Chapter 4
"Glad you could all make it," John said dryly.
"There was only the one Javelin while you were honeymooning, GL," Flash muttered.
Green Lantern glowered at the end of that remark, but Hawkgirl put her hand on his arm. "Which is why we left in the first place," she said to the gathered League on the Watchtower. "I think we've found a solution."
"What is it?" Superman asked.
She stepped aside and showed them a series of raised circular platforms. "I was able to get five of these from a scumbag arms dealer one galaxy over who owed me a favor," she said.
"What kind of favor?" J'onn inquired.
"She didn't level his store," GL replied.
"Oh."
"Anyway," she continued, "these are teleportation pads. They're not state-of-the-art, but they're in good condition."
"Can we trust products from someone who gave them up less than willingly?" Diana asked.
"He knows what I'll do if anything goes wrong," Shayera growled.
"Somehow I'm not comforted," Flash murmured to Batman, who unsurprisingly didn't react.
"John and I tested them ourselves several times," she protested. "They're safe for use."
"Just how many times did GL beam you up anyway?" Flash asked, grinning wickedly.
John shot him a look. "The fact that I missed your sense of humor so much is the only reason I'm not sending you on another one-way trip to the sun, Flash," he said.
Flash chuckled nervously.
"_Anyway_," Hawkgirl said pointedly, "these can take us to and from the surface of the Earth. Not anywhere on the surface, though - the range is a little limited, so it can't teleport us to the other side of the planet. That," she admitted, "is one drawback. If you're trying to get to America, and the Watchtower happens to be over Asia, you will have to wait a few hours. But then you can use one of the Javelins."
"What's the other drawback?" Batman asked.
"What?"
"You said that was one drawback. Which suggests there's more."
She smiled. "Well, just count for yourself. There are only five. Which means we don't have one for everyone."
"It's not a big problem," GL added. "Flash is so fast, he can get to a pod within minutes no matter _where_ we put it. And my ring lets me exit the Earth's atmosphere without a ship, so I don't need one. But - "
"I don't think we should get our own personal 'pads'," Superman said.
Everyone looked at him. "I understand if you don't entirely trust these, Superman," Hawkgirl began to say.
"It's not that," he said. "After traveling through 'boom tubes' enough times, I'm no longer fazed by long-distance teleportation. But these pads are back doors to the Watchtower. It's too dangerous just putting them in someone's apartment. I say we put each pad in a different part of the Earth in a highly secure location that no one else can get to but us. I'm willing to put the Fortress of Solitude up for one . . . as long as some of you respect the word 'solitude'," he emphasized.
"Why do I always feel like people are talking about me?" Flash asked.
"I'll take one for the Batcave," Batman sighed.
"Some of us don't know where that is," Hawkgirl pointed out.
"There are three others."
She stared at him, but he stared back even harder, and she scowled. "Fine."
Meanwhile Superman felt a touch at his elbow. "Yes, Diana?" he asked.
"A minute of your time? Alone?"
"I think we can let them decide where the other two will go," he agreed, and the two left the room. "What is it?" he asked when they were alone.
"Did you know Audrey arrived in Metropolis a few days ago?"
He nodded. "I've been keeping an eye on her from time to time."
Diana looked at him, startled. "You - you have?"
"Diana, don't you remember what we talked about? If Audrey is so important to you, then she's part of the family, and we look out for each other. I thought it was the least I could do while she was in my city."
She was touched by his thoughtfulness. "I didn't realize. Thank you. But I wanted to ask you something else. Did you also know that Lois Lane contacted the Kasnian embassy to set up a Daily Planet interview with her?"
Now it was Superman's turn to be surprised. "No, I didn't," he said slowly. "Lois hasn't said anything. When is it?"
"I don't know, they're still debating schedule and ground rules. But I need to know if you've told her about Audrey and I."
"I have," he acknowledged. "I told her shortly after I found out. She may be a reporter, but you don't have to worry - "
"Oh, no," she quickly interrupted. "I never thought that. It's just . . . a part of Audrey wants the world to know about us."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's a little reckless, don't you think?"
