Chapter 63

"Preparing extraction, please stand by."

All of the trials had been done, all of the tests were completed, all of the simulations were successful. It was time to extract Alura In-Ze from the bottled city of Kandor. Lena oversaw the extraction process, along with Karen, Caitlin, Gwen, Kara, and Harry.

The projection of the city of Argo appeared. Alura stood in the middle of the town square. Several of the villagers watched, hopeful of her extraction. Hopeful it would mean their eventual extraction.

The energy crystal flickered to light and Alura dematerialized particle by particle inside of the city and rematerialized in the middle of the transmat portal.

"It's working, it's working," Kara cheered.

Despite something still being able to go wrong, Kara was very hopeful everything would go right. Harry smiled and wrapped his arm around her, pulling Kara in close.

"Compensating for atmospheric shock," Lena said. "And slowly, assimilating to new surroundings."

A clear bubble emitted around Alura. Slowly the bubble disappeared, allowing Alura to compensate for the air coming around her.

"Vitals are normal," Caitlin said.

"Right, no labored heart rate, no strained lungs, everything in check," Gwen said. "Cells are beginning to take in yellow solar radiation at a normal rate as well."

The bubble faded and Alura appeared. She took in her first full breath of Earth's atmosphere. And also could hear the sounds of Metropolis outside of the window. People talking, driving, cursing at each other when one cut off another in traffic. All of the things which Kara told Alura about.

"Mother?" Kara asked.

"You've done it," Alura said.

Alura ambled forward and rushed Kara forward. A little staggered, but otherwise completely healthy. Alura wrapped her arms around her daughter and Kara just smiled.

"Well, you really have to thank Caitlin, Karen, Lena, and Harry for doing the majority of the work," Kara said. "I just contributed to the trial run and...made sure the frequency of the crystals did not blow a hole in the middle of Metropolis."

"A very important job then," Alura said. "Thank you, all."

"We'll make sure you're completely on your feet," Karen said. "Your vitals are fine at the moment, but we need to monitor some long term consequences, and your body might have undergone some minor strains when you had been extracted from Kandor."

Alura nodded. As a scientist, she understood. Caitlin and Gwen lead her from the lab.

"So, there's one out of the bottle," Kara said. "Guess, we're going to have to figure out how to extract everyone from the bottle."

"What to do with dozens of super powered Kryptonians?" Karen asked.

"To be fair, not all of them might want superpowers," Harry said.

That was a point they would have to deal with. And some of them might not be able to handle new super powers.

"We'll cross that bridge when it's time," Lena said. "Harry….could I talk to you about something?"

Harry nodded and took the short walk alongside Lena to the elevator. Tomorrow had been the day, and Harry knew Lena would want to discuss this.

"I want it to be clear that joining the League is your choice and your choice alone," Lena said. "But, are you sure you want to do this? And are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Yes and yes," Harry said.

"Well, I should give you the heads up," Lena said. "My sources said Lex is….."

"Meeting with the UN about security a lot," Harry said. "I know."

"You know?" Lena asked. "It's not exactly public knowledge right now, but…."

"I have my ways," Harry said.

"And you know the League is a big part of the world's security," Lena said.

Harry understood, which was one of the reasons why he decided to finally take the League up on their offer. As much as he detested working with a bunch of agenda-driven politicians, especially when they could be bought by someone like Luthor, Harry had to play the game right now.

The members of the team arrived. Harry, Mareena, Donna, Whitney, Megan, Artemis, Raquel, and Zatanna. Kara, who had been offered a spot in the League, joined the entire group as well.

"Helena's not here yet?" Artemis asked.

"Knowing her she wants to make a grand entrance,' Whitney said. "So, we're all leaving the team...joining the League...aren't we?"

"Yes," Zatanna said. "Why aren't we more excited about this?"

The entire team caught Zatanna's point.

"It's funny," Whitney said. "Thea declined joining the League when they offered her a chance. And it was her desire to join the League that kicked all of this off. And she doesn't want any part of this membership drive.."

"She needs to figure out what she wants to be in life, especially since the original is back," Mareena said. "And she'll...be better any day now."

The entire team remained hopeful and optimistic the original Speedy would heal from all wounds.. Raquel looked over her shoulder and back towards Harry.

"So, what of the Team now that we're all gone?"

