Takeoff

Clark, Bruce, Lois, Bart, and Hippolyta stood on a grassy field, just south of Wayne-Ferris Air Base. The sun had set an hour ago, and the entire area was cloaked under the gentle blue shadow of night.  The entire group—with the exception of Hippolyta—was nervous. They were about to sneak into a partially government-owned air base, steal one of the most advanced prototype planes in the world, and fly across the Atlantic in a probably-futile effort to save their friend from a sorceress. Bruce had assured them that it wasn't really "stealing," since Waynetech owned the Javelin, and Bruce was about to inherit Wayne Enterprises in a mere few months. Of course, everyone else knew that it was still technically stealing, but they weren't going to argue.
   Hal ran up to them from the base's direction. They'd had to explain everything to Hal over the last half-hour. Fortunately, he knew enough about Barry and his super-powers to not be shocked when he found out that there were several others with similar special abilities. The fact that Amazons and aliens existed took a bit longer to settle in, but Hal was able to overcome or ignore that fact and just focus on the task at hand: getting to the Javelin so they could save Diana.
   "Alright, it's done," Hal said as he neared the group, handing Bruce back his hacking flashdrive. "The cameras are set to loop for the next ten hours, and the doors are unlocked."
   An orange-purple light spontaneously flashed to the side of the group. When it faded, Zatanna stood in the field next to them.
   Hippolyta glanced over the gently fading purple sparkles of magic that surrounded Zatanna, and scowled. "You are a witch!"
   Zatanna exasperatedly put her hand on her forehead. "Oh boy. Not this again."
   "She's a friend," Bruce said firmly.
   Zatanna gave Bruce a smile, then turned back to Hippolyta. "So, You're Diana's mom, huh?"
   Hippolyta stiffened. "I am the Queen of the Amazons."
   Zatanna raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Is that how you start all your conversations?"
   "Wait a minute; what are you wearing?" Lois interrupted.
   "What, this?" Zatanna replied defensively. "It's a modern-traditional magician's outfit. God, don't you watch TV?"
   The rest of the group looked at Zatanna's outfit. The top half was the usual magician's tuxedo; she even had the black top hat. But instead of pants, she wore black leather briefs, fishnets, and long black boots.
   "Hey, I'm in show business," she said nonchalantly. "Getting people's attention is my job."
   Bruce noticed Hal still looking Zatanna over, and gave him a glare and an elbow in the side.
   Zatanna caught this, and was amused. "So, you must be the pilot?"
   "Yeah," Hal replied. "Hal Jordan."
   Zatanna tipped her hat in greeting, then looked around. "So, is this all of us?"
   Clark nodded. "Looks that way."
   "I tried calling a friend of mine," Hal said, "but he didn't answer. I left a message."
   "Okay. Well, are we all set to go?"
   "Not quite," Hal said. "We still need to figure out how to get the mechanics in the hangar and the flight controllers to let us take off once we're inside the plane."
   "I can take care of that," Zatanna said with a smirk.
   "Alright, then," Clark said with a firm authority. "Let's go."
   The rest of them—except Lois—nodded and began to walk away. Bruce stopped for a moment, however, and walked back to Lois.
   "Lois, I wanted to say... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. I—"
   "Hush, boy billionaire. It's alright. You and I weren't meant to be together anyway."
   Bruce nodded. "Well... goodbye, Lois," he said, and walked away.
   Lois caught something disturbing in Bruce's voice. Did he not think he was going to come back? The thought suddenly struck her: some—or all—of them might not survive.
   "Clark!" she called out. Clark immediately turned around and moved towards her.
   They just looked at each other for a moment. Clark could see the concern in her eyes, and she could see the determination in his.
   "Clark... are you sure about this? You could get hurt."
   "It's true," Zatanna said, suddenly sneaking up at their side. "You've got no defense against magic; you're just as vulnerable as anyone else."
   Lois and Clark shot Zatanna a "DO YOU MIND" look.
   Zatanna threw her hands up in mock-surrender and began walking away. "Fine; whatever..."
   Clark gently put his hands on Lois's shoulders. "I'll be fine. I promise." He drew her close and kissed her.
   Lois felt her heart flutter for a moment, then sink a little as Clark left and rejoined the others.