"It's understandable," she said defensively. "I don't enjoy hiding our relationship either. And Audrey really does understand why it's dangerous. But we've been making public appearances now and then - very quietly, nothing that I feel would be noticed, movies, dance clubs - "
"Dark rooms," Superman replied, smiling.
"Well," Diana said, a trifle naughtily, "it does let you get away with certain things."
"Er . . ." He turned red and coughed into his fist.
"Sorry," she added apologetically. "That girl has not been a very good influence on me."
"So, you were saying?" the 'Boy Scout' reminded her.
"Right. I'm afraid that Audrey might decide to let something slip to Lois on an impulse. Naturally Audrey knows about you and her, so she may even feel like this gives them a special connection. Could you maybe - talk to her? See if she'll consider not printing any 'slip of the tongue'?"
"Lois doesn't usually sit on breaking news," Superman told her. "But I'm sure I could persuade her that the personal life of a close friend of mine may be news for the tabloids, but not for a serious newspaper like the Planet."
Diana smiled. "Thank you again," she said. "You really are looking out for her, aren't you?"
"I'm looking out for both of you."
A gust of wind heralded the Flash's arrival. "Hey, Supes, thought you should know - GL and Hawkgirl were giving us a trial run on the pads, and now they're wearing each other's clothes."
"WHAT?!"
"Gotcha. Man, you're too easy."
_______________________________________
"Hello?"
He hung up. Quickly, of course. He was Wally West, after all.
"Yes, Raven _is_ here, but . . ."
"With a patient? No problem, thanks."
Click.
Flash "flashed" his brightest grin into the mirror and made a thumbs-up gesture. Koriand'r was home (confirmed via the untraceable call - in case she'd learned about *69 - to the phone number he'd obtained a trifle improperly). Raven was at work. No mind-reading roommate to disturb his suaveness.
He took a minute or two to check himself out, go over his opening lines, psyche himself up. Thirty seconds later he was at their door. With flowers.
Knock. Knock.
The door opened a moment later.
"Flash?"
He did a triple-take. "You - but you - but she - but I - Raven?!"
The empath looked at him oddly. "You seem distressed, Flash. Is something the matter?"
"Raven?"
"Yes, Raven," she said patiently.
"Koriand'r?"
She shook her head. "I do not know. I expected to find her here. She must have stepped out."
"But I called - and she was here - and you were at work - and . . ."
His mouth was moving faster than his addled brain, and only now did he realize what he was babbling.
Raven's stare became more piercing, and then her shoulder slipped a little. "I see. You were hoping I wouldn't be here."
"What?" he asked anxiously. "No! Are you kidding?" Pissed off the roomie again, jackass! His sweat glands felt like they were working twice as fast as the rest of him.
"It's all right," she replied softly. "Koriand'r has always been much friendlier and brighter than I. On other planets, people gravitated to her. It does not bother me."
"Raven - "
"I can feel your disappointment, Flash. And you obviously called the hospital. You wished to find Koriand'r alone. You can come in, if you like. I will retire to my room." She turned away.
"Raven," he repeated, stopping her. " . . . it's nothing against you. Yes, I'm interested in Koriand'r. Yes, I want to get her alone. But it's not about you. If anyone else was her roommate, I'd want them out of the way too. I don't want you to think that I don't like you," he said guiltily.
She looked up at him. "Thank you," she finally said. "You are kind - when you want to be."
"Why are you home anyway?" he asked.
"When did you call?"
"A few minutes ago."
"Oh. I must have been about to leave. I teleport, remember?"
He mentally slapped his forehead. _That_ was what the woman at the hospital had been about to tell him. "Sorry I made you feel like I was avoiding you personally."
"It is as I said. It is nothing. I do not let such things bother me. I - cannot."
"Why?" he asked as he followed her in.
She grew hesitant. "Diana - has she said nothing to you?"
