CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE MAGIC WORD, PART ONE

5 miles from the Kahndaqi border, 02 November, 2009

The blazing heat of the desert sun bore down on the small convoy as it came to a stop in front of the ancient ruins. Once their trucks had come to a stop, the dozen armed men swarmed out, to fetch their cargo from the back. In minutes, they had dragged twenty people in rags – their heads covered – from the two trucks, and forced them to kneel in front of their buyers.

With an equal number of his Pharaoh's soldiers behind him and Legion – in Lucas' visage – Exodus looked over the scant offering, and frowned. "This is all you have to offer?"

The leader of the convoy smiled apologetically. "My apologies for the meager pickings, Master du Paris, but…"

"Exodus," Exodus snarled. "That name means even less to me than your miserable life, human. And calling this offering "meagre" is an even greater insult to the Pharaoh..!"

Legion's hand on his shoulder calmed him. "Easy, Ex. No sense maiming our suppliers needlessly," he reasoned. To their supplier, he added, "I think what my associate means to say, mate, is that we were pretty clear about what kind of recruits – or conscripts – we wanted. Only mutants need apply." He frowned. "And I'm not seeing any mutants here."

The convoy leader chuckled nervously. "Well, Master Haller, I'm afraid that…finding mutant conscripts has become more difficult. Since your Pharaoh's last "recruitment drive," mutant citizens anywhere – even the younger ones more likely to blindly follow – have curbed their enthusiasm considerably. They raise the alarm even when we use our more benign methods of approach. Something about the last group of soldiers in your Pharaoh's army being left to die..?"

Exodus bristled. "You dare question Pharaoh's will..?!"

"Of course not!" the convoy leader exclaimed. "I am only explaining their rationale…which is why this is all we have. Certainly, non-mutants could not serve in the Pharaoh's army, but does he not need other workers? Attendants? Scribes? Labour?" He grinned, and pulled the mask off of one young woman, revealing her slightly tanned complexion, her long dark hair mussed, her ebony eyes wide with tears. "This one we found from a contact in South America; a fine potential concubine, no?"

Exodus looked disgusted. "You think the Pharaoh would take a Homo sapien as consort?" he sneered. "Your presumptuousness is astounding, human. If you have nothing to offer beyond…that, then be off with..!"

"Ex. Hold on," Legion interrupted. "Can we afford to throw away anything? Even cannon fodder?"

"You forget yourself, Famine! I am the Pharaoh's General, his very spearpoint! Absent his own voice, I decide what suits his army best!"

Legion smirked. "And you've done a fine job," he said wryly. "All I'm asking is, can we use these humans for anything other than the army?" He arched an eyebrow. "You say no. I say yes. Thus, we need a tie-breaker."

Exodus frowned. "Pray that the Pharaoh is merciful, Haller. I will not be responsible for his wrath at being bothered over such trivial matters!"

"Whatever you say," Legion said. He glanced to their supplier. "Could you excuse us? We need to confer with our boss."

Leaving the human behind, the two strode into the ruins, into the command center, walking to the main console, which they had yet to initialize. As Legion began to power it up, Exodus' scowl grew. "You are certain you told none of this place?" he snapped. "The Kryptonian and his cadre have apprehended Pharaoh's soldiers at every site we have attempted to activate thus far! I will not have another lost!"

"Cool your bloody jets, Ex! We're the only two that knew where we were headed beforehand!" Legion retorted. "The boss kept the location under his hat – or whatever it is Pharaohs wear – until an hour ago! There's no way anyone could blab!" By then, the console had powered up, allowing Legion to access the communications system.

As Apocalypse's dour visage appeared in the light above the console, Exodus dropped to his knees. "Hail, o Pharaoh! Your humble servants beg your audience!"

Apocalypse nodded. "Speak, my Horsemen."

Exodus' face turned chagrined. "Would that we could speak with glad tidings, my Pharaoh," he lamented. "We have just met with the human who was to handle our next batch of conscripts. To say that the pickings were meagre is to be too generous with praise: a handful of misfits, Homo sapiens all!"

Apocalypse's eyes narrowed. "Pharaoh is to be bothered over this? Dismiss the wretch and be rid of the humans. So let it be written, and..!"

"Before we let it be done, Pharaoh, I had an idea that I thought merited your consideration!" Legion interjected. "Certainly, these humans are useless to your army, even as cannon-fodder, but you need more than just an army, correct?"

Apocalypse paused in his decree. "Continue."

Legion grinned. "Even after your conquest is done, Pharaoh, you will likely need a labour pool: builders for your monuments, attendants for your palaces, scribes to record your decrees, and day-labourers for your farms, mines, and miscellaneous projects! That labour will have to come from somewhere, correct? Why not start drawing it from the humans you will conquer? It seems a waste of manpower, otherwise."

Apocalypse was silent for several seconds, prompting Exodus to speak again. "Forgive me, my Pharaoh! I told Famine that this idea was folly, but he did not heed me!"

Apocalypse chuckled. "Be still, War. The notion is not an unworthy one," he said. "Inferior though the humans are, their numbers provide a potential use. It would seem like throwing a camel calf aside with its sickened mother, in not making use of available labour. Very well. You may oversee the use of human labourers," his eyes narrowed, "though if they should prove useless, upon your head be the failure."

Legion chuckled nervously. "Of course, my Pharaoh."

"Good. Let us speak of other matters," Apocalypse continued. "You have activated this facility with no interference? The Justice League has not attempted to intervene?"

Exodus shook his head. "There has been no sign of them, my Pharaoh. We searched this complex extensively, and all four surrounding ruins! We found no hint of any surveillance or traitors!"

Apocalypse had been nodding, but Exodus' last statement made him pause. "You misspeak, my Horseman. By my memory, only three temples surrounded this complex in antiquity."

Exodus blinked. "I…f-forgive me, my Pharaoh, but we found four temples in ruin. By eye's reckoning, three of them seemed of an age with this complex as you said, but there was a fourth one that seemed a hair's length newer."

Legion nodded. "We both saw them, Pharaoh. Someone added to this complex after your departure."

Apocalypse frowned. "Hmm…perhaps the one who usurped my throne built it in homage to his patron god. What symbols adorned it? Scarab? Hawk? Lotus?"

Exodus shook his head. "None of those, my Pharaoh. The only symbol we found in abundance was that of a lightning bolt."

Apocalypse went still. "You are certain of this, War?"

"Completely, my Pharaoh!"

A snarl crossed Apocalypse's face. "DEMOLISH it!" he roared. "Let none of that temple stand – not even a speck of dust!"

Exodus was taken aback. "M-My Pharaoh..?"

"That temple's very existence – let alone that it was built atop MY site of power – is an intolerable offense!" Apocalypse thundered. "Destroy it, or I shall come and do so myself!"

"I never took you for a demolitions enthusiast, Nur."

The sound of that voice prompted Exodus and Legion to spin around…and find Superman casually leaning against one of the support-columns. Apocalypse's expression turned to white-hot rage. "YOU!"

Superman's only reaction was a frown. "You'd think that a relic like you would have better appreciation for archaeology."

"War! DISPENSE with the defier!" Apocalypse boomed, as his image started to flicker. "Famine! Activate the facility..!"

"I'm trying, Pharaoh!" Legion shouted. "Bloody hell, it's just like every time before; that big robot upstairs is mucking with everything!"

As if to prove Legion's point, the image of Apocalypse winked away, and was replaced by that of Sentrius' holo-form. "Commander, I have control of the facility. Commencing trace."

"Very good, Sentrius. Keep the line open; I don't want Nur cutting the signal, this time."

Exodus was ready to explode. "You…you miserable WRETCH!" With a roar of anger, he sent a massive TK-wave at Superman. Just as quickly, the Man of Tomorrow generated a Remote Shield ahead of himself, blunting the psychic pressure-wave enough to gauge its intensity, allowing him to somersault over it untouched. Before Exodus could attack again, Superman closed on him, slamming him with an uppercut that knocked him airborne. Not giving Exodus any time to react, Superman surged energy to his legs and rocketed ahead of the Horseman, intercepting him with a palm-strike to his chest that blasted him clear through the walls of the ruins.

While his teammate tried to deal with Krypton's Last Son, Legion frantically worked the console, trying to break through Sentrius' hack…until twin web-streams snagged his wrists. "I probably need to check the time-zones," Spider-Man remarked, as he dropped down from above, hanging upside-down by a web-line, "but you are probably breaking about a dozen truancy laws, mister!"

Legion's expression was murderous. "Spider-Wanker, you just earned yourself the biggest sodding headache of your bloody life!"

As Legion glared at him, Spider-Man blinked. "Uh…okay, does somebody need some Pepto? You look kinda constipated."

Legion focused harder. "W-What the bloody hell..?!"

His unspoken question was answered as the ghostly form of the Martian Manhunter rose out of the console, becoming solid as he stepped out of it. "I believe that you three have caused enough harm, Legion," he said firmly, his eyes flaring white. "Now, try not to think of where Apocalypse is hiding."

Lucas flinched, before his body shifted, becoming David. "H-Help me! Please! Luke's gone off his rocker!"

The Manhunter stopped his mental attack. "Fight him, David!" he urged. "We can help you!"

