The Man:
"The Junker," Harleen says, she and everyone else struggling to keep up with me as I walk down the base's hallway.
"Yes," I answer, nodding my head. "The Junker."
"First, your flying pirate ship," Cold says, "Which you nicknamed 'The Rusted', and now, a submarine you called 'The Junker'."
"Yes," I repeat, nodding again.
"Do you have something against your vehicles," Cold asks.
"No. Why would you ask me something like that?"
"Because the 'Rusted' and the 'Junker'," Jason says, taking over the conversation. "Those words don't exactly scream lo--"
Before Jason can finish, I open the infirmary and walk inside.
"Doc," I say, seeing the Doctor with Iris. Iris is sitting at the Doc's desk. She has my medical books, opened and scattered all over the desk. Meanwhile, the Doc stands beside a chart of the human skeleton.
"Sorry to interrupt whatever this is, but I need you."
"Of course," the Doc says. He turns away from me and toward Iris.
"I'm sorry, Ms. West, but I'm afraid our lessons will have to wait until later. Who's hurt?"
"No one. We need to come with us."
"Oh no!"
For some reason, the Doc jumps away. He throws his arms around the infirmary's bed and stays there.
"What are you doing," I ask.
"This is exactly how it happened before," the Doc answers. "When you all had to go to Oa and I refused, what did you do?"
"Same thing I am going to do now."
Moving fast, even before anyone realizes it, I reach into my pocket and pull out some sleeping powder. Blowing the sleeping powder at the Doc, he falls onto the bed.
"Really," Iris yells, getting up.
Grabbing and picking up the sleeping doctor, I throw him over my shoulder and walk out of the infirmary.
"Like the sleeping doctor said. This is exactly how it happened before. We need the Doc in case anyone gets. He refused to come with us because of his agoraphobia."
Judging from the looks of some of the people and the question marks floating above their heads, I go on.
"Agoraphobia is the fear of the outside or of leaving one's house. Anyway, he refused to come with us because of his agoraphobia, so I knocked him out and carried him on board."
As I head for the infirmary's door, Iris steps in front of me. She blocks the door, keeping me in.
"Iris. The sleeping powder wears off in an hour. Please get out of my way."
"Scarecrow," Iris starts before stopping. "Dr. Crane doesn't want to go with you, but I do."
"What?"
Flash sticks his head out from somewhere in the back.
"Iris. You can't be--"
"I am serious."
Iris bends her arms and slams her fists into her hips.
"I am sick and tired of just being in here, and not doing anything. Not helping in the slightest. I wasn't there to help with the green lanterns. I wasn't there to help when the Lords of Order attacked you. I don't want to keep not being there! Dr. Crane doesn't want to go because of his ago--aga--"
"Agoraphobia."
"Yes, that. But I do want to go. I'm not afraid."
"You really should be," Harleen says. "We're going to Atlantis, and if I remember correctly, Aquaman hates all of us."
"He hates everyone who doesn't have gills or fins," Cold adds.
"Anyway," I shout, refocusing everyone's attention. "Iris. With all due respect, I would prefer to take the Doc with me. Yes, he is scared of his own shadow. Yes, chances are he will lock himself in the Junker's infirmary and never come out."
"The Junker?"
"It's The Man's submarine," Selina answers. "Yes. It's a real shocker. The Man has a submarine."
"A submarine, but no doctors. At least, not until now. Now, please get out of the way."
I take a step forward, but Iris spreads her arms out.
"Iris."
Still keeping her arms spread out, Iris stomps on the floor and looks at me.
"I am not moving from this spot."
"Fine by me."
I shrug my shoulders and walk toward Iris. Despite her refusal to move, I walk right through her, phasing both the Doc and myself.
"Oh my god," Iris screams, pulling her hands in. The others still in the infirmary also scream and shout.
"What was that?" Jason yells.
"Incredible," the Professor says. "Did you become...intangible?"
"Oh my god," Iris moans. With her hands on her stomach, she turns around and looks at me. "Don't ever do that again."
Seeing Iris's brown eyes turn red and hot steam shooting out of her nose, I ignore them all and lean forward.
"Then get out of my way when I tell you. Everyone, come on!"
Leaving Iris, I walk down the hallway with the Doc still over my shoulder. Everyone else slowly makes their way around Iris and follows me. I guide them through the base and to the base's dock. Stopping when we reach the wooden pier, I look behind me.
"Here," I say, giving the unconscious Doctor to Slade. As he and Todd hold the Doctor, I reach into my pocket and pull out a remote control.
"All onboard!"
With the push of a button, the water in the dock shakes uncontrollably. The large blue waves thunder as they splash and soak everything. Finally, the water part and a massive, shining, black submarine emerge from underneath. Smiling, I turn around and look at everyone.
