Normal dialogue
'Thoughts'
Radio/Phone
'Telepathic link'
"Spell"
Computer
[Foreign language] <Dialogue in foreign language>

------------------------------

New York City
October 16, 16:22 EDT

After a somewhat short yet troublesome fight, Spider-Man and Spider-Woman had managed to defeat and capture Mac Gargan, aka Scorpion. The mechanical suit-wearing convict's upper body was wrapped in webs as he was forced into the back on a SWAT truck by Detective Jefferson Davis while Detective Henry Rollins and Captain Yuri Watanabe were with the Spiders.

Henry: Sometimes I think you two attract the freaks of the city.

Spider-Woman: Yeah, me too.

Yuri: How does a low-level crook like Mac Gargan get his hands on something like that suit?

Spider-Man: We don't know, and that's the concerning part.

Spider-Woman: Mac did mention that he was working with someone. Maybe that's how he got the suit.

Henry: You thinking it's this Kingpin?

Spider-Woman: At this point, we can't rule it out.

Spider-Man: Any leads on that?

Yuri: No dice. Anyone we believe to have a connection to Kingpin either lawyers up or is found dead before we could get a chance to interrogate them.

Spider-Man: (sighs) This is more frustrating that I thought it'd be.

Spider-Woman: Chin up, Spidey. Kingpin's smart, but he's still human. At some point, he'll slip up, and that's when—

They were interrupted when an eerie sound echoed throughout the city.

Henry: Air raid sirens?

The Spiders' Spider-Sense went off as the panicked screams of the crowd echoed around them. Before they could react, a red beam hit one of the ambulances, vaporizing the EMTs surrounding it, as a fleet of alien spaceships flew past, shooting anything in sight and vaporizing anything with a pulse.

Yuri: Are those aliens!?

Henry: We need to get these people out of here. Now.

Spider-Man: We'll help out however we can! Go!

Henry and Yuri ran towards one of the police cruisers, but they were soon vaporized by a red beam.

Spider-Man: DAD! YURI!

Suddenly, their comms beeped.

Red Tornado: Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, this is Red Tornado. Return to the Cave immediately. The Justice League are dealing with the invaders as we speak.

The comms went silent.

Spider-Woman: C'mon, Nate. We can't fight these things alone, anyway.

Spider-Man: Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

Soon, the Spiders swung away.

------------------------------

Mount Justice
October 16, 16:31 EDT

Meanwhile, at the Cave, the Team watched at the holographic screens in horror as one by one, the members of the Justice League were disappearing due to the aliens' red beams.

Out of the Team members, Miss Martian and Superboy were the most worried. Ever since the aliens showed up, they feared the worst might have happened to the Spiders, since they were dealing with Scorpion in New York.

They watched as Wonder Woman get vaporized as the mothership landed in Smallville.

Red Tornado: Red Tornado to Cave, I fear I am all that remains of the League.

Robin: RT!

The Team saw Red Tornado get vaporized by the aliens' beams. They then heard the zeta tubes activating.

Computer: Recognized, Spider-Man, B-0-7. Spider-Woman, B-0-9.

The Spiders ran out of the zeta tubes and unmasked themselves.

Miss Martian: Nathan!

Superboy: Valeria!

They ran to the Spiders and hugged them tightly.

Miss Martian: We were so worried. When those things showed up...

Nathan: We know. They got Dad and Yuri. What about the League?

Neither Miss Martian nor Superboy answered, which told Nathan and Valeria everything they needed to know as the four rejoined the Team.

Aqualad: We are Earth's heroes now.

Superboy: So what are we waiting for? A theme song?

Aqualad: A strategy. Earth's weapons are ineffective, and it has been made tragically clear that a direct attack will not succeed.

Robin: Checking satellite imagery.

He tapped on his Hologlove, and a large hologram of Earth appeared. Each continent was covered in red clusters.

Robin: Here's where the aliens are now.

Valeria: What's that little one doing? The one heading north?

They noticed a red dot flying north towards the Arctic.

Robin: It's Superman's Fortress of Solitude.

