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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:30:46 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:31:29 GMT -5
Justice League
Issue #7: “Laying the Foundation”
Written by Brian Burchette
Cover by Adam Tupper
Edited by Mark Bowers |
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:33:36 GMT -5
They had decided to rebuild the Hall of Justice exactly where the first one had been destroyed. There had been a lengthy discussion about it. Some thought it would have been wise to relocate to D.C., show an even stronger united front between the League and the United States government. However, as Batman and Green Lantern had pointed out, they were a team that fought for the safety of the entire world, not just one country. It was, however, Aquaman’s belief that to walk away from their original home would show a sign of weakness. It would show the world that in some way they had been beaten, and that was something they could not allow.
So, in the end, they agreed that the new hall would stand tall, just as it had before, in the same location. The reconstruction began soon after, and with the help of not only Metropolis’s best engineers and architects, but nearly all the heroes that had helped destroy Starro, the process of building the outside structure was moving fast.
Standing atop the Shuster Building, watching the construction, Batman and Wonder Woman saw the red and blue streak hurtling toward them. They stood there, his arms crossed in front of him, her standing as the regal princess that she was.
Superman stopped suddenly, right in front of them, and hovered over the side of the building. They stood motionless for more than a second and then Superman turned and looked to his left, as the other two followed suit.
They glared at the penthouse on the top floor of the LexCorp Building, the tallest building in Metropolis, overshadowing all others around it and for several miles. It stood like a large monolith, lording over everything else in the area.
“He’s watching us,” Clark stated.
“How do you know?” the Amazon Princess asked. “I thought he had found a way to block your x-ray vision?”
“He has… I just know. He’s standing there in his three-piece tailored suit from Armani with a sneer on his face looking at us as we glare at him. I know it.”
“His time is coming,” Batman said as he was the first to turn away from the penthouse and back to the two of them.
“The building is coming along with amazing speed. I can’t believe the outpouring of help we’ve gotten from not only the citizens, but our friends as well. The JSA, the Titans, Powers, Inc., even some of the Outsiders are here. It’s making it all come together quickly,” Wonder Woman said proudly as she watched the construction.
“We wouldn’t be doing this if somebody hadn’t blown it up, though,” Superman replied with a bit of an edge in his voice.
“I did what I had to do, and you know it, Clark. This isn’t a discussion you want to start… You’ll lose.”
The Man of Steel bristled at the tone. “Perhaps you did, but I’ve found that more times than not, there is another way than total destruction.”
“You’re not upset that I blew up the hall; you’re upset because I planted a back-up “self destruct”, just in case this kind of thing happened.”
Superman floated down to meet the Dark Knight eye to eye. “It’s not that you did it, it’s the fact that you did it without consulting any of us. You didn’t even tell Arthur, and he was our Chairperson!”
“I couldn’t tell anyone,” Batman replied calmly. “The more people that would have known, the less of an advantage it would have been.”
Clark’s hands clenched into fists. “So is there anything else you’ve been keeping from us, for our own good?”
The only reply was the cold stare from behind the cowl.
“Do you trust anyone?” Superman asked, barely able to hide the disgust in his voice.
“Totally? No.”
“That’s enough!” Wonder Woman said sharply and they both turned to her. “We have not gone through the last several weeks just so we can fight with each other. It would sully the honor of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and that, I will not allow!”
The two men took in her words and then backed away from each other, Superman with his head slightly bowed and Batman turning back to LexCorp.
“So where do we go from here?” Superman wondered after several moments of silence. He was staring at the new hall that was being constructed and the costumed figures that were working diligently.
“It’s obvious after all of this that it wouldn’t hurt to broaden our membership and they deserve the invitations,” Wonder Woman said.
“There’s an awful lot of them,” Batman mused.
“A Justice League that is unlimited. That would make the Secret Society think twice,” Superman said with a chuckle.
“Come, gentleman, let us give them a hand,” Wonder Woman said as she took to the air, the other two following right behind her.
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:34:25 GMT -5
“Where do you want this, Mr. Flash?” came the shout of a construction worker who was pulling up with another semi, full of metal girders.
“Park them over there by the crane, and it’s just Flash. Appreciate it, sir!” Barry said with a salute as he took off toward the skeleton of the new building. Darting in and out, between people, he could hear bits of conversations that ranged from the interesting: Katar and Ray Palmer discussing the new Hawkgirl who was hovering above them, directing one of the many cranes, to the absurd, Plastic Man and Elongated Man arguing over a bill for damages to parts of a city that Ralph had never even been in.
