#33: Lockdown: Hall of Justice (Part 2 of 3)

The Flash came to a stop in the meeting room, Superman and the others still discussing the events of the day. He held Guy Gardner’s power ring tight within his fingers, and then looked up to his teammates with a look of abject horror on his face.

“Strro jst brst nd --” He paused, slowed down. “Starro just burst, unleashed his face-huggers and caught the others in the crossfire--” He held the power ring up. “--Guy slowed them down, but I don’t know for--”

The Starro-influenced Hawkman lurched into the room, and swung his mace at Barry Allen, but The Flash dodged with ease. “It... burns.”

“Katar!” shouted Wonder Woman, just as Doctor Light blasted her into the bulkhead of the headquarters, the beam hitting her at the speed of light itself. She crumpled, and Kimiyo Hoshi shuddered forward, one awkward footfall following another.

“Cell Zero!” said Superman, turning to the Martian Manhunter as the rest of the possessed Leaguers entered the room. J’onn nodded, and phased from sight.

“It... wants...” said Firestorm, transmuting the air around Superman into a field of kryptonite mist, “...more...”

“Gnnnargh,” hissed Superman, stumbling backwards, his hand tearing the metal meeting table as he went to support himself, “nnnn...”

Animal Man bounded at Superman, pushing him to the ground, and then leaned close as the Starro spoke through him. “It... needs... more...”

“Gerroff,” slurred Superman, heat vision tearing into the Starro on Animal Man’s face.

“It... survives...” said Animal Man, the Starro’s tentacles carved off but still twitching, as he pulled Superman back into the Kryptonite mist. “Breathe... deep.”

The Flash was dodging Hawkman’s blows, slamming fists into his teammate’s torso as the Thanagarian swung his mace. He was about to run Hawkman through the building by the Starro attached to his face, but someone grabbed his leg, and he glanced down to see Guy Gardner holding fast, a Starro pinned across his features.

“It... wants... more...” said Gardner. “...Where...?”

Barry’s eyes widened as his head moved in slow motion back to Katar-- who swung his mace so hard he fractured the Scarlet Speedster’s jaw on impact. The Flash was on the floor, and Doctor Light was dragging Wonder Woman toward them. A Starro wiggled into the room, and Animal Man picked it up, tossing it onto Superman with a nonchalance that caused Superman to gasp-- only for a moment, unable to move within the Kryptonite mist. With the Starro attached, Firestorm dissipated the cloud, and then picked up another Starro-- a dozen had crawled into the room during the fracas-- and placed it on Wonder Woman’s face.

“It... has... you...” Hawkman turned to where the Martian Manhunter vanished. “It... needs... more...”





“The Justice League is now you,” said Batman. He was ready for anything. Starro wouldn’t have him. “If I fail-- and I pray I don’t-- gather the reserves. Start with Hawkgirl and her team, move on to the Society, the Titans. If I fail, we won’t be the Justice League anymore. We’ll be Starro.”

Alfred Pennyworth nodded. “Shouldn’t you signal the reserves, sir? Take more than just the three of you?”

“No, no, the more we expose to Starro, the more powerful he becomes,” said Batman.

“So you’re taking two gods?” said Pennyworth, a thick musk of incredulity surrounding his words.

“I know what I’m doing,” said Batman. Alfred nodded, and sat in front of the cave computer, whilst his employer turned to Mister Miracle and Big Barda. “Are you ready?”

“As we’ll ever be,” said Mister Miracle. “We’re about to face the Justice League in combat. How ready can you be?”

Batman considered the question. “Well, actually--”

“Completely,” said Big Barda, tapping her Mega-rod. “I was born ready, Scott, my love. Superman is mine, by the way. Oh, and Wonder Woman.” She relished the thought. “True battle, it awaits.”

“Fine by me,” said Mister Miracle. “Guess I’ll take the Flash.”