David looked painted, and started to reach for J'onn. "I…I can't…"

J'onn took his hand. "You can, David. I promise…"

Harsh braying laughter silenced the Manhunter, as David shifted back into Lucas. "Like I was saying, I can't believe you bloody fell for that!" With that, Lucas generated a wave of psychic flame from his hands that sent J'onn into spasms.

Before Legion could flame-blast his teammate again, Spider-Man web-zipped to the Manhunter's side, swinging him clear. "Okay. No more Mister Nice Arachnid!" he snapped, as he turned back to Legion. "Judging from your attitude, buster, I'd say that Professor X owes you about 15 years of belt-whuppins! Since he's not here, I'm just gonna have to condense those into one beatdown! Wish me luck!" Firing another web-line, Spider-Man zipped towards Legion to pummel him with a lightning-fast barrage of punches, ending with an uppercut that knocked him airborne. Refusing to let up, Spider-Man web-zipped himself up to Legion, unloading a second beatdown in mid-air, ending with an axe-handle strike that knocked Legion back down. "Consider that a message from the Professor, Haller: you are grounded..!"

"Spider-Man. J'onn J'onzz." Sentrius' voice interrupted Spider-Man's quip. "Despite my uplink, Apocalypse was able to enact the self-destruct before I could fully lock him out of the system. I am presently attempting to retrieve all data in this facility's memory-banks, but the two of you must evacuate immediately."

Lucas laughed. ""Grounded," am I?" he sneered, as he pushed himself out the hole Exodus had left with his TK.

Spider-Man groaned, as he ran to J'onn's side, helping him up. "It's definitely gonna be one of those days!"

As Exodus hurtled out across the desert sand, Superman raced after him, catching up to slam him with a surged punch, and then surging more energy to his legs, to fly ahead of the mad mutant, and knock him back the other way. Crashing into one of the four temples nearby – the one adorned with a thunderbolt – Exodus tumbled across the stone floor before he stopped himself with his TK. His expression maddened with rage, Exodus gestured towards part of the toppled columns and reached out with his TK again. Instantly, the massive stone floated off the ground and shot towards the advancing Superman, only to shift to the left at the last second…and fly towards the handful of kidnapped humans. Horrified, Superman did a midair 180 turn, flying back at double-speed to intercept and catch the stone just before it hit them. "Ha! A fool as always!" Exodus crowed, as he reached for a second stone…

"Ahem." The tap on his shoulder prompted Exodus to turn, only to find Power Girl floating behind him, a sly smile on her face. "Hi."

Before Exodus could raise his hands or cover his eyes, Power Girl illuminated her entire body like a blazing magnesium flare, shrinking his pupils to a hundredth of their prior diameter. Screaming with pain, Exodus blindly lashed out with a wide-field TK-wave, which Power Girl easily ducked under, to counter with a leaping knee-kick right to his chin, knocking him airborne. By then, Superman had set the stone down and rocketed back into the fray; spotting his girlfriend's earlier attack, Superman followed her momentum by reflex, darting to Exodus to slam him with a mid-air right hook. In perfect tune with her beau, Power Girl formed a hard-light curving barrier ahead of Exodus, which banked his flight back towards her uppercut, which she followed with a flip-kick. Superman was by her side in a heartbeat, keeping up the momentum with a one-two punch combo that ended with a burst of gale-breath, sending Exodus hurtling across the temple, to smash into the altar at the far end, and through it…revealing a stone sarcophagus adorned with blackened lightning-bolt symbols.

Before either of them could press the attack, Legion landed in the temple, cushioning his fall with a TK-pulse. "Ex! We gotta go! Greeny and Webs are on my arse!"

Exodus got to his feet. "I will NOT flee in the face of our Pharaoh's enemy! If you wish to turn coward, Haller, so be it!"

Legion groaned. "Bloody hell, Ex, this is not the time to aim for brownie points..!"

The rest of his remark was lost in the shifting of stone…as the top of the sarcophagus shifted, and was pushed open. As the heavy mass of stone fell away, a tall, well-built man with short-cut ebony hair and light olive skin, clad in a dark robe with a thunderbolt-shaped amulet, rose from it. Obviously disoriented, he looked at Superman and Power Girl, then at Exodus and Legion, and muttered something.

Power Girl blinked. "Um…baby? Did you catch that?"

Superman was equally lost. "Uh…sorry, Aly, but I'm in the dark too. My best guess is ancient Egyptian, which isn't pre-loaded on the Fortress' database."

Exodus' expression was one of cruel glee. "Then understand this, fool!" Darting towards the stranger, Exodus pinned him in a choke, ready to snap his neck. "Try anything, whelp, and this wretch dies! You will tell us how you are disrupting the Pharaoh's outposts, or by En Sabah Nur's name, I shall..!"

Apparently, his choice of words was a poor one. At the mention of Apocalypse's true name, the stranger stiffened, and went red with fury. "En Sabah NUR?!" Before Exodus could blink, the stranger broke his choke, reversing the motion into a pseudo-suplex, pinning Exodus around the chest. Instead of slamming him to the ground, however, the stranger simply held him aloft, and uttered a single word. "Shazam!"

Superman couldn't place how or why, but for some reason, that word echoed in his memory.

Unfortunately for the stranger, that was the only effect the word had. His expectant face turning horrified, he tried again. "Shazam! SHAZAM!"

Legion laughed. "What's that supposed to mean, you wanker? That some sort of ancient boy-band?" Not waiting for an answer, Lucas summoned a blast of psychic flame and cast it at the newcomer. As he saw the attack coming, the stranger cast Exodus aside, uttering another unintelligible word…which did have an effect: at the stranger's invocation, Lucas' flame suddenly stopped and condensed into a ball of packed ice that shot back at him, knocking him flat on his back. Coughing, Legion managed to get up, spotting the approaching Spider-Man and Martian Manhunter. "Ex, we need to bloody go! Get us out of here!"

His expression one of resigned fury, Exodus looked around, trying to find an opening…and found one. "Haller! On my move, be ready!" With that, he unleashed a directed TK-wave towards Superman and Power Girl…which shot past them towards the entrance to the temple…

…where one of the prisoners – the young woman – stood, having followed them. Her eyes were wide as she started to scream..!

Horrified, Superman and Power Girl were in motion, but the stranger – having guessed at Exodus' tactic – was ready. "LITHRAK!" His invocation sent energy into the earth, forming a pillar of hardened sand in front of the terrified young woman, blunting Exodus' attack entirely. With his foes distracted, Exodus widened his TK-surge, smashing the support columns to rubble before racing to Legion's side. Somewhat winded, the stranger had to steady himself, before glancing to their fleeing foes, then to the frozen girl, and then looking at Superman expectantly.

Superman didn't need to translate ancient Egyptian to understand him. "Spider-Man! J'onn! Help me stabilize the temple! Aly, get our new friends out of here!"

Having just arrived to hear their leader's instructions, Spider-Man and the Manhunter reacted instantly. As the south column began to give way, J'onn grasped it with his TK, holding its pieces in place long enough for Spider-Man to attach a web-line to it and swing around it, widening his web-stream into a sheet, coating it with enough silken line to steady it, if only for a moment. Darting to the west column, Superman was able to catch it before it fell over completely, tracing his eye-rays over it to glass-weld it back together as he pushed it back into place.

With the collapse of the temple slowed, Power Girl was able to get to the petrified girl. "Honey, we need to get out of here! This place is going to fall on our heads any second!"

The young woman managed to respond in Portuguese-accented English. "W-What is going on..?!"

"Explanations later, sweetie! Time to move!" At Power Girl's words, the temporary repairs that her teammates had made started to give way. Spider-Man's webs started to stretch under the weight of the stone before they snapped, letting the column crumble. The loss of that pillar strained the others all the more, causing the welds Superman had made – still soft from the residual heat – to pull apart, setting off a chain reaction that sent the entire ceiling falling around their heads. Even though he could see Exodus teleport himself and Legion away from the temple, Superman could only fly up to catch the bulk of the falling stone, while J'onn and Spider-Man dealt with the few loose chunks that came loose with web-nets and telekinesis. Power Girl had nearly gotten the young woman out of the temple when a particular large chunk of rock fell towards her, prompting her to pause and deflect it with a light-barrier. Utterly panicked, the young woman ran to the side, trying to find her own way out, but froze as another column started to fall towards her..!

Seeing the young woman's plight, the stranger groaned to himself. "LITHRAK MOVERA!" His invocation charged the sand around the girl's feet, causing it to wrap around her ankles and pull her along the ground at speed, away from the column to deposit her outside the temple. Almost exhausted, the stranger invoked one last word. "RETRATA!" At his word, white light enveloped the rest of them, teleporting them all outside the temple, letting it collapse on itself.

Once they were outside, Superman couldn't stop to catch his breath. He switched on his communicator. "Sentrius: what's the countdown on that self-destruct?"

"Fifteen seconds and falling, Commander. I recommend utilizing the Point-to-Point Generator to evacuate."

Superman nodded. "We also spotted a number of refugees nearby, Sentrius! We'll need you to get them out of here, as well!" he agreed. "Teleport us directly to your station-self; we'll figure out how to get them home from there!"

"Acknowledged, Commander. Please stand by."

