JLU 2001 Fanfiction -JSA #6

wildcat The All-Star Squad...

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JSA #6 - JANUARY, Year 5 by Bertram Gibbs

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Mister Terrific Michael Holt	Dr. Mid-Nite Pieter Cross	The Flash Jay Gerrick	The Sentinel Alan Scott	Power Girl Karen Starr	Wild Cat Ted Grant

SIX

Westchester County

The Justice Society rode on a green platform that skimmed the skies of the Bronx, held aloft by the flying Sentinel. Their faces were grim with determination. Ted Grant cracked his knuckles loudly. Karen Starr met that by locking her fingers together and making a louder snapping sound. Ted and Karen shared a small grin.

“You know that can cause arthritis?” said Cross, now wearing a half-mask. He reasoned that the since doppelganger wore his full-face mask, his new covering would prove who was the true Doctor Mid-Nite.

“I think achy joints are the least of our worries, Doc,” replied Grant.

“You may have a point.”

Michael Holt glanced over at Jay Garrick, who was frowning into space. “Are you okay?”

Jay’s eyes slid toward Holt, then he blinked and seemed more himself. “Sorry. Woolgathering. I was just thinking that with these constructs of us, we may be evenly matched. We could have used our wildcard going in. And he would keep Savage off-balance.”

Holt nodded. “It was considered, believe me, but Ryder had to take care of a few things; things that may help us in the long run,” said Holt. “He’ll meet us there.” Michael Holt grinned through his T-mask. “Besides, you know he has to make an entrance.”

“Three minutes E.T.A.!” shouted Sentinel.

“There it is,” muttered Holt pointing at the large rectangular building.

All eyes turned in that direction and looked at the structure with the large cement courtyard and parking lot. It was empty, its American flag fluttering in the breeze on its pole. As they got closer, they could see a long-faded shadow on the long wall above a row of windows spelling DIT-CO, INCORPORATED; another victim of the dot-com generation. A double door opened in the center of the structure and Vandal Savage walked out. He walked a few feet, jauntily flipping his cane in front of him, then stopped to consult his watch. He then looked up at the JSA and smiled them a warm smile.

“Permission to kick the smug out of that asshole,” muttered Karen.

“Permission granted,” answered Grant.

The platform landed several feet from Savage, who stared back, smiling.

“Ya think he’s expecting us?” asked Grant.

“It would appear so,” said Scott.

“I say we rush him,” snarled Grant.

That being said, no one moved and no one spoke for several seconds. A chill went up the back of Pieter Cross’ neck and he shivered.

“You okay?” whispered Holt.

Cross nodded, his eyes, like the others, not leaving Savage’s. “It felt like the Sword of Damocles was being suspended above my . . . “ Cross looked up. “. . . head.”

All eyes lifted. Several feet above them was the duplicate Power Girl, a dark blue Hummer held over her head.

“Uh, change of plans, guys,” muttered Grant, his eyes locked on Power Girl. She smiled and threw the Hum-V. “Leggit!”

Alan Scott’s arm shot up over his head, his hand engulfed in green flame. A giant green punching bag came out of nowhere and sent him flying back into the parking lot.

“This is gonna hurt,” muttered Karen as she leapt up towards the oncoming vehicle. Jay Garrick ran in a circle around his teammates.

“Beta-Gamma-Six!” Garrick screamed. Karen nodded and put on speed, decreasing the distance between her and the Hummer.

Faster and faster Jay Garrick ran, causing an updraft with the intensity of a hurricane. The cushion of air began to slow the large car’s descent. Karen fought not to be caught in the winds, and latched onto the underside of the Hummer. Even with the rush of air, the thing was heavy enough to push her back a few feet. She adjusted her shoulders, grit her teeth, and pushed upward, leveling the Hummer in her hands. Karen then craned her arms back and threw it at the hovering figure of Power Girl. The impact sent her flying down to the ground and into the side of the building, making a Power Girl-sized dent in the brick face. She pulled herself out and was about to leap upward when the Hummer slammed her through the wall. Karen rushed forward and ripped the Hum-V from the wall and dove in after her.

When Jay slowed down, a pair of hands grabbed him by his middle, spun and swung him into a nearby wall.

Having dove for cover, Ted Grant found himself next to Pieter Cross. Both men looked up to see a smiling Mister Terrific standing in front of them, eight sparking T-spheres circling him like silver moons.

“Oh, crap,” muttered Grant.

“Indeed,” replied Cross.

Mister Terrific dramatically raised his arms to his sides and brought them together in front of him, his hands aimed at the two heroes. The T-spheres glided towards the two men, then split into two groups and increased their speed.

Cross rolled to his feet and dived behind the wreckage of the Hummer. He dove under and dodged the spheres, went into a shoulder roll and came up holding a dented panel from the car. He pivoted and swung the panel at the swarm, but only managed to hit one, which exploded in sparking metal. Cross saw the other spheres regroup overhead and he glanced down at the bent piece of metal in his hands. “Just what the doctor ordered.”

Ted Grant shot to his feet, assuming a fighter’s stance. When the spheres were close enough, he sent hard right and left fists into the swarm and smashed two of the silver orbs. His eyes followed the remaining two as they took to the sky, then stomped the broken T-spheres at his feet. He flexed his hands and inhaled sharply. He looked at his cut and bleeding knuckles and saw that there was a shard of metal sticking out of the back of his hand.