"About what?"
Raven looked pensive. "Her discretion is generous of her, but the League deserves to know. I am half-demon, Flash. My father is evil. If I were ever to lose control of my emotions - I fear I might fall under his sway and cause great pain."
His eyes widened. "Really?"
She nodded.
"Wow. I've met a demon or two, you know. And you don't look it."
"No?"
"Demons are ugly sons-a-bitches," he said matter-of-factly.
Raven flushed slightly. "Th-thank you again," she whispered.
Flash blinked. Why had she - oh, well, he'd basically said she was pretty, hadn't he?
Hitting on the roommate! What was the _matter_ with him?
"Do you mind if I turn the television on?" Raven asked suddenly. "It has helped me understand your culture better."
"Huh? Oh, sure! Su casa es, uh, su casa."
She looked bewildered.
"Your apartment," he clarified. "It's your right to do whatever you like. Besides, I love the tube myself."
"Tube? Oh, the television." She glanced at the clock and smiled a little. "My favorite program is starting, too."
Flash looked at the TV set expectantly and cringed when Oprah came on. "Oprah?"
"She is a healer too."
He grumbled but sat down.
______________________________________
Frustrated, she resorted to her upbringing - she grabbed the papers from her desk and flung them violently onto the floor.
Then Mercy Graves sank back into her chair and put a hand to her eyes. How the hell was she supposed to concentrate?
She'd shown the world that she was more than Lex Luthor's personal assistant, chauffeur, and bodyguard. She'd taken what she'd learned on the job, and in life, and muscled her way through the early period when everyone doubted the woman who'd taken over Lexcorp from her newly-deranged ex-employer. Since then she'd used her instincts, her leadership abilities, and her status as the firm's number one stockholder - a gift from Lex - to dispel notions that the firm Lex had built could get by without him.
Okay, and so maybe she'd broken the law a few times. It wasn't like she was showing up on the superhero radar like Lex had continuously done. She hadn't had the luxury of ethics when she first took the helm.
Now, however, Mercy was in serious trouble, and not because of her company's - HER company, damn it - balance sheet.
It was of course because of Lex.
He was on that insane campaign for mayor of Metropolis. He'd pulled off miracles, but he was _never_ going to be elected, unless he bought every voter in the city. And not even he had that kind of money. And he'd informed her that Lexcorp could go a long way toward helping him with donor recruitment and campaign fundraisers. He'd even be willing to overlook her failure to help him after the Amazo incident. And after she'd helped him once already.
Mercy had informed him that Lexcorp always backed winners, not losers. Which, she'd added unwisely, was why she had abandoned him the last time too. There was a name for people who allowed someone to drag them down the drain over and over again, and that name was Harley Quinn. And Mercy Graves sure as hell wasn't that insane little bitch.
Since Luthor's vaguely sinister response, she'd grown increasingly convinced that he was trying to have her killed.
Of course they'd been mechanical failures detected in a timely fashion by her crew. It was paranoid to think otherwise.
She'd been a thief too long to ignore her instincts, and they were screaming at her.
How long, she wondered, before accidents became more overt attempts? Hit squads? Assassins?
She had a damn good security team, but the fact remained that they were humans. While Luthor consorted with all kinds of supervillains. He could easily hire any of them to kill her _and_ her damn good security team. Because none of them had powers.
"What I need," she sighed, "is a hero."
They came in three varieties, and none were any good. The heroic types wouldn't help her, even if they believed she was in danger, because she'd spent years as a Luthor aide, and because she ran the hated Lexcorp that still bore his name. Besides, they couldn't provide extended protection even if they were willing to help "Luthor's harpy". They'd be off saving someone else the minute sirens went off. Lousy do-gooders, the idea of protecting for money so "improper".
The ones who _would_ work for money - well, just one problem with them. Luthor could pay them more.
The evil ones were out of the question. Untrustworthy, and more likely to help him than her.
Mercy needed another Mercy. Or she'd be begging Lex for mercy.
