Re: The not-woods
"No," was all Hel could whisper as she watched Kara zoom away, her lips still tasting like warm sunshine. Kara could handle herself, especially here, where she was stronger. That didn't mean that Hel didn't want her back -- right this minute -- so they could leave. "Come back to me." She didn't know if Kara heard before she moved so fast that she seemed to vanish, but Hels hoped she did.
Kara could make it out in time. Blow the house and make it back here and then they were leaving.
Licking her lips, tasting the faintness of Kara still on them, she started walking after the other her.
The scarred Helena had her back turned the whole time and had missed the blonde girl seemingly kissing air. If she couldn't do what she was supposed to do, she was going to do what she had been doing before she'd been interrupted. Weaving in and out of alleyways, hiding from what few parademons were still on the street, she finally entered a nondescript apartment building. Instead of heading for the elevator, she ducked into a door labeled 'Maintenace.' The other Hel hurried after her, slipping in before the door shut.
The other one was already looking around as if someone had followed her, or maybe to make sure no one was watching before she reached for a mop and bucket. Before Hels could even ask, she yanked back on the handle and part of the floor began to slide away. Even she was a little impressed as she followed her scarred version down the dimly lit stairs, briefly noting that this other version of her definitely knew the way as she stopped in front of a solid iron door.
Iron. Hels blinked as she entered a code on the keypad and the door slid open to an exact replica of the cave, only this one was stuffed full of all the things the last one had been missing. And this one had people in it. Bright, clear-eyed people.
"Are--?
Questions were lobbed at the other Hels, who only answered with a shake of her head. "Found some help. Have we got a live feed of Gotham?"
"We've got one," confirmed a young man. The screens flashed black and then the feed came up, grainy, set to the side of Wayne Manor and looking out over Gotham. There were parademons everywhere, but they were moving aside for a much larger figure. One glimpse at the gray skin and Hels knew who it was. Her heart skipped a beat and then thumped hard against her ribs. Darkseid.
She wasn't paying attention as she walked across the room to stare up at the screens, her hands in fists at her side. He'd taken everything, and there was a brief, hot pulse of respect for this other Helena, the one with the scar, that she had done enough to earn a visit from him. "Go other me," she said quietly, her gaze darting to the other woman who was watching the screen just as intently as she had been.