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Squadron of Justice
Times Past, 1984
The Space-Time Gambit
Book Four
Continued from The Space-Time Gambit: Book Three
Chapter 24
MARVEL FAMILY
The wizard Shazam stood before Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, and Captain Marvel Junior in the huge abode that existed both on Earth beneath a subway station and yet also formed part of the epic Rock of Eternity.
"My children, I fear the warning signs that are upon us. An attack on this citadel is imminent from the realms beyond. I know only that these felons seek something from this location itself. You will need help, and so I have summoned the others who once made up the Squadron of Justice!" he explained.
"Holy Moley!" said a worried Cap. "If you need all of us it must be serious, great sir!"
Junior said, "Don't worry. We'll stand beside you to the end!"
The lovely Mary Marvel leaned over as if to pat the old man's arm. "We won't fail you!" she said with girlish determination.
"I have no doubt in your courage, only I realize the magnitude of this evil aborning on worlds beyond," he answered.
The heroes sped off with the speed of Mercury to face this invasion force.
Chapter 25
A lovely but evil redheaded woman led the team of time plucked villains sent to Earth S via time machine by Alexi Luthor's ally Dr. Doome. Doome rubbed his fat hands together with relish at the secret irony only he enjoyed. These pawns were chosen by him at Luthor's direct order. Even Luthor did not know just whom he had selected. The young and brilliant woman leading this Task Force S was Luthor's own daughter Alexis! She had, of course, not been born in 1943 when Luthor sent Doome out with the time machine to select evil allies to raid the so called Rock of Eternity for him. Still, Doome knew of her from his own trips through time. She was perfect in that she had her Daddy's flair for leadership and invention and she aimed to please. She too shared an amusement at being the source of her father's possible safety without his knowing it. She was eager to meet him once more as an adult.
Her team members came from different Earths and different times. They shared a love of larceny. The giant Chemo towered over them, along with the futuristic Validus. Below these titans stood the gorgeous and lethal Killer Frost, Cheshire, Cat-Man, the Earth-2 Joker from the 1940s, the Fiddler, Felix Faust, Black Spider, Heat Wave, and the wildly tumbling Madmen.
Alexis shrugged off the grasping hand of Cat-Man and slapped his face. "Try that again and you'll lose all nine of your pathetic lives!" she snapped.
They descended to the streets of the city and Faust said, "Why here? I thought our objective was on the fabulous Rock of Eternity."
"It is," she replied. "We are practicing a bit of misdirection while our teammate goes solo."
Faust frowned. "What other teammate?"
She ignored him. "Now, my friends, create destruction and occupy the heroes," she ordered.
And they did!
Chapter 26
SPY SMASHER
A beautiful blonde woman in a blue teddy posed on the bed in the Virginia mansion of Alan Armstrong. She was his wife, Eve Corby Armstrong. The blonde look was new. She hoped he'd like it. She heard a noise and rushed downstairs to surprise him. He worked late on various charities and she knew he would be tired. She felt playful, so she reclined across the banister and said, "Welcome home, lover!"
A mad laugh greeted her efforts. "For me? Why you shouldn't have, dear!" Then a frightening clown face loomed into view over the railing. The Joker grinned his death's head smirk, and the pretty blonde sank into a deep faint. "Must be my breath!" he giggled as he carried her up the steps and tied her securely to a chair.
"So you're the daughter of Admiral Corby himself!" he whistled as he looked through her desk while she struggled against her bonds.
"Yes!" she said eagerly. "You've heard of him?"
"Why no, I haven't. Just making conversation!" He laughed and stuffed a glove in her mouth.
*** Alan Armstrong was busy with charity work of a kind that had occupied him for over forty years. He was the mystery man called Spy Smasher, and he had secretly fought the nation's enemies in his costumed identity with all of his passion. He had used the name Crime Smasher for a while in the post war years, but soon resumed using Spy Smasher. After all, he didn't have to be so literal. He'd fight anyone who threatened to harm another or commit a crime.
