Chapter 63

The last few days had been an unfortunate blur for Samantha Arias. She currently rested in the hospital and found herself bored, and yet too sore to do or say anything. According to the doctors, she would make a full recovery. Every moment from finding out about her being a World Killer to the point where Harry rescued her from Apokolips was a constant blur.

Maybe it was for the best. Maybe Sam did not want to remember. She wondered what happened to the other Worldkillers. The few fragmented pieces of memory showed her they were a lot worse off then she was.

"You have visitors. If you're up to it."

Sam heard the doctors words and nodded in response. She needed someone to take her mind off of today's events. The door opened, and Ruby, Lena, and Harry stepped into the room. She smiled when greeting them.

"Hey, everyone," Sam said.

"Mom, you're...are you okay?" Ruby asked nervously.

Sam guided her daughter over and wrapped an arm around her, to assure her everything was okay. To be honest though, Sam struggled to figure out how she would answer that particular question. It was a good one, and she had no idea where to begin.

"I've...well I….I don't remember much of anything," Sam said.

"Nothing?" Lena asked.

"Nothing?"

Harry surveyed the room and eyed Sam. He helped her sit up properly, although he could tell she was getting stronger. And within a few days, she would be back to old self without any problems.

"Maybe it's for the best," Harry said. "You have Sam's mindset, but Reign's abilities. And you can learn how to use them for good."

The Starlight did that, at least Harry assumed. The other Worldkillers were in a more critical state. They were currently in an offsite facility, being looked over. Harry hoped in time, they would live normal lives, although they were further gone than Sam did.

"I thought about you all the entire time," Sam said. "That kept me strange….I really wish I could do more, but I'm kind of in this bed until I heal up completely."

"You're making a good pace," Harry said. "Give it a couple of days."

"Right, and Mom, I'm really sorry," Ruby said.

This statement from Ruby caused Sam to raise an eyebrow.

"What are you sorry about?"

Ruby paused for a second. Oh, her mother did not remember anything that happened or what Ruby had to do to unlock her Worldkiller side. A small part of Ruby felt relieved, although perhaps it did not do anything to ease up the guilt she was feeling right about now.

"Why don't you get some rest for now?" Lena asked. "We'll go over everything if you're up for it later."

"Right, sounds like a plan," Ruby said.

Sam responded with a nod. She really wished she could be more up for more than just resting in bed. And she could be up for more to thank Harry. Sam really wanted to showcase her gratitude for Harry saving her. Something told her it would have been rough.

"We'll hang around for a bit more, if you want," Harry said. "Claire and the others are back and she's settling back in."

"That's great," Sam said.

Some good news to come out of today's events, at least from what Sam heard. She really hoped there was more good news to come. Perhaps the world was getting back to normal. She just had a feeling there was something else, something missing which would throw things out of whack.

"Everything will blow over. People will move onto the next outrage. You know how the twenty-four hour news cycle works. I'm just going to put out a press release and decline to comment."

Lex Luthor had a few anxious moments. Most of them based off of a Darkseid invasion which never happened. Thankfully, Superman saved the day. Granted he got all of the credit, but the Light would rise again and take control. The League's public relations being at an all time high would be a minor setback.

As for the United Nations and their current friction to Lex, well using Maxwell Lord as a scapegoat worked well. He would cut a few checks and everything would be perfect.

The doors of Lex's office broke open. Members of the DEO stepped in, led by Alexandra Danvers who eyed up Lex with a look which made Lex think she believed she had him for something.

"Might I ask you what you're doing here?" Lex asked. "Or how you got past security without….."

The warrant in Lex's face silenced him in a half of a second. The billionaire looked at the agents and knew what they might be here before.

"Explain it to me then," Lex said.

"Well, it's very simple, you're under rest for violating the Alien Collaboration Act," Alex said. "I'm sure you know all about it. Anyone who is proven to work with hostile alien groups and make choices that will put the people of America and the World at harm will be arrested. And it just so happens that you've violated the act."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lex said.

"The Godfreys were only too happy to throw you under the bus in exchange for not getting executed for their crimes of treason," Alex said. "Lex Luthor, you're under the rest. You have the right…."

"Yes, yes, I know my rights, and you will be hearing from my attorney, and any agent involved in this mess will be lucky to get a job waiting tables before this is all over," Lex said.

The handcuffs snapped on Lex's wrists and he was led to the nearest exit.

"You're going to let me speak to my attorneys."

"Yes, you will speak to all of the attorneys you want," Alex said. "Once you've been secured and not considered a threat."

Lex Luthor had been led out of his own office building in handcuffs. Otis made a step to do something but Lex eyed him.

"No, Otis, this will blow over. Trust me."

Otis fell back in line and watched as Lex had been put into the back of a heavily guarded van. Where in the backseat, sat Superwoman.

"Hello, old friend," Superwoman said. "Once I heard that you were moving, I agreed to volunteer to make sure you get there happily. After all, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you on the way."

"Enjoy this moment," Lex said. "Because, I will be back. And the world will turn on you and your type again. Because, eventually, I'll be proven right and show that humanity needs to rise up before Earth falls to the alien menace."

