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Title: Where Hope Leads
Author: Briee aka Kaeleigh
Rating: PG-13 for language, themes and violence. This one is going to be a little darker, kids, so be warned.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within this story. These are someone else's toys, I'm just playing with them for a while. Don't worry, I'll put them back when I'm done.
Author's Notes: I've been a fan of the guy in the red cape for a long time. I've seen the movies, the cartoons, the televisions shows, but up until a few years ago, I had never read a Superman comic book. To be honest, I didn't think that it could measure up to the action and emotions of its cinematic counterparts. However, while watching the documentary Look! Up In The Sky! I discovered that Superman had died in the comic world years earlier.
The scenes shown in the documentary intrigued me and I thought that I might be able to use them in a story I was working on. So, I ordered the graphic novels for the three part series of Superman's death. When they arrived, I flipped through them thinking I would really just need the scene itself and the rest would merely be research that would allow me to fill in the background details.
But in reading those few pages something happened that I didn't think would-- I fell completely into the story and quickly read all three graphic novels from beginning to end. It was gripping, emotional, and drew me into that world. So it was from these three books that I found a love for the comics and immediately began searching for any recommendations on others that I might enjoy. (LOL, I'm still on the lookout, in fact. )
And while I was searching, I discovered one story that absolutely captured me with its imagination, mystery, and devotion to Clark and Lois. There was one scene in particular that caught my eye- there was just something about it I couldn't forget. I kept coming back to it, so much so that I eventually printed it off and hung it on my wall. It's been there for three years, just whispering its secrets to me as I go by it. Now, I don't know if this story is the only one that it had to tell me, but I do know that WHL exists because of what I saw in that one page.
Where Hope Leads differs from anything I've ever attempted before, in several ways, not only just where the inspiration for it came from. For one thing, it is much more focused on the comic world as far as the settings, the feel, and the characters. Which has required more research than I have ever put into a story so far, LOL. (And if I have gotten the details wrong here, die hard comic fans, sorry, I'm relying on what I can find online to help me with it.)
I've also had to create a lot of the environments instead of relying on existing ones, and the characters themselves are not exactly the ones that we know. However, I've tried to put a Smallville spin on this so that they seem familiar, and I hope that comes through. Lastly, this story is also much darker than anything that I've written before, both in theme and characterization, and that has not been easy for me to write in a way that comes across as true and believable. But, I've always thought that as a writer, it helps for you to explore outside of your comfort zone, and LOL, I'm definitely in uncharted territory here. That said, however, I hope that you guys still find the parts of my writing that you've liked in previous stories in this one.
This story has been an adventure for me as I discovered exactly what surprises lay around the next corner (LOL, and there have been a few) and I hope that it will be the same for you. My advice- look out for the twists and turns, and be prepared for the unexpected! ;D
The very awesome poster(s) were made by RPK_Jovi, so please, show this very talented artist some love!
Dedication: This story is for Lightseeker, a friend who has been there from the beginning of my writing journey and who reminds me with her continued encouragement, even after all this time, why I started writing in the first place. Thank you.
Summary: Their world is gone. It has been stripped bare and left burning, and those who are still alive are fighting to survive. But there is still hope. If they can get to him, then he can save them. He may be able to save all of them.
I. All They Could Do
Hope? This is a world devoid of it.
Another blast shook the moon base, knocking Oliver to his knees as the glass from the interior windows of the Research Lab showered down around him. He threw his arms up to cover his eyes. As the tremors stopped momentarily he shot back to his feet, yelling, "Move!"
As soon as the first explosion had happened, the members of the JLA that were still alive had scattered in different directions, each knowing the chaos would provide them only precious seconds to get to safety. He knew their chances lessened with each blast that followed, and hoped they would make it. He wanted them to be safe; he had thought this was the one place left they would be.
The base vibrated again, knocking him hard into the metal wall, reminding him of what he already knew- that it was too late to rely on hope. Right now, there was only one person that he had to make sure was still moving. He ran across the long overpass that connected the laboratory building to the main section of Watchtower, not daring to look out the windows at the warships that were docked in their own hangars. Forcing himself to concentrate only what was ahead, he shouted back to the ones that struggled to follow him, "Bart! Is he with you?!"
There was no reply, but the two sets of footsteps that followed him was answer enough. As they reached the main building he skidded to a stop, checking down both corridors to make sure it was clear. To the left he could hear the sounds of weapon fire and quickly flattened his back against the wall, his hand curling around the handle of his crossbow. His shoulders tensed as he waited for them to near, but the noise faded as they went the opposite way, leaving him to sigh in relief.
In the sudden quiet he could hear the sound of heavy breathing behind him. He turned around to find his friend leaning against the wall, his head tilted back as blood poured out of his nose. One eye was almost swollen shut and by the way he had his arm wrapped around himself, Oliver would guess he had at least one broken rib.
Bart watched the concern pass over Oliver's face and knew that they couldn't afford to be distracted, not now. He let a cocky grin brake across his lips, ignoring the blood that coated his teeth. "Still ready to go, Green Bean."
"Both of us," insisted a quieter voice filled with just as much pain.
Oliver's gaze swung to the person they were now going to pin all their hopes of success on. Jimmy Olsen looked better than the hero beside him, and Oliver knew that Bart was the reason. His lightening quick responses had deflected most of the blows Jimmy would have taken. Still, he wasn't fairing much better, having been injured in one of the explosions before they had met up.
So far, he had managed to keep going on his own, but Oliver could see the way his whole body trembled from the strain of holding himself up. He was favoring his right leg and the gash on his shoulder had stained his jacket dark red with blood. But determination was in his eyes and in the stubborn jut of his chin and Oliver knew that he would continue, if only to keep up with Bart.