He passed unnoticed, his mind only partially on his work, when he heard the sudden cry of warning from the rear of the structure. In less time than it takes the average brain to think about blinking, Barry saw the problem: a girder that Green Lantern was helping to weld had been misplaced and was falling to the ground at a rapid pace. Before the time it takes the average person to blink after the brain signals it to, he had grabbed the four construction workers and moved them out of the way. He turned back in time to see Firestorm had altered the steel into water and it splashed to the ground harmlessly.
“Nice job, Firestorm,” Barry called.
The young man grinned back, waved, and flew off to continue helping.
Barry felt Hal land next to him. “I can’t believe I let that happen. My head is just not in the game at the moment.”
“What’s wrong, Hal? You’ve seemed distracted since we defeated Starro.”
“It’s nothing… really. How are you doing?”
Flash let out a large sigh. “Okay, I guess. There’s been no change in President Lord’s condition and even though I know in my head that I didn’t purposely mean to harm him, I just can’t escape the enormous amount of guilt that I’m feeling. I wish there was something…”
“I think I’m a father!” Green Lantern blurted out by way of interruption.
There was silence between them for a second before Barry spoke, “Oookay… back to you. WHAT?!”
“I think I’m a father. I had that little piece of information dropped on me right in the middle of the battle. It came out when I was taking her to the hospital for minor injuries that she had received during the crisis.”
“What did you say,” Barry asked quietly, genuinely stunned.
“I sat her down in the emergency room and told her… told her… that I’d talk to her soon.” He dropped his head into his hands.
“What!”
“I know, I know,” Hal said, defensively. “I should have said more. I should have told her that I’d be back for her, that we’d figure this out together, something… anything…”
Barry’s hand flew up and smacked Hal across the back of the head before Hal could finish his thought.
“OW! What did you… yeah… never mind,” he said, rubbing his head and looking at the ground. “I did go back to the hospital as soon as it was all over, but she was gone, and I haven’t been able to get a hold of her since.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but who?”
“Chloe Sullivan.”
Barry drew in a sharp breath. “Agent Sullivan of the DEO? Wow! What are you going to do?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:35:40 GMT -5
By sundown of that evening, the outside was completed. Tomorrow they would start working on the inside, and the important issues of security began to be discussed by the Leaguers.
As she walked by several small groups, talking in hushed tones, she noticed Batman and Nightwing talking quietly to both Hawkmen in the shadows. She thought about wandering in that direction, but she didn’t know exactly why. Was it because she was just being nosey, or was it because of Dick? Either way, she knew better… you don’t sneak up on Bruce.
She looked around for anyone from her gang and saw Green Arrow laughing with Wildcat and Power Girl, and chose not to bother him either. The idea that he was leaving the Outsiders and had left her in charge had both saddened her and made her nervous. She also couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous. He had agreed to join as a reserve member of the League, when Green Lantern asked him.
Barbara was deep in thought as she passed a shack on one of the piers near the hall and heard the whispering. She stopped and quietly backed herself against the wooden frame of the broken-down building. She had recognized one of the voices as that of her other teammate, Zatanna; but who was she talking to?
Inching herself closer to the side of the building she could make out the words of the man that the magician was speaking with.
“Can you do it or not, Zatanna?”
It was Aquaman, and she couldn’t help but note the sound of desperation in his voice.
“Yes,” Zatanna said, hesitantly, “I think I can. Well, actually, I know I can, but I’m not sure if it would be the wisest decision.”
“If you can give me a new hand, then it’s the only decision. It’s either that or walk around like Captain Hook for the rest of my life, and I will not do that. If you do this for me, you will have the eternal gratitude of the King of Atlantis.”
“Well, it is nice to have a king in your back pocket; never know when that may come in handy someday.”
There it was again, Barbara thought to herself, an edge to her friend’s voice that she had never had before.
“Then do it, now, please,” Arthur said quietly.
Batgirl took a chance and peered around the corner. She watched as Zatanna focused her energy and held on to the stump where Aquaman’s hand had been before Black Manta had savagely cut it off.
Zatanna did not mutter any words backwards, and Barbara knew that that was a bad sign. This was the magic that she was concerned about. She watched as her closest friend’s hands began to give off a dark burgundy glow that soon became a circle of energy that surrounded Aquaman’s arm and her hands. Babs held her breath as she watched the King of the Seven Seas stiffen, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.
