CRISIS #8: Suicide Squad #7

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Suicide Squad
Issue 7: "Gods of War"
Written by John Elbe
Cover by Kevin Hill
Edited by David Charlton

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…And there came a day, unlike any other, when the world’s greatest heroes faced their greatest threat… Coveting the legendary Anti-Life Equation that would make him the Master of the Universe, the evil god Darkseid brought death and destruction to Earth… Now, the fiery, black planet Apokolips hangs above the Earth and the two worlds go to war! Separate and taken by surprise, the heroes of Earth struggle just to survive!

… First blood was drawn in Metropolis. Striking a deal with Lex Luthor for the comatose body of Superman’s half-brother Kru-El, Darkseid’s chief scientist Desaad transforms the Kryptonian into the rampaging killing machine called Doomsday! A fierce battle ensues and for the first time, Superman falls in battle! Dragged in chains to Apokolips, the Man of Steel is Darkseid’s prisoner…

… On Oa, the Green Lantern Corps is sabotaged and betrayed by an agent of Apokolips. The Central Power Battery is destroyed and the Manhunters, ancient enemies of the Guardians of the Universe have launched a successful assault on the planet. Oa falls, and the mysterious new Manhunter Grandmaster sends a prisoner to his ally Darkseid--- the Guardian Appa Ali Apsa!

Meanwhile, on Earth, Green Lantern Hal Jordan finds himself, inexplicably, in possession of the only working power ring in the universe, and uses it to save Coast City from a massive tidal wave threatening the Pacific seaboard--- and to soundly defeat Kalibak, the son of Darkseid in a fearsome brawl!

… As the captured Guardian Appa Ali Apsa is taken to Apokolips, he escapes briefly before he is recaptured over Metropolis--- but not before he can bathe one particular Earthling in a weird emerald light… changing Kyle Rayner’s life forever!

...In Gotham City, the alien assault hits the hardest and the city falls to the brutal General Steppenwolf, but not before the Dark Knight Detective is able to smuggle out (with the help of Nightwing) the one man Darkseid wants the most: Scott Free, the vaunted Mister Miracle...

... Following the nefarious Virman Vundabar through a boom tube, the New Outsiders become stranded on Apokolips itself. And while part of the team launches a desperate mission to rescue one of their own from the clutches of the despicable Desaad, the rest of the team joins the Hunger Dogs in a bold uprising against Darkseid himself...

... At the same time, the Challengers of the Unknown also find themselves on the dark planet, battling Doctor Bedlam...

... Against all odds, Nightwing safely delivers Mister Miracle to his fellow New Gods in Metropolis... and the Teen Titans foil Dr Bedlam's plan to use the Forever People to discover the Anti-Life Equation! But it is Lex Luthor who, feeling his usefulness to Darkseid is at an end, breaks the truce and launches a premptive attack against the occupying forces of Apokolips, bringing Metropolis into the war!

Heroes will rise and heroes will fall. And the DC2 will never be the same again…!

CRISIS: The Apokolips Imperative, Part 8!

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Feelin' like it's all over, feelin' like there's no love.
Feelin' like it's not easy, breathin' life in the dust.
On a countdown to zero take a ride on the nightmare machine.
There ain't gonna be heroes.
There ain't gonna be anything.

Def Leppard- “Gods Of War”

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Prelude One- The Day Before Doomsday…

The Suicide Squad was in shambles and Amanda Waller knew it would only be a matter of time before President Lord pulled the plug. Eighteen months ago she pitched the idea of the Suicide Squad to the President:

I understand the problems this country, and you as its leader in particular, are facing. There are situations here and abroad that need dealing with; situations that the government shouldn’t be involved with. At least not directly involved with. This is where the Squad comes in. They will be a group of agents that can get the job done and are totally expendable. We give the ‘super-villains’ a deal. If they do what they’re told to do, succeed and survive, and keep quite about it, then we will reduce their sentence to time served. The government gets a super team with one-hundred percent deniability if things ever go sour…

That speech persuaded the President to agree to the proposal on a temporary basis. He placed General Wade Eiling in charge of overseeing the operation. The Squad had proven to be useful on several missions throughout the course of several months. During the Squad’s most recent mission, Waller discovered that Eiling was working for a secret criminal organization called the Council and had been using her and the Squad the entire time. The mission itself was a debacle from the beginning. The Squad was responsible for the death of Qurac’s president as well as a public battle in that nation’s capital that nearly blew their cover. In the end, Eiling was locked up and the President ordered Waller and the Squad to lay low until he had made a decision on their future.

