Metropolis

“Tornado, you're up first.”

Massive, gale-force winds battered the Justice League of America from all sides at once, seemingly coming completely out of nowhere. The winds had a crimson tint to them, courtesy of the wind elemental called Red Tornado. Although it would take more than bad weather to take out the world's most powerful superheroes, it could slow them down enough for the rest of Nightwing's team to make their move.

“Supergirl and Steel, you're up next.”

The winds seemed to part around the blue and red streak that Supergirl became as she slammed right into the man whose legacy she had adopted. Originally a protoplasmic alien from another dimension, as of now the woman who had chosen the name Matrix found her DNA inexplicably converting to Kryptonian DNA.

Kara's fists of steel pounded on Superman, trying to force him away from the battle. If she could get him away, she was far more hopeful in the chances of her teammates against the rest of the Justice League.

Next to Superman, the Martian Manhunter was the most powerful and Steel took it upon himself to engage J'onn. Wielding a massive sledgehammer in one hand, Steel swung it in a wide arc, the end connecting with the Manhunter's chest.

From the rooftops above, Nightwing and Arsenal stood and watched. The former teen sidekicks, all grown up and taking on some of the very people who helped raise them. Dick Grayson's eyes narrowed beneath the lenses of his domino mask.

“Sure you're up for this?” asked Arsenal.

“Don't have much of a choice, do we?” asked Nightwing. His hand went to his earpiece. “Oracle, what's the status on that back-up we were promised?”

{Still working on it. Seems the Justice Society is otherwise occupied and Batman was very specific about not involving Young Justice.}

“Of course not,” said Nightwing. “What about Black Canary? What about Green Arrow? I'll even settle for Ambush Bug.”

{Hold on, I've gotten a message from Mr. Terrific. He says even though his team's got their hands full, he can send someone out to lend a hand.}

“Please tell me it's Sentinel...” said Nightwing.

{Not one of the Justice Society... someone else...}

Thick smog surrounded Arsenal and Nightwing before beginning to assume a shape of a man with gray skin, no hair, and a multi-colored uniform.

“Metamorpho...?” asked Nightwing.

“Not quite,” said the man. “Name's Shift.”

Arsenal whispered to Nightwing, “someone cloned Metamorpho?”

“I'm not a clone,” said Shift. “Mr. Terrific said you needed a hand.”

Nightwing motioned to the rioting Justice League up against his team. Shift's eyes widened. “You serious?” he asked.

“No, we made it up,” said Arsenal. “This is all a joke. April Fool's.”

“We don't know what's wrong with the League, but we do know that we have to take them down,” said Nightwing.

“We're gonna need help, then,” said Shift.

“Oracle's working on it,” said Nightwing. “So in the meantime, grab a meta and start hitting.”

“Sure, no problem,” said Shift. “Any other miracles you'd like me to perform?”

“Just get into action,” said Nightwing, firing a jumpline. “Welcome to the big leagues.”

	The World's Greatest Superheroes! DESPAIR Part II: Reactionary Force
JLA #47 February, Year Seven	by Dino Pollard

THE BATMAN	MARTIAN MANHUNTER	SUPERMAN	BLACK LIGHTNING	AZTEK

THE FLASH	ATOM	ZATANNA	JADE	ZAURIEL

The Watchtower

The blow from the salmon-colored fist sent jolts of pain through Bruce Wayne's face. The Batman felt the punch even through the armored helmet he wore. Despero pulled his other fist back and struck again with a second blow. The third blow sent the Batman careening against the far wall.

“It will take more than your new toys to stop me, Batman,” said Despero.

“Why are you here?” asked the Batman. He hurled several batarangs, his suit producing another and another almost as fast as he could release them.

“I would think that much was obvious,” said Despero, deflecting each of the weapons. “I entered a state of despair when I heard the League fell apart. Oh, J'onn tried his best to reform. But Hawkman? Black Lightning? Booster Gold? Fire? That's not the Justice League. Barely a reasonable facsimile. So when word reached me of a new Justice League, I couldn't resist—this was one in full-force, this was one worthy of destruction by my hand.”

