Zero Hour #3: "Seeing Doubles"

Earth 486

“Are you sure this is the right one?” Blue Beetle looked around the abandoned fortress made entirely of a strange crystal substance.

“I’m getting really tired of you questioning me Ted. You asked me the on the last five Earths we've been on: 'Is this the right one?' and I think you'll find, yes, this is the right Earth.” Booster Gold squinted as he looked up at the large cathedral like ceilings. “Sweet, no one has been here in years. This shouldn’t take long.”

Beetle looked down at his watch and then back up at Booster. “According to the coordinate Rip gave us, our next item should be right over there.”

The pair walked quickly across the crystal floors towards a large monitor system against a far wall past several rooms and hall ways shooting off to either side and Booster fell slightly behind. He was fascinated with this place and wanted desperately to take a look around, even though he was quite literally in a race against time. The thought of exploration was nearly out of his mind when something caught his eye. In one of the side chambers he saw what appeared to be a man frozen in ice wearing a blue and red uniform.

“Ted, hey, Ted," he shouted over to Blue Beetle, and then motioned back toward the strange, large cylinder that reached up from the floor to the ceiling, "check this out guy, I think it’s a Sup--” Booster stopped as he walked closer, noticing something strange. Whoever the man inside the tube was, his skin was white and bumpy and had what appeared to be computer chips embedded all over his flesh.

“What is it Mike? I've got what we came for. Can we just go? We have more pressing matters than…” Beetle was now standing next to Booster and they both stared at the man in the ice. "What the heck is that thing?" The answer was like a bolt of lightning-- Two red beams shot from the man's eyes, melting the crystal cylinder all around him slowly at first then faster in the following seconds.

"Oh, crap," whispered Booster.

Earth 1: Titan's Tower:

Nightwing looked up at the sky from the roof of Titans Tower. In the superheroing business you expect to see some strange things, but nothing he had seen before could prepare him for what was happening at this time in his life. Wally West, Kid Flash, was missing. He had been abducted from their own home base by who, no one knew. Doppelgangers and alternate versions of his colleagues in the Titans and Justice League were showing up all over the world, not to mention the very red, very terrifying sky above him. This was a strange world already, and it just got stranger.

People all around him were disappearing and reappearing before he could do something. From superheroes to civilians, it was as if reality were coming apart at the seams, stretching and screaming as the wounds opened and closed and then trying it's best to repair the damage. But there was just too much... And from what he understood that was exactly what was happening.

“Um, Dick, I spoke to the Doom Patrol. Niles and the others are working leads of their own.” Beast Boy nervously approached Nightwing, all his animal senses screaming run and hide. "Can we go inside now?"

Dick turned to Gar, and nodded, "Thanks Gar. We need everyone we can get working on this." The two headed back inside the Tower, "the League all went to check on their own cities and are reconvening at the Hall of Justice shortly.”

“Don’t worry Dick. We’ll get our boy back.” Gar said reassuringly, as a weight was lifted from his shoulders as soon as the roof was over their heads. “Have you heard from the Flash?”

“No, not yet… but I'm sure he is doing everything he can.” Dick replied.

“Should we call the JSA?” Gar asked tentatively.

“No need, son.” The original Green Lantern answered, and Dick and Gar turned around to see members of the JSA landing on the roof outside. “Superman contacted us straight away, and told us to convene here. You'll have to excuse our Flash's absence, he went to go find his protege."

“Thank you, Mr. Scott. Though I’m not sure what we can do at this point.” Dick told him.

"Superman told us you were in charge here Nightwing," stated Alan Scott, "what's our next move?"

Nightwing was taken aback by this statement, surprised by the words coming out of such a legend's mouth. "I... I don't know what to say."

"Nightwing, the League has faith in you, and so do we."

Wildcat stepped forward, grinning from ear to ear, "Yeah kid, so get giving with the orders, I got a hot date tonight in Gotham, and I don't intend to miss it 'cause of the world endin'."

“The people are scared," nodded Nightwing, "so we need to be out there. Wonder Girl reported that an entire block in Chicago went up in flames because of someone who came from a parallel universe where their skin ignite in our atmosphere, so we need to be ready for anything. We'll divide into teams, and take major cities."

"Crowd control," said Ted Grant, "do and doable."

Nightwing turned to Beast Boy, "get the troops together," he started, "and let's get moving."

Earth 486

“This is going to hurt, isn't it?” Blue Beetle whispered, as he and Booster Gold began to step backwards slowly.

"We've been friends for too long," whispered Michael in return.

The crystal tomb before them cracked in half and the man in the ice started to move. Ted Kord glanced behind them, and calculated how long it would taken them to reach the doorway. Too long.

