Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- well, I think I updated a little faster, but I can't actually be sure. Anywho- it looks like there's only one or two chapters of Tempest left! And the bad guy(s) are revealed! Ted really does end up in a lot of coma's though...enjoy!

Garth wasn't sure how long he had been laying there.

The ground was cold and hard beneath his back as he stared up into the darkness. He'd been trying to make out where he was, trying to find something that would help him get out of there.

He'd managed to shift his bound hands in front of him, something that had taken a lot of time and seemed pointless when he couldn't even use his powers but it was better to be prepared for whatever. It was better to be prepared just in case whoever brought him there came back.

He'd known that it hadn't been Saturn Girl and Timber Wolf that had come through the portal, he was a lot of things, desperate to change the timeline being one of them, but he wasn't crazy.

Another hour down there and he'd be close though.

There was no sound, no light; it was like everything was being sucked out of the room- positive energy included. He could feel depression and desperation sinking their claws into him as more time passed and rescue didn't arrive.

The air was already stale and he could feel it thinning. There was no fresh air traveling into the room and he was using up whatever air was left. Panic would only use up what remained faster so he'd taken to steady, even breathes and tried to think his way out. Brainy was always better at planning though.

Clark would be there soon- he was sure of it. Even if the other man had believed the imposters he'd still come looking for Garth. He was betting his life on it.

But what if the worst happened while he was trapped, surrounded by stone? What if rescue didn't have time to get to him?

He felt dizzy, sick and wasn't sure if it was a side effect of the power suppressor he'd been given or something else. Something given to him between being knocked out on the Watch Tower and waking up in the dark.

Clark hadn't even tried to stop them.

No- he shook his head, biting his lip hard- he wasn't going to think about that. It wouldn't help him escape and right now he needed the hope that someone would come find him because it didn't look like he was getting out of there on his own.

But the nagging thought that everyone could think he was back in the future wouldn't leave him alone.

He wasn't in the future. He knew that much. Time travel tended to leave a heavy feeling in his stomach and he was positive he hadn't been unconscious long enough for that feeling to disappear.

The imposters had had the same time portal as he had but he was sure it was all smoke and mirrors.

He just needed to wait.

The air was getting thinner.

He'd really screwed up this time. Garth rolled onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut, tired of staring blankly ahead. He'd been sent back to save the time line and look at all the good he'd done. The Flash was still in danger and he was trapped who knew where.

Clark- he needed Clark to find him.

The silence exploded in a burst of noise.

Garth flung himself to the side as chunks of stone and dirt rained down with the sound of another explosion. The world shook and dust filled the air, choking him. He pulled his legs closer to his body, curling up, making himself as small as possible, pressed close to the wall as his tomb fell apart around him.

The noise thudded loudly in his ears, painful compared to the silence. Rocks tumbled down, striking the floor, hitting his back as he tried to protect his head and neck.

Garth drew in a panicked breath and choked on the dust and dirt; it filled his lungs and try as he might he couldn't draw in another breath.

Something burst through the roof over head. It burned his eyes as he clenched them tight against the pain.

Sunlight. It was sunlight.

He let out a hacking cough, forcing his aching limbs to move as he half crawled towards the light. He didn't care that the enemy could be on the other side of the stone and the rapidly growing hole; he just knew he needed to get there. There was sunlight, and there would be air.

A rock glanced off his shoulder, tearing through the fabric of his costume and hitting flesh but he ignored it, trying, unsuccessfully to climb to his feet. The light was so close.

With a roar the stone wall he was facing as ripped away and suddenly the room was bathed in light. It chased away the shadows, burned his eyes but he could feel the air on his face.

Garth let out a sob of relief, letting his head fall down against the cool stone. He could rest for a moment. He shut his eyes tightly and just breathed, trying to clear his lungs and his head.

"Garth!" Something grabbed him and he flinched away from the contact. This was it- he couldn't use his powers, was bound and vulnerable and they'd come back to finish the job. "Come on, open your eyes."

No- he knew that voice.

He tried to open his eyes but the light still hurt. He squinted up at the other person as he was shifted until he was resting with his head pillowed in the other man's lap.

Garth tried to speak but it came out as a dry rasp.