Moments after Sentrius spoke, a swirling prismatic vortex appeared above their heads, before a blue-white wave engulfed them, taking them from the desert sands and depositing them in the silver-blue crystalline Command Center of the Sentrius Battlestation. After another heartbeat, a second teleporter wave dropped off the remainder of the refugees, all of whom were utterly bewildered. The young woman was just as terrified, and clung to Power Girl's arm in sheer fright. The stranger was alarmed, but more ireful than anything else. As he started to angrily speak in his mother tongue, Superman raised his hands to try and calm him. "J'onn? Can you try telepathy with this gentleman? I'm hoping you can breach the language barrier."

With a nod, J'onn focused, his eyes flashing white. 'Please be calm, friend. We mean you no ill will.'

The stranger paused, glancing towards J'onn. 'By Osiris…how are you speaking in my mind? What manner of beast are you?!'

J'onn gently smiled, refusing to be offended. 'That is what we would call "a long story,"' he sent back. 'What is important right now is that we are your friends…and we are enemies of En Sabah Nur.'

That struck enough of a note to calm the stranger. Sensing the shift, Superman gestured to himself. "Kal." He pointed to Power Girl. "Alison." He pointed to the Manhunter. "J'onn," he finished, before he pointed to the stranger, and waited.

The stranger understood. With a smile, he extended his hand. "Teth-Adam." Smiling back, Superman reached out his hand to shake…

…but as his hand met the stranger's – Teth-Adam's – he could help but feel a strange chill run down his spine.

XXXXXXXX

Elsewhere

Something was wrong.

For the past age, ever since the War – a length of time that had felt like an eternity and an instant – all had been quiet. His vigil over the Rock had gone on, endless and uneventful. Though the past few years – upon the Earth – had been more interesting, nothing had truly disturbed him until now. What could have done it? The last time he had been so disturbed had been…had been…

No…

A glance across the astral plain told it all. The seal had broken. The spell had been disrupted.

The Corrupt One walked the earth again.

Ending his scry, to save as much of his energy as he could, he drew upon his endless mystic knowledge for a solution. He'd known his time was drawing to a close, but now matters were more dire. His Successor was in danger. Khem-Adam would surely come for him, and the Successor was not ready. Not yet.

With as much energy as he dared, he called across the void, the line between life and the unknown Beyond – calling for his lost apprentice, the virtuous one who had fallen to seal the Corrupted. His senses more in-tune – awake – he could feel a greater darkness upon the earth. Nur was free…and the ancient shadow that had always lurked beyond the stars now gazed upon the earth.

Time was of the essence. Adar had to reach this age's heroes…and his Successor had to speak his name, or all was lost…

XXXXXXXX

Sentrius Battlestation

It always amazed Power Girl how, for being the most powerful weapon in the known universe, being aboard Sentrius could be so peaceful. She only wished her own thoughts could be so immaculately ordered after everything.

As the Battlestation's teleporter wave deposited its latest guest in the Command Center, Power Girl did her best to stash her inner turmoil – she could deal with it later. "Thanks for the house-call, Doctor."

In his usual robe and Cloak of Levitation, his physician's travel-bag in hand – likely as full of spellbooks and mystic implements as medical gear – Dr. Strange let out a breath he'd likely been holding since he'd gotten the call. "Oshtur save me, I thought I was accustomed to all methods of travel!" he said with a smile, which turned wan as he looked around. "I will admit, this place is beautiful, but terribly chilling."

Power Girl softly chuckled. "I guess being in a construct that exemplifies science kinda goes against your usual day in the Sanctum?"

"You forget, my dear: before magic, I was an accomplished neurosurgeon. Staying up-to-date on the latest medical technology was par for the course," Dr. Strange chided. "What chills me is this station's destructive potential. I suppose I will never be entirely comfortable with anything that can turn the Hippocratic Oath to cinders – literally and figuratively."

Alison flinched. "Oh. Duh." She steadied herself. "As you likely figured, right now we need the "Doctor" as much as the "Strange." In our last run in with Apocalypse's two Horsemen, we had to evacuate a number of refugees-slash-trafficking victims, as well as one individual who can definitely use magic."

Dr. Strange nodded. "A good deal to process all around," he agreed. "Well, triage protocol holds sway here. Who needs treatment soonest?"

Power Girl glanced up. "Sentrius?"

Sentrius' holo-form appeared above them. "Upon review of standard emergency triage protocol, Doctor, all patients were coded with standard green-yellow-red light-tags. I am pleased to report that 95% of all patients fell within "green" parameters, and the remaining 5% fell under "yellow" classification; of these, none are in immediate danger. A number of their physical ailments are attributable to malnourishment, but many are due to abuse…and it should be noted that triage protocol is presently unable to factor psychological injuries."

Dr. Strange nodded grimly. "A fact that I am painfully aware of, Sentrius. Thank you." As Sentrius winked away, the Doctor glanced back to Power Girl. "And how are you?"

Alison swallowed hard. "I'm…I'm good."

Whatever hope she'd had of fooling a diagnostician's eye proved illusory. Dr. Strange crossed his arms. "Try again."

'Crap.' Power Girl took a breath. "I'm good…considering everything."

"And "everything" would be what, exactly?"

Alison frowned. "I thought you were a neurosurgeon, not a shrink."

"True, but every physician is expected to do a psychiatric rotation at least once. What's more, Clea checks in on you via scrying pool on occasion; she recently noted you were distressed." Dr. Strange said. "And you're also forgetting that I once counselled your other half up north before he donned cape and crest." He smiled gently. "Alison, what's wrong?"

Alison managed a wan smile. "If your wife wasn't a freaking angel, I'd be steamed at the mystic snooping," she said. "You know how Mommy Not-So-Dearest basically made me from a HYDRA eugenics experiment, right?"

Dr. Strange nodded. "And violated every written tenet of medical ethics, along with some yet to be written, yes."

Alison hugged herself, as she let herself remember how Clark had told her. "Right. Well, as of a few days ago…she released a beta version…"

XXXXXXXX

Xavier Institute, October 29

"WHAT?!"

Sitting down in front of her, in their room, Clark nodded sadly, confirming the utter BOMBSHELL he'd just dropped, while Krypto sat to the side. "I'm afraid it's true, Aly. I saw her myself."

"No. NO. Nonononononono!" Alison exclaimed, her eyes starting to burn with the moisture just looming in the corner. "It…it CAN'T be!"

Clark took her hands in his. "I wish it wasn't, baby, but it is. Krypto's nose confirmed it; her scent almost confused him. Galatea lives."

Alison couldn't speak. She could barely think, her mind spinning from the sheer horror – the utterly unspeakable violation of her being – that her psycho mother had just dumped on her. The tears that had been looming now broke loose. "Oh…Oh, God!"

The moment she started to crumble, Clark was there to catch her, easing her down to sit next to him on their bedside. "I know, taushi. I know." As if in agreement with his master, Krypto hopped up onto the bed, and rested his chin on Alison's leg, looking up at her with sad eyes and a soft whine, trying to make her feel better.

Alison tried to calm down, but it was hard – not even Clark's arms around her could salve this away. "How?! How can you know?! YOUR mother didn't use your DNA as a mould for an evil army!"

Clark's jaw clenched. "Maybe I don't know exactly how you feel," he said, "but out of everyone, I have the best idea."

Alison froze, as she realized just how stupid she'd been. "Oh, God…b-baby, I didn't mean to..!"

Clark hugged her tighter. "I know you didn't, love. You've had a huge shock – your licence to say dumb things is expanded in this conversation."

Alison half-chuckled, before her sniffles came back. "But this isn't like Bizarro, Clark! He thought he was doing the right thing – he WANTED to be like you! At his heart, he was good, but just misguided!" she wailed. "But Galatea, she…she's rotten to the CORE! My bitch mother SAW to that! And from the sound of it, "Sis" wants to kill me, take my place, and use everything I am to further HYDRA's..!"

"That won't happen, Aly. We'll find her and your mother, and put a stop to it."

"And what about Essex? You said that now he's under Waller's thumb, or at least acting like it! What's to stop THEM from…from making an army of…of ME?!"

Alison could feel Clark tense. "We'll find a way, baby. We always do," he said softly. "I promise, we'll stop Project Galatea from going any further." Sniffling, Alison could only bury her face in Clark's shoulder, to stifle her tears.

XXXXXXXX

As she finished recounting her tale, Alison saw Dr. Strange's face go pale, his expression a mix of horror and sadness. "Oh, Almighty Vishanti, have you no mercy..?"

Power Girl sniffled. "Obviously they didn't have any a few days ago."

The good doctor placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I realize that there is absolutely nothing in the medical or psychiatric literature to cover a case like yours, my dear, but please take comfort in the fact that the best people I know of are working your case – all of whom clearly adore you to death."

Power Girl managed a smile as best she could. "Thanks, Doc…and be sure to thank Clea, if you see her before I do," she replied. "Now, I'm no medical expert, but as far as urgency is concerned, I am waaaay down on the triage list. I shouldn't keep you."

With a reluctant nod, Dr. Strange turned to go. "Unfortunately, you are correct, my dear, but I fully intend to follow up once the rest of my patients are seen to!" At that, Dr. Strange hurried towards the medical bay, while Power Girl followed behind him.

She was no medic, but she hoped she could at least do something.