"It's under Sara's very capable leadership," Harry said. "Mareena and I have been mentoring her, getting her ready, although she didn't need much mentoring. She's like Dinah, a natural born leader, and Barbara's ready to be there, to back her up. And I'll be helping out the Team where I can, I'm not going to abandon it."

"None of us are," Whitney said. "Wow, you know how to make an entrance."

Helena showed up, dressed in a purple and black attire outfit, along with thigh high boots. The material stretched snugly against every inch of her body. The purple mask rested on the top of her face and she grinned when looking them over.

"So, Huntress now, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Well, I figured I would like to pass on the mantle of Robin as Rebecca did to me," Helena said with a shrug. "And Batwoman...just seems too much like I'm piggybacking off of my father's legacy. So, Huntress is good for me and my successor, she's going to join the team."

"Welcome."

Diana greeted them with a smile, along with Claire. And also a gorgeous blonde woman, wearing a form fitting one piece red and golden suit, with a black mask. Carol Danvers, better known as Captain Marvel, broke out into a smile and locked eyes with Superman and also the other new recruits, sizing them up.

"The League's future is bright with the Team finally joining it," Diana said.

"Yes," Harry said. "Mom, a word?"

Claire nodded and walked a little bit with Harry.

"Lex is meeting with the UN," Harry said. "About security."

"Lena told you?" Claire asked.

"Yes, although I found out...from a contact," Harry said. Claire raised her eyebrow. "As a journalist, you should know not to give up a source for security reasons."

Claire nodded in understanding. She wondered who Harry had on the inside of LexCorp, and really hoped whoever it was, they were not in danger. She hoped Lex would not end up getting even more power. After he did to Thea, Chloe, and others, Lex deserved to rot in prison, in the harshest conditions, for the rest of his life.

"Harry, nice to see you again," Carol said.

"Hey, Carol, haven't seen you around much lately, or...not too much since the night you joined the League," Harry said.

"I've been busy," Carol said. "I'm the League's official liaison to the DEO, and….a couple of year long missions in space, but that's another story for another time…."

A flash of fire came up from the sky and the person within the fire hurled down to the Earth. She crashed, hard, the ground rocking underneath her.

An attractive dark haired woman in a Green Lantern costume appeared, breathing heavily. Harry extended a hand and assisted her to her feet.

"My name is Jessica Cruz, the new Green Lantern recruit of Sector...2814…..and we're all in trouble!" Jessica yelled. "Big trouble….everyone duck!"

The Hall of Justice had been under fire. Diana and the Team rushed in to extract the civilians and the members of the Press from being in harm's way while Superman, Superwoman, Supergirl, and Captain Marvel took to the skies to engage the trouble.

Three armored aliens, with blue skin, had been the source of the explosion. One of them held a very large energy cannon. With the speed of light, Harry dodged around the alien's brutal assault. An uppercut to the wrist dislodged the cannon. Superman grabbed the alien and grappled with him.

The moment the alien saw the symbol on Harry's chest, he roared and said something in a strangled language Harry did not understand.

"Really?" Kara asked. "Watch your mouth!"

She kicked said alien in the side of the face. The Girl of Steel erupted with a heat vision attack, sending the alien in question flying back to the ground.

Claire stood face to face with one of the invading aliens. Suddenly, something washed over her. Images, flashes of a time long past, memories which had been buried, blocked in her psyche.

Green Lantern, Hawkwoman, the Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superwoman invading a planet where these blue skinned aliens resided. Trashing the equipment around them. Claire taking to the skies and stabbing one violently. Burning another with her heat vision.

Bodies, unmoving bodies, lying on the ground. The feeling of not being in control.

Kara and Harry zipped around, taking the first of the aliens out. The alien did a header into the ground, and suddenly it activated a plate, being knocked out.

Carol dodged the hammer and came back with a series of attacks.

"You aren't allowed on Earth!" Carol yelled.

The blue-skinned alien went straight for Carol's throat. Carol blasted him off and took him head first into a large marble monument.

The third alien sent Claire hurling through the sky. The deep breaths followed from the Woman of Steel. Just as the blue-skinned alien in the present withdrew an energy weapon.

At the last second, Harry hurled himself in the line of fire. Being nailed in the shoulder, blood splattering, and causing Harry to fly down to Earth at a super fast speed.

A blur dove in front of Harry and caught him just before he was able to land on the ground. Setting him down gently on the grass, although the blood loss made Harry woozy before he was able to stop it. His shoulder felt as if it had been stabbed with hot irons.

