raptorcanaria: ([young blonde] justice)
Dinah Laurel Lance ([personal profile] raptorcanaria) wrote2011-02-28 10:54 am
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Aftermath

The flight back to Rhode Island is long and silent - Dinah, for one dwelling on all those men who just dropped dead the second J'Onn touched them with his mind. they won, but it doesn't feel like a victory, and then - then there's J'Onn.


Back in the cave, it still doesn't feel like anyone's going to say anything until Aquaman speaks up.

"So what now?"

Dinah sighs. "Now, I think we ask some hard questions. J'Onn - I think I speak for everyone when I say that, though we appreciate the fact that you're on our side..." and there's a whole lot of apology that has to come oout there, on everyone's side. "...mostly, we still feel betrayed."

[identity profile] overcame-fear.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
"You spied on our civilian lives," Flash adds. "You keep detailed files on us. For all we know, you used your telepathy to pry inside our--."

"No," J'Onn objects, his voice almost pleading. "I never--."

"For all we know you did."

"Why, J'Onn?" Aquaman asks.

J'Onn's shoulders sink. Coming from the other member of their team who often had trouble understanding human ways, Aquaman's question seems to have pushed J'Onn to a decision. He looks down, and when he speaks his deep voice is quiet almost to a whisper.

"For years I have been stranded on a world not my own. One that has a history of being...unreceptive to those who are different. One in which my senses are dulled by the simple light of a match...."

"Alone, in hiding, my survival depending on my powers of observation... of gathering information on the motivations of the strangers around me."

[identity profile] overcame-fear.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
Hal does hear how contrite J'Onn is. And yet--.

"Such as lie. I don't like lies."

"As I said," J'Onn begins, "I regret my--."

[identity profile] overcame-fear.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
"That's just paranoid!" GL snaps back at her. "What about Aquaman? Next you'll be telling me he coaches my goldfish to spy--."

"That isn't funny," Aquaman interrupts.

"I'm just making a point. I--forget it."


It's not just J'Onn now. Everyone is looking uncertain, and hurt.

[identity profile] overcame-fear.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
The funny thing is, Hal's spent the entire time fighting this team every step of the way, trying to get them to follow. And now, when he's finally learned all he had to do was--. Oh, what difference does it make? It's over.

Dammit. It's over.

For all the good his Ring could do, it can't do anything about that.


It's the gesture from Flash that catches his eye, but GL doesn't realize what the speedster is doing until the red mask is completely down.

"My name is Barry Allen. I'm a forensic scientist with the Central City Police Department."

And Hal's jaw slowly....drops.

[identity profile] overcame-fear.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
Normally, Hal might have made a smartass crack at that revelation, but he already knows what she does for a living, and he sure doesn't want to bring up that evening again.

So, instead, he pulls his own mask: "Hal Jordan. Test pilot for Ferris Aircraft in Coast City."

Aquaman seems even younger for a moment. "I...I have no other identity. But my father called me Arthur."

He turns to J'Onn. "And you?"

[identity profile] overcame-fear.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
Flash tells everyone to relax. Who else would make a noise like that except: "Snapper, is that you? Come on out!"

Sure enough, the young man appears, but as he staggers into sight, the heroes are stunned to see him beaten and bruised.

"Uncle Simon!" Snapper gasps. "It's Uncle--Uncle Simon! You gotta stop him!"

[identity profile] overcame-fear.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
"Is that--?" Flash asks in disbelief.

"--The NORAD alert?!" GL finishes, just as amazed.

"Yeah!" Snapper replies, his voice growing panicked. "That's what I was trying to tell you! Uncle Simon's the alien--and he's not alone anymore!"

He stumbles out of Dinah's hold and runs clumsily to the cavern's opening. "He was getting Locus to make the world over... for his people!"

And as the heroes follow Snapper into the open air, the night skies above are no longer dark.

They're filled with the flashing lights of dozens--hundreds of alien ships, screaming through space, heading directly for Earth.

The invasion has begun.