He shook his head in exasperation at them. "Come on, let's get you both there while you can still make it."
They nodded in agreement as they raced to reach the Monitor Womb of Watchtower, praying that it hadn't been hit yet.
Bart swung his gaze from left to right as they crossed the passageway to that lead to the Armory. Intent on watching their backs, he didn't realize Oliver and Jimmy had stopped just inside the door until he bumped into them. They were frozen in shock and he knew what from as the sickening smell of blood and death hit his nose. He looked over their shoulders and wished that he hadn't. Bart turned his head away and for a moment the only sound was Jimmy's labored breathing.
"Dammit!" Oliver swore under his breath.
Jimmy started forward, reaching out, but Oliver caught his arm, stopping him. He said shortly, "Don't. She's gone."
Star Girl lay there in front of them in her costume, staring up at them with empty eyes, her last expression one of pain and shock. Her left hand was missing.
Bart stepped around Jimmy, sliding a little in the pool of blood that surrounded her as he forced himself to breathe through his mouth. "They must have used her hand for ID. They'll be able to get access to anywhere now and they won't even have to blast their way in."
Oliver closed his eyes at the implication. Watchtower was theirs now. He had thought there might be some hope that they could win here, but they had used her to get into the armory and had taken every last weapon. Now, they would be able to get into the Monitor Womb and if they destroyed the machine-
Oliver straightened. They needed to hurry. "We have to go now."
Oliver went out the door, Jimmy limping after him, casting one last look back at the sweet blond woman lying there. She had been his friend. In a time when hope had been the hardest thing to find, she had helped him retain his optimism. She had never stopped believing they would win. He ignored the tears that filled his eyes. And now she was gone. He forced his gaze in front, wondering if any of them would make it through the night.
Bart brought up the rear, dragging his left foot now that they were ahead of him. He was determined not to let them know that it was probably broken. They needed him now. Gritting his teeth together, he tried to ignore how every part of him ached like he'd been in an explosion. Which, he acknowledged bitterly as he heard the sound of gunfire behind him, he had been. "Move it, dudes, we've got company!"
They sprinted the final steps to the last secure part of the base. They didn't have to wait to put in the DNA signature because as they neared, the metal doors slid smoothly open on their own. They rushed inside, feeling the panels close quickly behind them. The JLA members leaned against the thick barriers, breathing heavily, glad for the momentary protection.
The Monitor Womb was the most secure part of Watchtower. It controlled all of their defense systems, monitored as much of Earth as they could now, and was the most heavily fortified. It was why Oliver had chosen to hide it here. In the low lights, which were flashing red, indicating war mode, they met the concerned gazes of Victor and J'onn.
In his solemn voice, J'onn declared, "They have arrived."
Bart chuckled, leaning back against the door, ignoring the pain that radiated through his ribs as he did. "Sometimes, man, you have a way of stating the obvious."
"Who has survived?" The question was stated blandly, the Martian holding his emotions deep inside until they were all secure. Emotions had no place in battle; they would bring death to you quicker if you gave into them. It was an old lesson he had learned in hard times, learned on days just like this.
The remaining members looked at each other, silently acknowledging that those who made it to this last safety were probably the only ones who were still alive.
"Kara never made it to Watchtower before the attack. There's a chance that she's still alive," Oliver offered without much hope.
J'onn looked away. This once great league of superheroes had been reduced to just twenty members. There had been a time when heroes had considered it an honor to be accepted into this league, and then later, times when heroes had left it, questioning its purpose and decisions. But those times had long ago ended.
Pride and petty arguments no longer mattered. Heroes no longer joined the league for prestige or honor. Now they banded together to stay alive, to survive, because a hero alone in the world was a target. And now, he thought as a tremor made them stagger, indicating another bomb had gone off, even together they hadn't had the strength to win. He forced himself to ask, "What of Bruce, Courtney, AC, the others?"
"We found Courtney." Bart shook his head, looking away from the hope that he knew would fade from their eyes with his answer. He volunteered his account of what had happened, "Diana was at the blast site with me."
"Diana?" Oliver turned his head sharply toward Bart. When the league had tried to stop the attack on Keystone Diana had been disappeared. It had been six months ago and though they had never said it out loud, each had thought the princess had been killed.
Bart closed his eyes, his jaw tightening in anger. "Diana was the blast site. Whatever they did, however they did it, they planted it on her. When I saw her comm signal from the hub in Washington, I verified that it was really her and than I teleported her up. I knew something was wrong the second she appeared. She was tied with her lasso and her bracelets were missing. I went to untie her, but I hadn't gone more than a foot when she-"
He turned his head, not wanting to remember how the beautiful Amazonian he had often teased had laid in pieces around him, how it was her blood, still warm, he had fallen in when the second explosion had hit. He breathed out slowly through his mouth before saying angrily, "It was a dirty bomb, or whatever it was. It had shrapnel. I think.. I think it might have been inside of her. At least one of them was. She was gone the second it happened."
"Bruce was with me," Oliver gave the information solemnly. "We knew that the odds of both of us making it here were... unlikely," he trailed off as he thought of those last moments.
Oliver raced down the stairs. He had been in the lounge when the first explosion had happened and he hadn't even reached the door before he had seen another one take out the solar tower. After that he had taken off at a dead run, trying to find out what was happening, knowing even as he did who was responsible.
He reached the hallway that lead to the Villains Gallery, and turning a corner he saw a group of soldiers standing there. With a yell, he threw himself forward, pulling out his cross bow and shooting two of them with paralyzing arrows. As they dropped, he started to fight the three left, only to hearing something whizzing through the air. When they fell, he glanced back to see Batman standing behind him, and the three soldiers now at his feet with batarangs buried in their chests.