Superboy: Superman has a Fortress of Solitude?

Robin: Its power source must have attracted the aliens' attention, at least enough to send a scout ship to investigate.

Superboy: Must be some fortress.

Valeria: (puts her hand on Superboy's shoulder) Conner...

Superboy: No, it's okay. I guess there's a lot about Superman I'll never know. Uh, you know, now.

Aqualad: We will target this lone ship.

Kid Flash: Yeah. Break it down, build more, hit those ugly aliens with their own mojo.

Artemis elbowed Kid Flash's ribs hard.

Kid Flash: OW!

Artemis: Martian and Kryptonian in the house.

Kid Flash: Uh, heh, not that all aliens are automatically ugly.

Nathan: Wally, I will Venom slap you again.

Kid Flash put a hand on his cheek, still feeling the last time Nathan slapped him with Venom.

------------------------------

Soon, the Team arrived at the Arctic, all of them wearing a winter variant of their suits for the cold temperatures.

The scout ship hovered a few feet above the ground as the Team made their move. Miss Martian, while invisible, telekinetically ripped off a component of the scout ship.

Miss Martian: 'Communication disabled.'

The ship crashed into the ground.

Miss Martian: 'Propulsion disabled.'

Artemis got out of cover and shot an arrow that sealed the front of the ship with a gooey substance. The ship's overhead cannon shot beams in Artemis's general direction but missed.

Artemis: 'And ETs are sealed inside.'

Aqualad emerged from below the ship and landed on it. The cannon aimed at Aqualad, but Wolf lunged at it, pushing it away from Aqualad, while Superboy held it in place.

Soon, the entire Team arrived at the scout ship before Robin scanned the ship's cannon with his Hologlove.

Robin: 'Identifying weapon's structural stress points and links to the ship. Here, here, and here.'

Spider-Man activated his Spider-Arms and slashed at one of the cannon's stress points, Spider-Woman slashed another with her stingers, while Miss Martian destroyed the third.

Spider-Man: 'We're good. Conner, do your thing.'

Superboy began pulling on the cannon to rip it off the ship. What the Team didn't notice was that the cannon deployed some sort of defense mechanism behind Superboy. Wolf, having heard this, pushed Superboy off the ship and took the beam himself. Everyone started at where Wolf was in shock.

Miss Martian: 'Wolf...'

Robin: 'There was no indication of feedback. I'm sorry.'

Superboy: 'Can't do anything for him now. Let's go'

Superboy returned to the ship and successfully ripped the cannon off. Miss Martian called the Bioship and Superboy jumped on it. Miss Martian began linking the cannon to the top of the Bioship, which turned visible

Miss Martian: 'Rerouting systems to integrate weapon into ship's bio-matrix. We'll need to decamouflage for a few minutes.'

The Spiders' Spider-Sense blared in their heads.

Spider-Woman: 'We may not have that long. We got company'

Two alien ships passed by before turning around and flying towards the Team.

Aqualad: 'Miss Martian, open fire.'

Miss Martian: 'Can't. Weapon systems are offline to incorporate the new cannon. And that's not fully integrated yet, either.'

Artemis: 'Got you covered.'

She shot some explosive arrows, taking down the ships, before turning around and running towards the Team.

Artemis: 'Get inside. I'm almost there.'

What she didn't notice was one of the downed ships aimed its cannon right at Artemis.

Spider-Man: BEHIND YOU!

Artemis aimed an arrow at the downed ship, but she got vaporized before she could take the shot, shocking the entire Team.

Miss Martian: ARTEMIS!

Kid Flash: ARTEMIS!

Aqualad: Get inside, all of you!

He used his Waterbearers to lift up the ship before destroying it.

Kid Flash: They're dead. Every single alien, if it's the last thing I do.

After linking the cannon to the Bioship, the Team left the Arctic. Miss Martian was quietly sobbing as she piloted the ship, which Spider-Man noticed as he got up from his chair and put his hand on her shoulder. Kid Flash, on the other hand, screamed as he pounded his hands onto the panel on front of him.

