B E Y O N D . C R I S I S

The Independence Day tradition begun by Jay Garrick continues as always as superheroes and their families converge for a barbecue in Keystone City, hosted by Wally West. If they canceled this every time some alien horde had just attacked, it would hardly ever happen.

Early in the day, Rex Stewart pulls up in his huge Hummer SUV truck, which is stocked with his own grill and plenty of food, charcoal and beer. His slave labor, Davis Karnes, is left with the job of unloading it all. The caravan of the Arrow Family arrives soon after with Oliver Queen directing traffic, commanding his minions to bring the large pots of chili inside.

( The barbecue begins to kick off from there. )

Late at night in the Paradise Island Hotel and Casino, Riley Lance flicks a $50 chip to his faux-Amazonian card dealer and leaves with the rest of his winnings, which is actually his payment for working a blackmail case in secret for the casino owner. He cashes in, having his money split among four cash cards, and makes his way toward the parking garage.

As he rides an escalator downward, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and brings up the HERMES app he downloaded a couple months ago. A text window appears, and he begins typing a message.

WHISPER: I think I have a lead on the black male metahuman.
APOLLO: Something recent?
WHISPER: Could be.
APOLLO: Details?
WHISPER: Nothing to say yet. This is just a heads up. I'll work on it later. Busy with family business.

Now in the parking garage, Riley closes the app and slides the phone back into his pocket. This late at night the parking garage is empty of life. Those who plan to go home have done so by now, and those who don't won't be coming back to their cars for hours. It's only the rare sort like Riley who is out and about at this time.

( The rare sort like Riley – and the White Canary. )

"Frag the bitch!"

In a shower of sparks, Green Lantern crashes through the front sign of the Paradise Island Hotel and Casino with the Lobo Brothers. One hangs off her body via a bike chain lashes around her torso; while the other is on top of her trying to choke her with a crowbar.

( Dibs on her corpse! I ain't gotten any in fraggin' days! )

The Justice League has come into a new base of operations. This means they can organize. This means they can fight back. Aquagirl, Redbird and Z gather in the control room to do exactly that. First thing is to gather the rest of the Justice League by establishing who exactly that is. A list of all the members out there with a JLA communicator appears on one of the screens, and a message is sent out to report in so they can see a headcount of who is still out there. No response doesn't necessarily mean the worse, but it does mean that whoever can't respond can't be of much help. It takes a few minutes for all the responses to come in, and a few more pass before they realize they've received all the responses they are going to get.

ARTEMIS: No response.
ATOMIC KNIGHT: No response.
GEO-FORCE: Active.
GREEN LANTERN: Active.
HOURMAN: Active.
JADE: Active.
NIGHTSTAR: No response.
RED LIGHTNING: No response.
SHAZAM: No response.
STARMAN: No response.
SUPERGIRL: No response.
WARHAWK: No response.
WONDER WOMAN: No response.

( These results aren't comforting. )

Starman barely has any time after his fight with Atomic Knight before hearing movement from down the elevator shaft. Supergirl -- or someone -- has arrived.

It is Supergirl. She had seen what happened to the Watchtower from the Daily Planet, but it took her some time to get here. It took no time at all for Nazis to start appearing everywhere, and she kept having to stop to deal with them wherever she saw them. She couldn't just keep flying when she could see Nazis attacking people.

( She's here now though. )

Before this day, a small number of small memorials have been held -- opportunities for groups like Connor Hawke's students and Roy Harper's old drinking buddies to mourn without intruding on the secrecy of the true funeral service. The brothers lived as heroes when they were young, and they died as heroes when they were old. This is how they should be remembered at their funeral.

The family of Roy Harper and Connor Hawke has been joined by nearly the entire superhero community in the funeral home. Both caskets rest side by side, closed at the request of Oliver Queen. Because the ceremony is private, there are no colorful costumes. Stretching out before the caskets of the deceased is a sea of black with heads awkwardly bobbing on waves as people sit together in mourning. The word of how Roy and Connor die has already circulated, beginning when Siena Harper informed the Justice League and then members of her family in the days leading up to this. Because of this, even some who never really knew either Roy or Connor have come, feeling compelled to come honor the people who died saving their lives.

There is at least one notable absence. Cody Walker, one of Roy Harper's sons, has not come. Some in the family didn't honestly expect him to; while others are honestly surprised he wouldn't have come.

( Prior to the service, there was some question about who would be speaking. Many were uncertain whether Ollie could possibly be up to it. )

The assassin known as Bengal enjoys a private dinner in a French restaurant, or that is what he was formerly doing. The arrival of Scandal Savage at his table eliminates the element of privacy. Bengal takes it calmly, taking a sip of his wine.

( Hello, Scandal. )