"Hold still, I'll untie your hands." The other man soothed. There was a flair of light and then the ropes that bound his hands were gone.

"Clark." He tried speaking again.

"Yeah," Clark reached out and brushed some of the dirt from his face. "I'm here."

Where was here, he wanted to ask. How did he find him?

"What took you so long?" He rasped. Clark's eyes widened then a small smile broke out at Garth's attempt at a smirk.

"You've always been hard to track down."

Garth grinned, even as he broke down into another hacking cough. Strong hands helped him sit up, propped up against an equally strong chest. He sighed, sinking into the warmth and just allowing himself to be held.

Clark was shaking he realized with a start. He could feel the tremors racing through the world's greatest hero and the warm tears on his skin. It was just as surprising to realize that he was doing no better. So he turned his head, burying his face in Clark's shoulder and just held on.

"He did come in here, didn't he?" Kyle peered around the pub as though the person they were looking for could have been hiding from them.

"Yes." He was positive that he had seen Wally enter the pub. However the pub was deserted save for a handful of customers and the bar tender, a large older man who was eyeing them from behind the counter.

"So, where'd he go?"

That was the question. There was the possibility that Wally could have ducked into the washrooms or even through a door at the back of the pub.

Connor and Kyle had stopped to report into the league, just on the off chance that something was wrong. Ollie had mentioned to him before that the Flash wasn't allowed off the Watch Tower at the moment, for his own safety.

They'd been told that Wally had transported down with Wonder Woman and while Kyle had been content to take that at face value, something wasn't sitting right with Connor. So, only a few minutes later they had ducked across the street and into the pub, to at least greet their friend, only Wally wasn't there anymore.

"Well, he is the fastest man alive." Kyle continued, turning his attention out the window on the off chance that Wally might have been walking down the street. His friend was anxious to get back to their night off; Connor couldn't blame him, he was too.

He'd been preparing for weeks for Kyle's return from space; he'd even approached Donna for help. He liked Kyle, liked him a lot. However living as a monk for years had left him very little experience with anything. He hadn't really been sure how to go about flirting with Kyle, hence asking Donna for help. Which she had enjoyed teasing him about.

But he couldn't just enjoy his night now. Every instinct he had was telling him that something was wrong.

The bar tender was still watching them, cleaning the same glass he had been cleaning since they walked in. And seeing as they were not in their costumes, and the diversity of the few customers in the pub, he could see no reason for the surveillance.

Connor pasted on his best smile and walked up to the bar, leaving Kyle by the door, confused.

"Excuse me; I was wondering if you've seen our friend?"

The bar tender just continued to clean the glass, staring at him. The man didn't even blink.

"He's about my height, but has red hair?" Connor continued. The bar tender didn't show any sign of having heard him, just continued to stare at him.

"Connor?" Kyle called to him. Kyle was waving his hand in front of one of the patron's faces but the woman just continued to stare at Kyle.

"Alright, I'm just going to look around then." Connor slowly turned from the bar and with a glance around headed straight for the back room.

His quick reflexes saved him as he ducked and the glass crashed into the wall right where his head had been.

"Connor!"

He didn't have time to spare his friend a glance as the bar tender lunged over the bar and at him. Connor used the other mans weight against him and flipped him onto one of the tables. The table crashed to the ground and the bar tender grunted but didn't move.

Connor stumbled, clutching his chest. It hurt. Like something had been ripped out of him.

The room was lit up in a green glow and suddenly Kyle was back in his Green Lantern costume again. He cast a green bubble around the remaining patrons as they tried to attack.

"You okay?" Kyle cast him a quick, concerned glance over. He was unnaturally cold and his chest was aching like there was a physical wound but he was alright for the moment. He did wish he had his Green Arrow costume though.

"Yes." He was about to ask what they should do with the people in the bar when suddenly they were passing through the green energy of Kyle's ring and headed straight for them.

"No way!" Kyle ducked as one lunged at him. "There is no way they could have been able to do that!"

He'd never seen anything like it. The Green Lantern ring was impressive, not much could stand up to it, something was very, very wrong. It was too much of a coincidence not to have something to do with the Flash.

"Call the league!" He shouted, grabbing a pool cue. It hurt to touch the people so he would have to improvise without his bow and arrows nearby.

