The Last Daughter of Krypton - IC

[ChasNicollette]

Bruce

He looked to Bruce and finished, "Your generosity is much appriciated."

"So is yours," Bruce nodded quietly, squinting his eyes somewhat, scratching his cheek with a fingertip. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, with these meteor rock weapons... we never would have stood a chance against The General. As it stands, I wish the results of the fight had been more final... but no-one on our side died, though some came close. If we all live to fight another day, I can live with Zod doing the same."

He smiled faintly, gratefully, a little bit awkwardly. For some reason, he knew that the dazzling billionaire grin wouldn't fly with Damian. That he'd see through to the pain behind that smile.

His suspicions about The Black Hood had not been entirely allayed. But now that The Voice had faded, he found himself striving to not immediately think the worst of the man.

Damian had saved their lives with his "Kryptonite." And he might have helped save J'onzz' life, as well, with his shouted encouragement.

(Which, that had been something incredible, J'onzz' rising as if from the dead.

'Rage, rage against the dying of the light.')

Bruce gestured dismissively. "You said you were living at The Siegel Estate. But if my memory serves, that place is kind of a mess. My own place took some hits in the most recent Shower, but Alfred and I did some work on it earlier, and I guarantee you this humble abode is in better shape than yours. You can stay here: at least until tomorrow, at least until we can get someone out to The Siegel Estate to make it livable for you."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Kyle

OK, panicking won't help.

I tried to call on Shadow, and felt nothing.

Well, hopefully this was not permanent. It had happened once before, but once we left the church everything had gone back to normal.

(And I was NOT mentioning that out loud! People mistook me for something Evil already! Telling everyone that Holy ground shut me off like a light switch was not a good idea!)

"I'm OK maam. Something like this happened to me once before, and my powers came back. Something happened that caused them to shut down is all." I paused then chuckled, and winced as my ribs protested.

"At least if they don't I won't need contacts or my sunglasses to take Rose to Homecoming. Lets get inside, I feel like someone dropped a house on me. Fully furnished."

I kept up my brave face. Roses mom had enough to worry about.

I needed to think. What had happened that had not happened before?
Think.
Think.
TELEPORTATION!!!!!

Merick got us out of there obviously, and I had never been teleported before! That must be it!

 

[ChasNicollette]

Ceri

"I'm OK maam. Something like this happened to me once before, and my powers came back. Something happened that caused them to shut down is all." I paused then chuckled, and winced as my ribs protested.

"At least if they don't I won't need contacts or my sunglasses to take Rose to Homecoming. Lets get inside, I feel like someone dropped a house on me. Fully furnished."

Ceri arched an eyebrow, and extended a finger, touching Kyle's cheek and turning him to face her.

She frowned a bit, gazing into those summery blue eyes.

"I've been doing this a long time," she murmured, "and even if I weren't a mother, I'd know you weren't telling me everything."

She glanced at Pete, and then back to Kyle. "If you're still feeling pain, there's probably a couple of shots left in your little Liquid Purple Ray. If there's more to it than that..."

The dark-haired woman nodded down the drive to her Saab. "Someone thoughtfully brought my car. We can go for a drive, if yeh want. Talk in private."

Ceri leaned in a bit closer, a little harder, her eyes unyielding. "There's a principle among... practitioners of my former line of work. 'Full disclosure,' it's called. It's the only way partners can operate together, knowing when the soldier beside them isn't functioning at their fullest. Outsider to Outsider, if there's something yeh need to confide, yeh'd best confide it. (I can promise yeh secrecy, even from Rose, if yeh need me to. I'm good at keeping secrets.)"

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Kyle

I looked at Ceri, with Pete waiting in the background.

"Ok, yes I am not telling you everything, and yes I want to keep it private. Couldn't keep anything from Mom either." I whispered. Lets walk over here. Pete, I'm ok. Banged all the heck up, but Ok. Head in and get some rest.

I walked over to the battered Volvo, then leaned against the hood. Everything hurt, from my nose to my legs. My arm throbbed and my ribs were screaming, but I was alive.

"Certain things about me look like I am from Hell rather than Texas. I look like a demon, I scare animals and kids when they see me," I paused and looked Ceri in the eyes again, "And my powers shut down on Holy ground."

I leaned back (ouch!) and looked up at the stars.