“The most dangerous player is out of the game already,” said Batman, holding Guy Gardner’s power ring in his hand. “For an idiot, Gardner’s smart. If Starro got his tentacles on a power ring, this battle would be done.”

“What are we waiting for then?” asked Big Barda. “Let us end this.”



The Justice League stood beside each other, every now and then swaying, almost beneath the notice of anyone who would watch. “It... is... coming...” said Superman.

Wonder Woman twitched, and gazed Hawkman in the eye. “...but... It... is... not...”

“...ready,” finished The Flash.

“It... It...” stuttered Firestorm. “It...” There was a flash of light. The Justice League turned to face the nuclear hero. “It...” Firestorm raised a hand, and blasted Barry Allen and Clark Kent away. There was another flash, then an explosion of light. Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond separated, and the Starro fell to the floor, twitching.

“Oh, crap,” whispered Ronnie.

“Activate emergency teleport!” said Martin, and then, before The Flash could get up and grab them, the two were gone, leaving the Justice League less one ally.

Guy Gardner lurched forward. “It... did not...”

“...expect... that...” said Superman. “They... cannot... be...”

Hawkman dragged his mace up off the floor. “...far...”



Martian Manhunter considered his options. The Star Conqueror could not enter this place. It would not be allowed. The results would be disastrous. Cell Zero was resistant to all forms of attack, all forms of trauma. Forged in the heart of a collapsing star. Even Superman couldn’t break through the walls.

Prisoner X simply stared. J’onn had his back to the chained-up man, and tried his best to avoid his gaze. The Manhunter’s telepathic abilities picked up ambient, stray thoughts-- whispers from the mind-- and being so close to this monster was making him feel weak at the knees. The atrocities in this man’s mind’s eye...

“You... fear...” drawled the man. There was a glint in his eye that J’onn didn’t see. “As you should.”

J’onn said nothing.



Batman, Big Barda and Mister Miracle materialsed on the peer of the base, just outside the forcefield.

“I’ve configured this to send out a signal to make the forcefield porous around our bodies,” Batman tapped his belt. “We’ve got an in.”

“But the only out is victory,” said Barda. “I can live with those results.”

“Wait,” said Batman, putting up his hand to halt the Leaguers. “Look.”

Aquaman approached, his face bruised, red scratches around his mouth and his costume torn. He emerged from the seas looking angry, but had no Starro on his body-- apart from the dead one in his hand. Big Barda made sure of that as she paced around him at Batman’s behest.

“What happened, Arthur?” asked Batman.

“A straggler.” Aquaman held the Starro up for Batman to see. “Took control of the friend I was meditating upon beneath the waves. I felt it scratch at my consciousness, and it rose up, wrapped itself around Lau.”

“Lau?” asked Mister Miracle.

“The sperm whale over there,” said Aquaman, pointing a mile out. “She’s resting now, tearing the Starro off weakened her immensely.” He turned to the forcefield. “Guess the worst has come to pass.”

“You’re not wrong,” said Batman. “Want to help take back the Justice League?”

“And settle a grudge while I’m at it?” Aquaman smiled, and wiped the sticky crimson blood from his nose. “Don’t I always?”

The four of them entered the forcefield. The blue tinge of the shield wrapped around them, and then popped almost silently. They were inside.

The Flash is the most dangerous opponent, next to Superman, Batman remembered what he had told the others in the Cave before they arrived. He could tear us limb from limb before we even took a breath inside the base.

Then what hope do we have? Mister Miracle had asked.

Batman had showed them the device he had Ted Kord build before his disappearance and apparent ‘death’ at the hands of Ra’s Al Ghul. Speed Force detector.

What? Scott had said incredulously.

Trust me.

The complex was in lockdown. The only sound was that of the sea, outside. “Anyone else really nervous?” asked Scott.

“Nope,” said Big Barda, smiling.



Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond materialised nearly instantly. They looked around, only to see that they were still inside the headquarters, still exposed. “Why aren’t we at one of the safety locations?”

“That would be me,” said Ray Palmer, growing from microscopic to normal within seconds. “No signal can get out, it’s emergency lockdown. Quarantine procedures. By now, Batman’s received the alarm, and he’ll be acting on it.”

“You rerouted the transporter signal?” asked Ronnie.

“Well, I couldn’t leave anyone hanging, could I?” The Atom shrugged, and then checked the door. They were in the security hub of the building, at the top of the winding spire of the place. “How did you escape Starro’s clutches? You were gone.”

“Two minds are better than one,” said Stein, “Starro was... is... weak. We were able to overwhelm it, push it out, but we could only do that by separating.”

“Where are the League now?” asked Ronnie.

The Atom tapped a security monitor. “They’re heading...” His eyes widened. “Down. Oh, no, they’re headed to Cell Zero.”

Ronnie placed his hand on Martin’s shoulder, and Firestorm reformed.

“Get on, Professor,” he said, tapping his shoulder. The Atom abided. “We’ve got to stop them.”

“Us versus them?” said The Atom incredulously. “How do you expect we do that?”

“Oh, come on,” said Firestorm, as he stepped out of the security hub. “You so know Batman’s around here somewhere.”



“Weird,” said Aquaman, as they entered the base.

“What’s that?” asked Batman.

“They’d want out, wouldn’t they? I was expecting them to be pounding at the forcefield, or trying to figure out how to short the remote emitters.”

“Me too,” said Batman, nodding. “It’s like they want something else.”

“...You don’t think?” said Mister Miracle.

“Well, Starro knows about him now,” said Aquaman. “‘Prisoner X’.”

“Then we need to get down to the--” Batman put up his hand, cutting off Scott Free mid-sentence. “What?”

“Active comm link,” said Batman. “J’onn isn’t broadcasting-- it’s a radio signal.”

“If J’onn isn’t broadcasting then...?”

“If J’onn had been posessed by Starro we... would...” Bruce’s eyes widened. “Starro isn’t here for our prisoner.”

Aquaman’s features darkened. “It’s here for J’onn!”



Fists pounded outside. J’onn had scrambled the emergency code. He could hear the almighty clatter of fist on unbreakable metal, and he felt the entire room shake. Inside the Cell, he couldn’t project thoughts, he couldn’t use his abilities... the entire place was power-proof. He placed a hand on the metal, and then his brow furrowed. He felt weak. Powerless. “What is that?”

Something was causing a barely-perceptible change in the make-up of the door. Firestorm? Transmuting this unknown ore into, what, foam? No. Doubtful. Then J’onn withdrew, his eyes wide. The Flash. Vibrating his way through the densest, thickest metal known to man. They had tried it before, but Barry couldn’t do it. His powers wouldn’t let him get his hand in. But if he was being pushed by something with no care for his limitations... Could Starro push Barry Allen into overdrive?

The scarlet-clad fingers began to slowly pierce the wall as if it was nothing but the skin of the ocean.

“H’ronmeer.”



Firestorm and The Atom flew down the corridors of the base, heading straight down to Cell Zero. They turned a corner, and were confronted by a looming figure-- “It... knows... you’re... here...” slurred Hawkman.

“Katar,” whispered Ray, contemplating his next move. “Oh, crap.”

“It--!” Hawkman careened toward them, mace raised and ready--

Firestorm pointed a finger at the Thanagarian and transmuted a straight beam of sedative at Hawkman’s face. He inhaled hard on impulse, Starro pushing him beyond his means, and then collapsed. The Starro shuffled off of Katar’s face, and made for Firestorm, but the elemental hero created a cage around the creature, and then looked at The Atom, on his shoulder.

“What was that?” asked The Atom.

“The most powerful sedative known to man or martian,” said Firestorm. “J’onn taught us the compound, in case we met with anything that we couldn’t lock down with ease.”

