#5: Mystery In Space, Pt. 3 (Burchette / Tupper)

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Issue #5: Mystery in Space
Part 3: “Sacrificial Lamb”
Co-Plotted by: David Charlton & Brian Burchette
Written by Brian Burchette
Cover by Adam Tupper
Edited by Mark Bowers[/center]

The Third Moon of Thanagar

Batman’s face showed no emotion as Despero climbed from the wreckage of the Rann ship that had been practically rammed down the throat of the monster… to no avail.

As the heroes stood on a green disc of light, Adam Strange turned to the smallest member of the League.

“I thought you said that was going to work.”

“Did I say that?” Atom asked innocently. “Well there’s always a margin for error, I suppose.”

“The Rann council is going to throw me in the brig for this.”

“Enough!” Batman snapped. “We’ve just lost a member of our team, and that monster is still on the loose. We don’t have time for inane banter.”

Not lost, my friends. I am still alive, came J’onn’s voice inside all of their heads. I was able to desolidify right before the ship struck. I am now a few meters beneath the surface.

Flash let out a whoop of joy and even Batman couldn’t hide the grateful look on his face.

We feared the worst, came Hal’s reply as he watched Despero finish his climb from the wreckage.

I do not know how we are going to defeat this creature. He has wiped out all of the Hawk-Knights and seems impenetrable. I fear that brute force will not be enough.

Buy us some time, J’onn. See if you can stop him for a couple of seconds while we get our bearings.

Batman turned to the others. “Hal, set us down. Flash, get Alanna out of here. Far enough away that she won’t get hurt. Adam, you and Hal take to the air, try to keep Despero engaged. Don’t look into that third eye, just in case.”

They all nodded and began their assigned duties. Atom, who had grown to full size, looked at the Dark Knight for a moment. “So what’s the plan, Batman?”

Batman turned to his colleague and stared at him for a moment. “I don’t have one.”

Atom’s blood ran cold.

As Despero stepped out of the wreckage, he felt his ankles being grabbed from below. He looked down just in time to see a ragged-looking Martian Manhunter pull his legs out from under him. He fell forward in a rage.

Green Lantern swooped down and quickly formed a solid green helmet over the head of Despero. “Maybe, with that third eye out of commission, we’ll have more of a chance.”

J’onn, this is Diana. Connect me with everyone else. We have a plan, but we have very little time.

Understood.

Without warning each of the League’s members was flooded with the plan that had been created on Katar’s home planet. They all sent back the acknowledgment that they’d got the plan, and then the set-up began.

Flash was already on top of things. As Despero let out a cry of rage and shattered the emerald helmet, Barry poured on the speed, creating a dust storm that swirled around the alien.

Martian Manhunter let loose with his heat vision, causing Despero to swing around wildly. Again, a fire seemed to erupt in front of the alien hero, but J’onn clenched his teeth and forced himself to ignore it, reminding himself that it was not real.

Seeing the stress on J’onn’s face, Batman grabbed some pellets from his belt and threw them into Despero’s face. They went off in a blinding white light, causing the monster to once again turn around in rage. He was trying to make his way towards the cloaked hero, but the sandstorm was hindering his vision.

Barry was running with all his might, focused so much on what he was doing that he did not see the brick wall that suddenly appeared before him. He slammed into it with all his power and felt every bone in his body shatter. He fell to the ground, unaware that it was all in his mind.

Despero was quick and grabbed the unconscious speedster by the ankles and flung him into Batman. Both of them went hurtling back, but were caught by Green Lantern as he produced a large green mattress to cushion the impact.

“You will all die for this,” Despero bellowed, as he swung around to strike at the Martian Manhunter, only to find him on the ground, desperately trying to put out the fire that was not there.

Despero smirked. “You’re pathetic.”

“And you are not as smart as you think you are,” J’onn replied as he leapt up, giving Despero an upper cut as he took off into the air.

“Now!” came the Martian’s shout.

There was a sudden boom in the air as the sound barrier was broken and Superman appeared, slamming himself head first into Despero and picking him up. At the same moment, Green Lantern brought four emerald straps around the villain. Within seconds, Superman and Green Lantern had vanished into space with the monster.

The Thangarian warship hovered for a second as the others quickly boarded the ship.

“Hurry,” Katar said. “We must make sure that we get back to Thanagar in time.” His jaw was set. This was it.

Despero felt the presence of the Nth Metal very near; within yards, actually. He climbed out of the crater as Superman fired his heat blast towards the creature’s feet. Wonder Woman lassoed the alien, but he grabbed it and without a second thought, flung her across the rock terrain.

SLAM!

Katar Hol had come from behind and used all his might to smash his mace against the back of Despero. It did seem to do the trick as Despero was flung forward, crying out in both pain and rage.

Green Lantern began to fire blasts of energy that sent Despero flying further into the direction that he was heading in. At the same time, Flash began to pound him, his fists flying faster than anyone could see.