Amanda received a call last night, ordering her to return to Washington. Where she now found herself in the Oval Office seated across from the President of the United States, Maxwell Lord.

“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice Amanda.” Lord said to her.

“Well, you’re a busy man sir. I figured it was important.”

“Of course I am, and of course you did.” He replied, “Well let’s get right to it then, shall we? You know that recent events involving Eiling has forced me to reconsider my position on the Suicide Squad.”

“In all fairness, sir, you were the one who appointed Eiling to oversee the Squad in the first place.” She quickly responded.

He looked up at her with a half smile. “Regardless of that, how are things at Belle Reve?”

“What are you implying, sir?” Amanda growled.

“Come on Amanda.” He said standing up. “Tresser, Flagg, Linden, Shaw am I missing anyone? They have all flown the coup under your watchful eye!”

“They can be replaced.”

“So can you.” His statement appeared to catch Waller off guard. “What? Don’t look so surprised Amanda. Did you think I brought you all the way out here to tell you I was shutting down the Suicide Squad? No. The Squad will continue long after you are gone.”

“Goddamn it Max! You can’t do this!” Amanda yelled as she jumped from her seat.

“Don’t worry Amanda. You are not being phased out completely. We still have plans for you.”

“We?” she said turning around as the door behind her opened.

“Amanda Waller, I want you to meet my new political advisor who just flew in from New York, G. Gordon Godfrey.” Lord stated as the man entered the room.

“Hello, Mrs. Waller.” The slender redheaded man announced as he walked toward them. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re up to Max, but I swear to God…” Amanda began to scream.

“What we’d like to know is what you’ve been up to, Mrs. Waller.” Godfrey exclaimed. “It seems you’ve been keeping things from your President, haven’t you? So why don’t you calm down and take a seat. Then you can tell me everything about your little side project called Task Force X.”

Amanda found herself unable to stand any longer as she slowly sat back down. “Task Force X?”

“Yes, and you can begin with disclosing the whereabouts of a certain female operative.” Godfrey smiled as he placed his hand on Waller’s shoulder.

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Prelude Two…

“What the hell are we doing out here, Val?” Black Thorn growled as she and six others lay concealed on the side of a hill in Virginia shortly before dawn.

“Keep it down. I have Firehawk flying around the perimeter. She will give us the signal when she sees something.” Valentina Vostok said as she glanced through binoculars across the open field in front of them. “This is where our contact sent us, so there has to be a reason!”

“Who are you trying to convince there, Negative Woman?” the man named Jack O’Lantern implored, “Us or yourself? Face it, this doesn’t feel right and you know it!”

As Valentina thought of how to respond, she watched as Firehawk came crashing down about thirty yards in front of them.

“Son of a bitch!” Peacemaker yelled as he took over the hill toward the motionless Firehawk.

“Christopher, wait!” Val yelled in vain.

“I have a bad feeling about this” Nightmaster said as he stood up and glanced toward where Firehawk fell from the sky.

“Gee Jim, why do you say that?” Black Thorn said sarcastically in his direction. “Maybe because the flying nuclear chick just fell from the sky!?”

“No he’s right…” The woman behind her began to say before a loud sonic boom cracked through the air.

The ground beneath their feet began to rumble, as a cylinder of cosmic energy appeared to open in the middle of the field.

“What the hell is that?” Nightmaster uttered.

“Hell is correct.” The woman stated, “You all need to flee before it’s too late.”

“Kay, you need to tell me what is going on before anyone does anything.” Negative Woman ordered.

“They found me. They finally found me.” Kay muttered. “Now it’s too late. The Parademons are here.”

They watched as the monstrous shock troops of Apokolips seemingly poured out of the tube by the hundreds.

Within in minutes, the ruthless warriors quickly overwhelmed the group known as Task Force X.

“This was a set-up!” Peacemaker yelled in Kay’s direction as he fought off a hoard of Parademons. “I will kill them all if Firehawk ends up dying.”

“They will only send more.” She yelled back, “It doesn’t matter because they will stop once they have what they came for.”

“And what’s that?”

“Me.” She announced.