Aqualad: There will be time to mourn later. Now we have a job to do. Defend the Earth and ensure Artemis' sacrifice was not in vain.

Spider-Man: So where to now? Back to the Cave?

Aqualad: The Hall of Justice. The human race must know that there are still heroes defending them. There is still hope.

------------------------------

In front of the Capitol Building, several tanks were stationed outside as several alien ships flew towards them.

Eiling: NOW! OPEN FIRE!

The tanks and soldiers fires at the ships, but they did no damage whatsoever. The ship fired back, destroying several tanks while the soldiers got out of the way.

Meanwhile, the Bioship flew in above the alien ship and Superboy and the Spiders jumped out. The Spiders decided not to pull their punches against the aliens, which turned out to be effective as they and Superboy destroyed three of the ships, making them crash, while Miss Martian, piloting the Bioship, shot down the rest.

As the three ships crash-landed on the ground, Superboy and the Spiders jumped off and landed on the ground as the soldiers cheered for them while the Bioship landed behind them.

Soldier 1: It's the Spiders!

Soldier 2: What are they doing out of New York?

Soldier 1: Don't know, don't care. They're here to help.

Soldier 3: See? It is Superman. Told you he wouldn't leave us out here alone.

Soldier 4: I don't know. He looks kinda young. Where's the cape?

Superboy: I'm not Superman.

Eiling: I don't know who you are, son. And right now, I don't care. You wear the S, and got the job done.

Superboy: (to himself) I'm not Superman.

Spider-Woman put her hand on Superboy's shoulder.

Eiling: Tell that to the enemy. (turns to Aqualad and salutes) General Wade Eiling, U.S. Air Force.

Aqualad: Aqualad, Justice League. We'll help you salvage as many of the aliens' cannons as possible, then we start taking back what is ours.

------------------------------

The Team and the troops arrived at the Hall of Justice. The soldiers waited outside while the Team entered to see that the statues of the founding members of the Justice League were destroyed.

Robin: They're really gone.

Miss Martian flew to the statue head of Martian Manhunter and began sobbing, mourning the loss of her uncle. Spider-Man joined her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

Spider-Man: I'm sorry, Meg.

Miss Martian suddenly gasped and floated away. She lifted the destroyed statue of Martian Manhunter, revealing Martian Manhunter himself.

Miss Martian: Uncle J'onn!

She tossed the statue aside and flew towards her uncle, but she was stopped by Aqualad.

Aqualad: 'M'gann, check his mind. Make sure he is whom he appears to be.'

Miss Martian: 'It's him. He's real. And he's alive.'

She and Spider-Man helped Martian Manhunter back to his feet, and he used the two of them for support.

Superboy: But we saw you get disintegrated. You and Superman...and everyone.

Martian Manhunter: Yes. I remember. But I cannot remember how I survived, or how I arrived here.

Miss Martian: Maybe you were density-shifting and the beam passed right through you.

Spider-Man: Which might've messed up your mind in the process.

Martian Manhunter: My mind is clouded. I feel certain I had something important to tell you.

Kid Flash: (smacks his head) 'Hello, Wally. Come on.'

He and Robin ran outside to the Bioship, and they scanned the cannon.

Kid Flash: 'I knew it! Look. It's giving off zeta-beams. The same stuff that powers our zeta tubes. This thing doesn't disintegrate, it teleports. Artemis is alive.'

Robin: 'Maybe, but—'

Kid Flash: 'No maybes. They're all alive!'

Miss Martian: (to Martian Manhunter) That must have been what you wanted to tell us.

Spider-Man: I can get Dad back?!

Martian Manhunter put his hand on his head before the Spiders' Spider-Sense blared again.

Spider-Woman: We got incoming.

They heard the sound of several alien ship approaching. The ship began firing.

Aqualad: 'We're on our way.'

Robin: 'Negative. We can't win this. Miss Martian, camo the Bioship and—'

One of the beams hit the Bioship, making it disappear. As a result, both Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter collapsed.

Spider-Man: M'gann!