Letting out a roar of frustration, Despero backhanded him and sent him flying away. A recovered Wonder Woman was there to grab him though. They both turned in time to see Despero make a giant leap and then he was gone. He had made it to the mineshaft of Thanagar’s primary tunnel that led to one the most powerful materials in the universe.

“He’s in,” yelled Batman.

Katar Hol soared into the opening after him, the others following close behind.

Despero had a good lead on the rest of them and made his way down the faintly-lit shaft, knowing that what he needed was right there in front of him, and then there would be nothing to stop him.

The others were behind him, and he could sense that as well, but it was too late. He charged into a rather large cavern that glinted with pieces and fragments of metal that were embedded into the rocks. He could feel the power. He could feel the energy flowing through him, now. He opened himself up, allowing the power to flow through him.

It was at that moment that Katar Hol slammed into him, causing him to slam into the rock surface.

“That was your last attack, Thanagarian,” Despero laughed menacingly. “I can feel the metal’s power flow through me. I can twist your mind inside out and cause you more pain than you could ever imagine. Your race will be the first to fall, followed by so many others. Sweet, sweet power that flows through me,” he cooed to himself.

Katar held his mace in front of him, the power crackling around it. “You have already lost, demon spawn. You have sealed your own fate by entering here. Can you not feel your power, your will, beginning to weaken?”

Despero laughed in amusement, but then he was struck by the blinding speed of something blue and red. He was stunned. It hurt, more than any blow had. He swung in rage, but missed Superman, only to be struck in the face by Wonder Woman, as Green Lantern flew in and blasted him in the chest with the raw power of his ring.

The mad alien flew back again, confused for the first time. It was impossible. He could feel the power of the Nth Metal, so why was he becoming weaker? What was happening to him?

Katar Hol had taken to the air again, and was coming in for another swing as he watched Flash pummeling the creature and Batman throwing several explosive batarangs towards Despero’s face.

“It is now up to you, my small friend. May the gods be with you,” Katar whispered as Atom positioned himself on the Thanagarian’s shoulder, ready for the jump.

As Katar struck the strongest blow of his life, Atom took a flying leap, his aim perfect, as he slipped, unnoticed, into the right ear of Despero.

Katar’s blow landed with a crack and Despero felt his left arm shatter. He howled in pain and confusion, reaching out with speed that seemed impossible for someone his size, he was able to grab the face of Batman.

“Flash!” Wonder Woman screamed, getting his attention to rescue their colleague. However, the words were hardly out of her mouth when they all heard the crunch as Batman’s face was shattered.

Despero laughed in triumph. He felt the bones break; he heard the final breath leave his enemy. Yes, he was still alive, and still dangerous.

“Atom, it’s now or never,” Wonder Woman cried out, cradling the body of Batman.

From deep inside Despero’s head, Ray Palmer hesitated for just a second. He took a deep breath, asked for forgiveness, and triggered the change that allowed him to become full size.

In the cavern, Despero’s eyes widened for a moment before his head exploded from the emergence of Atom, and then his body fell over in a heap.

All was quiet in the cavern…

Two Hours Later

The Hall of Justice was just as they had left it, and everyone was relieved to get their feet back on Earth.

“So what is this drink you are speaking of?” Hawkman asked his small friend who stood on his shoulder.

“It’s called beer, my new friend, and I have a feeling you’re going to love it.”

The two walked out of the meeting room.

“I have the feeling that that is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” Barry chuckled.

Hal grunted, “There’s something about him that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up straight.”

Barry shrugged. “He doesn’t seem to hold a high opinion of a Green Lantern, from his comments. Just give it time; he’ll probably come around. Speaking of beer, lets head out and get our own.”

“You’re on.”

“Good, I’ll meet you there. Just want to check on Iris first.”

With that the green and red shot out of the room and towards their own lives.

Martian Manhunter and Superman watched them all go. “Another new member,” J’onn stated.

“The League is growing,” Superman acknowledged.

“I find it ironic that it is another alien without a home.”

Superman nodded. “Give us your tired, your poor, your hungry,” he murmured. “Perhaps this is the real destiny of the League.”

“J’onn! Kal! To the monitor room, quickly!” came the voice of Diana.

The urgency in her voice made them move quickly. They found her and Bruce already there, and several video screens were showing clips of the same breaking news. Two American warships were burning and sinking.

“What’s going on?” Clark asked.

Before they could respond, all the screens changed and the face of President Maxwell Lord appeared before them.

“My fellow Americans. It is with both a heavy and an angry heart that I come before you to acknowledge these vicious attacks upon our men in the armed forces. You have all seen the footage of the warships that are now sinking in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. We can confirm that the attack was unprovoked and that it came from the meta-human member of the Justice League known as Aquaman. We do not know yet why he attacked our ships, but be assured that America will not allow this act of terrorism to go unpunished. As of this moment, we consider Aquaman a threat to our national security, and he will be brought in. God bless America.”

The screen went dead, and the four leaguers stood in silence, until the beeping and flashing of a red light brought them out of their shock.

Diana turned to them. “That’s the direct line from the White House. President Lord is calling us.”