"I thought the Manhunters were dead and gone."

Robin spun around from his impact against the warehouse wall, the broken sections of his bo staff held in front like escrima sticks. His attacker was dressed in black, red and silver...and held a short tube that crackled with energy. His attacker was dressed like a Manhunter android.

"You have no idea what I am," said the Manhunter. The voice was odd to Robin...it sounded feminine. The Manhunter came closer into the light, and Robin saw his opponent was definitely female.

"I don't normally like to hit women," said Robin, "But something tells me this time it'll be ok." He spun around again and threw half of his bo staff at the Manhunter. She deftly swung her energy baton and turned it into ash.

She aimed the baton at Robin and fired. He leaped clear of the blast, but the shockwave hit him on the outside. He overbalanced and fell onto his back, the wind knocked out of him. He looked up to see her aiming the baton at him again. There was no way she would miss now.

An emerald energy shield surrounded her as she fired. The energy bounced around the inside of the sphere and slammed into the Manhunter. She was knocked down, but not unconscious. As the energy sphere disappeared, she saw where the shield had come from: Green Lantern was floating before her, emerald fire surrounding him. Then she saw something even worse.

Batman stood over her, holding her energy baton.

"I think we need to have a little chat," said Batman.

FAUX DC PRESENTS

#12

"INTERGANGWAR- PART TWO"

BY MIKE HINTZE

"Metahuman detectors," said Hourman. "If you want to detect something, it's because you want to either have it or at least know where it is."

"The question becomes...why does Intergang want it?" asked Green Lantern.

"Well?" said Batman to the restrained Manhunter, who was bound in an emerald cocoon. "Answer the question."

"I'm not with Intergang," said Manhunter. "I'm working against them, same as you."

"Then why the secrecy?" asked Robin. "Why try and kill me?"

"I have my reasons," said Manhunter. "I wasn't supposed to be seen by anyone...obviously I underestimated you."

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Robin with a grin.

"You do realize that your uniform doesn't lend itself to anyone trusting you," said Obsidian.

"Why is that?" asked Mikaal Tomas, aka Starman.

"The Manhunters were the precursors of the Green Lantern Corps," said Batman. "When they were replaced by the Corps, the Manhunters scattered across the galaxy. Eventually, they arrived on Earth and established a cult with agents in every part of the globe. A few years ago they tried to stop the Guardians of the Universe and the Zamarons from working to establish the next generation of immortals. Many of the Manhunter agents were close to almost all of us in the superhuman community. They were beaten, but the thing with a cult is that they are hard to totally eradicate. Bottom line, Manhunters are not normally trusted, unless they are Martian in nature or named Mark Shaw."

"I'm not associated with that group," said Manhunter. "I'm just utilizing their technology. My aim is to take out Intergang once and for all."

"If that's the case," said Hourman, "Tell us what you know. We can compare notes, maybe help each other out."

"Or else what?" asked Manhunter. "You're the good guys. You don't torture and kill."

Hourman picked up a piece of concrete from the floor. His hand shimmered as if it were in a heat haze. The concrete shrivelled and crumbled to dust.

"I'm not adverse to a little bit of coercion," he said. "And unless you want your hand aged a thousand years in seconds, you'll share what you know with us."

The press were out in force. Wendi Tyler, who was the widow of Rex Tyler, the original Hourman and together with her son Rick, the majority shareholder of Tyler Chemical, took a deep breath from behind the curtain in the media room in the Hilton Nouveau in downtown Metropolis. She walked out to the flashing cameras and waiting reporters.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," said Wendi. "I have an announcement to make regarding the future of Tyler Chemicals." She paused. "I am here tonight to announce the immediate shutdown of all Tyler Chemical operations until further notice. Every plant will cease operations immediately and all employees are to be paid a generous severance package. The company has been sold to another interest and is no longer an asset of the Tyler Family."

The commotion became a roar as reporters jockeyed for position to ask questions. Wendi looked over and saw Ron Troupe of the Daily Planet. "Yes, Mr. Troupe?" asked Wendi.

"Who is the interest that purchased the company?" asked Troupe.

" Wayne Enterprises," said Wendi. "I'm afraid any other information will be sent out via press release. Good day."

A Wendi left the podium, a tear rolled down her cheek. This gambit had to work...she had to believe that. It would destroy her to have torn down everything Rex had built....but she refused to leave the company in the hands of criminals.

