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***
Gotham City, a few months later. A private home in an unknown neighborhood that was nearly wiped out.
Will opened his eyes, surrounded by the old, gray dust-covered hall, and stared up at the pale, lifeless ceiling, cracked and almost crumbling. There, on it, hung paper seals. He checked those seals every single day, when he entered the hall, when he left, when he woke up, when he fell asleep, and sometimes when he woke up in the middle of the night he checked them too. And once he dreamed that these seals had been broken, and then he would wake up all sticky with sweat in fear, and see these seals again, only they hadn't been broken, and he would calm down. Because those seals must not be broken, or else terrible things would happen, and irreparable things would happen, like with Raven.
He slept without a blanket, slumped over, and had been for months. There was no trace of the comfort and convenience of living with Kara; in this randomly chosen house, the only hints of comfort were dusty furniture and an empty fireplace. Brown, holey curtains hung like a cadaverous hood and obscured the view of the street, where there were similar private houses that he lived in, but their appearance was more like a pile of beams and bricks fried by the laser cannons of the Apocalypse. If there was anything left of the other houses, it was ashes and dust.
Watching the dust hanging in the air, small gray particles cut by the only ray of sunlight that came through the dirty, ragged curtains of brown, Will blinked sleepily. All the lifeless color around him made his eyes squeeze shut with discomfort and want to sleep some more. Squeezing into the dusty, creaking old age sofa, Will sighed exhaustedly. The gray ceiling overhead and the golden, hanging chandelier were hypnotizing, like a pattern cracked and yellowed at the edges. The walls were green, with old wallpaper peeling off, and in the center of the room, near the couch, stood a dust-covered table on which stood yesterday's instant noodles, the smell of which smelled like salt water and seasoning.
Getting up from the couch, Will reached his arm out of habit to hug Kara... but only jabbed at the back of the dusty couch.
"It's been like three months now, everything around me has become a living hell," he thought.
There were the deserted streets of Gotham City, the skeletons of houses with broken windows, and the red sky filled with circling dust gray clouds. In the midst of it all, countless hordes of para-demons that you had to kill or run away from to find food.
And so every single day, one step away from death, from hunger. The endless outings made me sick, but there was nowhere to go.
There was a rustle from the side, and Will listened with his usual caution. His nerves were on edge, as they always were, even when he was tired and exhausted-it was a habit after so many days in this hell. A pair of kunai, which he slept with every day wherever he went, were habitually attached to his belt, even if sometimes they rested bluntly against his body. The pain had become habitual, and if it wasn't there, he felt like he was unarmed.
Will glanced at the couch, which was covered with a rough plaid, and something moved there. He immediately thought of the mages, and of Raven, who could find him despite the magical barriers. He slowly got up from the couch and walked over to the chair, reached out and....
«BOO!!!
The plaid flew into Will's face, but he deftly grabbed it in midair and tossed it into the empty fireplace. A smiling Beast Boy was lounging on the chair. When he saw Will's frowning face, he sighed awkwardly.
«You've been walking around with a scowl on your face since that day, buddy. Relax a little, or you're gonna go crazy.
«I don't need your jokes right now, Beast Boy," Will sighed.
«Maybe, but you can't live without them, or you'll go crazy! Look at you! You haven't slept a wink all night, and now you're holding a kunai. Did you really think a para-demon had gotten into the house? - he pointed at Will's hand.
«A mage," Will muttered.
«A mage? - Beast Boy arched an eyebrow in surprise and frowned. There was something that bothered him, too, and Will noticed it.
«I'm sorry. I guess you're right, I've been going a little crazy lately," Will said, walking over to the window that was hidden behind the holey curtains, pulling back the edge, and looking out onto the gray, lifeless street.
There, along the road of cottage houses, lay splintered cobblestones, an overturned and crumpled red BMW, and only skeletons remained of the houses all along the street. Everything seemed so lifeless and serene, only the reddening sky above them hinted at a lurking threat. Their house, where they had taken shelter, was one of the few that remained intact, and that the roof on the kitchen and garage had been punctured. They had to move the refrigerator and the rest of their belongings into the basement.
«Can't you see them? - Beast Boy asked.
«Not yet.
Three months had already passed since Darkseid attacked earth. The Apocalypse began its advance from Gotham, spreading its forces through the nearest cities, and crushing all who stood in its way. The US Army couldn't even come close to holding off the enemy, and fell in literally days.