“Cease!” A white haired woman barked as she walked out of the boom tube toward the towering woman with flowing red hair. “It’s time you came home now Knockout. Your Granny has missed you so!”

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N.O.R.A.D.
-Cheyenne Mountain-
Colorado Springs, Colorado



Ben Turner and Eve Eden sat outside of the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center until they received the proper clearance to continue. They then travelled through the entrance tunnel about a third of a mile until they reached the first blast door. They got out of the government transport vehicile and were escorted inside the facilty where they met with Sarge Steel.

“You know this facilty was built to withstand a five megaton nuclear bomb!” Steel said as they walked through the facilty toward a small office. “The location was chosen as the most defensible position in the nation. At the time of its inception our biggest concern was an attack by the Soviets. Now here we are traped like rats in a hole in the wall while alll hell is breaking loose out there!”

“What the hell is going on Sarge?” Nightshade asked the obviously excausted Sarge Steel.

“We don’t know Eve. We just don’t know. They just came so quickly there wasn’t time to react.”

“Where on earth did they come from?” Bronze Tiger asked.

“We don’t know that either. From what we gather, they didn’t come from earth.” Steel said sitting down and sliding a file across the table toward them. “We were able to gather satellite readings before most of the major communications went down. Metropolis was hit first, but Lex Luthor seems to have reached some sort of separate peace with them. Reports are that Superman was killed in the first hour of the war. Gotham City fell to the invaders in a matter of hours. Washington, D.C. is now officially occupied territory, as well. Twelve minutes after the first attacks were reported, Homeland Secuirty began evacution of over four thousand government wokers to dozens of classified emergency facilities in Maryland and Virginia while the major military leaders met here in Colorado Springs. It’s estimated that only a few hundred ever made to the bunkers back east.”

“And the President…” Ben asked nervously.

“We lost contact with him and his cabinet minutes after the attacks started.” Steel explained, “There was an immediate military strike in Washington D.C. three hours after that, but like most accounts thus far, the military has been overmatched and outnumbered everywhere they attempted to make a stand. We haven’t had any word from the White House since the first day.”

“My God” Eve muttered under her breath as she attempted to comprehend what Steel was saying.

“That was until we started to pick up this broadcast a few hours ago on one of the remaining communication satellites.” Steel said as he flipped open the laptop in front of him and turned it toward Bronze Tiger and Nightshade. He began to play the recorded broadcast.

“Greetings American people. Over the last several days you have born witness to devastating yet epic changes to this great land you call home.” The man on the broadcast stated. “But fear not because change is part of nature. I have analyzed your world and this country in particular for some time now. It appears very curious to me, how its people are so dependant on its government for its every need yet still claim to be independent. You are suffocating in your own government’s filth as you all fight for a teat to suck on. Today is the day you shall be weaned. You take the people away from its government and the milk goes dry. Today you reclaim your independence. I will be with you to lead the charge toward freedom. I am the new President of the United States of America. I am G. Gordon Godfrey.” The broadcast ended and Steel paused the video.

“Did you see that in the background.” Eve said pointing to the screen. “Is that President Lord standing next to Amanda Waller?”

“From everything we can determine, yes. This was recorded at the White House and it appears to be authentic.” Steel said as he shut the laptop.

“Who is this Godfrey character?” Ben inquired.

“He recently had been seen stirring up trouble for Wonder Woman over at the Themysciran embassy in New York. At first we thought he was nothing more then an over zealous preacher protesting Wonder Woman’s mission. We thought wrong.” Steel continued, “The military has withdrawn from D.C. to avoid more causalities. That’s why I called you both here today. I need the Suicide Squad to go in and rescue the President, shut this nutcase down, and retake the nation’s capital!”

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The battle on Pennsylvania Avenue had lasted just over eleven minutes. Sparkler was the first of the Force of July to fall. The sixteen year old was fighting courageously until a small group of Parademons concentrated their weapons and shot the young man out of the sky. His lifeless body fell onto the grass in front of the Department of Justice building. Still suffering from a gunshot wound, Silent Majority was overcome with exhaustion and unable to replicate himself any longer. The fiends began to pull and tug on his arms and legs like dogs fighting over a scrap of meat. When they were satisfied, they tossed his remains aside in search of new prey. Lady Liberty remained focused as she continued to blast Parademons down with her torch. But like standing under a waterfall she too succumbed to the sheer number of troops from Apokolips until Major Victory was the last member standing.

