Force?"
"Not a ton, but no one really does. Extrademensional force that gives me and all the other speedsters you love powers."
"The extra dimensional part - know anything specific about that? Any futuristic breakthroughs?"
"Not really. If you want to know more, Jay should be back in a half hour." Bart pauses. "So, uh, why the sudden interest? Trying to create another speedster?"
Dick shakes his head. "Nothing like that-" he's cut off by a phone ring. "Hang on a sec- Hello? Yeah- they're what? Okay, okay, I'm on my way." He puts his phone down on the table and clenches his fist. "That was Zatanna. The covert team in Santa Prisca is back."
"So soon? Thought they'd last at least another day." Bart leans back in his chair, feet on the table.
"Me too." Dick stands up. "Sorry, Bart. Gonna have to take a raincheck for this convo. I need to get to the Watchtower."
"I'll come with," Bart exclaims. Before Dick can reply Bart is standing before him in his Kid Flash suit. "Race ya there," and in a flash, Dick is left alone in the Garrick's kitchen.
"We have to go back!" Cassie shouts. "We can't just leave him there on an island with trained killers!"
"That's what I've been saying this entire time!" Stephanie jumps in, annoyed.
"Then why did you let them take him? You should've stayed behind!"
"Artemis was dying! Would you have rathered her bleed out instead?"
"Enough," Dick says. "This isn't anyone's fault. You all did what you had to. We'll get Tim back."
"If the League of Shadows hasn't killed him yet," Cissie says entering the room. "Artemis is fine. She's in recovery."
"Not helping, Cis," Cassie says through gritted teeth.
"Woah," Bart says, running between them. "We all need to chillax. We're talking about Robin - if anyone can make it as the League of Shadow's prisoner, it's him for sure."
Cassie and Stephanie glare at him.
Dick sighs. "Look, you did the right thing coming to the Watchtower. The League isn't one to kill first ask questions later. They've most likely got him locked up somewhere, interrogating him about why he and the others were on Santa Prisca. We'll need time to come up with a plan, until then, everyone, take your missions as they come." He pauses. "We will get Tim back."
When he finishes speaking, Zatanna makes her way over to him. "It'll be okay, Dick," she says, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You were right, Tim will be fine. We'll get him back."
"I should've gone with them to Santa Prisca, Zee," Dick says, looking at the ground. "The covert team was my responsibility. I should've-"
"Dick," Zatanna cuts him off, her voice soft and comforting. "You can play the blame game all you want, but you did what you thought was right, which is why no one questioned you. We'll get him back, but blaming yourself isn't going to help anyone."
"I know," he says, then looks up at her, smiling.
Garfield soon joins them. "I know you said it was League business," he says to Dick, "but what are the chances you know where our evil alien has flown off too."
"Garfield-" Zatanna starts before Dick cuts her off.
"It's fine. Every Leaguer is on the lookout for any Kryptonian activity, save for Superman and Superboy, of course."
"And I've been trying to locate Mary since they attacked S.T.A.R. Labs," Zatanna adds.
"Shouldn't they be actively looking for her? She's a threat to-"
"I know, Gar. But she and Mary left through a Boom Tube. Chances are they're on Apokolips, and no one goes there unless absolutely necessary. For all we know, she won't even return to Earth. The League is prepared, though. We have eyes everywhere, so trust me, if she decides to return to Earth, we'll know it, and we'll be ready."
From what I remember about Earth, its inhabitants can't fly, so I stay on the ground. Better to blend in while I try and figure out how I got here.
When I finally make it out of the field of flowers, I'm in what I assume is an Earth city. There are a few people out walking. I do the same, observing how they act and listening to what they're saying.
Some talk about their plans for tonight, some talk about errands they need to run, and a few whisper about me, about what I'm wearing. One man says I must be a big fan of Superman. I decide I'll find out more about Superman, and why his name is similar to mine, later. For now, I need to change what I'm wearing if I wish to blend in with Earthlings.
Luckily, I see a building with a massive collection of human clothing. The door is open and people are walking freely in and out. I enter the building and watch other people pick out clothes then bring them to a counter near the exit. I do the same.
"Can I assist you with anything?" someone says to me. I quickly spin around to see a woman smiling at me. She wears a name tag that reads Vivienne. "Would you like to try anything on?" she asks when I don't answer her.
"I need new clothes," I tell her.
She pauses for a brief moment then says, "Absolutely, did you have anything specific in mind?"
"I just need something casual."
"Yeah, okay," her voice is quite cheerful. "So pretty much everything in the store is casual, but our women's section is over here and we have lots of options I can show you."
I freeze when I catch sight of something. A collection of blue shirts hang on a rack, each with the symbol of the House of the El on them.
"Where did you get these?" I ask, picking out one of the shirts.