He had his suspicions that whatever was doing this was in the backroom.

Booster rubbed tired eyes and then stretched his arms high above his head, feeling each vertebra shift and then realign. The Watch Tower infirmary may have been advanced but they were still stuck using the same old plastic chairs. The plastic chairs that even his century had; they would mold to you and break your back at the same time. Whoever had invented them had probably come to the conclusion that while next to a hospital bed you weren't allowed to be comfortable.

He'd spend the rest of his life in the uncomfortable, plastic chair if Ted would just wake up.

The infirmary was clearing out, all of the minor cases being treated quickly and efficiently. There were a few more major cases but nothing compared to the state that Ted was in.

There were people with burns and breaks and bleeding profusely, but Ted was the worst. Ted was the only one who wouldn't wake up.

The Atom and one of the new recruits- Firestorm had wandered in a little while ago and the Atom and the doctor were conferring in hushed tones a little ways away. Booster had given up on trying to listen to them a while ago. It wasn't likely that he'd understand what they were talking about anyways.

Ted had an unhealthy habit of falling into comas. Unhealthy for Ted, but also unhealthy for Booster. He swore he was getting grey hairs from it all.

Firestorm was sitting on another plastic chair at the base of the bed, staring blankly ahead. He was pretty sure the kid wasn't new to the whole 'superhero business', but first week up on the Watch Tower it must have seemed like a lot. His first week on the Watch Tower he'd had to avert an apocalypse. Ted and Bea had been there afterwards with the original Star Wars films.

"There's no logical reason as to why he won't wake up." Atom announced as he rejoined them. The doctor left, probably to see to another patient. "He's as healthy as ever, aside from the damage left over from his first heart attack," He'd thought Ted had been lying about having heart problems. "But there's nothing that could have caused this."

This being the coma. He should have just listened to Ted and now no one could get a hold of Wonder Woman.

"There has to be something we're missing." The Atom continued, but his voice was more subdued. Booster didn't say anything.

"We could try Doctor Fate." It did look like it had something to do with magic. He was really learning to hate magic.

The doctor returned pushing a small cart with him. It held a variety of syringes. It looked like they were going to start on the tests. He couldn't watch- he hated needles, hated them even more when they were being used on Ted.

Instead he reached out and grasped Ted's hand again and then closed his eyes and tilted his head back. If they were going to test Ted he was going to be there, even if he was asleep. It looked like it might take awhile.

"Isn't it kind of soon for that?" The Atom asked from across the bed. There was a slight pause as Booster waited for the doctors reassuring reply. None came.

"Hey!" He jolted out of his seat as the Atom cried out, in time to see the other hero knock the doctor to the floor and away from the hospital bed.

"What's going on?" Booster demanded, placing himself on the other side of Ted's bed and in the way of anyone that wanted near him.

"He was about to inject Blue Beetle with this." Atom grabbed the syringe from the floor, never taking his eyes off the doctor that was climbing to his feet. Booster couldn't see anything wrong with the syringe, aside from the fact that its contents had been emptied somewhere.

"It's empty." He pointed out.

"It's full of air." Atom scowled at the doctor but the man made no move to approach the bed again. "He was going to inject air bubbles directly into Beetle's bloodstream."

Even Booster knew what that meant. He saw red.

"You tried to kill him?" The doctor didn't say anything, just stared at them, a blank look on his face. "Are you the one trying to kill the Flash too?" If it was this man and not Wonder Woman then Ted would have been wrong but he liked this alternative more.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Atom demanded.

Booster felt the change in the air around them just in time to get his shield up and covering himself, Atom and the hospital bed before they were hit.

A massive wall of energy hit them; it was hot, so hot and he could feel his shield faltering.

"Ronnie?" Atom stared in disbelief at the person behind the attack. Firestorm stared back at them with the same blank look that the doctor was directing at them.

Any heroes remaining in the infirmary were either watching with dawning horror or leaping to action. Firestorms attack spread, directed not only at them but at the few other heroes in the room. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Ice, who had been getting stitches, turn and freeze the closest heroes to her. Her face was equally as blank.

"Ronnie!" Atom shouted, as close to the edge of the shield as Booster would let him. "Snap out of it! This isn't you!"

