Chapter 71

Marie Logan looked out of her window at the preserve. Admittedly, the situation had gotten a little bit worse in the meantime, politically speaking. She had been in no direct danger, but at the same time, Marie kept her eye on the news. The situation within Quarac had been very frosty, with the lack of confidence of its citizens with Harjavti coming to the forefront.

Politics, a nasty business. Then again, the politics of Hollywood were just as nasty, hence why Marie wanted to leave it behind.

A knock on the door brought Marie out of her thought process. She could not help and smile. They were here and it was not a moment too soon.

"You made it!"

Harry smiled and stepped into the room. Two lovely women followed in. Then again, Marie figured that lovely women followed Harry everywhere he went. And there was no doubt that she would want to follow him anywhere, he asked him.

"Of course, I would be here," Harry said. "This is Karen Starr…."

"Starrwave, of course, it's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Starr," Marie said.

"Please, it's Karen," Karen said.

"And this is Selina Kyle," Harry said.

"Ms. Logan, I've been following your activism for a long time, and it's an honor to meet you," Selina said. "I understand your concerns about your animals and not wanting to leave them behind. But, you must understand one thing…."

Marie responded with a sigh and held up Selina's statement. She had a feeling Selina was not the type of woman who was cut off very often.

"I'm putting both them and myself in danger by staying here," Marie said. "I know...and with the oil on this land, there's a target from both sides. From Quarac and from Biayla."

"Fortunately," Selina told her. "It's very feasible for you to move both yourself and the animals to a safe location. There are many preserves, which I've personally vetted. The staff is professionally trained to help you deal with them. And while most of the time, I would not recommend taking animals out of their natural habitat….."

A long sigh followed and Karen picked up right where Selina left off.

"In this case, it would be a lot less dangerous from the animals," Karen said. "War is brewing."

"Yes, war is brewing," Marie said.

"And we will also arrange to have your son properly buried," Karen said.

Marie just smiled in gratitude. That had been a concern of hers, although she did not voice it just yet. Regardless, Marie brushed a lock of hair away from her face.

"So, how do you propose we go through with this?" Marie asked.

"Well, we have a plan drawn up," Karen said. "And based on the oil found on your land...I think it's feasible."

Marie nodded and allowed Karen, Selina, and Harry to walk her through the plan. Over the past week, she felt like she had been sitting on a hand grenade.

"I feel that it's getting worse."

Noor's blunt statement, as Harry went to visit her, and showed him just how tense everything was. Security at the palace had been tight and Noor pretty much had to tell them that they were letting Harry in. And they did, although pretty much everyone in the palace looked at this foreigner with distrust when he walked with the President's daughter around the palace.

"It's bad," Harry said. "Queen Bee…."

"It's not the threat from outside that I'm worried about," Noor said. "It's the threat inside of the country that I'm worried about. And my father...I think he realized just how many people were waiting for him to fail. The monarchy supporters in this country, some people did not want it to go. And while we've embraced a lot of Western values….some of them are because it was economically needed."

Harry understood precisely what she meant.

"Do you think that there will be a revolution?" Harry asked her.

"Well...there are those...my uncle included...who think we should take the fight to Queen Bee," Noor said with a sigh.

"You will get annihilated if you tried to invade her country," Harry seriously told her. "No offense."

Noor wrapped her arm around Harry and leaned in close towards him.

"None taken because I agree," Noor said. "It would justify anything Queen Bee does next as well, and she...well I think that she'll take the country by force next time...other than deception. Although all she has to wait for is Quarac to destroy itself within."

Harry nodded and things got very serious. One of the palace guards moved closer towards them.

"Hands off her…."

"Mind yourself and return to your post," Noor told him. "That's an order, soldier."

"You shouldn't hang around with someone like him," the guard said. "And as a woman…."

"Return to your post," Noor told him.

"You better listen to the lady," Harry said.

The soldier caught one glimpse of Harry's eyes and turned around, moving off. Several others muttered in a language which Harry could only pick up bits and pieces of. And what bits and pieces he could pick up, are defamatory.

"Don't pay them any mind," Noor said. "There's still a lot of people in Quarac who don't like Westerners...or people who don't share our country's faith. They are...infidels in their eyes. Especially when they're white."

"Mmm," Harry said. "They aren't giving you problems, are they?"

"With my father in charge, nothing other than coarse comments," Noor said. "But ...let's hope that they are able to keep their hands to themselves. If they like them anyway."

Harry just smiled at the fierceness in her voice.

