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#1

By Ken Hintze

Scripting assist by Josh Krenz

 

The desire for domination of the universe is shared among many beings with great power and intelligence. Desire, however, is not enough when facing the forces of order..the forces of good. With order standing in the way of these creatures, the universe has continued to evolve in a positive way.

Organizations such as the Justice League, L.E.G.I.O.N., and the Green Lantern Corps have defended the order of the universe. However, there is always an imbalance between the forces of order and chaos. Dead allegiances, broken trusts, and damaged relationships--all creating an even greater need for forces of good that are willing to remember the difference between order and chaos..and to do something about it.

The world is a different place. A butterfly patters its wings in China , or a young man of immeasurable power pounding his fists on the walls of time itself. Some of the dead have come back to life, history has been rewritten, and some futures have been altered forever. The consequences of this will be told.. ONE YEAR LATER.

<><><><><><><><> OLYMPUS MONS , MARS <><><><><><><><>

Alone.

Is there a more fitting word to describe someone who has outlived his entire planet? His family, his friends, his life..all gone at the hands of a great telepathic plague. J'onn J'onzz sat alone atop Olympus Mons, a volcano 340 miles across on his home planet of Mars.

This universe always makes me wonder in amazement....there is life sustained in all known corners of the universe, yet we know so little about creation as a whole, J'onn thinks to himself. We have races like the humans, who hold apathy above all other traits, yet they continue to live and thrive. We have races like the colony of Saturnians....yet they continue to live and thrive. We have living hells like the terror of Darkseid's Apokolips. And still, life goes on. Yet a race of pure beauty and magnificence, the people I call my own....gone without a trace. J'onn begins to feel an overwhelming sense of depression and anger.

His entire family gone. An entire world, vanquished. A memory of his wife and child flutter across the surface of his mind. A crisp tear rolls down his Martian skin. Boarding his spacecraft, he flies off back towards Earth.

The trust I place in the men and women I call my friends has been severely compromised. The League has always been a place I could call home and feel like I was with my family.....but now I see how they failed the greater good that we were meant to protect. Clark, Bruce, and Diana had the power to make things right. . but they failed. They believed that the people of earth needed to be safe. .. but they forgot that they also needed to be free. Now things have changed. The need for someone to protect their freedom is more important now than ever before. This alone forces me to act. The ship set to autopilot, J'onn closes his eyes and begins to drift into a deep telepathic meditation for the remainder of his voyage back to his adopted home. As ever, alone.

<><><><><><><><> Z'ONN Z'ORR, ANTARCTICA <><><><><><><><>

At his base of operations, Z'onn Z'orr, the Martian Manhunter sits at a computer screen punching computer keys. The screen flashes several split images, all conveying different information. In a bold red font, the words "12.1 ALERT" blared across the screen. With a simple keystroke the window expanded over the entire width of the monitor. With an unusually stern look, J'onn read the message.

This is the 7,546 th human disappearance within the past 2 years.. all including the exact same signatures: scarred ground and nothing remaining where the person stood only moments before., thought J'onn. T he League thought this was a case to leave for the local authorities. but I see a connection between them. Perhaps it is time to contact John Butcher on his investigations within the South American region.

J'onn stroked a few more keys on his computer, as the screen flashed into an image of John Butcher. The Martian Manhunter looked up to the screen, " This is J'onn..thank you once again for your assistance. I require you to travel to San Antonio Palopo, by Lake Atitlan in Guatemala . 2 people have disappeared within the last hour.same traces as before. I need you to speak to the villagers there and try to find anything new that we have yet to discover. The rate of these disappearances has been increasing lately and I have a feeling that something ominous is happening. I will meet you there within the hour ."

" Consider it done my friend .... I look forward to working with you directly on this investigation.....be at peace and may the spirits comfort you, old friend ." replied John Butcher.

The call ended, and the various split screens returned to the monitor. Without a thought J'onn entered a code, stood up, and walked away. Stopping by a large door, he pressed a small yellow button and the fixture glided open. J'onn stepped into the room and paused a moment.

" Jemm..how do you feel today ? " asked J'onn.

Jemm stood up and moved toward the Martian with a sense of happiness. " I am feeling well today J'onn...it is nice to have you back from your voyage to your home world of Mars. How was your meditation time ? " asked Jemm.

J'onn grasped Jemm's hand, and then replied " It was a welcome break. However, we have had another disappearance..this time we will go together and work with John Butcher on gathering evidence. I believe that these disappearances are connected . "

Jemm nodded in approval, and then followed J'onn out of the room. The two walked in silence as they approached the docks of Z'onn Z'orr. The two figures entered a small craft, input coordinates, and left for Guatemala .