The T-spheres flew up in a straight line, then turned and dove straight for Cross and Grant. Grant snarled and pulled the metal out, then looked around for something to hit it with.

Cross held the panel like a cricket bat and also waited. When the spheres were a few meters away, twin white blurs went by overhead, dragging them in their wake. Cross and Grant looked up to see Karen sending blow after blow into Power Girl’s face and midsection in mid-flight.

Grant looked over to where Mister Terrific was standing and made a bee-line towards him. When he was a few feet away something internal screamed at Grant to STOP. He came to a sudden halt, digging his toes in the ground and watched with slightly bulging eyes as a dart flew past his face. Grant turned to see Doctor Mid-Nite holding his hypo-gun. Grant grinned at him and charged.

Cross turned to Mister Terrific, his own hypo-gun drawn, and fired a knockout dart at the black garbed figure. The smiling Terrific sidestepped the dart and dashed directly at Cross. As Pieter took aim, Terrific went into a slide, his leg extended, and kicked the weapon from Cross’s hand. Terrific sent a wheel kick towards Cross’s ribs, but Cross jumped straight up with his knees and went over the swinging leg. On the way down, Pieter drove his foot into the doppelganger’s thigh, sending the creature sprawling on the concrete. Mister Terrific suddenly twisted his body and swept his legs into Pieter’s, knocking Cross to the ground and on his back. Terrific performed a neat tuck and roll and drove both knees into Cross’ stomach. Before Cross could regain his breath, Mister Terrific wrapped both hands around his neck in a vise-like grip.

A hard heel shot out and struck Terrific across the jaw, sending the duplicate to the street.

“You okay?” asked Holt, his eyes glued to Terrific, waiting for his copy to make a sudden move.

“I’ve had better days,” said Cross getting to his feet.

“Good. See ya in a few.”

Holt stepped up to the rising Terrific and sent a hard fist into the creature’s solar plexus, doubling him. Holt shot a fist to the back of Terrific’s head. Terrific’s hands shot up, caught Holt by the writs, and flipped him over his shoulder to the hard concrete. Holt shot up and used Tiger-style martial arts to block Terrific’s sweeping foot. Terrific went into Crane-style and backed Holt up a few steps. Holt switched to Monkey-style and gripped Terrific’s arm, pulling him forward and into his rising knee. Bent forward, Terrific kicked over, sending the heel of his boot into Holt’s face. Both men backed up a distance and walked in a circle.

“This may take a while,” muttered Holt.

Mister Terrific smiled back.

Grant zigged and zagged across the courtyard, dodging the darts fired by Doctor Mid-Nite, inching his way forward. He had no idea what was in the things, but he didn’t have any immediate plans to find out. Mid-Nite raised the weapon at Grant’s head and fired, the escaping dart making a phit sound. Grant dove into a shoulder roll and saw the dart fly over his head. He shot up into a standing position, directly in front of Mid-Nite, driving his fist into the thing’s face. Doctor Mid-Nite flew backwards and landed on his shoulders. He braced his hands and thrust his body forward and sent his steel-toed boots into Grant’s stomach. Bent forward, Ted watched the ground move in reverse underneath him. He raised his head in time to see Mid-Nite’s gloved fist coming towards him, and felt it connect with his jaw, snapping his head to one side. Without a thought, Grant shifted his feet and sent a hard fist into Mid-Nite’s ribs (or whatever substituted for ribs), smiling as he heard a loud crack. Grant then sent a fist to the side of Mid-Nite’s head, sending him face first into the ground.

Grant looked at his swelling hand. “Ow,” he muttered. Just then a giant green fist landed inches from his feet. Grant was thrown back from the impact. His eyes widened as he saw the fist rise in the air for another strike. “Now ain’t this fargin’ lovely.”

As the fiery green fist came down, a large green battering ram (complete with a carved ram on its front with curved horns) slammed into the Sentinel. The Sentinel flew across the courtyard and through the building’s wall. Alan Scott went into a power dive and went after him.

Grant waved his thanks at Scott, then saw two of the T-spheres headed his way. He turned and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

Sentinel pulled himself up on the side of the desk he hit, just as Scott slammed into him, sending him into two more desks. He reached down and lifted Sentinel by the collar of his cape and sent shot after shot into the duplicate’s face. Scott aimed his hand at Sentinel’s midsection and a fiery green blast sent it into a wall. As Scott moved forward to continue its punishment, the Flash ran behind him and grabbed his arm, pulling him backwards and off his feet. The Flash ran in a tight circle, dragging the flailing Scott behind him. It then swung the hero in an arc and sent him flying into a row of desks.

Cross swatted at an oncoming T-sphere, but missed. He looked up as its partner flew in from behind. Jay Garrick, using his silver hat as a scoop, picked the flying orb out of the air, ran towards a wall, and like a Jai Alai player, flung it where it shattered into a million pieces. Jay turned back to get the other spheres when he was checked at 60 M.P.H. by the Flash. The impact sent him skidding backwards across the street.

Two T-spheres dove at Pieter Cross and zipped around him until he backed into Grant. Both men looked at each other, then back at the hovering spheres.

“I don’t know about you, Doc,” said Grant, “But being herded is just insulting.”

“I would agree with your diagnosis,” replied Cross, his eyes on the hovering spheres.