He nodded his thanks and Batman returned the gesture before an explosion sounded right above their heads, followed by the heavy stomp of boots marching. More soldiers were heading toward their location, and the two of them quickly made their way into the Villains Gallery, barring the doors behind them.
"Is the device ready?" Batman asked as they leaned against the doors.
"Cyborg has been working on it, let's just hope he's got it ready because it looks like we're out of time!" Oliver looked up to see the sinister faces of the villains staring back at him. It had been Bruce's idea, somewhere they each could go and study everything about those they would face, those who were a threat to them. Somehow, she had never it to this room, a sign of respect to the man they had lost, or maybe just that she was too big a threat to ever be considered just a villain. He jerked his head toward to the access panel. "We'll have to go through the tunnel. It'll be the only way we can reach the Monitor Womb!"
Bruce nodded, but before they could move, they saw the blast of a weapon on the double doors leading in to the Gallery from the other side. Bruce tightened his gloves on his hands and started toward them.
Oliver grabbed his arm, and yelled, infuriated, "What do you think you're doing?"
They had only seconds to get to safety. Then he saw the look in his eyes. It was a look that he had seen on others' faces, too many times, when they had reached the end and knew it. He shook his head in denial. "No. This is no time to be a hero!"
Bruce stopped, glancing around the walls at the enemies they had defeated, each representing a time when they had helped to save the world. Then he shook his head and gave him a grim smile. "No, that time is gone. We're not the heroes, Oliver. But now is the time that we do what we have to and end this." He shoved Oliver down and ran toward the other set of doors on the far end of the hall.
"Batman!" Oliver shouted, scrambling to get up. He watched as the doors burst open, guards pouring in.
The Dark Knight never looked back as he threw over his shoulder, "Go! Bring him back! He's the only one that matters now!"
Oliver shook himself free from his memories to see them staring at him. "He took off towards them before I could stop him. The last I saw of him he was yelling for me to go and rushing ten of them."
"And AC?"
Jimmy jerked at his name, but didn't say anything. He had been with AC when the first explosions had hit, sitting at the edge of the deep water tanks.
"It's the last peaceful place left in the whole universe," AC had often said, and Jimmy's eyes closed at the memory. The once carefree and happy superhero had been left a shell of his former self. The loss of Mera had been the first blow, compounded by the oceans being reduced to muddy cesspools by an atmosphere so dry that it had shrunk the great bodies of water until they were almost nonexistent. The only solace Aquaman had found had been in those tanks, swimming with the animals.
It was why Jimmy had been there today as well. The exotic animals the tanks housed had made the only sounds that soothed his soul now. It was almost like music. It was dark and quiet there, and he would often lay at the edge of the tanks and just listen. Now those sounds were something he would never be able to hear again, because the soldiers had bombed it, killing the animals and injuring AC. Jimmy, who had gotten a piece of glass driven into his shoulder by the explosion and then submerged by a wave of water had been saved by the superhero. He had used a water blast to protect him, giving him time to get to the access tunnels that lead to the hangar where he had met Bart.
He knew he should tell them what had happened, but he couldn't. He couldn't make himself talk about it.
Bart shook his head, wiping distractedly at the blood that trickled out of his nose on his lips. "Went down before I met up with Oliver. They took his body with them."
"Dammit! This shouldn't have happened!" Oliver exploded, pounding his fist back against the door. "I thought Watchtower was supposed to be the best there was? How are they destroying it?"
"Their intent is not to destroy this facility," J'onn interjected grimly, "their intent is to destroy us, and it would appear they are succeeding."
Oliver hung his head at this chastisement as Jimmy came forward asking lowly, "How?"
"It was the explosion at the private teleporters," J'onn said, stepping back to the console. "At the same time it happened, there was an unauthorized teleport on the other hub. The first wave of soldiers must have come from there. Explosions where set off at different points within Watchtower until they reached the hangar, from there they were able to override the system, though I am unsure how."
Bart said awkwardly, "I know how. We found Courtney in the Armory. Her- her hand had been cut off. It looks like they used her DNA signature to authorize the opening of the hangar doors."
Oliver ran an agitated hand through his hair. "It just doesn't make any sense! I thought all of the hubs to the teleporters on Earth were destroyed except for the one in the Batcave."'
"The signature from the private teleporter came from the hub in Washington," J'onn said, checking through the backlogs to make sure. "It would appear that it was saved or reconstructed, and that she has been waiting for the opportune moment to use it."
Oliver turned and walked a few steps, his hands on his hips. He asked, his voice tight, "Is she here?"
Bart nodded his confirmation. "Yeah, I caught a glimpse of her as I was running for my life. It seems that we were important enough for her to be part of the recon trip personally."
"Well, I'm feeling honored," Victor spoke for the first time, his voice harsh, almost mechanical. He stepped out of the shadows into the dim lights and they gasped in surprise.
"Damn, Tin Man," Bart said softly. Half of his friend's face and neck had been stripped down to the metal plating that was underneath.
Victor turned his head away at their expressions, anger and shame at his appearance fueling his hatred. He forced his voice to be calm as he said, "I'm alive, and that's more than most of the JLA has got. Don't worry about me, Flash."
Bart nodded reluctantly. Cyborg was right; they couldn't waste time on regrets right now. That's what tomorrow was for.
"Is it ready?" Oliver's question brought them back to their mission.
"Almost," Victor replied, returning to the control panel beside J'onn.