He ran to Miss Martian, while Aqualad ran to Martian Manhunter. Spider-Man saw that Miss Martian was crying.

Miss Martian: That didn't feel like...

She cut herself off, but Spider-Man knew what she was about to say, which confirmed his suspicions.

Robin: 'We're falling back.'

Robin, Kid Flash, and the rest of the soldiers entered the Hall of Justice.

Eiling: We're trapped.

An entrance opened, revealing a hallway.

Aqualad: Maybe not.

Everyone ran to the hallway, which led to a large library.

Aqualad: We can all zeta to the Cave. If you can grant us computer clearance to access the tubes.

Martian Manhunter: I can only access one at a time.

Aqualad: Send the soldiers first.

Eiling: Belay that. You eight are assets we cannot afford to lose.

Aqualad turned to Martian Manhunter and nodded. Martian Manhunter walked to a metal door which began to scan him.

Martian Manhunter: Override, Martian Manhunter, 0-7.

Computer: Recognized. Access granted.

The door opened, revealing a zeta tube that began to activate.

Spider-Man: 'M'gann, you first.'

Miss Martian stepped up and got scanned.

Computer: Miss Martian, B-0-5.

She stepped into the zeta tube, and Robin came next.

Computer: Robin, B-0-1.

He stepped into the zeta tube, and Kid Flash came next.

Computer: Kid Flash, B-0-3.

The wall behind everyone exploded, injuring several soldiers while the resulting debris pinned others. Superboy and the Spiders ran to help them, but Aqualad grabbed Kid Flash and tossed him into the zeta tube.

While the soldiers shot at the aliens (they started getting disintegrated one by one.), Superboy lifted a piece of debris off a soldier and carried him away, while the Spiders did the same, before they walked to the zeta tubes.

Spider-Man: These guys go first.

Aqualad: Fine. Then you.

The soldier Superboy was carrying got scanned.

Computer: Private Jason Bard, U.S.M.C.

Superboy: Can you make it?

Bard: Sure, Superman.

Superboy: I'm not...

Spider-Woman: Let him have this.

The soldier, Jason Bard, stepped into the zeta tube before Superboy stepped through after him. The soldiers the Spiders were carrying got scanned and they stepped into the zeta tubes.

Spider-Woman: You go first.

Spider-Man: No, you go first. I'll be right behind you.

What he didn't notice was that one of the alien aimed their cannon right at Spider-Man. Spider-Woman quickly pulled Spider-Man to the scanner.

Spider-Man: What are you doing?!

Computer: Spider-Man, B-0-7.

Spider-Woman: Saving my brother's life.

She Venom-punched Spider-Man in the chest, sending him flying into the zeta tube. The last thing he saw was Spider-Woman being disintegrated by the aliens' beams.

------------------------------

In the Cave, Spider-Man was flung out of the zeta tube and skidded to a stop. Soon, Martian Manhunter stepped out of the zeta tube.

Kid Flash: Where's Aqualad?

Superboy: And Valeria?

Martian Manhunter shook his head, which was enough to answer their question. Out of anger, Superboy punched a nearby wall while Spider-Man took off his mask and began sobbing. Miss Martian hovered to Nathan and hugged him tightly, shedding tears of her own.

------------------------------

After briefly mourning the loss of Aqualad and Spider-Woman, Robin took charge and explained his plan to the rest of the Team.

Robin: Our next mission is clear. If we believe the aliens have been teleporting victims...

Kid Flash: We do.

Nathan dropped his head. He doesn't believe so, and for good reason.

Robin: Then the only reasonable detention facility is here.

He activated a hologram showing the aliens' mothership.

Robin: Their mothership. Atop what used to be Smallville.

They turned to Martian Manhunter.

Robin: Ring any bells?

Martian Manhunter: No. I'm sorry.

Robin: (turns to Superboy) Superboy, you'll create a distraction.

Nathan: Wait a minute, you want to SACRIFICE Superboy? You think Aqualad would do something like that?!

Robin: No. Aqualad would sacrifice himself, a mistake that cost us our leader.

