MARCH 2002 - #31

Epilogue: The Mourning After by Paul Hahn

The heroes who recently started to call it home, known as Young Justice, had just been involved in the greatest battle of their lives. Not great as in glorious - great as in most dire. A band of murderous mutants called the Marauders decided that they would wipe out every mutant on earth. They were starting with the Morlocks.

The Morlocks were mutants who lived in a network of tunnels, lying one mile beneath Manhattan Island. They sought to live apart from the surface world, thinking they would be safe. Alas, it had been proven that no place is truly safe. The vast majority of the Morlocks are dead.

Young Justice tried their best. And they did do well, under the circumstances. They stopped many Marauders . . . brought many wounded Morlocks to their base . . . and even found and stopped the being behind it all. But it wasn't enough.

In the tunnels stood two members of Young Justice, Firebird and Jolt, as well as the mysterious Rebel, and a surviving Morlock, Corsi.

"When Chaos exploded, he wiped everything clean," Jolt explained. "If Skids hadn't got her force field up, we would've died. We almost did, anyway. I'm sorry, Corsi . . . we did our best."

"I know," he said. "Thank you for taking me. We should . . . we should head back."

Linda nodded. "Follow me."

The four walked slowly through the fire-scorched tunnel. Even the stench of death was gone.

Cissie King-Jones was perhaps better known as Arrowette. She was the first member of the team taken out of the fight when Dazzler blinded the team. The others recovered quickly, but because Cissie's vision was heightened compared to theirs, it had taken longer. She was now able to see, although her eyes were extra sensitive to light, and she walked around wearing sunglasses.

As she walked, she couldn't help but notice how the team's base seemed not only like a hospital - but a morgue.

So many of these Morlocks that we tried to save died . . . we did our best, but it wasn't enough. We even paid the price for it.

She swallowed nervously, keeping herself in check as best she could.

Wonder Girl and Jade . . . Cassie and Jenn . . . they're dead. The Marauders killed them. I . . . She shook her head. I've cried plenty already. I'm not sure I have more tears. And, god, I wish I could say that was it . . . but Chuck, he's bedridden with several cracked ribs and a broken jaw. Kon . . . his powers, they're very, very weak . . . but he is recovering from the blade wound he received in his abdomen. He'll survive . . . but I don't know if he'll have any powers.

Bart . . . poor Bart. Whatever that villain, Cerebro did to him . . . it did it when he was in hyper-speed, intangible. And somehow, he's stuck in it. Bart can't slow down enough to become solid again . . . and we don't have a clue how to help him. Linda's lost her super-strength. Jolt and Rebel, well, they got out all right . . . just minor injuries. They were the lucky ones, I guess.

And then there's . . . the Spoiler.

Cissie stopped at the doorway to the room that held the Spoiler. The girl refused to take off her mask or any piece of her costume, claiming that her identity needed remain a secret, at least at that time.

I am the Spoiler. It was originally an identity my mom fought crime with. Then, when Red Tornado put the team under house arrest, it was an identity I borrowed in order for me to still go out and lend a hand . . . and it was an identity that started to get somewhere with Robin. But then, out of nowhere, she shows up . . . helps Chuck during the fight . . . and now there's a third Spoiler. I'm so confused . . . I need answers. I'll get them, I know . . . it'll just take some time.

She walked over to Chuck's room. He was sitting up in bed, talking to a Morlock named Ever.

"I did a psi-scan as best I could," Ever was saying. "The Marauders appear to be gone."

"Thank God for small favors," Chuck sighed. "What about the one we captured . . . Dazzler?"

"I did a scan on her, as well," Ever continued. "She is indeed possessed by an entity calling itself Malice . . . I believe I can exorcize her, but Malice will need a new host body to be placed into, or else it might break free and start possessing at random."

"I don't want to leave her in Dazzler's body," Chuck frowned. "She's probably an unknowing, unwitting accomplice. I'll talk to Red Tornado . . . see if there's anything we can do. Thank you, Ever."

Ever nodded, then got up and left. Cissie entered. "Hey."

"Hi," Chuck replied. "How're the eyes?"

"Better," she said. "You had us worried there for awhile."

"I'll be okay," he shrugged. "The Avengers League agreed to take care of most of our wounded. Though they can't officially do it, since they're supposed to be anti-mutant, they will help."

"That's good. These people deserve the best we can give them."

"Did Linda and Jolt come back yet?"

"Not yet. They radioed that they were on their way, though," Cissie nodded. "The one guy, Corsi . . . he seems to be taking charge."

"We never found Callisto, their leader."

"He has faith that she made it out," Cissie shrugged. "He says she's a survivor. When a large enough group of the Morlocks are ready for travel, he says he wants to take them back into the tunnels . . . look for survivors."

"Didn't Chaos' plasma blast destroy any trace of what went on?"

"That's what Linda said. Corsi still wants to go in. I figure it's his was of coping, and we should leave him to it. Everyone heals in their own ways."

"This is true," Chuck nodded. "I wonder how we'll cope . . . "

"I'm not sure. But we will. We have before . . . we will now . . . and we'll have to in the future. That's the downside to being a good guy. We win so much . . . that when we finally lose, it nearly destroys us."