   The six of them carefully walked down the hallways of Wayne-Ferris. Hal led them through the student section, which was empty now that class was out for the day. They went through the student lounge, and stopped at the window overlooking the hangar. Hal pointed to the largest plane. "That's the Javelin-4; our ride."
   Hal then led them down a nearby stairwell into the hangar itself. Two mechanics were in-between the group and the Javelin; there wasn't any way past them.
   Bruce nodded toward Zatanna. "This is your department."
   Zatanna shut her eyes and extended her hand towards the two mechanics."Erongi lla esle."
   White-purple sparks flittered off her hand, but the two mechanics didn't seem to change their behavior.
   "Okay; they won't notice us or the Javelin; they're completely oblivious."
   The group walked across the hangar floor, towards the underside of the Javelin. Hal reached up for a control panel along its ventral plating.  He entered an eight-digit code on a keypad, and a large section of the rear-underside plating hissed open. It slowly lowered to the floor, forming a boarding ramp.
   Hal waved them on-board.

   The interior of the Javelin was spacious. There were two rows of seats—four on each side— and one centered seat for the pilot. Hal, despite never having been inside this plane before, knew it like the back of his hand. He'd read every technical manual, flown every Javelin simulator mission three dozen times over, and was able to intuit everything he didn't already know. He slipped into the pilot's seat like it was a glove, and began the warm-up procedures. The computer consoles lit up, and the engine slowly hummed to life.
   "This is good. Looks like there was a planned—and cancelled—test flight scheduled for tonight, so the jet's already fueled up and ready to go." After inputting a set of coordinates, Hal turned to Hippolyta, pointing to the computer screen. "You're sure this is where the island is?"
   "Yes."
   "Okay, then. Looks like we're all set. Is everyone ready?"
   Everyone in the group slowly nodded. Hippolyta was worried for her daughter, but ready to die in Diana's defense. Bruce had nothing to offer but his own meager skills in a fight, but that was enough for him. Bart was nervous and frightened, but unwavering in his decision to help Diana, no matter what. Zatanna didn't particularly like Diana, but she was more than willing to help Bruce and his friends in their life-or-death battle. More importantly, Zatanna knew of Circe, and the danger that Circe posed to the world, should she succeed in acquiring the power of Diana's soul-spell.
   Hal turned back to the controls, and the plane began to move. "Zatanna, I'm gonna need you to work your magic on the air controllers now."
   "Already on it," Zatanna responded, leaning towards the front window to get a better view of the area.
   "Nilevaj-ruof si deraelc rof ffoekat."
   A voice clicked on over the Javelin's radio. "Javelin-4, you are cleared for takeoff."
   Hal clicked the reply switch. "Copy that, tower control."

   The Javelin slowly rolled out of the hangar and onto the runway. The passengers clicked their four-strapped safety belts on, and Hal hit the engines to full throttle. With a punch and a scream, blue-tinged flames blasted from the Javelin's twin engines.  In a flash of swift thunder, the craft lunged forward and lifted off.

   Lois watched from the field as the Javelin took off. She sighed to herself, hoping that her friends would be okay.
   Her phone rang.
   "Hello?"
   "Hi, can I speak to Lois Lane?"
   "Speaking."
   "Good. This is Perry White, from the Daily Planet. Detective Dan Turpin tells me that you've been 'instrumental' in the investigation of Lionel Luthor."
   Lois's jaw fell open, and she struggled to regain her composure.
   "Y-yes. I've been—"
   "I don't need to hear the details now, Miss Lane. Im only calling because the detective offered the Planet the exclusive report on the investigation, but only if we brought you on board as a witness."
   Lois stiffened. "Screw witness; I've been chasing down Luthor for months now; I'm WRITING that story, dammit."
   Perry laughed. "Okay, kid. You seem to have a fair bit of fire in your gut; I like that. Pardon the language, but get your ass down here, now. We'll talk about who's doing what when you get here."
   "You got it, chief."
   "Wha—... don't call me Chief!"
   Lois had already hung up.

