Chapter 59

Back home and boy did Clara Jor-El, Claire Kent, Superwoman, feel weird in a few different ways. The other five members of the League Six had been sent back to L-Corp for observation. And they had been put completely in pods to try and isolate them in case.

Claire understood, although she felt a bit anxious. And for good reason. Harry was right with them, along with Kara, Karen, and Carol, and yet he was not there. Genesis sent them back through and that was it.

"Glad to see you back," Lena said. "This should be a few hours. We need to make sure Darkseid hasn't tampered with your minds."

Claire waved it off, understanding.

"I don't know if he did," Claire said. "Granny Goodness tried every tactic to break us."

"And we were close," Batman chimed in. "Way too close. Do what you have to do. If there's any chance, don't let us out until we're sure."

Dinah bit down on her lip and looked at her colleagues. She checked the brain scans. They had physical and mental wear and tear, but there were no obvious triggers. They were going to look for some more obvious ones.

"Harry's not back yet," Claire said.

"I know," Lena replied.

Lena closed her eyes, this was a very dangerous plan. She regretted a lot of what had to be done. The necessity of everything. She looked to the doorway, where Harry would hopefully be returning with Samantha and the other World Killers soon enough. Yet, there was nothing, not a hint of Harry coming back.

Claire waited as patiently as she could. Lex's image appeared on the news. Lena casually turned the television up just in time for Claire to hear Cat's report.

"And there are accusations that Lex Luthor blackmailed and controlled the members of the United Nations. The official LexCorp legal department says Lex is declining all comments at this point and he says the blame has to go to Maxwell Lord. Back thirty years ago, a business deal between Maxwell Lord and Lex's father, Lionel, went sour, thus kicking off a thirty year business rivalry between the Luthors and Lord which have gone personal. There have been unconfirmed reports of some shady dealings Maxwell Lord has been involved in."

"So, that's his angle," Claire said. "He's using Maxwell Lord as a fall guy."

"It wouldn't be Lex, if he didn't have an angle."

"And he had us delivered to Darkseid."

This might not be the worst thing that Lex did.

"With recent invasions from the Kree and the White Martians, we wonder how safe we are. Many are calling out the United Nations on their lack of ability to protect the people in the country's they claim to secure. The World Security Council will be meeting to try and determine a course of action for any future alien invasions."

"So, I missed a lot," Claire said. "How much longer is it going to take?"

"This can't be rushed."

"I need to be out there. Harry hasn't come back and I….."

Lena placed a hand up to stop it. She had no desire to argue with Claire, but she had to say something.

"I promised Harry I would keep you safe. And I will keep you safe. We should trust he knows what he's doing."

Lashina dove into the battle at Supergirl. The Girl of Steel caught Lashina's whip and flipped the woman down to the ground hard. Lashina kipped up and charged at Supergirl who dodged the attack completely.

"Not bad, Blondie, but you can't keep this up forever. You're not under a yellow sun anymore."

Kara flipped over Lashina's attack. Three Parademons dove at them. Kara knocked them out of the sky. Three more grabbed her until Karen nailed them with one of the most violent punches possible. She rattled them with another vicious punch and another one.

Harry tried to find out what was blocking them. But there was another concern rearing its ugly head. The machine which contained the World Killers, had siphoned off a fair amount of power and the machine was humming even with the World Killers escaping from them.

"Cover me, I'm going in hot."

Kara did not have any time to ask what entirely reckless plan Harry had in mind. The trio of Captain Marvel, Power Girl, and Supergirl blasted their way through the hordes of Parademons and female furies. Harry performed a precision attack through the crowd towards a tower.

The tower exploded and sent a pulse of energy erupting.

"I'm now able to open a Boom Tube!" Genesis called up in triumph. "Please stand by!"

The portal opened up. Three figures jumped out of the portal. The one and only Big Barda stampeded in and led the charge. The Two Parademons rushed Barda. Barda ducked underneath their punch and slammed her fist into the chest of the Parademon. She flipped him onto the ground.

"Traitor!"

Lashina's cry echoed throughout all of Apokolips. Barda caught her kick in mid-air and slammed Lashina down to the ground to knock the wind out of her. Lashina rolled up to the ground.

Beautiful Dreamer carefully veered in front of the attacks. One of the Parademons grabbed at her only to realize she was a a three-dimensional construct and not there in the first place.

Another attack brought Bekka down onto the top of the heads of the Parademons. She grabbed the creature around the head and flipped him down. Two of Granny's furies rushed towards Bekka. Bekka dodged the attack and released an energy charge to bring him down.

Barda found herself going toe to toe with Stompa as the machine around they pulsed. A figure grabbed Stompa and pulled her forward.

For a second, Barda paused. She came face to face with Knockout who gave Barda a respectful nod.

"Thought a girl had to eat," Barda said.

"There's no meals for anyone if Darkseid wins," Knockout said.

Scandal rushed in, eyes narrowed for the attack. Mad Harriet rushed at Scandal. The two women took it to each other in a battle of the really sharp knives. Scandal made her most honest attempt to cut Mad Harriet up.

Harry smashed one of the Furies to the ground. A Parademon rushed towards him. Harry caught the Parademon and hoisted him up before he slammed him down onto the ground. Harry conjured a glass bubble and lifted Reign and the rest of the Worldkillers into them.

"Kara, I've got a plan. But it's an insane one."