He watched as his teammates and friends perished around him. There were over twenty Parademons remaining. His suit that gave him his power was in shreds. He determined that he would eradicate as many as he could before he too fell. He wiped the blood mixed tear from his cheek. This was no longer a sad moment. This was to be his proudest moment as he prepared to give his life for his country. He clinched his fists and leapt toward the remaining warriors. He felt his body give way as he was struck from behind and driven to the ground.

“Stay down.” He heard a woman’s voice mutter as she lay on top of him
.
He looked up a saw another woman, fully clad in olive green floating in the air. She bellowed out something Major Victory didn’t understand but he watched as a blast of emerald energy shot from her hands. Within in seconds the powerful wave decimated the remaining Parademons. The young woman who had shielded him from the blast stood up and reached down to help him back onto his feet.

“We are the Suicide Squad.” Vixen stated as Major Victory took her hand and slowly rose from the ground.

“The American dream can’t die but they’re all dead.” Major Victory uttered before he fell to his knees and wept.

“Leave him. We need to get to the White House.” Bronze Tiger ordered as Vixen, Enchantress, Deadshot, Nightshade, and Killer Frost followed behind him. They moved through Pershing Park toward the White House front lawn.

“It’s like a war zone here, Ben.” Vixen said as she stopped along side of Bronze Tiger. “But if the military couldn’t get close enough to the White House where is the resistance?”

“I don’t know.” He said. “Deadshot, find a back way inside the White House and find the President and Waller. I want this quiet, so don’t shoot anything or anyone you don’t have to.”

“Trust me, I never do.” Deadshot stated before taking off through the trees.

“Eve. You, June, and Killer Frost keep an eye out while Vixen and I go in through the front.”

“Keep an eye out?” Killer Frost spouted, “You drag me out of a my cell promising freedom if a help stop an alien invasion and all I get to do is keep an eye out while you and your girlfriend get to go inside to make out in the Lincoln bedroom?”

“Chill out Frost! Just...” Ben began to say before being interrupted by a loud sound that forced their attention on the boom tube that abruptly appeared on the White House lawn.

“Oh boy Daddy!” Killer Frost beamed “Can I go play with my new friends now?”


“We should’ve brought more convicts with us.” Vixen whispered to the Bronze Tiger as six warrior women advanced from the tube.

“There wasn’t time.” Ben replied.

The Squad stood several feet away from Lashina, Artemis, Bloody Mary, Mad Harriet, and Knockout. Collectively they were the Apokoliptian elite warriors known as the Female Furies.


“We were dispatched here to face these worms?” Knockout said staring down the group in front of her, “I am sure our talents can be better served elsewhere.”

“You shall know your place, Knockout. You have just returned to us and haven’t earned the right to speak out.” Lashina replied cracking the steel bands around her wrists. “Granny sent us here for a purpose.”

“So be it.” Knockout responded as Lashina charged toward the Squad.

The Squad quickly scattered as the rest of the Furies followed Lashina's lead.

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Amanda Waller watched as G. Gordon Godfrey stood looking out one of the windows in the Oval Office. It had been nearly two day since she came to the White House to meet with the President. She had found herself unable to leave since. She wasn’t physically being held against her will but she felt a nagging feeling in her mind that was forcing her to stay. She was certain that Godfrey was using some type of mind control over her and President Lord. Max hadn’t spoken since yesterday and she hadn’t been able to get close enough to talk to him.

She didn’t know anything about Godfrey but he seemed to know things about her that he shouldn’t. He knew that she had assembled a covert team dubbed Task Force X, a team she set-up a few months back. He was particularly interested in the whereabouts of one of its operatives called Knockout. She was unable to stop herself from telling him how to find her or the other members of the team. She felt violated and pissed off. She’d be damned if she didn’t get something out of this mess.

“You are nothing but a coward.” She said to Godfrey who stood looking out the window as the Furies battled the Squad, “A coward and a fascist who hides behind false power.”

“I know what you are doing Mrs. Waller.” He turned around smiling at her. “Your attempts to get a rise out of me are futile.”

“I don’t know how you are doing it, you bastard but I will find a way to get you out of my head and when I do….”

“I have done nothing more then open your mind to the truth. If you are implying I am holding you here against your will, you are mistaken. If you do not believe in the cause you are free to go at anytime.”