Allies

Hippolyta opened her front door to see Lois, Clark, and Bart standing in the hallway. Before she could ask why they were there, Clark already answered.
   "Someone attacked us at school. She threw me and Bart around with magic or something, then grabbed Diana and disappeared."
   Hippolyta's eyes widened with fear. "...Was this attacker... a woman? With red hair, and violet robes?"
   Clark nodded.
   Hippolyta slowly walked to the couch in her living room, and sat down in shock.
   The teens awkwardly looked back and forth between each other, not sure if they were supposed to step inside or not. They eventually figured they should.
   "Who was that?" Lois asked.
   Hippolyta narrowed her eyes at Lois. "I'm sorry. Who are you?"
   "Lois Lane. Diana works with me at the Daily Star."
   Bart waved a hello. "Hey. I'm Bart. Bart Allen. I um... I run real fast."
   Hippolyta slowly nodded. "Yes, my daughter has told me about you both."
   The doorbell rang. Clark politely answered it. When he opened the door, Bruce was on the other side.
   "I thought you'd be here," Bruce said, stepping inside.
   Clark was surprised. "Bruce, why are you here?"
   "Waynetech runs the security in Metropolis High, remember? I had seismic sensors installed, just in case something big happened. They went off when that woman appeared in the Daily Star office. I saw the video feed. Who was she?"
   "She," Hippolyta said, "is Circe. And I assume you are Bruce Wayne?"
   Bruce slightly nodded.
   Hippolyta explained further. "Circe is one of the most powerful sorceresses in all of history. Many ages ago, she visited Themyscira. For nothing more than her own amusement, she tormented me and my Amazon sisters. Only the intervention of the gods themselves was enough to stop her."
   "Evidently, they didn't do a great job," Clark remarked.
   "They imprisoned her in the depths of Tartarus, until her sentence was fulfilled."
   "So why'd they let her out?" Bart asked.
   "She is forbidden from attacking me personally, for all time."
   "But that wouldn't stop her from attacking your new daughter," Lois added.
   "Precisely."
   "What does Circe want with Diana?" Bruce asked. "Is she going to ransom her for money? Power?"
   "I fear not," Hippolyta said sadly. "Diana is... a nexus of mystic power."
   No one else in the room had any idea what that meant. Hippolyta noted this, and explained. "Diana's body is made of sand and clay. Only by the sheer magical power of the gods is she held together as flesh and blood."
   Bruce began to understand. "Is that why her DNA breaks down into base minerals when it's separated from her body?"
   "If... if you mean her blood, yes. If she bleeds, that blood will soon turn to the same sand from which she was formed. There is a powerful spell tying her soul to her sand-forged body. If a witch of Circe's level broke open that spell, she could access the power to bend the laws of life and death."
   Bruce skeptically looked at Clark and Lois. He didn't quite believe this story of gods and soul-binding. But ultimately, the truth of the matter was that someone dangerous had kidnapped Diana, and they needed to find her at all costs.
   "Where would Circe have taken Diana?" Bruce asked.
   "If she is indeed looking to access the spell's power, she would travel to the only place the spell could be accessed: the beaches of Themyscira, where it was originally forged."
   "Hang on for a minute," Bart said. "Isn't there, like, an army of Amazons there?"
   "My soldiers are strong of heart and will fight to their deaths," Hippolyta said, "but they have no defense against power such as Circe's."
   Clark stood up a little straighter. "We do."
   "Clark!" Lois exclaimed. "You can't fight her! She threw you against a wall like you were nothing!"
   Clark shook his head. "I might not have any defense against magic, but that doesn't mean I can't do anything. Bart was fast enough to hit her while she was distracted; maybe if we move fast enough and smart enough, we can still beat her."
   "Yeah," Bart said. "I mean, if Clark had hit 'er, she'dve been out cold."
   "And besides," Clark added, "we don't have to go alone."
   "Okay..." Lois said, "but how exactly are you gonna get there? Can you FLY all the way to"—Lois turned to Hippolyta—"Where's your island again?"
   "In the Aegean Sea."
   Lois turned back to Clark. "That's on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Do you have a private jet or something to take Bart and yourself there?"
   "I do," Bruce said. "...though we'll need a pilot."
   Lois sighed. "Alright. ...I think I know a guy."
   "And I know someone who can help us with magic," Bruce said.

   Lois and Bruce pulled out their cellphones and made their calls.
   "Hal? It's Lois. I need a favor..."

   "Zanna. We're having some trouble, and we need you down here."