“Super-sedatives?” said Ray incredulously. “Wow. Justice League, you learn something new every day.”

”Now create the counter agent, Ronnie,” said Martin Stein, and Ronnie did so, Katar coming out of his daze slowly.

“Hrr, what, what happened?” he murmured.

The Atom began to fill his friend in. “Starro has the League, but it’s weak, not at full-fighting efficiency-- We need to get down to Cell Zero!”

“Oh, no--” said Hawkman, picking up his mace and turning in the direction of their confinement section, “it’s not after him--!”



Ping ping ping. Batman looked at his belt, and then picked up the pace.

“Is that a Mother Box?” asked Scott Free. “You still have that?”

“Yes, it’s come in quite handy in times of crisis,” replied Batman, as they rushed through the halls. “I had Ted Kord speak to it for a while. Share some of his knack. Empathic machinery. Amazing.”

“But what’s it doing now?”

“It’s resonating with the air-- Someone is kicking up a storm inside this building, mainlining Speed Force. The idea was that if we get within range of The Flash, or any speedster, we could counteract the process. Freeze them out for a short period of time. But if it’s picking up readings now, Barry is going faster than I knew possible...”

“It... knows...”

“Oh, no,” said Big Barda. Before them stood Wonder Woman and Superman, leaning at an angle in the middle of the hall. “They’re blocking our way.”

“But they’re not attacking,” said Aquaman.

“They’re here to stall,” said Batman. “And Animal Man and the others aren’t here. They’ve already hit the Cell.”

“Then let’s have a bit of fun,” said Big Barda. “Scott, you and Batman save the day. Your majesty?” Aquaman nodded. “Good. I’ll take the Kryptonian.” She kissed Free on the forehead. “Go. Escape.”

Big Barda and Aquaman stormed toward Superman and Wonder Woman, Mister Miracle and Batman shortly behind them. Barda punched Superman hard in the Starro that clung to his face, and wavered slightly, whilst Aquaman grabbed Wonder Woman by the shoulders and suplexed her into the cold metal beneath them. The metal gave way. Aquaman and Wonder Woman hit the floor below, and continued to fight. Batman and Miracle on the other hand, leaped over Superman’s shoulders, and sprinted down the hallway.

“Fight me then, Kal! Show me your worth!”

“It...” Superman turned sluggishly to face Batman, but Barda swung her Mega-rod in his face, crackles of black energy pushing him into the bulkhead, “...hurts...”

“Good!” said Barda, continuing her brutal attack. She swung again, but Superman caught her by the wrist. “Some spark in you yet then!” She swung her boot up into his crotch, and the Starro blinked-- Barda would almost call it a wince. “Didn’t like that, did you?” She did it again, and Superman released the grip on her wrist. Her armour was shredded where his fingers had been, and her flesh red and bruising. “Hhhrrrahhh!” she screamed, slamming her fists into his face once more.

“It... will... have... you!” Superman kneed her in the gut, and exhaled hard, swinging her forearm mid-swing. Her eyes opened wide as he swung his arms back lazily, and prepared to slam his fist, full force, into the frozen appendage. She went low. The blow whispered through her hair, and she cracked her Mega-rod into his shoulder, dislocating the Kryptonian’s arm and causing him to howl in pain. “NAAAAARGHHHHH!”

Barda loomed over the wounded Superman. “I was a Female Fury. One of Granny Goodness’s finest! And you seek to grind me underfoot? You’ll have to do better than that, Star ‘Conqueror’!”



Batman and Mister Miracle reached the entrance to the containment unit for Cell Zero. Animal Man met them there, and wasted no time in attacking-- Batman’s chest armour was slashed open by the frenzied attack, but the Caped Crusader didn’t care. “Go, Scott, Go!” Buddy Baker was frenzied in his assault, punching with the strength of God knew what, and Batman was doing his best to dodge the blows.