He was handsome and strong, brave and smart, a wealthy man of ancient Virginia stock. His people knew the Henrys, the Campbells, and the Randolphs who had formed first Virginia, then the new nation long ago. He was a patrician, and he knew that carried more duties to the community than it did privileges if one wanted to be fair about it. He was fair. He served his nation in war and peace and had never shirked that duty. His wife Eve had been his loyal spouse for only a few years. She had been caught in the same time suspension that he had been in and thus she was no older than she had been in the 1950s. He had proposed to her immediately after getting his freedom and he did not regret it. The only problem was that he had never told her about his secret identity. He could not bring himself to reveal this most precious secret, even to the woman he loved.
Armstrong returned home after stopping a robbery and frowned as he saw a broken window. He raced around to the back and climbed up a hanging vine of moss and ivy that covered the rich outsides of Armstrong manor.
"Oh Eve, be okay!" he breathed as he gazed within his home to see his wife tied like a doll to a chair by a prancing maniac with a face out of nightmares.
"I came a-callin' Miss Scarlet because your Daddy is a traitor to Dixie!" crowed the Joker. "I say... I say... he is a Yankee sympathizer! So we's a-gonna hold us a trial to determine if we tar him or just feather him!" He laughed frantically at this. Eve's dad had died long ago, and this maniac's bizarre version of Southern history tormented her, as did the fear that poor Alan would soon walk in on this fiend.
"Seriously, Missy, I came here to Beaulah so I could take the papers to your prize horse, Laughing Boy," he said. "That name just speaks to me!" Eve struggled as he explained his reasons for invading their home. "I do hope the papers are in order. The horse is housebroken, right? If not, we'll just spread the papers while I break the house!"
Chapter 27
MARY MARVEL
Mary Marvel was flying as fast as she could. She knew that she had her work cut out for her, since the city was threatened by a giant green creature who spat chemical toxins as he crushed cars with his massive steps.
"That creature looks like something out of the shock theatre movies on the Saturday late show!" mused Mary as she circled around to fly a car and a trapped motorist out of the path of his crushing feet.
A thankful driver said, "Mary Marvel! Thanks so much! Could I have an autograph for my son?"
Mary smiled. "Maybe after I stop this rampaging beast!"
She saw Chemo breathe out toxins that hissed and crackled as they burned through the bridge upon which he stood. "Oh my goodness!" she gasped. "He's going to collapse that bridge full of cars!" She knew she could not move every car off the bridge to safety before the monster could rip it down, but she didn't need to. She was more than an adorable woman in a cute outfit. She was the World's Mightiest Girl, and she could work miracles!
Mary Marvel flew directly at Chemo and struck his enormous chest with enough force to topple him into the waters below. "That should stop that inhuman thing!" she said as she tossed back her brown locks.
A fiery explosion erupted from below as Chemo broke the surface again. "This is not going to be easy!" she sighed.
He swung for her and closed his fist around her body. She pried his enormous fingers back with effort and watched as the chemical reactions churned within his clear body. I wonder how he'd react to a magical bit of super charging? she mused. She flew toward his open mouth, and with a final gulp she flew inside and yelled "Shazam!" Seconds later she cried "Shazam!" again and burst free before the toxins could harm her super body.
The magical fire within his unstable body cause him to bubble and seethe wildly. "I think he's going to explode!" she realized. "I have to get him away from people or the ocean before he does something serious."
She dropped into the water and returned at top speed with a hastily fused together platform made from wreckage on the sea's floor. She slammed it under the giant and hurled him skyward to sent him into orbit around the sun.
"The gravity has him, and that means I can get back to Earth before I end up a little too tanned for class pictures!"
Chemo spat and fumed for a while before setling helplessly into a solar orbit.
Chapter 28
SPY SMASHER
Spy Smasher crashed through the window to confront the fiend that held his wife. "You're a little late for Halloween!" he said as he tried to step between Eve and the grinning devil.