“You have serious issues,” said the Batman. “If you like, I can recommend a good psychiatrist.”

“What's this? A joke from the grim Batman?” asked Despero with a smile. “I must admit, I am shocked at this display.”

“I'm full of surprises,” said the Batman. His hand went to the buckle on his belt and he pressed the button. Despero fell to his knees, clutching his head in pain. The Batman slowly approached, his finger holding down the button.

“Telepathy operates on frequencies, just like everything else,” he said. “It's just a matter of finding that frequency and overloading it, like I'm doing now. You shouldn't have come back, Despero.”

Despero slowly raised his head, a smile on his face even as blood leaked from his nose. “I—I've got a surprise for you as well, Batman. You're right about psychic frequencies but do you know what you didn't take into account?”

The Batman offered no response.

“You're on that frequency as well,” said Despero. “It's just a matter of opening the door!”

And then, the Batman collapsed, pain overloading his mind, falling victim to his own weapon.

The pale-skinned man fell to the desert ground, a bright red bruise forming on the spot where the soldier struck him.

“I asked you a question,” said the soldier. “Where are you headed?”

“And I told you...” said the pale-skinned man. “I. Don't. Know!”

“The hell can you not know?” asked another soldier.

“Look... my memory's really jumbled. All I know is there was this flash and then I was here in the desert and that's all I know.”

“I think he's lying,” said the third soldier. “I think he's—what the crap?”

The soldier stopped himself when he saw the glowing red eyes beneath the man's hood. He immediately raised his gun and trained it on the pale-skinned man. His compatriots did the same.

“The hell are you?”

“I don't know why...” he said. “But I really hate that word.”

“That's where you're about to go!” said the soldier.

“I get the feeling...” the man said, “...that you really don't want to do that.”

The soldier opened fire and the bullets riddled the man's body, flying through the back of his cloak. He fell to the ground and his hood came loose from his head, revealing his pale skin and gray hair.

“Damn, talk about a real white boy,” said the soldier. “How can you be out here and not get even a little color?”

“Look at that get-up he was wearing. No wonder he didn't get any sun. Surprised he didn't die of heat exhaustion.”

“What should we do with the body?”

“Leave it, blame it on the locals.”

The soldiers turned around and began walking away from the body. As they walked, they felt a breeze coming from behind.

“About time,” said one of them. “So goddamn hot out here.”

The breeze became stronger, and sand was beginning to hit their backs.

“Might be a sandstorm on the rise.”

“Uhh sir...?”

“Yeah?”

They all turned and they saw the man they had just shot, only now his tattered cloak was gone and they saw him hovering before them with massive wings, wearing golden armor and holding a sword with a blade crafted from fire.

“I don't think that's a sandstorm...”

Supergirl rose into the air, holding Superman above her by the throat. She retracted her arm and threw the punch, knocking him free from her grip. As he recovered, Superman looked at her but he didn't see the woman he referred to as his cousin. Instead, he saw someone else, someone with dark hair and a beard and dressed in Kryptonian armor.

“Zod...” he growled.

“What?” asked Supergirl. “Clark, what are you--”

Superman's eyes began to glow brightly and a moment later, Supergirl was engulfed in a burst of heat vision. She tried to hold her ground and she returned fire—literally.

The two titans battled high above the city, their heat vision locked in, holding both at bay. They each pressed harder and Supergirl felt the strain on her eyes. She still wasn't quite used to all these different powers. Had she still been Matrix, she could have gone invisible, would have made taking on her cousin far easier.

But she had no choice, she had to make due with what she was given. However, Superman had these powers for years, and that meant he had more experience with them. Supergirl could only focus on one at a time and while her eyes strained with the heat vision, she failed to notice Superman inhaling deeply and then blowing her away with a massive wind gust as if she were a fly.

The Flash moved as fast as he could, trying to strike his opponent. But Red Tornado seemed to be everywhere at once, his winds constantly buffeting the red and silver streak.