“And what cause might that be? You come in here and put the mind whammy on the President, claim the throne for yourself, and then order the destruction of the kingdom?”

“The true kingdom lays elsewhere, Mrs. Waller. This planet is nothing more then a means to an end in my master’s eyes.”

“So now the truth comes out. You are nothing more then a lapdog.”

“I serve the great Darkseid faithfully, living only to carry out his wishes.”

“So you do your masters bidding and he allows you to play king of America is that it?”

“That is where you demonstrate your foolish mortal thinking. All of this is part of Darkseid’s immense plan for which I dutifully play my part, perhaps the most significant part. I have taken great pleasure in obliterating all of the symbols you earthly mortals cling so tightly too. I planted the seeds of distrust in New York where I turned mortals against the Amazon princess and her pagan gods of myth, and consequently tarnishing the image of the so-called super heroes. Finally, the greatest symbol a civilized society can claim will have vanished when I demolish the remains of your precious government. The inhabitants of this land will have their spirits broken and be forced to turn to their new God, the most high himself!”

Godfrey stood there basking in his own self-awareness. As his rant continued Amanda glanced over to where President Lord was seated and noticed something she hadn’t seen in over a day. As she made eye contact with him she noticed the glazed look in his eyes had dissipated. He cautiously controlled his movement and breathing as not to raise the attention of Godfrey. When Godfrey turned to face the window again Max looked over at Amanda and motioned his head toward the open door a few feet away from where she sat. She slowly rose to her feet and walked toward the door. She abruptly stopped when a figure appeared, blocking her exit.

“Godfrey!” The white haired woman in the doorway shouted, “It appears one of your playthings was attempting to escape.”

Without pausing Amanda pulled her hand back into a fist and struck the woman in the face. She looked back unfazed at Waller and smiled. “It seems Granny is going to have to teach you some manners.”

Granny Goodness picked up Amanda Waller by her shoulders and threw her across the room, she flew past Godfrey and crashed through the window. Amanda lay on a bed of broken wood and glass outside as Granny Goodness followed through the broken window after her.

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The Bronze Tiger cringed when Lashina’s steel whip caused another laceration across his forearm. As she pulled the whip back again, he leapt toward her hoping to knock her to the ground. He felt his muscles tear when his knee made contact with her upper body. In one swift motion, she brushed him aside like he was nothing more then a gnat buzzing around her. His breath was labored as he lay on the ground with Lashina towering over him. At this rate, he feared, the Squad would be decimated within minutes.

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Glorious Godfrey looked on as the unrelenting battle continued across the White House lawn. A woman softly walked up behind and put her arms around him.

“Darkseid will be oh so proud of you, my brother.” The woman whispered into his ear, “Everything has gone according to his plan.”

“Yes it has my dearest sister.” He said as he turned around to face her, “He shall be proud of both of us. You have already done your part, Amazing Grace”

Grace gently caressed her brother’s cheek. “Of course. I did exactly what you asked of me. As we speak I control the mortal minds of five American Air Force pilots who are currently on their way in fighter jets each armed with a nuclear warhead.”

“Good. When I give the word, I want Washington D.C. destroyed.” He said running his finger slowly across Grace’s lips. “The final American icon will fall. Now there is one last thing I require from you, my love…”

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Killer Frost formed another ice shield as the Female Fury, Mad Harriet ran toward her. Harriet raised her claws and cut through the ice with ease.

“Little blue-haired girl wants to play with Mad Harriet?” Harriet cackled as Frost quickly backed up. “We will have fun. I will slice you!”

“You’re a crazy bitch!” Frost yelled shooting icicles at the charging Harriet. Frost stumbled and landed on her back as Harriet dove past her catching her in the cheek with one of her razor claws. Enraged, Frost whipped around and fired off several ice spikes that caught Harriet in her face, neck, and shoulder. Harriet stood there, seemingly unfazed as the ice melted away.

“Screw this noise. I am out of here.” Killer Frost said as she turned around, looking for the nearest way out of there.

“Don’t be scared little blue-haired girl. If you soil yourself Granny won’t let me take you home with me.” Harriet said gleefully while licking the blood off of the tips of her claws.

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Until five seconds ago Vixen was certain she had made a full recovery from the injuries she sustained in France a short while back. But after the blunt of an arrow shot by Artemis, knocked her down hard, she was unsure. She rose painfully to her feet.