"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" said Joker as he fired a blast of acid at the green costumed hero.
The acidic fire had no effect on Spy Smasher's specially treated costume. "I fought Nazi troops in this outfit. It has been treated to resist the worst you can throw at it." He circled the room as the Joker dragged Eve along by the hair.
"Ah! ah! ah! Not so close or I'll let her have it," said the Joker. "Oh, by the way what is it?" he laughed madly and ran out with Eve under his arm.
Spy Smasher swung up for the light fixture and dramatically crossed the hallway to land in front of the Joker. "Give up!" he urged as his heart pounded at the sight of Eve in the Joker's grasp.
"My momma didn't raise no quitters!" said the Joker. "She did raise squash!" he joked as he tossed Eve over the railing of the high staircase.
Spy Smasher jumped off after his bride. He tumbled down like the trained acrobat he was and landed first and under her as she hit his body. He knew she was unhurt, but he felt a rib break and his breath became ragged.
The Joker said, "As much fun as this has been, I'll just show myself out and take the lady's horse!" He dropped a pellet, and a gas spread throughout the room.
Spy Smasher had fought in the war, and his costume was designed for things like gas attacks. He dropped his mask flap across his face and covered Eve's mouth. He ran for an exit, and when he reached the lawn, he noticed that the Joker had made it to the stable.
He saw that Eve seemed to be safe, and so he ran after the mad clown. He almost was run down by the galloping villain until he got the idea to whisper "whoa!" The horse responded to the whispered voice of the man who had trained it for long weeks. It stopped and sent the Joker crashing to the grass.
Spy Smasher was on top of him before he could rise. He delivered three smashing blows and saw red before his angry eyes.
Then he saw Eve approach. "I'm okay!" she cried to the hero whom she had met many times.
He turned to face the Joker and the wily clown slipped free of his coat and raced off. Spy Smasher tried to catch him when amazingly enough he blinked away in electrical fire. "Teleportation!" he realized as he raced off to change and comfort his wife as plain old Alan.
Chapter 29
MINUTE MAN
The four Madmen wore brightly colored costumes, face paint, and made weird cries as they tumbled through the busy banking district. No one dared to stop them. The police could not handle them as they twisted and fought like their namesakes. However, one hero had what it took to match these bizarro thugs. His name was the Minute Man, and he made a career out of the quick comeback and insane banter.
He ran to face them after hearing about their rampage on his car radio. "So... which investment firm do you guys work for?" he asked.
The red faced leader sneered at the red, white, and blue hero and said, "We're the Madmen!"
"I'd be mad too if I had to wear those tacky outfits!" joked Minute Man as he dodged a punch from the nearest one and kicked him in the face.
A second one said, "You think you know madness? We live with the random violence of life everyday! We see what no one else can stand to face!"
"You mean Coach reruns?" he bantered as he spun through the air to land away from them.
"Get him!" said the bearded Madman leader. "Forget the money. He's stealing our bit! He's making us look silly!"
"I'm not even gonna touch that line!" joked Minute Man as he ran and led the group on a mad chase down the street. "Too easy! I do have my standards."
He slammed a revolving door hard and spun through it to reappear with both fists raised. He slammed into two Madmen and sent them to the pavement. "Fore!" he cried, and he broke a nearby hotel guest's elegant cane over the head of a Madman. "I'll pay for that! Call my people!" he yelled to the startled old man. I really will, he mused silently.
Minute Man tackled a Madman and pounded his face into the sidewalk. Then two others grabbed him. "Now the shoe is on the other foot!" sneered one.
"No time for a foot fetish!" he quipped as he dropped low and let his weight pull on the two thugs. "I have heads to break!" He kicked back off the sidewalk to sail over their heads and land behind them, then kicked both in the back, and they flew into a wall.
"Keep back or I'll hurt this hostage!" cried the final Madman as he grabbed a woman.