At first, everyone thought that the Apocalypse was just coming from Gotham, and that they could somehow be pinched and stopped. There were even ideas to use nuclear weapons to suppress the Invasion at the root, but within a couple of hours after the appearance of para-demons in Smallville and Jump City, numerous alien ships hovered over the Earth with no end in sight. Bombing one single city was pointless.
Darkseid unleashed his army across the globe, and soon the para-demons launched a full-scale assault on all countries.
It was impossible to stop them.
Will and Beast Boy strode out into the hallway, and followed the creaking floor straight to the basement. Down there, there appeared to be an entire warehouse crammed with various technologies that he and Vanessa had managed to drag down before Darkseid could find their trail. There were more of them at first, but as time went on their ranks thinned until there were only a few left.
The routine was to wake up and remember what kind of shit he was in, check the seals, and go to the usual daily meeting with Vanessa before washing up, going to the bathroom, or even eating-just like that and no other way, because food just wouldn't go down your throat. With your life hanging in the balance, every day, it was impossible to relieve yourself until you realized what was going on in a dying world.
The basement was quiet, with only the occasional sound of keyboard clacking. Will and Beast Boy walked down the stairs, around a couple of racks of flickering computers, and came straight out to Vanessa.
She sat at the main computer, three main screens in front of her with cameras that meshed the nearest streets to their hideout. From the outside, their house looked like a two-story, dilapidated house, just like the others.
«Hi," Will tossed, walking up to her side and placing his palm on the table.
Vanessa flashed a glance at him and sighed.
«Hey. You look like shit.
«You're one to talk.
She looked a little different than usual. She was sitting in her usual batsuit. Except her curly hair was a little longer than usual, stretching straight down to her back, tied up in a ponytail. There were large bruises under her eyes, and she was a little thinner than usual, painfully pale.
«Don't overwork yourself, we're only still alive because of you.
Vanessa hummed.
«I'm doing my best, that's all. You don't have to tell me that.
«I guess.
Thanks to Willard and Beastmaster's endless forays, Vanessa was getting an influx of needed parts to build the base and devices that had allowed them to survive so far. One of Vanessa's inventions was the limited Badgirl Invisibles that allowed them to take cover from even the sensors of the para-demons, who could see through walls and detect even the tiniest life.
«You should get some rest, though. You haven't even eaten," Will grumbled, glancing at the plate of canned food, which was slightly dried out but untouched. He'd brought it yesterday.
«I'm fine...thanks for worrying about it, but I..." Vanessa grabbed her head and was led sideways.
Will gently stopped her fall by the shoulder.
«That's the third time this week. If you work this hard, you'll kill yourself before Darkseid gets to you.
«Does that sound like a life? - she curled her lips. - If we don't find a way to free the captured heroes from Darkseid control, my life will be worthless.
«You're as stubborn as ever. Even you have to realize that without food, your brain will work worse," Will held the plate right up to her nose.
Vanessa's fingers froze on the keyboard, and she stared at the canned food in silence. Before the war, of course, she'd eaten much better. She sighed and took her hands off the keyboard.
«Okay, you're right. I'm sorry, it's just hard to get away from work when I've taken it on.
As he watched Vanessa start to eat, Will crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the screens that reflected what was happening on the streets of Gotham City. There were para-demons flying through the sky now and then.
«They never did anything about it.
«They don't need to hurry. They know that sooner or later we'll show ourselves. We're the only ones in a hurry. As long as the resistance is still alive, and as long as Darkseid hasn't found the Anti-Life equation, this planet will be another experiment in his plans," Vanessa explained. - That's why I have to stop him as soon as possible... we have to find a way to free the heroes under his control.
«You think that'll be enough?
Vanessa leaned over her plate thoughtfully.
«I don't know.
«Hey, come on, guys! It's gonna be okay, we just need to team up with the survivors and something will come out.
The other two were not enthusiastic, and Beast Boy shrugged, took the remaining canned food from Vanessa's plate and popped it into his mouth. Will and Vanessa glanced at him.
«What...?
«Okay, I didn't want to anyway," Vanessa said dryly, squeamishly placing her plate on the table.
But the situation was so dire that not a single workable idea came to mind. All the ways they had come up with in three months had failed, and as a result they were only losing hope, and victory already seemed something really impossible. Only Will and Beast Boy denied, out of their last strength, this obsessive sense of despair that tormented them every morning, afternoon, and evening like an incurable disease. It was worse when Will remembered Kara, and it seemed that sooner or later he too would give up, but Beast Boy always held on and never showed any weakness, even when he had lost Raven.
«Beast Boy's right, we can't give up. We'll figure something out.