The four spheres rose several feet and sparked, like they were charging up.

“What do you think . . . “

“About running?” finished Cross. “I think it is a futile idea, but it does have merit.”

In the air above them, Karen hovered, both hands clenched, her eyes locked with the grinning Power Girl. Power Girl slid to the right, and Karen followed. Power Girl backed away, and Karen did likewise.

“You feel like dancing, bitch?” Karen said in a harsh rasp. “Bring it.”

Power Girl tilted her head, still giving Karen her silent grin. She ran her tongue across her lips. Karen shuddered.

“Not even in your dreams,” she said, glancing to the ground. Her eyes rose up and met Power Girl’s. She returned the copy’s smile. Karen rose sharply into the air and dove for the building. Power Girl hovered for a single second, confusion filling her face, and followed in a blur. As Power Girl flew through the jagged opening, Karen came the other way, and sent a passing fist into her stomach, doubling her duplicate. After a moment, Power Girl’s head snapped around and she came after Karen with her teeth bared.

The T-spheres grouped together and came down in a sweeping dive at Grant and Cross. When they were a few meters above their heads, Karen swooped in and captured all four spheres as she went by. “NEED ‘EM!” she called as she shot into the air.

Grant glanced upward and did a double-take worthy of a silent film actor. “Is she carryin’ a water bottle?”

“It appears so,” replied Cross.

Karen turned in the air, increased her speed and dove directly at Power Girl. The sparking spheres held tightly in her arms made her teeth grind, small bursts of electricity flashed in her fillings, making her mouth resemble a strobe light. Power Girl flew straight at Karen, playing an aerial game of Chicken. At the last moment, Karen snapped her head back and head-butted the oncoming Power Girl. The impact made the ground vibrate slightly. Karen uncrossed her eyes and looked up to see Power Girl floating dizzily in the air. She flew in and grabbed the front of the copy’s top and shoved the four T-spheres into her ample cleavage.

Karen grabbed the liter bottle from under her belt and ripped off the top. “And just so everyone can tell us apart, I’m the one not fried.” Karen dumped the contents of the bottle over Power Girl’s chest. A sudden white spark was followed by shimmering volts of electricity tearing through Power Girl, making her body ridged, her hair stand on end, and a glowing strand of current to run between her clenched teeth. Small tendrils of smoke poured from her scalp and as suddenly as it began, the current faded, then shut off. Power Girl hung in the air for a few seconds, before plummeting to Earth.

Grant suddenly stiffened and looked around.

“What?” asked Cross.

“Someone’s missing.”

And on cue, the Wildcat came hurtling at the men thrown by the Flash who was still battling Jay Garrick. Wildcat body-checked the both of them, but added to Cross’ pain by lifting his knees into the hero’s face. Grant went down hard on his back and shot back to his feet, his hands tightened into fists. The impact had sent Cross bouncing across the ground. He tried to pull himself up, but his arm gave way and he stopped to shake the cobwebs from his head.

Wildcat grinned savagely in front of Ted Grant. Without a word, Wildcat sent a looping right to Grant’s jaw. Grant stepped in and took the blow, only to deliver a close uppercut to the other’s jaw. Wildcat took a step back and rolled his upper torso, his shoulders hunched and his fists in front of him. Grant grinned and relaxed his body in the same position.

Both men circled each other, waiting for someone to make the first move. In this case, Ted shot a jab to Wildcat’s jaw, snapping his head to one side. Grant then stepped forward and delivered several combinations, driving Wildcat back. Wildcat then shoved him back and returned a few combinations of his own. A few got in, but Grant grit his teeth and sent three hard shots to the midsection, a right and left cross to the jaw, a looping left to the kidneys, then a final shot to the temple. Wildcat hit the ground, but sprung back up with a roundhouse right that caught Grant along the side of his face.

Both men stepped back and eyed each other.

“Okay Patty Duke,” he snarled. “Time to show who the real Wildcat is.”

Grant feinted with his left, then swept a hard right boot to the Wildcat’s jaw, sending the man backwards. Grant leaped forward and head-butted the duplicate, then drove a knee to the man’s midsection, followed by a flurry of punches to the Wildcat’s head and neck. He lifted the copy’s jaw, and sent three hard rights to the man’s nose. A grayish liquid poured from Wildcat’s nostrils. He then drove his head forward and smashed it into Wildcat’s face, then lifted him upright by his throat and sent three shots to the midsection, literally lifting his feet off the ground with every blow, then another head butt, and a wheel-kick to Wildcat’s jaw.

Wildcat flew to the ground, bounced, and rolled away several feet. He came to a stop face down and stayed there, not moving a muscle. Grant took a step forward and the creature suddenly shot to his feet. His eyes were wide and insane, and his grin was lopsided. Ted Grant sighed and charged him at the same time Wildcat dashed forward.

At the last minute, Wildcat leaped at Grant, then suddenly disappeared, Karen’s voice calling “NEED THIS!” behind her. Grant watched her carry the kicking Wildcat into the air, spin in a tight circle and slam him against the oncoming Power Girl. Power Girl flew backwards and Karen dropped the unconscious Wildcat to the waiting ground.

Grant’s mask was torn in several places, revealing red and purple bruises. Regardless of his visage, he shot a grin at Karen. “I could’a taken him!”

