Second Chances: Stargirl - Rough Draft

Chapter 13

Jordan was completely iced up when he and Stephen entered the ISA's meeting room, fully prepared to kill whoever it was that had managed to break into their base, only to find that it was one of his associates.

"I think we both know that you're the one who'd get killed if you continued on your current path." Vandal Savage said as Jordan thawed out.

"A phone call would have sufficed." Jordan said as Savage got up.

"Tell your little fool to run off. This is a conversation for adults." Savage said, referring to the Gambler, who still had his gun aimed at Savage.

"Stephen, stand down before you get a knife in a place you'd rather not have one. This is Vandal Savage. One of our primary benefactors." Jordan said.

"I've never heard of this man." Stephen said, though he did what Jordan said.

"Be grateful for that. Usually when people hear of me, it does not mean anything good for them. You're lucky I have business with the man in charge." Savage said as Jordan signaled to Stephen to leave them alone.

"What was so urgent that it required you to come here in person? I seem to recall you not wanting to be around us and the feeling is mutual." Jordan said, since like a majority of the ISA, while they worked together, that didn't mean he and Savage liked each other.

"I just thought you'd like to know that your plan is jeopardy, since if what I'm sensing is right, your pathetic science failed to fully do what you claimed." Savage said.

"What are you talking about?" Jordan asked.

"I have sensed the resurgence of Prince Khufu and Priestess Chay-Ara. Whatever mind alterations you made on them failed, I could see Chay-Ara's power emerge and I feel as though Khufu's power emerged a while ago. I just never noticed somehow. And I'm here to tell you not to mess with their minds again, since the only reason I did not kill you for that the first time is because it had already been done and I thought that your technology could be of use to me once it was completed. However, if you mess with their minds again, I will do to you and every member of your little club what you did to the Justice Society of America. Except no one will mourn you." Savage said.

"Why do you care? I thought you hated them?" Jordan asked.

"I'm not telling you to leave them be because of any lingering attachment to people I despise. I'm telling you to do it because the only way to maintain my immortality is to kill them each time they reincarnate so I can absorb their radiation to replenish my own, but it only works when they've emerged." Savage explained.

"So, if they die as regular humans, then you can't refuel. Is that what you're saying?" Jordan asked.

"Don't get any ideas. I can still kill you. But if you want to keep my aid and your life, you will not attempt to more idiotic attempts to kill the hawks. They are mine." Savage said.

"Can you at least track them?" Jordan asked.

"That is none of your concern. I just suggest that you complete your plan before my enemies find their remaining allies." Savage said, disapproval clear in his voice, since he couldn't believe this group was incompetent enough to allow any survivors. Had he been in charge, every single member of the Justice Society would have been wiped out. Just more proof that the world would be better off without these fools. However, the technology for their plan could be useful to him, so he put up with them. For now.

"So, tell me again why you want to move us to Blue Valley?" Hector Hall asked his parents.

"Because now that our powers have re-emerged, we're not safe here anymore. That man I told you about, Vandal Savage, he'll know and he'll come after us. If we move to Blue Valley, we can at least get ahead of this, not to mention that's where the rest of the JSA is. We can try and get ahead of this." Kendra said.

"But why run if you know he's going to find you?" Hector asked.

"Because Hector, it's about living our lives as best we can for as long as we can before he can. And now we can be sure that if he does find us, you and Alda will be in good hands." Carter said.

"Why did you name her Alda? I'm just curious about that?" Hector asked.

"Your father's the one who named her." Kendra said as she looked at her husband.

"I named her after one of the children we had in one of our previous lives. His name was Aldus Boardman." Carter said.

"That's kind of weird." Hector said and Carter chuckled.

"Trust me son, it gets so much weirder." Carter said and Kendra couldn't help but laugh as well.

"He's not wrong. But at least we'll have babysitters we won't need to lie to about where we're going and you'll have some kids your age to talk to about this." Kendra said.

"Yeah, except for all those kids who are members of the JSA, but you won't let me join." Hector said.

"Those other kids were chosen in one way or another, you weren't and honestly, it's bad enough your father and I have taken risks like this, the last thing we want is for you to put yourself in them too." Kendra said, making it clear that this was the end of that conversation.

"So, when do we leave?" Hector asked.

"Once we found a house in Blue Valley and your mom and I found jobs there." Carter said.

"Of course my job will need to account for the infant who's currently asleep upstairs." Kendra said, right as she got a headache.

"Are you okay?" Carter asked as Kendra saw memory flashes that she didn't recognize, but didn't think too much of.

"Yeah, I think just a few more memories were catching up with me." Kendra said and Carter nodded, accepting that answer.