Taken

Lois fumbled around with a stack of papers at her desk. School was closing for the Winter break, and she needed to get things in order before she left. Secretly, however, she knew that she was only using the work to distract herself.
   "Hey," Clark said from the doorway as he walked in.
   "Hey," Lois replied, slightly startled.
   Clark tried to make eye contact with Lois, but it seemed that no matter how he tried to lean towards her or move into her field of vision, she managed to turn the other way.
   "Lois, is something wrong?"
   "Nope. Nothing's wrong."
   "Then why are you avoiding me?"
   "I'm not avoiding you."
   "Yes you are; you've barely said ten words to me over the last week. What's going on?"
   Lois spun around and finally looked at him. "Nothing's going on, Clark, I just..."
   "...You just what?"
   Lois sighed. "I met up with Bart's 'grandma Iris' on Sunday."
   "You mean Iris West? The girl from the MJAs?"
   "No, I mean Iris Allen, the thirty-something-year-old lady from the future."
   "...Oh."
   "Yeah. She... she told me some things about the future. About you and me."
   "Really..."
   "Yeah."
   "...Good things?"
   "Well, yeah, it's just—"
   Bart and Diana suddenly walked in the room.
   "'Sup," Bart said, jumping into the nearest office chair and sending it rolling across the room.
   Diana nodded a "hello" at Clark and Lois.
   Lois gave a knowing look to Clark. "We'll talk later," she whispered.
   "So," Diana said, "What are all your plans for Christmas?"
   "I'm gonna stay in Smallville for the most part," Clark said.
   "I'm staying here with my family," Lois added.
   "Well," Bart said, leaning back in his chair, "I think I'm gonna go to Mexico."
   "Mexico?" Diana asked.
   "Sure. Cold 'aint really my thing. I figure I might go lay on a beach or something. And if I get bored, I can always just run back here in like five minutes."

   The other teens were in the middle of rolling their eyes at Bart when a gigantic BOOM shook the entire room, sending papers and desks flying in every direction. The four teens, aside from Clark, were all knocked to the floor. A blinding violet light flashed from the opposite side of the room. When the light dissolved, a woman stood in its place. She was tall, with long vibrant red-pink hair and robes made from golden metal and purple cloth. A mischievous grin was set on her face.
   The woman turned towards Diana. "Ah, there you are, little princess." With a wave of her hand, the woman cast a red sparkling light upon Diana's face. Without warning, Diana lost consciousness and slumped to the floor.
   Clark gritted his teeth, clenched his hand into a fist, and lunged toward the woman. Her hand raised toward him, however, halting his body in mid-air.
   The witch examined him. "Ooooh, you are a strong one. But I don't have time to play with you right now." She casually threw him into a wall without touching him. Once there, he remained pinned; unable to move by an unseen force.
   When the witch turned back towards the others, her face met with a blurred fist. She fell off her feet, glaring up at Bart with malevolent intensity. "HEARRGH!" she yelled, telekinetically pushing Bart with all her might into the wall opposite Clark. Bart collapsed, his head a bit too shaken for him to stand up or think clearly.
   "Who are you?!" Lois yelled.
   "Oh, honey, if you knew me, you'd be a lot more afraid. Good for you for not trying anything like these boys here, though."
   Without another word, the witch walked over to Diana's limp body, grabbed the Amazonian princess by her hair, and disappeared in another blinding flash.

   Bart, Lois, and Clark were left alone in silence. Clark abruptly fell off the wall, the holding spell apparently broken in the mysterious woman's absence.
   The three friends, shocked, looked at one another. They didn't need to speak; the shared look in their eyes all asked the same questions: What just happened? Who was that? What happened to Diana?

Update

So I'm about to start the final stretch of chapters in this "season" of TJ. Hopefully, I can get at least one done each day until all eleven chapters are done.  Hope you like it.

You Weren't Supposed to Know

Lois was frustrated. Bart had promised to help her take photos of the annual Christmas festival at Centennial Park, but he hadn't shown up, and wasn't answering his phone. Being the oft-sneaky reporter she was, however, Lois knew a way of finding his address in school files, and decided to walk over to his house.
   She arrived at the Allens' apartment and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, a rather pretty woman in her thirties answered the door. Lois was stunned; it was clearly Iris Allen, only older.
   Lois mentally slapped herself. Of course it was her. Bart had mentioned his "Grandma Iris," and that she'd traveled back in time along with him. Truth be told, Lois hadn't completely believed that story, but here, apparently, was proof.
   "Lois," Iris said with surprise. "I... I didn't expect... please come in."
   Lois awkwardly walked inside.
   "Is this about Bart?" Iris asked. "He mentioned something about meeting you today."
   "Yeah. Where is he?"
   Iris shrugged and tilted her head back toward a bedroom down the hall. "He's in his room, asleep. If you've been calling him, I don't think he can hear his phone."
   Lois sighed with slight exasperation.
   "It's his biology," Iris explained. "He uses up so much energy running that his body sometimes just needs to crash. Well, that and he's a teenager. No offense."
   "None taken."
   Iris and Lois shared another awkward moment.
   "So, Lois... is it true that you and Bart hang out with Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, and Diana Prince?"
   Lois raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why?"
   Iris sighed. "Lois, why don't you sit down."

