As Orion digs up the body of Granny Goodness and removes her head, Scott relays a story that Granny would tell him each Christmas. Basically her Christmas story ends with everyone dead, Merry Christmas.

Scott Free gets out of bed to take some medication and he sits on the couch. Forager is sitting on his couch too and starts talking. He tells about Orion sending millions of his people, the bugs, to their death. Foragers continues describing Orion’s plan to attack Darkseid on Apokolips. He worries that his people will suffer millions and millions of more deaths because of this strategy. When their queen tried to talk to Orion, he killed her for treason.

Forager stands and salutes Scott and tells him that the bugs will no longer follow Orion, they will follow Mister Miracle. Scott explains that following him is the same as following Orion but Forager says, “If we’re following you…Orion is dead.” As soon as he speaks that a boom tube opens and he is executed by Lightray.

Scott asks if Forager was telling him the truth and Lightray only responds with “Don’t be stupid, Scott.”

Scott goes back to bed with Barda who is snoozing away. That doesn’t keep the insomniac, Scott, from continuing to talk.

The next day Scott Free goes to work climbing a tower, getting into a wooden box and escaping before it hits the ground.

At an outside diner Scott and Barda enjoy a meal and talk about going back to fight because Orion called. Scott wants to talk about all the mysterious things that Highfather, Granny, Metron and Forager said to him. He feels like something is wrong, like he cannot determine the difference between reality and fiction.

Later when his presenter announces Mister Miracle to an audience, Orion comes and asks that the room be cleared. Orion wants to know why General Free isn’t preparing his army for war. Scott thinks that the anti-life equation is inside him and asks Orion if it’s in him too. Orion then beats Scott to a bloody mess and says, “This is the face of God” repeatedly.
- Ron C.

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