"Oh those are our Superman shirts. These are in the men's section, but we also have some for women if you'd like." I watch Vivienne's eyes fall to the symbol on my chest.
"Superman?" I repeat.
"Uh, yes. I take it you're a fan." She gestures to my suit.
"Where can I find Superman?" I ask her.
"Uh, I'm not really sure what you mean."
"I need to find him."
"Okay," Vivienne pauses, unsure what to say. Luckily, she's saved from having to continue when another woman jumps in.
"You're looking for Superman, eh?" A woman with red hair asks me.
"Do you know where I can find him?" I ask her.
"Possibly," she says. "What's your name, hon?"
"Kara," I tell the woman. Her eyes narrow, and I can tell she's unsure of me, but she's calm. Her heartbeat doesn't increase.
"Lana," she says, sticking out her hand. I stare at it, unsure of what Earth custom this is. "Nevermind," Lana continues. "Why don't you grab whatever it is you came here for and I'll see about introducing you to Superman."
I don't want to leave this woman's side, but I know I'm more likely to meet Superman if I cooperate with her, so I do what she says and grab a few things off a clothing rack. Vivienne returns and asks if I'd like for her to open a dressing room. I'm only partially paying attention, though. Lana has stepped outside the store, but she hasn't left. I watch her pull out some piece of technology and she holds it to her ear. After it rings a few times, Lana says, "Clark, she's here. In Smallville-"
In a split second I rush outside the store and grab the device from Lana. "Who are you speaking to?" I demand. "Who are you working with?"
"No one. Kara-"
I throw the device away. "I refuse to be tricked or trapped. You will take me to Superman. Right now."
"Kara," Lana says. "That was him. He's been … expecting you."
"How does he know who I am?"
"Ugh, poor choice of words. Look I'm not trying to trick you into anything. Superman is in Metropolis. I can take you to him if you just let me get my phone."
I let her pick up her device off the ground, but it's cracked and won't turn on. "Dammit," she cries. "You Kryptonians really don't know how to be gentle, do you?"
"Is Superman a Kryptonian, too?"
"Yeah. He's-"
"Kara," a voice calls from behind me, accompanied by a large thud. I turn around to see a tall man in a blue suit and red cape, wearing my family's crest.
"Superman," I assume.
"Kara," he says again, "I don't want to fight you. Please, can we talk?"
Something clicks in my head, and although I'm not entirely sure why, I know Superman must be destroyed. I launch at him as fast as I can and land a punch in the centre of his face. He crashes into the ground, breaking it.
"How dare you wear that symbol!" I scream, leaping in the air and aiming to land where he lies. He dodges me, though, and grabs the end of my cape, slamming me into the ground.
"Kara, we don't need to fight-"
Lasers shoot out of my eyes, knocking Superman into the sky. It's not enough to injure him, though. I fly towards him, prepared to hit as hard as I can. Something stops me, though Something - someone is in my head.
I let out a scream. It's painful, they're ripping into my memories. Private memories. I manage to open my eyes, though, and see a Martian camouflaged in the sky. I aim my heat vision toward her, but it's blocked by a woman between us. She's wearing silver cuffs and wields a lasso.
"Kara Zor-El, stand down. We do not wish to hurt you," the woman declares
I'm trying to multitask; not letting the Martian get that deep into my mind while also charging at the woman trying to get me to surrender. I manage to get in a couple good hits, and probably would've lasted longer if the Martian weren't so adamant on digging through my mind. The woman has her lasso tied around me though, and I've crashed to the ground.
I can tell the lasso is magic when she says, "Tell me who you are."
I let out another scream. It's all so painful, the telepathy, the magic. It's too much at once and so noisy, I can't concentrate. "I am Kara Zor-El," I yell.
"Wonder Woman-" Superman starts.
"You asked me to do this," she tells him, fighting my grip on the lasso. "The lasso is getting through to her. Miss Martian just needs to-"
I cut her off with another scream as heat vision radiates all around me. I need to hit the Martian. I look for her with my X-ray vision, but somehow she's eluded me.
"Kara Zor-El," the woman repeats, "tell me who you are."
The magic sears through me, forcing me to let out the truth. "I am a Fury for Darkseid," I reveal. Pain radiates through my body.
"That is not who you are," the woman tells me.
I need this all to stop. It's too much. Much too much. I've never had a problem defeating my enemies. I'm always stronger than them. Even Martians I've brought to their knees. But this is a different kind of battle. They're fighting with my mind, forcing me to admit to something I don't even know is true. It's torture.
"I am the last Kryptonian," I say. The pain doesn't end, though. It piles atop itself, never allowing me a moment to rest.
Finally, I can feel the Martian gone from my head. It becomes quieter and I realize I'm crying. I fall to my knees and when Wonder Woman asks me a final time who I am, I tell her.
"I am Kara Zor-El. I am the last daughter of Krypton. The last daughter of a dead world."