“Bitch, bitch, bitch,” she replied and dove at Power Girl who was just picking herself up from the ground.

Vandal Savage stood at the side of the building, a smile on his face. He watched Power Girl drop like a stone, take a breath and fly straight up at the original. Soon, all this unnecessary violence would be over and he could get down to business. After all this was over, there would no more Justice Society, and soon after that, no more heroes getting in his way. He flipped his cane up and held it in front of him with both hands. He sighed a melancholy sigh. How many years have they interfered with his plans for world domination? He would always be close to attaining his goal, but then the Society or someone like them would stick their noses where it did not belong and he would have to take time and money to begin again. ‘Too many’ was the correct answer, but being an immortal offered him two great benefits; time and money.

“HI!” came a familiar voice over his shoulder. “I miss anything?”

Savage spun around, the wooden scabbard of his cane discarded and his sword held at the ready. But there was no one behind him. All of a sudden, he felt two hands reach around him, grab the waistband of his slacks and pull down. He stood there his face red with embarrassment and unchecked fury, his pants around his ankles and his undergarments exposed.

“I think the garters are a wee old fashioned, Spinach-Chin,” said the Creeper, smiling wildly, “but the red satin boxers are tre chic!” He sucked noisily on his finger and held it up. “There’s a small breeze blowing. You may want to pull those up. Don’t worry. I’ll wait.” Creeper began to whistle.

Savage’s eyes were bulging as he stuck the sword into the ground and pulled his pants up roughly (he also tightened his belt another notch for good measure). He pulled the sword out of the ground and held it aloft.

“Oh! Ready already? Okay. Have your fun.”

Savage thrust forward with the sword and the Creeper flipped backwards and landed on his toes a few feet away.

“I did mention it was okay for me to move around, didn’t I?”

“It does not matter,” Savage said in a harsh voice. “Your death is certain.” He swung the blade at the Creeper’s throat. The Yellow-Skinned Madman slapped his hands against the blade, trapping it.

“Now is this my death, or death in general? I mean, there was Supes a few years back.”

Savage pulled the blade out, twisting it so the razor sharp edges cut into the hero’s hands, but the Creeper had dropped his hands before Savage could twist his wrist. He hopped away, with Savage cursing at his heels.

“You wanna go easy on the blue language, Vandy?” asked Creeper and he dodged yet another thrust. “I mean, my virgin ears!”

Savage spun and swung the blade at the Creeper’s thigh, but the Creeper leaped up and over the man’s head, catching his head between his feet. The Creeper rolled forward and flipped Savage upside down into a hedge. Savage pulled himself out, his arm caught on a thorn covered branch and stood waiting for the Creeper to get closer. He patiently ran the edge of the sword against the concrete.

“OUCH! Now that beats nails on a chalkboard!”

A silver dagger slid from Savage’s sleeve into his waiting hand. He feinted with his sword hand, making the Creeper move in the desired direction, and sliced an opening into the hero’s side. The Creeper hissed and backed away.

“No more inane jokes? No witty retort? Apparently that is all you can do, and without your puns and comebacks, you are proven to be the joke others feel you are.”

The Creeper’s eyes narrowed and a wave of anger filled his chest. “Laugh this one off, Spinach-Chin.”

The Creeper dove at Savage, laughing maniacally and slapped the sword and the dagger from his hands. A hard foot caught Savage between the legs and he was held upright by his thick black beard, which the Creeper had grabbed.

“It’s almost Nite-Nite Time, Vandy, but we have time for one more game!” He lowered his face to Savage’s. “We call it, ‘Follow the Leader’!”

Creeper skipped and dragged Vandal Savage by his beard, taking every few steps to either punch him in the face or head butt him. Savage staggered off-balance, his hands trying to pry the Creeper off his facial hair.

A red blur went by and grabbed the Creeper by his arms, making him release Savage. The Flash spun the Creeper around and into the flurry of fists delivered by Jay Garrick. The Flash zipped away and the Creeper toppled backward unconscious.

Jay leaned forward to help his comrade and the Flash came at him with hundreds of slaps, kicks, and punches. Even though Garrick rolled with each punch, he was still stunned by the glancing blows. So much so, he did not pull his arm away in time before the Flash took hold of it. The world spun in front of Garrick’s eyes and he saw the pavement coming at him fast. Garrick landed hard and bounced to a stop in front of Pieter Cross. Cross used Garrick as a hurdle and leaped over him in order to help Holt fight Mister Terrific. When Cross dove at Traffic’s legs, a flaming green tendril snaked out and wrapped around his ankles, dragging him upward and upside down.

Karen was pulling herself out from the wreckage of the Hummer when Power Girl ripped the flagpole out of the ground, swung it and slammed it into Karen’s ribs, driving her into the jagged edges of the damaged car. A green tendril pinned Karen’s arms to her sides and lifted her skyward.

Three green anacondas lashed out and grabbed Ted Grant, Pieter Cross and Michael Holt around their waists and lifted them into the air. When they looked to the right, they saw Alan Scott, Jay Garrick and the Creeper hovering next to them. When they turned to the left, they found a struggling Karen Starr held in a green film. They looked below and saw Vandal Savage and the duplicate JSA looking up at them, all wearing the same evil smile.

