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Suicide Squad
The Return of Supergirl
Prologue 1
TRANSITIONS
Captain Comet was upset with himself. He blamed himself for the death of Killer Moth. Even if Moth was not truly dead, he had made good an escape. Either way Adam Blake felt guilty. He also was troubled that the mixed-up persona he sensed in Thorn had refused his offer of help. He had also neglected to work with Will Payton to determine the source of his abilities.
He'd have to do better. He vowed to follow up on these loose ends as soon as possible. He was pleased with the performance of Debbie Domaine (Cheetah) and Lisa Snart (Golden Glider), although Lisa's amorous actions toward him were... both annoying and yet pleasing.
He watched Mayflower working out in the gym. The British girl was spunky and also did well as a team player. It was too bad that she had lacked better guidance growing up. She smiled at him and completed an acrobatic twist. Very nice!
Dolphin was happy in her rapidly developing romance with Starman. He was funny, caring, and yet sensitive. It all appealed to her as did their common mysterious origins. A ray from the sky made him a hero. No one knew what had made her a heroine. Aliens? Mad science? Magic? She looked in the mirror at the pink dress she had been modeling. Wearing pretty clothes, hose, heels, make-up, et cetera, was new to her. She had been a child of the ocean for so many years. It was nice to feel like a woman.
"Ready?" asked Will, the new Starman as he knocked at her door.
"Oh yes! I just hope this dancing will not make me look like a 'fish out of water,' as they say," she teased.
"You are a beautiful naiad that anyone would love to catch," he said.
"Just don't call me the catch of the day," she laughed.
Prologue 2
TRANSITIONS
Arisia had been downcast to learn that Hal was still busy with the JLA. Ch'p had also been away. John and Katma were off, as well. The pretty woman had been dying to have Hal see and respond to her new maturity. She did look wonderful. She had a natural flair for fashion and her new uniform made her gorgeous.
She wondered at the odd behavior of the rescued Supergirl. The blonde beauty had been oddly disjointed and cool. She had a caring and girlish personality, according to most accounts. Still, the Crisis was enough to rattle even the most level-headed.
She had decided to stay around the Rehab team for a few days until her Green Lantern allies were back at the LA headquarters. She admired Flagg's grit, and Karin was a doll. There was something odd about Rip, however; since the return from the future he had seemed a different, and more likeable, easy-going man.
Karin loved the new battlesuit. She could fly, generate energy blasts, and had a force field. She could really get close to Comet with super powers. Plus, that Star-band she had "found" seemed so alluring with its siren call of power and ancient secrets. She kept it hidden beneath a white glove of the battle suit. "Gold Star! That's my new name," she decided.
As for Supergirl herself, she had remained out of sight at first. She avoided Comet in particular. She waited until night to go out and sped at top speed as a blur through the sky. She scanned the buildings with ease and selected an apartment with an address taken from Flagg's files secretly from a distance.
A man slept in a lush room. A glowing gem, a ruby rested even as he slept with it on his handsome head. She stood over him and chanted oddly, then absorbed a degree of magical energy from the ruby of life. She fled before the theft could awaken the man called John Sargon.
A second night visit found the heroine draining energy from a pretty woman in an old mansion. Near her bed was a poster from stage days showing the sleeper in fishnets and a female version of a tux. Again the suddenly-empowered Supergirl fled before she could awaken Zatanna.
Part 1
Captain Comet stopped dead in his tracks as he walked through the offices of the Metahuman Rehab Department. He saw Supergirl, newly-rescued days ago and living at the center for now, scanning Flagg's files hurriedly. "What are you doing?" he asked.
The sexy blonde turned and said, "Just checking on the status of some of my old foes. Don't want them to get an advantage over me," she said and brushed by the Captain.
Odd, I thought her eyes were blue, not brown, he thought as he switched off the computer and closed a file cabinet.