The Girl of Steel came inches away from meeting a blade. She ripped it out of the hand of her adversary and slammed him down to the ground.

"Is there any other plan?" she asked cheekily.

"No, but I need you to clear the area, and when the time's right, I need Genesis to open up a Boom Tube. Get everyone out of here as much as you can."

Harry knew that machine ran off of energy. But, he could channel more than enough to overload the circuits and ruin Darkseid's plan.

He noticed Granny rising up and aiming at the energy staff. Actually playing into his hands. Harry flipped up and snatched the energy staff out of the hands of the wicked woman. He slammed her down to the ground.

Supergirl, Captain Marvel, and Power Girl cleared the area. They hoisted the orb with the World Killers through the portal Genesis opened. Covering them, were Bekka, Dreamer, Barda, Scandal, and Knockout. Scandal violently stabbed one of the Parademons in the face who tried to snag her.

"I've got this one!"

"You have nothing!" Granny snarled. "You think you can stand alone."

Harry sent the staff blasting with energy at Granny's elite Furies as the portal closed behind itself. Then he turned to the machine, channeled an obscene amount of energy. Harry reared back and with all his might impaled Granny's staff through the side of the machine.

"This is the end for you, you nasty child!"

Harry just chuckled, and continued to channel the energy into it. For a second, Granny tried to rattle him. However, the more Superman stared her down unblinking, the more concern spread into Granny's eyes.

"What do you think that you're doing?"

"I've overloaded your machine, and made it useless," Harry said. "From where I'm standing, you have two choices."

The remaining Parademons and Furies rose to their feet and faced Superman. Granny's hand trembled as she rose in front of them.

"You'll kill us all!"

None of them believed he would actually blow them all up to save them all. Superman was supposed to be this beacon of hope for the world. Yet, Harry slowly siphoned the remaining amount of energy into the machine until it reached its most critical levels.

"You have two choices. You can flee. Or you can fight. Otherwise, I'm blowing up Apokolips with that Death Machine."

They realized something. Harry was not bluffing. Boom Tubes aplenty opened as they left the blast sight. Harry contained the blast to one area, to destroy the room with the machine and any parts they could use to salvage it.

Then he departed. Although with such an explosion, there was going to be fallout.

Ash and cinder flew to the ground in the aftermath of the explosion. Harry stood over the wreckage of the lab. The power trickled through the air having been released.

And then the moment Harry looked up, he saw the man himself, Darkseid. Darkseid's eyes, glowing with red fury focused on him.

"You're a fool for not stopping while you could still breath."

"And you are one for not killing me when you had the chance," Harry said.

"A mistake I won't make again."

The Omega Beams blasted in Harry's directions. This time, Harry evaded the Omega beams with a series of death dying acrobatics. He veered, ducked, and twisted around the bolts before he came behind Darkseid and sent his own Omega Beams back at him with such a force which knocked him back a few steps.

"Want to try that one again?"

The second Omega strike had been caught in the palm of Harry's hand. He veered forward like a bolt and slammed both of his hands into Darkseid's eye sockets thus calling a fallout of the energy.

Darkseid's followers made a movement to assist their leader.

"Leave him. He's mine."

Superman and Darkseid surrounded each other. Darkseid charged Superman. Superman dodged the attack and came back with a swinging axe handle. Another double axe handle drove down into the back of Darkseid's head. Harry reared back and slammed the point of the elbow to Darkseid.

Darkseid gripped Harry around the waist and flung him off. The two fought in mid-air, with Darkseid's Omega Beams pushing back and forth against Harry's heat vision. Harry pushed through the beams and headbutted Darkseid. He grabbed him around the head and flung Darkseid up as high as possible.

Harry hurled Darkseid through the palace with the greatest force possible. The entire planet shook with how hard Harry pulled him up.

Not quite done yet before Darkseid mounted himself up. Red cuts flickered on his face as he once again moved to take Harry. The two of them went hand to hand. Harry dodged another Omega Beam strike and sent a bolt of orange energy from his own hand into Darkseid's chest which staggered the god.

Harry grabbed Darkseid and with one more violent attack curb stomped him from high above and into the surface of the planet. All of Apokolips shook when Darkseid laid, broken, and everyone gasped.

Darkseid rose up his feet.

"Superman, face me. I'm not finished yet."

"But you are."

Grail appeared in the shadows in front of her father and lunged into his chest. She stabbed him rather violently with an Nth Metal blade. Darkseid coughed and almost staggered to one knee. She kicked Darkseid in the chest and sent him hurtling from the pedestal into the fire pits below.

Off to the side, everyone turned around. Desaad stepped out of the shadows and eyed her anxiously. Harry joined Grail in passing by the rows and rows of shell-shocked followers.

"Long live, Darkseid."

Desaad dropped to one knee.

"And all hail the new Queen."

Not in the mood to deal with Desaad, Grail lined up the only way she could and sliced Desaad straight through the back of the head. Blood sprayed everywhere from Desaad just dropping to one knee from Grail's swift decapitation.

She stepped back. Darkseid had fallen. She had proven herself.

"Ready to leave?" Grail asked Superman.

He nodded. Harry had some people to check up on. Darkseid's charred corpse left a hell of an impression.

From the carnage, several slaves lifted up Darkseid's limp, burned, and shattered body. His most hardened loyalists would carry him to a place of honor.

Much to the surprise of the people carrying him, Darkseid started to illuminate with a strange energy. They all set Darkseid down and observed strange quality in awe.