Claire heard the spiel so many times she could repeat it in her sleep. Finally, after all Lex did to everyone, all of the people he hurt, she was finally going to see him inside of a fortified prison cell. And it was legislation he sponsored.

Seeing someone like Lex hoisted upon his own petard brought a shadow of a smile to Claire's face. Finally, they got the bastard.

"Late breaking news, Lex Luthor, noted billionaire and controversial figure, has been charged and arrested for treason. When Grace and G. Gordon Godfrey were unmasked as agents of the dangerous overlord known as Darkseid, the world was shocked. But evidence that Lex Luthor has been involved in not only their activities, but also the activities of other alien threats. As this tangled web unweaves, we must wonder what other criminal enterprises Lex Luthor has been involved in."

Chloe leaned back and watched Cat on the news. Lois, Lena, and Claire, who just returned, all smiled.

"Lex Luthor actually being led off in handcuffs," Chloe said. "Hopefully he likes orange."

"Lex hates orange," Lena said.

"Well, I'm happy," Chloe said. "Because, the smug bastard's going to be wearing it well and often."

"I would say you're getting a bit too much pleasure for Lex getting his," Lois said. "But all things considered, you have every right to be smug. Just don't let it go to your head."

Chloe tried not to. She could have done a happy dance but Chloe had some self respect. Still after the incident where she was sent to an island and possessed by some demon doll thanks to Lex, well Chloe would not be too broken up if an accident happened to Lex while he was incarcerated.

"I know we all had our fun at Lex's expense," Claire said. "But, he does have a way of worming his way out of trouble."

Lois just sighed.

"I would normally get on you for being a downer, Smallville, but you are right. Lex wouldn't be Lex, if he didn't find a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Even in this situation."

"The DEO has some of the best lawyers on the planet," Lena said. "I should know, I'm funding them."

Still, Lena could not help and be pleased at Lex's pet act going back to bite him in the ass. The easy part was nailing him. The hard part was keeping him in prison.

The words, I'm Batman, had been repeatedly carved into the exposed arm of Tommy Elliot with a jagged Baterang. He downed another cocktail of pills. Nightmares, nightmares of trying to get the mindset of Bruce's mindset. Having to deal with that clown also did not help Tommy's mindset.

"I am Vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman. I am Vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman!"

Tommy pulled himself up and looked at a large Joker playing card, one of the souvenirs being left in the cave.

"I AM VENGEANCE! I AM THE NIGHT! I AM BATMAN!"

"Sir, you have an appointment you must keep."

A small part of Tommy could see Bruce Wayne's faithful butler, Alfred Pennyworth. An even bigger part of him saw a demonic individual off in the shadows. And then, Tommy turned around only to see a pair of feet drop down.

"I'm Batman!"

"No!"

The original Batman appeared from the shadows. Tommy had no idea what was real anymore. He had to slay the demon. The second Batman fought the first.

"You've ever seen a movie where there could only be one?" Tommy cackled. "This is...where there can only be one. One Batman, for I am Batman!"

Batman blocked Tommy's best punches. He did know a few of the moves, but Batman knew even more. He kept deflecting the moves until Tommy flipped onto his back. Tommy sprung back up and Batman nailed him with the most sickening back hand punch possible.

A sonic device attracted a swarm of bats who dove down onto the imposter. Batman stopped the fake from falling over the edge before he put the man's lights out.

Alfred stared at the general article.

"Very good, sir, I can now drop the charade."

"You've done well, Alfred. Thank you for your assistance."

"My old theater background came in handy, and it took some doing to convince them that I was not on Lord's mind control attempts," Alfred said.

Between Alfred, Lucius, and Gordon, they were able to maintain the charade.

"Mr. Elliot's dealings allowed you to take down a bigger fish," Alfred said. "One of the biggest."

"Yes. Although, the only problem is that I was gone longer than I intended."

"That one's on me."

Harry stepped into the cave to join them.

"Figured it was too easy for Lucius and Alfred to get mind-whammied."

"So, you figured it out?" Batman asked.

"Well, not at first, but eventually," Harry said. "But, it did play in our plans to cut Luthor off at the knees, so it worked with that."

Both agreed, it would give Lex Luthor more than enough rope to hang himself and take himself down.

With Lex Luthor being locked up, at least for the foreseeable future, another ally had been gone. Vandal Savage reflected on his long and storied life. The Light may be pretty much no more. While Savage was adaptable, he could not help and decide a sense of finality with at least one chapter of his life.

"So, it begins as it ends. Not with a bang."

"Yes, it does."

Savage's eyes snapped to the right and came eye to eye with Darkseid. Who looked like nothing but a mangled corpse held together by technology. Savage felt something that he could not recall ever feeling since the meteor. A violent illness swept over him which got even closer when Darkseid walked towards him.

Darkseid put Savage out of his misery. His body decayed once it hit the ground. Dead, this time completely.

"You are a simple brute, thinking that you can outlast a god. And now that I've absorbed the powers of the Worldkillers, I will be unstoppable. And I will kill them all. Starting with Earth's precious Justice League. And then, with the power of the Anti-Life equation at my disposal, I will take every single living world under my control. There will be no hope. There will be only Darkseid."