A breach formed in the center of an isolated room at the DEO. Its blue waveforms shimmered and shivered, and then two figures dropped through.
Green Arrow stumbled to one knee, disoriented by the transmission of his molecules from one vibrational plane to another. Barry helped him to his feet. “You all right? It can be a little tricky.”
“I’m fine.” Oliver brushed off Barry’s hand as he stood. The two of them saw a figure nearby, a man who stepped out of the shadows.
“Welcome,” he said, “to the place you call . . . Earth 38? Right?”
They took him in. He was tall and powerfully built, with hair so black that its highlights seemed almost blue in the eerie light of the DEO building. He was quite possibly the most at-ease man Barry had ever seen. He stood with a confidence and a disarming charm that belied the obvious enormity of his powers. Barry swallowed hard, aware that he was in the presence of something—someone—truly magnificent. He felt simultaneously awed and completely safe, both sensations at levels he’d rarely experienced in his life.
And then Oliver, of course, had to puncture the moment, like an arrow through a helium balloon.
“Who’s this guy,” Oliver asked suspiciously, “and why is he wearing Supergirl’s costume?”
Classic Oliver Queen. Whenever Green Arrow felt too good, too secure, too happy, he had to ruin it. Oliver believed that relaxation was a ninja that sneaked up on you and caught you off guard. And when he was caught off guard, he reacted reflexively and without sympathy.
The man’s smile, already broad and relaxed, grew even more. “I’m her cousin. I’m known as Superman here, but you can feel free to call me Kal, if that seems more comfortable for you.” His eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. “Flash. Green Arrow. I like the costumes.”
“How many ‘super’-people are there?” Oliver asked as Barry immediately stepped forward and shook Superman’s hand. The grip was somehow strong and comforting at the same time. Barry was keenly aware that Superman could crush every bone in his body to powder in the blink of an eye, but that he was effortlessly controlling his strength. What was it like to live in a body so incredibly powerful, he wondered. What was it like to be able to do anything?
“Kara thought it would be best for the two of you to come through in a private area,” Superman told them. “I agree. We’re not quite as accustomed to Multiversal travel as you appear to be. We wouldn’t want to cause a panic here.”
“Where is Kara?” Barry asked.
For the first time, a glimmer of doubt and concern flickered across Superman’s expression. “She and one of our allies have taken to the sky to confront this creature coming through the breach.”
Barry and Oliver exchanged panicked glances. “That’s a supremely bad idea.”
Now Superman outright frowned. “I warned them against doing so, given my own experience with the creature—”
“You fought it?” Oliver interjected.
“Yes. And came away with the scars to prove it.” He smiled briefly. “Metaphorically speaking. You’re worried about Kara and J’Onn. That’s enough for me.”
“You barely know us!” Oliver protested.
“Kara trusts you. And I’m a fairly good judge of character.” He tapped his left ear. “You have good hearts.”
“I don’t think he’s speaking metaphorically anymore,” Barry said.
“Can I show you to the command center?”
With a cheerful grin, he turned and led them away.
“Can he?” Oliver whispered to Barry as they watched the Man of Steel’s cape swish in his wake. “What choice do we have?”
“He can hear you,” Barry reminded Oliver, and then followed Superman down the hall.
• • •
The DEO command center had been cleared of all but the most essential personnel for the meeting of the heroes from two universes.
Barry was thrilled to see Kara’s sister, Alex, again but was disappointed to learn that Winn Schott, who’d helped him so much the first time he’d visited Earth 38, was no longer available. “Long story,” Alex said.
Instead, he was introduced to a striking woman named Lena, as well as a slender young man with a shock of black hair whom everyone called “Brainy.”
“We need to tell Kara and her friend to call off her attack,” Barry said. “Now. Can you communicate with her?”
“Why can’t we just send him to get them?” Oliver asked, hooking a thumb at Superman.
“My powers are still coming back,” Superman said with a note of true apology in his voice. “I wouldn’t get there fast enough.”
Barry grimaced. Speed was his forte, but flying wasn’t.
Brainy stared down at the bank of screens built into the pedestal at the center of the DEO command chamber. It almost seemed as though he caressed the monitors with his gaze. Just when Barry was about to ask what he was doing, the DEO agent spoke.
“Their comms are off-line. No doubt due to interference from the breach and the . . . creature.”
“We need another way to get in touch with them,” Alex said. “Brainy, you hacked into J’Onn’s telepathic channel before. Can you do it again?”
Brainy shook his head once. Curtly. Efficiently. “Not at this distance, I regret to say.”
They all looked around the room at one another, with mingled expressions of fear, desperation, concern. “We have to do something!” Alex yelled.
“You need an arrow,” Oliver said quietly.
Everyone turned to look at him.