The man in red and blue looked at them for what felt like an eternity while holding his hand to his head as though he were in tremendous pain. Finally he spoke. “Me no am like intruders! Intruders make Brainzarro ANGRY!!”

“Booster?”

“Yeah?”

“RUN!”

The pair turned around and ran out into the main hall of the fortress. Brainzarro did not follow. Beetle and Booster, confused by this, stopped to listen and find out why. Back in the chamber that they'd met him in, Brainzarro had dropped to the floor. As they listened it sounded as though he were in terrible pain. Now, both his hands were clapped tightly against his head.

“Wait, something is off here.” Beetle said catching his breathe.

“You think? What the hell is that thing?” Booster shot back, and then pointed to the devices on their wrists. “Let’s get out of here.”

Blue Beetle nodded and started punching co-ordinates into his watch but then stopped to listen again.

“Grruughhh…” The scream came.

“It’s like he’s dying or something. Maybe we should…” Beetle was cut off by another voice from within the chamber, coming from the same mouth as the groans had come from mere moments before.

“Brainiac comin …zrrt…”

Ted started walking slowly back toward the room. Booster followed closely behind.

“Brainiac?” Ted whispered the name trying to remember where he had heard it before.

“Gruuugghhhh…Brainiac coming on….”

Michael and Ted walked back into the room to find Brainzarro flailing about on the floor.

“GrAAAAAHHHH….Brainiac is now online.” Brainzarro stood up slowly. Booster and Beetle braced themselves for the worst. Brainzarro looked them up and down for a long moment. “Hello friends. I am sorry if I startled you. We have been in that crystal block for decades.”

“Who are you?” Ted asked.

“I am Brainiac. The creature I inhabit refers to us 'Brainzarro'. We are from a planet called Krypton.”

“Like Superman?” Ted inquired. "Not that... We know a... Umm... I mean, uh, a Superman... Who... Would... Exist..."

“You have no need to feign ignorance, Theodore Edward Kord, I know of the Superman you speak of." Blue Beetle looked over to Booster Gold, who simply smiled and mouthed 'Edward?' at him. "In this reality there is no 'Superman'. I have traveled the multiverse as you have.” Brainiac explained. "My intellect far surpassed simple theories on time travel, and I have been able to construct a device that allows me to visit parallel realities, but after a certain time, I find myself returning to this place, my home dimension."

“How do you know where we have been?” Booster asked this time. "We didn't mention we'd travelled through the multiverse, and I'm doubting you just assume that stuff. I could have a friend called Ron who calls himself Superman, you know? It's a pretty hard assumption to make, multiversal travel and the like..."

“I have scanned your minds." Booster and Beetle fell silent, and Michael touched his temple quietly. "I apologize if that makes you uncomfortable. The one you call Extant slaughtered the rest of this planet long ago, but allow me to explain my history from the beginning. Long ago on Krypton the man you know on your earth as Superman was born a healthy child. That is where our continuities diverge. His twin, Zarr-O-El, was far less fortunate. He was born like this.”

Brainiac swept his hands up and down his body, and the two heroes nodded in understanding.

“He was also far less intelligent than Kal-El, or anyone else on Krypton for that matter. His frustration grew along with his jealousy of his brother, and the evil inside him grew as well. I was created as an artificial intelligence, a living computer if you will. When Zarr-O-El was eighteen, he snapped and destroyed the already unstable planet of Krypton. All of her inhabitants died, except Zarr-O-El and myself. I downloaded my consciousness into the ship he used to escape. The ships co-ordinates were set for Earth as Jor-El had anticipated the destruction of Krypton and planned to send Kal-El there. The trip to Earth took years. During that trip I took over Zarr’s body in an effort to prevent Earth from falling to the same fate as Krypton. We lived on Earth in this fortress until I was completely in control and eventually joined the Justice Collective. We did good work for this planet, that is, until Extant arrived. He killed the Collective first, except for the speedster known as the Blur whom he took with him. During the battle I lost control of Brainzarro and fell as well. When I came to everyone on this planet had expired. Not wanting to risk losing control again I froze us here in this fortress. That is until you came along and woke us.”

Booster was getting very antsy by this point. “Listen, that’s a fascinating story and all but we really have to be going now.”

“Michael, can I talk to you for a minute? Over there.” Beetle nodded his head motioning to the hallway. "And you, please, don't use your super-awesome-hearing-vision to listen to what we're saying. I just want a private moment," Ted smiled as he finished, and then turned back to Mike. The two walked out of the room into the corridor. “We should bring him with us.” Beetle told Booster.

“What?! No. No way.” Booster replied firmly.

“Why not? He could be a real asset and he’s already scanned our brains. Isn’t all the secrecy a pretty moot point at this… um… point?” Beetle asked and then added. “His whole planet was killed! Twice! Two planets! And he's still being polite! I'd be a very angsty sonofagun if that had happened to me. I'd be all... like... Batman, or something.”