   Lois and Iris sat down on the living room couch.
   "So, Lois, you know about the whole time-travel thing, right?"
   Lois nodded, her eyebrow still raised.
   "Before we came back from the future, things were different."
   "...How so?"
   "Well, for one thing, Metropolis wasn't in the midwest. It was on the East Coast. In Delaware."
   "What?! How is that possible?! Metropolis has always been here; why would it—"
   "I know, I know. It doesn't make sense. But there's more. Stryker's Island prison was originally off the coast of Metropolis, not Coast City. Clark Kent didn't live here when he was a teenager; he lived in Smallville until he turned eighteen. Bruce didn't live here either, and neither did Diana. Hell, Diana was still on her island. And you and I didn't meet any of them until years later. They all lived separate lives until they were in about their mid-twenties."
   "...What are you saying?" Lois asked.
   "I'm saying that things aren't the way they're supposed to be. I mean, you all were supposed to meet eventually, but not for a long, long time. The fact that you're all in high school together... it doesn't make sense."
   "Okay, well, that's weird, but is it a bad thing for us to know each other?"
   Iris realized just how little Lois understood.
   "Lois, in the 31st century, they have monuments to Clark, Bruce, and Diana. Clark even has his own museum."
   "Wait, why would they have a statue for Bruce? He doesn't have any powers."
   Iris smirked. "He's more special than you'd think. You don't need powers to make a difference in this world."
   "...Uh-huh. Interesting. And Clark has a museum?!"
   Iris chuckled. "Yeah. They call it the Sup—... well, I'll just let you find that out. But the important thing is that you're a part of all that history, too."
   "...How?"
   Iris paused, not sure if she wanted to continue. "Are you sure you want to know?"
   Lois gave her an "are you seriously asking that?" look.
   "...You and Clark. Your romance is like a fairy tale in the future."
   "My what is a what in the future?"
   "Before things changed, you and he met when you were both adults, working at the Daily Planet. You didn't know that he was... well, super. He didn't tell you that he had any powers. He wanted you to fall in love with him for him, not just because he was a hero. And, one day, after years and years of him trying to chase you down, you finally did fall for him. There's more to it than that, but that's the gist of it."
   Lois had to force her swirling emotions and flittering thoughts down for the moment. "So... I was his girlfriend?"
   "You were his wife."
   Lois felt a bit overwhelmed. "Why are you telling me this?"
   "Because. Lois, before, when things were 'right' with the world... you didn't know Clark. And even after you met him, you didn't know about his 'secret identity' for years. You weren't supposed to know. But now everything's different."
   "So?" Lois asked. "We're together now. Why should it matter if it happened sooner than later? Are we somehow magically doomed to fail now?"
   "Well, you are in a high school relationship."
   "...Okay, good point."
   "And... if things don't work out like they're supposed to... there's a chance the entire world is in danger."
   It seemed that with every word Iris said, Lois got more confused. "How so?"
   "Clark told me once that you were the reason he kept fighting. That you supported him through all his battles, and that having you with him made it all worthwhile. And the thing is... even though I'd like to say that my husband is the best, the truth is that Clark honestly is the world's greatest hero. Or at least he will be. So, if what he said is true, then your part in it all was very important."
   "So, my part was what, exactly? Being the world's greatest housewife?"
   "Oh, don't me wrong. You were also one of the best reporters in existence. Won half a dozen pulitzers, took down five separate major crime organizations across four major cities, and found information that led to the downfall of a foreign terrorist regime."
   Lois smirked. "Now that's better."
   "But," Iris continued, "Clark needs you. Don't forget that."
   "...I won't."
   Iris smiled a little. "Okay. Good."