"I thought about leaving it all behind," Noor said. "But, the other women in my country, I want to inspire them to be something better and I think that I can with time. But I can't do that by running."

"You should stay safe as well," Harry said.

Noor just smiled and pulled Harry through the gates of the palace and away from the prying sights of the guards. She decided to give him a tour of the palace. Several terrified women, faces covered, looked at Harry for a minute, and they looked at the floor. Noor just frowned and pulled Harry further towards the staircase.

To be honest, a small part of Harry was glad he was bulletproof.

After his trip overseas, Harry returned to the Penthouse at Starrwave. Kara sat across from Megan who had been peering into her eyes. The two had some kind of mental hook-up going on.

"I'm just scanning Kara's mind to see if I can find any trace of Galatea," Megan said. "So, how was Quarac?"

"It was...things are rough over there," Harry said. "The good news is, Marie's coming to Happy Harbor...and Selina and Karen are helping her move in along with the animals to preserve a county over."

"That's great," Megan said.

Despite that fact, Megan needed to keep her inner fangirl at bay and keep scanning through Harry's mind.

"So, did you see Noor when you were over there?" Megan asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "She didn't paint a very rosy picture of how things are going. I wish I could have convinced her to come with me. But, she wants to inspire more women to be strong over there and to well it's a messy situation over there, for women...even now."

Megan gave him a sympathetic smile. She could sense Harry's frustration, and sympathize with it. She did not dare pull away from Kara just yet.

"You're clean," Megan said her. "Or at least Galatea's blocking the link."

"Or someone's blocking it for her," Kara said.

"That too," Megan said. "But, we can't find her now through that...so I guess we're going to have to do it the old fashion way don't worry, we'll find her."

No need to read Kara's mind to see the frustration going through his eyes.

"I'll be off to Gotham City," Harry said. "Do you two want to tag along?"

Megan and Kara both nodded and followed Harry out the door. In the lab, Caitlin stepped out and smiled at Harry.

"How was your trip?" Caitlin asked.

"Karen, Selina, and I got Marie to move over," Harry said. "I wasn't able to convince Noor to come back with me though…."

"Well, some people just are stuck in their roots," Caitlin gently told him. "And you know, she does have a loyalty to her father and her country."

A father who might be dead before too long, unfortunately, due to enemies both on the inside and on the outside. And a country that would be torn in civil war, at the very least. Rebel forces, those who hated the democratic turn the country had taken, and wanted to go back to the old days.

"So, it was Lena, not Lex," Caitlin said.

"Yes," Harry said. "But, you didn't know about this?"

"I would have told you," Caitlin told him. "And I guess she handpicked me to take care of you, in the case that something happened to her. It was almost like she was deep into something."

Harry thought about as much as well. He could tell that Caitlin was glad it was not Lex, and to be honest, Harry was as well. Although Lex still was related to him, technically speaking.

"Sorry for cutting this short," Caitlin said. "But, I think that we're closer to a breakthrough to helping Minerva with her situation. Doctor Sandsmark and Diana have an idea…."

Diana walked out of the lab and joined Harry, Megan, Karen, and Caitlin in the hallway.

"We're close, and yet we're so far away," Diana said.

Diana moved over and greeted Harry with a warm hug and a long kiss. She had been very glad to see him although she pulled away before she could get too distracted.

"Busy trip?" Diana asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "But, you've been busy as well...and I haven't been able to see you for a bit."

"I'm sorry," Diana said.

"I understand, you've been working on Minerva's project," Harry said. "But, I've been wanting to ask you something...it's about Lyta…."

Diana looked pretty surprised at this inquiry from Harry.

"Lyta, I haven't thought about her in years," Diana said. "She...Peggg, Peggy Carter, and I...we worked together in the second World War, stopping the Nazis from unleashing an alien super weapon."

"Wait, the Nazis had access to alien technology?" Caitlin asked.

"Yes," Diana said. "She was, well she was like you in many ways,Lyta was. But, after the war, I went back to the island for a while. I kept in touch with Peggy a little bit, but Lyta...I assume she just moved on...and who really knows what happened to her."

"So you haven't talked to her in almost sixty-five years?" Harry asked.

Diana responded by nodding, although she had some questions to ask.

"My teacher...she and her research team, uncovered a journal which belonged to Lyta, and I translated it at the Fortress of Solitude," Harry said. "Did you know that she was Kryptonian?"

Diana had not been clued in on that part of Lyta's background, although it did make plenty of sense.