“Like I said, Society,” began Savage, “your time is up. You are outdated, as others of your ilk are. But worry not. The Justice Society will go out in a blaze of infamy! You see, your duplicates have one last mission to complete. One to nail your collective coffins shut. One that will permanently rid you from my life.”

“And what is it this time, Savage?” asked Scott, his jaw set. “Death rays or something more melodramatic?”

Savage snickered. “Since you asked, my creatures will be sent to Staten Island, and once there, level it. Buildings, stores, homes, men, women, children, animals; all gone. The annihilation will be televised, the world will play witness to the city’s destruction, and this time, you will not be able to stop me. And while this occurs, you will be waiting here for the media, the outraged citizens, and no doubt, the military to arrive. And soon, all heroes will be outlawed and mankind will be mine for the taking.”

“I know I’m going to hate myself for asking, Savage,” began Grant, “But why Staten Island?”

Savage sniffed. “Because it’s there! It’s not part of Brooklyn, it’s not part of Queens! It’s a stuck up little burg that will die in its own stew of self-importance!” He breathed a deep gulp of air and calmed himself. “Now, I have to make a phone call. Is there anything else?”

“Yeah!” cried the Creeper. “I think I can see my house from here!”

Savage squeezed the spot between his eyes on the bridge of his nose. “Why do I bother,” he sighed. He tapped Sentinel on the shoulder. The creature grinned and looked up.

One by one, the tendrils snapped forward and slammed each JSA member to the hard concrete. The flaming tendrils broke off and formed cocoons around the heroes that began under their throats and ended enclosing their feet.

“Please be patient,” said Savage. “This shouldn’t take long.”

Vandal Savage walked briskly to the fractured doorway of the building with the evil JSA team following at his heels.

Creeper turned his head away to spit out a loose tooth and looked over to Holt. “This is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into!”

A groan made the team turn their heads to see Alan Scott blinking the cobwebs from his eyes and a large reddened lump above his eyebrow. He looked down at the green cobweb holding him in place. He angrily snapped his head around to see his friends in the same predicament.

“Where’s Savage?” he hissed.

“He went to call the press and sic the doubles on S.I.” answered Karen, still trying to move her arms.

“I cannot even move my arms to get to the laser scalpel in my belt,” complained Cross.

“It wouldn’t work even if you had it,” said Scott as he frowned down at the cocoons.

“Suggestions?” asked Grant.

Bright green flame filled Scott’s eyes. “Working on it.”

“What are you trying to do?” asked Holt.

Beads of perspiration coated Scott’s forehead. “Well, Plan A was to create a scalpel out of the Starheart and cut my way out.”

“Copycat,” muttered Cross.

Though his face appeared tired and pained, Scott flashed Cross a smile. “So to prevent any further comments from the Peanut Gallery, I’m moving to Plan B.”

“Which is?” asked Karen.

Scott swallowed and closed his eyes behind his mask. Veins appeared and throbbed in his temples. “If my theory is correct, this is a manifestation of the Starheart flame. I’m trying to see my will can be extended to something I did not create and get us out.”

“And if that don’t work?” said Ted Grant.

“Then lady and gentlemen,” replied Scott, “We’ve got a problem.”

The team became silent and watched their comrade and waited. Seconds ticked slowly by and turned to minutes. Alan looked like someone dropped a bucket of water over his head. His skin was damp and waxy and his thick blond hair was matted to his scalp.

“Better put a little jump in that jive, man,” said Grant. “I ain’t entirely agreeing with Savage, but Staten Island is a lot of someone’s home.”

“Thanks, Wildcat,” rasped Scott through grit teeth. “No pressure.” Scott rested his head against the cool concrete and exhaled slowly. For several seconds, he did not move. Then suddenly, he released an angry scream and green Starheart fire poured from his eyes. The cocoon around his body began to dissipate and he pushed against the glowing fibers, freeing himself. He got to his feet and stood there rocking on the balls of his heels.

“Uh, don’t forget about us at the kid’s table!” reminded the Creeper.

Scott smiled wearily and aimed his hands at the cocoons covering his friends. Green flame poured from his hands like floating molasses and covered the cocoons. Within seconds, the glowing fibers holding the teammates began to smoke and dissolve. The JSA stood above the smoldering fibers and turned towards the building.

“We ready?” asked Karen, cracking her knuckles.

“Almost,” replied Scott and he raised his arm above his head. Coming out of the trees was a small glowing ball, which glided in the air and came to a rest at their feet. The ball shimmered then vanished, revealing the Sigil of Ramnicor and the talismans Doctor Fate had given them. Pieter Cross stepped forward and reached for them. He stopped when he saw all eyes were on him.

“No offense, but I am better suited to carry these mystical trinkets.”

“Really?” said Karen, a small half smile coming to her lips. “And why do you think that?”

There was a bruise on Cross’ jaw and he winced slightly as he grinned at the tall blond.

“I’m the one with pockets.”

All eyes scanned their form fitting uniforms.

“My jacket has pockets,” said Holt.

“Let’s not quibble,” replied Cross and he picked up a small gold jewel and placed it in a pouch on his belt. He then picked up a circle of petrified wood and placed it into a separate pouch. He then reached forward for the sigil, which was a star shaped diamond on a gold chain and felt his arms tingle. He lifted it and placed it over his head and slid it inside his tunic.