"Gram took me to church about six months after mom and dad died. I hadn't been yet, as we were sorta hiding, but before we had always gone. She thought it would help me come to tearms with what happened. Talk to the priest, maybe find some piece. What happened was the second I crossed the fence my powers were just cut off. I never really felt comfortable in there, though once I left they came back."

I rubbed my temple. My head was starting to pound, and my stomach grumbled for the first time in over three years.

"I learned not that long ago that according to some sort of metaphysical agreement I shut down on Holy ground. I'm not evil or a demon, but if the others learned that the leap to assuming that is pretty small. Barely a hop. So I keep that fact to myself. The only reason I told you is because I don't want to keep secrets from you." I chuckled then winced. "I doubt I could anyway. Your just like mom. Your superpower is to look right through me and know instantly when I am up to something."


"Besides, I am willing to bet that it was the Teleportation that screwed up my powers. More than likely they will come back. Lots of my abilities deal with sunrise and sunset. I'll be a normal 16 year old for a day, then panic if things aren't back to normal by tomorrow. Right now I am too tired and hungry to worry about it. lets go get some grub and shuteye. And remember, you left Mr. Hamilton alone with an AI and time, there is no telling what those two have done."

 

[Lunaramblings]

Merick grinned at Pete.

See, that there might be a bit of a problem. Seems I lost the instruction manual to my supersuit. I don't know how I got into this glowy look and I sure don't have any idea of how I get out. Dude, it kinda sucks. I have a pack of Mentos in my pocket... but WHERE THE HELL IS MY POCKET!"

Merick began to laugh. It felt good. It broke the tension a bit. As he laughed he began to fade. Turning a lighter green. Until eventually, the glowing aura had subsided.

"How...hehehe.. I guess...hahohae... laughter is the best medicine!" Merick laughed a bit more. Then, once under control. He Swooshed away. Leaving his father still swaddled in bands of force.



Marcy Tennylson had dozed off. It had been a very long and trying day.

For the last half of her life Marcy had been the perfect picture of normalcy. She graduated college, married her sweetheart, had kids and a home. What Marcy didn't talk about often was the other side of the coin.

Marcy had only transferred to Texas State University a few months before meeting Dale. Before that she was in New York. She played bass and sang in a punk band. She had a few other bad habits as well. Then her life changed.

Marcy's band, The Netherborn, were offered a gig in Detroit. A massive two day festival at an old warehouse complex. Marcy ditched class, and her and her band went out to the midwest. There was a lot of hype in the punk rock community that this could be the chance these bands needed to go mainstream. Marcy was staggering home from a gig, 3 a.m. blitzed stupid. When she was attacked. There were two of them. They grabbed her. Beat her. Then they tried to rape her. Then he showed up. Out of the darkness came a man. He was fast, and strong and he saved her. The thugs tried to fight back but he was vicious. At that moment Marcy was confident that her life was over. However, instead the man bent down, and asked if she was okay. He lectured her for her poor choices. And, as she wept, he brushed away her tears, and he told her, calmly, that no matter how the storm rages, it can't rain all the time.

Marcy left Detroit that morning. She never talked to her band mates again. She started TSU the middle of November. Marcy had rebuilt her life. All because of the events of that fateful Halloween morning. Marcy awoke. She decided that she was stronger than this. She would rally, circle the wagons and stand strong. No matter what.

As Marcy awoke and stood trying to loosen her aching bones, her son reappeared.

"Hey Mum."

"Don't you hey me. What have you and your father been playing at? Leaving me here, I oughta bust your head."

"I'm sorry. We kinda had to save the world and I didn't want you in the crossfire. Listen, about Dad... he ain't right. It's like he has snapped. You need to be ready for him to be a bit.. different."

"Merick, I am sure he is fine. Just stress, you'll see. Now can we go? Please?"

Merick didnt say another word. He simply hugged his mother and swooshed back to the porch of Wayne Manor.

 

[AmenRa]

"Contemplating the past or future, J'onn J'onzz?" came the voice. It was inside his head, of course, for the vacuum of space carried no sound. The Martian Manhunter turned 180 degrees from his reverie and saw the female, humanoid form with a blazing green aura floating carelessly in the void not far from him.