Flash Forward

3004 A.D.

Iris Allen loved watching her grandson sleep. Even though he was eleven now, he still looked like a baby when he slept. Iris felt grateful, in a strange way, that she'd been able to experience the joy of being a grandparent while not actually being an old woman. Iris was only thirty-one, even though she'd been born over three thousand years ago.
   In the year 2014, Iris West married the love of her life, Barry Allen. Barry, as it turned out, was far more remarkable than the average man: through a freak accident involving a lightning bolt and a pile of chemicals, Barry was blessed with superhuman speed. Dressed in a scarlet-colored costume, he used his powers to help those in need, eventually becoming one of the world's greatest heroes. His powers were so vast, in fact, that he was able to use highly advanced machinery to harness his speed and actually travel through time itself. On one occasion, Iris accompanied her husband to the future year of 2971. While there, she and Barry conceived and birthed a baby boy, Don. For various reasons, however, Iris and Barry couldn't stay in the future, and were forced to leave their baby in the care of trusted friends, who became Don's adoptive parents. Eventually, Iris and Barry were able to return to the future, but only to a point after Don had already grown to adulthood, married, and died, leaving only his son, Bart. Iris and Barry then decided to take their new grandson back to their time and raise him themselves. Something went wrong with the time travel process, however, and only Barry returned to the 21st century, leaving Iris and Bart trapped alone in the future.
   Iris had now been alone in the 31st century for nearly five years, still unsure as to why Barry hadn't returned.
   Still, however, little Bartholomew Allen kept her life full of love. At the present moment, she was checking up on him while he slept. Bart had had some rather restless nights over the past week or so, but he seemed perfectly peaceful for the moment. The dark bedroom was blissfully quiet, and Bart didn't budge at all.
   Suddenly, the room lit up for a mere split-second as a yellow spurt of electricity ran across Bart's side. Iris's eyes widened, and she put her hands over her mouth in shock.
   Another spark jolted across Bart. This time he winced, but stayed asleep. Then another spark. And another, and another. Bart shook and twisted in bed as more and more golden lighting bolts streaked across his sleeping body. Iris ran to the bedside, shaking him awake.
   "BART! BART! WAKE UP!"
   Bart's eyes shot open, and the electricity faded. "Hhuhh? Grandma? What's going on?..."
   Bart apparently had no idea of what had just happened, and looked just like he always did: a little slow on the uptake, but adorable nonetheless.
   Iris breathed a sigh of relief. "It's over... okay..."
   Bart suddenly winced, doubled over, and screamed as he felt more power surging through his body.
   "AAAUUGGHHH!!"

   Iris needed to get Bart help. But who could help him? Hospitals of the 31st century were well-equipped to handle even the most unusual of problems, but Bart was—as far as Iris knew—the only person currently in existence that was tapped into the extradimensional Speed Force. Only someone who understood the metaphysical—and largely theoretical—science behind Bart's biological connection to that power could help him now. Fortunately, Iris knew one such person.
   The towers of New Metropolis rose like elegant spires into the night sky. Despite being home to seventy-eight million people, the entire city seemed to be under a blanket of serenity. Even the car-like vehicles that hovered overhead were silent and gentle. The air was as crisp, clean, and refreshing as an open grassy field. Although Iris would trade anything to be able to follow her husband into the past, she did have to admit that this truly was a better place.
   Iris hurriedly walked down the street, gently pulling Bart by the hand. He was groggy, and almost fell over a few times, but managed to keep his footing for the most part. Iris would have driven Bart in their car, but she thought that perhaps if he were walking, it might help with whatever was happening to him.
   Finally, two blocks down, they arrived at a massive building. Set apart from the rest of the city by a whole city block on every side, it stood with a kind of regal importance. Iris hurriedly led Bart up the massive steps leading to the building's front entrance. Bart looked up at an archway above the front doors, and tried to read the words engraved in golden stone upon it: LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES.
   Iris, breathing hard from the hurried stairway climb, keyed the intercom panel on the door.
   "Welcome to Legion Headquarters. Do you have an appointment?" a computerized voice responded.
   "I'm Iris Allen! Let me speak to someone, please!"
   The artificial voice was silent, as though it were surprised and confused as to how to respond.
   After a few seconds, it hurriedly replied. "Mrs. Allen, you are of course welcome here. Please enter. A Legionnaire will arrive momentarily to escort you."
   A door on Iris's right slid open, and she pulled Bart inside.
   The main lobby was dark and empty. Iris was getting anxious; she didn't think Bart could wait any longer.
   "Mrs. Allen! Is something wrong?" a voice called from down a hallway. Iris turned to see a boy half-running to meet her. His skin was blue-green, and his hair was a bright golden sheen.
   "Yes!" Iris replied. "Bart's been having... spasms. He was getting shocked by... spontaneous electricity while he slept."
   The green-skinned boy's eyes widened. "Come with me. Hurry!"