"I understand that you're busy with Minerva and helping her, but I wanted to talk to you about her, considering you did know her," Harry said.

"Of course," Diana said. "We're at a delicate stage of this experiment and Helena Sandsmark's helping us out...hopefully we can help her now and this nightmare will be all over."

Harry shared that sentiment with Diana one hundred percent. He allowed Caitlin and Diana to return to the lab to join Doctor Sandsmark in her work. And it was off to Gotham City, with Kara and Megan following him behind in the tube.

Harry, Megan, and Kara appeared outside of Gotham City public library. Bette Kane had been moving out of the library, with an armful of books in hand. They were practically spilling out of her arms, until Harry and Kara rushed in to help her hold it up.

"Thanks," Bette said. "Oh, hey, handsome ...long time no see."

"Been busy," Harry said. "How about you?"

"You know me, midterms are coming up," Bette said. "And would you believe it, my laptop gets bricked right in the runup to midterms...and right when I have a major research project due...and it's going to be in the shop for the next week because it's busy."

"Sorry to hear about that," Harry said. "I thought GPA had a computer lab though."

"It does, but it's always packed and it's hard to research when someone is breathing down your elbow," Bette said. "And the Internet connection...not the best either."

Bette had been followed by Barbara, who came down the steps from the library and had been locking up.

"Working on Thanksgiving weekend?" Harry asked.

"Only until noon," Barbara said. "Be glad I'm not running any stores yesterday. Black Friday in Gotham City, there's a nightmare."

Bette just shuddered in response. Harry produced a bag which Bette was able to carry her books in.

"Thanks, you're a real lifesaver," Bette said with a grateful kiss on the cheek. "And once our schedules clear up...I'm still on for that second date."

The two smiled at each other, it had been a running gag between the two of them. Bette had her spot in Gotham City University pretty much locked in, so she just needed to get through this last semester and she would be good to go.

"And here are the others," Megan said.

Sara, Dinah, Zatanna, and Artemis waited for them. Three team members and a member of the League made their way to join each other. Harry moved closer, so only Dinah and him could hear the next part of this conversation.

"So, I wonder what League emergency is going to call you away today?" Harry asked.

Dinah gave him a mock look of indignation, before pulling him into a very warm hug and then pulling back away from him with a long smile on her face.

"Well, things have been quiet this weekend," Dinah said. "After the mission on Thanksgiving...although you did have your own problems then, didn't you?"

Harry just smiled, and the other girls moved in to join Harry and Dinah for lunch and just hanging out, enjoying the rest of this long weekend.

"So, there I was...facing off a gaggle of angry people...who wanted the same cookware that I was going to get my mother for Christmas," Artemis narrated. "And with a daring move, I navigated the crowd, managed to snatch the last box on the shelf and make it to the checkout lane with my life and sanity intact."

"Wow," Zatanna said. "You were lucky not to get killed."

Harry just smiled and was glad that Artemis was in one piece.

"You do realize those Black Friday sales are a bunch of bullshit, right?" Barbara asked. "Because, they markup the prices in the months going into Black Friday and then they mark them down, just for Black Friday, and you might save a little bit of money, but it really isn't that big of a deal."

"Nothing worth being trampled for," Sara said. "Almost nothing's worth being trampled for."

"Well, next year, I won't bother because that was terrifying," Artemis said. "I'm just glad I didn't use Northwest Gotham Mall...because Scarecrow decided that would be a good time to conduct one of his little experiments."

"I heard Batman, Robin, and Nightwing managed to appease the situation," Barbara said. "Oh, and Batgirl."

Sara and Dinah's lips twitched at Barbara's dismissive afterthought to her, but regardless, they did not say anything.

"People that wound up," Kara said. "I don't get why people would want to camp out all night, in the middle of winter, to go shopping, and risk their lives just to get a few deals."

"Which really aren't deals," Barbara said. "It's all a careful marketing campaign to drive up sales."

"And unfortunately since your average person is easily led sheep," Sara said. "Not that I'm accusing you of anything."

"Because, I went there at six in the morning when the store opened, like a sane person," Artemis said. "Which given how Gotham normally is the other three hundred and sixty four days of the year…."

They all held up their milkshakes. Megan just smiled. Despite the chaos, she had been happy to spend her first holiday season on Earth, and she hoped it would be a fun and memorable one. She heard enough about it to be excited.

And realized it was Harry's first Christmas, technically, as well. And she wanted to make ti just as special for him as well.