"Some of both," he answered her, surprised that she would be there. This encounter was very unusual, as he had not spoken to one of her elite status in a very long time. "Isn't this a bit far away from your sector?" he asked.

"Yes," came her reply, "but the Corps has yet to choose a representative from Earth. We have, however, taken interest in the happenings there as of late. Do you require assistance?"

"No," he answered her, "we are strong."

"This is well known to us," she replied, "yet we will continue to observe. 'By darkest day, by blackest night...'"

J'onn bowed a bow of respect to her, and then they parted ways, him streaking red as he flew towards Earth, and she leaving a vibrant green trail as she headed into deep space.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Pete and Ceri and Jamie and Gabe

Pete nodded quietly, but still looked worried as he stood there beside the levitating, force-swaddled Dale. Pete felt like he'd feel a lot more victorious about this whole thing if they'd come out unscathed.

He put his hand in his pocket and felt Water there, and felt a little more victorious. Just a little.

As Ceri moved to join Kyle by her Saab, she lingered by the Bugatti, and she lingered by the Charger, and there were rueful gleams in her eyes. A certain kind of... covetousness... entirely devoid of maliciousness. A covetousness born of memory.

(There had been this magnificent car chase in San Francisco. She wouldn't have believed that James had known that many swear words if she hadn't heard him say them himself. Ceri washed her hands of the whole thing, as James wouldn't have hit his head on the Viper's ceiling nearly so many times if he'd just put his tupping safety-belt on.)

But after a moment of soulful longing, Ceri paid Kyle undivided attention, leaning beside him against the Saab with a hard thoughtful expression on her face.

"'There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio,'" she murmured, after Kyle recounted the instance in which his powers had faltered when his feet had rested upon ordained soil, "'than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'"

She attained a somewhat inscrutable expression, somewhere between bemusement and horrible sadness: "There are angels that make demons look like saints. And demons which strive for great and honourable things. And there are things between, betwixt and between, such unimaginable things... there's a spectrum innumerable and unnamable. Just because your powers fart around on yeh on Holy Ground don't make you evil, Kyle. And they certainly don't make yeh a demon. God save yeh from people who'd say so. (And if He doesn't, I'll kick a quantity of arse on His behalf.)"

Ceri examined him for a moment.

"I don't know how all this interdimensional stuff works," she admitted. "James would know better than me, that's his forte. But it might... um. If your powers come from another dimension, and Merick's just shifted yeh through other dimensions, yeh might have lost the link and now it has to find you again. (Like yeh've lost yeh carrier's celltower on yeh mobile. You're on roaming?)"

Ceri begain walking towards the house, chuckling softly, though she fixed Merick and Marcy with worried expressions when they swoooshed back into place on Bruce's front lawn.

"Let's microwave some of that Mexican food," she murmured, "and make sure our two genius iconoclast co-conspirators haven't found a way to tap The Earth's core for power and fly the world around like a battlewagon. It's just the sort of thing James'd get carried away with. Just to see if he could."

********​

(Pre-departure, while Alfred and The Girls are in the other room.)

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, James had found these fantastic gourmet coffee beans in one of the cupboards, and was eating them from the bag. His tie was again 'round his head like a bandana, and he was sitting on the kitchen counter with his new shoes crossed in front of him.

Gabe was sitting there with eyes way way wide, staring at the man.

"So you're saying," Jamie mused, chewing a mouthful of coffee, "that this -- organisation's been around, what, a thousand years? (Almost. Almost a thousand.) Which pushes back Krypton's influence a good ways further than what we thought."

"Further than that, really," Gabe mumbled. "Because it was founded based on pre-existing prophecies. Predictions made by a previous Traveler, or his ilk."

"Molto bene," Jamie breathed, shaking his head, furrowing his face up. "That's. That's. (Wow, my head!) That's... it's like doing comparative theology in reverse!"

Gabe sat down, because this was making his head hurt, too. "(I don't know what that means.)"

Jamie arched a mysterious eyebrow, and chuckled softly: "Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from miracles. These Kryptonians could be at the foundation of every major known civilisation, and quite a few of the world's more animistic faiths. The Aussie Aborigines have what's considered by many to be the oldest continuous civilisations on the planet, and that could be, erm, oooh, seventy thousand years old? What if Krypton seeded them, too? (Unbelievable.)"