Booster looked at him for a long moment. “Are you insane? This guy just told that every planet he’s lived on was destroyed. That sets a precedent for not being the coolest guy around. He is nothing but trouble if you ask me.”

“Well it’s a good thing no one is asking you isn’t it? You are nothing but trouble. I still think this whole thing is your fault somehow.” Beetle shot back. "Not to mention that business with Power Girl!"

“Well I never…” Booster replied but lost his thought when a flash of light and a gust of wind overtook the hall. The two heroes looked to the main room to see Chronos, Inertia and the rest of the Rogues appearing from nowhere.

“Where in all the multiverse did Hunter send us?” Chronos mumbled, and then looked up and noticed that he and his cohorts were not alone. He perked up slightly when he saw Ted. "Oo, presents."

“Chronos!” Beetle exclaimed. “You son of a bitch, what do you have to do with this?!”

Chronos began to run toward Blue Beetle, a vicious smile upon his face. “Teddy boy! Oh, how I’d hoped to get a shot at you.”

“You got it.” Ted replied as he started running toward his enemy with clenched fists. "I'm gonna' wipe that smile off your ugly little face!"

“Ted…um…Ted?” Booster said with urgency.

“No Booster, not now.” He answered, throwing himself at the gloating villain. Ted went at Chronos full on, swinging his fists at him like he was Superman. The blow would have connected too if not for Inertia grabbing his fist and flinging him across the room in the blink of an eye. Ted hit the crystal wall hard, and slid down. "Oh. Yeah. Oops."

Chronos blasted Booster who barely got his force shields up in time. He went flying across the room as well and landed next to Ted. The Rogues stood over them poised for victory. Chronos kicked Blue Beetle across the face. "I'm not wasting our time with these Z-list bastards. I've isolated their multiverse transponders, they're not moving whilst I'm thinking. Major Disaster? Murder these pissants."

"I do not think so." Brainzarro was just as fast as Superman. Heat-vision severed the tendons in Inertia's legs, a painful but efficient way to take the speedster out of the game. His next job was Chronos, and he went at him full on. This time, it was Chronos who went flying across the room, along with Inertia and Sinestro, whose ring was removed from his finger with extreme prejudice, and then melted into slag. “My friends, are you two okay?”

“Yeah…I think so.” Booster answered as he and Ted got back on their feet. Mike nudged Ted, "can we keep him? Can we?"

“You two should be on your way. I know from the mind scan what your mission is and it’s utter importance. I’ll handle these men.”

“We were going to bring you along…” Ted started to explain.

“No. My world is dead. Perhaps if you succeed in your quest I will visit you at another time, but it is not time for me to leave here. Go now. Do not worry about these 'punching bags'. By the time I am done with them, they will not be able to urinate standing up anymore. Or at all.”

"Bwhaha," grinned Ted, "I'd argue morals with you, but with the world at stake and his down right mean dig at us being 'Z-listers', I'd be fine with you inflicting incontinence upon these guys." Ted looked at his wrist, and then back up to Brainzarro. "The coordinates in my head, you see them?"


"Yes."

"That's our home dimension. When this is all over and done... Come on over. Please."

"Thank you, Ted Kord," nodded Brainzarro, as he turned back to the Rogues, "we will meet again some day! Now you, you evil villains, get to meet my little friend." Brainzarro began to groan, and then he looked up, his eyes devoid of the humanity that Ted and Mike had seen moments before. "Intruders! Intruders make Brainzarro ANGRY!!”"

Ted punched in the coordinates and the two started to fade. The last thing they saw was Brainiac battling the rogues. Inertia, limping, punched him at super speed about the face and head.
The last thing they heard…

“GHAAAAA! Brainzarr—“

Booster and Beetle reappeared at Vanishing Point, very shaken from their last trip.

“Damn.” Booster mumbled as he looked around the workshop, placing the item they had retrieved with several others.

“Not much we can say but that, yeah.” Beetle said slowly in a solemn voice. He was deep in thought. “Extant had already destroyed his planet. He…saved us. Even after losing everything he’s known. He still wanted to help, and he saved us.” Ted looked around his with wide eyes then relaxed his face. “We have to keep going Booster.”

Booster was at a loss for words a rare moment for him. “Like you're ever wrong. Sometimes.” The two smiled, and then they disappeared to another point in time and space.

Wally West gradually made his way to as many other speedsters as he could, and they in turn made their way to the speedsters around them. Word was spreading. Wally continued to make his rounds but it was tough going. He could only shift himself a little bit at a time. He found a speedster nearby who looked very much he imagined his Uncle Barry would look when he was Jay Garrick's age.