Cross’ spine stiffened as he felt a charge of energy flow through him. He blinked several times from behind his goggles and smiled at his comrades. “I think we may proceed with the operation.”

The JSA and the Creeper smiled at each other and walked to the building’s shattered entrance.

“No bars. No bars. No bars,” muttered Savage as he walked the cellphone around the office. Standing in a relaxed group were the duplicates. They stood watching Savage, smiling and waiting for their next order. “AH!” exclaimed Savage. “Bars!” he began to dial a number and was told to hold on; the next call would be taken in order of receipt. In the meantime, Savage was serenaded by the Glenn Miller orchestra playing String of Pearls.

“Don’cha hate being put on hold?”

Savage turned to see the Creeper in a crouch with the JSA standing behind them. The duplicates turned to the originals and then to Savage.

Vandal Savage sighed. “Take this outside. Can’t you see I’m on the phone! YES! Hello! Newsroom, please.”

As the copies moved forward, Terrific said, “Back outside. We’re gonna need room.”

The JSA ran outside and took positions just as the evil doubles charged through the opening.

Alan Scott swooped up and shot a green glowing barrier in front of them, then formed a dome, holding them in place. Sentinel fired blast after blast of energy at the fiery wall, creating hairline cracks in its surface. He turned to Cross. “DO IT!”

Pieter Cross moved forward and concentrated. He could feel a low hum of energy flow through his upper torso and climbing to his head. He exhaled and tried to open himself to the magic, but the low thrum never changed its intensity.

“Mid-Nite!” called Scott. The cracks were now becoming fissures in the dancing green flame.

“It’s not working! I don’t know what to do!”

A dagger of green flame burst through the dome and narrowly missed Scott. The duplicates poured through the opening with Sentinel rising in the air, firing short bursts of flame at Scott.

Mister Terrific leaped at Cross, who went into a shoulder roll underneath his flying body. Cross shot to his feet and delivered a wheel-kick to rising Terrific. Before his foot could connect, he felt a sharp burst of pain in his chest and saw the ground and his feet bid adieu. He landed and looked up at the hovering Power Girl.

Cross pulled the sigil from beneath his tunic and placed his hands over the pouches that contained the talismans. Power Girl stared at him and her smiled widened. Cross tore the talismans from their pouches and held them in front of him. She slid in the air closer to where Cross was standing.

Grant leapfrogged over a diving Doctor Mid-Nite, then back-kicked an oncoming Wildcat. “Doc! Put it on! Maybe ya gotta put the bracelet on!” A pair of hands going at 25 M.P.H. struck Ted in the chest and he flew back and to the ground.

Just as Cross pocketed the talismans and began to tear off his glove, a huge green hammer struck the ground in front of him. Pieter leapt back and ran in the opposite direction, ripping off his other glove. He turned and ducked under a large fiery sword and went into a shoulder roll. He came to a stop on one knee and pulled out the circle of wood. The business end of a the hammer struck only inches from him and made the bracelet fly out of his hand.

Power Girl dove from the sky at the bouncing circle of wood. Her hand came inches from the bracelet when Jay Garrick’s passing hand shot out and snatched it away. Without breaking her momentum, Power Girl skimmed the ground, chasing the running Jay.

Garrick made a sudden left turn, then a right and came to a stop, waiting for Power Girl to catch up. Power Girl’s eyes narrowed and she increased her speed. At the last second, Garrick flipped the talisman up in the air to Karen, then shot a one hundred M.P.H. over handed right to Power Girl’s incoming jaw, snapping her head back and making her legs kick forward. She landed hard on the ground, then bounced up and went after Karen.

Karen swooped past her, making the copy stall in midair, then tossed the bracelet to Michael Holt on the ground. Several feet in front of him was Mister Terrific. The copy smiled and charged.

Holt cradled the wooden bracelet in the crook of his arm and charged forward, his sparking T-spheres forming a defensive line. Terrific leaped and tried to wrap his arms around Holt’s pistoning legs, but Holt jumped up at the last second, sending his knee into the man’s face and jumped over him. His feet had barely touched the ground when he tossed the bracelet at a sprinting Ted Grant, coming in from the opposite direction.

Wildcat leaped from Grant’s blind side and wrapped his arms around his waist. The circle of wood bounced in Grant’s hand, but his quick reflexes snatched it out of the air. Grant sent a hard elbow into Wildcat’s face, releasing his hold, then pivoted and delivered a right uppercut to the duplicate’s jaw. Wildcat stepped back and sent a hard right to Grant’s midsection, sending him back a step. Both Grant and Wildcat circled each other, eyeing the other. Grant locked eyes with his copy and playfully tossed the circle of wood between his hands. Wildcat’s eyes alternated between Grant’s smiling eyes and the moving bracelet. Suddenly Grant flipped the bracelet in the air. When Wildcat looked up, Grant’s hand flattened and chopped him across the Adam’s apple. Wildcat’s eyes widened and Grant sent a haymaker to his jaw, sending him to one knee. Ted caught the ring of wood before it struck the ground, leaped over his copy and into a run.

Grant spotted Doctor Mid-Nite at the last moment, and drove his shoulder into the oncoming copy, sending him flying backwards off his feet. The hairs suddenly stood up straight on the back of Ted’s neck and he dove to the ground just as Power Girl swooped from the sky, missing what would have been his head. Ted rolled up and tossed the talisman, Frisbee-like, at Alan Scott who just tripped up the Flash.