The name on the screen was Faust, Felix and his location was a prison. Supergirl flew to that prison and easily entered unseen. She hovered above the sleeping Faust and drained mystic energy from him as he dozed unaware. Soon, my love, I shall bring you back as well, she mused.
Dolphin and Will Payton had been dating for several weeks now and their romance was getting stronger every day. As they sat talking in a park, they saw the rushing form of Superman. "He's headed for the Rehab," called Starman.
"I bet he's going to see his cousin," said Dolphin. "I've met him before, you know."
Starman said, "He's one of my heroes! Can you introduce me?"
Dolphin tossed back her platinum blonde hair and smiled. "Consider it done."
Meanwhile, inside the center Comet saw an emotional sight. "Kara! I can't believe it's you! Flagg called me and told me the story. If I'd dreamt it possible I'd have tried anything to save you," he said tearfully as he embraced the Maid of Steel.
"I am so happy to see you. I feared an earlier reunion, since even I was uncertain about what happened. My last memories are hazy. The Crisis ended without my awareness and these friends filled me in on so much," she said calmly. No tears from her were visible and that, among other things disturbed Comet... and Superman.
"Your eyes are brown!" said Superman.
"What? Oh, yes. I guess it's some weird cosmic fluke from being in that antimatter universe," she said.
They walked off hand in hand and she asked him a favor. "May we go off alone to talk? I know a special place I've found. I'd love to get you alone there. It's all I thought about since I returned," she said.
Dolphin and Starman arrived shortly thereafter. "They left to be alone," explained Comet.
"So why the long face, darling?" asked Golden Glider as she reclined on the sofa.
"I think something is wrong with Supergirl. She's acting oddly and showing no emotions. I can't read her thoughts, either... not that I would try. I mean I get no... no vibes, if you will... from her. It's like she's screened her mind from all outsiders," he said.
"I wanted to meet Superman anyway. Let's follow them. They'll understand," said Starman as his costume burst into sight.
Part 2
Supergirl smiled a smile that was seductive. She said, "Now, Man of Steel. Stand here in this spot in this isolated glade and know all."
Superman froze as he realized this was not Kara. "What kind of sadistic trick is this?" Magic flared out to entrap him before he could resist.
"Your will is weakened, as any man's would be after suffering all that has befallen you of late. It is precisely this weakness that allows me to make you the host vessel for my love," she said with a chilling laugh. "Oh, I know you think me maddened, but I am not. I assure you I know what I am doing. I am in this body merely because none of Earthly origin could contain my power. Think of it as a container needed, but not of much value in and of itself. In a like manner I hope to use your powerful alien body to host my lover," said Supergirl with her dark eyes flashing.
Superman frowned. "You witch! I fight back. No matter what tragedy occurs, I don't quit."
"And we fight with you," said Captain Comet as he rocketed into view, carrying Lisa Snart.
Dolphin, in Starman's arms, cried out, "Supergirl, fight this magic spell!"
Supergirl laughed an evil laugh that seemed otherworldly in it's malice. "I am under no spell, little girl! I am the spell! Trapped formless in the void of the antimatter universe with my lost love, I waited until I saw a chance to return to solid form on earth. I knew no mortal shell could house my fiery passions, nor those of Tannarak. So I mentally snared Rip Hunter and compelled him to come to me and pull forth the lifeless body of Supergirl. Oh yes, she had died at the moment I forced the so called Time Master to choose. In the empty, yet superior alien body of the woman called Supergirl I could reenter your realm and with her cousin entrapped I shall place Tannarak in his form, then we shall rule."
Comet charged in. "Not if I can stop you!" He shook the blonde and was shocked by magical energy.
"You can't resist my magic, though I feared all along that you might detect my true nature," said Supergirl. Comet fell beneath the pulsing bolts of magic.
Golden Glider skated up on the ice her skates created. "You witch! Leave him alone! Why, you're a bottle blonde," she said as she was buffeted away by the raging energy.
