[i]“I warned you that Cal would be the first to fall.” Nabu’s voice seemed particularly patronizing today. “And if you continue to refuse my help, he will certainly not be the last. That terrapin alien will be next.”

[i]Just like you said that you were the only way to cure the poison?[/i] Phil shot back as he blasted a charging cyborg.

[i] “I am not privy to the secrets of the Batman,”[/i] Nabu stated, brushing the rebuff aside. [i]“Visions, however, do not lie.”[/i]

In his mind’s eye, Phil could see the Star City Police Department, its bionic officers besieged by the young heroes, with a few new faces, one of which had a striking resemblance to the fallen Apollo. The team was grinding their way through the defenses at a slow, painful rate. No one was unscathed, and victory was not assured. As Phil watched, Brick was mostly disintigrated by plasma fire. 

[i]"Do you believe me yet or do more of your friends have to die?"[/i] Nabu said without a shred of sympathy in his voice.

Back at the White House, the President finally made her apperance on the battlefield. The telekinetic might of the android managed to keep the Flash at bay as well as several pieces of debris and metal thrown by the Dittos and Shock. Plastic Man tried getting in close as well but the field was strong around the former president of the United States. At some point the Tomorrow Woman began throwing her own army at the young heroes and the fastest man alive but for the most part the heroes defended themselves breathtakingly avoiding near miss attacks. The new Captain Marvel was sent flying across the city with a wave of tk energy from the android adversary. 

"No you don't!" Orbit was working on two things at once- she was providing cover for her teammates with her own telekinetic shields, and she was trying to calculate some kind of weakness, some kind of way in toward the First Lady-bot. She saw Captain Marvel shoot by from the corner of her eye, and without thinking, reduced the strength of her own shield, and formed a concave barrier that would act like a net. The curve of it would hopefully stop him from having a hard impact.

[i]"Your team is too weak."[/i] Nabu noted with distain as Captain Marvel hurdled past Phil, his crash landing lessened by Orbit's efforts. [i]"You all will not survive this encounter without my help; this leader is too strong. For the sake of your teammate's lives, set aside your own hubris, your reservations and selfish desires. Is your petty pride and moral high ground worth the cost of your friends' lives?"[/i]

Phil looked across the National Lawn at his friends. Orbit. Ditto. Shock. Plas. Captain Marvel picked himself up out of the small crater his impact had made. The Flash streaked by. 

And Tomorrow Woman sent another telekinetic barrage at the team. Phil's team. His friends.

[i]I know what I must do,[/i] Phil thought, putting on a grim face. Under the cover of Orbit's shield, he removed the Helm of Fate from his bag. Lifting it high, he put it on his head. That was the last thing Phil remembered of the battle.

~~with KL and Dizzy~~