She was just about to interrupt, worried that something was going wrong, when Zatanna’s head snapped back and her mouth opened wide. Something was coming out of the air, just above her, as if the space over her head was splitting open and suddenly more magic flowed out of the tear and into her open mouth. The energy ball surrounding her hands and Aquaman’s arm flashed brightly and then it was all done, everything becoming normal again.
Both heroes were propelled away from each other, and Zatanna staggered back, tripping and was about to fall when Batgirl was there to catch her.
“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” she whispered in the magician’s ear.
For a second Zee swayed and then she stood upright and shrugged Babs off of her, “Thank you, Batgirl, but I am not in any need of assistance.”
Barbara was about to respond to the coolness in her voice when she realized that Aquaman was examining his new hand, turning it around and looking at both sides, and then finally looking up at the two of them. Barbara was expecting a thank you at that moment, a cry of relief or joy, but what she heard chilled her to the bone.
“I… I didn’t know you were going to… I’ve seen magic, felt magic… but this… what you used… by Neptune’s Trident, what are you?” His voice was shaking and he was looking at his hand again, almost in fear.
“You begged me,” Zatanna said coldly. “You wanted your hand back at any cost, and I’ve given you the gift you so dearly pleaded for. If you cannot summon up a proper amount of gratitude, I would be happy to take both hands away.”
Aquaman raised himself up, his ears turning red. “How dare you speak to me in that tone!”
Batgirl grabbed Zee by the arm. “Let’s just go. We’re done here. I think we need to get back to Vegas. Snapper Carr is staying here; I’ll tell him we’re leaving.”
She practically had to pull Zatanna away as her friend stared menacingly at Arthur who glared back at her.
After they had turned the corner and left, Arthur looked back at his hand again. It was real, it was his, and the coldness that had shot up his arm when it appeared had gone away; however, he couldn’t help but fear it, just a little. For the magic that had been used was tainted… foul… and now he was forever connected to it.
Unseen by anyone, on the roof of the next building over, a red and yellow satellite dish began to shift and readjust, until it became Plastic Man, who had witnessed the entire scene.
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:36:33 GMT -5
The tsunami had hit with little warning on the small islands of the Maldives. The people that lived in the villages were not prepared for the massive amount of damage and flooding that hit them.
The first to arrive on the scene was, of course, the Flash, followed closely by Superman, Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern who had created a huge green spaceship where Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Atom, Green Arrow, and Elongated Man were sitting.
Everyone knows what to do? Wonder Woman said through the telepathic link that J’onn had set up.
I’ve already done a preliminary sweep of all the islands; the southern three seem to have been hit the hardest, came Barry’s reply. Huge casualties everywhere and a lot of stranded people, not to mention what may be submerged underwater.
I’m on it, Aquaman said as Hal opened a small portal in the bottom of the ship and Arthur straightened out his body and did a perfect dive, barely putting a ripple in the water as he disappeared.
Superman flew at a blazing speed, grabbing people stranded on their roofs and flying them to the highest point on the island, that seemed to have been damaged the least.
Hawkman and Hawkgirl soared through the air, both retrieving helpless people that were floating on pieces of wood and debris.
“This is horrible,” Kendra muttered.
“Much of what life throws at us is,” Katar replied as he scooped up an elderly woman.
“You have a wonderful outlook on life. Has anyone told you that?”
“My mother has.”
“Really?! She must be a real peach,” Kendra retorted as she swooped down and picked up a young boy and his dog.
“She seems to be really into you,” Atom whispered into Katar’s ear as they sat the elderly lady down and Ray jumped off the Thangarian to check the old woman’s pulse, his body growing as he landed.
“I believe she just insulted my mother,” Hawkman said stiffly.
“Not at all,” Ray said, grabbing the woman’s hand. “Peaches on Earth are loved by almost everyone.”
“Really?” Hawkman mused as he watched Hawkgirl take back to the sky.
Ray hid his face as he grinned. “Her pulse is steady, but she’s going to need medical attention.”
The red streak was by him before the last words were out as Barry’s voice was carried through the wind … “On it…”
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:37:22 GMT -5
The rescue operation took over twenty-four hours, and, even with that, over a thousand lives were lost. When the heroes returned to the hall, they were all tired and worn out, but once again the News had hailed them as Earth’s saviors.
Lex Luthor watched the telecast from his office atop his building and without warning, grabbed a lamp and threw it at the television; shattering it into a million pieces.