Nathan: Is that you talking, or Batman?

Robin glared at Nathan, who didn't seem fazed by this, before continuing.

Robin: Superboy is the most likely to be perceived as a threat, motivating the aliens to deploy.

Kid Flash: Worst case, he's teleported inside, and we set him free along with Artemis...and, uh, Aqualad and everyone.

Nathan: Do you really believe that, Wally?

Before things could escalate, Superboy placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder, getting his attention.

Superboy: [Spanish] <It's okay, Nathan. It's what Superman would do.>

Nathan just sighed.

------------------------------

After gearing up and transmitting a hopeful broadcast to every screen on Earth, the Team (in their stealth uniforms) flew to Smallville.

While Robin observed the mothership with a pair of binoculars, Miss Martian walked up to him.

Robin: Stay close to J'onn. He's still...

He did the "so-so" gesture with his hand, and Miss Martian nodded.

Robin: First team, deploy.

Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter flew away and turned invisible. They flew to the mothership and phased through the hull.

Miss Martian: 'Ready and in position. Nathan, if we don't make it out of this...'

Spider-Man: 'We will, M'gann. You can tell me after, okay?'

Miss Martian: '...Okay.'

Robin nodded at Superboy, and he leapt towards the mothership. When he landed, he ripped off one of the mothership's cannons.

Robin: 'Careful. Don't disconnect the power source.'

Superboy: ALRIGHT, YOU GLORIFIED TRESPASSERS! YOU WANNA SEE HOW A REAL ALIEN FIGHTS?!

He shot off two cannons, and just like Robin predicted, the mothership deployed several fighters towards Superboy.

Superboy: 'Now or never.'

Robin and Spider-Man held on to Kid Flash, and he ran with them into the mothership. They hid as several ships flew past them.

Robin: 'Way is clear. Go!'

They made their way deeper into the mothership and met up with Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter. Robin gestured the others to follow him.

Suddenly, Miss Martian turned visible and collapsed into her uncle's arms, which made the others stop.

Miss Martian: 'Conner's gone.'

Kid Flash: 'It's alright. We'll find him with Artemis. I know it.'

Martian Manhunter: 'No. My mind is clearer now. The disintegration beam is exactly that. There is no detention facility, no prisoners to rescue. Our mission hold no purpose.'

Spider-Man lowered his head. He knew that Kid Flash was wrong about the beams, and Martian Manhunter's statement confirmed that.

Kid Flash: 'No! You're wrong. The zeta radiation proves she's alive. She's—'

Robin: 'Stop it, KF! I've been scanning for League and Team signals since we got inside. They're not here. Artemis is gone.'

Kid Flash lowered his gaze as Robin's words sunk in, but then he looked at Spider-Man.

Kid Flash: 'You knew. You didn't believe what I said about the zeta radiation. How?'

Spider-Man: 'I got that from the way M'gann reacted when the Bioship got hit. It's gone...just like my family.'

Miss Martian put her hand on Spider-Man's shoulder in an attempt to reassure him.

Robin: 'But our mission still holds purpose. To destroy this mother ship.'

They followed Robin along the hallways of the mothership until they reached what appeared to be the core of the mothership.

Robin: 'This is the power core. Blow this, and the whole mothership blows.'

The ran for the core, which turned out to have its own gravitational pull. Robin and Kid Flash were pulled towards it, but Spider-Man shot two web lines to stop them from getting pulled into the core.

A drone aimed at Spider-Man, but Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter destroyed it.

Robin: 'Spidey, lower us down.'

Spider-Man lowered Kid Flash and Robin onto the core, and Robin began setting up explosive charges.

Kid Flash: 'You knew. You and Nathan knew why we were really here.'

Robin: 'Four minutes. Let's go.'

Spider-Man pulled Robin and Kid Flash away from the core and joined the Martians. They ran for the exit, but it closed before they got to it.

Kid Flash: 'Perfect.'

Several drones came up behind them and shot beams at them. Spider-Man, Robin, and Kid Flash dove to one side, while Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter dove to the other.