"Are you guys sure I'm the right one for this?" Jimmy asked nervously as he stumbled forward. His hand squeezed the wound at his shoulder, trying to stop the blood that still oozed from it. It was a question he had shouted at Oliver as they had run through the medical lab when he had told Jimmy it would have to be him now. Jimmy didn't agree then and he didn't agree now. He offered weakly, "Besides, we still haven't officially decided. We were supposed to vote on whether or not we were even going to do this."
That had been the whole point of the gathering of what was left of the JLA today- to decide their fate. But fate, it seemed, had decided for them instead.
"We were, until we were betrayed," Victor added darkly, glaring at Oliver. "I told you he would. We knew that we could never trust him, and now that we've got the deaths of the JLA on us because of it."
"We do not know that we were betrayed, or that he was the one. It is possible that we were simply discovered," J'onn interrupted reasonably, trying to maintain the calm in their small collective.
"Yeah, right," Bart scoffed, "I agree with Tin Man. He was a losing lottery ticket that we bet on."
"Enough," Oliver stopped them. They could debate this later. All that mattered now was the mission. He turned to Jimmy. "We've run out of options, Jimmy. This is it. This is our only chance."
"But me?" Jimmy asked desperately. "I mean, I thought the plan was for one of the JLA to go."
"It was," Oliver told him shortly. "But that was before the attack. Now it's only a matter of time before she gets in here and when it comes down to it, we need as many fighters here as we can get. Besides, he'll believe you. You're the best one for this now, Jimmy."
He nodded in defeat and then took a deep breath. "Okay."
The door Bart was leaning against shuddered, letting them know their time had just run out. Oliver repeated urgently, "Is it ready?"
"Yeah." Victor opened the door to the small vehicle. It had been six months ago when they had discovered the schematics to Rip Hunter's original Time Sphere, and it was then that Oliver had told Victor of the plan he had thought he would never be able to put into motion since the disappearance of the Legion Rings. It was a plan that he had sworn Victor to secrecy on, wanting to see if he could even make the device before approaching the league. Because of the lack of materials, it had been made on a much smaller scale than the original device, now only able to fit two people. Victor had spent every spare moment of the last six months working on it and now, it was finally operational. "It's ready."
Jimmy stepped forward hesitantly, but Oliver grabbed his arm and shoved him in the seat. "Now, Jimmy. There's no time."
Staring at the glittering gadgets inside, panic set in once more. "Guys, I don't think that I'm the one to do this, really. I'm no hero."
Victor leaned in on the other side. "Everybody's got to start sometime. Pay attention." He pointed to the circuitry on the dash. "This will get you there, and unless you specify something different, the second gauge is set to bring you right back here."
Another shudder shook the room and Jimmy asked nervously, "What if here isn't here?"
Victor and Oliver exchanged looks. Oliver nodded slightly. Victor turned back to Jimmy. "Good point. Okay, I'll reprogram it to take you to Smallville instead, three days from now."
"Wait, what? There's nothing there now! We'll be like sitting ducks with targets painted on our backs!" Jimmy protested.
"Exactly! It's a wasteland now. She doesn't even have patrols there, so no one will be looking for you," Victor pointed out, "No one but us."
"I will keep my senses attuned for your arrival," J'onn promised. "We will be there to find you."
Jimmy relaxed slightly at the news. There weren't any fires in Smallville anymore, so he knew his friend would be able to sense them without any difficulties. He agreed, "All right."
A wedge was hammered in at the divide in the doors beside Bart's head and he watched as they slowly began to open. He shouted, "Hey, amigos, I think we're about to have some party crashers!"
"Go, Jimmy, now!" Oliver urged, shutting the door.
A great surge of light and energy went through the room as the machine powered up, knocking them down and then it disappeared, leaving a deathly quiet in its wake. From their position on the floor, the remaining JLA members looked at each other.
Allowing the first doubts to enter his voice, Bart asked, "Do you think he'll make it?"
Oliver shook his head grimly. "I don't know, Flash. We've done everything we can. Right now, we just have to count on the fact that once a boyscout, always a boyscout."
The last of the door gave way as they got to their feet, bracing themselves for what was coming. They looked at each other and nodded. They were ready.
As the soldiers ran into the room, the Justice League threw themselves forward, doing all that they could right then, which was to continue the fight.
* * * *
The whirring of lights stopped, its blinding rainbow-like prisms having made Jimmy keep his eyes closed for the trip. When he could no longer see the white lights shinning through his closed lids, he cautiously opened them. Recognizing the scenery around him, he gasped in shock. Despite what Oliver and Victor had told him, he hadn't really expected it to work. With shaking hands he opened the door and stood beside the vehicle.
Tears filled his eyes, clouding his view of the landscape and he blinked them away, uncaring that they streamed down his face. He was here.
He was here.
He let out a whoop as he raised his hands up and tilted his head back, letting the warm Kansas sunshine fall on his face. The day was so clear and the colors were so bright that they hurt his eyes to see them, but he didn't care. He looked around at everything, absorbing each sight into his memory before staring up into the bright blue sky. There were no permanent black clouds dimming the sunshine here.
He inhaled deeply. The air was clean and sweet, like a cherished memory that had been forgotten until now. His hand crept to his chest to cover his heart, the pounding beneath his fingertips reassuring him that he was still alive, that he hadn't simply gone on to a better place than the life he had left behind.
He was back. Back fifteen years in the past in Smallville, Kansas, back to find Clark Kent and convince him to come with him to save the future, for everyone.
* * * *
Da-da-dum! Hope you enjoyed the first part!
Oh, and if you think you might know what the quote or comic that I'm referring to is, shh! Don't spoil it for the rest of the readers! However, if you would like to PM me, I'll let you know if you're right or not!