"So, is there room for two more to squeeze in there?"

Rebecca Grayson turned up along with Helena Wayne, everyone said their greetings.

"We're just having a conversation about the merits of Black Friday," Barbara said.

"No, never," Helena said. "I love shopping, but you're fucking insane if you shop on Black Friday. Especially in Gotham City."

The bluntness of her statement made the entire group at the table just smile. Helena and Rebecca ordered a milkshake and joined them. Artemis just sighed.

"So, you in town for long?" Barbara asked her.

"A couple more days," Rebecca said. "I just have some loose ends to tie up and I'll be heading back to San Francisco...and speaking of which…."

Rebecca turned to Harry who had been surprised.

"My friends would like to meet you, if you ever have time to pop over on a weekend," Rebecca said. "You don't have to but.."

"I would love to," Harry said.

He took Rebecca's friends to mean the rest of the Titans. Starfire, Raven, Hawk, and Dove, some great young heroines and all of them were very attractive. And also helped save the world a couple of times over from some of the forces of evil. And unlike the Team, they were completely independent from the League.

"Given everything else that was going on, I would have understood if you were busy," Rebecca said. "Thanks for making the trip."

"We'll all make the trip," Artemis said.

"Yeah, we could use some fun on the west coast," Sara said.

Helena and Zatanna both nodded in agreement and Rebecca just politely nodded. She had been hoping that this would just be a Superman visiting the Titans thing, and not an entire team visiting the Titans thing. But, Rebecca did not have the heart to tell them no.

"It's right through here."

After they were done having their lunch, Sara just had to drag Harry back to show her new motorcycle. It was a high end, high performance model.

"Pretty sweet, right?" Sara asked.

"It's nice," Harry said.

"It's durable and I'm able to ride it for hours on end," Sara said. "Which I like might not have built it by hand like Dinah did but I am very proud of it."

Sara slipped off her leather jacket and laid it on the side of the bike. Dressed in nothing but a white tank top which showed off her defined arms, and a pair of tight jeans which showed off other assets she found.

"The Team's really coming together nicely," Sara said. "You have an eye for talent…."

"Well, I chose you," Harry said.

"As I've said, you have an eye for talent," Sara answered with a smile.

She bent over on the pretext of checking something on her bike. Harry checked her out and Sara did not mind, in fact she welcomed him to devour her body. She wanted a piece of him and it would not be too long before it happened.

"So, you have a pretty good fighting style," Harry said.

"Thanks," Sara said. "I incorporate some of my dance moves into the style...a bit unconventional...but hey...you got to do what you got to do out there."

"It suits you nicely," Harry told her.

Sara just smiled and brushed a strand of hair away from Harry's face.

"It keeps the bad guys off balance," Sara said. "And if you would like, I could show you some of my more private dance moves...one's that I can't display in public."

She put a pair of hands on Harry's shoulders and smiled. Throwing the ball into his court, as to what they were doing next. Their eyes met as both dared the other to make another move.

Lena went through the papers on her desk. Sam did an admirable job in holding things together, but there were certain aspects of her business which Lena wished to do more hands on and she needed to do more hands on.

"Ms. Luthor," a voice buzzed in. "I know you didn't want to be disturbed, but there's a Claire Kent here and she's insisted that she wants to see her."

Surprise had not been able to accurately describe what Lena was feeling right now.

"Send her in."

Claire must have found out by now and Lena had been prepared for this day to come. Granted, when the entire mess started, Claire had been dead, so Lena only had a few days to prepare for this inevitable meeting.

"Lena," Claire said.

"Claire," Lena said. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"I'll stand," Claire said. "You were the one who…."

"Who contributed DNA to Harry's creation?" Lena asked. "Yes, I did and I'm glad that I found about Lex's plans and called in some favors to intervene. This world needs a guardian to watch over it, and once he had matured, I intended to get him out of Cadmus and take him for training to tell him everything that he needed to know to control his powers."

Claire said nothing and blinked.

"But, that didn't happen thanks to the accident," Lena said. "Of course, the moment that I went down you were dead, and now I found out that you were alive. Given your luck, I shouldn't have been surprised. And you won't believe the relief that I felt when Harry had been found by Robin, Kid Flash, Wondergirl, and Aquagirl. They did something that the League would not dare do and that was rock the boat."

Lena turned around to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"The League used to not be the champions of the status quo," Lena said. "That was before they lost their spine and became slaves to PR."