By the time she reached the med bay, Power Girl was fully disabused of the notion that there was anything she could assist with there. Between the Doctor assessing and treating the patients, and Sentrius' own med-tech drones keeping vigil over the ones he had not yet seen to, Alison felt utterly useless here. As for Clark, he and J'onn were speaking with the magic-wielding stranger – Teth-Adam – in an isolation cubicle. Though she knew that Clark would never turn her away, Alison knew that interrupting anything now wouldn't help. 'God, I just feel so helpless, both here and with my own case…'

A sudden female scream shook Power Girl from her thoughts. Tracking it to one of the patient-cubicles – one that the good Doctor hadn't seen to yet – Power Girl hurried towards the source…and found the young woman she'd helped earlier, screaming in another language – maybe Spanish? – and swatting at the med-drone that was trying to perform a bio-scan. "Hey, hey!" she soothed, as softly as she could. "It's okay; it's not going to hurt you."

At the sight of her, the tearful girl calmed down. "W-What is it?" she whimpered. "Is it…I-Is it like one of those machines that…that G-General Z-Zod..?"

With a gentle smile, Power Girl shook her head. "No, no; it's just a med-tech drone. It's like a robot paramedic. All it wants to do is take a scan of your condition, so it can update the chart we've started. That way, when the doctor gets to you, he'll know more about how to help you," she said. "But to do that, it needs to get a bit closer. Could you stop trying to hit it so it can do that?"

The girl sniffled. "S-Sim…I-I mean, y-yes." At that, and Power Girl's gesture, the small, crystal-pyramidal drone floated forward, sweeping its scan-beam over the young woman, before floating back towards the entrance of her cubicle, to upload the new data into her chart. "Th-That's it?"

"That's it," Power Girl confirmed. "I know Kryptonian tech looks scary and complicated – especially after the past year – but it's actually pretty intuitive." She gave the girl another reassuring smile. "But enough about that," she said. "I never got your name…and I'm guessing the robo-medic didn't, either."

The girl chuckled. "A-Adrianna," she said. "Adrianna Tomaz." Her smile turned shy. "A-And you're…A-Alison Blaire?"

Alison shrugged. "Last I checked."

Chewing her lip anxiously, Adrianna reached into her tattered jacket, and pulled out an equally tattered CD inside cover…of her first platinum CD. "Y-You're…this Alison Blaire?"

Alison let out a giggle of delighted surprise. "Oh my God! That takes me back!" she laughed. "You liked my music?"

"S-Sim! Er, yes!" Adrianna exclaimed. "S-Sorry, my English is not good. I was taking lessons back home in Rio when…when…"

Seeing Adrianna start to tear up, Alison realized that she was thinking about when she must have been taken. Quickly, she moved to hold her hand. "It's going to be okay, Adrianna. I promise," she soothed. "Once we get you checked out, we can get you home…"

"N-N-NO!" Adrianna screamed, as she leapt away, as if that word itself were toxic. "P-Please don't send me back to her!"

Alison kept very still, so as not to upset her. "Okay, Adrianna. If you don't want to go home, you don't have to," she said. "But…can you tell me why you don't want to go home? Isn't your family worried about you?"

Adrianna was fully in tears now. She shook her head. "No family," she hiccupped. "We – minha mae, my mother and I – are in the favelas. My little brother, he…he ran away two year ago. My father…I no know. Mae does not work. I go to school, to…to try to make life better. I try so hard..!"

Alison was almost crying herself. "And then this?"

Adrianna nodded. "I…I come home one day. Men are there. They want to…to offer me job." Her face burned with shame. "It is job where…do sex. I say no; I say I am good girl!" Her sobs grew. "T-They take me anyway! I cry out for mae; she no answer! Then they put me in car, and…and I see them give her money!"

Horror filled Alison's thoughts as she understood. 'Her own mother sold her.' Fighting her tears as best she could, Alison stepped forward to hug her. "Oh, God, Adrianna…I am so, so sorry this happened to you," she murmured. "You did nothing wrong, okay? Nothing."

Adrianna couldn't stop crying. "W-Why she no love me..?"

"Because something is wrong with her, Adrianna. Trust me on that one," Power Girl said. "If your mother does not love you, she's the one with the problem."

Adrianna's cries began to slow. "How you know?" she asked. "Y-Your mother..?"

Power Girl sighed. "Let me put it this way: every horrible mother is horrible in her own way," she said. "Yours is the "selling her daughters" variety, while I got the "eugenics terrorist who wants a clone army instead of daughters" brand."

Adrianna gasped. "M-Meu Deus..!"

"Yeah." Power Girl smiled wistfully. "Here's to two daughters with sucky biological mothers."

That evoked a faint giggle from Adrianna. "At least you have a good extended family?"

Alison's smile grew. "And how."

Adrianna's smile became shy. "Can I…ask you a question?" Power Girl nodded. "Your song – True Blue – was it…was it about Superman?"

Her face now as red as her tausha's cape, Power Girl buried her face in her hands. "Was I that obvious?"

That drew another short laugh from Adrianna. "Not really; nobody knew until Mr. Febrise gave that interview after…after we all saw the photo of you kissing. You looked so happy."

Alison sighed. "Well, at the time, I wasn't particularly happy with him, since he'd pulled a death-defying stunt in order to save the planet…again!" she answered. "But after the shock and the girlfriend-nerves wore off, I was just overjoyed to see he was fine…which was probably why neither of us checked for snooping cameras before we smooched." 'Thank you SO much for that, Cat Grant…'

Adrianna nodded, in mild awe. "You're…really in love," she said. "Um…what is being with him like?" She flinched. "Y-You don't have to tell me! I do not want to pry like Senhora Grant..!"

"No, no, it's okay!" Power Girl assured her. "It's just…he's…he's my other half. We just…we match each other. We complement each other. I don't know how else to say it."

Adrianna's expression turned sad. "I think I understand," she said softly. "I just…I wish someone loved me like he loves you."

The sadness in her voice nearly tore Alison's heart in two. "Adrianna…"

A tap on the side of the cubicle door drew Power Girl and Adrianna's gazes towards Dr. Strange. "My apologies, ladies; if you are busy, I can check back later, unless you are in any immediate distress, Ms. Tomaz?"

At that, Power Girl glanced back to Adrianna. "Are you going to be okay? I can stay, if you like."

More relaxed than she'd been a few minutes ago, Adrianna nodded. "I…I will be alright."

"Okay," Alison said softly. "If you ever need to talk – about anything – I am literally a shout away." She giggled. "Just like my true blue boo." That earned a laugh from Adrianna, who waved goodbye, at which point Power Girl stepped away, allowing Dr. Strange to proceed.

As she walked to the isolation-chamber, Power Girl saw that the door was open, and Superman had stepped back, leaving J'onn inside with the stranger. Inching next to her beau, Power Girl glanced inside…where J'onn and Teth-Adam seemed to be having a staring contest. "So…anyone blink yet?"

Superman softly chuckled, as his hand reflexively moved to her waist. "No, taushi. It took a bit of creative mental linguistics, but J'onn found a way to telepathically link with Teth-Adam's translation magic. He's giving our new friend a crash course in English." His expression turned concerned. "And how are the others? I could hear the lady you spoke with – Ms. Tomaz? – getting a bit upset."

Placing her hand over his, Power Girl sighed, and leaned her head against his chest. "Yeah," she agreed. "She's just…she had a really sad story, baby."

Superman's expression saddened. "I heard the start," he admitted. "After that, I took my ears off of your conversation; she was confiding in you, not me, and I didn't want to intrude…"

"I know," Power Girl murmured. "It's just…I never expected to find anyone who has a mother as crappy as mine. At least I have a good extended family; Adrianna, she…she has no-one."

Superman smiled gently. "She has you, now."

Power Girl started to smile back. "Why do you always know what to say to me?"

"Same reason you always know what to say to me, I suppose."

By then, J'onn and Teth-Adam had finished their mental language lesson. Breaking from J'onn's gaze, Teth-Adam glanced to Superman, his accented voice testing English for the first time. "Hmm…an odd tongue, but it shall suffice." He smiled. "And now I can properly convey my gratitude, friends. I owe you all a debt of honor for freeing me."

Superman smiled back. "That won't be necessary, Teth-Adam. Even if you were unfamiliar with Nur, we'd have helped you."

Teth-Adam scowled. "Nur," he muttered, as though Apocalypse's name was a bad taste in his mouth. "Isis and Ra preserve me, to think he might still draw breath! As slippery and as conniving as Set, he is!"

J'onn nodded. "No doubt," he agreed. "But for now, we are more curious about you. In our little conversation, you told me so little of yourself."

"Of course, of course," Teth-Adam said. "As I said prior, I am Teth-Adam, son of Teth-Ashem, warrior of the Great Oasis, and faithful servant to the true Pharaoh, who was usurped by the abomination Nur!" He calmed himself. "When Nur first struck, I – alongside my twin, Adar – was made apprentice to the Grand Wizard Shazam, Master of the Rock of Ages! Under his tutelage, we fought to drive back the abominable usurper, to the point he would be sealed away for all time," he sighed, "or so we had hoped."

Power Girl's eyes widened. "That's what you were saying! Back at the ruins, you yelled that out several times..!"

"…and my Master did not answer as he always did before," Teth-Adam finished. "In days of old, Adar and I needed only to invoke Master's name, and he would answer with an infusion of his unfathomable magic power; a raindrop from his vast ocean, which let my brother and I perform great deeds in Pharaoh's name. I know not why Master is silent now, but it bodes ill, especially since Nur has returned!"