Author: Briee aka Kaeleigh
Rating: PG-13 for language, themes and violence. This one is going to be a little darker, kids, so be warned.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within this story. These are someone else's toys, I'm just playing with them for a while. Don't worry, I'll put them back when I'm done.
Author's Notes: I've been a fan of the guy in the red cape for a long time. I've seen the movies, the cartoons, the televisions shows, but up until a few years ago, I had never read a Superman comic book. To be honest, I didn't think that it could measure up to the action and emotions of its cinematic counterparts. However, while watching the documentary Look! Up In The Sky! I discovered that Superman had died in the comic world years earlier.
The scenes shown in the documentary intrigued me and I thought that I might be able to use them in a story I was working on. So, I ordered the graphic novels for the three part series of Superman's death. When they arrived, I flipped through them thinking I would really just need the scene itself and the rest would merely be research that would allow me to fill in the background details.
But in reading those few pages something happened that I didn't think would-- I fell completely into the story and quickly read all three graphic novels from beginning to end. It was gripping, emotional, and drew me into that world. So it was from these three books that I found a love for the comics and immediately began searching for any recommendations on others that I might enjoy. (LOL, I'm still on the lookout, in fact.
)And while I was searching, I discovered one story that absolutely captured me with its imagination, mystery, and devotion to Clark and Lois. There was one scene in particular that caught my eye- there was just something about it I couldn't forget. I kept coming back to it, so much so that I eventually printed it off and hung it on my wall. It's been there for three years, just whispering its secrets to me as I go by it. Now, I don't know if this story is the only one that it had to tell me, but I do know that WHL exists because of what I saw in that one page.
Where Hope Leads differs from anything I've ever attempted before, in several ways, not only just where the inspiration for it came from. For one thing, it is much more focused on the comic world as far as the settings, the feel, and the characters. Which has required more research than I have ever put into a story so far, LOL. (And if I have gotten the details wrong here, die hard comic fans, sorry, I'm relying on what I can find online to help me with it.)
I've also had to create a lot of the environments instead of relying on existing ones, and the characters themselves are not exactly the ones that we know. However, I've tried to put a Smallville spin on this so that they seem familiar, and I hope that comes through. Lastly, this story is also much darker than anything that I've written before, both in theme and characterization, and that has not been easy for me to write in a way that comes across as true and believable. But, I've always thought that as a writer, it helps for you to explore outside of your comfort zone, and LOL, I'm definitely in uncharted territory here. That said, however, I hope that you guys still find the parts of my writing that you've liked in previous stories in this one.
This story has been an adventure for me as I discovered exactly what surprises lay around the next corner (LOL, and there have been a few) and I hope that it will be the same for you. My advice- look out for the twists and turns, and be prepared for the unexpected! ;D
The very awesome poster(s) were made by RPK_Jovi, so please, show this very talented artist some love!
Dedication: This story is for Lightseeker, a friend who has been there from the beginning of my writing journey and who reminds me with her continued encouragement, even after all this time, why I started writing in the first place. Thank you.
Summary: Their world is gone. It has been stripped bare and left burning, and those who are still alive are fighting to survive. But there is still hope. If they can get to him, then he can save them. He may be able to save all of them.
I. All They Could Do
Hope? This is a world devoid of it.
Another blast shook the moon base, knocking Oliver to his knees as the glass from the interior windows of the Research Lab showered down around him. He threw his arms up to cover his eyes. As the tremors stopped momentarily he shot back to his feet, yelling, "Move!"
As soon as the first explosion had happened, the members of the JLA that were still alive had scattered in different directions, each knowing the chaos would provide them only precious seconds to get to safety. He knew their chances lessened with each blast that followed, and hoped they would make it. He wanted them to be safe; he had thought this was the one place left they would be.
The base vibrated again, knocking him hard into the metal wall, reminding him of what he already knew- that it was too late to rely on hope. Right now, there was only one person that he had to make sure was still moving. He ran across the long overpass that connected the laboratory building to the main section of Watchtower, not daring to look out the windows at the warships that were docked in their own hangars. Forcing himself to concentrate only what was ahead, he shouted back to the ones that struggled to follow him, "Bart! Is he with you?!"
There was no reply, but the two sets of footsteps that followed him was answer enough. As they reached the main building he skidded to a stop, checking down both corridors to make sure it was clear. To the left he could hear the sounds of weapon fire and quickly flattened his back against the wall, his hand curling around the handle of his crossbow. His shoulders tensed as he waited for them to near, but the noise faded as they went the opposite way, leaving him to sigh in relief.
In the sudden quiet he could hear the sound of heavy breathing behind him. He turned around to find his friend leaning against the wall, his head tilted back as blood poured out of his nose. One eye was almost swollen shut and by the way he had his arm wrapped around himself, Oliver would guess he had at least one broken rib.
Bart watched the concern pass over Oliver's face and knew that they couldn't afford to be distracted, not now. He let a cocky grin brake across his lips, ignoring the blood that coated his teeth. "Still ready to go, Green Bean."
"Both of us," insisted a quieter voice filled with just as much pain.
Oliver's gaze swung to the person they were now going to pin all their hopes of success on. Jimmy Olsen looked better than the hero beside him, and Oliver knew that Bart was the reason. His lightening quick responses had deflected most of the blows Jimmy would have taken. Still, he wasn't fairing much better, having been injured in one of the explosions before they had met up.
So far, he had managed to keep going on his own, but Oliver could see the way his whole body trembled from the strain of holding himself up. He was favoring his right leg and the gash on his shoulder had stained his jacket dark red with blood. But determination was in his eyes and in the stubborn jut of his chin and Oliver knew that he would continue, if only to keep up with Bart.
