Author's Notes:

I wasn't sure if I wanted to make another BOTF story, but I decided to anyway. Here's the prologue for the fourth story! I know that not everyone who is a big Batman Beyond fan is crazy about the two-part episode "The Call" (I know I'm not), but I thought it would be both fun and interesting to add in my OC Coba Brooklyn (and mess with the plot a bit in the process, as I always do). I do not own Batman Beyond or it's characters. If I did, a few episodes would've been different and Mad Stan would've been voiced by Nicholas Cage ('cause I think he's pretty good at acting crazy and worked-up like Stan is (and no one has to agree with me on that: I'm well aware that there are people who do not like Cage all that much)).

Also: before we get started, I would like to list a recommended order of reading for the BOTF saga to help avoid too much confusion among readers as to what's being referenced in any of the stories.

1. Rebirth
2. Running Out of Inque
3. Remember
4. Eyewitness of the Past
5. Last Resort
6. Big Time
7. The Call
8. Truth Be Told
9. In Waves (which doesn't follow any episodes)
10. What Lies Within (Teen Titans crossover)
11. Betrayal (Part 2 of Big Time; upcoming)

All that being said, please R&R and enjoy...

Metropolis, November 2041.

"Ms. Waller will see you now, Miss Brooklyn."

Coba Brooklyn stood up from the chair she had been sitting in and followed the receptionist addressing her out of the waiting room and into a vast hallway. They came to a stop in a room, which was the largest in the building aside from the waiting room, at the end of the hallway after a few seconds. Without saying a word, the receptionist left the vast room and shut the door, leaving Coba confused and perturbed. "It's quite alright, Miss Brooklyn," a new female voice said from inside the room. "You're not in any danger."

The teen looked in the direction of the voice, her gaze stopping at the sight of a woman she correctly guessed to be in her late sixties. "Amanda Waller, I presume?" she asked.

The woman stepped forward and outstretched her hand. "Correct, young girl. It is quite a pleasure to meet you at last. I've heard a lot about you."

Coba politely shook the woman's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, I'm sure. Bruce Wayne told me a lot about you. I understand you wanted to see me about an important matter. Is this true?"

"That is also correct." Waller gestured to a chair that was positioned in front of her coffee table, which in turn was placed in front of her favorite armchair. "Please, have a seat and make yourself at home. There's some herbal tea if you would like some."

Knowing now that she was not being tricked into some sort of trap (as well as Waller being more hospitible than Bruce had described her to be), Brooklyn sat down in the chair. "What exactly do you want to discuss?" she inquired her host.

Amanda smiled harmlessly at Batgirl as she sat down in her armchair. "For the past few weeks, Superman has been evading conversation with me," she explained. "He came up to me yesterday, though, and mentioned that he had not been himself during those weeks. He also described how you and your brother, the current Batman, had briefly joined the Justice League and helped to save him and the rest of the world. However, he did not explain very much and felt that it was not up to him to describe it. Do you mind speaking about your experience with the League as well as how you met Superman?"

Brooklyn thought it over, then shook her head. "I don't mind talking about it," she confessed, "but I feel that I need Superman's permission to do so. It was a troubling experience for him, you see."

"Actually, Miss Brooklyn, he told me you were the only one honest, sympathetic and insightful enough to talk about it." Waller smiled a little. "I had a hard time believing him when he said you're more insightful than Kai-Ro, the current Green Lantern. I guess another reason why I want to hear about the recent problem is that I'm curious to see if what all Superman has told me about you is true."

"Would he lie to you?" Coba asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

Waller quickly shook her head. "Heavens no, but his views are often clouded."

Coba masterfully hid her disappointment that Waller doubted her—and one of the world's greatest superheroes, for that matter. Still, she thought grimly, after what happened, I wouldn't blame her for not trusting his views. "Well, it all started one afternoon on a routine patrol around Gotham City..."