'Be on guard…'

Power Girl paused as something brushed past her thoughts. She didn't know how or why, but something about Teth-Adam just set her on edge, just like…like…

Zod.

She knew it wasn't fair – she knew next to nothing about Teth-Adam – but she couldn't help it. Judging by Superman's expression – the tiny strain in his smile – he was trying not to think the same. "Are you sure that your master can hear your call?" he asked. "I'm sure you can imagine how long it has been since you were sealed away. Could he have simply…passed away?"

Teth-Adam shook his head. "Impossible. I can still sense him. My link to Master Shazam still exists; he simply does not answer. I must find out why."

Now J'onn was fighting a wary expression. "Could whatever sealed you be interfering with your link to him?" he asked. "How exactly were you sealed in that temple? Perhaps it is the reason he cannot hear you…"

"We are wasting time!" Teth-Adam snapped. Standing up, he strode out of the medical cubicle. "Every moment we tarry is another moment that Nur walks free! Now either aid me in locating Master Shazam or stand aside..!"

His voice trailed off as he passed by a viewing window facing Earth. "What…in Osiris' name..?"

"Citizen Teth-Adam. You have not yet been cleared by the attending physician. Please return to your cubicle immediately."

As Sentrius' holo-form flickered into view, Teth-Adam leapt back. Superman quickly moved to reassure him. "It's alright," he said. "She's not going to harm you."

Teth-Adam stared at Sentrius, and then at the window. "What is this place?"

"Right now, we are standing aboard the Sentrius Battlestation, in orbit above Earth – somewhere just beyond the moon," Power Girl said. "And this is Sentrius herself, the A.I. – er, the intelligent construct – that oversees the Battlestation."

The anger faded from Teth-Adam's face. "This place – this…stronghold – has a spirit?" he exclaimed. "How? What sorcery is at work here?"

"None, Teth-Adam. It was science that built Sentrius," Superman said. "Millennia ago, my people constructed her to defend themselves from two terrible enemies. When this world came under similar attack, we brought her here."

Teth-Adam was silent for a few moments as he processed that. "No doubt a great story is there," he admitted. "Would that I had time to hear it, but I must depart! I can sense that Master Shazam has chosen a new apprentice! I must find him!"

Superman had paled. "And if you do find him?" he asked. "What then?"

Teth-Adam paused for a moment…before he smiled. "W-Why, offer my aid, of course! I can sense that the youth has yet to accept Master's tutelage; as one familiar with the use of Master Shazam's mystic powers, I would help guide him! Master would accept no less!"

The unease that Power Girl had felt blossomed into full-blown dread. "Maybe rushing off isn't the best way to go," she said. "Maybe we can help you find this guy from here? Sentrius is capable of scanning the entire planet; if you simply told us what to look for, we could contact him."

Superman nodded. "Not only that, Teth-Adam, but the world has changed a great deal since your era. If we let you leave now, as you are, you could endanger yourself and this new "apprentice…""

Teth-Adam's eyes narrowed. "I was not asking permission, friends. RETRATA!" At that invocation, before anyone could stop him, Teth-Adam conjured a portal, and stepped through.

Superman flinched. "Sentrius, were you able to get a scan of that portal? Enough to get his destination?"

"Negative, Commander."

The commotion had drawn Dr. Strange from his last patient, prompting him to join them. "Something tells me that your guest has under-stayed his welcome."

"Unfortunately, yes," J'onn said. "I could not get a good sense of him – he kept much of his memories blocked – but something tells me that his intentions may not be as noble as he claims."

Superman nodded grimly. "I hope we're wrong to think that," he said. "Given his experience with Nur, I don't want to have to put this guy on any blacklist – and I really don't want to start doubting potential allies – but I was just…"

"…getting a funky vibe off of him?" Power Girl finished. "You weren't the only one, baby."

As his hands conjured a divining glyph in the air, Dr. Strange focused for a moment…and then scrunched his eyes. "You are right to be wary, Superman. The magicks this individual wields are very old…and disturbingly dark for one who claims he fought Apocalypse."

"Commander El, I have reestablished a lock on Citizen Teth-Adam. He has teleported to downtown New York City; I am uploading coordinates to you now. Shall I commence scanning for the wizard Shazam?"

Dr. Strange paled. "In Oshtur's…WHAT did you say?!" he cried.

"Before he left, Teth-Adam said he was going to look for the new apprentice of his old master, this "Shazam" guy," Power Girl said. "I…take it he's a big deal?"

"To say the least!" Dr. Strange exclaimed. "We must make haste; if this Teth-Adam's intentions are fell, we cannot let him near Shazam's apprentice!" He looked to Sentrius' holoform. "Sentrius, I beseech you: teleport us as near to Teth-Adam's location as you can! Were I to do so, he would undoubtedly sense my spell!"

Sentrius arched a holographic eyebrow. "Commander?"

"You heard the Doctor, Sentrius; prep the Point-to-Point Generator and get us as close to him as possible!" Superman agreed. "Doctor, I trust you'll explain on the way?"

Dr. Strange nodded. "I will tell you all I know on the matter," he said, "but we must move quickly! We have no time to spare!" No-one else argued the matter, as Sentrius powered her Point-to-Point Generator, sweeping them into a swirling vortex of light and sending them on their way.

XXXXXXXX

The Foxfire Shelter, New York City, a few minutes earlier

'Dammit, I HATE desert missions! Stupid sand jams up my web-shooters…

After his post-mission debrief, Spider-Man was eager to resume his usual patrol of New York. With expert aim, and more than a few prayers that his webs didn't misfire, Spider-Man zip-lined to a familiar gargoyle statue – a perch of choice. "Heya Bruce! Long time, no see!" he greeted, as he gave his web-shooters another once-over. "Yeah, yeah, I know I haven't been by as often, but boy have I got a good excuse..!"

He was interrupted by a familiar tone – not his League communicator, but his regular cell-phone. Fishing it out, he was surprised by the caller-ID before he answered it. "Brock?"

"Hey, Parker. Listen, do you think you could cover for me on tonight's assignment? I'm…really not up to it."

'Tonight's assignment, tonight's assignment…oh! Right!' "You mean the unveiling of the new wing of the library?" Spider-Man asked. "Uh…sure. I should be able to get your questions asked between snapshots; just send me your list."

"Appreciate it, Parker."

Spider-Man scratched the back of his head. "So…migraines again?" he asked. "You might wanna see a doctor about those, man. I know a few…"

"Spare me the armchair-doctor routine, Parker. Just get those questions on record!" Eddie snapped. "See you tomorrow."

As Eddie hung up, Spider-Man shook his head. 'Heesh! Try to do a coworker a favor, and he acts like you took a dump in his cereal bowl!' Popping his phone back under his suit, he was about to swing off, when his spider-sense started to get tingly. Thankfully, it wasn't the "duck-there's-a-bullet-headed-your-way" tingle; it was more of a "something-hinky-is-happening-over-there" tingle. Whatever it was, it was coming from the streets below…and it seemed to be getting quieter every moment. 'Weird. Tingles tend to get BIGGER, not smaller…' Taking aim at a ledge on the other side of the street, Spider-Man web-zipped down closer to ground-level, to get a better look.

From another vantage point, it all became clear. Without the overhead awning to block his vision, Spider-Man could spot four kids on the sidewalk in front of a local store. One kid – one of the mutant kids from the Foxfire Shelter, his skin a dark red-violet, with a mohawk-style fish-like fin for hair – was lying on the ground, slightly bruised. A second kid, a bit smaller than the first, was standing between him and the other two, both of whom were a bit older, and a bit bigger. The larger of the two kids smirked. "Get lost, Batson. We're throwing Squidhead here back in the ocean where he belongs!"

The smaller kid only got angrier. "Like hell I will!" he shouted. "You try hurting my pal – any of my pals – again, and you're getting it between the eyes!"

The bigger bully smirked. "Still got a big mouth with no muscle to back it up, Batson?" he jeered. "Sounds like we'll be dishing out two ass-kickings for the price of one!"

'Okay. Time to shut this down,' Spider-Man thought. He was just about to swing down and tap the two punks on the shoulder, when the tingle of his spider-sense faded altogether…and he finally understood why.

It was covered.

The two punks had started to move in on the kid when a hard-sounding head of cabbage suddenly flew from its display to clunk one bully in the side of the head, knocking him down. The first was taken completely by surprise, which left him wide open to the wet mop-head that the stock-clerk brandished. "I thought Mr. Li told you two chimps not to harass any of his customers."

Damp-headed, dazed, and likely bruised, the first punk staggered to his feet. "What the hell, Keller?! I oughtta sue you for that!"

Spider-Man paused; now his memory was starting to itch. 'Wait…Keller..?'

"You go ahead, dumbass. Put the fact that you were about to assault two other kids – one of which could accuse you of hate-crimes – on public record. See if your Daddy bails you out again."

Some of the punk's anger started to fade. "I won't forget this, mutie!"

"You better not, caveman. Now beat it."

As the bully scowled and sulked off, the stock-clerk turned to the kids, relaxing. "You okay, Billy?"

Billy sighed. "Yeah, Julian, I'm fine. Sorry you had to get in trouble."