"What's going on?" Booster demanded. Half the room was being turned to ice, the other half all but melting and he couldn't drop his shield and help without Ted being hurt.

"There has to be something controlling them."

He didn't know Firestorm but he knew Ice and the Atom was right. Something had to be controlling them.

But that left room for the question, where was everyone else? There was a full out battle in the infirmary- the alarms should have been going off. Back up should have been on the way. But instead it remained himself and Atom protecting Ted while a handful of other heroes fought Firestorm, Ice and the doctor who was now armed with syringes.

No alarms went off, no doors were sealed and no backup came rushing to the rescue.

What had happened to the league?

Courtney knew she hadn't been asked there, knew they thought she was in the way but she held her ground. The dark hero barely glared at her as he swept past, cape billowing and making him seem supernatural.

The transporter room was as full as she had ever seen it. Heroes from all over the Tower, all over the world, had gathered, all waiting for the chance to help.

Superman's absence was noticeable.

In fact- she craned her neck; looking around the room- Green Lantern and Wonder Woman were missing as well. The Flash's absence was the reason they had all gathered.

Star Girl planted herself firmly on one of the teleport pads and refused to move. They were going to have a fight on their hands if they didn't include her as part of the group. To her surprise though, Batman gave her a curt nod and didn't tell her to move.

She returned the nod, determined and gripped her staff tighter.

Nightwing and Arsenal disappeared in a burst of light, the first to be sent down. Batman, Black Canary and Shining Knight stepped up next, disappearing.

Up at the console, Captain Atom paused as Vigilante, Super Girl and she got ready to beam down.

"We've got a distress call!" He called out suddenly. Courtney froze, waiting as the distorted sounds of the call came through the speakers in the room.

"Green Lantern-requiring assistan-repeat need-Flash-"

It was the other Green Lantern, she recognized his voice. They'd found the Flash.

"Send us down!" Star Girl shouted up to Captain Atom, tensing. The Flash was in trouble- there was finally someone for them to fight.

"We need help in the infirmary!" The entire room started at Booster Gold's voice traveling through the speakers. "We need help now!"

This was bad- this was very bad. They were under attack.

There was a loud bang and then Huntress crumpled to the floor with a cry of pain. Vigilante stood over her, both guns drawn.

Heroes rushes forwards to deal with the new threat- a man that was one of them- only to be stopped by Hawkgirls mace and Aqua man's strength.

What was going on? Star Girl froze as hero turned against hero. This wasn't supposed to happen, this couldn't be happening! They were heroes- all of them! Across the room Hawk had the fingers of one hand wrapped in a steel grip around the Questions throat and the other around Doves.

What were they doing? Why were they hurting the others?

Supergirl took to the air, eyes glowing red and the console where Captain Atom was typing furiously exploded. The transporter was down.

Courtney gripped her staff and dodged between the fighting leaguers, terrified by the blank look all the attackers wore. It was like their minds weren't even there.

She ducked as a fist was swung at her, one that would have probably taken off her head.

"Stop!" She shouted, knowing it wouldn't work.

"Star Girl?"

Courtney unclenched her eyes and met the confused look of another hero. Power Girl's next punch went right over her head, knocking Green Arrow across the room and breaking his bow.

"We have to get down to Earth and warn the others!" She shouted to be heard above the noise of the fighting. Power Girl nodded, eyes darting around, searching for someone in the crowd. Then, without a backwards glance she walked right into the middle of the fray, clearing a path in her wake.

Courtney kept close, using her staff when one of the others got too close. They stopped abruptly and she found herself shoved at another leaguer.

"We need to get Star Girl down to Batman."

Zatanna muttered something under her breath and Fire froze in place.

"It's going to be a bumpy ride." Star Girl nodded, steeling herself for whatever came next. "Alright. Tropelet!"

The world disappeared and reappeared around her in a flash of light. The sudden silence was deafening.

"Star Girl?" Shining Knight was by her side in a second, concern marring his features. "What has happened?"

She looked down at her costume, realizing what she must have looked like to them. A few minutes ago everything had been fine and then she'd joined them, costume torn and battle damaged.