<><><><><><><> SAN ANTONIO PALOPO , GUATEMALA <><><><><><><>

Five-kilometers outside of the village, a small spaceship touches down. John Butcher watched as the last Martian and the Son of Saturn exited the vessel.

" Greetings my friends..it is always a pleasure to see you . " said Butcher.

J'onn shook hands with Butcher, as they nodded quickly at each other. Butcher motioned them to come with him, as J'onn morphed into the appearance of a local villager.

" I will stay behind and watch the ship ," said Jemm.

With that, J'onn and Butcher walked along the wooded landscape until they reached a clearing, where Butcher stopped J'onn.

" J'onn..these people do not seem to know much of anything about what happened " said John, " I am sure you might be able to scan their minds for some traces of a clue. This is not the problem; the problem is that the people of this village are claiming that these were not ordinary people that disappeared. These people were gifted and in tune with the forces around them. They believe that these people were descendants of the Gods.. "

J'onn placed a hand on Butcher's shoulder and replied, " Many signs can be misinterpreted by superstitious villagers..however, this is precisely why we are here..but I sense that there is more on your mind than potential metahumans disappearing . "

Butcher looked to the ground and took a deep breath, then said, " Just as everything in the universe can be examined in the light of balance, so can everything in this world. From the smallest secretion of sweat by a gland on your forehead that cools the body to the hundred-mile an hour winds produced by a hurricane, all is blanketed in a cause and effect relationship that revolves around a balance of the parts to the whole. That whole is nature, not Mother Nature, and is the best and truest example of balance there ever was and will be. We, as living beings are that nature and to think differently is immensely erroneous. "

" John Butcher, what have you found in this village ? "

Butcher looked deep into J'onn's eyes and replied, " I have found a man calling himself Will Payton..Starman. Not Prince Gavyn..Will Payton, the actual Will Payton. He's here and he doesn't remember anything of the past. Everything before he went hiking all those years ago and was hit by the energy that transformed him into Starman is gone. I know, he ended up being some Prince from another plane, but I swear J'onn, this is the actual Will Payton! "

J'onn gave Butcher a look that could only mean one thing. John Butcher turned and led the way to where Will Payton was located in the village. They walked through the rest of the wooded landscape towards the village of San Antonio Palopo . Passing through the village, the two men approached a small hut made of grass reeds and tree branches.

Butcher greeted a man standing outside the hut. The man smiled and welcomed them in. The hut, which framed two rooms of equal size, held its space well. On the outside it appeared to be small and rank-the inside, however was cold and uncomfortable. With a gentle gesture the man motioned them to sit in the first room, as he offered them a liquid concoction the two could only assume to be tea. Gratefully, J'onn accepted the drink. With a nod the man walked into the next room. After a few moments, the villager emerged guiding a confused white man with long hair into the room.

J'onn stood up and looked directly into the eyes of the confused white man, their minds linked in a telepathic embrace. After five long seconds J'onn broke away from the connection. The Manhunter looked to the Butcher in awe. The two glanced over at the mess of a man before them. With a humbled voice J'onn said, " You were correct John Butcher, this is not the Prince Gavyn we have known for years. This is indeed William Payton! How this can be makes no sense. We will have to take him with us to further examine this situation. Please explain to the villagers that William is with us and we must take him..please make him understand . "

J'onn helped the dazed Will Payton out of the hut, as Butcher explained the situation to the villager. J'onn looked over his old ally, remembering old battles with Will Payton fighting alongside the League. It was a different time, when order and chaos were clear paths. The two were never great friends, but then again J'onn could rarely ever get close to anyone. The man that stood before him was clearly J'onn's old ally, but not the same man the Manhunter once knew. This Will Payton was gaunt with time and pain, an empty vessel that contained a shadow of a man. Something had happened, and it had left its mark. The Butcher rejoined them, and J'onn asked him to collect evidence from the disappearances earlier.