   The three of them stepped into an elevator and descended several floors underground. When they stopped, the doors opened to a huge laboratory. All kinds of advanced technologies covered the room, none of which Iris recognized. She guessed that it was unimaginably advanced, even for the 31st century.
   "Let's get him on here," the green-skinned boy said, gesturing to a metal table shaped like a human body.
   Iris and the boy helped Bart get onto the table. When Bart laid down, the sides of the table flipped around, clamping him down and covering his arms and legs. Lights along the metal coverings began to glow. Bart felt himself relax.
   "This machine will help to drain the excess energy coming from his body until we can figure out what's going on," the green-skinned boy said.
   The elevator behind them opened again, and three others stepped out.
   "Miss Iris!" a red-haired teenage boy said. "What are you doing here?"
   Before Iris could reply, a blonde-haired girl at the redhead boy's side replied for her. "Something's wrong with Bart..."
   Iris was always slightly annoyed at Imra's mind-reading abilities, but this time she didn't mind as much.
   "Yes. He's hurt, and I don't know what to do."
   "Don't worry, Mrs. Allen. We'll help him," the third one to exit the elevator said. He was slightly taller than the others, with jet-black hair and a serious look about him.
   The machine Bart was lying in began to shake and flash with electricity. Bart was going into spasms again.
   "Lightning Lad! Saturn Girl! I need you over here, now!"
   The blonde and redheaded teenagers ran to the green-skinned boy's side. Iris was surprised at the green one's tone; from what she understood, Legionnaires only referred to each other by their code names in battle.
   "Imra, try to keep Bart calm," the green one said. "Garth, try and absorb some of the electricity off his body. You're a living battery; you should be able to take it a bit better than he can."
   "Woah, are you sure?" Garth asked. "I mean, this is Speed Force energy; it's not like normal electricity, is it?"
   "It's close enough. Just do it."
   Garth shrugged. "Okay, whatever you say. You're the Brainiac here."
   Imra placed one hand gently on Bart's forehead, and the other to her temple. She concentrated hard, trying to calm his frightened mind. Garth put his hands on Bart's chest, drawing the jumping arcs of yellow lightning into his own body. He flinched a few times, but managed to hold on.
   The green-skinned boy—whose name Iris finally remembered was "Brainiac 5"—examined biological data on a nearby computer screen.
   "What's going on here, Brainy?" The black-haired boy asked firmly, almost as though it were an order.
   "I'm not sure, Rokk, I—... wait... hang on; I think I've got it!"
   Brainiac 5 turned to the others. "His body is reacting too early to the Speed Force. If he were older when he had these powers, he'd be fine. But since he's not old enough to utilize the power yet, it's overloading. It'll kill him unless we do something."
   "What can we do?" Imra asked.
   "Hang on, I'm thinking..."
   Brainiac 5, being the fifth-generation descendant of the computerized BRAIN Inter-Active Construct, was partially robotic. His brain contained a twelfth-level intelligence, and he was quite possibly the smartest sentient individual on the planet.
   "I think I have an answer," he said. "We can drain Bart's powers to an acceptable level by having him utilize them to their fullest extent."
   "Wait a minute," Iris said. "Barry used his power to its fullest extent when he traveled through time. Are you saying?..."
   "Yes. We need to send him through time."
   Iris felt shock tingle up her spine. "No! We can't send him away!"
   "We could send you, too, actually. Back to your own time, in the 21st century." Brainiac 5 said.
   Iris was confused. "But... I thought you said there wasn't any way to get me back?"
   "Not before now, no. The Time Institute is making some progress, but the technology isn't quite there yet. We needed Barry for time travel before now, but since Bart now has similar powers, we have another option."
   Iris sat down on a nearby chair in order to think. Could she really go back to her own time? Could she see Barry again? Would it be safe for Bart?
   "I can't take this for much longer!" Garth yelled across the room.
   "Please, Mrs. Allen," Brainiac said. "You need to make your decision now. I don't know how much longer Bart can survive."
   "...Alright. We'll go."
   Brainiac ran to a nearby machine covered with a tarp. When he pulled off the tarp, Iris gasped. It was a long, metal box with a control panel on the side and a running track along its top. Barry had jokingly nicknamed it "the Cosmic Treadmill." It was what helped Barry focus his power to travel through time. Brainiac turned it on, and it hummed to life. The track began spinning, and lights switched on.
   "Move him over here," Brainiac said to the others. Rokk, Garth, and Imra helped Bart out of the machine, and slowly walked him over to the treadmill. Brainiac pulled out a syringe and gently squeezed its contents into Bart's neck.
   "There. That should give him a little more energy so he can run."
   Brainiac tapped a few buttons on the treadmill, setting the approximate target time and date. When he was done, he turned to Iris.
   "There's a chance that this won't work. There's a possible thirty-year variance in the targeting. If you end up at a point in time before the year you originally left, you'll need to stay out of history's way."
   Iris nodded. "Right. I know a thing or two about time travel." She turned to the others. "Thank you, all of you."
   Rokk stepped forward. "Your husband was one of the founding members of the Justice League of America. Because of what he did in the past, the world is a better place today. It's the least we can do to help you in any way we can."
   "Besides," Imra added with a gentle smile, "we think of you like family."
   "It's time to go," Brainiac said. "Bart, I need you to get on top of this machine and and run, okay? Run as fast as you can."
   Bart nodded. He hopped on, and began walking across the rotating mat. Iris knew how the machine worked; she simply put her hand on it and waited. The running belt began to spin faster and faster. Bart began running. The belt sped up again, and again, and again. Bart ran faster than any normal human was capable of moving. His legs were a blur. Yellow bolts of electricity arced into the machine, powering it up even more. As Bart accelerated to an extreme speed, a glowing cone of light appeared in front of the treadmill. It quickly moved to envelop the entire treadmill, along with Bart and Iris. In a deafening flash of lightning and thunder, the machine and the Allens were gone.
   The four Legionnaires stood alone in the silent laboratory.
   "Did it work?" Rokk asked.
   Brainiac pulled out his datapad and began scanning the space that the Allens had just left empty. "...Yes. It worked."
   Imra, Garth, and Rokk shared a mutual smile.
   "But... wait a minute..." Brainiac added, worry creeping into his voice. "...Oh no. Something's wrong. Very wrong."