She trusted the Justice Society and she trusted her son.

Now to see what Intergang's next move would be.

The Justice Society, with Batman & Robin, stood on a nearby rooftop as the Gotham City Police secured the warehouse below. Harvey Bullock could be seen coordinating the crime scene staff.

"Let's hear it," said Hourman to Manhunter. "What do you know and how did you get involved with this?"

She removed her blue-silver mask. She had an attractive face that was marred with a livid scar that ran across her left eye and down her cheek. The eye was milky white and blind. "My brother was involved with the Manhunter cult until a few years ago, when he left their manipulations and turned his life around. I was an undercover narcotics detective in Gateway City when I came across the Intergang network. They are like nothing you have ever come across. They found out who I was, killed my husband and my daughter. Left me for dead. I've been tracking them ever since, using some of my brother's old equipment that I came across when he died. My investigations led me here, tonight."

"Your brother," said Batman, "Was Mark Shaw."

"That's right," said Manhunter. "My name is Jessica Shaw."

The Higher Authority, 22,300 miles above Earth

"He'll kill you all," said the man known only as Romulus. "He will kill you, your families and loved ones, anyone you've ever met. I have no family, I have nothing but my life to lose for betraying him....but you all have family. You all are loved. You all will be killed."

Romulus was contained within an emerald energy cell onboard the Higher Authority, the orbiting headquarters of the Justice Society of America. Beside him in another holding cell, was Victor Ferdinand, former CEO of Tyler Chemical and also a subordinate of Romulus. Both men worked for this current incarnation of Intergang.

Wildcat leaned against the wall of the holding lobby with his arms crossed. "Blah, blah, blah," said the former heavyweight champion. "I've heard it all before...and from people a lot scarier than you. Remind me to tell you about Johnny Sorrow sometime. Compared to pathetic gangsters, you're nothing, pal."

"You don't get it," said Romulus. "My boss isn't some run of the mill gangster...and Intergang is no longer a pathetic diversion for New Gods from Apokolips. Intergang is more than you know."

"You rolled over pretty quickly," said Wildcat. "Looks like you're more afraid of Hourman than your mysterious boss."

Romulus laughed. "You think I had a choice in rolling over for you?" He stood up in the cell. "He wanted me to talk. He wanted me to be right here, right now."

"Yeah, whatever," said Wildcat. "Well, when Flash gets back from that little lead we got out of you, we'll see just how powerful your big bad boss is." He cracked his knuckles.

"Flash isn't coming back," said Romulus.

"What the hell does that mean?" asked Wildcat.

"ATTENTION," said the Higher Authority's housekeeping artificial intelligence, "INCREASING ENERGY CYCLES DETECTED, APPROACHING CRITICAL MASS."

"All hail Gradivus," said Romulus as his eyes began to glow and his skin began to crack open, light spilling out.

The Higher Authority exploded.

Jay Garrick, aka the Flash, sped across Midway City faster than the eye could see. The location he had been given by Romulus was a skyscraper in the Midwestern American city, a glass tower that stood out amidst the dark nature of one of America's most crime-ridden cities.

Flash had thought that the location given by Romulus was said far too easily. It was obviously a trap. That was why he was reconnoitring the location before he called the wrath of God down on it, or rather, the wrath of the Justice Society. He was faster than any security camera or electronic device could detect. He was essentially invisible.

Flash sped up the side of the building and stopped on the patio by the rooftop penthouse. Why had he stopped? He was just standing alone, in plain sight. He walked slowly towards the sliding door by the outdoor pool and stepped inside the penthouse.

"Hello, Mr. Garrick," said a voice from the far end of the room. "So nice of you to stop by...although you never really had a choice, did you?" The voice stepped towards Garrick. It was an albino man wearing a pinstripe suit. He had a satisfied grin on his face. "I thought mindwiping Green Lantern would divert your attention enough, but that damn Tyler Chemical deal just won't go away. It seems I'm going to have to get my hands dirty with the Justice Society of America." He stroked his chin as he eyed Garrick up and down. "I do so hate to get my hands dirty."

His eyes glowed in the dimlight. Garrick felt his mind open like a peeling onion.

He couldn't even scream.

Next Issue: INTERGANGWAR continues...