He shoveled another handful of coffee beans into his mouth, grinning his arse off. "Molto tupping bene."

"(That?)" Gabe opined, "(is a lot to think about.)"

Jamie continued grinning. "Innit just?"

Gabe eyed the bag of coffee beans. "Is it really safe for you to be eating those like that? You might damage something. You might as well even set up an IV drip, plug caffeine into your veins."

"Tried that once, for a week," Jamie mused. "Wasn't quite the same. But what a week! I came this close to making a perpetual motion machine using nothing but the principles of applied quantum chromodynamics. But then I blew up a barn silo and me bosses cut off me IV supply. (Bastards.)"

Gabe nodded, eyes wide. "Terrible people."

 

[Lunaramblings]

Marcy bends to a knee before Dale. Brushing her hand over his face.

"What happened to him?"
"I told you. He snapped. When we went into battle it was like he was in a blood lust. His voice changed. He became a monster. It was really freaky. Then he started fighting himself. Literally. Two voices at once."

"He will be fine hun. Just needs some time. Let's get him in, we can eat, rest and we will all be better."

Merick nods. Then looks at Ceri. "How's Kyle? He got pretty banged up. How are you? You were amazing out there."

Merick starts using pulses of force to push Dale into the house. Bringing him into the small sitting room.

"Merick..." Dale's eyes flutter open. "Son... I'm fine. Let me go. Please. I have it back in control. Please.

"Dad. You kinda scared us there. You sure your good?" Merick looks to his father. Which is he looking at? His father, Dr. Dale Tennylson, or the madman that just slaughtered a platoon of soldiers.

"Merick, you can trust me here. Besides, you could take me down in a heart beat if you wanted. Let me up. I just need to get a drink, some food. And maybe a nap."

"Fine." Merick releases the bands around his father. "But one false move... I will drop your ass."

 

[camerindrake]

Damian

Damian looked at Bruce for a moment.* He had to focus to not use the dark voice he used under the cowl.* He wore the cowl so often that his persona outside of it had began to erode.* However he tried to keep himself.* Fought to keep a part of himself to be real outside of the mask that he chose to wear.* Though honestly there was not much of a choice.
He spoke, "I have more to show you if you wish to. Though I must ask how did the kevlar hold up," remembering Bruce getting hit by a deflected force blast.

He walked over to the 16 year old. His eyes already intence but not yet battle hardened by his self appointed war. A war on crime in a lost city. Damian's eyes carried that battle hardened glare. However, Bruce carried something in his eyes that Damian lost the day he saw his father loose. Hope. That emotion Damian one day wishes to regain. He then couldn't help but smile a small smile, which even out of the cowl looked like a grimice.

Damian moved his head towards the door and spoke again, "Come on, I have something that just might be your size in my bag. Or you might be able to grow into anyways."

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

Kara didn't quite understand why people were so afraid of or angered by the Luther family, but as Kara had never met one she couldn't quite make up her own mind. She preferred trusting in people rather than jumping to conclusions.

It was something her father had taught her.

But she was pretty sure he harbored ill-feelings towards the Luthors as well.

"I can... well i think I can run that far pretty fast. Haven't really tried," Kara said.

"I just really wish I knew how to defy gravity. That'd make things a whole lot easier," Kara said, practically kicking herself that she hadn't yet discovered those abilities.

It was in her blood why couldn't she do it?

"How about you, Diana? Think you can make it out there on a stretch?" Kara asked. Diana proved to be pretty durable, and Kara really hoped that she could still come on this adventure of theirs.

Their own little quest.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Rose

"I just really wish I knew how to defy gravity. That'd make things a whole lot easier," Kara said, practically kicking herself that she hadn't yet discovered those abilities.

"Flying's all well and good," Rose sighed faintly, fidgeting with the ruby whispers of her hair. "It's really neat for zipping about town, like in that Matchbox Twenty song. But unless you have speed like a mothereffer, it's not so hot for long distances. (I was toying with the idea of a suborbital parabolic manoeuver, but I'd need graph paper and a protractor and a really good set of goggles to make that work.)"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Bruce

"Kevlar held up fine," Bruce noted. "Fortunately, the impact was kind of spread out. I think a straight, focused shot would have reduced me to a pulp."