Minute Man froze and said, "Okay, don't do anything rash! That's my department!" Then he jumped for them both and landed his fist perfectly beside the woman's head in the face of the Madman.
She fell in his arms and he accepted the cheers of the crowd. "Thank you, thank you! The boys and I will back for the afternoon show at four!" He bowed and smiled to the appreciative crowd as the defeated Madmen were teleported back to their time ship.
Chapter 30
MR. SCARLET & PINKY
Cat-Man was happily in his element as the alarms sounded and he made his way across the rooftops just ahead of the cops. "I could have slipped out without ever setting off the alarm, but that uptight babe Alexis said to attract attention," he mused.
"Well, in addition to the way you're dressed, talking to yourself is a good start!" said Pinky as he and Mr. Scarlet appeared in front of the thug.
"Well, I am not afraid of a fight!" sneered Cat-Man. He ran across the roof and challenged the heroic pair to follow.
Mr. Scarlet and Pinky had been called in by no less an authority than the wizard Shazam himself. He had warned them to be ready for a crime wave from another world. This appeared to be the start.
Scarlet tossed a line across the rooftop and it snagged Cat-Man's arm. He pulled hard on it, but the wily felon sliced through the line with his claws. Pinky the Whiz Kid swung off the roof and made his way around by a desperate and dangerous leap, catching the lifesaving edge of the roof, and heard the pounding footfalls coming nearer. "Time to knock the cat out!" he laughed as he swung up and landed both feet in Cat-Man's startled face. The villain fell flat and rolled off the other side of the roof.
As Mr. Scarlet and Pinky raced over to save him they were shocked to see... nothing!
"He got away -- how'd he do it?" asked Pinky.
"Same way you intercepted his flight!" called Mr. Scarlet as he whirled to feel Cat-Man's pushing arms hitting his back. He grabbed the yellow costumed felon's arm, and a struggle began high above the city.
Pinky could only watch. He feared that any motion on his part would distract his father in the life and death struggle. Mr. Scarlet sometimes felt that he was too old for this lifestyle these days, but he wouldn't quit while a crook roamed his city.
Chapter 31
MR. SCARLET & PINKY
Mr. Scarlet suddenly dropped back and used Cat-Man's own weight and momentum against him by letting him gain an advantage and fall past Scarlet. Pinky also acted with quickness and caught Cat-Man with a solid right hook, followed by a left.
Cat-Man was angry; these two were giving him too much trouble. He half expected sleepy cops or guards, but not agile and determined heroes. "Get lost!" he roared as he clawed at Pinky.
The young man kneed him below the belt and decked him with a final right punch. Cat-Man skittered across the roof until Mr. Scarlet grabbed his cloak and stopped him fast. He realized that the cloak was the source of his power and long life, so he could not risk having it rip free. He reluctantly surrendered, and to his delight felt himself teleported back to the time craft.
Mr. Scarlet and Pinky exchanged glances. "He just vanished!"
"He'll be back," said Scarlet. "They always come back."
*** Elsewhere, Killer Frost posed seductively as her freezing powers blanketed a STAR Labs in icy sheaths. She had merely come here on a whim and, to her amazement, she had found herself! Louise Lincoln was still a normal woman on Earth S. The transformation to femme fatale had not yet occurred and might never occur here. Killer Frost did not like that. And so she decided to do what seemed the logical thing: kill her double!
The lovely woman hung suspended in ice. "Please, let me go!" she begged. "I've done nothing to you!"
"You're weak!" said Frost. "Your very fear offends me!"
"Ah, everybody gets scared sometimes!" said a little boy who suddenly appeared in mid air. "I saw this movie th' other night about ghosts! It was swell, but kinda scary!"
"Be gone, child, I do not war upon babes!" she said.
"I'm not a babe!" he insisted with true scorn. "I'm six, nearly six and 3/4ths!"