He shook his head in exasperation at them. "Come on, let's get you both there while you can still make it."
They nodded in agreement as they raced to reach the Monitor Womb of Watchtower, praying that it hadn't been hit yet.
Bart swung his gaze from left to right as they crossed the passageway to that lead to the Armory. Intent on watching their backs, he didn't realize Oliver and Jimmy had stopped just inside the door until he bumped into them. They were frozen in shock and he knew what from as the sickening smell of blood and death hit his nose. He looked over their shoulders and wished that he hadn't. Bart turned his head away and for a moment the only sound was Jimmy's labored breathing.
"Dammit!" Oliver swore under his breath.
Jimmy started forward, reaching out, but Oliver caught his arm, stopping him. He said shortly, "Don't. She's gone."
Star Girl lay there in front of them in her costume, staring up at them with empty eyes, her last expression one of pain and shock. Her left hand was missing.
Bart stepped around Jimmy, sliding a little in the pool of blood that surrounded her as he forced himself to breathe through his mouth. "They must have used her hand for ID. They'll be able to get access to anywhere now and they won't even have to blast their way in."
Oliver closed his eyes at the implication. Watchtower was theirs now. He had thought there might be some hope that they could win here, but they had used her to get into the armory and had taken every last weapon. Now, they would be able to get into the Monitor Womb and if they destroyed the machine-
Oliver straightened. They needed to hurry. "We have to go now."
Oliver went out the door, Jimmy limping after him, casting one last look back at the sweet blond woman lying there. She had been his friend. In a time when hope had been the hardest thing to find, she had helped him retain his optimism. She had never stopped believing they would win. He ignored the tears that filled his eyes. And now she was gone. He forced his gaze in front, wondering if any of them would make it through the night.
Bart brought up the rear, dragging his left foot now that they were ahead of him. He was determined not to let them know that it was probably broken. They needed him now. Gritting his teeth together, he tried to ignore how every part of him ached like he'd been in an explosion. Which, he acknowledged bitterly as he heard the sound of gunfire behind him, he had been. "Move it, dudes, we've got company!"
They sprinted the final steps to the last secure part of the base. They didn't have to wait to put in the DNA signature because as they neared, the metal doors slid smoothly open on their own. They rushed inside, feeling the panels close quickly behind them. The JLA members leaned against the thick barriers, breathing heavily, glad for the momentary protection.
The Monitor Womb was the most secure part of Watchtower. It controlled all of their defense systems, monitored as much of Earth as they could now, and was the most heavily fortified. It was why Oliver had chosen to hide it here. In the low lights, which were flashing red, indicating war mode, they met the concerned gazes of Victor and J'onn.
In his solemn voice, J'onn declared, "They have arrived."
Bart chuckled, leaning back against the door, ignoring the pain that radiated through his ribs as he did. "Sometimes, man, you have a way of stating the obvious."
"Who has survived?" The question was stated blandly, the Martian holding his emotions deep inside until they were all secure. Emotions had no place in battle; they would bring death to you quicker if you gave into them. It was an old lesson he had learned in hard times, learned on days just like this.
The remaining members looked at each other, silently acknowledging that those who made it to this last safety were probably the only ones who were still alive.
"Kara never made it to Watchtower before the attack. There's a chance that she's still alive," Oliver offered without much hope.
J'onn looked away. This once great league of superheroes had been reduced to just twenty members. There had been a time when heroes had considered it an honor to be accepted into this league, and then later, times when heroes had left it, questioning its purpose and decisions. But those times had long ago ended.
Pride and petty arguments no longer mattered. Heroes no longer joined the league for prestige or honor. Now they banded together to stay alive, to survive, because a hero alone in the world was a target. And now, he thought as a tremor made them stagger, indicating another bomb had gone off, even together they hadn't had the strength to win. He forced himself to ask, "What of Bruce, Courtney, AC, the others?"
"We found Courtney." Bart shook his head, looking away from the hope that he knew would fade from their eyes with his answer. He volunteered his account of what had happened, "Diana was at the blast site with me."
"Diana?" Oliver turned his head sharply toward Bart. When the league had tried to stop the attack on Keystone Diana had been disappeared. It had been six months ago and though they had never said it out loud, each had thought the princess had been killed.
Bart closed his eyes, his jaw tightening in anger. "Diana was the blast site. Whatever they did, however they did it, they planted it on her. When I saw her comm signal from the hub in Washington, I verified that it was really her and than I teleported her up. I knew something was wrong the second she appeared. She was tied with her lasso and her bracelets were missing. I went to untie her, but I hadn't gone more than a foot when she-"
He turned his head, not wanting to remember how the beautiful Amazonian he had often teased had laid in pieces around him, how it was her blood, still warm, he had fallen in when the second explosion had hit. He breathed out slowly through his mouth before saying angrily, "It was a dirty bomb, or whatever it was. It had shrapnel. I think.. I think it might have been inside of her. At least one of them was. She was gone the second it happened."
"Bruce was with me," Oliver gave the information solemnly. "We knew that the odds of both of us making it here were... unlikely," he trailed off as he thought of those last moments.
Oliver raced down the stairs. He had been in the lounge when the first explosion had happened and he hadn't even reached the door before he had seen another one take out the solar tower. After that he had taken off at a dead run, trying to find out what was happening, knowing even as he did who was responsible.
He reached the hallway that lead to the Villains Gallery, and turning a corner he saw a group of soldiers standing there. With a yell, he threw himself forward, pulling out his cross bow and shooting two of them with paralyzing arrows. As they dropped, he started to fight the three left, only to hearing something whizzing through the air. When they fell, he glanced back to see Batman standing behind him, and the three soldiers now at his feet with batarangs buried in their chests.