Julian chuckled. "No worries, Batson. Mr. Li knows what a tool that punk is, and even if he were to side with a racist jackass like him, then this job would not be one I'd want to keep."

The squid-like kid was star-struck. "Y-You're a mutant, too?" he exclaimed. "D-Do you know the X-Men, or even the Justice League? They're the only ones who're that good with their powers..!"

Julian's expression shuddered. "Sorry, kiddo. I am no hero. Not even close," he muttered. He turned back to the store. "You'd better get going, before Fox starts calling around looking for you."

"Okay, okay," Billy said. "We're going. Just…thanks again!" With that, the two kids hurried off.

Once the kids were on their way, Spider-Man web-zipped down to perch on a nearby streetlight. "Hey, Keller. Long time, no see."

Glancing up, Julian scowled. "I wasn't doing anything, Web-Head. Those two punks were going to…"

"I saw. I was about to "discourage" them myself until I realized you had it in hand," Spider-Man said. "So…how you been since, y'know…Zod?"

Julian's scowl lessened. "Well enough, I guess. I'm not in any racist's crosshairs – as much, at least – and I managed to land a job that gives me a decent place's rent, which is more than most dropouts can hope for."

"Oh. Right." Spider-Man scratched his head. "Is that how you met Fox and her kids?"

"Basically. I gave them a hand for a little bit, and 'Kenzie gave me a reference that got me here," he said. "For a while, I felt bad about leaving her in the lurch, until she told me that she'd already hired on a bunch of new staff that same day." He chuckled. "I guess I can thank you and the Boy Scout for that, since you sent 'em her way."

Spider-Man nodded; he was talking about Callisto and her fellow Morlocks. "Yeah. Funny how good deeds can domino like that."

Julian snorted. "Just don't tell Supes I said that. I'll never hear the end of it."

"Uh, okay…but you do know he probably hear you say it already, right?"

Julian paused, and then groaned. "Dammit..!"

KA-THOOOM!

His mild expletive got swallowed up by that thunderous roar in the distance. Julian scowled. "He better not be showing up to rub it in..!"

"He's not, Keller," Spider-Man said. "One: it's not his style; and Two: that wasn't his flying-boom! Whatever that was, it wasn't Big Blue!"

Julian's frown started to fade. "It…it came from the direction of Foxfire," he said softly. "You don't think..!"

"I think you should let me handle this one, man," Spider-Man said. "You did your bit; I'll take it from here!" With that, he fired a web-line, swinging towards the source of the boom.

Just as Julian had predicted – and despite his own fervent prayers – Spider-Man found the Foxfire Shelter's front yard in disarray. Mackenzie was already outside with Callisto and Healer, trying to move the children indoors, away from the steam-cloud that had appeared in the center…which slowly dissipated, revealing its source.

Spider-Man's eyes were wide behind his mask lenses. 'Oh, crap…TELL me it's not Crazy Z, all over again..!'

Rising to full height, Teth-Adam glowered at them, before pointing at Mackenzie. "You there. Girl. One child among your flock has been dreaming of a word, one that would have been nonsensical to your ears. Supply him. Now."

Mackenzie blinked. "What..?"

"I dislike repeating myself, woman. Bring the child forth, lest I do so myself."

From Mackenzie's left, Healer met Teth-Adam's glare evenly. "To what end?"

"That is not your concern, priest."

Callisto glared back. "I don't know who you are, topworlder, but if you think you can just waltz in here..!"

Seeing Teth-Adam's jaw clench with anger – which likely meant he was about to let a spell loose – Spider-Man web-zipped down to land in front of him. "Whoa, whoa! Time-out, T-A!" he said. "Why don't we – all of us – just take a step back, okay?"

As he spoke, he discreetly waved to Mackenzie, Callisto and Healer to get the other children clear, relying on a long-standing strategy: get the bad-guy's – or potential bad-guy's – anger focused on him, and away from innocent bystanders.

Teth-Adam was already biting on that bait beautifully. "Boy, I tire of this. I thought you and your comrades allies against Nur..!"

"Call us crazy," Spider-Man replied, "but any plan that involves hurting kids is not one that we're going to sign off on."

Teth-Adam's glare could have driven ten-inch nails. "So be it, then." He raised his hands skyward. "EHR'THRA'NOR!"

And at that very moment, Spider-Man's spider-sense promptly decided to go batspit-INSANE. "HOACHI-MAMMA!" Spider-Man's half-formed quip-slash-exclamation came a breath before that bolt of black eldritch force arced from Teth-Adam's hands and struck the spot he'd just been. 'Dang it, that's always the drawback with that strategy: the bad guy DOES focus on me!'

As if to prove Spider-Man's unspoken point, Teth-Adam gestured again, readying another spell. This time, however, Spider-Man didn't give him the opportunity. Taking aim, he waited until Teth-Adam was just about to cast, and then let fly with a web- glob, which splatted beautifully against the crazed caster's hand, causing it to smack into his face, and unleash the energy he'd been gathering. Landing just a few feet from the kids, Spider-Man waved them back. "Okay, kids! Show's over! Time to start your homework!" he said. "Callisto, Healer, Foxy? Get 'em outta here, please! I've got this!"

As Teth-Adam recovered from his misfired spell – looking far angrier than before – Spider-Man amended his statement. "I think." 'Okay, Parker, time to borrow from Big Blue's playbook: appeal to the perp's better self…and hope he still has one.' "I hope you can understand why I'm a bit lost here, Adam – I can call you that, right? You struck us as someone interested in sticking it to Nur..!"

"I am the only one that CAN, insect!" Teth-Adam snarled. "It was I who battered Nur into his cage! In Master Shazam's name, I confronted and defeated him! I will do so again! And I will NOT be supplanted by some untried whelp, NOR by an insect like yourself! AR'THRUMA!"

Ending his rant with another incantation, Teth-Adam slammed his palm to the ground, sending his spell's force rumbling towards Spider-Man, under his feet. Moments later, the ground under Spider-Man erupted in spikes of molten concrete that hardened once they touched the air. Even one of them would have skewered Spider-Man like an insect on a collector's table…but fortunately, Spider-Man was already in the air by then, swinging around Teth-Adam to perch on a street light behind him. "Okay, normally that insult is annoying since I've had to correct God-knows-how-many skels about it, but since you predate the current biological classification system – and then some – you get a pass this time, Teth," he said. "Going forward? Spiders are arachnids, not insects. Remember that, will you?"

As expected, Teth-Adam let that wash over him. "Then I suggest you remember THIS, boy!" he boomed, as he conjured another spell, and prepared to let it fly. "To cross the champion of Shazam is to..!"

Splat!

Whatever Teth-Adam had planned to say, it went out of his head the moment that the paint-filled water-balloon collided with his left cheek. With half his face stained blue, Adam was mildly incredulous as he turned to the culprit…who was none other than Billy, who was just now realizing that he'd placed himself in a mad wizard's crosshairs. Billy looked stricken for a moment, but his eyes narrowed as he loaded another balloon in his slingshot. "Y-You leave S-Spider-Man alone!"

Teth-Adam blinked. "And if I do not, whelp?"

Billy's hand shook on his slingshot. "Th-Then I belt you again!"

Teth-Adam chuckled darkly. "A bold statement, boy; the bravery of fools is bravery, still!" he remarked, before his eyes narrowed. "Now run along, for my patience runs thin..!"

"Hey, isn't that En Sabah Nur over there?"

Spider-Man's question was so absurd that Adam turned out of reflex…at which point Spider-Man fired twin web-lines to snare the wizard's hands, before he somersaulted over his head, twisting as he went, causing Adam's arms to follow. As he landed, Spider-Man yanked on one line as hard as he could, which forced Adam's fist to smack itself into his nose, knocking him onto his back. Knowing that wouldn't keep Adam down for long, Spider-Man darted to Billy and scooped him up, web-zipping him over to the shelter entrance. "Okay, short-pants, kudos on the assist, but do not make a habit of it, okay? Guys like Crazy Adam do not go down with a couple of paint-balloons!"

Billy looked stricken. "I just wanted to help…"

"I know you did, bud; I'm not mad!" Spider-Man said. "Right now, the best way to help is to find the kid that Adam's after and get him the heck outta dodge! Any chance you heard any of your pals mention anybody named Shazam? Any weirdo dreams or anything?"

Billy shook his head. "The only one here with weird dreams is me, and they were never about some weirdo named Shazam..!"

CRACKA-THOOOOOOOOM!

At that word, a bolt of lightning shot down from the heavens, striking Billy and sending Spider-Man flying across the playground, to tumble to a stop next to a swing-set. "OW! What the hell, Thor?! You pick today to practice the lightning-toss?" Spider-Man shouted into the sky. "You just hit a freaking kid, Odinson..!"

"S-Spider-Man?"

Billy's voice interrupted Spider-Man's tirade mid-breath…and a second later, he realized that Billy's voice was somehow off. It wasn't until the smoke cleared that he realized why Billy's voice sounded off. Where a primary-schooler had once stood a second ago, now stood a youth of apparently 15 years, almost as tall as Spider-Man, and with a lean frame that any Olympian would have traded his or her gold medals to have. In place of Billy's old clothes, the youth now wore a red bodysuit trimmed in gold and white, with a silver-coloured hood and cloak over his shoulders…and a glowing lightning-bolt upon his chest.

Spider-Man blinked behind his mask…and then looked skyward again. "My bad, Thor. Wasn't you. We're good."

