Undisclosed Location
July 5, 2019
1300 EDT

After exiting the apartment, the small group takes a Zeta Tube to some random location on the outskirts of Gotham. From there they walk to over to a bush where two motorbikes are hidden. Artemis and Jade mount up and drive off as Wally runs beside them. They come to a stop along a dusty country road. They ditch the bikes, and continue on foot. They come across a secluded cabin in the middle of the woods. They tread lightly. They hide behind a bush in front of the cabin, and discuss what to do.

Before Jade and Artemis can stop him, Wally breaks for the door. He knocks and waits for a response. He gets one.

Sportsmaster crashes through the door holding a javelin, and aims for Wally's head. Before anyone can respond, a different type of Javelin races out of the underbrush and slams into the wall next to the two men. It lodges itself and fails to detonate. Thinking quickly, Wally grabs Mr. Crock and pulls him to safety right before the missile detonates. The entire cabin explodes and erupts in a giant ball of fire.

After seeing where he ran off to, Artemis lunges toward Wally and embraces him. Sportsmaster is surprised that his enemy just saved him.

"You idiot!!" Jade exclaims. "I was trying to say that we are not alone here!"

"Who? Shadows?" Artemis replies.

"No!" a confident, strong voice exclaims from the underbrush. "Marines!"

At that moment, Mr. Graves and his unit exits the underbrush.

"Nice shot, gunny," he says.

Wally and Artemis are furious. They reply, "NICE SHOT!! Your man almost got us killed!!!"

"Hardly," the military industrialist responds. "In fact, I believe we diffused the situation quite effectively. Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Croc...Ahhh!"

The billionaire dodges the javelin, and rolls to the side. With lightening fast reflexes he pulls out a taser pistol and fires two rounds into Sportsmaster's abdomen. Mr. Crock doubles over in pain, and submits the trillionaire's authority.

"Wait? What are you doing out here?" Artemis asks Mr. Graves.

"UMM....One part target surveillance. One part business deal. Annnnnd, one part support an advance unit." Upon stating that last part he gestures toward Wally. "Alsooooo,...I may have given your father a heads up about your engagement announcement."

"Yeah," Mr. Crock states groggily. "Congrats, baby girl. Now where is the fine young man so that I give him a proper welcome to the family?"

In response to that, Artemis gets up, walks over and kicks him across the face.

"Now that's no way to treat my business associate," Mr. Graves states sarcastically.

"Your what!?!" Artemis and Jade exclaim. They approach the industrialist with looks of intense anger.

Noticing that he and his men may not survive the next encounter, he opens his mouth and tries to defuse the situation. "He's the only member of the Light that we can trust!"

"What!" the heroes and one former-villain respond.

"He's the only villain we can trust! Well, him and a few others. Umm...Clock King. Poison Ivy. The Rogues, and a few others. The rest, they are in league with or have partnered up with The Enemy! They believe--"

"They believe that this confrontation will propel Earth into the center of the Galactic spotlight. Thinking that everyone will place Earth as the center of the Universe. Through some enlightenment, Darwinian, survival of the fittest butshit!" Sportsmaster exclaims.

"Even Luthor?" Arsenal declares as he exits the bushes. His weapons trained on Sportsmaster...and Mr. Graves. He looks towards the confused crowd. "Roy called me."

"Yes," Mr. Graves states solemnly. "Even Luthor. I found that out first hand. I confronted him with a business proposition and asked for his help with funding for the fleet for the Earth Defense Front. Its development has been stalled at every level. If left unchecked the fleet wouldn't have a single new ship until 2021. I was sent to him with orders from the President and the U.N. Security Council. To find out what was going on.

"And apparently, LexCorp and Lex Luthor personally have been sabotaging the entire program. I told him that in combination with my fleet, any outside threat--even the War World--could be disposed of in a matter of hours. I also told him that I could double the amount of ships and starfighters in a little over a month. He told me that that was the reason why. Why he was sabotaging the program. A program that he created. He said, 'what is the point of facing The Enemy if he won't even reach the surface, and fight the common man. And let evolution take over'.

"I responded by telling him how insane he was, and immediately left. His security teams tried multiple times to kill me before I left his building. They shot down some of my best men.

"I informed the President, and he has launched a failed investigation into the matter. I don't know if it failed due to lack of evidence, or Luthor's contribution to his campaign. Currently, my brother, Senator Thomas Graves, Jr. (I-PA), is rallying the Senate to perform a formal inquiry. But for the most part--"

"But for the most part, Lex Luthor snakes away," Arsenal interjects. "Once again."

There is a pause.

"I want in," the twenty-something person weapon states.

"Good to have you, Arsenal," Mr. Graves states confidently as he shakes his hand--exchanging a flash drive containing information for where to meet-up tomorrow. "If there are no other questions.....then I shall go. Have a good night. Ohh, and Artemis, congratulations on the engagement. I didn't get to tell you earlier."

Artemis, Jade, and Wally make their exit as Lawrence Crock is taken into custody.

"Ohh. And Ollie and I are going halfsies on the bill," the trillionaire states happily. "For both the wedding and the honeymoon."

"Seriously!" Artemis exclaims. "We haven't even set a date yet! And you are talking about the honeymoon!"

They others just laugh.

"I'd hurry up if I were you. 'Cause I here that the Notre Dame Cathedral books up pretty fast in the Fall," Mr. Graves states.

Artemis becomes ecstatic with joy and hugs him. She then runs over to Wally and kisses him before speeding off on her motor bike.

"Now that's a spitfire," the trillionaire states.

"No kidding," Wally agrees.

"Hey kid!" Sportsmaster hollers, as he is shoved into the back of a heavily armoured helicopter. "Treat my baby girl right. 'Cause if you don't...then there is no amount of concrete and steel re-enforced titanium that will keep me or my family from painfully draining the life out of your body."

Wally chuckles nervously. "Huh... umm...Yes, sir."

The helicopter takes off, leaving the trillionaire and the speedster in the open clearing.

"Um Mr. Graves, sir," Wally says nervously. "Could you give me a ride back to the Cave? I'm kinda out of juice."

"Sorry, soldier," Mr. Graves replies. "But I can give you a loaner."

As if on cue, a small fighter craft performs a vertical landing in front of the remaining crowd.

"Let me introduce you to the F-485 Spitfire. It is a three seat fighter-bomber with VTOL and heavy lifting capabilities. An A.I. targeting and control system, with a motherbox infused into the navicomputer for instantaneous travel. Top speed of Mach five point four, in atmosphere. Capable of interplanetary travel, with top speed of .5C.

"She is a beauty. She's yours if you'll take her."

"Really!?!"

"Consider it an early wedding present."

"Awesome!!" Wally exclaims, as he climbs into the pilot's seat. "Okay... umm...Computer. Set destination as Mount Justice."

"ACKNOWLEDGED." The A.I. control unit replies in a scruffy, mechanical voice.

The craft, which appears to be an over-sized F-18, takes off vertically. It angles itself before launching high into the sky, with an intense jolt.

"Time to go, sir," the squad leader tells Mr. Graves.

"Why yes. Of course," Mr. Graves states as he climbs into his private chopper. "The world keeps spinning on. And it's our job to keep it that way."

The helicopter lifts off and rendevous with the helicopter carrying Sportsmaster. They do not head for federal lock-up. No. They start to climb. And climb. They keep climbing even after there is no sky left to traverse....