It wasn’t going well. Animal Man was too fast, and Batman couldn’t seem to move out of the way of his blows. “You... will... serve... It!”

“No.” Batman kicked up, his foot slamming between the tendrils around Buddy’s face, and the creature was half-prised-off, Buddy’s voice clear for the first time--

“Ggoodddd! Get it--” Starro reasserted itself, but Batman smiled as the green creature blinked once. Twice. Three times. Buddy collapsed. His heart slowed to a stop. And the Starro climbed off its host and Batman swung a batarang at its eye, pinning it to the metal bulkhead. He reached out to Baker, but Animal Man gasped, oxygen filling his lungs immediately. “God... God... damn...”

“You slowed your metabolism?” said Batman, helping his teammate up.

“Only... thing... Oh, wow,” Animal Man wiped his brow, a thin sheen of something that resembled saliva clinging to his face. “Ugly. Yeah. Had to get it off me. And it probably doesn’t want to hang around on a dead man. Thanks for the kick in the head.”

“Pleasure. Come on, Doctor Light is ahead. Scott will probably be outside Cell Zero right now--”

The two ran, and Animal Man channelled a gazelle, long strides keeping him just ahead of the Caped Crusader. “What if Starro gets its tentacles around... him?”

Buddy didn’t mean Scott. Bruce knew that much. “Then... we Boom Tube them into the Sun. Or a black hole. I’m not sure.”

Animal Man nodded. He didn’t like the uncertainty in Batman’s voice. Then he was punched straight in the face as Guy Gardner lurched from the shadows. Buddy clutched his nose, and faltered, but Batman dodged a second blow and pinched the Green Lantern in the neck. He faltered instantly, and then Bruce examined the Starro as its host lay twitching. “Are you alright, Buddy?”

“By dose,” mumbled Baker. “Crikey.”

“Why are they so weak?” pondered Batman. “Why are they so easily removed? Why is this all so easy?”

“You’re questioning us winning?” said Animal Man. “Why?”

“Because this is the Star Conqueror, not the Star defeat in an afternoon. They nearly destroyed this planet, nearly killed us all... Something isn’t at all right.”



Aquaman punched Wonder Woman, but the blow barely fazed the Amazon Queen. “This is beyond a joke.” He dodged a kick, blocked a punch. He was slow. He wasn’t the slowest, but out of water, he was weak, and if Starro had access to the thoughts of Diana-- It had to know that too. “Diana--” He dodged a kick. “--Listen to me, if you can--” Another kick, this one catching him in the ribs. Something went wet and red, and he faltered, just a mite. “--You’re the avatar of truth. We all know it, even if you don’t--”

Diana’s mouth spoke words not her own. “It... doesn’t... matter...”

Another punch, and his lip split crimson. “Hnn. So stop... stop... hitting me...” He went low, pulled her lasso from her belt, and was kicked in the sternum for his trouble. He fell to the floor, but the Lasso of Truth was in his hands. “--Stop hitting me, and tell me who you are!” He wrapped the lasso around her leg, and rolled behind her.

“The... probe... not... the... conqueror...”

“No, not you, you sonofabitch, I’m talking to Wonder Woman! Who are you?”

“The... probe... no.... not...” Wonder Woman clutched her face, and wrenched the Starro from her-- She screamed in psychic agony as the bond was severed, and Aquaman caught her before she fell. “Arthur, I...” He held her tight, and she rested her aching head in the crease of his neck and shoulder. “We... should probably... go...”

“You don’t hear me arguing,” said Aquaman, helping her up. “Come on, we need to reach Cell Zero!” They looked up, and Big Barda was waving as she held an unconscious Superman up with one arm, and held a dead Starro aloft in the other. It wiggled as her wrist moved from side to side.



“Doctor Light, I presume?”

Scott Free had no idea why he said that. But the light-weaver spun around at his voice, and blasted at where he had been-- but when the smoke cleared he was nowhere to be seen!