"The Junker. I built her myself, based on a typhoon-class submarine. She has a width of 75 feet, a length of 400 feet, and can survive pressure of up to 60,000 feet. She comes equipped with a control room, sleeping quarters, an infirmary, storage, and even a torpedo room."
"Torepedo room," Todd repeats. A smile grows across his face. "Awesome."
"Yeah, I know. I mean, yes, I'm hoping I never have to use them, but I'm also hoping I will have to use them. Now, as I said before. All onboard!"
Pushing another button on the remote control, the hatch spins by itself. It then opens itself, and a whole ramp shoots out from within. Shooting 20 feet into the air, the ramp tips to one side and falls over. The ramp's end hits the dock, and a loud clang echoes throughout the room.
As I step onto the ramp with my right foot, I put up my finger and shout.
"Remember! Right foot first! We seafarers are very superstitious, and we will kick anyone off who will not listen. Do not try me."
"Superstitious," Beetle whispers, leaning to Jason Rusch. "Hmm. I wonder what else we can't do."
"You cannot paint a boat green, you cannot kill a seabird, and bananas are forbidden."
"No bananas," Ivy shouts. "Are you kidding me?"
"No. Bananas! If you want potassium, there are already oranges onboard."
The first to reach the hatch, I grab the ladder and slide inside.
Iris Ann West:
Standing in the hallway, hiding behind a corner, I watch as one by one, everyone jumps into the submarine.
Slamming my hand over my mouth, I do my best to calm myself down.
"Come on," I tell myself. "Stay calm. Stay calm! If you don't, then someone will hear you. Supergirl. Or worse. The Man in the Sunglasses."
Pulling myself back, I throw my back against the wall and breathe quietly. Trying to slow my heartbeat, I place both my hands over my heart and breathe in and out.
"In and out. In and out. Okay. Okay. I think I'm okay."
Swallowing a massive lump in my throat, I peek around the corner again and see the person jump in. The hatch closes afterward, and lights start flashing.
"Oh no."
A few seconds later, the Junker starts sinking.
"Oh no!"
Running out from behind the corner, I run across the room and onto the wooden dock. Without even thinking, I reach the end and jump right off. I want to stop when I fall into the freezing, salty water, but I know I can't. I push myself and swim toward the sinking sub.
"How is this water salty?"
I don't have time to think about it. Swimming as fast as I can, fighting the urge to swim back, I reach the Junker. Freezing and shivering as I climb the side, I breathe fast while rubbing my hands. Looking around, I see the hatch close to being under the water.
Running to it, I slip and fall, hitting the hard metal. Crying as I push myself up, I run to the hatch and grab it with shaking hands.
"No, no, no!"
No matter how hard I pull, the hatch won't spin. I keep trying, but the hatch sinks and the water rises. My hands and feet go under the water as I keep trying to budge the hatch.
"It's so cold. It's so cold. It's so-what?"
Hearing something, like a loud thud against the metal, I look up.
"What was that? Am I hallucinating?"
Still looking around, I hear another sound.
"Aahhh!"
The hatch's wheel turning suddenly, I almost fall, but I catch myself in time.
"Yes!"
I don't waste a second and turn the wheel all the way. Lifting it open, I grab the ladder and climb down. Wanting to grab the hatch and pull it down, something is forcing me down the ladder. It feels like someone is standing on top of me, kicking my head over and over. I don't have a chance but to climb down without climbing the hatch. Thankfully, the hatch closes and the wheel spins itself.
"What? What was that?"
Again, I don't have time to think about it. Finding myself in a narrow hallway, I hear footsteps approaching me. Despite shivering and being wet, I move fast and hide behind a wall.
"Hey," The Man shouts as he, Slade, and Eobard walk into the hallway. "Oh, come on! Who let the hatch open? There's water everywhere. Ahh."
Growling like a dog, The Man turns to Eobard.
"Grabs a mop and a bucket and cleans this up. I need to get back to the controls and activate the teleporter."
Eobard nods before leaving with Slade. Covering my mouth and slamming myself against the wall, I watch the two walk past me. Waiting until they turn a corner and disappear, I slowly lean out and look.
"Hmm."
The Man hasn't left yet. Instead, he drops to one of his knees and examines the floor. Looking closely at the floor, I realize something.
"Footprints! I left footprints. Nooo. He's going to find me. He's going to throw me off. Ahhh."
My head fills with pictures of The Man finding and throwing me off the Junker. I see myself alone in the base, banging my head, wishing I was something more than just a stupid person "The Man" saved. Water fills my eyes, and I do my best not to cry.
The Man approaches me. He takes a few steps before stopping. The Man raises his hand and swings it from right to left. Lowering his hand, he then smiles.
"Hmm. I have something important to do. I really should just leave."
The Man turns around and leaves. I don't breathe until I can't hear his footsteps anymore. Finally, I sigh with relief. Breathing into my hands, I then rub them together.