Chapter 51: The Return
The Man:
Grabbing and tossing one soldier into another, they both fall to the ground. About to punch the two of them, I stop when I hear something. Looking up through the hole in the ceiling, I see fireballs rain from the sky. Hitting the streets above, they shake the whole base and knock a lot of us over.
Examining the fireballs as they rain, I recognize them almost immediately.
"Incoming," I say, watching as betas begin jumping in. They waste no time as they start charging. "Swamp Thing, watch out!"
Swamp Thing turning around, it's not even a full second before six of them jump right onto the big guy. Screaming as they start to pull him down, he manages to push them back. Swinging his massive arm, he smashes three of them right in half. However, more quickly surround him, and before he can do anything, they aim their hands and fire grapple at him.
Screaming as they cut into his arms and legs, the betas all pull at once and force Swamp Thing to his knees. While they keep him down, a few One Earth soldiers run toward him. Equipped with large tanks on their back, they shoot out streams of fire at Swamp Thing.
"No," I cry, trying to make my way to him but getting cut off by a mix of betas and soldiers. The soldiers and betas all aiming at me, I duck under the first barrage of bullets and hooks and rush forward.
Taking out a pair of kunai, I stab a beta in its head before stabbing a soldier's gun with the second. His gun jamming, I leg swipe him and push him over, also knocking over the soldier behind him. A beta trying to sneak up behind me, I kick it away before performing a complete roundhouse and kicking its head right off, sparks falling out of its neck.
"Swamp," I say, looking back. Still being barbeque, the once brown and green Swamp Thing is now half black and grey, with bits of orange on his burnt roots.
Trying once again to help him, the sound of popping stop me. Grapples hit me from all sides, going right through my arms and legs, betas pull on the rope and I'm also forced to my knees.
Reverse-Flash:
Running fast, everything nothing more than just a blur of colors, I quickly and effortlessly knock out dozens of soldiers. Stopping only for a second, I see betas around the man in sunglasses and run to him. Within seconds, I destroy every single one of them before running to help the man up.
"Thanks," he says.
"Don't thank me," I reply, looking around at the shitstorm we're in. "The only reason I even here is because of our deal. That's also the only reason I saved you."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," the man in sunglasses repeats. "You don't have to remind me. Listen, Swamp Thing is in trouble. I need you to clear a path while I rush to him."
"Why? The guy is going to be dead in a few minutes. Why bother?"
With a speed that could match only my own, the man grabs my head and pull me in close.
"Because I'm going," he growls, his split hitting my ears. "And if I died, then I think it means our deal is finished. So make yourself useful and run."
Pushing me forward, I look back at the man and shoot some daggers at him. Turning back, I charge forward, knocking out soldiers, destroying betas, and clearing a path straight to the big pile of weeds.
Following right behind me, we leap into action. While I disarm and knock out the soldiers, the man focuses on the betas. Taking out some knives from his jacket, he cuts the ropes that tied Swamp Thing down. Once free, the pile of weeds roars into the air before calling on some roots to smash the betas.
"Are you okay," the man asks, helping a crispy tree to his feet.
"No," the smoking tree answers. "I am badly hurt, and there is very little green here for me to heal from."
Some woods cracking from beneath him, Swamp Thing drops to his knee again and the man rushes to help him. While the man helps Swamp Thing, a bolt of lightning was about to hit them but before it can, I jump in the way.
Supergirl:
"What in the living hell," Flash screams, his eyes, along with everyone else, still on the screen. "Did you see what I just saw? No. No. It can't be true. It just can't be true."
"This is a live feed," Anthony says, his silhouette appearing beside the video. "It's directly from the camera of the One Earth soldiers there."
"It just doesn't make any sense," Flash cries, his hands going through his hairs. "Why would Reverse-Flash take a hit like that for two people he barely knows?"
"I have a question," Harleen says, raising her hand. "Why are they even fighting in the first place? Can't they just teleport out of there? I mean, why can't the guy just use one of them disco thingie?"
"Because to keep us all safe," Anthony says after a while. "He had to destroy it."
The sound of Anthony typing echoes throughout the infirmary. The live feed disappears, it changes to what looks like a recording from earlier. It shows The Man and Superman fighting. Superman uses his laser beams, The Man duck underneath, and Superman instead destroyed the disco.
"They're trapped there," I yell, grabbing the doctor by his neck collar. Pointing at the recording again, the doctor looks at it. "You need to send us so we can help."
"Send them," Anthony says, his silhouette reappearing. "You need to send them so they can rescue The Man, Swamp Thing, Reverse-Flash, and everyone else. Come on. They won't last much longer without help. Send them. Send them. Send them."
"You don't have to send us all," I say, letting go of Dr. Crane. "Just send me. I'll go there, give The Man a teleporter, and then return. Please."
Letting out what sounds like a groan, Dr. Crane lowers his head and starts to squeeze it.
"I can't," he cries, still looking down. "I just can't. The Man told me specifically not to let you guys go back. Any of you. I don't, no. I can't let him down. Not after everything he has done for me."
Now screaming at the floor, his sleeve drops and I can see his metal hand once more. Lights reflecting off of it, I place my own hand on top of it.
"Listen," I start, slowly raising Dr. Crane so he is looking at me again.
"He saved me too. He saved all of us."
I step back and show Dr. Crane everyone else as they look back at him.
"The only reason we are here is because of him," I say. "As annoying and as untrustworthy as he is, he is also the reason we are all standing here. If he had shown up even one second later when Superman had us surrounded and fooled, I don't think as many of us would be standing here right now."
It's my turn to look at everyone's blank faces as they think about where we were only minutes ago, and what almost happened versus what could've happened.
"He helped us, and now I have to help him. Please. Let me go."
Dr. Crane is breathing heavily, almost gasping for air. There are tears in his eyes, he quickly takes off his glasses to wipe away.
"Okay," he says, taking in a breath. "Just, don't make me regret this."
Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulls out two teleporters, giving me one.
"I set it up, you do what you have to."
"Thank you."
"Wait," Oliver moans, blowing into his hands before rubbing them. Once done, he grabs his bow. "I'm coming too."
"Yeah so am I," Dinah says, stepping beside Oliver.
"Ditto," Harleen joins in.
"Count me in," Selina announces, turning back to the screen. "I mean, would you take a look at that? You're going to need all of us just to reach The Man."
"Speaking of 'all of you', Iris says, turning to look at Barry. Looking away at first, we all turn to look at Barry. Silent for only a minute, he pushes himself off the counter.
"Yeah I'm in," he says. "The Man said I owed him and hopefully this will make us even. At least, for this."
"Okay," Dr. Crane says, getting up from the floor. Seconds later, a beam shoots up from the teleporter and a portal appears. "It's ready. Best of luck, all of you."
I nod my head before jumping into the air and flying into the portal.
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