Robin: '16 seconds and counting. Manhunter, take Miss Martian and go.'

Miss Martian: 'No! We won't leave you.'

Spider-Man: 'We'll be right behind you. Go!'

The Martian phased through the floor beneath them. Once they were gone, Spider-Man took off his mask and looked at Robin and Kid Flash. They nodded to each other, accepting their fate, before getting out of cover and charging at the drones.

------------------------------

As the mothership exploded, Martian Manhunter and Miss Martian emerged from the earth and saw the aftermath of the explosion.

As she saw this, Miss Martian began to cry.

Miss Martian: No...no, please... 'Nathan, come in.'

She received no response.

Miss Martian: 'Nathan, please talk to me.'

Again, no response.

Miss Martian: 'SAY SOMETHING, NATHAN! PLEASE!'

After receiving no response, she dropped to her knees and began to sob.

Miss Martian: (whispers) I never got to tell him.

As she continued to sob, Martian Manhunter walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Miss Martian: 'Don't. Don't tell me the mission was a success. The price was too high.'

A shadow loomed over them. They looked up and saw a second mothership landing next to the wreckage of the first.

Miss Martian: 'No...No, no, no. We have to get out of here'

Martian Manhunter: 'No. We have to end this now.'

Suddenly, Martian Manhunter drove his hand into Miss Martian's chest

------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------

Mount Justice
October 16, 16:21 EDT

M'gann gasped as she sat up. She looked around and saw that the entire Team was alive and in their civilian clothing. Along with them were Captain Marvel, Batman, Red Tornado, and Martian Manhunter.

M'gann: You're all alive!

Batman: (to Martian Manhunter) What happened in there?

Martian Manhunter: The exercise, it all went wrong.

Dick: Exercise?

Batman: Try to remember. What you experienced was a training exercise. Manhunter psychically linked the eight of you within an artificial reality. You all knew this going in. What you didn't know was that it was a train-for-failure exercise. No matter what the Team accomplished, the scenario was designed to grow worse. Still, you were aware nothing was real, including the deaths of the entire Justice League.

Martian Manhunter: That is why you hardly grieved, even the Spiders when they witnessed the demise of Detective Henry Rollins and Captain Yuri Watanabe, and even when Wolf was disintegrated before your eyes. But all that changed when Artemis died.

Wally glanced at Artemis, who had her head down the entire time.

Martian Manhunters: Though consciously Miss Martian knew it was not real, her subconscious mind could not make that distinction. She forgot it was only an exercise, and her subconscious took control, making all of you forget too.

M'gann: Uh, I'm...I'm so sorry.

Nathan: That's not her fault. Why didn't you just stop the exercise?

Martian Manhunter: We tried. But M'gann had a death grip on the scenario. Even Artemis, who should have awakened upon her death, was so convinced she had passed, she slipped into a coma. I realized I would have to wrest control from Miss Martian's subconscious from within. But upon entering the reality, I was overwhelmed by your collective emotion. There was too much noise to think clearly, to remember why I was there. The deaths of Aqualad, Superboy, and Spider-Woman helped, but only when the mothership exploded, and Robin, Kid Flash, and Spider-Man were silenced did my mind clear enough to remember my true purpose. To shock M'gann out of the exercise before your comas became permanent.

M'gann started tearing up, which Nathan noticed. He walked up to her and wrapped her arms around her, and she did the same as she sobbed into his chest.

Martian Manhunter: My apologies. I had no idea a training exercise could be so dangerous, so damaging.

He collapsed, but was caught by Batman and Red Tornado.

Batman: As bad as all that?

Martian Manhunter: Perhaps worse.

Red Tornado: Yet this is not what troubles you.

Martian Manhunter: Make no mistake. My niece is untrained, and cannot be held responsible for this...for our debacle.

Batman: No one blames her. But clearly, we underestimated her abilities.

Martian Manhunter: You understate it. In terms of raw power, she has the strongest telepathic mind I have ever encountered. Stronger by far than mine.