She sighed and generated cold ice in his path. The dark haired, black eyed boy named Atom Blake, Boy Magician, laughed a merry laugh. "You're like a girl refrigerator!" he said. "I bet you'd be nicer if you got warm!"
Sunshine suddenly bathed Frost in warm, glowing light. "I don't need this!" she shrieked.
Atom said, "You'd look swell at a beach!"
Sand then filled her area and her costume changed to a bikini. Color flooded her white features and she became normal once more. She gasped in shock. "How?" she wondered.
Atom smiled, "I'm a real Boy Wizard. Have been a long time 'fore that Harry Potter kid!"
"Huh?" she asked.
The boy said, "I can make ya normal if you stay here. If you go back to your world, you'll change back."
A tormented Killer Frost looked first to the boy then to her normal self imprisoned in the ice. She fled in confusion, and as the beam brought her back to the time craft, her skin turned icy cold again.
Chapter 32
CAPTAIN MARVEL JUNIOR
Captain Marvel Junior liked rock and roll. It had not quite been born when he was trapped in the suspendium trap, but after emerging from the decades plus sleep, he took to it with a passion. He especially loved the old music of the late 1950s, such as that of Elvis Presley. Perhaps this was due to the indirect influence he had had on it from one of his last cases before being trapped. In any event, the World's Mightiest Boy did not care for the sounds of madness coming from the Fiddler's magical instrument.
The white haired villain had used his instrument to send everyone at the Rock 'n' Roll Revival Show into a mad frenzy while he gleefully pocketed the proceeds.
Junior meant to silence the Mad Musician for good.
Chapter 33
CAPTAIN MARVEL JUNIOR
Captain Marvel Junior flew down to investigate the wild crowds outside the arena. What's the deal with these folks? That old man seems to be pulling their strings like some modern pied piper! he thought.
He was spotted by the Fiddler, who laughed, "Jump off the arena deck for me, children!" The kids began to leap off the high building as his music made drones of them all.
Holy Moley! Got to move fast! thought Junior as he tore the tent from a neighboring car lot free and used it to catch all the plunging kids.
The Fiddler grinned. "You seem to be a Superman in training! I'll put you through your paces, my lad!"
Junior gasped as the Fiddler's music changed and the kids began to charge him with fury upon their faces. They surged over him and pounded him to no avail. They only hurt themselves when they hit my body, but they could get hurt worse in this stampede! he thought.
He flew around the crowd at top speed and made all air fly away until they all passed out. "Hated to do that to the kids, but at least this way they can't be controlled by the fiend!" he said.
The Fiddler frowned. "Not super speed! I've seen enough of that in my career!"
Junior ignored him and dropped down in front of the green suited villain. "Stop now, or I'll be forced to exercise some musical criticism of my own!" he said.
The Fiddler smiled. "On the contrary, you punk! You'll be my biggest fan!"
The music then begin to sound oddly compelling to Captain Marvel Junior. He swayed back and forth and realized that he was no longer in control of his body. He's got me! he thought. Maybe I can use this to my advantage, he decided as he whirled ever harder. His stomping feet shook the pavement into a huge split that caught the Fiddler off guard and made him fall in the gap.
As the music stopped, Junior snatched the instrument and shattered it with a slam to the ground. He then pulled the Fiddler free and held the beaten old man at arm's length. "You're going to hear new music: Jail House Rock!" he smiled.
"The Fiddler has left the building!" giggled the Fiddler as he was suddenly teleported to freedom.
Chapter 34
BULLETMAN & BULLETGIRL
My name is Susan Kent Barr, and my husband is Jim Barr. You may call us Bulletgirl and Bulletman if you'd prefer. However, I can't tell you what to call the pair of thugs we're fighting at the moment. It all started when Jim went to visit a police scientist buddy of his named Barry Allen. These lab rats can talk test tubes for hours! As a test tube widow, I've spent more than my fair share of time just getting my hair done or shopping. Which adds to my old shallow debutante reputation, I might add.