He did, however, ruefully touch his own cheek, and then pulled off his glove, regarding the skin of his hand in the now-closer light of his front porch.

"Maybe next time," he murmured experimentally, "I'll see if I can't buy a suit that includes Nomex in the blend as well as Kevlar. Zod's heat rays almost microwaved me. I feel sunburnt; like I should bathe in aloe for a week."

He arched an eyebrow, though, at Damian. At those intense, battle-hardened, hopeless eyes.

God save me, he prayed silently, from that sort of alternate eventuality.

(But then again, God hasn't saved me so far.

And I'll become whatever I need to become, to do the tasks set out before me.)

Out loud, meanwhile, he couldn't help but be curious: "You seem in an awful rush to equip me. (Not that I'm ungrateful, certainly not.) This future you come from; is there something in my future I need to be worried about? If you can tell me without stepping on too many butterflies, so to speak."

 

[Lunaramblings]

Dale and Merick walk into the kitchen.

"How we doing?" Merick moves to the food Pete had squirreled away. He starts tucking in to a burrito as he looks at the situation spread out before him. "Where are the others? I thought saw The Jolly Green Martian here just before we left. Then he showed up in Honduras... Is Rose okay? What did we miss?" Merick, now very much back to his timid playful self, looked very worried.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Jamie, Alfred, Gabe, and Chloe (post-departure)

Jamie looked a little out of joint.

He again sat on the counter, green Converses crossed in front of him, but he no longer held the bag of coffee beans.

Alfred and Jamie had apparently had a tiff of sorts. Jamie's snack food had apparently turned out to be Peruvian Blonde coffee, first beans of the season, remarkably difficult to get ahold of even for a Gentleman of Alfred's considerable resource. Alfred had taken offence to Jamie's eating them so casually, and Jamie had been utterly floored that he had so grievously tromped upon King Alfred's territory, but had been unable to resist trying to defend himself.

Thus, the two men were not talking. Alfred was putting away the box of Nilla Wafers and silently glowering, and Jamie was sitting, wide-eyed, rather abashed.

Gabe smiled faintly at Merick. "They've gone. Gone to China. Rose with them. Left a few minutes after you did."

Chloe was sitting at Odin's black Alienware, wearing the sunglasses.

She'd given them her new cellphone to keep in contact, having unlocked the phone so that it could be used with China's own GSM towers, and was tracking their motion now through sattelite tech. Rather tense, she seemed to be ignoring everyone.

 

[Lunaramblings]

Merick thought about all of this. His best friend in the world was literally half a world away. In of all places a violent communist country, trying to retrieve what would no doubt be considered contraband.

"What if Zod knows where it is? We barely managed to piss of the bastard. This Chosen One better be able to bring it. Cause if anything happens to Rose, they are gonna have a lot of answering to do. So we just sit here and wait eh?"

Merick seemed to have lost interest in his partially devoured burrito. Instead he retrieved one of the Yoohoo's he had brought back with the food. Downing it in a single gulp he repeats the process twice more. Then looks to Chloe and Jamie.

"What do we do now?"

Dale silently moves to the sink and refills the glass Pete had given him earlier. Downing it. He takes a seat at the table. Marcy joining him.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Gabe, Chloe, Jamie, Alfred, and Ceri (post-departure)

"What do we do now?" Merick wondered, and not unreasonably.

"We wait," Gabe murmured, agreeing with Merick's suggestion.

"We watch," Chloe added, her fingers visiting upon the laptop's keys.

"We pray," Jamie appended, taking his tie down from his forehead and once again tying it 'round his neck. "(Though that last bit was always more Ceri's forte rather than mine. She always prayed enough for both of us.)"

"And should they call upon us," Alfred declared, a little less stiffly, his Gentlemanly wrath fading somewhat, obviously regretful for the rare loss of temper, "we make certain we are ready. Though in the meantime, we should carry out our business as best as we can, as did those living on The Homefront during The Big War."

"Oh, aye," Ceri opined, moving into the kitchen from the front, hands in her jacket pockets, though still she wore the vest. "In a sense, we're evacuees, now. Children sent to the country to escape the bombs raining upon the city. But in another sense, we're still in the middle of The Blitz. Those bombs'll be back. Tonight. Maybe sooner. We need to watch the skies."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Chloe, Rose, Jamie, and Alfred (pre-departure)

"Cerebra," Chloe murmured softly, and touched Rose's arm.

