Unexpected Allies

Chapter 18: Tears of Eternity

Superman's POV

I followed after Damian and Raven, the other girl, Manette, leaving us.

"I feared your plan would fail from the beginning. An army without killers is no army at all, but Batman believed in you. You cost me my father." Damian said bitterly as we walked down the halls.

"And my teammates. My unborn child. I won't forgive that."

His... child? From next to me, Raven looked down slightly in guilt.

"Nightwing convinced me not to voice my many objections. 'There are always risks in war,' he said. He isn't saying that anymore." Damian told us, stopping at a door and opening a peephole.

Raven looked through for a moment before gasping and backing away.

"You used a Lazarus pit." She accused, "You promised you wouldn't."

Damian looked down, "Father was lost to Darkseid. Everyone on the team was dead. Manette's condition had been rapidly declining, I thought she was going to die too. Dick was my brother. I had to try."

I closed my gapping mouth and put on a determined face.

"We can't let what happened to Dick and everyone else be in vain. Help us fix things." I reasoned.

"How? You're powerless now." He stated.

"We need you to get through to Batman. You can break Darkseid's programming." I explained.

"You grossly overestimate the influence I have on my father." He said bitterly, turning around.

"Batman cares about you." Raven said.

"I was there when Bruce learned about Dick's death. It affected him. He almost got through." I told him.

Damian paused, turning slightly.

"He overcame my mother's brainwashing once. If anyone could break through Darkseid's programming, it would be him." Damian stated.

"So you'll try?" Raven asked.

Damian turned and looked at me seriously.

"It's my responsibility to save himm and barring that, kill him. That's what he would want." Damian said.

Raven and I stared at him in surprise.

"But the only way to Apokolips is the boom tube in Lex Corp Tower? How do you expect to do that?" Damian asked.

"I have a plan." I told him.

"What, like your last plan?" Damian asked bitterly.

"No. This time we have help. Connections. Cyborg isn't spying on us. It will work." I assured him.

He frowned, "Fine."

Damian walked past us and we followed him to a door, which he knocked on.

It swung open and Manette stuck her head out.

"It's been ages since you actually knocked, Damian." She smirked.

"I'm going to go help the others get to Apokolips. Superman here has a-"

"Damian, I know everything. I've been spying on your with the cameras." She told him.

"Sounds about your style." Raven said.

"And, when you said 'I'm going', don't think for a second that I'm going to stay here. Shiva would kill me." Manette told him.

"Shiva wouldn't dare." Damian stated.

Manette rolled her eyes, "I'm kidding. Besides, I came up with most of Superman's plan."

"You what?" Damian and I asked at the same time.