“There is no shame in admitting to defeat in the presence of a Fury. If you choose to stay down, I will kill you quickly and with honor.” Artemis proclaimed with her bow in hand as her trio of ferocious wolves stood by her side. “If not, I will order my cyberpak to feast on your pulp until their hunger is sated.”

“If you deem it honorable to let your demonic pet store rejects fight for you…” Vixen spat blood out of her mouth as she felt the rage swell up inside her. “Then by all means let loose the dogs…you whore.”

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“So you’re the little witch I was sent to take care of?” Amazing Grace declared as she approached the Enchantress.

“I would hold your tongue, you little hussy! I have already killed today and I won’t hesitate to do it again!” Enchantress replied.

“The Parademons?” she laughed, “They were nothing more then broken Hunger Dogs. You will find Amazing Grace to be more then you can handle!”

The Enchantress cast a protect spell as Grace lashed out at her.

“Silly little tricks will not save you this day, girl!” Grace said as she struck another crushing blow, shattering the magical shield and striking Enchantress. Enchantress gasped as she felt several ribs snap from the impact.

The Enchantress smiled wryly. She felt June Moone shift uneasily inside her conscience. This one is different baby June. If you do not release your hold on me, we will both be destroyed. This was the one that Mitch Shelly returned from the future to warn you about. But you are too weak and scared. Let me take care of her. All you have to do is let go…

Enchantress turned and cast a gauntlet spell that allowed her to strike a powerful punch, sending Grace staggering backwards. She shrugged it off like it was nothing.

June Moone watched through the Enchantress’s eyes and was afraid that the witch may be correct. The only way to stop this woman may be to give complete control over to the Enchantress. June knew that as long she restrained her from inside, the full extent of the witch’s power would be held in check, power that once nearly destroyed the planet. Every time she had allowed the Enchantress to take over, she felt that her influence slowly slipping away. She had made a promise to herself and to Mitch Shelly that she would do whatever it took to fight this crisis. But if she finally gave into the Enchantress, what would become of her?

“It is almost time.” Amazing Grace said as her fist collided with the Enchantress’s temple.

The Enchantress felt her skull fracture before everything went dark and she collapsed helplessly to the ground.

“Hope you have a blast.” Grace snickered and strolled away.

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Nightshade quickly shifted into her shadow form to avoid the blast of energy that came bursting from the eyes of Bloody Mary. The beam barely missed as it zipped past her.

Eve looked up to see Bloody Mary charging toward her. She was startled at the speed and ferocity in which Mary overtook her with.

“Without life there is only darkness” Mary proclaimed as she lunged for Nightshade’s neck. “I will drain you of yours.”

Eve winced as she felt Mary’s fangs sink into her neck forcing her to break her shadow form. Eve felt Mary suddenly release her, her body began to convulse.

“What have you done to me?” Mary cried out in pain as she fell to the ground.

“You wanted darkness. But darkness is devoid of all life” Eve said standing over the withering Mary. “And my life is nothing but darkness.”

With that she opened up a dimensional warp on the ground below Mary and watched as she fell. When she no longer heard screaming, she closed the portal.

“I am impressed.” A woman’s voice said. “Even besting a pup like Bloody Mary is no small feat.”

Eve spun around to see Knockout standing behind her. “I am so not in the mood to deal with another one of you.”

“Relax. I used to be with the Furies until I left and found refuge on this planet.” Knockout replied. “I work for Waller now as payment for her saving my life.”

“You’re working for the Wall?”

“Yes I am part of a covert team that no one but her knew existed… until yesterday.”

“That figures.” Eve said shaking her head. “So why are with the cheerleaders from hell?”

“The only reason I agreed to come back with them was to spare the lives of my teammates. There are things going on right now on this planet that you couldn’t possibly imagine.”

“I can imagine a lot.” Eve retorted

“There isn’t time to get into it right now. We have to find Waller and stop Godfrey or none of you will leave here alive!”

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With a roar, the Bronze Tiger struck Lashina with a flurry of punches and kicks pushing the pain further back in his mind as each blow connected.

Lashina just licked the blood from her lips and smiled.

“I am impressed little mortal. You fight like a caged beast. Under Granny’s guidance you might have amounted to something.”

“I’m full of surprises, lady.” Ben said as he charged at Lashina once more.
With one swift motion she seized his fist and pulled it back until it snapped causing Ben to yelp in pain.