The Flash pushed through, trying to fight the wind elemental. Instead, he found it almost impossible. Despite his speed, he was facing an extreme amount of resistence from the android.

Then, as quickly as it started, the winds stopped. And that was when an arrow struck the ground, unleashing a bright strobe effect. The Flash couldn't see straight, his vision swirling.

Arsenal stood in front of him, his glasses shielding him from the effect. His bow was in his hands and he was notching another arrow.

“Sorry about the sucker punch, Wally, but I'm sure you understand that I can't let you get the drop on me.” he said. “And you do have a bit of a speed advantage.”

The Martian Manhunter grabbed Steel's hammer and tried to pull it from his grip. Beneath his helmet, John Henry Irons smiled. “Nice try, J'onn. But that hammer's magnetized in my grip. When I'm holding it, no one else can get their hands on it.”

The Manhunter smiled and pulled anyway, with all his strength. The hammer pulled free of the magnetic field, nearly shorting it out. J'onn flipped the hammer around and swung it at his foe, driving it against his armored face.

“I don't know who sent you, but I will not let you harm these people,” said the Martian Manhunter.

“What are you talking about?” asked Steel. “J'onn, look at me! It's Steel! And you're the one causing trouble, not me!”

“Enough lies!” shouted J'onn. He bent the hammer and threw it aside, then unleashed powerful force beams from his eyes. Steel retreated, throwing up a forcefield around his armor to protect him.

“J'onn... don't make me do this...” he said.

“Your time is through,” said the Martian Manhunter. “If I have to kill you to protect these people, then I will.”

“Fine, then you leave me no choice,” said Steel. He raised his hand and a dart fired from his gauntlet. When it struck the Martian Manhunter, he exploded into flames. Steel rocketed forward, pulling J'onn from the sky and hurling him against a hydrant. The water that spurted forth doused the flames, but the Manhunter was unconscious.

“Phosphorous dart,” said Steel. “I'm sorry, J'onn.”

Smoke surrounded Black Lightning, courtesy of several pellets tossed at his feet. His hands began to crackle, the electricity arcing from his fingers and clearing the air so he could see his opponent clearly.

Jefferson Pierce extended his hands, the electricity flying from his body. When it struck his enemy, however, it seemed to have no effect on him.

“Costume's insulated,” said Nightwing. Had a feeling I'd be going up against you, so I took the necessary precautions.”

Black Lightning said nothing, just kept circling his opponent. Nightwing did the same, their eyes locked together. Black Lightning launched forward, his body transforming into his namesake as Nightwing leaped into the air, flipping over and landing soundly on his feet.

The former sidekick readied his truncheon sticks as Black Lighting came at him again. This time, his form was solid and Nightwing's suit absorbed any electrical blows, returning physical blows of his own with the batons he carried.

Nightwing thrust forward, the end of his truncheon striking Black Lightning in the chest. He pressed a switch on the end and Lightning found his strength waning, being sapped away as Nightwing's baton began to brightly glow.

“A powerful battery has been installed in this, should help to slow you down,” said Nightwing. The momentary power loss was all Dick Grayson needed to thrust his other hand forward, his wrist striking Black Lightning's neck. When Nightwing pulled away, a tiny needle jutted forth from the teacher's neck, a sedative quickly incapacitating him.

“Kind of hard to speak when you're breathing carbon dioxide, eh?” asked Shift. “You may be hot stuff, babe—and with those fishnets I'd have to agree—but you still gotta breathe, don't you?”

Shift's vision became obscured by a wall of green and he quickly found himself being pulled away. A giant green vacuum cleaner hovered nearby, courtesy of Jade, the daughter of the Golden Age Green Lantern and a woman who possessed many of those same abilities.

“For the record, I could make a really sexist joke about this, but I think it's in my interests not to...” said Shift.

A thunderous BOOM came, followed by shockwaves, throwing most of the League and their opponents from their feet. In the center of a crater, a god had joined the battle. She was dressed in armor, prepared to go to war and in her hand, she clutched her weapon tightly, moving into a battle stance.

“This ends now!” shouted Big Barda.