Rose, caught up in a mathematical reverie regarding the possibilities of her dying very quickly while out on this thing, jumped a bit at Chloe's unexpected touch: "Wait, what?"

Chloe held up her brand-new W490, the one given to her by the mysterious Doctor Tennylson, and without a word, from memory, she pressed a series of keys. Unlocking the phone.

She pushed the phone into Rose's hand. "Internationally, GSM tech is pretty much universal. Now that I've unlocked that phone from its carrier, it should work overseas. Even in China. With Odin's access to communications tech, we can call you--"

"I can call him, too," Rose nodded easily. "Kyle gave me the number for the sunglasses."

"What a world we live in," Chloe chuckled faintly, "when you can call That Boy You Like on his sunglasses, and I can call That Boy I Like on his cowl."

"I exist in the real world," Rose murmured softly. "But this world? With the crazy and the I-can't-believe-this-is-happening? This is where I live."

"Me, too, actually," Chloe admitted, surprising herself a little. "And I have done for a lot of years."

"Thank you," Rose nodded, and held up the phone, and then put it in a pocket with the piece of paper with the co-ordinates.

"Take good care of it, Cerebra," Chloe chuckled, "me and that SIM chip have been together for a while now."

"On one condition," Rose smirked softly.

"Go," Chloe nodded easily.

"No more of this 'Cerebra' crap," Rose declared, poking Chloe with a mock-stern finger. "(That's a backup mutant detector for when Cerebro goes crazy, and it's Irma Geddon's little girl, that ain't me.) If you're going to call me something, call me-- um, I'm-- erm... omni..."

She trailed off, hesitant.

"Well, I'm still working on it. But I know it isn't going to be 'Cerebra.'"

"When you figure it out," Chloe grinned, encouraging. "Let me know. 'Till then? Call me 'Watchtower.'"

Rose blinked. "That's not bad."

"Eh," Jamie murmured, moving in from the kitchen, tie 'round his forehead, bag of beans in his hands, "I've been called worse."

Alfred's eye twitched when he saw the coffee in Jamie's hands, but he remained silent in deference to the presence of young ladies. (For now.)

"Dad," Rose grinned.

Jamie grew serious. His eyes had a kind of ache in them.

"Rosy," he murmured. "I can't stop you from going, I know that. Anymore than I can stop your mum from doing anything once she's got it in mind to do. (Irresistible force, your mum.) But I just. I don't want. You shouldn't."

He trailed off, mumbled a bit.

"I won't," Rose promised him, her heart breaking for him, for her, for them. "I really won't."

Jamie nodded quietly, drew a little strength from that, and then: "'Zhen1 ta1ma1 yao4ming4. Zhu4yi4.'"

Rose grinned from ear to ear. "'Yi1sheng1 ping2an1.'"

Brooking no crap, Jamie pointed at a finger, pointed it right between her eyes, implying 'I may not be your mother, but you're really short and I'm really tall and I can totally kick your butt.'

Out loud, though: "Promise me. Promise me you'll come home. Home in time for tea."

Rose nodded softly, soberly. "I promise. I love you, Dad."

Jamie smiled a worried little smile. "I love you too, Rosy."

 

[camerindrake]

Damian

Damian looked to Bruce for but a moment when he started on into the house. He then spoke, "Depends on the choices you make, Bruce."

As he walked over to his bag in the living room he unzipped it and pulled out the other set of armor. The set he was wearing looked much like Knightwing's other than the neck being ribbed for the cowl hook ups. This set was pure black though the chest looked like it had seen a grinder and been repainted. He ran his fingers over where he had made the change to the armor it almost smooth now where once a bat had been brazened over it.

Damian had to look over to Bruce, "Such as one choice might lead to you having a daughter another may lead to you having a son. One you may end up a symbol. A symbol to be feared by the criminal element. Another may lead you to be a tyrant who's very existence would bring the end of the world as we know it. Every choice is what will lead to what your future holds for you. I can't know what choices you will make."

Damian sits the black armor down on the floor. "This armor is a Kevlar bio-weave with reinforced joints. Its nearly indestructible. The under layer is a Neoprene undersuit. much like a wet suit. Not very comfortable for some, however comfort for the expense of your safety. I rather be safe myself."

