Taylor Mills reported for WGBS News from the Antarctic Ice Fields, which had been revealed to host "the global headquarters of the Hyperclan," the team had previously thawed out. Lisa Haymore was assigned to the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier "Triumphant," in the Pacific Ocean near Midway Island, where the Hyperclan constructed another mammoth base in the blink of an eye. The same was observed by Dave Trimble in Mongolia's Gobi Desert. Back in Antartica, Primaid and A-Mortal were present with Protex, who said, "Call them Watchtowers. We intend to divide our forces into three groups, each of which will be permanently stationed in one of these headquarters. We want to be able to respond to any emergency as quickly as possible. This planet is destroying itself. Your people need help to build a paradise and that help has arrived. The Hyperclan is here to stay. You can print that."
Superman and Green Lantern Kyle Rayner could find no sign of mind control transmitters, but determined the flying saucer over Washington D.C. was just a sophisticated projection. Lantern asked for Batman's plan, but the Dark Knight deferred to Martian Manhunter. "We do what we always do; divide our forces and investigate the threat. Destroy their transmission facilities if need be. I suggest Batman and Superman travel to the Antarctic nerve center-- and perhaps you'd like to take a trip to the Pacific, Wonder Woman. [Kyle Rayner] and Flash can accompany me to the Gobi Desert. Superman complimented, "Good choices, J'Onn." With a smirk, J'Onzz requested as the groups set out, "Try to take this seriously, Green Lantern.
Wonder Woman flew from Rhode Island to the international date line in "just over an hour at the speed of Hermes-- currently Mach Three," to the Pacific watchtower. She noticed that the Coriolis force was not correctly impacting on a counterclockwise whirlpool below her, but not in time to prevent a geyser of Fluxus from striking her. The gray ghoul threatened the Princess and her world, so she sent him flying with a devastating punch. Meanwhile, a late arriving Aquaman turned up riding a whale, having previously disregarded JLA alarms. When Diana questioned the Sea King, he became aggressively petulant with his harpoon hand, which she seized. "Don't dare point that thing at me-- I've known you too long." Diana asked him to stop posturing, said she needed his help, and that world conquering aliens were unlikely to stop short of the ocean.
The discussion was interrupted by Tronix, who Diana chose to deal with while ordering Aquaman to try to stop the underwater transmission of the signal that was clouding humanity's minds. The Sea King was battered spectacularly by Fluxus, who charged in the form of a whale. Wonder Woman saw his plight, and it proved enough of a distraction for Tronix to blast her with laser vision. A steaming, blackened Amazon form fell limply from the sky. "'Wonder Woman'! Ha! I was looking forward to a fight!"
In the Gobi Desert, Flash and Green Lantern were overtaken by Armek, Zenturion and Züm after being seemingly abandoned by Martian Manhunter, who was having a secret meeting with Protex in orbit above Earth.
The World's Finest duo were attacked by the Hyperclan stationed in the Antarctic. Batman's plane was shot down, and he was left to die in the smoldering wreckage. Protex produced a Kryptonite nugget, and dragged the lame former Man of Steel off to torture him. "Every last detail of this operation was carefully planned. Including this... Batman is dead. Wonder Woman is dead. The Flash. Green Lantern. Aquaman. All dead. There's only you, and us. And a whole world on its knees."
By Grant Morrison, Howard Porter, John Dell and Pat Garrahy
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