Sliding his hood back, Billy looked to Spider-Man with wide eyes. "Spider-Man? Why are you shorter?"

'Hoo, boy.' Spider-Man cleared his throat. "I'm…not, Billy. I'm the same size I was pre-lightning. You kinda…grew."

Billy blinked at that, before his eyes widened, and he ran to look at himself in the nearest window. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed. "What…how…why…what the hell just HAPPENED to me?!"

"Well, you know how I was looking for the kid Crazy Adam was after?" Spider-Man said. "Don't look now, but I think it's kinda…well…you."

Billy just gaped. "M-M-M-ME?!" he cried. "But…but that's impossible! It can't be me! I'm…I'm nobody!"

"Uh…that new getup of yours kinda says otherwise, kiddo."

Shaking his head, Billy was about to argue further, but Teth-Adam – who had gotten back up – cut off the debate with his enraged shout. "YOU!" With the tiniest hand-gesture, Teth-Adam levitated off the ground, and darted at Billy. Spider-Man's spider-sense barely gave him enough heads-up to try and zip-line towards the mad wizard, but Teth-Adam bulldozed right over him, to grab Billy by his collar and lift him off the ground, his furious eyes boring into Billy's. "Where is he?!" Adam roared. "Where is our treacherous master?! Tell me if you wish to live another day!"

His legs flailing, Billy coughed. "Who?"

"Do not play the fool, whelp! Master Shazam! You invoked his name to steal the power that has always been mine! You could not have known to speak it without his guidance!"

Billy was lost. "Mister, I have no freaking clue what you're talking about! I never even heard this guy's name until you started yammering about him! I don't know where he is!" His eyes narrowed. "Not that I would tell you if I knew, you psychotic jackass!"

Spider-Man's hand slapped his forehead. 'Okay, someone needs to give this kid a wisecracking tutorial. Rule Number One: wisecracks need to distract a bad guy WITHOUT drawing a full-out psychotic rage…at least not right out of the gate, anyway…'

"Then I shall glean my Master's location from his power as it flees your corpse, insolent wretch!" Teth-Adam thundered. He conjured a bolt of eldritch force in his free hand, and pulled back. "Make peace with whatever gods you worship, boy, and pray that they will receive an ill-mannered whelp as your..!"

The tail end of Teth-Adam's threat was lost in the echo of the distant sonic boom, a heartbeat before a blue-crimson streak crashed into him, a steel-hard fist colliding hard with his jawline. The sheer force of Superman's Mach-speed uppercut shook Billy free of his grip, while Teth-Adam was sent hurtling skyward, to land equally hard a few feet away. Spider-Man breathed a sigh of relief. "Damn, Big Blue! Kickass timing, as always!"

Focused on the recovering Teth-Adam, Superman couldn't return the pleasantries. His eyes were narrowed. "I'd hoped I was wrong about you, Teth-Adam."

Adam glowered back at him. "And I thought you had better sense than this, starborn whelp!" he spat. "You side with an untried brat over one who has wielded Shazam's power before? Who defeated En Sabah Nur?" He shook his head. "And you wonder why you have yet to slay him!"

Superman's eyes narrowed. "Forgive me for being willing to take the hard route and not throw away all my principles," he shot back. "Unlike some."

Adam clenched his fists. "I will warn you but once, boy! Stand aside, and perhaps I will aid you against Nur!" he boomed. "The alternative is certain death by my hand. Choose wisely."

Superman was silent for one moment, before he looked over his shoulder. "Billy? I'd appreciate it if you and your friends do not ever repeat what I'm about to say," he said, before turning back. "As for you, Adam…you can just go scrak yourself." He grinned. "Just be sure to look behind you first."

Adam laughed. "You think me that great a fool, boy? Your cohort tried that tactic already! I'll not be tricked the same way twice!"

"It is not a trick."

His eyes wide, Adam turned in time to see Doctor Strange emerge from a cloud of crimson mist, already in mid-invocation. "Rains of Rangador, punish this villain!" At the Doctor's gesture, a torrent of raindrop-sized energy bolts began pelting Adam from all directions. With a snarl of fury, Teth-Adam conjured a wave of darkness that expanded outwards from himself, boiling away the spell-rain that Doctor Strange had summoned. The good Doctor was briefly stunned by the breaking of his spell, and staggered back a few steps. Adam moved to press his advantage, but he suddenly jerked back with a cry of pain, his hands moving to his head as the Martian Manhunter became visible just behind him, his eyes glowing white. Blindly, Adam lashed out with a burst of mystic flame, but his spell crashed against the hard-light wall that Power Girl created as she touched down next to J'onn.

Seeing Adam regain his balance, Spider-Man gulped. "Billy? Any chance those powers came with an instruction manual? Because you REALLY need to start reading it!"

Billy shook his head. "Are you kidding me? I have no idea how this crap works!" he exclaimed. "Today is the first time I even heard the name "Shazam!""

CRACKA-THOOOOOOOOM!

At that word, a second bolt of lightning dropped onto Billy's head, vanishing just as quickly, to leave him a boy once again. Spider-Man could only gape. "Well, at least you found the on/off switch."

Seeing Billy's condition, Superman knew they had to end this now. He tapped his communicator. "Sentrius: initiate planet-wide scan; filter results for locations with a population density approaching zero! Once you locate the closest match, lock onto Adam and 'port him there!"

"Acknowledged."

Adam had been just about to unleash his deadliest spell yet – if the massive orb of dark energy gathering above his head was any indication – when the swirling multicoloured vortex appeared behind him. His focus shattered, Adam tried to pull away. "Treachery! If you think this will stay me, whelp, then you are an even greater fool than I previously..!"

The rest of his threat was lost in the transcanner wave that Sentrius shone through the wormhole, teleporting Adam away; hopefully far enough that he wouldn't come back anytime soon. As the vortex dissipated, Superman let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, that's one problem dealt with for the time being." He glanced to Billy. "Now for the next."

As so many pairs of eyes turned to him, Billy waved his hands defensively. "Whatever it was, I didn't do it!" he cried. "I didn't do anything! Up until today, I'd never even heard the name Shaz…er, that name!"

Superman knelt to him. "Calm down, Billy. Nobody's mad at you. You're not in any trouble…"

"Uh…you're kinda only half-right there, Big Blue," Spider-Man interjected. "Yeah, Billy didn't do anything wrong, but having a nutjob like Crazy Adam gunning for you is pretty much the textbook definition of "being in trouble.""

Superman sighed. "Point taken," he conceded. "Doctor? This is your field of expertise. What's your diagnosis?"

Stepping forward, Doctor Strange held his hand above Billy, a mystic glyph appearing on his palm as he concentrated…and his eyes went wide. "There is no question about it: young master Batson here is connected to a near-infinite wellspring of magic power."

Billy frowned. "Then could you please turn it off?" he asked. "You know, disconnect me from the wi-fi network? I don't need more psychos like that guy coming after me!"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Doctor Strange answered. "Putting aside whatever the wizard Shazam's intentions are, severing any kind of mystic link is a delicate procedure. The only safe place this could be attempted would be at the Sanctum."

Power Girl looked worried. "It's that serious?"

"Essentially, Miss Blaire, it is the mystic equivalent of neurosurgery. The Sanctum is the only place that is safe."

Billy gulped. "That…isn't making me feel better."

J'onn looked grave. "We have another problem besides Adam," he said. "In all likelihood, Exodus and Legion have informed Apocalypse of Adam's revival, and if he is the one that sealed him away, he will be looking for him…"

Spider-Man caught on. "…and he could come knocking on Billy's doors!"

"Precisely."

Power Girl looked worried. "Sounds like we'd better call up Cyborg and let him know," she said, "along with the rest of the Institute."

Superman nodded. "And we'd better do so quickly," he agreed, "because, and I mean no offence Doctor, magic can be a real pain in the rear."

Doctor Strange sighed grimly. "At times like these, Kal, I cannot argue that."

XXXXXXXX

Undisclosed location

"WHAT?!"

When they'd gotten back to Apocalypse's current headquarters – after taking the roundabout route to ensure they weren't followed – David had known that their employer wouldn't be happy…but he'd thought that losing another outpost would have been what set Apocalypse off. 'Shows what I bloody know.'

At that moment, En Sabah Nur was glaring at his general with incredulous fury. "Speak again, my Horseman. Speak truly, but choose your words with the utmost care. Whom was it that emerged from that sarcophagus?! His NAME!"

Exodus was on his knees, in tearful supplication. "F-Forgive me, my Pharaoh, but I…I heard no name! The interloper spoke in your old tongue! If he named himself, I knew it not!"

Apocalypse's rage ebbed for a moment. "He would have uttered a word, my Horseman; a word that would have sounded unintelligible to any ears. What was it?!"

Exodus blinked. "Sh-Shazam..?"

"UURRRRRRAARRRRRRRGGHH!"

In blind fury, Apocalypse tossed Exodus to the side, his telekinesis going wild, shattering a nearby stone column with his rage. "He LIVES! I had thought that I had seen the limits of this era's indignities, and yet the interloper LIVES!"

Exodus stayed kneeling. "M-My Pharaoh, I do not understand..!"