In any case, Jim and Barry were in the labs comparing some new scientific do-hickey when this costumed pair burst in to disrupt the whole place.
The heavy guy was in a white jumpsuit and shot flames out of his gloves while his silent (and I do mean silent) partner kept trashing the police with true martials arts skill and a spider motif on his masked face. I changed into my hotpants and flew out to stop their rampage before someone or something was seriously damaged. Jim took longer since he had to slip away from his pal.
"Hey, babe, you make me all hot!" sneered the human torch.
"Let me help you cool down!" I said as I rocketed directly into his chest and, to his dismay, sent him crashing through the window and onto the pavement of the police parking lot.
These creeps always look at me with my stylish auburn curls and cover girl looks (my words, and I'm not under oath, okay?) and assume I'm an easy fight, but as a former girl athlete and horsewoman to begin with, the chemical my hubby invented just boosted my strength to a point slightly above normal. So I slugged this Heat Wave jerk, and he really felt it.
He was smart and he aimed his gloves at the roof, not at me! He knew I'd dodge, and hurting the whole building full of people would delay me considerably. Well, I decided to prove him wrong! I belted him with both fists, and he lost teeth and fell flat.
Then I flew to the nearby water tower (as a cop's wife I knew this town like the back of my manicured hand) and crashing through it to sent a cascade of water pouring down on the roof and putting out his blaze.
"Not bad, even if he did ruin my hair!" I joked.
Meanwhile, Jim was facing the Black Spider (I learned their names from some cops who heard them talk earlier). This agile crook was too fast for his own good. Even Jim could hardly handle him in such a closed space.
Rocket-powered movement loses its edge in a small room. Trust me on that! So Bulletman watched and dodged as the Spider fired lethal little darts.
Jim said, "I don't know who you are, but you'll regret invading the police station!"
The Black Spider did not answer, except to snatch Barry Allen over and hold his dart launching glove to the poor sap's head.
"Surrender, Bullethead or I'll let some air into lab boy, here!" he said.
Jim exchanged glances with his old pal Barry and knew what was coming. Barry kicked out and tore free of the Black Spider just as Jim slammed into him and knocked him cold. Barry just missed falling through a table full of chemicals which had been energized by the heat of the fire. Lucky guy missed them by inches!
Both thugs just vanished soon after.
Barry grinned, "Nice play!" (Barry knows Jim's secret, by the way.)
Jim nodded at his athletic pal and flew off.
Me? I headed for the beauty parlor and a new do!
Chapter 35
CAPTAIN MARVEL
Captain Marvel gasped in dismay at what he saw. A giant with huge fists and feet and a monstrous head which sparked lightning from a revealed brain was rampaging across the city. "Holy Moley!" he said. "That thing's like something out of a nightmare!"
He knew this was part of the crimewave from another world, and he wondered if the beast came from Earth One or Earth Two. "I hope Superman can stop this guy when I send him back home!" he said.
Validus rampaged with single minded fury like an infant deprived of a favorite toy. He smashed and crushed everything in his mindless rage. Captain Marvel moved quickly to pull cars away from the path of destruction. He then said, "Hold it, big fellow! You have to stop this now before one of us gets hurt!"
The behemoth looked at the World's Mightiest Mortal and smacked him through a wall. He landed in a lingerie shop and blushed furiously. "Sorry, ladies!" he said as he covered his eyes and flew back to the fight. He charged Validus and succeeded in knocking the giant off his feet. He followed up with a strong right cross.
Then Validus generated a weird mental bolt that struck the Captain and left him dazed. "Feel weaker! That bolt must have drained my power somewhat! Magic lightning?" he wondered. He tried to shove the giant back down as he rose, but he was too slow. Validus merely ignored the push and stomped off.
"That thing's got some kind of brain storm raging!" said a talking tiger in a stylish suit.