“It...” mumbled Light.

“...is getting old?” She span back around, Starro unable to perceive Scott Free’s location. “‘It’ this, ‘It’ that, come on! Get original!”

Doctor Light blasted every way she could, but Scott just laughed.

“You’re probably wondering ‘Why isn’t he dead yet?’ and I’ll tell you why...” Scott Free flung down from the ceiling, and attached a small device to the face of the Starro. “...Because it isn’t the right time for it.” The device exploded into the core of the Starro, and Doctor Light fell to her knees in pain. The creature peeled off, and Kimiyo looked up at Free thankfully. “There you go, Ms. Hoshi, good as new.”

“We have to stop The Flash,” said Light. “I know what they want! I know what’s happening!”

The others surged into the room, and then rushed toward the door to Cell Zero-- The yellow boot of The Flash was just visible-- he was nearly through the door! “We have to--”

Batman tapped his belt, and the Flash froze. He no longer vibrated, he no longer moved. “Done.”

“He’s... stuck in the door?” asked Superman, nursing his bruises and relocated shoulder.

“New God technology is indeed that handy, Superman,” said Scott Free. “Now, how do we get him out of there?”



The Flash’s hands and face were sticking out of the door. The Martian Manhunter considered his possessed teammate, and then looked back at Prisoner X. The man blinked at him, but said nothing.

“It... will... not... end... like... this...!”

“I think you’ll find it will,” said the Martian Manhunter. “Sleep.”

The Flash abided, and the yellow eye of the Starro closed. J’onn phased, pushed himself a little bit harder than usual, and passed through the hull of the base and into the waiting arms of the Justice League. “Are you alright, J’onn?” asked Wonder Woman.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” asked the Manhunter. “It is you I was concerned about--” he smiled when his eyes met Batman’s, “--but thinking about it now, I know I had nothing to fear.”

“Hkk,” coughed Aquaman. “Yes, well, let’s collect up the... erhem... the...”

“Are you alright, Arthur?” asked Batman.

“I’ll be fine, just need some water.” He smiled and wiped his mouth.

“The plan wasn’t to conquer the League,” said Superman. “The Conqueror is weak-- incomplete after its destruction at the hands of the Atlantean military-- a shell of its former ‘glory’, as it were... It wanted you, J’onn! If it took possession of you then it would be in control of the most powerful super-being on Earth.”

“Then we are lucky we--” J’onn caught Arthur has he stumbled forward. “Arthur! What’s wrong?”

Aquaman blinked, and then looked up at his teammate. “Oh, no.” He doubled over, coughing up a storm, and then lurched up and vomited-- a Starro clambered up through his oesophagus, and threw itself straight into the face of the Martian Manhunter.

“No--!” J’onn blasted at it with his Martian Vision, but the face-hugger shifted around the beams, and wrapped itself around J’onn’s face. Aquaman collapsed, Batman reached out with one hand and pressed something on his utility belt-- a blast of fire radiated out and the Manhunter, Starro attached, cried out in pain. It was a shock, but it did nothing to stop the possession-- “It is complete!” shrieked the Martian Manhunter. “It hungers!”

The Martian Manhunter froze the Justice League in their tracks, and was about to wipe their heads clean when the Starro blinked, tearing up at the edges as something seeped into it. “Sleep,” said Firestorm, as he transmuted the air around the martian into the most powerful sedative he’d ever been made aware of. J’onn fell to the ground, the League were free of the Manhunter’s-- and Starro’s-- influence. But they weren’t victorious yet.

“Was wondering where you guys got to,” said Animal Man, looking at the assembled Leaguers. “But... that thing is still attached to J’onn’s face-- What do we do?”

Batman knelt down next to the unconscious form of the Martian Manhunter, and then looked to the rest of the Justice League. “This rescue operation isn’t over yet.”




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