“Was that for the news report or just for your dislike of Lou Dobbs in general,” inquired the female voice behind him.
Lex turned to Poison Ivy. “I have had it with all of them! I’ve done everything in my power to show the world what kind of trouble we are letting ourselves into, but the common masses are too stupid to realize it. It’s up to me… ME!... to stop them before they become any more powerful. And I swear to you that I will let nothing stand in my way… not ever again!”
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:38:26 GMT -5
Two Weeks Later
Snapper Carr withdrew himself from underneath the computer console. Everything was complete now, and just in time. The official opening was to be in the afternoon, but a special ceremony was being prepared that morning, for those who had fought in the recent crisis and had helped rebuild the site.
The interior had taken a bit longer to manage, but between Kord Industries and Wayne Tech, things became functional in no time.
He heard the footsteps coming from the main entranceway, many footsteps, and held his breath as the door slid open and in they stepped. Nearly the entire Justice Society as well as the Justice League, and other heroes who had fought alongside of them; all of them taking in the newly constructed building.
Batman, Hawkman, and Wonder Woman led the way, with the others following close behind.
“This is amazing,” Alan Scott said in quiet awe. “We never had anything like this in our day.”
“Did you even have indoor plumbing in your day?” Hal asked with a wicked grin.
“Another crack like that and your plumbing will be indoors,” Wildcat cautioned.
“Wish Batgirl could be here to see this,” Green Arrow said as he looked around in amazement. “She would be all over these computers in a heartbeat.”
“I wouldn’t mind being all over Batgirl,” Firestorm mumbled from the back of the crowd, and then blushed as Hawgirl turned and gave him a dirty look.
Plastic Man sidled up to Ollie. “I don’t see Zatanna here. I was hoping to talk to her. Any idea where she is?”
“Nope. Last I heard, she took Batgirl back to Vegas. You might want to check there first. Batgirl may have more of an idea than I do.”
The door opened up to another room and they walked in to see several large glass tubes, about eight feet tall, standing alongside each other. In front of them was a computer console that showed a map of the United States and different locations that flashed small blue lights. There were ones representing Gotham City, Star City, Coast City, Keystone City, New York, and Dallas; one located in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, and several others.
“What is this?” the Ray asked.
Hawkman stepped up to the front of the group. “This is a project that Batman and I have been working on. We’ve combined Thangarian technology and a small amount of Apokoliptian technology to create transporters. With the help of both Flashes, we’ve set up over a dozen locations across the country to reach the Hall as quickly as possible, or areas of the country quicker.”
“Amazing,” Ray Palmer said as he walked around the glass tubes, examining them carefully. “This is just incredi-”
“What’s over here?” Superman said sharply as he stared at an empty wall.
“I think it’s a wall, Supes,” Booster said in a cautious tone. “Is somebody carrying Kryptonite of any color on them, cause I think the big guy is losing it.”
However, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Green Lantern had caught a glimpse of Batman’s face when Superman had touched the wall, and it wasn’t a pleasant look in the least.
“What do you mean?” Hawkman asked, his voice carrying an edge to it.
“This wall is lined in lead; the only wall in this place that is. So I’m guessing that there’s something behind this wall that you don’t want me to see. Spill it, Batman. What secret do you have behind that wall that you’re not bothering to tell us? Another explosive device of some sort?”
Batman’s lips tightened, but he said nothing as Hawkman came around in front of him. “Perhaps now is not the time for this,” Katar said with more than the sound of a warning in his voice.
Superman walked right up to the winged man. “Oh, so he’s got you involved in his little paranoid secrets as well. That’s just great.” He turned to the Dark Knight. “On top of all your hidden agendas, you’re working to divide the team as well?”
“You speak unfairly and with ignorance,” Hawkman declared, his face tightening with anger.
“Is anybody going to do something about this, before it gets out of hand,” Firestorm whispered.
“Superman, Hawkman, and Batman?” Ollie said. “I’m going to make some popcorn and pull up a chair; that’s what I’m going to do.”
“You haven’t been on this planet long enough to take sides,” Clark warned Katar. “I suggest you step back, now.”
“You dare threaten the son of…”
“That is enough,” came the deep and booming voice of the Martian Manhunter. Everyone jumped and turned to look at him. “Just tell them,” he said, looking straight at Batman.
“You read my mind!” Batman accused him, his eyes flashing.