 

[AmenRa]

Mm

He returned, formed once again, reborn and restrengthened into the magnificent powerful green alien from Mars.

And, like before, he descended onto the grassy lawn of Wayne Manor, and he shifted and morphed into the recognizable form of an old man wearing a brown, dusty felt hat and equally old leather jacket.

He approached the door, knowing his knock would summon Alfred Pennyworth to beckon him inside with offers of tea and perhaps an Oreo cookie or two.

And, most of all, he would learn the results of the hunt for the third and final piece of the Crystal of Knowledge.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Chloe and Gabe (pre-departure) with Jamie and Rose

"Eh," Jamie murmured, moving in from the kitchen, tie 'round his forehead, bag of beans in his hands, "I've been called worse."

"Dad," Rose grinned.

Jamie grew serious. His eyes had a kind of ache in them.

And Chloe, seeing that this was a talk for a father and a daughter, withdrew to the kitchen.

Alfred's idea had shown initiative and resource, the Gentleman was evidently a game supporter of their mad band of Outsiders. But she wasn't sure, yet, if it was viable. Wasn't sure if superspeeding all the way to California-- with one of them carrying Rose, evidently --would completely expend them or not. If that were the case, Chloe preferred to have more options to present for consideration.

As her own vaunted creative passion and intellect had thus far failed her, she decided to enquire of one of their resources, one as-yet mostly untapped.

She glanced at her own father as she sat behind Odin's borrowed black laptop.

"How're you holding up?" she wondered softly, regarding him with slightly-narrowed eyes.

Gabe chuckled a bit. "Generally, shouldn't that question be the other way 'round? Especially since you look a little bit like you've had a hole punched through you."

"I'm fine," Chloe made a face, dodging the bullet that this particular subject matter represented, saving that bullet for later. "Near miss. 'Merely a flesh wound.' (I haven't had the time to clean up properly.) Answer the question."

"The master interviewer at work," Gabe lamented.

"So interviewee already," Chloe winked.

"I'll be fine, Chloe Anne," he murmured dismissively. "I'm adapting to adverse working conditions, but I am adapting. I'll be fine. Carry on."

Chloe regarded her father with muted, suspicious concern for a moment, but then she nodded.

They would have plenty to talk about later on both sides. No sense rushing it.

She donned the sunglasses, and she smiled softly.

"Sorry I snapped at you before, Odin," she murmured softly. "But I have a request, Skyfather, to make of your mighty brain. We have three girls to get from here to Shanghai, post-haste, lickety-split. Two of them, at least, are presumably super-powered. Since Luthorcorp's already en route, we need to make this lightning-quick. Any notions?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Alfred and Bruce (post-departure)

Alfred had been about to offer to microwave some of the Tex-Mex victuals for Bruce's young compatriots, when a knocking sound rang clearly through the hall.

"Beg your pardon," he murmured, mostly to James Hamilton-- who looked a little stricken --and then he withdrew towards the front.

As he passed by the sitting room, he glanced inward and saw Master Bruce there with his mysterious young counterpart.

He wondered for a moment, and not for the first time, at the similarity between the two young men. The concept of the evil twin was not unknown to the Gentleman, and he wondered, for a moment, that he had not known Master Thomas Wayne for the man's entire life. Certain... indiscretions might have been committed.

Bruce and this Damian could, in fact, be brothers. One brother plunged in to shadow, the other dwelling-- perhaps voluntarily --in pitch darkness.

The thought would have sent shivers up Alfred's spine, had he not possessed a Pennyworth's impeccable posture.

"Sirs," he interrupted them softly, as they examined further protective gear for foolhardy adventuring. "Good to see you both hale and hearty."

Bruce had been gazing, fascinated, at this intriguing outfit Damian had laid before him. Kevlar bi-weave... reinforced... Neoprene was an interesting addition. Perhaps this could be improved upon with Nomex, like Bruce had contemplated minutes before, Nomex blended with Gore-Tex... but in the meantime, Neoprene was a serviceable second layer.

And the chest. Bruce ran sensitive fingers over the chest. It seemed like it was... missing something. A family crest?

There were speculations about choices. Legacies and leadership.

What was I, he wondered to himself, thoughts coiled up, in this future?