J'onn walked in silence alongside Will Payton until they were outside the village. The former Starman followed without question, bumbling along like a toddler on an afternoon's walk. Once outside the village J'onn carried him in flight to the starship where Jemm was waiting. As the two men landed they were greeted by the Son of Saturn. As J'onn morphed back into his normal form, Will Payton's insane trance was suddenly shattered. Crying in disbelief, the shocked madman scratched and kicked at the two aliens. Forcing Will's head into his hands, J'onn mind-linked again, but this time he dug deeper into Will's subconscious and began to see the shards of memories broken in Will's fragile mind. J'onn started to repair the damage, as he pieced together the fragments of Will's mind. Closing off traumas, soothing pains, and reconnecting axioms until Will whispered, " J'onn J'onzz..you're J'onn J'onzz!!! You're the Martian Manhunter of the Justice League!!! We've worked together before, haven't we? I am..I am more than just Will Payton...I'm Starman? ! "

J'onn released the mindlink. Staring into the eyes of Will Payton, J'onn J'onzz recognized his old ally. For the first time in weeks a smile crawls across the face of the Martian Manhunter. With outstretched arms Jemm clasps a hold of Will Payton. " Starman ," Jemm said, "I s it really you? Welcome back Prince Gavyn, we can surely use your help . "

Once again, confusion splashes across Will Payton's face. For a moment he is lost in this thought-captured by the insanity of the moment. " Yes, I am Starman..but I am not this Prince Gavyn. I remember helping Power Girl, Firestorm, and Firehawk during the Invasion of Earth..but I have never known myself as Prince Gavyn? I remember the battles, the friendships, the losses.. Eclipso..and..did I die ? "

With a look of amazement, J'onn said, " It is hard to say William. The world has changed. The past is different, some things are different than we remembered them to be. There was a battle with Eclipso and you were presumed deceased. It turns out that you had survived the battle, but your human body and memories were imbued with the life essence of Prince Gavyn from the Throneworld empire. Prince Gavyn was the Starman before you gained your powers from being hit by the beam of cosmic energy from space. We had all grown to believe that you were in fact Prince Gavyn..but John Butcher's instincts told him that you were not Prince Gavyn. My mindlink with you confirmed that..you have no trace of Prince Gavyn in your psyche anywhere. It is almost as if history and reality has been rewritten-as though you were never linked to Prince Gavyn. Yet another of the strange occurrences surrounding the events of the past year. William, you are welcome to stay with us at Z'onn Z'orr until we find out what happened to you. We are friends to you William..you can trust us ."

Will rubbed the back of his neck as he thought over what had just been told to him. He looked at Jemm, then at J'onn, as he smiled and said, " Yeah J'onn, I remember how you were always good to me..and honest with me. I don't really know what's happened. All I can say is that I have lost a large portion of my life all over again..and I'm sick of it. J'onn, if anyone can help me figure this out it's you. "

J'onn placed a reassuring hand on Will's left shoulder, as Will smiled back. "Jemm," said J'onn, " contact John Butcher so that we may leave as soon as possible ."

A moment later Jemm replied, "J'onn..I think you will want to converse with Mr. Butcher..he has found some further evidence regarding the two disappearances here. It appears that three people were taken, but then one was returned. The third person, the one they returned is in a comatose state. Something is odd here..and Mr. Butcher would like you to see for yourself . "

J'onn motioned for Jemm to help Will into the starship, as J'onn flew off instantly to meet with John Butcher. In the center of the village the Butcher waited for J'onn, who carefully touched down beside his acquaintance. A witch doctor circled a prone body on a stone tablet, waving large leaves ceremoniously over the body. The man on the tablet was in a world of his own, completely unresponsive to the people around him. Butcher pointed the man out to J'onn, who approached him and touched his forehead. Like electricity jumping from a Jacob's Ladder their minds connected.

Instantly the two minds became one. Everything seemed cloudy and unclear, but as J'onn worked his way through the man's mind crisp images started to form. Memories floated past, some shocking-others innocent. At the back of the man's mind sat a large familiar image, clouded and blocked by fear. A large man-no, not a man but a beast in humanoid form. His grey flesh was pierced by protruding bone fragments, his body ripped with muscles and anger. Doomsday. The image of Doomsday thrust itself into clarity as J'onn worked through the terror shielding it from the man's mind.

The memory played itself once more for the Martian Manhunter. Sitting in a corner was Doomsday. In one hand he held a human femur bone, which he was using to pick away flesh from his teeth. In the other hand the beast held the remains of a human-ripped apart at the waist, tattered with teeth and claw marks as though recently mauled by some cruel animal. This is what the man's fear had been hiding. In the memory the man moved away from Doomsday, trying not to gain the monster's attention. In a predatory fashion Doomsday looked right into the man's eyes, and then made a deafening sound, petrifying the poor man down to his very essence.

The man got up and ran away from Doomsday, as a large flash came in front of his eyes. The man was startled, as he fell backwards onto his back. The man looked around quickly, as he noticed a sign on the wall that read, " Ingento Corporation " and another that read " 05554376 ". The man got back to his feet, only to notice the vile monster standing before him. Doomsday tossed the half human body away as he reached his fist back, but before the massive flesh hammer could drop another flash surrounded the man..then darkness. The darkness seemed to last an eternity-the emptiness started to fill the man's soul. And then, as though it were nothing, another flash left him just outside his village in Guatemala . The man walked three steps, then collapsed to the ground in a sweaty, shaken heap.