"Where are the others?" Batman asked, voice dropping as though he already suspected the answer and didn't like it.

"The Tower's gone crazy!" They stared at her, waiting for the rest of the story. "Heroes just started attacking, there was something going on in the infirmary too. Hawk was trying to kill the Question and Dove."

Hawk had a temper but he would rather die than hurt someone he loved.

"That's not possible." Black Canary paled.

"Vigilante?" Shining Knight asked hopefully. Courtney swallowed, hard.

"He shot Huntress."

"This doesn't make any sense." Arsenal argued, running a hand through his red hair, roughly. "Why would they attack each other?"

"It doesn't matter." Batman broke back in, heading across the street. "We need to find Flash. It's all connected."

She had the feeling that he was about to tell them to split up when the building nearest to them exploded in a burst of green light.

Kyle saw the light before he felt the explosion. The green light.

The ground shook and the parts of the ceiling fell in. He barely had enough time to get a shield up and over Connor and himself. The bar patrons abruptly collapsed, as though their strings had been cut, giving the pair a chance to get outside.

Somehow he really wasn't that surprised to find a small group of heroes outside, or to find Batman leading them.

John Stewart attempting to pummel the heroes into the ground with his ring was a little surprising though.

With no heavy hitters, Star Girl was attempting to use her staff to hold off the green energy but they wouldn't last much longer.

"Stand back." He squeezed Connor's hand quickly before taking off across the road, activating his own ring, covered in his own costume, to kick another Green Lanterns ass.

Stewart didn't even see him coming until his ten story tall bikini babe had him in her grasp.

Out of the corner of his eye he watched the other heroes run and join Connor in front of the pub before there was another explosion of light and his bikini babe disappeared. Stewart stared at him from behind blank eyes. It was really starting to creep him out.

Not as much as the people walking down the street right for them- the blank look firmly in place on their faces. It was just his luck that he ended up right in the middle of a zombie flick. He made a mental note never to take Connor to one of those.

A blast of pure energy was shot at him and he pulled his mind back to the fight at hand. Right- he had to beat John Stewart and then help the others. It sounded much easier in his mind. Of course- zombie Stewart meant that Kyle had the upper hand.

He had imagination.

Batman left the group at the front of the pub to deal with the masses that were suddenly swarming upon them. Nightwing and Arsenal striding alongside him with barely a glance as they moved through the pub, heading straight for the one untouched area; the backroom.

Sometimes he forgot that they had essentially grown up with Wally.

He kept his mind purposefully blank as the door shattered under his foot, swinging open to reveal the small room behind.

Bruce froze.

Wonder Woman stood between him and the two other people in the room. Wally lay on the couch, but he didn't stir. A sickly, black haze surrounded him; polluting the air around the red head and making his skin appear grey. He couldn't tell if he was breathing.

The other person in the room was someone he remembered from years ago. Grey Man hadn't changed since the last time Batman had seen him. The man was still small, with grey hair and deep wrinkles with a malicious smile.

This time though, Doctor Fate wasn't there to help them.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Grey Man gave him a nasty smile and then turned back to Wally.

Bruce felt all the rage that he kept within boil to the surface as the man went to lay his hands on the red head. With a snarl he lunged forwards, already calculating Wonder Woman's movement and avoiding it. Dick and Roy would distract Diana but he needed to get to Wally.

Too late. He reached them a second too late. Grey Man smirked at him and touched Wally's forehead. Then he disappeared. Faded away. And Bruce knew exactly where he had gone.

The red head on the couch jerked, like an electric shock had traveled through him and then lay still again.

Dick cried out in pain from behind him and there was a sickening snap. Diana had landed a lucky blow. Bruce crossed the room, using the fact that Wonder Woman was focused on where Roy was shielding Dick and with a sharp blow Diana crumpled to the ground. He was relieved that the blank look was momentarily gone.

"I'm fine." Dick reassured them as Roy pulled him to his feet, but his face was white, eyes tight with pain and he was clutching his arm tightly to his chest. "Wally?"

Bruce ground his teeth together, hands fisted at his sides.

"Grey Man is in him." He informed them shortly. "And I need the strongest telepath the league has."

And wasn't under Grey Man's control, he added silently. Grey Man wouldn't know what hit him.

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