"You're unfocused," I say coldly. "Sloppy." Mary falls on her knees. I force her to look at me. When she does she launches herself at me. She's fast, but I'm faster. I pin her arms behind her back and slam her on the ground. "Sloppy."
She grunts and wipes the blood from her nose. "I'm not sloppy, you just fight like there's no tomorrow."
"That's how you all should be fighting." Barda says. "If you're not fighting to kill, don't bother throwing a punch."
"Yeah, but we're in training," Mary counters.
"That shouldn't matter. Kara can take any punches you throw her way."
Mary scoffs. Barda grabs her hand and twists it. "You are sloppy." She throws a punch. "You came to us, Black Mary. You wished to be a Fury. You asked us to train you." Another punch. "You have potential, but there is no use in exploiting it if you refuse to get better." Mary catches a punch. Barda smiles.
I watch as this plays out. Barda doesn't hold back, forcing Mary to get her head in the game. Finally, Mary gets a few good shots in. Mary is a good fighter. She's exceptionally skilled and powerful, but she gets angry and distracted. If she could just focus, it wouldn't be so easy for me to give her a bloody nose.
"Good," Barda says finally. "That is how you should be fighting. All the time."
"Big Barda," a voice calls. "Lord Darkseid has a task for you and your Furies."
I walk with Mary to Granny Goodness, ready to accept whatever task awaits us. I've been on Apokolips for some time now. Darkseid saved me after Krypton exploded. My pod was trapped in the Phantom Zone and he freed me. Now, I serve him. I help conquer planets in his name and kill any who resist. I am a Fury.
Granny Goodness makes me and the other Furies wait outside as she brings Barda in to speak with Darkseid.
"I don't believe they're ready," I hear Barda say. "It's only been six months."
"What are they saying?" Mary asks me, knowing I'm eavesdropping. I raise a hand to silence her.
"They train all day, everyday. They have already been to several worlds and have not once failed. Why should this time be any different?"
"You really think it's a good idea to send her to Earth?"
Earth. That name sounds familiar. I don't know why, I've never been to any planet Earth. Still, it sounds…
"She is the perfect surprise weapon!"
"She is not ready! What if she sees him? What if she cannot carry out the task? She will no longer trust us when she learns we lied to her."
Lied to me? What could they have lied to me about? That they rescued me from the Phantom Zone? That can't be.
"She is more loyal than any one of the Furies. If we prepare her-"
"Enough." Darkseid finally cuts in. "If Big Barda says the Supergirl is not ready, she is not ready. She is crucial to the invasion. We cannot have her failing to retrieve the Mother Box."
I stop listening as Barda comes out. I have not once disobeyed any of her orders, so she has no reason to suspect me using super-hearing. My face is neutral.
"Task is cancelled. Back to training," Barda says.
When it's time to retire to our chambers, Mary finally comes to speak with me. I can tell she's been waiting all day, and I know what she wants to ask me.
"Tell me what Barda and Granny were talking about earlier," she demands. I glare at her. "Oh, please. I know you were listening. Kara, I won't tell anyone you were eavesdropping. Come on."
I can tell she's not lying. Her heartbeat hasn't sped up. If they were talking about anything else, I might not tell Mary, but I've been thinking about their conversation all day. What could they have lied to me about? Who could I possibly run into that would make me question my loyalty for Darkseid. My allegiance to him is unwavering. What is on Earth?
I close the door and sit down. "There is a Mother Box on Earth. Granny Goodness wants to send us to retrieve it."
"Okay, and? Why aren't we on Earth then?"
"Because Barda doesn't think I'm ready to visit that planet. There is something there that they think will make me turn on them. Something they lied about."
Mary's eyes widen then she quickly says, "That's ridiculous, what could they have lied to you about?"
Her heartbeat quickens.
"I assume the same thing you're trying to keep hidden from me right now."
I can tell she tries to slow her heartbeat, unwilling to give up any information. This is ridiculous. Why in the world would Mary of all people know something about me that I don't. Surely Barda or Granny would not have confided in her.
"Tell me what's on Earth, Mary." My voice is stone cold. The threat is clear.
"Look, Kara, I could not tell you and you could punch me into the sun, or I could tell you and Barda could turn me into a Parademon. Guess which I'm more partial to."
My gaze stiffins. "You've been to Earth before." I never knew anything about Mary before she became a Fury, but it doesn't take a genius to know she could only know something about that plant if she's been there herself.
She doesn't say anything in response. "Tomorrow we are supposed to pay a visit to Vidan."
"And?"
"That is all."
Mary leaves my room. No further questions.
They trust me. Darkseid, Granny, Barda. Enough to let me and Mary Boom Tube to Vidan on our own. Our job is simple, we visit once a month to ensure things are still running smoothly and no resistance is being formed. We do this for multiple planets under Darkseid's rule, especially the ones that have recently joined his empire.
I open the Boom Tube and step through with Mary. We're supposed to arrive at headquarters in Mikar, the capital of Vidan.
We arrive in a city, that much is clear, but the city is not on Vidan. The sky is blue, there are tall rectangular buildings, people are walking along streets and in some kind of vehicles. No, this is definitely not Vidan.
"Kara…" Mary's voice is trembling. "What the hell did you do?"
"I brought us to Earth."