Carol jacked the jaw of the alien, disarming him of the energy weapon. The super-powered woman disabled the armor plate and sent him down to the ground.

Two of the soldiers flickered. The third laid on the ground, beaten, and Carol put a finger to ear piece before activating.

"Alex, we've got a situation," Carol said. "The Hall of Justice has been attacked, by Kree."

"Harry, I'm sorry."

Harry, shoulder wrapped, and still tender, just waved off the words of his apologetic mother.

"Fine, I'm fine, I've had worse," Harry said. "Good thing Kara was there to catch me."

Kara looked about ready to fume though. She only resisted punching a wall due to the fact she did not want to get in trouble for damaging a government facility.

"I don't know what's going on here," Kara said. "The Kree are here...but why?"

Oh Claire knew why, but she was not about to come to terms of it. The venom dripping from Kara's voice when she mentioned the Kree was jarring for her, it was obviously Krypton and these Kree had a past and Kara was not too happy to see them on Earth.

Their prisoner had been taken to the DEO. Carol had been waiting with two women. One an attractive dark haired woman, a few years older than Harry, and the other, a green haired woman with glasses, waited for them. They both wore form fitting skin-tight uniforms.

"Alexandra Danvers, Deputy Director of the DEO," the brunette said. "And this is Abigail Brand, director of the DEO."

"And we're hoping to get some answers from your friend,' Abigail said. "It's an honor to meet you, or in Superwoman's case, again. Although last time we met...you were...about ready to die."

"I got better," Claire said.

Alex just frowned. Claire did not get any better. She knew Superwoman since she was old enough to walk, her mother helped Claire figure out a few things about her powers. And knew when something was really bothering her, stirring up her emotions.

"Let's talk to the Kree, and find out what he wants," Abigail said.

The Kree soldier, stripped of his armor and weapons, looked with pure hate at the symbols displayed proudly on the chests of Kara, Claire, and Harry.

"It's a pity I didn't take your arm as a trophy," the soldier said.

"Why are you here?" Abigail asked.

"Why don't you ask your rulers, the Justice League?" the Kree spat back. "Many cycles ago, they went across several alien worlds, terrorizing them in the name of Planet Earth. Much noble Kree blood had been lost on that day."

"You are a filthy liar," Carol said.

"I don't speak to traitors," the Kree said.

Off in the distance, J'onn J'ozz arrived. Abigail greeted him with a very soft smile.

"Just like old times, J'onn?" Abigail asked.

"I would like to feel nostalgic," J'onn replied. "Being here as a guest and not a prisoner or even an agent, but the situation is dire."

"Well, I won't stop you," Abigail said.

J'onn nodded and moved in to read the mind of Kree. Vile indocturnation of Kree's genetic superiority reached into the back of J'onn's mind. Not too uncommon from some of the extremist groups of Martians, who believed because they were either white or green, they were superior to all.

Then images flashed in J'onn's mind of an attack. And the images triggered a few repressed memories from J'onn. Almost sixteen hours worth of them. J'onn hitched in his breath, very deeply.

'Clara, we need to get Shayera, Bruce, Diana, and John, and have a meeting,' J'onn thought. 'We might be able to crack the missing sixteen hours.'

Despite a mystery which has haunted them for three and a half years nearly being solved, Claire could not help but regret.

Harry leaned in and studied the metal of the Kree weapon. Off to the side, Carol stood in the doorway.

"How's your shoulder?"

"On the mend," Harry said. "This technology is...fascinating."

"Kree technology often is, and used in the most terrifying ways to squash anyone who opposes them under their foot," Carol said. "And I'm afraid, they believe that the League attacked them. They have a treaty with the Guardians of Oa, but, if John Stewart had been involved….the Green Lanterns fired first, and broke the treaty."

Carol sighed, and put her hands back onto the wall. Thinking very carefully.

"It's all coming back to Claire," Harry said. "It was for weeks, but seeing a Kree in the flesh, it really triggered something very deep down."

"I remember everything that happened," Carol said. "I wasn't underneath the Light's control for long. I can't believe they got the drop on me...or how they got in without anyone knowing. Guess the League is about as prone to mistakes as anyone else."

A long pause as Harry checked his shoulder. Almost healed, with the yellow solar lamps on site at the DEO helping on the healing process.

"It took me a while to step back and assess my goals and my mission, what I wanted to do out of life," Carol said. "Hey, Alex, do you need anything?"