"The main problem is that we still can't free the others from Darkseid's control. Vanessa's completely right, but I can't push her or she won't last. Right now our morale is the only thing keeping us afloat," Will thought.
«I'll... I'll try to finalize the hacking program right now," Vanessa said, her hands trembling as she gripped the keyboard.
But Will stopped her hand.
«No, now you've eaten and it's time for you to go to bed.
«No. Not now.
«Vanessa.
«We've tried everything! - Vanessa slapped her palm on the table and glared angrily at him. - And where did it get us? We lost Jon and Zatanna, and Raven after them! You," she pointed a finger at the surprised Beast Boy, "you're really pissing me off! You don't do a damn thing, and you keep saying we're going to win! But you're the reason we lost Raven, the only one who could have helped us get our subordinates back! Because of you, damn it, we..." Vanessa stopped talking and started breathing heavily, apparently from exhaustion.
«Calm down, he had nothing to do with it," Will said.
«No, she's right...I did set her up, but at least I'm trying to do my best and not blame others," Beast Boy said firmly.
«You...
«Enough, I said. Your quarrel is going nowhere. What's done is done, and what's done can't be undone. We need to focus on ourselves and do the best we can. We'll get them back.
Vanessa hummed tiredly and turned away.
«Say what you want, but I only believe the facts. If I don't finalize my virus as soon as possible, the next time you both may meet their fate.
A suffocating and nervous silence hung in the air, making everyone uncomfortable. At that moment, there was an awkward tapping on the wall that distracted Will. Will and Vanessa turned around to see Karen frozen and the wall, who was looking at them with slight disapproval.
«I hope I'm not disturbing you? - Karen said, dropping the package on the table.
«What's this? - Will threw, pointing at the package.
Beast Boy immediately twitched his nose and happily reached for the bag, drooling on the floor.
«Foodaaaah!
Karen slapped his arm, and Beast Boy squinted at her painfully.
«Don't rush, we don't have much food, we need to strip down properly.
«Mmmm..." Beast Boy grumbled, his stomach rumbling.
«Even though we lost Zatanna and Jon, we still have a chance to free other heroes. Focus on that. Even if we've lost before, as long as we're alive, we have a chance to make things right. And that's what matters now," Karen said.
«I don't want to hear the opinion of the woman who got us into this situation," Vanessa cut her off.
Karen frowned, grabbing Vanessa's shoulder and turning her around to face her. Their angry gazes collided, almost shooting lightning.
«Listen to me carefully, Girl in Black. You won't even find me feeling sorry for you like Willard does. Now no one's gonna sweep up your shit for you like your daddy and mommy did. Now you're on your own, that's what you wanted all along, right? I hope you like it because you got everything you wanted. And that's where we're all equal. You lost your father and I lost my little brother. But I'll tell you what, even if that's true, the future of this planet is still up to us. If Clark or Batman were here, they'd still be fighting for human freedom even if we were dead. And I'm sure they'd want you to do whatever it takes to save the Earth.
«Karen...," Will threw down.
«Shut up, Will. I'm not talking to you. And Beast Boy, keep your hands off the bag.
«Sorry..." Beast Boy mumbled guiltily, pulling the salivated fish out of his mouth and back into the can.
Seeing this, Karen and Will curled their lips.
«Oh, yeah?!
«I don't care what you think," Vanessa took Karen's hand off her shoulder and gave her a cold stare. - First of all, I don't believe my father is dead. Anyone would be dead, but certainly not him. Second, it's not for a fool like you to teach me. I know what to do. I'll find a way to remove the motherbox control from the heroes," and then she started talking nonstop, as if she'd wanted to say it for a long time, as if it had plagued her all this time, as if it was the only thing that could justify all her failures before: "Since the last time we tried it, I've realized something. The motherboxes all have a single control system, in other words, they work like a hive. Someone or something is sending a signal to their brains, causing them to obey Apocalypse's orders. If we can find the source or a way to get rid of that control, we have a chance to get the others back on track. If you keep your mouth shut and bring at least one subordinate to me, I'll do anything. It'll be our only chance to win," Vanessa said defiantly.
«Not the only one," Karen said sharply, and after a pause, she looked at Will. - And we all know it, but for some reason I'm the only one who talks about it all the time.
A silence formed in the room, and Karen sighed.
«Don't pretend it didn't happen - Willard Light was able to take control of the motherbox without all the mumbo jumbo," Karen explained.
«But he can't do it now. And he couldn't, even though we've tried countless times," Vanessa added uncertainly, as if she'd been afraid to bring it up before, and it wasn't clear to everyone why.