J'onn continued to dig deeper into the man's subconscious. Before him stood a huge locked door-a mental metaphor. J'onn tried to open the door, but he could do nothing to even budge the massive door. Stepping back he noticed the words " Ingento Corporation " inscribed on the door's handles. J'onn then broke the mindlink and looked to Butcher, his eyes filled with concern.

" Why didn't you bring the man out of the coma ?" asked Butcher.

" A psychic roadblock ," r eplied J'onn.

J'onn grabbed Butcher and flew him out of the village.

" There is something serious afoot ," J'onn informed Butcher.

Jemm and the newly awakened Will Payton waited at the starship, as all four got in and left for Z'onn Z'orr.

<><><><><><><><> Z'ONN Z'ORR, ANTARCTICA <><><><><><><><>

The starship landed back in the landing bay of the Martian base of operations. The group marched through the complex towards the main computer room. J'onn punched some information into the computer system, then turned to the group and said, "I have to tell you all of what I saw in the local man's mind back in Guatemala . He had been kidnapped..teleported is more correct..from his village along with the two other people..a man and a woman. His location is a mystery but for two clues..'Ingento Corporation' and '05554376'..these two items may not mean anything to you now, but they will soon."

Will Payton stood up and laughed, "J'onn..that number resembles the old phone number for the Hero Hotline..what a joke. It was 1-800-555-4376...or 1-800-555-HERO! They had this jingle, and a commercial. I used to laugh at them for hiring themselves out for odd jobs. 'Can't get Mittens out of the tree? Don't worry ma'am! Call the Hero Hotline! ' "

Scornfully J'onn replied, "This is no laughing matter William..I have been investigating the activities of the Hero Hotline over the years. I placed an undercover mole into their organization to make sure their motives were honest. My mole disappeared and lost contact with me two years ago..but now I know that he is still alive . "

Jemm said, "But J'onn..what does all of this have to do with a mole placed in the Hero Hotline? How can you be sure that the number was the Hero Hotline phone number and not some bank account number or code or something.."

J'onn then replied, "Because my mole disappeared in Australia while on assignment for the Hero Hotline. Ingento Corporation is based in Australia . While this could be a strange coincidence in itself, the way the local man was teleported was exactly how my mole's powers work..my mole was Snapper Carr, formerly connected to the Justice League."

"You mean the way you witnessed the teleportation in the man's mind was Snapper Carr's teleporting style? Snapper Carr infiltrated the Hero Hotline, then disappeared in Australia while on assignment? " said John Butcher. "T hen this man was teleported somewhere that had both the Hero Hotline phone number and Ingento Corporation's name on a wall? This makes absolutely no sense..there must be more . "

"There is...." J'onn said, "the room also contained someone else..it contained Doomsday eating human remains. Whoever is behind Snapper's disappearance has him teleporting these people to this place, as the charred remains of the ground under where the people stood is also evidence of Snapper Carr. This means that Snapper Carr has kidnapped over 7,500 people in the last two years."

For a moment silence passed between the members of the cabal.

" Why not assume that Snapper might be behind all of this himself? Why assume that someone else is behind this ? " asked Will Payton.

J'onn replied, "Because Snapper would never be able to control Doomsday. Someone else has to be behind this. There was also a mental block in the local man's mind, one that I cannot open. This means a psychic more powerful than I am has placed a block in his mind. Someone does not want us to find the whole story. I can only think of a handful of beings in this universe that could even try something this complex . "

"That only leaves us with one course of action then, my friends ," announced John Butcher.

J'onn nodded, "I agree. We must travel to Australia and investigate the Ingento Corporation. I want everyone here to know that you don't need to join me in this case, as the presence of Doomsday alone suggests that we might be in for more than we can handle..and Superman's assistance is not an option."

Butcher stepped forward and said, "There is no way you're going this alone, my friend. With the JLA out of commission, we are your teammates now..we are your Manhunters ."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEXT ISSUE : What are the connections between Snapper Carr, the 7,500 plus human disappearances, the Hero Hotline, the Ingento Corporation, Doomsday, and a psychic more powerful than J'onn J'onzz? Who's responsible for all of this..and can J'onn possibly be prepared for what's to come? What chances do J'onn J'onzz, Jemm, Starman, and the Butcher have against Doomsday..let alone what else might be waiting for them. Check back next issue in Manhunters #2!

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