"We need to be honest with the people," Claire said.

"There's being honest with the people and being bending at the knee to them," Lena said. "The public is fickle and you should know that better than anyone else. You can't appease them, because they will find new ways to tell you everything that you're doing is wrong."

"Are you saying that the League should put themselves above the people?" Claire asked.

"No," Lena said. "What I'm saying is the League should not place themselves beneath them."

The two of them spent the next few minutes locked into a staredown.

"Things could have gone differently," Lena said. "But, we're here now. And I'm going to be a part of my son's life whether you like it or not. Although the way you treated him the first couple of months disgusted me when I found out about it."

"I regret that," Claire said.

"As you should," Lena said. "But, you're mad it me, not because of Harry, but because of what happened…."

"You should have never dragged Chloe into what you were doing," Claire said.

"I regret it, I regret it every day that I did something like that," Lena said. "I tried to deter Chloe from going I somehow knew this was going to be the one thing where Chloe was going to fly a bit too close to the sun. The entire island is cursed. Anyone who visits there never returns."

Claire shuddered at the thought of it.

"You didn't tell Harry about it?" Claire asked.

"I had to tell him why we weren't on the best of terms," Lena said. "I didn't give him any details but I wouldn't have lied to his face if he had asked more."

Claire just sighed.

"Jonathan Kent was a hard working man that gave you a good home," Lena said. "But, he was not perfect, he made mistakes and there was a part of you that resented him from them because it shattered your illusion of perfect parents."

"I didn't resent my father," Claire coldly told Lena.

And yet, there were times where Claire had been angry that Jonathan Kent told her why she could not do this or that, things that other girls took for granted. Because, Claire could not get a handle on her own strength for a long time. Now it had been as simple as breathing.

"I never had that illusion," Lena curtly continued. "I don't claim to be perfect, but I would do anything to make sure Harry's the best he could be. Anything. No matter what the cost."

This was a point where Claire had been reminded of what Lena's last name was.

"Don't send him…."

"Harry's path is his own, just like Chloe's was her own," Lena said. "I tried to tell her that she should drop her investigation but you know her better than I do. And you know how stubborn she has her mind on doing something."

Claire swallowed and understood.

"It's my fault for not stopping her," Claire said.

"No," Lena said. "You can't blame yourself for a choice made by a grown woman. What were you going to do? Shove her into the Phantom Zone?"

Claire closed her eyes. She did miss one of her oldest and best friends, who had helped her through so much. And she did not want anything else to happen to anyone like that again. She thought..she thought about investigating the island herself, but Lois had talked her out of it.

Lois talked Claire out of doing something because Lois thought it was too dangerous. And Lois tried to do the same to Chloe, but stubbornness was there.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Harry," Lena said. "But, by the time I woke up, I already know. And by the time you were alive, I was in a coma."

Claire did not blame Lena for that.

"Is there anything else you want?" Lena asked. "I don't mean to be rude, but I'm busy."

Claire shook her head and saw herself out. Lena just returned to her work.

"That could have gone better," Lena muttered.

Zatanna stood outside of a graveyard gate. Harry walked up behind her.

"So, you have two mothers," Zatanna said. "That's a bit…."

"Odd?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Zatanna said.

"When has anything about my life been normal since the beginning?" Harry asked. "Although, they aren't at a good stage with their relationshing something happened there. A friend of my mother's, I guess."

Harry wrapped his arms around Zatanna from behind and noticed the words "Sindella Zatara" on the gravestone.

"Your mother is buried on the hill?" Harry asked.

"Well, there was nothing to bury," Zatanna said. "But, there's a marker on the hill and she's been declared deceased but I swear she was just missing for the longest time long as I can remember. I can just barely remember her smile, her laugh, and her warmth."

Zatanna locked fingers with Harry.

"The grave is a lie," Zatanna said. "There's no proof she's dead...but there's no proof that she's alive either."

A sigh came from the raven-haired sorceress. Harry pulled her in a bit closer.

"I visit this grave once a month to make peace with her spirit, no matter where it ended up," she added.

"I understand."

The two moved away from that point and disappeared into a flash of light.

"The holidays are more bearable this year," Zatanna said. "With freedom and friends and my surly father not being mopey about not being able to do more to save his wife."

John Zatara held a lot of guilt, which manifested around the time of the holidays.

Zatanna gathered her surroundings after they flashed away. Back in the Penthouse in Metropolis. Alone with Harry, in his bedroom.

Yes, she needed this, now more than ever.