It wasn't clear to anyone but Willard, who had been silent the whole time.
«Yes, but I think we should try again. If Will tries.
Karen tried to find support in Will, but he only looked away. While she was confused, Vanessa immediately took the initiative.
«Stop bringing it up. We have no right to take risks. It's better to lose again, but experience Badgirl drive on the motherbox, than to trust a plan that doesn't even guarantee progress. My virus can be improved. And Will's powers are still unstable.
«What is wrong with you? Never mind, your plan isn't as advanced as you think it is. We've used your virus dozens of times, and the result has been the same," Karen said.
«Enough, I say. One lucky break doesn't guarantee Will will be able to do it again. His power is unpredictable and has yet to manifest, even though it's been three whole months. What do you suggest, waiting for a miracle instead of trying something that might work sooner or later?
«Sooner or later," Karen repeated, sighing and folding her arms across her chest. - This is so unlike you, Vanessa Wayne. You know very well that the only one who was capable of hacking into Darkseid's technology was your father. If you were capable of doing it, you would have done it a long time ago," Karen sliced in, noticing Vanessa getting lost and shutting up exhaustedly.
At this, Karen hums and walks away, feeling completely defeated and seemingly slightly guilty, which is in no way reflected on her face.
«Okay, we'll go and try to do what we've done dozens of times before, but... then don't blame me if we lose another person because of your desire to prove to yourself that you're not useless," Karen said, giving the shaken Vanessa one last unkind look.
«Don't listen to her, she's a little out of it, like the rest of us. We'll all be back, for sure," Will said, patting Vanessa on the shoulder.
Vanessa pulled a flash drive-like device out of her computer and held it out to Will.
«There's a new virus I've been working on all night.
They both fell silent, remembering how Vanessa had spoken just a couple days ago: "We're going to make it work this time." But it hadn't worked out then.
Will took the flash drive and nodded.
Together with Beast Boy, they followed Karen.
They stopped near a hole in the wall and started down a tunnel deep underground, emerging to the southwest shore of Lake Michigan.
«Do you think I pushed her for nothing? - Karen asked as they walked down the tunnel.
Walking silently beside her, Will thought roughly the same thing. In his opinion, Vanessa was already doing her best, and pushing her now was not the best solution. It was lucky that in the end Karen's words made Vanessa angry, and motivated her to keep working. But at the same time, Vanessa's fatigue continued to build up, which would sooner or later lead to exhaustion.
«Honestly, I don't know. I understand that you meant well, but Vanessa has nothing but this virus to worry about right now, and she won't listen to anything you say," Will said.
"It's probably the only thing she's still clinging to to keep from going crazy in this chaos, so don't blame her," he thought.
«I guess," Karen put her arm around my shoulder sadly, "I'm sorry for what I said. It was probably selfish of me to make you do something you'd tried to do so many times before.
«No. It's okay, in a way you're right, if I learn how to free people from Darkseid's control, it does make it easier for us to win," Will said.
"But it's not enough just to be able to take control. I have to defeat the target as well. My current strength is not enough for that," he thought, clenching his fist.
Fear of the mages kept him from moving forward. Ever since they'd lost Zatanna and Raven everything had gone downhill. Their abilities were too unpredictable.
There was a reason Will had avoided the topic with Minato until now. The day they had tried to use the Badgirl drive virus on Zatanna to free her from Darkseid's control, they had fallen into a trap. As a result, they not only lost Raven, but revealed to them Willard's weakness that Trigon's daughter knew. Unfortunately, at that point, Raven had time to use it before they escaped. After that incident, Minato never appeared again, no matter how much Will called for him.
Will didn't want to tell the others, lest he break the team's morale and hopes of the resistance. After all, the Fourth Hokage Minato's power was the trump card that had kept them believing in victory until now.
Will stared frowning forward, feeling the full weight of the unpleasant mystery on his shoulders, and sighed.
«Sooner or later Minato will come back," Karen said.
«Yeah... you're right," he said. - I guess I haven't recovered yet, so it's not working.
«Just don't be upset. I'm sure everything's going to be fine," Karen said as reassuringly as she could, forcing a smile. But when she noticed that Will wasn't looking at her, she gave up trying to remain optimistic," "To be honest, I don't really believe that Vanessa's plan will work. I know a little bit about programming, too, and if it's what I think it is, even if we miraculously free one hero from Darkseid's control, our enemy will just change his strategy. We might just be pushing Darkseid to take decisive action by doing so. Right now, while he's fully confident of his victory, we're nothing more than pawns on a game board, but what if he sees us as a real threat? I doubt Vanessa doesn't realize that, but she's still clinging to her virus. I don't understand why.
