Chapter 23

In less than an hour, the entire League was assembled and briefed on the situation. Some of them looked nervous, but they were still determined to defend their home. They had already lost Oa; they weren't going to lose Earth.

"We'll set up three layers of defense." Said the Martian, "One on the ground, one in the upper atmosphere and one in space."

"That last one is me," said Green Lantern, "I wanna hammer that thing before it gets anywhere near here."

"Move out!" barked J'onn. As the Leaguers moved to the teleporters to be sent to their assigned areas, Superman paused. "What is it?"

Superman turned to his friend. "When the android left Earth, he said he'd evolved to a level where none of us could offer us anything. So why's he coming back?"

The Martian looked down for a moment, before his head snapped back up.

"Supergirl, Diamondhead!" Both heroes turned. "I have another assignment for you."

…

Luthor Mansion, Metropolis

Lex Luthor, former president and CEO of LexCorp, reformed villain and all-around jerk, was currently being interviewed at his estate. He had been getting a lot of press lately, mostly because the man who'd tried to kill the Justice League and take over the world was suddenly very philanthropic. Despite his claims of reform, people were still suspicious of his motives.

"Your new book, 'Into the Light', certainly projects the image of a man who's reformed," said a reporter, "but many people are skeptical, Mr. Luthor. For good reason."

"I understand their skepticism," replied the bald multibillionaire, "but the fact is that I'm not the man I was before."

With that, Lex opened his shirt to reveal a green vest with a red hexagon on the front.

"This device might stop my Kryptonite-induced cancer for another thirty years." A rueful smile appeared on his face. "Or it might be thirty days; for all I know, it could be another thirty minutes. However fate plays her hand, I want my remaining time to have meaning; I want to have a positive difference in the world."

The reporter looked at him, no' quite believing him. "So you're a new man?" she asked, "No grudges or vendettas? Even against the Justice League?"

Luthor laughed as they walked outside. "Oh, far from it; I owe them everything."

He was of course referring to how the League had gotten him a full pardon after he'd helped them defeat their evil counterparts, the Justice Lords.

"They trusted me when no one else would," he continued, "I'd like to think that we might be friends one-what the devil?"

He, the reporter and her crew looked up to see Supergirl and Jet Ray swoop down towards them. Before Luthor could get away, Supergirl grabbed him under his arms and flew off, Jet Ray close behind them.

They flew into Metropolis, with Luthor futilely struggling in Supergirl's arms.

"Let go!" ordered Luthor.

"Keep fighting me, Lex, and I just might."

Luthor looked down to see that he was several hundred feet in the air, and that being released right then and there wouldn't be beneficial to his health.

"What is this about?" demanded Luthor.

"There's an old friend of yours coming back to town." Replied Supergirl.

"Ivo's android." Clarified Jet Ray.

Luthor's eyes went wide; he remembered how he'd manipulated Amazo into stealing technology for him, then made him attack the League. When the android found out that he'd been used, he didn't take it well. If he was coming back, it probably wasn't for a friendly conversation with Lex.

"Wherever you're taking me won't be safe enough," said Luthor after a moment, "but I know just the place."

The two aliens looked at each other uneasily.

…

Following Luthor's directions, the aliens landed in front of a barber shop.

"This is your safehouse?" asked Supergirl disbelievingly.

"Gotta hand it to you, Luthor," said Jet Ray, "no one would think to look for you here."

Luthor shot him a glare, not really liking it when people made fun of his lack of hair, then marched inside. The two heroes followed. Once inside, the barber, an associate of Luthor, turned a chair towards him. Lex sat on it and made himself comfortable.

"So, after you get your nose-hairs trimmed, then what?" Jet Ray liked getting under the skin of the bad guys; even reformed ones.

"Just watch." Said Luthor, as the barber pushed a button. A metal, egg-shaped shell surrounded Luthor as a hole opened up beneath him.

"Hey!" shouted Supergirl as she flew down after him.

The hole was too narrow for Jet Ray's wingspan, so he slapped the Ultimatrix dial.

"AMPFIBIAN!" When the flash of green light faded, Jet Ray was replaced by a floating, blue jellyfish. It had six tentacles, two acted as legs, even though it could fly, and four acted as its arms. The only facial feature it possessed was a pair of green eyes. The Ultimatrix symbol was displayed on the center of his body. Ampfibian quickly followed Supergirl.

The two aliens chased Luthor's pod down a long tunnel, doing their best not to lose him. After every twenty feet or so, a thick door would slam shut after the pod passed it. The doors didn't even slow Supergirl down; a few holes opened up in the walls, revealing energy cannons, but Ampfibian blasted them with bolts of electricity before they could fire.

After a minute, they reached an area with five branching paths. They had lost Luthor's pod.

"Where did he go?" asked Supergirl.

"I guess we just pick one." Said Ampfibian, as Supergirl rocketed into the center tunnel.

However, Supergirl didn't get very far; the tunnel had chunks of Kryptonite embedded in the walls. Within seconds, she collapsed as the poisonous radiation made its way into her system. Ampfibian quickly pulled her out of the tunnel; she needed the restorative properties of the sun fast, or she'd be in serious trouble.

"Thinks of everything, doesn't he?" asked Supergirl weakly.