“… and you are making a big secret out of something you were planning to reveal anyway. We are all tired, and on edge from what has happened in the last month, but purposely goading a friend is not the way to relieve your tension or your frustration.”
There was a moment of silence and then Batman turned to the console and flipped a switch. The lead wall slid open to reveal another chamber, resembling the one they were standing in. This one, however, did not carry the tubes, but a large circular disc. Another control panel stood in front of it.
“So what is this?” Wonder Woman asked.
“Something that I’m in the middle of working on; something that, if we were to ever need it, would give us a fall back position, if we were ever had to abandon the hall again.”
The Atom looked at the platform and then turned back to Bruce. “It’s another type of teleportation device, isn’t it?” When Batman nodded without saying a word, Dr. Palmer became excited. “This one is large enough to transport many of us at one time, but where? Where does this teleporter go to?”
Hawkman and Batman exchanged glances and then Bruce spoke: “It will teleport us up to our satellite. It’s not finished yet; Wayne Tech and S.T.A.R. Labs are still working on it, but once it’s operational, it’ll give us a secondary headquarters, if it were ever needed.”
“Do you honestly think the governments of this world are just going to let us build a large space station that’s hovering over their heads?” Aquaman asked.
“At the moment, they don’t know it’s being built, or that it’s there. We have Adam Strange to thank for that. He has given us the technology to cloak both the satellite and the ships and workers that are in the process of building it.”
“Oh this is too rich,” Green Arrow scoffed. “As if the people of this world don’t look up to most of you as deities already, now you’re going to hover in the skies above them? Why? So you can prove them right? Show them that you’re above the rest of them?”
“It is nothing more than a secondary outpost if, and only if, it is needed.”
“You had no right to do this without speaking to us first,” Superman said, still angry.
“So you think it’s a bad idea?” Batman asked.
“That’s not the point!”
“Alright, enough!” Wonder Woman barked. “You should have come to us first, Batman, that much is true, but I do think that the idea is sound. This crisis has showed us that we have even more enemies than we realized, and it’s obvious now that they are building an army, or at least trying to. Continue with the project for now. As for everyone else, let us adjourn to the banquet hall, where we can discuss more immediate matters.”
They all looked at each other curiously as they followed her out of the door. Batman was the last to leave, but not before he had time to exchange a somewhat wicked look with Superman.
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:39:35 GMT -5
In the banquet hall, the mood had lightened somewhat when Diana called for quiet. The room quickly quietened down.
“As you all know, this afternoon will be the grand reopening of the new Hall of Justice, and the press will be here. There have been a lot of gossip and rumors in the news about who will be members of the Justice League when the doors reopen. Batman, Superman and I have discussed it and we would like to open up the membership for anyone who would be interested. You all went above and beyond the call of duty and proved yourselves during the Starro Crisis and we would be honored to have any of you on our team. There’s a reason why it’s called the Justice [iLeague[/i]. We would like to announce the roster, at the opening. So I ask all of you, who would like to join our ranks?”
A hush covered the large room; everyone seemed to be whispering to each other in quiet but excited voices.
Finally Alan Scott and Jay Garrick stepped forward. There was an audible gasp from the crowd but Jay raised his hand up for silence.
“I think I can speak on behalf of the entire Justice Society when I say that it would be an honor and a privilege to work with all of you, but we’ve been doing some discussing ourselves, and although I can’t make any major announcements at the moment, the members of the Society are going to respectfully decline. I think our future is leading us down a different, albeit, similar path.”
Superman grinned. “I hope that means what I think it does.”
“Only time will tell,” Jay said with a smile and a wink.
The Atom and Hawkman stepped up at the same time, “We would like to continue active duty,” Katar said. “You brought me here and welcomed me when I had nowhere else to go, and it is with pride that I stand with all of you.”
“Of course,” Wonder Woman said, smiling at him.
“Well, I’m new at this, but if you were to have me, I would also be thrilled to become a part of such a great team,” said Hawkgirl as she strode to the front of the group.
Katar arched an eyebrow under his mask and stared at her, but she purposely ignored him and stood on the other side of Atom.
“Welcome to the team,” Batman replied.
Wonder Woman looked over at Aquaman. “Arthur, I would be honored to turn over the chairmanship back to you. You deserve the chair.”
Arthur shook his head. “I don’t think so. There was a lot of damage done between the Atlanteans and the United States, a lot of hard feelings on both sides, and right now my place is with my people. I think they need me more, at this moment.”