She'd been too tense for days. She decided to turn the television on.
" . . . again, for this breaking story, a deadly fire in New York City that claimed the life of a firefighter could have been a lot worse - if not for model Kory Anders."
Mercy blinked. Model?
"Best known for her recent work in swimsuit ads, Ms. Anders is no ordinary model," the on-site reporter announced. A quick image of a woman lounging on a beach revealed a luxuriously beautiful woman in her mid-twenties with the kind of measurements that even Mercy would kill for. (There was a time when she'd kill for a lot less, but it was an expression.) Then the camera showed this same woman come flying - literally flying, mind you - out of a window several stories above the ground, fires licking at her feet after her as she descended to the ground with a child under each arm. "Ms. Anders," the reporter said, "is out of this world, and we don't just mean her looks. She's actually an alien taking temporary residence on Earth."
"I was just returning home from the grocery store," the golden-skinned woman was then saying before a microphone, "when I saw the building on fire and the fireman being carried out. And I heard them shouting that children were still inside, so - I don't know, my instincts told me I had to save them. That was all really."
"And that footage doesn't even show the other three people she saved thanks to her flying ability," the reporter explained as she reappeared. "Ms. Anders has only been on Earth for a month or so, but the families she helped say they hope she'll be here a lot longer. It looks like the Justice League no longer has a monopoly on getting help from beyond the stars."
Mercy turned off the volume and leaned back. A new hero - with no axe to grind with Mercy or Lexcorp - and who knew what other powers - and who evidently didn't have a problem with money if she worked in the modeling industry. True, she didn't exactly blend in with the crowd, and she lived in New York, but . . . why not?
Smiling, she picked up the phone. "Get any information you can on a new swimsuit model, Doris," she said to her assistant. "Kory Anders. Specifically her agency. I want to meet her."
Maybe now she could review those contracts.
________________________________________
"Koriand'r!"
The Tamaranean turned around, surprised. Raven rarely raised her voice so loudly. "I'm all right," she said calmly, seeing the worry in her friend's eyes. "It was just a fire."
"_Just_ a fire? Were you wounded? I can heal - "
"No, that's all right. I didn't even get a scratch." She scratched her head. "How did you get here? Did you teleport? I thought you couldn't teleport to locations you're not familiar with."
Raven gestured behind her. "I was with the Flash when we saw the report on the television. He - carried me here. He's incredibly fast, you know."
"I'm sure," Koriand'r replied.
"Although," Raven added, "had you been in any real danger, I might have been able to find you myself. After all, I didn't know where you were when I first met you. I just felt your pain."
Koriand'r smiled. Then she cocked her head. "Where is he?"
"Who?"
"Flash."
"He said he would give us our privacy. Oh, and he also brought flowers. I put them in water."
"Flowers? Raven, this is the second time I've discovered you alone with him. Is there - something going on between you?"
If Raven laughed, she would have laughed then. She just coughed and looked down. "Er, no, Koriand'r," she mumbled. "I think his interest lies more in your direction. He knows I am your friend, and he does not wish to alienate me."
"Oh," Koriand'r understood. "A member of the Justice League interested in me? I feel honored. Perhaps I will thank him for bringing you here." She stood up and spread her arms for Raven. "Let's go home."
"I can teleport," Raven protested.
"I haven't seen you all day, and you're always very tired after work," Koriand'r reminded her. "Let me give you a ride. The children in that building certainly seemed to like it."
Raven sighed. "Oh, very well," she said, letting Koriand'r pick her up and take off into the dusky sky.
"You're sure there's nothing happening between you and Flash?" Koriand'r asked thoughtfully as they flew.
"Positive."
Koriand'r only nodded. Raven supposed her friend was just making sure that dating the Flash was open to her, but all she could read from Koriand'r's aura was peacefulness. It warmed her, and she settled in for the rest of the ride.
To be continued . . .
(Next chapter - J'onn's life gets interesting.)
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