Summoning his TK again, Apocalypse pulled both Exodus and Legion forward, to grasp them by the collar. "Find him, my Horsemen. Your very LIVES depend upon obedience to this command like none other! Find the interloper before the sun sets, or you are both FORFEIT!"

Legion coughed. "N-No problem, my Pharaoh."

Exodus nodded with desperate glee. "It shall be done! Once he is located, I shall..!"

"YOU SHALL DO NOTHING!" Apocalypse exploded. "Your task is but to find him, my Horseman! For his crimes, I shall slay the wretch MYSELF!" His eyes bored into Exodus'. "I had thought that a General of mine would have greater obedience and fighting skill both. Perhaps I am in need of a new one."

Exodus looked like he was on the verge of a panic-attack. "N-No, my Pharaoh! I but misunderstood! Send me not from your sight, I beg you! I shall obey your command to the letter!"

"See that you do not." With that, Apocalypse dropped them both to the ground, and stormed off.

Easing the pain out of his throat with his hands, Legion got to his feet. "Bloody hell. Whatever it was that other wanker did to piss Nur off, remind me never to do it," he muttered. "Okay, Ex, we've got some tracking to do. I'll dig into my contacts on…Ex?"

David had just absently glanced back to his coworker…who was still kneeling on the floor, staring into empty space, looking utterly lost. "He…he means to be rid of me…" he murmured. "The Pharaoh, he…he means to be rid of me!"

At first, David thought Exodus was angry, but a closer look told otherwise: Exodus was having a panic-attack. "Bennet..?"

His eyes wide, Exodus' hands wrung his hair. "My whole life – my very purpose – has been to serve him!" he wailed. "Since Master Sinister found me, so many years ago, my life has been in preparation for this! And…a-and now..!"

David could hear Lucas in his head. 'Bloody hell, Dave, this nut's even further 'round the twist than us!'

David couldn't argue. 'Damn, Essex, what did you bloody DO to him..?'

Almost as quickly as it had appeared, Exodus' panic was gone, replaced by furious resolve. "Find this interloper, Haller. I will not fail our Pharaoh again!"

'And he's back.' David rolled his eyes. "What did you think I was talking about, Ex? Give me a minute to deep dive into…hold on." At a beep from his phone, David pulled it out to check his media feeds, before he grinned. "We're in luck! The wanker couldn't keep his head down!" he added. "The sod popped up state-side; at some youth shelter, where he ran afoul of the League! If we're lucky, maybe they'll..!"

Exodus' hands on his collar stopped him mid-sentence. "Did you hear nothing the Pharaoh said, fool?! This interloper's life is his to claim! Not ours, and not the Justice League's!" He promptly let go, and turned away. "We depart immediately! If you wish to explain to Pharaoh how your hesitation stole his victory from him, I will not aid you, this time!"

Getting to his feet, David rolled his eyes. 'Just when I think I'm figuring out my coworkers,' he thought. 'University class is starting to look bloody good…'

Lucas' mental chuckle put his focus back on track. 'Price we pay for torching the old man's dream, mate.'

XXXXXXXX

UN Refugee Camp #35782, Kahndaq border

With the sun inching its way across the sky, Adrianna thought she could feel the oppressive heat start to let up a bit. 'Mae de Deus, I will never complain about the heat in Rio ever again…'

As the thought of her former home – and who had essentially cast her out of it – welled up in her, Adrianna tried to think of anything else. Looking around the camp, she could only see countless other poor souls, all draped in blankets like her. After her examination by Sentrius, the colossal machine had sent her and her fellow refugees to the refugee camp nearest to where the Justice League had found them. Though she would have much preferred to have spoken with Power Girl – Alison – before being discharged, Sentrius at least seemed sympathetic to her wish not to return home.

Her only hope now was that the aide workers in the camp she'd been transferred to were as sympathetic as an alien computer program. She knew that they meant well, but it seemed like the UN workers' priority was to reunite refugees with family…

Just the thought of that word was enough to surge tears to Adrianna's eyes, as she all-too-easily recalled the day that her mother had betrayed her. 'What did I do? What did I do that was so awful that it made Mae not love me anymore..?'

She had just happened to glance to the south when she saw the shimmer of Sentrius' teleportation device in the air, just a short walk away. 'Maybe it is Alison, coming back to check on me!' Breaking into a run, she dashed towards the swirling light, reaching the spot behind the ruined building just before it vanished…

…and her heart threatened to leap out of her throat and run across the sands, because it wasn't Alison that Sentrius had dropped in front of her, but the tall, oddly-clothed – and darkly handsome – stranger that had helped save her. His striking features in a furious scowl, the stranger shook his fist at the vanishing swirl. "Anubis TAKE you, construct! You and your master both!"

That confused Adrianna. 'Weren't they friends?' She couldn't imagine anyone hating Alison, and Superman was so inspiring and friendly. 'What happened..?'

"You there. Girl."

Adrianna could only squeak with surprise. "S-Sim?" she answered, defaulting to her native Portuguese. 'Stupid, stupid!'

"Yes, you. Where is this place?"

Adrianna forced herself to calm down. "W-We are at a refugee camp, near the border of Kahndaq," she said. "It is…v-very near where Superman and his team found you."

The stranger arched an eyebrow. "And how do you know of this, girl?"

Adrianna gulped. "B-Because I was also there!" she added quickly. "Y-You s-saved me!" She took a breath. "Th-Thank you!"

The stranger took a closer look at her, taking a few steps in her direction. "Ah, yes. I remember you now," he remarked. He looked around. "I can only surmise that this is a relocation facility? You will be returned home?"

"N-NO!" Adrianna cried, her panic rising by reflex. "I cannot go home! P-Please, do not make me!"

The stranger arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

"M-Minha mae…my mother, she…" Adrianna began, but she couldn't finish.

His eyes wide, the stranger understood. "She betrayed you," he said. Adrianna nodded. "You…have my sympathies." He looked away. "I…I also know what it is to be betrayed by blood…and by one who was as dear as blood. It is a pain I would not wish on anyone." A scowl crossed his face. "Perhaps not even Nur."

Adrianna was lost. "N-Nur?"

"En Sabah Nur. The one your people now call Apocalypse, as I understand it. That is his birth-name."

For the first time, Adrianna forgot her earlier sorrows, lost in growing awe. "H-How do you know his true name?"

"Because he made no secret of it, in the days of what you call the Old Kingdom," the stranger answered.

Adrianna felt her breath catch in her throat. "Then…then you lived in the days of ancient Egypt? You were the one who…who stopped him, back then?"

The stranger sighed. "Would that I had been able to slay the wretch," he muttered. "Perhaps things would have been different."

Adrianna could say nothing to that, though her next question welled in her chest until she could bear no more. "W-What is your name?"

As he met her eyes with an arched eyebrow – which made Adrianna feel like she was going to faint – the stranger was silent for a moment. "Teth-Adam," he replied. "Though to my comrades, "Adam" is enough. And might I have yours? Or shall I call you "girl" for the foreseeable future?"

"A-Adrianna," Adrianna managed to squeak out. "Adrianna Tomaz."

Adam nodded. "We are well met," he said, as he turned to go. "May the blessings of Isis follow you, my lady."

"Y-You're leaving?" Adrianna exclaimed, feeling her panic well up in her chest again. "Where are you going?"

Adam did not even glance back at her. "To reclaim the power I require to defeat Nur once and for all, from the fool whelp who stumbled into it."

Of course. It made perfect sense that he'd do that; he certainly didn't have time to waste with her. "T-Then you will help Superman and the rest of the League?"

Adam's expression was dark as he glanced her way. "The question, Adrianna Tomaz, is will they help me do what must be done?" he replied. "They may be mighty enough to be useful, but unless they have the will to defeat Nur, they will be naught but a hindrance." He looked away. "And I have no time for hindrances."

And with that, he was gone in another flash of light, conjured by a gesture from his hand, leaving a bewildered Adrianna behind. Uncertain as to what to think, Adrianna could only sit down on a nearby rock. 'Superman, Alison and the League…aren't willing to stop Apocalypse?' She couldn't believe it. 'That's how they saved me…they WERE there to stop him!' she reasoned. 'They've done so much! They saved the WORLD! They can stop Apocalypse, I know it! General Zod was just as much a monster as Apocalypse, and they stopped him!'

But…why hadn't they already done it? It had been months since Apocalypse had emerged, and they had been able to stop Zod in less than a week. 'T-They're not perfect! They can't save everyone or stop every crime! Th-That's why Mae got away with…with..!'

Just the thought of her mother brought tears to Adrianna's eyes, as her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a sob. For so long, she'd wanted a love like Superman and Alison clearly had, and when she'd seen that stranger – Adam – her heart had just jumped…

…but he didn't seem to trust the ones she admired so much.

Shaking her head, Adrianna stood up. 'Why am I even thinking of this? It's not as if I'll ever see him again! And even if I did, he would never be interested in a…a little throwaway like me…'

And that was the sad truth: she was a nobody.

And nobodies had no power; they never had, and they never would. They would always be at the mercy of those like Apocalypse or Zod…and would need those like Alison or Superman to save them.

And there was nothing that she could do about it.

XXXXXXXX

Next Time:

With Apocalypse on the warpath, and a friend-turned-foe out for blood, our heroes are literally caught between a Rock and a hard place.

Is there any way to stop these two ancient menaces?

Find out, when "The Magic Word" is uttered, once again…