"That's why it's good to have friends," Chuck said, taking her hand gently. "So we can all see each other through."

"Yeah," Linda smiled. She and the others had returned a few minutes before. "If Bart hadn't found Maggott, we might never have gotten to Cerebro, the villain behind it all."

"And . . . it's been destroyed?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Rebel smashed it's skull to be sure. She's quite the little fighter."

"That she is," Kon nodded. "Maybe she'll stay with us?"

"We'll see," Linda frowned. "First we've got to make sure there still is an us."

"We took some hits, Linda, but . . . do you think . . . ?"

"Two of our own are dead, Kon. And not a one of us made it out of there unscathed. Whether the damage was physical or psychological, this . . . this mutant massacre affected us all. What makes you so sure any of us will want to keep going?"

"Because it's the right thing to do," Superboy frowned. "If we give up, then the Marauders would just have gained another victory. No . . . we'll all keep on going. There'll still be an us. Because that's the right thing to do."

"Ah'm gone for a couple o' weeks, and you go an' get Jenn killed?!" Sam Guthrie, former New Mutant, former Young Justice member, was angry. He was hurt. "Ah was killed under your watch, too. Ah got better . . . Jenn won't."

"I'm sorry."

"You damn well should be, Robin. You should be."

The monitor went black as Cannonball cut his link. Chuck sighed heavily.

"Charles?" the Red Tornado asked, knocking at Nightwing's door.

"Yes?" he asked, slowly sitting up in bed.

"You have visitors," Red said. "Captain America and Batman."

Chuck swallowed slowly. "Send them in."

The Tornado stepped back, allowing the two members of the Avengers League to enter.

"How are you?" the Captain asked.

"I'll live," Chuck replied.

"I heard about what went on down there," Captain America continued. "It was a brave thing you and your team did. I'm sorry for you loss. Wonder Girl and Jade died heroes."

Chuck nodded. "I know . . . they died how they had lived."

"I . . . just wanted to come by and tell you that we're taking a lot of the wounded off your hands," the Captain continued. "We're taking as many as we can, and sending more off to Muir Island. Those that are relatively healthy have asked to remain."

Chuck nodded. "I appreciate it."

"We're also taking Dazzler off your hands," he said. "We'll make sure she's freed of the Malice persona. You did good, son. Rest easy."

Captain America turned and left. Batman remained.

"Charles."

"Bruce."

The two looked at each other for a long moment, neither one speaking nor really breathing.

"Nightwing, huh?" Batman asked at last.

"Yup," Chuck nodded.

"I like it," Batman's voice was cool and calm. "Sorry about your loss. Just know that it happens. Don't let it get you down. Keep moving on. You're . . . doing the right thing."

And with that, the world's greatest detective turned and left. Chuck smiled.

Elsewhere, in the tunnels, repair crews had entered after a lava eruption burst through Central Park.

[[Mutant Massacre Secret Files #1 - Paul]]

"Hey, I found someone!" a worker said. "I think she's alive! Call the paramedics, quick!"

It was a woman's body the man stood over. She had blonde hair and wore a battered and torn white outfit. The odd thing was that her body seemed covered in a diamond sheath.

"Whoa, I recognize her!" another guy said. "Dude, that's one of the richest broads alive! Her name's Emma Frost . . . "

End Interlude

Corsi had gathered a group of Morlocks that were in relatively good health.

"Are you sure it's wise for you guys to move so soon?" Linda asked the assembled.

"No," Corsi said. "But it's what we've decided. There must have been other Morlocks that made it out okay . . . we're going to find them and keep on living. The Marauders tried to wipe us out. They failed. Those tunnels are our homes . . . and we're determined to keep them."

"If you're sure . . . " Linda said.

"I thank you for your help, your hospitality, and I am sorry for your loss," he said. "But I'm far more sorry for my own."

"Good luck," Linda said.

"Thanks," Corsi said, turning and leading the way. "We'll need it."

Linda stood quietly and watched the Morlocks depart. Caliban was towards the rear. He paused and looked back at her.

"Goodbye," he said, "Earth-Born Angel."

"And you're sure Maggott's gone?"

"He disappeared during our fight with Cerebro," she shrugged. "I tried to find him afterwards, but he was gone."

"It's probably better that way," Chuck sighed. "Saves us the trouble of deciding what to do with him."

Linda nodded.

"Relax, Linda. I know things are hard . . . and they're not gonna get easier any time soon. You lost a best friend . . . Kon's pretty hurt. All of us are in a bad way. But things will get better . . . and we'll have time to heal. I know you're upset . . . but just relax. Tomorrow's a new day."

"That it is, Chuck," she sighed. "That it is . . . "

Corsi led his group of Morlocks into the tunnels. They were sad and hurt, but they were still proud. They wouldn't let their spirits be crushed.

Maggott was glad. As he watched them in secret, he was happy that they would continue on. And he would make sure that nothing would ever befall them again. He would be their guardian . . . atoning for his sin in the only way he possibly could.

Fin.