Diana of Themyscira

Sixteen Years Ago

Hippolyta walked the beaches of Paradise Island under the gentle moonlight. For nearly three millennia, she had lived on with her fellow Amazon sisters in quiet seclusion. Together, they mined metal from the earth, cut stone from the mountain walls, and made clay from the sands. At the center of the island's harbor, amongst the sparkling rivers and gentle grasses, they built a city. Here, on a hidden paradise among the seas, the Amazons had made a new home.

   But despite this, Hippolyta's mind found no shelter. She was tormented by loneliness.

   

   "Why is your heart troubled?" a feminine voice echoed from the skies.

   The Amazon queen recognized the voice immediately: Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Though it was proper for a mortal to bow in the presence of such a deity, Hippolyta remained standing.

   "I am in a cage," Hippolyta responded.

   "You are safe from the chaotic world of man," Athena's voice responded.

   "Safe, and trapped. Alone."

   "You wish for companionship? Surely you do not wish for the presence of men."

   "Men, no."

   "Then whom?"

   "...I was pregnant, before Heracles' army slew my people. My unborn child was killed in the battle."

   "And now you wish for that child to live again."

   "Yes."

   There was silence in the clouds for a few moments before Athena spoke again.

   "Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, it has been decided that our debt to your people has not yet been repaid in full, and your request shall be granted."

   Hippolyta's felt a tinge of relief and joy slip through her being.

   "Your child's soul shall be restored, but you shall sculpt her body from the sands," Athena said. "Do this now."

   Without another word, Athena drew her dagger and knelt on the beach. She plowed the wet sand with her blade, and carefully began to form the shape of a newborn baby. Her fingers caressed every curve and detail with the gentleness and care that only a mother can provide. When the sculpture was done, Athena spoke again.

   "Now, grant her a single drop of your own blood, then raise her to us."

   Hippolyta pricked her thumb with her dagger, then pressed a single drop of shed blood on the sculpted baby's forehead. She raised the sculpture to the heavens, and six beams of light shone out from the clouds, striking the lump of sand. Suddenly, the sands slid away, revealing a naked human baby in Hippolyta's hands.

   The baby shuddered for a moment, then gently cried in the open air. Hippolyta, shocked and amazed, cradled the baby in her arms, tears of joy streaming down her face.

   "Your daughter has been granted six gifts from six of the gods," said Athena. "From Demeter, great strength. From Artemis, the heart and skill of a hunter and warrior. From Aphrodite, unsurpassed beauty and a loving heart. From Hestia, sisterhood with fire. From Hermes, heightened speed and the power of flight. And from myself, great wisdom and courage."
   Hippolyta felt unease at this. "My eternal gratitude be to you, my goddess, but why has my daughter been blessed with such gifts?"
   "Your daughter is to bridge the gap between the Amazons and the outside world."
   "No! Please, I beg you, no! Surely she cannot be the prophesied Ambassador? There must be another—"
   "There is no other. She is the one. But do not despair; your daughter will be more than capable. Do you question my wisdom?"
   "No, my goddess."
   "Very well. When she is of age, you will take your daughter to man's world. There, she will begin her task. Will you comply in this?"
   "I will."

   The lights in the sky faded, and Hippolyta was left alone in silence with her baby daughter.
   "Welcome to Paradise Island, my darling Diana."