Karen thought about it and stopped talking. Maybe she shouldn't have said it, because it sounded like an admission of defeat. No matter how hard Karen tried to come up with a winning scenario, their chances of leading people to victory were slipping. Noticing her worry, Will tried to cheer her up.
«Even if you're right, all we have to do is fight. You know what keeps me believing we'll win? - Will said, turning to her with a smile.
«What?
«If Batman or Clark were around right now... I'm sure they'd definitely think of something. Especially Batman, nothing seems impossible for that man," Will said.
Although Karen didn't know Batman and Clark at all, he had told her many stories about the two men during the time they'd lived with Will. He seemed to admire them, respect them, even exalt them. And even now, looking into his eyes, which still held a glint in them, Karen grudgingly picked up that imperishable spark and kept it in her heart.
«Yeah, you're right. We'll definitely save everyone, and Kara too.
Suddenly Beast Boy jumped on Kara and Will from behind, hugging them cheerfully.
«Come on, you guys! We will definitely succeed, we are not enough... but we are strong and our spirit will not be broken.
«I'm amazed you're so optimistic after so many failures. - Karen laughed it off.
At the moment of their shared smile, however, Will did notice the edges of Beast Boy's lips quivering. And he'd noticed it more than once. He was just pretending. One of the only ones who hadn't let up until now. Those memories of Raven... flashed through Will's mind Will, they must have been tormenting Beast Boy all along, too. That fatal mistake when he had set her up.
There were so many losses you can't count, and everyone was experiencing their own.
«Hey, what are you thinking about, Will? - Beast Boy asked cheerfully.
«It's nothing. I just remembered something.
«He probably remembered when you stole that canned food from Will, that's why he's so glum," Karen said.
«Hey, hey! Come on, I was just really hungry!
All three of them laughed.
«No...I'm not offended.
Finally, the tunnel showed an exit, and they found themselves at Lake Michigan. Will activated the invisibility devices Vanessa had equipped them with, and they slowly made their way to their destination through the ruins of Gotham.
«According to Vanessa's cameras, Starfire is patrolling Nerose Island. She's our next guinea pig," Will said, tossing the flash drive with the virus.
«What's she doing there? Suspicious.
«We'll find that out soon enough, too," Will said.
«If Darkseid happens to be there.
Will jabbed his finger almost pointedly at Karen's chest, and she remained concentratingly silent for a while, as if she had something to say. But she chose not to say anything:
«Our primary objective is to free Starfire. No risks, no casualties. Just that and nothing more. No mortal combat with Darkseid, no attempts, not even a glance in his direction.
«No problem," Beast Boy shrugged calmly.
«No problem...," Karen issued with a slight delay.
***
Stopping at a sewer passage, Karen pushed on the wall and a passageway leading into the distance opened up.
For a while they walked down the steps, receding downward, and came to an iron door, over which stood the queer-looking seal that Will had in his room. Will knocked on the door three times, and suddenly a man's voice sounded:
«Password?
«Moles hiding underground to save the world one day," Will said mockingly.
The door opened and a swarthy surly guy with a red armband opened the door.
«Who came up with that password anyway? - Karen asked.
«Well I..." Will said as they walked into the huge underground room.
«What's the point of it anyway? If a couple demons come in here, they won't ask for the password. They'll just blow the place up.
«Yeah, but besides para-demons, there are also idiots who rob and kill other people," Will shrugged.
Karen and Beast Boy stopped at an iron staircase that went down a couple floors. Before them stood an underground warehouse and the base of the remaining resistance. There were the surviving heroes from the Justice League, but there were also the regular people who were trying to fight back against the Apocalypse.
Near the wagons of weapons stood Green Arrow in a tattered, green suit, and gave out orders.
"After Luthor's fall and Batman's disappearance, he and Vanessa are the only ones with outstanding intelligence," Will thought.
***
Green Arrow waved at them as he noticed Will's squad arriving. At that moment, the cart carrying the cannons broke and fell on top of him. Before Arrow was nailed, Will appeared in front of the cart and stopped it with one hand.
«Oh... thanks, Will. Hey, what happened back there? - Green Arrow came out.
The guy pushing the cart bowed guiltily and pointed to the rust-ravaged wheels.
«Oh, man," Green Arrow muttered.
«I see you have your own problems here," Will said.