"Just dealing with our Kree friend," Alex said. "Can't say I've ever seen anyone so chatty...without saying anything."

"Two of them disappeared," Carol said. "They're going to report back to the Supreme Intelligence, and likely the Kree is going to have a full invasion on Earth."

"Well, the DEO's just going to have to prepare," Alex said.

Carol put her hands on top of her head, rocked back and sigh.

"The DEO's not ready for this."

Alex gave her older sister a long, and agitated look.

"And what's the point of the DEO if we can't fight for threats of the Earth," Alex said. "The League's there as well...and I'm sure...I'm sure we'll think of something."

"Starrwave has a few defenses it's been working on which might be able to help out the DEO," Harry said. "And…."

Harry thought of the Kandorians. Dozens of Kryptonians who could be given powers underneath the yellow sun. But, not all of them were soldiers, were they? And not all of them would want to fight the Kree? And could he power them all up before the Kree arrived?

"We'll talk about it," Alex said. "After I run it by Director Brand....what really worries me is...what if he's right...about the League attacking them?"

"There was a missing sixteen hours which a criminal known as Vandal Savage controlled six key members of the Justice League," Harry said. "Using Starro technology, and...if he set them on the Kree...he wants to force humanity to evolve or perish. He's all about survival of the fittest."

"Okay, what worries me is what happens when someone like Godfrey gets ahold of this and stirs the people up into a panic," Carol said. "You know, he'll be like a dog with a bone for something like this."

"Ugh, I don't know how people could stand him," Alex grumbled.

"People like the sensational and the outrageous, and Godfrey feeds it to them," Harry said. "And now Morgan Edge has agreed to broadcast his show, his reach is going to be even wider than ever."

The six who lost sixteen hours met. The Martian Manhunter, Hawkwoman, Batman, Superwoman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern.

"As you might know, the mission in Biayla, where Psimon wiped the team's memories," J'onn said. "M'gann took pieces of their minds to form a bigger puzzle and restore their memories."

"You think the same thing will work with us?" Batman asked.

"I intend to make an attempt out of it,' J'onn said. "With your consent."

"Let's do this," Claire said.

"Right," Diana said.

"Try not to look too deep,"Shayera said. "There's things in my mind...which might disturb anyone with a sensible mind."

"Just focus on the sixteen hours," J'onn said.

The League members sat in a circle, with J'onn guiding them. Slowly, painstakingly, the full picture of what occured, the night Vandal Savage and the Light had the League under control, and turned them loose on several alien worlds, including a a Kree Colony.

Grim realization of what the League had been forced to do and the consequences, even if it took a long time to manifest, of what happened to Earth.

"Mom, you should be in bed."

Alura turned up and Kara had been miffed at her. Carol, Alex, and Harry all stood, awaiting the news of the meeting of the League six.

"I heard about the Kree," Alura said. "I want to help and I'm not going to just rest in bed when my family's in danger."

Kara's ear perked up and a loud scuffle inside of the corridors caught her attention. The sounds of groans and several bodies hitting the ground.

"Please tell me our prisoner didn't escape," Carol said.

"No, he's still in the cell," Alex said. "And he's not getting out…."

Kara could feel a presence.

"She's near," Kara murmured. "What the hell is she doing?"

Kara popped out in the hallway in front of Galatea, who stood over the fallen bodies of the DEO soldiers. This caused Kara's eyes to glow red.

"Don't worry Girl Scout, they're just taking a nap," Galatea said. "They might wake up with a headache, but nothing life ending."

The six who faced Galatea did not miff her. Carol, Abigail, Alex, Kara, Alura, and Harry, of course. Harry leaned in and checked one of the DEO agents. Still breathing, and in fact Galatea tranquilized most of them with something which would keep them up.

"Are you after the Kree?" Alex asked. "To break him out."

Galatea reached forward and patted Alex on the shoulder before pulling back.

"Oh, you're adorable," Galatea said. "As if I'd help a filthy Kree."

"Then why are you here?" Kara demanded.

Galatea just smiled and motioned for someone from the shadows.

"We need to talk."

Another woman, dark skinned, and very beautiful showed up. Dressed in the Kryptonian battle armor of someone very high up in the army. Alura and Kara gasped when they saw who turned up to face them.

"My name is Lyta Zod," Lyta said. "It's about time we met face to face."