“Press seven, if you’d like to speak to a particular reporter.”

Sighing, Savage used his thumb to press the 7 key.

“Please enter the first five letters of the reporter’s last . . . “

“MUDSHARK!”

Savage spun around to see a pair of red-booted feet inches from his face. The impact sent Savage over the desk and onto the floor, the telephone flying out of his hand. The Creeper scooped it up and brought it to his face.

“He’ll call you back.”

The Creeper skipped over and reached down and took hold of Savage’s thick beard and pulled upward, hoisting him to his feet. Vandal Savage roared and sent a chop to the Creeper’s wounded side, doubling him over. He followed that with a chop to the side of his head that sent him to the floor.

Savage reared back and sent a hard toe to the Creeper’s side.

“You little gnome! You think yourself worthy to defeat me?!?!”

“I actually wanted to see if that fuzz was real,” gasped Creeper.

Savage screamed and sent another kick to the Creeper’s side. Creeper went into a backwards roll, came to his feet, and leaped at Savage, catching him in the throat with a flying elbow. Savage flew back and sprawled across a desk.

“Oh, Chet!” screamed the Creeper. “Did’ja see that one! The contender is on the ropes and the champion is closing in for the kill! Oh, the humanity! Oh, the humility! Oh, the other words that starts with ‘H’!”

Savage sneered and grabbed the aluminum handle of a desk drawer, ripped it out and struck the Creeper across the face with it, shattering it in several pieces. The blow snapped his head to one side.

The Creeper’s head slowly turned on his neck. His eyes were insane as they were angry. His smile was broad and was accented by the trickle of blood running from his torn lip. The Creeper’s tongue snaked out and licked a drop of blood. He lifted one eyebrow.

“I hope you know, this means war.”

The Creeper dropped to the floor and swung a straight leg at Savage, sweeping him off his feet and to the floor. The Creeper leaped in the air and drove his heels into the man’s stomach, then dragged him to his feet. He grasped Savage by his neck and the seat of his pants, grunted and lifted him off the floor and above his head. He turned to the only window in the room that did not have broken glass.

“You need a time out, Cuddles,” he said as he threw him through the plate glass window and into the courtyard. The Creeper followed after him and used his stomach as a springboard.

The Creeper looked up as Alan Scott caught the bracelet tossed by Grant and saw his teammate fire a green blast of fire at the Sentinel, who fired a blast in return. Scott dodged the blast easily and readied to fire another volley when a pulse of green flame caught him in the chest, stunning him. Dizzy, Scott tumbled to the ground and when he landed, the circle of wood flew out of his hand and rolled away.

Both the Sentinel and Power Girl dove from the sky, trying to beat each other to the still rolling bracelet. The tips of Power Girl’s fingered grazed the wooden surface just as a green pair of needle-nosed pliers plucked it from her, rose in the air and snaked towards Cross. Pieter raised his arm and the circle slid over his hand and was released when it was on his wrist.

What happened next happened so suddenly, everyone; the JSA and their demon counterparts stopped to watch.

A bright white light came from underneath Cross’ goggles and seemed to fill the inside of the lens to bursting. The light slid like molasses and covered the outside of Cross’ lenses and his entire body lifted straight into the air. A calm but determined expression crossed his face and he turned his head to Sentinel and smiled. Twin bolts of white energy shot from his goggles and struck him squarely in the chest, sending him flying back and over the top of the industrial building. Cross turned in time to see a swooping Power Girl coming towards him, and twin bolts shot out, striking her first in the stomach, and then in the face, sending her plummeting to the Earth. As soon as she struck terra firma, Cross sent another bolt of magical energy and made a Power Girl-shaped dent in the concrete.

Cross spun in midair and shot Doctor Mid-Nite and Mister Terrific who were standing side by side. He then spun on a running Wildcat and sent him face first into the ground with a shot to the back of his head. The Flash ran and dodged the next shots by Cross and began to run in circles beneath him, causing a suction that began to pull at the feet of Pieter Cross. Running alongside of the Flash, Jay Garrick sent one hundred and fifty punches to the head and midsection of his copy, stunning the Flash and slowing him in his tracks. Cross whipped around and shot a double blast at the Flash and sent him flying backwards into a hedge.

As the light began to dim behind his goggles, Cross slowly came back to the ground. He stood there breathing heavily, looking around at the fallen duplicates.

“You okay?” called Holt.

“I refer back to your feeling of ass,” exhaled Cross. “I must speak with Fate on including a warning label on his trinkets.”

Suddenly Power Girl sat up in her small crater and turned and looked at Cross.

“Uh, Doc?” said Grant pointing.

Cross lifted his arms and held them out in front of him. He flexed his fingers and looked back at Grant.

“I think that was it. I feel nothing.”

Sentinel flew overhead and formed a green bubbling shield around his team. The evil JSA took measured steps forward. Holt, Karen, Cross, Garrick, Grant, Scott and the Creeper closed ranks and waited, their bodies as tense as a spring. Behind the duplicates, Vandal Savage stood at a safe distance, smiling.

“You see? There is nothing you can do. You have lost. TAKE THEM!”

Just as the duplicates rushed forward, and the JSA countered with a rush of their own, a giant ball of light appeared between them, bringing both sets to a sudden halt.