«There are fewer and fewer people lately, and the supplies we've been struggling to wrest from the hands of the Para-demons are rapidly running out. If this keeps up, this underground base is going to collapse sooner or later," Arrow tapped the rusting beam.
«People, supplies, weapons, everything is in short supply right now. I don't know how much longer we can hold out," Black Canary said.
Will had only seen Black Canary a couple of times, but as always, the woman looked a hundred out of a hundred. An enchanting blonde with thick, curly hair, beautiful blue eyes and a seductive smile waved at everyone. Only her slightly shabby appearance, tiredness and dirty clothes spoiled her fatal image a little, but she was still a model beauty for Will. Canary approached Green Arrow, and they kissed, embracing each other.
«I'm sorry this conversation got off to a dreary start. What's up, guys? - Canary said smilingly.
«Things are good! We had such a delicious canned food today, I'm still drooling. Karen brought it," said the Beast Boy cheerfully.
«It's okay, we're surviving as best we can. So what's the plan today? - Will interrupted Beast Boy.
«Our goal is Nerose Island, more specifically the healing center and supplies our squad dropped a couple days ago.
«For some reason it's only guarded by Starfire with a pack of para-demons," Green Arrow said.
«Yeah, we noticed that too," Will said.
«Even if it's a trap, we still have to get the supplies off the island. Plastic Man and Harley confirmed that they'd seen the para-demons hauling large weapons toward Arkham. I got it guys, they want to build another tower there to increase control over Gotham. If we don't get the supplies now, it'll be impossible and we'll starve to death," Canary said.
«Are you sure Harley's word can be trusted?
«She's not as bad as you think, dear," Canary said with a smile.
«Are you with us, Will?
Will and the others glanced over.
«You and I, and also-" Will pulled Vanessa's flash drive out of his pocket, and Canary and Green Arrow looked at each other regretfully.
Green Arrow said first:
«Look, Will, I know Vanessa wants to do what's best and save the people she's got under her control, but... in trying to do that, you lost Jon, Zatanna and then..." Canary punched Arrow in the side, and he coughed, "ahem, well, our main objective this time is to get the supplies. We can't get distracted by... questionable ventures.
«I know," Will said, glancing at Karen, who was clearly against Vanessa's plan, which she was clearly showing by her appearance, "you're not the only one who thinks that. We won't get in your way. Our squad will operate independently. While you take the supplies, we'll divert the attention of the para-demons to ourselves.
«A distraction...? You're out of your mind, Will! This is crazy," said Canary.
«I know, but we're the only ones who can do it. With my speed, Karen's speed, and Beast Boy's transformation, we're the only ones who can afford it.
«What if something goes wrong? - said Green Arrow, "Apocalypse technology is far superior to ours.
«Everything was fine before that.
«A dubious argument.
Will shrugged.
«There aren't many of our enemies who can beat Karen or outrun me. Besides, the Flash is far away now, as your informants have reported. Our squad is the strongest there is right now.
Green Arrow sighed.
«Yeah, but it's, uh.
«All right, leave them alone," Canary said.
«Uh, what, are you sure?
«Yeah, I'm sure, Ollie. The Apocalypse is getting stronger every day, and we're getting weaker. First we took risks and lost a lot of people, and now we're being cautious and still losing people without accomplishing anything. Darkseid is not an enemy that can be easily outsmarted or defeated by force. We need a miracle. Vanessa's virus and Will's abilities are what I consider a miracle. Right now, Will is the only person who can keep us alive this long. And this whole plan is only possible because of the thunder god mark.
Green Arrow, surrendering, sighed brokenly.
«Okay, you're right, sweetheart. Will, please don't take any unnecessary risks," he said, "I couldn't keep Kara safe then, but I wish you'd stay out of it. She wouldn't want you to die.
«I know.
«Okay, okay... I'm all about the sad stuff! Everybody get your asses in the briefing room! We're gonna start prepping for surgery! We're gonna kick those winged freaks in the neck! - shouted Green Arrow.
***
The remnants of the heroes gathered in the room that used to act as a gas station. There were about a hundred of them, maybe a little more, all crowded around the podium, which was lit by dim bulbs connected to portable batteries.
Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Harley stood at the podium.
«Hi-haaaaay! Hi, everybody," Carly smiled broadly and waved her hand.
«Settle down, Quinn," Canary said sternly.
«Don't be such a bitch, juicy ass!
«Explaining the current plan. Nerose Island is a few kilometers from Gotham Beach and is divided into western and eastern parts. The western part is on the grounds of Arkham Asylum. Most likely, there the enemy is hiding weapons and preparing a new attack. The eastern part is in the countryside where our squad dropped supplies a couple days ago. Our first priority is to get those supplies back or we'll all starve to death," Green Arrow shrugged.