“Alas, your final mistake was proclaiming me a lady.” She said as drove her foot into Ben’s midsection and tossing his bloodied body to the ground.

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Vixen braced herself as Artemis released her three wolfhounds. She welcomed the chance to let loose. The pain she felt meant that she was still alive. Pain that she was more then willing to share with someone else. She focused on the Tatu totem she wore around her neck. It granted her the powers and abilities of the animal kingdom.

The dogs lunged toward her and using the strength of the rhinoceros beetle, she hurled two of the enormous hounds out of the way while seizing the third by its neck.

“Tertius!” Artemis screamed as Vixen took both of her hands and broke the beast across her bent knee, tossing it aside.

With the speed of a cheetah, Vixen surged upon the dismayed Artemis forcing her to stumble backward. Artemis quickly regained her composure and wrapped her arms around Vixen and began to squeze.

“You will die a horrible death, the likes of which you never suspected possible.” Artemis wailed as Vixen felt her chest begin to crush.

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Granny Goodness reached down and pulled Amanda Waller to her feet. “You are a pathetic worm hardly worthy of my time!” She said to the barely coherent Waller. Granny raised her arm to strike, but abruptly Knockout was there. With a punishing combination of blows, she drove Granny away from Waller.

“Amanda!” Knockout yelled back to her, “Get your people out of here! I know the Furies all too well and they won’t stop until everyone is dead.”

“No can do, sweetheart.” Amanda said struggling to stay on her feet. “I kind of gather that this was the woman you came here to get away from? Well, she and I have some unfinished business of our own. She’s going to tell me how to stop Godfrey.”

Amanda began to walk over to where Knockout had Granny pinned down when she saw a small box on the ground. “Hey you old bat! I think you dropped something!” She picked up the unearthly box and it immediately began to make a chirping sound. It was as if the box was speaking to her and she could understand it. She instantly knew what she had to do.

“You are a vile creature!” Granny yelled toward Amanda while struggling under Knockout’s grasp. “I shall see to it you suffer in the depths of Section Zero!”

“Can it, Granny.” Knockout said spitting in her face.

“Knockout, why do you pick on your poor defenseless Granny? Did I not show you love? Did I not take you in when others left you to die? You are nothing but a traitorous whelp!”

“No, I was never loyal to you! You shouldn’t have come looking for me! I belong here.”

“Then here is where you shall die!” Granny declared while she fought to break free from Knockout’s hold on her.

“No one is going to die until you tell me what I need to know.” Amanda said as she now stood over the pinned Granny Goodness. “And I gotta hunch that this little box might do the trick.”

Amanda began to push the small buttons on the Mother Box. The ground rumbled as a Boom Tube materialized a few feet from where they stood.

“Godfrey!” Amanda yelled out, “This ends now! Order the Furies to stop.”

After a few seconds Godfrey stepped out of the White House and stood on the steps over looking the lawn.

“You know what they say about playing with fire, Mrs. Waller!” Godfrey declared.

“Well, the way I see it the only who’s gonna get burned here is this old hag.” Amanda replied holding the Mother Box in the air. “You see, this little box has been chatting away with me and you know what? It doesn’t seem to like you people all that much. So I asked it to open up a little something it called a ‘Doom Tube’, which apparently there is no returning from. So you will release the President and call off the Furies, or I order Knockout to drop kick Granny here into never-never land!”

“Good play, Amanda. I now realize why I kept you around. But I am afraid you will have to hand over the Mother Box and release Granny now.” He said as Deadshot appeared from the doorway, holding a gun to Maxwell Lord’s head. “Or do you want me to have your hired gun here pull the trigger while this is broadcasted live throughout the world…?”

With that, several hovering metallic globes appeared from behind Glorious Godfrey. The globes began to float around the front of the White House lawn until they stopped and held their positions in mid-air.

Amanda stood there for a moment, gripping the Mother Box tightly. “There is only one small flaw with your plan, Godfrey. I don’t really care much for the man. Shoot him.” She said nodding to Knockout.

Knockout picked up Granny Goodness hurling her in the direction of the Doom Tube. The dark tunnel seemingly swallowed her up, and in an instant both Granny Goodness and the tube were gone.

“Shoot him now!” Godfrey ordered Deadshot.