Was I like this evil variation on the theme of Wraith? A threat?

Or was I... something else?

When Alfred murmured to them, he glanced up, and nodded briskly to the Gentleman. "Thank you, Alfred."

His face, though almost expressionless, had plenty of expression for the paternal Alfred to confirm that the lad was at least mostly okay.

This made Alfred smile. Just a little.

Alfred gave Damian a long, hard, exploratory look... and then nodded firmly, respectfully, before continuing to the door.

He swung it open, and saw John Jones there, weatherbeaten but strong. (Behind him, the lad called Kyle, looking the worse for his wear, but still standing on his own two feet, thank The Good Lord.)

"Welcome back, sa'. Shall I take your hat and coat?" Alfred offered a man on his doorstep, with a vast dollop of irony, for the second time that night.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Kyle

Ceri moved into the mansion while I remained by the car.

I wanted to clear my head a bit.

Most likely this was a temporary thing. The Dark Lady sounded like she had plans for me, so I doubt something as simple as being teleported (OK, teleportation isn't simple, but still!) would wipe out my powers.

Besides, I was still a valuable member of the Outsiders even without my powers.

I turned to go inside when I saw J'onn land and shift into his human shape.

Thank God he was OK!

I walked up (well, sorta a limping walk) to him and stopped next to him.

"Glad you made it back sir."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Odin

"With Kyle out of the picture (GOD I hope he is OK!) I don't know. Merick can't teleport someplace he can't see, and I am scanning like mad for any eyes in the sky, but I am coming up with zero's on that front. I can't authorize stuff, but I'll grab Mom, she can help. Just a sec."

The screen went blank, the icon in the corner that was Odin going blank, then it expanded to half the screen. Looking out the screen was a pretty young woman. She had raven black hair over stormcloud blue eyes. A small chin and turned-up nose rounded out her features.

"Hello Miss Sullivan, I am Rebecca Greystone. I hear you need something fast. I may have something to fit the bill if you can get to North of Dallas, Texas quickly."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Chloe (pre-departure)

Chloe reeled a bit in surprise as she wound up face-to-face, so to speak, with the image of an actual human.

She could see the resemblance with her brother even before she began to talk, even before she announced her name. She recognised her, older now, from photos in Kyle's dossier.

"Hello Miss Sullivan, I am Rebecca Greystone. I hear you need something fast. I may have something to fit the bill if you can get to North of Dallas, Texas quickly."

Chloe ran her tongue over her lips and evened herself back out again.

This was like getting plunged into a conference call with Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Donatella Versace without so much as a minute's prep time.

Don't screw up don't screw up don't screw up.

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Greystone," Chloe replied, surprising herself by being almost as smooth as silk. "We appreciate whatever assistance you can provide. Your brother's a good man; I see that this runs in your family."

Her fingers flew across the keys, IMing her phone number to the illustrious Gen-Tech executive. (The phone that was now in Rose's pocket.)

"I've provided a mobile number," she suggested. "Perhaps for expediency and simplicity, you could forward contact and locative information to that device via SMS?"

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Rebecca Greystone

"I can do that. But it would be better if they got their instructions from someone they trusted. I am transmitting GPS coordinates to you and the number you gave me. When they get there they are to go into hanger 436. Security has been notified to look for three young women, a Blondie, a brunette and a redhead, and they have clearance."
On the black computer a aircraft appeared. At first look it looked like a Lear jet mated with a SR-71. It was sleek, and looked predatory. There definitely were hardpoints for weapon systems, and the craft was completely black, with no insignia besides a Valkyrie riding a Pegasus, a lance of lightning in her hand. The picture was emblazoned at the nose of the craft.

"This is a Pegasus transport. it is not armed, but it is stealthed and VTOL capable. It will get you into China, but the Luthorcorp craft will still beat you by probably at least thirty minutes. But this baby can drop you off right on target, while they will have to obtain transport. The pilot will not come out of the cockpit, so you need not worry about their identities being compromised."

A separate file then downloaded onto the desktop.

"When you get a chance Miss Sullivan, it would make me very happy if you would read our internship brochure. I think you may enjoy it as much as a internship at the Planet. And if Mr. Hamilton is around, let him know I am very interested in talking with him. Keep Odin advised, and I will be watching."