There was dry silence in response to him.
«I realize you don't understand, but we have no right to do nothing. We're running out of food, and the enemy knows it. So we're going to do everything we can to seize the chance to replenish our food supply. For the plan to succeed, we will divide into two teams. The first team will gather supplies, while the second team will infiltrate Arkham Asylum and distract the main enemy forces. If possible, the second team should scout the enemy base, but without taking unnecessary risks. The enemy will notice us almost immediately, so we won't have much time. We do everything quickly and meet at the shore at the rendezvous point. From there, Willard Light will transport us safely to the base.
«Are you sure you can trust him, this Willard Light? - One of the boys raised his hand.
«Do you think there are so many people in the world who can move a crowd of people to another place? - Green Arrow replied with an arched eyebrow.
«I heard we had mages. They have teleportation spells, don't they?
Green Arrow was ready to kick the bastard's ass, but Black Canary stopped him.
«I got this, Ollie. This guy's new and he doesn't know anything yet.
«Hmph...
«The thing is, Zatanna and Raven are no longer with us. Dr. Fate was killed, and now we're without mage support. We have no teleports, no magical gates, no artifacts, nothing to help us escape the parademons. Darkseid can see us, and it's only because of our surviving amulets that they haven't found us yet," Canary pointed to the ceiling, where faded seals hung.
It was during the period when Raven and Zatanna became traitors that Darkseid became aware of the existence of all the secret hideouts of the surviving heroes. It was then that a major collapse began, resulting in many of the survivors being captured or killed. Only through the efforts of Willard and Vanessa did they manage to reduce the damage to a minimum, and save as many people as possible. That's what just one mistake cost them in the battle against Darkseid.
«It is only through the miracle and ability of Willard Light that we are still alive. I hope you don't have any more stupid questions. - Canary asked.
«No...
There was a suffocating silence as a result of the altercation, and the entire crowd of heroes and survivors grayed into a motionless mass, staring only at the podium where Green Arrow stood. Ollie scratched the back of his head awkwardly and continued to speak as if he had been given even more responsibility:
«Great, can I finally get on with this? Okay... The first squad will be led by me. Second squad will be led by Black Canary and Harley--
«So he's decided to take on the most dangerous mission of all," Will said.
«No wonder, since he doesn't want to risk his girlfriend. You'd probably do the same thing," Karen said with a grin. But when she saw his thoughtful nod, she frowned a little.
After the squads were divided, Will and the others approached the Green Arrow.
«So you've decided to join me? - He grinned.
«Yeah, I think Starfire's going to be in Arkham," Will said, pointing his finger behind his back, where Beast Boy was standing, "We're going to get her, or Beast Boy's not going to let me sleep well anytime soon.
«I see. Hmm... then I have a business proposition for you.
«Hmm?
«Hey, Harley, come here.
«What's up, Green Pookman.
«I'm not a green pukeman," Green Arrow sighed, pointing at Will and the others. - These guys are going to infiltrate Arkham with me, but our squads will split up after we get into the healing grounds. Can you go with them? You'll make it easier for them to get their bearings.
«We'll be fine," Will said, glancing at Harley, who was looking at him. She was acting strangely, as usual.
«Eh, are you suggesting I go back to this doghouse? Like a trip to my own home! Well, that sounds good, I miss the soft walls a little bit. They say you catch good guys who've become bad guys to set their brains right, booooooooo? - Harley waved her eyes stupidly to the side and wagged her finger at her temple.
«Sort of," Will said.
«I don't like her anymore. Are you sure she'll be easier for us? - Karen said, crossing her arms over her chest.
«No, but... this way at least you won't get lost," Green Arrow added sarcastically.
«I certainly won't get lost even if I go alone," Karen said firmly.
«No, let him come with us after all," Will said.
And everyone looked at him alone in surprise.
"I just don't want her to die," he thought, unable to admit such a foolish reason to the others. Harley would be safest in his company, and if his memory served him right, she had been the most reliable and loyal companion in Ijastis when the going got tough. Harley had a strange way of getting out of any trouble without having superpowers, which was a little amusing. Will decided to keep her on his team as a symbol of good luck, but yes, it was stupid.
«I remember you, pretty boy. You were at that underground parking lot when Ivy and I were trying to get the fucking guns. Who knew we'd meet again, huh? - Carly said, shoving Will in the shoulder.