"Dolphin, look! She is changing," called Starman as his energy blasts failed to harm Supergirl. The Girl of Steel was changing before their eyes.
"Now I can surrender my concentration and let you see me, as my true form dominates the shell that was Supergirl," said the woman. Her blonde hair became black as ebony and her face remained beautiful, but cold and cruel. Her Supergirl dress changed to a sexy gown of black with high slits and high heels.
"Tala!" said a fighting Superman.
"Yes, Tala all along, poor mortal!" she laughed.
Part 3
Superman strained against the magic that held him, and in unison with Captain Comet he did burst free. They closed in on Tala and found her gone. She reappeared behind them and shot bolts into their backs. They fell again as Dolphin leaped up to tackle Tala. Icy chills rocked her beautiful body as the witch's magic repelled her. "I'd love your form, little one, but it is beyond my power to take it," she said. Dolphin rolled hard as the energy knocked her back.
Golden Glider tossed a blade at Tala but it melted before touching her. She smiled at Lisa. "I sense your conflicting feelings. You would flee and so easily return to crime, but you like the approval of others. You feed on their applause and doing good gives you such sensations. Poor woman to need anything from others but service and sacrifice." Lisa frowned and helped Dolphin stop her tumble.
Comet flared with energy and blasted Tala with his mental fury. She ignored him and sent Superman hurtling into Comet. Neither moved after that impact.
Starman had been blasting her steadily for minutes and she had ignored him. What do I do? The JSA's Starman wouldn't fail! Neither can I, he thought. He caught Superman and flew off with him at top speed.
Tala screamed in rage. "Boy, you dare take my prize! Curse you, the time passes! Soon, it will be dawn and I will lose the power of the darkness." She rose to chase his speeding form.
"Stop, foul demon! You dare disrupt the natural order at your own risk. When this world's order is assailed then a champion e'er arises to defend it and now it falls to me to set things a'right. Men call me the Phantom Stranger," intoned a shadowy figure who emerged from the darkness.
Part 4
The Phantom Stranger appeared in time as Tala was gaining on Starman and his precious cargo.
"You! Always you," she cursed the shadowy man.
"It will always be me. Whenever darkness looms, there comes a light to cast out the children who feed on such moral decay," he said.
His gesture recalled her. She seemed unable to leave him now. "So be it! If Tannarak be lost to me then I'll claim you once and for all," she hissed. "This body gives me much power," she said, smiling.
"No! It traps you in a containment of my creation! I drew upon that void in which you waited, to make the illusion of this body. You believe it to be Supergirl's, when in fact it never was! Do you dare dream a defender of the light would fall into your foul hands even after death? How great is your hubris! Supergirl died and her body was taken by her cousin for burial. That was and has not changed! I merely let you think you were entering her body when in fact it was long gone. Time works for good as well as ill. You are residing not in Kara Zor-El's form but in a cage that closes on you with the coming of dawn and my command," he said.
"No!" screamed Tala as the truth became clear. The sun rose and she collapsed, unmoving and lifeless.
The Phantom Stranger took the body and said, "She never possessed Supergirl, and time was not altered. She merely saw what her passions and my will made her believe. This cage in human form will make her easier to control than the formless void I left her in before. Be at peace." He vanished, as did Tala.
Dolphin and Golden Glider helped Comet up as Starman and a now-fighting mad Superman returned. "Did you hear?" asked Comet. Superman nodded sorrowfully. "I am so sorry, my friend," said Adam Blake.
Superman smiled briefly and said, "I appreciate that, Comet. Now, I think I better go." He flew off, and the heroes wandered home sadly.
As Comet entered the office, he gasped to see Supergirl. "What?"
"No, it's me! Really. I am not Tala and I'm not the Supergirl who died. I'm the Supergirl of Earth-Prime, and I made my way here, as if drawn by the presence of the fake Girl of Steel. I'm alone and in need of friends. Please, please help me!"
Tears poured down her lovely face and she sobbed in Comet's arms. Here we go again, he thought.