"Come on," said Ampfibian, despite his lack of a mouth, "let Luthor hide himself away; we've got an android to fight."

…

Outer Edge of Earth's Atmosphere

Superman floated above his adopted homeworld, clad in a suit of armor that flooded his body with extra solar radiation; he felt that he would need all the power he could get to stop Amazo. Beside him was Green Lantern, adjusting the ring on his finger. Near them was Captain Atom, Orion, son of Darkseid, the armored form of STRIPE, and several other heroes who could survive in space. Behind them was the League's entire complement of Javelins; two-dozen in all, piloted by League members who would be unable to fight Amazo directly. It was an impressive defense, but Superman wasn't sure that it would be enough to stop the android.

You cannot keep me from my goal.

The heroes looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Telepathy." Murmured Superman.

"I'm not impressed." Said Green Lantern.

"Why have you come back?" demanded Superman.

Why do you ask questions that you already know the answer to?

"Luthor." So J'onn had been right.

A bright, golden light appeared in front of them. It was far away, but closing fast.

Of course.

"We're not going to give him up." Stated Superman.

He's your enemy; you owe him nothing.

Now the assembled Leaguers could see the golden form of Amazo. He wasn't slowing down.

"Turn back now." Superman charged up his heat-vision for emphasis.

I have evolved far beyond what I was when we last met. You do not want to challenge me.

The android entered weapons' range.

"Light 'im up! HAAAAAARGH!" Green Lantern unleashed the most powerful blast he'd ever generated from his ring.

Every Javelin opened fire with its energy cannons, Superman used his heat vision, Orion fired bolts of energy from his chariot, Captain Atom released a wave of radioactive energy, and STRIPE launched missiles from his shoulders.

The Incredible amount of firepower slowed the android; it even began to push him back. It was working! But just as the League began to hope, Amazo pushed forward yet again. This time, he wasn't stopped.

…

Above Metropolis

"Be prepared," came the voice of the Martian in Supergirl's ear, "the space team has failed; he's coming."

"Not for long." The Kryptonian declared, though in reality, she was terrified. Amazo was able to beat a group with enough combined power to destroy a planet, and now it was up to her and a few others to try and stop him.

I wish I'd been able to say more to Ben earlier, she thought. She had hoped that Ben would be on the same team as her, but most of Ben's more powerful transformations were ground-based, so he'd been placed on the last line of defense. While she was determined to not only survive, but win, she still had a feeling that she might not see her boyfriend again.

Her enhanced senses detected Amazo heading towards the city, and she charged up towards the android. For a moment, knowing what she was up against, she faltered, but she corrected herself and slammed into the golden being. However, the android was too powerful, and Supergirl was slammed into Metropolis's warehouse district with the force of a small meteor. She tried to rise again, but fell into unconsciousness.

The other three heroes that were in the sky team were Red Tornado, an android with the ability to create and control tornadoes, Fire, a Brazilian woman that could wrap herself in and shoot blasts of green flame, and Rocket Red, a man in a flying armory.

Fire looked down at Supergirl in concern, then at Amazo in fear. Before she could react, Rocket Red flew by her and unleashed a massive barrage of missiles, all of which hit Amazo square-on. Amazo kept going as if nothing happened. Rocket flew backwards, while firing a minigun that was mounted on his shoulder. Amazo kept up with him, ripping off the weapon and punching Rocket back several hundred feet.

Before he could continue, he was engulfed in emerald flame. He glanced up at Fire, before actually absorbing her attack and grabbing her by the throat. As Fire began to lose consciousness, she heard Amazo's voice in her head.

Your bravery is admirable, but annoying.

He flung Fire to the streets below, but she was caught by a twister, courtesy of Red Tornado. She was then picked up by the damaged Rocket, who took her to safety. Red Tornado sent another twister at Amazo, but the golden android shrugged it off and sent a blast of energy into Red, slicing him in half. The dismembered robot fell to the roof of a nearby skyscraper.

Amazo kept going.

…

Metropolis

Wonder Woman heard her communicator ping.

"The second line of defense is down?" she asked J'onn.

"Yes," came the reply, "you are all that is left. Good luck."

Wonder Woman looked at her team, composed of every ground-based hero that hadn't been piloting a Javelin. More specifically, she looked at Ben, now transformed into Chromastone. She knew that he was worried about Supergirl.

"Don't worry, Ben," she whispered to him, "it'll take a lot more than one punch to kill Kara."

Chromastone looked at her for a moment, then nodded. They needed to get ready.

…

Watchtower

The Martian sensed a presence behind him and turned.

"Have you come to offer help?"

Out of the shadows stepped a man wearing a blue, skintight outfit, with gold boots, gloves, belt, cape, and a golden helmet that obscured every part of his face.

"Not help," amended Dr. Fate, Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, "hope."

…

Metropolis

Amazo floated down in front of the barber shop and stepped forward, only to be surrounded by Wonder Woman's team.

When will you learn?

Amazo sent out a wave of energy that cracked the street and knocked all of the heroes out of commission. That is, save for Chromastone, who'd absorbed the energy he'd been hit with. He still stood against Amazo.

"Can we talk for a second?" Chromastone asked.

Amazo stared at him for a moment; it was rare for a being to withstand one of his energy attacks. Maybe this being would offer something new for him.

Very well. What do you wish to discuss?