“The Eye of Darkness?” muttered Holt.

“If so, it is very different,” replied Cross. He looked over to Scott. “Can your Starheart match the spectral frequency of my goggles?”

“I did it before,” replied Scott.

“Then a little illumination if you would.”

Scott aimed his hand at Cross’ face and released a blot of light. It coated Cross’ face like a warm velour blanket. The light narrowed on his goggles, then reflected to the ball of light and covered it. The glowing orb resembled the Eye of Darkness, but in reverse; the ball of this eye was red and its catlike pupil black.

The orb rose in the air above their heads and beams of black light shot out from the center of the pupil and struck Alan Scott and the Sentinel. A second set of beams were released and hit Holt and Terrific, Cross and Mid-Nite, Garrick and the Flash, Grant and Wildcat and lastly, Karen and Power Girl. All men and women went up on their toes and the area was filled with the roar of a hurricane, yet no wind or breeze was felt.

The Creeper bounced next to Holt and reached out to pull him out of the way of the black light.

“NO!” cried Holt. “DON’T TOUCH ME! I don’t know what it could do to you!”

“Does it hurt?” yelled the Creeper over the hollow roar.

“Like a bastard!” called back Holt.

“Sucks to be you!” replied the Creeper.

The Eye of Darkness began to pulsate from within, as if it were drawing energy from both teams. The black beams of light retracted into the pupil and the Eye emitted an audible bass hum. It suddenly brightened and exploded in a wave of white light. When all eyes were able to focus, it was gone.

“LOOK!” cried Karen.

All eyes of the JSA turned and looked at the doppelgangers. Their skins turned from flesh color to an ashy gray. Small fissures ran across its surface and pieces began to crack and drop to the ground.

Power Girl tried to push off the ground and her feet crumbled beneath her. She fell to the ground and her body split open and crumbled to dust.

Sentinel lifted his arm and it fell from his body and broke into several pieces when it struck the concrete. He suddenly stiffened and fell backwards, shattering, the pieces seemed to dry and turn into powder.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?!” screamed Savage.

Mid-Nite, Wildcat and Terrific did not move a muscle. Suddenly pieces of their bodies flaked off and broke against the ground. One by one, they toppled either forward or backwards and broke apart. The pieces began to smoke and crumble.

The Flash lifted his leg to run but broke in five places when his foot touched the concrete. He looked up at Jay Garrick and smiled. His face froze and began to break away. Chunks of his body came off in powdery white puffs and continued to do so until there was nothing left.

Vandal Savage stared in silent shock at the piles of dust at his feet. His face was a mask of rage and was flushed from neck to crown. He tilted his head to the sky.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, YOU FOOL!?!?” he cried. “YOU’VE RUINED EVERYTHING! YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS!!!”

“Is he always like this when he loses?” asked Creeper leaning over Terrific’s shoulder.

“Uh, no,” replied Holt, his eyes still on the raving Savage. “This is a first.”

“Well, while you guys are watching a super-baddie have a meltdown, I need to tinkle.” He caught Holt’s expression. “Hey! I’ve been holding this for a while!” the Creeper said back-flipping away and bounded inside the remains of the building.

“I thought you were tapped out,” said Karen, placing a firm hand on Cross’ shoulder.

“As much as I would like to take the credit, I’m afraid I had nothing to do with it.”

“YOU’RE WEAK, BILLY!” raged Savage to the sky around him. He spun in a tight circle, his hands clenched into tight fists. “YOU’RE WEAK AND A COWARD! I WAS A FOOL TO BELIEVE IN YOU!”

“Billy?” muttered Scott, his brows knit in thought.

“YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS! YOU UNDERSTAND ME? YOU WILL DIE!”

A bolt of black light came out of nowhere and struck Savage in the chest, sending him flying twenty feet.

The JSA turned and looked in all directions, but couldn’t determine the direction it came from.

As Savage pulled himself to his feet, another black light formed behind him, but this light spiraled in its center. As Savage turned to look behind him, the circle of light expanded to twice his size and resembled a black hole. Savage’s hair and clothes were pulled towards the spinning hole and his feet scraped across the ground. He pushed back with his feet and tried to walk forward to escape it. He lifted his right leg and brought it down a few feet in front of him and fought the powerful suction.

“YOU’LL DIE FOR YOUR TRECHERY!” Savage screamed.

A large shadow appeared on the ground and began to rise into a humanoid form.

“I will die, surely, Vandal,” a voice said. “But not today.”

An arm pulled itself from the shadow and a well manicured finger pointed at Savage’s chest. A single blast of black light came from the lacquered nail and struck Vandal Savage beneath the chin. The blast was strong enough to send him reeling back and into the black hole. Savage’s hands caught and gripped the sides of the hole and he tried to pull himself out. A dark figure strode through the shadows, dragging it behind him like a living shroud and stood with his back to the JSA. From the tip of his finger came another blast of black light, striking the villain between the eyes and sending the screaming Vandal Savage tumbling into the black hole and out of sight.

The shadow turned to face the JSA. Slowly the dark mist surrounding the figure dissipated, revealing a tall black hat and flowing opera cape.

Alan Scott’s jaw and hands tightened. “Billy,” he rasped.

“William,” William Zard corrected, grinning maliciously. The Wizard doffed his black top hat and made a sweeping bow to the JSA.

To be continued…