"Have no fear, my compeer!" said a bald, old man. "The ever valiant Captain Marvel shall triumph, and if he needs help then I, Uncle Marvel shall step into the fray!"
"I feel much better!" shrugged the tiger named Mr. Tawky Tawny.
Cap decided to try a new tactic. "He's kind of like a big baby! Not mean, just mindless in his wants and needs! This may stop him!" He flew down to where Mr. Tawny stood and quickly whispered a plan.
"I... I... iy-yi-yi!" gasped the tiger as he heard the plan. "I'll stake my life on you, Cap," he said nervously as Cap flew him to Validus.
The giant saw the tiger and slowed down. He picked him up gently and stroked his fur. "Nice boy!" soothed Tawny desperately.
Captain Marvel watched closely, ready to save his pal if Validus grew violent, but the huge creature slowly fell asleep as if he was a tired child after play.
Mr. Tawny smiled as Cap led him away, and they soon saw the sleeping beast vanish. "I never want to risk that kind of death by stroking again!" insisted the tiger.
"You did great!" said Marvel with a grin. "I could tell that he was like a big alien baby and hoped you'd soothe him like a stuffed toy would a real baby!"
Chapter 36
Felix Faust and Cheshire met their defeats as well at the hands of Ibis and Isis, but while the fights occupied the heroes, Alexis Luthor sat waiting on her secret team member to return with the piece of the Rock of Eternity. The redheaded woman was smart and lovely, and wanted to prove herself to her youthful father, but she did not know how to relate to him and was admittedly nervous. She did not realize that Doome had not even told the senior Luthor who she was!
The evil Dr. Light flashed into view with the rock sliver. "Here it is, dear lady!" he said.
"Did you warp the lightwaves around you as I suggested and thus invisibly steal the Rock?" she asked impatiently.
"I did as requested with my customary style," he said.
"Then the whole Earth-S Squadron of Justice group will be most likely here soon!" she sneered.
Before herself and her teammates, who all were transported back to the ship after their defeats, could leave, she found herself teleported away. The others reached Earth Two and went to their repective time periods with no memories of what had occurred. Doome now had the Rock segment Dr. Light gave him, and he in turn gave it to Alexei Luthor.
But what of Alexis? She was now in a lab and saw that she had been abducted by someone else. "What is the meaning of this?" demanded the daughter of Alexei Luthor. "I am a Luthor! You risk much to trifle with me. My father is the most brilliant man in the world!"
"Heh-heh-heh!" laughed an evil young woman.
"My father is the rightful ruler of the universe, aren't you, Father?" she said, grinning like a twisted gnome.
The old man in glasses and a lab coat sneered with evil pride, "That's daddy's girl! As Georgia said, I am the wickedest scientist in the universe! But, my dear, seeing that I knew your father, you can call me, Dr. Sivana!"
Alexis gasped in fear. She cried proudly.
Chapter 37
Dr. Sivana strapped Alexis in a machine, and her next few days became one nightmarish test after another. He laughed and rubbed his hands together gleefully during the whole ordeal. "You know what I hate about would-be world beaters like your father? Nothing is wrong with conquering a world and crushing your foes beneath your heel, however, if you are going to do it, then you should at least have fun while you do it! Luthor and his ilk are soooo serious! Could that sour puss crack a smile? I doubt it. Heh-heh-heh!"
Alexis waited and bided her time. She would be free sooner or later, and he would pay. The time came when Sivana chose to release her and send her home. He had learned all about her world from her mind, and he felt prepared to make use of the information.
She arrived back on Earth Two in her own time, with no memory of what had occurred.
Dr. Sivana smiled. "I may have to use that little vixen to conquer the universe yet!"
"But how?" asked his ugly daughter Georgia.
He laughed happily. "I did not sent her back alone. She carries a virus of my creation that will transmit more data about every person she meets on her world. Thus, I receive the data here in my computer and, just like that, I gain knowledge of everything she sees or does or knows! Better than pirated cable, eh? Heh-heh-heh!"