He nodded his thanks and Batman returned the gesture before an explosion sounded right above their heads, followed by the heavy stomp of boots marching. More soldiers were heading toward their location, and the two of them quickly made their way into the Villains Gallery, barring the doors behind them.
"Is the device ready?" Batman asked as they leaned against the doors.
"Cyborg has been working on it, let's just hope he's got it ready because it looks like we're out of time!" Oliver looked up to see the sinister faces of the villains staring back at him. It had been Bruce's idea, somewhere they each could go and study everything about those they would face, those who were a threat to them. Somehow, she had never it to this room, a sign of respect to the man they had lost, or maybe just that she was too big a threat to ever be considered just a villain. He jerked his head toward to the access panel. "We'll have to go through the tunnel. It'll be the only way we can reach the Monitor Womb!"
Bruce nodded, but before they could move, they saw the blast of a weapon on the double doors leading in to the Gallery from the other side. Bruce tightened his gloves on his hands and started toward them.
Oliver grabbed his arm, and yelled, infuriated, "What do you think you're doing?"
They had only seconds to get to safety. Then he saw the look in his eyes. It was a look that he had seen on others' faces, too many times, when they had reached the end and knew it. He shook his head in denial. "No. This is no time to be a hero!"
Bruce stopped, glancing around the walls at the enemies they had defeated, each representing a time when they had helped to save the world. Then he shook his head and gave him a grim smile. "No, that time is gone. We're not the heroes, Oliver. But now is the time that we do what we have to and end this." He shoved Oliver down and ran toward the other set of doors on the far end of the hall.
"Batman!" Oliver shouted, scrambling to get up. He watched as the doors burst open, guards pouring in.
The Dark Knight never looked back as he threw over his shoulder, "Go! Bring him back! He's the only one that matters now!"
Oliver shook himself free from his memories to see them staring at him. "He took off towards them before I could stop him. The last I saw of him he was yelling for me to go and rushing ten of them."
"And AC?"
Jimmy jerked at his name, but didn't say anything. He had been with AC when the first explosions had hit, sitting at the edge of the deep water tanks.
"It's the last peaceful place left in the whole universe," AC had often said, and Jimmy's eyes closed at the memory. The once carefree and happy superhero had been left a shell of his former self. The loss of Mera had been the first blow, compounded by the oceans being reduced to muddy cesspools by an atmosphere so dry that it had shrunk the great bodies of water until they were almost nonexistent. The only solace Aquaman had found had been in those tanks, swimming with the animals.
It was why Jimmy had been there today as well. The exotic animals the tanks housed had made the only sounds that soothed his soul now. It was almost like music. It was dark and quiet there, and he would often lay at the edge of the tanks and just listen. Now those sounds were something he would never be able to hear again, because the soldiers had bombed it, killing the animals and injuring AC. Jimmy, who had gotten a piece of glass driven into his shoulder by the explosion and then submerged by a wave of water had been saved by the superhero. He had used a water blast to protect him, giving him time to get to the access tunnels that lead to the hangar where he had met Bart.
He knew he should tell them what had happened, but he couldn't. He couldn't make himself talk about it.
Bart shook his head, wiping distractedly at the blood that trickled out of his nose on his lips. "Went down before I met up with Oliver. They took his body with them."
"Dammit! This shouldn't have happened!" Oliver exploded, pounding his fist back against the door. "I thought Watchtower was supposed to be the best there was? How are they destroying it?"
"Their intent is not to destroy this facility," J'onn interjected grimly, "their intent is to destroy us, and it would appear they are succeeding."
Oliver hung his head at this chastisement as Jimmy came forward asking lowly, "How?"
"It was the explosion at the private teleporters," J'onn said, stepping back to the console. "At the same time it happened, there was an unauthorized teleport on the other hub. The first wave of soldiers must have come from there. Explosions where set off at different points within Watchtower until they reached the hangar, from there they were able to override the system, though I am unsure how."
Bart said awkwardly, "I know how. We found Courtney in the Armory. Her- her hand had been cut off. It looks like they used her DNA signature to authorize the opening of the hangar doors."
Oliver ran an agitated hand through his hair. "It just doesn't make any sense! I thought all of the hubs to the teleporters on Earth were destroyed except for the one in the Batcave."'
"The signature from the private teleporter came from the hub in Washington," J'onn said, checking through the backlogs to make sure. "It would appear that it was saved or reconstructed, and that she has been waiting for the opportune moment to use it."
Oliver turned and walked a few steps, his hands on his hips. He asked, his voice tight, "Is she here?"
Bart nodded his confirmation. "Yeah, I caught a glimpse of her as I was running for my life. It seems that we were important enough for her to be part of the recon trip personally."
"Well, I'm feeling honored," Victor spoke for the first time, his voice harsh, almost mechanical. He stepped out of the shadows into the dim lights and they gasped in surprise.
"Damn, Tin Man," Bart said softly. Half of his friend's face and neck had been stripped down to the metal plating that was underneath.
Victor turned his head away at their expressions, anger and shame at his appearance fueling his hatred. He forced his voice to be calm as he said, "I'm alive, and that's more than most of the JLA has got. Don't worry about me, Flash."
Bart nodded reluctantly. Cyborg was right; they couldn't waste time on regrets right now. That's what tomorrow was for.
"Is it ready?" Oliver's question brought them back to their mission.
"Almost," Victor replied, returning to the control panel beside J'onn.
"Are you guys sure I'm the right one for this?" Jimmy asked nervously as he stumbled forward. His hand squeezed the wound at his shoulder, trying to stop the blood that still oozed from it. It was a question he had shouted at Oliver as they had run through the medical lab when he had told Jimmy it would have to be him now. Jimmy didn't agree then and he didn't agree now. He offered weakly, "Besides, we still haven't officially decided. We were supposed to vote on whether or not we were even going to do this."