She nodded in understanding as she saw Ralph Dibny walk up next to Hawkman. “I’ll join you. I think it’s time for me to step out of the shadows and take a more active role in helping people. I’m yours, if you will have me… and my wife allows it.” He said this last part quietly.
“Whipped,” Ray Palmer coughed into his red glove.
“Before we go on, I need to say something,” Superman spoke up. “Although I will always be here for the League any time you need me, at the moment there are things that I need to focus on in my life, so I would like you to consider me a member on standby. If it gets rough, just shout out and I’ll be there.”
Again there were shocked whispers throughout the room but Wonder Woman again nodded. “We all have our own lives, and sometimes we must focus on those. I fully understand. We’ll put you on reserve status.”
“Then I, too, ask to be put on reserve status,” J’onn said. This time even Diana reacted with surprise. “There are still many things in this world that I would like to see and experience and I would like a little time to do that, but I also do not want to fully leave this team, so reserve status would be best at the moment. Also, if Batman would accept the offer, I would like to help supervise the construction of the satellite.”
Bruce nodded in approval. “I think that is a very smart idea.”
Firestorm was next to speak. “I’d like to also be a member on reserve. If you need me, just call, and I’ll come running. Until then, I’ve got some things to sort out.”
“You’re a very powerful and brave young man,” Katar remarked. “You are welcomed, of course.”
“Then count me in as a reserve member as well,” Ollie blurted out. “Since you were kind enough to build a transporter tube in Star City, I might as well use it now and then. Until you need me, though, I’ve got personal business in Star, and a city to clean up.”
“Welcome aboard, Green Arrow,” Diana said and then turned to Barry and Hal. “And what say you two?”
Flash grinned and took his place next to Elongated Man. “I’m in for the long haul.”
They all turned to Hal whose face was unable to hide the mixed emotions that he was feeling. “I can’t be on full time duty at the moment,” he finally said. “Like Ollie, I’ve got some personal business that I have to get to the bottom of; however, I don’t want to be inactive either…. so I guess you can consider me a reserved member at the moment. If you need me, just give a holler, and you know I’ll be dropping by now and then.”
“Very well. Anyone else?”
The others thanked Diana for the offer but chose to go their own ways.
“Then I thank you all for everything that you have done for us. For standing up to with us when the odds were against us, when our future was in doubt; the Justice League will never forget it and owe you all a great debt. Now, let’s celebrate!”
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:41:07 GMT -5
Later that afternoon, the press gathered around the new Hall of Justice as Wonder Woman, Hawkman, Hawgirl, Atom, Flash, Elongated Man, and, way in the back, Batman stood before them.
As the flashes of light bulbs cascaded and questions were fielded, Batman slipped back into the shadows of the new building and went back inside. He found the reserve members talking in the meeting room.
“I guess it’s time for us to go,” Martian Manhunter said solemnly.
“Hey, it’s not like we’re really leaving for good,” Hal said with enthusiasm. We’re just taking a break… recharging the battery, as they say.”
Firestorm and Green Arrow stepped into the teleportation tubes.
“This thing better work,” Ollie grumbled to Batman as the Dark Knight went to the controls.
“If it doesn’t… you won’t know the difference,” Batman said with no emotion.
“Oh, that’s very fun-”
And then Ollie and Ronnie disappeared.
Green Lantern and the Martian were the next to leave, bidding their friends not a goodbye, but a “see you soon” as they took off on their own and flew out of the back exit and into the afternoon sun.
Batman and Superman stood there alone, an uncomfortable silence hanging between them.
“You know,” Clark began. “I’ll never fully approve of your methods or the way you look at things.”
It was a simple statement and Batman nodded. “And I will always consider you extremely naïve in your belief in your fellow man.”
Superman nodded back. “Perhaps that’s for the best. It helps us keep each other on our toes,” the Kryptonian mused.
Another moment of silence and then Superman took a step towards the exit when he felt the gloved hand grab his arm firmly. He stopped and turned around.
“Don’t be gone too long, Clark. The League needs you.”
Superman smiled. “Just as much as it needs you, Bruce. I’ll be back before you know it. Somebody has to keep an eye on you.”
Batman watched him fly off, until he was nothing more than a speck in the sky. He would never say it out loud, not to anyone, but being part of the League was something he hadn’t realized he would appreciate so much. As much as he preferred to work alone, he couldn’t deny the good that they did as a team… and he had a strong feeling that the Justice League was going to be around for a very long time.
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2007 18:41:36 GMT -5
The End![/b]
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