Deadshot began to squeeze the trigger as Maxwell Lord closed his eyes and concentrated. Blood began to trickle from his nose as he felt the gun pull away. He was back in control for the first time in quiet a while. He opened his eyes and saw Godfrey lunge toward Waller knocking the Mother Box from her hand.

“Deadshot.” He said as he pointed in the direction of Godfrey and Waller, “As President of the United States of America I order you to shoot.”

“Which one?” Deadshot casually asked.

Maxwell Lord briefly paused before stepping out of the way. “Both of them.”

With two flashes from the muzzle of Deadshot's gun both Godfrey and Waller went down.

Amid all the chaos and confusion Lashina gathered the remaining Furies and opened up a boom tube. “Move out.” She shouted as she entered the tube followed by Artemis and Mad Harriet.

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From where she lay, Enchantress could hear the jets as they got closer and knew this wasn’t over yet. “Grace.” She muttered as she rolled over onto her stomach, forcing her to block out the pain as she lifted herself up. Unable to focus, she squeezed her eyes shut tight and then slowly opened them again. Her head was throbbing, but all she concentrated on was the woman who stood ten feet away with her, hands up in the air as if she was commanding the sky to come down.

She staggered up behind Amazing Grace and wrapped her arm around her neck. “I know what your doing! Make it stop!”

“It’s too late. My brother’s death will be glorified in my dark lord’s eyes when fire rains down upon us!” Grace spouted unfazed by the Enchantress. “And I will rise from the ashes and proudly take my place as Darkseid’s queen.”

Enchantress could sense the first plane was close. She heard Junes voice inside her head whisper Do it. With that she twisted her arm until she heard Grace’s neck snap. She let the body hit the ground as the sounds of jets roared overhead.

Enchantress was prepared to speak her name, which would allow June Moone to resume control, when she looked up into the glaring daylight and caught sight of a twelve feet long nuclear bomb, free-falling toward the White House. Grace had been able cling to the mind of one of the Air Force pilots long enough to force him to release his bomb.

Enchantress quickly cast a rapid levitation spell and propelled herself toward the bomb. She instantly knew it was already too close. She should have done more. She should have been faster. She should have been stronger. She raised her hands and uttered a spell. Enchantress was terrified but gave in, as June Moone’s true inner strength washed over her. The nuclear explosion consumed her as a blinding radiance filled the sky and the earth below shuddered.

The blinding light faded. The nuclear bomb was gone as was the Enchantress. A broken June Moone lay on the front steps of the White House, weeping uncontrollably.

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“Mister President!” Eve Eden yelled as she made her way toward Maxwell Lord. “Are you okay sir?”

He didn’t answer her but looked down at the American flag that lay on the ground in front of him. “Did that woman there just save us all from a nuclear detonation?”

“Yes sir, it appears she did just that.” Eve said.

“This Flag here.” He said pointing down, “This flag belongs on top of the White House for all to see.”

“Yes sir.” She bent to pick it up but Max stopped her.

“Are those disco camera ball thingies still on?” he muttered to her under his breath.

“I guess.” She replied.

He pulled Deadshot and Eve closer to him and whispered. “Slowly lift this flag up with me on my go.”

Maxwell Lord stood up straight and looked into the nearest globe.

“My fellow Americans, you have been grossly misled by the musings of demigod who claimed he had taken control of this great land. I am here to tell you, that was false. This individual foolishly believed that he could destroy the character of America by tearing down our nation’s capitol. That, too, is false.” He paused and nodded to Nightshade and Deadshot as together they raised the American flag. “America doesn’t live or breathe in this building or any other building here in Washington D.C. It lives here in this flag and in our hearts. Patriots always talk of dying for their country but never killing for their country. Well today we have made a statement that we will do whatever it takes to drive this evil element from our great land! Though our world is still at war, heroes all across this great land will continue to fight. Remember, victory delayed is not victory denied!”

Vixen assisted the badly injured Bronze Tiger over to where Amanda Waller had gone down a few moments ago.

“Oh my God Ben! She’s been shot in the head!” Vixen cried as she put her hand to her mouth. “She needs help now!”

Ben Turner collapsed to his knees as he reached out and held the barely breathing Waller in his arms.

“Mister President!” Ben yelled as he looked over toward Maxwell Lord, “If she dies I will see to it you are charged with murder!”

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CRISIS: THE APOKOLIPS IMPERATIVE CONTINUES THIS WEEK IN ACTION COMICS#8!

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