That had been the whole point of the gathering of what was left of the JLA today- to decide their fate. But fate, it seemed, had decided for them instead.
"We were, until we were betrayed," Victor added darkly, glaring at Oliver. "I told you he would. We knew that we could never trust him, and now that we've got the deaths of the JLA on us because of it."
"We do not know that we were betrayed, or that he was the one. It is possible that we were simply discovered," J'onn interrupted reasonably, trying to maintain the calm in their small collective.
"Yeah, right," Bart scoffed, "I agree with Tin Man. He was a losing lottery ticket that we bet on."
"Enough," Oliver stopped them. They could debate this later. All that mattered now was the mission. He turned to Jimmy. "We've run out of options, Jimmy. This is it. This is our only chance."
"But me?" Jimmy asked desperately. "I mean, I thought the plan was for one of the JLA to go."
"It was," Oliver told him shortly. "But that was before the attack. Now it's only a matter of time before she gets in here and when it comes down to it, we need as many fighters here as we can get. Besides, he'll believe you. You're the best one for this now, Jimmy."
He nodded in defeat and then took a deep breath. "Okay."
The door Bart was leaning against shuddered, letting them know their time had just run out. Oliver repeated urgently, "Is it ready?"
"Yeah." Victor opened the door to the small vehicle. It had been six months ago when they had discovered the schematics to Rip Hunter's original Time Sphere, and it was then that Oliver had told Victor of the plan he had thought he would never be able to put into motion since the disappearance of the Legion Rings. It was a plan that he had sworn Victor to secrecy on, wanting to see if he could even make the device before approaching the league. Because of the lack of materials, it had been made on a much smaller scale than the original device, now only able to fit two people. Victor had spent every spare moment of the last six months working on it and now, it was finally operational. "It's ready."
Jimmy stepped forward hesitantly, but Oliver grabbed his arm and shoved him in the seat. "Now, Jimmy. There's no time."
Staring at the glittering gadgets inside, panic set in once more. "Guys, I don't think that I'm the one to do this, really. I'm no hero."
Victor leaned in on the other side. "Everybody's got to start sometime. Pay attention." He pointed to the circuitry on the dash. "This will get you there, and unless you specify something different, the second gauge is set to bring you right back here."
Another shudder shook the room and Jimmy asked nervously, "What if here isn't here?"
Victor and Oliver exchanged looks. Oliver nodded slightly. Victor turned back to Jimmy. "Good point. Okay, I'll reprogram it to take you to Smallville instead, three days from now."
"Wait, what? There's nothing there now! We'll be like sitting ducks with targets painted on our backs!" Jimmy protested.
"Exactly! It's a wasteland now. She doesn't even have patrols there, so no one will be looking for you," Victor pointed out, "No one but us."
"I will keep my senses attuned for your arrival," J'onn promised. "We will be there to find you."
Jimmy relaxed slightly at the news. There weren't any fires in Smallville anymore, so he knew his friend would be able to sense them without any difficulties. He agreed, "All right."
A wedge was hammered in at the divide in the doors beside Bart's head and he watched as they slowly began to open. He shouted, "Hey, amigos, I think we're about to have some party crashers!"
"Go, Jimmy, now!" Oliver urged, shutting the door.
A great surge of light and energy went through the room as the machine powered up, knocking them down and then it disappeared, leaving a deathly quiet in its wake. From their position on the floor, the remaining JLA members looked at each other.
Allowing the first doubts to enter his voice, Bart asked, "Do you think he'll make it?"
Oliver shook his head grimly. "I don't know, Flash. We've done everything we can. Right now, we just have to count on the fact that once a boyscout, always a boyscout."
The last of the door gave way as they got to their feet, bracing themselves for what was coming. They looked at each other and nodded. They were ready.
As the soldiers ran into the room, the Justice League threw themselves forward, doing all that they could right then, which was to continue the fight.
* * * *
The whirring of lights stopped, its blinding rainbow-like prisms having made Jimmy keep his eyes closed for the trip. When he could no longer see the white lights shinning through his closed lids, he cautiously opened them. Recognizing the scenery around him, he gasped in shock. Despite what Oliver and Victor had told him, he hadn't really expected it to work. With shaking hands he opened the door and stood beside the vehicle.
Tears filled his eyes, clouding his view of the landscape and he blinked them away, uncaring that they streamed down his face. He was here.
He was here.
He let out a whoop as he raised his hands up and tilted his head back, letting the warm Kansas sunshine fall on his face. The day was so clear and the colors were so bright that they hurt his eyes to see them, but he didn't care. He looked around at everything, absorbing each sight into his memory before staring up into the bright blue sky. There were no permanent black clouds dimming the sunshine here.
He inhaled deeply. The air was clean and sweet, like a cherished memory that had been forgotten until now. His hand crept to his chest to cover his heart, the pounding beneath his fingertips reassuring him that he was still alive, that he hadn't simply gone on to a better place than the life he had left behind.
He was back. Back fifteen years in the past in Smallville, Kansas, back to find Clark Kent and convince him to come with him to save the future, for everyone.
* * * *
Da-da-dum! Hope you enjoyed the first part!
Oh, and if you think you might know what the quote or comic that I'm referring to is, shh! Don't spoil it for the rest of the readers! However, if you would like to PM me, I'll let you know if you're right or not!
, more please...
No one has ever dedicated anything to me before and I feel very honored especially when it's coming from you. Glad I could help inspire you. *sniffles* *runs to hug Briee*
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