“Hey, I’m Wally. You must be Barry Allen. You’re my Uncle on my Earth.” Wally spoke with a longing in his voice. He knew Barry must be looking for him along with his team mates in the Titans, but he knew that he had to do what he could on his side of things.

This Barry Allen looked at Wally West, loss in his eyes. “Yes, my name is Barry Allen, but I’m sorry I do'nt have a nephew on my Earth. I have no one. The Top saw to that.” He replied solemnly.

“I’m really sorry to hear that, sir. I think I have a way to get us out of here. It’s actually something you taught me. My you. Not your you." Wally could feel the muscles in his legs aching, yet the longer he strained, the harder he pushed, he felt himself get stronger. It was a strange feeling, this almost happiness in slavery. "If we can’t stop, we have to think in reverse. If we can get everyone to reverse we could stop Extant's plans, and then maybe, you know, save the whole multiverse. ”

Barry Allen smiled, "you're a good kid, Wally. Your Barry must be proud."

"I'd hope so," nodded Wally, before moving on to the next speedster. The word spread amongst them slowly at first, then more rapidly. Wally looked around and could see that everyone was watching him. Waiting for his signal… "Soon," he whispered, and it rumbled out to all the speedsters on the planet-sized Cosmic Treadmill. Wally West had to know when the right time was. And he could feel, in his soul, that the time was close...

Members of both the Teen Titans and The JSA worked together 'putting out fires' all over the city. Alan Scott soared above a crowd of gathered spectators to the insanity unfolding around them, and sighed, and mere moments later a satellite fell from a hole in the sky and he managed to catch it in a green catcher's mitt. Enscribed upon the metal were the words 'Great Kryptonian Nation of Earth', and the Golden Age Green Lantern sent it to Titan's Tower in a green parcel, just as he did all the other strange materials and objects that appeared from nowhere.

Further above him in the sky Wonder Girl was contending with an airplane that was plummeting to the city below. Luckily, and strangely, the Supergirl from Earth 397 showed up to give her a hand, and she simply vanished when the work was done. Nightwing was on the ground guiding the crowds into safety with Black Steel’s help. The two ushered a small crowd into a nearby building and advised them to stay indoors.

“You're Dick Grayson, aren't you?” inquired the black armoured hero.

"Yeah, and you're... John Henry Irons?"

"Jemahl Irons, sir, John Henry is... was... my uncle on my Earth. I've been plotting the continuum shifts, I've been able to control my own movements so far, and this Earth is the center of the problems, so I thought it best I help out here."

"Isn't it always like that though?" smiled Nightwing nervously. "At least, that's how it feels." Nightwing nodded slowly, and then did a double take. "Wait, did you say you could control your movements? Does that mean you could help us fine my teammate?!"

"Sure, I--"

"Finally, Black Steel, I shall have my revenge!" A blast of energy tore through Jemahl Iron's chest, killing him instantly. Nightwing threw a batarang instantly at the attacker, who was pinned against a building by the razor sharp blades. "Hhhk!"

Nightwing pounced upon the villain, grabbing him by the lapels of his trenchcoat. "Who are you? Why did you do that?!"

"Name? Peh! This Earth will soon know my name, whispered to their children as they did the boogey-man! I am Doctor Murhder! And I--" He hesitated, and sniffed the air, "what is that? Can you smell that?"

"No, you just murdered a friend, I'm pretty much focused in taking you down."

"I'm serious," hissed the villain, "it's like... burning..." The man looked behind him, and screamed as his body suddenly began to dissolve from reality. The burning suddenly hit Dick's nostrils, and the man vanished, only for a man shaped hole in reality to be left in his wake, vicious, boiling air rushing outwards toward the young hero. He dodged the blast, and then watched as the hole closed.

"God, what the hell is going to happen next?!" He looked back to where Jemahl Irons had fallen, but there was only a pool of blood remaining. "Damn."

"Nightwing, how you doing?" Speedy jumped down from a rooftop. "Got some leave from Checkmate, helping out as best I can, what's going on? Who do I have to punch to reset reality around here?"

“Roy, I don't know, I just... These people need our help right now. As ill-prepared as we are for red skies and reality falling apart, this is definitely out of the realm of everyday problems for civilians. And that's where we have to step in.”

Alan Scot swooped down to talk to them. “Put those thoughts of reality punching behind you, Speedy, I just got word that the League has an explanation and they are working hard to fix things. For now let’s keep saving lives.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Dick said looking at Roy teasingly. “Did they say what’s happening?”

The Emerald Warrior looked grim. “Yeah, you want the short version?”

Dick smiled and answered. “Let’s have it.”

“Time is broken.” He answered and then flew off to help.

"Time is broken," repeated Dick Grayson. "Swell."