Will smiled strainedly. Still, Harley looked awfully cute and gorgeous in her red-and-black suit. Too bad she was acting like a psychotic and defiant girl, which wasn't so bad in Will's eyes.
"I guess it even suits her."
«Listen, one question... maybe a little inappropriate. How did you and Ivy end up having an affair? - Will asked out of interest.
Harley opened her eyes in surprise and put a finger to her lips in thoughtfulness.
«Well... at some point I felt so sad that Mr. Jay was a real scumbag and a bastard who'd been stupidly using me all this time. And Ivy was there for me, and she took me in.
«You make it so easy to talk about your personal life.
«Well, you asked," Harley said. - Why, do you want to hit on me? I don't know... I'm not usually much of a fast shooter, if you know what I mean," she chuckled through thirty-two teeth, under her plump, seductive lips.
«I'd love to, but I already have a girlfriend. But you know... I'll be honest, you're at the top of my list of sexiest girls," Will said.
So what if he said something stupid in a conversation with a madwoman? But if he dies, he won't regret not talking to one of his favorite DC heroines.
«Oh...that's so cute! I'm going to call you Sweetie, because you're really cute," she grabbed Will's cheeks and started pulling them apart.
«Hey, are you guys okay to go? - Canary asked, arching an eyebrow.
Will and Harley froze in an awkward pose beside each other.
***
Will's squad included Beast Boy, Karen, and Harley. They stood by the shore near the cave, and the cold, gray water flowed leisurely to the right, moving away toward the vast horizon. They had been hiding in the cave all this time, and the fresh air had become quite pleasant, only gradually a haunting cold was coming on.
The morning was cold, autumnal, and not much different from the days when Will had lived in Russia (in his past life). Because of the nearby lake, there was high humidity in the air, and everyone was freezing, especially Harley, who was hugging herself and jumping in place.
«Aren't you cold? - Karen smiled, standing beside him.
«No, I'm used to this kind of weather. I've had-" he wanted to say "homeland," "I've had worse. Besides, I think my body can handle the heat pretty well. I realized that when I was standing by those red-hot vats under the lab. And the suit works pretty well, too.
"The truth is, after that punch, Liberty Van stopped answering me."
«I see. Me and Beastie Boy are going to fly, are you coming with us or what?
«I have a better plan," Will smiled and pulled out a kunai that had the mark of the Thunder God on it and held it out to Karen, "Take this kunai. It will allow me to move to you when you are on the island.
Note from the author. Will doesn't remember that Minato has already left a mark on her.
«Mmm... okay," Karen said with slight disappointment, then held out her hand to Will. - Give me Vanessa's flash drive.
«Why?
«Let her stay with me. You could be needed by others at any time and almost certainly be compromised. I don't want to risk losing the flash drive.
Considering the fact that the entire plan for the operation on Nerose relied on escaping through Will's ability, Light was on the prowl and really could be needed by the others at any moment.
«That makes sense," Will nodded and handed Karen a flash drive.
Whereupon Kara flew into the air.
«What's the matter with her? - Beast Boy suddenly asked behind her back.
«She's very thoughtful. She must have some kind of plan. It's hard for me to understand her, since we've only known each other for a short time," he said thoughtfully.
«Be careful, Will. They know you can teleport," Beast Boy said, making a brotherly fist with him.
«I know. And you be careful. If you don't get to the rendezvous point in time, I won't be able to move you off the island.
As everyone headed for Nerose Island, Will sat down at the cliffside and began to watch the silhouettes receding in the sky and the boats that were pulling away from the shore, just above the scowling clouds in the sky that didn't bode well.
"Their lives are on my conscience. If I screw up...," Will thought.
All the while, Harley was bouncing in place beside him, trying to keep warm, and unwittingly attracting his attention. It was even funny, this time Harley braided her braids, wore a warm leather jacket, warm tights and... short denim shorts with thick boots that looked like she was a marauder in a post-apocalyptic movie. Even in such a tense situation, Harley was goofing around, which gave Will a sense of fun.
«Are you sure this super tag of yours is gonna work? I'm so fucking cold standing out here with you. Why don't we wait for them on the warm crib? - Harley said, pursing her lips against the cold.
«I'd love to, but I need to see the signal. There's a risk that the connection underground will fail, and I can't take that risk," he explained, afraid that even a second's delay might be critical. - Besides, it won't be long. Karen will reach the island in less than a minute and signal me. Then I'll move us to her. And yes, when it starts, stay close to me, Hurley. If things don't go according to plan, I can move you to a safe zone at any time.
***
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